bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Source Region on the δ18O Signal in Snow: A Case Study from Mount Wrangell, Alaska
Authors: Moore G. W. K. , Field Robert D. , Benson Carl S.
Published: October 2015

The stable isotopic composition of water in ice cores is an important source of information on past climate variability. At its simplest level, the underlying assumption is that there is an empirical relationship between the normalized difference in the concentration for these stable isotopes and a specified local temperature at the ice core site. There are, however, nonlocal processes, such as a change in source region or a change in the atmospheric pathway, which can impact the stable isotope signal, thereby complicating its use as a proxy for temperature. In this paper, the importance of these nonlocal processes are investigated through the analysis of the synoptic-scale circulation during a snowfall event at the summit of Mount Wrangell (62°N, 144°W; 4300 m MSL) in south-central Alaska. During this event there was, over a 1-day period in which the local temperature was approximately constant, a change in δ18O that exceeded half that normally seen to occur in the region between summer and winter. As shall be shown, this arose from a change in the source region, from the subtropical eastern Pacific to northeastern Asia, for the snow that fell on Mount Wrangell during the event.
Creation and Validation of a Comprehensive 1° by 1° Daily Gridded North American Dataset for 1900–2009: Snowfall
Authors: Kluver Daria , Mote Tom , Leathers Daniel , Henderson Gina R. , Chan Weihan , Robinson David A.
Published: October 2015

This study details the creation of a gridded snowfall dataset for North America, with focus on the quality of the interpolated product. Daily snowfall amounts from National Weather Service Cooperative Observer Program stations and Meteorological Service of Canada surface stations are interpolated to 1° by 1° grids from 1900 to 2009 and examined for data record length and quality. The interpolation is validated spatially and temporally through the use of stratified sampling and k-fold cross-validation analyses. Interpolation errors average around 0.5 cm and range from less than 0.01 to greater than 2.5 cm. For most locations, this is within the measurement sensitivity. Grid cells with large variations in elevation experience higher errors and should be used with caution. A new gridded snowfall climatology is presented based on in situ observations that capture seasonal and interannual variability in monthly snowfall over most of the North American land area from 1949 to 2009. The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network is used as an independent set of point data that is compared to the gridded product. Errors are mainly in the form of the gridded data underestimating snowfall compared to the point data. The spatial extent, temporal length, and resolution of the dataset are unprecedented with regard to observational snowfall products and will present new opportunities for examining snowfall across North America.
The Mississippi Valley Convection Minimum on Summer Afternoons: Observations and Numerical Simulations
Authors: Kirshbaum Daniel J. , Fabry Frédéric , Cazenave Quitterie
Published: October 2015

Analysis of 15 years of composite radar images over the continental United States reveals a distinct minimum of deep-convection occurrence over the interior lower Mississippi Valley on summer afternoons, relative to surrounding areas. To understand the mechanisms behind this convection signature, quasi-idealized numerical simulations with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model are performed. The simulations, which broadly reproduce the valley convection minimum, suggest that convective inhibition is maximized, and low-level ascent minimized, over the flat valley terrain. By contrast, weaker inhibition and stronger mechanically forced ascent over the hills flanking the valley combine to initiate convection more readily. Although the orography of the region is unremarkable, it has a stronger influence on the regional convection pattern than do variations in land use.
Lightning in Eastern North Pacific Tropical Cyclones: A Comparison to the North Atlantic
Authors: Stevenson Stephanie N. , Corbosiero Kristen L. , Abarca Sergio F.
Published: October 2015

As global lightning detection has become more reliable, many studies have analyzed the characteristics of lightning in tropical cyclones (TCs); however, very few studies have examined flashes in eastern North Pacific (ENP) basin TCs. This study uses lightning detected by the World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN) to explore the relationship between lightning and sea surface temperatures (SSTs), the diurnal cycle, the storm motion and vertical wind shear vectors, and the 24-h intensity change in ENP TCs during 2006–14. The results are compared to storms in the North Atlantic (NA).

Higher flash counts were found over warmer SSTs, with 28°–30°C SSTs experiencing the highest 6-hourly flash counts. Most TC lightning flashes occurred at night and during the early morning hours, with minimal activity after local noon. The ENP peak (0800 LST) was slightly earlier than the NA (0900–1100 LST). Despite similar storm motion directions and differing vertical wind shear directions in the two basins, shear dominated the overall azimuthal lightning distribution. Lightning was most often observed downshear left in the inner core (0–100 km) and downshear right in the outer rainbands (100–300 km). A caveat to these relationships were fast-moving ENP TCs with opposing shear and motion vectors, in which lightning peaked downmotion (upshear) instead. Finally, similar to previous studies, higher flash densities in the inner core (outer rainbands) were associated with nonintensifying (intensifying) TCs. This last result constitutes further evidence in the efforts to associate lightning activity to TC intensity forecasting.
The democratic class struggle revisited
Authors: Edlund Jonas , Lindh Arvid
Published: October 2015

