bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Frequência populacional de Dermatobia hominis (Linnaeus Jr., 1781) (Diptera: Cuterebridae) e sua correlação com variáveis climáticas, no Sudeste do Brasil
Authors: Medeiros William Soares , Baptista Marcelle Nardelli , Borja Gonzalo Efrain Moya
Published: February 2016

Foi avaliada a frequência de infestação por larvas de Dermatobia hominis em bovinos leiteiros, investigando-se a existência de correlação entre a incidência do berne e os fatores climáticos (temperatura, umidade relativa e precipitação pluviométrica) com a sua distribuição na superfície corporal dos animais. Foram selecionadas duas áreas localizadas na região Sudeste do Brasil: Área 1: clima subtropical/tropical de altitude (Cwa); Área 2: clima tropical (Aw). As observações foram realizadas no período de maio a dezembro de 2013. Em cada propriedade foram examinados dez animais em coletas de campo quinzenais para o levantamento do número de nódulos de berne. Foram registrados nódulos durante todos os meses de coleta. A Área 1 apresentou média de 12,94 bernes/mês, e a Área 2, 7,58 bernes/mês. Na Área 2, não foi constatada a existência de correlação entre o número de bernes e as variáveis climáticas (p > 0,05). Na Área 1, houve correlação entre o número médio de bernes com a temperatura (p = 0,011) e a precipitação (p = 0,034). Esses fatores climáticos, relacionados às características edáficas, influenciam a penetração das larvas L3 e o período pupal. O maior número de nódulos foi encontrado na região anterior inferior, seguida pela região anterior superior do corpo dos animais, regiões nobres que compõe a parte industrializável da pele do animal e que representam a maior causa de prejuízo econômico. 
Evaluation of RT-PCR and hemi-nested RT-PCR in brain samples from dogs with neurologic signs compatible with distemper
Authors: Cortez Adriana , Souza Vanessa , Fernandes Telma , Megid Jane
Published: February 2016

Foi comparado o valor diagnóstico das técnicas de RT-PCR e heminested RT-PCR (hnRT-PCR) em amostras de cérebro de cães com sintomatologia nervosa compatível com cinomose. Fragmentos do sistema nervoso central (SNC) colhidos de 68 animais foram testados pela Imunofluorescência direta (IFD) e, independentemente do resultado, foram armazenados a -20°C por pelo menos três anos. Após esse período, foram submetidos a RT-PCR e a hnRT-PCR com oligonucleotídeos iniciadores direcionados ao gene codificador da nucleoproteína N. As proporções de resultados positivos/examinados foram: 59/68 para a IFD, 40/68 para a RT-PCR (Kappa = 0,358) e 54/68 quando associada à heminested PCR (Kappa = 0,740). Houve nove resultados negativos nas três técnicas empregadas. Os resultados do coeficiente Kappa entre a IFD e hnRT-PCR demonstram que apesar das condições de armazenamento, a hnRT-PCR pode ser utilizada em estudos retrospectivos.
Profound Actions of an Agonist of Growth Hormone–Releasing Hormone on Angiogenic Therapy by Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Ma QunChao , Xia Xiangyang , Tao Quanwei , Lu Kai , Shen Jian , Xu Qiyuan , Hu Xinyang , Tang Yaoliang , Block Norman L. , Webster Keith A. , Schally Andrew V. , Wang Jian’an , Yu Hong
Published: February 2016

Objective—

The efficiency of cell therapy is limited by poor cell survival and engraftment. Here, we studied the effect of the growth hormone–releasing hormone agonist, JI-34, on mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) survival and angiogenic therapy in a mouse model of critical limb ischemia.

Approach and Results—

Mouse bone marrow–derived MSCs were incubated with or without 10
–8
mol/L JI-34 for 24 hours. MSCs were then exposed to hypoxia and serum deprivation to detect the effect of preconditioning on cell apoptosis, migration, and tube formation. For in vivo tests, critical limb ischemia was induced by femoral artery ligation. After surgery, mice received 50 μL phosphate-buffered saline or with 1×10
6
MSCs or with 1×10
6
JI-34–reconditioned MSCs. Treatment of MSCs with JI-34 improved MSC viability and mobility and markedly enhanced their capability to promote endothelial tube formation in vitro. These effects were paralleled by an increased phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3. In vivo, JI-34 pretreatment enhanced the engraftment of MSCs into ischemic hindlimb muscles and augmented reperfusion and limb salvage compared with untreated MSCs. Significantly more vasculature and proliferating CD31
+
and CD34
+
cells were detected in ischemic muscles that received MSCs treated with JI-34.

Conclusions—

Our studies demonstrate a novel role for JI-34 to markedly improve therapeutic angiogenesis in hindlimb ischemia by increasing the viability and mobility of MSCs. These findings support additional studies to explore the full potential of growth hormone–releasing hormone agonists to augment cell therapy in the management of ischemia.
Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Diet and Incidence of Stroke
Authors: Larsson Susanna C. , Wallin Alice , Wolk Alicja
Published: February 2016

Background and Purpose—

High adherence to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is associated with lower risk of hypertension, the major risk factor for stroke. We examined whether adherence to the DASH diet is inversely associated with the incidence of stroke.

