bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An annotated catalogue of the pygmy grasshoppers of the tribe Scelimenini Bolívar, 1887 (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae) with two new Scelimena species from the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra
Authors: MUHAMMAD AMIRA AQILAH , TAN MING KAI , ABDULLAH NURUL ASHIKIN , AZIRUN MOHAMMAD SOFIAN , BHASKAR DHANEESH , SKEJO JOSIP
Published: September 2018

Pygmy grasshoppers (Tetrigidae) are a speciose group of complicated taxonomy, with many species requiring clarification on their species boundaries, and more still awaiting discovery. Two new species of Scelimena Serville, 1838 are described: (1) from S. discalis species group S. gombakensis sp. nov. and (2) from S. hexodon species group Scelimena marta sp. nov. Catalogue of Scelimenini genera (15) and species (100) is presented and taxonomy and biogeography of the tribe are discussed. New and resurrected combinations are: Falconius becvari (Buzzetti & Devriese, 2008) comb. nov. (of Gavialidium becvari), Gavialidium carli Hebard, 1930 comb. resurr. (of Bidentatettix carli), Indoscelimena india (Hancock, 1907) comb. nov. (of Scelimena india), Paragavialidium nodiferum (Walker, 1871) comb. nov. (of Platygavialidium nodiferum), Platygavialidium productum (Walker, 1871) comb. nov. (of Gavialidium productum), Scelimena hexodon (Haan, 1843) comb. resurr. (of Hexocera hexodon), Scelimena rosacea (Hancock, 1915) comb. resurr. (of Amphibotettix rosaceus), Tegotettix bufocrocodil (Storozhenko & Dawwrueng, 2015) comb. nov. (of Gavialidium bufocrocodil). New synonyms are: Gavialidium phangensum Mahmood, Idris & Salmah, 2007 syn. nov. (of Eufalconius pendleburyi), Gavialidium philippinum Bolívar, 1887 syn. nov. (of Platygavialidium productum comb. nov.), Hexocera Hancock, 1915 syn. nov. (of Scelimena), Paracriotettix Liang, 2002 syn. nov. (of Scelimena), Paracriotettix zhengi Liang, 2002 syn. nov. (of Scelimena melli), Scelimena mellioides Deng, 2016 syn. nov. (of Scelimena melli), Scelimena wuyishanensis Deng, 2016 syn. nov. (of Platygavialidium sinicum). The genus Scelimena is divided into six species groups. Eucriotettix neesoon Tan & Storozhenko nom. nov. is new name for homonym Eucriotettix guentheri Tan & Storozhenko, 2017. Finally, a tabular key to 15 Scelimenini genera, based on 16 morphological characters, is presented.
The Dynamics of Shelf Forcing in Greenlandic Fjords
Authors: Jackson Rebecca H. , Lentz Steven J. , Straneo Fiamma
Published: September 2018

The fjords that connect Greenland’s glaciers to the ocean are gateways for importing heat to melt ice and for exporting meltwater into the ocean. The transport of heat and meltwater can be modulated by various drivers of fjord circulation, including freshwater, local winds, and shelf variability. Shelf-forced flows (also known as the intermediary circulation) are the dominant mode of variability in two major fjords of east Greenland, but we lack a dynamical understanding of the fjord’s response to shelf forcing. Building on observations from east Greenland, we use numerical simulations and analytical models to explore the dynamics of shelf-driven flows. For the parameter space of Greenlandic fjords, we find that the fjord’s response is primarily a function of three nondimensional parameters: the fjord width over the deformation radius (W/Rd), the forcing time scale over the fjord adjustment time scale, and the forcing amplitude (shelf pycnocline displacements) over the upper-layer thickness. The shelf-forced flows in both the numerical simulations and the observations can largely be explained by a simple analytical model for Kelvin waves propagating around the fjord. For fjords with W/Rd > 0.5 (most Greenlandic fjords), 3D dynamics are integral to understanding shelf forcing—the fjord dynamics cannot be approximated with 2D models that neglect cross-fjord structure. The volume flux exchanged between the fjord and shelf increases for narrow fjords and peaks around the resonant forcing frequency, dropping off significantly at higher- and lower-frequency forcing.
Memory Slip: Stage Fright and Performing Musicians
Authors: Nagel Julie Jaffee
Published: September 2018

This paper discusses stage fright as seen primarily in classical music performers. A confluence of narcissistic sensitivities, developmental issues, shame dynamics, physical injury and pain, and terrors pertaining to both psychic and bodily disintegration can fuel anxiety reactions in many people but hold particular relevance for the performing musician. Two classical music performers who struggled with stage fright are discussed: one was in treatment with the author; the other is the author herself, reflecting on her own performance anxiety as revealed through her analysis and her countertransference to her patient.
‘On the Colonization of India’ (1829): Public meetings, debates and later disputes
Authors: Chaudhuri Rosinka
Published: September 2018

