bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The broken promises of the social investment market
Authors: Harvie David , Ogman Robert
Published: January 2019

The United Kingdom is pioneering a new model for the delivery of public services, based around the device of a social investment market. At the heart of this social investment market is an innovative new financial instrument, the social impact bond (SIB). In this paper we argue that the SIB promises (partial) solutions to four aspects of the present multifaceted crisis: the crisis of social reproduction; the crisis of capital accumulation; the fiscal crisis of the state; and the crisis of political legitimacy. In this sense, we conceive the social investment market as a crisis management strategy. We draw on evidence from the world’s first SIB, the Peterborough SIB, launched in 2010, as well as from other SIBs, in order to assess the extent to which the social investment market delivers on its four promises. In doing so, we argue that the crisis of neoliberalism and the social investment market are not only in historical correspondence, but in a relation of causality to one another. In developing this argument, this paper contributes to contemporary theories of neoliberalism by investigating how concrete state developments and societal restructuring is being advanced around the idea of linking marketization with progressive social change. It also supports critical practitioners by offering a theoretical lens to identify the contradictions of this increasingly popular policy approach.
Experimental research on the dynamic response characteristics of the transition subgrade induced by heavy-haul train passage
Authors: Mei Huihao , Leng Wuming , Nie Rusong , Tu Renpan , Li Yafeng , Dong Junli
Published: January 2019

The dynamic response of the subgrade under moving train loads provides information on subgrade settlement prediction, condition evaluation, and so forth. This paper presents the field dynamics tests on the transition subgrade in the Shuo-Huang heavy-haul railway in China. The variation characteristics of the peak dynamic displacements along the track and subgrade slope were analyzed, and the random distribution characteristics of the peak dynamic displacements at the subgrade shoulder were studied. The response characteristics of the subgrade during the train passage were investigated, and the attenuation regularities of vibration along the subgrade slope were identified. The results indicated that the action of the train moving loads on the subgrade has obvious periodicity, and two bogies in the adjacent wagons should be considered as one loading unit. The peak dynamic displacements at the subgrade shoulder obey normal distribution under the repeated loading of the loading unit. The subgrade bed is dramatically influenced by the dynamic loadings of the trains, and the moving train loads have little influence on the part below the subgrade bed. The results of the research provide the basis for the evaluation of instantaneous and long-term dynamic stability of the subgrade and offer guidance for simulating train moving loads in the model test and numerical analysis to study the dynamic response of the subgrade.
Effect of rail pad stiffness on the wheel/rail force intensity in a railway slab track with short-wave irregularity
Authors: Khajehdezfuly Amin
Published: January 2019

In this paper, a two-dimensional numerical model is developed to investigate the effect of rail pad stiffness on the wheel/rail force in a slab track with harmonic irregularity. The model consists of a vehicle, nonlinear Hertz spring, rail, rail pad, concrete slab, resilient layer, concrete base, and subgrade. The rail is simulated using the Timoshenko beam element for considering the effects of high-frequency excitation produced by short-wave irregularity. The results obtained from the model are compared with those available in the literature and from the field to prove the validity of the model. Through a parametric study, the effect of variations in rail pad stiffness, vehicle speed, and harmonic irregularity on the wheel/rail force is investigated. For the slab track without any irregularity, the wheel/rail force is at maximum when the vehicle speed reaches the critical speed. As the rail pad stiffness increases, the critical speed increases. When the amplitude of irregularity is high, wheel jumping phenomenon may occur. In this situation, as the vehicle speed and rail pad stiffness are increased, the dynamic wheel/rail force is increased. In the low-frequency range, the wheel/rail force increases as the rail pad stiffness increases. In the high-frequency range, the wheel/rail force increases as the rail pad stiffness is decreased.
Early-stage predictors for treatment responses in patients with active lupus nephritis
Authors: Liu G , Wang H , Le J , Lan L , Xu Y , Yang Y , Chen J , Han F
Published: January 2019

Objective

We analyzed data of lupus nephritis (LN) patients to find parameters that can predict remission.

Methods

Sixty-four LN patients who were diagnosed with class III, IV, V or V + III/IV by renal biopsy and were followed up for more than six months in our center were enrolled retrospectively. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to test the predictive values of urinary protein-to-creatinine ratio (UPCR), serum albumin and complement C3 at the first, second and third months as predictors for remission at the sixth month.

