bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Evolution of Scientific Lineages
Authors: Bradie Michael
Published: January 2016

The fundamental dialectic of Science as a Process is the interaction between two narrative levels. At one level, the book is a historical narrative of one aspect of one ongoing problem in systematics - the dispute between cladists and more traditional evolutionary taxonomists and amongst the cladists themselves on the correct method of classifying species. This narrative is replete with details of the process whereby scientists promote and publish their ideas. It is an informative and somewhat ‘racy’ account of the rough and tumble battleground of ideas which puts the lie to the mythical ideal of the scientist as disinterested pursuer of the Truth. At the second level, Hull presents a theoretical model of the scientific process - a model which draws heavily on invoked similarities between biological and scientific change. The narrative serves as the evidence for the model. The model, in turn, helps shape the historical narrative.
How Do You Falsify a Question?: Crucial Tests versus Crucial Demonstrations
Authors: Allchin Douglas
Published: January 2016

How is the deep disagreement between what Kuhn characterized as paradigms ultimately resolved and how do we interpret such debates epistemically? A close analysis of the Ox-Phos Controversy in bioenergetics from the 1960s and 70s (§§2-3 below) suggests that one justifies a set of questions through an ensemble of empirical demonstrations. This contrasts to decisions between theoretical alternatives through ‘crucial experiments'. When viewed along with other historical episodes, this case suggests a philosophical category of ‘demonstrations', distinguished from crucial tests and complementary in justificatory status to falsifying instances. The distinction also suggests specific strategies for scientists (§4).

The Ox-Phos Controversy is an especially valuable case for studying theory development and scientific change, and for investigating the problems of disagreement, originally highlighted by Kuhn, where two incompatible conceptual or experimental gestalts converge on the same empirical domain (see also Gilbert and Mulkay 1984a; 1984b; Robinson 1984; 1986; Rowen 1986; Weber 1986; 1991; Allchin 1990; 1991).
Sociology and Hacking’s Trousers
Authors: Schmaus Warren
Published: January 2016

For Hacking, the word “real” is one of J.L. Austin's trouser-words, taking its meaning from its negative uses in much the same way as the admittedly sexist expression “wear the trousers”. In Representing and Intervening, Hacking proposes that at least some scientific realists can be interpreted as using the word “real” in this way. The word “real” is also substantive-hungry, he adds. Thus when a philosopher states that a type of entity is not real we need to know just what is being denied. The causal entity realist, for example, holds that the entities scientists postulate in their theories can be regarded as real if they have causal powers that can be manipulated to create observable and repeatable effects. Thus the causalist offers sociology a possible way to command respect: if social science entities could be manipulated, the social sciences would then be on a par with physics.
Color Perception and Neural Encoding: Does Metameric Matching Entail a Loss of Information?
Authors: Hatfield Gary
Published: January 2016

It seems intuitively obvious that metameric matching of color samples entails a loss of information. Metamers are distributions of wavelength and intensity (or “spectral energy distributions“) that perceivers cannot discriminate. Consider two color samples that are presented under ordinary white light and that appear to normal observers to be of the same color. It is well-established that such color samples can have quite different surface-reflective properties; e.g., two samples that appear to be the same shade of green may in fact reflect strikingly different patterns of wavelengths within the visible spectrum (see Figure 1). In this case, sameness of appearance under similar conditions of illumination does not entail sameness of surface reflectance. Spectrophotometrically diverse materials appear the same. It would seem then that information has been lost, that the visual system has failed in its task of chromatic discrimination.
Optimization in Evolutionary Ecology
Authors: Richardson Robert C.
Published: January 2016

Within evolutionary ecology, there is a substantial tradition treating
natural selection as an optimizing agent tending to produce maximal
adaptedness to the environment. This includes the work of Sewall Wright and
R.A. Fisher, as well as a number of influential modern defenders such as
G.C. Williams, J.R. Krebs, Richard Levins, Robert MacArthur, E.O. Wilson,
and John Maynard Smith. In one widely deployed class of models, the
phenotype or behavior of organisms is predicted on the basis of optimization
principles, assuming ”… that the organisms’ preferences are related to
evolutionary fitness and that the options more prefeaed must lead to greater
survival and reproduction” (Real and Caraco 1986, 371-2). Optimality is
measured by some “currency,” or what Richard Lewontin (1987) calls a
“criterion scale,” providing an independent operational measure of
fitness.
Has Chemistry Been at Least Approximately Reduced to Quantum
Mechanics?
Authors: Scerri Eric R.
Published: January 2016

In order to discuss the question of the reduction of chemistry it will
be necessary to begin with a brief review of what philosophers mean by
reduction in science. I follow most authors on this subject by starting with
the writings of Nagel (Nagel 1961). As is well known, Nagel stipulates that
two formal conditions, namely connectability and derivability should be
fulfilled in order to say that reduction of theory T2
to theory T1 has occurred. In addition he stipulates a
non formal condition, that the primary or reducing science should be
supported by experimental evidence.

