bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT SPECIFIC SURFACE AREA OF HIGHLY DISPERSIBLE SILICA AND INTERFACIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF GREEN ELASTOMER COMPOSITES
Authors: Manoharan Partheban , Anagha M. G. , Das Narayan Chandra , Naskar Kinsuk
Published: February 2018

Epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) is a modified form of NR bearing polar epoxy groups. The focus is on dispersion of highly dispersible silica (HDS) filler with three different specific surface areas in ENR 25/ENR 50 composites. The effect of three different specific surface areas of HDS on bound rubber content, Payne effect, physicomechanical properties, and viscoelastic properties of the green composites was studied in detail. Also, the influences of epoxide content in ENRs in the absence of silane coupling agent are evaluated on the overall properties of green composites. The highest level of reinforcement was obtained for the intermediate specific surface area of HDS due to the homogenous dispersion in the ENR matrix. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) has been used to analyze the particle network and cluster establishment in the green composites. The present SAXS method provides a unique insight into the aggregate formation according to the Beaucage model. On the other hand, SAXS results demonstrate that the particle network can be efficiently suppressed by increasing the specific surface area of HDS.
UNSUITABILITY OF THE ZEK/AFPS TEST METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS IN CARBON BLACK
Authors: Hamm Stephan , Hölscher Kai , Gruenberger Thomas M. , Moninot Gilles , Örtel Wolfgang , Petiniot Nicole
Published: February 2018

The Zentraler Erfahrungsaustauschkreis/Ausschuss für Produktsicherheit (ZEK/AfPS) analytical method established within the Geprüfte Sicherheit (GS) quality label for the determination of 18 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in consumer articles made out of rubber or plastic was demonstrated as unsuitable for carbon black (CB). High molecular weight PAHs are not efficiently extracted from CB through the ZEK/AfPS method when compared with the CB-specific method consisting of 48 h Soxhlet extraction. The low extraction efficiency correlates with the low recovery or loss of the deuterated isotopologues added prior to the 1 h ZEK/AfPS ultrasound extraction of the native PAHs. These phenomena are dependent on the type and concentration level of the various PAHs and are attributed to the relative distribution and adsorption of the native and deuterated PAHs between the CB surface and the toluene phase. These findings are based on comparative extractions of various carbon black grades, use of a larger set of deuterated isotopologues for gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) quantification of native PAHs, and monitoring of the recoveries of the deuterated PAHs added prior to or after the ZEK/AfPS extractions.
Winning the Gold in Weightlifting Using Biofeedback, Imagery, and Cognitive Change
Authors: Peper Erik , Aita Jo
Published: February 2018

Jo Aita, age 46 and weighing 58 kg, set the Masters World Records and Masters Games Records for her age group in Snatch, Clean and Jerk, and Total Olympic weightlifting at the World Masters Games by lifting 71 kg in the Snatch and 86 kg in the Clean and Jerk Olympic lifts. She incorporated biofeedback and visualization training to help optimize her performance. This article summarizes and describes the protocol of breathing and electromyography feedback combined with imagery that contributed to achieving her personal best.
A Lifelong Experience with Alpha
Authors: Renninson Keith
Published: February 2018

REVIEWER'S NOTE: In this context, alpha is a label for a subjective state learned during the Silva mind-control practices and does not necessarily correspond to alpha EEG. It is most likely similar to states learned by autogenic training, mindfulness, breathing, etc.
Healing Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Diaphragmatic Breathing
Authors: Peper Erik , Mason Lauren , Huey Cindy
Published: February 2018

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affects 7 to 21% of the general population and is a chronic condition. The symptoms usually include abdominal cramping, discomfort or pain, bloating, loose or frequent stools and constipation, and can significantly reduce the quality of life. This case report describes how a 22-year-old woman, who was initially diagnosed with IBS when she was a high school junior, healed herself from IBS with slow abdominal breathing without any therapeutic coaching. She has continued to be symptom-free for the last three years. The article reviews how slower diaphragmatic breathing (abdominal breathing) may reduce symptoms of IBS, explores the possibility that breathing is more than increasing sympathetic/parasympathetic balance, and suggests additional self-care strategies to reduce the symptoms of IBS.
EFL Learners’ Attitude towards Developing Speaking Skills at the University of Taif, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Soomro Abdul Fattah , Farooq Muhammad Umar
Published: February 2018

Speaking is the most difficult as well as the most complex of all the four skills, as it requires expertise in, and exposure to, the target language. Different factors are found responsible for poor speaking skills among EFL learners in general and Saudi EFL learners in particular. The current study investigates the influence of various factors related to teachers, learners, and learning environment on the students’ attitude towards learning speaking skills. The questionnaire survey was employed to elicit responses from 184 undergraduate EFL male and female students in Taif University. Data analyzed through SPSS reveals that out of five variables only one was insignificant, whereas all other variables showed significant positive effect. In the light of the findings, it could be inferred that lack of measures on the part of teachers and learners as well as the classroom setting/environment do not fully facilitate both the male and female students to learn speaking skills in a better way. The poor level of their skills in English is attributed to the variety of teachers’, learners’, and environment related factors. And these factors affect negatively on the attitude of learners towards learning speaking skills.
De griffier in gemeenteland
Authors: Schaap Linze , Kruyen Peter , van Hulst Merlijn , van Ostaaijen Julien
Published: February 2018

