bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vibrational band assignment of 2-ethyl-1-hexanol
Authors: Clasp Trocia N. , Reeve Scott W. , Koizumi Hideya
Published: March 2017

The vibrational structure of 2-ethyl-1-hexanol is of great interest because of its industrial and military applications. However, detailed spectral analysis is challenging due to its flexibility. This paper reports a detailed analysis of the gas and liquid phase vibrational spectra of 2-ethyl-1-hexanol using the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman experimental data. By performing a detailed exploration of the conformational space in this work, the theoretical spectra reproduced almost all experimental details observed, and assigned internal valence coordinates to all of the experimentally observed bands in the floppy 2-ethyl-1-hexanol molecule. Relative contributions from the various internal valence coordinates to the experimental vibrational bands are directly compared between the liquid phase Raman band and the gas and liquid phase infrared band.
A spatial echinococcosis transmission model with time delays: Stability and traveling waves
Authors: Xu Zhiting , Ai Cuihua
Published: March 2017

In this paper, we derive a time-delayed and diffusive echinococcosis transmission model. We first address the well-posedness to the initial-value problem for the model and give the basic reproduction number [Formula: see text]. In the case of a bounded spatial domain, we establish the local stability as well as the global stability of the disease-free and disease equilibria of the model. The methods to prove the local and the global stability are to analyze the corresponding characteristic equations and construct Lyapunov functionals, respectively. In the case of an unbounded spatial domain, by applying Schauder’s fixed point theorem and the limiting arguments, we show that when [Formula: see text], there exists a constant [Formula: see text] such that the model admits positive traveling wave solutions connecting the disease-free and endemic equilibrium for [Formula: see text], and when [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], the model has no positive traveling wave solutions connecting them.
Boundary problems on a manifold with edge
Authors: Khalil S. , Schulze B.-W.
Published: March 2017

We establish a calculus of boundary value problems (BVPs) on a manifold [Formula: see text] with boundary and edge, based on Boutet de Monvel’s theory of BVPs in the case of a smooth boundary and on the edge calculus, where in the present case the model cone has a base which is a compact manifold with boundary. The corresponding calculus with boundary and edge is a unification of both structures and controls different operator-valued symbolic structures, in order to obtain ellipticity and parametrices.
Evaluating the efficiency of a two-stage network structure with the use of fractional programming
Authors: Ahmadzadeh Reza , Kordrostami Sohrab , Amirteimoori Alireza
Published: March 2017

Recently, network data envelopment analysis (NDEA) models have been developed to evaluate the efficiency of decision making units (DMUs) with internal structures. The network structures range from a simple two-stage process to a complex system. Looking through the literature on two-stage network structures, we see that Li et al. (2012) extended a model by assuming that the inputs to the second stage include both the outputs from the first stage and additional inputs to the second stage. In the current study, a model is proposed to evaluate the performance of these types of general two-stage network structures. To this end, we provide a linear model using fractional programming. In fact, previous models were often nonlinear models which were solved with heuristic methods. But, since the model presented in this paper is a linear model, then it can be solved easily as a linear programming problem. In order to clarify the newly proposed approach of this study, it has been applied to a case of regional Research and Development (R&D) system related to 30 provincial level regions in China and results have been compared with the heuristic method of Li et al. (2012).
Prediction of Darcy Permeability and Forchheimer’s Coefficient of Porous Structures Relevant to Regenerator of a Stirling Cryocooler Using a Correlation Based Method
Authors: Kishor Kumar V. V. , Kuzhiveli Biju T.
Published: March 2017

A regenerative heat exchanger is the most vital component in the design of a Stirling cryocooler. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is the best technique for the design and prediction of the performance of a regenerator. The reliability of the simulation results depend on the accuracy of the Darcy permeability [Formula: see text] and Forchheimer’s inertial coefficient [Formula: see text] used for modeling the momentum transfer in porous media. Usually these coefficients are calculated from pressure drop data obtained from experiment. Because of the requirement of sophisticated equipments for the measurement and analysis of data, experimental study becomes expensive. This paper proposes a friction factor correlation-based method for the prediction of directional permeability and Forchheimer’s inertial coefficient of wire mesh structures relevant to Stirling cryocooler. The friction factor for the flow of helium through #325, #400 and #635 SS wire matrices with porosities of 0.6969, 0.6969 and 0.6312 are calculated using standard correlations and compared with the friction factor given by Clearman et al. based on steady flow experimental study. The friction factor obtained from Blass and Tong/London correlations are in agreement with that of Clearman et al. The viscous and inertial resistances are calculated from the friction factor obtained from Blass and Tong/London correlations. Using these values, the regenerator was modeled as a porous media in Fluent. From the steady flow simulation, pressure drop at different mass flow rates (0.08–1.44[Formula: see text]g/s) is obtained. The maximum deviation of predicted pressure drop from the reported experimental data is 15.14%. The Darcy permeability [Formula: see text] and Forchheimer’s inertial coefficient [Formula: see text] obtained from correlation-based method was used for modeling the oscillatory flow of helium through a #400 regenerator. The pressure amplitude and phase at regenerator exit were obtained at different frequencies. The average deviation of predicted pressure amplitude from the experimental data is 15.83%. The model could predict the phase angle also accurately. Therefore, the proposed method can be used to calculate the hydrodynamic parameters of woven wire screen matrices applied to Stirling cryocoolers.
Rangeomorph classification schemes and intra-specific variation: are all characters created equal?
Authors: Kenchington Charlotte G. , Wilby Philip R.
Published: March 2017

