bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ethics and Interdisciplinarity in Computational Social Science
Authors: Giglietto Fabio , Rossi Luca
Published: April 2016

During the last few years a growing amount of content produced by Internet users has become publicly available online. These data come from a variety of places, including popular social web services like Facebook and Twitter, consumer services like Amazon or weblogs.

The research opportunities opened up by this socio-technological innovation are, as shown by the growing literature on the topic, huge. At the same time new challenges for social scientists arise. In this paper we will focus on two of the main challenges posed to the growth of the so-called computational social science: interdisciplinarity and ethics. While the searchability and persistence of this information make it ideal for sociological research, a quantitative approach is still challenging because of the size and complexity of the data.

Collecting, storing and analyzing these data often require technical skills beyond the traditional curricula of social scientists. These projects require, in fact, collaboration with computer scientists. Nevertheless developing a common interdisciplinary project is often challenging because of the different backgrounds of the researchers.

At the same time the availability of this content poses a challenge concerning privacy and research ethics. Due to the amount of data and the fact that the real identity of the author is often hidden behind a nickname, it is often impossible to ask the subject involved to consent to the use of their data. On the other hand, especially in the first wave of web 2.0, this information has been – intentionally or not – publicly shared by the users. While a technique of dis-embedding the identity of the user from the content analyzed is often the solution used to bypass this issue, an even more important privacy-related challenge for computational social science is emerging. Due to the wide adoption of social network sites such Facebook or Google+, where a user may decide to share his content with his/her group of friends only, the amount of public data will change and decrease in the future. We will discuss this issue by enumerating a number of possible future scenarios.
But is it Innovation?: The Development of Novel Methodological Approaches in Qualitative Research
Authors: Wiles Rose , Bengry-Howell Andrew , Crow Graham , Nind Melanie
Published: April 2016

Focusing on three case studies of novel approaches about which claims of innovation have been made, this paper explores the process of methodological innovation and the response of the social science community to innovations. The study focuses on three specific innovations: ‘netnography’, ‘child-led research’ and ‘creative methods' and draws on interview data with researchers who have developed these approaches and those who have engaged with them. Data are explored through the lens of the social context of contemporary qualitative research methods and specifically what has been referred to in the UK as the ‘impact’ agenda. We argue that while methodological innovation may be viewed by researchers as important for the continued success of social science disciplines, the processes whereby new methods are developed and marketed, within the context of contemporary social research and the impact culture, may limit their acknowledgement and acceptance within the broader social science community. This culture increases the speed at which innovations are developed and marketed, encourages the dissemination of codified or procedural approaches to innovations which limit the craft of qualitative research and encourages early career researchers to adopt approaches without being reflexive about the affordances these methods might provide.
The Imitation Game as a Method for Exploring Knowledge(s) of Chronic Illness
Authors: Evans Robert , Crocker? Helen
Published: April 2016

Medical sociology has traditionally contrasted the bio-medical knowledge of healthcare professionals with the socially situated knowledge possessed by patients. These differences are particularly important in chronic conditions where patients can develop highly sophisticated understandings of their disease and its symptoms. In this paper we use a novel research method – The Imitation Game – to explore how far the experiential knowledge of patients can be appreciated and understood by medical professionals. We examine the extent to which professional dietitians were able to reproduce the discourse of people diagnosed with coeliac disease and show that dietitians were able to ‘pass' as patients with coeliac disease but that a control group of lay people could not. We also briefly explore the domains of knowledge in which dietitians tended to be more or less successful and reflect on the utility of the research for medical sociology and the training of healthcare professionals.
The Value of Moral Theory for Addressing Ethical Questions When Reusing Qualitative Data
Authors: Bishop Libby
Published: April 2016

In this paper, I explore two ethical questions that arise in reusing qualitative data. First, how should secondary researchers respond when they uncover research practices of primary researchers that appear to be ethical breaches? Second, does data sharing alter researchers' moral relationships with their participants? I begin by reviewing a contemporary debate in qualitative research ethics. In this debate, the general view embraces ethical frameworks that place specific situations and context at centre stage, and relegate broad ethical theories to the background. As a comparison, I present a synopsis of a very similar debate in bioethics between particularist and universalist ethical frameworks. I employ several case studies in an attempt to demonstrate the value of universalist moral frameworks for moral reasoning while still sustaining a keen awareness of and sensitivity to specifics of situation and context. My claim is that ethical debates about reusing qualitative data (and perhaps for social research more generally) can be best served by not limiting the focus of ethical concerns to particulars, situations, or even principles, but by engaging equally deeply with universalist moral theories.
Investigating Alaskan methane and carbon dioxide fluxes using measurements from the CARVE tower
Authors: Karion Anna , Sweeney Colm , Miller John B. , Andrews Arlyn E. , Commane Roisin , Dinardo Steven , Henderson John M. , Lindaas Jacob , Lin John C. , Luus Kristina A. , Newberger Tim , Tans Pieter , Wofsy Steven C. , Wolter Sonja , Miller Charles E.
Published: April 2016