Methods—

The study population comprised 74 404 men and women (45–83 years of age), without stroke at baseline, from the Cohort of Swedish Men and the Swedish Mammography Cohort. Diet was assessed with a food-frequency questionnaire. A modified DASH diet score was created based on consumption of vegetables, fruits, legumes and nuts, whole grains, low-fat dairy, red meat and processed meat, and sweetened beverages. Stroke cases were identified through linkage to the Swedish National Patient and Cause of Death Registers. Relative risks and 95% confidence intervals were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression model.

Results—

During 882 727 person-years (mean, 11.9 years) of follow-up, 3896 ischemic strokes, 560 intracerebral hemorrhages, and 176 subarachnoid hemorrhages were ascertained. The modified DASH diet score was statistically significantly inversely associated with the risk of ischemic stroke (
P
for trend=0.002), with a multivariable relative risk of 0.86 (95% confidence interval, 0.78–0.94) for the highest versus the lowest quartile of the score. The modified DASH diet score was nonsignificantly inversely associated with intracerebral hemorrhage (corresponding relative risk=0.81; 95% confidence interval, 0.63–1.05) but was not associated with subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Conclusions—

These findings indicate that high adherence to the DASH diet is associated with a reduced risk of ischemic stroke.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifiers: NCT01127698 and NCT01127711 for the Swedish Mammography Cohort and the Cohort of Swedish Men, respectively.
Taking It Out on the Dog
Authors: Parfitt Charlotte , Alleyne Emma
Published: February 2016

There is a lack of research examining the criminogenic factors related to animal abuse perpetrated by adults, despite the high prevalence of this type of offending. A correlational study examining the factors related to two types of animal abuse proclivity was used. We found that childhood animal abuse, empathetic concern, and a proneness for human-directed aggression were significant correlates of direct forms of nonhuman animal abuse (i.e., the animal was perceived to be the provocateur). We also found that childhood animal abuse, personal distress (i.e., anxiety from interpersonal interactions), and empathetic concern were significant correlates of indirect forms of animal abuse (i.e., a person was the perceived provocateur, the animal an alternative outlet for aggression). These findings highlight targets for prevention and intervention programs and the importance of distinguishing between different forms of and motivations for animal abuse.
The Book of the Sick of Santa Maria della Morte in Bologna and the Medical Organization of a Hospital in the Sixteenth-Century
Authors: Savoia Paolo
Published: February 2016

In 2012 a manuscript was rediscovered in the Biblioteca dell’Archiginnasio of Bologna, titled Libro degli infermi dell’Arciconfraternita di S. Maria della Morte. It is the record of incoming patients of one for the main hospitals of the city, devoted exclusively to the sick poor and not just to the poor, called Santa Maria della Morte, compiled by a young student assistant (astante) for the period 1558–1564. I publish here a transcription of a portion of this Libro pertaining to the year 1560. My introduction situates the manuscript within the context of the history of early modern Italian hospitals, describes the organization of the hospital of Santa Maria della Morte based on archival sources of the period, and finally highlights the connections between surgical and anatomical education and the internal organization of the hospital.
Two new diatoms in the genus Fragilaria Lyngbye (Fragilariophyceae) from tropical reservoirs in Brazil and comparison with type material of F. tenera
Authors: ALMEIDA PRYSCILLA DENISE , Morales Eduardo Antonio , Wetzel Carlos Eduardo , Ector Luc , Bicudo Denise De Campos
Published: February 2016

Two new diatom species, Fragilaria neotropica sp. nov. and F. spectra sp. nov., from six reservoirs with different trophic status in the Alto Tietê River Basin, São Paulo, Brazil, are described. Descriptions are based on light (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) data revealing that both taxa have distinctive features that separate them from each other and from other taxa currently in Fragilaria. Fragilaria neotropica has high stria density, broader (sometimes deformed) central area, and capitate (often deflected) apices. This species was found in high abundance as part of the phytoplankton, periphyton and surface sediments in mesotrophic reservoirs. On the other hand, F. spectra has indistinct striae (not clearly seen in LM), wide sternum, two rimoportulae per valve and lacks spines. This taxon was abundant in the phytoplankton and periphyton of oligotrophic to mesotrophic reservoirs. A discussion of morphological and ecological aspects in the light of available literature is presented, as well as a morphological comparison based on LM and SEM analysis of the original material of F. tenera.
Policy (Mis) Representation and the Cost of Ruling: U.S. Presidential Elections in Comparative Perspective
Authors: Wlezien Christopher
Published: February 2016

