bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Musashi1 Promotes Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma Malignancy and Chemoresistance via Activating the Akt Signaling Pathway
Authors: Lang Yaoguo , Kong Xianglong , He Changjun , Wang Fengjiao , Liu Benkun , Zhang Shibo , Ning Jinfeng , Zhu Kaibin , Xu Shidong
Published: November 2017

Background/Aims: Lung cancer is one of the leading causes for cancer mortality. The poor therapeutic outcome of non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is mainly due to late diagnosis and chemoresistance. In this study, we investigated the role of Musashi1 (MSI1) in NSCLC malignancy and chemoresistance. Methods: Colony formation, MTT, glucose uptake and lactate production assays were employed to study lung cancer cell malignancy and chemoresistance. RT-PCR and Western blotting were performed to detect mRNA and protein expressions of genes. We used immunohistochemistry and Pearson correlation analysis to study the relationship of gene expression. Results: We demonstrated that MSI1 was able to promote the proliferation and glucose metabolism of NSCLC cells, and to mediate the sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs in NSCLC cells. Importantly, we found that MSI1 could regulate the activity of Akt signaling. The regulation of NSCLC proliferation, glucose metabolism and chemoresistance by MSI1 was dependent on the modulation of the activity of the Akt signaling pathway. We also found that MSI1 was a target of miR-181a-5p, a microRNA involved in the regulation of cancer development. The expression levels of MSI1 and miR-181a-5p were negatively correlated in NSCLC. Conclusion: MSI1 promotes non-small cell lung carcinoma malignancy and chemoresistance via activating the Akt signaling pathway, which provides a new strategy for the therapy of NSCLC.
‘It Brings Generation to Generation:’ An Introduction and Annotated Translation of Ben-Zion Mossinson’s ‘Land and Language in the Evolution of Zionism’
Authors: Bernstein Judah M.
Published: November 2017

In 1916, Hebrew educator and Zionist official Ben-Zion Mossinson embarked on a multiyear stay in America following his expulsion from Ottoman Palestine. He joined forces there with other prominent Eastern European and Palestinian Zionist envoys – Shemaryahu Levin, Menachem Sheinkin, and Baer Epshtein, to name a few – all of whom worked as itinerant propagandists, crisscrossing the country in search of potential donors and new recruits. While in America, Mossinson published his brief reflections on the history of Zionism and the essence of Jewish culture, ‘Land and Language in the Evolution of Zionism,’ and delivered speeches based on this article. ‘Land and Language,’ translated below from the original Yiddish, sheds light on the contours of Zionism in America during the war.
Changing Conceptions of Masculinity in the Marital Landscape of Africa
Authors: Teiko Nii Okain
Published: November 2017

Recent critical studies of men have focused on multiple masculinities and the need for a change in theorizing the hegemonic constructions of gender. This growing body of scholarship has influenced literary studies, particularly in the readings of male characters as presented in literary works. The portraiture of the male characters in Aidoo’s Changes and Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood has attracted the attention of critics who examine the conflicted hegemonic constructions of masculinity mediated by the powerful forces of colonialism and modernity. These critics contest the patriarchal privileges of masculinity and redefine the gender constructions of both sexes to reflect current studies which focus on the plurality, fluidity, and complexities of masculine roles. This paper argues that Aidoo and Emecheta’s novels depict a hybridism of masculinities, in the context of marriage, in which both the male and the female characters strive to maintain a balance between their traditional African roles as husbands/wives, fathers/mothers and maintain an imitated eurocentric display of love and affection in enacting their roles in the marital enterprise.
Electoral Music Reception
Authors: Osiebe Garhe
Published: November 2017

Audiences in Africa are a grossly under-researched demographic. This paper centres on the comparative analysis of two electoral audience-based surveys conducted between April and September 2012 in the Nigerian states of Bayelsa and Lagos; following the April 2011 presidential election in Nigeria that ushered the erstwhile President Goodluck Jonathan into power. The surveys sought to know the electorates’ reaction to the electoral campaign songs that endorsed Jonathan and how these songs informed their choice of candidate. The paper’s analysis combines an appreciation of the surveys’ results and the surveys’ procedure while focusing on the middle-ground between aesthetics and politics in the context.
Comparison of Mechanisms for Low-Frequency Variability of Summer Arctic Sea Ice in Three Coupled Models
Authors: Li Dawei , Zhang Rong , Knutson Thomas
Published: November 2017

