bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Patient awareness, knowledge and use of colchicine: an exploratory qualitative study in the Counties Manukau region, Auckland, New Zealand
Authors: Rebello Caraliese , Thomson Maree , Bassett-Clarke Deborah , Martini Nataly
Published: August 2016

Abstract INTRODUCTION Treatment of gout, specifically with colchicine, varies globally. Colchicine can be fatal due to its narrow therapeutic index and potential for interactions. In New Zealand, cases of intentional and unintentional colchicine overdose have been documented. AIMS To explore patients’ knowledge on the use of gout medicines, and in particular their awareness of the maximum dose of colchicine, the dangers of colchicine overdose, and their opinions on restricting colchicine dispensing. The study also investigates where patients receive gout information. METHODS Thirty people with gout presenting to their regular gout clinic in Auckland currently or previously taking colchicine were invited to participate in a 30-min semi-structured interview. Data were analysed using a general inductive thematic approach. FINDINGS Overall, participants had a lack of knowledge regarding colchicine and used variable doses during an acute gout attack. Participants were unsure of the maximum dose of colchicine and several took more than prescribed. The prophylactic use of colchicine and allopurinol varied from 3 weeks to 15 years. Mixed views were reported on restricting colchicine supply. Most participants received gout information from their general practitioner (GP). CONCLUSION Poor understanding of colchicine contributed to inappropriate use and highlights the need for targeted patient education. Considerable inter-patient variability exists in the use of colchicine for acute gout, suggesting the efficacy of low dose regimens be explored. The length of adjunctive colchicine use, as part of a prophylaxis regimen, needs to be regularly reviewed and tailored to each patient. Further research is required on limiting the amount of colchicine dispensed.
Master of Primary Health Care degree: who wants it and why?
Authors: Andrews Abby , Wallis Katharine A. , Goodyear-Smith Felicity
Published: August 2016

Abstract INTRODUCTION The Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care at the University of Auckland is considering developing a Master of Primary Health Care (MPHC) programme. Masters level study entails considerable investment of both university and student time and money. AIM To explore the views of potential students and possible employers of future graduates to discover whether there is a market for such a programme and to inform the development of the programme. METHODS Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 primary health care stakeholders. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed and analysed using a general inductive approach to identify themes. FINDINGS Primary care practitioners might embark on MPHC studies to develop health management and leadership skills, to develop and/or enhance clinical skills, to enhance teaching and research skills, or for reasons of personal interest. Barriers to MPHC study were identified as cost and a lack of funding, time constraints and clinical workload. Study participants favoured inter-professional learning and a flexible delivery format. Pre-existing courses may already satisfy the post-graduate educational needs of primary care practitioners. Masters level study may be superfluous to the needs of the primary care workforce. CONCLUSIONS Any successful MPHC programme would need to provide value for PHC practitioner students and be unique. The postgraduate educational needs of New Zealand primary care practitioners may be already catered for. The international market for a MPHC programme is yet to be explored.
Vocational thresholds: developing expertise without certainty in general practice medicine
Authors: Vaughan Karen
Published: August 2016

Abstract INTRODUCTION This paper argues that particular experiences in the workplace are more important than others and can lead to transformational learning. This may enable practitioners to cross ‘vocational thresholds’ to new ways of being. AIM A notion of ‘vocational thresholds’ is developed, aiming to help build an understanding of the most powerful learning experiences of general practitioners (GPs). Vocational thresholds takes its cue from the idea of ‘threshold concepts’ - concepts that transform perspectives and integrate previously disconnected or hidden knowledge, sometimes in ways that are ‘troublesome’ to previously held beliefs. METHODS The paper is based on a thematic analysis of 57 GPs’ brief written accounts of a particularly powerful learning experience during their development. Accounts were provided in a conference session about an ongoing study of workplace-based structured learning arrangements in the fields of general practice medicine, engineering, and building. FINDINGS Most GPs’ accounts focused on development of dispositional attributes that moved them to a new understanding of themselves in relation to their work and patients. Just under two-thirds picked out informal and formal collegial relationships within purposeful learning arrangements as pivotal. A third picked out direct experiences with patients as shifting their perspective. CONCLUSION The emergent idea of vocational thresholds is offered as a way to frame the most important learning experiences identified by GPs. It supports a focus in early and ongoing development beyond accumulating clinical expertise and skills (knowing and doing), to dispositional capability (being) - vital for practitioners negotiating inherent and daily uncertainty. KEYWORDS General practitioners; Medical education; Vocational education; Identity; Learning experiences; Threshold concepts
Using run charts for cardiovascular disease risk assessments in general practice
Authors: Wells Susan , Rafter Natasha , Eggleton Kyle , Turner Catherine , Huang Ying , Bullen Chris
Published: August 2016

Abstract

INTRODUCTION
Run charts are quality improvement tools.

AIM
To investigate the feasibility and acceptability of run charts displaying weekly cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk assessments in general practice and assess their impact on CVD risk assessments.

