bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modern sedimentation processes in Laguna de Medina, southern Spain, derived from lake surface sediment and catchment soil samples
Authors: Van't Hoff Jasmijn , Schröder Tabea , Held Peter , Opitz Stephan , Wagner Bernd , Reicherter Klaus , Melles Martin
Published: October 2016

Modern processes influencing sediment composition in the endorheic lake Laguna de Medina, southern Spain, are disentangled by analysis of 46 lake surface sediment and 32 catchment soil samples. Based on statistical analysis of the mineralogical, geochemical, elemental, and granulometric compositions of all samples, the lake surface sediments can be divided into six provinces of individual composition and depositional processes. High quartz contents and coarse grain sizes, reflecting input from ancient terraces of the Guadalete River that are exposed in the adjacent hinterland, characterize the lake sedimentation close to the northern shore. At the south-eastern shore, sedimentation is characterized by terrestrial input of the Triassic Keuper facies via the most important inlet, the Arroyo Fuente Bermeja, as reflected by high relative intensities of Ti, K, Al, Fe, Mg, Rb. Sediments close to the northern shore are characterized by high calcite contents, reflecting predominant sediment supply from the adjacent Cretaceous 'capas rojas', a series of Subbetic deep-water marlstones and limestones. Close to the western shore, relatively high gypsum contents presumably are due to precipitation from upwelling ground water. Anthropogenic influence is only indicated in the north-western and central eastern parts of the lake, where the surface sediments are significantly enriched in TOC and TN, reflecting enhanced primary production due to terrestrial organic matter supply from anthropogenic areas in the respective catchment. The central part of the lake is characterized by distal hemipelagic sedimentation, with high concentrations of clay and silt and a chemical and mineralogical composition that reflects a mixture of the sediment sources characterizing individual parts of the lake shores. The results of this study shed new light on the depositional processes and their potential spatial heterogeneity in small endorheic lakes. Furthermore, they will provide important information concerning the interpretation of the climate-controlled sedimentary processes through time, which are reflected in a 25.7 m long sediment record (Co1313) that was recovered in the lake centre in 2014 and 2015.
Mediterranean river biomonitoring in Central Italy: Diatom biodiversity and characterization of communities
Authors: Della Bella Valentina , Padula Rosalba , Charavgis Fedra , Cingolani Alessandra , Colangelo Paolo
Published: October 2016

In compliance with the European and Italian regulations, the Environmental Protection Agency of Umbria Region (ARPA Umbria) defined specific river monitoring programs and networks based on river type definition, human pressures and risk analysis. The Umbria Region lies in Central Italy and it can be split into three hydro-ecoregions belonging to the Mediterranean area. Data on diatom community composition were collected in five different Mediterranean macrotypes (M1-M5) throughout the diatom-based river monitoring network that is composed by 52 sampling stations in 36 watercourses. The main aim of this study was to characterise and to analyse diatom diversity across the different regional river macrotypes. Specifically, we investigated if: i) there were differences in species diversity (species richness and Shannon Index) among macrotypes; ii) there was difference in three water quality indexes (ICMi, IPS, and TI) among sites; and iii) there was a relationship between the observed ICMi, IPS and TI value and the diatom diversity. Two-hundred diatom species and varieties were identified, and the number of species per sampling station ranged from a minimum of 10 to a maximum of 38 species. The most frequent and abundant species were Amphora pediculus, Achnanthidium minutissimum, Navicula cryptotenella, Nitzschia dissipata, and each macrotype showed some peculiar species. The ecological status evaluation based on Intercalibration Common Metric Index (ICMi) classified 69% of the water bodies in high or good class. Significant differences in diversity and ICMi value among stream macrotypes were found, with M4 (small and medium mountain) and M5 (small, lowland, temporary) typologies showing the lowest species richness, and with M5 showing the lowest Shannon Index. Conversely, M2 (small and medium lowland) and M5 showed the highest ICMi value. Lastly, significant correlations between Shannon Index and the ICMi, IPS and TI indexes were found.
Stealing land in the name of religion: A Rastafari religio-political critique of land theft by global imperial forces
Authors: Hewitt Roderick
Published: October 2016

The issue of land has been central to Rastafari origins and ideological construct. Ethiopia, Africa, Babylon, Zion and Jamaica are symbols that point not only to physical location but also their ideological and psychological identity formation. This article uses Rastafari hermeneutics to critique the phenomenon of African Jamaican uprooting and dispossession of and from their land by powerful and global conglomerate forces that use the instrument of politics, economic and religion to accomplish their agenda. This article uses the Rastafari theological reflections, a theoretical framework that employs the phenomenon of faith, tradition and experience to interrogate the phenomenon of displacement of people through land theft. The religio-political narrative of Jamar Rolando McNaughton Jr, a young Jamaican reggae artist popularly known by his stage name Chronixx, will serve as the principal lens through which to interrogate the phenomenon of landlessness among the poor, primarily within the Jamaican context.
A Modular Repository-based Infrastructure for Simulation Model Storage and Execution Support in the Context of In Silico Oncology and In Silico Medicine
Authors: Christodoulou Nikolaos A. , Tousert Nikolaos E. , Georgiadi Eleni Ch. , Argyri Katerina D. , Misichroni Fay D. , Stamatakos Georgios S.
Published: October 2016

