bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stress-Induced Acoustic Variation in L2 and L1 Spanish Vowels
Authors: Romanelli Sofía , Menegotto Andrea , Smyth Ron
Published: June 2018

Aim: We assessed the effect of lexical stress on the duration and quality of Spanish word-final vowels /a, e, o/ produced by American English late intermediate learners of L2 Spanish, as compared to those of native L1 Argentine Spanish speakers. Methods: Participants read 54 real words ending in /a, e, o/, with either final or penultimate lexical stress, embedded in a text and a word list. We measured vowel duration and both F1 and F2 frequencies at 3 temporal points. Results: stressed vowels were longer than unstressed vowels, in Spanish L1 and L2. L1 and L2 Spanish stressed /a/ and /e/ had higher F1 values than their unstressed counterparts. Only the L2 speakers showed evidence of rising offglides for /e/ and /o/. The L2 and L1 Spanish vowel space was compressed in the absence of stress. Conclusion: Lexical stress affected the vowel quality of L1 and L2 Spanish vowels. We provide an up-to-date account of the formant trajectories of Argentine River Plate Spanish word-final /a, e, o/ and offer experimental support to the claim that stress affects the quality of Spanish vowels in word-final contexts.
Effects of Word Position on the Acoustic Realization of Vietnamese Final Consonants
Authors: Tran Thi Thuy Hien , Vallée Nathalie , Granjon Lionel
Published: June 2018

A variety of studies have shown differences between phonetic features of consonants according to their prosodic and/or syllable (onset vs. coda) positions. However, differences are not always found, and interactions between the various factors involved are complex and not well understood. Our study compares acoustical characteristics of coda consonants in Vietnamese taking into account their position within words. Traditionally described as monosyllabic, Vietnamese is partially polysyllabic at the lexical level. In this language, tautosyllabic consonant sequences are prohibited, and adjacent consonants are only found at syllable boundaries either within polysyllabic words (CVC.CVC) or across monosyllabic words (CVC#CVC). This study is designed to examine whether or not syllable boundary types (interword vs. intraword) have an effect on the acoustic realization of codas. The results show significant acoustic differences in consonant realizations according to syllable boundary type, suggesting different coarticulation patterns between nuclei and codas. In addition, as Vietnamese voiceless stops are generally unreleased in coda position, with no burst to carry consonantal information, our results show that a vowel's second half contains acoustic cues which are available to aid in the discrimination of place of articulation of the vowel's following consonant.
Pancreatic Cancer in Pregnancy Presenting with Thromboembolic Events: Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Wakefield Brian W. , Masterson Crystal M.C. , Borges Manuel T. , Hurt K. Joseph
Published: June 2018

Stroke and hepatic vein thrombosis are highly associated with neoplasia but are extremely rare events in young, pregnant women. Rare and recurrent thrombotic events in pregnancy increase the suspicion for occult malignancy. We describe the case of a healthy 31-year-old G2P1 who presented with visual changes and dysarthria during pregnancy. Imaging showed cerebral infarcts. Her thrombophilia evaluation was negative. During delivery, she was diagnosed with fulminant Budd-Chiari Syndrome. Hepatic ultrasound suggested malignancy or metastasis, and postpartum CT scan and biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of Stage IV pancreatic cancer. Although rare in pregnancy, a new diagnosis of malignancy should be considered in patients with recurrent unexplained hypercoagulable complications. We propose an evidence-based algorithm for evaluation of occult malignancy in pregnancy based upon this case and review of the literature.
The Impact of Preoperative Enteral Nutrition Enriched with Eicosapentaenoic Acid on Postoperative Hypercytokinemia after Pancreatoduodenectomy: The Results of a Double-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Ashida Ryo , Okamura Yukiyasu , Wakabayashi-Nakao Kanako , Mizuno Takashi , Aoki Shuichi , Uesaka Katsuhiko
Published: June 2018

Aims: To investigate whether preoperative enteral diets ­enriched in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) supplements could reduce the incidence of hypercytokinemia after pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) in a double-blinded randomized ­controlled trial. Methods: Patients with resectable periampullary cancer were randomized into either the control group or the treatment group. Patients in the treatment group received oral supplementation (600 kcal/day) containing EPA for 7 days before surgery. Patients in the control group received isocaloric isonitrogenous standard nutrition (600 kcal/day) without EPA for 7 days before surgery. The primary endpoint was postoperative serum concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6). The secondary endpoints were the postoperative nutritional status and the incidence of postoperative infectious complications. Results: Twenty-four patients were enrolled in the present study. After exclusion, 20 patients (control group, n = 9; treatment group, n = 11) were analyzed. There were no significant differences in the curves for the serum concentration of IL-6 (p = 0.68) or the incidence of infectious complications between the 2 groups (control group: 78%, treatment group: 55%, p = 0.37). Conclusions: The results of a double-blinded randomized controlled trial indicated that preoperative immunonutrition had no marked impact on the rates of postoperative hypercytokinemia or infectious complications after PD.
Publicidade e infância: relato de uma experiência de literacia publicitária com crianças
Authors: Craveiro Pâmela Saunders Uchôa
Published: June 2018