The registrar in the municipality

The introduction of dualistic administration in the municipal government in the Netherlands in 2002 created the profession of the registrar. This article contains a description of the way Dutch municipal registrars fill in their office nowadays. The research shows that registrars deal with a wide range of tasks, that can be divided in four task fields: secretarial tasks, facilitating, representing and advising councillors. In the filling in of these task fields several profiles of registrars arise. So the basic registrar mainly organizes council meetings and reports on these meetings. The basic registrar plus performs the same tasks, but is also active in a few other task fields. The strategic advisor is the most active on all task fields. There are some significant differences between the three profiles when it comes to the importance of registrars to their activities, their value orientations and their competences. Contextual factors are hardly important, except the size of the municipality. It is also remarkable that the registrar has shown little activity with respect to two developments that are becoming increasingly important for municipal councils: regionalization and socialization of local government.
De vroege geschiedenis van de (lokale) bestuurswetenschappen
Authors: Reussing Rik
Published: February 2018

The early history of Dutch (local) administrative sciences: Jos van der Grinten as ally of Gerrit van Poelje

Exactly a hundred years ago Jos van der Grinten wrote an article in De Beiaard (a catholic magazine) with which he established his name as early administrative scientist. In this respect he is an important ally of Gerrit van Poelje, who is generally recognized to be the founder of the (local) administrative sciences in the Netherlands. This essay discusses the most important themes in the work of Van der Grinten against the background of the early debate about the quality of local administration in the Netherlands. The essay also looks into his place in the history of (local) administrative sciences, not only nationally in relation to Gerrit van Poelje, but also internationally in relation to the American writer Frank Goodnow. In 1923 Van der Grinten (until his early death in 1932) was the first professor of State and Administrative Law at the new Catholic University of Nijmegen. As the city secretary of Nijmegen he played an important role at the arrival of this university to Nijmegen, but in this period he also contributed to the (local) administrative sciences. In this sense he is the forerunner of Public Administration, first at the Legal Department and later at the Social Department of the Radboud University in Nijmegen.
Gemeenteraadslid in de meervoudige democratie: hoe dan?!
Authors: van Stipdonk Vincent , van den Berg Marije
Published: February 2018

Municipal councillor in the multiple democracy: how?! Suggestions for a more productive interplay in the multiple democracy

This essay describes how municipal councillors can make the difference in the multiple democracy, in which forms of representative and participative democracy touch upon each other. The essay has three parts. The first part addresses the questions: what do you make politics of, and how do you fill in your role as municipal councillor in this multiple democracy? The second part is about the question: where to steer and control in the local interplay? The final part of the essay discusses what forms there are and at what moments they can be used. The key argument of the authors is that municipal councillors can make the difference by: (a) working on social assignments and connecting to these social assignments the administrative and organizational assignment by setting priorities; (b) being responsible for the whole system (for the community and for the municipality); (c) steering on a democratic process on the basis of clear criteria; (d) ensuring appropriate forms per assignment and per policy phase; and (e) thereby also supervising implementation and management.
Dworkin’s Rights Conception of the Rule of Law in Criminal Law
Authors: Jansen Briain
Published: February 2018

Dworkin’s Rights Conception of the Rule of Law in Criminal Law

The extensive interpretation of criminal law to the detriment of the defendant in criminal law is often problematized in doctrinal theory. Extensive interpretation is then argued to be problematic in the light of important ideals such as democracy and legal certainty in criminal law. In the Dutch discussion of this issue, Klaas Rozemond has argued that sometimes extensive interpretation is mandated by the rule of law in order to protect the rights of victims. Rozemond grounds his argument on a reading of Dworkin’s distinction between the rule-book and the rights conception of the rule of law. In this article, I argue that Dworkin’s rights conception, properly considered, does not necessarily mandate the imposition of criminal law or its extensive interpretation in court in order to protect victims’ rights.
Schade in de virtuele wereld: de casus virtuele grooming
Authors: ten Voorde Jeroen
Published: February 2018

Schade in de virtuele wereld: de casus virtuele grooming

As part of a package of legislative measures concerning cybercrime, the Dutch State Secretary for Security and Justice proposes to criminalize virtual grooming, that is the grooming of a person of minor age who, for example, does only exist as an online creature. The legislator’s principle argument for criminalization is based on the harm principle. This article examines the possibility of founding the criminalization of virtual grooming on this principle.
Positieve uitlokking van ethisch hacken
Authors: Harms Karel
Published: February 2018

Positieve uitlokking van ethisch hacken. Een onderzoek naar responsible-disclosurebeleid

In this contribution, the Dutch government’s acceptance of ethical hacking, by implementing a policy of responsible disclosure, is considered to be a beneficent development. Ethical hacking contributes to cybersecurity and is intrinsically desirable. The term positive incitement is proposed to describe the relatively new phenomenon of encouraging ethical hacking. Positive incitement will be analysed by making a comparison to the Dutch toleration policy regarding soft drugs, and to incitement by law enforcement. Positive incitement should not change into negative incitement, which would result in a serious breach of the rights of ethical hackers. Furthermore, it is argued that the intrinsic value of ethical hacking can justify searching for vulnerabilities in systems of organisations who do not approve of this in advance.
Wel ambitieus, niet visionair. De digitalisering in Modernisering Strafvordering.
Authors: Stamhuis E.F.
Published: February 2018

Wel ambitieus, niet visionair. De digitalisering in Modernisering Strafvordering.

