bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Two new species of Heteromysis (Olivemysis) (Mysida, Mysidae, Heteromysinae) from the tropical northwest Atlantic with diagnostics on the subgenus Olivemysis Băcescu, 1968
Authors: PRICE W. WAYNE , HEARD RICHARD W.
Published: February 2019

A survey of mysid crustaceans in near-shore habitats of the Cayman Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands, BWI yielded two new species of mysids belonging to the genus Heteromysis S. I. Smith, 1873. H. (Olivemysis) modlini n. sp. occurred on live bottom habitats in shallow waters of Grand Cayman Island, and H. (Olivemysis) mclellandi n. sp. from sponges in depths of 21–27 m on deep fringing reefs off Pine Cay, Turks and Caicos Islands. H. modlini may be distinguished from closely related species in the western Atlantic by the following characters: (1) 6–7 robust flagellated setae on the medial margin of the carpo-propodus of thoracic endopod 3, (2) 3–5 and 4–6 bent, attenuated spines on male pleopods 3 and 4, respectively, (3) 3–4 spiniform setae along the medial margin of the uropodal endopod, and (4) 10–16 spinules along the anterior ¾ of the telsonic cleft, 14–19 spiniform setae completely lining the lateral margins of the telson, and each apical lobe of the telson with a pair of spiniform setae, the outer 1.6–2.0 times longer than the inner. Heteromysis (Olivemysis) mclellandi is unique among known heteromysids in having modified attenuated setae on pleopods 1– 5 of both males and females, and may be distinguished further from its related Caribbean congeners by the following characters: (1) tuberculate flagellated seta on the antennular peduncle, (2) 8–9 flagellated setae on the carpo-propodus of thoracic endopod 3, and (3) telson cleft depth: telson length ratio of about 1/6, and outer: inner length ratio of apical telson setae of 1.2–1.6. Diagnostic tables separating the two new species from related Caribbean congeners are presented. The subgenus Olivemysis Băcescu, 1968 is diagnosed and discussed; based on a critical review of the literature, 10 species, besides H. (Olivemysis) modlini n. sp. and H. (Olivemysis) mclellandi n. sp., are placed in this subgenus, bringing its total species number to 30.
A new species of black fly (Diptera: Simuliidae) with an entirely yellow thorax from Darjeeling, India
Authors: TAKAOKA HIROYUKI , THAPA SACHIN , HENRY WILLIE
Published: February 2019

A new black fly species, Simulium (Nevermannia) subratai sp. nov., is described on the basis of female, pupal and larval specimens collected from Darjeeling, India. This new species is assigned to the feuerborni species-group of the subgenus Simulium (Nevermannia), and is characterized by the entirely yellow female thorax and the larval abdomen without any colored markings. This is the first record of a black fly species with the adult having an entirely yellow thorax in the Oriental Region.
Two new species of stalked crinoids from the northeastern Pacific in the genera Gephyrocrinus and Ptilocrinus (Echinodermata, Crinoidea, Hyocrinidae). Effects of ontogeny and variability on hyocrinid taxonomy
Authors: ROUX MICHEL , LAMBERT PHILIP
Published: February 2019

Two new species of deep-sea stalked crinoids belonging to the family Hyocrinidae were collected in the northeastern Pacific. The descriptions contain detailed information on character variations and ontogeny. The five specimens of Gephyrocrinus messingi n. sp. lived at depths ranging from 1,777 m to 2,110 m off British Columbia and California. This new species is the first record of the genus Gephyrocrinus in the Pacific Ocean, which was previously known from only a single species, G. grimaldii, from the northeastern Atlantic at the same depth range. The two species illustrate opposing phenotypes within the same genus. Fifty-eight specimens of the second new species, Ptilocrinus clarki n. sp., were dredged off British Columbia close to the type-locality of P. pinnatus, the type species of the genus Ptilocrinus, but at shallower depths ranging from 1,178 to 1,986 m. This exceptional collection provides significant data on intraspecific variation in the main morphological characters, especially arm pattern. The ontogeny of stalk articulations and the main traits of adoral plate differentiation are described in detail. A complementary investigation on P. pinnatus was conducted using specimens collected by the “Albatross” expedition at a depth of 2,906 m. Despite similarities in external morphology, tegmen and cover plates, the two ptilocrinid species display significant differences in pinnule architecture, aboral cup and stalk articulations. From comparison with Gephyrocrinus messingi n. sp. and Ptilocrinus clarki n. sp., G. grimaldii and P. pinnatus are interpreted as the result of heterochronic development by paedomorphy after ecological or geographic isolation. Pinnule architecture in the two new species suggests first steps in an evolutionary trend toward a rigid box which protects gonad inflation in the proximal part of the pinnule. These new data on Ptilocrinus and Gephyrocrinus create problems in the current taxonomy of the family Hyocrinidae. The main derived characters, especially in pinnule and arm pattern, are used to propose new hypotheses for hyocrinid phylogeny.
Redescription of some bryozoan species originally described by J. Jullien from Iberian waters
Authors: SOUTO JAVIER , REVERTER-GIL OSCAR , FERNÁNDEZ-PULPEIRO EUGENIO
Published: February 2019