Este artigo tem como objetivo apresentar e discutir uma experiência de oficina de leitura crítica com crianças de 10 e 11 anos. Experiência esta pensada e articulada à luz dos pressupostos de pesquisa-intervenção e a partir das contribuições de alguns autores a respeito da literacia publicitária, especialmente Malmelin, em 2010; Baker, em 2008; e Machado, Burrowes e Rett em 2017. O estudo evidencia a importância de construir canais de diálogo para que as crianças possam expressar o que pensam sobre a publicidade e, sobretudo, possam aprofundar seu senso crítico sobre as relações de consumo que têm pautado a sociedade.
Cluster-Randomized Trial to Evaluate a Centralized Clinical Pharmacy Service in Private Family Medicine Offices
Authors: Carter Barry L. , Levy Barcey , Gryzlak Brian , Xu Yinghui , Chrischilles Elizabeth , Dawson Jeffrey , Vander Weg Mark , Christensen Alan , James Paul , Polgreen Linnea
Published: June 2018

Background:

The use of clinical pharmacists in primary care has improved the control of several chronic cardiovascular conditions. However, many private physician practices lack the resources to implement team-based care with pharmacists. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a centralized, remote, clinical pharmacy service could improve guideline adherence and secondary measures of cardiovascular risk in primary care offices in rural and small communities.

Methods and Results:

This study was a prospective trial in 12 family medicine offices cluster randomized to either the intervention or usual care. The intervention was delivered for 12 months, and subjects had research visits at baseline and 12 months. The primary outcome was adherence to guidelines, and secondary outcomes included changes in key cardiovascular risk factors and preventative health measures. We enrolled 302 subjects. There was no improvement in the Guideline Advantage score from baseline to 12 months in the control group (64.7% versus 63.1%, respectively;
P
=0.21). There was a statistically significant improvement in the intervention group from 63.3% at baseline to 67.8% at 12 months (
P
=0.02). The estimated benefit of the intervention was 5.0%±2.4% (95% confidence interval=−0.5% to 10.4%;
P
=0.07). Several criteria were significantly better for intervention subjects, including appropriate statin therapy (
P
<0.001), body mass index, screening (
P
<0.001), and alcohol screening (
P
<0.001). Only 13.7% of subjects with diabetes mellitus had hemoglobin A1c at goal at baseline, and this increased to 30.8% and 21.0% in the intervention and control group, respectively, at 12 months (
P
=0.10).

Conclusions:

The centralized, remote pharmacist intervention was successfully implemented. The improvements in outcomes were modest, in part because of higher than expected baseline guideline adherence. Future studies of this model should focus on patients with uncontrolled conditions at high risk for cardiovascular events.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT 01983813
Traveling Sons
Authors: Charles Ronald
Published: June 2018

In both Tobit and the parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32 there is featured a father-son relationship that revolves around the extended journey of the son and the son’s return to his father. This paper explores the figure of the traveling son in Tobit in close parallel with that of the traveling son in Luke 15:11-32. The aim is to indicate not solely similarities and contrasts between the two narratives but to show how Tobit might have been used as a source for the Lukan composition.
Predator recognition of chemical cues in crayfish: diet and experience influence the ability to detect predation threats
Authors: Beattie Molly C. , Moore Paul A.
Published: June 2018

Aquatic prey often alter their morphology, physiology, and/or behaviour when presented with predatory chemical cues which are heavily influenced by the diet of the predator. We tested the roles that diet and prey familiarity with predators play in the ability of prey to recognize predator threats. Odours from two fish, bass and cichlid fed a vegetarian, protein, heterospecific, and a conspecific diet, were collected and presented to virile crayfish in a choice arena. Our results show that crayfish altered their behaviour in the presence of odours containing conspecific, as opposed to heterospecific diets, but only from familiar predators. A reduced anti-predator response was measured with odours from an unfamiliar predator fed conspecific crayfish. Therefore, crayfish may be able to determine different threat levels based on the different dietary cues from a potential predator, but only when the prey have familiarity with the predators.
The Transformation of Religion and the Self in the Age of Authenticity
Authors: Wilkinson Michael
Published: June 2018

This article examines Charles Taylor’s argument that since the 1960s a culture of authenticity has come to define the late modern period. The “age of authenticity” thesis is based on a philosophical and historical approach that follows the development of Romanticism, culminating in the expressive individualism of late modernity. Taylor focuses on the lived experience of secularity and the development of a particular identity that revolves around choice, emotion, and an eclectic approach to religion. Further analysis of Taylor’s work is examined with sociological research on the sacred self and consumption, evangelical and pentecostal appropriation of authenticity, no religion as an option in the age of authenticity, and questions about the search for meaning and purpose.
Religion at Play
Authors: Vondey Wolfgang
Published: June 2018

