bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Endividamento e decisões contábeis: a relação não linear entre dívida e qualidade dos lucros
Authors: Costa Cristiano Machado , Matte Adriana Machado , Monte-Mor Danilo Soares
Published: May 2018

Os contratos de dívidas das empresas podem gerar diferentes incentivos para os gestores praticarem o chamado gerenciamento de resultados. De acordo com a maioria dos estudos presentes na literatura, empresas buscariam reduzir os accruals discricionários para reduzir assimetria de informação e incorrer em menores custos de financiamento. Outros estudos, porém, apontam que empresas com níveis muito elevados de endividamento podem fazer o contrário, aumentando os accruals discricionários para não incorrer em cláusulas restritivas (covenants). Considerando essas duas teorias, este artigo propõe uma relação não linear entre dívida e o componente discricionário dos lucros para as empresas listadas na BM&FBOVESPA entre 2008 e 2015. As evidências indicam uma relação positiva entre baixos níveis de dívida e a qualidade dos lucros, mas negativa para níveis maiores de dívida. Esse resultado sugerir que em níveis elevados de endividamento, é preferível diminuir a qualidade dos lucros a incorrer em perdas por violações contratuais. Análises adicionais indicam que a relação não linear encontrada está relacionada à dívida de longo prazo, e não à de curto prazo.
Editorial
Authors: Aquino André Carlos Busanelli de
Published: May 2018

Editorial
Rebels Against the Mediterranean
Authors: Silva Uiran Gebara da
Published: May 2018

O objetivo deste texto é estabelecer alguns parâmetros de análise, no plano teórico e metodológico, das dificuldades que as categorias gerais de recorte do discurso histórico sobre a Antiguidade oferecem ao estudo de objetos como as revoltas dos bagaudas e dos circunceliões, uma vez que a própria noção de rebelião (ou revolta ou insurgência), ao implicar uma oposição à ordem social estabelecida, coloca tais revoltas em oposição às próprias formas do discurso do historiador.
Alexandria in the First Century B.C.: A Mediterranean Threat to Rome?
Authors: Clímaco Joana Campos
Published: May 2018

A intenção desse breve artigo é situar as relações estabelecidas entre Roma e Alexandria até o momento da conquista do Egito por Augusto em 31 a.C. Pretende-se demonstrar como alguns acontecimentos do século I a.C. envolvendo Alexandria eclodiram na mentalidade romana, e nesse sentido o império passou a entender a cidade como alvo de atenção e de problemas. Assim, a tomada do Egito e a política adotada por Augusto ao incorporá-lo ao império, estão atreladas ao modo como concebiam Alexandria como uma potencial ameaça para Roma.
Weber and the Debate on the Decline of the Ancient Culture: Old and New Approaches.
Authors: Mancini Willian
Published: May 2018

O objetivo deste artigo é apresentar a análise da perspectiva de Weber, como historiador da Antiguidade Clássica, sobre as causas sociais do declínio da cultura antiga, e comparar esta perspectiva com as outras de diferentes contextos temporais e contemporâneos ao estudo weberiano. Nosso intuito é mostrar como a obra de Weber possui pontos comuns e discordantes com as demais obras citadas no artigo.
A Simple, Evidence-Based Approach to Help Guide Diagnosis of Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction
Authors: Reddy Yogesh N.V. , Carter Rickey E. , Obokata Masaru , Redfield Margaret M. , Borlaug Barry A.
Published: May 2018

Background:

Diagnosis of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is challenging in euvolemic patients with dyspnea, and no evidence-based criteria are available. We sought to develop and then validate noninvasive diagnostic criteria that could be used to estimate the likelihood that HFpEF is present among patients with unexplained dyspnea to guide further testing.

Methods:

Consecutive patients with unexplained dyspnea referred for invasive hemodynamic exercise testing were retrospectively evaluated. Diagnosis of HFpEF (case) or noncardiac dyspnea (control) was ascertained by invasive hemodynamic exercise testing. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate the ability of clinical findings to discriminate cases from controls. A scoring system was developed and then validated in a separate test cohort.

Results:

The derivation cohort included 414 consecutive patients (267 cases with HFpEF and 147 controls; HFpEF prevalence, 64%). The test cohort included 100 consecutive patients (61 with HFpEF; prevalence, 61%). Obesity, atrial fibrillation, age >60 years, treatment with ≥2 antihypertensives, echocardiographic E/e’ ratio >9, and echocardiographic pulmonary artery systolic pressure >35 mm Hg were selected as the final set of predictive variables. A weighted score based on these 6 variables was used to create a composite score (H
2
FPEF score) ranging from 0 to 9. The odds of HFpEF doubled for each 1-unit score increase (odds ratio, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.74–2.30;
P
<0.0001), with an area under the curve of 0.841 (
P
<0.0001). The H
2
FPEF score was superior to a currently used algorithm based on expert consensus (increase in area under the curve of 0.169; 95% CI, 0.120–0.217;
P
<0.0001). Performance in the independent test cohort was maintained (area under the curve, 0.886;
P
<0.0001).

