bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Coupling Analysis of Hydrometeorology and Erosive Landforms Evolution in Loess Plateau, China
Authors: Cheng N. N. , He H. M. , Lu Y. J. , Yang S. Y.
Published: December 2015

The purpose of this study is to investigate hydrometeorology changing patterns impacts on erosive landforms evolution in Loess Plateau in the past 60 years (1950–2010). We firstly describe hydrometeorology changing patterns (rainfall-runoff-soil erosion response) at different time scales (daily, monthly, and yearly) in perspective of river basins and then further investigate hydrometeorology impacts on erosive landform through combined analysis of statistical quantification and proposed conceptual model of rainfall-runoff-soil erosion landform. Through the above investigations, the following findings are achieved. Firstly, it shows that annual runoff and sediment discharges decreased obviously although precipitation remained at the same level in the past 50 years (1960–2010). Discharges of annual runoff and sediment decreased by 30%–80% and 60%–90%, respectively. Secondly, contributors of soil erosion are determined by integrated factors such as precipitation, river network, and topography characteristics of river basins. The strong soil erosion area existed in the middle hilly-gully region, while the high precipitation was in southern mountains. Thirdly, erosion landform development was largely shaped by hydrometeorology characteristics in comparison with other contributors. It shows that there is strong positive relationship between precipitation and erosion.
Surface Heat Island in Shanghai and Its Relationship with Urban Development from 1989 to 2013
Authors: Chen Liang , Jiang Rong , Xiang Wei-Ning
Published: December 2015

The continuous expansion of impervious artificial surfaces in cities has significantly influenced the urban thermal environment. This paper examines the spatiotemporal variation of the diurnal surface urban heat island (SUHI) in Shanghai from 1989 to 2013, a period during which the city has experienced drastic development changes. A remote sensing approach was taken to derive the spatial patterns of Shanghai’s land surface temperature (LST) from Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) images and Operational Land Imager (OLI) data. The LST pattern was further classified into five LST classes to look at the relative SUHI intensity level across the whole city. Spatial analyses, namely, spatial association and centroid movement analysis, were conducted to reveal the trends of LST changes at both local and holistic scales. To understand the potential drivers for the present spatiotemporal variation of SUHI, different indicators including land use change, population density, night light data, and vegetation were analyzed and compared with LST changes. Based on the quantitative analysis and the socioeconomic context of Shanghai, “heating up” regions were identified, possible reasons for such SUHI variation were summarized, and districts that are most vulnerable to extreme heat conditions were projected. In terms of implication for urban development, planning and design recommendations were suggested to improve the urban thermal environment in Shanghai.
Undecimated Lifting Wavelet Packet Transform with Boundary Treatment for Machinery Incipient Fault Diagnosis
Authors: Duan Lixiang , Wang Yangshen , Wang Jinjiang , Zhang Laibin , Chen Jinglong
Published: December 2015

Effective signal processing in fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) is an important measure to prevent failure and accidents of machinery. To address the end distortion and frequency aliasing issues in conventional lifting wavelet transform, a Volterra series assisted undecimated lifting wavelet packet transform (ULWPT) is investigated for machinery incipient fault diagnosis. Undecimated lifting wavelet packet transform is firstly formulated to eliminate the frequency aliasing issue in traditional lifting wavelet packet transform. Next, Volterra series, as a boundary treatment method, is used to preprocess the signal to suppress the end distortion in undecimated lifting wavelet packet transform. Finally, the decomposed wavelet coefficients are trimmed to the original length as the signal of interest for machinery incipient fault detection. Experimental study on a reciprocating compressor is performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the presented method. The results show that the presented method outperforms the conventional approach by dramatically enhancing the weak defect feature extraction for reciprocating compressor valve fault diagnosis.
CB2 Cannabinoid Receptor Knockout in Mice Impairs Contextual Long-Term Memory and Enhances Spatial Working Memory
Authors: Li Yong , Kim Jimok
Published: December 2015

Neurocognitive effects of cannabinoids have been extensively studied with a focus on CB1 cannabinoid receptors because CB1 receptors have been considered the major cannabinoid receptor in the nervous system. However, recent discoveries of CB2 cannabinoid receptors in the brain demand accurate determination of whether and how CB2 receptors are involved in the cognitive effects of cannabinoids. CB2 cannabinoid receptors are primarily involved in immune functions, but also implicated in psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and depression. Here, we examined the effects of CB2 receptor knockout in mice on memory to determine the roles of CB2 receptors in modulating cognitive function. Behavioral assays revealed that hippocampus-dependent, long-term contextual fear memory was impaired whereas hippocampus-independent, cued fear memory was normal in CB2 receptor knockout mice. These mice also displayed enhanced spatial working memory when tested in a Y-maze. Motor activity and anxiety of CB2 receptor knockout mice were intact when assessed in an open field arena and an elevated zero maze. In contrast to the knockout of CB2 receptors, acute blockade of CB2 receptors by AM603 in C57BL/6J mice had no effect on memory, motor activity, or anxiety. Our results suggest that CB2 cannabinoid receptors play diverse roles in regulating memory depending on memory types and/or brain areas.
Functional Reorganizations of Brain Network in Prelingually Deaf Adolescents
Authors: Li Wenjing , Li Jianhong , Wang Jieqiong , Zhou Peng , Wang Zhenchang , Xian Junfang , He Huiguang
Published: December 2015

