bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Urban agriculture in Botswana
Authors: Mosha Aloysius Clemence
Published: February 2016

Botswana, a middle-income country, is experiencing a sluggish economic growth and a rapid urbanisation which has brought in its wake high unemployment, poverty and food insecurity. This has led some people to engage in subsistence and commercial urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) to address these problems. However, in spite of its known advantages, uptake of UPA has been low for a number of reasons including: high GDP before the economic meltdown of recent years; a harsh climate; lack of water; poor access to land; and over-reliance on generous government handouts. Nevertheless, the extent of its practice and its contribution to food security – albeit modest – shows that it is a sector that needs to be encouraged and supported. Both central and local government can play a big role by providing land and infrastructure, and also by implementing an enabling policy and regulatory environment which promotes small- and medium-scale urban food production.
Public participation in services delivery projects in Buikwe District Local Government Uganda
Authors: Kugonza Sylvester , Mukobi Robert
Published: February 2016

Public participation as a democratic right has gained wide acceptance in local governance, both to improve accountability in service delivery and to enhance civic consciousness. Uganda now has two decades’ experience of various forms of decentralisation. However, the extent of public participation both in local planning and in holding local politicians to account has been inconsistent. Taking Buikwe District local government as a case study, the authors argued that three key factors influence public participation in local governance – access to information, ability to use information effectively, and awareness of citizens’ rights, roles and responsibilities. They found that these factors positively influenced overall respondents’ participation in local government projects by 10.2%, 19% and 22% respectively based on Pearson Correlation Coefficient. The study further found that information is not readily accessible or effectively disseminated to the majority of citizens and therefore is not fully harnessed for planning, monitoring and evaluating government projects. Reasons for this inadequate access included: limited and costly infrastructure for handling information: lack of skills in relation to how and when to use information; and lack of analytical and simplification skills among those disseminating information. In light of these findings, the paper recommends that information dissemination must be planned and carried out in a targeted and systematic way, if citizens’ awareness of their rights, roles and responsibilities in service delivery is to be achieved.
The Shea Industry and Rural Livelihoods among Women in the Wa Municipality, Ghana
Authors: Adams Abdul-Moomin , Abudulai Issahaku , Bashiru Motin
Published: February 2016

The majority of rural population in Ghana are faced with poverty, especially in northern Ghana which records the highest poverty levels. Despite the potential of the shea industry to contribute to alleviating poverty among rural women, little attention has been given to the industry. This paper examined the shea industry as a source of livelihood among rural women as well as the challenges women faced in the industry in Wa Municipality. Cross-sectional research design was employed and data were collected using questionnaires. The results of the study indicate that 93.7% of the women participated in the shea value chain as a main source of livelihood strategy; as much as 69.8% of the respondents in the shea industry produce for both subsistence and commercial purposes; majority of the respondents (96%) were engaged in fresh nut collection as well as home processing of nuts, and 86.5% were engaged in shea butter processing; the average annual income per person was GH¢846.85; however, the average annual income for butter processors was much higher than that of nut processors; and the major challenges confronting women in the shea industry includes: limited access to investment capital; cutting down of live shea trees; lack of modern processing equipment and training; and poor pricing of shea products in the local market. The paper calls on government to formulate a clear cut policy for the industry, particularly on marketing of the shea products to make the industry lucrative for women while at the same time increasing the export base of shea products.
The Polish Guards Companies of the U.S. Army After World War II
Authors: Wojciech Jerzy Muszyński
Published: February 2016

One of the most interesting, yet obscure phenomena of the Cold War is the quasi-military service of thousands of citizens of countries occupied by the Soviet Union in guard units set up by the United States and other Allies in western Europe from the mid-1940s to the late 1970s. Of these, Poles initially constituted the largest group. This article explores the formation, service, and eventual demobilization of these unique units.
O NOVO CPC E O NÃO-JUIZ
Authors: Maior Jorge Luiz Souto
Published: February 2016

O novo Código de Processo Civil regula os poderes, os deveres e a responsabilidade do juiz, deixando claro, desde o título, a inclinação do legislador para muito mais fiscalizar o juiz do que confiar em sua atuação. Aliás, pode-se dizer mesmo que a linha mestra do novo CPC é o aprisionamento do juiz, de modo a retira-lhe o poder jurisdicional e transformá-lo em gestor e reprodutor da lógica empresarial econômica.
A APLICAÇÃO DA PENA NO SISTEMA PENAL BRASILEIRO: A CULPABILIDADE COMO ELEMENTO CENTRAL DE VALORAÇÃO
Authors: De Siqueira Leonardo Henrique Gonçalves
Published: February 2016

O presente artigo investiga a relação entre culpabilidade e medida da pena dentro do ordenamento jurídico brasileiro, especialmente no momento de fixar a pena-base. A situação se dificulta quando percebemos, conforme doutrina de Hungria, que o nosso atual artigo 59 do código penal agrega pressupostos da Escola Clássica e da Escola Positivista. A falta de técnica legislativa permitiu legitimar sentenças criminais que mediram a pena levando em relevo elementos relacionados ao modo de ser do agente, o que fere os ditames de um Estado Democrático de Direito.
TRA RULE OF LAW E STATO COSTITUZIONALE NEL DIRITTO PROCESSUALE BRASILIANO
Authors: Junior Hermes Zaneti
Published: February 2016

