bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Globalization – economic issues
Authors: Harach Monika Elżbieta
Published: August 2015

Globalization has brought new challenges and changes, in terms of both new risk and new opportunities. It is one of the key drivers of economic and environmental change. The impact can be both positive and negative. This paper explains the impact of globalization and the fundamental issues and current controversies related to globalization (trade, investment, the IMF and the World Bank, technology, media, culture, education, development, migration, health, the role of women, human rights). Introduces the impact on economics, culture, communication, work productivity, ect. This paper explains also the role of multinational enterprises, because they are key vectors of globalization and they have become key actors in the globalization process. Globalization contributes to accelerated economic growth, particularly through increased trade and investment activity and stimulates economic development by integrating emerging economies into the global economy. Advances in communication and transportation technology, combined with free-market ideology, have given goods, services, and capital unprecedented mobility and it is one of the reason globalization. This paper analyzes economic issues globalization, and examines how it might be resisted or regulated in order to promote sustainable development.
Monetary policy rule for Poland – results for various specifactions
Authors: Baranowski Paweł
Published: August 2015

The aim of the paper is to analyse monetary policy rules for Poland. We estimate models based on the proposition of Taylor (1993), augmented with interest rate smoothing. We deal with the case of instantaneous as well as forward-looking relationship between interest rate and inflation. In the latter case, the proposition of data-rich reaction function (Bernanke and Boivin, 2003) was also considered. The evidence show that Polish monetary authority reaction to inflation is strong, contrary to the output gap. In addition, we found strong interest smoothing, which implies time-distributed response of the interest rate.
The impact of public debt on the long-term interest rates in the euro area member countries during 2003-2010
Authors: Misztal Piotr
Published: August 2015

The main aim of the article is to analyze the relationship between public debt and the real, long-term interest rates in the euro area member countries during 2003-2010. The first part dealt with theoretical analysis and the most important results of empirical studies concerning the relationship between public debt and the real, long-term interest rates. In the next part of article, there were examined the relationships between public debt and the real, long-term interest rates in the euro area countries by using the Vector Autoregression Model (VAR). There were estimated elasticity coefficients of the real, long-term interest rates to public debt and measured the impact strength of public debt to changes in the real, long-term interest rate in the euro area member countries using the impulse response function. This was followed by decomposition of the real, long-term interest rate to estimate the impact of public debt and the real, long-term interest rate changes on the volatility of the real, long-term interest rate in the euro area member countries.
Differences in flexibility of labour markets in OECD countries – the topsis method
Authors: Ertman Agnieszka
Published: August 2015

Flexible labour market can be defined as the market with capability to adapt to changing economic conditions so as to keep high employment rate, unemployment and inflation low and ensure continued growth in real incomes. Labour market flexibility has a significant influence on employment level in the economy. Some economists believe that higher level of protection in the labour market is accompanied with lower employment rates in the economy. Low labour market flexibility is a contemporary problem of many economies. Lack of flexibility in this market is often associated with regulation of labour market in such areas as social insurance, minimum wage, legislation relating to employment protection and the strength of trade unions. EPL index (Employment Protection Level) is a basic measure indicating degree of labour market regulation. The index was created by the OECD experts and is used for international comparisons. The article aims to examine a degree of labour markets flexibility in OECD countries and identify position of Poland compared to other OECD members. TOPSIS method (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution) is applied to achieve the goal. This method consists in creating synthetic index and calculates the distance of each object between the ideal solution and negative ideal solution, and then linear ordering of researched objects. Synthetic indicator of labour market flexibility was calculated using 11 variables, among which institutional variables such as restrictiveness of employment protection, tax wedge, trade union density or percentage of part time workers in total employment dominated. Synthetic index also covers variables describing labour market performance e.g. employment rate of young and older workers or long term unemployment rate as they indicate a speed of labour market’s responsiveness on external changes.
The property market in Poland as an area of investment activity of foreigners
Authors: Sobol Dorota
Published: August 2015

The aim of this paper is to identify and evaluate the activities of foreign entities in the Polish real estate market. The first part discusses the procedure and the legal requirements placed on foreigners, In turn, the second part presented the scale and structure of civil law real estate transactions involving foreigners. The author used the data from the annual reports on the realization of the act of 24 March 1920 on real estate acquisition by foreigners prepared by the Ministry of Interior and Administration. The subject of the analysis were the such indices as: the number of permits and total area of the acquired property (including: property type, investor's country of origin and their legal status) in the years 2004-2009. There is also shown the share of foreigners in the sale of real estate transactions in Poland in the years 2006-2008.
An Analytical Framework for Value Co-Production in Services
Authors: Karmarkar Uday S. , Roels Guillaume
Published: August 2015

