bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Refined Rademacher Chaos Complexity Bounds with Applications to the Multikernel Learning Problem
Authors: Lei Yunwen , Ding Lixin
Published: January 2014

Estimating the Rademacher chaos complexity of order two is important for understanding the performance of multikernel learning (MKL) machines. In this letter, we develop a novel entropy integral for Rademacher chaos complexities. As compared to the previous bounds, our result is much improved in that it introduces an adjustable parameter ε to prohibit the divergence of the involved integral. With the use of the iteration technique in Steinwart and Scovel ( 2007 ), we also apply our Rademacher chaos complexity bound to the MKL problems and improve existing learning rates.
Learning Nonlinear Statistical Regularities in Natural Images by Modeling the Outer Product of Image Intensities
Authors: Qi Peng , Hu Xiaolin
Published: January 2014

It is well known that there exist nonlinear statistical regularities in natural images. Existing approaches for capturing such regularities always model the image intensities by assuming a parameterized distribution for the intensities and learn the parameters. In the letter, we propose to model the outer product of image intensities by assuming a gaussian distribution for it. A two-layer structure is presented, where the first layer is nonlinear and the second layer is linear. Trained on natural images, the first-layer bases resemble the receptive fields of simple cells in the primary visual cortex (V1), while the second-layer units exhibit some properties of the complex cells in V1, including phase invariance and masking effect. The model can be seen as an approximation of the covariance model proposed in Karklin and Lewicki ( 2009 ) but has more robust and efficient learning algorithms.
Large Margin Low Rank Tensor Analysis
Authors: Zhong Guoqiang , Cheriet Mohamed
Published: January 2014

We present a supervised model for tensor dimensionality reduction, which is called large margin low rank tensor analysis (LMLRTA). In contrast to traditional vector representation-based dimensionality reduction methods, LMLRTA can take any order of tensors as input. And unlike previous tensor dimensionality reduction methods, which can learn only the low-dimensional embeddings with a priori specified dimensionality, LMLRTA can automatically and jointly learn the dimensionality and the low-dimensional representations from data. Moreover, LMLRTA delivers low rank projection matrices, while it encourages data of the same class to be close and of different classes to be separated by a large margin of distance in the low-dimensional tensor space. LMLRTA can be optimized using an iterative fixed-point continuation algorithm, which is guaranteed to converge to a local optimal solution of the optimization problem. We evaluate LMLRTA on an object recognition application, where the data are represented as 2D tensors, and a face recognition application, where the data are represented as 3D tensors. Experimental results show the superiority of LMLRTA over state-of-the-art approaches.
A taxonomic synopsis of Brazilian Chloraeinae (Orchidaceae: Orchidoideae)
Authors: Buzatto Cristiano Roberto , Sanguinetti Agustín , Romero-González Gustavo A. , Van den Berg Cássio , Singer Rodrigo B.
Published: January 2014

A taxonomic synopsis of Brazilian Chloraeinae (Orchidaceae) is presented. Artificial keys to separate the genera and species are included. Vegetative and floral features of all species are described and illustrated with drawings and photographs, and data on their distribution, phenology and ecology are presented. Two lectotypes and one neotype are proposed. The presence of Bipinnula biplumata, B. montana, B. penicillata and Chloraea membranacea in Brazil is confirmed, and Bipinnula gibertii is reported for the first time from this country.
Revision of the fern family Marattiaceae in the Seychelles with two new species and a discussion of the African Ptisana fraxinea complex.
Authors: Senterre Bruno , ROUHAN GERMINAL , FABRE ISABELLE , MOREL CHARLES , CHRISTENHUSZ MAARTEN J.M.
Published: January 2014

The fern flora of the Seychelles archipelago remains relatively poorly known. Current projects involving the development of the Seychelles National Herbarium and study of key biodiversity areas have resulted in extensive new explorations on the granitic islands. Historical literature, newly collected specimens and older collections have been revised for the fern family Marattiaceae as a prelude for a fern checklist, resulting in the rediscovery of Ptisana a century after it was last reported (as Marattia). Two species of Angiopteris are recognised in the Seychelles, one of them new to science. In total, three species are recorded from the granitic Seychelles islands, Mahé and Silhouette, and none from the coral islands, which are too dry to harbour Marattiaceae. These three species are described in detail. The newly described Angiopteris chongsengiana is characterized by the elongated terminal pinnules and progressively reduced distal pairs of pinnules. Based on phylogenetic molecular analyses the Ptisana fraxinea complex is discussed and several new combinations are proposed. The Seychellois Ptisana is most closely related to Ascension Island endemic P. purpurascens and is described as a new species, Ptisana laboudalloniana. It differs from P. fraxinea in its winged secondary rachises and from P. salicifolia in its smaller habit, with the laminae shorter than broad and shorter than the petioles. Preliminary revisions of other fern families indicate that more discoveries are likely to be made in the fern flora of the Seychelles.
Abelisauridae (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Late Jurassic of Portugal and dentition-based phylogeny as a contribution for the identification of isolated theropod teeth
Authors: Hendrickx Christophe , Mateus Octávio
Published: January 2014

