bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Potentially eco-friendly poly (amide–ester–imide)/diacid-grafted titanium dioxide/modified montmorillonite nanocomposites containing natural amino acids
Authors: Mallakpour Shadpour , Khani Marziyeh
Published: September 2014

The progress of organic/inorganic composite materials has been specifically trendy in the last decade. This article focused on the fabrication and characterization of nanocomposites (NCs) with two different nanoparticles. Poly(amide–ester–imide) (PAEI) matrix was prepared by reacting N,N′-(1,3,5,7-tetraoxo-5,7-dihydropyrrolo[3,4-f]isoindole-2,6(1H,3H)-diyl)bis(4-hydroxybenz-amide) with N-trimellitylimido-l-leucine (TML) via tosyl chloride, pyridine, and N,N-dimethylformamide as a condensing agent. The surface of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles was modified with diacid TML. Diacid-grafted TiO2 (D-TiO2) was mixed with the obtained PAEI and sonicated to form a PAEI/D-TiO2 NC. Then, the surface of a sodium montmorillonite (MMT) was modified through intercalation with the cationic surfactant of l-leucine using an ion-exchange mechanism. PAEI/D-TiO2/organically modified montmorillonite composites at three different weight fractions of silicate layer were prepared via solution intercalation method. The spectral, morphological, and thermal properties of the aforementioned NCs were investigated in terms of several experimental techniques, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The obtained novel NCs improved thermal stability from neat polymer. Photographs showing TEM and FESEM results also illustrated that the nanofillers were rather uniformly distributed in the polymer matrix.
Subjective insecurity and the role of institutions
Authors: Chung Heejung , Mau Steffen
Published: September 2014

The issue of social insecurity is high on the public and scientific agenda. Most research, however, looks at objective forms of insecurity like growing labour market volatilities or atypical employment. Less has been done with regard to the way people perceive these changes and the role of institutions therein. While recent studies have highlighted the relatively weak role of institutions in explaining different levels of subjective insecurity, they were limited in their understanding in the institutions–security interplay. This special issue aims to understand how institutions generate and moderate the outcomes of subjective insecurity, as well as to overcome some of the methodological limitations of previous studies. The introduction provides a state-of-the-art literature review and unfolds the research question addressed in the special issue. It concludes with some thoughts for future research in the field of social insecurity and institutions.
Assisted reproductive technology in SLE and APS
Authors: Levine AB , Lockshin MD
Published: September 2014

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures, which include in vitro fertilization (IVF), are performed frequently and may be considered for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid syndrome. These procedures do not appear to increase the risk of disease flare or thrombosis in these patients. In addition, the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) does not independently predict the outcome of IVF pregnancies. As with pregnancies that are achieved naturally, candidates for ART should have quiescent disease for at least 6 months prior to attempting pregnancy for the best possible outcome for mother and child.
Toll-like receptor 4 and β2 glycoprotein I interaction on endothelial cells
Authors: Borghi MO , Raschi E , Grossi C , Chighizola CB , Meroni PL
Published: September 2014

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by thrombotic events and/or pregnancy morbidity in the persistent presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL). aPL targeting β2 glycoprotein I (anti-β2GPI Abs) provide the main pathogenic autoantibody subset. In monocytes, platelets and endothelial cells (ECs), the interaction of circulating aPL with membrane-bound β2GPI results in cell activation, and EC perturbation provides an important player in clotting. Several receptors have been suggested to mediate β2GPI/EC binding. AnnexinA2 provides a high-affinity binding site for β2GPI but, since it does not span the cell membrane, an adaptor protein is required to trigger signal. Consistent evidence supports the role of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 as co-receptor for β2GPI on ECs. β2GPI was recently reported to behave as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) scavenger. In monocytes, TLR4 activation was shown to be apparent, due to LPS/β2GPI complexes. Conversely, our findings in ECs demonstrate that β2GPI interacts directly with TLR4, and that such interaction may contribute to β2GPI-dependent aPL-mediated EC activation. LPS enhanced anti-β2GPI Ab binding to EC only at cell-activating concentrations, able to up-regulate TLR4. This in vitro model may explain why LPS behaves as a second hit increasing the expression of β2GPI in vascular tissues and triggering aPL-mediated thrombosis in vivo.
Patient–health care provider relationship: how can it impact on APS (Hughes’ syndrome) adherence to treatment?
Authors: Levy RA , Signorelli F
Published: September 2014

Adherence to treatment is fundamental for its success. It comprises compliance combined with persistency and should be constantly reassessed. This is true in all medical situations. In antiphospholipid syndrome (or Hughes’ syndrome), in addition to taking the medication at the planned time so that its effect on blood can be assessed and the dose adjusted if necessary, all patients must incorporate healthy habits with a treatment that is lifelong and will be influenced by dietary changes and the use of many other medications. Following a regime for the treatment to be effective, and to avoid serious complications, often creates the sensation of ‘living on a tightrope’ for both the patients and the health care providers. Patient education along with constant monitoring using proper communication settings and tools are certain to improve adherence and outcomes.
The autoimmune tautology with a focus on antiphospholipid syndrome
Authors: Franco J-S , Anaya J-M
Published: September 2014