Although services are often defined as co-productive of value, the concept of value is often difficult to measure. Yet measuring value is not necessarily a prerequisite for service process improvement. In this paper, we propose a general framework for the modeling and analysis of services with co-production. The framework identifies three major process stages: (i) the production stage, which involves co-production, (ii) the output sharing stage, and (iii) the consumption stage. Value realization and distribution depends on all three stages. Using our framework, we argue that process improvement efforts may often shift away from value measurement to focus on more actionable levers such as the co-production process, the rules of operation, and sharing rules. Furthermore, we use our framework to discuss a broader perspective on value measurement, the application of the gap quality model to co-productive process management, the distinction between products and services, and the impact of information and communication technologies on service processes.
Assessing the Value of Process Improvement by Means of Service Imperfections and Value-Leaks: The Case of a Large Scale Municipality Contact Center
Authors: Dedene Guido , Warnar Rick , Mercado Cecilia , Peters Edward , Viaene Stijn
Published: August 2015

In this paper a particular approach to value-assessment for information and communication technology (ICT)-based services is explored. The core of the paper is a large-scale case study that provides evidence of how proposed value mechanisms work in practice.

The mechanisms that are described in this paper are grounded in bringing together different views on the definition of a service, in particular when dealing with administrative processes. The notion of a value-leak is introduced, as an indicator that points to services where the erosion of value can be reduced or stopped. Value-leaks go beyond process deficiencies, and in the case study it becomes clear how efficiency considerations, emotions, effectiveness, caring, hospitality, and so on play an important role in value-leaks.

A key research question is the detection of potential value-leaks in services. In this paper, service science for ICT-based services follows the rigor of information science by introducing the notion of service imperfections. Next, two research propositions are put forward, expressing the relation between value-leaks and imperfections on the one hand, and value-leaks and non-normal form process models on the other hand.

The case study provides a concrete project in the social ecosystem of a large-scale municipality. What emerged initially as a simple cost-cutting exercise resulted at the end in a redesigned customer contact handling process, whereby both the customers and the employees were satisfied, and realizing also the cost reductions in a creative way by investigating the value-leaks.
Approaches to managing chronic constipation in older people within the community setting
Authors: Bardsley Alison
Published: August 2015

Constipation is a common presenting problem within the community setting, but its treatment is often unsatisfactory. It is important for nurses to remember that constipation is a symptom and not a disease. For older adults, constipation can have a gradual onset over a number of years, with many people ‘self-medicating’ with over-the-counter laxatives and herbal products, which then result in the need for daily laxatives. This article will consider best practice for the assessment, treatment, and prevention of constipation in adults within the community.
Evaluation of a foam dressing for acute and chronic wound exudate management
Authors: Bullough Lindsay , Johnson Sue , Forder Rebecca
Published: August 2015

This article discusses the use of a foam dressing for exudate management in both chronic and acute wounds, such as surgical wounds, pressure ulcers, diabetic ulcers, trauma wounds, and leg ulcers. The primary objective of the study was to observe patients' wound progression in terms of wound size and the condition of the wound bed, when using this foam dressing as either a primary or secondary dressing. The outcome of the evaluation demonstrated that ActivHeal Foam Contact dressing effectively managed exudate. It was also observed that the dressing can assist in autolysis and support improvements in peri-wound status. Choosing an appropriate dressing to manage a wound is essential. Clinicians working in the NHS are under pressure to deliver good-quality clinical outcomes, and the ActivHeal Foam Contact dressing supports this outcome.
Improving clinical outcomes and patient experience through the use of desloughing
Authors: Grothier Lorraine
Published: August 2015

This article focuses on and aims to clarify the role of desloughing as a priority in modern-day wound care. Ambiguity around identification and slough removal has long been a clinical challenge. Effective removal of slough involves the elimination of dead and devitalised tissue as quickly and safely as possible, to enable the wound to return to a healthy state that supports healing. Desloughing is usually associated with typically conservative techniques compared with those used to debride necrotic tissue. More specific and timely targeted action to recognise and remove slough safely will significantly improve the clinical outcomes for patients as well as influence the effective use of scarce resources. The illustrative format of this article will facilitate how clinicians can become familiar with the different types of slough and the appropriate removal techniques.
Yellow fever: Understanding vaccinations
Authors: Gawthrop Mary
Published: August 2015

Yellow fever is a potentially fatal virus with no specific treatment. As Mary Gawthrop explains, vaccination is a safe and affordable prevention strategy
Managing infertility in primary care
Authors: Allan Helen , Mounce Ginny
Published: August 2015

Couples may be reluctant to disclose they are experiencing infertility. Helen Allan and Ginny Mounce provide a discussion on the anxiety couples experience and how to care for these patients
On-Site Energy Consumption at Softwood Sawmills in Montana
Authors: Loeffler Dan , Anderson Nathaniel , Morgan Todd A. , Sorenson Colin B.
Published: August 2015

