bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A scaling approach to Budyko's framework and the complementary relationship of evapotranspiration in humid environments: case study of the Amazon River basin
Authors: Carmona A. M. , Poveda G. , Sivapalan M. , Vallejo-Bernal S. M. , Bustamante E.
Published: February 2016

Abstract. This paper studies a 3-D state space representation of Budyko's framework designed to capture the mutual interdependence among long-term mean actual evapotranspiration (E), potential evapotranspiration (Ep) and precipitation (P). For this purpose we use three dimensionless and dependent quantities: Ψ  =  E ⁄ P, Φ  =  Ep ⁄ P and Ω  =  E ⁄ Ep. This 3-D space and its 2-D projections provide an interesting setting to test the physical soundness of Budyko's hypothesis. We demonstrate analytically that Budyko-type equations are unable to capture the physical limit of the relation between Ω and Φ in humid environments, owing to the unfeasibility of Ep ⁄ P  =  0 when E ⁄ Ep  →  1. Using data from 146 sub-catchments in the Amazon River basin we overcome this inconsistency by proposing a physically consistent power law: Ψ  =  kΦe, with k  =  0.66, and e  =  0.83 (R2  =  0.93). This power law is compared with two other Budyko-type equations. Taking into account the goodness of fits and the ability to comply with the physical limits of the 3-D space, our results show that the power law is better suited to model the coupled water and energy balances within the Amazon River basin. Moreover, k is found to be related to the partitioning of energy via evapotranspiration in terms of Ω. This suggests that our power law implicitly incorporates the complementary relationship of evapotranspiration into the Budyko curve, which is a consequence of the dependent nature of the studied variables within our 3-D space. This scaling approach is also consistent with the asymmetrical nature of the complementary relationship of evapotranspiration. Looking for a physical explanation for the parameters k and e, the inter-annual variability of individual catchments is studied. Evidence of space–time symmetry in Amazonia emerges, since both between-catchment and between-year variability follow the same Budyko curves. Finally, signs of co-evolution of catchments are explored by linking spatial patterns of the power law parameters with fundamental characteristics of the Amazon River basin. In general, k and e are found to be related to vegetation, topography and water in soils.
The quantitative estimation of the vulnerability of brick and concrete wall impacted by an experimental boulder
Authors: Zhang J. , Guo Z. X. , Wang D. , Qian H.
Published: February 2016

Abstract. There is little historic data about the vulnerability of damaged elements due to debris flow events in China. Therefore, it is difficult to quantitatively estimate the vulnerable elements suffered by debris flows. This paper is devoted to the research of the vulnerability of brick and concrete walls impacted by debris flows. An experimental boulder (an iron sphere) was applied to be the substitute of debris flow since it can produce similar shape impulse load on elements as debris flow. Several walls made of brick and concrete were constructed in prototype dimensions to physically simulate the damaged structures in debris flows. The maximum impact force was measured, and the damage conditions of the elements (including cracks and displacements) were collected, described and compared. The failure criterion of brick and concrete wall was proposed with reference to the structure characteristics as well as the damage pattern caused by debris flows. The quantitative estimation of the vulnerability of brick and concrete wall was finally established based on fuzzy mathematics and the proposed failure criterion. Momentum, maximum impact force and maximum impact bending moment were compared to be the best candidate for disaster intensity index. The results show that the maximum impact bending moment seems to be most suitable for the disaster intensity index in establishing vulnerability curve and formula.
Assessment of physical vulnerability of buildings and analysis of landslide risk at the municipal scale: application to the Loures municipality, Portugal
Authors: Guillard-Gonçalves C. , Zêzere J. L. , Pereira S. , Garcia R. A. C.
Published: February 2016

Abstract. This study offers a semi-quantitative assessment of the physical vulnerability of buildings to landslides in a Portuguese municipality (Loures), as well as the quantitative landslide risk analysis computed as the product of the landslide hazard by the vulnerability and the economic value of the buildings. The hazard was assessed by combining the spatiotemporal probability and the frequency–magnitude relationship of the landslides. The physical vulnerability assessment was based on an inquiry of a pool of European landslide experts and a sub-pool of landslide experts who know the study area, and the answers' variability was assessed with standard deviation. The average vulnerability of the basic geographic entities was compared by changing the map unit and applying the vulnerability to all the buildings of a test site, the inventory of which was listed on the field. The economic value was calculated using an adaptation of the Portuguese Tax Services approach, and the risk was computed for different landslide magnitudes and different spatiotemporal probabilities. As a rule, the vulnerability values given by the sub-pool of experts who know the study area are higher than those given by the European experts, namely for the high-magnitude landslides. The obtained vulnerabilities vary from 0.2 to 1 as a function of the structural building types and the landslide magnitude, and are maximal for 10 and 20 m landslide depths. However, the highest risk was found for the landslides that are 3 m deep, because these landslides combine a relatively high frequency in the Loures municipality with a substantial potential damage.
Evaluation of promising technologies for soil salinity amelioration in Timpaki (Crete): a participatory approach
Authors: Panagea I. S. , Daliakopoulos I. N. , Tsanis I. K. , Schwilch G.
Published: February 2016

