bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exposure to Endocrine Disruptors and Nuclear Receptors Gene Expression in Infertile and Fertile Men from Italian Areas with Different Environmental Features
Authors: La Rocca Cinzia , Tait Sabrina , Guerranti Cristiana , Busani Luca , Ciardo Francesca , Bergamasco Bruno , Perra Guido , Mancini Francesca , Marci Roberto , Bordi Giulia , Caserta Donatella , Focardi Silvano , Moscarini Massimo , Mantovani Alberto
Published: October 2015

Internal levels of selected endocrine disruptors (EDs) (i.e., perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), di-2-ethylhexyl-phthalate (DEHP), mono-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate (MEHP), and bisphenol A (BPA)) were analyzed in blood/serum of infertile and fertile men from metropolitan, urban and rural Italian areas. PFOS and PFOA levels were also evaluated in seminal plasma. In peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of same subjects, gene expression levels of a panel of nuclear receptors (NRs), namely estrogen receptor α (ERα) estrogen receptor β (ERβ), androgen receptor (AR), aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and pregnane X receptor (PXR) were also assessed. Infertile men from the metropolitan area had significantly higher levels of BPA and gene expression of all NRs, except PPARγ, compared to subjects from other areas. Subjects from urban areas had significantly higher levels of MEHP, whereas subjects from rural area had higher levels of PFOA in both blood and seminal plasma. Interestingly, ERα, ERβ, AR, PXR and AhR expression is directly correlated with BPA and inversely correlated with PFOA serum levels. Our study indicates the relevance of the living environment when investigating the exposure to specific EDs. Moreover, the NRs panel in PBMCs demonstrated to be a potential biomarker of effect to assess the EDs impact on reproductive health.
Land Cover Change Image Analysis for Assateague Island National Seashore Following Hurricane Sandy
Authors: Grybas Heather , Congalton Russell
Published: October 2015

The assessment of storm damages is critically important if resource managers are to understand the impacts of weather pattern changes and sea level rise on their lands and develop management strategies to mitigate its effects. This study was performed to detect land cover change on Assateague Island as a result of Hurricane Sandy. Several single-date classifications were performed on the pre and post hurricane imagery utilized using both a pixel-based and object-based approach with the Random Forest classifier. Univariate image differencing and a post classification comparison were used to conduct the change detection. This study found that the addition of the coastal blue band to the Landsat 8 sensor did not improve classification accuracy and there was also no statistically significant improvement in classification accuracy using Landsat 8 compared to Landsat 5. Furthermore, there was no significant difference found between object-based and pixel-based classification. Change totals were estimated on Assateague Island following Hurricane Sandy and were found to be minimal, occurring predominately in the most active sections of the island in terms of land cover change, however, the post classification detected significantly more change, mainly due to classification errors in the single-date maps used.
1,1′-{1,4-Phenylene bis[3-(6-chloro-2-methyl-4-phenylquinolin-3-yl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazole-5,1-diyl]}dibutan-1-one
Authors: Kedjadja Allaoua , Kolli Elhadj , Bouraiou Abdelmalek , Merdes Rachid , Haddour Naoufel
Published: October 2015

A new polycyclic compound, 1,1′-{1,4-phenylene bis[3-(6-chloro-2-methyl-4-phenylquinolin-3-yl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazole-5,1-diyl]}dibutan-1-one (3) has been synthesized by cyclocondensation of (2E,2′E)-1,1′-bis(6-chloro-2-methyl-4-phenylquinolin-3-yl)-3,3′-(1,4-phenylene)diprop-2-en-1-one (2) and hydrazine hydrate in butanoic acid. The structure of this compound was established by elemental analysis, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, mass and IR spectroscopy.
Enhancing Throughput of Combinatorial Droplet Devices via Droplet Bifurcation, Parallelized Droplet Fusion, and Parallelized Detection
Authors: Hsieh Kuangwen , Zec Helena , Ma Polly , Rane Tushar , Wang Tza-Huei
Published: October 2015

Combinatorial droplet microfluidic devices with programmable microfluidic valves have recently emerged as a viable approach for performing multiplexed experiments in microfluidic droplets. However, the serial operation in these devices restricts their throughput. To address this limitation, we present a parallelized combinatorial droplet device that enhances device throughput via droplet bifurcation, parallelized droplet fusion, and parallelized droplet detection. In this device, sample droplets split evenly at bifurcating Y-junctions before multiple independent reagent droplets are injected directly into the split sample droplets for robust droplet fusion. Finally, the fused sample and reagent droplets can be imaged in parallel via microscopy. The combination of these approaches enabled us to improve the throughput over traditional, serially-operated combinatorial droplet devices by 16-fold—with ready potential for further enhancement. Given its current performance and prospect for future improvements, we believe the parallelized combinatorial droplet device has the potential to meet the demand as a flexible and cost-effective tool that can perform high throughput screening applications.
A Call to Action: Developing and Strengthening New Strategies to Promote Adolescent Sexual Health
Authors: Decker Martha , Berglas Nancy , Brindis Claire
Published: October 2015

