bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ultrasound‐assisted, hybrid ionic liquid, dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction for the determination of insecticides in fruit juices based on partition coefficients
Authors: Zeng Haozhe , Yang Xiaoling , Yang Miyi , Wu Xiaoling , Zhou Wenfeng , Zhang Sanbing , Lu Runhua , Li Jing , Gao Haixiang
Published: July 2017

An ultrasound‐assisted, hybrid ionic liquid, dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction method coupled to high‐performance liquid chromatography with a variable‐wavelength detector was developed to detect ten insecticides, including diflubenzuron, triflumuron, hexaflumuron, flufenoxuron, lufenuron, diafenthiuron, transfluthrin, fenpropathrin, γ‐cyhalothrin and deltamethrin, in fruit juices. In this method, an appropriate extraction solvent was chosen based on the partition coefficient of the target compounds. A mixture of 1‐octyl‐2,3‐dimethylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide and 1‐hexyl‐3‐methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide was used as the extractant. The extraction efficiency was screened using Plackett–Burman design and optimized using central composite design. Under the optimal conditions, good linearity was obtained for all the analytes in the pure water model and the fruit juice samples. In pure water, the recoveries of the ten insecticides ranged from 85.7 to 108.9%, with relative standard deviations for one day ranging from 1.24 to 2.64%. The limits of detection were in the range of 0.19–0.69 μg/L, and the enrichment factors were in the range of 123–160. The logarithm of the n‐octanol/water partition coefficient in this experiment is a useful reference to select a suitable extraction solvent, and the proposed technique was applied for the analysis of ten insecticides in fruit juice with satisfactory results.
Formation of Single Gyroid Nanostructure by Order–Order Phase Transition Path in ABC Triblock Terpolymers
Authors: Sun Tongjie , Tang Ping , Qiu Feng , Yang Yuliang , Shi An‐Chang
Published: July 2017

The kinetics for the formation of the single gyroid (SG) nanostructure in ABC triblock terpolymers is investigated using the self‐consistent field theory combined with the string method. Both simple phases (lamellae, cylinders, and spheres) and networked double diamonds (DD) can transform into SG through order–order phase transition (OOT). In particular, a packing frustration‐induced variation in the epitaxial relationship between DD and SG is demonstrated. By regulating the block interaction, an expected epitaxial phase transition between these two networks without any rotation of the crystallographic directions can be achieved. Interestingly, the hexagonally perforated lamellae (HPL) are encountered in all identified transition pathways to SG. Nucleation kinetics investigation shows that the HPL tends to nucleate from SG easily, which confirms the kinetic origins of the instability of SG in experiments. Therefore, several strategies of preventing the SG being bypassed, such as controlling annealing time and rates during the morphology evolution, are proposed to promote the stabilizing of the SG in kinetic pathways. The findings reported here provide a novel route for fabrication of SG structured materials by manipulating both the epitaxial relationship and the nucleation kinetics in OOT pathways.
A generic multimodule phantom for testing geometry of a linac c‐arm as a part of quality control in radiotherapy
Authors: Tabor Zbisław , Kabat Damian , Tulik Monika , Kycia Radosław , Latała Zbigniew
Published: July 2017

Purpose

To develop an assumption‐free methodology for testing geometry of linacs.

Methods

The problem of projecting a fiducial positioned in a predefined point in a 3D space and attached rigidly to a treatment table of a radiotherapeutic device onto an imaging plane with unknown characteristics from a source with unknown coordinates is formulated. The problem of determining these unknowns is formulated as an optimization problem. The problem of determining the gantry/the collimator rotation axis and angle from projection of additional fiducials is also formulated and solved. Analytical methodology is developed for determining isocenter position and an error of estimating isocenter position. The developed methodology is tested in simulations.

Results

Very good agreement between preset and calculated values of quantities of interest was found in the simulations. In all cases, the proposed schemes enabled determination of the geometric characteristics of a radiotherapeutic device with accuracy better than one hundredth of a millimeter and one hundredth of a degree.

Conclusions

A concept of a multimodule multifiducial phantom has been introduced. Analytical framework has been developed to extract geometric characteristics of radiotherapy devices from projection images of a phantom. The phantom design and the methodology developed have been tested in simulations.
Developing a practical suicide risk prediction model for targeting high‐risk patients in the Veterans health Administration
Authors: Kessler Ronald C. , Hwang Irving , Hoffmire Claire A. , McCarthy John F. , Petukhova Maria V. , Rosellini Anthony J. , Sampson Nancy A. , Schneider Alexandra L. , Bradley Paul A. , Katz Ira R. , Thompson Caitlin , Bossarte Robert M.
Published: July 2017

Objectives

The US Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has begun using predictive modeling to identify Veterans at high suicide risk to target care. Initial analyses are reported here.

Methods

A penalized logistic regression model was compared with an earlier proof‐of‐concept logistic model. Exploratory analyses then considered commonly‐used machine learning algorithms. Analyses were based on electronic medical records for all 6,360 individuals classified in the National Death Index as having died by suicide in fiscal years 2009–2011 who used VHA services the year of their death or prior year and a 1% probability sample of time‐matched VHA service users alive at the index date (n = 2,112,008).

Results

A penalized logistic model with 61 predictors had sensitivity comparable to the proof‐of‐concept model (which had 381 predictors) at target thresholds. The machine learning algorithms had relatively similar sensitivities, the highest being for Bayesian additive regression trees, with 10.7% of suicides occurred among the 1.0% of Veterans with highest predicted risk and 28.1% among the 5.0% of with highest predicted risk.