Previous neuroimaging studies suggested structural or functional brain reorganizations occurred in prelingually deaf subjects. However, little is known about the reorganizations of brain network architectures in prelingually deaf adolescents. The present study aims to investigate alterations of whole-brain functional network using resting-state fMRI and graph theory analysis. We recruited 16 prelingually deaf adolescents (10~18 years) and 16 normal controls matched in age and gender. Brain networks were constructed from mean time courses of 90 regions. Widely distributed network was observed in deaf subjects, with increased connectivity between the limbic system and regions involved in visual and language processing, suggesting reinforcement of the processing for the visual and verbal information in deaf adolescents. Decreased connectivity was detected between the visual regions and language regions possibly due to inferior reading or speaking skills in deaf subjects. Using graph theory analysis, we demonstrated small-worldness property did not change in prelingually deaf adolescents relative to normal controls. However, compared with healthy adolescents, eight regions involved in visual, language, and auditory processing were identified as hubs only present in prelingually deaf adolescents. These findings revealed reorganization of brain functional networks occurred in prelingually deaf adolescents to adapt to deficient auditory input.
The Parameters Estimation for a PM2.5Transport Model with the Adjoint Method
Authors: Wang Daosheng , Li Ning , Shen Youli , Lv Xianqing
Published: December 2015

Based on the theory of inverse problem and data assimilation, the adjoint method is applied for the estimation of parameters including the initial condition (IC), the source and sink (SS) in a PM2.5transport model. To reduce the ill-posedness of the inverse problem, an independent point scheme (IPS) is implemented during the estimation process. In twin experiments, both the prescribed IC and SS can be inverted successfully and better inversion results are obtained when the IPS is used than not, suggesting the feasibility and validity of the PM2.5transport model as well as the IPS. In practical experiments, several inversion strategies are compared based on the simulation results of PM2.5concentrations over China. It is found that IC and SS are better estimated with smaller difference between simulated results and observations, when IC and SS are inverted simultaneously than separately. And the simulated results can reproduce the temporal and spatial variation feature of the observed PM2.5concentrations. On the basis of the numerical results, it is shown that the adjoint method and the IPS are the powerful way to improve the precision of the simulation of the PM2.5concentrations.
2-Deoxy-Glucose Downregulates Endothelial AKT and ERK via Interference with N-Linked Glycosylation, Induction of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress, and GSK3β Activation
Authors: Kovács Krisztina , Decatur Christina , Toro Marcela , Pham Dien G. , Liu Huaping , Jing Yuqi , Murray Timothy G. , Lampidis Theodore J. , Merchan Jaime R.
Published: December 2015

Interference with endothelial cell metabolism is a promising, yet unexploited strategy for angiogenesis inhibition. We reported that the glucose analogue 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) inhibits angiogenesis at significantly lower concentrations than those required for tumor cytotoxicity. Here, we found that hypersensitivity to 2-DG in endothelial cells is not associated with enhanced drug uptake compared with tumor cells, but with time-dependent, endothelial-selective inhibition of AKT and ERK phosphorylation. Downregulation of these critical survival pathways is shown to be due to 2-DG's interference with N-linked glycosylation, leading to alterations in VEGFR2 (and downstream signaling) as well as induction of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, GSK3β activation, and apoptosis. In vivo, periocular administration of 2-DG in LHBETATAG mice was associated with significant reduction of newly formed (CD105+) tumor capillaries, ER stress (GRP 78 expression), and endothelial apoptosis (TUNEL). These findings uniquely link N-linked glycosylation inhibition, ER stress, and ERK/AKT downregulation in endothelial cells, and provide a novel drug development strategy to overcome resistance mechanisms to currently available antiangiogenic agents. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(2); 264–75. ©2015 AACR.
Targeted Photodynamic Virotherapy Armed with a Genetically Encoded Photosensitizer
Authors: Takehara Kiyoto , Tazawa Hiroshi , Okada Naohiro , Hashimoto Yuuri , Kikuchi Satoru , Kuroda Shinji , Kishimoto Hiroyuki , Shirakawa Yasuhiro , Narii Nobuhiro , Mizuguchi Hiroyuki , Urata Yasuo , Kagawa Shunsuke , Fujiwara Toshiyoshi
Published: December 2015

