bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social Coordinates and Identification of National Legal System
Authors: Сильченко Николай , Silchenko Nikolay
Published: May 2016

Selecting the direction of the national legal system development is a topical scientific and practical issue under the conditions of complex globalization processes and legal systems integration. The course of the national legal system development should be determined through the establishment of its social coordinates and subsequent identification. For this purpose, it is necessary to outline the place of the national legal system within a higher-level system – the system of social regulation — to isolate and characterize the types and elements of the system of social regulation, which can be considered as social coordinates of the national legal system. The issue is studied using dialectical, historical and structural-functional methods of scientific research. Social coordinates of national legal systems are the right-centrist, religious-moral and political-centrist types of social regulation, each of which consists of seven elements: 1) generating element (renewal and renovation) of social regulation – social practices; 2) program-target (ideological) element; 3) information-evaluative element; 4) regulatory element (regulatory system); 5) the element of individual regulation of public relations; 6) element responsible for the preservation and transmission of social regulation; 7) element responsible for the protection of social regulation system and for monitoring its status. The analysis of the identified types and elements of the system of social regulation suggests that the Belarusian legal system is within a coordinate system of political-centrist type and is developing towards the legal system of the East Slavic type.
Some Problems of Legal Regulation of Wages in the Russian Federation
Authors: Моцная Оксана , Motsnaya Oksana , Чиканова Людмила , CHikanova Lyudmila
Published: May 2016

The article covers the problems of legal regulation of wages. The authors analyze difficulties in the implementation of certain provisions of the Labour Code, dealing with the basic state guarantees in labor remuneration. In particular, the authors pay attention to the problem of raising of the minimum rate of labour payment to the subsistence level in the Russian Federation. Nowadays this rule of the Labour Code is not operating. Authors analyze the approach of the Russian Ministry of Labour to solving this problem. Special attention is paid to the establishment of the payroll schedule, because the Labour Code, determining the abovementioned schedule, does not set specific dates, proposing to resolve this issue in local regulations or in an individual employment contract. In addition, the authors present the analysis of the issues associated with limitation of deductions from the employee´s salary by the employer, as well as the complexity of the interpretation of the term “calculation error” in the presence of which Part. 4 Art. 137 of the Labour Code allows for pay deduction or recovering of overpayments from an employee. At present, the Labour Code, using that term does not disclose its contents. Therefore, in practice, it is interpreted in different ways.
Online Grocery Retail: Revenue Models and Environmental Impact
Authors: Belavina Elena , Girotra Karan , Kabra Ashish
Published: May 2016

This paper compares the financial and environmental performance of two revenue models for the online retailing of groceries: the per-order model, where customers pay for each delivery, and the subscription model, where customers pay a set fee and receive free deliveries. We build a stylized model that incorporates (i) customers with ongoing uncertain grocery needs and who choose between shopping offline or online and (ii) an online retailer that makes deliveries through a proprietary distribution network. We find that subscription incentivizes smaller and more frequent grocery orders, which reduces food waste and creates more value for the customer; the result is higher retailer revenues, lower grocery costs, and potentially higher adoption rates. These advantages are countered by greater delivery-related travel and expenses, which are moderated by area geography and routing-related scale economies. Subscription also leads to lower food waste–related emissions but to higher delivery-related emissions. Ceteris paribus, the per-order model is preferable for higher-margin retailers with higher-consumption product assortments that are sold in sparsely populated markets spread over large, irregular areas with high delivery costs. Geographic and demographic data indicate that the subscription model is almost always environmentally preferable because lower food waste emissions dominate higher delivery emissions.

This paper was accepted by Vishal Gaur, operations management.
The Surprising Effectiveness of Hostile Mediators
Authors: Zhang Ting , Gino Francesca , Norton Michael I.
Published: May 2016

Contrary to the tendency of mediators to defuse negative emotions between adversaries by treating them kindly, we demonstrate the surprising effectiveness of hostile mediators in resolving conflict. Hostile mediators generate greater willingness to reach agreements between adversaries (Experiment 1). Consequently, negotiators interacting with hostile mediators are better able to reach agreements in incentive-compatible negotiations than those interacting with nice mediators (Experiment 2). By serving as common enemies, hostile mediators cause adversaries in conflict to feel more connected and become more willing to reach agreement (Experiments 3 and 4). Finally, we manipulate the target of mediators’ hostility to document the moderating role of common enemies: mediators who directed their hostility toward both negotiators (bilateral hostility)—becoming a common enemy—increased willingness to reach agreement; those who directed hostility at just one negotiator (unilateral hostility) did not serve as common enemies, eliminating the hostile mediator effect (Experiment 5). We discuss theoretical and practical implications, and we suggest future directions.

Data, as supplemental material, are available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2016.2431 .

This paper was accepted by Yuval Rottenstreich, judgment and decision making.
How Targeting Affects Customer Search: A Field Experiment
Authors: Fong Nathan M.
Published: May 2016

It has become common practice for retailers to personalize direct marketing efforts based on customer transaction histories as a tactic to increase sales. Targeted email offers featuring products in the same category as a customer’s previous purchases generate higher purchase rates. However, a targeted offer emphasizing familiar products could result in curtailed search for unadvertised products, as a closely matched offer weakens a customer’s incentives to search beyond the targeted items. In a field experiment using email offers sent by an online wine retailer, targeted offers resulted in decreased search activity on the retailer’s website. This effect is driven by a lower rate of search by customers who visit the site, rather than a lower incidence of search. There are several ways this could potentially hurt retailers and consumers, such as reduced cross-selling and fewer opportunities for customers to explore new products.

