bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The danger of high growth combined with a large non-cash working capital base: A descriptive analysis
Authors: Steyn W. , Hamman W. D. , Smit E. V.D.M.
Published: August 2019

A high growth rate may not be the ultimate measure of a successful company. This article shows that growth at too high a rate, for a company with a high non-cash working capital component, may lead to financial difficulties.While the income statement of a company is based on the accrual of income and expenses, the cash flow statement is based on the receipt and payment of cash. A company experiencing high sales growth, depending on the extent of its non-cash working capital, will find that the cash flow from operating activities before the payment of dividends will not grow as quickly as the net profit after taxation. This is because the accrual part included in the net profit after taxation is also growing at a high rate. At such a growth rate, operating activities do not generate sufficient cash to sustain the day-to-day activities of the company.
Competitive intelligence practices: A South African study
Authors: Viviers W. , Saayman A. , Muller M. L. , Calof J.
Published: August 2019

Competitive Intelligence (CI) as a business discipline and as a business practice is still in its infancy in South Africa. Only a few higher education courses in CI exist in South Africa and only a few studies on CI practices in South African firms have been done. The question that arises is: What is the level of development and deployment of CI in South Africa? From this study it is clear that most of the responding firms believe that CI can be used to create a competitive advantage and that CI is a legitimate and necessary activity for increasing their firms’ intelligence. It is, however, also clear that South African firms are not well equipped yet to conduct good intelligence practices, especially in the areas of process and structure, analysis and awareness. Recommendations are made in order to increase the firms’ CI awareness in order to improve South African firms’ competitiveness.
Towards the very nature of corporate strategy
Authors: Heil D. , Maxwell T. , Whittaker L.
Published: August 2019

Current approaches to corporate strategy are overwhelmingly based on a metaphorical – and mostly unarticulated – understanding of the essential nature of corporations. In this paper we argue that in order to understand corporate strategy it is critical to understand the very nature of the entity called ‘corporation’. We then present an understanding of corporations as works; those entities that create and sustain the world in which humans live. In describing the characteristics of works and the way in which they create and sustain a world, we elucidate the very nature of corporate strategy. We conclude by proposing a process to enable leaders of corporations to engage in corporate strategy as creating and sustaining a world.
Relationship between share index volatility, basis and open interest in futures contracts: The South African experience
Authors: Motladiile B. , Smit E. V.D.M.
Published: August 2019

In a rational efficiently functioning market, the price of the share index and share index futures contracts should be perfectly contemporaneously correlated. However, in practice the cost of carry model is obscured as the basis varies and is normally not equal to the cost of carry.This study uses the Chen, Cuny and Haugen (1995) model to examine the relationship between the basis and volatility of the underlying index and between the open interest of the futures contract and the volatility of the underlying index. The tests were performed on data from ALSI, FINI and INDI futures contracts. The sample period was from January 1998 to December 2001.The results confirm the conclusion of Chen et al. (1995) who found the basis to be negatively related to the volatility of the underlying index. The other main prediction of the Chen et al. (1995) model, which is also supported by the current study, is that open interest is significantly related to the volatility of the underlying index. The results further support the proposition of Helmer and Longstaff (1991) of a highly significant negative concave relationship between the basis and the interest rate.
Entrepreneurial attitudes: A distinction between two professional groups
Authors: Van Wyk R. , Boshoff A. B.
Published: August 2019

This study investigates discrimant ability of the Entrepreneurial Attitude Orientations Scale of 365 individuals practicing in two mutually exclusive professions (pharmacists N = 200 and accountants N = 175) on the profiles of Holland’s hexagon of occupational groups. Anova was performed with the EAOS sub-and total scales as dependent variables and entrepreneurial and non-entrepreneurial profiles as independent variables. Some discriminance by means of Tukey’s Range Test and interaction through LS-means was found between the two professions and employment status of individuals. Implications for management are indicated.
The in-store shopping experience: A comparative study of supermarket and clothing store customers
Authors: Terblanche N. S. , Boshoff C.
Published: August 2019

Various developments continually pressurise retailers to find new and innovative ways to differentiate themselves from competitors and adapt to ever-changing and accelerating environmental circumstances. Positioning based on customers’ in-store shopping experience (ISE) offers retailers an alternative means of differentiation and is achieved by providing a superior in-store shopping experience. The ISE instrument that has been developed to measure customers’ in store shopping experience is used in this study to compare the in-store shopping experiences of customers of two diverse retailing environments (supermarkets versus clothing retailers) by assessing its impact on customer retention. A proposition is formulated and the findings reported. The implications of ISE and customer retention for retail managers are also dealt with.
The relationships between service quality, customer satisfaction and buying intentions in the private hospital industry
Authors: Boshoff C. , Gray B.
Published: August 2019

