bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Omnivory and stability in freshwater habitats: Does theory match reality?
Authors: Wootton K. L.
Published: February 2017

Omnivory, feeding at more than one trophic level, is a prevalent feature of freshwater ecosystems. Understanding where and when omnivory is important, its relevance for sustaining diversity, and the effect it may have on ecosystem responses to disturbances, are necessary for effective management of freshwater ecosystems.

The many theoretical predictions of the effects of omnivory are often contradictory, and empirical studies aimed at understanding omnivory have been difficult and contingent on a number of factors. Here, I synthesise theoretical evidence to generate five predictions of where omnivory will be most important in freshwater ecosystems, how it is maintained and the effect it will have on communities.

First, theory indicates that, while strong omnivorous interactions are destabilising, weak omnivorous interactions usually enhance stability. Therefore, mechanisms which decrease the strength of omnivorous interactions should favour their occurrence and increase stability of food webs. Secondly, omnivorous interactions which are theoretically unstable may be found in stable food webs due to stabilising features of the web as a whole. Thirdly, omnivory is likely to persist primarily at intermediate productivity levels and be more common in disturbed environments. Fourthly, omnivory is likely to decrease the strength of trophic cascades. Finally, omnivores should generally make more successful invaders.

These predictions are important for effective freshwater management because actions which decrease the strength of omnivorous interactions, such as maintaining habitat refuges for consumers (e.g. woody debris and aquatic plants), may be essential for sustaining biodiversity. In addition, if omnivores make better invaders, effective invasion management may benefit from focussing resources on omnivorous invaders to limit their spread and impact.

Overall, this synthesis of theoretical and empirical studies indicates that, while their predictions may be frequently at odds, with deeper investigation they are largely reconcilable and can be used to make practical suggestions for the careful management of omnivory in freshwater food webs.
Trophic consequences for riverine cyprinid fishes of angler subsidies based on marine‐derived nutrients
Authors: Gutmann Roberts Catherine , Bašić Tea , Amat Trigo Fatima , Britton J. Robert
Published: February 2017

The crossing of freshwater ecosystem boundaries by marine‐derived nutrients (MDN) is usually associated with migratory salmonid fishes returning to natal rivers. An alternative source of MDN in fresh waters is the widespread use of pelletised marine fishmeal (“pellets”) by freshwater anglers as they target large‐bodied cyprinid fishes, such as European barbel Barbus barbus.

Here, the trophic consequences of MDN from pellets for riverine cyprinid fishes were tested. Approaches used stable isotope analyses in controlled and wild scenarios, using B. barbus and chub Squalius cephalus as model species. The isotopic niche, measured as standard ellipse area, was used to assess trophic niche size, and mixing models predicted the extent to which MDN contributed to fish diet.

In experimental mesocosms, B. barbus fed low volumes of pellets (c. 3 per fish) for 130 days had isotopic niche sizes that were up to four times larger than a control and “medium” (6 per fish) and “high” pellet (12 per fish) treatments. Somatic growth rates were significantly higher in the “medium” and “high” treatments. In pond enclosure experiments, when juvenile B. barbus and S. cephalus were fed pellets daily for 100 days, there was a substantial and significant shift in the position of their isotopic niche compared to controls with no pellets fed. However, for each species, there were no significant differences in their somatic growth rates in the presence/absence of pellets.

In a lowland river, high proportions of MDN contributed to the diet of B. barbus and S. cephalus captured by angling, but with substantial individual variability in those captured by electric fishing. Across all B. barbus >400 mm, MDN dietary contributions ranged between 9% and 71%. This suggested some individual diet specialisations within their population that was associated with feeding on this angler subsidy and that also resulted in a significant increase in the size of their population isotopic niche.

These results suggested that when pellets containing MDN are used in freshwater angling, they are consumed and assimilated by cyprinid fishes, influencing individual and population trophic positions, and isotopic niche sizes and dietary specialisations. The results also suggested that the extent to which individuals specialise in feeding on pellets potentially influences their vulnerability to capture by anglers.
Decreased home cage movement and oromotor impairments in adult Fmr1‐KO mice
Authors: Bonasera S. J. , Chaudoin T. R. , Goulding E. H. , Mittek M. , Dunaevsky A.
Published: February 2017