Abstract. Northern high-latitude carbon sources and sinks, including those resulting from degrading permafrost, are thought to be sensitive to the rapidly warming climate. Because the near-surface atmosphere integrates surface fluxes over large ( ∼  500–1000 km) scales, atmospheric monitoring of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) mole fractions in the daytime mixed layer is a promising method for detecting change in the carbon cycle throughout boreal Alaska. Here we use CO2 and CH4 measurements from a NOAA tower 17 km north of Fairbanks, AK, established as part of NASA's Carbon in Arctic Reservoirs Vulnerability Experiment (CARVE), to investigate regional fluxes of CO2 and CH4 for 2012–2014. CARVE was designed to use aircraft and surface observations to better understand and quantify the sensitivity of Alaskan carbon fluxes to climate variability. We use high-resolution meteorological fields from the Polar Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model coupled with the Stochastic Time-Inverted Lagrangian Transport model (hereafter, WRF-STILT), along with the Polar Vegetation Photosynthesis and Respiration Model (PolarVPRM), to investigate fluxes of CO2 in boreal Alaska using the tower observations, which are sensitive to large areas of central Alaska. We show that simulated PolarVPRM–WRF-STILT CO2 mole fractions show remarkably good agreement with tower observations, suggesting that the WRF-STILT model represents the meteorology of the region quite well, and that the PolarVPRM flux magnitudes and spatial distribution are generally consistent with CO2 mole fractions observed at the CARVE tower. One exception to this good agreement is that during the fall of all 3 years, PolarVPRM cannot reproduce the observed CO2 respiration. Using the WRF-STILT model, we find that average CH4 fluxes in boreal Alaska are somewhat lower than flux estimates by Chang et al. (2014) over all of Alaska for May–September 2012; we also find that enhancements appear to persist during some wintertime periods, augmenting those observed during the summer and fall. The possibility of significant fall and winter CO2 and CH4 fluxes underscores the need for year-round in situ observations to quantify changes in boreal Alaskan annual carbon balance.
Size distribution and mixing state of black carbon particles during a heavy air pollution episode in Shanghai
Authors: Gong Xianda , Zhang Ci , Chen Hong , Nizkorodov Sergey A. , Chen Jianmin , Yang Xin
Published: April 2016

Abstract. A Single Particle Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (SPAMS), a Single Particle Soot Photometer (SP2) and various meteorological instruments were employed to investigate the chemical and physical properties of black carbon (BC) aerosols during a regional air pollution episode in urban Shanghai over a 5-day period in December 2013. The refractory black carbon (rBC) mass concentrations measured by SP2 averaged 3.2 µg m−3, with the peak value of 12.1 µg m−3 at 04:26 LT on 7 December. The number of BC-containing particles captured by SPAMS in the size range 200–1200 nm agreed very well with that detected by SP2 (R2 = 0.87). A cluster analysis of the single particle mass spectra allowed for the separation of BC-containing particles into five major classes: (1) Pure BC; (2) BC attributed to biomass burning (BBBC); (3) K-rich BC-containing (KBC); (4) BC internally mixed with OC and ammonium sulfate (BCOC-SOx); (5) BC internally mixed with OC and ammonium nitrate (BCOC-NOx). The size distribution of internally mixed BC particles was bimodal. Detected by SP2, the condensation mode peaked around  ∼  230 nm and droplet mode peaked around  ∼  380 nm, with a clear valley in the size distribution around  ∼  320 nm. The condensation mode mainly consisted of traffic emissions, with particles featuring a small rBC core (∼  60–80 nm) and a relatively thin absolute coating thickness (ACT,  ∼  50–130 nm). The droplet mode included highly aged traffic emission particles and biomass burning particles. The biomass burning particles had a larger rBC core (∼  80–130 nm) and a thick ACT (∼  110–300 nm). The highly aged traffic emissions had a smaller core (∼  60–80 nm) and a very thick ACT (∼  130–300 nm), which is larger than reported in any previous literature. A fast growth rate (∼  20 nm h−1) of rBC with small core sizes was observed during the experiment. High concentrations pollutants like NO2 likely accelerated the aging process and resulted in a continuous size growth of rBC-containing particles from traffic emission.
The airborne mass spectrometer AIMS – Part 2: Measurements of trace gases with stratospheric or tropospheric origin in the UTLS
Authors: Jurkat Tina , Kaufmann Stefan , Voigt Christiane , Schäuble Dominik , Jeßberger Philipp , Ziereis Helmut
Published: April 2016