The plethora of available disease prediction models and the ongoing process of their application into clinical practice – following their clinical validation – have created new needs regarding their efficient handling and exploitation. Consolidation of software implementations, descriptive information, and supportive tools in a single place, offering persistent storage as well as proper management of execution results, is a priority, especially with respect to the needs of large healthcare providers. At the same time, modelers should be able to access these storage facilities under special rights, in order to upgrade and maintain their work. In addition, the end users should be provided with all the necessary interfaces for model execution and effortless result retrieval. We therefore propose a software infrastructure, based on a tool, model and data repository that handles the storage of models and pertinent execution-related data, along with functionalities for execution management, communication with third-party applications, user-friendly interfaces to access and use the infrastructure with minimal effort and basic security features.
Otimização multiobjetivo de sistema de abastecimento de água rural
Authors: Silva W.T.P. , Vieira L.T.Q. , Rosa D.M.S. , Campos M.M. , Santos A.A. , Souza M.A.A.
Published: October 2016

A falta de água em sistemas de abastecimento de água obriga a população a assumir comportamentos de risco à saúde, o que é muito frequente em sistemas de abastecimento de água rural (SAA-rural). O objetivo desta pesquisa foi desenvolver e aplicar um modelo de otimização multiobjetivo para SAA-rural no município de Cuiabá, Estado de Mato Grosso, Brasil. A metodologia de pesquisa constou de: (1) formulação do modelo de otimização (MO); (2) aplicação do MO; (3) análise de resultados; e (4) implementação computacional do MO. Para resolução do problema, foi proposta e utilizada uma peça geradora de perda de carga. Constatou-se que o problema de falta de água pode ser resolvido por meio de pequenas modificações operacionais e estruturais. Foi desenvolvido um MO multiobjetivo para SAA-rural, baseado na técnica de Programação Não Linear Inteira Multiobjetivo (PNLIMO) implementado em ambiente OpenOffice.org. O MO foi aplicado a um caso real, apresentando resultados satisfatórios.
Fístula Aortoentérica Secundaria A Prótesis De Dacron
Authors: Pérez-Alonso Alejandro J , Olmo-Rivas Carlos del , Machado-Romero Ignacio
Published: October 2016

Introducción

La fístula aorto-entérica (FAE) secundaria a prótesis endovascular, es una complicación infrecuente y de extrema gravedad que supone un reto diagnóstico.

Presentación del caso

se trata de un paciente que presentó bruscamente una hemorragia gastrointestinal alta que requirió la práctica urgente de pruebas complementarias que llevaron al diagnóstico de una colección a nivel retroduodenal con burbujas aéreas periprotésicas que apoyaban la existencia de una FAE secundaria.

Conclusión

Aunque el mecanismo exacto de la patogenia es desconocido por el momento, los factores mecánicos e infecciosos parecen ser las causas más frecuentes de esta complicación post-quirúrgica, siendo las teorías expuestas más aceptadas las infecciones bacterianas de la prótesis a nivel de la línea de grapas, daño en el intestino delgado durante la implantación, pseudoaneurismas, y úlceras intestinales.

How to cite this article

Pérez-Alonso AJ, del Olmo-Rivas C, Machado-Romero I, Petrone P. Fístula Aortoentérica Secundaria A Prótesis De Dacron. Panam J Trauma Crit Care Emerg Surg 2016;5(1):58-60.
Seasonal variations in physical characteristics of aerosol particles
at the King Sejong Station, Antarctic Peninsula
Authors: Kim Jaeseok , Yoon Young Jun , Gim Yeontae , Kang Hyo Jin , Choi Jin Hee , Lee Bang Yong
Published: October 2016

Abstract. The seasonal variability of the physical characteristics of aerosol particles at the King Sejong Station in the Antarctic Peninsula was investigated over the period of March 2009 to February 2015. Clear seasonal cycles of the total particle concentrations (CN) were observed. The monthly mean CN2.5 concentrations of particles with a particle size lager than 2.5 nm were the highest during the austral summer with a mean of 1080.39 ± 595.05 cm−3 and were the lowest during the austral winter with corresponding values of 197.26 ± 71.71 cm−3. A seasonal pattern of the cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations coincided with the CN concentrations, where the concentrations were minimum in the winter and maximum in the summer. We also estimated values of fit parameter C and k based on measured CCN spectra. The values of C varied from 6.35 cm−3 to 837.24 cm−3, with a mean of 171.48 ± 62.00 cm−3. The values of k ranged between 0.07 and 2.19, with a mean of 0.41 ± 0.10. In particular, the k values during the austral summer were higher than those during the winter, indicating that aerosol particles are more sensitive to supersaturation ratio (SS) changes during the summer than they are during the winter. Furthermore, the effects of the origin and the pathway travelled by the air mass on the physical characteristics of aerosol particles were determined. The modal diameter of aerosol particles that originated from the South Pacific Ocean showed seasonal variations; 0.023 µm in the winter and 0.034 µm in the summer for the Aitken mode and 0.086 µm in the winter and 0.109 µm in the summer for the accumulation mode.
Comparison of Emissions Inventories of
Anthropogenic Air Pollutants in China
Authors: Saikawa Eri , Kim Hankyul , Zhong Min , Zhao Yu , Janssens-Maenhout Greet , Kurokawa Jun-ichi , Klimont Zbigniew , Wagner Fabian , Naik Vaishali , Horowitz Larry , Zhang Qiang
Published: October 2016

