bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An empirical investigation of ethnic food consumption
Authors: Ayyub Rana Muhammad
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– Due to globalization and latest immigration patterns, ethnic subgroups are emerging in almost all the advanced countries resulting in significant increase in ethnic food consumption; to which many issues are attached which are not adequately addressed in marketing literature. Recently, marketing researchers have started paying attention to different perspectives of ethnic consumption in intra-national contexts. Halal is one of such fastest growing ethnic food in western societies. The purpose of this paper is to quantitatively study Halal food consumption in majority ethnic groups in relation to possible resistances and acculturation in multicultural society of UK.

Design/methodology/approach

– The questionnaire survey was used to collect data.

Findings

– The model was developed by using structural equation modeling (SEM) which shows that both consumer animosity and consumer racism negatively affect willingness to buy Halal food by majority ethnic groups whereas ongoing acculturation moderates these relationships.

Research limitations/implications

– The main limitation of this study is use of a combination of convenience sampling and snowball sampling.

Practical implications

– The findings can guide ethnic researchers and food marketers to devise prudent marketing strategies to deal with ethnic food consumption issues.

Social implications

– This study will bridge a gap in ensuring intercultural harmony by dealing with a market reality.

Originality/value

– This work has a potential to instigate future research in much needed area of changing food consumption behavior in multicultural societies and its implications.
Bradford’s zone to LIS publications published in collection building journal from 2009-2012: a citation study
Authors: Banateppanavar Koteppa , P Dharanikumar , A B Vindya
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The present paper aims at analyzing the research output performance of library and information science (LIS) professionals. Citation analysis of all the journal articles published in the Collection Building journal during 2009-2012 is carried out.

Design/methodology/approach

– The data for this study were drawn from a selective sample of a free e-journal, i.e. Collection Building, available through the Kuvempu University Web site without subscription or registration. A total of 91 articles published during 2009 to 2012 with 1,302 citations. The analysis cover mainly the number of articles, authorship pattern, subject-wise distribution of articles, average number of references per articles, forms of documents cited, rank list of journals, Bradford’s law.

Findings

– The study reveals that journals (53.84 per cent of citations) are the most preferred sources of information used by the researchers in the field of LIS. It is followed by Web resources with 24.27 per cent, these two together constitute 78.11 per cent of total citations and remaining 21.89 per cent of citations from books, proceedings, theses, reports and gazetteer. Collection Building (USA) has ranked first with 68 (9.70 per cent) citations. Further, Bradford’s law of scattering was applied. It is observed that major citations are from journal literature. In addition, more cited materials were contributed by multi-authors, and degree of collaboration is 0.44.

Research limitations/implications

– The paper presents a sense of the importance of LIS research, and as such, informs the community and researchers involved in the citation analysis.

Originality/value

– The outcome of the study is an original research work with citation analysis of LIS publications. The study highlights the information materials available and used by researchers in the field of LIS, and those that need to be added for a healthy collection.
The relative importance of e-tailer website attributes on the likelihood of online purchase
Authors: Tamimi Nabil , Sebastianelli Rose
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to present the results of an experiment in which participants view fictitious e-tailing web pages and indicate the likelihood of purchasing the products displayed by manipulating four attributes (familiarity with the e-tailer, product type, summary product review, and the number of customer reviews) in order to determine their relative importance.

Design/methodology/approach

– Individual level conjoint models are estimated to determine the relative importance of the manipulated attributes. Furthermore, cluster analysis is used to group individuals into different segments.

Findings

– The results suggest that the summary review star rating of the product and familiarity with the e-tailer are the two most important attributes. A three cluster solution is obtained and each segment is characterized by the derived relative influence each attribute has on likelihood of online purchase.

Originality/value

– Understanding how consumers make choices among attributes especially when they are confronted with trade-offs has implications for e-tailers wishing to develop effective, targeted strategies for increasing the likelihood of online purchases.
Linking research and practice to address domestic and sexual violence: lessons learned from a statewide conference with researchers and practitioners
Authors: Murray Christine , Ong Isabelle , Smith Paige Hall , Foreman Tamarine , Akers Whitney , Flasch Paulina , Hostler Monika Johnson , Przewoznik Jennifer , Guerrero Catherine , Dooley Rachel
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– There is a growing emphasis on the need to integrate research and practice in the fields of domestic and sexual violence. However, additional research is needed to identify strategies for key stakeholders to use to bridge research and practice in these areas. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– The current study analyzed qualitative data collected during a statewide conference for researchers and practitioners whose work addresses domestic and/or sexual violence.

Findings

– The findings provide information about building effective researcher-practitioner collaborations, developing methodologically sound studies that address practice-relevant research questions, and identifying steps that funders, state coalitions, researchers, and practitioners can take to advance the integration of research and practice.

Research limitations/implications

– Additional research is needed to evaluate specific approaches to better integrating research and practice related to domestic and sexual violence.

