bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Party System Institutionalization: The Cases of Italy and the Federal Republic of Germany
Authors: Castaldo Antonino
Published: May 2014

Institutionalization processes are among the topics most researched by the literature on party systems. This literature is advanced and the debate has led to the construction of effective theoretical models. However, there are still discernible problems of different magnitudes: a) quite often the dynamic dimension related to the institutionalization of a party system and the static dimension, which detects an institutionalized party system (i.e., the outcome of a process of institutionalization) are not sufficiently distinct in the literature; b) static analysis has gathered comparatively much more attention; c) the literature dealing with the dynamic dimension of the problem does not adequately consider the interaction of causal, macro and idiosyncratic factors. This paper aims at dealing with these problems through the elaboration of a set of suggestions constituting a guide for the empirical analysis tested on the Italian and German cases during the 1940s and 1950s. This research shows that a greater attention to the dynamic analysis and to possible interactions among causal factors is able to enhance the understanding of the processes considered. Moreover, this approach provides us with crucial information on how a party system emerges and on how it consolidates itself.
Corpora and (the Need for) Other Methods in a Study of Lancashire Dialect
Authors: Hollmann Willem , Siewierska Anna
Published: May 2014

This paper is based on a nascent project on Lancashire dialect grammar, which aims to describe the relevant features of this dialect and to engage with related theoretical and methodological debates. We show how corpora allow one to arrive at more precise descriptions of the data than was previously possible. But we also draw attention to the need for other methods, in particular modern elicitation tasks and attitude questionnaires developed in perceptual dialectology. Combining these methods promises to provide more insight into both more general theoretical issues and the exact nature of the object of study, namely Lancashire dialect.
The Ends of Music History, or: The Old Masters in the Supermarket of Cultures
Authors: Berger Karol
Published: May 2014

This article begins with a description of the essential features and current state of the social practice called art music, concluding that as recently as the late twentieth century it was in excellent shape, as documented by a series of canonic masterpieces. I continue with an outline of the principal questions pursued by, and the current state of, music history, demonstrating that it too was flourishing in the same period, producing work of enduring worth. In conclusion, I consider the main dangers that currently threaten a successful cultivation of music history. These include our inability to notice historical developments that really matter when we are blinded by thinking in terms of group identities, and the unfortunate confluence of two recent cultural trends: the flood of ever new products of the music (or entertainment) industry, combined with our inability and unwillingness to discriminate.
Valentin Silvestrov and the Echoes of Music History
Authors: Schmelz Peter
Published: May 2014

In 1980 Soviet Ukrainian composer Valentin Silvestrov began a series of “postludes,” a genre representing, in his words, a “collecting of echoes, a form opening not to the end, as is more usual, but to the beginning.” This article examines Silvestrov’s Symphony no. 5 (1980–82), and the theory, practice, and reception of his evolving “post” style. The symphony represents a unique congruence of modernism and postmodernism, nostalgia and continuity, expressed at the end of the Soviet Union, the end of the twentieth century, and what many believed to be the end of history. Completed near the conclusion of the Brezhnev period of stagnation, the symphony was intended to assuage the public’s acute dissatisfaction with life in the USSR. Yet when it was first heard in the mid-1980s, it offered a comforting familiarity amid the bewildering acceleration of perestroika. Examining Silvestrov’s “post” style requires considering the sociocultural impact of his sense of ending by treating his eschatology as a useful fiction that illuminates the conflicting sensations of stasis and acceleration during the last decades of the USSR. This article draws on interviews with Silvestrov and his close associates, as well as the Silvestrov Collection at the Paul Sacher Stiftung.
Wealth sharing and peace processes
Authors: Wennmann Achim
Published: May 2014

The article considers the contribution that wealth-sharing arrangements can make to the consolidation of postconflict transitions. It considers the general role of wealth sharing in peace processes before providing a comparative analysis of case studies of the peace processes of Sudan (North-South) and Indonesia (Aceh). It then draws lessons on how wealth sharing can become a more effective instrument for postconflict transitions.
Improving military expenditure decisionmaking in sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Harris Geoff
Published: May 2014

This article begins by emphasizing that the number and intensity of armed conflict has fallen substantially but that military expenditure levels in sub-Saharan Africa have nonetheless increased, largely as a result of South African expenditure. The article attempts to answer two questions. First, how can the budget of the security sector be allocated so as to result in effective and efficient security outcomes? Second, how can an appropriate level of military expenditure for a country be determined? It finds that there is a strong case for the military to be treated like any other government activity in terms of justifying its expenditure and being transparent in budgetary terms.
War and the Austrian School: Ludwig von Mises and Friedrich von Hayek
Authors: Westley Christopher , Anderson William L. , Kjar Scott A.
Published: May 2014

The Austrian school of economics is generally considered an antiwar school. The Austrian view is not derived from a religious or class-based ideological viewpoints, but instead derives entirely from the school's fundamental economic tenets. This article examines the writings of Ludwig von Mises and Friedrich von Hayek as they relate to war and the causes of war. (A predecessor article on Carl Menger, Eugen von Böhm-Bawerk, and Friedrich von Wieser, the founders of the Austrian School, appeared in vol. 5, no. 1 of this journal.)
Dieta de Leopardus colocolo (Carnivora: Felidae) en la Reserva Nacional de Junín, Junín, Perú
Authors: Fajardo Ursula , Cossíos Daniel , Pacheco Víctor
Published: May 2014

