bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Time series trends in software evolution
Authors: Ruohonen Jukka , Hyrynsalmi Sami , Leppänen Ville
Published: November 2015

Background

The laws of software evolution were formulated to describe time series trends in software over time.

Objective

Building on econometrics, the paper relates the laws theoretically to the concept of stationarity. The theoretical argumentation builds on the fact that in a stationary time series, the mean and variance remain constant. The concept is further elaborated with different statistical types of time series trends. These provide the objective for the empirical experiment that evaluates whether software size measures in a typical software evolution dataset are stationary.

Method

The time series analysis is based on conventional statistical tests for the evaluation of stationarity.

Results

The empirical dataset contains time series extracted from the version control systems used in Vaadin and Tomcat between circa 2006 and 2013. The results establish that the observed time series are neither stationary nor follow simple mathematical functions that would translate into stationarity.

Conclusion

The testing framework presented in the paper allows evaluating the stationarity of software evolution time series. The results can be interpreted theoretically against the laws of software evolution. These methodological and theoretical contributions improve the foundations of predictive time series modeling of software evolution problems. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Curcumin attenuates memory deficits and the impairment of cholinergic and purinergic signaling in rats chronically exposed to cadmium
Authors: da Costa Pauline , Gonçalves Jamile F. , Baldissarelli Jucimara , Mann Thaís R. , Abdalla Fátima H. , Fiorenza Amanda M. , da Rosa Michelle M. , Carvalho Fabiano B. , Gutierres Jessié M. , de Andrade Cinthia M. , Rubin Maribel A. , Schetinger Maria Rosa C. , Morsch Vera M.
Published: November 2015

This study investigated the protective effect of curcumin on memory loss and on the alteration of acetylcholinesterase and ectonucleotidases activities in rats exposed chronically to cadmium (Cd). Rats received Cd (1 mg/kg) and curcumin (30, 60, or 90 mg/kg) by oral gavage 5 days a week for 3 months. The animals were divided into eight groups: vehicle (saline/oil), saline/curcumin 30 mg/kg, saline/curcumin 60 mg/kg, saline/curcumin 90 mg/kg, Cd/oil, Cd/curcumin 30 mg/kg, Cd/curcumin 60 mg/kg, and Cd/curcumin 90 mg/kg. Curcumin prevented the decrease in the step‐down latency induced by Cd. In cerebral cortex synaptosomes, Cd‐exposed rats showed an increase in acetylcholinesterase and NTPDase (ATP and ADP as substrates) activities and a decrease in the 5′‐nucleotidase activity. Curcumin was not able to prevent the effect of Cd on acetylcholinesterase activity, but it prevented the effects caused by Cd on NTPDase (ATP and ADP as substrate) and 5′‐nucleotidase activities. Increased acetylcholinesterase activity was observed in different brain structures, whole blood and lymphocytes of the Cd‐treated group. In addition, Cd increased lipid peroxidation in different brain structures. Higher doses of curcumin were more effective in preventing these effects. These findings show that curcumin prevented the Cd‐mediated memory impairment, demonstrating that this compound has a neuroprotective role and is capable of modulating acetylcholinesterase, NTPDase, and 5′‐nucleotidase activities. Finally, it highlights the possibility of using curcumin as an adjuvant against toxicological conditions involving Cd exposure. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 32: 70–83, 2017.
Design and Synthesis of Cross‐Linked Micellar Particles to Assist Microalgae Lipid Recovery from Aqueous Extract
Authors: Yao Linxing , Li Xueshu , Wang Tong , Zhao Yan
Published: November 2015

A series of cross‐linked micellar particles (CLMP) with internal hydrophobic binding sites was synthesized via a double‐cross‐link concept. A quaternary ammonium surfactant was first synthesized from natural tung oil. With two acrylate groups in the head group and conjugated alkenes in the hydrophobic tail, the surfactant was doubly cross‐linked in the micellar form on both the micellar surface and in the core. Surface cross‐linking at ambient temperature and core cross‐linking at 80 °C yielded 61 % final product (with 40 % space holder). The product and its morphology were characterized by infrared (IR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The chemical nature and functional groups were confirmed by IR, and SEM indicated heterogeneous nanoparticles aggregated into clusters of particles. The binding capacity and selectivity of CLMP for microalgae lipids extracted from Nannochloropsis sp. were investigated and quantified using a turbidity test and mass spectrometry. The best CLMP product was able to extract total algae lipids at 0.8 g lipids/g particles capacity. At a lipid loading above the binding capacity, the CLMP selectively bound non‐charged polar lipids instead of the negatively charged polar lipids. These micellar particles have been demonstrated to be promising materials for extracting lipids from aqueous lipid extract. This paper presents a proof of concept study, and more in‐depth investigation is needed to test lipid extraction from various media and potentials for lipid class separation using these structured particles.
Sino-Cameroon Relations: A Foreign Policy of Pragmatism
Authors: Amin Julius A.
Published: November 2015

