bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Flowering and fruiting responses to climate change of two Arctic plant species, purple saxifrage (Saxifraga oppositifolia) and mountain avens (Dryas integrifolia)
Authors: Panchen Zoe A. , Gorelick Root
Published: October 2015

In temperate regions, there are clear indications that spring flowering plants are flowering earlier due to rising temperatures of contemporary climate change. Temperatures in temperate regions are rising predominantly in spring. However, Arctic regions are seeing unprecedented temperature increases, predominantly towards the end of the growing season. We might, therefore, expect to see earlier flowering of later-season flowering Arctic plants. Parks Canada has been monitoring purple saxifrage (Saxifraga oppositifolia) and mountain avens (Dryas integrifolia) flowering and fruiting times for 20 years at Tanquary Fiord, Quttinirpaaq National Park, Ellesmere Island. Saxifraga oppositifolia flowers in early spring, while D. integrifolia flowers in midsummer. Over the 20-year period, Tanquary Fiord's annual and late-summer temperatures have risen significantly. During the same timeframe, D. integrifolia showed a trend towards earlier flowering and fruiting, but S. oppositifolia showed no changes in flowering or fruiting time. Flowering time was related to monthly temperatures just prior to flowering. The number of flowers produced was related to the previous autumn's monthly temperatures. We found no relationship between flowering time and snowmelt date. Our findings suggest that Arctic community level ecological effects from climate change induced phenology changes will differ from those in temperate regions.
Investigations on corrosion and mechanical properties of a 20 year old ground anchor exhumed at a power station site
Authors: Wang Yujie , Ren Aiwu , Wang Yanshu , He Jiquan , Chen Zuyu
Published: October 2015

This paper presents the observed findings and laboratory test results of an anchor exhumed from Manwan Hydropower Station, China, that was installed 20 years ago. The prestressed cables are 25.6 m long with a working load of 1000 kN. It consists of eight strands, and each strand consists of seven wires. The anchor was installed using the “single protection” technique (i.e., the steel strands without greased sheath and were backfilled directly with cement mortar). The anchor was unearthed by excavating a 1.5 m × 1.7 m tunnel. Visual inspection shows that the steel strands in the free and fixed lengths are basically stainless except for a few places where the grout failed to cover the anchor completely, thereby allowing direct contact of the strands with air. The magnitude of rebound of the tendon during the advancement of the tunnel face was simultaneously measured indicating a gradual release of bonding force, which was up to 62% of the prestressed load. This shows that the existence of the bonding force is provided by the bonding between the strand and the grout, while this bonding does not exist in the “double protection” system. The results of the mechanical test confirm that the tensile strengths in all the 33 steel wires exceed the requirement as specified by a current Chinese Standard. The concentrations of various chemicals also satisfy the requirements as specified by the China State Bureau of Quality Technical Supervision. The results of the X-ray diffraction test show that the stains taken from the surface of the strand are composed of FeO and FeOOH, both being oxide products of iron. This shows that exposure of the material to air is an important condition to initiate corrosion. By following the ASTM International G1-03 test procedure, the average corrosion rate is found to be between 3 × 10−4and 6 × 10−4mm/year. This investigation generally supports the use of unprotected steel strands in rock anchor.
A rigorous proof of the Bohr–van Leeuwen theorem in the semiclassical limit
Authors: Savoie Baptiste
Published: October 2015

The original formulation of the Bohr–van Leeuwen (BvL) theorem states that, in a uniform magnetic field and in thermal equilibrium, the magnetization of an electron gas in the classical Drude–Lorentz model vanishes identically. This stems from classical statistics which assign the canonical momenta all values ranging from -∞ to ∞ that makes the free energy density magnetic-field-independent. When considering a classical (Maxwell–Boltzmann) interacting electron gas, it is usually admitted that the BvL theorem holds upon condition that the potentials modeling the interactions are particle-velocities-independent and do not cause the system to rotate after turning on the magnetic field. From a rigorous viewpoint, when treating large macroscopic systems, one expects the BvL theorem to hold provided the thermodynamic limit of the free energy density exists (and the equivalence of ensemble holds). This requires suitable assumptions on the many-body interactions potential and on the possible external potentials to prevent the system from collapsing or flying apart. Starting from quantum statistical mechanics, the purpose of this paper is to give, within the linear-response theory, a proof of the BvL theorem in the semiclassical limit when considering a dilute electron gas in the canonical conditions subjected to a class of translational invariant external potentials.
Diminishing Utility Decision Model for Weighting Criteria
Authors: Huang Jih-Jeng , Inuiguchi Masahiro
Published: October 2015

The analytic hierarchy/network process (analytic hierarchy process (AHP)/analytic network process (ANP)) became the most popular tool for weighting criteria in the field of multiple criteria analysis during the 1980s. However, these models often suffer from criticisms because of their theoretical and practical problems. In this paper, the diminishing utility decision model (DUDM) is proposed in order to retain the pros and avoid the cons of the AHP and ANP for weighting criteria. The DUDM integrates the AHP and the concept of diminishing marginal utility in order to model the main and interaction weights of criteria, respectively. From the results of the numerical examples, it can be seen that the proposed method can solve two major limitations of the ANP. First, the proposed method can significantly reduce the number of questions that are asked in the ANP. Second, the proposed method can ensure convergence in many situations and avoid the problem of the ANP with regard to the absorbing state.
On the number of permutation polynomials over a finite field
Authors: Kim Kwang Yon , Kim Ryul , Kim Jin Song
Published: October 2015

