bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New Light on Shah ʿAbbas and the Construction of Isfahan
Authors: Melville Charles
Published: December 2016

The discovery and recent publication of the third volume of the Afḍal al-tawārīkh (The Most Excellent of Histories) by Fazli Beg Khuzani Isfahani (d. after 1640), with its rich layers of new details on the reign of Shah ʿAbbas I (1587–1629), has made possible a search for fresh information on the shah’s architectural patronage and development of the Safavid capital at Isfahan in the early seventeenth century. Apart from several details not recorded elsewhere, Fazli Beg’s chronicle provides a more continuous account of the development of the city than other contemporary sources, which tend instead to concentrate and group the details of the construction of different buildings into the record of a few specific dates, so that it is not always clear when they were initiated or completed. Fazli Beg gives the impression of a city under constant construction, and of the shah’s restless impatience to propel the work forward. The paper also attempts to address the chronological disparities found in the main sources for the period.
The Spectacle of Legitimacy: The Dome-Closing Ceremony of the Sultan Ahmed Mosque
Authors: Rüstem Ünver
Published: December 2016

Despite its status as one of Istanbul’s most iconic monuments, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (1609–17) met with considerable opposition when embarked upon by its founder, the Ottoman sultan Ahmed I, who had won no holy wars to fund or justify the project. Ahmed sought to legitimate his mosque through a series of festive events held during and after its construction and designed to propel it into the public consciousness. This article examines the most lavish of these events—a ceremony held for the closing of the mosque’s dome—in light of a hitherto unnoted manuscript describing the occasion. Staged shortly before the official opening of the mosque, the ceremony was unconstrained by the protocol of an inauguration proper and brought together a unique set of symbolic features to proclaim the monument’s legitimacy. Besides the charged act of capping the dome, the ceremony included a royal encampment in the mosque’s courtyard—a military allusion that cast Ahmed as a victor—and was attended by foreign ambassadors, who stood for the sultan’s vanquished enemies. This extravaganza boosted Ahmed’s successful campaign to vindicate his mosque and, though unparalleled in its particulars, provides a revealing case study of how the Ottomans used ceremonial to reinforce the semantic purport of their architecture.
Investor Rights under EU Law and International Investment Law
Authors: Sattorova Mavluda
Published: December 2016

Are investors entitled to the same level of protection under investment treaties and EU law? This article will examine some of the principal differences and overlaps in the level and scope of protection which foreign investors can enjoy under intra-EU international investment agreements (IIAs) and EU law. The primary focus of analysis will be on key substantive protection standards which intra-EU IIAs offer and their counterparts in EU law. Comparative analysis of intra-EU investment treaties with EU rules on investment protection offers a fresh opportunity to revisit the origins and history of international investment agreements, trace their recent transformation and analyse their interactions with other international and supranational rules to which investors can also resort to protect their economic rights vis-à-vis host states.
A Treaty Law Perspective on Intra-EU BITs
Authors: Binder Christina
Published: December 2016

The Commission of the European Union (EU) sees intra-EU bilateral investment treaties (BITs) as incompatible with the overall structure of European Union law. Against this background, certain Member States have started to terminate their treaties. Also, some of the new Member States have, in their role as Respondents in intra-EU BIT arbitrations, asserted inter alia that the intra-EU BITs had been automatically terminated upon their accession to the EU and that BIT provisions were inapplicable because of the operation of EU law. This contribution deals with these questions from a treaty law perspective and examines the alleged conflict between EU law and intra-EU BITs in investment cases as well as the consensual termination of intra-EU BITs, including the sunset clauses incorporated therein. It argues that if intra-EU BITs are already ‘in action’, their protection usually persists. On the other hand, investors enjoy only limited protection when States agree to terminate an intra-EU BIT by consent.
Always Learning to See: The Art and Thought of Sargy Mann
Authors: Pepperell Robert
Published: December 2016

Sargy Mann (1937–2015) was a British figurative artist who was fascinated by visual perception and the way visual experience can be depicted. He suffered from poor eyesight throughout his life and lost his sight completely at the age of 68. Despite this, he developed ways of using tactile information and measurement to vividly depict the visual world in paint, and his late work is widely regarded as being among his best. This paper introduces some of Mann’s key ideas on art, visual perception, and his research into the way other artists depicted visual experience.
Three Manuscripts of Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī al-Sanūsī in the Istituto per l’Oriente C. A. Nallino in Rome
Authors: Bottini Laura
Published: December 2016

In Rome, the Istituto per l’Oriente houses the library belonging to one of the most important scholar of the last century, Carlo Alfonso Nallino who, during his life, collected a large amount of printed and lithographed books as well as a small number of manuscripts in Arabic. The Īqāẓ al-wasnān fī l-ʿamal bi-l-ḥadīṯ wa-l-Qurʾān by al-Sanūsī, the only manuscript copy identified so far, is part of this small collection. My intent is to present its description along with the description of other two manuscripts acquired by Nallino containing two works written by the same Sufi scholar, al-Salsabīl al-maʿīn fī l-ṭarāʾiq al-arbaʿīn and al-Manhal al-rāwī al-rāʾiq fī asānīd al-ʿulūm wa-uṣūl al-ṭarāʾiq.
Key for identification of Cladocera of the subfamily Aloninae (Anomopoda: Chydoridae) from South-East Asia
Authors: SINEV ARTEM Y.
Published: December 2016

