bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A perspective of teachers’ appropriation of educational innovations
Authors: Ng Wei Sheng Timmy , Wilson Elaine
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework describing teachers’ affective and cognitive thought processes, as well as the sensemaking and decision making ongoing within them, during the various stages of the appropriation of an educational innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

The Rubicon model of action phases, borrowed from psychology, is first used as a lens to understand teachers’ will. The model is subsequently adapted to reconcile it with existing literature on teacher beliefs, teacher sensemaking, and teachers’ resistance.

Findings

The proposed framework shows that teachers’ appropriation of an educational innovation is multi-layered and multi-dimensional. This contradicts appropriation as simply a procedural implementation of research recommendations, culminating in only success or failure.

Originality/value

The paper sensitises policymakers, school leaders, and teacher educators to the complexity of the appropriation process. The proposed framework serves as a starting point for school and reform leaders, to re-examine their school’s implementation of an educational innovation from a more human relations perspective.
Voices from the dead: the uneasy case of indigenous cultural expression
Authors: Abdul Ghani Azmi Ida Madieha
Published: May 2017

Purpose

Traditional cultural expression (TCE) includes music, dance, art, designs, names, signs and symbols, performances, ceremonies, architectural forms, handicrafts and narratives or many other artistic or cultural expressions [World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO)]. To constitute TCEs, the expressions must form part of the identity and heritage of a traditional or indigenous community and need to be passed down from generation to generation (Kuprecht, 2014). This paper aims to analyse the protection of TCE in Malaysia by focusing on the Mah Meri tribe. This paper examines copyright over TCE, recordation as a means of preserving a dying tradition and customary practices and native law.

Design/methodology/approach

Information is drawn from personal discussions with the weavers and carvers of the Mah Meri tribe, and a focus group discussion with subject matter experts. As a way of comparison, a personal visit has been made to Sarawak Biodiversity Centre, Sarawak Native Courts, the Dayak Iban Association and Dayak Bidayuh Association.

Findings

The research found that copyright law has no specific provision for the protection of TCEs. Customary practices of the indigenous people and the native law of Sarawak have limited effect outside their traditional domain. Recordation and documentation of TCEs are the prime initiatives, but the documents or the recordings do not carry any legal status.

Research limitations/implications

The research is limited only to the Mah Meri tribe with a comparison drawn to the Dayak Iban and Dayak Bidayuh tribe.

Practical implications

The research examines the practical implications of copyright and recording and documentation of cultural expression in Malaysia.

Social implications

The research sets to unearth and highlight the ideation process in a tribal setting and how that clashes with the formal creation setting in a modern intellectual property system.

Originality/value

This paper was presented at the IAITL Congress 2013. It also appeared in the Conference Proceedings edited by Slyvia Kieerkgard, but it has not been published in any journals.
Psychological empowerment of employees for competitive advantages
Authors: Gautam Dhruba Kumar , Bhandari Ghimire Sunita
Published: May 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to assess the existing situation of psychological empowerment to employees and explore the relationship between psychological empowerment and competitive advantages in service sector of Nepal.

Design/methodology/approach

The study followed descriptive cum exploratory research design. Data collected through structured questionnaire based on Menon’s three-component model and Wright’s four-component model used to measure psychological employment and competitive advantages from employees of banking and hospital sector.

Findings

Psychological empowerment of employees in service sector is significantly different between public and private organizations. Even though the factors that are extracted are quite different than of Western practices, psychological empowerment has positive and significant impact on the competitive advantages.

Research limitations/implications

This study is mainly based on service sector of Nepal: Banking and Hospital.

Practical implications

This paper is useful to academicians and practitioners seeking to develop psychological empowerment to achieve competitive advantages in their organizations and help to add values in people management areas particularly in South Asian corporations.

Originality/value

This is perhaps the very first investigation of its kind in the Nepalese context.
Applicability of the HPO framework in non-profit organizations
Authors: Mroueh Meerna , de Waal André
Published: May 2017

Purpose

Associations perform an important role in developing a profession, by organizing professionals into a community in which relevant information and knowledge are shared, ideas expanded, contacts with other like-minded professionals made, a code of ethics established and appropriate practices for members identified. For an association to be effective, it has to perform at the highest quality level. However, no studies can be found in the academic literature on how to create high-performing associations. This paper aims to apply the high-performance organization (HPO) Framework within the Emirates Insurance Association (EIA) to evaluate its current strength and identify possible improvements that need to be implemented for EIA to achieve high performance.

Design/methodology/approach

In this article, the HPO Framework – which has been used and validated in many contexts, including non-profit organizations (NPOs) – is applied within the EIA to evaluate its current strength and, thereby, identify possible improvements that need to be implemented for EIA to achieve high performance.

Findings

The research results showed that the HPO Framework – when adapted to the circumstances of an association – is able to accurately evaluate the situation within that association and yield targeted recommendations to improve its performance.

