bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Peoples’ Hadith: Evidence for Popular Tradition on Hadith as Physical Object in the First Centuries of Islam
Authors: Mirza Sarah Z.
Published: March 2016

The Prophet’s documents comprise a category of objects that are the intentions of the Prophet, legally binding texts, and physical objects that touched the Prophet all at once. Reports of these documents are found in various genres of medieval Islamic literature, where they are frequently transmitted through family isnāds. While these reports are self-consciously geared toward recording the intentions of the Prophet, in effect they reflect the concern of the subalterns of hadith literature to locate themselves somewhere within the narrative of the Prophet’s life. The reports investigated here thus preserve an element of what hadith meant to Bedouin recipients, revealing a pre-canonical arena for hadith in which hadith behaved not as text but as physical object, as a “hadith-object.”1
Tradition and Medicine on the Wings of a Fly
Authors: Zinger Oded
Published: March 2016

This study examines the pre-modern debate surrounding a strange Islamic prophetic tradition (ḥadīṯ) that commands to fully immerse a fly that has fallen into a drink, “for in one of its wings there is poison and in the other a cure”. Studying different discussions of the hadith from the 3th/9th to the 9th/15th centuries reveals the variety of ways Muslim scholars negotiated the substantial tension between the competing authorities of prophetic tradition and the Greco-Islamic scientific tradition. Finally, I propose a possible explanation for the idea of a poison and cure on flies’ wings in Greco-Roman medical discussions of the Spanish fly.
Informality and Philosophy: A Response to Margolis
Authors: McHugh Fergal
Published: March 2016

Joseph Margolis argues that philosophy must acknowledge its radical informality. I provide a brief account of what Margolis means by informality and its consequences for the practice of a pragmatist philosophy. I discuss his criticism of Robert Brandom's analytic pragmatism on the grounds that it overemphasizes the potential gains of a formal approach. I highlight two concerns with Margolis’ insistence on informality recommending a reduced emphasis on the consequences of informality for the pragmatist philosopher.
from Petrograd-Leningrad Materials) (Советская жилищная политика в годы нэпа: квартирный вопрос и домовое самоуправление в Петрограде-Ленинграде
Authors: Kirillova Elena A. , Кириллова Елена А.
Published: March 2016

After coming to power in Russia, the Bolsheviks created radically new housing policies. Although Soviet authorities enforced the scope of numerous new housing statutes, the provisions of these laws were often contradictory, and there was not a well-conceived program of housing. With the elimination of private real property in Soviet cities, the sale of land in urban areas was technically eliminated. However, disguised (and illegal) sales of municipal housing continued to occur during the era of the New Economic Policy (nep). During this period, a large part of the nation’s living space was managed by housing cooperatives, which were created after the Bolshevik assumption of power. However, these housing associations (known in Russian as zhiltovarishchestvо and by the end of 1924 reclassified as Zhakt [rental housing cooperatives]) were trapped by traditional (i.e. non-officially regulated) practices of housing allocation, which dominated the real estate market. As the urban population of Soviet Russia and then (after 1922) the Soviet Union (ussr) grew, a shortage of living space forced Soviet authorities to switch to stricter methods of property control in urban areas. This article describes the housing allocation processes involved in the second-largest city in Soviet Russia/ussr, Petrograd, which from 1924 was known as Leningrad. This article also investigates the functioning of the privately-driven property market mechanisms in the allocation of housing and the Soviet government’s efforts to eliminate them.
Советский “радиофронт”: Радио и воспитание патриотизма в СССР 1930-х гг
Authors: Somov Vladimir , Somova Daria
Published: March 2016

This article examines the impact of children’s radio programs on the promotion of patriotism among young Soviet citizens during the 1930s. The authors employ archival materials, periodicals, and personal documents, and use a generational approach and methods of cognitive history to reach their conclusions. In addition, this article analyzes the content of children’s radio programs in the Soviet Union and their impact on the lives and mentality of young people in the prewar ussr.
A reassessment of Melanophidium Günther, 1864 (Squamata: Serpentes:
Uropeltidae) from the Western Ghats of peninsular India, with the description of a new species
Authors: GOWER DAVID J. , GIRI VARAD , CAPTAIN ASHOK , WILKINSON MARK
Published: March 2016

A new species of the uropeltid snake genus, Melanophidium Günther, 1864 is described based on a series of eight specimens. Melanophidium khairei sp. nov. is the fourth species described in the genus, and the first for 144 years. Superficially M. khairei sp. nov. resembles M. punctatum Beddome, 1871 in being piebald and punctate (and it was previously misidentified as M. punctatum), but in many scalation characters it more closely resembles M. wynaudense (Beddome, 1863). The new species occurs in southern Maharashtra, Goa, and northern Karnataka, in the Western Ghats region of peninsula India. It is the most northerly member of its genus. Lectotypes and paralectotypes are designated for M. wynaudense, M. bilineatum Beddome, 1870, and M. punctatum. A new key to the species of Melanophidium is presented. Aspects of the morphology, taxonomy and distribution of the three previously described species of Melanophidium are reviewed and revised.
Review of Cosmocomoidea (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) from China, with descriptions of two new species
Authors: AISHAN ZHULIDEZI , TRIAPITSYN SERGUEI V. , XU MEI
Published: March 2016

