bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Loneliness, Mindfulness, and Academic Achievements: A Moderation Effect among First-Year College Students
Authors: Rosenstreich Eyal , Margalit Malka
Published: June 2015

The transition to college enhances feelings of loneliness, and lonely students typically underperform academically due to the depletion of cognitive resources. Mindfulness practice has been demonstrated to improve certain cognitive abilities. The current study examined whether mindfulness practice may moderate the relations between perceived loneliness and academic performance. In this study we combined data from two separate studies. In the first, loneliness, optimism, and academic self-efficacy were measured at the beginning of the academic year. In the second, mindfulness workshops were conducted in order to examine their impact on memory performance. In all, 73 college students in their first semester participated in the conjoint study (N = 50 mindfulness practice and N = 23 control). Their grades at the end of the semester and at the end of the year were also collected. Regression analyses were conducted in order to examine whether mindfulness moderated the effect of loneliness on academic achievements, and revealed that: a) loneliness was negatively correlated with recognition memory performance and with grades; b) grades were higher in the mindfulness group than in the control group; c) mindfulness and loneliness interacted, such that loneliness negatively predicted academic grades only for students who did not practice mindfulness. The results suggested that mindfulness practice may reduce the outcomes of loneliness on academic achievements in the first year of college.
Competitive Adsorption and Oxidation Behavior of Heavy Metals on nZVI Coated with TEOS
Authors: Eglal Mahmoud M. , Ramamurthy Amruthur S.
Published: June 2015

Zero valent iron nanoparticle (nanofer ZVI) is a powerful substance due to its coating with tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS). Tetraethyl orthosilicate imparts higher reactivity and decreases particle agglomeration. The competitive removal and displacement of multi‐metals are influenced by time, pH, and initial concentration, the presence and properties of competing metals ion in the solution. For both the isotherm and kinetic studies performed for multi‐metal removal experiments, compared to Pb II and Cd II, Cu II experienced a higher removal rate during the initial 5 minutes. After 120 minutes, all metals achieved removal efficiency in the range of 95 to 99%. The results of single and competitive kinetic tests for all three metals during the initial 5 minutes indicated that the presence of other metals generally reduce removal efficiency of metals. Both kinetic test and electron dispersive spectroscope (EDS) studies found that Cu II gets removed faster than the other metals. Pseudo‐second order behavior was noted for the multi‐metal removal systems.
The effect of ethoxylated oleyl-cetyl alcohol on metabolism of some fungi and their potential application in mycoremediation
Authors: Jakovljevic Violeta , Vrvic Miroslav
Published: June 2015

The effect of ethoxylated oleyl-cetyl alcohol at a concentration of 1% on the
growth and metabolism of A. tenuis Nees and P. verrucosum Dierckx was
examined in this paper. The fungal growth was investigated by monitoring the
diameter of colonies on solid media and dry weight biomass in liquid media.
A. tenuis had better response to applied pollutant in solid medium, whereas
P. verrucosum had better response in liquid medium. During exponential fungal
growth in liquid media with and without pollutant (control), the following
physico-chemical and biochemical parameters were carried out: pH, quantity of
free and total organic acids, proteins, carbohydrates, proteolytic activity.
The ethoxylated oleyl-cetyl alcohol had influence on decrease in pH value and
increase in free organic acids of both fungi. Furthermore, it has influenced
production in way that lower amount of total organic acids, proteins, glucose
and fructose were gained in fermentation broth of P. verrucosum compared to
A. tenuis. The proteolityc activity of fungi was partially (A. tenuis) or
fully inhibited (P. verrucosum) by presence of pollutant in liquid medium.
Based on the obtained results, these fungal species act as potential
candidates for mycoremediation of alcohol ethoxylated contaminated
environments and biotechnology.
The combustion of biomass - the impact of its types and combustion technologies on the emission of nitrogen oxide
Authors: Mladenovic Milica , Dakic Dragoljub , Nemoda Stevan , Paprika Milijana , Komatina Mirko , Repic Branislav , Eric Aleksandar
Published: June 2015

Harmonization of environmental protection and the growing energy needs of
modern society promote the biomass application as a replacement for fossil
fuels and a viable option to mitigate the green house gas emissions. For
domestic conditions this is particularly important as more than 60% of
renewables belongs to biomass. Beside numerous benefits of using biomass for
energy purposes, there are certain drawbacks, one of which is a possible high
emission of NOx during the combustion of these fuels. The paper presents the
results of the experiments with multiple biomass types (soybean straw,
cornstalk, grain biomass, sunflower oil, glycerin and paper sludge), using
different combustion technologies (fluidized bed and cigarette combustion),
with emphasis on the emission of NOx in the exhaust gas. A presentation of
the experimental installations is given, as well as an evaluation of the
effects of the fuel composition, combustion regimes and technology on the NOx
emissions. As the biomass combustion took place at temperatures low enough
that thermal and prompt NOx can be neglected, the conclusion is the emissions
of nitrogen oxides primarily depend on the biomass composition- it is
increasing with the increase of the nitrogen content, and decreases with the
increase of the char content which provides catalytic surface for NOx
reduction by CO.
The Information Content of Risk Factor Disclosures in Quarterly Reports
Authors: Filzen Joshua J.
Published: June 2015