Questo articolo si propone di analizzare le trasformazioni del diritto interno brasiliano , soprattutto per quanto riguarda le modifiche legislative e proces - durale derivanti da interferenze culturale e sociale che oggi immerso Brasile in una nuova era a causa del nuovo codice di procedura civile . Con l'obiettivo finale di non può risiedere solo nel negare la forza di una normativa precedente , ma piuttosto di ri- sidir nel fornire gli elementi per comprendere la giurisprudenza sulla scia della democrazia costituzionale plurale che costituisce un sostanziale equilibrio tra le parti e il tribunale , con lo scopo di demistificare la teoria delle fonti del diritto che nella tradizione del diritto civile , pone un divieto rispetto alla giurisdizione , la prudenza come fonte di formale e vincolante .
MAO TSE-TUNG EN BOGOTÁ. EL PRAGMATISMO DE LAS FARC Y SU PARALELO EN CHINA
Authors: Mendéz Gabriel A.
Published: February 2016

Los analistas del actual proceso de paz en Colombia han pasado por alto el curioso paralelo entre la propuesta de la insurgencia guerrillera de establecer alrededor de 50 Zonas de Reserva Campesina (ZRC) en el territorio nacional y la política de “un país, dos sistemas” implementada por la dirigencia China después de la muerte de Mao.

 

El camino de la paz entre China y Estados Unidos se obtuvo por la competencia pacífica entre los dos sistemas. Poseía un tinte novedoso y poco estudiado por los filósofos políticos occidentales: la conexión marxismo-pragmatismo en lugar de la tradicional disputa entre marxismo y liberalismo. Al parecer, al Sur Global en general y a Colombia en particular, también les ha llegado el momento de reconocer que “poco importa que el gato sea blanco o negro, con tal que cace ratones” (Deng Xiaoping). A comienzo de los años 80, la política de “un país, dos sistemas” significaba que China conservaría el sistema comunista; mientras que en Hong Kong y los territorios de ultramar, Taiwán, Macao y Singapur, continuarían con el sistema capitalista comandado por Estados Unidos.
Quilting is sew mathematical
Authors: Kurz Terri L.
Published: February 2016

Math by the Month features collections of short activities that focus on a monthly theme and aim for an inquiry or problem-solving orientation that includes at least four activities each for grade bands K–2, 3–4, and 5–6. In this issue, we look at quilting in America, which is as old as America herself. The popularity of quilts has continued, and many Americans still quilt today. Some people consider it an art form.
A picture is worth 100 math ideas
Authors: Orr Jennifer , Suh Jennifer
Published: February 2016

Teachers share success stories and ideas that stimulate thinking about the effective use of technology in K—grade 6 classrooms. One way to keep young students engaged and interested in practicing counting is to involve them in using cameras. This article explains how first graders capture 100 images, use Windows MovieMaker or PhotoStory to turn the still images into a video, and then narrate a story using precise math vocabulary to explain their mathematical thinking.
Cryptanalysis of LOKI
Authors: Knudsen Lars Ramkilde
Published: February 2016

In 1990 Brown, Pieprzyk and Seberry proposed a new encryption primitive, which encrypts and decrypts a 64-bit block of data using a 64-bit key. Furthermore they propose a way to build private versions of LOKI.

In this paper we show first that the keyspace of any LOKI-version is only 2^60, not 2^64 as claimed. Therefore there are 15 equivalent keys for every key, that encrypts/decrypts texts the same way. An immediate consequence is, that for the proposed Single Block Hash Mode it is very easy to find collisions. Secondly we do differential cryptanaiysis on LOKI and show that n-round LOKI, n<=14 is vulnerable to this kind of attack, at least in principle. We show that we cannot find a characteristic with a probability high enough to break LOKI with 16 rounds. However one might find a private LOKI-version, that is vulnerable to a differential attack for n=16. Finally we consider differentials versus characteristics for LOKI.
Communicating Concepts in an Interdisciplinary Project: Four Models of a Lake Described in the DELTA Language
Authors: Møller-Pedersen Birger
Published: February 2016

This report is the first part of an English version of a Master's Thesis. In this thesis the DELTA language was used in the description of four different models of the same system, the experiences with the use was reported and an extension of DELTA by a context concept was proposed.

This report covers the use of the DELTA language. A forthcoming report (DAIMI PB-83) will deal with the proposed extension by a context concept.

This report is also referred to as DELTA Project Report No. 7.
Coloured Petri Nets and the Invariant-Method
Authors: Jensen Kurt
Published: February 2016

In many systems a number of different processes have a similar structure and behaviour. To shorten system description and system analysis it is desirable to be able to treat such similar processes in a uniform and succinct way. In this paper it is shown how Petri nets can be generalized to allow processes to be described by a common subnet, without losing the ability to distinguish between them. Our generalization, called coloured Petri nets, is heavily influenced by predicate/transition-nets introduced by H.J. Genrich and K. Lautenbach. Moreover our paper shows how the invariant-method, introduced for Petri nets by K. Lautenbach can be generalized to coloured Petri nets.