This article returns to the scene of excitement that comprised the topic labelled ‘On the Colonization of India’ in the newspapers and journals of 1829, an area explored once before by a group of established Left historians through debates on the specific issue of the ‘Bengal Renaissance’ in the mid-1970s. Beginning with the misreading by these historians of particular extracts from the Bengal Hurkaru in constructing their arguments for or against the place of Rammohun Roy in the making of modern India, I nevertheless draw back here from larger abstractions of categorisation to focus tightly instead on this issue of ‘colonisation’ alone, exploring the arguments for and against free trade in the run up to the renewal of the East India Company (EIC)’s charter in 1833 as they unfolded in Calcutta. The objective is to delink the moment from the historical narratives of English liberalism, or free trade, or later Indian nationalism, reading the archive again to bring in local perspectives that have not been looked at so far, such as the unexpected voice of Young Bengal, speaking against colonisation, not for it, as it seems Rammohun does. As a result of concentrating on the local scene in Calcutta, a different picture emerges of the varied interests that, while never arguing against British rule, were nevertheless in conflict when taking a position for or against both the company’s monopoly and the future colonisation of India.
Automatic recognition method for the repeat size of a weave pattern on a woven fabric image
Authors: Guo Yingchun , Ge Xin , Yu Ming , Yan Gang , Liu Yi
Published: September 2018

This paper proposes a seven-characteristic method called Local Feature Similarity (LFS) to recognize weave pattern repeat automatically. The LFS method includes yarn feature acquisition, yarn marking, yarn marking subsequence segmentation, yarn marking subsequence similarity calculation and weave pattern repeat size, which recognizes the repeat size by the texture of the fabric image without considering the color influence. LFS can be applied to the three primary weave patterns and their expansions, such as warp rib, weft rib and panama, and basket weave patterns. Furthermore, six classical adaptive methods are introduced to increase the recognition rate based on the LFS method. As a result, the pre-steps of the recognition of the weave pattern repeat size are improved. Experiments proved the high degree of applicability and robustness of the LFS method. Compared with state-of-the-art methods, the LFS method has the highest recognition rate (99.62%) for the whole sample and excellent performance in average recognition time (6.97 ms). Experiments revealed that the higher recognition rate of the LFS method is helpful for a higher rate of weave pattern repeat recognition and weave pattern recognition (our source code and all experimental results are publicly available: https://github.com/spring2001/automatic-recognition-method-for-the-repeat-size-of-weave-pattern-on-woven-fabric-image ).
Protective Behavioral Strategies and Hazardous Drinking Among College Students: The Moderating Role of Psychological Distress
Authors: Jordan Hallie R. , Villarosa-Hurlocker Margo C. , Ashley Asia L. , Madson Michael B.
Published: September 2018

There is increasing evidence that mental health problems may attenuate the relationship between protective behavioral strategies (PBS) and alcohol outcomes. However, psychological distress may also affect these relationships. Further, it appears that different types of PBS have differential relationships with alcohol outcomes. The current study examined the degree to which psychological distress moderated the associations PBS subtypes had with hazardous drinking and alcohol-related negative consequences. Participants were 632 traditional-age undergraduate students ( M = 20.04, standard deviation = 1.48) who had consumed alcohol within the past 30 days and completed online self-report measures designed to assess PBS use, level of psychological distress, hazardous drinking patterns, and alcohol-related negative consequences. Serious harm reduction PBS were associated with less hazardous drinking and less alcohol-related negative consequences, and these associations were strengthened for those experiencing greater psychological distress. Controlled consumption PBS were associated with less hazardous drinking, but this association was not moderated by psychological distress. These findings highlight the potential benefit of teaching serious harm reduction PBS to college students experiencing elevated levels of psychological distress.
Interrater Reliability in Systematic Review Methodology: Exploring Variation in Coder Decision-Making
Authors: Belur Jyoti , Tompson Lisa , Thornton Amy , Simon Miranda
Published: September 2018

A methodologically sound systematic review is characterized by transparency, replicability, and a clear inclusion criterion. However, little attention has been paid to reporting the details of interrater reliability (IRR) when multiple coders are used to make decisions at various points in the screening and data extraction stages of a study. Prior research has mentioned the paucity of information on IRR including number of coders involved, at what stages and how IRR tests were conducted, and how disagreements were resolved. This article examines and reflects on the human factors that affect decision-making in systematic reviews via reporting on three IRR tests, conducted at three different points in the screening process, for two distinct reviews. Results of the two studies are discussed in the context of IRR and intrarater reliability in terms of the accuracy, precision, and reliability of coding behavior of multiple coders. Findings indicated that coding behavior changes both between and within individuals over time, emphasizing the importance of conducting regular and systematic IRR and intrarater reliability tests, especially when multiple coders are involved, to ensure consistency and clarity at the screening and coding stages. Implications for good practice while screening/coding for systematic reviews are discussed.
Weathering the Storm: The Impact of Cutbacks on Public Employees
Authors: Piatak Jaclyn S.
Published: September 2018