Abstract. Soil salinity management can be complex, expensive, and time demanding, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Besides taking no action, possible management strategies include amelioration and adaptation measures. Here we apply the World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT) framework for the systematic analysis and evaluation and selection of soil salinisation amelioration technologies in close collaboration with stakeholders. The participatory approach is applied in the RECARE (Preventing and Remediating degradation of soils in Europe through Land Care) project case study of Timpaki, a semi-arid region in south-central Crete (Greece) where the main land use is horticulture in greenhouses irrigated by groundwater. Excessive groundwater abstractions have resulted in a drop of the groundwater level in the coastal part of the aquifer, thus leading to seawater intrusion and in turn to soil salinisation. The documented technologies are evaluated for their impacts on ecosystem services, cost, and input requirements using a participatory approach and field evaluations. Results show that technologies which promote maintaining existing crop types while enhancing productivity and decreasing soil salinity are preferred by the stakeholders. The evaluation concludes that rainwater harvesting is the optimal solution for direct soil salinity mitigation, as it addresses a wider range of ecosystem and human well-being benefits. Nevertheless, this merit is offset by poor financial motivation making agronomic measures more attractive to users.
More than a Mural: The Intersection of Public Art, Immigrant Youth, and Human Rights
Authors: Gutiérrez-Vicario Marissa A.
Published: February 2016

“….What makes somebody an American is not just blood or birth, but allegiance to our founding principles and the faith in the idea that anyone from anywhere can write the next great chapter of our story.”-U.S. President Barack Obama, January 2013 I am most interested in exploring the idea of the construction of global citizenship and engagement around human rights education of young immigrant youth through the arts, particularly public art in the form of muralism. I will use some of the work of Art and Resistance Through Education (ARTE), an organization that engages young people around human rights through the arts, as a case study. Some questions that may be explored include:How can educators break down unfamiliar human rights jargon and demonstrate the relevance of human rights on both a local and global level to young immigrant youth?  How can young people be galvanized into exploring the human rights of their home countries and the countries they have immigrated to, utilizing the arts?How can art be used to cultivate global understanding and human rights education among young people, most specifically through public art?In efforts for communities to construct more democratic public spaces, one often finds that these spaces manifest themselves as murals or similar forms of public art. What are more creative ways of building a more democratic form of community art? What are more creative ways for young immigrant youth to develop a sense of belonging through the arts?  Overall, this proposal seeks to explore the intersection between public art, human rights education/global competency, and immigrant youth empowerment. The proposal will discuss the involvement of immigrant youth, predominately from Latin America, in various art projects, as they explore their own sense of identity and belonging in New York City.
Teaching Human Rights in Jail
Authors: Saxton Martha
Published: February 2016

The essay discusses the differences between teaching human rights in  an elite college and an elite  graduate school compared with teaching the same matrial  to incarcerated students.  The latter experience the dramatic absence of rights, both in jail and often  as well  in their previous lives, which almost inevitably were marked by poverty and deprivation.  The different life experiences of the majority of incarcerated students as compared with the majority of college and graduate students positions them very differently when they  study human rights and think about the implications of particular rights. In jail, discussions end to be concrete, personal and sometimes transformative. In tradtional classrooms, the conversations are more theoretical, less personal, and more skeptical.
Teaching Mohamedou Ould Slahi's Guantánamo Diary in the Human Rights and Literature Classroom
Authors: Moore Alexandra Schultheis
Published: February 2016

This essay provides a case study of Slahi's Guantanamo Diary in order to demonstrate how a literary approach to contribute to the study of human rights by both demonstrating the necessity of human rights discourses and the ways in which they must be reconsidered in the current geopolitical moment. More specifically, I argue that reading the book in its larger legal and political context unveils the ideologies that promote torture in the name of state security. And, it offers a rebuttal to those ideologies through a critical analysis of the distribution of legal personhood and literary subjectivity in the context of Guantánamo.
Contributors' Notes
Authors: Editors Radical Teacher
Published: February 2016

None
Western Faculty Profile: Dr. Beverly Leipert
Authors: Varyvoda Diana
Published: February 2016

After 10 years as a public health nurse in rural Saskatchewan, Dr. Beverly Leipert went into academia, completing a Masters of Science in Nursing degree at the University of British Columbia and a PhD in nursing at the University of Alberta. While working as a nurse, she realized that certain populations like rural women did not have a voice in discussions related to public healthcare issues. She is now a professor at Western University, exploring the effects of different factors on the health of rural community populations. Diana Varyvoda, Reviewer on the Editorial Board, interviewed Dr. Leipert in order to learn more about her research, experiences in academia and future directions in healthcare research.
La fraseología en el aula de E/LE: ¿un reto difícil de alcanzar? Una aproximación a la fraseodidáctica
Authors: Szyndler Agnieszka
Published: February 2016