Este estudio caracteriza la dieta de Leopardus colocolo en los alrededores del lago Junín, en el centro del Perú, a partir de los restos de las presas presentes en 43 heces. El origen de las heces del predador se determinó a partir del ADN mitocondrial de las células epiteliales intestinales adheridas a la superficie de las heces, utilizando como marcador la región de control. Los restos de las presas fueron identificados utilizando literatura especializada y la comparación con especímenes de colección, identificando un total of 14 ítems alimenticios pertenecientes a mamíferos de las familias Cricetidae (6), Chinchillidae (1) y Caviidae (1) y aves de las familias Anatidae (3) y Rallidae (2), y un grupo de aves no identificadas (1). Los roedores fueron el principal componente de la dieta de L. colocolo, en frecuencia y biomasa, seguido por las aves. Entre los ítems alimenticios consumidos, el roedor cricétido pequeño Calomys sp. fue el más frecuente; sin embargo, el mayor aporte de biomasa relativa fue proporcionado por el roedor mediano Cavia tschudii. La amplitud de nicho obtenida fue baja (Bsta= 0.17), indicando una dieta especializada. Nuestros resultados confirman que, como ocurre con la mayoría de felinos pequeños neotropicales, L. colocolo es un predador especializado en la captura de vertebrados, principalmente mamíferos pequeños. No se registró variación estacional en la dieta y el análisis de las clases de edad de los roedores cricétidos mostró que los adultos fueron los más consumidos. Se infiere que L. colocolo tiene un patrón de actividad diurno y nocturno.
Primer registro de Serratospiculum tendo (Nematoda: Diplotriaenidae) para el Perú
Authors: Gomez-Puerta Luis A. , Ospina Pedro A. , Ramirez Mercy G. , Cribillero Nelly G.
Published: May 2014

Reportamos por primera vez la presencia del nematodo, Serratospiculum tendo Nitzsch, 1819, parasitando los sacos aéreos de un halcón peregrino (Falco peregrinus Tunstall, 1771). Seis nematodos (2 machos y 4 hembras) fueron colectados e identificados como S. tendo. El hallazgo de este nematodo constituye el primer registro en el Perú.
The Pediatric AIDS Corps: A 5-Year Evaluation
Authors: Schutze Gordon E. , Ferris Margaret G. , Jones David C. , Wanless R. Sebastian , Calles Nancy R. , Mizwa Michael B. , Schwarzwald Heidi L. , Kline Mark W.
Published: May 2014

BACKGROUND:

The Baylor College of Medicine International Pediatric AIDS Initiative at Texas Children’s Hospital created a global health corps named the Pediatric AIDS Corps (PAC) in June 2005. This report provides descriptive details and outputs for PAC over its first 5 years.

METHODS:

Demographic data were gathered about PAC physicians employed from July 2006 to June 2011. A 21-question survey was used to query PAC physicians about their experiences in the program. Data concerning clinical experiences and educational programs also were reviewed.

RESULTS:

A total of 128 physicians were employed with PAC. The median duration served was 22.7 months. Eighty-seven percent indicated that experience affected their future career choice, with half continuing to work with children and families living in resource-limited areas after they left PAC. Patient care was identified as the most rewarding part of their work (73%), whereas deaths (27%) were the most difficult. Baylor College of Medicine International Pediatric AIDS Initiative enrollment of HIV-infected children and adolescents into care and treatment increased from 6107 to103 731 with the addition of PAC physicians. Approximately 500 local health care professionals per quarter benefited from HIV clinical attachments that were not available before PAC arrival. PAC physicians visited outreach sites providing in-depth HIV mentoring of local health care professionals, leading to 37% of the sites becoming self-sufficient.

CONCLUSIONS:

The positive evaluation by the PAC and the scale-up of clinical and educational programs support the recent calls for the development of a national global health corps program.
Rapid Involuting Congenital Hemangioma in the Setting of PHACE Association
Authors: Patrick Lauren M. , Oh Christine , Bauman Nancy , Yadav Bhupender , Guzetta Philip , Rubin Iris , Oh Albert K.
Published: May 2014

Rapidly involuting congenital hemangioma (RICH) is an uncommon vascular tumor that, unlike infantile hemangioma, is largely developed at birth and undergoes rapid postnatal involution. To date, RICH has often been described in the setting of an isolated lesion, whereas infantile hemangioma is a well-known feature of numerous syndromes and associations, including the association of posterior fossa anomalies, hemangioma, arterial anomalies, cardiac anomalies, and eye anomalies. The authors report a unique case of RICH in the setting of this association.
Intellectual, Behavioral, and Emotional Functioning in Children With Syndromic Craniosynostosis
Authors: Maliepaard Marianne , Mathijssen Irene M.J. , Oosterlaan Jaap , Okkerse Jolanda M.E.
Published: May 2014

OBJECTIVES:

To examine intellectual, behavioral, and emotional functioning of children who have syndromic craniosynostosis and to explore differences between diagnostic subgroups.

