bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enoch’s Defense of Robust Meta-Ethical Realism
Authors: Björnsson Gunnar , Olinder Ragnar Francén
Published: January 2016

Taking Morality Seriously is David Enoch’s book-length defense of meta-ethical and meta-normative non-naturalist realism. After describing Enoch’s position and outlining the argumentative strategy of the book, we engage in a critical discussion of what we take to be particularly problematic central passages. We focus on Enoch’s two original positive arguments for non-naturalist realism, one argument building on first order moral implications of different meta-ethical positions, the other attending to the rational commitment to normative facts inherent in practical deliberation. We also pay special attention to Enoch’s handling of two types of objections to non-naturalist realism, objections having to do with the possibility of moral knowledge and with moral disagreement.
The Bare Minimum!
Authors: Eijkman Quirine , Bakker Marlieke
Published: January 2016

In the international arena there are some encouraging developments in relation to accountability and transparency for the use of armed drones. It is increasingly recognized that remote pilotless aircraft have become part of modern warfare, and that sometimes they are also used outside the context of armed conflict. Subsequently, both international humanitarian and human rights law can apply. The issue of access to justice, however, receives less explicit socio-political attention. Victims of armed remote pilotless aircraft strikes meet countless challenges in effectuating their right to an effective remedy. Often even a formal recognition that a strike has taken place is lacking. Furthermore, the states involved fail to publicly release information about their own investigations. This makes it difficult for those affected to substantiate their status as a victim and seek justice, including reparations. The international community should, in addition to urging involved states to independently and impartially investigate all armed drone strikes, ensure that access to an effective remedy for civilian victims, whether on an international, transnational or national level, becomes a reality.
The Arms Trade Treaty and the osce
Authors: Simonet Loïc
Published: January 2016

Adopted in 2013 by the United Nations and entered into force one year later, the Arms Trade Treaty (att) offers a useful – although imperfect – regulatory framework for international transfers of conventional arms, thus promoting human security and contributing to international and regional peace, security and stability. As the largest regional organization with a strong expertise in assisting States and in capacity-building, also contributing to politico-military aspects of security by developing its own set of norms regulating transfers of conventional arms – some of them already going beyond the Treaty, some others complemented by the att’s provisions –, the osce can do a lot to support and promote the new Treaty and its implementation, through the diversity of the positions expressed by its participating States.
Development of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for thrombospondin-1 and comparison of human plasma and serum concentrations
Authors: Barclay Johanna L , Keshvari Sahar , Whitehead Jonathan P , Inder Warrick J
Published: January 2016

Background

Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) is a circulating matricellular glycoprotein produced from many cell types including platelets. Currently TSP-1 is measured in either plasma or serum, using expensive commercial assays.

Aim

To develop and validate a cost effective in-house immunoassay for human TSP-1 suitable for quantitating levels from both plasma and serum.

Methods

An in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the measurement of human TSP-1. Sixteen healthy volunteers (8 male and 8 female), mean age 29 years (range 21–49), body mass index (BMI) mean 23.3 kg/m2 (range 17.3–26.7) had non-fasted venous blood sampled at 0800 h and 1600 h for both plasma and serum TSP-1.

Results

The assay limit of quantitation was 7.8  μg/L, inter assay CV was 17–31%, intra assay CV was 3–4% for plasma and <9% for serum. Plasma TSP-1 ranged from 133 to 478  μg/L (mean concentration 290  μg/L) in normal volunteers. Serum TSP-1 was approximately 100-fold higher, ranging from 13,700 to 44,400  μg/L (mean concentration 257,00  μg/L). There was no correlation between plasma and serum TSP-1.

Conclusions

TSP-1 can be readily measured in human plasma using ELISA. Serum concentrations are 100-fold higher, reflecting documented TSP-1 release by platelets, and does not provide a meaningful measure of circulating concentrations.
1-Adamantylamine a simple urine marker for screening for third generation adamantyl-type synthetic cannabinoids by ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Ford Loretta T , Berg Jonathan D
Published: January 2016

Background

Synthetic cannabinoids (NOIDS) are novel psychotropic drugs (NPS) currently freely sold in the United Kingdom as ‘research chemicals’. Detection of NOIDS use is not available in current routine methods. Here we describe a marker which helps determine which patients have used these substances.

Methods

In a test case, ultra-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (UPLC-Tof) was used to screen the legal high Herbal Haze II, the contents of hand-rolled cigarettes and five patient samples for NOIDS and their metabolites.

Results

Analysis of legal high Herbal Haze II and cigarettes identified the third generation adamantyl-type NOIDS N-(1-adamantyl)-1-pentyl-1H-indazole-3-carboxamide (AKB-48), 5F-AKB-48 and N-adamantyl-1-fluoropentylindole-3-carboxamide (STS-135). Out of 18 potential metabolites, 1-adamantylamine (C10H17N) was detected in all five urine samples. This adamantyl-type NOID marker was incorporated into our routine LC-MS/MS urine screen. Out of 14,436 random urine samples screened over eight months, 296 (2.05%) tested positive for the adamantyl-type NOID marker.