The cost of ruling effect on electoral support is well established. That is, governing parties tend to lose vote share the longer they are in power. Although we know this to be true, we do not know why it happens. This research examines whether the cost of ruling results at least in part from the tendency for governing parties to shift policy further away from the average voter. It first considers differences in political institutions and how they might influence cost of ruling owing to policy drift, and then tests the hypothesis focusing on U.S. presidential elections, which is an unfavorable case to find such an effect. Results confirm a clear cost of ruling effect in these elections and demonstrate that policy misrepresentation is an important mechanism. That is, the policy liberalism of presidents from different parties diverges over time as their tenure in the White House increases, and the degree to which it does matters for the presidential vote. Policy is not the only thing that matters, and other factors, in particular the economy, are more powerful. From the point of view of electoral accountability, however, the results do provide good news, as they indicate that substantive representation is important to voters. Elections are not simply games of musical chairs.
Tuning Gender
Authors: Avery Lanice R. , Ward L. Monique , Moss Lolita , Üsküp Dilara
Published: February 2016

Although analyses indicate that mainstream media are a prominent force in the gender socialization of Black youth, little is known about the nature of gender messages in contemporary music, especially in music by Black artists. To explore this issue, we conducted a systematic content analysis of 527 top songs by Black artists released from 1990 to 2010, coding each song for the presence of 23 attributes reflecting hegemonic masculinity and femininity. Analyses also examined differences in gender messages based on time period and genre. Findings indicated that representations of hegemonic masculinity were most likely to reflect hypermasculinity, characterizing Black men as competitive, dangerous, sex-focused, and materialistic. Portrayals of women were more likely to reflect hyperfeminine attributes, emphasizing the importance of women’s physical attractiveness, utility as sexual objects, and emotional expressiveness. Representations of men as hypermasculine and of women as hyperfeminine sexual objects increased over time, and were more frequent for rap/hip-hop music than for other genres. Results are discussed in terms of the potential links between music exposure and the gender development of Black youth.
Generation expansion planning scenarios to reduce natural gas dependency of Turkey
Authors: Ozcan Mustafa , Yildirim Mehmet , Ozturk Semra
Published: February 2016

Turkey relies heavily on natural gas in electricity generation and imports almost all of its natural gas needs. The country’s natural gas import bill currently comprises a large proportion of the country’s total energy bill, and the government of Turkey wants to reduce the weight of natural gas in the energy mix to reduce dependency in its energy policy. In this study, three different scenarios were considered to explore whether renewable energy sources or nuclear energy can be alternatives to natural gas to reduce energy dependency. The economic and technical analyses and comparisons of these scenarios have also been carried out. First, electricity generation expansion planning of Turkey for the 2015–2030 planning horizon was realized by using a genetic algorithm. In the first scenario, besides all conventional energy sources, renewable energy sources were included in the model as an input. In the second scenario, the first scenario was repeated without natural gas. In the third scenario, all conventional energy sources are included in the first scenario, except natural gas and renewable energy source. It was concluded from these calculations that nuclear energy is not likely to have a significant place in Turkey’s future energy policy since it has a high investment cost and leads to dependence on foreign resources. Additionally, it is argued that renewable energy source cannot be an alternative to natural gas or other energy sources considering the low capacity factor and high investment costs.
W. H. Auden’sFor The Time Being : Christian proof? Aesthetic possibility?
Authors: Cappeluti Jo-Anne
Published: February 2016

This article explores a noteworthy difference between Alan Jacobs’s interpretation of Auden’s oratorio and mine. Jacobs sees the oratorio as a Christian poem and proof of Auden’s Christianity—which coincides with Auden’s turn away from his Romantic roots. I interpret the piece as a sign of Auden’s continuing commitment to his Romantic inheritance and intent to serve as an aesthetic (not religious) hero, exploring the aesthetic possibilities to which his imagination is drawn. After delineating the problems each of us has in applying our respective claims, I explain mine as offering the more troublesome challenge of the two.
Gerard Manley Hopkins: Sensuality and spirituality in the Diaries and Journals
Authors: Stewart Suzanne
Published: February 2016

Gerard Manley Hopkins’s Diaries (1862–66) and Journals (1866–75) have received relatively little critical attention. They are studied principally as a means to more fully understanding the poetry. In fact, Hopkins was working out his ideas in prose concerning the proper place of art and beauty in religious life long before he expressed that conviction in the sonnets that he composed in Wales in 1877. The Diaries and Journals articulate what is conventionally attributed only to the poems: that in perceiving nature so intensely, sensuously, and deeply, he was discovering the sacramental presence of God in Creation. As we study Hopkins’s poetry, the Diaries and Journals must be acknowledged, not as mere shadows of the poems to come but as prior evidence of his spiritually charged perceptual processes, and his command of the powers of language to express his mystical experience.
A Magic, Unquiet Body
Authors: Edwards Michael
Published: February 2016

The reading and rereading of modernist poetry in English can prompt the reflection that, in a fallen world awaiting the creation of “new heavens and a new earth,” poetry is a privileged showing of the “ecstasy” and “terror” (Eliot’s terms) of our situation, and of its possibility. Under the action of poetry, the world, and language and poetry itself are each revealed as a kind of magic, unquiet body, a living body unlike any other, with a memory deeper than ours, ready for change. To this end, in the period of universal Anglospeak, the urgent task for the poet is to relearn the nature of English.
Positive and Negative Affect in Children Living in Refugee Camps
Authors: Veronese Guido , Pepe Alessandro
Published: February 2016