Practical implications

– Researcher-practitioner collaborations offer numerous benefits to advancing research and practice related to domestic and sexual violence. Additional guidance and tangible support is needed to foster these collaborations.

Originality/value

– This study used data collected during an innovative conference that brought together researchers and practitioners. The data have implications for furthering the integration of research and practice related to domestic and sexual violence.
Can international law protect half of humanity? A new strategy to stop violence against women
Authors: Eisler Riane
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The Rome Statute, especially Article 7 on Crimes against Humanity, and the principle of Responsibility to Protect (R2P) apply to widespread violations of human rights that a State fails to prohibit or protect against. Yet far too little attention has been paid to systemic crimes that take the lives of many millions of women and girls every year. The purpose of this paper is to detail a proposal to use international law to hold governments and/or their agents accountable when they fail to protect the female half of humanity from widespread and egregious crimes of violence.

Design/methodology/approach

– To accelerate the movement to make women's human rights a global priority, it examines: first, expanding the interpretation of the Rome statute, particularly Article 7 – Crimes against Humanity. Second, where necessary, amending the statute to include gender in addition to race and ethnicity.

Findings

– Seven crimes and their personal, social, and economic consequences are analyzed, and legal remedies are detailed: selective female infanticide and denial to girl children of food and health care; the sex trade and sexual slavery; female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C); domestic violence (from murder in the name of honor and bride burning to acid throwing and battery); rape; child marriage and forced marriage.

Originality/value

– This paper explores a new approach for use by scholars, attorneys, and human rights activists to end the global pandemic of violence against the female half of humanity by invoking the Rome Statute and/or amending it to protect women and girls. It provides a new legal and sociological analysis.
School principals’ role in the interplay between the superintendents and local education authorities
Authors: Addi-Raccah Audrey
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to probe the extent to which principals, as boundary spanners, manage with the influence of the local educational authority (LEA) and the superintendent over school matters.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study is based on sequential quantitative→qualitative explanatory mixed research design. It is based on a sample of 161 Hebrew elementary school principals in two school districts in Israel who completed a questionnaire and on in-depth interviews with four school principals.

Findings

– The findings indicated that school principals initiate assistance from the superintendent and the LEA depending on the influence they have in schools. However, they utilize their relations with each external agency differently. With the LEA, they established mutual exchange relations whereas school principals engage with the superintendent in order to negotiate more effectively with the LEA. By doing so, principals can control external agencies’ involvement in schools along with strengthening the power of the central educational authority.

Originality/value

– The study makes a unique contribution to the literature on school principals’ role with external agencies by revealing their navigation and balancing among the various factors that influence schools. The study highlights the agential role of school principals.
Using the eurostat-OECD definition of high-growth firms: a cautionary note
Authors: Daunfeldt Sven-Olov , Johansson Dan , Halvarsson Daniel
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– High-growth firms (HGFs) have attracted an increasing amount of attention from researchers and policymakers, and the Eurostat-Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) definition of HGFs has become increasingly popular. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors use a longitudinal firm-level data set to analyze the implications of using the Eurostat-OECD definition.

Findings

– The results indicate that this definition excluded almost 95 percent of surviving firms in Sweden, and about 40 percent of new private jobs during 2005-2008.

Research limitations/implications

– The proportion of small firms and their growth patterns differ across countries, and the authors therefore advise caution in using this definition in future studies.

Practical implications

– Policy based on the Eurostat-OECD definition of HGFs might be misleading or even counterproductive.

Originality/value

– No previous studies have analyzed the implications of using the Eurostat-OECD definition of HGFs.
Computing value-at-risk using genetic algorithm
Authors: Sharma Bhanu , Thulasiram Ruppa K. , Thulasiraman Parimala
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– Value-at-risk (VaR) is a risk measure of potential loss on a specific portfolio. The main uses of VaR are in risk management and financial reporting. Researchers are continuously looking for new and efficient ways to evaluate VaR, and the 2008 financial crisis has given further impetus to finding new and reliable ways of evaluating and using VaR. In this study, the authors use genetic algorithm (GA) to evaluate VaR and compare the results with conventional VaR techniques.

Design/methodology/approach

– In essence, the authors propose two modifications to the standard GA: normalized population selection and strict population selection. For a typical set of simulation, eight chromosomes were used each with eight stored values, and the authors get eight values for VaR.

Findings

– The experiments using data from four different market indices show that by adjusting the volatility, the VaR computed using GA is more conservative as compared to those computed using Monte Carlo simulation.

Research limitations/implications

– The proposed methodology is designed for VaR computation only. This could be generalized for other applications.

Practical implications

– This is achieved with much less cost of computation, and hence, the proposed methodology could be a viable practical approach for computing VaR.