En el presente artículo nos proponemos presentar una visión general de la fraseodidáctica, una disciplina relativamente nueva que, hoy en día, gracias a un considerable número de trabajos centrados en diferentes aspectos concernientes a la enseñanza de lenguas, se ha convertido en un campo de estudio independiente. Así pues, no solo explicaremos la definición del concepto fraseodidáctica, sino también su evolución y objetivos. Además, presentaremos los motivos por los cuales la fraseología debe contemplarse como una materia imprescindible e insoslayable en el aula de E/LE, así como indagaremos en diversas propiedades fraseológicas que dificultan tanto la labor del docente como el proceso discente. Finalmente, partiendo de las ideas desarrolladas, ofreceremos consideraciones metodológicas generales con interesantes implicaciones didácticas.
Questionnaire Development for Strategic English Learning: Processes and Outcomes
Authors: Nguyen Hoang , R Terry Daniel , Fan Si
Published: February 2016

This paper reports on the four-stage construction of the English Language Learning Strategy Questionnaire (ELLSQ), employed in a research study on language learning strategies (LLSs) among Vietnamese tertiary students. Firstly, a needs analysis for the questionnaire development is provided. Secondly, various steps in the adaptation and initial development of the ELLSQ are described in detail, including the review of relevant literature, consultation with survey experts, and focus group discussions with target learners. Thirdly, the refinement of the ELLSQ is addressed through the conduction of informal expert reviews; and finally, its validation through field pre-tests is reported. The reliability and validity of the ELLSQ was undertaken through a pilot test with participation of 97 students, who were part of the target population of the formal study. The main purpose of this pilot test was to ensure the workability of the instrument and to establish reliability, face and content validity of the questionnaire. Practical implications for future attempts are embedded regarding the construction of reliable and valid questionnaires in a new research discourse.
Affective Reading: Chaucer, Women, and Romance
Authors: Saunders Corinne
Published: February 2016

Medieval thought emphasized the integration of thinking and feeling, an integration central to literary representations of mind, body, and emotion, and to the idea of reading as affective. Chaucer's romance writings are profoundly concerned with the power of affect on minds and bodies, particularly in relation to the psychology of love and loss. Such affect is treated extensively in the Book of the Duchess, the Knight's Tale, Troilus and Criseyde, and the Legend of Good Women, and is central to Chaucer's depiction of female subjects. This essay explores Chaucer's emphasis on the embodied nature of being in the world and his treatment of the relationship between thinking and feeling. It explores how ideas of mind, body, and affect resonate with women's literary culture and with the crucial roles of women as thinking and feeling subjects in Chaucer's works, and how women readers might have engaged with these representations.
“O der lady, be my help”: Women's Visionary Writing and the Devotional Literary Canon
Authors: Mcavoy Liz Herbert
Published: February 2016

Focusing initially on the late pilgrimage of Margery Kempe to the Balkan states in 1433, this article presents this journey not only as a crucial catalyst for Kempe's own writing but also as a template for those journeys undertaken by the writings of other visionary writers, such as Mechtild of Hackeborn (d. 1298), often via Carthusian and trade networks. I explore the integral importance of Mechtild's visionary writing within late medieval devotional contexts and its widespread influence not only on English writers such as Kempe and the author of the lesser-known A Revelation of Purgatory (1422), but also on male writers working within more “canonical” contexts and producing works for male and female readers, religious and lay.
“The details of life and the pulsings of affect”: Virginia Woolf's Middle English Texts
Authors: Mitchell Marea
Published: February 2016

For Virginia Woolf, medieval literary culture is part of the fabric of “Englishness,” a space that can be contested for writers and ideas that are not part of the masculinist tradition she criticizes so strongly. By focusing on The Paston Letters and the Canterbury Tales, and in creating the character Joan Martyn, Woolf explores how the ordinary, the everyday, and the unexceptional become extraordinary and exceptional. For her, Middle English texts are full of what Ben Highmore calls “the details of life and the pulsings of affect.” In registering the importance of the everyday in these early texts, Woolf connects Middle English texts to life in the early twentieth century. In her reading of them and writing about them, she seeks to rebuild the concept of English literature, and she also manages to convey a new understanding of Chaucer's role in literary culture.
Vulnerabilidade social como critério utilizado na política de assistência estudantil: uma análise conceitual e empírica
Authors: Del Giúdice Junia Zacour , Loreto Maria das Dores Saraiva , Azevedo Denilson Santos
Published: February 2016