An identification key for Cladocera of subfamily Aloninae (Anomopoda: Chydoridae) of South-East Asia is provided. The key includes 42 species known from the region to date, and encompass all recent changes in taxonomy of the subfamily Aloninae. Drawings and descriptions of diagnostic characters for each species are provided. This is the first identification key for Aloninae of the region published in the last forty years.
Molecular and morphological identification of pistachio armored scale insects (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), with description of a new species
Authors: HOSSEININAVEH FATEMEH , NOZARI JAMASB , KAYDAN MEHMET BORA , HOSSEININAVEH VAHID
Published: December 2016

Members of the family Diaspididae (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) can be devastating pests that suck parenchyma cell contents from crops and cause severe damage to pistachio trees (Pistacia vera L.). The current research collected and characterized diaspidid species from pistachio orchards in Kerman province, Iran, according to their morphological and molecular features. Lepidosaphes pistaciae Archangelskaya, Suturaspis davatchi (Balachowsky & Kaussari) and Melanaspis inopinata (Leonardi) are redescribed and a new species, Melanaspis pistaciae Hosseininaveh & Kaydan sp. n., is described. Phylogenetic trees based on molecular analysis of COI and 28S rDNA fragments placed all the species in separated clades and confirmed M. pistaciae as a new taxon which is concluded by morphological differences. Molecular analysis suggests non-monophyly of the populations of each species. Melanaspis pistaciae sp. n. has spread to most cultivated pistachio areas in Iran and has probably been misidentified as M. inopinata in the past. Further investigation of the biology of this species may lead to development of more effective approaches for controlling this pest.
Review of the genus Hannemania (Acari: Leeuwenhoekiidae) with description the two new species in amphibians from Chile
Authors: FUENTE M. C. SILVA-DE LA , MORENO-SALAS L. , CASTRO-CARRASCO C.
Published: December 2016

The genus Hannemania includes 25 species of parasites of amphibians; Chile has one species: H. pattoni Sambon, 1928. This work reviews the genus Hannemania and describes two new species from Chile: Hannemania ortizi sp. nov., a parasite of Pleurodema thaul (Lesson) (Anura: Leptodactylidae) and Eupsophus contulmoensis Ortiz, Ibarra-Vidal, Formas (Anura: Alsodidae) and Hannemania gonzaleacunae sp. nov., a parasite of E. nahuelbutensis Ortiz and Ibarra-Vidal (Anura: Alsodidae). The new species differ from H. pattoni and other nearby species principally by character states of the palp and leg setae. A comparison of the diagnostic characters for all species of Hannemania is included.
A study on the fabrication of plasticized polystyrene-carbon nanotube nanocomposites for foaming
Authors: McCrary-Dennis Micah CL , Fernandez Eduardo , Okoli Okenwa I
Published: December 2016

The impregnation of carbon nanotubes within fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs) is a sought after capability for the advancement of composite systems. This study evaluates the novel processing of a carbon nanotube nanocomposite that has been developed to incorporate varying carbon nanotube loadings within final composite foams. This material is manufactured through a melt mix process of carbon nanotubes and polystyrene at ∼2.0–13.0 wt.% that further underwent a plasticization process in an acetone solvent. The chemical foaming agent 2.2′-Azobi(isobutyronitrile) is used to facilitate foaming at a constant 3.0 wt.% concentration. The foamed nanocomposite results in a carbon nanotube-loaded micro-porous structure showing capabilities of delivering localized carbon nanotube placement within fiber composite laminate systems. This report’s aim is to illustrate the effects of plasticizing polystyrene-carbon nanotube nanocomposite and calendaring the softened material to form foams imbedded with carbon nanotubes (carbon nanotubes). Scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were the tools that are used to characterize the materials at the various morphologies with their findings inclusive.
Anaesthesia and analgesia in laboratory adult zebrafish: a question of refinement
Authors: Martins Tânia , Valentim Ana M. , Pereira Nuno , Antunes Luis M.
Published: December 2016

Anaesthesia is used daily in fish experimental procedures; however, the use of an inadequate anaesthetic protocol can compromise not only the animal's welfare but also the reliability of results. The use of zebrafish ( Danio rerio) in biomedical research has increased in the last decades, highlighting the importance of appropriate anaesthetic regimens for this species. This article reviews the main anaesthetic agents and protocols used in laboratory adult zebrafish, and some of the analgesic methods to be used in this species that still need more research. In addition, a systematized observation of signs is proposed to evaluate adult zebrafish welfare to reduce pain and distress.
Analgesia in clinically relevant rodent models of sepsis
Authors: Jeger Victor , Hauffe Till , Nicholls-Vuille Flora , Bettex Dominique , Rudiger Alain
Published: December 2016