This paper was accepted by Pradeep Chintagunta, marketing.
Dynamic Product Rotation in the Presence of Strategic Customers
Authors: Bernstein Fernando , Martínez-de-Albéniz Victor
Published: May 2016

Dynamic product rotation is perceived as a useful lever to increase sales. The effect over individual customers is, however, unclear: more choice in the future may induce them to postpone a purchase if the current offer is not sufficiently appealing, hoping to buy a better product in the future; moreover, visiting a store to learn about a new product may be costly, thereby diminishing the value of product updates. We analyze a model of strategic customer behavior in the face of a rotating product offering, with variable assortment depth. We find that the customers’ visit and purchase decisions follow a relatively simple structure: a customer should visit the store only when new products have been introduced and purchase a product if the value it provides is higher than a threshold. We then use this structure to examine the retailer’s optimal product-rotation policy. The structure of the optimal policy depends on product-rotation costs and capacity constraints. When capacity constraints are tight, the retailer spreads out product introductions throughout the selling season. Strategic customers tend to become more demanding (their purchasing thresholds increase) as the frequency of product rotation increases, so the marginal benefit of each additional product rotation decreases. In contrast, the purchasing thresholds for myopic customers—who buy the first item that fits their needs—are independent of the number of products introduced in the season. As a result, when the cost of product rotation is low, the frequency of product updates is higher when the retailer sells to strategic customers, whereas the opposite is true when the cost of product rotation is high. When capacity constraints are less stringent and product-rotation costs are convex in the assortment depth, we find that the level of product variety should increase as the season progresses when the firm sells to strategic customers, while the level of product variety stays constant over the season when faced with myopic customers. Finally, when there are no capacity constraints, it is optimal to introduce all products in a single period.

This paper was accepted by Serguei Netessine, operations management.
Experiences of a postgraduate nursing student on an acute psychiatric ward
Authors: McCrae Niall
Published: May 2016

Nursing students are a rich source of fresh perspectives on mental healthcare. While their clinical placement experiences are mostly positive, they sometimes find a lack of therapeutic engagement with patients on acute psychiatric wards. In this article, selections from a student's diary are presented
A pivotal time for the sector
Authors: McArthur Ken
Published: May 2016

It was not that long ago that the childcare minister enthused that we were living in a golden age of ‘childcare’, but underfunding of the 30-hour pilot areas could see the sector plunge into the dark ages.
Short Communication: Trichomes plasticity in Lallemantia royleana under different stress
Authors: ASKARY MEHERI , TALEBI SEYED MEHDI , AMINI FARIBA , SARABADANI BATUL
Published: May 2016

Abstract. Askary M, Talebi SE, Amini F, Sarabadani B. 2016. Trichomes plasticity in Lallemantia royleana under different stress. Nusantara Bioscience 8: 128-133. Lallemantia royleana is an annual herb of Lamiaceae family, which naturally grows in various parts of Iran. This medicinal plant is used in traditional medicine. Resemble to many members of this family, the aerial parts of L. royleana were covered by different kinds of trichomes. In this study, effect of different concentrations of NaCl and nanoparticles of iron oxide were examined on the trichomes morphology as well as density. The finding results showed that two main groups of trichomes, glandular and non-glandular, were presented on outer side of epidermal cells. The ANOVA test showed significant variations in trichomes number among various treatments. The main types of glandular hairs were peltate and also capitate. The mentioned forms are mainly relevant to production and also secretion of essential oil. Nanoparticles of iron oxide had positive effects on creation of palate trichomes, while increment of salt concentrations, decreased formation of them as well as short-stalked capitate.
Traumatic abdominal wall hernia with concealed colonic perforation
Authors: Pathak D , Mukherjee R , Das P , Pathak D , Gangopadhyay A , Das S
Published: May 2016

Traumatic abdominal wall hernia (TAWH) is a rare clinical entity in terms of aetiology. It occurs following a blunt abdominal injury with energy high enough to cause disruption of the musculoaponeurotic layer but not the elastic skin layer. It is often associated with underlying intra-abdominal injuries, which can be diagnosed either clinically or radiologically. We report a case of TAWH in a young man with associated large bowel transection, which remained undiagnosed in the preoperative period owing to its masked features. He was managed surgically, with no recurrence to date. Considering the high volume of blunt abdominal trauma cases that present to the accident and emergency department, only few cases of TAWH have been reported in the literature. Confusion still exists regarding the timing and mode of management of this condition.
Virtual Surgery aiming at real results
Authors: McConaghie Greg
Published: May 2016

A 360-degree view of the future? Our tech editor watches as VR is brought into the OR.
The anatomy of a strike
Authors: Mortensen Neil
Published: May 2016

Trying to see both sides of a strike the like of which we have never seen before.
Economic growth, abrupt institutional changes and institutional policies: The case of an oil-exporting country
Authors: El-Joumayle Omar A.M.
Published: May 2016

