bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using Contingent Valuation in Recreation Planning
Authors: Lindsey Greg
Published: January 2017

Throgmorton has argued that survey results are tropes, or rhetorical devices, that establish a context for the frankly political debates that occur within planning processes. Planners responsible for the economic evaluation of plans and projects increasingly are using a particular type of survey, the contingent valuation (CV) survey, to estimate the value of public goods such as water quality and recreation. It is argued in this article that CV is a useful tool for planning and that, following Throgmorton, planners will be more effective if they accept the idea that the results of CV surveys are both scientific and contestable. In this study, the CV-type questions about willingness to pay provided information not available from conventional surveys and helped local decision makers gauge the strength of local support for a parks board. Effective use of CV, like use of other survey data, requires that planners be competent technically and politically.
Economic Activity, Environmental Impacts, and Public Investment; Making the Connections
Authors: Brown Douglas M. , Dellovade Denise , Siegel Michael L.
Published: January 2017

This article describes a model for resource allocation decisions between economic development and environmental investments. In the model, economic activity (the input) creates pollutant emissions moderated by process technology, investments in pollution control equipment, and regulatory control and enforcement. The net emissions (the outputs) create impacts: changes in natural resource quality, resource availability, and public health. The impacts in turn serve as inputs to interactive economic models. The general form of the model is uncontroversial. However, quantitative data are available for only 4 of the 11 major areas. In a regulatory arena based on scientific findings, decision makers deserve better support than this. The authors are publishing the conceptual form of the model to identify this knowledge problem, solicit participation in refining the concepts and addressing data deficiencies, and gain a consensus that will aim future research toward obtaining data that can support policy makers effectively.
Impairment of social cognition in multiple sclerosis: Amygdala atrophy is the main predictor
Authors: Batista Sonia , d’Almeida Otília C , Afonso Ana , Freitas Sandra , Macário Carmo , Sousa Lívia , Castelo-Branco Miguel , Santana Isabel , Cunha Luís
Published: January 2017

Background:

Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) frequently reveal social behavior disturbance. Nevertheless, little is known regarding the impact of MS on social cognition, particularly theory of mind (ToM), and its neural basis.

Objectives:

To explore how ToM is affected in MS and its neural correlates.

Methods:

Enrolled 60 consecutive MS patients and 60 healthy controls (HC) matched on age, sex, and education. Participants underwent ToM testing (Eyes Test, Videos Test) and 3 T brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Using Freesurfer software, cortical and subcortical gray matter (GM) volumes were calculated.

Results:

MS patients performed worse on Eyes Test (58.7% ± 13.8% vs 81.9% ± 10.4%, p < 0.001) and Videos Test (75.3% ± 9.3% vs 88.1% ± 7.1%, p < 0.001). Eyes Test performance in MS was positively correlated with the volume of subcortical structures (amygdala, putamen) and cortical regions (entorhinal cortex, fusiform gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, superior parietal gyrus, supramarginal gyrus, medial orbitofrontal cortex, anterior and posterior cingulate gyrus). In regression analysis, amygdala volume was the single predictor of performance ( R2 change = 0.064, p = 0.031), and a mediation analysis indicated that it contributes for the differences observed between MS and HC.

Conclusion:

Patients with MS have impairment on social cognition. Amygdala atrophy was the main predictor probably due to its central position within the “social brain” network.
Genetic susceptibility to multiple sclerosis: Brain structure and cognitive function in the general population
Authors: Ikram Mohammad Arfan , Vernooij Meike W , Roshchupkin Gennady V , Hofman Albert , van Duijn Cornelia M , Uitterlinden André G , Niessen Wiro J , Hintzen Rogier Q , Adams Hieab HH
Published: January 2017

Background:

Multiple sclerosis (MS) affects brain structure and cognitive function and has a heritable component. Over a 100 common genetic risk variants have been identified, but most carriers do not develop MS. For other neurodegenerative diseases, risk variants have effects outside patient populations, but this remains uninvestigated for MS.

Objectives:

To study the effect of MS-associated genetic variants on brain structure and cognitive function in the general population.

Methods:

We studied middle-aged and elderly individuals (mean age = 65.7 years) from the population-based Rotterdam Study. We determined 107 MS variants and additionally created a risk score combining all variants. Magnetic resonance imaging ( N = 4710) was performed to obtain measures of brain macrostructure, white matter microstructure, and gray matter voxel-based morphometry. A cognitive test battery ( N = 7556) was used to test a variety of cognitive domains.

Results:

The MS risk score was associated with smaller gray matter volume over the whole brain (βstandardized = −0.016; p = 0.044), but region-specific analyses did not survive multiple testing correction. Similarly, no significant associations with brain structure were observed for individual variants. For cognition, rs2283792 was significantly associated with poorer memory (β = −0.064; p = 3.4 × 10−5).

Conclusion:

Increased genetic susceptibility to MS may affect brain structure and cognition in persons without disease, pointing to a “hidden burden” of MS.
Natalizumab-associated progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy is not preceded by elevated drug concentrations
Authors: van Kempen Zoé LE , Leurs Cyra E , Vennegoor Anke , Wattjes Mike P , Rispens Theo , Uitdehaag Bernard MJ , Killestein Joep
Published: January 2017

Background:

In recent years, a small but increasing number of neurologists choose to extend dose intervals of natalizumab with the aim of reducing the risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). This idea is based on the hypothesis that high drug concentrations increase the risk of PML.

