bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevention of gastrointestinal events in patients on antithrombotic therapy in the peri‐endoscopy period: Review of new evidence and recommendations from recent guidelines
Authors: Tang Raymond S. Y. , Chan Francis K. L.
Published: March 2015

Management of patients on antithrombotic therapy undergoing endoscopic procedures can be challenging. Although guidelines from major gastrointestinal endoscopy societies provide useful recommendations in this regard, data are limited concerning the bleeding risk of new complex endoscopic procedures and the management of novel anticoagulants in patients needing invasive procedures. The approach to the management of antithrombotic therapy often needs to be formulated on an individual basis, especially in patients with high thrombotic risk undergoing a high‐risk endoscopic procedure. In addition to the procedure‐related bleeding risk, endoscopists also need to consider the urgency of the endoscopic procedure, the thromboembolic risk of the patient if antithrombotic therapy is temporarily withheld, and the timing of discontinuation/resumption of antithrombotic therapy in the decision‐making process. Diagnostic endoscopic procedures with or without biopsy can often be done without interruption of antithrombotic therapy. If possible, elective procedures with high bleeding risk should be delayed in patients on antithrombotic therapy for conditions with high thrombotic risk. If high‐risk procedures cannot be delayed in these patients, thienopyridines, traditional and novel anticoagulants are usually withheld, whereas aspirin withdrawal is decided on a case by case basis. In patients with high thrombotic risk, communication with the prescribing clinician before proceeding to procedures with high bleeding risk is particularly important in optimizing the peri‐procedural management plan of antithrombotic therapy.
The Effect of Habitual Physical Training on Left Ventricular Function During Exercise Assessed by Three‐Dimensional Echocardiography
Authors: Sugiura Kojima Mari , Noda Akiko , Miyata Seiko , Kojima Jun , Hara Yuki , Minoshima Makoto , Murohara Toyoaki
Published: March 2015

Background

Stroke volume (SV) in trained athletes continuously increases with progressive exercise intensity. We studied whether physical training affected left ventricle (LV) function response to exercise using 3D echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI).

Methods

Eleven male university athletes and 12 male university nonathletes were enrolled in this study. After baseline data were collected, subjects performed a symptom‐limited supine bicycle ergometer exercise test. Initial workload was 25 Watts (W) and increased 25 W every 3 minutes. At rest and every exercise stage, LV end‐systolic and diastolic volume index (LVEDVI and LVESVI), SV index (SVI), cardiac index (CI), LV ejection fraction (LVEF), and early lateral mitral flow velocity (Ea) were evaluated. Heart rate (HR), and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP) were continuously recorded.

Results

Nonathletes showed a slow increase in CI, and SVI reached a plateau value at a HR of 90 beats per minute (bpm). In contrast, CI and SVI increased progressively and continuously in athletes. Both CI and SVI were significantly higher in athletes than in nonathletes at HRs of 100, 110, and 120 bpm. LVEDVI kept increasing in athletes while it plateaued in nonathletes. In contrast, LVESV decreased continuously during exercise in both groups. There was no significant difference in LVEF, Ea, SBP, or DBP at rest and during exercise between the two groups.

Conclusion

LV responses to exercise in athletes were different from those of in nonathletes; thus, habitual physical training may play an important role in the increase in both SVI and CI in young individuals.
Learning in Early Childhood: experiences, relationships and ‘Learning to Be’
Authors: Tayler Collette
Published: March 2015

Learning in the earliest stage of life — the infancy, toddlerhood and preschool period — is relational and rapid. Child‐initiated and adult‐mediated conversations, playful interactions and learning through active involvement are integral to young children making sense of their environments and to their development over time. The child's experience in this early phase of life is at the heart of ‘Learning to Be’ in any society. This article reviews early learning studies aimed at understanding children's personal, intellectual and social development, and promoting that development. Particular reference is made to attachment and attention, the process of self‐regulation, and the adult‐child engagement strategies that advance the child's receptive and expressive language: these all exercise substantial influence on early childhood learning and child development outcomes over time. The selected research studies variously highlight the development of infants, toddlers, and young children in kindergarten and the early years of school, and how children make sense of their environments as social, learning and unique human beings. Both the home learning environment and early childhood education programmes are important in children's development. This article argues for high‐quality early childhood experience and giving attention to the engagement role of adults in advancing young children's development, minimising the risk of poor development and supporting positive long‐lasting personal, academic and social benefits. In this early phase of life, in the words of Jacques Delors: ‘… none of the talents which are hidden like buried treasure in every person must be left untapped’. (Delors et al. 1996, p. 23).
From Alternative Education to The Mainstream: approaches in Canada and Germany to Preparing Learners to Live in a Changing World
Authors: Sliwka Anne , Yee Brandy
Published: March 2015