Based on primary sources, including documents obtained from Cameroon’s Ministry of External Relations, oral interviews conducted in Cameroon, and local newspapers, and a variety of secondary sources, this article examines Cameroon’s foreign policy and economic relations with China. It argues that Cameroon’s engagement with China has resulted in short-term benefits for consumers but undermined long-term, sustainable economic development. The article concludes that unless China genuinely pursues its promised policies of “mutual respect” and “win–win gain,” voices of protest will only grow louder in Cameroon and other African nations.
What Are Women’s Rights Good For? Contesting and Negotiating Gender Cultures in Southern Africa
Authors: Van Allen Judith
Published: November 2015

Currently, feminist activists are engaged in problematizing and reframing “rights” claims in southern Africa. This article discusses three cases of such activism, all of which show the limitations but also the potential of using rights claims to transform gender cultures and gain economic and gender justice. These cases involve the successful challenge to the gender discriminatory 1982 Botswana Citizenship Act; the policy shift of Women and Law in Southern Africa from a focus on legal rights advocacy to a synthesis of rights and kinship-based claims; and initiatives by South African gender activists to confront the contradiction between the country’s constitutional guarantees of women’s rights and high levels of gender violence.
How do designers generate new ideas? Design heuristics across two disciplines
Authors: Yilmaz Seda , Daly Shanna R. , Seifert Colleen M. , Gonzalez Richard
Published: November 2015

Research supports the central role cognitive strategies can play in successful concept generation by individual designers. Design heuristics have been shown to facilitate the creation of new design concepts in the early, conceptual stage of the design process, as well as throughout the development of ideas. However, we know relatively little about their use in differing disciplines. This study examined evidence of design heuristic use in a protocol study with 12 mechanical engineers and 12 industrial designers who worked individually to develop multiple concepts. The open-ended design problem was for a novel product, and the designers’ sketches and comments were recorded as they worked on the problem for 25 min and in a retrospective interview. The results showed frequent use of design heuristics in both disciplines and a significant relationship to the rated creativity of the concepts. Though industrial designers used more heuristics in their concepts, there was a high degree of similarity in heuristic use. Some differences between design disciplines were observed in the choice of design heuristics, where industrial designers showed a greater emphasis on user experience, environmental contexts, and added features. These findings demonstrate the prevalence of design heuristics in individual concept generation and their effectiveness in generating creative concepts, across two design domains.
Racialized Humility: The White Supremacist Sainthood of Peter Claver, SJ
Authors: Grimes Katie M.
Published: November 2015

Peter Claver is commonly remembered as a patron saint of ministry to black Americans as well as the “saint of the slave trade.” Partially by comparing him with Saint Martin de Porres, the only African-descended American saint, this article argues that rather than lauding Claver as a racial hero, we ought to recognize him as deeply complicit in the sins of white supremacy. This article aims to help the church more honestly reckon with its white supremacist past.
Engaging the Neo-Thomist Revival: Considerations and Consequences for Theology and the Church
Authors: Rober Daniel
Published: November 2015

Neo-Thomism, the reading of Thomas Aquinas that became the dominant Catholic theological school in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, was eclipsed during the Second Vatican Council but has recently seen a resurgence on the American scene, in terms of both publications and influence among the church hierarchy. This article explores that resurgence in terms of the history of neo-Thomism, the important texts that have come out of this new movement, and signs of its influence on the bishops. In so doing, it critiques the movement for failing to learn the lessons of its fall from favor—in particular, that it has relied on claims to orthodoxy based on authority rather than the power of its own arguments. This article thus argues that theologians should pay careful attention to this movement both to reassert the validity and importance of more contemporary theological methods and to encourage neo-Thomists themselves to develop a greater appreciation of methodological pluralism and reliance on the strength of arguments.
Lack of Patient Understanding of Hospital-Acquired Infection Data Published on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Hospital Compare Website
Authors: Masnick Max , Morgan Daniel J. , Sorkin John D. , Kim Elizabeth , Brown Jessica P. , Rheingans Penny , Harris Anthony D.
Published: November 2015

BACKGROUND

Public reporting of hospital quality data is a key element of US healthcare reform. Data for hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are especially complex.

OBJECTIVE

To assess interpretability of HAI data as presented on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Hospital Compare website among patients who might benefit from access to these data.

METHODS

We randomly selected inpatients at a large tertiary referral hospital from June to September 2014. Participants performed 4 distinct tasks comparing hypothetical HAI data for 2 hospitals, and the accuracy of their comparisons was assessed. Data were presented using the same tabular formats used by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Demographic characteristics and healthcare experience data were also collected.

RESULTS

Participants (N=110) correctly identified the better of 2 hospitals when given written descriptions of the HAI measure in 72% of the responses (95% CI, 66%–79%). Adding the underlying numerical data (number of infections, patient-time, and standardized infection ratio) to the written descriptions reduced correct responses to 60% (55%–66%). When the written HAI measure description was not informative (identical for both hospitals), 50% answered correctly (42%–58%). When no written HAI measure description was provided and hospitals differed by denominator for infection rate, 38% answered correctly (31%–45%).

