bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A perspective on the density matrix purification for linear scaling electronic structure calculations
Authors: Kim Jaehoon , Jung Yousung
Published: December 2015

Density matrix purification is a linear scaling algorithm to solve the self‐consistent field (SCF) electronic structure problem. A brief review is made of the two usages of the purification method in SCF calculations, namely in direct energy minimization and for iterative calculation of density matrix from Hamiltonian. Density matrix purification can be viewed as a minimization algorithm of the particularly defined objective function such as
, and hence, this objective function plays a key role in the developments of purification polynomials. Indeed, in this perspective, we show that a carefully chosen objective function can lead to significantly improved algorithms and numerical results. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry analysis of isopimarane diterpenes from Velloziaceae
Authors: da Cunha Pinto Angelo , Vessecchi Ricardo , da Silva Carmelita Gomes , Amorim Ana Carolina Lourenço , dos Santos Júnior Helvécio Martins , Rezende Michelle Jakeline Cunha , Gates Paul J. , Rezende Claudia Moraes , Lopes Norberto Peporine
Published: December 2015

Rationale

The study of natural products by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS/MS) is an important strategy for the characterization of the major fragmentation reactions which can then help to determine the composition of complex mixtures. Application of ESI‐MS/MS to a series of isopimarane diterpenes from Velloziaceae allowed the rationalization of their fragmentation mechanisms.

Methods

Velloziaceae diterpenes were isolated by silica gel column chromatography and investigated by ESI‐MS/MS analysis. The fragmentation studies were performed on a quadrupole‐time‐of‐flight instrument using N2as the collision gas. To help rationalize the fragmentation pathways observed, the geometry and sites of reactivity of the diterpenes were obtained by theoretical calculations using the B3LYP/6‐31 + G(d,p) model. Fragmentation mechanisms were proposed on the basis of the calculated protonation sites and product ions energies using density functional theory (DFT) methods.

Results

The presence of hydroxyl and carbonyl groups on the terpene core influences the protonation site observed. One compound showed a radical cation as the base peak. MS/MS spectra exhibit water elimination as the major fragmentation pathway (via two ways), either when protonation takes place on the oxygen atom, or through elimination after activation from hydrogen migration. After the elimination of water, the formation of an endocyclic double bond induces a sequential retro‐Diels‐Alder (RDA) reaction as the major fragmentation step.

Conclusions

A thorough rational analysis of the fragmentation mechanisms of protonated Velloziaceae diterpenes was used to propose the dissociation mechanisms in ESI‐MS/MS. The presence of esters in the side chain also influenced the intensity or occurrence of the observed protonated or cationized molecules in ESI‐MS. These results will aid the identification of analogues in sample extracts in future metabolomics studies. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Glycerol monoalkanediol diethers: a novel series of archaeal lipids detected in hydrothermal environments
Authors: Bauersachs Thorsten , Schwark Lorenz
Published: December 2015

Rationale

Recent advances in analytical techniques used to study archaeal membrane lipids have led to the identification of several novel di‐ and tetraether lipid structures. Here, we report the presence of a previously unknown series of archaeal diethers that have been detected exclusively in hydrothermally affected environments.

Methods

Polar lipid extracts were analyzed using high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled to positive ion atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC/APCI‐MS). Identification of the novel archaeal diethers was achieved using a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer operated in MS/MS mode and by comparison of characteristic retention time patterns.

Results

Modern and fossil sediments deposited under hydrothermal conditions contained variable abundances of archaeal lipids including archaeol, glycerol trialkyl glycerol tetraether (GTGT‐0), isoprenoid glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs), glycerol monoalkyl glycerol tetraethers (GMGTs) and glycerol dialkanol diethers (GDDs). In addition to these well‐established archaeal lipids, we detected a novel series of archaeal diethers (i.e., glycerol monoalkanediol diethers (GMDs)) that are structurally related to GMGTs but which lack one terminal glycerol moiety and contain 0–2 cyclopentyl ring systems.

Conclusions

The unique presence of GMDs in hydrothermally affected environments suggests that these compounds may constitute an exclusive and yet unknown component of the cell wall membrane of (hyper)thermophilic Archaea. The presented mass spectral characteristics will facilitate detection of these components in pure cultures of Archaea and natural environments. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Rational Integration of Polypropylene/Graphene Oxide/Nafion as Ternary‐Layered Separator to Retard the Shuttle of Polysulfides for Lithium–Sulfur Batteries
Authors: Zhuang Ting‐Zhou , Huang Jia‐Qi , Peng Hong‐Jie , He Lian‐Yuan , Cheng Xin‐Bing , Chen Cheng‐Meng , Zhang Qiang
Published: December 2015