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a minimally invasive antitumor therapy that eradicates tumor cells through a photosensitizer-mediated cytotoxic effect upon light irradiation. However, systemic administration of photosensitizer often makes it difficult to avoid a photosensitive adverse effect. The red fluorescent protein KillerRed generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon green light irradiation. Here, we show the therapeutic potential of a novel tumor-specific replicating photodynamic viral agent (TelomeKiller) constructed using the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) promoter. We investigated the light-induced antitumor effect of TelomeKiller in several types of human cancer cell lines. Relative cell viability was investigated using an XTT assay. The in vivo antitumor effect was assessed using subcutaneous xenografted tumor and lymph node metastasis models. KillerRed accumulation resulted in ROS generation and apoptosis in light-irradiated cancer cells. Intratumoral injection of TelomeKiller efficiently delivered the KillerRed protein throughout the tumors and exhibited a long-lasting antitumor effect with repeated administration and light irradiation in mice. Moreover, intratumorally injected TelomeKiller could spread into the regional lymph node area and eliminate micrometastasis with limited-field laser irradiation. Our results suggest that KillerRed has great potential as a novel photosensitizer if delivered with a tumor-specific virus-mediated delivery system. TelomeKiller-based PDT is a promising antitumor strategy to efficiently eradicate tumor cells. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(1); 199–208. ©2015 AACR.
Optimization of RGD-Containing Cyclic Peptides against αvβ3 Integrin
Authors: Wang Yan , Xiao Wenwu , Zhang Yonghong , Meza Leah , Tseng Harry , Takada Yoshikazu , Ames James B. , Lam Kit S.
Published: December 2015

We have previously reported the use of one-bead-one-compound (OBOC) combinatorial technology to develop a disulfide cyclic, Arg-Gly-Asp–containing octapeptide LXW7 (cGRGDdvc), that targets αvβ3 integrin with high affinity and specificity. αvβ3 integrin is known to be overexpressed in many cancers and in tumor vasculature, and it has been established as a cancer therapeutic target. To further optimize LXW7, we have performed systematic structure–activity relationship studies. On the basis of the results, two highly focused OBOC peptide libraries were designed, synthesized, and screened against αvβ3 integrin–transfected K562 cells. One of the best ligands, LXW64, was found to have 6.6-fold higher binding affinity than LXW7, and showed preferential binding to cells expressing αvβ3 integrin. In addition to binding strongly to U-87MG glioblastoma cells in vitro, LXW64 also targets U-87MG xenografts implanted in nude mice, indicating that it is an excellent vehicle for the delivery of cytotoxic payload to tumors and tumor blood vessels that overexpress αvβ3 integrin. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(2); 232–40. ©2015 AACR.
Influence of Obesity on Breast Density Reduction by Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Evidence from a Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Sandhu Narinder , Schetter Susann E. , Liao Jason , Hartman Terryl J. , Richie John P. , McGinley John , Thompson Henry J. , Prokopczyk Bogdan , DuBrock Cynthia , Signori Carina , Hamilton Christopher , Calcagnotto Ana , Trushin Neil , Aliaga Cesar , Demers Laurence M. , El-Bayoumy Karam , Manni Andrea
Published: December 2015

Preclinical data indicate that omega-3 fatty acids (n-3FA) potentiate the chemopreventive effect of the antiestrogen (AE) tamoxifen against mammary carcinogenesis. The role of n-3FA in breast cancer prevention in humans is controversial. Preclinical and epidemiologic data suggest that n-3FA may be preferentially protective in obese subjects. To directly test the protective effect of n-3FA against breast cancer, we conducted a 2-year, open-label randomized clinical trial in 266 healthy postmenopausal women (50% normal weight, 30% overweight, 20% obese) with high breast density (BD; ≥25%) detected on their routine screening mammograms. Eligible women were randomized to one of the following five groups (i) no treatment, control; (ii) raloxifene 60 mg; (iii) raloxifene 30 mg; (iv) n-3FA lovaza 4 g; and (v) lovaza 4 g plus raloxifene 30 mg. The 2-year change in BD, a validated biomarker of breast cancer risk, was the primary endpoint of the study. In subset analysis, we tested the prespecified hypothesis that body mass index (BMI) influences the relationship between plasma n-3FA on BD. While none of the interventions affected BD in the intention-to-treat analysis, increase in plasma DHA was associated with a decrease in absolute breast density but only in participants with BMI >29. Our results suggest that obese women may preferentially experience breast cancer risk reduction from n-3FA administration. Cancer Prev Res; 9(4); 275–82. ©2015 AACR.
Corporate Social Responsibility Under Authoritarian Capitalism: Dynamics and Prospects of State-Led and Society-Driven CSR
Authors: Hofman Peter S. , Moon Jeremy , Wu Bin
Published: December 2015

This article introduces the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the seemingly oxymoronic context of Chinese “authoritarian capitalism.” Following an introduction to the emergence of authoritarian capitalism, the article considers the emergence of CSR in China using Matten and Moon’s framework of explaining CSR development in terms both of a business system’s historic institutions and of the impacts of new institutionalism on corporations arising from societal pressures in their global and national environments. We find two forms of CSR in China, reflecting the “multiplexity” of its business system: one in the mainly family-owned small and medium-sized enterprise sector reflecting concern with local reputation, and another in the corporate, mainly state-owned enterprise (SOE) sector, reflecting global and national societal expectations. We investigate the dynamics of CSR in China through the interplay of the global and national societal pressures and mediating and even leading roles played by the State and the Party. We consider the conceptual integrity and practical prospects for “state-led society-driven” CSR and future research opportunities, including those opened up by the three contributing articles to this special issue.
Biomechanical Evaluation of a Bed Feature to Assist in Turning and Laterally Repositioning Patients
Authors: Wiggermann Neal
Published: December 2015

Objective:

This study investigated the effects of hospital bed features on the biomechanical stresses experienced by nurses when turning and laterally repositioning patients. Turn Assist, a common feature in ICU beds that helps to rotate patients, and side rail orientation were evaluated.