In order to extend the results of [Formula: see text] in [P. Das, The number of permutation polynomials of a given degree over a finite field, Finite Fields Appl. 8(4) (2002) 478–490], where [Formula: see text] is a prime, to arbitrary finite fields [Formula: see text], we find a formula for the number of permutation polynomials of degree [Formula: see text] over a finite field [Formula: see text], which has [Formula: see text] elements, in terms of the permanent of a matrix. We write down an expression for the number of permutation polynomials of degree [Formula: see text] over a finite field [Formula: see text], using the permanent of a matrix whose entries are [Formula: see text]th roots of unity and using this we obtain a nontrivial bound for the number. Finally, we provide a formula for the number of permutation polynomials of degree [Formula: see text] less than [Formula: see text].
Novel in situ Synthesized Fe@C Magnetic Nanocapsules Used as Adsorbent for Removal of Organic Dyes and its Recycling
Authors: Li Ranran , Yu Jieyi , Shah Asif , Dong Xinglong , Li Xiaona , Yu Hongtao , Quan Xie , Jung Youngguan
Published: October 2015

Core/shell type carbon-coated Fe nanocapsules (Fe@C NCs) were in situ synthesized by DC arc-discharge plasma method in methane atmosphere. Such Fe nanocapsules have saturation magnetization of 29.32[Formula: see text]emu/g and specific surface area of 85.86[Formula: see text]m2/g. The carbon shell of Fe@C NCs was functionalized with oxygen-containing groups (such as –OH or –COOH) by using H2O2. The adsorption of organic dye, e.g., methylene blue (MB) was systematically investigated in different conditions, such as contact time, pH values and temperature. The maximum adsorption capacity (46.5[Formula: see text]mg/g) was calculated by fitting the adsorption isotherms with Langmuir model, coincident with the experimental result of 44.5[Formula: see text]mg/g. Kinetics data supported pseudo-second order model, and the thermodynamic process of adsorption was revealed as endothermic and spontaneous physisorption. The MB-absorbed Fe@C NCs can be entirely separated from the contaminative solution by a magnetic field and then successfully cycled for regeneration. After repetitive cycles of the adsorption/desorption experiments for five times, the removal efficiency can be maintained over 90%.
Cybersecurity in the Chinese Context: Changing Concepts, Vital Interests, and Prospects for Cooperation
Authors: Cai Cuihong
Published: October 2015

"Cybersecurity" has become a topic of great strategic importance concerning both national and international security, especially after Edward Snowden's disclosure of the secret surveillance programs of the U.S. government. With the largest number of netizens in the world, China holds its own views, beliefs, and assumptions on this topic. To understand the current disputes over international cybersecurity and to identify challenges and opportunities presented to international cybersecurity cooperation, it is of great significance to examine "cybersecurity" in the Chinese context. This article deals with the following issues from a Chinese perspective: cyberspace and cybersecurity in general, China's vital cybersecurity interests and threatening challenges, and barriers to further progress in international cybersecurity cooperation. It is concluded that China's understanding of cybersecurity, which derives from its unique national conditions, does not limit its willingness to participate in international cybersecurity cooperation.
On Optimizing Airline Ticket Purchase Timing
Authors: Groves William , Gini Maria
Published: October 2015

Proper timing of the purchase of airline tickets is difficult even when historical ticket prices and some domain knowledge are available. To address this problem, we introduce an algorithm that optimizes purchase timing on behalf of customers and provides performance estimates of its computed action policy. Given a desired flight route and travel date, the algorithm uses machine-learning methods on recent ticket price quotes from many competing airlines to predict the future expected minimum price of all available flights. The main novelty of our algorithm lies in using a systematic feature-selection technique, which captures time dependencies in the data by using time-delayed features, and reduces the number of features by imposing a class hierarchy among the raw features and pruning the features based on in-situ performance. Our algorithm achieves much closer to the optimal purchase policy than other existing decision theoretic approaches for this domain, and meets or exceeds the performance of existing feature-selection methods from the literature. Applications of our feature-selection process to other domains are also discussed.
Assessment of BRAF V600E Status in Colorectal Carcinoma: Tissue-Specific Discordances between Immunohistochemistry and Sequencing
Authors: Estrella Jeannelyn S. , Tetzlaff Michael T. , Bassett Roland L. , Patel Keyur P. , Williams Michelle D. , Curry Jonathan L. , Rashid Asif , Hamilton Stanley R. , Broaddus Russell R.
Published: October 2015