Rangeomorphs from the Ediacaran of Avalonia are among the oldest known complex macrofossils and our understanding of their ecology, ontogeny and phylogenetic relationships relies on accurate and consistent classification. There are a number of disparate classification schemes for this group, which dominantly rely on a combination of their branching characters and shape metrics. Using multivariate statistical analyses and the diverse stemmed, multifoliate rangeomorphs in Charnwood Forest (UK), we assess the taxonomic usefulness of the suite of characters currently in use. These techniques allow us to successfully discriminate taxonomic groupings without
a priori
assumptions or weighting of characters and to document a hitherto unrecognized level of variation within single taxonomic groups. Variation within the currently defined genus
Primocandelabrum
is too great to be realistically assigned to different species and may instead reflect primary character diversity, ontogenetic changes in character state or ecophenotypic variability. Its recognition cautions against generic-level diagnoses based on single differences in character state and will be crucial in understanding the mode of growth of these enigmatic organisms.

Supplementary material:
Data tables, definition of the characters used in the analyses, and detailed descriptions and breakdowns of methods and results are available at
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.3726937
Hydraulic conductivity of bedding-parallel cracks in shale as a function of shear and normal stress
Authors: Rutter Ernest H. , Mecklenburgh Julian
Published: March 2017

Conductivity of fluids along fractures in all rocks is reduced by increasing normal stress. For sandstones and other hard rocks the onset of shear failure along planar cracks is thought to enhance fluid flow owing to a small amount of dilatancy, yet such effects are poorly quantified. Here we determine experimentally how independently increasing normal and shear stress affects fluid flow along fractures in shale. Gas flow along bedding-parallel planar interfaces was measured for flow parallel and normal to the shear direction. Increasing shear stress causes accelerating reduction of conductivity, even before the onset of macroscopic slip. Such reduction in fluid flow rate is non-recoverable, and the combined effects of normal and shear stress can reduce fracture conductivity by more than 3 orders of magnitude over the range of shale reservoir conditions. Bedding plane-parallel slip is common in shales; it can result in a large enhancement of permeability anisotropy, because flow across bedding planes becomes inhibited. This can impact upon the geometry of developing hydraulic fractures, encouraging complexity and favouring lateral relative to vertical growth. The results will facilitate modelling of fluid flow through fracture networks.

Supplementary material:
A CSV file containing all experimental conditions and tabulations of results is available at
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.3721831
.
Therapie des metastasierten kastrationsresistenten Prostatakarzinoms mit Abirateronacetat im klinischen Alltag
Authors: Wolff Johannes Maria
Published: March 2017

Abirateronacetat, das in Kombination mit Prednison/Prednisolon verabreicht wird, spielt eine wichtige Rolle in der Therapie des metastasierten kastrationsresistenten Prostatakarzinoms. Im Folgenden wurden besondere Aspekte der Therapie im klinischen Alltag zusammengestellt. Sie betreffen unter anderem die Dosierung - auch vor dem Hintergrund der Markteinführung einer neuen Formulierung von Abirateronacetat. Hinzu kommt die Verträglichkeit, vor allem in Bezug auf kardiovaskuläre und Kortikoid-bedingte Nebenwirkungen. Des Weiteren werden Kriterien genannt, nach denen die Therapie nicht zu früh umgestellt werden sollte.
Non-Malignant Cerebrospinal Fluid Ascites in a Patient with Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor
Authors: Upadhyaya Santhosh A. , Klimo Jr. Paul , Robinson Giles W.
Published: March 2017

Background: The development of symptomatic ascites from a ventriculoperitoneal shunt is rare in children without prior intra-abdominal pathology. Here we report a case of symptomatic ascites in a young child with a ventriculoperitoneal shunt and metastatic atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor. Case Report: This 15-month-old boy developed symptomatic ascites while undergoing chemotherapy for his malignant brain tumor. Diagnostic work up to identify the etiology of this ascites yielded a non-malignant, sterile transudate, refractory to repeated paracentesis. The ascites finally resolved with the conversion of the ventriculoperitoneal shunt to a ventriculoatrial shunt. Conclusion: This case report highlights the need to be suspicious of non-malignant cerebrospinal fluid ascites as a cause of peritoneal fluid accumulation even in children with malignant primary brain tumor. In this setting, conversion of the shunt from peritoneal to atrial drainage can rapidly alleviate the morbidity associated with this condition.
Sudden Death in End Stage Renal Disease: Comparing Hemodialysis versus Peritoneal Dialysis
Authors: Genovesi Simonetta , Porcu Luca , Luise Maria Carmen , Riva Hilary , Nava Elisa , Contaldo Gina , Stella Andrea , Pozzi Claudio , Ondei Patrizia , Minoretti Claudio , Gallieni Maurizio , Pontoriero Giuseppe , Conte Ferruccio , Torri Valter , Bertoli Silvio , Vincenti Antonio
Published: March 2017

