bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hybrid magnetic Irish moss/Fe3O4as a nano-biocatalyst for synthesis of imidazopyrimidine derivatives
Authors: Hemmati Behnaz , Javanshir Shahrzad , Dolatkhah Zahra
Published: May 2016

A new magnetically separable Fe3O4@IM nano-biocatalyst was synthesized using natural Irish moss (IM) and its catalytic activity was studied in the synthesis of imidazopyrimidine derivatives.
Three metal complexes derived from 3-methyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxylic acid: synthesis, crystal structures, luminescence and electrocatalytic properties
Authors: Liu Jing , Cheng Mei-Ling , Yu Li-Li , Chen Sheng-Chun , Shao Yong-Liang , Liu Qi , Zhai Chang-Wei , Yin Feng-Xiang
Published: May 2016

[Cd(HMPCA)2(H2O)4] (1), [Co(H2MPCA)2(DMF)2(H2O)2]Cl2(2), and [Cd3Cl2(HMPCA)4(H2O)2]·2H2O (3) have been synthesized. As a bifunctional catalyst, complex2exhibited excellent catalytic activity for OER and certain catalytic activity for ORR.
Introduction: Philosophy and Child Poverty
Authors: Schweiger Gottfried , Graf Gunter
Published: May 2016

Child poverty is surely one of the most severe problems in today’s world and undoubtedly an ethical issue that needs to be tackled. It is hard to find anyone who argues against the claim that children should not be poor and that we should do something about that. But if we go beyond these obvious truths and dig deeper, we will find many unanswered questions spanning different disciplines, including conceptual, empirical and — as we will particularly argue in this book — normative questions. Child poverty is first and foremost an issue of social sciences, and most publications and studies on this topic belong to that field. But due to its wide-ranging consequences, disciplines such as medicine and psychology are also concerned with it, and more and more researchers acknowledge that such a complex phenomenon must be investigated based on a multidisciplinary approach. Furthermore, it is a highly relevant political topic, and the fight against child poverty is part of the agenda of national and international politicians alike. The reduction of child poverty was part of the Millennium Goals, it will certainly be a goal in the post-2015 agenda, and it is included in the Europe 2020 strategy of the European Union, as well as in countless national action plans or policies.
Responsibilities for Children in Poverty
Authors: Schweiger Gottfried , Graf Gunter
Published: May 2016

Children in poverty are the victims of severe injustices. They suffer from deprivations in important functionings and live, thus, in a state of avoidable ill-being and of an increased likelihood of ill-becoming. In this chapter, we will now turn our attention to the question of who is responsible for securing justice for children in poverty and why. We want to examine this question in more detail than just stating that the state and its institutions are responsible or that taking care of children is primarily a task for the family. We would like to go beyond such simplified answers and show what kind of responsibilities persons, collectively and individually, and institutions, the state and other ones, have and for what reasons. The capability approach in general has not dealt often with these questions, being first and foremost a theory about the information that should be used in comparative quality-of-life assessments. It has in particular not engaged with questions of personal responsibility to achieve functionings and capabilities or for closing the door on some of them because of bad choices. Ingrid Robeyns has made the same observation and traced it back to the focus of the capability approach on global and severe poverty.
Advancing Our Approach to Global Justice for Children
Authors: Schweiger Gottfried , Graf Gunter
Published: May 2016

So far, we have outlined a concept of social justice for children in welfare states and criticized child poverty within them as unjust. We have argued that different agents are responsible for securing justice for these children and that the respective extent of their responsibility can be determined, at least approximately, using different criteria relating to the capacities of these actors and their role in the causation of child poverty, as well as their relation to the child and her living condition. The state and its institutions — education system, health care, social protection services and so on — are obviously the most important agents in this respect: as they possess metaresponsibility, they should enforce, if necessary, the responsibility of other agents. We have already discussed the international and global level briefly, acknowledging that it is of importance. We have argued, however, that we view the state and its institutions as the primary agent in the case of child poverty in modern welfare states — they are still strong enough and have plenty of opportunities to shape their own institutions and societies. Still, child poverty in welfare states is more likely to be alleviated and eradicated if the international and global structures within which these states have to act and by which their opportunities and institutions are influenced also change. Nevertheless, welfare states can do much about child poverty even under the present unjust global structure.
Conductive network formation of carbon nanotubes in elastic polymer microfibers and its effect on the electrical conductance: Experiment and simulation
Authors: Cho Hyun Woo , Kim Sang Won , Kim Jeongmin , Kim Un Jeong , Im Kyuhyun , Park Jong-Jin , Sung Bong June
Published: May 2016