O critério de vulnerabilidade social é incorporado em diferentes programas, para análise das condições de pobreza e exclusão social. Pelo presente estudo, buscou-se examinar de forma conceitual e empírica, o critério de vulnerabilidade social adotado na assistência estudantil da Universidade Federal de Viçosa/MG, para seleção dos estudantes beneficiados, por meio de pesquisa bibliográfica e aplicação de questionário. Relacionou-se a vulnerabilidade social à exclusão social e aos riscos e abordou-se a percepção dos estudantes sobre o tema. Conclui-se que a abordagem empírica remete-se à conceitual, estando a vulnerabilidade social concentrada em indicadores econômicos e sociais, representados pela renda, posse de ativos, trabalho, saúde e estrutura familiar.
Sentidos do abuso sexual intrafamiliar para adolescentes do sexo feminino.
Authors: Maranhão Juliana Hilario , Xavier Alessandra Silva
Published: February 2016

Este artigo surgiu a partir do estudo monográfico Resiliência e Violência Sexual: um estudo sobre adolescentes vitimizadas por abuso sexual intrafamiliar (MARANHÃO, 2008), no qual se investigou a construção de resiliência em adolescentes vitimizadas. A resiliência é caracterizada como superação de situações adversas, configurando-se como algo processual, promovida pela interação de fatores de proteção pessoais e coletivos, em determinado contexto de risco ou vulnerabilidade social. Fizemos o recorte sobre os significados e sentidos da vitimização sexual intrafamiliar a partir da percepção das adolescentes entre 12 e 16 anos de idade atendidas em um Centro de Referência Especializado de Assistência Social no ano de 2010. A pesquisa é de caráter qualitativo tendo como referencial teórico-metodológico a Teoria Histórico-Cultural. Na coleta de dados, foi utilizada entrevista semiestruturada. Percebemos que o perfil das vítimas é configurado pelo gênero feminino e o início do abuso sexual ocorreu entre a infância e pré-adolescência. Já o perfil dos agressores é de homens adultos, exercendo as funções familiares de padrasto, pai e tio. Apesar de um sentimento abjeto, as adolescentes não conseguiam romper com o ciclo de violência. Os amigos, a família ampliada, e o trabalho de profissionais surgiram como suporte para a ressignificação da relação abusiva.
Busca autônoma por educação permanente e consolidação da identidade profissional crítica
Authors: Marcondes Nilsen Aparecida Vieira , Brisola Elisa Maria Andrade , Chamon Edna Maria Querido de Oliveira
Published: February 2016

Refletir acerca da educação permanente como possibilitadora de aprimoramento intelectual, na perspectiva da competência profissional e da consolidação da identidade profissional crítica do assistente social, emerge como necessidade no atual contexto histórico, no qual o dinamismo societário caminha apressadamente.  Por meio de uma pesquisa qualitativa, utilizando-se da história oral, através de entrevista semiestruturada, alcançou-se conhecimento sobre as formas utilizadas pelos profissionais de Serviço Social na busca autônoma por educação permanente. Os resultados do estudo apontam que a totalidade dos entrevistados é unânime em afirmar que a qualificação continuada é de suma importância para a consolidação da identidade profissional crítica, potencialização das competências e das atribuições privativas dos assistentes sociais, contribuindo, assim, para a efetivação do Projeto Ético-Político da profissão, além de portar a tendência de se repercutir positivamente no alcance da qualidade dos serviços prestados.
Redes de suporte social e (in)acesso a direitos em famílias monoparentais femininas
Authors: Guadalupe Sonia , Tavares Sandra , Monteiro Rosa
Published: February 2016

O estudo caracteriza as redes de suporte social e o (in)acesso a direitos de famílias monoparentais femininas em situação de vulnerabilidade social. A amostra de 29 mulheres beneficiárias de um banco de recursos da zona centro de Portugal, é constituída na maioria por mães divorciadas, com idades entre os 18 e os 61 anos, com baixos níveis de escolaridade e predominantemente desempregadas. Os resultados revelam desproteção familiar, sendo que a maioria não beneficia de direitos consagrados, experienciando privação material. As redes de suporte informal são pequenas e coesas, centradas nas relações familiares, verificando-se uma forte reciprocidade mas níveis moderados de apoio emocional e baixos de apoio material/instrumental e informativo, não representando um apoio compensatório da situação de vulnerabilidade social. Urgem políticas públicas que potenciem uma efetiva proteção social das mulheres e crianças desta configuração familiar e estratégias de intervenção emancipadoras que ultrapassem a iliteracia em direitos e favoreçam a cidadania.
An Exploration of the Maternal Experiences of Breast Engorgement and Milk Leakage after Perinatal ‎Loss‎
Authors: Sereshti M. , Nahidi F. , Simbar M. , Bakhtiari M. , Zayeri F.
Published: February 2016

INTRODUCTION & PURPOSE: Perinatal loss is one of the toughest events of life. Physiological milk secretion after perinatal loss adds to complicacy of the hardships of the event. The present study is aimed at exploring women’s experience with breast problems and milk leakage after perinatal loss.

METHODS: The Study was carried out through explorative quality approach with 18 participants. Sampling method was purposeful and selecting the participants from widest variety was ensured. Data gathering was through deep semi-structured interview and data analyses were done by conventional content analysis. Reliability and validity of the data were ensured by collecting data from a wide range of participants and frequent revisions.