Six species originally described by Jules Jullien from Iberian waters are redescribed from the original material and stabilized by typification: Caberea ligata, Bicellaria evocata, Scrupocellaria marsupiata, Setosella folini, Euginoma vermiformis and Jubella enucleata. Caberea ligata is placed here in the genus Canda, not previously reported from European waters. Scrupocellaria marsupiata is differentiated from Menipea clausa, previously considered as a junior synonym; both species are placed in the genus Notoplites. A diagnosis is given for the family Jubellidae, the position of which is discussed.
A new genus of oribatid mite, Spineremaeus gen. nov. and three new species of Scapheremaeus (Acari: Oribatida: Cymbaeremaeidae) from Norfolk Island,South-west Pacific, and their biogeographical affinities
Authors: COLLOFF MATTHEW J.
Published: February 2019

A new genus of oribatid mite, Spineremaeus is erected and its type species, S. smithi sp. nov., is described from Norfolk Island, as well as three new species belonging to the genus Scapheremaeus. Spineremaeus is morphologically closest to the Emarginatus species-group of Scapheremaeus, found in Australia, Java and New Zealand. Scapheremaeus pinguis sp. nov. is closest morphologically to S. emarginatus from New Zealand. Scapheremaeus pacificus sp. nov. and S. tumidus sp. nov., members of the Carinatus species-group, are closest morphologically to each other and to S. insularis, also from New Zealand. Thus all four cymbaeremaeid species from Norfolk Island show strongest biogeographical affinities with the oribatid fauna of New Zealand rather than Australia.
Revision of the Mecodema curvidens species group (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Broscini)
Authors: SELDON DAVID S. , LESCHEN RICHARD A. B.
Published: February 2019

The flightless carabid genus Mecodema Blanchard 1843 is restricted to New Zealand and presently contains 64 species. In this study, we examine species in the newly constituted curvidens group (sulcatum and curvidens are synonymised), reducing the Mecodema species groups to seven. They share two synapomorphies (rounded apical lobe of the aedeagus and lack of microsculpture on the vertex of the head) and are distributed in Northland, south along the east coast of the North Island and the northeast portion of the South Island. Adult specimens of the curvidens and sulcatum groups, along with exemplars of the other Mecodema groups (alternans, costellum, ducale, infimate, laterale and spiniferum), and an outgroup Oregus Putzeys 1868 were examined for cladistic analysis using a data matrix composed of a 63 characters and 21 terminal taxa. The analysis resulted in 18 most parsimonious trees. The following new species in the curvidens group are described: M. aoteanoho sp. n., M. haunoho sp. n., M. manaia sp. n., M. parataiko sp. n., M. ponaiti sp. n., and M. tenaki sp. n. Mecodema exitiosus was wrongly sysnonymised under M. occiputale and we propose a new synonymy M. curvidens (=M. exitiosus). We consider the parts of the male genitalia in detail with special attention to the structures of apical plate once everted from the endophallus.
Cyrtodactylus martini, another new karst-dwelling Cyrtodactylus Gray, 1827 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Northwestern Vietnam
Authors: VAN TRI NGO
Published: February 2019

A new species of karst–dwelling bent–toed gecko, Cyrtodactylus martini sp. nov., is described from the isolated karst formations of the Hoang Lien Son Mountain range in northwestern Vietnam. It differs from all other congeners by the presence of symmetrical or subsymmetrical reticulations on top of head; no nuchal loop; four precloacal pores separated medially by one poreless scale; 14–18 enlarged femoral scales beneath thighs continuous with precloacal scales; four to six irregular, narrow, yellowish–white bands on dorsum between limb insertions; and six or seven incomplete white rings on tail.
A Meta-Analysis of Oocyte Quality and Clinical Outcome of Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection Cycles in Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Authors: Duan Na , Wang Hui , Niu Ziru , Guo Yifan , Wang Shuling , Liu Yifan , Xu Bing , Zhao Lin , Yao Yuanqing
Published: February 2019

Whether treatment outcomes in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles differ between polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and non-PCOS patients remains inconclusive. The aim of this meta-analysis is to compare oocyte quality and clinical outcomes in PCOS patients and non-PCOS patients
undergoing ICSI procedure. Methods: Databases including Medline, Embase and the Cochrane Library were searched for studies published up to 18 January 2018. All articles searched were independently reviewed and selected by two evaluators according to predetermined inclusion and exclusion
criteria. Results: Eight studies were selected for inclusion, and a total of 474 PCOS patients (627 cycles) were compared to age-matched controls (962 patients, 992 cycles). The total gonadotropin usage was significant less in PCOS group, and the MD was –481.72 IU [95% CI:–
603.76–359.68, P < 0.00001]. A significantly higher mean number of oocytes, metaphase II (MII) oocytes and 2-pronucleated (2PN) oocytes per cycle were observed in the PCOS group than in the non-PCOS group (P < 0.005), the total MDs were 4.20 [95% CI: 2.50–5.90],
1.52 [95% CI: 0.84–2.20] and 1.71 [95% CI: 0.73–2.69], respectively. The fertilization rate was comparable. The clinical pregnancy rate per transfer cycle was higher in the PCOS group, the odd ratio (OR) was 1.59 [95% CI: 1.23–2.05, P < 0.005] and the live birth
rate was comparable. A higher miscarriage rate was observed in the PCOS group, but this did not reach statistical significance. The risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) was significantly higher in the PCOS group [OR: 3.01, 95% CI: 1.16–7.82, P < 0.05]. Conclusions:
This meta-analysis demonstrated that PCOS patients may have more favourable ICSI outcomes than non-PCOS patients. Our findings should be evaluated in further prospective cohort studies.
Research on the Construction Strategy of Hospital Data Platform
Authors: Zhong Xiao-Wei
Published: February 2019

