bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of a Fluid and a Solid Approach for the Numerical Simulation of Friction Stir Welding with a Non‐Cylindrical Pin
Authors: Bussetta Philippe , Dialami Narges , Boman Romain , Chiumenti Michele , Agelet de Saracibar Carlos , Cervera Miguel , Ponthot Jean‐Philippe
Published: December 2013

Friction stir welding (FSW) process is a solid‐state joining process during which materials to be joined are not melted. As a consequence, the heat‐affected zone is smaller and the quality of the weld is better with respect to more classical welding processes. Because of extremely high strains in the neighborhood of the tool, classical numerical simulation techniques have to be extended in order to track the correct material deformations. The Arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian (ALE) formulation is used to preserve a good mesh quality throughout the computation. With this formulation, the mesh displacement is independent from the material displacement. Moreover, some advanced numerical techniques such as remeshing or a special computation of transition interface is needed to take into account non‐cylindrical tools. During the FSW process, the behavior of the material in the neighborhood of the tool is at the interface between solid mechanics and fluid mechanics. Consequently, a numerical model of the FSW process based on a solid formulation is compared to another one based on a fluid formulation. It is shown that these two formulations essentially deliver the same results in terms of pressures and temperatures.
Some recent statistical learning methods for longitudinal high‐dimensional data
Authors: Chen Shuo , Grant Edward , Wu Tong Tong , Bowman F. DuBois
Published: December 2013

Recent studies have collected high‐dimensional data longitudinally. Examples include brain images collected during different scanning sessions and time‐course gene expression data. Because of the additional information learned from the temporal changes of the selected features, such longitudinal high‐dimensional data, when incorporated into appropriate statistical learning techniques, are able to more accurately predict disease status or responses to a therapeutic treatment. In this article, we review recently proposed statistical learning methods dealing with longitudinal high‐dimensional data. WIREs Comput Stat 2014, 6:10–18. doi: 10.1002/wics.1282

This article is categorized under:

Software for Computational Statistics > Artificial Intelligence and Expert Systems

Statistical Learning and Exploratory Methods of the Data Sciences > Support Vector Machines
Lymphatic Transport of α‐Linolenic Acid and Its Conversion to Long Chain n‐3 Fatty Acids in Rats Fed Microemulsions of Linseed Oil
Authors: Sugasini D. , Devaraj V. C. , Ramesh Mullangi , Lokesh B. R.
Published: December 2013

In the present study we evaluated the uptake of ALA and its conversion to EPA + DHA in rats given linseed oil (LSO) in native form or as a microemulsion in whey protein or in lipoid. In a single oral dose study in which rats maintained on rodent pellets deficient in ω‐3 fatty acids were intubated with 0.35 g LSO in lipoid, the amount of ALA present in lymph was increased reaching a maximum concentration of 16.23 mg/ml at 2.5 h. The amount of ALA present in lymph was increased to a maximum level of 10.95 mg/ml at 4 h in rats given LSO as a microemulsion in whey protein. When LSO was given without emulsification, the amount of ALA present in lymph was found to reach a maximum level of 7.08 mg/ml at 6 h. A similar result was observed when weaning rats were intubated with 0.15 g of LSO per day for a period of 60 days. Higher levels of ALA by 41 and 103 % were observed in lymph lipids of rats given microemulsions of LSO in whey protein and in lipoid respectively as compared to rats given LSO without pre‐emulsification. Very little conversion of ALA to EPA and DHA was observed in lymph lipids but higher amounts of EPA + DHA was observed in liver and serum of rats given LSO in microemulsion form. This study indicated that ALA concentration in lymph lipids was increased when LSO was given in microemulsion form in lipoid and further conversion to EPA and DHA was facilitated in liver and serum.
A comprehensive framework of forest stand property–density relationships: perspectives for plant population ecology and forest management
Authors: Long James N. , Vacchiano Giorgio
Published: December 2013

• Context

There are many stand property–density relationships in ecology which represent emergent properties of plant populations. Examples include self-thinning, competition–density effect, constant final yield, and age-related decline in stand growth. We suggest that these relationships are different aspects of a general framework of stand property–density relationships.

• Aims

We aim to illustrate the generalities and ecological implications of stand property–density relationships, and organize them in a comprehensive framework.

• Methods

We illustrate relationships between stand property and density (1) at one point in time, (2) over time, and (3) independent of time. We review the consequences of considering different variables to characterize stand property (mean tree size, mean tree growth, stand growth, stand yield, stand leaf area).

• Results

We provide a framework that integrates the broad categories of stand property–density relationships and individual expressions of these relationships. For example, we conclude that constant final yield is a special case of the growth–growing stock relationship for life forms were yield is a reasonable approximation of growth (non-woody plants).

