bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development and Validation of Producer and Consumer Preference Models for Rice Varieties in Bangladesh
Authors: Hossain Md Ismail , Rahman Niaz Md Farhat , Kabir Md Shahjahan , Siddique Md Abu Bakr , Tareq Muhammad
Published: October 2015

Rice production depends on both producers and consumers preference. The consumption of rice depends on consumers taste and habits. The objectives of this study were to develop and validate mathematical models for producers, consumers and producers-cum-consumers preference to rice varieties and to evaluate the factors affecting both producers and producer-cum-consumers decision on varieties for rice cultivation and can provide an indication of the factors affecting consumers preferences to rice varieties in Dhaka, Gazipur, Dinajpur and Bhola districts of Bangladesh. Chi-square (X2) tests were used to explore the significant difference of preferring rice varieties among the groups of people and compared the results with the proposed models for validation. Producers and producers-cum-consumers preferred BR11, BR22 and BRRI dhan32 in T. Aman; BR16, BRRI dhan28 and BRRI dhan29 in Boro and BR9, BR16 and BR20 in Aus seasons respectively. The specific grain quality characteristics such as whiteness, brokens, shape, amylose (%), aroma, cooking quality, hardness and chalkiness influenced the consumers and producers preference. Furthermore, pure consumers also preferred rice varieties on the basis of its tastiness and fineness.Bangladesh Rice j. 2015, 19(1): 63-71
Local Fractional Homotopy Perturbation Method for Solving Non-Homogeneous Heat Conduction Equations in Fractal Domains
Authors: Zhang Yu , Cattani Carlo , Yang Xiao-Jun
Published: October 2015

In this article, the local fractional Homotopy perturbation method is utilized to solve the non-homogeneous heat conduction equations. The operator is considered in the sense of the local fractional differential operator. Comparative results between non-homogeneous and homogeneous heat conduction equations are presented. The obtained result shows the non-differentiable behavior of heat conduction of the fractal temperature field in homogeneous media.
Patterns in PARTNERing across Public Health Collaboratives
Authors: Bevc Christine , Retrum Jessica , Varda Danielle
Published: October 2015

Inter-organizational networks represent one of the most promising practice-based approaches in public health as a way to attain resources, share knowledge, and, in turn, improve population health outcomes. However, the interdependencies and effectiveness related to the structure, management, and costs of these networks represents a critical item to be addressed. The objective of this research is to identify and determine the extent to which potential partnering patterns influence the structure of collaborative networks. This study examines data collected by PARTNER, specifically public health networks (n = 162), to better understand the structured relationships and interactions among public health organizations and their partners, in relation to collaborative activities. Combined with descriptive analysis, we focus on the composition of public health collaboratives in a series of Exponential Random Graph (ERG) models to examine the partnerships between different organization types to identify the attribute-based effects promoting the formation of network ties within and across collaboratives. We found high variation within and between these collaboratives including composition, diversity, and interactions. The findings of this research suggest common and frequent types of partnerships, as well as opportunities to develop new collaborations. The result of this analysis offer additional evidence to inform and strengthen public health practice partnerships.
Refined Method for Droplet Microfluidics-Enabled Detection of Plasmodium falciparum Encoded Topoisomerase I in Blood from Malaria Patients
Authors: Hede Marianne , Okorie Patricia , Fruekilde Signe , Fjelstrup Søren , Thomsen Jonas , Franch Oskar , Tesauro Cinzia , Bugge Magnus , Christiansen Mette , Picot Stéphane , Lötsch Felix , Mombo-Ngoma Ghyslain , Mischlinger Johannes , Adegnika Ayôla , Pedersen Finn , Ho Yi-Ping , Petersen Eskild , Stougaard Magnus , Ramharter Michael , Knudsen Birgitta
Published: October 2015

Rapid and reliable diagnosis is essential in the fight against malaria, which remains one of the most deadly infectious diseases in the world. In the present study we take advantage of a droplet microfluidics platform combined with a novel and user-friendly biosensor for revealing the main malaria-causing agent, the Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) parasite. Detection of the parasite is achieved through detection of the activity of a parasite-produced DNA-modifying enzyme, topoisomerase I (pfTopoI), in the blood from malaria patients. The assay presented has three steps: (1) droplet microfluidics-enabled extraction of active pfTopoI from a patient blood sample; (2) pfTopoI-mediated modification of a specialized DNA biosensor; (3) readout. The setup is quantitative and specific for the detection of Plasmodium topoisomerase I. The procedure is a considerable improvement of the previously published Rolling Circle Enhanced Enzyme Activity Detection (REEAD) due to the advantages of involving no signal amplification steps combined with a user-friendly readout. In combination these alterations represent an important step towards exploiting enzyme activity detection in point-of-care diagnostics of malaria.
Magnesium Pyrazolyl-Indolyl Complexes as Catalysts for Ring-Opening Polymerization of L-Lactide
Authors: Chen Chi-Tien , Lin Deng-Hao , Peng Kuo-Fu
Published: October 2015