Abstract. Anthropogenic air pollutant emissions have been increasing rapidly in China. Modelers use emissions inventories to assess temporal and spatial distribution of these emissions to estimate their impacts on regional and global air quality. However, large uncertainties exist in emissions estimates and assessing discrepancies in these inventories is essential for better understanding of the trends in air pollution over China. We compare five different emissions inventories estimating emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 10 um or less (PM10) from China. The emissions inventories analyzed in this paper include Regional Emissions inventory in ASia v2.1 (REAS); Multi-resolution Emission Inventory for China (MEIC); Emission Database for Global Atmospheric Research v4.2 (EDGAR); the inventory by Yu Zhao (ZHAO); and the Greenhouse Gas and Air Pollution Interactions and Synergies (GAINS). We focus on the period between 2000 and 2008 during which the Chinese economic activities have more than doubled. In addition to the national total, we also analyzed emissions from four source sectors (industry, transportation, power, and residential) and within seven regions in China (East, North, Northeast, Central, Southwest, Northwest, and South) and found that large disagreements (~ seven fold) exist among the five inventories at disaggregated levels. These discrepancies lead to differences of 67 ug/m3, 15 ppbv, and 470 ppbv for monthly mean PM10, O3, and CO, respectively, in modelled regional concentrations in China. We also find that MEIC inventory emissions estimates create a VOC-limited environment that produces much lower O3 mixing ratio in the East and Central China compared to the simulations using REAS and EDGAR estimates. Our results illustrate that a better understanding of Chinese emissions at more disaggregated levels is essential for finding an effective mitigation measure for reducing national and regional air pollution in China.
Technical Note: Relating functional group measurements to carbon types for improved model-measurement comparisons of organic aerosol composition
Authors: Takahama Satoshi , Ruggeri Giulia
Published: October 2016

Abstract. Functional group (FG) analysis provides a means by which functionalization in organic aerosol can be attributed to the abundances of its underlying molecular structures. However, performing this attribution requires additional, unobserved details about the molecular mixture to provide constraints in the estimation process. To address this issue, we present an approach for conceptualizing FG measurements of organic aerosol in terms of its functionalized carbon atoms. This reformulation facilitates estimation of mass recovery and biases in popular carbon-centric metrics that describe the extent of functionalization (such as oxygen to carbon ratio, organic mass to organic carbon mass ratio, and mean carbon oxidation state) for any given set of molecules and FGs analyzed. Furthermore, this approach allows development of parameterizations to more precisely estimate the organic carbon content from measured FG abundance. We use simulated photooxidation products of α-pinene secondary organic aerosol previously reported by Ruggeri et al. (Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 4401–4422, 2016) and FG measurements by Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy in chamber experiments by Sax et al. (Aerosol Sci. Tech., 39, 822–830, 2005) to infer the relationships among molecular composition, FG composition, and metrics of organic aerosol functionalization. We find that for this simulated system, ~ 80 % of the carbon atoms should be detected by FGs for which calibration models are commonly developed, and ~ 7 % of the carbon atoms are undetectable by FT-IR analysis because they are not associated with vibrational modes in the infrared. Estimated biases due to undetected carbon fraction for these simulations are used to make adjustments in these carbon-centric metrics such that model-measurement differences are framed in terms of unmeasured heteroatoms (e.g., in hydroperoxide and nitrate groups for the case studied in this demonstration). The formality of this method provides framework for extending FG analysis to not only model-measurement but also instrument intercomparisons in other chemical systems.
Investigating soil moisture-climate interactions with prescribed soil moisture experiments: an assessment with the Community Earth System Model (version 1.2)
Authors: Hauser Mathias , Orth René , Seneviratne Sonia I.
Published: October 2016

Abstract. Land surface hydrology is an important control of surface weather and climate. A valuable technique to investigate this link is the prescription of soil moisture in land surface models, which leads to a decoupling of the interaction between the atmosphere and land processes. Diverse approaches to prescribe soil moisture, as well as different prescribed soil moisture conditions can be envisaged. Here, we compare and assess three methodologies to prescribe soil moisture and investigate the impact of two estimates of the climatological seasonal cycle to prescribe soil moisture. This can help to guide the set up of future experiments prescribing soil moisture, as for instance planned within the "Land Surface, Snow and Soil Moisture Model Intercomparison Project" (LS3MIP). Our analysis shows that, though in appearance similar, the different approaches require substantially different long-term moisture inputs and lead to different temperature signals. The smallest influence on temperature and the water balance is found when prescribing the median seasonal cycle of deep soil liquid water, whereas the strongest signal is found when prescribing soil liquid and soil ice using the mean seasonal cycle. These results indicate that induced net water-balance perturbations in experiments investigating soil moisture-climate coupling are important contributors to the climate response, in addition to the intended impact of the decoupling.
Evaluation of floods in Western/Central Europe: the role of index design
Authors: Gvoždíková Blanka , Müller Miloslav
Published: October 2016