Theropod dinosaurs form a highly diversified clade, and their teeth are some of the most common components of the Mesozoic dinosaur fossil record. This is the case in the Lourinhã Formation (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian-Tithonian) of Portugal, where theropod teeth are particularly abundant and diverse. Four isolated theropod teeth are here described and identified based on morphometric and anatomical data. They are included in a cladistic analysis performed on a data matrix of 141 dentition-based characters coded in 60 taxa, as well as a supermatrix combining our dataset with six recent datamatrices based on the whole theropod skeleton. The consensus tree resulting from the dentition-based data matrix reveals that theropod teeth provide reliable data for identification at approximately family level. Therefore, phylogenetic methods will help identifying theropod teeth with more confidence in the future. Although dental characters do not reliably indicate relationships among higher clades of theropods, they demonstrate interesting patterns of homoplasy suggesting dietary convergence in (1) alvarezsauroids, therizinosaurs and troodontids; (2) coelophysoids and spinosaurids; (3) compsognathids and dromaeosaurids; and (4) ceratosaurids, allosauroids and megalosaurids.        Based on morphometric and cladistic analyses, the biggest tooth from Lourinhã is referred to a mesial crown of the megalosaurid Torvosaurus tanneri, due to the elliptical cross section of the crown base, the large size and elongation of the crown, medially positioned mesial and distal carinae, and the coarse denticles. The smallest tooth is identified as Richardoestesia, and as a close relative of R. gilmorei based on the weak constriction between crown and root, the “eight-shaped” outline of the base crown and, on the distal carina, the average of ten symmetrically rounded denticles per mm, as well as a subequal number of denticles basally and at mid-crown. Finally, the two medium-sized teeth belong to the same taxon and exhibit pronounced interdenticular sulci between distal denticles, hooked distal denticles for one of them, an irregular enamel texture, and a straight distal margin, a combination of features only observed in abelisaurids. They provide the first record of Abelisauridae in the Jurassic of Laurasia and one of the oldest records of this clade in the world, suggesting a possible radiation of Abelisauridae in Europe well before the Upper Cretaceous.
An integrative appraisal of the diversification in the Atlantic forest genus Delomys (Rodentia: Cricetidae: Sigmodontinae) with the description of a new species
Authors: GONÇALVES PABLO RODRIGUES , OLIVEIRA JOÃO ALVES DE
Published: January 2014

Recent taxonomic studies on Neotropical mammals have benefited from the use of genetic data to unravel and recognize species diversity in a number of genera, including the Atlantic forest endemic genus Delomys. However, the success of this approach depends on ability to link genetically identified lineages to species names based on voucher specimens that lack genetic data. Cytogenetic studies in the Atlantic forest endemic rodent genus Delomys have revealed two widespread karyotypes, 2n=72/FN=90 and 2n=82/FN=80, which have been respectively ascribed to Delomys sublineatus (Thomas, 1903) and D. dorsalis (Hensel, 1872). More recently, a third karyotype, 2n=82/FN=86, reported from specimens collected on two montaintops in southeastern Brazil, was interpreted as evidence for a third species, D. collinus Thomas, 1917. This nominal form had originally been described as a subspecies of D. dorsalis from Itatiaia, one of the mountain ranges where the third karyotype was later detected. The detection of two sympatric karyotypes at the type locality of D. collinus in the Itatiaia mountain range, Southeastern Brazil, prompted a reevaluation of the association of karyomorphs and species names. In this paper, we assessed the congruence of molecular (cytochrome b), cytogenetic and morphological characters, to diagnose the species in the genus, including data from recently collected series and type specimens. Our results indicate that the genetic and morphological patterns are largely congruent with the recognition of three species, each of which is karyotypically and morphologically diagnosable. Our morphological analyses of sympatric samples from Itatiaia refute the former association of the 2n=82/FN=86 karyotype with the holotype of D. dorsalis collinus (which is more similar to D. dorsalis with 2n=82/FN=80). Instead, we recognize and describe a new species for the 2n=82/FN=86 populations from the highest altitudinal zones of the Itatiaia and Caparaó mountains. The geographical variation in D. dorsalis is also explored and the status of D. d. collinus is discussed in the light of the molecular and morphological evidence. Finally, we discuss biogeographic hypotheses concerning the disjunct distributions of D. dorsalis and the new species.
Benthodytes violeta, a new species of a deep-sea holothuroid (Elasipodida: Psychropotidae) from Mar del Plata Canyon (south-western Atlantic Ocean)
Authors: MARTINEZ MARIANO I. , SOLÍS-MARÍN FRANCISCO A. , PENCHASZADEH PABLO E.
Published: January 2014

