bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Scientific and methodological potential of textbooks on the history and philosophy of science: the experience of teaching in Siberian State Technological University
Authors: Махонина  , Makhonina V. , Черняева  , Chernyaeva Aleksandra , Викторук  , Viktoruk Elena , Яровенко  , Yarovenko S.
Published: January 2014

The article is devoted to the lessons learned from the use of textbooks, edited

by professor S.A. Lebedev in teaching «History and Philosophy of Science» postgraduate

students of Department of Philosophy of the Siberian State Technological

University. Special attention is paid to the analysis of the structure and system of

category of textbooks for universities «History and Philosophy of Science» (2007) and

«Philosophy of science: a dictionary of key terms» (2006).
Antimold Effect of Ultrasonic Treatment on Chinese Moso Bamboo
Authors: Guan Mingjie , Zhou Mingming , Yong Cheng
Published: January 2014

This study examined the antimold effect of ultrasonic treatment on Moso bamboo. Six different ultrasonic processes were conducted, and mold development was observed after 4-week high-humidity conditioning. The results showed that the mold rate of bamboo decreased after ultrasonic treatment, which was inversely proportional to the power and duration of treatment time. Scanning electron microscopic analysis revealed that the starch granules largely disappeared after ultrasonic treatment, which likely occurred because the ultrasonic wave broke or gelatinized the starch and widened the pits of the cell wall so that the starch could easily flow out resulting in slightly reduced mold growth.
Vermont Stumpage Price Trends Revisited: With Comparisons to New Hampshire
Authors: Sendak Paul E. , McEvoy Thom J.
Published: January 2014

Our objective was to describe the trends of Vermont stumpage prices for major sawtimber species and products over the approximately last quarter century and propose a likely explanation of changes that we observed. Annual percentage rates of change (APR) were estimated for 10 forest products in Vermont from the third quarter of 1981 (1981Q3) to the first quarter of 2007 (2007Q1) when the price series was discontinued. In addition, we tested for changes in the percentage rate within the period. We found differences in the trend of APR between hardwood sawtimber and softwood sawtimber. With one exception, price trends differed significantly between 1981Q3 to 1992Q2 and 1992Q3 to 2007Q1 for inflation-adjusted (real) hardwood sawtimber prices. There were no differences in price trends for any of the softwood sawtimber species between the two periods. Real price trends for pulpwood and firewood were similar to those for hardwood sawtimber. We also examined stumpage price trends for selected species in adjacent New Hampshire from 1985Q1 to 2011Q1. Stumpage price trends for like species and proximate time periods in Vermont and New Hampshire were similar, but no statistical tests were done. The direction of trend (positive or negative) was the same for sugar maple, red oak, yellow birch, and white pine, and the magnitude of APR was similar for sugar maple, yellow birch, and white pine.
Water Pipe Smoking: Effects, Attitudes and Directions
Authors: Watad Waseem , Sukhera Javeed , Shushan Sagit , Kazlak Mazen , Skinner Harvey A. , Alnueirat Arafat A. , Roth Yehudah
Published: January 2014

Water pipe (WP) smoking is prevalent in several countries and is emerging as a major international public health issue. This article reviews the literature on WP smoking practices and its health effects. Water pipe smoking in the Middle East is more common in women compared to cigarette smoking. WP smoking has harmful effects similar to cigarette smoking, and the nicotine and tar content of WP smoke is higher than that of cigarettes. Still, many users believe that WP is less harmful than cigarettes and are unaware of the damage that WP can cause to their health. There is limited literature on WP smoking, highlighting the need for research in several areas including: epidemiology of WP smoking, sociological dimensions and tobacco control. The unique social and traditional role of WP smoking renders forgiving, culture-sensitive and patient approach.
A Process Evaluation of E-Mail Counselling for Smoking Cessation in College Students: Feasibility, Acceptability and Cost
Authors: Abroms Lorien C. , Gill Jennifer , Windsor Richard , Simons-Morton Bruce
Published: January 2014

Background: Few smoking cessation interventions have made extensive use of e-mail. Objective: This study set out to document how the e-mail component of an e-mail-based smoking cessation program was received by college smokers. Methods: Participants were randomised after enrolment to receive either a moderately intensive, e-mail-based intervention — the X-Pack Group — or a less intensive program based on a widely available smoking cessation guidebook. Participants were assessed at baseline and 3 months post-enrolment. This analysis is limited to those in the X-Pack Group (n = 48). Results: Twelve e-mails on average were sent out to each participant over the course of 6 months. Ninety-one per cent of participants reported reading all or most of the e-mails and 73% replied to at least one of the e-mails they received. On average, participants were positive about the e-mails received and most reported that they had liked the e-mails because of the social support and encouragement provided. The average time for counsellors to write and send each e-mail from the templates was 12 minutes, with a range from 2 to 60 minutes. Conclusions: These findings offer evidence of feasibility of an e-mail-based smoking cessation intervention in a college population.
Effects of Feedback on Spirometry in Primary Care on Motivation for Smoking Cessation
Authors: Walters Julia A. , Johns David P. , Blizzard Leigh , Walters E. Haydn , Wood-Baker Richard
Published: January 2014

