bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
National narcissism: Internal dimensions and international correlates
Authors: Cai Huajian , Gries Peter
Published: August 2013

In studies conducted in the United States and China, we explored the impact of national narcissism, grandiosity, and entitlement, demonstrating that: (a) national narcissism was distinct from both individual narcissism and collective self‐esteem (patriotism); (b) national entitlement and national grandiosity constituted two distinct dimensions of national narcissism; and (c) national narcissism, national grandiosity, and national entitlement, but not individual narcissism, were uniquely predictive of political attitudes, foreign policy preferences, and purchase intentions. Together, these findings provided convergent evidence for the utility of national narcissism and its two internal dimensions, national entitlement and national grandiosity.
Polyaniline/ethylene vinyl acetate composites as dielectric sensor
Authors: Rahaman Mostafizur , Chaki Tapan Kumar , Khastgir Dipak
Published: August 2013

The compressive stress (pressure) sensitivity of dielectric properties has been studied on ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)/polyaniline (Pani) composites prepared through In‐situ synthesis of polyaniline in the solution of insulating EVA matrix. It is observed that the dielectric constant and loss increase with the increase in applied pressure, that is some piezoelectric effect is observed for these composites. The dielectric properties are also found to increase with respect to time when subjected under constant pressure. It is seen that changes in dielectric constant and loss follow some exponential relationships with respect to applied pressure and time duration under constant stress, and the relaxation time for the composites can be calculated. The relaxation time decreases with the increase in concentration of Pani in a composite. However, a composite with lower Pani content exhibits relatively higher change in dielectric properties against applied pressure and time duration under compression compared to one with higher loading. Granular crew type morphology of Pani is observed through scanning electron microscopic (SEM) study. This study reveals that these EVA‐Pani composites can be used as dielectric sensor. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 54:1632–1639, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers
The Interrelationship of Governance, Trust, and Ethics in Temporary Organizations
Authors: Müller Ralf , Andersen Erling S. , Kvalnes Øvind , Shao Jingting , Sankaran Shankar , Turner J. Rodney , Biesenthal Christopher , Walker Derek , Gudergan Siegfried
Published: August 2013

This study investigates the variety of ethical decisions of project managers and their impact from corporate governance and project governance structures. The roles of personal trust and system trust as a mechanism to steer ethical decision making in different governance settings is explored. Nine qualitative case studies in Europe, Asia, and Australia show that ethical decision making is contingent on trust, which in turn is contingent on the fulfillment of personal expectations within a given governance structure. The findings show the prerequisites for ethical decision making and the consequences of lack of trust. Further managerial and theoretical implications are discussed.
The Performance of a Project Life Cycle Methodology in Practice
Authors: Oellgaard Morten Jensen
Published: August 2013

In a deliberate attempt to shift the analytical focus away from critical examination of the underlying ideological assumptions of project management standards, this study focuses on the performativity of a specific project life cycle methodology. Through a case study, the article analyzes the effects and usages of the methodology in practice. This article proposes to think of project methodologies as fluid objects, creating shifting and adaptable relationships between methodology and practice.
Admissible consensus analysis for high‐order linear singular swarm systems with multiple time‐varying delays and topology variances
Authors: Xi Jianxiang , Yao Zhicheng , Wang Zhong , Liu Guangbin , Zhong Yisheng
Published: August 2013

Admissible consensus analysis problems for high‐order linear time‐invariant singular swarm systems with multiple time delays and time‐varying interaction topologies are investigated. First, necessary and sufficient conditions for admissible consensus are presented, and admissible consensus problems are transformed into admissible problems of multiple lower dimensional singular systems. Then, on the basis of the first equivalent form, explicit expressions of consensus functions are given, where the impacts of initial states of agents and protocols, time delays and topology variances are determined, respectively. Moreover, it is shown that if interaction topologies are balanced, then swarm systems with the same initial states but different interaction topologies and different time delays have an identical consensus function. Finally, numerical simulations are given to demonstrate theoretical results. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assemblies of 1D and 2D Copper(II) Chiral Coordination Polymers by Salicylaldehyde Schiff Bases: Synthesis, Crystal Structures, and Magnetic Properties
Authors: Wang Zhao‐Xi , Wu Lin‐Fei , Hou Xiao‐Kang , Shao Min , Xiao Hong‐Ping , Li Ming‐Xing
Published: August 2013

