bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The influence of station density on climate data homogenization
Authors: Gubler S. , Hunziker S. , Begert M. , Croci‐Maspoli M. , Konzelmann T. , Brönnimann S. , Schwierz C. , Oria C. , Rosas G.
Published: June 2017

Relative homogenization methods assume that measurements of nearby stations experience similar climate signals and rely therefore on dense station networks with high‐temporal correlations. In developing countries such as Peru, however, networks often suffer from low‐station density. The aim of this study is to quantify the influence of network density on homogenization. To this end, the homogenization method HOMER was applied to an artificially thinned Swiss network.

Four homogenization experiments, reflecting different homogenization approaches, were examined. Such approaches include diverse levels of interaction of the homogenization operators with HOMER, and different application of metadata. To evaluate the performance of HOMER in the sparse networks, a reference series was built by applying HOMER under the best possible conditions.

Applied in completely automatic mode, HOMER decreases the reliability of temperature records. Therefore, automatic use of HOMER is not recommended. If HOMER is applied in interactive mode, the reliability of temperature and precipitation data may be increased in sparse networks. However, breakpoints must be inserted conservatively. Information from metadata should be used only to determine the exact timing of statistically detected breaks. Insertion of additional breakpoints based solely on metadata may lead to harmful corrections due to the high noise in sparse networks.
Different responses of ash and beech on nitrate versus ammonium leaf labeling
Authors: Sommer Janine , Dippold Michaela , Kuzyakov Yakov
Published: June 2017

The effects of tree species on the N cycle in forest systems are still under debate. However, contradicting results of different 15N labeling techniques of trees and N tracers in the individual studies hamper a generalized mechanistic view. Therefore, we compared Ca(15NO3)2 and 15NH4Cl leaf‐labeling method to investigate: (1) N allocation patterns from aboveground to belowground, (2) the cycles of N in soil‐plant systems, and (3) to allow the production of highly 15N enriched litter for subsequent decomposition studies.

20 beeches (Fagus sylvatica) and 20 ashes (Fraxinus excelsior) were 15N pulse labeled from aboveground with Ca(15NO3)2 and 40 beeches and 40 ashes were 15N pulse labeled from aboveground with 15NH4Cl. 15N was quantified in tree compartments (leaves, stem, roots) and in soil after 8 d.

Beech and ash incorporated generally more 15N from the applied 15NH4Cl compared to Ca(15NO3)2 in all measured compartments, except for ash leaves. Ash had highest 15N incorporation [45% of the applied with Ca(15NO3)2] in its leaves. Both tree species kept over 90% of all fixed 15N from Ca(15NO3) in their leaves, whereas only 50% of the 15N from the 15NH4Cl tracer remained in the leaves and 50% were allocated to stem, roots, and soil. There was no damage of the leaves by both salts, and thus both 15N tracers enable long‐term labeling in situ field studies on N rhizodeposition and allocation in soils. Nonetheless, the 15N incorporation by both salts was species specific: the leaf labeling with 15NH4Cl results in a more homogenous distribution between the tree compartments in both tree species and, therefore, 15NH4Cl is more appropriate for allocation studies. The leaf labeling with Ca(15NO3)2 is a suitable tool to produce highly enriched 15N leaf litter for further long term in situ decomposition and turnover studies.
Arabinoxylan activates lipid catabolism and alleviates liver damage in rats induced by high‐fat diet
Authors: Chen Hong , Fu Yuanfang , Jiang Xiujuan , Li Dongmei , qin Wen , Zhang Qing , Lin Derong , Liu Yaowen , Tan Cui , Huang Zhiqing , Liu Yuntao , Chen Daiwen
Published: June 2017

BACKGROUND

Arabinoxylan was thought to have the potential to change lipid metabolism and redox homeostasis in human and animal. However, the effect of arabinoxylan on the liver damage induced by high‐fat diet needs further exploiting.

RESULTS

Six‐weeks‐old 30 male Sprague–Dawley Rats were assigned randomly to three groups (n = 10 per group), i.e. a control diet (CON) group, a high‐fat diet (HF) group and a high‐fat diet supplemented with arabinoxylan (6% AX, HF‐AX) group. Results showed that final body weight and liver weight were similar in CON group and HF‐AX group, but higher in the HF group. In serum, the HF‐AX group showed lower triglyceride concentrations than did the HF group. In liver, higher lipoprotein lipase, hepatic lipase, total lipase, and acyl‐CoA oxidase activities and lower triglyceride and cholesterol level were observed in the HF‐AX group than in the HF group. For the redox homeostasis, arabinoxylan supplemented in HF increased T‐SOD activity and GSH‐PX activity and reduced MDA + 4‐HNE level in liver and/or compared with those in the HF group. Lipid droplets and liver cell damage were observed in the HF group compared with the CON and HF‐AX groups.