Through considerable efforts and investments of resources, adolescent pregnancy and birth rates in the United States have decreased significantly over the past two decades. Nonetheless, large disparities persist for many populations of youth. Reducing unintended adolescent pregnancies is considered a “winnable public health battle,” but one that will require innovative thinking and continued persistence. This paper reviews the recent research literature and innovative programmatic efforts to identify six promising strategies that address the challenge of adolescent pregnancy in new ways. These strategies aim to: (1) understand and address the complexity of adolescent lives; (2) expand the provision of quality sexual health education; (3) engage youth through technology and media; (4) increase access to contraceptives and other sexual health services; (5) create tailored interventions for populations with special needs; and (6) create a supportive policy environment. By building upon lessons learned from past efforts, we can move the field toward the development, strengthening, and promotion of future strategies that enhance the sexual well-being of all adolescents.
Islamic State: Conflict Actors, their Participation, Motives and Goals
Authors: Kraus Josef
Published: October 2015

This text is focused on current situation in Syria and Iraq and so called Islamic State, the one of the biggest threats of contemporary world. The rise of this quasistate at background of civil war in Syria and still not fully solved conflict in Iraq is the result of involvement of many internal and external actors. The form of their involvement and especially their goals are very different from each other and despite sporadic and declaratory agreements in partial points the main reason the Islamic State still exists in very good shape is disunited attitude of local and external powers against it. The main aim of this text is to explain and to analyze main motives and goals of all relevant actors and sides of mentioned conflict and describe the way they affect its dynamics. Due to that it is possible to increase the knowledge of readers in such a chaotic, unclear and often misinterpreted situation in the Middle-East.
Islamist Territorially Anchored Violent Non-State Actor in the International System
Authors: Ludvík Zdeněk
Published: October 2015

Islamist territorially anchored violent non-state actors (ITAVNSAs) seeking to change the status quo of the current international system constitute one of the greatest challenges the international order based on mutual respect of equal sovereign states. These actors in areas without the presence of power states use explicit cross-border violence to achieve their objective in accordance with universal Islamist ideology - the construction of a caliphate. The paper presents in the theoretical and modern historical perspectives methods of reduction of anarchy in the international system - power, economic, legalistic and normative - and highlights the reasons why face to face of these actors, these heretofore functional ways, be it on a regional or system level of analysis, fail.
Psychology of Terrorism and the Staircase Mataphor
Authors: Smolík Josef
Published: October 2015

The article deals with the contemporary form of terrorism, introduces selected issues and discusses the psychology of terrorism. Various forms and typologies of contemporary terrorism which occurs in different geographical and cultural areas and uses large scale of methods and tactical and strategic approaches are introduced as well.The main goal of this article is to describe psychological aspects of terrorism with the emphasis on the motivation and group dynamics of terrorist organizations. The staircase metaphor which allows thinking about the process of recruitment of terrorists is introduced as well. The article derives especially from theoretical socio-psychological and political findings.
Border Defense against Infiltration and Guerilla Attacks
Authors: Bátrla Michael
Published: October 2015

The text deals with the use of border defense as a means of protection against guerrilla attacks and infiltration, through a combination of principles of modern stationary fortifications and forward area defense. These are discussed on the case study of the Northern Border Security Project of Saudi Arabia. The role of attacker takes quasi-state formation the Islamic State (IS, ISIS, ISIL). The aim is to analyze whether the project would endure distinctive types of asymmetric attacks. Vulnerability prioritization for each component determines the most likely targets and their characteristics. This is a subjective semi quantitative method known as CARVER matrix. Subsequently, based on established premises, the text discusses three selected scenarios that use guerrilla tactics with elements of terrorism against selected targets. Attack scenarios show some of the possible ways of improvement for the project. In conclusion, the author makes recommendations for possible adjustments and assess the potential of using the project as a protection against asymmetric attacks. After reading the text, the reader is informed about the project, its components, as well as recommendations that can be applied in the further use of this type of defense.
Epidemiological Trends among the Population with Chronic HCV Infection in the Netherlands
Authors: Maan Raoel , Toes–Zoutendijk Esther , Veldt Bart J , Hansen Bettina E , Van Der Meer Adriaan J , De Knegt Robert J
Published: October 2015

Background

As the field of antiviral therapy for chronic HCV infection is rapidly evolving, this study aimed to assess the epidemiological changes in patient and disease characteristics among individuals with chronic HCV infection.

Methods

This study included all consecutive patients with chronic HCV monoinfection who were referred between 1990 and 2013 to the Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, a large tertiary centre in the Netherlands. To identify trends over time, the study population was divided into six equal eras based on date of first visit to the outpatient clinic.

Results

A total of 1,779 patients were diagnosed with chronic HCV infection. Mean age increased over time from 43.6 (sd 13.8) years to 51.7 (sd 11.2) years ( P<0.001). The number of patients who were referred with cirrhosis increased over time, from 31 (25%) patients in Era 1 to 118 (42%) patients in Era 6 ( P<0.001), respectively. More patients were referred with HCV genotype 1a and 3 in the last era, with 27 (48.2%) and 15 (14.0%) patients in Era 1 and 58 (54.2%) and 60 (21.8%) patients in Era 6 ( P<0.001 both), respectively. The vast majority of patients (69.5%) were born between 1950 to 1975, with 62.5% of the patients being born between 1945 and 1965.