Postoperative analgesia in rodent sepsis models has been considerably neglected in the past. However, intentions to model clinical practice, increasing awareness of animal ethics, efforts to apply the 3Rs (replacement, reduction, refinement), and stricter legislation argue for a change in this respect. In this review, we describe different concepts of analgesia in rodent models of sepsis focusing on opioid agonists as well as non-opioid analgesics. Advantages and pitfalls in study design and side-effects are discussed. Score sheets should be used to adapt analgesia or to terminate experiments using humane endpoints. Further research is needed to differentiate behavioral changes caused by sepsis and pain or as a consequence of analgesia. Information on the efficacy of analgesia in sepsis models is scarce. Hence, studies are needed to identify the best ways to reduce suffering of research animals and thereby optimize the clinically relevant rodent models of sepsis.
The assessment of grip strength after upper limb injuries in medico-legal practice
Authors: Belcher HJCR
Published: December 2016

Four hundred adult claimants underwent medico-legal assessment following upper limb injuries. Dynamometry was performed on each using the Jamar five handle-position test. Injury causes loss of power and there is a significant relationship between the percentage loss of power and the measured whole limb impairment. This paper presents a new approach for the analysis of the tests. The normal physiological length–tension pattern of muscle is maintained in the majority of claimants albeit with modifications due to the specific effects of injury on hand function. This paper provides normative data for the analysis of dynamometry in this population and makes recommendations for parameters that suggest that a test is a true reflection of capacity and thus useable in court.
Making a global sensation: Vanilla flavor, synthetic chemistry, and the meanings of purity
Authors: Berenstein Nadia
Published: December 2016

How did vanilla, once a rare luxury, become a global sensation? Rather than taking the vanilla flavor of vanilla beans as a pre-existing natural fact, this essay argues that the sensory experience that came to be recognized as vanilla was a hybrid artifact produced by an expanding global trade in a diverse set of pleasurable substances, including cured beans from artificially pollinated vanilla orchids, synthetic vanillin, sugar, and a far-flung miscellany of other botanical and chemical materials. Global trade and large-scale production resulted not in the production of a homogenous, stable commodity, but in a range of local vanillas, heterogeneous mixtures with a range of qualities and virtues. As local commercial and regulatory interests competed to define the origins, and thus the market value, of authentic vanilla flavor, scientific experts were called upon to adjudicate these rival claims. In the United States, these debates played out in the context of the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act, where efforts to define and chemically enforce a ‘standard’ vanilla extract, in contradistinction from adulterated, ‘imitation’ extracts, clashed with the interests of makers and users of both synthetic and ‘genuine’ vanilla flavorings. As regulatory chemists grappled with the growing variety of vanillas, they were required to determine the appropriate chemical components of genuine vanilla, and consequently to delimit the subjective sensory effects proper to the flavor. Nonetheless, the materials, experiences, and meanings popularly associated with vanilla flavor continued to exceed the limits prescribed by officials.
Identifying Discrete Subgroups of Chronically Homeless Frequent Utilizers of Jail and Public Mental Health Services
Authors: Harding Courtney S. , Roman Caterina G.
Published: December 2016

A sizable group of individuals in the United States cycle in and out of jails, prisons, mental health hospitals, homeless shelters, and other expensive public institutions over time. This little-studied population represents significant unmet need and the inadequacy of services for complex consumers. The current study examined a sample ( N = 161) of chronically homeless frequent utilizers of jail and mental health systems in Chicago, Illinois. Cluster analysis was used to differentiate the sample into four reliable subgroups based on measures for prior homelessness, jail incarcerations, mental health hospitalizations, poor current mood, and limitations due to physical health. Logistic regression revealed that clusters differed significantly on reincarceration at 6 months postrelease. Implications for programming and policy for each cluster are discussed, including suggestions for targeting services to distinguishing characteristics for each subgroup. These findings argue for the importance of coordinating efforts across services systems to better identify and serve shared clients.
Intrahepatic distant recurrence after radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma: precursor nodules on pre-procedural gadoxetic acid-enhanced liver magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Song Kyoung Doo , Rhim Hyunchul , Lee Min Woo , Kim Young-sun , Kang Tae Wook
Published: December 2016

Background

Intrahepatic distant recurrence (IDR) after radiofrequency (RF) ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is associated with poor overall survival outcome.

Purpose

To evaluate the incidence and findings on pre-procedural gadoxetic acid-enhanced liver magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of precursor nodules for IDR after RF ablation for HCC.

Material and Methods

This study was approved by our institutional review board. Among 343 patients treated with RF ablation for HCC between 2009 and 2011, 141 patients who underwent pre-procedural gadoxetic acid-enhanced liver MRI and experienced IDR were enrolled. The presence of precursor nodules for IDR on pre-procedural imaging was assessed. Nodules were categorized based on hypervascularity in the arterial phase and signal intensity on hepatobiliary phase images. Time to recurrence was compared between patients with and without precursor nodules.