Background/Aims: This study aimed to evaluate total and sudden death (SD) in a cohort of dialysis patients, comparing hemodialysis (HD) vs. peritoneal dialysis (PD). Methods: This is a multicenter retrospective cohort study. Results: Deaths were 626 out of 1,823 in HD and 62 of 249 in PD patients. HD patients had a greater number of comorbidities (p < 0.05). PD patients had a lower risk of death than HD patients (p < 0.001); however, the advantage decreased with time (p < 0.001). Mortality predictors were left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤35%, older age, ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, previous stroke, and atrial fibrillation (p < 0.03). SDs were 84:71 in HD and 13 in PD population (12.1 and 22.8% of all causes of death, respectively). A non-significant risk of SD among PD compared to HD patients was detected. SD predictors were older age, ischemic heart disease, and LVEF ≤35% (p < 0.05). Conclusions: HD patients showed a greater presence of comorbidities and reduced survival compared to PD patients; however, the incidence of SD does not differ in the 2 populations. Video Journal Club “Cappuccino with Claudio Ronco” at http://www.karger.com/?doi=464347.
Methylation Patterns of SOX3, SOX9, and WNT4 Genes in Gonads of Dogs with XX (SRY-Negative) Disorder of Sexual Development
Authors: Salamon Sylwia , Flisikowski Krzysztof , Switonski Marek
Published: March 2017

Ovotesticular or testicular disorder of sexual development in dogs with female karyotype and lack of SRY (XX DSD) is a common sexual anomaly diagnosed in numerous breeds. The molecular background, however, remains unclear, and epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, have not been studied. The aim of our study was comparative methylation analysis of CpG islands in promoters of candidate genes for XX DSD: SOX9, SOX3, and WNT4. Methylation studies were performed on DNA extracted from formalin-fixed/paraffin-embedded or frozen gonads from 2 dogs with ovotesticular and 2 dogs with testicular XX DSD as well as control females (n = 4) and males (n = 2). Bisulfite-converted DNA was used for CpG methylation analysis using quantitative pyrosequencing. Promoter regions of SOX9 and WNT4 showed similar CpG methylation in each group, ranging from 0 to 5.5% and from 39 to 74%, respectively. The SOX3 promoter showed significantly higher methylation in the ovotesticular XX DSD cases and the testicular XX DSD and control males, suggesting that SOX3 methylation may play a role in canine XX DSD pathogenesis.
Sexuelle Dysfunktionen bei Frauen mit Posttraumatischer Belastungsstörung - ein Übersichtsartikel
Authors: Bornefeld-Ettmann Pia , Steil Regina
Published: March 2017

Sexuelle Dysfunktionen, sowohl klinischer als auch subklinischer Art, sowie andere sexuelle Beschwerden, die mit aversiven Emotionen, Kognitionen und sexuellem Risikoverhalten einhergehen, treten bei Frauen nach sexuellem Missbrauch sehr häufig auf und sind ein stark unterschätztes Problem. Aber auch bei Opfern anderer Arten von Traumatisierung ergeben sich hohe Prävalenzen sexueller Beschwerden. Dies lässt sich lerntheoretisch sowie anhand der Phänomenologie der Posttraumatischen Belastungsstörung (PTBS) an sich erklären. Sexualität ist eine wichtige Quelle von Lebensfreude, und das Fortbestehen sexueller Dysfunktionen kann mit dem Risiko von Einbußen in Lebensqualität und Selbstwertgefühl sowie von partnerschaftlichen Problemen einhergehen. Neben der klinischen Praxis besteht auch in der klinischen Forschung nach wie vor nur ein unzureichendes Wissen bezüglich des Zusammenhangs zwischen sexuellen Dysfunktionen und traumatischen Erfahrungen, vor allem sexueller Art. Im folgenden Artikel werden die Phänomenologie und Diagnostik weiblicher sexueller Dysfunktionen vorgestellt und Folgen von sexueller Gewalterfahrung auf die Sexualität, auch im Kontext einer PTBS, näher erläutert. Zudem werden Vorschläge zur Integration entsprechender Behandlungsbausteine in die Therapie gemacht
Akt2-Dependent Beneficial Effect of Galanin on Insulin-Induced Glucose Uptake in Adipocytes of Diabetic Rats
Authors: Zhang Zhenwen , Fang Penghua , Guo Lili , He Biao , Shi Mingyi , Zhu Yan , Bo Ping
Published: March 2017