In order to solve the problem of high coupling between hospital information systems and the effective use of data. According to the degree of hospital informatization, the hospital data integration platform technology and hospital data application platform technology can be adopted
to solve the problem. Hospital data integration platform and hospital data application platform can be converted to each other. It should be based on its degree of informatization for the hospital to progress step by step and advance gradually.
The Superiority of Plain Radiography to Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Determining Lumbar Lordosis Angles in Patients with Disc Herniation
Authors: Dagistan Emine
Published: February 2019

Objective: It is estimated that about 80% of general population experience low back pain lifetime. Decreased lumbar lordosis is one of the important findings of disc disease and degenerative process is the result. In this retrospective study, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
and direct radiographs were used to measure lordosis in patients with disc herniation and compared to patients with low back pain without disc herniation. Materials and Methods: Patients admitted to outpatient clinics of our institution with low back pain and sciatalgia between 2014
and 2017 were enrolled in the study. In present retrospective study, MRI and plain radiographic images were obtained and evaluated. Patients with disc hernia in L4–5 or L5–S1 level were determined. Control group were consisted of healthy subjects whom low back pain was not caused
by disk herniation. Lumbar lordotic angle was measured by an experienced radiologist by Cobb method. Results: The lumbar spinal angles measured by plain radiography were 45.41±11.53 mm in the patient groups with disc hernia, and 54.87±8.80 mm in the control group (Fig.
2). The difference between the study groups was significant (p < 0.001). The lumbar lordosis angles measured by MRI were 41.65±8.50 mm in the patient groups with disc hernia, and 44.85±7.58 mm in control group. The difference between the study groups did not reach a significant
level (p = 0 428) (Fig. 3). Conclusion: Lumbar disc herniation decreases lumbar lordosis and we suggest that lumbar lordotic angles should be measured by direct plain radiographies in standing position in these patients. Nevertheless, beside a detailed medical history and physical examination,
the diagnosis and treatment should be decided by a combination of MRI and standing plain radiograph in subjects with herniated lumbar discs.
Partial Body Weight Support Benefits the Function of Cardiopulmonary and Cardiac Autonomic Nerve in the Early Stage of Heart Failure Rehabilitation
Authors: Wenyu Zhang , Dongdong Jiao , Beibei Li , Xinlei Zhang , Yingzhi Zhu , Chuanqing Weng , Xiaohui Wang , Guangjian Zhu
Published: February 2019

Goal: To investigate the clinical benefits of partial body weight support for the function of Cardiopulmonary and Cardiac autonomic nerve in the early stage of Heart failure rehabilitation. Materials and Methods: We selected 90 patients with heart failure, divided into
observation group (n = 45) and control group (n = 45). Both patients had the conventional drug therapy, while the observation group had the partial body weight support additionally within the 3 months treatment period. Serological examination includes brain natriuretic peptide
(BNP) and aldosterone. Echocardiography detects left ventricular morphology, cardiac ejection function (EF) and cardiac autonomic nerve function. Minnesota quality of life scale (MHL) evaluates the life quality of the patients. Results: Before any treatment, there is no significant
difference of serum brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), aldosterone, cardiac autonomic nerve function and the Minnesota quality of life scale (MHL) (P > 0.05). After treatment, outcome measures declined, including serum brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and aldosterone (P <
0.01), LVESD and ESV (P < 0.01), LVEDD and EDV (P > 0.05). Outcome measures raised, including SV, CI, EF%, ΔD%. Among them, EF% had significant difference with P value < 0.05, and ΔD% with P value < 0.01. Both LF and HF raised, but LF/HF
declined. The Minnesota quality of life scale (MHL) is significantly lower than before. Conclusion: Partial body weight support obviously reduces serum brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and aldosterone, as well as improves the function of cardiopulmonary and cardiac autonomic nerve of
the patients with heart failure, which at last improves the life quality.
Automated Interpretation of Myocardial Perfusion Images with Multilayer Perceptron Network as a Decision Support System
Authors: Eftekhari Mohammad , Abbasi Mehrshad , Tarafdari Azam , Emami-Ardekani Alireza , Farzanefar Saeed , Kalantari Faraz , Fallahi Babak , Fard-Esfahani Armaghan , Beiki Davood , Naseri Maryam , Saghari Mohsen
Published: February 2019