There has been a shift in the core idea of schooling in both Germany and Canada: While schools have traditionally focused on cognitive development, they now increasingly focus on ‘engaged learners’ and use integrated settings to support their cognitive, metacognitive and social‐emotional development. In line with the theme ‘Learning to Be’, we argue that beliefs about the purpose of schooling are shifting from a narrow, knowledge‐based approach to understanding that students need knowledge, skills and attitudes to succeed in their private, public and professional lives as adults. To this end, pedagogical concepts developed in alternative education are increasingly being implemented by mainstream schools. This article examines this significant development in Germany and Canada. We analyse current examples from mainstream schools, highlighting how they use alternative pedagogical concepts to transform the ways in which students come to know themselves as learners. In both countries, this process has been simultaneously bottom‐up, driven by early‐adopter schools, and top‐down, driven by public awards or broad public initiatives.
Metabolic characteristics of microbial communities of Aeolian sandy soils induced by saline water drip irrigation in shelter forests
Authors: Jin Z. , Lei J. , Li S. , Xu X.
Published: March 2015

The microbial metabolic activities of soils sampled at eight depths (0–5, 5–15, 15–30, 30–50, 50–70, 70–100, 100–150 and 150–200 cm) in shelter forests (comprising the tree species, Haloxylon sp.) along the Tarim Desert Highway under drip irrigation with different saline waters were investigated by using Biolog technology. Variance analysis and principal component analysis were conducted. The average well colour development (AWCD) values for single carbon source use by microorganisms increased with the incubation time. The microorganisms reached a lag phase within 24 hours of incubation and entered exponential and stationary phases after 48 and 216 hours of incubation, respectively; however, the death phase was not obvious. As the salinity of drip irrigation water increased, the AWCD values significantly decreased; the AWCD value in the land drip‐irrigated with lowest saline water (S8) was roughly 20% larger than that of the land drip‐irrigated with highest saline water (S1), which was mainly caused by the differences in the use of carboxylic acids, amino acids and phenolic compounds by soil microorganisms. The vertical differences in carbon source utilization by soil microbial communities were obvious: these may be caused by the vertical differences in soil organism abundance associated with distribution of roots in the shelter forest. The largest and smallest AWCD values were noted in the 70–100‐cm soil layer and 0–5‐cm topsoil layer, respectively. The correlation coefficients between the AWCD values and soil organic matter, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total potassium, available potassium, available phosphorus, pH, cation exchange capacity and bulk density were > 0.85. Thus, the differences in carbon source metabolism activities of soil microorganisms were caused mainly by the soil chemical properties, with total nutrients being the main driving factor. Furthermore, the amounts of carboxylic acids, amino acids and polymers provided sensitive markers for distinguishing the ability of soil microorganisms to use carbon sources under drip irrigation with different saline waters. Saline water irrigation affected the soil microbial community in shelter forest and produced obvious differences among the shelter forests irrigated with different saline waters.
Observations on mineral transformations and potential environmental consequences during the oxidation of iron sulphide‐rich materials in incubation experiments
Authors: Shi X. Z. , Oldmeadow D. , Aspandiar M.
Published: March 2015

This paper attempts to acquire a good understanding of the formation and evolution of acid sulphate soils (ASS), as well as to assess the consequent environmental impacts. An incubation experiment to simulate the development of ASS under various weathering scenarios was set up. Fresh monosulphidic black ooze (MBO) material was divided into three parts and each was subjected to different drying and rewetting regimes by controlling an artificial water table in an incubation cell. The observations focused on the changes in mineralogy of the material and reflectance spectral changes during the oxidation process, and the ionic composition and chemical status of the solutions generated. Mineralogical investigations with hyperspectral and XRD analysis showed that frequent inundation produced extensive surface oxidation and a change from iron sulphide minerals to stable end members such as goethite. For the material experiencing moderate or occasional inundation, oxidation was less advanced and a different secondary mineral suite, with iron sulphate minerals such as jarosite, was present. Solutions generated from all the incubation cells were generally acidic with pH around 3.5, indicating that sulphide oxidation occurred rapidly in all cells. Sulphate concentrations in solutions from the different cells were calculated from the measurements of SO42− and other anions in solutions and may approximate the rates of sulphide oxidation. Potential environmental impacts were illustrated in terms of soil acidity, salinity and trace metal release, and the effects of the different wetting/drying regimes on the oxidative process also provided insight into potential weathering effects in a changing climate.
Spatial patterns, storages and sources of black carbon in soils from the catchment of Qinghai Lake, China
Authors: Zhan C. L. , Cao J. J. , Han Y. M. , Wang P. , Huang R. J. , Wei C. , Hu W. G. , Zhang J. Q.
Published: March 2015

Black carbon (BC), composed of char and soot, is an important component of soil organic carbon (SOC), and these materials are potentially important for the global carbon cycle and global climate. A thermal‐optical reflectance method was used to determine the spatial patterns of SOC, BC, char and soot in nine soil types collected from 152 sites in the Qinghai Lake catchment. All of the analytes showed large spatial variability: SOC, BC and char were most abundant in bog soils and least abundant in aeolian soils, while soot concentrations in alpine frost desert and in aeolian soils were about half of those in the other soils. The average BC concentration in the 0–20‐cm soil layers was 1.3 g kg−1, and BC amounted to 5.6% of the SOC. Char, SOC and BC all decreased with soil depth, but soot showed little variation. The proportions of BC to SOC and char to BC showed contrasting trends in four soil profiles; the former increased and the latter decreased with depth. The quantity of SOC sequestered in topsoils of the catchment area was estimated to be 191 Tg; BC accounted for approximately 4.8% of this, and char made up approximately 85% of the total BC stock. The burning of animal dung for domestic cooking apparently was an important source of soil BC: combustion of other biofuels and fossil fuels was the other main source.
Biochar addition enhanced growth of Dactylis glomerataL. and immobilized Zn and Cd but mobilized Cu and Pb on a former sewage field soil
Authors: Wagner A. , Kaupenjohann M.
Published: March 2015