CONCLUSIONS

Current public HAI data presentation methods may be inadequate. When presented with numeric HAI data, study participants incorrectly compared hospitals on the basis of HAI data in more than 40% of the responses. Research is needed to identify better ways to convey these data to the public.

Infect. Control Hosp. Epidemiol. 2016;37(2):182–187
Assessment of Clostridium difficile Burden in Patients Over Time With First Episode Infection Following Fidaxomicin or Vancomycin
Authors: Housman Seth T. , Thabit Abrar K. , Kuti Joseph L. , Quintiliani Richard , Nicolau David P.
Published: November 2015

In patients with first episode Clostridium difficile infection treated with vancomycin or fidaxomicin, more patients receiving fidaxomicin achieved at least 2 log10 colony-forming units/g reduction in spores at the follow-up visit (P=.02). Similar to published literature, a higher proportion of patients receiving fidaxomicin demonstrated sustained clinical response.

Infect. Control Hosp. Epidemiol. 2016;37(2):215–218
The impact of exposure to pre-election polls on voting behaviour
Authors: Gasperoni Giancarlo , Mantovani Debora
Published: November 2015

This article explores Italian voters’ perception of pre-election polls and the latter’s influence on voter choice. Approximately 900 voters were asked to participate in an online simulated election campaign implemented within the voting decision model developed by Richard Lau and David Redlawsk. Voters were given access to, among other heuristics, pre-election polls; a subset of voters was also exposed to polls predicting the final outcome. Findings concern voters’ perceptions of pre-election polls’ reliability and usefulness and the impact of polls on voters after they have viewed survey findings suggesting that their preferred candidates will lose. On the whole, voters participating in the simulated election campaign displayed somewhat negative attitudes towards pre-election polls: such polls, more often than not, were deemed useless and unreliable. As regards the part of the study in which some voters were forcibly exposed to polls that reported unfavourable predictions for their preferred candidates, only one-tenth of voters switched votes: not many, if one considers that such voters had a good incentive to switch, but often more than enough to decide an election.
Mind the gap: IR and the challenge of international politics
Authors: Lucarelli Sonia , Moro Francesco N. , Sicurelli Daniela , Monteleone Carla , Baroncelli Eugenia
Published: November 2015

The discipline of International Relations (IR) for a long time of its history has developed in the form of Great Debates that involved competing paradigms and schools. More recently, it has been described as a cacophony of voices unable to communicate among themselves, but also incapable to provide keys to understand an ever more complex reality. This collection aims at evaluating the heuristic value of a selection of traditional paradigms (realism and liberalism), schools (constructivism), and subdisciplines (security studies and international political economy) so as to assess the challenges before IR theory today and the ability of the discipline to provide tools to make the changed world still intelligible.
Available potential vorticity and wave-averaged quasi-geostrophic flow
Authors: Wagner G. L. , Young W. R.
Published: November 2015

We derive a wave-averaged potential vorticity equation describing the evolution of strongly stratified, rapidly rotating quasi-geostrophic (QG) flow in a field of inertia-gravity internal waves. The derivation relies on a multiple-time-scale asymptotic expansion of the Eulerian Boussinesq equations. Our result confirms and extends the theory of Bühler & McIntyre (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 354, 1998, pp. 609–646) to non-uniform stratification with buoyancy frequency$N(z)$and therefore non-uniform background potential vorticity$f_{0}N^{2}(z)$, and does not require spatial-scale separation between waves and balanced flow. Our interest in non-uniform background potential vorticity motivates the introduction of a new quantity: ‘available potential vorticity’ (APV). Like Ertel potential vorticity, APV is exactly conserved on fluid particles. But unlike Ertel potential vorticity, linear internal waves have no signature in the Eulerian APV field, and the standard QG potential vorticity is a simple truncation of APV for low Rossby number. The definition of APV exactly eliminates the Ertel potential vorticity signal associated with advection of a non-uniform background state, thereby isolating the part of Ertel potential vorticity available for balanced-flow evolution. The effect of internal waves on QG flow is expressed concisely in a wave-averaged contribution to the materially conserved QG potential vorticity. We apply the theory by computing the wave-induced QG flow for a vertically propagating wave packet and a mode-one wave field, both in vertically bounded domains.
Two-dimensional compressible viscous flow around a circular cylinder
Authors: Canuto Daniel , Taira Kunihiko
Published: November 2015

Direct numerical simulation is performed to study compressible viscous flow around a circular cylinder. The present study considers two-dimensional shock-free continuum flow by varying the Reynolds number between 20 and 100 and the free-stream Mach number between 0 and 0.5. The results indicate that compressibility effects elongate the near wake for cases above and below the critical Reynolds number for two-dimensional flow under shedding. The wake elongation becomes more pronounced as the Reynolds number approaches this critical value. Moreover, we determine the growth rate and frequency of linear instability for cases above the critical Reynolds number. From the analysis, it is observed that the frequency of the Bénard–von Kármán vortex street in the time-periodic fully saturated flow increases from the dominant unstable frequency found from the linear stability analysis as the Reynolds number increases from its critical value, even for the low range of Reynolds numbers considered. We also find that the compressibility effects reduce the growth rate and dominant frequency in the linear growth stage. Semi-empirical functional relationships for the growth rate and the dominant frequency in linearized flow around the cylinder in terms of the Reynolds number and free-stream Mach number are presented.
Bulk flow driven by a viscous monolayer
Authors: Raghunandan Aditya , Lopez Juan M. , Hirsa Amir H.
Published: November 2015

