bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Secondary indium production from end‐of‐life liquid crystal displays
Authors: Amato Alessia , Rocchetti Laura , Fonti Viviana , Ruello Maria Letizia , Beolchini Francesca
Published: September 2016

In 2014, the European Union identified 20 raw materials critical for economic importance and high supply risk. Indium, used in several innovative technologies, is among such critical raw materials. Generally, it is mined as a by‐product of zinc from a mineral named sphalerite, with a concentration between 1 and 100 ppm. Currently, the largest producer of indium is China and about 84% of the worldwide indium consumption is used for liquid crystal display (LCD) production, in particular to form an indium‐tin‐oxide (ITO) film with transparent conductor properties. The fast evolution of LCD technologies caused a double effect: the growth of indium demand and an increase of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). Considering these two factors, the aim of this study is to make the end‐of‐life LCDs a secondary indium resource. With this purpose, an indium recovery process was developed carrying out an acidic leaching, followed by a zinc cementation. The first step allowed a complete indium extraction using 2M sulfuric acid at 80 °C for 10 min. The problem of low indium concentration in the scraps (around 150 ppm) was overcome using a cross‐current configuration in the leaching phase that allowed an increase of metal concentration and a decrease of reagents consumption. An indium recovery higher than 90% was obtained in the final cementation step, using 5 g/L of zinc powder at pH 3 and 55 °C for 10 min. Considering its high efficiency, this process is promising in a context of circular economy, where a waste becomes a resource. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Precise definitions of some terminology for longitudinal clinical trials: subjects, patient populations, analysis sets, intention to treat, and related terms
Authors: Helms Ronald W.
Published: September 2016

Biostatisticians recognize the importance of precise definitions of technical terms in randomized controlled clinical trial (RCCT) protocols, statistical analysis plans, and so on, in part because definitions are a foundation for subsequent actions. Imprecise definitions can be a source of controversies about appropriate statistical methods, interpretation of results, and extrapolations to larger populations. This paper presents precise definitions of some familiar terms and definitions of some new terms, some perhaps controversial. The glossary contains definitions that can be copied into a protocol, statistical analysis plan, or similar document and customized. The definitions were motivated and illustrated in the context of a longitudinal RCCT in which some randomized enrollees are non‐adherent, receive a corrupted treatment, or withdraw prematurely. The definitions can be adapted for use in a much wider set of RCCTs. New terms can be used in place of controversial terms, for example, subject. We define terms specifying a person's progress through RCCT phases and that precisely define the RCCT's phases and milestones. We define terms that distinguish between subsets of an RCCT's enrollees and a much larger patient population. ‘The intention‐to‐treat (ITT) principle’ has multiple interpretations that can be distilled to the definitions of the ‘ITT analysis set of randomized enrollees’. Most differences among interpretations of ‘the’ ITT principle stem from an RCCT's primary objective (mainly efficacy versus effectiveness). Four different ‘authoritative’ definitions of ITT analysis set of randomized enrollees illustrate the variety of interpretations. We propose a separate specification of the analysis set of data that will be used in a specific analysis. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Characterization of Phloroglucinol‐enriched Fractions of Brazilian Hypericum Species and Evaluation of Their Effect on Human Keratinocytes Proliferation
Authors: Bridi Henrique , Beckenkamp Aline , Ccana‐Ccapatinta Gari Vidal , de Loreto Bordignon Sérgio Augusto , Buffon Andréia , von Poser Gilsane Lino
Published: September 2016

In this study, a phytochemical and biological investigation on five South Brazilian Hypericum species (Hypericum caprifoliatum, Hypericum carinatum, Hypericum connatum, Hypericum myrianthum, and Hypericum polyanthemum) was carried out. The phloroglucinol‐enriched fractions (PEF) of the flowering aerial parts were analyzed by high‐performance liquid chromatography for the content of uliginosin A (1), japonicin A (2), uliginosin B (3), hyperbrasilol B (4), and the three benzopyrans, that is, 6‐isobutyryl‐5,7‐dimethoxy‐2,2‐dimethyl‐benzopyran (HP1) (5), 7‐hydroxy‐6‐isobutyryl‐5‐methoxy‐2,2‐dimethyl‐benzopyran (HP2) (6), and 5‐hydroxy‐6‐isobutyryl‐7‐methoxy‐2,2‐dimethyl‐benzopyran (HP3) (7). After chemical characterization, the PEF were assayed for cell proliferation on human keratinocyte cell line by MTT. The H. carinatum and H. polyanthemum PEF demonstrated better results with an increase in cell proliferation (138.7% and 120.6%, respectively). The cell counting and Ki‐67 assay with H. carinatum PEF confirmed the MTT results. The cell cycle distribution indicates an increase in the cells at S and G2/M phases, which is indicative of proliferation induction. In summary, the results indicate an induction of HaCaT proliferation by the treatment with H. carinatum PEF (at 10 and 15 µg/mL), suggesting a possible use as wound healing agent. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
It's advertising, but not as we know it
Authors: Bowman Jo
Published: September 2016

Jerry Wind is a marketing veteran who has seen it all before. He tells Jo Bowman that the ad world ain't seen nothing yet. To make predictions about how much the world might change by 2020 seems somewhat risky; it's far enough away to be pretty tough to call correctly, yet not so far out that when the time comes, everyone will remember what you said.
The new data providers
Authors: Joe Kathy , Raben Finn
Published: September 2016