• Conclusion

There is support in the literature for leaf area being broadly integrative with respect to various expressions of stand property–density relationships. We show how this is and suggest implications for plant population ecology and forest management.
Influence of combinations of drugs that act on the CYP2D6 metabolic pathway in the treatment of major depressive disorder: A population-based study
Authors: Sicras-Mainar A. , Guijarro P. , Armada B. , Blanca-Tamayo M. , Navarro-Artieda R.
Published: December 2013

Objective

To describe the frequency of drug combinations (substrate-substrate or substrate-inhibitor) with the potential to interfere with the CYP2D6 metabolic pathway in patients receiving antidepressant medication for major depressive disorder.

Methods

We carried out an observational study using outpatient medical records. We included adult subjects who initiated antidepressant medication during 2008–2010. Patients were assigned to three study groups: no combination, substrate-substrate, and substrate-inhibitor. Follow-up period was 12 months. Main measures: demographics, comorbidity and medication persistence. Statistical analysis included a logistic regression model,P< 0.05.

Results

Five thousand six hundred and thirty patients were recruited (61.9 years, 76.9% female), 24.4% (CI: 23.8 – 26.0%) received some kind of drug combination (substrate-substrate: 15.4%, substrate-inhibitor: 9.0%). Variables significantly associated with drugs combinations that may act on the CYP2D6 metabolic pathway were: dementia (OR = 4.2), neuropathy (OR = 4.2) and stroke (OR = 1.9),P< 0.001. Medication persistence at 12 months was longer in patients with no combination (55.3%) than in patients receiving substrate-substrate (50.5%) or substrate-inhibitor (45.0%) combinations,P< 0.001.

Conclusions

Twenty-five percent of major depressive disorder patients received a combination of drugs with the potential to interfere with CYP2D6 metabolic pathway. These combinations increased with comorbidity and resulted in shorter medication persistence of antidepressant treatment.
We Finally Learnt to Demand: Consumers’ Access to Rehabilitation Following Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Copley Anna , McAllister Lindy , Wilson Linda
Published: December 2013

Clinical care guidelines exist internationally recommending the appropriate standards of care for adults following brain injury. These guidelines recommend a care pathway including acute, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation and community-based care. However, if and how these guidelines are implemented is largely unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the recollected continuum of care experienced by 202 adults with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) in Victoria, Australia. The experiences of participants in this study were investigated using a mixed methods research approach (surveys and in-depth interviews). The results indicated that only 20% of participants in this study recollected receiving care in line with recommendations made in clinical care guidelines. Reasons they identified for their problematic access to services included: a lack of information about the services available, the absence of an advocate and services being restricted by limited funding. The findings of this study indicate that while guidelines provide recommendations regarding standards of care and can serve as a benchmark to improve the quality of services, they do not ensure the equitable delivery of services. Clinicians using these guidelines need to be aware of the factors that restrict clients’ access to services and take these into account when planning the delivery of services.
International Parenting and Child Protection Matters Beyond the Specific Issue of Parental Child Abduction: The 1996 Hague Convention on the International Protection of Children
Authors: Alexandre-Hughes Sandrine
Published: December 2013

The globalisation of the economy and the increasing ease of travel have led to the internationalisation of families. Bi-national couples and families relocating from one country to another are now commonplace. The international element of family life often leads to complex legal situations – such as international parental abduction – when these families are facing a crisis. However, the scope of legal issues arising from the internationalisation of families and affecting children is wider than the abduction problem and can relate to relocation, access rights, urgent protection measures or transborder placement, to name only a few. This paper aims to present the 1996 Hague Convention on the International Protection of Children which establishes a comprehensive framework ensuring the effectiveness of the rights of children involved in a crossborder situation.
The 1980 Hague Convention: The Need for an Advocacy Response to Protect Children in the Context of International Parental Child Abduction
Authors: Freris Helen
Published: December 2013

This paper will focus on the practice of social work within the context of an international Hague Convention concerning children: the 1980 Hague Convention on The Civil Aspects of International Parental Child Abduction. After describing the programmes of International Social Service (ISS) Australia, this organisation's existing approaches to working with families affected by international parental child abduction will be specifically discussed as an example of practice within the context of that Convention. The paper highlights the benefits of social work practice and mediation-based services for families. Dilemmas of practice within a legal framework will then be considered, with particular reference to the trap of uncritical implementation of social work practice as a social control agent of the judicial system. Potential social work contributions in the area of analysis and critique through the perspectives offered by gendered analysis, human rights and children's rights, and the tradition of advocacy as an integral sphere of practice will be discussed, with the paper arguing that for social work to best meet the needs of children affected by this legislation, it must perform its vital functions of social and political critique, and individual and systemic advocacy.
Bioconvection under uniform shear: linear stability analysis
Authors: Hwang Yongyun , Pedley T. J.
Published: December 2013