Originality/value

– The proposed methodology is simple and, at the same time, novel that could have far-reaching impact on practitioners.
Correspondence as a documentary form, its persistent representation, and email management, preservation, and access
Authors: Zhang Jane
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The aim of this paper is to construct a systematic way of thinking about correspondence as a documentary form and discuss the role its persistent representation features play in management, preservation and access of email correspondence.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using the method of diplomatic analysis as a guiding theory, the paper conducts a historical review of correspondence recordkeeping and email systems in the American context, analyzes the evolution of its persistent representation features and discusses the implications on current email management and archival practices.

Findings

– Correspondence as a document form and its persistent representation features have played an important role in traditional correspondence recordkeeping and electronic mail management. The design of systems to manage, preserve and access email records should reflect the characteristics and functionality of email records, capable of retaining email correspondence as a documentary form supported by its persistent representation features.

Research limitations/implications

– The research in this paper mostly covers secondary sources with a regional focus. The analysis covers important historical developments in correspondence and email recordkeeping and archival practices. The study uses examples of email archives available online, and further research can be developed when more email archival collections are processed and constructed.

Originality/value

– A systematic analysis of persistent representation of traditional correspondence and electronic mail provides a useful perspective to reflect on the characteristics of correspondence as a document form and offers some food for thought for records management and archival professionals and assists them in developing systems to better manage, preserve and provide access to email correspondence.
Diplomatics in China
Authors: Pan Weimei
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to explore if there is an analogous discipline in China to diplomatics.

Design/methodology/approach

– A comparison method is used for the exploration. Five Chinese disciplines are chosen for the comparison, which are Wenxian xue, Bianwei xue, Dangan jianbian xue, Wenshu xue and Gu wenshu xue. The diplomatics, as discussed in this paper, is modern diplomatics, as exemplified in the work of Dr Luciana Duranti.

Findings

– It was found that while there is no such Chinese discipline identical to diplomatics, its knowledge is distributed among several Chinese disciplines. This indicates the common concern and efforts in the West and East and the potential for the further development of diplomatics as a global discipline.

Research limitations/implications

– The disciplines this paper has examined are what this author is aware of that share certain similarities with diplomatics and the discussion is based on this author’s understanding; thus, it is possible that there are disciplines that this author did not know or the understanding is insufficient to reveal all the connections between diplomatics and these disciplines. Further research from other perspectives might be needed.

Originality/value

– To the author’s best knowledge, this is the first paper in English comparing Chinese diplomatic disciplines with diplomatics. It has also shed some light on the development of several Chinese disciplines.
Object-oriented diplomatics
Authors: Jansen Adam
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to present a conceptual methodology, named herein as object-oriented diplomatics, based on a presentation given by the author at the Digital Diplomatics 2014 conference. This methodology centers on building digital records capable of supporting their authenticity over time and when removed from their original systems by extending archival diplomatics theory by leveraging object-oriented programming (OOP) principles.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper presents new method for supporting the presumption of authenticity of digital records through extending archival diplomatics concepts into OOP principles when creating digital records within a record-keeping system.

Findings

– This paper is based on a preliminary research being conducted during the design of a government digital archives. This concept was used as a core design element for their digital archives and has thus far shown great promise in articulating and encapsulating those essential data elements that support the presumption of authenticity across a wide diversity of record types.

Originality/value

– This paper presents a new approach to support the presumption of authenticity of digital records by utilizing concepts from archival diplomatics leveraged with OOP principles. It is the hope of the author that this paper will initiate a deeper collaboration between archives and records management professionals and software developers in the design and implementation of digital repositories.
French legal framework of digital evidence
Authors: Meissonnier Antoine , Banat-Berger Françoise
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this article is to describe the development of the French legal framework of digital evidence. The ongoing transformations of information in an electronic environment reconsidered fixity and stability of writing. The society needed to construct a new way for guaranteeing records’ authenticity and integrity, considering the necessity of conserving record’s probative value through time. That is the reason why France has published different legal texts since 2000 for establishing some rules.

Design/methodology/approach

– The article is mainly focused on acts and decrees which constitute this legal framework. It resumes content of the main texts and highlights the great evolutions of French legal framework of digital evidence.

Findings

– The article showcases two main approaches for guaranteeing records probative value in French Law: one is based on information systems security, and the other is based on electronic signature. Both approaches can be complementary. Their principles are not so different as far as the conclusions of InterPARES work.

Originality/value

– This work makes a link between French Law studies and academic archival studies. It showcases the development of principles guaranteeing records’ authenticity and integrity with many quotations from French legal texts.
Expanding the applicability of FDM-type technologies through materials development
Authors: Roberson David , Shemelya Corey M , MacDonald Eric , Wicker Ryan
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the strategy for increasing the applicability of material extrusion additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, based on fused deposition modeling (FDM), through the development of materials with targeted physical properties. Here, the authors demonstrate materials specifically developed for the manufacture of electromechanical and electromagnetic applications, the use of FDM-type processes in austere environments and the application of material extrusion AM.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using a twin screw polymeric extrusion process, novel polymer matrix composites and blends were created where the base material was a material commonly used in FDM-type processes, namely, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or polycarbonate (PC).