Adapting to the new landscape for market, social and opinion research
Dynamic Phosphorylation of the Myocyte Enhancer Factor 2Cα1 Splice Variant Promotes Skeletal Muscle Regeneration and Hypertrophy
Authors: Baruffaldi Fiorenza , Montarras Didier , Basile Valentina , De Feo Luca , Badodi Sara , Ganassi Massimo , Battini Renata , Nicoletti Carmine , Imbriano Carol , Musarò Antonio , Molinari Susanna
Published: September 2016

The transcription factor MEF2C (Myocyte Enhancer Factor 2C) plays an established role in the early steps of myogenic differentiation. However, the involvement of MEF2C in adult myogenesis and in muscle regeneration has not yet been systematically investigated. Alternative splicing of mammalian MEF2C transcripts gives rise to two mutually exclusive protein variants: MEF2Cα2 which exerts a positive control of myogenic differentiation, and MEF2Cα1, in which the α1 domain acts as trans-repressor of the MEF2C pro-differentiation activity itself. However, MEF2Cα1 variants are persistently expressed in differentiating cultured myocytes, suggesting a role in adult myogenesis. We found that overexpression of both MEF2Cα1/α2 proteins in a mouse model of muscle injury promotes muscle regeneration and hypertrophy, with each isoform promoting different stages of myogenesis. Besides the ability of MEF2Cα2 to increase differentiation, we found that overexpressed MEF2Cα1 enhances both proliferation and differentiation of primary myoblasts, and activates the AKT/mTOR/S6K anabolic signaling pathway in newly formed myofibers. The multiple activities of MEF2Cα1 are modulated by phosphorylation of Ser98 and Ser110, two amino acid residues located in the α1 domain of MEF2Cα1. These specific phosphorylations allow the interaction of MEF2Cα1 with the peptidyl-prolyl isomerase PIN1, a regulator of MEF2C functions. Overall, in this study we established a novel regulatory mechanism in which the expression and the phosphorylation of MEF2Cα1 are critically required to sustain the adult myogenesis. The described molecular mechanism will represent a new potential target for the development of therapeutical strategies to treat muscle-wasting diseases.
AUF1 regulation of coding and noncoding RNA
Authors: White Elizabeth J.F. , Matsangos Aerielle E. , Wilson Gerald M.
Published: September 2016

AUF1 is a family of four RNA‐binding proteins (RBPs) generated by alternative pre‐messenger RNA (pre-mRNA) splicing, with canonical roles in controlling the stability and/or translation of mRNA targets based on recognition of AU‐rich sequences within mRNA 3′ untranslated regions. However, recent studies identifying AUF1 target sites across the transcriptome have revealed that these canonical functions are but a subset of its roles in posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression. In this review, we describe recent developments in our understanding of the RNA‐binding properties of AUF1 together with their biochemical implications and roles in directing mRNA decay and translation. This is then followed by a survey of newly discovered activities for AUF1 proteins in control of miRNA synthesis and function, including miRNA assembly into microRNA (miRNA)‐loaded RNA‐induced silencing complexes (miRISCs), miRISC targeting to mRNA substrates, interplay with an expanding network of other cellular RBPs, and reciprocal regulatory relationships between miRNA and AUF1 synthesis. Finally, we discuss recently reported relationships between AUF1 and long noncoding RNAs and regulatory roles on viral RNA substrates. Cumulatively, these findings have significantly expanded our appreciation of the scope and diversity of AUF1 functions in the cell, and are prompting an exciting array of new questions moving forward. WIREs RNA 2017, 8:e1393. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1393

This article is categorized under:

RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Protein–RNA Recognition

RNA Turnover and Surveillance > Regulation of RNA Stability

Regulatory RNAs/RNAi/Riboswitches > Regulatory RNAs
Increasing the dietary supply of carotenoids through forage supplementation: Effect on nitrogen and mineral retention in captive Golden pheasants (Chrysolophus pictus)
Authors: Kullu Singray Saleb , Das Asit , Saini Mohini , Garg Anil Kumar , Yogi Ravindra Kumar , Soren Shyamal Kumar , Sharma Anil Kumar
Published: September 2016

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of feeding different levels of green forages on feed consumption, nutrient and mineral utilization in Golden pheasants (GP). Twenty‐seven female GP (BW 617–635 g) were randomly distributed into three groups of nine birds each in an experiment based on completely randomized design (CRD). Birds in group T1 were fed a conventional zoo diet containing 1.4% green forages; however, the diets of the birds in groups T2 and T3 contained 2.7% and 5.0% of green forages, respectively. Intake of total carotenoids increased with increased level of green forages in the diet. Apparent retention of N, Ca, and Zn was higher in GP laying hens fed diet containing 5.0% green forages as compared to those fed conventional diet containing 1.4% green forages. Results of the present study indicate that inclusion of 5% green forage in the diet of GP would improve the utilization of N, Ca, and Zn without any adverse effect on intake and utilization of other nutrients. Data related to nutrient intake, basal endogenous losses (BEL) and coefficient of retention (COR) of N, Ca, P, Mg, Fe, Cu, Mn, and Zn are novel and may be of use for future research. Zoo Biol. 35:522–532, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
What Do Parents of Children with Down Syndrome Think about Non‐Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT)?
Authors: van Schendel Rachèl V. , Kater‐Kuipers Adriana , van Vliet‐Lachotzki Elsbeth H. , Dondorp Wybo J. , Cornel Martina C. , Henneman Lidewij
Published: September 2016