Autoimmune diseases (ADs) are often diagnosed according to classification criteria; however, they share similar subphenotypes including signs and symptoms, non-specific autoantibodies and other immune changes, which are prone to taxonomic problems. Polyautoimmunity is defined as the presence of more than one AD in a single patient. The close relationship between antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) and systemic lupus erythematosus has been studied throughout the years. However, APS may coexist with several other ADs confirming polyautoimmunity in this systemic disease. Herein, we summarized the common characteristics shared between APS and others ADs in light of the autoimmune tautology (that is, common mechanisms of autoimmune diseases).
Antibodies to phosphatidylserine/prothrombin complex and the antiphospholipid syndrome
Authors: Sciascia S , Bertolaccini ML
Published: September 2014

Antibodies to prothrombin can be detected by ELISA using prothrombin coated onto irradiated plates (aPT) or the phosphatidylserine/prothrombin complex as antigen (aPS/PT) and they have been both related with the clinical manifestation of APS. Current evidence supports the concept that they belong to distinct populations of autoantibodies. Nevertheless, they can both be detected simultaneously in one patient.

This mini-review will focus on data available on aPS/PT antibodies and their clinical utility in the diagnosis of APS.
Cardiovascular disease in the antiphospholipid syndrome
Authors: Amaya-Amaya Jenny , Rojas-Villarraga Adriana , Anaya Juan-Manuel
Published: September 2014

The prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) varies from one series to another depending on the definition of CVD and tools used for its detection. Atherosclerosis, the usual cause of CVD, starts when the endothelium becomes damaged and is considered to be an autoimmune-inflammatory disease. The excessive cardiovascular events observed in patients with APS are not fully explained by traditional risk factors. Therefore, several novel risk factors contribute to the development of premature CVD and accelerated vascular damage in those patients. Herein, the significance and outcomes of CVD in APS are reviewed.
Domain I: the hidden face of antiphospholipid syndrome
Authors: Pericleous C , Rahman A
Published: September 2014

IgG antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) against β2-glycoprotein I (β2GPI) can target any of its five domains; however, aPL against the N-terminal domain (anti-DI, aDI) are considered the most clinically relevant in the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). Circulating levels of aDI are elevated in patients with APS compared with disease and healthy controls, and crucially aDI are prothrombotic in in vivo and in vitro models. In addition, human recombinant DI has been shown to abrogate aPL-induced thrombosis in vivo. Therefore, although the potential of utilizing DI for management of APS is not yet fully defined, there is promise that DI could prove valuable both as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool.
International standards for IgG and IgM anti-β2glycoprotein antibody measurement
Authors: Willis R , Grossi C , Orietta Borghi M , Martos-Sevilla G , Zegers I , Sheldon J , Meroni PL
Published: September 2014

International standards for anti-beta2 glycoprotein I (anti-β2GPI) testing are needed. We evaluated the suitability of polyclonal/monoclonal candidate reference materials (RM) for the assay. IgG/IgM anti-β2GPI were affinity-purified (AP) from high-positive antiphospholipid syndrome sera and IgG from HCAL clone supernatant. Igs were tested for purity by SDS-PAGE, pooled, concentrated, sterile-filtered and the protein concentration determined. One unit was defined as the binding activity of 1 µg/ml of AP anti-β2GPI Ig. IgG/IgM RM were each assigned a unit value using the respective AP material as a calibrator. Polyclonal/monoclonal RM and 30 samples were evaluated for linearity, unit equivalency and commutability. Polyclonal AP material was assigned a value of 100 U IgG and 15 U IgM anti-β2GPI, respectively. IgG-RM had a value of 270 IgG and the IgM-RM of 220.3 IgM anti-β2GPI U. The linearity ( R2) of each RM curve for the various assays ranged from 0.96 to 0.99. Commutability samples fit very well within 95% prediction intervals and had excellent correlation when comparing assays. IgG and IgM polyclonal and IgG monoclonal RM displayed excellent linearity and commutability, being good candidates for better standardization of anti-β2GPI immunoassays.
Conformers, Contesters, Creators: Vignettes of asthma identities and sporting embodiment
Authors: Owton Helen , Allen-Collinson Jacquelyn
Published: September 2014