Findings

– The work presented here demonstrates that, through targeted materials development, the applicability of AM platforms based on FDM technology can be increased. Here, the authors demonstrate that that the physical properties of ABS and PC can be manipulated to be used in several applications such as electromagnetic and X-ray shielding. Other instances of the development of new materials for FDM led to mitigation of problems associated with the process such as surface finish and mechanical property anisotropy based on build orientation.

Originality/value

– This paper is an overview of a research effort dedicated to increasing the amount of material systems available to material extrusion AM. Here materials development is shown to not only increase the number of suitable applications for FDM-type processes, but to be a pathway toward solving inherent problems associated with FDM such as surface finish and build orientation-caused mechanical property anisotropy.
Effect of second-phase doping on laser deposited Al2O3 ceramics
Authors: Niu Fangyong , Wu Dongjiang , Ma Guangyi , Zhou Siyu , Zhang Bi
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate how a second-phase doping may affect Al2O3 ceramic parts deposited by additive manufacturing (AM) with a laser-engineered net shaping system. Direct fabrication of engineering ceramic components by AM is a relatively new method for producing complex mechanical structures.

Design/methodology/approach

– In this study, ZrO2 and Y2O3 powders are, respectively, doped into Al2O3 powders at the eutectic ratio as second phases to improve the quality of a deposited part. The deposited Al2O3, Al2O3/ZrO2 and Al2O3/YAG (yttrium aluminum garnet) parts are examined for their micro-structures and micro-hardness, as well as defects.

Findings

– The experimental results show that doping of ZrO2 or Y2O3 as a second phase performs a significant role in suppressing cracks and in refining grains of the laser-deposited parts. The micro-hardness investigation reveals that the second-phase doping does not result in much hardness reduction in Al2O3 and the two eutectic ceramics are both harder than 1,500 Hv.

Originality/value

– The study concludes that the second-phase doping of ZrO2 and Y2O3 is good for improving laser-deposited Al2O3 ceramic parts.
A survey of sensing and control systems for machine and process monitoring of directed-energy, metal-based additive manufacturing
Authors: Reutzel Edward W , Nassar Abdalla R
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to surveys classic and recently developed strategies for quality monitoring and real-time control of laser-based, directed-energy deposition.Additive manufacturing of metal parts is a complex undertaking. During deposition, many of the process variables that contribute to overall build quality – such as travel speed, feedstock flow pattern, energy distribution, gas pressure, etc. – are subject to perturbations from systematic fluctuations and random external disturbances.

Design/methodology/approach

– Sensing and control of laser-based, directed-energy metal deposition is presented as an evolution of methods developed for welding and cladding processes. Methods are categorized as sensing and control of machine variables and sensing and control of build attributes. Within both categories, classic methods are presented and followed by a survey of novel developments.

Findings

– Additive manufacturing would not be possible without highly automated, computer-based controllers for processing and motion. Its widespread adoption for metal components in critical applications will not occur without additional developments and integration of machine- and process-based sensing systems to enable documentation, and control of build characteristics and quality. Ongoing work in sensing and control brings us closer to this goal.

Originality/value

– This work serves to introduce researchers new to the field of additive manufacturing to common sources of process defects during metal powder-based, directed-energy deposition processing, and surveys sensing and control methods being investigated to improve the process. The work also serves to highlight, and stress the significance of novel developments in the field.
Design of real-time filter for the wheel force transducer
Authors: Wang Dong , Lin Guoyu , Zhang Weigong
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– Wheel force transducers (WFTs) have performance characteristics that make them attractive for applications in endurance evaluation of road vehicles, ride and handling optimization, tire development and vehicle dynamics. As a WFT is mounted on the the driven wheel, the loads on the wheel and the outputs of WFTs are usually nonlinearly related. Thus, a real-time filter is needed to measure the true loads on the wheel.

Design/methodology/approach

– In this paper, a new nonlinear filtering algorithm utilizing quadrature Kalman filter (QKF) is proposed to track the actual loads in real time through establishing the specific observation equations with Singer models.

Findings

– The simulation results show that the accuracy and the rapidity of QKF outperforms the capability of the unscented Kalman filter (UKF). Then, the dynamic tests on the MTS testing platform give the comparisons between the real-time QKF and the wavelet transform, where the former has superior dynamic accuracy. Finally, the practical tests of shifting and braking on a real vehicle confirm the effectiveness of QKF, which further validates the proposed method fitting reality.

