bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Performance of HYDRUS-1D for simulating water movement in water-repellent soils
Authors: Wang Xiaofang , Li Yi , Wang Yichen , Liu Chuncheng
Published: April 2018

Soil water repellency affects soil water movement during infiltration significantly. The HYDRUS software has been popularly applied in soil water dynamics simulation for many years, but its performance in water-repellent (WR) soils has not been assessed thoroughly. Our objectives are to assess the performance of HYDRYUS-1D for cumulative infiltration (CI), wetting front (Zf), and volumetric soil water content (θv) during horizontal imbibition and vertical infiltration in wettable, slightly WR, and strongly WR soils. The key parameters of α and n in water retention curves were inversely estimated by RETension Curve software. The α and n were calibrated inversely until the observed data fitted the simulated values well enough. The α and n were then used for validation using three statistical parameters including relative root-mean-square error, R2, and Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient. The performances of calibration and validation for wettable, slightly, and strongly WR soils were good enough to be used for further simulations (RRMSE ≤20.2% for calibration and ≤21.1% for validation). Soil water movements for strongly WR soils of variable ponded depth during vertical infiltration were simulated. For Lou soil, as the ponded depth increased from 4 to 10 cm, the CI and Zfincreased 2.08 and 5.5 cm, respectively. The simulations for the other three soils also showed gradually increased CI and Zfvalues. In conclusion, the performances of HYDRUS-1D in four different soil types with changing WR levels were good, which confirmed the application of HYDRUS-1D in WR soils.
Effect of the cosmological constant on halo size
Authors: Kulchoakrungsun Ekapob , Lam Adrian , Lowe David A.
Published: April 2018

In this work, we consider the effect of the cosmological constant on galactic halo size. As a model, we study the general relativistic derivation of orbits in the Schwarzschild–de Sitter metric. We find that there exists a length scale [Formula: see text] corresponding to a maximum size of a circular orbit of a test mass in a gravitationally bound system, which is the geometric mean of the cosmological horizon size squared and the Schwarzschild radius. This agrees well with the size of a galactic halo when the effects of dark matter are included. The size of larger structures such as galactic clusters and superclusters are also well-approximated by this scale. This model provides a simplified approach to computing the size of such structures without the usual detailed dynamical models. Some of the more detailed approaches that appear in the literature are reviewed, and we find the length scales agree to within a factor of order one. Finally, we note the length scale associated with the effects of MOND or Verlinde’s emergent gravity, which offer explanations of the flattening of galaxy rotation curves without invoking dark matter, may be expressed as the geometric mean of the cosmological horizon size and the Schwarzschild radius, which is typically 100 times smaller than [Formula: see text].
High-frequency performance for a spiral-shaped piezoelectric bimorph
Authors: Huang Fang Sheng , Feng Zhi Hua , Ma Yu Ting , Pan Qiao Sheng , Zhang Lian Sheng , Liu Yong Bin , He Liang Guo
Published: April 2018

Piezoelectric cantilever is suitable as an actuator for micro-flapping-wing aircraft. Higher resonant frequency brings about stronger flight energy, and the flight amplitude can be compensated by displacement–amplification mechanism, such as lever. To obtain a higher resonant frequency, straight piezoelectric bimorph was rolled into spiral-shaped piezoelectric bimorph with identical effective length in this study, which is verified in COMSOL simulations. Simulation results show that compared with the straight piezoelectric bimorph, the spiral-shaped piezoelectric bimorph with two turns has higher inherent frequencies (from 204.79 Hz to 504.84 Hz in terms of axial oscillation mode, and from 319.77 Hz to 704.48 Hz in terms of tangential torsional mode). The spiral-shaped piezoelectric bimorph is fabricated by a precise laser cutting process and consists of two turns with effective length of 60 mm, width of 2.5 mm, and thickness of 1.6 mm, respectively. With the excitation voltage of 100 Vpp applying an electric field across the thickness of the bimorph, the tip displacement of the actuator in the axial oscillation and tangential torsional modes are 85 [Formula: see text]m and 15 [Formula: see text]m, respectively.
Experimental Validation of an Eleven Level Symmetrical Inverter Using Genetic Algorithm and Queen Bee Assisted Genetic Algorithm for Solar Photovoltaic Applications
Authors: Gnanavel C. , Albert Alexander S.
Published: April 2018

This paper presents an 11-level symmetrical inverter with reduced number of semiconductor switches for the solar photovoltaic (PV) applications. The genetic algorithm (GA) and queen bee assisted genetic algorithm (QBAGA) are performing a major task for the proposed Multilevel Inverter (MLI). The proposed symmetrical MLI topology has reduced number of semiconductor devices compared to the conventional MLI. However, the modulation index threshold related to the drop in the number of inverter output voltage levels is higher than that of the MLI. The objective of this paper is to find the optimal value of modulation index ([Formula: see text]) using optimization algorithms in order to attain the maximum power point (MPP) from the solar PV array. An 11-level symmetrical inverter is taken into consideration whose optimal modulation index ([Formula: see text]) is calculated in order to eliminate the harmonics. The total harmonic distortion (THD) measurement is used to estimate the quality of inverter the output voltage which implies the improvement of power quality. The simulations are carried out in MATLAB/Simulink and the experimental prototype is implemented with field programmable gate array (FPGA)-based processor. The simulation and experimental results show lesser THD with the absence of filter components which expose the effectiveness of the proposed system.
New Rough Set-Aided Mechanism for Text Categorisation
Authors: Sailaja N. Venkata , Sree L. Padma , Mangathayaru N.
Published: April 2018