FINDINGS: Data analysis indicated four themes including beyond pain, longing being mother, insufficiency of provided information and coping Strategies, and beliefs and values regarding milk leakage and breast engorgement.

CONCLUSION: The findings suggested that health care givers needed to inform the patients about probability milk leakage and breast engorgement and remedies to reduce pains and problems of breast engorgement.
Investigation of Nutritional Behaviors in the First and Second Trimesters in Pregnant Women Referring to Clinics in Hamadan, Iran, in 2013
Authors: Masoumi Seyedeh Zahra , Parsa Parisa , Kazemi Farideh , Soltanian Ali Reza , Dadvand Gissoo , Habib Shabnam
Published: February 2016

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy is a particular period in women’s life that is accompanied by an increase in nutritional needs. Having a normal pregnancy period and successful pregnancy outcomes depends on the intake of sufficient amount of food. The present study aimed to determine nutritional behaviors in pregnant women in the first and second trimesters referring to clinics in Hamadan, Iran.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 170 women referred to health and treatment centers of Hamadan in 2013. Among Hamadan’s health and treatment centers, 10 were selected as the research setting through cluster sampling. Then, the pregnant women at 8-24 weeks of gestation were randomly entered into the study. The data were collected using nutritional behaviors questionnaire in three months. Accordingly, mean scores below 50, between 50 and 75, and above 75 were considered as weak, moderate, and perfect nutritional behaviors, respectively. The data were analyzed using the SPSS statistical software, version 21 and P<0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

RESULTS: The results showed that more than three fourths of the study participants had moderate nutritional behaviors. Insufficient intake of fruit, vegetables, and cereals was detected in 80.6%, 54.1%, and 47.1% of the participants, respectively. Besides, 30% of the women had not used folic acid supplement during their pregnancy period or were not aware of its necessity. The results of multivariate analysis indicated that age was only significantly associated with pregnant women’s score of nutritional behaviors (P=0.010). Additionally, no significant relationship was found between the women’s nutritional behaviors and their strategies for elimination of common pregnancy complications, such as constipation, heartburn, urinary tract infection, and anemia.

DISCUSSION & CONCLUSION: Considering the participants’ moderate nutritional behaviors, health and treatment centers are recommended to provide the necessary training for improving pregnant women’s nutritional behaviors and supervise and follow their execution and evaluation.
Correlation between Social Determinants of Health and Women’s Empowerment in Reproductive Decision-Making among Iranian Women
Authors: Kiani Zahra , Simbar Masuomeh , Dolatian Mahrokh , Zayeri Farid
Published: February 2016

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Women empowerment is one of millennium development goals which is effective on fertility, population’s stability and wellbeing. The influence of social determinants of health (SDH) on women empowerment is documented, however the correlation between SDH and women’s empowerment in fertility has not been figured out yet. This study was conducted to assess correlation between social determinants of health and women’s empowerment in reproductive decisions.

MATERIAL & METHODS: This was a descriptive-correlation study on 400 women who attended health centers affiliated to Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Tehran-Iran. Four hundred women were recruited using multistage cluster sampling method. The tools for data collection were 6 questionnaires including; 1) socio-demographic characteristics 2) women's empowerment in reproductive decision-making, 3) perceived social support, 4) self-esteem, 5) marital satisfaction, 6) access to health services. Data were analyzed by SPSS-17 and using Pearson and Spearman correlation tests.

RESULTS: Results showed 82.54 ± 14.00 (Mean±SD) of total score 152 of women’s empowerment in reproductive decision making. All structural and intermediate variables were correlated with women’s empowerment in reproductive decisions. The highest correlations were demonstrated between education (among structural determinants; r= 0.44, P< 0.001), and Self-esteem (among intermediate determinants; r= 0.34, P< 0.001) with women’s empowerment in fertility decision making.
CONCLUSION: Social determinants of health have a significant correlation with women's empowerment in reproductive decision-making.
Early Empowerment Strategies Boost Self-Efficacy to Improve Cardiovascular Health Behaviors
Authors: Kashani Mariam , Eliasson Arn H , Walizer Elaine M , Fuller Clarie E , Engler Renata J , Villines Todd C , Vernalis Marina N
Published: February 2016

BACKGROUND: Self-efficacy, defined as confidence in the ability to carry out behavior to achieve a desired goal, is considered to be a prerequisite for behavior change. Self-efficacy correlates with cardiovascular health although optimal timing to incorporate self-efficacy strategies is not well established. We sought to study the effect of an empowerment approach implemented in the introductory phase of a multicomponent lifestyle intervention on cardiovascular health outcomes.

DESIGN: Prospective intervention cohort study.

METHODS: Patients in the Integrative Cardiac Health Project Registry, a prospective lifestyle change program for the prevention of cardiovascular disease were analyzed for behavioral changes by survey, at baseline and one year, in the domains of nutrition, exercise, stress management and sleep. Self-efficacy questionnaires were administered at baseline and after the empowerment intervention, at 8 weeks.

