bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
‘Your Face Looks Backwards’
Authors: Sweeney David
Published: November 2015

In his Ghosts of My Life, Mark Fisher argues that in the 21st century Western culture is in a state of stasis, which ‘has been buried, interred behind a superficial frenzy of “newness”, of perpetual movement’. To substantiate this claim Fisher contrasts contemporary pop music, particularly that with a ‘classic’ sound – such as recordings by Adele, Amy Winehouse and Arctic Monkeys – with the pop of the 1970s and ‘80s, the ‘mutations’ of which enabled listeners of his generation to ‘measure the passage of cultural time’, concluding that today it is ‘the very sense of future shock which has disappeared from’ music and from culture generally. In this paper I apply Fisher’s observations to science fiction cinema focusing, on three recent time travel movies – Sound of My Voice (2011), Looper (2012) and About Time (2013) – and arguing that only the first can truly be considered science fiction, even though its relationship to the genre is the most problematic, since it may not involve time travel at all, and that the others, where time travel is used unambiguously, are instead exercises in what I term ‘genre-splicing’ – the introduction of elements of one type of narrative to another – a process which, like the ‘classic’ pop sound, is an indication of the lack of a sense of the future in current Western culture. A key element of Sound of My Voice is the promise of a future in which the culture industry has been replaced by an authentic folk culture; while this may appear merely a nostalgic fantasy, also identifiable in Looper’s fetishism of aspects of the Old West and the use of ‘nu-folk’ on About Time’s soundtrack, I argue, drawing on Walter Benjamin’s writings on nostalgia, that the Sound of My Voice’s representation of a ‘folk future’ is not an escapist fantasy but, like the uncertainty of the film’s generic status, a provocation, which asks us to reconsider our relationship both to contemporary capitalism and to the future which can be made to happen.
Social Stratification at the Top Rung
Authors: Thiele Megan , Gillespie Brian Joseph
Published: November 2015

Drawing on 44 in-depth interviews with undergraduates, this research explores whether and how class background matters for students’ social experiences at an elite university. The findings reveal that, compared with upper-class students, both lower- and middle-class students are disadvantaged in their social integration due to a lack of resources (time and money) and a mismatch of cultural styles. Middle-class students tend to reference upward to their upper-class peers, developing a critical view of the campus social system. In contrast, lower-class students reference their less advantaged peers or family members who do not have access to elite spaces. Our findings suggest that the stratified social system on campus reduces lower- and middle-class students’ potential for upward mobility within a high-stakes setting. Thus, scholars and policymakers should pay attention not only to the experiences of lower-class students but also to the challenges confronting middle-class students at highly selective universities.
Marrying for Papers? From Economically Strategic to Normative and Relational Dimensions of the Transition to Adulthood for Unauthorized 1.5-generation Brazilians
Authors: Cebulko Kara
Published: November 2015

Public rhetoric suggests that unauthorized immigrants may engage in marriage fraud for legal security and economic gain. Academic scholarship that emphasizes economically strategic actors corroborates this claim. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 1.5-generation unauthorized Brazilian young adults, I find that most of my respondents are opposed to marrying strictly for papers, even though becoming “legally American” could bring opportunities for socioeconomic mobility. Like their American peers in young adulthood, many 1.5-generation Brazilians emphasized that they are not interested in marrying in their 20s. Women, in particular, articulated their internalization of lifecourse norms as a function of their socialization in the United States. Yet, 1.5-generation Brazilians also disclosed that they did not want to establish new relationships or transform old relationships for instrumental reasons. Ultimately, strategic-economic approaches provide less insight into why my respondents do not marry for papers than the normative and relational dynamics of their transitions to adulthood.
Development of a methodology for electronic waste estimation: A material flow analysis-based SYE-Waste Model
Authors: Yedla Sudhakar
Published: November 2015

Improved living standards and the share of services sector to the economy in Asia, and the use of electronic equipment is on the rise and results in increased electronic waste generation. A peculiarity of electronic waste is that it has a ‘significant’ value even after its life time, and to add complication, even after its extended life in its ‘dump’ stage. Thus, in Indian situations, after its life time is over, the e-material changes hands more than once and finally ends up either in the hands of informal recyclers or in the store rooms of urban dwellings. This character makes it extremely difficult to estimate electronic waste generation. The present study attempts to develop a functional model based on a material flow analysis approach by considering all possible end uses of the material, its transformed goods finally arriving at disposal. It considers various degrees of uses derived of the e-goods regarding their primary use (life time), secondary use (first degree extension of life), third-hand use (second degree extension of life), donation, retention at the respective places (without discarding), fraction shifted to scrap vendor, and the components reaching the final dump site from various end points of use. This ‘generic functional model’ named SYE-Waste Model, developed based on a material flow analysis approach, can be used to derive ‘obsolescence factors’ for various degrees of usage of e-goods and also to make a comprehensive estimation of electronic waste in any city/country.
Exploring the techno-economic feasibility of mine rock waste utilisation in road works: The case of a mining deposit in Ghana
Authors: Agyeman Stephen , Ampadu Samuel IK
Published: November 2015