This study explores the attitudes of parents of children with Down syndrome towards non‐invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) and widening the scope of prenatal screening. Three focus groups (n = 16) and eleven individual interviews with Dutch parents (and two relatives) of children with Down syndrome were conducted. Safety, accuracy and earlier testing were seen as the advantages of NIPT. Some participants were critical about the practice of screening for Down syndrome, but acknowledged that NIPT enables people to know whether the fetus is affected and to prepare without risking miscarriage. Many feared uncritical use of NIPT and more abortions for Down syndrome. Concerns included the consequences for the acceptance of and facilities for children with Down syndrome, resulting in more people deciding to screen. Participants stressed the importance of good counseling and balanced, accurate information about Down syndrome. Testing for more disorders might divert the focus away from Down syndrome, but participants worried about “where to draw the line”. They also feared a loss of diversity in society. Findings show that, while parents acknowledge that NIPT offers a better and safer option to know whether the fetus is affected, they also have concerns about NIPT's impact on the acceptance and care of children with Down syndrome.
The Dynamics of a Genetic Counseling Peer Supervision Group
Authors: Lewis Katie L. , Erby Lori A. H. , Bergner Amanda L. , Reed E. Kate , Johnson Maria R. , Adcock Jessica Y. , Weaver Meredith A.
Published: September 2016

Supervision is a practice that is utilized by a variety of practitioners to hone their counseling skills. Genetic counselors have embraced the supervision process, and some seek out supervision in a group setting with peers. Researchers have described the structure and content of genetic counseling peer supervision groups, and provided evidence for the benefits of seeking peer supervision. This study aimed to describe the interpersonal aspects of one genetic counseling peer supervision group, including personality traits and group dynamics, and how those factors influenced our experiences within the group. We also describe how the process of evaluating these factors impacted us individually and collectively. There was consensus that the group was a safe and trusting one, which was united by similar goals and mutual respect. Members reported gaining insights about how their own personality functioned within the group milieu, and also how the group setting impacted them. Based on our experiences, we recommend that other peer supervision groups consider similar self‐evaluations on a periodic basis, both to enhance group functioning and to allow for increased self‐awareness and professional growth.
Determinants of Mexico-U.S. Outward and Return Migration Flows: A State-Level Panel Data Analysis
Authors: Chort Isabelle , de la Rupelle Maëlys
Published: September 2016

Using a unique panel data set of state-to-state outward and return migration flows between Mexico and the United States from 1995 to 2012, this study is the first to analyze Mexico-U.S. migration at the state level and explore simultaneously the effect of economic, environmental, and social factors in Mexico over two decades. Pairing origin and destination states and controlling for a rich structure of fixed effects, we find that income positively impacts migration outflows, especially for Mexican states of origin with a recent migration history and for low-educated migrant flows, suggesting the existence of credit constraints. We find evidence that drought causes more out-migration, while other climatic shocks have no effect. Violence is found to increase out-migration flows from border states and to decrease migration from other Mexican states, especially where violence is directed at migrants. Last, return flows are larger when income growth at destination is lower, consistent with the accumulation of savings as a primary motivation of migrants. Exploring the impact of the crisis, we find evidence of significant changes in the geography of migration flows. Traditional flows are drying up, and new migration corridors are rising, with implications on the composition of the Mexican population in the United States. Although the effect of income on flows in both directions is unchanged by the crisis, the negative effect of violence on out-migration tends to reverse at the end of the period. Overall, this study emphasizes the interest of analyzing disaggregated flows at the infra-country level.
RETRACTED: Intralipid supplementation in women with recurrent spontaneous abortion and elevated levels of natural killer cells
Authors: Dakhly Dina M.R. , Bayoumi Yomna A. , Sharkawy Mohamed , Gad Allah Sherine H. , Hassan Mohamed A. , Gouda Hisham M. , Hashem Ahmed T. , Hatem Dina L. , Ahmed Mona F. , El‐Khayat Waleed
Published: September 2016

Objective

To investigate the efficacy of intralipid supplementation in women with recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) and elevated natural killer cell activity undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

Methods

Between February 10, 2013, and April 30, 2015, a double‐blind randomized controlled study was conducted at a center in Egypt. Women with unexplained secondary infertility, RSA, and elevated levels of natural killer cells (> 12%) were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive intralipid (2 mL diluted at 20% in 250 mL saline) or saline (250 mL) infusion on the day of oocyte retrieval using random numbers and sealed envelopes. Patients and attending physicians were masked to group assignment. The infusions were repeated within 1 week of a positive pregnancy test and then every 2 weeks until the end of the first trimester. The primary outcome was chemical pregnancy 14 days after embryo transfer. Analyses were by intention‐to‐treat.

Results

Overall, 296 women were enrolled. Chemical pregnancy was recorded for 84 (58.3%) of 144 women in the intralipid group and 76 (50.0%) of 152 in the control group (P = 0.129).

Conclusion

Intralipid supplementation did not increase frequency of chemical pregnancy. However, findings related to ongoing pregnancy and live birth should be investigated further.

