bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Double the Trouble or Twice as Nice?
Authors: Haskel Lisa
Published: May 2015

Participatory Design (PD) is an extremely productive field of practice with great benefits to communities and individuals. It is a stimulating and exciting way of working that brings new relationships and experiences to all concerned. However, as a collaborative and situated practice it brings with it a number of challenges for the early-stage academic researcher. This paper reflects on some of the challenges of defining participation in the dual areas of production and research from the point of view of a practice-based doctoral researcher in PD. The contributions of some research methods in addressing these challenges, notably Action Research and Design Research, are discussed. In response, it is suggested that researchers might benefit from differentiating the roles of participants in production and research. It is further suggested that this two-fold definition of participation may be possible without compromising projects' ethical integrity.
The Relationship between Knowledge Management and Production Quality in Manufacturing Companies in Malaysia
Authors: Sidin Julian Paul , Belkhamza Zakariya
Published: May 2015

The relationship between knowledge management practices and quality production has not received much attention. The objective of this paper is twofold. The first objective is to investigate this relationship in the Malaysian manufacturing and service firms. The second objective is to investigate the mediating role of these firms' innovation on this relationship. Six hypothesised relationships were tested using a sample of 201 manufacturing and service firms in Malaysia. The results show that the two dimensions of knowledge management have a significant positive effect on quality production. Furthermore the results showed that innovation does not mediate the relationship between knowledge management and quality production. The implications of the study as well as suggestions for future studies are also discussed.
Government SME Development Programs in Sri Lanka: A Review in the Lens of Transaction Cost Economics
Authors: Priyanath H.M.S. , Premaratne S.P.
Published: May 2015

The study reviews the government SME development programs of Sri Lanka in the lens of transaction cost economics in order to understand whether they facilitate the development of a favourable transaction environment for SMEs to govern their transaction cost in an economizing manner. Data were collected from the national development plan, strategic plans of the cabinet ministries, which are responsible for the development of SMEs and other publications related to the government national level SME development programs. The study mainly analyses the activities of each SME development program being currently implemented by the Sri Lankan government, employing qualitative content analysis to understand whether they facilitate to access information and to select appropriate governance mechanism. The study recognized that SME development programs of Sri Lanka do not positively contribute to develop a favourable transaction environment for SMEs. The government SME development programs do not facilitate SMEs to access sufficient and reliable information which lead to make more rational decision, to safeguard transactions from opportunism and to select suitable governance mechanism. SME development programs have neglected in supporting formal governance; instead, they encourage relational governance to some extent only for selected SMEs. As a result, there is a high possibility that SMEs in Sri Lanka have a greater transaction cost which averts the growth of SMEs. Therefore, SME development programs need to focus their attention to develop a favourable transaction environment for SMEs providing reliable information which facilitate to make more rational decisions avoiding opportunism on the one hand and to select better governance structure on the other in order to accelerate the growth of SMEs in Sri Lanka.Sabaragamuwa University Journal Vol.13(2) December 2014; 59-81
Overview of the perceived risk of transboundary pig diseases in South Africa
Authors: Mokoele Japhta M. , Janse van Rensburg Leana , Van Lochem Shanie , Bodenstein Heinz , Du Plessis Jacolette , Carrington Chris A.P. , Spencer B. Tom , Fasina Folorunso O.
Published: May 2015

Pig production is one of the most important animal agricultural activities in South Africa, and plays a definite role in providing food security for certain population groups in the country. As with all animal production systems, it is subject to the risk of outbreak of transboundary diseases. In the present overview, evaluations of the perceived risk of selected transboundary animal diseases of pigs, as collated from the willing participants from the provincial veterinary services of South Africa, are presented. A scenario tree revealed that infected but undetected pigs were the greatest perceived threat. The provincial veterinary services, according to participants in the study, face certain difficulties, including the reporting of disease and the flow of disease information amongst farmers. Perceived strengths in surveillance and disease monitoring include the swiftness of sample despatch to the national testing laboratory, as well as the ease of flow of information between the provincial and national agricultural authorities. The four factors were identified that were perceived to most influence animal health-service delivery: transport, access, livestock policy and resources. African swine fever was perceived to be the most important pig disease in South Africa. Because the decentralisation of veterinary services in South Africa was identified as a potential weakness, it is recommended that national and provincial veterinary services need to work together and interdependently to achieve centrally controlled surveillance systems. Regionally-coordinated surveillance activities for certain transboundary diseases were identified as needing priority for the southern African region. It is proposed that an emergency preparedness document be made available and regularly revised according to the potential risks identified on a continuous basis for South Africa.
Alteration in Activation Pattern of Neck Muscles in Patients with Chronic Neck Pain
Authors: Chahal Rajwant Kaur , Kumar Pravin
Published: May 2015

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate activation pattern of neck muscles in patients with chronic neck pain of nontraumatic origin during static tasks.

Materials and methods

Fifteen normal subjects were taken in group A and 15 patients with chronic neck pain of nontraumatic origin were taken in group B. Electromyography (EMG) activity was recorded from the sternocleidomastoid, anterior scalene, levator scapulae and upper trapezius muscles. Percentage maximum voluntary isometric contraction were calculated during static tasks, which included shoulder abduction to 90° and hold, shrug and hold, craniocervical flexion and hold.