In the present study, we assessed the psychometric proprieties of the Positive and Negative Affect Scale–Child Version (PANAS-C) in a large sample of Palestinian children ( N = 1,376) of different age ranges living in refugee camps. In particular, we used standard confirmatory factor analysis to test competing factor structures for the PANAS-C, with a view to developing a stable version of the instrument, suitable for speedy administration in applied and research settings in the contexts of military violence. Four alternative models of the PANAS-C were evaluated: unidimensional; two-dimensional with independent PA and NA scales and covariance of item-level errors unallowed; two-dimensional with dependent PA and NA scales and covariance of item-level errors unallowed; and two-dimensional with dependent PA and NA scales and covariance of item-level errors. The results of the statistical analysis supported a 20-item measurement model comprising the PANAS-C20 Arabic version for children. The items in this best fitting model loaded on two different and negatively correlated factors. These findings encourage full adoption of the PANAS-C20 as a tool for assessing both PA and NA in Palestinian children living in contexts of warfare.
Oral distension methods for small bowel MRI: comparison of different agents to optimize bowel distension
Authors: Schmidt Stefan A , Baumann Julia A , Stanescu-Siegmund Nora , Froehlich Eckhart , Brambs Hans-Juergen , Juchems Markus S
Published: February 2016

Background

Different methods for bowel distension prior to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations were described in recent years.

Purpose

To compare orally administered psyllium or locust bean gum / mannitol (LBM) with tylose administered through a duodenal catheter for bowel distension in patients undergoing MRI examination of the small bowel.

Material and Methods

Three different methods of bowel distension prior to MRI were compared: tylose applied through a duodenal catheter and orally administered psyllium and LBM in three groups with 15 patients each. Datasets were blinded and reviewed independently by two experienced radiologists, who assessed the diagnostic value and the maximum luminal diameter.

Results

Tylose was superior to psyllium and LBM in the examination of the duodenum and proximal jejunum. LBM was superior to the other methods for distension of the ileum and terminal ileum. The greatest luminal diameter of the duodenum was achieved after tylose and distension of the terminal ileum was the best in patients receiving LBM. The psyllium group was inferior to the other two groups in all segments.

Conclusion

By using LBM as an oral method of bowel distension, many patients can avoid the unpleasant placement of a duodenal catheter without compromising the diagnostic value of the examination.
The Moral Economies of Self-interest
Authors: Vila-Henninger Luis
Published: February 2016

What are the norms that actors use to justify the pursuit of self-interest? More than 100 years ago, Emile Durkheim argued that the normative pursuit of self-interest was “subordinated” by norms of social solidarity. Since then, scholars have investigated a variety of norms of market action. However, there is a gap in the literature concerning the intersection of norms of self-interest and norms of social solidarity. In this article, I analyzed the different norms used to legitimize and justify the pursuit of self-interest employed by voters during their interpretation and evaluation of direct democratic regulation of undocumented labor in Arizona labor markets. I found three distinct moral economies, or broad consensuses about rules of legitimacy and fairness for market action, that spanned across income level and political party for respondents who identified as voting out of self-interest. These three moral economies draw upon norms of social solidarity to legitimate and justify norms of the pursuit of self-interest. My findings help begin to shed light on the various manifestations of norms of self-interest that draw upon norms of solidarity.
Chasing the enemy under neutral cover: French seizures of Danish ships in Nantes during the Directory period
Authors: Schnakenbourg Eric
Published: February 2016

This article considers neutral shipping from an actor-centred perspective. It begins with the study of four cases of Danish ships seized by French privateers in the Atlantic in 1797 and 1798, which were subsequently judged and condemned in Nantes. The points of conflict between the practices of neutral commerce and the legal framework are investigated to determine how the fate of a neutral ship vacillated between good prize and release, between seizure and freedom. The central issue was how to prove the true neutral nature of a venture. Even if the fate of a neutral ship theoretically depended on national legislation, in reality the final judgement of a neutral prize depended to a certain extent on local interests, particularly local investment in privateering. In that respect, the condemnation of the richest prizes was a very important financial issue for the local society in Nantes. This was why the privateers tried to take advantage of the slightest fault to prove the enemy character of their prize, whereas the neutral captain and his lawyer pleaded the sincerity and the good faith of the expedition. As this article shows, the ultimate fate of an intercepted neutral ship was determined by a complicated interplay of factors: local mercantile activities, legal interests and diplomatic priorities, which combined to make each case special.
Challenges in Diagnosis and Treatment of Wernicke Encephalopathy
Authors: Infante Maria Teresa , Fancellu Roberto , Murialdo Alessandra , Barletta Laura , Castellan Lucio , Serrati Carlo
Published: February 2016