Revised version (first version 1979)
Se artiklens DOI før publicering
Authors: Frederiksen Niels Erik
Published: February 2016

Indskriv DOI før publicering . sådan gør du
The Politics of Dreaming - from Diderot to Keats and Shelley
Authors: Richardson Alan
Published: February 2016

Dreaming, seemingly a private activity, can exhibit political and ideological dimensions. The first part of this article looks at the ideological significance, within late Enlightenment and Romantic-era culture, of the very activity of dreaming, with particular reference to Diderot’s Le Réve de d’Alembert. Nocturnal dreaming and the somnambulistic behaviors closely associated with dreaming can and did challenge orthodox notions of the integral subject, of volition, of an immaterial soul, and even of the distinction between humans and animals. The second half of the article looks at two literary dreams, from the poetry of Shelley and Keats, considering how represented dreams can have pronounced ideological and political valences. The article as a whole illustrates the claims and methods of cognitive historicist literary critique.
This Time as Romantic Fiction: Monarchism and Peasant Freedom in the Historical Literature of B. S. Ingemann 1824–1836
Authors: Kølle Lone
Published: February 2016

This article examines the relationship between the monarchy and the people as represented by one of the foremost Danish Romantics, the poet B. S. Ingemann (1789–1862), in the historical literature he published in the years when Ingemann wrote his Danish history, the so-called ‘myth of an original peasant’s freedom’, is also inherent in Ingemann’s novels and poems. Drawing on the literature of the Danish historian Peter Frederik Suhm, Ingemann embraces and ‘recycles’ the idea that historically an ancient constitution existen in Denmark to ensure that the peasant was on equal terms with the nobility and the clergy. No decision could be made without the consent of the commonality. The article stresses that this idea had an enormous impact on Danish society, both as a cultural indicator and as an actual political tool, not least in the crucial years following the French Revolution.
Assessment and Diagnosis of Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction
Authors: Durrant Beverley , Chockalingam Nachiappan , Morriss-Roberts Christopher
Published: February 2016

Background: Posterior tibial tendon dysfunction is a disabling pathologic flatfoot disorder. Evidence supports the notion that this condition is poorly diagnosed by health-care professionals. In addition, opinion is divided as to the most appropriate assessment and diagnostic techniques used to reflect the progression or stage of the condition. Hence, this study intended to explore the views and opinions of health-care professionals who may be involved in its assessment and diagnosis.

Methods: A two-phase sequential mixed methods design was used that combined a questionnaire survey and a focus group interview.

Results: The questionnaire data were analyzed using the Kendall levels of concordance and the Cohen kappa statistic, and the focus group data were analyzed using thematic analysis, which led to three main themes: resource implications, scope of practice, and awareness of the condition.

Conclusions: This study highlights what may have been suspected previously but that has never been investigated in a structured manner. One approach to the assessment and diagnosis of posterior tibial tendon dysfunction is not necessarily the best, and depending on the clinical teams, different guidance may be required to ensure that patients are receiving the most appropriate and best care.
Improved electroluminescence with reversed bilayers of thiophene/phenylene co-oligomer derivatives
Authors: Dokiya Shohei , Sasaki Fumio , Hotta Shu , Yanagi Hisao
Published: February 2016

Organic electroluminescence (EL) devices were fabricated with bilayered thiophene/phenylene co-oligomer (TPCO) derivatives: p-type 5,5′-bis(4-biphenylyl)-2,2′-bithiophene (BP2T) and n-type 5,5′-bis(4′-cyanobiphenyl-4-yl)-2,2′-bithiophene (BP2T-CN). Two types of EL device, Al:Li/BP2T-CN/BP2T/ITO (device A) and Au/BP2T/BP2T-CN/ITO (device B), were investigated using vapor-deposited films of BP2T and BP2T-CN by changing the order of deposition onto the indium–tin-oxide (ITO)/glass substrate. The EL performance was significantly improved for device B in which the two molecules had a lying orientation suitable for efficient carrier injection and transport as well as surface emission. In device A, on the other hand, the standing BP2T orientation resulted in much lower current density and EL intensity.
Rigid Conjugated Twisted Truxene Dimers and Trimers as Electron Acceptors
Authors: Zhang Gang , Lami Vincent , Rominger Frank , Vaynzof Yana , Mastalerz Michael
Published: February 2016

A new class of rigid twisted truxenone oligomers with an enlarged π backbone has been established by oxidative dimerization reactions. The resulting extended conjugated systems have large extinction coefficients and low‐lying LUMO levels and show good solubility in common organic solvents, thus making them attractive compounds as new electron acceptors in organic electronics. Their suitability as electron acceptors has been demonstrated in bulk‐heterojunction organic solar cells with poly({4,8‐bis[(2‐ethylhexyl)oxy]benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′]dithiophene‐2,6‐diyl}{3‐fluoro‐2‐[(2‐ethylhexyl)carbonyl]thieno[3,4‐b]thiophenediyl}) (PTB7) as the donor material.
Z‐Shaped Pyrrolo[3,2‐b]pyrroles and Their Transformation into π‐Expanded Indolo[3,2‐b]indoles
Authors: Stężycki Rafał , Grzybowski Marek , Clermont Guillaume , Blanchard‐Desce Mireille , Gryko Daniel T.
Published: February 2016