In this study the mechanisms for low-frequency variability of summer Arctic sea ice are analyzed using long control simulations from three coupled models (GFDL CM2.1, GFDL CM3, and NCAR CESM). Despite different Arctic sea ice mean states, there are many robust features in the response of low-frequency summer Arctic sea ice variability to the three key predictors (Atlantic and Pacific oceanic heat transport into the Arctic and the Arctic dipole) across all three models. In all three models, an enhanced Atlantic (Pacific) heat transport into the Arctic induces summer Arctic sea ice decline and surface warming, especially over the Atlantic (Pacific) sector of the Arctic. A positive phase of the Arctic dipole induces summer Arctic sea ice decline and surface warming on the Pacific side, and opposite changes on the Atlantic side. There is robust Bjerknes compensation at low frequency, so the northward atmospheric heat transport provides a negative feedback to summer Arctic sea ice variations. The influence of the Arctic dipole on summer Arctic sea ice extent is more (less) effective in simulations with less (excessive) climatological summer sea ice in the Atlantic sector. The response of Arctic sea ice thickness to the three key predictors is stronger in models that have thicker climatological Arctic sea ice.
Projection of North Pacific Tropical Upper-Tropospheric Trough in CMIP5 Models: Implications for Changes in Tropical Cyclone Formation Locations
Authors: Wang Chao , Wu Liguang
Published: November 2017

The strong westerly shear to the south flank of the tropical upper-tropospheric trough (TUTT) limits the eastward extension of tropical cyclone (TC) formation over the western North Pacific (WNP) and thus the zonal shift of the TUTT in warming scenarios has an important implication for the mean formation location of TCs. The impact of global warming on the zonal shift of the TUTT is investigated by using output from phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) of 36 climate models in this study. It is found that considerable spread exists in the zonal position, orientation, and intensity of the simulated-climatologic TUTT in the historical runs, which is forced by observed conditions such as changes in atmospheric composition, solar forcing, and aerosols. The large spread is closely related to the diversity in the simulated SST biases over the North Pacific. Based on the 15 models with relatively high skill in their historical runs, the near-term (2016–35) projection shows no significant change of the TUTT longitude, while the TUTT experiences an eastward shift of 1.9° and 3.2° longitude in the representative concentration pathway (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios in the long-term (2081–2100) projection with considerable intermodel variability. Further examination indicates that the projected changes in the zonal location of the TUTT are also associated with the projected relative SST anomalies over the North Pacific. A stronger (weaker) relative SST warming over the North Pacific favors an eastward (westward) shift of the TUTT, suggesting that the spatial pattern of the future SST change is an important factor for the zonal shift of the mean formation location of TCs.
No Surface Cooling over Antarctica from the Negative Greenhouse Effect Associated with Instantaneous Quadrupling of CO2 Concentrations
Authors: Smith Karen L. , Chiodo Gabriel , Previdi Michael , Polvani Lorenzo M.
Published: November 2017

Over the highest elevations of Antarctica, during many months of the year, air near the surface is colder than in much of the overlying atmosphere. This unique feature of the Antarctic atmosphere has been shown to result in a negative greenhouse effect and a negative instantaneous radiative forcing at the top of the atmosphere , when carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations are increased, and it has been suggested that this effect might play some role in te recent cooling trends observed over East Antarctica. Here, using fully coupled global climate model integrations, in addition to radiative transfer model calculations, the authors confirm the existence of such a negative over parts of Antarctica in response to an instantaneous quadrupling of CO2. However, it is also shown that the instantaneous radiative forcing at the tropopause is positive. Further, the negative lasts only a few days following the imposed perturbation, and rapidly disappears as the stratosphere cools in response to increased CO2. As a consequence, like the , the stratosphere-adjusted radiative forcing at the TOA is positive over all of Antarctica and, in the model presented herein, surface temperatures increase everywhere over that continent in response to quadrupled CO2. The results, therefore, clearly demonstrate that the curious negative instantaneous radiative forcing plays no role in the recently observed East Antarctic cooling.
Comment on “Comparison of Low-Frequency Internal Climate Variability in CMIP5 Models and Observations”
Authors: Kravtsov Sergey
Published: November 2017

In a recent article, Cheung et al. applied a semiempirical methodology to isolate internal climate variability (ICV) in CMIP5 models and observations. The essence of their methodology is to subtract the scaled CMIP5 multimodel ensemble mean (MMEM) from individual model simulations and from the observed time series of several surface temperature indices. Cheung et al. detected large differences in both the magnitude and spatial patterns of the observed and simulated ICV, as well as large differences between the historical (simulated) ICV and preindustrial (PI) control CMIP5 simulations. Here it is shown that subtraction of the scaled MMEM from CMIP5 historical simulations produces a poor estimate of the modeled ICV due to the difference between the scaled MMEM and a given model’s true forced signal masquerading as ICV. The resulting phase and amplitude errors of the ICV so estimated are large, which compromises most of Cheung et al.’s conclusions pertaining to characterization of ICV in the historical CMIP5 simulations. By contrast, an alternative methodology based on forced signals computed from individual model ensembles produces a much more accurate estimate of the ICV in CMIP5 models, whose magnitude is consistent with the PI control simulations and is much smaller than any of the semiempirical estimates of the observed ICV on decadal and longer time scales.
Reply to “Comment on ‘Comparison of Low-Frequency Internal Climate Variability in CMIP5 Models and Observations’”
Authors: Cheung Anson H. , Mann Michael E. , Steinman Byron A. , Frankcombe Leela M. , England Matthew H. , Miller Sonya K.
Published: November 2017