SYNOPSIS

I examine whether recently required risk factor update disclosures in quarterly reports provide investors with timely information regarding potential future negative economic events. Specifically, I examine whether risk factor updates in 10-Q filings are associated with negative abnormal returns at the time the updates are disclosed and whether quarterly updates are followed by negative earnings shocks. I find that firms presenting updates to their risk factor disclosures have significantly lower abnormal returns around the filing date of the 10-Q relative to firms without updates. I also find that firms with updates to their risk factors section have significantly lower future unexpected earnings and are more likely to experience future extreme negative earnings shocks. These findings suggest that the recent disclosure requirement mandated by the SEC was successful in generating timely disclosure of bad news.

JEL Classifications: M41; M48; D80; G18.

Data Availability: Please contact the author for data availability.
Placebo Tests of Conditional Conservatism
Authors: Patatoukas Panos N. , Thomas Jacob K.
Published: June 2015

Basu (1997) proposes a measure of financial reporting conservatism based on asymmetry in the conditional earnings/returns relation. Patatoukas and Thomas (2011) show upward bias in this measure, because a placebo—lagged earnings—also exhibits similar asymmetry. Ball, Kothari, and Nikolaev (2013a) and Collins, Hribar, and Tian (2014) propose alternative explanations for the bias and offer revised measures to overcome the bias. However, we find that both revised measures remain substantially upward-biased. In particular, a placebo based on lagged share price mimics time-series and cross-sectional variation observed for the revised measures. More generally, we find biases in the asymmetric timeliness specification because earnings, accruals, and other measures of performance are often related to second and higher moments of the distribution of returns. In addition to suggesting that the asymmetric timeliness specification be used with caution, our study illustrates the useful role placebos can play in archival studies.

Data Availability: Data are available from the sources identified in the text.
Brewing Up Controversy: A Case Exploring the Ethics of Corporate Tax Planning
Authors: Hess Megan F. , Alexander Raquel Meyer
Published: June 2015

This instructional case explores the ethical issues surrounding the corporate tax-planning and tax-avoidance strategies of multinational organizations. Drawing on the real-world experiences of SABMiller, one of the world's largest beverage companies, this case provides a launching point for students to consider the ethics of corporate tax planning. The ethics of multinational tax practices, especially the use of tax havens, has recently become the focus of media and legislative debate in both the U.S. and the U.K., and many well-respected companies, such as General Electric, Apple Inc., and Starbucks are now feeling the pressure to reform. In a post-case learning assessment, students demonstrated significant improvement in their understanding and indicated that they enjoyed discussing this controversial issue. The “Implementation Guidance” section and Teaching Notes offer guidance for in-class discussion of the ethical and tax issues in this case.
To Practice Mobility - On a Small Scale
Authors: Wentzel Winther Ida
Published: June 2015

Children’s perspectives are practically absent in new mobility studies. In this article, I wish to describe and analyse how a number of children handle having to move between homes, parents and siblings, and how they practically, emotionally and socially navigate in this changeable landscape. My aim is to explore mobility as an embodied and emotional practice in which children employ different strategies. I focus on bodily micropractices, routines and coping strategies, the intermediate space that occurs on their continual journeys, and the feeling of being dispensable. It is an ethnographic exploration of how mobile and domestic lives are intertwined – on a small scale.
Advances in Catalyst Deactivation and Regeneration
Authors: Bartholomew Calvin , Argyle Morris
Published: June 2015

Catalyst deactivation, the loss over time of catalytic activity and/or selectivity, is a problem of great and continuing concern in the practice of industrial catalytic processes. Costs to industry for catalyst replacement and process shutdown total tens of billions of dollars per year. [...]
Inflammatory and Other Biomarkers: Role in Pathophysiology and Prediction of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Abell Sally , De Courten Barbora , Boyle Jacqueline , Teede Helena
Published: June 2015

Understanding pathophysiology and identifying mothers at risk of major pregnancy complications is vital to effective prevention and optimal management. However, in current antenatal care, understanding of pathophysiology of complications is limited. In gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), risk prediction is mostly based on maternal history and clinical risk factors and may not optimally identify high risk pregnancies. Hence, universal screening is widely recommended. Here, we will explore the literature on GDM and biomarkers including inflammatory markers, adipokines, endothelial function and lipids to advance understanding of pathophysiology and explore risk prediction, with a goal to guide prevention and treatment of GDM.
2-Fluoro-N-methyl-N-{[(3S*,4S*)-4-(2-methylphenoxy)-3,4-dihydro-1H-isochromen-3-yl]methyl}ethanamine
Authors: Neudorfer Catharina , Shanab Karem , Holzer Wolfgang , Rami-Mark Christina , Mitterhauser Markus , Wadsak Wolfgang , Spreitzer Helmut
Published: June 2015