Conclusions

The HCV-infected population is ageing and is more often referred with severe liver disease. This study stresses the importance of urgently implementing national HCV screening programmes in order to be able to decrease the future burden of chronic HCV infection in the Netherlands.
Nanocomposites and Hybrid Materials for Adsorptive Desulfurization
Authors: Saleh Tawfik A. , Danmaliki Gaddafi I. , Shuaib Taye Damola
Published: October 2015

Desulfurization (removal of S compounds) of fuels is an important research topic in recent years. Several techniques have been reported to remove the sulfur-containing compounds in fuels. One of these techniques is adsorptive desulfurization (ADS) (removal based on chemisorption and physisorption) which has received much attention because of low energy consumption and facile operation condition. This chapter discusses the methods employed under this technique and the types of nanocomposites and hybrid materials (adsorbents) that have been investigated as potential adsorbents. The strategies to enhance sulfur adsorption capacity and main challenges will be discussed.
Carbon-Based Nanomaterials for Desulfurization
Authors: Saleh Tawfik A. , Shuaib Taye Damola , Danmaliki Gaddafi Ibrahim , Al-Daous Mohammed A.
Published: October 2015

The special interest in ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) is informed by the need to comply with the strict government policy on low sulfur content of transportation fuels. Better knowledge of different factors that concern deep desulfurization of fuels is important to achieve ultra-low sulfur fuels and cheaper way of producing ULSD. Both the capital and operating cost of the adsorptive desulfurization process is cheaper compare to the conventional hydroprocessing. The need to produce more volume of fuel such as diesel with very low sulfur content from low grade feed stocks like heavy oil and light cycle oil (LCO) in order to meet up with the global demand for sulfur-free fuels is pertinent. Several on-going researches are pointing to the use of adsorbents for removal of sulfur compounds from the hydrocarbon refining stream. In this chapter, varieties of carbon nanomaterials suitable for adsorptive desulfurization are discussed. The approach is feasible for commercial applications with any adsorbent of an adequate lifetime of activity as well as high capacity.
Agile Writing
Authors: Moses Joseph
Published: October 2015

Scrum methodologies that support cross-functional writing teams to develop polished increments of writing instead of lengthy drafts of documents stand to improve productivity and learning within organizations. Scrum methodologies may be deployed in higher education as well as in nonacademic settings to achieve purposeful knowledge transfer across disciplines and across academic/industry borders. Key to scrum is an emphasis on productivity within fixed time frames, with productivity facilitated by learning that emerges in cross-functional teams. Higher education is similarly a domain in which productivity in fixed time frames takes the measure of student learning. Across the disciplines, scrum methodologies show promise for improving the quality of collaborative problem-solving in writing projects in college and at work.
Communicating User Experience
Authors: St. Peter Hilary A. Sarat
Published: October 2015

Research in the ICT4D field implicates lack of user-centered design in the high rate of ICTD project failure. The field of user experience (UX) offers potentially fruitful approaches for user-centered design. In the ICTD context, these principles and methods clash with the triple constraints of project management (time, scope and funding). This paper introduces the user persona from UX design as a powerful tool for considering the user's perspective within resource-constrained ICTD projects. Although personas appear simple, they introduce complex communicative affordances, pragmatic benefits, and risks to ICTD projects. A brief conclusion revisits the larger problem of ICTD project failure, and considers the potential role of personas in addressing this problem.
Heart failure in real world
Authors: Giumelli Claudio , Reverzani Azio , Volpi Riccardo , Chesi Giuseppe
Published: October 2015

The heart failure (HF) is one of the greatest problems of public health with increasing epidemiological importance. In the present study we analyzed a population of 299 patients, consecutively admitted to hospital, whose diagnosis of HF was verified retrospectively. In our analysis we considered underlying heart diseases, comorbidities, ejection fraction, presence of atrial fibrillation and pleural effusion, values of NT pro-BNP and causes of destabilization precipitating HF. The mean age of our population was 81 years. Patients with preserved systolic function were 145 (61% of the total, 59 male and 86 female). 166 patients (69% of the total) had hypertensive heart disease and 211 had hypertension (88% of the total). Patients with pleural effusion were 108 (46% of total). In the total population 102 patients (43%) had from 3 to 5 comorbidities, 169 patients (71%) had at least 2 comorbidities and only 4 patients (1.7%) had no comorbidities. The collected data highlight the complexity of patients with HF, often due to advanced age and a high number of comorbidities.
Virulence and pathogenicity of three Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense stabilates in a Swiss white mouse model
Authors: Kariuki Christopher , Kagira John M. , Mwadime Victor , Ngotho Maina
Published: October 2015