Abstract. Understanding the role of climate-sensitive trace gas variabilities in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere region (UTLS) and their impact on its radiative budget requires accurate measurements. The composition of the UTLS is governed by transport and chemistry of stratospheric and tropospheric constituents, such as chlorine, nitrogen oxide and sulfur compounds. The Atmospheric chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer AIMS has been developed to accurately measure a set of these constituents on aircraft by means of chemical ionization. Here we present a setup using SF5− reagent ions for the simultaneous measurement of trace gas concentrations of HCl, HNO3 and SO2 in the  pptv to ppmv (10−12 to 10−6 mol mol−1) range with in-flight and online calibration called AIMS-TG (Atmospheric chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer for measurements of trace gases). Part 1 of this paper (Kaufmann et al., 2016) reports on the UTLS water vapor measurements with the AIMS-H2O configuration. The instrument can be flexibly switched between two configurations depending on the scientific objective of the mission. For AIMS-TG, a custom-made gas discharge ion source has been developed for generation of reagent ions that selectively react with HCl, HNO3, SO2 and HONO. HNO3 and HCl are routinely calibrated in-flight using permeation devices; SO2 is continuously calibrated during flight adding an isotopically labeled 34SO2 standard. In addition, we report on trace gas measurements of HONO, which is sensitive to the reaction with SF5−. The detection limit for the various trace gases is in the low 10 pptv range at a 1 s time resolution with an overall uncertainty of the measurement of the order of 20 %. AIMS has been integrated and successfully operated on the DLR research aircraft Falcon and HALO (High Altitude LOng range research aircraft). As an example, measurements conducted during the TACTS/ESMVal (Transport and Composition of the LMS/UT and Earth System Model Validation) mission with HALO in 2012 are presented, focusing on a classification of tropospheric and stratospheric influences in the UTLS region. The combination of AIMS measurements with other measurement techniques yields a comprehensive picture of the sulfur, chlorine and reactive nitrogen oxide budget in the UTLS. The different trace gases measured with AIMS exhibit the potential to gain a better understanding of the trace gas origin and variability at and near the tropopause.
Foraging segregation of two congeneric diving seabird species breeding on St. George Island, Bering Sea
Authors: Kokubun Nobuo , Yamamoto Takashi , Sato Nobuhiko , Watanuki Yutaka , Will Alexis , Kitaysky Alexander S. , Takahashi Akinori
Published: April 2016

Abstract. Subarctic environmental changes are expected to affect the foraging ecology of marine top predators, but the response to such changes may vary among species if they use food resources differently. We examined the characteristics of foraging behavior of two sympatric congeneric diving seabird: common (Uria aalge: hereafter COMUs) and thick-billed (U. lomvia: hereafter TBMUs) murres breeding on St. George Island, located in the seasonal sea-ice region of the Bering Sea. We investigated their foraging trip and flight durations, diel patterns of dive depth, and underwater wing strokes, along with wing morphology and blood stable isotope signatures and stress hormones. Acceleration–temperature–depth loggers were attached to chick-guarding birds, and data were obtained from 7 COMUs and 12 TBMUs. Both species showed similar mean trip duration (13.2 h for COMUs and 10.5 h for TBMUs) and similar diurnal patterns of diving (frequent dives to various depths in the daytime and less frequent dives to shallow depths in the nighttime). During the daytime, the dive depths of COMUs had two peaks in shallow (18.1 m) and deep (74.2 m) depths, while those of TBMUs were 20.2 m and 59.7 m. COMUs showed more frequent wing strokes during the bottom phase of dives (1.90 s−1) than TBMUs (1.66 s−1). Fish occurred more frequently in the bill loads of COMUs (85 %) than those of TBMUs (56 %). The δ15N value of blood was significantly higher in COMUs (14.5 ‰) than in TBMUs (13.1 ‰). The relatively small wing area (0.053 m2) of COMUs compared to TBMUs (0.067 m2) may facilitate their increased agility while foraging and allow them to capture more mobile prey such as larger fishes that inhabit deeper depths. These differences in food resource use may lead to the differential responses of the two murre species to marine environmental changes in the Bering Sea.
Hemispherically asymmetric volcanic forcing of tropical hydroclimate and water isotopologue variability during the last millennium
Authors: Colose Christopher M. , LeGrande Allegra N. , Vuille Mathias
Published: April 2016

Abstract. Volcanic aerosols exert the most important natural radiative forcing of the last millennium. State-of-the-art paleoclimate simulations of this interval are typically forced with diverse spatial patterns of volcanic forcing, leading to different responses in tropical hydroclimate. Recently, theoretical considerations relating the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) position to the demands of global energy balance have emerged in the literature, allowing for a connection to be made between the paleoclimate simulations and recent developments in the understanding of ITCZ dynamics. These energetic considerations aid in explaining the well-known historical, paleoclimatic, and modeling evidence that the ITCZ migrates away from the hemisphere that is energetically deficient in response to asymmetric forcing. Here we use two separate GCM suites of experiments for the Last Millennium to relate the ITCZ position to asymmetries in prescribed volcanic sulfate aerosols in the stratosphere and related asymmetric radiative forcing. We discuss the ITCZ shift in the context of atmospheric energetics, and discuss the ramifications of transient ITCZ migrations for other sensitive indicators of changes in the tropical hydrologic cycle, including global streamflow. For the first time, we also offer insight into the large-scale fingerprint of water isotopologues in precipitation (δ18Op) in response to asymmetries in radiative forcing. The ITCZ shifts away from the hemisphere with greater forcing. Since the isotopic composition of the ITCZ is relatively depleted compared to areas outside this zone, this meridional precipitation migration results in a large-scale enrichment (depletion) in the isotopic composition of tropical precipitation in regions the ITCZ moves away from (toward). Our results highlight the need for careful consideration of the spatial structure of volcanic forcing for both impact assessments and for the testing of models against paleoclimate evidence.
LAND-SE: a software for landslide statistically-based susceptibility zonation, Version 1.0
Authors: Rossi Mauro , Reichenbach Paola
Published: April 2016