Starting from N-methyl-1-[(3S*,4S*)-4-(2-methylphenoxy)-3,4-dihydro-1H-isochromen-3-yl]methanamine (1) target compound 2 is prepared in a mild, direct alkylation approach with 2-fluoroethyl trifluoromethanesulfonate.
Use of Natural Antimicrobial Peptides and Bacterial Biopolymers for Cultured Pearl Production
Authors: Simon-Colin Christelle , Gueguen Yannick , Bachere Evelyne , Kouzayha Achraf , Saulnier Denis , Gayet Nicolas , Guezennec Jean
Published: June 2015

Cultured pearls are the product of grafting and rearing of Pinctada margaritifera pearl oysters in their natural environment. Nucleus rejections and oyster mortality appear to result from bacterial infections or from an inappropriate grafting practice. To reduce the impact of bacterial infections, synthetic antibiotics have been applied during the grafting practice. However, the use of such antibiotics presents a number of problems associated with their incomplete biodegradability, limited efficacy in some cases, and an increased risk of selecting for antimicrobial resistant bacteria. We investigated the application of a marine antimicrobial peptide, tachyplesin, which is present in the Japanese horseshoe crab Tachypleus tridentatus, in combination with two marine bacterial exopolymers as alternative treatment agents. In field studies, the combination treatment resulted in a significant reduction in graft failures vs. untreated controls. The combination of tachyplesin (73 mg/L) with two bacterial exopolysaccharides (0.5% w/w) acting as filming agents, reduces graft-associated bacterial contamination. The survival data were similar to that reported for antibiotic treatments. These data suggest that non-antibiotic treatments of pearl oysters may provide an effective means of improving oyster survival following grafting procedures.
A Moderate Low-Carbohydrate Low-Calorie Diet Improves Lipid Profile, Insulin Sensitivity and Adiponectin Expression in Rats
Authors: Chen Jie-Hua , Ouyang Caiqun , Ding Qiang , Song Jia , Cao Wenhong , Mao Limei
Published: June 2015

Calorie restriction (CR) via manipulating dietary carbohydrates has attracted increasing interest in the prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome. There is little consensus about the extent of carbohydrate restriction to elicit optimal results in controlling metabolic parameters. Our study will identify a better carbohydrate-restricted diet using rat models. Rats were fed with one of the following diets for 12 weeks: Control diet, 80% energy (34% carbohydrate-reduced) and 60% energy (68% carbohydrate-reduced) of the control diet. Changes in metabolic parameters and expressions of adiponectin and peroxisome proliferator activator receptor γ (PPARγ) were identified. Compared to the control diet, 68% carbohydrate-reduced diet led to a decrease in serum triglyceride and increases inlow density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and total cholesterol; a 34% carbohydrate-reduced diet resulted in a decrease in triglycerides and an increase in HDL-cholesterol, no changes however, were shown in LDL-cholesterol and total cholesterol; reductions in HOMA-IR were observed in both CR groups. Gene expressions of adiponectin and PPARγ in adipose tissues were found proportionally elevated with an increased degree of energy restriction. Our study for the first time ever identified that a moderate-carbohydrate restricted diet is not only effective in raising gene expressions of adiponectin and PPARγ which potentially lead to better metabolic conditions but is better at improving lipid profiles than a low-carbohydrate diet in rats.
Hormonal Regulation and Expression Profiles of Wheat Genes Involved during Phytic Acid Biosynthesis Pathway
Authors: Aggarwal Sipla , Shukla Vishnu , Bhati Kaushal , Kaur Mandeep , Sharma Shivani , Singh Anuradha , Mantri Shrikant , Pandey Ajay
Published: June 2015

Phytic acid (PA) biosynthesis pathway genes were reported from multiple crop species. PA accumulation was enhanced during grain filling and at that time, hormones like Abscisic acid (ABA) and Gibberellic acid (GA3) interplay to control the process of seed development. Regulation of wheat PA pathway genes has not yet been reported in seeds. In an attempt to find the clues for the regulation by hormones, the promoter region of wheat PA pathway genes was analyzed for the presence of cis-elements. Multiple cis-elements of those known to be involved for ABA, GA3, salicylic acid (SA), and cAMP sensing were identified in the promoters of PA pathway genes. Eight genes (TaIMP, TaITPK1-4, TaPLC1, TaIPK2 and TaIPK1) involved in the wheat PA biosynthesis pathway were selected for the expression studies. The temporal expression response was studied in seeds treated with ABA and GA3 using quantitative real time PCR. Our results suggested that exogenous application of ABA induces few PA pathway genes in wheat grains. Comparison of expression profiles for PA pathway for GA3 and ABA suggested the antagonistic regulation of certain genes. Additionally, to reveal stress responses of wheat PA pathway genes, expression was also studied in the presence of SA and cAMP. Results suggested SA specific differential expression of few genes, whereas, overall repression of genes was observed in cAMP treated samples. This study is an effort to understand the regulation of PA biosynthesis genes in wheat.
Photography by Cameras Integrated in Smartphones as a Tool for Analytical Chemistry Represented by an Butyrylcholinesterase Activity Assay
Authors: Pohanka Miroslav
Published: June 2015