The objective of this study was to investigate whether superior service quality and superior transaction-specific customer satisfaction will enhance loyalty (as measured by purchasing intentions) among patients in the private health care industry. The research design allowed an assessment of the relative impact of individual dimensions of service quality and transaction-specific customer satisfaction on two dependent variables, namely loyalty (as measured by intentions to repurchase) and customer satisfaction, the latter measured as ‘overall’ or cumulative satisfaction.The results reveal that the service quality dimensions Empathy of nursing staff and Assurance impact positively on both Loyalty and Cumulative satisfaction.The customer satisfaction dimensions Satisfaction with meals, Satisfaction with the nursing staff and Satisfaction with fees all impact positively on both Loyalty and Cumulative satisfaction.
Panel discussion: Physiotherapy in the future - Can we make a change?
Authors: Irwin-Carruthers S.
Published: August 2019

No abstract available
Learning and Radiology
Authors: Corr Peter
Published: August 2019

No abstract available.
Echo enhancing agents in ultrasound
Authors: Corr Peter
Published: August 2019

No abstract available.
Cerebrovascular neuroimaging: Which tests and when?
Authors: Hoffmann Michael
Published: August 2019

No abstract available.
Radiological diseases in history
Authors: Chapeikin G.
Published: August 2019

No abstract available.
Neuroendocrine prostate cancer or prostatitis? An unusual false positive on gallium-68 DOTA-Tyr3-octreotate positron emission tomography/computed tomography in a patient with known metastatic neuroendocrine tumor
Authors: Schmidt Matthew Q , Trenbeath Zachary , Chin Bennett B
Published: August 2019

The importance of gallium-68 DOTA-Tyr3-octreotate (68Ga DOTATATE) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in the imaging of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) has grown substantially over the past decade and is becoming markedly more common. We present the case of a male with known metastatic NET who underwent 68Ga DOTATATE PET/CT for restaging, incidentally revealing intense uptake of the prostate with a maximum standard uptake value of 17.4. Due to the patient's medical history, this finding was concerning for neuroendocrine prostate cancer. However, core biopsies of the prostate were negative for malignancy and positive for chronic inflammation. Chronic prostatitis is a very common condition in adult males and is often asymptomatic. Inflammatory conditions, including prostatitis, are important causes of false-positive findings on 68Ga DOTATATE PET/CT and should be considered as part of the differential diagnosis, even in an asymptomatic patient.
Can radium 223 be a conservative non-surgical management of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw?
Authors: Costa Renato Patrizio , Tripoli Vincenzo , Princiotta Alessandro , Murabito Alessandra , Licari Maria , Mauceri Rodolfo , Campisi Giuseppina , Pinto Antonio
Published: August 2019

Osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) is a rare and severe necrotic bone disease reflecting a compromise in the body's osseous healing mechanisms and unique to the craniofacial region. Radium 223 dichloride (Ra223) is the only targeted alpha therapy able to extend survival in patients with bone metastases from prostate cancer. Mechanism of action and data currently available focused mainly on osteoblastic metastases from prostate cancer. In 2018, a Caucasian 54-year-old woman presented to our institution for a breast cancer with bone metastases. Since the patient refused any treatment and taking into account the bone disease, our multidisciplinary team evaluated a supplementary strategy with radium 223. A total of six treatments were planned with a dose of 50 KBq/kg every 4 weeks according to Phase 2 data. Four days after the second cycle administration, the patient presented for examination with a self-extracted necrotic bone fragment. Oroantral communication remained in the absence of algic symptomatology or suppuration. The multidisciplinary approach between oncologists, nuclear physicians, and dental health teams is crucial throughout the treatment process to avoid unnecessary suffering in patients at risk. More prospective studies are needed; however, considering the limitation of the present case, radio 223 may play an adjuvant role in the medical treatment of cancer patients with active ONJ.
El impacto de los medios digitales en las relaciones entre la diáspora vasca y el País Vasco
Authors: Goirizelaia Maialen , Iturregui Leire
Published: August 2019

Introducción. El presente trabajo de investigación analiza el impacto de la digitalización de los medios en la comunicación entre la diáspora vasca en Estados Unidos y el País Vasco. La Ley 8/1994 de relaciones con las colectividades y centros vascos en el exterior de la Comunidad Autónoma del País Vasco coincide en el tiempo con las primeras ediciones digitales de los diarios vascos. Este trabajo pretende estudiar en qué medida la digitalización de los medios ha contribuido al logro los objetivos recogidos en la Ley 8/1994-. Metodología. Se han realizado 21 entrevistas en profundidad a miembros de la diáspora vasca, responsables de las ediciones digitales de diarios vascos y de la Radio Televisión Pública Vasca y al responsable del “medio de diáspora” vasco. Resultados y conclusiones. La digitalización de los medios sí ha contribuido a los objetivos de la Ley 8/1994 en la medida en que ofrece a la diáspora una información actualizada sobre el País Vasco, pero se limita a una comunicación unidireccional. La diáspora opta por las redes sociales para la interacción y por la información institucional (Gobierno Vasco) y los ‘medios de diáspora’ para acceder a información sobre su país de origen y otras comunidades vascas en el exterior
El malestar social a través de las nuevas tecnologías: Twitter como herramienta política
Authors: Caldevilla Domínguez David , Rodríguez Terceño José , Barrientos-Báez Almudena
Published: August 2019