METHODS
A controlled non-randomised observational study in nine practices using run charts and nine control practices. We measured the weekly proportion of eligible patients with completed CVD risk assessments for 19 weeks before and after run charts were introduced into intervention practices. A random coefficients model determined changes in CVD risk assessment rates (slope) from pre- to post- intervention by aggregating and comparing intervention and control practices’ mean slopes. We interviewed staff in intervention practices about their use of run charts.

RESULTS
Seven intervention practices used their run chart; six consistently plotting weekly data for >12 weeks and positioning charts in a highly visible place. Staff reported that charts were easy to use, a visual reminder for ongoing team efforts, and useful for measuring progress. There were no significant differences between study groups: the mean difference in pre- to post-run chart slope in the intervention group was 0.03% more CVD risk assessments per week; for the control group the mean difference was 0.07%. The between group difference was 0.04% per week (95% CI: –0.26 to 0.35, P = 0.77).

DISCUSSION
Run charts are feasible in everyday general practice and support team processes. There were no differences in CVD risk assessment between the two groups, likely due to national targets driving performance at the time of the study.
International sore throat guidelines and international medical graduates: a mixed methods systematic review
Authors: Hoare Karen J. , Ward Erin , Arroll Bruce
Published: August 2016

ABSTRACT
AIM
To examine national and international guidelines on sore throat management and subsequently, to explore the phenomenon of international medical graduates working in general and rural practice in New Zealand.

METHOD
Two separate systematic reviews were conducted that resulted in a contingent methodology. Contingent methodologies involve syntheses of data that are derived sequentially. The initial review for this study examined international sore throat guidelines and their key points. The results of this initial review resulted in the theory that international medical graduates may be unaware of the New Zealand specific sore throat guidelines and the problem of acute rheumatic fever in this country. The subsequent review examined the phenomenon of international medical graduates working in general or rural practice in New Zealand. Data sources were Medline, Google Scholar, Trip Database, and NHS Evidence, Embase and Scopus. Electronic databases were searched for relevant data published January 2000–December 2013. Additional hand searches found key references from articles and websites.

RESULTS
International guidelines for the management of sore throats differ from New Zealand guidelines. Of resource rich countries, New Zealand has the second highest number of international medical graduates: they may not use New Zealand specific sore throat guidelines.

DISCUSSION
Acute rheumatic fever is virtually eradicated in most resource rich countries. Rheumatic fever rates of among indigenous Māori and Pacifika people in New Zealand have failed to reduce over the last three decades. Knowledge and actions of international medical graduates in relation to sore throat management needs investigating.

KEYWORDS
Sore throats; acute rheumatic fever; clinical guidelines; international medical graduates; mixed methods review
Symptoms and signs of acromegaly: an ongoing need to raise awareness among healthcare practitioners
Authors: Zarool-Hassan Redzuan , Conaglen Helen M. , Conaglen John V. , Elston Marianne S.
Published: August 2016

Abstract

INTRODUCTION
Chronic excess growth hormone production results in acromegaly, a condition associated with widespread physical changes, including soft tissue and bony overgrowth. When untreated, acromegaly reduces life expectancy. Patients usually remain undiagnosed for years after the onset of symptoms, by which stage irreversible physical changes have often occurred.

METHOD
A cross-sectional questionnaire study involving patients with acromegaly from the Waikato Endocrine Unit and the New Zealand Acromegaly Society evaluated features of acromegaly that were present before diagnosis. The aim of this study was to identify acromegaly features that were most prevalent to promote increased awareness about the disease by healthcare providers.

RESULTS
81 participants were included. The main pre-diagnosis physical changes participants reported were acral changes, alterations in facial features and oral symptoms. For some, these features were present for more than 10 years before the acromegaly diagnosis. Multiple co-morbidities associated with acromegaly were reported. Two-thirds of the participants felt that an earlier diagnosis was possible. Most participants were in contact with General Practitioners (GPs) and/or dentists before diagnosis. Endocrinologists had the highest diagnosis rate, followed by GPs. Dentists had a low diagnosis rate despite a high prevalence of oral symptoms among study participants.

CONCLUSION
Increased awareness of acromegaly among primary care clinicians is important as they are the first-point-of-contact with the healthcare system for most patients. Health professionals’ early recognition of symptoms and signs of acromegaly would reduce delays in time-to-diagnosis, enable earlier treatment and may improve outcomes for patients with acromegaly.