Seven species of Cosmocomoidea Howard (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) from China are keyed and illustrated. The two new species are C. rugosa Aishan, Triapitsyn & Xu sp. n. (Guangdong and Yunnan) and C. tenuis Xu, Lin & Hu sp. n. (Fujian). Three species are newly recorded from China, C. atra (Foerster) s.l., C. kikimora (Triapitsyn), and C. oxypygus (Foerster).
New records of the East-Asian Nemoura species (Plecoptera: Nemouridae)
for South of the Russian Far East with description of the larvae
Authors: TESLENKO VALENTINA A.
Published: March 2016

Three species of the Nemoura, N. jejudoensis Zwick & Baumann, 2011 and N. jilinensis Zhu & Yang, 2003, and N. tripotini Zwick, 2010 are reported in the South of the Russian Far East for the first time. The larvae of the three species are described and illustrated. The larvae were associated with adults by rearing or by preemergent male larva. The main diagnostic features of the larvae are based on the differences in the chaetotaxy the pronotum, legs, abdominal, and cercal segments.
Community policing in Kenya
Authors: Skilling Louise
Published: March 2016

The World Bank (2010) refers to Kenya’s capital as one of the most crime-ridden cities in Africa; crime and violence is a daily occurrence for most Kenyans. In an effort to improve community–police relations in Kenya following the post-election violence in 2007, the Ransley Report made recommendations to the Kenyan police that are based on democratic policing principles. A lack of police accountability and civilian oversight of the police were highlighted as key issues within the report. It was recognised that the lack of procedural justice leads to a lack of trust and collaboration between communities and the police (Republic of Kenya, 2009). It is, however, acknowledged that the police service in Kenya is unsupported, under-resourced and works in challenging circumstances (CHRI, 2007; CHRI, 2014) and therefore currently there is a need for complementary community safety projects and resources. From qualitative research conducted in Kenya in 2015 this paper will argue that policing can be improved within Kenya if there is community collective action, with supported leadership, which operates in collaboration with police adhering to democratic policing principles, although this is not without its challenges.
Toward the Worker State, or Working for the State? Reorganization of Political Antagonisms in the Brazilian Amazon
Authors: Baletti Brenda
Published: March 2016

The institutionalization of the Brazilian Workers’ Party has given rise to new tensions among emerging political actors, historic social movement mediator organizations, and the state. An analysis of the differences in strategies and practices between the Movement in Defense of Renascer and the Prainha Rural Worker’s Movement that emerged during the creation of the Renascer Extractive Reserve in the Lower Amazon highlights the fact that the movement’s emancipatory impulses indicate a break with the politics-as-usual of the union and the Workers’ Party more broadly. An examination of union political discourses and practices that seek to fold these emancipatory impulses back into the dominant logic indicates that the union continues to perform the work of the state—albeit a reconstituted one—both institutionally and effectively.

A institucionalização do Partido dos Trabalhadores (PT) no Brasil tem criado novas tensões entre atores políticos emergentes, organizações mediadoras dos movimentos sociais históricos e o Estado. Uma análise das diferenças entre o Movimento em Defesa do Renascer e o Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais da Prainha, na Baixa Amazônia, enfatiza o fato de que os impulsos emancipatórios do movimento indicam um rompimento com os hábitos políticos de sindicatos e do Partido dos Trabalhadores de um modo geral. Um exame dos discursos políticos sindicais e das práticas que buscam a contenção desses impulsos emancipatórios, e tentam restaurá-los à lógica dominante, indica que o sindicato continua a desempenhar o trabalho do Estado—mesmo que reconstituído—tanto institucionalmente quanto efetivamente.
Primary leiomyoma of the lung: an exceptional localization
Authors: Zidane Abdelfettah , Elktaibi Abderahim , Benjelloun Amine , Arsalane Adil , Afandi Oussama , Bouchentouf Rachid
Published: March 2016

Leiomyoma is a benign smooth muscle tumor usually encountered in the uterus. Primary pulmonary localization is extremely rare in adults and children. However, it must be included in the differential diagnosis of any nodular lung lesion. Its treatment is surgical, with good long-term results. Here, we report a case of leiomyoma of lung parenchyma diagnosed in a 26-year-old man.
High Numbers of Stromal Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Are Associated With a Shorter Survival Time in Cats With Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Klobukowska H. J. , Munday J. S.
Published: March 2016