The United States saw mass layoffs and unemployment during the Great Recession, where jobs have been slow to recover especially in the government sector. Research on cutback management became widespread in the late 1970s into the 1980s and several researchers have called for attention to be reignited to determine what lessons can be applied to the Great Recession and beyond. However, little attention is paid to the influence of cutbacks on employees. How do layoffs impact public personnel? Using nationally representative employment data, this study examines sector differences in job loss, advance notice, job mobility, and sector switching. In addition to distinctions across job sectors, differences within the government sector across federal, state, and local employees are explored. Findings raise several questions for research and practice regarding the ability to recover staff in a timely manner, the diversity of the organization, and the capacity to cope with future crises.
Parametric analysis of the wind-driven ventilation potential of buildings with rectangular layout
Authors: Ferrucci Margherita , Brocato Maurizio
Published: September 2018

A method to evaluate the wind-driven ventilation potential of buildings is proposed and some schematic examples are given. Two indicators of such potential are put forward: the first concerning the pressure difference between spots (openings) on the facades and the second concerning the ratio between this pressure difference and a simplified measure of the pressure loss by the internal air flow. These indicators allow one to compare shapes and orientations and can help finding the most appropriate ones during a preliminary stage of the design of a naturally ventilated building. To present the proposal, a two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics parametric model of a schematic building is set, the parameters of which are the aspect ratio of the building's rectangular plan and the wind relative direction. The computational fluid dynamics simulations are supported by literature benchmarks and by qualitative experiments in a wind tunnel. Using this model, the pressure field is computed for 66 cases and their ventilation potentials are evaluated; some graphic outputs are then proposed for a preliminary understanding of the pressure field and of the resulting indicators. The optimal morphology given by such analyses is finally compared to that of some naturally ventilated existing buildings, including Iranian badgir towers.

Practical application: This paper provides graphs to predict a building's potential for natural ventilation thereby enabling a designer to determine the wind-driven ventilation in a building and evaluate the structure, optimise its orientation, its aspect ratio and opening positions. These can be used, for example, in the evaluation of naturally ventilated multi-storey rectangular plan buildings (that might employ hyper-ventilation or night cooling) or to evaluate possible passive ventilation strategies for existing buildings. With the support of these graphs, which can be used as computationally inexpensive and fast decision tools, it is possible to simulate configurations, considering the parameters that most influence natural ventilation.
Probe material choice for nuclear magnetic resonance cryoporometry (NMRC) measurements of the nano-scale pore size distribution of unconventional reservoirs
Authors: Zhu Feng , Hu Wenxuan , Cao Jian , Liu Biao , Liu Yifeng , Chang Chao
Published: September 2018

Nuclear magnetic resonance cryoporometry is a newly developed technique that can characterize the pore size distribution of nano-scale porous materials. To date, this technique has scarcely been used for the testing of unconventional oil and gas reservoirs; thus, their micro- and nano-scale pore structures must still be investigated. The selection of the probe material for this technique has a key impact on the quality of the measurement results during the testing of geological samples. In this paper, we present details on the nuclear magnetic resonance cryoporometric procedure. Several types of probe materials were compared during the nuclear testing of standard nano-scale porous materials and unconventional reservoir geological samples from Sichuan Basin, Southwest China. Gas sorption experiments were also carried out on the same samples simultaneously. The KGT values of the probe materials octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane and calcium chloride hexahydrate were calibrated using standard nano-scale porous materials to reveal respective values of 149.3 Knm and 184 Knm. Water did not successfully wet the pore surfaces of the standard controlled pore glass samples; moreover, water damaged the pore structures of the geological samples, which was confirmed during two freeze-melting tests. The complex phase transition during the melting of cyclohexane introduced a nuclear magnetic resonance signal in addition to that from liquid in the pores, which led to an imprecise characterization of the pore size distribution. Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane and calcium chloride hexahydrate have been rarely employed as nuclear magnetic resonance cryoporometric probe materials for the testing of an unconventional reservoir. Both of these materials were able to characterize pore sizes up to 1 μm, and they were more applicable than either water or cyclohexane.
Personal Prejudice, Other Guilt: Explicit Prejudice Toward Black People Predicts Guilty Verdicts for White Officers Who Kill Black Men
Authors: Cooley Erin , Lei Ryan , Brown-Iannuzzi Jazmin , Ellerkamp Taylor
Published: September 2018

