bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Theban Kingdom of Dynasty 16: Its Rise, Administration and Politics
Authors: Ilin-Tomich Alexander
Published: November 2014

This paper focuses on the emergence of the Theban kingdom of Dynasty 16 in the Second Intermediate Period and explores the historical repercussions of its assumed struggle with the declining state of Dynasty 13 centered at Itjtawy. A revision of the recent evidence from Edfu raises doubts about the alleged contemporaneity of Sobekhotep iv and Khayan. A survey of administrative titles in the sources pertaining to the Theban kingdom testifies that it arose independently based on the local power structures of the Late Middle Kingdom rather than because of a relocation from the north. The separation of the nascent Theban kingdom from the state of Dynasty 13 and a surmised consequent confrontation between these entities had an impact on the ideology of the new polity and influenced the policy of its direct successor—the state of Dynasty 17 and the early New Kingdom. The original lack of legitimacy of Dynasty 16 could have been one of the reasons for overstating the power of the Hyksos in historical texts—in order to justify Theban claims to rule in Middle and Lower Egypt.
Digital Activism
Authors: Car Viktorija
Published: November 2014

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, technological innovations and the development of digital media have brought about new possibilities for media content providers and, because of their interactivity, for the users as well. The advent of the internet age, Web 2.0 technology, and the ubiquity of cell phones have imparted high expectations that new media technologies will systematically enhance civic engagement and further develop national and global political cultures.

This paper focuses on how citizens in Croatia are taking the opportunities offered by new media for civil and political activism. Digital platforms are used more and more frequently for activism in Croatian civil society, especially Facebook – the number one digital tool activists use to spread information or invite members to events. It happened first in late April 2008, when third-year high school students, unified on a national level via Facebook, organized protests against the ‘national school-leaving examination’ that they had to take the year after. The protest was successful, and the Minister of Science and Education postponed the examination for another year. Since then, a number of different digital activities of civil engagement have been organized in Croatia, but the success of the first one has yet to be repeated.

The conclusion of this paper is that digital activism in Croatia is not well developed yet. There are only a small number of activists who use digital media regularly and strategically for their actions, and they are usually found amongst the smaller, urban minority, as these opportunities for digital mobilization have not yet reached mainstream society. Usually, it is the same few groups that support different types of action, and use digital media for a variety of social and political goals.
International Advice and Institutional (Mis)configuration
Authors: Arandarenko Mihail , Uvalic Milica
Published: November 2014

International aid and assistance to the Western Balkans, which began more than two decades ago after the disintegration of sfr Yugoslavia, has been severely criticised on various grounds by academics, politicians, and domestic elites. One of the main points of criticism has been heavy foreign interference into domestic affairs, which deprives local policy-makers of ‘policy ownership.’ This paper uses four paradigmatic examples of reform in Serbia – in the areas of labor market, income taxation, pensions system, and privatization – to show that, despite the widely accepted view of the dominant role of international actors in the creation of the reform agenda, there was significant room for local policy-makers in Serbia to exercise full ownership over the ongoing reforms. What policy-makers really needed was expertise, a clear vision of the desired reforms, the determination to defend their agenda, and technical skills to implement it. The significantly different outcomes of the four areas of reform analyzed in this paper, despite involving virtually the same actors of international intervention, seem to illustrate well our hypothesis that the failure of some important sectoral reforms in Serbia during the post-2000 period was the result of the policy-makers’ own weaknesses, rather than the result of external conditionality.
INTERNATIONAL ACTION AGAINST PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY AT SEA OFF THE COAST OF SOMALIA
Authors: Annoni Alessandra
Published: November 2014

In recent years the international community has engaged in an unprecedented joint naval effort to combat piracy and armed robbery off the coast of Somalia. This paper examines the legal basis of the multinational police missions deployed in Somali territorial and internal waters and the law applicable to their operations. Subsequently it discusses the scope of domestic criminal jurisdiction to try Somali pirates and armed robbers and the mechanisms for transferring suspects to the authorities of the prosecuting State. The responsibility of States and international organizations for wrongful acts allegedly perpetrated in the course of these counterpiracy operations is also assessed. Stressing the peculiarity of the Somali case and highlighting both the achievements and shortcomings of the missions authorised by the UN Security Council, it is argued that the “Somali strategy” is unlikely to be replicated elsewhere and is particularly unsuitable for the new hotbeds of piracy and armed robbery: the Gulf of Guinea and Indonesia.
EFFECTIVE LIMITATIONS AND ILLUSORY RIGHTS: A COMMENT ON THE MOTHERS OF SREBRENICA DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS
Authors: Spiga Valentina
Published: November 2014