Total on-site energy requirements for wood product manufacturing are generally not well understood or publicly available, particularly at subregional scales, such as the state level. This article uses a mail survey of softwood sawmills in Montana to develop a profile of all on-site energy consumption. Energy use is delineated by fuel type on a production basis for both renewable and nonrenewable sources for production year 2009. Survey respondents represented 92 percent of total Montana softwood lumber production of 449 million board feet, which is 4 percent of western US production and 2 percent of national production. Total annual on-site sawmill energy required was 1.6 trillion British thermal units. Seventy-seven percent was derived from wood and bark, primarily for process heat and steam for lumber drying; 16 percent was from electricity; 5 percent was from diesel used for on-site rolling stock; and the remainder was from gasoline, propane, and natural gas. Energy produced from renewable sources accounted for 86 percent of total on-site energy consumption. In addition to providing an energy profile of Montana sawmills for policymakers, aggregated results may be useful to individual firms in characterizing their energy requirements relative to the state average and in identifying potential opportunities for bioenergy expansion.
Does a Measure of Support Needs Predict Funding Need Better Than a Measure of Adaptive and Maladaptive Behavior?
Authors: Arnold Samuel R. C. , Riches Vivienne C. , Stancliffe Roger J.
Published: August 2015

Internationally, various approaches are used for the allocation of individualized funding. When using a databased approach, a key question is the predictive validity of adaptive behavior versus support needs assessment. This article reports on a subset of data from a larger project that allowed for a comparison of support needs and adaptive behavior assessments when predicting person-centered funding allocation. The first phase of the project involved a trial of the Inventory for Client and Agency Planning (ICAP) adaptive behavior and Instrument for the Classification and Assessment of Support Needs (I-CAN)–Brief Research version support needs assessments. Participants were in receipt of an individual support package allocated using a person-centered planning process, and were stable in their support arrangements. Regression analysis showed that the most useful items in predicting funding allocation came from the I-CAN–Brief Research. No additional variance could be explained by adding the ICAP, or using the ICAP alone. A further unique approach of including only items from the I-CAN–Brief Research marked as funded supports showed high predictive validity. It appears support need is more effective at determining resource need than adaptive behavior.
Family Quality of Life During the Transition to Adulthood for Individuals With Intellectual Disability and/or Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Boehm Thomas L. , Carter Erik W. , Taylor Julie Lounds
Published: August 2015

Recognizing the prominent role of parents in supporting their children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), improving quality of life for these families is an essential endeavor. While much attention has focused on the experiences of families with younger children with IDD, little is known about the family quality of life (FQOL) among families with transition-age youth and young adults. We examined the FQOL ratings of 425 parents with a child between 13–21 years of age with intellectual disability or autism to understand FQOL and the factors that may shape it. Overall satisfaction with FQOL was somewhat high for this sample, with some variability across domains. Higher FQOL ratings were predicted by lower frequency of challenging behaviors, lower support needs, and higher strength of parental religious faith. We present recommendations for research and practice focused on promoting quality of life during the transition period.
Do Children With Fragile X Syndrome Show Declines or Plateaus in Adaptive Behavior?
Authors: Hahn Laura J. , Brady Nancy C. , Warren Steven F. , Fleming Kandace K.
Published: August 2015

This study explores if children with fragile X syndrome (FXS) show advances, declines, or plateaus in adaptive behavior over time and the relationship of nonverbal cognitive abilities and autistic behavior on these trajectories. Parents of 55 children with FXS completed the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (Sparrow, Balla, & Cicchetti, 1984; Sparrow, Cicchetti, & Balla, 2005) between 3 and 6 times from 2 to 10 years of age. Using raw scores, results indicate that about half of the sample showed advances in adaptive behavior, whereas the other half showed declines, indicating a regression in skills. Children who were more cognitively advanced and had less autistic behaviors had higher trajectories. Understanding the developmental course of adaptive behavior in FXS has implications for educational planning and intervention, especially for those children showing declines.
Stigma in the Area of Intellectual Disabilities: Examining a Conceptual Model of Public Stigma
Authors: Werner Shirli
Published: August 2015

Studies in the area of intellectual disability (ID) stigma are few and atheoretical. This study examined the adequacy of the conceptual framework of stigma from the mental illness field regarding ID. Telephone interviews were conducted with a nationally representative sample of 304 adults in Israel. Participants were read a vignette describing a man with ID and answered items related to cognitive, emotional, and behavioral reactions. Behavioral dimensions included: Withdrawal, Social distance, and Helping behaviors. The stigma process leading to Withdrawal was drawn through Negative affect, whereas the process to Social distance was drawn through Calm affect. One unique aspect of the stigma process in ID is the importance of Calm affect, which helped reduce Social distance.
Innovation is in the eyes of the beholder: The case of the ageing consumers
Authors: Spinelli Gabriella
Published: August 2015

