bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microstructure of Interfacial Basal Plane Dislocations in 4H-SiC Epilayers
Authors: Li Zhe , Zhang Xuan , Zhang Ze Hong , Zhang Li Guo , Ju Tao , Zhang Bao Shun
Published: May 2019

As SiC power devices are being developed toward ultrahigh-voltage bipolar structures, the density of basal plane dislocations in SiC epilayers has to be minimized. In this work, a special category of basal plane dislocations, i.e. interfacial dislocations, was investigated. Their etch pits were detected at the interface and the microstructure was revealed by cross-section transmission electron microscope analysis.
Investigation of the 6-Folded Pattern in the Facetted Region of 4° Off-Axis 4H-SiC
Authors: Fen Fu , Wang Ying Min , Wei Ru Sheng
Published: May 2019

We demonstrate 4o off-axis 4H-SiC bulk crystal growth using physical vapor transport method (PVT). A radial 6-folded pattern is discovered in the facetted region of the growth surface by differential interference contrast microscopy. SICA88 Wafer Inspection/Review System was used to further inspect such 6-folded pattern with photoluminescence channel for wafers cut from that 4H-SiC crystal. It was found that the 6-folded pattern exists in all the wafers from the bottom to the top of that crystal. Several radial 6-folded patterns are found in the bottom wafer near the seed, but there is only one in the other two wafers. Defects distribution of these wafers after etched were also researched to find out the relationship between the radial 6-folded pattern and the defects. Based on the results, the formation and evolution mechanism of the radial 6-folded pattern on 4o off-axis 4H-SiC crystal is discussed.
SOCS1 Antagonist–Expressing Recombinant Bacillus Calmette–Guérin Enhances Antituberculosis Protection in a Mouse Model
Authors: Mizuno Satoru , Soma Shogo , Inada Hiroyasu , Kanuma Tomohiro , Matsuo Kazuhiro , Yasutomi Yasuhiro
Published: May 2019

Suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1) plays a key role in the negative regulation of JAK/STAT signaling, which is involved in innate immunity and subsequent adaptive immunity. Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) induces upregulation of SOCS1 expression in host cells, which may lead to the suppression of immune responses by BCG via inhibition of the JAK/STAT signaling pathway. This might cause A reduction in the protective effect of a BCG vaccine. In the current study, we assessed the immune responses to and the protective efficacy of a recombinant BCG secreting a dominant negative mutant of the SOCS1 molecule (rBCG-SOCS1DN). C57BL/6 mice were immunized with rBCG-SOCS1DN or parental BCG Tokyo vaccine strain harboring an empty plasmid vector (rBCG-pSO). rBCG-SOCS1DN enhanced the activation of bone marrow–derived dendritic cells and the activation of T cells compared with those with rBCG-pSO. The amounts of IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-6 produced by splenocytes of rBCG-SOCS1DN–immunized mice were larger than those produced by splenocytes of rBCG-pSO–immunized mice. Moreover, the rBCG-SOCS1DN–immunized mice showed a substantial reduction in the number of CFU of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the lungs and spleens compared with that in control BCG-immunized mice when the immunized mice were infected with a highly pathogenic M. tuberculosis strain by inhalation. These findings provide evidence for the possibility of rBCG-SOCS1DN being an effective M. tuberculosis vaccine with a novel concept of rBCG as a tool for immunomodulation in host cells.
Improving Door-to-Antibiotic Administration Time in Patients With Fever and Suspected Chemotherapy-Induced Neutropenia: A Tertiary Care Center Experience
Authors: Al Sudairy Reem , Alzahrani Mohsen , Alkaiyat Mohammad , Alshami Mona , Yaqub Abdullah , Al Fayadh Maha , Al-Surimi Khaled , Jazieh Abdul Rahman
Published: May 2019

Background: Chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia (FN) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in cancer patients if not treated promptly. As we were facing considerable delays in the management of chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenic patients in the Emergency Department (ED), we initiated an improvement project aiming for “door-to-antibiotic time” of 60 minutes or less for all patients with fever and suspected chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. Methods: A multidisciplinary team was established to work on the project. We used quality improvement tools for mapping the existing patient flow processes of patients with FN in the ED. Several proposed change ideas have been tested using the Model for Improvement. These change ideas include improving the triaging process, creating an electronic “chemotherapy alert caution” and order sets for physicians, and using the hot-line by nurses to call the pharmacy to expedite the process of preparation of antibiotics. Outcome and process measures were collected weekly and they were discussed thoroughly and analyzed by the team. Run charts were used to monitor the progress. Results: After six Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles, all process measures improved and ultimately the “door-to-antibiotic time” was achieved by reducing it from 255 minutes to 49 minutes. During project testing and implementation, the nursing staff skills improvement and education were taken into consideration as a balancing measure. Conclusion: In a six-month period, the project led to a timely administration of antibiotics for patients with FN in the ED. This improvement was sustained for more than two years after the project initiation.
An EOQ model for multiple products with varying degrees of substitutability
Authors: Eksler Leonid , Aviram Roei , Elalouf Amir , Kamble Aakash
Published: May 2019