Results

In 46 (32.7%) of 141 patients (50 HCCs), there were precursor nodules on pre-procedural MRIs (median follow-up period, 4.39 years; range, 0.08–6.08). In three patients, HCCs were missed on imaging. In the remaining 43 patients, the 47 precursor nodules identified were non-hypervascular hypointense (n = 26), non-hypervascular isointense (n = 6), non-hypervascular hyperintense (n = 2), hypervascular hypointense (n = 10), and hypervascular isointense (n = 3). The mean time-to-recurrence was significantly shorter for patients with precursor nodules than for those without (16.6 versus 24.0 months, P = 0.011).

Conclusion

About one-third of patients with IDR after RF ablation for HCC had precursor nodules on pre-procedural gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI, most commonly non-hypervascular hypointense nodules in the hepatobiliary phase.
Marx, the labour theory of value and the transformation problem
Authors: Burns Tony
Published: December 2016

This article reconsiders what Marx says about what has come to be known as the transformation problem in Chapter IX of Capital Volume III, in the light of Marx’s claim, made in Capital Volume I, that the value of a commodity is determined by the socially necessary labour-time that goes into its production. I criticise the traditional way of thinking about the transformation problem, according to which what Marx is doing in Chapter IX is considering the transformation of values into prices (‘prices of production’). I argue that Marx’s prices of production may be thought of as modified values. The discussion in Chapter IX is usually seen as a supplement to the labour theory of value. On this view, its purpose is to explain how and why the prices of commodities sometimes deviate from their values. Against this view, this article argues that Marx’s remarks in Chapter IX can be seen as an elaboration on or development of the labour theory of value. It is a refinement of the account offered in Capital Volume I, which takes into consideration what Marx had in mind there when he introduced the notion of socially necessary as opposed to actual labour-time. The article draws attention to the importance of Marx’s distinction between the individual value of a commodity (determined by actual labour-time) and its social value (determined by socially necessary labour-time). It also draws attention to the methodological difficulties that are generated by any attempt to read Marx in this way.
Assessing Progress in Implementing Uganda’s Nutrition Action Plan
Authors: Agaba Edgar , Pomeroy-Stevens Amanda , Ghosh Shibani , Griffiths Jeffrey K.
Published: December 2016

Background:

The 2011 Uganda Nutrition Action Plan (UNAP) established 2016 maternal and child nutrition targets. However, there is a lack of routine district-level data collection to assess UNAP implementation.

Objective:

To use Nutrition Innovation Lab (NIL) data to inform policy makers on the progress of UNAP-related indicators.

Methods:

The NIL collected serial household-level survey data (n = 3600) in 6 districts, including 2 UNAP implementation districts, in 2012 and 2014. Questionnaires focused on food security, nutrition, and health, among others, and included specific indicators relevant to UNAP’s targets.

Results:

In 2012, outcomes in Kisoro and Lira districts were below national average for some UNAP key indicators, including dietary diversity and anemia prevalence, but above average for others (exclusive breastfeeding and underweight among women and children). The prevalence of child stunting was higher than national averages in Kisoro but below national averages in Lira. In 2014, anemia among women and children decreased significantly. Kisoro also saw improvements in several other UNAP target indicators including underweight, breastfeeding, and stunting.

Conclusion:

Although the study showed improvements in key UNAP indicators, there is a need to invest in appropriate methods to gauge its progress because the NIL was not designed to assess UNAP. Since the quality of implementation of complex multisectoral programs can differ widely across different contexts, it is critical that effective monitoring of progress be part of such programs. National endorsement of nutrition plans doesn’t in itself result in desired outcomes, hence, the allocation of scarce resources has to be based on rigorous evidence.
Overcoming the Limits of Evidence on Effective Multisectoral Nutrition Policy
Authors: Marasini Madhu Kumar , Mugenyi Ssansa
Published: December 2016

The multisectoral approach has evolved as a popular instrument to attain nutrition goals and targets. But as policy makers, we need timely, relevant, and accurate information in order to effectively support these plans. This commentary comes from the members of the nutrition secretariats at the National Planning Commission in Nepal and the Office of the Prime Minister in Uganda on availability and use of evidence and the nutrition policy cycle. As has been highlighted in this supplement, some of the challenges we have faced include tracking nutrition spending and limited human resource capacity. It will be important for countries, including our own, to take steps to ensure that all sectors with responsibility for nutrition issues adequately prioritize nutrition—as evidenced by budgets and targets—and coordinate efforts for the most efficient use of funds. Countries will also need to consider the importance of transparency and accountability at all levels, as well as planning and reporting systems to ensure better cooperation and stronger partnerships. Going forward, we call on all those working in the field of nutrition to focus on developing evidence that is useful for decision-making and that can facilitate monitoring of practical measures of governance and financing by national- and district-level stakeholders.
Downregulation of L-arginine metabolism in dendritic cells induces tolerance to exogenous antigen
Authors: Simioni Patricia U , Fernandes Luis GR , Tamashiro Wirla MSC
Published: December 2016