Pentecostals do not fit the dominant narrative of a secular age constructed by Charles Taylor. Instead, Pentecostalism is a religion at play that engages with the secular without accepting its authority. A critical dialogue with Taylor’s foundational proposal of the central conditions of premodern life that have made room for our modern secular world demonstrates how and why these conditions are not met in Pentecostalism. The article then identifies the alternative mechanisms in place in Pentecostalism as a form of religion at play manifested in an enchanted worldview, sociospiritual attachment, the festival of Pentecost, the transformation of secular time, and a porous cosmos. A close examination of the notion of play in Taylor’s narrative illuminates in more detail the ill fit of Pentecostalism in the history of a secular age and reveals that Pentecostalism represents a condition of religion that resolves the tension between sacred and secular and that challenges the dominance of “secular” and “religious” as uncontested ideas of our modern world.
The Geist of Hegel Past and Present
Authors: McClymond Michael J.
Published: June 2018

This essay appreciates Taylor’s qualitative (rather than quantitative) approach to secularization, which has revolutionized recent discussions of this topic. Taylor’s earlier work on Hegel provides a context for interpreting his proposal in A Secular Age that Western societies are secularly religious or religiously secular—neither devoid of concern with transcendence, nor committed to theologically definite accounts of transcendence. Two major points of critique follow—first, that Hegelianism with its “immanent frame” excludes a distinctive Christian claim regarding Jesus’s incarnation; and, second, that Taylor’s hypothesis of faith “fragilized” by the “revisability” of contemporary religion needs empirical support to be fully credible. Taylor often represents religion as a lowest-common-denominator aspiration for something higher, rather than God coming to us incarnationally (John 1:14). Deism-with-transcendence is not Christianity. Taylor’s “fragilization” theory might mean that secularity, too, is “fragilized,” and it ought to provoke pastoral reflection on how “fragilized” faith might be stabilized.
Variation in testis weight of the Tibetan toad Scutiger boulengeri along a narrow altitudinal gradient
Authors: Zhang Lixia , An Dong , He Yuxiao , Li Zhibing , Fang Bohao , Chen Xiaohong , Lu Xin
Published: June 2018

Life-history theory predicts that organisms inhabiting harsh environments such as high altitudes should invest less in reproduction and more in survival. Testis size is associated with the intensity of male-male competition for mating and thus may be treated as an indicator of male reproductive investment. Hence, it may be expected that organisms will reduce their testis size with increasingly harsh environments. Here we test this prediction in a toad species, Scutiger boulengeri, endemic to the Tibetan plateau using data from three populations located at altitudes of 4078, 4276, and 4387 m. Consistent with the prediction, male toads exhibited smaller testes at higher altitudes, despite the relatively narrow altitudinal span. It is likely that cold climates and strong seasonality constrain the ability of high-altitude male toads to allocate more energy into reproduction, thereby leading to small testis size. In addition, the left testis was significantly heavier than the right one and the degree of size asymmetry was unrelated to either altitude or body condition.
Spatial overlap between domestic cats and wild felines in an insular Atlantic Forest remnant
Authors: Ferreira Giovanne A. , Nakano-Oliveira Eduardo , Andriolo Artur , Genaro Gelson
Published: June 2018

Anthropogenic changes are a major threat to biodiversity. One of these possible changes that affect biodiversity is the introduction of domestic species in the environment, which might represent a threat to wild species. The domestic cat, in particular, has biological and behavioral characteristics that allow a great adaptability to natural areas, thus representing a potential risk to the native species, mainly to the other members of the Felidae family. In this study, the spatial overlap between four species of Neotropical wildcats and domestic cats living in an Atlantic Forest Protected Area in one of the most important forest remnants of this ecosystem was verified. The results indicate the need to adopt mitigation measures against the potential risks of this interaction with the goal of preserving the native species.
The Severability Regime and Its Customary Elements: A Presumption Rebuttable ‘at Any Time’
Authors: Staff Natalie
Published: June 2018

This article examines guideline 4.5.3 of the International Law Commission’s (ILC) Guide to Practice on Reservations to Treaties. The guideline establishes a presumption for severability of invalid reservations, which can be overturned by the author ‘at any time’. The present article maps out and makes an overall assessment of some of the major concerns that have been raised regarding the severance presumption and the element ‘at any time’. Special attention is paid to the severance presumption’s development prior to and after the adoption of the Guide in 2011 and the possibly customary elements of the severance doctrine. With regards to ‘at any time’, the article examines some possible future concerns or benefits.
Across the Borders of Political Subjectivity
Authors: Marabello Selenia
Published: June 2018

Based on the ethnography of two co-development projects run by Ghanaian migrants to Italy, this article explores migrants’ political subjectivity by examining practices and discourses on migration as a resource for development. In Ghana, which is considered one of the African states more pro-active in designing policies to channel migration for development, diasporic groups have been re-articulated as part of the transnational nation. In Italy, where migrants are incorporated as subaltern subjects, migration and development policies have been interpreted as an inclusive tool for promoting socio-economic integration in the country of immigration. In this scenario, where neo-liberal policies celebrate migrants’ potential as development agents, the analysis focuses on the way Ghanaian migrants imagine and encounter the state of both origin and destination while reflecting and embodying discourses, becoming development brokers, and struggling to be recognized across borders.
Addressing Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
Authors: Kihara-Hunt Ai
Published: June 2018