We evaluated the effect of feedback after opportunistic spirometry in general practice on motivation for smoking cessation using stage change in the transtheoretical model. A total of 328 smokers aged over 35 years were given immediate feedback on the presence or absence of lung damage due to smoking, plus brief standard cessation advice. At 3 months, 99 (30.2%) smokers reported making an attempt to quit and 17 (5.2%) smokers reported moving into action stage for cessation. Of 297 (80.5%) successfully followed up, 81 (27.3%) smokers demonstrated forward shift and 35 (11.8%) smokers demonstrated backward shift. Feedback on the presence of lung damage was not significantly associated with reporting a quit attempt (p = .31) or moving into action stage for cessation (p = .30). Odds of forward or backward shift were not independently associated with either feedback on the presence of lung damage or normal lung function. Odds of backward shift with feedback on lung damage depended on participants' assessments of quit benefits, which were correlated with their prior self-assessment of lung damage. Our findings suggest that feedback to smokers after spirometry about the absence of lung damage is not harmful. However, eliciting personal health attitudes is also important so cessation advice can be tailored especially for smokers who believe they already have lung damage from smoking.
Audience perception of the reality in the representations of women in Nigerian films
Authors: Azeez Adesina Lukuman
Published: January 2014

This study examines the reactions of audiences to the representation of women in Nigerian films by investigating how audience, particularly female viewers, perceive and read the representations. The study suggests that the portrayals of women in Nigerian films are a representation of the dominant ideas about women, which are created and valued by the discursive practices and cultural system of Nigerian society. Since these discursive practices or dominant ideas about women are ideologically biased, the representations of women that are mainly drawn from them represented only a fraction of the reality of women’s lives. There is a marked difference in the ways women with high education and those with little or no education perceive Nigerian films and their representations of women. This difference is related to the way each group of women understands, reads, interprets and identifies/dis-identifies with the meanings of the images in the films. The study recommends that there is a need to challenge and change the pattern of the representations of women in Nigerian films.
‘You Kiss in Westerns’: Cultural translation in Moustapha Alassane’s Le retour d’un aventurier
Authors: Saint Lily
Published: January 2014

Le retour d’un aventurier/The Return of an Adventurer, a 1966 short film by Nigerien director Moustapha Alassane, stands at the forefront of a long history of fascination with cowboys in African film-making (Alassane, 1966a). This article revisits Le retour via recent theoretical considerations of cultural assimilation and translation, to argue that instances of cultural appropriation from non-African sources should not be dismissed under the rubric of cultural imperialism. Instead they should be thought of as functioning within specific local, national and global economies of cultural production. By focusing on the production of film in an African space rather than on its consumption, I explore the agential nature of cultural appropriation. Such theoretical reorientation remains necessary in African studies where questions of authenticity and origin, as well as political intention, persist despite abundant evidence testifying to the heterogeneity of African cinema’s central motifs and preoccupations.
Effects of the Characteristics of High Range Water Reducing Agents and the Water to Powder Ratio on Rheological and Setting Behavior of Self-Consolidating Concrete
Authors: Schmidt Wolfram , Brouwers H. J. H. , Kuehne Hans-Carsten , Meng Birgit
Published: January 2014

To design robust self-consolidating concrete (SCC) for various environmental conditions, it is essential to understand the relevant mechanisms that control the flow performance. This paper depicts how high range water reducing agents (HRWRAs) interact with clinker and hydration phases, and it discusses the important role of the charge density of polycarboxylic HRWRAs in the way the rheology is affected. Based on the rheometric investigations on SCC mixture compositions with different water to powder ratios (w/p) and observations of their pastes' Vicat setting times, the study shows that increasing charge densities of the HRWRA and decreasing w/p reduce the flow retention and have lesser retarding effect on the setting. Based on the test results and discussions optimization procedures for the mixture composition and the HRWRA modification are suggested to achieve optimized performance for varying environmental situations and highest robustness for specific conditions.
Fracture Toughness Determined by the Centrally Cracked Brazilian-Disc Test: Some Critical Issues in the Light of an Alternative Analytic Solution
Authors: Kourkoulis S. K. , Markides C. F.
Published: January 2014

The centrally cracked Brazilian-disc test is among the configurations proposed for the experimental determination of fracture toughness of brittle rock-like materials. In spite of its wide use and the fact that the test is already standardized by the International Society for Rock Mechanics (ISRM), quite a few issues are still open related especially to the exact expressions of the respective stress intensity factors (SIFs) and the actual shape of the crack during loading. The latter is crucial since for specific crack inclinations, the crack lips are coming in contact and contact stresses appear which alter the boundary conditions, rendering analytic solutions erroneous. In this context, an alternative analytic approach is here introduced assuming that the cracked disc is under uniform pressure along two finite symmetric arcs of its periphery. The main advantage of the present approach is that it provides physically acceptable results independently of whether the crack is under opening- or closing-mode. The results of the analysis are validated against experimental data obtained using the method of Caustics and the Digital Image Correlation (DIC) technique. Based on the analytic solution, some critical practical aspects of the cracked Brazilian-disc test are explored including the influence of the loading type and the length of the loaded arc, the role of the specimen's thickness, the range of crack inclination angles for which generation of contact stress is unavoidable, and the rotation of the crack axis. Moreover, a redefinition of the SIFs in case of Mixed Fundamental problems is proposed. The limitations of the analysis are critically considered and finally some thoughts about the future steps concerning the fracture toughness determination using the cracked Brazilian-disc test are discussed.
Wire Cutting Method to Assess Fracture Toughness of Gelatin Gels: Phenomenological Analysis and Limitations of Methodology
Authors: Czerner M. , Fasce L. A. , Frontini P. M.
Published: January 2014