The latest attempt by the relatives of the victims of the Srebrenica massacre to hold the UN accountable for the inaction of UNPROFOR while the Bosnian enclave was attacked has once again proven unsuccessful. In a unanimous decision in the Stichting Mothers of Srebrenica and others v. the Netherlands case, the European Court of Human Rights declared the application to be ill-founded, finding that the decision of Dutch courts to grant immunity to the UN did not violate the applicants’ right of access to a court. An intrinsic tension between two contemporary trends seems to be embodied in this recent decision. On the one hand the decision follows established and authoritative practice according to which a civil claim cannot override immunity from jurisdiction even though no alternative means of redress is available. On the other hand it conflicts with the growing emphasis placed on the right of access to justice and the right to remedy for victims of gross violations of human rights in the last decade. This note aims to provide a critical review of the decision, focusing on the “alternative means of remedy” test in cases involving the immunity of international organizations. In doing so, the note questions whether such a test must always be a prerequisite for the effective enjoyment of the right of access to a court.
Public and Private Rulings in Jewish Law (Halakhah): Flexibility, Concealment, and Feminist Jurisprudence
Authors: Irshai Ronit
Published: November 2014

Jewish law includes two parallel systems of halakhic ruling: public and private. There is often a significant gap between what halakhic authorities proclaim publicly and what they are willing to say, on the same topic, in private.

The ability to deviate from the original ruling in order to solve concrete problems answers one of the central demands of feminist critics of the law. It enables flexibility and creativity on the part of the decisor and avoids the characteristic pitfalls of the generalized nature of the law, which, according to feminist critics, affect primarily women. On the face of it, halakhah works in this flexible mode. However, the selective concealment mechanism built into the halakhic system prevents this benefit from being felt, primarily by disadvantaged populations. In its absence Jewish law may be capable, at least in principle, of instituting a halakhic model which responds to inherent problems within the two parallel systems of halakhah as well as to feminist sensibilities.
A new species of Psychrophrynella (Anura: Craugastoridae) from the Cordillera Real, Department La Paz, Bolivia
Authors: Riva Ignacio De la , Burrowes Patricia A.
Published: November 2014

We describe a new species of Psychrophrynella from a single locality in the Cordillera Real, in the Andes of Department of La Paz, Bolivia. Psychrophrynella teqta sp. nov. is highly variable in color pattern and differs from the species geographically closer mostly by presenting yellow or red blotches, usually absent in other species. In addition, the new species differs from all species in the genus because the males have a pulsed call. Males of this species show parental care, and the high number of eggs per nest suggest that perhaps more than one clutch might be attended by a single male. As other species in the genus, the new species is infected by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, and thus, a conservation threat is already present upon its discovery.
Predicting Small-Scale, Short-Lived Downbursts: Case Study with the NWP Limited-Area ALARO Model for the Pukkelpop Thunderstorm
Authors: De Meutter Pieter , Gerard Luc , Smet Geert , Hamid Karim , Hamdi Rafiq , Degrauwe Daan , Termonia Piet
Published: November 2014

The authors consider a thunderstorm event in 2011 during a music festival in Belgium that produced a short-lived downburst of a diameter of less than 100 m. This is far too small to be resolved by the kilometric resolutions of today’s operational numerical weather prediction models. Operational forecast models will not run at hectometric resolutions in the foreseeable future. The storm caused five casualties and raised strong societal questions regarding the predictability of such a traumatic weather event.

In this paper it is investigated whether the downdrafts of a parameterization scheme of deep convection can be used as proxies for the unresolved downbursts. To this end the operational model ALARO [a version of the Action de Recherche Petite Echelle Grande Echelle-Aire Limitée Adaptation Dynamique Développement International (ARPEGE-ALADIN) operational limited area model with a revised and modular structure of the physical parameterizations] of the Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium is used. While the model in its operational configuration at the time of the event did not give a clear hint of a downburst event, it has been found that (i) the use of unsaturated downdrafts and (ii) some adaptations of the features of this downdraft parameterization scheme, specifically the sensitivity to the entrainment and friction, can make the downdrafts sensitive enough to the surrounding resolved-scale conditions to make them useful as indicators of the possibility of such downbursts.
Characteristics and management of domestic waste in the rural area of Southwest China
Authors: Han Zhiyong , Liu Dan , Lei Yunhui , Wu Jing , Li Shulan
Published: November 2014