Addressing the issue of sexual crimes committed by Peace Operations personnel has long been on the UN’s agenda. The complaint mechanisms have been improved, from ad hoc reactions in the 1990s to appointing a Special Coordinator on sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) issues in 2016. This paper makes recommendations to tackle persisting SEA problems, based on the author’s research into over 600 alleged cases and on the UN accountability mechanisms. The personal scope is limited to UN Police personnel. The UN’s approach in conflating sexual crimes and misconduct fail to reflect the severity of crimes. The UN is also ineffective in generating information fit for use in criminal proceedings. However, the laws on jurisdiction and immunity do not constitute legal barriers to accountability, if they are applied correctly. Other recommendations are made with regard to the way of investigation, steps in ensuring prosecution, and follow-up procedures with States concerned.
Spatial Representation of Time in Backspace
Authors: Schwan Nicole , Brugger Peter , Huberle Elisabeth
Published: June 2018

Temporal information, numerical magnitude and space extension appear to share common representational mechanisms and be processed similarly in the brain. Evidence comes from the phenomenon of ‘pseudoneglect’, i.e. healthy persons’ orientation asymmetry toward the left side of space. Pseudoneglect is also evident along the mental number line which extends from small numbers on the left to large numbers on the right. In analogy to numbers, time is typically represented on a line extending from the left to the right side. It may thus be no surprise that pseudoneglect has been demonstrated in the temporal domain as well. Besides the perception of the space located anteriorly to our trunk (frontspace), we are able to represent the space behind us, which we cannot visually perceive (backspace). The translational model suggests a mapping of spatially defined information to the ipsilateral side of the egocentric reference frame in front- and backspace, while the rotational concept focuses on a 360° spatial representation around the midsagittal plane of the trunk. At the present stage of investigation, little is known about the representation of temporal information in backspace. In an attempt to fill this gap, we compared duration estimations of auditory stimuli in frontspace and backspace. Healthy right-handers were instructed to judge their duration relative to each other. We found a pseudoneglect-behavior not only in frontspace but also in backspace. The data are discussed in the context of common processing mechanisms for time, numbers and space and favor a translational over a rotational account for the representation of backspace. The results are further discussed with reference to potential consequences for the rehabilitation of hemispatial neglect.
Between Ordinary and Extraordinary
Authors: Condello Angela
Published: June 2018

What is the relationship between the general, abstract norm and the singular, concrete case that sometimes affirms a parallel, contrasting, norm? The present book engages with this question. The argument stems from an analysis of extraordinary singular cases that sometimes emerge, sometimes are “produced” or “promoted” as exemplary (for strategic reasons, like in law). I argue that approaching normativity in art and law from the perspective of the singular case also illustrates the theoretical importance of interdisciplinary legal scholarship, since the singularity creates room for extra-legal values to emerge as legitimate demands, desires, needs.
Taxonomic revision of the genus Calendula (Asteraceae) in the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands
Authors: GONÇALVES ANA CARLA , CASTRO SÍLVIA , PAIVA JORGE , SANTOS CONCEIÇÃO , SILVEIRA PAULO
Published: June 2018

A taxonomic revision of the genus Calendula is presented, based on an extensive analysis of its morphological variation, which allowed a re-evaluation of the species delimitations in the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands. Morphometric data based on field and herbarium material were gathered and analysed. Characters traditionally used to delimit taxa in the genus were re-evaluated, and the taxonomic value of new characters was explored. The variation between and within taxa was explored statistically. Morphological patterns were compared with chromosome numbers and genome size estimates. The results revealed that the achenes are particularly important to distinguish taxa, although, due to their variability, they should be used carefully. Four species are recognised in the area (C. arvensis, C. officinalis, C. tripterocarpa and C. suffruticosa), including nine subspecies of C. suffruticosa. Among these, two new subspecies (C. suffruticosa subsp. trialata and C. suffruticosa subsp. vejerensis) are described. Identification keys, descriptions, geographical distributions and conservation assessments are also provided for each taxon.
Catalogue of the Order Amphipoda from Brazil (Crustacea, Peracarida): Suborders Amphilochidea, Senticaudata and Order Ingolfiellida
Authors: SEREJO C.S. , SIQUEIRA S.G.L.
Published: June 2018