This research considers innovation from the user point of view in order to enhance the design and commercialization of technology-based products. Previous studies predominantly analyse innovation as a function of technology advantage; that is how new competitors who have advanced research and development (R&D) can challenge the incumbents’ position. However little is understood about the potentially ambiguous position that technology-based products may have on the market due to the diverse perception that different market segments may hold of such products. Consequently innovations studies are limited in overlooking innovation as a function of users’/consumers’ perception. The findings of this research reveal that innovation may be disruptive and evolutionary at the same time for different consumer groups. Consumers’ perception of technology products can influence their decisionmaking pre-purchase as well as their level of adoption. Analogical learning, or the inability to apply it, is in part responsible for the choices that consumers make when considering whether to purchase, use and discard technological products. Exposure and familiarity with the product category are also factors that influence consumers’ perception, especially among the ageing segment of the population. The ambiguity of products’ perception represents an unusual puzzle for businesses that are now required to alter design features and marketing communication strategies to appeal to different consumers despite the fact that the product is inherently the same from a business point of view.
Design as a competitive advantage in start-up fundraising
Authors: Klenner Nico Florian , Hartz-olsson Lasse , Capron Brett
Published: August 2015

This study examines how design can be employed to create a competitive advantage for start-ups in seeking external funding.

Access to funding is a crucial factor for start-ups when it comes to building, developing and growing their business. A better understanding of the criteria sought by investors or financiers can aid entrepreneurs in obtaining funding. The current literature on fundraising overlooks the role that design plays in start-ups’ fundraising activities.

A multiple case study analysis shows a number of ways that start-ups might benefit from a design-led approach to fundraising. The study is based on interviews with Danish institutional and private investors, designers, design institutions, governmental organizations and key decision makers in design-led start-ups.

The researchers identify the main opportunities and challenges for designled start-ups in the fundraising process and demonstrate how taking a design-led approach towards fundraising might confer a competitive advantage for start-ups that are looking to obtain external funding.

The study shows how this competitive advantage might be realized and proposes a model that explains how the fundraising process leading to the investment decision might be influenced by design. This newly proposed model was then tested in a small study of Australian-based entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs, looking for validation, similarities and anomalies between the Danish and Australian start-up cultures.
As Performance: Ethical and aesthetic considerations for therapeutic theatre
Authors: Hodermarska Maria , Landy Robert , Dintino Cecilia , Mowers Dave , Sajnani Nisha
Published: August 2015

This article presents observations and questions arising from an ongoing investigation into therapeutic theatre. Faculty involved in the training of NYU drama therapy students discuss selected productions presented as part of the As Performance series at NYU between 2011 and 2014. In
so doing, critical questions are raised such as: how does performance transform the therapeutic encounter? How does performance contribute to healing? What are the aesthetic and ethical considerations that attend this genre? How does therapeutic theatre function as research that can reveal
and simultaneously respond to human suffering? How does the experience of therapeutic theatre differ for key players involved: clients, drama therapists, drama therapy students and audiences? Our preliminary observations indicate that therapeutic theatre can be contextualized as a restaging
of the drama between client and therapist, that playmaking is a primary process, and that there are benefits and challenges that proceed from working within a deeply intersubjective space. Aesthetic and ethical considerations are paramount in the therapeutic theatre process and require ongoing
examination and study.
Advancing a dramaturgical theory of group process
Authors: Haen Craig
Published: August 2015

This article discusses the application of dramaturgical analysis to understanding process in psychotherapy groups. The author outlines how concepts drawn from the theatre can be used to capture the flow of group process, the roles members take in relationship to one another and the
qualities of effective groups. The article suggests how research contributes to building and testing clinical theory, and how a dramaturgical theory of group process may serve both researchers and clinicians.
Musical theatre writer training in Britain: Contexts, developments and opportunities
Authors: Lundskaer-Nielsen Miranda
Published: August 2015

While the global explosion of commercial West End hits in the 1980s and 1990s has seen a surge in performer training outside the United States, the same is not true for aspiring writers. However, the past decade or so has seen the beginnings of a new infrastructure in the United Kingdom, not least due to the 2010 Arts Council funding designed to nurture partnerships and connections between writers, theatres and producers that have started to change this situation. This article investigates the training opportunities for writers based in the United Kingdom as a case study for possible approaches to nurturing musical theatre writers outside the United States. To this end, the article explores four key aspects of musical theatre writer development – the available literature, professional mentorship, industry training and development opportunities, and formal higher education courses – to identify current opportunities and assess ways in which industry leaders and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) might build on these to create a more robust and sustained infrastructure that can nurture a diverse range of high-quality new musical theatre.
Suspended liminality: breastfeeding and becoming a mother in two NICUs
Authors: Shattnawi Khulood Kayed
Published: August 2015