Objective:

We investigated the relation between longitudinal natalizumab concentrations in patients who developed PML and patients who did not develop PML.

Methods:

In a prospective observational cohort study of 219 patients with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis treated with natalizumab, serum samples were taken every 12 weeks prior to natalizumab infusion. In this cohort, 5 patients developed PML and were matched with 10 patients from the cohort who did not develop PML. Natalizumab concentrations were measured in available samples, and the longitudinal results were compared between the two patient groups.

Results:

Mean natalizumab concentrations in the five patients developing PML was 18.9 µg/mL (standard deviation (SD): ±13.4) versus 23.8 µg/mL (SD: ±11.5) of the control patients. Furthermore, we did not observe a clear rise in concentration levels in patients subsequently developing PML.

Conclusion:

Our results provide preliminary evidence that contradicts the hypothesis that exposure to elevated concentrations of natalizumab is a relevant risk factor of developing PML.
An organizational learning perspective on the contracting process
Authors: Lumineau Fabrice , Fréchet Marc , Puthod Dominique
Published: January 2017

The contracting process is a crucial step in alliance development and its success. However, the existing literature reveals surprisingly little investigation into how organizational learning relates to the process of contract making. The authors therefore conducted an in-depth longitudinal study of the alliance contracting process in the animated film industry. First, the study’s findings suggest that during the contracting process, firms can learn about the way to deal with the contracting process, about themselves and their partner, and about the transaction features. Second, the case analysis indicates a combination of experiential, vicarious and inferential learning mechanisms. Combining these insights into the objects and the mechanisms of learning during the contracting process, the authors discuss how contracting and learning processes are related and analyse the role of the contracting process in supporting organizational learning. The findings show that the drafting of contractual clauses fosters learning and, in turn, this learning triggers new contractual negotiations. Hence the authors suggest that the alignment between transaction features and the choice of contractual governance results from learning during the contracting process. They then propose avenues for future research.
Cancelation of transducer effects from frequency response functions: Experimental case study on the steel plate
Authors: Zamani Pedram , Taleshi Anbouhi Abbas , Ashory MR , Khatibi MM , Masoudi Nejad Reza
Published: January 2017

Modal analysis is a progressive science in the experimental evaluation of dynamic properties of the structures. Mechanical devices such as accelerometers are one of the sources of lack of quality in measuring modal testing parameters. In this article, elimination of the accelerometer’s mass effect of the frequency response of the structure is studied. So, a strategy is used for eliminating the mass effect using sensitivity analysis. In this method, the amount of mass change and the place to measure the structure’s response with least error in frequency correction is chosen. Experimental modal testing is carried out on a steel plate, and the effect of accelerometer’s mass is omitted using this strategy. Finally, a good agreement is achieved between numerical and experimental results.
Country Road Bureaucracy: The Challenges of Social Service Delivery in an Economically Disadvantaged Rural State
Authors: Latimer Melissa , Colyer Corey
Published: January 2017

The devolution of state authority embedded in the 1996 federal welfare reform law (since reaffirmed in the 2006 reauthorization of this law) has enormous implications for economically disadvantaged adults and their families as well as those responsible for the local management and delivery of these welfare services. Although over a decade of welfare reform “impact” research currently exists, the majority of this literature focuses primarily on welfare clients in urban areas. This study identifies service delivery processes in rural areas in an Appalachian state with high levels of poverty and unemployment, limited economic resources for investment and development, and inadequate administrative capacity. Welfare reform affects urban and rural beneficiaries differently. This article highlights (1) the challenges faced by TANF caseworkers who implement welfare reform policies on a daily basis in West Virginia, (2) how these daily practices are heavily influenced by cultural and organization practices, and (3) the “chaining of social problems” found within welfare reform. The data used in this research come from focus groups with approximately eighty caseworkers in West Virginia. Implications for service delivery and public policy are discussed.
If it Please the Court Sociologist as Expert Witness in a Civil Rights Case
Authors: Hirsch Michael L , Quartaroli Tina A.
Published: January 2017

This article looks at the role sociologists can play as expert witnesses in the court of law. It does so by examining Agran vs. City of New York (1995), a federal civil rights case wherein original social research was undertaken specifically to establish whether the defendant did damages to the plaintiff. While the establishment of damages was secondary to the primary question of whether the plaintiff's civil rights were violated, this use of primary research in a civil case provides an interesting example of what possibilities exist for applied social researchers. Sociologists have increasingly become involved in courtroom appearances as expert witnesses. While at times their testimony is used to challenge the knowledge claims of medicine and psychology or attempts to define the limits of moral accountability of defendants (Jenkins and Kroll-Smith 1996), more often sociologists draw on their personal expertise to humanize defendants and/or help to clarify defendants 'criminal culpability (Yablonsky 2002).
Investigating the Apathy toward Applied Sociology
Authors: Cohen Andrew C.
Published: January 2017

The number of students either majoring in or enrolling for applied sociology degrees at the undergraduate level is small. This paper investigates two questions spurred by this dilemma: what factors have led to a proportionately low number of students majoring in applied sociology? And what steps can applied sociologists take to increase student interest in applied sociology as a major? A review of literature around the problem indicates that sociology may be invisible to the general public, including many college-bound students, and what can be seen of the sociological world portrays an image that does not appeal to that student “market.” Research conducted through e-mail-based questionnaires sent to sociology students and department heads reinforces the notion that the sociological community is failing to act cohesively and reveals a few potential steps applied sociologists could take to help their recruitment efforts.
Reconfiguring public relations with China
Authors: Bean Hamilton , Dodge Patrick Shaou-Whea
Published: January 2017