A series indole-based ligand precursors, PzRIndH (R = H, PzHIndH; R = Me, PzMeIndH;R = t-Bu, PztBuIndH; and R = Ph, PzPhIndH), have been synthesized via copper-catalyzed N-arylation (for PzHIndH) or the Bartoli indole synthesis (for PzMeIndH, PztBuIndH and PzPhIndH) reactions with moderate to high yield. Reactions of these ligand precursors with 0.7 equivalentof MgnBu2 in THF (for 1) or hexane (for 2–4) afforded the bis-indolyl magnesium complexes 1–4,respectively. All the ligand precursors and related magnesium complexes have been characterizedby NMR spectroscopy and elemental analyses. The molecular structure is reported for compound 1.These novel magnesium complexes demonstrate efficient catalytic activities for the ring-opening polymerization of L-lactide in the presence of alcohol.
Analysis of Movement, Orientation and Rotation-Based Sensing for Phone Placement Recognition
Authors: Incel Ozlem
Published: October 2015

Phone placement, i.e., where the phone is carried/stored, is an important source of information for context-aware applications. Extracting information from the integrated smart phone sensors, such as motion, light and proximity, is a common technique for phone placement detection. In this paper, the efficiency of an accelerometer-only solution is explored, and it is investigated whether the phone position can be detected with high accuracy by analyzing the movement, orientation and rotation changes. The impact of these changes on the performance is analyzed individually and both in combination to explore which features are more efficient, whether they should be fused and, if yes, how they should be fused. Using three different datasets, collected from 35 people from eight different positions, the performance of different classification algorithms is explored. It is shown that while utilizing only motion information can achieve accuracies around 70%, this ratio increases up to 85% by utilizing information also from orientation and rotation changes. The performance of an accelerometer-only solution is compared to solutions where linear acceleration, gyroscope and magnetic field sensors are used, and it is shown that the accelerometer-only solution performs as well as utilizing other sensing information. Hence, it is not necessary to use extra sensing information where battery power consumption may increase. Additionally, I explore the impact of the performed activities on position recognition and show that the accelerometer-only solution can achieve 80% recognition accuracy with stationary activities where movement data are very limited. Finally, other phone placement problems, such as in-pocket and on-body detections, are also investigated, and higher accuracies, ranging from 88% to 93%, are reported, with an accelerometer-only solution.
Uses and Abuses of Economic Impact Studies in Tourism
Authors: Chang Semoon , Kim Hwa-Kyung , Petrovcikova Katarina
Published: October 2015

Economic impact studies are used widely either to secure financial support for an event or to promote an organization or an event. The very nature of impact studies tends to lead to an overestimation of the impact. Discussed in this article are such issues as: types of economic impact,
ticketed events versus open-gate events, short-term events such as festivals versus long-term attractions such as parks and museums, offsetting impact within the jurisdiction, treatment of nonwage expenditures, appropriate use of multipliers, especially in short-term or one-time events, and
daily expenditures per visitor based on survey of visitors to two festivals in Alabama and Mississippi. The main conclusion is that public sector subsidy to short-term events should be based more on their role in enhancing the area's quality of life than on their estimated economic impact.
APPLYING SUSTAINABILITY THEORY TO TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE ASSESSMENT USING A MULTIPLICATIVE AHP DECISION SUPPORT MODEL
Authors: Pryn Marie Ridley , Cornet Yannick , Salling Kim Bang
Published: October 2015

It is generally expected that the three dimensions of the economy, society and the environment must be included in any measurable sustainability pathway. However, these do not provide much guidance as to how to prioritize impacts within and between the dimensions. A conceptualized approach to sustainability based on the nested model is therefore presented seeking to provide an alternative approach to sustainable transportation assessment, namely the SUSTAIN Decision Support System (DSS) model. This model is based on a review of basic notions of sustainability presented by the Brundtland Commission report, which is used to validate the nested model of sustainability for countries operating under the paradox of affluence. This provides a theoretical rationale for prioritising longer-term ecological integrity over shorter-term economic concerns, in line with the stronger conceptualisation of sustainability supported by ecological economists. This conceptualisation is operationalized by the use of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) and a multiplicative version of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The planning and decisionmaking process related to a new connection across the Roskilde Fjord in Frederikssund, Denmark, is used as a case study. It is found that the SUSTAIN DSS model results provide a type of benchmark for connecting to the essence of sustainable development as well as to integrate sustainability more explicitly into the planning and assessment practice.
Security and Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation in Syria
Authors: Tichý Lukáš
Published: October 2015

During the Arab Spring Revolution, when the protests against the Syrian government began in 2011, Russia was one of the strongest backers of President Bashar al-Assad's regime, backing its right to use force if necessary to prevent or put down an uprising. Currently, the Russian Federation is the power which has most prominently provided a diplomaticshieldforthe Syrian state and bolstered it witharms supplies, although Moscow talks about the need to "balance" between the warring parties in Syria. The main aim of this paper is to analyze the motives of the foreign and security policy of the Russian Federation in support of Syrian President BasharAssad in the background of Russian interests and influence of norms. At the theoretical level, the paper builds upon a combination of conventional constructivism and rationalism approaches, which in relation to the motives of Russian protection and defense of the ruling regime in Syria reflects a number of fundamental knowledge.
Some Difficulties of Correlation between Strategy and Operational Art
Authors: Spišák Ján
Published: October 2015