CONCLUSION

Arabinoxylan could improve lipid metabolic disorder and alleviate liver damage in rats induced by high‐fat diet via activating lipid catabolism and suppressing lipid peroxidation. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Comparing Trauma Exposure, Mental Health Needs, and Service Utilization Across Clinical Samples of Refugee, Immigrant, and U.S.‐Origin Children
Authors: Betancourt Theresa S. , Newnham Elizabeth A. , Birman Dina , Lee Robert , Ellis B. Heidi , Layne Christopher M.
Published: June 2017

Most mental health services for trauma‐exposed children and adolescents were not originally developed for refugees. Information is needed to help clinicians design services to address the consequences of trauma in refugee populations. We compared trauma exposure, psychological distress, and mental health service utilization among children and adolescents of refugee‐origin, immigrant‐origin, and U.S.‐origin referred for assessment and treatment by U.S. providers in the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN). We used propensity score matching to compare trauma profiles, mental health needs, and service use across three groups. Our sample comprised refugee‐origin youth (n = 60, 48.3% female, mean age = 13.07 years) and propensity‐matched samples of immigrant‐origin youth (n = 143, 60.8% female, mean age = 13.26 years), and U.S.‐origin youth (n = 140, 56.1% female, mean age = 12.11 years). On average, there were significantly more types of trauma exposure among refugee youth than either U.S.‐origin youth (p < .001) or immigrant youth (p ≤ .001). Compared with U.S.‐origin youth, refugee youth had higher rates of community violence exposure, dissociative symptoms, traumatic grief, somatization, and phobic disorder.  In contrast, the refugee group had comparably lower rates of substance abuse and oppositional defiant disorder (ps ranging from .030 to < .001).This clinic‐referred sample of refugee‐origin youth presented with distinct patterns of trauma exposure, distress symptoms, and service needs that merit consideration in services planning.
Patient‐centered drug development and the Learning Health System
Authors: Crawford Laura S. , Matczak Gerald J. , Moore Erin M. , Haydar Rita A. , Coderre Pauline T.
Published: June 2017

Patient‐centered drug development (PCDD) is a shift in the way that drugs are developed, systematically incorporating patient participation in all stages of medicines development. The more the research sector understands the needs and values of patients, the more effective and efficient it can be in bringing meaningful drugs and evidence to patients and providers. In this paper, we describe PCDD, provide examples of PCDD work across the phases of drug development, and discuss the challenges to making PCDD systematic. We describe how the developing Learning Health System will enable PCCD: we believe that the Learning Health System will address PCDD barriers by connecting stakeholders, enabling the more efficient flow of data, information, and evidence in the health ecosystem, and by providing governance for the connected ecosystem.
New Method for Sex Prediction Using the Human Non‐Adult Auricular Surface of the Ilium in the Collection of Identified Skeletons of the University of Coimbra
Authors: Luna L. H. , Aranda C. M. , Santos A. L.
Published: June 2017

Sex estimation in non‐adult skeletons is crucial in bioarchaeology and forensic anthropology. It was not extensively considered in the past, mainly because it was stated that the dimorphic osteological features were difficult to identify before adulthood. Over the past few years, this statement was disproved, and the study of numerous dimorphic non‐adult skeletal traits was approached. This paper presents a new methodology that evaluates the auricular surface of the non‐adult ilia. Several morphological and continuous variables were recorded for 34 individuals (21 females and 13 males) aged between 7 and 18 from the Coimbra Identified Skeletons Collection (University of Coimbra, Portugal).

The results show low intra and inter‐observer errors for all the variables, which renders the methodology replicable. Two ratios related to the shape of the anterior area of the auricular surface offer the most dimorphic data (proportions of cases correctly assigned: 0.82 and 0.88; sexual allocation probabilities: 0.85 for both variables). A discriminant function and a logistic regression were developed, which correctly classified the 82.35 and the 88.23% of the individuals, respectively. Moreover, two qualitative variables, referred to as the overall morphology and the apex morphology, also show statistically significant differences between males and females (proportions of correct assignation: 0.82 and 0.76; sexual allocation probabilities: 0.79 and 0.76).

These variables can be incorporated in a multifactorial approach together with other indicators already available in the specialised literature in order to help improve the accuracy of the results obtained. This methodological procedure has to be applied with other identified samples, including younger individuals, so as to test whether the trends presented in this context are maintained and are useful in populations from a different geographical provenience. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Using Preferred Applicant Random Assignment (PARA) to Reduce Randomization Bias in Randomized Trials of Discretionary Programs
Authors: Olsen Robert B. , Bell Stephen H. , Nichols Austin
Published: June 2017

Randomization bias occurs when the random assignment used to estimate program effects influences the types of individuals that participate in a program. This paper focuses on a form of randomization bias called “applicant inclusion bias,” which can occur in evaluations of discretionary programs that normally choose which of the eligible applicants to serve. If this nonrandom selection process is replaced by a process that randomly assigns eligible applicants to receive the intervention or not, the types of individuals served by the program—and thus its average impact on program participants—could be affected. To estimate the impact of discretionary programs for the individuals that they normally serve, we propose an experimental design called Preferred Applicant Random Assignment (PARA). Prior to random assignment, program staff would identify their “preferred applicants,” those that they would have chosen to serve. All eligible applicants are randomly assigned, but the probability of assignment to the program is set higher for preferred applicants than for the remaining applicants. This paper demonstrates the feasibility of the method, the cost in terms of increased sample size requirements, and the benefit in terms of improved generalizability to the population normally served by the program.
A population‐based study of risk perceptions of paracetamol use among Swedes—with a special focus on young adults
Authors: Håkonsen H. , Hedenrud T.
Published: June 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate risk perceptions of paracetamol use, with a special focus on young adults.