In this work the performance of the wire cutting method for determining the fracture toughness, Gc, of gelatin hydrogels is assessed. In this method, wires of different diameters are pushed into a sample while the force and displacement are continuously recorded. The cutting action reaches a steady state, in which fracture propagation, deformation, and friction occur simultaneously. The method implies a linear relationship between the steady-state cutting force per unit sample width and the wire diameter, of which the y-intercept is Gc. Several gel samples differing in gelatin concentration, source (bovine or porcine), solvent (water or water–glycerol mixture), and crosslink type (physical or chemical induced by glutaraldehyde) were tested at different rates. Post-mortem fracture surfaces examined via optical microscopy displayed four different morphologies depending on the gel formulation, cutting rate, and wire diameter: I, striated; II, with one or two oblique straight lines; III, with rhombus-like figures; and IV, with material pull-out. A direct relationship between the developed fracture surface morphology and the method performance existed. One necessary condition for obtaining the linear relationship is a unique fracture surface morphology remaining for all of the wires utilized in the determination. The method is invalid if the fracture surface morphology changes with changing wire diameter, abnormal crack path deflection takes place, or material pull-out occurs as a result of adhesion effects. The applicability of the method seems to be not constrained to physical gels. An appropriate cutting rate and wire diameter have to be selected in order for a unique fracture surface morphology to be achieved. In such cases, reasonable Gc values were obtained from the y-intercept of the best linear fit of experimental data. Gc increased with increasing gelatin concentration, Bloom number, and solvent viscosity. Moreover, Gc was greater when a rhombus-like pattern was induced rather than other morphology due to greater crack path tortuosity.
MANAGEMENT OF ENDOCRINE DISEASE: A clinical update on tumor-induced hypoglycemia
Authors: Iglesias Pedro , Díez Juan J
Published: January 2014

Tumor-induced hypoglycemia (TIH) is a rare clinical entity that may occur in patients with diverse kinds of tumor lineages and that may be caused by different mechanisms. These pathogenic mechanisms include the eutopic insulin secretion by a pancreatic islet β-cell tumor, and also the ectopic tumor insulin secretion by non-islet-cell tumor, such as bronchial carcinoids and gastrointestinal stromal tumors. Insulinoma is, by far, the most common tumor associated with clinical and biochemical hypoglycemia. Insulinomas are usually single, small, sporadic, and intrapancreatic benign tumors. Only 5–10% of insulinomas are malignant. Insulinoma may be associated with the multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 in 4–6% of patients. Medical therapy with diazoxide or somatostatin analogs has been used to control hypoglycemic symptoms in patients with insulinoma, but only surgical excision by enucleation or partial pancreatectomy is curative. Other mechanisms that may, more uncommonly, account for tumor-associated hypoglycemia without excess insulin secretion are the tumor secretion of peptides capable of causing glucose consumption by different mechanisms. These are the cases of tumors producing IGF2 precursors, IGF1, somatostatin, and glucagon-like peptide 1. Tumor autoimmune hypoglycemia occurs due to the production of insulin by tumor cells or insulin receptor autoantibodies. Lastly, massive tumor burden with glucose consumption, massive tumor liver infiltration, and pituitary or adrenal glands destruction by tumor are other mechanisms for TIH in cases of large and aggressive neoplasias.
Tuning Mechanical Properties of Chondroitin Sulfate-Based Hydrogels Using the Double-Network Strategy
Authors: Suekama Tiffany C , Khanlari Anahita , Gehrke Stevin H
Published: January 2014

The double-network (DN) hydrogel concept developed by J.P. Gong and Y. Osada builds upon interpenetrating networks by combining brittle and ductile components to have significantly enhanced fracture properties. The generality of the DN effect was tested by creating biopolymer-based hydrogels of methacrylated chondroitin sulfate (MCS) and polyacrylamide (PAAm) and extended upon creating DNs of MCS and poly(N,N dimethyl acrylamide) (PDMAAm), verifying that DNs were not limited to the original combination of poly(2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid) (PAMPS)/polyacrylamide (PAAm). Further, the mechanical properties were varied by changing the monomer concentrations, cross-linker concentrations and the addition of cross-linking groups through copolymerizations of MCS and poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA). Overall, this work demonstrates that a broad range of mechanical properties achievable through DN effect under tension and compression, generally independent of the swelling degree, which is fundamentally different behavior than possible with single networks.
Phase Separated Morphology of P3HT:PCBM Bulk Heterojunction from Coarse-Grained Molecular Dynamics and Monte Carlo Simulation
Authors: To Tran Thinh , Yap Jing Han , Rao Rayavarapu Prasada , Adams Stefan
Published: January 2014