The flow in the bulk driven by a viscous interfacial film set in motion by a rotating sharp circular knife edge has been examined through experiments and computations. In the experiments, the water surface is covered by an insoluble monomolecular film of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), a molecule of wide interest in biology and medicine. It is shown that the viscous coupling between the interfacial film and the bulk liquid leads to a strong bulk flow. Depending on the surface packing and corresponding surface tension, DPPC monolayers exhibit a wide range of phase morphologies. Upon shearing the monolayer, its viscous response varies from that of an essentially inviscid film at low surface packing, to that of a highly viscous non-Newtonian (shear thinning) film when the packing is dense. The more viscous the film, the stronger the driven bulk flow. We have examined this behaviour for hydrodynamic regimes straddling the Stokes flow regime and where flow inertia is important.
Oscillations in cylinder wakes at Mach 4
Authors: Schmidt B. E. , Shepherd J. E.
Published: November 2015

The wake behind a circular cylinder in Mach 4 flow is examined experimentally in the Reynolds number range $2\times 10^{4}$ to $5\times 10^{5}$. Periodic oscillations of the sliplines in the wake are observed. The Strouhal number of the oscillations based on the diameter of the cylinder is found to increase monotonically from 0.30 to 0.50 with increasing Reynolds number. If the Strouhal number is formed using the length of the sliplines, however, it has a constant value of approximately 0.48 for all Reynolds numbers studied. This scaling indicates that the oscillations in supersonic flow are likely driven by acoustic signals propagating back and forth through the subsonic region between the separation points on the cylinder and the neck where the sliplines converge, unlike in subsonic flow where oscillations are caused by vortices shed from the cylinder surface.
Exploring the potential activity spectrum of two 5-nitroindazolinone prototypes on different Trypanosoma cruzi strains
Authors: FONSECA-BERZAL CRISTINA , DA SILVA PATRICIA BERNARDINO , DA SILVA CRISTIANE FRANÇA , VASCONCELOS MARIANE , BATISTA MARCOS MEUSER , ESCARIO JOSÉ A. , ARÁN VICENTE J. , GÓMEZ-BARRIO ALICIA , SOEIRO MARIA DE NAZARÉ C.
Published: November 2015

In the present study, the potential activity of two 5-nitroindazole derivatives previously proposed as suitable antichagasic prototypes was further evaluated on diverseTrypanosoma cruzistrains belonging to two discrete typing units (DTUs) frequently associated with human infection (i.e. DTUs TcII and TcVI). The trypanocidal profile that both 2-benzyl-1-propyl (22) and 2-benzyl-1-butyl (24) derivatives achieved on Tulahuen amastigotes (IC50 = 3·56 ± 0·99 and 6·31 ± 1·04 µm, respectively) correlates with that of formerly obtained on CL Brener, corroborating an outstanding activity on DTU TcVI parasites. Moreover, a sequential screening on extracellular and intracellular stages ofT. cruziY (DTU TcII) demonstrated also the effectiveness of 22 and 24 over this strain on a similar range of activity (IC50epimastigotes = 3·55 ± 0·47 and 7·92 ± 1·63 µm, IC50amastigotes = 2·80 ± 0·46 and 9·02 ± 5·26 µm, respectively). These results, supported by a lack of toxicity registered over either L929 fibroblasts or primary cultures of cardiomyocytes, confirm that 5-nitroindazolinones 22 and 24 display great selectivity on both drug-sensitive (CL and Tulahuen) and drug-moderately resistant (Y)T. cruzistrains, and therefore, represent an important outcome in the research of Chagas disease chemotherapy.
Newton and scholastic philosophy
Authors: LEVITIN DMITRI
Published: November 2015

This article examines Isaac Newton's engagement with scholastic natural philosophy. In doing so, it makes two major historiographical interventions. First of all, the recent claim that Newton's use of the concepts of analysis and synthesis was derived from the Aristotelian regressus tradition is challenged on the basis of bibliographical, palaeographical and intellectual evidence. Consequently, a new, contextual explanation is offered for Newton's use of these concepts. Second, it will be shown that some of Newton's most famous pronouncements – from the General Scholium appended to the second edition of the Principia (1713) and from elsewhere – are simply incomprehensible without an understanding of specific scholastic terminology and its later reception, and that this impacts in quite significant ways on how we understand Newton's natural philosophy more generally. Contrary to the recent historiographical near-consensus, Newton did not hold an elaborate metaphysics, and his seemingly ‘metaphysical’ statements were in fact anti-scholastic polemical salvoes. The whole investigation will permit us a brief reconsideration of the relationship between the self-proclaimed ‘new’ natural philosophy and its scholastic predecessors.
Remarks on Entire Solutions for Two Fourth-Order Elliptic Problems
Authors: Lai Baishun , Ye Dong
Published: November 2015