Results

The patients' renal pathologies were class III (five cases), class IV (33 cases), class V (nine cases) and class V + III/IV (17 cases). All patients received standard immunosuppressive therapy. Forty-six (71.9%) patients (grouped as the remission group) achieved remission at the end of the sixth month, including 23 complete remissions and 23 partial remissions. The other 18 patients were grouped as the no-remission group. There were no significant differences in clinical data, proportion of immunosuppressive therapy or renal pathological characteristics between the remission group and no-remission group at baseline, except the serum urea nitrogen of the remission group was lower than in the no-remission group. The UPCR were significantly lower in the remission group than in the no-remission group at months 1, 2, 3 and 6, respectively, while the serum albumin was significantly higher in the remission group than in the no-remission group at months 3 and 6, respectively. There were no significant differences in serum creatinine between the remission group and no-remission group, except at month 1. The C3 levels were higher in the remission group than in the no-remission group at months 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The areas under the curve (AUC) of the change percentage of UPCR at month 3 and the serum albumin at month 3 were the most significant (AUC 0.778, p = 0.002; AUC 0.773, p = 0.001, respectively). The cutoff value of the change percentage of UPCR at month 3 was 59%. The cutoff value of serum albumin at month 3 was 32.9g/l.

Conclusion

The change percentage of UPCR ≥59% and the serum albumin ≥32.9 g/l at the third month were valuable for predicting remission at the sixth month in LN. Because of the small-size and retrospective nature, this study needs to be validated.
El Gueddid, a traditional Algerian dried salted meat: Physicochemical, microbiological characteristics and proteolysis intensity during its manufacturing process and ripening
Authors: Benlacheheb Radhia , Becila Samira , Sentandreu Miguel A , Hafid Kahina , Boudechicha Hiba-Ryma , Boudjellal Abdelghani
Published: January 2019

El Gueddid is a traditional salted and dried meat with high popularity in Algeria. It is used as an ingredient in various dishes. In this study, different samples of El Gueddid were analyzed at different processing times to follow up their microbiological and physicochemical properties. Changes in the protein profile were also demonstrated by electrophoretic study of myofibrillar proteins. Microbiological determinations included the total viable count, coliforms, Staphylococci, lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, and molds, whereas physicochemical properties were characterized by pH, moisture, salt content and water activity. The results showed that microbial profiles were elevated for all the studied micro-organisms. Staphylococci and lactic acid bacteria were the most abundant micro-organisms in the product. Total coliforms were found in low numbers in fresh meat, being eliminated at the post salting stage of process. The physicochemical characteristics showed that the moisture content decreased in the product during the drying period. The pH also decreased during the drying period, then remained almost unchanged during the rest of the ripening period. Moreover, El Gueddid showed low water activity and high salt content. One of the most important changes in the profile of myofibrillar proteins was a reduction in the myosin heavy chain content.
Muffler structure improvement based on acoustic finite element analysis
Authors: Fu Jun , Xu Minghui , Zhang Zengfeng , Kang Wenjie , He Yong
Published: January 2019

Aiming to obtain the acoustic attenuation performance of exhaust muffler of diesel engine and the influence of main structural parameters on its acoustic attenuation characteristics, the finite element analysis method and acoustic theory were adopted to numerically investigate the acoustic attenuation performance under the boundary condition of acoustic adiabatic propagation and muffler wall. It suggested that the noise cancellation effect of muffler was poor at the middle and low frequency in range of 0–3000 Hz, and the transfer loss of muffler was basically 0 dB pass frequency at 1100 Hz. According to previous single-factor study experience, the structural factors, such as the expansion ratio, insertion length of outlet perforated pipe, the distance between the diaphragm and the front part of muffler, have influences on the acoustic performance of muffler at low frequency. Thus, they were taken as the starting point to study the influence of multiple interaction factors on the muffling performance by using orthogonal design method combined with the finite element analysis method. The influence degree of different structure parameters on the acoustic performance of muffler and the optimized structure parameters were obtained. Through the analysis on the acoustic characteristic of the optimized muffler, it indicated that the transmission loss of the improved muffler had significant increase in other frequency range except the range of 650–800 Hz and 2500–2700 Hz, especially at frequency of 1100 Hz compared with the original muffler. In the range of 0–3000 Hz, the mean of transmission loss of the improved muffler was about 9.8 dB larger than that of original muffler, which indicated that better noise cancellation effect was achieved. The improved muffler also provided a certain reference for the structural improvement of similar muffler.
Egalitarianism and resistance: A theoretical proposal for Iron Age Northwestern Iberian archaeology
Authors: Currás Brais X , Sastre Inés
Published: January 2019

We propose a theory of “egalitarianism” as an active historical factor in contexts which have been traditionally considered structurally hostile to it, such as complex agrarian societies. First, we review thoroughly the main anthropological and sociological contributions to resistance against hierarchization in agrarian social contexts (taking into account peasant studies and a segmentary lineage’s tradition). Specific emphasis is placed on the forms of organizing production. Then we go through the archaeological landscape of the Iberian Northwestern Iron Age in order to evidence the viability of “assertive egalitarianism” where control of resources was distributed among social segments (households and settlements). We will show a historical process that diverges from what occurs at that time in hierarchical regions. By combining two levels of archaeological analysis (regional and local) we will conclude that a large part of the Iberian Northwest was occupied, from the 8th up to 2nd centuries BC by egalitarian social formations – with social exploitation absent – whose anti-hierarchization structures only crumbled upon the presence of Rome from the 2nd century BC onwards.
Tourist perceptions of guided ecotourism tours in Thailand
Authors: Sangpikul Aswin
Published: January 2019