Methods

A web survey was sent to a representative sample (n = 5838) of the Swedish adult population. Altogether, 3120 persons answered the full questionnaire. Risk perceptions of paracetamol use in relation to sex, age, and education were determined using logistic regression.

Results

Most respondents (70.5%) reported use of paracetamol in the 3 months prior to the study; the highest proportion was found among those aged 18 to 25 years (75.8%). Nine in 10 were over‐the‐counter (OTC) paracetamol users. A total of 14.2% thought paracetamol is completely harmless to use while 54.3% indicated risks associated with use even when following the dosing instructions. One third disagreed that it is less risky to use paracetamol compared with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs. Three‐quarters identified liver damage as a potential consequence of exceeding the recommended maximum daily dose. The likelihood of a high‐risk perception was higher in women compared with men, and increased with age. No association was found between risk perception and educational status. Participants aged 18 to 25 years had the same ability to identify risks of overdose as did those aged 26 to 65, but expressed more careless attitudes towards use.

Conclusions

Although the study population purchased paracetamol primarily OTC, they demonstrated basic awareness of paracetamol use including the potential consequences of overdosing. Young adults (18‐25 y), who were the most frequent users of OTC paracetamol, perceived less risk associated with use compared with older participants.
Comparison of adverse events following pentavalent and diphtheria‐tetanus‐pertussis vaccines among Nigerian children
Authors: Sadoh Ayebo Evawere , Nwaneri Damian Uchechukwu , Ogboghodo Bamidele Charity , Sadoh Wilson Ehidiamen
Published: June 2017

Introduction

Adverse events following immunization (AEFI) may follow the use of any vaccine. There is thus a need for documentation of the types and prevalence of AEFIs for each vaccine and early identification of new events or those occurring at rates higher than expected. When one vaccine replaces another, it is important to document the safety of the new vaccine as well as compare to that of the old. In this study, we aimed to document the AEFIs following the use of pentavalent vaccine recently introduced into the National Programme on Immunization and compare with those of diphtheria‐tetanus‐pertussis (DTwP) vaccine which it replaced.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study on infants with at least 2 immunization visits who commenced immunization between June 2011 and May 2013 at the Child Welfare Clinic of Institute of Child Health, University of Benin, Nigeria. At every visit for immunization, the caregiver is asked about any reaction that followed the previous immunization, and this is documented in immunization registers which data were reviewed for this study.

Results

There were 2475 doses of DTwP and pentavalent vaccines administered to 946 children. Adverse events following immunizations were reported following 487 (19.7%) doses. The prevalence of AEFIs following pentavalent vaccine (22.1%) was significantly higher than that following DTwP (13.5%) P < .0001. Significantly more AEFIs followed the first dose of either vaccine compared to subsequent doses P < .0001. The commonest AEFI reported for either vaccine was fever.

Conclusion

Adverse events following immunization following pentavalent vaccine although higher than that following DTwP was within expected levels.
Semiparametric regression analysis of failure time data with dependent interval censoring
Authors: Chen Chyong‐Mei , Shen Pao‐sheng
Published: June 2017

Interval‐censored failure‐time data arise when subjects are examined or observed periodically such that the failure time of interest is not examined exactly but only known to be bracketed between two adjacent observation times. The commonly used approaches assume that the examination times and the failure time are independent or conditionally independent given covariates. In many practical applications, patients who are already in poor health or have a weak immune system before treatment usually tend to visit physicians more often after treatment than those with better health or immune system. In this situation, the visiting rate is positively correlated with the risk of failure due to the health status, which results in dependent interval‐censored data. While some measurable factors affecting health status such as age, gender, and physical symptom can be included in the covariates, some health‐related latent variables cannot be observed or measured. To deal with dependent interval censoring involving unobserved latent variable, we characterize the visiting/examination process as recurrent event process and propose a joint frailty model to account for the association of the failure time and visiting process. A shared gamma frailty is incorporated into the Cox model and proportional intensity model for the failure time and visiting process, respectively, in a multiplicative way. We propose a semiparametric maximum likelihood approach for estimating model parameters and show the asymptotic properties, including consistency and weak convergence. Extensive simulation studies are conducted and a data set of bladder cancer is analyzed for illustrative purposes. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Transformer partial discharge signal reconstruction and feature extraction method based on time–frequency matrix
Authors: Wu Hua , Xie Yongtao , Jia Rong , Peng Qing‐hua , Dang Jian
Published: June 2017