METHODS:

A national sample of children who have syndromic craniosynostosis participated in this study. Intellectual, behavioral, and emotional outcomes were assessed by using standardized measures: Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Third Edition, Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL)/6-18, Disruptive Behavior Disorder rating scale (DBD), and the National Institute of Mental Health Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children.

RESULTS:

We included 82 children (39 boys) aged 6 to 13 years who have syndromic craniosynostosis. Mean Full-Scale IQ (FSIQ) was in the normal range (M = 96.6; SD = 21.6). However, children who have syndromic craniosynostosis had a 1.9 times higher risk for developing intellectual disability (FSIQ <85) compared with the normative population (P <.001) and had more behavioral and emotional problems compared with the normative population, including higher scores on the CBCL/6-18, DBD Total Problems (P < .001), Internalizing (P < .01), social problems (P < .001), attention problems (P < .001), and the DBD Inattention (P < .001).

Children who have Apert syndrome had lower FSIQs (M = 76.7; SD = 13.3) and children who have Muenke syndrome had more social problems (P < .01), attention problems (P < .05), and inattention problems (P < .01) than normative population and with other diagnostic subgroups.

CONCLUSIONS:

Although children who have syndromic craniosynostosis have FSIQs similar to the normative population, they are at increased risk for developing intellectual disability, internalizing, social, and attention problems. Higher levels of behavioral and emotional problems were related to lower levels of intellectual functioning.
Neurobehavioral Comorbidities in Children With Active Epilepsy: A Population-Based Study
Authors: Reilly Colin , Atkinson Patricia , Das Krishna B. , Chin Richard F.M.C. , Aylett Sarah E. , Burch Victoria , Gillberg Christopher , Scott Rod C. , Neville Brian G.R.
Published: May 2014

BACKGROUND:

In addition to recurrent epileptic seizures, children with epilepsy can have coexisting cognitive and behavioral difficulties but the spectrum and prevalence of such difficulties are uncertain.

METHODS:

The Children with Epilepsy in Sussex Schools study is a prospective, community-based study involving school-aged children (5–15 years) with active epilepsy in a defined geographical area in the United Kingdom. Participants underwent comprehensive psychological assessment, including measures of cognition, behavior, and motor functioning. Consensus neurobehavioral diagnoses were made with respect to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fourth Edition-Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) criteria.

RESULTS:

A total of 85 children (74% of eligible population) were enrolled; 80% of children with active epilepsy had a DSM-IV-TR behavioral disorder and/or cognitive impairment (IQ <85). Intellectual disability (ID) (IQ <70) (40%), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (33%), and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (21%) were the most common neurobehavioral diagnoses. Of those who met criteria for a DSM-IV-TR behavioral disorder, only one-third had previously been diagnosed. Logistic regression revealed that seizures in the first 24 months compared with first seizures at 24 to 60 or 61+ months (odds ratio [OR] 13, 95% confidence interval 2.2–76.9; OR 21.3, 3.2–148.9) and polytherapy (OR 7.7, 1.6–36.3) were independently associated with ID and the presence of ID was associated with a diagnosis of ASD (OR 14.1, 2.3–87.1) after Bonferroni adjustment. Epilepsy-related factors did not independently predict the presence of behavioral disorders.

CONCLUSIONS:

Screening for neurobehavioral comorbidities should be an integral part of management in children with “active” epilepsy. There is a need for research to identify neurobiological mechanisms underpinning neurobehavioral impairments and studies to evaluate possible treatments.
Stomach cancer mortality among agricultural workers: results from a death certificate-based case-control study
Authors: Boccolini Patricia de Moraes Mello , Asmus Carmen Ildes Rodrigues Froes , Chrisman Juliana de Rezende , Câmara Volney de Magalhães , Markowitz Steven B. , Meyer Armando
Published: May 2014

INTRODUCTION: Pesticide consumption is very high in Brazil.OBJECTIVE: The present study investigated the stomach cancer mortality among Brazilian agricultural workers in Rio de Janeiro state.METHODS: In this case-control study, cases were individuals of both genders, aged ≥20 years, for whom cause of death was ascertained as stomach cancer. Controls were individuals with causes of death other than neoplasm and diseases of the digestive system. Crude and adjusted analyses were carried out. Stomach cancer mortality risk was then estimated for the agricultural workers according to the pesticide expenditures per municipality.RESULTS: Agricultural workers showed an elevated risk of stomach cancer mortality (adjusted OR=1.42; 95%CI: 1.33-1.78). This risk was higher among male workers, aged 50-69 years, white, and among workers with 1-7 years of education. Results also showed increasing stomach cancer mortality along with the increase of pesticide expenditure per agricultural worker.CONCLUSION: Stomach cancer risk among agricultural workers may be associated with pesticide exposure.
Impacts of climate change on distributions and diversity of ungulates on the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Luo Zhenhua , Jiang Zhigang , Tang Songhua
Published: May 2014