In a comment on a 2017 paper by Cheung et al., Kravtsov states that the results of Cheung et al. are invalidated by errors in the method used to estimate internal variability in historical surface temperatures, which involves using the ensemble mean of simulations from phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) to estimate the forced signal. Kravtsov claims that differences between the forced signals in the individual models and as defined by the multimodel ensemble mean lead to errors in the assessment of internal variability in both model simulations and the instrumental record. Kravtsov proposes a different method, which instead uses CMIP5 models with at least four realizations to define the forced component. Here, it is shown that the conclusions of Cheung et al. are valid regardless of whether the method of Cheung et al. or that of Kravtsov is applied. Furthermore, many of the points raised by Kravtsov are discussed in Cheung et al., and the disagreements of Kravtsov appear to be mainly due to a misunderstanding of the aims of Cheung et al.
Uncertainty of Hydrological Model Components in Climate Change Studies over Two Nordic Quebec Catchments
Authors: Troin Magali , Arsenault Richard , Martel Jean-Luc , Brissette François
Published: November 2017

Projected climate change effects on hydrology are investigated for the 2041–60 horizon under the A2 emission scenarios using a multimodel approach over two snowmelt-dominated catchments in Canada. An ensemble of 105 members was obtained by combining seven snow models (SMs), five potential evapotranspiration (PET) methods, and three hydrological model (HM) structures. The study was performed using high-resolution simulations from the Canadian Regional Climate Model (CRCM–15 km) driven by two members of the third-generation Canadian Coupled Global Climate Model (CGCM3). This study aims to compare various combinations of SM–PET–HM in terms of their ability to simulate streamflows under the current climate and to evaluate how they affect the assessment of the climate change–induced hydrological impacts at the catchment scale. The variability of streamflow response caused by the use of different SMs (degree-day versus degree-day/energy balance), PET methods (temperature-based versus radiation-based methods), and HM structures is evaluated, as well as the uncertainty due to the natural climate variability (CRCM intermember variability). The hydroclimatic simulations cover 1961–90 in the present period and 2041–60 in the future period. The ensemble spread of the climate change signal on streamflow is large and varies with catchments. Using the variance decomposition on three hydrologic indicators, the HM structure was found to make the most substantial contribution to uncertainty, followed by the choice of the PET methods or natural climate variability, depending on the hydrologic indicator and the catchment. Snow models played a minor, almost negligible role in the assessment of the climate change impacts on streamflow for the study catchments.
Fusion of Multisensor SSTs Based on the Spatiotemporal Hierarchical Bayesian Model
Authors: Zhu Yuxin , Bo Yanchen , Zhang Jinzong , Wang Yuexiang
Published: November 2017

This study focuses on merging MODIS-mapped SSTs with 4-km spatial resolution and AMSR-E optimally interpolated SSTs at 25-km resolution. A new data fusion method was developed—the Spatiotemporal Hierarchical Bayesian Model (STHBM). This method, which is implemented through the Markov chain Monte Carlo technique utilized to extract inferential results, is specified hierarchically by decomposing the SST spatiotemporal process into three subprocesses, that is, the spatial trend process, the seasonal cycle process, and the spatiotemporal random effect process. Spatial-scale transformation and spatiotemporal variation are introduced into the fusion model through the data model and model parameters, respectively, with suitably selected link functions. Compared with two modern spatiotemporal statistical methods—the Bayesian maximum entropy and the robust fixed rank kriging—STHBM has the following strength: it can simultaneously meet the expression of uncertainties from data and model, seamless scale transformation, and SST spatiotemporal process simulation. Utilizing multisensors’ complementation, merged data with complete spatial coverage, high resolution (4 km), and fine spatial pattern lying in MODIS SSTs can be obtained through STHBM. The merged data are assessed for local spatial structure, overall accuracy, and local accuracy. The evaluation results illustrate that STHBM can provide spatially complete SST fields with reasonably good data values and acceptable errors, and that the merged SSTs collect fine spatial patterns lying in MODIS SSTs with fine resolution. The accuracy of merged SSTs is between MODIS and AMSR-E SSTs. The contribution to the accuracy and the spatial pattern of the merged SSTs from the original MODIS SSTs is stronger than that of the original AMSR-E SSTs.
Reimarus, Schweitzer, and Modern Theology
Authors: Morgan Robert
Published: November 2017

The 250th anniversary of Reimarus’ death can be marked by questioning Albert Schweitzer’s stimulating but tendentious evaluation of the most remarkable of all historical reconstructions of Jesus and Christian origins, and by considering how far Reimarus anticipated twentieth-century research, and asking how this work might still challenge and inform modern theology and biblical studies.
Effect of seawater exposure on compressive behavior of concrete columns reinforced longitudinally with glass fiber reinforced polymer bars
Authors: Wei Minghai , Sun Li , Zhang Chunwei , Wang Qinghai
Published: November 2017

