bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Greenland Clouds Observed in CALIPSO-GOCCP: Comparison with Ground-Based Summit Observations
Authors: Lacour Adrien , Chepfer Helene , Shupe Matthew D. , Miller Nathaniel B. , Noel Vincent , Kay Jennifer , Turner David D. , Guzman Rodrigo
Published: May 2017

Spaceborne lidar observations from the Cloud–Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) satellite provide the first-ever observations of cloud vertical structure and phase over the entire Greenland Ice Sheet. This study leverages CALIPSO observations over Greenland to pursue two investigations. First, the GCM-Oriented CALIPSO Cloud Product (CALIPSO-GOCCP) observations are compared with collocated ground-based radar and lidar observations at Summit, Greenland. The liquid cloud cover agrees well between the spaceborne and ground-based observations. In contrast, ground–satellite differences reach 30% in total cloud cover and 40% in cloud fraction below 2 km above ground level, due to optically very thin ice clouds (IWC < 2.5 × 10−3 g m−3) missed by CALIPSO-GOCCP. Those results are compared with satellite cloud climatologies from the GEWEX cloud assessment. Most passive sensors detect fewer clouds than CALIPSO-GOCCP and the Summit ground observations, due to different detection methods. Second, the distribution of clouds over the Greenland is analyzed using CALIPSO-GOCCP. Central Greenland is the cloudiest area in summer, at +7% and +4% above the Greenland-wide average for total and liquid cloud cover, respectively. Southern Greenland contains free-tropospheric thin ice clouds in all seasons and liquid clouds in summer. In northern Greenland, fewer ice clouds are detected than in other areas, but the liquid cloud cover seasonal cycle in that region drives the total Greenland cloud annual variability with a maximum in summer. In 2010 and 2012, large ice-sheet melting events have a positive liquid cloud cover anomaly (from +1% to +2%). In contrast, fewer clouds (−7%) are observed during low ice-sheet melt years (e.g., 2009).
The Eastern Subtropical Pacific Origin of the Equatorial Cold Bias in Climate Models: A Lagrangian Perspective
Authors: Thomas Matthew D. , Fedorov Alexey V.
Published: May 2017

Global climate models frequently exhibit cold biases in tropical sea surface temperature (SST) in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific. Here, Lagrangian particle back trajectories are used to investigate the source regions of the water that upwells along the equator in the IPSL climate model to test and confirm the hypothesis that the SST biases are caused by remote biases advected in from the extratropics and to identify the dominant source regions. Water in the model is found to be sourced primarily from localized regions along the western and eastern flanks of the subtropical gyres. However, while the model SST bias is especially large in the northwestern subtropical Pacific (about −5°C), it is found that the eastern subtropics contribute to the equatorial bias the most. This is due to two distinct subsurface pathways connecting these regions to the equator. The first pathway, originating in the northwestern subtropical Pacific, has relatively long advection time scales close to or exceeding 60 yr, wherein particles recirculate around the subtropical gyres while descending to approximately 500 m before then shoaling toward the equatorial undercurrent. The second pathway, from the eastern subtropics, has time scales close to 10 yr, with particles following a shallow and more direct route to the equator within the upper 200 m. The deeper and longer pathway taken by the western subtropical water ensures that vertical mixing can erode the bias. Ultimately, it is estimated that relatively confined regions in the eastern subtropics of both hemispheres control approximately half of the equatorial bias.
Factors Determining the Asymmetry of ENSO
Authors: Liang Jin , Yang Xiu-Qun , Sun De-Zheng
Published: May 2017

A fundamental aspect of the observed ENSO is the positive asymmetry between its two phases: the strongest El Niño is stronger than the strongest La Niña. The nonlinear term in the equation for the surface ocean heat budget has been theorized as a cause of the asymmetry. This theory is challenged by the diversity of asymmetry among the CMIP5 models: these models all employ primitive equations and thus have the nonlinear term in the heat budget equation for the ocean surface, yet the asymmetry simulated by these models ranges from significantly negative to significantly positive. Here, the authors employ an analytical but nonlinear model—a model that simulates the observed ENSO asymmetry—to show that the nonlinear heating term does not guarantee the oscillation in the system to possess positive asymmetry. Rather, the system can have regimes with negative, zero, and positive asymmetry. The regime in which the system finds itself depends on a multitude of physical parameters. Moreover, the range of certain physical parameters for the system to fall in the regime with positive asymmetry in the oscillation is rather narrow, underscoring the difficulty of simulating the observed ENSO asymmetry by CMIP5 models. Moreover, stronger positive asymmetry is found to be associated with a more complicated oscillation pattern: the two adjacent strongest warm events are spaced farther apart and more small events occur in between. These results deepen the understanding of factors that are behind the asymmetry of ENSO and offer paths to take to improve model-simulated ENSO asymmetry.
An Automated Algorithm of Peak Recognition Based on Continuous Wavelet Transformation and Local Signal-to-Noise Ratio
Authors: Qian Fang , Wu Yihui , Hao Peng
Published: May 2017