We investigate how the electrical conductance of microfibers (made of polymers and conductive nanofillers) decreases upon uniaxial deformation by performing both experiments and simulations. Even though various elastic conductors have been developed due to promising applications for deformable electronic devices, the mechanism at a molecular level for electrical conductance change has remained elusive. Previous studies proposed that the decrease in electrical conductance would result from changes in either distances or contact numbers between conductive fillers. In this work, we prepare microfibers of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs)/polyvinyl alcohol composites and investigate the electrical conductance and the orientation of SWCNTs upon uniaxial deformation. We also perform extensive Monte Carlo simulations, which reproduce experimental results for the relative decrease in conductance and the SWCNTs orientation. We investigate the electrical networks of SWCNTs in microfibers and find that the decrease in the electrical conductance upon uniaxial deformation should be attributed to a subtle change in the topological structure of the electrical network.
An organic dye-polymer (phenol red-poly (vinyl alcohol)) composite architecture towards tunable -optical and -saturable absorption characteristics
Authors: Sreedhar Sreeja , Illyaskutty Navas , Sreedhanya S. , Philip Reji , Muneera C. I.
Published: May 2016

Herein, we demonstrate that blending an organic dye (guest/filler), with a vinyl polymer (host template), is an inexpensive and simple approach for the fabrication of multifunctional photonic materials which could display an enhancement in the desirable properties of the constituent materials and, at the same time provide novel synergistic properties for the guest-host system. A new guest-host nanocomposite system comprising Phenol Red dye and poly (vinyl alcohol) as guest and host template, respectively, which exhibits tunable optical characteristics and saturable absorption behavior, is introduced. The dependence of local electronic environment provided by the polymer template and the interactions of the polymer molecules with the encapsulated guest molecules on the observed optical/nonlinear absorption behavior is discussed. An understanding of the tunability of the optical/ photophysical processes, with respect to the filler content, as discussed herein could help in the design of improved optical materials for several photonic device applications like organic light emitting diodes and saturable absorbers.
Comparing the accuracy of high-dimensional neural network potentials and the systematic molecular fragmentation method: A benchmark study for all-trans alkanes
Authors: Gastegger Michael , Kauffmann Clemens , Behler Jörg , Marquetand Philipp
Published: May 2016

Many approaches, which have been developed to express the potential energy of large systems, exploit the locality of the atomic interactions. A prominent example is the fragmentation methods in which the quantum chemical calculations are carried out for overlapping small fragments of a given molecule that are then combined in a second step to yield the system’s total energy. Here we compare the accuracy of the systematic molecular fragmentation approach with the performance of high-dimensional neural network (HDNN) potentials introduced by Behler and Parrinello. HDNN potentials are similar in spirit to the fragmentation approach in that the total energy is constructed as a sum of environment-dependent atomic energies, which are derived indirectly from electronic structure calculations. As a benchmark set, we use all-trans alkanes containing up to eleven carbon atoms at the coupled cluster level of theory. These molecules have been chosen because they allow to extrapolate reliable reference energies for very long chains, enabling an assessment of the energies obtained by both methods for alkanes including up to 10 000 carbon atoms. We find that both methods predict high-quality energies with the HDNN potentials yielding smaller errors with respect to the coupled cluster reference.
An approach to develop chemical intuition for atomistic electron transport calculations using basis set rotations
Authors: Borges A. , Solomon G. C.
Published: May 2016

Single molecule conductance measurements are often interpreted through computational modeling, but the complexity of these calculations makes it difficult to directly link them to simpler concepts and models. Previous work has attempted to make this connection using maximally localized Wannier functions and symmetry adapted basis sets, but their use can be ambiguous and non-trivial. Starting from a Hamiltonian and overlap matrix written in a hydrogen-like basis set, we demonstrate a simple approach to obtain a new basis set that is chemically more intuitive and allows interpretation in terms of simple concepts and models. By diagonalizing the Hamiltonians corresponding to each atom in the molecule, we obtain a basis set that can be partitioned into pseudo-σ and −π and allows partitioning of the Landuaer-Büttiker transmission as well as create simple Hückel models that reproduce the key features of the full calculation. This method provides a link between complex calculations and simple concepts and models to provide intuition or extract parameters for more complex model systems.
Spin wave amplification using the spin Hall effect in permalloy/platinum bilayers
Authors: Gladii O. , Collet M. , Garcia-Hernandez K. , Cheng C. , Xavier S. , Bortolotti P. , Cros V. , Henry Y. , Kim J.-V. , Anane A. , Bailleul M.
Published: May 2016

We investigate the effect of an electrical current on the attenuation length of a 900 nm wavelength spin-wave in a permalloy/Pt bilayer using propagating spin-wave spectroscopy. The modification of the spin-wave relaxation rate is linear in current density, reaching up to 14% for a current density of 2.3 × 1011 A/m2 in Pt. This change is attributed to the spin transfer torque induced by the spin Hall effect and corresponds to an effective spin Hall angle of 0.13, which is among the highest values reported so far. The spin Hall effect thus appears as an efficient way of amplifying/attenuating propagating spin waves.
Quantifying air-sea gas exchange using noble gases in a coastal upwelling zone
Authors: Manning C C , Stanley R H R , Nicholson D P , Squibb M E
Published: May 2016