ClinicalTrials.gov:NCT01788540
Effects of Cervical Extension on Deformation of Intervertebral Disk and Migration of Nucleus Pulposus
Authors: Kim Yoon‐Ho , Kim Sung‐In , Park Seongjun , Hong Sung Hwan , Chung Sun G.
Published: September 2016

Background

We theorized that active cervical extension should influence the position of the nucleus pulposus (NP) within the intervertebral disk (IVD) in the sagittal plane. Although several studies on the lumbar IVD have been conducted, there are no quantitative data for in vivo positional changes of the NP in the cervical IVD.

Objective

To evaluate the influence and mechanism of cervical extension on the deformation and migration of IVD and NP in the sagittal plane and understand underlying mechanisms of the extension maneuver.

Design

Asymptomatic subjects underwent magnetic resonance imaging while supine with their cervical spines in neutral and extended positions.

Setting

Academic medical center.

Participants

Ten young, healthy male participants (age range 19‐30 years; mean 22.4 ± 1.64 years).

Methods

T2‐weighted sagittal images from C3‐C4 to C6‐C7 of subjects in both neutral and extension positions were analyzed.

Main Outcome Measurements

Deformation of IVD and positional change of NP were quantified and compared between neutral and extension positions. Intersegmental angles between vertebrae, horizontal positions of anterior and posterior IVD and NP margins, IVD outer and inner heights, and sagittal morphology of NP were quantified and compared between the neutral and extension positions. Correlations between the measured parameters and segmental extension angle were also investigated.

Results

Anterior and posterior IVD margins moved posteriorly with respect to the vertebral body in extension. Both NP margins remained unchanged relative to the vertebral body but moved anteriorly with respect to the IVD. IVD outer and inner heights in the anterior region increased in extension, and morphological changes of the NP were less noticeable when compared with its relative migration within the IVD. Most of the intradiskal changes were linearly correlated with the segmental extension angle.

Conclusions

Cervical extension induces anterior migration of the NP away from the posterior disk margin and may have a clinical effect on diskogenic neck pain resulting from internal disk disruption.

Level of Evidence

Not applicable.
RICE CONSUMPTION AND GRAIN-TYPE PREFERENCE BY HOUSEHOLD: A BANGLADESH CASE
Authors: MOTTALEB KHONDOKER ABDUL , MISHRA ASHOK K.
Published: September 2016

Rice, may be of a high- or low-quality type, based on the size and shape of the rice grain and variety. Thus, perhaps with an increase in income, consumers might not only switch from rice to other high-value-added foods, but also shift away from short-and-bold-grain to long-and-slender-grain rice. Using the case of Bangladesh, this article examines the drivers of change in rice grain-type preferences by households. We econometrically demonstrate that educated, rich, and urban households in Bangladesh are increasingly consuming fine-grain (i.e., long-and-slender-grain) rice, by replacing ordinary-grain (i.e., short-and-bold-grain) rice.
ST-segment Elevation Following Cardioversion of Atrial Fibrillation in the
Emergency Department: Unmasked Myocardial Infarction due to Left Main Coronary
Artery Plaque Rupture or Unspecific Finding?
Authors: Prochnau Dirk , Surber Ralf , Hoyme Matthias , Otto Sylvia , Selle Anna , Poerner Tudor C.
Published: September 2016

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a frequent reason for emergency department
visits. According to current guidelines either rate- or rhythm-control are
acceptable therapeutic options in such situations. In this report, we present the
complicated clinical course of a patient with AF and a rapid ventricular response.
Because of paroxysmal AF, the patient was on chronic oral anticoagulation therapy
with warfarin. Pharmacological treatment was ineffective to control ventricular
rate, and immediate synchronized electrical cardioversion was performed. One hour
later, the patient complained of chest pain in combination with marked ST-segment
elevation in the anterior leads. Cardiac catheterization with optical coherence
tomography disclosed plaque rupture in the left main coronary artery without other
significant stenosis. Stent implantation was performed successfully. During the
course of the hospital stay, the patient remained asymptomatic and the ST-segment
elevations resolved. However, despite treatment with amiodarone it was not
possible to keep the patient permanently in sinus rhythm. Therefore, a
biventricular pacemaker was implanted and AV node ablation performed.
Too Low a Threshold: Bilcon v Canada and the International Minimum Standard of Treatment
Authors: CARFAGNINI MICHAEL
Published: September 2016

Treaty obligations to afford foreign investors a minimum standard of treatment (MST) and/or fair and equitable treatment (FET) are hallmarks of international investment law. However, the relationship between such treaty-based obligations and customary international law has been the subject of considerable debate. In the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) context, the majority tribunal decision and dissenting opinion in Clayton and Bilcon of Delaware Inc. v Government of Canada (Bilcon) reflect ongoing disagreement regarding the threshold for breach of the MST under NAFTA Article 1105. This article charts NAFTA investment tribunals’ decisions regarding FET claims under Article 1105 and the development of the customary international MST on which that provision is based, in particular, the prohibition on arbitrary treatment. It argues that the majority in Bilcon applied an inappropriately low threshold in finding a breach of Article 1105, which could represent a new and unwelcome direction in NAFTA Chapter 11 jurisprudence.
CULTURAL INFLUENCES ON THE FERTILITY BEHAVIOR OF FIRST- AND SECOND-GENERATION IMMIGRANTS
Authors: Stichnoth Holger , Yeter Mustafa
Published: September 2016