Reaction of CuCl2·2H2O with chiral Schiff bases and sodium dicyanamide led to the formation of two chiral copper(II) coordination polymers, namely [Cu4(L1)2(dca)4]n (1) and [Cu2(L2)(μ‐Cl)(dca)(H2O)]n·nH2O (2) {H2L1 = (1R, 3S)‐N′,N′′‐bis[salicylidene]‐1,3‐diamino‐ 1,2,2‐trimethylcyclopentane, H2L2 = (1R, 3S)‐N′,N′′‐bis[3‐ethoxysalicylidene]‐1,3‐diamino‐ 1,2,2‐trimethylcyclopentane, dca = dicyanamide}. Both complexes were structurally characterized by elemental analyses, IR spectroscopy and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. Complex 1 exhibits a two‐dimensional polymeric structure formed by single dca bridging tetranuclear Cu4 units. Complex 2 displays a left‐handed helical chain structure constructed from Cu2 dimers with single dca bridges. The chirality of 1 and 2 was confirmed by circular dichroism (CD) measurements in solution. Both complexes exhibit strong antiferromagnetic couplings with J = –308(4) cm–1 for 1 and J = –123(1) cm–1 for 2 in 2–300 K.
A Comparative Study on Insensitive Energetic Derivatives of 5‐(1,2,4‐Triazol‐C‐yl)‐tetrazoles and their 1‐Hydroxy‐tetrazole Analogues
Authors: Dachs Manuel , Dippold Alexander A. , Gaar Jakob , Holler Marcel , Klapötke Thomas M.
Published: August 2013

The synthesis and characterization of selected nitrogen‐rich salts based on 5‐(1,2,4‐triazol‐C‐yl)tetrazoles and their 1‐hydroxy‐tetrazole analogues is presented. The combination with guanidinium, triaminoguanidinium, and hydroxylammonium cations leads to enhanced performance and sensitivities. The main focus of this work is on the energetic properties of those ionic derivatives in comparison to the neutral compounds. Additionally, the positive influence of the introduction of N‐oxides in energetic materials is shown. Structural characterization was accomplished by means of Raman, IR, and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy. The standard enthalpies of formation were calculated for selected compounds at the CBS‐4M level of theory, the detonation parameters were calculated using the EXPLO5.05 program. Additionally, thermal stability was measured via DSC and sensitivities against impact, friction, and electrostatic discharge were determined.
Assessing noninvasive hair and fecal sampling for monitoring the distribution and abundance of river otter
Authors: Johnson Chris J. , Hodder Dexter P. , Crowley Shannon
Published: August 2013

Monitoring the distribution and abundance of populations is an important component of efforts to meet management or conservation goals. Although the objectives for such studies are easy to define, cost‐effective, precise, and accurate estimates are often elusive. We tested the efficacy and compared the cost‐effectiveness of methods for estimating the number and recording the distribution of river otter (Lontra canadensis). We genotyped otter hair sampled using two noninvasive instruments and compared those results with a hypothetical study design based on DNA extracted from fecal matter. Patterns of distribution generated from DNA collected at latrine sites were then compared to observations of otter collected using VHF radiotelemetry. We achieved a high probability of genotyping river otter with a small number of hairs (i.e., 59.0 % probability of producing a genotype with 1 guard hair and >5 under hair samples) collected using wire body snares and knaplock hair snags. Body snares were more effective at collecting otter hair, but there was relatively little additional cost to using both sampling instruments. Genotyped hair resulted in a high multi‐year recapture rate (61.9 %). Hair collection and genotyping was the most cost‐effective method for monitoring populations of river otter ($168.50 US/datum) followed by radiotelemetry ($264.50 US/datum), and the extraction of DNA from fecal matter ($266.00 US/datum). However, the noninvasive techniques did not represent the full distribution and fine‐scale movements of otter, as observed using radiotelemetry. There has been much recent reporting of the efficacy of fecal matter as a source of DNA for conducting mark–recapture population estimates for mesocarnivores. Our data suggested that collecting DNA in hair may be a more cost‐effective and efficient approach.
Mechanisms of heparanase inhibition by the heparan sulfate mimetic PG545 and three structural analogues
Authors: Hammond Edward , Handley Paul , Dredge Keith , Bytheway Ian
Published: August 2013

The tetrasaccharide heparan sulfate (HS) mimetic PG545, a clinical anti‐cancer candidate, is an inhibitor of the HS‐degrading enzyme heparanase. The kinetics of heparanase inhibition by PG545 and three structural analogues were investigated to understand their modes of inhibition. The cholestanol aglycon of PG545 significantly increased affinity for heparanase and also modified the inhibition mode. For the tetrasaccharides, competitive inhibition was modified to parabolic competition by the addition of the cholestanol aglycon. For the trisaccharides, partial competitive inhibition was modified to parabolic competition. A schematic model to explain these findings is presented.
Asymmetries in the Effects of Drivers of Brand Loyalty Between Early and Late Adopters and across Technology Generations
Authors: Lam Shun Yin , Shankar Venkatesh
Published: August 2013

Mobile marketing activities are growing at a rapid pace. The success of mobile marketing hinges on consumers’ adoption of mobile devices. However, consumers’ mobile device adoption is not well understood at the brand (e.g., Apple, Nokia, Samsung) level. We propose a conceptual framework linking mobile device brand loyalty (repurchase intention) to its drivers including perceived value, brand satisfaction, brand attachment and trust, and develop hypotheses about the moderating roles of adopter type and mobile technology generation in some of these linkages. We test these hypotheses using structural equation modeling on a unique cross-sectional dataset of attitudes toward mobile phone brands spanning two technology generations, 2.5G and 3G. The results reveal important asymmetries between adopter types and between technology generations: early adopters of mobile devices emphasize perceived value, whereas late adopters rely on brand satisfaction in developing brand loyalty; and consumers depend more on trust and less on perceived value in developing loyalty for the new generation than for the existing generation. We outline how brand managers of mobile devices should adapt their marketing strategies to different adopter types and technology generations.
Long-term follow-up of Whiplash Injury of the Neck
Authors: Sameh El-Sallakh , Mahmoud El-Rosasy , Mohamed Mohamed M.M. , Mifsud Rooney P.
Published: August 2013

Background

Whiplash injury has long-term sequelae, although little has been written about its long-term follow-up. The aim of the present study was to establish the factors affecting long-term outcome of whiplash injury.