Conclusions:

The H
2
FPEF score, which relies on simple clinical characteristics and echocardiography, enables discrimination of HFpEF from noncardiac causes of dyspnea and can assist in determination of the need for further diagnostic testing in the evaluation of patients with unexplained exertional dyspnea.
Perceived Social Isolation and Outcomes in Patients With Heart Failure
Authors: Manemann Sheila M. , Chamberlain Alanna M. , Roger Véronique L. , Griffin Joan M. , Boyd Cynthia M. , Cudjoe Thomas K. M. , Jensen Daniel , Weston Susan A. , Fabbri Matteo , Jiang Ruoxiang , Finney Rutten Lila J.
Published: May 2018

Background

Perceived social isolation has been shown to have a negative impact on health outcomes, particularly among older adults. However, these relationships have not been fully examined among patients with heart failure.

Methods and Results

Residents from 11 southeast Minnesota counties with a first‐ever
International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision
(
ICD‐9
) code 428 for heart failure between January 1, 2013, and March 31, 2015 (N=3867), were prospectively surveyed to measure perceived social isolation. A total of 2003 patients returned the survey (response rate, 52%); 1681 patients completed all questions and were retained for analysis. Among these patients (53% men; mean age, 73 years), ≈19% (n=312) had moderate perceived social isolation and 6% (n=108) had high perceived social isolation. After adjustment, patients reporting moderate perceived social isolation did not have an increased risk of death, hospitalizations, or emergency department visits compared with patients reporting low perceived social isolation; however, patients reporting high perceived social isolation had >3.5 times increased risk of death (hazard ratio, 3.74; 95% confidence interval [
CI
], 1.82–7.70), 68% increased risk of hospitalization (hazard ratio, 1.68; 95%
CI
, 1.18–2.39), and 57% increased risk of emergency department visits (hazard ratio, 1.57; 95%
CI
, 1.09–2.27). Compared with patients who self‐reported low perceived social isolation, patients reporting moderate perceived social isolation had a 16% increased risk of outpatient visits (rate ratio, 1.16; 95%
CI
, 1.03–1.31), whereas those reporting high perceived social isolation had a 26% increased risk (rate ratio, 1.26; 95%
CI
, 1.04–1.53).

Conclusions

In patients with heart failure, greater perceived social isolation is associated with an increased risk of death and healthcare use. Assessing perceived social isolation during the clinical encounter with a brief screening tool may help identify patients with heart failure at greater risk of poor outcomes.
Spatial Attention Enhances the Neural Representation of Invisible Signals Embedded in Noise
Authors: Smout Cooper A. , Mattingley Jason B.
Published: May 2018

Recent evidence suggests that voluntary spatial attention can affect neural processing of visual stimuli that do not enter conscious awareness (i.e., invisible stimuli), supporting the notion that attention and awareness are dissociable processes [Wyart, V., Dehaene, S., & Tallon-Baudry, C. Early dissociation between neural signatures of endogenous spatial attention and perceptual awareness during visual masking. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 6, 1–14, 2012; Watanabe, M., Cheng, K., Murayama, Y., Ueno, K., Asamizuya, T., Tanaka, K., et al. Attention but not awareness modulates the BOLD signal in the human V1 during binocular suppression. Science, 334, 829–831, 2011]. To date, however, no study has demonstrated that these effects reflect enhancement of the neural representation of invisible stimuli per se, as opposed to other neural processes not specifically tied to the stimulus in question. In addition, it remains unclear whether spatial attention can modulate neural representations of invisible stimuli in direct competition with highly salient and visible stimuli. Here we developed a novel EEG frequency-tagging paradigm to obtain a continuous readout of human brain activity associated with visible and invisible signals embedded in dynamic noise. Participants ( n = 23) detected occasional contrast changes in one of two flickering image streams on either side of fixation. Each image stream contained a visible or invisible signal embedded in every second noise image, the visibility of which was titrated and checked using a two-interval forced-choice detection task. Steady-state visual-evoked potentials were computed from EEG data at the signal and noise frequencies of interest. Cluster-based permutation analyses revealed significant neural responses to both visible and invisible signals across posterior scalp electrodes. Control analyses revealed that these responses did not reflect a subharmonic response to noise stimuli. In line with previous findings, spatial attention increased the neural representation of visible signals. Crucially, spatial attention also increased the neural representation of invisible signals. As such, the present results replicate and extend previous studies by demonstrating that attention can modulate the neural representation of invisible signals that are in direct competition with highly salient masking stimuli.
Living Islamic Law: Women and Legal Culture in Marinid Morocco
Authors: Admiral Rosemary
Published: May 2018

Historical studies of Islamic legal systems have focused primarily on courts and prominent muftīs. My research shifts the focus to the community level, with particular attention to women and their relationships with male family members, drawing on cases from Fez and its environs under the Marinid dynasty from the mid-seventh/thirteenth to the mid-ninth/fifteenth century. I argue that people actively engaged with Islamic law in their daily lives and relationships, and that women had access to informal legal spaces that allowed them to influence the legal process, making interpretive decisions on issues where the Mālikī school accepted multiple opinions. Through an analysis of fatwās issued by Marinid jurists, I explore how communities and legal officials resolved contentious disputes, and how women used legal knowledge to participate in the legal process.
Muslim Family Laws in Israel and Greece: Can Non-Muslim Courts Bring about Legal Change in Shari‘a?
Authors: Sezgin Yüksel
Published: May 2018