Effectively extracting power transformer partial discharge (PD) signals is of great significance for monitoring the power transformer insulation state. However, practical and effective extraction methods have been lacking. This paper proposes a novel method for the extraction PD signals feature by the analysis of their time–frequency matrix. First, empirical mode decomposition (EMD) is carried out for raw signals to obtain the complete Hilbert time–frequency spectrum. Second, the frequency band partition is carried out. And the component of raw signals on each frequency band is constructed after filtering by a Hilbert–Huang transform (HHT) band‐pass filter. Then the time–frequency matrix is constructed by different frequency band components, and singular value decomposition is carried out. Using its singular value energy spectrum, the PD signal is reconstructed, further realizing feature extraction. Finally, the analysis result from actual examples indicates that this method can effectively extract PD signal feature frequency spectrum, and meanwhile also can eliminate the strong background interference and retain the higher time–frequency resolution. © 2017 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A research trend of electric machines with development of finite element analysis
Authors: Hijikata Hiroki , Akatsu Kan
Published: June 2017

Finite element analysis (FEA) has rapidly developed in the past three decades. In case of the magnetic field analysis, many researchers have proposed different electric machines by using FEA in order to achieve high efficiency, high torque density, low torque ripple, and so on. For further development of electric machines, this paper presents a literature survey on the state‐of‐the‐art research trends of the electric machine related to FEA in the last 3 years. © 2017 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Power amplifier behavioral model adaptive pruning using conjugate gradient‐based greedy algorithm
Authors: Yao Yao , Li Mingyu , Zhang Zhongming , Li Ruoyu , He Songbai , Nakatake Shigetoshi
Published: June 2017

Starting from the greedy theory, this paper presents a novel adaptive greedy scheme for the power amplifier (PA) behavioral model adaptive pruning. The proposed scheme incorporates the stochastic conjugate gradient (SCG) principle into the subspace pursuit (SP) greedy algorithm, which can considerably offer improved tracking capabilities and faster convergence compared to other anterior adaptive greedy algorithms. Compared to conventional nonsparse methods, simulation results show that the proposed scheme can efficiently reduce the model order and computational complexity but almost have the comparable model performance with the full model. © 2017 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
On safe storage using robotic technology
Authors: Matsumoto Mitsuharu
Published: June 2017

This paper proposes the concept of safe storage using robotic technology. The handling problem is how to store real objects safely using a robotic system. When we store real objects, a strong box is usually used. Even when a strong box is employed, the goods in custody, including the strong box, may be stolen as the storage place and the goods in custody are stationary. This study aims to solve this problem and proposes an approach using robotic technology. © 2017 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A new sequential AC–DC power flow algorithm for multi‐terminal HVDC systems
Authors: Yalcin Faruk , Arifoglu Ugur
Published: June 2017

This paper presents a new algorithm based on the sequential method for power flow calculation in integrated multi‐terminal, high‐voltage, direct current (HVDC) systems. Unlike similar studies in the literature, a real equivalent circuit model is considered for under‐load tap changer (ULTC) transformers of the DC converters, for the first time. So, new DC equations are obtained. Thus, exact and accurate results can be obtained for practical applications by the proposed algorithm. Adjustment effects of the DC converters' ULTCs tap values are included in the Jacobian matrix instead of the bus admittance matrix in the sequential AC power flow algorithm as well as other ULTCs in AC system. To this aim, new equations for the calculation of power and Jacobian matrix elements are obtained for the AC system. The proposed approach is tested on the modified IEEE 17‐bus AC–DC test system. Numerical results show that the proposed approach is accurate and reliable in convergence. © 2017 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Aplicación del cuestionario PHEEM a médicos internos en 5 hospitales de Panamá
Authors: Concepción Gómez Ricardo Adolfo , Asprilla González José Antonio
Published: June 2017

Introducción: El cuestionario Postgraduate Hospital Educational Environment Measure (PHEEM) fue desarrollado por investigadores en el Reino Unido con el propósito de medir la percepción del ambiente clínico educacional que tienen los médicos en formación en instituciones hospitalarias. Objetivo: Determinar si existe variación en la percepción del ambiente clínico educacional entre los médicos internos de categoría i con base a 5 variables: 1) centro de formación durante el segundo año de internado médico; 2) país donde se obtuvo el título de médico (Panamá vs. extranjero); 3) universidad nacional (panameña) donde se obtuvo el título de médico; 4) sexo, y 5) máximo nivel de instrucción académica. Método: Una versión en español del cuestionario PHEEM se aplicó a médicos internos de categoría i en 5 hospitales de la República de Panamá en el año 2016. Los resultados fueron tabulados y analizados estadísticamente para comparar grupos. Resultados: Se logró aplicar el cuestionario al 96% de la población de médicos internos. Luego de eliminar los cuestionarios que presentaban puntos de exclusión se obtuvo una muestra de 78 médicos internos que correspondían al 80% de la población. Según su hospital de formación hubo 4 grupos: 1) Hospital Cecilio Castillero; 2) Hospitales Joaquín Pablo Franco y Anita Moreno; 3) Hospital Luis Fábrega, y 4) Hospital Aquilino Tejeira. Hubo diferencia (p = 0.0256) según el hospital de formación. No hubo diferencia según el país donde se obtuvo el título de médico (p = 0.3149). No hubo diferencia según la universidad panameña en la que se obtuvo el título de médico (p = 0.3678). No hubo diferencia según el sexo y el máximo nivel de instrucción académica (p = 0.1817 y p = 0.6113, respectivamente).
Global finance as a politicized habitat
Authors: Winecoff William Kindred
Published: June 2017