Objectives: This paper presents the results of an ethnographic study of breastfeeding and mothersâ€™ experiences within two neonatal intensive care units (NICU).Methods: The data collection involved 135 hours of participant observation over a 6-month period and semi-structured interviews of 17 mothers.Results: Data analysis showed that the mothers faced many obstacles that prohibited them from practicing breastfeeding within the NICUs, which impacted on their experiences as mothers. Their experiences were revealed as a developing process as their feeling changed from fearful and terrifying toward becoming and feeling like a â€˜realâ€™ mother. Four distinct themes emerged; the first highlighted the crisis, which involved the mother's feelings of emotional instability, their strategies for coping such as not visiting the baby, and recognition of the NICU as a stressful environment. The second theme described issues relating to control and power. This involved the perception of having a lack of control and needing to seek permission, the use of language as a mechanism for control, and mothers being placed in a subordinate role. The third theme related to the separation, which included difficulties of acceptance, feeling like stranger and not being important, and the need for physical closeness. The final theme, becoming a mother, included issues such as the special moments, breastfeeding as a turning point, and practical and informational needs.Conclusions: A finding suggests that mothers, who deliver prematurely, may have their rite of passage into motherhood interrupted, resulting in them being placed in a position of suspended liminality.
La insubsistencia administrativa discrecional en Colombia: una mirada desde el principiode proporcionalidad
Authors: Vergara Mesa Hernán Darío
Published: August 2015

En este artículo se hace aplicación de la metodología que propone el principio de proporcionalidad en los eventos de ejercicio de facultades discrecionales por parte de la Administración pública en los cuales se afecta el derecho a la estabilidad laboral de los empleados públicos de libre nombramiento y remoción. El análisis es concluyente respecto a la necesidad de relativizar el paradigma del interés general, así como también la presunción de legalidad de los actos de administrativos, pues su reconocimiento casi absoluto por la jurisprudencia se ha constituido en el principal obstáculo para que los jueces apliquen en la función pública las garantías mínimas del trabajo que consagra la Carta Política vigente
Anotación de los contratos de licenciade propiedad industrial y sus efectosjurídicos en Cuba
Authors: Morán Martínez Liudmila
Published: August 2015

Este artículo presenta la oponibilidad de los contratos de licencias de marcas y patente, con los beneficios que garantiza la publicidad de este tipo de actos realizados por las partes. Se abordan los diferentes sistemas jurídicos que tratan la oponibilidad de estos contratos, estableciendo como clasificación los sistemas obligatorios y facultativos según el carácter de la anotación de los contratos de licencias. Asimismo, se analizan los principales efectos jurídicos, con especial énfasis en el contexto cubano.
New Wars, New Challenges: RethinkingStrategic Advantages of Air Supremacyin Modern Warfare
Authors: Melamed Visbal Janiel David
Published: August 2015

The objective of the following article is to conduct an analysis of air power and its role in modern warfare. Air power has been used in the last century as an important military tool, due to its strategic advantages. These advantages reflected a military supremacy in traditional wars between states, evidenced in the international system. The new century has highlighted the existence of a new form of struggle with different characteristics than traditional warfare, as these new confrontations face new threats which deviate from conventional warfare. Amidst these struggles, irregular warfare techniques are employed as asymmetric means to fight, questioning the military advantage provided by air power
Existence and soap film regularity of solutions to Plateau’s problem
Authors: Harrison Jenny , Pugh Harrison
Published: August 2015

Plateau’s problem is to find a surface with minimal area spanning a given boundary. Our paper presents a theorem for codimension one surfaces in ${\mathbb{R}^{n}}$ in which the usual homological definition of span is replaced with a novel algebraic-topological notion. In particular, our new definition offers a significant improvement over existing homological definitions in the case that the boundary has multiple connected components. Let M be a connected, oriented compact manifold of dimension ${n-2}$ and ${\mathfrak{S}}$ the collection of compact sets spanning M. Using Hausdorff spherical measure as a notion of “size,” we prove:
There exists an ${X_{0}}$ in ${\mathfrak{S}}$ with smallest size. Any such ${X_{0}}$ contains a “core” ${X_{0}^{*}\in\mathfrak{S}}$ with the following properties: It is a subset of the convex hull of M and is a.e. (in the sense of ${(n-1)}$-dimensional Hausdorff measure) a real analytic ${(n-1)}$-dimensional minimal submanifold. If ${n=3}$, then ${X_{0}^{*}}$ has the local structure of a soap film. Furthermore, set theoretic solutions are elevated to current solutions in a space with a rich continuous operator algebra.
Tractors, Power Lines, and the Welfare State: The Contradictions of Soviet Development in Post-World War II Tajikistan
Authors: Kalinovsky Artemy M.
Published: August 2015