This catalog documents 303 species within 142 genera and 56 families distributed in the suborders Amphilochidea, Senticaudata and order Ingolfiellida that have been described or reported for the Brazilian coast and continent. Data for these species such as type material, type locality, geographic and bathymetric distribution, ecological notes and remarks, when pertinent, was given. From these, 268 species (~ 90%) are benthonic, marine and/or estuarine occurring from a diverse type of substrates as sediment, algae, sponges, cnidarians, ascideans, mangrove roots, fouling habitats, coral rubble, rodolith banks, etc. In terms of bathymetry, there are 214 species (~ 80%) reported for the Brazilian continental shelf (0–200 m) and 60 (~20%) for the deep sea zone (> 200 m, 50% from the Campos Basin area). There are 35 non-marine amphipods reported from Brazil. Hyalella is the restricted and dominant epigean group and is represented by 22 species, including some hypogean and cave species. Cave dwellers includes 15 species within 6 genera as: Hyalella (5); Megagidiella (1); Potiberaba (1); Spelaeogammarus (7), and Seborgia (1). Among the Bogidiellidae, Bogidiella neotropica Ruffo, 1952 and Marigidiella brasiliensis (Siewing, 1953) are hypogean, but not from caves. The former is the only amphipod species recorded from the Brazilian Amazon Biome, within the Tapajós River, Pará and the latter are found in marine coastal groundwater of Bahia and São Paulo. Considering the landhoppers (truly terrestrial), only two introduced species, Talitroides alluaudi (Chevreux, 1896) and Talitroides topitotum (Burt, 1934) have been found in the Atlantic forest biome, urban parks and sylviculture plantations from the southeast and south of Brazil. Moreover, several amphipod records for Brazil were noticed to be dubious or misidentifications and are listed in a table with pertinent literature.
Nondissipative and Dissipative Momentum Deposition by Mountain Wave Events in Sheared Environments
Authors: Kruse Christopher G. , Smith Ronald B.
Published: June 2018

Mountain waves (MWs) are generated during episodic cross-barrier flow over broad-spectrum terrain. However, most MW drag parameterizations neglect transient, broad-spectrum dynamics. Here, the influences of these dynamics on both nondissipative and dissipative momentum deposition by MW events are quantified in a 2D, horizontally periodic idealized framework. The influences of the MW spectrum, vertical wind shear, and forcing duration are investigated. MW events are studied using three numerical models—the nonlinear, transient WRF Model; a linear, quasi-transient Fourier-ray model; and an optimally tuned Lindzen-type saturation parameterization—allowing quantification of total, nondissipative, and dissipative MW-induced decelerations, respectively. Additionally, a pseudomomentum diagnostic is used to estimate nondissipative decelerations within the WRF solutions. For broad-spectrum MWs, vertical dispersion controls spectrum evolution aloft. Short MWs propagate upward quickly and break first at the highest altitudes. Subsequently, the arrival of additional longer MWs allows breaking at lower altitudes because of their greater contribution to u variance. As a result, minimum breaking levels descend with time and event duration. In zero- and positive-shear environments, this descent is not smooth but proceeds downward in steps as a result of vertically recurring steepening levels. Nondissipative decelerations are nonnegligible and influence an MW’s approach to breaking, but breaking and dissipative decelerations quickly develop and dominate the subsequent evolution. Comparison of the three model solutions suggests that the conventional instant propagation and monochromatic parameterization assumptions lead to too much MW drag at too low an altitude.
The Effects of the Spatial Distribution of Direct Anthropogenic Aerosols Radiative Forcing on Atmospheric Circulation
Authors: Chemke Rei , Dagan Guy
Published: June 2018

The large uncertainty in estimating the global aerosol radiative forcing (ARF) is one of the major challenges the climate community faces for climate projection. While the global-mean ARF may affect global quantities such as surface temperature, its spatial distribution may result in local thermodynamical and, thus, dynamical changes. Future changes in aerosol emissions distribution could further modulate the atmospheric circulation. Here, the effects of the spatial distribution of the direct anthropogenic ARF are studied using an idealized global circulation model, forced by a range of estimated-ARF amplitudes, based on the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service data. The spatial distribution of the estimated-ARF is globally decomposed, and the effects of the different modes on the circulation are studied. The most dominant spatial distribution feature is the cooling of the Northern Hemisphere in comparison to the Southern Hemisphere. This induces a negative meridional temperature gradient around the equator, which modulates the mean fields in the tropics. The ITCZ weakens and shifts southward, and the Northern (Southern) Hemisphere Hadley cell strengthens (weakens). The localization of the ARF in the Northern Hemisphere midlatitudes shifts the subtropical jet poleward and strengthens both the eddy-driven jet and Ferrel cell, because of the weakening of high-latitude eddy fluxes. Finally, the larger aerosol concentration in Asia compared to North America results in an equatorial superrotating jet. Understanding the effects of the different modes on the general circulation may help elucidate the circulation’s future response to the projected changes in ARF distribution.
Classification of Extreme Cold Incursions over South America
Authors: Lanfredi Isaque Saes , de Camargo Ricardo
Published: June 2018