The mobility and bioavailability of heavy metals in soils contaminated by irrigation with wastewater increase with increasing mineralization of accumulated organic substance and decreasing pH. In laboratory experiments addition of biochar reduced heavy metal availability to plants and enhanced plant growth. However, literature from field trials is scarce. Therefore, we conducted a 2‐year field experiment with orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata L.) to study the effects of miscanthus‐derived biochar applied to sewage field soil on biomass production and concentrations of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and various nutrients in plants and in the soil solution. Biochar was mixed into the contaminated topsoil (30 cm) with addition rates of 0, 1, 2.5 and 5% on a dry‐mass basis (g 100 g−1). The soil solution was collected with suction plates installed at a depth of 30 cm. Addition of biochar increased biomass production and reduced Zn and Cd concentrations in the soil solution. Zinc concentrations were also reduced in plants. This effect seems to be attributable to an increase in pH caused by biochar addition. In contrast, Pb and Cu concentrations in the soil solution generally increased and were related to the concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Copper concentrations also increased in the plants; however, only at the beginning of the measurement period. Our data indicate that increased concentrations of DOC, Cu and Pb in the soil solution might be a transient effect. Therefore, further research is needed to determine the long‐term effect of biochar amendment on element immobilization and leaching into groundwater.
Current status of the rice water weevil Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus in Italy: eleven‐year invasion
Authors: Lupi D. , Jucker C. , Rocco A. , Giudici M. L. , Boattin S. , Colombo M.
Published: March 2015

The rice water weevil Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Brachycerinae) was detected in Northern Italy in 2004. As Italy is the major European rice producer, and the rice water weevil is considered to be one of the major pests of rice in the world, a multiyear study was carried out to determine the spread of the pest in Northern Italy, to evaluate its establishment potential and to improve the knowledge on its biology in this new habitat. The survey allowed the distribution of the insect in Italian rice areas to be evaluated and confirmed that L. oryzophilus behaves as a monovoltine parthenogenetic species in Northern Italy. Information about the phenology of the insect and its management are also provided.
Spread of the yellow‐legged hornet Vespa velutina nigrithorax du Buysson (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) across Northern Spain
Authors: Goldarazena A. , de Heredia I. P. , Romon P. , Iturrondobeitia J. C. , Gonzalez M. , Lopez S.
Published: March 2015

The yellow‐legged hornet Vespa velutina nigrithorax du Buysson (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) is an Asian native species which has now established in parts of Europe. Since its detection in France in 2005 it has spread quickly across the country and also spread to the Iberian Peninsula. This paper compiles the most recent data about its spread and distribution on the Spanish mainland. The efficacy of using Véto‐Pharma© traps as a control method is also discussed.
First records of two mealybugs, Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green) and Phenacoccus peruvianus Granara de Willink, in Tunisia and the North of Africa
Authors: Halima‐Kamel M. Ben , Germain J. F. , Mdellel L.
Published: March 2015

During the summer and autumn of 2014 the mealybugs Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green, 1908) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) and Phenacoccus peruvianus Granara de Willink, 2007 (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) were observed in different localities of Sousse (Tunisia). This is the first record for both of these species in Tunisia and in North Africa. For M. hirsutus, this was also the first record of the species in a Western Mediterranean country. It was observed on Hibiscus rosa‐sinensis (Malvacae). P. peruvianus was collected from Bougainvillea glabra (Nyctaginaceae) and Citharexylum quadrangularis (Verbenacae).
Reifying Socioemotional Wealth
Authors: Schulze William S. , Kellermanns Franz W.
Published: March 2015

We extend recent commentary about socioemotional wealth by reviewing theory and offering suggestions aimed at enhancing the correspondence between the theoretical construct and its empirical correlate. While it is clear that the field has made vast strides since its introduction in 2007, the research literature remains diverse and disjointed: an outcome we attribute, in part, to the use of underspecified research models. We hope our suggestions help researchers establish a robust methodological foundation on which future research can build.
Cancer: an emergent property of disturbed resource‐rich environments? Ecology meets personalized medicine
Authors: Ducasse Hugo , Arnal Audrey , Vittecoq Marion , Daoust Simon P. , Ujvari Beata , Jacqueline Camille , Tissot Tazzio , Ewald Paul , Gatenby Robert A. , King Kayla C. , Bonhomme François , Brodeur Jacques , Renaud François , Solary Eric , Roche Benjamin , Thomas Frédéric
Published: March 2015