Mine rock waste, which is the rock material removed in order to access and mine ore, is free from gold processing chemical contaminants but presents a significant environmental challenge owing to the large volumes involved. One way of mitigating the environmental and safety challenges posed by the large volume of mine rock waste stockpiled in mining communities is to find uses of this material as a substitute for rock aggregates in construction. This article reports on a study conducted to evaluate the engineering properties of such a mine deposit to determine its suitability for use as road pavement material. Samples of mine rock waste, derived from the granitic and granodioritic intrusive units overlying the gold-bearing metavolcanic rock and volcano-clastic sediments of a gold mining area in Ghana, were obtained from three mine rock waste disposal facilities and subjected to a battery of laboratory tests to determine their physical, mechanical, geotechnical, geometrical and durability properties. The overall conclusion was that the mine rock waste met all the requirements of the Ghana Ministry of Transportation specification for use as aggregates for crushed rock subbase, base and surface dressing chippings for road pavements. The recommendation is to process it into the required sizes for the various applications.
The effect of magnesium hydroxide, hydromagnesite and layered double hydroxide on the heat stability and fire performance of plasticized poly(vinyl chloride)
Authors: Molefe Dan Matlhomola , Labuschagne Johan , Focke Walter Wilhelm , van der Westhuizen Isbe , Ofosu Osei
Published: November 2015

Emulsion grade poly(vinyl chloride) was plasticized with 100 phr of diisononyl phthalate and filled with 30 phr of different hydrated filler-type flame-retardant additives. Static heat stabilities were determined at 200°C by following the time dependence of hydrogen chloride evolution. Fire-retardant performance was studied with a cone calorimeter at a radiant flux of 35 kW m−2. The layered double hydroxide outperformed the other fillers with regard to improving static heat stability and also with respect to most fire-retardant performance indices.
The Circadian Clock in the Regulation of Renal Rhythms
Authors: Solocinski Kristen , Gumz Michelle L.
Published: November 2015

Since the kidney is integral to maintenance of fluid and ion homeostasis, and therefore blood pressure regulation, its proper function is paramount. Circadian fluctuations in blood pressure, renal blood flow, glomerular filtration rate, and sodium and water excretion have been documented for decades, if not longer. Recent studies on the role of circadian clock proteins in the regulation of a variety of renal transport genes suggest that the molecular clock in the kidney controls circadian fluctuations in renal function. The circadian clock appears to be a critical regulator of renal function with important implications for the treatment of renal pathologies, which include chronic kidney disease and hypertension. The development, regulation, and mechanism of the kidney clock are reviewed here.
Bangladeshi Muslims in Mississippi: Impression management based on the intersectionality of religion, ethnicity, and gender
Authors: Shams Tahseen
Published: November 2015

The existing literature on Muslims in post-9/11 America largely focuses on cities where Muslims are organized and visible in large numbers. This interview-based qualitative study instead focuses on Bangladeshi Muslims in Mississippi. Using intersectionality and impression management as analytical tools, I explore how these individuals negotiate their identities to navigate interactions with Mississippi’s predominantly White Christian society. I identify three patterns of impression management: distancing religious identity, highlighting ethnicity, and confronting stereotypes. These patterns provide insight into the conceptual tools used, as well as the overarching racial dynamics in America.
A systematic approach to the instantaneous duality of mechanisms and its application
Authors: Müller Andreas , Shai Offer
Published: November 2015

The instantaneous duality (also known as symmetry) between serial chains and fully parallel manipulators is well known in the literature. This paper takes the idea one step further, by introducing a systematic method that transforms one mechanical system into another. This duality concept rests on the concept of dual graphs to define the kinematics of the dual system. The mechanism structure can be represented in two essentially different ways: its kinematic topology or its constraint system. The first is embodied by the topological graph and the second by the constraint graph. The dual to a topological graph is a constraint graph and vice versa. Hence, there are various ways to introduce a dual topology. The dual kinematics is defined by instantaneously identifying the twist screws in the original system with the wrench screws of the dual. This identification allows carrying over statements from the original to the dual system. In particular, it is shown that the singularities can be easily established in the dual if they are known in the original system. This concept of transference is a powerful tool since a variety of dual systems can be assigned to a given system. This idea is demonstrated for a Bricard mechanism that is instantaneously dual to a 6/6 Stewart platform at a singular position, and in another configuration (resembling the cyclohexane molecule) it is dual to the 6/3 Stewart platform at the singular position. This provides another perspective of the known mobility of this molecule.
The effect of temperature on railway rolling noise
Authors: Squicciarini Giacomo , Thompson David J , Toward Martin GR , Cottrell Rebecca A
Published: November 2015