Across the United States, acquittals of White police officers who have killed Black men have spurred clashes between those who see such situations as manifestations of racism and those who see them as race-irrelevant acts of officer self-defense. In this research, we explore the relationship between participants’ racial prejudice and construal of an event that leads to the death of a Black man. In Study 1, we found that participants’ racial prejudice predicts lower perceived guilt for a White officer who killed a Black man. In Study 2, we found evidence that the relationship between racial prejudice and guilt judgments is driven by increased perceptions that the officer was in danger and decreased perceived relevance of officer prejudice. Finally, Study 3 demonstrated that these patterns hold when the victim is Black, but not White. We conclude that racial prejudice shapes perceptions of legal responsibility for lethal interactions with Black men.
Gender Understandings Among Teachers and Students: Discourses From Delhi
Authors: Anand Meenu
Published: September 2018

Gender issues are of paramount interest in school education in India, but questions remain about what girls and boys actually learn about gender once they are in school. Are schools really places where teachers effectively combat traditional gender stereotypes among students? Relying on primary research in schools in Delhi, this article examines teachers’ biases and stereotypes regarding gender issues. Comparing this grassroots reality to the opinions on masculinity and femininity held by children in the same schools, the article identifies a need for more focused teacher education. The persistent gaps between tall claims about improved gender awareness, ambitious promises in policies and existing ground realities pose significant educational challenges for India, especially with regard to methods of promoting consciousness about gender-related issues in all domains of education.
The Refugee Crisis – A Shared Human Condition: An Old Testament Perspective
Authors: Wright Christopher JH , Măcelaru Marcel V
Published: September 2018

This article provides an introduction to what the Old Testament has to say regarding displacement and displaced people – refugees, migrants and the marginalized members of society. It surveys the instructions regarding the correct attitude and protective actions owed to ‘the stranger’ found in the Old Testament Law and it points to the divine preference to side with the suffering and the vulnerable evident in the Old Testament Prophets. Although not an exhaustive treatment of Old Testament passages tackling this topic, the discussion helps make clear the fact that God is particularly concerned with justice and care for the disadvantaged members of the society, including aliens, refugees and migrants. The conclusion of the article calls the readers to consider some of the missiological-ethical implications of such concern in our contexts today.
Christianity and the Refugee Crisis
Authors: Măcelaru Marcel V
Published: September 2018

This introductory article serves two specific purposes. First, it orients the reader to the complex topic addressed in this special issue – the problem of human displacement in general, and more specifically the current global refugee crisis. Second, it speaks in support of addressing human displacement from a theological perspective. The special issue hereby introduced is the result of two theological conferences that have addressed precisely such concerns – the 2016 and 2017 Stott-Bediako fora, under the title The Refugee Crisis: A Shared Human Condition.
Total Effects of Privatization: Evidence from Turkey
Authors: Cengiz Doruk
Published: September 2018

I examine effects of the privatization process as a whole in Turkey. I show that the privatization process begins before the firm is sold to private agents. I find that privatization causes the firm-level workforce to decline by 65 percent, profit-margin to increase by 18 percent, and no substantial changes in real sales. Based on the evidence presented, I conclude that the direct outcome of privatization is an income transfer from wage earners to profit earners.

JEL Classification: L33, H42
A Tale of Two Revolutions: Hungary’s 1956 and the Un-doing of 1989
Authors: Harms Victoria
Published: September 2018

This article is part of the special section titled The Genealogies of Memory, guest edited by Ferenc Laczó and Joanna Wawrzyniak

This article investigates the evolution of Hungary’s memory of 1956, from the counterrevolution to the dissident struggle for rehabilitation in the eighties, its relation to the change of regimes in 1989, and its subsequent appropriation for nationalist purposes in defiance of a European memory regime. Mnemonic warriors like Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and historian Mária Schmidt have championed 1956 as a struggle for freedom and independence and symbols of Hungarian martyrdom and bravery. Only recently a new-found Central European unity in adversity has been observed: the “counterrevolution” against the European Union. Perusing interviews, samizdat articles, public appeals and speeches, and other documentary evidence, including historical analyses, this article identifies mnemonic actors and strategies to assess the intricate relationship between 1956 and 1989. The analysis of museum exhibitions, statues, monuments, and national symbols helps reveal the varying significance ascribed to 1956 before and after 1989. The study relies on the conceptual groundwork of Michael Bernhard and Jan Kubik. It contributes to arguments put forth by historians James Mark, Anna Seleny, Nora Borodziej, and Árpád von Klimó.
1989 in European Vernacular Memory
Authors: Breuer Lars , Delius Anna
Published: September 2018

This article is part of the special section titled The Genealogies of Memory, guest edited by Ferenc Laczó and Joanna Wawrzyniak

