bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
JAK Inhibition Impairs NK Cell Function in Myeloproliferative Neoplasms
Authors: Schönberg Kathrin , Rudolph Janna , Vonnahme Maria , Parampalli Yajnanarayana Sowmya , Cornez Isabelle , Hejazi Maryam , Manser Angela R. , Uhrberg Markus , Verbeek Walter , Koschmieder Steffen , Brümmendorf Tim H. , Brossart Peter , Heine Annkristin , Wolf Dominik
Published: April 2015

Ruxolitinib is a small-molecule inhibitor of the JAK kinases, which has been approved for the treatment of myelofibrosis, a rare myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN), but clinical trials are also being conducted in inflammatory-driven solid tumors. Increased infection rates have been reported in ruxolitinib-treated patients, and natural killer (NK) cells are immune effector cells known to eliminate both virus-infected and malignant cells. On this basis, we sought to compare the effects of JAK inhibition on human NK cells in a cohort of 28 MPN patients with or without ruxolitinib treatment and 24 healthy individuals. NK cell analyses included cell frequency, receptor expression, proliferation, immune synapse formation, and cytokine signaling. We found a reduction in NK cell numbers in ruxolitinib-treated patients that was linked to the appearance of clinically relevant infections. This reduction was likely due to impaired maturation of NK cells, as reflected by an increased ratio in immature to mature NK cells. Notably, the endogenous functional defect of NK cells in MPN was further aggravated by ruxolitinib treatment. In vitro data paralleled these in vivo results, showing a reduction in cytokine-induced NK cell activation. Further, reduced killing activity was associated with an impaired capacity to form lytic synapses with NK target cells. Taken together, our findings offer compelling evidence that ruxolitinib impairs NK cell function in MPN patients, offering an explanation for increased infection rates and possible long-term side effects associated with ruxolitinib treatment. Cancer Res; 75(11); 2187–99. ©2015 AACR.
Prognostic Significance of Lymph Node Metastases in Small Intestinal Neuroendocrine Tumors
Authors: Kim Michelle Kang , Warner Richard R.P. , Ward Stephen C. , Harpaz Noam , Roayaie Sasan , Schwartz Myron E. , Itzkowitz Steven , Wisnivesky Juan
Published: April 2015

Background/Aims: Current staging guidelines for small intestinal neuroendocrine tumors (SI-NETs) differentiate between the presence (N1) and absence (N0) of lymph node (LN) metastases. However, the prognostic significance of the extent of LN involvement remains unknown. In this study, we used data from a population-based cancer registry to examine whether involvement of a higher number of LNs is associated with worse survival. Methods: We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to identify patients with histologically confirmed, surgically resected SI-NETS diagnosed between 1988 and 2010. Patients were classified into three groups by the LN ratio (number of positive LNs/number of total LNs examined, LNR): ≤0.2, >0.2-0.5, and >0.5. We used the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox models to assess NET cancer-specific survival differences (up to 10 years from diagnosis) according to LNR status. Results: We identified 2,984 surgically resected patients with stage IIIb (N1, M0) SI-NETs with detailed LN data. More than half of the NETs were located in the ileum. A higher LNR was significantly associated with worse NET cancer-specific survival (p < 0.0001). Ten-year NET-specific survival was 85, 77, and 74% for patients in the ≤0.2, >0.2-0.5, and >0.5 LNR groups, respectively. In stratified analyses, higher LNR groups had worse survival only in early tumor (T1, T2) disease (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: The extent of LN involvement provides independent prognostic information on patients with LN-positive SI-NETs. This information may be used to identify patients at high risk of recurrence and inform decisions about the use of adjuvant therapy.
O Ministério Público no Brasil: relevância, características e uma agenda para o futuro
Authors: Kerche Fábio
Published: March 2015

O Ministério Público é uma das maiores novidades institucionais da Constituição de 1988. Os promotores e procuradores têm autonomia, instrumentos de ação e amplo leque de atribuições. Essas características permitiram que a atuação do Ministério Público extrapolasse o tradicional papel de proponente da ação penal pública junto ao Poder Judiciário, transformando a instituição em um ator político de primeira grandeza. A centralidade da instituição no debate público ganhou ainda mais força na discussão do projeto que limitaria a atuação do Ministério Público na investigação de questões criminais, medida desnecessária se observados os trabalhos da Assembleia Nacional Constituinte de 1987-88.
Mídia e poder judiciário: entre transparência e coerência - idéias para um ensaio preliminar
Authors: Fachin Luiz Edson
Published: March 2015

As relações entre mídia e Poder Judiciário ao longo da história não são lineares. Os vasos comunicantes entre ambos apreendem as tensões que emergem da própria sociedade, no contexto da cultura e de valores. Na instância do discurso jurídico, esse cotejo é usualmente permeado por diferentes normas jurídicas, que colocam em cena os significantes da verdade e da justiça. A partir daí, este ensaio tem por escopo a análise da dialética entre verdade e logro ao longo de algumas percepções da história como forma de identificar o atual estado da arte da ética e transparência em exame comparativo situado no âmbito do sistema constitucional brasileiro vigente.
A justiça e o custo Brasil
Authors: Pinheiro Armando Castelar
Published: March 2015