The stiffness and damping of railpads in a railway track are affected by changes in the temperature of the surrounding environment. This results in the rolling noise radiated by trains increasing as the temperature increases. This paper quantifies this effect for a ballasted track equipped with natural rubber railpads and also studies the behaviour of a cork-reinforced rubber railpad. By means of measurements in a temperature-controlled environment, it is shown that the shear modulus of the natural rubber increases by a factor of six when the temperature is reduced from 40 ℃ to −20 ℃. The loss factor increases from 0.15 at 40 ℃ to 0.65 at −20 ℃. The shear modulus of the cork-reinforced rubber increases by a factor of 10, and the loss factor shows the typical trend of transition between rubbery and glassy regions. The railpad stiffness estimated from decay rate measurements at different temperatures is shown to follow the same trend. Field measurements of the noise from passing trains are performed for temperatures between 0 ℃ and 35 ℃; they show an increase of about 3–4 dB. Similar results are obtained from predictions of noise using the measured dependence of pad stiffness.
The Foundations of Literacy Development in Children at Familial Risk of Dyslexia
Authors: Hulme Charles , Nash Hannah M. , Gooch Debbie , Lervåg Arne , Snowling Margaret J.
Published: November 2015

The development of reading skills is underpinned by oral language abilities: Phonological skills appear to have a causal influence on the development of early word-level literacy skills, and reading-comprehension ability depends, in addition to word-level literacy skills, on broader (semantic and syntactic) language skills. Here, we report a longitudinal study of children at familial risk of dyslexia, children with preschool language difficulties, and typically developing control children. Preschool measures of oral language predicted phoneme awareness and grapheme-phoneme knowledge just before school entry, which in turn predicted word-level literacy skills shortly after school entry. Reading comprehension at 8½ years was predicted by word-level literacy skills at 5½ years and by language skills at 3½ years. These patterns of predictive relationships were similar in both typically developing children and those at risk of literacy difficulties. Our findings underline the importance of oral language skills for the development of both word-level literacy and reading comprehension.
When Delays Improve Memory
Authors: Darby Kevin P. , Sloutsky Vladimir M.
Published: November 2015

Memory is critical for learning, cognition, and cognitive development. Recent work has suggested that preschool-age children are vulnerable to catastrophic levels of memory interference, in which new learning dramatically attenuates memory for previously acquired knowledge. In the work reported here, we investigated the effects of consolidation on children’s memory by introducing a 48-hr delay between learning and testing. In Experiment 1, the delay improved children’s memory and eliminated interference. Results of Experiment 2 suggest that the benefit of this delay is limited to situations in which children are given enough information to form complex memory structures. These findings have important implications for understanding consolidation processes and memory development.
RETRACTED: Women’s Preference for Attractive Makeup Tracks Changes in Their Salivary Testosterone
Authors: Fisher Claire I. , Hahn Amanda C. , DeBruine Lisa M. , Jones Benedict C.
Published: November 2015

At the request of the authors, the following article has been retracted by the Editor and publishers of Psychological Science:

Fisher, C. I., Hahn, A. C., DeBruine, L. M., & Jones, B. C. (2015). Women’s preference for attractive makeup tracks changes in their salivary testosterone. Psychological Science, 26, 1958–1964. doi:10.1177/0956797615609900
Looking at painting in occupied Paris: Georges Braque’s spectators
Authors: Pap Jennifer
Published: November 2015

Georges Braque worked in his Paris studio throughout the Occupation, painting interior scenes that seemed largely unresponsive to the historical events surrounding him. Viewers of his painting, however, brought diverse assumptions about the historical moment to their written accounts of his painting. Braque defined his painting as a process that left the domain of ideas behind, in order to discover a pictorial space of metamorphosis. But viewers, no doubt because of their own historical or aesthetic understanding, may or may not have taken the paintings’ cues about how to look. This article discusses the forms of spectatorship as evidenced in the textual descriptions of Braque’s work by writers, Resisters, German officers or Nazi sympathisers, and argues that these accounts of viewing painting resituate the artwork in the historical moment that surrounds the painter’s studio.
Trends in Brain Drain, Gain and Circulation: Indian Experience of Knowledge Workers
Authors: Singh Jaspertap , Krishna V.V.
Published: November 2015

The concepts of brain drain, gain and circulation in the Indian context presents a fruitful sociological and policy relevant experience to understand the phenomena as it unfolded over many decades. As this essay demonstrates, 1960s to 1980s emerged as the phase of brain drain. The country witnessed considerable economic growth and development of S&T infrastructure coupled with the emergence of science community and intellectual climate in the 1990s. The development reversed the process of brain drain. A historical perspective is adopted which presents ample data and empirical evidence to map the evolution and operation of three phases. Towards mapping the last phase of brain circulation, it is shown that the country embarked on the development of ICT software sector and become globally relevant and competitive. In an unexpected way the growth and dynamics of this high technology service oriented sector has unravelled the process of brain drain transforming it into brain circulation.
International Stays Abroad, Collaborations and the Return of Spanish Researchers
Authors: Andújar Inés , Cañibano Carolina , Fernandez-Zubieta Ana
Published: November 2015