Methods

This was a retrospective study in the public Russells Hall Hospital (Dudley, UK). Sixty-four patients who had whiplash injury of the neck due to road traffic accidents in 1995, 1996, and 1997 were recruited. All were treated with conservative means. Fifty-four patients replied. They were assessed using the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) and Whiplash Disability Questionnaire Score (WDQS).

Results

Twenty-two patients (40.7%) were still symptomatic 10 years after injury. Eighteen patients (33.3%) had pins and needles sensation in their limbs; 13 (24.1%) had frontal headache; and seven (13%) had occipital headache. The mean WDQS in patients with low back pain was 29.23 and 12.53 for those without back pain. In smokers, the mean WDQS was 32.2 compared with 17.93 in non-smokers. The mean WDQS in those who did not drink alcohol was 26.73 compared with 16.58 in those who drank alcohol.

Conclusion

Whiplash injury patients have long-term residual symptoms; mainly pins and needles sensation in their limbs, headache, and dizziness. Increasing age and low back pain are bad prognostic factors. Claiming compensation prolongs the time for recovery. Sex, body mass index, type of treatment, smoking, and alcohol have no association with the incidence of persistent symptoms. However, smoking had a significant worsening effect on the severity of the symptoms in patients with high WDQS. WDQS, SF-36 and time to symptom relief are sensitive outcome measures of these injuries.
Policy advice through the market: The role of external consultants in contemporary policy advisory systems
Authors: Howlett M , Migone A
Published: August 2013

The use of external policy consultants in government has been an increasing focus of concern among governments in the U.S., the UK, Canada and Australia, among others. Concern has arisen over the costs incurred by governments in this area and over the possible rise of a ‘consultocracy’ with the corresponding diminishment of democratic practices and public direction of policy and administrative development that could entail. However, current understanding of the origins and significance of the use of policy consultants in modern government is; poor with some seeing this development as part of a shift in the overall nature of state-societal relations to the ‘service’ or ‘franchise’ state and away from the ‘positive’ or ‘regulatory’ state, while others see it as a less significant activity linked to the normal development of policy advice systems in modern government. This article surveys the existing literature on the phenomena, in general, and identifies several methodological and data-ralated issues germane to the study and understanding of the activities of this set of external policy advisory system actors.
Mortal Questions
Authors: Nagel Thomas
Published: August 2013

Thomas Nagel's Mortal Questions explores some fundamental issues concerning the meaning, nature and value of human life. Questions about our attitudes to death, sexual behaviour, social inequality, war and political power are shown to lead to more obviously philosophical problems about personal identity, consciousness, freedom and value. This original and illuminating book aims at a form of understanding that is both theoretical and personal in its lively engagement with what are literally issues of life and death.
Magna Vita S. Hugonis, Episcopi Lincolniensis
Authors: Adam of Eynsham
Published: August 2013

Edited by the clergyman and historian James Francis Dimock (1810–76) and published in 1864, this life of the twelfth-century St Hugh, bishop of Lincoln, by his chaplain Adam of Eynsham, is presented in the original Latin. Completed before 1220, after Hugh's death in 1200, this is a detailed portrait of the Carthusian monk, scholar and bishop, by a trusted companion, resulting in an unusually personal and lifelike depiction of Hugh's character. It is one of the last and fullest examples of hagiography from the high middle ages, and is of great interest to historians as Hugh lived through the reigns of three English kings and was personally involved in many important events. As well as reporting the day-to-day activities of a medieval bishop, the text also contains original material on the foundation of the Carthusian house at Witham, tales of marvels and miracles, and notices of public affairs.
Year Books of the Reign of King Edward the Third
Authors: Pike Luke Owen
Published: August 2013

The records of the medieval English courts were compiled into manuscript 'year books', organised by regnal year of the monarch, and further subdivided into the four law terms. The year books of the reign of Edward III (1312–77), beginning at the eleventh year (1337) and continuing to the twentieth (1346), were to have been edited for the Rolls Series by Alfred Horwood (1821–81), who had previously edited the year books of Edward I, but he died while the first volume was in proof. The work was taken over by L. O. Pike (1835–1915), the set of fifteen books being published between 1883 and 1911. (Horwood chose his start date because the year books of Edward II and the first part of the reign of Edward III already existed in modern editions.) This volume contains reports from Hilary Term, 11 Edward III, to Trinity Term, 12 Edward III.
Polychronicon Ranulphi Higden, monachi Cestrensis
Authors: Higden Ranulf
Published: August 2013