A new species of elasipodid holothuroid, Benthodytes violeta sp. nov., is described from the Mar del Plata Canyon off Buenos Aires Province (around 38ºS–54ºW). It was taken at four locations at depths ranging from 1500 to 1950 m. This new species has a violet gelatinous body of up to 200 mm in length, with eight pairs of dorsal appendages, lateral festooned edges and four rows of tube feet ventrally. Body wall ossicles comprise rods and crosses with three or four arms and a central bipartite apophysis borne on the primary cross; tentacles and gonad deposits comprise rods and crosses with three and four arms. This is the first report of a holothuroid from the Mar del Plata Canyon area.
Isospora pitiguari n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from the rufous-browed peppershrike (Aves: Passeriformes: Vireonidae) Cyclarhis gujanensis Gmelin, 1789
Authors: LOPES BRUNO DO BOMFIM , BERTO BRUNO PEREIRA , LUZ HERMES RIBEIRO , GALVÃO GIDEÃO DA SILVA , FERREIRA ILDEMAR , LOPES CARLOS WILSON GOMES
Published: January 2014

In the current study, a new coccidian species (Protozoa: Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae), collected from the rufous-browed peppershrike Cyclarhis gujanensis Gmelin, 1789, is reported from Brazil. Isospora pitiguari n. sp. has oocysts, which are spherical to sub-spherical, 26.8 × 25.7 μm, with smooth, bilayered wall ~1.5 μm thick. Micropyle, oocyst residuum, and polar granule are absent. Sporocysts are rounded to slightly ovoidal, 14.4 × 11.6 µm. Stieda body flattened and substieda body prominent and rounded. Sporocyst residuum is composed of granules of different sizes. Sporozoites are vermiform with one refractile body and a nucleus. This is the first description of an isosporoid coccidium infecting a New World vireo.
The Interannual Variability of Tropical Precipitation and Interhemispheric Energy Transport
Authors: Donohoe Aaron , Marshall John , Ferreira David , Armour Kyle , McGee David
Published: January 2014

The interannual variability of the location of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) is strongly (R = 0.75) correlated with the atmospheric heat transport across the equator (AHTEQ) over the satellite era (1979–2009). A 1° northward displacement of the ITCZ is associated with 0.34 PW of anomalous AHTEQ from north to south. The AHTEQ and precipitation anomalies are both associated with an intensification of the climatological Hadley cell that is displaced north of the equator. This relationship suggests that the tropical precipitation variability is driven by a hemispheric asymmetry of energy input to the atmosphere at all latitudes by way of the constraint that AHTEQ is balanced by a hemispheric asymmetry in energy input to the atmosphere.

A 500-yr coupled model simulation also features strong interannual correlations between the ITCZ location and AHTEQ. The interannual variability of AHTEQ in the model is associated with a hemispheric asymmetry in the top of the atmosphere radiative anomalies in the tropics with the Northern Hemisphere gaining energy when the ITCZ is displaced northward. The surface heat fluxes make a secondary contribution to the interannual variability of AHTEQ despite the fact that the interannual variability of the ocean heat transport across the equator (OHTEQ) is comparable in magnitude to that in AHTEQ. The OHTEQ makes a minimal impact on the atmospheric energy budget because the vast majority of the interannual variability in OHTEQ is stored in the subsurface ocean and, thus, the interannual variability of OHTEQ does not strongly impact the atmospheric circulation.
On the Warm Water Volume and Its Changing Relationship with ENSO
Authors: Bunge Lucia , Clarke Allan J.
Published: January 2014

The interannual, equatorial Pacific, 20°C isotherm depth variability since 1980 is dominated by two empirical orthogonal function (EOF) modes: the “tilt” mode, having opposite signs in the eastern and western equatorial Pacific and in phase with zonal wind forcing and El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) indices, and a second EOF mode of one sign across the Pacific. Because the tilt mode is of opposite sign in the eastern and western equatorial Pacific while the second EOF mode is of one sign, the second mode has been associated with the warm water volume (WWV), defined as the volume of water above the 20°C isotherm from 5°S to 5°N, 120°E to 80°W. Past work suggested that the WWV led the tilt mode by about 2–3 seasons, making it an ENSO predictor. But after 1998 the lead has decreased and WWV-based predictions of ENSO have failed. The authors constructed a sea level–based WWV proxy back to 1955, and before 1973 it also exhibited a smaller lead. Analysis of data since 1980 showed that the decreased WWV lead is related to a marked increase in the tilt mode contribution to the WWV and a marked decrease in second-mode EOF amplitude and its contribution. Both pre-1973 and post-1998 periods of reduced lead were characterized by “mean” La Niña–like conditions, including a westward displacement of the anomalous wind forcing. According to recent theory, and consistent with observations, such westward displacement increases the tilt mode contribution to the WWV and decreases the second-mode amplitude and its WWV contribution.
Wind Retrieval Algorithms for the IWRAP and HIWRAP Airborne Doppler Radars with Applications to Hurricanes
Authors: Guimond Stephen R. , Tian Lin , Heymsfield Gerald M. , Frasier Stephen J.
Published: January 2014

Algorithms for the retrieval of atmospheric winds in precipitating systems from downward-pointing, conically scanning airborne Doppler radars are presented. The focus is on two radars: the Imaging Wind and Rain Airborne Profiler (IWRAP) and the High-Altitude IWRAP (HIWRAP). The IWRAP is a dual-frequency (C and Ku bands), multibeam (incidence angles of 30°–50°) system that flies on the NOAA WP-3D aircraft at altitudes of 2–4 km. The HIWRAP is a dual-frequency (Ku and Ka bands), dual-beam (incidence angles of 30° and 40°) system that flies on the NASA Global Hawk aircraft at altitudes of 18–20 km.