O funcionamento da justiça costumava ser um tema de interesse restrito aos operadores do direito. Atualmente, a justiça passou a ser percebida como um importante item que compõe o chamado Custo Brasil. Como Custo Brasil entendese o custo adicional de realizar negócios no Brasil em comparação a outros países. O objetivo deste artigo é situar a importância da justiça na determinação do Custo Brasil. Argumenta-se que, no Brasil, há um nível alto de insegurança jurídica e um Judiciário moroso, o que aumenta o risco e os custos das transações econômicas, afetando a competitividade das empresas brasileiras. Como a justiça tende a ser cada vez mais instada a participar da vida econômica do Brasil, aumentar sua eficiência e fortalecer a segurança jurídica são iniciativas cruciais para reduzir o Custo Brasil.
O arcaísmo na formação jurídica brasileira
Authors: Ferraz Junior Tercio Sampaio
Published: March 2015

O aluno de direito é acostumado, por longa tradição que vem do século XIX, a aprender a lidar com três problemas centrais da teoria jurídica: a identificação do direito, a sua interpretação e a sua aplicação. Para isso lhe são apresentados conceitos, classificações, distinções, que procuram construir ferramentas para lidar com esses problemas. Por exemplo: os conceitos de validade/vigência/revogação para responder ao problema da identificação; a distinção entre vontade da lei/vontade do legislador para o problema da atribuição de significado; a forma do silogismo que tem a premissa maior (direito válido), a premissa menor (fatos provados) e a conclusão (decisão), para justificar a decisão.
Acesso à justiça: um direito e seus obstáculos
Authors: Sadek Maria Tereza Aina
Published: March 2015

O texto tem por objetivo propor uma reflexão sobre o direito de acesso à justiça e sobre as dificuldades para a sua realização. A exposição parte do princípio de que o direito de acesso à justiça implica que se considerem ao menos três etapas distintas e interligadas: o ingresso visando à obtenção de um direito, os caminhos posteriores à entrada e, finalmente, a saída. Nesse sentido, o direito de acesso à justiça só se efetiva quando a porta de entrada permite que se vislumbre e se alcance a porta de saída em um período de tempo razoável. A morosidade na solução dos conflitos é um importante entrave para alcançar a porta de saída e, em decorrência, para a realização do acesso à justiça.
Crisis, Evil, and Progress in Kant’s Philosophy of History
Authors: Sargentis Konstantinos
Published: April 2015

The significance of the regulative function of the reflecting power of judgment for Kant’s philosophy of history is widely accepted in the relevant literature. However, less attention has been paid to particular modes of reflection with reference to history. In the last paragraphs of the Critique of the Power of Judgment we find a distinction between the “theoretically reflecting power of judgment” and the reflecting power of judgment “in accordance with concepts of practical reason”. In the present paper, I attempt to stress the importance of this distinction for Kant’s philosophy of history. More specifically, it is my view that this distinction leads Kant to a double perspective on history, by means of which one can explain why the notions of Nature and Providence cannot be used interchangeably. Interestingly, at the same time, it facilitates a new understanding of what Kant in Religion within the Boundaries of mere Reason calls “revolution in the disposition of the human being”. Another notion which is crucial for the main argument put forward in the present paper is that of the “culture of discipline”. Although Kant introduces it in the third Critique, I attempt to show that this is the notion that mediates Kant’s two views on history.
The Truth of Basic Historical Descriptions
Authors: McCullagh C. Behan
Published: April 2015

Most historians and many philosophers of history persist in believing that present evidence can warrant belief in the truth of descriptions of particular events in the past. In most of his books on historical knowledge and understanding Alun Munslow has expressed his faith in basic historical descriptions too. Recently, however, he has presented several reasons for doubting their truth. He sees all historical descriptions as nothing but literary creations, reflecting not only the language but also the beliefs and conventions of the historian’s culture. He can find no meaningful relation between texts and events, especially between historical texts and past events that are beyond observation. He allows that we often accept the truth of historical descriptions for everyday purposes, but he offers philosophical reasons for denying that they have any intelligible relation to the past. In this paper I consider the reasons for his scepticism, discuss several popular theories of truth, and then explain why, and in what sense, we are often justified in believing that historical descriptions give us a true account of what happened in the past.
An updated checklist of Thyatirinae (Lepidoptera, Drepanidae) from China,
with descriptions of one new species
Authors: JIANG NAN , YANG CHAO , XUE DAYONG , HAN HONGXIANG
Published: March 2015