Background: Wernicke encephalopathy (WE) is a medical emergency caused by thiamine deficiency, characterized by cerebellar ataxia, ophthalmoplegia, and cognitive disturbances that may progress to Korsakoff amnesia. We describe 2 patients with WE who needed high‐dose and long‐term treatment with thiamine to obtain neurological improvement and recovery. Case Description: The first patient was a woman diagnosed with non‐Hodgkin lymphoma. After a gastrointestinal infection, she developed depression, memory loss, disorientation, behavioral changes, and ataxic paraplegia. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed bilateral alterations in thalamic, frontal, and periaqueductal regions, suggestive of WE. The second patient was a man who lost 10 kg after surgical gastrectomy; he developed diplopia, ophthalmoplegia, cerebellar ataxia, lower limb paresthesias, and amnesia. A brain MRI demonstrated contrast enhancement of mammillary bodies, compatible with WE. Outcome: The patients were treated with intramuscular (IM) thiamine (1200 mg/d for 2 months and 900 mg/d for a month, respectively) with gradual cognitive and behavioral improvement and brain MRI normalization, while ataxia and oculomotion improved in following months. In both patients, thiamine was gradually reduced to IM 200 mg/d and continued for a year, without clinical relapses. Conclusions: There is no consensus about dosage, frequency, route, and duration of thiamine administration in WE treatment. Based on our cases, we recommend treating patients with WE with higher doses of IM thiamine for a longer time than suggested (900–1200 mg/d for 1–2 months, in our cases) and to gradually reduce dosage after clinical and radiological improvement, maintaining IM 200 mg/d dosage for at least 1 year.
Flame–retarded epoxy resin with high glass transition temperature cured by DOPO-containing H-benzimidazole
Authors: Wang Yongzhen , Yuan Yanchao , Zhao Ying , Liu Shumei , Zhao Jianqing
Published: February 2016

A halogen-free flame retardant of 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene-10-oxide-containing H-benzimidazole (DHBI) was synthesized and subsequently used as co-curing agent of 4,4′-diamino-diphenylmethane for diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A. The structure of DHBI was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, proton, carbon 13 and phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectroscopy. A series of cured epoxy resins (EPs) were prepared and their flame retardancy, thermal stability, flexibility, and dielectric properties were investigated. The resulting cured EP (EP-10) with 7.45 wt% of DHBI successfully achieved UL 94 V-0 rate with limited oxygen index of 35.6% and without dropping phenomenon. Compared with the cured pristine EP (EP-00), the glass transition temperature of EP-10 was increased by 6.9°C, accompanied with an enhancement of flexible strength by 13.1 MPa and a decrement of dielectric constant by 0.3 at the testing frequency of 1 MHz.
Experimental and numerical study of flow characteristics of flat-walled diffuser/nozzles for valveless piezoelectric micropumps
Authors: He Xiu-hua , Cai Sheng-Chuan , Deng Zhi-Dan , Yang Song
Published: February 2016

The flat-walled diffuser/nozzles are classified into two types, i.e. Tube I and Tube II, based on their different flow resistance characteristics. Tube I has less pressure loss coefficients in the diffuser direction than the nozzle direction, and Tube II has larger pressure loss coefficients in the diffuser direction than the nozzle direction. This work focuses on the characterization of the diffuser efficiency, and flow rectification of these two types of diffuser/nozzles. The characterization is performed with diverging angles in the range of 5°–60° and length–width ratios in the range of 1–20, and the pressure drop ranging from 1 to 10 kPa. The results show that with the increase in pressure drop and the decrease in length–width ratio, Tube I type of diffuser/nozzles can change to Tube II. For Tube I type of diffuser/nozzles, the smaller the diverging angle and the longer the length, the better the performance. For Tube II type of diffuser/nozzles, the larger the diverging angle and shorter the length, the better the flow rectification performance. Simulation results match well with the experiment data. Of particular interest, simulation of the diffuser flow fields suggests that the flow separation has a significant impact on pressure loss coefficients in the diffuser direction.
Dynamic analysis of drag torque for spur gear pairs considering the double-sided films
Authors: Liu Fuhao
Published: February 2016

Taking into account different drag torque, this paper investigates the influence of the lubricant films located in the backlash between meshing gear teeth pair on the gear dynamical behaviors. Numerical simulations show that the influence of the lubricant film on the coast side is significant under low loading, but under increased drag torques the influence is diminished. The shape of the hysteresis loop of double-sided films suggests that this model can make more sense. The sensitive of the drag torque is studied to illustrate the inverse relationship between drag torque and gear rattle: increased drag torque loading will increase to possibility of metal–metal contact which could generate noise, while decreased drag torque loading can promote noise due to rattle.
Selecting the Selection Methods at a Pakistani NGO
Authors: Saqib Zunaira , Khan Maria , Raza Nihaal , Sohail Zainab , Zainab Aliha
Published: February 2016

This case is about a Pakistani non-governmental organization, Educating Voters (EV), which works on projects promoting democracy such as voters’ education, election process transparency, and advocacy of democratic and political reforms. The organization shifted from small scale projects to large scale projects in 2008. However, this change led to increased turnover of team leaders in the Project Department. This position was very critical in EV because the Team Leader played an essential role in the completion of projects. However, as a result of large projects and the ensuing stress, 50 per cent of the team leaders had resigned within a span of two years. After thorough investigation, the HR team identified problems in the hiring process and narrowed these down to the absence of a Job Analysis statement for Team Lead positions. Job analysis statements were created by the HR team over a few months. Now, it was the CEO’s task to design selection methods based on the job description and specification statements.
Dispersion of torsional surface wave in an intermediate vertical prestressed inhomogeneous layer lying between heterogeneous half spaces
Authors: Kakar Rajneesh , Kakar Shikha
Published: February 2016