Raman peaks carry valuable information about constituent chemical bonds. Therefore, peak recognition is a very essential part of spectral analysis. The fully automated peak recognition is convenient in practical application. A fully automated Raman peaks recognition algorithm based on continuous wavelet transformation and local signal-to-noise ratio (LSNR) is proposed. This algorithm extracts feature points through continuous wavelet transformation and recognizes peaks through LSNR. This algorithm also can be used to eliminate spike, noise, and baseline. Both simulated and experimental data are used to evaluate the performance of the CWT-LSNR algorithm compared with the other two algorithms. The results show that CWT-LSNR gives better accuracy and has the advantage of easy use.
Soy Protein Isolate and Glycerol Hydrogen Bonding Using Two-Dimensional Correlation (2D-COS) Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR FT-IR) Spectroscopy
Authors: Yan Zhiwei , Li Qian , Zhang Pudun
Published: May 2017

It is a trend to substitute bioplastics for petroleum-based plastics in food packaging. Glycerol-plasticized soy protein isolate (SPI) is promising as a replacement for traditional petroleum-based plastics. Hydrogen bonding (H-bonding) plays a key role in plasticization of SPI film. However, few publications are concerned with the interactions of SPI and glycerol at the molecular level. In this paper, attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR FT-IR) spectroscopy was applied to investigate the effect of H-bonding on the secondary structures of glycerol-plasticized SPI films and thus on the plasticization. An “S” profile of the H-bonding between SPI and glycerol with an abrupt jump in the glycerol range of 10–30% was achieved. For more in-depth investigation of the H-bonding, two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS) and perturbation-correlation moving-window two-dimensional (PCMW2D) analyses were applied to the amide I and II bands of SPI films spectra series. The conformation change sequences under the effect of H-bonding were revealed. When glycerol was involved, it entered into the β-sheet and the H-bonds of the SPI peptide backbone (C = O···H–N–) were replaced by the new H-bonds between SPI and glycerol (C = O···H–O–). The transformations of parallel β-sheet to β-turn in the range of 0–20% and anti-parallel β-sheet to β-turn in the range of 20–35% were obtained. In the 35–60% concentration range, the β-sheet was first changed to a transition state conformation, then together with the β-turn, to the random coil. The 2D-COS results clearly suggest that the conformations of SPI gradually change from the ordered to the less ordered and disordered, which significantly improve the plasticity of SPI film.
Does employees’ subjective well-being affect workplace performance?
Authors: Bryson Alex , Forth John , Stokes Lucy
Published: May 2017

This article uses linked employer–employee data to investigate the relationship between employees’ subjective well-being and workplace performance in Britain. The analyses show a clear, positive and statistically significant relationship between the average level of job satisfaction at the workplace and workplace performance. The relationship is present in both cross-sectional and panel analyses and is robust to various estimation methods and model specifications. In contrast, we find no association between levels of job-related affect and workplace performance. Ours is the first study of its kind for Britain to use nationally representative data and it provides novel findings regarding the importance of worker job satisfaction in explaining workplace performance. The findings suggest that there is a prima facie case for employers to maintain and raise levels of job satisfaction among their employees. They also indicate that initiatives to raise aggregate job satisfaction should feature in policy discussions around how to improve levels of productivity and growth.
Arginine Improves pH Homeostasis via Metabolism and Microbiome Modulation
Authors: Agnello M. , Cen L. , Tran N.C. , Shi W. , McLean J.S. , He X.
Published: May 2017

Dental caries can be described as a dysbiosis of the oral microbial community, in which acidogenic, aciduric, and acid-adapted bacterial species promote a pathogenic environment, leading to demineralization. Alkali generation by oral microbes, specifically via arginine catabolic pathways, is an essential factor in maintaining plaque pH homeostasis. There is evidence that the use of arginine in dentifrices helps protect against caries. The aim of the current study was to investigate the mechanistic and ecological effect of arginine treatment on the oral microbiome and its regulation of pH dynamics, using an in vitro multispecies oral biofilm model that was previously shown to be highly reflective of the in vivo oral microbiome. Pooled saliva from 6 healthy subjects was used to generate overnight biofilms, reflecting early stages of biofilm maturation. First, we investigated the uptake of arginine by the cells of the biofilm as well as the metabolites generated. We next explored the effect of arginine on pH dynamics by pretreating biofilms with 75 mM arginine, followed by the addition of sucrose (15 mM) after 0, 6, 20, or 48 h. pH was measured at each time point and biofilms were collected for 16S sequencing and targeted arginine quantification, and supernatants were prepared for metabolomic analysis. Treatment with only sucrose led to a sustained pH drop from 7 to 4.5, while biofilms treated with sucrose after 6, 20, or 48 h of preincubation with arginine exhibited a recovery to higher pH. Arginine was detected within the cells of the biofilms, indicating active uptake, and arginine catabolites citrulline, ornithine, and putrescine were detected in supernatants, indicating active metabolism. Sequencing analysis revealed a shift in the microbial community structure in arginine-treated biofilms as well as increased species diversity. Overall, we show that arginine improved pH homeostasis through a remodeling of the oral microbial community.
Heroism Science: Frameworks for an Emerging Field
Authors: Efthimiou Olivia , Allison Scott T.
Published: May 2017