For an increasing number of biologists, cancer is viewed as a dynamic system governed by evolutionary and ecological principles. Throughout most of human history, cancer was an uncommon cause of death and it is generally accepted that common components of modern culture, including increased physiological stresses and caloric intake, favor cancer development. However, the precise mechanisms for this linkage are not well understood. Here, we examine the roles of ecological and physiological disturbances and resource availability on the emergence of cancer in multicellular organisms. We argue that proliferation of ‘profiteering phenotypes’ is often an emergent property of disturbed, resource‐rich environments at all scales of biological organization. We review the evidence for this phenomenon, explore it within the context of malignancy, and discuss how this ecological framework may offer a theoretical background for novel strategies of cancer prevention. This work provides a compelling argument that the traditional separation between medicine and evolutionary ecology remains a fundamental limitation that needs to be overcome if complex processes, such as oncogenesis, are to be completely understood.
News‐Specific Price Discovery in Credit Default Swap Markets
Authors: Marsh Ian W. , Wagner Wolf
Published: March 2015

We examine the lead and lag relation between equity and credit default swap (CDS) markets. We find that price discovery in equity markets only leads CDS markets following aggregate positive news and not so following other news. While difficult to reconcile with standard asset pricing theories, asymmetric price adjustment is common in goods markets, arising from intermediary power. We provide an explanation for this asymmetry based on dealers exploiting informational advantages vis‐à‐vis investors with hedging motives. Consistent with this explanation, we find that the patterns we document are related to firm‐level proxies for hedging demand, as well as economy‐wide measures of information asymmetries.
Should China subsidize cofiring to meet its 2020 bioenergy target? A spatio‐techno‐economic analysis
Authors: Clare Abbie , Gou Ya‐Qing , Barnes Andrew , Shackley Simon , Smallman Thomas L. , Wang Wen , Jiang Dong , Li Jia
Published: March 2015

China has developed ambitious bioenergy installation targets as part of its broader goals to increase its renewable energy‐generating capacity and decarbonize its economy. A key target feedstock for bioenergy is the 800 million tonnes of agricultural residues that China produces each year. At present, the main financial incentive to support bioenergy generation from agricultural residues is a feed‐in‐tariff provided for bioenergy that is produced by units that take 80% or more of their feedstock energy from biomass. Although this policy has catalysed the construction of many bioenergy units, there are reports that these projects are experiencing serious financial and technical problems, leading to low operational efficiency and even closure. An alternative option for China's agricultural residues is cofiring with coal in existing power stations. However, this is currently unprofitable for power station operators, as cofiring is not eligible for financial assistance through the bioenergy feed‐in‐tariff. In the light of China's ambitious target to install 30GW of bioenergy generation capacity by 2020, this study investigates the extent to which extension of the bioenergy feed‐in‐tariff to include cofiring could contribute towards this goal. The results suggest that 39% of China's straw energy resources are located within 50 km of a power station. Assuming cofiring ratios of up to 10% coal energy replacement, an annual 89–117TWh of electricity could be generated by cofiring agricultural residues collected within 50 km radii of power stations. If China extends its bioenergy subsidies to include cofiring, an annual 62–92TWh can be produced at an internal rate of return of 8% or more. This equates to 42–62% of the bioenergy generation that China might expect if it met its 2020 target of installing 30GW of bioenergy capacity. Overall, this indicates a strong case for the Chinese government to extend its existing bioenergy feed‐in‐tariff to include cofiring at low energy replacement ratios.
CRITICAL OF SWISSNESS, OR CRITICALLY SWISS? RECENT AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL FICTIONS BY IRENA BREŽNÁ
Authors: Johnston Jonny
Published: March 2015

Recent literature from German‐speaking Switzerland is heavily inflected by twentieth‐century political and economic migrations. Making use of a Foucauldian analytic framework, this article considers two contemporary texts by the Swiss author Irena Brežná that fictionalise the writer's own experiences of migration and integration, and enable Brežná to be placed contextually within a specifically Swiss literary tradition. Key themes addressed include the author's critique of assimilationist societal pressures, a wider problematising of aspects of Swiss democratic traditions, and Brežná's resistance to performing an expected migrant identity in Switzerland.

Die deutschsprachige Gegenwartsliteratur in der Schweiz ist stark von den Folgen politischer und wirtschaftlicher Migration im 20. Jahrhundert geprägt. Mithilfe einer Foucault'schen Linse werden in diesem Beitrag zwei Texte der Schweizer Autorin Irena Brežná untersucht, in denen die Erfahrung der Schriftstellerin mit Migration und Integration fiktionalisiert werden. Anhand dieser Texte wird auch Brežnás Position in der spezifischen literarischen Tradition der Schweiz erörtert. Dabei sind die Kritik der Autorin am Druck der Gesellschaft bezüglich der Assimilation, eine weitere Problematisierung von Aspekten Schweizer demokratischer Traditionen, und der Widerstand der Autorin gegen die Performanz einer ‘typischen’ Migrationsidentität Schlüsselthemen der Analyse.
A Mathematical View of Water Table Fluctuations in a Shallow Aquifer in Brazil
Authors: Neto Dagmar C. , Chang Hung K. , van Genuchten Martinus Th.
Published: March 2015

