bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Radiation Oncology Practice: Adjusting to a New Reimbursement Model
Authors: Konski Andre , Yu James B. , Freedman Gary , Harrison Louis B. , Johnstone Peter A.S.
Published: May 2016

Purpose:

Use of hypofractionation is increasing in radiation oncology because of several factors. The effects of increasing hypofractionation use on departments and staff currently based on fee-for-service models are not well studied.

Methods:

We modeled the effects of moving to hypofractionation for prostate, breast, and lung cancer and palliative treatments in a typical-sized hospital-based radiation oncology department. Year 2015 relative value unit (RVU) data were used to determine changes in reimbursement. The change in number of fractions was used to model the effects on machine volume, staff time, and workforce predictions.

Results:

The per-case marginal reduction in technical revenue was $1,777, $4,297, $9,041, and $9,498 for palliative and breast, prostate, and lung cancer cases, respectively. The physician reduction per case in RVUs was 5.22, 10.44, 43.02, and 43.02 respectively. A department could anticipate an annual reduction in technical revenue of $540,661 and a reduction in workflow of approximately five patients or 1 to 1.5 hours per day from a hypofractionation rate of 40%.

Conclusion:

The move to hypofractionation in the United States will lead to increased pressures on departments to address budget shortfalls resulting from the decrease in per-patient revenue. This may be done through a combination of an increase in patient volume, recognition of the increased skill sets required to deliver hypofractionated radiotherapy, delay in capital purchases, and/or reduction in staff. In a value-based environment, these evolutions should improve the value proposition of radiation oncology over a fee-for-service model.
Journey Toward High Reliability: A Comprehensive Safety Program to Improve Quality of Care and Safety Culture in a Large, Multisite Radiation Oncology Department
Authors: Woodhouse Kristina Demas , Volz Edna , Maity Amit , Gabriel Peter E. , Solberg Timothy D. , Bergendahl Howard W. , Hahn Stephen M.
Published: May 2016

Background:

High-reliability organizations (HROs) focus on continuous identification and improvement of safety issues. We sought to advance a large, multisite radiation oncology department toward high reliability through the implementation of a comprehensive safety culture (SC) program at the University of Pennsylvania Department of Radiation Oncology.

Methods:

In 2011, with guidance from safety literature and experts in HROs, we designed an SC framework to reduce radiation errors. All state-reported medical events (SRMEs) from 2009 to 2016 were retrospectively reviewed and plotted on a control chart. Changes in SC grade were assessed using the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Hospital Survey. Outcomes measured included the number of radiation treatment fractions and days between SRMEs, as well as SC grade.

Results:

Multifaceted safety initiatives were implemented at our main academic center and across all network sites. Postintervention results demonstrate increased staff fundamental safety knowledge, enhanced peer review with an electronic system, and special cause variation of SRMEs on control chart analysis. From 2009 to 2016, the number of days and fractions between SRMEs significantly increased, from a mean of 174 to 541 days (P < .0075) and 21,678 to 113,104 fractions (P < .0028) preintervention and postintervention, respectively. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality results demonstrate a high patient SC grade over time.

Conclusion:

Our journey toward becoming an HRO has led to the development of a robust SC through a comprehensive safety framework. Our multifaceted initiatives, focusing on culture and system changes, can be successfully implemented in a large academic radiation oncology department to yield measurable improvements in SC and outcomes.
Effects of Oxidative Stress and Testosterone on Pro-Inflammatory Signaling in a Female Rat Dopaminergic Neuronal Cell Line
Authors: Holmes Shaletha , Singh Meharvan , Su Chang , Cunningham Rebecca L.
Published: May 2016

Parkinson's disease, a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, is associated with oxidative stress and neuroinflammation. These pathological markers can contribute to the loss of dopamine neurons in the midbrain. Interestingly, men have a 2-fold increased incidence for Parkinson's disease than women. Although the mechanisms underlying this sex difference remain elusive, we propose that the primary male sex hormone, testosterone, is involved. Our previous studies show that testosterone, through a putative membrane androgen receptor, can increase oxidative stress–induced neurotoxicity in dopamine neurons. Based on these results, this study examines the role of nuclear factor κ B (NF-κB), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2), and apoptosis in the deleterious effects of androgens in an oxidative stress environment. We hypothesize, under oxidative stress environment, testosterone via a putative membrane androgen receptor will exacerbate oxidative stress–induced NF-κB/COX2 signaling in N27 dopaminergic neurons, leading to apoptosis. Our data show that testosterone increased the expression of COX2 and apoptosis in dopamine neurons. Inhibiting the NF-κB and COX2 pathway with CAPE and ibuprofen, respectively, blocked testosterone's negative effects on cell viability, indicating that NF-κB/COX2 cascade plays a role in the negative interaction between testosterone and oxidative stress on neuroinflammation. These data further support the role of testosterone mediating the loss of dopamine neurons under oxidative stress conditions, which may be a key mechanism contributing to the increased incidence of Parkinson's disease in men compared with women.
Free-Surfactant Synthesis of Graphene-Layered Carbon Composite and Its Utilization for Electrocatalysis
Authors: Mukawa Kei , Oyama Naganobu , Shinmi Toshitaka , Sekine Yasushi
Published: May 2016

