bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
LA MAYOR PROTECCIÓN INTERNA DE LOS DERECHOS DE LA CONVENCIÓN EUROPEA DE DERECHOS HUMANOS Y EL IMPACTO DEL MARGEN DE APRECIACIÓN NACIONAL
Authors: Rodríguez Díaz Angel
Published: September 2015

En este trabajo se estudian las cuestiones que suscita la aplicación internade la doctrina del TEDH sobre el margen de apreciación estatalen un contexto de protección multinivel de derechos, con especialatención al caso español. El estudio se centra en el impacto que laaplicación por parte de los propios tribunales nacionales del estándarde protección de derechos que puede deducirse de las sentencias delTEDH que aplican el margen de apreciación puede tener en relacióncon la regresión o backsliding en la protección de Derechos Humanos.Abstract:This article analyzes, within a context of a multilevel protectionof rights, some questions arising from the domestic application ofthe doctrine of the national margin of appreciation, with a specialemphasis on the Spanish case. The research focuses on the impactthat domestic courts decisions may have on the judicial backslidingof Human Rights when applying the standard of protection of rightsthat comes from ECtHR decisions granting a national margin ofappreciation.
LA RESPONSABILIDAD POR MALA GESTIÓN O EL RIESGO EN LA POLÍTICA
Authors: González Hernández Esther
Published: September 2015

La creciente complejidad de los problemas de las sociedades actualessupone un cambio en la percepción ciudadana que se siente en permanenteriesgo. Es por ello, que los ciudadanos están altamente sensibilizadoscon los riesgos ante los que se ven expuestos. Esta situaciónha modificado notablemente el modo en que los gobernantes debenafrontar el complejo proceso de toma de decisiones políticas, másaún en momentos de crisis económico-financiera. Por ello el presenteartículo pretende analizar la incidencia real de las técnicas de «cálculode los riesgos» en ámbitos políticos y administrativos. A la par quedebate sobre las nuevas vías de análisis científico de los denostadossistemas de exigencia de responsabilidades políticas por mala gestióno deficiente control del riesgo implícito a cada decisión política. Abstract:The increasing complexity of the current problems of societies, havechanged the perception of citizens that fells in permanent risk. Citizensare highly sensitized to the risks to which they are exposed. Thissituation has significantly changed the way in which governmentaladministrations must face the complex process of political decisionmaking, especially in time of economic and financial crisis. The purposeof this paper is to analyze the real impact of the risk calculationin a political and administrative level. At the same time there is anopen debate about new scientific ways to analyze political responsibilitiesfor mismanagement or poor control of risks involved in everydecision policy.
TREVIÑO: ENTRE LA RESERVA ESTATUTARIA Y LA LEY ORGÁNICA
Authors: Cabanas Veiga Manuel
Published: September 2015

Desde el medievo hasta nuestros días, no han cesado los argumentosa favor y en contra de la agregación de Treviño a la provincia alavesa.Así, el presente trabajo analiza los diferentes argumentos parlamentariosy jurisprudenciales desde su perspectiva histórico-política, conla finalidad de dilucidar la adecuación de los mismos al ordenamiento constitucional y estatutario aplicable a dicho supuesto. Así, será preciso realizar una crítica acerca de los problemas de algunas hipótesis planteadas y aportar una posible solución que permita poner fin a un contencioso que aparenta visos de perpetuidad. Abstract:From the Middle Ages to the present day, arguments in favour andagainst the addition of Treviño to the Spanish province of Álava havenot stopped. Thus, this paper examines the different parliamentaryand judicial arguments from their historical and political perspectivein order to elucidate their adaptation to the constitutional andstatutory system applicable to such case. So, it will be necessary tomake a review of the problems that some of the suggested hypothesishave and to offer a possible solution that brings an end to a seeminglyendless conflict.
LOS ROSTROS CONSTITUCIONALES DE LA REDISTRIBUCIÓN: LA VERTIENTE ECONÓMICA DEL PRINCIPIO CONSTITUCIONAL DE SOLIDARIDAD
Authors: Sanz Arcega Eduardo
Published: September 2015