The article deals with correlation of strategy and operational art. The aim of the article is to point on deficit of relationship between political decision-making and military planning. The first part of the article simply introduces doctrinal tools of operational art, applicable at both the operational and strategic level. The second part refers to the fact that application of some standard elements of operational art in terms of overall strategic framework loses partly importance because of their use in the context of unconventional conflict has been less appropriate. The third part deals with criticism of the mutual undesirable separation of politicians and military professionals involved in operations planning. Conclusion of the article offers possible solutions of this deficit.
Cooperation of Civil and Military Logistics in Military Operations
Authors: Cempírek Miroslav , Pecina Miroslav , Musil Miroslav
Published: October 2015

The article deals with the integration of outside resources into the process of support Forces in Military operations. The crux of this work lies in the illustration of 'place' and the role of Civil Contracting Supports in the Combat Service system of Armed Forces. It also accentuates the sense and complexity of Combat Service Support. The article analyses the advantages. disadvantages and risks for utilizating Civil Contractors in armed conflicts. The text respects this and acknowledges the benefit from experience of the NATO Armies in this field. In the closing part the authors formulate recommendations for the later boom of 'Combat Service' theory and practice. The effect and benefit of this article lies first of all in its suggestion of criteria for the selection of contractors.
Influence of Operating Environment Changing for Development of of Military Medical Service Capabilities
Authors: Kraus Richard , Kubeša Milan
Published: October 2015

The following thesis focuses on the issues regarding deployment of medical forces within the shifting operational environment. It analyzes its development stages and considers their meaning and influence on current and forecasted developments of military health capabilities in the long run. The authors' fundamental research question is to be whether the changes to the operational environment's dynamics and scope will substantiate as the defining factors for ensuring interoperability with Alliance partners, for the purposes of developing new type of medical capabilities needed. Moreover, the importance of a rarely emphasized role of operational art in military medicine is discussed. Such tool seems to be a key element for the harmonization of strategic objectives with long-term tactical activities.
Immunonephelometry and Reverse Hybrydization Genotyping in Diagnosis of Alpha-1-Antitrypsin Deficiency in Macedonians
Authors: Efinska-Mladenovska Olivija , Trajkov Dejan , Petlichkovski Aleksandar , Sibinovska Olgica , Hristomanova Mitkovska Slavica , Spiroski Mirko
Published: October 2015

BACKGROUND: With a frequency of 1:1600, the alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency is one of the most frequent hereditary diseases and can be recessively inherited. AAT deficiency is most often caused by inheritance of the so-called PiZ allele. Inheritance of this allele increases the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) and liver disease.AIM: The aim of this study was to present immunonephelometry and reverse hybridization genotyping in diagnosis of alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency in Republic of Macedonia.MATERIAL AND METHODS: At the Institute of Immunobiology and Human Genetics, part of the Faculty of Medicine in Skopje, in the previous 7 years, total of 361 patients with suspected alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency were referred for analysis of AAT concentration using nephelometry (Dade Behring) and subsequent AAT genotyping of individuals with alpha-1-antytripsin deficiency at protein level, based on reverse hybridization technique.RESULTS: Measurement of AAT concentration (g/l) by nephelometry have shown normal level in the range of 1.37-1.41 g/l (88%), lower than normal AAT levels in the range of 0.70-0.83 g/l (8.03%), and concentration above the normal levels in the range of 2.28-2.4 g/l (3.88%).CONCLUSION: Diagnosis in the case of a suspicion of AAT deficiency is carried out by measuring the alpha-1-antitrypsin level in blood and by genotyping of alpha-1-antytripsin allele.
Sulfur in Petroleum
Authors: Ahmad Waqas
Published: October 2015

This chapter describes the occurrence of organosulfur compounds in petroleum, their detrimental effects and various techniques for removal of these compounds. The sole commercial desulfurization process i.e. HDS is broadly discussed in terms of reaction conditions, different types of catalysts used, reactor design and mechanistic pathways in the process. The shortcomings of HDS and needs for developing new desulfurization techniques is also described. Various newly developed research techniques for desulfurization are also discussed with their technical backgrounds, commercial overview, advantages and shortcomings in the light of literature reports. These techniques include, Adsorptive desulfurization, Bio-desulfurization, Precipitative desulfurization, and Oxidative desulfurization with its sub types like ODS using H2O2- Polyoxometalates (POM), ODS with Ionic liquids, Photo-oxidative desulphurization and Ultrasound Assisted ODS.
Flue Gas Desulfurization
Authors: del Valle-Zermeño Ricardo , Chimenos Josep Maria , Formosa Joan
Published: October 2015