Results

There was no significant (p > 0.05) difference found in activation pattern of neck muscles when we compared right and left sides within groups A and B. But when we compared between groups, group B showed a significant (p < 0.05) increased activation pattern in anterior scalene, sternocleidomastoid, upper trapezius compared to normal subject's neck muscles except levator scapulae which shows no significant difference between groups.

Conclusion

It is concluded from the study that, in patient of nontraumatic origin of chronic neck pain, all the patients showed a significant increased level of EMG activity in neck muscles during performance of static activities as compared to asymptomatic controls.

How to cite this article

Chahal RK, Kumar P. Alteration in Activation Pattern of Neck Muscles in Patients with Chronic Neck Pain. Int J Head Neck Surg 2015;6(1):1-7.
Sinonasal Verrucous Carcinoma
Authors: Qazi Sajad M , Iqbal Irfan , Mirza Aneesa , Ali Ihshan , Kumari Sheetal
Published: May 2015

Verrucous carcinoma is a low grade malignancy and is a variant of squamous cell carcinoma. It is a rare tumor of the sinonasal tract. The neoplasm occurs in older people usually in the seventh or eighth decade of life. Our cases were both of sinonasal origin and of younger age group.

How to cite this article

Qazi SM, Iqbal I, Mirza A, Ali I, Kumari S. Sinonasal Verrucous Carcinoma. Int J Head Neck Surg 2015;6(1):8-9.
Schwannoma of the Lower Lip Mucosa: An Unexpected Finding
Authors: Raikwar Kanchan Rajesh , Ghodke Monali H , Deshmukh Vikramsinh B , Garde Janardan B , Suryavanshi Rajendrakumar K
Published: May 2015

Of all the neurogenic tumors, about half are seen in the head and neck region. Schwannomas are benign tumors of nerve sheath schwann cells and are quite uncommon in the oral cavity, rarely occurring in the lip area. A MEDLINE search in the English literature from 1969 to 2013 revealed only 20 documented cases of schwannomas of the lip.

Although rare, schwannoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any nodule or mass in the oral mucosa. In the current study, authors report a case of an intraoral schwannoma situated in the lower lip. The diagnosis was established based on clinical and histopathological aspects, which was treated by complete surgical excision.

How to cite this article

Raikwar KR, Ghodke MH, Deshmukh VB, Garde JB, Suryavanshi RK. Schwannoma of the Lower Lip Mucosa: An Unexpected Finding. Int J Head Neck Surg 2015;6(1):35-37.
Can Whitening Strips interfere with the Bond Strength of Composite Resins?
Authors: Tonetto Mateus Rodrigues , de Jesus Tavarez Rudys Rodolfo , Firoozmand Leily Macedo , Bandeca Matheus Coelho , Bhandi Shilpa H , Bramante Fausto Silva , Reis Washington Luís Machado dos , Vieira Mercêdes Aroucha , Nunes Adriana Gomes , de Oliveira Roma Regina Vieira
Published: May 2015

Aim

The aim of this study was to investigate in vitro the bond strength of composite resins on enamel previously treated with whitening strips.

Materials and methods

A total of 48 bovine incisors were allocated to four experimental groups (n = 12 each): G1 (WSC)— treated with 9.5% hydrogen peroxide whitening strips (3D White Whitestrips® Advanced Vivid/CREST); G2 (WSO)—treated with 10% hydrogen peroxide whitening strips (3D WhiteTM/Oral B); G3 (WG)—treated with 7.5% hydrogen peroxide gel with fluorine, calcium and potassium nitrate (White Class®/FGM); and G4 (C)—control not subjected to bleaching treatment. The specimens were subjected to bleaching over 2 weeks following the manufacturers’ instructions. Following the elaboration of the composite resin test specimens, the samples were stored in artificial saliva and subsequently subjected to the microshear test using the universal testing machine (EMIC®). The bond strength values were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey's statistical test (5%).

Results

Significant differences were observed among the investigated groups (p < 0.05). The G3-WG exhibited greater values compared with the control group and the groups treated with strips, G1-WSC and G2-WSO. Analysis of the bond interface revealed that a large fraction of the failures occurred at the enamel-resin interface.

Conclusion

The bond strength decreased following 14 days of treatment with bleaching strips, whereas the whitening gel with 7.5% hydrogen peroxide, calcium and fluorine increased the bond strength.

How to cite this article

Firoozmand LM, dos Reis WLM, Vieira MA, Nunes AG, de Jesus Tavarez RR, Tonetto MR, Bramante FS, Bhandi SH, de Oliveira Roma RV, Bandeca MC. Can Whitening Strips interfere with the Bond Strength of Composite Resins? J Contemp Dent Pract 2015;16(4):259-263.
Salivary Flow Rates of Nigerian Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: A Case-control Study
Authors: Oyetola Elijah Olufemi , Owotade Foluso John , Agbelusi Gbemisola Adewumi , Fatusi Olawumi , Sanusi Abubakar , Adesina Olufunlola M
Published: May 2015

Aims and objectives

The study determined the relationship between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and changes in salivary flow and the complications of reduced salivary flow among African subjects with CKD compared with the controls.