Introducción. El Movimiento 15-M (también llamado de los ‘Indignados’) supuso un punto de inflexión en la forma de entender la política en España a todos los niveles. Incluso hoy se considera que el partido político ‘Podemos’ es el heredero directo de esta marea humana que ocupó las principales portadas de los noticiarios de todo el mundo durante las semanas siguientes al 15 de mayo del 2011 y cuyos ecos se sintieron por todo el planeta. El poder de la sociedad civil se manifestó con toda su fuerza, al margen de partidos y colectivos politizados. Esta revolución fue posible gracias a las Redes Sociales que sirvieron de aglutinante de movimientos previos. Gracias a la tecnología actual hemos podido monitorearlas y captar toda su importancia para la génesis, desarrollo y mantenimiento de este movimiento popular. Metodología y resultados. Repasaremos, a partir de datos publicados por los gestores de Twitter cómo las etiquetas más seguidas pudieron lograr este éxito de divulgación. Asimismo, repasaremos el nacimiento del movimiento y sus líneas maestras de trabajo, aunque no trataremos el 15-M desde un análisis sociológico ni de contenidos sino de divulgación de su actividad. Las conclusiones entroncan con las obtenidas en otras investigaciones previas que han servido de corpus estadístico para poder encuadrar los datos obtenidos a partir de metodologías más empíricas que las habitualmente empleadas en las ciencias sociales.
High Prevalence of Syphilis and Inadequate Prenatal Care in Brazilian Pregnant Women: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Benedetti Kelle Cristhiane Soria Vieira , Ribeiro Anny Danyelly da Costa , Queiroz Júlio Henrique Ferreira de Sá , Melo Amanda Barbosa Dias , Batista Roque Beltrão , Delgado Flavia Maria , da Silva Kesia Esther , Croda Júlio , Simionatto Simone
Published: August 2019

In Brazil, the reported number of syphilis cases among pregnant women has markedly increased. We conducted a cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence of Treponema pallidum infection and associated factors in pregnant women in Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Participants voluntarily completed a risk-factor questionnaire and provided blood specimens for unlinked anonymous testing for the presence of antibodies against T. pallidum, the causative agent of syphilis. Data of newborns were obtained from medical records. We performed univariate and multivariate regression analyses to assess associations with syphilis. The seroprevalence of syphilis in pregnant women was 4.4% (n = 29/661). Twenty-five newborns were seropositive for T. pallidum, and complications due to syphilis were observed in 28% (n = 7/25). Although 96.5% (n = 28/29) of women with syphilis received antenatal care, Venereal Disease Research Laboratory tests were performed in the first trimester for 47.6% (n = 10/21) of women. Women who received treatment in the third trimester (28.6%; n = 6/21) were considered successfully treated at the time of delivery. The use of illicit drugs during pregnancy (odds ratio [OR]: 13.3, 95% CI: 1.9–91.2) and a history of abortion (OR: 3.7, 95% CI: 1.7–8) were associated with syphilis. Our findings highlight that the poor quality of antenatal care services contributes to the high prevalence of syphilis. In addition, there are social and behavioral risk factors associated with syphilis in pregnant women. Future studies are needed to determine limitations of clinical management and control services available to pregnant women with syphilis.
Five-Year Impact of Different Multi-Year Mass Drug Administration Strategies on Childhood Schistosoma mansoni–Associated Morbidity: A Combined Analysis from the Schistosomiasis Consortium for Operational Research and Evaluation Cohort Studies in the Lake Victoria Regions of Kenya and Tanzania
Authors: Shen Ye , Wiegand Ryan E. , Olsen Annette , King Charles H. , Kittur Nupur , Binder Sue , Zhang Feng , Whalen Christopher C. , Secor William Evan , Montgomery Susan P. , Mwinzi Pauline N. M. , Magnussen Pascal , Kinung’hi Safari , Campbell Carl H. , Colley Daniel G.
Published: August 2019

The WHO recommends mass treatment with praziquantel as the primary approach for Schistosoma mansoni–related morbidity control in endemic populations. The Schistosomiasis Consortium for Operational Research and Evaluation implemented multi-country, cluster-randomized trials to compare effectiveness of community-wide and school-based treatment (SBT) regimens on prevalence and intensity of schistosomiasis. To assess the impact of two different treatment schedules on S. mansoni–associated morbidity in children, cohort studies were nested within the randomized trials conducted in villages in Kenya and Tanzania having baseline prevalence ≥ 25%. Children aged 7–8 years were enrolled at baseline and followed to ages 11–12 years. Infection intensity and odds of infection were reduced both in villages receiving four years of annual community-wide treatment (CWT) and those who received biennial SBT over 4 years. These regimens were also associated with reduced odds of undernutrition and reduced odds of portal vein dilation at follow-up. However, neither hemoglobin levels nor the prevalence of the rare abnormal pattern C liver scores on ultrasound improved. For the combined cohorts, growth stunting worsened in the areas receiving biennial SBT, and maximal oxygen uptake as estimated by fitness testing scores declined under both regimens. After adjusting for imbalance in starting prevalence between study arms, children in villages receiving annual CWT had significantly greater decreases in infection prevalence and intensity than those villages receiving biennial SBT. Although health-related quality-of-life scores improved in both study arms, children in the CWT villages gained significantly more. We conclude that programs using annual CWT are likely to achieve better overall S. mansoni morbidity control than those implementing only biennial SBT.
On the contribution of chemical oscillations to ozone depletion events in the polar spring
Authors: Herrmann Maximilian , Cao Le , Sihler Holger , Platt Ulrich , Gutheil Eva
Published: August 2019