Retrievals of the three Cartesian wind components over the entire radar sampling volume are described, which can be determined using either a traditional least squares or variational solution procedure. The random errors in the retrievals due to the airborne radar geometry and noise in the Doppler velocities are evaluated using both an error propagation analysis with least squares theory and a numerical simulation of a hurricane. These analyses show that the vertical and along-track wind errors have strong across-track dependence with values ranging from 0.25 m s−1 at nadir to 2.0 and 1.0 m s−1 at the swath edges, respectively. The average across-track wind errors are ~2.5 m s−1 or 7% of the hurricane wind speed. For typical rotated figure-four flight patterns through hurricanes, the zonal and meridional wind speed errors are ~1.5–2.0 m s−1. Evaluations of both retrieval methods show that the variational procedure is generally preferable to the least squares procedure.

Examples of measured data retrievals from IWRAP during an eyewall replacement cycle in Hurricane Isabel (2003) and from HIWRAP during the development of Tropical Storm Matthew (2010) are shown. Comparisons of IWRAP-measured data retrievals at nadir to flight-level data show errors of ~2.0 m s−1 for vertical winds and ~4.0 m s−1 for horizontal wind speed (~7% of the hurricane wind speed). Additional sources of error, such as hydrometeor fall speed uncertainties and a small height offset in the comparisons, are likely responsible for the larger vertical wind errors when compared to the simulated error analyses.
Calibration of Limited-Area Ensemble Precipitation Forecasts for Hydrological Predictions
Authors: Diomede Tommaso , Marsigli Chiara , Montani Andrea , Nerozzi Fabrizio , Paccagnella Tiziana
Published: January 2014

The main objective of this study is to investigate the impact of calibration for limited-area ensemble precipitation forecasts, to be used for driving discharge predictions up to 5 days in advance. A reforecast dataset, which spans 30 years, based on the Consortium for Small Scale Modeling Limited-Area Ensemble Prediction System (COSMO-LEPS) was used for testing the calibration strategy. Three calibration techniques were applied: quantile-to-quantile mapping, linear regression, and analogs. The performance of these methodologies was evaluated in terms of statistical scores for the precipitation forecasts operationally provided by COSMO-LEPS in the years 2003–07 over Germany, Switzerland, and the Emilia-Romagna region (northern Italy). The calibration provided a beneficial impact for the ensemble forecast over Switzerland and Germany; whereas, it resulted as less effective for Emilia-Romagna. The analog-based method seemed to be preferred because of its capability of correct position errors and spread deficiencies. A suitable spatial domain for the analog search can help to handle model spatial errors as systematic errors. However, the performance of the analog-based method may degrade in cases where a limited training dataset is available. The quantile-to-quantile mapping and linear regression methods were less effective, mainly because the forecast–analysis relation was not so strong for the available training dataset. The verification of the calibration process was then performed by coupling ensemble precipitation forecasts with a distributed rainfall–runoff model. This test was carried out for a medium-sized catchment located in Emilia-Romagna, showing a beneficial impact of the analog-based method on the reduction of missed events for discharge predictions.
South Africa’s Key Health Challenges
Authors: Whiteside Alan
Published: January 2014

South Africa has an estimated 6.4 million people living with HIV, with more than 2 million already on treatment. The disease emerged in South Africa at the same time as the transition to democracy began in 1990. Although the country has seen considerable advances in many social spheres, the health sector has lagged. This lag is primarily because the HIV/AIDS epidemic results in an increased burden of disease in a cohort of people who would otherwise be healthy. This article warns that the all-pervasive nature of the epidemic will put other areas of development at risk. With economic development come new threats to the health of South Africans, including noncommunicable diseases and environmental change. Service delivery remains a challenge for the government at all levels, and the demands of not only South Africans but of migrants and refugees need to be considered.
Democracy at Risk? Politics and Governance under the ANC
Authors: Southall Roger
Published: January 2014

The negotiated settlement of 1994 established South Africa as a constitutional democracy. Under Nelson Mandela, the new democracy basked in a glow of national reconciliation, early growth, and optimism. Subsequently, however, the national sense of collective well-being has declined. Racial inequality has narrowed, but the fundamental features of the apartheid economy remain, including a significant section of the population living in absolute poverty, despite the efforts of the government to combine economic growth with redistribution. Given the continued entrenchment of white economic power, the African National Congress (ANC) has sought to use its capture of the state to promote the empowerment of blacks. However, having assumed the characteristics of a “dominant party” assured of successive election victories, the ANC now presides over a party-state whose accountability leaves much to be desired, providing opportunity and scope for corrupt and predatory behavior by significant elements of the party’s elite. Further merging of party and state challenges constitutionalism and threatens the rule of law. It is only when the ANC’s electoral hegemony is eroded that we will discover whether, if faced by loss of power, it will obey or disregard its democratic heritage.
The Social and Political Implications of Demographic Change in Post-Apartheid South Africa
Authors: Seekings Jeremy
Published: January 2014