With the advent of computers and the information age, statistical and analytical problems have grown in terms of both size and complexity. Challenges in core domains of data storage, organisation and searching have evolved to the new research field called data mining. Text classification using various machine learning (ML) mechanisms encounters the difficulty of the high dimensionality of attributes vector. Therefore, a feature selection technique is very much required to discard irrelevant as well as noisy attributes from the feature set vector so that the ML algorithms can work efficiently. In this paper, rough set theory (RST)-based attribute selection methodology is applied to achieve text classification goal. A hybrid method based on RST is proposed for text documents classification. Further, the proposed method’s performance is evaluated on standard datasets.
Seismic Collapse Probability Considering Pounding and Financial Loss Estimation of Base-Isolated Reinforced Concrete Buildings
Authors: Bhagat Satish , Wijeyewickrema Anil C.
Published: April 2018

In this paper, the seismic collapse probability of base-isolated reinforced concrete buildings considering pounding with a moat wall and financial loss estimation is studied. For this purpose, three-dimensional finite element models of a code-compliant 10-story base-isolated shear wall-frame (BI-SWF) building and a 10-story base-isolated moment resisting frame (BI-MRF) building are used. Results indicate that the BI-MRF building has a greater probability of collapse compared to that of the BI-SWF building, the probability of collapse in 50 years for the BI-MRF building is 1.3 times greater than that of the BI-SWF building for both no pounding and pounding cases. The probability of collapse increases when pounding is considered, which results in a smaller value of the collapse margin ratio compared to no pounding case for both the buildings. The financial losses resulting from damage to the BI-MRF and BI-SWF buildings under design earthquake (DE) and risk-targeted maximum considered earthquake (MCER) levels are calculated for the no pounding case, since there was no pounding under DE-level and very few instances of pounding under MCER-level. Calculation of financial losses due to damage to structural and nonstructural components, service equipment and downtime shows that the BI-SWF building results in larger repair costs and downtime cost compared to the BI-MRF building.
The Fekete–Szegö coefficient functional problems for q-starlike and q-convex functions related with lemniscate of Bernoulli
Authors: Sivasubramanian S. , Gurusamy P.
Published: April 2018

The area of [Formula: see text]-calculus has attracted the serious attention of researchers. This great interest is due its application in various branches of mathematics and physics. The application of [Formula: see text]-calculus was initiated by Jackson [Jackson, On [Formula: see text]-definite integrals, Quart. J. Pure Appl. Math. 41 (1910) 193–203; On [Formula: see text]-functions and a certain difference operator, Trans. Roy. Soc. Edinburgh 46 (1908) 253–281.], who was the first to develop [Formula: see text]-integral and [Formula: see text]-derivative in a systematic way. In this paper, we make use of the concept of [Formula: see text]-calculus in the theory of univalent functions, to obtain the bounds for certain coefficient functional problems of [Formula: see text]-starlike and [Formula: see text]-convex functions. Further, we also obtain similar type of inequalities related to lemniscate of Bernoulli. The authors sincerely hope that this paper will revive this concept and encourage other researchers to work in this [Formula: see text]-calculus in the near-future in the area of complex function theory. Also, we present a direct and shortened proof for the estimates of [Formula: see text] found in [Mishra and Gochhayat, Fekete–Szego problem for [Formula: see text]-uniformly convex functions and for a class defined by Owa–Srivastava operator, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 347(2) (2008) 563–572] for [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text].
Health-Related Quality of Life in Children and Adolescents with Severe Obesity after Intensive Lifestyle Treatment and at 1-Year Follow-Up
Authors: Hoedjes Meeke , Makkes Sabine , Halberstadt Jutka , Noordam Hanneke , Renders Carry M. , Bosmans Judith E. , van der Baan-Slootweg Olga H. , Seidell Jacob C.
Published: April 2018

Objective: To examine changes in generic and weight-related, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children and adolescents with severe obesity participating in intensive lifestyle treatment, and to examine whether changes in SDS-BMI were associated with changes in HRQoL. Methods: In this prospective observational study, a referred sample of 120 children and adolescents (8-19 years) with severe obesity (SDS-BMI ≥ 3.0, or ≥ 2.3 in combination with obesity-related comorbidity) received an intensive 1-year lifestyle treatment with an inpatient period in a specialized childhood obesity center. A weight-related (IWQOL-Kids) and three generic (KIDSCREEN-52, PedsQL 4.0, and EuroQol) HRQoL questionnaires were administered at baseline (T0), after treatment (T1), and 1 year later (T2). Generalized Linear Mixed Models and partial correlations were used to analyze changes in HRQoL and associations with changes in SDS-BMI. Results: Statistically significant improvements in generic and weight-related HRQoL overall and domain scores were observed at T1and at T2 in comparison with T0, despite partial weight regain from T1 to T2. Larger weight loss at T2 was correlated with larger improvements in physical HRQoL domains. Conclusion: Children and adolescents with severe obesity experienced long-term improvements in generic and weight-related HRQoL after participating in intensive lifestyle treatment, despite partial weight regain.
Food Allergy Prevention and Treatment by Targeted Nutrition
Authors: Heine Ralf G.
Published: April 2018