This article deals with economic growth in Iraq when formal institutions are subject to abrupt institutional change. The article follows a quantitative mode of enquiry to determine the impacts of institutional changes on economic performance. I built an expanded and updated version of Rowat’s model for the Iraq war of 2003. Thus, I estimate the effects of oil price, oil production, and abrupt institutional change in terms of war on Iraq’s gross domestic product (GDP) for 1971–2012. Likewise, I estimate the effects of the new institutional arrangements on the country’s economic performance for the sub-period 1998–2012. The results demonstrate that the 2003 war and institutional arrangements have had a negative and significant effect on GDP growth, while the effects of both oil production and oil prices are positive but the latter is not statistically significant. In line with these findings, a static comparative analysis was also carried out for before and after the 2003 war. On one hand, the results show the destructive realities of the wars at the macro level and on the standard of living for common citizens and, on the other, the findings illustrate the difficulties and challenges related to creating institutional arrangements in the post-2003 war period that can enhance or promote sustained economic growth.
Reviews
Authors: Ismael Jacqueline S. , Al-Hamdi Mohaned Talib , Sullivan Antony T.
Published: May 2016

MEMOIR OF AN IRAQI WOMAN DOCTOR, SANIHA AMIN ZAKI AND ELLEN JAWDAT (EDS) (2015) CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 528 pp., ISBN-10: 1501077988, ISBN-13: 9781501077982, p/bk, $17.95

THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF IRAQ: RESTORING BALANCE IN A POST-CONFLICT SOCIETY, FRANK R. GUNTER (2013) England: Edward Elgar Publisher, 320 pp., ISBN: 9781849809887, h/bk, $110.00

WAR AND OCCUPATION IN IRAQI FICTION, IKRAM MASMOUDI (2015) Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 238 pp., ISBN: 9780748696550, h/bk, $120
Reading, imagining and constructing Iraq
Authors: Hamdi Tahrir
Published: May 2016

The plight of Iraq in the Arab world is not the exception, but rather the rule. The complete physical, cultural, social and economic destruction of Iraq is currently underway; however, the planning stage for this complete destruction, or, to use Condoleeza Rice’s notorious term, ‘creative chaos’ that would lead to the ‘restructuring’ of the Arab world was put in place by Orientalists such as Bernard Lewis tens of years before the actual process took root. In order to counter such destructive imperialistic forces and discourses, an accurate reading of the situation is of the utmost importance before one can start to imagine and construct a new conception of Iraqi national identity that could withstand and survive all these imperialistically imposed divisionist agendas, which are gnawing away at the very cultural and social fabric that held this region together for hundreds of years. This article will attempt to highlight certain intellectual debates and literary productions that take active part in imagining and constructing an anti-colonial counter discourse that would lead to a new understanding of Iraqi national identity and nation. Work from the political theorist Benedict Anderson, the cultural theorist Edward Said, the Marxist philosopher Louis Althusser and poems from the Iraqi poet Saadi Youssef will be examined in order to shed light on the theoretical and imaginative construction of nation.
Conceptualizing an internal conflict: ISIS and international law
Authors: Mulligan Michael
Published: May 2016

This article investigates the challenge for international society in understanding ISIS’s continuing presence in Iraq and which aspects of international law may be applied so as to allow ISIS to be better held responsible for its actions. Particular emphasis is placed on the nature of an internal conflict and the rules of international law that apply to such conflicts. There is also a wider analysis of the difficulty in contextualizing ISIS within the prevailing Westphalian framework of an international society predicated on independent sovereign states. As such, the article explores aspects of international relations and the history of the Middle East, as well as international law.
Kannabisa: ageriko altxor ezkutua
Authors: Aizpurua-Olaizola Oier , Omar Jone , Olivares Maitane , Navarro Patricia , Etxebarria Nestor , Usobiaga Aresatz
Published: May 2016

Etorkizun hurbilean kannabisa sendagai bezala erabili ahal izateko bi urrats eman dira lan honetan. Alde batetik, landareak euren efektu fisiologikoekin lotzeko lagungarria izan daitekeen kannabinoideen hatz-marka ikertzeko metodo bat garatu da fragmentazio bikoitzeko masa-espektometriari akoplaturiko eraginkortasun handiko likido kromatografia bidez (HPLC-MS/MS High Performance Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry). Bestalde, kannabis landareko konposatuen produkzioa optimizatzeko kimiotipo ezberdineko landareen hazkuntzan zeharreko kannabinoideen eta terpenoen garapena aztertu da. Bertan, konposatu garrantzitsuenen kontzentrazio maximoak noiz agertzen diren ikusteaz gain, landare-mota bakoitzaren ezaugarri diren terpenoak zeintzuk diren aurkitu da.
El Bilbao del progreso: gestión municipal y servicios públicos (1876-1920)
Authors: Serrano Abad Susana
Published: May 2016

La sociedad urbana en ascenso se manifestaba en Bilbao en las últimas décadas del XIX a través de un dinámico crecimiento económico, un fuerte incremento demográfico y la extensión territorial de la ciudad. Sin embargo, vio una respuesta lenta a sus demandas de servicios básicos (agua, saneamiento, sanidad, vivienda). El ritmo al que se fueron incorporando y ampliando estos servicios públicos fue lento y atenuado, de manera que, hasta la primera década del siglo xx, Bilbao no dispuso de una red de servicios públicos acorde con el volumen de su población y con los criterios de modernidad.
La Agenda 2030: ¿cambiar el mundo sin cambiar la distribución del poder?
Authors: Martínez-Osés Pablo , Martínez Ignacio
Published: May 2016