Through a phenomenologically-inspired approach, the purpose of this article is to examine the different ways in which sportspeople experience asthma, a condition that affects 5.4 million people in the UK. To date, sociological phenomenology has been under-utilised both in relation to health and illness experiences and vis-a-vis sporting embodiment. Drawing on in-depth interview data from non-elite sportspeople ( n = 14), all of whom had been diagnosed with asthma, ranging in degree of severity, here we explore asthma sporting embodiment via a threefold asthma identity typology. The findings are communicated through vignettes, assembled from participants’ accounts, in order to highlight the multifaceted and multilayered ‘voices’ of sportspeople with asthma. Transforming data in this way can, we argue, resonate with others – both those with asthma and those without – to give a ‘feel’ for asthma experiences and sporting embodiment. This form of typology may be useful as a heuristic framework to assist healthcare and sports professionals in understanding asthma experiences as lived in everyday life, and potentially in developing more appropriate and effective care regimes for sportspeople in order to improve the quality of that everyday life.
Understanding the electromechanical admittance of piezoelectric transducers collocated on a finite beam from the perspective of wave propagation
Authors: Park Hyun Woo
Published: September 2014

This article analytically investigates the electromechanical admittance of piezoelectric transducers collocated on a finite beam from the perspective of wave propagation. First, the analytic solutions are derived for flexural waves induced by piezoelectric transducers collocated on an infinite beam. Then, the concept of a flexural wave group is used to express the analytic solutions for flexural waves reverberating on a finite beam. Detailed formulation is presented to describe the evolution of resonance of a beam and the corresponding electromechanical signatures induced by flexural wave groups. The validity of the proposed formulation has been demonstrated through a proof-of-concept numerical simulation providing more rigorous physical insight on the relevance between the flexural wave groups and the electromechanical signatures within the relatively low-frequency range.
Nurses’ Experiences of Communicating With Hospitalized, Suddenly Speechless Patients
Authors: Rodriguez Carmen S. , Spring Heather J. , Rowe Meredeth
Published: September 2014

We used a qualitative focus group design to explore the experiences and challenges of nurses who work with hospitalized patients experiencing the sudden inability to verbalize their needs, also known as sudden speechlessness. In response to open-ended questions in facilitated focus groups, 18 nurses discussed issues around the care and communication needs of suddenly speechless (SS) patients. Nurses identified multiple, commonly occurring communication challenges when caring for SS patients. They believed these challenges led to poorer recognition of patient needs, with the potential for compromised patient care. Nurses described how the lack of reliable strategies to facilitate communication sometimes resulted in negative patient outcomes, including unmet psychosocial needs and the potential that informed consent and educational issues were being inadequately addressed for the SS patients. Even experienced nurses indicated ongoing problems in communicating with SS patients, despite using a multitude of strategies, leaving many to deal with issues of frustration and role conflict.
Stories, Disability, and “Dirty” Workers
Authors: Vickers Margaret H.
Published: September 2014

Using creative writing to interpret phenomenological interviews, I examined the work lives of two disabled people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Stories were created from decades of my disability research experience, my personal work experiences with disability, examination of phenomenological interview transcripts of workers with MS, and by returning to the seminal ideas on dirty work by Hughes. I wanted to consider, in a new way, some of the challenges disabled people with MS might face at work. Stories are shared that reflect feelings of being a “dirty” worker, not because of the work that was done but because of having MS.
Transient Central Diabetes Insipidus Induced by Ketamine Infusion
Authors: Hatab Sarah Z. , Singh Arun , Felner Eric I. , Kamat Pradip
Published: September 2014

Objective: Report a case of central diabetes insipidus (DI) associated with ketamine infusion. Case Summary: A 2-year-old girl with long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency and stable hypertrophic cardiomyopathy was admitted to the pediatric intensive care with pneumonia. She subsequently developed respiratory failure and required intubation. Continuous ketamine infusion was used for the sedation and facilitation of mechanical ventilation. Shortly after infusion of ketamine, the patient developed DI and responded appropriately to vasopressin. Discussion: The Naranjo adverse drug reaction probability scale indicated a probable relationship between the development of central DI and ketamine. The most likely mechanism involves ketamine’s antagonist action on N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors, resulting in inhibition of glutamate-stimulated arginine vasopressin release from the neurohypophysis. Conclusion: This is the second case report of ketamine-induced central DI and the only report in children. Clinicians who sedate children with continuous ketamine infusions should monitor patients for developing signs and symptoms of DI by measuring serum sodium and urine output prior to, during, and after ketamine infusion in order to make a timely diagnosis of this potentially serious complication.
A two-dimensional generalized thermoelastic diffusion problem for a half-space
Authors: El-Sayed Amany M
Published: September 2014

In this work, we consider the two-dimensional problem of a thermoelastic half-space with a permeating substance in contact with the bounding plane in the context of the theory of generalized thermoelastic diffusion with one relaxation time. The bounding surface of the half-space is taken to be traction free and subjected to a time-dependent thermal shock. Laplace and Fourier transform techniques are used. The solution in the transformed domain is obtained by a direct approach. Numerical inversion techniques are used to obtain the inverse double transforms. Numerical results are represented graphically and discussed.
Best proximity point theorems for α-ψ-proximal contractions in intuitionistic fuzzy metric spaces
Authors: Latif Abdul , Hezarjaribi Masoomeh , Salimi Peyman , Hussain Nawab
Published: September 2014

The aim of this paper is to introduce and study certain new concepts ofα-ψ-proximal contractions in an intuitionistic fuzzy metric space. Then we establish certain best proximity point theorems for such proximal contractions in intuitionistic fuzzy metric spaces. As an application, we deduce best proximity and fixed point results in partially ordered intuitionistic fuzzy metric spaces. Several interesting consequences of our obtained results are presented in the form of new fixed point theorems which contain some recent fixed point theorems as special cases. Moreover, we discuss some illustrative examples to highlight the realized improvements.