In view of the dramatic rise in the prevalence of food allergy globally, effective prevention strategies have become a public health priority. Several models have emerged around the etiology of food allergy, including the hygiene hypothesis, dual allergen exposure hypothesis, and vitamin D hypothesis. These form the basis for current and potential prevention strategies. Breastfeeding remains a key pillar of primary allergy prevention. Other nutritional interventions, including the use of whey-based, partially hydrolyzed formula in non-breastfed infants, also play an important role. In recent years, there has been a shift away from prolonged food allergen avoidance to the proactive allergen introduction from 4 months of age. This approach is supported by 2 pivotal randomized clinical trials showing that the early introduction of peanut and other food allergens significantly reduces the risk of food allergy. However, the implementation of this strategy at the population level still raises significant logistic problems, including patient selection and development of suitable food formats for young infants. Other prevention strategies, including vitamin D supplementation, are currently under evaluation. Maternal elimination diets during pregnancy and lactation are not recommended for allergy prevention. The treatment of food allergies has also seen major transformations. While strict allergen avoidance is still the key treatment principle, there is a greater focus on desensitization and tolerance induction by oral and epicutaneous immunotherapy. In addition, specialized hypoallergenic infant formulas for the treatment of infants with cow’s milk allergy have undergone reformulation, including the addition of lactose and probiotics in order to modulate the gut microbiome and early immune responses. Further research is needed to inform the most effective food allergy prevention strategies at the population level. In addition, the wider application of food allergen immunotherapy may provide better health outcomes and improved quality of life for families affected by food allergies.
Effects of a Weight Loss Program on Metabolic Syndrome, Eating Disorders and Psychological Outcomes: Mediation by Endocannabinoids
Authors: Pataky Zoltan , Carrard Isabelle , Gay Valerie , Thomas Aurélien , Carpentier Anne , Bobbioni-Harsch Elisabetta , Golay Alain
Published: April 2018

Objective: To evaluate the effects of weight loss on endocannabinoids, cardiometabolic and psychological parameters, eating disorders (ED) as well as quality of life (QoL) and to elucidate the role of endocannabinoids in metabolic syndrome (MS). Methods: In total, 114 patients with obesity were prospectively included in a 12-month weight loss program. Plasma endocannabinoids were measured by mass spectrometry; ED, psychological and QoL-related parameters were evaluated by self-reported questionnaires; physical activity was measured by accelerometer. Nutritional assessment was done by a 3-day food diary. Results: Among completers (n = 87), body weight decreased in 35 patients (-9.1 ± 8.6 kg), remained stable in 39 patients, and increased in 13 patients (+5.8 ± 3.4 kg). 75% of patients with MS at baseline were free of MS at follow-up, and their baseline plasma N-palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) values were significantly lower when compared to patients with persisting MS. At baseline, there was a positive relationship between PEA and waist circumference (p = 0.005, R2 = 0.08), fasting glucose (p < 0.0001, R2 = 0.12), total cholesterol (p = 0.001, R2 = 0.11), triglycerides (p = 0.001, R2 = 0.11), LDL-cholesterol (p = 0.03, R2 = 0.05) as well as depression score (p = 0.002, R2 = 0.29). Conclusion: Plasma PEA might play a role in metabolic improvement after weight loss. Even in subjects without weight loss, a multidisciplinary intervention improves psychological outcomes, ED, and QoL.
Incidence, Predictors, and Outcomes of Acquired Thrombocytopenia After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Groves Elliott M. , Bhatt Deepak L. , Steg Philippe Gabriel , Deliargyris Efthymios N. , Stone Gregg W. , Gibson C. Michael , Hamm Christian W. , Mahaffey Kenneth W. , White Harvey D. , Angiolillo Dominick J. , Prats Jayne , Harrington Robert A. , Price Matthew J. ,   on behalf of the CHAMPION Investigators*
Published: April 2018

Background—

The influence of cangrelor on the incidence and outcomes of post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) thrombocytopenia is not defined. We aimed to explore the incidence, predictors, and clinical impact of thrombocytopenia after PCI in cangrelor-treated patients.