Originality/value

This research fills a lacuna in the current literature on how to improve the performance of associations; it can, therefore, function as a foundation for further academic research into high performance in associations and possibly other types of NPOs. Moreover, the research results help managers of associations and NPOs in their quest for high performance by offering tangible improvement suggestions.
Collaboration and crowdsourcing in emergency management
Authors: Ernst Christoph , Mladenow Andreas , Strauss Christine
Published: May 2017

Purpose

Emergency managers face coordinative challenges that require a high degree of mobility, flexibility and the ability to interpret heterogeneous, location-dependent information of various sources and quality. Recent information and communication technology-driven developments like crowdsourcing or social networks have opened up new organizational possibilities for emergency managers. To make quick but solid decisions, and improve the coordination of activities performed by crowdsourcees during disaster response, the authors suggest the use of collaborative features from crowdsourcing and inherent availability of resources from social network effects. In this paper, the idea of considering collaboration and crowdsourcing as drivers for flexibility in the design of business processes in the context of emergency management is prepared, the meaning of location-dependent tasks for volunteers is investigated, and the added value of social network effects is substantiated.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is part of an ongoing research project in the field of crowdsourcing. It represents conceptual work that builds on relevant literature.

Findings

In terms of emergency management, the paper sheds light on what emergency managers may consider when coordinating activities performed by volunteers and how they may benefit from social network effects. Furthermore, it is shown how they can exploit information using collaboration-based and tournament-like crowdsourcing, how they can benefit from invoking additional resources using weak ties from social networks, and how visualization of information may support decision-making.

Practical implications

Exemplary applications to exploit crowdsourcing and social network effects to support improvisation and to respond flexibly in disaster response are given.

Originality/value

This paper suggests novel collaborative approaches to support emergency managers in their decision-making. Based on social network analysis, the value of weak ties is elaborated, and based on a taxonomy from crowdsourcing, distinct collaborative alternatives are developed and proposed for application in emergency management.
Family firm identity and capital structure decisions
Authors: Thiele Felix K. , Wendt Martin
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to grasp the effect of familiness on capital structure decisions in family firms, as family firm identity may be an important source of competitive advantage due to its potential to moderate relationships with stakeholders such as banks.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses panel data from 2010 to 2014, which combine financial and structural data on 691 large private German companies. The econometric approach is a random-effect and tobit panel regression using different dependent variables relating to debt.

Findings

The study reveals that family firms have significantly higher overall and long-term debt levels compared to their non-family counterparts. Contrary to the extant literature, tangibility is not significantly related to debt in the context of family firms and the hypothesized higher usage of trade credits by family-owned businesses could not be supported.

Research limitations/implications

Future research can improve the measurement of familiness by changing from a dichotomous to a continuous variable, acknowledging that family businesses are not homogenous. This would also enable a different econometric approach.

Practical implications

A practical implication for family firms is to actively capitalize on their identity and thus, improving the way they present themselves towards different groups of stakeholders to mitigate information asymmetries and enhance trust.

Originality/value

The paper investigates large private family-owned businesses, applies multiple dependent variables, and uses a family firm specific theoretical framework, namely familiness, to explain the family’s influence on the business.
Women’s management practices and performance in rural female-owned family businesses
Authors: Peake Whitney , Marshall Maria I.
Published: May 2017

Purpose

Prior research indicates that family businesses have fewer management control practices in place and are more likely to have non-economic goals for their firm. Further, researchers in this domain contend that female-controlled businesses tend to underperform compared to male-controlled businesses. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the performance effects of management controls and goals for the business across both male and female-controlled farm and rural family businesses.

Design/methodology/approach

The data used in the analyses are from the 2012 Intergenerational Farm and Non-Farm Family Business Survey. The sample comprises 576 small- and medium-sized rural family businesses. The authors used probit analysis to model both family business objective and subjective success for women and men.

Findings

The results suggest that female-controlled farm and rural family businesses do not underperform their male counterparts in terms of objective or subjective assessments of performance. The results do indicate, however, that strategic management via management control practices within the firm influence objective and subjective performance differently across male and female-controlled farm and rural family businesses.

Originality/value

The results provide three primary contributions to the family business literature. First, the authors determined that strategic management practices via management control mechanisms, as well as the monitoring of managers, are of significance to the objective performance (i.e. gross income) of both men and women-controlled farm and rural family businesses. Second, the authors found that communicating economic vs non-economic goals do not influence satisfaction with the firm’s performance, but do influence the probability of success for female-controlled family businesses. Finally, the authors find that when we compare male and female-controlled businesses in the same industry, while controlling for family and business factors, men and women do not differ in a statistical sense in objective or subjective performance.
The information content of dividend initiation announcements
Authors: Yu Susana , Webb Gwendolyn
Published: May 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the dividend initiation announcements made by firms in the information technology sector as defined in a modern system of industrial classification.

Design/methodology/approach

On the basis of a modern classification of the information technology industry, the authors examine a wide range of corporate performance and management measures to discriminate between the two theories of the information revealed by the announcement of dividend initiations, the signaling, and life cycle theories.

Findings

The empirical results are more consistent with the corporate life cycle theory of dividends than with the information signaling hypothesis. This finding helps clarify the nature of the information revealed by the announcement.