An experimental study was performed to investigate the effect of seawater exposure on the mechanical behavior of concrete columns reinforced longitudinally with glass fiber reinforced polymer (CCR-GFRP) bars. Numerous salt crystals emerged and slight exfoliation was observed after the surfaces of the columns were immersed in seawater for 120 days. The CCR-GFRP failed in either the axial compressive failure or split-crack failure mode. Furthermore, the probability of split-crack failure gradually increased with the duration of seawater exposure. In general, the carrying capacity of the CCR-GFRP initially increased and then decreased as the seawater exposure progressed. The strains of the surface concrete and inner glass fiber reinforced polymer bars continuously increased, but the strain of the glass fiber reinforced polymer bars and probability of the variability of the strain were less than those of the surface concrete. In addition, the bonding between the glass fiber reinforced polymer bars and concrete gradually decreased with increasing diameter of the glass fiber reinforced polymer bars. As the exposure period increased, the bonding between the glass fiber reinforced polymer bars of the same concrete columns weakened significantly.
Transitioning Towards New Ways of Working: Do Job Demands, Job Resources, Burnout, and Engagement Change?
Authors: Van Steenbergen Elianne F. , van der Ven Cilia , Peeters Maria C. W. , Taris Toon W.
Published: November 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a mandatory transition to New Ways of Working (NWW) on employees’ job demands (i.e., mental demands, workload, and task ambiguity), job resources (i.e., autonomy, supervisor support, coworker support, and possibilities for development), and their levels of burnout and work engagement. Additionally, it was investigated whether the effects of the transition depended on employees’ personal resources (Psychological Capital—PsyCap).

Design/methodology/approach

We investigated an organization in transition. In three waves (one before and two after the transition), data were collected via online surveys among 126 employees of a large Dutch provider of financial services.

Findings

NWW were beneficial in reducing mental demands and workload and did not harm the relationships with supervisor and coworkers. However, autonomy and possibilities for professional development decreased. Burnout and work engagement remained stable over time. The effects of the transition did not depend on employees’ PsyCap.

Implications

NWW have received a very positive popular press. Scientific evidence for its beneficial and/or adverse effects on worker well-being can help organizations making an informed decision when considering NWW. Moreover, this can help to develop targeted interventions that alleviate the negative consequences (e.g., paying extra attention to professional development).

Originality/value

This is one of the first longitudinal studies in which employees were followed who transitioned to NWW. Building on the Job Demands-Resources model, this study provides a comprehensive picture of the effects of NWW.
Machiavellianism and Schadenfreude in Women’s Friendships
Authors: Abell Loren , Brewer Gayle
Published: November 2017

The present study investigated the relationship between Machiavellianism, envy, competition, and schadenfreude in women’s same-sex friendships. Women ( N = 133) completed an online questionnaire measuring Machiavellianism, envy, competition, and three author-generated vignettes measuring expressed schadenfreude in relation to a same-sex friend. Women with higher levels of Machiavellianism expressed greater feelings of pleasure in response to their same-sex friend’s misfortunes in a romantic relationship and their physical appearance but not in relation to academic abilities. Envy predicted feelings of schadenfreude in academic and romantic relationships while competition predicted feelings of schadenfreude in all three scenarios. Future research should explore how characteristics of the target and different forms of envy may influence responses to a friend’s misfortune in individuals with higher levels of Machiavellianism.
Wider Officer Competence: The Importance of Politics and Practical Wisdom
Authors: Roennfeldt Carsten F.
Published: November 2017

Identifying and developing officer competence is important to a nation’s security and a crucial attribute of a legitimate military establishment. Critics have claimed that the U.S. officer corps favors a narrow conception of expertise that limits the armed forces’ utility as an instrument of policy. Drawing from the dialogue between Huntington and Janowitz, as well as Aristotle’s notion of practical wisdom, this article proposes a wider understanding of officer competence consisting of four distinct conceptual categories. The U.S. defense establishment favors “military skill” over other categories of competence. As a result, the officer corps is poorly prepared for 21st-century warfare. To remedy this situation, professional military education should cultivate military leaders that, in addition to military skill, have sociopolitical competence and practical wisdom. In this context, this article suggests strategies to develop such competencies that officers need to be able to achieve a diversity of national political goals.
Mittag-Leffler stability of impulsive fractional-order bi-directional associative memory neural networks with time-varying delays
Authors: Stamova Ivanka , Stamov Gani , Simeonov Stanislav , Ivanov Alexander
Published: November 2017