Should a democratic regime formally incorporate religious laws and courts into its otherwise secular legal system? This is not a hypothetical question. Some democratic nations already formally integrate religion-based laws in the field of family law (especially Muslim Family Law – MFL). Although state-enforced MFLs often affect human rights negatively, many governments, especially non-Muslim majority ones, have refrained from direct legislative interventions into substantive MFLs. Instead they have empowered civil courts to play the role of “reformer.” But how successful have civil judiciaries in non-Muslim regimes been in “reforming” Muslim laws? On the basis of an analysis of the MFL jurisprudence of Israeli and Greek civil courts over the last three decades, I argue that civil courts could not have brought about any direct changes in Muslim law, however, they have had an indirect effect by pressuring religious courts/authorities to undertake self-reform.
The Prism of Expanding Peasants’ Rights: A Critical Investigation of Diverse Frames Applied to La Vía Campesina’s Human Rights Engagements
Authors: Raghu Pratik
Published: May 2018

Since its foundation in 1993, La Vía Campesina has surged to the forefront of the global alter-globalization movement of movements, mobilizing human rights discourse to promote small-scale sustainable agriculture as a key component of social justice, equity, dignity, and autonomy everywhere. This literature review argues that food sovereignty—La Vía Campesina’s best known, rights-based innovation—inflects a range of other interrelated but distinct frames that variously foreground peasants’ rights, “peasantness,” land, cultural recognition, and collective emancipation, prefiguring an array of prospects for the expansion of human rights to peasants and other marginalized populations confronting the failures of capitalist globalization.
Global Internet Value and Work
Authors: Redden John
Published: May 2018

What is the definition of work? How do we measure work in a brick-and-mortar industry as opposed to a global network? In this article I will discuss these ideas along with a description of human versus software generated messages on the Internet. I will also touch on static historical labor, and conclude with a shirt discussion on artificial intelligence and work.
Strengthening the Role of Defence at the International Criminal Court: Reflections on How Defence is and Can Be Supported for Greater Effectiveness and Efficiencies
Authors: St-Michel William , Grandon, Chloé , Haage Marlene Yahya
Published: May 2018

Noting the absence of institutional status for defence in the structure of the International Criminal Court, the present article discusses the means by which the work of defence is supported for enhanced effectiveness and efficiency in proceedings. The article surveys the regime of legal assistance available to indigent defendants, the privileges and immunities granted to defence as well as the cooperation framework, and the support provided by the Registry of the Court and the Office of Public Counsel for the defence. The article then examines how defence can itself contribute to greater effectiveness and efficiency in the Court’s proceedings and activities, with a particular focus on the establishment of the International Criminal Court Bar Association and the involvement of defence in the amendment procedures to the Court’s texts.
Working Methods of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute
Authors: Villacis Renan
Published: May 2018

The Assembly of States Parties, which has a key role to play in the Rome Statute system, in terms of providing oversight and support for the Court, as well as legislating in some cases, has developed its working methods over 15 years. This article seeks to provide an overview of the means by which the Assembly has sought to increase its efficiency bearing in mind the need to address the changing character of the challenges posed. In the first years the focus was on normative texts to supplement the Rome Statute, including until 2010 negotiations on the definition of the crime of aggression and the conditions for the exercise of the jurisdiction of the Court over such crime. In recent years the Assembly has dealt with matters related to operational issues such as tangible cooperation with the Court, non-cooperation and strengthening the role and credibility of the Court.
A revision of the New World Euphorbia adiantoides complex (Euphorbiaceae)
Authors: STEINMANN VICTOR W. , CARRILLO-REYES PABLO
Published: May 2018

The Euphorbia adiantoides complex is here considered to consist of four species. This group is readily distinguished from other New World Euphorbia by the combination of two unusual features: entire styles with capitate stigmas and dichasial bracts with relatively long, filiform stipules. Euphorbia sonorae is reduced to a synonym of Euphorbia adiantoides, a taxon disjunctly distributed between Mexico and western South America. The other species of the complex are all restricted to Mexico. Two of these are described as new: E. zamudioi, an endemic to the Sierra Madre Oriental, and E. breedlovei, which is widespread in central and southern Mexico. A key to distinguish the species is provided, as too are data concerning their morphology, distribution, habitat, phenology, common names, and uses. Phylogenetic analyses were conducted using the nuclear ITS and the chloroplast psbA-trnH regions and including multiple samples of each species. The phylogenetic results are not always congruent with morphology, and of the four species herein recognized, only Euphorbia zamudioi is suggested to form an exclusive, well-supported lineage. This species is nested within E. breedlovei, and two collections of E. breedlovei from central Mexico are more closely related to E. zamudioi than they are to other E. breedlovei from southern Mexico. We hypothesize that E. zamudioi arose through peripatric speciation, in which a northern population of E. breedlovei became reproductively isolated and morphologically differentiated from the remainder of the populations of E. breedlovei.
Hassemer, G. (2018) Typification of five neotropical species of Commelina (Commelinaceae). Phytotaxa 350 (1): 15–23.
Authors: HASSEMER GUSTAVO
Published: May 2018