Ranulf Higden (d.1364) was a monk at the abbey of St Werburgh in Chester. His most important literary work is this universal chronicle, which survives in over a hundred Latin manuscripts, testifying to its popularity. The earliest version of it dates from 1327, but Higden continued writing until his death, expanding and updating the text. It was also continued in other monastic houses, most importantly by John Malvern of Worcester. The English translation made by John Trevisa in the 1380s was also widely circulated and is included in this work, published in nine volumes between 1865 and 1886. The chronicle shows how fourteenth-century scholars understood world history and geography. Volume 9 contains the continuation partly written by John Malvern, with the section from 1381 to 1394 now believed to have been written at Westminster. Glossaries and indexes to the entire work are also included.
The Chronicle of Pierre de Langtoft
Authors: Langtoft Pierre de
Published: August 2013

This history of England in Anglo-Norman verse was extremely popular during the first half of the fourteenth century. Composed by Pierre de Langtoft (died c.1305), an English chronicler and Augustinian Canon, it was intended for the French-reading aristocracy. Part of the Rolls Series of publications of historical documents, the work was edited by Thomas Wright (1810–77), an antiquarian and historian with a special interest in Old English, Middle English and Anglo-Norman. Wright was also a member of many learned societies, including the Society of Antiquaries and the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres of Paris. The first volume, published in 1866, is mainly an abridgment of Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae. It starts at the time when the legendary Brutus first colonised the island and covers the history of Saxon and Norman kings, up to the death of King Stephen in 1154.
Chronica magistri Rogeri de Houedene
Authors: Hoveden Roger of
Published: August 2013

Roger of Hoveden's Chronica was begun around 1192 and covers English history from 732 to 1201, when it is assumed he died. The work is largely an annotated compilation of various other chronicles, including the Gesta Regis Henrici Secundi Benedicti Abbatis (also reissued in this series). This was formerly attributed to Benedict of Peterborough, which was the view taken by William Stubbs (1825–1901) when he edited this work for the Rolls Series in 1868–71. Since the twentieth century, however, Hoveden has been recognised as the author. As a clerk to Henry II until 1189, and later as a diplomat during the Third Crusade, he was ideally placed to gain first-hand knowledge and also documents, which he provides here in full. Volume 1 (to 1148) comprises copies of chronicles attributed to Symeon of Durham and Henry of Huntington, and draws on the Historia Saxonum sive Anglorum post obitum Bedae.
The Collected Works of William Morris
Authors: Morris William , Morris May
Published: August 2013

A creative titan of the Victorian age, William Morris (1834–96) produced a prodigious variety of literary and artistic work in his lifetime. In addition to his achievements as a versatile designer at the forefront of the arts and crafts movement, Morris distinguished himself as a poet, translated Icelandic sagas and classical epics, wrote a series of influential prose romances, and gave lectures promoting his socialist principles. His collected works, originally published in 24 volumes between 1910 and 1915, were edited by his daughter Mary (May) Morris (1862–1938), whose introductions to each volume chart with insight and sympathy the development of her father's literary, aesthetic and political passions. Volume 8 contains Morris' journals of his travels across Iceland in 1871 and 1873.
The Collected Works of William Morris
Authors: Morris William , Morris May
Published: August 2013

A creative titan of the Victorian age, William Morris (1834–96) produced a prodigious variety of literary and artistic work in his lifetime. In addition to his achievements as a versatile designer at the forefront of the arts and crafts movement, Morris distinguished himself as a poet, translated Icelandic sagas and classical epics, wrote a series of influential prose romances, and gave lectures promoting his socialist principles. His collected works, originally published in 24 volumes between 1910 and 1915, were edited by his daughter Mary (May) Morris (1862–1938), whose introductions to each volume chart with insight and sympathy the development of her father's literary, aesthetic and political passions. Volume 10 contains the translations from Icelandic of Three Northern Love Stories, and Other Tales (1875) in addition to Morris' translation from Old English of The Tale of Beowulf (1895).
Collection of Reports of Celebrated Trials, Civil and Criminal
Authors: Woodall William Otter
Published: August 2013

A solicitor with offices in Scarborough, William Otter Woodall (1837–1914) was a prominent member of the local community. This work, edited by Woodall and first published in 1873, brings together reports of seven notable and intriguing nineteenth-century civil and criminal trials as case studies for the benefit of the legal profession. (It was intended as the first of a series, but no further volumes were published.) The book includes the case of the so-called 'Quaker' poisoner John Tawell, executed in 1845, who was the first person to be arrested with the aid of the electric telegraph and about whose fate several popular ballads were written; that of Abraham Thornton in 1818 - for the murder of Mary Ashford - who claimed the right to the ancient Norman tradition of trial by battle; and that of Reverend William Bailey, transported for life in 1843 to Van Diemen's Land for forgery. This colourful, engaging work will appeal to anyone with an interest in the law or true crime stories.
Lestorie des Engles solum la translacion Maistre Geoffrei Gaimar
Authors: Gaimar Geoffrei
Published: August 2013