Methods and Results—

This was a pooled, patient-level analysis of the CHAMPION trials (Cangrelor Versus Standard Therapy to Achieve Optimal Management of Platelet Inhibition), which compared cangrelor with clopidogrel for prevention of thrombotic complications during and after PCI. Acquired thrombocytopenia was defined as either a drop in platelet count to <100 000 after PCI or a drop of >50% between baseline and a follow-up. The main efficacy outcome was major adverse cardiac events. The primary safety outcome was noncoronary artery bypass grafting–related Global Utilization of Streptokinase and Tissue Plasminogen Activator for Occluded Coronary Arteries–defined severe bleeding at 48 hours. Patients (23 783) were enrolled, and 3009 (12.7%) received a GPI (glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor). Acquired thrombocytopenia occurred in 200 patients (0.8%). The adjusted rate of major adverse cardiovascular events at 48 hours was significantly higher in patients who developed thrombocytopenia compared with those who did not (odds ratio, 3.00; 95% confidence interval, 1.89–4.69;
P
<0.001), as was major bleeding (odds ratio, 14.71; 95% confidence interval, 5.96–36.30;
P
<0.001). GPI use was the strongest independent predictor of acquired thrombocytopenia (odds ratio, 2.93; 95% confidence interval, 2.15–3.97;
P
<0.0001). There was no difference in the rate of acquired thrombocytopenia in patients randomized to cangrelor or clopidogrel.

Conclusions—

Acquired thrombocytopenia after PCI is strongly associated with substantial early morbidity and mortality, as well as major bleeding. GPI use is a significant predictor of thrombocytopenia. Cangrelor is not associated with acquired thrombocytopenia, and its clinical efficacy and safety is consistent irrespective of thrombocytopenia occurrence.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifiers: NCT00305162, NCT00385138, and NCT01156571.
Leptin-Aldosterone-Neprilysin Axis
Authors: Packer Milton
Published: April 2018

Obesity (especially visceral adiposity) can be associated with 3 different phenotypes of heart failure: heart failure with a reduced ejection fraction, heart failure with a preserved ejection fraction, and high-output heart failure. All 3 phenotypes are characterized by an excessive secretion of aldosterone and sodium retention. In addition, obesity is accompanied by increased signaling through the leptin receptor, which can promote activation of both the sympathetic nervous system and the renin-angiotensin system and can directly stimulate the secretion of aldosterone. The deleterious interaction of leptin and aldosterone is potentiated by the simultaneous action of adiposity and the renal sympathetic nerves to cause overactivity of neprilysin; the loss of the counterbalancing effects of natriuretic peptides is exacerbated by an additional effect of both obesity and heart failure to interfere with adiponectin signaling. This intricate neurohormonal interplay leads to plasma volume expansion as well as to adverse ventricular remodeling and cardiac fibrosis. Furthermore, the activity of aldosterone and neprilysin is not only enhanced by obesity, but these mechanisms can also promote adipogenesis and adipocyte dysfunction, thereby enhancing the positive feedback loop. Last, in elderly obese women, changes in quantity and biology of epicardial adipose tissue further enhances the release of leptin and other proinflammatory adipokines, thereby leading to cardiac and systemic inflammation, end-organ fibrosis, and multiple comorbidities. Regardless of the phenotypic expression, activation of the leptin-aldosterone-neprilysin axis appears to contribute importantly to the evolution and progression of heart failure in people with obesity. Efforts to interfere with the detrimental interactions of this distinctive neurohormonal ecosystem with existing or novel therapeutic agents are likely to yield unique clinical benefits.
The Climate Policy of the European Union from the Framework Convention to the Paris Agreement
Authors: Stoczkiewicz Marcin
Published: April 2018

This article presents the development of the climate policy of the European Union (eu) which is analysed in terms of the legal measures adopted to implement it. The main goal of the study is to verify the thesis that the eu climate policy which is expressed in eu law is part of the eu policy in the field of environmental protection. In order to verify this thesis, the study presents and analyses the major acts of the secondary legislation of the eu in the field of the climate. The study considers, in particular, the objectives of these acts, their Treaty bases and the main principles on which they are based.
Confirmation of the identity of the type host of the louse Halipeurus fallacis (Phthiraptera: Philopteridae)
Authors: PALMA RICARDO L.
Published: April 2018

Alexander (1954: 489) recorded a petrel (Aves: Procellariiformes) captured alive on board a ship in the Indian Ocean by Mr W.W.A. Phillips who, after removing some lice, liberated it the following morning. Alexander (1954) identified that petrel as the species “Pterodroma aterrima Bonaparte”, now placed in the genus Pseudobulweria. The lice were kept in the collection of the then British Museum (Natural History), now the Natural History Museum, London, England. Jouanin (1955) published a new species of petrel from the Indian Ocean as Bulweria fallax. Jouanin (1957: 19) discussed the identity of the petrel identified by Alexander (1954) as Pterodroma aterrima, stating that the descriptive data given by Alexander (1954) did not clearly fit either P. aterrima or B. fallax. However, considering the geographical coordinates where the bird was captured, Jouanin (1957) believed it was more likely Bulweria fallax.
First record of the spider genus Wolongia Zhu, Kim & Song, 1997 from India with the description of a new species (Araneae, Tetragnathidae)
Authors: MALAMEL JOBI J. , NAFIN KARUNNAPPILLI SHAMSUDHEEN , SANKARAN PRADEEP M. , SEBASTIAN POTHALIL A.
Published: April 2018