Abstract. This paper addresses the identification and evaluation of extreme flood events in the transitional area between Western and Central Europe in the period 1950–2010. Floods are evaluated in terms of several variants on an extremity index that combines discharge values with the spatial extent of flooding. The indices differ in two main aspects: the weight of the area parameter and the threshold of the considered maximum discharges. This study demonstrates that extremity indices are not highly sensitive to the changes in the design of the area parameter. On the contrary, using the index with a higher flood discharge limit changes the floods' rankings significantly. Due to a positive agreement with high severity events, we recommend using the index with a higher discharge limit. In general, we detected an increase in the proportion of warm half-year floods when using a higher discharge limit. Nevertheless, cold half-year floods still predominate in the lists because the affected area is usually large in the case of these floods. This study demonstrates the increasing representation of warm half-year floods from the northwest to the southeast.
Empeoramiento de las condiciones de empleo y trabajo en los primeros años de la crisis socioeconómica. Relevancia y efectos sobre la salud de la población asalariada europea
Authors: Merino Noé Jordi
Published: October 2016

El objetivo de este estudio fue observar si habían empeorado las condiciones de trabajo y de empleo en la población asalariada de la UE a raíz de la última crisis socioeconómica, así como la relación de éstas condiciones con el estado de salud. Se realizó un estudio de tendencia a través de la European Working Conditions Survey comparada con la Labour Force Survey. Además, se ajustaron modelos de regresión logística para explorar asociaciones de las peores condiciones con la salud, considerando el trabajo reproductivo, el sexo y edad. Los principales resultados indicaron que se habían intensificado algunos cambios en las condiciones de empleo en países con regímenes de bienestar sureños y anglosajones. Las peores condiciones se asociaron con el mal estado de salud con importantes desigualdades de género. La norma social de ocupación y el tipo de provisión global del bienestar pueden ayudar a interpretar algunas de estas observaciones.
Economía Verde y Empleo: las potencialidades laborales de la “Transición Ecológica” en España
Authors: Ramos Díaz Javier
Published: October 2016

La Economía Verde ofrece posibilidades reales de innovación productiva, crecimiento económico y creación de empleo de calidad en España. Estos tres factores son fundamentales para facilitar el cambio de modelo productivo desde el que encarar la salida de la crisis. Sin embargo las medidas tomadas por el gobierno conservador actual van en la dirección contraria, recortando significativamente los incentivos a las renovables, cargando impositivamente la producción de energía para autoconsumo y privatizando los espacios públicos protegidos. Esto dificulta el cumplimiento de los objetivos ambientales de la Estrategia Europa-2020. Una estrategia que no es la panacea ambiental, sino que nace ya limitada, poco ambiciosa, subordinada a los intereses de los grandes oligopolios financieros y energéticos, a los imperativos del Pacto de Estabilidad y Crecimiento (Maastricht) y al cumplimiento de las políticas de austeridad y mercantilización impuestas a raíz de la crisis financiera de 2008. Por eso la Transición Ecológica va más allá, demandando una política económica sustancialmente distinta a la Mercantilización que propone la Economía Verde. A pesar de estas limitaciones los jóvenes y desempleados tienen mucho que ganar con un desarrollo integral de los sectores ambientales y con los planes de innovación, inversión y formación que son necesarios para hacer de nuestro país una referencia ambiental en toda Europa.
Editorial Vol.69
Authors: Gómez Alvaro Rivas
Published: October 2016

Wani Vol.69 2014 pp.9-10
Unidad de propósito: Avances de las juventudes y comunidades aliadas al Programa Educación para el Éxito
Authors: Taylor Deborah Robb
Published: October 2016

La autora de este artículo analiza los resultados a la fecha, del Programa Educación para el Éxito, tomando como referencia los objetivos del Programa, los análisis sobre las condiciones de riesgo y vulnerabilidad de la juventud incluidas en este número de la Revista, entrevistas a participantes y colaboradores del Programa, y las estadísticas que reflejan el gradual proceso de avance en el desarrollo de las capacidades de adolescentes y jóvenes que integran el Programa.Wani Vol.69 2014, pp.23-32BAPANKA LALKIKA: WAHMA NAI BARA TIARA PAWI WANBA, BARA TAWAN SIRPI NANI WILKANKA BRIBA SMLAKANKA BA WAL PURA LUWAN DUKIARA Naha pyuara aulbra ba, ulbaka tanka laki kaikisa smalkana nani warka bawal pura luwanka dukiara naha sat lika bapanka nani kulkanka ba wal; wahma nani trabilka bara sringhka kum bar aba taka pliki kaikisa, naha ulbanka numbika ulbisara ba, upla satka nanira ulbi makabi walansa, naha smalkanka nani na dukiara, ulbi, kulki kaiki, taka brinsa, tawa tawa ai taura auia sa, naha smalkanka nanina wal.
Autonomía y juventudes en el Caribe sur nicaragüense
Authors: Sequeira Rankin Francisco
Published: October 2016