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are fibroblastic cells that express α–smooth muscle actin and have been identified in the stroma of numerous epithelial tumors. The presence of CAFs within the tumor stroma has been associated with a poorer prognosis in some human cancers, including oral squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs). Cats frequently develop oral SCCs, and although these are generally highly aggressive neoplasms, there is currently a lack of prognostic markers for these tumors. The authors investigated the prognostic value of the presence of CAFs within the stroma of oral SCC biopsy specimens from 47 cats. In addition, several epidemiologic, clinical, and histologic variables were also assessed for prognostic significance. A CAF-positive stroma was identified in 35 of 47 SCCs (74.5%), and the median survival time (ST) of cats with CAF-positive SCCs (35 days) was significantly shorter than that of cats with CAF-negative SCCs (48.5 days) ( P = .031). ST was also associated with the location of the primary tumor ( P = .0018): the median ST for oropharyngeal SCCs (179 days) was significantly longer than for maxillary (43.5 days; P = .047), mandibular (42 days; P = .022), and sublingual SCCs (22.5 days; P = .0005). The median ST of sublingual SCCs was also shorter compared with maxillary SCCs ( P = .0017). Furthermore, a significant association was identified between site and the presence of stromal CAFs ( P = .025). On the basis of this retrospective study, evaluating the tumor stroma for CAFs in feline oral SCC biopsy specimens may be of potential prognostic value.
Impact of hydrogenation on physicochemical and biomedical properties of pH-sensitive PMAA-b-HTPB-b-PMAA triblock copolymer drug carriers
Authors: Xu Feng , Xu Jing-Wen , Luo Yan-Ling
Published: March 2016

pH-Sensitive poly(methacrylic acid)- block-hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene- block-poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA- b-HTPB- b-PMAA) was synthesized and then hydrogenated in this work. The chain structure, phase behavior and thermal properties were characterized by 1H NMR, FTIR, XRD, DSC, TGA, etc., and the physicochemical and biomedical properties were investigated via fluorescence spectroscopy, TEM, DLS, loading and release of drug and MTT, and so on. The experimental results indicated that the hydrogenation led to the change in the chain aggregate structure of hydrophobic HTPB blocks and the formation of more stable spherical core-shell micelle aggregates, and the critical micelle concentration decreased from 41.8 mg L−1 before hydrogenation to 4.4 mg L−1 after hydrogenation. The hydrogenated block copolymer micelle aggregates exhibited pH-triggered response, and could entrap twice as much hydrophobic drug as the unhydrided counterparts and the encapsulation efficiency was significantly improved, which makes them fine to meet the requirements for drug carriers. Therefore, the hydrogenated PMAA- b-HTPB- b-PMAA copolymer micelles as drug target release carriers can be well used in the field of prevention and treatment of cancers.
Multiaxial ratcheting modeling with incorporation of a yield surface distortion model
Authors: Rokhgireh H , Nayebi A
Published: March 2016

Correct determination of ratcheting strain is very important in cyclic loading. A new simple yield surface distortion model is presented and its effect on cyclic loading and ratcheting prediction is investigated in this research. Model of Baltov and Sawczuk was modified in order to be able to consider directional distortion of the yield surface. Movement of the yield surface center is modeled by Chaboche's nonlinear kinematic hardening model. Isotropic hardening was also considered. A triangular function is used and necessary cyclic plasticity relations are developed. Convexity of the proposed model is discussed and verified. Performance of the proposed model in ratcheting strain prediction is investigated in multiaxial non proportional loadings under different paths. Experimental results with stress, strain and combined stress-strain control paths are compared with the proposed model results. Incorporation of the yield surface distortion of this new model, predicts better ratcheting strain for different stress, strain and stress-strain paths.
Estimation of overdiagnosis using short-term trends and lead time estimates uncontaminated by overdiagnosed cases: Results from the Norwegian Breast Screening Programme
Authors: Michalopoulos Dimitrios , Duffy Stephen W
Published: March 2016

Background

Estimating overdiagnosis in cancer screening is complicated. Using observational data, estimation of the expected incidence in the screening period and taking account of lead time are two major problems.

Methods

Using data from the Cancer Registry of Norway and the Norwegian Breast Cancer Screening Programme, we estimated incidence trends, using age-specific trends by year in the pre-screening period (1985–95). We also estimated sojourn time and sensitivity using interval cancers only. Thus, lead time estimates were uncontaminated by overdiagnosed cases. Finally, we derived estimates of overdiagnosis separately for all cancers, and for invasive cancers only, correcting for lead time, using two different methods.

Results

Our results indicate that overdiagnosis of all cancers, invasive and in situ, constituted 15–17% of all screen-detected cancers in 1996–2009. For invasive cancers only, the corresponding figures were -2 to 7% in the same period, suggesting that a substantial proportion of the overdiagnosis in the Norwegian Programme was due to ductal carcinoma in situ.