N/A
Two new natural hybrids in the genus Pleione (Orchidaceae) from China
Authors: ZHANG WEI , QIN JIAO , YANG RUI , YANG YI , ZHANG SHI-BAO
Published: May 2018

Several species in the genus Pleione (Orchidaceae) have same or overlapping geographical distribution in China. In this study, two new natural hybrids, Pleione × baoshanensis and Pleione × maoershanensis, were described and illustrated. The parentage for these two hybrids was confirmed using molecular data from ITS of the nuclear ribosomal, trnT-trnL spacer and trnL-trnF region (trnL intron and trnL-trnF spacer) of the plastid DNA. Pleione × baoshanensis is intermediate between P. albiflora and P. yunnanensis, and characterized by its erose lamellae on the lip. Meanwhile, Pleione × maoershanensis is intermediate between P. hookeriana (P. chunii) and P. pleionoides, and characterized by its deep lacerate lamellae on the lip. For the individuals tested, molecular data suggest that P. albiflora is the maternal parent of Pleione × baoshanensis, and P. hookeriana (P. chunii) is the maternal parent of Pleione × maoershanensis. The history and taxonomic status of P. chunii is also discussed.
New combinations for three taxa of the Oxybasis glauca aggregate (Chenopodiaceae) from Australasia, East Asia, and South America
Authors: MOSYAKIN SERGEI L. , DE LANGE PETER J.
Published: May 2018

Taxonomy and nomenclature of several taxa related to Oxybasis glauca (≡ Chenopodium glaucum, Chenopodiaceae) are discussed. New nomenclatural combinations, i.e. O. ambigua (≡ C. ambiguum), O. amurensis (≡ C. amurense), and O. parodii (≡ C. parodii), are validated for three species native to Australasia (mainly Australia and New Zealand), East Asia (Russian Far East), and South America (Argentina), respectively. Information on type specimens is updated; in particular, it is demonstrated that the name Blitum rubrum var. hypoleucum was applied by Spegazzini to two species now recognized as O. parodii and O. macrosperma, but its newly designated lectotype belongs to O. parodii. It is concluded that the worldwide diversity of the O. glauca aggregate remains underestimated and further integral studies are needed for revealing taxonomic and geographic patterns in the group, and for reflecting them in updated taxonomy.
Rediscovery of Astragalus saganlugensis (Fabaceae, Galegeae) in Iran after 184 years
Authors: BAGHERI ALI , MAASSOUMI ALI ASGHAR , VITEK ERNST
Published: May 2018

Astragalus Linnaeus (1753: 755) (Fabaceae), with about 240 sections and 3000 species, is the largest genus of flowering plants (Podlech & Zarre 2013). Sect. Hypoglottidei De Candolle (1825: 281) with 46 species is one of the taxonomically most problematic sections. The majority of these species grow in Turkey and Iran (Chamberlain & Matthews 1970; Podlech et al. 2010; Podlech & Zarre 2013). Astragalus saganlugensis Trautvetter (1858: 323) is common in both countries, but also in Armenia and Azerbaijan. Trautvetter (1858) described this species as a member of section Hypoglottidei, but did not designate type material for the species. Podlech and Sytin (1996) were the first to choose a lectotype for this species.
Revision of Cephennomicrus of Australia (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae)
Authors: JAŁOSZYŃSKI PAWEŁ
Published: May 2018

The smallest Cephenniini of Australia belonging to the genus Cephennomicrus Reitter are revised. Twenty species occurring in the Australian mainland, Lord Howe Island and Boongaree Island are treated, including redescriptions of three previously known and descriptions of 17 new species: Cephennomicrus inconspicuus (King), C. lordhowei (Franz), C. perthi (Franz), C. baroalbanus sp. n., C. basalis sp. n., C. bipunctatus sp. n., C. carinatus sp. n., C. complicatus sp. n., C. indistinctus sp. n., C. longissimus sp. n., C. marunensis sp. n., C. mediorugosus sp. n., C. monteithi sp. n., C. mossmanensis sp. n., C. pronotalis sp. n., C. proserpinensis sp. n., C. semidividus sp. n., C. triangularis sp. n., C. tuberculifrons sp. n., and C. wunundarranus sp. n. Lectotype is designated for Megaladerus inconspicuus King. A working division of Australian Cephennomicrus into five species groups is proposed and distribution within Australia is summarized.
Description of female of Titidius urucu Esmerio & Lise, 1996 (Araneae: Thomisidae)
Authors: AMANDA NAILA , SALVATIERRA LIDIANNE , ALMEIDA MARLUS QUEIROZ , DE MORAIS JOSÉ WELLINGTON
Published: May 2018