Climate change has significant impacts on species' distributions and diversity patterns. Understanding range shifts and changes in richness gradients under climate change is crucial for conservation. The Tibetan Plateau, home to wild yak, chiru, and kiang, contains a biome with many endemic ungulates. It is highly sensitive to climate change and a region that merits particular attention with regard to the impacts of global climate change on its biomes. Maximum entropy approaches were used to estimate current and future potential distributions, in response to climate change, for 22 ungulate species. We used three general circulation (MK3, HADCM3, MIROC3_2‐MED) and three emissions scenarios (B1, A1B, A2) to derive estimated future measurements of 14 environmental variables over three time periods (2020, 2050, 2080), and then modeled species distributions using these predicted environmental measurements for each time period under two dispersal hypotheses (full and zero, respectively). This resulted in a total of 6160 prediction models. We found that these ungulates, on average, may lose 30–50% of their distributional areas, depending on the dispersal scenarios. In addition, 55–68% of the ungulate species were predicted to become locally endangered under the different dispersal assumptions, 23–32% to become locally critically endangered, and 4–7 endemic species to become globally endangered. Furthermore, ungulate species ranges may experience average poleward shifts of ~300 km. We also predict west‐to‐east reductions in species richness: southeastern mountainous areas currently have the highest species richness, but are predicted to face the greatest diversity losses, whereas the northern areas are predicted to see increasing numbers of ungulate species in the 21st century. Our study indicates much more severe range reductions of ungulates on the Tibetan Plateau than those anticipated elsewhere in the world, and species richness patterns will change dramatically with climate change. For conservation, we suggest (1) securing existing protected areas, and (2) establishing new nature reserves to counterbalance climate change impacts.
Intraspecific priority effects and disease interact to alter population growth
Authors: Dibble Christopher J. , Hall Spencer R. , Rudolf Volker H. W.
Published: May 2014

Intraspecific variation may shape colonization of new habitat patches through a variety of mechanisms. In particular, trait variation among colonizing individuals can produce intraspecific priority effects (IPEs), where early arrivers of a single species affect the establishment or growth of later conspecifics. While we have some evidence for the importance of IPEs, we lack a general understanding of factors affecting their presence or magnitude across a landscape. Specifically, IPEs should depend strongly on success of colonizers in the new habitat patch. This success hinges on interactions between colonizer traits and local selective pressures, but such context dependence remains unexplored experimentally. We addressed this gap by looking for the dynamical signature of IPEs in environments with and without a selective (parasite) pressure. We tested whether IPEs affected the population dynamics of a zooplankton host species (Daphnia dentifera) collected from two populations showing a tradeoff between growth rate and resistance to a fungal parasite (Metschnikowia bicuspidata). Differences in arrival order significantly altered population growth during a period of rapid resource depletion, driving large (up to 65%) differences in population abundance. Furthermore, the presence of IPEs was context dependent, as parasites reduced the impact of early arrivers on later arrivers. Such context‐dependent IPEs, mediated by colonizer traits, colonization order, and selective pressures, may play an unanticipated role in the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of natural metapopulations. This mechanism highlights the overall importance of intraspecific variation for understanding ecological patterns.
Structural heterogeneity increases diversity of non‐breeding grassland birds
Authors: Hovick Torre J , Elmore R. Dwayne , Fuhlendorf Samuel D
Published: May 2014

Grassland birds have experienced greater population declines than any other guild of birds in North America, and yet we know little about habitat use and the affects of management during their non‐breeding period on wintering grounds. The paucity of information on wintering grassland birds limits our ability to develop effective conservation strategies. We investigated habitat use by the winter bird community in grasslands with restored heterogeneity resulting from the interactive effects of fire and grazing. We used 500 m line transects distributed across patches (i.e., <13, 13–24, and >24 months post disturbance) resulting from spring burning with growing season grazing (April‐Sept) and quantified avian relative abundance, community structure, and probability of patch occupancy while accounting for imperfect detection. Grassland structure that resulted from the fire‐grazing interaction created heterogeneity among patches that influenced avian habitat use during winter. Generalist birds such as the Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) and meadowlarks (Sturnellaspp.) were relatively common in all patch types while more specialized species such as the Smith's Longspur (Calcarius pictus) and Le Conte's Sparrow (Ammodramus leconteii) reached greatest abundance and probability of occupancy in the patches with the least and greatest time post disturbance, respectively. This research provides novel information on the response of wintering birds to restored ecological processes in grasslands and can improve efforts to create effective conservation strategies. Our findings add to a growing body of literature supporting the use of fire and grazing to create a shifting grassland mosaic that increases vegetation structural and compositional heterogeneity and maximizes native biodiversity within rangeland ecosystems through the conservation of natural patterns and processes.
The Rough Model Method (RMM) Application to The Computation of Normal Depth in Circular Conduit
Authors: Achour Bachir , Sehtal Sabah
Published: May 2014

A new method is presented to compute the normal depth in circular conduit. This is the rough model method
(RMM). It states that the linear dimension of a conduit or channel is equal to the linear dimension of a referential rough
model corrected by the effect of a non-dimensional correction factor. The method is based on the Colebrook-White and
Darcy-Weisbach relationships, applicable to the entire domain of turbulent flow. From the relationship governing the flow
in the rough model, the normal depth in a circular conduit is explicitly deduced.
The Use of Topical Calcineurin Inhibitors in Atopic Dermatitis
Authors: Crissinger Annie , Nguyen Nicholas V.
Published: May 2014