The reversible electrochemical transformation from lithium (Li) and sulfur (S) into Li2S through multielectron reactions can be utilized in secondary Li–S batteries with very high energy density. However, both the low Coulombic efficiency and severe capacity degradation limits the full utilization of active sulfur, which hinders the practical applications of Li–S battery system. The present study reports a ternary‐layered separator with a macroporous polypropylene (PP) matrix layer, graphene oxide (GO) barrier layer, and Nafion retarding layer as the separator for Li–S batteries with high Coulombic efficiency and superior cyclic stability. In the ternary‐layered separator, ultrathin layer of GO (0.0032 mg cm−2, estimated to be around 40 layers) blocks the macropores of PP matrix, and a dense ion selective Nafion layer with a very low loading amount of 0.05 mg cm−2 is attached as a retarding layer to suppress the crossover of sulfur‐containing species. The ternary‐layered separators are effective in improving the initial capacity and the Coulombic efficiency of Li–S cells from 969 to 1057 mAh g−1, and from 80% to over 95% with an LiNO3‐free electrolyte, respectively. The capacity degradation is reduced from 0.34% to 0.18% per cycle within 200 cycles when the PP separator is replaced by the ternary‐layered separators. This work provides the rational design strategy for multifunctional separators at cell scale to effective utilizing of active sulfur and retarding of polysulfides, which offers the possibility of high energy density Li–S cells with long cycling life.
Plant elemental composition and portable X‐ray fluorescence (pXRF) spectroscopy: quantification under different analytical parameters
Authors: Towett Erick K. , Shepherd Keith D. , Lee Drake B.
Published: December 2015

Emergence of portable X‐ray fluorescence (pXRF) systems presents new opportunities for rapid, low‐cost plant analysis, both as a lab system and in situ system. Numerous studies have extolled the virtues of using pXRF for a wide range of plant applications, however, for many such applications, there is need for further assessment with regards to analytical parameters for plant analysis. While pXRF is a potential powerful research tool for elemental composition analysis, its successful use in plant analysis is made more likely by having an understanding of X‐ray physics, calibration process, and ability to test a variety of homogenous and well‐characterized materials for developing a matrix‐specific calibration. Because potential pXRF users may often underestimate the complexity of proper analysis, this study aims at providing a technical background for plant analysis using pXRF. The focus is on elemental quantification under different analytical parameters and different methods of sample presentation: direct surface contact under vacuum, placement in a sample cup with prolene as a seal, and without the aid of a vacuum. Direct analysis on the surface of a pXRF provided highest sensitivity and accuracy (R2 > 0.90) for light elements (Mg to P). Sulfur, K, and Ca can be reliably measured without the aid of a vacuum (R2 > 0.99, 0.97, and 0.93 respectively), although lower detection limits may be compromised. pXRF instruments provide plant data of sufficient accuracy for many applications and will reduce the overall time and budget compared with the use of conventional techniques. Sensitivity and accuracy are dependent on the instrument's settings, make, and model. © 2015 The Authors. X‐Ray Spectrometry published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hospital Utilization of Nationally Shared Liver Allografts from 2007 to 2012
Authors: Ertel Audrey E. , Wima Koffi , Hoehn Richard S. , Abbott Daniel E. , Shah Shimul A.
Published: December 2015

Background

Due to the current geographic disparities in liver allocation a policy, which endorses broader sharing of allografts, has been proposed. We performed a retrospective cohort study to identify how nationally shared allografts, under the current policy, affect perioperative outcomes and resource utilization following liver transplantation (LT).

Methods

Univariate and multivariate analysis identified how patient characteristics and hospital outcomes were associated with national sharing. This analysis was based on 12,282 deceased donor liver transplants performed between 2007 and 2012 using the scientific registry of transplant recipients linked to the University HealthSystem Consortium database.

Results

Compared to locally distributed livers, nationally shared livers are more likely to have a donor risk index >1.8 (64.3 vs. 11.6 %), to be classified as expanded criteria donors (44.6 vs. 24.8 %), and transplanted into healthier recipients. Nationally shared LTs were more likely to be performed at high‐volume centers (49.1 vs. 30.6 %), resulted in longer length of stay (11 vs. 9 days), and had higher in‐hospital mortality (6.6 vs. 3.3 %). Additionally, nationally shared allografts were independent predictors of in‐hospital mortality (OR 1.64, 95 % CI 1.13–2.39) and length of stay (OR 1.12, 95 % CI 1.02–1.21).

Conclusion

These data suggest that increased national sharing of livers may result in inferior patient outcomes and increased resource utilization.
Evaluation of bearing, gears and gearboxes performance with different wind turbine gear oils
Authors: Martins Ramiro Carneiro , Fernandes Carlos M. C. G. , Seabra Jorge H. O.
Published: December 2015

The oil viscosity specification for wind turbine gear oils is ISO VG 320, although there are quite different viscosity indexes oils for that viscosity specification. This work evaluates the behaviour of different base oil formulations, since polyalphaolefin (PAO), mineral, ester and polyalkeleneglycol (PAG) that withstand quite different viscosity indexes. The oils evaluation was done in rolling bearing tests and gear tests. Their behaviour was compared for operating conditions in the range observable in a wind turbine gearbox.

The experimental results showed considerable differences between the different oils and it was observed that depending on the contact type the relative behaviour of the lubricants would change, i.e., the best lubricant for the rolling bearing would not imply the best result on the gear tests.