Abstract. Landslide susceptibility (LS) provides an estimate of the landslide spatial occurrence based on local terrain conditions. LS has been evaluated in many locations around the world since the early '80 using distinct modelling approaches, diverse combination of variables, and different partition of the territory (mapping units). Among the different methods, statistical models have been largely used to assess LS and several model types have been proposed in the literature. A recent literature review revealed that authors not always present a complete and comprehensive assessment of the LS that includes model performance analysis, prediction skills evaluation and estimation of the errors and uncertainty. The aim of this paper is to describe LAND-SE (LANDslide Susceptibility Evaluation), software that performs susceptibility modelling and zonation using statistical models, quantifies the model performances and the associated uncertainty. The software is implemented in R, a free software environment for statistical computing and graphics. This provides users with the possibility to implement and improve the code with additional models, evaluations tools or output types. The paper describes the software structure, explains input and output, illustrates specific applications with maps and graphs. The LAND-SE script is delivered with a basic user guide and three example datasets.
Soil wind erosion in ecological olive trees in the Tabernas desert (S.E. Spain): a wind tunnel experiment
Authors: Asensio Carlos , Lozano Francisco Javier , Gallardo Pedro , Giménez Antonio
Published: April 2016

Abstract. Wind erosion is a key component of the soil degradation processes. The purposes of this study were to find out the influence of material loss from wind on soil properties for different soil types and the changes in soil properties in olive groves when they are tilled. We used a wind tunnel over three different soil types (Calcisol, Cambisol and Luvisol) and concentrated on micro-plot losses and deposits detected by a laser scanner integrated in the tunnel. We also studied the image processing possibilities for examining the particles attached to collector plates located at the end of the tunnel to determine their characteristics, and whether they were applicable to the setup. We paid special attention to the influence of organic carbon, carbonate and clay contents because of their special impact on soil crusting and the wind-erodible fraction. A Principal Components Analysis (PCA) was done to estimate any relationships on generated dust properties and the intensity and behavior of those relationships. Then analysis of variance (ANOVAs) were done to analyze the effect of soil type and sampling height on different properties of capted dust. Calculations based on tunnel data showed overestimation of erosion in tilled Cambisol compared to the other tilled soil typologies and calculation of the fraction of soil erodible by wind done by other authors for Spanish soils.
GEOGRAFIA DOS SONS NÃO ESQUIZOFÔNICOS NA REGIÃO DO RECIFE: CULTURA POPULAR E COTIDIANO URBANO - DOI 10.5216/bgg.v36i1.40377
Authors: Nunes Alves Cristiano
Published: April 2016

Este artigo aborda a espessura de manifestações da cultura popular recifense, os chamados sons não esquizofônicos, surgidos e disseminados a despeito das possibilidades técnicas que constituem o fenômeno da esquizofonia – o rompimento entre a origem e a emissão sonora. Durante a pesquisa, foram fundamentais, além do levantamento bibliográfico, os trabalhos de campo: visitas técnicas e entrevistas semiestruturadas. Foram abordadas a tipologia e a topologia das manifestações não esquizofônicas no Recife, abrigadas, sobretudo, na periferia metropolitana. Enfocou-se o recente adensamento em torno do maracatu na capital pernambucana, e esmiuçaram-se os nexos entre cultura popular e paisagem sonora no bairro dos Coelhos. Trata-se de uma análise do território usado, lançando um olhar sobre o cotidiano de uma metrópole marcada, a um só tempo, tanto por desigualdade socioterritorial, quanto por riqueza e diversidade culturais.Palavras-chave: Uso do Território, Cultura Popular, Esquizofonia, Paisagem Sonora, Recife.
PARADOXOS DA AUTONOMIA PRECÁRIA: LEGISLAÇÃO COOPERATIVISTA E TRABALHO
Authors: Gediel José Antonio Peres , Mello Lawrence Estivalet de
Published: April 2016

O presente artigo tem como objeto a análise da forma como se constitui uma autonomia precária, no âmbito do trabalho autônomo no Brasil, e sua permanência com a renovação legislativa do cooperativismo. Divide-se, para tanto, em três momentos. No primeiro, apresenta a origem da Lei n. 5.764/1971 e a diferença entre cooperativismo tradicional e cooperativismo popular. No segundo, contextualiza a ampliação do trabalho autônomo de baixa renda às demandas do cooperativismo popular. No terceiro, enfim, analisa a nova produção legislativa do cooperativismo no Brasil, por meio do PLS n. 03/2007 e da Lei n. 12.690/2012, com efeitos sobre o trabalho autônomo. Cuida-se de exame bibliográfico que possibilita a análise das descontinuidades e permanências que ocorrem com a renovação legislativa do trabalho cooperado no Brasil.
The Book of Job: A Greco-Hebrew Rhetorical Drama
Authors: Kuriakose John
Published: April 2016