The purpose of this study is to illustrate the propagation of the torsional surface waves in an intermediate inhomogeneous initially stressed vertical elastic layer sandwiched between two heterogeneous half-spaces. It is considered that the mass density and the rigidity of upper and lower half-spaces are space dependent. The proposed model is solved to obtain the different dispersion relations for the torsional surface wave in the elastic medium of different properties. The effects of compressive and tensile stresses along with the heterogeneity on the dispersion of torsional surface wave in the intermediate layer are shown numerically. The wave analysis further indicates that the inhomogeneity, the initial stress of the layer and the heterogeneity of both the half spaces affect the wave velocity remarkably. The results may be useful to understand the nature of seismic wave propagation in geophysical applications and in the field of earthquake engineering.
Complex scientific applications made fault-tolerant with the sparse grid combination technique
Authors: Ali Md Mohsin , Strazdins Peter E , Harding Brendan , Hegland Markus
Published: February 2016

Ultra-large–scale simulations via solving partial differential equations (PDEs) require very large computational systems for their timely solution. Studies shown the rate of failure grows with the system size, and these trends are likely to worsen in future machines. Thus, as systems, and the problems solved on them, continue to grow, the ability to survive failures is becoming a critical aspect of algorithm development. The sparse grid combination technique (SGCT) which is a cost-effective method for solving higher dimensional PDEs can be easily modified to provide algorithm-based fault tolerance.

In this article, we describe how the SGCT can produce fault-tolerant versions of the Gyrokinetic Electromagnetic Numerical Experiment plasma application, Taxila Lattice Boltzmann Method application, and Solid Fuel Ignition application. We use an alternate component grid combination formula by adding some redundancy on the SGCT to recover data from lost processes. User-level failure mitigation (ULFM) message passing interface (MPI) is used to recover the processes, and our implementation is robust over multiple failures and recovery (processes and nodes).

An acceptable degree of modification of the applications is required. Results using the 2-D SGCT show competitive execution times with acceptable error (within 0.1% to 1.0%), compared to the same simulation with a single full resolution grid. The benefits improve when the 3-D SGCT is used. Experiments show the applications ability to successfully recover from multiple failures, and applying multiple SGCT reduces the computed solution error. Process recovery via ULFM MPI increases from approximately 1.5 sec at 64 cores to approximately 5 sec at 2048 cores for a one-off failure. This compares applications’ built-in checkpointing with job restart in conjunction with the classical SGCT on failure, which have overheads four times as large for a single failure, excluding the recomputation overhead. An analysis for a long-running application considering recomputation times indicates a reduction in overhead of over an order of magnitude.
Analysis of lubricating performance for spur gear pairs applying tribo-dynamic model
Authors: Ouyang Tiancheng , Chen Nan , Huang Jincheng , Huang Haozhong
Published: February 2016

A tribo-dynamic model for spur gear pairs combined dynamic loading with elastohydrodynamic lubrication theory is proposed in this paper. The integrated model incorporates a transverse-torsional dynamic model and a mixed elastohydrodynamic lubrication model to predict the dynamic behavior and lubricating performance of a spur gear pair under typical operating conditions. The dynamic model considering time-varying mesh stiffness, backlash as well as friction force generated from contact surfaces is built up to predict the dynamic tooth forces and surface velocities for the elastohydrodynamic lubrication model. In return, the elastohydrodynamic lubrication model taking into account the transient effect provides the dynamic model with viscous damping, friction forces and moments that play a non-negligible role in free and forced vibrations. In view of the convergence and efficiency, an iterative calculation program combined Runge-Kutta method and the multigrid method is developed to implement the tribo-dynamic model orderly to investigate the mutual relationship between the two models. The elastohydrodynamic lubrication predictions of the proposed model under dynamic conditions are compared to those obtained from a quasi-static elastohydrodynamic lubrication model to demonstrate the influence of the coupling effect on the elastohydrodynamic lubrication behavior. Simulation results indicate that the vibration caused by time-varying gear mesh force may enhance the friction coefficient at high speed.
Factors associated with telemonitoring use among patients with chronic heart failure
Authors: Albert Nancy M , Dinesen Birthe , Spindler Helle , Southard Jeffrey , Bena James F , Catz Sheryl , Kim Tae Youn , Nielsen Gitte , Tong Katherine , Nesbitt Thomas S
Published: February 2016

Background

In adults with chronic heart failure (HF; defined as people with previously diagnosed left ventricular dysfunction) telemonitoring randomized controlled trials (RCTs) failed to consistently demonstrate improved clinical outcomes. We aimed to examine if patient and HF characteristics are associated with device preferences and use.