Aim: Bull's eye pattern recognition with artificial neural networks (ANNs) has the potential to assist interpretation of myocardial perfusion images (MPIs). We aimed to develop a model for interpretation of MPI based on the clinical variables and imaging data. Materials and
Methods: The study included 208 patients referred to the department of nuclear medicine for 2-day stress-rest ECG-gated MPI. Several ANN models were designed with the following input variables: average count of 20 segments of the bull's eye images of stress and rest MPIs, gender, the constellation
of coronary artery disease risk factors and scintigraphic cardiac ejection fraction. The procedure was repeated excluding the data of the rest phase scan. Data of 150 subjects were used for training, 21 subjects for cross-validation and 37 subjects for final operation testing. Several ANN
models were examined with different hidden layers and processing elements and functions. The target output variable was the conclusion of the nuclear physician (i.e., normal vs. abnormal scan). Results: A multilayer perceptron (MLP) with two hidden layers trained with both stress and
rest data demonstrated the best performance to classify the normal and abnormal MPIs. It showed an overall accuracy of 91.9%, sensitivity of 91.3% and specificity of 92.9%. The accuracy of the similar MLP trained using stress-only myocardial perfusion images reduced to 67.6%. Conclusion:
The automated interpretation of MPIs with a 2 hidden layer MLP trained with stress and rest images could be an accurate support system either for the interpretation or quality assurance.
Northern Hemisphere Extratropical Turbulent Heat Fluxes in ASRv2 and Global Reanalyses
Authors: Justino Flavio , Wilson Aaron B. , Bromwich David H. , Avila Alvaro , Bai Le-Sheng , Wang Sheng-Hung
Published: February 2019

Large-scale objectively analyzed gridded products and satellite estimates of sensible (H) and latent (LE) heat fluxes over the extratropical Northern Hemisphere are compared to those derived from the regional Arctic System Reanalysis version 2 (ASRv2) and a selection of current-generation global reanalyses. Differences in H and LE among the reanalyses are strongly linked to the wind speed magnitudes and vegetation cover. Specifically, ASRv2 wind speeds match closely with observations over the northern oceans, leading to an improved representation of H compared to the global reanalyses. Comparison of evaporative fraction shows that the global reanalyses are characterized by a similar H and LE partitioning from April through September, and therefore exhibit weak intraseasonal variability. However, the higher horizontal resolution and weekly modification of the vegetation cover based on satellite data in ASRv2 provides an improved snow–albedo feedback related to changes in the leaf area index. Hence, ASRv2 better captures the small-scale processes associated with day-to-day vegetation feedbacks with particular improvements to the H over land. All of the reanalyses provide realistic dominant hemispheric patterns of H and LE and the locations of maximum and minimum fluxes, but they differ greatly with respect to magnitude. This is especially true for LE over oceanic regions. Therefore, uncertainties in heat fluxes remain that may be alleviated in reanalyses through improved representation of physical processes and enhanced assimilation of observations.
Comparison of Satellite, Model, and In Situ Values of Photosynthetically Available Radiation (PAR)
Authors: Gould Richard W. , Ko Dong S. , Ladner Sherwin D. , Lawson T. Adam , MacDonald Clinton P.
Published: February 2019

Photosynthetically available radiation (PAR) incident at the sea surface penetrates into the water column and drives oceanic primary production. Ecosystem models to estimate phytoplankton biomass and primary production require an estimate of sea surface PAR, which is available from satellite ocean color imagery and atmospheric model predictions. Because the PAR values could come from either source, it is important to understand the variability and accuracies of each. We performed spatial and temporal analyses covering multiple years and seasons, and clear/cloudy conditions. We compare values derived from the imagery to those from the models and to in situ measurements in the Gulf of Mexico to validate the imagery and models and to assess PAR variability based on source. Averaged over space or time, the relative errors in PAR between the six sources (two satellite, three model, and in situ) are generally less than 5%–7%, but they can vary up to 11%. However, the errors and biases on a daily or pixel-by-pixel basis are larger, and the averages can mask seasonal trends.
An Assessment of Public Perceptions of Climate Change Risk in Three Western U.S. Cities
Authors: Sullivan Abigail , White Dave D.
Published: February 2019

Risk perceptions influence individual and collective action related to climate change, and there is an important gap between public and expert perceptions of climate change risk, especially in the United States. Past studies have found that on average 40% of the American public believe climate change will affect them personally. We contribute a study of climate change risk perceptions in the metropolitan areas of three western U.S. cities (Denver, Colorado; Las Vegas, Nevada; Phoenix, Arizona), assessing overall patterns and drivers. A representative mail survey (N = 786) of the general public in these cities revealed that 60% of respondents identified climate change as personally risky, with the perception that it will impact either their family or their city in the next 30 years. Our results indicate that the gap in risk perceptions between the public and experts may be decreasing, although we discuss several limitations and reasons why this result requires further investigation. Using regression models, we analyze factors that are hypothesized to drive risk perceptions and discover that pro-environmental worldview and perceived personal responsibility are the most influential predictors. We discuss the implications of our results for fostering collective action to address climate change in dry, western U.S. metropolitan areas.
“We must move towards a Conference of National Reconciliation …” – Professor Boubacar Barry on the Guinean crisis
Authors: Barry Boubacar
Published: February 2019