MSC:47H10, 54H25.
Tunable synthesis of SiO2-encapsulated zero-valent iron nanoparticles for degradation of organic dyes
Authors: Mao Zhou , Wu Qingzhi , Wang Min , Yang Yushi , Long Jia , Chen Xiaohui
Published: September 2014

A series of nanocomposites consisting of zero-valent iron nanoparticles (ZVI NPs) encapsulated in SiO2 microspheres were successfully synthesized through a successive two-step method, i.e., the wet chemical reduction by borohydride followed by a modified Stöber method. The as-synthesized nanocomposites were characterized using X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometer, and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometer. The catalytic performance of SiO2-encapsulated ZVI nanocomposites for the degradation of organic dyes was investigated using methylene blue (MB) as the model dye in the presence of H2O2. The results showed that the degradation efficiency and apparent rate constant of the degradation reaction were significantly enhanced with increased ZVI NPs encapsulated in SiO2 microspheres, whereas the dosage of H2O2 remarkably promoted degradation rate without affecting degradation efficiency. The content-dependent magnetic property ensured the excellent magnetic separation of degradation products under an external magnet. This strategy for the synthesis of SiO2-encapsulated ZVI NPs nanocomposites was low cost and easy to scale-up for industrial production, thereby enabling promising applications in environmental remediation.
InCHlib – interactive cluster heatmap for web applications
Authors: Škuta Ctibor , Bartůněk Petr , Svozil Daniel
Published: September 2014

Background

Hierarchical clustering is an exploratory data analysis method that reveals the groups (clusters) of similar objects. The result of the hierarchical clustering is a tree structure called dendrogram that shows the arrangement of individual clusters. To investigate the row/column hierarchical cluster structure of a data matrix, a visualization tool called ‘cluster heatmap’ is commonly employed. In the cluster heatmap, the data matrix is displayed as a heatmap, a 2-dimensional array in which the colour of each element corresponds to its value. The rows/columns of the matrix are ordered such that similar rows/columns are near each other. The ordering is given by the dendrogram which is displayed on the side of the heatmap.

Results

We developed InCHlib (Interactive Cluster Heatmap Library), a highly interactive and lightweight JavaScript library for cluster heatmap visualization and exploration. InCHlib enables the user to select individual or clustered heatmap rows, to zoom in and out of clusters or to flexibly modify heatmap appearance. The cluster heatmap can be augmented with additional metadata displayed in a different colour scale. In addition, to further enhance the visualization, the cluster heatmap can be interconnected with external data sources or analysis tools. Data clustering and the preparation of the input file for InCHlib is facilitated by the Python utility script inchlib_clust.

Conclusions

The cluster heatmap is one of the most popular visualizations of large chemical and biomedical data sets originating, e.g., in high-throughput screening, genomics or transcriptomics experiments. The presented JavaScript library InCHlib is a client-side solution for cluster heatmap exploration. InCHlib can be easily deployed into any modern web application and configured to cooperate with external tools and data sources. Though InCHlib is primarily intended for the analysis of chemical or biological data, it is a versatile tool which application domain is not limited to the life sciences only.
A scientific study of the pigments in the wall paintings at Jokhang Monastery in Lhasa, Tibet, China
Authors: Li Zhimin , Wang Lele , Ma Qinglin , Mei Jianjun
Published: September 2014

Knowledge about pigments applied in ancient wall paintings is of great importance in art conservation and art history. In this study, fifteen pigment samples from the wall painting on the pilgrimage-corridor at the Jokhang Monastery in Lhasa, Tibet were analyzed, using different techniques, including X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Raman microspectroscopy (Raman), polarized light microscopy (PLM), and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDS). It is found that azurite, malachite, red lead, cinnabar, mars red, orpiment, gold, calcite, magnesium carbonate, barium white, especially modern synthetic Ultramarine blue, emerald green, chrome yellow and lithopone were used as colorants on plaster. This result suggests that the wall painting may have been executed after the 1850s, mostly in about the 1900s.
Kirchhoff modeling for attenuative anisotropic media using Gaussian beams
Authors: Shekar Bharath , Tsvankin Ilya
Published: September 2014