A total of three tribes, 38 genera and 148 species of Thyatirinae from China are listed together with one dubious record. Of these, one new species, Stenopsestis bruna sp. nov., is described. Macrothyatira danieli Werny, 1966, stat. rev., is restored to specific rank. Cymatophora subampliata Houlbert, 1921, is downgraded to subspecific rank as Tethea (Tethea) albicostata subampliata (Houlbert, 1921), stat. nov. Two genera, four species and three subspecies are recorded for the first time from China (Chiropsestis Laszlo, Ronkay & Ronkay, 2001, Hiroshia Laszlo, Ronkay & Ronkay, 2001, Chiropsestis rubrocinerea Laszlo, Ronkay & Ronkay, 2001, Hiroshia albinigra Laszlo, Ronkay & Ronkay, 2001, Parapsestis hausmanni Laszlo, Ronkay, Ronkay & Witt, 2007, Spica luteola Swinhoe, 1889, Parapsestis cinerea pacifica Laszlo, Ronkay, Ronkay & Witt, 2007, Tethea (Saronaga) consimilis aurisigna Bryk, 1943, Nothoploca nigripunctata fansipana Laszlo, Ronkay & Ronkay, 2001). Ten misidentifications in Zhao (2004) are corrected. Illustrations of external features and genitalia of the new taxa and new records are presented.
A new species of anchovy, Encrasicholina macrocephala (Clupeiformes: Engraulidae), from the northwestern Indian Ocean
Authors: HATA HARUTAKA , MOTOMURA HIROYUKI
Published: March 2015

A new species of anchovy, Encrasicholina macrocephala, is described on the basis of 17 specimens collected from the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea. The species is closely related to E. devisi in that both species have three unbranched rays in the dorsal and anal fins, and a long upper jaw (posterior tip extending beyond posterior margin of preopercle). However, the new species is distinguished from E. devisi in having lower counts of total pectoral-fin rays (11–14 vs. 13–15) and pseudobranchial filaments (15–18 vs. 18–22), longer head length (29.5–31.7% of standard length vs. 25.4–28.9% in the latter), upper-jaw length (21.3–23.5% vs. 14.6–21.3%), and lower-jaw length (19.5–21.2% vs. 14.2–19.5%), and a shorter distance between the dorsal-fin origin to the pectoral-fin insertion (83.2–95.2% of head length vs. 97.6–126.1%).
A Representative Democracy to Reduce Interdependency in a Multimodel Ensemble
Authors: Sanderson Benjamin M. , Knutti Reto , Caldwell Peter
Published: March 2015

The collection of Earth system models available in the archive of phase 5 of CMIP (CMIP5) represents, at least to some degree, a sample of uncertainty of future climate evolution. The presence of duplicated code as well as shared forcing and validation data in the multiple models in the archive raises at least three potential problems: biases in the mean and variance, the overestimation of sample size, and the potential for spurious correlations to emerge in the archive because of model replication. Analytical evidence is presented to demonstrate that the distribution of models in the CMIP5 archive is not consistent with a random sample, and a weighting scheme is proposed to reduce some aspects of model codependency in the ensemble. A method is proposed for selecting diverse and skillful subsets of models in the archive, which could be used for impact studies in cases where physically consistent joint projections of multiple variables (and their temporal and spatial characteristics) are required.
Assessment of the Spatial and Seasonal Variation of the Error–Intensity Relationship in Satellite-Based Precipitation Measurements Using an Adaptive Parametric Model
Authors: Liu Hao , Sorooshian Soroosh , Gao Xiaogang
Published: March 2015

Studies have been reported about the efficacy of satellites for measuring precipitation and about quantifying their errors. Based on these studies, the errors are associated with a number of factors, among them, intensity, location, climate, and season of the year. Several error models have been proposed to assess the relationship between the error and the rainfall intensity. However, it is unknown whether these models are adaptive to different seasons, different regions, or different types of satellite-based estimates. Therefore, how the error–intensity relationship varies with the season or region is unclear. To investigate these issues, a parametric joint pdf model is proposed to analyze and study the 9-yr satellite-derived precipitation datasets of Climate Prediction Center (CPC) morphing technique (CMORPH); PERSIANN; and the real-time TRMM product 3B42, version 7 (TRMM-3B42-RTV7). The NEXRAD Stage IV product is the ground reference. The adaptability of the proposed model is verified by applying it to three locations (Oklahoma, Montana, and Florida) and by applying it to cold season, warm season, and the entire year. Then, the heteroscedasticities in the errors of satellite-based precipitation measurements are investigated using the proposed model under those scenarios. The results show that the joint pdfs have the same formulation under these scenarios, whereas their parameter sets were adaptively adjusted. This parametric model reveals detailed information about the spatial and seasonal variations of the satellite-based precipitation measurements. It is found that the shape of the conditional pdf shifts across the intensity ranges. At the ~10–20 mm day−1 range, the conditional pdf is L shaped, while at the ~40–60 mm day−1 range, it becomes more bell shaped. It is also concluded that no single satellite-based precipitation product outperforms others with respect to the different scenarios (i.e., seasons, regions, and climates).
Validation of HY-2A Remotely Sensed Wave Heights against Buoy Data and Jason-2 Altimeter Measurements
Authors: Zhang Haifeng , Wu Qing , Chen Ge
Published: April 2015