Most of the total quantity of sulfur oxides (SOx) emitted to the atmosphere come from the combustion of fossil fuels, whose preponderance in the energy mix is expected to prevail in the years to come. In order to avoid the damaging consequences that this supposes, the improvement of the removal methods has been the topic of many researches. In this sense, the majority of abatement processes have always been based on wet Flue Gas Desulfurization (wFGD) technologies. In this chapter, the origin, development, deployment and enhancement of the wFGD processes is thoroughly revised. From the early studies on sulfur absorption for commercial purposes to the maturing of the technology fostered by environmental regulations, the chapter covers the aspects that have accompanied FGD research, including the reaction mechanism studies, the main types and configurations, and extending the analysis on the variables, parameters and technical aspects conditioning the process.
A Study of a Federally Funded Project between Higher-Ed Institutions in the U.S. and Pakistan
Authors: Ray Anirban , Reilly Colleen A. , Tirrell Jeremy W.
Published: October 2015

The study explores the technical and intercultural challenges involved in a Department of State (DoS)-funded collaborative research project between a Mid-Sized Regional Public University in the U.S. and an International Research Institution in Pakistan. The collaborative research project on which the study is based is particularly significant as the groups from each institution face the central communication challenges that are the hallmark of distributed teams, namely physical separation, multiple organizations, and different time zones. This manuscript highlights the importance of intercultural factors in shaping the institutional relationships and examines expectations for collective responsibility in the given context.
Utility of portable monitoring in the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea
Authors: Krishnaswamy U , Aneja A , Kumar R Mohan , Kumar T Prasanna
Published: October 2015

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common but underdiagnosed sleep disorder, which is associated with systemic consequences such as hypertension, stroke, metabolic syndrome, and ischemic heart disease. Nocturnal laboratory-based polysomnography (PSG) is the gold standard test for diagnosis of OSA. PSG consists of a simultaneous recording of multiple physiologic parameters related to sleep and wakefulness including electroencephalography (EEG), electrooculography (EOG), surface electromyography (EMG), airflow measurement using thermistor and nasal pressure transducer, pulse oximetry and respiratory effort (thoracic and abdominal). Multiple alternative and simpler methods that record respiratory parameters alone for diagnosing OSA have been developed in the past two decades. These devices are called portable monitors (PMs) and enable performing sleep studies at a lower cost with shorter waiting times. It has been observed and reported that comprehensive sleep evaluation coupled with the use of PMs can fulfill the unmet need for diagnostic testing in various out-of-hospital settings in patients with suspected OSA. This article reviews the available medical literature on PMs in order to justify the utility of PMs in the diagnosis of OSA, especially in resource-poor, high-disease burden settings. The published practice parameters for the use of these devices have also been reviewed with respect to their relevance in the Indian setting.
Prevalence of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene insertion/deletion polymorphism in South Indian population with hypertension and chronic kidney disease
Authors: Shanmuganathan R , Kumaresan R , Giri P
Published: October 2015

Context:

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is associated with a high risk of developing further severe complications such as, cardiovascular disease and eventually End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) leading to death. Hypertension plays a key role in the progression of renal failure and is also a chief risk factor for the occurrence of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD).

Aim:

This study investigates the possible association of insertion (I) and deletion (D) polymorphism of ACE gene in patients of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) with and without hypertension (HT).

Settings and Design:

Total 120 participants with 30 members in each group (Control, HT, CKD and CKD-HT) were chosen followed by informed consent.

Materials and Methods:

Blood samples were collected and subjected to biochemical analyses and nested PCR amplification was performed to genotype the DNA, for ACE I/D using specific primers.

Statistical Analysis:

Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 13. Allele and genotypic frequency was calculated by direct gene counting method. Comparison of the different genotypes was done by using Chi square test. Odd's ratios were calculated with a 95% confidence interval limit.

Results:

The ACE genotype were distributed as II, 27 (90%); DD, 2 (6.67%) and ID, 1 (3.33%) in control, II, 1 (3.33%); DD, 5 (16.67%) and ID, 24 (80%) in HT, II, 4 (13.33%); DD, 24 (80%) and ID, 2 (6.67%) in CKD and II, 0 (0%); DD, 2 (6.67%) and ID, 28 (93.33%) in CKD-HT group.

Conclusions:

D allele of ACE gene confers a greater role in genetic variations underlying CKD and hypertension. This result suggest that CKD patients should be offered analysis for defects in ACE I/D polymorphisms, especially if they are hypertensive.
Prevalence of autism spectrum disorders among children (1-10 years of age) - Findings of a mid-term report from Northwest India
Authors: Raina SK , Kashyap V , Bhardwaj AK , Kumar D , Chander V
Published: October 2015

Background:

India is the second most populous country of the world. A large portion of the population of this country is below 20 years of age but still there is a paucity of information about the prevalence and incidence of many developmental disorders. This study was planned to estimate the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in the selected areas (tribal, rural, and urban) of a northern state of India, Himachal Pradesh.

Methods:

A cross-sectional two-phase study was conducted covering all the children in the range of 1-10 years of age. Phase one included screening of all the children in the age group of 1-10 years, with the help of an indigenous assessment tool for autism. The sociodemographic profile of the participants was also recorded during phase one. Phase two involved the clinical evaluation of individuals who were suspected of autism on screening.