The role of uniform shear in bioconvective instability in a shallow suspension of swimming gyrotactic cells is studied using linear stability analysis. The shear is introduced by applying a plane Couette flow, and it significantly disturbs gravitaxis of the cell. The unstably stratified basic state of the cell concentration is gradually relieved as the shear rate is increased, and it even becomes stably stratified at very large shear rates. Stability of the basic state is significantly changed. The instability at high wavenumbers is drastically damped out with the shear rate, while that at low wavenumbers is destabilized. However, at very large shear rates, the latter is also suppressed. The most unstable mode is found as a pair of streamwise uniform rolls aligned with the shear, analogous to Rayleigh–Bénard convection in plane Couette flow. To understand these findings, the physical mechanism of the bioconvective instability is reexamined with several sets of numerical experiments. It is shown that the bioconvective instability in a shallow suspension originates from three different physical processes: gravitational overturning, gyrotaxis of the cell and negative cross-diffusion flux. The first mechanism is found to rule the behaviour of low-wavenumber instability whereas the last two mechanisms are mainly associated with high-wavenumber instability. With the increase of the shear rate, the former is enhanced, thereby leading to destabilization at low wavenumbers, whereas the latter two mechanisms are significantly suppressed. For streamwise varying perturbations, shear with sufficiently large rates is also found to play a stabilizing role as in Rayleigh–Bénard convection. However, at small shear rates, it destabilizes these perturbations through the mechanism of overstability discussed by Hill, Pedley and Kessler (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 208, 1989, pp. 509–543). Finally, the present findings are compared with a recent experiment by Croze, Ashraf and Bees (Phys. Biol., vol. 7, 2010, 046001) and they are in qualitative agreement.
Introduction
Authors: Herbert Jeannie
Published: December 2013

This Special Issue of the Australian Journal of Indigenous Education presents a unique collection of nine articles representing the initial outputs from the Remote Education Systems’ (RES) 5-year project to research and identify ways in which education systems might respond more effectively to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander expectations, aspirations and learning needs. The project is unique for two reasons: (1) its focus on one of the most critical and complex aspects of the Australian education landscape — the need for systemic change in improving the education outcomes of Indigenous students living in remote locations throughout the nation; and (2) there is sufficient time for researchers to meaningfully engage with the diversity of remote-based stakeholders — educators, parents, students and the wider community – in order to obtain their viewpoints concerning the value of the remote-based education service delivery provided in their schools.
Red Dirt Thinking on Power, Pedagogy and Paradigms: Reframing the Dialogue in Remote Education
Authors: Osborne Sam , Guenther John
Published: December 2013

Recent debates in Australia, largely led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island academics over the past 5 or so years, have focused on the need for non-Indigenous educators to understand how their practices not only demonstrate lack of understanding of Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing, but even deny their presence. This debate has serious implications for the non-Indigenous remote educator who wishes to support remote students to achieve ‘success’ through their education. The debates on the one hand advocate the decolonising of knowledge, pedagogy and research methods in order to promote more just or equal approaches to research and education, while other voices continue to advocate the pursuit of mainstream dominant Western ‘outcomes’ as the preferred goal for Indigenous students across Australia. This dilemma frames the context for this study. The Remote Education Systems Project, in the Cooperative Research Centre for Remote Economic Participation, seeks to explore these and other questions as part of the broader research agenda being undertaken. This project is particularly focused on large-scale questions such as: ‘What is a remote education for and what would ‘success’ look like in the remote education context?’ We are approaching these research questions from community standpoints and perspectives as a critical starting point for these types of debates and discussions. In doing so, our findings indicate that remote Aboriginal community members have a strong sense of western education and its power to equip young people with critical skills, knowledge and understandings for the future, but also a strong sense of retaining of their ‘own’ knowledge, skills and understanding. This presents a complex challenge for educators who are new to this knowledge interface. Here, we offer the concept of ‘Red Dirt Thinking’ as a new way to position ourselves and engage in situated dialogue about what remote schooling might be if it took into account power issues around Indigenous knowledges in the current policy context. This article questions whether remote communities, schools and systems have, in fact, taken account of the knowledge/power debates that have taken place at an academic level and considers how remote education might consider the implications of stepping outside the ‘Western–Indigenous binary’. It seeks to propose new paradigms that non-Indigenous educators may need to engage in order to de-limit the repositioning of power-laden knowledge and pedagogies offered in remote classrooms.
Are We Making Education Count in Remote Australian Communities or Just Counting Education?
Authors: Guenther John
Published: December 2013

For quite some time the achievements of students in remote Australian schools have been lamented. There is not necessarily anything new about the relative difference between the results of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in remote communities and their counterparts in urban, regional and rural schools across Australia. However, in the last decade a number of changes in the education system have led to the difference being highlighted — to such an extent that what had been an ‘othering’ of remote students (and their families) has turned into marginalisation that is described in terms of disadvantage, deficit and failure. One of the primary instruments used to reinforce this discourse has been the National Assessment Program — Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) testing. This instrument has also been used as part of the justification for a policy response that sees governments attempting to close the educational gap, sometimes through punitive measures, and sometimes with incentives. At a strategic level, this is reflected in a focus on attendance, responding to the perceived disadvantage, and demanding higher standards of performance (of students, teachers and schools more generally). Accountability has resulted in lots of counting in education — counts of attendance, enrolments, dollars spent and test scores. These measures lead one to conclude that remote education is failing, that teachers need to improve their professional standards and that students need to perform better. But in the process, have we who are part of the system lost sight of the need to make education count? And if it is to count, what should it count for in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities? These are questions that the Cooperative Research Centre for Remote Economic Participation is attempting to find answers to as part of its Remote Education Systems project. This article questions the assumptions behind the policy responses using publicly available NAPLAN data from very remote schools. It argues that the assumptions about what works in schools generally do not work in very remote schools with high proportions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. It therefore questions whether we in the system are counting the right things (for example attendance, enrolments and measures of disadvantage).
Editorial
Authors: The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education
Published: December 2013