Sterically hindered 1,4‐dihydropyrrolo[3,2‐b]pyrroles possessing ortho‐(arylethynyl)phenyl substituents at positions‐2 and ‐5 were efficiently synthesized through a sila‐Sonogashira reaction. These unique Z‐shaped dyes showed relatively strong fluorescence in solution. Detailed optimization revealed that, in the presence of InCl3, these alkynes readily undergo an intramolecular double cyclization to give hexacyclic products bearing an indolo[3,2‐b]indole skeleton in remarkable yields. Steady‐state UV–visible spectroscopy revealed that upon photoexcitation, the prepared Z‐shaped alkynes undergo mostly radiative relaxation leading to high fluorescence quantum yields. In the case of 7,14‐dihydrobenzo[g]benzo[6,7]indolo[3,2‐b]indoles, we believe that the substantial planarization of geometry in the excited state, is the underlying reason for the observed large Stokes shifts. The presence of additional electron‐withdrawing groups makes it possible to further alter the photophysical properties. The two‐photon absorption cross‐section values of both families of dyes were found to be modest and the nature of the excited state responsible for two‐photon absorption appeared to be strongly affected by the presence of peripheral groups. Serendipitous synthesis of unusual double‐Z‐shaped alkyne by Sonogashira and Glaser coupling is also reported.
Navigating the labyrinth of cardiac regeneration
Authors: Lambers Erin , Kume Tsutomu
Published: February 2016

Heart disease is the number one cause of morbidity and mortality in the world and is a major health and economic burden, costing the United States Health Care System more than $200 billion annually. A major cause of heart disease is the massive loss or dysfunction of cardiomyocytes caused by myocardial infarctions and hypertension. Due to the limited regenerative capacity of the heart, much research has focused on better understanding the process of differentiation toward cardiomyocytes. This review will highlight what is currently known about cardiac cell specification during mammalian development, areas of controversy, cellular sources of cardiomyocytes, and current and potential uses of stem cell derived cardiomyocytes for cardiac therapies. Developmental Dynamics 245:751–761, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Automated, high‐throughput, in vivo analysis of visual function using the zebrafish
Authors: Scott C. Anthony , Marsden Autumn N. , Slusarski Diane C.
Published: February 2016

Background: Modern genomics has enabled the identification of an unprecedented number of genetic variants, which in many cases are extremely rare, associated with blinding disorders. A significant challenge will be determining the pathophysiology of each new variant. The Zebrafish is an excellent model for the study of inherited diseases of the eye. By 5 days post‐fertilization (dpf), they have quantifiable behavioral responses to visual stimuli. However, visual behavior assays can take several hours to perform or can only be assessed one fish at a time. Results: To increase the throughput for vision assays, we used the Viewpoint Zebrabox to automate the visual startle response and created software, Visual Interrogation of Zebrafish Manipulations (VIZN), to automate data analysis. This process allows 96 Zebrafish larvae to be tested and resultant data to be analyzed in less than 35 minutes. We validated this system by disrupting function of a gene necessary for photoreceptor differentiation and observing decreased response to visual stimuli. Conclusions: This automated method along with VIZN allows rapid, high‐throughput, in vivo testing of Zebrafish's ability to respond to light/dark stimuli. This allows the rapid analysis of novel genes involved in visual function by morpholino, CRISPRS, or small‐molecule drug screens. Developmental Dynamics 245:605–613, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The diagnostic accuracy of brief versions of the Geriatric Depression Scale: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Pocklington Claire , Gilbody Simon , Manea Laura , McMillan Dean
Published: February 2016

Background

Depression in older adults is often under recognised despite it being the most common mental health illness in this age group. An increasing older adult population highlights the need for improved diagnostic rates. Brief versions (15 items or less) of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), which are suitable for busy clinical practice, could improve detection rates.

Objective

Our aim is to establish the diagnostic accuracy of brief versions of the GDS.

Methods

Twelve electronic databases of published and unpublished literature were searched. Study selection was in accordance with predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. A recognised gold‐standard diagnostic instrument was used as a comparator against data pertaining to the use of a brief version of the GDS in an older adult population. The QUADAS‐II was utilised for quality assessment. Narrative analysis and, where possible, meta‐analysis were performed.

Results

Thirty‐two studies were identified that provided diagnostic data regarding seven brief versions of the GDS (1, 4, 5, 7 8, 10 and 15‐item versions). Pooled sensitivity was 0.89 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.80–0.94), and specificity was 0.77 (95% CI 0.65–0.86) for the GDS‐15 at the recommended cut‐off score of 5. Meta‐analysis of other brief versions was not possible because of an insufficient number of studies with standardised items.