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a common inherited disorder that significantly impacts family and patient day‐to‐day living across the entire life span. The childhood and adolescent behavioral consequences of FXS are well appreciated. However, there are significantly fewer studies (except those examining psychiatric comorbidities) assessing behavioral phenotypes seen in adults with FXS. Mice engineered with a genetic lesion of fragile X mental retardation 1 (Fmr1) recapitulate important molecular and neuroanatomical characteristics of FXS, and provide a means to evaluate adult behavioral phenotypes associated with FXS. We give the first description of baseline behaviors including feeding, drinking, movement and their circadian rhythms; all observed over 16 consecutive days following extensive environmental habituation in adult Fmr1‐KO mutant mice. We find no genotypic changes in mouse food ingestion, feeding patterns, metabolism or circadian patterns of movement, feeding and drinking. After habituation, Fmr1‐KO mice show significantly less daily movement during their active phase (the dark cycle). However, Fmr1‐KO mice have more bouts of activity during the light cycle compared with wild types. In addition, Fmr1‐KO mice show significantly less daily water ingestion during the circadian dark cycle, and this reduction in water intake is accompanied by a decrease in the amount of water ingested per lick. The observed water ingestion and circadian phenotypes noted in Fmr1‐KO mice recapitulate known clinical aspects previously described in FXS. The finding of decreased movement in Fmr1‐KO mice is novel, and suggests a dissociation between baseline and novelty‐evoked activity for Fmr1‐KO mice.
Social Justice ‘Lite’? Using Emotion for Moral Reasoning in Diversity Practice
Authors: Brewis Deborah N.
Published: February 2017

Emotion is an aspect of diversity practice that is relatively overlooked in the literature. This paper expands Nussbaum's theorization of emotion as a constituent part of moral reasoning and her proposal that compassion can promote gender equality. By discussing empirical examples from a study with diversity practitioners working in the United Kingdom, I suggest that emotion can be used as a means to a variety of ends and that the concept of ‘utility’ helps identify them. By being aware of how emotion is mobilized, it becomes possible to evaluate when emotion seeks to achieve social justice and where it is coopted to seek social justice ‘lite’, that is, instances where social justice is instrumental. Building on this, the notion of, compassion, articulated as the expansion of the ‘I’ — the positioning of oneself and the other as ends‐in‐themselves — offers potential to re‐appropriate some of the neoliberal individualism that has hitherto been identified as problematic within the ‘managing diversity’ approach.
Pb‐isotope compositions of the Tasik Chini volcanic‐hosted massive sulfide deposit, Central Belt of Peninsular Malaysia: Implication for source region and tectonic setting
Authors: Basori Mohd Basril Iswadi , Zaw Khin , Meffre Sebastien , Large Ross Raymond , Wan Hassan Wan Fuad
Published: February 2017

Lead isotope data of sulfides and host volcanic rocks from the Bukit Botol and Bukit Ketaya deposits, the two representative deposits of the Tasik Chini volcanic‐hosted massive sulfide (VHMS) deposit, Central Belt of Peninsular Malaysia, are reported. Lead isotope compositions of the associated sulfide minerals and volcanic rocks from the Bukit Botol deposit exhibit homogeneous and less radiogenic values (206Pb/204Pb showing a range of composition from 18.14 to 18.20, 207Pb/204Pb between 15.52 and 15.59 and 208Pb/204Pb from 37.96 to 38.35). Similarly, the Pb isotopic compositions of the host volcanic rocks from the Bukit Ketaya deposit yielded a narrow range to those of the sulfide samples (206Pb/204Pb from 18.04 to 18.20, 207Pb/204Pb between 15.43 and 15.57 and 208Pb/204Pb of 37.96 to 38.30). The uniform Pb‐isotope compositions of the sulfides in the ore horizon and the host volcanic rocks from both deposits suggest a derivation from a similar source reservoir and mineralization processes. In the framework of the tectonic model for the Central Belt of Peninsular Malaysia, both deposits display a range of lead isotopic compositions originated from mixing of bulk crust/juvenile arc and minor mantle sources, which are typical for VHMS deposits in an island arc–back arc setting.
The role of perceptual salience in the L2 acquisition sequence of the Arabic construct state
Authors: Azaz Mahmoud , Frank Joshua
Published: February 2017

Perceptual salience has been proposed as an essential factor in the order in which various linguistic phenomena are acquired. This study examines its influence on the acquisition sequence of a single construction, which is the Arabic construct state. Mapping certain English constructions to the definite Arabic construct state entails restructuring head direction (a feature of high salience) and the position of the definite marker (a feature of low salience). Results from a prompted sentence completion task suggested that early English‐speaking learners of Arabic were sensitive to head direction but not definiteness. Analysis of intermediate and advanced groups captured the acquisition sequence of the Arabic construct state, proceeding in two gradual phases. During the first phase, English‐speaking learners restructure head direction. Only later do they adjust definiteness.
Evidence for the association of Hashimoto's thyroiditis with psoriasis: a cross‐sectional retrospective study
Authors: Kiguradze Tina , Bruins Finola M. , Guido Nicholas , Bhattacharya Tanya , Rademaker Alfred , Florek Aleksandra G. , Posligua Alba , Amin Shatil , Laumann Anne E. , West Dennis P. , Nardone Beatrice
Published: February 2017

Background

Current information indicates that psoriasis is a metabolic disorder with systemic manifestations. Reports have revealed an association between psoriasis and several chronic autoimmune disorders. For one of these disorders, Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), there are scarce, and relatively unconfirmed, reports of an association with psoriasis. We sought to determine if such an association is detectable in a large medical record data repository.