Predominant models of financial regulation based on representative agents—in both the public interest and public choice traditions—assume that competitive pressures in financial markets undermine prudential behavior by firms in the absence of regulation. One empirical expectation of these models is behavioral: firms should adjust their risk-taking behaviors in response to the regulatory environment they face but should not over-comply with regulations. That is, the central tendency of bank behaviors should hew closely to regulatory minima and the variance should be small. I first demonstrate that this expectation is not borne out by the empirical record and then advance a theoretical argument that does not rely on a representative agent model. I argue that firms face a range of incentives from markets and governments that condition their risk-taking behaviors, and firms choose a “preferred habitat” within a market structure. Some of these incentives are towards greater risk-taking, while others are in the direction of greater prudence. This framework provides opportunities for examining financial market actors in a realistic context, and offers ways to unify micro-level and structural analyses of the political economy of global finance.
The Study About Cloud of Points Reconstruction with the Framework of Meshfree Method for Viscous Flows
Authors: Wang Y. D. , Jing Y. , Dai J. , Lin Q. G. , Cai X. W. , Ma X. J. , Ren D. F. , Tan J. J.
Published: June 2017

A new method, called Cloud of Points (COP) Reconstruction, is proposed in the present work to extend the meshfree method to simulate viscous flows. With the characters of viscous flows, the anisotropic COP structure is distributed in boundary layer. The proposed method can improve the anisotropic COP structure to isotropic COP structure and reduce the condition number of the least square coefficient matrix for conventional meshfree method. The values of the new reconstructed points are calculated by the Lagrange interpolation. The accuracy and the robustness of the presented meshfree solver are demonstrated on a number of standard test cases, including the functions with analytical gradients and the viscous flows past NACA0012 airfoil. The comparison of the simulation results with the experimental data and other numerical simulation data are also investigated.
Bayesian approach to multilayer stochastic blockmodel and network changepoint detection
Authors: SOHN YUNKYU , PARK JONG HEE
Published: June 2017

Network scholars commonly encounter multiple networks, each of which is possibly governed by distinct generation rules while sharing a node group structure. Although the stochastic blockmodeling—detecting such latent group structures with group-specific connection profiles—has been a major topic of recent research, the focus has been given to the assortative group discovery of a single network. Despite its universality, concepts, and techniques for simultaneous characterization of node traits of multilayer networks, constructed by stacking multiple networks into layers, have been limited. Here, we propose a Bayesian multilayer stochastic blockmodeling framework that uncovers layer-common node traits and factors associated with layer-specific network generating functions. Without assuminga priorilayer-specific generation rules, our fully Bayesian treatment allows probabilistic inference of latent traits. We extend the approach to detect changes in block structures embedded in temporal layers of network time series. We demonstrate the method using synthetic multilayer networks with assortative, disassortative, core-periphery, and overlapping community structures. Finally, we apply the method to empirical social network datasets, and find that it detects significant latent traits and structural changepoints. In particular, we uncover endogenous historical regimes associated with distinct constellations of states in United States Senate roll call vote similarity patterns.
Effects of inulin on faecal bifidobacteria in human subjects
Authors: Kruse Hans-P. , Kleessen Brigitta , Blaut Michael
Published: June 2017

A controlled study with eight healthy free-living subjects was carried out, in which energy intake was adjusted to the individual energy requirements. On administration of inulin, blood lipids, the faecal microflora, short-chain fatty acids and accompanying gastrointestinal symptoms were characterized in order to investigate the long-term effect of inulin. During the run-in phase (8 d), subjects received a typical Western diet providing 45 % energy as fat and 40 % energy as carbohydrate. Subsequently, the subjects consumed a fat-reduced diet which provided 30 % energy as fat and 55 % energy as carbohydrate for a period of 64 d using inulin as a fat replacer. The amounts of inulin consumed by the subjects (up to 34 g/d) were based on individual energy requirements with the aim to keep the diet isoenergetic with that used in the run-in period. To assess the effects of inulin administration, a control study (run-in and intervention) was carried out in which subjects consumed the same diet but devoid of inulin during the whole course of the study. To investigate the effect of inulin on faecal flora composition total bacteria and bifidobacteria in the faeces were enumerated byin situhybridization with 16S rRNA targeted oligonucleotide probes. Inulin significantly increased bifidobacteria from 9·8 to 11·0 log10/g dry faeces and caused a moderate increase in gastrointestinal symptoms such as flatulence and bloatedness, whereas blood lipids and short-chain fatty acids remained essentially unaffected.
INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE AND CONTRACEPTIVE USE IN INDIA: THE MODERATING INFLUENCE OF CONFLICTING FERTILITY PREFERENCES AND CONTRACEPTIVE INTENTIONS
Authors: Forrest Walter , Arunachalam Dharmalingam , Navaneetham Kannan
Published: June 2017