This paper attempts to resolve scholarly disagreements concerning how class conflicts are manifested in contemporary welfare states. An analytical distinction is made between social (tensions/antagonism between classes) and political (class-based differences in political preferences) manifestations of class conflict. Using International Social Survey Program data (1999/2009) from 20 countries, the results indicate that social conflict is more common in meager welfare states where material inequality is relatively high compared to encompassing highly redistributive welfare states where levels of material inequality are relatively low. When it comes to distributive struggles in the political sphere – political conflict – the pattern is reversed. The results do not support arguments emphasizing that class as an analytical concept is irrelevant for understanding socio-political phenomena in modern industrial democracies. Instead, the results suggest that the character of class conflict varies across national socio-economic contexts in tandem with between-country variation in the institutional setup of the welfare state. The results support Walter Korpi’s theory outlined in The Democratic Class Struggle, which suggests that in modern welfare states, institutionalized political conflict tends to replace less institutionalized and unorganized social conflict. This is more the case in encompassing welfare states than in residual welfare states.
Colored Perceptions
Authors: Garcia Denia , Abascal Maria
Published: October 2015

Scholars are increasingly employing skin color measures to investigate racial stratification beyond the dimensions of self- or other-classification. Current understandings of the relationship between phenotypic traits, like skin color, and racial classification are incomplete. Scholars agree that perceptions of phenotypic traits shape how people classify others; it remains to be seen, however, whether racial classification in turn shapes people’s perceptions of phenotypic traits. The present study is based on an original survey experiment that tests whether assessments of others’ skin color are affected by a subtle racial cue, a name. Results indicate that skin color ratings are affected by the presence of a racially distinctive name: A significant share of people will rate the same face darker when that face is assigned a distinctively Hispanic name as opposed to a non-Hispanic name. In addition, ratings of male faces are more sensitive to racially distinctive names. The findings bear important lessons for our understanding of the social construction of race and its role in producing inequalities.
Shades of Race
Authors: Feliciano Cynthia
Published: October 2015

Although race-based discrimination and stereotyping can only occur if people place others into racial categories, our understanding of this process, particularly in contexts where observers categorize others based solely on appearance, is limited. Using a unique data set drawn from observers’ assessments of photos posted by White, Black, Latino, and multiracial online daters, this study examines how phenotype and observer characteristics influence racial categorization and cases of divergence between self-identities and others’ classifications. I find that despite the growth in the multiracial population, observers tend to place individuals into monoracial categories, including Latino. Skin color is the primary marker used to categorize others by race, with light skin associated with Whiteness, medium skin with Latinidad, and, most strongly, dark skin with Blackness. Among daters who self-identify as Black along with other racial categories, those with dark skin are overwhelmingly placed solely into a Black category. These findings hold across observers, but the proportion of photos placed into different racial categories differs by observers’ gender and race. Thus, estimates of inequality may vary depending not only on how race is assessed but also on who classifiers are. I argue that patterns of racial categorization reveal how the U.S. racial structure has moved beyond binary divisions into a system in which Latinos are seen as a racial group in-between Blacks and Whites, and a dark-skin rule defines Blacks’ racial options.
Measurement Error Correction Formula for Cluster-Level Group Differences in Cluster Randomized and Observational Studies
Authors: Cho Sun-Joo , Preacher Kristopher J.
Published: October 2015

Multilevel modeling (MLM) is frequently used to detect cluster-level group differences in cluster randomized trial and observational studies. Group differences on the outcomes (posttest scores) are detected by controlling for the covariate (pretest scores) as a proxy variable for unobserved factors that predict future attributes. The pretest and posttest scores that are most often used in MLM are total scores. In prior research, there have been concerns regarding measurement error in the use of total scores in using MLM. In this article, using ordinary least squares and an attenuation formula, we derive the measurement error correction formula for cluster-level group difference estimates from MLM in the presence of measurement error in the outcome, the covariate, or both. Examples are provided to illustrate the correction formula in cluster randomized and observational studies using between-cluster reliability coefficients recently developed.
A continuum damage model to predict the influence of ply waviness on stiffness and strength in ultra-thick unidirectional Fiber-reinforced Plastics
Authors: Altmann Andreas , Taubert Robin , Mandel Ulrich , Hinterhoelzl Roland , Drechsler Klaus
Published: October 2015