Although sequencing provides the gold standard for identifying colorectal carcinoma with BRAF V600E mutation, immunohistochemistry (IHC) with the recently developed mouse monoclonal antibody VE1 for BRAF V600E protein has shown promise as a more widely available and rapid method. However, we identified anecdotal discordance between VE1 IHC and sequencing results and therefore analyzed VE1 staining by two different IHC methods (Leica Bond and Ventana BenchMark) in whole tissue sections from 480 colorectal carcinomas (323 BRAF wild-type, 142 BRAF V600E mutation, and 15 BRAF non-V600E mutation). We also compared the results with melanomas and papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC). With the Bond method, among 142 BRAF V600E-mutated colorectal carcinomas, 77 (54%) had diffuse VE1 staining and 48 (33%) had heterogeneous staining, but 17 (12%) were negative. Among 323 BRAF wild-type colorectal carcinomas, 196 (61%) were negative, but 127 (39%) had staining, including 7 with diffuse staining. When positivity was defined as staining in ≥20% of tumor cells, VE1 IHC had sensitivity of 75% and specificity of 93% for BRAF V600E mutation. With the Ventana method, among 57 BRAF V600E-mutated colorectal carcinomas, 36 (63%) had diffuse VE1 staining, whereas 6 (11%) had no or weak (<20% of tumor cells) staining. Among 33 BRAF wild-type colorectal carcinomas, 16 (48%) had no or weak staining, whereas 15 (45%) had heterogeneous staining. In contrast with colorectal carcinoma, Bond and Ventana VE1 IHC in melanoma and PTC were highly concordant with sequencing results. We conclude that VE1 IHC produces suboptimal results in colorectal carcinoma and should not be used to guide patient management. Mol Cancer Ther; 14(12); 2887–95. ©2015 AACR.
Verlust von Linsenfragmenten und Dislokation von Intraokularlinsen
Authors: Nagpal Manish , Jain Pravin
Published: October 2015

Zur Versorgung einer posterior dislozierten Linse wurde traditionell ein standardmäßiges 20-Gauge-Vitrektomiesystem verwendet. Die neuesten chirurgischen Plattformen kombinieren zahlreiche Geräte und Instrumente in einem einzigen System und bieten umfassende Fluidic-Optionen, Technologien zum Schneiden des Glaskörpers und zur Steuerung des Augeninnendrucks sowie weitere Verbesserungen bei Small-Gauge-Instrumenten und Weitwinkel-Beobachtungssystemen. Das ermöglicht die wahrhaft zuverlässige Entfernung von Linsen-/Glaskörper-Material und eine herausragende, der 20-Gauge-Generation ebenbürtige Kontrolle über das Operationsfeld, sodass heute ein erweitertes Spektrum komplexer vitreoretinal-chirurgischer Maßnahmen mit 23- und 25-Gauge-Systemen durchführbar ist. Nach posterior dislozierte Linsenfragmente bzw. Intraokularlinsen sind eine solche Indikation, in der heute effektiv und sicher mit einem 23- oder 25-Gauge-Vitrektomiesystem gearbeitet werden kann - allein oder in Kombination mit einem/einer 20-Gauge-Fragmatom/-Fasszange -, wobei weniger Komplikationen auftreten und sich die Erholung beschleunigt.
Stereotaxic Magnetic Resonance Imaging Brain Atlases for Infants from 3 to 12 Months
Authors: Fillmore Paul T. , Richards John E. , Phillips-Meek Michelle C. , Cryer Alison , Stevens Michael
Published: October 2015

Background: Accurate labeling of brain structures within an individual or group is a key issue in neuroimaging. Methods for labeling infant brains have depended on the labels done on adult brains or average magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) templates based on adult brains. However, the features of adult brains differ in several ways from infant brains, so the creation of a labeled stereotaxic atlas based on infants would be helpful. The current work builds on the recent creation of age-appropriate average MRI templates during the first year (3, 4.5, 6, 7.5, 9, and 12 months) by creating anatomical label sets for each template. Methods: We created stereotaxic atlases for the age-specific average MRI templates. Manual delineation of cortical and subcortical areas was done on the average templates based on infants during the first year. We also applied a procedure for automatic computation of macroanatomical atlases for individual infant participants using two manually segmented adult atlases (Hammers, LONI Probabilistic Brain Atlas-LPBA40). To evaluate our methods, we did manual delineation of several cortical areas on selected individuals from each age. Linear and nonlinear registration of the individual and average template was used to transform the average atlas into the individual participant's space, and the average-transformed atlas was compared to the individual manually delineated brain areas. We also applied these methods to an external data set - not used in the atlas creation - to test generalizability of the atlases. Results: Age-appropriate manual atlases were the best fit to the individual manually delineated regions, with more error seen at greater age discrepancy. There was a close fit between the manually delineated and the automatically labeled regions for individual participants and for the age-appropriate template-based atlas transformed into participant space. There was close correspondence between automatic labeling of individual brain regions and those from the age-appropriate template. These relationships held even when tested on an external set of images. Conclusion: We have created age-appropriate labeled templates for use in the study of infant development at 6 ages (3, 4.5, 6, 7.5, 9, and 12 months). Comparison with manual methods was quite good. We developed three stereotaxic atlases (one manual, two automatic) for each infant age, which should allow more fine-grained analysis of brain structure for these populations than was previously possible with existing tools. The template-based atlases constructed in the current study are available online (http://jerlab.psych.sc.edu/NeurodevelopmentalMRIDatabase).
Safety Profile of the Use of Iodopovidone for Pleurodesis in Patients with Malignant Pleural Effusion
Authors: Andrade Neto José Dias , Terra Ricardo Mingarini , Teixeira Rodrigo Maia , Pereira Sylvana Vianna , Pego-Fernandes Paulo Manuel
Published: October 2015