Conclusion

Using short-term trends, instead of long, prior to screening was more effective in predicting incidence in the screening epoch. In addition, sojourn time estimation using symptomatic cancers only avoids over-correction for lead time and consequently underestimation of overdiagnosis. Longer follow-up will provide more precise estimates of overdiagnosis.
Bending–twisting vibrations of a rotating hub–thin-walled composite beam system
Authors: Latalski Jarosław , Warminski Jerzy , Rega Giuseppe
Published: March 2016

The dynamics of a system consisting of a rotating rigid hub and a flexible composite thin-walled beam is discussed. The nonclassical effects like material anisotropy, rotary inertia and transverse shear are considered in the mathematical model of the structure. Moreover, the hub mass moment of inertia is taken into account. The differential equations of motion featuring beam bending–twist elastic coupling are derived using the Hamilton principle, and the Galerkin method is applied in order to reduce the partial differential governing equations to the ordinary differential equations. Parametric studies are conducted to evaluate beam stiffness coefficients depending on the fiber lamination angle. Next, numerical results are obtained to investigate the impact of hub to beam relative inertia on the natural frequencies of the structure. Cases of forced vibrations of the system are examined where the driving torque is considered as the sum of a constant (mean value) and a periodic component. Simulations show the importance of the hub inertia on the complete system dynamics. A shift of the resonance zones and a vibration absorption are observed.
Analysis of an electronic consultation program at an academic medical centre: Primary care provider questions, specialist responses, and primary care provider actions
Authors: Wrenn Katherine , Catschegn Sereina , Cruz Marisa , Gleason Nathaniel , Gonzales Ralph
Published: March 2016

Introduction

Electronic consultations (eConsults) increase access to specialty care, but little is known about the types of questions primary care providers (PCPs) ask through eConsults, and how they respond to specialist recommendations.

Methods

This is a retrospective descriptive analysis of the first 200 eConsults completed in the UCSF eConsult program. Participating PCPs were from eight adult primary care sites at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), USA. Medicine subspecialties participating were Cardiology, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology/hepatology, Hematology, Infectious diseases, Nephrology, Pulmonary medicine, Rheumatology, and Sleep medicine. We categorized eConsult questions into “diagnosis,” “treatment,” and/or “monitoring.” We performed medical record reviews to determine the percentage of specialist recommendations PCPs implemented, and the proportion of patients with a specialist visit in the same specialty as the eConsult, emergency department visit, or hospital admission during the subsequent six months.

Results

PCP questions related to diagnosis in 71% of cases, treatment in 46%, and monitoring in 21%. Specialist responses related to diagnosis in 76% of cases, treatment in 64%, and monitoring in 40%. PCPs ordered 79% of all recommended laboratory tests, 86% of recommended imaging tests and procedures, 65% of recommended new medications, and 73% of recommended medication changes. In the six months after the eConsult, 14% of patients had a specialist visit within the UCSF system in the same specialty as the eConsult.

Discussion

eConsults provide guidance to PCPs across the spectrum of patient care. PCPs implement specialists’ recommendations in the large majority of cases, and few patients subsequently require in-person specialty care related to the reason for the eConsult.
The Meaning of the Child Interview: A new procedure for assessing and understanding parent–child relationships of ‘at-risk’ families
Authors: Grey Ben , Farnfield Steve
Published: March 2016

Reder and Duncan’s well-known studies of the 1990s on fatal child abuse drew attention to how parental scripts regarding their children could dangerously distort relationships in ways that were sometimes fatal to children. This article reports on a new system for assessing the ‘meaning of the child to the parent’, called the Meaning of the Child Interview (MotC). Parents are interviewed using the established Parent Development Interview, or equivalent, and the transcript of the interview is then analysed according to parental sensitivity and likely risk to the child. The MotC constructs were developed from those used in observed parent–child interaction (specifically, the CARE-Index) and the form of discourse analysis used in the Dynamic Maturational Model – Adult Attachment Interview, allowing a more systemic and inter-subjective understanding of parenting representations than often put forward. This article discusses the theoretical background to the MotC, gives a brief review of similar measures and then introduces the coding system and patterns of caregiving. The validity of the MotC is addressed elsewhere.
The Cuban factors of humanity: Reproductive biology, historical ontology and the metapragmatics of race
Authors: Palmié Stephan
Published: March 2016

Ostensibly a book written with a view towards publicly promulgating an anti-racist agenda by synthesizing a vast body of mid-20th-century biological and genetic science, Fernando Ortiz’s El engaño de las razas (1946) remains one his least commented-upon works. Eclipsed in its scholarly reception (both nationally and internationally) by its immediate predecessor, El contrapunteo cubano del tabaco y el azúcar (1940) and its English translation (1946), El engaño de las razas also appears to have been shadowed by (or simply assimilated into) the spate of post-Second World War anthropological anti-racist pronouncements culminating in the 1951 UNESCO Declaration Against Racism. However, paying close attention to Ortiz’s analytical and rhetorical strategies reveals that El engaño is by no means a mere anti-racist tract in the guise of a (characteristically learned and vociferously poetic) Latin American ensayo. As I will argue, the text merits our attention today not only because it refracted and subjected a larger, international anthropological agenda of the time to a local perspective, but also because its analytical tropology – arguably – only entered anthropological theorizing about human biology, heredity, and sociality under the sign of relationality from the 1990s onward. I suggest that in outlining a metapragmatic ethics and politics of metaphor Ortiz also anticipated a de-stabilization of representationalist accounts of ‘race’ that goes well beyond social constructionism.
Real-time analysis of mobile machines using sparse matrix technique
Authors: Baharudin Ezral , Rouvinen Asko , Korkealaakso Pasi , Matikainen Marko K , Mikkola Aki
Published: March 2016