Materials and methods

One hundred and eighty patients, 90 CKD and 90 controls were recruited, interviewed and examined. Stimulated and unstimulated saliva collection was done with standardized spitting method. Urinalysis and blood creatinine levels were determined and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of each patient was calculated from the blood creatinine using Cockcroft and Gault formula. Statistical analysis was done using STATA 11 software.

Results

The mean stimulated and unstimulated whole salivary flow rate among CKD subjects were 4.07 ± 1.91 and 2.34 ± 0.99 ml/5 min respectively and is significantly lower than that of the controls which were 8.05 ± 3.95 ml/5 min and 3.82 ± 2.27 ml/5 min for stimulated and unstimulated flow rates. Oral signs of reduced salivary flow were found in 80% of CKD patients. The commonest oral finding was taste abnormalities others are burning sensation, halitosis and difficulty in mastication.

Conclusion

Patients with CKD had reduced stimulated and unstimulated salivary flow rate. Reduced salivary flow was associated with oral lesions in majority (80%) of CKD patients, the commonest finding being taste abnormalities.

How to cite this article

Oyetola EO, Owotade FJ, Agbelusi GA, Fatusi O, Sanusi A, Adesina OM. Salivary Flow Rates of Nigerian Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: A Case-control Study. J Contemp Dent Pract 2015;16(4):264-269.
Effects of Diode Laser Debonding of Ceramic Brackets on Enamel Surface and Pulpal Temperature
Authors: Yassaei Soghra , Soleimanian Azadeh , Nik Zahra Ebrahimi
Published: May 2015

Aim

Debonding of ceramic brackets due to their high bond strength and low fracture toughness is one of the most challenging complications of orthodontic clinicians. Application of lasers might be effective in the debonding of ceramic brackets as they reduce bond strength of resins and, therefore, can eliminate the risk of enamel damage. However, the thermal effects of laser radiation on dental tissue can cause undesirable results. The aim of this study is to evaluate the enamel surface characteristics and pulpal temperature changes of teeth after debonding of ceramic brackets with or without laser light.

Materials and methods

Thirty polycrystalline brackets were bonded to 30 intact extracted premolars, and later debonded conventionally or through a diode laser (2.5 W, 980 nm). The laser was applied for 10 seconds with sweeping movement. After debonding, the adhesive remnant index (ARI), the lengths and frequency of enamel cracks were compared among the groups. The increase in intrapulpal temperature was also measured. The collected data were analyzed by Chi-squared test and paired t-test using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software.

Results

There was no case of enamel fracture in none of the groups. Laser debonding caused a significant decrease in the frequency and lengths of enamel cracks, compared to conventional debonding. In laser debonding group, the increase in intrapulpal temperature (1.46Â°C) was significantly below the benchmark of 5.5Â°C for all the specimens. No significant difference was observed in ARI scores among the groups.

Conclusion

Laser-assisted debonding of ceramic brackets could reduce the risk of enamel damage, without causing thermal damage to the pulp. However, some increases in the length and frequency of enamel cracks should be expected with all debonding methods.

How to cite this article

Yassaei S, Soleimanian A, Nik ZE. Effects of Diode Laser Debonding of Ceramic Brackets on Enamel Surface and Pulpal Temperature. J Contemp Dent Pract 2015;16(4):270-274.
Oral Health Knowledge and Attitude among Primary School Teachers of Madinah, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Ahmad Mohammad Sami
Published: May 2015

Background and objective

Effect of oral health knowledge and attitude has direct effect on school children so aim of this study is to know the oral health knowledge and attitude among primary school teachers.

Materials and methods

This was a cross-sectional questionnaire based survey done in 2014. Four males and three females schools were selected using a convenience sampling method. Among them, three were private and the rest was government schools. Approval was obtained from the selected schools. One hundred twenty self-administered questionnaires in Arabic language were distributed among the primary school teachers.

Results

Completed questionnaires were returned with a response rate of 95%. Among the teachers, 57% were males and rests were females. The mean age was 36.1 years (SD ± 6.9). Sixty-eight percent were between 31 and 40 years old and among them female showed high score for oral health knowledge (80%) p < 0.001 whereas male showed high score of attitude (82%) p < 0.05. Thirty-three percent had 5 and 10 years of teaching experience. Ninety-eight percent were graduate or above. Eighty-nine percent had used toothbrush. There was no significant relation between the teaching experience and the oral health knowledge (p = 0.14) but there was a significant relation between teaching experience and attitude (p = 0.001). In this sample, irrespective of their frequency of tooth brushing, a significant number had good knowledge (p < 0.001) and highly acceptable attitudes (p = 0.001) toward oral health.

Conclusion

Primary school teachers had acceptable knowledge and attitudes regarding their oral health. Further studies are needed to evaluate and compare their oral health status to their knowledge and attitudes and to determine whether they offer oral health education to the school children.