Background/Aims: Glucose uptake occurs via the activation of an insulin-signaling cascade, resulting in the translocation of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) to the plasma membrane of adipocytes and myocytes. Recent research found that galanin could boost insulin-induced glucose uptake. This study aimed to explore whether activation of Akt2 mediates the beneficial effects of galanin on insulin-induced glucose uptake in the adipocytes of diabetic rats. Method: In this experiment, insulin, galanin and MK-2206, an Akt inhibitor, were injected individually or in combination into diabetic rats once a day for ten days. Then, glucose uptake and pAkt2 and its downstream proteins were examined in adipocytes. Results: Administration of galanin significantly enhanced insulin-induced 2-Deoxy-D-[3H]glucose uptake; GLUT4 and vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 contents in plasma membranes; and pAkt2Thr308/Ser473 and Akt2 mRNA expression levels in adipocytes. In addition, Akt2 downstream proteins including phosphorylated AS160 were increased, but the levels of phosphorylated forkhead box O1 and glycogen synthase kinase-3β were reduced. Treatment with MK-2206 may block the beneficial effects of galanin on these insulin-induced events. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that phosphorylation of Akt2 mediates the beneficial effects of galanin on insulin-induced glucose uptake in the adipocytes of diabetic rats.
Testosterone Prevents Cutaneous Ischemia and Necrosis in Males Through Complementary Estrogenic and Androgenic Actions
Authors: Chenu Caroline , Adlanmerini Marine , Boudou Frederic , Chantalat Elodie , Guihot Anne-Laure , Toutain Céline , Raymond-Letron Isabelle , Vicendo Patricia , Gadeau Alain-Pierre , Henrion Daniel , Arnal Jean-François , Lenfant Françoise
Published: March 2017

Objective—

Chronic nonhealing wounds are a substantial medical concern and are associated with morbidity and mortality; thus, new treatment strategies are required. The first step toward personalized/precision medicine in this field is probably in taking sex differences into account. Impaired wound healing is augmented by ischemia, and we previously demonstrated that 17β-estradiol exerts a major preventive effect against ischemia-induced skin flap necrosis in female mice. However, the equivalent effects of testosterone in male mice have not yet been reported. We then investigated the role of steroid hormones in male mice using a skin flap ischemia model.

Approach and Results—

Castrated male mice developed skin necrosis after ischemia, whereas intact or castrated males treated with testosterone were equally protected. Testosterone can (1) activate the estrogen receptor after its aromatization into 17β-estradiol or (2) be reduced into dihydrotestosterone, a nonaromatizable androgen that activates the androgen receptor. We found that dihydrotestosterone protected castrated wild-type mice by promoting skin revascularization, probably through a direct action on resistance arteries, as evidenced using a complementary model of flow-mediated outward remodeling. 17β-estradiol treatment of castrated male mice also strongly protected them from ischemic necrosis through the activation of estrogen receptor-α by increasing skin revascularization and skin survival. Remarkably, 17β-estradiol improved skin survival with a greater efficiency than dihydrotestosterone.

Conclusions—

Testosterone provides males with a strong protection against cutaneous necrosis and acts through both its estrogenic and androgenic derivatives, which have complementary effects on skin survival and revascularization.
Accuracy of Echocardiography to Estimate Pulmonary Artery Pressures With Exercise
Authors: van Riel Annelieke C.M.J. , Opotowsky Alexander R. , Santos Mário , Rivero Jose M. , Dhimitri Andy , Mulder Barbara J.M. , Bouma Berto J. , Landzberg Michael J. , Waxman Aaron B. , Systrom David M. , Shah Amil M.
Published: March 2017

Background—

Exercise echocardiography is often applied as a noninvasive strategy to screen for abnormal pulmonary hemodynamic response, but it is technically challenging, and limited data exist regarding its accuracy to estimate pulmonary arterial pressure during exercise.

Methods and Results—

Among 65 patients with exertional intolerance undergoing upright invasive exercise testing, tricuspid regurgitation (TR) Doppler estimates and invasive measurement of pulmonary arterial pressure at rest and peak exercise were simultaneously obtained. TR Doppler envelopes were assessed for quality. Correlation, Bland–Altman, and receiver-operating characteristic curve analyses were performed to evaluate agreement and diagnostic accuracy. Mean age was 62±13 years, and 31% were male. High-quality (grade A) TR Doppler was present in 68% at rest and 34% at peak exercise. For grade A TR signals, echocardiographic measures of systolic pulmonary arterial pressure correlated reasonably well with invasive measurement at rest (
r
=0.72,
P
<0.001; bias, −2.9±8.0 mm Hg) and peak exercise (
r
=0.75,
P
<0.001; bias, −1.9±15.6 mm Hg). Lower quality TR signals (grade B and C) correlated poorly with invasive measurements overall. In patients with grade A TR signals, mean pulmonary arterial pressure-to-workload ratio at a threshold of 1.4 mm Hg/10 W was able to identify abnormal pulmonary hemodynamic response during exercise (>3.0 mm Hg/L per minute increase), with 91% sensitivity and 82% specificity (area under the curve, 0.90; 95% confidence interval, 0.77–1.0;
P
=0.001).