Several studies report that women exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) are less likely to use contraception, but the evidence that violence consistently constrains contraceptive use is inconclusive. One plausible explanation for this ambiguity is that the effects of violence on contraceptive use depend on whether couples are likely to have conflicting attitudes to it. In particular, although some men may engage in violence to prevent their partners from using contraception, they are only likely to do so if they have reason to oppose its use. Using a longitudinal follow-up to the Indian National Family Health Survey (NFHS-2), conducted among a sample of rural, married women of childbearing age, this study investigated whether the relationship between IPV and contraceptive use is contingent on whether women’s contraceptive intentions contradict men’s fertility preferences. Results indicate that women experiencing IPV are less likely to undergo sterilization, but only if they intended to use contraception and their partners wanted more children (Average Marginal Effect (AME)=−0.06; CI=−0.10, −0.01). Violence had no effect on sterilization among women who did not plan to use contraception (AME=−0.02; CI=−0.06, 0.03) or whose spouses did not want more children (AME=−0.01; CI=−0.9, 0.06). These results imply that violence enables some men to resolve disagreements over the use of contraception by imposing their fertility preferences on their partners. They also indicate that unmet need for contraception could be an intended consequence of violence.
CONSANGUINEOUS MARRIAGES AMONG IRANIAN MANDAEANS LIVING IN SOUTH-WEST IRAN
Authors: Saadat Mostafa , Zarghami Mahdis
Published: June 2017

Several studies have indicated that consanguineous marriages (unions between biologically related persons) are associated with increased risk of autosomal recessive diseases and several multifactorial traits. Mandaeans are a closed ethno-religious community living in areas of southern Iraq and Iran (Khuzestan Province). There are currently no data on the prevalence of consanguineous marriages among Mandaeans. The present study was carried out in 2016 to determine the prevalence of consanguinity among Iranian Mandaeans living in Khuzestan Province, south-west Iran. A total of 137 couples (urban areas: 79 couples; rural areas: 58 couples) were included in the study. Information on the consanguineous marriages of the subjects was collected through direct interviews. Marriages were classified by the degree of relationship between couples as double first cousins, first cousins, first cousin once removed, second cousins and unrelated marriages. The coefficient of inbreeding (F) was calculated for each couple and the mean coefficient of inbreeding (α) estimated for the population, stratified by rural and urban areas. The overall frequency of consanguinity was found to be 50.7% in urban and 86.2% in rural areas. There was a significant difference between rural and urban areas in types of marriages (χ2=24.8, df=4, p<0.001) and first cousin marriages (51.8%) were the most common type. The overall α-value was estimated to be 0.0363 for the Iranian Mandaean population.
Delayed-onset haematoma formation after cochlear implantation
Authors: Low W-K , Xu S
Published: June 2017

Objective:

This paper presents our experience on delayed-onset haematoma formation after cochlear implantation, a topic which has not been well discussed in the literature.

Method:

Retrospective case review study.

Results:

Five children who had undergone cochlear implant surgery at 1.5 to 4 years of age (median, 2.5 years) were studied. The haematoma episodes occurred 2–12 years (median, 6 years) after cochlear implantation. Two patients had recurrent episodes. Two of the seven haematoma episodes were managed by needle aspiration alone, four by incision and drainage alone, and one by both needle aspiration and incision and drainage. Other than one patient with coagulopathy, there were no obvious predisposing factors, including trauma.

Conclusion:

The majority of delayed-onset haematomas occurred without obvious predisposing factors. Needle aspiration can differentiate a haematoma from an abscess or cerebrospinal fluid leakage, and it provides an effective immediate therapeutic solution. However, aseptic techniques are emphasised to minimise the chances of an uncomplicated haematoma converting into a septic one.
J.S. Mill's Boundaries of Freedom of Expression: A Critique
Authors: Cohen-Almagor Raphael
Published: June 2017

The essay opens with some background information about the period in which J.S. Mill wrote. The discussion revolves around the concept of blasphemy which Mill considered to be highly problematic. Tagging unpopular views as ‘blasphemous’ amounted to abuse of governmental powers and infringed on the basic liberties of the out-of-favour speakers. The discussion on blasphemy sets the scene to the understanding of Mill's concerns, his priorities and consequently his emphasis on the widest possible liberty of expression. Section 2 presents the Millian principles that are pertinent to his philosophy of free speech: liberty and truth. Section 3 analyzes Mill's very limited boundaries to freedom of expression, asserting that the consequentialist reasoning had led Mill to ignore present tangible harm. It is argued that democracy is required to develop protective mechanisms against harm-facilitating speech.
Modern sovereignty and the non-Christian, or Westphalia’s Jewish State
Authors: Jones Meirav , Shain Yossi
Published: June 2017