Morphology of the active layer in bulk heterojunction P3HT:PCBM organic solar cell was studied using Monte Carlo (MC) and coarse-grained dynamics simulations. While coarse-grained molecular dynamics allow us to quickly estimate the P3HT:PCBM interfacial energy of bilayer structure as a function of underlying layer thickness, bridging the dimension and time gap between dynamics simulations and experiment is computationally expensive and therefore not viable. Using MC technique with input from dynamics simulations allowed us to speed up the calculation and obtain final morphological information based on energetics and entropy, and at the same time retained the physics fidelity in-built in our validated coarse-grained model. The final structure gives phase separated domains with dimension of approximately 12 nm, on par with reported experimental result. The method can be applied to other organic photovoltaics systems to predict active layer morphology relevant for device performance or 3-dimensional device modelling at continuum level.
Medium-range Order of Zr54Cu38Al8 Bulk Metallic Glass
Authors: Zhang Pei , Besser M. F. , Kramer M. J. , Voyles P. M.
Published: January 2014

We have previously reported, based on fluctuation electron microscopy (FEM) data, that Zr50Cu45Al5 bulk metallic glass (BMG) contains significant icosahedral and crystal-like medium-range order. Here, we report similar finding for Zr54Cu38Al8 BMG, which is a poorer glass former. Like Zr50Cu45Al5, Zr54Cu38Al8 contains icosahedral and crystal-like structures. In the as-cast state, the crystal-like peak in the FEM data is stronger than icosahedral-like peak. After annealing at 0.83Tg (573 K), the icosahedral-like peak increases, but, unlike Zr50Cu45Al5, the crystal-like peak does not decrease. This tendency toward stronger, more thermally stable crystal-like order may be associated with the poorer glass forming ability of Zr54Cu38Al8.
Self-tensioning Support Post Design to Control Residual Stress in MEMS Fixed-Fixed Beams
Authors: Pocratsky Ryan M. , de Boer Maarten P.
Published: January 2014

Fixed-fixed beams are ubiquitous MEMS structures that are integral components for sensors and actuation mechanisms. However, residual stress inherent in surface micromachining can affect the mechanical behavior of fixed-fixed structures, and even can cause buckling. A self-tensioning support post design that utilizes the compressive residual stress of trapped sacrificial oxide to control the stress state passively and locally in a fixed-fixed beam is proposed and detailed. The thickness and length of the trapped oxide affects the amount of stress in the beam. With this design, compression can be reduced or even converted into tension. An analytical model and a 3D finite element model are presented. The analytical model shows relatively good agreement with a 3D finite element model, indicating that it can be used for design purposes. A series of fixed-fixed beams were fabricated to demonstrate that the tensioning support post causes a reduction in buckling amplitude, even pulling the beam into tension. Phase shifting interferometry deflection measurements were used to confirm the trends observed from the models. Controlling residual stress allows longer fixed-fixed beams to be fabricated without buckling, which can improve the performance range of sensors. This technique can also enable local stress control, which is important for sensors.
História, nação e raça no contexto da Exposição do Centenário em 1922
Authors: Schuster Sven
Published: January 2014

Tem como tema os debates públicos e acadêmicos sobre a história do Brasil que ocorreram no contexto da Exposição do Centenário, em 1922, na cidade do Rio de Janeiro. Pretende-se destacar a maneira como certos conceitos sobre ‘nação’ e ‘raça’ foram debatidos em conferências acadêmicas sobre história, antropologia e arqueologia, como foram conectados à história nacional e como se tornaram, finalmente, parte da autoimagem nacional. Além disso, o artigo indaga como e por quem esses ideais foram contestados.
A constituição global da nação brasileira: questões de imigração nos anos 1930 e 1940
Authors: Schulze Frederik
Published: January 2014

Mostra que o conceito de nação e as interpretações nacionalistas foram centrais nos discursos sobre a imigração no Brasil nos anos 1930 e 1940. Essas referências nacionais, entretanto, não são compreensíveis sem uma contextualização global. Por um lado, os atores históricos foram integrados em debates científicos que circulavam globalmente; por outro, eles tinham consciência da globalidade do assunto. Pretendo demonstrar essas hipóteses com o auxílio de dois exemplos: a sociologia migratória brasileira e os discursos de imigrantes de fala alemã no Brasil.
Influence of the relative rib area on bond behaviour
Authors: Metelli Giovanni , Plizzari Giovanni A.
Published: January 2014