This text is a combination of an authorised interview with and text fragments by historian Boubacar Barry on the roots of the Guinean crisis. Barry traces the origins of the crisis back to the Sékou Touré dictatorship and even beyond. He considers ECOWAS involvement in the crucial crisis management and major reforms of the state's structure to accommodate for the diversity of the cultural background of Guinea's population.
Using Power-Sharing to Win a War: The Implementation of the Lomé Agreement in Sierra Leone
Authors: Binningsbø Helga Malmin , Dupuy Kendra
Published: February 2019

To end the civil war in Sierra Leone the government and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) signed a peace agreement guaranteeing power-sharing in July 1999. Such power-sharing is a widely used, often recommended political arrangement to overcome deep divisions between groups. However, scholars disagree on whether power-sharing causes peace, or, on the contrary, causes continuing violence. One reason for this is the literature's tendency to neglect how power-sharing is actually put into place. But post-agreement implementation is essential if we are to judge the performance of power-sharing. Therefore, we investigate the role played by power-sharing in terminating the civil war in Sierra Leone. We argue that the government was able to use the peace agreement to pursue its goal of ending the war through marginalising the RUF.
Urban Languages in Africa
Authors: Beck Rose Marie
Published: February 2019

Against the backdrop of current research on the city, urbanity is understood to be a distinct way of life in which (in the spatial, factual and historical dimensions) processes of densification and heterogenization are perceived as acts of sociation. Urbanization is thus understood to include and produce structuration processes autonomously; this also includes autonomous linguistic practices, which are reflected as sediments of everyday knowledge in language and thus create the instruments needed for facilitating and generalizing such urbanization: urban languages. In this conceptual context, which looks at cities in Africa from the point of view of language sociology, two large phases of urbanization can be distinguished in Africa. The first phase is related to trade networks and cultural métissage of small groups of middlemen. The second phase, characterized by efforts to deal with Africa's colonial history and to catch up with “the world”, presses ahead with the development of an autonomous, authentic modernity. The reconstruction of the development undergone especially by the more recent urban languages raises questions about the connotations of urbanization and modernization in contemporary Africa: on the one hand, dissociation from colonial legacies as well as from the postcolonial political elites, impotent administrations, and tribalist instrumentalizations of language and language policies; on the other, quite the reverse – the creation of autonomous African modernities that include the city (and the state), brought about by the interplay of both local dynamics and global flows.
New Fractures, Old Wounds: Africa and the Renewal of South Agency
Authors: Lopes Carlos
Published: February 2019

Africa has recently come to the forefront of world politics as part of the emerging South. Its increased prominence in the global discourse as a “new frontier of development” signals the recognition of its economic potential. Indeed, the continent has registered an average 5 per cent annual GDP growth rate over the past decade. However, there is more to the story than that: The rising profile of the African continent also reveals the growing role of a number of its countries in the emergence of a new South agency. It is argued that South–South cooperation is an opportunity. The discussion of the current situation in Africa understood as a continent in all its diversity including sub-Saharan Africa, but also the Maghreb and Egypt, will therefore be placed into this wider context. The renewal of a South agency witnessed over the past decade is somewhat different from the trilateral alliance of Asia–Africa–Latin America formed in the wake of decolonization. Current mega-trends demonstrate that the global South, driven by a number of regional powers, will play a vital role in shaping the twenty-first century. Understanding the complexities of this renewed agency is vital for addressing old wounds that marked the emergence of a South voice in the not-so-distant past.
“Green” or “Red”? Reframing the Environmental Discourse in Nigeria
Authors: Iwilade Akin
Published: February 2019

This paper invests the role of environmental social movements and NGOs in the struggle for democracy in Nigeria. In particular, it examines how environmental issues, specifically in the oil-rich Niger Delta, have come to symbolise the Niger Delta communities’ craving for greater inclusion in the political process. The paper argues that because of linkages to the nature of economic production, environmental crises have been particularly useful in driving the democracy discourse in Nigeria. By linking environmental crisis to democratisation and the interactions of power within the Nigerian federation, NGOs and social movements have been able to gain support for environmental causes. This may, however, have dire implications for the environmental movement in Nigeria. Because ownership, not necessarily sustainability, is the central theme of such discourse on resource extraction, social movements may not be framing the environmental discourse in a way that highlights its unique relevance. The paper concludes by making a case for alternative methods of framing the environmental discourse in a developing-world context like that of Nigeria.
Serving in Africa: US Peace Corps in Cameroon
Authors: Amin Julius A.
Published: February 2019

Based on a variety of primary sources including recently declassified documents, interviews in Cameroon, letters, and Peace Corps Volunteers’ personal correspondence, this study examines the service of the US Peace Corps in “Agroforestry” and “Small Enterprise Development” in Cameroon. The study argues that Volunteers were ill trained, ill prepared, and ill equipped for service in Cameroon, and as a result did not achieve Goal 1 of the Peace Corps Act, which calls on the agency to assist developing nations in gaining “trained manpower”. The study has broader implications, as it raises questions about the relevance of Peace Corps-like organizations in Cameroon, and in African nations as a whole. It focuses on Cameroon for a variety of reasons, among which is that Cameroon is one of only three nations in Africa in which Volunteers have served uninterruptedly since 1962.
Ominous Inevitabilities: Reflecting on South Africa's Post-Transition Aporia in Achmat Dangor's Bitter Fruit
Authors: Akpome Aghogho
Published: February 2019