With its rapid development, the rural area of Southwest China has been puzzled by the waste management problem, especially for increasing solid waste and water pollution from the domestic waste. Therefore, in order to efficiently and effectively manage the domestic waste in the rural area of Southwest China, 22 villages were selected randomly to analyse the characteristics of domestic waste, the influence factors of characteristics and resident’s willingness of participation in domestic waste management by questionnaires, field samplings and laboratory tests. The results of the rural area of Southwest China indicated that the generation of domestic waste was 178 g d−1 per capita and it was mainly composed of kitchen waste, inert waste, plastics and paper with a total proportion of 81.98%. The waste bulk density, moisture, ash, combustible and lower calorific value were 107 kg m−3, 37.04%, 25.73%, 37.23% and 8008 kJ kg−1, respectively. These characteristics were influenced by the topography, the distance from towns or cities, the villagers’ ethnicities and income sources to some extent. Moreover, the distance of 50–800 m between each collection facility and the disposal fee of around ¥5.00 per household per month could be accepted. The working hours of participation in waste management is suggested as 5 hours per day with the income of ¥1000 per capita per month. Based on the outcome of this survey, a waste management system consisting of classified collection, centralised treatment and decentralised treatment was proposed. It is important to ensure financial viability and practical considerations of this system.
Conceptualizing a Model for Improving Access to Medicines in Rural India
Authors: Batliboi Shara M. , Tambe Suhas
Published: November 2014

India’s health care infrastructure has not kept pace with the economy’s growth. Today only 25 per cent of the Indian population has access to allopathic medicine, practiced mainly in urban areas. Rural India’s health is supported, not always adequately, by the government’s National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).

 This study proposes a model for distributing free medicines to villages. Medicines, a few months before their expiry dates, normally wasted, would be obtained from urban stockists/chemists. Pharmaceutical companies, by giving their consent, could partner with the model. The transfer of drugs to rural India would be via the widespread Indian postal network. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), postal employees and trained NRHM personnel would mobilize the model. Such a public–private partnership brings together members of civil society (e.g., NGOs), public sector (e.g., government agencies) and private sector (e.g., pharmaceutical companies) to fund, coordinate and drive the model, addressing the gaps in rural access to health care.
Plugging in: Power sockets, standards and the valencies of national habitus
Authors: Taylor Damon
Published: November 2014

This article examines why it is not possible to plug a British plug directly into a Dutch power socket. The author traces the development of the British Standard BS1363 plug-socket assembly and compares it to the European arrangement in order to demonstrate how the ‘banal nationalism’ of everyday life is formed and can be seen to be manifest in everyday utilitarian artefacts. A concept of nationhood that is formed in terms of ‘national habitus’ is elaborated, the nation is envisaged as being constituted by the socio-technological infrastructures upon which it depends, which are established as being formed by the governmentalities that have allowed them to come into being, and it is suggested that such a system will operate at a range of scales or valencies. By tracing the history of the two examples given, the intention is to demonstrate how each national habitus depends upon a particular technical development shaped by social forces.
Can colors, voices, and images help learners acquire the grammatical gender of German nouns?
Authors: Dias de Oliveira Santos Victor
Published: November 2014

Knowledge of lexical items is arguably the most essential aspect of being able to communicate in a foreign language (Richards, 2000). Many studies have examined effective strategies for retaining the meaning of foreign words, but studies investigating the effectiveness of different methods for the retention of essential grammatical features of those words are unfortunately fewer. This study investigates whether memorizing the gender of German nouns concomitantly to their meaning results in a decreased ability by undergraduate native speakers of English to remember noun meaning, and whether a mnemonic approach to retaining the grammatical gender of German nouns may prove effective. In possibly the largest study of its kind ( n = 283), the effectiveness of several mnemonic devices (colors, voices, images, and a combination of these) is also investigated for the retention of noun gender in German. The sole use of images simultaneously coding for noun meaning and gender led to the best observed results, as indicated by scores on two post-tests. The use of images seems to be a promising mnemonic technique for helping learners remember the gender of German nouns, while at the same time not significantly compromising their ability to recall noun meaning. The results of the present study have possible implications for German materials development and teaching, and for computer assisted language learning (CALL) in general.
Researching Emotions in Interactions: Seeing and Analysing Live Processes
Authors: Godbold Natalya
Published: November 2014

Emotions are processes with social origins and manifestations. However, the challenges of obtaining data on such volatile phenomena might restrict empirical research. This article presents methodological recommendations for the study of emotional processes during interactions, comprising an approach influenced by ethnomethodology. Key requirements include (a) detailed interactional data; (b) examination of whichever emotions emerge instead of studying predefined categories; and (c) nuanced “insider” understandings. Rather than focusing on individuals or the broad social milieu, useful insights are available via nuanced examination of emotional trajectories as they are manifested in interactions. An example of the translation of these perspectives into method is briefly demonstrated using excerpts from a study which explored interactions in online discussion boards.
Sharp bounds for Neuman means in terms of one-parameter family of bivariate means
Authors: Shao Zhi-Hua , Qian Wei-Mao , Chu Yu-Ming
Published: November 2014

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General iterative algorithms for mixed equilibrium problems, a general system of generalized equilibria and fixed point problems
Authors: Hu Hui-Ying , Ceng Lu-Chuan , Song Yan-Lai
Published: November 2014

In this paper, we introduce and analyze a general iterative algorithm for finding a common solution of a finite family of mixed equilibrium problems, a general system of generalized equilibria and a fixed point problem of nonexpansive mappings in a real Hilbert space. Under some appropriate conditions, we derive the strong convergence of the sequence generated by the proposed algorithm to a common solution, which also solves some optimization problem. The result presented in this paper improves and extends some corresponding ones in the earlier and recent literature.