Published in two volumes for the Rolls Series between 1888 and 1889, this is the oldest surviving metrical chronicle in vernacular French. It was written by the Anglo-Norman poet and historian Geoffrei Gaimar (fl.1136–7), who lived in England at a time when French was still used among the aristocracy. The text is largely based on the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and also draws on various French, English and Latin sources. Gaimar's unique perspective breaks with the tradition of religious chronicles by offering the first secular account of the history of England. Edited by archivist and antiquary Sir Thomas Duffus Hardy (1804–78) and Charles Trice Martin (1842–1914), Volume 1 presents the original text. It covers the period from the arrival of Cerdic in 495 to the death of Henry I and includes the story of Havelok the Dane.
Narrative of a Journey from Heraut to Khiva, Moscow, and St Petersburgh during the Late Russian Invasion of Khiva
Authors: Abbott James
Published: August 2013

This two-volume travelogue recounts the diplomatic mission through Central Asia and Russia undertaken by James Abbott (1807–96) in 1839. An officer in the Bengal Artillery, Abbott first travelled to Central Asia in 1838 and was soon drawn into the 'Great Game' between Russia and Britain as they struggled for influence in the region. When Russia launched an expedition against Khiva in 1839, ostensibly to free Russian slaves, Abbott was sent there to advise the Khan and then travelled to Russia to initiate mediation. While the Russian slaves were freed by Abbott's successor, Abbott believed he had succeeded and published this account in 1843. The work includes anecdotes of his experiences and observations on the cultures and landscapes he encountered. In Volume 2, he chronicles his journey to St Petersburg via Moscow and recounts his general impressions of Russia.
Heavenly Priesthood in the Apocalypse of Abraham
Authors: Orlov Andrei A.
Published: August 2013

The Apocalypse of Abraham is a vital source for understanding both Jewish apocalypticism and mysticism. Written anonymously soon after the destruction of the Second Jerusalem Temple, the text envisions heaven as the true place of worship and depicts Abraham as an initiate of celestial priesthood. Andrei A. Orlov focuses on the central rite of the Abraham story – the scapegoat ritual that receives a striking eschatological reinterpretation in the text. He demonstrates that the development of the sacerdotal traditions in the Apocalypse of Abraham, along with a cluster of Jewish mystical motifs, represents an important transition from Jewish apocalypticism to the symbols of early Jewish mysticism. In this way, Orlov offers unique insight into the complex world of the Jewish sacerdotal debates in the early centuries of the Common Era. The book will be of interest to scholars of early Judaism and Christianity, Old Testament studies, and Jewish mysticism and magic.
Coherent noise sources of a subsonic round jet investigated using hydrodynamic and acoustic phased-microphone arrays
Authors: Suzuki Takao
Published: August 2013

Based on phased-microphone array data acquired in the past, properties of coherent noise sources in a subsonic round jet are investigated at low frequencies ($0. 2\lesssim \mathit{St}\lesssim 0. 6$) via two approaches: (i) by extracting hydrodynamic fluctuations from the near-field array, instability-wave components are projected to the acoustic field using a boundary-value problem technique; (ii) by post-processing mid-field array data in an acoustic field, noise sources are decomposed into multipole distributions using a generalized-inverse beam-forming technique. Comparison between the projected acoustic fields from the hydrodynamic array and the sound pressure levels at the acoustic array implies that the near-field pressure fluctuations beyond the end of the potential core primarily contribute to the downstream sound, as mentioned by many previous studies. However, the jet-spreading effect, which creates the streamwise growth and decay of the eigenfunctions in linear stability analysis, is insufficient to generate the sound pressure levels measured in the acoustic array. In the actual hydrodynamic data, the streamwise decay is much slower and the phase velocity is faster than those of the corresponding eigenfunction beyond the peak of the wave-packet, and these factors govern the downstream sound. Results from the acoustic array demonstrate that free-space multipole distributions detected by generalized-inverse beam-forming can reproduce primary coherent modes, the first one predominantly propagating downstream and the second one typically being more omni-directional. In particular, the detected phase relation of the first coherent mode shows nearly a constant slope, indicating a wavy-type source structure and the relation of downstream sound with instability waves.
The viscous Savart sheet
Authors: Villermaux E. , Pistre V. , Lhuissier H.
Published: August 2013

We study the viscous version of the planar Savart sheet problem, using an impacting liquid jet up to 300 times more viscous than water. Two surprising observations are made, contrasting with the traditional case introduced by Savart where viscosity plays no role. First, if the radius of a viscous sheet is typically reduced compared to the case of water for a given jet radius and impacting velocity, the smooth–flapping transition is delayed, allowing for smooth sheet radii substantially bigger than those permitted with water at large impacting Weber number. Second, the drop size distribution is bimodal, with a substantial fraction of the drops having a very small, well-defined diameter. We understand these two facts in terms of an additional model experiment, and simple physical arguments.
Between Accommodation and Resistance: Pingtan Storytelling in 1960s Shanghai
Authors: HE QILIANG
Published: August 2013