The Haiyang-2A (HY-2A; HaiYang means ocean in Chinese) satellite was successfully launched in China on 16 August 2011, carrying the nation’s first operational radar altimeter along with three other microwave sensors. In this study, HY-2A altimeter significant wave height (SWH) data have been validated against National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) buoy and Jason-2 altimeter SWH data over a period of 27 months (from 1 October 2011 to 31 December 2013). During the collocation, the effects of different thresholds of several flags are carefully studied. These flags prove to be useful for the SWH selection and different thresholds are observed to change the results remarkably. The final results show that HY-2A SWHs, with a 0.339-m root-mean-square (RMS) difference and a negative bias of 0.231 m in buoy comparison, have reached the mission target (0.5-m RMS). Nonetheless, the Jason-2 altimeter performs better with a lower RMS difference of 0.292 m and a positive bias of only 0.016 m. In addition, by analyzing the residuals (altimeter minus buoy), the bias for the HY-2A altimeter is found to decline monotonically over the whole range with an overestimation at low sea state (SWH < 1 m), a minor underestimation at middle sea state (1 m < SWH < 5 m), and a severe underestimation at high sea state (SWH > 5 m). However, only an underestimation at high sea state is found for the Jason-2 altimeter. A linear regression is also proposed. The 20 days of the newly processed HY-2A SWHs are investigated and discussed as well, and a slight quality improvement has been observed using these data.
Potential Use of Transport and Dispersion Model Ensembles for Forecasting Applications
Authors: Stein A. F. , Ngan F. , Draxler R. R. , Chai T.
Published: March 2015

Using ensembles to improve the simulation of plume dispersion is becoming a more common practice. One of the biggest challenges in creating ensembles is developing the appropriate member selection process to get the most accurate results, quantify ensemble uncertainty, and use computing resources more efficiently by avoiding the use of redundant model information. In this work, two reduction techniques are tested: one that is independent of observations and is based on the exclusion of redundant members by using uncorrelation as a measure of distance among the members and a second one based on measured data, which minimizes the mean square error (MSE) of the average of all possible model combinations. These techniques are applied to a 24-member ensemble, created by varying the boundary layer parameterizations in the meteorological WRF Model and dispersion Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory model (HYSPLIT) simulating six releases of the Cross-Appalachian Tracer Experiment (CAPTEX). Applying the first technique produced results statistically comparable to the full ensemble for four out of six releases, while the second technique shows a similar or superior performance for all cases. Furthermore, to mimic a forecast application, the first day of the tracer release is used to select the ensemble members and the subsequent days are utilized as a forecast proxy to evaluate their performance. The reduced ensembles chosen by applying the technique based on the minimization of the MSE statistically perform similarly to or better than the full ensemble for the forecasting time periods. This suggests that when observational data are available, the application of ensemble reduction techniques provides a potentially promising tool for improving the dispersion forecast.
Crime-Inhibiting, Interactional and Co-Developmental Patterns of School Bonds and the Acceptance of Legal Norms
Authors: Seddig Daniel
Published: April 2015

The usually negative relationship between school bonds and juvenile delinquency implies that adolescents with strong ties to school are less likely to engage in delinquency. Still, it is not always clear whether the impact of school bonds on delinquency is direct or mediated by other, more proximate causes. This article examines the dynamic interrelations between social bonds and the acceptance of legal norms over the course of adolescence. Results reveal that school bonds directly affect the acceptance of legal norms, but not delinquency. However, norms are directly and reciprocally related to delinquency. Therefore, school bonds can be considered an indirect preventive factor for delinquent behavior. Moreover, the closely related school bond and norm dimensions share a common developmental pattern during adolescence.
Svensk översättning, kvalitativ relevansvärdering och kvantitativ reliabilitetstestning av Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric
Authors: Kristiansen Lisbeth , Häggström Marie , Hallin Karin , Andersson Ingela , Bäckström Britt
Published: April 2015

Newly graduated nurses show lacking skills and competences regarding the ability to make appropriate clinical assessment of acute, complex care situations. There is also a lack of translated, qualitative relevance-evaluated and reliability-tested rubrics in the Swedish language. The purpose of this method article was to translate, and conduct a relevance evaluation and reliability test of the identified Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric (LCJR). In this article, the Swedish translation LCJR (S) is presented. The results showed that the LCJR (S) was both qualitatively relevant and quantitatively reliable. We claim that there are several advantages to systematic use LCJR (S) for assessment of nursing students’ clinical judgement in laboratory simulation environments with acute patient situations.
The relationship between student health and academic performance: Implications for school psychologists
Authors: Shaw Steven R. , Gomes Paul , Polotskaia Anna , Jankowska Anna M.
Published: March 2015

Children who are unhealthy are at higher risk for school problems than students who are free from medical problems. Students with poor health have a higher probability of school failure, grade retention, and dropout. The relationship between student health and academic success is complex. Common manageable factors of student health are nutrition, maintaining healthy weight, and physical fitness. Through a comprehensive literature review the relationships among school achievement and nutrition, maintaining healthy weight, and physical fitness are examined. Furthermore, the efficacy of educational programs to improve nutrition, maintain healthy weight, and increase physical fitness is evaluated. The complexity of the relationship among variables is presented and areas for future research and practice for school psychologists are described.
Efficacy of the Alexander Technique in treating chronic non-specific neck pain: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Lauche Romy , Schuth Mareike , Schwickert Myriam , Lüdtke Rainer , Musial Frauke , Michalsen Andreas , Dobos Gustav , Choi Kyung-Eun
Published: April 2015

Objective:

To test the efficacy of the Alexander Technique, local heat and guided imagery on pain and quality of life in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain.