MSC:49J30, 47H10, 47H15.
Multicarrier waveforms with I/Q staggering: uniform and nonuniform FBMC formats
Authors: Jošilo Slađana , Pejović Miloš , Đorđević Branko , Narandžić Milan , Nedić Slobodan
Published: November 2014

Starting from the well-known uniform filter bank multicarrier (FBMC) format with Nyquist spectral shaping of frequency-limited orthogonal (FLO) subchannels and its dual time-frequency, time-limited orthogonal (TLO) form, we introduce an orthogonal frequency division multiplex of nonuniformly spaced subchannels with unequal width.

The orthogonality conditions for nonuniform FBMC (Nu-FBMC) were evaluated through simulations using the ‘extended orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM)’ framework, as well as through analytical derivation in a rather pragmatic manner. The referent filter bank impulse responses were defined in frequency domain by straightforward aggregations of the pertaining uniform filter bank subchannels spectral shapes for FLO and by transforming the frequency domain of appropriately aggregated time-limited referent impulse responses of uniform TLO configuration. Nonsymmetrical spectral shaping of subchannels in the FLO case format has also been proposed. The spectral efficiency has been evaluated in the presence of nonlinear distortions caused by high power amplifier (HPA), and results have been given in accordance with power spectral density (PSD) constraints defined by IEEE 802.11a standard.
Depression symptoms in people with diabetes attending outpatient podiatry clinics for the treatment of foot ulcers
Authors: Pearson Sue , Nash Toni , Ireland Vanessa
Published: November 2014

Background

The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of depressive symptoms, diabetes self‐management, and quality of life in people with diabetes and foot ulcers. Ulcer status, mortality and amputations were also assessed at six months follow‐up.

Methods

This was a cross‐sectional survey of people attending outpatient podiatry clinics at a major tertiary referral hospital. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ). Diabetes self‐care was assessed using the Summary of Diabetes Self Care Activities (SDSCA) measure. Health‐related quality of life was measured using the physical component summary score (PCS) and the mental component summary score (MCS) of the SF‐12.

Results

Of the 60 participants in the study 14 (23.3%) reported mild symptoms of depression (PHQ score 5‐9) and 17 (28.3%) moderate to severe depressive symptoms (PHQ score > 9). Twenty‐one (35%) met the criteria for previously recognized depression (on antidepressants and/or a diagnosis of depression in the last 12 months) and 17 (28.3%) for depression not previously recognized (PHQ > 4). Seventeen (28%) participants had been receiving antidepressant treatment for a median duration of 104 weeks (IQR 20, 494 weeks). Despite antidepressant treatment 12 participants (70.6% of those taking antidepressants) still reported moderate to severe depressive symptoms at the time of the study. Patients with PHQ scores > 4 reported poorer adherence to diabetes self‐care activities including general diet, exercise, blood sugar monitoring and foot care when compared to those participants with PHQ scores < 5. No association was found between physical functioning (PCS) and depressive symptoms. Decreasing mental wellbeing (MCS) was associated with increasing depressive symptoms. At six months follow‐up, there were three deaths and three amputations in participants with PHQ scores > 4 compared with no deaths and 2 amputations in participants with PHQ scores < 5. There was no association between depressive symptoms and ulcer healing or ulcer recurrence at the six‐month follow‐up.

Conclusions

This study found a high prevalence of depressive symptoms both recognized and unrecognized in people with diabetes and foot ulcers. Depressive symptoms were associated with overall poorer diabetes self‐management and health‐related quality of life (HRQoL). There was no association between depressive symptoms and ulcer outcomes at six‐months follow‐up.
Contrast-enhanced ultrasound evaluation of renal microcirculation in sheep
Authors: Schneider Antoine G , Calzavacca Paolo , Schelleman Anthony , Huynh Tim , Bailey Michael , May Clive , Bellomo Rinaldo
Published: November 2014

Background

Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) is a novel imaging modality to estimate microvascular perfusion. We aimed to assess renal cortical microcirculatory changes by CEUS during pharmacologically or mechanically induced modifications of renal blood flow (RBF) in experimental animals.

Methods

We implanted invasive transit-time Doppler flow probes and a vascular occluder around the renal artery in six Merino sheep. After induction of general anaesthesia, renal CEUS studies with destruction-replenishment sequences were performed at baseline and after different interventions aimed at modifying RBF. First, we administered angiotensin II (AngII) to achieve a 25% (AngII 25%) and 50% (AngII 50%) decrease in RBF. Then, we applied mechanical occlusion of the renal artery until RBF decreased by 25% (Occl 25%) and 50% (Occl 50%) of the baseline. Finally, a single dose of 25 mg of captopril was administered. CEUS sequences were analysed offline with dedicated software and perfusion indices (PI) calculated.