Methods

We searched one institution's electronic medical record data repository from January 2010 to December 2013. Patients were identified by ICD‐9 codes (psoriasis: 696.0; 696.1, HT: 245.2). Only data from patients with laboratory‐confirmed HT (anti‐thyroid peroxidase [anti‐TPO] antibodies; thyroglobulin antibodies; serum thyroid‐stimulating hormone; and free T3) were eligible for inclusion. Logistic regression analysis was used to obtain an odds ratio (OR) to establish an association between psoriasis and HT. Stratified analyses were performed to test for confounding variable and effect modification.

Results

Medical records for 856,615 individuals with documented encounters between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2013, were detected. A total of 9654 had a diagnosis of psoriasis, and 1745 had a diagnosis of HT. Of these, 41 subjects were diagnosed with both conditions. A significant association existed for psoriasis and HT, even after adjusting for confounding variables that included gender, age, psoriatic arthropathy, and the use of systemic anti‐psoriatic agents (OR = 2.49; 95% CI 1.79–3.48; P < 0.0001).

Conclusions

This association has broad clinical impact and deserves further attention with regard to patient care, clinical research, and developmental therapeutics.
Determination of antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds of Muntingia calabura Linn. peel by HPLC‐DAD and UPLC‐ESI‐MS/MS
Authors: Rotta Eliza Mariane , Haminiuk Charles Windson Isidoro , Maldaner Liane , Visentainer Jesuí Vergilio
Published: February 2017

Antioxidant activity in Muntingia calabura Linn. peel was evaluated by DPPH radical, ORAC, ABTS cation radical, FRAP assays and total phenolic contents by different extraction conditions. In addition, a method for determination of phenolic compounds in calabura peel samples harvested in Brazil using methanol:water and magnetic stirring as the extraction method, HPLC‐DAD and UPLC‐ESI‐MS/MS analysis were developed. Calabura peel showed antioxidant activity for all extraction conditions and assays evaluated, the most polar solvents being more effective. The developed HPLC‐DAD method allowed the accurate determination of phenolic compounds, with recoveries in the range of 72–107% and precision values ≤4%, with exception for chlorogenic acid. Gallic acid was determined at the highest concentration levels, followed by myricetin, ferulic acid and vanillic acid. However, all the five proposed phenolic compounds were identified in calabura peel samples by UPLC‐ESI‐MS/MS. Thus, calabura peel, an uncommon edible fruit part, can be appointed as a rich source of phenolic compounds.
Effects of individualized exercise program on physical function, psychological dimensions, and health‐related quality of life in patients with chronic kidney disease: A randomized controlled trial in China
Authors: Tang Qing , Yang Bin , Fan Fengyan , Li Ping , Yang Lei , Guo Yujie
Published: February 2017

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a 12‐week home‐based exercise program on physical function, psychological dimensions, and health‐related quality of life for patients with chronic kidney disease. Ninety eligible patients were enrolled and randomly separated into the exercise group and the control group from November 2015 to May 2016. The exercise group received an individualized exercise program while the control group received only usual care and continued primary lifestyle. Physical function was measured using 6‐minute walk test and 10 repetitions of the sit‐to‐stand test while psychological dimensions were assessed by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale and the Self‐Efficacy for Exercise scale. Quality of life was evaluated by a disease‐specific instrument, the Kidney Disease Quality of Life scale. The differences between the exercise group and the control group were statistically significant for 6‐minute walk distance, the time to complete 10 repetitions of the sit‐to‐stand test, self‐efficacy for exercise, anxiety and depression, and all domains of health‐related quality of life after a 12‐week exercise. This study suggests that home‐based individualized exercise program is an effective and feasible way of improving physical function, psychological stress, and health‐related quality of life for early stage of chronic kidney disease patients.
Treatment of standardised wounds with pure epidermal micrografts generated with an automated device
Authors: Buehrer Gregor , Arkudas Andreas , Horch Raymund E
Published: February 2017

In this study, we analysed the effects of pure epidermal micrografts generated with an automated device in a standardised human wound model. Epidermal micrografts were harvested using an automated device. Micrografts were then transplanted onto split‐skin donor sites. The target area was only partially covered with transplants to create an intra‐individual control area. Wounds were evaluated by subjective assessment as well as measurements with combined laser and white light spectroscopy and cutometry. The epidermal graft sites remained completely stable, whereas control sites offered partially unstable and blistering areas. Statistically, no measurable difference in the speed of initial reepithelialisation could be shown. However, there was an increased pliability and softness of the treated areas that correlated with the subjective impression of both investigators and patients. There was a significantly higher relative haemoglobin concentration, measurable in treated and untreated areas at 4 weeks and 6 months. Cutometry showed no differences in skin properties between treated and untreated areas. This study shows an effect of epidermal micrografts in a standardised human wound model and supports the positive impact of keratinocytes on early wound healing as described in literature. Long‐term effects of epidermal grafting deserve further studies.
Pr3+/Yb3+:PLZT ferroelectric ceramics for near‐infrared radiation at 1340 nm
Authors: Plonska Malgorzata , Pisarska Joanna , Pisarski Wojciech A.
Published: February 2017

