bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intelligent Medication Adherence Monitoring System
Authors: Anastasiou Athanasios , Giokas Kostas , Koutsouri Georgia , Iliopoulou Dimitra
Published: October 2016

This chapter presents the architecture and implementation of an automatic medication dispenser specifically for users who take medications without close professional supervision. By relieving the users from the error-prone tasks of interpreting medication directions and administrating medications accordingly, the device can improve the required level in compliance and prevent serious medication errors. By taking advantage of the scheduling flexibility provided by medication directions, the device makes the user's medication schedule easy to adhere and tolerant to tardiness whenever possible. This work is done collaboratively by the medication scheduler and dispenser controller in an action-oriented manner. An advantage of the action-oriented interface between the components is extensibility, as new functions can be added and existing ones removed with little or no need to modify the dispenser control structure. This chapter first describes the action-oriented design, major components and hardware structures of the smart device. It then provides an overview of the heuristic algorithms used by the medication scheduler and their relative merits. The different available user options will be presented depicting the user-specific operating modes of the device/service. The scope of this chapter is to describe the development of a smart electronic drug dispenser unit for the pharmaceutical adherence of patients.
ICT for Enabling the Quality Evaluation of Health Care Services
Authors: Pomares-Quimbaya Alexandra , González Rafael A. , Sierra Alejandro , Daza Julián Camilo , Muñoz Oscar , García Angel , Bustamante Alvaro , García Olga Milena , Bohórquez Wilson Ricardo
Published: October 2016

Medical practice, monitoring and control guidelines enable standardization, assessment and quality improvement in healthcare. This often implies collecting and analyzing electronic medical records (EMRs) in order to calculate compliance metrics and support evidence-based decision-making. However, for these benefits to materialize a set of challenges must be overcome, including the complexity required to represent guidelines in such a way that compliance can be automatically determined with the aid of software; the combination of both structured and unstructured (narrative text) data; and cultural or political barriers. In this chapter, we present a strategy to overcome these challenges using three case studies in chronic disease for a developing country. As such, this work contributes an approach to enable the use of ICT-supported medical guideline evaluation, in order to contribute to a more reliable and context-dependent way of improving healthcare in developing countries in particular.
Informed Consent in Healthcare
Authors: Yu Bo , Wijesekera Duminda , Costa Paulo Cesar G.
Published: October 2016

Informed consents, either for treatment or sensitive information use/disclosure, that protect the privacy of patient/participant information subject to law that in certain circumstances may override patient wishes, are mandatory practice in healthcare. Similarly, for protecting and respecting research participants, informed consents are also prerequisite for human subjects research. Although the healthcare industry has widely adopted Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems, consents are still obtained and stored primarily on paper or scanned electronic documents. Integrating a consent management system for different purposes into an EMR system involves various implementation challenges. A case study, informed consent for genetic services, is used to show how genetic informed consents placed new challenges on the traditional ethical standards of informed consent, and how appropriate consents can be electronically obtained and automatically enforced using a system that combines medical workflows and hierarchically, ontologically motivated rule enforcement. Finally, this chapter describes an implementation that uses the open-source software-based addition of these components to an open-source EMR system, so that existing systems do not need to be scrapped or otherwise rendered obsolete.
Improving Quality Improvement Collaboratives
Authors: Arling Priscilla A. , Miech Edward J. , Arling Greg W.
Published: October 2016

For several decades, researchers have studied the comparative effects of face-to-face and electronic communication. Some have claimed that electronic communication is detrimental to outcomes while others have emphasized its advantages. For members of healthcare quality improvement (QI) collaboratives, a mix of both of types of communication is often used, due to geographical dispersion. This chapter examines the outcomes of a specific QI collaborative, the Empira Falls Prevention project in Minnesota, USA. Levels of electronic communication between collaborative members were found to be associated with a positive patient outcome, specifically a reduction in falls. Electronic and face-to-face communication differed in their association with success measures for the collaborative. The findings suggest that the two modes of communication can be leverage to attain maximum benefits from participating in a quality improvement collaborative.
The Role of Cultural Indoctrination in Architectural Style
Authors: Koç Gülşah , Christiansen Bryan
Published: October 2016

This chapter examines the potential influence of cultural indoctrination (CI) on architectural style worldwide. Based on an encompassing literature review, this chapter focuses on the mediator of religion among the seven factors which are included in the established conceptual framework for CI; namely, Child Development, Cultural Institutionalization, Cultural Intelligence, Social Learning Theory, Religion, Social Capital, and Values Orientation Theory (VOT). The conceptual framework is presented for potential future application in architectural style and practice.
Psychological (and Emotional) Architecture
Authors: Tran Ben
Published: October 2016