Furthermore Nagel considers that reductions occur in two main varieties
which he calls homogeneous and heterogeneous respectively. In homogeneous
reduction the terms used by the reducing theory are also common to the
theory to be reduced. For example Galileo's science of freely falling bodies
was conceived of as separate from the mechanics of celestial
bodies.
Retrieving the Point of the Realism-Instrumentalism Debate: Mach vs.
Planck on Science Education Policy
Authors: Fuller Steve
Published: January 2016

The realism-instrumentalism debate (RID) is often seen as the core
debate in philosophy of science, yet increasing numbers of philosophers have
followed Fine's (1984) lead in questioning the point of this debate. Fine's
largely unchallenged rendition of RID makes it is easy to see why. RID
appears doomed to stalemate. According to Fine, realists and
instrumentalists are both trying to account for the string of progressive
episodes in the history of science. The two sides are said to agree on what
those episodes are and that they constitute progress. However, it seems that
every realist story of one such episode can be matched by an instrumentalist
one—and vice versa. As Fine sees it, any such story is merely an attempt to
extract surplus philosophical value from the historical labors of
scientists. It only adds a misleading air of inevitability to their original
efforts.
Scientists’ Responses to Anomalous Data: Evidence from Psychology,
History, and Philosophy of Science
Authors: Brewer William F. , Chinn Clark A.
Published: January 2016

The purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic account of the role
of anomaly in theory change in science. We adopt a naturalist approach to
the philosophy of science (e.g., Giere 1985; Maffie 1990) and support our
proposal with evidence from the history of science and from the psychology
of science.

Previous discussions of the topic of anomaly in theory change have
rarely used evidence from psychology. Probably this has been due to the
relatively immature state of research in the psychology of science (cf.
Gorman forthcoming; Gholson, Shadish, Neimeyer, and Houts 1989). However
there is now enough research on the topic of belief change (cf. Chinn and
Brewer 1993b) to provide a foundation for theory development in the area of
responses to anomaly. Much of the research in this area uses data from
undergraduates and children and not scientists (see Dunbar forthcoming, for
an exception).
Making Sense of Approximate Decoherence
Authors: Bacciagaluppi Guido , Hemmo Meir
Published: January 2016

One of the main goals of no-collapse interpretations of quantum
mechanics is to show how results of measurements are objectified, or, in a
more poignant terminology, how in a measurement situation
facts arise. One needs to show how in their
dynamical evolution the measured system and, perhaps more importantly, the
measuring apparatus acquire, or at least appear to acquire, the definite
properties that are otherwise explained by the collapse of the state. This
can be seen as a special case of the problem whether quantum mechanics alone
can account for the classical behaviour of macroscopic systems; in
particular, the permanent definiteness of at least those properties of
macroscopic systems that are directly observable, such as the position of
the pointer of a measuring apparatus. In other words, whether quantum
mechanics can account for macrofacts of the familiar kind.
The History and Philosophy of Quantum Field Theory
Authors: Robinson Don
Published: January 2016

In November of 1925 Born, Heisenberg and Jordan wrote an article together in which they demonstrated that Einstein's energy fluctuation formula could be derived from quantum mechanics. They remark that the equations are subject to reinterpretation. Specifically, the states of radiation oscillators can be reinterpreted as numbers of quanta of radiation. They also connected this latter idea up with Bose-Einstein statistics. Heisenberg wrote to Pauli that it was Jordan who contributed the idea of reinterpreting the terms. This was the first step toward quantum field theory. In August of the following year Dirac derived Einstein's A and B coefficients for induced transitions between states but on the assumption that the electromagnetic field could be treated classically (Dirac 1927). In 1927 Dirac lay the mathematical foundations for quantum electrodynamics. Early that year he combined quantum mechanics, special relativity, and radiation theory in treating the electromagnetic field as if it were an infinite collection of oscillators.
The Contemporary Interest of an old Doctrine
Authors: Demopoulos William
Published: January 2016

My purpose in this talk is to give an overview of the rediscovery of Frege's theorem together with certain of the issues that this rediscovery has raised concerning the evaluation of Frege's logicism—the ‘old doctrine’ of my title.