In recent years, two topical calcineurin inhibitors have emerged as effective alternatives to corticosteroids for
the treatment of atopic dermatitis. Decisions regarding first line therapy between pimecrolimus and tacrolimus are often
based on anecdotal evidence. Herein, we review the current evidence supporting the use of pimecrolimus and tacrolimus
in atopic dermatitis as well as key differences in safety, tolerability, and cost between the drugs.
Attitudes Towards Pediculosis Treatments in Teenagers
Authors: Canyon Deon V. , Canyon Chauncey , Milani Sami , Speare Rick
Published: May 2014

Research on pediculosis has focused on treatment strategies and social aspects have been largely ignored.
Pediculosis and its treatment in are associated with negative emotional responses while in developing countries
pediculosis and its treatment may provide more an opportunity for positive social bonding. Attitudes to pediculosis have
been proposed as important to successful control. Previous studies in Australia found that parents of primary school
children say they treat pediculosis once it has been detected.

This study retrospectively investigated attitudes towards treatment in teenage high school students in an attempt to collect
information from those afflicted rather than from parents. Only participants with a history of pediculosis were recruited
from a high school in Western Australia and they were asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire. The sample
contained 128 Grade 8 and 9 students, aged 13-15 years old with an even gender split. Negative feelings towards being
treated for head lice were observed in 41.5% of males and 54.7% of females and 49.5% of Caucasians and 40% of Asians.
Anti-treatment sentiment was expressed by 19.7% of males and 10.9% of females. Shampooing with and without combing
were the most preferred treatments overall.

The results showed that 63.6% male and 52.7% female high school students were in favour of head lice treatments. This
low percentage indicates that current treatments for head lice require improvement to be made more acceptable and that
alternative treatments that are less unpleasant need to be developed. Strategies need to be explored to make treatment of
pediculosis a more positive emotional experience.
Modular polymorphic defunctionalization
Authors: Fourtounis Georgios , Papaspyrou Nikolaos , Theofilopoulos Panagiotis
Published: May 2014

Defunctionalization is generally considered a whole-program transformation
and thus incompatible with separate compilation. In this paper, we formalize
a modular variant of defunctionalization which can support separate
compilation for a functional programming language with parametric
polymorphism. Our technique allows modules in a Haskell-like language to be
separately defunctionalized and compiled, then linked together to generate
an executable program. We provide a prototype implementation of our modular
defunctionalization technique and we discuss the experiences of its
application in compiling a large subset of Haskell to low-level C code,
based on the intensional transformation.
Radiocarbon Dating of Late Pleistocene Marine Shells from the Southern North Sea
Authors: Busschers F S , Wesselingh F P , Kars R H , Versluijs-Helder M , Wallinga J , Bosch J H A , Timmner J , Nierop K G J , Meijer T , Bunnik F P M , De Wolf H
Published: May 2014

This article presents a set of Late Pleistocene marine mollusk radiocarbon (AMS) age estimates of 30–5014C kyr BP, whereas a MIS5 age (>75 ka) is indicated by quartz and feldspar OSL dating, biostratigraphy, U-Th dating, and age-depth relationships with sea level. These results indicate that the14C dates represent minimum ages. The age discrepancy suggests that the shells are contaminated by younger carbon following shell death. The enigmatic14C dates cannot be “solved” by removing part of the shell by stepwise dissolution. SEM analysis of the Late Pleistocene shells within a context of geologically younger (recent/modern, Holocene) and older (Pliocene) shells shows the presence of considerable amounts of an intracrystalline secondary carbonate precipitate. The presence of this precipitate is not visible using XRD since it is of the same (aragonitic) polymorph as the original shell carbonate. The combination of nanospherulitic-shaped carbonate crystals, typical cavities, and the presence of fatty acids leads to the conclusion that the secondary carbonate, and hence the addition of younger carbon, has a bacterial origin. As shell material was studied, this study recommends an assessment of possible bacterial imprints in other materials like bone collagen as well.
Revised Moche Chronology Based on Bayesian Models of Reliable Radiocarbon Dates
Authors: Koons Michele L , Alex Bridget A
Published: May 2014

The Moche civilization of the north coast of Peru is thought to be the first state-level society in South America. Understanding of the emergence, spread, and decline of this society, however, has been based almost entirely on relative ceramic phases, rather than absolute dates. This article reevaluates Moche political dynamics and intersite affiliations using radiocarbon dates associated with diagnostic ceramic styles. The phases of ceramic styles at individual sites are estimated using Bayesian models of published14C dates that have passed explicit selection criteria for reliability. The site-specific phases are incorporated into a regional chronology, which adds additional support to the idea that Moche was a collection of independent polities with complex and nuanced relationships. Based on absolute dates, Moche civilization appears to have spanned between cal AD 200–900, with a significant and socially meaningful increase in stylistic homogeneity between cal AD 600–650.
Verification of the Cosmic-Ray Event in AD 993–994 by Using a Japanese Hinoki Tree
Authors: Miyake Fusa , Masuda Kimiaki , Hakozaki Masataka , Nakamura Toshio , Tokanai Fuyuki , Kato Kazuhiro , Kimura Katsuhiko , Mitsutani Takumi
Published: May 2014