In this paper, the authors present an EOQ model with substitutions between products and a dynamic inventory replenishment policy. Their key assumption is that many products in the market are substitutable at different levels, and that, in most cases, a customer who discovers that a desired product is unavailable will choose to consume a product with similar attributes or functionality, rather than not purchase at all. Therefore, given a firm that stocks multiple substitutable products, the authors assume that a stock out of one product has a direct impact on other products’ demand. The main purpose of our model is to enable inventory managers to develop ordering policies that ensures that, in the event that a specific product runs out and cannot be replenished due to unforeseen circumstances, the consequent increase in demand for related products will not cause further stock out incidents. To this end, the authors introduce a dependency factor, a variable that indicates the level of dependency, or correlation, between one product and another. The dependencies among the various products offered by the firm are embedded into the EOQ formula and assumptions, enabling managers to update their ordering schedules as needed. This approach has the potential to generate more practical and realistic purchasing and inventory optimization policies.
A numerical process study on the rapid transport of stratospheric air down to the surface over western North America and the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Škerlak Bojan , Pfahl Stephan , Sprenger Michael , Wernli Heini
Published: May 2019

Abstract. Upper-level fronts are often associated with the rapid transport of
stratospheric air along tilted isentropes to the middle or lower troposphere,
where this air leads to significantly enhanced ozone concentrations. These
plumes of originally stratospheric air can only occasionally be observed at
the surface because (i) stable boundary layers prevent an efficient vertical
transport down to the surface, and (ii) even if boundary layer turbulence
were strong enough to enable this transport, the originally stratospheric air
mass can be diluted by mixing, such that only a weak stratospheric signal can
be recorded at the surface. Most documented examples of stratospheric air
reaching the surface occurred in mountainous regions. This study investigates
two such events, using a passive stratospheric air mass tracer in a mesoscale
model to explore the processes that enable the transport down to the surface.
The events occurred in early May 2006 in the Rocky Mountains and in mid-June
2006 on the Tibetan Plateau. In both cases, a tropopause fold associated with
an upper-level front enabled stratospheric air to enter the troposphere. In
our model simulation of the North American case, the strong frontal zone
reaches down to 700 hPa and leads to a fairly direct vertical transport of
the stratospheric tracer along the tilted isentropes to the surface. In the
Tibetan Plateau case, however, no near-surface front exists and a reservoir
of high stratospheric tracer concentrations initially forms at 300–400 hPa,
without further isentropic descent. However, entrainment at the top of the
very deep boundary layer (reaching to 300 hPa over the Tibetan Plateau) and
turbulence within the boundary layer allows for downward transport of
stratospheric air to the surface. Despite the strongly differing dynamical
processes, stratospheric tracer concentrations at the surface reach peak
values of 10 %–20 % of the imposed stratospheric value in both
cases, corroborating the potential of deep stratosphere-to-troposphere
transport events to significantly influence surface ozone concentrations in
these regions.
An evaluation of the ability of the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) to observe boundary layer ozone pollution across China: application to 2005–2017 ozone trends
Authors: Shen Lu , Jacob Daniel J. , Liu Xiong , Huang Guanyu , Li Ke , Liao Hong , Wang Tao
Published: May 2019

Abstract. Nadir-viewing satellite observations of tropospheric ozone in the UV have
been shown to have some sensitivity to boundary layer ozone pollution
episodes, but so far they have not yet been compared to surface ozone
observations collected by large-scale monitoring networks. Here we use
2013–2017 surface ozone data from China's new Ministry of Ecology and
Environment (MEE) network of ∼ 1000 sites, together with vertical
profiles from ozonesondes and aircraft, to quantify the ability of
tropospheric ozone retrievals from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) and to detect
boundary layer ozone pollution in China. We focus on summer when ozone
pollution in China is most severe and when OMI has the strongest sensitivity.
After subtracting the Pacific background, we find that the 2013–2017 mean
OMI ozone enhancements over eastern China have strong spatial correlation
with the corresponding multiyear means in the surface afternoon observations
(R=0.73), and that OMI can estimate these multiyear means in summer
afternoon surface ozone with a precision of 8 ppb. The OMI data show
significantly higher values on observed surface ozone episode days
(>82 ppb) than on non-episode days. Day-to-day correlations with surface
ozone are much weaker due to OMI noise and are stronger for sites
in southern China (<34∘ N; R=0.3–0.6) than in northern China
(R=0.1–0.3) because of weaker retrieval sensitivity and larger upper
tropospheric variability in the north. Ozonesonde data show that much of the
variability of OMI ozone over southern China in summer is driven by the
boundary layer. Comparison of 2005–2009 and 2013–2017 OMI data indicates
that mean summer afternoon surface ozone in southern China (including urban
and rural regions) has increased by 3.5±3.0 ppb over the 8-year period
and that the number of episode days per summer has increased by 2.2±0.4
(as diagnosed by an extreme value model), generally consistent with the few
long-term surface records. Ozone increases have been particularly large in
the Yangtze River Delta and in the Hubei, Guangxi and Hainan provinces.
Effects of near-source coagulation of biomass burning aerosols on global predictions of aerosol size distributions and implications for aerosol radiative effects
Authors: Ramnarine Emily , Kodros John K. , Hodshire Anna L. , Lonsdale Chantelle R. , Alvarado Matthew J. , Pierce Jeffrey R.
Published: May 2019