The genus Titidius Simon, 1895 belongs to the family Thomisidae Sundevall, 1833 and can be easily identified from the related genera Tmarus Simon, 1875 and Acentroscelus Simon, 1886 by the high carapace, anterior eye row straight and posterior eye row recurve-;pd in dorsal view, carapace smooth with moderate setation, abdomen longer than wide, legs long, slender and setose and clypeus vertical (Esmerio & Lise 1996). It is currently composed of 20 species, all occurring in Brazil with exception of Titidius ignestii Caporiacco, 1947 from Guyana (World Spider Catalog 2017). Eight species are distributed in the Amazon region (Esmerio & Lise 1996): T. caninde Esmerio & Lise, 1996, T. gurupi Esmerio & Lise, 1996, T. multifasciatus Mello-Leitão, 1929 and T. rubrosignatus (Keyserling, 1880) from Pará; T. galbanatus (Keyserling, 1880) from Amazonas and Pará; T. quinquenatus Mello-Leitão, 1929 and T. urucu from Amazonas; and T. rubescens Carporiacco, 1947 from Amazonas and Roraima.
Heavy Rainfall Duration Bias in Dynamical Downscaling and Its Related Synoptic Patterns in Summertime Asian Monsoon
Authors: Tamaki Yuta , Inatsu Masaru , Nguyen-Le Dzung , Yamada Tomohito J.
Published: May 2018

Dynamical downscaling (DDS) was conducted over Japan by using a regional atmospheric model with reanalysis data to investigate the rainfall duration bias over Kyushu, Japan, in July and August from 2006 to 2015. The model results showed that DDS had a positive rainfall duration bias over Kyushu and a dry bias over almost all of Kyushu, which were emphasized for extreme rainfall events. Investigated was the rainfall duration bias for heavy rainfall days, accompanied by synoptic-scale forcing, in which daily precipitation exceeded 30 mm day−1 and covered over 20% of the Kyushu area. Heavy rainfall days were sampled from observed rainfall data that were based on rain gauge and radar observations. A set of daily climatic variables of horizontal wind and equivalent potential temperature at 850 hPa and sea level pressure, around southwestern Japan, corresponding to the sampled dates, was selected to conduct a self-organizing map (SOM) and K-means method. The SOM and K-means method objectively classified three synoptic patterns related to heavy rainfall over Kyushu: strong monsoon, weak monsoon, and typhoon patterns. Rainfall duration had a positive bias in western Kyushu for the strong monsoon pattern and a positive bias in southern and east-coast Kyushu for the typhoon pattern, whereas there was little rainfall duration bias in the weak monsoon pattern. The bias for the typhoon pattern was related to rainfall events with a strong rainfall peak. The results suggest that bias correction for rainfall duration would be required for accurately estimating direct runoff in a catchment area in addition to the precipitation amount.
Improving Particle Filter Performance by Smoothing Observations
Authors: Robinson Gregor , Grooms Ian , Kleiber William
Published: May 2018

This article shows that increasing the observation variance at small scales can reduce the ensemble size required to avoid collapse in particle filtering of spatially extended dynamics and improve the resulting uncertainty quantification at large scales. Particle filter weights depend on how well ensemble members agree with observations, and collapse occurs when a few ensemble members receive most of the weight. Collapse causes catastrophic variance underestimation. Increasing small-scale variance in the observation error model reduces the incidence of collapse by de-emphasizing small-scale differences between the ensemble members and the observations. Doing so smooths the posterior mean, though it does not smooth the individual ensemble members. Two options for implementing the proposed observation error model are described. Taking a discretized elliptic differential operator as an observation error covariance matrix provides the desired property of a spectrum that grows in the approach to small scales. This choice also introduces structure exploitable by scalable computation techniques, including multigrid solvers and multiresolution approximations to the corresponding integral operator. Alternatively the observations can be smoothed and then assimilated under the assumption of independent errors, which is equivalent to assuming large errors at small scales. The method is demonstrated on a linear stochastic partial differential equation, where it significantly reduces the occurrence of particle filter collapse while maintaining accuracy. It also improves continuous ranked probability scores by as much as 25%, indicating that the weighted ensemble more accurately represents the true distribution. The method is compatible with other techniques for improving the performance of particle filters.
Life Cycle Effects on the Vertical Structure of Precipitation in East China Measured by Himawari-8 and GPM DPR
Authors: Zhang Aoqi , Fu Yunfei
Published: May 2018

We identified precipitating systems from May to August 2016 using data from the Global Precipitation Measurement mission Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar instrument. Then, using this set of cases, Himawari-8 10.4-μm brightness temperature data from before and after each precipitation event were used to identify three life stages of clouds: a developing stage, a mature stage, and a dissipating stage. Using statistical analysis and two case studies, we show that the precipitating systems at different life stages of the clouds have different systematic properties, including the area of precipitation, the convective ratio, the rain-top height, and the brightness temperature. The developing systems had the largest convective ratio, whereas the dissipating systems had the largest area of precipitation. The life stage of the cloud also influenced the vertical structure of the precipitation. The microphysical processes within each stage were unique, leading to various properties of the droplets in precipitation. The developing systems had large, but sparse, droplets; the mature systems had large and dense droplets; and the dissipating systems had small and sparse droplets. Our results suggest that the different properties of precipitating systems in each life cycle stage of clouds are linked to the cloud water content and the upward motion of air.
The calibration of force offset for rocket engine based on deep belief network
Authors: Zhang Jun , Tian Yu , Ren Zongjin , Chang Qingbing , Jia Zhenyuan
Published: May 2018

Background

Force offset is an important movement and control parameter in rocket motor development process, and its accurate measurement is a vital guarantee of rocket motor reliable operation, so there is an essential significance to achieve accurate force offset calibration.