Cold-air incursions across South America present a variety of problems, sometimes by advancing to the Amazon basin and causing agricultural losses related to extreme low-temperature events. The synoptic conditions that produce cold-air incursions are relatively well understood; however, the most affected region depends on the route by which cold air spreads across the continent. Therefore, the classification of extreme cold-air incursions allows a better understanding of the particularities directly related to the aforementioned losses. In this work, similarities and differences among extreme cold surges were found through time series correlation of anomaly temperatures in four selected areas and compositing techniques from ERA-Interim reanalysis datasets, resulting in three distinct patterns: meridional penetration (MP), meridional restriction (MR), and east penetration (EP). The patterns identified here enable a more detailed understanding of the synoptic patterns and forcing mechanisms associated with extreme cold-air incursions and therefore can be used for operational weather forecasting.
Acute Kidney Injury in Children With Acute Respiratory Failure
Authors: Villacrés Sindy M. , Medar Shivanand S. , Aydin Scott I.
Published: June 2018

Background. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common in critically ill children and develops in association with organ system dysfunction, with acute respiratory failure (ARF) one of the most common. We aim to study AKI in the pediatric ARF population. Methods. Data were retrospectively collected on children aged 1 day to 18 years admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) with ARF between 2010 and 2013. Descriptive statistics and multivariate analyses utilizing Mann-Whitney U, Wilcoxon signed rank, χ2, or Fisher’s exact tests were performed to identify risk factors associated with AKI. Results. A total of 186 patients, with median age of 36 months (interquartile range 4-120 months) met the inclusion criteria. ARF was related to pulmonary disease in 49%. AKI was noted in 53% of patients. Patients with AKI had significantly higher serum creatinine ( P < .001) and lower estimated creatinine clearance ( P < .001) compared with those without AKI. Among patients with moderate and severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), 64% had AKI versus 46% with mild or no ARDS ( P = .02). Patients with AKI had significantly lower PaO2/FiO2 ratio ( P = .03), longer PICU ( P = .03), and longer hospital length of stay ( P = .01). ARDS patients were less likely to be AKI free on day 7 of hospitalization, as compared with those without ARDS. Multivariate analysis revealed positive end expiratory pressure (odds ratio [OR] = 1.2, confidence interval [CI] = 1.0-1.4; P = .03) and admission serum creatinine (OR = 27.9, CI = 5.2-148.5; P < .001) to be independently associated with AKI. Conclusions. AKI is common in children with ARF. In patients with ARF and AKI, AKI is associated with ARDS and longer PICU and hospital length of stay. Positive end expiratory pressure and serum creatinine are independently associated with AKI.
The Hong Kong Healthy Schools Award Scheme, school health and student health: An exploratory study
Authors: Lee Albert , St Leger Lawrence H , Ling Kelvin WK , Keung Vera MW , Lo Amelia SC , Kwong Amy CM , Ma Hilda PS , Armstrong Erin S
Published: June 2018

Objective:

The Hong Kong Healthy Schools Award Scheme (HKHSA) developed an assessment and monitoring system to examine the status of Health Promoting Schools (HPS). This study made use of the HKHSA programme to investigate the school health ‘profile’ and student health status of four gold award schools following 3–4 years’ participation in the scheme.

Design:

Repeated cross-sectional student health surveys of the same year level (Secondary 3) were conducted over different time periods, and achievement of HKHSA was assessed by repeated assessments of the school health profile using HPS indicators.

Setting:

This study included four schools with the Healthy School gold award in Hong Kong, together with students from three of the four schools.

Methods:

School performance in the six HPS key areas were analysed using radial plot graphs, and students’ health behaviours were measured by means of repeated cross-sectional student health surveys.

Results:

The four gold award schools demonstrated various degrees of achievement in different HPS key areas with student health behaviours markedly improving in these schools. Further analyses revealed how certain HPS key area components were associated with sustained positive health behaviours among students.

Conclusion:

The ongoing implementation of HPS impacts on schools’ environment and students’ health behaviours. The HKHSA is designed for formative and summative assessment of school health promotion. Findings provide insight into an HPS assessment process, signalling future directions for the development of school health promotion.
Legal professional privilege in corporate criminal investigations
Authors: Mitchell Rebecca , Stockdale Michael
Published: June 2018

This article considers two areas that arise in the context of corporate criminal investigations relating to claims of legal professional privilege: the extent to which litigation privilege may attach to communications made in the context of such investigations and the difficulty of identifying the client for the purposes of legal advice privilege. These issues are of particular significance where a company is or may be the subject of an investigation by specialist prosecuting authorities, such as the Serious Fraud Office. We identify the policy considerations justifying litigation privilege and whether they continue to explain the current ambit of the privilege. With particular reference to the extent to which the privilege is capable of attaching to communications made for the purpose of working towards a potential settlement, we consider how the constraints upon its ambit operate in the context of corporate criminal investigations. In relation to legal advice privilege, we demonstrate that it is possible to give a coherent explanation of the jurisprudence in this area which, while accepting that decisions are fact-specific, should enable corporations and the courts to identify the client within the corporation with a greater degree of confidence.
The Rise and Fall of the English Defence League: Self-Governance, Marginal Members and the Far Right
Authors: Morrow Elizabeth A , Meadowcroft John
Published: June 2018