Originality/value

– In this paper, a newly improved algorithm with QKF for WFT has been proposed and tested experimentally. As the wheel loads are always time-varying and complex, introducing Gaussian noise in the outputs of the transducer, WFT-suitable Singer model and WFT measurement equation base on a QKF are established. The experiment results show that QKF has advanced performance than the traditional UKF. Also, the road wheel test bed produced by MTS has been exploited as the test platform to demonstrate the dynamic efficiency of the proposed real-time filter under various operating conditions for a wide range of loads. And, the practical tests with the real vehicle are accomplished to verify the value and effectiveness of the proposed method.
Evaluation of four methods of assigning species and genus to medically important bacteria using 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis
Authors: Park Geon , Jin Won‐Young , Jang Sook‐Jin , Kook Joong‐Ki , Choi Ji Ae , Park Gyun Cheol , Lee Min‐Jung , Park Soon‐Nang , Li Xue Min , Cho Seong‐Sig , Jang Chul Ho , Kang Seong‐Ho , Moon Dae‐Soo
Published: March 2015

The four methods for assigning bacterial species are the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI), modified CLSI (mCLSI), phylogenetic analysis (PA) and closest match (CM) methods, these are used to identify the genus and species using 16S rRNA gene sequence results. In this study, the results of identification by these four methods of 37 aerobic reference strains, 30 anaerobic reference strains, 15 Acinetobacter reference strains and 167 Acinetobacter clinical strains were compared. The rates of accurate identification to the species level using the CLSI, mCLSI, PA and CM methods were as follows: 24.3, 86.5, 86.5 and 89.2%, respectively, for the 37 aerobic reference strains; 73.3%, 96.7%, 90.0% and 93.3%, respectively, for the 30 anaerobic reference strains; 40.0%, 93.3%, 100% and 93.3%, respectively, for the 15 Acinetobacter reference strains; and 53.9%, 90.4%, 95.8% and 90.4%, respectively, for the 167 Acinetobacter clinical strains. The rates of accurate identification to the genus level using the CLSI, mCLSI, PA, and CM methods were as follows: 91.9%, 91.9%, 94.6% and 91.9%, respectively, for the 37 aerobic reference strains; 100%, 100%, 100% and 100%, respectively, for all of the 30 anaerobic reference strains, 15 Acinetobacter reference strains and the 167 Acinetobacter clinical strains. The mCLSI is the most practical and pragmatic method for identification of species based on 16S rRNA sequences for hospital, research or industry laboratories because it performs well and involves a simple procedure.
Habitat fragmentation alters the properties of a host–parasite network: rodents and their helminths in South‐East Asia
Authors: Bordes Frédéric , Morand Serge , Pilosof Shai , Claude Julien , Krasnov Boris R. , Cosson Jean‐François , Chaval Yannick , Ribas Alexis , Chaisiri Kittipong , Blasdell Kim , Herbreteau Vincent , Dupuy Stéphane , Tran Annelise
Published: March 2015

While the effects of deforestation and habitat fragmentation on parasite prevalence or richness are well investigated, host–parasite networks are still understudied despite their importance in understanding the mechanisms of these major disturbances. Because fragmentation may negatively impact species occupancy, abundance and co‐occurrence, we predict a link between spatiotemporal changes in habitat and the architecture of host–parasite networks.

For this, we used an extensive data set on 16 rodent species and 29 helminth species from seven localities of South‐East Asia. We analysed the effects of rapid deforestation on connectance and modularity of helminth–parasite networks. We estimated both the degree of fragmentation and the rate of deforestation through the development of land uses and their changes through the last 20 to 30 years in order to take into account the dynamics of habitat fragmentation in our statistical analyses.

We found that rapid fragmentation does not affect helminth species richnessper sebut impacts host–parasite interactions as the rodent–helminth network becomes less connected and more modular.

Our results suggest that parasite sharing among host species may become more difficult to maintain with the increase of habitat disturbance.
Crowding Out Meritocracy? – Cultural Constraints in Chinese Public Human Resource Management
Authors: Zhang Zhibin
Published: March 2015

This paper seeks cultural explanations of the pervasive norm violations against the principle of meritocracy in Chinese public human resource management especially at local levels. It reveals that a bureaucratic culture of patrimonial individualism, including favouritism, nepotism, localism, and factionalism prevailing within Chinese officialdom as the ethos, value, psychological disposition, and behavioural orientation of civil servants, has undermined the development in China of a modern meritocracy‐based civil service system. With 14 case studies, this research demonstrates that the Chinese civil service institutions, derived from an opposite culture of hierarchical collectivism, failed to address the cultural constraints over the implementation of the meritocracy principle. The conceptual framework, as well as the case findings, points to legislative and policy reforms in China that would address the problems derived from the unique Chinese bureaucratic culture through further institutional design and capacity building.
Quantitative Phase Analysis by the Rietveld Method for Forensic Science
Authors: Deng Fei , Lin Xiaodong , He Yonghong , Li Shu , Zi Run , Lai Shijun
Published: March 2015