Smartphones are popular devices frequently equipped with sensitive sensors and great computational ability. Despite the widespread availability of smartphones, practical uses in analytical chemistry are limited, though some papers have proposed promising applications. In the present paper, a smartphone is used as a tool for the determination of cholinesterasemia i.e., the determination of a biochemical marker butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). The work should demonstrate suitability of a smartphone-integrated camera for analytical purposes. Paper strips soaked with indoxylacetate were used for the determination of BChE activity, while the standard Ellman’s assay was used as a reference measurement. In the smartphone-based assay, BChE converted indoxylacetate to indigo blue and coloration was photographed using the phone’s integrated camera. A RGB color model was analyzed and color values for the individual color channels were determined. The assay was verified using plasma samples and samples containing pure BChE, and validated using Ellmans’s assay. The smartphone assay was proved to be reliable and applicable for routine diagnoses where BChE serves as a marker (liver function tests; some poisonings, etc.). It can be concluded that the assay is expected to be of practical applicability because of the results’ relevance.
Interference Mitigation Schemes for Wireless Body Area Sensor Networks: A Comparative Survey
Authors: Le Thien , Moh Sangman
Published: June 2015

A wireless body area sensor network (WBASN) consists of a coordinator and multiple sensors to monitor the biological signals and functions of the human body. This exciting area has motivated new research and standardization processes, especially in the area of WBASN performance and reliability. In scenarios of mobility or overlapped WBASNs, system performance will be significantly degraded because of unstable signal integrity. Hence, it is necessary to consider interference mitigation in the design. This survey presents a comparative review of interference mitigation schemes in WBASNs. Further, we show that current solutions are limited in reaching satisfactory performance, and thus, more advanced solutions should be developed in the future.
The Vie Cave Geomorphological Site in Southern Tuscany (Italy): Problems of Decay and Conservation
Authors: Pecchioni Elena , Santo Alba , Piccini Leonardo , Di Fazio Luciano , Fratini Fabio , Pallecchi Pasquino , Trevisan Riccardo , Garzonio Carlo
Published: June 2015

The Vie Cave are a suggestive network of roads deeply entrenched in the rock, dating back to the Etruscan civilization; these ancient roads connect various settlements and necropolises existing mainly in the area of Sovana, Sorano and Pitigliano towns (Southern Tuscany, Italy). The Vie Cave are located in a peculiar geomorphological site, characterized by the presence of extensive pyroclastic deposits, which have been incised by a parallel network of deep gorges. In this paper, the geomorphological, geological and lithological setting of the Vie Cave area, where several Etruscan archaeological sites are found, are described. The precarious stability of the Vie Cave walls and the several archaeological structures carved into them, the high grade of decay shown by the constituent materials, together with the dense vegetation that has developed over the rocky scarps, are taken into account with the aim to provide a complete assessment of the conditions in which the site lies. Finally, we propose some targeted actions related to the preservation of this territory, showing so distinctive morphology, in order to protect the area from further decay to which it would be subjected if it remained abandoned.
Addendum: Urusov, A.E.; Zherdev, A.V.; Petrakova, A.V.; Sadykhov, E.G.; Koroleva, O.V.; Dzantiev, B.B. Rapid Multiple Immunoenzyme Assay of Mycotoxins. Toxins, 2015, 7, 238-254.
Authors: Urusov Alexandr , Zherdev Anatoly , Petrakova Alina , Sadykhov Elchin , Koroleva Olga , Dzantiev Boris
Published: June 2015

The authors would like to replace the Acknowledgements section with the following: [...]
Le développement des centres d'appels en France (The development of call centres in France)
Authors: Bonnet Nicolas
Published: June 2015

Résumé. - De fait, le contexte nouveau des télécommunications en France rend les collectivités locales des actrices privilégiées de l'aménagement du territoire et accentue leur rôle dans l'attraction et le développement de l'industrie des centres d'appels. Les activités de téléservices et celles liées au commerce électronique deviennent le fer de lance des technopoles.
Périurbanisation et métropolisation en Espagne (Periurbanization and metropolization in Spain)
Authors: de Miguel González Rafael
Published: June 2015

Résumé. - La récente évolution des espaces urbains et métropolitains en Espagne suit des tendances similaires à celles des pays développés. Depuis 1975 la périurbanisation s'est manifestée comme le principal processus dans la croissance des villes espagnoles. Le développement des espaces périurbains (notamment des lotissements pavillonnaires et des zones d'activité) a été le facteur le plus important de la nouvelle organisation territoriale des métropoles et de la projection de la ville traditionnelle sur une vaste région urbaine. Cela comporte des grandes consommations foncières et nous amène au débat sur la durabilité de la ville.
Les centres commerciaux : centres d'achat et centres de vie en région parisienne (Shopping centers in the Paris suburbs : a place to consume and a place to live)
Authors: Lestrade Sophie
Published: June 2015