Dendritic cells (DC) are potential tools for therapeutic applications and several strategies to generate tolerogenic DCs are under investigation. When activated by cytokines and microbial products, DCs express mediators that modulate immune responses. In this regard, the metabolites generated by the activities of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and arginase in DCs seem to play important roles. Here, we evaluated the effects of adoptive transfer of DCs generated in vitro from bone marrow precursors (BMDC) modulated with L-NAME (Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester) and NOHA (NG-Hydroxy-L-arginine), inhibitors of iNOS and arginase, respectively, upon the immune response of the wild type (BALB/c) and OVA-TCR transgenic (DO11.10) mice. The modulation with L-NAME increased CD86 expression in BMDC, whereas treatment with NOHA increased both CD80 and CD86 expression. Adoptive transfer of either L-NAME- or NOHA-modulated BMDCs to BALB/c mice reduced the plasma levels of ovalbumin-specific antibody as well as proliferation and cytokine secretion in cultures of spleen cells in comparison adoptive transfer of non-modulated DCs. Conversely, transfer of both modulated and non-modulated BMDCs had no effect on immune response of DO11.10 mice. Together, these results show that the treatment with iNOS and Arg inhibitors leads to increased expression of co-stimulatory molecules in DCs, and provides evidences that L-arginine metabolism may be an important therapeutic target for modulating immune responses in inflammatory disorders.
Protein biomarkers of mood disorders
Authors: Rodríguez Cerdeira Carmen , Sánchez-Blanco Elena , Sánchez-Blanco Beatriz , González-Cespón Jose Luis ,   Working Group of IISGS
Published: December 2016

Psychiatric evaluation presents a significant challenge because it conceptually integrates the input from multiple psychopathological approaches. Recent technological advances in the study of protein structure, function, and interactions have provided a breakthrough in the diagnosis and treatment of mood disorders (MD), and have identified novel biomarkers to be used as indicators of normal and disease states or response to drug treatment. The investigation of biomarkers for psychiatric disorders, such as enzymes (catechol-O-methyl transferase and monoamine oxidases) or neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine) and their receptors, particularly their involvement in neuroendocrine activity, brain structure, and function, and response to psychotropic drugs, should facilitate the diagnosis of MD. In clinical settings, prognostic biomarkers may be revealed by analyzing serum, saliva, and/or the cerebrospinal fluid, which should promote timely diagnosis and personalized treatment. The mechanisms underlying the activity of most currently used drugs are based on the functional regulation of proteins, including receptors, enzymes, and metabolic factors. In this study, we analyzed recent advances in the identification of biomarkers for MD, which could be used for the timely diagnosis, treatment stratification, and prediction of clinical outcomes.
Progress and disillusion
Authors: Alexander Jeffrey C.
Published: December 2016

Civil Sphere Theory (CST) provides a more dynamic, cultural, and democratically oriented model of contemporary society than either conflict or modernization theory. Civil spheres expand and contract in contradictory ways. Utopian periods of utopian repair trigger defensive efforts that primordialize and exclude. Late 20th century civil repair generated new relations of economic production and more multicultural modes of integration. Early 21rst century reactions have highlighted dangers, demanding more cultural homogeneity amidst rising concerns about inequality. There is increasing disillusionment about the possibility for democratic progress.
Treatment of Adenoviral Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Using Cidofovir With Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
Authors: Lee Minhyeok , Kim Seulgi , Kwon Oh Jung , Kim Ji Hye , Jeong Inbeom , Son Ji Woong , Na Moon Jun , Yoon Yoo Sang , Park Hyun Woong , Kwon Sun Jung
Published: December 2016

Adenovirus infections are associated with respiratory (especially upper respiratory) infection and gastrointestinal disease and occur primarily in infants and children. Although rare in adults, severe lower respiratory adenovirus infections including pneumonia are reported in specific populations, such as military recruits and immunocompromised patients. Antiviral treatment is challenging due to limited clinical experience and lack of well-controlled randomized trials. Several previously reported cases of adenoviral pneumonia showed promising efficacy of cidofovir. However, few reports discussed the efficacy of cidofovir in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We experienced 3 cases of adenoviral pneumonia associated with ARDS and treated with cidofovir and respiratory support, including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). All 3 patients showed a positive clinical response to cidofovir and survival at 28 days. Cidofovir with early ECMO therapy may be a therapeutic option in adenoviral ARDS. A literature review identified 15 cases of adenovirus pneumonia associated with ARDS.
Pubic hair and its removal: A practice beyond the personal
Authors: Li Alex Yang , Braun Virginia
Published: December 2016