Detailed monitoring of the groundwater table can provide important data about both short‐ and long‐term aquifer processes, including information useful for estimating recharge and facilitating groundwater modeling and remediation efforts. In this paper, we presents results of 4 years (2002 to 2005) of monitoring groundwater water levels in the Rio Claro Aquifer using observation wells drilled at the Rio Claro campus of São Paulo State University in Brazil. The data were used to follow natural periodic fluctuations in the water table, specifically those resulting from earth tides and seasonal recharge cycles. Statistical analyses included methods of time‐series analysis using Fourier analysis, cross‐correlation, and R/S analysis. Relationships could be established between rainfall and well recovery, as well as the persistence and degree of autocorrelation of the water table variations. We further used numerical solutions of the Richards equation to obtain estimates of the recharge rate and seasonable groundwater fluctuations. Seasonable soil moisture transit times through the vadose zone obtained with the numerical solution were very close to those obtained with the cross‐correlation analysis. We also employed a little‐used deep drainage boundary condition to obtain estimates of seasonable water table fluctuations, which were found to be consistent with observed transient groundwater levels during the period of study.
Remove or not, that is the question: A case report on carotid artery cannulation during indwelling venous hemodialysis catheter
Authors: Yen Cheng‐Chieh , Chiu Yi‐Wen , Chen Hung‐Chun
Published: March 2015

A 58‐year‐old woman visited the emergency department for acute occlusion of arteriovenous fistula. One session of hemodialysis was scheduled via temporary venous hemodialysis catheter before thrombectomy. Unfortunately, neck arterial cannulation was discovered after complete placement of catheter. The catheter was removed immediately but bleeding could not be stopped. Pseudoaneurysm over the right carotid artery was proved by angiography and repaired by graft stent. Arterial cannulation during venous hemodialysis catheter insertion is a rare but serious complication and there is no standard response recommended. Immediate removal of the misplaced hemodialysis catheter might not be the best choice. We suggest to leave the misplaced catheter in artery until further intervention in consideration of complications and repair access. Every hemodialysis center should standardize responses to arterial cannulation during venous hemodialysis catheter indwelling, especially carotid puncture happens, according to the medical facility.
Inhibition of melanogenesis by β‐caryophyllene from lime mint essential oil in mouse B16 melanoma cells
Authors: Yang C.‐H. , Huang Y.‐C. , Tsai M.‐L. , Cheng C.‐Y. , Liu L.‐L. , Yen Y.‐W. , Chen W.‐L.
Published: March 2015

Synopsis

Objective

Volatile essential oils of mint species are used for cosmetics and in skin care products. In this study, we evaluated the main chemical components of the lime mint and the anti‐melanogenic properties of its main components.

Methods

The essential oil was analysed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The anti‐melanogenic effects of mint essential oil and β‐caryophyllene were investigated in B16F10 murine melanoma cells.

Results

The main components of lime mint essential oil were found to be D‐limonene (41.10%), D‐carvone (8.58%), δ‐selinene (6.73%) and β‐caryophyllene (6.24%). The lime mint essential oil reduced melanin production in a dose‐dependent manner in murine B16F10 cells. β‐Caryophyllene, one of the main compounds in lime mint essential oil, could reduce melanogenesis by down‐regulating the expression of MITF, TRP‐1, TRP‐2 and tyrosinase, resulting in a decrease in melanin content decrease.

Conclusion

These results reveal that lime mint essential oil and β‐caryophyllene are considered to be valuable as potential skin‐whitening agents.
Integrated approach in the assessment of skin compatibility of cosmetic formulations with green coffee oil
Authors: Wagemaker T. A. L. , Rijo P. , Rodrigues L. M. , Maia Campos P. M. B. G. , Fernandes A. S. , Rosado C.
Published: March 2015

Objective

Green coffee oil (GCO) has been used in cosmetic formulations due to its emollient and anti‐ageing properties. However, there are insufficient studies about its safety when applied in cosmetic formulations.

Methods

Cytotoxicity of GCO and of formulations containing 2.5–15% of GCO was evaluated by the MTT reduction assay, in human keratinocytes. Formulations containing 15% of GCO and the vehicle were applied under in use conditions in the volar forearm of human volunteers during 3 days. Transepidermal water loss, stratum corneum water content and erythema index were evaluated each 24 h using biophysical techniques. The same formulations were probed for skin tolerance through a patch test.

Results

Neither pure GCO nor its formulations showed cytotoxic effects in concentrations up to 100 μg mL−1. Transepidermal water loss values showed a slight reduction when the formulation containing GCO was applied. Stratum corneum water content and erythema index did not show significant differences, as the results observed in the first day of the study were maintained throughout 3 days. None of the volunteers display any reaction after using an occlusive patch.