We synthesized a characteristic graphene-layered carbon particle composite using pyrolysis of hydrocarbon in an electric field and consecutive activation treatment under CO2 atmosphere. TEM, N2 adsorption isotherm, Raman spectroscopy, and XPS revealed structural features of this unique composite. Graphenes and carbon particles in the resultant composite are combined homogeneously in nanoscale with a mesoscale structure and with high carbon purity. When Pt nanoparticles are loaded on the composite, they show high performance as an electrocatalyst because of their higher electrochemical active surface area and higher durability against the sintering of Pt nanoparticles. Resulting material is a multifunctional composite by virtue of its nanostructural features.
Social policy and social cohesion in Greece under conditions of economic crisis, Bank of Greece, Athens 2012
Authors: Kanellopoulos Nikolaos C.
Published: May 2016

No abstract (available). 
Public-Private Partnerships in statutory pension systems: A new interaction between the public and the private sectors
Authors: Stergiou Angelos
Published: May 2016

The article argues that not every publicprivate partnership on the field of pensions is considered to be positive per se; the decisive criterion is the institutional framework within which such a partnership is being realized. The factor that causes them to differ is the  adequacy of the rules materializing a partnership as such. This explains why our main point of interest focuses upon the respective regulative aspects and the necessary/ consequent statutory guarantees. Taking this as our starting point, the Swedish model constitutes an example of good practice. The Swedish version of the public-private partnership in the statutory pension system appears as the best solution for specific sorts of systems, such as the individual accounts. In being transparent, guaranteeing prudent investments and in offering the minimum possible cost for employees, it embodies a wide range of advantages.
APPROACH OF 3D SIMULATION AN EXPERIMENTAL COMPLEX WITH CHARGED-PARTICLE ACCELERATOR
Authors: Лавлинский  , Lavlinskiy V. , Савченко  , Savchenko Andrey
Published: May 2016

In article is valued the approach of 3D simulation an experimental complex with charged-particle accelerator based on the methods of syntheses to virtual reality.
QUANTITATIVE DETERMINATION OF PARAMETERS OF MATHEMATICAL MODELS OF FLOW DISTRIBUTION IN THE SECURITY SYSTEMS OF FUNCTIONING OF HEAT-SUPPLY
Authors: Сазонова  , Sazonova Svetlana
Published: May 2016

The evaluation considered the problem of static estimation parameters of the regime. Considered the task used in the numerical implementation of mathematical models for load flow and state estimation of static heating systems. The practical application is possible with the complex task of monitoring the technical condition of systems to provide information to aid decision making in the event of accidents and safety in the operation.
APPLICATION OF MULTI-CRITERIA OPTIMIZATION MODELS TO AUTOMATE THE DESIGN OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS
Authors: Сковпин  , Skovpin M. , Лапшина  , Lapshina Marina , Сковпин  , Skovpin N.
Published: May 2016

We consider the problem of telecommunication networks planning on the example of cellular networks. Showing multi-criteria approach to its solution. The technique of forming a system of allowable options and select a single optimal solution.
Use of videoconferencing to enhance care and improve health-care efficiency
Authors: James RL , Gandhi S
Published: May 2016

Multidisciplinary team meetings have proven benefits in reducing waiting times for diagnosis and treatment, but they increase pressure on clinicians and require new measures to improve workplace efficiency. Using videoconferencing in the multidisciplinary team meeting can enhance and improve health-care efficiency.
Genetic testing for inheritable cardiac channelopathies
Authors: Szepesváry Eszter , Kaski Juan Pablo
Published: May 2016

Cardiac channelopathies are linked to an increased risk of ventricular arrhythmia and sudden death. This article reviews the clinical characteristics and genetic basis of common cardiac ion-channel diseases, highlights some genotype–phenotype correlations, and summarizes genetic testing for inheritable cardiac channelopathies.
Ambulance staff contemplate suicide due to stress and poor mental health
Authors: Quaile Alistair
Published: May 2016

Recent figures published by the charity Mind highlight the prevalence of mental health problems suffered by members of the ambulance service. Alistair Quaile reports on the current systems in place to support staff and the attempts being made to reduce the stigma attached to mental health.
The effects of physical and hormonal treatments on dormancy breaking and the changes in seed coat ultrastructure of Delonix regia
Authors: SOLICHATUN SOLICHATUN , SANTOSA SANTOSA , DEWI KUMALA , PRATIWI RARASTOETI
Published: May 2016

Abstract. Solichatun, Santosa, Dewi K, Pratiwi R. 2016. The effects of physical and hormonal treatments on dormancy breaking and the changes in seed coat ultrastructure of Delonix regia. Nusantara Bioscience 8: 94-102. The seed dormancy is described as the inability of an intact viable seed to complete germination under favorable conditions. Delonix regia (Hook) Raf. also known as flamboyant is a member of Fabaceae that has seed dormancy. Every seed has a different structure in their seed coat that responsible for initiating imbibition of water due to dormancy breakdown and germination. The aims of this research were to investigate the effect of physical and hormonal treatment in dormancy break of flamboyant seed and to investigate the structure of seed coat on the dormancy and germination. The treatments were applied to break the dormancy of D. regia seeds were physical treatments and hormonal treatments (ABA, BAP, GA, and IBA). Morphological and anatomical changes during dormancy breakdown were investigated using scanning electron microscope. The imbibition pathway tracked using blocking experiment. The results indicated that physical treatment that seeds dipped in hot water (98oC) for 5 minutes was the most effective treatment to dormancy breakdown of flamboyant seeds (95%). The application of GA3 100 ppm results in the highest of germination percentage (22%) among other hormones. The result of blocking experiment showed that hilum and lens play an important role during imbibition processes; and the type of flamboyant seed water gap was the lens gap type.
Spleen preserving management of a non-parasitic splenic cyst in pregnancy
Authors: Kapp J , Lewis T , Glasgow S , Khalil A , Anjum A
Published: May 2016