The cohort of young people born between the early 1980s and early 1990s consitute a demographic bulge in the South African population. The sheer size of this cohort renders it especially important in terms of the changing political, economic, and social life of the country. The cohort grew up for the most part after apartheid had ended, entered the labor market at a time of high unemployment, is having children as marriage is in decline, and reached voting age just as the African National Congress’s (ANC’s) moral stature began to decline. All these factors might be expected to result in distinctive disaffection and a propensity for dissent. In terms of their attitudes and behavior, however, this cohort looks much like older (or immediately preceding) cohorts of South Africans. Where this cohort is likely to leave its mark is in entrenching some of the social, economic, and political changes that, until recently, might have appeared transient.
Post-1994 South African Education
Authors: Badat Saleem , Sayed Yusuf
Published: January 2014

The formal end of apartheid was greeted with optimism and expectations. A new Government of National Unity with Nelson Mandela at its head signaled a new just and democratic social order, including social justice in and through education. Twenty years later, formally desegregated yet class-based educational institutions, continuing disparities and inequities, and poor academic achievement are key features of the contemporary educational order. This article considers how far South Africa has come since 1994 in realizing laudable constitutional and policy goals, especially equity, quality, and social justice in education. It argues, however, that, as a consequence of policy, the doors of learning remain firmly shut to the majority of South Africans. Some key strategies to advance social justice are identified. A failure to act now and with urgency to reform South Africa’s educational approach betrays constitutional ideals and leaves intact the systemic crisis of education that especially affects South Africa’s historically disadvantaged and marginalized peoples.
Meeting the Challenge of Unemployment?
Authors: Nattrass Nicoli
Published: January 2014

South Africa has one of the highest rates of unemployment in the world. Job creation is a national priority, yet labor-intensive options are derided by the trade union movement as an unacceptable throwback to the “cheap labor” policies of apartheid, and effectively ruled out by the government in its recent National Development Plan (NDP). Instead, minimum-wage setting in South Africa continues to contribute to job destruction (as evidenced most recently in the clothing industry). Policy-makers hope that support for high-productivity firms and rapid economic growth will make up for job losses and solve the unemployment problem. Unfortunately, South Africa’s economic performance has been comparatively disappointing and constrained by negative investor sentiment, especially with regard to the labor market. The NDP has called for a social accord between labor and capital. But the prospects are not promising, and unemployment is likely to remain a significant feature of the South African economic landscape.
Curbing the Killing Fields
Authors: van der Spuy Elrena , Shearing Clifford
Published: January 2014

South Africa is often held up as an enviable example of a country that avoided a full-blown civil war. Twenty years into the new constitutional democracy, however, the continuation of social conflict and criminal violence begs the question as to whether South Africa deserves to be described as “postconflict.” In this article, we take stock of contemporary conversations about crime. First, key dimensions of South Africa’s crime problem are described, drawing on a composite report on violent crime published in 2009 by the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (Johannesburg). We then focus on three recent episodes to illustrate some of the dimensions of violence in South Africa’s multifaceted society. Finally, we take stock of some select approaches to dealing with violent criminality and review ideas for containing crime and making South Africa safer.
Developing Possibilities for South African Youth
Authors: Babson Andrew
Published: January 2014

The South African government must do more to help learners at all educational levels position themselves for class mobility, economic security, and occupational fulfillment. As of the last quarterly labor force survey of 2012, the national unemployment rate was 24.9 percent. Almost three-quarters of the unemployed are between 15 and 34 years of age; and of them about two-thirds lack a matric qualification (equivalent to high school diploma), about one-third had such qualification but no more, and the remaining few had a tertiary qualification. It is obvious that the macroeconomic causes of structural unemployment need immediate attention; this article also argues that there should be concurrent efforts to promote high school completion rates and expand options for postsecondary education. Specifically, this article explains the yet-untapped power of multilingual education to improve learning and classroom engagement, and also looks to a handful of European postsecondary education models that offer accommodating and worker-friendly paths to occupational flourishing.
Dilettante or Renaissance Person? How the Order of Job Experiences Affects Hiring in an External Labor Market
Authors: Leung Ming D.
Published: January 2014