Results

Pharmacological reduction of RBF with AngII was associated with a 62% (range: 68 decrease to 167 increase) increase (AngII 25%) and a 5% increase in PI (range: 92% decrease to 53% increase) (AngII 50%) in PI. Mechanical occlusion of the renal artery was associated with a 2% (range: 43% decrease to 2% increase) decrease (Occl 25%) and a 67% (range: 63% decrease to a 120% increase) increase (Occl 50%) in PI. The administration of captopril was associated with a 8% (range: 25% decrease to a 101% increase) decrease in PI. Pooled changes in PI failed to reach statistical significance. The study was limited by the difficulty to obtain high quality images.

Conclusions

CEUS-derived parameters were highly heterogeneous in this sheep model. The current protocol and model did not allow the evaluation of the correlation between macro and microcirculation assessment by CEUS.
A procedure for collecting electromagnetic data using multiple transmitters and receivers capable of deep and focused exploration
Authors: Lymburner Joshua , Smith Richard S.
Published: November 2014

Many ground controlled-source electromagnetic (EM) systems have been deployed, and under ideal conditions these systems are capable of detecting large conductors to depths of approximately 800 m; however, more common detection limits are less than 400 m. Although these systems have been used with great success, they may experience two weaknesses when exploring for deeper conductors: poor coupling with the target and small signal-to-noise ratios (S/Ns), both of which decrease the quality and interpretability of the data. We evaluated a novel time-domain EM procedure that addresses these weaknesses. The coupling weakness was addressed through multiple transmitter locations and multiple receiver locations, and the S/N was increased by spatial stacking of measurements (from the various transmitter-receiver combinations). A field test of this procedure was undertaken. Reciprocity data indicated that the noise levels of the vertical component data we acquired were about [Formula: see text]. Spatial stacking of the data can reduce the noise levels by a factor of seven. This means that a small conductor previously only visible to 150 m could be seen to 275 m and a conductor visible to 300 m could be seen to 575 m. One challenge of the new procedure was the time required to collect all the transmitter-receiver combinations — this time can be reduced using the principle of reciprocity and not repeating approximately reciprocal measurements. Another challenge was to visualize and interpret the large volumes of data collected using the procedure — this has been partially addressed by creating equivalent-dipole depth sections. Synthetic and real equivalent-dipole depth sections appeared very similar and illustrated that these images of the subsurface could be interpreted. However, the features appeared too deep on the sections, so better visualization techniques could be developed.
Urocortin 2 Role in Placental and Myometrial Inflammatory Mechanisms at Parturition
Authors: Voltolini Chiara , Battersby Sharon , Novembri Romina , Torricelli Michela , Severi Filiberto M. , Petraglia Felice , Norman Jane E.
Published: November 2014

The purpose of the study was to investigate urocortin (Ucn)2 involvement in placental and myometrial inflammatory pathways associated with parturition by evaluating: 1) Ucn2 and its receptor, CRH-receptor type 2 (CRH-R2), expression in laboring/nonlaboring human gestational tissues and in mouse utero-placental tissues approaching delivery; and 2) Ucn2 effect on myometrial contractility and on the expression of inflammatory mediators (prostaglandin F2α receptor and cytokines) and regulation of Ucn2 by TNF-α in cultured myometrial cell line. Placenta (n = 16), fetal membranes (n = 16), and myometrium (n = 22) were obtained from healthy pregnant women delivering at term by vaginal/elective caesarean delivery and from timed-pregnant mice on days 16–19. Expression of Ucn2/CRH-R2 in human/mouse tissues and inflammatory mediators in myometrial cell lines were measured by RT-PCR or ELISA, mouse Ucn2/CRH-R2 protein localization by immunohistochemistry. Ucn2 but not CRH-R2 was up-regulated (P < .05) in all human tissues in labor (compared with before labor) and increased significantly (P < .01) in mouse placenta approaching delivery. Ucn2 was up-regulated by TNF-α via nuclear factor-κB (NF-kB) in myometrium cell lines (P < .05 or P < .01 on the basis of treatment doses) and increased proinflammatory mediators and prostaglandin F (PGF2α) receptor expression (P < .05) via CRH-R2, without a direct effect on contractility. Placental and myometrial Ucn2 may play a role in the endocrine-inflammatory processes of parturition, representing a potential target for treating inflammation-induced obstetric complications.
Culture Governance of the New Economic Human: The Entrepreneurial Biography in Contemporary China
Authors: Li Chi-she , Huang Tsung-yi Michelle
Published: November 2014