This paper argues that the conventional strategy of identifying a cultural effect using variation across countries of origin may be biased because the assumption that all immigrants make their choices in an identical environment in the host country is unlikely to hold true, even when controlling for individual characteristics. We discuss different mechanisms behind the bias and propose to eliminate it by exploiting only the variation within countries of origin. In our application (fertility of immigrants in Germany), the cultural effect survives this more demanding specification; however, the estimated coefficient is smaller compared to estimations that rely on cross-country variation for identification. We also show that the cultural influence is considerably smaller in the second generation of immigrants.
Valparaiso’s 2014 Fire: Evaluation of Environmental and Epidemiological Risk Factors During the Emergency Through a Crowdsourcing Tool
Authors: Espinoza Espinoza Sebastián Eduardo , Vivaceta De la Fuente Anibal Enrique , Machuca Contreras Constanza Andrea
Published: September 2016

Objective

To describe and relate the main environmental risk factors in the emergency process after a large urban fire in Valparaiso, Chile, in April 2014.

Methods

An observational, cross-sectional descriptive study was performed. All 243 reports from an ad hoc web/mobile website created on the Ushahidi/Crowdmap platform were reviewed. Reports were recorded in a new database with dichotomist variables based on either the presence or absence of the relevant category in each report.

Results

Almost one-third of the reports presented data about garbage (30%) and chemical toilets (29%). Reports related to water, infrastructural damage, and garbage had significant associations with 4 categories by chi-square test. In the logistic regression model for chemical toilets, only the variable of water was significant (Pvalue=0.00; modelPvalue: 0.00; R2: 11.7%). The “garbage” category confirmed infrastructural damage (Pvalue: 0.00), water (Pvalue: 0.028), and vectors (P value: 0.00) as predictors (modelPvalue: 0.00; R2: 23.09%).

Conclusions

Statistically significant evidence was found for the statistical dependence of 7 out of 10 studied variables. The most frequent environmental risk factors in the reports were garbage, chemical toilets, and donation centers. The highest correlation found was for damaged infrastructure, vectors, and garbage. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:239–243)
Metastable noble gas atoms in strong-field ionization experiments
Authors: Calvert J. E. , Palmer A. J. , Litvinyuk I. V. , Sang R. T.
Published: September 2016

The interactions of strong-field few-cycle laser pulses with metastable states of noble gas atoms are examined. Metastable noble gas atoms offer a combination of low ionization potential and a relatively simple atomic structure, making them excellent targets for examining ionization dynamics in varying experimental conditions. A review of the current work performed on metastable noble gas atoms is presented.
Compromesso astorico: the role of the Senate after the Italian constitutional reform
Authors: Tsebelis George
Published: September 2016

The article examines the content of the constitutional amendments with respect to the Senate. While symmetric bicameralism would be abolished with respect to policymaking, it would be preserved and even exacerbated with respect to constitutional revisions. The consequences of the first would be a reduction of the number of institutional veto players, which would lead to the facilitation of policy change, and an increase in the power of the government (who is the agenda setter). The content of the new policies remains unknown, as are the economic consequences of the proposed changes. Constitutional revisions would become more difficult, because the ideological distance between the Chamber of Deputies and Senate would be likely to increase (because of the mode of selection of Senators), while article 138, which specifies the requirements for amendment to the constitution, would remain the same. As a result, the role of the Italian Constitutional Court would also likely increase.
Power-Curve Corrections for Horizontal-Axis Wind Turbine by an Improved Blade Element Momentum Theory
Authors: Bai C.-J. , Shiah Y.-C.
Published: September 2016

This paper proposes a correction method to improve the accuracy of traditional blade element momentum theory (BEMT) in predicting the mechanical power and power coefficient of horizontal-axis wind turbine (HAWT) blade. In this paper, the traditional BEMT incorporated with the Viterna-Corrigan (VC) stall/stall-delay model is proposed to improve the accuracy of power-curve prediction, by which its applicability is thus enhanced. For verification of the proposed method, three distinct types of geometries of HAWT blades subjected to different operations are studied with outcomes compared with experimental data. Two different wind turbines developed by National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) were tested at constant rotational speeds in a full-scale wind tunnel to acquire performance data. As a comparative platform, another wind turbine designed by BEMT for this study was also experimented in identical environment but at variable rotational speeds. As expected, the results clearly indicate that the power-curve prediction is effectively improved by the proposed method especially in the stall region when compared with experimental data. Indeed, this study shows that the improved BEMT is an ideal means to accurately predict the power-curve used for designing an optimal HAWT rotor.
Flow and Dispersion Characteristics of a Stack-Issued Backward Inclined Jet in Crossflow
Authors: Khouygani M. G. , Huang R.-F. , Hsu C.-M.
Published: September 2016