Originality/value

The paper has clear implications for investors who are interested in the growth prospects of technology firms, or for others interested in their prospective stability and degree of maturity.
Survival after resection of appendiceal carcinoma by hemicolectomy and less radical than hemicolectomy: a population‐based propensity score matched analysis
Authors: Elias H. , Galata C. , Warschkow R. , Schmied B. M. , Steffen T. , Post S. , Marti L.
Published: May 2017

Aim

The operative treatment for non‐metastatic appendiceal carcinoma is controversial despite the recommendation of right hemicolectomy (RH) by many researchers. The aim of this population‐based study was to compare outcomes after RH and less radical resection than right hemicolectomy (LRH).

Method

A total of 1144 patients who underwent resection with additional lymphadenectomy of Stages I–III appendiceal carcinoma from 2004 to 2012 were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database. Overall survival (OS) and cancer‐specific survival (CSS) after RH and LRH were assessed by unadjusted and risk‐adjusted Cox regression analysis and by propensity score matched analysis.

Results

A total of 855 (74.7%) patients underwent RH and 289 (25.3%) underwent LRH. In an unadjusted analysis, survival after LRH and RH did not differ in OS [hazard ratio (HR) 0.95, 95% CI 0.71–1.26, P = 0.707] and CSS (HR 0.95, 95% CI 0.69–1.32, P = 0.762). The 5‐year OS and CSS in patients who underwent RH were 71.6% (95% CI 67.8–75.6%) and 76.4% (95% CI 72.8–80.3) compared with 73.8% (95% CI 67.9–80.2) and 78.7% (95% CI 73.2–84.7) in patients with LRH, respectively. No relevant difference in survival between LRH and RH could be observed in a multivariable analysis (OS, HR 0.90, 95% CI 0.65–1.25, P = 0.493; CSS, HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.60–1.26, P = 0.420) and after propensity score adjusted analysis (OS, HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.62–1.22, P = 0.442; CSS, HR 0.97, 95% CI 0.67–1.40, P = 0.883).

Conclusions

In this retrospective analysis, survival after RH for non‐metastatic appendiceal carcinoma was not statistically significantly superior to LRH. Hence, LRH with lymphadenectomy might be sufficient for treatment of non‐metastatic appendiceal carcinoma.
Rewarding Dysfunction: Interest Groups and Intended Legislative Failure
Authors: Gelman Jeremy
Published: May 2017

Why do majority parties choose to add extreme dead on arrival bills to their legislative agendas rather than enactable legislation? Majorities in Congress choose this strategy in order to accrue political support from their allied interest groups who reliably reward this legislative behavior. By examining all bills that receive floor consideration from 2003 through 2012, as well as interest group scorecards and campaign commercials, I find support for my theory. Dead‐on‐arrival bills generate electoral benefits for majority‐party lawmakers, are more politically valuable than other bills, and are more often used to credit rather than punish legislators.
Dynamic Bayesian Network Inferencing for Non-Homogeneous Complex Systems
Authors: Wu Paul P.-Y. , Julian Caley M. , Kendrick Gary A. , McMahon Kathryn , Mengersen Kerrie
Published: May 2017

Dynamic Bayesian networks (DBNs) provide a versatile method for predictive, whole-of-systems modelling to support decision makers in managing natural systems subject to anthropogenic disturbances. However, DBNs typically assume a homogeneous Markov chain which we show can limit the dynamics that can be modelled especially for complex ecosystems that are susceptible to regime change (i.e. change in state transition probabilities). Such regime changes can occur as a result of exogenous inputs and/or because of past system states; the latter is known as path dependence. We develop a method for non-homogeneous DBN inference to capture the dynamics of potentially path-dependent ecosystems. The method enables dynamic updates of DBN parameters at each time slice in computing posterior marginal probabilities given evidence for forward inference. An approximate algorithm for forward–backward inference is also provided noting that convergence is not guaranteed in a path-dependent system. We demonstrate the methods on a seagrass dredging case-study and show that the incorporation of path dependence enables conditional absorption into and release from the zero state in line with ecological observations. The model helps managers to develop practical ways to manage the marked effects of dredging on high value seagrass ecosystems.
A Prediction Model for Ablation Fluence Threshold in Femtosecond Laser Processing of Fused Silica
Authors: Wang Han , Shen Hong
Published: May 2017

The manufacture of micro–nano structures in transparent dielectrics is becoming increasingly important due to the applications in medical and biological sciences. The femtosecond pulsed laser, with its selectivity, high precision, and three-dimensional direct writing nature, is an ideal tool for this processing technology. In this paper, an improved model for the prediction of ablation crater shape and fluence threshold in femtosecond laser processing of fused silica is presented, in which self-trapping excitons and electrons' relaxation are involved to depict ionization process, Thornber's and Keldysh's models are employed to estimate ionization rate precisely, and a novel ablation criterion is proposed to judge ablation. Moreover, the relationship between the ablation fluence threshold and laser pulse duration is investigated with three different extrapolation methods. The results indicate that no matter which extrapolation method is employed, the ablation fluence thresholds predicted by the presented model agree with the published data.
Draft Genome Sequence of
Saccharomonospora
sp. Strain LRS4.154, a Moderately Halophilic Actinobacterium with the Biotechnologically Relevant Polyketide Synthase and Nonribosomal Peptide Synthetase Systems
Authors: Alonso-Carmona Scarlett , Vera-Gargallo Blanca , de la Haba Rafael R. , Ventosa Antonio , Sandoval-Trujillo Horacio , Ramírez-Durán Ninfa
Published: May 2017