Conclusions

Based on these results, VHA is using penalized logistic regression in initial intervention implementation. The paper concludes with a discussion of other practical issues that might be explored to increase model performance.
Approaching ultimate intrinsic signal‐to‐noise ratio with loop and dipole antennas
Authors: Lattanzi Riccardo , Wiggins Graham C. , Zhang Bei , Duan Qi , Brown Ryan , Sodickson Daniel K.
Published: July 2017

Purpose

Previous work with body‐size objects suggested that loops are optimal MR detectors at low fields, whereas electric dipoles are required to maximize signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) at ultrahigh fields ( ≥ 7 T). Here we investigated how many loops and/or dipoles are needed to approach the ultimate intrinsic SNR (UISNR) at various field strengths.

Methods

We calculated the UISNR inside dielectric cylinders mimicking different anatomical regions. We assessed the performance of various arrays with respect to the UISNR. We validated our results by comparing simulated and experimental coil performance maps.

Results

Arrays with an increasing number of loops can rapidly approach the UISNR at fields up to 3 T, but are suboptimal at ultrahigh fields for body‐size objects. The opposite is true for dipole arrays. At 7 T and above, 16 dipoles provide considerably larger central SNR than any possible loop array, and minimal g factor penalty for parallel imaging.

Conclusions

Electric dipoles can be advantageous at ultrahigh fields because they can produce both curl‐free and divergence‐free currents, whereas loops are limited to divergence‐free contributions only. Combining loops and dipoles may be optimal for body imaging at 3 T, whereas arrays of loops or dipoles alone may perform better at lower or higher field strengths, respectively. Magn Reson Med 79:1789–1803, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Der Startschuss für Ihre Karriere
Authors: Pereira Jae Angela
Published: July 2017

Die Jobbörse der GDCh am 12. September in Berlin bringt Wissenschaft und Karriere zusammen.
Chemiewirtschaft: mit Partnering gewinnen
Authors: Eckensberger David
Published: July 2017

Innovationen voranzubringen, ist ein zentrales Anliegen jeder Wirtschaftsförderung. Wie sich dabei vorgehen lässt, zeigt ein Beispiel aus Hessen: die Unterstützung des 1st European Chemistry Partnering.
Luftqualität und Klima – Herausforderungen für die Chemie
Authors: Wiesen Peter , Zellner Reinhard
Published: July 2017

Bereits vor etwa zweieinhalb Jahrzehnten entschied sich die GDCh, zusammen mit Dechema und DBG einen gemeinsamen Arbeitsausschuss „Atmosphärenchemie“ zu gründen. Dieser sollte damals dazu beitragen, die Diskussion um FCKW und die Ursachen des Ozonlochs erheblich zu versachlichen. Heute heißt der Arbeitsausschuss „Chemie, Luftqualität und Klima (CLK)“. Mit der Gründung von Process‐Net ist die Mitträgerschaft der Dechema an diese übergegangen; seit neuestem ist auch der VDI beteiligt. Mit der Namensänderung ist auch eine Schärfung des thematischen Fokus entsprechend der wissenschaftlichen und gesellschaftlichen Bedeutung von Luftqualität und Klima vorgenommen worden.
Motivationsfaktor Chemie – die interaktive Grundvorlesung
Authors: Ehli Christian
Published: July 2017

Der gute Vorsatz bei Studierenden lautet: von Anfang an regelmäßig bei einer Vorlesung mitlernen. Letztendlich beginnen die meisten doch erst kurz vor der Klausur. Stress und schlaflose Nächte sind programmiert. Wie können Dozenten hier Abhilfe schaffen?
Vorstandssitzung
Authors: Koch Wolfram
Published: July 2017

Die erste Sitzung des Vorstands der Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker in diesem Jahr fand am 13. März in Marburg im Vorfeld der Chemiedozententagung statt.
Besser düngen
Authors: Groß Michael
Published: July 2017

Der übermäßige Einsatz von Düngern verursacht Umweltprobleme. Kontrolle der Stoffströme und neue Dünger sollen dagegen helfen.
Im Osten viel Neues
Authors: Hey‐Hawkins Evamarie
Published: July 2017

Im Jahr 1867 gründete sich die Deutsche Chemische Gesellschaft, die ältere der beiden Vorgängerorganisationen der GDCh. Die Spaltung Deutschlands nach dem Krieg spiegelte sich auch in zwei deutschen Chemie‐Gesellschaften: neben der GDCh die Chemische Gesellschaft der DDR. Wo steht die Chemie 27 Jahre nach der Vereinigung?
Improved dielectric breakdown strength of Dy doped (Ba0.97Ca0.03)(Ti0.98Mg0.02)O3 ceramics with nanosized grains
Authors: Yang Zhichao , Gu Yan , Zhang Faqiang , Liu Zhifu , Li Yongxiang
Published: July 2017

The (Ba0.97−xCa0.03Dyx)(Ti0.98Mg0.02)O3 (BCTDM‐nano) (x = 0, 0.005, 0.01, 0.02, 0.03) ceramics with nanosized grains were synthesized through a solid‐state reaction method. The influence of Dy3+ substitution on the lattice and electrical properties were investigated. The X‐ray diffraction and Raman scattering analyses demonstrate that the Dy3+ ions could modulate the doping position of Ca2+ and Mg2+ and affect the tetragonality and defects in BaTiO3 matrix. The maximum dielectric constant was increased up to 2500 for the sample with x = 0.01. A high dielectric breakdown strength of 239 kV cm−1 was obtained at x = 0.01. The high grain boundary resistance resulted from a charge compensation by Dy doping benefits the improved dielectric breakdown strength.
Methods for designing all‐dielectric frequency selective surface via dielectric materials
Authors: Li Liyang , Wang Jun , Wang Jiafu , Ma Hua , Yan Mingbao , Feng Mingde , Du Hongliang , Zhang Jieqiu , Qu Shaobo
Published: July 2017