How to cite this article

Ahmad MS. Oral Health Knowledge and Attitude among Primary School Teachers of Madinah, Saudi Arabia. J Contemp Dent Pract 2015;16(4):275-279.
Nonsurgical Management of Phenytoin-induced Gingival Hyperplasia
Authors: AlJehani Yousef A
Published: May 2015

Introduction

The aim of this report is to present a severe case of phenytoin (PHT)-induced gingival hyperplasia in a Saudi patient.

Materials and methods

A 12-year-old male epileptic patient, undergoing PHT therapy, was diagnosed clinically with severe gingival hyperplasia. His treatment consisted meticulous oral care and weekly professional prophylaxis. The patient was advised oral folic acid supplementation (0.5 mg/day) and was also recommended 0.2% chlorhexidine gluconate mouthwash twice daily.

Results

There was significant reduction in the hyperplastic tissue within 4 weeks of treatment.

Conclusion

It is possible to treat PHT-induced gingival hyperplasia non-surgically with intensive dental care, correct oral hygiene and oral folic acid supplements.

How to cite this article

AlJehani YA. Nonsurgical Management of Phenytoin-induced Gingival Hyperplasia. J Contemp Dent Pract 2015;16(4):319-321.
NO2 seasonal evolution in the North Subtropical free troposphere
Authors: Gil-Ojeda M. , Navarro-Comas M. , Gómez-Martín L. , Adame J. A. , Saiz-Lopez A. , Cuevas C. A. , González Y. , Puentedura O. , Cuevas E. , Lamarque J.-F. , Kinninson D. , Tilmes S.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. Three years of Multi-Axis Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (MAXDOAS) measurements (2011–2013) have been used for estimating the NO2 mixing ratio along a horizontal line of sight from the high mountain Subtropical observatory of Izaña, at 2370 m a.s.l. (NDACC station, 28.3° N, 16.5° W). The method is based on horizontal path calculation from the O2–O2 collisional complex at the 477 nm absorption band which is measured simultaneously to the NO2, and is applicable under low aerosols loading conditions. The MAXDOAS technique, applied in horizontal mode in the free troposphere, minimizes the impact of the NO2 contamination resulting from the arrival of MBL airmasses from thermally forced upwelling breeze during central hours of the day. Comparisons with in-situ observations show that during most of measuring period the MAXDOAS is insensitive or very little sensitive to the upwelling breeze. Exceptions are found during pollution events under southern wind conditions. On these occasions, evidence of fast efficient and irreversible transport from the surface to the free troposphere is found. Background NO2 vmr, representative of the remote free troposphere, are in the range of 20–45 pptv. The observed seasonal evolution shows an annual wave where the peak is in phase with the solar radiation. Model simulations with the chemistry-climate CAM-Chem model are in good agreement with the NO2 measurements, and are used to further investigate the possible drivers of the NO2 seasonality observed at Izaña.
Decadal trends in global CO emissions as seen by MOPITT
Authors: Yin Y. , Chevallier F. , Ciais P. , Broquet G. , Fortems-Cheiney A. , Pison I. , Saunois M.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. Negative trends of carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations are observed in the recent decade by both surface measurements and satellite retrievals over many regions, but they are not well explained by current emission inventories. Here, we attribute the observed CO concentration decline with an atmospheric inversion that simultaneously optimizes the two main CO sources (surface emissions and atmospheric hydrocarbon oxidations) and the main CO sink (atmospheric hydroxyl radical OH oxidation) by assimilating observations of CO and other chemically related tracers. Satellite CO column retrievals from Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT), version 6, and surface in-situ measurements of methane and methyl-chloroform mole fractions are assimilated jointly for the period of 2002–2011. Compared to the prior simulation, the optimized CO concentrations show better agreement with independent surface in-situ measurements in terms of both distributions and trends. At the global scale, the atmospheric inversion primarily interprets the CO concentration decline as a decrease in the CO emissions, and finds noticeable trends neither in the chemical oxidation sources of CO, nor in the OH concentrations that regulate CO sinks. The latitudinal comparison of the model state with independent formaldehyde (CH2O) columns retrieved from the Ozone Measurement Instrument (OMI) confirms the absence of large-scale trends in the atmospheric source of CO. The global CO emission decreased by 17% during the decade, more than twice the negative trend estimated by emission inventories. The spatial distribution of the inferred decrease of CO emissions indicates contributions from both a decrease in fossil- and bio-fuel emissions over Europe, the USA and Asia, and from a decrease in biomass burning emissions in South America, Indonesia, Australia and Boreal regions. An emission decrease of 2% yr−1 is inferred in China, one of the main emitting regions, in contradiction with the bottom-up inventories that report an increase of 2% yr−1 during the study period. A large decrease in CO emission factors due to technology improvements would outweigh the increase of carbon fuel combustions and may explain the observed decrease. In Africa, instead of the negative trend (1% yr−1) reported by CO emission inventories mainly contributed by biomass burning, a positive trend (1.5% yr−1) is found by the atmospheric inversion, suggesting different trends between satellite-detected burned areas and CO emissions.
Long-term real-time measurements of aerosol particle composition in Beijing, China: seasonal variations, meteorological effects, and source analysis
Authors: Sun Y. L. , Wang Z. F. , Du W. , Zhang Q. , Wang Q. Q. , Fu P. Q. , Pan X. L. , Li J. , Jayne J. , Worsnop D. R.