Abstract. Biomass burning is a significant global source of aerosol
number and mass. In fresh biomass burning plumes, aerosol coagulation
reduces aerosol number and increases the median size of aerosol size
distributions, impacting aerosol radiative effects. Near-source biomass
burning aerosol coagulation occurs at spatial scales much smaller than the
grid boxes of global and many regional models. To date, these models have
ignored sub-grid coagulation and instantly mixed fresh biomass burning emissions into
coarse grid boxes. A previous study found that the rate of particle growth
by coagulation within an individual smoke plume can be approximated using
the aerosol mass emissions rate, initial size distribution median diameter
and modal width, plume mixing depth, and wind speed. In this paper, we use
this parameterization of sub-grid coagulation in the GEOS-Chem–TOMAS (TwO-Moment Aerosol Sectional) global
aerosol microphysics model to quantify the impacts on global aerosol size
distributions, the direct radiative effect, and the cloud-albedo aerosol
indirect effect. We find that inclusion of biomass burning sub-grid coagulation reduces the
biomass burning impact on the number concentration of particles larger than
80 nm (a proxy for CCN-sized particles) by 37 % globally. This cloud condensation nuclei
(CCN) reduction causes our estimated global biomass burning cloud-albedo aerosol
indirect effect to decrease from −76 to −43 mW m−2. Further, as
sub-grid coagulation moves mass to sizes with more efficient scattering,
including it increases our estimated biomass burning all-sky direct effect
from −224 to −231 mW m−2, with assumed external mixing of black carbon
and from −188 to −197 mW m−2 and with assumed internal mixing of black
carbon with core-shell morphology. However, due to differences in fire and
meteorological conditions across regions, the impact of sub-grid coagulation
is not globally uniform. We also test the sensitivity of the impact of
sub-grid coagulation to two different biomass burning emission inventories
to various assumptions about the fresh biomass burning aerosol size
distribution and to two different timescales of sub-grid coagulation. The
impacts of sub-grid coagulation are qualitatively the same regardless of
these assumptions.
Studying boundary layer methane isotopy and vertical mixing processes at a rewetted peatland site by unmanned aircraft system
Authors: Lampert Astrid , Pätzold Falk , Asmussen Magnus O. , Lobitz Lennart , Krüger Thomas , Rausch Thomas , Sachs Torsten , Wille Christian , Damm Ellen
Published: May 2019

Abstract. A proof of concept study was performed to demonstrate the capabilities of quadrocopter air sampling for analysing the methane isotopic composition in the laboratory. Boundary layer mixing processes and the methane isotopic composition were studied with a quadrocopter system at Polder Zarnekow in Mecklenburg–West Pomerania in the North East of Germany, which has become a strong source of biogenically produced methane after rewetting the drained and degraded peatland. Methane fluxes are measured continuously at the site. They show high emissions from May to September, and a strong diurnal variability with maximum methane fluxes up to 2 μmol m−2 s−1 for summer 2018. For two case studies on 23 May 2018 and 5 September 2018, vertical profiles of temperature and humidity were recorded up to an altitude of 650 m and 1000 m, respectively, during the morning transition. Air samples were taken at different altitudes and analysed in the laboratory for methane isotopic composition. The values showed a different isotopic signature in the vertical distribution during stable conditions in the morning (−51.5 ‰ below the temperature inversion at an altitude of 150 m on 23 May 2018 and at an altitude of 50 m on 5 September 2018, −50.1 ‰ above). After the onset of turbulent mixing, the isotopic signature was the same throughout the vertical column with a mean value of −49.9 ± 0.45 ‰. During the September study, water samples were analysed as well for methane concentration and isotopic composition in order to provide a link between surface and atmosphere. The water samples reveal high variability on scales of few 10 m for this particular case. The airborne sampling system and consecutive analysis chain were shown to provide reliable and reproducible results for two samples obtained simultaneously. The method presents a powerful tool for constraining the origin of methane by analysing its isotopic signature, and for measuring the vertical distribution of methane isotopic signature, which is based on mixing processes of methane within the atmospheric boundary layer.
SAETTA: high resolution 3D mapping of the total lightning activity
in the Mediterranean basin over Corsica, with a focus on a MCS
event
Authors: Coquillat Sylvain , Defer Eric , de Guibert Pierre , Lambert Dominique , Pinty Jean-Pierre , Pont Véronique , Prieur Serge , Thomas Ronald J. , Krehbiel Paul R. , Rison William
Published: May 2019