Conclusions

Results suggest the possibility of selective reporting of cut‐off scores, and therefore, findings should be approached cautiously. Studies should report all cut‐off scores, and all brief GDS versions should be compiled of standardised items. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Is Turkish MEFV Mutations Spectrum Different Among Regions?
Authors: Yilmaz Gulsen , Senes Mehmet , Kayalp Damla , Yucel Dogan
Published: February 2016

Background

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive inherited inflammatory disease. The gene responsible for the disease, called MEFV, encodes a protein called pyrin or marenostrin. According to recent data, MEFV mutations are not the only cause of FMF, but genetic analysis of MEFV gene is needed for confirming the diagnosis of FMF. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the molecular testing results of MEFV mutations.

Methods

Molecular testing results of 1,435 patients were retrospectively evaluated over the last 4 years. These patients were identified as having FMF clinical symptoms. Patients were tested for 12 common mutations in the MEFV gene using a strip assay technique.

Results

From all 1,435 patients, MEFV mutations were found in 776 patients (54.08%) and 659 patients (45.92%) did not carry any mutations. Patients with mutations were classified as homozygotes (n = 148), compound heterozygotes (n = 197), heterozygous (n = 427), and complex genotypes (n = 4, patients with three mutations). Allelic frequencies for the four most common mutations in the mutation‐positive groups were 48.79% (M694V), 14.86% (M680I G/C), 13.70% (E148Q), and 12.35% (V726A). The remaining alleles (10.3%) showed rare mutations that were R761H, P369S, A744S, K695R, F479L, and M694I. No patient showed a I692del mutation that is sometimes evident in other Mediterranean populations.

Conclusion

It was found that the most common four mutations (M694V, M680I [G/C], E148Q, V726A) were similar to those previously reported from different regions of Turkey and this study might add some knowledge to the mutational spectrum data on FMF.
The Association Between Circulating Levels of miRNA‐181a and Pancreatic Beta Cells Dysfunction via SMAD7 in Type 1 Diabetic Children and Adolescents
Authors: Nabih Enas Samir , Andrawes Nevine Gamal
Published: February 2016

Background

miRNA‐181a has been implicated in autoimmunity and apoptosis. Therefore, this study was conducted to explore its possible role in pancreatic beta‐cells dysfunction.

Methods

miRNA‐181a expression was evaluated by real‐time PCR in serum of 40 type 1 diabetic children and adolescents and 40 age‐ and gender‐matched healthy controls.

Results

miRNA‐181a expression was significantly higher in diabetic children and adolescents and it was negatively correlated to fasting C‐peptide and SMAD7 levels.

Conclusion

miRNA‐181a appears to play a potential role in pancreatic beta‐cells dysfunction via SMAD7.
A Review of Clinical Outcomes for Gait and Other Variables in the Surgical Treatment of Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus
Authors: Shaw Richard , Mahant Neil , Jacobson Erica , Owler Brian
Published: February 2016

Background

Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (INPH) is a treatable cause of gait disturbance, cognitive impairment, and urinary incontinence. This clinical triad of symptoms occurs in association with ventriculomegaly and normal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure. Although the treatment outcomes after CSF shunting for INPH have improved significantly since its first description in 1965, shortcomings in our understanding still remain. Not all INPH patients exhibit clinical improvement after shunting, and it is challenging to identify patients who are more likely to benefit from shunting.

Methods

The Cochrane Library, Medline, Embase, and PubMed databases were searched for English‐language publications between 1965 and October 2015. Reference lists of publications were also manually searched for additional publications.

Results

The findings of this review indicate that, despite efforts to improve patient selection, the degree of clinical improvement after shunting continues to demonstrate significant variability both within and between studies. These discrepancies in treatment outcomes are the result of controversies in 3 distinct but interrelated domains: the underlying pathophysiology of INPH, the diagnosis of INPH, and the identification of likely shunt‐responders.

Conclusions

This review focuses on these 3 areas and their relation to surgical treatment outcomes. Despite the limitations of published outcome studies and limitations in our understanding of INPH pathophysiology, shunting is a safe and effective means of achieving meaningful clinical improvement in most patients with INPH.
All meromorphic solutions of an ordinary differential equation and its applications
Authors: Yuan Wenjun , Meng Fanning , Lin Jianming , Wu Yonghong
Published: February 2016

Dedicated to Professor Yuzan He on the Occasion of his 80th Birthday

In this paper, we employ the complex method to obtain all meromorphic solutions of an auxiliary ordinary differential equation at first and then find out all meromorphic exact solutions of the combined KdV–mKdV equation and variant Boussinesq equations. Our result shows that all rational and simply periodic exact solutions of the combined KdV–mKdV equation and variant Boussinesq equations are solitary wave solutions, the method is more simple than other methods, and there exist some rational solutions wr,2(z) and simply periodic solutions ws,2(z) that are not only new but also not degenerated successively by the elliptic function solutions. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Infinity Optical Systems
Authors: Greb Christoph
Published: February 2016