In deze opiniërende bijdrage wordt kort beschreven hoe het project Modernisering Strafvordering aan de digitalisering van de strafrechtspleging bijdraagt. Verder komt de experimenteerbepaling aan de orde. Wat echter ontbreekt, is een visie op de volgende stap in de ontwikkeling, waarin de technologie de menselijke beslissing verder kan vervangen. Met behulp van vier trefwoorden wordt aangegeven welke onderwerpen voor een visie relevant zijn: veiligheid, verbeelding, verantwoordelijkheid en vertrouwen.
Psychische problemen tijdens detentie: een overzicht van kernresultaten uit het Prison Project
Authors: Dirkzwager A.J.E. , Nieuwbeerta P.
Published: February 2018

Mental health problems during imprisonment: An overview of findings from the Prison Project

This contribution summarizes findings from the Prison Project on the longitudinal course of mental health problems during imprisonment. The findings illustrate that prisoners experience high levels of mental health problems. Shortly after their arrival in detention, a quarter of them experienced a high level of mental health problems, which is five times as high as men in the general population. Prisoners’ mental health problems decreased during imprisonment. Both characteristics of the correctional environment (e.g. a fair and respectful treatment by prison staff) and pre-existing characteristics of the prisoners (e.g. personality traits) are related to the course of mental health problems in detention.
Sla het brein niet in de boeien
Authors: Meijers Jesse , Harte Joke M. , Scherder Erik J.A.
Published: February 2018

Do not restrain the prisoner’s brain

Executive functions (EF) are higher order brain functions that are crucial for self-regulation, which may be negatively influenced by an impoverished environment. Since prison can be characterized as an impoverished environment, we studied whether EF and self-regulation decline during imprisonment. While EF are already often impaired in antisocial and criminal populations, we found a decline in attention and self-regulation after three months of imprisonment. We discuss the implications of our findings regarding recidivism and propose to aim for an improvement in executive functions during imprisonment, by enriching the prison environment.
Use of Electronic Health Record Tools to Facilitate and Audit Infliximab Prescribing
Authors: Sharpless Bethany R. , del Rosario Fernando , Molle-Rios Zarela , Hilmas Elora
Published: February 2018

OBJECTIVES The objective of this project was to assess a pediatric institution's use of infliximab and develop and evaluate electronic health record tools to improve safety and efficiency of infliximab ordering through auditing and improved communication.

METHODS Best use of infliximab was defined through a literature review, analysis of baseline use of infliximab at our institution, and distribution and analysis of a national survey. Auditing and order communication were optimized through implementation of mandatory indications in the infliximab orderable and creation of an interactive flowsheet that collects discrete and free-text data. The value of the implemented electronic health record tools was assessed at the conclusion of the project.

RESULTS Baseline analysis determined that 93.8% of orders were dosed appropriately according to the findings of a literature review. After implementation of the flowsheet and indications, the time to perform an audit of use was reduced from 60 minutes to 5 minutes per month. Four months post implementation, data were entered by 60% of the pediatric gastroenterologists at our institution on 15.3% of all encounters for infliximab. Users were surveyed on the value of the tools, with 100% planning to continue using the workflow, and 82% stating the tools frequently improve the efficiency and safety of infliximab prescribing.

CONCLUSIONS Creation of a standard workflow by using an interactive flowsheet has improved auditing ability and facilitated the communication of important order information surrounding infliximab. Providers and pharmacists feel these tools improve the safety and efficiency of infliximab ordering, and auditing data reveal that the tools are being used.
Impact of Early Versus Late Diuretic Exposure on Metabolic Bone Disease and Growth in Premature Neonates
Authors: Orth Lucas E. , O'Mara Keliana L.
Published: February 2018

OBJECTIVES This study aimed to determine whether there are differences in the incidence of metabolic bone disease (MBD) between preterm neonates first exposed to diuretics prior to 2 weeks of life versus those exposed after 2 weeks.

METHODS This study was a retrospective analysis of premature neonates born at a tertiary care center between 2011 and 2015 who received either furosemide or chlorothiazide. The primary outcome was incidence of MBD. Secondary outcomes included growth, electrolyte disturbances, oxygen requirement, and length of stay.

RESULTS A total of 147 patients were included. Early initiation (n = 90) and late initiation (n = 57) arms were balanced with respect to birth weight and gestational age. There was no difference in incidence of MBD in the early group (76%) versus the late group (65%; p = 0.164). Stratification by cumulative dose showed incidence of 85% in patients receiving ≥8 mg/kg of furosemide, compared with 68% and 64% of those in the <4 mg/kg and 4 to 7.9 mg/kg strata, respectively (p = 0.06). The early group experienced greater reductions in length-for-age growth during diuretic therapy (−70% versus −40%; p = 0.009). Electrolyte abnormalities were more prevalent in the early group. Although there was no difference in duration of mechanical ventilation, duration of supplemental oxygen requirement was reduced in the late group (75 versus 89 days; p = 0.003).