Background:

Manual patient handling is a risk factor for musculoskeletal injury, and turning patients is one of the most common patient handling activities. No known studies have evaluated bed attributes such as the Turn Assist feature and side rail orientation that may affect the stresses experienced by the nurse.

Method:

Nine female nurses laterally repositioned and turned a 63-kg and 123-kg subject on an ICU bed while motion capture, ground reaction forces, and hand force data were recorded. Loading of the spine and shoulder was modeled using 3D Static Strength Prediction Program (3DSSPP).

Results:

Spine compression and shear forces did not exceed recommended limits when turning or laterally repositioning. However, the mean pull forces required to manually laterally reposition even the 63-kg subject was 340 Newtons, more than 50% greater than limits established in psychophysical testing. Turn Assist considerably reduced spine loading and pull forces for both turning and laterally repositioning. Lowering side rails reduced spinal compression by 11% when turning patients.

Conclusion:

Laterally repositioning patients as part of turning may pose an injury risk to caregivers. Turn Assist reduces physical loading on nurses when turning and repositioning patients.

Application:

Caregivers should consider using Turn Assist and other aids such as mechanical lifts or sliding sheets especially when turning patients requires lateral repositioning.
Getting Handcuffs on an Octopus
Authors: Gittings R. Kaj , Schmutte Ian M.
Published: December 2015

Theoretical work on minimum wage policy emphasizes labor market dynamics, but the resulting implications for worker mobility remain largely untested. The authors show that in the teenage labor market, higher minimum wage standards reduce worker flows and increase job stability. Furthermore, they find that the employment effects of a relatively higher minimum wage vary considerably across markets with different levels of turnover and labor market tightness. Results help to explain the small effects of minimum wage standards on employment commonly found in the aggregate data and are consistent with labor market models that involve search frictions.
Functional Safety Training for Technicians
Authors: Dearden H
Published: December 2015

A discussion of the appropriate outline for the training of technicians in support of functional safety provisions during the operating and maintenance phase of the safety lifecycle.
Tech Talk: (11) pH Measurement and Control Basics
Authors: Otterson David W
Published: December 2015

This paper addresses in a simplified manner the basics of pH measurement and control.
Derived importance-performance analysis and diagonal model in a Spanish municipality
Authors: Ortigueira-Sánchez Luis Camilo , Ortigueira-Bouzada Manuel , Gómez-Selemeneva Dinaidys
Published: December 2015

This article presents and discusses empirical research into citizen satisfaction, conducted to measure the performance and management of local public policies. The object of the research is to evaluate the public safety policy of a Spanish city through a survey measuring citizen satisfaction with the local public services. Regression and ‘importance-performance analysis’ (IPA) were applied to the views expressed by a sample of citizens. One objective of the study reported is to use different derived importance values, from correlation and regression analysis, to compare the results of two ‘importance-performance analyses’. The concept of variant and invariant weights and the three-factor theory of customer satisfaction were also considered for the research. Results confirm that the ‘fire service’ is seen as a ‘dissatisfier’, a basic or flat attribute; they suggest that negative coefficient values could be associated with ‘dissatisfiers’ and that inherent discontinuity is only partly resolved in the partition importance-performance grid. The findings show that the results of the two IPAs differ using the traditional IPA grid but are similar with diagonal models of the partition IPA grid.

Points for practitioners

One of the main problems for political decision-makers in recent years has been the reconfiguration of the budget for the entity managed, such as a municipality, in the current situation of economic crisis. This article contributes to improving decision-making on the reallocation of money and resources in the face of restrictions and financial cuts.
Amelogenin Exon4 Forms a Novel miRNA That Directs Ameloblast and Osteoblast Differentiation
Authors: Le M.H. , Warotayanont R. , Stahl J. , Den Besten P.K. , Nakano Y.
Published: December 2015