Infinity optics refers to the concept of a beam path with parallel rays between the objective and the tube lens of a microscope. Flat optical components can be brought into this infinity space without influencing image formation, which is critical for the utilization of contrast methods such as DIC or fluorescence. Modern microscopy techniques require the addition of multiple optical instruments, such as light sources or laser devices, into the infinite light path. Different approaches to fulfill this need have emerged and are described here.
Industrial Reliability in Scientific Lasers
Authors: Arrigoni Marco , Vogt Peter
Published: February 2016

By leveraging expertise from the 24/7 world of industrial lasers, the latest scientific lasers combine state of the art performance with unprecedented reliability and stability, increasing data productivity and lowering the real costs of academic research.
Mechanical System Approaches Limit of Technical Feasibility
Authors: Schulze Birgit
Published: February 2016

Nowadays, X‐ray and tomographic methods help detect very fine structures inside objects. For spatial resolutions down to 100 nanometers, diffractive X‐ray optics are available today. However, various challenges have to be overcome to obtain a three‐dimensional image with volume resolution in this range. It is a major challenge to achieve the extremely high mechanical accuracy and stability required for the alignment of the optics and samples in the X‐ray beam and for the entire experimental setup. Even minute changes in temperature or vibrations could degrade the desired resolution. This is why the improvement of the X‐ray optics must always go hand in hand with the mechanical perfection of the entire setup. If specialists work closely together, considerable progress can be made as shown by the example described below.
Orienting Oneself for Leadership: The Role of Goal Orientation in Leader Developmental Readiness
Authors: Culbertson Satoris S. , Jackson Alexander T.
Published: February 2016

The ways in which individuals approach achievement situations influence their use of self‐management activities such as goal setting, feedback seeking, and developmental strategies, and ultimately impact success in leader development.
Regulating Mexican Biobanks for Human Biomedical Research: What Can Be Learned from the European Experience?
Authors: Liliana Soto Gómez
Published: February 2016

Biobanking presents significant governance challenges. This is especially evident in Mexico, where the legal framework has not kept up with significant industry expansion. Twenty years ago, Europe was in a similar position. More recently, Europe has developed a comprehensive framework for addressing biobank expansion within ever-growing scientific and biomedical research communities. Based on this experience, we can draw many lessons, including those involving the implementation of laws, procedures and stakeholders’ consensus to ethically maximize the potential of samples. Mexican biobanking raises many issues, requiring solutions that are sensitive to its own particular needs. This article analyses the flaws of current biobanking regulations in Mexico by drawing comparisons with Europe. It pays special attention to informed consent; sample/data sharing systems; ethical tissue treatment and classification; governance models; best practices and the role of ethics committees. It argues that several European provisions regarding data protection and sharing can serve as guidelines for international research collaboration currently taking place between Mexico and Europe.
The Regulation of Corporate Bribery in Brazil
Authors: Fabio Morosini  , Luciano Vaz Ferreira
Published: February 2016

This note explains the new legal initiatives in the regulation of private corporate bribery in Brazil. Corruption is an endemic problem in many States, including ones with an emerging economy such as Brazil. The development and implementation of anticorruption policies necessarily goes through Klitgaard’s “Principal-Agent-Client” model. According to this theory, it is important to create a system of punishment and incentive that focuses also on the “client,” the private sector, a subject often forgotten in the drafting of anticorruption laws. This note argues that previous Brazilian corruption laws did not foresee a consistent legal framework capable of preventing and punishing companies’ use of bribery. In this scenario, one can observe that Brazil began a process of institutional change over the course of recent years, which consisted of developing new anti-corruption mechanisms. The creation of The Office of Comptroller General (Controladoria Geral da União), a federal government organ specialized in corruption control, is a landmark. The implementation of Law No. 12.846, which will enter into force in 2014, shows great promise. The new law predicts harsher punishments to companies involved in bribery. One interesting aspect is the creation of incentive mechanisms directed at cooperation with government inspection, leniency agreements and a provision to decrease punishment when compliance programs are implemented. Although in order for it to be put into practice, the latter demands a more precise definition. The authors are optimistic about this new initiative and await further developments.
Investor-State Tribunals and Constitutional Courts: the Mexican Sweeteners Saga
Authors: Sergio Puig
Published: February 2016

This article tackles the complex question of the relationship between international and domestic adjudicatory bodies. It does so by analyzing the debate between liberals and developmentalists over the effects of investorstate arbitration tribunals on domestic courts. For liberals, investor-state tribunals are a positive complement to domestic judicial institutions for their ability to “de-politicize” investment disputes, leading to economic policy stability that encourages foreign investment. For developmentalists, the same international alternatives reduce institutional quality by allowing powerful actors such as powerful corporations to skirt local judicial institutions. Through a comprehensive analysis of the negotiations of Chapter Eleven of NAFTA and the recent cases in the sweeteners conflict between Mexico and the United States, this article attempts to address how investor-state arbitration tribunals and constitutional courts interact and affect each other. The case study reveals two important lessons to this debate: i) scholars arguing against investor-state arbitration on the grounds of “circumvention” of domestic courts may do well to calibrate the debate of the use of remedies as one of added remedial possibilities in complex litigation; ii) those defending investor-state arbitration on the grounds of “depoliticization” of investment disputes may do well to consider the veto power wielded by international adjudicatory bodies that impact the judiciary and political systems of the host country.
The "War on Drugs" and the "New Strategy": Identity Constructions of the United States, U.S. Drug Users and Mexico
Authors: César Martínez Valenzuela
Published: February 2016