Steel-to-concrete bond is a basic aspect of the behaviour of reinforced concrete structures both at serviceability and ultimate states. When bond rules were originally developed, experimental results were mainly obtained on normal-strength concrete and a minimum relative rib area (bond index) was required by building codes to ensure good bond properties. The arrival into the market of high-performance concrete and newer structural needs may require different bond indexes. In the present paper, the experimental results of pull-out tests on short anchorages are presented. Several pull-out tests on ribbed bars, embedded in cubes of normal- and high-strength concrete with a concrete cover of 4·5 times the bar diameter, were carried out in order to better understand the influence of the relative rib area and bar diameter on the local bond behaviour, as well as on the splitting crack width generated by the wedging action of ribs. A total of 96 tests were performed on machined bars of three different diameters (12, 16 and 20 mm) with a bond index ranging from 0·040 to 0·105. The results of 55 pull-out tests on commercial hot-rolled ribbed bars of four different diameters (12, 20, 40 and 50 mm) are also presented to confirm that the bond response also depends on bar diameter (size effect). Experimental results provide information concerning the influence of the relative rib area on bond strength and on the bursting force due to the rib's wedge action. As the minimum measured bond strength of rebars was always markedly greater than the minimum bond strength required by building codes even when low bond indexes were adopted, the test results point out the possibility of reducing the minimum value of the relative rib area required by Eurocode 2 without limiting the safety coefficient of bond. The reduction also allows a higher structural ductility that can be achieved due to a greater strain penetration of the rebars from concrete cracks.
Propagule supply limits grazer richness equally across a resource gradient
Authors: Lee Sarah C. , Bruno John F.
Published: January 2014

Although the independent effects of propagule supply and resource availability on species diversity are widely recognized, there are conflicting predictions of how resource availability affects the strength of propagule supply. To determine how propagule supply and resource availability interact to control species richness, we compared the effects of grazer propagule additions on grazer and algal assemblages across an experimental gradient of algal productivity. Different levels of algal productivity (i.e., replacement rate of grazers' food resource) were maintained by manipulating light. Despite light‐driven changes in algal standing biomass and diversity, algal resource availability had no effect on propagule limitation of grazer species richness, nor on grazer community composition. Instead, augmenting grazer propagule supply had equally strong, positive effects on grazer richness at all levels of algal resource availability. Although there was evidence for competition and resource limitation in the high propagule supply/low resource treatment, competition was evidently too weak or the experimental duration was too short to lead to competitive exclusion and changes in species richness, evenness, and composition. Our results highlight potential differences in resource use between sessile producers and mobile grazers. Unlike plants that consume inorganic nutrients and light whose renewal is positive, donor‐controlled, and identity‐fixed, animals consume dynamic resources that can respond to consumption by increasing growth rates, or going extinct and being replaced by other species, as we observed in the replacement of easily ingested green algae by less preferred red algae. The dual nature of these dynamic resources may consequently weaken the link between resource renewal rates and propagule limitation in animal communities.
Disturbance alters the response of consumer communities towards warming: a mesocosm study with biofilm‐dwelling ciliates
Authors: Marcus Hanna , Wey Jennifer K. , Norf Helge , Weitere Markus
Published: January 2014

Environmental warming can have negative effects on the carrying capacity of communities because metabolic rates increase at the expense of biomass. Here, we tested the hypothesis that such warming effects are reversed in communities experiencing disturbance, as temperature‐driven growth processes gain relevance and can compensate for negative disturbance effects. Model communities of semi‐natural, biofilm‐dwelling ciliates were cultivated in mesocosms (river bypass systems) under two temperature regimes (ambient temperature and increased by 4°C). The interactive effects between these different temperatures and seven disturbance intensities were tested in a nested design. Disturbance generally reduced total ciliate abundances, whereas only small effects on the prevalence of functional diversity were detected. Temperature effects differed between different disturbance intensities and seasons: Whereas warming reduced the carrying capacity of undisturbed communities irrespective of the season, pronounced positive warming effects were detected under disturbance in winter and, to a lesser extent, in spring. Neither significant temperature nor disturbance effects were recorded in summer, probably because ciliate growth rates were not temperature limited due to high summer background temperatures. Our results show that disturbance can markedly alter warming effects on temperature limited communities. Since natural communities commonly face disturbance, it should therefore be considered in models of future environmental warming responses.
Appraising sustainable flood risk management in the Pearl River Delta's coastal megacities: a case study of Hong Kong, China
Authors: Chan F. K. S. , Adekola O. A. , Mitchell G. , McDonald A. T.
Published: January 2014

The Pearl River Delta (PRD) region has experienced rapid economic and population growth in the last three decades. The delta includes coastal megacities, such as Hong Kong. These low-lying urbanised coastal regions in the PRD are vulnerable to flood risks from unpredictable climatic conditions. These can result in increasing storm surges, rising sea level and intensified rainstorms causing coastal and inland flooding, all of which impact the delta. This paper has taken the coastal megacity of Hong Kong as a case, focusing on two study sites: Shenzhen River and Tai O town, chosen for their peculiar inland and coastal flood problems. A sustainable flood risk appraisal (SFRA) template was developed against which sustainable flood risk management (FRM) practices in these sites were benchmarked. Thirty-eight stakeholders were interviewed during this research in order to understand the current FRM practices, their barriers and their constraints. It was found that FRM in the case study currently focuses on hard engineering, while neglecting other important sustainability indicators. A SFRA practice that takes public participation, equity of flood preparedness and environmental friendly into account could be effective in achieving sustainable flood risk mitigation practices in Hong Kong and other coastal cities in the PRD.
Downscaling extreme precipitation in Ireland using combined peak-over-threshold generalised Pareto distribution model of varying parameters
Authors: Osman Yassin Z. , Fealy Rowan , Sweeney John C.
Published: January 2014