This paper examines the resistance ofpingtanstorytellers to Communist political domination and economic exploitation on the eve of the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976). In the early and mid-1960s, storytellers rarely mounted resistance through direct confrontations with the political authorities, but often in ‘everyday forms’ such as by libelling cadres, asking for sick-leave, refusing to conform to the dress code during performances, and threatening to withdraw from troupes. In order to vent their disappointment at the economic hardships following the Great Leap Forward (1958–1961), storytellers resorted to the flexible ways of narrating and performing pingtan stories to manipulate the storylines and characterizations in their stage performances. Hence storytellers engaged in counter-propaganda by telling ribald jokes and distorting stories that were originally designed to praise Communist revolutions. This investigation of the resistance of storytellers, both on and off stage, is intended not merely to raise a long overlooked history of the 1960s from oblivion, but also to highlight the Party-state's inability to ideologically transform Chinese artists prior to the Cultural Revolution.
Ecological trap in the buffer zone of a protected area: effects of indirect anthropogenic mortality on the African wild dogLycaon pictus
Authors: van der Meer Esther , Fritz Hervé , Blinston Peter , Rasmussen Gregory S.A.
Published: August 2013

Because of the large home range requirements of wide-ranging carnivores, protected areas are often too small to maintain large populations. Consequently these carnivores regularly move outside protected areas, where they are likely to be exposed to anthropogenic mortality. We used data from 15 packs of radio-collared African wild dogsLycaon pictusto examine the level of anthropogenic mortality African wild dogs experience around Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, and tried to determine whether the buffer zone outside the Park acts as an ‘ecological trap’. Over time, study packs moved their territories closer to or beyond the Park border. With the movement of territories into the buffer zone outside the Park, African wild dogs experienced an increasing level of anthropogenic mortality. Although larger litters were born outside the Park, mortality exceeded natality. Densities of the African wild dog in the study area were low and territories for given pack sizes were smaller outside the Park. Hence, the movement of packs outside the Park does not appear to be density related and the buffer zone is therefore unlikely to function as a classic sink. Favourable ecological conditions indicate that the buffer zone outside the Park is likely to serve as an ecological trap, with fitness-enhancing factors attracting African wild dogs outside the Park, where they are incapable of perceiving the higher mortality risk associated with mostly indirect anthropogenic causes. As far as we know this is one of the first studies describing an ecological trap for mammals.
Virtual mechanism approach for dual-arm manipulation
Authors: Likar Nejc , Nemec Bojan , Žlajpah Leon
Published: August 2013

We propose a novel control approach for cooperative dual-arm manipulation tasks. Our scheme has three typical features: (1) the task performed by two robots is represented as a motion of a virtual mechanism and the task execution is accomplished by controlling the virtual mechanism; (2) the two arms and the task form a joined kinematic chain; (3) the scheme allows a cooperative dual-arm system to perform the task also when robot base is moving. The calculation of the Jacobian matrix of a chained two-arm mechanisms is based on a methodology which is using the Jacobian matrices of particular robot mechanisms and their end-effector positions and orientations. The proposed algorithm for dual-arm manipulation is verified by simulations of two cooperating planar robots and by experiments on a dual-arm robot consisting of two KUKA LWR arms.
Fast and efficient visible trajectories planning for the Dubins UAV model in 3D built-up environments
Authors: Gal Oren , Doytsher Yerach
Published: August 2013

In this paper, we study the visible trajectories planning for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) modeled with a Dubins airplane in 3D urban environments. Our method is based on a fast and exact spatial visibility analysis of the 3D visibility problem from a viewpoint in 3D built-up environments. We consider the 3D urban environment buildings modeled as cubes (3D boxes) and present an analytic solution to the visibility problem. Based on an analytic solution, the algorithm computes the exact visible and hidden parts from a viewpoint in the urban environment. We present a local trajectory planner generating the most visible trajectory in a known 3D urban environment model, taking into account the dynamic and kinematic UAV constraints. The planner computes, at each time step, the next UAV's attainable velocities and explores the most visible node, while avoiding buildings as static obstacles in the environments, using the velocity obstacle method. The visibility type of the trajectory can be configured beforehand as visible roofs and surfaces in the environments. We demonstrate our visibility and trajectory planning method in simulations in several 3D urban environments, showing visible trajectory planning capabilities.
Gait motion stabilization tuning approach of biped robot based on augmented reality
Authors: Lin J. , Li Z. M. , Chang J.
Published: August 2013

Zero moment point (ZMP) is the most popular concept that is applied to stabilize the gait motion of a biped robot. This paper utilizes ZMP with the augmented-reality (AR) method to improve the stability of gait motion of a biped robot. The 3ds Max computer software package is used to build a virtual robot. Under an achieved joint angle data of solid robot to produce an animation of the robot's trajectory, the joint angle data are transmitted to the virtual robot to analyze the offset of the trunk. Furthermore, this investigation adopts AR to allow the user to make direct comparisons between the solid and virtual robot before and after the gait motion is corrected. The animated trajectories of the virtual robot are compared and the relevant data provide feedback to the solid robot to adjust the joint angle and further correct its posture. The experimental results reveal that the proposed scheme can improve gait motion, even when the biped robot is affected by an unexpected loading disturbance. As well as improving the stability of gait motion of a biped robot, the results of this study can also be used to teach the application of the proposed method in a robotics class.
Change in society, continuity in marriage: an approach to social dynamics through marriage contracts (Catalonia, 1750–1850)
Authors: CONGOST ROSA , ROS ROSA
Published: August 2013