The contextual definition of the cardinality operator, suggested in §63 ofGrundlagen— what, after George Boolos, has come to be known as Hume's principle—asserts

The number of Fs = the number of Gs if, and only if, F ≈ G,

where F ≈ G (the Fs and the Gs are in one-to-one correspondence) has its usual, second order, explicit definition. The importance of this principle for the derivation of Peano's second postulate (‘Every natural number has a successor’) was emphasized by Crispin Wright (1983, §xix) who presented an extended argument showing that, in the context of the system of second-order logic of Frege'sBegriffsschrift,Peano's second postulate is derivable from Hume's principle.
Unified Theories and Disparate Things
Authors: Morrison Margaret
Published: January 2016

In both philosophical writing on science and scientific practice itself there has been a long standing interest in theories and explanatory frameworks that unify various phenomena. In the history of physics the most successful theories are often those that supposedly show how diverse effects can be understood as aspects of a single underlying principle or cause. For example, Maxwell's electrodynamics unified electromagnetism and optics by providing a theoretical demonstration that light and electromagnetic waves have the same velocity and are manifestations of the same kind of process. More recently in the 1970's Glashow, Weinberg and Salam produced a unified description of both electromagnetic and the weak interactions. This electroweak theory successfully describes electromagnetic interactions as well as data from a variety of electroweak processes including scattering and number of different particle collisions.
Evidence for new C-terminally truncated variants of α- and β-tubulins
Authors: Aillaud Chrystelle , Bosc Christophe , Saoudi Yasmina , Denarier Eric , Peris Leticia , Sago Laila , Taulet Nicolas , Cieren Adeline , Tort Olivia , Magiera Maria M. , Janke Carsten , Redeker Virginie , Andrieux Annie , Moutin Marie-Jo
Published: January 2016

Cellular α-tubulin can bear various carboxy-terminal sequences: full-length tubulin arising from gene neosynthesis is tyrosinated, and two truncated variants, corresponding to detyrosinated and Δ2 α‑tubulin, result from the sequential cleavage of one or two C-terminal residues, respectively. Here, by using a novel antibody named 3EG that is highly specific to the –EEEG C-terminal sequence, we demonstrate the occurrence in neuronal tissues of a new αΔ3‑tubulin variant corresponding to α1A/B‑tubulin deleted of its last three residues (EEY). αΔ3‑tubulin has a specific distribution pattern: its quantity in the brain is similar to that of αΔ2-tubulin around birth but is much lower in adult tissue. This truncated α1A/B-tubulin variant can be generated from αΔ2-tubulin by the deglutamylases CCP1, CCP4, CCP5, and CCP6 but not by CCP2 and CCP3. Moreover, using 3EG antibody, we identify a C‑terminally truncated β-tubulin form with the same –EEEG C-terminal sequence. Using mass spectrometry, we demonstrate that β2A/B-tubulin is modified by truncation of the four C-terminal residues (EDEA). We show that this newly identified βΔ4-tubulin is ubiquitously present in cells and tissues and that its level is constant throughout the cell cycle. These new C-terminally truncated α- and β-tubulin variants, both ending with –EEEG sequence, are expected to regulate microtubule physiology. Of interest, the αΔ3-tubulin seems to be related to dynamic microtubules, resembling tyrosinated-tubulin rather than the other truncated variants, and may have critical function(s) in neuronal development.
Allele and Genotype Frequencies of Cytochrome P450 2B6 516G>T Single Nucleotide Polymorphism in HIV-Negative and HIV-Infected Adult Nigerian Populations
Authors: Sa'ad Toyin Abdullahi , Julius Olugbenga Soyinka , Rahman Ayodele Bolarinwa , Olusola Joseph Olarewaju , Taibat Moji Bakare-Odunola
Published: January 2016

Polymorphisms in genes have been found in most enzymes involved in drug metabolism, especially in the cytochrome P450 (CYP) family with considerable ethnic differences in their frequencies. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are the major source of these genetic variations. CYP2B6 516G>T SNP found in both CYP2B6*6 and CYP2B6*9 alleles significantly reduces CYP2B6 protein expression and enzyme activity with important implications on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic outcomes of some clinically relevant drug substrates. This study determined the frequencies of CYP2B6 516G>T SNP in HIV-negative and HIV-infected adult Nigerian populations. Three hundred unrelated subjects (150 each of HIV-negative volunteers and HIV-infected patients) of different Nigerian ethnic groups residing in Ilorin and Ile-Ife and its environs, respectively, were recruited and genotyped for their CYP2B6 516G>T genetic status using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Differences in allele and genotype frequencies between both populations were tested using Pearson χ2 test. Minor allele frequency of 36.4% and genotype frequencies of 38.7% GG, 50.0% GT, 11.3% TT and a minor allele frequency of 37.0% and genotype frequencies of 42.0% GG, 42.0% GT, 16.0% TT were obtained for the HIV-negative volunteers and HIV-infected patients, respectively. χ2 test indicated a significant relationship between genotype frequencies in both populations (P < 0.001). The minor allele and genotype frequencies obtained in the 2 populations significantly differ and corroborate previous studies, which have reported CYP2B6 516G>T SNP in various other African populations.
An Uncommon Complication With Use of Topical Local Anesthetic Agents: Methemoglobinemia
Authors: Panikkath Ragesh , Panikkath Deepa , Wischmeyer Jason
Published: January 2016