MESH KEYWORDS
Acromegaly; symptoms; delayed diagnosis; clinicians; primary healthcare
New Zealand among global social media initiative leaders for primary care advocacy
Authors: Hoedebecke Kyle , Scott-Jones Joseph , Pinho-Costa Luís
Published: August 2016

Abstract
The international ‘#1WordforFamilyMedicine’ initiative explores the identity of General Practitioners (GPs) and Family Physicians (FPs) by allowing the international Family Medicine community to collaborate on advocating for the discipline via social media. The New Zealand version attracted 83 responses on social media. Thematic analysis was performed on the responses and a ‘word cloud’ image was created based on an image identifying the country around the world - that of the silver fern. The ‘#1WorldforFamilyMedicine’ project was promoted by WONCA (World Organisation of Family Doctors) globally to help celebrate World Family Doctor Day on 19 May 2015. To date, over 80 images have been created in 60 different countries on six continents. The images represent GPs’ love for their profession and the community they serve. We hope that this initiative will help inspire current and future Family Medicine and Primary Care providers.
Outcomes of a community-based lifestyle programme for adults with diabetes or pre-diabetes
Authors: Higgs Chris , Skinner Margot , Hale Leigh
Published: August 2016

Abstract INTRODUCTION Diabetes, a long-term condition increasing in prevalence, requires ongoing healthcare management. Exercise alongside lifestyle education and support is effective for diabetes management. AIM To investigate clinical outcomes and acceptability of a community-based lifestyle programme for adults with diabetes/prediabetes at programme completion and 3-month follow-up. METHODS The 12-week community programme included twice-weekly sessions of self-management education and exercise, supervised by a physiotherapist, physiotherapy students and a nurse. Clinical outcomes assessed were cardiorespiratory fitness, waist circumference, exercise behaviour and self-efficacy. A standardised evaluation form was used to assess programme acceptability. RESULTS Clinically significant improvements were found from baseline (n = 36) to programme completion (n = 25) and 3-months follow-up (n = 20) for the six minute walk test (87 m (95%CI 65–109; p ≤ 0.01), 60 m (95%CI 21–100; p ≤ 0.01)), waist circumference (−3 cm (95%CI −6 to –1), −3 cm (95%CI –6 to 1)), exercise behaviour (aerobic exercise 53 min/week (95%CI 26 to 81; p ≤ 0.01), 71 min/week (95%CI 25 to 118; p ≤ 0.01)) and self-efficacy (0.7 (95%CI −0.2 to 1.6), 0.8 (95%CI 0.04 to 1.5)). Good programme acceptability was demonstrated by themes suggesting a culturally supportive, motivating, friendly, informative atmosphere within the programme. The attrition rate was 30% but there were no adverse medical events related to the programme. DISCUSSION The programme was safe and culturally acceptable and outcomes demonstrated clinical benefit to participants. The attrition rate was largely due to medical reasons unrelated to the programme. This model of a community-based lifestyle programme has the potential to be reproduced in other regions and in adults with similar long-term conditions. KEYWORDS Diabetes Mellitus Type II; Prediabetic state; Co-morbidity; Exercise; Self-management
New Zealand women’s experience during their first year of Jadelle® contraceptive implant
Authors: Roke Christine , Roberts Helen , Whitehead Anna
Published: August 2016

ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
Subsidisation of the levonorgestrel-releasing Jadelle® contraceptive implant in 2010 resulted in a rapid uptake. Clinicians had little prior experience of client satisfaction, side effect profile, and removal rate of this contraceptive method.

AIM
To obtain information on satisfaction, bleeding patterns, continuation rates and reasons for removal for New Zealand women during their first year of use of a subsidised contraceptive implant, Jadelle®.

METHODS
Women having a Jadelle® implant inserted in New Zealand Family Planning clinics were recruited to be followed up by phone, text or email at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. They were asked about their bleeding pattern, satisfaction and their views on benefits of, or problems with, implant use.

RESULTS
252 women were recruited. The three common bleeding patterns in the cohort were regular periods, amenorrhoea and irregular bleeding. Eighteen percent had their implant removed within the first year with more than half of those being unhappy with their bleeding pattern. This was usually prolonged bleeding. Otherwise satisfaction rates were high throughout the year.

DISCUSSION
The majority of New Zealand women using Jadelle® were satisfied with this method of contraception during their first year of use. Implant removals were most likely to be related to prolonged bleeding. However the commonest bleeding pattern was regular periods.

KEYWORDS
Contraceptive implant; progestin; bleeding; satisfaction; continuation rate; reducing reproductive health inequalities
A proposed Primary Health Early Warning Score (PHEWS) with emphasis on early detection of sepsis in the elderly
Authors: Anderson Ian
Published: August 2016

ABSTRACT

There are several secondary care early warning scores which alert for severe illness including sepsis. None are specifically adjusted for primary care. A Primary Health Early Warning Score (PHEWS) is proposed which incorporates practical parameters from both secondary and primary care.