The use of modern multibody simulation techniques enables the description of complex products, such as mobile machinery, with a high level of detail while still solving the equations of motion in real time. Using the appropriate modelling and implementation techniques, the accuracy of real-time simulation can be improved considerably. Conventionally, in multibody system dynamics, equations of motion are implemented using the full matrices approach that does not consider the sparsity feature of matrices. With this implementation approach, numerical efficiency decreases when sparsity increases. In this study, a numerical procedure based on semi-recursive and augmented Lagrangian methods for real-time dynamic simulation is introduced. To enhance computing efficiency, an equation of motion is implemented by employing the sparse matrix technique.
Participation, Pain, and World Making
Authors: Scott D. Travers
Published: March 2016

This article examines media participation through affective political economy, using as a case study the documentary Knuckle, a profile of Irish Traveller fighting. The film incorporates videos recorded by fighters and their families. Boasts and threats from one clan to another expand in circulation and become increasingly monetized as they are repackaged. Combing media political economy with Sarah Ahmed’s concept of affective economies, this article explores how, through such circulation, the videos help accomplish the affective work of world building, not only within Traveller society but also beyond it in realms such as mixed martial arts (MMA).
Privatization of early childhood education in Iceland
Authors: Dýrfjörð Kristín , Magnúsdóttir Berglind Rós
Published: March 2016

The overall aim of this paper is to give a comprehensive picture of the marketization of early childhood education in Iceland. Our theoretical framework is based on Hursh’s (2007) analysis of how the governance of schools is reshaped to serve a neoliberal agenda with the help of internal and external privatization (Ball and Youdell, 2007). In this paper we explore charter schools in Iceland, categorizing them according to Fabricant and Fine (2012), and shed light on how the most dominant charter school chain in Iceland, Hjallastefnan (e.g. the Hjalla-policy), is leading the corporatisation of public education. Our main data sources are policy and media documents and data from Statistics Iceland. Content analysis is our method of inquiry. Our findings indicate that Iceland is on a similar route to other Nordic countries, where privatization has become an ‘inevitable’ part of the education system. Internal privatization is shaping the sector, based on technical methods of delivering predetermined outcomes. External privatization, in the form of educational programs, is growing along with charter schools.
Should Organizations Be Forgiving or Unforgiving? A Two-Study Replication of How Forgiveness Climate in Hospitality Organizations Drives Employee Attitudes and Behaviors
Authors: Guchait Priyanko , Lanza-Abbott Je’Anna , Madera Juan M. , Dawson Mary
Published: March 2016

An organization’s forgiveness climate is pivotal in reducing negative and promoting positive consequences of errors, mistakes, or offenses in the workplace. This study examines the influence of a perceived forgiveness climate on learning behavior, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and intention to leave. Using quantitative cross-sectional data collected from 128 hotel and lodging managers, Study 1 revealed that a perceived forgiveness climate was significantly positively related to learning behavior and job satisfaction. Furthermore, the results demonstrated the mediating effect of learning behavior between a perceived forgiveness climate and job satisfaction and intention to leave. Study 2 confirmed this finding using 187 hospitality management students who work as frontline employees in various hospitality organizations. A perceived forgiveness climate was again found to significantly influence learning behavior and intention to leave, as well as organizational commitment. The results also confirmed the mediating effect of learning behavior. The findings suggest that organizations should promote a climate of forgiveness to influence employee attitudes and behaviors.
A clinical perspective of obesity, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease
Authors: Han Thang S , Lean Mike EJ
Published: March 2016

The metabolic syndrome is a condition characterized by a special constellation of reversible major risk factors for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. The main, diagnostic, components are reduced HDL-cholesterol, raised triglycerides, blood pressure and fasting plasma glucose, all of which are related to weight gain, specifically intra-abdominal/ectopic fat accumulation and a large waist circumference. Using internationally adopted arbitrary cut-off values for waist circumference, having metabolic syndrome doubles the risk of cardiovascular disease, but offers an effective treatment approach through weight management. Metabolic syndrome now affects 30–40% of people by age 65, driven mainly by adult weight gain, and by a genetic or epigenetic predisposition to intra-abdominal/ectopic fat accumulation related to poor intra-uterine growth. Metabolic syndrome is also promoted by a lack of subcutaneous adipose tissue, low skeletal muscle mass and anti-retroviral drugs. Reducing weight by 5–10%, by diet and exercise, with or without, anti-obesity drugs, substantially lowers all metabolic syndrome components, and risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Other cardiovascular disease risk factors such as smoking should be corrected as a priority. Anti-diabetic agents which improve insulin resistance and reduce blood pressure, lipids and weight should be preferred for diabetic patients with metabolic syndrome. Bariatric surgery offers an alternative treatment for those with BMI ≥ 40 or 35–40 kg/m2 with other significant co-morbidity. The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease is expected to rise along with the global obesity epidemic: greater emphasis should be given to effective early weight-management to reduce risk in pre-symptomatic individuals with large waists.
Purposeful Agency in Support Seeking During Cancer Treatment From a Person-Centered Perspective
Authors: Ventura Filipa , Koinberg Ingalill , Karlsson Per , Sawatzky Richard , Öhlén Joakim
Published: March 2016

People diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer (ESBC) manifest high supportive needs. eHealth supportive programs successfully satisfy those needs, but the process of generating supportive outcomes is less understood. We conducted this study to explore patients’ efforts to satisfy their supportive needs throughout the treatment course, not limited to but particularly considering their use of the Internet. Guided by interpretive description, 19 women undergoing treatment for ESBC participated in two phases of focus group meetings. Our results disclose women as self-driven resourceful agents, a perspective that underlay the process of reaching out as women appraised their need for support and intentionally engaged their supportive resources. Our findings convey a need to shift the paradigm of professionals’ provision of support in scheduled appointments toward achieving a continuous reciprocal care partnership. This is especially significant for the development of eHealth supportive programs, which assist in the enhancement of the health care accessibility.
Determination of Factors Effected Dietary Glycemic Index in Turkish University Students
Authors: Gumus Huseyin , Akdevelioglu Yasemin , Bulduk Sıdıka
Published: March 2016

We aimed to determine any factors like as smoking, being regular activity affect dietary glycemic index in university students. This study was carried out at Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey. The participants were 577 randomly selected Turkish healthy female university students aged 17-32 years. The survey included a questionnaire that assessed demographic, 3-day self-reported nutrient intake. The dietary intake was based on the of the recipients. The 3 days included 1 weekend day and the previous or next 2 days. A weighted GI was designed to the diet of the participants with the use of values from the 2002 international table of GI values. BMI was calculated from measurements of height and weight. The differences between living area (house or dormitory)/regular physical activity (do or not)/smoking/nutrition education and mean dietary glycemic index was determined by Independent Sample t-Test. Dietary glycemic index was found high (>70) in 98.4% of participants. Mean dietary glycemic index was found 85.1±6.80 and it was significantly (p<0.05) differences between participants staying house or dormitory, doing physical activity or not, smoking or not and educated on nutrition or not. Participant’s who are smoking, staying dormitory and no educated about nutrition dietary glycemix index was found high than who are not smoking, staying house, doing regular physical activity and educated on nutrition. Conclusion and Implication: It’s important that educated students on health and nutrition to prevent their diets content high glycemic index. It can be help to prevent obesity in the future.
Dayak Desa forest land use system as social capital to acquire forest management rights in West Kalimantan, Indonesia
Authors: ROSLINDA EMI
Published: March 2016

Roslinda E. 2016. Dayak Desa forest land use system as social capital to acquire forest management rights in WestÂ Kalimantan, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 17: 177-184. People communities have an important role to play in biodiversity conservation. TheÂ ownership of land has often become a constraint on sustainable management of forest. The aim of this study was to explore theÂ management system of forest land use in Dayak Desa in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Data collection was undertaken through fieldÂ observation, focus group discussion (FGD, and interviews with the community members. Dayak Desa has a several forest land useÂ systems including tawang semilas, tawang sebesai, tawang mersibung, tawang sepayan, tawang serimbak and bukit rentap protectionÂ forest, which each system has its own function and utilization. Regardless of the systemâ€™s differences, the forest land use systems haveÂ been supporting species diversity such as flora, fauna, and environmental services in Dayak Desa. This species diversity can supportÂ Dayak Desa community daily needs, regarding food, clothing, housing and other secondary needs. Forest utilization by Dayak DesaÂ community is suitably paired to what can be produced by the land, which is equipped with their own rules. The role and the rule inÂ managing, utilizing and protecting forest land use are Dayak Desa social capital. These are capital to acquire their rights to manage theÂ forest.
The effect of ultrasonic disintegration process conditions on the physicochemical characteristics of excess sludge
Authors: Tytła Malwina , Zielewicz Ewa
Published: March 2016