What determines the success or failure of far-right organisations? This article uses new qualitative data to explain the sudden rise and subsequent decline of the English Defence League, an anti-Islamic, street protest organisation established in the UK in 2009. We explain the rise and fall of the English Defence League through the lens of the theory of collective action to show that the English Defence League initially motivated activism by supplying selective incentives that were enhanced by the participation of others. The pursuit of ‘participatory crowding’ led to indiscriminate recruitment into the organisation that enabled numbers to expand into the thousands, but ultimately caused the English Defence League’s downfall because it resulted in the presence of large numbers of ‘marginal members’ with low levels of commitment whose subsequent exit was decisively destructive. Self-governance mechanisms to ensure greater loyalty from members could have prevented the English Defence League’s decline but would also have limited its initial success.
Generalized discrete event system specification: a state-of-the-art study
Authors: Zacharewicz Gregory
Published: June 2018

The Generalized Discrete Event System specification (G-DEVS) language was introduced by Norbert Giambiasi in the 1990s. This paper first examines the specification of G-DEVS and gives an historical view of N Giambiasi’s works that contributed to this concept. The paper particularly focuses on the extension of G-DEVS to distributed simulation. An example of a G-DEVS model of a ski chairlift system with chair and skier is proposed to show the accuracy gained by using G-DEVS instead of other classical discrete event modeling formalisms. Then, the paper presents how G-DEVS has been extended for interoperability with other components in the context of supply chain modeling and simulation coping, with the possibility to compose different model formats at simulation time. Next, the focus is on a G-DEVS editor tool and its extensions: LSIS_DME. The distributed simulation and the high-level architecture standard were used to support the interoperability of various models and simulators.
How does it feel to be an anti-martyr’s widow? The interplay of religious capital and negative symbolic capital of war widows
Authors: Bokek-Cohen Ya’arit , Ben-Asher Smadar
Published: June 2018

This article demonstrates the contrasting experiences of military widows in the modern Jewish Orthodox and the Bedouin sectors in Israel. While fallen Jewish soldiers are honored in a fashion similar to martyrs, Bedouin fallen soldiers are perceived as anti-martyrs; their anti-martyr status causes predicaments for their widows. While Jewish war widows are glorified, their Bedouin counterparts are subject to various modes of marginalization and exclusion. The article offers Bourdieusian theoretical analysis of the differing status of the Bedouin war widows and proposes the concept of negative symbolic capital to describe a situation where a social agent not only lacks a certain sort of capital, but instead possesses an intangible attribute which is negatively sanctioned owing to cultural-specific beliefs, values, and circumstances. We demonstrate how widows who possess negative symbolic capital invest much effort in accruing religious capital, in order to cope with their excluded position as widows of anti-martyrs.
Shifting the center: the impact of the Pay-TV Law on the Brazilian audiovisual field
Authors: Carter Eli Lee
Published: June 2018

Although the Brazilian mediascape has been in transition since the early 1990s, the passage of the Pay-TV Law (Law 12.485) in 2011 established a new era. The Pay-TV Law has led to the rise of new distributors and production companies, a proliferation of viewing options, and a diversification of narrative formats. This increasingly competitive era has accelerated the fragmentation of TV Globo’s hegemony over the symbolic constructions of Brazil as an imagined community. In addition, this fragmentation has led to more diverse depictions of the country and its people, moving beyond the racially and geographically limited representations of TV Globo’s telenovelas, and thereby expanding the broader social imaginary. The series 3%, from a 2011 YouTube web pilot to its 2016 release as Netflix’s first original Brazilian series, is one prime example of production occurring beyond TV Globo’s reach, the ongoing transformation to the field, and the broadening depiction of how Brazil is imagined that began with the passage of the Pay-TV Law in 2011.
The role of memory updating in shallow native and opaque second language learning
Authors: Artuso Caterina , Palladino Paola
Published: June 2018

The current study investigates the relation between working memory updating and second language learning (L2) outcomes in typically-developing fourth grade children. Our primary aim was to replicate and extend previous findings on the relationship between updating and low-level reading skills, i.e. fluency. Our second objective was to examine possible updating transfer effects across languages, from the native language (L1) to L2 learning. The languages considered have different orthographic features; shallow for L1 (Italian), and opaque for L2 (English). Mediation analyses were tested using the bootstrapping method; we found that updating was directly related to reading fluency in L2 learning. Moreover, we showed evidence of the mediating role of L1 fluency in the relation between memory updating and L2 fluency. Our findings suggest that updating processes may act at a low level for reading, and are potentially independent from specific language features, both for opaque and regular orthographies.
Efficacy and safety of tacrolimus combined with glucocorticoid treatment for IgA nephropathy: a meta-analysis
Authors: Zhang Yong , Luo Jun , Hu Bin , Ma Tean
Published: June 2018

Objective

As a classical immunosuppressant, tacrolimus (TAC) has been widely used in organ transplantation therapy, but the general benefits of TAC for the treatment of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) remain uncertain. We conducted a meta-analysis to examine the effects of TAC combined with glucocorticoid on IgAN.