The diffusive and bubble-mediated components of air-sea gas exchange can be quantified separately using time-series measurements of a suite of dissolved inert gases. We have evaluated the performance of four published air-sea gas exchange parameterizations using a five-day time-series of dissolved He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe concentration in Monterey Bay, CA. We constructed a vertical model including surface air-sea gas exchange and vertical diffusion. Diffusivity was measured throughout the cruise from profiles of turbulent microstructure. We corrected the mixed layer gas concentrations for an upwelling event that occurred partway through the cruise. All tested parameterizations gave similar results for Ar, Kr, and Xe; their air-sea fluxes were dominated by diffusive gas exchange during our study. For He and Ne, which are less soluble, and therefore more sensitive to differences in the treatment of bubble-mediated exchange, the parameterizations gave widely different results with respect to the net gas exchange flux and the bubble flux. This study demonstrates the value of using a suite of inert gases, especially the lower solubility ones, to parameterize air-sea gas exchange.
‘Fire hardening’ spear wood does slightly harden it, but makes it much weaker and more brittle
Authors: Ennos Antony Roland , Chan Tak Lok
Published: May 2016

It is usually assumed that ‘fire hardening’ the tips of spears, as practised by hunter–gatherers and early
Homo
spp., makes them harder and better suited for hunting. This suggestion was tested by subjecting coppiced poles of hazel to a fire-hardening process and comparing their mechanical properties to those of naturally seasoned poles. A Shore D hardness test showed that fire treatment slightly increased the hardness of the wood, but flexural and impact tests showed that it reduced the strength and work of fracture by 30% and 36%, respectively. These results suggest that though potentially slightly sharper and more durable, fire-hardened tips would actually be more likely to break off when used, as may have been the case with the earliest known wooden tool, the Clacton spear. Fire might first have been used to help sharpen the tips of spears, and fire-hardening would have been a mostly negative side effect, not its primary purpose.
Using genetic algorithms to improve support vector regression in the analysis of atomic spectra of lubricant oils
Authors: Fernandez-Lozano Carlos , Cedrón Francisco , Rivero Daniel , Dorado Julian , Andrade-Garda José Manuel , Pazos Alejandro , Gestal Marcos
Published: May 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to assess the quality of commercial lubricant oils. A spectroscopic method was used in combination with multivariate regression techniques (ordinary multivariate multiple regression, principal components analysis, partial least squares, and support vector regression (SVR)).

Design/methodology/approach

– The rationale behind the use of SVR was the fuzzy characteristics of the signal and its inherent ability to find nonlinear, global solutions in highly complex dimensional input spaces. Thus, SVR allows extracting useful information from calibration samples that makes it possible to characterize physical-chemical properties of the lubricant oils.

Findings

– A dataset of 42 spectra measured from oil standards was studied to assess the concentration of copper into the oils and, thus, evaluate the wearing of the machinery. It was found that the use of SVR was very advantageous to get a regression model.

Originality/value

– The use of genetic algorithms coupled to SVR was considered in order to reduce the time needed to find the optimal parameters required to get a suitable prediction model.
A solution of transient rolling contact with velocity dependent friction by the explicit finite element method
Authors: Zhao Xin , Li Zili
Published: May 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to develop a numerical approach to solve the transient rolling contact problem with the consideration of velocity dependent friction.

Design/methodology/approach

– A three dimensional (3D) transient FE model is developed in elasticity by the explicit finite element method. Contact solutions with a velocity dependent friction law are compared in detail to those with the Coulomb’s friction law (i.e. a constant coefficient of friction).

Findings

– The FE solutions confirm the negligible influence of the dependence on the normal contact. Hence, analysis is focussed on the tangential solutions under different friction exploitation levels. In the trailing part of the contact patch where micro-slip occurs, very high-frequency oscillations are excited in the tangential plane by the velocity dependent friction. This is similar to the non-uniform sliding or tangential oscillations observed in sliding contact. Consequently, the micro-slip distribution varies greatly with time. However, the surface shear stress distribution is quite stable at different instants, even though it significantly changes with the employed friction model.

Originality/value

– This paper proposes an approach to solve the transient rolling contact problem with the consideration of velocity dependent friction. Such a problem was usually solved in the literature by the simplified contact algorithms, with which detailed contact solutions could not be obtained, or with the assumption of steady rolling.
Afghan refugees’ experience of Iran’s health service delivery
Authors: Heydari Abbas , Amiri Rana , Nayeri Nahid Dehghan , AboAli Vedadhir
Published: May 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore experiences of Afghan refugees from health service delivery in Mashhad, Iran.

Design/methodology/approach

– This is a descriptive study with contextual and qualitative design. Semi-structured interview conducted with 19 Afghan refugees and their caregivers and a focus group session were held with Afghan medical science students. Purposive sampling technique was used to select participants. Data were analysed by qualitative content analysis of Graneheim and Lundman. Lincoln and Guba’s criteria were implemented to ensure trustworthiness.

Findings

– The results with the core concept of “position of immigrants in the health system” were presented at four themes of “perceived discrimination”, “snowed with loneliness”, “feeling inferior”, and “gratitude”.

Research limitations/implications

– This study has some implications for researchers and practitioners. The present study is the first study that was done on the health of Afghan refugees in Iran, therefore it can be a ground for further research. In addition, it has valuable results regarding the Afghan immigrants’ experience of health care system of Iran.