Zhu et al. (1997) erected the tetragnathid genus Wolongia to accommodate Wolongia guoi Zhu, Kim & Song, 1997 and Wolongia wangi Zhu, Kim & Song, 1997 collected from the Sichuan and Shaanxi Provinces in China. In 2009, Ping et al. described Wolongia odontodes from the Gaoligong Mountains and remained with a nominal representation after the erection of the genus. This situation was somewhat rectified by Jin-long Wan & Xian-jin Peng (2013) reporting seven new species from the Gaoligong Mountains (Yunnan Province, southwest China). The genus currently with ten nominal species; three are known only from females, while seven are from both sexes (World Spider Catalog 2017). During our survey in Pathiramanal Island we found an undescribed Wolongia species. This is one of the most diverse areas of the Kerala state of Southern India, situated in the Vembanad Lake, a Ramsar Convention (2013) site (wetland of international importance). In this paper, we describe this new species and provide the first report of Wolongia from India.
A clarification for the subgenera of Paramacrobiotus Guidetti, Schill, Bertolani, Dandekar and Wolf, 2009, with respect to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature
Authors: MARLEY N.J. , KACZMAREK Ł. , GAWLAK M. , BARTELS P.J. , NELSON D.R. , ROSZKOWSKA M. , D. STEC , DEGMA P.
Published: April 2018

The recent re-description of Paramacrobiotus Guidetti, Schill, Bertolani, Dandekar and Wolf, 2009 has inadvertently led to the description of an objective synonym within its subgenera nominal taxa. To resolve this issue, we have re-described both subgenera, and proposed a new substitute name for one subgenus, in line with the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. Additionally we have confirmed the placement of two recently published Paramacrobiotus species, not included in the last revision, within the respective subgenera established herein.
Do Downscaled General Circulation Models Reliably Simulate Historical Climatic Conditions?
Authors: Bock Andrew R. , Hay Lauren E. , McCabe Gregory J. , Markstrom Steven L. , Atkinson R. Dwight
Published: April 2018

The accuracy of statistically downscaled (SD) general circulation model (GCM) simulations of monthly surface climate for historical conditions (1950–2005) was assessed for the conterminous United States (CONUS). The SD monthly precipitation (PPT) and temperature (TAVE) from 95 GCMs from phases 3 and 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP3 and CMIP5) were used as inputs to a monthly water balance model (MWBM). Distributions of MWBM input (PPT and TAVE) and output [runoff (RUN)] variables derived from gridded station data (GSD) and historical SD climate were compared using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov (KS) test For all three variables considered, the KS test results showed that variables simulated using CMIP5 generally are more reliable than those derived from CMIP3, likely due to improvements in PPT simulations. At most locations across the CONUS, the largest differences between GSD and SD PPT and RUN occurred in the lowest part of the distributions (i.e., low-flow RUN and low-magnitude PPT). Results indicate that for the majority of the CONUS, there are downscaled GCMs that can reliably simulate historical climatic conditions. But, in some geographic locations, none of the SD GCMs replicated historical conditions for two of the three variables (PPT and RUN) based on the KS test, with a significance level of 0.05. In these locations, improved GCM simulations of PPT are needed to more reliably estimate components of the hydrologic cycle. Simple metrics and statistical tests, such as those described here, can provide an initial set of criteria to help simplify GCM selection.
Testing the Tests: What Are the Impacts of Incorrect Assumptions When Applying Confidence Intervals or Hypothesis Tests to Compare Competing Forecasts?
Authors: Gilleland Eric , Hering Amanda S. , Fowler Tressa L. , Brown Barbara G.
Published: April 2018

Which of two competing continuous forecasts is better? This question is often asked in forecast verification, as well as climate model evaluation. Traditional statistical tests seem to be well suited to the task of providing an answer. However, most such tests do not account for some of the special underlying circumstances that are prevalent in this domain. For example, model output is seldom independent in time, and the models being compared are geared to predicting the same state of the atmosphere, and thus they could be contemporaneously correlated with each other. These types of violations of the assumptions of independence required for most statistical tests can greatly impact the accuracy and power of these tests. Here, this effect is examined on simulated series for many common testing procedures, including two-sample and paired t and normal approximation z tests, the z test with a first-order variance inflation factor applied, and the newer Hering–Genton (HG) test, as well as several bootstrap methods. While it is known how most of these tests will behave in the face of temporal dependence, it is less clear how contemporaneous correlation will affect them. Moreover, it is worthwhile knowing just how badly the tests can fail so that if they are applied, reasonable conclusions can be drawn. It is found that the HG test is the most robust to both temporal dependence and contemporaneous correlation, as well as the specific type and strength of temporal dependence. Bootstrap procedures that account for temporal dependence stand up well to contemporaneous correlation and temporal dependence, but require large sample sizes to be accurate.
Validating Conspiracy Beliefs and Effectively Communicating Scientific Consensus
Authors: Bolsen Toby , Druckman James N.
Published: April 2018