The paper describes downscaling of extreme precipitation in Ireland using a probabilistic method. The method described uses a combined peak-over-threshold (POT) – generalised Pareto distribution (GPD) approach in which the scale parameter of the GPD is allowed to vary with a dominant climate forcing at the location of interest. The dominant climatic forcing is represented by predictors selected from large-scale climatic variables provided by the NCEP/NCAR data. Data from six rainfall stations are used in the study to build the models for each station. The extRemes software is used to build the models as it allows parameters of the fitted distribution to vary as a function of covariate(s). The developed models were tested for goodness-of-fit with the observed data, and model fit was found to be much improved when the scale parameter was assumed to vary with the selected covariates. Return level – return period relations are developed based on the models developed and four future time periods are simulated to investigate the effects of climate change on both precipitation magnitude and frequency. Based on the findings of this research, significant changes in precipitation extremes are projected for Ireland, which includes wetter winters and drier summers, especially in inland areas.
Being-towards-the-text (Gadamer and Derrida in misunderstanding)
Authors: Romcevic Branko
Published: January 2014

This paper deals with Gadamer-Derrida encounter during the ?Hermeneutics and
Deconstruction? conference (1981). Taking into account the scale of mutual
misunderstanding expressed on that occasion, many commentators suggested that
it was an improbable debate, or even the non-dialogue. But, beneath the
disappointing surface, Gadamer-Derrida encounter revealed complexity of
relations between hermeneutics and deconstruction, which involve the great
range of exceptional topics, influencing the main streams of twentieth
century philosophy. In the first part I am analyzing philosophical and
institutional framework of their encounter, then I am examining Gadamer?s
conference paper, while the last part is concerned with debate itself.
Does the a priori belong to science and technology?
Authors: Kujundzic Nebojsa
Published: January 2014

In this paper, I intend to support a currently controversial approach to the
a priori - the one that respects its fundamental role in science, and I
furthermore suggest the relevance of the a priori may be expanded to
technology. I shall address the following three issues: a priori in
scientific and technological methodology, a priori and the essence of science
and technology, and a priori in the assessment of science and technology.
Reputation Repair After a Serious Restatement
Authors: Chakravarthy Jivas , deHaan Ed , Rajgopal Shivaram
Published: January 2014

How do firms repair their reputations after a serious accounting restatement? To answer this question, we review firms' press releases and identify 1,765 reputation-building actions taken by: (1) 94 restating firms in the periods before and after their restatement; and (2) a set of matched control firms during contemporaneous periods. We posit that firms have incentives to target multiple stakeholders in a reputation repair strategy—including capital providers, customers, employees, and geographic communities—and that actions targeting each group generate positive market returns as reputation capital is repaired. Consistent with our predictions, the frequency of, and stock returns to, reputation-building actions are greater for restating firms in the period after their restatement than for the control groups. In addition, firm characteristics predict the types of stakeholders targeted by firms. Finally, actions targeted at both capital providers and other stakeholders are associated with improvements in the restating firm's financial reporting credibility.

Data Availability: The data used in this study are available from the sources indicated.
Circadian Misalignment Augments Markers of Insulin Resistance and Inflammation, Independently of Sleep Loss
Authors: Leproult Rachel , Holmbäck Ulf , Van Cauter Eve
Published: January 2014

Shift workers, who are exposed to irregular sleep schedules resulting in sleep deprivation and misalignment of circadian rhythms, have an increased risk of diabetes relative to day workers. In healthy adults, sleep restriction without circadian misalignment promotes insulin resistance. To determine whether the misalignment of circadian rhythms that typically occurs in shift work involves intrinsic adverse metabolic effects independently of sleep loss, a parallel group design was used to study 26 healthy adults. Both interventions involved 3 inpatient days with 10-h bedtimes, followed by 8 inpatient days of sleep restriction to 5 h with fixed nocturnal bedtimes (circadian alignment) or with bedtimes delayed by 8.5 h on 4 of the 8 days (circadian misalignment). Daily total sleep time (SD) during the intervention was nearly identical in the aligned and misaligned conditions (4 h 48 min [5 min] vs. 4 h 45 min [6 min]). In both groups, insulin sensitivity (SI) significantly decreased after sleep restriction, without a compensatory increase in insulin secretion, and inflammation increased. In male participants exposed to circadian misalignment, the reduction in SI and the increase in inflammation both doubled compared with those who maintained regular nocturnal bedtimes. Circadian misalignment that occurs in shift work may increase diabetes risk and inflammation, independently of sleep loss.
Hitchhiking and the ‘Sunshine Driver’: Further Effects of Weather Conditions on Helping Behavior
Authors: Guéguen Nicolas , Stefan Jordy
Published: January 2014