Quantitative phase analysis (QPA) is helpful to determine the type attribute of the object because it could present the content of the constituents.QPAby Rietveld method requires neither measurement of calibration data nor the use of an internal standard; however, the approximate crystal structure of each phase in a mixture is necessary. In this study, 8 synthetic mixtures composed of potassium nitrate and sulfur were analyzed by RietveldQPAmethod. The Rietveld refinement was accomplished with a material analysis using diffraction program and evaluated by three agreement indices. Results showed that RietveldQPAyielded precise results, with errors generally less than 2.0% absolute. In addition, a criminal case which was broken successfully with the help of RietveldQPAmethod was also introduced. This method will allow forensic investigators to acquire detailed information of the material evidence, which could point out the direction for case detection and court proceedings.
Contribution of Antemortem Computed Tomography Findings to Cause of Death Determination: An Unusual Fatal Stroke
Authors: Rérolle Camille , Pucheux Julien , Lefrancq Thierry , Barrault Céline , Saint‐Martin Pauline
Published: March 2015

In the case reported here, the antemortem computed tomography scan (CT scan) was essential in the forensic investigation. A 32‐year‐old man was found fully awake with a facial abrasion, after what seemed to be a car accident. He lost consciousness suddenly one hour after initial management. Successive CT scan showed a facial fracture and a metallic foreign body in the carotid canal associated with an occlusion/dissection of the left internal carotid, a pseudoaneurysm, and a carotid‐cavernous fistula. The victim died from a stroke. Autopsy confirmed that the facial abrasion was a gunshot entrance wound, the metallic foreign body being a projectile. Intracranial vascular injuries linked with gunshot wounds are most of the time isolated and due to pelet embolism. The observed vascular injury association has never been described in the existing literature. The CT scan provided a better understanding of the chronology of events that led to death.
Ontogeny of Size and Shape Sexual Dimorphism in the Pubis: A Multislice Computed Tomography Study by Geometric Morphometry
Authors: Bilfeld Marie Faruch , Dedouit Fabrice , Sans Nicolas , Rousseau Hervé , Rougé Daniel , Telmon Norbert
Published: March 2015

Few studies have been conducted to determine sex differences in the immature coxal bone and the results were often contradictory. The authors studied sexual dimorphic differences of the pubis using geometric morphometric analysis of five osteometric landmarks recorded by multislice computed tomography (MSCT), based on three‐dimensional reconstructions of 188 children (95 boys, 93 girls) living in the region of Toulouse, southwestern France, ranging in age from 1 to 18 years old. They used geometric morphometric methodology first to test sexual dimorphism in size (centroid size) and shape (Procrustes residuals) and second to examine patterns of shape change with age (development) and size change with age (growth). Based on statistical significance test results, the pubic shape became sexually dimorphic at 13 years old, although visible shape differences were observed as early as 9 years old. This work showed that the trajectories of pubis shape (development) and size (growth) differed throughout ontogeny and between sexes.
Variable Source Area Hydrology Modeling with the Water Erosion Prediction Project Model
Authors: Boll Jan , Brooks Erin S. , Crabtree Brian , Dun Shuhui , Steenhuis Tammo S.
Published: March 2015

In nondegraded watersheds of humid climates, subsurface flow patterns determine where the soil saturates and where surface runoff is occurring. Most models necessarily use infiltration‐excess (i.e., Hortonian) runoff for predicting runoff and associated constituents because subsurface flow algorithms are not included in the model. In this article, we modify the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model to simulate subsurface flow correctly and to predict the spatial and temporal location of saturation, the associated lateral flow and surface runoff, and the location where the water can re‐infiltrate. The modified model, called WEPP‐UI, correctly simulated the hillslope drainage data from the Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory hillslope plot. We applied WEPP‐UI to convex, concave, and S‐shaped hillslope profiles, and found that multiple overland flow elements are needed to simulate distributed lateral flow and runoff well. Concave slopes had the greatest runoff, while convex slopes had the least. Our findings concur with observations in watersheds with saturation‐excess overland flow that most surface runoff is generated on lower concave slopes, whereas on convex slopes runoff infiltrates before reaching the stream. Since the WEPP model is capable of simulating both saturation‐excess and infiltration‐excess runoff, we expect that this model will be a powerful tool in the future for managing water quality.
Impacts of degraded DNA on restriction enzyme associated DNA sequencing (RADSeq)
Authors: Graham Carly F. , Glenn Travis C. , McArthur Andrew G. , Boreham Douglas R. , Kieran Troy , Lance Stacey , Manzon Richard G. , Martino Jessica A. , Pierson Todd , Rogers Sean M. , Wilson Joanna Y. , Somers Christopher M.
Published: March 2015