Ply waviness is a commonly observed manufacturing defect of ultra-thick composite materials essentially affecting stiffness, strength, and fatigue behavior of the composite. A specimen's geometry is designed to represent the failure mechanisms in thick wavy laminates, typically observed in spar caps of today's wind turbine blades. A material model is developed to simulate the phenomenological processes in wavy laminates to obtain a strength knock-down. Particular attention is taken on the nonlinear shear behavior and kink band formation. The presented model correlates well with results achieved by experiments. This paper shows a significantly higher influence of compressive compared with tensile loading on the mechanical material behavior of wavy laminates.
Linguistic and Cognitive Profiles of 8- to 15-Year-Old Children With Specific Reading Comprehension Difficulties
Authors: Potocki Anna , Sanchez Monique , Ecalle Jean , Magnan Annie
Published: October 2015

This article presents two studies investigating the role of executive functioning in written text comprehension in children and adolescents. In a first study, the involvement of executive functions in reading comprehension performance was examined in normally developing children in fifth grade. Two aspects of text comprehension were differentiated: literal and inferential processes. The results demonstrated that while three aspects of executive functioning (working memory, planning, and inhibition processes) were significantly predictive of the performance on the inferential questions of the comprehension test, these factors did not predict the scores on the literal tasks of the test. In a second experiment, the linguistic and cognitive profiles of children in third/fifth and seventh/ninth grades with a specific reading comprehension deficit were examined. This analysis revealed that the deficits experienced by the less skilled comprehenders in both the linguistic and the executive domains could evolve over time. As a result, linguistic factors do not make it possible to distinguish between good and poor comprehenders among the group of older children, whereas the difficulties relating to executive processing remain stable over development. These findings are discussed in the context of the need to take account of the executive difficulties that characterize less skilled comprehenders of any age, especially for remediation purposes.
Concurrent and longitudinal associations of peers’ acceptance with emotion and effortful control in kindergarten
Authors: Hernández Maciel M. , Eisenberg Nancy , Valiente Carlos , Diaz Anjolii , VanSchyndel Sarah K. , Berger Rebecca H. , Terrell Nathan , Silva Kassondra M. , Spinrad Tracy L. , Southworth Jody
Published: October 2015

The purpose of the study was to evaluate bidirectional associations between peer acceptance and both emotion and effortful control during kindergarten ( N = 301). In both the fall and spring semesters, we obtained peer nominations of acceptance, measures of positive and negative emotion based on naturalistic observations in school (i.e., classroom, lunch/recess), and observers’ reports of effortful control (i.e., inhibitory control, attention focusing) and emotions (i.e., positive, negative). In structural equation panel models, peer acceptance in fall predicted higher effortful control in spring. Effortful control in fall did not predict peer acceptance in spring. Negative emotion predicted lower peer acceptance across time for girls but not for boys. Peer acceptance did not predict negative or positive emotion over time. In addition, we tested interactions between positive or negative emotion and effortful control predicting peer acceptance. Positive emotion predicted higher peer acceptance for children low in effortful control.
Information as causality: An approach to a general theory of information
Authors: Luo Tao , Pan Younghwan
Published: October 2015

Although various approaches have been proposed throughout history, information, as one of the most fundamental elements in the world, does not have a general definition or theory that is acceptable to all disciplines. The biggest challenge is the unification of objective and subjective views, because they represent very different characteristics of information which are difficult to integrate into a single framework. We argue that the key to bridging the gap between objective and subjective views of information is a proper understanding of intelligence, because it gives rise to subjective experiences and assigns meaning to things. The purpose of this research is to explore possibilities and implications of applying neuroscience theory in the discussion of information. By incorporating the memory–prediction framework of intelligence developed by Jeff Hawkins, we propose causality to be the general definition of information, and the combination of ‘Physical Representations of Mental Patterns’ and ‘Physical Representations of Physical Patterns’ to be the restricted definition in social contexts. With both general and restricted definitions clarified, we then discuss a few cases of information use and the implications of our approach.
Utilizing Whole Slide Images for Pathology Peer Review and Working Groups
Authors: Malarkey David E. , Willson Gabrielle A. , Willson Cynthia J. , Adams E. Terence , Olson Greg R. , Witt William M. , Elmore Susan A. , Hardisty Jerry F. , Boyle Michael C. , Crabbs Torrie A. , Miller Rodney A.
Published: October 2015

This article describes the results of comparisons of digitally scanned whole slide images (WSIs) and glass microscope slides for diagnosis of tissues under peer review by the National Toxicology Program. Findings in this article were developed as a result of the data collected from 6 pathology working groups (PWGs), 1 pathology peer review, and survey comments from over 25 participating pathologists. For each PWG, 6–14 pathologists examined 10–143 tissues per study from 6- and 9-month perinatal studies and 2-year carcinogenicity studies. Overall it was found that evaluation of WSIs is generally equivalent to using glass slides. Concordance of PWG consensus diagnoses based upon review of WSIs versus glass slides ranged from 74% to 100% (median 86%). The intra- and interobserver diagnostic variation did not appear to influence the conclusions of any study. Based upon user opinions collected from surveys, WSIs may be less optimal than glass slides for evaluation of subtle lesions, large complex lesions, small lesions in a large section of tissue, and foci of altered hepatocytes. These results indicate that, although there may be some limitations, the use of WSIs can effectively accomplish the objectives of a conventional glass slide review and definitely serves as a useful adjunct to the conduct of PWGs.
The Use of Email to Coach Preservice Early Childhood Teachers
Authors: Barton Erin E. , Fuller Elizabeth A. , Schnitz Alana
Published: October 2015