CONCLUSIONS Timing of diuretic initiation did not affect incidence of MBD. Increased cumulative furosemide exposure may be associated with higher incidence. Patients first exposed to diuretics within 2 weeks of life are at higher risk for electrolyte abnormalities and reduced growth velocity.
Sedation Protocol During Bevacizumab Intravitreal Injection in Preterm Infants With Retinopathy of Prematurity
Authors: Miller Jamie L. , Johnson Peter N. , Harkey Kari , Siatkowski R. Michael
Published: February 2018

OBJECTIVES This study describes outcomes of intravenous (IV) analgesics and sedatives for bedside intravitreal bevacizumab injections for retinopathy of prematurity.

METHODS This retrospective study included infants receiving intravitreal bevacizumab injections between January 2012 and May 2016. Infants were excluded if bevacizumab was administered under general anesthesia or for incomplete records. Data collection included demographics, sedation and analgesia regimen, and cardiopulmonary adverse events (AEs). The primary objective was to identify the median doses of the IV analgesics and sedatives. The secondary objectives included the number of patients with cardiopulmonary AEs and those with procedure success, defined as procedure completion without interruption and absence of interventions.

RESULTS Fifteen infants were included. Fourteen (93.3%) were initiated on a fentanyl infusion at a median of 2 mcg/kg/hr (IQR, 2–3.6), and 12 (80%) received midazolam infusions at a median of 0.06 mg/kg/hr. All patients received at least 1 IV neuromuscular blocker dose just prior to the procedure. Only 2 patients (13.3%) required an increase in their fentanyl or midazolam infusions. Procedure success was achieved in 13 patients (86.7%). Five patients (33.3%) experienced 1 cardiopulmonary AE. One patient (6.7%) had a delay in the procedure, and 1 patient (6.7%) required naloxone. Despite this, the procedure was completed in all patients.

CONCLUSIONS Most received fentanyl and midazolam infusions with a dose of vecuronium just prior to the procedure. Thirteen (86.7%) met the criteria for procedure success. One-third experienced a cardiopulmonary AE. Future studies are needed to identify the optimal agents and route of administration for this procedure.
Considerations for Providing Ambulatory Pharmacy Services for Pediatric Patients
Authors: Lampkin Stacie J. , Gildon Brooke , Benavides Sandra , Walls Kelly , Briars Leslie
Published: February 2018

Pediatric clinical pharmacists are an integral part of the health care team. By practicing in an ambulatory care clinic, they can reduce the risk of medication errors, improve health outcomes, and enhance patient care. Unfortunately, because of limited data, misconceptions surrounding the role of pharmacists, and reimbursement challenges, there may be difficulty in establishing or expanding pediatric clinical pharmacy services to an ambulatory care setting. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of considerations for establishing or expanding pharmacy services in a pediatric ambulatory care clinic. The primer will discuss general and pediatric-specific pharmacy practice information, as well as potential barriers, and recommendations for identifying a practice site, creating a business plan, and integrating these services into a clinic setting.
Infantile Gastroesophageal Reflux: Adherence to Treatment Guidelines in the Hospital Setting
Authors: Long Heather A. , Solski Lauren , Rebuck Jill A. , Bridgeman Colin
Published: February 2018

OBJECTIVES Recent guidelines defined and differentiated the management of gastroesophageal reflux (GER) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The guidelines recommend against using empiric acid suppression therapy for infantile GER. The primary objective of this study was to assess inpatient guideline adherence regarding management of infantile GER through the perspective of pharmacists. Secondary objectives included assessing pharmacist comfort level with differentiation between GER and GERD, observing current trends in practice relating to the primary objective, and determining the availability of institution-specific guidelines that address the management of infantile GER.

METHODS An institutional review board-approved, national, online survey of pharmacists with inpatient pediatric experience was conducted. Pediatric pharmacy membership directories were used to create the listserv of eligible pharmacists. The 2009 NASPGHAN/ESPGHAN (North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition/European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition) Pediatric Gastroesophageal Reflux Clinical Practice Guideline was used to develop the survey and to define both GER and GERD. Demographic data was also collected regarding the institutional setting and pharmacists responding.

RESULTS The overall response rate was 14.8% (n = 149). Although 29.7% of pharmacists stated empiric acid suppression trials were not used for infantile GER at their institution, 44.6% responded that these trials are initiated 1 to 2 times per week in their hospitals. In addition, 19.6% responded that these empiric trials were initiated 3 to 5 times per week. A smaller percentage of responders reported even higher frequencies per week at their institutions.

CONCLUSIONS From the results of the survey, infants continue to receive empiric acid suppression trials for GER in the inpatient setting, which is not adherent to the current guideline recommendation.
Preliminary Indications for the Use of Sugammadex After Its Addition to a Formulary at a Tertiary Care Children's Hospital
Authors: Barry N'Diris , Uffman Joshua C. , Tumin Dmitry , Tobias Joseph D.
Published: February 2018

OBJECTIVES Neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) are administered to facilitate endotracheal intubation and provide skeletal muscle relaxation in surgical procedures. Sugammadex (Bridion) recently received approval by the United States Food and Drug Administration for reversal of rocuronium and vecuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade thereby providing an alternative to acetylcholinesterase inhibitors such as neostigmine. This quality improvement analysis sought to investigate the clinical reasons and common clinical perceptions for choosing sugammadex over neostigmine to reverse NMBAs.