Although the use of topical local anesthetics is generally safe, several potentially fatal complications have been reported. Methemoglobinemia is a rare but potentially fatal complication. Methemoglobin is a naturally occurring oxidized metabolite of hemoglobin, and physiologic levels (<1%) are normal. Methemoglobinemia can be congenital or acquired. Several drugs including topical anesthetic agents like benzocaine can induce this condition. Sudden appearance of cyanosis, with a disproportionately better oxygen saturation of 85% after use of local anesthetics can be a helpful for diagnosis.
Antipsychotic Therapy-Induced New Onset Diabetic Ketoacidosis
Authors: Agrawal Yashwant , Lingala Kiran , Tokala Hemasri , Kalavakunta Jagadeesh K.
Published: January 2016

Atypical antipsychotics are very widely used for various psychiatric ailments because of their less extrapyramidal side effects. Various reports of disturbances in glucose metabolism in the form of new onset diabetes mellitus, exacerbation of preexisting diabetes mellitus, diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperosmolar nonketotic coma, acute pancreatitis, and increased adiposity have been reported. We present a case of new onset diabetic ketoacidosis in a patient without a history of glucose intolerance who was being treated with olanzapine for bipolar disorder. He presented in hyperglycemic, hyperosmolar, hyperketotic state with hyperkalemia, and peaked T waves on electrocardiogram. He was treated with vigorous intravenous hydration, insulin, and kaexylate which stabilized his metabolic profile. He was discontinued off of his olanzapine and started on resperidol for his bipolar disorder. Over the course of 6 months, the patient was discontinued off of his insulin and has been doing well on his follow-up appointments. This case highlights the necessity of close blood glucose monitoring of patient on atypical antipsychotic medications irrespective of their diabetic status.
Measuring Patients' Knowledge About Adverse Effects of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors
Authors: Jankovic Slobodan M. , Dajic Milica , Jacovic Sasa , Markovic Sanja , Papic Tatjana , Petrusic Tamara , Radojkovic Milica , Rankovic Anica , Tanaskovic Marko , Vasic Marko , Vukicevic Dusan , Zaric Radica Zivkovic , Kostic Marina
Published: January 2016

Background

Knowledge about adverse effects of medications is an important part of proper medication use and prerequisite for good treatment adherence.

Objective

The aim of our study was to construct, develop, and test a new questionnaire for the measurement of patients' knowledge about adverse drug reactions of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.

Methods

The 8-item questionnaire was constructed to measure adverse reactions to ACE inhibitors. The questions were closed, with 7 offered answers, in the form of a Likert scale. It was tested for psychometric properties on patients who visited their general practitioners at state-owned health facilities in 5 Serbian cities: Belgrade, Kragujevac, Banja Luka, Gracanica, and Despotovac.

Results

The questionnaire was tested on 259 patients from general practice, taking an ACE inhibitor for more than 3 months. Experience with at least 1 adverse effect of ACE inhibitor was reported in 64 patients (24.7%), only 94 patients (36.3%) previously received any form of information about at least 1 adverse effect of ACE inhibitors from health workers, and only 42% expressed knowledge of any adverse events. The patients who were informed knew about the following adverse events as phrased in the official patient information leaflets: severe dizziness or light-headedness (44%); cough (37%); swelling of the hands, face, lips, or tongue (32%); indigestion (22%); headache (51%); and difficulty in breathing (15%). The questionnaire showed satisfactory internal consistency, with Cronbach α of 0.767, and individual scores correlated with general education of the patients. Factorial analysis revealed 2 domains (subscales): the first one with 5 questions is directed to adverse effects the patients may physically experience directly, whereas the second with 3 questions measures knowledge about adverse effects that could be experienced only indirectly, through conditions caused by the adverse effects.

Conclusions

The questionnaire about knowledge of ACE inhibitors' adverse effects is a reliable and probably valid instrument for measuring patients' knowledge about adverse effects of ACE inhibitors.
Improved Safety Culture and Teamwork Climate Are Associated With Decreases in Patient Harm and Hospital Mortality Across a Hospital System
Authors: Berry Janet C. , Davis John Terrance , Bartman Thomas , Hafer Cindy C. , Lieb Lindsay M. , Khan Nadeem , Brilli Richard J.
Published: January 2016

Objectives

Improved safety and teamwork culture has been associated with decreased patient harm within specific units in hospitals or hospital groups. Most studies have focused on a specific harm type. This study’s objective was to document such an association across an entire hospital system and across multiple harm types.

Methods

The Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ) was administered to all clinical personnel (including physicians) before, 2 years after, and 4 years after establishing a comprehensive patient safety/high-reliability program at a major children’s hospital. Resultant data were analyzed hospital-wide as well as by individual units, medical sections, and professional groups.

Results

Safety attitude scores improved over the 3 surveys (P < 0.05) as did teamwork attitude scores (P = nonsignificant). These increases were accompanied by contemporaneous statistically significant decreases in all-hospital harm (P < 0.01), serious safety events (P < 0.001), and severity-adjusted hospital mortality (P < 0.001). Differences were noted between physicians’ and nurses’ views on specific safety and teamwork items within individual units, with nursing scores often lower. These discipline-specific differences decreased with time.