The gear geometry is also very important toward the transmission efficiency, once using a low loss gear concept a decrease of up to 25% in torque loss could be achieved.

Numerical models were implemented with the purpose of performing a better simulation of the mechanical system and also to obtain the friction coefficient promoted by the tested oils.
A Survey of Infection Prevention and Control Practices among Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Centers
Authors: Beam Elena , Keating Michael R. , Razonable Raymund R.
Published: December 2015

This survey of the American Society of Transplantation Infectious Disease Community of Practice demonstrates variations in clinical practices among hematopoietic stem cell transplant centers on selected infection prevention and control practices. Our findings highlight a need and emphasize an opportunity to optimize patient care through standardization of practices in this vulnerable population.

Infect. Control Hosp. Epidemiol. 2016;37(3):348–351
The changing nature of managerial skills, mindsets and roles: Advancing theory and relevancy for contemporary managers
Authors: Laud Robert , Arevalo Jorge , Johnson Matthew
Published: December 2015

Management research has been challenged by the altering realities of organization life, job roles, and individual motivations that have long guided traditional theoretical thinking. The classical frameworks regarding managerial performance requirements have been largely based upon organizationally driven underpinnings. We propose a cognitive shift suggesting that individually driven roles and desires are impacting the relevancy of conventional job requirements. Our study analyzes the utilization of managerial skills, mindsets, and roles as perceived by 259 executives representing nine industries and ~200 organizations. The results reveal that the interpretation and application of managerial roles are primarily influenced by the individual’s intentions rather than adherence to the current organizationally based theoretical taxonomy as taught by many business schools. These findings illuminate the gap between the vast amount of effort researchers and educators have expended on taxonomic precision and its questionable relationship to organizational and individual learning and effectiveness. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed along with recommendations to extend the current research.
Islamic work ethics and individualism in managing a globalized workplace: Does religiosity and nationality matter?
Authors: Alam Muhammad A , Talib Nadeem
Published: December 2015

The integration of work ethic theories with religious beliefs and Hofstede’s national culture typology implies that Islamic work ethics peculiarly support social symbiosis and collectivism. On the contrary, present globalized workplace is pragmatically driven by individualism. To sort out these concerns, this cross-cultural study links Islamic work ethics to individualism at globalized workplace and examines the moderating influence of employee religiosity and nationality. A stratified sample of 307 employees from leading multinational corporations operating in United States, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom and Pakistan participated in the study. The study found a strong positive relationship between Islamic work ethics and individualism, and no significant interaction effect of employee nationality and religiosity was observed. Together, the findings suggest that Islamic work ethics advocate a great deal of individualism, and can benefit the multinational corporations in managing their diversified workforce with a view to get maximum advantage of the opportunities offered by globalization.
Reionisation and High-Redshift Galaxies: The View from Quasar Absorption Lines
Authors: Becker George D. , Bolton James S. , Lidz Adam
Published: December 2015

Determining when and how the first galaxies reionised the intergalactic medium promises to shed light on both the nature of the first objects and the cosmic history of baryons. Towards this goal, quasar absorption lines play a unique role by probing the properties of diffuse gas on galactic and intergalactic scales. In this review, we examine the multiple ways in which absorption lines trace the connection between galaxies and the intergalactic medium near the reionisation epoch. We first describe how the Ly α forest is used to determine the intensity of the ionising ultraviolet background and the global ionising emissivity budget. Critically, these measurements reflect the escaping ionising radiation from all galaxies, including those too faint to detect directly. We then discuss insights from metal absorption lines into reionisation-era galaxies and their surroundings. Current observations suggest a buildup of metals in the circumgalactic environments of galaxies overz~ 6 to 5, although changes in ionisation will also affect the evolution of metal line properties. A substantial fraction of metal absorbers at these redshifts may trace relatively low-mass galaxies. Finally, we review constraints from the Ly α forest and quasar near zones on the timing of reionisation. Along with other probes of the high-redshift Universe, absorption line data are consistent with a relatively late end to reionisation (5.5 ≲z≲ 7); however, the constraints are still fairly week. Significant progress is expected to come through improved analysis techniques, increases in the number of known high-redshift quasars from optical and infrared sky surveys, large gains in sensitivity from next-generation observing facilities, and synergies with other probes of the reionisation era.
Rock art and changing perceptions of southern Africa's past: Ezeljagdspoort reviewed
Authors: Lewis-Williams David , Dowson Thomas A. , Deacon Janette
Published: December 2015

Since 1835 travellers and scholars have been looking at, and ‘reading’, a strange painting of apparently fish-tailed figures at Ezeljagdspoort, in the southern part of the Cape Province, South Africa. Each reading has been made within some external frame-of-reference, whether supposed histories of racial conflict or Jungian archetypes of child-like primitive insight. These set aside, a surer route to an ‘inside’ reading may be based on our knowledge of Bushman shamanism.
Cobalt–deficiency–induced hyperhomocysteinaemia and oxidative status of cattle
Authors: Stangl G. I. , Schwarz F. J. , Jahn B. , Kirchgessner M.
Published: December 2015