This article outlines the conceptual framework for a new science focused on heroism using multiple perspectives to generate a science that is explicitly in service to humanity. The role of heroism as a case study for deviant interdisciplinarity, heroism science as storytelling and story revising, and its impacts for research and communities are considered. The primary concern of the deviant agenda of heroism science is the unity of knowledge and the testability of narrative-driven scientific inquiry. In this agenda, science as “episteme” and heroism are unified in their core epistemic function. Heroism science is posited as a prime candidate for promoting science as enabler for improving the world, based on Hefner’s concept of embodied science, and a nonlinear, open, and participatory model of science. Contemporary heroism research trends across the disciplines are mapped in a preliminary taxonomy of peak, emerging, and low subfields of research activity. Heroism science is defined as a nascent multiple disciplinary field which seeks to reconceptualize heroism and its correlates through a close examination of the origins, types, and processes of these interrelated phenomena.
The Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Soccer Skills
Authors: Pallesen Ståle , Gundersen Hilde Stokvold , Kristoffersen Morten , Bjorvatn Bjørn , Thun Eirunn , Harris Anette
Published: May 2017

Many athletes sleep poorly due to stress, travel, and competition anxiety. In the present study, we investigated the effects of sleep deprivation on soccer skills (juggling, dribbling, ball control, continuous kicking, 20 and 40 m sprint, and 30 m sprint with changes of direction). In all, 19 male junior soccer players (14–19 years old) were recruited and participated in a cross-balanced experimental study comprising two conditions; habitual sleep and 24 hours sleep deprivation. In both conditions, testing took place between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Order of tests was counterbalanced. Each test was conducted once or twice in a sequence repeated three times. The results revealed a negative effect of sleep deprivation on the continuous kicking test. On one test, 30 meter sprint with directional changes, a significant condition × test repetition interaction was found, indicating a steeper learning curve in the sleep deprived condition from Test 1 to Test 2 and a steeper learning curve in the rested condition from Test 2 to Test 3. The results are discussed in terms of limitations and strengths, and recommendations for future studies are outlined.
Loss of consciousness, collapse and associated driving restrictions: a retrospective case note review – an important reminder regarding driving restrictions
Authors: Williamson Adam , Muir Scott
Published: May 2017

Background and aims

National guidelines outlining medical standards for fitness to drive are provided by The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. We aimed to establish whether patients presenting with collapse or loss of consciousness received documented advice regarding driving restrictions, if appropriate for their working diagnosis.

Methods and results

A retrospective case note review was undertaken over a four-month period for emergency patients clinically coded as seizure/convulsion (R568) and collapse/syncope (R55X); 163 patients had a primary or working diagnosis on discharge that suggested driving status and restrictions could have been reviewed. Six groupings of diagnoses were noted, and variation was seen amongst documentation for each. Current driving status was documented for 32 patients, and 34 had restriction advice documented; 73% (119 patients) had further investigations or clinic review planned.

Conclusion

Documentation of driving status and restrictions is poor. This audit serves to remind clinicians of the importance of considering driving status when discharging patients who have presented with collapse or loss of consciousness. Recent high-profile media coverage regarding medical driving restrictions, both locally and nationally, have emphasised the need for knowledge of The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency guidance.
Design and evaluation of personalized garment block for atypical morphology using the knowledge-supported virtual simulation method
Authors: Hong Yan , Bruniaux Pascal , Zeng Xianyi , Curteza Antonella , Liu Kaixuan
Published: May 2017

This research puts forward a novel knowledge-supported design process for obtaining personalized ready-to-wear garment products aimed at consumers with atypical morphology by using a virtual a three-dimensional-to-two-dimensional (3D-to-2D) design method. The proposed design process starts with designing a personalized garment block, which is then extended into the desired ready-to-wear garment style. The garment block is obtained by using a virtual 3D-to-2D design method. The extension and sizing of the garment block pattern into desired ready-to-wear garment patterns is performed in a 2D environment using classic methods. The proposed design solution begins with a personalized garment block, thus avoiding the complicated operations of simulating a 3D garment directly in the virtual environment. The proposed design process can be fully digitalized, which ensures the involvement of the consumer throughout the design. By repeatedly running the sequence of Design – Display – Evaluation – Adjustment, which is technically accomplished through the virtual 3D-to-2D design method and 3D virtual try-on, the designers’ patterns and principles of elaborating personalized garment products can be validated within a very short time. As a knowledge-supported design process, designers’ design ideas and principles of personalized design solution can be fully extracted to enhance satisfaction of the final product. A set of experiments and case studies validated the approach and application of the proposed knowledge-supported virtual design process, and demonstrated its efficiency.
Temporary use of space: Urban processes between flexibility, opportunity and precarity
Authors: Madanipour Ali
Published: May 2017