Conclusion

We have discovered a urine marker for identifying patients smoking legal high products containing the third generation adamantyl-type NOIDS such as AKB-48 and its fluoropentyl analogue 5F-AKB-48, which are among the most popular NOIDS currently available in legal high products sold in UK. This marker can be incorporated into routine LC-MS/MS drug screening alongside classic drugs of abuse. Positive detection rates for this new legal high marker are greater than for established classic drugs that are routinely screened such as amphetamine. This work highlights the need for a flexible toxicology screening service capable of adapting to changes in drug use such as the growing popularity of legal highs/NPS.
Molecular testing for familial hypercholesterolaemia-associated mutations in a UK-based cohort: development of an NGS-based method and comparison with multiplex polymerase chain reaction and oligonucleotide arrays
Authors: Reiman Anne , Pandey Sarojini , Lloyd Kate L , Dyer Nigel , Khan Mike , Crockard Martin , Latten Mark J , Watson Tracey L , Cree Ian A , Grammatopoulos Dimitris K
Published: January 2016

Background

Detection of disease-associated mutations in patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia is crucial for early interventions to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease. Screening for these mutations represents a methodological challenge since more than 1200 different causal mutations in the low-density lipoprotein receptor has been identified. A number of methodological approaches have been developed for screening by clinical diagnostic laboratories.

Methods

Using primers targeting, the low-density lipoprotein receptor, apolipoprotein B, and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9, we developed a novel Ion Torrent-based targeted re-sequencing method. We validated this in a West Midlands-UK small cohort of 58 patients screened in parallel with other mutation-targeting methods, such as multiplex polymerase chain reaction (Elucigene FH20), oligonucleotide arrays (Randox familial hypercholesterolaemia array) or the Illumina next-generation sequencing platform.

Results

In this small cohort, the next-generation sequencing method achieved excellent analytical performance characteristics and showed 100% and 89% concordance with the Randox array and the Elucigene FH20 assay. Investigation of the discrepant results identified two cases of mutation misclassification of the Elucigene FH20 multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay. A number of novel mutations not previously reported were also identified by the next-generation sequencing method.

Conclusions

Ion Torrent-based next-generation sequencing can deliver a suitable alternative for the molecular investigation of familial hypercholesterolaemia patients, especially when comprehensive mutation screening for rare or unknown mutations is required.
The Glass Ceiling in Politics
Authors: Folke Olle , Rickne Johanna
Published: January 2016

There is a scarcity of women at the apex of political power, as well as a lack of methods to disentangle the potential sources of this under-representation. This article suggests a four-step method to test for whether women’s under-representation can be explained by the existence of a “glass ceiling.” We emphasize that this concept implies discrimination in promotions within the political organization, that the discriminatory promotions increase in severity at the top levels of power, and that they increase in severity during an individual’s career trajectory. The proposed method is applied to subnational politics in Sweden, a long-standing world leader in women’s descriptive representation. The results support the conjecture that a glass ceiling is hindering elected women’s rise to political power in this context.
Translating European Labor Relations Practices to the United States Through Global Framework Agreements? German and Swedish Multinationals Compared
Authors: Helfen Markus O. , Schüßler Elke , Stevis Dimitris
Published: January 2016

Extensive research has shown that European multinational enterprises (MNEs) have a propensity to avoid collective employee representation when going abroad. This study investigates whether Global Framework Agreements (GFAs) can reverse this pattern by comparing how four European MNEs—two from Germany and two from Sweden—implement GFAs in the United States, a country with weak collective representation rights. The authors find that an MNE’s home country labor relations (LR) system mediates whether GFAs support collective representation in the United States. Sweden’s monistic LR system, in which unions are the dominant organizations legally representing workers, gives unions the power to directly influence the negotiation and implementation of GFAs. By contrast, Germany’s dualistic LR system, in which unions and works councils share worker representation, weakens the influence of unions on implementing the GFA. MNEs’ home country LR systems thus influence how transnational instruments are used to improve collective representation in host countries.
A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Jeynes William H.
Published: January 2016

This meta-analysis of 42 studies examines the relationship between parental involvement and the academic achievement and school behavior of African American pre-kindergarten through college freshman school children. Analyses determined the effect sizes for parental involvement overall and specific categories of involvement. Results indicate a significant relationship between parental involvement and academic achievement and overall outcomes, but not for school behavior. This relationship between involvement and academics existed both for younger (pre-elementary and elementary school) and older (secondary school and college freshman) students, as well as for certain specific components of parental involvement. Parental involvement, as a whole, was associated with better school outcomes by nearly .4 of a standard deviation unit. The significance of these results is discussed.
Determination of the mechanical, thermal and physical properties of nano-CaCO3 filled high-density polyethylene nanocomposites produced in an industrial scale
Authors: Sepet Harun , Tarakcioglu Necmettin , Misra RDK
Published: January 2016