This essay explores the intersection of public relations education and cultural identity in order to better understand how educators can assist themselves and their students to think more critically and reflexively about ecology, equity, and enterprise at local and global levels. Specifically, the authors argue for the need for educators to ‘reconfigure’ public relations with China in ways that recognize and cultivate multiple perspectives, especially non-US and non-dominant perspectives. The authors describe specific teaching experiences in China to illustrate how the principles of reconfiguration might support productive engagement of social and environmental issues in the public relations classroom.
Blogging about the Affordable Care Act: A rhetorical analysis of weblogs kept by the Democratic and Republican Parties and the White House
Authors: Marshall Laura H.
Published: January 2017

Political parties in the United States have used public relations tools to promote their opinions about health care reform since the subject first entered the lexicon in the 20th century. As the Affordable Care Act was introduced and debated in Congress in 2008 and 2009, political parties’ public relations teams used political weblogs or ‘blogs’ to disseminate their messages. The language used in those blogs illustrated attitudes underlying the explicit messages, including assumptions of victimhood and villainy, which were used to support party positions regarding the law. This rhetorical analysis examines content of the blogs within the ‘zones of meaning’ Heath proposed as models of effective public relations. Differences between the parties’ content and the administration’s is particularly noticeable in the uses of humor and sarcasm, the social positioning of women and families, and the villainy or victimhood inherent in many of the social roles depicted by the uses of language.
Identification of cellulose nitrate based adhesive repairs in archaeological pottery of the University of Melbourne’s Middle Eastern archaeological pottery collection using portable FTIR-ATR spectroscopy and PCA
Authors: Noake Emily , Lau Deborah , Nel Petronella
Published: January 2017

A previous study of the Cypriot pottery collection housed in the Ian Potter Museum of Art at the University of Melbourne found approximately two-thirds of adhesive repairs are primarily composed of cellulose nitrate (CN). This is of concern as CN has a limited lifespan (6–20 years), which has implications for the strategic management of the collection. To gain a greater understanding of the prevalence of CN based adhesive repairs in the archaeological context, the original FTIR-ATR spectroscopic survey was extended to incorporate the University’s Middle Eastern archaeological pottery collection. Micro-samples were removed from artefacts using acetone swabs. Analysis of adhesive FTIR spectra identified CN to be present not only as the primary polymer in approximately one-tenth of repairs, but also as a secondary polymer in poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) and acrylic adhesive formulations, observed as a weak peak at ~1656 cm−1. CN’s secondary presence in PVAc adhesive formulations is demonstrated using principal component analysis (PCA) and the diphenylamine spot test for CN. Re-analysis of adhesive IR spectra from the Cypriot pottery collection found CN to be present as a secondary polymer in this collection as well. It is concluded a combined methodology of collecting and identifying FTIR-ATR spectra of adhesive repairs from archaeological pottery collections followed by PCA analysis bring to light adhesive formulations which can inform the management of pottery collections.
Permanent draft genome of Thiobacillus thioparus DSM 505T, an obligately chemolithoautotrophic member of the Betaproteobacteria
Authors: Hutt Lee P. , Huntemann Marcel , Clum Alicia , Pillay Manoj , Palaniappan Krishnaveni , Varghese Neha , Mikhailova Natalia , Stamatis Dimitrios , Reddy Tatiparthi , Daum Chris , Shapiro Nicole , Ivanova Natalia , Kyrpides Nikos , Woyke Tanja , Boden Rich
Published: January 2017

Thiobacillus thioparus DSM 505T is one of first two isolated strains of inorganic sulfur-oxidising Bacteria. The original strain of T. thioparus was lost almost 100 years ago and the working type strain is Culture CT (=DSM 505T = ATCC 8158T) isolated by Starkey in 1934 from agricultural soil at Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA. It is an obligate chemolithoautotroph that conserves energy from the oxidation of reduced inorganic sulfur compounds using the Kelly-Trudinger pathway and uses it to fix carbon dioxide It is not capable of heterotrophic or mixotrophic growth. The strain has a genome size of 3,201,518 bp. Here we report the genome sequence, annotation and characteristics. The genome contains 3,135 protein coding and 62 RNA coding genes. Genes encoding the transaldolase variant of the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle were also identified and an operon encoding carboxysomes, along with Smith’s biosynthetic horseshoe in lieu of Krebs’ cycle sensu stricto. Terminal oxidases were identified, viz. cytochrome c oxidase (cbb3, EC 1.9.3.1) and ubiquinol oxidase (bd, EC 1.10.3.10). There is a partial sox operon of the Kelly-Friedrich pathway of inorganic sulfur-oxidation that contains soxXYZAB genes but lacking soxCDEF, there is also a lack of the DUF302 gene previously noted in the sox operon of other members of the ‘Proteobacteria’ that can use trithionate as an energy source. In spite of apparently not growing anaerobically with denitrification, the nar, nir, nor and nos operons encoding enzymes of denitrification are found in the T. thioparus genome, in the same arrangements as in the true denitrifier T. denitrificans.
A prospective study of time to healing and hypertrophic scarring in paediatric burns: every day counts
Authors: Chipp Elizabeth , Charles Lisa , Thomas Clare , Whiting Kate , Moiemen Naiem , Wilson Yvonne
Published: January 2017

Background

It is commonly accepted that burns taking longer than 3 weeks to heal have a much higher rate of hypertrophic scarring than those which heal more quickly. However, some of our patients develop hypertrophic scars despite healing within this 3-week period.