Pubic hair removal, now common among women in Anglo/western cultures, has been theorised as a disciplinary practice. As many other feminine bodily practices, it is characterised by removal or alteration of aspects of women's material body (i.e., pubic hair) considered unattractive but otherwise “natural.” Emerging against this theorisation is a discourse of personal agency and choice, wherein women assert autonomy and self-mastery of their own bodies and body practices. In this paper, we use a thematic analysis to examine the interview talk about pubic hair from 11 sexually and ethnically diverse young women in New Zealand. One overarching theme – pubic hair is undesirable; its removal is desirable – encapsulates four themes we discuss in depth, which illustrate the personal, interpersonal and sociocultural influences intersecting the practice: (a) pubic hair removal is a personal choice; (b) media promote pubic hair removal; (c) friends and family influence pubic hair removal; and (d) the (imagined) intimate influences pubic hair removal. Despite minor variations among queer women, a perceived norm of genital hairlessness was compelling among the participants. Despite the articulated freedom to practise pubic hair removal, any freedom from participating in this practice appeared limited, rendering the suggestion that it is just a “choice” problematic.
The analysis of QT interval and repolarization morphology of the heart in chronic exposure to lead
Authors: Kiełtucki J , Dobrakowski M , Pawlas N , Średniawa B , Boroń M , Kasperczyk S
Published: December 2016

There are no common recommendations regarding electrocardiographic monitoring in occupationally exposed workers. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate whether exposure to lead results in an increase of selected electrocardiography (ECG) pathologies, such as QT interval prolongation and repolarization disorders, in occupationally exposed workers. The study group included 180 workers occupationally exposed to lead compounds. The exposed group was divided according to the median of the mean blood lead level (PbBmean) calculated based on a series of measurements performed during 5-year observation period (35 µg/dl) into two subgroups: low exposure (LE, PbBmean = 20.0–35.0 µg/dl) and high exposure (HE, PbBmean = 35.1–46.4 µg/dl). The control group consisted of 69 healthy workers without occupational exposure to lead. ECG evaluation included the analysis of heart rate (HR), QT interval and repolarization abnormalities. Mean QT interval was significantly greater in the exposed population than in the control group by 2%. In the HE group, mean QT interval was significantly greater than in the control group by 4% and significantly different from those noted in the LE group. Positive correlations between QT interval and lead exposure indices were also reported. Besides, there was a negative correlation between HR and blood lead level. Increased concentration of lead in the blood above 35 μg/dl is associated with the QT interval prolongation, which may trigger arrhythmias when combined with other abnormalities, such as long QT syndrome. Therefore, electrocardiographic evaluation should be a part of a routine monitoring of occupationally exposed populations.
The economy and accounting sophistication: An overview of Transylvania
Authors: Deaconu Adela , Filip Crina I
Published: December 2016

Based on historiography and documentary research, this study juxtaposes the economic history of the Principality of Transylvania against the general evolution of accounting practice and thought, and makes comparisons with the general European context. Along with providing evidence for a less-researched area, the discussion on the sophistication of accounting through successive stages – from 1541 to 1918 – is useful for enabling other regional comparative studies. This study argues that there was a delay in the evolution of accounting in Transylvania compared to the development of European accounting, with the gap growing smaller towards the end of World War I. The pace of economic development, initially extremely slow, increased and triggered the emergence of capitalism, hence the development of double-entry bookkeeping and scientific accounting. In this way, Sombart’s ideas and the post-Sombart theses are supported. Imperial (Austro-Hungarian) political domination and the region’s social structure played an important role in this setting. Observing other external channels of the spread of accounting, the study confirms the validity of the diffusionist theory.
Study on pH-sensitive hydrogel micro-valves: A fluid–structure interaction approach
Authors: Arbabi Nasser , Baghani Mostafa , Abdolahi Jalal , Mazaheri Hashem , Mosavi-Mashhadi Mahmoud
Published: December 2016

Hydrogels are categorized as soft materials that undergo large deformation when they are subjected to even minor external forces. In this work, the performance of a variety of micro-valves, based on pH-sensitive hydrogel jackets coated on rigid pillars, is studied considering the gel deformation under fluid flow, employing fluid–structure interaction simulations. In this regard, an analytical solution to plane-strain inhomogeneous swelling of a cylindrical jacket is proposed. This is used as a tool to validate the finite element model. Then, a micro-valve consisting of one hydrogel jacket is studied in various inlet pressure and pH values performing fluid–structure interaction simulations. Thereafter, a variety of jacket patterns are investigated in order to identify the effects of the pattern on the micro-valve performance for various fluid stream pressures and pH values. The leakage pressure of the valves is also computed for each of the patterns. Fluid–structure interaction simulation is found to be essential to accurate design of the hydrogel-based microfluidic devices.
Strength property analysis for fiber-reinforced shape memory polymer composite laminate
Authors: Qiao Tan , Liu Liwu , Li Fengfeng , Lan Xin , Liu Yanju , Leng Jinsong
Published: December 2016