Wilson calls biofilia an “innate tendency to focus on life and lifelike processes” (Wilson, 1984, p. 1), an “innate emotional affiliation of human beings to other living organisms” (Wilson, 1993, p. 31), or an “inborn affinity human beings have for other forms of life, an affiliation evoked, according to circumstances, by pleasure, or a sense of security, or awe, or even fascination blended with revulsion” (Wilson, 1994, p. 360). The research in this area is indicating that bringing elements of nature into the workplace, whether real or artificial, is beneficial in terms of employee outcomes. Nevertheless, although investigation into the benefits of biophilia for individual well-being is relatively new, there is clearly mounting evidence that biophilic design can have a positive impact, from reducing stress and anxiety, to improving the quality and availability of respite from work and in increasing levels of self-reported well-being.
The Architect of Organizational Psychology
Authors: Tran Ben
Published: October 2016

Globalization, used in the architect of the organizational psychology world, often evokes images of a shrinking world, in which accelerating flows of information and travel technology compares time and space in the relationships between world cultures, political economies and the built environment. In the world of organizational psychology, the field of organizational psychology is a byproduct of business (organizational behavior and management), psychology [clinical and industrial and organizational psychology (I/O)], and culture. The one common paramount connection between architecture and organizational psychology in the world of globalization is (or the corporate/organization) culture. Hence, the purpose of this chapter is the architect of organizational psychology, with an emphasis on culture. Specifically, Geert Hofstede's dimensions of cultural (corporate and organizational) identity, and how culture influences architecture and business in globalization.
African-Born Female Academics in the U.S.
Authors: Ifedi Rosaire
Published: October 2016

This paper was based, in part, on some findings related to the intersection of identity and career outcomes for some African-born female academics located in the United States. In the phenomenological study, data were collected through semi-structured interviews and revealed accounts of race and gendered challenges in their experiences. However, even though they faced similar kinds of marginalization as other Black and foreign women, these participants were confronted with unique questions of identification and experiences of double discrimination. Nonetheless, the findings also suggest a persistence that was reflected in their stories of access, inclusion, and exclusion as well as their perceived role as coalition-builders. An implication for immigrant female professors in the U.S. is that their immigrant status could both facilitate as well as challenge their career paths and economic outcomes, a point equally corroborated by research on gender and migration in higher education in Europe and elsewhere.
Demographic Influences on E-Payment Services
Authors: Yaokumah Winfred , Kumah Peace , Okai Eric Saviour Aryee
Published: October 2016

This study investigated customers' preferences of payment systems and the influence of demography on the attitude of customers towards e-payment services. Survey responses were received from 558 bank customers. The t-test and the analysis of variance were employed to examine the differences in perception of security, ICT literacy, customer satisfaction, and the use of e-payment services based on customers' age, gender, and the level of education. The findings revealed no significant differences between the male and female customers in the use of e-payment services. However, the male customers had higher ICT skills, yet perceived e-payment services less secured. Moreover, there were no significant differences in satisfaction and e-payment use, though, customers with higher level of education felt less secured using the services. Also, whereas the older customers were more satisfied with e-payment services, the younger customers had more ICT skills and use the services much more. These findings are necessary for formulating strategies for marketing e-payment services.
Managing IT Employee Attitudes that Lead to Turnover
Authors: Wingreen Stephen C. , LeRouge Cynthia M. , Nelson Anthony C.
Published: October 2016

IT staff turnover and low retention rates are costly and contribute to organizational inefficiency. The authors extend the existing literature by investigating whether differences in individual preferences for various job characteristics as well as the ability of organizations to meet employee expectations (person-job fit) affect contentment levels and, consequently, attrition rates. Specifically, they investigate the question, “Does a person-job fit perspective provide more explanatory power with regard to antecedents to turnover among IT professionals than either person or job characteristics alone?” for systems developers. Survey results indicate that a person-job fit perspective does provide more explanatory power for certain job attributes, but not for others. In particular, the relationships between system developers' preferred and actual job levels of social support as well as of job challenge are better indicators of attitudes than actual levels of either attribute alone. However, actual job challenge and actual job stress (as perceived by workers) are, individually, better predictors of employee self-esteem, burnout, and alienation than their respective degrees of fit with employee preferences.
Managing Software Risks in Maintenance Projects, from a Vendor Perspective
Authors: Sundararajan Srikrishnan , Bhasi M. , Pramod K.V.
Published: October 2016

Global software development exposes projects to the challenges arising from geo-cultural spread of the team and delegation of project ownership. Therefore, risk management in global software development receives attention from many researchers today. The primary focus in this paper is an investigation of risks associated with the maintenance of information systems by teams distributed across geographical locations, cultures, and vendors. Here the authors present the case study of a large offshore outsourced program that maintained a portfolio of business applications for a fortune 500 US client. The program exhibited a wide variety of characteristics typical of maintenance projects. The study investigated the risks, risk resolution techniques, lessons learned and best practices adopted in the program, from a vendor perspective. The findings provide useful insights into understanding and responding to the challenges in initiating, transitioning and managing global software maintenance projects.
An Improved Cuckoo Search based Optimal Ranged Brightness Preserved Histogram Equalization and Contrast Stretching Method
Authors: Dhal Krishna Gopal , Quraishi Md. Iqbal , Das Sanjoy
Published: October 2016