Conclusions

Improved safety and teamwork climate as measured by SAQ are associated with decreased patient harm and severity-adjusted mortality. Discrepancies in SAQ scores exist between different professional groups but decreased over time.
Data-based reconstruction of complex geospatial networks, nodal positioning and detection of hidden nodes
Authors: Su Ri-Qi , Wang Wen-Xu , Wang Xiao , Lai Ying-Cheng
Published: January 2016

Given a complex geospatial network with nodes distributed in a two-dimensional region of physical space, can the locations of the nodes be determined and their connection patterns be uncovered based solely on data? We consider the realistic situation where time series/signals can be collected from a single location. A key challenge is that the signals collected are necessarily time delayed, due to the varying physical distances from the nodes to the data collection centre. To meet this challenge, we develop a compressive-sensing-based approach enabling reconstruction of the full topology of the underlying geospatial network and more importantly, accurate estimate of the time delays. A standard triangularization algorithm can then be employed to find the physical locations of the nodes in the network. We further demonstrate successful detection of a hidden node (or a hidden source or threat), from which no signal can be obtained, through accurate detection of all its neighbouring nodes. As a geospatial network has the feature that a node tends to connect with geophysically nearby nodes, the localized region that contains the hidden node can be identified.
Nest wax triggers worker reproduction in the bumblebee
Bombus terrestris
Authors: Rottler-Hoermann Ann-Marie , Schulz Stefan , Ayasse Manfred
Published: January 2016

Social insects are well known for their high level of cooperation. Workers of the primitively eusocial bumblebee
Bombus terrestris
are able to produce male offspring in the presence of a queen. Nonetheless, they only compete for reproduction, in the so-called competition phase, when the workforce is large enough to support the rearing of reproductives. So far, little is known about the proximate mechanisms underlying the shift between altruism and selfish behaviour in bumblebee workers. In this study, we have examined the influence of chemical cues from the nest wax on the onset of worker reproduction. Chemical analyses of wax extracts have revealed that the patterns and amounts of cuticular lipids change considerably during colony development. These changes in wax scent mirror worker abundance and the presence of fertile workers. In bioassays with queen-right worker groups, wax affects the dominance behaviour and ovarian development of workers. When exposed to wax from a colony in competition phase, workers start to compete for reproduction. We suggest that wax scent enables workers to time their reproduction by providing essential information concerning the social condition of the colony.
One hundred years of complex dynamics
Authors: Rees Mary
Published: January 2016

Holomorphic dynamics has been a key area of study for 100 years. In this survey, we focus on the dynamics of rational functions.
Asymmetric collapse by dissolution or melting in a uniform flow
Authors: Rycroft Chris H. , Bazant Martin Z.
Published: January 2016

An advection–diffusion-limited dissolution model of an object being eroded by a two-dimensional potential flow is presented. By taking advantage of the conformal invariance of the model, a numerical method is introduced that tracks the evolution of the object boundary in terms of a time-dependent Laurent series. Simulations of a variety of dissolving objects are shown, which shrink and collapse to a single point in finite time. The simulations reveal a surprising exact relationship, whereby the collapse point is the root of a non-analytic function given in terms of the flow velocity and the Laurent series coefficients describing the initial shape. This result is subsequently derived using residue calculus. The structure of the non-analytic function is examined for three different test cases, and a practical approach to determine the collapse point using a generalized Newton–Raphson root-finding algorithm is outlined. These examples also illustrate the possibility that the model breaks down in finite time prior to complete collapse, due to a topological singularity, as the dissolving boundary overlaps itself rather than breaking up into multiple domains (analogous to droplet pinch-off in fluid mechanics). The model raises fundamental mathematical questions about broken symmetries in finite-time singularities of both continuous and stochastic dynamical systems.
Re-evaluating the health of coral reef communities: baselines and evidence for human impacts across the central Pacific
Authors: Smith Jennifer E. , Brainard Rusty , Carter Amanda , Grillo Saray , Edwards Clinton , Harris Jill , Lewis Levi , Obura David , Rohwer Forest , Sala Enric , Vroom Peter S. , Sandin Stuart
Published: January 2016

Numerous studies have documented declines in the abundance of reef-building corals over the last several decades and in some but not all cases, phase shifts to dominance by macroalgae have occurred. These assessments, however, often ignore the remainder of the benthos and thus provide limited information on the present-day structure and function of coral reef communities. Here, using an unprecedentedly large dataset collected within the last 10 years across 56 islands spanning five archipelagos in the central Pacific, we examine how benthic reef communities differ in the presence and absence of human populations. Using islands as replicates, we examine whether benthic community structure is associated with human habitation within and among archipelagos and across latitude. While there was no evidence for coral to macroalgal phase shifts across our dataset we did find that the majority of reefs on inhabited islands were dominated by fleshy non-reef-building organisms (turf algae, fleshy macroalgae and non-calcifying invertebrates). By contrast, benthic communities from uninhabited islands were more variable but in general supported more calcifiers and active reef builders (stony corals and crustose coralline algae). Our results suggest that cumulative human impacts across the central Pacific may be causing a reduction in the abundance of reef builders resulting in island scale phase shifts to dominance by fleshy organisms.
Functional traits reveal the expansion and packing of ecological niche space underlying an elevational diversity gradient in passerine birds
Authors: Pigot Alex L. , Trisos Christopher H. , Tobias Joseph A.
Published: January 2016