The temporary use of privately-owned, empty space has been advocated by some as economically sensible and socially progressive, making use of unproductive and empty spaces by providing access to space for those who are otherwise unable to obtain it. The article critically examines this concept, arguing that the temporary use of space should be analysed as part of the urban development process with its temporal and spatial fluctuations and its multivalent outcomes. It investigates the production of empty space and the temporary use of space as a space of opportunity and a flexible method of production. By drawing on the case of Chesterfield House in London, in the context of the British response to the global financial crisis, the temporary use of space is shown to be a moment in a complex process, offering some opportunities, but also revealing the brevity of this moment and the precarity of its users. Beyond the realm of necessity, it may be transformed into a cultural choice, a lubricant of urban development and a medium of social change, signifying a space of opportunity for some and vulnerability for others.
Comparison of indoor air distribution and thermal environment for different combinations of radiant heating systems with mechanical ventilation systems
Authors: Wu Xiaozhou , Fang Lei , Olesen Bjarne W , Zhao Jianing , Wang Fenghao
Published: May 2017

A hybrid system with a radiant heating system and a mechanical ventilation system, which is regarded as an advanced heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system, has been applied in many modern buildings worldwide. To date, almost no studies focused on comparative analysis of the indoor air distribution and the thermal environment for all combinations of radiant heating systems with mechanical ventilation systems. Therefore, in this article, the indoor air distribution and the thermal environment were comparatively analyzed in a room with floor heating (FH) or ceiling heating (CH) and mixing ventilation (MV) or displacement ventilation (DV) when the supply air temperature ranged from 15.0℃ to 19.0℃. The results showed that the temperature effectiveness values were 1.05–1.16 and 0.95–1.02 for MV + FH and MV + CH, respectively, and they were 0.78–0.91 and 0.51–0.67 for DV + FH and DV + CH, respectively. The Predicted Mean Vote values were from 0.24 to 0.45 and from 0.11 to 0.43 for MV + FH and MV + CH, respectively, and from 0.01 to 0.23 and from −0.41 to 0.10 for DV + FH and DV + CH, respectively. Hence, MV + FH had the largest temperature effectiveness and Predicted Mean Vote, and DV + CH had the smallest values. In addition, the vertical air temperature differences for MV + FH and MV + CH were all within the comfort zone according to ISO 7730, but exceeded the comfort zone for DV + FH and DV + CH when the supply air temperature was less than 17℃ and 19℃, respectively. The air distribution effectiveness values for MV + FH and MV + CH were close to the recommended value for MV in the ASHRAE Standard 62.1, and those for DV + FH and DV + CH were slightly less than the recommended value for displacement ventilation. The results in this article are relevant and useful in the process of selection and design of a hybrid system with a radiant heating system and a mechanical ventilation system in practice.

Practical application: The supply air temperature is one of key parameters for the design and operation of a hybrid system with a radiant heating system and a mechanical ventilation system. The results in this article may contribute to the design and operation of a hybrid system when taking in account the indoor air quality and thermal comfort.
Governing the social, material, textual, and advancing professional learning of doctoral candidates in the contemporary university
Authors: Manidis Marie , Goldsmith Rosalie
Published: May 2017

Doctoral education is increasingly of interest to higher education researchers and policy-makers as the qualification’s diversity, governance, reach and policy outcomes come under growing scrutiny. In the context of these changes, the paper adopts for the first time since Cumming’s seminal study, a practice-based exploration of the social, material, textual, and professional learning of doctoral candidates in an Australian university. The exploration, drawing on empirical data and practice-based analyses of the university as ‘organisation’, examines divergent and growing pressures on the qualification. Data indicate that current arrangements privilege sociomaterial (disciplinary) learning. Textual practices, central to accomplishing the dissertation, develop over time and in irregular fashion across disciplines, as candidates learn new rhetorical and publication practices. New practices aimed at reimagining the doctoral qualification as a vocational/professional formation program are unlikely to succeed given the prevailing nature of practices and practice-based conceptualisations of situated learning.
Parent-Subsidiary Investment Layers and Audit Fees
Authors: Gul Ferdinand A. , Hsu Audrey Wen-hsin , Liu Sophia Hsin-Tsai
Published: May 2017

This study investigates whether the number of investment layers within a parent-subsidiary consolidated group is associated with a firm’s audit fees. Using a unique sample of publicly traded Taiwan companies, which are required to disclose information on all of their affiliates, we measure the number of vertical layers in the parent-subsidiary relationship, from the parent company to the lowest-tiered subsidiary. Our results show a positive association between audit fees and the number of investment layers. In addition, we find that the positive association between audit fees and the number of layers becomes stronger for firms which have more investees located in tax haven countries. Our results also show that the positive association between audit fees and the number of investment layers is more pronounced as companies’ engagement in related-party transactions increases. Overall, the results support the argument that auditors attach higher audit risks to firms with more investment layers and therefore charge higher audit fees.
Founding Family Ownership and Myopic R&D Investment Behavior
Authors: Tsao Shou-Min , Chang Yin-Wei , Koh Kevin
Published: May 2017