Conclusions—

Agreement between echocardiographic and invasive measures of pulmonary pressures during upright exercise is good among the subset of patients with high-quality TR Doppler signal. While the limits of agreement are broad, our results suggest that in those patients, sensitivity is adequate to screen for abnormal pulmonary hemodynamic response during exercise.
Echocardiographic Pulmonary Artery Systolic Pressure in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study: Associations With Race and Metabolic Dysregulation
Authors: Brittain Evan L. , Nwabuo Chike , Xu Meng , Gupta Deepak K. , Hemnes Anna R. , Moreira Henrique T. , De Vasconcellos Henrique Doria , Terry James G. , Carr Jeffrey J. , Lima Joao A. C.
Published: March 2017

Background

The determinants of pulmonary artery systolic pressure (
PASP
) are not fully understood. It is unknown whether racial differences in
PASP
exist or if other population characteristics are associated with pulmonary pressure in humans. We examined echocardiographically estimated
PASP
in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (
CARDIA
) study, a middle‐aged, biracial community‐based cohort.

Methods and Results

At the
CARDIA
year‐25 examination, 3469 participants underwent echocardiography, including measurement of tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity to estimate
PASP
. Clinical features, laboratory values, pulmonary function tests, and measurement of adipose depot volume were analyzed for association with
PASP
.
PASP
was estimated in 1311 individuals (61% female, 51% white). Older age, higher blood pressure, and higher body mass index were associated with higher
PASP
. Black race was associated with higher
PASP
after adjustment for demographics and left and right ventricular function (β 0.94, 95%
CI
0.24‐1.64;
P
=0.009), but this association was no longer significant after further adjustment for lung volume (β 0.42, 95%
CI
−0.68 to 0.96;
P
=0.74). Insulin resistance, inflammation (C‐reactive protein and interleukin‐6), and visceral adipose volume were independently associated with higher
PASP
after adjustment for relevant covariates.
PASP
rose with worsening diastolic function (ratio of early transmitral Doppler velocity to average mitral annular tissue Doppler velocity [E/e′] and left atrial volume index).

Conclusions

In a large biracial cohort of middle‐aged adults, we identified associations among black race, insulin resistance, and diastolic dysfunction with higher echocardiographically estimated
PASP
. Further studies are needed to examine racial differences in
PASP
and whether insulin resistance directly contributes to pulmonary vascular disease in humans.
How Do User Stories Inspire Design? A Study of Cultural Probes
Authors: Celikoglu Ozge Merzali , Ogut Sebnem Timur , Krippendorff Klaus
Published: March 2017

This paper reports an initial study using cultural probes to support design. Its aim was to provide designers and design students with ethnographic information not easily accessible via surveys, interviews, and user statistics. Our research applied the cultural probes method to domestic ironing practices. We communicated the narrative and pictorial data generated by this method to designers and asked them to interpret these data in terms of a new ironing board design. Finally, we conducted a content analysis to reveal how designers interpreted and used data from cultural probes to inform design ideas.
New Trends in Islamic Legal Theory: Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿa as a New Source of Law?
Authors: Opwis Felicitas
Published: March 2017

The purposes of the law (maqāṣid al-sharīʿa) were traditionally tied to the definition of maṣlaḥa expounded by al-Ghazālī and employed in legal analogy (qiyās) and precepts (qawāʿid). This article addresses recent developments in the interpretation of the maqāṣid al-sharīʿa in the works of legal scholars promoting alternative interpretations, such as Ibn ʿĀshūr, Yūsuf al-Qaraḍāwī, Aḥmad al-Khamlīshī, Yaḥyā Muḥammad, and Jamāl al-Dīn ʿAṭiyya. Several trends can be observed: rejecting the Ghazalian definition of essential necessities by enlarging their scope beyond five and including justice, freedom, and equality; refining the categories of the purposes and creating more nuanced hierarchies of maṣlaḥas; and expanding the application of the purposes of the law beyond the sphere of the law proper, thereby giving considerations of maṣlaḥa a proactive role in shaping society through public policies. It is suggested that new interpretations of the objectives of the sharīʿa also alter the traditional four sources of law theory (uṣūl al-fiqh).
Impatiens megamalayana, a new species of Impatiens from the Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu, India
Authors: RAMASUBBU R. , DIVYA C. , KALA N. SASI , SURENDRAN ANJANA , SREEKALA A.K.
Published: March 2017

Impatiens megamalayana, a new species from Tamil Nadu, India is described and illustrated. This species is characterized by a ridged stem, ensiform and villous leaves, a wrinkled boat-shaped lower sepal with outwardly curved tip, ornamented seeds and strictly ovate pollen grains. This combination of characters makes determining the relationships of I. megamalayana difficult. The floral structure of I. megamalayana is closely allied to I. herbicola Hook.f. and I. inconspicua Benth. in Wall., the latter with three varieties, but it differs by several unique vegetative and floral features. Impatiens megamalayana is assessed as Critically Endangered in accordance with the IUCN guidelines. The habitat of the species is severely affected by landslides. As a result, effective strategies should be developed to protect I. megamalayana from exinction.
Saprobic Dothideomycetes in Thailand: Neoaquastroma gen. nov. (Parabambusicolaceae) introduced based on morphological and molecular data
Authors: WANASINGHE DHANUSHKA N. , HYDE KEVIN D. , KONTA SIRINAPA , TO-ANUN CHAIWAT , JONES E.B. GARETH
Published: March 2017