Methods

Using a cross-sectional, multicenter, international design, ambulatory and hospitalized adults with HF in Ohio, California, and Denmark viewed a six-minute video of telemonitoring configurations (tablet, smart phone, and key fob) and completed questionnaires. Comparative analyses were performed and when significant, pairwise comparisons were performed using Bonferroni-adjusted significance levels.

Results

Of 206 participants, 48.2% preferred smart phones for telemonitoring, especially when traveling (54.8%), with new/worsening symptoms (50%), for everyday use (50%), and connecting with doctors (48.5%). Participants preferred two-way communication and a screen with words over voice or number pads. Of device purposes, allowing for nurse communication ranked highest, followed by maintaining overall health. Very few patient and HF factors were associated with device preferences. Patients with higher health literacy ( p = 0.007), previous/current device use history ( p = 0.008), higher education level ( p = 0.035), and married/cohabitating status ( p = 0.023) had higher perceptions of ease of using devices. Those who were asymptomatic or had mild HF had higher self-confidence for health devices ( p = 0.024) and non-white patients perceived devices as more useful ( p = 0.033).

Conclusion

Telemonitoring use may be enhanced by simple plug-and-play type devices, two-way communication, and features that meet patients’ personal learning and use needs.
Focus on form: A critical review
Authors: Ellis Rod
Published: February 2016

‘Focus on form’ (FonF) is a central construct in task-based language teaching. The term was first introduced by Michael Long to refer to an approach where learners’ attention is attracted to linguistic forms as they engage in the performance of tasks. It contrasts with a structure-based approach – ‘focus on forms’ (FonFs) – where specific linguistic forms are taught directly and explicitly. However, there is perhaps no construct in second language acquisition (SLA) that has proved so malleable and shifted in meaning so much. This review article begins by considering how Long’s original definition of it has stretched over time and then offers an updated definition of the construct based on the view that the term is best used to refer to specific kinds of ‘activities’ or ‘procedures’ rather than to an ‘approach’. A classification of different types of focus-on-form activities/procedures is then presented. There follows a discussion of focus on form from a psycholinguistic and discoursal perspective along with a review of research relevant to these perspectives. The article addresses a number of criticisms that have been levelled against focus on form, with special consideration paid to how focus on form can be utilized in instructional contexts where more traditional (i.e. FonFs) approaches have been the norm.
When Pregnant – Why Induced Abortion?
Authors: Skjeldestad Finn Egil
Published: February 2016

Study objective: To study social differences between women seeking induced abortion (cases) and women completing their pregnancy (controls). Design: Case-control study. Study setting: Data were collected through a structured personal interview of 404 abortion-seeking women and 404 women giving birth at the Gynaecological and Obstetric wards, University Hospital of Trondheim, Norway during 1983. Statistical method: Logistic regression analyses. Results and conclusion: The prospect of single parenthood was the strongest determinant in describing the difference between abortion-seeking women and women giving birth. In addition, variables such as parity, age, housing situation, previous abortion history, attitudes towards abortion and occupational status were all found to be significant when describing the differences between the two study groups. After confirmation of a positive pregnancy test only women stating unplanned pregnancy face a real decision about what to do. By restricting the control group to women stating unintended pregnancy, the multivariate analyses showed a reduced estimate of the respective odds ratios of choosing abortion in all important variables, while parameters such as “age” and “occupational status” became insignificant. Women in favour of the liberal abortion legislation decided more often on pregnancy termination than women opposed to the law of abortion on demand. However, among those women opposed to the law who still underwent an induced abortion, the same social and demographic characteristics were significant for the decision regarding termination as for the total study group. The study demonstrates the heterogeneity of the group of women terminating their pregnancy and how complex the decision regarding pregnancy termination might be.
Rheumatoid arthritis, coping and well-being
Authors: Bendtsen Preben , Hörnquist Jan Olof
Published: February 2016

A study was performed on 169 women and 53 men with a clinical diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This is a chronic disabling disease with no known cure and therefore the outcome of treatment has increasingly become focused upon assessment of well-being rather than more clinical parameters. We studied the relationship between clinical manifestation, self assessed functional disability and coping, on one hand, and well-being, on the other. Severity of RA disease was hypothesised to be negatively related while utilisation of various coping strategies, was deemed positively to well-being. The most mentioned coping strategies in the study group were problem oriented. With increasing severity of the RA disease we observed less acceptance and control. Well-being consistently decreased with increasing severity of RA, both with regard to clinical severity and functional disability status. Significant trends were seen with regard to security, future orientation, endurance, indolence and loneliness. Bivariate analysis between coping strategies and well-being revealed generally low correlations. Individuals accepting the illness displayed less guilt and tension and more endurance. Those who had decided to live an active life showed a more positive belief in the future and less indolence. The study outcome underscores the significance of well-being and coping (psychosocial factors) in RA, which should be considered and not neglected in clinical practice.
Effects on adolescent alcohol consumption of a school based student-centred health counselling programme
Authors: Bremberg Sven , Arborelius Elisabeth
Published: February 2016