Abstract. - Since the 1960's, the development of shopping centres in Paris area is connected to the changes in consuming practices. Today, the shopping centres are included in the extending net of selling points proposed to very mobile and volatile consumers and according to their social and cultural differences, the shopping centre is just a place to buy stuff or it can be a place to experience a new urban life. However, shopping centres induce new habits and new retailing processes and so generate new urban practices and values.
Caractères et évolution de la nécropole de Vron (Somme), IVème-VIIème siècles
Authors: Seillier Claude
Published: June 2015

Des fouilles en cours à Vron (arrondissement d' Abbeville, Somme), révèlent l'existence d'une nécropole en usage sans interruption du IVème siècle à la fin de l'époque mérovingienne. La pratique, durant toute cette période, de l'inhumation habillée avec dépôt d'un mobilier funéraire, permet de suivre l'évolution de cette communauté durant l'époque des invasions. Dès avant la fin du IVème siècle, la présence d'armes et de garnitures de ceinturon à décor en taille biseautée dans certaines tombes d'hommes ou de fibules en arbalète dans des sépultures féminines indique une influence germanique. Vers la fin du Vème siècle et durant la première moitié du siècle suivant, la présence de certains types de fibules et de céramique atteste des rapports avec le monde anglo-saxon.
Pression démographique et marché du travail à Comines au XVIIIème siècle
Authors: Terrier Didier , Toutain Philippe
Published: June 2015

Didier Terrier en Philippe Toutain, "Demografîsche groei en tewerkstelling in het Komen vande 18de eeuw".

Kon de demografische groei in de 18de eeuw in Komen eerst nog opgevangen worden door de expansie van de textielateliers dan heeft de versnippering in kleine bedrijfjes voor de revo- lutie scherpe spanningen op de arbeidsmarkt veroorzaakt. De emigratie en de proto-industrialisatie van het land zijn geen oplossing zodat het paupérisme op een onrustwekkende manier toeneemt.
Adaptations, mutations et survivances proto-industrielles dans le textile du Cambrésis et du Valenciennois du XVIIIème au début du XXème siècle
Authors: Guignet Philippe
Published: June 2015

Au siècle des Lumières, le Valenciennois et le Cambrésis étaient réunis par une solidarité de destin manufacturier et textile. La mulquinerie, c'est-à-dire la production des toiles fines de lin (linons et batistes), occupait une position cardinale dans la manufacture. Si le tissage se répandit de plus en plus dans les campagnes au détriment des tisserands urbains, nul ne peut douter du rôle constamment dirigeant des bourgeoisies de négoce dans une manufacture emportée par un flux allègre de croissance jusqu'en 1787.

La période révolutionnaire marqua une rupture majeure, puisque la région partagea les difficultés de toutes les régions toilières françaises greffées sur le grand commerce international. Le coup reçu par la mulquinerie s'avéra fatal au Valenciennois, dont la construction industrielle fut désormais étayée sur les charbonnages et la métallurgie. En revanche, le Cambrésis demeura fidèle à une vocation textile, qui s'exprima au travers d'une palette presque complète d'activités. Pour pallier le recul du travail linier, le coton, surtout dans le premier tiers du XIXème siècle, enregistra une estimable progression. Mais ce fut l'industrie lainière qui contribua de façon décisive au renouveau économique, même s'il ne faut pas sous-estimer l'apport du tissage des étoffes métissées et de l'industrie de la lingerie.

Les lignes directrices de l'évolution une fois tracées, l'auteur scrute deux "modèles" cantonaux. Il oppose ainsi un pays neuf, la région de Caudry, zone d'ancrage privilégiée de la tuilerie dans le Nord et le canton de Carnières, où le tissage à la main des batistes et des linons perdura jusqu'au début du XXème siècle.
Tracking Legislative Developments in Relation to “Do Not Track” Initiatives
Authors: Garbin Brigette , Staunton Kelly , Burdon Mark
Published: June 2015

Online behavioural profiling has now become an industry that is worth billions of dollars throughout the globe. The actual practice of online tracking was once limited to individual Websites and individual cookies. However, the development of new technologies has enabled marketing corporations to track the Web browsing activities of individual users across the Internet. Consequently, it should be no surprise that legislative initiatives are afoot throughout the world including the United States (US), the European Union (EU), and Australia. These different jurisdictions have put forward different methods of regulating online behavioural profiling and Do Not Track initiatives. Accordingly, this chapter overviews legislative developments and puts forward a typology of different legislative initiatives regarding the regulation of online behavioral profiling and Do Not Track issues. Particular focus is given to the Australian situation and whether existing Australian privacy law is sufficient to protect the privacy interests of individuals against the widespread use of online behaviour profiling tools.
Communicating Nation Brands through Mass and Social Media
Authors: De Moya Maria , Jain Rajul
Published: June 2015

Nation branding efforts are the means through which many countries attempt to influence how foreign publics perceive them. However, in a media landscape that now includes not only traditional one-way media but also two-way social platforms, countries undertaking these efforts are presented with a series of new challenges. This environment makes it more difficult to manage the issues associated with a nation brand, challenges countries to better communicate their advantages, and allows the public to create its own, potentially competing, messages about a country. Building on previous work on nation and destination branding, this chapter discusses the changing media environment in which nation-branding efforts are taking place, and—through a combination of DICTION®-assisted, manual, and qualitative content analyses—provides evidence of the new media landscape in which nation branding is taking place. The challenges and opportunities created by this new context are detailed, and potential avenues for further research are discussed.
Social Media Marketing In Emerging Economies
Authors: Bakshi Madhupa , Mishra Prashant
Published: June 2015