The draft genome sequence of
Saccharomonospora
sp. strain LRS4.154, a moderately halophilic actinobacterium, has been determined. The genome has 4,860,108 bp, a G+C content of 71.0%, and 4,525 open reading frames (ORFs). The clusters of
PKS
and
NRPS
genes, responsible for the biosynthesis of a large number of biomolecules, were identified in the genome.
Complete Genome Sequence of the Campylobacter helveticus Type Strain ATCC 51209
Authors: Miller William G. , Yee Emma , Bono James L.
Published: May 2017

Campylobacter helveticus
has been isolated from domestic dogs and cats. Although
C. helveticus
is closely related to the emerging human pathogen
C. upsaliensis
, no
C. helveticus
-associated cases of human illness have been reported. This study describes the whole-genome sequence of the
C. helveticus
type strain ATCC 51209 (=CCUG 30682
T
).
Increasing the uptake of electronic prescribing in primary care
Authors: Imambaccus Nazia , Glace Samuel , Heath Rory
Published: May 2017

Electronic prescribing is a form of paperless prescribing that is reported to reduce prescription mistakes and increases the cost effectiveness of the process. In England, around 1.5 million prescriptions are generated in general practice daily. Thus by reducing costs and increasing efficiency of this system through electronic prescribing, costs can be driven down.

In this Quality Improvement project, a GP practice in London with approximately 3000 patients on record was assessed for its electronic prescribing rates throughout 3 intervention cycles over a period of 2 months. A baseline value of how many patients were already assigned to electronic prescribing was obtained and a period of normal change over a fortnight without any intervention was also assessed (an increase in 15 patients). These values were then used to illustrate any benefits of the interventions completed during the intervention cycles. An introduction of a new electronic prescribing form saw fortnightly uptake rates increase by 20%. The addition of leaflets and posters in the practice produced a decrease of 26% in fortnightly uptake rate. The final intervention included a staff meeting, computer notes to remind staff of electronic prescribing and attaching the new forms to paper prescriptions. This saw an increase in rates of 80% over two weeks. Overall, this project has illustrated that information provision of electronic prescribing needs to be more than just forms or posters. Indeed, the most effective way of improving rates relies on having a driven and motivated staff who are themselves well informed on electronic prescribing alongside adequate information placement for patients to access.
A Multifaceted Quality Improvement Programme to Improve Acute Kidney Injury Care and Outcomes in a Large Teaching Hospital
Authors: Ebah Leonard , Hanumapura Prasanna , Waring Deryn , Challiner Rachael , Hayden Katharine , Alexander Jill , Henney Robert , Royston Rachel , Butterworth Cassian , Vincent Marc , Heatley Susan , Terriere Ged , Pearson Robert , Hutchison Alastair
Published: May 2017

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is now widely recognised as a serious health care issue, occurring in up to 25% of hospital in-patients, often with worsening of outcomes. There have been several reports of substandard care in AKI. This quality improvement (QI) programme aimed to improve AKI care and outcomes in a large teaching hospital.

Areas of documented poor AKI care were identified and specific improvement activities implemented through sequential Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles. An electronic alert system (e-alert) for AKI was developed, a Priority Care Checklist (PCC) was tested with the aid of specialist nurses whilst targeted education activities were carried out and data on care processes and outcomes monitored.

The e-alert had a sensitivity of 99% for the detection of new cases of AKI. Key aspects of the PCC saw significant improvements in their attainment: Detection of AKI within 24 hours from 53% to 100%, fluid assessment from 42% to 90%, drug review 48% to 95% and adherence to nine key aspects of care from 40% to 90%. There was a significant reduction in variability of delivered AKI care. AKI incidence reduced from 9% of all hospitalisations at baseline to 6.5% (28% reduction), AKI related length of stay reduced from 22.1 days to 17 days (23% reduction) and time to recovery (AKI days) 15.5 to 9.8 days (36% reduction). AKI related deaths also showed a trend towards reduction, from an average of 38 deaths to 34 (10.5%). The number of cases of hospital acquired AKI were reduced by 28% from 120 to 86 per month.