The near‐infrared luminescence properties of Pr3+/Yb3+:PLZT ferroelectric ceramics have been examined for the first time. Independently, upon either 450 nm (Pr3+) or 980 nm (Yb3+) excitation, luminescence centered at 1340 nm was observed, which corresponds to the 1G4→3H5 transition of Pr3+. Several spectroscopic parameters for the 1G4→3H5 transition of Pr3+ ions were determined. The average product of emission cross section and radiative lifetime were relatively large for all x/65/35 PLZT samples (x=6‐10) studied, with values close to 105±2 (×10−26 cm2·s). These spectroscopic investigations indicate that Pr3+/Yb3+:PLZT ferroelectric ceramics are promising candidate for efficient sources emitting near‐infrared radiation at 1340 nm.
Unintended Consequences: The Regressive Effects of Increased Access to Courts
Authors: Niblett Anthony , Yoon Albert H.
Published: February 2017

Small claims courts enable parties to resolve their disputes relatively quickly and cheaply. The court's limiting feature, by design, is that alleged damages must be small, in accordance with the jurisdictional limit at that time. Accordingly, one might expect that a large increase in the upper limit of claim size would increase the court's accessibility to a larger and potentially more diverse pool of litigants. We examine this proposition by studying the effect of an increase in the jurisdictional limit of the Ontario Small Claims Court. Prior to January 2010, claims up to $10,000 could be litigated in the small claims court. After January 2010, this jurisdictional limit increased to include all claims up to $25,000. We study patterns in nearly 625,000 disputes over the period 2006–2013. In this article, we investigate plaintiff behavior. Interestingly, the total number of claims filed by plaintiffs does not increase significantly with the increased jurisdictional limit. We do find, however, changes to the composition of plaintiffs. Following the jurisdictional change, we find that plaintiffs using the small claims court are, on average, from richer neighborhoods. We also find that the proportion of plaintiffs from poorer neighborhoods drops. The drop‐off is most pronounced in plaintiffs from the poorest 10 percent of neighborhoods. We explore potential explanations for this regressive effect, including crowding out, congestion, increased legal representation, and behavioral influences. Our findings suggest that legislative attempts to make the courts more accessible may have unintended regressive consequences.
Voting But for the Law: Evidence from Virginia on Photo Identification Requirements
Authors: Hopkins Daniel J. , Meredith Marc , Morse Michael , Smith Sarah , Yoder Jesse
Published: February 2017

One contentious question in contemporary election administration is the impact of voter identification requirements. We study a Virginia law that allows us to isolate the impact of requiring voters to show photo identification. Using novel, precinct‐level data, we find that the percentage of registered voters without a driver's license and over age 85 are both positively associated with the number of provisional ballots cast due to a lack of a photo ID. To examine the law's impact on turnout, we associate precinct‐level demographics with the change in turnout between the 2013 gubernatorial and 2014 midterm elections. All else equal, turnout was higher in places where more active registered voters lacked a driver's license. This unexpected relationship might be explained by a targeted Department of Elections mailing, suggesting that the initial impact of voter ID laws may hinge on efforts to notify voters likely to be affected.
The Prudent Investor Rule and Market Risk: An Empirical Analysis
Authors: Schanzenbach Max M. , Sitkoff Robert H.
Published: February 2017

The prudent investor rule, enacted in every state over the last 30 years, is the centerpiece of trust investment law. Repudiating the prior law's emphasis on avoiding risk, the rule reorients trust investment toward risk management in accordance with modern portfolio theory. The rule directs a trustee to implement an overall investment strategy having risk and return objectives reasonably suited to the trust. Using data from reports of bank trust holdings and fiduciary income tax returns, we examine asset allocation and management of market risk before and after the reform. First, we find that the reform increased stockholdings, but not among banks with average trust account sizes below the 25th percentile. This result is consistent with sensitivity in asset allocation to trust risk tolerance. Second, we present evidence consistent with increased portfolio rebalancing after the reform. We conclude that the move toward additional stockholdings was correlated with trust risk tolerance, and that the increased market risk exposure from additional stockholdings was more actively managed.
On correction of translational misalignments between section planes in 3D EBSD
Authors: ŠEDIVÝ O. , JÄGER A.
Published: February 2017

Three‐dimensional electron backscatter diffraction allows obtaining the 3D image of a material from the stack of 2D sections. This is achieved by repeated application of two different beams; electron beam for electron backscatter diffraction mapping of the surface and focused ion beam for removing a thin layer of material from the surface. In most of these systems with two beams, the experiment requires stage movements for correct positioning of the sample to the respective beams. However, imperfections in this positioning are difficult to avoid, which yield small translational misalignments between the sections in the output data. In this work, we deal with an important task of correcting these misalignments between the sections such that the 3D image is recovered properly. On a simple example, we demonstrate that commonly used methods fail in case there is a structural anisotropy in the material under consideration. We propose an improved alignment algorithm which can neglect this behaviour with the use of external support information on a systematic trend in the translational misalignments. Efficiency of the algorithm is proven on a number of simulated data with different kinds of anisotropy. Application to a real data sample of a fine grained aluminium alloy is also given. The algorithm is available in an open‐source library.
Determination of a homogeneity factor for composite materials by a microstructural image analysis method
Authors: YAKABOYLU GUNES A. , SABOLSKY EDWARD M.
Published: February 2017