Seismic wave propagation in attenuative media can be efficiently modeled with ray-based methods. We present a methodology to generate reflection data from attenuative anisotropic media using the Kirchhoff scattering integral and summation of Gaussian beams. The Green’s functions are computed in the reference elastic model by Gaussian-beam summation, and the influence of attenuation is incorporated as a perturbation along the central ray. The reflected P-wave is obtained by substituting the approximate Green’s functions into the Kirchhoff scattering integral. Numerical examples for a transversely isotropic medium above a horizontal reflector and for a structurally complex acoustic model with a salt body confirm the accuracy of the method.
Estimating the influence of stress state on compaction behavior
Authors: Hauser Matt R. , Couzens-Schultz Brent A. , Chan Alvin W.
Published: September 2014

Relationships between the compaction state and effective stresses are the basis for most quantitative pore-pressure and stress estimates. Common practice uses only a single element of the stress tensor, the vertical stress, for these calculations; mean stress formulations also exist, although they are less widely applied. Using simple models and field data from two distinct stress regimes, we examined the validity and limitations of the vertical-stress approach as well as a mean-stress approach, showing that in complex stress settings, both can perform very poorly. We evaluated a method for incorporating shear stresses into compaction relations by using state boundary surface (SBS) formulations from soil mechanics and demonstrated how the resulting model may be calibrated and applied to field data. This approach was found to perform much better in the complex stress environment, providing more stable calibration behavior and more reliably extrapolating to stress states beyond those present in the calibration data. Although vertical and mean stress compaction models may work well in simple stress environments, we discovered that incorporation of shear stress is necessary for models in complex stress settings. Although the addition of shear stress significantly improves agreement with field data, it also increases the complexity of the model as well as the requirements for calibration data. We therefore evaluated the settings in which each of these three approaches — vertical stress, mean stress, and SBS — may be most appropriate.
Impact of change in pore-fill material on P-wave velocity
Authors: Saxena Nishank , Mavko Gary
Published: September 2014

The problem of predicting the change in seismic velocities (P-wave and S-wave) upon the change in pore-fill material properties is commonly known as substitution. For isotropic rocks, P- and S-wave velocities are fundamentally linked to the effective P-wave and shear moduli. The change in the S-wave velocity or shear modulus upon fluid substitution can be predicted with Gassmann’s equations starting only with the initial S-wave velocity. However, predicting changes in P-wave velocity or the P-wave modulus requires knowledge of the initial P- and S-wave velocities. We initiated a rigorous derivation of the P-wave modulus for fluid and solid substitution in monomineralic isotropic rocks for cases in which an estimate of the S-wave velocity or shear modulus is not available. For the general case of solid substitution, the exact equation for the P-wave modulus depends on parameters that are usually unknown. However, for fluid substitution, fewer parameters are required. As Poisson’s ratio increases for the mineral in the rock frame, the dependence of exact substitution on these unknown parameters decreases. As a result, in the absence of shear velocity, P-wave modulus fluid substitution can, for example, be performed with higher confidence for rocks with a calcite or dolomite frame than it can for rocks with quartz frame. We evaluated a recipe for applying the new P-wave modulus fluid substitution. This improves on existing work and is recommended for practice.
Implementation of NGA-West2 Ground Motion Models in the 2014 U.S. National Seismic Hazard Maps
Authors: Rezaeian Sanaz , Petersen Mark D. , Moschetti Morgan P. , Powers Peter , Harmsen Stephen C. , Frankel Arthur D.
Published: September 2014

The U.S. National Seismic Hazard Maps (NSHMs) have been an important component of seismic design regulations in the United States for the past several decades. These maps present earthquake ground shaking intensities at specified probabilities of being exceeded over a 50-year time period. The previous version of the NSHMs was developed in 2008; during 2012 and 2013, scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey have been updating the maps based on their assessment of the “best available science,” resulting in the 2014 NSHMs. The update includes modifications to the seismic source models and the ground motion models (GMMs) for sites across the conterminous United States. This paper focuses on updates in the Western United States (WUS) due to the use of new GMMs for shallow crustal earthquakes in active tectonic regions developed by the Next Generation Attenuation (NGA-West2) project. Individual GMMs, their weighted combination, and their impact on the hazard maps relative to 2008 are discussed. In general, the combined effects of lower medians and increased standard deviations in the new GMMs have caused only small changes, within 5–20%, in the probabilistic ground motions for most sites across the WUS compared to the 2008 NSHMs.
OR Forum—Design of Risk Weights
Authors: Glasserman Paul , Kang Wanmo
Published: September 2014

Banking regulations set minimum levels of capital for banks. These requirements are generally formulated through a ratio of capital to risk-weighted assets. A risk-weighting scheme assigns a weight to each asset or category of assets and effectively functions as a linear constraint on a bank’s portfolio choice; it also changes the incentives for banks to hold various kinds of assets. In this paper, we investigate the design of risk weights to align regulatory and private objectives in a simple mean-variance framework for portfolio selection. By setting risk weights proportional to profitability rather than risk, the regulator can induce a bank to reduce its overall level of risk without distorting its asset mix. Because the regulator is unlikely to know the true profitability of assets, we introduce an adaptive formulation in which the regulator sets weights by observing a bank’s portfolio. The adaptive scheme converges to the same combination of weights and portfolio choice that would hold if the regulator knew the asset profitability. We also investigate other objectives, including steering banks to a target mix of assets, adding robustness, mitigating procyclicality, and reducing system-wide risk in a setting with multiple heterogeneous banks.
Handbrake turns and u-turns over cost pressures?
Authors: Timmins Nicholas
Published: September 2014