Abstract. This paper presents a numerical study of the oscillations (or recurrences) of tropospheric ozone depletion events (ODEs) using the further-developed one-dimensional KInetic aNALysis of reaction
mechanics with Transport (KINAL-T) chemistry transport model. Reactive bromine is the major contributor to the occurrence of ODEs.
After the termination of an ODE, the reactive bromine in the air is deposited onto aerosols or on the snow surface, and the ozone may regenerate via NOx-catalyzed photochemistry or by turbulent transport from the free troposphere into the boundary layer.
The replenished ozone then is available for the next cycle of autocatalytic bromine release (bromine explosion) leading to another ODE.
The oscillation periods are found to be as short as 5 d for the purely chemically NOx-driven oscillation and 30 d for a diffusion-driven oscillation.
An important requirement for oscillation of ODEs to occur is found to be a sufficiently strong inversion layer.
In a parameter study, the dependence of the oscillation period on the nitrogen oxides' concentration, the inversion layer strength, the ambient temperature, the aerosol density, and the solar radiation is investigated. Parameters controlling the oscillation of ODEs are discussed.
Summertime aerosol volatility measurements in Beijing, China
Authors: Xu Weiqi , Xie Conghui , Karnezi Eleni , Zhang Qi , Wang Junfeng , Pandis Spyros N. , Ge Xinlei , Zhang Jingwei , An Junling , Wang Qingqing , Zhao Jian , Du Wei , Qiu Yanmei , Zhou Wei , He Yao , Li Ying , Li Jie , Fu Pingqing , Wang Zifa , Worsnop Douglas R. , Sun Yele
Published: August 2019

Abstract. Volatility plays a key role in affecting mass concentrations and
the lifetime of aerosol particles in the atmosphere, yet our knowledge of
aerosol volatility in relatively polluted environment, e.g., north China, remains poor. Here aerosol volatility in Beijing in summer 2017 and 2018 was
measured using a thermodenuder (TD) coupled with an Aerodyne high-resolution
aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) and a soot particle AMS. Our results showed
overall similar thermograms for most non-refractory aerosol species compared
with those reported in previous studies. However, high mass fraction
remaining and NO+/NO2+ ratio for chloride and nitrate,
each above 200 ∘C, indicated the presence of considerable
metallic salts and organic nitrates in Beijing. The volatility distributions
of organic aerosol (OA) and four OA factors that were resolved from positive
matrix factorization were estimated using a mass transfer model. The ambient
OA comprised mainly semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs; 63 %) with an
average effective saturation concentration (C*) of 0.55 µg m−3,
suggesting overall more volatile properties than OA in megacities of Europe
and the US. Further analysis showed that the freshly oxidized secondary OA was the most volatile OA factor (SVOC = 70 %) followed by
hydrocarbon-like OA (HOA). In contrast, the volatility of more oxidized oxygenated OA (MO-OOA) was comparable to that of cooking OA with SVOC on average
accounting for 60.2 %. We also compared the volatility of ambient and
black-carbon-containing OA. Our results showed that the BC-containing
primary OA (POA) was much more volatile than ambient POA (C*=0.69 µg m−3 vs. 0.37 µg m−3), while the BC-containing SOA was
much less volatile, highlighting the very different composition and
properties between BC-containing and ambient aerosol particles.
The MetVed model: development and evaluation of emissions from residential wood combustion at high spatio-temporal resolution in Norway
Authors: Grythe Henrik , Lopez-Aparicio Susana , Vogt Matthias , Vo Thanh Dam , Hak Claudia , Halse Anne Karine , Hamer Paul , Sousa Santos Gabriela
Published: August 2019