Variation in species richness across environmental gradients may be associated with an expanded volume or increased packing of ecological niche space. However, the relative importance of these alternative scenarios remains unknown, largely because standardized information on functional traits and their ecological relevance is lacking for major diversity gradients. Here, we combine data on morphological and ecological traits for 523 species of passerine birds distributed across an Andes-to-Amazon elevation gradient. We show that morphological traits capture substantial variation in species dietary (75%) and foraging niches (60%) when multiple independent trait dimensions are considered. Having established these relationships, we show that the 14-fold increase in species richness towards the lowlands is associated with both an increased volume and density of functional trait space. However, we find that increases in volume contribute little to changes in richness, with most (78%) lowland species occurring within the range of trait space occupied at high elevations. Taken together, our results suggest that high species richness is mainly associated with a denser occupation of functional trait space, implying an increased specialization or overlap of ecological niches, and supporting the view that niche packing is the dominant trend underlying gradients of increasing biodiversity towards the lowland tropics.
Regmex, Motif analysis in ranked lists of sequences
Authors: Nielsen Morten Muhlig , Tataru Paula , Madsen Tobias , Hobolth Asger , Pedersen Jakob Skou
Published: January 2016

Motif analysis has long been an important method to characterize biological functionality and the current growth of sequencing-based genomics experiments further extends its potential. These diverse experiments often generate sequence lists ranked by some functional property. There is therefore a growing need for motif analysis methods that can exploit this coupled data structure and be tailored for specific biological questions. Here, we present a motif analysis tool, Regmex (REGular expression Motif EXplorer), which offers several methods to identify overrepresented motifs in a ranked list of sequences. Regmex uses regular expressions to define motifs or families of motifs and embedded Markov models to calculate exact probabilities for motif observations in sequences. Motif enrichment is optionally evaluated using random walks, Brownian bridges, or modified rank based statistics. These features make Regmex well suited for a range of biological sequence analysis problems related to motif discovery. We demonstrate different usage scenarios including rank correlation of microRNA binding sites co-occurring with a U-rich motif. The method is available as an R package.
Revised estimates for the number of human and bacteria cells in the body
Authors: Sender Ron , Fuchs Shai , Milo Ron
Published: January 2016

We critically revisit the “common knowledge” that bacteria outnumber human cells by a ratio of at least 10:1 in the human body. We found the total number of bacteria in the “reference man” to be 3.9·1013, with an uncertainty (SEM) of 25%, and a variation over the population (CV) of 52%. For human cells we identify the dominant role of the hematopoietic lineage to the total count of body cells (≈90%), and revise past estimates to reach a total of 3.0·1013human cells in the 70 kg “reference man” with 2% uncertainty and 14% CV. Our analysis updates the widely-cited 10:1 ratio, showing that the number of bacteria in our bodies is actually of the same order as the number of human cells. Indeed, the numbers are similar enough that each defecation event may flip the ratio to favor human cells over bacteria.
Local responses to disaster
Authors: Cretney Raven Marie
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– When the devastating 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit Christchurch, Aotearoa New Zealand on the 22 February 2011 the landscape of the city and its communities were irrevocably changed. The purpose of this paper is to provide case study evidence demonstrating the role of a grassroots organisation in shaping a community defined concept of resilience through self-organised disaster response action.

Design/methodology/approach

– The case organisation, Project Lyttelton is a community group, located in the suburb of Lyttelton, dedicated to building community and resilience through local projects and action. This case study was conducted through in-depth qualitative interviews with key members of the organisation, as well as key individuals in the broader community.

Findings

– This research has found that Project Lyttelton played a strong role in providing avenues for citizen participation post disaster. Of particular significance was the role of the timebank in providing an already established network for active participation by citizens in the response and recovery. Other findings outline the importance of pre-disaster community activity for facilitating social support and social learning.

Originality/value

– This research contributes to the literature by providing case study evidence for the value of a community led and defined framework of resilience. The findings of this work support the need for further integration and support for local community led preparedness and response initiatives and demonstrate the possible value of pre-disaster community preparedness activities. Consequently, this work is of use to academics interested in the role of community following disasters, as well as emergency management practitioners interested in possible pathways for fostering and encouraging locally focused disaster preparedness activities. The findings may also be of interest to community groups working in the sphere of community building and resilience.
Dynamics of optimal carbon prices with inter-temporal regulation
Authors: Yu Jongmin
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– This paper aims to calibrate carbon price trajectories that maximize social welfare where banking and borrowing rules are applied.