The Book of Job, as a biblical book, which “does not have a literary parallel in ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature,” continues to be an enigma to scholars. Its puzzles mainly concern its roots, genre and structure. Though the book exhibits a variety of generic features creating the impression of a work of multiple authors, a careful look at its form reveals that for its structural organization, its author has relied much on the form of Greek rhetoric, which Aristotle explains in his work, On Rhetoric, of the mid-350’s BCE. Thus, as a testament of Judeo-Christian faith and the Hebrew concept of divine justice, it has the structural frame of the Athenian judicial rhetoric. Also, it has the generic features of the Greek dramatic, Hebrew epic and fairytale traditions. These features undermine the theory of multiple authorship of the book. Presumably, it was written by a Jew who was well-versed in Hebrew traditions and faith, well-informed on the literary traditions of the time, and well-trained in the art of Greek rhetoric and drama. And hence, The Book of Job deserves to be called a Greco-Hebrew Rhetorical Drama.
Some Elemental Content of Soil Within Catchment of River Jakara in Kano, Nigeria
Authors: I. Dike N. , Oniye S. J.
Published: April 2016

The use of untreated urban wastes and domestic sewage contaminated water for the irrigation of agricultural soils is on the rise particularly in the developing countries and is a public health concern with regards to the consumption of vegetables and fruits produced in them which may indirectly accumulate heavy metals in their edible portions. Using the atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS), concentrations of Ca, Mg, Na, K (essential bulk elements), Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Co and Fe (trace elements) were determined in 3 designated areas within the catchment area of River Jakara in Kano Nigeria. Samples were collected from two depths 0-15cm and 15-30cm to cover both dry and wet seasons. The mean concentrations of elements obtained ranged from 0.026 mg/g Cd to 46.83 mg/g Fe and occurred in the magnitude of Fe > Ca > K > Na > Pb >Zn > Co > Cu >Cr > Ni > Cd. The concentrations of the trace elements in the soils in the two depths exceeded the international recommended permissible limits establishing the pollution of the irrigation soils with the trace elements investigated. Based on the findings, it is recommended among others that the relevant organ of government should find an alternative farmland for the farmers within the catchment area of River Jakara where unpolluted waste sources can be utilized for the irrigation of vegetables.
The Effect of Dignity Therapy on Hope in Patients with Major Depression Disorder
Authors: Vaghee Saeed , Heydari Abbas
Published: April 2016

INTRODUCTION: Despite the importance of the hope level increment in the patients with major depression disorder, fewer interventions have been applied to improve the hope level in the psychiatric patients, especially the depressed individuals.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the dignity therapy effect on the hope level in the patients with major depression disorder.

METHOD: In this random controlled clinical trial, 58 patients with major depression disorder, who were hospitalized in Ibn-e-Sina psychiatric hospital of Mashhad, were separated into two intervention (28 individuals) and control (30 individuals) groups. The intervention group has taken the dignity therapy (based on the standard protocol in three 30-45 minutes sessions) and the control group have been undertaken the normal caregiving without intervention. The research tool was the Herth hope index, which was filled exactly before and after intervention. The data analysis has been done by SPSS 11.5 and exact Fischer tests, Chi square, independent t-test and paired t-test.

RESULTS: 65.5 percent of the patients were female and 34.5 percent were male. Before the intervention, there was no significant statistical difference between the dignity therapy group (19.9±2.8) and the control group (20.5±1.6) in the average total hope score (p=0.39). However, the variations of the average total hope score before and after intervention between the dignity therapy group (4.7±2.9) and the control group (0.1±1.9) was significant (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: According to the dignity therapy effect on the hope level increment in patients with major depression disorder, this unique and short clinical trial can be employed to increase the hope level in the patients with depression disorder.
Anterior Segment Eye Assessment of Refractive Surgery Candidates in the Southeast of Iran
Authors: Nakhjavanpour Neda , Payandeh Abolfazl , Rajabi Majid , Shoja Vahid
Published: April 2016