This study demonstrates significant improvements related to a QI programme combining e-alerts, a checklist implemented by a nurse and education in improving key processes of care. This resulted in sustained improvement in key patient outcomes.
Physiological responses during intermittent running exercise differ between outdoor and treadmill running
Authors: Panascì Marco , Lepers Romuald , La Torre Antonio , Bonato Matteo , Assadi Hervè
Published: May 2017

The aim of this study was to compare the physiological responses during 15 min of intermittent running consisting of 30 s of high-intensity running exercise at maximal aerobic velocity (MAV) interspersed with 30 s of passive recovery (30–30) performed outdoor versus on a motorized treadmill. Fifteen collegiate physically active males (age, 22 ± 1 years old; body mass, 66 ± 7 kg; stature, 176 ± 06 cm; weekly training volume, 5 ± 2 h·week−1), performed the Fitness Intermittent Test 45–15 to determine maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O2max) and MAV and then completed in random order 3 different training sessions consisting of a 30-s run/30-s rest on an outdoor athletic track (30–30 Track) at MAV; a 30-s run/30-s rest on a treadmill (30–30 Treadmill) at MAV; a 30-s run/30-s rest at MAV+15% (30–30 + 15% MAV Treadmill). Oxygen uptake (V̇O2), time above 90%V̇O2max (t90%V̇O2max), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured during each training session. We observed a statistical significant underestimation of V̇O2 (53.1 ± 5.4 mL·kg−1·min−1 vs 49.8 ± 6.7 mL·kg−1·min−1, –6.3%, P = 0.012), t90%V̇O2max (8.6% ± 11.5% vs 38.7% ± 32.5%, –77.8%, P = 0.008), RPE (11.4 ± 1.4 vs 16.5 ± 1.7, –31%, P < 0.0001) during the 30–30 Treadmill compared with the same training session performed on track. No statistical differences between 30–30 +15 % MAV Treadmill and 30–30 Track were observed. The present study demonstrates that a 15% increase in running velocity during a high-intensity intermittent treadmill training session is the optimal solution to reach the same physiological responses than an outdoor training session.
Electrochemical determination of thrombin with molecularly imprinted polymers and multiwalled carbon nanotubes
Authors: Yang Shaoming , Li Lingling , Zhang Xiaorong , Shang Peiling , Ding Shaoqing , Zha Wenling , Xu Wenyuan
Published: May 2017

The preparation and application of reagentless electrochemical thrombin molecularly imprinted sensors were studied using multiwalled carbon nanotubes as sensitivity-enhanced materials. The molecularly imprinted polymer film was prepared by the electropolymerization of o-phenylenediamine with thrombin as the template molecule onto the surface of multiwalled carbon nanotubes modified glassy carbon electrode. After removing thrombin, the poly-o-phenylenediamine molecularly imprinted film was obtained with specific recognition for thrombin. Using the poly-o-phenylenediamine molecularly imprinted polymers as the electron probe, the electrochemical molecularly imprinted sensor was fabricated for the detection of the protein thrombin. Under optimized experimental conditions, the sensor exhibited a good linear response from 10.0 fg/mL to 1.0 μg/mL for thrombin, with correlation coefficient 0.999 and a low detection limit of 1.7 fg/mL. The fabricated molecularly imprinted sensor can be applied to the detection of thrombin in actual sample bovine serum with satisfactory results.
Radiation chemistry of molecular compounds and polymers by soft X-ray spectroscopy and microscopy
Authors: Yang Jianjun , Wang Jian
Published: May 2017

Soft X-ray-induced radiation chemistry in selected Fe molecular compounds and some aliphatic polymers was studied using soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and scanning transmission X-ray microscopy. X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy was used to elucidate the radiation chemistry. The results show that damage to the Fe molecular complexes involves Fe-ligand bond breaking, ligand damage, and subsequent photoreduction of Fe(III) if it is not tightly bonded to oxygen. Upon radiation damage, polymer PAN primarily undergoes chemical structure changes without mass loss, PECA experiences chemical structure changes as well as small mass loss, while PPC and PEC suffer large mass loss with chemical structure changes. These studies are not only important to X-ray analysis of radiation sensitive materials but also are valuable to the applications of X-ray lithography and other types of nanofabrication involving photoresist.
Collision strengths and effective collision strengths for Ne-like Ge
Authors: Abdelaziz Wessameldin S.
Published: May 2017

We have carried out a calculation of 241 levels for Ne-like Ge (Z = 36) to calculate electron impact collision strengths and effective collision strengths belonging to 1s22s22p5nl, 1s22s12p6nl (n = 3, 4, 5, 6; l = s, p, d, f, g, and h) configurations, which have been calculated by the fully relativistic flexible atomic code (FAC). Our calculations, based on the distorted-wave method with large configuration interactions, are included. Collision strengths have been generated over an electron energy range of (10–20 000 eV) and they have been listed at seven representative energies of 65.33, 1714.98, 2944.1, 4868.3, 7564.6, 11 040, and 15 221 eV in this work, and effective collision strengths data have been calculated from these at electron plasma temperatures 650, 850, 1050, 1250, 1450, 1650, and 1850 eV. Our results are compared with those available in the literature. It is found that the resonance effects are important in calculating the effective collision strengths.
Affine quantum Schur algebras at roots of unity
Authors: Fu Qiang
Published: May 2017