Practical implications

– It can be useful for improving the condition of immigrants in Iran and for improving Iran’s health system. In order to improve the health system in Iran, authorities should pay much attention to transcultural caring and needs of minorities. Furthermore, health workers should be trained to appropriately take care of all patients, without prejudice.

Originality/value

– Overall the study revealed that there is inequity in access to health services among Afghan refugees in Iran. The findings, although not generalized, offer important insights into health care providers in Iran which should be delivering health service without prejudice. The authors recommended that policies of public medical insurance and assistance programme should be implemented for providing affordable health care services for Afghan refugees.
Mental health problems among youth in India and its correlates
Authors: Gaur Kirti , Ram Usha
Published: May 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to assess the prevalence and socio-economic determinants of common mental disorders among youth in India.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study utilizes data from “Youth in India: Situation and Needs 2006-2007”. One-way analysis of variance is used to compare different groups. Poisson regression models are used to test the relationship of household, parental, and individual factors with mental health problems.

Findings

– An estimated 11-31 million youth suffer from reported mental health problems in India. Results suggest that the household and individual factors like place of residence, wealth quintile, age, education, and occupation are the most important determinants of mental health problems among Indian youth. Parental factors lose their statistical significance once individual factors are controlled.

Research limitations/implications

– Little is known about correlates of mental health among youth. Strengthening on-going programmes and creating awareness about mental health issues through various programmes may help improve scenario. The two limitations of the study are: first, data covering all the states would have given a broader and clear picture of the issue; and second, due to cross-sectional nature of the data the study is not able to look into the cause-effect relationship.

Originality/value

– There are few studies which have explored mental health problems covering smaller areas in India. This is the first and the largest study conducted on a representative population of Indian youth to determine the correlates of reported mental health problems using General Health Questionnaire-12.
Combination of importance-performance analysis and response surface methodology for enhancing satisfaction
Authors: Pak Ro Jin
Published: May 2016

Purpose

– In order to know how to enhance the satisfaction of online courses in preparing for the college entrance examination in Korea, the purpose of this paper is to combine both the importance-performance analysis (IPA) and the response surface methodology (RSM).

Design/methodology/approach

– IPA is a simple but powerful tool for understanding the current status of factors or attributes in management problems. However, it lacks to provide the proper indication of what to do next on those factors or attributes to optimize a goal. RSM is a statistical tool helping us to set up a direction of factors or attributes in optimizing an output. The author attempts to combine both IPA and RSM in order to discover the next step after IPA for optimizing the goal. As an example, the author considers how to enhance the satisfaction of online courses in preparing for the college entrance examination in Korea.

Findings

– The combination of IPA and RSM enables us to find a way to attain a goal, for example, satisfying customers in a concrete and creative way.

Research limitations/implications

– Sample size is enough for research purpose but is a bit small for general purpose.

Practical implications

– This research tries to answer what to do next after IPA.

Social implications

– This research provides a predictive guide to satisfy customers.

Originality/value

– As far as the author knows, combining both IPA and RSM has not been made so far. It is a fusion of managerial and engineering techniques.
BJOG Editor's Choice
Authors: Marsh Michael
Published: May 2016

Deputy Editor‐in‐Chief, Mr Michael Marsh, discusses his top articles from this issue in an audio podcast available at https://soundcloud.com/bjog/june-editors-choice-2016
NHDPlusHR: A National Geospatial Framework for Surface‐Water Information
Authors: Viger Roland J. , Rea Alan , Simley Jeffrey D. , Hanson Karen M.
Published: May 2016

The U.S. Geological Survey is developing a new geospatial hydrographic framework for the United States, called the National Hydrography Dataset Plus High Resolution (NHDPlusHR), that integrates a diversity of the best‐available information, robustly supports ongoing dataset improvements, enables hydrographic generalization to derive alternate representations of the network while maintaining feature identity, and supports modern scientific computing and Internet accessibility needs. This framework is based on the High Resolution National Hydrography Dataset, the Watershed Boundaries Dataset, and elevation from the 3‐D Elevation Program, and will provide an authoritative, high precision, and attribute‐rich geospatial framework for surface‐water information for the United States. Using this common geospatial framework will provide a consistent basis for indexing water information in the United States, eliminate redundancy, and harmonize access to, and exchange of water information.
The value of capture: Taking an alternative approach to using lecture capture technologies for increased impact on student learning and engagement
Authors: Witton Gemma
Published: May 2016

Lecture Capture technologies are becoming widespread in UK Higher Education with many institutions adopting a capture‐all approach. Installations of capture devices in all teaching rooms and lecture theatres, scheduled recordings through integration with timetabling and automated distribution through virtual learning environments are swiftly becoming the norm. Capturing lectures has been shown to have a positive impact on student satisfaction, but numerous studies have shown little or no positive impact on student attainment as a result of capturing lectures. This article explores an alternative approach to the use of capture technologies in a pilot study at the University of Wolverhampton. The output of the pilot evaluation is a theoretical model recommending a shift in focus away from the conventional use of the technology for capturing lectures. It advocates a move toward the purposeful use of capture technologies to create content which adds value to student learning and increases engagement, which may ultimately lead to a positive impact on student attainment. The findings have implications for policy and practice around the use of capture technologies. Future work is described in the context of the project findings.
Minimally invasive flapless vs. flapped approach for single implant placement: a 2‐year randomized controlled clinical trial
Authors: Wang Feng , Huang Wei , Zhang Zhiyong , Wang Haowei , Monje Alberto , Wu Yiqun
Published: May 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this 2‐year randomized controlled clinical trial was to assess the differences in implant survival rates, soft tissue preservation, patient centered outcome and crestal bone changes applying the minimally invasive (MI) flapless approach for single implant placement compared to flapped implant surgery (FS).