It is with pleasure we present this Special Issue of The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, which is devoted to the research being conducted by the Remote Education Systems (RES) project in a range of sites in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and South Australia. The RES project is a 5-year project and represents one theme within the larger research program of the Cooperative Research Centre for Remote Economic Participation (CRC-REP). The AJIE welcomes the chance to circulate the progress of this important work to our readership, many of whom are committed to improving Indigenous schooling. We particularly welcome the chance to devote an entire edition to remote Indigenous education, for the challenges in this context are not well understood, but are often the subject of public comment and opinion from all quarters. The RES project is investigating and challenging the assumptions that underpin the current rationales of Indigenous remote education systems. The AJIE is also pleased to welcome John Guenther and Melodie Bat as our Guest Editors for this volume. We also thank Professor Jeannie Herbert, Foundation Chair of Indigenous Studies at Charles Sturt University, for her Introduction to the journal articles. Born in the remote Kimberley, Jeannie has been a classroom teacher and educational administrator. She is best known as an Indigenous academic who has been an active Indigenous education advocate, researcher, author and speaker for many years. We look forward to your engagement with the themes and issues contained in this special edition and in future editions of AJIE.
R u a smkn m0m?: Aspects of a Text Messaging Smoking Cessation/Reduction Intervention for Younger Mothers
Authors: Soklaridis Sophie , López Jenna , Czyzewski Karina , Dragonetti Rosa , Selby Peter
Published: December 2013

Introduction:Women who are younger in age are more likely to smoke during pregnancy and postpartum and tend to have less success with cessation/reduction. There is an unmet need for interventions targeted to pregnant and postpartum young women that provide them with support to quit/reduce long-term into the postpartum period and beyond.

Aims:Our study aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of the perspectives of young pregnant and postpartum women of text messaging (TM) as a conduit for smoking cessation/reduction, and to determine the appropriate content, frequency, duration and unique features needed for an effective cessation/reduction TM programme.

Methods:Six focus groups and six telephone interviews were convened with 36 pregnant and postpartum women 16–30 years of age.

Results:Three main themes were identified: 1) topic areas that women would like TM to focus on; 2) the need for messages to be tailored; and 3) the importance for the programme to take a woman-centered approach.

Conclusions:Respondents supported the idea of a TM cessation/reduction intervention and had clear programme recommendations. A personalised, woman-centered TM programme that meets a young woman's unique needs and addresses her concerns through her participation and direction is likely to empower and support her to quit/reduce.
Vegetable, fruit and nitrate intake in relation to the risk of Barrett's oesophagus in a large Dutch cohort
Authors: Keszei András. P. , Schouten Leo J. , Driessen Ann L. C. , Huysentruyt Clément J. R. , Keulemans Yolande C. A. , Goldbohm R. Alexandra , van den Brandt Piet A.
Published: December 2013

There are few epidemiological data on the dietary risk factors of Barrett's oesophagus, a precursor of oesophageal adenocarcinoma. The present study investigated the association between vegetable, fruit and nitrate intake and Barrett's oesophagus risk in a large prospective cohort. The Netherlands Cohort Study recruited 120 852 individuals aged 55–69 years in 1986. Vegetable and fruit intake was assessed using a 150-item FFQ, and nitrate intake from dietary sources and drinking water was determined. After 16·3 years of follow-up, 433 cases (241 men and 192 women) of Barrett's oesophagus with specialised intestinal metaplasia and 3717 subcohort members were analysed in a case–cohort design using Cox proportional hazards models while adjusting for potential confounders. Men exhibited a lower risk of Barrett's oesophagus in the highest v. the lowest quintile of total (multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio (HR): 0·66, 95 % CI 0·43, 1·01), raw (HR 0·63, 95 % CI 0·40, 0·99), raw leafy (HR 0·55, 95 % CI 0·36, 0·86) and Brassica (HR 0·64, 95 % CI 0·41, 1·00) vegetable intake. No association was found for other vegetable groups and fruits. No significant associations were found between vegetable and fruit intake and Barrett's oesophagus risk among women. Total nitrate intake was inversely associated with Barrett's disease risk in men (HR 0·50, 95 % CI 0·25, 0·99) and positively associated with it in women (HR 3·77, 95 % CI 1·68, 8·45) (P for interaction = 0·04). These results suggest that vegetable intake may contribute to the prevention of Barrett's oesophagus. The possible differential effect in men and women should be evaluated further.
DETERMINANTS OF SMALL SCALE DAIRY SHEEP PRODUCERS’ DECISIONS TO USE MIDDLEMEN FOR ACCESSING MARKETS AND GETTING LOANS IN DRY MARGINAL AREAS IN SYRIA
Authors: ABDELALI-MARTINI MALIKA , DHEHIBI BOUBAKER , AW-HASSAN ADEN
Published: December 2013