In our contribution, we examine the vernacular memory of the end of Communism and the year 1989 in Europe. Analyzing sixteen focus groups conducted in Germany, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom, we concentrate on the question whether the events related to 1989 might have the disposition to become a transnational European lieu de mémoire. We show that 1989 is not a salient historical event for British and Spanish participants, while Polish and German respondents do connect it with patterns of national identity building. Differences between vernacular and official memories could be revealed as respondents hardly mentioned the democratic achievements made in the course of the transitions. A transnational dimension was only found in Poland, where respondents articulate a feeling of neglect toward their own national history. The Solidarity movement is being interpreted as a motor of liberation and Europeanization of Poland and as a pioneer of democratization on a European scale. German respondents remain in their national frame, focusing on flashbulb memories of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the issue of social integration of East and West Germany after 1990, which they evaluate as imperfect. The strong national bias of Polish and German focus groups raises doubts as to whether 1989 can become a transnational basis for a shared European memory.
The Conduct of Gazprom in Central and Eastern Europe: A Tool of the Kremlin, or Just an Adaptable Player?
Authors: Jirušek Martin , Kuchyňková Petra
Published: September 2018

This article presents the results of evidence-based research into the behaviour of Gazprom and the relevant behaviour of the Russian government in selected countries of Central, Eastern, and South-Eastern Europe (the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Belarus). The authors’ aim was to determine the scope of involvement by the Russian government in problems that have arisen in supplying these states, and the degree to which these issues have been linked with Gazprom’s conduct and Russia’s foreign policy toward the countries. Another interest was to seek out the key factors that may determine this behaviour in particular environments. To address these goals, the authors monitored specific indicators defined by the strategic approach to energy security (indicators that uncover governmental support, the linking of foreign policy to gas supplies, and misuse of a dominant market position). The core of the research underlying the paper was organized as a set of individual idiographic, theory-guided case studies. Data were gathered from official documents, statistics, articles, analytical studies, and from semi-structured interviews with experts. The exploration revealed that Gazprom has behaved in such a way as to indicate that it is being used as a tool of foreign policy, but the primary factor controlling its behaviour remains the environment in which the company is operating. Two points were crucial: implementation of the IEM rules and—above all—the diversification of sources.
Manufacturing Clusters and Firm Innovation
Authors: Fang Li
Published: September 2018

This study examines how much different manufacturing clusters encourage per-establishment innovation measured by citation-weighted patent applications, and at which geographical scales they boost patent filings by the greatest magnitude. Using establishment and patent application data for the state of Maryland, 2004-2013, this study finds that the Metalworking Technology cluster, formed at 3 miles in radius, encourages innovation the most: The number of citation-weighted patent applications for firms in the cluster is 17.6% higher than that outside of the cluster. Food Processing and Manufacturing and Automotive clusters follow, at 1 and 2 mile(s) in radius, with an effect of 8.5% and 5.5%, respectively. A complete ranking of 20 manufacturing clusters is delivered. A description of how policy makers may use this ranking to target specific manufacturing clusters for economic development is included.
Mechanical and thermal properties of high-density polyethylene/alumina/glass fiber hybrid composites
Authors: Lins Sergio Augusto B , Rocha Marisa Cristina G , d’Almeida José Roberto M
Published: September 2018

In this investigation, composite materials made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and alumina, as well as from HDPE, alumina, and glass fibers, were prepared, aiming to improve the thermal stability, stiffness, and mechanical strength. The combined effects of alumina and glass fibers and the individual effects of alumina were studied. Alumina concentrations ranged from 5 wt% to 10 wt% and glass fiber concentrations ranged from 10 wt% to 30 wt%. For the hybrid composite materials, alumina concentration was maintained constant as the glass fiber concentration increased. The composites were processed with a double-screw extruder. Their properties were evaluated through a multi-analytical approach. Results pointed to a significant increase of the elastic modulus for the hybrid composite (up to 501% in comparison to the neat polymer), at the cost of a large decrease in toughness, alongside a decline in impact resistance. Elastic modulus improvement was observed in both hybrid and HDPE-alumina composites, being higher for the hybrid composites due to the addition of glass fibers. HDPE-alumina composites presented a decrease in mechanical strength, whereas the hybrid composites showed an increase of this parameter. Concerning thermal properties, the hybrid composites presented higher thermal stability than that of the HDPE-alumina composites and a similar degradation temperature as the neat polymer. Micrographs pointed to weak adhesion between alumina particles and the polymeric matrix as well as a slight degree of fiber detachment. Overall, the hybrid composites presented considerably higher stiffness and mechanical strength than the neat polymer and HDPE-alumina composite (19–26% increase), with no significant change in thermal stability.
Precise railway alignment measurements of the horizontal circular curves and the vertical parabolic curves using the chord method
Authors: Chiou Ship-Bin , Yen Jia-Yush
Published: September 2018