In ruminants, Co is required for the synthesis of vitamin B12, which in turn is needed for the resynthesis of methionine by methylation of homocysteine and thus, cobalamin deficiency may induce hyperhomocysteinaemia which is brought into context with perturbations of the antioxidative–prooxidative balance. The present study was conducted to explore whether Co deficiency in cattle is also associated with homocysteine-induced disturbances of oxidative status. Co deficiency was induced in cattle by feeding two groups of animals on either a basal maize-silage-based diet that was moderately low in Co (83 μg Co/kg DM), or the same diet supplemented with Co to a total of 200 μg Co/kg DM, for 43 weeks. Co deficiency was apparent from a reduced vitamin B12 status in serum and liver and an accumulation of homocysteine in plasma which was in excess of 4·8 times higher in Co-deprived cattle than in controls. The much increased level of circulating homocysteine did not indicate severe disturbances in antioxidant–prooxidant balance as measured by individual markers of lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, and the antioxidative defence system. There were no quantitative difference in plasma thiol groups, nor were there significant changes in concentrations of α-tocopherol, microsomal thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and carbonyl groups in liver. However, there was a trend toward increased plasma carbonyl levels indicating a slight degradation of plasma proteins in the hyperhomocysteinaemic cattle. Analysis of the hepatic catalase (EC 1.11.1.6) activity revealed an 11 % reduction in Co-deficient cattle relative to the controls. These results indicate that long-term moderate Co deficiency may induce a severe accumulation of plasma homocysteine in cattle, but considerable abnormalities in oxidative status failed to appear.
Effect of parsley (Petroselinum crispum) intake on urinary apigenin excretion, blood antioxidant enzymes and biomarkers for oxidative stress in human subjects
Authors: Nielsen S. E. , Young J. F. , Daneshvar B. , Lauridsen S. T. , Knuthsen P. , Sandström B. , Dragsted L. O.
Published: December 2015

Seven men and seven women participated in a randomized crossover trial to study the effect of intake of parsley (Petroselinum crispum), containing high levels of the flavone apigenin, on the urinary excretion of flavones and on biomarkers for oxidative stress. The subjects received a strictly controlled diet low in flavones and other naturally occurring antioxidants during the 2 weeks of intervention. This basic diet was supplemented with parsley providing 3·73–4·49 mg apigenin/MJ in one of the intervention weeks. Urinary excretion of apigenin was 1·59–409·09 μg/MJ per 24 h during intervention with parsley and 0–112·27 μg/MJ per 24 h on the basic diet (P < 0·05). The fraction of apigenin intake excreted in the urine was 0·58 (se 0·16) % during parsley intervention. Erythrocyte glutathione reductase (EC 1.6.4.1; GR) and superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1; SOD) activities increased during intervention with parsley (P < 0·005) as compared with the levels on the basic diet, whereas erythrocyte catalase (EC 1.11.1.6) and glutathione peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.9) activities did not change. No significant changes were observed in plasma protein 2-adipic semialdehyde residues, a biomarker of plasma protein oxidation. In this short-term investigation, an overall decreasing trend in the activity of antioxidant enzymes was observed during the 2-week study. The decreased activity of SOD was strongly correlated at the individual level with an increased oxidative damage to plasma proteins. However, the intervention with parsley seemed, partly, to overcome this decrease and resulted in increased levels of GR and SOD.
Becoming Workers? Strikes by Hotel and Restaurant Staff in Italy (1902−1923)
Authors: Raspadori Paolo
Published: December 2015

Working conditions and labour unrest among service employees in the hotel and restaurant sector have, for a long time, have not been at the centre of attention of labour historians, especially in Italy. However, from the late nineteenth century a considerable number of cooks and waiters in Italian cities began to organize in order to improve their working conditions and to create alternative, cost-free forms of employment. From the early twentieth century, the trade unions of the employees of hotels and restaurants (grouped together in a National Federation in 1907) attempted to achieve these goals by means of strikes and demonstrations, some of them remarkably militant. Using a broad range of primary sources and quantitative data, this paper will first describe the characteristics of the working conditions of workers in hotels and restaurants in Italy; second, it will analyse the evolution of organizations, demands, and strike action by these staff from the beginning of the twentieth century to the advent of fascism. Distinguishing two waves of mobilization (1902−1907/1908 and 1919−1920), this paper aims, firstly, to highlight the similarities and differences between union actions by hotel and restaurant employees, on the one hand, and those of other workers on the other. Secondly, it focuses on the ways that the strikes induced serving staff to feel like “real” workers in terms of the outlook and behaviour of industrial workers.
Phonetic and phonological vowel reduction in Central Catalan
Authors: Nadeu Marianna
Published: December 2015