El artículo explora las posibilidades y límites que la Agenda 2030 presenta para ser una agenda transformadora. Mediante un análisis crítico de los procesos de su construcción se observan contradicciones, límites y dilemas que la Agenda 2030 no podrá eludir. En un contexto global de cambios en la distribución del poder internacional se sugiere considerar la Agenda 2030 como un proceso inacabado, como un espacio en disputa, pendiente de interpretaciones políticas desde diferentes actores. Construir la narrativa sobre desarrollo humano desde una perspectiva integral, universal y democrática exigirá considerar la nueva Agenda como un proceso abierto y dinámico, como una agenda de agregados más que como un consenso cerrado y suficiente, solo pendiente de implementación. El espacio político de la sociedad civil global es precisamente contribuir a una narrativa sobre la Agenda 2030 compatible con los derechos humanos y con el abordaje de cuestiones sistémicas nucleares para las transformaciones pretendidas.
¿Son posibles las políticas públicas frente a las transnacionales?
Authors: León Magdalena
Published: May 2016

La posibilidad de articular políticas públicas que delimiten y disputen el poder de las empresas transnacionales, se ha presentado en el marco de experiencias que buscan salir del neoliberalismo y transitar hacia un nuevo sistema económico, lo cual ha supuesto plantearse la refundación constitucional de los Estados, redefiniendo objetivos estratégicos, instituciones, normas y demás, como es el caso de Ecuador. El artículo hace una breve revisión de iniciativas de políticas públicas que hacen frente al poder de las transnacionales, de manera directa o indirecta, desde agendas específicas de recuperación de soberanías, control del poder de mercado y compras públicas. Desplegando las capacidades de regulación, control y negociación del Estado, y conjugando soberanías nacionales y regionales, se procura delimitar el control transnacional de la producción y el comercio, de la capacidad de demanda local, entre otros, lo que pasa por reestructuraciones de los propios mercados nacionales y de sus lógicas.
La lucha contra las empresas transnacionales, una lucha contra los engranajes del sistema de dominación
Authors: Martí Julia
Published: May 2016

Debido a la centralidad de las empresas transnacionales en el nuevo sistema de dominación múltiple, estas se convierten en un agente clave al que los movimientos sociales tienen que hacer frente intentando disputarles su poder. En esta lucha los movimientos sociales, como agentes de emancipación colectiva, disponen de una serie de potencialidades pero también de límites, que conviene conocer para poder fortalecerlos, superando contradicciones y siendo capaces de atacar las diferentes dimensiones del poder de las transnacionales, al mismo tiempo que se construyen alternativas en la lógica de los procesos de transición.
La parodia en la comedia animada estadounidense de prime time. El caso de la sitcom
Authors: Gómez Morales Beatriz María
Published: May 2016

La comedia animada estadounidense de prime time se caracteriza por basar su estructura narrativa en la parodia de otros géneros y formatos, principalmente la sitcom. A través del análisis textual, esta investigación examina las estrategias paródicas que emplea la comedia animada para transformar los elementos narrativos que definen a la sitcom: finales felices, estructura cíclica, personajes estereotipados y risas enlatadas. El estudio concluye que la parodia televisiva, representada por las comedias animadas, funciona como herramienta de reflexión y revisión de los contenidos de ficción y entretenimiento.
La comunicación visual de los productos a través del packaging. Un estudio de caso sobre la identidad visual de las botellas de leche
Authors: Colet Ruz Jordi
Published: May 2016

Los envases se han convertido en una pieza significativa del ecosistema visual que tiene un gran potencial comunicativo. Este potencial debe incluir la capacidad de transmitir la identidad tipológica del producto en un escenario muy competitivo. Esta investigación aborda la influencia delpackagingen la identificación tipológica de los productos de alta frecuencia de compra. El objeto de estudio se ha focalizado en el código visual que regula el diseño de los envases, con el objeto de facilitar el reconocimiento tipológico del producto. Aquí se presenta un estudio de caso sobre el código visual en las botellas de leche.
Food culture in Urartu
Urartu’da yemek kültürü
Authors: Gökce Bilcan
Published: May 2016

In this article food culture in Urartian State that was founded in centrally Van Lake Basin between 9th-7th centuries has been studied. This study has been carried out in the light of food remainings, utensils uncovered by excavations until today, kitchen buildings, store rooms discovered by excavations, written sources and depicted works. We get information about food products, kitchens, store rooms, utensils, personnel, banquet scenes and feasts of that period by archaeological data. Additionally it is understood by archaeological data that social and religious banquets were arranged in the Urartian State. It can be said on the basis of utensils related to food culture and banquet scenes described on depicted works that there is also a class discrimination in the Urartian society related to this issue.  ÖzetBu makalede M.Ö. 9-7. yüzyıllar arasında Van Gölü Havzası merkez olmak üzere kurulmuş olan Urartu devletinde yemek kültürü çalışılmıştır. Bu çalışma bugüne kadar kazılardan ele geçen besin kalıntıları, kap kacaklar ile yine kazılarda ortaya çıkarılan mutfak yapıları, erzak depoları ile yazılı kaynaklar ve tasvirli eserler ışığında yapılmıştır. Arkeolojik verilerden dönemin besin ürünleri, mutfakları, erzak depoları, kap kacakları, personeli, ziyafet sahneleri ve şölenleri hakkında bilgi edinmekteyiz. Yine arkeolojik verilerden Urartu devletinde sosyal ve dini içerikli ziyafet yemeklerinin yapıldığı da anlaşılmaktadır. Yemek kültürü ile bağlantılı olan kap kacaklar ile tasvirli eserlerde işlenmiş ziyafet sahnelerinden yola çıkılarak Urartu toplumunda bu konuyla bağlantılı olarak bir sınıfsal farklılığın da olduğu söylenebilir.
Klimatická změna – široké, stále aktuální téma
Authors: Nečas Jiří
Published: May 2016