Most ecotourism studies in the past have examined tourist perceptions on tour guides’ performance. However, there has been little research investigating ecotourism in relation to the practices of guided tours. This paper, therefore, aims to examine tourist perceptions of different guided ecotourism tours and their contribution to sustainability. Data were collected from three companies with six guided tours through tour observation, interviews and surveys in the southern region of Thailand. For the survey, data were collected from 183 voluntary respondents who joined the guided tours. Content analysis, descriptive statistics, and one-way ANOVA were used to analyze the data. The results indicate that certain ecotourism principles were implemented in the guided tours. In particular, tourists perceived that the practices of guided tours and their contribution to the local area were different from one another, depending on the type of tour. Not only do the findings of the study provide new insights into the typology of ecotourism activities, but they also yield a better understanding of the key factors contributing to tourists’ ecotourism experience and local benefits. Recommendations in relation to tour design, tourist activities and staff training are discussed to enhance ecotourism-related benefits for local communities.
A decade of research literature in sport coaching (2005–2015)
Authors: Griffo Janelle M , Jensen Melissa , Anthony Chantel C , Baghurst Timothy , Kulinna Pamela Hodges
Published: January 2019

The purpose of this study was to provide a detailed analysis of the research literature in sport coaching for one decade (2005–2015). This study followed a similar process to Gilbert and Trudel’s (Analysis of coaching science research published from 1970–2001. Res Q Exerc Sport 2004; 75: 3) study by following a four-step process: (1) an exhaustive search process was conducted on the sports coaching literature between the years 2005 and 2015, (2) articles were obtained and reviewed, (3) inclusion and exclusion criteria were executed; researchers negotiated themes and type of research method for each article for validity purposes, and (4) an analysis of the literature was conducted. There were 612 sport coaching-related research articles published between 2005 and 2015 in 119 different journals. Three researchers independently evaluated whether each article was sport coaching-specific or not, and agreement exceeded 90%. Researchers then coded and negotiated (inter-rater reliability) the type of research method employed for each study and the themes for each article until absolute (100%) agreement was achieved. Findings demonstrate a general increase in sport coaching publications over the 11-year period, and most articles (49%) utilized a quantitative research approach; in addition, sport psychology was the most reoccurring theme among the articles in this review. These findings provide valuable insight for future scholarly work in the field of sport coaching to enhance the coaching literature-base and are discussed later in this paper.
Determinants of degree of integration of Turkish diaspora in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany
Authors: Imani Giglou Roya , d’Haenens Leen , Van Gorp Baldwin
Published: January 2019

This study constructs and tests the building of social capital and integration among Turkish minorities (n = 967) residing in three countries with different integration policy realities according to the Migrant Integration Policy Index for Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany. Through online and offline surveys, the study examines the extent to which bridging and bonding social capital, the dominant language of media use, and the socio-demographic characteristics of respondents affect their degree of integration. The results show that the degree of integration increases with a sense of belonging to a faith, length of stay in Europe, exposure to European mainstream media, and through bridging with natives in the host society. Integration levels decrease, however, with the retention of Turkish citizenship. The degree of integration among the Turkish diaspora varies widely across the three countries under study.
Who cares for the suffering other? A survey-based study into reactions toward images of distant suffering
Authors: Huiberts Eline , Joye Stijn
Published: January 2019

A growing number of scholars have empirically engaged with audience reactions toward mediated distant suffering, albeit mainly on a small, qualitative scale. By conducting quantitative research, this study contributes to the knowledge about people's reactions toward distant suffering on a greater scale, representative of a Western audience. Following a critical realist approach, a survey was developed and several independent constructs were found by doing an exploratory factor analysis which represents people's engagement with distant suffering. We also found four clusters based on a k-means cluster analysis that portrays typical ways of responding to distant suffering. These clusters have been controlled for people's background, indicators of age, gender, education and people's donation behavior, media use, and news interests.
How neoliberal policy inhibits partnership-building in the primary phase: A new social movements approach
Authors: Jopling Michael
Published: January 2019

This article examines the challenges involved in attempting to build collaboration and implement change in a partnership of schools during a period characterised by neoliberal education policy. The partnership was located in a relatively isolated coastal and rural area in the north of England with significant areas of disadvantage and comprised 18 schools, all but two of which provided education for children aged 4–13. Based on research with schools and the local community, the article explores the difficulties of building consensus for cultural change in schools when neoliberal education policy’s paradoxical dual emphasis on marketisation and neoconservative traditionalism militates against the realities of such coalition-building. It uses new social movement theory to examine the difficulties involved in mobilising schools in a dysfunctional partnership and concludes that, despite its emphasis on school-to-school support, the forms of neoliberalism and neoconservatism imposed on schools in England magnify the contextual disadvantages that impede the development of effective collaboration.
Faithful but unfortunate: Churchill and his shoulder
Authors: Wallace Andrew L
Published: January 2019