Background: Iodopovidone is an alternative agent used to promote pleurodesis in patients with malignant pleural effusion (MPE). However, safety is a concern, and many authors still reject its use. Objectives: Our main objective is to describe the occurrence of common and severe adverse events after pleurodesis with two different doses of iodopovidone in patients with MPE. Our secondary objective is to evaluate dose dependency, efficacy, quality of life, and systemic inflammation. Methods: We conducted a double-blind, randomized clinical trial including patients with recurrent MPE. Patients underwent chest tube insertion and were randomized into two groups according to the doses of iodopovidone: group 1 received 1% iodopovidone, and group 2 received 2% iodopovidone. During follow-up, adverse events, inflammatory markers, quality of life, and imaging exams were systematically evaluated and registered. Results: Sixty patients were analyzed (55 females, 5 males, median age 55.9 years). Overall, 227 adverse events possibly related to pleurodesis were registered, including 47 serious adverse events (in 34 patients). Pleuritic pain and hypertensive peaks were the most frequently observed serious adverse events (11 and 10 episodes, respectively). Grade 3/4 metabolic events such as hyponatremia and an increase in alkaline phosphatase, AST and ALT levels were also common. C-reactive protein (CRP) levels increased substantially and peaked 48 h after pleurodesis. No difference was observed between groups with regard to adverse events, CRP levels, efficacy, or quality of life. Conclusions: Adverse events after iodopovidone pleurodesis in patients with MPE are common and similar in the two doses studied.
Koebner Phenomenon and Mycosis Fungoides
Authors: Lebas Eve , Libon Florence , Nikkels Arjen F.
Published: October 2015

Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most frequent type of primary cutaneous T-cell/NK-cell lymphoma. The Koebner phenomenon is defined as the appearance of cutaneous lesions on previously noninvolved skin following trauma and is observed in a series of cutaneous diseases including psoriasis, lichen planus, viral warts, molluscum contagiosum, etc. In this case report, 3 patients with longstanding MF are presented, the 1st with the appearance of a circumscribed early-stage type MF lesion rapidly following a surgical excision of an infundibular cyst, the 2nd with the appearance of a unique unilateral palmar tumoral MF lesion at the pressure site of a crutch, and the 3rd presented localized MF early stage lesions at the friction site of a belt. This report suggests that some MF patients may experience Koebner phenomenon-induced MF lesions and that MF should be added to the long list of skin diseases potentially exhibiting the Koebner phenomenon.
Cytogenetic and Molecular Findings in Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Experience of a Single Institution in Argentina
Authors: Coccé Mariela C. , Alonso Cristina N. , Rossi Jorge G. , Bernasconi Andrea R. , Rampazzi Maria A. , Felice Maria S. , Rubio Patricia L. , Eandi Eberle Silvia , Medina Adriana , Gallego Marta S.
Published: October 2015

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the cytogenetic findings in 1,057 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) referred to the cytogenetics laboratory at the Hospital de Pediatría Dr. Juan P. Garrahan, between 1991 and 2014. Chromosomal abnormalities were evaluated by G-banding and FISH. Since December 2002, RT-PCR determinations were systematically carried out for BCR-ABL1, KMT2A-AFF1, ETV6-RUNX1, and TCF3-PBX1 rearrangements in children, adding KMT2A-MLLT3 and KMT2A-MLLT1 in infants. The percentage of abnormalities detected by cytogenetics was 70.1%. Four novel abnormalities, t(2;8)(p11.2;p22), inv(4)(p16q25), t(1;7)(q25;q32), and t(5;6)(q21;q21), were found in this cohort. We compared cytogenetic and RT-PCR results for BCR-ABL1, KMT2A-AFF1 and TCF3-PBX1 rearrangements in 497 children evaluated by both methods. The results were highly concordant (p < 0.7), and interestingly, FISH was relevant to confirm G-banding findings that were discordant with RT-PCR studies. This study showed the importance of performing G-banding, FISH and RT-PCR simultaneously to improve the detection of chromosomal abnormalities considering their important value in the diagnosis and prognosis of childhood ALL patients. Finally, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first series of cytogenetic findings in children with ALL reported in Argentina.
Reproductive patterns of European pond turtles differ between sites: a small scale scenario
Authors: Zuffi Marco A.L. , Foschi Elena
Published: October 2015