Ultrasonic disintegration, as a method of sludge pre-treatment (before the stabilization process), causes changes in their physicochemical characteristics. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of ultrasonic disintegration conditions (sonication) on the changes in the physicochemical characteristics of sonicated sludge, i.e. an increase in the content of organic substances in the supernatant, sludge dewaterability and flocs structure. Thickened and non-thickened excess sludge from the municipal wastewater treatment plant in Gliwice was disintegrated. The process was conducted, using a high-power disintegrator equipped with a lenticular horn. In order to determine the most favorable conditions, the sewage sludge was sonicated at a wave frequency of f=25 kHz (as a function of time), with a different samples volume (V1=0.5 and V2=1 L) and emitter position of 1 and the 2.5 cm from the bottom of the chamber in which the process was conducted. The disintegration of sewage sludge was carried out with a specific energy density (EV) in the range from 10 to 30 kWh/m3. The evaluation of the disintegration effects was based on changes in the physicochemical characteristics of the sludge and/or supernatant at the end of the process, expressed by commonly used and author’s disintegration indicators. The best results were obtained for the sludge disintegrated with a volume of V2=1 L and the emitter position of 2.5 cm from the bottom of the chamber. The study confirms that in various operating conditions of ultrasonic disintegration, there is a possibility for obtaining different effects which may influence the course of anaerobic stabilization and quality of the final products of the process.
The effect of temperature on the efficiency of industrial wastewater nitrification and its (geno)toxicity
Authors: Gnida Anna , Wiszniowski Jarosław , Felis Ewa , Sikora Jan , Surmacz-Górska Joanna , Miksch Korneliusz
Published: March 2016

The paper deals with the problem of the determination of the effects of temperature on the efficiency of the nitrification process of industrial wastewater, as well as its toxicity to the test organisms. The study on nitrification efficiency was performed using wastewater from one of Polish chemical factories. The chemical factory produces nitrogen fertilizers and various chemicals. The investigated wastewater was taken from the influent to the industrial mechanical-biological wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The WWTP guaranteed high removal efficiency of organic compounds defined as chemical oxygen demand (COD) but periodical failure of nitrification performance was noted in last years of the WWTP operation. The research aim was to establish the cause of recurring failures of nitrification process in the above mentioned WWTP. The tested wastewater was not acutely toxic to activated sludge microorganisms. However, the wastewater was genotoxic to activated sludge microorganisms and the genotoxicity was greater in winter than in spring time. Analysis of almost 3 years’ period of the WWTP operation data and laboratory batch tests showed that activated sludge from the WWTP under study is very sensitive to temperature changes and the nitrification efficiency collapses rapidly under 16°C. Additionally, it was calculated that in order to provide the stable nitrification, in winter period the sludge age (SRT) in the WWTP should be higher than 35 days.
Operation mode and external carbon dose as determining factors in elemental composition and morphology of aerobic granules
Authors: Cydzik-Kwiatkowska Agnieszka , Rusanowska Paulina , Głowacka Katarzyna
Published: March 2016

The elemental composition and morphology of aerobic granules in sequencing batch reactors (GSBRs) treating high-nitrogen digester supernatant was investigated. The investigation particularly focused on the effect of the number of anoxic phases (one vs. two) in the cycle and the dose of external organics loading (450 mg COD/(L·cycle) vs. 540 mg COD/(L·cycle)) on granule characteristics.

Granules in all reactors were formed of many single cells of rod and spherical bacteria. Addition of the second anoxic phase in the GSBR cycle resulted in enhanced settling properties of the granules of about 10.6% and at the same time decreased granule diameter of about 19.4%. The study showed that external organics loading was the deciding factor in the elemental composition of biomass. At 540 mg COD/(L·cycle) the granules contained more weight% of C, S and N, suggesting more volatile material in the granule structure. At lower organics loadings granules had the higher diameter of granules which limited the diffusion of oxygen and favored precipitation of mineral compounds in the granule interior. In this biomass higher content of Mg, P and Ca, was observed.
Inorganic nanomaterials in the aquatic environment: behavior, toxicity, and interaction with environmental elements
Authors: Krzyżewska Iwona , Kyzioł-Komosińska Joanna , Rosik-Dulewska Czesława , Czupioł Justyna , Antoszczyszyn-Szpicka Patrycja
Published: March 2016

The aim of this paper is to present characteristics, toxicity and environmental behavior of nanoparticles (NPs) (silver, copper, gold, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, iron oxide) that most frequently occur in consumer products. In addition, NPs are addressed as the new aquatic environmental pollutant of the 21stcentury. NPs are adsorbed onto particles in the aquatic systems (clay minerals, fulvic and humic acids), or they can adsorb environmental pollutants (heavy metal ions, organic compounds). Nanosilver (nAg) is released from consumer products into the aquatic environment. It can threaten aquatic organisms with high toxicity. Interestingly, copper nanoparticles (Cu-NPs) demonstrate higher toxicity to bacteria and aquatic microorganisms than those of nanosilver nAg. Their small size and reactivity can cause penetration into the tissues and interfere with the metabolic systems of living organisms and bacterial biogeochemical cycles. The behavior of NPs is not fully recognized. Nevertheless, it is known that NPs can agglomerate, bind with ions (chlorides, sulphates, phosphates) or organic compounds. They can also be bound or immobilized by slurry. The NPs behavior depends on process conditions, i.e. pH, ionic strength, temperature and presence of other chemical compounds. It is unknown how NPs behave in the aquatic environment. Therefore, the research on this problem should be carried out under different process conditions. As for the toxicity, it is important to understand where the differences in the research results come from. As NPs have an impact on not only aquatic organisms but also human health and life, it is necessary to recognize their toxic doses and know standards/regulations that determine the permissible concentrations of NPs in the environment.
Shape Optimisation of Multi-Chamber Acoustical Plenums Using BEM, Neural Networks, and GA Method
Authors: Chang Ying-Chun , Cheng Ho-Chih , Chiu Min-Chie , Chien Yuan-Hung
Published: March 2016