Background: A key objective in basic research on human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) is developing a cheap and reliable experimental model of the disease for use in pathogenesis and drug studies.Objective: With a view to improving current models, a study was undertaken to characterise the virulence and pathogenicity of three Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense stabilates, labelled as International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)-2918, ILRI-3953, and Institute of Primate Research (IPR)-001, infected into Swiss white mice.Methods: Swiss white mice were infected intraperitoneally with trypanosomes and observedfor parasitaemia using wet blood smears obtained by tail snipping. Induction of late-stagedisease was undertaken using diminazene aceturate (40 mg/kg, Berenil) with curativetreatment done using melarsoprol (3.6 mg/kg, Arsobal).Results: The prepatent period for the stabilates ranged from three to four days with mean peak parasitaemia ranging from Log10 6.40 to 8.36. First peak parasitaemia for all stabilates varied between six and seven days post infection (DPI) followed by secondary latency in ILRI-2918 (15–17 DPI) and IPR-001 (17–19 DPI). Survival times ranged from six DPI (ILRI-3953) to 86 DPI (IPR-001). Hindleg paresis was observed in both ILRI-3953 (at peak parasitaemia) and ILRI-2918 (after relapse parasitaemia). Mice infected with IPR-001 survived until 54 DPI when curative treatment was undertaken.Conclusions: This study demonstrated that the stabilates ILRI-2918 and ILRI-3953 were unsuitable for modelling late-stage HAT in mice. The stabilate IPR-001 demonstrated the potential to induce chronic trypanosomiasis in Swiss white mice for use in development of a late-stage model of HAT.
Expectations of youth victims of violence regarding health care professionals leading them to wellness in South Africa
Authors: Ahanonu Ezihe L. , Waggie Firdouza
Published: October 2015

Background: Many youth victims of violence report for treatment at the health care facilities in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. It was unclear what the youth expected regarding how they could be led towards wellness by health care professionals following an incident of violence (R1.1).Objectives: This study sought to explore and describe the expectations of the youth victims of violence with regards to health care professionals (R1.2) leading them to wellness in a selected rural community.Method: A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual design was used. Nine focus group discussions were conducted with 58 (23 males, 35 females) purposefully selected youth victims of violence between the ages of 15 and 19. Data analysis was done through open coding. Ethics clearance was received from the University Ethics Committee prior to the study being conducted.Results: Findings indicated that the youth victims of violence expect the health care professionals (professional nurses, doctors and social workers) working in their community to act as role models, demonstrate a professional attitude, provide health education, provide confidential counselling services, and establish school and community outreach programmes.Conclusion: This study provides evidence that youth victims of violence have important expectations from health care professionals concerning their wellness. Hence, health care professionals should focus on designing and implementing interventions targeting these expectations.
Intersecting pentagons as surrogate for identifying the use of mini mental state examination in assessment of dementia in a largely illiterate population
Authors: Raina SK , Maria A , Chander V , Raina S
Published: October 2015

Background and Rationale:

The mini-mental state evaluation (MMSE) is often used to identify patients with dementia. One component of the MMSE is the intersecting pentagon copying (IPC) test, which may be difficult to be used in an illiterate population.

Materials and Methods:

A post hoc analysis on an elderly population (60 years and above) from Himachal Pradesh was carried out. The data of only 1,513 elderly individuals out of a total of 2,000 participants with a score of more than 26 (nondemented) out of a possible score of 30 on cognitive battery available were used. The scores on the IPC were evaluated and their association with some demographic variables was also assessed.

Results:

Illiterate participants, female participants, those with greater age, and the rural/tribal population groups faced the most difficulty in drawing the intersecting pentagons and even greater difficulty in drawing them correctly.

Discussion:

The IPC presents challenges for people who are illiterate and the scoring method needs to be addressed and changed particularly when the test is used in largely illiterate populations.
Многоцветные динамические разбиения торов на множества ограниченного остатка
Authors: Zhuravlev Vladimir Georgievich
Published: October 2015

С помощью разбиений многомерных торов строятся множества ограниченного остатка, представляющие собою конечные объединения выпуклых многогранников. Для отклонений распределения точек орбит относительно сдвигов тора по указанным множествам доказывается многомерный вариант теоремы Гекке о распределении дробных долей на окружности.
Библиография: 14 наименований.
Теорема Гильберта о нулях (Nullstellensatz) в алгебраической геометрии над жесткими разрешимыми группами
Authors: Romanovskiy Nikolai Semenovich
Published: October 2015

Обсуждается вопрос о том, какой вид может иметь аналог классической теоремы Гильберта о нулях (Nullstellensatz) в алгебраической геометрии над достаточно хорошим классом групп, и доказывается такой аналог в классе жестких разрешимых групп.
Библиография: 8 наименований.
Вариационное исчисление в целом, существование траекторий в области с границей и задача Уитни о перевернутом маятнике
Authors: Bolotin Sergey Vladimirovich , Kozlov Valery Vasil'evich
Published: October 2015

Для неавтономной лагранжевой системы вводятся динамически выпуклые области по отношению к лагранжиану.
Установлена разрешимость краевой задачи в компактных динамически выпуклых областях. Если лагранжиан периодичен по времени, то в такой области существует периодическая траектория. Доказательства используют принцип Гамильтона и известные приемы вариационного исчисления в целом. Результаты общего характера применяются к задаче Уитни о существовании движений перевернутого маятника без падений.
Библиография: 7 наименований.
Экспоненциальный рост коразмерностей тождеств алгебр с единицей
Authors: Zaicev Mikhail Vladimirovich , Repovs Dusan D.
Published: October 2015