Las desigualdades económicas intersubjetivas e interespaciales inherentesal sistema capitalista se afrontaron constitucionalmentemediante el alumbramiento de un Estado social y democrático de Derechofederalizable, cuya orientación teleológica se encamina hacia laconsecución de una distribución de la renta personal y territorial másequitativa. Así las cosas, adhiriendo al razonamiento la justificacióneconómica acerca de la naturaleza redistributiva de gastos o ingresospúblicos ligados sustantiva y directamente a concretos preceptosconstitucionales, por tanto, desde la intersección de las perspectivasdel Derecho positivo y económica, el presente trabajo desarrolla unaaproximación jurídico-económica novedosa a la vertiente económicadel principio constitucional de solidaridad respecto de una doctrinatradicional, bien apegada primordialmente a la cláusula constitucionalque enuncia el Fondo de Compensación Interterritorial, bien conjugandoaquélla con los instrumentos jurídicos en los que se materializala canalización de recursos.AbstractEconomic interspatial and intersubjective inequalities inherent to capitalismwere constitutionally faced by promulgating a social, democraticand federalizable state, which teleological orientation is aimedat obtaining a more equitable personal and territorial income distribution.In this sense, adhering to the reasoning the economic justificationof the redistributive nature of some of the public earnings andexpenses, this paper develops a novel legal-economic approach to theeconomic aspect of the constitutional principle of solidarity. Not invane, the traditional doctrine was attached to either the constitutionalclause that states the Inter-territorial Compensation Fund or to theconjunction of the latter and the legal and extra constitutionem instrumentsthat channel the financial resources.
Construcciones y experiencias de la infancia en un contexto migratorio: el caso de los alemanes en México (1900-1933)
Authors: Durán-Merk Alma
Published: September 2015

Por mucho tiempo, buena parte del trabajo académico y de las narrativas populares transmitieron la imagen de que la experiencia de ser un niño de orígenes alemanes creciendo en México era equivalente a una infancia privilegiada, pero, al mismo tiempo, aislada de la sociedad receptora. Esta contribución considera esas construcciones y experiencias de la niñez, al mismo tiempo que las compara con las de otros 114 casos, provenientes de 72 familias, que fueron compilados para este objetivo en una base de datos. En ese proceso, se da visibilidad a otras vivencias de la infancia que hasta ahora no han sido discutidas. En este análisis etno-histórico, se reflexiona sobre los diversos contextos socioeconómicos que generan variadas formas de experimentar la infancia. Se proporciona información sobre las maneras en que aquellos menores se relacionaron con la sociedad de acogida, sobre las relaciones transnacionales que cultivaron o no, y sobre lo que podría haber motivado a sus padres a continuar, o descartar, ciertas prácticas culturales. Los resultados indican que, en lo que respecta a la mayoría de los descendientes de alemanes en México durante el tiempo estudiado, no es posible hablar de una separación casi total de la sociedad receptora; en vez de eso, diversas estrategias de aculturación fueron identificadas. Se demuestra, al mismo tiempo, que la ascendencia extranjera no necesariamente va mano en mano con una infancia transnacional, sino que depende de varios factores que se intenta identificar. Palabras clave: Migración; Infancia; Alemanes; Aculturación; Imaginarios sociales.
Infancia y diáspora: dos escritoras cubanas cuentan sus vidas
Authors: Gremels Andrea
Published: September 2015

Con el enfoque en las representaciones literarias de la infancia, este artículo reflexiona sobre la memoria colectiva cubana en su dimensión transnacional y diaspórica. A partir del año 1959, la sociedad cubana está marcada por numerosas oleadas migratorias al curso de la revolución cubana y la formación de un estado socialista. Desde que el régimen castrista se dirigió hacia una ideología rígida, muchos cubanos han vivido una desilusión con las esperanzas revolucionarias. La reflexión sobre una isla en el proceso de volverse un espacio recluido en vez de liberado es un tema recurrente en la literatura cubana contemporánea. En el marco de una lectura comparativa, se analiza Todos se van (2006), de Wendy Guerra, y El mañana: memorias de un éxodo cubano (2006), escrita por la periodista Mirta Ojito, que vive en los Estados Unidos. Estas novelas autobiográficas muestran como se entrelazan la reconstrucción narrativa de la infancia con el momento histórico de una diasporización creciente de la sociedad cubana en los años 70. Las escritoras cubanas no sólo reconstruyen el mundo perdido de su infancia, sino también tratan de recuperar la(s) historia(s) de una nación diseminada en el mundo. Palabras clave: Infancia; Literatura Cubana; Diáspora; Memoria Colectiva.
Norepinephrine is required to promote wakefulness and for hypocretin-induced arousal in zebrafish
Authors: Singh Chanpreet , Oikonomou Grigorios , Prober David A
Published: September 2015