In the paper, a class of impulsive Caputo fractional-order bi-directional associative memory neural networks with time-varying delays is considered. Applying the fractional Lyapunov method, a sufficient condition for Mittag-Leffler stability of the equilibrium point of the system under consideration is derived. Some earlier results are extended and improved. Our results provide an impulsive control law which stabilizes the impulse-free fractional-order neural network time-delay model. An example is provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed results.
The Endurance of Interpersonal Confrontations as a Prejudice Reduction Strategy
Authors: Chaney Kimberly E. , Sanchez Diana T.
Published: November 2017

Previous work has found that individuals who have been confronted for discrimination demonstrate a reduction in explicit prejudice and use fewer stereotypes immediately after the confrontation. Although confronting prejudice has been touted as a tool for prejudice reduction, it is not known how these effects translate over time and what processes might account for their endurance. Across two studies, the present research finds that individuals used significantly fewer negative stereotypes 7 days after confrontation (Study 1) and engaged in behavioral inhibition to stereotypical cues on a probe task 1 week after confrontation. Moreover, guilt and prolonged rumination mediated these effects for confronted participants (Studies 1 and 2). Across two studies, the present studies reveal the lasting effects of interpersonal confrontations in prejudice reduction and the process by which these effects endure.
Disorderly Households, Self-Presentation, and Mortality: Evidence From a National Study of Older Adults
Authors: Schafer Markus H. , Upenieks Laura , MacNeil Andie
Published: November 2017

This article examines whether disorderly household conditions and bodily self-presentation predict mortality, above and beyond four sets of variables conceptually linked to both death and disorder. Data come from 2005/2006 and 2010/2011 waves of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. We used naturalistic observation of respondents’ homes and bodies, along with a diverse range of additional covariates, to predict probability of death. Older adults living in disorderly households were at highest risk of death over 5 years, primarily because they confronted high levels of frailty. Disorderly bodily self-presentation was also related to mortality risk, but this association could be only partially explained by demographic factors, health conditions, frailty, and low social connectedness. Findings suggest that disorder in the residential context—dress and hygiene in particular—is a strong predictor of mortality. Support providers should be mindful of changes in bodily presentation among community-dwelling older adults.
(Dis)embodied Job Search Communication Training: Comparative critical ethnographic analysis of materiality and discourse during the unequal search for work
Authors: Gist-Mackey Angela N.
Published: November 2017

Unemployment can be extremely challenging to manage. Depending on an individual’s social status, unemployment experiences can differ greatly. The longer people grapple with unemployment the more likely they are to seek help from unemployment support organizations. This study takes a comparative, critical ethnographic approach to the study of job search communication training at two separate unemployment support organizations considering intersections of social class and race. The analysis uses a communication lens in order to unpack communication expectations and assumptions embedded into the culture of unemployment support organizations that are tailored to different social class and racial groups. The findings reveal that the job search communication trainings are communicatively biased and divergent. Inequality molds and shapes the process of job search communication training and the progress of job searches. Working-class job seekers are required to communicatively assimilate during training while they manage material reality to survive. Upper-middle-class job seekers refine existing communication skill sets in order to search for work and rarely struggle to manage material needs. The findings point to important implications and areas for future research in workforce studies.
Core needle biopsy of thyroid nodules: outcomes and safety from a large single-center single-operator study
Authors: Choe Jooae , Baek Jung Hwan , Park Hye Sun , Choi Young Jun , Lee Jeong Hyun
Published: November 2017

Background

There currently remains a debate over the use of core needle biopsy (CNB) or fine needle aspiration (FNA) for diagnosis of thyroid nodules. The major drawbacks of previous CNB studies include heterogeneity of the study population, variable techniques, devices, and operator experience affecting the outcome of the procedure.

Purpose

To assess the diagnostic performance and safety of CNB of thyroid nodules performed by a single experienced operator in consecutive patients.

Material and Methods

From January 2012 to December 2012, 538 thyroid nodules that underwent CNB were retrospectively evaluated. All CNB procedures were performed by a single operator with 18 years of experience. The histopathology of the surgical specimens was considered as the standard reference for malignancy. A final diagnosis of benignity was made by surgery, one benign lesion on FNA and/or CNB with no change on follow-up examinations (>1 year) or benign lesion on ≥2 FNA and/or CNB. The diagnostic performance, incidence of technical failure, unnecessary surgery, and complication were evaluated.

Results

The diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of CNB for malignancy were 92.0%, 85.3%, and 100%, respectively. The non-diagnostic result rate of CNB was 4.8% (26/538) and the inconclusive result rate was 24.3% (131/538). The incidence of technical failure was 0.6% (3/541) and unnecessary surgery was 0.6%. The complication rate was 0.2%, without life-threatening complications. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 85.3% (156/183), 100.0% (154/154), and 92.0% (310/337), respectively.