A rapid yearly increase in the radiocarbon content has been detected for the period from AD 993 to 994. However, this event is supported by the 14C measurements of only one cedar tree sample, and verification is necessary to confirm this event more reliably. For this purpose, this study measured the 14C content in Japanese Hinoki tree rings corresponding to the period from AD 988 to 997 using the accelerator mass spectrometry system at Yamagata University (YU-AMS). The result shows a significant 14C increase from AD 993 to 994, and is consistent with the previously measured data for the Japanese cedar tree. This marks the second case detecting an increased 14C level corresponding to the AD 994 event.
Preparation and Microbiological Evaluation of Amphiphilic Kanamycin-Lipoamino Acid Ion-Pairs
Authors: Pignatello Rosario , Leonardi Antonio , Petronio Giulio , Ruozi Barbara , Puglisi Giovanni , Furneri Pio
Published: May 2014

Amphiphilic ion-pairs of kanamycin (KAN) were prepared by evaporation of a water-ethanol co-solution of KAN base and a lipoamino acid bearing a 12-carbon atoms alkyl side chain (LAA12), at different molar ratios. Infrared spectroscopy confirmed the structure of ion-pairs, while differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and powder X-ray diffractometry (PXRD) studies supported the formation of new saline species with a different crystalline structure than the starting components. The solubility pattern shown in a range of both aqueous and organic solvents confirmed that the ion-pairs possess an amphiphilic character. The LAA12 counter-ion showed not to improve the antibacterial activity of KAN, suggesting that such chemical strategy is not able to favor the penetration of this drug inside the bacteria cells. Nevertheless, a slight improving, i.e., a one-fold dilution, was observed in E. coli. The present study can also serve as the basis for a further evaluation of LAA ion-pairing of antibiotics, as a means to improve the loading of hydrophilic drugs into lipid-based nanocarriers.
Self-image and Missions of Universities: An Empirical Analysis of Japanese University Executives
Authors: Murasawa Masataka , Watanabe Satoshi , Hata Takashi
Published: May 2014

As universities in Japan gain institutional autonomy in managing internal organizations, independent of governmental control as a result of deregulation and decentralizing reforms, it is becoming increasingly important that the executives and administrators of each institution demonstrate clear and strategic vision and ideas to external stakeholders, in order to maintain financially robust operations and attractiveness of their institutions. This paper considers whether and how the self-image, mission, and vision of universities are perceived and internalized by the management of Japanese universities and empirically examines the determinants of shaping such individual perceptions. The result of our descriptive analysis indicates that the recent government policy to internationalize domestic universities has not shown much progress in the view of university executives in Japan. An increasing emphasis on the roles of serving local needs in research and teaching is rather pursued by these universities. Individual perceptions among Japanese university executives with regard to the missions and functional roles to be played by their institutions are influenced by managerial rank as well as the field of their academic training. A multiple regression analysis reveals that the economy of scale brought out by an expanded undergraduate student enrollment gradually slows down and decelerate executive perceptions, with regard to establishing a globally recognized status in research and teaching. Moreover, Japanese universities with a small proportion of graduate student enrollment, likely opted out from competitions for gaining a greater respect in the global community of higher education between 2005 and 2012. Finally, the management in universities granted with the same amount of external research funds in both studied years responded more passively in 2012 than did in 2005 on the self-assessment of whether having established a status as a global knowledge base.
Geospatial Disparities and the Underlying Causes of Major Cancers for Women in Taiwan
Authors: Chiang Chi-Ting , Lian Ie-Bin , Chang Ying-Fang , Chang Tsun-Kuo
Published: May 2014

Some specific types of cancer still pose a severe threat to the health of Taiwanese women. This study focuses on determining the geographical locations of hot spots and causal factors related to the major categories of cancers in Taiwanese women. Cancer mortality data from 1972 to 2001 of 346 townships in Taiwan were obtained from the Atlas of Cancer Mortality. Principal component analysis was conducted to determine the primary categories of female cancers. The spatial patterns of hot spots and cold spots for each major cancer category were identified using the local indicator of spatial association. Finally, the regional differences between the hot spots and cold spots were compared to confirm the possible factors causing cancer throughout Taiwan. A total of 21 cancer types in women were divided into seven major categories, which accounted for 68.0% of the total variance. The results from the spatial autocorrelation analysis showed significant spatial clusters of the cancer categories. Based on the overall consistency of results between this study and those of previous research, this study further identified the high-risk locations and some specific risk factors for major cancer types among Taiwanese women.
The Application of an Emerging Technique for Protein–Protein Interaction Interface Mapping: The Combination of Photo-Initiated Cross-Linking Protein Nanoprobes with Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Ptáčková Renata , Ječmen Tomáš , Novák Petr , Hudeček Jiří , Stiborová Marie , Šulc Miroslav
Published: May 2014