RESULTS: Of 119 consecutive registry completers, 60 comprised a high self-efficacy group (scoring at or above the median of 36 points) and 59 the low self-efficacy group (scoring below median).  Self-efficacy scores increased irrespective of baseline self-efficacy but the largest gains in self-efficacy occurred in patients who ranked in the lower half for self-efficacy at baseline. This lower self-efficacy group demonstrated behavioral gains that erased differences between the high and low self-efficacy groups.

CONCLUSIONS: A boost to self-efficacy early in a lifestyle intervention program produces significant improvements in behavioral outcomes.  Employing empowerment in an early phase may be a critical strategy to improve self-efficacy and lower risk in individuals vulnerable to cardiovascular disease.
Reviewer Acknowledgements for Journal of Food Research, Vol. 5 No. 1
Authors: Dong Bella
Published: February 2016

Reviewer Acknowledgements for Journal of Food Research, Vol. 5 No. 1, February 2016.
Austerity in Civil Procedure
Authors: Owusu-Dapaa Ernest , Adjei Bediako Ebenezer
Published: February 2016

Austerity in Civil Procedure

The demand for and availability of civil justice procedures for small claims can neither be disentangled nor extricated from the health of the economic climate of the relevant country concerned. In this article, it is argued that despite not being a developed country, Ghana was not completely insulated from the hardships or implementation of austerity measures that were triggered by the global economic meltdown. The inevitability of behavioural changes on the part of the Government of Ghana as lawmaker and provider of the machinery for civil justice on the one hand and small claims litigants as users of the civil procedure on the other hand are also explored in the article. After properly situating the exploration in the relevant economic context, the article makes recommendations regarding how to minimise the impact of the austerity measures on small claims litigants.
Van meezeggen en tegenspreken – van democratisering naar een lastig gesprek
Authors: van den Bosch D.P.
Published: February 2016

Van meezeggen en tegenspreken – van democratisering naar een lastig gesprek

In dit artikel wordt beschreven hoe de opvattingen inzake medezeggenschap in het overheidsbeleid zich hebben ontwikkeld sinds de opkomst van de gedachten daarover in de jaren zeventig. Nadat de studentenprotesten van 1968 ook in Nederland tot democratisering van de universiteiten hadden geleid met de Wet Universitaire Bestuurshervorming (1970), werd de aanzet voor medezeggenschap in de hele semipublieke sector vooral gegeven door de commissie-Van der Burg, die in 1977 rapport uitbracht. In alle sectoren werd nadien de medezeggenschap wettelijk geregeld, soms na zeer lange discussies. En nog altijd is de discussie niet uitgewoed. De commissie-Halsema besprak in haar rapport van 2013 voor een deel dezelfde thema’s als de commissie-Van der Burg, in het licht van beoogde verbeteringen in het besturen van de inmiddels sterk veranderde instellingen. En de WRR liet in 2014 zijn licht over deze materie schijnen. Welke beleidsagenda levert dit nu op?
Wettelijk geconditioneerde zelfregulering: het dilemma van het omarmen van zelfregulering door de wetgever
Authors: Overmars A.G.D.
Published: February 2016

Wettelijk geconditioneerde zelfregulering: het dilemma van het omarmen van zelfregulering door de wetgever. Casestudy: de Gedragscode internationale student in het Nederlandse hoger onderwijs

De overheid stimuleert zelfregulering door het veld, zodat zij zelf minder regels hoeft te ontwikkelen. Zij doet daarbij een beroep op het verantwoordelijkheidsgevoel van het veld. Tegelijkertijd omarmt de wetgever de zelfregulering door inbedding ervan in wet- en regelgeving. Daarmee verandert het karakter van de regulering. In hoeverre is er nog sprake van zelfregulering? Is de zelfregulering door de inbedding in wet- en regelgeving feitelijk geen overheidsregulering geworden? Als casestudy wordt in deze bijdrage de toelating van internationale studenten in het Nederlandse hoger onderwijs beschreven. De uitvoeringspraktijk in deze sector maakt duidelijk dat de vervlechting van beide vormen van regulering, indien niet goed doordacht en op elkaar afgestemd, tot een juridisch kwetsbare constructie leidt.
A Study of Human Leukocyte Antigen Mismatched Cellular Therapy (Stem Cell Microtransplantation) in High-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome or Transformed Acute Myelogenous Leukemia
Authors: Hu Kai-Xun , Sun Qi-Yun , Guo Mei , Qiao Jun-Xiao , Yu Chang-Lin , Qiao Jian-Hui , Dong Zheng , Sun Wan-Jun , Zuo Hong-Li , Huang Ya-Jing , Cai Bo , Ai Hui-Sheng
Published: February 2016