METHODS One hundred cases were reviewed where sugammadex was used for neuromuscular blockade reversal in the operating room. Cases were identified from electronic medical record reports. Anesthesia providers responsible for administering sugammadex were interviewed to obtain rationales for sugammadex use in the perioperative setting. Responses were reviewed to identify distinct reasons for using sugammadex. Two independent raters ranked the reasons according to prevalence. The study was exempt from Institutional Review Board approval as a quality improvement (QI) project.

RESULTS Forty-two anesthesia providers (15 Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, 5 anesthesiology trainees, and 22 attending anesthesiologists) were interviewed to identify reasons why sugammadex was administered intraoperatively in 100 surgical cases (69/31 male/female patients, age 9.4 ± 6.5 years). The author identified the top 19 common reasons respondents chose to use sugammadex for each case, and independent raters reviewed the response summaries for those 19 primary reasons sugammadex was used. The most common reasons for choosing sugammadex were: 1) beneficial pharmacokinetics of the agent; 2) sugammadex's perceived superior efficacy over neostigmine; and 3) concerns regarding adverse effects of neostigmine and/or the anticholinergic agent.

CONCLUSIONS Sugammadex has recently been introduced for clinical use to reverse NMBAs at our institution. Primary reasons and perceptions for its use over neostigmine included a limited adverse effect profile, a greater sense of control and predictability of patients' response, and a limited incidence of residual neuromuscular blockade.
Voriconazole: Poor Oral Bioavailability and Possible Renal Toxicity in an Infant With Invasive Aspergillosis
Authors: Walldorf Jenny A. , Kishk Omayma A. , Campbell James D. , Lardieri Allison B.
Published: February 2018

Voriconazole is the recommended agent of choice for treatment of invasive aspergillosis; however, achieving therapeutic serum concentrations while avoiding toxicity, both with intravenous and oral formulations, is challenging in infants. We report the case of an infant with confirmed invasive aspergillosis who developed renal toxicity possibly associated with IV voriconazole. Renal function improved upon withdrawal of the IV agent and switch to the oral formulation. The infant subsequently required large oral weight-based dosing to achieve therapeutic voriconazole serum concentrations. This case illustrates a rare side effect associated with voriconazole as well as the issues surrounding the pharmacokinetic profile of voriconazole in a pediatric patient.
Gabapentin Improves Oral Feeding in Neurologically Intact Infants With Abdominal Disorders
Authors: O'Mara Keliana L. , Islam Saleem , Taylor Janice A. , Solomon Daniel , Weiss Michael D.
Published: February 2018

Feeding intolerance, poor oral feeding skills, and retching are common symptoms seen in medically complex infants with a history of abdominal disorders and surgical interventions, such as gastrostomy tube placement and Nissen fundoplication. Visceral hyperalgesia may play a role in the underlying pathophysiology. We report the use of orally administered gabapentin in 3 infants with presumed visceral hyperalgesia presenting as poor tolerance of enteral and oral feeds. Retching and outward discomfort associated with feeds was resolved within 2 to 3 days of initiation of therapy. Full oral feeds were obtained in all 3 patients within 3 to 4 months of starting gabapentin without changing adjunctive medications or therapies. After attainment of full oral feeds, all patients were successfully weaned off gabapentin over a month, with no notable side effects, signs of withdrawal, or impact on ability to feed by mouth.
Unbounded symmetric analytic functions on $\ell_1$
Authors: Chernega Iryna , Zagorodnyuk Andriy
Published: February 2018

We show that each $G$-analytic symmetric function on an open set of $\ell _1$ is analytic and construct an example of a symmetric analytic function on $\ell _1$ which is not of bounded type.
Composition operators on weighted spaces of holomorphic functions on the upper half plane
Authors: Lusky Wolfgang
Published: February 2018

We consider moderately growing weight functions $v$ on the upper half plane $\mathbb G$ called normal weights which include the examples $(\mathrm{Im} w)^a$, $w \in \mathbb G$, for fixed $a > 0$. In contrast to the comparable, well-studied situation of normal weights on the unit disc here there are always unbounded composition operators $C_{\varphi }$ on the weighted spaces $Hv(\mathbb G)$. We characterize those holomorphic functions $\varphi \colon \mathbb G \rightarrow \mathbb G$ where the composition operator $C_{\varphi } $ is a bounded operator $Hv(\mathbb G) \rightarrow Hv(\mathbb G)$ by a simple property which depends only on $\varphi $ but not on $v$. Moreover we show that there are no compact composition operators $C_{\varphi }$ on $Hv(\mathbb G)$.
Solución Sistémica a los Conflictos Nacionales
Authors: Pla López Rafael
Published: February 2018