From 1996 to 2002, we studied the body size, measures of reproductive strategy (relative clutch mass and delayed reproduction at sexual maturity), and reproductive output (clutch frequency and annual egg production) of female European Pond turtles,Emys orbicularis, at two sites separated by 12 km in central Mediterranean Tuscany (San Rossore and Camp Darby, central northern Italy). Females did not reproduce at the first appearance of external sexual characters, but reproduced at larger sizes, probably as older turtles. Among years, reproductive females were more common than were non-reproductive females, yet both groups had similar body sizes. Body size (carapace length and width, plastron length and width, shell height and body mass) varied between localities and among years. Body size differed between reproductive and non reproductive females in Camp Darby, but not in San Rossore females. Shell volume did not vary among years, nor between localities, nor between reproductive status. Reproductive females had higher body condition indices (BCI) than did non-reproductive females, while BCI did not differ between females laying one clutch and females laying multiple clutches. Clutch size did not vary among years. One clutch per year was much more frequent than multiple clutches, and multiple clutches were more frequent in Camp Darby than in San Rossore females, likely due to differences in population structures between sites.
Switching to Satr: An Ethnography of the Particular in Women’s Choices in Head Coverings in Tajikistan
Authors: Miles Marintha
Published: October 2015

In the early years of the Soviet Union, women in Central Asia were forcibly unveiled in an attempt to suppress Islam and create the “new Soviet woman.” A post-Soviet Islamic revival in Central Asia has brought with it the renewed practice of veiling. Women adopt hijab and other conservative head coverings for complex reasons as they seek identity and belonging in Tajikistan’s evolving society. Nevertheless, the current regime views the veiled Muslim woman as a threat to the imagined national identity. The sociopolitical elite perpetuates these policies and practices, subjugating women who choose to veil. This article explores how women experience the practice of veiling in post-Soviet Tajikistan.
Hieracia balcanica XI. Typification of the Josef Rohlena’s Hieracium (Asteraceae) names from Montenegro
Authors: Szelag Zbigniew
Published: October 2015

Josef Rohlena (1874–1944) was one of the most renowned Czech botanists of his time. For more than 40 years he carried out floristic research in the territory of Montenegro, in the central part of the Balkan Peninsula (Pulević 2005). In 1942, Rohlena published his Conspectus florae Montenegrinae, where he summarized 2817 vascular plant taxa (including 2623 species) (Pulević & Karaman 1996), among them 44 Hieracium (Linnaeus 1753: 799) taxa described earlier from Montenegro together with Karl Hermann Zahn (1909), monographer of the genus Hieracium. The major part of Rohlena’s collection is stored at the herbarium of the Charles University in Prague (PRC). Other important sets of his specimens are also housed at the National Museum in Prague (PR).
Erythroxylum riparium (Erythroxylaceae), a new species from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest
Authors: Araújo Thiago , Fiaschi Pedro , Amorim André Márcio
Published: October 2015

Erythroxylum riparium, a new species of Erythroxylaceae from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, is described and illustrated. The species was found in southern Bahia State growing along river banks within tropical rain forest fragments. It can be distinguished from other similar species of Erythroxylum by the combination of branchlets intensely dotted with elliptic lenticels, these often united with each other, undulate leaf margin, three bracteoles per flower, and partially connate styles. These diagnostic characters and other observations concerning the new species are presented and compared with those from similar species.
Styrax rhytidocarpus (Styracaceae), a new species from Hunan, China
Authors: Zhou Hui , Yang Wen , Li Ming , Yu Xun-Lin
Published: October 2015

A new species, Styrax rhytidocarpus W. Yang & X. L. Yu (Styracaceae) from Hunan, China, is described and illustrated. This species can be readily distinguished from all other species of Styrax by the combination of characters: glabrous peduncles, bracteoles, and pedicels; 1.7–2.0 × 0.8–1.3 cm corolla lobes; bowl-shaped and deeply rugose persistent calyx; thick, fleshy, and rugose fruit with slightly curved and long-rostrate apex; and ridged and densely stellate-hairy seeds.
Why Do Model Tropical Cyclones Grow Progressively in Size and Decay in Intensity after Reaching Maturity?
Authors: Kilroy Gerard , Smith Roger K. , Montgomery Michael T.
Published: October 2015

The long-term behavior of tropical cyclones in the prototype problem for cyclone intensification on an f plane is examined using a nonhydrostatic, three-dimensional numerical model. After reaching a mature intensity, the model storms progressively decay while both the inner-core size, characterized by the radius of the eyewall, and the size of the outer circulation—measured, for example, by the radius of the gale-force winds—progressively increase. This behavior is explained in terms of a boundary layer control mechanism in which the expansion of the swirling wind in the lower troposphere leads through boundary layer dynamics to an increase in the radii of forced eyewall ascent as well as to a reduction in the maximum tangential wind speed in the layer. These changes are accompanied by changes in the radial and vertical distribution of diabatic heating. As long as the aggregate effects of inner-core convection, characterized by the distribution of diabatic heating, are able to draw absolute angular momentum surfaces inward, the outer circulation will continue to expand. The quantitative effects of latitude on the foregoing processes are investigated also. The study provides new insight into the factors controlling the evolution of the size and intensity of a tropical cyclone. It provides also a plausible, and arguably simpler, explanation for the expansion of the inner core of Hurricane Isabel (2003) and Typhoon Megi (2010) than that given previously.
Serum and plasma 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid as an alternative to 24-h urine 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid measurement
Authors: Adaway Joanne E , Dobson Rebecca , Walsh Jennifer , Cuthbertson Daniel J , Monaghan Phillip J , Trainer Peter J , Valle Juan W , Keevil Brian G
Published: October 2015

Background

Neuroendocrine tumours are slow growing tumours known to secrete a variety of vasoactive peptides which give rise to symptoms of the carcinoid syndrome. The diagnosis and monitoring of patients with neuroendocrine tumours is undertaken in many centres using 24 h urinary measurement of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid. However, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid can also be quantified in plasma and serum.