Abstract. Deployed in the mountainous island of Corsica for thunderstorm monitoring purpose in the Mediterranean Basin, SAETTA is a network of 12 LMA stations (Lightning Mapping Array, designed by New Mexico Tech, USA) that allows the 3-D mapping of VHF radiations emitted by cloud discharges in the 60–66 MHz band. It works at high temporal (80 µs) and spatial (tens of meters at best) resolutions within a range of about 350 km. Originally deployed in May 2014, SAETTA was commissioned during the summer and fall seasons and is now permanently operational since April 2016 until at least the end of 2020. We first evaluate the performances of SAETTA through the radial, azimuthal, and altitude errors of VHF sources localization with the theoretical model of Thomas et al. (2004). We also compute on a 240 km × 240 km domain the minimum altitude at which a VHF source can be detected by at least 6 stations by taking into account the mask effect of the relief. We then report the 3-year observations on the same domain in terms of number of lightning days per square kilometer and in terms of lightning days integrated on the whole domain. The lightning activity is first maximum in June because of daytime convection driven by solar energy input, but concentrates on a specific hot spot in July just above the crossroad of the three main valleys. This hot spot is probably due to the low-level convergence of moist air fluxes from sea breezes channeled by the three valleys. Lighting activity increases again in September due to numerous small thunderstorms above the sea and to some high precipitating events. Finally we report lightning observations of unusual high altitude discharges associated with the mesoscale convective system of June 8, 2015. Most of them are small discharges on top of an intense convective core during convective surges. They are considered in the flash classification of Thomas et al. (2003) as small-isolated and short-isolated flashes. The other high altitude discharges, much less numerous, are long range flashes that develop through the stratiform region and suddenly undergo upward propagations towards an uppermost thin layer of charge. This observation supports the recent conceptual model of Dye and Bansemer (2019) that explains such upper level layer of charge in the stratiform region by the development of a non-riming ice collisional charging in a mesoscale updraft.
Regionalization with hierarchical hydrologic similarity and ex situ data in the context of groundwater recharge estimation at ungauged watersheds
Authors: Chang Ching-Fu , Rubin Yoram
Published: May 2019

Abstract. There are various methods available for annual groundwater recharge
estimation with in situ observations (i.e., observations obtained at the
site/location of interest), but a great number of watersheds around the world
still remain ungauged, i.e., without in situ observations of hydrologic
responses. One approach for making estimates at ungauged watersheds is
regionalization, namely, transferring information obtained at gauged
watersheds to ungauged ones. The reliability of regionalization depends on
(1) the underlying system of hydrologic similarity, i.e., the similarity in
how watersheds respond to precipitation input, as well as (2) the approach by
which information is transferred. In this paper, we present a nested tree-based modeling approach for
conditioning estimates of hydrologic responses at ungauged watersheds on ex
situ data (i.e., data obtained at sites/locations other than the
site/location of interest) while accounting for the uncertainties of the
model parameters as well as the model structure. The approach is then
integrated with a hypothesis of two-leveled hierarchical hydrologic
similarity, where the higher level determines the relative importance of
various watershed characteristics under different conditions and the lower
level performs the regionalization and estimation of the hydrologic response
of interest. We apply the nested tree-based modeling approach to investigate the
complicated relationship between mean annual groundwater recharge and
watershed characteristics in a case study, and apply the hypothesis of
hierarchical hydrologic similarity to explain the behavior of a dynamic
hydrologic similarity system. Our findings reveal the decisive roles of soil
available water content and aridity in hydrologic similarity at the regional
and annual scales, as well as certain conditions under which it is risky to
resort to climate variables for determining hydrologic similarity. These
findings contribute to the understanding of the physical principles governing
robust information transfer.
Seasonal variation of the main tidal constituents in the Bohai Bay
Authors: Wang Daosheng , Pan Haidong , Jin Guangzhen , Lv Xianqing
Published: May 2019

Abstract. The seasonal variability of the M2 tidal amplitude has been observed widely, especially in the coastal regions, but the seasonal variations in several major tidal constituents have not been investigated sufficiently. In this study, the seasonal variations in the major tidal constituents, including M2, S2, K1, and O1, in the Bohai Bay, China, are studied by analysing one-year observations of the sea level at two stations, E1 and E2. At E2, the frequencies of the M2 tidal amplitude and phase are annual, with large values in summer and small values in winter, while the frequencies of the S2 and K1 tidal amplitudes are semi-annual. Furthermore, the O1 tidal amplitude increases constantly from winter to autumn. The maxima of the phases appear twice in one year for the S2, K1, and O1 tides, which take place nearly in winter and summer. The seasonally varying trends at E1 estimated by the enhanced harmonic analysis are similar to those at E2, except for the O1 tidal amplitude. The results of the numerical experiments indicate that the seasonality of the stratification and the corresponding vertical eddy viscosity coefficient induce seasonal variations in the phases and amplitudes for all the major tidal constituents, respectively.
Instrumento para diagnosticar el procesamiento de información audiovisual en las televisoras locales
Authors: Marrero Martínez Marcia de la Caridad , Paz Enrique Luis Ernesto , Hernández Alfonso Eduardo Alejandro , Martínez Veitía Yusilka
Published: May 2019