In this essay we argue that stories of rich merchants enable us to see new forms of neoliberal subject imaginary. They serve to teach the public about how to become a profit-seeking person, given that previously formal education did not prepare citizens of the People's Republic of China (PRC) to pursue profit. These popular materials invite the public to reconceptualize the relationship between individuals and society and in this sense constitute a significant cultural strategy for governing the population. Tracing the Chinese variations of the global logic of neoliberal economic man and cultural governance, we intend to read the merchant stories as instances of “glocalization” of neoliberal economic man and demonstrate that the “translation” of the global logic of capitalism to suit local conditions is by no means a neat and tidy task. Our analysis proceeds in two parts. The first section discusses Michel Foucault's concept of human capital and Ludwig von Mises's theory of human action to define neoliberal economic man and then relates these concepts to the formation of a variety of rich-merchant stories. The second section delves into the question of how biographies of the new rich convey, in concrete terms, the practices of cultural governance and reshape agents in the model of the neoliberal economic man, and how these rich-merchant stories prove paradigmatic for entrepreneurs-to-be.
Appraisal of guidelines for pre-operative body wash
Authors: Edström Elisabet , Westerberg Lisa , Henricson Maria
Published: November 2014

The pre-operative body wash is a strategy for reducing post-operative infection. However, there is a lack of knowledge about its importance. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the quality of guidelines for the pre-operative body wash using the AGREE instrument—35 guidelines containing instructions for the pre-operative body wash or preparation were included. The AGREE instrument was employed to establish a quality assessment framework that facilitated a comparison of the guidelines. The results were based on the six domains of the AGREE instrument, all of which were found to have low adherence. Descriptive statistics were used to present the assessment score. The AGREE instrument is useful for evaluating the quality of clinical guidelines. The development of evidence-based guidelines must include clinical activities. Further research is required to clarify the pre-operative body wash process and how it should be performed to reduce post-operative infection.
Against intimacy: focusing on the task in hand in PhD supervision
Authors: Snowden Austyn
Published: November 2014

Worldwide, more nurses are undertaking doctoral studies now than at any other time. However, there is little high-quality evidence focused on investigating successful completion of such studies. Instead there is considerable literature dedicated to untested assumptions about the nature of the supervisory relationship. This article reflects on three critical incidents to show that the key to successful PhD completion may have much less to do with the supervisory relationship than this literature assumes. Success is rather grounded in clear understanding of how all the pertinent tasks fit together. A free online interactive resource is introduced as one method of facilitating this clarity within the supervisory relationship. The effectiveness of this resource could be tested, thereby generating meaningful data for PhD students and their supervisors.
Developing and implementing a protocol for major haemorrhage
Authors: Hargreaves Jessica
Published: November 2014

This article presents the author's experience, in the role of a transfusion practitioner (TP), of developing and implementing a major haemorrhage protocol. A definition is given for the term ‘major haemorrhage’ in conjunction with the incidence of and outcomes for people experiencing excessive blood loss. The advantages and disadvantages of clinical protocols are discussed. Rather than reject the use of protocols because of issues of compliance and resourcing, these should be acknowledged in order to better inform the development and implementation of a protocol. With reference to the specific design of a major haemorrhage protocol for use in an acute NHS trust, a detailed explanation of the stages involved in developing a protocol is given. This is followed by a summary of the standard recommendations specified for protocol implementation. The findings from an audit showed on average that the time to the first transfusion was 26 minutes less for patients in the post-protocol group compared to the pre-protocol group.
How stigma affects healthcare access for transgender sex workers
Authors: Roche Kirsten , Keith Corey
Published: November 2014

Stigmatisation of transgender sex workers (TSWs) has been recognised as contributing to illness and poorer health outcomes for this population. It could be argued that part of this stigma comes from nurses. With their frequent face-to-face interactions with their clients, nurses come from a unique place of power to influence the health outcomes and the feelings and thoughts that transgender sex workers have about the healthcare system in general, and whether or not they feel safe accessing it. Because there is very limited literature that explores stigmatisation of TSWs on the part of nurses, the needs of TSWs are scarcely being addressed. This article addresses why a higher proportion of transgender people participate in sex work compared with people in the general population; how stigmatisation by nurses affects access to healthcare resources for TSWs; why nurses experience stigmatising thoughts and beliefs; and how nurses can create a positive impact on TSW clients. The authors have found that, although there are a number of complex reasons for bias and stigma, it is extremely important for the health of these clients that nurses put empathy, sensitivity and compassion at the forefront of their practice.
Perspectives of an international education initiative in children's palliative care
Authors: Price Jayne , Janicki Jacqueline S , McKee Heather , Nurse Sharon , Gray Eileen
Published: November 2014