Methods

A novel force offset nonlinear calibration method is proposed based on deep belief network. Experimental platform is established and force offset calibration test is completed. Because the Levenberg -Marquardt process has the advantage of both Newton method and gradient descent method, test data are trained with Levenberg -Marquardt, decreasing nonlinear mapping convergence errors and realizing nonlinear calibration of force offset.

Results and Conclusions

Training results show that the mean deviation rate of force offset after nonlinear calibration is less than 2.7%, better than the back-propagation neural network and least squares method, verifying the reasonableness and practicality of nonlinear compensation calibration method and effectively improving force offset calibration accuracy.
The Historical Meridian: Antiquity and Scripture in the Public Work of George Biddell Airy
Authors: Courtney Stephen
Published: May 2018

George Airy, the Astronomer Royal between 1835 and 1881, was the most prolific public scientist and governmental adviser in nineteenth-century Britain. His contributions to parliamentary commissions, like his management of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, have been characterised as an attempt to impose order across Victorian society. However, the cultural subtext to this governmental work has not been explored. By profiling his non-professional investigations into ancient history and scriptural criticism, recorded in the Royal Observatory archives, this article examines the ideas and beliefs that framed Airy’s contribution to Victorian governance. In doing so, it reveals intimate connections between science, administration and cultural heritage in Victorian Britain.
Damage initiation and evolution during monotonic cooling of laminated composites
Authors: Barbero Ever J. , Cabrera Barbero Javier
Published: May 2018

The objective of this work is to develop a methodology to predict matrix damage initiation and evolution in laminated composites subjected to monotonic cooling using discrete damage mechanics and a careful characterization of the required temperature-dependent material properties. Since prediction of thermo-mechanical damage requires precise knowledge of the temperature-dependent properties of the material, back-calculation of fiber and matrix properties from different sources is included. The proposed methodology is flexible, in that it can be adapted to the availability of experimental data. A compilation of literature data is developed to estimate the properties of several fiber and matrix systems. Prediction of lamina and laminate temperature-dependent properties are compared with available data. Furthermore, temperature-dependent fracture toughness of four material systems are estimated from available crack density data. For the material systems studied, it is found that temperature-independent fracture toughness is satisfactory for prediction of damage initiation, evolution, and saturation.
Specific Language Impairment and Reading Disability: Categorical Distinction or Continuum?
Authors: Spanoudis George C. , Papadopoulos Timothy C. , Spyrou Spyroula
Published: May 2018

Specific language impairment (SLI) and reading disability (RD) are familial, moderately heritable comorbid developmental disorders. The key deficit of SLI is oral language, whereas children with RD exhibit impairment in learning to read. The present study examines the possible co-occurrence of RD and SLI and the nature of this co-occurrence at a linguistic and a cognitive level in an orthographically consistent language. Four groups of children participated in the study: an RD group ( n = 10), an SLI group ( n = 13), a possible comorbid group ( n = 9), and a control–no deficit group ( n = 20). Analysis showed that all three clinical groups in our sample performed similarly in phonological awareness and naming-speed tasks. However, significant group differences were observed in orthographic processing, reading, semantics, and phonological memory measures, thus supporting the view that SLI and RD are distinct disorders. Results are in line with previous findings indicating that SLI and RD share common characteristics, although the two conditions are manifested with different symptoms.
Smoothing wind power fluctuations by particle swarm optimization-based pitch angle controller
Authors: Ben Smida Mouna , Sakly Anis
Published: May 2018

Pitch angle control is considered as a practical technique for power regulation above the rated wind speed. As a conventional pitch control, commonly the proportional and integral (PI) controller is used. However, the PI-type may not have a suitable performance if the controlled system contains non-linearity, as the wind turbine system or the desired wind trajectory varies with higher frequency. In the presence of modeling uncertainties, the necessity of methods presenting controllers with appropriate performance as the advanced control strategies is inevitable. The control approach based on Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm may have the potential when the system contains strong non-linearity, such as strong wind turbulence. In this work, a new pitch control method based on PSO is developed. The design of the proposed strategy and its comparisons with a fuzzy logic controller and a conventional PI controller are carried out. The simulation results demonstrate that our developed approach has regulated both the output aerodynamic power and the speed in the nominal range. Results indicate that the new proposed PSO technique outperforms one of the best and earliest methods in smoothing the output power during wind fluctuations.
Increasing Active Engagement
Authors: Ault Melinda Jones , Horn Channon K.
Published: May 2018