Los canales de televisión local son medios para la socialización de contenidos que reflejen la cotidianidad y tradiciones del lugar donde esté enmarcado. El procesamiento de la información audiovisual en la televisión local es un área que ha sido poco abordada desde la producción científica. Existe en el orden metodológico una escasez de herramientas e instrumentos que permitan diagnosticar el procesamiento de la información audiovisual en la televisión local. Existen técnicas y procedimientos específicos que permiten el procesamiento de la información, pero que se limitan a los procesos técnicos documentales tradicionales: clasificación, catalogación, indización y resumen. La televisión local por sus características requiere de medios y modelos específicos que permitan diagnosticar el procesamiento de la información audiovisual de los materiales que producen. Se plantean como objetivos del estudio: 1) diseñar un instrumento para diagnosticar el procesamiento de la información audiovisual en la televisión local y 2) validar el instrumento diseñado a través de un estudio de caso. Para la obtención de resultados se emplearon métodos en los niveles teórico y empírico. Se diseña un instrumento basado en dos dimensiones: 1) procesamiento de información audiovisual y 2) aspectos técnicos formales presentes en el procesamiento de la información audiovisual que reflejan el contenido local. Se diagnostica el procesamiento de la información audiovisual en la televisión local Centro Norte Televisión, valorándose de regular debido al desconocimiento del personal de la institución y a la no realización de los procesos técnicos documentales correctamente.
Does Personality Provide Indicators of Design Thinking Capacity?
Authors: Tsai Kuan-Chen
Published: May 2019

Design thinking takes an adaptive and holistic view toward product and user needs. It involves engaging in observation, fast learning, visualization, prototyping, and enhancing customer experience. Personality traits have been widely examined in the education field and at the same time design thinking is the main topic of design education. However, until now, there has been a lack of related studies investigating these two variables. As a result, the purpose of the current study is to examine the relationship between design thinking and personalities among Chinese design undergraduates. Convenience sampling was used to recruit 95 first-year Chinese fashion design college students in Taiwan. Two major findings were recorded. Based on zero-order correlations, some variables of personality and of design thinking were positively correlated among our Chinese undergraduates; however, taken as a whole, the structural equation modeling did not support this relationship. Further, age and gender did not play a role in these relationships.
Moderate Conventionalism and Cultural Appropriation
Authors: Räikkä Juha , Puumala Mikko
Published: May 2019

Cultural appropriation, also called cultural borrowing, has been the topic of much discussion in recent years. Roughly speaking, cultural appropriation happens when someone outside of a cultural or ethnic group takes or uses some object that is characteristic or in some way important to the group without the group’s permission. Individuals who find cultural appropriation (or borrowing) unproblematic have often argued that if we express moral criticism of the use of traditional Sami outfits by non-Sami, then we are logically committed to criticize all kinds of habits that are clearly acceptable –such as using jeans, eating pizza or drinking tea. However, we will argue that in many cases that objection is problematic. We point out that if one social habit or practice is prohibited (or supported) by existing social conventions but another is not, then there is a convention difference between the cases. The convention difference is in turn a morally relevant difference, or so we aim to show. We refer to “moderate conventionalism,” according to which existing social conventions are morally relevant facts that should be taken into account when choosing how to act, whatever the content of the conventions happens to be. The claim is analogous with the traditional view that laws have some moral relevance and binding force independent of their content.

Keywords: cultural appropriation, conventionalism, moderate conventionalism, convention difference
Differential Object Marking and the properties of D in the dialects of the extreme south of Italy
Authors: Ledgeway Adam , Schifano Norma , Silvestri Giuseppina
Published: May 2019

This paper discusses two case studies of microvariation in accusative marking in the Italo-Romance varieties of the extreme south of Italy. In particular, the diatopic variation displayed by the dialects of southern Calabria gives rise to peculiar patterns of alternation between presence or absence of the marker a ‘to’ in flagging the accusative. The realisation of accusative case is partially governed by semantic and referential features, i.e. specificity and animacy. In addition, the nature of the realisation of the D head results in a degree of competition between zero marking and analytic accusative marking with a. Given the century-long co-existence of Latin/Romance and Greek in southern Calabria, the relevant morphosyntactic patterns in Case-marking will also be examined from a language contact perspective. We will highlight how the relevant outcomes do not simply involve borrowing mechanisms or template copying from the lending variety but, rather, produce hybrid structures no longer ascribable to a purely Romance or Greek grammar.
Evaluation of Audit Expectation Gap in Sudan: Existence, Causes, and Subsequent Effects
Authors: Ghandour Dina Ahmed Mohamed
Published: May 2019

Purpose: This study mainly focus on evaluating the existence, causes and subsequent effects of audit expectation gap in Sudan.Proposed Design/Methodology/Approach: A cross sectional research design in which data to be collected through structured questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews. Partial Least Square Path Modeling, using Smart PLS Software to analyze the data.Findings: A detailed literature review reveals that, there is a shortage of research concerning the impact of multi-responsibility auditor, standard external audit process, accounting and auditing regulations in a developing country, auditor independence in fact and in appearance, external audit rotation, and rendering of non-audit services on audit expectation gap.Moreover, there is dearth of studies investigating the moderating role of professional code of ethics, and the mediating effect of audit report .Therefore, the study proposes a framework to incorporate these factors into future research.Practical Implications: The results of this study will assist policy makers in finding ways that can be instituted to tackle expectation gap in Sudan, to improve the quality of the auditing profession in the country.Originality/value: This study contributes to the existing literature by adding evidence to the important debate about audit expectation gap, from a region that had little coverage on the studied matter. Specifically, it proposes a framework to extend the research on the factors that cause such a gap in Sudan. Moreover, a significant feature of this study is in introducing accounting and auditing regulations in a developing country as a new variable to investigate its effects on audit expectation gap.
Nurse managers’ self-evaluations of their management competencies and factors associated with their ability to develop staff
Authors: Shomura Masako , Okabe Haruka , Tejima Yoshie , Yaguchi Naho , Iwamoto Satoshi , Sakurai Daisuke
Published: May 2019