KEYWORDS:
Emergency medical services; acute care; sepsis; early intervention
New Zealand needs a Practice Based Research Network
Authors: Leitch Sharon
Published: August 2016

ABSTRACT
Practice Based Research Networks (PBRNs) are groups of general practices collaborating to produce research. Contemporary New Zealand health information technology systems are ideal for electronic data extraction for PBRN research. Stakeholders have a valuable, but typically underutilised, part to play in research. Development of an e-participation platform will facilitate stakeholder engagement. New Zealand is in a unique position to create an innovative, low cost, stakeholder-engaged PBRN. This type of PBRN would offer unparalleled research opportunities, and would strengthen New Zealand’s general practice research capacity. The more research information we have based on our New Zealand population, the more appropriate care we can provide. Establishing a stakeholder-engaged PBRN in New Zealand will promote and support transformational change within our health system.
In June 2015 I had the privilege of attending the annual Practice Based Research Network (PBRN) Conference held in Bethesda, near Washington D.C. The conference is hosted by the North American Primary Care Research Group and the United States (US) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. In this article I draw on the knowledge I gained at that conference and discuss its translation to New Zealand.
Vaikoloa: Understanding depression in Tokelauan people in New Zealand
Authors: Loan Iain , Cunningham Wayne , Jaye Chrystal
Published: August 2016

ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND
The Tokelauan language lacks a word for ‘depression’ and this can make diagnosing and treating depression in Tokelauan patients difficult for general practitioners.

AIMS
To describe the experience of depression in Tokelauans and thereby assist diagnosis and treatment of the illness.

METHOD
Ten semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted. The transcripts were thematically analysed using an immersion crystallisation technique.

RESULTS
An illness involving profound sadness exists in the Tokelauan culture. Tokelauans recognise isolation and withdrawal from family and community activities as indicators of extreme sadness. Privacy and pride are important cultural characteristics, which may be barriers to recognising sadness. Often the smiling Tokelauan face becomes the mask hiding sadness.

CONCLUSION
This research demonstrates the complexity of relationships between patients, their illness and their culture, that impacts on how depression manifests. This research indicates that therapy must have a whole person approach involving family, church, community and patients’ spiritual beliefs.

KEYWORDS
Depression; Pacific health
The care work of general practice receptionists
Authors: Neuwelt Pat M. , Kearns Robin A. , Cairns Isobel R.
Published: August 2016

Abstract INTRODUCTION The care work of general practice receptionists has received limited research attention, despite receptionists position at the beginning of patients’ journeys in many health care systems. We examine receptionists’ perceptions of their work and the opportunities and constraints they experience in caring for patients while providing administrative support to practices. METHODS Data were collected in focus group interviews with 32 receptionists from urban and rural general practices in the Auckland and Northland regions of New Zealand. We employed tools from inductive thematic analysis and Straussian grounded theory in interpreting the data. FINDINGS We found that the way receptionists identified with a caring role strongly challenged the pejorative view of them in public discourse. Receptionists provide care in two key ways: for the practice and for patients. The juggling they do between the demands of the practice and of patients creates considerable work tensions that are often invisible to other staff members. CONCLUSION Receptionists have a critical role as the first step in the patient care pathway, bridging health care system and community. For general practice to be patient-centred and improve accessibility for the most vulnerable, the care work of receptionists must be considered core. KEYWORDS Receptionists; general practice; care; New Zealand
Deprescribing in a family health team: a study of chronic proton pump inhibitor use
Authors: Walsh Kate , Kwan Debbie , Marr Patricia , Papoushek Christine , Lyon W. Kirk
Published: August 2016

Abstract BACKGROUND Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are often used inappropriately, without an indication, or for longer durations than recommended. Few tools exist to guide reassessment of their continued use and deprescribing if required. We aimed to reduce inappropriate drug use by developing and implementing a PPI deprescribing tool and process in a family medicine unit. ASSESSMENT OF PROBLEM Primary care providers of adults taking a PPI for 8 weeks with an upcoming periodic health examination were reminded to reassess therapy via electronic medical record (EMR) messaging. A PPI Deprescribing Tool was uploaded into the EMR as a second reminder and to guide reassessment and deprescribing where indicated. Ten weeks after the examination a chart review assessed changes to PPI use. A follow up survey of providers assessed the utility and barriers to implementing the Deprescribing Tool. RESULTS Forty-three of 46 patients on PPIs (93%) had their PPI reassessed, resulting in 11 patients (26%) having their PPI deprescribed. Strategies for Improvement Routine reassessment of long-term medications is often overlooked because of extensive demands on primary care providers’ time. Deprescribing likely improved because potentially eligible patients were identified to the provider and a tool was provided at the time of the encounter to guide the deprescribing process. LESSONS Reassessment and deprescribing of PPIs can be supported by implementing a standardised process and use of guidance tools for clinicians. Providers found the timely and selective reminder message to deprescribe the most useful component of the intervention. KEYWORDS proton pump inhibitor; deprescribing; reassessment; primary care; medication therapy management; gastroesophageal reflux disease
Educating vocationally trained family physicians: a survey of graduates from a postgraduate medical education programme
Authors: Cunningham Wayne K. , Dovey Susan M.
Published: August 2016

Abstract

INTRODUCTION
Since 1991 the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand has offered postgraduate qualifications specifically designed to educate general practitioners (GPs) about their unique work environment.

AIM
To determine motivations and impacts of postgraduate education for practising GPs.