Methods

We performed a prospective study of 383 paediatric burns treated non-operatively at a regional burns centre over a 2-year period from May 2011 to April 2013. Scar assessment was performed by a senior burns therapist using the Vancouver Scar Scale.

Results

Overall rates of hypertrophic scarring were 17.2%. Time to healing was the strongest predictor of developing hypertrophic scarring, and the earliest hypertrophic scar developed in a patient who was healed after 8 days. The risk of hypertrophic scarring was multiplied by 1.138 for every additional day taken for the burn wound to heal. There was a trend towards higher rates of hypertrophic scarring in non-white skin types but this did not reach statistical significance.

Conclusions

The risk of hypertrophic scarring increases with every day and, therefore, every effort should be made to get the wound healed as quickly as possible, even within the traditional 3-week period usually allowed for healing. We believe that the traditional dogma of aiming for healing within 3 weeks is overly simplistic and should be abandoned: in paediatric burns, every day counts.

Trial registration

Not applicable.
Fact or fiction: updates on how protein-coding genes might emerge de novo from previously non-coding DNA
Authors: Schmitz Jonathan F , Bornberg-Bauer Erich
Published: January 2017

Over the last few years, there has been an increasing amount of evidence for the de novo emergence of protein-coding genes, i.e. out of non-coding DNA. Here, we review the current literature and summarize the state of the field. We focus specifically on open questions and challenges in the study of de novo protein-coding genes such as the identification and verification of de novo-emerged genes. The greatest obstacle to date is the lack of high-quality genomic data with very short divergence times which could help precisely pin down the location of origin of a de novo gene. We conclude that, while there is plenty of evidence from a genetics perspective, there is a lack of functional studies of bona fide de novo genes and almost no knowledge about protein structures and how they come about during the emergence of de novo protein-coding genes. We suggest that future studies should concentrate on the functional and structural characterization of de novo protein-coding genes as well as the detailed study of the emergence of functional de novo protein-coding genes.
Acmeological Approach to Development of Managers’ Innovational Activity
Authors: Валенсия  , Valencia Alina
Published: January 2017

The article is dedicated to the issues of development of managers’ innovational activity as one of main

competences and characteristics of personal and professional development and marketing competitiveness of the

company. This aspect is analyzed according to psychological and acmeological approach representing manager as

a subject of changes. The article presents results of practical research of dynamics of development of managers’

innovational activity and theoretical model of managers’ innovational activity.
Nurses' practice in preventing postoperative wound infections: an observational study
Authors: Ding S. , Lin F. , Marshall A.P. , Gillespie B.M.
Published: January 2017

Objective:

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are serious postoperative complications that may lead to undesired patient outcomes. Previous research has used survey and chart audit methods to describe wound care practices. However, little research has been published using contemporaneous observations to describe the surgical wound management practices of nurses. The aim of this study was to prospectively describe surgical nurses' postoperative wound care practices and the extent to which observed surgical wound practices aligned with evidence-based guideline recommendations.

Method:

In this cross-sectional prospective study, we observed a convenience sample of 60 nurses from four surgical units using a specifically developed observational audit tool. Inter-rater reliability for this tool was assessed during the observation period.

Results:

Of 60 observed episodes of wound care, post-procedure hand hygiene (n=49, 81.7%) was less evident compared with pre-procedure hand hygiene practice (n=57, 95%). Over one-third of nurses observed did not correctly use clean gloves (n=16, 38.1%) and one in five did not properly use sterile gloves (n=4, 22%). More than half of surgical nurses (n=37, 61.7%) did not educate patients on post-discharge wound management. Fewer than a quarter (n=14, 23.3%) of wound care events were recorded on both wound assessment charts and patients' progress notes. Inter-rater reliability testing indicated good agreement (intra-class correlation coefficient 0.859; 95% CI: 0.771–0.923; p<0.0005).

Conclusion:

Despite surgical wound care guideline recommendations on aseptic technique compliance, patient education, wound assessment and documentation practices, there is a clear gap between recommended and observed wound care practice. This study highlights an area where clinical practice is not reflective of evidence-based recommendations, suggesting that to minimise SSI as an adverse event, practice should be evaluated and strategies incorporating evidence into practice are explored.
"Vinnugleðin hefur tapast, nú er bara álag og erfitt og lítil gleði" - starfsumhverfi opinberra starfsmanna á tímum efnahagsþrenginga
Authors: Sigursteinsdóttir Hjördís
Published: January 2017