В работе изучается асимптотическое поведение экспоненциально ограниченных последовательностей
коразмерностей тождеств алгебр с единицей. Построена серия алгебр, у которых основание экспоненты увеличивается ровно на единицу при присоединении к исходной алгебре внешней единицы. Показано, что PI-экспоненты унитарных алгебр могут принимать любое значение больше двух, а экспоненты конечномерных унитарных алгебр образуют всюду плотное подмножество в области $[2,\infty)$.
Библиография: 34 названия.
Топологическая классификация биллиардов в локально плоских областях, ограниченных дугами софокусных квадрик
Authors: Fokicheva Victoriya Victorovna
Published: October 2015

В работе обнаружен новый класс интегрируемых биллиардных систем - обобщенные биллиарды, а именно, биллиарды в областях, образованных склейками классических биллиардных областей вдоль сегментов границ. Классическая биллиардная область - это часть плоскости, ограниченная дугами софокусных квадрик. В статье получена полная топологическая классификация обобщенных биллиардов с точностью до лиувиллевой эквивалентности на основе теории Фоменко-Цишанга об инвариантах интегрируемых систем.
Библиография: 18 названий.
Black carbon, particle number concentration and nitrogen oxide emission factors of random in-use vehicles measured with the on-road chasing method
Authors: Ježek I. , Katrašnik T. , Westerdahl D. , Močnik G.
Published: October 2015

Abstract. The chasing method was used in an on-road measurement campaign, and emission factors (EF) of black carbon (BC), particle number (PN) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) were determined for 139 individual vehicles of different types encountered on the roads. The aggregated results provide EFs for BC, NOx and PN for three vehicle categories: goods vehicles, gasoline and diesel passenger cars. This is the first on-road measurement study where BC EFs of numerous individual diesel cars were determined in real-world driving conditions. We found good agreement between EFs of goods vehicles determined in this campaign and the results of previous studies that used either chasing or remote-sensing measurement techniques. The composition of the sampled car fleet determined from the national vehicle registry information is reflective of Eurostat statistical data on the Slovenian and European vehicle fleet. The median BC EF of diesel and gasoline cars that were in use for less than 5 years decreased by 60 and 47 % from those in use for 5–10 years, respectively; the median NOx and PN EFs of goods vehicles that were in use for less than 5 years decreased from those in use for 5–10 years by 52 and 67 %, respectively. Surprisingly, we found an increase of BC EFs in the newer goods vehicle fleet compared to the 5–10-year old one. The influence of engine maximum power of the measured EFs showed an increase in NOx EF from least to more powerful vehicles with diesel engines. Finally, a disproportionate contribution of high emitters to the total emissions of the measured fleet was found; the top 25 % of emitting diesel cars contributed 63, 47 and 61 % of BC, NOx and PN emissions respectively. With the combination of relatively simple on-road measurements and sophisticated post processing, individual vehicle EF can be determined and useful information about the fleet emissions can be obtained by exactly representing vehicles which contribute disproportionally to vehicle fleet emissions; and monitor how the numerous emission reduction approaches are reflected in on-road driving conditions.
Development and characterisation of a state-of-the-art GOME-2 formaldehyde air-mass factor algorithm
Authors: Hewson W. , Barkley M. P. , Gonzalez Abad G. , Bösch H. , Kurosu T. , Spurr R. , Tilstra L. G.
Published: October 2015

Abstract. Space-borne observations of formaldehyde (HCHO) are frequently used to derive surface emissions of isoprene, an important biogenic volatile organic compound. The conversion of retrieved HCHO slant column concentrations from satellite line-of-sight measurements to vertical columns is determined through application of an air mass factor (AMF), accounting for instrument viewing geometry, radiative transfer, and vertical profile of the absorber in the atmosphere. This step in the trace gas retrieval is subject to large errors. This work presents the AMF algorithm in use at the University of Leicester (UoL), which introduces scene-specific variables into a per-observation full radiative transfer AMF calculation, including increasing spatial resolution of key environmental parameter databases, input variable area weighting, instrument-specific scattering weight calculation, and inclusion of an ozone vertical profile climatology. Application of these updates to HCHO slant columns from the GOME-2 instrument is shown to typically adjust the AMF by ±20 %, compared to a reference algorithm without these advanced parameterisations. On average the GOME-2 AMFs increase by 4 %, with over 70 % of locations having an AMF of 0–20 % larger than originally, largely resulting from the use of the latest GOME-2 reflectance product. Furthermore, the new UoL algorithm also incorporates a full radiative transfer error calculation for each scene to help characterise AMF uncertainties. Global median AMF errors are typically 50–60 %, and are driven by uncertainties in the HCHO profile shape and its vertical distribution relative to clouds and aerosols. If uncertainty on the a priori HCHO profile is relatively small (< 10 %) then the median AMF total error decreases to about 30–40 %.
Coupling carbon allocation with leaf and root phenology predicts tree-grass partitioning along a savanna rainfall gradient
Authors: Haverd V. , Smith B. , Raupach M. , Briggs P. , Nieradzik L. , Beringer J. , Hutley L. , Trudinger C. M. , Cleverly J.
Published: October 2015