In Central Catalan, phonological vowel reduction causes the stressed seven-vowel system to reduce in number in unstressed position, where only the three reduced vowels [iəu] can occur. Exceptionally, full vowels (typically expected in a stressed syllable only) can appear in unstressed syllables in certain contexts. This study explores the acoustic characteristics of phonologically unreduced vowels found exceptionally in unstressed position in Central Catalan and compares them to stressed full vowels and corresponding unstressed (phonologically reduced) vowels. Results show that, contrary to traditional descriptions, presumably phonologically unreduced vowels in verb + noun compounds sporadically undergo phonological vowel reduction. When they do not, they are shorter than stressed vowels and more centralized in the F1*F2 vowel space. In addition, stressed full vowels do not differ in accented vs. unaccented contexts in duration or vowel quality, indicating that vowels are hyperarticulated under lexical stress, but not when they receive intonational pitch accent. The findings contribute to a body of cross-linguistic research dealing with the influence of prosody at the segmental level.
Ivory poachers and poison: drivers of Africa's declining vulture populations
Authors: Ogada Darcy , Botha André , Shaw Phil
Published: December 2015

Four species of African vultures have been recategorized as Critically Endangered, and two as Endangered, on the IUCN Red List. Their declining status is attributed partly to the impacts of widespread poisoning. Prior to 2012 poisoning of vultures was mostly associated with illegal predator control by livestock farmers, in which vultures were typically unintended victims. More recently, ivory poachers have been using poisons to kill elephants Loxodonta africana or to contaminate their carcasses specifically to eliminate vultures, whose overhead circling might otherwise reveal the poachers’ presence. Between 2012 and 2014 we recorded 11 poaching-related incidents in seven African countries, in which 155 elephants and 2,044 vultures were killed. In at least two incidents the harvesting of vulture body parts (for fetish) may have provided an additional motive. We show that vulture mortality associated with ivory poaching has increased more rapidly than that associated with other poisoning incidents, and now accounts for one-third of all vulture poisonings recorded since 1970. This recent surge in the illegal use of poisons exposes weaknesses in the regulations, for which we propose measures aimed primarily at retail controls. However, because ivory poachers already operate outside any legal framework, African governments require international support in applying more punitive sentencing against mass wildlife poisoning.
THE MUSIC OF LAURENCE CRANE AND A POST-EXPERIMENTAL PERFORMANCE PRACTICE
Authors: Thomas Philip
Published: December 2015

Laurence Crane's music is often described as experimental or considered as a continuation of the English experimental tradition. In this first extended examination of Crane's music it is proposed that, instead of relying upon associations and aesthetic alignments, the music might be considered as experimental through a particularly experimental approach to performance. After a brief overview of Crane's output his position as a composer is considered within the context of the experimental music tradition. This tradition is then considered in relation to performance practice, both historical and contemporary. A selection of Crane's music is examined in the light of that practice, whilst aspects of the composer's approaches to tonality, instrumentation, form and notation are also highlighted.
OCCAM NOTIONS: COLLABORATION AND THE PERFORMER'S PERSPECTIVE IN ÉLIANE RADIGUE'S OCCAM OCEAN
Authors: Nickel Luke
Published: December 2015

After nearly 40 years of creating recorded electronic music, for the last 10 years Éliane Radigue has created music exclusively in collaboration with performers, using solely oral and aural transmission. Focusing on the details of this ‘scoreless’ working method, this article considers the performer's perspective on Radigue's Occam Ocean (2011–), a series of 22 infinitely combinable solos and over 20 chamber pieces. Through interviews with the performers and Radigue, a composite understanding of their collaboration is reached, focusing on the emergent ideas of virtuosity, memory, images, scores, hospitality and non-hierarchy. A typical transmission and collaboration is described, and a new lens for viewing this method is proposed, the living score. The article concludes with a brief discussion of how Radigue and her collaborators' non-hierarchical model of collaboration may offer an alternative compositional framework.
COMPOSITION, RESEARCH AND PSEUDO-SCIENCE: A RESPONSE TO JOHN CROFT
Authors: Reeves Camden
Published: December 2015

John Croft's ‘Composition is Not Research’ (TEMPO Vol. 69, No. 272 (2015), pp. 6–11) argues that, ‘the very idea that musical composition is a form of research is a category error’ (p. 6). My response argues that Croft's analysis is borne of a widespread, misguided and essentialist attempt to reduce all research to the paradigm of scientific method, and that he accepts this paradigm uncritically. Whilst asserting that ‘composition is research’ does not entail a category mistake (as the whole point about research is that it is not delimited in any way), assuming that all research must be reducible to the scientific paradigm of method does entail the requisite reification to constitute such a mistake. The imposition of this reductionist paradigm has a distorting impact on the Humanities more generally and, whilst these distortions are particularly acute with musical composition, that is no reason to single it out for persecution. I argue that where the tenets of scientific method are adopted outside of science, this constitutes, more often than not, superficial pseudo-science (or scientism), whereby the tenets of scientific method are fetishized and applied divorced from the complete scientific method and scientific objectives. I conclude that the Humanities would do better to develop its own paradigms – paradigms that are better suited and intrinsic to its respective disciplines.
COMPOSITION AND PERFORMANCE CAN BE, AND OFTEN HAVE BEEN, RESEARCH
Authors: Pace Ian
Published: December 2015