This article considers the Soviet campaign to transform the Tajik countryside by mechanizing agricultural production and bringing the welfare state to the villages in light of broader 20th century rural development efforts. It begins by examining the attempt to mechanize agriculture and electrify the Tajik countryside through the eyes of the officials charged with implementing these technologies. Problems with how these technologies were introduced meant that while cotton output expanded, it required increasing amount of labor. Turning to the problem of resettlement, the article emphasizes that resettlement was shaped by competition for labor between districts and farm managers. Increasingly, in the Brezhnev era, it also came to be seen as an easier way to fulfill the modernizing imperative and the commitments of the welfare state. Under pressure to ensure access to schools and medical services, officials found it more convenient to move villages from mountain areas to valleys where such services could be more easily provided. At the same time, the demand for agricultural labor stimulated a kind of “involution” in the countryside, where managers had to find ways to keep labor on the farm. To do so, they could offer cash rewards, building materials, and access to private land and fertilizer.
Qadimism and Jadidism in Twentieth-Century Daghestan
Authors: Kemper Michael , Shikhaliev Shamil
Published: August 2015

This article analyzes the interplay of Jadidism and “Qadimism” in the North Caucasus region of Daghestan, through the twentieth century, with a focus on educational methods for teaching Arabic and Islam. In the multi-ethnic context of Daghestan the issue of pedagogy was important not only for teaching the vernaculars but also for the transmission of Arabic, which retained its importance as a lingua franca of Daghestani scholars and intellectuals well into the Soviet period. We argue that all through the Soviet era, “Qadimism” (as the traditional teaching system) continued to be practiced in Daghestan alongside Jadid approaches, and both are still employed in the new Islamic schools that emerged in the early 1990s. Innovative aspects of this paper are: (1) it brings Daghestan into the debate about Jadidism, which has so far centered on the Volga-Urals and Central Asia; (2) it examines Jadidism in constant interaction with its competitor “Qadimism”, not as its antipode; and (3) it uses a longitudinal approach that covers the whole of the twentieth century, all historical breaks notwithstanding. Finally, this paper explores new methodologies by using the personal educational experience of one of its co-authors, who went through the mixed “Qadim”/Jadid/Soviet system in the 1980s and early 1990s. Our observations challenge the widespread assumption that Jadidism was overall an undoubted success story, and that “Qadimism” as a method was, after the establishment of Soviet power and even more so after its dissolution, bound to disappear.
Mismatches in verb complements: A corpus-based study of the complement coercion operation in Chinese
Authors: Hsu Chan-Chia , Hsieh Shu-Kai
Published: August 2015

While much attention has been paid to the complement coercion operation in English (e.g.,
Synthesis and characterization of temperature-sensitive hydrogels
Authors: Hu Xiangming , Cheng Weimin , Shao Zhenlu , Xin Lin
Published: August 2015

A series of fire-resistant, temperature-sensitive hydrogels were synthesized via free radical polymerization using N-isopropylacrylamide as a temperature-sensitive monomer, N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide as a cross-linker, ammonium persulfate (APS) as an initiator, and other raw materials including acrylic acid, 2-acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid (AMPS), and attapulgite clay (APT). The structures and properties of superabsorbent hydrogels were studied using different analytical tools such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)/differential scanning calorimetry. The effects of the monomer, cross-linker, and other reactants (AMPS and APT) on the water absorption ability of the hydrogels were analyzed; moreover, the effect of valence of metal ions was also examined. SEM images revealed the surface of the hydrogels as uneven and corrugated. The surface toughness increased with increasing APT. The addition of APT and AMPS increased the thermal resistance of the hydrogels but decreased the temperature sensitivity. Furthermore, the swelling ratio of the hydrogels decreased with the increase in salt solution concentration and valency of metal cation present in the salt solutions.
Evaluation of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) Hybrids Using Multivariate Statistical Analysis
Authors: Ruzdik Natalija Markova , Karov Ilija , Mitrev Sasa , Gjorgjieva Biljana , Kovacevik Biljana , Kostadinovska Emilija
Published: August 2015

Evaluation and characterization of sunflower hybrids using morphological, physiological and biochemical data are necessary and essential in sunflower breeding programs. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the productive possibilities of some sunflower hybrids grown in Macedonian environmental conditions. The experiment was carried out during the period 2013 and 2014 on the research field of the Faculty of Agriculture, “Goce Delchev” University – Shtip, in Ovche Pole locality, Republic of Macedonia. Total 20 sunflower hybrids were used as an experimental material. The trial was arranged as randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The average content of oil and oleic acid were 45.6 and 65.2%, respectively. The highest seed yield from all sunflower hybrids was obtained for the hybrid NLK12M144 (3,344 kg ha–1) and the lowest for hybrid NLK12S126 (2,244 kg ha–1). Cluster analysis classified the sunflower hybrids into four groups based on agronomic traits and seed yield. Most of the hybrids were included in cluster I and III (7 hybrids) followed by cluster IV. Using principal component analysis two main components have been extracted, with eigenvalue greater than one. They account for 72.99% of the variability in the original data. Only four hybrids had positive values for both main components (NLK12M144, NLK12S070, NLK12S125 and NLN12N011 DMR). The results from this study can be used to identify the best sunflower hybrids grown under Macedonian environmental conditions and to select the superior hybrids for future exploitation.
Property changes in thermo-hydro-mechanical processing
Authors: Navi Parviz , Pizzi Antonio
Published: August 2015

Thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) treatment is a combined action of temperature, moisture, and mechanical force, which leads to modified wood (THMW). Various types of eco-friendly THM processes have been developed to enhance wood properties and generate new materials, such as welding, densification, molding, bending, profiling, artificial aging, panel manufacture, and surface densification. The various transformation processes in the course of THM bring about positive effects in terms of the mechanical and physical properties as well as the biological durability. To the negative effects belong the loss in strength and fracture toughness, and one of the challenges is to minimize these negative aspects. The present paper reviews the chemical transformations processes during THM treatment in a closed processing system and presents the relationship between processing parameters and THMW properties. The discussion includes the problems associated with eliminating the set recovery of densified wood by THM posttreatments and the chemical origin of the relaxation of internal stresses induced by densification.
Studies on structural, optical and mechanical properties of MWCNTs and ZnO nanoparticles doped PVA nanocomposites
Authors: Kumar N.B. Rithin , Crasta Vincent , Praveen B.M. , Kumar Mohan
Published: August 2015

This paper presents a novel class of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and zinc oxide (ZnO) doped polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanocomposites prepared using coagulation and solvent casting method. The dopant, ZnO nanoparticles, was prepared using precipitation method, and another dopant, MWCNTs, was treated with H2SO4and HNO3taken in 3:1volume ratio to create carboxylated MWCNTs. Furthermore, prepared ZnO and treated MWCNTs were doped into PVA matrix to prepare PVA nanocomposites by solvent casting technique. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra detect the irregular shift in the bands of doped PVA nanocomposites indicating the presence of intra/intermolecular hydrogen bonding creating the interaction between the nanoparticles and neighboring OH group of PVA. Crystallinity of the prepared nanocomposites films was investigated using XRD technique, which explores the average particle size of the embedded nanoparticles and explains the complex formation and variation in crystallinity of the nanocomposites due to interaction of dopants. The decrease in optical energy band gap of nanocomposite films and the information of Urbach energy (Eu) were assessed by UV/vis spectroscopy. By using a universal testing machine, the mechanical properties of doped polymer films found escalation for doping percentage concentrationx=7.5 wt%. The phase homogeneity, film morphology, and chemical configuration of the nanocomposites were inspected using atomic force microscope, scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, respectively.
Resin-assisted solvothermal synthesis of a manganese(II) coordination polymer with tetrachloroterephthalate
Authors: Tu Qiu-Li , Wang Hong-Dan , Chen Sheng-Chun , He Ming-Yang , Chen Qun
Published: August 2015

A coordination polymer {[Mn(BDC-Cl4)(DMF)4](H2BDC-Cl4)}
n
(1) (H2BDC-Cl4 = 2,3,5,6-tetrachloro-1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid) was synthesized by a resin-assisted solvothermal method and isolated by a flotation method in carbon tetrachloride. Complex 1 shows a one-dimensional wave-like coordination structure in the solid state. It is readily dissolved in water. The complex has been characterized using elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, molecular conductivity, thermogravimetric analysis, and single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction techniques.
Speed determination at the accident scene: needle slap effect
Authors: Andrade Charles Albert , Farias Jorge Luiz , Gomes Juliano de Andrade
Published: August 2015

Nas reconstruções de acidentes de trânsito é muito importante determinar a velocidade do veículo no momento da colisão. Como se segue, pode-se utilizar as Leis da Física ou métodos alternativos. Nesta perspectiva, uma técnica interessante para estabelecer essa velocidade é o efeito needle slap, em que uma marca é feita na face do mostrador do velocímetro pela agulha no momento do impacto. Neste artigo, mostra-se como identificar esse efeito usando as seguintes técnicas de laboratório: Espectroscopia Raman, para provar a transferência de material entre a face do painel e a agulha; Comparador Vídeo Espectral, para encontrar marcas luminescentes e de fricção da agulha no painel do velocímetro; Microscópio Óptico, para investigar alterações das características morfológicas no mostrador do velocímetro. Para isso, painéis de carros e motos que haviam se envolvido em colisões frontais foram analisados. Entretanto, como em alguns casos é inviável remover o painel de instrumentos para a análise em laboratório, será mostrado como usar um conjunto de luzes (lanternas), combinadas com vários filtros (óculos) para detectar esse fenômeno na cena do acidente.
The Transgenic RNAi Project at Harvard Medical School: Resources and Validation
Authors: Perkins Lizabeth A , Holderbaum Laura , Tao Rong , Hu Yanhui , Sopko Richelle , McCall Kim , Yang-Zhou Donghui , Flockhart Ian , Binari Richard , Shim Hye-Seok , Miller Audrey , Housden Amy , Foos Marianna , Randkelv Sakara , Kelley Colleen , Namgyal Pema , Villalta Christians , Liu Lu-Ping , Jiang Xia , Huan-Huan Qiao , Wang Xia , Fujiyama Asao , Toyoda Atsushi , Ayers Kathleen , Blum Allison , Czech Benjamin , Neumuller Ralph , Yan Dong , Cavallaro Amanda , Hibbard Karen , Hall Don , Cooley Lynn , Hannon Gregory J , Lehmann Ruth , Parks Annette , Mohr Stephanie E , Ueda Ryu , Kondo Shu , Ni Jian-Quan , Perrimon Norbert
Published: August 2015