We are interested in entire solutions for the semilinear biharmonic equation Δ2u = f(u) in ℝN, where f(u) = eu or –u–p (p > 0). For the exponential case, we prove that for the polyharmonic problem Δ2mu = eu with positive integer m, any classical entire solution verifies Δ2m–1u < 0; this completes the results of Dupaigne et al. (Arch. Ration. Mech. Analysis208 (2013), 725–752) and Wei and Xu (Math. Annalen313 (1999), 207–228). We also obtain a refined asymptotic expansion of the radial separatrix solution to Δ2u = eu in ℝ3, which answers a question posed by Berchio et al. (J. Diff. Eqns252 (2012), 2569–2616). For the negative power case, we show the non-existence of the classical entire solution for any 0 < p ⩽ 1.
SEX DIFFERENCES IN DIGIT RATIO (2D:4D) AMONG MILITARY AND CIVIL COHORTS AT A MILITARY ACADEMY IN WROCŁAW, POLAND
Authors: Kociuba Marek , Kozieł Slawomir , Chakraborty Raja
Published: November 2015

The ratio of second-to-fourth digit length (2D:4D), which is generally higher in women compared with men, is a putative marker of prenatal testosterone (PT) exposure. Lower 2D:4D is linked with greater physical ability and strength, better sporting performance and a propensity towards jobs demanding greater physical ability. The objectives of this paper were to examine the sexual dimorphism in 2D:4D in both hands 1and compare this dimorphism in the students of military and civil courses at the General Kuściuszko Military Academy of Land Forces in Wrocław. The cross-sectional study compared 59 female and 118 male students from the military courses and 53 females and 64 male students from the civil courses. Besides calculating 2D:4D (2D/4D) for each hand, height and weight were also recorded. Physical fitness and endurance were assessed using Eurofit tests. Handgrip strength was measured using a standardized isometric dynamometer. In almost all physical tests, students in the military cohort showed highly significant greater physical ability and strength (e.g. handgrip strength) when compared with the civil cohort. Male participants had a significantly lower 2D:4D than females for each hand, as well as for the average value for both hands. The sexual dimorphism was, however, a little more pronounced in the right hand than in the left. Both sex and course type were significant predictors of 2D:4D. There were significant interactions between sex and the student type. Among females, but not in males, the military cohort had a significantly lower, i.e. more ‘masculine’, 2D:4D for the left hand and right hand and average for both hands (t=3.290, p<0.001) than the civil cohort. This was not the case in males. However, the sex difference in 2D:4D was only significant among the civil students, and not among the military cadets. In conclusion, higher PT exposure, as represented by a lower 2D:4D, among the Polish females might be an indicator of relatively increased physical ability and motivation to choose professions that require higher strength and endurance.
Axisymmetric global gravitational equilibrium for magnetized, rotating hot plasma
Authors: Catto Peter J. , Pusztai Istvan , Krasheninnikov Sergei I.
Published: November 2015

We present analytic solutions for three-dimensional magnetized axisymmetric equilibria confining rotating hot plasma in a gravitational field. Our up–down symmetric solution to the full Grad–Shafranov equation can exhibit equatorial plane localization of the plasma density and current, resulting in disk equilibria for the plasma density. For very weak magnetic fields and high plasma pressure, we find strongly rotating thin plasma disk gravitational equilibria that satisfy strict Keplerian motion provided the gravitational energy is much larger than the plasma pressure, which must be large compared to the magnetic energy of the poloidal magnetic field. When the rotational energy exceeds the gravitational energy and it is larger than the plasma pressure, diffuse disk equilibrium solutions continue to exist provided the poloidal magnetic energy remains small. For stronger magnetic fields and lower plasma pressure and rotation, we can also find gravitational equilibria with strong localization to the equatorial plane. However, a toroidal magnetic field is almost always necessary to numerically verify these equilibria are valid solutions in the presence of gravity for the cases considered in Catto & Krasheninnikov (J. Plasma Phys., vol. 81, 2015, 105810301). In all cases both analytic and numerical results are presented.
Getting Citizens to Save: Media Influence on Incentive-Based Policies
Authors: LAWLOR ANDREA
Published: November 2015