Luego de cumplir veintiséis años de autonomía en el Caribe nicaragüense, en este artículo su autor analiza los resultados de una encuesta a la juventud, en cinco municipios de población predominantemente indígena, mestiza y afrodescendiente de la RACS. La encuesta trata de medir conocimientos, aspiraciones, percepciones y participación de la juventud en la autonomía. En el artículo están resumidas las recomendaciones planteadas en el estudio para futuras intervenciones dirigidas a potenciar la capacidad de agencia y estimular la participación ciudadana de adolescentes y jóvenes de la región.Wani Vol.69 2014, pp.81-88KÛS TASBAIA BAIKI SAKAN SAUT SAITKA RA (RAAS) WAHMA TIARA NANI WARK NANI TILARA DINKAIA LÂKA BANaha stadi munanka nara taura ulbansa kainara dia takanba, wark nani lainkara wahma tiara nani nawas nahki iwi banghwiba, trabil saura nani tilara, iwanka natka, bara klauna tasbaia ra wahma tiara nani ba wark nani tilara dinkaia dukiara wark ka nani daukaia. Ninkara makabisa wahma tiara nani ba wark nani sut tilara dinkaia. Kûs tasbaia baiki sakan saut saitka ra (RAAS) wahma tiara nani wark nani tilara dinkaia dukiara stadi munanka wauhkataya ra aisi ba baku. Naha tasbaia ra sika wark ka daukaisa nina ba sika Kul sinska lâka nani pain briaia bara wahma tiara nani pain pawanka lâka nani yabaia ba. Ninkara wauhkataya nara aisi prakisa kampani nani bara âpis nani sat sat banghwi bara witing nani blestu naha wahmika bara tiarka nani Nikarawa karibika tasbaia ra îwi banghwi bara wark yabaia ba dukiara.KÛS SAUNI SAHWI YAKNA WADAH SAITNI KAU (RAAS) YAK, WAWAHMA SIRARAU BALNA WARK PAS YAK ÂNIN LÂNI BALNA Adika laihwi talna akat tatuna yak ulna sara puyun ais kalahna dai kidika, wark balna ninin yak wawahma sirarau balna war minit ampat yalalahwi bangh kidika, trabil dutni pas yakat, ampat yalahwi bangh kidika, dawak ma sauki wawahnima sirarauni balna bitik wark balna pas yakat ânin yulni warkni balna kidi yamnin. Usnit yak yulwi wawahma sirarau balna kidi wark balna bitik pas yakat awi dûnin yulni. Kus sauni sahwi yakna wadah saitni kau (RAAS) yak. wawahma sirarau balna wark balna pas yakat ânin yulni waunhtaya yayamna pas yakat yulwa kapat. Adika sauni yakat warkni balna yayamnin ahawa ayangni kidika kuduh Kûl sinsni lâni balna yamni dunin dawak wawahma sirarau balna yamni bararakwarang yulni. Usnit yak wauhnitaya akat yulwi putwi, kampani balna dawak âpis balna sat sat bangh yakat, witingna blestu adika wawahnima dawak sirarauni balna Nikarawa karibi ni sauni yak yalahwi bangh yakat wark dianin ki.
Parenteral Nutrition in Patients with Advanced Cancer and Gastrointestinal Failure or Obstruction
Authors: Chermesh Irit , Haim Nissim , Amit Amnon , Waterman Matti , Papier Irina , Mashiach Tania
Published: October 2016

Malnutrition in patients with advanced cancer and gastrointestinal failure (ACGIF) is inevitable. This is a prospective study of a cohort of patients with ACGIF who were treated by home parenteral nutrition (HPN).

Included were all patients with ACGIF treated with HPN since January 2003. Data concerning the primary disease, demographics, functional capacity, and PN-related complications were obtained.

125 patients, age's 60±12.9 years, were included. Seven (6%) had KPS<50. Median survival was 3.2 months. Cumulative survivalwas 0.95, 0.50, 0.25, and 0.09 at two weeks, three and six months, and one year after initiation of HPN, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed higher mortality associated with male gender (HR 1.48 95% CI 1.03-2.14; p<0.05), albumin level<2.5 gr% (HR 1.73 95% CI 1.18-2.54 p<0.05), and low functional capacity (KPS<50) (HR 2.63 95% CI 1.21-5.74; p<0.05). Survival was not associated with age or BMI.

More than 50% of patients survived more than three months, and more than 95% survived longer than two weeks. We cautiously suggest that HPN has prolonged survival and prevented starvation-related manifestations. The decision to initiate HTPN must be reached based on individual considerations, taking into account patient’s preferences. 

 
Cherry Picking or Depth-Oriented Strategic Investing? Evidence from SRI Activity
Authors: Russo Angeloantonio , Mariani Massimo , Perrini Francesco
Published: October 2016

Today, socially responsible investing (SRI) represents the youngest financial-services industry that investors can exploit to implement their investment strategies. Although literature in this field is growing, additional research is needed to disentangle the factors affecting the performance of SRI funds. This paper focuses on the analysis of the influence that the depth of investment strategy by SRI funds may have on the investment performance, whereas larger SRI funds have a stronger capacity to address their investment choices. We used a sample of 149 USA SRI funds referring to the Social Investment Forum (SIF) Foundation in the period 2005-2010. We found that depth of investment strategy decreases the capacity of large SRI funds to reach positive financial returns if a broad sustainability investment strategy is pursued. On the other hand, SRI funds able to focus the attention on specific environmental, social, governance, or product criteria do increase their capacity to reach positive financial performance. This paper contributes to the existing literature by examining the depth of the sustainability investment strategy by SRI funds and investigating the moderating effect that peculiar investment strategies have on the well-known relation between size and performance of SRI funds. major-bidi;mso-bidi-theme-font:major-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA'>This paper analyzes the wealth distribution taking into account the reaction of the market to the alliance as an indicator of a successful strategy. It explores the case of the automobile industry, which is characterised by a high use of inter-firm cooperation, such as strategic alliances and mergers & acquisitions, to effectively compete in the global market and face the global crisis.
A Case Study on Reengineering the Trade Flow for the Cross-strait Tax Plans of Taiwanese Companies
Authors: Kuo Yi-Chun , Wu Yo-Ming
Published: October 2016