This article uses curricular information from a sample of applicants to the Spanish Ramón y Cajal programme to, on the one hand, assess the extent to which international mobility has an impact on the collaboration patterns of researchers and, on the other hand, to address the connection between collaboration patterns and the likelihood of return to Spain. We focus on two main types of collaborations: co-publications and collaboration in research projects through formal participation. We find that longer stays abroad seem to provide better opportunities to publish with a host principal investigator and to participate in research projects in the recipient country. We find that the length of the stay also has an impact on the likelihood of return to Spain: longer stays abroad reduce the likelihood of return. However, a longer duration international stay does not affect the collaboration links maintained with the home country, which may persist over time. We also find that public financial support is crucial for explaining and facilitating the return of Spanish researchers from abroad.
Building Science Community by Attracting Global Talents: The Case of Singapore Biopolis
Authors: Krishna V.V. , Sha Sohan Prasad
Published: November 2015

Small developing countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa are still struggling with the institutionalisation and professionalisation of science. Many countries in these regions are yet to establish science communities. Singapore case becomes all the more interesting and exemplary as this small country was able to build a small but vibrant science community in relatively a short span of time. As will be shown through the case study on ‘Biopolis’ (cluster of modern biology laboratories and national university), there is indeed a unique Singaporean approach in building science community by attracting global talents. The process of attracting global talents or what may be seen as a case of brain gain was part of Singapore’s national science, technology and innovation (STI) strategy since the 1980s and particularly the 1990s. After exploring the most salient features of STI policies, the essay will focus on two major institutional developments, which were crucial for building Biopolis, based science community. First is on building of world class university and research ecosystem; and second is a empirical research on the structure and composition of scientists in eight major biological labs.
Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Cultural Self-Efficacy Scale for Colombian Nursing Professionals
Authors: Herrero-Hahn Raquel , Rojas Juan Guillermo , Ospina-Díaz Juan Manuel , Montoya-Juárez Rafael , Restrepo-Medrano Juan Carlos , Hueso-Montoro César
Published: November 2015

Purpose: The level of cultural self-efficacy indicates the degree of confidence nursing professionals possess for their ability to provide culturally competent care. Cultural adaptation and validation of the Cultural Self-Efficacy Scale was performed for nursing professionals in Colombia. Design: A scale validation study was conducted. Method: Cultural adaptation and validation of the Cultural Self-Efficacy Scale was performed using a sample of 190 nurses in Colombia, between September 2013 and April 2014. This sample was chosen via systematic random sampling from a finite population. Results: The scale was culturally adapted. Cronbach’s alpha for the revised scale was .978. Factor analysis revealed the existence of six factors grouped in three dimensions that explained 68% of the variance. Conclusion: The results demonstrated that the version of the Cultural Self-Efficacy Scale adapted to the Colombian context is a valid and reliable instrument for determining the level of cultural self-efficacy of nursing professionals.
Using supervised kernel entropy component analysis for fault diagnosis of rolling bearings
Authors: Zhou Hongdi , Shi Tielin , Liao Guanglan , Xuan Jianping , Su Lei , He Zhenzhi , Lai Wuxing
Published: November 2015

Rolling bearings as vital components are present ubiquitously in manufacturing machines and systems, timely fault diagnosis is of great importance in avoiding serious catastrophe, and a variety of methods have been developed to detect faults of rolling bearings. In this study, we introduce labels to adjust the distance of classes and propose a method called supervised kernel entropy component analysis for fault diagnosis of rolling bearings. The method is developed based on kernel entropy component analysis which attempts to preserve the Renyi entropy of the data set after dimension reduction and presents a good performance for nonlinear feature extraction. Simulation and experiments are carried out to verify the method. The intrinsic geometric features derived from original vibration signals are extracted, and then classified by support vector machine. The results prove the feasibility and effectivity of the supervised kernel entropy component analysis in comparison with other similar methods, demonstrating its potentiality for fault diagnosis of rolling bearings.
Cultural objects in a transforming world
Authors: Beckstead Zachary
Published: November 2015

Individuals and groups exist in tension between the present ( as-is) based on the past ( as-was) and the future ( as-could-be). As with individuals, the fate and trajectory of groups are uncertain, tenuous and open to constant change since they are open-systems relating to their environment. In spite of the open and flexible nature of groups, they are also quasi-stable systems that need to maintain their steady-state. Individuals, scholars and non-scholars, may ask what organizes, maintain the bonds, ties, relationships necessary for social and communal life—for ethnic, religious and other groups to persist, proliferate and to proverbially “live another day?” This article looks at the arhuaca community and the act of knitting the mochila that was discussed in Rodriguez-Burgos et al.’s recent article. The fluid and dynamic nature of groups is postulated and explored through the theoretical approach in sociology that has been called Actor-Network Theory (ANT) and serves as a framework for understanding the issues of change and maintenance of groups and the role material things like the mochila play in this dynamic and unfolding process. I conclude that things—tangible artifacts—are important facets of the psyche because they are both nodes in complicated networks (made up of human and non-human actors) and instantiated networks themselves. Things stabilize relationships and “transmit” culture without becoming static entities themselves.
Defining authorship in user-generated content: Copyright struggles in The Game of Thrones
Authors: Sarikakis Katharine , Krug Claudia , Rodriguez-Amat Joan Ramon
Published: November 2015