Design:

A randomized controlled trial with 3 parallel groups was conducted.

Setting:

Outpatient clinic, Department of Internal and Integrative Medicine.

Subjects:

A total of 72 patients (65 females, 40.7±7.9 years) with chronic non-specific neck pain.

Interventions:

Patients received 5 sessions of the Alexander Technique - an educational method which aims to modify dysfunctional posture, movement and thinking patterns associated with musculoskeletal disorders. Control groups were treated with local heat application or guided imagery. All interventions were conducted once a week for 45 minutes each.

Main measures:

The primary outcome measure at week 5 was neck pain intensity on a 100-mm visual analogue scale; secondary outcomes included neck disability, quality of life, satisfaction and safety.

Statistics:

Analyses of covariance were applied; testing ordered hypotheses.

Results:

No group difference was found for pain intensity for the Alexander Technique compared to local heat (difference 4.5mm; 95%CI:-8.1;17.1;p=0.48), but exploratory analysis revealed the superiority of the Alexander Technique over guided imagery (difference -12.9mm; 95%CI:-22.6;-3.1,p=0.01). Significant group differences in favor of the Alexander Technique were also found for physical quality of life ( P<0.05). Adverse events mainly included slightly increased pain and muscle soreness.

Conclusion:

The Alexander Technique was not superior to local heat application in treating chronic non-specific neck pain. It cannot be recommended as routine intervention at this time. Further trials are warranted for conclusive judgment.
Do lifestyle restrictions and precautions prevent dislocation after total hip arthroplasty? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature
Authors: van der Weegen Walter , Kornuijt Anke , Das Dirk
Published: April 2015

Objective:

A systematic literature review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness of lifestyle restrictions and precautions to prevent dislocation after total hip arthroplasty.

Data sources:

MEDLINE and the Cochrane Library were searched in February 2015, with additional hand searching of systematic reviews and reference lists.

Review methods:

This review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA statement for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analysis. PubMed and the Cochrane Library were searched from their start date through to February 2015. Randomized controlled trials and comparative case series in English, Dutch or German language were included. Only primary total hip arthroplasty procedures managed with different postoperative restrictions and precautions protocols were included. Primary outcome was the total hip arthroplasty dislocation rate, secondary outcomes were patient functioning, return to activities of daily living and patient satisfaction.

Results:

A total of 119 eligible articles were identified, six were included: three randomized controlled trials, one retrospective matched cohort study, one retrospective and one prospective cohort study, describing 1122 procedures (restrictions group: n = 528; no restrictions group: n = 594). Both the standard posterior and anterolateral surgical approaches were included. There were eight dislocations (1.5%) in the restricted group, vs. six dislocations (1.0%) in the unrestricted group. Patients in the unrestricted group resumed activities significantly faster and were more satisfied with their pace of recovery.

Conclusion:

A more liberal lifestyle restrictions and precautions protocol will not lead to worse dislocation rates after total hip arthroplasty, but will lead to earlier and better resumption of activities and higher patient satisfaction. These results appear to hold up for various surgical approaches.
Biological effects and mechanisms of action of mesenchymal stem cell therapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Jin Zhixian , Pan Xinghua , Zhou Kaihua , Bi Hong , Wang Liyan , Yu Lu , Wang Qing
Published: April 2015

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the most frequent chronic respiratory disease and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, worldwide. Given that the foremost risk factor leading to the development of COPD is cigarette smoke, the initial treatment for COPD is smoking cessation. Even after smoking cessation, inflammation, apoptosis and oxidative stress can persist and continue to contribute to COPD. Although current therapies for COPD (which are primarily based on anti-inflammatory drugs such as corticosteroids, theophylline and bronchodilators) reduce airway obstruction, limit COPD exacerbation and improve the patient’s health-related quality-of-life, none can prevent disease progression or reduce mortality. Recent advances in stem cell research have provided novel insight into the potential of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the treatment of several pulmonary diseases. This review article discusses the biological effects and mechanisms of action of MSC transplantation in COPD, and highlights the foundation that MSCs provide for novel therapeutic approaches in COPD.
Post-operative pain management through audio-analgesia: Investigating musical constructs
Authors: Finlay Katherine A. , Wilson John A. , Gaston Paul , Al-Dujaili Emad A. S. , Power Ian
Published: April 2015