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of performance feedback on preservice teachers’ use of recommended practices within inclusive early childhood classrooms. A multiple baseline design across behaviors was used to examine the relation between performance feedback delivered via email and practicum students’ use of target-recommended practices across settings and over time. Results indicate performance feedback delivered via email is an effective method for increasing practicum teachers’ use of target behaviors; however, generalization and maintenance varied across teachers. Implications for professional development and future research are discussed.
Constructing failure in big biology: The socio-technical anatomy of Japan’s Protein 3000 Project
Authors: Fukushima Masato
Published: October 2015

This study focuses on the 5-year Protein 3000 Project launched in 2002, the largest biological project in Japan. The project aimed to overcome Japan’s alleged failure to contribute fully to the Human Genome Project, by determining 3000 protein structures, 30 percent of the global target. Despite its achievement of this goal, the project was fiercely criticized in various sectors of society and was often branded an awkward failure. This article tries to solve the mystery of why such failure discourse was prevalent. Three explanatory factors are offered: first, because some goals were excluded during project development, there was a dynamic of failed expectations; second, structural genomics, while promoting collaboration with the international community, became an ‘anti-boundary object’, only the absence of which bound heterogeneous domestic actors; third, there developed an urgent sense of international competition in order to obtain patents on such structural information.
Landscape service capability, landscape service flow and landscape service demand: A new framework for landscape services and its use for landscape sustainability assessment
Authors: Fang Xuening , Zhao Wenwu , Fu Bojie , Ding Jingyi
Published: October 2015

Creating methods to achieve sustainable development is a global challenge faced by civilization in the 21st century. As an operational element of sustainability science, landscape sustainability science (LSS) plays an important role in the development of methods for sustainable development. Landscape services (LS) is a newly emerging concept associated with ecosystem services (ES) that exhibits great potential for promoting landscape sustainability research despite its nascent stage of development. In this article, the historical development of the LS concept is reviewed, and the special implications and advantages of LS relative to ES for landscape practices are further expanded. Furthermore, a sustainability-oriented LS conceptual framework specifically developed for the integration of LS and landscape sustainability research is proposed. We refer to this framework as the landscape service capability-flow-demand (LSCFD) framework. Finally, the prospects for the application of the new framework in landscape sustainability assessments are explored. By using LSCFD, we suggest that a distinction be made between landscape service capacity (LSC), landscape service flow (LSF), and landscape service demand (LSD). LSC refers to the long-term potential of a landscape for producing various types of materials, energy, information, conditions, and effectiveness that are valued by people. LSF refers to the transmission process for material, energy, information, conditions and effectiveness from a landscape to benefit people that occur either within or across the landscape. LSD is the societal dimension of LS and refers to the types and volume of material, energy, information, conditions, and effectiveness that a landscape’s inhabitants need to satisfy their existence, livelihood, and development. Based on the LSCFD framework, landscape sustainability assessments can be performed by considering the following four areas: LSC sustainability, LSF sustainability, LSD sustainability, and the dynamic equilibrium relationships among the other three areas. Thus, various types of LS capabilities, integrated services capabilities, and the diversity and balance of LS demands should be evaluated. Additionally, analyzing the supplying regions of LS flow, spatial orientation of the population that benefits, transmission media, transmission mechanism, and transmission limiting factors is essential to explore the dynamic equilibrium relationships between LS capability, flow, and demand. The LSCFD concept framework of LS provides a method for implementing LSS into actual practice. In the context of global environmental changes and sustainable development, the LSCFD framework of LS will definitely contribute to future research.
Individual-level expectations of executive authority under territorial threat
Authors: Miller Steven V.
Published: October 2015

What makes individuals likely to support state leaders with few constraints on executive authority? Leaders who reorganize power around their position seem inimical to most individuals’ welfare. Yet in many countries these leaders receive broad popular support when citizens feel some type of threat. This study argues that territorial threat leads individuals to support this type of state leadership. Mobilization of the military for defense of territory requires discretion by the state leader, leading individuals to interpret checks and balances as obstacles to security. The results using mixed effects logit analyses show a robust connection between territorial threat and individual-level expectations of the state leader. Individuals who live in states under territorial threat are more likely to prefer a state leader unconstrained by legislative process or other checks and balances. The analyses provided in this study have important implications for the study of popular support of democracy.
The Challenges of Advancing Fiscal Equity in a Resource-Strained Context
Authors: Malen Betty , Dayhoff Justin , Egan Laura , Croninger Robert G.
Published: October 2015