The paper describes value chain actors and institutional arrangements along value chains, and identifies major determinants of farmers’ decision making to work with middlemen/traders ‘jabbans’ (or cheese makers), and based on those identify short implications for research, development and policy processes. We hypothesize that small-scale sheep producers are more dependent on middlemen for market and loans than larger holders, leading to welfare losses. Our empirical findings based on a Heckman model applied for 120 farming households conducted in Khanasser region (Syria) show that despite unequal benefits, local arrangements are more blessing than curse for the poor. Small-scale sheep producers and middlemen developed intricate institutional arrangements that are mutually beneficial. Producers act collectively to pool sufficient quantity of milk to be attractive to traders (jabban) while gaining access to market and cash loans mainly for feed. This provides the middlemen needed supplies with reduced transaction costs. This suggests that development organizations should support local capacity of producing organizations to work together, small-scale producers to organize, develop small scale dairy processing workshops for pooling and possibly processing milk, support training for direct market access and facilitate access to loans. Finally, supporting organizations such as rural financial services and micro-finance need to ensure up-to-date market information is available to ensure fair prices are paid. They should also be able to negotiate favourable conditions for loans and reach out to these resource-poor rural populations where formal credit systems are absent.
YIELDS AND QUALITY OF PHASEOLUS BEAN CULTIVARS UNDER FARMERS’ CONDITIONS IN EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA
Authors: HØGH-JENSEN HENNING , KAMALONGO DONWELL , NGWIRA AMOS , MYAKA FIDELIS A.
Published: December 2013

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is a dominant grain legume in eastern and southern Africa, where it constitutes a major source of protein and microminerals in peoples’ diet. The current studies aimed at determining how initially promising genotypes of bean responded in terms of yield and grain element composition under farmers’ cropping conditions. It was found that variations between genotypes in the proportions of elements in the grain dry matter across a wide range of conditions could be linear with an additional 20% iron (Fe) or zinc (Zn) for some genotypes. However, this linearity was only identifiable under relatively favourable conditions. Further, a favourable season could enhance the proportion of Fe in the grains of the same genotypes by up to 20%, whereas Zn did not respond. Fe and Zn correlated only to some degree with P (r2 > 0.35). It is concluded that the supply of elements in the diet may best be secured by selecting for high-yielding cultivars as the amounts of phosphorus (P), Fe and Zn in the grains correlated strongly (r2 > 0.93) to the dry matter grain yield.
International Courts as Agents of Legal Change: Evidence from LGBT Rights in Europe
Authors: Helfer Laurence R. , Voeten Erik
Published: December 2013

Do international court judgments influence the behavior of actors other than the parties to a dispute? Are international courts agents of policy change or do their judgments merely reflect evolving social and political trends? We develop a theory that specifies the conditions under which international courts can use their interpretive discretion to have system-wide effects. We examine the theory in the context of European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) rulings on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues by creating a new data set that matches these rulings with laws in all Council of Europe (CoE) member states. We also collect data on LGBT policies unaffected by ECtHR judgments to control for the confounding effect of evolving trends in national policies. We find that ECtHR judgments against one country substantially increase the probability of national-level policy change across Europe. The marginal effects of the judgments are especially high where public acceptance of sexual minorities is low, but where national courts can rely on ECtHR precedents to invalidate domestic laws or where the government in power is not ideologically opposed to LGBT equality. We conclude by exploring the implications of our findings for other international courts.
The English Merchant and the Moroccan Sufi: Messianism and Mahdism in the Early Seventeenth Century
Authors: MATAR NABIL
Published: December 2013

This paper examines the relationship between an English factor, John Harrison, and a Moroccan Sufi rebel, Abu Maḥilli, in the first quarter of the seventeenth century. Although the two men never met, the revolt that Abu Maḥilli led against the Sa'dian rulers promoted mahdist/messianic goals which intersected with the commercial and eschatological strategies that Harrison was pursuing in Morocco.
The Consolation of Community: Innovation and Ideas of History in Ratpert's ‘Casus Sancti Galli’
Authors: PÖSSEL CHRISTINA
Published: December 2013