The physical properties of particle‐reinforced composite materials are highly affected by the distribution of particles within a matrix material. In this study, a microstructural image analysis method with a new distribution index for quantifying the degree of distribution in composite materials was developed. The free‐path spacing between particles was measured to calculate the distribution (D) index based on the coefficient of variation. The proposed method was applied to six digitally created reference patterns as representative binary composite microstructures and three actual ceramic‐matrix composites, respectively. It is found that the D index increased from 0.00 to 0.67 depending on the degree of distribution or homogeneity level based on the reference patterns. The homogeneity levels for the binary composites are then classified from a perfect (maximum) to very low level (minimum) based on increasing D index values, where a high D index presents a poorer distribution. The results obtained for reference patterns and metal silicide‐refractory oxide composite microstructures indicate that the proposed method is a useful tool to quantify the degree of distribution with high accuracy, and can be efficiently used for different types of composite microstructures.
Post‐socialist language ideologies in action: Linking interview context and language ideology through stance
Authors: Morgan Carrie Ann
Published: February 2017

Changes associated with the post‐socialist period in Albania have complicated the legacy of language ideologies grounded in Ottoman‐era and socialist‐era politics. In this article, I analyze two metalinguistic interviews with young adults in the Albanian capital of Tirana in order to investigate the status of standardizing and anti‐standardizing language ideologies while also raising a methodological question regarding interview context and researcher role as persistent issues in sociolinguistic research. As acts of evaluation, language ideologies can be linked to interactional positionings and alignments via stance, which is significant for understanding aspects of identity and context in the interview. I argue that this framework provides a better understanding of interview dynamics than previous style shifting approaches, as any explanation of differences in interview interactions must simultaneously consider macro‐level influences of ideology and micro‐level interactional developments.
Levelling across the life‐span?: Tracing the face vowel in panel data from the North East of England
Authors: Buchstaller Isabelle , Krause Anne , Auer Anja , Otte Stefanie
Published: February 2017

Apparent time analysis has revealed that the Tyneside face vowel is the site of two intersecting trends: levelling towards the supra‐northern monophthong as well as the gradual incursion of the southern standard closing diphthong. This article investigates the participation of individual speakers across their life‐span in these ongoing changes in the face vowel. We report on a small‐scale panel sample of six speakers who were recorded in 1971 and again, 42 years later, in 2013. The analysis probes the stability of individual speakers’ grammars, relying on longitudinal ethnographic analysis in the community as well as insights gleaned from sociolinguistic interviews about the speakers’ socio‐demographic trajectory and their presentations of self. The article contributes to the growing body of panel research that aims to determine the scope and the limits of linguistic malleability across speakers’ life histories.
Evidence and Interpretation in Language Learning Research: Opportunities for Collaboration With Computational Linguistics
Authors: Meurers Detmar , Dickinson Markus
Published: February 2017

This article discusses two types of opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration between computational linguistics (CL) and language learning research. We target the connection between data and theory in second language (L2) research and highlight opportunities to (a) enrich the options for obtaining data and (b) support the identification and valid interpretation of relevant learner data. We first characterize options, limitations, and potential for obtaining rich data on learning: from Web‐based intervention studies supporting the collection of experimentally controlled data to online workbooks facilitating large‐scale, longitudinal corpus collection for a range of learning tasks and proficiency levels. We then turn to the question of how corpus data can systematically be used for L2 research, focusing on the central role that linguistic corpus annotation plays in that regard. We show that learner language poses particular challenges to human and CL analysis and requires more interdisciplinary discussion of analysis frameworks and advances in annotation schemes.
Maternal dietary intake during pregnancy and its association to birth size in rural Malawi: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Hjertholm Katrine G. , Iversen Per Ole , Holmboe‐Ottesen Gerd , Mdala Ibrahimu , Munthali Alister , Maleta Kenneth , Shi Zumin , Ferguson Elaine , Kamudoni Penjani
Published: February 2017