Amelogenins constitute the major portion of secretory enamel matrix proteins and are known to be highly alternative spliced. Of all the alternatively spliced forms of amelogenins, exon4 is most commonly spliced out. Our analyses of the exon4 sequence led us to hypothesize that when spliced out, exon4 may generate a novel mature miRNA. To explore this possibility, we used in vivo mouse models (wild-type and Amel knockout mice) and in vitro cell culture to investigate the presence and function of a mature miRNA derived from exon4 (miR-exon4). When ameloblast-like cells (LS8) were transfected with an amelogenin minigene to increase amelogenin synthesis, the transfected cells synthesized miR-exon4. Introduction of a mutation in the conserved CNNC sequence required for primary miRNA recognition, downstream of the mature miR-exon4 sequence, resulted in a significantly reduced production of miR-exon4 in the transfected cells. In vivo, miR-exon4 was most highly amplified from wild-type mouse enamel organs at the secretory stage. In Amel knockout mice, an in vivo model for reduced amelogenin synthesis, we found reduced miR-exon4, with no changes in expression of enamel matrix–related genes. However, expression of Runx2 and its downstream genes Odam and Amtn were significantly downregulated. Transfection of miR-exon4 mimic to the LS8 cells also significantly upregulated Runx2. The mature miR-exon4 as well as Runx2 was also present in mouse osteoblasts with no apparent change in expression level between wild-type and Amel knockout mice. However, transfecting miR-exon4 inhibitor to the MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells resulted in a significant downregulation of Runx2 expression. These data indicate that when exon4 is spliced out, as occurs most of the time during alternative splicing of amelogenin pre-mRNA, a novel mature miRNA is generated from exon4. This miR-exon4 may contribute to the differentiation of ameloblasts and osteoblasts through regulation of Runx2 expression.
Taking the “single individual” back to church: The possibility of a Kierkegaardian ecclesiology
Authors: Edwards Aaron
Published: December 2015

Those who know comparatively little about Søren Kierkegaard usually know at least one thing: he is perhaps the least likely theological voice to catalyse a positive discussion about the Church. Kierkegaard's thunderously emphatic ‘attacks’ upon Danish Lutheranism, culminating in his own dramatic self-excommunication, are often defended on account of the laissez-faire Christianity he attempted to challenge, believing its communitarian indolence had quenched the possibility of the `single individual' standing alone before God. His radically anti-congregational focus appears to so denigrate ecclesial consciousness that one wonders if Kierkegaard truly loved the Church at all. However, his incendiary attacks might be seen less as the bitter and rebellious yearning for unaccountable autonomy and more akin to the reformational heritage of summoning the true Church back to what it was called to be (and do). Notwithstanding the ever-present perils of pietistic self-righteousness, Kierkegaard's exceptional critique cannot be (ecclesiologically) dismissed purely because of the contextual absence of an overtly positive vision. This article will by no means let Kierkegaard off his own hook, but it will attempt to retrieve Kierkegaard's ecclesial stance as a potentially constructive voice within today's post-Christendom Church, which, though apparently safeguarded from Kierkegaard's Christendomian laments, remains complexly inescapable from them.
My Jewish theology of Jesus
Authors: Gellman Jerome
Published: December 2015

I present my personal Jewish theology of Jesus. Jesus is a high soul who came to this world ahead of his time. This caused amazement as well as chaos. There will be a later historical event when the world will be ready to heed his teachings.
Justice, justification, and self-justification
Authors: Peters Ted F.
Published: December 2015

In anticipation of 2017 commemorations of Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses, the time is ripe for a reconsideration of Reformation themes such as justification by faith. Because we are justified by God’s grace as a free gift received in faith, the 16th-century Reformers argued, no human works or merits are required for salvation. Yet, our human proclivity is to self-justify, to obtain justice on our own apart from divine grace. This article advocates Christian realism while exploring the dynamics of self-justification and its accompanying violence in everyday gossip and political rhetoric.
Children’s positive adjustment to first grade in risk-filled communities: A case study of the role of school ecologies in South Africa and Finland
Authors: Kumpulainen Kristiina , Theron Linda , Kahl Carlien , Bezuidenhout Carla , Mikkola Anna , Salmi Saara , Khumalo Tumi , Uusitalo-Malmivaara Lotta
Published: December 2015

This article presents a comparative case study on the ways in which children’s school ecologies facilitate their adjusting positively to first grade in risk-filled contexts in South Africa and Finland. The insights of two children (one South African, one Finnish) from socio-economically disadvantaged communities, their teachers, parents and significant others constitute the data corpus of this study. The data were collected via semi-structured interviews, ‘Day-in-the-Life’ video-recorded observations, and Draw-and-talk and photo elicitation methods. The data were analysed deductively using the seven, commonly recurring mechanisms of resilience as documented by Ungar (2015). The results demonstrate how resilience processes are co-constructed and gain their meaning within the given social ecology of a child. They underscore the importance of school ecologies being functional enough, in the face of socio-economic adversity, to continue to facilitate everyday resilience-supporting processes for children. The article ends by considering the lessons of this study for school psychologists.
Do engineering students perceive that different learning and teaching modes improve their referencing and citation skills?
Authors: Blicblau AS , Bruwer M , Dini K
Published: December 2015