On narcotics control policy, the Obama Administration’s “New Strategy” represents a rupture with the hitherto prevailing narrative of the “War on Drugs,” whose origins date back to the Nixon Administration. While the latter emphasized prosecution at home and military cooperation abroad, the former balances education and treatment with law enforcement at the domestic level as it admits U.S. limitations towards Mexico in the international arena. This article employs discourse analysis on particular speech pieces by the U.S. executive branch since 1971. In doing so, it finds identity constructions of the “self ” and the “other” articulating difference signifiers around a nodal point. Henceforth, the War on Drugs depicts an epic scenario in which the United States has been a virtuous and sufficient actor defending American values from irrational criminals while helping its flawed and deficient southern neighbor cope with its own shortcomings. Needless to say, this strategy has reached no decisive achievement and has protracted for nearly 40 years. On the other hand, the New Strategy portrays the United States as a limited entity providing U.S. teenagers, convalescent drug users and low-level offenders with healthcare and education in order to reduce consumption. Meanwhile, the new U.S. identity acknowledges and underscores its responsibility providing weapons and money fuelling Mexico’s narco-trafficking. This reconstruction of identities shows that both neighbors can no longer believe in fairy tales about drug policy and must start addressing their issues of public health and social exclusion as the fallible States they are.
Mexico's Attempt to Extend its Continental Shelf Beyond 200 Nautical Miles Serves as a Model for the International Community
Authors: S. Warren Heaton Jr.
Published: February 2016

In June 2000, the United States and Mexico signed a treaty for the delimitation of the continental shelf in the western Gulf of Mexico beyond 200 nautical miles. When the treaty was signed, both countries realized that the interpretation and implementation of the treaty depended on the scientific and legal certainty of determinations regarding how far their respective submarine continental shelves extended. On 13 December 2007, Mexico submitted information to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf regarding the limits of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured in relation to the Western Polygon in the Gulf of Mexico. Mexico sought an extension of its continental shelf in the Western Polygon based on international law, UNCLOS, and bilateral treaties with the United States, in accordance with Mexico’s domestic legislation. Peaceful delimitation of maritime borders is essential to maintaining world order. Mexico is a country of peace, and has attempted to use international law as a tool to represent its interests. Mexico has meticulously adhered to a series of international precedents and treaties to support its claim. Moreover, Mexico has gathered significant scientific evidence to verify its sovereign authority over its maritime areas. In the author’s opinion, the United States should recognize these claims and show the world that the U.S. stands for fairness, equity and the rule of law.
The Energy Efficiency Gap in EPA’s Benefit-Cost Analysis of Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Regulations: A Case Study
Authors: Helfand Gloria , Dorsey-Palmateer Reid
Published: February 2016

Recent federal regulations require new light-duty vehicles to have lower greenhouse gas emissions and better fuel economy. This paper presents the reasoning used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in its benefit-cost analysis of the standards. According to EPA, many available technologies could achieve these goals without affecting other vehicle qualities, and fuel savings would pay for the increased technology costs with short payback periods. This lack of market adoption of cost-effective energy-saving technologies has been termed the energy efficiency gap or energy efficiency paradox. It suggests that either there are additional costs, such as changes in vehicle qualities, not considered in cost estimates, or markets for energy-saving technologies are not achieving all cost-effective savings. EPA argued that, even if consumers do not accurately consider expected future fuel savings when buying new vehicles, consumers are projected to receive those savings; the latter measure should reflect the impacts of the rule on fuel expenditures. For the cost side, EPA used a measure of technology costs required to meet the standards while maintaining baseline (2008) vehicle attributes. Estimates of how these costs would be affected by changes in vehicle attributes were not included.
Musings on the Social Discount Rate
Authors: Harberger Arnold C. , Jenkins Glenn P.
Published: February 2016

This paper is mainly concerned with weighted-average measures of the social discount rate, where the components of the average are the marginal productivity of investment (measured by its gross-of-tax rate of return), and the marginal rate of time preference (measured by the net-of-tax yield of capital). We believe that these components should best be measured using data (the national accounts) that span the whole economy and reflect the product actually produced and the rewards actually perceived. We use a methodology based on just four familiar parameters to generate productivity estimates applicable to a wide range of countries. In the process, we make an adjustment for infrastructure investment, also excluding income from land, monopoly markups, supra-marginal returns due to increases in total factor productivity (TFP), and returns to capital in financial intermediation. The end products are estimates of social discount rates averaging around 8% for the advanced countries, and 10% for healthy developing countries and Asian Tigers.
Reference-Dependence Effects in Benefit Assessment: Beyond the WTA–WTP Dichotomy and WTA–WTP Ratios
Authors: Kip Viscusi W.
Published: February 2016