Governments often introduce financial incentives to citizens in order to encourage ‘personally responsible’ behaviour. Examples of these types of incentives include tax-deferral or tax-free incentives around retirement savings. These types of incentives are shown to matter to investment strategies in the aggregate, but we still lack a full explanation as to how individuals respond to these types of incentives, and what role media play in advertising these incentives. This paper illustrates the potentially vital role that media play in enhancing contributions to one incentive-based policy, the Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) in Canada (2000–2013), using aggregate contribution data, media data, as well as individual-level survey data from the Canadian Financial Capability Survey. Results show that media advertising of the programme influences contribution outcomes and, while media may not outweigh lifecycle effects such as proximity to retirement, it is nonetheless an essential – and overlooked – motivator for contributions to late-life savings.
Simulation of runaway electron inception and breakdown in nanosecond pulse gas discharges
Authors: Zhang Cheng , Gu Jianwei , Wang Ruexue , Ma Hao , Yan Ping , Shao Tao
Published: November 2015

Nanosecond pulse discharges can provide high reduced electric field for exciting high-energy electrons, and the ultrafast rising time of the applied pulse can effectively suppress the generation of spark streamer and produce homogeneous discharges preionized by runaway electrons in atmospheric-pressure air. In this paper, the electrostatic field in a tube-plate electrodes gap is calculated using a calculation software. Furthermore, a simple physical model of nanosecond pulse discharges is established to investigate the behavior of the runaway electrons during the nanosecond pulse discharges with a rise time of 1.6 ns and a full-width at half-maximum of 3–5 ns in air. The physical model is coded by a numerical software, and then the runaway electrons and electron avalanche are investigated under different conditions. The simulated results show that the applied voltage, voltage polarity, and gas pressure can significantly affect the formation of the avalanche and the behavior of the runaway electrons. The inception time of runaway breakdown decreases when the applied voltage increases. In addition, the threshold voltage of runaway breakdown has a minimum value (10 kPa) with the variation of gas pressure.

PACS: 52.80.-s
A prolonged outbreak ofSalmonellaInfantis associated with pork products in central Germany, April–October 2013
Authors: SCHROEDER S. , HARRIES M. , PRAGER R. , HÖFIG A. , AHRENS B. , HOFFMANN L. , RABSCH W. , MERTENS E. , RIMEK D.
Published: November 2015

One of the largest and longestSalmonellaoutbreaks in Germany within the last 10 years occurred in central Germany in 2013. To identify vehicles of infection, we analysed surveillance data, conducted a case-control study and food traceback. We identified 267 cases infected withSalmonellaInfantis with symptom onset between 16 April and 26 October 2013 in four neighbouring federal states. Results of our study indicated that cases were more likely to have eaten raw minced pork from local butcher's shops [odds ratio (OR) 2·5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·1–5·8] and have taken gastric acid-reducing or -neutralizing medication (OR 3·8, 95% CI 1·3–13) than controls. The outbreak was traced back to contaminated raw pork products found in different butcher's shops supplied by one slaughterhouse, to pigs at one farm and to an animal feed producer. Characterization of isolates of human, food, animal, feed, and environmental origin by phage-typing and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis confirmed the chain of infection. Insufficient hygiene standards in the slaughterhouse were the most probable cause of the ongoing transmission. We recommend that persons taking gastric acid suppressants should refrain from consuming raw pork products. Improving and maintaining adequate hygiene standards and process controls during slaughter is important to prevent future outbreaks.
Diversity and relatedness of Shiga toxin-producingEscherichia coliandCampylobacter jejunibetween farms in a dairy catchment
Authors: IRSHAD H. , COOKSON A. L. , ROSS C. M. , JAROS P. , PRATTLEY D. J. , DONNISON A. , McBRIDE G. , MARSHALL J. , FRENCH N. P.
Published: November 2015

The aim of this study was to examine the population structure, transmission and spatial relationship between genotypes of Shiga toxin-producingEscherichia coli(STEC) andCampylobacter jejuni, on 20 dairy farms in a defined catchment. Pooled faecal samples (n= 72) obtained from 288 calves were analysed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (rtPCR) forE. coliserotypes O26, O103, O111, O145 and O157. The number of samples positive forE. coliO26 (30/72) was high compared toE. coliO103 (7/72), O145 (3/72), O157 (2/72) and O111 (0/72). EighteenE. coliO26 and 53C. jejuniisolates were recovered from samples by bacterial culture.E. coliO26 andC. jejuniisolates were genotyped using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and multilocus sequence typing, respectively. AllE. coliO26 isolates could be divided into four clusters and the results indicated thatE. coliO26 isolates recovered from calves on the same farm were more similar than isolates recovered from different farms in the catchment. There were 11 different sequence types ofC. jejuniisolated from the cattle and 22 from water. An analysis of the population structure ofC. jejuniisolated from cattle provided evidence of clustering of genotypes within farms, and among groups of farms separated by road boundaries.
Comparison of Health Needs of Older People between Affected Rural and Urban Areas after the 2005 Kashmir, Pakistan Earthquake
Authors: Chan Emily Y.Y. , Griffiths Sian
Published: November 2015

Introduction:

On 08 October 2005, an earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale, struck Pakistan's autonomous state of Kashmir and part of Indian-administrated Kashmir. The official death toll in Pakistan was 79,000, and nearly 1,400 in Kashmir. This study reports the findings of a three-week health needs assessment to understand the needs of rural, older people post-earthquake. This study was conducted in February 2006 in the Neelum Valley of Kashmir, Pakistan, four months after the earthquake.