Alcohol-related injuries are a leading cause of death in mid and late adolescence. Schools might contribute to the prevention of these injuries by affecting adolescent drinking. Few school programmes, however, have succeeded. In view of this shortcoming, a previously investigated school based health counselling programme for mid adolescents was applied to work in conjunction with a municipal alcohol policy initiative. A pre-test/post-test quasi-experimental study of 118 sixteen year old students was carried out. The development of alcohol consumption was not found to differ significantly between the experimental and control groups. The students' perceptions of the negative effects of use of alcohol did not increase. The lack of effect of the counselling programme might be related to the low significance initially attributed by the students to alcohol as a health issue. A shift of emphasis in the schools, from normative education, to discussions of the immediate threats of serious injuries might alter this perception.
Mental Health Among Immigrant and Refugee Children of Divorced Parents
Authors: Svedin Carl Göran , Back Kristina , Wadsby Marie
Published: February 2016

The mental status of 27 children in divorced immigrant families and 17 children in divorced refugee families was examined, and compared to that of 113 children in divorced Swedish families. Differences in divorce-pattern between these families and Swedish divorced families were analysed. Viewed together, the immigrant and refugee children displayed a significantly higher symptom load compared to Swedish children from both divorced and intact homes. When examined separately, the refugee children but not the immigrant children were more troubled than Swedish children from divorced families. The shorter time the children had spent in Sweden, the higher was their symptom load. In comparison to Swedish divorced couples, the immigrant and refugee couples had been married for a shorter time, had been unhappy for a longer time prior to divorce, and joint custody was less common. Most of the marriages had been unhappy before the arrival in Sweden, but a dissolution had not been seen as feasible earlier. As among the Swedish couples, it was the woman who had initiated the divorce in most cases, and it was also the mother who became the residential parent in most cases.
Immigration and Socio-economy as Predictors of Early Retirement Pensions
Authors: Edén Lena , Ejlertsson Göran , Lamberger Berndt , Leden Ido , Nordbeck Bertil , Sundgren Pär
Published: February 2016

The purpose of this study, performed in a Swedish municipality, was to obtain a view of early retirement pensioners, focusing on immigration and socio-economy as predictors of early retirement pensions.

A questionnaire was sent to 453 early retirement pensioners with disorders of the musculoskeletal system. A corresponding questionnaire was sent to a randomly selected, age- and sex-matched control group of the same size. The response rate was 83%.

The study concludes that immigration and low socio-economy are predictors of early retirement pension (ERP). The rate of immigrants was 19% among the ERPs compared to 5% among the controls. The early retired immigrants were comparatively young, and some of them were overqualified for their previous jobs.

Of the ERPs 74% were blue-collar workers compared to 39% of the controls. Neither work satisfaction nor unemployment was found to predict ERP.
The Association Between Birth Weight, Placenta Weight, Pregnancy Duration, Subfecundity, and Child Development
Authors: Olsen Jørn
Published: February 2016

It is well known that very low birth weight and preterm birth are risk indicators for delayed child development. It is the purpose of this study to estimate the association between birth weight, placenta weight, and gestational age in consecutive pregnancies which survived till after 28th week of gestation. The association between fecundity and child development is also studied. Data stem from pregnant women in a well defined regional area in Denmark (Odense) who participated in a concerted action on moderate alcohol consumption in pregnancy (EuroMac). All pregnant women with an alcohol consumption of 5 drinks or more per week or more in the first trimester were selected for the study in 1988 to 1989. A one to one match of pregnant woman was selected among the remaining pregnant woman based upon expected time of delivery and age. Altogether 326 women were selected for the study and the two groups are combined since alcohol intake in the measured dose range had no association with child development. The newborn went through two psychological tests at 18 month (the Bayley test) and again at 42 months of age (the Griffiths' test). Two hundred fiftynine pairs of mothers and children participated in all parts of data collection. Birth weight and gestational age was associated with the psychological scoring in the test-performed at 18 and 42 months of age, especially the psychomotor index. Especially newborns with low birth weight and high placenta weight had low score values on mental development indices. No association was seen between a measure of fecundity (waiting time to pregnancy) and reduced child development.
A birth weight adjusted comparison of perinatal mortality in the Faroe Islands and Denmark
Authors: Olsen Sjúour F. , Olsen Jørn
Published: February 2016

The objectives were to compare perinatal mortality (PNM) in the Faroes and Denmark while accounting for the high birth weights in the Faroes, and to discuss methodological aspects related to this task. We applied conventional methods employing absolute birth weight standards, and the Wilcox-Russell way of comparing relative birth weights. During 1977–85 perinatal mortality (PNM) in the Faroes was 14.7 (98 cases) per 1000 births, and 1.57 times higher than that in Denmark. Conventional method: birth weight-standardised risk ratio for PNM in the Faroes v Denmark was 1.95; the risk ratio declined with increasing birth weight. Wilcox-Russell model: the risk tended to be more uniformly increased across the birth weight distribution when babies with same relative birth weights were compared; the residual component of the birth weight distribution (i.e. the excess of observed births in the lower tail beyond what could be predicted by a Gaussian distribution) was 2.1% in the Faroes and 3.6% in Denmark, which does not fit with the model assumption that the size of the residual component is a strong determinant of a population's PNM.