A central challenge to effectively communicating scientific consensus is that people often reject information counter to their prior beliefs. People who believe that human-induced climate change is a hoax, for instance, may dismiss scientific consensus messages that human activity is a primary cause of climate change. We argue that such people can be persuaded, however. We hypothesize that validating an individual’s belief about the existence of conspiracies makes him or her more likely to accept contrary scientific consensus information. We present experimental evidence that such validation leads individuals who previously believed human-induced climate change is a hoax to become more believing in human-induced climate change following exposure to scientific consensus information.
The Intellectual Structure of theAmerican Behavioral Scientist: Five Decades of Research
Authors: Pascual-Nebreda Laura , Díez-Martín Francisco , Prado-Román Camilo
Published: April 2018

Over the past 50 years, the American Behavioral Scientist has become one of the most representative journals within the social and behavioral sciences field. The journal has disseminated large amounts of knowledge, which has increased the complexity of having a global picture of its contributions. The aim of this research is to identify and visualize the intellectual structure of this journal in order to appreciate the changes that have taken place over the five decades since its establishment. Following a bibliometric methodology, the most active research areas of the journal, the main contributors, knowledge sources, dissemination paths, as well as the emerging tendencies are identified within this article.
“Racialized masculinities”: A gendered response to marginalization among Malay boys in Singapore
Authors: Ganapathy Narayanan , Balachandran Lavanya
Published: April 2018

While social disorganization and anomie theories are generally employed to explain the disproportionate representation of racial minorities in the offending population, such perspectives often fail to address the intersectionalities of class, race, religion, gender, and historicity that structurally marginalize the Malay youth in Singapore. This article hence adopts a neocolonial criminological approach in explaining racial disparity in crime, particularly how the Malay youth establish their dominance in gangs through hyper- and exaggerated forms of masculinity. Drawing on interviews with Singaporean Malay and Chinese individuals who were current and former gang members, this study shows that Malay youth tended to exhibit a blended masculinity comprising “Malayness” and “Chineseness” to compensate for their marginal status, highlighting their agentic capacity in strategically tapping upon an inventory of race resources to negotiate their gendered identities and attain status and economic mobility in the illegitimate society.
Exploring Associations Between Interpersonal Violence and Prison Size in Spanish Prisons
Authors: Caravaca-Sánchez Francisco , Wolff Nancy , Teasdale Brent
Published: April 2018

The majority of research based on prisons in the United States has found a positive association between prison size and inmate victimization. This study estimates rates and identifies inmate and institutional characteristics associated with victimization in the Spanish prisons, with special attention on the prison size. Data were collected from a sample of male inmates aged 18 years or older ( n = 2,484) located in eight prisons in the southeast of Spain. Holding inmate characteristics constant, rates of victimization were significantly and substantively higher in larger prisons. Understanding the prison size–victimization association requires further qualitative investigation to identify whether size creates more spaces for victimization (structural opportunities) and/or lapses in supervision due to depersonalization or impersonalization (social distancing).
Do health professionals tell patients what they want to know about their medicines?
Authors: Young Amber , Tordoff June , Leitch Sharon , Smith Alesha
Published: April 2018

Background:

Discussing medicines with patients is the responsibility of prescribers and pharmacists. However, it is not well known whether patients are given the information they want or whether information provision continues when medicines are taken long-term.

Objective:

To determine how often general practitioners (GPs) and pharmacists provide verbal information to patients about their medicines, and compare the information given with what patients want to know.

Design:

Cross-sectional surveys.

Setting:

New Zealand primary healthcare.

Method:

Two questionnaires were developed and sent to a sample of pharmacists and GPs, and chi-squared analysis was carried out. Open responses were analysed qualitatively to detect further ideas.

Results:

A total of 119 pharmacists and 150 GPs responded. For new medicines, significantly more GPs than pharmacists reported giving verbal information all of the time. Significantly more GPs than pharmacists reported discussing most counselling points all or most of the time. Pharmacists were more likely than GPs to discuss counselling points only when requested to by patients. For repeat medicines, significantly more GPs than pharmacists were likely to consider counselling points very important.

Conclusion:

Patients may not be receiving the information they want to know about their medicines, and there may be an overall lack of verbal communication about medicines with patients. Some information will only be discussed if the patient actively requests it; the likelihood of this increases with repeat medicines. The use of counselling aids and tools, such as a medicine information leaflet, could help healthcare providers provide patients with the information they need.
African Vernacular Architecture, Culture and Modernity: An Investigation Among the Lamba People of Chief Mushili on the Copperbelt Province of Zambia
Authors: Dioma Binwell Nkonde , Malama Albert , Munshifwa Ephraim Kabunda
Published: April 2018