The use of response cards is a research-based strategy to increase active engagement, on-task behavior, and academic responding. With new and affordable mobile technologies, teachers now have access to a host of high-tech digital student response systems to increase engagement. This article describes the logistical, management, and pedagogical considerations for teachers using such systems. This article provides guidelines for teachers when planning, implementing, and monitoring the use of student response systems. A classroom example is provided along with data sheets and a graphing system to use when collecting data and evaluating effectiveness. This article also provides a table of digital student response systems including their descriptions and features.
Gender equality in politics at home and promotion of gender equality in politics abroad: The role of bilateral official development assistance
Authors: Yoon Mi Yung , Moon Chungshik
Published: May 2018

Does gender equality in politics in donor countries affect the allocation to recipient countries of official development assistance in support of gender equality in politics? Since the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the launch of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals in 2000, gender equality has been underscored as an important development goal for donors. We hypothesize that donors with higher levels of gender equality in politics are likely to allocate more aid to recipients with lower levels of gender equality in politics to promote the equality in politics in those countries. We expect this positive relationship to be even more significant after the launch of the Millennium Development Goals. Using a time-series cross-sectional design covering country dyads for the period, 1990–2012, we find evidence supporting our hypotheses.
WITHDRAWN–Administrative Duplicate Publication: Industrial Relations and the Tragic Flaw
Authors: Joseph Jerome
Published: May 2018

Anyone familiar with Shakespeare and his tragedies would have heard about the ‘tragic flaw’ of his heroes. All his tragic heroes—Macbeth, King Lear, Hamlet and Othello—catapulted towards their tragic end because of a tragic flaw: Vaulting ambition in Macbeth, misplaced trust in King Lear, indecisiveness in Hamlet, green eyed jealousy in Othello and so on. This article is an attempt to respond to the question of whether industrial relations practice is also characterized by a tragic flaw which significantly undermines its potency. The data for the article come from the published newspaper reports related to industrial relations incidents some of which involved avoidable workplace violence and tragic fatalities. The article analyses these industrial relations incidents and draws insights related to the root causes of what has been termed as the ‘morphology of volatility’.
Veno-arterio-venous ECMO for septic cardiomyopathy: a single-centre experience
Authors: Vogel Dominik J. , Murray Josie , Czapran Adam Z. , Camporota Luigi , Ioannou Nicholas , Meadows Chris I. S. , Sherren Peter B. , Daly Kathleen , Gooby Nigel , Barrett Nicholas
Published: May 2018

Introduction:

The role of extracorporeal support for patients with septic shock remains unclear.

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective analysis of our single-centre experience with veno-arterio-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VAV ECMO) in adult patients with severe respiratory failure and septic cardiomyopathy. Clinical data was extracted from electronic medical records including a dedicated ECMO referral and follow-up database.

Results:

Twelve patients were commenced on VAV ECMO for septic cardiomyopathy for a median of four days (IQR 3.0 to 5.3) between 01/2014 and 12/2017. Five patients (41.7%) had a cardiac arrest prior to initiation of ECMO support. At baseline, median left ventricular ejection fraction was 16.25% (IQR 13.13 to 17.5) and median PaO2/FiO2 ratio was 9 kPa (IQR 6.5 to 12.0) [67.50 mmHg (IQR 48.75 to 90.00)]. The survival rate to hospital discharge for VAV ECMO was 75% in this cohort. None of the surviving patients died within the follow-up period (median six month).

Conclusion:

VAV ECMO is a feasible rescue strategy for a small proportion of patients with combined respiratory and cardiac failure secondary to septic shock with septic cardiomyopathy. We provide a detailed report of our experience with this technique. Further research is required comparing the different extracorporeal strategies directly to conventional resuscitation and against each other.
Acute effects of inhaled menthol on the rewarding effects of intravenous nicotine in smokers
Authors: Valentine Gerald W , DeVito Elise E , Jatlow Peter I , Gueorguieva Ralitza , Sofuoglu Mehmet
Published: May 2018

Objective:

This double-blind, placebo controlled study examined whether menthol inhaled from an electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) would change subjective and withdrawal alleviating effects of intravenous nicotine in young adult smokers.

Methods:

A total of 32 menthol-preferring smokers and 25 non-menthol-preferring smokers participated in the study that consisted of a random sequence of three different inhaled menthol conditions (0.0%, 0.5%, and 3.2%) across three test sessions (a single menthol condition per session). In each test session (performed at least 24 hours apart), a random order of saline, and two different nicotine infusions of 0.25 mg and 0.5 mg/70 kg of bodyweight were administered, one hour apart, concurrent with menthol inhalation.

Results:

While menthol did not alter the positive subjective effects of nicotine, menthol significantly enhanced aversive effects of nicotine in non-menthol-preferring smokers and reduced smoking urges in menthol-preferring smokers. In addition, menthol-preferring smokers reported blunted positive subjective responses to nicotine and less severe nicotine withdrawal after overnight nicotine deprivation. Finally, compared to non-menthol-preferring smokers, menthol-preferring smokers had a significantly lower baseline nicotine metabolite ratio indicating slower nicotine metabolism within our sample of menthol-preferring smokers.