The effects of backward inclination angle on flow characteristics and jet dispersion properties of a stack-issued jet in crossflow were studied by means of instantaneous and long-exposure photography, particle image velocimetry (PIV), and tracer-gas concentration detections at a Reynolds number of 2,400, a jet-to-crossflow momentum flux ratio of 1.0, and the backward inclination angles θ = 0° - 60°. Three characteristic flow patterns featured by different near-wake flow structures were found within the surveyed span of the backward inclination angle: low (θ ≤ 25°), mediate (25° < θ < 50°), and high (θ ≥ 50°). In the range of low backward inclination angle, mushroom vortices appeared in the upwind shear layer. Jet fluids were entrained into the jet- and tube-wakes because the near wake region was characterized by a jet-wake vortex and a downwash flow. In the range of mediate backward inclination angle, forward-rolling vortices were formed in the upwind shear layer. Jet fluids were entrained into the jet wake but not appearing in the tube wake because the near wake was characterized by an isolated tube wake and up-going flows. In the range of high backward inclination angle, small-sized forward-rolling vortices were observed in the upwind shear layer. Jet fluids were not observed in both the jet- and tube-wakes because all flows went forward without reversal or vortex, which was similar to that in a jet in co-flow. Large turbulence intensities occurred around the jet-wake vortex and along sides of the tube wake bifurcation line, therefore the mixing at the low backward inclination angles presented better properties than those at mediate and high backward inclination angles owing to the featured flow structures and turbulence intensities.
Il cammino degli eroi: the empire as a mark of modernity. Representations of colonial power in a famous regime documentary
Authors: Proglio Gabriele
Published: September 2016

This article examines the most important documentary film about the Italian ‘victory’ in Ethiopia,Il cammino degli eroi, by Corrado D’Errico (1936), the primary aim being to shed light on its complex iconographic system of representation. The first part examines the representation of the ‘African Mussolini’. In the second part, the article analyses the ‘conqueror’s gaze’ in the visual perspective employed by D’Errico in his account of the new Italian colony. The third part is devoted to arguing the juxtaposition between ‘Italian Creation and Ethiopian apocalypse’. Finally, the last part of the article deals with the reasons for the Ethiopian war.
Television audience enjoyment and theLascia o raddoppia?phenomenon
Authors: Barron Emma
Published: September 2016

From the end of 1955 to the middle of 1959, the quiz programmeLascia o raddoppia?transformed the way that Italians watched television, attracting a mass audience and appealing to viewers of different class backgrounds and levels of education. The quiz, watched by 15 million Italians at its peak, was more than Italy’s first successful television show:Lascia o raddoppia?also reflected the social and cultural transformations of Italy’s economic ‘miracle’, and confirmed the growing importance of mass culture and education in modern Italy. Yet, the role and response of the viewer in this television phenomenon has been largely overlooked. Viewers, if discussed at all, are often represented as an ‘Everyman’, mediocre, or the victims of Americanisation. This article examines the audience responses to the quiz by connecting the Radiotelevisione Italiana (RAI) broadcaster’s audience enjoyment ratings to the programme transcripts, specific contestants and media coverage. The audience data, when linked to individual programmes and contestants, reflects important changes in society and education and challenges the myth of the passive viewer, demonstrating even that 1950s television audiences were not as malleable or as conservative as contemporary commentators and many histories suggest.
BLOWUPS AND FIBERS OF MORPHISMS
Authors: KUSTIN ANDREW R. , POLINI CLAUDIA , ULRICH BERND
Published: September 2016

Our object of study is a rational map  defined by homogeneous forms $g_{1},\ldots ,g_{n}$, of the same degree $d$, in the homogeneous coordinate ring $R=k[x_{1},\ldots ,x_{s}]$ of $\mathbb{P}_{k}^{s-1}$. Our goal is to relate properties of $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6F9}$, of the homogeneous coordinate ring $A=k[g_{1},\ldots ,g_{n}]$ of the variety parameterized by $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6F9}$, and of the Rees algebra ${\mathcal{R}}(I)$, the bihomogeneous coordinate ring of the graph of $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6F9}$. For a regular map $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6F9}$, for instance, we prove that ${\mathcal{R}}(I)$ satisfies Serre’s condition $R_{i}$, for some $i>0$, if and only if $A$ satisfies $R_{i-1}$ and $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6F9}$ is birational onto its image. Thus, in particular, $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6F9}$ is birational onto its image if and only if ${\mathcal{R}}(I)$ satisfies $R_{1}$. Either condition has implications for the shape of the core, namely, $\text{core}(I)$ is the multiplier ideal of $I^{s}$ and $\text{core}(I)=(x_{1},\ldots ,x_{s})^{sd-s+1}.$ Conversely, for $s=2$, either equality for the core implies birationality. In addition, by means of the generalized rows of the syzygy matrix of $g_{1},\ldots ,g_{n}$, we give an explicit method to reduce the nonbirational case to the birational one when $s=2$.
Explaining Causal Findings Without Bias: Detecting and Assessing Direct Effects
Authors: ACHARYA AVIDIT , BLACKWELL MATTHEW , SEN MAYA
Published: September 2016

Researchers seeking to establish causal relationships frequently control for variables on the purported causal pathway, checking whether the original treatment effect then disappears. Unfortunately, this common approach may lead to biased estimates. In this article, we show that the bias can be avoided by focusing on a quantity of interest called the controlled direct effect. Under certain conditions, the controlled direct effect enables researchers to rule out competing explanations—an important objective for political scientists. To estimate the controlled direct effect without bias, we describe an easy-to-implement estimation strategy from the biostatistics literature. We extend this approach by deriving a consistent variance estimator and demonstrating how to conduct a sensitivity analysis. Two examples—one on ethnic fractionalization’s effect on civil war and one on the impact of historical plough use on contemporary female political participation—illustrate the framework and methodology.
New material of Ophisaurus, Anguis and Pseudopus (Squamata, Anguidae, Anguinae) from the Miocene of the Czech Republic and Germany and systematic revision and palaeobiogeography of the Cenozoic Anguinae
Authors: KLEMBARA JOZEF , RUMMEL MICHAEL
Published: September 2016