The chord method is generally used for the horizontal and vertical versine measurements of rails in order to maintain their alignment. In this study, the horizontal versines of the left and right rails were precisely calculated, and the vertical versine functions were exactly derived. According to the inferences, the line charts used for determining the vertical versine were created to demonstrate the proportional relationship with the grade difference and the curve length. The equations for proximate vertical versine calculations were therefore derived. The asymmetrical chord measurements were introduced as well. The results indicated that the versine difference between the inner and outer rails should be considered when measuring the horizontal circular curve with a radius less than 300 m using a 10-m chord. According to the design criteria, a maximum vertical versine of 30 mm formed by the parabolic curves could be measured using a 10 -m chord, or a maximum versine of 7.5 mm could be measured using a 5 -m chord, which should be considered as the essential versines. The deviation tolerance should be based on these values for accurate rail inspections.
Novel implementation of natural fibro-granular materials as acoustic absorbers
Authors: Mamtaz Hasina , Hosseini Fouladi Mohammad , Narayana Namasivayam Satesh , Sayed Saadman H , Sayed Tahani H , Ghassem Masomeh , Baniotopoulos Charalampos
Published: September 2018

In this study, a new innovative fibro-granular composite was prepared as a natural acoustic material by combining fibrous and granular materials. Delany–Bazley model and Biot–Allard techniques were utilized to estimate the absorption coefficient of the developed composite material. The predicted values were validated through an analytical outcome employing Johnson–Champoux–Allard technique and an experimentally measured value which were conducted in an impedance tube. The outcomes showed the reflection of the good agreement between the analytical and experimental methods. The current research concluded that the introduction of granular materials provides significant contribution in enhancing the surface area within the composite, thereby achieving a promising acoustic absorption in the low-frequency region which is below 1 kHz. In addition, the current research also reports that, like Johnson–Champoux–Allard model, Delany–Bazley and Biot–Allard models are also two efficient analytical tools for predicting the significant low-frequency acoustic absorption performance of a fibro-granular composite.
Cerebral Small Vessel Disease
Authors: Li Qian , Yang Yang , Reis Cesar , Tao Tao , Li Wanwei , Li Xiaogang , Zhang John H.
Published: September 2018

Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is composed of several diseases affecting the small arteries, arterioles, venules, and capillaries of the brain, and refers to several pathological processes and etiologies. Neuroimaging features of CSVD include recent small subcortical infarcts, lacunes, white matter hyperintensities, perivascular spaces, microbleeds, and brain atrophy. The main clinical manifestations of CSVD include stroke, cognitive decline, dementia, psychiatric disorders, abnormal gait, and urinary incontinence. Currently, there are no specific preventive or therapeutic measures to improve this condition. In this review, we will discuss the pathophysiology, clinical aspects, neuroimaging, progress of research to treat and prevent CSVD and current treatment of this disease.
Differentiation of Sendai Virus-Reprogrammed iPSC into β Cells, Compared with Human Pancreatic Islets and Immortalized β Cell Line
Authors: Pellegrini Silvia , Manenti Fabio , Chimienti Raniero , Nano Rita , Ottoboni Linda , Ruffini Francesca , Martino Gianvito , Ravassard Philippe , Piemonti Lorenzo , Sordi Valeria
Published: September 2018

Background:

New sources of insulin-secreting cells are strongly in demand for treatment of diabetes. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have the potential to generate insulin-producing cells (iβ). However, the gene expression profile and secretory function of iβ still need to be validated in comparison with native β cells.

Methods:

Two clones of human iPSCs, reprogrammed from adult fibroblasts through integration-free Sendai virus, were differentiated into iβ and compared with donor pancreatic islets and EndoC-βH1, an immortalized human β cell line.

Results:

Both clones of iPSCs differentiated into insulin+ cells with high efficiency (up to 20%). iβ were negative for pluripotency markers (Oct4, Sox2, Ssea4) and positive for Pdx1, Nkx6.1, Chromogranin A, PC1/3, insulin, glucagon and somatostatin. iβ basally secreted C-peptide, glucagon and ghrelin and released insulin in response either to increasing concentration of glucose or a depolarizing stimulus. The comparison revealed that iβ are remarkably similar to donor derived islets in terms of gene and protein expression profile and similar level of heterogeneity. The ability of iβ to respond to glucose instead was more related to that of EndoC-βH1.

Discussion:

We demonstrated that insulin-producing cells generated from iPSCs recapitulate fundamental gene expression profiles and secretory function of native human β cells.
The profile of music as a creative domain in people’s conceptions: Expanding Runco & Bahleda’s 1986 study on implicit theories of creativity in a conceptual replication
Authors: Lothwesen Kai Stefan
Published: September 2018