In this paper we introduce Neoaquastroma, a novel genus from dead twigs, collected in northern Thailand. The genus is characterized by immersed, globose to subglobose or irregular-shaped ascomata, short papillate ostioles, a thin peridium, clavate asci with short pedicels, and multi-septate, hyaline ascospores with guttules in each cell. The morphological character differences and analyses of combined LSU, TEF, SSU and ITS sequence datasets, from a single ascospore isolate, support the validity of the new genus and its placement in Parabambusicolaceae. The new genus is compared with other genera in the family and a comprehensive description, and micrographs are provided.
Exploring the Relationship Between Dual Diagnosis and Recidivism in Drug Court Participants
Authors: Zettler Haley R.
Published: March 2017

There is limited research investigating the relationship between dual diagnosis and offender outcomes in drug court settings, specifically regarding recidivism. The current study examined the effects of dual diagnosis on recidivism following participation in one drug court in the Southwestern United States. Results provided mixed evidence surrounding the impact of dual diagnosis on recidivism outcomes. Dual diagnosis significantly increased the odds of recidivism for participants at 6 months but the effect was not significant at 12 months. These findings suggest that dual diagnosis may play a role in offender recidivism shortly after participation in drug court. In addition, some differences between dually diagnosed participants and those with only substance use diagnoses were found.
“Rendering the Majority Unable”
Authors: Alemán David Mena
Published: March 2017

The Founding Fathers conceived formal counter‐majoritarian restrictions aimed specifically to “render the majority unable”: to prevent the majority from trampling on minorities in the U.S. democratic system. This article contends that several such formal restrictions actually fail to protect contemporary minorities as the founders imagined they would. Indeed, counter‐majority restrictions embedded in the Electoral College, the Senate, and the judicial review may actually prohibit such protection. Using a comparative politics approach, this article builds on theoretical arguments and data that evaluate democratic functionality and fairness based on level of social equality provisions as well as optimality of voter participation. I find that certain counter‐majoritarian procedures are empirically linked to higher inequality levels across twenty‐one advanced democracies. This political suboptimality is reflected in a significant correlation between higher Gini coefficients and majoritarian systems (with the United States in first place) in the sample and also between lower scores and consensus democracies. I argue that comparative analysis shows that some criticisms hitherto only leveled at the United States are present in an entire family of systems—the majoritarian ones—which begs significant critical questioning of the impact of institutional design on the effectiveness of social policies and inclusive democratic procedures.
Roles, Rights, and Responsibilities in Water Governance
Authors: Camkin Jeff , Neto Susana
Published: March 2017

Numerous commentators have highlighted the criticality of improving water governance to help address current and future water challenges. But whose job is it? In water governance, what should we expect from our governments? What should commercial water users expect from each other? What changes should environmental and social advocates expect as a result of their representations on behalf of stakeholders who have little or no voice? And what should governments expect from the communities they serve? This article briefly examines the rights and responsibilities of various actors in water governance through a selection of key water issues. We suggest that discussions about water are often unbalanced, overemphasizing the rights of large water users and underemphasizing the responsibilities all parties have toward achieving effective and efficient water governance. Among all the responsibilities in water governance, none is more fundamental than our shared responsibility toward intergenerational equity. This shared responsibility can and should be the rallying point around which we gather to improve water decisions at all scales, from local streams to national policies and global agreements.
Power Vacuum or Hegemonic Continuity?
Authors: León‐Manríquez José Luis
Published: March 2017

This article argues that the gradual decline of the United States’ economic presence in Latin America—and particularly in South America—reads as a manifestation of Washington's hegemonic attrition in the world. Indeed, concerns over the Chinese incursion in Latin America and the increase of the pressures of the American hard line could transform the region into a scenario of geopolitical dispute between the two great powers. I first analyze the history of the relations between the United States and Latin America, which have followed a complex trajectory of interest, coercion, consensus, and carelessness. I then focus on bilateral relations since the 1990s and specify the political and economic transformations of Latin America in the first years of the twenty‐first century and the consequent paralysis of the United States to understand these changes. The article then summarizes the contours of the dynamic commercial relations between Latin America and China, an emergent actor in the region. I conclude with an examination of the U.S. responses to Chinese presence in the Western hemisphere.
Adverse Effects, Health Service Engagement, and Service Satisfaction Among Anabolic Androgenic Steroid Users
Authors: Zahnow Renee , McVeigh Jim , Ferris Jason , Winstock Adam
Published: March 2017