The influence of imported material, technology and methods has put pressure on most traditional architectural systems to modernize. This influence to modernize is transmitted through various mechanisms. This paper argues that there are a number of aspects to vernacular architecture that would be lost through this conversion process to modern materials, technology and methods. Through the examination of vernacular architecture among the Lamba people of Senior Chief Mushili’s chiefdom, the study found that there are cultural, environmental and aesthetical aspects in vernacular architecture that are poorly understood in the process of modernization. Data for this research were collected through an ethnographical approach with occasional in-depth interviews with senior members of the Royal establishment and the community. Thus, the data were mainly qualitative.
Are Gender Differences in Emotion Culturally Universal? Comparison of Emotional Intensity Between Chinese and German Samples
Authors: Gong Xianmin , Wong Natalie , Wang Dahua
Published: April 2018

Are gender differences in emotion culturally universal? To answer this question, the current study compared gender differences in emotional arousal (intensity) ratings for negative and positive pictures from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) across cultures (Chinese vs. German culture) and age (younger vs. older adults). The raters were 53 younger Germans (24 women), 53 older Germans (28 women), 300 younger Chinese (176 women), and 126 older Chinese (86 women). The results showed that gender differences in arousal ratings were moderated by culture and age: Chinese women reported higher arousal for both negative and positive pictures compared with Chinese men; German women reported higher arousal for negative pictures, but lower arousal for positive pictures compared with German men. Moreover, the gender differences were larger for older than younger adults in the Chinese sample but smaller for older than younger adults in the German sample. The results indicated that gender differences in self-report emotional intensity induced by pictorial stimuli were more consistent with gender norms and stereotypes (i.e., women being more emotional than men) in the Chinese sample, compared with the German sample, and that gender differences were not constant across age groups. The study revealed that gender differences in emotion are neither constant nor universal, and it highlighted the importance of taking culture and age into account.
Inflammatory Bacteriome and Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Perera M. , Al-hebshi N.N. , Perera I. , Ipe D. , Ulett G.C. , Speicher D.J. , Chen T. , Johnson N.W.
Published: April 2018

Results from microbiome studies on oral cancer have been inconsistent, probably because they focused on compositional analysis, which does not account for functional redundancy among oral bacteria. Based on functional prediction, a recent study revealed enrichment of inflammatory bacterial attributes in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Given the high relevance of this finding to carcinogenesis, we aimed here to corroborate them in a case-control study involving 25 OSCC cases and 27 fibroepithelial polyp (FEP) controls from Sri Lanka. DNA extracted from fresh biopsies was sequenced for the V1 to V3 region with Illumina’s 2 × 300–bp chemistry. High-quality nonchimeric merged reads were classified to the species level with a prioritized BLASTN-based algorithm. Downstream compositional analysis was performed with QIIME (Quantitative Insights into Microbial Ecology) and linear discriminant analysis effect size, while PICRUSt (Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States) was utilized for bacteriome functional prediction. The OSCC tissues tended to have lower species richness and diversity. Genera Capnocytophaga, Pseudomonas, and Atopobium were overrepresented in OSCC, while Lautropia, Staphylococcus, and Propionibacterium were the most abundant in FEP. At the species level, Campylobacter concisus, Prevotella salivae, Prevotella loeschii, and Fusobacterium oral taxon 204 were enriched in OSCC, while Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus oral taxon 070, Lautropia mirabilis, and Rothia dentocariosa among others were more abundant in FEP. Functionally, proinflammatory bacterial attributes, including lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis and peptidases, were enriched in the OSCC tissues. Thus, while the results in terms of species composition significantly differed from the original study, they were consistent at the functional level, substantiating evidence for the inflammatory nature of the bacteriome associated with OSCC.
Extreme Psychospiritual States Versus Organic Brain Disease: Bringing Together Science and the Human Factor
Authors: Breggin Peter R.
Published: April 2018

Extreme states can be psychospiritual and “functional” in origin or they can be “organic” and driven by biological dysfunction. Contemporary psychiatry largely rejects this distinction, preferring to insist that everything “extreme” is biological in origin; but the distinction is important for understanding and helping people. Psychospiritual crises, including those labeled bipolar or schizophrenic, are “functional” and express meaning. As “bizarre” as the language or the symbols may seem, meanings that often reflect childhood abuse can be explored in a trusting, kind, and caring therapeutic relationship. The more that a real biological or organic dysfunction, such as traumatic head injury or neurotoxic exposure, is the root cause of the extreme state, the less sense its manifestations will make. Nonetheless, drug-induced extreme states, even when caused by hallucinogens or by psychiatric “medicines,” often leave sufficient brain function operational to reveal important meanings about the person’s experience, along with the otherwise senseless intoxication. With so many people prescribed psychiatric drugs, these neurotoxic chemicals are now the most common cause of extreme states in clinical practice, and withdrawal from these offending agents is critical to recovery (Breggin, 2013). However, even when the extreme state is driven by neurological dysfunction, a safe space and skilled therapists can help relieve the individual’s otherwise overwhelming feelings of anxiety or terror.
The Politics of Decolonisation and Bi-Nationalism in Israel/Palestine
Authors: Bashir Bashir , Busbridge Rachel
Published: April 2018