Pharmacological studies in mammals suggest that norepinephrine (NE) plays an important role in promoting arousal. However, the role of endogenous NE is unclear, with contradicting reports concerning the sleep phenotypes of mice lacking NE due to mutation of dopamine β-hydroxylase (dbh). To investigate NE function in an alternative vertebrate model, we generated dbh mutant zebrafish. In contrast to mice, these animals exhibit dramatically increased sleep. Surprisingly, despite an increase in sleep, dbh mutant zebrafish have a reduced arousal threshold. These phenotypes are also observed in zebrafish treated with small molecules that inhibit NE signaling, suggesting that they are caused by the lack of NE. Using genetic overexpression of hypocretin (Hcrt) and optogenetic activation of hcrt-expressing neurons, we also find that NE is important for Hcrt-induced arousal. These results establish a role for endogenous NE in promoting arousal and indicate that NE is a critical downstream effector of Hcrt neurons.
Unmanned Underwater Vehicles
Authors: Yuh Junku , Choi Hyun‐Taek
Published: September 2015

The ocean covers about 70% of the Earth. Ocean‐related activities are extremely diverse—aquaculture, commercial fishing, ocean research, seafood marketing, ocean recreation, marine mining, marine biotechnology, and ocean energy. Living and nonliving resources of the ocean are abundant. For example, it is estimated that there are about 2000 billion tons of manganese nodules on the floor of the Pacific Ocean near the Hawaiian Islands. The ocean also plays a critical role in global environmental issues such as pollution and carbon cycles and the ocean retains more heat than the atmosphere. Therefore, it is not difficult to predict that the ocean will have a great effect on the future existence of all human beings. In spite of its importance, the ocean is generally overlooked as we focus more of our attention on land and atmospheric issues, and we have not been able to explore the full depths of the ocean and its resources. We discovered, by using manned submersibles, that a large amount of carbon dioxide comes from the seafloor and extraordinary groups of organisms living in hydrothermal vent areas. Underwater vehicles can help us better understand marine and other environmental issues, protect our ocean resources from pollution, and efficiently utilize them for human welfare. However, ocean travel is difficult because of unpredictable and hazardous undersea environments.
Prosthetic Power Supplies
Authors: Trigui Aref , Mehri Sondos , Ammari Ahmed , Slama Jalel Ben Hadj , Sawan Mohamad
Published: September 2015

During the last few decades, implantable medical devices (IMDs) changed the landscape of modern medicine. Combining many technologies and employing smart medical devices within the human body, they allowed a continuous and automatic management of numerous health issues, such as pacemakers and implantable cardiac defibrillators, cochlear implants, bladder controllers, endoscopic capsules, nerve stimulators, lab‐on‐a‐chip, and artificial retinal prosthesis. Due to their continuously increasing potential, IMDs are getting more complex, thus requiring more energy to operate. Most of these advanced implantable devices are extracorporeally powered or battery charged through wireless power transfer (WPT) mechanisms. Following the basic principle of IMD power supplies, we introduce various power transfer techniques, and then focus on the inductive links and various methods to maximize the energy transferred to implantable devices and the calibration methods of these WPT techniques.
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
Authors: Shields Andrew , Mc Carthy Ultan , Riordan Daniel , Doody Pat , Walsh Joseph , Uysal Ismail
Published: September 2015

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology is a method of wirelessly transferring data between transceiver and transponder, where the transponder (tag) is attached to any object one may need to identify. These objects may be either living or inanimate and via the attached transponder can carry customized data, an approach that is core to the functioning of these systems. This facilitates its ability to provide unique ID (serialization) to each individual item making RFID technology one of the most popular and widely adopted auto ID technologies to date.