Non-parasitic splenic cysts are rare entities. In pregnancy, they are rarer still, with as few as seven cases reported in the literature. There is little consensus regarding the optimal management of this condition in pregnancy. Although small, the theoretical risk of intrapartum splenic rupture is associated with a fetal mortality rate as high as 70%. The authors of at least three case reports advocate total splenectomy as first-line management of splenic cyst in pregnancy. Paradoxically, spleen conserving surgery is the recognised gold standard treatment for symptomatic splenic cysts in non-pregnant patients. We present a case of a large maternal splenic cyst that was treated successfully with a laparoscopic cystectomy.
Silicone granuloma from ruptured breast implants as a cause of cervical lymphadenopathy
Authors: Borghol K , Gallagher G , Skelly BL
Published: May 2016

A 56-year-old woman with a 10-year history of bilateral silicone breast implants presented to the ear, nose and throat outpatient clinic with a 2-month history of a right-sided neck lump. She was found to have a 1.3cm supraclavicular lymph node that gave the clinical impression of being reactive. Ultrasonography guided fine needle aspiration was inconclusive and initial review of subsequent computed tomography failed to identify a cause. This was followed by excisional biopsy of the lymph node, which revealed a silicone granuloma that was linked to a ruptured right-sided breast implant placed ten years previously. This case highlights the importance for otolaryngologists to consider silicone granuloma among the differential diagnoses of cervical lymphadenopathy in patients with a history of silicone breast implants. Recognising this differential diagnosis could avoid undue anxiety for patient and clinician regarding more serious pathology.
Comparative efficacy of the conventional and automated methods for determining neutral and acid detergent fiber
Authors: Lanes Éder Cristian Malta de , Lopes Fernando César Ferraz , Campos Núbia Ribeiro , Oliveira Jackson Silva e , Morenz Mirton José Frota , Frische-Neto Roberto
Published: May 2016

Different methods are available to determine fiber content in feeds. However, information about the accuracy of this methods for neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber ADF contents estimation (obtained with the use of TNT-100 nylon filtering bags) is very limited related to the large number of ruminant feed analysis. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of the automated and conventional Van Soest methods to determine NDF and ADF contents for bovine cattle and feed supplements. Four classes of samples (tropical forage, maize silage hybrid, concentrated supplements and bovine cattlecattle) were evaluated for NDF and ADF contents using conventional and automated methods. Analysis involved a hierarchical factorial scheme with an entirely randomized design executed with repetitions. It was concluded that the automated method procedure generated similar results when compared to the conventional method for the determination of NDF contents in tropical forage, bovine cattle and maize silage samples, although is not recommended for samples with a high starch content. This system was not efficient for ADF determination in the evaluated samples.
Ocorrência de rinite atrófica e pneumonia em suínos híbridos e sem raça definida em criação intensiva
Authors: Braga Juliana Fortes Vilarinho , Teixeira Maurício De Paula Ferreira , Lopes João Batista , Klein Júnior Manoel Henrique , Silva Silvana Maria Medeiros de Sousa
Published: May 2016

The atrophic rhinitis (AR) and pneumonia are among the most frequently diagnosed respiratory diseases in swine production systems and can lead to significant economic losses. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence and degree of AR and pneumonia in hybrids and undefined breed swine herds submitted to intensive farming system and check if there is an association between the occurrence of these diseases in the herds. For this, we used 30 swines hybrids (Group I) and 30 undefined breed swines (Group II) from intensive farming system. The index of atrophic rhinitis (IAR) of herds for Groups I and II were, respectively, 1.00 and 0.57. In Group I, 20.8% (5/24) of the pigs presented pneumonia, while none of the animals in Group II exhibited this pathology. There was no correlation between the presence of atrophic rhinitis and pneumonia for the studied animals. These are the first data on the occurrence of these diseases in swines of Piauí State, Brazil. We demonstrated that these pathologies are present in animals from intensive farming systems and that occurrence varied according to racial type, being the hybrid swines the most affected animals by AR and pneumonia.
Restrição alimentar no desempenho de machos do peixe beta (Betta splendens)
Authors: Santos Elton Lima , Soares Emerson Carlos , Silva Themis Jesus , Albuquerque Itairan Camelo de Macena , Moura Sara Camylla de Souza
Published: May 2016