The purpose of this study was to clarify how Japanese nurse managers (i.e., “shunin”) or higher-ranked positions self-rate their nursing management competencies and to identify factors associated with their ability to develop staff. Data were collected using a questionnaire based on the 41-item Management Index for Nurses. This index assesses the competencies related to six components of nursing management: planning, motivating staff, developing staff, communication, organization, and ensuring safety. The total possible score is 205 points. The mean percentage score for each component was calculated based on the responses from 118 participants (107 women; mean age = 44.1 ± 7.0 years). Results showed that the mean percentage score for competencies related to ensuring safety was, by far, the highest (71.8%), and the lowest was for competencies related to organization (47.6%). Principal factors found to be associated with participants’ ability to develop staff were “gathering and using information” (a subscale of “educational background and interests”) and “supportiveness of the work environment”. These results suggest that, to improve nurse managers’ competencies related to their ability to develop staff, hospitals need to establish continuing education systems that offer nurse managers convenient educational opportunities in management science, either on-site or at a higher education institution; and develop an in-house support system that enables managers to obtain counseling when practical management concerns cause them stress.
Assessment of the Profitability of an Apartment Building Complex Using a Stochastic Cash-Flow
Authors: Noueihed Nazim , Asrawi Fadi , Nasr Najoie
Published: May 2019

The economic feasibility of apartment building complexes is mainly done by using one of the economic analysis methods: present worth, future worth, annual worth, rate of return, or benefit-cost ratio. The cash-flow used is based on the assumption that a certain fraction of the apartments will be sold during the construction period, and the rest equally sold annually over a certain period of time. This model may work sometimes, but its estimated profitability is inaccurate. The actual cash-flow to be used is stochastic. In this paper, we shall use a cash-flow with random separation time between successive sales of apartments after the construction period. We shall find a compact form of the expected present worth, and determine a range for the annual discount rate so that the project is profitable.
Constitutional Norms for All Time?
Authors: Hein Michael
Published: May 2019

Constitutional Norms for All Time? General Entrenchment Clauses in the History of European Constitutionalism

‘General entrenchment clauses’ are constitutional provisions that make amendments to certain parts of a constitution either more difficult to achieve than ‘normal’ amendments or even impossible, i.e., legally inadmissible. This article examines the origins of these clauses during the American Revolution (1776-77), their migration to the ‘Old World’, and their dissemination and differentiation on the European continent from 1776 until the end of 2015. In particular, the article answers three questions: (1) When, and in which contexts, did general constitutional entrenchment clauses emerge? (2) How have they migrated to and disseminated in Europe? (3) Which constitutional subjects do such clauses protect, and thus, which main functions do they aim to fulfil?
Unamendability and Constitutional Identity in the Italian Constitutional Experience
Authors: Faraguna Pietro
Published: May 2019

Unamendability and Constitutional Identity in the Italian Constitutional Experience

The article explores the historical roots of the explicit unamendable clause(s) in the Italian Constitution. Following, it explores the scholarly debate over the interpretation of unamendable provisions. The article investigates theories of implicit unamendability of the Italian Constitution, and, in particular, it analyses the crucial role played by the Constitutional Court of Italy (ICC) and the principles that characterize Italian constitutional identity. Furthermore, the article explores the other side of constitutional identity, namely the theory of ‘counterlimits.’ The ICC specified that constitutional identity not only sets a limit to constitutional amendment powers but also sets ‘counterlimits’ to the entry of external norms (i.e., supranational and international law) in the domestic legal system. Finally, the article draws some conclusions and argues that the two sides of constitutional identity, although legally and logically independent, mutually reinforce each other and, ultimately, reinforce the counter-majoritarian nature of unamendability.
Constitutional Narcissism on the Couch of Psychoanalysis
Authors: Santos Botelho Catarina
Published: May 2019

Constitutional Narcissism on the Couch of Psychoanalysis: Constitutional Unamendability in Portugal and Spain

Comparing the Portuguese Constitution, which has the longest unamendable clause in the world, with the silence of the Spanish Constitution regarding the language of eternity is indeed a fascinating exercise. Each state’s quantum of constitutional change seems to be quite different. One can wonder how two neighbouring states that share a heavy history of right-wing dictatorships and transitioned to democracy forty years ago opted for such dissimilar constitutional designs. However, appearances are often misleading, and an effort should be done to unveil this curious mismatch.

Both legal orders suffer from what I call constitutional narcissism, which manifests itself through the urge to perpetuate the foundational constitutional moment. Unamendable clauses (Portugal) and quasi-unamendable clauses (Spain) recast one of constitutional theory’s inner paradoxes: Can the constituent power of the people be petrified in one historical constituent decision and constrain future democratic transitions? And what if a volatile contemporary majority seeks to undermine the democratic process and run against the constitutional DNA achievements of the last centuries?