Willingness-to-pay (WTP) values and willingness-to-accept (WTA) values have received considerable attention, but the role of reference-dependence effects is more diverse. Policies involving cost and risk may have reference point effects with respect to both cost and risk, leading to four potential valuation measures. Experimental evidence for water quality policies suggests that the cost reference effects are particularly influential in that context. There is, however, no evidence of significant reference effects for labor market estimates of the value of a statistical life. Sound application of benefit values other than WTP measures requires pertinent empirical evidence and an assessment of the underlying rationality of the determinants of the reference-dependence effects.
The Council on Wage and Price Stability: A Retrospective
Authors: Hopkins Thomas , Stanley Laura
Published: February 2016

Applying benefit-cost analysis in the White House regulatory oversight process served as a basic mission of the Council on Wage and Price Stability (CWPS) during its seven-year lifespan (1974–1981). This paper reviews that CWPS experience, which involved filing comments in over 300 proceedings at more than 25 federal regulatory agencies. The paper draws on those CWPS public comments (filings), identifying persistent and pervasive deficiencies in the economic analysis regulators then and now often use as support for new regulation. CWPS filings fostered greater acceptance of benefit-cost analysis in regulatory decisions; such analysis is now required by executive order.
THE PREVALENCE OF CONSANGUINEOUS MARRIAGES AND AFFECTING FACTORS IN TURKEY: A NATIONAL SURVEY
Authors: Kaplan Sena , Pinar Gul , Kaplan Bekir , Aslantekin Filiz , Karabulut Erdem , Ayar Banu , Dilmen Ugur
Published: February 2016

This study was carried out by the Turkish Republic Ministry of Health to determine the prevalence of consanguineous marriage and its correlates with socio-demographic and obstetric risk factors in women in Turkey. The cross-sectional, national-level study was carried out from October to December 2013. The study population was composed of women between the ages of 15 and 65 years living in Turkey. The sample size was calculated as 9290 houses within Turkey’s 81 provinces so as to improve the Turkish rural–urban expectations by means of systematic stack sampling according to the Turkish Statistical Institute’s address-based vital statistics system. The target sample size was 6364, but only eligible 4913 women, who had been married, were included in the study. The consanguineous marriage frequency in the sample was found to be 18.5%, and of these 57.8% were first cousin marriages. Women living in an extended family and whose education level and first marriage ages were low, and whose perceived economic status was poor, had higher frequencies of consanguineous marriage (p<0.001). Consanguineous marriage frequencies were higher (p<0.001) for women who had spontaneous abortions and stillbirths or who had given birth to infants with a congenital abnormality. In this context, it is important to develop national policies and strategies to prevent consanguineous marriages in Turkey.
The width of the solitary wave in dusty plasma
Authors: Malekolkalami Behrooz , Alipanah Amjad
Published: February 2016

The Sagdeev potential method is employed to compute the width of the ion-acoustic solitary wave propagated in a dusty plasma containing three components (dust–ion–electron). The results indicate that the width is a continuous function over the allowable ranges of plasma parameters. The complexity of the resulting equations is an obstacle to the expression of the width function in an explicit form in terms of the parameters. Thus, computer algebra is needed to plot the graph of the width function versus the parameters, which helps us to understand the width changes as the parameters change.
Articulatory reflexes of the three-way contrast in labial stops and kinematic evidence for domain-initial strengthening in Korean
Authors: Cho Taehong , Son Minjung , Kim Sahyang
Published: February 2016

This study examines articulatory characteristics of the three-way contrast in labial stops /p php*/ (lenis, aspirated, fortis, respectively) in Korean in phrase-initial and phrase-medial prosodic positions with a two-fold goal. First, it investigates supralaryngeal articulatory reflexes of the stops and explores articulatory invariance of these stops across prosodic positions. Second, it investigates Korean stops in kinematic terms from the perspective of domain-initial strengthening, and explores the nature of prosodically-conditioned speech production from a dynamical perspective. Results showed that the articulatory reflex of the three-way contrast was invariantly observed across prosodic positions with lip constriction degree (/p/</ph/</p*/), while lip constriction duration showed a binary distinction (/p/</php*/). Kinematically, there was only very weak articulatory evidence for the contrast across prosodic positions: The V-to-C lipclosingmovement tended to be faster for /ph/ than for /p/, and the C-to-V lipopeningmovement tended to be larger for /php*/ than for /p/. As for domain-initial strengthening, the consonantal lip closing gesture was characterized by a larger, longer and slower articulation, whereas the vocalic lip opening gesture (after the release) was larger and faster, but not longer. Kinematic relations indicated that the lip closing movement is most likely controlled by a rate of the clock (possibly modulated by a temporal modulation gesture, or π-gesture) comparable to boundary effects in English, but the boundary-induced lip opening movement was better accounted for by a change in target (possibly modulated by a spatial modulation gesture, or μ-gesture) which was comparable to prominence rather than boundary effects in English. The cross-linguistic difference was interpreted as coming from different prosodic systems between Korean and English, presumably instantiated in dynamical terms of how the temporal and the spatial modulation gestures are phased with constriction gestures in relation to boundary marking versus prominence marking.