The centenary of the end of the First World War allows an opportunity to reflect on the lessons learned from dissent, not only in political life but also in shoulder surgery. It is not commonly known that the young Winston Churchill had an unstable shoulder that was to affect him from his younger days into his later career. Although he chose to treat his shoulder problem conservatively, one of his contemporaries, ASB Bankart proposed a surgical approach that has come to be the ‘gold standard' of management of the unstable shoulder. This paper reviews the historical record of Churchill's shoulder instability and the lessons he learned from his experience.
Elastic wave-equation migration velocity analysis preconditioned through mode decoupling
Authors: Wang Chenlong , Cheng Jiubing , Weibull Wiktor Waldemar , Arntsen Børge
Published: January 2019

Multicomponent seismic data acquisition can reveal more information about geologic structures and rock properties than single component acquisition. Full elastic wave seismic imaging, which uses multicomponent seismic to its full potential, is promising because it provides more opportunities to understand the material properties of the earth by the joint use of P- and S-waves. A prerequisite of seismic imaging is the availability of a reliable macrovelocity model. Migration velocity analysis for P-waves, which can fill that requirement for the P-wave velocity, has been well-studied, especially under the acoustic approximation. However, a reliable estimation of the S-wave velocities remains troublesome. Elastic wave-equation migration velocity analysis has the potential to build P- and S-wave velocity models together, but it inevitably suffers from the effects of mode coupling and conversion in the forward and adjoint wavefield reconstructions. We have developed a differential semblance optimization approach to sequentially invert the background P- and S-wave velocity models from extended PP- and PS-images in the subsurface offset domain. Preconditioning of the gradients with respect to the S-wave velocity through mode decoupling can improve the reliability of the optimization. Numerical investigations with synthetic examples demonstrate the effectiveness of gradient preconditioning and the feasibility of our migration velocity analysis approach for elastic wave imaging.
A gas-content calculation model for terrestrial shales in the Kuqa Depression, the Tarim Basin, Western China
Authors: Qu Yiqian , Sun Wei , Guo Song , Shao Shuai , Lv Xiuxiang
Published: January 2019

Because shale gas content plays a very important role in the evaluation of gas shale potential, its calculation and prediction become obligatory. We used two predictive models, namely, the Langmuir and Ambrose models, to calculate the shale gas content. The parameters involved in these two models are calculated by various experiments and analytic methods, including indirect prediction, the isothermal adsorption test, X-ray diffraction analysis, total organic carbon (TOC) measurement, pyrolysis, and porosity measurement. Then, a new calculation model that is applicable to shales in the Kuqa Depression, Tarim Basin, is established. Further research on influential factors of gas content in well YN2 is implemented. The result indicates that the gas content of terrestrial shales is more influenced by TOC abundance than by the content of clay minerals and quartz. The main parameters in the new calculation model are the TOC, depth, porosity, and gas saturation. The Jurassic shale gas in well YN2 is speculated to be mainly adsorption gas, with a dominant proportion of 75%–90% in the total gas content. As the formation depth increases, the free-gas content rises continuously, whereas the adsorption gas content first increases and then approaches the equilibrium value or even tends to decrease slightly. Based on the foregoing results, the target layer, the Yengisar Formation, is predicted to possess an enormous amount of shale gas potential, with an average total gas content of [Formula: see text].
"Wziął braciszek strzelbiczkę, trafił myśliweczka w główeczkę…" O (nie)konwencjonalnych użyciach zdrobnień w polskich pieśniach ludowych
Authors: Prorok Katarzyna
Published: January 2019

Wziął braciszek strzelbiczkę, trafił myśliweczka w główeczkę… On (Un)conventional Uses of Diminutives in Polish Folk SongsThe paper attempts to specify the function of diminutives in folk songs, and to find to what degree they can be considered a reliable source in the reconstruction of the linguistic image of the world. The starting point are the findings of Jerzy Bartmiński who distinguished five main functions of diminutives in folk songs: intellectual (communicating smallness), emotional (communicating endearment), rhythm-creating, rhyme-creating, and structural-poetic (signalling the style of the folk song: affectionate, tender, and noble). An analysis of lyrics where diminutives appear frequently and, unusually for them, in contexts of pejorative nature (e.g. in the wife’s description of how she killed her husband: zabiłam go drewienkiem w komórce pod okienkiem), allows the author to formulate a hypothesis that the structural-poetic function of diminutives is not only to establish a “tender and gentle” style in order to evoke positive emotions (create a positive image of the world), but also to evoke negative emotions (and create a negative image of the world). In pejorative texts, partially desemantized diminutives with their conventional tenderness and gentleness, can either soften the evil and the horror of the depicted world, neutralize negative emotions, or they can create such a sharp contrast with the “heartless” story which is being told, that the evil and dread of the world are intensified together with negative emotions. But this diversity of functions that diminutives can play in folk songs, ther partial desemantization and conventionality, render them particularly difficult to analyze, and a reasearcher of the linguistic image of the world should approach them with caution.
Introduction: gender experts and gender expertise
Authors: Kunz Rahel , Prügl Elisabeth
Published: January 2019