How are things these days with climate change? Let's use a medical metaphor. Non-smokers can contract lung cancer. If this disease is indicated for smokers, it would be absurd to argue its prevalence in non-smokers and, as part of the treatment, to reject the importance of stopping smoking. We know the most probable cause of current climate change and it would be equally absurd to claim that the changes are occurring independently of human activity while not trying to reduce the factors that exacerbate these changes.
Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in Primigravidae: a Mild Disease
Authors: Ismail Nor Azlin Mohamed , Aris Norkhatijah Mohd , Mahdy Zaleha Abdullah , Ahmad Shuhaila , Naim Norzilawati Mohd , Siraj Harlina Harlizah Hj , Zakaria Syed Zulkifli Syed
Published: May 2016

This prospective observational study was done to analyse the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) among primigravidae and its outcome. All healthy primigravidae with singleton pregnancies were offered universal glucose tolerance testing between 16 and 28 weeks gestation. GDM and non GDM groups were managed according to hospital protocol. The antenatal features and pregnancy outcomes were analysed. Out of 616 primigravidae, 113 (18.34 %) were GDM with slightly older (27.9 ± 4.2 versus 26.32 ± 3.3, p < 0.001) age. The mean fasting and two hours postprandial blood glucose in both groups were 4.99 ± 1.08 mmol/l, 8.86 ± 1.41 mmol/l(GDM) and 4.36 ± 0.43 mmol/l, 5.71 ± 1.11 mmol/l (Non GDM), respectively. Maternal family history of diabetes mellitus, weight exceeding 80 Kg, polyhydramnios (2.65 % versus 0.2 %, p=0.028) and neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia (9.73 % versus 2.98 %, p=0.01) occurred significantly more frequent in the GDM group compared to normal. There was no significant difference in other pregnancy outcomes and complications between the two groups. In conclusion GDM in primigravidae was detected at a relatively young age with more frequent maternal family history of DM, weight exceeding 80 Kg, polyhydromnions and neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia. The degree of disease was mild and treatment led to no significant complication.
Carrier molecules and extraction of circulating tumor DNA for next generation sequencing in colorectal cancer
Authors: Beránek Martin , Sirák Igor , Vošmik Milan , Petera Jiří , Drastíková Monika , Palička Vladimír
Published: May 2016

The aims of the study were:i) to compare circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) yields obtained by different manual extraction procedures,ii) to evaluate the addition of various carrier molecules into the plasma to improve ctDNA extraction recovery, andiii) to use next generation sequencing (NGS) technology to analyzeKRAS,BRAF, andNRASsomatic mutations in ctDNA from patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Venous blood was obtained from patients who suffered from metastatic colorectal carcinoma. For plasma ctDNA extraction, the following carriers were tested: carrier RNA, polyadenylic acid, glycogen, linear acrylamide, yeast tRNA, salmon sperm DNA, and herring sperm DNA. Each extract was characterized by quantitative real-time PCR and next generation sequencing. The addition of polyadenylic acid had a significant positive effect on the amount of ctDNA eluted. The sequencing data revealed five cases of ctDNA mutated inKRASand one patient with aBRAFmutation. An agreement of 86% was found between tumor tissues and ctDNA. Testing somatic mutations in ctDNA seems to be a promising tool to monitor dynamically changing genotypes of tumor cells circulating in the body. The optimized process of ctDNA extraction should help to obtain more reliable sequencing data in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.
Compositionality of Chinese idioms: the issues, the semantic approach and a case study
Authors: Tien Adrian
Published: May 2016

Idioms – or something like idioms – occupy a special place as a speech genre in languages. It is compelling that the issues of what idioms are (or are not) and how they distinguish themselves from other related, though different, linguistic and phraseological categories, are of concern to all. This paper first examines various linguistic issues concerning the idiom genre before going into a detailed discussion about thechengyuin Chinese, which is an approximate yet by no means identical counterpart of the idiom as it is understood in English. It is argued that, as phrasal structures, Chinesechengyus are not all lexically fixed, neither are they all semantically non-compositional. By virtue of the example of the sememezhonglit. ‘(bronze) bell’ and its incorporation into certainchengyus, it is demonstrated that the sememic constituents of achengyucan be only not compositionally significant semantically speaking but also, they may well hold the key to the reason why the literal meaning of achengyushould be closely integrated into its intended, idiomatic (figurative) meaning.Chengyus that incorporate the sememezhongcomprise an idiomatic analogy and, in fact,zhongas a lexical item is represented in the content of this analogy as a cognitively real element. This paper adopts the Natural Semantic Metalanguage (NSM) framework as the basis for semantic analyses of suchchengyus.
Mayvs.Mightin native vs. non-native English: Implications for inference and judgement in legal and educational contexts
Authors: Filipović Luna
Published: May 2016