There are a number of adverse health effects associated with the use of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS), ranging from mood disturbances to gynecomastia and impaired sexual function. Despite the potentially serious nature of adverse effects, evidence suggests that users are reluctant to seek medical assistance. This study explores factors associated with health service engagement and treatments related to service satisfaction among a sample of AAS users. The analyses are based on a sample of 195 respondents from the Global Drug Survey 2015 who reported using steroids in the previous 12-month period and experiencing concerns about adverse health effects. The results indicate reluctance among AAS users to engage with health services, with only 35.23% reporting that they visited a doctor when experiencing concerns about adverse effects. Concern about sexual function increased the likelihood that users engaged with health services, while concern about changes in sexual organs decreased the odds of service engagement. Among AAS users who engaged with health services, individuals who received a mental health assessment or diabetes test rated the service as more helpful than those who did not; a finding that resonates with literature indicating a desire among AAS users to monitor the health impacts of their drug use and respond to issues as they arise. While more research is needed, the present results underscore a need for nonjudgmental health services aimed at assisting AAS users to monitor adverse effects and minimize harm through early intervention.
City government in an age of austerity: Discursive institutions and critique
Authors: Fuller Crispian
Published: March 2017

Austerity is an increasingly important feature of urban society in Western countries, both as a site interwoven with the crisis tendencies of capitalism and as spaces mitigating austerity programmes instigated by nation states. Cities have therefore become key spaces in the mediation of ‘austerity urbanism’, but where such processes involve deliberation, making the production of consensus highly problematic. Such tendencies require far greater intellectual sensitivity towards the practices of agents as they seek to enact social control and coordination, as well as subordinate resistance and critique. ‘Pragmatist Sociology’ is utilised in this paper to examine the construction and deployment of discursive institutions seeking to control the behaviour of actors, including reducing critique, with the intention of legitimising austerity programmes. Such discursive institutions establish semantic links between the discursive aims of those seeking to control and the pragmatics of the everyday lives of those subject to such institutions. The paper seeks to examine, first, through a case study of an English city, how key decision-makers construct discursive institutions in the implementation of austerity and subordination of resistance and, second, the actual practices of resisting austerity. In conclusion, the paper finds that austerity governance is characterised by discursive austerity institutions based on market and bureaucratic values, where large-scale critique has been marginalised, resulting in minor forms of critique in the everyday, and compounded by constant efforts at the reconfirmation of discursive institutions.
Emerging intra-urban geographies of the cognitive-cultural economy: Evidence from residential neighbourhoods in Dutch cities
Authors: Folmer Emma , Kloosterman Robert C
Published: March 2017

Most existing research on advanced economic activities focuses on either inner city milieus or suburban industrial parks. We contend, however, that residential neighbourhoods constitute a milieu for economic activities which require the input of high-skilled labour or, to follow Allen Scott, cognitive-cultural activities which are characteristic for contemporary urban economies. Based on a longitudinal data set of company-level data, we show that a significant share of economic activities in urban residential neighbourhoods can indeed be classified as cognitive-cultural and that this share has been growing over the period 1999–2008. We present an analysis of the spatiality of the embeddedness of these activities. In particular, we focus on their traded and untraded interdependencies. For this part of the analysis, we use survey data of 370 businesses based in Dutch residential neighbourhoods. Overall, cognitive-cultural activities maintain many untraded interdependencies on a local level, whereas they maintain most traded interdependencies on a supra-local level. They appear to be making frequent use of both local buzz as well as of supralocal ‘pipelines’, and are thus embedded on various spatial scales. Residential neighbourhoods, then, have to be taken more seriously not just as places of consumption but also as milieus of production for more advanced economic activities.
Study of the influence of different feed-forward voltage compensation terms on the fault ride-through capability of doubly fed induction generator wind turbines
Authors: Ling Yu
Published: March 2017

As a result of the increasing wind power penetration into power systems, the wind farms, especially with doubly fed induction generators, are required to have the fault ride-through capability. The article presents a study on the influence of three different feed-forward voltage compensation terms in rotor current control on the fault ride-through capability of doubly fed induction generator wind turbines. The study focuses on the enhancement of fault ride-through capability for doubly fed induction generator wind turbines by adopting different feed-forward voltage compensation terms in rotor current control. The three control strategies, which are developed based on different feed-forward voltage compensation terms, are evaluated through simulations of doubly fed induction generator wind turbines under both normal conditions and grid voltage fault conditions. The three control methods present different performances. Under normal conditions, the control system 1 presents better performance. However, the control system 3 presents better performance when the doubly fed induction generator wind turbine is subjected to a voltage fault. In order not to have the influence on the performance under normal operating conditions, the added feed-forward voltage compensation terms in the control system 3, which acted as a fault control mode, are enabled only when a voltage fault occurs in the grid.
Trained Cohorts of University Students are a Useful Resource for Conducting Dietary Surveys in Mongolia
Authors: Bromage Sabri , Chung Holly Ya-Fan , Bonville Hannah , Sprenger Jeannie Choi , Lander Rebecca , Ganmaa Davaasambuu
Published: March 2017

Background:

Population-based dietary assessment is important for informing national nutrition policy. The developing country setting presents challenges for robust implementation of dietary surveys, yet effective nutrition interventions are often urgently required.

Objective:

To develop and evaluate a low-cost approach to epidemiologic dietary assessment in Mongolia, involving the use of large cohorts of local public health and medical students as research assistants for collecting diet records.