Methods

We searched the information databases PubMed/Medline, Embase, Science Citation Index, Chinese Biomedical Literature and the Chinese databases VIP, CNKI and Wan Fang for randomized controlled trials of TAC combined with glucocorticoid as a therapy for IgAN.

Results

Ten relevant studies involving 472 patients were included in a meta-analysis. Overall, the TAC group showed a significant decrease in proteinuria compared with the control group (MD: −0.18 g/d, 95% CI: −0.32 to −0.04). No increased risk of adverse events was observed (OR: 0.93, 95% CI: 0.65 to 1.33). In general, the TAC group showed good tolerance.

Conclusion

Evidence to date clearly indicates that TAC combined with glucocorticoid is quite effective in reducing proteinuria and albuminuria in patients with IgAN. Moreover, we found that patients receiving TAC therapy did not show an increased risk of side effects compared with control group patients. TAC combined with glucocorticoid is a promising medication and merits further research.
Delayed increase in serum acetaminophen concentration after ingestion of a combination medications: a case report
Authors: Yamaguchi Junko , Kinoshita Kosaku , Noda Akihiro , Furukawa Makoto , Sakurai Atsushi
Published: June 2018

Acetaminophen is absorbed rapidly after oral intake, and serum concentration peaks within 4 hours. The Rumack–Matthew (RM) nomogram is widely used to identify the potential risk of liver dysfunction. However, the RM nomogram was intended for use only when a single agent was ingested. We report the case of a patient with overdose ingestion of an over-the-counter combination cold medication that contained acetaminophen, where the patient’s serum concentration increased over time. Over-the-counter combination cold medications are designed to relieve cold symptoms. However, the possibility that other agents that were present in the drug may change gastrointestinal kinetics should also be considered. The risk of liver dysfunction cannot be accurately determined from a single serum acetaminophen concentration measurement. Because of the risk of a delayed increase in the serum acetaminophen concentration, monitoring for liver dysfunction and developing a treatment strategy that includes N-acetylcysteine are required. This case report is targeted to clinical physicians who treat patients with acetaminophen overdose resulting from ingestion of multiple agents, and it reviews points of consideration when using the RM nomogram in acute intoxication.
Lithology and the distribution of Early Roman-era tombs in Jerusalem’s necropolis
Authors: Shtober-Zisu Nurit , Zissu Boaz
Published: June 2018

During the last 150 years, various archaeological excavations and surveys revealed approximately 900 rock-cut tombs in the extensive necropolis surrounding ancient Jerusalem, dated to the late Hellenistic and Early Roman periods. The research goals are to examine the spatial distribution of these tombs in relation to the lithological units and rock hardness and to examine the diverse methods by which the ancient masons solved various lithological defects they encountered during the tomb excavation. We used field observations and Schmidt hammer tests to determine the rock hardness and the lithological properties. Our study demonstrates that the substrate played a crucial role in the establishment of the city and residents’ living conditions and that the presence or absence of caves in certain areas can be explained lithologically. Most tombs found west of the city were excavated in the Weradim Formation (13.7%); those found north of the city were mainly hewn into the well-bedded Nezer Formation (20.7%); and the tombs hewn east or south of the ancient city mainly met the soft Menuḥa Formation (56%). Excavating in the hard limestone of the Shivta Formation required high levels of effort and funding and, therefore, the number of tombs is limited (3%). In some cases, owners of estates located in soft lithologies granted burial rights to additional families, as proved by the large number of tombs and the clusters of burial systems in the Menuḥa Formation. Rock surfaces are mostly decayed by chemical dissolution, enhanced by structural fissures in the rock. Condensation corrosion and excess moisture were observed on the ceilings of some structures, along with bio-erosion. Two types of defects are common in the local rock: (a) major defects, endangering the stability of the rock-cut chamber that required complementary building with ashlar stones and (b) superficial defects that required only aesthetic solutions.
Chronology of Holocene storm events along the European Atlantic coast
Authors: Pouzet Pierre , Maanan Mohamed , Piotrowska Natalia , Baltzer Agnès , Stéphan Pierre , Robin Marc
Published: June 2018

This paper reviews the reconstruction of European Atlantic storm events with the contribution of a new stormy reconstruction in its central part. Three marsh environments on the island of Yeu were chosen to identify disturbing storm events from the Mid- to Late Holocene with vibracore sampling, radiocarbon dating and sedimentary analysis. Nine probable intervals of high energy deposition in these low-transport-activity environments are estimated: 600–500, near 1590, 2100–1950, 2850–2350, 3500–3270, 5400–5370, 6650–6510, near 7000 and between 7670 and 7470 calibrated years before present (cal y BP). By comparison with sedimentological paleostorm studies, we confirm six European Atlantic storm events estimated at near 600–300, 1700–1100, 2900–2500, 3500–3300, 5500–5100 and 7700–7100 cal y BP, corresponding to worldwide Holocene cooling climatic periods. A comparison with other storminess reviews of worldwide main stormy coasts shows that Holocene storms can increase during global cooling periods in the northern hemisphere.