In this paper we discuss the empirically documented difference in a mock-jury judgement task between native speakers of English and speakers of English as a second language. We discovered a difference between these two populations in the understanding of events described by witnesses with regard to the use of verbsmayandmight. The events described withmaywere scored much higher on the possibility and witness certainty scales than when the same events were described withmightby the non-native English speakers. On the other hand, the native speakers of English did not judge the events described withmayand those withmightdifferently. Further, the results for the non-native speakers did not vary based on their L1. A closer look at a sample of textbooks has provided support for the hypothesis that it is the L2 instruction materials and a specific learner strategy that are the most likely causes of the significant difference in inference and judgement between the two speaker groups. We discuss these findings in light of their applicability in, and their relevance for, legal contexts of witness testimony and jury judgement as well as their pedagogical implications and applications.
Zur Bandkeramik zwischen Pruth und Südlichem Bug
Authors: Saile Thomas , Dębiec Maciej , Posselt Martin , Ţerna Stanislav , Kiosak Dmytro
Published: May 2016

Der allgemeine Kenntnisstand zur Bandkeramik (LBK) ist in den Gebieten östlich der Karpaten noch vergleichsweise gering. Es erschien daher Erfolg versprechend, ausgewählte Siedlungen in der westlichen Ukraine und in Moldawien zu erkunden. Dabei konzentrierten sich unsere Untersuchungen vornehmlich auf die Frage, ob das vollständige neolithische Kulturpaket auch die östlichsten Verbreitungsgebiete der Bandkeramik erreichte. Insbesondere sollte geklärt werden, ob man auch hier, in den offenbar verhältnismäßig kleinen Siedlungen, die charakteristischen Langhäuser errichtete. Noch vor wenigen Jahren wurde deren Existenz in den östlichsten Regionen der Bandkeramik verschiedentlich infrage gestellt.

Sechs bandkeramische Fundstellen wurden für Magnetometermessungen ausgewählt und auf einigen konnten zusätzlich Sondageschnitte angelegt werden. Relevante Ergebnisse älterer Grabungen wurden einer kritischen Prüfung unterzogen. Als ein erstes Ergebnis unserer Arbeiten ist der Nachweis von Langhausstandorten festzuhalten, der allerdings hauptsächlich auf Grundlage parallel verlaufender, hausbegleitender Längsgruben erfolgt. Eine regionale Besonderheit ist ihre Nordost-Südwest-Ausrichtung. Für die auf Magnetometerprospektionen gestützte Dokumentation von Hausgrundrissen erwiesen sich die Bodenverhältnisse in den mächtigen, humusreichen Schwarzerden als wenig geeignet; immerhin gelang vereinzelt eine Beobachtung von Pfostenlöchern.

In Kamyane, einer bandkeramischen Siedlung auf dem rechten Ufer des mittleren Südlichen Bug, wurde während einer kleinen Ausgrabung umfangreiches Fundmaterial geborgen. Außerdem konnten einige Keramikfragmente festgestellt werden, die im Stile der rumänischen Dudeşti Kultur verziert sind. In der Umgebung der LBK-Siedlung wurde bei Flurbegehungen ein Schuhleistenkeil gefunden, dessen Rohmaterial aus dem nordböhmischen Isergebirge stammt. Offenbar waren weiträumige Kontakte auch ein wesentliches Element der östlichsten bandkeramischen Siedlungskammern.
Demonstration of Uninvolvement of Ions for Double Layer Capacitance by Use of Latex Suspensions
Authors: Zhao Xiaoyu , Zhu Liang , Cao Ruge , Wang Yanfei , Yang Libin , Sha Zuoliang
Published: May 2016

Water molecules in aqueous solutions were demonstrated to participate in formation of electric double layer capacitance,
as partly agrees with the Stern–Gouy–Chapman theory, which is quite different from current fabrication techniques of
industrial double layer capacitors. This conclusion was supported firstly by invariance of capacitance to ionic
concentrations and secondly by exhibiting the same capacitance values in ionic latex suspensions without free ions as
those in conventional ionic solutions. The latex particles used were mono-dispersed polystyrene sulfonic acid,
3.33 μm in diameter. The latex suspension was deionized to show low ionic concentration of less than
0.01 mM. Ac-impedance data were obtained at parallel platinum wires without insulating shield in order to avoid
stray capacitance at cracks between electrodes and shields. They were analyzed through the equivalent circuit of a series
combination of solution resistance and the double layer impedance. The latter was composed of a parallel combination of
the capacitance and resistance, both of which depended on frequency. The solution resistance was inversely proportional to
the concentration of the ionic latex particles, whereas the parallel capacitance was independent of the concentrations.
Ecología de murciélagos en el bosque seco tropical de Nariño (Colombia) y algunos comentarios sobre su conservación
Authors: Cabrera-Ojeda Christian , Noguera-Urbano Elkin A. , Calderón-Leytón Jhon Jairo , Flórez Paí Cristian
Published: May 2016