Conclusion

The results obtained in the study indicate that GCO seems to be safe for topical applications and showed good skin compatibility under the experimental conditions of the study.
A Tale of Two Contexts: U.S. Migration and the Labor Force Trajectories of Mexican Women
Authors: Flippen Chenoa A. , Parrado Emilio A.
Published: March 2015

Even though women have long participated in Mexico–U.S. migration studies assessing the labor market implications of international mobility for women are rare. Especially lacking are studies that follow a life-course approach and compare employment trajectories across contexts and in connection with other transitions. Using life-history data collected in Mexico and the U.S., we explore the impact of migration on women's employment, focusing on how the determinants of employment vary across contexts. We show that U.S. residence eliminates or even reverses the employment returns to education found in Mexico and that the constraints imposed on women's work by marriage are actually stronger in the U.S. context. We also explicitly connect migration to other life-course events, documenting how the impact of context varies not only by marital status but also by where women's unions were formed.
How portable is social security for migrant workers? A review of the literature
Authors: Taha Nurulsyahirah , Siegmann Karin Astrid , Messkoub Mahmood
Published: March 2015

This article reviews the recent literature on existing mechanisms that allow for the portability of social security entitlements for migrant workers and finds that North–North migrants have the best access to portability. There is limited coordination between origin and destination countries regarding the portability of social entitlements of South–North migrants. These migrants are dealing with discourses and policies that treat them as second class citizens, even as they are providing much‐needed labour to their host countries. South–South migrants are seeing new regional mechanisms addressing portability. However, many of the impacts of these mechanisms are not yet known. Other knowledge gaps on portability relate to internal and South–South migration, the role of gender and other social identities, migrants’ occupations as well as their legal immigration status.
MAKING WORK PAY FOR WELFARE RECIPIENTS
Authors: Greenberg David H. , Michalopoulos Charles H. , Robins Philip K. , Wood Robert H.
Published: March 2015

This paper describes five new welfare reform programs being tested in six areas of the United States and Canada. These programs all use financial incentives to encourage selfsufficiency among welfare recipients. Some programs also provide employment and training services. A microsimulation model is used to predict the impacts of the two most generous programs: the Canadian Self‐Sufficiency Project (SSP) and the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP). The simulation results suggest that SSP and MFIP will modestly increase the number of welfare recipients who work. However, because SSP has a fulltime work requirement and MFIP does not, only SSP is predicted to generate an increase in fulltime employment
Childcare and geographical mobility in southern Europe
Authors: MENDEZ Ildefonso
Published: March 2015

This article investigates the association between the availability of childcare and low geographical mobility in southern Europe where, the author argues, couples that have or plan to have children live close to their parents in order to reconcile work and family life by taking advantage of their mothers' low labour force participation rate. He presents a behavioural model showing couples' fertility, female employment and mobility decisions, and tests the model's predictions using ECHP data. The deterrent effect of a woman working on the couple's mobility is found to be significant only for couples who have children and live in southern Europe.
Translating from multiple sources: Labour legislation reform in Turkey
Authors: Ozkan Umut Riza
Published: March 2015

Building upon the recent scholarship on “travelling ideas” and “translation”, the author discusses how ILO and EU labour standards were conveyed to Turkey's political landscape by domestic actors and how those standards were adjusted. The study first analyses the motivations of the Commission that drafted the 2003 Labour Act, and of employer and labour organizations, for choosing to draw on those international standards during the legislative reform process. It then focuses on the institutional outcomes of the reform by examining how domestic actors modified the international standards, while also preserving components of the old labour legislation, as on severance pay.
Early Age Microstructural Transformations of an Inorganic Polymer Made of Fayalite Slag
Authors: Onisei Silviana , Lesage Karel , Blanpain Bart , Pontikes Yiannis
Published: March 2015

Three types of binders were investigated by combining a water granulated fayalite slag and three different activating solutions (NaOH, SH; Na‐silicate, SS; and a 1:1 mixture of the two, SH + SS). A reactivity test proved that the slag dissolves in the alkaline environment, releasing both Si and Al. Through rheological measurements it was found that the most alkaline solution (SH) led to a very fast structure build‐up, followed by the activating solution SS+SH; when SS was used, the storage modulus did not increase even after 2 h. A similar trend was observed by calorimetry, where the paste with SH resulted in heat release within minutes, followed by SH + SS. These transformations were also followed by in situ ATR‐FTIR, indicating changes in the vibrational bands attributed to asymmetric stretching vibration of [SiO4] with 3 or 4 NBO/Si. In the case of the sample activated with SH, a new band appeared after 96 h and continued to increase in intensity at later times. For SS + SH activating solution, a new band appeared after 96 h, increasing over time, whereas the originally present band at 940 cm−1 became more distinct. For the sample with only SS, no vibrational changes were detected after 24 h. In conclusion, the fayalite slag is a reactive material that can undergo microstructural changes toward new reaction products, with the choice of the activating solution being a crucial factor in the process.
Raman and X‐ray Studies of Uranium–Lanthanum‐Mixed Oxides Before and After Air Oxidation
Authors: Talip Zeynep , Wiss Thierry , Raison Philippe E. , Paillier Jérôme , Manara Dario , Somers Joseph , Konings Rudy J.M.
Published: March 2015