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. High concentrations of fine particles (PM2.5) are frequently observed during all seasons in Beijing, China, leading to severe air pollution and human health problems in this megacity. In this study, we conducted real-time measurements of non-refractory submicron aerosol (NR-PM1) species (sulfate, nitrate, ammonium, chloride, and organics) in Beijing using an Aerodyne Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor for 1 year, from July 2011 to June 2012. This is the first long-term, highly time-resolved (~ 15 min) measurement of fine particle composition in China. The seasonal average (± 1σ) mass concentration of NR-PM1 ranged from 52 (± 49) μg m−3 in the spring season to 62 (± 49) μg m−3 in the summer season, with organics being the major fraction (40–51%), followed by nitrate (17–25%) and sulfate (12–17%). Organics and chloride showed pronounced seasonal variations, with much higher concentrations in winter than in the other seasons, due to enhanced coal combustion emissions. Although the seasonal variations of secondary inorganic aerosol (SIA = sulfate + nitrate + ammonium) concentrations were not significant, higher contributions of SIA were observed in summer (57–61%) than in winter (43–46%), indicating that secondary aerosol production is a more important process than primary emissions in summer. Organics presented pronounced diurnal cycles that were similar among all seasons, whereas the diurnal variations of nitrate were mainly due to the competition between photochemical production and gas–particle partitioning. Our data also indicate that high concentrations of NR-PM1 (> 60 μg m−3) are usually associated with high ambient relative humidity (RH) (> 50%) and that severe particulate pollution is characterized by different aerosol composition in different seasons. All NR-PM1 species showed evident concentration gradients as a function of wind direction, generally with higher values associated with wind from the south, southeast or east. This was consistent with their higher potential as source areas, as determined by potential source contribution function analysis. A common high potential source area, located to the southwest of Beijing along the Taihang Mountains, was observed during all seasons except winter, when smaller source areas were found. These results demonstrate a high potential impact of regional transport from surrounding regions on the formation of severe haze pollution in Beijing.
Probing ice-nucleation processes on the molecular level using second harmonic generation spectroscopy
Authors: Abdelmonem A. , Lützenkirchen J. , Leisner T.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. We present and characterize a novel setup to apply Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) spectroscopy in total internal reflection geometry (TIR) to heterogeneous freezing research. It allows to monitor the evolution of water structuring at solid surfaces at low temperatures prior to heterogeneous ice nucleation. Apart from the possibility of investigating temperature dependence, a major novelty in our setup is the ability of measuring sheet-like samples in TIR geometry in a direct way. As a main experimental result, we find that our method can discriminate between good and poor ice nucleating surfaces. While at the sapphire basal plane, which is known to be a poor ice nucleator, no structural rearrangement of the water molecules is found prior to freezing, the basal plane surface of mica, an analogue to ice active mineral dust surfaces, exhibits a strong change in the nonlinear optical properties at temperatures well above the freezing transition. This is interpreted as a pre-activation, i.e. an increase in the local ordering of the interfacial water which is expected to facilitate the crystallization of ice at the surface. The results are in line with recent predictions by Molecular Dynamics simulations on a similar system.
Distribution of black carbon in ponderosa pine forest floor and soils following the High Park wildfire
Authors: Boot C. M. , Haddix M. , Paustian K. , Cotrufo M. F.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. Biomass burning produces black carbon (BC), effectively transferring a fraction of the biomass C from an actively cycling pool to a passive C pool, which may be stored in the soil. Yet the timescales and mechanisms for incorporation of BC into the soil profile are not well understood. The High Park fire (HPF), which occurred in northwestern Colorado in the summer of 2012, provided an opportunity to study the effects of both fire severity and geomorphology on properties of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and BC in the Cache La Poudre River drainage. We sampled montane ponderosa pine forest floor (litter plus O-horizon) and soils at 0–5 and 5–15 cm depth 4 months post-fire in order to examine the effects of slope and burn severity on %C, C stocks, %N and BC. We used the benzene polycarboxylic acid (BPCA) method for quantifying BC. With regard to slope, we found that steeper slopes had higher C : N than shallow slopes but that there was no difference in BPCA-C content or stocks. BC content was greatest in the forest floor at burned sites (19 g BPCA-C kg−1 C), while BC stocks were greatest in the 5–15 cm subsurface soils (23 g BPCA-C m−2). At the time of sampling, unburned and burned soils had equivalent BC content, indicating none of the BC deposited on the land surface post-fire had been incorporated into either the 0–5 or 5–15 cm soil layers. The ratio of B6CA : total BPCAs, an index of the degree of aromatic C condensation, suggested that BC in the 5–15 cm soil layer may have been formed at higher temperatures or experienced selective degradation relative to the forest floor and 0–5 cm soils. Total BC soil stocks were relatively low compared to other fire-prone grassland and boreal forest systems, indicating most of the BC produced in this system is likely lost, either through erosion events, degradation or translocation to deeper soils. Future work examining mechanisms for BC losses from forest soils will be required for understanding the role BC plays in the global carbon cycle.
Iron encrustations on filamentous algae colonized by Gallionella-related bacteria in a metal-polluted freshwater stream
Authors: Mori J. F. , Neu T. R. , Lu S. , Händel M. , Totsche K. U. , Küsel K.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. Filamentous macroscopic algae were observed in slightly acidic to circumneutral (pH 5.9~6.5) metal-rich stream water that leaked out in a former uranium-mining district (Ronneburg, Germany). These algae differ in color and morphology and were encrusted with Fe-deposits. To elucidate the potential interaction with Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria (FeOB), we collected algal samples at three time points during summer 2013 and studied the algae-bacteria-mineral compositions via confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), scanning electronic microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectra, and a 16S and 18S rRNA gene based bacterial and algae community analysis. Surprisingly, sequencing analysis of 18S rRNA gene regions of green and brown algae revealed high homologies with the yellow-green freshwater algae Tribonema (99.9~100%). CLSM imaging indicates a loss of active chloroplasts in the algae cells, which may be responsible for the change in color in Tribonema. Fe(III)-precipitates on algal cells identified as ferrihydrite and schwertmannite were associated with microbes and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS)-like glycoconjugates. While the green algae were fully encrusted with Fe-precipitates, the brown algae often exhibited discontinuous series of precipitates. This pattern was likely due to the intercalary growth of algal filaments which allowed them to avoid fatal encrustation. 16S rRNA gene targeted studies based on DNA and RNA revealed that Gallionella-related FeOB dominated the bacterial RNA and DNA communities (70–97 and 63–96%, respectively) suggesting their contribution to Fe(II) oxidation. Quantitative PCR revealed higher Gallionella-related 16S rRNA gene copy numbers on the surface of green algae compared to the brown algae. The latter harbored a higher microbial diversity, including some putative predators of algae. Lower photosynthetic activities of the brown algae lead to reduced EPS production which may have enabled predator colonization. The differences observed between green and brown algae suggest that metal-tolerant Tribonema sp. provide suitable microenvironments for microaerophilic Fe-oxidizing bacteria. However, high levels of iron orchres can be fatal to the alga.