Achmat Dangor's novel Bitter Fruit (2001), nominated for the prestigious Man Booker Prize in 2004, is one of several important works of fiction that comment on the imperfections of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), offering a polemical critique of South Africa's on-going transition. In this article, I examine two significant ways in which Dangor's novel questions the work of the TRC. First, I posit that the story represents the TRC's model of transitional justice as being too determined by a “forgive and forget” approach that is inadequate as a means of providing reconciliation and thus fundamentally flawed. Second, I argue that, overall, the novel depicts the national reconciliation project as a mission that has in a way resulted in the appropriation of justice from – instead of its delivery to – some victims of Apartheid-era crimes. The aim of this article is not to present Dangor's fictional text as a one-dimensional reflection of complex social realities, but rather to foreground the practical and imaginative means that his inspired realist narrative offers for dealing with the aftermath of the massive social injustices perpetrated in South Africa during the Apartheid era.
Investigative Journalism and Human Trafficking in West Africa
Authors: Gyuracz Veronika
Published: February 2019

Investigative journalism that aims to prise out information that the state or certain businesses want to keep undisclosed has been unthinkable under many postcolonial African regimes. However, since the promulgation of democratic constitutions, a generation of ambitious investigative journalists has grown up in Africa. In order to show how journalism has changed, the paper brings Anas Aremeyaw Anas's activities into focus. Anas's single-minded mission to bring justice has targeted organisations involved in human trafficking, smuggling, and forced labour in West African countries since 2010. Although his team's way of gathering information raises moral concerns about undercover journalism, their efforts illustrate that human trafficking is widespread among the countries of West and Central Africa. Therefore, the author suggests that both the AU and ECOWAS must create a more stable legal environment for investigative journalists, as their reports can help these institutions and national governments protect human rights.
The Institutionalisation of Power Revisited: Presidential Term Limits in Africa
Authors: Tull Denis M. , Simons Claudia
Published: February 2019

In Africa, a seemingly growing number of attempts by presidents to overcome or abrogate term limits, or make them otherwise ineffective, has ignited a debate about the significance of constitutional engineering, and its implications for the rule of law, democracy, and the nature of politics in general. In light of recent instances of “third-term bids,” we revisit the hypothesis about the institutionalisation of power in Africa and challenge the assumption that, over the past two decades, African politics have experienced a fundamental change away from “big man” rule towards the rule of law. Based on a comprehensive stocktaking of the state of play of term limits and third-term bids, we analyse broader trends and outcomes of legal and constitutional engineering. We argue that an analysis focusing exclusively on formal institutions and procedures misrepresents the extent of political change by ignoring power and authority in many African countries. While the growing salience of formal institutions is undeniable, we suggest that they matter more as a legitimisation of the power of political leaders than as a constraint to it.
Thermal and mechanical characterization of composite produced from recycled PE and flue gas desulfurization gypsum
Authors: Bilici Ibrahim , Deniz Celal U , Oz Beytullah
Published: February 2019

Varying ratios of industrial byproduct of flue gas desulfurization gypsum and recycled polyethylene were used to prepare composite matrices in order to develop an eco-friendly material. Small ratios of maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene were used as a compatibilizer. Surface morphologies and microstructures were examined by scanning electron microscopy images. Thermal behavior of the prepared composite materials was then investigated through thermogravimetry techniques. Hardness and tensile strength of the composite were evaluated through variations made to the contribution of individual components. The resulting composites exhibit increasing melt flow rate values, while hardness decreases with increasing maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene ratios. Amount of torque required to blend mixture also increases with maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene content.
An Old Diaspora: Histories of Militancy by Palestinians with a Northeastern Accent
Authors: de Oliveira Luciana Garcia
Published: February 2019

Most of the Palestinians who arrived in the cities of Northeastern Brazil came during the time of the Ottoman Empire in the nineteenth century, especially after the travels of Emperor Dom Pedro II. The arrival of Palestinians before the founding of the State of Israel in 1948 made many Palestinians and their descendants indifferent to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The situation changed in the 1980s as a result of the worsening situation of Palestinians in Lebanon, when the Palestine-Brazil Cultural Center was established in the city of Olinda, Pernambuco, and the deputy Raymundo Asfora made many speeches in defense of the Palestinian cause. These militant actions served as an inspiration for new generations of Palestinians born in Brazil.