Nearly 30 million Indians who are online are members of social networking sites and popular surveys report that about two-thirds of them spend time daily on these social networking sites. More importantly, Indians spend more time on social media than they do using personal email. This has immense implications for a country which has been dubbed as one of the largest emerging markets and has multinationals vying to set up shop. This scenario in India is unique as Internet penetration piggybacks on the telecom boom, boosting online retail and advertising opportunities. Therefore savvy marketers will want to jump on this bandwagon. This chapter looks at the unique situation in India in context of the growth of social media usage and tries to find developed world theoretical models as to how companies are coping with this new phenomenon. The results indicate that the companies are eager to interact with their target groups in social media; however, few have found the path to full leverage the return on investments made on a social media presence. Much of their efforts remain confined to branding and therefore better metrics need to be developed for better analytics.
Honour and debt release in the parable of the Unmerciful Servant (Mt 18:23–33): A social-scientific and realistic reading
Authors: Van Eck Ernest
Published: June 2015

This article presents a social-scientific and realistic reading of the parable of the Unmerciful Servant. The parables of Jesus are realistic stories about everyday events in 1st-century Palestine that evoke specific social realia and practices known to its first hearers. As recent studies on the parables have shown, papyri from early Roman Egypt provide detailed information on the implied social realities and practices assumed in the parables. In reading the parable through the lens of patronage and clientism and against the background of the relationship between royal ideology and debt release attested in documented papyri, it is argued that the parable suggests that in the basileia of God debt should be released in terms of general reciprocity, emulating the way in which patrons release debt for the sake of honour.
Occurrence of porcine cysticercosis in free-ranging pigs delivered to slaughter points in Arapai, Soroti district, Uganda
Authors: Zirintunda Gerald , Ekou Justine
Published: June 2015

Poverty, hunger and the need for production of pigs with meagre or zero inputs have made most farmers release their pigs to range freely, thus creating a pig-human cycle that maintains Taenia solium, the pig tapeworm and cause of porcine cysticercosis, in the ecosystem. A preliminary study was designed to establish the prevalence of porcine cysticercosis by postmortem examination of the tongue and carcass of free-range pigs from February to April 2014 in Arapai subcounty, Soroti district, eastern Uganda. The tongue of each pig was extended and examined before deep incisions were made and the cut surfaces were examined. The rest of the carcasses were examined for cysts. Out of 178 pigs examined, 32 were qualitatively positive for porcine cysticercosis, representing a prevalence of 18.0%. This high prevalence represents a marked risk to the communities in the study area of neurocysticercosis, a debilitating parasitic zoonosis. Proper human waste disposal by use of pit latrines, confinement of free-range pigs and treatment with albendazole and oxfendazole are recommended.
Blood Pressure and Heart Rate Alterations through Music in Patients Undergoing Cataract Surgery in Greece
Authors: Merakou Kyriakoula , Varouxi Georgia , Barbouni Anastasia , Antoniadou Eleni , Karageorgos Georgios , Theodoridis Dimitrios , Koutsouri Aristea , Kourea-Kremastinou Jenny
Published: June 2015

Introduction

Music has been proposed as a safe, inexpensive, nonpharmacological antistress intervention. The purpose of this study was to determine whether patients undergoing cataract surgery while listening to meditation music experience lower levels of blood pressure and heart rate.

Methods

Two hundred individuals undergoing cataract surgery participated in the study. Hundred individuals listened to meditation music, through headphones, before and during the operation (intervention group) and 100 individuals received standard care (control group). Patients stress coping skills were measured by the Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC Scale). Systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate were defined as outcome measures.

Results

According to the SOC Scale, both groups had similar stress coping skills (mean score: 127.6 for the intervention group and 127.3 for the control group). Before entering the operating room (OR) as well as during surgery the rise in systolic and diastolic pressures was significantly lower in the intervention group ( P < 0.001). Among patients receiving antihypertensive therapy, those in the intervention group presented a lower increase only in systolic pressure ( P < 0.001) at both time recordings. For those patients in the intervention group who did not receive antihypertensive treatment, lower systolic blood pressure at both time recordings was recorded ( P < 0.001) while lower diastolic pressure was observed only during entry to the OR ( P = 0.021). Heart rate was not altered between the two groups in any of the recordings.