Los bosques secos tropicales son considerados como ecosistemas amenazados en Colombia, porque están localizados en áreas con actividades humanas intensivas. Sin embargo, los efectos de la pérdida de hábitat sobre la distribución y abundancia de murciélagos en esta región es poco conocida. En este estudio se analizó la riqueza de especies, composición y abundancia relativa de los murciélagos en tres tipos de vegetación con diferente grado de intervención en el Bosque Seco Tropical de Nariño (Mesi: Matorral espinoso seco intervenido, Mesc: Matorral espinoso seco conservado, Bsi: Bosque semideciduo intervenido), Colombia. Para ello se capturaron ejemplares con 10 redes de neblina durante ocho noches en cada tipo de vegetación, para un total de 24 noches. Se registraron nueve especies a partir de la captura de 60 ejemplares. El Mesc (6 especies) presentó la mayor riqueza, mientras que Mesi presentó la menor riqueza de especies (4 especies), lo cual puede estar relacionado con el grado de perturbación de la zona. El índice de Sorensen (0,33-0,38) indicó que las tres poblaciones podrían representar un solo ensamblaje. Las especies de mayor abundancia fueron Artibeus lituratus (Mesi), A. planirostris (Bsi) y Carollia perspicillata (Mesc), las cuales se han relacionado con vegetación que presentan algún grado de intervención o en regeneración. Criterios como la baja riqueza de especies, la dominancia de las tres especies mencionadas y la presencia de Desmodus rotundus sugieren que el grado de intervención es similar en los tres tipos de vegetación. Por lo tanto es necesario establecer programas de conservación de murciélagos y proyectos de restauración en el área.
Desarrollo de ELISA sándwich indirecto para la determinación de antígenos de excreción-secreción de Fasciola hepatica
Authors: Alzamora-Gonzales Libertad , Echevarria Rinaldo J. , Colona-Vallejos Erasmo H. , Aguilar-Luis Miguel A. , De Amat-Herbozo Carolina C.
Published: May 2016

La fasciolosis es una parasitosis cosmopolita de importancia médico-veterinaria ocasionada por Fasciola hepatica, que afecta al ganado ovino, caprino y vacuno; y accidentalmente al hombre ocasionando una infección endemo-epidémica de difícil diagnóstico. El objetivo fue desarrollar un ELISA sándwich indirecto, empleando 3 anticuerpos, para identificar antígenos de secreción-excreción de Fasciola hepatica (ESFh). Para el ELISA se emplearon anticuerpos policlonales de ratón anti ESFh como anticuerpos de captura, y anticuerpos policlonales de conejo anti ESFh como anticuerpos de detección, a las concentraciones de 10 y 5 µg/mL, respectivamente. Como conjugado se emplearon anticuerpos monoclonales de ratón anti-inmunoglobulinas totales de conejo ligado a peroxidasa (1/1000). Se analizaron 31 muestras de heces de ganado ovino y los resultados se compararon con los obtenidos por el examen coproparasitológico directo (CD) y contrainmunoelectroforesis (CIEF). El límite de detección obtenido para ELISA sándwich indirecto fue 100 ng/mL. La prueba presentó una sensibilidad de 100%, especificidad de 96.6% y valores predictivos positivos y negativos de 50% y 96.6% respectivamente; con relación al examen CD. Al comparar ELISA tipo sándwich indirecto con CIEF se obtuvo una especificidad de 93.5% y un valor predictivo negativo del 100%. Se concluye que la prueba de ELISA sándwich indirecto diseñada es capaz de detectar antígenos metabólicos en muestras de heces de ovino y se puede utilizar para el diagnóstico Fasciola hepatica.
Conservación de la diversidad genética en el Perú: desafíos en la implementación del régimen de acceso a recursos genéticos y distribución de beneficios
Authors: Silvestri Luciana Carla
Published: May 2016

Esta contribución debate los grandes retos que enfrenta Perú en la implementación nacional del régimen de acceso a recursos genéticos y distribución de beneficios, tema conocido por las siglas “ABS” del inglés Access and Benefit-Sharing. El ABS es un mecanismo que incentiva la conservación de la diversidad genética mediante la distribución justa y equitativa de los beneficios que se deriven de la utilización de recursos genéticos entre el país que los provee y el usuario de éstos. Perú afronta cuatro desafíos en relación con el tema: (1) su procedimiento de acceso a recursos genéticos es complejo y burocrático, desalentándose así la negociación de contratos sobre ABS. (2) el rol de la “institución nacional de apoyo” ha sido desvirtuado, exacerbándose su función de mero controlador; con ello se han perdido valiosas colaboraciones científicas a favor de las instituciones científicas locales. (3) la legislación peruana sobre ABS posee efectos retroactivos, infringiendo el principio de seguridad jurídica que debe reinar en toda relación contractual. (4) si bien se han previsto medidas de cumplimiento y un punto de verificación de acuerdo a lo establecido por el Protocolo de Nagoya, no se establece un control sobre la legalidad del acceso a recursos genéticos y conocimiento tradicional asociado al uso de éstos cuando ellos provengan de cualquier otro país que no sea el Perú. Al finalizar el artículo se proponen algunas mejoras a realizar a fin de afrontar los desafíos encontrados en el estudio.
Neurocognitive Development After Pediatric Heart Surgery
Authors: Sterken Caroline , Lemiere Jurgen , Van den Berghe Greet , Mesotten Dieter
Published: May 2016

OBJECTIVES:

Children with congenital heart disease (CHD) often have neurocognitive deficits, sometimes with a detrimental impact on daily and school functioning. These deficits may increase through childhood. In this study, we investigated whether children with CHD, who underwent heart surgery as infants, show more neurocognitive deficits, especially in the executive functions, as they get older, compared with healthy controls.

METHODS:

In this longitudinal follow-up study, 107 children with CHD and 77 healthy control children underwent extensive neurocognitive testing at 4 years of age. Ninety-three percent of the children (100 patients with CHDs and 72 controls) underwent a second neurocognitive testing 3 years later. Intelligence, visual-motor integration (VMI), alertness, motor coordination, executive functions, and psychosocial functioning were assessed.