This study examines whether founding family ownership mitigates or exacerbates myopic R&D investment behavior. The prior literature suggests that managers are more likely to engage in earnings management—such as myopic R&D reduction—when firms are facing problematic situations, such as (a) a small earnings decline or loss and/or (b) a debt covenant violation. Employing a sample of R&D-intensive firms in Taiwan, we find that founding family ownership mitigates myopic R&D investment behavior in both problematic situations. These findings are consistent with the “Family Identity” dimension of socioemotional wealth (SEW) theory in which family firms have substantial incentives to protect the family’s reputation and to avoid actions that reduce long-run firm value. In supplementary analyses, we find that family firms continue to avoid myopic R&D reduction under these two situations even when they have limited opportunities to engage in accrual-based earnings management. Furthermore, family CEOs are shown to be responsible for mitigating the tendencies of firms to engage in myopic R&D investment behavior, and the mitigating impact on myopic R&D investment behavior is found only in family firms without control-enhancing mechanisms such as voting–cash flow rights divergence. Our findings are not driven by blockholder effects because our results remain robust after controlling for the presence of institutional investors and nonfamily insiders.
Spaces of waiting: Politics of precarious recognition in the occupied West Bank
Authors: Joronen Mikko
Published: May 2017

This paper is an attempt to explicate a peculiar logic of government Israeli state apparatuses use to control the Palestinian population and colonize the West Bank; namely, the one of slowness, delay and waiting. To understand the operational logic of such governing, I suggest the conditions of recognizing Palestinian rights, their theatric performance by the Israeli state apparatuses, and the maintaining of precarity among Palestinians are the critical aspects to expand. By looking at the West Bank sites close to expanding Israeli settlements, I show how this mode of governing operates by recognizing the Palestinian right to claim justice, security and governance without actualization of these rights, therefore directing Palestinian resistance and sense of injustice to support the theatric functions of settler colonial state. Hence, theaters of recognition are created, the ones that ceremoniously keep administrative, legal and security processes functional, but through the slow processing, stalling and endless piling up of decisions, regulations, requirements and security exceptions do not alleviate the induced precarities.
Will Brexit affect the insurance industry? An Irish study
Authors: Brophy Richard
Published: May 2017

Brexit has thrown up a lot of uncertainties for many industries and sectors. Within financial services and more specifically insurance, many UK-based insurers are considering their options post-Brexit. This viewpoint reviews the positions taken along with examining the effect of Brexit on the UK’s nearest neighbour and where it shares a land border, the Republic of Ireland. Using data from regulators and industry bodies, this review looks at the effect of Brexit upon the UK insurance sector operating in the EU and also reviews the effect of Brexit on the Irish insurance industry.
Utilization of Continuous “Spinners” to Communicate Risk
Authors: Eyler Rachel F. , Cordes Sara , Szymanski Benjamin R. , Fraenkel Liana
Published: May 2017

Background. As patients become more involved in their medical care, they must consider the specific probabilities of both positive and negative outcomes associated with different treatments. Patients who are low in numeracy may be at a disadvantage when making these decisions. This study examined the use of a “spinner” to present probabilistic information compared to a numerical format and icon array. Design. Subjects ( n = 151) were asked to imagine they suffered from chronic back pain. Two equally effective medications, each with a different incidence of rare and common side effects, were described. Subjects were randomized to 1 of 3 risk presentation formats: numeric only, numeric with icon arrays, or numeric with spinners, and answered questions regarding their risk knowledge, medication preference, and how much they liked the presentation format. Results. Compared with the numeric only format, both the spinner and icon array increased risk knowledge and were rated more likeable by subjects. Subjects viewing the spinner format were also more likely to prefer the pill with the lowest side-effect burden. Limitations. The relatively small size, convenience sample, and hypothetical scenario were limitations of this study. Conclusions. The use of continuous spinners presents a new approach for communicating risk to patients that may aid in their decision making.
Uncertainty and the Family Corporation
Authors: Dailey Robert C. , Reushling Thomas E. , De Mong Richard F.
Published: May 2017

American family-owned corporations today are confronted by many complex problems but interviews conducted with founders and senior officers in a number of such enterprises indicate that family firms enjoy some unique competitive strengths not shared by publicly owned firms. In this paper the authors discuss both the strengths and the weaknesses associated with this form of ownership and suggests ways in which management can overcome many of the current pressures and uncertainties in order to ensure the survival of the enterprise.
Reliability, Validity and Utility of the Fitness Interview Test
Authors: Mcdonald D.A. , Nussbaum D.S. , Bagby R.M.
Published: May 2017