METHODS
Survey of the 100 graduates of the University of Otago, Dunedin postgraduate general practice programme. Ninety five living graduates were approached and 70 (73.7%) responded. Quantitative data about disposition of respondents before enrolling and after completion of the programme were analysed using chi-square and paired t-tests. Free text responses about motivations, impacts and outcomes of the program were thematically analysed.

RESULTS
64 GPs graduated with a postgraduate diploma and 36 with a masters degree in general practice. Although the mean number of graduates was 3.5 and 2.0 (respectively), annual enrolments averaged 25.1. Most graduates (60.9%) were aged in their 40s when they started studying and most (94.3%) had a spouse and/or children at home.
Intellectual stimulation and challenge motivated study. Outcomes included perceived improvement of medical care delivery; development of critical thinking about medical epistemology, education, and research; and personal growth. Graduates increased engagement in academic and advisory roles, published papers, and some completed doctoral studies.
Respondents valued scholarship and enjoyed the learning environment, but felt their qualification had low perceived value within the profession. Cost and a perception of time commitment were important barriers to study.

DISCUSSION
This voluntary postgraduate medical education complements traditional medical training but has low external value despite personal, practising and professional benefits. Graduates valued engagement above completion of a qualification.

KEYWORDS
Medical education; general practitioners; scholarship; professionalism
Possible effects of irrigation with wastewater on the clay mineralogy of some Australian clayey soils: laboratory study
Authors: Marchuk Serhiy , Churchman Jock , Rengasamy Pichu
Published: August 2016

Potassium is common in a wide variety of wastewaters and in some wastewaters is present at several hundred to several thousand mg L–1. Potassium is taken up by expandable clays leading to its fixation and illitisation of smectitic and vermiculitic layers. Hence the addition of wastewaters to soils may lead to mineralogical changes in the soils that affect their physico-chemical properties.
Winery wastewater was equilibrated with clay-rich soils from Southern Australia. X-ray diffraction patterns and chemical composition of clays extracted from untreated and treated soils were determined. In three of the four soils, shifts in peak positions occurred towards more illitic components along with increases in K and sometimes also Mg and Na contents of soil clays. Peak decomposition showed trends towards the formation of interstratifications of illite with smectite at the expense of smectite and an alteration of poorly crystallised illite into its more well-ordered forms. The results show that illitisation may occur as a result of the addition of K-rich wastewaters to clayey soils.
Soil inorganic carbon in Pampean agroecosystems: distribution and relationships with soil properties in Buenos Aires province
Authors: Civeira Gabriela
Published: August 2016

Changes in contents of soil organic carbon and soil inorganic carbon (SOC and SIC, respectively) could have a great effect on the global carbon balance. Quantifying SIC at regional level is essential in climate change models. The spatial distribution of SIC depends on climate, soil particle size, soil type, landscape position and SOC fraction, among other factors. This study compared the SIC storage in soil profiles at different depths in different soil great groups and landscape positions in Buenos Aires province, Argentina. The objectives were to: (i) quantify SIC content and distribution in the soil profile (depths of 0–20, 20–100 and 0–100 cm) for different soil types and landscape positions; (ii) identify relationships between the distribution of SIC and edaphic properties; and (iii) analyse the relationship between SIC and SOC in soils of the area. The analysis was based on 150 soil profiles of Argiudolls, Hapludolls, Natraquolls and Haplustolls from Buenos Aires province. The data on SIC were expressed by soil great group, landscape position (summit, shoulder slope and toe slope) and depth in the soil profile (0–20, 20–100 and 0–100 cm). In the whole profile (0–100 cm) the order of decrease for SIC was Haplustolls > Hapludolls > Natraquolls > Argiudolls. Concentrations of SIC for landscape positions were shoulder slope > toe slope > summit. pH was positively correlated with SIC content within the 100-cm soil depth and in the AC horizon in Haplustolls (P < 0.05), and with SIC content in the C horizons in Hapludolls and Haplustolls. Silt was positively correlated with SIC in Haplustolls. There were changes in the contents of SIC due to increased SOC. Landscape position and great group determined the distribution of SIC in these Pampean agroecosystems. These results may be useful to predict SIC responses to land use change at local and regional levels.
Influence of the wetting process on estimation of the water-retention curve of tilled soils
Authors: Moret-Fernández D. , Peña-Sancho C. , López M. V.
Published: August 2016