In this paper, we propose methods for designing all‐dielectric frequency selective surface (FSS) by using microwave dielectric materials. Dielectric materials with relative permittivity of 3.75–960 are employed for designs. The design methods work efficient in framework of dielectric resonator theory. By adjusting the permittivity and thickness of the dielectric materials, band‐stop response can be designed at frequencies from 3 to 80 GHz. To design FSSs using different dielectric materials, there clearly shows a rule to keep the x‐o‐y cross sectional size of the unit cell still, simultaneously to keep the magnetic and electric resonant modes stable inside the dielectrics. The variation relationship of the fractional bandwidth with the ratio of the wavelength and the periodic size is concluded. The rule is workable for dielectric materials with the most relative permittivities. This paper provides significant methods of using nearly all possible dielectric materials to design all‐dielectric FSS with a quite simple structure in the desired frequencies.
Evaluating extrinsic origin of frequency dispersion of measured capacitance in high‐k mixed stacks
Authors: Stojanovska‐Georgievska Lihnida
Published: July 2017

As an inherent phenomenon of high‐k dielectrics frequency dispersion FD of electrical characteristics if often observed. The assessment of FD, despite as intrinsic property of the dielectric constant, should take into account the effects from extrinsic origin, such as the effects of the interfacial layer and series resistance. In this paper, FD of the measured capacitance and conductance of MOS capacitors containing high‐k Ta2O5‐HfO2 mixed stacks was analyzed in terms of major extrinsic causes. There are several methods for correction for the effect of series resistance and interface states. Our assessment of FD was done based on the four‐element circuit model, performing corrections for both extrinsic effects. The values for DIT of the order of 1012 eV−1 cm−2 were extracted using both standard conductance method and high‐low capacitance method, which were than compared. A model was finally summarized into analytical expression for C‐f, enabling determination of basic parameters of tested structures.
Little Fish in a Big Pond: Legitimacy Transfer, Authenticity, and Factors of Peripheral Firm Entry and Growth in the Market Center
Authors: Verhaal J. Cameron , Hoskins Jake D. , Lundmark Leif W.
Published: July 2017

Research summary: How do peripheral firms compete and secure future growth? Building on literature in strategy and organizational theory, we test a model of peripheral entry and growth in the mainstream market segment. Using data from 289 craft breweries over 11 years, we find evidence that niche producers are increasingly entering the mainstream market and competing with market‐center firms. We identify two mechanisms contributing to these actions: legitimacy transfer and cognitive claims of authenticity. As hypothesized, imitation of niche products by macro breweries facilitates craft beer entry into mainstream markets. Moreover, two authenticity‐based identity codes are found to reliably influence craft brewery growth: a local identity (i.e., operating in one's local market) and a product proliferator identity (i.e., offering a more diverse set of products).

Managerial summary: How can small niche firms compete with larger, more established organizations? By examining the rapidly expanding craft beer industry, this study explores how craft breweries are able to both enter the market space of these larger competitors and secure sustained patterns of growth. Specifically, we highlight two factors influencing the success of craft breweries. First, as major beer producers mimic niche products (i.e., faux craft beer), smaller niche firms are allowed to enter the market by exposing the typical consumer to the tastes of craft beer. Second, craft breweries enjoy increased success if they (a) emphasize the local elements of their company, and/or (b) offer a larger number of products. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Brückenmodernisierung in Deutschland
Authors: Marzahn Gero , Gunreben Yvonne‐Christine
Published: July 2017

In der Baulast des Bundes befinden sich derzeit etwa 39440 Brückenbauwerke bzw., wenn Brücken in mehrere Teilbauwerke untergliedert werden, 51360 Brücken‐Teilbauwerke. Viele dieser Bauwerke leisten oft ein Mehrfaches dessen, was bei Planung und Bau seinerzeit vorstellbar war. Sie müssen daher nicht nur substanziell erhalten, sondern für das zukünftige Verkehrsaufkommen ertüchtigt werden.

Aufgrund der großen Anzahl der betroffenen Bauwerke hat das damalige Bundesministerium für Verkehr, Bau und Stadtentwicklung bereits im Jahr 2013 gemeinsam mit der Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen und den Straßenbauverwaltungen der Länder die „Strategie zur Ertüchtigung der Straßenbrücken im Bestand der Bundesfernstraßen” entwickelt, die seitdem umgesetzt wird. Von den dort genannten über 2500 Brücken‐Teilbauwerken, die vorrangig zu untersuchen sind, befinden sich derzeit rd. 46 % in Bearbeitung, das heißt die Brücken werden nachgerechnet und die notwendigen Baumaßnahmen geplant oder umgesetzt. Bereits rund 20 % der vorrangig zu untersuchenden Brücken sind für eine zukunftsfähige Brückentragfähigkeit fertig gestellt.

Die Modernisierung von Brücken hat bei den Investitionen daher hohe Priorität. Die Maßnahmen der Brückenertüchtigung werden aus dem „Programm zur Brückenmodernisierung” finanziert. In den Jahren 2017 bis 2020 stehen in diesem Programm, das auch danach fortgeführt wird, rund 2,9 Milliarden Euro zur Verfügung. Es gilt die klare Zusage: Jede Sanierungsmaßnahme, die Baurecht erhält, wird finanziert!