UO2 samples doped with 6, 11, 22 mol% lanthanum were examined before and after air oxidation. To verify the formation of uranium–lanthanum‐mixed oxide solid solutions, powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analyses of the crystalline phases in the materials were carried out. The presence of oxygen vacancies in the La‐doped UO2 samples was identified by Raman spectrometry. It was evidenced by changes induced in the Raman spectra by air oxidation. This latter was carried out either by increasing the Raman laser power or by thermally treating the samples at 500 K for 370 h. In addition, oxidation behavior differences of pure and La‐doped UO2 samples were reported by comparing XRD and Raman results of the samples before and after air oxidation. It was shown that the concentration of the M4O9 (M: U, La) phase increased with increasing content of La, whereas inhibition for the formation of M3O8 phase was observed.
Phase Evolution, Magnetic, Optical, and Dielectric Properties of Zr‐Substituted Bi0.9Gd0.1FeO3 Multiferroics
Authors: Sati Prakash Chandra , Kumar Manoj , Chhoker Sandeep
Published: March 2015

Polycrystalline BiFeO3 (BFO) and Bi0.90Gd0.10Fe1−xZrxO3 (x = 0.0–0.10; BGFZx) ceramics were synthesized by solid‐state reaction method. Rietveld analysis of X‐ray diffraction patterns showed that BFO and BGFZx = 0.0 samples are stabilized in rhombohedral structure (space group R3c), whereas a small fraction of orthorhombic phase (space group Pn21a) is observed for BGFZx = 0.03–0.10 samples. Suppression and disappearance of some Raman modes indicated a structural phase transition with addition of Zr dopant at Fe site. Magnetic measurements exhibited weak ferromagnetic behavior of BGFZx samples with increasing Zr+4 concentrations. The insertion of Gd+3 ions at Bi+3 sites and nonmagnetic Zr+4 ions at Fe+3 sites in Fe–O–Fe network suppressed the spin cycloid structure of BFO which in turn enhanced the magnetization of these ceramics. Electron spin resonance spectra revealed the breaking of spin cycloid of BFO due to the development of free spins with addition of Zr+4 dopants at Fe sites. UV–Visible diffuse reflectance spectra showed one d–d crystal field transition and two charge‐transfer (C–T) transitions along with a sharp absorption of light in visible region for all samples. Almost frequency‐independent dielectric constant and dielectric loss along with very low values of dielectric loss indicated greatly improved dielectric properties for BGFZx = 0.03–0.10 samples.
IR Practical Extinction Coefficients of Water in Alkali Lime Silicate Glasses Determined by Nuclear Reaction Analysis
Authors: Suzuki Toshio , Konishi Junko , Yamamoto Kiyoshi , Ogura Shohei , Fukutani Katsuyuki
Published: March 2015

Infrared spectroscopy (IR) is widely used to determine the water concentration in glasses, whereas determination of the IR practical extinction coefficient is necessary to deduce the absolute water concentration of glasses on the basis of Beer–Lambert law. From the nuclear reaction analysis data, the IR practical extinction coefficients of water were successfully determined for the alkali lime silicate glasses with different levels of sodium/potassium cation (Na/K) ratio. The two‐band method is well‐known to be useful for the determination of the water concentration in some alkali lime silicate glasses. It is proved here that the two‐band method is not applicable to the variety of composition for alkali lime silicate and soda lime aluminosilicate glasses, whereas it is valid for the similar composition of soda lime silicate glasses [SLS: Composition (in mol%) 16Na2O·10CaO·74SiO2]. The single‐band procedure with the IR practical extinction coefficient is crucial for the determination of the precise water concentration in the wide variety of glass composition although the determination of the IR practical extinction coefficient is troublesome. It also appears that the ion radius of alkali affects the IR practical extinction coefficient and the chemical state of OH group in glasses.
Adult Siblings Consider the Future: Emergent Themes
Authors: Davys Deborah , Mitchell Duncan , Haigh Carol
Published: March 2015

Background

This study aimed to explore the perceptions of adult siblings regarding a future care role and compare with perceived parental wishes as family often provide a key support role in the lives of people who have an intellectual disability.

Materials and Method

Semi‐structured interviews were undertaken with 15 adult siblings and an approach aligned to IPA was used to analyse the results.

Results

Emergent themes demonstrated that intellectual disability has an impact upon sibling lives yet the degree and range of impact varies. Most participants were concerned about the future, service issues were raised as was futures planning, siblings' needs, the positive impact of intellectual disability and influence of life stage upon care giving.