Previous studies have shown that pleasant weather conditions can improve people's mood and facilitate positive social relationships. The current study tested the effect of sunshine on drivers' willingness to give hitchhikers a ride. Four confederates (2 men, 2 women; M age = 20 yr.) acted as hitchhikers on the roadside in France, on sunny and cloudy days. To minimize the influence of other important variables, hitchhiking was conducted only when it was not raining and only when the external temperatures were between 20° and 24 °C. Motorists' behavior in 2,864 hitchhiking events was analyzed. The results showed that both male and female drivers stopped more on sunny days than on cloudy days for both male and female hitchhikers. Perhaps the positive mood induced by the sunshine promotes helping behaviors.
A new laboratory-based surveillance system (Respiratory DataMart System) for influenza and other respiratory viruses in England: results and experience from 2009 to 2012
Authors: Zhao H , Green H , Lackenby A , Donati M , Ellis J , Thompson C , Bermingham A , Field J , Sebastianpillai P , Zambon M , Watson J M , Pebody R
Published: January 2014

Binary file ES_Abstracts_Final_ECDC.txt matches
Autochthonous dengue virus infection in Japan imported into Germany, September 2013
Authors: Schmidt-Chanasit J , Emmerich P , Tappe D , Günther S , Schmidt S , Wolff D , Hentschel K , Sagebiel D , Schöneberg I , Stark K , Frank C
Published: January 2014

Binary file ES_Abstracts_Final_ECDC.txt matches
Re-imagining the German East: Expulsion and Relocation in German Feature and Documentary Film
Authors: Halle Randall
Published: January 2014

Film history marks the various transformations in the material and imaginative relations between Germans and Poles in the postwar era. This article explores how film—the primary contemporary vehicle for imaginative communities—has played an important role in envisioning various spatial relationships, as well as the political and cultural shifts in the general population of Germany, West and East, and Poland. The article surveys the representation of flight and expulsion from the East first in the fictional feature film and then in the documentary genre. It then turns to contemporary productions that offer new visions of contemporary German-Polish relationships. It considers different strategies of filmmaking, such as big budget historic event films, the melancholic frame of expellee videos, the contemporary interzonal film, among others.
More accurate neuronavigation data provided by biomechanical modeling instead of rigid registration
Authors: Garlapati Revanth Reddy , Roy Aditi , Joldes Grand Roman , Wittek Adam , Mostayed Ahmed , Doyle Barry , Warfield Simon Keith , Kikinis Ron , Knuckey Neville , Bunt Stuart , Miller Karol
Published: January 2014

It is possible to improve neuronavigation during image-guided surgery by warping the high-quality preoperative brain images so that they correspond with the current intraoperative configuration of the brain. In this paper, the accuracy of registration results obtained using comprehensive biomechanical models is compared with the accuracy of rigid registration, the technology currently available to patients. This comparison allows investigation into whether biomechanical modeling provides good-quality image data for neuronavigation for a larger proportion of patients than rigid registration. Preoperative images for 33 neurosurgery cases were warped onto their respective intraoperative configurations using both the biomechanics-based method and rigid registration. The Hausdorff distance–based evaluation process, which measures the difference between images, was used to quantify the performance of both registration methods. A statistical test for difference in proportions was conducted to evaluate the null hypothesis that the proportion of patients for whom improved neuronavigation can be achieved is the same for rigid and biomechanics-based registration. The null hypothesis was confidently rejected (p < 10−4). Even the modified hypothesis that fewer than 25% of patients would benefit from the use of biomechanics-based registration was rejected at a significance level of 5% (p = 0.02). The biomechanics-based method proved particularly effective in cases demonstrating large craniotomy-induced brain deformations. The outcome of this analysis suggests that nonlinear biomechanics-based methods are beneficial to a large proportion of patients and can be considered for use in the operating theater as a possible means of improving neuronavigation and surgical outcomes.
Reduced ethanol consumption by alcohol-preferring (P) rats following pharmacological silencing and deep brain stimulation of the nucleus accumbens shell
Authors: Wilden Jessica A. , Qing Kurt Y. , Hauser Sheketha R. , McBride William J. , Irazoqui Pedro P. , Rodd Zachary A.
Published: January 2014

Object

There is increasing interest in deep brain stimulation (DBS) for the treatment of addiction. Initial testing must be conducted in animals, and the alcohol-preferring (P) rat meets the criteria for an animal model of alcoholism. This study is composed of 2 experiments designed to examine the effects of 1) pharmacological inactivation and 2) DBS of the nucleus accumbens shell (AcbSh) on the consumption of alcohol by P rats.

Methods

In the first experiment, the effects of reversible inactivation of the AcbSh were investigated by administering intracranial injections of γ–aminobutyric acid (GABA) agonists. Bilateral microinjections of drug were administered to the AcbSh in P rats (8–10 rats/group), after which the animals were placed in operant chambers containing 2 levers—one used to administer water and the other to administer 15% EtOH—to examine the acquisition and maintenance of oral EtOH self-administration. In the second experiment, a DBS electrode was placed in each P rat's left AcbSh. The animals then received 100 or 200 μA (3–4 rats/group) of DBS to examine the effect on daily consumption of oral EtOH in a free-access paradigm.