The notion of authorship is a core element in antipiracy campaigns accompanying an emerging copyright regime, worldwide. These campaigns are built on discourses that aim to ‘problematize’ the issues of ‘legality’ of content downloading practices, ‘protection’ for content creators and the alleged damage caused to creators’ livelihood by piracy. Under these tensions, fandom both subverts such discourses, through sharing and production practices, and legitimizes industry’s mythology of an ‘original’ author. However, how is the notion of authorship constructed in the cooperative spaces of fandom? The article explores the most popular fandom sites of A Song of Ice and Fire, the book series that inspires the TV-show Game of Thrones and argues that the notion of authorship is not one-dimensional, but rather consists of attributes that develop across three processes: community building, the creative and the industrial/production process. Here, fandom constructs a figure of the ‘author’ which, although more complex than the one presented by the industry in its copyright/anti-piracy campaigns, maintains the status quo of regulatory frameworks based on the idea of a ‘primary’ creator.
Big data analytics and the limits of privacy self-management
Authors: Baruh Lemi , Popescu Mihaela
Published: November 2015

This article looks at how the logic of big data analytics, which promotes an aura of unchallenged objectivity to the algorithmic analysis of quantitative data, preempts individuals’ ability to self-define and closes off any opportunity for those inferences to be challenged or resisted. We argue that the predominant privacy protection regimes based on the privacy self-management framework of “notice and choice” not only fail to protect individual privacy, but also underplay privacy as a collective good. To illustrate this claim, we discuss how two possible individual strategies—withdrawal from the market (avoidance) and complete reliance on market-provided privacy protections (assimilation)—may result in less privacy options available to the society at large. We conclude by discussing how acknowledging the collective dimension of privacy could provide more meaningful alternatives for privacy protection.
The relational reconnection function of social network sites
Authors: Ramirez Artemio , Sumner Erin M , Spinda John
Published: November 2015

Relational reconnection is a prominent yet under-explored function of social network sites (SNS) that encompasses both the activation and subsequent maintenance of dormant social ties. The present investigation used two data collections (Study 1, six university samples; Study 2, national United States sample) to explore the characteristics of friends who reconnect using SNS, and attempt to predict whether reconnected relationships persisted beyond the initial reconnection. Results indicated that relational reconnection is extremely common, especially among same-sex friends and individuals who identify as heavy SNS users. Predicted outcome value emerged as the best predictor of persistence beyond initial reconnection, in addition to engaging in modality expansion, being female, and reactivating a relationship with greater perceived development pre-loss-of-contact.
The transgressive that: Making the world uncanny
Authors: Hayward Rachael , Wooffitt Robin , Woods Catherine
Published: November 2015

In this article, we examine how the demonstrative that may be used to notice an event in the world in such a way as to suggest it has highly unusual or transgressive properties and in so doing invite others to align with that implicit claim. Drawing on Freud’s notion of the uncanny, we examine instances of the transgressive that in circumstances in which participants at least entertain the possibility that they are experiencing anomalous or paranormal objects and entities. The analysis outlines the basic features of the transgressive that and examines how it may be the vehicle for a range of delicate interpersonal activities. Throughout the article, we try to show the broader relevance of the analytic argument by reference to data from more mundane interactional settings and to other forms of discourse, including fiction, commentary and interview narrative.
Effects of water direct injection on the torque enhancement and fuel consumption reduction of a gasoline engine under high-load conditions
Authors: Kim Jaeheun , Park Hyunwook , Bae Choongsik , Choi Myungsik , Kwak Younghong
Published: November 2015

Water was directly injected into the cylinder with an injection pressure of 5 MPa to investigate its effect on engine performance and emissions in a gasoline engine. The test engine was a 1.6-L naturally aspirated prototype engine consisted of water direct injection and port fuel injection systems. The engine featured a compression ratio of 13.5. Commercial gasoline direct injection injectors were used to inject the water. The water was injected at a fixed timing of −120 crank angle degrees after top dead center. The addition of water showed potential to mitigate the knock occurrence at part-load condition where the knock initially started to occur due to the high compression ratio. It allowed a further advance of spark timing; thus, the brake-specific fuel consumption was improved. The effects of water injection were further investigated under full-load condition within the engine speed range of 1500–3000 r/min. The water effectively reduced the in-cylinder temperature and the exhaust gas temperature; therefore, charge cooling through over-fueling (fuel enrichment) was eliminated with reduced brake-specific fuel consumption. Increase in the injected water mass resulted in further spark advance without the knock occurrence and provided room for further brake-specific fuel consumption reduction. An optimum water mass existed because too much water deteriorated the combustion efficiency, burn duration, and cycle efficiency. The positive effects of water injection were dulled with increased engine speed because the knocking resistance was already high intrinsically with the higher engine speed.
Conceptualising early childhood care and development in fragile states: Understanding children and childhood in Myanmar
Authors: Ang Lynn , Wong Lily
Published: November 2015