Abstract. We present here emissions estimated from a newly developed emission model for residential wood combustion (RWC) at high spatial and temporal resolution, which we name the MetVed model. The model estimates hourly emissions resolved on a 250 m grid resolution for several compounds, including particulate matter (PM), black carbon (BC) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Norway for a 12-year period. The model uses novel input data and calculation methods that combine databases built with an unprecedented high level of detail and near-national coverage. The model establishes wood burning potential at the grid based on the dependencies between variables that influence emissions: i.e. outdoor temperature, number of and type and size of dwellings, type of available heating technologies, distribution of wood-based heating installations and their associated emission factors. RWC activity with a 1 h temporal profile was produced by combining heating degree day and hourly and weekday activity profiles reported by wood consumers in official statistics. This approach results in an improved characterisation of the spatio-temporal distribution of wood use, and subsequently of emissions, required for urban air quality assessments. Whereas most variables are calculated based on bottom-up approaches on a 250 m spatial grid, the MetVed model is set up to use official wood consumption at the county level and then distributes consumption to individual grids proportional to the physical traits of the residences within it. MetVed combines consumption with official emission factors that makes the emissions also upward scalable from the 250 m grid to the national level. The MetVed spatial distribution obtained was compared at the urban scale to other existing emissions at the same scale. The annual urban emissions, developed according to different spatial proxies, were found to have differences up to an order of magnitude. The MetVed total annual PM2.5 emissions in the urban domains compare well to emissions adjusted based on concentration measurements. In addition, hourly PM2.5 concentrations estimated by an Eulerian dispersion model using MetVed emissions were compared to measurements at air quality stations. Both hourly daily profiles and the seasonality of PM2.5 show a slight overestimation of PM2.5 levels. However, a comparison with black carbon from biomass burning and benzo(a)pyrene measurements indicates higher emissions during winter than that obtained by MetVed. The accuracy of urban emissions from RWC relies on the accuracy of the wood consumption (activity data), emission factors and the spatio-temporal distribution. While there are still knowledge gaps regarding emissions, MetVed represents a vast improvement in the spatial and temporal distribution of RWC.
Comparison of south Atlantic aerosol direct radiative effect overclouds from SCIAMACHY, POLDER and OMI/MODIS
Authors: de Graaf Martin , Schulte Ruben , Peers Fanny , Waquet Fabien , Tilstra L. Gijsbert , Stammes Piet
Published: August 2019

Abstract. The Direct Radiative Effect (DRE) of aerosols above clouds has been found to be significant over the south-east Atlantic Ocean during the African biomass burning season due to elevated smoke layers absorbing radiation above the cloud deck. So far, global climate models have been unsuccessful in reproducing the high DRE values measured by various satellite instruments. Meanwhile, the radiative effects by aerosols have been identified as the largest source of uncertainty in global climate models. In this paper, three independent satellite datasets of DRE during the biomass burning season in 2006 are compared to constrain the south-east Atlantic radiation budget. The DRE of aerosols above clouds is derived from the spectrometer SCIAMACHY, the polarimeter POLDER, and from collocated measurements by the spectrometer OMI and imager MODIS. All three confirm the high DRE values during the biomass season, underlining the relevance of local aerosol effects. Differences between the instruments can be attributed mainly to sampling issues. When these are accounted for, the remaining differences can be completely explained by the higher cloud optical thickness derived from POLDER compared to the other instruments. Additionally, a neglect of AOT at SWIR wavelengths in the method used for SCIAMACHY and OMI/MODIS accounts for 26 % of the difference between POLDER and OMI/MODIS DRE.
Estimating global gross primary productivity using chlorophyll fluorescence and a data assimilation system with the BETHY-SCOPE model
Authors: Norton Alexander J. , Rayner Peter J. , Koffi Ernest N. , Scholze Marko , Silver Jeremy D. , Wang Ying-Ping
Published: August 2019

Abstract. This paper presents the assimilation of solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) into a terrestrial biosphere model to estimate the gross uptake of carbon through photosynthesis (GPP). We use the BETHY-SCOPE model to simulate both GPP and SIF using a process-based formulation, going beyond a simple linear scaling between the two. We then use satellite SIF data from the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) for 2015 in the data assimilation system to constrain model biophysical parameters and GPP. The assimilation results in considerable improvement in the fit between model and observed SIF, despite a limited capability to fit regions with large seasonal variability in SIF. The SIF assimilation increases global GPP by 31 % to 167±5 Pg C yr−1 and shows an improvement in the global distribution of productivity relative to independent estimates, but a large difference in magnitude. This change in global GPP is driven by an overall increase in photosynthetic light-use efficiency across almost all biomes and more minor, regionally distinct changes in APAR. This process-based data assimilation opens up new pathways to the effective utilization of satellite SIF data to improve our understanding of the global carbon cycle.
In situ calibration of offsetting magnetometer feedback transients on the Cassiope spacecraft
Authors: Miles David M. , Howarth Andrew D. , Enno Greg A.
Published: August 2019

Abstract. We present an in situ calibration process to derive the
transient behavior of the offsetting fluxgate magnetometer (MGF)
instruments on the Cassiope spacecraft. The dynamic behavior of the MGF
changed on orbit following a software update. Characterizing the new
instrument dynamics during normal spacecraft operations and then removing
the transients was confounded by significant magnetic interference from the
reaction wheels used to orient the spacecraft. Special operations were
performed where data were taken in a safehold mode, with the reaction wheels
stopped, following a single-event upset of the spacecraft bus flight
computer after transiting the South Atlantic Anomaly. The slow single-axis
rotation of the safehold mode was used to characterize the fluxgate's new
feedback dynamics. This characterization process was then adapted for
routine operation intervals with slow reaction wheel rates to allow the
transient behavior to be characterized over long intervals of data spanning
a wide range of temperatures. Subtracting these characterized transients
from the flight data improves the instrument's noise floor and allows the
instrument to accurately track rapidly changing local fields without loss of
measurement fidelity. More generally, this characterization process should
apply to other situations where the dynamics of an offsetting instrument
must be calibrated in situ.
Assessing the influence of soil freeze–thaw cycles on catchment water storage–flux–age interactions using a tracer-aided ecohydrological model
Authors: Smith Aaron , Tetzlaff Doerthe , Laudon Hjalmar , Maneta Marco , Soulsby Chris
Published: August 2019