“My clear instinct,” Mrs Hewitt said, “is that I don't want to see hospitals wasting money on advertising”
The NHS is not out of the reformist woods yet
Authors: Roth Andrew
Published: September 2014

Those who think the NHS is in for a stable future since Labour won a substantial majority and has still another New Labour ‘reformer’ as its Health Secretary have another think coming.
The joy of consultancy: how to be a better client
Authors: Harmond Kate
Published: September 2014

The ‘Provocations’ series returns with an account from a consultant (management, not clinical) on how trusts can improve as customers …
Are health inequalities really intractable?
Authors: Greener Mark
Published: September 2014

How difficult is it in reality to address health inequalities – and are we doing the wrong things?
Eight years on: long march or road to discovery?
Authors: Hardacre Jeanne , Keep Jane
Published: September 2014

Two full parliamentary terms later, and we face an NHS quite different from that left to us by Stephen Dorrell. If a week is a long time in politics, eight years is certainly a long time in NHS management. In career terms, eight years has meant several job moves for most managers; a proliferation of opportunities for many; and rapid exits for some.
Contestability stimulants
Authors: Maynard Alan
Published: September 2014

As yet, there seems to be no threat to the notion that the NHS should be free at the point of consumption, with care ideally accessed by patients on the basis of need. Policy attention is focused not on changing the rules governing patient demand for care, but on creating a radically different public-private mix in the supply of health care.
Supporting children with nocturnal enuresis
Authors: Cox Elizabeth
Published: September 2014

This article is part of a series of interviews with a range of professionals working with children and young people. This month, Elizabeth Cox, paediatric continence nurse specialist (retired), offers advice on supporting children and young people with nocturnal enuresis.
Causes of sudden cardiac arrest in children and young people
Authors: Lepkowska Dorothy
Published: September 2014

Sudden cardiac arrests can happen in the school setting and it is important to ensure that staff members are aware of this. Dorothy Lepkowska looks at some of the conditions that may cause sudden cardiac arrest in children, young people and adults.
An overview of the symptoms and management of glue ear
Authors: Vennik Jane , Williamson Ian
Published: September 2014

Glue ear is an important condition of young children, which can potentially have an impact on their language, educational and behavioural development. It is characterised by a collection of fluid behind the eardrum without signs of an acute infection, but can follow an upper respiratory tract infection. A second peak of prevalence occurs in children aged 5 years coinciding with the start of their primary education. While natural resolution occurs in more than half of affected children within 3 months, in some children the fluid becomes persistent and surgical intervention may be required. Diagnosis in the community remains difficult due to lack of diagnostic facilities. However, a careful history taking, clinical examination and parent-reported symptoms help towards the better recognition of glue ear. Current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines for managing children with glue ear involve a 3-month watchful waiting period before grommet surgery. Autoinflation is an effective and acceptable non-surgical treatment which aids natural resolution in some children. Further research is under way into the wider use of autoinflation in the primary care setting.
Hepatitis C: from discovery to eradication
Authors: Jack Kathryn
Published: September 2014

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) has persisted as an important cause of liver disease since its discovery in 1989. However, 25 years later, advances in drug development are leading to the possibility of HCV being eradicated from the UK population. This article describes the history of viral hepatitis, emergence of HCV, and the evolution of the treatments. It also introduces the drugs that are awaiting approval by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). The role that all nurses can play in helping to achieve the goal of HCV eradication by identifying those at risk is presented, along with an insight into the challenges faced by specialist nurses caring for those receiving antiviral treatment.
Palliative care in a residential setting: can it be done?
Authors: Zehetmayr Berta
Published: September 2014

This paper presents a case study of a 94-year old woman, Miss A, who was diagnosed as suffering from ovarian cancer and who decided against surgical intervention. The author and care manager of the residential care home where Miss A lived were closely involved in the respective roles of advocate and care provider. A care plan was negotiated with Miss A that was acceptable to her and that could be carried out by the staff of the care home. The main aim of the care plan was to provide palliative care, to care for the whole person, and to preserve autonomy. The agreed care plan, it was felt, would facilitate Miss A to live out her life with dignity and would give her an opportunity to experience quality of life right to the end.
A profile of dying residents in South Australian nursing homes
Authors: Parker Deborah , De Bellis Anita
Published: September 2014

In Australia there is increasing interest in palliative care for nursing home residents who experience a period of increased care need in the months, weeks or days before death (Maddocks et al, 1996). The term ‘palliative care’ has been used interchangeably with ‘hospice care’ and ‘terminal care’ in Australia. In this article, however, palliative care refers to a holistic philosophy of care relating to the care needs of those in the terminal phase of illness. This article focuses on residents identified as dying and requiring palliative care in 10 South Australian nursing homes.
Criminal investigation: malpractice and cruelty in care
Authors: Meredith John
Published: September 2014

On the 3 November 1999 after a 7 day trial, a jury at Northampton Crown Court found the proprietor of a residential home guilty on two counts of ill-treatment and wilful neglect towards an 89-year-old male resident.