John Croft's article ‘Composition is not Research’ challenges a conception and ideal of compositional work in academia which has grown in prominence over several decades in the UK. As a performer-scholar, who also writes non-performance-related scholarship, I welcome this challenge, share some of Croft's reservations about the ways in which these conceptions often manifest themselves, and also have concerns about the rushed integration of practitioners into academia and the implications for more traditional forms of scholarship. However, I find many of Croft's formulations and assumptions too narrow, and instead argue that a good deal of the process of composition and performance does constitute research – grappling with difficult questions, exploring solutions, and producing creative work which embodies these solutions and from which others can draw much of value.
COMPOSING, RESEARCHING AND WAYS OF TALKING
Authors: Croft John
Published: December 2015

This reply addresses a number of misunderstandings that have arisen with regard to my argument in ‘Composition is not Research’; notably that it rests on a definition of research derived from ‘scientific method’, and that it somehow entails the view that composers should not be asked to write about their music. It is argued here that referring to composition as ‘research’ is at best a perverse (if institutionally expedient) way of talking about what composers have always done, and at worst leads to a distorted picture of compositional work and musical value.
BBC Proms 2015: Gary Carpenter, Anders Hillborg, Ørjan Matre, Alissa Firsova, B Tommy Andersson
Authors: Broad Leah
Published: December 2015

Sibelius' and Nielsen's 150th anniversary year has prompted a proliferation of events to celebrate the music of the Nordic composers, from conferences to concert series. The Proms has been no exception, with an unusually high number of Nordic composers represented throughout the festival (although Glazunov, also in his 150th anniversary year, has been forgotten). British composer Gary Carpenter's Dadaville was premiered on the first night, which opened to the sounds of Nielsen's Maskarade and Sibelius's Belshazzar's Feast, while later concerts covered here presented premieres by the Swedish composers Anders Hillborg and B Tommy Andersson, the Norwegian composer Ørjan Matre, and Moscow-born (though UK-based) composer Alissa Firsova.
BBC Proms 2015: Luca Francesconi, HK Gruber, Raymond Yiu, Shiori Usui, Joanna Lee, Betsy Jolas
Authors: Young Toby
Published: December 2015

‘The desire to create’, wrote Copland, ‘is the basic need to make evident one's deepest feelings about life’. This aspiration to use art for self-expression, or even self-discovery, is universal amongst composers, but is always accompanied by the danger that the subject matter ends up too close to the composer's psyche, leading to a self-indulgence in the music.
840 series, St James' Church, Islington, London
Authors: Weeks James
Published: December 2015

They say London is dying (again): this time smothered by affluence, its youth fleeing for affordable refuge in the provinces, its culture concreted over by the corporate Cyclops. As far as new music goes, these are tough times in the capital, for sure (where are they not?), but the established ensembles and organisations cling on like the tenacious buddleias on the walls fringing suburban train lines, and here and there new cracks appear in the pavement, energetic wildflowers springing up through them to take their chance in the light.
Injuries of Hospital Employees From Needles and Sharp Objects
Authors: Jacobson Julie T. , Burke John P. , Conti Marlyn T.
Published: December 2015

During a 30-month period in our 570-bed private community hospital, employees reported 218 injuries from needles and other sharp objects. Five of these injuries were from needles used on patients known to be hepatitis B surface antigens (HBsAg) positive. Four were from blades or scalpels used on HBsAg positive patients. A nother needle injury resulted in serious Staphylococcus aureus infection. Thirty-three percent of the injuries were from improperly disposed objects, generally in trash baskets in patient rooms. Housekeeping employees were the “innocent victims” of more than one-half of the injuries from such improperly disposed objects. A survey of reporting practices revealed housekeepers reported all their injuries. Underreporting was identified as a problem with laboratory personnel and nurses who tended to make their own judgment concerning the extent of the injury. An effective innovation resulting from our survey was the use of plastic irrigation bottles as an inexpensive and readily available container for disposal of sharps.
Research Timeline: Form-focused instruction and second language acquisition
Authors: Nassaji Hossein
Published: December 2015

This article provides a timeline of research on form-focused instruction (FFI). Over the past 40 years, research on the role of instruction has undergone many changes. Much of the early research concentrated on determining whether formal instruction makes any difference in the development of learner language. This question was motivated in part by a theoretical discussion in the field of cognitive psychology over the role of explicit versus implicit learning, on the one hand, and a debate in the field of second language acquisition (SLA) over the role of naturalistic exposure versus formal instruction, on the other. In the early 1980s, for example, based on the notion that the processes involved in second language (L2) learning are similar to those in first language (L1) learning, Krashen (e.g., Krashen 1981, 1982, 1985) made a distinction between learning and acquisition and claimed that an L2 should be acquired through natural exposure not learned through formal instruction. Thus, he claimed that FFI has little beneficial effect on language acquisition. This position, which has also been known as a ‘zero position’ on instruction, was also taken by a number of other researchers who argued that L1 and L2 learning follow similar processes and that what L2 learners need in order to acquire a second language is naturalistic exposure to meaning-focused communication rather than formal instruction (Dulay & Burt 1974; Felix 1981; Prabhu 1987; Schwartz 1993; Zobl 1995).
The Social Market Economy
Authors: Barry Norman
Published: December 2015