Results

In the first experiment, pharmacological silencing of the AcbSh with GABA agonists did not decrease the acquisition of EtOH drinking behavior but did reduce EtOH consumption by 55% in chronically drinking rats. Similarly, in the second experiment, 200 μA of DBS consistently reduced EtOH intake by 47% in chronically drinking rats. The amount of EtOH consumption returned to baseline levels following termination of therapy in both experiments.

Conclusions

Pharmacological silencing and DBS of the AcbSh reduced EtOH intake after chronic EtOH use had been established in rodents. The AcbSh is a neuroanatomical substrate for the reinforcing effects of alcohol and may be a target for surgical intervention in cases of alcoholism.
Endovascular treatment of fusiform cerebral aneurysms with the Pipeline Embolization Device
Authors: Monteith Stephen J. , Tsimpas Asterios , Dumont Aaron S. , Tjoumakaris Stavropoula , Gonzalez L. Fernando , Rosenwasser Robert H. , Jabbour Pascal
Published: January 2014

Object

Despite advances in surgical and endovascular techniques, fusiform aneurysms remain a therapeutic challenge. Introduction of flow-diverting stents has revolutionized the treatment of aneurysms with wide necks and of complex morphology. The authors report their experience with the endovascular treatment of fusiform aneurysms using the Pipeline Embolization Device.

Methods

A retrospective review of 146 patients with cerebral aneurysms treated with the Pipeline Embolization Device between June 2011 and January 2013 was performed. Twenty-four patients were identified as having fusiform aneurysms. Twenty-four aneurysms in these 24 patients were treated. The mean patient age was 59 years. There were 9 men and 15 women. Angiographic and clinical data (including the modified Rankin Scale [mRS] score) were recorded at the time of treatment and at follow-up. The aneurysms were located in the internal carotid artery in 8 patients (33.3%), middle cerebral artery in 8 patients (33.3%), anterior cerebral artery in 1 patient (4%), and vertebrobasilar circulation in 7 patients (29%). The aneurysms were smaller than 10 mm in 3 patients, 10–25 mm in 16 patients, and larger than 25 mm in 5 patients. The mean largest dimension diameter was 18 mm.

Results

Stent deployment was successful in all cases. The minor procedural morbidity was 4% (1 case). Morbidity and mortality related to aneurysm treatment were 4.2% and 4.2%, respectively. The mean mRS scores preoperatively and at clinical follow-up (median 6.0 months, mean 6.9 months) were 0.71 and 1.2, respectively (91.7% presented with an mRS score of 2 or better, and 79.2% had an mRS score of 2 or better at the 6.0-month follow-up). At clinical follow-up, 82.6% of patients were stable or had improved, 13.0% worsened, and 4.2% had died. Twenty-two (91.7%) of 24 patients had follow-up angiography available (mean follow-up time 6.3 months); 59% had excellent angiographic results (> 95% or complete occlusion), 31.8% had complete aneurysm occlusion, 27.3% had greater than 95% aneurysm occlusion, 18.2% had a moderate decrease in size (50%–95%), 4.5% had a minimal decrease in size (< 50%), 13.6% had not changed, and 4.5% had an increase in size.

Conclusions

This series demonstrates that endovascular treatment of fusiform cerebral aneurysms with flow diversion was a safe and effective treatment. Procedural complications were low. Long-term morbidity and mortality rates were acceptable given the complex nature of these lesions.
Effects of curcumin on acute spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury in rabbits
Authors: Kurt Gokhan , Yildirim Zuhal , Cemil Berker , Celtikci Emrah , Kaplanoglu Gulnur Take
Published: January 2014

Object

The object of this study was to conduct a prospective, randomized, laboratory investigation of the neuroprotective effects of curcumin functionally, biochemically, and histologically in an experimental acute spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury on rabbits.

Methods

Eighteen rabbits were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: the sham group, the ischemia-reperfusion group, or the curcumin group. Spinal cord ischemia was induced by applying an infrarenal aortic cross-clamp for 30 minutes. At 48 hours after ischemia, neurological function was evaluated with modified Tarlov criteria. Biochemical changes in the spinal cord and plasma were observed by measuring levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), nitrite/nitrate, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Histological changes were examined with H & E staining. Immunohistochemical staining with antibodies against caspase-3 was performed to evaluate cell apoptosis after ischemia.

Results

In the curcumin group, neurological outcome scores were statistically significantly better compared with the ischemia-reperfusion group. In the ischemia-reperfusion group, MDA, AOPP, and nitrite/nitrate levels were significantly elevated in the spinal cord tissue and the plasma by the induction of ischemia-reperfusion. The curcumin treatment significantly prevented the ischemia-reperfusion–induced elevation of nitrite/nitrate and TNF-α. In addition, the spinal cord tissue and the plasma SOD, GSH, and CAT levels were found to be preserved in the curcumin group and not statistically different from those of the sham group. Histological evaluation of the tissues also demonstrated a decrease in axonal damage, neuronal degeneration, and glial cell infiltration after curcumin administration.

Conclusions

Although further studies including different dose regimens and time intervals are required, curcumin could attenuate a spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury in rabbits via reducing oxidative products and proinflammatory cytokines, as well as increasing activities of antioxidant enzymes and preventing apoptotic cell death.