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of alimentary restriction on Betta splendens performance. For the experiment, 24 males were used, with initial average weight of 0.55 ±0.06 grams, distributed in 24 experimental aquaria with 1.5 liters of water without aeration in a completely randomized design, with four treatments and six repetitions. The treatments were: T1 – daily fed animals (control), T2 - fed for six days and one day of restriction (6A/1R), T3 - fed for five days and two days of restriction (5A/2R) and T4 - fed for four days with three days of restriction (4A/3R). The fishes were fed twice a day at 08:00am and 4:00pm. The variables studied were: final weight (FW), weight gain (WG), alimentary conversion (FC), average feed consumption (CMR), total length (CTOTAL), standard length (CPADRÃO) profile index (IPERFIL), condition factor (CF) and height. The results were submitted to variance analysis (ANOVA), and the means were compared by Tukey´s test at 5% of probability. No significant differences were observed for the following variables: water quality, survival, alimentary conversion and profile index. The best growth performance was observed when the feeding management of 6A/1R was applied.
Sample collections from healthy volunteers for biological variation estimates’ update: a new project undertaken by the Working Group on Biological Variation established by the European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
Authors: Carobene Anna , Strollo Marta , Jonker Niels , Barla Gerhard , Bartlett William A. , Sandberg Sverre , Sylte Marit Sverresdotter , Røraas Thomas , Sølvik Una Ørvim , Fernandez-Calle Pilar , Díaz-Garzón Jorge , Tosato Francesca , Plebani Mario , Coşkun Abdurrahman , Serteser Mustafa , Unsal Ibrahim , Ceriotti Ferruccio , on behalf of the Biological Variation Working Group, Europea
Published: May 2016

Background:

Biological variation (BV) data have many fundamental applications in laboratory medicine. At the 1st Strategic Conference of the European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EFLM) the reliability and limitations of current BV data were discussed. The EFLM Working Group on Biological Variation is working to increase the quality of BV data by developing a European project to establish a biobank of samples from healthy subjects to be used to produce high quality BV data.

Methods:

The project involved six European laboratories (Milan, Italy; Bergen, Norway; Madrid, Spain; Padua, Italy; Istanbul, Turkey; Assen, The Netherlands). Blood samples were collected from 97 volunteers (44 men, aged 20–60 years; 43 women, aged 20–50 years; 10 women, aged 55–69 years). Initial subject inclusion required that participants completed an enrolment questionnaire to verify their health status. The volunteers provided blood specimens once per week for 10 weeks. A short questionnaire was completed and some laboratory tests were performed at each sampling consisting of blood collected under controlled conditions to provide serum, K2EDTA-plasma and citrated-plasma samples.

Results:

Samples from six out of the 97 enroled subjects were discarded as a consequence of abnormal laboratory measurements. A biobank of 18,000 aliquots was established consisting of 120 aliquots of serum, 40 of EDTA-plasma, and 40 of citrated-plasma from each subject. The samples were stored at –80 °C.

Conclusions:

A biobank of well-characterised samples collected under controlled conditions has been established delivering a European resource to enable production of contemporary BV data.
Super-Exponentially Convergent Parallel Algorithm for Eigenvalue Problems with Fractional Derivatives
Authors: Demkiv Ihor , Gavrilyuk Ivan P. , Makarov Volodymyr L.
Published: May 2016

A new algorithm for eigenvalue problems for linear differential operators with fractional derivatives is proposed and justified.
The algorithm is based on the approximation (perturbation) of the coefficients of a part of the differential operator by piecewise constant functions where the eigenvalue problem for the last one is supposed to be simpler than the original one. Another milestone of the algorithm is the homotopy idea which results at the possibility for a given eigenpair number to compute recursively a sequence of the approximate eigenpairs. This sequence converges to the exact eigenpair with a super-exponential convergence rate. The eigenpairs can be computed in parallel for all prescribed indexes. The proposed method possesses the following principal property: its convergence rate increases together with the index of the eigenpair.
Numerical examples confirm the theory.
Rohstoffräume. Räumliche Relationen und das Wirtschaften mit Rohstoffen
Authors: Haumann Sebastian , Thorade Nora
Published: May 2016

Space, and access to resource deposits in particular, is a central theme of studies in economic history. However, new approaches to the theory of space that highlight the relations between people, places and things as constituents of multiple and dynamic spaces, have so far rarely been systematically applied to questions relating to resource economies. By referring to spaces of resource extraction as “sites”, this introductory article develops the notion that spaces in which resources are accessed, distributed and consumed are not a fixed and pregiven category, but exist in dynamic spatial relations. These spatial relations can be made up of perceptions and images, such as geological knowledge or spheres of interests, social structures, such as in the distribution of real-estate property and in power relations, or they can be established by the expansion of infrastructures and by terms of trade. They also pertain to the physical properties of the resources themselves, especially when considering the environmental impact of extraction. All of these spatial relations are highly variable and change historically in interdependence with the dynamics of resource extraction.
Salzregionen. Der sozionaturale Schauplatz Bergbau in der topografischen Beschreibung der Frühen Neuzeit
Authors: Knoll Martin
Published: May 2016