The objective of this study is to examine the mechanical, thermal, and physical properties of industrially produced nano-CaCO3 filled high-density polyethylene nanocomposites. For this purpose, 1.0, 3.0, 5.0, 10.0, and 15.0 wt.% loading of nano-CaCO3 filled high-density polyethylene nanocomposites were prepared by the melt mixing method using a compounder system, which consist of industrial banbury mixer, single screw extruder, and granule cutting. The effect of nano-CaCO3 on mechanical, thermal, and physical properties of nano-CaCO3/HDPE nanocomposites was investigated. As a result of all experiments, the tensile strength of nano-CaCO3 filled high-density polyethylene nanocomposite increased about 5% with addition of 1.0 wt.% nano-CaCO3. But did not increase further as more nano-CaCO3 was added. The flexural strength of nano-CaCO3 filled high-density polyethylene nanocomposite increased about 4.5% with addition of 15.0 wt.% nano-CaCO3.Then increased slightly as the nano-CaCO3 content increased to 15.0 wt.%. The tensile and flexural modulus of high-density polyethylene were significantly improved after (from 1.0 wt.% up to 15.0 wt.%) addition of nano-CaCO3. The tensile elongation at break and shore D hardness was consistently decreased with the addition of nano-CaCO3. The nano-CaCO3 filled high-density polyethylene nanocomposites were determined to have lower impact energy level than neat high-density polyethylene. The occurred fracture areas with the impact were detected by scanning electron microscopy examination. It is understood that fracture surface morphology changes when nano-CaCO3 ratio increases. The fracture surface changes were examined to determine the fracture mechanism of nano-CaCO3 filled high-density polyethylene nanocomposites. Density, melting flow index, differential scanning colorimetry, and vicat softening temperature were used to characterize the physical and thermal properties of the nanocomposites. The X-ray diffraction, the fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry, the transmission electron microscopy, and the scanning electron microscopy were used to analyze the structural characteristics of the nanocomposites. It is concluded that the addition of the nano-CaCO3 in high-density polyethylene has significantly influenced the mechanical, thermal, and physical properties of the nanocomposites.
‘The bilingual race / And truth of that water’: Seamus Heaney and the Irish language
Authors: Wheatley David
Published: January 2016

This article examines Seamus Heaney’s interactions with the Irish language. Irish-language elements in Heaney’s work are markers of cultural identity, but exist within a complex relationship with English in which – I argue – dialogue across languages, not authenticity, is the driving poetic force.
Cerebral malaria in a man with Plasmodium vivax mono-infection: a case report
Authors: Gupta Himanshu , Dhunputh Pushwinder , Bhatt Ankita N , Satyamoorthy Kapaettu , Umakanth Shashikiran
Published: January 2016

Cerebral malaria (CM) is a diffuse encephalopathy associated with coma and seizures commonly caused by Plasmodium falciparum ( P. falciparum) in children with severe malaria. We present a case of a 19-year-old man with CM due to Plasmodium vivax ( P. vivax) infection. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was negative for Japanese B encephalitis, enterovirus, herpes simplex 1 and 2, varicella and mumps viruses as determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). P. falciparum and P. vivax species were analysed by microscopy, immunochromatography and PCR assays and confirmed mono-infection of P. vivax in the patient’s blood, and P. falciparum infection was established to be negative. The patient was discharged after intensive supportive care and antimalarial treatment (intravenous artesunate and oral doxycycline). We conclude that P. vivax infection is associated with CM, a life-threatening complication rarely seen in coastal districts of Karnataka. In endemic areas, the possibility of CM should be considered even with P. vivax infection.
Quality of life among South African patients receiving antiretroviral therapy in the Western Cape Province
Authors: Kagee Ashraf , Coetzee Bronwynè Jo’sean , Steele Henry
Published: January 2016

Compared to patients not receiving treatment, antiretroviral therapy users may experience a lower viral load, an increased CD4 count, slower disease progression, fewer opportunistic infections, and more rapid recovery time from HIV-related illnesses. As such, health-related quality of life is likely to be considerably greater for antiretroviral therapy users than for patients not receiving treatment. The dearth of quality of life research in sub-Saharan Africa brings into focus the need for and importance of documenting the various dimensions of well-being among people living with HIV. We administered the Functional Assessment of HIV Infection to a convenience sample of patients receiving antiretroviral therapy in the Western Cape in South Africa. We used confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory factor analysis to determine the factor structure of the Functional Assessment of HIV Infection. The confirmatory factor analysis revealed a poor model fit of the data. However, the exploratory factor analysis factor structure closely approximated the subscales of the measure, indicating the dimensions of physical, emotional, functional, and social well-being and cognitive functioning. We identified problematic items on the Functional Assessment of HIV Infection contributing to the poor model fit and argue that the measure is potentially useful in assessing quality of life among antiretroviral therapy users in South Africa.
Survey Methods to Optimize Response Rate in the National Dental Practice–Based Research Network
Authors: Funkhouser Ellen , Vellala Kavya , Baltuck Camille , Cacciato Rita , Durand Emily , McEdward Deborah , Sowell Ellen , Theisen Sarah E. , Gilbert Gregg H. ,   National Dental PBRN Collaborative Group
Published: January 2016