Weighted student funding (WSF) is a multifaceted school finance, management, and governance reform that is gaining attention. While WSF has a number of goals, its primary objective is to redress intra-district funding inequities. This article draws on a mixed-methods study of WSF in Prince George’s County Public Schools to examine the initiative’s impact on the distribution of financial resources to the 180 schools that were affected by it. Our findings indicate that WSF was not a robust mechanism for advancing equity and illustrate how technical, economic, and political factors can undermine the ability of WSF to realize its equity goals.
Rule breaking in social care: hierarchy, contentiousness and informal rules
Authors: Breslin Dermot , Wood Geoffrey
Published: October 2015

Taking a longitudinal case study approach, this article examines the process of rule breaking in a newly formed UK domiciliary care provider. In this study, the founder acted in such a manner so as to partially decouple the organization from externally imposed institutional rules and regulations, allowing the emergence of informal rules between carer and client. These informal rules increasingly guided the behaviours of care workers over time, resulting in the breach of formal strictures. Building on the dimensions of hierarchy and contentiousness, rule breaking is conceptualized here as a phenomenon which occurs as a result of the tension between competing formal and informal rules, at multiple levels throughout the organizational hierarchy.
Customer-driven management models for choiceless clientele? Business process reengineering in a California welfare agency
Authors: Esbenshade Jill , Vidal Matt , Fascilla Gina , Ono Mariko
Published: October 2015

Business process reengineering and lean are increasingly used to restructure public sector work. This article presents a case study of reengineering in a California welfare agency. It finds extensive work intensification and reduced autonomy for the workforce, and deteriorating service for the clientele. Rather than attribute these outcomes as inherent to the business process reengineering model, this article emphasizes how cost cutting and quantitative efficiency were prioritized over worker empowerment and service quality because the organization is a government agency facing severe budgetary pressures under neoliberalism, and the clientele consists of indigent families and individuals who have no choice of an alternative provider.
Ethnic gatekeeping on the shopfloor: a study of bases, motives and approaches
Authors: Harris Lloyd C , Ogbonna Emmanuel
Published: October 2015

Recent contributions on the discrimination of black and minority ethnic (BME) groups in organizations have suggested that overt forms of discrimination are now ‘old-fashioned’ and researchers are urged to focus on identifying different, ‘modern’ forms of discrimination. These are, however, set against studies that continue to report evidence of overt racism in organizations. This article argues that it may be premature and potentially counterproductive to celebrate the demise of overt discrimination in that such binary classification (‘old-fashioned’ and ‘modern’) may discourage efforts to investigate the full gamut of experiences of BME groups. The article contends that additional insights will be gained by concurrently studying not only the victims and the perpetrators of discrimination but also the organizational context in which discrimination occurs. Through the theoretical lens of gatekeeping, the article presents evidence of shopfloor discrimination against BME groups that is neither fully overt nor entirely covert.
Mechanical and thermal properties of a novel bismaleimide matrix resin for high-performance composite materials
Authors: Xu Dan , Yao Zhengjun , Zhou Jintang
Published: October 2015

A novel bismaleimide matrix resin of amino-polythioetherimide (PTEI-N)/4,4′-bismaleimidodiphenyl methane (BDM)/2,2′-diallylbisphenol A (BA) was prepared. Mechanical measurements, dynamic thermomechanical analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and microanalyses were conducted to assess the mechanical properties, thermal resistance, and morphology of the modified resin. Results demonstrate that the addition of PTEI-N has significant effects on the mechanical properties of the BDM/BA system. Compared with the pure BDM/BA resin, the PTEI-N/BDM/BA system markedly improves the tensile strength, flexural strength, and impact strength, given an appropriate amount of PTEI-N. Scanning electron microscopic and energy-dispersive spectroscopic results show that PTEI-N is distributed uniformly in the BDM/BA system, and the interfacial compatibility between the PTEI-N and BDM/BA phase is excellent. TGA shows that the BDM/BA resin continues to exhibit good thermal resistance with a suitable dosage of PTEI-N. These changes in properties are closely correlated with the addition of PTEI-N. The PTEI-N/BDM/BA resin system shows potential applications in many fields.
Effects of flame retardants on liquid oxygen compatibility of epoxy resin containing binaphthyl based on combination of mechanical impact testing and theoretical analysis
Authors: Zhang Lin , Li Jieao , Wu Jing , Lin Qi , Yang Mei
Published: October 2015