This paper is organized into two main parts. In the first part, two methods have been discussed to preserve the original brightness of the image which are Parameterized transformation function and a novel variant of modified Histogram Equalization (HE) method. In this study both methods have been formulated as optimization problems to increase the efficiency of the corresponding methods within reasonable time. In the second part, a novel modified version of Cuckoo Search (CS) algorithm has been devised by using chaotic sequence, population diversity information etc to solve those formulated optimization problems. A new Co-occurrence matrix's features based objective function is also devised to preserve the original brightness. Peak-signal to noise ratio (PSNR) acts as objective function to find optimal range of enhanced images. Experimental results prove the supremacy of the proposed CS over traditional CS algorithm.
Towards the Functional Roles of an Innovation Laboratory as a Platform for Innovation
Authors: Memon Atia Bano , Meyer Kyrill
Published: October 2016

The main question guiding this paper is ‘how are innovation laboratories a potential source of assistance for businesses in undertaking innovation projects?' Because of the focused and case-based nature, the extant literature on innovation laboratories falls insufficient in explaining the functional contributions of innovation laboratories towards a systematic, efficient, effective, and ultimately successful innovation management of products, processes and services of business organizations. In this esteem, the present study examines the current practices and functioning of innovation laboratories in field settings by employing a multistep research methodology. As a result, eight key functionalities and thirty associated offerings of innovation laboratories that add substantial value in maximizing the chances of success are herein determined and discussed. Moreover, the findings reveal that a particular innovation laboratory focuses on only a subset of identified functionalities and thereby influences the innovation process at a different stage and in a different manner. Accordingly, the paper debates the impacts of different functionalities towards the innovation process.
A Nature-Inspired Metaheuristic Cuckoo Search Algorithm for Community Detection in Social Networks
Authors: Babers Ramadan , Hassanien Aboul Ella
Published: October 2016

In last few years many approaches have been proposed to detect communities in social networks using diverse ways. Community detection is one of the important researches in social networks and graph analysis. This paper presents a cuckoo search optimization algorithm with Lévy flight for community detection in social networks. Experimental on well-known benchmark data sets demonstrates that the proposed algorithm can define the structure and detect communities of complex networks with high accuracy and quality. In addition, the proposed algorithm is compared with some swarms algorithms including discrete bat algorithm, artificial fish swarm, discrete Krill Herd, ant lion algorithm and lion optimization algorithm and the results show that the proposed algorithm is competitive with these algorithms.
A Proposed Grayscale Face Image Colorization System using Particle Swarm Optimization
Authors: Hasnat Abul , Halder Santanu , Bhattacharjee Debotosh , Nasipuri Mita
Published: October 2016

The proposed work is a novel grayscale face image colorization approach using a reference color face image. It takes a reference color image which presumably contains semantically similar color information for the query grayscale image and colorizes the grayscale face image with the help of the reference image. In this novel patch based colorization, the system searches a suitable patch on reference color image for each patch of grayscale image to colorize. Exhaustive patch search in reference color image takes much time resulting slow colorization process applicable for real time applications. So PSO is used to reduce the patch searching time for faster colorization process applicable in real time applications. The proposed method is successfully applied on 150 male and female face images of FRAV2D database. “Colorization Turing test” was conducted asking human subject to choose the image(close to the original color image) between colorized image using proposed algorithm and recent methods and in most of the cases colorized images using the proposed method got selected.
Impact of personality disorder comorbidity on cognitive-behavioral therapy outcome for mood and anxiety disorders: results from a university training clinic
Authors: Harte Christopher B. , Hawkins II Raymond C.
Published: October 2016