Aktuell sind 112 größere Brückenertüchtigungsmaßnahmen mit einem jeweiligen Bauvolumen von über 5 Millionen Euro dem Programm zur Brückenmodernisierung zugeordnet. Durch diese Maßnahmen, die sowohl Ersatzneubauten als auch Verstärkungen und Adhoc‐Instandsetzungen umfassen, wird eine Brückenfläche von über 1,2 Millionen m2 nachhaltig ertüchtigt.
Instandsetzung und Verstärkung von Stahlbrücken mit Kategorie‐3‐Schäden
Authors: Ungermann Dieter , Brune Bettina , Giese Pascal
Published: July 2017

Neben Ermüdungsschäden an orthotropen Fahrbahnplatten sind bei Stahlbrücken auch Schäden an nicht direkt befahrenen Konstruktionsteilen der Quersysteme (Kategorie‐3‐Schäden) festgestellt worden. Das stetig steigende Verkehrsaufkommen führt zu einer Verschärfung des Problems, so dass die Dauerhaftigkeit betroffener Brücken auch durch diese Schäden gefährdet wird. Anhand ausgewählter Beispiele aus der Literatur und Praxis der Straßenbauverwaltungen werden Kategorie‐3‐Schäden systematisch untersucht. Die Erfahrungen werden zusammengestellt, ausgewertet und typisiert, um so eine erste Hilfestellung bei der Bewertung von Kategorie‐3‐Schäden zu geben. Weiterhin werden ausgeführte und andere Instandsetzungs‐ und Ertüchtigungsvarianten in allgemeiner Form mit numerischen Berechnungen untersucht, um Vor‐ und Nachteil herauszustellen. Besondere Aufmerksamkeit erhält dabei die Bauwerkserhaltungsmaßnahme, vollständig auf aussteifende Verbände zu verzichten. Die Untersuchungen schließen mit einer Bewertung der untersuchten Ertüchtigungs‐ und Instandsetzungsvarianten ab und münden in allgemeinen Empfehlungen zur Behandlung von Kategorie‐3‐Schäden.
Die Harfenbrücke über den Langen See
Authors: Keil Andreas , Waldraff Tobias
Published: July 2017

Auf dem Flugfeld Böblingen/Sindelfingen, einem neuen gemeinsamen Quartier der beiden Städte, wurde eine gestalterisch ansprechende und technisch anspruchsvolle Fuß‐ und Radwegverbindung in Form einer asymmetrischen Schrägseilbrücke mit doppelt gekrümmtem Pylon, Seilen in Harfenanordnung und einem als Verbundkonstruktion ausgeführten Überbau erstellt. Trotz der vergleichsweise kleinen Spannweite der Brücke war es notwendig, Belange der Montage schon im Bauwerksentwurf zu berücksichtigen, wie es eher aus dem Großbrückenbau bekannt ist. Der vorliegende Beitrag erläutert die Randbedingungen, den Entwurf und die Konstruktion sowie den Bau der Brücke über den Langen See am Flugfeld Böblingen/Sindelfingen.
Urban, agricultural, and environmental protection practices for sustainable water quality
Authors: Alfredo Katherine A. , Russo Tess A.
Published: July 2017

Sustainable water management often emphasizes water resource quantity, with focus on availability and use practices. However, only a subset of the available water may be usable when also considering water quality. Water quality management is examined within three broad sectors—urban, agriculture, and environmental systems—to investigate how water quality sustainability (WQS) is defined by each and across the three sectors. The definitions determined for both urban and agricultural WQS mention downstream human and ecosystem use; however, regulatory policy does not always support these definitions. This challenge of managing water quality locally and downstream, coupled with interactions across multiple sectors, has led to a fragmented approach to water quality management. Legislation typically divides water quality management into compartments without considering the entire system. Within the United States, there is an uneven distribution of responsibility regarding water quality protection, and notable policies which counteract efforts to improve water quality. The review suggests that despite a growing intention to use a single system approach where water is considered as a limited resource that must supply all competing interests, one does not yet exist and is even hindered by current policies and regulations. Recent policy is signaling a shift toward increasing interagency coordination; however, the basic definitions of WQS remain disconnected across sectors. It is the conclusion of this review that sustainable water quality is not currently practiced in the United States. WIREs Water 2017, 4:e1229. doi: 10.1002/wat2.1229

This article is categorized under:

Engineering Water > Planning Water

Human Water > Water Governance

Science of Water > Water Quality
Evaluation of C26:0‐lysophosphatidylcholine and C26:0‐carnitine as diagnostic markers for Zellweger spectrum disorders
Authors: Klouwer Femke C. C. , Ferdinandusse Sacha , van Lenthe Henk , Kulik Wim , Wanders Ronald J. A. , Poll‐The Bwee Tien , Waterham Hans R. , Vaz Frédéric M.
Published: July 2017

Introduction

Zellweger spectrum disorders (ZSD) are a group of genetic metabolic disorders caused by a defect in peroxisome biogenesis. This results in multiple metabolic abnormalities, including elevated very long‐chain fatty acid (VLCFA) levels. Elevated levels of C26:0‐lysophosphatidylcholine (C26:0‐lysoPC) have been shown in dried blood spots (DBS) from ZSD patients. However, little is known about the sensitivity and specificity of this marker and C26:0‐carnitine, another VLCFA‐marker, in ZSD. We investigated C26:0‐lysoPC and C26:0‐carnitine as diagnostic markers for ZSD in DBS and fibroblasts.