New regionalism is sweeping the world making regional trade integration an irreversible global trend that countries like Taiwan must meet head on. A significant problem for Taiwan is that its competitors, such as Japan, South Korea, and ASEAN countries, enjoy a host of tariff preferences. All the above poses a very real threat of trade diversion and thus unfavorable economic outcomes for Taiwan. By using a case study, this article investigates how Taiwanese firms can develop new tax strategies through Chinese suppliers’ VAT (Value Added Tax) refunds by introducing business process reengineering (BPR), which will reintegrate current cross-strait trade routes and efficiently integrate Taiwanese corporations with the commercial flow and logistics of mainland-based trade. The main research objectives are 1. Explore the current situation for trade routes and logistics distribution of an individual company that does procurement on the mainland. 2. Under the influence of ECFA (Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement), analyze how Taiwanese companies can effectively integrate commercial flow and logistics. The result of this study shows that reengineering the trade flow with a trade procurement platform allow case company significantly lower procurement-related costs, compared to direct trading, a 13.9% costs reduction for import prices makes the advantage quite clear. The main contribution of this study is helping trade managers to reintegrate a company’s internal trade process(es) and build a trade procurement platform that complies with current trade policy restrictions to reduce business operations-related costs, and raise the competitiveness of a product’s price.
Situating Continuing Professional Development in Life Long Learning in Qatar
Authors: Weerakkody Vishanth , Osmani Mohamad , Waller Paul , Hindi Nitham , Al-Esmail Rajab
Published: October 2016

Continued professional development (CPD) has been at the centre of capacity building in most successful organisations in western countries over the past few decades. Specialised professions in fields such as Accounting, Finance and ICT, to name but a few, are continuously evolving, which is necessitating certain standards to be followed through registration and certification by a designated authority (e.g. ACCA). Whilst most developed countries such as the UK and the US have well established frameworks for CPD for these professions, several developing nations, including Qatar (the chosen context for this article) are only just beginning to adopt these frameworks into their local contexts. However, the unique socio-cultural settings in such countries require these frameworks to be appropriately modified before they are adopted within the respective national context. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of CPD in Qatar through comparing the UK as a benchmark and drawing corresponding and contrasting observations to formulate a roadmap towards developing a high level framework.
Development of a method to measure mechanical properties of single elongated callose fibers in protoplast cultures of Larix leptolepis and Betula platyphylla
Authors: Oyanagi Tomoya , Kurita Asami , Shiraishi Toshihiko , Sasamoto Hamako
Published: October 2016

We developed a method to measure mechanical properties of single fibers of callose in liquid protoplast cultures of Larix leptolepis and Betula platyphylla, which were formed in media containing 50 mM of MgCl2 or 100 mM of CaCl2, respectively. Tensile test was performed using two micromanipulators loading micropipettes under an inverted microscope. Spring constant of the pipette used was first calibrated and calculated from using a microbalance. The callose fiber was wired between the two micropipettes. The Young’s modulus of single fibers for Larix and Betula was 7-9 kPa (1.4-1.9 x 104 N/m2) though the diameters of the fiber varied from 10 μm for Larix and 22-26 μm for Betula. No difference was found between experiments with and without medium containing high concentrations of salts. Tensile strength at break was 1.1-1.8 kPa (2.3-3.6 x 103 N/m2). The values are compared to other materials including cellulose containing plant cell wall, cell membranes, and amorphous callose. The value of the Young’s modulus observed was discussed.
Evaluation of Salt Affected Soils for Rice (Oryza Sativa) Production in Ndungu Irrigation Scheme Same District, Tanzania
Authors: Meliyo Joel L. , Kashenge-Killenga Sophia , Victor Kongo M. , Mfupe Benjamin , Hiza Samwel , Kihupi Ashura L. , Boman Brian J. , Dick Warren
Published: October 2016