As a main component of space deployable structure, shape memory polymer composites are exposed to long-term periodic sharp temperature changes. It is necessary to investigate the influence of temperature on strength property of shape memory polymer composites. In this article, a micromechanical strength predication model was developed based on composite bridging model, which was used to define the stiffness matrix and relate the stress increment to the fiber and matrix. Furthermore, the progressive failure strength of shape memory polymer composites was simulated simply based on the properties of the material and the geometric parameters of the laminates. Comparison of the predictions with the experimental measurements was carried out. In general, the overall correlation between the theory and the experiments was reasonable. Furthermore, the model has been applied to predict the transverse strength, axial strength, and in-plane shear strength of different composite laminates (fiber content and ply angle) at different temperatures.
Product lifecycle–oriented knowledge services: Status review, framework, and technology trends
Authors: Wu Zhenyong , Liao Jihua , Song Wenyan , Mao Hanling , Huang Zhenfeng , Li Xinxin , Mao Hanying
Published: December 2016

More companies are facing challenges in extracting and utilizing knowledge in product lifecycle. To solve this problem, a product lifecycle–oriented knowledge service framework is proposed based on the status review. The proposed framework is supported by four key methods and processes, which include mechanism of knowledge service identification, mechanism of product knowledge service transfer, delivery process of product knowledge service, and performance evaluation of product knowledge service. Different with most of the previous fragmental studies, the proposed systematic knowledge service framework is mainly product lifecycle oriented. In addition, an application in gantry crane design shows that the proposed framework can provide effective lifecycle knowledge support for product development, which will help to promote concurrency and simultaneity in product development process.
Factors Associated With the Use of the Reactive Approach to Preventing Patient Safety Events
Authors: Oyama Yumiko , Kashiwagi Masayo , Ogata Yasuko , Hoshishiba Yumiko
Published: December 2016

The aim was to investigate the prevalence of using the reactive approach to patient safety event prevention in home-visit nursing agencies and explore factors associated with this approach. Multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate possible reactive approach-related factors. Two hundred forty-five agencies (71.0%) reported using the reactive approach to prevent event recurrence. Use of the reactive approach in agencies was significantly associated with having administrators who had attended an education course before employment in an administrative position (odds ratio = 1.95). To increase patient safety knowledge and awareness, administrator candidates must attend a course on home-visit agency management. Nursing researchers and policy makers should reexamine and adjust prerequisites for administrator registration at home-visit nursing agencies in Japan.
The Role of Interfirm Knowledge Spillovers for Innovation in Mass-Produced Environmental Technologies: Evidence from the Solar Photovoltaic Industry
Authors: Hoppmann Joern
Published: December 2016

Knowledge spillovers play a potentially important role for innovation and competitive dynamics in mass-produced environmental technologies. Currently, however, we lack research that studies knowledge spillovers in such technologies at the firm level. To address this shortcoming, in this article we investigate the drivers of technological innovation in the solar photovoltaic industry. We find clear evidence for the existence of interfirm knowledge spillovers and show that besides investments in R&D, investments in manufacturing equipment have served as a channel of knowledge absorption. Our findings shed new light on the narrative linking environmental innovation and competitive advantage. Moreover, by pointing to the role of process technology as a means of assimilating and exploiting external knowledge, we highlight an important but frequently neglected channel of absorptive capacity.
Friction characteristics of sliding guideway material considering original surface functional parameters under hydrodynamic lubrication
Authors: Zhao Bin , Zhang Song , Li Jianfeng , Wang Peng
Published: December 2016

The most common failure modes for guideway are wear and contact fatigue, which are significantly influenced by the friction properties of the contact surfaces. In this paper, three-dimensional surface parameters of surface roughness are investigated to evaluate guideway surface. First, an effective three-dimensional surface model is achieved using wavelet transform method and a reverse engineering software (Geomagic Studio). Secondly, effects of the functional surface parameters on friction force, mean pressure, and friction coefficient are studied using the computational fluid dynamics simulation method, and a regression model to predict friction force is achieved. Thirdly, the optimal surface parameters combinations are analyzed looking at friction property index, and the simulation results are compared. Finally, a verification test is conducted to detect the validity of the simulation research. The results show a good agreement between the experimental results and simulations. This study provides theoretical guidance for the manufacture of guideway.
Mutual influence of plateau roughness and groove texture of honed surface on frictional performance of piston ring–liner system
Authors: Hu Yang , Meng Xianghui , Xie Youbai , Fan Jiazheng
Published: December 2016

The cylinder liner surface finish, which is commonly produced using the honing technique, is an essential factor of engine performance. The characteristics of the texture features, including the cross-hatch angle, the plateau roughness and the groove depth, significantly affect the performance of the ring pack–cylinder liner system. However, due to the influence of the honed texture features, the surface roughness of the liner is not subject to Gaussian distribution. To simulate the mixed lubrication performance of the ring–liner system with non-Gaussian roughness, the combination of a two-scale homogenization technique and a deterministic asperities contact method is adopted. In this study, a one-dimensional homogenized mixed lubrication model is established to study the influence of groove parameters on the load-carrying capacity and the frictional performance of the piston ring–liner system. The ring profile, plateau roughness, and operating conditions are taken into consideration. The main findings are that for nonflat ring, shallow and wide groove textures are beneficial for friction reduction, and there exists an optimum groove density that makes the friction minimum; for flat ring, wide and sparse grooves help improving the tribological performance, and there exists an optimum groove depth that makes the friction minimum.
Identification and validation of clinically meaningful benchmarks in the 12-item Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale
Authors: Goldman Myla D , Ward Melanie D , Motl Robert W , Jones David E , Pula John H , Cadavid Diego
Published: December 2016

Background:

The 12-item Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale (12-MSWS) is a validated questionnaire which assessed walking function; it has been widely adopted in multiple sclerosis (MS) clinical research.