Correct estimation of the soil-water retention curve (WRC) is of paramount importance to characterise the hydraulic behaviour of soils. This paper studies the influence of two different soil-wetting processes (waterlogging soil, WP; capillary rise to saturation, CRP) on the estimate of the WRC. The two procedures were applied on undisturbed loam soil samples with three degrees of soil structure: (i) consolidated soils under conventional tillage (CT), reduced tillage (RT) and no tillage (NT); (ii) freshly tilled soil under CT and RT; and (iii) CT and RT after secondary tillage plus some intense rainfalls events. WRCs were estimated with time-domain reflectometry (TDR) pressure cells and volumetric water content was measured at saturation conditions (for the WP method) and at pressure heads of 0.5, 1.5, 3, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500 and 1500 kPa. The same cores were used to determine the soil bulk density (ρb), which was subsequently used to estimate the saturated water content under CRP. The ρb value of the consolidated soil under NT was significantly higher (P < 0.001) than under CT and RT. No effect of the wetting process on the WRC of consolidated soils was observed. Only the freshly tilled soil samples under RT were significantly affected by the wetting process. In these cases, the water draining after WP collapsed the more unstable soil macropores and increased the volume of the smaller ones. However, this effect was minimised by the CRP method, which prevented the collapse of the more unstable soil pores. This work demonstrates that the soil-wetting process may have an important effect on the characterisation of the water-holding capacity on freshly tilled soils.
The relationship between space and mutual interaction: Kant contra Newton and Leibniz
Authors: Messina James
Published: August 2016

Kant claims that we cannot cognize the mutual interaction of substances without their being in space; he also claims that we cannot cognize a ‘spatial community’ among substances without their being in mutual interaction. I situate these theses in their historical context and consider Kant’s reasons for accepting them. I argue that they rest on commitments regarding the metaphysical grounding of, first, the possibility of mutual interaction among substances-as-appearances and, second, the actuality of specific distance-relations among such substances. By illuminating these commitments, I shed light on Kant’s metaphysics of space and its relation to Newton and Leibniz’s views.
The Role of Emotional Language in Briefs before the US Supreme Court
Authors: Black Ryan C. , Hall Matthew E. K. , Owens Ryan J. , Ringsmuth Eve M.
Published: August 2016

The legal brief is a primary vehicle by which lawyers seek to persuade appellate judges. Despite wide acceptance that briefs are important, empirical scholarship has yet to establish their influence on the Supreme Court or fully explore justices’ preferences regarding them. We argue that emotional language conveys a lack of credibility to justices and thereby diminishes the party’s likelihood of garnering justices’ votes. The data concur. Using an automated textual analysis program, we find that parties who employ less emotional language in their briefs are more likely to win a justice’s vote, a result that holds even after controlling for other features correlated with success, such as case quality. These findings suggest that advocates seeking to influence judges can enhance their credibility and attract justices’ votes by employing measured, objective language.
Convergence of graphs with intermediate density
Authors: Frenkel Péter
Published: August 2016

We propose a notion of graph convergence that interpolates between the Benjamini–Schramm convergence of bounded degree graphs and the dense graph convergence developed by László Lovász and his coauthors. We prove that spectra of graphs, and also some important graph parameters such as numbers of colorings or matchings, behave well in convergent graph sequences. Special attention is given to graph sequences of large essential girth, for which asymptotics of coloring numbers are explicitly calculated. We also treat numbers of matchings in approximately regular graphs.

We introduce tentative limit objects that we call graphonings because they are common generalizations of graphons and graphings. Special forms of these, called Hausdorff and Euclidean graphonings, involve geometric measure theory. We construct Euclidean graphonings that provide limits of hypercubes and of finite projective planes, and, more generally, of a wide class of regular sequences of large essential girth. For any convergent sequence of large essential girth, we construct weaker limit objects: an involution invariant probability measure on the sub-Markov space of consistent measure sequences (this is unique), or an acyclic reversible sub-Markov kernel on a probability space (non-unique). We also pose some open problems.
Identify Potential Solutions
Authors: Chevallier Arnaud
Published: August 2016

The fifth chapter, “Identify potential solutions,” shows how to start the active search for a solution. Building on the diagnosis, it explains how to frame the solution phase, develop a solution key question, and capture it in a how card. The chapter also demonstrates how to use a solution map to identify and organize potential solutions. It describes how to promote divergent thinking in finding solutions through looking for alternative ways to answer the key question, rather than focusing on the sequential steps needed to implement one solution. The chapter also provides additional suggestions for following the four rules of issue maps, including ideas to work effectively in groups, to leverage teams made up of people with different expertise, and to identify when a map is sufficiently explicit. It also describes three dynamics to help groups be creative—brainstorming, brainwriting, and using the Delphi method—and explains when each approach is useful.
Phenomena and Theory
Authors: Lewis Peter J.
Published: August 2016

The distinctively quantum mechanical phenomena of interference and entanglement are explained. The theory of quantum mechanics that accounts for these phenomena is presented in its two forms: matrix mechanics and wave mechanics. It is argued that while these accounts have some of the superficial trappings of scientific explanation, they fail to provide an explanation in the sense of a description of the entities or properties responsible for the phenomena. In fact, the theory is remarkably silent regarding the physical states represented by the theory. The need for an interpretation of the quantum formalism—a way of understanding it as descriptive of the world—is defended.
Primate abundance and distribution: background concepts and methods
Authors: Campbell Genevieve , Head Josephine , Junker Jessica , Nekaris K.A.I.
Published: August 2016