Accelerating political and economic reforms in Myanmar are shaping the country considerably. In a fast-changing national landscape, Myanmar is a developing country in East Asia with a rapidly evolving early childhood sector. Although empirical research on early childhood in Myanmar is generally limited, it is likely that current reforms in the country and internationally will significantly influence the way children and childhood are defined and understood. This article will offer a critical discussion of constructions of childhood and the critical issues and debates pertaining to children’s care and education. The article argues that competing national agendas, particularly in the context of fragile, developing nations with complex political and socio-economic conditions, present new challenges in shaping children’s care and education. It contends that an inherent paradox remains in that while early childhood is increasingly recognised by governments as a ‘public good’, the early childhood sector, its governance and infrastructures face considerable challenges in a largely resource-limited environment, thus highlighting the stark disparity between aspirational policies and social reality. The article also presents an insight into an on-going longitudinal preschool teacher training project that began in 2003, developed collaboratively between the Myanmar government and a group of volunteer early childhood care and development specialists and organisations, as an illustration of how early care and education is being conceptualised in the country. In a wider global context, the discussion will also explore the ways in which international advocacy for children’s rights, as reflected, for instance, through the Millennium Development Goals, is shifting the way children and childhood are perceived nationally and globally.
The evolution of cultural practices: Are changes to education in Myanmar leading to a shift in the way in which child–adult relationships are constructed?
Authors: Oo Win Han
Published: November 2015

In Myanmar, a country generally recognised to be economically and politically less developed than its neighbours in the South East Asia Region, children have to be obedient. Traditional teaching styles, characterised by rote learning and teacher ascendancy, have dominated the education sector for decades. This is reflective of traditional societal norms that accept, almost unquestionably, the need for younger people to follow the direction of their elders or those in society considered to be in a position of rank or authority. For students in class, asking questions to the teacher, expressing an opinion or giving feedback and taking part in discussions are somehow taboo. Starting from around 10 years ago, with the introduction of what has become known by its acronym, the child-centred approach, shifting teacher hegemony became a priority of the government and alternative education providers. The child-centred approach, as it is interpreted in Myanmar, seeks to encourage teachers to step out of their role of ‘class director’ and engage children in constructing and managing their own learning experience. There have been numerous constraints to introducing this new methodology including the examination system, a rigid adherence to the set curriculum and textbooks and teacher pupil ratio. Moreover, according to current reviews and evaluation of the child-centred approach, teacher understanding of the concept is not always well developed and change not always supported by peers, school leadership or the community. However, the process has begun and an increasing number of schools are being encouraged to use this approach in line with current education sector reform. This critical change of teaching approach in Myanmar schools has the potential to have a significant impact on the dynamics of traditional social mores and structures, particularly as it is further reinforced by the rapidly developing economy and increasing exposure to outside influences. Tension is developing between the more conservative adult world and children and young people who appear increasingly eager to question traditional thinking. This article explores the potential and nascent impact and consequences on communities and Myanmar society resulting from the child-centred approach and the changing expectations young people have on the education system in the context of broader societal change.
Coinfection of Sexually Transmitted Infections among HIV-Positive Individuals: Cross-Sectional Results of a Community-Based Positive Living with HIV (POLH) Study in Nepal
Authors: Poudel Krishna C. , Poudel-Tandukar Kalpana , Palmer Paula H. , Mizoue Tetsuya , Jimba Masamine , Kobayashi Jun , Acharya Bishnu , Pandey Basu Dev , Oka Shinichi
Published: November 2015

In Asian concentrated HIV epidemics, data on coinfection of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among HIV-positive individuals are limited. The authors measured the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhea (NG), and syphilis, and their correlates among 319 HIV-positive individuals in Kathmandu, Nepal. The authors tested blood samples for syphilis and urine samples for CT and NG. Overall, 17 (5.3%) participants had at least 1 STI (CT: 1.3%, NG: 2.8%, and syphilis: 1.2%). Of 226 participants who had sex in past 6 months, 51.3% did not always use condoms. Older (aged 35-60 years) participants were more likely (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.83; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.19-12.33; P = .024) and those who were currently married (AOR = 0.30; 95% CI = 0.09-0.97; P = .046) or on antiretroviral therapy (AOR = 0.21; 95% CI = 0.06-0.71; P = .012) were less likely to have at least 1 STI. Our results suggest the need to strengthen the efforts to screen and treat STIs and to promote safer sexual practices among Nepalese HIV-positive individuals.
The hidden burden of adult allergic rhinitis: UK healthcare resource utilisation survey
Authors: Price David , Scadding Glenis , Ryan Dermot , Bachert Claus , Canonica G. Walter , Mullol Joaquim , Klimek Ludger , Pitman Richard , Acaster Sarah , Murray Ruth , Bousquet Jean
Published: November 2015

Background

The affliction of allergic rhinitis (AR) has been trivialised in the past. Recent initiatives by the European Academy of Allergy & Clinical Immunology and by the EU parliament seek to rectify that situation. The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive picture of the burden and unmet need of AR patients.