This study examined the impact of co-occurring personality disorder (PD) pathology on mood and anxiety symptom improvement in response to non-manualized, short-term, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) delivered by trainees. The sample comprised 305 adult outpatients treated individually for mood (unipolar depression) and anxiety disorders [generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, social anxiety disorder (SAD), specific phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)] by doctoral students within a university training clinic. After comprehensive assessment of psychopathology, symptom-specific measures were administered at pre- and end-treatment. Both magnitude of disorder-specific mood and anxiety symptom change, as well as treatment outcome classification (via reliable change and clinical significance indices) were utilized to assess treatment response. Results indicated that patients treated for depression, GAD, panic disorder, SAD, and specific phobias evidenced significant reductions in symptoms, irrespective of PD presence, and there was no interaction between PD comorbidity and level of symptom improvement. Among patients treated for OCD, PD pathology negatively impacted OCD symptom improvement. When treatment outcome was determined categorically, PD presence had a deleterious effect on clinical recovery only among patients treated for GAD. Neither the number of PD diagnoses nor PD cluster type moderated results. In conclusion, in most instances (with the exception of GAD and OCD patients), individuals with PDs treated by graduate student trainees within a university training clinic experienced significant mood and anxiety symptom improvement in response to short-term CBT, and these improvements were comparable to those without co-occurring PDs.
Anti-aflatoxin B1 effects of Shirazi thyme (Zataria multiflora) in broilers: evaluation of performance and liver histopathology
Authors: Fani Makki Omid , Omidi Arash , Ansari Nik Hossein , Hasheminejad Seyed Ahmad , Hosseini Senjedak Seyed Morteza
Published: October 2016

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of Zataria multifora (ZM) on the performance and liver histopathology of broiler chickens contaminated with aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). One hundred and sixty Ross 308 male broilers (one-day-old) were divided into four treatment groups with four replicates with 10 birds in each replicate. The chickens were reared on the floor for 35 days. The groups were contaminated with AFB1 at two different concentrations, i.e., 0 and 1000 ppb, and fed ZM in their feed at the concentrations of 0 and 20 gr Kg 1. The evaluated performance parameters were subjected to a completely randomized design with a 2×2 factorial arrangement of the treatments using SAS software (version 9/1). AFB1 had a statistical lowering effects on the feed intake, body weight, body weight gain and average weight of the carcass, thigh, chest, bursa of fabricius, back and neck. Also, the weights of liver, gizzard, pancreas, proventriculus, abdominal fat, full intestine, and heart were increased with AFB1 (P<0.05). In histopathological evaluations, the liver of chickens that received feed containing AFB1 showed multifocal and varied cytoplasmic vacuolization, severe fatty change, degenerating foci, fibrosis of the portal regions, and bile duct hyperplasia. The variables that were evaluated in this study showed that ZM had significant efficacy in diminishing the aflatoxins negative effects on the chickens.
‘Love the sinner, not the sin?’ Sexual and gender diversity in faith communities
Authors: Reygan Finn
Published: October 2016

While queer theology has foregrounded sexual and gender diversity in faith communities internationally, in South Africa, the emergence of a queer, African theology is necessary given that religion is often not a ‘safe space’ for sexual and gender minorities owing to theological violence. Advocacy for inclusion requires the development of theological capacity in queer communities so as to foster biblical, theological and interpretative resistance. There are a number of approaches available, including demythologising and reclaiming the Bible for queer communities, developing more redemptive interpretative options for queer inclusion and developing alternative discourses that challenge the heteropatriarchy of the Bible. Entry points for this work include Bible study; workshops and seminars for faith communities on sexual and gender diversity; the acceptance of a minimum pastoral threshold (or minimum levels of preparedness) for engaging with issues of sexual and gender diversity; and creating ecumenical spaces, cognizant of the local context, where such engagements can take place. This involves moving beyond a theology of compassion and essentialised notions of sexuality and gender so as to develop a queer, African, people’s theology that recognises the trauma experienced by sexual and gender minorities in faith communities.
Strategies & recent development of transmission-blocking vaccines against Plasmodium falciparum
Authors: Chaturvedi Neha , Bharti Praveen K. , Tiwari Archana , Singh Neeru
Published: October 2016

Transmission blocking malaria vaccines are aimed to block the development and maturity of sexual stages of parasite within mosquitoes. The vaccine candidate antigens (Pfs25, Pfs48/45, Pfs230) that have shown transmission blocking immunity in model systems are in different stages of development. These antigens are immunogenic with limited genetic diversity. Pfs25 is a leading candidate and currently in phase I clinical trial. Efforts are now focused on the cost-effective production of potent antigens using safe adjuvants and optimization of vaccine delivery system that are capable of inducing strong immune responses. This review addresses the potential usefulness, development strategies, challenges, clinical trials and current status of Plasmodium falciparum sexual stage malaria vaccine candidate antigens for the development of transmission-blocking vaccines.
Use of Family CAGE-AID questionnaire to screen the family members for diagnosis of substance dependence
Authors: Basu Debasish , Ghosh Abhishek , Hazari Nandita , Parakh Preeti
Published: October 2016

Background & objectives:

CAGE-AID questionnaire is a short, useful screening tool for substance dependence. Assessment of one family member for the screening of substance dependence in the family could be useful in clinical practice and research. In this study, we aimed to assess the validity of the Family CAGE-AID questionnaire for the diagnosis of substance dependence.