He was sentenced on 21 December 1999 to serve 9 months and 6months to run concurrently. The proprietor was also ordered to pay the prosecutions costs of £1700.
Comparative Study of Therapeutic Effects of Two Medicinal Procedures of Citalopram in Premature Ejaculation
Authors: Rezakhaniha Bijan , Siroosbakhat Soheila
Published: September 2014

Premature ejaculation is the most common type of sexual dysfunction in men younger than 40 years. The optimal medical treatment for premature ejaculation has not been established in previous studies, but single dosing prior to sexual relations can work for some males, while in others, achieving a blood level through daily use of the medication may be necessary, as in the treatment of clinical depression. Obviously, if single dosing is successful, therapy is simpler and is associated with fewer adverse effects. Therefore, this may be the preferred initial therapy. Hence in this study, two therapeutic protocols of citalopram including as needed and twice a day were compared. This study was an un-blind randomized clinical trial. The patients aged older than 18 years with premature ejaculation were evaluated by urologist and after the disease was established and the questionnaire was fulfilled they were enrolled into the study. The patients were randomly assigned to receive either twice a day 20 mg citalopram or 20 mg four hours before coitus. The mean ejaculation time in two groups of PRN and BD was significantly differed in fourth week (P < 0.05) with 286.9±252.6 and 269.51±350.21 seconds, respectively, but apposite of BD group (485.±519.93 seconds), the patients in PRN group (288.53±267.27 seconds) showed no significant difference (P > 0.05), and however the baseline and fourth week measurement were alike between two groups; but in eighth week after treatment there was a significant difference between two groups (P < 0.05). Totally, it may be concluded that citalopram with every dose is effective in the treatment of premature ejaculation. However the BD regimen is more effective.
Assessing the Total Financial Performance Impact of Brand Equity with Limited Time-Series Data
Authors: Mizik Natalie
Published: September 2014

One of the key challenges in empirically modeling the total impact of marketing assets on financial performance is the limited availability of marketing metrics data over time. The author presents an approach for estimating the total financial impact of marketing assets with limited time-series data and demonstrates the approach with an application to brand equity research. Consistent with prior research, the aggregate analyses indicate that brand equity, as measured by customer mindset metrics, positively affects current financial performance. In addition, the author documents brand equity's significant and much greater impact on the firm's future financial performance: at the aggregate, only a small portion of the total financial impact of brand equity is reflected in current-year profits, whereas the bulk of the profitability impact is realized in the future. Most importantly, however, the analyses document significant heterogeneity of these effects: in some industries, the entire direct impact is contemporaneous, whereas in others, no contemporaneous effects are observed and all of the profitability impact occurs in the future.
The Economic and Cognitive Costs of Annoying Display Advertisements
Authors: Goldstein Daniel G. , Suri Siddharth , McAfee R. Preston , Ekstrand-Abueg Matthew , Diaz Fernando
Published: September 2014

Some online display advertisements are annoying. Although publishers know the payment they receive to run annoying ads, little is known about the cost that such ads incur (e.g., causing website abandonment). Across three empirical studies, the authors address two primary questions: (1) What is the economic cost of annoying ads to publishers? and (2) What is the cognitive impact of annoying ads to users? First, the authors conduct a preliminary study to identify sets of more and less annoying ads. Second, in a field experiment, they calculate the compensating differential, that is, the amount of money a publisher would need to pay users to generate the same number of impressions in the presence of annoying ads as it would generate in their absence. Third, the authors conduct a mouse-tracking study to investigate how annoying ads affect reading processes. They conclude that in plausible scenarios, the practice of running annoying ads can cost more money than it earns.
Convergent developments in Dutch Turkish word order – A comparative study using ‘elicited production’ and ‘judgment’ data: Converging evidence?
Authors: Onar Valk Pelin
Published: September 2014