In low‐resource settings, such as rural Malawi, pregnant women are prone to energy and micronutrient deficiencies with the consequence of delivering low‐birth weight infants with higher risks of morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to examine the association between maternal dietary intakes during pregnancy and infant birth size. Dietary intakes of 203 pregnant women were assessed between 28 and 35 weeks of gestation and their infants' (n = 132) birth size measured. Intakes of energy, macronutrients, and 11 micronutrients were estimated using a 3‐day interactive 24‐hr diet recall. Semiquantitative data on food intakes for four additional days were also collected to assess food patterns. Using multilevel linear regression modeling, maternal intakes of carbohydrate were negatively associated with neonate length (β: −0.1; 95% CI: −0.2, 0.0 cm/E%) and abdominal circumference (β: −0.1, 95% CI: −0.2, 0.0 cm/E%), whereas intakes of fat were positively associated with neonate length (β: 0.1; 95% CI: 0.0, 0.2 cm/E%) and abdominal circumference (β: 0.1; 95% CI: 0.0, 0.2 cm/E%). Vitamin C intakes were positively associated with birth weight (β: 1.4; 95% CI: 0.5, 2.3 g/mg). The frequency of milk intake was positively associated with birth weight (β: 75.3; 95% CI: 13.6, 137.0 g/day). These findings offer practical suggestions for food‐based interventions in the study area to promote inclusion of fat, vitamin C‐rich foods, and milk in pregnancy.
Rebuilding Indigenous nations through constitutional development: a case study of the Métis in Canada
Authors: Dubois Janique , Saunders Kelly
Published: February 2017

For the Métis Nation in Canada, self‐government remains the ‘essence of the struggle’ for which their political leader, Louis Riel, sacrificed his life in 1885. As one of Canada's founding peoples, the Métis have sought to reclaim their Indigenous right to self‐government by establishing democratic governance bodies, enhancing their economic capacity and pursuing state recognition of their rights. In addition to these efforts, the Métis have been developing a national constitution, which is anticipated to form the basis of a government to government relationship between the Métis Nation and the Canadian state. Through a case study of the Métis, this article explores the role of contemporary constitution‐building in rebuilding Indigenous nations from within and reclaiming self‐government in settler societies. We conclude that the Métis Nation's pursuit of these goals through constitutionalism will depend on its ability to build legitimacy internally amongst its citizens and externally with state decision‐makers.
The ‘Tully Monster’ is not a vertebrate: characters, convergence and taphonomy in Palaeozoic problematic animals
Authors: Sallan Lauren , Giles Sam , Sansom Robert S. , Clarke John T. , Johanson Zerina , Sansom Ivan J. , Janvier Philippe
Published: February 2017

The affinity ofTullimonstrum gregarium, a pincer‐mouthed, soft bodied bilaterian, has been subject to debate since its recovery from Carboniferous coal deposits at Mazon Creek, Illinois. After decades of impasse focused on mollusc, arthropod and annelid attributes, two recent, yet conflicting, high‐profile studies concluded that the ‘Tully Monster’ is a vertebrate, a relative of lampreys or jawed fishes. Here, we find that structures described as supporting vertebrate, and particularly crown vertebrate, affinity face significant challenges from biological, functional and taphonomic perspectives. Problems with comparator choice, interpretation of taphonomic processes at Mazon Creek and estimation of convergence within the bilaterian tree may have misled these recent studies, leading to conclusions which do not accommodate current understanding of the vertebrate record. For example, the absence of taphonomically‐expected synapomorphies inTullimonstrum(e.g. otic capsules, body pigment) calls into question vertebrate identity and implies that convergence or deeper origins are responsible for vertebrate‐like traits. Further, phylogenetic placement within vertebrates is only made possible by the constraints of a chordate‐only dataset with limited outgroups and use of selective characters. Long‐discussed alternative placements among molluscs (e.g. heteropod gastropods), arthropods (e.g. anomalocarids) or elsewhere within non‐vertebrate deuterostomes are more congruent. Indeed, many of these lineages independently evolved vertebrate‐like traits, including complex eyes and ‘teeth’. Thus, given the totality of evidence,Tullimonstrumshould be excluded from the vertebrate crown. Potential assignments for aberrant bilaterians, common throughout the Palaeozoic fossil record, need to be considered in light of the number and likelihood of required exceptions to established schemes.
What are the key elements of cognitive analytic therapy for psychosis? A Delphi study
Authors: Taylor Peter J. , Jones Sarah , Huntley Christopher D. , Seddon Claire
Published: February 2017

Objective

There has been growing interest in the use of cognitive analytic therapy (CAT) with those facing experiences of psychosis. However, there is little research on how CAT is best applied to working with psychosis. This study aimed to identify what the key aspects of CAT for psychosis are or whether this approach requires adaptation when applied to those with experiences of psychosis, drawing on expert opinion.

Method

An adapted Delphi methodology was used. Items were generated during an initial workshop (N = 24) and then rated for agreement or importance via an online survey by a sample of experts with experience of CAT and working clinically with psychosis (N = 14).

Results

Following two rounds of ratings, consensus was reached on most items. Additional comments emphasized the need to be flexible with regard to the varying needs of individual clients.

Conclusions

Results highlight the specific relational understanding of psychosis provided by CAT as one of the key elements of this approach. Responses emphasized the need for some level of adaptation to work with psychosis, including greater flexibility with regard to the treatment frame.

Practitioner Points

When working with experiences of psychosis, aspects of the CAT model, such as session length, pacing, and duration of therapy, are open to change and may require modification.

When working with experiences of psychosis, narrative reformulation letters and sequential diagrammatic reformulation (SDR) remain essential to the therapy.