Anterior segment eye parameters are essential factors in diagnosis, screening and management of abnormal ocular conditions. Based on the previous studies, they might differ from one race or population to another. Sistan-and-Baluchestan province, the southeast of Iran, has special weather conditions and race, plus lack of research on these diagnostic factors. Hence, the objective of the present study was to assess anterior segment parameters using pentacam in this area. 800 eyes of subjects which had been referred to the Al-Zahra eye hospital of Zahedan, the capital city of the province, for corneal refractive surgery from October 2014 to March 2015 participated in this research. 95% confidence limits for mean of central corneal thickness, anterior chamber depth and volume were (536.02, 541.20), (3.13, 3.18) and (187.63, 192.58) respectively. Multiple linear regression models showed a lower mean central corneal thickness, and maximum/minimum of keratometry, for males than females, adjusting for age and spherical equivalent. Inversely, anterior chamber depth, and volume were more in males. In order to diagnosis and treating ocular diseases which have effect on retinal thickness, precisely specification of predictive factors is highly needed.
Self-Perceived Discrimination in LGBT Population in Oral Health Services. Medellin, Colombia: A Qualitative Approach
Authors: Alzate-Urrea Santiago , Agudelo-Suarez Andres A. , Monsalve-Orrego James Y. , Londono-Candanoza Flor E. , Chinome-Florez Geidy del C. , Julio-Perez Aida L. , Arias-Durango Luisa F. , Perez-Torres Karen M.
Published: April 2016

INTRODUCTION: We aim to understand the perception about discrimination within the LGBT population when accessing oral health services, from their perspective as well as that of the oral health professional.

METHODS: A qualitative study from a phenomenological perspective was conducted by means of 37 in-depth interwiews (19 in health service providers and 18 in LGBT members). The script used in the interview included questions related to discrimination in social spaces, quality of life and its relationship with health, access to general and oral health care and proposals and strategies. Verbatim was transcripted and narrative content analysis was carried out for identifying meaning codes and after grouped through emergent categories. Atlas.Ti 6.0 software was used.

RESULTS: Five categories within the participants’ discourses were identified: (1) Characteristics of LGBT population: This is a heterogeneous group (physical‚ social and cultural); (2) Quality of life (QOL), health related quality of life (HRQOL) and oral health related quality of life (OHRQOL): QOL is defined as the ability to enjoy opportunities in the human life process under equity conditions; HRQOL is related to an adequate access to health services‚ and OHRQOL as the appropriate state of the structures of the stomatognathic system; (3) Discrimination as a concept and experiences: People conceived discrimination as the act pejorative to someone because of a particular situation. Participants identified some types of discrimination in social spaces; (4) Accessibility to health services: Participants related individual and structural barriers when accessing to public health services; (5) Proposals and strategies: Interviewers suggested some educative strategies and social policies to reduce the endogenous and exogenous discrimination.

CONCLUSIONS: The LGBT population is vulnerable to perceive experiences of discrimination and this situation causes a negative impact on their quality of life.
Caregiver Burden and Social Support in Mothers with β-Thalassemia Children
Authors: Mashayekhi Fatemeh , Jozdani Rasoul Hashemi , Chamak Masoumeh Nazari , Mehni Sareh
Published: April 2016

BACKGROUND: In our knowledge, there was no available information on social support and caregiver’s burden among parents of thalassemic children.

AIM: To examine caregiver’s burden and social support in mothers of thalassemic children, this study was conducted.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted from July to October 2013 in Jiroft Thalassemic Center (JTC) in southeast of Iran. To assess the caregiver’s burden and social support, caregiver burden scale and Norbeck social support questionnaire was used respectively.

RESULTS: There was a response rate of 98% (160 out of 163 mothers were participated). Generally, 51.5% and 49.5% of mothers reported low and high level of social support, respectively. In term of caregiver’s burden, 20%, 29% and 51% of mothers reported high, moderate and low level of burden, respectively. There was no significant correlation between mean score of caregiver’s burden and mean score of social support.

CONCLUSION: Our study showed that social support of Iranian mothers with thalassemic children is low. In addition, caregiver’s burden among this group of mothers is high. Further research is recommended to prepare more evidence in this regard.
A Comparison between Awareness and Observance of Patients' Rights Charter from the Perspectives of the Personnel, Students, and Patients in the Operating Rooms of the University Hospitals of Jahrom
Authors: Parniyan Razieh , Pishgar Zahra , Rahmanian Saiedeh , Shadfard Zahra
Published: April 2016

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: One of the most important issues in healthcare is an awareness of and adherence to patients’ rights. Patients’ physical, psychological, spiritual and social needs should be treated as if they are standards and regulations that medical teams should know about and observe. Considered as important worldwide, patients’ rights are stressed in Islam too. The objective of the study is to compare the perspectives of the personnel, students, and patients in the university hospitals of Jahrom on care-providers’ awareness of and observance of patients’ rights in the operating rooms.

METHOD: The present study is a descriptive-analytical, cross-sectional project that conducted in 2014. The sample consisted of 478 subjects; the patients were sampled based on the stratified sampling method, while the operating room personnel and students were selected based on the census method. A researcher-designed questionnaire that ensured the validity and determined the reliability of it was used to collect data.

The collected data were analyzed using SPSS v. 23.

RESULT: The average awareness score of the personnel was found to be 19.54 with the standard devia3.25; their observance score was 17.75 with the standard deviation ±4.69.

The average patient’s-rights-awareness score of the patients was 15.99±5.82, while their score for patient’s rights observance was found to be 24.11±5.30.

The average patient’s-rights-awareness score of the students was 20.061±3.411, while their score for patient’s rights observance was found to be 18.892±6.271.