Methods:

Cross-sectional assessments using CAGE-AID and Family CAGE-AID questionnaires were conducted both for the study participants (n = 210) and their family members. The participants were recruited from two different treatment settings: a treatment seeking population from a de-addiction centre, and non-treatment seekers for substance use disorders from the psychiatry outpatient department. ICD-10 criteria and subsequent detailed clinical interview by a trained psychiatrist were used for the final diagnosis of substance dependence.

Results:

In the psychiatry outpatient group, the scores on CAGE-AID and Family CAGE-AID questionnaires were significantly correlated with the ICD-10 symptom score (r=0.81 and 0.70, respectively). In the same group, inter-rater agreement of the Family CAGE-AID was good with CAGE-AID and moderate with ICD-10 diagnosis of substance dependence (Cohen's kappa 0.78 and 0.61, respectively). A cut-off score of three on Family CAGE-AID was found to be 95·8 per cent sensitive and 100 per cent specific.

Interpretation & conclusions:

Family CAGE-AID questionnaire is a valid screening instrument for the diagnosis of substance dependence, with acceptable sensitivity and specificity of a cut-off score of three. The simplicity and the brevity of such an instrument can be valuable in the clinical settings of developing countries and also for epidemiological studies.
Aetiology, outcomes & predictors of mortality in acute respiratory distress syndrome from a tertiary care centre in north India
Authors: Sharma Surendra K. , Gupta Anunay , Biswas Ashutosh , Sharma Abhishek , Malhotra Atul , Prasad K.T. , Vishnubhatla Sreenivas , Ajmani Sajal , Mishra Hridesh , Soneja Manish , Broor Shobha
Published: October 2016

Background & objectives:

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a common disorder in critically ill patients and is associated with high mortality. There is a paucity of literature on this condition from developing countries. This prospective observational study was designed to find out the aetiology, outcomes and predictors of mortality in ARDS.

Methods:

Sixty four consecutive patients who satisfied American-European Consensus Conference (AECC) definition of ARDS from medical Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a tertiary care centre in New Delhi, India, were enrolled in the study. Demographic, biochemical and ventilatory variables were recorded for each patient. Baseline measurements of serum interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), procalcitonin (PCT) and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were performed.

Results:

Common causes of ARDS included pneumonia [44/64 (68.7%)], malaria [9/64 (14.1%)] and sepsis [8/64 (12.5%]. Eight of the 64 (12.5%) patients had ARDS due to viral pneumonia. The 28-day mortality was 36/64 (56.2%). Independent predictors of mortality included non-pulmonary organ failure, [Hazard ratio (HR) 7.65; 95% CI 0.98-59.7, P=0.05], Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS-II) [HR 2.36; 95% CI 1.14-4.85, P=0.02] and peak pressure (P
peak) [HR 1.13; 95% CI 1.00-1.30, P = 0.04] at admission.

Interpretation & conclusions:

Bacterial and viral pneumonia, malaria and tuberculosis resulted in ARDS in a considerable number of patients. Independent predictors of mortality included non-pulmonary organ failure, SAPS II score and P
peak at baseline. Elevated levels of biomarkers such as TNF-α, PCT and hsCRP at admission might help in identifying patients at a higher risk of mortality.
Presence of acute hepatitis D infection in HBsAg positive cancer patients
Authors: Patel Foram Maulin , Goswami Parijath N.
Published: October 2016

Background & objectives:

Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) co-infection is well known to induce a spectrum of acute and chronic liver diseases. There has been global decline in the prevalence of hepatitis D infection. The aim of the present study was to know the presence of acute HDV infection among hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive cancer patients.

Methods:

A total of 5043 samples were subjected for routine testing of HBV, HIV and HCV by ELISA method. Further, 150 HbsAg positive samples were tested for HDV IgM detection by ELISA method.

Results:

Of the 5043 blood samples tested in the laboratory, 150 (2.97%) were positive for HBsAg. HDV IgM was negative in all HbsAg positive samples.

Interpretation & conclusions:

Acute infection by HDV (IgM detection) was not present in HBsAg positive cancer patients. Further studies on a large number of patients in different regions are required to confirm our preliminary findings.
Article Commentary: Clinical Decision Support for Immunizations (CDSi): A Comprehensive, Collaborative Strategy
Authors: Arzt Noam H.
Published: October 2016

This article focuses on the requirements and current developments in clinical decision support technologies for immunizations (CDSi) in both the public health and clinical communities, with an emphasis on shareable solutions. The requirements of the Electronic Health Record Incentive Programs have raised some unique challenges for the clinical community, including vocabulary mapping, update of changing guidelines, single immunization schedule, and scalability. This article discusses new, collaborative approaches whose long-term goal is to make CDSi more sustainable for both the public and private sectors.
Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia in Neuromuscular Disorders
Authors: Finsterer Josef , Stöllberger Claudia
Published: October 2016

Objectives

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD) is a rare, genetic disorder predominantly affecting the right ventricle. There is increasing evidence that in some cases, ARVD is due to mutations in genes, which have also been implicated in primary myopathies. This review gives an overview about myopathy-associated ARVD and how these patients can be managed.