Methods

C26:0‐lysoPC levels in 91 DBS from 37 different ZSD patients were determined and compared to the levels in 209 control DBS. C26:0‐carnitine levels were measured in 41 DBS from 29 ZSD patients and 97 control DBS. We measured C26:0‐lysoPC levels in fibroblasts from 24 ZSD patients and 61 control individuals.

Results

Elevated C26:0‐lysoPC levels (>72 nmol/L) were found in 86/91 ZSD DBS (n=33/37 patients) corresponding to a sensitivity of 89.2%. Median level was 567 nmol/l (range 28–3133 nmol/l). Consistently elevated C26:0‐carnitine levels (>0.077 μmol/L) in DBS were found in 16 out of 29 ZSD patients corresponding to a sensitivity of 55.2%. C26:0‐lysoPC levels were elevated in 21/24 ZSD fibroblast lines.

Discussion

C26:0‐lysoPC in DBS is a sensitive and useful marker for VLCFA accumulation in patients with a ZSD. C26:0‐carnitine in DBS is elevated in some ZSD patients, but is less useful as a diagnostic marker. Implementation of C26:0‐lysoPC measurement in the diagnostic work‐up when suspecting a ZSD is advised. This marker has the potential to be used for newborn screening for ZSD.
Phytoplankton species abundance in Lake Inba (Japan) from 1986 to 2016
Authors: Iwayama Akemi , Ogura Hisako , Hirama Yukio , Chang Chun‐Wei , Hsieh Chih‐hao , Kagami Maiko
Published: July 2017

Lake Inba is one of the most eutrophic lakes in Japan. This data paper reports the abundance of phytoplankton species sampled biweekly from April 1986 to March 2016 at four stations in Lake Inba. Monitoring has been carried out by Chiba Prefectural Government, and phytoplankton count data have been collected since 1986. A total of 340 phytoplankton species were identified and enumerated by microscopy, as numbers of cells or colonies. The abundance of each species was expressed as cells per milliliter lake water. Total cell density ranged from 102 to 108 cells ml−1. The dominant cell class density was Cyanobacteria throughout the year. Cyanobacteria, such as Phormidium spp., Microcystis aeruginosa, and Anabaena spp. (Dolicospermum spp.), were the most dense in all months. The dominant cyanobacteria species reached concentrations of 107 cells ml−1. Diatoms, such as Aulacoseira granulata and A. ambigua, were also abundant, reaching 106 cells ml−1. These data can be used to appreciate how anthropogenic disturbances, such as eutrophication and global warming, affect density and community composition of phytoplankton.
The Libyan Conflict and Its Controversial Roots
Authors: Pedde Nicola
Published: July 2017

The Libyan conflict is the result of a complex and controversial series of developments, where local political events have been strongly influenced and driven by exogenous factors. A dual set of conflicting interests can be found in both the Euro-Mediterranean and inter-Arab dimensions, with Italy and Turkey struggling against France and Great Britain on one side, and Qatar being opposed by the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia on the other. Muammar Qaddafi's regime, which was certainly not an example of good governance and respect for human rights, was quickly swept away by a conflict primarily fought by non-Libyan actors, which eventually caused the collapse of the central institutions in Libya and the creation of dozens of local militias. The failure of both local and exogenous ambitions has caused a crisis in which additional factors have been able to influence the Libyan civil war, making the situation very opaque and extremely difficult to solve.
Ambition versus Reality: Partnering with our Neighbours on Migration
Authors: Teodorescu Loredana
Published: July 2017

The EU is facing an unprecedented challenge on its southern borders in terms of instability in the region and increased migration flows. In its search for a solution that will meet with the approval of all member states, there is a new momentum for strengthening cooperation with neighbouring countries. The EU is increasingly turning to third countries to manage migration flows and reduce the number of irregular migrants arriving in Europe. Nevertheless, there are serious constraints on its ambition. The EU has failed to offer its cooperation partners real incentives, while member states have been reluctant to coordinate their initiatives and become involved, thus undermining EU action beyond its borders. The result is slow progress and uncertain partnerships. It is time to address these limitations and make the EU a reliable and coherent regional actor, able to speak with one voice when addressing third countries on migration. This calls for stronger foreign policy on migration at the EU level, the deployment of a wide range of tools and incentives, and more committed member-state support for EU action.
A Primer on String Theory
Authors: Schomerus Volker
Published: July 2017

Since its conception in the 1960s, string theory has been hailed as one of the most promising routes we have to unify quantum mechanics and general relativity. This book provides a concise introduction to string theory explaining central concepts, mathematical tools and covering recent developments in physics including compactifications and gauge/string dualities. With string theory being a multidisciplinary field interfacing with high energy physics, mathematics and quantum field theory, this book is ideal for both students with no previous knowledge of the field and scholars from other disciplines who are looking for an introduction to basic concepts.
Woodrow Wilson and American Internationalism
Authors: Ambrosius Lloyd E.
Published: July 2017