Surveys of health professionals typically have low response rates, and these rates have been decreasing in the recent years. We report on the methods used in a successful survey of dentist members of the National Dental Practice–Based Research Network. The objectives were to quantify the (1) increase in response rate associated with successive survey methods, (2) time to completion with each successive step, (3) contribution from the final method and personal contact, and (4) differences in response rate and mode of response by practice/practitioner characteristics. Dentist members of the network were mailed an invitation describing the study. Subsequently, up to six recruitment steps were followed: initial e-mail, two e-mail reminders at 2-week intervals, a third e-mail reminder with postal mailing a paper questionnaire, a second postal mailing of paper questionnaire, and staff follow-up. Of the 1,876 invited, 160 were deemed ineligible and 1,488 (87% of 1,716 eligible) completed the survey. Completion by step: initial e-mail, 35%; second e-mail, 15%; third e-mail, 7%; fourth e-mail/first paper, 11%; second paper, 15%; and staff follow-up, 16%. Overall, 76% completed the survey online and 24% on paper. Completion rates increased in absolute numbers and proportionally with later methods of recruitment. Participation rates varied little by practice/practitioner characteristics. Completion on paper was more likely by older dentists. Multiple methods of recruitment resulted in a high participation rate: Each step and method produced incremental increases with the final step producing the largest increase.
The effects of textual environment on reading comprehension: Implications for searching as learning
Authors: Freund Luanne , Kopak Rick , O’Brien Heather
Published: January 2016

This paper reports on a study of digital reading that investigates the effects of different textual environments on information interaction and comprehension outcomes. While there is a large body of literature that compares print and digital reading, research that compares differently designed digital reading environments is limited. Such work can inform the design of information and search systems intended to support learning. This study investigated the effects of two design dimensions: Text Presentation (Plain Text vs In-Context) and Interactivity (availability of Reading Tools). Results show that the simplest textual environment (Plain Text presentation with no Interactivity) was associated with the highest comprehension outcomes, but that Interactivity mitigated the negative effects of texts presented In-Context. Both time spent reading and certain reading behaviours varied to some extent by condition and may be associated with comprehension; however, personal characteristics of the readers played little to no role in determining outcomes.
Becoming Brigadistas: Jewish Volunteers from Palestine in the Spanish Civil War
Authors: Rein Raanan , Ofer Inbal
Published: January 2016

Nearly two hundred men and women left Mandatory Palestine between the years 1936–1938 in order to defend the Second Spanish Republic. Despite the expressions of solidarity with the Spanish Republic, most of the political parties in the Jewish Yishuv were against sending youth from Palestine to join the International Brigades. The goal of strengthening the Jewish presence in Palestine was given priority over and above international solidarity or the anti-Fascist struggle. Therefore, most of the volunteers were Jewish members of the Palestine Communist Party.

This article relies on autobiographical writings, individual testimonies and personal correspondence, analysed here for the first time. It is here that the private voices of the Jewish men and women who left Palestine in order to fight against the nationalist rebellion in Spain ring more clearly. The paper examines the history of these Jewish volunteers, their motivations, and the process that they went through from the time they left Palestine until they became active members of the International Brigades.

As Communists, most volunteers who left Palestine to fight in Spain tended to emphasize the international solidarity of the working class and similar universalistic motivations. The idea of affirming their Jewish identity was alien to them. Reading their letters and testimonies, however, it becomes clear that their ethnic identity as Jews was certainly a key factor in their decision to risk their lives in the Spanish fratricide.
Norms for healthy adults aged 18–87 years for the Cognitive Drug Research System: An automated set of tests of attention, information processing and memory for use in clinical trials
Authors: Wesnes Keith A , McNamara Cynthia , Annas Peter
Published: January 2016

The Cognitive Drug Research (CDR) System is a set of nine computerized tests of attention, information processing, working memory, executive control and episodic memory which was designed for repeated assessments in research projects. The CDR System has been used extensively in clinical trials involving healthy volunteers for over 30 years, and a database of 7751 individuals aged 18–87 years has been accumulated for pre-treatment data from these studies. This database has been analysed, and the relationships between the various scores with factors, including age, gender and years of full-time education, have been identified. These analyses are reported in this paper, along with tables of norms for the various key measures from the core tasks stratified by age and gender. These norms can be used for a variety of purposes, including the determination of eligibility for participation in clinical trials and the everyday relevance of research findings from the system. In addition, these norms provide valuable information on gender differences and the effects of normal ageing on major aspects of human cognitive function.
Life Decoded
Authors: Idema Tom
Published: January 2016