This Delphi methodology study essentially relies on opinion. Further empirical research could test assumptions about the most important or therapeutically effective components of CAT in psychosis.

CAT is still not widely used in the context of psychosis limiting the pool of experts available for the current sample.
The Role of Competitive Advantage in Party Competition
Authors: König Pascal D.
Published: February 2017

This article transfers the concept of competitive advantage from management theory to party competition. Competitive advantage as a party's ability to sustainably outrival any competitor in a given voter segment involves not only a superior appeal in that segment but also a resource or efficiency dimension. The effort involved in achieving distinctiveness and increasing one's attractiveness on an issue means that a party's competitive advantage is hard to challenge by its competitors. Investing in certain issues and attacking parties on “their” issues is therefore only promising under certain conditions. Whether a competitive advantage can be gained or sustained and whether a party can be challenged depends on the larger competitive situation, which is characterized by five kinds of influences: potential new competitors, existence of substitutes, voter influence, ideational suppliers, and intensity of rivalry. Together, these forces mark competitive pressures that are key to understanding parties’ issue portfolio and policy changes.

Related Articles

Bernick, Ethan M., and
Nathan Myers. 2012. “.” Politics & Policy 40: 131‐159. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2011.00340.x/abstract

Gant, Michael M. 1993. “.” Southeastern Political Review 21: 683‐704. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.1993.tb00385.x/abstract

Carmines, Edward G.,
Jessica C. Gerrity, and
Michael W. Wagner. 2010. “.” Politics & Policy 38: 1135‐1158. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2010.00272.x/abstract

Related Media

. 2015. https://www.theguardian.com/media-network/2015/apr/02/political-brands-who-gets-your-vote

. 2015. http://www.economist.com/news/europe/21615610-large-centrist-parties-become-more-alike-radical-fringe-gets-stronger-alternatives
Chronic Hypertension in Women after Perinatal Exposure to Preeclampsia, Being Born Small for Gestational Age or Preterm
Authors: Lindström Linda , Skjærven Rolv , Bergman Eva , Lundgren Maria , Klungsøyr Kari , Cnattingius Sven , Wikström Anna‐Karin
Published: February 2017

Background

There is an established association between adverse events during perinatal life and chronic hypertension in adult life. However, disadvantageous conditions often co‐exist in the same pregnancy. We investigated single and joint perinatal exposure to preeclampsia, being born small for gestational age (SGA) or preterm and subsequent risk of chronic hypertension.

Methods

The study population consisted of 731 008 primiparous women from Norway and Sweden registered in the Medical Birth Registers, both as infants and as first time mothers between 1967–2009 (Norway) and 1973–2010 (Sweden). Risk of chronic hypertension in early pregnancy was calculated in women with perinatal exposures to preeclampsia, born SGA or preterm by log‐binominal regression analysis, and adjusted for maternal age and level of education in the first generation.

Results

The rate of chronic hypertension was 0.4%. Risk of chronic hypertension was associated with single perinatal exposure to preeclampsia, being born SGA or preterm with adjusted relative risk (95% confidence interval, CI) of 2.2 (95% CI 1.8, 2.7), 1.1 (95% CI 1.0, 1.3), and 1.3 (95% CI 1.0, 1.5) respectively. The risks increased after joint exposures, with an almost fourfold risk increase after perinatal exposure to preeclampsia and preterm birth. Additional adjustment for BMI and smoking in the second generation in a subset of the cohort only had a minor impact on the results.

Conclusions

Perinatal exposure to preeclampsia, being born SGA or preterm is independently associated with increased risk of chronic hypertension. The highest risk was seen after exposure to preeclampsia, especially if combined with SGA or preterm birth.
Brain activity from stimuli that are not perceived: Visual mismatch negativity during binocular rivalry suppression
Authors: Jack Bradley N. , Widmann Andreas , O'Shea Robert P. , Schröger Erich , Roeber Urte
Published: February 2017

Predictive coding explains visual perception as the result of an interaction between bottom‐up sensory input and top‐down generative models at each level of the visual hierarchy. Evidence for this comes from the visual mismatch negativity (vMMN): a more negative ERP for rare, unpredictable visual stimuli—deviants, than for frequent, predictable visual stimuli—standards. Here, we show that the vMMN does not require conscious experience. We measured the vMMN from monocular luminance‐decrement deviants that were either perceived or not during binocular rivalry dominance or suppression, respectively. We found that both sorts of deviants elicited the vMMN at about 250 ms after stimulus onset, with perceived deviants eliciting a bigger vMMN than not‐perceived deviants. These results show that vMMN occurs in the absence of consciousness, and that consciousness enhances the processing underlying vMMN. We conclude that generative models of visual perception are tested, even when sensory input for those models is not perceived.
A Framework for the Simultaneous Measurement of Spatial Variation and Temporal Movement in Prices in a Heterogeneous Country: The Dynamic Household Regional Product Dummy Model
Authors: Chakrabarty Manisha , Majumder Amita , Ray Ranjan
Published: February 2017