Primate distribution, abundance, as well as their spatial and temporal population trends, are important data to collect in the aim of gaining knowledge on ecosystem functioning, but can also form the basis for management decisions and offer a means by which to evaluate the effectiveness of different conservation strategies. However, estimates of species distribution, population size, and trends may vary considerably in quality depending on the choice of survey design and the methods used. In this chapter, details are provided on the different steps involved in the planning of a primate survey, and three case studies are used to illustrate the variety of options available according to study species and survey objectives. When carefully designed, a primate survey can yield precise and accurate estimates of population distribution, abundance and trends, and thus provide an information source which supports researchers, wildlife managers and local government in decision-making processes.
Industrial Policy in Senegal
Authors: Cisse Fatou , Choi Ji Eun , Maurel Mathilde
Published: August 2016

Senegal is the fourth largest economy in West Africa, with a real GDP and GDP per capita estimated respectively at US$760 and US$11.26 billion. The economy underwent prolonged decline until 1995, but has since recovered steadily. As a result per capita GDP has more or less stagnated since independence. The country’s economy is driven mainly by the service sector, which since 1980 contributed over 55 per cent of GDP, while agriculture and industry accounted for less than 20 per cent each. There has been noticeable improvement in industry’s share in the composition of GDP since 1990, exceeding that of agriculture. Unlike its resource-rich neighbours, Senegal’s economy is driven largely by public investment and private consumption, with share of exports remaining unchanged over the years. It is not surprising that policy makers in Senegal strived to nurture the manufacturing sector in the decades following independence.
Preliminaries
Authors: Vaz Jayme , da Rocha Roldão
Published: August 2016

In this chapter, a review of the main concepts, examples, and results from linear algebra are presented, as these are essential for developing the subsequent ideas in this book. As the concept of vector space is fundamental throughout the text, it is discussed in detail. In particular, quadratic space and symplectic space are introduced, as are musical isomorphisms. Thereafter, the tensor product and the tensor algebra and its morphisms are introduced, with special attention to the bilinear functionals and gradient/contragradient transformations, as these are required for the subsequent definitions of exterior algebras and Clifford algebras. In addition, the notation to be used throughout the text is fixed.
Human Rights and the Contract of Employment
Authors: Collins Hugh , Mantouvalou Virginia
Published: August 2016

The chapter considers whether the common law of employment has been and ought to be influenced by the law of human rights. Although the common law has not been influenced by the idea of human rights to the same extent as other legal systems, some basic principles, such as respect for freedom of contract and the right to work, have shaped it. Objections that a human rights framework for employment might prove too individualistic are exposed as overstated, and some potential advantages of such a framework, such as an extension of personal scope, are highlighted. The Human Rights Act 1998 has required courts to interpret statutory employment rights, such as the law of unfair dismissal, in a manner that is consistent with fundamental rights. The chapter examines finally whether the common law of implied terms and wrongful dismissal is likely to be influenced by the law of human rights.
Implied Terms in the Contract of Employment
Authors: Collins Hugh
Published: August 2016

Having established a binary classification of implied terms, the chapter argues that terms implied in fact into contracts of employment typically are needed to prevent reliance upon a possible construction of the express terms that would permit unfair treatment, exploitation, or what might be described as a bad faith interpretation of the contract; and that terms implied by law into contracts of employment provide standard incidents of the contract that will be selected primarily on the basis of efficiency and a fair balance of obligations. The chapter considers whether the structural legal principles found in terms implied in law, such as the employee’s duty of obedience and the reciprocal duty of mutual trust and confidence or good faith, can in practice or theory be excluded by the express terms of the contract of employment.
The dialects of northern Italy
Authors: Benincà Paola , Parry Mair , Pescarini Diego
Published: August 2016

After a brief outline of the principal episodes in the external history, the chapter surveys the principal aspects of phonology, morphology and syntax of the dialects of northern Italy, including both Gallo-Italic (Ligurian, Piedmontese, Lombard, Emilian-Romagnol) and Venetan dialects. Topics dealt with include: characteristics of northern Italian dialects; suprasegmental phonology; segmental phonology; morphology of nouns and adjectives; verb morphology: tenses, person endings, root alternations, past participles; word formation; pronouns; articles; demonstratives; possessives; agreement in the nominal group; subject clitic pronouns; wh-movement constructions; negation; auxiliaries and double compound forms; restructuring and clitic climbing; clitic syntax.
French and northern Gallo-Romance
Authors: Smith John Charles
Published: August 2016