The collapse of Communism in the regimes in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union has brought forth a plethora of alternative political and economic models for the reorganization of those societies. The vacuum that has been left could be regarded as an ideal laboratory for the testing of competing theories, and the temptations to experiment with the more benign forms of constructivist rationalism are likely to prove irresistible. If liberal capitalism is to be successfully created, it will clearly not have the same biography as it has had in the Western European and Anglo-American countries, where its emergence was the result of slow evolution: often its appearance and survival were due to a quite fortuitous combination of circumstances. In those countries it was not the result of any deliberate democratic choice but the outcome of a happy confluence of traditional rules and customary practices, and the participants in them had little idea of the form of the system that they were creating. Indeed, ideological sanctification was almost an afterthought, and democratic approval was belated and in most cases not enthusiastic. Britain was a liberal capitalist society, and possessed the necessary body of private law, some time before the franchise was significantly democratized (which did not occur until 1867). It is, of course, recent theoretical and empirical research which has revealed that the political choice mechanisms that developed haphazardly after the success of the market are a potential threat to it.
Physiological disturbances in plants caused by air pollutants
Authors: Wolfenden J. , Mansfield T. A.
Published: December 2015

Synopsis

The physiological and biochemical features of plants that are responsible for determining susceptibility or tolerance to air pollutants have often proved hard to identify. In recent years, however, there has been new experimental evidence of responses which may be of critical importance. These include (a) changes in stomatal behaviour, affecting plant-water relations, (b) alterations in carbon and nitrogen assimilation and partitioning which can influence root growth, and (c) interference with the processes of winter hardening. Evidence of these changes to physiological processes, and the ways in which responses to pollutants may become more significant to plant survival in the presence of other environmental stresses, are discussed. The longer-term consequences, or secondary responses, such as effects on associations with other organisms, are also briefly reviewed. We have also examined the possibility that ecosystems may be overloaded with inputs of nitrogen from the atmosphere.
Path Ramsey Number for Random Graphs
Authors: LETZTER SHOHAM
Published: December 2015

Answering a question raised by Dudek and Prałat, we show that if pn → ∞, w.h.p., whenever G = G(n, p) is 2-edge-coloured there is a monochromatic path of length (2/3 + o(1))n. This result is optimal in the sense that 2/3 cannot be replaced by a larger constant.

As part of the proof we obtain the following result. Given a graph G on n vertices with at least $(1-\varepsilon)\binom{n}{2}$ edges, whenever G is 2-edge-coloured, there is a monochromatic path of length at least $(2/3 - 110\sqrt{\varepsilon})n$. This is an extension of the classical result by Gerencsér and Gyárfás which says that whenever Kn is 2-coloured there is a monochromatic path of length at least 2n/3.
When Osama Became Saddam: Origins and Consequences of the Change in America's Public Enemy #1
Authors: Althaus Scott L. , Largio Devon M.
Published: December 2015

In the days following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Osama bin Laden quickly became America's leading enemy. But as the Bush administration prepared its case for war against Iraq in the first half of 2002, officials began to avoid mentioning Osama bin Laden's name in public. At the same time, administration officials increasingly linked Saddam Hussein with the threat of terrorism in an effort to build public support for war. By the first anniversary of the 9/11 attacks it appeared that this public relations effort had produced results beyond all expectations: several polls released around the time of the anniversary revealed that majorities of Americans believed Saddam Hussein was personally responsible for 9/11.
Supreme Court Justices Really Do Follow the Election Returns
Authors: Maltzman Forrest , Sigelman Lee , Wahlbeck Paul J.
Published: December 2015

More than a century has passed since the fictional Mr. Dooley declared in his rich Irish brogue that “The Soopreme Court follows the illiction returns,” but until now no hard evidence has existed of just how fixated the Court is on presidential elections [but see Flemming and Wood 1997; Mishler and Sheehan 1993]. Fortunately, now we have proof positive, which we serendipitously unearthed from its resting place in the Library of Congress, where it was entombed deep in the personal papers of Justice Harry Blackmun.
Pesticide Tax, Cropping Patterns, and Water Quality in South Central Texas
Authors: Shumway C. Richard , Chesser Rayanne R.
Published: December 2015

The impact of an ad valorem pesticide tax on cropping patterns and pesticide use was examined in the South Central Texas Crop Reporting District. Output supply equations were econometrically estimated and used in the simulation. A 25 percent tax on pesticide was estimated to have major impacts on cropping patterns and on pesticide use. Assuming other input and output prices were unaffected, the supply of one important crop would fall by more than half. Demand for some of the highly soluble and persistent pesticides, which present the greatest threat to groundwater quality, would also decrease substantially (some as much as 50 percent).
Drug Treatment of Epilepsy: When Does It Fail and How to Optimize Its Use?
Authors: Kwan Patrick , Brodie Martin J.
Published: December 2015