Methods

A literature review was done using appropriate search terms.

Results

The myopathy, which is most frequently associated with ARVD, is the myofibrillar myopathy due to desmin mutations. Only in a single patient, ARVD was described in myotonic dystrophy type 1. However, there are a number of genes causing either myopathy or ARVD. These genes include lamin A/C, ZASP/cypher, transmembrane protein-43, titin, and the ryanodine receptor-2 gene. Diagnosis and treatment are identical for myopathy-associated ARVD and nonmyopathy-associated ARVD.

Conclusions

Patients with primary myopathy due to mutations in the desmin, dystrophia myotonica protein kinase, lamin A/C, ZASP/cypher, transmembrane protein-43, titin, or the ryanodine receptor-2 gene should be screened for ARVD. Patients carrying a pathogenic variant in any of these genes should undergo annual cardiological investigations for cardiac function and arrhythmias.
Hypermetabolic Conversion of Plant Oil into Water: Endothermic Biochemical Process Stimulated by Juvenile Hormone in the European Firebug, Pyrrhocoris apterus L.
Authors: Sláma Karel , Lukáš Jan
Published: October 2016

The physiological and biochemical mechanisms that enable insects to feed on dry food to secure enough water for larval growth were investigated. The study was carried out with a plethora of physiological methods, ranging from the simple volumetric determination of O2 consumption and water intake to more advanced methods such as scanning microrespirography and thermovision imaging of insect's body temperature. The experiments were done on the European firebug, Pyrrhocoris apterus, which feeds exclusively on dry linden seeds. In order to survive, it needs to drink water or suck a sap from plants occasionally. It was found that the young larval instars compensate the occasional water deficiency by the increased production of metabolic water. The juvenile hormone (JH)-dependent production of metabolic water, which was previously found in other species consuming dry food, was achieved in P. apterus by total metabolic combustion of the dietary lipid (neutral seed oil). The water-producing, hypermetabolic larvae were heated from inside by endothermic energy released from the uncoupling of oxidation from oxidative phosphorylation. The “warm”, hypermetabolic larvae burning the dietary oil into CO2 and water showed the increased rates of respiratory metabolism. Microrespirographic recording of these larvae revealed the ratio of the respiratory quotient (RQ, CO2/O2) of 0.7, which indicated the breakdown of a pure triglyceride. The warm hypermetabolic larvae could be easily spotted and distinguished from the “cold” larvae on the screen of a thermovision camera. The last instar larvae lacking the JH were always only cold. They metabolized a carbohydrate substrate exclusively (RQ = 1.0), while the dietary lipid was stored in the fat body. In comparison with the hypermetabolic larvae of some other species fed on dry food, which exhibited the highest rates of O2 consumption ever recorded in a living organism (10–20 mL O2/g per hour), the metabolic difference between the warm and cold larvae of P. apterus was only some 30% (not a reported 10-fold difference), which was presumably due to their ability to drink. We conclude that a very important, though still largely neglected, epigenetic biochemical role of insect JH depends on switchover between the utilization of dietary lipid (+JH; production of metabolic water) and carbohydrate (-JH; lipid storage in the fat body). The hypermetabolic water supply in insects fed on dry food, which is associated with enormous rates of O2 consumption, liberates endothermic energy that heats the body and potentially influences the insect thermoregulation. A possibility that the JH-dependent lipolytic hormone stimulates the total metabolic breakdown of nutritional lipids may be absolutely different from the currently known adipokinetic peptides that have been emphasized.
An AMG Preconditioner for Solving the Navier-Stokes Equations with a Moving Mesh Finite Element Method
Authors: Wu Yirong , Wang Heyu
Published: October 2016

AMG preconditioners are typically designed for partial differential equation solvers and divergence-interpolation in a moving mesh strategy. Here we introduce an AMG preconditioner to solve the unsteady Navier-Stokes equations by a moving mesh finite element method. A 4P1 –P1 element pair is selected based on the data structure of the hierarchy geometry tree and two-layer nested meshes in the velocity and pressure. Numerical experiments show the efficiency of our approach.
Infections interplay with non-communicable diseases
Authors: Tumwine James K
Published: October 2016

No Abstract.
Adopting the Indigenous Nigerian Languages for National Development
Authors: Obiegbu Ifeyinwa
Published: October 2016

The availability of different languages in different countries of the African Continent is a source of strength. It is a potential that should be harnessed to foster national integration through greater participation in the political process by the masses. However, the dominance of colonialists’ language as "official language" has robbed the masses in African Countries the opportunity of participation in their political process because of the language barrier. This study highlights the reason why African languages are not being used in policy making and thereafter suggests remedies. It is the recommendation of this study that if policies are made in the language that the masses understand, greater participation would promote good governance.Key words: National Development, African continent, Colonialism, Multilingualism
The Social-Economic Impediments to Kidnapping Eradication in Southern Nigeria
Authors: Oyemwinmina Christopher , Osazuwa Aghasagbon John
Published: October 2016