Hypothesis:

During emergency relief, the vulnerability and health needs of older people in rural settings are different than are those in of urban areas.

Methods:

A comparative, descriptive study was performed using health information to compare the differences between rural and urban health needs and the utilization of services of older people after the earthquake. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect information regarding demographic background, medical and drug history, self-reported health status, healthcare access and utilization, and social/financial concerns. Clinical records were reviewed and physical indicators for older patients also were collected on-site.

Results:

The health profile, access to health care, service availability, and prevalence of non-communicable diseases differ between urban and rural settings. The greatest gap in health services at all sites was that non-communicable disease management was inadequate during non-acute, post-earthquake medical care. Health service utilization varied by gender, as in conservative rural areas, older, traditional women were less likely to receive medical services while older men were less likely to access psychological services in all sites.

Conclusions:

This is the first study to compare the post-earthquake healthcare needs of older people in urban and rural settings. Findings highlight specific health needs and issues related to long-term, chronic disease management. Given the global pattern of aging of the population, it is important to strengthen the capacity to respond appropriately to medical disasters, which includes preparedness for treating the health needs of older people.
Improved Staff Procedure Skills Lead to Improved Management Skills: An Observational Study in an Educational Setting
Authors: Rüter Anders , Vikstrom Tore
Published: November 2015

Introduction:

Good staff procedure skills in a management group during incidents and disasters are believed to be a prerequisite for good management of the situation. However, this has not been demonstrated scientifically. Templates for evaluation results from performance indicators during simulation exercises have previously been tested. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the possibility that these indicators can be used as a tool for studying the relationship between good management skills and good staff procedure skills.

Hypothesis:

Good and structured work (staff procedure skills) in a hospital management group during simulation exercises in disaster medicine is related to good and timely decisions (good management skills).

Methods:

Results from 29 consecutive simulation exercises in which staff procedure skills and management skills were evaluated using quantitative measurements were included. The statistical analysis method used was simple linear regression with staff procedure skills as the response variable and management skills as the predictor variable.

Results:

An overall significant relationship was identified between staff pro-cedure skills and management skills (p ≤0.05).

Conclusions:

This study suggests that there is a relationship between staff procedure skills and management skills in the educational setting used. Future studies are needed to demonstrate if this also can be observed during actual incidents.
How Will Military/Civilian Coordination Work for Reception of Mass Casualties from Overseas?
Authors: Mackenzie Colin , Donohue John , Wasylina Philip , Cullum Woodrow , Hu Peter , Lam David M.
Published: November 2015

Introduction:

In Maryland, there have been no military/civilian training exercises of the Medical Mutual Aid Agreement for >20 years. The aims of this paper are to describe the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS), to coordinate military and civilian medical mutual aid in response to arrival of overseas mass casualties, and to evaluate the mass-casualty reception and bed “urge” capacity of Maryland NDMS Hospitals.

Methods:

Three tabletop exercises and a functional exercise were performed using a simulated, overseas, military mass-casualty event. The first tabletop exercise was with military and civilian NMDS partners.The second tested the revised NDMS activation plan. The third exercised the Authorities of State Emergency Medical System and Walter Reed Army Medical Center Directors of Emergency Medicine over Maryland NDMS hospitals, and their Medical Mutual Aid Agreement.The functional exercise used Homeland Security Exercise Evaluation Program tools to evaluate reception, triage, staging, and transportation of 160 notional patients (including 20 live, moulaged “patients”) and one canine.

Results:

The first tabletop exercise identified deficiencies in operational protocols for military/civilian mass-casualty reception, triage, treatment, and problems with sharing a Unified Command. The second found improvements in the revised NDMS activation plan.The third informed expectations for NDMS hospitals. In the functional exercise, all notional patients were received, triaged, dispatched, and accounted in military and five civilian hospitals within two hours. The canine revealed deficiencies in companion/military animal reception, holding, treatment, and evacuation. Three working groups were suggested: (1) to ensure 100% compliance with triage tags, patient accountability, and return of equipment used in mass casualty events and exercises; (2) to investigate making information tech-nology and imaging networks available for Emergency Operation Centers and Incident Command; and (3) to establish NDMS training, education, and evaluation to further integrate and support civil-military operations.

Conclusions:

The exercises facilitated military/state inter-agency coopera-tion, resulting in revisions to the Maryland Emergency Operations Plan across all key state emergency response agencies. The recommendations from these exercises likely apply to the vast majority of NDMS activities in the US.
Large-Scale Airmedical Transport from a Peripheral Hospital to Level-1 Trauma Centers after Remote Mass-Casualty Incidents in Israel
Authors: Lavon Ophir , Hershko Dan , Barenboim Erez
Published: November 2015

Introduction:

Mass-casualty incidents (MCIs) result in the evacuation of many patients to the nearest medical facility. However, an overwhelming number of patients and the type and severity of injuries may demand rapid, mass airmedical transport to more advanced medical centers. This task may be challenging, particularly after a MCI in a neighboring country. The Israeli Air Force Rescue and Airmedical Evacuation Unit (RAEU) is the main executor of airmedical transport in Israel, including MCIs.