This article participates in efforts by IR theorists to clarify aspects of modern sovereignty – an idea currently in rupture and being rethought – by returning to its founding ‘Westphalian moment’. While recent work has reconnected modern sovereignty to religion, considering Westphalia as a religious settlement and Christian concerns persisting in the groundwork of IR, our work looks beyond Christian concerns and asks how Westphalian sovereignty addressed non-Christians. We trace a yet-untapped discussion of the Jews – presented as a paradigmatic religious ‘other’ – among architects of Westphalian sovereignty from Bodin through Grotius, Hobbes, Harrington, and Spinoza. We demonstrate that foundational theorists of modern sovereignty considered religious diversity a political problem. Some cited essential sameness, minimising difference between Jews and Christians. Others considered the possibility of Jewish sovereignty long before this idea is usually considered to have entered modern consciousness. While the discussion of Jewish sovereignty among architects of modern sovereignty may seem to justify a Jewish state in a world of Westphalian states, it also emphasises Westphalia’s territorialising of religious difference. This aspect of the Westphalian framework is surely inadequate today, when territorialising religious difference is neither normative nor likely possible.
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the 1970s: l’Orchestra Co-operative, 1974–1983
Authors: FABBRI FRANCO
Published: June 2017

L’Orchestra, a cooperative established in 1974/75, based in Milan, Italy, was a unique organisation, involving musicians, sound and lighting engineers, music critics and teachers, and concert managers. It was started as a kind of artists’ union, a federation of folk, rock, political song, jazz, avant-garde groups, but in a few months it became a concert agency and a record company; it held music courses for amateurs and published music tutorials; it helped managing the first multipurpose art/social centre in Milan. L’Orchestra promoted studies along various disciplinary perspectives (sociology, music education, ideological criticism, semiotics) that in some respects embody and in others help explain the development of popular music studies and of the International Association for the Study of Popular Music (IASPM) in Italy.
Concluding remarks and the way ahead
Authors: Burtt B. L.
Published: June 2017

We have covered a lot of ground during the week and it is quite clear that I cannot cover the same amount of ground in summing up. So, inevitably, some of you have given very good, very interesting papers that I shall not be able to mention. What I have done is to select the points where I think some comments are useful, and some where there has been more than one speaker on the subject and it has been useful to draw things together. I have abandoned the structure of the programme; like a good taxonomist I have taken a simple dichotomy and arranged the topics in that way. First those of general botanical interest, and, secondly, those particularly concerned with SW Asia.
Water stress, temperature regimes and light control induction, and loss of secondary dormancy in Brassica napus L. seeds
Authors: Soltani Elias , Gruber Sabine , Oveisi Mostafa , Salehi Nader , Alahdadi Iraj , Javid Majid Ghorbani
Published: June 2017

This study investigated the induction and loss of dormancy in oilseed rape (Brassica napus). Twenty genotypes were preliminary screened; from these, two genotypes, RGS003 and Hayola 308, which possess high potential for dormancy induction (HSD) and medium potential to induce secondary dormancy (MSD), were selected. The stratification of seeds at alternating temperatures of 5–30°C (in dark) significantly relieved secondary dormancy, but dormancy was not fully released. The ψb(50) values were −1.05 and −1.06 MPa for the MSD and the HSD before dormancy induction. After inducing dormancy, the ψb(50) values for the MSD and the HSD were increased to −0.59 and −0.01 on day 0 stratification at 20°C. The hydrothermal time (θHT) value was low for one-day stratification for HSD in comparison with other stratification treatments. Water stress can induce dormancy (if the seeds have the genetic potential for secondary dormancy) and warm stratification (in dark) can only reduce the intensity of dormancy. The seeds with a high potential of dormancy induction can overcome dormancy at alternating temperatures and in the presence of light. It can, therefore, be concluded that a portion of seeds can enter the cycle of dormancy ↔ non-dormancy. The secondary dormant seeds of B. napus cannot become non-dormant in darkness, but the level of dormancy may change from maximum (after water stress) to minimum (after warm stratification). It seems that the dormancy imposed by the conditions of deep burial (darkness in combination with water stress and more constant temperatures) might be more important to seed persistence than secondary dormancy induction and release. The dormancy cycle is an important pre-requisite in order to sense the depth of burial and the best time for seed germination.
Machines as Persons?
Authors: Hanfling Oswald
Published: June 2017

The subject of this symposium is sometimes introduced by asking whether machines could think. This way of introducing it may be misleading, for it may seem as if it were merely about a particular activity, called ‘thinking’. The question would then seem to have the same character as ‘Can machines make a noise?’. But thinking is not something that can be treated in isolation from other personal qualities. What we need to consider is whether, or to what extent, a machine could participate in the whole complex of qualities, activities, attitudes, thoughts, feelings and moral relationships that we regard as essential to being a person—whether, in this sense, machines could be persons.
Response to Diamond
Authors: McNaughton David
Published: June 2017