The epoxy resin containing binaphthyl (BEBN) was synthesized, and the curing process of BEBN by amidogen curing agent was investigated. The hexabromocyclododecane, antimony trioxide, decabromodiphenyl oxide, and aluminum hydroxide were added to the BEBN in order to improve the compatibility of BEBN with the liquid oxygen. The compatibility of cured BEBN was evaluated by mechanical impact according to ASTM D–2512–95 standard. The microstructure and the surface element compositions of the specimen before and after the mechanical impact were investigated and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, respectively. The mechanical impact results confirmed that the compatibility of BEBN with liquid oxygen was related to the oxidation reaction, and the compatibility was significantly improved after adding the flame-retardant additives, specially the combination of the inorganic and organic additives.
Mechanical, thermal and dielectric properties of graphene oxide/polyimide resin composite
Authors: Liu Peijiang , Yao Zhengjun , Zhou Jintang
Published: October 2015

Graphene oxide (GO) sheets have captured the attention of the scientific community because of its excellent performance and applicability. Hence, studying its reinforcing effects on polyimide (PI) resin is an important research topic. In this study, samples of GO-reinforced PI resin were prepared by hot pressing. The effects of GO as nanofiller on the structure and morphology as well as on the mechanical, thermal, and dielectric properties of the GO/PI resin composites were investigated carefully to provide a practical strategy for the use of the polymer-based composites. The GO nanosheets were dispersed uniformly into the PI matrix by ultrasonication, as illustrated by scanning electron microscopic images (SEM). Compared with pure PI, the GO/PI resin composite loaded with 1 wt% GO showed improved tensile strength by 38.9%, flexural strength by 24.8%, and impact strength by 40.7%. Dynamic mechanical analysis test showed that the addition of GO (1 wt%) increased the glass transition temperature by nearly 9.1°C. In addition, the thermal stability and the dielectric constant were also enhanced by adding only a small amount of GO. This approach provides a strategy for developing simple and cost-effective GO-polymer resin composite materials.
Turhan Baytop (1920−2002): A pioneer historian of pharmacy from Turkey
Authors: Tekiner Halil
Published: October 2015

Turhan Baytop, a Turkish professor of pharmacognosy (the scientific study of crude drugs of animal, vegetable, and mineral origin), received international acclaim not only for his contributions in collecting and identifying the Anatolian plants, but also for his extensive research shedding light on the history of Turkish pharmacy. As a devoted researcher, collector, and lecturer, T Baytop was a genuine pioneer of the history of pharmacy as a discipline in Turkey.
Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices on Lifestyle and Cardiovascular Risk Factors Among Metabolic Syndrome Patients in an Urban Tertiary Care Institute in Sri Lanka
Authors: Amarasekara Priyanwada , de Silva Angela , Swarnamali Hasinthi , Senarath Upul , Katulanda Prasad
Published: October 2015

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a significant predictor of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). A pretested questionnaire was used to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) of CVD and its risks among Sri Lankan urban adults (35-55 years) with MetS. KAP scores were predefined as high, moderate, and low. Of the participants (n = 423), 13% were males and 87% were females. Attitudes scores were high among this population, though their knowledge and practices scores on CVD risk factors were moderate. Participants with high mean knowledge scores had significantly lower waist circumference (WC) and showed a trend toward reduced fasting blood glucose levels. Participants with high practice scores had significantly lower BMI and WC, which signify that better knowledge and practices are associated with decrease in CVD risk markers in these patients. The study reveals that urban MetS patients have a moderate knowledge and practice score, though their attitude score is high regarding CVD risk factors.
Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Screening Strategies in Singapore
Authors: Chen Pin Yu , Finkelstein Eric A. , Ng Mor Jack , Yap Fabian , Yeo George S. H. , Rajadurai Victor Samuel , Chong Yap Seng , Gluckman Peter D. , Saw Seang Mei , Kwek Kenneth Y. C. , Tan Kok Hian
Published: October 2015

The objective of this study was to conduct an incremental cost-effectiveness analysis from the payer’s perspective in Singapore of 3 gestational diabetes mellitus screening strategies: universal, targeted, or no screening. A decision tree model assessed the primary outcome: incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained. Probabilities, costs, and utilities were derived from the literature, the Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) birth cohort study, and the KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital’s database. Relative to targeted screening using risk factors, universal screening generates an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of $USD10 630/QALY gained. Sensitivity analyses show that disease prevalence rates and intervention effectiveness of glycemic management have the biggest impacts on the ICERs. Based on the model and best available data, universal screening is a cost-effective approach for reducing the complications of gestational diabetes mellitus in Singapore as compared with the targeted screening approach or no screening.
The Relationship Between the Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine and the Use of Biomedical Services
Authors: Shim Jae-Mahn
Published: October 2015