This paper takes the case study of a well-known but also rather poorly-regarded text, Ratpert of St Gall'sCasus Sancti Galli, to examine some of the methodological issues of modern historians reading medieval historians. It is argued that features of Ratpert of St Gall's monastic history which modern readers have found frustrating or even boring were actually the result of the author's specific rhetorical strategies and ideas of history. Ratpert developed an innovative way of writing the history of a Christian community in the mortal world. Unlike other monastic historians who were developing the genre at the time and who followed more hagiographical models, Ratpert chose to put the anonymous, timeless collective of the monks at the centre of his text. His idea of history suggests a lack of effective human agency in the world, in which ups and downs forever follow one another, and contrasts this with the eternity of God.
Relaxed states in electron-depleted electronegative dusty plasmas with two-negative ion species
Authors: Iqbal M.
Published: December 2013

The relaxation of an electron-depleted electronegative dusty plasma with two-negative ions is investigated. When the ratio of canonical vorticities to corresponding flows of all the plasma species is the same and all inertial and non-inertial forces are present, the relaxed state appears as a double Beltrami magnetic field which is the superposition of two force-free relaxed states. The numerical results show that highly diamagnetic relaxed magnetic fields can be obtained by controlling the flow and vorticities through a single Beltrami parameter. The study is useful to investigate the creation of diamagnetic plasma configurations which are considered to be very important in the context of nuclear fusion.
Electron dynamics inside a vacuum tube diode through linear differential equations
Authors: González Gabriel , Orozco Fco. Javier González
Published: December 2013

In this paper we analyze the motion of charged particles in a vacuum tube diode by solving linear differential equations. Our analysis is based on expressing the volume charge density as a function of the current density and coordinates only, i.e. ρ=ρ(J,z), while in the usual scheme the volume charge density is expressed as a function of the current density and electrostatic potential, i.e. ρ=ρ(J,V). We show that, in the case of slow varying charge density, the space-charge-limited current is reduced up to 50%. Our approach gives the well-known behavior of the classical current density proportional to the three-halves power of the bias potential and inversely proportional to the square of the gap distance between electrodes, and does not require the solution of the nonlinear differential equation normally associated with the Child–Langmuir formulation.
On error field penetration processes in magnetic island mode locking
Authors: Wang H. H. , Wang Z. X. , Wang X. G.
Published: December 2013

Error field penetration processes in magnetic island mode locking with the time-varying and fixed boundary perturbations are investigated numerically by using a two-dimensional resistive magnetohydrodynamic model in slab geometry. The evolution of various poloidal torques on the rational surface in the processes is analyzed in detail. In particular, three different states with the fixed boundary perturbations, viz. below the threshold (nearly locked regime), on the threshold (just locked regime), and above the threshold (strongly locked regime), are discussed and compared with the physical processes of the Rutherford regime.
A new species ofTritonia(Opisthobranchia: Nudibranchia: Tritoniidae) from the tropical South Atlantic Ocean
Authors: Silva Felipe de Vasconcelos , Azevedo Victor Manuel De , Matthews-Cascon Helena
Published: December 2013

A new species of the family Tritoniidae is described from the tropical South Atlantic Ocean. The animal was found off north-east Brazil.Tritonia khaleesisp. nov. is up to 12 mm long, with a slender white body, of which the notum is covered with one broad white band extending from between the eyes and veil to the tail; veil with 4 velar appendages; retractable white rhinophores; rhinophoral sheath with fleshy extension; seven pairs of branchial plumes; the anus is located between the 3rd and 4th gills on the right side, and the genital opening is under the 2nd gill. Internally,T. khaleesisp. nov. is distinguished from other tritoniids by jaws with 10–14 rows of denticles on the inner lips, absence of stomach plates and the radular formula 32 × 2–5.1.1.1.2–5 teeth.Tritonia khaleesisp. nov. is the onlyTritoniathat possesses a unicuspid rachidian tooth as an adult.
Species richness, relative abundance and dwarfism in Azorean bivalves: consequences of latitude, isolation or productivity? Or all three?
Authors: Morton Brian , Da Cunha Regina Tristão , De Frias Martins António M.
Published: December 2013

The Azorean seabed is depauperate in terms of bivalve species richness, there being only between ~70 and 80 recorded to date, most being sub-tidal and generally lacking of specialists. Analysis of large numbers (>3200) of Azorean bivalve shells has revealed that, overall, each species is only ~50% the shell length size of Mediterranean conspecifics. Thus, although Azorean bivalve size may be a consequence of decreasing latitude (Bergmann's Rule), the islands are located at approximately the same latitude as the Mediterranean (and are influenced by those waters) where larger conspecifics occur. Hence, the main reason for bivalve dwarfism in the archipelago appears to result from low oceanic productivity (Foster's Rule). This, in turn, is associated with low diversity, possibly resulting from past extinctions and isolation, and low population sizes, except forErvilia castanea, which here overwhelmingly occupies higher-energy inshore habitats and associated higher productivities. Nevertheless, this species too is dwarfed by mainland conspecifics. Similarly, the introducedVenerupis decussata, found solely within the lagoonal environment of Fajã de Santo Cristo on São Jorge, is somewhat smaller than its mainland conspecifics, although it is abundant enough to warrant artisanal exploitation. This study therefore, supports Foster's Rule and argues for the role of nutrient deficiency in regulating Azorean species richness and individual maximum size. In waters of locally higher productivities, however, population densities increase, but not size.
Inventory and comparison of abundance of parasitic copepods on fish hosts in the western Wadden Sea (North Sea) between 1968 and 2010
Authors: Koch Wouter , Boer Peter , Witte Johannes IJ. , Van der Veer Henk W. , Thieltges David W.
Published: December 2013