Where two people differ about the application of some term to a particular object, to what can they appeal to settle their disagreement? In my paper I suggested that the disputants can legitimately draw attention to various features of the contested case to try to show the continuity, or lack of it, between this case and other instances that fall under the concept. In so doing they are offering reasons to justify their judgement in this particular case.
How Many Selves Make Me?
Authors: Clark Stephen R. L.
Published: June 2017

Cartesian accounts of the mental make it axiomatic that consciousness is transparent: what I feel, I know I feel, however many errors I may make about its cause. ‘I’ names a simple, unextended, irreducible substance, createdex nihiloor eternally existent, and only associated with the complete, extended, dissoluble substance or pretend-substance that is ‘my’ body by divine fiat. Good moderns take it for granted that ‘we’ now realize how shifting, foggy and deconstructible are the boundaries of the self; ‘we’ know that our own motives, feelings and intentions constantly escape us; ‘I’ names only the current speaker, or the momentarily dominant self among many fluid identities.
Sartre and Our Identity as Individuals
Authors: Dilman İlham
Published: June 2017

The question about ‘identity’ under consideration in this paper is different from the one discussed in some of the other papers—for instance by Geoffrey Madell and Lars Herzberg. That question arises from the fact that human beings change in appearance and behaviour in the course of their life. By and large we have no trouble in recognizing them but we may wonder what it is that remains the same in them or about them so that we recognize them, address them by the same name, respond to them as to someone we know. What is it for a person to be the same person through these changes? By virtue of what do we call them by the same name?
Maternal perception of child overweight status and its association with weight-related parenting practices, their children’s health behaviours and weight change in China
Authors: Min Jungwon , Wang Vivian HC , Xue Hong , Mi Jie , Wang Youfa
Published: June 2017

Objective

Childhood obesity has increased rapidly in China, but understanding is limited on how parents perceive their child’s weight status and how this perception affects weight-related parenting practices. We examined maternal perception of her child’s weight status and its association with demographics, subsequent weight-related parenting practices, the child’s health behaviours and weight change.

Design/Setting/Subjects

Maternal perception of child’s weight status and health behaviours from the China Health and Nutrition Surveys were assessed at baseline and in follow-up surveys for 816 children aged 6–18 years during 2004–2011. Associations were tested using mixed models.

Results

Overall, maternal and child perceptions of the child’s weight status were fairly consistent (κw=0·56), 63·8 % of mothers had correct perception. While 9·6 % of mothers perceived their child as overweight, 10·9 % of children did so, and 13·6 % of children were indeed overweight. Compared with mothers who viewed their children as normal weight, mothers who thought their children were overweight were more likely to encourage their children to increase their physical activity (OR; 95 % CI: 1·8; 1·0, 3·3) and to diet (4·3; 2·3, 7·8). Children perceived as overweight by their mothers were more likely to have insufficient physical activity (2·8; 1·6, 4·7) and gain more weight during follow-up (BMI Z-score, β (se): 1·0 (0·1); P<0·01) than children perceived by their mothers as normal weight.

Conclusions

In China, mothers who perceive their child as overweight are more likely to encourage their child to exercise and modify their diet for weight management, but this encouragement does not seem to improve the child’s health behaviours and weight status.
The trouble with temporary: Impacts and pitfalls of a meanwhile community garden in Wythenshawe, South Manchester
Authors: St. Clair Rebecca , Hardman Michael , Armitage Richard P. , Sherriff Graeme
Published: June 2017

The rise of Urban Agriculture projects across the UK has led to a surge of interest in their efficacy and resulting social impacts. Real Food Wythenshawe is a Lottery-funded urban food project in the UK that aims to teach the population of Wythenshawe to grow their own food and to cook from scratch. The area, popularly referred to as ‘Europe's largest council estate’, suffers from high levels of deprivation and has been described as a ‘food desert’ due to a perceived lack of access to fresh fruit and vegetables (Small World Consulting, 2013). In order to encourage Wythenshawe residents to grow their own food and to increase access to fresh fruit and vegetables, Real Food Wythenshawe aims to transform unused areas of land into growing spaces, such as allotments and community gardens. This paper focuses on research conducted at a community garden in Wythenshawe, established by Real Food Wythenshawe as an example of a ‘meanwhile’ or temporary growing site for people affected by cancer. The research investigated the impact of the growing activities on community garden participants through a series of observations and interviews. The findings suggest that the benefits of the space were multiple and diverse, ranging from increased growing knowledge to therapeutic effects, while there has been minimal effect on participants’ dietary behavior. The organization of the community garden also raises questions over some of the practicalities of temporary urban growing sites and highlights the tensions that can arise between small community growing groups and larger institutions with control over land use. These findings add to a growing body of research that considers the value of growing in the city and reflects on the role of community gardening in deprived urban areas of the UK.