Conclusion

The findings highlight that whilst the impact of intellectual disability upon adult siblings is variable, siblings are concerned about the future, and that life stage and circumstance appear to influence care giving.
Genotype‐by‐environment interactions underlie the expression of pre‐ and post‐copulatory sexually selected traits in guppies
Authors: Evans J. P. , Rahman M. M. , Gasparini C.
Published: March 2015

The role that genotype‐by‐environment interactions (GEIs) play in sexual selection has only recently attracted the attention of evolutionary biologists. Yet GEIs can have profound evolutionary implications by compromising the honesty of sexual signals, maintaining high levels of genetic variance underlying their expression and altering the patterns of genetic covariance among fitness traits. In this study, we test for GEIs in a highly sexually dimorphic freshwater fish, the guppy Poecilia reticulata. We conducted an experimental quantitative genetic study in which male offspring arising from a paternal half‐sibling breeding design were assigned to differing nutritional ‘environments’ (either high or low feed levels). We then determined whether the manipulation of diet quantity influenced levels of additive genetic variance and covariance for several highly variable and condition‐dependent pre‐ and post‐copulatory sexual traits. In accordance with previous work, we found that dietary limitation had strong phenotypic effects on numerous pre‐ and post‐copulatory sexual traits. We also report evidence for significant GEI for several of these traits, which in some cases (area of iridescence and sperm velocity) reflected a change in the rank order of genotypes across different nutritional environments (i.e. ecological crossover). Furthermore, we show that genetic correlations vary significantly between nutritional environments. Notably, a highly significant negative genetic correlation between iridescent coloration and sperm viability in the high food treatment broke down under dietary restriction. Taken together, these findings are likely to have important evolutionary implications for guppies; ecological crossover may influence sexual signal reliability in unstable (nutritional) environments and contribute towards the extreme levels of polymorphism in sexual traits typically reported for this species. Furthermore, the presence of environment‐specific genetic covariance suggests that trade‐offs measured in one environment may not be indicative of genetic constraints in others.
The Spanish Transition to Industrial Metabolism: Long‐Term Material Flow Analysis (1860–2010)
Authors: Infante‐Amate Juan , Soto David , Aguilera Eduardo , García‐Ruiz Roberto , Guzmán Gloria , Cid Antonio , González de Molina Manuel
Published: March 2015

The aim of this work is to reconstruct the main economy‐wide/material flow accounting indicators for the Spanish economy between 1860 and 2010. The main results indicate that from 1960 onward, the country saw a very rapid industrial transition based on the domestic extraction of quarry products and the import of fossil fuels and manufactured goods. Direct material consumption rose from 58.7 million tonnes (Mt) in 1860 to 570.2 Mt in 2010. In per capita terms, it rose from 2.76 tonnes per capita per year (t/cap/yr) to 11.61 t/cap/year. Of the decennial years studied in this article, a peak of 15.23 t/cap/yr occurs in the year 2000; the subsequent fall is explained by the crisis of 2008. Until 1930, Spain was a net exporter of resources, but since that year, and especially since 1960, it began to depend heavily on overseas resources. The physical trade balance per inhabitant in Spain was –0.01 t/cap/year in 1860 and today it is 2.45 t/cap/year. This process also reveals the change in consumption patterns, which became increasingly dependent on abiotic resources. In 1860, 98.1% of resources consumed was biomass, whereas today the figure is 16.2%. In all events, this article shows how, although the great transformation did not occur until 1960, before that date the country saw significant qualitative transformation, which did not involve relevant changes in the mobilization of resources.
Emergent Effects of Residential Lighting Choices: Prospects for Energy Savings
Authors: Hicks Andrea L. , Theis Thomas L. , Zellner Moira L.
Published: March 2015

Artificial lighting has allowed the decoupling of human activities from natural daylight hours. Electricity utilized for artificial lighting accounts for 18.8% of U.S. electricity consumption. Compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) and light‐emitting diode (LED) options are more efficient and have longer lifetimes than conventional incandescent bulbs, but the question remains about the actual energy savings likely to be realized through more efficient lighting delivery systems. This uncertainty influences the rate of adoption and use of efficient lighting technology (and thus the extent and time lags of efficiency gains). Once adopted, gains in efficiency can lead to rebound effects that eliminate these gains and, paradoxically, lock society into increased use of energy. In this study, an agent‐based model and complex systems approach is used to understand how available information and perceptions of different lighting options influence adoption and use, and the potential impact of the rebound effect to reduce the energy savings of energy‐efficient lighting options in a residential setting. Individual households and their decisions are modeled to create overall population‐level consumption data. The multifunctionality of LED lighting may cause consumers to use significantly more light, creating the potential for both rebound and backfire to occur. The results indicate that the adoption of CFL and LED lighting will decrease residential energy consumption if consumers continue to use the same amount or slightly more light; however, when an expansion of lit spaces is included or a large increase in lighting usage occurs, energy consumption will increase and, over time, reduce or completely erode energy savings.
Payday Loan Choices and Consequences
Authors: BHUTTA NEIL , SKIBA PAIGE MARTA , TOBACMAN JEREMY
Published: March 2015

High‐cost consumer credit has proliferated in the past two decades, raising regulatory scrutiny. We match administrative data from a payday lender with nationally representative credit bureau files to examine the choices of payday loan applicants and assess whether payday loans help or harm borrowers. We find consumers apply for payday loans when they have limited access to mainstream credit. In addition, the weakness of payday applicants’ credit histories is severe and longstanding. Based on regression discontinuity estimates, we show that the effects of payday borrowing on credit scores and other measures of financial well‐being are close to zero. We test the robustness of these null effects to many factors, including features of the local market structure.