In this new work, one of the world's leading historians of US foreign relations, Lloyd E.Ambrosius, addresses enduring questions about American political culture and statecraft by focusing on President Woodrow Wilson and the United States in international relations during and after World War I. Updated to include recent historiography as well as an original introduction and conclusion, Woodrow Wilson and American Internationalism features nine different essays closely linked together by the themes of Wilson's understanding of Americanism, his diplomacy to create a new world order in the wake of World War I, and the legacy of his foreign policy. Examining the exclusive as well as universal dimensions of Wilsonianism, Ambrosius assesses not only Wilson's role during his presidency but also his legacy in defining America's place in world history. Speaking to the transnational turn in American history, Ambrosius shows how Wilson's liberal internationalist vision of a new world order would shape US foreign relations for the next century.
Self-awareness of computed tomography ordering in the emergency department
Authors: Kadhim-Saleh Amjed , Worrall James C. , Taljaard Monica , Gatien Mathieu , Perry Jeffrey J.
Published: July 2017

Objectives

Physician variation in the use of computed tomography (CT) is concerning due to the risks of ionizing radiation, cost, and downstream effects of unnecessary testing. The objectives of this study were to describe variation in CT-ordering rates among emergency physicians (EPs), to measure correlation between perceived and actual CT-ordering rates, to assess attitudes that influence decisions to order imaging tests, and to identify EP attitudes associated with higher CT utilization.

Methods

This study was a retrospective review of imaging and administrative billing records at two emergency department sites of a tertiary care adult teaching hospital. The study also included a cross-sectional survey of EPs at this hospital. We asked physicians about their perceived ordering behaviour, and what factors influenced their decision to order a CT. We examined correlations between perceived and actual CT-ordering rates. We adjusted ordering rates for shift distribution using a logistic regression model and identified outlier physicians whose ordering rate was significantly lower or higher than expected. We used multivariable regression analysis to determine which survey responses predicted higher CT utilization.

Results

During the study period, 59 EPs saw 45,854 patients, and ordered 6,609 CTs — a mean ordering rate of 14.4% (standard deviation (SD)=4.3%). The ordering rate for individual physicians ranged from 5.9% to 25.9%. Of the 59 EPs, 13 EPs were low-ordering outliers; 12 were high-ordering outliers. Forty-five EPs (76.3%) completed the survey. Mean perceived ordering rate was 12.6%, and was weakly correlated with actual ordering (r=0.19, p=0.21). 42 EPs (93.3%) believed they ordered “about the same” or “fewer” CTs than their peers. Of the 17 EPs in the two highest ordering quintiles, only 3 (18%) knew they were high orderers. In the multivariable analysis, higher ordering was associated with increasing strength of response to the following predictors: medico-legal risk (relative risk [RR]=1.18, 95% CI: 1.03–1.21), risk of contrast (RR=1.14, 95% CI: 1.07–1.22), what colleagues would do (RR=1.09, 95% CI: 0.99–1.19), risk of missing a diagnosis (RR=1.08, 95% CI: 0.98–1.21), and patient wishes (RR=1.07, 95% CI: 0.97–1.17).

Conclusions

There is large variation in CT ordering among EPs. Physicians’ self-reported ordering rate correlates poorly with actual ordering. High CT orderers were rarely aware that they ordered more than their colleagues. Higher rates of ordering were observed among physicians who reported increased concern with 1) risk of missing a diagnosis, 2) medico-legal risk, 3) risk of contrast, 4) patient wishes, and 5) what colleagues would do.
Motion of a model swimmer near a weakly deforming interface
Authors: Shaik Vaseem A. , Ardekani Arezoo M.
Published: July 2017

Locomotion of microswimmers near an interface has attracted recent attention and has several applications related to synthetic swimmers and microorganisms. In this work, we study the motion of a model swimmer called the ‘squirmer’ with an arbitrary time-dependent swimming gait near a weakly deforming interface. We first obtain an exact solution of the governing equations for the motion of the swimmer near a plane interface using the bipolar coordinate method, and then an approximate solution using the method of reflections. We thereby derive the velocity of a swimmer due to small interface deformations using the domain perturbation method and Lorentz reciprocal theorem. We use our solution to study the dynamics of a swimmer with steady, as well as time-reversible, squirming gaits. The long-time dynamics of a time-reversible swimmer is such that it either moves towards or away from the interface. Thus, we divide its phase space into regions of attraction (repulsion) towards (from) the interface. The long-time orientation of a time-reversible swimmer that is moving towards the interface depends on its initial orientation. Additionally, we find that the method of reflections is accurate to $O(1)$ distances of the swimmer from the interface.
Embedding Aboriginal Perspectives and Knowledge in the Biology Curriculum: The Little Porky
Authors: Rioux Joël , Ewing Bronwyn , Cooper Tom J.
Published: July 2017

This paper reports on an Action Research project that investigated the integration of Aboriginal and Western knowledge into science learning in a Montessori classroom in regional Queensland, Australia. Drawing on the local knowledge of fauna of community members, the study explored the teaching of science to 12-year 8–9 students in an Aboriginal independent high school in Queensland. The overall study covered 83 lessons that included an initial Short-beaked echidna study. It applied thematic analysis to data to explore the effect of this integrated approach on students’ pride in heritage, cultural knowledge, learning and the Linnaean zoology taxonomy. Results revealed that the contextualisation of Aboriginal and Western science knowledge strengthened students’ Aboriginal personal identity as well as identities as science learners and status of local Aboriginal knowledge.
Privilege, Decentring and the Challenge of Being (Non-) Indigenous in the Study of Indigenous Issues
Authors: Olsen Torjer A.
Published: July 2017