Design/methodology/approach

– Typically, there has been a consensus that banking and borrowing rules within the cap-and-trade system improve social welfare. This additional flexibility can achieve compliance cost smoothing by transferring carbon permits inter-temporally; however, there is also a side effect. Regulated agents have the freedom to escape from the given emissions limit by reallocating previously granted permits.

Findings

– The market system’s flexibility can cause environmental damage by deviating annual or periodic emission limits, which can invalidate the original purpose of cap-and-trade. This paper demonstrates how the socially desirable price trajectory differs from the one that favors the private sector.

Originality/value

– Few studies have focused on the negative effects of combining the cap-and-trade with the inter-temporal regulation (banking and borrowing), which most policymakers and regulated firms can easily miss.
Stimuli for climate adaptation in cities: insights from Philadelphia – an early adapter
Authors: Uittenbroek Caroline J. , Janssen-Jansen Leonie B. , Runhaar Hens A.C.
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to identify stimuli for climate adaptation in cities and more specifically to explore whether different stimuli inspire different governance approaches to climate adaptation – e.g. dedicated (adaptation as a new policy field) or mainstreaming (integrating in existing policy fields).

Design/methodology/approach

– For this explorative case study research, an early adapter was selected: Philadelphia (USA). By reconstructing the organization of two climate adaptation programs, the authors have identified stimuli and whether these influence the city’s governance approach. The reconstruction is based on data triangulation that consists of semi-structured interviews with actors involved in these programs, policy documents and newspaper articles.

Findings

– The research illustrates the importance of stimuli such as strategically framing climate adaptation within wider urban agendas, political leadership and institutional entrepreneurs. Moreover, the research reveals that it is often a combination of stimuli that triggers a governance approach and that there is a possible link between specific stimuli and governance approaches, proposing that some stimuli will trigger a dedicated approach to climate adaptation, while others initiate a mainstreaming approach.

Originality/value

– An in-depth understanding of stimuli of climate adaptation is currently lacking in literature, as most of the studies have focused on barriers to climate adaptation. Moreover, still little is known about what explains why certain governance approaches to climate adaptation emerge.
Growth impact of CO2emissions caused by tourist arrivals in Turkey
Authors: Yorucu Vedat
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to analyze the determinants of changes in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions for Turkey by utilizing the autoregressive distributed lag approach to investigate the long-run equilibrium relationships of CO2emissions between foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) and electricity consumption (ELC). The results reveal that foreign tourists and ELC are significant determinants of a long-run equilibrium relationship with CO2emissions from electricity and heat production and CO2emissions from transport for Turkey, respectively. The results of the conditional error correction models (CECM) confirm that there are long-run causal relationships from the growing number of foreign tourist arrivals and the increase of ELC toward the growth of CO2emissions during 1960-2010. The results of autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) error correction models for CO2emissions also validate significant dynamic relationships between CO2emissions, ELC and tourist arrivals in the short run.

Design/methodology/approach

– ARDL modeling and Bounds test approach were used in this study.

Findings

– Rapid tourism development in Turkey has triggered CO2emissions. The growth of CO2emissions in Turkey threatens sustainability. The hypothesis of “The growth of CO2emissions in Turkey” is validated. Tourist arrivals, ELC and CO2emissions are co-integrated. CECMs confirm the growth of CO2emissions during 1960-2010. ARDL modeling shows significant relationships between CO2emissions and other variables.

Originality/value

– Results of ARDL error correction models for CO2emissions validate the hypothesis that there are significant dynamic relationships between CO2emissions, ELC and tourist arrivals in Turkey for the short run.
Impact of chief information officer’s strategic knowledge and structural power on enterprise systems success
Authors: Shao Zhen , Wang Tienan , Feng Yuqiang
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of chief information officer’s (CIO’s) strategic knowledge and structural power on enterprise systems (ES) success in the context of systems usage.

Design/methodology/approach

– Drawing upon knowledge-based view, this study links CIO’s strategic knowledge, structural power, ES assimilation and firm performance in an integral model. Sample data were collected in China and partial least squares technique was used to test the model.

Findings

– Empirical results suggest that CIO’s strategic information technology (IT) knowledge, strategic business knowledge and structural power have significant influence on ES assimilation. While ES assimilation mediates the association between CIO’s strategic knowledge, CIO’s structural power and firm performance. Another interesting finding in the study is that the imbalance of CIO’s strategic business knowledge and strategic IT knowledge is negatively associated with ES assimilation.