Distraction and attention-diversion approaches are widely integrated into pain management. Music-induced analgesia, the ability of music to reduce pain perception, is a clinically-relevant approach for managing pain, anxiety and psychological well-being. Research categorizes audio-analgesic interventions as homogenous, however enquiry is required to identify which musical constructs may be therapeutically effective. This study investigated the impact of harmony and rhythm on acute, post-operative pain in a sample of 98 patients scheduled for knee surgery. Four music-listening groups were compared against controls using silent relaxation. After surgery using standardized anaesthesia, participants undertook a 15-minute intervention per day of in-patient stay. Measures of pain intensity, pain interference, salivary cortisol concentration and mood were obtained. All participants showed reductions in pain from pre- to post-test, indicating silent relaxation was as effective as music-listening. Salivary cortisol concentrations showed that music with high harmonicity/rhythmicity reduced cortisol concentration to a greater extent on Day 1 than music with low harmonicity/rhythmicity. These findings validate the homogenous use of auditory distraction for audio-analgesia, and importantly emphasize the core role of compositional musical constructs in maximizing early postoperative recovery. Results support the need for additional psychobiological research examining the efficacy of audio-analgesic attention-diversion interventions used in pain management.
The distribution of memories for popular songs in old age: An individual differences approach
Authors: Zimprich Daniel , Wolf Tabea
Published: April 2015

The purpose of the present study was threefold: We first aimed to replicate the finding that songs that were popular during people’s adolescence are remembered best. Secondly, we extended prior research by modelling individual differences in the location and the variance of individual distributions of memories for popular songs. The third aim was to introduce explanatory variables that may account for these differences. The sample for the present study comprised 90 participants aged between 58 and 86 years. Participants listened to excerpts of 31 songs that ranked in the top three of the German charts between 1954 and 1997. If participants recognized a song, they rated their preference for and the frequency of listening to the song. Participants recognized a greater amount of songs that had been popular when they were between 10 and 30 years old. Musical preferences during participants’ youth and today as well as the preferences for and the frequency of listening to the songs used in the present study accounted for individual differences in the distribution of memory for popular songs. An individual differences approach is a useful way to understand why popular songs (and probably other memories) from one’s youth are remembered better.
The pages of whiteness: theory, evidence, and the American immigration debate
Authors: McMahon Cian T.
Published: March 2015

The author traces the growth and decline of whiteness studies over the past two and a half decades, from the publication of David Roediger’s The Wages of Whiteness in the early 1990s to the present day. Although it accurately identified race as a social construct in modern society, ‘whiteness’ also employed over-simplifications that ultimately undermined its critical relevance. Nonetheless, the author demonstrates how the colourful career of ‘whiteness’ as a scholarly concept can inform contemporary debates over immigration and identity.
Using tenure to build a “sanitation cityscape”: narrowing decisions for targeted sanitation interventions
Authors: Scott Pippa , Cotton Andrew , Sohail M
Published: April 2015

Sanitation interventions routinely overlook the implications of secure tenure for investment on the part of households. Drawing upon primary field research in Dakar, this paper presents a citywide sanitation planning framework that combines existing sanitation planning approaches with householders’ investment logic as a function of their tenure security and status. The resulting framework, the Sanitation Cityscape, maps what is happening to faecal material on a citywide scale and why, thus providing a snapshot of the sanitation status of the city and a rationale for targeted interventions along the sanitation service chain. The paper offers an approach for policymakers and practitioners to narrow the decision-making process for citywide sanitation service provision. It aims to target urban sanitation interventions that are appropriate to the urban tenure mix, including non-networked systems, and a greater emphasis on widening the scope of sanitation service provision to include tenure-neutral operational activities, such as faecal sludge management.
Does literacy improve finance?
Authors: Poon Martha , Olen Helaine
Published: April 2015

When economists ask questions about basic financial principles, most ordinary people answer incorrectly. Economic experts call this condition “financial illiteracy,” which suggests that poor financial outcomes are due to a personal deficit of reading-related skills. The analogy to reading is compelling because it suggests that we can teach our way out of population-wide financial failure. In this comment, we explain why the idea of literacy appeals to policy makers in the advanced industrial nations. But we also show that the narrow skill set laid out by economists does not satisfy the politically inclusive definition of literacy that literacy studies fought for. We identify several channels through which people engage with ideas about finance and demonstrate that not all forms of literacy will lead people to the educational content prescribed by academic economists. We argue that truly financial literate people can defy the demands of financial theory and financial institutions.
Narrative in young children's digital art-making
Authors: Sakr Mona , Connelly Vince , Wild Mary
Published: April 2015

Digital technologies have material and social properties that have the potential to create new opportunities for children's expressive arts practices. The presence and development of oral narratives in young children's visual art-making on paper has been noted in previous research, but little is known about the narratives children create when they engage in digital art-making. How do young children construct narratives during digital art-making? How do the features of these narratives relate to the social and material properties of the digital resources they are using? How can looking at these narratives inform and enrich our understanding of children's art-making in general? Drawing on a social semiotic perspective, these questions are explored through an in-depth analysis of narrative in three examples of four- to five-year-olds' digital art-making. On the basis of the analysis, features of oral narrative in young children's digital art-making are suggested and these are linked to the potentially influential properties of digital resources. Being aware of these features and properties offers a starting point for thinking about what digital resources can offer in the context of young children's art-making. The findings also prompt us to be aware of the diverse potentials that exist in children's art-making practices regardless of the resources being used.
Experimental validation of a drive-by stiffness identification method for bridge monitoring
Authors: McGetrick Patrick J , Kim Chul-Woo , González Arturo , Brien Eugene J O
Published: April 2015