Methods

We measured 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid concentration in 134 paired EDTA plasma and urine samples from 108 patients with known neuroendocrine tumours and 26 healthy volunteers. We also compared 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid concentrations in paired serum and plasma samples ( n = 63), then analysed paired urine and serum samples ( n = 97). Furthermore, we examined the impact of renal impairment on serum 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid by analysing 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in patients without neuroendocrine tumours in different stages of chronic kidney disease, as indicated by the estimated glomerular filtration rate.

Results

Plasma and urine 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid had very similar diagnostic sensitivities and specificities, with areas under the curve on ROC analysis of 0.917 and 0.920, respectively. Serum and plasma 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid values showed good correlation but serum results demonstrated a positive bias, indicating the necessity for different serum and plasma reference intervals. There was an inverse correlation between estimated glomerular filtration rate and serum 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid concentration, with 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid increasing once the estimated glomerular filtration rate falls below 60 mL/min/1.73 m2.

Conclusion

The measurement of both serum and plasma 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid can be used for the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with neuroendocrine tumours. Provided renal function is taken into consideration, either of these tests should be incorporated into standard practice as an alternative assay to urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid.
The New Surfacing Image of the Teaching Profession
Authors: Zengele Thulani
Published: October 2015

Current discourses in education circles are on the professional status of the teaching profession due to teachers’ continued involvement in labour protests. This paper discusses whether teachers may still be considered as professionals or workers. There is an assumption that if formulated policies reflect on alleviating the plight and actual conditions in which teachers work, strikes can be halted resulting in quality teaching and learning in schools. A literature review was conducted to seek solutions to this impasse. It is expected that with insight into the actual teachers’ working conditions by policymakers, barriers that lead to endless labour protests may be alleviated to restore professionalism in teaching.
“Harm as Harm”
Authors: Kerig Patricia K. , Chaplo Shannon D. , Bennett Diana C. , Modrowski Crosby A.
Published: October 2015

The construct of perpetration-induced trauma (PT) proposes that inflicting harm on others may constitute a traumatic event, a phenomenon which might be relevant to youth in gangs. This study investigated PT, trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and gang membership in a sample of 660 youth (484 boys, 176 girls) recruited from a detention center. When compared with their non-gang-member peers, youth in gangs endorsed higher levels of exposure to violence and PT, as well as higher symptoms of dissociation and emotional numbing. Girls who endorsed gang membership were those most likely to meet full or partial criteria for a posttraumatic stress disorder diagnosis. Results of regression analyses showed that PT predicted unique variance in posttraumatic stress above and beyond other variables and results of tests for bootstrapped indirect effects were consistent with the hypothesis that PT acts as a mediator of the association between gang membership and posttraumatic stress.
Infarction of the lingula following left upper lobe trisegmentectomy
Authors: Brunswicker Annemarie , Farid Shakil , Van Tornout Filip
Published: October 2015

Anatomical segmentectomy has emerged as the procedure of choice for early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer, especially in the presence of poor cardiopulmonary reserve. The most common postoperative complications are pneumonia, persistent air leak, and rarely, vascular compromise of the remaining lobe. We report the case of a 74-year-old woman who underwent thoracotomy and left upper lobe trisegmentectomy for T1bN0Mo squamous cell carcinoma and subsequently developed infarction and hepatization of the remaining lingula. A completion left upper lobectomy was performed and the patient made a full recovery.
The Moderating Role of Classroom Descriptive Norms in the Association of Student Behavior With Social Preference and Popularity
Authors: Boor-Klip Henrike J. , Segers Eliane , Hendrickx Marloes M. H. G. , Cillessen Antonius H. N.
Published: October 2015

This study addressed the moderating role of classroom descriptive norms for overt and relational aggression, social withdrawal, prosocial behavior, and academic reputation in the association of behavior with social preference and popularity in early adolescence. Participants were 1,492 fifth-grade students ([Formula: see text] = 10.6 years, 52.7% boys) from 59 classrooms who completed unlimited peer nominations for status and behavior. Classroom descriptive norms were computed as the average proportion of classroom nominations received for the different social behaviors. Multilevel analyses revealed that the negative association between overt aggression and social preference was attenuated in classrooms with high norms for overt aggression. The negative association between academic reputation and social preference was enhanced in classrooms with high norms for academic reputation. Classroom norms did not moderate the associations between behavior and popularity. The type of behavior and the type of status should be considered when examining classroom descriptive norms and behavior-status associations.
Trichomonas vaginalis infection in Nigerian pregnant women and risk factors associated with sexually transmitted infections
Authors: Oyeyemi Oyetunde T , Fadipe Olamide , Oyeyemi Ifeoluwa T
Published: October 2015