Árið 2008 markaði upphaf mikils samdráttarskeiðs um heim allan og Ísland var eitt af fyrstu löndunum í Evrópu sem alþjóðakreppan náði til. Áhrifa kreppunnar gætti víða í samfélaginu og þó hún hafi komi harðar niður á einkageiranum hafði hún einnig mikil áhrif í opinbera geiranum, ekki síst hjá sveitarfélögunum. Tilgangur rannsóknarinnar var að komast að því hvernig starfsfólk sveitarfélaga greindi frá starfsánægju, álagi, starfsöryggi, ánægju með stjórnun vinnustaðarins og umhyggju stjórnenda fyrir heilsu og líðan starfsfólks tveimur, þremur og fimm árum eftir efnahagshrunið. Auk þess var skoðað hvort þættir í starfsumhverfinu, auk persónubundinna þátta, geti spáð fyrir um líkur á starfsánægju. Notað var blandað rannsóknarsnið (spurningalistakannanir og rýnihópaviðtöl). Niðurstöðurnar sýndu lækkandi hlutfall þeirra sem voru ánægðir í starfi eftir því sem lengra leið frá efnahagshruninu, einkum vegna sparnaðaraðgerða stjórnenda. Starfsaðstæður versnuðu verulega að mati þátttakenda og mátti sjá birtingarmyndir þess í fækkun starfsfólks, auknu vinnuálagi, minna starfsöryggi, meiri óánægju með stjórnun og minni umhyggju stjórnenda fyrir heilsu og líðan starfsfólks, sérstaklega á vinnustöðum þar sem uppsagnir höfðu orðið. Uppsagnir á vinnustað var besta spágildið fyrir starfsánægju (OR=0,590), þannig að á vinnustöðum þar sem uppsagnir höfuð orðið var mun minni starfsánægja en á öðrum vinnustöðum. Einnig kom í ljós að aðrir þættir í starfsumhverfinu (umhyggja stjórnenda fyrir heilsu og líðan starfsmanna OR=1,349; ánægja með stjórnun vinnustaðarins OR=1,345; starfsöryggi OR=1,221 og vinnuálag OR=0,801) höfðu allir marktæk áhrif á starfsánægju. Mikilvægt er að stjórnendur hafi vakandi auga fyrir starfstengdri líðan á vinnustaðnum, sérstaklega á samdráttartímum, og þá ekki einungis meðal þeirra starfshópa sem hafa orðið verst úti heldur einnig þeirra sem að jafnaði eru taldir búa við mikið starfsöryggi, eins og starfsfólk sveitarfélaga.
Þarfir netsins
Authors: Jónsson Örn Daníel , Karlsson Bjarni Frímann
Published: January 2017

Sú fallvatnsorka sem seld hefur verið til stóriðju hefur skilað óverulegum hagnaði og fyrirséð er að hún mun ekki skila verulegum hagnaði nema dregið verði úr skuldsetningu raforkufyrirtækjanna. Söluverðið er þekkt og að hluta til fast. Væntingar um að stóriðja verði leið til að styrkja iðnað í landinu og auka fjölbreytni útflutnings hafa snúist upp í andhverfu sína. Stóriðjugeirinn skapar ekki fjölda starfa og margföldunaráhrifin eru ekki mikil. Þjóðhagslseg áhrif eru mest á byggingartíma virkjananna. Niðurstaðan er að virkjun fallvatna hefur skilað litlu; orkusölu til fimm fjölþjóðafyrirtækja og óverulegum skatttekjum, utan tímabundins orkuskatts sem nú hefur verið aflagður. Fræðileg nálgun er að mestu sótt til Max Weber; annars vegar tilgátunnar um yfirburði regluveldisins, læsingu ákvarðanatöku í járnbúr, og hins vegar um að markleitin skynsemi, verkfærnin, geti umpólast þannig að leiðin verði að markmiði. Þannig hefur virkjun og orkuveita orðið að sérstakri atvinnugrein sem hefur eigin vöxt að markmiði undir yfirskini arðsemi. Yfirlýst markmið um samfélagslega ábyrgð, skyldur við nærsamfélagið og ábyrga umgengni við náttúruna eru löguð að fyrirætlunum og framkvæmd, þ.e. "heildsölu á raforku til stórnotenda innan rammaáætlunar.
Men and the Suffrage
Authors: Kristmundsdóttir Sigríður Dúna
Published: January 2017

Around the turn of the last century the suffrage was a crucial political issue in Europe and North America. Granting the disenfranchised groups, all women and a proportion of men, the suffrage would foreseeably have lasting effects on the structure of society and its gendered organization. Accordingly, the suffrage was hotly debated. Absent in this debate were the voices of disenfranchised men and this article asks why this was so. No research has been found on why these men did not fight for their suffrage while women ́s fight for their suffrage has been well researched. Within this context, the article examines the case of Iceland, in terms of issues such as the importance of urbanization, social change and culturally defined perceptions of men and women as social persons. It is argued that men did not have the same impetus as women to fight for their suffrage, and that if they had wanted to they were in certain respects disadvantaged compared to women. The gendered organization of society emerges as central in explaining why women fought for their suffrage and men did not, and why women’s suffrage received more attention than men’s general suffrage. As a case study, offering a microcosmic view of the subject in one social and cultural context, it allows for comparison with other like studies and with ongoing social processes.
Athafnafólk í opinberri stefnumótun á óvissutímum: Hvernig hugmyndin um notendastýrða persónulega aðstoð varð að veruleika á Íslandi
Authors: Sigurgeirsdóttir Sigurbjörg
Published: January 2017