Social actors who move across categories are typically disadvantaged relative to their more focused peers. Yet candidates who compile experiences across disparate areas can either be appreciated as renaissance individuals or penalized as dilettantes. Extant literature has focused on the comparison between single versus multiple category members and on skill assessment, hindering its applicability. To discriminate between more versus less successful category spanners, I suggest that the order of accumulated experiences matters, because it serves as an indicator of commitment. I propose the concept of erraticism and predict that employers will prefer candidates who demonstrate some erraticism, by moving incrementally between similar jobs, over candidates who do not move and also over those with highly erratic job histories. Furthermore, I suggest this relationship holds for more complex jobs, less experienced freelancers, and is attenuated through working together. These issues are particularly salient given the rise of external labor markets where careers are increasingly marked by moves across traditional boundaries. I test and find support for these hypotheses with data from an online crowd-sourced labor market for freelancing services, Elance.com . I discuss how virtual mediated labor markets may alter hiring processes.
Guidelines for laboratory analyses for poisoned patients in the United Kingdom
Authors: Thompson JP , Watson ID , Thanacoody HKR , Morley S , Thomas SHL , Eddleston M , Vale JA , Bateman DN , Krishna CV
Published: January 2014

To enable consistency of investigation and the establishment of best practice standards, consensus guidelines were formulated previously by the UK National Poisons Information Service and the Association for Clinical Biochemistry. These joint guidelines have now been updated to reflect current best practice. The types of laboratory investigation required for poisoned patients are categorized as either (a) essential common laboratory investigations or (b) specific toxicological assays, and also as either (i) common or (ii) specialist or infrequent. Tests in categories (a) and (bi) should be available 24 hours per day, with a maximum turnaround time of 2 h. For the specialist assays, i.e. category (bii), availability and turnaround times have been specified individually. The basis for selection of these times has been clinical utility. The adoption of these guidelines, along with the use of the National Poisons Information Service (0844 8920111) and its online poisons information resource TOXBASE® ( www.toxbase.org ) enable the poisoned patient to receive appropriate, ‘best practice’ investigations according to their clinical needs and will avoid unnecessary investigations.
The Australian Accord from an international perspective
Authors: Brown William
Published: January 2014

This article places the Australian ‘Accord’ incomes and prices policy of the 1980s and 1990s in an international historical perspective. It discusses the policy responses to the inflationary crisis of the 1970s in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom and the lessons that might have been learnt from that experience. The then disorderly and inflationary state of workplace bargaining in Australia is compared with a similar contemporary situation in the United Kingdom. It is argued that the Accord provided the vehicle for a politically skilful and successful transition of Australia’s unique wage fixing system to one better adapted for an internationally competitive economy. It concludes by questioning whether Australia has the institutional infrastructure to cope with comparable adjustments in future.
Insulin treatment of streptozotocin-induced diabetes re-establishes the patterns in carbohydrate, fat and amino acid metabolisms in growing pigs
Authors: Manell E A K , Rydén A , Hedenqvist P , Jacobson M , Jensen-Waern M
Published: January 2014

The effects of streptozotocin (STZ) were studied in eight high-health herd-certified Yorkshire × Swedish Landrace pigs (32.5 ± 2.6 kg initial body weight [BW]), and an insulin treatment protocol was developed to re-establish their metabolisms. A single intravenous dose of 150 mg STZ/kg BW successfully induced hyperglycaemia and alterations in their fat and protein metabolisms. Within 13 h post-STZ treatment blood glucose concentration had fallen to a range of 1.3 to 4.7 mmol/L. Hypoglycaemia was promptly treated with 0.5 g glucose/kg BW intravenously. All the pigs became hyperglycaemic with blood glucose concentrations >23 mmol/L within 48 h post-STZ. Two days post-STZ serum C-peptide concentrations fell below 60 ρmol/L in all the pigs and remained below 96 ρmol/L for five weeks until the end of the study. The pigs were left untreated for one week after STZ injection. At the end of this week 13-fold and nine-fold increases in serum concentrations of triglycerides and non-esterified fatty acids, respectively, were observed. Also, at this time-point a three-fold increase in the concentration of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) was observed, and alanine and taurine were decreased by approximately 70% and 40%, respectively. During the week when the pigs were untreated, a reduced weight gain was observed, but after the onset of insulin treatment the daily weight gain was at least as good as that of conventional high-health pigs. Then a subcutaneous treatment with short-acting insulin was initiated. The initial dose of 2/3 IU/kg BW daily, divided between two doses, was gradually increased to 1 IU/kg BW. Within three weeks, the insulin treatment restored the metabolic changes in carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolisms produced by the STZ. In conclusion, the results underscore the usefulness of this animal model in translational research as insulin treatment re-establishes the changes in carbohydrate, fat and amino acid metabolisms observed in STZ-diabetic pigs and resolves clinical signs of disease similar to those in humans.
China urban competitiveness in industrialization: Based on the panel data of 25 cities in China from 1990 to 2009
Authors: Ni Pengfei , Kresl Peter , Li Xiaojiang
Published: January 2014

There is a consensus in China that industrialization, urbanization, globalization and information technology will enhance China’s urban competitiveness. We have developed a methodology for the analysis of urban competitiveness that we have applied to China’s 25 principal cities during three periods from 1990 through 2009. Our model uses data for 12 variables, to which we apply appropriate statistical techniques. We are able to examine the competitiveness of inland cities and those on the coast, how this has changed during the two decades of the study, the competitiveness of Mega Cities and of administrative centres, and the importance of each variable in explaining urban competitiveness and its development over time. This analysis will be of benefit to Chinese planners as they seek to enhance the competitiveness of China and its major cities in the future.
Discourse, credentialism and occupational closure in the communications industries: The case of public relations in the UK
Authors: Edwards Lee
Published: January 2014