Education is viewed as central to improving future palliative care for children and families across all countries. International education initiatives will ensure practitioners are aware of global health issues and can provide culturally sensitive care. Creative and innovative means of meeting such directives are required to achieve meaningful student learning. This paper focuses on one innovation, a children's palliative care workshop using case studies as a teaching method, with nursing students from the USA and nursing and midwifery students from the UK. Key learning points arising from student evaluation were recorded under three main themes, these were: differences across countries, similarities across countries, and making learning fun and memorable. Findings indicated that this joint learning activity was viewed positively by all students and has enabled them to learn with and from each other, potentially impacting on their future practice.
Politics and palliative care: Guatemala
Authors: Smyth Dion
Published: November 2014

Dion Smyth's review of the internet for palliative nursing
The use of an aldosterone antagonist in a patient with chronic kidney disease
Authors: Coleman Adrian , Chai Mee Onn
Published: November 2014

Mr CR has heart failure and chronic kidney disease (CKD). He visits the GP with shortness of breath and fatigue and, suspecting his heart failure has worsened, the GP prescribes spironolactone. Adrian Coleman and Mee Onn Chai discuss the use of this aldosterone antagonist in patients with CKD.
Modeling the Raman Spectrum of Graphitic Material in Rock Samples with Fluorescence Backgrounds: Accuracy of Fitting and Uncertainty Estimation
Authors: Gasda Patrick J. , Ogliore Ryan C.
Published: November 2014

We propose a robust technique called Savitzky–Golay second-derivative (SGSD) fitting for modeling the in situ Raman spectrum of graphitic materials in rock samples such as carbonaceous chondrite meteorites. In contrast to non-derivative techniques, with assumed locally linear or nth-order polynomial fluorescence backgrounds, SGSD produces consistently good fits of spectra with variable background fluorescence of any slowly varying form, without fitting or subtracting the background. In combination with a Monte Carlo technique, SGSD calculates Raman parameters (such as peak width and intensity) with robust uncertainties. To explain why SGSD fitting is more accurate, we compare how different background subtraction techniques model the background fluorescence with the wide and overlapping peaks present in a real Raman spectrum of carbonaceous material. Then, the utility of SGSD is demonstrated with a set of real and simulated data compared to commonly used linear background techniques. Researchers may find the SGSD technique useful if their spectra contain intense background interference with unknown functional form or wide overlapping peaks, and when the uncertainty of the spectral data is not well understood.
Characterization of Hydrophobic Soils: A Novel Approach Using Mid-Infrared Photoacoustic Spectroscopy
Authors: Woolverton Priscilla , Dragila Maria Ines
Published: November 2014

Previous research has produced conclusive evidence to show that soil hydrophobicity is affected by soil organic matter (SOM) and soil water content (WC). Soil hydrophobicity that responds to WC is a unique form of hydrophobicity called reversible hydrophobicity. The mechanistic processes by which water and SOM interact continue to be a subject of investigation. This article presents a novel application of photoacoustic Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) for the investigation of reversibly hydrophobic soils. Photoacoustic FT-IR data show that, in response to hydration, surface molecules on wetted soil particles interacted differently with mid-infrared radiation than surface molecules present on air-dried soil. This can be interpreted as an effect of the reorienting of amphiphilic molecules in response to hydrationdriven entropic processes. These results suggest that the photoacoustic FT-IR method can be used to elucidate how SOM and water interact at the molecular scale to drive soil hydrophobicity.
Imaging the Optical near Field in Plasmonic Nanostructures
Authors: Merlen Alexandre , Lagugné-Labarthet François
Published: November 2014

Over the past five years, new developments in the field of plasmonics have emerged with the goal of finely tuning a variety of metallic nanostructures to enable a desired function. The use of plasmonics in spectroscopy is of course of great interest, due to large local enhancements in the optical near field confined in the vicinity of a metal nanostructure. For a given metal, such enhancements are dependent on the shape of the structure as well as the optical properties (wavelength, phase, polarization) of the impinging light, offering a large degree of control over the optical and spatial localization of the plasmon resonance. In this focal point, we highlight recent work that aims at revealing the spatial position of the localized plasmon resonances using a variety of optical and non-optical methods.
Diagnostic Characteristics of Circovirus Infection in Pigs
Authors: Gjurovski Ivica , Angelovski Branko , Dovenski Toni , Mitrov Dine , Ristoski Trpe
Published: November 2014