Þessi rannsókn leitast við að útskýra tímamótaákvörðun í þjónustu við fatlað fólk á Íslandi. Opinber stefnumótun hefur löngum einkennst af hægfara breytingum, sem gerast í smáum skrefum. Stundum bregður þó svo við að meiriháttar breytingar verða og stefnumál, sem verið hefur baráttumál hagsmunahópa um margra ára skeið, ná fram að ganga. Dagskrárkenningar leitast við að útskýra meiriháttar stefnubreytingar með því m.a. að beina athyglinni að því hvernig og hvers vegna tiltekin málefni koma til kasta stjórnvalda á hverju tíma. Bandaríski stjórnmálafræðingurinn, John W. Kingdon, setti fyrst fram kenningu sína um straumana þrjá og glugga tækifæranna fyrir rúmum 30 árum. Nýlegar rannsóknir evrópskra stjórnmálafræðinga halda því nú fram að nálgun Kingdons geti varpað ljósi á það hvernig það pólitíska kerfi sem stefnumótunin fer fram í virkar og hvernig hegðun og aðferðir þátttakenda í ferlinu hafa áhrif. Í þessari eigindlegu rannsókn er skoðað hvernig hugmyndin um notendastýrða persónulega aðstoð (NPA) varð að veruleika á Íslandi. Rannsóknin byggir á fyrirliggjandi gögnum og viðtölum við lykilfólk um þá framvindu mála sem leiddi til ákvörðunar um að innleiða NPA hér á landi. Rannsóknin lýsir því hvernig og undir hvaða kringumstæðum NPA komst á dagskrá stjórnvalda. Niðurstöðurnar sýna hvernig breytingar á verkaskiptingu milli ríkis og sveitarfélaga gáfu tækifæri fyrir nýja hugmyndafræði sem nýttist bæði notendum, viðskiptahagsmunum og pólitískum hagsmunum. Niðurstöðurnar benda til þess að þar hafi ekki aðeins verið réttur maður á réttum stað á réttum tíma, heldur varpa þær fræðilegu ljósi á það hvað einkennir athafnafólk í opinberri stefnumótun og hvernig og hvers vegna það skiptir máli á óvissutímum í stjórnmálum.
Markaðsvæðing frétta: Greining á innihaldi frétta í tveimur dagblöðum og tveimur vefmiðlum fyrir og eftir hrun
Authors: Jóhannsdóttir Valgerður
Published: January 2017

Miklar breytingar hafa orðið í fjölmiðlun undanfarna áratugi. Breytingarnar eiga sér pólitískar, efnahagslegar og ekki síst tæknilegar rætur og hafa m.a lýst sér í samþjöppun eignarhalds, aukinni markaðsvæðingu og harðnandi samkeppni. Erlendar rannsóknir benda margar til þess að þessi þróun hafi haft veruleg áhrif á blaða- og fréttamennsku og fjölmiðlar leggi aukna áherslu á fréttir af glæpum, íþróttum og frægu fólki, en minni á fréttir af stjórnmálum, efnahagsmálum eða alþjóðamálum. Ýmsir fræðimenn hafa einnig haldið því fram að þessa sjái stað í netmiðlum í ríkari mæli en hefðbundnum miðlum á borð við dagblöð, þar sem eiginleikar netsins og stafrænnar miðlunar ýti undir slíkt. Ísland hefur ekki farið varhluta af þessum breytingum, en lítið er vitað um áhrif þeirra á efnið sem fjölmiðlar framleiða. Í þessari grein er gerð grein fyrir niðurstöðum rannsóknar á innihaldi frétta í stærstu dagblöðum og veffréttamiðlum hér á landi árin 2005 og 2013, eða fyrir og eftir efnahagshrunið 2008. Þær benda til þess að umfang frétta af pólitík og efnahagsmálum sé hlutfallslega minna nú en var fyrir hrun, en svokallaðar mjúkar fréttir, af íþróttum, afþreyingu og frægu fólki séu að sama skapi hlutfallslega fleiri. Það á einkum við um vefmiðlana en síður um dagblöðin.
Mannréttindastefna Reykjavíkurborgar: Áskoranir, togstreita og tækifæri
Authors: Þorvaldsdóttir Þorgerður H. , Hjartardóttir Guðbjörg Lilja
Published: January 2017

Reykjavíkurborg tók ákveðið frumkvæði í jafnréttis- og mannréttindamálum á Íslandi þegar mannréttindastefna borgarinnar var samþykkt árið 2006. Stefnan ber sterkan svip af regluverki Evrópusambandsins þar sem áhersla er lögð á jafnrétti allra hópa og bann við mismunun. Innleiðing og framkvæmd mannréttindastefnunnar hefur reynst vandasamt ferli, ekki síst þar sem löggjöf um bann við mismunun hér á landi er ábótavant, nema á sviði kynjajafnréttis, og hefur það haft bein áhrif á stöðu málaflokksins. Spurningakönnun sem lögð var fyrir stjórnendur hjá Reykjavíkurborg um mannréttindastefnuna, fordóma og stöðu jaðarsettra hópa leiddi í ljós að í grunninn virðist mannréttindastefna Reykjavíkurborgar vera gott verkfæri. Stefnan er ágætlega þekkt meðal stjórnenda og þeir nýta hana sem tæki til breytinga, sér í lagi þegar kemur að mannaráðningum og starfsmannahaldi, en minna við úrhlutun fjármagns. Þrátt fyrir ásetning um að sinna jafnrétti allra og vinna gegn margþættri mismunun virðast sumir jaðarsettir hópar berskjaldaðri fyrir mismunun og jaðarsetningu en aðrir, sérstaklega innflytjendur, fatlað fólk og langveikt fólk.
Perspectives of Use of Alternative Energy Sources in Air Transport
Authors: Socha Luboš , Socha Vladimír , Čekan Peter , Čekanová Daniela , Hanáková Lenka , Puškáš Tomáš
Published: January 2017

The problem of environmental load is also reflected in air transport. Usage of fossil fuels, which are dominant nowadays, has a negative impact on the environment and also its resources are limited. Therefore, the article focuses on the prospective of use of other energy sources in aviation, such as alternative fuels (synthetic fuels, biofuels, alcohol, methane, hydrogen), solar energy and the use of fuel cells. Also, the paper briefly summarizes the approach of aircraft manufacturers to the use alternative sources.
Russian safe weight loss program "Primavera". Results of the first year.
Authors: Мельниченко Галина Афанасьевна , Романцова Татьяна Ивановна , Журавлева М В
Published: January 2017