Resumen - Se analiza cómo desarrollar una solución sistémica a los conflictos nacional articulando autodeterminación y solidaridad a través de un federalismo fractal.Abstract – How to develop a systemic solution to national conflicts is analyzed by articulating selfdetermination and solidarity through a fractal federalism.
Teaching and Learning Systems Thinking: What, Why, When, Where, Who, What For, How?
Authors: Bricage Pierre
Published: February 2018

Currently everybody needs to be educated for lifelong time, so we have to be careful what we put in the education programs, and when, in order to create a systems thinking acquired culture and an ethical holistic behaviour.
LEARNING TO BE A PSYCHOSTIMULANTS ADDICT WITH SELF-REGULATION THERAPY
Authors: Amigó Salvador , Micó Joan C , Caselles Antonio
Published: February 2018

This article presents the results of a single-case experiment of alternative treatments in which a participant applied the Self-Regulation Therapy (SRT) to reproduce the effects of a stimulant drug, methylphenidate, and a sedative, alcohol. The SRT is a learning procedure based on classic conditioning and suggestion that reproduces the effect of drugs by remembering the effects they have. The participant reproduced the effects of both drugs during ten sessions held on 5 consecutive days. To record effects, adjective scales were used that measured Drug effect, High, Rush, Energy, Tension and the General Factor of Personality (GFP). The results indicated that the participant was capable of independently reproducing the effects of both the above-cited drugs, and that most of these effects were graphically represented as an inverted U-shape. This inverted U can be interpreted as a process in which effects of drugs become progressively more marked (sensitization) to become progressively less marked (tolerance). In this way, the inverted U represents the equivalent to a complete process of becoming addicted to a drug. The participant “learnt to be an addict” without using drugs. The theoretical implications and therapeutic potential of this procedure are discussed.
ADVANCES IN THE GENERAL FACTOR OF PERSONALITY DYNAMICS
Authors: Micó Joan C , Amigó Salvador , Caselles Antonio
Published: February 2018

This paper presents a dynamical integro-differential equation to reproduce the dynamical response of the General Factor of Personality (GFP) to a stimulus dose, particularly to a stimulant drug dose. The model is called in the past authors publications as response model. We refer to it as the old response model, due to a new response model presented here that solves partially the problem of the model validation: how to forecast the GFP dynamical response from a previous model calibration. The application case presented is an individual ABC experimental design where the stimulus used is methylphenidate.
LA PERSONALIDAD DE LAS SOCIEDADES. DESCRIPCIÓN Y DINÁMICA
Authors: Amigó Salvador , Caselles Antonio , Micó Joan C
Published: February 2018

La Extraversión es considerada como la dimensión fundamental y básica de la personalidad desde la Teoría del Rasgo Único de Personalidad [1]. La Extraversión, como dimensión temperamental, engloba dimensiones cognitivas como la racionalidad y la emocionalidad. La teoría de los tipos de Carl Jung [2] establece una dinámica compleja entre estas dimensiones, a partir de la cual se obtiene una tipología de la personalidad. Amigó [3] adaptó la teoría de Jung para aplicarla a las sociedades. Así, al igual que los individuos, las sociedades poseen una determinada personalidad y pueden también ser clasificadas según una tipología de personalidad. Se reflexiona sobre la historia como la dinámica de las sociedades a lo largo del tiempo, que parte de la idea de Jung de las dimensiones opuestas que se complementan e imprimen movimiento, y de la teoría de la supervivencia de las sociedades de Amigó [4], que sostiene que las crisis provocan cambios socioeconómicos que tienen a perpetuarse a través de la estructura ideológica resultante. Finalmente, se propone una metodología para aplicar la matemática de la teoría de sistemas a esta nueva concepción de la personalidad individual y social.
БРОЈ МИКРООРГАНИЗАМА КАО ПАРАМЕТАР КВАЛИТЕТА СИРОВОГ МЛИЈЕКА
Authors: Голић Бојан , Бабић Александра , Голић Милијана , Мијачевић Зора
Published: February 2018

Да би се произвело млијеко задовољавајућег квалитета у погледу микробио-лошког статуса, микробиолошки критеријуми примјењују се на сирово млије-ко. Сирово млијеко, као полазна сировина за производњу термички обрађе-ног млијека, испитује се у оквиру система контроле квалитета сировог млије-ка. Кравље сирово млијеко мора да задовољи критеријум ≤100.000CFU/ml. Бројмикроорганизама израчунава се из појединачних резултата добијених токомдвомјесечног периода, са најмање два узорка мјесечно, кориштењем геоме-тријске средине.Циљ испитивања је да се на основу резултата испитивања сировог крављегмлијека на број микроорганизама, сагледа квалитет сировог млијека и условихигијене у процесу производње.Узорци сировог крављег млијека потичу из мљекаре која врши откуп млије-ка са територије Републике Српске, a узорковани су са једне линије откупа, којаобухвата 23 сабирна мјеста. Током шестомјесечног периода узорковано је укуп-но 278 узорака сировог млијека.За микробиолошко испитивање сировог млијека кориштена је метода од-ређивања укупног броја бактерија методом проточне цитометрије на инстру-менту BactoScan FC Type 73700.Геометријске средине резултата испитивања сировог млијека на број ми-кроорганизама су, током шест мјесеци, у преко 95% сабирних мјеста биле≤100.000CFU/ml, а геометријска средина броја микроорганизама у сировоммлијеку за линију откупа задовољава критеријум дат правилником о квалите-ту свјежег сировог млијека. У овом периоду је 7,60% узорака имало број микро-организама >100.000CFU/ml.
Duplicate Question Detection in Stack Overflow: A Reproducibility Study
Authors: Silva Rodrigo F G , Paixao Klerisson V , Maia Marcelo de A.
Published: February 2018