Abstract. The relative complexity of the mechanisms underlying savanna ecosystem dynamics, in comparison to other biomes such as temperate and tropical forests, challenges the representation of such dynamics in ecosystem and Earth system models. A realistic representation of processes governing carbon allocation and phenology for the two defining elements of savanna vegetation (namely trees and grasses) may be a key to understanding variations in tree/grass partitioning in time and space across the savanna biome worldwide. Here we present a new approach for modelling coupled phenology and carbon allocation, applied to competing tree and grass plant functional types. The approach accounts for a temporal shift between assimilation and growth, mediated by a labile carbohydrate store. This is combined with a method to maximise long-term net primary production (NPP) by optimally partitioning plant growth between fine roots and (leaves + stem). The computational efficiency of the analytic method used here allows it to be uniquely and readily applied at regional scale, as required, for example, within the framework of a global biogeochemical model. We demonstrate the approach by encoding it in a new simple carbon/water cycle model that we call HAVANA (Hydrology and Vegetation-dynamics Algorithm for Northern Australia), coupled to the existing POP (Population Orders Physiology) model for tree demography and disturbance-mediated heterogeneity. HAVANA-POP is calibrated using monthly remotely-sensed fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (fPAR) and eddy-covariance-based estimates of carbon and water fluxes at 5 tower sites along the Northern Australian Tropical Transect (NATT), which is characterized by large gradients in rainfall and wildfire disturbance. The calibrated model replicates observed gradients of fPAR, tree leaf area index, basal area and foliage projective cover along the NATT. The model behaviour emerges from complex feed-backs between the plant physiology and vegetation dynamics, mediated by shifting above- vs. below-ground resources, and not from imposed hypotheses about the controls on tree/grass co-existence. Results support the hypothesis that resource limitation is a stronger determinant of tree cover than disturbance in Australian savannas.
A method to calculate finite-time Lyapunov exponents for inertial particles in incompressible flows
Authors: Garaboa-Paz D. , Pérez-Muñuzuri V.
Published: October 2015

Abstract. The present study aims to improve the calculus of finite-time Lyapunov exponents (FTLEs) applied to describe the transport of inertial particles in a fluid flow. To this aim, the deformation tensor is modified to take into account that the stretching rate between particles separated by a certain distance is influenced by the initial velocity of the particles. Thus, the inertial FTLEs (iFTLEs) are defined in terms of the maximum stretching between infinitesimally close trajectories that have different initial velocities. The advantages of this improvement, if compared to the standard method (Shadden et al., 2005), are discussed for the double-gyre flow and the meandering jet flow. The new method allows one to identify the initial velocity that inertial particles must have in order to maximize their dispersion.
‘All of a Sudden, There Are Muslims’: Visibilities and Islamophobic Violence in Canada
Authors: Perry Barbara
Published: October 2015

This paper traces the meanings and impacts of the increased and transformed visibility of Muslim communities in Canada, as evidenced through their experiences of surveillance and violence. It explores the contours of this visibility as well as the consequences. Relationships between Muslims and non-Muslims are shaped in and through hostility, harassment and violence which is directed toward increasingly visible Muslim communities. Guiding the analysis of the connections between visibility and hate crime is a frame that draws upon Brighenti’s ideal types of visibility: media-type, control-type and social-type.
‘They Make Us Feel Like We’re a Virus’: The Multiple Impacts of Islamophobic Hostility Towards Veiled Muslim Women
Authors: Zempi Irene , Chakraborti Neil
Published: October 2015

Within the prevailing post-9/11 climate, veiled Muslim women are commonly portrayed as oppressed, ‘culturally dangerous’ and ‘threatening’ to the western way of life and to notions of public safety and security by virtue of being fully covered in the public sphere. It is in such a context that manifestations of Islamophobia often emerge as a means of responding to these ‘threats’. Drawing from qualitative data elicited through a UK-based study, this article reflects upon the lived experiences of veiled Muslim women as actual and potential victims of Islamophobia and examines the impacts of Islamophobic attacks upon victims, their families and wider Muslim communities. Among the central themes we explore are impacts upon their sense of vulnerability, the visibility of their Muslim identity, and the management of their safety in public. The individual and collective harms associated with this form of victimisation are considered through notions of a worldwide, transnational Muslim community, the ummah, which connects Muslims from all over world. We conclude by noting that the effects of this victimisation are not exclusively restricted to the global ummah; rather, the harm extends to society as a whole by exacerbating the polarisation which already exists between ‘us’ and ‘them’.
The Creeping Blight of Islamophobia in Australia
Authors: Briskman Linda
Published: October 2015