Wind-driven interannual variability of sea ice algal production over the western Arctic Chukchi Borderland
Authors: Watanabe E. , Onodera J. , Harada N. , Aita M. N. , Ishida A. , Kishi M. J.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. Seasonal and interannual variability in sinking flux of biogenic particles was reported by the multi-year bottom-tethered sediment trap measurements in the Northwind Abyssal Plain (Station NAP: 75° N, 162° W, 1975 m water depth) of the western Arctic Chukchi Borderland. Whereas the trapped particle flux had an obvious peak with the dominance of sea ice-related diatom valve in August 2011, the observed particle flux was considerably suppressed throughout the summer season in 2012. In the present study, response of ice algal production and biomass to wind-driven changes in physical environments was addressed using a pan-Arctic sea ice–ocean modeling approach. Sea ice ecosystem with ice algae was newly incorporated into the lower-trophic marine ecosystem model, which was previously coupled with a high-resolution (i.e., horizontal grid size of 5 km) ocean general circulation model. Seasonal experiments covering two year-long mooring periods indicated that primary productivity of ice algae around the Chukchi Borderland depended on basin-scale wind pattern through various processes. Easterly wind in the southern part of distinct Beaufort High supplied high abundance of nutrient for euphotic zones of the NAP region via both surface Ekman transport of Chukchi shelf water and vertical turbulent mixing with underlying nutricline water as in 2011. In contrast, northwesterly wind flowing in the northern part of extended Siberian High transported oligotrophic water within the Beaufort Gyre circulation toward the NAP region as in 2012. The modeled ice algal biomass during the summer season certainly reflected the differences in nutrient distribution. The sinking flux of Particulate Organic Nitrogen (PON) was comparable with the time series obtained from the sediment trap data in summer 2011. On the other hand, lateral advection of shelf-origin ice algal patch during a great cyclone event might have caused a model bias on the PON flux in 2012. The extension of year-long measurements is expected to help the illustration of more general features on the Arctic marine biological pump.
Human land uses enhance sediment denitrification and N2O production in Yangtze lakes primarily by influencing lake water quality
Authors: Liu W. , Yao L. , Wang Z. , Xiong Z. , Liu G.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. Sediment denitrification in lakes alleviates the effects of eutrophication through removal of nitrogen to the atmosphere as N2O and N2. However, N2O contributes notably to the greenhouse effect and global warming. Human lands uses (e.g., agricultural and urban areas) strongly affect lake water quality and sediment characteristics, which, in turn, may regulate lake sediment denitrification and N2O production. In this study, we investigated sediment denitrification and N2O production and their relationships to within-lake variables and watershed land uses in 20 lakes from the Yangtze River basin in China. The results indicated that both lake water quality and sediment characteristics were significantly influenced by watershed land uses. Increased background denitrification rate would result in increased N2O production rate. Background denitrification and N2O production rates were positively related to water nitrogen concentrations but were not significantly correlated with sediment characteristics and plant community structure. A significant positive relationship was observed between background denitrification rate and percentage of human-dominated land uses (HDL) in watersheds. Structural equation modelling revealed that the indirect effects of HDL on sediment denitrification and N2O production in Yangtze lakes were mediated primarily through lake water quality. Our findings also suggest that although sediments in Yangtze lakes can remove large quantities of nitrogen through denitrification, they may also be an important source of N2O, especially in lakes with high nitrogen content.
Site-specific to local-scale shallow landslides triggering zones assessment using TRIGRS
Authors: Bordoni M. , Meisina C. , Valentino R. , Bittelli M. , Chersich S.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. Rainfall-induced shallow landslides are common phenomena in many parts of the world, affecting cultivation and infrastructure and sometimes causing human losses. Assessing the triggering zones of shallow landslides is fundamental for land planning at different scales. This work defines a reliable methodology to extend a slope stability analysis from the site-specific to local scale by using a well-established physically based model (TRIGRS-unsaturated). The model is initially applied to a sample slope and then to the surrounding 13.4 km2 area in Oltrepò Pavese (northern Italy). To obtain more reliable input data for the model, long-term hydro-meteorological monitoring has been carried out at the sample slope, which has been assumed to be representative of the study area. Field measurements identified the triggering mechanism of shallow failures and were used to verify the reliability of the model to obtain pore water pressure trends consistent with those measured during the monitoring activity. In this way, more reliable trends have been modelled for past landslide events, such as the April 2009 event that was assumed as a benchmark. The assessment of shallow landslide triggering zones obtained using TRIGRS-unsaturated for the benchmark event appears good for both the monitored slope and the whole study area, with better results when a pedological instead of geological zoning is considered at the regional scale. The sensitivity analyses of the influence of the soil input data show that the mean values of the soil properties give the best results in terms of the ratio between the true positive and false positive rates. The scheme followed in this work allows us to obtain better results in the assessment of shallow landslide triggering areas in terms of the reduction in the overestimation of unstable zones with respect to other distributed models applied in the past.
Review: Vital Relations: Modernity and the Persistent Life of Kinship
Authors: Golomski Casey
Published: May 2015