Research on plenums partitioned with multiple baffles in the industrial field has been exhaustive. Most researchers have explored noise reduction effects based on the transfer matrix method and the boundary element method. However, maximum noise reduction of a plenum within a constrained space, which frequently occurs in engineering problems, has been neglected. Therefore, the optimum design of multi-chamber plenums becomes essential. In this paper, two kinds of multi-chamber plenums (Case I: a two-chamber plenum that is partitioned with a centre-opening baffle; Case II: a three-chamber plenum that is partitioned with two centre-opening baffles) within a fixed space are assessed.

In order to speed up the assessment of optimal plenums hybridized with multiple partitioned baffles, a simplified objective function (OBJ) is established by linking the boundary element model (BEM, developed using SYSNOISE) with a polynomial neural network fit with a series of real data – input design data (baffle dimensions) and output data approximated by BEM data in advance. To assess optimal plenums, a genetic algorithm (GA) is applied. The results reveal that the maximum value of the transmission loss (TL) can be improved at the desired frequencies. Consequently, the algorithm proposed in this study can provide an efficient way to develop optimal multi-chamber plenums for industry.
Sound Radiation of a Pulsating Sphere in the Outlet of a Hard/Soft Semi-Spherical Cavity in a Flat Screen
Authors: Rdzanek Wojciech P.
Published: March 2016

A rigorous analysis of sound radiation by a pulsating sphere forming a resonator together with a semi-spherical cavity is presented. Both hard and soft boundaries are considered, as well as mixed. The problem is solved by dividing the entire region into two subregions, one surrounding the sphere and containing the cavity and the other for the remaining half-space. The continuity conditions are applied to obtain the acoustic pressure. Then the acoustic radiation resistance is calculated both in the near- and far-field. The acoustic radiation reactance is calculated in the impedance approach. The resonance frequencies are determined, for which a significant growth of the sound pressure level is observed as well as the sound field directivity. The accuracy and convergence of these rigorous results has been examined empirically.
The Uncertainty of Noise Composed of Separate Sound Events
Authors: Makarewicz Rufin , Gołębiewski Roman
Published: March 2016

Transportation noise is a main source of noise pollution. It is assumed that it consists of recognizable noise events which come from moving aircrafts, trains and boats. The noise of an isolated sound event is assessed by the sound exposure level, LAE. Much legislation and many regulations and guidelines employ the A-weighted time-average sound level, LAeq,T, with the time interval T of one hour or longer. LAE measurements enable an approximation of LAeq,T. The key point is the uncertainty of this approximation. It has been shown that an increase in the number of LAE categories brings about a decrease in uncertainty. For illustrative purposes, LAE measurements of aircrafts taking off and landing were carried out.
Human Rights and Cultural Identity
Authors: John-Stewart Gordon
Published: March 2016

Universal human rights and particular cultural identities, which are relativistic by nature, seem to stand in conflict with each other. It is commonly suggested that the relativistic natures of cultural identities undermine universal human rights and that human rights might compromise particular cultural identities in a globalised world. This article examines this supposed clash and suggests that it is possible to frame a human rights approach in such a way that it becomes the starting point and constraining framework for all non-deficient cultural identities. In other words, it is possible to depict human rights in a culturally sensitive way so that universal human rights can meet the demands of a moderate version of meta-ethical relativism which acknowledges a small universal core of objectively true or false moral statements and avers that, beyond that small core, all other moral statements are neither objectively true nor false.
Differences in mean arterial pressure of young and elderly people measured by oscilometry during inflation and deflation of the arm cuff
Authors: Fabian Vratislav , Havlik Jan , Dvorak Jan , Kremen Vaclav , Sajgalik Pavol , Bellamy Valentin , Schirger John A. , Sovka Pavel , Johnson Bruce D.
Published: March 2016

Systemic arterial blood pressure (BP) is one of the most important parameters of the cardiovascular system. An oscillometric NIBP monitor was specifically designed to measure oscillometric pulsations and mean arterial pressure (MAP) during inflation and deflation of the cuff. Nineteen healthy young (age 23.1±1.7 years; mean±SD) and 35 elderly (83.9±7.9 years; mean±SD) subjects were studied. Differential analysis of MAP during inflation and deflation show mean |ΔMAP|=2.9±2.6 mm Hg in the young group (mean±SD) and |ΔMAP|=6.3±5.2 mm Hg for seniors (mean±SD). There was a significant difference (p<0.05) in means of |ΔMAP| measured during cuff inflation and cuff deflation between both groups. In about 50% of elderly subjects |ΔMAP| was higher than 5 mm Hg. Potential clinical relevance of the method needs to be further evaluated.