Results:

The results show a prevalence rate of 0.9/1000. The highest prevalence rate was observed in the rural area.

Conclusions:

Socioeconomic status (SES) may be one of the fundamental indicators for ASDs in India.
Функция Браудера и теоремы о неподвижных точках и совпадениях
Authors: Fomenko Tatiana Nikolaevna
Published: October 2015

Вводится понятие функционала, подчиненного функциональному ряду, понятие функции Браудера, а также понятие функционала, подчиненного функции Браудера. Доказываются теоремы о поиске нулей для введенных типов функционалов. На этой основе получено некоторое развитие, для многозначных отображений, известной теоремы Ф. Браудера о неподвижной точке, а также доказаны теоремы об общих прообразах и совпадениях отображений метрических пространств, обобщающие некоторые известные результаты.
Библиография: 9 наименований.
Поперечники весовых классов Соболева на области с пиком
Authors: Vasil'eva Anastasia Andreevna
Published: October 2015

Получены порядковые оценки колмогоровских, гельфандовских и линейных поперечников единичных шаров весовых пространств Соболева на области с пиком в весовом пространстве Лебега. Рассматриваются некоторые предельные условия на параметры, при которых оценки поперечников могут отличаться от оценок в случае единичных весов и области с липшицевой границей.
Библиография: 52 названия.
О разрешимости задачи Дирихле для неоднородного эллиптического уравнения второго порядка
Authors: Gushchin Anatolii Konstantinovich
Published: October 2015

Рассматривается обобщающая понятия классического и обобщенного решений постановка задачи Дирихле, в которой решение принадлежит пространству $(n-1)$-мерно непрерывных функций со значениями в пространстве $L_p$. Свойство $(n-1)$-мерной непрерывности аналогично классическому определению
равномерной непрерывности, но вместо значения функции в точке рассматриваются ее следы на мерах из специального класса - элементы $L_p$ по этим мерам. К настоящему времени в рассматриваемой постановке задача исследована недостаточно полно. Прежде всего это относится к условиям на правую часть уравнения, гарантирующим разрешимость задачи. Этому вопросу посвящены основные результаты работы. Обсуждаются термины, в которых такие условия выражаются. Кроме того, исследуется зависимость поведения решения вблизи границы от правой части.
Библиография: 47 названий.
Stratosphere–troposphere exchange (STE) in the vicinity of North Atlantic cyclones
Authors: Reutter P. , Škerlak B. , Sprenger M. , Wernli H.
Published: October 2015

Abstract. It is well known that the storm tracks are a preferred region of stratosphere–troposphere exchange (STE), but a systematic and climatological investigation of the connection between cyclones and STE has not yet been performed. We use two ERA-Interim climatologies of STE and cyclones for the years 1979–2011 to quantify the amount of STE that occurs during the life cycle of North Atlantic cyclones. A Lagrangian method serves to identify individual STE events, and a sophisticated cyclone identification tool detects cyclones, their shape and size from the sea-level pressure (SLP) field and from geopotential height anomalies at 300–700 hPa. Combining the two data sets reveals that roughly 50–60 % of the total STE in the North Atlantic occurs in the vicinity of cyclones and that both downward and upward fluxes of mass across the tropopause (STT and TST, respectively) are more intense in deeper cyclones (lower minimum SLP) compared to less intense cyclones. In summer, STT and TST in the vicinity of cyclones are almost equal; in the other seasons, STT is larger by 25–60 %. Compared to climatology, cross-tropopause mass fluxes are enhanced by a factor of about 1.29 and 1.06 for STT and TST, respectively, when a cyclone is present. On average, STE is strongest during the mature phase of cyclones, i.e., in a 24 h time window around the time of maximum intensity. Systematic patterns of exchange locations relative to the cyclone centre are identified via composite analysis and shed light on the different characteristics of STT and TST. During cyclone intensification and in the mature stage, TST is mainly confined to the cyclone centre, whereas STT occurs mainly in a region further southwest. During the decay of the cyclones, both STT and TST are most frequent close to the cyclone centre, in a region with a fairly low tropopause.
Carbon storage in seagrass soils: long-term nutrient history exceeds the effects of near-term nutrient enrichment
Authors: Armitage A. R. , Fourqurean J. W.
Published: October 2015

Abstract. The carbon sequestration potential in coastal soils is linked to aboveground and belowground plant productivity and biomass, which in turn, is directly and indirectly influenced by nutrient input. We evaluated the influence of long-term and near-term nutrient input on aboveground and belowground carbon accumulation in seagrass beds, using a nutrient enrichment (nitrogen and phosphorus) experiment embedded within a naturally occurring, long-term gradient of phosphorus availability within Florida Bay (USA). We measured organic carbon stocks in soils and above- and belowground seagrass biomass after 17 months of experimental nutrient addition. At the nutrient-limited sites, phosphorus addition increased the carbon stock in aboveground seagrass biomass by more than 300 %; belowground seagrass carbon stock increased by 50–100 %. Soil carbon content slightly decreased (~ 10 %) in response to phosphorus addition. There was a strong but non-linear relationship between soil carbon and Thalassia testudinum leaf nitrogen: phosphorus (N : P) or belowground seagrass carbon stock. When seagrass leaf N : P exceeded a threshold of 75 : 1, or when belowground seagrass carbon stock was less than 100 g m−2, there was less than 3 % organic carbon in the sediment. Despite the marked difference in soil carbon between phosphorus-limited and phosphorus-replete areas of Florida Bay, all areas of the bay had relatively high soil carbon stocks near or above the global median of 1.8 % organic carbon. The relatively high carbon content in the soils indicates that seagrass beds have extremely high carbon storage potential, even in nutrient-limited areas with low biomass or productivity.
In situ measurement of the biogeochemical properties of Southern Ocean mesoscale eddies in the Southwest Indian Ocean, April 2014
Authors: de Villiers S. , Siswana K. , Vena K.
Published: October 2015