Degraded DNA from suboptimal field sampling is common in molecular ecology. However, its impact on techniques that use restriction site associated next‐generation DNA sequencing (RADSeq, GBS) is unknown. We experimentally examined the effects of in situDNA degradation on data generation for a modified double‐digest RADSeq approach (3RAD). We generated libraries using genomic DNA serially extracted from the muscle tissue of 8 individual lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) following 0‐, 12‐, 48‐ and 96‐h incubation at room temperature posteuthanasia. This treatment of the tissue resulted in input DNA that ranged in quality from nearly intact to highly sheared. All samples were sequenced as a multiplexed pool on an Illumina MiSeq. Libraries created from low to moderately degraded DNA (12–48 h) performed well. In contrast, the number of RADtags per individual, number of variable sites, and percentage of identical RADtags retained were all dramatically reduced when libraries were made using highly degraded DNA (96‐h group). This reduction in performance was largely due to a significant and unexpected loss of raw reads as a result of poor quality scores. Our findings remained consistent after changes in restriction enzymes, modified fold coverage values (2‐ to 16‐fold), and additional read‐length trimming. We conclude that starting DNA quality is an important consideration for RADSeq; however, the approach remains robust until genomic DNA is extensively degraded.
The Southward Extension of Cathaysia Block: Evidence from Zircon U‐Pb Dates of Borehole Volcanics in the Northern South China Sea
Authors: Changhai XU , Xiaoming QUE , Hesheng SHI , Zuyi ZHOU , Changqian MA
Published: March 2015

Five Paleogene volcanics sampled from the northern South China Sea were analyzed via LA‐ICP‐MS zircon U‐Pb dating, including basalt and andesite from Borehole SCSV1 and volcanic agglomerate from Borehole SCSV2, respectively. A total of 162 zircon U‐Pb dates for them cover an age range from Neoarchean to Eocene, in which the pre‐Paleocene data dominate. The Paleogene dates of 62.5±2.2 Ma and 42.1±2.9 Ma are associated with two igneous episodes prior to opening of South China Sea basin. Those pre‐Paleocene zircons are inherited zircons mostly with magmatogenic oscillatory zones, and have REE features of crustal zircon. Zircon U‐Pb dates of 2518–2481 Ma, 1933–1724 Ma, and 1094–1040 Ma from the SCSV1 volcanics, and 2810–2718 Ma, 2458–2421 Ma, and 1850–993.4 Ma from the SCSV2 volcanics reveal part of Precambrian evolution of the northern South China Sea, well comparable with age records dated from the Cathaysia block. The data of 927.0±6.9 Ma and 781±38 Ma dated from the SCSV2 coincide with amalgamation between Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks and breakup of the Rodinia, respectively. The age records of Caledonian orogeny from the Cathaysia block are widely found from our volcanic samples with concordant mean ages of 432.0±5.8 Ma from the SCSV1 and of 437±15 Ma from the SCSV2. The part of the northern South China Sea resembling the Cathaysia underwent Indosinian and Yanshannian tectonothermal events. Their age signatures from the SCSV1 cover 266.5±3.5 Ma, 241.1±6.0 Ma, 184.0±4.2 Ma, 160.9±4.2 Ma and 102.8±2.6 Ma, and from the SCSV2 are 244±15 Ma, 158.1±3.5 Ma, 141±13 Ma and 96.3±2.1 Ma. Our pre‐Paleogene U‐Pb age spectra of zircons from the borehole volcanics indicate that the northern South China Sea underwent an evolution from formation of Precambrian basement, Caledonian orogeny, and Indosinian orogeny to Yanshannian magmatism. This process can be well comparable with the tectonic evolution of South China, largely supporting the areas of the northern South China Sea as part of southward extension of the Cathaysia.
Neurohistological abnormalities during early porcine endotoxemia
Authors: BÄNZIGER B. , REGUEIRA T. , VOGT R. , BRANDT S. , VANDEVELDE M. , JAKOB S. M.
Published: March 2015

Background

Brain dysfunction is common in sepsis. We aimed to assess whether cerebral perfusion, oxygenation, and/or metabolism are abnormal during early endotoxemia, and how they may relate to potential neurohistological changes.

Methods

In this prospective animal study, we included 12 pigs (weight: 42 ± 4 kg; mean ± SD) that were exposed to Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (E. coli LPS B0111 : B4, 0.4 μg/kg/h) or saline infusion (n = 6, each) for 10 h. Systemic hemodynamics, cerebral blood flow, intracranial pressure, and brain tissue oxygen tension were continuously measured. At the end of the experiment, formalin‐fixed brains were cut in coronal sections and embedded in paraffin. Afterwards, the sections were cut at 5 microns and stained with hematoxylin and eosin.