Methods:

From 2011 to 2016, over 200 Mongolian medical and public health university students were trained to collect paired summer and winter 3-day weighed diet records from urban and rural study populations across the geographic expanse of Mongolia. Students were supervised during data collection, and their performance and experience during training and data collection were qualitatively evaluated from their own perspectives as well as those of the investigators.

Results:

Students collected detailed and thorough diet records and generally reported positive feedback regarding training and data collection. Frequent supervision of students during data collection proved to be extremely worthwhile. While rural participants were amenable to having students follow them, students faced several challenges in assessing the diets of urban participants. These challenges may best be addressed by separately training these participants beforehand.

Conclusions:

With adequate training and supervision, university students may be a useful and cost-effective resource for large-scale dietary surveys in regions where their use would be practical and culturally appropriate. Further research is warranted to study how well this approach may be adapted outside Mongolia and to other dietary assessment methods and technologies.
Trends in Iron, Zinc, and Vitamin A Status Biomarkers Among Colombian Children: Results From 2 Nationally Representative Surveys
Authors: Li Wenchao , Herrán Oscar F. , Villamor Eduardo
Published: March 2017

Background:

Micronutrient deficiencies are still highly prevalent in countries undergoing the nutrition transition, but nationally representative data documenting their burden in children are exceedingly rare.

Objective:

To examine the distribution and recent trends in micronutrient status biomarkers of Colombian children.

Methods:

We compared the distributions of plasma ferritin, serum zinc, and vitamin A in Colombian children between 2005 and 2010 using 2 cross-sectional, nationally representative surveys overall and by categories of sociodemographic variables. Analysis for ferritin included boys and nonpregnant girls aged 1 to 17 years. Analyses for zinc and vitamin A included children aged 1 to 4 years.

Results:

The mean 2010 to 2005 differences in ferritin, zinc, and vitamin A were 2.5 µg/L (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.3 to 3.7), −34.9 µg/dL (95% CI: −39.6 to −30.2), and −11.5 µg/dL (95% CI: −12.3 to −10.7), respectively, after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. These differences varied significantly by region of residence. In 2010, region of residence was a significant correlate for all 3 micronutrients. Other important correlates included age and maternal education for ferritin and body mass index-for-age Z score, maternal education, wealth index, food insecurity, and urbanicity for vitamin A.

Conclusions:

Plasma ferritin was slightly higher in 2010 than in 2005, whereas serum zinc and vitamin A were substantially lower in 2010. In the absence of obvious causal explanations, it is uncertain whether this decline represents a worsening of micronutrient status in Colombian children or an artifact due to systematic laboratory or data management errors incurred in the surveys.
Preliminary Validation of the Subjective Academic Problems Scale: A New Tool to Aid in Triaging School Mental Health Screening Results
Authors: Renshaw Tyler L.
Published: March 2017

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the preliminary structural, convergent, and incremental classification validity of responses to the Subjective Academic Problems Scale (SAPS), which is a seven-item self-report behavior rating scale intended for use as a triaging tool within secondary-level school mental health screening contexts. Findings from psychometric analyses carried out with Sample 1 ( N = 177) indicated that responses to the SAPS were characterized by a unidimensional measurement model and that scores derived from the scale had convergent validity with scores from several other self-reported measures of student wellbeing and mental health problems. Results from analyses conducted with Sample 2 ( N = 219) confirmed the unidimensionality of responses to the SAPS measurement model and demonstrated that SAPS scores had incremental validity, when used in conjunction with scores from a self-report internalizing problems screener, for identifying students with greater levels of mental health risk. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
Leisure-Time Physical Activity and Characteristics of Social Network Support for Exercise Among Latinas
Authors: Soto Sandra H. , Arredondo Elva M. , Haughton Jessica , Shakya Holly
Published: March 2017

Purpose:

To examine the association between characteristics of social support for exercise and moderate-to-vigorous leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) among Latinas.

Design:

This cross-sectional study used baseline data from a cluster randomized controlled trial.

Setting:

The study was conducted in 16 churches located in San Diego County.

Participants:

Participants (N = 436) were Latinas between 18 and 65 years old who did not self-report >150 minutes or did not exceed 250 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous PA per week measured by accelerometer.

Measures:

Latinas listed up to 6 individuals who had provided support for exercise within the past 6 months, including their gender, relationship with the respondent, types of support provided, and respondent’s satisfaction with support. Self-reported LTPA was dichotomized (none vs any).

Analyses:

We generated dyads between Latinas who named ≥1 supporter (n = 323) and each supporter they named (n = 569 dyads). Logistic regression analyses were conducted using generalized estimating equations to adjust for multiple observations per participant.

Results:

Having an exercise partner (odds ratio [OR]: 2.16; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-4.62), help with household duties (OR: 2.70; 95% CI: 1.35-3.38), being “very much” satisfied with support (OR: 2.33; 95% CI: 1.26-4.30), and naming >2 supporters (OR: 2.57; 95% CI: 1.06-6.25) was positively associated with LTPA.

Conclusions:

Findings suggest specific aspects of support for exercise that should be targeted in future interventions to promote LTPA.