Four species of Ophisaurus, O. fejfari, O. spinari, O. robustus and O. holeci, are recognized on the basis of parietals from the Early Miocene of the Czech Republic and Germany. The fifth species, O. acuminatus, is described from the Late Miocene of Germany, but its parietal is not preserved. This paper describes new O. fejfari, O. spinari, O. robustus and O. holeci specimens from the Early and Middle Miocene of the Czech Republic and Germany. The O. fejfari and O. holeci parietals from Germany are the first records of these species outside the Czech Republic. This paper provides a significant contribution to the understanding of both interspecific and intraspecific Ophisaurus variability in the Cenozoic of Europe. A well-preserved parietal of Anguis rarus sp. nov. is described from the Early Miocene of Germany. This is the first record of the parietal of Anguis in the Cenozoic. A new parietal from the Middle Miocene of Germany is described as Pseudopus sp. It differs from the contemporaneous P. laurillardi only in the absence of the large and distinctly laterally projecting anterolateral processes of the parietal. In the Miocene, Ophisaurus and Pseudopus exhibit a higher diversity than that of the preceding geological periods of the Cenozoic. Besides, Ophisaurus emigrates from Europe to (1) Asia and via the Bering Strait to North America, and (2) North Africa during the Oligocene and Miocene. By contrast, Anguis and Pseudopus are limited to Eurasia. The palaeobiogeography of members of Anguinae is discussed.
REAPPROPRIATION, RESISTANCE, AND BRITISH AUTOCRACY IN SRI LANKA, 1820–1850
Authors: WILSON JAMES
Published: September 2016

Sri Lanka's kingdom of Kandy fell to the British in 1815 and a rebellion in its name was defeated two years later. Across the next three decades, islanders took up religious ceremonies, legal concepts, and regal traditions formerly linked to Kandy's king and his court. These reappropriations were responses to efforts by the state to control Sri Lanka: expressions of kingship reassembled in particular ways to resist specific British incursions. Critically, islanders situated these activities in historical, colonial, and global contexts, manipulating transoceanic and imperial networks. Although they invariably failed, episodes of reappropriation bemused colonists with their complexities and globalisms and gradually subverted British autocracy, the form of imperial governance in Sri Lanka. Autocracy then gave way to more regularized modes of rule. Bringing together three separate examples, this article disputes an important argument about Sri Lanka's insurgent national character and reveals islanders’ elaborate responses to the incursions of imperialism. More broadly, it suggests that such episodes should be viewed as creative instances of resistance that deployed networks, practices, and ideas and became enmeshed with the development of the state through their influence over colonial governance. This locates aspects of imperial change within the Indian Ocean world.
THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS IN JAMES MILL'S POLITICAL THOUGHT
Authors: GRINT KRIS
Published: September 2016

This article examines the Scottish philosopher and historian James Mill's views on the freedom of the press, predominantly as they are expounded in his unpublished commonplace books, and argues that not only were these ideas very radical, they were critical to Mill's wider political thought and, by extension, to that of the early Philosophic Radicals. By virtue of the use of manuscript material, this article also presents evidence for various intellectual influences upon Mill, and argues that whilst Jeremy Bentham is of central importance to Mill's ideas, he takes inspiration from a wide range of other authors, both modern and ancient, in part as a way of normalizing his views in the context of the reactionary and conservative political climate that he was writing about them in: early nineteenth-century Britain.
A Dynamic Theory of Nuclear Proliferation and Preventive War
Authors: Bas Muhammet A. , Coe Andrew J.
Published: September 2016

We develop a formal model of bargaining between two states where one can invest in a program to develop nuclear weapons and the other imperfectly observes its efforts and progress over time. In the absence of a nonproliferation deal, the observing state watches the former's program, waiting until proliferation seems imminent to attack. Chance elements—when the program will make progress and when the other state will discover this—determine outcomes. Surprise proliferation, crises over the suspected progress of a nuclear program, and possibly “mistaken” preventive wars arise endogenously from these chance elements. Consistent with the model's predictions and contrary to previous studies, the empirical evidence shows that the progress of a nuclear program and intelligence estimates of it explain the character and outcomes of most interactions between a proliferant and a potential preventive attacker. Counterintuitively, policies intended to reduce proliferation by delaying nuclear programs or improving monitoring capabilities may instead encourage it.
Laryngeal contrasts in the Tai dialect of Cao Bằng
Authors: Pittayaporn Pittayawat , Kirby James
Published: September 2016