Language is a very dynamic entity, so language change is inevitable, especially in contact settings. Most contact studies are based on recordings of spontaneous speech. Useful as this has been, such data cannot tell us everything: for one thing, they do not tell us much about the degree to which the attested changes are entrenched in bilinguals' linguistic competence, and whether the changes are manifested mostly in bilingual speech, i.e. when the speakers are codeswitching at the same time. This paper aims to look for converging evidence, a fairly recent notion (Schönefeld, 2011:1), by employing two experimental techniques to explore a single issue: Dutch influence on the word order of immigrant Turkish in the Netherlands. More specifically, the focus is on the position of the matrix verb in complex clauses. Dutch and Turkish differ in their word orders, specifically in the position of the verb. Although Turkish can be claimed to have a relatively free word order, it is canonically verb-final. Dutch, on the other hand, is a verb-medial language, at least in main clauses. This study discusses findings as to whether immigrant Turkish verb positioning differs from TR-Turkish practice, and whether the differences are more pronounced when speakers are in a bilingual mode. It studies data from three groups of participants; 1) Bilinguals in bilingual mode, 2) Bilinguals in monolingual mode and 3) Monolinguals. One method employs elicited ‘production’ data reflecting bilingual ‘performance’ and the other one ‘judgments’ reflecting ‘comprehension’ or ‘linguistic knowledge’ (i.e. converging evidence). Unconventionalities, changes in preferences and frequency differences in these data are interpreted subtypes of a contact-induced change in this paper. Interestingly, the data from the two different sources did not converge completely: for the structures caught up in change, the ‘judgment’ data showed full acceptability of both the changed and the non/changed structures, while the ‘production’ data showed a clear preference for the former. The paper finally focuses on the question what kind of change mechanism may be responsible for the changes. The findings point to restructuring (Heine & Kuteva), which overlaps with Johanson's frequential copying and Matras' ‘other outcomes of pivot matching’. In conclusion, the results show that word order in Dutch Turkish is changing.
Language competencies of future teachers – Design and results of an empirical study
Authors: Scholten-Akoun Dirk , Mashkovskaya Anna , Tischmeyer Daniel
Published: September 2014

This article introduces a measuring method, with which linguistic deficits of first-year students can be recognized. Many problems which lead to extended study times, to difficulties or even to giving up studies are linguistically induced. The testing tools introduced here focus on the (written) language skills of first-years students of degree programs for future teachers. The aim is to precisely identify linguistic deficits and to subsequently develop and offer training programs alongside studies.

In the first test-stage modified C-tests are used to allow a general assessment of students' academic language skills. In the second stage the students have to deal with a writing task on an educational topic, which forms the basis for describing the students' linguistic deficits in qualitative terms. This study is based on the test data of 2891 students in teacher-training programs from three different universities in North Rhine-Westphalia and provides first results, especially with regard to a differentiated comparison of the language skills of students with and without migration background.
Detection of UV Pulse from Insulators and Application in Estimating the Conditions of Insulators
Authors: Wang Jingang , Chong Junlong , Yang Jie
Published: September 2014

Solar radiation in the band of 240–280 nm is absorbed by the ozone layer in the atmosphere, and corona discharges from high-voltage apparatus emit in air mainly in the 230–405 nm range of ultraviolet (UV), so the band of 240–280 nm is called UV Solar Blind Band. When the insulators in a string deteriorate or are contaminated, the voltage distribution along the string will change, which causes the electric fields in the vicinity of insulators change and corona discharge intensifies. An UV pulse detection method to check the conditions of insulators is presented based on detecting the UV pulse among the corona discharge, then it can be confirmed that whether there exist faulty insulators and whether the surface contamination of insulators is severe for the safe operation of power systems. An UV-I Insulator Detector has been developed, and both laboratory tests and field tests have been carried out which demonstrates the practical viability of UV-I Insulator Detector for online monitoring.
High Penetration of Electrical Vehicles in Microgrids: Threats and Opportunities
Authors: Khederzadeh Mojtaba , Khalili Mohammad
Published: September 2014

Given that the microgrid concept is the building block of future electric distribution systems and electrical vehicles (EVs) are the future of transportation market, in this paper, the impact of EVs on the performance of microgrids is investigated. Demand-side participation is used to cope with increasing demand for EV charging. The problem of coordination of EV charging and discharging (with vehicle-to-grid (V2G) functionality) and demand response is formulated as a market-clearing mechanism that accepts bids from the demand and supply sides and takes into account the constraints put forward by different parts. Therefore, a day-ahead market with detailed bids and offers within the microgrid is designed whose objective is to maximize the social welfare which is the difference between the value that consumers attach to the electrical energy they buy plus the benefit of the EV owners participating in the V2G functionality and the cost of producing/purchasing this energy. As the optimization problem is a mixed integer nonlinear programming one, it is decomposed into one master problem for energy scheduling and one subproblem for power flow computation. The two problems are solved iteratively by interfacing MATLAB with GAMS. Simulation results on a sample microgrid with different residential, commercial and industrial consumers with associated demand-side biddings and different penetration level of EVs support the proposed formulation of the problem and the applied methods.
Forecasting Volatility and the Risk–Return Tradeoff: An Application on the Fama–French Benchmark Market Return
Authors: Vafiadis Nikolaos
Published: September 2014

The paper uses the daily stock market index returns of Fama–French to attempt a comparative forecasting analysis of different volatility models. The comparison naturally pre-requests the specification of the competing volatility frameworks and therefore the paper among other issues deals with dilemmas about whether volatility–return relations hold. As expected the analysis focuses on FIEGARCH-M models that extend the basic long memory volatility framework of