Although modern community-based studies have shown that a majority of people with newly diagnosed epilepsy will enter long-term remission, seizures remain refractory to treatment in a substantial proportion of this population—perhaps as much as 40%. A consensus is being reached that, for operational purposes, pharmacoresistance can be suspected when two appropriately chosen, well-tolerated, first-line antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) or one monotherapy and one combination regimen have failed due to lack of efficacy. Poor prognostic factors include lack of response to the first AED, specific syndromes, symptomatic etiology, family history of epilepsy, psychiatric comorbidity, and high frequency of seizures. These observations suggest that prognosis can often be determined early in the course of the disorder. We propose a management paradigm that aims to maximize the chance of successful AED therapy, including the early use of “rational polytherapy” for patients not responding to monotherapy, and to identify efficiently patients suitable for “curative” resective surgery, in particular those with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. An orderly approach to each epilepsy syndrome will optimize the chance of perfect seizure control and help more patients achieve a fulfilling life.
Inflammation, Glutamate, and Glia in Depression:A Literature Review
Authors: McNally Leah , Bhagwagar Zubin , Hannestad Jonas
Published: December 2015

Multiple lines of evidence suggest that inflammation and glutamate dysfunction contribute to the pathophysiology of depression. In this review we provide an overview of how these two systems may interact. Excess levels of inflammatory mediators occur in a subgroup of depressed patients. Studies of acute experimental activation of the immune system with endotoxin and of chronic activation during interferon-α treatment show that inflammation can cause depression. Peripheral inflammation leads to microglial activation which could interfere with excitatory amino acid metabolism leading to inappropriate glutamate receptor activation. Loss of astroglia, a feature of depression, upsets the balance of anti- and pro-inflammatory mediators and further impairs the removal of excitatory amino acids. Microglia activated by excess inflammation, astroglial loss, and inappropriate glutamate receptor activation ultimately disrupt the delicate balance of neuroprotective versus neurotoxic effects in the brain, potentially leading to depression.
Light Therapy for Seasonal and Nonseasonal Depression: Efficacy, Protocol, Safety, and Side Effects
Authors: Terman Michael , Terman Jiuan Su
Published: December 2015

Bright light therapy for seasonal affective disorder (SAD) has been investigated and applied for over 20 years. Physicians and clinicians are increasingly confident that bright light therapy is a potent, specifically active, nonpharmaceutical treatment modality. Indeed, the domain of light treatment is moving beyond SAD, to nonseasonal depression (unipolar and bipolar), seasonal flare-ups of bulimia nervosa, circadian sleep phase disorders, and more. Light therapy is simple to deliver to outpatients and inpatients alike, although the optimum dosing of light and treatment time of day requires individual adjustment. The side-effect profile is favorable in comparison with medications, although the clinician must remain vigilant about emergent hypomania and autonomic hyperactivation, especially during the first few days of treatment. Importantly, light therapy provides a compatible adjunct to antidepressant medication, which can result in accelerated improvement and fewer residual symptoms.
A New Environment for Modular Image Reconstruction and Data Analysis
Authors: Radermacher M.
Published: December 2015

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2013 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, August 4 – August 8, 2013.
Implementing Radiation Oncology Care Plans as a foundation for process improvement
Authors: Chan Edwin H. , Malam Shaziya , Loudon James
Published: December 2015

Background

At The Radiation Medicine Program described, the entire radiation therapy (RT) workflow was previously conducted through the use of two electronic programs. It duplicated workflow and created a situation where it was difficult to measure the RT process. Recent enhancements to the electronic medical record facilitated the consolidation of RT planning and treatment workflows into one electronic system.

Purpose

This report will describe the clinical implementation of electronic Radiation Oncology (RO) Care Plans at a Regional Cancer Centre, and how they can be applied as a foundation for RT process improvements.

Impact and outcome

A total of 51 Care Plans and 95 IQ Scripts were successfully implemented. The benefits of RO Care Plans include a more streamlined process, removed ambiguity, improved communication, standardised workflow and automation of tasks. In addition, multiple performance indicators can be obtained from the RO Care Plans, such as caseload reports, workflow reports and a ‘white board’.

Conclusion

The implementation of RO Care Plans serves as a foundation for data-driven process improvement at a local Regional Cancer Centre.
Visual tools and narratives: new ways to improve financial literacy
Authors: LUSARDI ANNAMARIA , SAMEK ANYA , KAPTEYN ARIE , GLINERT LEWIS , HUNG ANGELA , HEINBERG AILEEN
Published: December 2015

We developed and experimentally evaluated four novel educational programs delivered online: an informational brochure, a visual interactive tool, a written narrative, and a video narrative. The programs were designed to inform people about risk diversification, an essential concept for financial decision-making. The effectiveness of these programs was evaluated using the American Life Panel. Participants were exposed to one of the programs, and then asked to answer questions measuring financial literacy – in particular, risk literacy – and self-efficacy. All of the programs were found to be effective at increasing self-efficacy, and several improved financial literacy, providing new evidence for the value of programs designed to improve financial decision-making.