The Tai dialect spoken in Cao Bằng province, Vietnam, is at an intermediate stage between tonal register split and the accompanying transphonologization of a voicing contrast into a dual-register tone system. While the initial sonorants have completely lost their historical voicing distinction and developed a six-way tonal contrast, the obstruent series still preserves the original voicing contrast, leaving the tonal split incomplete. This paper presents the first acoustic study of tones and onsets in Cao Bằng Tai. Although f0, VOT, and voice quality were all found to play a role in the system of laryngeal contrasts, the three speakers considered varied in terms of the patterns of acoustic cues used to distinguish between onset types, particularly the breathy voiced onset //. From the diachronic perspective, our findings may help to explain why the reflex of modal pre-voiced stops (*b) can be either aspirated or unaspirated voiceless stops.
Host specificity versus plasticity: testing the morphology-based taxonomy of the endoparasitic copepod family Splanchnotrophidae with COI barcoding
Authors: Anton Roland F. , Schories Dirk , Wilson Nerida G. , Wolf Maya , Abad Marcos , Schrödl Michael
Published: September 2016

The Splanchnotrophidae is a family of highly modified endoparasitic copepods known to infest nudibranch or sacoglossan sea slug hosts. Most splanchnotrophid species appear to be specific to a single host, but some were reported from up to nine different host species. However, splanchnotrophid taxonomy thus far is based on external morphology, and taxonomic descriptions are, mostly, old and lack detail. They are usually based on few specimens, with intraspecific variability rarely reported. The present study used molecular data for the first time to test (1) the current taxonomic hypotheses, (2) the apparently strict host specificity of the genusIsmailaand (3) the low host specificity of the genusSplanchnotrophuswith regard to the potential presence of cryptic species. Phylogenetic analyses herein used sequences of the barcoding region of the cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene from 40 specimens representing 13 species of five genera. Species delimitation approaches include distance and barcoding gap analyses, haplotype networks and diagnostic nucleotides. Molecular results are largely compatible with the commonly accepted, morphology-based taxonomy of the Splanchnotrophidae. Strict host specificity could be confirmed for twoIsmailaspecies. COI analyses also supported the idea thatSplanchnotrophus angulatusis host-promiscuous. InIsmaila, morphology seems more suitable than barcoding to display speciation events via host switches in a recent Chilean radiation. InSplanchnotrophus, some genetic structure suggests ongoing diversification, which should be investigated further given the inadequate morphology-based taxonomy. The present study thus supports the presence of two different life history strategies in splanchnotrophids, which should be explored integratively.
Prospective associations between televiewing at toddlerhood and later self-reported social impairment at middle school in a Canadian longitudinal cohort born in 1997/1998
Authors: Pagani L. S. , Lévesque-Seck F. , Fitzpatrick C.
Published: September 2016

Background

Using a large Canadian population-based sample, this study aimed to verify whether televiewing in toddlerhood is prospectively associated with self-reported social impairment in middle school.

Method

Participants are from a prospective–longitudinal birth cohort of 991 girls and 1006 boys from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development. Child self-reported ratings of relational difficulties at age 13 years were linearly regressed on parent-reported televiewing at age 2 years while adjusting for potential confounders.

Results

Every additional 1 h of early childhood television exposure corresponded to an 11%s.d.unit increase in self-reported peer victimization [unstandardizedβ= 0.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.02–0.04], a 10%s.d.unit increase in self-reported social isolation (unstandardizedβ= 0.04, 95% CI 0.03–0.05), a 9%s.d.unit increase in self-reported proactive aggression (unstandardizedβ= 0.02, 95% CI 0.01–0.03) and a 6%s.d.unit increase in self-reported antisocial behavior (unstandardizedβ= 0.01, 95% CI 0.01–0.01) at age 13 years. These results are above and beyond pre-existing individual and family factors.

Conclusions

Televiewing in toddlerhood was prospectively associated with experiencing victimization and social withdrawal from fellow students and engaging in antisocial behavior and proactive aggression toward fellow students at age 13 years. Adolescents who experience relational difficulties are at risk of long-term health problems (like depression and cardiometabolic disease) and socio-economic problems (like underachievement and unemployment). These relationships, observed more than a decade later, and independent of key potential confounders, suggest a need for better parental awareness of how young children invest their limited waking hours.
HITTING TIME DISTRIBUTIONS FOR BIRTH–DEATH PROCESSES WITH BILATERAL ABSORBING BOUNDARIES
Authors: Mao Yong-Hua , Zhang Chi
Published: September 2016

For the birth–death process on a finite state space with bilateral boundaries, we give a simpler derivation of the hitting time distributions by h-transform and φ-transform. These transforms can then be used to construct a quick derivation of the hitting time distributions of the minimal birth–death process on a denumerable state space with exit/regular boundaries.
DEGREE PROFILE OF HIERARCHICAL LATTICE NETWORKS
Authors: Feng Yarong , Mahmoud Hosam , Rüschendorf Ludger
Published: September 2016

We study the degree profile of random hierarchical lattice networks. At every step, each edge is either serialized (with probability p) or parallelized (with probability 1−p). We establish an asymptotic Gaussian law for the number of nodes of outdegree 1, and show how to extend the derivations to encompass asymptotic limit laws for higher outdegrees. The asymptotic joint distribution of the number of nodes of outdegrees 1 and 2 is shown to be bivariate normal. No phase transition with p is detected in these asymptotic laws.

For the limit laws, we use ideas from the contraction method. The recursive equations which we get involve coefficients and toll terms depending on the recursion variable and thus are not in the standard form of the contraction method. Yet, an adaptation of the contraction method goes through, showing that the method has promise for a wider range of random structures and algorithms.