Abstract. Ecohydrological models are powerful tools to quantify the effects that independent fluxes may have on catchment storage dynamics. Here, we adapted the tracer-aided ecohydrological model, EcH2O-iso, for cold regions with the explicit conceptualization of dynamic soil freeze–thaw processes. We tested the model at the data-rich Krycklan site in northern Sweden with multi-criterion calibration using discharge, stream isotopes and soil moisture in three nested catchments. We utilized the model's incorporation of ecohydrological partitioning to evaluate the effect of soil frost on evaporation and transpiration water ages, and thereby the age of source waters. The simulation of stream discharge, isotopes, and soil moisture variability captured the seasonal dynamics at all three stream sites and both soil sites, with notable reductions in discharge and soil moisture during the winter months due to the development of the frost front. Stream isotope simulations reproduced the response to the isotopically depleted pulse of spring snowmelt. The soil frost dynamics adequately captured the spatial differences in the freezing front throughout the winter period, despite no direct calibration of soil frost to measured soil temperature. The simulated soil frost indicated a maximum freeze depth of 0.25 m below forest vegetation. Water ages of evaporation and transpiration reflect the influence of snowmelt inputs, with a high proclivity of old water (pre-winter storage) at the beginning of the growing season and a mix of snowmelt and precipitation (young water) toward the end of the summer. Soil frost had an early season influence of the transpiration water ages, with water pre-dating the snowpack mainly sustaining vegetation at the start of the growing season. Given the long-term expected change in the energy balance of northern climates, the approach presented provides a framework for quantifying the interactions of ecohydrological fluxes and waters stored in the soil and understanding how these may be impacted in future.
Examining the effects of proximity to rail transit on travel to non-work destinations: Evidence from Yelp data for cities in North America and Europe
Authors: Jiang Zhiqiu , Mondschein Andrew
Published: August 2019

Urban planners often seek to establish land use patterns around transit stations that encourage non-auto travel. However, the willingness of travelers to use different modes in the vicinity of transit remains understudied, in part because of the lack of spatially-precise data on destination and mode choices. Using transportation content extracted from Yelp, a location-based social network (LBSN), we investigate how travel mode to non-work destinations is influenced by proximity to transit. We use textual analysis to analyze travel for non-work activities in seven cities across North America and Europe. Mixed-effect and binomial logistic models show how reported travel by mode varies by distance to rail transit stations. We find that for most non-work activity purposes, reported rail use is highly sensitive to proximity to stations, but some purposes are more amenable to rail use overall. Additionally, compared to non-US cities, US cities are far more parking-dependent near rail stations. The results suggest that not all activities elicit the same levels of non-auto travel, and transit-oriented planning should account for specific activities and regional factors that may modify willingness to travel by different modes. While subject to limitations, LBSNs can illuminate local travel with greater spatial specificity than traditional surveys.
Complete streets state laws & provisions: An analysis of legislative content and the state policy landscape, 1972–2018
Authors: Porter Jamila , Bryan Shenée , Lee Joel , Corso Phaedra , Davis Marsha , Rathbun Stephen
Published: August 2019

Across the U.S., states have adopted Complete Streets legislative statutes—state laws that direct transportation agencies to routinely design and operate roadways to provide safe access for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and public transit users. To date, there has not been a systematic and comprehensive analysis of the content and provisions of these laws. In this study, Complete Streets state statutes were identified using legal research databases. Using established legal mapping methods, a qualitative analysis was conducted of state laws that were effective through December 2018. A codebook and open-source data set were developed to support the public use of the data. Eighteen states and Washington, DC, have adopted Complete Streets legislative statutes. A total of 21 have been adopted, with 76% (n=16) of laws adopted since 2007. While the laws vary in content, detail, and specificity, several common provisions were identified across statutes. Complete Streets legislative statutes may be essential to ensure that road networks throughout states are safe, connected, and accessible for all users. This study provides key insights into the legislative landscape of Complete Streets state laws and makes available a new data set that can support future evaluations of these laws.
Intervention of Humanized Nursing Accompaniment and Quality of Life in People with Advanced Cancer
Authors: Hermosilla-Ávila Alicia Elizabeth , Sanhueza-Alvarado Olivia Inés
Published: August 2019

Objective: To assess the effect of an intervention of humanized nursing accompaniment, at home, on the quality of life of people with advanced cancer and of their family caregivers. Method: Pre-experimental study with pre- and post-intervention measurements. The intervention included home visits, internet platform, and telephone contact for three months. The sample was comprised of 17 patient-caregiver dyads. The data analysis was descriptive and correlational. Results: The study obtained a large magnitude of the effect of the intervention, in the global health of the person with cancer, with highly significant differences between the pre- and post-intervention, besides the decrease of symptoms, like fatigue and dyspnea. In the caregivers, there was moderate magnitude of the effect of the intervention on quality of life, in the settings of social relationships and environment, with highly significant differences between the pre- and post-intervention. Conclusion: A humanized nursing care intervention, which reinforces and reaffirms the social, affective, spiritual, and communication areas in the patient-family caregiver dyad, increases the quality of life of people with advanced cancer and that of their caregivers.
Physical Exercise and Grip Strength in Patients Intervened through Bariatric Surgery
Authors: Noack Segovia Jéssica Pamela , Sánchez López Antonio , García-García Inmaculada , Rodríguez-Blanque Raquel , León Ríos Ximena Alejandra , Aguilar Cordero María José
Published: August 2019