Finite dimensional irreducible modules for the affine quantum Schur algebra [Formula: see text] were classified in [B. Deng, J. Du and Q. Fu, A Double Hall Algebra Approach to Affine Quantum Schur–Weyl Theory, London Mathematical Society Lecture Note Series, Vol. 401 (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2012), Chapt. 4] when [Formula: see text] is not a root of unity. We will classify finite-dimensional irreducible modules for affine quantum Schur algebras at roots of unity and generalize [J. A. Green, Polynomial Representations of [Formula: see text] , 2nd edn., with an appendix on Schensted correspondence and Littelmann paths by K. Erdmann, J. A. Green and M. Schocker, Lecture Notes in Mathematics, Vol. 830 (Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 2007), (6.5f) and (6.5g)] to the affine case in this paper.
Photoelectrocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B using graphene and titanium dioxide composite catalyst
Authors: Zhao Yu , Du Wen-Han , Chen Lei , Xiao Jin , Xiong Chao , Yuan Hong-Chun
Published: May 2017

Graphene and titanium dioxide (TiO2) composite catalyst has been synthesized by hydrothermal synthesis method, and used for the degradation of Rhodamine B (Rh.B) in water. The photoelectrocatalytic activity of this composite was evaluated by decomposing of Rh.B in water under visible or UV light irradiation. The degradation results indicated that the photoelectrocatalytic performance of this composite catalyst was greatly enhanced due to the improved adsorption performance and separation efficiency of photo-generated carriers possibly. The composite with graphene content of 10 wt.% exhibited superior activity under UV light irradiation. After 30 min of reaction, the photoelectrocatalytic degradation ratio of Rh.B was about 96% when pH [Formula: see text] 6–7. The results of this work provide a good method for the treatment of organic wastewater with high performance.
Evidence of Large Fluctuations of Stock Return and Financial Crises from Turkey: Using Wavelet Coherency and Varma Modeling to Forecast Stock Return
Authors: Oygur Tunc , Unal Gazanfer
Published: May 2017

Shocks, jumps, booms and busts are typical large fluctuation markers which appear in crisis. Models and leading indicators vary according to crisis type in spite of the fact that there are a lot of different models and leading indicators in literature to determine structure of crisis. In this paper, we investigate structure of dynamic correlation of stock return, interest rate, exchange rate and trade balance differences in crisis periods in Turkey over the period between October 1990 and March 2015 by applying wavelet coherency methodologies to determine nature of crises. The time period includes the Turkeys currency and banking crises; US sub-prime mortgage crisis and the European sovereign debt crisis occurred in 1994, 2001, 2008 and 2009, respectively. Empirical results showed that stock return, interest rate, exchange rate and trade balance differences are significantly linked during the financial crises in Turkey. The cross wavelet power, the wavelet coherency, the multiple wavelet coherency and the quadruple wavelet coherency methodologies have been used to examine structure of dynamic correlation. Moreover, in consequence of quadruple and multiple wavelet coherence, strongly correlated large scales indicate linear behavior and, hence VARMA (vector autoregressive moving average) gives better fitting and forecasting performance. In addition, increasing the dimensions of the model for strongly correlated scales leads to more accurate results compared to scalar counterparts.
Theoretical investigation of NMR–NQR tensors of hallucinogenic harmine in monomeric and cluster states
Authors: Tahan Arezoo , Ahmadinejad Neda
Published: May 2017

In the present study, density functional theory was employed to analyze the structure and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) — nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) spectra of hallucinogenic harmine in monomeric, dimeric, trimeric, and tetrameric states in the gas phase. Furthermore, the effects of hydrogen and resonance interactions on the values of NMR and NQR parameters of nitrogen nuclei in the four states mentioned above were investigated. The computations at the B3LYP/6-311[Formula: see text]G** level of theory indicated that NQR — NMR parameters of nitrogen nuclei varied for each of the four states and were strongly affected by chemical environment, molecular cluster size and molecular interactions. Accordingly, by increasing the participation of lone pair electrons in resonance interactions and aromaticity development, the values of NMR chemical shielding around them increased, whereas their NQR parameters ([Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] decreased. In contrast, it could be observed that resonance interaction was not the only effective factor influencing changes in values and trends of NMR — NQR parameters by passing from monomeric state to other ones. Moreover, the negative charge on nitrogen atoms and the possibility of hydrogen bond formation were other important factors influencing NMR — NQR parameters.
A TVD discretization method for shallow water equations: Numerical simulations of tailing dam break
Authors: Luo Chen , Xu Ke , Zhao Yunsheng
Published: May 2017

In view of the disastrous consequences of tailings dam break and its unique evolutionary process in complex areas, this paper constructs two-dimensional shallow water equations, rheological equations and mathematical models of tailings sand flows on the basis of Navier–Stokes equations (N–S equations). It performs total variation diminishing (TVD) discretization on these equations, develops forward simulation programs in MATLAB2016 and conducts numerical analyses on three kinds of dam breaks (ideal dam break, asymmetric dam break and dam break with obstacles in the downstream area). The results show that TVD discretization is effective in capturing shock waves. According to the analysis on consequences of Huangmailing Tailings Dam break, the author obtains the maximum distance of tailings sand flow, the flow rate of tailings and the time that tailings reach destinations in the downstream area, thereby providing scientific basis for disaster analyses on similar tailings dam breaks and supplying technical support for emergency rescues after disasters.
Finding, Conducting, and Nurturing Science: A Virologist's Memoir
Authors: Skalka Anna Marie (Ann)
Published: May 2017