This article addresses the problem of stubbornly low levels of diversity in the communications industries, using the case of public relations to illustrate the points made. The author explores how disciplinary discourses of occupational practice and identity combine with representations of normative embodiment to construct and communicate a system of informal credentialism in the field that marginalises certain identities. Through a critical discourse analysis of formal texts that circulate across the industry, the author illustrates how apparently value-neutral presentations of PR work and workers exclude BME and working-class practitioners who cannot easily demonstrate a natural ‘fit’ with client, consultancy or colleague. The findings illustrate how the construction of informal credentialism through discourse may be acting as a powerful source of closure across the communications industries.
Recent Advances in Understanding the Pathogenesis of Lawsonia intracellularis Infections
Authors: Vannucci F. A. , Gebhart C. J.
Published: January 2014

Proliferative enteropathy is an infectious disease caused by an obligate intracellular bacterium, Lawsonia intracellularis, and characterized by thickening of the intestinal epithelium due to enterocyte proliferation. The disease is endemic in swine herds and has been occasionally reported in various other species. Furthermore, outbreaks among foals began to be reported on breeding farms worldwide within the past 5 years. Cell proliferation is directly associated with bacterial infection and replication in the intestinal epithelium. As a result, mild to severe diarrhea is the major clinical sign described in infected animals. The dynamics of L. intracellularis infection in vitro and in vivo have been well characterized, but little is known about the genetic basis for the pathogenesis or ecology of this organism. The present review focuses on the recent advances regarding the pathogenesis and host-pathogen interaction of L. intracellularis infections.
Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus Infections
Authors: Brodersen B. W.
Published: January 2014

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) continues to be of economic significance to the livestock industry in terms of acute disease and fetal loss. Many of the lesions relating to BVDV infection have been well described previously. The virus is perpetuated in herds through the presence of calves that are persistently infected. Relationships between various species and biotypes of BVDV and host defenses are increasingly understood. Understanding of the host defense mechanisms of innate immunity and adaptive immunity continues to improve, and the effects of the virus on these immune mechanisms are being used to explain how persistent infection develops. The noncytopathic biotype of BVDV plays the major role in its effects on the host defenses by inhibiting various aspects of the innate immune system and creation of immunotolerance in the fetus during early gestation. Recent advances have allowed for development of affordable test strategies to identify and remove persistently infected animals. With these improved tests and removal strategies, the livestock industry can begin more widespread effective control programs.
Exploring the thoughts and focus of attention of elite musicians under pressure
Authors: Buma Lori A. , Bakker Frank C. , Oudejans Raôul R. D.
Published: January 2014

Although musicians often have to perform under high pressure, there is little systematic research into the foci of attention needed to maintain performance in such situations. In the current study, we asked elite musicians to report what they focus on and think about during moments of high pressure, using two retrospective methods (concept mapping and verbal reports). For concept mapping, seven expert teachers from an elite academy of music generated clusters of statements about this issue. In the verbal reports, 44 elite musicians described their thoughts and focus of attention. Concept mapping resulted in six clusters, of which “focus on physical aspects,” “thoughts that give confidence,” and “music-related focus” were shown to be the main foci of attention, together representing 85.2% of all 190 statements generated in the verbal reports. Statements regarding “music-related focus” represented 49.7% of all statements. In conclusion, to maintain a high level of performance under pressure, experienced musicians frequently focus on music-related information, physical aspects, and thoughts that give confidence. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.
“Caught between a scream and a hug”: Women’s perspectives on music listening and interaction with teenagers in the family unit
Authors: Morgan Jill P. , MacDonald Raymond A. R. , Pitts Stephanie E.
Published: January 2014

There has been considerable research on the emotional and cognitive impact of music in people’s everyday lives, but limited attention to its role within relationships, particularly inside the family unit. This article explores the emotional experiences of women in midlife when listening to music, with special reference to their interaction with the musical choices of their adolescent offspring and the bearing this has on their relationships. Ten women aged between 40 and 52 years and their teenage children provided qualitative data through semi-structured interviews which focused on their listening behaviours, expressions of self-identity and uses of music whilst considering each other’s musical tastes. This investigation employs a hermeneutic approach and provides new information about the relationship between adolescent musical habits and mother/child dynamics with particular reference to personal and social identity. Mothers were found to enjoy harmonious relationships with daughters through shared musical choices. This was not evident in the information exploring the relationship between mothers and their sons. The article reveals that adolescent musical habits play an important role in influencing the musical listening experiences of mothers.
Violence as fetish
Authors: Tyner James , Inwood Joshua
Published: January 2014