In Greg Bear’s critically acclaimed science fiction novel Darwin’s Radio, the activation of an endogenous retrovirus (SHEVA), ironically located in a “noncoding region” of the human genome, causes extreme symptoms in women worldwide, including miscarriages. In the United States, a task force is assembled to control the pandemic crisis and to find out how SHEVA operates at the genomic level. However, as the story unfolds, it becomes manifest that SHEVA is too complex to decode in this way and, moreover, that it is not a disease at all. Biologist Kay Lang speculates that SHEVA is triggered by signals from the environment, and that newborn SHEVA children will be a new variation or species of Man. In this essay I analyze Bear’s literary experiment with science along Deleuze and Guattari’s important, but largely overlooked, concepts of State science and nomad science. Bear’s novel gives narrative form to nomad-scientific ideas about life, notably Lynn Margulis’s theory of endosymbiogenesis, which holds that a species’ DNA is an assemblage of many genomes acquired in symbiotic relations. The import of Bear’s informed speculations, I argue, is not crass prediction but a nomadic vision of life as always already different (impure, infected) and in becoming—a counterpoint to the image of the double helix as the bedrock of human identity. Darwin’s Radio is a key example of how fiction can be an excellent partner for science, technology, and society, analyzing and intervening in debates about life and laying bare epistemological and biopolitical tensions of technoscience.
Structural Uncertainty of Markov Models for Advanced Breast Cancer
Authors: Le Quang A.
Published: January 2016

Objective. To examine the impact of structural uncertainty of Markov models in modeling cost-effectiveness for the treatment of advanced breast cancer (ABC). Methods. Four common Markov models for ABC were identified and examined. Markov models 1 and 2 have 4 health states (stable-disease, responding-to-therapy, disease-progressing, and death), and Markov models 3 and 4 only have 3 health states (stable-disease, disease-progressing, and death). In models 1 and 3, the possibility of death can occur in any health state, while in models 2 and 4, the chance of dying can only occur in the disease-progressing health state. A simulation was conducted to examine the impact of using different model structures on cost-effectiveness results in the context of a combination therapy of lapatinib and capecitabine for the treatment of HER2-positive ABC. Model averaging with an assumption of equal weights in all 4 models was used to account for structural uncertainty. Results. Markov model 3 yielded the lowest incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of $303,909 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY), while Markov model 1 produced the highest ICER ($495,800/QALY). At a willingness-to-pay threshold of $150,000/QALY, the probabilities that the combination therapy is considered to be cost-effective for Markov models 1, 2, 3, and 4 were 14.5%, 14.1%, 21.6%, and 17.0%, respectively. When using model averaging to synthesize different model structures, the resulting ICER was $389,270/QALY. Conclusions. Our study shows that modeling ABC with different Markov model structures yielded a wide range of cost-effectiveness results, suggesting the need to investigate structural uncertainty in health economic evaluation. When applied in the context of HER2-positive ABC treatment, the combination therapy with lapatinib is not cost-effective, regardless of which model was used and whether uncertainties were accounted for.
The Perception of Virtual Residential Spaces
Authors: Zanjani Anosha , Hilscher Michelle C. , Cupchik Gerald C.
Published: January 2016

This experiment examined how “warm” and “cool” video walkthroughs stimulated narratives. “Warm spaces” had red color schemes, whereas “cool” spaces were sparse with blue color schemes. In Part 1, 48 participants rated four “warm” and four “cool” walkthroughs on scales related to essential qualities of a home. “Warm” walkthroughs were more familiar, relaxing, and evoked more episodic memories compared with “cool” spaces. In Part 2, participants wrote story outlines set in two “warm” and two “cool” walkthroughs from “first” (Self) or “third-person” (Other) perspectives and rated their story-writing experiences. It was easier to write stories and more episodic memories were evoked in the Self condition. Stories were seen as less resolved when written from the Self perspective and set in “warm” spaces. The story outlines were qualitatively analyzed and frequency of the categories was determined. The evocative qualities and episodic memories evoked by the spaces were projected into the narratives.
Art Affinity Influences Art Reception (in the Eye of the Beholder)
Authors: Tröndle Martin , Tschacher Wolfgang
Published: January 2016