Abstract. Several open-ocean mesoscale features, a "young" warm-core (anti-cyclonic) eddy at 52° S, an "older" warm-core eddy at 57.5° S, as well as an adjacent cold-core (cyclonic) eddy at 56° S, were surveyed during a M/V S.A. Agulhas II cruise in April 2014. The main aim of the survey was to obtain hydrographical and biogeochemical profile data for contrasting open-ocean eddies in the Southern Ocean, that will be suitable for comparison and modelling of their heat, salt and nutrient characteristics, and the changes that occur in these properties as warm-core eddies migrate from the polar front southwards into the Southern Ocean. Results show that the older warm-core eddy at 57.5° S is, at its core, 2.7 °C colder than a younger eddy at 52° S, while its dissolved silicate levels are almost 500 % higher and accompanied by chl a levels that are more than 200 % higher than that in the younger eddy. A total of 18 CTD stations were occupied in a sector south of the Southwest Indian Ridge, along three transects crossing several mesoscale features identified from satellite altimetry data prior to the cruise. The CTD data, as well as chl a and dissolved nutrient data (for NO3−, NO2−, PO43− and SiO2) have been processed, quality-controlled and made available via the PANGAEA Data Archiving and Publication database at doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.848875.
Researching affective atmospheres
Authors: Michels C.
Published: October 2015

Abstract. In this contribution, I suggest activating the notion of atmospheres as a heuristic device to empirically research affects. I will argue that analysing the composition of atmospheres allows one to take into account three key dimensions of affects: their spatio-materiality, their sensuality and their (in)stability. Building on a process understanding of atmospheres, I reflect on how each of the three dimensions can be empirically researched and how they interplay in the emergence of atmospheres. I will illustrate these reflections with examples from a current research project on an artistic intervention into public spaces in Berlin.
A new spatially and temporally variable sigma parameter in degree-day melt modelling of the Greenland Ice Sheet 1870–2013
Authors: Jowett A. E. , Hanna E. , Ng F. , Huybrechts P. , Janssens I.
Published: October 2015

Abstract. The degree-day based method of calculating ice-/snow-melt across the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) commonly includes the temperature parameter sigma (σ) accounting for temperature variability on short (sub-monthly down to hourly) timescales, in order to capture melt in months where the mean temperature is below 0 °C. Sigma is typically assumed to be constant in space and time, with values ranging from ~ 2.5 to 5.5 °C. It is unclear in many cases how these values were derived and little sensitivity analysis or validation has been conducted. Here we determine spatially and temporally varying monthly values of σ for the unique, extended 1870–2013 timescale based on downscaled, corrected European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Interim (ERA-I) and Twentieth Century Reanalysis (20CR) meteorological reanalysis 2 m air temperatures on a 5 km × 5 km polar stereographic grid for the GrIS. The resulting monthly σ values reveal a distinct seasonal cycle. The mean summer σ value for the study period is ~ 3.2 °C, around 1 °C lower than the value of 4.2 °C commonly used in the literature. Sigma values for individual summers range from 1.7 to 5.9 °C. Since the summer months dominate the melt calculation, use of the new variable σ parameter would lead to a smaller melt area and a more positive surface mass balance for the GrIS. Validation of our new variable σ dataset shows good agreement with standard deviations calculated from automatic weather station observations across the ice sheet. Trend analysis shows large areas of the ice sheet exhibit statistically significant increasing temperature variability from 1870–2013 in all seasons, with notable exceptions around Summit in spring, and Summit and South Dome in winter. More recently, since 1990, σ has been decreasing, significantly so in the north-west during July. These interannual σ trends reflect climate change and variability processes operating across the ice sheet, several mechanisms of which are briefly discussed.
Honour, Violence and Heteronormativity
Authors: Asquith Nicole L
Published: October 2015