The article analyses how the salt mining districts of a geographically small but politically divided region covering alpine stretches of today’s Austria and Germany are represented in late 17th century topographical literature. The way these districts are described and depicted in texts, maps and images of the famous “Topographia Germaniae”, published by Matthäus Merian the Elder and his successors, deepens our understanding of the construction of regionality and the role of materiality and human economic practices in this construction process.
High prevalence of DUOX2 mutations in Japanese patients with permanent congenital hypothyroidism or transient hypothyroidism
Authors: Matsuo Kumihiro , Tanahashi Yusuke , Mukai Tokuo , Suzuki Shigeru , Tajima Toshihiro , Azuma Hiroshi , Fujieda Kenji
Published: May 2016

Dual oxidase 2 (

Forty-eight Japanese DH patients were enroled and analysed for sequence variants of

Fourteen sequence variants of

Our results suggest that
Environmental factors affecting the distribution of three armadillo species (Xenarthra, Dasypodidae) in Argentina
Authors: Seitz Viviana P. , Carrara Rodolfo , Puig Silvia , Vizcaíno Sergio F.
Published: May 2016

Environmental temperature, rainfall, vegetation structure, soil composition and land use were recognized as relevant factors limiting the distribution of armadillos. The aim of this study was to identify environmental and spatial factors influencing the geographical distribution of the most widespread armadillos occurring in Argentina (Chaetophractus vellerosus, Chaetophractus villosus and Zaedyus pichiy), through the most simple and accurate explanatory modeling. General linear models (GLMs), partitioning analyses of variance and hierarchical partitioning analyses were applied to estimate the species-environment relationships. Climatic variables were recognized as the most relevant factors influencing the three species distribution, consistent with that expected from the hierarchical structure theory in ecological systems. Optimal conditions were mainly arranged in a longitudinal geographic gradient for Chaetophractus species and in a latitudinal-longitudinal gradient for Z. pichiy. The optimal habitat identified for C. vellerosus, larger than previously documented, was characterized by warm, rainy summers and moderately cold, dry winters. The distribution of C. villosus was mainly influenced by temperate conditions of temperature and isothermality, scarcity of rainfall with high seasonality and low aridity conditions, and prevalence of sandy soils. Optimal habitat of Z. pichiy was affected by low temperatures with high seasonality, scarcity of rainfall with aridity conditions and sandy soils.
Yellow armadillos (Euphractus sexcinctus) can predate on vertebrates as large as a chicken
Authors: Foster Vania Cristina , Porfirio Grasiela , Viana Diego , Sarmento Pedro , Fischer Erich
Published: May 2016

Food habits of yellow armadillos have been reported to include mainly plant material and invertebrates. Although predation on medium vertebrates is unexpected, yellow armadillos present strategies to subjugate medium vertebrates. Here, we report events of predation upon domestic chickens by yellow armadillos in the Brazilian Pantanal. We installed 20 Tomahawk traps, each baited with one live chicken to capture felines and, throughout 15 days of trapping, we captured two yellow armadillos. Both killed the chickens and ate most of them. These events represent a new uppermost limit of prey size for yellow armadillos.
Tsubouchi Shōyō and the Beauty of Shakespeare Translation in 1900s Japan
Authors: Gallimore Daniel
Published: May 2016

In a recent study of Shakespeare translation in Japan, the translator and editor Ōba Kenji (14) expresses his preference for the early against the later translations of Tsubouchi Shōyō (1859-1935), a small group of basically experimental translations for stage performance published between the years 1906 and 1913; after 1913, Shōyō set about translating the rest of the plays, which he completed in 1927. Given Shōyō’s position as the pioneer of Shakespeare translation, not to mention a dominant figure in the history of modern Japanese literature, Ōba’s professional view offers insights into Shōyō’s development that invite detailed analysis and comparison with his rhetorical theories. This article attempts to identify what Shōyō may have meant by translating Shakespeare into elegant or “beautiful” Japanese with reference to excerpts from two of his translations from the 1900s.
Shakespeare, "Macbeth" and the Hindu Nationalism of Nineteenth-Century Bengal
Authors: Sarkar Abhishek
Published: May 2016

The essay examines a Bengali adaptation of Macbeth, namely Rudrapal Natak (published 1874) by Haralal Ray, juxtaposing it with differently accented commentaries on the play arising from the English-educated elites of 19th Bengal, and relating the play to the complex phenomenon of Hindu nationalism. This play remarkably translocates the mythos and ethos of Shakespeare’s original onto a Hindu field of signifiers, reformulating Shakespeare’s Witches as bhairavis (female hermits of a Tantric cult) who indulge unchallenged in ghastly rituals. It also tries to associate the gratuitous violence of the play with the fanciful yearning for a martial ideal of nation-building that formed a strand of the Hindu revivalist imaginary. If the depiction of the Witch-figures in Rudrapal undercuts the evocation of a monolithic and urbane Hindu sensibility that would be consistent with colonial modernity, the celebration of their violence may be read as an effort to emphasize the inclusivity (as well as autonomy) of the Hindu tradition and to defy the homogenizing expectations of Western enlightenment
Theatre Reviews
Authors: Rasmus Agnieszka , Georgopoulou Xenia
Published: May 2016

Please Continue (Hamlet). Dir. Yan Duyvendak and Roger Bernat. New Classics of Europe Festival. Stefan Jaracz Theatre, Łódź, Poland.