It is widely assumed that one does only experience and appreciate what one knows. This becomes evident when overviewing studies on the interplay of art expertise and art reception. Many authors may state that art is only experienced through knowledge; yet, several other authors did not find such links. All in all, many questions concerning the influence of art expertise on art reception and appreciation have remained unanswered, although this is a major topic in empirical aesthetics and art sociology. We therefore empirically tested the significance of art affinity in a large population of common museum visitors, based on the newly developed Art Affinity Index. Using different types of data (entrance surveys, exit surveys, physiological and locomotion recordings), we first found that art affinity influences visitors’ aesthetic expectations prior to the museum visit but is clearly less predictive of their actual experiences, physiological reactions, and spatial behavior in the museum. Second, in visitors with high art affinity, we found marked discrepancies between self-assessments before and actual experiences during the museum visits. We may conclude that art affinity does have an influence on art reception at large; yet, this linkage is not as close as assumed in the literature. The impact of art affinity on the experience and appreciation of art is more in the eye of the beholder because art affinity affects visitors’ attitudes toward art more strongly than it affects their actual experiences or behavior.
Integrating everyday examples in mechanical engineering courses for teaching enhancement
Authors: Bi Zhuming , Mueller Donald W
Published: January 2016

One critical measure of success in primarily undergraduate institutions is to achieve high retention rate. Retention rate is the number of students who continue as students at the same institution in the next year compared to the number of students in the current year. Teaching-focused institutions are generally regional, and students are highly diversified in terms of their academic backgrounds and interests. It tends to be a great challenge to retain a high percentage of engineering students at regional campuses. The purpose of the presented work is to integrate everyday examples in mechanical engineering courses to motivate students in completing their studies. This approach has proven very beneficial to both students and instructors. Students are highly motivated and inspired to apply their engineering knowledge directly to everyday, real-world applications; this results in a higher level of student engagement, which in turn, leads to opportunities to improve teaching performance for instructors.
Glaciers, gender, and science
Authors: Carey Mark , Jackson M. , Antonello Alessandro , Rushing Jaclyn
Published: January 2016

Glaciers are key icons of climate change and global environmental change. However, the relationships among gender, science, and glaciers – particularly related to epistemological questions about the production of glaciological knowledge – remain understudied. This paper thus proposes a feminist glaciology framework with four key components: 1) knowledge producers; (2) gendered science and knowledge; (3) systems of scientific domination; and (4) alternative representations of glaciers. Merging feminist postcolonial science studies and feminist political ecology, the feminist glaciology framework generates robust analysis of gender, power, and epistemologies in dynamic social-ecological systems, thereby leading to more just and equitable science and human-ice interactions.
Urban geography II
Authors: Derickson Kate Driscoll
Published: January 2016

In August 2014, a white police officer shot Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri, USA, fueling the nascent Black Lives Matter movement. The following March, the US Department of Justice produced a report showing that the police department of Ferguson had been explicitly tasked by city officials with using nuisance laws and traffic violations to raise revenue for the municipal coffers. In this second of three progress reports I consider both the empirical evidence and analytical tools urban geographers and those in cognate disciplines have produced that can assist in our analysis of the Age of Ferguson. I conclude by considering what the Age of Ferguson demands from urban geographers, and how we might produce anti-racist scholarship from a ‘white discipline’.
Advances in hydrological modelling with the Budyko framework
Authors: Wang Cong , Wang Shuai , Fu Bojie , Zhang Lu
Published: January 2016

Substantial climate change and intensive anthropogenic activities hamper efforts to explain and predict the variability of the terrestrial water balance. The Budyko framework has recently seen a renaissance in hydrological research due to the framework’s comprehensiveness and effectiveness for studying the effects of global change on water resources. In this paper, the development of the Budyko framework is analysed first. The temporal and spatial variability for the Budyko hypothesis are subsequently elaborated. On finer temporal scales, more processes need to be considered, and the degree of control exerted by individual factors on the water balance varies with the spatial scale considered. Finally, perspectives regarding better understanding and application of the Budyko framework at the catchment scale are provided. A representative and diverse catchment data set is required to estimate the parameter in the model. The co-evolution of landscape characteristics and climate properties would be beneficial to improve the Budyko framework with respect to model parsimony and the physical background. It is necessary to illuminate how the empirical Budyko curve would change under climate change. The general laws for selecting variables and statistical methods for improving Budyko models still need to be explored.
Characterization of raw and alkali-treated mulberry fibers as potential reinforcement in polymer composites
Authors: Shanmugasundaram N , Rajendran I
Published: January 2016

In this research the fibers were extracted from mulberry plant and treated with various concentrations of alkali solution (NaOH) such as 5, 10, and 15%, and their physical, chemical, mechanical, morphological, and thermal properties were investigated experimentally. Due to alkali treatment, it was observed that the density of mulberry fibers increased while the diameter of fibers reduced. The chemical analyses showed that the cellulose content increased and hemicellulose, lignin, wax, and ash contents were found to be reduced due to alkali treatment. The chemical species present in the fibers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. In addition, tensile test showed that 5% alkali-treated fibers exhibited a tensile strength of 605.61 ± 41.34 MPa, tensile modulus of 11.78 ± 1.93 GPa, and strain at break of 4.73 ± 1.06%. The surface texture and thermal properties of raw- and alkali-treated fibers were examined using scanning electron microscopy and thermogravimetric analysis and differential thermogravimetric analysis.
Exploring Associations Between Perceived Measures of the Environment and Walking Among Brazilian Older Adults
Authors: Corseuil Giehl Maruí W. , Hallal Pedro C. , Brownson Ross C. , d’Orsi Eleonora
Published: January 2016