Objective:

Identify and validate clinically meaningful 12-MSWS benchmarks in MS.

Methods:

Cross-sectional study of 159 MS patients permitted identification of clinically meaningful 12-MSWS benchmarks based on their relationship to real-life anchors. Identified 12-MSWS benchmarks were then validated in a second population of 96 subjects using measures of ambulation, cognition, and patient-reported outcomes.

Results:

12-MSWS score of 0–24.99 was associated with working outside the home and assistance-free mobility; 25–49.99 was associated with gait disability and difficulty doing housework; 50–74.99 was associated with unemployment, government healthcare, cane use, and difficulty performing instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs); and 75–100 was associated with change in occupation due to walking, mobility impairment requiring bilateral assistance, and inability to perform IADLs. During the validation step, strong linear associations were identified between 12-MSWS benchmarks and other MS-related disability outcome measures, including ambulatory and non-ambulatory measures.

Conclusion:

We have identified clinically meaningful 12-MSWS benchmarks which define four groups differentiated by increasing levels of mobility impairment and associated loss of functional independence. These data provide insight into how 12-MSWS translate to meaningful functional limitations in MS.
Large differences in adiponectin levels have no clear effect on multiple sclerosis risk: A Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Devorak Julia , Mokry Lauren E , Morris John A , Forgetta Vincenzo , Davey Smith George , Sawcer Stephen , Richards J Brent
Published: December 2016

Background:

Mendelian randomization (MR) studies have demonstrated strong support for an association between genetically increased body mass index and risk of multiple sclerosis (MS). The adipokine adiponectin may be a potential mechanism linking body mass to risk of MS.

Objective:

To evaluate whether genetically increased adiponectin levels influence risk of MS.

Methods:

Using genome-wide significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for adiponectin, we undertook an MR study to estimate the effect of adiponectin on MS. This method prevents bias due to reverse causation and minimizes bias due to confounding. Sensitivity analyses were performed to evaluate the assumptions of MR.

Results:

MR analyses did not support a role for genetically elevated adiponectin in risk of MS (odds ratio (OR) = 0.93 per unit increase in natural-log-transformed adiponectin, equivalent to a two-standard deviation increase in adiponectin on the absolute scale; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.66–1.33; p = 0.61). Further MR analysis suggested that genetic variation at the adiponectin gene, which influences adiponectin level, does not impact MS risk. Sensitivity analyses, including MR-Egger regression, suggested no bias due to pleiotropy.

Conclusion:

Lifelong genetically increased adiponectin levels in humans have no clear effect on risk of MS. Other biological factors driving the association between body mass and MS should be investigated.
Translocator positron-emission tomography and magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging of brain glial cell activation in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Datta Gourab , Violante Ines R , Scott Gregory , Zimmerman Karl , Santos-Ribeiro Andre , Rabiner Eugenii A , Gunn Roger N , Malik Omar , Ciccarelli Olga , Nicholas Richard , Matthews Paul M
Published: December 2016

Background:

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterised by a diffuse inflammatory response mediated by microglia and astrocytes. Brain translocator protein (TSPO) positron-emission tomography (PET) and [myo-inositol] magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) were used together to assess this.

Objective:

To explore the in vivo relationships between MRS and PET [11C]PBR28 in MS over a range of brain inflammatory burden.

Methods:

A total of 23 patients were studied. TSPO PET imaging with [11C]PBR28, single voxel MRS and conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences were undertaken. Disability was assessed by Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite (MSFC).

Results:

[11C]PBR28 uptake and [ myo-inositol] were not associated. When the whole cohort was stratified by higher [11C]PBR28 inflammatory burden, [ myo-inositol] was positively correlated to [11C]PBR28 uptake (Spearman’s ρ = 0.685, p = 0.014). Moderate correlations were found between [11C]PBR28 uptake and both MRS creatine normalised N-acetyl aspartate (NAA) concentration and grey matter volume. MSFC was correlated with grey matter volume (ρ = 0.535, p = 0.009). There were no associations between other imaging or clinical measures.

Conclusion:

MRS [ myo-inositol] and PET [11C]PBR28 measure independent inflammatory processes which may be more commonly found together with more severe inflammatory disease. Microglial activation measured by [11C]PBR28 uptake was associated with loss of neuronal integrity and grey matter atrophy.