Psychiatrists are being asked more and more often by the courts to determine whether or not criminal defendants are fit to stand trial. However, the Criminal Code provides few statutory guidelines on what constitutes fitness to stand trial. Perhaps as a result of the lack of standards, psychiatrists have typically relied on traditional clinical assessment procedures in determining whether or not an individual is fit to stand trial. In an effort to improve the quality and consistency of forensic assessments, researchers have designed instruments to assess fitness to stand trial. In Canada, the Fitness Interview Test (FIT) was developed for this purpose. This study evaluated the FIT for its validity, reliability and utility in the assessment of fitness. The FIT was found to have excellent interrater reliability and scale homogeneity. In addition, it was able to discriminate between groups of defendants rated as being fit and or unfit to stand trial. The scale did not seem to be differentially sensitive to the diverse facets of fitness, which may be attributed to the format and content of the scale items. Caution is advised in the use of the FIT pending revision of the scale.
Evaluation of the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination in a General Psychiatric Population
Authors: Lamarre C. Jules , Patten Scott B.
Published: May 2017

Studies of clinical cognitive screening tests began in the 1960s, and ten instruments have been reported in the English literature. In this study, we have compared the widely used Mini-Mental State Examination developed by Folstein with a reportedly enhanced version, the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination devised by Teng, using a sample of 250 patients (inpatients, outpatients, emergency). We have come to the conclusion that the modifications brought about by Teng result in a minor improvement of the validity of the Mini-Mental State Examination in a psychiatric patients in a general hospital.
Train Robbery
Authors: Ruddell Rick , Decker Scott
Published: May 2017

There has been recent interest in applying contemporary criminological theories to better understand historical criminal behavior and events. Retrospective studies—much like case studies—can be a useful methodology to help us understand the justice system responses to crime and in particular what strategies “worked” or were ineffective. This study examined 241 train robberies that occurred between 1866 and 1930 and found that routine activities theory can explain the origins, growth, and eradication of this violent and often costly crime. Reducing offender motivation and target attractiveness as well as increasing capable guardianship of shipments of attractive goods explains the eradication of this form of crime. Implications for a criminology of public transportation are discussed.
Students’ Evaluation of a Virtual World for Procedural Training in a Tertiary-Education Course
Authors: Ramírez Jaime , Rico Mariano , Riofrío-Luzcando Diego , Berrocal-Lobo Marta , de Antonio Angélica
Published: May 2017

This article presents an investigation on the educational value of virtual worlds intended for the acquisition of procedural knowledge. This investigation takes as a case of study a virtual laboratory on biotechnology. A remarkable feature in this virtual laboratory is an automatic tutor that supervises student’s actions and provides tutoring feedback when it is appropriate. The study presented in this article covers two different aspects of the system. First, it analyzes the impact of this virtual world in learning some concepts related to a biotechnology practice; and second, it surveys the students’ opinion on the virtual world by means of three open questions (positive, negative, and general impressions). Results demonstrated that the virtual world had a positive influence in the students’ knowledge, and it was well received by them.
Connecting work identity and politics in the internationalism of ‘seafarers … who share the seas’
Authors: Kirkby Diane
Published: May 2017

‘We seafarers … who share the seas’ is the expression of a collective identity and mutual responsibility. This article examines that collective identity among members of the Seamen’s Union of Australia and asks, what did internationalism mean in practice to seafarers themselves? Employing an oral history method, coupled with a reading of the union’s own printed media, it explores the seafarers’ understanding of internationalism that they claimed was ‘the language of seafarers’. It was grounded in the nature and reality of their work, and became their politics. The article takes as a case study the campaigns to restore democracy in Greece and Chile after military coups in 1967 and 1973 respectively, and the longer campaign against apartheid in South Africa, which began earlier, before 1960, and ended later, in 1990. These campaigns were conducted alongside many other trade unions, both in Australia and overseas, but maritime workers brought a unique inflection to activism as their internationalism expressed their connectedness across the oceans on which they sailed.
Revisiting the sea shanty: Introduction
Authors: Milne Graeme J
Published: May 2017

This Forum considers the changing place of the sea shanty in musical culture since the late nineteenth century. Its three articles explore successive phases in the genre, from the first major published collections in the 1900s, through an important revival in the 1960s, to the dramatic recent growth in shanty festivals. This introduction locates the Forum in wider historical, musicological and related issues, and explains the research context from which the articles emerged.
Shanty singing in twenty-first-century Britain
Authors: Tackley Catherine
Published: May 2017

The revival of the shanty accompanied the decline of the UK’s shipping industry in the mid-twentieth century. It was dominated by the larger-than-life figure of Stan Hugill, a former shantyman who ensured the continuation of this musical tradition through his performances and books. But in fact, as shanty authority the late Roy Palmer has pointed out, the idea of reviving a dying art had been a concern by the end of the nineteenth century. Following this, folk-song collectors like Cecil Sharp made concerted efforts to document shanties but also to make adaptations (such as censoring the lyrics and providing piano accompaniments) to enable them to be performed on land – even on the concert platform – by those who had little or no direct experience of seafaring. Although this seems to be the complete opposite to Hugill’s approach of connecting the songs with their traditional maritime context, both aimed to ensure that shanties remained relevant. This article considers the continuation of these attitudes to the shanty in the twenty-first century. The recent resurgence in shanty singing in the UK has taken place alongside the regeneration of many UK port areas, the (re-)development of sailortowns as contemporary tourist destinations and associated attempts to connect the public with maritime heritage. I will focus in particular on the Falmouth (Cornwall) International Sea Shanty Festival, exploring the aims and motivations of different performing groups and analysing their contemporary approaches to music which is inextricably linked with seafaring history.
Psychometric Properties of the Psychosocial Assessment Tool–Chronic Pain Version in Families of Children With Headache
Authors: Woods Kristine , Ostrowski-Delahanty Sarah
Published: May 2017