Objective: This work sought to evaluate a physical exercise program of moderate intensity in patients operated of bariatric surgery and its influence on muscle strength. Method: Randomized clinical trial, with an intervention group and a control group. Forty-three patients were operated of bariatric surgery. The intervention group was applied a program of moderate physical activity during six months. Grip strength and bioimpedance were measured at their baseline form, at one month, and six months after surgery. A bivariate study was conducted to observe variable changes. Results: Upon conducting Student´s t for independent samples in all the variables (weight, body mass index, grip strength, lean mass, fat mass, and metabolism), the result is that no significant differences exist between the intervention group and the control group with p > 0.05. Conclusion: A program of moderate physical activity lasting six months in patients intervened of bariatric surgery has no significant result in the development of muscle mass evaluated through manual dynamometry and bioimpedance.
Successful Aging and Personal Well-Being Among the Chilean Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Elderly
Authors: Gallardo-Peralta Lorena Patricia , Sánchez-Moreno Esteban
Published: August 2019

Objective: The aim of this research was to analyse the association between successful aging (SA) and subjective well-being (SWB) in different domains. Method: The study is quantitative and cross-sectional, with a sample consisting of 800 older people, including 569 indigenous (Aymara and Mapuche) participants living in northern and southern Chile. Results: Domains associated with SA are satisfaction with health, satisfaction with social relationships, satisfaction with future security, and satisfaction with spiritual and religious experiences. SA is also positively associated with being a woman, being young, and not being indigenous. Conclusion: The research has two main practical implications. First, SWB domains may be incorporated into socio-health interventions as they relate to elements that can be changed or improved (health, social inclusion, security, and beliefs). Second, this study suggests a situation of risk among older indigenous Chileans, confirming the premise that the life paths of indigenous Chileans at social risk give rise to a more socially unequal old age with; therefore, it is important to analyse positive aspects that promote better old age.
The Impact of Technology and Globalization on Employment and Equity: An Organizing Framework for Action
Authors: Arogyaswamy Bernard , Hunter John
Published: August 2019

The United States has experienced a decline in the number of well-paid manufacturing jobs requiring no more than a high school diploma, as well as of middle-income knowledge economy jobs. Globalization is, indeed, as many suggest, partly responsible for this problem. Other factors have, however, played an equally, if not more, significant role. Technological advancements, the decline of labor’s bargaining power, and the sharply increased financialization of the economy are among the factors which have contributed to the loss of manufacturing and service sector jobs, the creation of new types of tasks for which there are not enough qualified applicants, and a widening of income inequality. With the help of the Pressure-State-Response (PSR) system, we discuss each of these four factors taken individually and collectively (i.e. the Pressure), which result in the outcomes or States. The Responses discuss actions taken to address the negative effects of the P-S. We also propose responses which might be considered, and contend that training/retraining programs need to be redesigned, corporations need to play a more active role in dealing with societal disruptions, and that governments have a crucial role to play in ensuring economic and social stability. It needs to be emphasized that, particularly in regard to technology and the mutually reinforcing relationship between technology and globalization, which has transformed the nature of work, future impacts on employment and inequality) may well be even more powerful than in in the past.
Assessing Public Awareness and Knowledge of Stroke: A Case of Kumasi, Ghana
Authors: Chen Yinghua , Isaac Adu Amankwaa , Bonsu Mandella Osei-Assibey , Mariwa Gasper Neema
Published: August 2019

Background: The public awareness of stroke risk factors and warning signs is very imperative the in the quest to prevent diseases. In Ghana, public awareness of stroke as well as awareness of the effect of stroke is presently borne. The study attempts to examine the public awareness of stroke in Ghana. It also seeks to assess the risk factors associated with stroke.Methods: The study was a cross-sectional with 220 households in the Kumasi suburb. The study used structured questionnaires to ascertain data and logistics regression analyses to classify predicators on the recognition of stroke awareness, risk factors and stroke warning signs.Findings: It was revealed that, headache and numbness were the major stroke warning signs acknowledged and cited by respondent, and the commonest variable (factor) associated with stroke risk factors is ailing to exercise (44%). The findings of the logistic regression model on the predictors of stroke awareness showed that, stroke risk factors (OR=2.27, CI= CI = 1.52-3.71, p < 0.001) and religion (OR=11.66 CI=1.37-161.01), P<0.02) were linked with greater level of stroke risk factors.Conclusions: Though, stroke is seen as the common causes of mortality in Ghana, but our study showed appreciable number of respondents awareness of it risk factors, warnings signs and the fact that it is a topmost killer. This satisfactory was attributed to the sources of information and other imperative factors such as mounting stroke campaign programmes. Therefore, stroke campaign programmes and health education programmes should be rigorously mounted in universities, high schools, colleges so as to create the needed awareness of this killer disease, it risk factors and warning signs.
Effects of altitude on density and biometric properties of hornbeam wood (Carpinus betulus)
Authors: Kiaei Majid , Moosavi Valiullah , Ebadi Seyed Eshagh
Published: August 2019