A conspicuous part of the parasite fauna of marine fish are ectoparasites, which attach mainly to the fins or gills. The abundant copepods have received much interest due to their negative effects on hosts. However, for many localities the copepod fauna of fish is still poorly known, and we know little about their temporal stability as long-term observations are largely absent. Our study provides the first inventory of ectoparasitic copepods on fish from the western Wadden Sea (North Sea) based on field data from 1968 and 2010 and additional unpublished notes. In total, 47 copepod parasite species have been recorded on 52 fish host species to date. For two copepod species parasitizing the European flounder (Platichthys flesus), a quantitative comparison of infection levels between 1968 and 2010 was possible. Whereas Acanthochondria cornuta did not show a change in the relationship between host size and infection levels, Lepeophtheirus pectoralis shifted towards the infection of smaller hosts, with higher infection levels in 2010 compared to 1968. These differences probably reflect the biology of the species and the observed decrease in abundance and size of flounders during the last decades. The skin-infecting L. pectoralis can probably compensate for dwindling host abundance by infecting smaller fish and increasing its abundance per given host size. In contrast, the gill cavity inhabiting A. cornuta probably faces a spatial constraint (fixed number of gill arches), thus limiting its abundance and setting a minimum for the host size necessary for infections.
‘Yeh azaadi jhooti hai!’: The shaping of the opposition in the first year of the Congress raj
Authors: SHARMA SHALINI
Published: December 2013

Within a year of Indian independence, the Communist Party of India declared independence to be a false dawn and the whole Socialist bloc within the ruling Indian National Congress cut its ties with the national government. The speed with which the left disengaged from what had been a patriotic alliance under colonialism surprised many at the time and has perplexed historians ever since. Some have looked to the wider context of the Cold War to explain the onset of dissent within the Indian left. This paper points instead to the neglected domestic context, examining the lines of inclusion and exclusion that were drawn up in the process of the making of the new Indian constitution. Once in power, Congress leaders recalibrated their relationship with their former friends at the radical end of the political spectrum. Despite some of the well-known differences among leading Congress personalities, they spoke as one on industrial labour and the illegitimacy of strikes as a political weapon in the first year of national rule and declared advocates of class politics to be enemies of the Indian state. Congress thus attempted to sideline the Socialists and Communists and brand them as unacceptable in the new regime. This paper focuses on this first year of independence, emphasizing how rapidly the limits of Indian democracy were set in place.
Multi-locus sequence typing confirms the clonality ofTrichomonas gallinaeisolates circulating in European finches
Authors: GANAS PETRA , JASKULSKA BARBARA , LAWSON BECKI , ZADRAVEC MARKO , HESS MICHAEL , BILIC IVANA
Published: December 2013

In recent years,Trichomonas gallinaeemerged as the causative agent of an infectious disease of passerine birds in Europe leading to epidemic mortality of especially greenfinchesChloris chlorisand chaffinchesFringilla coelebs. After the appearance of finch trichomonosis in the UK and Fennoscandia, the disease spread to Central Europe. Finch trichomonosis first reached Austria and Slovenia in 2012. In the present study the genetic heterogeneity ofT. gallinaeisolates from incidents in Austria and Slovenia were investigated and compared with British isolates. For this purpose comparative sequence analyses of the four genomic loci ITS1-5.8S-ITS2, 18S rRNA,rpb1and Fe-hydrogenase were performed. The results corroborate that one clonalT. gallinaestrain caused the emerging infectious disease within passerine birds and that the disease is continuing to spread in Europe. The same clonal strain was also found in a columbid bird from Austria. Additionally, the present study demonstrates clearly the importance of multi-locus sequence typing for discrimination of circulatingT. gallinaestrains.
Prevalence of anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antibodies in patients with schizophrenia and related psychoses: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Pollak T. A. , McCormack R. , Peakman M. , Nicholson T. R. , David A. S.
Published: December 2013

Background

Anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor encephalitis is an autoimmune condition caused by immunoglobulin (Ig)G antibodies directed against the NR1 subunit of the NMDA glutamate receptor. Approximately 65% of cases present with psychiatric symptoms, particularly psychosis. It remains to be established whether anti-NMDA receptor antibodies can cause a ‘purely’ psychotic illness without overt neurological symptoms.