Materials and methods

Subjects eligible for this study were randomly assigned into two groups: MI or FS. Items of evaluation were the following: implant installation position, soft tissue healing, post‐surgical pain, soft tissue outcome, marginal bone loss (MBL), and implant survival rate.

Results

Forty subjects (14 women and 26 men, 20 in MI group and 20 in FS group with a mean of 39 ± 13.2 years old) were included in the study. None of the implants demonstrated dehiscence or loss during the follow‐up. Subjects in MI group showed significantly lower post‐surgical pain and significantly less wound healing index scores at 1‐week follow‐up. The width of keratinized mucosa decreased from a mean of 4.2 ± 1.6 mm pre‐surgically to 3.7 ± 1.1 mm at crown delivery but remained stable at 2‐year follow‐up in MI group. At every appointment in the study, no statistical significant difference of PD and MBL was found between the two groups.

Conclusion

Compared with FS, single implants placed applying the MI technique in selected subjects showed advantages in improving patient comfort and decreasing post‐implant placement soft tissue reaction. Meanwhile, implants with MI approach have the same level of MBL and high success rates as FS procedure at 2‐year follow‐up. The deduction of keratinized mucosa is very limited and the width of KM remained stable with MI approach at 2‐year follow‐up.
Fatigue analysis of computer‐aided design/computer‐aided manufacturing resin‐based composite vs. lithium disilicate glass‐ceramic
Authors: Ankyu Shuhei , Nakamura Keisuke , Harada Akio , Hong Guang , Kanno Taro , Niwano Yoshimi , Örtengren Ulf , Egusa Hiroshi
Published: May 2016

Resin‐based composite molar crowns made by computer‐aided design/computer‐aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) systems have been proposed as an inexpensive alternative to metal‐ceramic or all‐ceramic crowns. However, there is a lack of scientific information regarding fatigue resistance. This study aimed to analyze the fatigue behavior of CAD/CAM resin‐based composite compared with lithium disilicate glass‐ceramic. One‐hundred and sixty bar‐shaped specimens were fabricated using resin‐based composite blocks [Lava Ultimate (LU); 3M/ESPE] and lithium disilicate glass‐ceramic [IPS e.max press (EMP); Ivoclar/Vivadent]. The specimens were divided into four groups: no treatment (NT); thermal cycling (TC); mechanical cycling (MC); and thermal cycling followed by mechanical cycling (TCMC). Thermal cycling was performed by alternate immersion in water baths of 5°C and 55°C for 5 × 104 cycles. Mechanical cycling was performed in a three‐point bending test, with a maximum load of 40 N, for 1.2 × 106 cycles. In addition, LU and EMP molar crowns were fabricated and subjected to fatigue treatments followed by load‐to‐failure testing. The flexural strength of LU was not severely reduced by the fatigue treatments. The fatigue treatments did not significantly affect the fracture resistance of LU molar crowns. The results demonstrate the potential of clinical application of CAD/CAM‐generated resin‐based composite molar crowns in terms of fatigue resistance.
Characterisation of overloads in fatigue by 2D strain mapping at the surface and in the bulk
Authors: Lopez‐Crespo P. , Mostafavi M. , Steuwer A. , Kelleher J. F. , Buslaps T. , Withers P. J.
Published: May 2016

Two complementary experimental techniques have been used to study the evolution of crack‐tip strain fields in a thin (plane stress dominated) compact tension sample following a single overload (OL) event. The total strain has been characterised at the surface by digital image correlation (DIC), while the elastic strain field in the bulk (interior) behaviour has been characterised by means of synchrotron X‐ray diffraction (XRD). Surface and bulk information allowed us to visualise the evolution of the strain fields before the OL event, during the OL event, just after it and at various stages after it. Unlike previous work, complete 2D maps of elastic strains around the crack‐tip were acquired at 60 µm spatial resolution by XRD. The strain data were used to estimate the effective crack driving force at the surface and at the mid plane. The DIC shows less crack opening displacement after overload and the XRD a lower crack‐tip peak stress after OL until the crack has grown past the compressive crack‐tip residual stress after which the behaviour returned to that for the baseline fatigue response. While the compressive residual stress introduced by the OL offsets the crack‐tip stress field as it grows through the overload plastic zone, the changes in crack‐tip stress over each cycle are the same before and at all stages after OL.
Numerical Study on Behavior of Groundwater Flow in Single Rough Fractures Under Mechanical Effect
Authors: Jeong Woochang
Published: May 2016