Children with headache disorders are at increased psychosocial risk, and no validated screening measures exist to succinctly assess for risk. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Psychosocial Assessment Tool–Chronic Pain, a previously adapted screening measure of risk, in a retrospective sample of families of children diagnosed with headaches. Participants included 127 children and caregivers presenting for behavioral health evaluation of headache. Children and their primary caregivers completed several psychosocial assessment measures. Internal consistency for the Psychosocial Assessment Tool–Chronic Pain total score was high (α = 0.80), and all subscale scores had moderate to high internal consistency (α = 0.597-0.88), with the exception of the caregiver beliefs subscale (α = 0.443). The total score and the majority of subscale scores on the Psychosocial Assessment Tool–Chronic Pain were correlated with caregiver- and child-reported scores on study measures. The results demonstrate that the Psychosocial Assessment Tool–Chronic Pain has adequate psychometric properties, and because of the brief administration time, ease of scoring, and accessibility of the measure, it is a promising measure of screening for psychosocial risk in this population.
Clinical Characteristics and Risk Factors for Seizures Associated With Norovirus Gastroenteritis in Childhood
Authors: Hu Mei-Hua , Lin Kuang-Lin , Wu Chang-Teng , Chen Shih-Yen , Huang Go-Shine
Published: May 2017

Norovirus has become increasingly recognized as causing viral gastroenteritis in children. Few data are available on the characteristics of children admitted to pediatric emergency departments with norovirus gastroenteritis and accompanying seizures. Our aim in this study was to describe the clinical features of, and risk factors for, seizures accompanying norovirus gastroenteritis. We collected 6359 stool samples from patients with gastroenteritis, of whom 1444 (22.71%) had laboratory-confirmed norovirus gastroenteritis. Of all patients, 108 (7.48%) children exhibited norovirus gastroenteritis and seizures; 49 (45.4%) were febrile, and 59 (54.6%) afebrile. The mean patient age was 2.31 ± 2.12 years; most were <5 years of age (92.6%). The afebrile group had a significantly higher incidence of 2 or more seizures than the febrile subjects ( P = .004). Early recognition and prompt treatment of convulsions associated with norovirus gastroenteritis in children are important. Future studies might explore the long-term prognoses of these patients.
Patterns of Service Utilization Among Women Who Are Victims of Domestic Violence: The Contribution of Cultural Background, Characteristics of Violence, and Psychological Distress
Authors: Ben-Porat Anat
Published: May 2017

The study examined patterns of utilization of various services among female victims of domestic violence in Israel. The study looked at how cultural background, characteristics of violence, attempts at separation from partner, and women’s emotional distress contributed to patterns of service utilization. The sample of participants included 499 women who arrived at 12 shelters in Israel. Of those participants, 142 were Jewish, 156 were Arab, 125 had been born in the former Soviet Union (FSU), and 76 had been born in Ethiopia. Latent class analysis procedure was applied to identified patterns of service utilization. The procedure identified three patterns of service utilization: substantial use, frequent use of welfare and criminal justice services, and minimal use. Among Arab women, the likelihood of making substantial use of services was greater than the likelihood of making minimal use. Moreover, among the entire sample, the higher the levels of sexual abuse, violence, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the greater the likelihood of substantial versus minimal use of services. In addition, being employed, enduring higher levels of violence, and making attempts to separate increased the likelihood of utilization of welfare and criminal justice services versus minimal use. The study highlights the factors that motivate women to make use of services and the distinct strategies they use in the help-seeking process. At the practice level, the study emphasizes the need to take into account both the woman’s cultural context and the stage of help seeking she is at. In this way, professionals can provide differential treatment accordingly.
Partnerships for Active Children in Elementary Schools: Outcomes of a 2-Year Pilot Study to Increase Physical Activity During the School Day
Authors: Weaver R. Glenn , Webster Collin A. , Egan Cate , Campos Carolina M. C. , Michael Robert D. , Vazou Spyridoula
Published: May 2017

Purpose:

To evaluate the impact of the pilot study Partnerships for Active Children in Elementary Schools on the percentage of children achieving the Institute of Medicine guideline of 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during the school day.

Design:

Pre/multiple post-quasi-experimental.

Setting:

Four elementary schools.

Participants:

Physical education (n = 3) and classroom teachers (n = 12) and students (n = 229).