Results

Stable systemic hemodynamics in both groups were associated with higher carotid arterial blood flow after 10 h of endotoxemia (9.0 ± 2.2 ml/kg/min) compared to controls (6.6 ± 1.2 ml/kg/min; time‐group interaction: P = 0.014). Intracranial pressure, cerebral perfusion pressure, brain oxygen consumption, and brain tissue oxygen tension were similar in both groups. In four of the six endotoxemic animals but in none of the controls, cerebral tissue lesions were found (encephalomalacia with spongy degeneration of white matter, axonal swelling, and ischemic neuronal thalamic necrosis), including significant venous vascular alterations, predominantly in the brainstem, in three of the four animals.

Conclusions

Early endotoxemia seems to be associated with histological signs of brain damage unrelated to systemic or cerebral hemodynamics or oxygenation.
Factors Associated With Oxyhemoglobin Desaturation During Rapid Sequence Intubation in a Pediatric Emergency Department: Findings From Multivariable Analyses of Video Review Data
Authors: Rinderknecht Andrea S. , Mittiga Matthew R. , Meinzen‐Derr Jareen , Geis Gary L. , Kerrey Benjamin T.
Published: March 2015

Objectives

In a video‐based study of rapid sequence intubation (RSI) in a pediatric emergency department (PED), 33% of children experienced oxyhemoglobin desaturation (SpO2 < 90%). To inform targeted improvement interventions, we planned multivariable analyses to identify patient and process variables (including time‐based data around performance of key RSI process elements uniquely available from video review) associated with desaturation during pediatric RSI.

Methods

These were planned analyses of data collected during a retrospective, video‐based study of RSI in a high‐volume, academic PED. For variables with plausible associations with desaturation, multiple logistic regression and generalized estimating equations were used to identify those characteristics independently associated with desaturation at both the patient and the attempt levels.

Results

The authors analyzed video data from 114 patients undergoing RSI over 12 months. Desaturation was more common in patients 24 months of age and younger (59%) than in patients older than 24 months of age (10%). Variables associated with desaturation in patients 24 months of age and younger were duration of attempts (both individual and cumulative), the occurrence of esophageal intubation, a respiratory indication for intubation, and young age. The receiver operating characteristics curve for the model had an area under the curve of 0.80 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.67 to 0.92). Forty‐six percent of desaturations occurred after 45 seconds of laryngoscopy, and 82% after 30 seconds. The odds ratio for desaturation on individual attempts lasting longer than 30 seconds (vs. those 30 seconds or less) was 5.7 (95% CI = 2.26 to 14.36).

Conclusions

For children 24 months of age or younger undergoing RSI in a PED, respiratory indication for intubation, esophageal intubation, and duration of laryngoscopy (both individual and cumulative) were associated with desaturation; the number of attempts was not. Interventions to limit attempt duration in the youngest children may improve the safety of RSI.
Economic crisis and changes in drug use in the Spanish economically active population
Authors: Colell Esther , Sánchez‐Niubò Albert , Delclos George L. , Benavides Fernando G. , Domingo‐Salvany Antonia
Published: March 2015

Aims

To examine changes in the use of alcohol, cannabis and hypnotics/sedatives between two periods (before and during Spain's economic crisis), and to identify differences in the change between employed and unemployed individuals.

Design

Using cross‐sectional data from four editions of the Spanish Household Survey on Alcohol and Drugs, we selected economically active individuals aged 16–64 years (total sample = 62 440) and defined two periods, pre‐crisis [period 1 (P1) = 2005–07] and crisis (P2 = 2009–11). Poisson regression models with robust variance were fitted to obtain prevalence ratios (PR) of heavy and binge drinking and multinomial regression models to obtain relative risk ratios (RRR) of cannabis and hypnotic/sedative use between the two periods, also considering the interaction between period and employment status.

Findings

While the prevalence of alcohol use remained stable, heavy drinking declined in P2 in men both overall [PR = 0.73; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.67–0.79] and in the two age groups (16–34 and 35–64 years), and also in women overall (PR = 0.86; 95% CI = 0.75–0.99) and in the older age group. In contrast, binge drinking increased overall in P2 in men (PR = 1.17; 95% CI = 1.12–1.22) and in women (PR = 1.62; 95% CI = 1.49–1.76), and in both age groups. No differences in the change were observed between employed and unemployed individuals. Overall cannabis use remained stable in P2, but unemployed men and women of the older age group were more likely to have increased sporadic use compared to their employed counterparts (RRR = 2.24; 95% CI = 1.36–3.68 and RRR = 3.21; 95% CI = 1.30–7.93, respectively). Hypnotic/sedative use remained stable in P2 in men, but unemployed men were less likely to have increased heavy use in P2 compared with employed men (RRR = 0.69; 95% CI = 0.49–0.97). In women, heavy use increased in P2 overall and in the older age group, irrespective of employment status.

Conclusion

During a period of economic recession in Spain, heavy drinking decreased and binge drinking increased. Sporadic cannabis use increased among older unemployed men and women. Heavy use of hypnotics/sedatives increased among employed men while older women increased use irrespective of employment status.