This paper numerically investigates the characteristics of groundwater flow in spatially correlated variable aperture fractures under the mechanical effect. Spatially correlated aperture distributions are generated using the geostatistical method (i.e., turning bands algorithm in this study). To represent a nonlinear relationship between the effective normal stress and the fracture aperture, a simple mechanical formula is combined with a local flow model. Numerical results indicate that the groundwater flow is significantly affected by the geometry of aperture distribution, varying with the applied effective normal stress as well as the spatial correlation length of aperture distribution. Moreover, using the flow results simulated in this study, two empirical formulae are proposed: (1) the first one (modified Louis formula) is to represent the relationship between the effective normal stress and the effective permeability of fracture and (2) the second one is to represent the relationship between relative roughness and effective permeability.
Structure of the male copulatory apparatus in Prognathorhynchus busheki (Platyhelminthes, Kalyptorhynchia)
Authors: Doe David A. , Smith Julian P.S.
Published: May 2016

Gnathorhynchidae is a diverse taxon of predatory eukalyptorhynch flatworms characterized by an armed proboscis. Their present taxonomy is not concordant with what we know of their phylogeny. Further progress in this area is hindered by a lack of information concerning their morphology. As recent studies have shown, a historical reliance on live observations for species descriptions has resulted in a number of errors and omissions. Here, we redescribe the anatomy of the male copulatory organ of Prognathorhynchus busheki using transmission electron and confocal microscopy, correcting several errors in the original description. Furthermore, we use these results to update our understanding of the anatomy and evolution of male copulatory organs in Gnathorhynchidae and in Platyhelminthes more generally.
Effect of Hatha yoga on anxiety: a meta‐analysis
Authors: Hofmann Stefan G. , Andreoli Giovanbattista , Carpenter Joseph K. , Curtiss Joshua
Published: May 2016

Objective

Some evidence suggests that Hatha yoga might be an effective practice to reduce anxiety. To examine the effect of Hatha yoga on anxiety, we conducted a meta‐analysis of relevant studies extracted from PubMed, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Library, and manual searches.

Method

The search identified 17 studies (11 waitlist controlled trials) totaling 501 participants who received Hatha yoga and who reported their levels of anxiety before and after the practice. We estimated the controlled and within‐group random effects of the practice on anxiety.

Results

The pre–post within‐group and controlled effect sizes were, Hedges’ g = 0.44 and Hedges’ g = 0.61, respectively. Treatment efficacy was positively associated with the total number of hours practiced. People with elevated levels of anxiety benefitted the most. Effect sizes were not moderated by study year, gender, presence of a medical disorder, or age. Although the quality of the studies was relatively low, the risk of study bias did not moderate the effect.

Conclusion

Hatha yoga is a promising method for treating anxiety. However, more well‐controlled studies are needed to compare the efficacy of Hatha yoga with other more established treatments and to understand its mechanism.
Advertising Expensive Mortgages
Authors: GURUN UMIT G. , MATVOS GREGOR , SERU AMIT
Published: May 2016

Using information on advertising and mortgages originated by subprime lenders, we study whether advertising helped consumers find cheaper mortgages. Lenders that advertise more within a region sell more expensive mortgages, measured as the excess rate of a mortgage after accounting for borrower, contract, and regional characteristics. These effects are stronger for mortgages sold to less sophisticated consumers. We exploit regional variation in mortgage advertising induced by the entry of Craigslist and other tests to demonstrate that these findings are not spurious. Analyzing advertising content reveals that initial/introductory rates are frequently advertised in a salient fashion, where reset rates are not.
A Tale of Two Runs: Depositor Responses to Bank Solvency Risk
Authors: IYER RAJKAMAL , PURI MANJU , RYAN NICHOLAS
Published: May 2016

We examine heterogeneity in depositor responses to solvency risk using depositor‐level data for a bank that faced two different runs. We find that depositors with loans and bank staff are less likely to run than others during a low‐solvency‐risk shock, but are more likely to run during a high‐solvency‐risk shock. Uninsured depositors are also sensitive to bank solvency. In contrast, depositors with older accounts run less, and those with frequent past transactions run more, irrespective of the underlying risk. Our results show that the fragility of a bank depends on the composition of its deposit base.
Hunting for “Racists”: Tape Fetishism and the Intertextual Enactment and Reproduction of the Dominant Understanding of Racism in US Society
Authors: Hodges Adam
Published: May 2016

The dominant racial ideology in US society narrowly conceptualizes racism as individual bigotry. This conception is enacted and legitimated through a type of language game that recontextualizes prior words to invoke evidence of an individual's racist credentials. This paper examines the way CNN journalists engage in this language game as they recontextualize the 911 call made by George Zimmerman before he killed Trayvon Martin in 2012. The analysis illustrates how the recontextualization works to enact and reproduce the dominant ideological perspective on racism by establishing intertextual authority and engaging a wider audience in the “hunting for ’racists’” language game.
An epidemiological study to assess the true incidence and prevalence of rheumatic heart disease and acute rheumatic fever in New Caledonian school children
Authors: Corsenac Philippe , Heenan Rachel C , Roth Adam , Rouchon Bernard , Guillot Nina , Hoy Damian
Published: May 2016

Aim

To provide in New Caledonian school children (i) the prevalence of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) detected by annual screening program using new World Heart Federation diagnostic criteria; (ii) the point prevalence of acute rheumatic fever (ARF); and (iii) to investigate socio‐demographic risk factors associated with RHD.