Protein–protein interaction was investigated using a protein nanoprobe capable of photo-initiated cross-linking in combination with high-resolution and tandem mass spectrometry. This emerging experimental approach introduces photo-analogs of amino acids within a protein sequence during its recombinant expression, preserves native protein structure and is suitable for mapping the contact between two proteins. The contact surface regions involved in the well-characterized interaction between two molecules of human 14-3-3ζ regulatory protein were used as a model. The employed photo-initiated cross-linking techniques extend the number of residues shown to be within interaction distance in the contact surface of the 14-3-3ζ dimer (Gln8–Met78). The results of this study are in agreement with our previously published data from molecular dynamic calculations based on high-resolution chemical cross-linking data and Hydrogen/Deuterium exchange mass spectrometry. The observed contact is also in accord with the 14-3-3ζ X-ray crystal structure (PDB 3dhr). The results of the present work are relevant to the structural biology of transient interaction in the 14-3-3ζ protein, and demonstrate the ability of the chosen methodology (the combination of photo-initiated cross-linking protein nanoprobes and mass spectrometry analysis) to map the protein-protein interface or regions with a flexible structure.
Genetic Isolation among the Northwestern, Southwestern and Central-Eastern Indian Ocean Populations of the Pronghorn Spiny Lobster Panulirus penicillatus
Authors: Abdullah Muhamad , Alimuddin  , Muththalib Mohamed , Salama Adnan , Imai Hideyuki
Published: May 2014

The pronghorn spiny lobster Panulirus penicillatus is a highly valuable species which is widely distributed in Indo-West Pacific and Eastern Pacific regions. Mitochondrial DNA control region sequences (566–571 bp) were determined to investigate the population genetic structure of this species in the Indian Ocean. In total, 236 adult individuals of Panulirus penicillatus were collected from five locations in the Indian Ocean region. Almost all individuals had a unique haplotype. Intrapopulation haplotype (h) and nucleotide (π) diversities were high for each locality, ranging from h = 0.9986–1.0000 and π = 0.031593–0.043441. We observed distinct genetic isolation of population located at the northwestern and southwestern edge of the species range. Gene flow was found within localities in the central and eastern region of the Indian Ocean, probably resulting from an extended planktonic larval stage and prevailing ocean currents.
Searching for “Environmentally-Benign” Antifouling Biocides
Authors: Cui Yan , Teo Serena , Leong Wai , Chai Christina
Published: May 2014

As the result of the ecological impacts from the use of tributyltins (TBT) in shipping, environmental legislation for the registration of chemicals for use in the environment has grown to a monumental challenge requiring product dossiers to include information on the environmental fate and behavior of any chemicals. Specifically, persistence, bioaccumulation and toxicity, collectively known as PBT, are properties of concern in the assessment of chemicals. However, existing measurements of PBT properties are a cumbersome and expensive process, and thus not applied in the early stages of the product discovery and development. Inexpensive methods for preliminary PBT screening would minimize risks arising with the subsequent registration of products. In this article, we evaluated the PBT properties of compounds reported to possess anti-fouling properties using QSAR (quantitative structure-activity relationship) prediction programs such as BIOWIN™ (a biodegradation probability program), KOWWIN™ (log octanol-water partition coefficient calculation program) and ECOSAR™ (Ecological Structure Activity Relationship Programme). The analyses identified some small (Mr < 400) synthetic and natural products as potential candidates for environmentally benign biocides. We aim to demonstrate that while these methods of estimation have limitations, when applied with discretion, they are powerful tools useful in the early stages of research for compound selection for further development as anti-foulants.
Novel Aspects of the Liver Microenvironment in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Pathogenesis and Development
Authors: Tu Thomas , Budzinska Magdalena , Maczurek Annette , Cheng Robert , Di Bartolomeo Anna , Warner Fiona , McCaughan Geoffrey , McLennan Susan , Shackel Nicholas
Published: May 2014

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a prevalent primary liver cancer that is derived from hepatocytes and is characterised by high mortality rate and poor prognosis. While HCC is driven by cumulative changes in the hepatocyte genome, it is increasingly recognised that the liver microenvironment plays a pivotal role in HCC propensity, progression and treatment response. The microenvironmental stimuli that have been recognised as being involved in HCC pathogenesis are diverse and include intrahepatic cell subpopulations, such as immune and stellate cells, pathogens, such as hepatitis viruses, and non-cellular factors, such as abnormal extracellular matrix (ECM) and tissue hypoxia. Recently, a number of novel environmental influences have been shown to have an equally dramatic, but previously unrecognized, role in HCC progression. Novel aspects, including diet, gastrointestinal tract (GIT) microflora and circulating microvesicles, are now being recognized as increasingly important in HCC pathogenesis. This review will outline aspects of the HCC microenvironment, including the potential role of GIT microflora and microvesicles, in providing new insights into tumourigenesis and identifying potential novel targets in the treatment of HCC.
An Interval-Valued Approach to Business Process Simulation Based on Genetic Algorithms and the BPMN
Authors: Cimino Mario , Vaglini Gigliola
Published: May 2014