The rise of gender expertise and gender experts as a new profession is a significant and highly controversial phenomenon of contemporary feminist politics. This introductory article provides a contextualisation of this phenomenon, a short review of the literature and a theoretical specification of gender expertise, drawing on insights from the professionalisation and expertise literature. We highlight the importance of studying the politics of gender expertise and interrogate the type of knowledge that it constitutes and its relationship to policy and politics (including feminism). The special issue as a whole shows the varieties and complexities of gender expertise, what it makes possible and what it forecloses, and the disruptions it produces. The contributions adopt different approaches to show: how gender expertise is rent with tensions and divisions; how it is constrained within institutions, networks and policies; and how it produces multiple and sometimes unintended outcomes with powerful political effects.
Development funding and the occlusion of feminist expertise
Authors: Miller Kellea Shay
Published: January 2019

In 2009, the United Nations Development Fund for Women and the government of Spain launched the $65-million Fund for Gender Equality. Following the Fund over its first six years, I ask how different forms of gender expertise shape this multimillion-dollar grant programme. I find that bureaucratic pressure to prove ‘measureable’ impact and navigate the United Nations system led the Fund to replace early ‘feminist funding’ expertise with ‘development expertise’. My account underscores that expertise must be understood as dynamic and political, changing over time, and taking on new meaning even within a single institution.
Random amplified polymorphic DNA-based molecular heterogeneity analysis of Salmonella enterica isolates from foods of animal origin
Authors: Shekhawat Surendra Singh , Gaurav Abhishek , Joseph Bincy , Kumar Hitesh , Kumar Nirmal
Published: January 2019

Aim: This study aims to study the significance of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) typing in heterogeneity analysis of Salmonella serovars, isolated from foods of animal origin. Materials and Methods: Salmonella serovars isolated and identified from different foods of animal origin such as meat, milk, and egg by standard bacteriological methods. DNA isolated from all 10 isolates which are confirmed by biochemical and serotyping methods and then RAPD was performed using the primers OPB 10, primer 1290, NSC I, NSC II, and primer 3. Then, RAPD data were analyzed using the BioNumerics software, Belgium, Germany. Results: RAPD polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using five primers, namely OPB 10, primer 1290, NSC I, NSC II, and primer 3, classified the 10 isolates into 9, 10, 10, 7, and 10 RAPD-PCR types with discriminating powers of 0.1987, 0.423, 0.50889, 0.1842, and 0.2582, respectively. The phylogram constructed with NSC I profile classified isolates based on geographical origin. Primer 1290, NSC II, and primer 3 produced some uniform bands in all isolates indicating their binding ability in conserved genomic region. This study revealed that RAPD profile can be best used for finding out the heterogeneity at molecular level of Salmonella isolates in combination with other molecular and phenotypic typing techniques. Thus, our results support earlier observation of its significance by different workers on different Salmonella serotypes. Conclusion: Repeatability of RAPD-PCR is insufficient to distinguish genetic differences among Salmonella serovars.
Derivação de parâmetros para o uso do modelo SWAT na estimativa de recarga subterrânea em um aquifero cárstico- fissural do semiárido brasileiro
Authors: Silva Lorrayne , Cota Stela Dalva dos Santos
Published: January 2019

O modelo matemático SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) permite que diferentes processos físicos sejam simulados em escala de bacia hidrográfica para a estimativa das recargas dos aquíferos. Os processos físicos modelados requerem informações específicas sobre clima, propriedades do solo, declividade, entre outros.  Apesar de possuir um extenso banco de dados para esses parâmetros, eles são mais representativos de zonas temperadas. Este trabalho se baseou em dados de levantamentos regionais e locais processados em ferramentas de Sistema de Informações Geográficas (SIG) para a obtenção dos valores dos parâmetros e na calibração do modelo a partir de valores de vazões observados em descargas superficiais. Esse método foi aplicado, para fins demonstrativos, em sub-bacias do semiárido brasileiro, afluentes do Rio São Francisco, localizadas no norte de Minas Gerais, tendo sido considerado satisfatório para a obtenção da variação espacial da recarga do aquífero, possibilitando sua utilização na alimentação de modelos hidrogeológicos.
Comparação entre índices de potencial de lixiviação para agrotóxicos utilizados na Sub-Bacia do Natuba, Vitória de Santo Antão-Pernambuco
Authors: Marques Jonathas Gomes de Carvalho , Lyra Marília Regina Costa Castro , Carvalho Renata Maria Caminha Mendes de Oliveira , Nascimento Rogéria Mendes do , Silva José Antônio Aleixo da , Montenegro Suzana Maria Gico Lima
Published: January 2019