Recent years have seen a revitalisation of decolonisation as a framework of analysis in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. This article maps changes in the meanings attached to decolonisation in the Israeli Israeli–Palestinian context, paying particular attention to the one-state paradigm. One-state proposals highlight bi-national realities in historic Palestine in order to lay out a decolonising vision grounded in equal civic rights. Many one-state advocates, however, are suspicious of a prescriptive bi-national paradigm that would afford the two national groups equal collective rights, primarily because its recognition of Jewish national self-determination is seen as entrenching, rather than decolonising, colonial relations of power. We argue that a prescriptive bi-nationalism in fact offers rich resources for a decolonising project in Israel/Palestine that seeks to establish a polity based on the principles of justice and equality – come to terms with historical injustice and imagine alternative pasts, presents and futures based on Arab–Jewish relationships.
No Latina Girls Allowed
Authors: Lopez Vera
Published: April 2018

This study examined gender-based teasing as a barrier to Latina girls’ participation in school-based sports and physical activity. Focus groups with 78 Latina teens, ages 12 to 15, indicated that they often felt self-conscious and insecure about participating in school-based sports and physical activity because they did not like being the center of attention, were self-conscious about their appearance, and were afraid to make mistakes. Gender-based teasing from male peers—and sometimes female peers—further heightened Latina girls’ feelings of insecurity and made it even less likely they would try out for a sports team. Still, there was evidence of resistance. Latina girls, particularly student athletes, resisted traditional gender-based expectations by calling out the inequities they saw all around them. These young women along with their nonathlete counterparts provided concrete suggestions on how schools can increase the participation of Latina teens in sports and physical activity.
John Lindsay, the Association for a Better New York, and the Privatization of New York City, 1969-1973
Authors: Merton Joe
Published: April 2018

Focusing on the collaboration between Mayor John Lindsay and business advocacy group the Association for a Better New York (ABNY), this article illustrates the utility of public and elite anxieties over street crime in legitimizing new, privatized models of urban governance during the early 1970s. ABNY’s privatized crime-fighting initiatives signified a new direction in city law enforcement strategies, a new “common sense” regarding the efficacy and authority of private or voluntarist solutions to urban problems, and proved of lasting significance for labor relations, the regulation of urban space, and the role of the private sector in urban policy. It concludes that, despite their limitations, the visibility of ABNY’s initiatives, their ability to construct a pervasive sense of crisis, and their apparent demonstration of public and elite consent played a significant role in the transformation of New York into the “privatized” or “neoliberal” city of today.
Geochemistry of elements associated with Late Permian coal in the Zhongliangshan mine, Chongqing, Southwest China
Authors: Qin Shenjun , Lu Qingfeng , Gao Kang , Bo Penghui , Wu Shihao
Published: April 2018

The enrichment and geochemical significance of elements associated with Late Permian coals in Southwest China have always gained widespread interest in the field of coal geology. The present study focuses on the geochemical characterization of Late Permian coal in the Zhongliangshan mine. Twenty-three samples were collected from the K1a coal seam of the Zhongliangshan mine, and the major and trace elements in the coal were analyzed by using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The composition of minerals in the Zhongliangshan coal, and the modes of occurrence of coal-associated elements, especially those with elevated contents, were studied through a combination of microscopic analyses, X-ray powder diffraction, and scanning electron microscope – energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer. The minerals in coal mainly consist of kaolinite, pyrite, calcite, and quartz, as well as small amount of gypsum and anatase. Compared with the average elemental concentrations in world coal, the Zhongliangshan coal is enriched in Cr, and slightly enriched in Li, U, Sr, V and Ag. Combining the correlation analysis and sequential chemical extraction experiments, it can be inferred that many trace elements in the Zhongliangshan coal have both inorganic and organic affinities. The elements Cr, Li, and V mainly occur in clay minerals, and also are related to organic matter in the coal. Uranium presents firstly in the organic and then silicate states. Strontium shows multiple modes of occurrence including carbonate, silicate, and exchangeable ion states, and Ag primarily occurs in sulfides followed by silicates. The terrigenous debris input from the Emeishan basalt is the major reason for the enrichment of above elements in the Zhongliangshan coal.
The Signs and Significance of Personality Coherence in Personal Stories and Strivings
Authors: Fournier Marc A. , Dong Mengxi , Quitasol Matthew N. , Weststrate Nic M. , Di Domenico Stefano I.
Published: April 2018

The concept of personality coherence refers to the extent of psychological unity and wholeness embodied within each individual. In the present research, we examined the extent to which the narrative, functional, and organismic conceptualizations of personality coherence interrelate, as well as their associations with psychological abilities and personal adjustment. College students ( N = 391) narrated accounts of three personal memories; listed five personal strivings that they subsequently compared and evaluated; completed performance measures of their intelligence, wisdom, and creativity; and rated their hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. Individuals who coherently organized their autobiographical memories were protected against feeling pressured or compelled in their personal strivings and against being steered toward need-detracting futures. Narrative indicators of coherence were otherwise independent of the functional and organismic indicators, although all indicators of personality coherence correlated with personal adjustment. Wisdom and creativity predicted narrative coherence, which partially mediated the associations they demonstrated with eudaimonic well-being.