The treatment outcomes of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and transformed acute myelogenous leukemia (tAML) remain very unsatisfactory. We designed a combination of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-mismatched hematopoietic stem cell microtransplantation (MST) with chemotherapy for patients with MDS and tAML and evaluated its effects and toxicity. Patients were between 13 and 79 years old. Patients with MDS (n = 21) were given HLA-mismatched MST combined with decitabine and cytarabine; patients with tAML (n = 22) were given HLA-mismatched MST combined with decitabine and cytarabine, and also mitoxantrone. Patients in complete remission (CR) also received MST plus decitabine and medium-dose cytarabine chemotherapy without graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis. The overall response rate of the patients with MDS was significantly higher than that of those with tAML (81% vs. 50%; p = .03). The CR rates were 52.4% and 36.4% in the two groups, respectively. There was no difference in the cytogenetic CR rate between the MDS and tAML groups (85.7% vs. 70%, respectively; p = .7). The 24-month overall survival of the patients with MDS was significantly higher than that of the patients with tAML (84.7% and 34.1%, respectively; p = .003). The median recovery times of neutrophils and platelets were, respectively, 14 and 17 days in the patients with MDS, and 16 and 19 days in those with tAML. The treatment-related mortality rates were 4.8% and 18.2%, respectively, in the MDS and tAML groups (p = .34). No GVHD was observed in any patient. Microtransplantation combined with decitabine and chemotherapy may provide a novel, effective, and safe treatment for high-risk MDS and tAML.

Significance

Microtransplantation (MST) refers to regular chemotherapy combined with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-mobilized peripheral blood stem cell infusion of human leukocyte antigen-mismatched donor cells without using immunosuppressive agents. It aims to support hematopoietic recovery and perform graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effects but differs from traditional allogeneic stem cell transplantation because the rate of donor cell chimerism is low and there is and no graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) risk. Thus, a trial was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of MST in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome and those with transformed acute myelogenous leukemia. Higher complete remission and cytogenetic complete response rates were observed, and the treatment improved disease progress-free survival, sped hematopoietic recovery, and avoided GVHD.
Mindfulness and Nutrition in College Age Students
Authors: Stephanie Bryan
Published: February 2016

Primary Objective: The obesity rate among young Americans is now almost 25% with higher rates found in minority populations; lack of exercise and poor eating habits are some of the leading causes. The collegiate environment provides a unique opportunity to share nutrition-related knowledge while enhancing students’ awareness,both of which may ultimately lead to changes in health-related behaviors. Mindful eating is associated with a lower Body Mass Index (BMI) and an increased intake of fruits and vegetables. A semester-long nutrition course may result in an increased awareness of eating patterns and may be associated with improvements in dietary intake over time.Methods: Of the 38 students registered for a college-level nutrition course held during an almost four-month-long-semester, 37 self-selected to complete an anonymous Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ) before and after taking the nutrition course; the participants also answered two open-ended questions for qualitative data collection post-test.Results: Of the 37 students 22 were female and 16 male between the ages of 18 and 24; 35 % self-identified as African American, 29% self-identified as white, 22% as self-identified as Latino/Hispanic, 10% self-identified as other and 2% self-identified as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. No significant change in the MEQ score occurred from pre to post-test; however, there was a trend towards improvement. The students’ answers to open-ended questions regarding any shifts in understanding, approach, or changes in eating habits, revealed overwhelming increases in mindful eating and dietary changesConclusions: A collegiate course taught over a semester is a unique opportunity to introduce nutrition information, emphasizing the connection between nutrition, optimal health, and disease prevention. A student’s exposure to nutrition information while also observing their own eating patterns over time can provide a non-judgmental informed space that allows for the development of a heightened awareness. In turn, the heightened awareness can lead to changes in eating behaviors as evidenced here.
Editorial
Authors: Marzal Felici Javier , Casero Ripollés Andreu
Published: February 2016

Editorial y presentación del contenido del número 11 de adComunica
La hora de la verdad de los medios públicos: reforma o extinción
Authors: Gómez Montano Alicia
Published: February 2016

Artículo para la sección Tribuna del número 11 de adComunica.
La participación ciudadana como factor diferencial de los medios públicos
Authors: Perales Albert Alejandro
Published: February 2016

Artículo para la sección Tribuna del número 11 de adComunica.
Análisis cuantitativo de la pluralidad en los informativos de Nou en su última etapa
Authors: López-Olano Carlos
Published: February 2016