In the latter months of 2014, following events in faraway Iraq and Syria, Australia responded forcefully at home. The manufactured fear of a terrorist attack resulted in police raids, increased counter-terrorism legislation and scare campaigns to alert the public to 'threat'. Although Islamophobia rose in Australia after 2001 it has been latent in recent years. It is on the rise again with collateral damage from government measures including verbal and physical attacks on Australian Muslims. Vitriol is also directed at asylum seekers and refugees. Media, government and community discourses converge to promote Islam as dangerous and deviant.
Not Eating the Muslim Other: Halal Certification, Scaremongering, and the Racialisation of Muslim Identity
Authors: Hussein Shakira
Published: October 2015

Campaigns against the halal certification of food in Muslim-minority societies reveal the shift in the representation of Muslims from a visible, alien presence to a hidden, covert threat. This paper uses one such campaign in Australia as a point of entry for analysing the ramifications for Muslim identity of this ‘stealth jihad’ discourse. Muslims living in the west are increasingly targeted not for ‘standing out’ as misfits, but for blending in as the invisible enemy. The scare campaign against halal certification closely parallels previous campaigns against kosher certification, highlighting the increasing resemblance between contemporary Islamophobia and historical anti-Semitism.
Arun Kundnani (2014) The Muslims are Coming! Islamophobia, Extremism and the Domestic War on Terror. London: Verso.
Authors: Martin Greg
Published: October 2015

Martin Luther King Jr understood the link between individual violence at home and state violence abroad. In part of his message that is often downplayed, he told an audience at Riverside Church, New York in 1967 that the promotion of nonviolent direct action (or the prevention of violent extremism) among young Americans depended on opposing the violence of US foreign policy in places like Vietnam. Arun Kundnani ends his book arguing this point remains as valid today in the global war on terror. Indeed, in many ways, the material presented in the book paints a depressingly familiar picture of state secrecy and surveillance, the normalisation of preventative measures in the post-9/11 era, governments instilling fear and anxiety across populations, and the criminalisation of formerly lawful activities. It is now beyond dispute that these developments have eroded human rights and civil liberties in Western societies. But they have also impinged, more broadly, upon social relations and political processes. Not surprisingly, this has impacted Muslim communities the most because relations of trust have been eroded in the domestic war on terror. Download the PDF file from this page to read Greg Martin's complete review of Arun Kundnani's book. Download the PDF file to read the complete review of Arun Kundnan's book by Greg Martin.
Islamophobia and Crime – Anti-Muslim Demonising and Racialised Targeting: Guest Editor’s Introduction
Authors: Poynting Scott
Published: October 2015

This special issue deals with anti-Muslim racism, crime, criminalisation and attacks – both ideological and material – on Muslims and their communities in countries like Britain, Canada and Australia. A new spectre is haunting these places: an imagined ‘other’ is seen to be subversively spreading Muslim ‘extremism’ and exhorting anti-Western violence from within these societies, supporting global terrorism abroad and at home, and espousing hyperpatriarchal, homophobic and sexually exploitative culture. The ‘Muslim other’ has become the folk demon of our time in a racialising ideology that circulates internationally and has strikingly similar effects in quite different local contextsTo find out more about this special edition, download the PDF file from this page.
Empirical Testing of Capital Asset Pricing Model on Bahrain Bourse
Authors: Hawaldar Iqbal Thonse
Published: October 2015

The study is undertaken to find out the relationship between portfolio returns and market returns and test the empirical validity of the standard CAPM model on Bahrain Bourse. The study is based on 39 companies listed in the Bahrain Bourse, Bahrain All Share Index as market proxy and yield of Government of Bahrain securities as risk free rate of return. The study covers period from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2014.  The analysis of the results of the study revealed that many of the independent variables together with beta can explain the portfolio returns.  However, the intercept test reveals that the portfolio returns are equal to the risk-free rate of return. Therefore, we can conclude that the results of intercept test of standard CAPM proves the theory and the beta test results goes against the standard theory.  
Conscientisation and Political Liberation in Anglophone Cameroonian Poetry: The Poetic Vision of Emmanuel Fru Doh, Bate Besong and Mathew Takwi
Authors: Ngeh Andrew T. , Mbuh Anyam Pius , Stanley Chopnkeng
Published: October 2015

The main thrust of the argument of this paper is that Emmanuel Doh, Bate Besong and Mathew Takwi have used their poetry as a veritable weapon of conscientisation and political liberation in Cameroon. Thus, the three poets blend literature and reality to advance the cause of Anglophone National Liberation in Cameroon. From a clearly Marxist literary perspective, the ideo-aesthetic position of Emmanuel Doh in Wading the Tide (1998), Bate Besong in Just Above Cameroon (1998) and Mathew Takwi in Messing Manners (2014) is very clear, though subtle: these poets view the emancipation and welfare of Anglophones in Cameroon as an index of socio-political growth.
In the light of the above assertions, the paper argues that Doh, Besong and Takwi are deeply sensitive and responsive to the realities and moods of moments of collective experience, especially crisis moments. Their poetry is , in fact, a summation of their political and ideological commitments. These poets have endeared themselves to the Anglophone, especially those who are dissatisfied with the present day political dispensation in Cameroon in their attempts to write and be involved with what has become known as “literature of conscientisation and commitment”.
Could MSBOS contribute to patient blood management in the era of global financial crisis?
Authors: Valsami Serena , Dimitroulis Dimitrios
Published: October 2015