Macbeth. The Bible of Darkness. Dir. Theodoros Espiritou. Black Box, Michael Cacoyannis Foundation, Athens, Greece
Anatomical Reconstruction and Functional Imaging Reveal an Ordered Array of Skylight Polarization Detectors inDrosophila
Authors: Weir Peter T. , Henze Miriam J. , Bleul Christiane , Baumann-Klausener Franziska , Labhart Thomas , Dickinson Michael H.
Published: May 2016

Many insects exploit skylight polarization as a compass cue for orientation and navigation. In the fruit fly,Drosophila melanogaster, photoreceptors R7 and R8 in the dorsal rim area (DRA) of the compound eye are specialized to detect the electric vector (e-vector) of linearly polarized light. These photoreceptors are arranged in stacked pairs with identical fields of view and spectral sensitivities, but mutually orthogonal microvillar orientations. As in larger flies, we found that the microvillar orientation of the distal photoreceptor R7 changes in a fan-like fashion along the DRA. This anatomical arrangement suggests that the DRA constitutes a detector for skylight polarization, in which different e-vectors maximally excite different positions in the array. To test our hypothesis, we measured responses to polarized light of varying e-vector angles in the terminals of R7/8 cells using genetically encoded calcium indicators. Our data confirm a progression of preferred e-vector angles from anterior to posterior in the DRA, and a strict orthogonality between the e-vector preferences of paired R7/8 cells. We observed decreased activity in photoreceptors in response to flashes of light polarized orthogonally to their preferred e-vector angle, suggesting reciprocal inhibition between photoreceptors in the same medullar column, which may serve to increase polarization contrast. Together, our results indicate that the polarization-vision system relies on a spatial map of preferred e-vector angles at the earliest stage of sensory processing.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTThe fly's visual system is an influential model system for studying neural computation, and much is known about its anatomy, physiology, and development. The circuits underlying motion processing have received the most attention, but researchers are increasingly investigating other functions, such as color perception and object recognition. In this work, we investigate the early neural processing of a somewhat exotic sense, called polarization vision. Because skylight is polarized in an orientation that is rigidly determined by the position of the sun, this cue provides compass information. Behavioral experiments have shown that many species use the polarization pattern in the sky to direct locomotion. Here we describe the input stage of the fly's polarization-vision system.
How the Human Brain Represents Perceived Dangerousness or “Predacity” of Animals
Authors: Connolly Andrew C. , Sha Long , Guntupalli J. Swaroop , Oosterhof Nikolaas , Halchenko Yaroslav O. , Nastase Samuel A. , di Oleggio Castello Matteo Visconti , Abdi Hervé , Jobst Barbara C. , Gobbini M. Ida , Haxby James V.
Published: May 2016

Common or folk knowledge about animals is dominated by three dimensions: (1) level of cognitive complexity or “animacy;” (2) dangerousness or “predacity;” and (3) size. We investigated the neural basis of the perceived dangerousness or aggressiveness of animals, which we refer to more generally as “perception of threat.” Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we analyzed neural activity evoked by viewing images of animal categories that spanned the dissociable semantic dimensions of threat and taxonomic class. The results reveal a distributed network for perception of threat extending along the right superior temporal sulcus. We compared neural representational spaces with target representational spaces based on behavioral judgments and a computational model of early vision and found a processing pathway in which perceived threat emerges as a dominant dimension: whereas visual features predominate in early visual cortex and taxonomy in lateral occipital and ventral temporal cortices, these dimensions fall away progressively from posterior to anterior temporal cortices, leaving threat as the dominant explanatory variable. Our results suggest that the perception of threat in the human brain is associated with neural structures that underlie perception and cognition of social actions and intentions, suggesting a broader role for these regions than has been thought previously, one that includes the perception of potential threat from agents independent of their biological class.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTFor centuries, philosophers have wondered how the human mind organizes the world into meaningful categories and concepts. Today this question is at the core of cognitive science, but our focus has shifted to understanding how knowledge manifests in dynamic activity of neural systems in the human brain. This study advances the young field of empirical neuroepistemology by characterizing the neural systems engaged by an important dimension in our cognitive representation of the animal kingdom ontological subdomain: how the brain represents the perceived threat, dangerousness, or “predacity” of animals. Our findings reveal how activity for domain-specific knowledge of animals overlaps the social perception networks of the brain, suggesting domain-general mechanisms underlying the representation of conspecifics and other animals.
Robust Resilience of the Frontotemporal Syntax System to Aging
Authors: Campbell Karen L. , Samu Dávid , Davis Simon W. , Geerligs Linda , Mustafa Abdur , Tyler Lorraine K. ,   for Cambridge Centre for Aging and Neuroscience
Published: May 2016