This article studies social dynamics in the Catalan region of Girona during the second half of the eighteenth and the first half of the nineteenth centuries, using marriage contracts signed before a notary. The analysis of this source reveals the existence of important social and economic changes, especially among the lowest groups of rural society. Among these transformations, the increase in the real value of dowries – especially in the case of treballadors (literally labourers) – stands out particularly, as does the appearance of new labels applied to new social groups. However, these changes occurred without altering the basic aspects of marriage patterns of the different social groups, as indicated by the strong stability of levels of social and geographical endogamy.
Death and taxes: mortmain payments and the authority of the Count in fourteenth-century Flanders
Authors: KITTELL ELLEN E.
Published: August 2013

In the early 1370s, when serfdom had all but disappeared in Flanders, Count Louis II resumed the collection of mortmain, a death fee usually paid only by those of servile status. In a region with a sophisticated financial system it is striking that rather than accepting payment in cash the Count's bailiffs secured personal items. In this paper it is argued that the Count was thereby taking advantage of a population dazed by the ravages of plague and by the on-going civil war between himself and a number of the towns within his territory. Traditional local bonds such as mortmain, extended and reinterpreted within a new constellation of power, enabled Flemish counts to turn a fee into a tax, highlighting their authority.
Acquisition outcomes across domains in adult simultaneous bilinguals with French as weaker and stronger language
Authors: KUPISCH TANJA , LEIN TATJANA , BARTON DAGMAR , SCHRÖDER DAWN JUDITH , STANGEN ILSE , STOEHR ANTJE
Published: August 2013

This study investigates the adult grammars of French simultaneous bilingual speakers (2L1s) whose other language is German. Apart from providing an example of French as heritage language in Europe, the goals of this paper are (i) to compare the acquisition of French in a minority and majority language context, (ii) to identify the relative vulnerability of individual domains, and (iii) to investigate whether 2L1s are vulnerable to language attrition when moving to their heritage country during adulthood. We include two groups of German-French 2L1s: One group grew up predominantly in France, but moved to Germany during adulthood; the other group grew up predominantly in Germany and stayed there. Performance is compared in different domains, including adjective placement, gender marking, articles, prepositions, foreign accent and voice onset time. Results indicate that differences between the two groups are minimal in morpho-syntax, but more prominent in pronunciation.
Midwifing distress at end of life: Missed opportunities?
Authors: Fletcher Karen
Published: August 2013

Birth and death are rites of passage, and preparation is important (Richards, 2007). Palliative care clinicians describe end of life as a meaningful stage of life filled with opportunity and mystery. However, in palliative care, we have a tendency to overlook dying as a means of spiritual awakening, and there is little understanding, and little or no demand, among palliative care patients, or in the broader culture, to learn the skills of dying.
What to do with screening for distress scores? Integrating descriptive data into clinical practice
Authors: Blais Marie-Claude , St-Hilaire Alexandre , Fillion Lise , De Serres Marie , Tremblay Annie
Published: August 2013

Objective:

Implementation of routine Screening for Distress constitutes a major change in cancer care, with the aim of achieving person-centered care.

Method:

Using a cross-sectional descriptive design within a University Tertiary Care Hospital setting, 911 patients from all cancer sites were screened at the time of their first meeting with a nurse navigator who administered a paper questionnaire that included: the Distress Thermometer (DT), the Canadian Problem Checklist (CPC), and the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS).

Results:

Results showed a mean score of 3.9 on the DT. Fears/worries, coping with the disease, and sleep were the most common problems reported on the CPC. Tiredness was the most prevalent symptom on the ESAS. A final regression model that included anxiety, the total number of problems on the CPC, well-being, and tiredness accounted for almost 50% of the variance of distress. A cutoff score of 5 on the DT together with a cutoff of 5 on the ESAS items represents the best combination of specificity and sensitivity to orient patients on the basis of their reported distress.

Significance of results:

These descriptive data will provide valuable feedback to answer practical questions for the purpose of effectively implementing and managing routine screening in cancer care.
Microstrip filter with defected ground structure: a close perspective
Authors: Kumar Arjun , Machavaram Kartikeyan V.
Published: August 2013

This paper presents a close but a beginner's perspective and a comprehensive review of microstrip filters with defected ground structure (DGS). The concept of DGS is inspired by photonic/electromagnetic bandgap structures (EBG/PBG) and metamaterials that are employed in microwave components to achieve a variety of performance enhancement features. Modeling of DGS and metamaterials as an L-C equivalent lumped circuit is much simpler in comparison with complex EBGs/PBGs. In this review, we have given a detailed account of the microstrip filters using DGS.
Evaluating the Cognitive Interviewing Reporting Framework (CIRF) by Rewriting a Dutch Pretesting Report of a European Health Survey Questionnaire *The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policies of Statistics Netherlands.
Authors: Vis-Visschers Rachel , Meertens Vivian
Published: August 2013