Durante los cerca de siete meses en los que Rosa Vidal y su nuevo equipo dirigieron RTVV, se produjo un cambio de tendencia en los informativos. Unos espacios de programación —vitales para una televisión pública— que habían perdido totalmente el prestigio y la audiencia después de 24 años de historia, la mayor parte de ellos bajo el poder político del Partido Popular. Esa última época convulsa coincidió en el tiempo con la aplicación de un expediente de regulación de empleo que el Tribunal Superior de Justicia de la Comunitat Valenciana anularía, provocando la decisión de acabar con las emisiones de la televisión autonómica. También por entonces se puso en marcha el Mandato-marco y el Contrato-programa, instrumentos ampliamente utilizados en España en los últimos años para intentar dotar de estabilidad presupuestaria a las televisiones públicas. En esta etapa agónica, justo antes del cierre ordenado por el presidente Alberto Fabra, diversos autores coinciden en que hubo un intento de recuperar la independencia informativa. En este artículo queremos comprobarlo, analizando las escaletas de los informativos del período, y comparándolas tanto con etapas anteriores, como con datos extraídos de otras emisoras autonómicas. Para ello seguiremos una metodología basada en la que emplea el Consell de l’Audiovisual de Catalunya para hacer sus informes mensuales sobre las televisiones de su ámbito de actuación.
Active machine learning-driven experimentation to determine compound effects on protein patterns
Authors: Naik Armaghan W , Kangas Joshua D , Sullivan Devin P , Murphy Robert F
Published: February 2016

High throughput screening determines the effects of many conditions on a given biological target. Currently, to estimate the effects of those conditions on other targets requires either strong modeling assumptions (e.g. similarities among targets) or separate screens. Ideally, data-driven experimentation could be used to learn accurate models for many conditions and targets without doing all possible experiments. We have previously described an active machine learning algorithm that can iteratively choose small sets of experiments to learn models of multiple effects. We now show that, with no prior knowledge and with liquid handling robotics and automated microscopy under its control, this learner accurately learned the effects of 48 chemical compounds on the subcellular localization of 48 proteins while performing only 29% of all possible experiments. The results represent the first practical demonstration of the utility of active learning-driven biological experimentation in which the set of possible phenotypes is unknown in advance.
Localized epigenetic silencing of a damage-activated WNT enhancer limits regeneration in mature Drosophila imaginal discs
Authors: Harris Robin E , Setiawan Linda , Saul Josh , Hariharan Iswar K
Published: February 2016

Many organisms lose the capacity to regenerate damaged tissues as they mature. Damaged Drosophila imaginal discs regenerate efficiently early in the third larval instar (L3) but progressively lose this ability. This correlates with reduced damage-responsive expression of multiple genes, including the WNT genes wingless (wg) and Wnt6. We demonstrate that damage-responsive expression of both genes requires a bipartite enhancer whose activity declines during L3. Within this enhancer, a damage-responsive module stays active throughout L3, while an adjacent silencing element nucleates increasing levels of epigenetic silencing restricted to this enhancer. Cas9-mediated deletion of the silencing element alleviates WNT repression, but is, in itself, insufficient to promote regeneration. However, directing Myc expression to the blastema overcomes repression of multiple genes, including wg, and restores cellular responses necessary for regeneration. Localized epigenetic silencing of damage-responsive enhancers can therefore restrict regenerative capacity in maturing organisms without compromising gene functions regulated by developmental signals.
Experimental study of heavy-ion computed tomography using a scintillation screen and an electron-multiplying charged coupled device camera for human head imaging
Authors: Muraishi Hiroshi , Hara Hidetake , Abe Shinji , Yokose Mamoru , Watanabe Takara , Takeda Tohoru , Koba Yusuke , Fukuda Shigekazu
Published: February 2016

We have developed a heavy-ion computed tomography (IonCT) system using a scintillation screen and an electron-multiplying charged coupled device (EMCCD) camera that can measure a large object such as a human head. In this study, objective with the development of the system was to investigate the possibility of applying this system to heavy-ion treatment planning from the point of view of spatial resolution in a reconstructed image. Experiments were carried out on a rotation phantom using 12C accelerated up to 430 MeV/u by the Heavy-Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC) at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS). We demonstrated that the reconstructed image of an object with a water equivalent thickness (WET) of approximately 18 cm was successfully achieved with the spatial resolution of 1 mm, which would make this IonCT system worth applying to the heavy-ion treatment planning for head and neck cancers.
Addressing AI Algorithmic Bias in Health Care
Authors: Ratwani Raj M. , Sutton Karey , Galarraga Jessica E.
Published: September 2024

This Viewpoint discusses the bias that exists in artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms used in health care despite recent federal rules to prohibit discriminatory outcomes from AI and recommends ways in which health care facilities, AI developers, and regulators could share responsibilities and actions to address bias.
Medetomidine Infiltrates the US Illicit Opioid Market
Authors: Palamar Joseph J. , Krotulski Alex J.
Published: September 2024

This Viewpoint discusses the spread of medetomidine in the US illicit opioid market and the need for monitoring and a public health response.
Genetic Aspects of Necrobiotic Xanthogranuloma
Authors: Chen Peng-Yu , Tang Zhuang-Li , Hong Yuan-Yu , Hsieh I-Jung , Li Zi-Yun , Zhou Jiong , Cai Sui-Qing
Published: September 2024

This genetic association study examines the genetic aspects of necrobiotic xanthogranuloma in 3 patients in China.