Conclusions

Meditation music influenced patients' preoperative stress with regard to systolic blood pressure. This kind of music can be used as an alternative or complementary method for blood pressure stabilizing in patients undergoing cataract surgery.
Consistent response of Indian summer monsoon to Middle East dust in observations and simulations
Authors: Jin Q. , Wei J. , Yang Z.-L. , Pu B. , Huang J.
Published: June 2015

Abstract. The response of the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) circulation and precipitation to Middle East dust aerosols on sub-seasonal timescales is studied using observations and the Weather Research and Forecasting model with chemistry (WRF-Chem). Satellite data shows that the ISM rainfall in coastal southwest India, central and northern India, and Pakistan are closely associated with Middle East dust aerosols. The physical mechanism behind this dust–ISM rainfall connection is examined through ensemble simulations with and without dust emission. Each ensemble includes 16 members with various physical and chemical schemes to consider the model uncertainties in parameterizing shortwave radiation, the planetary boundary layer, and aerosol chemical mixing rules. Experiments show that dust aerosols increase rainfall by about 0.44 mm day−1 (~ 10%) in coastal southwest India, central and northern India, and northern Pakistan, a pattern consistent with the observed relationship. The ensemble mean rainfall response over India shows much stronger spatial correlation with the observed rainfall response than any of the ensemble members. The largest modeling uncertainties are from the boundary layer schemes, followed by shortwave radiation schemes. In WRF-Chem, the dust AOD over the Middle East shows the strongest correlation with the ISM rainfall response when dust AOD leads rainfall response by about 11 days. Further analyses show that the increased ISM rainfall is related to the enhanced southwesterly flow and moisture transport from the Arabian Sea to the Indian subcontinent, which are associated with the development of an anomalous low pressure system over the Arabian Sea, the southern Arabian Peninsula, and the Iranian Plateau due to dust-induced heating in the lower troposphere (800–500 hPa). This study demonstrates a thermodynamic mechanism that links remote desert dust emission in the Middle East to the ISM circulation and precipitation variability on sub-seasonal timescales, which may have implications for ISM rainfall forecasts.
The regional distribution characteristics of aerosol optical depth over the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Xu C. , Ma Y. M. , You C. , Zhu Z. K.
Published: June 2015

Abstract. The Tibetan Plateau (TP) is representative of typical clean atmospheric conditions. Aerosol optical depth (AOD) retrieved by Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) is higher over Qaidam Basin than the rest of the TP all the year. Different monthly variation patterns of AOD are observed over the southern and northern TP, whereby the aerosol load is usually higher in the northern TP than in the southern part. The aerosol load over the northern part increases from April to June, peaking in May. The maximum concentration of aerosols over the southern TP occurs in July. Aerosols appear to be more easily transported over the main body of the TP across the northeastern edge rather than the southern edge. This is may be because the altitude is much lower at the northeastern edge than that of the Himalayas located along the southern edge of the TP. Three-dimensional distributions of dust, polluted dust, polluted continental and smoke are also investigated based on Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) data. Dust is found to be the most prominent aerosol type on the TP, and other types of aerosols affect the atmospheric environment slightly. A natural boundary seems to extend to an altitude of 6–8 km a.s.l., which may act as a dividing line of higher dust occurrence in the northern TP and lower dust occurrence in the southern TP, especially in spring and summer. This boundary appears around 33–35° N in the middle of the plateau, and it is possibly associated with the high altitude terrain in the same geographic location. Comparisons of CALIPSO and MISR data show that this natural boundary extending to upper troposphere is consistent with the spatial pattern of aerosol loading. The whole TP blocks the atmospheric aerosols transported from surrounding regions, and the extreme high mountains on the TP also cause an obstruction to the transport of aerosols. The aerosol distribution patterns are primarily driven by atmospheric circulation. Northerly winds prevail above the TP in spring, which also facilitates the transport of aerosols from the Tarim Basin and Qaidam Basin to the main body of the TP. Nevertheless, aerosols above the TP can originate from both the northern and southern sides of the TP during summer.
Understanding emissions of ammonia from buildings and the application of fertilizers: an example from Poland
Authors: Werner M. , Ambelas Skjøth C. , Kryza M. , Dore A. J.
Published: June 2015

Abstract. A Europe-wide dynamic ammonia (NH3) emissions model has been applied for one of the large agricultural countries in Europe, and its sensitivity on the distribution of emissions among different agricultural functions was analyzed by comparing with observed ammonia concentrations and by implementing all scenarios in a chemical transport model (CTM). The results suggest that the dynamic emission model is most sensitive to emissions from animal manure, in particular how animal manure and its application on fields is connected to national regulations. To incorporate the national regulations, we obtained activity information on agricultural operations at the sub-national level for Poland, information about infrastructure on storages and current regulations on manure practice from Polish authorities. The information was implemented in the existing emission model and was connected directly with calculations from the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF). The model was used to calculate four emission scenarios with high spatial (5 km × 5 km) and temporal resolution (3 h) for the entire year 2010. In the four scenarios, we have compared a constant emission approach (FLAT), scenario (1) against (2) a dynamic approach based on the Europe-wide default settings (Skjøth et al., 2011, scenario DEFAULT); (3) a dynamic approach that takes into account Polish practice and less regulation compared to Denmark (POLREGUL); (4) a scenario that focuses on emissions from agricultural buildings (NOFERT). The ammonia emission was implemented into the chemical transport model FRAME (Fine Resolution Atmospheric Multi-pollutant Exchange) and modelled ammonia concentrations were compared with measurements. The results for an agricultural area suggest that the default setting in the dynamic model is an improvement compared to a non-dynamical emission profile. The results also show that further improvements can be obtained at a national scale by replacing the default information on manure practice with information that is connected with local practice and national regulations. Implementing a dynamical approach for simulation of ammonia emission is a reliable but challenging objective for CTM models that continue to use fixed emission profiles.
Latitudinal and temporal distributions of diatom populations in the pelagic waters of the Subantarctic and Polar Frontal Zones of the Southern Ocean and their role in the biological pump
Authors: Rigual-Hernández A. S. , Trull T. W. , Bray S. G. , Cortina A. , Armand L. K.
Published: June 2015