We used the Cognitive Interviewing Reporting Framework (CIRF) to restructure the report of a pretest on a European health survey questionnaire. This pretest was conducted by the Questionnaire Laboratory of Statistics Netherlands, and the original report was written according to a standard Statistics Netherlands format for pretesting reports. This article contains the rewritten report with highlights from the case study. The authors reflect on the process of rewriting and the usefulness of the CIRF. We conclude that expanded use of the CIRF as a reporting format for articles on cognitive pretests would enhance international comparability, completeness, and uniformity of research designs, terminology, and reporting. A limitation of the CIRF is that it does not provide an exhaustive list of items that could be included in a report, but it is more a “minimal standard”: that is a report on how a cognitive pretest was conducted should at least contain a description of the CIRF items.
Reflections on the Cognitive Interviewing Reporting Framework
Authors: Willis Gordon , Boeije Hennie
Published: August 2013

Based on the experiences of three research groups using and evaluating the Cognitive Interviewing Reporting Framework (CIRF), we draw conclusions about the utility of the CIRF as a guide to creating cognitive testing reports. Authors generally found the CIRF checklist to be usable, and that it led to a more complete description of key steps involved. However, despite the explicit direction by the CIRF to include a full explanation of major steps and features (e.g., research objectives and research design), the three cognitive testing reports tended to simply state what was done, without further justification. Authors varied in their judgments concerning whether the CIRF requires the appropriate level of detail. Overall, we believe that current cognitive interviewing practice will benefit from including, within cognitive testing reports, the 10 categories of information specified by the CIRF. Future use of the CIRF may serve to direct the overall research project from the start, and to further the goal of evaluation of specific cognitive interviewing procedures.
The Cognitive Interviewing Reporting Framework (CIRF)
Authors: Boeije Hennie , Willis Gordon
Published: August 2013

Cognitive interviewing is an important qualitative tool for the testing, development, and evaluation of survey questionnaires. Despite the widespread adoption of cognitive testing, there remain large variations in the manner in which specific procedures are implemented, and it is not clear from reports and publications that have utilized cognitive interviewing exactly what procedures have been used, as critical details are often missing. Especially for establishing the effectiveness of procedural variants, it is essential that cognitive interviewing reports contain a comprehensive description of the methods used. One approach to working toward more complete reporting would be to develop and adhere to a common framework for reporting these results. In this article we introduce the Cognitive Interviewing Reporting Framework (CIRF), which applies a checklist approach, and which is based on several existing checklists for reviewing and reporting qualitative research. We propose that researchers apply the CIRF in order to test its usability and to suggest potential adjustments. Over the longer term, the CIRF can be evaluated with respect to its utility in improving the quality of cognitive interviewing reports.
ATM‐mediated phosphorylation of SOG1 is essential for the DNA damage response in Arabidopsis
Authors: Yoshiyama Kaoru O , Kobayashi Junya , Ogita Nobuo , Ueda Minako , Kimura Seisuke , Maki Hisaji , Umeda Masaaki
Published: August 2013

Arabidopsis SOG1 (suppressor of gamma response 1) is a plant‐specific transcription factor that governs the DNA damage response. Here we report that SOG1 is phosphorylated in response to DNA damage, and that this phosphorylation is mediated by the sensor kinase ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM). We show that SOG1 phosphorylation is crucial for the response to DNA damage, including transcriptional induction of downstream genes, transient arrest of cell division and programmed cell death. Although the amino‐acid sequences of SOG1 and the mammalian tumour suppressor p53 show no similarity, this study demonstrates that ATM‐mediated phosphorylation of a transcription factor has a pivotal role in the DNA damage response in both plants and mammals.
Ketamine alters oscillatory coupling in the hippocampus
Authors: Caixeta Fábio V. , Cornélio Alianda M. , Scheffer-Teixeira Robson , Ribeiro Sidarta , Tort Adriano B. L.
Published: August 2013

Recent studies show that higher order oscillatory interactions such as cross-frequency coupling are important for brain functions that are impaired in schizophrenia, including perception, attention and memory. Here we investigated the dynamics of oscillatory coupling in the hippocampus of awake rats upon NMDA receptor blockade by ketamine, a pharmacological model of schizophrenia. Ketamine (25, 50 and 75 mg/kg i.p.) increased gamma and high-frequency oscillations (HFO) in all depths of the CA1-dentate axis, while theta power changes depended on anatomical location and were independent of a transient increase of delta oscillations. Phase coherence of gamma and HFO increased across hippocampal layers. Phase-amplitude coupling between theta and fast oscillations was markedly altered in a dose-dependent manner: ketamine increased hippocampal theta-HFO coupling at all doses, while theta-gamma coupling increased at the lowest dose and was disrupted at the highest dose. Our results demonstrate that ketamine alters network interactions that underlie cognitively relevant theta-gamma coupling.