A study was carried out to examine distribution of salt affected soils by types and extent in the Ndungu Agricultural Development Project (NADP) area of Tanzania. The objective was to generate information to guide salt-affected soil management for sustainable rice production. Conventional methods including use of mini-pits and profile pits, coupled with farmers’ experiences were used to characterise soil. A total of seven randomly selected soil profile pits located in major soils were dug and described. Soil was sampled from natural horizons for laboratory analysis. In addition a total of 158 topsoil (0 – 20 cm depth) composites soil samples were randomly collected from 90 sites of NADP project area for laboratory analysis. Results showed that a few blocks (block is a piece of farm of 6 to 12 acres) had high exchangeable sodium percentage and high levels of bicarbonates, indicating salt-affected soils. Soil pH, exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), and electrical conductivity of soil paste extract (ECe) values as high as 9.06, 28.7 cmol(+)Nakg-1, and 14dSm-1 were measured. Out of 90 blocks, 10 blocks (11%) showed slight to strong salt effects. Two blocks (2%) has been abandoned, and in some cultivated blocks zero yields were recorded due to salt content. The different levels of salinity development in the project area suggest site-specific remediation and appropriate management options be developed to improve crop production. These include rehabilitation of the irrigation infrastructure, use of farmyard manure as a soil amendment and growing salt-tolerant rice varieties. Furthermore, it is important to create awareness among farmers of the problem of salt-affected soil on rice productivity.
Rural Russia on the Edges of Authority:Bezvlastiein Wartime Riazan´, November-December 1941
Authors: Bernstein Seth
Published: October 2016

Central Russia’s Riazan´ province was on the front lines of World War II for two weeks in late 1941. Placed between German and Soviet forces, the province was on the edges of authorities’ ability to exert full control over the region. In that time, Soviet power dissolved in the countryside. Peasants raided warehouses and dismantled collective farms while enterprising local notables aided the embryonic occupation regime. Documents created during the two weeks and their immediate aft ermath show that rural Russians, even collaborators, defied simple classification as anti-Soviet. Instead, they exhibited survivalist instincts and a traditional antipathy toward central authority rather than a preference for either German or Soviet power. As Soviet power returned to Riazan´ authorities grappled with the mass upheaval that the power vacuum had enabled. Unlike later interpretations, which would stress the role of German atrocities in occupation regimes, Riazan´ authorities blamed “anti-Soviet elements” among the province’s population.
The limits of the use of locus of control in industrial psychology: A critical evaluation
Authors: Üzümçeker Emir
Published: October 2016

Locus of control is a personality variable that is employed by researchers from diverse disciplines. This article examines the limits of the construct’s usage in industrial and organizational psychology. Although locus of control is documented to predict a wide array of workplace behavior such as job satisfaction, job performance and turnover intention, some important conceptual, methodological and empirical flaws raise suspicions on the explanations proposed by researchers. Considering the shortage of experimental and longitudinal evidence, it is argued that the causal direction of the well-established correlations between locus of control and other organizational behavioral variables might be the opposite of the theory’s expectation. It is also claimed that some related constructs such as self-efficacy and belief in a just world might provide further explanations for observed correlations.
Safety Studies for Use of Adipose Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal/Stem Cells in a Rabbit Model for Osteoarthritis to Support a Phase I Clinical Trial
Authors: Riester Scott M. , Denbeigh Janet M. , Lin Yang , Jones Dakota L. , de Mooij Tristan , Lewallen Eric A. , Nie Hai , Paradise Christopher R. , Radel Darcie J. , Dudakovic Amel , Camilleri Emily T. , Larson Dirk R. , Qu Wenchun , Krych Aaron J. , Frick Matthew A. , Im Hee-Jeong , Dietz Allan B. , Smith Jay , van Wijnen Andre J.
Published: October 2016

Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AMSCs) offer potential as a therapeutic option for clinical applications in musculoskeletal regenerative medicine because of their immunomodulatory functions and capacity for trilineage differentiation. In preparation for a phase I clinical trial using AMSCs to treat patients with osteoarthritis, we carried out preclinical studies to assess the safety of human AMSCs within the intra-articular joint space. Culture-expanded human AMSCs grown in human platelet-lysate were delivered via intra-articular injections into normal healthy rabbit knees and knees at risk for the development of osteoarthritis after bilateral medial anterior hemimeniscectomy. Treatment outcomes and safety were evaluated by assessing the general health, function, and behavior of the animals. Joint tissues were analyzed by x-ray, magnetic resonance imaging, and histopathology. Intra-articular AMSC therapy was well tolerated in this study. We did not observe adverse systemic reactions, nor did we find evidence of damage to intra-articular joint tissues. Thus, the data generated in this study show a favorable safety profile for AMSCs within the joint space in support of a phase I clinical trial evaluating the clinical utility of AMSCs to treat osteoarthritis.
Dopamine neurons learn relative chosen value from probabilistic rewards
Authors: Lak Armin , Stauffer William R , Schultz Wolfram
Published: October 2016

Economic theories posit reward probability as one of the factors defining reward value. Individuals learn the value of cues that predict probabilistic rewards from experienced reward frequencies. Building on the notion that responses of dopamine neurons increase with reward probability and expected value, we asked how dopamine neurons in monkeys acquire this value signal that may represent an economic decision variable. We found in a Pavlovian learning task that reward probability-dependent value signals arose from experienced reward frequencies. We then assessed neuronal response acquisition during choices among probabilistic rewards. Here, dopamine responses became sensitive to the value of both chosen and unchosen options. Both experiments showed also the novelty responses of dopamine neurones that decreased as learning advanced. These results show that dopamine neurons acquire predictive value signals from the frequency of experienced rewards. This flexible and fast signal reflects a specific decision variable and could update neuronal decision mechanisms.
A retrospective study detects a novel variant of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus in England in archived material from the year 2000
Authors: Steinbach Falko , Dastjerdi Akbar , Peake Julie , La Rocca S. Anna , Tobin Frank P. , Frossard Jean-Pierre , Williamson Susanna
Published: October 2016