The present work explores the research question: do capstone engineering students perceive that different learning and teaching modes improve their referencing and citation skills? Two different teaching and learning modes of instruction were implemented for demonstration and training on the use of engineering databases and bibliographic information retrieval resources: i.e. small group and large group. A survey was conducted of students’ perception of the mode of instruction in both a large class format and the small-class hands-on environment. Analysis of the survey data yielded an overall positive response from students to the implementation of computerised bibliographic software for both class formats. However, this study found compelling evidence that students highly value the intensive instruction in a small group to assist them in improving their use and understanding of citations in written documentation.
Imprisonment, Social Support, and Desistance: A Theoretical Approach to Pathways of Desistance and Persistence for Imprisoned Men
Authors: Cid José , Martí Joel
Published: December 2015

Desistance should be the main ground for reentry policies for imprisoned offenders. However, theories on desistance are diverse, and they disagree about the key factors related to the origin, maintenance, and failures of the desistance process. This research considers three main theories of desistance—control, cognitive transformation, and strain-social support—to explain desistance in a sample of imprisoned men in Spain. The main finding of the research is that strain-social support theory may be of primary importance for understanding desistance because of its capacity to explain processes of change that begin during imprisonment and that continue upon release.
The effects of carbon fiber on electroactive shape memory behaviors of cyanate/polybutadiene epoxy/carbon black composites
Authors: Wang Kun , Zhu Guangming , Ren Fang , Yan Xiaogang , Cui Xiaoping
Published: December 2015

Electroactive shape memory composites were synthesized using polybutadiene epoxy and bisphenol A-type cyanate ester filled with 2 wt% carbon fiber; 3 wt% carbon fiber; 4 wt% carbon fiber; 4 wt% carbon black; 4 wt% carbon black and 0.3 wt% carbon fiber; 4 wt% carbon black and 0.5 wt% carbon fiber; 4 wt% carbon black and 0.8 wt% carbon fiber. Mechanical, electrical performance, and electroactive shape memory behavior were systematically investigated by dynamic mechanical analysis and scanning electron microscopy. It is found that the volume resistivity sharply decreased due to excellent electrical conductivity and synergic effect of carbon black and carbon fiber, in turn resulting in good electroactive shape memory properties. The content of carbon fiber and applied voltage had significant influence on electroactive shape memory effect of the developed bisphenol A-type cyanate ester/polybutadiene epoxy/carbon black/carbon fiber composites. Shape recovery can be observed within a few seconds with carbon black content of 4 wt%, carbon fiber content of 0.5 wt%, and voltage of 60 V. Shape recovery time decreased with the increase content of carbon fiber and voltage.
The Optic Lobes Regulate Circadian Rhythms of Olfactory Learning and Memory in the Cockroach
Authors: Lubinski Alexander J. , Page Terry L.
Published: December 2015

The cockroach, Leucophaea maderae, can be trained in an associative olfactory memory task by either classical or operant conditioning. When trained by classical conditioning, memory formation is regulated by a circadian clock, but once the memory is formed, it can be recalled at any circadian time. In contrast, when trained via operant conditioning, animals can learn the task at any circadian phase, but the ability to recall the long-term memory is tied to the phase of training. The optic lobes of the cockroach contain a circadian clock that drives circadian rhythms of locomotor activity, mating behavior, sensitivity of the compound eye to light, and the sensitivity of olfactory receptors in the antennae. To evaluate the role of the optic lobes in regulating learning and memory processes, the authors examined the effects of surgical ablation of the optic lobes on memory formation in classical conditioning and memory recall following operant conditioning. The effect of optic lobe ablation was to “rescue” the deficit in memory acquisition at a time the animals normally cannot learn and “rescue” the animal’s ability to recall a memory formed by operant conditioning at a phase where memory was not normally expressed. The results suggested that the optic lobe pacemaker regulates these processes through inhibition at “inappropriate” times of day. As a pharmacological test of this hypothesis, the authors showed that injections of fipronil, an antagonist of GABA and glutamate-activated chloride channels, had the same effects as optic lobe ablation on memory formation and recall. The data suggest that the optic lobes contain the circadian clock(s) that regulate learning and memory processes via inhibition of neural processes in the brain.
Paul Felix Lazarsfeld’s Impact on Sociological Methodology
Authors: Goodman Leo A. , Liao Tim F.
Published: December 2015

Paul Felix Lazarsfeld was a major figure in the development of modern empirical methods in sociology and the social sciences. He laid many of the foundations for social survey techniques and other empirical methods for understanding key aspects of contemporary society, such as voting studies, opinion polling, panel studies, and mass media research. The American Sociological Association Methodology Section honors each year a distinguished sociologist with the Paul F. Lazarsfeld Award for a career of distinguished contributions to the field of sociological methodology. Paul Lazarsfeld’s methodological work that he was most proud of was his introduction of the concept of latent classes, latent class analysis, and latent structure analysis. We consider in this paper Lazarsfeld’s institutional impact through this ASA award though we focus our discussion on his work and his impact on the development of latent class/structure analysis.
Professional development and the Teaching Schools experiment in England
Authors: Dowling Simon
Published: December 2015