My laboratory investigations have been driven by an abiding interest in understanding the consequences of genetic rearrangement in evolution and disease, and in using viruses to elucidate fundamental mechanisms in biology. Starting with bacteriophages and moving to the retroviruses, my use of the tools of genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, and biophysics has spanned more than half a century—from the time when DNA structure was just discovered to the present day of big data and epigenetics. Both riding and contributing to the successive waves of technology, my laboratory has elucidated fundamental mechanisms in DNA replication, repair, and recombination. We have made substantial contributions in the area of retroviral oncogenesis, delineated mechanisms that control retroviral gene expression, and elucidated critical details of the structure and function of the retroviral enzymes—reverse transcriptase, protease, and integrase—and have had the satisfaction of knowing that the fundamental knowledge gained from these studies contributed important groundwork for the eventual development of antiviral drugs to treat AIDS. While pursuing laboratory research as a principal investigator, I have also been a science administrator—moving from laboratory head to department chair and, finally, to institute director. In addition, I have undertaken a number of community service, science-related “extracurricular” activities during this time. Filling all of these roles, while being a wife and mother, has required family love and support, creative management, and, above all, personal flexibility—with not too much long-term planning. I hope that this description of my journey, with various roles, obstacles, and successes, will be both interesting and informative, especially to young female scientists.
Increased Hepatic Expression of Endothelial Lipase Inhibits Cholesterol Diet–Induced Hypercholesterolemia and Atherosclerosis in Transgenic Rabbits
Authors: Wang Chuan , Nishijima Kazutoshi , Kitajima Shuji , Niimi Manabu , Yan Haizhao , Chen Yajie , Ning Bo , Matsuhisa Fumikazu , Liu Enqi , Zhang Jifeng , Chen Y. Eugene , Fan Jianglin
Published: May 2017

Objective—

Endothelial lipase (EL) is a key determinant in plasma high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol. However, functional roles of EL on the development of atherosclerosis have not been clarified. We investigated whether hepatic expression of EL affects plasma lipoprotein metabolism and cholesterol diet–induced atherosclerosis.

Approach and Results—

We generated transgenic (Tg) rabbits expressing the human EL gene in the liver and then examined the effects of EL expression on plasma lipids and lipoproteins and compared the susceptibility of Tg rabbits with cholesterol diet–induced atherosclerosis with non-Tg littermates. On a chow diet, hepatic expression of human EL in Tg rabbits led to remarkable reductions in plasma levels of total cholesterol, phospholipids, and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol compared with non-Tg controls. On a cholesterol-rich diet for 16 weeks, Tg rabbits exhibited significantly lower hypercholesterolemia and less atherosclerosis than non-Tg littermates. In Tg rabbits, gross lesion area of aortic atherosclerosis was reduced by 52%, and the lesions were characterized by fewer macrophages and smooth muscle cells compared with non-Tg littermates.

Conclusions—

Increased hepatic expression of EL attenuates cholesterol diet–induced hypercholesterolemia and protects against atherosclerosis.
Systematics of Eutropis rugifera (Stoliczka, 1870) (Squamata: Scincidae) including the redescription of the holotype
Authors: AMARASINGHE A.A. THASUN , POYARKOV JR. NIKOLAY A. , CAMPBELL PATRICK D. , LEO SANDY , SUPRIATNA JATNA , HALLERMANN JAKOB
Published: May 2017

Eutropis rugifera has long been identified as a widespread species complex distributed in Nicobar, Peninsular Malaysia, Greater Sundaic Islands, Bali, Sulawesi and the Philippines. This skink was described by Stoliczka in 1870 from Nicobar Island based on a single specimen (holotype by monotypy). Later, Peters (1871), Bartlett (1895) and Werner (1896) described three more species which were morphologically similar to Euprepes percarinatus (from Java), Mabuia rubricollis (Borneo) and M. quinquecarinata (Sumatra) respectively, which are currently considered junior objective synonyms of Eutropis rugifera. We examined all the available synonym types and voucher specimens of Eutropis rugifera deposited at several museums. A morphological examination of the types of this species and mtDNA analysis (584 bp of 16S rRNA) of the samples from different biogeographic regions revealed that Eutropis rugifera from Nicobar Island, Bali Island, and Bawean Island are composed of a monophyletic species. However, the taxonomic status of the above population requires further clarification, and the population in Bawean Island may represent a cryptic species. Finally, we provide a complete redescription of E. rugifera based on its holotype.
Just Managing?
Authors: O'Brien Mark , Kyprianou Paul
Published: May 2017

The 'just about managing'. 'Hardworking families'. 'Alarm-clock Britain'. In recent years British political discourse has been filled with these slogans, as politicians claim to speak on behalf of families who are in work, but struggling to get by. This book allows us to hear from some of these families directly.