To facilitate large-scale functional studies in Drosophila, the Drosophila Transgenic RNAi Project (TRiP) at Harvard Medical School (HMS) was established along with several goals: developing efficient vectors for RNAi that work in all tissues, generating a genome-scale collection of RNAi stocks with input from the community, distributing the lines as they are generated through existing stock centers, validating as many lines as possible using RT–qPCR and phenotypic analyses, and developing tools and web resources for identifying RNAi lines and retrieving existing information on their quality. With these goals in mind, here we describe in detail the various tools we developed and the status of the collection, which is currently composed of 11,491 lines and covering 71% of Drosophila genes. Data on the characterization of the lines either by RT–qPCR or phenotype is available on a dedicated website, the RNAi Stock Validation and Phenotypes Project (RSVP, http://www.flyrnai.org/RSVP.html), and stocks are available from three stock centers, the Bloomington Drosophila Stock Center (United States), National Institute of Genetics (Japan), and TsingHua Fly Center (China).
Milk Modulates Campylobacter Invasion into Caco-2 Intestinal Epithelial Cells
Authors: Louwen Rogier , van Neerven R. J. Joost
Published: August 2015

Raw milk is a recognized source of Campylobacter outbreaks, but pasteurization is an effective way to eliminate the causative agent of Campylobacteriosis. Whereas breastfeeding is protective against infectious diseases, consumption of formula milk is thought to be not. However, in relation to Campylobacter, such data is currently unavailable. Although both pasteurized and formula milk are pathogen free and prepared in a quality controlled manner, the effect they have on the virulence of Campylobacter species is unknown. Here, we studied the effect of cow, goat, horse, and formula milk on Campylobacter invasion into intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells, a pathogenic feature of this bacterial species, using a gentamicin exclusion invasion assay. We found that all milk products modulated the invasion of Campylobacter species into the Caco-2 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Control experiments showed that the milks were not toxic for the Caco-2 cells and that the effect on invasion is caused by heat labile (e.g., milk proteins) or heat stable (e.g., sugar/lipids) components depending on the Campylobacter species studied. This in vitro study shows for the first time that pasteurized and formula milk affect the invasion of Campylobacter. We recommend a prospective study to examine whether pasteurized and formula milk affect Campylobacteriosis.
Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 Mediates Intestinal Immunopathogenesis in Campylobacter jejuni-infected infant mice
Authors: Alutis Marie E. , Grundmann Ursula , Hagen Ulrike , Fischer André , Kühl Anja A. , Göbel Ulf B. , Bereswill Stefan , Heimesaat Markus M.
Published: August 2015

Increased levels of the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)-2 and -9 (also referred to gelatinase-A and -B, respectively) can be detected in the inflamed gut. We have recently shown that synthetic gelatinase blockage reduces colonic apoptosis and pro-inflammatory immune responses following murine Campylobacter (C.) jejuni infection. In order to dissect whether MMP-2 and/or MMP-9 is involved in mediating C. jejuni-induced immune responses, infant MMP-2-/-, MMP-9-/-, and wildtype (WT) mice were perorally infected with the C. jejuni strain B2 immediately after weaning. Whereas, at day 2 postinfection (p.i.), fecal C. jejuni B2 loads were comparable in mice of either genotype, mice expelled the pathogen from the intestinal tract until day 4 p.i. Six days p.i., colonic MMP-2 but not MMP-9 mRNA was upregulated in WT mice. Remarkably, infected MMP-2-/- mice exhibited less frequent abundance of blood in feces, less distinct colonic histopathology and apoptosis, lower numbers of effector as well as innate and adaptive immune cells within the colonic mucosa, and higher colonic IL-22 mRNA levels as compared to infected WT mice. In conclusion, these results point towards an important role of MMP-2 in mediating C. jejuni-induced intestinal immunopathogenesis.