Popular representations of Honour Based Violence (HBV) and honour killings construct this violence as an artefact of an uncivilised code of morality. Here ird, sharaf or izzat and shame are adhered to particular moral codes that are more likely to be found in the Quran. This clichéd version of HBV frames Muslim women’s sexual autonomy as exceptionally regulated, most commonly by male family members with the complicity of female relatives. In its most extreme (and publicly known) form, HBV is epitomised by the ‘honour’ killings that come to the attention of the criminal justice system and, as a consequence, the media. Yet emerging research shows that HBV unfolds through increasingly punitive systems of social punishment, which is neither unique to Islam, nor religious communities more generally. In this paper, it is argued that the construction of HBV as a matter of deviant and antiquated Muslim honour codes is Islamophobic and that a more productive lens through which to understand collective familial violence may lie in the conceptual framework of heteronormativity.
Limits of UK Counterterrorism Policy and its Implications for Islamophobia and Far Right Extremism
Authors: Abbas Tahir , Awan Imran
Published: October 2015

The UK Government has recently announced a new Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 to facilitate tackling the threat of violent extremism. In light of this and previous initiatives, this paper provides a critical assessment of UK counterterrorism policy. This policy has created a notion of ‘suspect communities’ such that it has alienated young Muslims at the community engagement level, conceivably and empirically, potentially further exacerbating concerns government and communities have over questions of radicalisation, extremism, and the associated political and criminal violence. This paper argues that such policies can lead to the institutionalisation of Islamophobia, acting as an echo chamber for far right extremism to flourish. Significant gaps in government policy in this area can only be addressed by fostering effective relations between communities and policy makers, with enablers such as police officers, youth workers, activists and faith leaders empowered to formulate nuanced approaches in various local area settings. Given the social, cultural and political situation regarding British Muslim youth, including those presently thought to be fighting in parts of Iraq and Syria, as well as ongoing threats on UK soil presented as imminent and dangerous by UK government, there remain acute challenges with limited opportunities.
Turning Asylum Seekers into ‘Dangerous Criminals’: Experiences of the Criminal Justice System of those Seeking Sanctuary
Authors: Bhatia Monish
Published: October 2015

Since the events of 9/11 in the US in 2001 and, four years later, the 7/7 London bombings in the UK, warnings of terrorist attacks are high on the public agenda in many western countries. Politicians and tabloid press in the UK have continued to make direct and indirect connections between asylum seekers, terrorism and crime. This has increasingly resulted in harsh policy responses to restrict the movement of ‘third-world’ nationals, criminalisation of immigration and asylum policy, and making the violation of immigration laws punishable through criminal courts. This paper largely highlights the narratives of five asylum seekers who committed ‘crime’ by breaching immigration laws and were consequently treated as ‘dangerous criminals’ by the state authorities. More importantly it shows how these individuals experienced this treatment. The aim of this paper is to give voice to the victims of state abuse, claim space for victim agency, gather victim testimonies, challenge official explanations and in the process confront criminal and racist state practices.
In Defence of Culture? Racialised Sexual Violence and Agency in Legal and Judicial Narratives
Authors: Dagistanli Selda
Published: October 2015

There is a rich body of work in critical race and feminist theories that have criticised as Euro/Anglo-centric, and hence exclusionary, the liberal foundations of Western democratic legal systems. The basis of such critiques is that legal personhood is premised on an atomistic individual agent that purports to be neutral but in actuality reflects and maintains the hegemonic gendered and raced status quo privileging the white, middle to upper-class man to the exclusion of women and all racial and cultural Others. Some approaches, such as cultural defences in criminal law, have sought to address this via a recognition and incorporation of the difference of Other groups and their different moral norms, proclivities and circumstances. To illustrate, this discussion will draw on a cultural defence that was advanced in a series of group sexual violence cases that involved four Pakistani, Muslim brothers. While concluding that culture permeates the actions of all individuals, this article seeks to show how cultural recognition approaches in law often overlook the individual agency of those differentiated through their racial, ethnic and religious visibility. Instead of asserting the primacy of individual free will and a rational agent as the main driver of criminal behaviour cultural defences, in particular, appear to attribute criminal action to the morally aberrant traditions and practices of non-Western cultures. At the same time, such approaches to cultural recognition fail to acknowledge that culture, and not just the culture of Others, is necessarily the backdrop for all (group) sexual violence. With these points in mind, the paper ends with some suggestions for accommodating alternative narratives that seek to avoid the reductive scripts that currently appear to characterise legal and judicial musings on culture
George Morgan and Scott Poynting (eds) Global Islamophobia: Muslims and Moral Panic in the West. London: Ashgate.
Authors: Debney Ben
Published: October 2015

Previous to 2001, Islam was a mere flicker on the radar of popular xenophobic paranoia. A decade and a half and the world’s first global moral panic later, this situation has changed entirely, apparently by design. As the editors of Global Islamophobia point out, the Terror Scare has elevated Muslims to ‘transnational folk devil,’ foisting the logic of ‘if you think for yourselves the terrorists win’ on the public realm in the name of defending democratic values. The paradoxical character of the generally destructive effects of this Terror Scare on democratic culture remains hard to miss, not least given the rhetoric about western values that tends to accompany much of the debate.Download the PDF file from this page to read Ben Debney's complete review of George Mirgan and Scott Poynting's edited book.
Child Maintenance, Father Child Relationships and Family Wellbeing
Authors: Henry Paulette Andrea
Published: October 2015