Concepts of creativity in music usually focus on explicit theoretical assumptions based on models from psychology research. In recent years, the fields of psychology and education have become increasingly interested in research on laypersons’ attitudes and assumptions about creativity. These implicit theories may complement or even contradict scholarly conceptualisations of creativity and its domain specificity. As a conceptual replication of the work by Runco and Bahleda (1986), this study aims to explore the dimensionality of subjective conceptions of creativity in different domains (arts, science, everyday life, music) by means of an open-ended questionnaire in an online survey ( N = 106). A content analysis of the data yielded 27 meta-categories; a correspondence analysis of their distribution across domains revealed differences between domain-specific conceptions. This indicates stereotypical structures regarding creativity in different domains, as expressed in the associations generated by the participants. Unlike science and the arts, music is described as having distinct aesthetic and emotional qualities. The participants’ musical expertise did not appear to significantly influence the generation of associations. With respect to these characterisations cited by the participants, the domain of everyday life seems to be antipodal to other domains and may therefore have served as a point of reference for the participants’ subjective experience of creativity and creative behaviour. These results confirm the findings of Runco and Bahleda (1986), perhaps even furthering them in terms of the analytical methods applied and the findings on the comparison of domains. Nevertheless, the potential of implicit theories (i.e. laypersons’ mindsets concerning the theoretical conceptualisation of musical creativity and its implications for music education) requires further study.
Seeing the Patient and Family Through: Nurses and Physicians Experiences With Withdrawal of Life-Sustaining Therapy in the ICU
Authors: Wiegand Debra L. , Cheon Jooyoung , Netzer Giora
Published: September 2018

Withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy at the end of life is a complex phenomenon. Intensive care nurses and physicians are faced with caring for patients and supporting families, as these difficult decisions are made. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the experience of critical care nurses and physicians participating in the process of withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was used to guide this qualitative investigation. Interviews were conducted with critical care nurses and physicians from 2 medical centers. An inductive approach to data analysis was used to understand similarities between the nurses and the physicians’ experiences. Methodological rigor was established, and data saturation was achieved. The main categories that were inductively derived from the data analysis included from novice to expert, ensuring ethical care, uncertainty to certainty, facilitating the process, and preparing and supporting families. The categories aided in understanding the experiences of nurses and physicians, as they worked individually and together to see patients and families through the entire illness experience, withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy decision-making process and dying process. Understanding the perspectives of health-care providers involved in the withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy process will help other health-care providers who are striving to provide quality care to the dying and to their families.
A GPU algorithm for tracking yeast cells in phase-contrast microscopy images
Authors: Rea Domenico , Perrino Giansimone , di Bernardo Diego , Marcellino Livia , Romano Diego
Published: September 2018

When information and measures obtained from sequences of microscopic images are subject to time constraints, suitable fast algorithms must be implemented to process the whole data set. In this work, we deal with sequences of images obtained from time-lapse microscopy in order to detect single yeast cells in a microfluidics chip over time. The underlying idea consists in determining a minimum cost configuration for each couple of frames, which can be expressed by setting up and solving a linear programming (LP) problem. Laboratories seldom have the opportunity to use HPC hardware for such intent. For this reason, we propose an efficient GPU-parallel software implemented in CUDA and based on the simplex method, a common tool for solving LP problems. Our parallel strategy minimizes the threads divergence and maximizes the device occupancy, in order to maximize the overall throughput. Also, memory transfers between host and device have been minimized to exploit data locality. Experimental results on real images sequences highlight a promising speedup with respect to the CPU version suitable for real-time applications.
Effects of Listening to Live Singing in Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis: A Randomized Controlled Crossover Study
Authors: Burrai Francesco , Lupi Rossella , Luppi Marco , Micheluzzi Valentina , Donati Gabriele , Lamanna Gaetano , Raghavan Rajeev
Published: September 2018

Background:

Participation in music therapy is associated with improved psychological and physical indices among chronically ill patients. Listening to music during hemodialysis treatments positively affects patients’ hemodynamics, laboratory values, quality of life, and physical symptoms. The effect of live singing during hemodialysis treatments, however, has not previously been studied.

Methods:

A total of 24 participants with a diagnosis of end-stage kidney disease participated in the study. The vocalist was a musically trained dialysis nurse. Twelve of the patients listened to 15 min of live singing during 6 consecutive hemodialysis sessions, while the other 12 underwent standard hemodialysis. After a washout period of 2 days, the two groups were reversed.

Results:

Listening to live music was associated with improvements in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, better quality of sleep, fewer cramps, and reduced anxiety/depression, pain, and itching ( p < .05, all values).