Many families had gone through the trauma of being guests of Kidnappers. Apart from paying hefty ransom, many of the victims did not live to tell their stories. Since 2007, Nigeria has witness increased increasingly spate of kidnapping in the South, particularly South-South and South-East geo-political zones. In spite of the security agencies investment in intelligence gathering to get advance information to nip their activities in the bud and also the formation of the various special Task Force on kidnapping, the business still strives. This paper examined the Social-economic factors hindering the abolition of this illicit business in the southern Nigeria. The sources of data is secondary. It was discovered that the menace has been on the increase due to its lucrative nature of the business people pay ransom to get their relative released, and this encourages the crime to thrive, that unemployment, corruption, poverty, leadership failure and loss of societal value are the major obstacle to its eradication. The following recommendations were made: Any political or public office holder caught conniving with kidnappers should be relieved of their position. There should be effective governance that enhances improved standard of living for the people, by providing employment, and ensuring adequate security of lives and properties.Key Words: Kidnapping, values. Unemployment, poverty, victims
Autonomous demand and the Marglin–Bhaduri model: a critical note
Authors: Pariboni Riccardo
Published: October 2016

Within post-Keynesian macroeconomic theory, the contribution by Marglin and Bhaduri (Bhaduri and Marglin 1990; Marglin and Bhaduri 1990) on the relationship between income distribution and growth has progressively asserted itself as a benchmark model, a reference point that has originated and still gives rise to plenty of theoretical and empirical works. Given this popularity, in the related literature it is often claimed that the only open question left is an empirical one: to assess econometrically whether a particular economy is wage- or profit-led. In this essay, I will argue that some theoretical issues, related to this model and to the literature inspired by it, can nonetheless be raised. In particular, the treatment of investment appears to be the least convincing aspect of the approach à la Marglin–Bhaduri. More specifically, it seems possible to raise some doubts about an independent long-run influence of the profit rate or of the profit share on investment, an influence that is not in general justified or explained in detail by this literature and that to some extent is simply taken for granted. It will be shown that, if the Marglin–Bhaduri model is integrated with an explicit consideration of the autonomous components of demand, income distribution does not exert any permanent influence on the rate of growth of the economy and on the rate of accumulation. Matching this result with the usual assumption, made in post-Keynesian models of growth and distribution, that capacity utilization is the adjusting variable in equilibrating investment and savings leads to paradoxical results that question the plausibility of an accumulation function like the one used in the Marglin–Bhaduri model.
How can we understand the global distribution of the solar cycle signal on
the Earth's surface?
Authors: Kodera Kunihiko , Thiéblemont Rémi , Yukimoto Seiji , Matthes Katja
Published: October 2016

Abstract. To understand solar cycle signals on the Earth's surface and identify the physical mechanisms responsible, surface temperature variations from observations as well as climate model data are analysed to characterize their spatial structure. The solar signal in the annual mean surface temperature is characterized by (i) mid-latitude warming and (ii) no overall tropical warming. The mid-latitude warming during solar maxima in both hemispheres is associated with a downward penetration of zonal mean zonal wind anomalies from the upper stratosphere during late winter. During the Northern Hemisphere winter this is manifested by a modulation of the polar-night jet, whereas in the Southern Hemisphere, the upper stratospheric subtropical jet plays the major role. Warming signals are particularly apparent over the Eurasian continent and ocean frontal zones, including a previously reported lagged response over the North Atlantic. In the tropics, local warming occurs over the Indian and central Pacific oceans during high solar activity. However, this warming is counterbalanced by cooling over the cold tongue sectors in the southeastern Pacific and the South Atlantic, and results in a very weak zonally averaged tropical mean signal. The cooling in the ocean basins is associated with stronger cross-equatorial winds resulting from a northward shift of the ascending branch of the Hadley circulation during solar maxima. To understand the complex processes involved in the solar signal transfer, results of an idealized middle atmosphere–ocean coupled model experiment on the impact of stratospheric zonal wind changes are compared with solar signals in observations. Model integration of 100 years of strong or weak stratospheric westerly jet condition in winter may exaggerate long-term ocean feedback. However, the role of ocean in the solar influence on the Earth's surface can be better seen. Although the momentum forcing differs from that of solar radiative forcing, the model results suggest that stratospheric changes can influence the troposphere, not only in the extratropics but also in the tropics through (i) a downward migration of wave–zonal mean flow interactions and (ii) changes in the stratospheric mean meridional circulation. These experiments support earlier evidence of an indirect solar influence from the stratosphere.
Long-term analysis of clear-sky new particle formation events and
non-events in Hyytiälä
Authors: Dada Lubna , Paasonen Pauli , Nieminen Tuomo , Buenrostro Mazon Stephany , Kontkanen Jenni , Peräkylä Otso , Hussein Tareq , Petäjä Tuukka , Kerminen Veli-Matti , Bäck Jaana , Kulmala Markku
Published: October 2016