To provide East Asian evidence to the relationship between the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and the use of biomedicine, this article examines the institutionalization of traditional East Asian medicine (EM) in China, Korea, and Japan and how it affects the relationship between EM use and biomedicine use. It uses the 2010 East Asian Social Survey. Logistic regressions specify the statistical association between EM use and biomedical physician visits. These models show that the high institutional acceptance of EM promotes the concurrent use of EM and biomedicine. In addition, since these countries feature different ways of institutionalizing EM (unification in China, equalization in Korea, and subjugation in Japan), the concurrent use is more obvious under the Chinese and the Korean system than the Japanese system. It concludes that the CAM use can be complementary to biomedicine, depending on how CAM and biomedicine are institutionalized in medical systems.
Leadership Development in College Newsroom Labs
Authors: Collins Janice Marie
Published: October 2015

While men ease their ways into positions of authority, the number of women holding top-level leadership positions in media is declining. This study sought to explore how the professional socialization process found in college newsroom labs contributes to the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of female leadership development. Mixed methodology results revealed that both, male and female, students were more comfortable using Transactional leadership skills, developed codependent relationships among their peers, and avoided confrontation and strong leadership opportunities. To better prepare women for top-level positions and feeling comfortable with the power it possesses, a restructuring of the pedagogy is warranted.
Dyadic Interviews as a Tool for Qualitative Evaluation
Authors: Morgan David L. , Eliot Susan , Lowe Robert A. , Gorman Paul
Published: October 2015

Although evaluation researchers frequently make use of focus groups and individual interviews as sources of qualitative data, there has been far less attention to dyadic interviews that create a conversation between two research participants. This article describes dyadic interviews as a format that shares many of the advantages of focus groups, in terms of the interaction between the participants, at the same time that it minimizes problems related to bringing a number of participants together in the same place at the same. We illustrate the uses of dyadic interviews by describing the evaluation of a program where rural physicians were assisted in the adoption of electronic health records systems. We conclude by considering some of the possible future directions for developing dyadic interviews as a method in evaluation research.
Sleep Fragmentation and Biomarkers in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Authors: Ward Teresa M. , Yuwen Weichao , Voss Joachim , Foell Dirk , Gohar Faekah , Ringold Sarah
Published: October 2015

Objectives:

(1) To compare sleep (nighttime sleep duration and sleep efficiency) and sleep fragmentation (movement and fragmentation index), as measured by actigraphy, and symptoms (pain and fatigue) in 8- to 14-year-old children with polyarticular and extended oligoarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and (2) to examine the associations between sleep fragmentation (movement and fragmentation index) and the calcium-binding protein biomarkers S100A12 and myeloid-related protein (MRP8/14).

Method:

Participants included 40 children with extended oligoarticular ( n = 15) or polyarticular ( n = 25) JIA and their parents. Serum protein samples were obtained during routine rheumatology clinic visits. Children completed the PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale and daily pain and sleep diaries and wore actigraphy monitors for 9 consecutive days. Parents completed the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ).

Results:

Of the 40 children, 68% scored above the CSHQ clinical cutoff score for sleep disturbances. Mean nighttime sleep duration was 7.5 hr, and mean sleep efficiency was 85.3%. Group differences were not found for nighttime sleep duration, sleep efficiency, movement and fragmentation index, or S100A12 and MRP8/14 protein concentrations. In a stepwise regression, medications, joint count, and movement and fragmentation index explained 21% of the variance in MRP8/14 concentration.

Conclusion:

Decreased nighttime sleep duration, poor sleep efficiency, and fragmented sleep were observed in our sample, regardless of JIA category. Sleep fragmentation was a significant predictor of MRP8/14 protein concentration. Additional research is needed to understand the interrelations among sleep fragmentation, effects of medication, and S100A12 and MRP8/14 protein biomarkers in JIA.
A Case of Colocalized Vitiligo and Psoriasis
Authors: Langley Annie R. , Manley Paul , Asai Yuka
Published: October 2015

Background:

Psoriasis and vitiligo are common dermatologic conditions with underlying autoimmune etiologies. There are few reports of concomitant and colocalized disease. Several theories have been proposed to explain this rare presentation.

Objective:

The objective of this study was to present a rare case of a concomitant and colocalized presentation of vitiligo and psoriasis.

Methods:

Case report.

Results:

A 72-year-old male was referred for treatment of a 30-year history of psoriasis and 5-year history of colocalized vitiligo. The patient had no other underlying autoimmune diseases including psoriatic arthritis.