This study assesses the correlation between the provision of child maintenance and father child relationship which ultimately affects child wellbeing. Using a mixed method approach, court records were examined over a five year period and interviews with thirty fathers were conducted. The data reveal that the majority of fathers were in non-marital relationships, pointing to the vulnerability of children born within such unions especially when family finances are scarce. Perceptions on the father child relationship were sought from fathers on their relationship with their children. The study found that fathers understood their financial responsibilities to their children and yearned for improved relationships with their offspring but their economic situation, relationships with the mother of the child, geographic proximity, family of origin and the court system hindered these relationships. Options to consider when fathers cannot meet their financial commitment have been proposed.
Maternidade e Identidade em Mulheres que Perderam Filhos: Aspectos Psicossociais
Authors: Nogueira Eder Luiz , Nascimento Adriano Roberto Afonso
Published: October 2015

O objetivo dessa investigação foi compreender o processo de construção e de reconstrução da identidade, naqueles elementos relacionados à maternidade, de mulheres que perderam filhos. Foram entrevistadas sete mulheres com idades entre 39 e 56 anos, que perderam filhos/as por causas violentas ou acidentais. Dois procedimentos de análise foram utilizados: Análise de Conteúdo e Análise Fenomenológica Interpretativa. Foram identificadas nos relatos a percepção da maternidade ancorada em atributos tradicionais e a percepção da morte dos filhos como sem sentido. Na busca pela coerência para a memória e para a identidade, essas mulheres têm encontrado na saudade uma estratégia para o não esquecimento dos filhos em um contexto no qual se espera que a dor dessa perda seja vivida em silêncio.
The Biblical Hebrew Feminine Singular Qal Participle: A Historical Reconstruction
Authors: Price J.H.
Published: October 2015

This article seeks to explain the development of the Biblical Hebrew Qal feminine singular active participle's curious combination of grammatical forms. Beginning with the distribution of the feminine morphemes -t and -ââ on participle's grammatical states, it is argued that one participle existed at the Proto-Hebrew stage. This leads to the contention that a secondary form developed from the original form, before the original was influenced by qeṭel nouns and word final -elet through analogy.
A New Interpretation of Job 19:26
Authors: Pinker Aron
Published: October 2015

This article offers a new interpretation Job 19:26, a passage which is arguably one of the most difficult and obscure in the book. The article surveys earlier interpretations, including the various versions of the text as well as medieval and modern commentators, and points to the limits of the readings that have been offered so far. Taking into account the immediate context of v. 26, the article proposes a new solution based on a minimal emendation of the MT. In the resulting reading, Job expresses his conviction that God will eventually vindicate him, and heal his skin and flesh. In keeping with recent studies of Job, this reading can be related to the broader issue of disability in the book.
Behind the Scenes of a Priestly Polemic: Leviticus 14 and its Extra-Biblical Parallels
Authors: Feder Yitzhaq
Published: October 2015

This article examines the relationship between disease, pollution and sin in the Priestly writings, focusing on the rites for the purification of ṣara'at in Leviticus 14. In particular, it evaluates the contested question of whether this text is implicitly polemical in light of extra-biblical texts dealing with similar subject matter, especially a ritual for the treatment of skin disease from Emar. These comparisons enable a more precise characterization of the Priestly agenda reflected in Lev 14 and suggest that the traditional notion of pollution in Israel may have been deliberately reinterpreted.
Reviewer Acknowledgements for Journal of Food Research, Vol. 4 No. 5
Authors: Dong Bella
Published: October 2015

Reviewer Acknowledgements for Journal of Food Research, Vol. 4 No. 5, October 2015.
De koningseed als moreel en realistisch venster op koninkrijksrelaties
Authors: ten Berge J.B.J.M.
Published: October 2015

De koningseed als moreel en realistisch venster op koninkrijksrelaties. Een ministaatsleer van het Euro-Caribische Koninkrijk der Nederlanden

De koningseed is een ministaatsleer van het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden als doelgemeenschap van volkeren met elk een eigen nationalisme. De staatkundige vorm van deze volkerengemeenschap is een postkoloniale mengvorm van integratie in het oude moederland en een vrije associatie. Doelen zijn het voor de bevolking waarborgen van (1) externe veiligheid (defensie), (2) een interne democratische rechtsorde, (3)welvaart en (4) internationaal burgerschap. In de steeds weer oplaaiende discussies over onafhankelijkheid zal dan ook gezocht moeten worden naar alternatieve garanties voor de bevolking op alle vier punten.
Erfrecht in de onderwereld (deel 3)
Authors: van der Geld L.A.G.M. , Nobel J.
Published: October 2015

Erfrecht in de onderwereld (deel 3)

In dit deel 3 van de reeks ‘Erfrecht in de onderwereld’ wordt ingegaan op de gevolgen van criminele elementen in de nalatenschap voor de afwikkeling daarvan. Onder meer wordt het afdragen van het criminele deel van de nalatenschap aan de Staat door de erfgenamen, om een veroordeling wegens witwassen te voorkomen, uitgewerkt. Er wordt een uitstapje gemaakt naar de verhaalsmogelijkheden voor justitie op de nalatenschap als er een criminele erfgenaam in plaats van erflater is.