Russian safe weight loss program "Primavera". Results of the first year.
Ethnic humour in a multicultural society
Authors: Gogová Lenka
Published: January 2017

The coexistence of different cultures in specific pluralistic settings not only has positive but also negative impacts. Besides exchanging cultural contents within a multicultural environment, societies use humour as a form of social interaction, which reinforces cultural interrelationships as well as ethnical differences. However, humour differs from culture to culture and from individual to individual. On the one hand, it develops social cohesion, fosters positive relations and increases the self-identification of the individual in relation to other ethnic groups, but on the other hand, it functions as an acceptable and tolerated form of aggression in a particular society. The bipolar character of humour stems from its status and functions. It serves both as a social unifier and a social separator. The most common paradigms of humour in social discourse are ethnic jokes or cartoons that are often built on fixed ethnic/racial stereotypes leading to social categorization but also to fast and correct decoding of semantic information by an audience. Ethnic jokes are social thermometers, recording and measuring the level of sensitivity towards specific cultural groups. The main aim of this paper is to introduce ethnic humour and its key functions in the context of ongoing cultural interactions and changes.
Communication across cultures: ideological implications of Sam Selvon’s linguistic inventiveness
Authors: Klimková Simona
Published: January 2017

In the postcolonial context, language represents one of the crucial tools of cultural communication and is therefore often a subject of heated discussion. Since language constitutes the framework of cultural interaction, postcolonial authors often challenge the privileged position of Standard English within their writing by modifying and substituting it with new forms and varieties. The Trinidad-born writer Sam Selvon belongs to a handful of Caribbean authors who initiated linguistic experiments in the context of Caribbean literature and is considered one of the first Caribbean writers to employ dialect in a novel. His 1956 novel The Lonely Londoners reflects the possibilities of vernacular experimentation and thus communicates the specific experience of a particular cultural group in an authentic way.
Thermal Degradation Study of Decabromodiphenyl Ether. Translating Thermo-Analytical Results into Optimal Chromatographic Conditions
Authors: Dumitras Mihai , Maftei Dan , Isac Dragos L. , Airinei Anton , Dirtu Alin C.
Published: January 2017

This study aims to investigate the thermal degradation behavior of decabrominated diphenyl ether (BDE 209), a flame retardant (FR) which accounts for more than 90% of the total polybrominated diphenyl ethers reported for indoor dust samples collected from Eastern Romania. Simultaneous TG/DTA was applied under various heating rate and atmospheres. The results of this study showed that BDE 209 undergoes thermal degradation in a single step, regardless of the heating rate or atmosphere, with an initial degradation temperature between 297 and 330 °C, depending on the heating rate, and a partial overlapping of melting and thermal degradation in the initial stages which might suggest that the common degradation noticed for the higher brominated FRs analysis might also occur during sample preparation or during injection of the extracts in the GC systems and not necessarily during column elution. The main findings of this research were aimed at designing proper GC analytical methods for the selected halogenated contaminants.
K2FeZrP3O12 as an Efficient Catalyst for Friedel–Crafts Benzylation under Solvent-Free Conditions
Authors: Sheikhan Nafisehsadat , Hajipour Abdol R.
Published: January 2017

K2FeZrP3O12 was prepared by sol-gel method and used as a mild and efficient solid acid catalyst for Friedel-Crafts benzylation of various arenes with benzyl bromide under solvent-free conditions. The method is green and has high yields.
Some Formulas for the Polynomials and Topological Indices of Nanostructures
Authors: Soleimani Najmeh , Mohseni Esmaeel , Rezaei Fahimeh , Khati Fatemeh
Published: January 2017

In this paper, we focus on the structure of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and calculate the Omega and its related counting polynomials of nanostructures. Also, the exact expressions for the Theta, Sadhana, Pi, Hyper Zagreb and Forgotten Zagreb indices of linear [n]-Tetracene, V-Tetracenic nanotube, H-Tetracenic nanotube and Tetracenic nanotori were computed for the first time. These indices can be used in QSAR/QSPR studies.
Hyperchaos, adaptive control and synchronization of a novel 4-D hyperchaotic system with two quadratic nonlinearities
Authors: Vaidyanathan Sundarapandian
Published: January 2017

This research work announces an eleven-term novel 4-D hyperchaotic system with two quadratic nonlinearities. We describe the qualitative properties of the novel 4-D hyperchaotic system and illustrate their phase portraits. We show that the novel 4-D hyperchaotic system has two unstable equilibrium points. The novel 4-D hyperchaotic system has the Lyapunov exponents L1= 3.1575, L2= 0.3035, L3= 0 and L4= −33.4180. The Kaplan-Yorke dimension of this novel hyperchaotic system is found as DKY= 3.1026. Since the sum of the Lyapunov exponents of the novel hyperchaotic system is negative, we deduce that the novel hyperchaotic system is dissipative. Next, an adaptive controller is designed to stabilize the novel 4-D hyperchaotic system with unknown system parameters. Moreover, an adaptive controller is designed to achieve global hyperchaos synchronization of the identical novel 4-D hyperchaotic systems with unknown system parameters. The adaptive control results are established using Lyapunov stability theory. MATLAB simulations are depicted to illustrate all the main results derived in this research work.
Atipamezole Attenuated Telazol/Xylazine-Induced Expression of C-Fos in Rat Thalamencephal and Cerebral Cortex
Authors: Bai-Shuang Yin , Gao Li , Lian-Jun Fu , Ying Fu , Wan-Li Sha , Guo-Jiang Li , Hong-Bin Wang
Published: January 2017