Abstract. New particle formation (NPF) events have been observed all around the world and are known to be a major source of atmospheric aerosol particles. Here we combine 20 years of observations in a boreal forest at the SMEAR II station (Station for Measuring Ecosystem-Atmosphere Relations) in Hyytiälä, Finland, by utilizing previously accumulated knowledge, and by focusing on clear-sky (non-cloudy) conditions. We first investigated the effect of cloudiness on NPF and then compared the NPF event and non-event days during clear-sky conditions. In this comparison we considered, for example, the effects of calculated particle formation rates, condensation sink, trace gas concentrations and various meteorological quantities. The formation rate of 1.5 nm particles was calculated by using proxies for gaseous sulfuric acid and oxidized products of low volatile organic compounds. As expected, our results indicate an increase in the frequency of NPF events under clear-sky conditions. Also, focusing on clearsky conditions enabled us to find a clear separation of many variables related to NPF. For instance, oxidized organic vapors showed higher concentration during the clear-sky NPF event days, whereas the condensation sink (CS) and some trace gases had higher concentrations during the non-event days. The calculated formation rate of 3 nm particles showed a notable difference between the NPF event and non-event days during clear-sky conditions, especially in winter and spring. For spring time, we are able to find a threshold value for the combined values of ambient temperature and CS, above which practically no clear-sky NPF event could be observed. Finally, we present a probability distribution for the frequency of NPF events at a specific CS and temperature.
Detection of seasonal cycles of erosion processes in a black marl gully from
a time series of high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs)
Authors: Bechet Jacques , Duc Julien , Loye Alexandre , Jaboyedoff Michel , Mathys Nicolle , Malet Jean-Philippe , Klotz Sébastien , Le Bouteiller Caroline , Rudaz Benjamin , Travelletti Julien
Published: October 2016

Abstract. The Roubine catchment located in the experimental research station of Draix-Bléone (south French Alps) is situated in Callovo-Oxfordian black marls, a lithology particularly prone to erosion and weathering processes. For 30 years, this small watershed (0.13 ha) has been monitored for analysing hillslope processes on the scale of elementary gullies. Since 2007, surface changes have been monitored by comparing high-resolution digital elevation models (HRDEMs) produced from terrestrial laser scanner (TLS). The objectives are (1) to detect and (2) to quantify the sediment production and the evolution of the gully morphology in terms of sediment availability/transport capacity vs. rainfall and runoff generation. Time series of TLS observations have been acquired periodically based on the seasonal runoff activity with a very high point cloud density ensuring a resolution of the digital elevation model (DEM) on the centimetre scale. The topographic changes over a time span of 2 years are analysed. Quantitative analyses of the seasonal erosion activity and of the sediment fluxes show and confirm that during winter, loose regolith is created by mechanical weathering, and it is eroded and accumulates in the rills and gullies. Because of limited rainfall intensity in spring, part of the material is transported in the main gullies, which are assumed to be a transport-limited erosion system. In the late spring and summer the rainfall intensities increase, allowing the regolith, weathered and accumulated in the gullies and rills during the earlier seasons, to be washed out. Later in the year the catchment acts as a sediment-limited system because no more loose regolith is available. One interesting result is the fact that in the gullies the erosion–deposition processes are more active around the slope angle value of 35°, which probably indicates a behaviour close to dry granular material. It is also observed that there exist thresholds for the rainfall events that are able to trigger significant erosion; they are above 9 mm rainfall or of an intensity of more than 1 mm min−1, values which can vary if antecedent precipitation is significant within the last 5 days.This study improves knowledge of the spatial distribution of erosion seasonality in badlands and demonstrates the potential of careful 3-D high-resolution topography using TLS to improve the understanding of erosive processes.
Migration and post-university transition. Why do university graduates not return to their rural home region?
Authors: Rérat Patrick
Published: October 2016

Abstract. This paper addresses migrations taking place during the transition from higher education to the labour market. It analyses the reasons why graduates do not return to their rural home region after university, with a case study in Switzerland. Drawing on the mechanisms identified in the literature on internal migration, I propose to conceptualize migration choice as a combination of four logics: utilitarian (job opportunities), calculating (financial elements), affective (social and love life) and sensitive (residential amenities). The analysis of the motives reported by graduates indicates that migration decisions cannot be reduced to a single dimension (although job opportunities are central), are diverse (even within a homogeneous group) and depend on a variety of constraints.