Objective: To investigate the associations between perceived environment features and walking in older adults. Method: A cross-sectional population-based study was performed in Florianopolis, Brazil, including 1,705 older adults (60+ years). Walking was measured by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and perceived environment was assessed through the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale. We conducted a multinomial logistic regression to examine the association between perceived environment and walking. Results: The presence of sidewalks was related to both walking for transportation and for leisure. Existence of crosswalks in the neighborhood, safety during the day, presence of street lighting, recreational facilities, and having dog were significant predictors of walking for transportation. Safety during the day and social support were significantly associated with walking for leisure. Discussion: The perceived environment may affect walking for specific purposes among older adults. Investments in the environment may increase physical activity levels of older adults in Brazil.
A semiempirical compressed-natural-gas tank-filling model created for a novel self-refueling vehicle system
Authors: Elgin Robert C , Hagen Christopher L
Published: January 2016

A semiempirical reciprocating compressor model was developed to characterize the time response of the pressure within a compressed-natural-gas storage tank. The model assumes isentropic compression in the single-stage compressor that feeds into an isothermal reservoir, i.e. compression heat was assumed to dissipate between the cylinder and the tank. This low-order model utilizes a few key variables such as the compression ratio, the cylinder volume, the tank volume, and the engine speed and yields a reasonable approximation for the pressure inside a tank over time. The natural-gas compressor used to validate the model is a unique automotive internal-combustion engine that was heavily modified to have two distinct modes. In one mode, all engine cylinders fire normally providing locomotion for a natural-gas vehicle. In the other mode, one cylinder of the engine is used to compress low-pressure residential natural gas, in multiple stages, to a standard US compressed-natural-gas vehicle storage tank pressure of 248 bar (3600 lb/in2 gauge). It was found that the first-order response model closely matches the trend in the tank pressure over time seen in laboratory experiments, with a typical error of less than 5%.
Cross-sectional assessment of three commonly used measures of adherence to combination antiviral therapy in a resource limited setting
Authors: Luma Henry N , Mbatchou Ngahane Bertrand H , Mapoure Yacouba N , Mengjo Neville B , Temfack Elvis , Joko Henry A , Asongalem Emmanuel A , Koulla-Shiro Sinata
Published: January 2016

Nowadays, global coverage of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has increased due to a continuous process to scale up access. This increase has potentially transformed HIV-infection from a fatal to a chronic disease: a transformation only possible if the prescribed medications are taken accordingly. We therefore evaluated optimal adherence to cART by three commonly used methods: visual analogue scale (VAS), four days recall (FDR) and clinic attendance (CA) for the last six months in 301 HIV-infected patients on cART for at least six months at the Douala General Hospital, Cameroon. Optimal adherence was defined to be greater than or equal to the 95th percentile estimate of each method. We found that 70.8% of our study population was female. The mean age was 40.8 years (SD 10.5) and 85% were on first line cART. Median CD4 count was 397 cells/ml (252–559). Optimal adherence by VAS, FDR and CA, was 68.1%, 83.4%, and 73.4%, respectively. VAS and FDR inter-correlated strongly (Pearson’s Chi square coefficient, r = 0.58, p < 0.001). Higher CD4 count above 200 cells/ml was associated with optimal adherence by CA (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR]:2.6 (95% CI: 1.2–5.3, p < 0.001)). As high optimal adherence to cART is associated with good clinical outcome in HIV patients, simple methods such as the VAS for evaluating adherence, should be integrated to the HIV clinic of the Douala General Hospital.
Biodiversity trends within the Holocene
Authors: Birks HJB , Felde Vivian A , Seddon Alistair WR
Published: January 2016

There is a rapidly emerging interest in detecting and understanding biodiversity trends during the ‘Anthropocene’ in response to human stressors and climate change. Surprisingly few studies have, however, considered trends in biodiversity during the preceding Holocene. Here, we present general trends in terrestrial alpha- and beta-diversity and biomass for the four main ecological phases (protocratic, mesocratic, Homo sapiens, oligocratic) of the Holocene in north-west Europe based on palynological data at the meta-community scale. Alpha- and beta-diversity decreased in the protocratic, showed little change in the mesocratic, decreased in the oligocratic, and increased markedly in the Homo sapiens phase. Biomass was maximal in the mesocratic. Biodiversity changes in the last 200 years (‘Anthropocene’), as detected from palynological data, are small compared with the changes over the Holocene. There are minor decreases in α-diversity, spatial β-diversity and biomass and a slight increase in temporal β-diversity at sites on fertile soils. This analysis is designed to encourage ecologists and biogeographers interested in the ‘Anthropocene’ to extend the time-scale of their analyses and to consider whether ‘Anthropocene’ biodiversity trends are a simple continuation of trends in the late Holocene or whether recent ‘Anthropocene’ trends deviate from the long-term Holocene trends. Hopefully, it will also stimulate palaeoecologists to consider Holocene biodiversity trends in different geographical areas and different organism groups and ecological systems.
The development of ethical guidelines for nurses’ collegiality using the Delphi method
Authors: Kangasniemi Mari , Arala Katariina , Becker Eve , Suutarla Anna , Haapa Toni , Korhonen Anne
Published: January 2016