Simulating organizational processes characterized by interacting human activities, resources, business rules and constraints, is a challenging task, because of the inherent uncertainty, inaccuracy, variability and dynamicity. With regard to this problem, currently available business process simulation (BPS) methods and tools are unable to efficiently capture the process behavior along its lifecycle. In this paper, a novel approach of BPS is presented. To build and manage simulation models according to the proposed approach, a simulation system is designed, developed and tested on pilot scenarios, as well as on real-world processes. The proposed approach exploits interval-valued data to represent model parameters, in place of conventional single-valued or probability-valued parameters. Indeed, an interval-valued parameter is comprehensive; it is the easiest to understand and express and the simplest to process, among multi-valued representations. In order to compute the interval-valued output of the system, a genetic algorithm is used. The resulting process model allows forming mappings at different levels of detail and, therefore, at different model resolutions. The system has been developed as an extension of a publicly available simulation engine, based on the Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) standard.
Host-Microbe Interactions in Microgravity: Assessment and Implications
Authors: Foster Jamie , Wheeler Raymond , Pamphile Regine
Published: May 2014

Spaceflight imposes several unique stresses on biological life that together can have a profound impact on the homeostasis between eukaryotes and their associated microbes. One such stressor, microgravity, has been shown to alter host-microbe interactions at the genetic and physiological levels. Recent sequencing of the microbiomes associated with plants and animals have shown that these interactions are essential for maintaining host health through the regulation of several metabolic and immune responses. Disruptions to various environmental parameters or community characteristics may impact the resiliency of the microbiome, thus potentially driving host-microbe associations towards disease. In this review, we discuss our current understanding of host-microbe interactions in microgravity and assess the impact of this unique environmental stress on the normal physiological and genetic responses of both pathogenic and mutualistic associations. As humans move beyond our biosphere and undergo longer duration space flights, it will be essential to more fully understand microbial fitness in microgravity conditions in order to maintain a healthy homeostasis between humans, plants and their respective microbiomes.
3,5-Bis(2-hydroxybenzylidene)piperidin-4-one
Authors: Eryanti Yum , Herlina Tati , Zamri Adel , Halim Siti , Shiono Yoshihito , Syah Yana , Awang Khalijah , Supratman Unang
Published: May 2014

The title compound, 3,5-bis(2-hydroxybenzylidene)piperidin-4-one (3), was prepared via reaction of 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde (1) and 4-piperidone (2) under microwave irradiation in the presence of 10% NaOH solution. The compound was fully characterized from its UV, IR, NMR and MS data.
An Optimal Cure Process to Minimize Residual Void and Optical Birefringence for a LED Silicone Encapsulant
Authors: Song Min-Jae , Kim Kwon-Hee , Yoon Gil-Sang , Park Hyung-Pil , Kim Heung-Kyu
Published: May 2014

Silicone resin has recently attracted great attention as a high-power Light Emitting Diode (LED) encapsulant material due to its good thermal stability and optical properties. In general, the abrupt curing reaction of the silicone resin for the LED encapsulant during the curing process induces reduction in the mechanical and optical properties of the LED product due to the generation of residual void and moisture, birefringence, and residual stress in the final formation. In order to prevent such an abrupt curing reaction, the reduction of residual void and birefringence of the silicone resin was observed through experimentation by introducing the multi-step cure processes, while the residual stress was calculated by conducting finite element analysis that coupled the heat of cure reaction and cure shrinkage. The results of experiment and analysis showed that it was during the three-step curing process that the residual void, birefringence, and residual stress reduced the most in similar tendency. Through such experimentation and finite element analysis, the study was able to confirm that the optimization of the LED encapsulant packaging process was possible.
Beyond Meatless, the Health Effects of Vegan Diets: Findings from the Adventist Cohorts
Authors: Le Lap , Sabaté Joan
Published: May 2014

Vegetarians, those who avoid meat, and vegans, additionally avoiding dairy and eggs, represent 5% and 2%, respectively, of the US population. The aim of this review is to assess the effects of vegetarian diets, particularly strict vegetarian diets (i.e., vegans) on health and disease outcomes. We summarized available evidence from three prospective cohorts of Adventists in North America: Adventist Mortality Study, Adventist Health Study, and Adventist Health Study-2. Non-vegetarian diets were compared to vegetarian dietary patterns (i.e., vegan and lacto-ovo-vegetarian) on selected health outcomes. Vegetarian diets confer protection against cardiovascular diseases, cardiometabolic risk factors, some cancers and total mortality. Compared to lacto-ovo-vegetarian diets, vegan diets seem to offer additional protection for obesity, hypertension, type-2 diabetes, and cardiovascular mortality. Males experience greater health benefits than females. Limited prospective data is available on vegetarian diets and body weight change. Large randomized intervention trials on the effects of vegetarian diet patterns on neurological and cognitive functions, obesity, diabetes, and other cardiovascular outcomes are warranted to make meaningful recommendations.
Polarization-Independent All-Optical Regenerator for DPSK Data
Authors: Vercesi Valeria , Porzi Claudio , Contestabile Giampiero , Bogoni Antonella
Published: May 2014

We demonstrate polarization-independent simultaneous all-optical phase-preserving amplitude regeneration and wavelength conversion of NRZ differential phase shift keying (DPSK) data by four-wave mixing (FWM) in a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA). The dependence upon polarization state of the signals is eliminated by using a co-polarized dual-pump architecture. Investigation on the regenerative capability vs. pumps detuning shows significant BER threshold margin improvement over 6 nm conversion range.