A maioria dos palestinos que chegaram à algumas cidades do nordeste brasileiro vieram durante a vigência do Império Turco Otomano, em pleno século XIX, sobretudo após as viagens do imperador do Brasil, Dom Pedro II ao Oriente Médio. A chegada dos palestinos antes da fundação do Estado de Israel (1948) foi determinante para que muitos palestinos e descentes fossem indiferentes ao conflito Israel-Palestina. A situação mudou, mais tarde, na década de 1980, durante o agravamento da situação dos palestinos no Líbano. Foi inaugurado o Centro Cultural Palestina-Brasil na cidade de Olinda, PE, e o deputado Raymundo Asfora realizava muitos discursos públicos em defesa da causa palestina. Essas ações militantes serviram de inspiração para as novas gerações de palestinos nascidos no Brasil.
On the Popularity of Agentic and Communal Narcissists: The Tit-for-Tat Hypothesis
Authors: Rentzsch Katrin , Gebauer Jochen E.
Published: February 2019

Among well-acquainted people, those high on agentic narcissism are less popular than those low on agentic narcissism. That popularity-difference figures prominently in the narcissism literature. But why are agentic narcissists less popular? We propose a novel answer―the tit-for-tat hypothesis. It states that agentic narcissists like other people less than non-narcissists do and that others reciprocate by liking agentic narcissists less in return. We also examine whether the tit-for-tat hypothesis generalizes to communal narcissism. A large round-robin study ( N = 474) assessed agentic and communal narcissism (Wave 1) and included two round-robin waves (Waves 2-3). The round-robin waves assessed participants’ liking for all round-robin group members (2,488 informant-reports). The tit-for-tat hypothesis applied to agentic narcissists. It also applied to communal narcissists, albeit in a different way. Compared with non-narcissists, communal narcissists liked other people more and―in return―those others liked communal narcissists more. Our results elaborate on and qualify the thriving literature on narcissists’ popularity.
Changes in best friendship quality between adolescence and emerging adulthood: Considering the role of romantic involvement
Authors: Camirand Elisabeth , Poulin François
Published: February 2019

Changes in best friendship quality during adolescence coincide with the emergence of romantic relationships. This study aimed to examine the extent to which changes in friendship quality (intimacy, conflict, emotional support) between the ages of 16 and 22 varied according to four romantic involvement patterns (Late, Sporadic, Long-Term, Frequent) followed during this period. Gender was also included as a moderator. Participants ( n = 281; 61% girls) identified their romantic partners and reported on the quality of their relationship with their best friend each year. A series of multilevel growth curve models revealed that participants in the Late involvement group reported an increase in conflict with their best friend during this period; those in the Sporadic involvement and Frequent involvement groups reported increases in intimacy; and youths in the Long-Term involvement group reported no changes in friendship intimacy, conflict, or emotional support over time. Thus, among youths who reported changes in best friendship quality between adolescence and emerging adulthood, the observed changes appeared to vary according to the romantic involvement patterns followed during this period.
Adsorptive removal of methylene blue from aqueous solution using coal fly ash-derived mesoporous silica material
Authors: Yuan Ning , Cai Hui , Liu Tian , Huang Qi , Zhang Xinling
Published: February 2019

In the present work, coal fly ash-derived mesoporous silica material (CFA-MS) has been successfully fabricated without employing any extra silica source. The obtained CFA-MS was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption–desorption measurement, powder X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Nitrogen adsorption–desorption measurement disclosed that CFA-MS possesses Brunauer–Emmett–Teller-specific surface area of 497 m2·g−1 and pore volume of 0.49 cm3·g−1, respectively. Furthermore, CFA-MS was evaluated for the adsorptive removal of methylene blue from aqueous solution. Several influence parameters on the removal of methylene blue including contact time, pH, initial concentration and temperature were studied in detail. Moreover, Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm models were employed for interpretation of the adsorption process, while the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetics equations were applied to investigate the adsorption kinetics. Results in the current work demonstrate that CFA-MS can be used as an efficient adsorbent for methylene blue removal.
Global Sensitivity of Roughness-Induced Fuel Consumption to Road Surface Parameters and Car Dynamic Characteristics
Authors: Botshekan Meshkat , Tootkaboni Mazdak P. , Louhghalam Arghavan
Published: February 2019

Pavement roughness is one of the key contributors to rolling resistance and thus vehicle fuel consumption. Roughness-induced fuel consumption is the result of energy dissipation in the suspension system of vehicles and therefore depends on both road surface characteristics and vehicle dynamic properties. In this paper, the sensitivity of roughness-induced excess fuel consumption to all involving factors, i.e., road roughness metrics, vehicle dynamic properties, and speed is investigated, and the dominant factors affecting fuel consumption are identified. This is achieved by using the Sobol’s method—a robust analysis of variance (ANOVA)-based technique for global sensitivity analysis. To this end, Monte-Carlo (MC) simulation is performed by generating realizations of all input parameters according to their probability distributions and estimating the energy consumption via a mechanistic roughness model. The results of the simulation are then used to obtain global Sobol sensitivity indices. Finally, the comparison between the Sobol sensitivity indices and the previously employed indices based on Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient (SRCC) is illustrated. It is found that roughness metrics, i.e. the International Roughness Index (IRI) and the waviness number, account for 88–93% of the total variations in energy dissipation and are the most influential factors affecting the excess fuel consumption. It is also observed that among vehicle dynamic properties, the stiffness of tire is the most important parameter accounting for 2–7% of the total variance of the excess energy consumption.
Clinical and Procedural Evaluation of a Pharmacy Pharmacokinetic Consult Service
Authors: Chanas Tyler , Hockman Rebecca , Rice Terran , Cox-Hall Heather , Mallow-Corbett Stephanie , Alexander Bryan T.
Published: February 2019

Purpose:

Though previous studies have shown benefit with pharmacist-managed dosing of antibiotics, many institutions still do not offer such services. Our objective was to determine and report novel outcomes associated with the implementation of a pharmacist-managed pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic consult service and to assess the impact of direct pharmacist involvement in therapeutic drug monitoring.