This article reports findings from the first year of a longitudinal, mixed-methods case study of a large teaching school alliance in England. This national initiative is intended to drive improvement at system level by grouping schools around formally designated teaching schools. These ‘alliances’ work collaboratively to share learning, excellent practice and innovative ideas, principally in teacher education and development. Focused on the influence of one alliance on continuing professional development, this study identified significant leadership challenges in establishing and promoting the new alliance and its work. The policy aim of system-level improvement may be difficult to achieve practically in an environment where teaching staff lack agency in their professional development. It is suggested that school leaders need to ensure wide knowledge among their staff about professional development activity generated by a new alliance, and to ensure that such activity both meets staff needs and goes beyond existing provision.
A biomechanical comparison of four different fixation methods for midshaft clavicle fractures
Authors: Chen Yang , Yang Yang , Ma Xinlong , Xu Weiguo , Ma Jianxiong , Zhu Shaowen , Ma Baoyi , Xing Dan
Published: December 2015

Clavicle fractures may occur in all age groups, and 70%–80% of clavicle fractures occur in the midshaft. Many methods for treating midshaft clavicular fractures have been reported and remain controversial. To provide some guidance for clinical treatment, 30 artificial polymethyl methacrylate models of the clavicle were sewn obliquely at the midshaft to simulate the most common type of clavicular fractures, and the fracture models were divided into five groups randomly and were fixed as follows: the reconstruction plates were placed at the superior position of the fracture model (R-S group), the reconstruction plates were placed at the anteroinferior position of the fracture model (R-AI group), the locking plates were placed at the superior position (L-S group), the locking plates were placed at the anteroinferior position (L-AI group); and the control models were unfixed (control group). The strain gauges were attached to the bone surface near the fracture fragments, and then, the biomechanical properties of the specimens were measured using the compression test, torsion test and three-point bending test. The results showed that plate fixation can provide a stable construct to help with fracture healing and is the preferred method in the treatment of clavicle fractures. The locking plate provides the best biomechanical stability when placed at the anteroinferior position, and this surgical method can reduce the operation time and postoperative complications; thus, it would be a better choice in clinical practice.
Labour divisions and the emergence of dual welfare systems
Authors: Oude Nijhuis Dennie
Published: December 2015

This article illustrates the possibility of consistent labour union opposition to redistributive welfare state expansion and demonstrates its importance for the postwar emergence of so-called dual welfare systems. In recent years, scholars have paid much attention to the postwar welfare trajectories of countries where social policies came to stratify rather than reduce social inequalities. Yet, they have paid little attention to the importance of organizational divisions among workers for this. Despite recent criticisms of traditional class-based views of postwar welfare state expansion, much of the welfare state literature continues to view organized labour’s involvement in this through a perspective that assumes labour unity and support for this expansion. This article illustrates why this is problematic. It does so by reexamining and highlighting organized labour’s role in the postwar emergence and persistence of the ‘social division of welfare’ in the United Kingdom.
Co-producing the cities of tomorrow: Fostering collaborative action to tackle decline in Europe’s shrinking cities
Authors: Schlappa Hans
Published: December 2015

Investments through the 2014–2020 European structural funds pursue goals of smart, inclusive and sustainable growth, while many towns and cities in Europe are shrinking rather than growing. Policy makers and practitioners therefore face challenges in ensuring that places with very limited growth potential will not fall further behind. While scholars argue that cities in long-term decline would benefit from enhancing their capacity to develop collaborative initiatives that draw on local resources and assets, in practice local decision makers seem to struggle to engage their communities in the fight against the causes and consequences of decline. This paper advances the argument that the concept of co-production is well suited to explore and explain how collaborative actions unlock new strategic choices that are based on capabilities and resources over which local actors have control. A case study from a small manufacturing town in Germany is used to illustrate how co-production at different levels can lead to tangible, long-term improvements in a context of ongoing shrinkage.
Volatility Spillover in Foreign Exchange Markets
Authors: Rajhans Rajni Kant , Jain Anuradha
Published: December 2015

The recent financial crisis in the US and then the debt crisis in Europe have impacted the economical performance of the world in general, particularly the financial performance. With the increase in globalization and cross-border trade, the dependence of one economy on others increases. Portfolio diversification theory proposed by Markowitz, in 1952, suggests that if two markets are not significantly correlated, taking a position in that market helps in reducing the risk of the portfolio. The recent turmoil in these two markets (US and Europe) has affected the entire world and a lot of volatility has been observed in all financial markets around the world. Hence, it becomes imperative to identify the volatility spillover effect from one market to the other at this point. This article examines the volatility spillover of one market on other by taking five exchange rate markets: Great Britain pound (GBP), Euro (EUR), Canadian dollar (CAD) and Australian dollar (AUD) and Japanese yen (JPY) against the US dollar. Data from June 2008 to December 2012 were taken for consideration. Unit root test was used to identify the stationarity of data and the variance decomposition method was applied to identify the degree of influence of one market on other. The volatility spillover index, as suggested by Diebold and Yilmaz (2009), was created to identify the return spillover effect. Outcomes suggest that volatility on JPY and CAD follows the concept ‘better to give than receive’, while GBP as the net receiver goes along with the findings of Nikolaos (2012). A volatility spillover index of 11.11 per cent indicates low possibility of volatility transmission among considered currency pairs. This article will help traders, portfolio managers, policy makers and other market participants identify the source of volatility in considered currency markets and to take corrective measures.
Establishing the Relationship between Marketing Specialization and Personality Traits among Management Students
Authors: Kothari Tanvi Paras , Pingle Sameer Sudhakar
Published: December 2015