The aim of this study was to assess whether atipamezole can restrain telazol/xylazine induced expression of c-fos in the rat brain. Rats were injected with a mixture of 13.81 mg/kg telazol and 5.21 mg/kg xylazine, following 10 min later 0.522 mg/kg atipamezole. Thereon, the thalamencephal and cerebral cortex were removed one hour after the last injection. The level of Fos protein was measured in the brain tissue by Westernblot. The results revealed that atipamezole attenuates telazol/xylazine induction of c-fos expression in the thalamencephal and cerebral cortex. The results indicated that atipamezole is able to inhibit telazol/xylazine-induced c-fos expression in the rat brain, thus protecting it from nerve damage.
Reliability of Lactate Scout Portable Analyzer in Agility Dogs During Multiple Measurements
Authors: Belić Maja , Radin Lada , Brkljača Bottegaro Nika , Beer Ljubić Blanka , Benić Marijan , Stanin Damir , Vrbanac Zoran
Published: January 2017

The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of multiple measurements with Lactate Scout portable analyzer in dogs during treadmill exercise. Ten Border collies were involved in the study and blood samples were taken before, three times during and twice after the treadmill exercise. Lactate concentration was measured in duplicate, by Scout portable analyzer and the reference biochemical analyzer in the laboratory, and the obtained values were compared. There was a high and positive correlation between these two methods (r=0.96, p=0.003). The Lactate Scout analyzer reveals a high degree of agreement with the laboratory method and therefore can be valid for use in research of veterinary sports medicine and emergency veterinary medicine where multiple measurements of lactate concentrations are often needed.
The National Spatial Strategy: Lessons for implementing a National Planning Framework
Authors: Ó’Riordáin Sean , Egeraat Chris van
Published: January 2017

The Irish Government is in the process of developing a National Planning Framework (NPF). This will replace the National Spatial Strategy for Ireland 2002-2020 (NSS). The NSS is generally considered to have been unsuccessful, mainly due to a lack of implementation driven by shortcomings in governance. This paper explores these shortcomings, and suggests ways to prevent similar difficulties with the NPF. The paper concludes that the political process needs to be at the heart of the preparation and adoption of the NPF. There is the danger that the NPF will fail if the political environment remains embedded in traditional approaches to planning across the state.
Taking national planning seriously: A challenged planning agenda in the Netherlands
Authors: Janssen-Jansen Leonie
Published: January 2017

The Dutch planning system has been widely feted as a coordinated, ‘plan-led’ and evidence-informed system that has been successfully implemented, resulting in sensitive land management, an absence of urban sprawl and the protection of ‘green areas’. However, at least since the 1970s, the reality has been somewhat different. This paper reviews Dutch planning history over the past fifty years to highlight in particular the challenge of implementation. The paper also reviews the current challenges facing Dutch planners and provides some international reflection from Dutch experiences for Irish planners.
The Poincaré Inequality Does Not Improve with Blow-Up
Authors: Schioppa Andrea
Published: January 2017

For each β > 1 we construct a family Fβ of metric measure spaces which is closed under the operation
of taking weak-tangents (i.e. blow-ups), and such that each element of Fβ admits a (1, P)-Poincaré
inequality if and only if P > β.
Switching time estimation and active mode recognition using a data projection method
Authors: Hakem Assia , Cocquempot Vincent , Pekpe Komi Midzodzi
Published: January 2017

This paper proposes a data projection method (DPM) to detect a mode switching and recognize the current mode in a switching system. The main feature of this method is that the precise knowledge of the system model, i.e., the parameter values, is not needed. One direct application of this technique is fault detection and identification (FDI) when a fault produces a change in the system dynamics. Mode detection and recognition correspond to fault detection and identification, and switching time estimation to fault occurrence time estimation. The general principle of the DPM is to generate mode indicators, namely, residuals, using matrix projection techniques, where matrices are composed of input and output measured data. The DPM is presented in detail, and properties of switching detectability (fault detectability) and discernability between modes (fault identifiability) are characterized and discussed. The great advantage of this method, compared with other techniques in the literature, is that it does not need the model parameter values and thus can be applied to systems of the same type without identifying their parameters. This is particularly interesting in the design of generic embedded fault diagnosis algorithms.
Tiling arbitrarily nested loops by means of the transitive
Authors: Bielecki Włodzimierz , Pałkowski Marek
Published: January 2017

A novel approach to generation of tiled code for arbitrarily nested loops is presented. It is derived via a combination of the polyhedral and iteration space slicing frameworks. Instead of program transformations represented by a set of affine functions, one for each statement, it uses the transitive closure of a loop nest dependence graph to carry out corrections of original rectangular tiles so that all dependences of the original loop nest are preserved under the lexicographic order of target tiles. Parallel tiled code can be generated on the basis of valid serial tiled code by means of applying affine transformations or transitive closure using on input an inter-tile dependence graph whose vertices are represented by target tiles while edges connect dependent target tiles. We demonstrate how a relation describing such a graph can be formed. The main merit of the presented approach in comparison with the well-known ones is that it does not require full permutability of loops to generate both serial and parallel tiled codes; this increases the scope of loop nests to be tiled.