None
Frail, Independent, involved? Care and the Category of the Elderly in Japan
Authors: Kavedzija Iza
Published: May 2015

This article examines how the category of the elderly in Japan is constructed through diverse forms of care, understood as moral practices intrinsic to peoples’ senses of self. It offers an analysis of a range of informal as well as institutional configurations of care in the Japanese urban context, highlighting the complexity as well as the overlapping nature of these diverse arrangements. It also explores ethnographically how older people experience these arrangements as they move through different sites of care, and how they negotiate the conflicting demands on their sense of self.  The various types of care at work in these settings all contribute to different understandings of older persons, and different constructions of the category of the elderly: as clients; as visitors or guests; as fragile ‘struggling persons’; as ‘grannies’ in familial relations; as (caring) neighbours. More than a handful of labels, these variable configurations of personal identity affect care practices and social relationships in direct and tangible ways.
Back in the Saddle Again: Ethics, Visibility, and Aging on Screen
Authors: Vitols Maruta Z. , Lynch Caitrin
Published: May 2015

This paper engages with filmic portrayals of older adults in the U.S. in order to ask questions about the impacts of mass media on reproducing, critiquing, or interrogating mainstream values and assumptions about aging. The study considers the recent Hollywood works The Expendables (2010) and R.E.D. (2010), as well as the independent documentary Young@Heart (2007). We forefront questions of visibility, invisibility, and recognition both in terms of what experiences and realities are rendered visible or invisible by mass media, but also in terms of the subjective experiences of many older adults in the United States.
Review: The Upside of Aging: How Long Life is Changing the World of Health, Work, Innovation, Policy and Purpose
Authors: Grendell Ruth
Published: May 2015

The Upside of Aging: How Long Life is Changing the World of Health, Work, Innovation, Policy and Purpose (2014). Paul H. Irving (Editor) with project editor Rita Beamish. John Wiley & Sons Inc., Publishers, Hoboken, New Jersey. ISBN 978-118-69203-5 (Hard Cover); 978-1-118-69190-8 (ePDF); 978-1-118-69191-5 (Mobi).   Price: $39.95 USA/$47.95 CAN.
Sundays at the Priory
Authors: McCormack Kathleen
Published: May 2015

The guests whom George Eliot and George Henry Lewes entertained at their Sunday salons generally included a number of Europeans, as well as an occasional American, during a period when fruitful cross-cultural exchanges coexisted with international tensions that would eventually culminate in the Great War. Although visitors from Russia appeared only sporadically at the Priory, one of the most regular, Olga Novikoff, held and advanced opinions that seldom coincided either with those of her hosts or of the other guests and clashed most seriously with those of Robert Lytton, a particular friend of Lewes's, though only a rare attendee at the Sundays. At the same time, no evidence exists that political differences disturbed the atmosphere at the Priory, even though Novikoff's later letters to the Times revealed that Eliot's highly positive representations of Jewish characters in Daniel Deronda could not have constituted a stronger opposition with the open anti-Semitism of her guest. Meanwhile, Lewes's response to Lytton's position in India in 1876 reveal an attempt to influence international relations extremely rare, if not unique, in the activities of the Priory host.
Community and Constraint:
Authors: Tafolla Vincent M.
Published: May 2015