This paper contributes to the growing literature on spatial prices in large heterogeneous countries. While the literatures on spatial variation and temporal movement in prices have grown in parallel, this study marks a departure by providing a unified treatment and proposing a comprehensive framework that allows both approaches. The proposed model is based on twin extensions of the household version of the “country product dummy model” by allowing for a dynamic stochastic specification and interdependence of spatial prices of geographically adjacent regions. Tests of temporal stability and regional independence of the estimated spatial prices are proposed and applied in this paper. The paper shows that the introduction of an autoregressive error process of order one, AR(1), improves the efficiency of the estimates of parameters, urban‐rural and temporal price indices under certain conditions. The Indian application points to a rich potential for using the proposed framework in cross country comparisons such as the International Comparison Program (ICP) exercises.
Measuring Inequality by Asset Indices: A General Approach with Application to South Africa
Authors: Wittenberg Martin , Leibbrandt Murray
Published: February 2017

Asset indices are widely used, particularly in the analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys, where they have been routinely constructed as “wealth indices.” Such indices have been externally validated in a number of contexts. Nevertheless, we show that they often fail an internal validity test, that is, ranking individuals with “rural” assets below individuals with no assets at all. We consider from first principles what sort of indexes might make sense, given the predominantly dummy variable nature of asset schedules. We show that there is, in fact, a way to construct an asset index which does not violate some basic principles and which also has the virtue that it can be used to construct “asset inequality” measures. However, there is a need to pay careful attention to the components of the index. We show this with South African data.
Bat Echolocation Call Identification for Biodiversity Monitoring: A Probabilistic Approach
Authors: Stathopoulos Vassilios , Zamora-Gutierrez Veronica , Jones Kate E. , Girolami Mark
Published: February 2017

Bat echolocation call identification methods are important in developing efficient cost-effective methods for large-scale bioacoustic surveys for global biodiversity monitoring and conservation planning. Such methods need to provide interpretable probabilistic predictions of species since they will be applied across many different taxa in a diverse set of applications and environments. We develop such a method using a multinomial probit likelihood with independent Gaussian process priors and study its feasibility on a data set from an on-going study of 21 species, five families and 1800 bat echolocation calls collected from Mexico, a hotspot of bat biodiversity. We propose an efficient approximate inference scheme based on the expectation propagation algorithm and observe that the overall methodology significantly improves on currently adopted approaches to bat call classification by providing an approach which can be easily generalized across different species and call types and is fully probabilistic. Implementation of this method has the potential to provide robust species identification tools for biodiversity acoustic bat monitoring programmes across a range of taxa and spatial scales.
The Association Between Unintended Births and Poor Child Development in India: Evidence from a Longitudinal Study
Authors: Singh Abhishek , Upadhyay Ashish Kumar , Singh Ashish , Kumar Kaushalendra
Published: February 2017

Evidence on the association between unintended births and poor child development in developing countries is limited. We used data from three waves of the Young Lives study on childhood poverty conducted in Andhra Pradesh in 2002, 2006–07, and 2009 to examine the association between unintended births and poor child development in India. Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine the association between unintended births and four indicators of child development—height‐for‐age Z‐score (HAZ), Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) score, Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) score, and Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) test score. The Propensity Score Matching (PSM) technique was also used to analyze data. Children who were reported as unintended at birth had significantly lower HAZ, PPVT, and EGRA scores compared with those who were reported as intended. PSM results support the findings from the multivariable linear regressions. Our findings provide evidence on the association between unintended births and poor child development in India. There may be a need to reposition family planning within India's reproductive and child health care programs. Future studies must take into account the unobserved heterogeneity that our study could not address fully.
Asymptotic Properties of QML Estimators for VARMA Models with Time‐dependent Coefficients
Authors: Alj Abdelkamel , Azrak Rajae , Ley Christophe , Mélard Guy
Published: February 2017

This paper is about vector autoregressive‐moving average models with time‐dependent coefficients to represent non‐stationary time series. Contrary to other papers in the univariate case, the coefficients depend on time but not on the series' lengthn. Under appropriate assumptions, it is shown that a Gaussian quasi‐maximum likelihood estimator is almost surely consistent and asymptotically normal. The theoretical results are illustrated by means of two examples of bivariate processes. It is shown that the assumptions underlying the theoretical results apply. In the second example, the innovations are marginally heteroscedastic with a correlation ranging from −0.8 to 0.8. In the two examples, the asymptotic information matrix is obtained in the Gaussian case. Finally, the finite‐sample behaviour is checked via a Monte Carlo simulation study fornfrom 25 to 400. The results confirm the validity of the asymptotic properties even for short series and the asymptotic information matrix deduced from the theory.
Une nouvelle approche dans la théorie des entiers friables
Authors: de la Bretèche Régis , Tenenbaum Gérald
Published: February 2017

Using a new approach starting with a residue computation, we sharpen some of the known estimates for the counting function of friable integers. The improved accuracy turns out to be crucial for various applications, some of which concern fundamental questions in probabilistic number theory.