The study of violence has increasing academic purchase. However, the academic treatment of violence imparts an ontological status that masks violence from critical scrutiny. We argue for the social sciences to (re)theorize violence and to develop a dialectics of violence. Our purpose is to provide a space for dialogue, to open a broader debate within the social sciences on the theoretical determination of violence. We advocate for a new approach to violence that eschews the development of essentializing typologies or generalized explanations of violence as an epiphenomenon of society.
Validation of ICHD-3 beta diagnostic criteria for 13.7 Tolosa-Hunt syndrome: Analysis of 77 cases of painful ophthalmoplegia
Authors: Zhang Xingwen , Zhou Zhibing , Steiner Timothy J , Zhang Wei , Liu Ruozhuo , Dong Zhao , Wang Xiaolin , Wang Rongfei , Yu Shengyuan
Published: January 2014

Background

Three editions of International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD) diagnostic criteria for Tolosa-Hunt syndrome (THS) have been published in 1998, 2004 and 2013; in ICHD-3 beta, there have been considerable changes. The validity of these new diagnostic criteria remains to be established.

Methods

We retrospectively identified 77 patients with non-traumatic painful ophthalmoplegia (PO) admitted between 2003 and 2013. We reviewed patients’ age at onset and gender, time courses between onset of pain and development of cranial nerve palsy, the cranial nerves involved, imaging findings, therapeutic efficacy of steroid treatment and recurrence of attacks.

Results

THS was the most frequent type of PO (46/77). In THS patients, the third cranial nerve was most commonly involved (76.3%). The median time interval between pain and cranial nerve palsy was two days, although in five patients (10.9%) the interval ranged from 16 to 30 days. Definitely abnormal MRI findings were found in 24 patients (52.2%).

Conclusions

It is essential to rule out other causes of PO in diagnosing THS, with MRI playing a crucial role in differential diagnosis. It may be helpful to understand and master the entity of THS for researchers and clinicians to adjust the gradation and ranking of the diagnostic criteria.
20 Years of Pediatric Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in New York State
Authors: Dodwell Emily R. , LaMont Lauren E. , Green Daniel W. , Pan Ting Jung , Marx Robert G. , Lyman Stephen
Published: January 2014

Background:

There have been no population-based studies to evaluate the rate of pediatric anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.

Purpose:

The primary aim of the current study was to determine the yearly rate of ACL reconstruction over the past 20 years in New York State. Secondary aims were to determine the age distribution for ACL reconstruction and determine whether patient demographic and socioeconomic factors were associated with ACL reconstruction.

Study Design:

Descriptive epidemiology study.

Methods:

The Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (SPARCS) database contains a census of all hospital admissions and ambulatory surgery in New York State. This database was used to identify pediatric ACL reconstructions between 1990 and 2009; ICD-9-CM ( International Classification of Diseases, 9 Revision, Clinical Modification) and CPT-4 ( Current Procedural Terminology, 4th Revision) codes were used to identify reconstructions. Patient sex, age, race, family income, education, and insurance status were assessed.

Results:

The rate of ACL reconstruction per 100,000 population aged 3 to 20 years has been increasing steadily over the past 20 years, from 17.6 (95% confidence interval [CI], 16.4-18.9) in 1990 to 50.9 (95% CI, 48.8-53.0) in 2009. The peak age for ACL reconstruction in 2009 was 17 years, at a rate of 176.7 (95% CI, 160.9-192.5). In 2009, the youngest age at which ACL reconstruction was performed was 9 years. The rate of ACL reconstruction in male patients was about 15% higher than in females, and ACL reconstruction was 6-fold more common in patients with private health insurance compared with those enrolled in Medicaid.

Conclusion:

This study is the first to quantify the increasing rate of ACL reconstructions in the skeletally immature. Only ACL reconstructions were assessed, and it is possible that some ACL tears in children are not diagnosed or are treated nonoperatively. The rate of ACL tears in New York State is likely higher than the rate of reconstructions reported in this study.

Significance:

This study quantifies the increasing rate of ACL reconstruction in the skeletally immature and suggests that there may be some disparities in care based on insurance status.
Race, Rights and Rebellion in the Custodial State: A Post-Los Angeles Marxian Reconstruction
Authors: Turner Lou
Published: January 2014

America’s new race/class contradictions erupted in the 1992 Los Angeles rebellion, providing an impetus to think through the dialectic of political and human emancipation the young Marx articulated in Zur Judenfrage. For Stanford Lyman, the theoretical response to the assimilation of diasporic Jews into modernizing 19th-century Europe was appropriated by American sociologists responding to 20th-century America’s ‘ethnoracial mix’. At the text’s four discursive sites, history contextualizes theory and theory contextualizes history, beginning with a recollection of the authoritarian custodial state and Third World America that came screaming to life with the LA rebellion. At the second site, Black Studies, post-LA, found itself on the discursive frontline of this neoliberal turn. The third site is the intersection of religion, race and rights, where we reconstruct Marx’s theses on the Jewish Question, revealing the undisclosed biopolitics of a racial formation theory embedded in his writings of the 1850s and 1860s on the US Civil War and Capital. The fourth site of this post-LA reconstruction is a discussion of the state and the limits of black political empowerment.