A contaminação ambiental por agrotóxicos vem sendo crescentemente abordada por diversos autores na literatura e discutida pela sociedade civil, por causa de suas externalidades negativas. Este estudo visou calcular e comparar o potencial de lixiviação e contaminação dos princípios ativos de agrotóxicos que são utilizados na sub-bacia hidrográfica do rio Natuba, município de Vitória de Santo Antão-Pernambuco. Para tanto, utilizou-se índices que se propõem a avaliar a capacidade de um determinado princípio ativo de agrotóxico lixiviar ou ser transportado no meio ambiente, a saber: Groundwater Screening Index (GSI), Groundwater Ubiquity Score (GUS), Relative Leaching Potential Index (RLPI), Leaching IndeX (LIX), Leaching Index (LEACH) e critério da California Departament of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). Os dados dos índices GSI, GUS, LIX, LEACH e RLPI demonstraram valores semelhantes por meio da análise de variâncias, ou seja, cada índice tende a indicar, em sua faixa de valores, a mesma propensão de lixiviação do agrotóxico. Assim, ao comparar os enquadramentos de cada um dos agrotóxicos, destacaram-se, pelo risco ambiental: picloram, hexazinone, clorantraniliprole, carbofurano, thiamethoxam, 2,4 D sal dimetilamina, imidacloprido, azoxistrobina, cartape, dicloreto de paraquate. Dessa forma, deve-se evitar o uso desses ingredientes ativos e substituí-los por outros com menor potencial de lixiviação, visando à proteção da área.
Preparing the foundation for stable gilding: the origins of materials and practices – a review
Authors: Cardoso Isabel Pombo
Published: January 2019

This paper is the fifth of a series and focuses on tracing the history of the use of gypsum based products as well as of the use of ground layers, centred on a review of published analytical evidence. The purpose is to contribute for the understanding of these long traditions which led to the choice of specific materials and practices used for producing gilding grounds in southern Europe. In fact, several practices and the raw material gypsum used in gilded surfaces do have an extremely long tradition, which can be traced back to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B. The systematic use of these materials, especially the use of ground layers for decoration and other purposes, suggests not only an intention but also, somehow, the notion of a complex concept, the concept of a composite material, even at these very early periods, from which gilding origins. In addition, the particular case of Portugal shows that aspects such as religious, political, and sociocultural influences played a central role in the choice of gypsum as the raw material, which was curiously used exclusively for gilding.
Understanding agency and constraints in the conception of creativity in the language classroom
Authors: Coffey Simon , Leung Constant
Published: January 2019

In this paper we investigate the ways in which creativity is understood and enacted by language teachers. Although the term ‘creativity’ has gained enormous traction in language pedagogy, and in education more generally, we suggest that the concept remains a floating signifier carrying different personal connotations that are shaped by wider institutional and professional constraints. We report on interview data with practising language teachers who discuss their interpretation of creativity and how it manifests in their classrooms. Our analysis considered how teachers positioned themselves and their students in relation to each other and how the agency of the different actors was shaped by discursive constructions (of creativity) which were, in turn, underpinned by broader socio-historical and disciplinary frames. In particular, we focus on distinctions between creative language and creative language teaching and how these are construed differently across professional contexts. While teachers are keen to adopt creative approaches, findings show that there are significant differences in their interpretations of the concept that point to deeply rooted epistemological dissonances in the perception of language and personhood in the pedagogical encounter. In the final section we develop the implications of these findings for professional cultures and identities, in particular some of the critical but under-explored issues surrounding the idea of creativity in language teaching, including the ever-present ‘teacher-ledness’, the curricularised nature of taught languages and the absence of personal development.
Do Time Preferences Matter in Intertemporal Consumption and Portfolio Decisions?
Authors: Chen Shou , Xiang Shengpeng , He Hongbo
Published: January 2019

We study the intertemporal consumption and portfolio rules in the model with the general hyperbolic absolute risk aversion (HARA) utility. The equivalent approximation approach is employed to obtain the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) equations, and a remarkable property is shown: portfolio rules are independent of the discount function. Moreover, both the consumption and portfolio rates are non-increasing functions of wealth. Particularly illustrative cases examined in detail are the models with the most adopted discount functions, including exponential discounting and hyperbolic discounting. Explicit solutions for intertemporal decisions are found for these special cases, revealing that individual’s time preferences affect the consumption rules only. Moreover, the time-consistent consumption rate under hyperbolic discounting is larger than its counterpart under exponential discounting.
Characterization of a potential ripening regulator, SlNAC3, from Solanum lycopersicum
Authors: Jing Le , Li Jie , Song Yuzhu , Zhang Jinyang , Chen Qiang , Han Qinqin
Published: January 2019