Methods

This study linked data from national ARF/RHD programs by combining ARF incidence data from the register with RHD prevalence data from echocardiographic screening data for a single age year of the population for overall point prevalence ARF/RHD rates. For the analysis, cases of echocardiographic detection of RHD are presumed to be synonymous with undiagnosed ARF. All results were weighted to minimise the bias introduced from absent pupils of each annual screening program. Incidence and prevalence were age‐standardised to the WHO World Standard Population. Each 2013 cumulative prevalence of definite and borderline RHD was studied using a multivariate logistic regression adjusted for socio‐demographic factors.

Results

The overall age‐standardised incidence of clinical and undiagnosed ARF (i.e. echocardiographic‐detected RHD) was combined as point prevalence and estimated to be 99/10 000 cases in 2012 and 114/10 000 cases in 2013. This included 40/10 000 prevalent cases of asymptomatic RHD detected by screening each year. Being Melanesian, OR 23.2 (95% CI: 3.4–157.3), or Polynesian, OR 21.5 (95% CI: 2.9–157.7), was associated with a higher prevalence of having definite RHD compared with being Caucasian. Being a girl was associated with a higher risk of having borderline RHD, OR 1.9 (95% CI: 1.03–3.3).

Conclusion

Without echocardiographic screening, ARF/RHD burden is substantially underestimated.
How is care provided for patients with paediatric trauma and their families in Australia? A mixed‐method study
Authors: Curtis Kate , Foster Kim , Mitchell Rebecca , Van Connie
Published: May 2016

Aim

This study describes clinical staff opinions on the availability and suitability of resources to provide trauma care to children and their families and any perceived strengths, gaps and potential interventions to strengthen care.

Methods

A mixed‐method study was conducted in five Australian paediatric trauma centres. The trauma coordinator at each site participated in a structured interview to determine models of care and trauma activity at their site. This informed the development of an electronic survey, which sought staff opinion on child and family access to services and perceived gaps in care.

Results

Five trauma coordinators were interviewed, and 214 clinicians (medical, nursing, allied health) from New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Queensland completed the survey. Each site had a trauma director and coordinator, and there was variance in resource availability. Almost all survey participants (92.5%) considered their hospital met the physical needs of injured children, 68.2% thought that the psychosocial needs of children were met and 82.1% thought that the needs of families were met. The least accessible services reported were clinical psychology/family counselling, mental health and behaviour management services. No routine follow‐up support services post‐discharge for the child or their families were identified.

Conclusion

Staff providing care for injured children report that physical needs are better met than psychosocial needs. There is variability in resource levels across paediatric trauma centres. A coordinated model of care that provides psychosocial care both during hospitalisation and post‐discharge could reduce this gap in care for injured children and their families.
Population Dynamics and Damage Potential of Meloidogyne hapla to Rose Rootstock Species
Authors: Meressa Beira‐Hailu , Dehne Heinz‐Wilhelm , Hallmann Johannes
Published: May 2016

The relationship between initial population densities (Pi) of Meloidogyne hapla on growth of three rose rootstocks (Rosa corymbifera ‘Laxa’, R. multiflora and R. canina ‘Inermis’) and nematode population development was studied. Each plant species was inoculated with ranges of nematode densities of 0, 0.062, 0.125, 0.25, 0.50, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 and 128 second‐stage juvenile/g soil and were allowed to grow for 9 weeks. Seinhorst yield model was fitted to total fresh biomass data of the rootstocks. The tolerance limits (T) were 0.04, 0.09 and 0.01 J2/g soil and the minimum yield (m) 0.65, 0.47 and 0.43 for R. corymbifera ‘Laxa’, R. multiflora and R. canina ‘Inermis’, respectively. The reproductive factor (Pf/Pi) was highest at low initial nematode densities for all rootstocks and then decreased to below maintenance level with increasing initial population densities. Root gall severity consistently increased with initial nematode population density. Furthermore, number of root galling showed a strong positive relationship with final nematode population per gram root fresh weight. The relation between Pi and Pf was also fitted to the Seinhorst population model (Pf = (M*Pi)/Pi + M/a). Rosa multiflora supported the population of M. hapla to a maximum population density (M) of 27.53 J2/g soil with an estimated average maximum multiplication rate (a) of 24.39. For R. corymbifera ‘Laxa’ and R. canina, the maximum multiplication rate was 4.34 and 3.62 and the maximum population density 6.08 and 4.78 J2/g dry soil, respectively. Hence, it was demonstrated that all three rootstocks were susceptible to even low initial nematode densities and therefore are considered good hosts for M. hapla.
ACE serum level and I/D gene polymorphism in children with obstructive uropathies and other congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract
Authors: Kostadinova Emilya Stambolova , Miteva Lyuba Dineva , Stanilova Spaska Angelova
Published: May 2016

Aim

The aim of this study was to investigate the association of an insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) gene with serum ACE level in relation to the type and severity of malformations from congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) spectrum.