Methods

This was a cross‐sectional, online, questionnaire‐based study (June–July 2011) including symptomatic seasonal AR (SAR) patients (≥18 years) from a panel. SAR episode pattern, severity, medication/co‐medication usage, residual symptoms on treatment, number of healthcare visits, absenteeism and presenteeism were collected.

Results

One thousand patients were recruited (mild: n = 254; moderate/severe: n = 746). Patients with moderate/severe disease had significantly more symptomatic episodes/year (8.0 vs 6.0/year; p = 0.025) with longer episode‐duration (12.5 vs 9.8 days; p = 0.0041) and more commonly used ≥2 AR therapies (70.5 vs 56.1 %; OR 1.87; p = 0.0001), looking for better and faster nasal and ocular symptom relief. The reported symptom burden was high irrespective of treatment, and significantly (p < 0.0001) higher in the moderate/severe group. Patients with moderate/severe AR were more likely to visit their GP (1.61 vs 1.19 times/year; OR: 1.49; p = 0.0061); due to dissatisfaction with therapy in 35.4 % of cases. Patients reported SAR‐related absenteeism from work on 4.1 days/year (total cost to UK: £1.25 billion/year) and noted presenteeism for a mean of 37.7 days/year (vs 21.0 days/year; OR 1.71; p = 0.0048). Asthma co‐morbid patients reported the need to increase their reliever‐ (1 in 2 patients) and controller‐medication (1 in 5 patients) if they did not take their rhinitis medication.

Conclusions

This study differentiated between patients with mild and moderate/severe AR, demonstrating a burden of poorly controlled symptoms and high co‐medication use. The deficiency in obtaining symptom control with what are currently considered firstline treatments suggests the need for a novel therapeutic approach.
Introduction to this special section: Resource plays I: Rock physics
Authors: Nasser Mosab , Vernik Lev , Avseth Per
Published: November 2015

When we began to soliciti papers for this special section of The Leading Edge on “Resource plays I: Rock physics,” we debated among ourselves the definition of resource plays and what articles we should be looking for. We also searched for how others define the term resource plays and have come to realize that it is more of an economic term associated with volume and risk rather than its geologic characteristics.
Constraining seismic rock-property logs in organic shale reservoirs
Authors: Yenugu Malleswar , Vernik Lev
Published: November 2015

One of the major challenges of unconventional shale reservoirs is to understand the effects of organic richness (total organic carbon, TOC), mineralogy, microcracks, pore shape, and effective stress on elastic properties. The generation of petrophysical parameters, such as TOC, and quantification of total and organic porosities through a physically consistent petrophysical model are described. Rock-matrix density, which is a key parameter in determining total porosity, is estimated as a function of the amount of TOC and its level of maturity. Then the petrophysical parameters are used as inputs for rock-physics modeling to constrain the bedding-normal compressional-wave velocity as a function of various parameters (e.g., TOC, porosity, mineralogy, pore shapes, and microcrack density) in combination with effective stress. Modeling results on three shale plays from North America show that compressional-wave velocity in these specific formations is controlled mainly by variations in TOC, mineralogy, and pore shape. Shear-wave velocity in organic shales also was refined as a function of compressional-wave velocity and amount of TOC.
Overburden 4D time shifts induced by reservoir compaction at Snorre field
Authors: Røste Thomas , Dybvik Ole Petter , Søreide Ole Kristian
Published: November 2015

Interpreting and understanding overburden seismic changes are important to avoid health, safety, and environmental (HSE) accidents and well-drilling problems. Furthermore, overburden time shifts might indicate areas with reservoir compaction and depletion. In the Snorre sandstone field, 4D seismic time shifts of as much as 3 ms are observed in the overburden. The cumulative overburden time shifts captured at top reservoir correlate well with pressure-depletion areas in the reservoir, indicating that the time shifts might be related to changes in stress and strain because of reservoir compaction. For further investigation, a 2D geomechanical model is built in the area with the most prominent overburden time shifts. Based on the stiffness of the reservoir and surrounding rocks and simulated reservoir pore-pressure changes, the geomechanical model predicts a maximum downward displacement at the top reservoir of 0.4 m and maximum seabed subsidence of 0.25 m. By defining an appropriate strain-sensitivity parameter, the results from the geomechanical model are forward-modeled into velocity changes. For comparison, velocity changes are estimated from the time shifts. A good qualitative match is obtained between the geomechanical model and the observed time shifts, indicating that the time shifts are caused by geomechanical effects related to production. Other explanations of the observed overburden time shifts, such as fluid leakage, out-of-zone-injection, or seismic acquisition or processing problems, are found to be less realistic causes of the observed time shifts.
Pitfalls in processing near-surface reflection-seismic data: Beware of static corrections and migration
Authors: Frei W. , Bauer R. , Corboz Ph. , Martin D.
Published: November 2015