Even if the original version of the Portuguese Constitution prohibited several provisions from ever being amended, some of these provisions were indeed modified or removed in the 1989 constitutional amendment process. This occurred without major disagreement from the political organs, scholars, or the judiciary. Therefore, the vexata quaestio remains unanswered: Given their obsolescence or hindrance towards good governance, should entrenchment clauses be eliminated de jure (through a channelled constitutional amendment process, such as the double amendment procedure) or de facto (through a revolutionary process materialized outside of the constitutional framework)?
Intergenerationele overdracht en criminele families: introductie
Authors: van de Weijer Steve , Spapens Toine
Published: May 2019

Intergenerational transmission and criminal families: introduction

In this introductory chapter we provide an overview of criminological research into intergenerational transmission of criminal behaviour that currently is, and has been, conducted both internationally and in the Netherlands. The most important findings of these studies are also discussed. Next, possible explanations are discussed for intergenerational transmission of crime in general, and more particularly for families that are involved in more serious and organized crime. Moreover, possible ways in which intergenerational transmission of crime can be prevented are discussed. Finally, we give some directions for future research on this topic and will introduce the contributions to this special issue.
Crimineel gedrag over de levensloop én over generaties: de rol van het gezin
Authors: Eichelsheim Veroni
Published: May 2019

Criminal behavior across the life-course and generations: the role of family functioning

In criminology, explanations for engagement in externalizing or criminal behavior are often found within the direct (social) environment of the individual. More specifically, family functioning, the quality of family relations and parenting strategies during childhood and adolescence are found to be related to the development of externalizing problems or criminal behavior over the life-course. Although less well studied, the opposite might also be true: externalizing problems or delinquency during childhood and adolescence may in turn also affect some important (family-related) transitions over the life-course, such as engagement in romantic relationships, the transition to parenthood, parenting strategies and broader family functioning. Not surprisingly, in life-course criminology there is increasing attention for familial similarities in externalizing and delinquent behavior. What underlies intergenerational continuity of criminal behavior? Under which circumstances behavior is continued over the course of generations? What is the role of the family? What is needed to break intergenerational cycles and facilitate earlier and more effective interventions? In this article, a literature review is provided on the role of the family in intergenerational continuity of externalizing or criminal behavior over the life-course and across generations.
Extended constant parts of Becker-Stark's and Shafer-Fink's inequalities
Authors: Nishizawa Yusuke
Published: May 2019

In this paper, we give some inequalities which are extended constant parts of Becker-Stark's and Shafer-Fink's inequality.
Extreme Monophonic Graphs and Extreme Geodesic Graphs
Authors: Titus P. , Santhakumaran A.P
Published: May 2019

For a connected graph $G=(V,E)$ of order at least two, a chord of a path $P$ is an edge joining two non-adjacent vertices of $P$. A path $P$ is called a monophonic path if it is a chordless path. A monophonic set of $G$ is a set $S$ of vertices such that every vertex of $G$ lies on a monophonic path joining some pair of vertices in $S$. The monophonic number of $G$ is the minimum cardinality of its monophonic sets and is denoted by $m(G)$. A geodetic set of $G$ is a set $S$ of vertices such that every vertex of $G$ lies on a geodesic joining some pair of vertices in $S$. The geodetic number of $G$ is the minimum cardinality of its geodetic sets and is denoted by $g(G)$. The number of extreme vertices in $G$ is its extreme order $ex(G)$. A graph $G$ is an extreme monophonic graph if $m(G)=ex(G)$ and an extreme geodesic graph if $g(G)=ex(G)$. Extreme monophonic graphs of order $p$ with monophonic number $p$ and $p-1$ are characterized. It is shown that every pair $a,b$ of integers with $0 \leq a \leq b$ is realized as the extreme order and monophonic number, respectively, of some graph. For positive integers $r,d$ and $k \geq 3$ with $r < d$, it is shown that there exists an extreme monophonic graph $G$ of monophonic radius $r$, monophonic diameter $d$, and monophonic number $k$. Also, we give a characterization result for a graph $G$ which is both extreme geodesic and extreme monophonic.
The Roman bondage number of a digraph
Authors: Sheikholeslami Seyed Mahmoud , Dehgardi Nasrin , Volkmann Lutz , Meierling Dirk
Published: May 2019

Let $D=(V,A)$ be a finite and simple digraph. A  Roman dominating function on $D$ is a labeling $f:V (D)\rightarrow \{0, 1, 2\}$ such that every vertex with label 0 has an in-neighbor with label 2. The weight of an RDF $f$ is the value $\omega(f)=\sum_{v\in V}f (v)$. The minimum weight of a Roman dominating function on a digraph $D$ is called the Roman domination number, denoted by $\gamma_{R}(D)$. The Roman bondage number $b_{R}(D)$ of a digraph $D$ with maximum out-degree at least two is the minimum cardinality of all sets $A'\subseteq A$ for which $\gamma_{R}(D-A')>\gamma_R(D)$. In this paper, we initiate the study of the Roman bondage number of a digraph. We determine the Roman bondage number in several classes of digraphs and give some sharp bounds.
Isotropic geometry of graph surfaces associated with product production functions in economics
Authors: Aydin Muhittin Evren , Ergut Mahmut
Published: May 2019