Outbreaks of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) were first recorded in England in the 1970s and continued to be confirmed until 2002. Retrospective analysis of archived material from one of the last confirmed cases in England in the year 2000 demonstrates the previous existence of a very diverse PED virus strain. Following the outbreaks of PED in North America in 2013, there has been renewed interest in phylogenetic analysis of sequences from PEDV strains worldwide. There is a gap in the available sequence data between the mid 1980s and the mid 2000s. This work is an example of how this gap can be at least partially filled by the examination of archived material.
Comparative internal anatomy of Staurozoa (Cnidaria), with functional and evolutionary inferences
Authors: Miranda Lucília S. , Collins Allen G. , Hirano Yayoi M. , Mills Claudia E. , Marques Antonio C.
Published: October 2016

Comparative efforts to understand the body plan evolution of stalked jellyfishes are scarce. Most characters, and particularly internal anatomy, have neither been explored for the class Staurozoa, nor broadly applied in its taxonomy and classification. Recently, a molecular phylogenetic hypothesis was derived for Staurozoa, allowing for the first broad histological comparative study of staurozoan taxa. This study uses comparative histology to describe the body plans of nine staurozoan species, inferring functional and evolutionary aspects of internal morphology based on the current phylogeny of Staurozoa. We document rarely-studied structures, such as ostia between radial pockets, intertentacular lobules, gametoducts, pad-like adhesive structures, and white spots of nematocysts (the last four newly proposed putative synapomorphies for Staurozoa). Two different regions of nematogenesis are documented. This work falsifies the view that the peduncle region of stauromedusae only retains polypoid characters; metamorphosis from stauropolyp to stauromedusa occurs both at the apical region (calyx) and basal region (peduncle). Intertentacular lobules, observed previously in only a small number of species, are shown to be widespread. Similarly, gametoducts were documented in all analyzed genera, both in males and females, thereby elucidating gamete release. Finally, ostia connecting adjacent gastric radial pockets appear to be universal for Staurozoa. Detailed histological studies of medusozoan polyps and medusae are necessary to further understand the relationships between staurozoan features and those of other medusozoan cnidarians.
Widespread dieback of riparian trees on a dammed ephemeral river and evidence of local mitigation by tributary flows
Authors: Douglas Caitlin M. S. , Mulligan Mark , Harrison Xavier A. , Henschel Joh R. , Pettorelli Nathalie , Cowlishaw Guy
Published: October 2016

Ephemeral rivers act as linear oases in drylands providing key resources to people and wildlife. However, not much is known about these rivers’ sensitivities to human activities. We investigated the landscape-level determinants of riparian tree dieback along the Swakop River, a dammed ephemeral river in Namibia, focusing on the native ana tree (Faidherbia albida) and the invasive mesquite (Prosopisspp.). We surveyed over 1,900 individual trees distributed across 24 sites along a 250 km stretch of the river. General linear mixed models were used to test five hypotheses relating to three anthropogenic threats: river flow disruption from damming, human settlement and invasive species. We found widespread dieback in both tree populations: 51% mortality in ana tree, with surviving trees exhibiting 18% canopy death (median); and 26% mortality in mesquite, with surviving trees exhibiting 10% canopy death. Dieback in the ana tree was most severe where trees grew on drier stretches of the river, where tributary flow was absent and where mesquite grew more abundantly. Dieback in the mesquite, a more drought-tolerant taxon, did not show any such patterns. Our findings suggest that dieback in the ana tree is primarily driven by changes in river flow resulting from upstream dam creation and that tributary flows provide a local buffer against this loss of main channel flow. The hypothesis that the invasive mesquite may contribute to ana tree dieback was also supported. Our findings suggest that large dams along the main channels of ephemeral rivers have the ability to cause widespread mortality in downstream riparian trees. To mitigate such impacts, management might focus on the maintenance of natural tributary flows to buffer local tree populations from the disruption to main channel flow.
A new species ofBrachycephalus(Anura: Brachycephalidae) from Santa Catarina, southern Brazil
Authors: Bornschein Marcos R. , Ribeiro Luiz F. , Blackburn David C. , Stanley Edward L. , Pie Marcio R.
Published: October 2016

A new species ofBrachycephalus(Anura: Brachycephalidae) is described from the Atlantic Forest of northeastern state of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil. Nine specimens (eight adults and a juvenile) were collected from the leaf litter of montane forests 790–835 m above sea level (a.s.l.). The new species is a member of thepernixgroup by its bufoniform shape and the absence of dermal co-ossification and is distinguished from all its congeners by a combination of its general coloration (dorsal region of head, dorsum, legs, arms, and flanks light, brownish green to dark, olive green, with darker region in the middle of the dorsum and a white line along the vertebral column in most specimens) and by its smooth dorsum. The geographical distribution of the new species is highly reduced (extent of occurrence estimated as 25.04 ha, or possibly 34.37 ha). In addition, its habitat has experienced some level of degradation, raising concerns about the future conservation of the species. Preliminary density estimates suggest one calling individual every 3–4 m2at 815–835 m a.s.l. and every 100 m2at 790 m a.s.l. Together with the recently describedB. boticarioandB. fuscolineatus, the new species is among the southernmost species ofBrachycephalusknown to date.