Near-surface seismic data are a challenge to the processing geophysicist who is familiar only with handling seismic data for target depths larger than 200 to 400 m. Residual static-correction techniques and migration procedures are used routinely for processing deeper data and can destroy data quality in the near surface. Near-surface seismic presents unique problems in processing because it usually is of suboptimal quality and often is recorded in an environment characterized by complex geologic structures. In a presentation of three case histories, one shows less severe consequences, and the other two portray disastrous consequences caused by static corrections and migration not being applied correctly. Graphical examples document the limitations of the residual statics and migration procedures. However, the method of hybrid seismic surveying is a positive and generally applicable solution when dealing with data from the shallow subsurface.
The genesis of Madagascar
Authors: Holden John
Published: November 2015

Note: In July 2014, an unusual meeting took place at Rice University in Houston, Texas. Two dozen participants from numerous organizations gathered in a conference room for a workshop. Instead of the usual presentations and long talks one associates with scientific workshops, the participants immediately broke into small teams and gathered around laptop computers to write software code. Intense code-hacking sessions were interrupted only by necessary group discussions. This was the second “working workshop” of the Madagascar open-source software project.
Mesozoic Intrashelf Basins of the Middle East: Exploring and Development for Conventional Reservoirs and Unconventional Source Rocks
Authors: Wharton Stanley
Published: November 2015

The 2015 SEG/AAPG Workshop, “Mesozoic Intrashelf Basins of the Middle East: Exploring and Development for Conventional Reservoirs and Unconventional Source Rocks,” was held 11–13 May 2015 and, like past workshops, was an outstanding success. This year, the focus addressed the common theme of how to image and model the 3D subsurface of intrashelf basins to economically target, find, and produce untapped hydrocarbon resources from its combined clastic and carbonate systems. The workshop was divided into a preworkshop field trip followed by technical sessions. The first day entailed a field trip to the modern sabkha carbonate depositional environment in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), aimed at studying the potential subsurface analogs for the Jurassic Arab and other similar reservoirs in the Middle East and North Africa. The technical sessions lasted approximately two days and discussed the technical understandings of intrashelf basins.
Phase II Study of Allogeneic Transplantation for Older Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia in First Complete Remission Using a Reduced-Intensity Conditioning Regimen: Results From Cancer and Leukemia Group B 100103 (Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology)/Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trial Network 0502
Authors: Devine Steven M. , Owzar Kouros , Blum William , Mulkey Flora , Stone Richard M. , Hsu Jack W. , Champlin Richard E. , Chen Yi-Bin , Vij Ravi , Slack James , Soiffer Robert J. , Larson Richard A. , Shea Thomas C. , Hars Vera , Sibley Alexander B. , Giralt Sergio , Carter Shelly , Horowitz Mary M. , Linker Charles , Alyea Edwin P.
Published: November 2015

Purpose

Long-term survival rates for older patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are extremely low. Previous observational studies suggest that allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) may improve overall survival (OS) because of lower rates of relapse. We sought to prospectively determine the value of HSCT for older patients with AML in first complete remission.

Patients and Methods

We conducted a prospective multicenter phase II study to assess the efficacy of reduced-intensity conditioning HSCT for patients between the ages of 60 and 74 years with AML in first complete remission. The primary end point was disease-free survival at 2 years after HSCT. Secondary end points included nonrelapse mortality (NRM), graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), relapse, and OS.

Results

In all, 114 patients with a median age of 65 years received transplantations. The majority (52%) received transplantations from unrelated donors and were given antithymocyte globulin for GVHD prophylaxis. Disease-free survival and OS at 2 years after transplantation were 42% (95% CI, 33% to 52%) and 48% (95% CI, 39% to 58%), respectively, for the entire group and 40% (95% CI, 29% to 55%) and 50% (95% CI, 38% to 64%) for the unrelated donor group. NRM at 2 years was 15% (95% CI, 8% to 21%). Grade 2 to 4 acute GVHD occurred in 9.6% (95% CI, 4% to 15%) of patients, and chronic GVHD occurred in 28% (95% CI, 19% to 36%) of patients. The cumulative incidence of relapse at 2 years was 44% (95% CI, 35% to 53%).

Conclusion

Reduced-intensity conditioning HSCT to maintain remission in selected older patients with AML is relatively well tolerated and appears to provide superior outcomes when compared with historical patients treated without HSCT. GVHD and NRM rates were lower than expected. Future transplantation studies in these patients should focus on further reducing the risk of relapse.