Background:

Nurses’ collegiality is topical because patient care is complicated, requiring shared knowledge and working methods. Nurses’ collaboration has been supported by a number of different working models, but there has been less focus on ethics.

Aim:

This study aimed to develop nurses’ collegiality guidelines using the Delphi method.

Method:

Two online panels of Finnish experts, with 35 and 40 members, used the four-step Delphi method in December 2013 and January 2014. They reformulated the items of nurses’ collegiality identified by the literature and rated based on validity and importance. Content analysis and descriptive statistical methods were used to analyze the data, and the nurses’ collegiality guidelines were formulated.

Ethical considerations:

Organizational approval was received, and an informed consent was obtained from all participants. Information about the voluntary nature of participation was provided.

Results:

During the first Delphi panel round, a number of items were reformulated and added, resulting in 32 reformulated items. As a result of the second round, 8 of the 32 items scored an agreement rate of more than 75%, with the most rated item being collegiality means that professionals respect each other. The item with second highest rating was collegiality has a common objective: what is best for patients, followed by the third highest which was professional ethics is the basis of collegiality.

Conclusion:

Nurses’ collegiality and its content are well recognized in clinical practice but seldom studied. Collegiality can be supported by guidelines, and nurses working in clinical practice, together with teachers and managers, have shared responsibilities to support and develop it. More research in different nursing environments is needed to improve understanding of the content and practice of nursing collegiality.
Party–voter linkages derived from the calculus of voting model: Electoral mobilization in Ecuador
Authors: Mustillo Thomas
Published: January 2016

This article derives a theory of party–voter linkages. It uses the decision theoretic calculus of voting model to theorize about political party strategies to mobilize voters under democratic competition. I show that parties will devise categorically distinct linkage strategies to operate upon different terms in the calculus of voting model. In particular, the theory implies four strategies: programmatic, clientelist, symbolic, and vote-buying. I illustrate their empirical relevance with case narratives of four parties in Ecuador.
Voltage attenuation along the electrodes of ionic polymer metal composites
Authors: Kim Hubert , Cha Youngsu , Porfiri Maurizio
Published: January 2016

In this note, we study voltage attenuation along the electrodes of an ionic polymer metal composite. We conduct a series of experiments on an in-house fabricated Nafion-based ionic polymer metal composite, subject to different voltage inputs. We adapt a recently proposed physics-based distributed circuit model to elucidate voltage attenuation as a function of the distance along the ionic polymer metal composite and the frequency of the voltage input. The parameters of the distributed circuit model, including surface resistances and through-the-thickness impedance, are identified through independent experiments. Theoretical predictions are in good agreement with experimental observations, demonstrating the potential of the model to inform the design of sensors, actuators, and energy harvesters. Our results indicate that voltage attenuation is controlled by electric parameters associated with the electrode composition and morphology, which can both be adjusted during fabrication.
An efficient self-powered synchronous electric charge extraction interface circuit for piezoelectric energy harvesting systems
Authors: Shi Ge , Xia Yinshui , Ye Yidie , Qian Libo , Li Qing
Published: January 2016

Harvesting ambient vibration energy using piezoelectric elements is a popular energy harvesting technique. Energy harvesting efficiency is the research focus. Using synchronous electric charge extraction technology in piezoelectric energy harvesting systems can greatly improve the energy harvesting efficiency. This article presents a self-powered efficient synchronous electric charge extraction circuit for piezoelectric energy harvesting systems, in which four self-powered switch circuits are used to optimize the time sequence of charge extraction so that the rectifier bridge circuit used in traditional synchronous electric charge extraction can be saved. The effect of phase lag on extraction efficiency, system energy, and loss of overall circuit is analyzed. A piezoelectric vibration experimental platform is built for testing the power generation performance of the self-powered efficient synchronous electric charge extraction and those published energy harvesting circuits. The experimental results accord with the theoretical analysis. Moreover, the harvesting energy of the proposed self-powered efficient synchronous electric charge extraction is about three times more than those of the standard energy harvesting circuit under its maximum power point and the self-powered synchronized switch harvesting on inductor in most cases. The energy harvesting efficiency of self-powered efficient synchronous electric charge extraction remains at a high level (>80%) in most cases, and the maximum energy harvesting efficiency is up to 85.1%.