Trichomoniasis poses a public health threat to pregnant women and neonatal health. This study evaluated Trichomonas vaginalis and other common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) status in pregnant women, and risk factors associated with them. The study was cross-sectional and descriptive and a total of 198 pregnant women were recruited for T. vaginalis screening by microscopic examination. Questionnaires were also administered to 108 pregnant women to access information related to socio-demography and other factors associated with STI transmission. The overall prevalence of T. vaginalis was 18.7%. While prevalence of T. vaginalis was neither age nor parity dependent ( p > 0.05), women in their first trimester showed significantly higher prevalence of trichomoniasis compared to women in their second and third trimesters ( p < 0.05). The frequency of STIs was lowest (18.2%) and highest (71.4%) in age groups ≥ 39 and 15–20 years, respectively. Low levels of education, multiple sexual partners, lack of knowledge on partners’ STI history, and having sex under the influence of alcohol or drugs were risk factors of for STIs ( p < 0.05). We found a high prevalence of T. vaginalis in pregnant women, with those at an early gestational age at greater risk. The improved education of women on safe sex and the need to know partners’ STI status are advocated.
Lipid emulsion attenuates apoptosis induced by a toxic dose of bupivacaine in H9c2 rat cardiomyoblast cells
Authors: Ok S-H , Yu J , Lee Y , Cho H , Shin I-W , Sohn J-T
Published: October 2015

The goal of this in vitro study was to investigate the effect of lipid emulsion on apoptosis induced by a toxic dose of bupivacaine (BPV) in H9c2 rat cardiomyoblast cell lines. The effect of lipid emulsion on the decreased cell viability and count induced by BPV or mepivacaine (MPV) in the H9c2 cells was assessed using an 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay or a cell count assay. The effect of BPV or lipid emulsion combined with BPV on cleaved caspase 3, caspase 8, and Bax in H9c2 cells was investigated using Western blotting. A terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP2′-deoxyuridine 5′-triphosphate nick end-labeling (TUNEL) assay was performed to detect apoptosis of H9c2 cells treated with BPV alone or lipid emulsion combined with BPV. The magnitude of lipid emulsion-mediated attenuation of decreased cell viability induced by BPV was higher than that of lipid emulsion-mediated attenuation of decreased cell viability induced by MPV. Lipid emulsion attenuated the increases in cleaved caspase 3, caspase 8 and Bax induced by BPV. Lipid emulsion attenuated the increases in TUNEL-positive cells induced by BPV. These results suggest that lipid emulsion attenuates a toxic dose of BPV-induced apoptosis via inhibition of the extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways. The protective effect of lipid emulsion may be partially associated with the relatively high lipid solubility of BPV.
The posthuman way of war
Authors: Cudworth Erika , Hobden Steve
Published: October 2015

Recent interventions from a ‘posthumanist’ or ‘new materialist’ perspective have highlighted the embedded character of human systems within a ‘panarchy’ of human and non-human systems. This article brings attention to a very particular element of materiality, one with a profound significance for issues of security – relations between human and non-human animals in instances of conflict. It is an indication of the deeply human-centred character of both international relations and security studies that almost none of the central texts mention the very significant roles that non-human animals have in the conduct of war. We argue that the character of war would have been radically different but for the forced participation by an enormous range of non-human animals. Even though, with the improvements in transportation over the last century, non-human animals are less evident in the context of the movement of people and equipment, they still play a significant number of roles in the contemporary war-machines of wealthy countries. Drawing on literature from critical animal studies, sociology and memoirs, this article discusses the enormous variety of roles that non-human animals have played in the conduct of war, and examines the character of human–non-human animal relations in times of war.
Indirect reciprocity: Its antecedents and consequences in social entrepreneuring
Authors: Mofulu George , Pan Ancheng , Li Pengfei
Published: October 2015

Indirect reciprocity is increasingly recognized as a desirable approach to support social organizations which address intractable social problems within societies. Using social organizations operating in the third sector in Tanzania, we investigate how causal mechanisms help social organizations to initiate indirect reciprocal relations with benefactors. Moreover, we address the potential consequences of such relations to both benefactors and social organizations. Our findings reveal that establishing reciprocal relations is contingent upon the credibility of social organizations and compassion capability of benefactors. Also, the findings identify positive and negative consequences of indirect reciprocity to both benefactors and social organizations. Based on these findings, we clarify the contradiction regarding the consequences of indirect reciprocity and propose a framework of inter-organizational reciprocal relations that fosters social entrepreneuring in the third sector. Furthermore, we highlight the implications of our findings for theory and practice and suggest areas for future research.
Dropout Prevention in Middle and High Schools
Authors: Wilkins Julia , Bost Loujeania Williams
Published: October 2015