NAC (for NAM, ATAF1-2, and CUC2) proteins are one of the largest transcription factor families in plants. They have various functions and are closely related to developmental processes of fruits. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a model plant for studies of fruit growth patterns. In this study, the functional characteristics and action mechanisms of a new NAC-type transcription factor, SlNAC3 (SGN-U568609), were examined to determine its role in tomato development and ripening. The SlNAC3 protein was produced by prokaryotic expression and used to immunize New Zealand white rabbits to obtain a specific polyclonal antibody against SlNAC3. By co-immunoprecipitation and MALDI-TOF-MS assays, we showed that there was an interaction between the SlNAC3 protein and Polygalacturonase-2 (PG-2), which is related to the ripening and softening of fruit. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed the genome of the highly stress-tolerant Solanum pennellii chromosome 10 (sequence ID, HG975449.1), further demonstrating that SlNAC3 is a negative regulator of drought and salinity stress resistance in tomato, consistent with previous reports. These results indicate that SlNAC3 is not only involved in abiotic stress, but also plays a necessary role in mediating tomato ripening.
Expression of Angiopoietin and VEGF in cervical cancer and its clinical significance
Authors: Lv Qingyuan , Zhong Weijuan , Ye Xiabin , Lv Yang , Liu Haiying , Yan Guizhen , Chen Diwen
Published: January 2019

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of Angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1), Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in cervical cancer and its clinical significance.

Methods

Immunohistochemical assay was used to examine the expression of Ang-1/2 and VEGF in tumor tissue from 56 cervical squamous cell carcinoma patients treated with operation only (SCC-O group), as well as 51 subjects with cervical squamous cell carcinoma treated with neoadjuvant radiotherapy (SCC-RCO group, n=28) or neoadjuvant chemotherapy (SCC-CO group, n=23). Both microvessel density (MVD) and lymphatic vessel density (LVD) were examined in the three groups through detection of CD34 and D2-40 expression in respective tissue samples.

Results

With the progression of cervical cancer, the positive expression scores of Ang-2 and VEGF were significantly increased (p<0.05). Compared with surgical intervention, neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy significantly reduced the positive expression scores of Ang-1, Ang-2, and VEGF in cervical cancer tissues (p<0.05). The MVD values of the SCC-CO and SCC-RO groups were significantly reduced as compared to the SCC-O group (p<0.05). Similarly, the LVD values of the SCC-CO and SCC-RO groups were also significantly reduced when compared to those of the SCC-O group (p<0.05). However, LVD values of the SCC-CO and SCC-RO groups were not statistical different (p>0.05).

Conclusion

Ang-1, Ang-2 and VEGF may play an important role in the development of cervical cancer. Mutual synergism of Ang-2 and VEGF demonstrated a close relationship with the generation of cervical blood and lymphatic vessels. Cervical cancer radiotherapy and chemotherapy could significantly inhibit the formation of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels in tumor tissue.
Dress and Metaphors of Mobility in British Visual Culture
Authors: Kociołek Katarzyna
Published: January 2019

This essay traces the presence of mobility metaphors in the sartorial practices of twentieth- and twenty-first-century Britain. While fashion is frequently deemed ephemeral and changeful, it is also often theorised with reference to the concept of mobility, either physical or metaphorical. In fact, it seems that it is in the realm of fashion that the notions of motion, mobility, change and transition all become linked through visual representation. Based on Cognitive Metaphor Theory as well as insightful research on visual metaphors by Charles Forceville, one may argue that the concept of mobility is mapped onto garments and attire, resulting in change of fashions, as it was the case with the twentieth-century development of women’s tennis wear. At the same time, oppositional styles adopted by a subculture such as Teddy Boys are frequently theorised as metaphorically communicating class mobility and hence viewed as expressing a protest against British class structure. A more recent example of a close relationship between mobility, migration and fashion can be found in the British debate over the Muslim veil, in which Muslim women’s choice not to wear a veil becomes a metaphor of their cultural mobility and readiness to embrace the British way of life.
Romanian Diasporic Facebook Groups as Public Spheres
Authors: Ajder Teodor
Published: January 2019

The pilot Survey discussed in this paper was designed to understand to what extent Romanian Diasporic Facebook groups (RDFGs) build up public spheres, i.e. spaces in which people can form public opinions that can shape political subjectivity (Habermas 178) and to understand the impact of the RDFGs administrators as community organisers. The Survey incorporated questions on the administrators’ features, group structures, levels of activism and explicit interest in public affairs expressed within these groups. Invitations to participate in the Survey were issued via Facebook Messenger exclusively to RDFGs administrators. The participants reported that their groups were mainly top-down informal structures. They stressed the apolitical profiles of the groups they administer although some reported that the critique of homeland politicians constituted significant discussion threads and said that members often organise offline events that could be described as political. Some respondents reported instances of “political revolts” within groups, in which the ordinary members (OMs) initiated critical dialogues on the group’s walls which questioned the positions of the admins. Interestingly, an illusory sense of superiority was revealed in the administrators’ responses as compared to their evaluation of the interests of the OMs, as well as a state of ambivalence in relation to the censorship practices and workload linked to their administrative roles.
Varieties of Freedom in Music Improvisation
Authors: Gillon Les
Published: January 2019