Brain function is thought to become less specialized with age. However, this view is largely based on findings of increased activation during tasks that fail to separate task-related processes (e.g., attention, decision making) from the cognitive process under examination. Here we take a systems-level approach to separate processes specific to language comprehension from those related to general task demands and to examine age differences in functional connectivity both within and between those systems. A large population-based sample (N= 111; 22–87 years) from the Cambridge Centre for Aging and Neuroscience (Cam-CAN) was scanned using functional MRI during two versions of an experiment: a natural listening version in which participants simply listened to spoken sentences and an explicit task version in which they rated the acceptability of the same sentences. Independent components analysis across the combined data from both versions showed that although task-free language comprehension activates only the auditory and frontotemporal (FTN) syntax networks, performing a simple task with the same sentences recruits several additional networks. Remarkably, functionality of the critical FTN is maintained across age groups, showing no difference in within-network connectivity or responsivity to syntactic processing demands despite gray matter loss and reduced connectivity to task-related networks. We found no evidence for reduced specialization or compensation with age. Overt task performance was maintained across the lifespan and performance in older, but not younger, adults related to crystallized knowledge, suggesting that decreased between-network connectivity may be compensated for by older adults' richer knowledge base.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTUnderstanding spoken language requires the rapid integration of information at many different levels of analysis. Given the complexity and speed of this process, it is remarkably well preserved with age. Although previous work claims that this preserved functionality is due to compensatory activation of regions outside the frontotemporal language network, we use a novel systems-level approach to show that these “compensatory” activations simply reflect age differences in response to experimental task demands. Natural, task-free language comprehension solely recruits auditory and frontotemporal networks, the latter of which is similarly responsive to language-processing demands across the lifespan. These findings challenge the conventional approach to neurocognitive aging by showing that the neural underpinnings of a given cognitive function depend on how you test it.
Addressing Competitive Responses to Acquisitions
Authors: King David R. , Schriber Svante
Published: May 2016

Competitive retaliation is a significant constraint to merger and acquisition performance that has largely been overlooked by management research. This article employs competitive dynamics theory to explore how acquisition characteristics impact the risk of competitor retaliation. It then outlines different tactics that acquiring firms can use to reduce competitor awareness, motivation, and capability associated with retaliation. It provides managers with a path to improving acquisition performance and also opens new avenues for research.
Revolution Foods: Expansion into the CPG Market
Authors: Tyson Laura , Walske Jennifer
Published: May 2016

Revolution Foods (RevFoods) is a fast-growing, $100 million for-profit organization that has become a high-profile social enterprise, known initially for its healthy school lunch program. RevFoods has now chosen to enter the large and competitive consumer packaged goods (CPG) market, with the goal of becoming a trusted healthy meal product brand, suitable not just for kids, but also for families. This case outlines the challenges in managing two distinctive sets of distribution channels: one of which is through the public school system, and the other through major food retailers. This case also reviews the history of RevFoods and its growth over the last nine years since the company's founding.
Open Business Models and Closed-Loop Value Chains: Redefining the Firm-Consumer Relationship
Authors: Kortmann Sebastian , Piller Frank
Published: May 2016

Driven by recent socio-economic developments, manufacturing firms increasingly adapt their business models along two dimensions. Apart from vertically integrating the entire product life cycle, traditionally separated tasks are re-allocated into new forms of horizontal stakeholder collaborations. Incorporating these two dimensions, this article develops a framework of nine business model archetypes that holistically capture the increasing openness of business models towards consumers in the emerging closed-loop value chain. Using illustrative examples, it demonstrates their broad applicability in different industries and derives important managerial implications for firm-consumer relationships, the relevance of consumer communities, new product development activities, and the sustainability of business models.
METHODOLOGY FOR AUTOMATICALLY DELIMITING PERMANENT PRESERVATION AREAS ALONG WATER COURSES - THE USE OF GIS IN THE HYDROLOGICAL BASIN OF THE SERGIPE RIVER, BRAZIL
Authors: Jesus Janisson Batista de , Souza Bruno Barros de
Published: May 2016

ABSTRACT Permanent Preservation Areas (PPAs) along watercourses have been the focus of numerous studies, not only because of the fragility and ecological relevance of riverine vegetation, but also because of the inefficiency demonstrated in conforming to the legislation protecting it. One of the major difficulties encountered in terms of guaranteeing the effective conservation of these riverside areas is the absence of methodologies that can be used to define them rapidly and accurately without manually determining the widths of the rivers or assigning only uniform linear values for the entire watercourse. The present work sought to develop a spatial analysis methodology capable of automatically defining permanent preservation areas along watercourses using geographic information system (GIS) software. The present study was undertaken in the Sergipe River basin, "considering the river itself and its principal affluents. We used the database of the Digital Atlas of Hydrological Resources (SEMARH/SE), and the delimitations of the PPAs were performed using ArcGIS 10.1 and the XToolPro 9.0 extension. A total of 5,003.82 hectares of Permanent Preservation Areas were delimited along the margins of the rivers analyzed, with a margin of error of <1% in delimiting the widths of the rivers within the entire area considered. The methodology described here can be used to define PPAs efficiently, relatively rapidly, and with very small margins of error, thus representing a technological advance in terms of using GIS for land management.
EVALUATION OF SUBSTRATES AND AMF SPORULATION IN THE PRODUCTION OF SEEDLINGS OF NATIVE FOREST SPECIES
Authors: Gonzaga Luciana de Moura , Silva Sarah Santos da , Campos Silvane de Almeida , Ferreira Rodrigo de Paula , Campos André Narvaes da Rocha , Cunha Ana Catarina Monteiro Carvalho Mori da
Published: May 2016