No Abstract
Transporte longitudinal de sedimentos no litoral da planície deltaica do Rio Doce
Authors: Oliveira Tiago Castro Alves , Albino Jacqueline , Venancio Igor
Published: October 2015

Neste trabalho estuda-se o potencial de transporte longitudinal de sedimento por ação de ondas no litoral da planície deltaica do Rio Doce. Considerando o clima de ondas entre 1948 e 2008 calcula-se o sentido do transporte longitudinal de sedimentos predominantes ao longo do ano, bem como a sua variabilidade sazonal e os volumes de sedimentos transportados. Os resultados obtidos indicam que o transporte longitudinal pela ação das ondas ocorre essencialmente de Sul para Norte. No Inverno e no Outono o transporte de sedimentos pela deriva litorânea é maior. A magnitude do transporte para  Sul é maior a Sul da desembocadura do Rio Doce, mas não consegue alterar o sentido do transporte líquido que é para norte ao longo de toda a área estudada. Os resultados obtidos mostram que os sedimentos aportados pelo rio Doce são transportados preferencialmente para norte devido à ação das ondas, o que corrobora esquemas de evolução paleo-geográfica publicados anteriormente.
Bem-estar Subjetivo, Personalidade e Vivências Acadêmicas em Estudantes Universitários
Authors: Zanon Cristian , Rosin Aline Bertuol , Teixeira Marco Antônio Pereira
Published: October 2015

O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar se vivências acadêmicas positivas estão associadas com o bem-estar subjetivo (BES) de universitários, bem como as relações entre as vivências acadêmicas e a personalidade. Mais especificamente, procurou-se avaliar o quanto as variáveis de vivências acadêmicas predizem a variância do BES controlando o efeito dos fatores de personalidade. Participaram do estudo 227 universitários (59% mulheres e 41% homens). Os instrumentos utilizados foram um questionário sobre vivências acadêmicas, adjetivos marcadores reduzidos da personalidade, uma escala de satisfação de vida e uma escala de afetos positivos e negativos. Os resultados mostraram que a personalidade é o preditor mais saliente do bem-estar subjetivo. Porém, foram verificadas correlações significativas entre vivências acadêmicas e bem-estar subjetivo.
Personalidade, Relações Objetais e Esquizoidia na Obra de Ronald Fairbairn
Authors: Peixoto Jr Carlos Augusto
Published: October 2015

O presente artigo pretende, primeiramente, analisar alguns princípios e conceitos básicos da teoria psicanalítica da personalidade criada por Ronald Fairbairn, tais como os de ego central, ego libidinal, ego antilibidinal, objeto excitante e objeto rejeitante, dentre outros. A partir desta análise, avalia-se em seguida o modo pelo qual estes conceitos contribuíram para a elaboração de uma perspectiva estrutural dinâmica do psiquismo, assim como para uma concepção de psicopatologia baseada em um ponto de vista estritamente relacional-objetal. Por último, discutem-se algumas das principais características e traços fundamentais da esquizoidia elencadas pelo autor, tanto no que se refere ao seu aspecto teórico quanto clínico.
Description of Sharon gen. nov. for the Chilean species Asaphes amoenus Philippi, 1861 (Coleoptera: Elateridae)
Authors: Arias-Bohart Elizabeth T. , Elgueta Mario
Published: October 2015

Sharon gen. nov. is here described to include Asaphes? amoenus Philippi, 1861 comb. nov. from Chile. A redescription of the species is based on the female holotype and material from different geographic locations. Candèze (1891) placed Asaphes amoenus and Parasaphes elegans in the suprageneric group Asaphites. We discuss differences between Sharon gen. nov. and Hemicrepidius Germar, 1839, where Asaphes amoenus was later placed by Blackwelder (1944). Based on morphological characters, Sharon gen. nov. appears to be related to Parasaphes Candèze, 1881, Wynarka Calder, 1986, and Tasmanelater Calder, 1996, all from Australia, suggesting Gondwanan relationships.
Adoption and Homosexual Parenting. Professionals' Attitudes in a Spanish Sample
Authors: Fernández Molina Milagros , Alarcon Elena
Published: October 2015

AbstractThe subject of adoption and lesbian or gay applicants has frequently been debated in Spain since the 2005 legislative changes. However, there are few published documents that have addressed the opinions of the professionals responsible for supervision of the adoption process. The general aim of this research was to identify the attitudes of the professionals and case leaders, who work or will work within the adoption process, in relation to same sex parents. With this aim, we used the instruments constructed by Frias et al. (2003) and Brodzinsky (2003), and a questionnaire with 42 questions, which was answered by 38 professionals who agreed to participate. More than 80% considered that the process would have a positive outcome, taking into account the fact that gay and lesbian applicants have to meet the same requirements as any other applicants. However, some professionals feel it necessary to evaluate the applicant's degree of acceptance and satisfaction with their sexual orientation; they also recognize their own need for further specialized training.