The aim of this study is to compare the results from the histopathology and the immunohistochemical method in the diagnostic of Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) infection in pigs. The circovirus infection is a pig disease that is caused by a small, spherical, nonenveloped virus with a single stranded DNA genome which is spread throughout the pig industry worldwide. The circovirus is the etiological agent of a several pig diseases which today are thought to be the cause of the greatest economical loses in pig production. The most important of these diseases is the PMWS (post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome). In this article we have performed an investigation of four farms on which there had been a previous clinical diagnosis of the Post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome. The examination was performed on thirty pigs from these farms, from two to five months old, which had the most severe symptoms of the disease. Necropsy, histopathology and immunohistochemical diagnostic methods were performed. The most significant necropsy findings were the enlarged lymph nodes (especially the inguinal, mediasinal and the mesenteric lymph nodes). The main histopathological changes were located in the lymphatic organs presented by B and T lymphocyte depletion and increase in the number of the macrophages. PCV2 antigen and nucleic acid were detected in almost all of the examined tissues. The examination showed that the histopathological and immunohistochemical methods provide complementary results in diagnosing PCV2 in pigs.
Prevalence and determinants of smoking initiation among school students in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Authors: Racic Maja , Tanovic Sanja , Joksimovic Vedrana R. , Joksimovic Bojan N. , Ristic Sinisa
Published: November 2014

Background:Tobacco smoking amongst the young is a matter of public health concern because of the immediate and long-term health consequences associated with tobacco use, such as asthma, cancers, and cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of this study was to identify the determinants of smoking initiation among a sample of high school students in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Methods:The study was conducted among 198 high school students in Zvornik, Bosnia and Herzegovina, during April 2013. A self-administered, pre-tested, structured, close-ended questionnaire was used for data collection.

Results:Fourth grade students mainly initiated smoking in high school (45%), while the majority of third and second grade students initiated smoking in primary school. Among students who smoke, an average duration of the smoking habit was <2 years. A multivariate analysis showed that males were 5.27 times more likely to have initiated smoking. For every unit increase in pro-smoking attitude towards smoking, students were 5.3 times more likely to have initiated smoking. Those with parents and friends who are smokers were 6.106 and 5.175 times, respectively, more likely to have initiated smoking.

Conclusion:This study indicates that a high proportion of 15–18 year olds in the town of Zvornik are current smokers. Gender, age, and parent and peer influence were identified as important associations with smoking. Interventions should not only be confined to the secondary school environment but they should also extend to their places of residence so that influences in the home environment and social surroundings that contribute to tobacco use are also tackled.
Reduction of pressor response to stress by centrally acting apelin in spontaneously hypertensive rats
Authors: Gomolka Ryszard Stefan , Cudnoch-Jedrzejewska Agnieszka , Czarzasta Katarzyna , Szczepanska-Sadowska Ewa
Published: November 2014

Background: Numerous studies suggest that apelin plays a significant role in cardiovascular regulation and in the pathogenesis of hypertension. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether apelin-13 (AP-13) is involved in the regulation of cardiovascular responses to acute stress in spontaneous hypertension.

Methods: The effects of intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of AP-13 on changes in mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) and heart rate evoked by an alarming stress (air jet stress) were compared in awake normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). The rats were divided into four groups: Groups 1 (WKY) and 3 (SHR) received ICV infusion of 0.9% sodium chloride (vehicle), whereas Groups 2 (WKY) and 4 (SHR) were ICV infused with AP-13. All animals were exposed to the alarming stress.

Results: During the ICV administration of the vehicle, the pressor response to stress was significantly greater in SHR than in WKY. The ICV infusion of AP-13 reduced the pressor response evoked by the application of the stressor in SHR but not in WKY. It also abolished the difference in stress-induced MABP increases between WKY and SHR.

Conclusions: The results show that centrally acting apelin may play an essential role in the regulation of blood pressure responses to an alarming stress in SHR rats.
Surrealism as Theme and Method in Olga Grushin’s The Dream Life of Sukhanov
Authors: Berlina Alexandra
Published: November 2014

The present article analyzes visual and literary surrealism as a theme and method in Olga Grushin’s debut novel The Dream Life of Sukhanov, paying particular attention to ambiguity and estrangement, unreliable narration and ekphrasis shading into hallucination. It discusses the functions of Shklovsky’s ostranenie and Todorov’s fantastique in the surreal, and analyzes the novel’s use of the three gateways to surrealism: dreams, drugs, and madness.
A Dignifying Shame: On Narrative, Repetition, and Distance in Anne Carson’s Nox
Authors: Parr Jocelyn
Published: November 2014

This article examines the relationship between the form of Canadian poet Anne Carson’s Nox and its content, particularly as they relate to shame and subjectivity. As an elegy, Nox is as much about the person mourned – Carson’s long-estranged brother – as it is about Carson herself. Yet, even as the book hints at real personalities and the kinds of shame they experienced, Nox also lends a dignity to both, enacting therefore the protective measures of shame through both the aesthetics of the book and the narratives it recounts. As a study of shame, therefore, I argue that Nox writes of the self without relying on the construct of the coherent, core self. Nox illustrates the various shames a self can feel but also the way shame can emerge as an aesthetic or poetics independent of the feeling self.