Conclusions:

Our findings did not support an enhancement of nicotine’s positive subjective effects from inhaled menthol. However, as compared to non-menthol-preferring smokers, menthol-preferring smokers had blunted positive subjective responses to nicotine and reduced overnight withdrawal severity that may be partly due to inhibition of nicotine metabolism from chronic exposure to inhaled menthol. Collectively, these results reveal a more complex and nuanced role of inhaled menthol in smokers than previously recognized.
Too Pretty for Homework: Sexualized Gender Stereotypes Predict Academic Attitudes for Gender-Typical Early Adolescent Girls
Authors: Nelson Andrew A. , Brown Christia Spears
Published: May 2018

Sexualized gender stereotypes (SGS) are commonly endorsed by adolescent girls. These stereotypes include the notion that girls can enhance their social status by prioritizing their sexualized attractiveness, which necessitates downplaying other traits such as intelligence. According to the stereotype emulation hypothesis, a girl will be more likely to “emulate” SGS if she also identifies as a typical girl. Based on this hypothesis, the current study examined the relationship between girls’ SGS endorsement and their academic motivations, beliefs, and motivations—and whether this relationship was moderated by gender typicality. Girls ( N = 99), aged 11 years to 14 years ( Meanage = 12.4 years, SD = .57 years), completed a survey assessing their academic outcomes, SGS endorsement, and gender typicality. As hypothesized, results indicated that higher endorsement of SGS was generally associated with maladaptive academic outcomes, and this association was the strongest for highly gender-typical girls. Theoretical and educational implications are discussed.
Radiographic analysis of the correlation between ossification of the nuchal ligament and sagittal alignment and segmental stability of the cervical spine in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy
Authors: Ying Jinwei , Teng Honglin , Qian Yunfan , Hu Yingying , Wen Tianyong , Ruan Dike , Zhu Minyu
Published: May 2018

Background

Ossification of the nuchal ligament (ONL) caused by chronic injury to the nuchal ligament (NL) is very common in instability-related cervical disorders.

Purpose

To determine possible correlations between ONL, sagittal alignment, and segmental stability of the cervical spine.

Material and Methods

Seventy-three patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) and ONL (ONL group) and 118 patients with CSM only (control group) were recruited. Radiographic data included the characteristics of ONL, sagittal alignment and segmental stability, and ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL). We performed comparisons in terms of radiographic parameters between the ONL and control groups. The correlations between ONL size, cervical sagittal alignment, and segmental stability were analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify the independent risk factors of the development of ONL.

Results

C2–C7 sagittal vertical axis (SVA), T1 slope (T1S), T1S minus cervical lordosis (T1S-CL) on the lateral plain, angular displacement (AD), and horizontal displacement (HD) on the dynamic radiograph increased significantly in the ONL group compared with the control group. The size of ONL significantly correlated with C2–C7 SVA, T1S, AD, and HD. The incidence of ONL was higher in patients with OPLL and segmental instability. Cervical instability, sagittal malalignment, and OPLL were independent predictors of the development of ONL through multivariate analysis.

Conclusion

Patients with ONL are more likely to have abnormal sagittal alignment and instability of the cervical spine. Thus, increased awareness and appreciation of this often-overlooked radiographic finding is warranted during diagnosis and treatment of instability-related cervical pathologies and injuries.
Park ‘n’ Roll: Identifying and Prioritizing Locations for New Bicycle Parking in Québec City, Canada
Authors: Veillette Marie-Pier , Grisé Emily , El-Geneidy Ahmed
Published: May 2018

Promoting active modes of transportation, such as cycling, is an ongoing challenge faced by many cities around the world. Fostering a bicycle culture in an auto-dominant region is riddled with challenges, but success has been achieved with investments in bicycle infrastructure, including bicycle parking. This study presents a new methodology to identify the optimal locations to install short-term (bicycle racks) and long-term (bicycle lockers or indoor locking facilities) bicycle parking using a GIS-based approach that considers multiple criteria. Using Québec City, Canada, as a case study, our methodology considers multiple criteria related to the demand for bicycle parking, including the destinations of existing and potential cyclists and proximity to a frequent bus service. A prioritization index is developed to identify the optimal locations for long-term and short-term bicycle parking. This is followed by a recommendation of the number of bicycle parking spaces required to meet existing and potential demand. This paper aims to provide practitioners with an easy-to-use method to aid in the planning of new bicycle parking infrastructure, which is designed to be flexible and adaptable to other contexts.
Effects of Pier Deformation on Train Operations within High-Speed Railway Ballastless Track–Bridge Systems
Authors: Zhang De , Xiao Junhua , Zhang Xiao
Published: May 2018

The deformation of a bridge foundation (i.e. pier) for a ballastless track of a high-speed railway may cause additional irregularities within the track, thereby affecting train operation. By using a unit slab ballastless track bridge system as the research object, this study built a finite element model and a train–track dynamic interaction model. The additional rail deformation caused by the vertical or lateral deformation of a bridge pier was calculated by the finite element model, and then the effects on train operation due to the additional rail deformation were analyzed by the train–track dynamic model. It was found that the lateral deformation of a single pier should be of the most concern for the management and control of a high-speed railway. Specifically, when a pier suffered settlement and lateral deformation concurrently, the evaluation indices of train operation were primarily affected by the magnitude of the lateral deformation, and were only slightly affected by the settlement.