The purpose of this article is to investigate the relationship between personality traits and marketing specialization preferences among management students. Specialization should be selected on the basis of personality types and Holland’s RAISEC framework is an ideal tool for knowing the same. A right match between personality and specialization selection may help an individual for giving his/her best to the profession. The ‘Ten Item Personality Inventory’ method was used to collect responses, along with some demographic information such as gender, work experience and intended major specialization from 200 management students through surveys. A logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze the data. The findings reveal that out of five personality traits (Big Five), only the extraversion trait has significant contribution in choosing marketing as a specialization. They also show that gender and work experience do not have a significant impact on students for choosing their management specialization. The research was conducted in one business school and only for marketing, and hence, the results cannot be generalized. The article demonstrates the importance of personality assessment before choosing a management specialization and will be useful for management students aspiring to select ‘Marketing’ as their specialization. It may also help teachers and career counsellors while assisting students during the career selection process.
Job Expectations and Perception Variations across Career Stages
Authors: Malik Sonia , Subramanian Venkata
Published: December 2015

Career development is a continuous process in an employee’s life span. During the course of their life, people grow through their experiences and make their own expectations and perceptions regarding various job dimensions. Differences arising due to these varied perceptions of employees influence the handling of key job incidents differently. Understanding employees’ needs is the core purpose of any human resource (HR) department. A comprehensive analysis of employees’ expectations and perceptions using career stage theory would help organizations understand their employees better and devise appropriate strategies for each career stage to get the desired job outcomes. Very few studies in the Indian scenario have studied the expectation and perception variations throughout the career span. The study was carried out on a sample of 329 sales personnel from Indian tractor companies. The results indicated variations in job expectations and perceptions across career stages. Theoretical and practical implications of these results and directions for future research have also been discussed.
Teachers Union Organizes Members to Enforce AHERA Law—A Work in Progress
Authors: Sireci Michael P. , Levenstein Charles , Gibson Sarah
Published: December 2015

The Massachusetts Teachers Association’s Environmental Health and Safety Committee is using a number of approaches to evaluate and improve the enforcement of the U.S. Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act legislation intended to ensure the proper management of asbestos in public buildings, including schools. The committee first approached state regulators directly concerning enforcement concerns, with limited success. Next, the Massachusetts Teachers Association developed an organizing strategy and a curriculum focusing on the requirements of the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act and on building a membership-run health and safety committee infrastructure in local unions. Five trainings took place throughout Massachusetts over a 2-month period in 2015. The committee implemented follow-up procedures and support for locals to continue to engage in this ongoing effort. This work illustrates that the passage of the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act in 1986 was insufficient action to remediate school asbestos exposures. It is necessary for unions representing school employees to systematically hold regulators and school districts accountable for enforcement and compliance.
The Effect of Publicized Quality Information on Home Health Agency Choice
Authors: Jung Jeah Kyoungrae , Wu Bingxiao , Kim Hyunjee , Polsky Daniel
Published: December 2015

We examine consumers’ use of publicized quality information in Medicare home health care markets, where consumer cost sharing and travel costs are absent. We report two findings. First, agencies with high quality scores are more likely to be preferred by consumers after the introduction of a public reporting program than before. Second, consumers’ use of publicized quality information differs by patient group. Community-based patients have slightly larger responses to public reporting than hospital-discharged patients. Patients with functional limitations at the start of their care, at least among hospital-discharged patients, have a larger response to the reported functional outcome measure than those without functional limitations. In all cases of significant marginal effects, magnitudes are small. We conclude that the current public reporting approach is unlikely to have critical impacts on home health agency choice. Identifying and releasing quality information that is meaningful to consumers may help increase consumers’ use of public reports.
Managing the Poverty–CO2 Reductions Paradox
Authors: Collins Denis , Zheng Chunfang
Published: December 2015

This article examines the “Poverty–CO2 (carbon dioxide) Reductions Paradox,” wherein reducing poverty through economic growth simultaneously increases CO2 emissions from increased production and consumption, at a time in history when CO2 emissions must be reduced to avoid climate change catastrophes. Paradox theory and integrative social contracts theory are applied to help understand the evolving behaviors of China, the world’s largest CO2 emitter, and the European Union, a CO2 reduction leader, from 1990 to 2015 at the national and international levels. The environmental results of these activities have become species-threatening. The principle of fairness/justice is offered in order to guide efforts to resolve the paradox in a way that avoids irreversible climate changes projected to begin around 2050. Prominent stakeholder injustice claims are highlighted for future scholarship and policymaking considerations.