The results of the study showed that the awareness level of both the students and personnel was higher than that of the patients. Also, a comparison between the perspectives of the three groups on observance of patients’ rights revealed that the patients had higher expectations than both the students and personnel (P≤0.05).

CONCLUSION: These findings stress the need for raising patients’ awareness about their rights and ways of demanding them in clinical environments. Raising students’ awareness about patients’ rights is equally important. Moreover, enhancing hospital personnel’s familiarity with patients’ rights can guarantee patients’ health and satisfaction.

Patients’ greater concern about adherence to patients’ rights points to their rightful expectations and the need for hospital authorities and personnel to try harder to satisfy patients.

Respect for patients’ basic rights and dignity is an important issue that is stressed by WHO too. As protectors of people’s health and lives, healthcare providers play a crucial role in every society. 
Fine Motor Activities Program to Promote Fine Motor Skills in a Case Study of Down’s Syndrome
Authors: Lersilp Suchitporn , Putthinoi Supawadee , Panyo Kewalin
Published: April 2016

Children with Down’s syndrome have developmental delays, particularly regarding cognitive and motor development. Fine motor skill problems are related to motor development. They have impact on occupational performances in school-age children with Down’s syndrome because they relate to participation in school activities, such as grasping, writing, and carrying out self-care duties. This study aimed to develop a fine motor activities program and to examine the efficiency of the program that promoted fine motor skills in a case study of Down’s syndrome. The case study subject was an 8 -year-old male called Kai, who had Down’s syndrome. He was a first grader in a regular school that provided classrooms for students with special needs. This study used the fine motor activities program with assessment tools, which included 3 subtests of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, second edition (BOT-2) that applied to Upper-limb coordination, Fine motor precision and Manual dexterity; as well as the In-hand Manipulation Checklist, and Jamar Hand Dynamometer Grip Test. The fine motor activities program was implemented separately and consisted of 3 sessions of 45 activities per week for 5 weeks, with each session taking 45 minutes. The results showed obvious improvement of fine motor skills, including bilateral hand coordination, hand prehension, manual dexterity, in-hand manipulation, and hand muscle strength. This positive result was an example of a fine motor intervention program designed and developed for therapists and related service providers in choosing activities that enhance fine motor skills in children with Down’s syndrome.
Violence against Women: A Study of Underlying Factors in Tehran Forensic Center 2001
Authors: Azizian Roya , Saroukhani Bagher , Mahmodi Mahmod , Farzianpour Fereshteh
Published: April 2016

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is a global human rights and public health concern. The WHO Multi-Country Study on Women’s Health and Domestic Violence documented the widespread nature of IPV with lifetime prevalence of physical and/or sexual parter violence among ever-partnered women in the fifteen sites surveyed ranging from 15% in Ethiopia province to 71% in Japan.Across the world, violence against women is a major threat to their physical and mental well-being. This violation of the most fundamental human rights usually takes the form of family or domestic violence.

This study was conducted to determine the violence against women in Tehran in forensic center in 2001.

METHODS: Data for this cross-sectional study were collected from women referring to Tehran Forensic Center, with a view to obtaining a realistic picture of violence to women.

Data were gathered on 120 subjects randomly selected women who completed questionnaires and interview.

RESULTS: The women in this study had presented with wounds and injuries inflicted by their husbands. These women had been referred to the Center by family courts to complete legal formalities concerning injury diagnosis and duration of treatment.

The main factors underlying family violence were examined from five different aspects: behavioral and educational problems (79.2%), financial strain (54.2%), and interference by the husband’s family (39.2%), sexual problems (13.3%), and differences in culture and social class (10%).

CONCLUSION: Factors found to have an accelerating or interfering role included the woman’s age and the couple’s education level. However, many women declared that several factors were contributing simultaneously to the problem of violence.
The Prevalence of Enuresis and Its Association with Psychological Factors in Zahedan, a City of Iran
Authors: Boryri Tahereh , Noori Noormohammad , Aliabad Ghasem Miri , Teimouri Alireza
Published: April 2016

INTRODUCTION: Enuresis is a common problem with multiple causes in children. The aim of the present study was to establish the prevalence of enuresis among school population and its psychology and emotional associated factors.

METHODS: Clustering sampling was used to collect 2000 schoolchildren from city Zahedan. A research made questionnaire was applied as a tool for data collection. All parents were informed about the aims of study and signed the consent form. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 19.0. Odds ratio and χ2 tests were used with the level of significance as P=0.05. The power of the statistical analysis was 80 percent.

RESULTS: The prevalence of enuresis is 17.18% for boys and 11.82% for girls, and the overall prevalence is 14%.parental divorce, parental death, Physical punishment, living with step parents (parental divorce, computer game, watching horror movie and stress and domestic violence had significant correlation with enuresis. psychological factors such as death of a brother or sister, new baby, smoking in the family, drinking coffee and tea were factors that didn’t show any correlation with enuresis.