Conclusion

CNB shows a high diagnostic performance for detection of thyroid malignancy and follicular neoplasm, with low rates of technical failure and complications.
Financial centres' competitiveness and economic convergence: Evidence from the European Union regions
Authors: Degl'Innocenti Marta , Matousek Roman , Tzeremes Nickolaos G
Published: November 2017

This study analyses the gaps in financial centres' competitiveness and their impact on regional economic convergence in 23 European Union Member States during the period of the Global Financial Crisis. In particular, we explore the economic convergence and divergence patterns among regions from two different perspectives across the selected European Union Member States and within each country. From a methodological viewpoint, we apply a fully non-parametric framework to the club convergence model and address the endogeneity problem between financial centres' competitiveness and regional economic convergence. Our results show that the large and internationally-oriented financial centres experienced a diverging trend in terms of the competitiveness of financial centres' business environment during the peak of the crisis. We also find evidence that the convergence of financial centres reduces regional economic inequalities between the regions where financial centres are located. In contrast, the increase in the competitiveness of financial centres only serves to widen existing inequalities at the national level. Finally, we examine and discuss the impact of competitiveness drivers of financial centres on the convergence pattern of European Union regions.
Analysing intermediary organisations and their influence on upgrading in emerging agricultural clusters
Authors: Ramirez Matias , Clarke Ian , Klerkx Laurens
Published: November 2017

This paper analyses intermediary organisations in developing economy agricultural clusters. The paper critically engages with a growing narrative in studies of intermediaries that have stressed the ownership structure of intermediaries as a key driver for enabling knowledge transfer, inter-firm learning and upgrading of small producers in clusters. Two case studies of Latin American clusters are presented and discussed. The study suggests that in addition to ownership structure, cluster governance and the embeddedness of intermediaries in clusters are critical factors that need to be taken into account in understanding the influence of intermediaries in the upgrading of small producers in clusters.
Scan method tracks reader attention, engagement
Authors: Freiling Isabelle , Weidmuller Lisa
Published: November 2017

A methodological comparison was conducted between copy testing, eye-tracking and a relatively new scan method, where panelists record where they stop reading a news item. Results show: news item characteristics that proved most influential in previous research also significantly affect reading behavior measured with the scan method. By being precise and more practicable than copy testing and eye-tracking, the scan method can help the struggling newspaper industry to better understand their readers.
Development of chondrocyte-seeded electrosprayed nanoparticles for repair of articular cartilage defects in rabbits
Authors: Yang Shan-Wei , Ku Kai-Chi , Chen Shu-Ying , Kuo Shyh-Ming , Chen I-Fen , Wang Ting-Yi , Chang Shwu-Jen
Published: November 2017

Due to limited self-healing capacity in cartilages, there is a rising demand for an innovative therapy that promotes chondrocyte proliferation while maintaining its biofunctionality for transplantation. Chondrocyte transplantation has received notable attention; however, the tendencies of cell de-differentiation and de-activation of biofunctionality have been major hurdles in its development, delaying this therapy from reaching the clinic. We believe it is due to the non-stimulative environment in the injured cartilage, which is unable to provide sustainable physical and biological supports to the newly grafted chondrocytes. Therefore, we evaluated whether providing an appropriate matrix to the transplanted chondrocytes could manipulate cell fate and recovery outcomes. Here, we proposed the development of electrosprayed nanoparticles composed of cartilage specific proteins, namely collagen type II and hyaluronic acid, for implantation with pre-seeded chondrocytes into articular cartilage defects. The fabricated nanoparticles were pre-cultured with chondrocytes before implantation into injured articular cartilage. The study revealed a significant potential for nanoparticles to support pre-seeded chondrocytes in cartilage repair, serving as a protein delivery system while improving the survival and biofunctionality of transplanted chondrocytes for prolonged period of time.
Research on regenerative braking control strategy of plug-in hybrid electric vehicle considering CVT ratio rate of change
Authors: Hu Jianjun , Guo Zihan , Peng Hang , Zheng Dawei
Published: November 2017

At present, the regenerative braking control strategies for hybrid electric vehicles equipped with continuously variable transmission (CVT) mainly focus on improving the regenerative braking efficiency. But the influence of dynamic change of the CVT ratio is not considered with regard to the intended braking effect. For a CVT ratio control strategy based on steady-state optimal efficiency, the performance of motor-only braking and engine/motor combined braking modes are analyzed. The analysis of these modes shows that actual braking strength deviates from that required during the dynamic braking process. After analyzing the dynamic characteristics of a transmission system, a CVT ratio control strategy based on the limitations of the ratio rate of change is proposed, with the use of a discrete exhaustive optimization method. The simulation results show that, under a variety of braking conditions, the proposed regenerative braking control strategy can make the actual braking strength follow the requirements and recover more braking energy.
Kinematic modeling of a 7-degree of freedom spatial hybrid manipulator for medical surgery
Authors: Singh Amanpreet , Singla Ekta , Soni Sanjeev , Singla Ashish
Published: November 2017