Intervention:

Partnerships for Active Children in Elementary Schools was a multicomponent, theory-driven intervention facilitated through school–university partnerships. Intervention approaches included communities of practice, community-based participatory research, and service learning.

Measures:

Accelerometer-derived percentage of children accumulating 30 minutes of MVPA during the school day.

Analysis:

Multilevel mixed-effects regression estimated MVPA differences over time.

Results:

Compared to control, a 2.4% (95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.0% to 4.8%) and 8.8% (95% CI: −0.3% to 15.4%) increase in the percentage of time girls and boys engaged in MVPA during the school day was observed. The percentage of boys and girls in the intervention group achieving 30 minutes of MVPA/day increased from 57.5% to 70.7% and 35.4% to 56.9%, respectively. Boys and girls in the control group decreased from 61.5% to 56.4% and 52.6% to 41.9%, respectively. However, these changes did not reach statistical significance.

Conclusion:

Partnerships for Active Children in Elementary Schools demonstrated meaningful impact on children’s MVPA during the school day by increasing boys’ and girls’ MVPA. However, additional strategies may be required to help schools achieve the Institute of Medicine guideline.
Experimental study on mode transition of the dual-mode scramjet with two-staged-strut injectors
Authors: Shaohua Zhu , Xu Xu
Published: May 2017

In order to investigate the combustion mode transition in the dual-mode scramjet with two-staged-strut injectors, a series of dynamic fuel injection experiments were conducted at the inlet Mach number of 3.0, of which the corresponding stagnation temperature was 1899 K. A linearly adjustable venturi was designed to control the fuel mass flow rate continuously and a high-speed imaging camera was used to record the flame structures during combustion. Three combustion modes namely, pure subsonic combustion mode, dual-mode subsonic combustion mode, and supersonic combustion mode were found in the model combustor. By changing the fuel injection equivalence ratio of the upstream strut dynamically, the model combustor realized combustion mode transitions from the subsonic combustion mode to the supersonic combustion mode and in the opposite direction. A hysteresis was obtained in the combustion mode transition process. The model combustor translated from supersonic combustion mode to subsonic combustion mode at the equivalence ratio of 0.25, while it translated from subsonic combustion mode to supersonic combustion mode at the equivalence ratio of 0.27. The abrupt change of the flame stabilizations and the differences of the heat release under the different combustion modes brought about the hysteresis.
The late-Holocene avifaunal assemblage from the island of Palagruža (Croatia): The earliest record of the Northern Gannet in the Adriatic Sea
Authors: Oros Sršen Ankica , Kralj Jelena , Šešelj Lucijana
Published: May 2017

The late-Holocene bird remains retrieved during archaeological excavations on pelagic island of Palagruža, Croatia, were analysed. The results of the analysis revealed presence of representatives of nine families: Procellariidae, Sulidae, Ardeidae, Accipitridae, Phasianidae, Rallidae, Laridae, Strigidae and Corvidae. Among the bird remains, the most numerous were remains of the Northern Gannet, Morus bassanus, which were widely distributed in the Mediterranean during the late Pleistocene. The finding of the Northern Gannet bones on Palagruža represents the first fossil record of this species in the Adriatic Sea and indicates a possible breeding site on the island. The direct Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dating on two gannet bones revealed the age of 2878 ± 34 and 2694 ± 45 yr BP. Gannet bones from Palagruža were some 6000 years younger than other fossil records of that species from the Mediterranean. It is possible that during the gannet’s northward distributional shift, probably caused by centennial climatic variability and human pressure, gannet colony on that remote island in the Adriatic lasted longer than in the rest of the Mediterranean and existed until the late-Holocene. Lower sea-surface temperatures compared with the eastern Mediterranean, higher nutritive productivity and remoteness of Palagruža provided adequate breeding opportunities during that period.
Dynamic treatment regimes, past, present, and future: A conversation with experts
Authors: Laber Eric B , Davidian Marie
Published: May 2017

We asked three leading researchers in the area of dynamic treatment regimes to share their stories on how they became interested in this topic and their perspectives on the most important opportunities and challenges for the future.
Evaluating the impact of treating the optimal subgroup
Authors: Luedtke Alexander R , van der Laan Mark J
Published: May 2017

Suppose we have a binary treatment used to influence an outcome. Given data from an observational or controlled study, we wish to determine whether or not there exists some subset of observed covariates in which the treatment is more effective than the standard practice of no treatment. Furthermore, we wish to quantify the improvement in population mean outcome that will be seen if this subgroup receives treatment and the rest of the population remains untreated. We show that this problem is surprisingly challenging given how often it is an (at least implicit) study objective. Blindly applying standard techniques fails to yield any apparent asymptotic results, while using existing techniques to confront the non-regularity does not necessarily help at distributions where there is no treatment effect. Here, we describe an approach to estimate the impact of treating the subgroup which benefits from treatment that is valid in a nonparametric model and is able to deal with the case where there is no treatment effect. The approach is a slight modification of an approach that recently appeared in the individualized medicine literature.