Method

We conducted a systematic literature search to establish what proportion of patients with schizophrenia and related psychoses have antibodies directed against the NMDA receptor. Studies were included if (a) subjects had a diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizophrenia spectrum disorder or first-episode psychosis (FEP) using standard criteria, (b) serum was analysed for the presence of anti-NMDA receptor antibodies; and (c) the purpose of the study was to look for the presence of anti-NMDA receptor antibodies in patients with a primary psychiatric diagnosis without clinical signs of encephalitis.

Results

Seven studies were included, comprising 1441 patients, of whom 115 [7.98%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 6.69–9.50] were anti-NMDA receptor antibody positive. Of these, 21 (1.46%, 95% CI 0.94–2.23) patients were positive for antibodies of the IgG subclass. Prevalence rates were greater in cases than controls only for IgG antibodies; other subclasses are of less certain aetiological relevance. There was significant heterogeneity in terms of patient characteristics and the antibody assay used.

Conclusions

A minority of patients with psychosis are anti-NMDA receptor antibody positive. It remains to be established whether this subset of patients differs from antibody-negative patients in terms of underlying pathology and response to antipsychotic treatment, and whether immunomodulatory treatments are effective in alleviating psychotic symptoms in this group.
Road construction enables establishment of a novel predator category to resident anuran community: a case study from a primary lowland Bornean rain forest
Authors: Konopik Oliver , Linsenmair Karl-Eduard , Grafe T. Ulmar
Published: December 2013

For a total of 17 mo, we investigated the impact of a road constructed through pristine tropical lowland rain forest, on the composition and structure of the resident anuran community in the Ulu Temburong National Park (Brunei Darussalam). One year after road construction, eight new anuran species had immigrated into the impacted area. Encounter surveys were conducted and radio-transmitters attached to a total of 16 frogs to identify habitat use and distribution of the largest (>130 mm SVL) immigrant species (Limnonectes ingeri) in comparison with a similar sized resident congener. A strong preference for roadside habitat was found for the immigrant. However, several incursions of more than 500 m beyond the road into the pristine forest were also recorded. Over 200 stomach content samples as well as stable nitrogen isotope ratios of 76 individuals were used to assess the trophic ecology of the two species. Invertebrate diet composition did not differ. However, the immigrant species ate over 400% more frogs than its resident congener and had a significantly higher δ15N ratio, indicating a higher position in the food web. This suggests that L. ingeri acts as a new top frog predator in the system and indicates that it may have a significant negative impact on the local anuran community. Overall, road construction in the absence of logging has led to the immigration of new frog species with impacts far beyond the linear disturbance of the road itself.
GENERALIZED BIRTHDAY PROBLEMS IN THE LARGE-DEVIATIONS REGIME
Authors: Mandjes M. , Eurandom
Published: December 2013

This paper considers generalized birthday problems, in which there aredclasses of possible outcomes. A fractionfiof theNpossible outcomes has probability αi/N, where$\sum_{i=1}^{d} f_{i} =\sum_{i=1}^{d} f_{i}\alpha_{i}=1$. Samplingktimes (with replacements), the objective is to determine (or approximate) the probability that all outcomes are different, the so-calleduniqueness probability(or:no-coincidence probability). Although it is trivial to explicitly characterize this probability for the cased=1, the situation with multiple classes is substantially harder to analyze.

Parameterizingk≡aN, it turns out that the uniqueness probability decays essentially exponentially inN, where the associated decay rate ζ follows from a variational problem. Only for smalldthis can be solved in closed form. Assuming αiis of the form 1+φiɛ, the decay rate ζ can be written as a power series in ɛ; we demonstrate how to compute the corresponding coefficients explicitly. Also, a logarithmically efficient simulation procedure is proposed. The paper concludes with a series of numerical experiments, showing that (i) the proposed simulation approach is fast and accurate, (ii) assuming all outcomes equally likely would lead to estimates for the uniqueness probability that can be orders of magnitude off, and (iii) the power-series based approximations work remarkably well.
BOOTSTRAP PERCOLATION ON RANDOM GEOMETRIC GRAPHS
Authors: Bradonjić Milan , Saniee Iraj
Published: December 2013

Bootstrap percolation (BP) has been used effectively to model phenomena as diverse as emergence of magnetism in materials, spread of infection, diffusion of software viruses in computer networks, adoption of new technologies, and emergence of collective action and cultural fads in human societies. It is defined on an (arbitrary) network of interacting agents whose state is determined by the state of their neighbors according to a threshold rule. In a typical setting, BP starts by random and independent “activation” of nodes with a fixed probabilityp, followed by a deterministic process for additional activations based on the density of active nodes in each neighborhood (θ activated nodes). Here, we study BP on random geometric graphs (RGGs) in the regime when the latter are (almost surely) connected. Random geometric graphs provide an appropriate model in settings where the neighborhood structure of each node is determined by geographical distance, as in wirelessad hocand sensor networks as well as in contagion. We derive boundspc′,pc″ on the critical thresholds such that for allp > p″cfull percolation takes place, whereas forp < p′cit does not. We conclude with simulations that compare numerical thresholds with those obtained analytically.