Methods

A group of 134 Bulgarian children with CAKUT divided into four subgroups according to the leading malformation and 109 controls were genotyped by classical polymerase chain reaction. The quantitative determination of serum ACE was performed by ELISA method.

Results

A significant elevation of DD‐genotype was observed in high‐grade hydronephrosis compared to low‐grade (43% vs. 9%). The carrying of DD‐genotype was associated with higher risk for severe hydronephrosis with OR = 7.5 (95% CI: 1.242÷45.278; P = 0.028). Also, elevated serum ACE concentrations in patients with high‐grade compared to low‐grade hydronephrosis (237.4 ± 45 ng/mL vs 180.5 ± 64 ng/mL; P = 0.0065) were found. ACE level was significantly lower in patients with unilateral renal agenesis; hypo/dysplasia and multicystic dysplastic kidney (156.6 ± 54 ng/mL) than controls (200.6 ± 56.7 ng/mL; P = 0.005) and the remaining CAKUT subgroups.

Conclusion

The DD genotype of I/D ACE polymorphism encodes the highest serum ACE level may be an additional genetic risk factor contributing to the severe hydronephrosis in Bulgarian patients with obstructive uropathies in contrast to other investigated categories of CAKUT malformations.
Can data in optometric practice be used to provide an evidence base for ophthalmic public health?
Authors: Slade Sarah V. , Davey Christopher J. , Shickle Darren
Published: May 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the potential of using primary care optometry data to support ophthalmic public health, research and policy making.

Methods

Suppliers of optometric electronic patient record systems (EPRs) were interviewed to gather information about the data present in commercial software programmes and the feasibility of data extraction. Researchers were presented with a list of metrics that might be included in an optometric practice dataset via a survey circulated by email to 102 researchers known to have an interest in eye health. Respondents rated the importance of each metric for research. A further survey presented the list of metrics to 2000 randomly selected members of the College of Optometrists. The optometrists were asked to specify how likely they were to enter information about each metric in a routine sight test consultation. They were also asked if data were entered as free text, menus or a combination of these.

Results

Current EPRs allowed the input of data relating to the metrics of interest. Most data entry was free text. There was a good match between high priority metrics for research and those commonly recorded in optometric practice.

Conclusions

Although there were plenty of electronic data in optometric practice, this was highly variable and often not in an easily analysed format. To facilitate analysis of the evidence for public health purposes a UK based minimum dataset containing standardised clinical information is recommended. Further research would be required to develop suitable coding for the individual metrics included. The dataset would need to capture information from all sectors of the population to ensure effective planning of any future interventions.
Electrophysiologic Scar Substrate in Relation to VT: Noninvasive High‐Resolution Mapping and Risk Assessment with ECGI
Authors: ZHANG JUNJIE , COOPER DANIEL H. , DESOUZA KAVIT A. , CUCULICH PHILLIP S. , WOODARD PAMELA K. , SMITH TIMOTHY W. , RUDY YORAM
Published: May 2016

Background

Ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) can provide the substrate for ventricular tachycardia (VT).

Objective

To map noninvasively with high resolution the electrophysiologic (EP) scar substrate, identify its relationship to reentry circuits during VT, and stratify VT risk in ICM patients.

Methods

Noninvasive high‐resolution epicardial mapping with electrocardiographic imaging (ECGI) was performed in 32 ICM patients (17 with clinical VT, 15 without VT). Abnormal scar EP substrate was determined based on electrogram (EGM) amplitude (as percentage of maximal peak‐to‐peak voltage over the entire ventricular epicardium; total scar [TS] < 30%; dense scar [DS] < 15%), fractionation, and presence of late potentials (LPs). Scar burden was defined as the ratio of the scar size to the total epicardial surface area. The VT activation pattern was mapped and correlated with the EP substrate to identify components of the reentry circuit.

Results

Patients with VT had higher scar burden (TS: 51.0 ± 9.3% vs 36.5 ± 5.4%, P < 0.05; DS: 29.5 ± 7.3% vs 16.8 ± 6.8%, P < 0.05) with lower normalized unipolar EGM voltage (TS: 0.107 ± 0.027 vs 0.153 ± 0.031, P < 0.05; DS: 0.073 ± 0.023 vs 0.098 ± 0.026, P < 0.05), greater prevalence of fractionated EGMs (TS: 44.1 ± 10.6% vs 26.8 ± 6.3%, P < 0.05; DS: 50.8 ± 10.8% vs 30.9 ± 7.0%, P < 0.05), and LPs (TS: 26.8 ± 10.7% vs 15.8 ± 5.3, P < 0.05). VTs were mapped in eight patients; the reentry circuits were closely related to the EP substrate.

Conclusions

ECGI noninvasively identified scar EP substrate that underlies abnormal conduction in ICM patients. It identified regions within the scar that aligned with critical elements of the reentry circuit during VT. ECGI can potentially be used for VT risk stratification in ICM patients.