An experimental investigation is carried out to verify the feasibility of using an instrumented vehicle to detect and monitor bridge dynamic parameters. The low-cost method consists of the use of a moving vehicle fitted with accelerometers on its axles. In the laboratory experiment, the vehicle–bridge interaction model consists of a scaled two-axle vehicle model crossing a simply supported steel beam. The bridge model also includes a scaled road surface profile. The effects of varying the vehicle model configuration and speed are investigated. A finite element beam model is calibrated using the experimental results, and a novel algorithm for the identification of global bridge stiffness is validated. Using measured vehicle accelerations as input to the algorithm, the beam stiffness is identified with a reasonable degree of accuracy.
Precariat, education and technologies: Towards a global class identity
Authors: Standing Guy , Jandrić Petar
Published: April 2015

In this interview Guy Standing outlines the main links between the precariat and the universal basic income. He briefly comments on the relationships of his work to traditional Marxism, and expands his critique of the precariat towards information and communication technologies. He identifies common features of the global precariat, and links them to creation of a common global class identity. Moving on to transformative potentials of the universal basic income, he dismisses ancient labels and frameworks as unnecessary and potentially misleading, and calls for reinvention of the contemporary language of progress. Finally, he seeks critical emancipation of the precariat in urgent decommodification of all aspects of education and information.
Optimal planning approaches with multiple impulses for rendezvous based on hybrid genetic algorithm and control method
Authors: Zhang JingRui , Zhao ShuGe , Zhang Yao , Li Ying
Published: April 2015

In this article, we focus on safe and effective completion of a rendezvous and docking task by looking at planning approaches and control with fuel-optimal rendezvous for a target spacecraft running on a near-circular reference orbit. A variety of existent practical path constraints are considered, including the constraints of field of view, impulses, and passive safety. A rendezvous approach is calculated by using a hybrid genetic algorithm with those constraints. Furthermore, a control method of trajectory tracking is adopted to overcome the external disturbances. Based on Clohessy–Wiltshire equations, we first construct the mathematical model of optimal planning approaches of multiple impulses with path constraints. Second, we introduce the principle of hybrid genetic algorithm with both stronger global searching ability and local searching ability. We additionally explain the application of this algorithm in the problem of trajectory planning. Then, we give three-impulse simulation examples to acquire an optimal rendezvous trajectory with the path constraints presented in this article. The effectiveness and applicability of the tracking control method are verified with the optimal trajectory above as control objective through the numerical simulation.
The treatment of moving problem for constant-frequency double-rotor generator in finite element analysis
Authors: Jiang Yongjiang , Zhang Jianzhong , Cheng Ming
Published: April 2015

The constant-frequency double-rotor generator has the potential to be used in the marine energy conversions, such as tides and marine current power generation system due to the advantages. However, there are two different rotational speed movement boundaries in the constant-frequency double-rotor generator, especially the inner moving part boundary between the inner wound rotor and outer permanent magnet rotor. This complicates the finite element analysis and greatly increases the analysis time. In this article, a new finite element analysis method based on double boundaries interpolation multiple reference frame is proposed. The principle of the interpolation multiple reference frame method is introduced, and the analysis and comparison with the traditional method are carried out. The analysis results show that the interpolation multiple reference frame method simplifies the preprocessing procedure, reduces computation time, ensures high calculation accuracy, and has the potential to be applied in all kinds of multiple mechanical port machines.
The Seductions of Crimesploitation: The Apprehension of Sex Offenders on Primetime Television
Authors: LaChance Daniel , Kaplan Paul
Published: April 2015

Reality television in the United States has often been understood to reinforce the punitive and neoliberal turns American political culture took in the late twentieth century. But in this article, we examine how it can work to unsettle as well as naturalize punitive and neoliberal ideologies. We do so via a case study of To Catch a Predator, a reality-based television program documenting the detection, legal apprehension, and extralegal punishment of adults seeking sex with teenagers. Both the appeal of the show and its susceptibility to the backlash that ultimately shut down its production, we argue, lay in a tacit invitation to viewers to imagine themselves as predators as well as parents or prosecutors.
Dental erosions and other extra‐oesophageal symptoms of gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease: Evidence, treatment response and areas of uncertainty
Authors: Pauwels Ans
Published: March 2015

Extra‐oesophageal symptoms of gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) are often studied, but remain a subject of debate. It has been clearly shown that there is a relationship between the extra‐oesophageal symptoms chronic cough, asthma, laryngitis and dental erosion and GORD. Literature is abundant concerning reflux‐related cough and reflux‐related asthma, but much less is known about reflux‐related dental erosions. The prevalence of dental erosion in GORD and vice versa, the prevalence of GORD in patients with dental erosion is high but the exact mechanism of reflux‐induced tooth wear erosion is still under review.
Uses of 2-hydroxypropyl-3-piperazinyl-quinoline carboxylic acid methacrylate and Terbutryn as algaecides in low-density polyethylene mulching films for agricultural applications
Authors: Gitchaiwat Atthapong , Likhitlert Somthida , Kositchaiyong Apisit , Israngkura Khokhwan , Taptim Kulnida , Sombatsompop Narongrit
Published: April 2015