Aim of the study: This study aimed to investigate the effect of altitude difference on the wood dry density, fiber dimensions, and morphological properties of hornbeam wood (Carpinus betulus L.).Area of study: The study area was located in the province of Mazandaran, north of Iran.Material and method: 18 mature trees were randomly selected and harvested at six altitude levels (300, 500, 700, 900, 1100, and 1300 m) in the north of Iran. The clear test samples‎ were prepared‎ at diameter at breast height (DBH) to measure the wood dry density, fiber length, fiber diameter, cell wall thickness, Runkel coefficients, flexibility coefficients, and slenderness coefficients. Further ‎analyses included the relationships between the wood properties and site conditions (temperature, ‎precipitation, crown canopy, ‎and understory herb layer) as well as tree’s main dimensions ‎(tree height and the DBH).Main results: The results indicated significant effects of altitude variations on the studied ‎properties. The pattern variations of wood properties were very regular at different levels of height. The average fiber length and fiber diameter decreased while the wood dry density and cell wall thickness increased with increasing the altitude levels. The average values of wood dry density, fiber length, fiber diameter, cell wall thickness, slenderness coefficients, flexibility coefficients, and Runkel coefficients of hornbeam wood were 698 kg/m3, 1.42mm, 25.58 µm, 5.72µm, 55.55, 54.04%, and 0.93, respectively, in the above six altitudes. Pearson matrix correlation showed that there were significant relationships between temperature, crown canopy, tree height and DBH ‎with the studied wood properties (except the slenderness coefficients)‎.Research highlights: The hornbeams grown at altitudes above 900-1300 m were not suitable for pulp and ‎paper production‎ due to relatively higher Runkel coefficients, the lower flexibility coefficients, as well as smaller fiber length than other altitude levels.Additional Keywords: Carpinus betulus; altitude variation; density; fiber dimensions; morphological properties.Abbreviations used: WDD (wood dry density); FL (fiber length); FD (fiber diameter), CWT (cell wall thickness); FC (flexibility coefficient); RC (Runkel coefficients); SC (slenderness coefficient).
Reviewer Acknowledgements for Global Journal of Health Science, Vol. 11, No. 9
Authors: Grey Erica
Published: August 2019

Reviewer Acknowledgements for Global Journal of Health Science, Vol. 11, No. 9, 2019.
Populating the Climate
Authors: Corballis Tim ,   International Association for Environmental Philosophy
Published: August 2019

This paper asks whether one way to link abstract scientific knowledge about the climate to the everyday imagination might be to think of climate modelling as a narrative practice. To do so, I draw on philosophical insights about narrative in scientific modelling from Norton Wise and Mary Morgan, to show that models can be deployed narratively, and that their outputs take a followable, embodied narrative form. This suggests that climate models might be deployed in an everyday storytelling practice evoking storyworlds with palpable meteorological actants.
Defining Rape
Authors: Schwartzman Lisa H. ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: August 2019

Legal definitions of rape traditionally required proof of both force and nonconsent. Acknowledging the difficulty of demonstrating the conjunction of force and nonconsent, many feminists argue that rape should be defined based on one element or the other. Instead of debating which of these two best defines the crime of rape, I argue that this framework is problematic, and that both force and nonconsent must be situated in a critique of social power structures. Catharine MacKinnon provides such a critique, and she reframes rape as a matter of gender inequality. However, rather than rejecting the force/nonconsent dichotomy, MacKinnon focuses exclusively on force, which she thinks can be reconceived to include inequalities. Considering the #MeToo movement and feminist efforts to use Title IX to address campus rape, I argue that the concept of consent is more flexible than MacKinnon suggests and that “affirmative consent” can challenge this liberal model. In requiring active communication, affirmative consent shifts responsibility for rape, opens space for women’s sexual agency, and allows for the transformation of rape culture. Thus, I argue that rape should be defined by the use of force, the lack of affirmative consent, or the presence of both elements.
"The Dawn of Wonder”
Authors: Zippel Nicola ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: August 2019

“The Dawn of Wonder” is a philosophical laboratory that the author, a high school philosophy teacher, has for many years led in several elementary schools in Rome. The paper aims at presenting the main characteristics of such experience of teaching philosophy to children, which doesn’t adopt the methodology of Philosophy for Children, but develops an original approach based on a historical narration of ideas and thinkers coming from both Western and Eastern traditions. According to this perspective, teaching philosophy to children means dealing with theoretical issues by keeping them in their historical and geographical context. In this way, a child who meets philosophy can reason on the basic problems of human understanding without losing sight of their geo-historical origins.