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate organic substrates in the production of canafistula (Peltophorum dubium) (Spreng.) Taub, cutieira (Joannesiaprinceps Vell.), jatoba (Hymenaea courbaril L.) and rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis M. Arg.) seedlings, native trees with potential use in forest restoration programs. The design was completely randomized with 10 substrate formulations with 4 repetitions of 3 plants for the four species. The evaluated substrates consisted of soil, bovine manure (BM), poultry manure (PM), chemical fertilizer (CF) and sand, in different proportions. The experiment was concluded at the end of 180 days for canafistula, cutieira and rubber and 210 days for jatoba. At the end of these periods, the root (RDM), shoot (SDM) and total (TDM) the dry matters of the seedlings were determined. Quantification of AMF spores and normalization between samples through SPORES/RDM correction were also performed. The Scott-Knott test at 5% probability was applied. Regarding biomass production, only canafistula had significant difference among the tested substrates. In relation to sporulation, the highest values were observed in cutieira and rubber tree in substrate containing PM. The substrates composed of 40 or 50% soil + 20% sand + 30% or 40 PM for canafistula; 50% soil + 20% sand + 30% PM for cutieira; and for jatoba and rubber tree 60% soil + 20% sand + 20% PM, enabled the best results in terms of biomass production in seedlings and AMF sporulation.
ALLOMETRIC MODELS FOR ESTIMATING ABOVEGROUND BIOMASS AND BIOMASS ALLOCATION OF CAPIXINGUI TREES (Croton floribundus Spreng.) IN AN AGRISILVICULTURAL SYSTEM
Authors: Nicodemo Maria Luiza Franceschi , Muller Marcelo Dias , Carpanezzi Antônio Aparecido , Porfírio-da-Silva Vanderley
Published: May 2016

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to select allometric models to estimate total and pooled aboveground biomass of 4.5-year-old capixingui trees established in an agrisilvicultural system. Aboveground biomass distribution of capixingui was also evaluated. Single- (diameter at breast height [DBH] or crown diameter or stem diameter as the independent variable) and double-entry (DBH or crown diameter or stem diameter and total height as independent variables) models were studied. The estimated total biomass was 17.3 t.ha-1, corresponding to 86.6 kg per tree. All models showed a good fit to the data (R2ad > 0.85) for bole, branches, and total biomass. DBH-based models presented the best residual distribution. Model lnW = b0 + b1* lnDBH can be recommended for aboveground biomass estimation. Lower coefficients were obtained for leaves (R2ad > 82%). Biomass distribution followed the order: bole>branches>leaves. Bole biomass percentage decreased with increasing DBH of the trees, whereas branch biomass increased.
BIOMASS SUPPLY CHAIN ANALYSIS WITH DENSIFIED WASTE
Authors: Possidônio Elisangela Fernandes da Silva Campana , Silva João Eduardo Azevedo Ramos da , Toso Eli Angela Vitor
Published: May 2016

ABSTRACT The possibility to vary the energy matrix, thus reducing the dependency on fossil fuels, has amplified the acceptance of biomass as an alternative fuel. Despite being a cheap and renewable option and the fact that Brazil is a major producer of waste from agriculture and forestry activities, the use of these materials has barriers due to its low density and low energetic efficiency, which can raise the costs of its utilization. Biomass densification has drawn attention due to its advantage in comparison to in natura biomass due to its better physical and combustion characteristics. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the impact of biomass densification in distribution and transport costs. To reach this objective, a mathematical model was used to represent decisions at a supply chain that coordinates the purchase and sale of forestry and wood waste. The model can evaluate the options to deliver biomass through the supply chain combining demand meeting and low cost. Results point to the possibility of an economy of 60% in transport cost and a reduction of 63% in the required quantity of trucks when densified waste is used. However, costs related to the densifying process lead to an increase of total supply costs of at least 37,8% in comparison to in natura waste. Summing up, the viability of biomass briquettes industry requires a cheaper densification process.
Performance of juvenile mojarra supplied with feed containing varying levels of crude protein
Authors: Souza Ricardo Henrique Bastos de , Magalhães Júnior Francisco Oliveira de , Cipriano Filipe dos Santos , Lima Kauana Santos , Takishita Sylvia Sanae , Braga Luís Gustavo Tavares
Published: May 2016

ABSTRACT The growth of the Brazilian aquaculture has stimulated the development of the productive chain of native species, including marine environment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the growth performance of juvenile mojarra fish (Diapterus rhombeus) fed diets containing different concentrations of crude protein (32, 36, 40 and 44 g 100 g-1). The 80 juvenile mojarra (7.2±1.5 g) were kept in 16 circular tanks (150 L). The study design used was completely randomized with four treatments and four repetitions. The fish were fed four times a day. At the end of the experiment (60 days) the final weight, feed intake, weight gain (WG), feed:gain ratio (FGR), protein efficiency rate (PER), energy efficiency rate, specific growth, survival rate and, body composition were evaluated. It was verified significant effect of protein level on the WG, with the best value at the level of 38.20 g 100 g-1 of crude protein. For FGR, the best estimated value occurred with 38.06 g 100 g-1 of crude protein, similar to that reported for the PER (38.91 g 100 g-1). The other performance parameters and body composition were not influenced by crude protein levels. Diet crude protein concentrations between 38.06 and 38.91 g 100 g-1 provide the best performance indices for juvenile mojarra.