A production function is a mathematical formalization in economics which denotes the relations between the output generated by a firm, an industry or an economy and the inputs that have been used in obtaining it. In this paper, we study the product production functions of 2 variables in terms of the geometry of their associated graph surfaces in the isotropic $3-$space $\mathbb{I}^{3}$. In particular, we derive several classification results for the graph surfaces of product production functions in $\mathbb{I}^{3}$ with constant curvature.
Existence theorems for generalized vector equilibria with variable ordering relation
Authors: Ceng Lu-Chuan , Liou Yeong-Cheng , Wen Ching-Feng
Published: May 2019

In this paper we study the solvability of the generalized vector equilibrium problem (for short, GVEP) with a variable ordering relation in reflexive Banach spaces. The existence results of strong solutions of GVEPs for monotone multifunctions are established with the use of the KKM-Fan theorem. We also investigate the GVEPs without monotonicity assumptions and obtain the corresponding results of weak solutions by applying the Brouwer fixed point theorem. These results are also the extension and improvement of some recent results in the literature.
Teurer Stillstand: Nicht Reform im Apothekenmarkt
Authors: Richard Sabine , Beckmann Sabine
Published: May 2019

Nach dem EuGH-Urteil, welches die deutsche Preisbindung für Arzneimittel aus dem europäischen Ausland für unwirksam erklärt hat, sieht sich die Politik unter Zugzwang, deutsche Apotheken zu schützen. Aber wie? Da ein Verbot des Versandhandels mit verschreibungspflichtigen Arzneimitteln kaum rechtskonform umsetzbar sein dürfte, setzt der Gesundheitsminister nunmehr auf massive finanzielle Unterstützung von Regelungen zur Stärkung der deutschen Vor-Ort-Apotheke. Es darf bezweifelt werden, dass die teuren Maßnahmen die Versorgung voranbringen.
Reform der Heilmittelversorgung – Möglichkeiten und Grenzen der Zentralisierung
Authors: Rott Florian , Quellmalz Christian , Haas Antje
Published: May 2019

Mit dem Terminservice- und Versorgungsgesetz - TSVG wird die Vertragslandschaft im Heilmittelbereich grundlegend neu geordnet. Die bisherige Vertragsvielfalt sowie die regionalen Vergütungsstrukturen werden ab 2020 je Heilmittelbereich durch einen einheitlichen Bundesvertrag mit bundesweit einheitlichen Preisen ersetzt. Die Entscheidungsfreiheiten der Heilmittelerbringer werden durch die Einführung der sogenannten Blankoverordnung in die Regelversorgung erhöht. Auch das Rollenverhältnis zu den Ärzten wird dabei wesentlich berührt.
Schnittstellenprobleme und Lösungsansätze in der medizinischen Rehabilitation
Authors: Hüer Theresa , Walendzik Anke
Published: May 2019

Rehabilitationsleistungen spielen nicht nur in der GKV eine Rolle, sondern finden auch in anderen Sozialversicherungszweigen statt. Die rechtliche Verankerung der Reha-Verantwortung ist gegliedert und liegt für medizinische Rehabilitationsleistungen in der Hand sechs verschiedener Träger. Wie sich vor diesem Hintergrund die Anreizstruktur zur Umsetzung der Grundsätze Rehabilitation vor Rente sowie Rehabilitation vor und in der Pflege darstellt, ist Gegenstand des Beitrags.
Ein neues Europäisches Parlament wird gewählt: 5 Jahre EU-Gesundheits- und Sozialpolitik – was wurde erreicht, was steht an?
Authors: Wölfle Ilka , Schmidt Marina
Published: May 2019

Vom 23. bis 26. Mai 2019 ist es soweit: In der Europäischen Union werden die neuen Mitglieder des Europäischen Parlaments gewählt. Sie werden die EU-Bürgerinnen und Bürger bis 2024 in der EU vertreten. Alle wahlberechtigten Bürgerinnen und Bürger haben dadurch ein Mitspracherecht dabei, welche Richtung die EU in den kommenden fünf Jahren einschlagen wird. Dies gilt für viele Bereiche, die unser tägliches Leben beeinflussen. Der nachfolgende Beitrag stellt einige gesundheits- und sozialpolitische Initiativen der EU aus der vergangenen Wahlperiode 2014-2019 dar. Gleichzeitig gibt er einen Überblick darüber, mit welcher politischen Agenda sich die neu gebildeten europäischen Institutionen in den kommenden Jahren voraussichtlich beschäftigen werden.
Schichtarbeit unter Veränderungsdruck
Authors: Hielscher Volker , Kreutzer Elena , Matthäi Ingrid
Published: May 2019

An increasing number of people do shift work, including night shifts. These shifts structure their daily and private lives and, in turn, affect their social lives. Companies, on the other hand, are faced with the questions of how they can maintain their shift workers’ ability to work in the long term and how they can organise productive shift work with ageing employees. Case studies from a variety of sectors reveal that shift work does not necessarily equate to shift work and that shift workers’ ability to work develops differently. Some remain healthy and contented doing shift work until they retire, while others find the work is detrimental to their health and quality of life. As companies’ options for relieving staff of shift work for health reasons are limited, they are continually looking for innovative ways in which they can sustain their employees’ ability and motivation to do shift work in the long term.