Based on work with state and local education agencies in dropout prevention for students with disabilities, successful research-based interventions are described along with details of how these interventions have been implemented in middle and high schools across the country. The interventions that have helped students with disabilities graduate from school include early warning systems, mentoring programs, student engagement, family engagement, academic remediation and enrichment, career-focused curricula, interpersonal skills instruction, a focus on the transition to high school, and class/school restructuring initiatives.
Measuring Message Credibility
Authors: Appelman Alyssa , Sundar S. Shyam
Published: October 2015

Despite calls to conceptualize credibility as three separate concepts—source credibility, message credibility, and media credibility—there exists no scale that exclusively measures message credibility. To address this gap, the current study constructs and validates a new scale. Results from a confirmatory factor analysis suggest that message credibility, specifically in the context of news, can be measured by asking participants to rate how well three adjectives describe content: accurate, authentic, and believable. Validity and reliability tests are reported, and contributions to credibility research are discussed.
The Impact of the Business Cycle on Service Providers
Authors: Dekimpe Marnik G. , Peers Yuri , van Heerde Harald J.
Published: October 2015

For service providers, it is essential to understand how their business is affected by the macroeconomy. This is especially pressing for the tourism sector, the world’s largest export service, because the number of incoming visitors is likely to be strongly determined by the business cycles in the countries of origin. Utilizing state-of-the-art business-cycle metrics, we derive novel insights on the relationship between international tourism and the business cycle. We find an excess sensitivity of the sector to economic cycles based on a multidecade data set of international visitors to New Zealand coming from multiple counties and with various visitor purposes. However, we find no asymmetries in the speed of adjustment across contractions and expansions, suggesting a quicker recovery than many other (nonservice) sectors. Moreover, a higher cyclical volatility results in higher growth in the long run. A robustness check for two more destination countries (Australia and Japan) yields comparable insights. The results underscore the need to closely monitor the cyclical sensitivity and long-term growth prospects of the various visitor streams into the country, in order to (i) better tailor the accommodations and services to these streams and (ii) exploit diversification opportunities to reduce the overall cyclical volatility.
The effects of teaching songs during foreign language classes on students’ foreign language anxiety
Authors: Dolean Dacian Dorin
Published: October 2015

Foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) has been the subject of several studies aimed to optimize learning of a foreign language in the classroom. However, few studies provide specific curriculum-based methodological strategies to be used in the classroom in order to lower the anxiety level. In this article, two experimental classes of 8th-grade students participated in a 5-week intervention program aimed to teach French as a foreign language through music during the regular French classes. One class had a higher anxiety average (ExpHi) compared with the other (ExpLo). The self-reported level of anxiety of the two experimental classes was compared after the intervention program with the self-reported level of anxiety of two control classes with similar levels of anxiety (CtrHi and CtrLo). The study also compared the opinions of students from the experimental classes regarding their overall experience of the foreign language classes. Findings indicated that teaching songs during FL classes was perceived as an enjoyable experience by students from classes with both high and low anxiety; however, this teaching method decreased the FLCA average of classes of students with rather high anxiety, but not of the ones with a rather low anxiety.
East Asian religious tolerance versus Western monotheist prejudice: The role of (in)tolerance of contradiction
Authors: Clobert Magali , Saroglou Vassilis , Hwang Kwang-Kuo
Published: October 2015

Accumulated research has shown that Western Christian religiosity often predicts prejudice toward various kinds of outgroups. On the contrary, initial recent evidence indicates that East Asian religiosity predicts tolerance of various outgroups—except atheists. To understand these differences, we investigated cognitive (intolerance of contradiction) and emotional (disgust) mechanisms possibly mediating the link between religiosity and prejudice versus tolerance. In Study 1 (295 Westerners of Christian tradition), high disgust contamination and, to some extent, intolerance of contradiction mediated the relationship between religiosity and prejudice against ethnic (Africans), religious (Muslims), moral (homosexuals), and convictional (atheists) outgroups. However, in Study 2 (196 Taiwanese of Buddhist or Taoist tradition), religiosity was unrelated to disgust, and predicted low intolerance of contradiction, and thus tolerance of the same religious, ethnic, and moral outgroups—but still not of atheists. Cultural differences in cognition and emotion seem to explain East–West differences in religious prejudice.
Windows of understanding: broadening access to knowledge production through participatory action research
Authors: Ponzoni Elena
Published: October 2015

This article presents a participatory research project involving immigrant organizations and professional parenting support services in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The project combined local development aims with co-generative knowledge and mutual learning to produce socially and scientifically relevant knowledge. By using participatory components as ‘windows of understanding’ in a broader non-participatory research, previously excluded perspectives were included in knowledge production, while also producing local change. An analysis of the challenges and positive outcomes offers a methodological reflection that can contribute to future developments in participatory action research (PAR).
Variation Within the “New Latino Diaspora”
Authors: Hatch Deryl K. , Mardock Uman Naomi , Garcia Crystal E.
Published: October 2015

This study problematizes the common discourse that rapid and widespread Latina/o demographic growth in the United States is a driving force in realizing higher education equity gains. Using equity indices for students, faculty, and administrative leaders at the state level, we present a portrait of changes in Latina/o participation in higher education over the last decade and propose a classification scheme for understanding variation across states at the intersection of changes in both demographics and equitable participation.