Methods:

Retrospective cohort study of patients who received vancomycin or an aminoglycoside in the medical intensive care unit from January 5, 2013, to January 6, 2015, divided into 2 groups: before/after implementation of the consult service on January 6, 2014.

Results:

Nine-hundred sixty-two patients were included. Groups were similar at baseline. There were fewer critical values after implementation of the consult service (40.8% vs 27.3%, P < .001). The intervention group had significantly more vancomycin troughs within therapeutic range (15.4% vs 32.8%, P = .019). Time from order entry to medication administration was shorter when pharmacists entered the medication order, although this difference was nonsignificant (103 minutes vs 77 minutes, P = .054).

Conclusion:

Implementation of a pharmacist-managed dosing and monitoring program led to significantly decreased rates of critical value drug concentrations and increased rates of therapeutic concentrations, with a 25% (NS) decreased time-to-antibiotic administration, therefore demonstrating the additive value of the pharmacist-managed over pharmacist-monitored approach.
Can Dirty Work be Satisfying? A Mixed Method Study of Workers Doing Dirty Jobs
Authors: Deery Stephen , Kolar Deanna , Walsh Janet
Published: February 2019

It has been argued in this journal that sociologists can make an important contribution to the understanding of why workers report feeling satisfied with their work, particularly where job quality is poor. Utilising a mixed method approach, this article explores how employees derive satisfaction from dirty work. The term ‘dirty work’ refers to tasks and occupations that are perceived as disgusting, distasteful or degrading. The research was conducted among workers specialising in the cleaning of abandoned social or public housing apartments in high crime areas in the UK and the USA. The study identifies a number of different mechanisms through which workers are able to make work both more satisfying and establish a sense of self-worth from the tasks they perform, even though dirt and physical taint are central to the job.
Development of magnetically-driven cooling device with concentric pipe structure
Authors: Yamaguchi H , Yamasaki H , Bessho T
Published: February 2019

Temperature-sensitive magnetic fluid is a smart material for energy carrier. The most interesting aspect of temperature-sensitive magnetic fluid is that the thermal flow behavior is actively controlled by means of magnetic field. Based on the effect of the temperature-dependent magnetization, temperature-sensitive magnetic fluid can be utilized as an energy conversion system, which can automatically transfer the thermal energy. The advantage in the engineering application can be derived from the fact that there would be entirely no external energy consumption, with which large amount heat can be transported for a long distance without any external power consumption. Taking into account of the advantage, a magnetically-driven cooling device is newly designed for recovering of low- to high-temperature waste heat in the present study. The basic performance of the cooling device with concentric pipe structure is investigated experimentally and data gained in the device is examined in detail in view of magneto-hydrodynamics. In the present study, electromagnet is used as an external magnetic field for the purpose of investigating basic heat transfer characteristics of the present experimental device, so that the magnetic field can be continuously altered. However, it can be easily replaced to a permanent for the practical device without additional electrical energy. The results show that the binary temperature-sensitive magnetic fluid can be circulated freely with a high flow rate of 2.0 × 10−3 m3/min by imposing the magnetic field of 55.8 kA/m. It is found that the newly designed device can transfer thermal energy more than 250 W with overall system efficiency of 11.0% at air temperature of 623 K.
The Rise in Popularity of Cryptocurrency and Associated Criminal Activity
Authors: Kethineni Sesha , Cao Ying
Published: February 2019

Cryptocurrency such as bitcoin, Ethereum, and, more recently, Monero has become the currency of choice for many drug dealers and extortionists. The criminal activities extend to tax evasion, money laundering, Ponzi schemes, and the theft of cryptocurrencies to kidnapping for ransom. As the demand for cryptocurrencies increases, it provides opportunities for criminals to hide behind the presumed privacy and anonymity. Identifying these cryptocurrency-related crimes have posed challenges for law enforcement due to the cross-border nature of transactions, the use of evasion technology to mask the identity of users, and inconsistent regulations. To address the role of cryptocurrencies in criminal activities, the study focused on four research questions: (1) What role do cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin (BTC) play in criminal activities? (2) What factors facilitate cryptocurrency-related criminal activities? (3) What role do politics play in regulating cryptocurrencies? and (4) What are the challenges they pose for regulators and law enforcement? To answer the questions, the study utilized a systematic content review of the news reports, court cases, scholarly articles, online search engines, and commentaries relevant to regulations and reforms. The findings help to understand the current climate of virtual currencies, their use in criminal activities, and the complexities involved in regulating cryptocurrencies.