There are acceptable ways of studying Indigenous issues as a non-Indigenous scholar. Still, the role and identity of the scholar is important and debated within the study of Indigenous issues. The purpose of this article is to accept, but explore the premise of a distinction between Indigenous and non-Indigenous. I claim the possibility of taking a decentred space within Indigenous studies and move towards a methodological and theoretical foundation that is informed by scholars with different stances and backgrounds. A key approach is the intersectional approach to privilege. Neither privilege/oppression, Indigenous/non-Indigenous, nor insider/outsider are binary relations. From Indigenous methodologies such as kaupapa Māori, I emphasise, in particular, the local starting point, arguing that this is the way to transfer relevant issues to a bigger context.
Digit ratio (2D:4D) and social integration: An effect of prenatal sex hormones
Authors: KOVÁŘÍK JAROMÍR , BRAÑAS-GARZA PABLO , DAVIDSON MICHAEL W. , HAIM DOTAN A. , CARCELLI SHANNON , FOWLER JAMES H.
Published: July 2017

The position people occupy in their social and professional networks is related to their social status and has strong effects on their access to social resources. While attainment of particular positions is driven by behavioral traits, many biological factors predispose individuals to certain behaviors and motivations. Prior work on exposure to fetal androgens (measured by second-to-fourth digit ratio, 2D:4D) shows that it correlates with behaviors and traits related to social status, which might make people more socially integrated. However, it also predicts certain anti-social behaviors and disorders associated with lower socialization. We explore whether 2D:4D correlates with network position later in life and find that individuals with low 2D:4D become more central in their social environment. Interestingly, low 2D:4D males are more likely to exhibit high betweenness centrality (they connect separated parts of the social structure), while low 2D:4D females are more likely to exhibit high in-degree centrality (more people name them as friends). These gender-specific differences are reinforced by transitivity (the likelihood that one's friends are also friends with one another): neighbors of low 2D:4D men tend not to know each other; the contrary is observed for low 2D:4D women. Our results suggest that biological predispositions influence the organization of human societies and that exposure to prenatal androgens influences different status seeking behaviors in men and women.
Dietary inflammatory index in relation to sub-clinical atherosclerosis and atherosclerotic vascular disease mortality in older women
Authors: Bondonno Nicola P. , Lewis Joshua R. , Blekkenhorst Lauren C. , Shivappa Nitin , Woodman Richard J. , Bondonno Catherine P. , Ward Natalie C. , Hébert James R. , Thompson Peter L. , Prince Richard L. , Hodgson Jonathan M.
Published: July 2017

Arterial wall thickening, stimulated by low-grade systemic inflammation, underlies many cardiovascular events. As diet is a significant moderator of systemic inflammation, the dietary inflammatory index (DIITM) has recently been devised to assess the overall inflammatory potential of an individual’s diet. The primary objective of this study was to assess the association of the DII with common carotid artery–intima-media thickness (CCA–IMT) and carotid plaques. To substantiate the clinical importance of these findings we assessed the relationship of DII score with atherosclerotic vascular disease (ASVD)-related mortality, ischaemic cerebrovascular disease (CVA)-related mortality and ischaemic heart disease (IHD)-related mortality more. The study was conducted in Western Australian women aged over 70 years (n 1304). Dietary data derived from a validated FFQ (completed at baseline) were used to calculate a DII score for each individual. In multivariable-adjusted models, DII scores were associated with sub-clinical atherosclerosis: a 1 sd (2·13 units) higher DII score was associated with a 0·013-mm higher mean CCA–IMT (P=0·016) and a 0·016-mm higher maximum CCA–IMT (P=0·008), measured at 36 months. No relationship was seen between DII score and carotid plaque severity. There were 269 deaths during follow-up. High DII scores were positively associated with ASVD-related death (per sd, hazard ratio (HR): 1·36; 95 % CI 1·15, 1·60), CVA-related death (per sd, HR: 1·30; 95 % CI 1·00, 1·69) and IHD-related death (per sd, HR: 1·40; 95 % CI 1·13, 1·75). These results support the hypothesis that a pro-inflammatory diet increases systemic inflammation leading to development and progression of atherosclerosis and eventual ASVD-related death.
Max Scheler and Adam Smith on Sympathy
Authors: Alfaro Altamirano Adriana
Published: July 2017

Recent efforts to theorize the role of emotions in political life have stressed the importance of sympathy, and have often recurred to Adam Smith to articulate their claims. In the early twentieth-century, Max Scheler disputed the salutary character of sympathy, dismissing it as an ultimately perverse foundation for human association. Unlike later critics of sympathy as a political principle, Scheler rejected it for being ill equipped to salvage what, in his opinion, should be the proper basis of morality, namely, moral value. Even if Scheler's objections against Smith's project prove to be ultimately mistaken, he had important reasons to call into question its moral purchase in his own time. Where the most dangerous idol is not self-love but illusory self-knowledge, the virtue of self-command will not suffice. Where identification with others threatens the social bond more deeply than faction, “standing alone” in moral matters proves a more urgent task.
The Musical Philosophy of Bertrand de Jouvenel
Authors: Honeycutt Kevin S.
Published: July 2017

In this essay I set forth the musical philosophy of Bertrand de Jouvenel, a topic that has not been previously explored. I focus on Jouvenel's literary background; his emphasis on the imagination; his insistence that metaphor is the basis of all thought; and his critique of the “amousia” of modern philosophy, that is, its lack of music. Jouvenel believes that this amousia has led to dangerous political consequences in the twentieth century, such as the aesthetic and psychological promotion of violence. After setting forth Jouvenel's account, I explore these consequences.
Leo Strauss on Modern Political Science:Two Previously Unpublished Manuscripts
Authors: Minkov Svetozar , Namazi Rasoul
Published: July 2017