Originality/value

– This study enriches the extant literatures in IS leadership by showing the significant role of CIO’s knowledge balance and authority in promoting the assimilation of ES within the organization. The empirical findings can provide guidelines for the top executive to select a person who is familiar with both strategic business and IT knowledge to take charge of ES, also, to provide the person with appropriate structural power, in order to achieve the benefits of ES successfully.
The book: production and participation
Authors: Luck Sarah Elizabeth , Lamp John William , Craig Annemieke , Coldwell-Neilson Jo
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The focus of this paper is on the benefits that may eventuate through new mechanisms of production and distribution. As we enter the twenty-first century, the nature of the book and the structure of the industry which produces it are undergoing radical transformation, as developments in information technology offer new mechanisms for production and distribution. Most of the discussion of these changes is conducted from the perspective of what has been lost through these changes.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper reviews the history of the book from the perspective of the disruptive effects of the changes in production technology and impact on the roles involved in production, distribution and reading of books. Darnton’sCommunication Circuitis updated to predict future limiting factors and opportunities for participation.

Findings

– The evolution of the book has seen successive categories of workers involved in book production supplanted by the adoption of new technology. The updated Darnton’s model suggests that the roles involved in the production and distribution of the book will, however, be supplanted in favour of authors and readers of the book in the future.

Social implications

– The predicted changes will alter the roles of authors and book users.

Originality/value

– This paper suggests a novel approach to the discussion of the future of book publication and suggests future developments.
Application of word co-occurrence analysis method in mapping of the scientific fields (case study: the field of Informetrics)
Authors: Sedighi Mehri
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this article is to investigate the use of word co-occurrence analysis method in mapping of the scientific fields with emphasis on the field of Informetrics.

Design/methodology/approach

– This is an applied study using scientometrics, co-word analysis and network analysis and its steps are summarised as follows: collecting the data related to the Informetrics field indexed in Web of Science (WOS) database, refining and standardising the keywords of the extracted articles from WOS and preparing a selected list of these keywords, drawing the word co-occurrence map in the Informetrics field and analysing of results.

Findings

– Based on the resulted maps the concepts such as information science, library, bibliometric analysis, innovation and text mining are the most widely used topics in the field of Informetrics. The co-word occurrence maps drawn at different periods show the changes and stabilities in the concepts related to the field of Informetrics. A number of topics such as “bibliometric analysis” are present in all years, whereas others such as “innovation” have disappeared. New topics emerge as a recombination of existing topics and in interaction with new (technological) developments.

Originality/value

– The results of these analytical studies can be used as a guide for determining research priorities in the scientific fields, and also for planning and management in academic institutions.
Thermal analysis of chip-on-flexible LED packages with Cu heat sinks by SnBi soldering
Authors: Liu Yang , Sun Fenglian , Yuan Cadmus A. , Zhang Guoqi
Published: January 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to discuss the possibility of using soldering process for the bonding of chip-on-flexible (COF) light-emitting diode (LED) packages to heat sinks. The common bonding materials are thermal conductive adhesives. For thermal performance and reliability concerns, Tin-Bismuth (SnBi) lead-free solder paste was used for the connection of the COF packages and the Cu heat sinks by a soldering process in this study. Meanwhile, the geometrical effect of the SnBi solder layer on the thermal performance was also investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

– The effects of the bonding materials and the area of the solder layers on the thermal performance of the LED modules were investigated by finite element simulation and experimental tests.

Findings

– The SnBi soldered modules show much lower thermal resistance at the bonding layers than the adhesive-bonded LED module. Vertical heat transfer from the LED chips to the heat sinks is the primary heat dissipation mode for the SnBi soldered modules. Thus, the LED module with local solder layer shows similar LED thermal performance with the full-area soldered module. Meanwhile, the local soldering process decreases the possibility to form randomly distributed defects such as the large area voids and residue flux in the solder layers.

Research limitations/implications

– The research is still in progress. Further studies mainly focus on the reliability of the samples with different bonding materials.

Practical implications

– COF package is a new structure for LED packages. This study provides a comparison between SnBi solder and adhesive material on the thermal performance of the LED. Meanwhile, the authors optimized the geometrical design for the solder layer. The study provides a feasible bonding process for COF packages onto heat sinks.

Originality/value

– This study provides a soldering process for the COF LED packages. The thermal performance of the LED light source was improved significantly by the new process.
Opposition Policy Influence through Agenda‐setting: The Environment in Denmark, 1993–2009
Authors: Seeberg Henrik Bech
Published: January 2016

This article addresses the opportunities that the opposition has to influence policy – a topic that has been neglected in existing party policy research. The idea that is developed is applied to a remarkable environmental policy development during the Danish right‐wing government in the 2000s. Contrary to its position when it took office in 2001, the right‐wing government turned green and adopted a series of green policy initiatives. It is argued in this article that vehement and persistent criticism from the left‐wing opposition provides an explanation for this turn. Taking media coverage, public opinion, carbon dioxide emissions and the government's approval ratings into account, the empirical estimation based on unique quarterly data shows that opposition criticism had a systematic impact on the government's pro‐environmental policy development. The implications for party policy research are important. If the aim is to understand how parties matter to policy, the opposition should be taken more seriously.