The prime objective of this work is to deal with the kinematics of spatial hybrid manipulators. In this direction, in 1955, Denavit and Hartenberg proposed a consistent and concise method, known as D-H parameters method, to deal with kinematics of open serial chains. From literature review, it is found that D-H parameter method is widely used to model manipulators consisting of lower pairs. However, the method leads to ambiguities when applied to closed-loop, tree-like and hybrid manipulators. Furthermore, in the dearth of any direct method to model closed-loop, tree-like and hybrid manipulators, revisions of this method have been proposed from time-to-time by different researchers. One such kind of revision using the concept of dummy frames has successfully been proposed and implemented by the authors on spatial hybrid manipulators. In that work, authors have addressed the orientational inconsistency of the D-H parameter method, restricted to body-attached frames only. In the current work, the condition of body-attached frames is relaxed and spatial frame attachment is considered to derive the kinematic model of a 7-degree of freedom spatial hybrid robotic arm, along with the development of closed-loop constraints. The validation of the new kinematic model has been performed with the help of a prototype of this 7-degree of freedom arm, which is being developed at Council of Scientific & Industrial Research–Central Scientific Instruments Organisation Chandigarh to aid the surgeon during a medical surgical task. Furthermore, the developed kinematic model is used to develop the first column of the Jacobian matrix, which helps in providing the estimate of the tip velocity of the 7-degree of freedom manipulator when the first joint velocity is known.
Strategic management of residential electric services in the competitive market: Demand-oriented perspective
Authors: Shim Dongnyok , Kim Seung Wan , Altmann Jörn
Published: November 2017

This paper aims to empirically investigate consumers’ preference structures and their willingness to pay for key features of future residential electric power services that they have not experienced in the regulated market. Using a choice experiment based on conjoint survey and applying a mixed logit model, we quantitatively estimate individual utility functions for certain important attributes such as type of service-providing company, installation of smart meter devices, introduction of E-prosumer groups, relaxation of progressive electricity billing system, and share of renewable energy in the generation mix. The analysis reveals that households prefer installation of smart meter devices and introduction of E-prosumer groups, and are willing to pay 10,044 KRW/year (USD 8.97/year) and 5,222 KRW/year (USD 4.66/year), respectively, for these services. However, households dislike the participation of privately-owned companies under the competitive market structure, owing to the possibility of a rise in the electricity price.
Making the Invisible Visible: Acts of Commission and Omission
Authors: Fryberg Stephanie A. , Eason Arianne E.
Published: November 2017

Social psychological theorizing on prejudice and discrimination, which largely focuses on tangible or verifiable content of people’s thoughts, feelings, and actions toward a group (what we term commissions), falls short in capturing the nature of prejudice and discrimination directed toward Native Americans. Utilizing the literature on the prevalence, content, and consequences of representations of Native Americans, we argue that aspects of the world that are invisible or intentionally left out of the public conscious, what we refer to as omissions, hold important meaning for both Native and non-Native individuals. We propose that a framework of bias that incorporates both omissions and commissions will enrich our understanding of bias, prejudice, and discrimination and better elucidate the experiences of groups that are historically underrepresented and underserved by social science.
Near infrared spectroscopic data handling and chemometric analysis with the R statistical programming language: A practical tutorial
Authors: Whitfield Matthew B , Chinn Mari S
Published: November 2017

Near infrared spectroscopy is widely used for compositional analysis of bulk materials because it is inexpensive, fast, and non-destructive. However, the chemometric techniques required to produce near infrared calibrations are varied and complex. While there are a number of commercial applications capable of implementing these techniques, there has also been a recent proliferation of R packages for chemometrics. The R programming language has greater capabilities for data processing, automation of multiple analyses, and user development of new techniques than many of the closed-source, graphical user interface-based commercial chemometrics applications do. The R project is thus a powerful, open-source option for generating and testing near infrared calibrations, albeit with a longer learning curve than many of the commercial chemometric applications. The calibration techniques available in R have been widely demonstrated in both the primary literature and introductory texts, but less so the steps between the acquisition of the data and the calibration. This tutorial seeks to bridge that gap by demonstrating a practical approach to data transfer and handling, using R and several packages available on the Comprehensive R Archive Network ( https://cran.r-project.org/ ), and then illustrates the use of the resulting data framework in the generation of near infrared calibrations.
‘Pra homem, menino e mulher’? Problematizing the gender inclusivity discourse in capoeira
Authors: Owen Craig , De Martini Ugolotti Nicola
Published: November 2017

Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian bodily discipline that has now become a global phenomenon. In 2014 the cultural significance of capoeira was recognized on the world stage when it was awarded the special protected status of an ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’ by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. In the application to this organisation, and in wider advertising material and practitioner literature, capoeira is celebrated as a practice that promotes social cohesion, inclusivity, integration, racial equality and resistance to all forms of oppression. This paper seeks to problematize this inclusive discourse, exploring the extent to which it is both supported and contradicted in the gendered discourses and practices of specific capoeira groups in Europe. Drawing upon ethnographic data, produced through two sets of ethnographic research and the researchers’ 24 years of combined experience as capoeira players, this paper documents the complex and contradictory contexts in which discourses and practices of gender inclusivity are at once promoted and undermined.
Real world assessment of an auto-parametric electromagnetic vibration energy harvester
Authors: Jia Yu , Yan Jize , Du Sijun , Feng Tao , Fidler Paul , Middleton Campbell , Soga Kenichi , Seshia Ashwin A
Published: November 2017

The convention within the field of vibration energy harvesting has revolved around designing resonators with natural frequencies that match single fixed frequency sinusoidal input. However, real world vibrations can be random, multi-frequency, broadband and time-varying in nature. Building upon previous work on auto-parametric resonance, this fundamentally different resonant approach can harness vibration from multiple axes and has the potential to achieve higher power density as well as wider frequency bandwidth. This article presents the power response of a packaged auto-parametric VEH prototype (practical operational volume of ∼126 cm−3) towards various real world vibration sources including vibration of a bridge, a compressor motor as well as an automobile. At auto-parametric resonance (driven at 23.5 Hz and 1 g rms), the prototype can output a peak of 78.9 mW and 4.5 Hz of −3dB bandwidth. Furthermore, up to ∼1 mW of average power output was observed from the harvester on the Forth Road Bridge. The harvested electrical energy from various real world sources were used to power up a power conditioning circuit, a wireless sensor mote, a micro-electromechanical system accelerometer and other low-power sensors. This demonstrates the concept of self-sustaining vibration powered wireless sensor systems in real world scenarios, to potentially realise maintenance-free autonomous structural health and condition monitoring.
A Musical Shared Book Experience for Little Excavator
Authors: Cardany Audrey Berger
Published: November 2017

Little Excavator, a recent publication by Anna Dewdney, is a delightful picture book for young children and perfect for a musical shared book experience in a group setting for preschool and first-grade children. In this article, connections between music learning and the typical shared book experience are outlined. Musical ways to share the book and extension activities for pitch and rhythm concepts are provided. The author includes alignments to National Core Music Standards as well as English Language Common Core Standards for music and reading teachers.
HR Flexibility and Job Crafting in Public Organizations: The Roles of Knowledge Sharing and Public Service Motivation
Authors: Tuan Luu Trong
Published: November 2017

Human resource (HR) flexibility builds employees’ flexibility to create new meanings in their jobs, contributing to the flexibility and dynamism of their team and organization. The primary research aim is to seek an insight into the relationships between HR flexibility and job crafting at both individual and team levels via knowledge sharing as a mediator. The data for variables in the research model were garnered from public employees and their supervisors from public legal service organizations in Vietnam context. The research results supported the positive links between HR flexibility and individual as well as collective job crafting through the mediating mechanism of knowledge sharing. HR flexibility also demonstrated the interaction effect with public service motivation in predicting knowledge sharing among public employees.
Provider Connectedness to Other Providers Reduces Risk of Readmission After Hospitalization for Heart Failure
Authors: Geva Alon , Olson Karen L. , Liu Chunfu , Mandl Kenneth D.
Published: November 2017

Provider interactions other than explicit care coordination, which is challenging to measure, may influence practice and outcomes. We performed a network analysis using claims data from a commercial payor. Networks were identified based on provider pairs billing outpatient care for the same patient. We compared network variables among patients who had and did not have a 30-day readmission after hospitalization for heart failure. After adjusting for comorbidities, high median provider connectedness—normalized degree, which for each provider is the number of connections to other providers normalized to the number of providers in the region—was the network variable associated with reduced odds of readmission after heart failure hospitalization (odds ratio = 0.55; 95% confidence interval [0.35, 0.86]). We conclude that heart failure patients with high provider connectedness are less likely to require readmission. The structure and importance of provider relationships using claims data merits further study.
Comparing Care for Dual-Eligibles Across Coverage Models: Empirical Evidence From Oregon
Authors: Kim Hyunjee , Charlesworth Christina J. , McConnell K. John , Valentine Jennifer B. , Grabowski David C.
Published: November 2017

Dual-eligible beneficiaries or “duals” are individuals enrolled in both the Medicare and Medicaid programs. For both Medicare and Medicaid, they may be enrolled in fee-for-service or managed care, creating a mix of possible coverage models. Understanding these different models is essential to improving care for duals. Using All-Payer All-Claims data, we empirically described health service use and quality of care for Oregon duals across five coverage models with different combinations of fee-for-service, managed care, and plan alignment status across Medicare and Medicaid. We found substantial heterogeneity in care across these five coverage models. We also found that duals in plans with aligned financial incentives for Medicare and Medicaid experienced more improvement in their care relative to those with nonaligned Medicare Advantage and Medicaid managed care plans. These results highlight the importance of developing policies that account for the heterogeneity of the dual population and their coverage options.