This article considers the freedom for the musician that exists within different kinds of music improvisation. It examines the constraints, conventions and parameters within which music improvisations are created and identifies three broad strands of improvisatory practice, that have developed in response to the development of recording technology. It argues that non-hierarchical, pan-ideomatic and structurally indeterminate forms of music improvisation that began to emerge in the late 20th century represent a form of music that models and expresses the felt freedom of the improvising musician.
Jurate Radaviciute, Devoid of (E)motion: Farah’s Story
Authors: Radaviciute Jurate
Published: January 2019

This essay investigates the theme of emotionlessness in Salman Rushdie’s novel Shame; the research is carried out within the theoretical framework of postmodernism. In the novel, otherwise filled with strong emotions such as love, hate and shame, one character, Farah Zoroaster, can be singled out as a person characterised by a lack of emotion. The question raised in this research is about the place of emotionlessness in the narrative of the novel and the functions it performs. It is discovered that although Farah has a unique position in the novel, her story is intertwined with those of other migrant/ peripheral characters such as Bilquis Hyder, Eduardo Rodrigues and Omar Khayyam Shakil as opposed to the protagonists of the novel Iskander Harappa and Raza Hyder, who are local/central characters of the novel. However, alongside the narrative lines of her father and Eduardo Rodrigues, Farah Zoroaster’s story explores the topic of migration from a perspective of personal freedom and spirituality, which is different from other migrant narratives in the novel. The postmodern nature of the narrative plays with the reader by offering contrasting connotations of the freedom and spirituality attributed to the emotionlessness of Farah, such as narcissism and the absence of personal qualities.
Digitally Assisted Conversation—Google and Changes in Literacy Practices
Authors: Stachowicz Jerzy
Published: January 2019

The use of search engines such as Google is an activity that produces a transformation of communication practices related to the use of digital devices (especially smartphones) and has a significant impact on Internet users’ linguistic practices. One of these practices is conversation-not Internet chat, but “ordinary” face-to-face dialogue. People often search the web during conversations. This practice transforms a simple conversation into a digitally assisted one. A digitally assisted conversation is a dynamic combination of speaking, typing and reading on the screen. In this paper, I present some consequences of this change, such as the way searching during conversations “forces” interlocutors to take a different look at their statements and why reaching for a smartphone and using a search engine can be perceived, regardless of the results displayed on the screen, as a significant rhetorical gesture of negation (usually considered rude). Proficiency in searching and using a smartphone with broadband Internet is considered socially attractive today, just as erudition and literacy once were. This is currently considered an extension of erudition.
Prevalence of pediculosis and its related factors among primary school girls in the north of Iran
Authors: Moosazadeh Mahmood , Afshari Mahdi , Hajheydari Zohreh , charkameh Ali , Nezammahalleh Asghar , Zerafat Aliakbar , Rezaei Foroozan , Rankoohi Maryam , Safari Nasim , Shojaei Jalil , Enayati Ahmad Ali
Published: January 2019

Introduction

Head lice infestation is one of the main public health problems worldwide and a sanitary, cultural and economic indicator for communities’ health. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of head lice infestation among female primary school children in selected districts of Mazandaran Province, Iran.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, 3033 female school children were recruited using the consensus method. Head lice infestation was defined as visible adult lice, nymph or egg with the naked eye. Data were described by percent frequency and analyzed using the chi-squared test and multivariate logistic regression models. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant.

Results

Prevalence of head lice infestation among female school children was estimated at 7.9%. The adjusted odds ratios (OR) [95% confidence intervals (CI)] for rural residents, low level educated mothers, family size more than five and not combing their hair were 1.96 (1.41–2.78), 2.46 (1.35–4.49), 2.04 (1.12–3.70) and 3.94 (1.73–8.96), respectively. In addition, considering first grade students as a reference group, the ORs (95% CI) for second and third grades were 1.89 (1.18–3.05) and 1.69 (1.05–2.74), respectively.

Conclusion

Our study showed that studying in urban schools, low educational level of mothers, grade, family size and no history of regular combing were predictors of head lice infestation.
Dynamical Behaviors of a Fractional-Order Predator–Prey Model with Holling Type IV Functional Response and Its Discretization
Authors: Yousef A. M. , Rida S. Z. , Gouda Y. Gh. , Zaki A. S.
Published: January 2019

In this paper, we investigate the dynamical behaviors of a fractional-order predator–prey with Holling type IV functional response and its discretized counterpart. First, we seek the local stability of equilibria for the fractional-order model. Also, the necessary and sufficient conditions of the stability of the discretized model are achieved. Bifurcation types (include transcritical, flip and Neimark–Sacker) and chaos are discussed in the discretized system. Finally, numerical simulations are executed to assure the validity of the obtained theoretical results.