CONCLUSION: The differences in the prevalence rate reported by various countries can be attributed to criteria and age ranges, definition of enuresis, genetic predisposition, and traditional with cultural background. Primary health caregivers must be educated according to their society’s condition to elicit a detailed history and explaining detrimental effects of enuresis and its association with body mass index to present true information about the medications and cares to the parents.
Big Multidimensional Datasets Visualization Using Neural Networks – Efficient Decision Support
Authors: Dzemyda Gintautas , Medvedev Viktor , Lupeikiene Audrone , Kurasova Olga , Caplinskas Albertas
Published: April 2016

Nowadays business information systems are thought of as decision-oriented systems supported by different types of subsystems. Multidimensional data visualization is an essential part of such systems. As datasets tend to be increasingly large, more effective ways are required to display, analyze and interpret information they contain. Most of the classical visualization methods are unsuitable for large datasets. This paper focuses on the artificial neural networks-based methods for visualization of big multidimensional datasets; namely,  on the approaches for the faster obtaining of visual results. The new strategy, which is identified by the decreased number of cycles of data reviews (passes of training data) up to the only one, when training neural networks, is proposed. To test this strategy, the results of experiments, using two unsupervised learning methods on benchmark data, are briefly presented.
Taking a close look at electrosensing
Authors: Sharpee Tatyana O
Published: April 2016

The brain of the brown ghost knifefish, which uses electric fields to “see”, processes electrical signals in a way that is similar to how our brains interpret visual and auditory signals.
Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return
Authors: Olsen Richelle , Doyle Zoe , Levy Denis , Anton Tracy , Molkara Delaram , Tarsa Maryam , Sklansky Mark , Pretorius Dolores H.
Published: April 2016

Objectives

To review all cases of total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR) or partial anomalous pulmonary venous return (PAPVR) identified prenatally or postnatally at a single institution and to identify factors that may lead to a correct or missed diagnosis in both high‐ and low‐risk fetuses on screening examinations.

Methods

Fetal images from 16 cases of prenatally or postnatally diagnosed T/PAPVR were retrospectively reviewed to analyze factors that influenced interpretations and diagnoses.

Results

Sixteen diagnoses of T/PAPVR were made, with a final number of 10 confirmed cases, 1 of which was PAPVR. Ten fetuses with a presumptive diagnosis of T/PAPVR before delivery were at an average gestational age of 24.7 weeks, with 5 cases diagnosed postnatally. None of the diagnoses of isolated TAPVR were made during a screening examination. Twelve of the pregnancies were complicated by complex cardiac defects, including 6 with heterotaxy syndromes. Of the 5 abnormal cases identified in the postpartum period, 3 had isolated TAPVR. In the 3 patients with isolated defects, prenatal echocardiography was not performed; the anatomy scan interpretations were confounded by multiple factors. In retrospect, there was no obvious sonographic evidence of TAPVR in these patients; however, color flow Doppler imaging of the pulmonary veins was not performed on any of them.

Conclusions

Although fetal echocardiography has improved the overall detection of TAPVR or PAPVR, this abnormality continues to elude prenatal diagnosis during screening in both low‐ and high‐risk patients. We hypothesize that the use of color flow Doppler imaging in the 4‐chamber view may assist in diagnosing TAPVR in screening low‐risk patients, especially in those with difficult scans.
Lithospheric shear velocity structure of South Island, New Zealand, from amphibious Rayleigh wave tomography
Authors: Ball Justin S. , Sheehan Anne F. , Stachnik Joshua C. , Lin Fan‐Chi , Yeck William L. , Collins John A.
Published: April 2016

We present a crust and mantle 3‐D shear velocity model extending well offshore of New Zealand's South Island, imaging the lithosphere beneath the South Island as well as the Campbell and Challenger Plateaus. Our model is constructed via linearized inversion of both teleseismic (18–70 s period) and ambient noise‐based (8–25 s period) Rayleigh wave dispersion measurements. We augment an array of 4 land‐based and 29 ocean bottom instruments deployed off the South Island's east and west coasts in 2009–2010 by the Marine Observations of Anisotropy Near Aotearoa experiment with 28 land‐based seismometers from New Zealand's permanent GeoNet array. Major features of our shear wave velocity (Vs) model include a low‐velocity (Vs < 4.4 km/s) body extending from near surface to greater than 75 km depth beneath the Banks and Otago Peninsulas and high‐velocity (Vs~4.7 km/s) mantle anomalies underlying the Southern Alps and off the northwest coast of the South Island. Using the 4.5 km/s contour as a proxy for the lithosphere‐asthenosphere boundary, our model suggests that the lithospheric thickness of Challenger Plateau and central South Island is substantially greater than that of the inner Campbell Plateau. The high‐velocity anomaly we resolve at subcrustal depths (>50 km) beneath the central South Island exhibits strong spatial correlation with upper mantle earthquake hypocenters beneath the Alpine Fault. The ~400 km long low‐velocity zone we image beneath eastern South Island and the inner Bounty Trough underlies Cenozoic volcanics and the locations of mantle‐derived helium measurements, consistent with asthenospheric upwelling in the region.