Stack Overflow has become a fundamental element of developer toolset. Such influence increase has been accompanied by an effort from Stack Overflow community to keep the quality of its content. One of the problems which jeopardizes that quality is the continuous growth of duplicated questions. To solve this problem, prior works focused on automatically detecting duplicated questions. Two important solutions are DupPredictor and Dupe. Despite reporting significant results, both works do not provide their implementations publicly available, hindering subsequent works in scientific literature which rely on them. We executed an empirical study as a reproduction of DupPredictor and Dupe. Our results, not robust when attempted with different set of tools and data sets, show that the barriers to reproduce these approaches are high. Furthermore, when applied to more recent data, we observe a performance decay of our both reproductions in terms of recall-rate over time, as the number of questions increases. Our findings suggest that the subsequent works concerning detection of duplicated questions in Question and Answer communities require more investigation to assert their findings.
Learning place cells, grid cells and invariances with excitatory and inhibitory plasticity
Authors: Weber Simon Nikolaus , Sprekeler Henning
Published: February 2018

Neurons in the hippocampus and adjacent brain areas show a large diversity in their tuning to location and head direction, and the underlying circuit mechanisms are not yet resolved. In particular, it is unclear why certain cell types are selective to one spatial variable, but invariant to another. For example, place cells are typically invariant to head direction. We propose that all observed spatial tuning patterns – in both their selectivity and their invariance – arise from the same mechanism: Excitatory and inhibitory synaptic plasticity driven by the spatial tuning statistics of synaptic inputs. Using simulations and a mathematical analysis, we show that combined excitatory and inhibitory plasticity can lead to localized, grid-like or invariant activity. Combinations of different input statistics along different spatial dimensions reproduce all major spatial tuning patterns observed in rodents. Our proposed model is robust to changes in parameters, develops patterns on behavioral timescales and makes distinctive experimental predictions.
Deficit irrigation and fertilization strategies to improve soil quality and alfalfa yield in arid and semi-arid areas of northern China
Authors: Jia Qianmin , Kamran Muhammad , Ali Shahzad , Sun Lefeng , Zhang Peng , Ren Xiaolong , Jia Zhikuan
Published: February 2018

Background

In the arid and semi-arid areas of northern China, overexploitation of fertilizers and extensive irrigation with brackish groundwater have led to soil degradation and large areas of farmland have been abandoned. In order to improve the soil quality of abandoned farmland and make reasonable use of brackish groundwater, we conducted field trials in 2013 and 2014.

Methods

In our study, we used three fertilization modes (CF, chemical fertilizer; OM, organic manure and chemical fertilizer; NF, no fertilizer) and three deficit irrigation levels (I0: 0 mm; I75: 75 mm; I150: 150 mm).

Results

The results showed that the activities of soil urease, alkaline phosphatase, invertase, catalase, and dehydrogenase in the OM treatment were significantly improved compared with those in the CF and NF treatments under the three deficit irrigation levels. Compared with NF, the OM treatment significantly increased soil organic carbon (SOC), water-soluble carbon (WSC), total nitrogen, microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen (MBC and MBN), and soil respiration rate, and significantly decreased soil C:N and MBC:MBN ratios and the metabolic quotient, thus improving the soil quality of abandoned farmland. Furthermore, the OM treatment increased alfalfa plant height, leaf area index, leaf chlorophyll content, and biomass yield. Under the CF and OM fertilization modes, the activities of urease and catalase in I150 were significantly higher than those in I0, whereas irrigating without fertilizer did not significantly increase the activity of these two enzymes. Regardless of fertilization, alkaline phosphatase activity increased with an increase in irrigation amount, whereas invertase activity decreased.

Discussion

The results showed that deficit irrigation with brackish groundwater under the OM treatment can improve soil quality. Over the two years of the study, maximum SOC, total nitrogen, WSC, MBC, and MBN were observed under the OM-I150 treatment, and the alfalfa biomass yield of this treatment was also significantly higher than that of the OM-I0 treatment. Therefore, the OM-I150 treatment could be used as a suitable measure not only to improve the quality of abandoned farmland soil but also to increase the alfalfa biomass yield in arid and semi-arid areas of northern China.
Fruit and vegetable consumption and anemia among adult non-pregnant women: Ghana Demographic and Health Survey
Authors: Ghose Bishwajit , Yaya Sanni
Published: February 2018

Background

Anemia is the most widely prevalent form of micronutrient deficiency that affects over a quarter of the global population. Evidence suggests that the burden of anemia is higher in the developing countries with women of reproductive age and children being the most at-risk groups. The most common causes are believed to be malnutrition and low bioavailability of micronutrients, which usually result from poor dietary habits and inadequate intake of food rich in micronutrients such as fresh fruits and vegetables. Regular consumption of F&V was shown to have protective effect against NCDs; however, evidence on this protective effect against micronutrient deficiency diseases are limited.