Problem:

The available data on airmedical transport from remote MCIs are limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate the airmedical transport from a rural hospital after two remote MCIs.

Methods:

The study was retrospective and reviewed descriptive records of airmedical transports.

Results:

The RAEU was involved in airmedical transports from a peripheral hospital shortly after two remote MCIs that occurred in the Sinai desert near the Egyptian-Israeli border. Nineteen (22.4%) and 25 (100%) of the treated trauma patients from each event were airmedically transported to Level-1 Trauma Centers in Israel within hours of the dispatch. The rapid dispatch and accumulation of medical personnel and equipment was remarkable. The airmedical surge capacity was broad and sufficient. Cooperation with local authorities and a tailored boarding procedure facilitated a quality outcome.

Conclusions:

The incorporation of a large-scale airmedical transport program with designated multidisciplinary protocols is an essential component to a remote disaster preparedness plan.
Establishing Disaster Medical Assistance Teams in Japan
Authors: Kondo Hisayoshi , Koido Yuichi , Morino Kazuma , Homma Masato , Otomo Yasuhiro , Yamamoto Yasuhiro , Henmi Hiroshi
Published: November 2015

Introduction:

The large number casualties caused by the 1995 Great Hanshin and Awaji Earthquake created a massive demand for medical care. However, as area hospitals also were damaged by the earthquake, they were unable to perform their usual functions. Therefore, the care capacity was reduced greatly. Thus, the needs to: (1) transport a large number of injured and ill people out of the disaster-affected area; and (2) dispatch medical teams to perform such wide-area transfers were clear. The need for trained medical teams to provide medical assistance also was made clear after the Niigata-ken Chuetsu Earthquake in 2004. Therefore, the Japanese government decided to establish Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMATs), as “mobile, trained medical teams that rapidly can be deployed during the acute phase of a sudden-onset disaster”. Disaster Medical Assistance Teams have been established in much of Japan. The provision of emergency relief and medical care and the enhancement and promotion of DMATs for wide-area deployments during disasters were incorporated formally in the Basic Plan for Disaster Prevention in its July 2005 amendment.

Results:

The essential points pertaining to DMATs were summarized as a set of guidelines for DMAT deployment. These were based on the results of research funded by a Health and Labour Sciences research grant from the, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) of the Ministry of Health. The guidelines define the basic procedures for DMAT activities—for example: (1) the activities are to be based on agreements concluded between prefectures and medical institutions during non-emergency times; and (2) deployment is based on requests from disaster-affected prefectures and the basic roles of prefectures and the MHLW. The guidelines also detail DMAT activities at the disaster scene of the, support from medical institutions, and transportation assistance including “wide-area” medical transport activities, such as medical treatment in staging care units and the implementation of medical treatment onboard aircraft.

Conclusions:

Japan's DMATs are small-scale units that are designed to be suitable for responding to the demands of acute emergencies. Further issues to be examined in relation to DMATs include expanding their application to all prefectures, and systems to facilitate continuous education and training.
A Fundamental, National, Medical Disaster Management Plan: An Education-Based Model
Authors: Djalali Ahmadreza , Hosseinijenab Vahid , Hasani Azadeh , Shirmardi Kianoush , Castrén Maaret , Öhlén Gunnar , Panahi Farzad
Published: November 2015

During disasters, especially following earthquakes, health systems are expected to play an essential role in reducing mortality and morbidity. The most significant naturally occurring disaster in Iran is earthquakes; they have killed <180,000 people in the last 90 years. According to the current plan in 2007, the disaster management system of Iran is composed of three main work groups: (1) Prevention and risk management, (2) Education, and (3) Operation. This organizational separation has resulted in lack of necessary training programs for experts of specialized organizations, e.g., the Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME).The National Board of MOHME arranged a training program in the field of medical disaster management. A qualified training team was chosen to conduct this program in each collaborating center, based on a predefined schedule. All collaborating centers were asked to recall 5–7 experts from each member university. Working in medical disaster management field for ≤2 years was an inclusion criterion. The training programs lasted three days, consisted of all relevant aspects of medical disaster management, and were conducted over a six-month period (November 2007–April 2008). Pretest and post-tests were used to examine the participants' knowledge regarding disaster management; the mean score on the pretest was 67.1 ±11.6 and 88.1 ±6.2, respectively. All participants were asked to hold the same training course for their organizations in order to enhance knowledge of related managers, stakeholders, and workers, and build capacity at the local and provincial levels. The next step was supposed to be developing a comprehensive medical disaster management plan for the entire country. Establishing nine disaster management regional collaborating centers in the health system of Iran has provided an appropriate base for related programs to be rapidly and easily accomplished throughout the country. This tree-shaped model is recommended as a cost-benefit and rapid approach for conducting training programs and developing a disaster management plan in the health system of a developing country.