The two manuscripts published here for the first time were written by Leo Strauss: the first in 1956 and the second between 1957 and 1962. The first, entitled “Lecture in Milwaukee: Michigan Midwest Political Science,” was written for the Fourteenth Annual Meeting of the Midwest Conference of Political Scientists on May 4, 1956, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The second is an unpublished passage of “An Epilogue” Strauss wrote for Essays on the Scientific Study of Politics, published in 1962. Together these pieces improve our understanding of both the context in which Strauss developed his critique of the new political science and the audience to whom that critique was addressed. These two texts are of “biographical” interest. They are biographical in the sense that they clarify Strauss's thought and its evolution. The “Lecture in Milwaukee” clarifies the context in which Strauss's critique of modern political science was born: confrontation with the political scientists of the 1950s, here represented by Glendon Schubert who is not mentioned in Strauss's published writings. Without this lecture one might overlook the reference to “extrasensory perception” in the ironical discussion of “our man in Missouri” in “Epilogue.” The critique of Arthur Bentley, Bernard Berelson, Harold Laswell, and Herbert Simon by Strauss's students also takes on new meaning if read in the light of this lecture's references and Schubert's published article. Aside from Strauss's view of academia in the 1950s, his references in the lecture to the British Labour Party's policy toward Nazi Germany, to postwar American disarmament, and to prison reform and immigration policy in the United States provide rare and thus important information about Strauss's political views and judgment.
Mass-Fatality Incident Preparedness Among Faith-Based Organizations
Authors: Zhi Qi , Merrill Jacqueline A. , Gershon Robyn R.
Published: July 2017

Introduction

Members of faith-based organizations (FBOs) are in a unique position to provide support and services to their local communities during disasters. Because of their close community ties and well-established trust, they can play an especially critical role in helping communities heal in the aftermath of a mass-fatality incident (MFI). Faith-based organizations are considered an important disaster resource and partner under the National Response Plan (NRP) and National Response Framework; however, their level of preparedness and response capabilities with respect to MFIs has never been evaluated. The purpose of this study was threefold: (1) to develop appropriate measures of preparedness for this sector; (2) to assess MFI preparedness among United States FBOs; and (3) to identify key factors associated with MFI preparedness.

Problem

New metrics for MFI preparedness, comprised of three domains (organizational capabilities, operational capabilities, and resource sharing partnerships), were developed and tested in a national convenience sample of FBO members.

Methods

Data were collected using an online anonymous survey that was distributed through two major, national faith-based associations and social media during a 6-week period in 2014. Descriptive, bivariate, and correlational analyses were conducted.

Results

One hundred twenty-four respondents completed the online survey. More than one-half of the FBOs had responded to MFIs in the previous five years. Only 20% of respondents thought that roughly three-quarters of FBO clergy would be able to respond to MFIs, with or without hazardous contamination. A higher proportion (45%) thought that most FBO clergy would be willing to respond, but only 37% thought they would be willing if hazardous contamination was involved. Almost all respondents reported that their FBO was capable of providing emotional care and grief counseling in response to MFIs. Resource sharing partnerships were typically in place with other voluntary organizations (73%) and less likely with local death care sector organizations (27%) or Departments of Health (DOHs; 32%).

Conclusions

The study suggests improvements are needed in terms of staff training in general, and specifically, drills with planning partners are needed. Greater cooperation and inclusion of FBOs in national planning and training will likely benefit overall MFI preparedness in the US.

ZhiQ, MerrillJA, GershonRR. Mass-fatality incident preparedness among faith-based organizations. Prehosp Disaster Med.2017;32(6):596–603.
Simplifying Electron Beam Channeling in Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM)
Authors: Wu Ryan J. , Mittal Anudha , Odlyzko Michael L. , Mkhoyan K. Andre
Published: July 2017

Sub-angstrom scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) allows quantitative column-by-column analysis of crystalline specimens via annular dark-field images. The intensity of electrons scattered from a particular location in an atomic column depends on the intensity of the electron probe at that location. Electron beam channeling causes oscillations in the STEM probe intensity during specimen propagation, which leads to differences in the beam intensity incident at different depths. Understanding the parameters that control this complex behavior is critical for interpreting experimental STEM results. In this work, theoretical analysis of the STEM probe intensity reveals that intensity oscillations during specimen propagation are regulated by changes in the beam’s angular distribution. Three distinct regimes of channeling behavior are observed: the high-atomic-number (Z) regime, in which atomic scattering leads to significant angular redistribution of the beam; the low-Zregime, in which the probe’s initial angular distribution controls intensity oscillations; and the intermediate-Zregime, in which the behavior is mixed. These contrasting regimes are shown to exist for a wide range of probe parameters. These results provide a new understanding of the occurrence and consequences of channeling phenomena and conditions under which their influence is strengthened or weakened by characteristics of the electron probe and sample.
ART: TO BE “INSIDE” OR “OUTSIDE” CULTURE
Authors: ORT THOMAS
Published: July 2017

In the opening pages of his remarkable book about Marcel Duchamp, Jerrold Seigel writes that the French artist “cared more about his personal independence than he did about art itself. Beneath the succession of avant-garde movements there had always lurked an impulse of radical individualism, and no one represented it better than Marcel Duchamp” (PW, 10). Given the subject matter of this essay—the place of art in Seigel's thinking—it may seem odd to say so, but in one respect Seigel's attitude to art mirrors that of Duchamp: he cares less about art itself than about the impulse of radical individualism in modern society revealed through it.