RESULTS:

IQ scores were consistently lower in the CHD group (P < .001); however, the difference of 11.7 IQ points between both groups at follow-up 1 decreased to 7 IQ points at follow-up 2 (P = .003). Inhibition reaction time had improved in both study groups at follow-up 2 (P < .001) and did not differ between both groups from follow-up 1 to follow-up 2 (P = .849). Deficits in VMI, alertness, motor coordination, and psychosocial functioning also did not worsen for patients with CHDs at follow-up 2, compared with healthy controls.

CONCLUSIONS:

Children with CHD, who underwent heart surgery as infants, do not show an increase of neurocognitive deficits between the ages of 4 and 7 years, compared with healthy controls. Patients with CHDs keep deficits in intelligence, VMI, and psychosocial functioning, but seem to partially grow out of their deficits.
Efecto de la cisteína en un proceso de biodepiritización de carbones en lecho empacado
Authors: Caicedo Pineda Gerardo Andrés , Márquez Godoy Marco Antonio
Published: May 2016

Se llevaron a cabo procesos de biodesulfurización de dos carbones colombianos ricos en azufre (“Mina Vieja” y “Vampiro”), en reactores de lecho empacado a nivel de erlenmeyer, utilizando un consorcio de Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (ATCC 23270) y Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans (ATCC 15494), evaluando la adición de cisteína a la solución lixiviante. Los ensayos fueron monitoreados por medidas de hierro en solución, pH y potencial redox. Adicionalmente, se hicieron análisis mineralógicos por difracción de rayos X (DRX) antes y después de los experimentos. Los ensayos sin adición de cisteína alcanzaron una oxidación de pirita de 45.3% y 57.9% para “Mina Vieja” y “Vampiro” respectivamente. Cuando se adicionó cisteína, la oxidación aumentó en 14.9% para “Mina Vieja” y 6.4% para “Vampiro”. Por otra parte, todos los ensayos evidenciaron remoción de caolinita, debido a su interacción con el ácido sulfúrico del medio. Con base en los resultados obtenidos, los componentes del carbón influenciaron tanto crecimiento bacteriano como la eficiencia de la cisteína sobre el grado de pirita oxidada.
Preparation and Phase Relations in the CuSbSe2– CuInSe2System
Authors: Korzun Barys V. , Sobol Valery R. , Rusu Marin , Savizky Ruben M. , Fadzeyeva Alena A. , Maroz Ivan I. , Gavrilenko Andrei N. , Matukhin Vadim L. , Lux-Steiner Martha Ch.
Published: May 2016

The CuInSe2and CuSbSe2ternary compounds and alloys of the (CuSbSe2)1-x·(CuInSe2)xsystem with the mole fraction of CuInSe2(x) equal to 0.05, 0.15, 0.25, 0.375, 0.50, 0.625, 0.75, 0.85, and 0.95 were prepared and the phase relations in this system were investigated by X-ray powder diffraction, optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. It was shown that the alloys of the CuSbSe2-CuInSe2system are biphasic at room temperature in the whole range of compositions, and the limits of solubility for CuSbSe2in CuInSe2and for CuInSe2in CuSbSe2do not exceed 0.001 mole fraction.
Effects of spine-shading on aspects of photosynthesis for three cactus species
Authors: De la Rosa-Manzano Edilia , Flores Joel , Delgado-Sánchez Pablo
Published: May 2016

We evaluated the effect of spine removal on three cactus species varying in spine-shading of stems. Turbinicarpus schmiedickeanus showed the greater spine shading ( c. 61 %), followed by Mammillaria zephyranthoides (43 %), and Echinocactus platyacanthus (17 %) . We evaluated photosynthetic activity [titratable acidity, electron transport rate, potential quantum yield of Photosystem II, effective quantum yield of Photosystem II, and non-photochemical quenching], as well as pigment content (chlorophylls a and b , total chlorophyll, chlorophyll a/b , carotenoids, and total chlorophyll/carotenoids ratio). For T. schmiedickeanus , the species having the higher spine shading, spine removal increased the CAM activity (acidity level) and the effective quantum yield of Photosystem II and diminished both electron transport rate and non-photochemical quenching at 15:00 hours. For M. zephyranthoides , the species having intermediate spine shading, spine removal also increased the acidity level but diminished effective quantum yield of Photosystem II at midday, as well as chlorophyll a , total chlorophyll, and carotenoids, although there was higher non-photochemical quenching (heat quenching) as an adaptation to avoid photosynthetic damage. Spine removal did not affect acidity level or pigment content from E. platyacanthus , the species having the lower spine shading; however, at midday this species without spines showed a decrease of effective quantum yield of Photosystem II, as well as an increase of non-photochemical quenching and electron transport rate. We suggest that a main function of cactus spines is reduction of sun exposure to avoid damage to the photosynthetic apparatus.
The Reinstatement and Compensation Conundrum in South African Labour Law
Authors: Geldenhuys Judith
Published: May 2016

The SBV Services (Pty) Ltd case brought a novel concept into the labour dispute resolution arena: arbitrators must inform employees who succeed in proving that they were dismissed for an unfair reason of the implications of a reinstatement or compensation order in terms of the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 before making an award. This case discussion highlights how the court, under the pennant of the interests of justice, made injudicious errors in the interpretation and application of accepted legal principles, and the potential negative effects that enforcement of this principle could have.