The aim of this work concerned the performances and limitations of uses of two commercial biocides, namely 2-hydroxypropyl-3-piperazinyl-quinoline carboxylic acid methacrylate and N2- tert-butyl- N4-ethyl-6-methylthio-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine (Terbutryn), in low-density polyethylene mulching film for agricultural application. The effects of type and algaecide concentration as well as aging deterioration of low-density polyethylene film surfaces were studied in relation to the mechanical, physical, and antialgal properties of the low-density polyethylene films. For antialgal evaluation, disk diffusion test and chlorophyll- a measurement technique were carried out on Chlorella vulgaris, a single-cell green algae, and Phormidium angustissimum, a blue-green algae. The results suggested that adding 2-hydroxypropyl-3-piperazinyl-quinoline carboxylic acid methacrylate or Terbutryn tended to slightly increase the lightness value (L*) of specimens, but did not affect the film mechanical properties. The disk diffusion test indicated that only Terbutryn at 600–1000 ppm resulted in clear zone development against C. vulgaris for low-density polyethylene film specimens. Regarding the quantitative study by chlorophyll- a measurement technique, the antialgal activities of low-density polyethylene films gradually improved with increasing algaecide concentrations. Terbutryn appeared to show more effective antialgal efficacy than 2-hydroxypropyl-3-piperazinyl-quinoline carboxylic acid methacrylate. Under aging deterioration, Terbutryn-low-density polyethylene films showed less degradation of mechanical properties than neat low-density polyethylene films. However, the antialgal activity of Terbutryn-low-density polyethylene films at various algaecide concentrations was reduced under both accelerated UV weathering and natural outdoor exposure.
Urban Networks and Arctic Outlands: Craft Specialists and Reindeer Antler in Viking Towns
Authors: Ashby Steven P. , Coutu Ashley N. , Sindbæk Søren M.
Published: April 2015

This paper presents the results of the use of a minimally destructive biomolecular technique to explore the resource networks behind one of the first specialized urban crafts in early mediaeval northern Europe: the manufacture of composite combs of deer antler. The research incorporates the largest application of species identification by peptide mass fingerprinting (ZooMS) to a mediaeval artefact assemblage: specifically to collections of antler combs, comb manufacturing waste, and raw antler from Ribe, Aarhus, and Aggersborg. It documents the early use of reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) antler, from the 780s AD at the latest, presenting the earliest unambiguous evidence for exchange-links between urban markets in the southern North Sea region and the Scandinavian Peninsula. The results demonstrate that the common conceptual distinction between urban hinterlands and long-distance trade conceals a vital continuity. Long-range networks were vital to urban activities from the first appearance of towns in this part of the world, preceding the historically documented maritime expansion of the Viking Age. We consequently suggest that urbanism is more appropriately defined and researched in terms of network dynamics than as a function of circumscribed catchment areas or hinterlands.
Two-step diffusion treatment of aluminium-coated TiAl-based alloy
Authors: Sasaki T. , Yagi T.
Published: April 2015

Aluminising of thermal sprayed TiAl-based alloys (49.1 at-% Al) was conducted by a two-step diffusion treatment at 700°C and 1100°C. The coating morphology is strongly dependent on the diffusion temperature; a poreless and thicker TiAl3 layer is obtained at a temperature of 700°C, while the intermediate layer predominantly grows at a temperature of 1100°C. In addition, the second diffusion treatment at 1100°C can also decrease the overall pore volume in the TiAl3 layer. In a cyclic oxidation test at 900°C in the air, TiO2 scale predominantly grows in pores and cracks that occur in the coating, and this promotes the oxidation. It is demonstrated that the two-step diffusion treatment improves the oxidation resistance of aluminide coating on TiAl-based alloys because of the formation of poreless TiAl3 and the crack suppression by the intermediate layer.
Of Wholes and Parts: A Thomistic Refutation of “Brain Death”
Authors: Accad Michel
Published: April 2015

I propose a refutation of the two major arguments that support the concept of “brain death” as an ontological equivalent to death of the human organism. I begin with a critique of the notion that a body part, such as the brain, could act as “integrator” of a whole body. I then proceed with a rebuttal of the argument that destruction of a body part essential for rational operations—such as the brain—necessarily entails that the remaining whole is indisposed to accrue a rational soul. Next, I point to the equivocal use of the terms “alive” or “living” as being at the root of conceptual errors about brain death. I appeal to the Thomistic definition of life and to the hylomorphic concept of “virtual presence” to clarify this confusion. Finally, I show how the Thomistic definition of life supports the traditional criterion for the determination of death.

Lay summary

By the mid-1960s, medical technology became available that could keep “alive” the bodies of patients who had sustained complete and irreversible brain injury. The concept of “brain death” emerged to describe such states. Physicians, philosophers, and ethicists then proposed that the state of brain death is equivalent to the state of death traditionally identified by the absence of spontaneous pulse and respiration. This article challenges the major philosophical arguments that have been advanced to draw this equivalence.