Conclusion:

Clinicians should be aware of the possible concomitance and colocalization of psoriasis and vitiligo. Further research is needed to elucidate the common pathways leading to the concomitance and colocalization of these diseases.
Comparing parent and teacher assessments of mental health in elementary school children
Authors: Boman Fiffi , Stafström Martin , Lundin Nils , Moghadassi Mahnaz , Törnhage Carl-Johan , Östergren Per-Olof
Published: October 2015

Background: Screening instruments are often used for detecting mental health problems in children and adolescents. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is one instrument for screening children’s mental health. The SDQ can be used for assessment by different informants, i.e. parents, teachers and by 11–16 year olds for self-reporting. Aims: The aim was to compare the precision and validity of parental and teacher SDQ assessments in elementary school children, and to analyze whether assessments were affected by the child’s sex and by socio-demographic factors. Methods: A total of 512 primary school students were included in a cross-sectional study. Exploratory factor analysis, sensitivity/specificity analysis, Cronbach’s alphas, and logistic regression were applied. Results: Parents rated 10.9% and teachers 8.8% of the children as high-risk individuals, but the overlap was low (32.1%). Cronbach’s alphas were 0.73 and 0.71 for parents and teachers, respectively. However, factor analysis showed that the five-factor solution could be confirmed only for teacher ratings. Moreover, only the parents’ ratings were affected by maternal educational level and parental country of birth when rating the same children as the teachers. Conclusions: Construct validity was only confirmed for teacher assessments. However, parental assessments might capture a dimension of a child’s mental health that seems to be sensitive to socioeconomic factors, which could be important when addressing equity issues, and for the dialogue between parents and school.
A social way to experience a scientific event: Twitter use at the 7th European Public Health Conference
Authors: Bert Fabrizio , Zeegers Paget Dineke , Scaioli Giacomo
Published: October 2015

Aims: Many studies have analysed Twitter’s use by attendees of scientific meetings and the characteristics of conference-related messages and most active attendees. Despite these previous reports, to date no studies have described the use of Twitter during Public Health conferences. For this reason, we decided to perform an analysis of Twitter’s use during the 7th European Public Health (EPH) Conference (Glasgow, November 2014). Methods : All the tweets published from 21 July to 2 December 2014 and including the hashtag #ephglasgow were retrieved and much information (author, date, retweets, favourites, mentions, presence of pictures and/or external links, content type and topics) was analysed. Results : A total of 1066 tweets with the hashtag #ephglasgow were retrieved; 86.3% of these were tweeted during the conference. A total of 209 single accounts tweeted, pictures were present in 29.7% tweets while external links were published in 13.8%. Conference speakers were mentioned in around 30% of tweets. Almost 60% of the tweets had a session-related content. Considering only the session-related tweets, one-third had as the main topic ‘Health inequalities and migrant and ethnic minority health’, while 20% were ‘Health policy and health economics’ oriented. Conclusions : The results of this study have demonstrated a massive use of Twitter by conference attendees during the 7th EPH conference, and that conference attendees are willing to share quotes and impressions particularly about conference-related topics. It is mandatory for conference organisers to promote online discussion and knowledge dissemination during conferences, especially in the public health field.
Is there a link between low parental income and childhood obesity?
Authors: Shackleton Nichola
Published: October 2015

The association between familial socioeconomic status and child obesity has created the expectation that low familial income increases the risk of child obesity. Yet, there is very little evidence in the United Kingdom to suggest that this is the case. This article focuses on whether low familial income and family poverty are associated with an increased risk of child obesity. Data from the Millennium Cohort Study (age 7) are analysed. Sequential logistic regression analyses are used to determine whether income has a direct link to childhood weight. The results show no direct relationship between familial income/poverty and weight in childhood. Numerous robustness checks provide considerable evidence that low familial income has no association with children’s weight status in the United Kingdom. The results demonstrate that social inequalities in child weight are not driven by differences in income.
The Glocal Teacher: The paradox agency of teaching in a glocalised world
Authors: Are Trippestad Tom
Published: October 2015

The article presents the concept of rhetorical agency to understand and analyse the parallel and paradoxical agencies teachers are offered, and limited by, under discourses of globalisation within education. The paper identifies typical arguments, reactions, narratives and metaphors of globalisation. It discusses some of the consequences these have on the premises of teacher agencies locally, nationally and globally. The article raises normative questions on the kind of agencies that are necessary for teachers in an open and glocalised world. It suggests new interpretations of the bildung tradition as a constructive rhetorical agency to respond to and balance the needs of local, national and global interest in education.
Boundary activities of middle school teacher teams in a global era: Empirical evidence from China
Authors: Liu Shengnan , Feng Daming
Published: October 2015

With the tide of globalization, the external environment that schools face turns uncertain and complex. In response to the new challenges, teacher teams need to manage boundaries to maintain the sustainable development. The two studies reported in this paper, aimed to examine the boundary activities of teacher teams of middle schools in China. In order to achieve the research objective, the first study employed an inductive approach to identify a set of boundary activities that teacher teams engage in to manage the relationships with the outside. In the second study, the exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted to build a valid and reliable scale for the boundary activities of teacher teams. Data from 332 teachers of 72 subject-based “teaching study” teams in 12 middle schools indicate a four-factor model of teacher team boundary activities includes the following subscales: scouting activities; task-coordinating activities; information filtering activities; and emotion cultivating activities. Similarities and differences between the current findings and existing literature have been discussed.