Most Plato scholarship characterizes Socrates's dialectic as cooperative, reciprocal, and open ended. This orthodoxy echoes Socrates's characterizations of it, but the dialectic's dramatizations rarely confirm it. Commentators recognizing this seek to protect the dialectic's image by maligning Socrates's interlocutors. Francisco Gonzalez's description of the Protagoras's “central crisis” exemplifies this approach. When a dispute over how to conduct the discussion threatens its dissolution, Gonzalez blames Protagoras, claiming that relativism forecloses conversation and community. I argue that Gonzalez elides alternative forms of community supported by other discursive practices and that Socrates's refusal to answer legitimate concerns about his methodological demands turns the dialectic into the “external, nondialogical, absolute standard” Gonzalez says it lacks.
Social Cognitive Predictors of Breakfast Consumption in Primary School’s Male Students
Authors: Mirzaei Amin , Ghofranipour Fazlollah , Ghazanfari Zeinab
Published: May 2015

PURPOSE: This study aimed to test the usefulness of social cognitive theory (SCT) in explaining breakfast consumption in a sample of primary male students.

METHODS: Participants in this cross-sectional study were 358 male students (3rd, 4th and 5th grades) from eight public primary schools of Ilam city. Data were collected by a self-administered questionnaire based on components of SCT. Bivariate correlations and multiple logistic regression analysis using an Enter method were used to identify social cognitive correlates and determinants of breakfast consumption.

RESULTS: A total of 358 participants ranging in age from 8-12 years (M = 10.06) were studied. The result of the study showed that the SCT significantly predicted breakfast consumption. SCT variables explained 41.4% of the variance in breakfast consumption behaviors, though, self-regulation was found to be the strongest predictor of breakfast consumption behaviors. There was the strongest correlation between behaviors and self-regulation, (r=0.561; P <0.001).

CONCLUSION: The findings support the usefulness of SCT in explaining breakfast consumption behaviors. These results suggest an essential role for self-regulation, self-efficacy and social support in the breakfast consumption behaviors of primary male students.
Application of the Activity-Based Costing Method for Unit-Cost Calculation in a Hospital
Authors: Javid Mahdi , Hadian Mohammad , Ghaderi Hossein , Ghaffari Shahram , Salehi Masoud
Published: May 2015

BACKGROUND: Choosing an appropriate accounting system for hospital has always been a challenge for hospital managers. Traditional cost system (TCS) causes cost distortions in hospital. Activity-based costing (ABC) method is a new and more effective cost system.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare ABC with TCS method in calculating the unit cost of medical services and to assess its applicability in Kashani Hospital, Shahrekord City, Iran.‎

METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed on accounting data of Kashani Hospital in 2013. Data on accounting reports of 2012 and other relevant sources at the end of 2012 were included. To apply ABC method, the hospital was divided into several cost centers and five cost categories were defined: wage, equipment, space, material, and overhead costs. Then activity centers were defined. ABC method was performed into two phases. First, the total costs of cost centers were assigned to activities by using related cost factors. Then the costs of activities were divided to cost objects by using cost drivers. After determining the cost of objects, the cost price of medical services was calculated and compared with those obtained from TCS.‎

RESULTS: The Kashani Hospital had 81 physicians, 306 nurses, and 328 beds with the mean occupancy rate of 67.4% during 2012. Unit cost of medical services, cost price of occupancy bed per day, and cost per outpatient service were calculated. The total unit costs by ABC and TCS were respectively 187.95 and 137.70 USD, showing 50.34 USD more unit cost by ABC method. ABC method represented more accurate information on the MAJOR COST COMPONENTS.

CONCLUSION: By utilizing ABC, hospital managers have a valuable accounting system that provides a true insight into the organizational costs of their department.
Contraception Use among Iranian Women With HIV: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Saeieh Sara E. , Nasrabadi Alireza N. , Ebadi Abbas , Moghadam Zahra B. , Mohraz Minoo , Jozani Zahra B. , Rezaei Elham
Published: May 2015

BACKGROUND: The application of family planning methods to people with HIV not only prevents unwanted pregnancy, but also leads to a reduction in the possibility of transmission of the virus from the patient to the sexual partner and the fetus. In order to prevent the spread of HIV and enhance reproductive rights, it is necessary to inform women with HIV of the contraception methods.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore experiences of HIV positive women about contraception use.

Method: This qualitative study was conducted on 18 women with HIV who were at reproductive age and had referred the Center for clients with Risky Behavior in Imam Khomeini Hospital. Data were analyzed using the conventional content analysis method in MAXQDA 10.

RESULTS: The following two themes were derived from descriptions of the use of contraception methods by women with HIV: 1) Contraception is the forgotten component of reproductive health services; 2) inconsistent condom use. Each theme also contained three sub-themes.

CONCLUSION: Results of investigations showed that Risky Behavior consultation Centers mostly stress the use of condom for husband/sexual partners without HIV. In addition, since health care practitioners play an important role in provision of reproductive health services, their lack of knowledge and cooperation considerably contribute to the spread of the disease and violation of patient rights.