Objectives

(1) To measure the prevalence of anemia among adult non-pregnant women in Ghana, and (2) to investigate if there is any cross-sectional relationship between F&V consumption and anemia.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study based on data extracted from the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey, 2008. Subjects were 4,290 non-pregnant women aged between 15 and 49 years. Hemoglobin levels were measured by HemoCue® hemoglobin-meter. Association between anemia and F&V consumption was assessed by multivariable regression methods.

Results

Findings indicate that well over half (57.9%) of the women were suffering from anemia of some level. The percentage of women consuming at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day were 5.4% and 2.5% respectively. Results of multivariable analysis indicated that among urban women, consumption of <5 servings fruits/day was associated with significantly higher odds of severe [AOR = 9.27; 95% CI [5.15–16.70]] and moderate anemia [AOR = 6.63; 95% CI [4.21–10.44]], and consumption of <5 servings of vegetables/day was associated with higher odds of moderate anemia [AOR = 2.39; 95% CI [1.14–5.02]] compared with those who consumed >5 servings/day.

Conclusion

The findings indicate that urban women who did not maintain WHO recommended level of F&V consumption bear a significantly higher likelihood of being moderate to severely anemic.
Contribution of Hydrologic Opportunity and Biogeochemical Reactivity to the Variability of Nutrient Retention in River Networks
Authors: Marcé Rafael , von Schiller Daniel , Aguilera Rosana , Martí Eugènia , Bernal Susana
Published: February 2018

In‐stream nutrient retention results from the interaction between hydrological and biogeochemical processes involved in downstream transport. While hydrological processes set the opportunity for nutrient retention to occur, metabolic activity and abiotic processes determine the potential biogeochemical reactivity of streams. Yet, a comprehensive assessment of the relevance of hydrological opportunity versus biogeochemical reactivity on the variability of nutrient retention across streams is still missing. We compiled an extensive data set of existing studies on nutrient retention for ammonium, nitrate, and soluble reactive phosphorus to explore how variability in hydrological opportunity and biogeochemical reactivity explain nutrient retention. We quantified the relative contribution of hydrological opportunity and biogeochemical reactivity to the observed variability in stream nutrient retention using a linearization of the retention equation, which allows for an exact partitioning of the variance associated with residence time and nutrient uptake rate. Finally, we explored potential patterns of nutrient retention along the river network resulting from the interaction between hydrological opportunity and biogeochemical reactivity. Our results show that biogeochemical reactivity has a more relevant role on nutrient retention variability than previously thought, explaining over 66% of the variability in nutrient retention. Among the studied nutrients, retention variability of ammonium was the most subjected to biogeochemical reactivity controls. Furthermore, our results provide insights on controls of longitudinal patterns of nutrient retention along river networks, indicating that retention per unit length for the three nutrients will most likely decrease from headwaters to river mouth because of a decrease in water residence time.
Carbon Budget of Tidal Wetlands, Estuaries, and Shelf Waters of Eastern North America
Authors: Najjar R. G. , Herrmann M. , Alexander R. , Boyer E. W. , Burdige D. J. , Butman D. , Cai W.‐J. , Canuel E. A. , Chen R. F. , Friedrichs M. A. M. , Feagin R. A. , Griffith P. C. , Hinson A. L. , Holmquist J. R. , Hu X. , Kemp W. M. , Kroeger K. D. , Mannino A. , McCallister S. L. , McGillis W. R. , Mulholland M. R. , Pilskaln C. H. , Salisbury J. , Signorini S. R. , St‐Laurent P. , Tian H. , Tzortziou M. , Vlahos P. , Wang Z. A. , Zimmerman R. C.
Published: February 2018

Carbon cycling in the coastal zone affects global carbon budgets and is critical for understanding the urgent issues of hypoxia, acidification, and tidal wetland loss. However, there are no regional carbon budgets spanning the three main ecosystems in coastal waters: tidal wetlands, estuaries, and shelf waters. Here we construct such a budget for eastern North America using historical data, empirical models, remote sensing algorithms, and process‐based models. Considering the net fluxes of total carbon at the domain boundaries, 59 ± 12% (± 2 standard errors) of the carbon entering is from rivers and 41 ± 12% is from the atmosphere, while 80 ± 9% of the carbon leaving is exported to the open ocean and 20 ± 9% is buried. Net lateral carbon transfers between the three main ecosystem types are comparable to fluxes at the domain boundaries. Each ecosystem type contributes substantially to exchange with the atmosphere, with CO2 uptake split evenly between tidal wetlands and shelf waters, and estuarine CO2 outgassing offsetting half of the uptake. Similarly, burial is about equal in tidal wetlands and shelf waters, while estuaries play a smaller but still substantial role. The importance of tidal wetlands and estuaries in the overall budget is remarkable given that they, respectively, make up only 2.4 and 8.9% of the study domain area. This study shows that coastal carbon budgets should explicitly include tidal wetlands, estuaries, shelf waters, and the linkages between them; ignoring any of them may produce a biased picture of coastal carbon cycling.