Abstract. The Subantarctic and Polar Frontal zones (SAZ and PFZ) represent a large portion of the total area of the Southern Ocean and serve as a strong sink for atmospheric CO2. These regions are central to hypotheses linking particle fluxes and climate change, yet multi-year records of modern flux and the organisms that control it are, for obvious reasons, rare. In this study, we examine two sediment trap records of the flux of diatoms and bulk components collected by two bottom-tethered sediment traps deployed at mesopelagic depths (~ 1 km) in the SAZ (two-year record) and in the PFZ (six-year record) along the 140° E meridian. These traps provide a direct measure of transfer below winter mixed layer depths, i.e. at depths where effective sequestration from the atmosphere occurs, in contrast to study of processes in the surface ocean. Total mass fluxes were about two-fold higher in the PFZ (24 ± 13 g m−2 yr−1) than in the SAZ (14 ± 2 g m−2 yr−1). Bulk chemical composition of the particle fluxes mirrored the composition of the distinct plankton communities of the surface layer, being dominated by carbonate in the SAZ and by biogenic silica in the PFZ. POC export was similar for the annual average at both sites (1.0 ± 0.1 and 0.8 ± 0.4 g m−2 yr−1, for the PFZ and SAZ, respectively), indicating that the particles in the SAZ were relatively POC rich. Seasonality in the particle export was more pronounced in the PFZ. Peak fluxes occurred during summer in the PFZ and during spring in the SAZ. The strong summer pulses in the PFZ are responsible for a large fraction of the variability in carbon sequestration from the atmosphere in this region. The latitudinal variation of the total diatom flux was found to be in line with the biogenic silica export with an annual flux of 31 ± 5.5 × 108 valves m−2 yr−1 at the PFZ compared to 0.5 ± 0.4 × 108 m−2 yr−1 of the SAZ. Fragilariopsis kerguelensis dominated the annual diatom export at both sites (43 at the SAZ and 59% in the PFZ). POC fluxes displayed a strong positive correlation with the relative contribution of a group of weakly-silicified and bloom-forming species in the PFZ. Several lines of evidence suggest that the development of these species during the growth season facilitates the formation of aggregates and carbon export. Our results confirm previous work suggesting that F. kerguelensis is a major aspect of the decoupling of the carbon and silicon cycles in the high-nutrient low-chlorophyll waters of the Southern Ocean.
Drought assessment using a multivariate drought index in the Huaihe River basin of Eastern China
Authors: Li Q. , Zeng M. , Wang H. , Li P. , Wang K. , Yu M.
Published: June 2015

Abstract. The Huaihe River Basin having China's highest population density (662 persons per km2) lies in a transition zone between the climates of North and South China, and is thus prone to drought. Therefore, the paper aims to develop an appropriate drought assessment approach for drought assessment in the Huaihe River basin, China. Based on the Principal Component Analysis of precipitation, evapotranspiration, soil moisture and runoff, the three latter variables of which were obtained by use of the Xin'anjiang model, a new multivariate drought index (MDI) was formulated, and its thresholds were determined by use of cumulative distribution function. The MDI, the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and the self-calibrating Palmer Drought Severity Index (sc-PDSI) time series on a monthly scale were computed and compared during 1988, 1999/2000 and 2001 drought events. The results show that the MDI exhibited certain advantages over the sc-PDSI and the SPI in monitoring drought evolution. The MDI formulated by this paper could provide a scientific basis for drought mitigation and management, and references for drought assessment elsewhere in China.
Downscaling medium-range ensemble forecasts using a neural network approach
Authors: Ohba M. , Kadokura S. , Yoshida Y. , Nohara D. , Toyoda Y.
Published: June 2015

Abstract. In this study, we present an application of self-organizing maps (SOMs) to downscaling weekly ensemble forecasts for probabilistic prediction of local precipitation in Japan. SOM is simultaneously employed on four elemental variables derived from the JRA55 reanalysis over area of study (Southwestern Japan), whereby a two-dimensional lattice of weather patterns (WPs) dominated during the 1958–2008 period is obtained. Downscaling weekly ensemble forecasts to local precipitation are conducted by using the obtained SOM lattice based on the WPs of the global model ensemble forecast. A probabilistic local precipitation is easily and quickly obtained from the ensemble forecast. The predictability skill of the ensemble forecasts for the precipitation is significantly improved under the downscaling technique.