Conclusions:

Listening to live music during hemodialysis is an effective and potentially low-cost therapy for the dialysis care team to employ during hemodialysis treatments.
Young adulthood in uncertain times: The association between sense of personal control and employment, education, personal relationships and health
Authors: Chesters Jenny , Smith Jonathan , Cuervo Hernan , Laughland-Booÿ Jacqueline , Wyn Johanna , Skrbiš Zlatko , Woodman Dan
Published: September 2018

Young adults in Australia, and in many other advanced countries, are more likely to be highly educated but less likely to be in full-time employment than their parents were. Although insecure employment has long been a feature of labour markets, increased labour flexibility in recent decades has resulted in insecure employment becoming entrenched. In this article, we draw on data from young people in their early twenties to examine the interrelationships between work and life. Although we focus on the association between precarious employment and sense of personal control, we also examine the interrelationships between sense of personal control, education, relationships and health. Rather than experiencing a short period of insecure employment before transitioning into permanent jobs, young people now experience a ‘new adulthood’ characterised by extended periods of insecurity, undermining their sense of personal control. Our aim is to identify what it takes to make a secure, healthy and meaningful life.
Modeling and control of a flapping wing robot
Authors: Bakhtiari Abdolbaghi , Ehtemadi Haghighi Shahram , Maghsoudpour Adel
Published: September 2018

The dynamics and control of a flapping wing robot are studied in this paper which helps to develop a complete dynamic model for the robot consisting of tail effects and also enhance the path tracking control of the robot. In the first part of the paper, the aerodynamic model of the wings is presented, and an aerodynamic force model for the tail is introduced which includes the leading edge suction effects. An experiment is also carried out on a flapping wing robot in a laboratory environment to evaluate the forces on the tail and its result will be compared with the results of the model presented for the tail. In the second part, a controller is designed for the robot. This controller uses the nonlinear dynamic inversion method to solve the nonlinear equations of the control system. The experimental results of the tail forces agree well with the theoretical predictions and reveal that the tail aerodynamics are affected by leading edge suction. Also, simulation results show that the competence performance and convergence performance of the designed controller are obtained.
The Explanatory Potential of ‘Dilemmas’: Bridging Practices and Power to Understand Political Change in Interpretive Political Science
Authors: Geddes Marc
Published: September 2018

This article explores the potential of the concept of ‘dilemma’, as introduced in Mark Bevir and R.A.W. Rhodes’ interpretive political science, to understand and explain change within and beyond political institutions. This article argues that the current conceptualisation of the concept has been underdeveloped and the potential opportunities of using it have been overlooked. The concept of dilemmas must be developed in two directions: first, through a greater linkage with everyday practices and, second, through a greater linkage to the concept of power. To do so, this article draws on insights from the concept of ‘problematisation’ as a way to explain change. This adds more detail to dilemmas by arguing that, while dilemmas pose problems for existing beliefs and webs of belief, they also erect boundaries over what is an acceptable answer or resolution to dilemmas. It is this simple yet key insight that offers an opportunity to further strengthen interpretive political science, and offers much potential for future research on political change.
The Transhistorical Tension between Bureaucratic Autonomy and Political Control
Authors: Andersen David , Møller Jørgen
Published: September 2018

Political decision-makers operate under a constant tension between bureaucratic autonomy on one hand and political control on the other. Extant scholarship rarely analyzes this tension beyond the context of modern states. However, three recent books show that it has a transhistorical relevance. Francis Fukuyama’s two volumes on The Origins of Political Order and Political Order and Political Decay analyze the various ways the tension has been addressed in the period before and after the French Revolution. In Democracy’s Slaves, Paulin Ismard documents that the tension was relevant even in the context of the direct democracy of Athens in the Classical period. Taking these three books as the point of departure, we show how politicians have attempted to balance autonomy and control in patrimonial, meritocratic, politicized, and neo-patrimonial types of administration.

Fukuyama F (2012) The Origins of Political Order, vol. 1. London: Profile Books.

Fukuyama F (2014) Political Order and Political Decay, vol. 2. London: Profile Books.

Ismard P (2017) Democracy’s Slaves: A Political History of Ancient Greece. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
The Dual-Mode Imaging of Nanogold-Labeled Cells by Photoacoustic Microscopy and Fluorescence Optical Microscopy
Authors: Zhang Yu , Tang Zhilie , Wu Yongbo , Xue Yueju , Jia Jinliang
Published: September 2018

Photoacoustic microscopy is dominantly sensitive to the endogenous optical absorption, while a fluorescence optical microscopy can detect the fluorescence emission to obtain the image of a sample. To some extent, the physical processes of the 2 methods are opposite, one is absorption and another is emission, but both can be used to image cells. In this article, a simultaneous dual-mode imaging system of photoacoustic microscopy and fluorescence optical microscopy is set up to image tobacco cells. Furthermore, gold nanoparticles, which have a large absorption coefficient and enough fluorescence emission with wavelength of 512 nm, are used to label certain drugs and added to the tobacco cells. Then based on the simultaneous dual-mode microscopy imaging system, the photoacoustic microscopy and fluorescence optical microscopy images of gold nanoparticle-labeled tobacco cells are obtained. The final purpose of this experimental research is to detect if the labeled drugs can enter the cells by the positions of the gold nanoparticles. This will help the experts to deliver organic pesticide more accurately and effectively. The experimental results show that by gold nanoparticle labeling technology, the imaging quality of photoacoustic microscopy and fluorescence optical microscopy can be improved, which indicates that the drugs probably enter the tobacco cells successfully.