After a brief outline of the principal episodes in the External and social history and periodization, the chapter surveys the principal aspects of phonology, morphology and syntax of French and other northern Gallo-Romance dialects. It covers phonetics and phonology; segmental phonology; vowels glides; liquids; consonants; typology and diachrony of segmental phonology; prosody; phonotactics; syllable structure; sandhi phenomena; enchaînement; liaison; elision; H aspiré; inflection; noun morphology; number; gender; case; absence of morphological diminutives and augmentatives; verb conjugation; morphomic structure; tense and aspect; mood; subjectification of tense and aspect forms; determiners; numerals and quantifiers; ordering of noun and adjective; negation; word order; inversion and interrogation; clitic pronouns; subject clitics; object clitics; dislocation/detachment; complementizer deletion and preposition-stranding; second-person forms of address; oïl varieties; internal divisions; second-person forms of address; typology.
Segmental phonology
Authors: Schmid Stephan
Published: August 2016

This chapter surveys some of the principal aspects of Romance segmental phonology. It covers development and distribution of the different Romance tonic and unstressed vowel systems; nasalization; principal developments affecting consonantal systems, including phonemic and allophonic oppositions, consonantal strength ((de)gemination, lenition, and fortition). Specific topics dealt with include: inventories of stressed vowel phonemes; vowel quantity; nasal vowel phonemes and allophonic vowel nasalization; unstressed vowels; metaphony and vowel harmony; consonant inventories; retroflex consonants; palatal consonants and palatalization; rhotics and rhotacism; lenition and fortition; assimilation processes.
Negation
Authors: Poletto Cecilia
Published: August 2016

The main goal of this chapter is critically to address from a comparative perspective some of the most important issues in Romance negation, covering such topics as the source of different types of negators and negative polarity items; the cyclical interaction of reanalysis and analogy in the emergence and grammaticalization of Romance negators; issues surrounding the unidirectional development of Romance negative structures inherent in Jespersen’s Cycle and the discreteness of the three proposed stages; the development and loss of negative concord and the licensing of negative polarity items; the development and specialization of different negative markers in accordance with temporal, aspectual, modal and finiteness distinctions; multiple sentential positions for negation; negative raising; pleonastic negation. Specific topics dealt with include: form(s) and position(s) of the negative marker; Jespersen’s Cycle; postverbal negators (French, northern Italian dialects, Catalan); position of postverbal negators; form of postverbal negators; new preverbal negative markers; interaction between negation and verbal forms; negation and modality; negation and aspect; N-words and negative concord; negation and focus.
SDEAP: a splice graph based differential transcript expression analysis tool for population data
Authors: Yang Ei-Wen , Jiang Tao
Published: August 2016

Motivation: Differential transcript expression (DTE) analysis without predefined conditions is critical to biological studies. For example, it can be used to discover biomarkers to classify cancer samples into previously unknown subtypes such that better diagnosis and therapy methods can be developed for the subtypes. Although several DTE tools for population data, i.e. data without known biological conditions, have been published, these tools either assume binary conditions in the input population or require the number of conditions as a part of the input. Fixing the number of conditions to binary is unrealistic and may distort the results of a DTE analysis. Estimating the correct number of conditions in a population could also be challenging for a routine user. Moreover, the existing tools only provide differential usages of exons, which may be insufficient to interpret the patterns of alternative splicing across samples and restrains the applications of the tools from many biology studies.

Results: We propose a novel DTE analysis algorithm, called SDEAP, that estimates the number of conditions directly from the input samples using a Dirichlet mixture model and discovers alternative splicing events using a new graph modular decomposition algorithm. By taking advantage of the above technical improvement, SDEAP was able to outperform the other DTE analysis methods in our extensive experiments on simulated data and real data with qPCR validation. The prediction of SDEAP also allowed us to classify the samples of cancer subtypes and cell-cycle phases more accurately.

Availability and Implementation: SDEAP is publicly available for free at https://github.com/ewyang089/SDEAP/wiki.

Contact:  yyang027@cs.ucr.edu; jiang@cs.ucr.edu

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Gene Slider: sequence logo interactive data-visualization for education and research
Authors: Waese Jamie , Pasha Asher , Wang Ting Ting , van Weringh Anna , Guttman David S. , Provart Nicholas J.
Published: August 2016

Summary: Gene Slider helps visualize the conservation and entropy of orthologous DNA and protein sequences by presenting them as one long sequence logo that can be zoomed in and out of, from an overview of the entire sequence down to just a few residues at a time. A search function enables users to find motifs such as cis-elements in promoter regions by simply ‘drawing’ a sequence logo representation of the desired motif as a query. In addition to displaying user-supplied FASTA files, our demonstration version of Gene Slider loads and displays a rich database of 90 000+ conserved non-coding regions across the Brassicaceae indexed to the TAIR10 Col-0 Arabidopsis thaliana sequence. It also displays transcription factor binding sites, enabling easy identification of regions that are both conserved across multiple species and may contain transcription factor binding sites.

Availability and Implementation: Freely available on the web at: http://www.bar.utoronto.ca/GeneSlider and also as an app on http://araport.org. Website implemented in JavaScript and Processing.js with all major browsers supported. Source code available under GNU GPLv2 at SourceForge: https://sourceforge.net/projects/geneslider/.

Contact:  nicholas.provart@utoronto.ca