At a time when the impact of austerity is more relevant than ever, Just Managing? cuts through the debates and sloganeering to give some of the real people behind the headlines and statistics a chance to tell their stories. It tracks the lives of thirty working families in Liverpool over one year, as they struggle to manage on incomes at or around the National Minimum Wage. Their accounts are placed within the economic and political context that has shaped their experiences and that of millions of other working families across the country.

This book is required reading for anyone seeking to understand what life is like at the sharp end of 'austerity Britain’.
Discovering Influential Users in Online Social Networks Based on Multi-Features
Authors: Lin Shaojiang , Sun Qindong , Wang Nan
Published: May 2017

As online social contact has become the main means of social communication and cooperation, users, as the basic element of social contact, also present multiple characteristics. How to capture the characteristics of users among mass social data and evaluate their influence has gained
the attention of many researchers. This paper, based on the improved co-evolutionary algorithm, conducts collaborative exploration on user characteristics and introduces neural network to optimize the algorithm, to improve the accuracy and fault tolerant ability of the algorithm. Based on
the improved co-evolutionary algorithm, this paper conducts exploration and empirical analysis on the influence of multi-feature users, and gets a user rating model with good robustness and high accuracy. And through comparing three different algorithms, it conducts sensitivity analysis, showing
that the optimized co-evolutionary algorithm has higher adaptability.
Improved Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Based on Genetic Algorithm and Artificial Neural Networks and Its Application
Authors: Su Yi , Wang Fa-Yin , Zhao Jian-Yu
Published: May 2017

Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO) is an algorithm widely used in the engineering field currently. However, traditional MDO often leads to the failure of convergence or local optimum problems caused by convergence. In such cases, a multidisciplinary design optimization based
on genetic algorithm (GA) and artificial neural networks (ANN) (GA-ANN-MDO) is presented in the paper. Under the thought of parallel distribution of traditional MDO, the real sub-disciplinary model is replaced by a highly precise ANN model dependent on the Latin Hypercube experimental design
method in the GA-ANN-MDO, so as to reduce the computational cost and smooth the value noise. The GA optimization system level is applied to decline the possibility of partial solution involved in the optimization. As shown from the optimization results of two classic mathematical examples,
GA-ANN-MDO is presented good robustness, which could quickly and effectively converge to the global optimal solution. In addition, a project example was employed finally to verify the feasibility of GA-ANN-MDO in the engineering.
Radar High Resolution Range Profile Recognition with Small Sample Set Based on Linear Gaussian Mixture Dynamic Model
Authors: Penghui Wang , Shuangzhi Xia , Xuefeng Zhang
Published: May 2017

A novel recognition method is proposed to relieve the heavy requirement of training samples in the radar High Resolution Range Profile (HRRP) target recognition. Firstly, the statistical characteristics of HRRP’s frequency spectrum amplitude (FSA) are analyzed. Then a Linear Gaussian
Mixture Dynamic Model (LGMDM) is proposed to describe the stationarity and multi-modality of the FSA. Afterwards, the Expectation Maximization (EM) algorithm is derived for model parameter estimation. Finally, experimental results show the proposed method can achieve satisfactory recognition
accuracy and rejection performance with only a few training samples.
A Spectral Model of Phytoplankton Absorption for Inland Lake
Authors: Huang Tian , Zhao Yunlin , Xu Zhenggang , Zhou Libo
Published: May 2017

Cyanobacteria (primarily Microcystis aeruginosa; MA) blooms, caused by eutrophic waters, have a significant and negative effect on human health and on the ecosystem as a result of blue-green algal toxins. In this study, a novel phytoplankton absorption spectral model was established
using normalized MA and Scenedesmus obliquus (SO) absorption spectra as reference vectors to characterize the absorption properties of cyanobacteria in an inland lake (Dongting Lake, China). This model can be used to estimate the relative contributions of cyanobacteria to the phytoplankton
population and thus to phytoplankton absorption. The ability of the model to accurately estimate the percentage of MA in the phytoplankton population and to simulate phytoplankton absorption spectra was examined using in situ data, collected during four campaigns at Dongting Lake. The
results show that the absorption characteristics of phycoerythrin and phycocyanin were well simulated by the model in highly turbid and eutrophic inland waters. The percentage of mean square root (RMSP) of the model is 0.71–11.90%, while the model parameters (Sm and
1 − Sm) linearly correlated to the percentage of MA (R2 = 0.70) and SO (R2 = 0.94). Sm is highly correlated with the traditional cyanobacterial percentage indicator and provides a proxy for the relative contribution
of cyanobacteria to phytoplankton absorption. This phytoplankton absorption model fully considers the effect of accessory pigments, which are important for the identification and monitoring of cyanobacterial blooms. The results show that the model can successfully retrieve the composition
ratio of harmful algae (MA) and well reconstruct the absorption characteristics of phycocyanin.