RFID has been successfully used to track, trace, locate, and identify many objects and offers a new approach to asset traceability/visibility. RFID has been successfully integrated across a wide variety of industries including animal identification, pharmaceutical, building access control, toll collection, vehicle immobilization systems, aviation industry, waste management, and mining industries (C.‐C. Chao, J.‐M. Yang, and W.‐Y. Jen. Determining Technology Trends and Forecasts of RFID by a Historical Review and Bibliometric Analysis from 1991 to 2005.Technovation2007, 27, pp 268–279; E. Ngai and F. Riggins. RFID: Technology, Applications, and Impact on Business Operations.Int. J. Prod. Econ. 2008, 112, pp 507–509; C. M. Roberts. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID).Comput. Secur. 2006, 25, pp 18–26). Its ability to wirelessly transfer data offers many operational advantages over the conventional barcode.
Multitarget Tracking
Authors: Vo Ba‐ngu , Mallick Mahendra , Bar‐shalom Yaakov , Coraluppi Stefano , Osborne Richard , Mahler Ronald , Vo Ba‐tuong
Published: September 2015

Multitarget tracking (MTT) refers to the problem of jointly estimating the number of targets and their states or trajectories from noisy sensor measurements. MTT has a long history spanning over 50 years, with a plethora of applications in many fields of study. While numerous techniques have been developed, the three most widely used approaches to MTT are the joint probabilistic data association filter (JPDAF), multiple hypothesis tracking (MHT), and random finite set (RFS). The JPDAF and MHT have been widely used for more than two decades, while the RFS‐based MTT algorithms have received a great deal of attention during the last decade. In this article, we provide an overview of MTT and succinct summaries of popular state‐of‐the‐art MTT algorithms.
Electroencephalography (EEG)‐Based Brain–Computer Interfaces
Authors: Lotte Fabien , Bougrain Laurent , Clerc Maureen
Published: September 2015

Brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) are systems that can translate the brain activity patterns of a user into messages or commands for an interactive application. The brain activity that is processed by the BCI systems is usually measured using electroencephalography (EEG). In this article, we aim at providing an accessible and up‐to‐date overview of EEG‐based BCI, with a main focus on its engineering aspects. We notably introduce some basic neuroscience background, and explain how to design an EEG‐based BCI, in particular reviewing which signal processing, machine learning, and software and hardware tools to use. We present BCI applications, highlight some limitations of current systems, and suggest some perspectives for the field.
Dynamic Mechanical Analysis in the Analysis of Polymers and Rubbers
Authors: Menard Kevin P. , Menard Noah R.
Published: September 2015

Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) or dynamic mechanical thermal analysis is a thermal testing technique used extensively in the polymer and rubber industries. It involves applying an oscillatory force or deformation to a material and monitoring the response. This article summaries the theory and application of DMA to thermoplastics, rubber, thermosets, and composites.
Degradable Polymers and Plastics in Landfill Sites
Authors: Swift Graham
Published: September 2015

Landfill sites have become overburdened by large volumes of disposable low density plastic waste from packaging and polymers such as disposable diapers. This has adversely affected the number and capacity of landfill sites available for the disposal of all grades of trash and also the long‐term mechanical stability of landfill sites receiving potentially degradable and biodegradable plastics and polymers capable of toxic, flammable, and environmentally harmful gas generation. These limitations of landfilling polymers and plastics helped precipitated the waste management era, where alternative approaches were and are still being considered and developed to limit plastic disposal problems. Some of these alternatives include limiting or eliminating plastic landfill disposal entirely, controlled landfilling in bioreactors to harvest gas, recycling, incineration, and biodegradation under controlled environmental conditions such as composting. The development of suitable polymers and plastics and the implementation of these alternatives is a slow process, and huge amounts of conventional plastics and polymers still enter landfill sites every year. This article updates the issue, complicated scientifically and legislatively, as we strive for environmental harmony in our lifestyles. Currently, there is limited evidence on waste polymers and plastics as to their ultimate fate—recalcitrance, degradation, or biodegradation in landfills. Longer term, our understanding of landfill processes is improving as the ASTM strives to develop improved standards for estimating the fate of plastics and polymers in landfills in concert with notable scientific studies at various academic centers.
Polybenzoxazines
Authors: Arslan Mustafa , Kiskan Baris , Yagci Yusuf
Published: September 2015

Polybenzoxazine is a new type of high performance phenolic thermoset having a wide range of interesting features and the capability to overcome several shortcomings of conventional novolac‐ and resole‐type phenolic resins. They exhibit near zero volumetric change upon curing, low water absorption, for some polybenzoxazines
T
g
much higher than cure temperature, high char yield, no strong acid catalysts required for curing, release of no by‐product during curing, and also possess thermal and flame retarding properties of phenolics along with the mechanical performance. In this article, we provide an overview of polybenzoxazines highlighting in particular the recent advances in the synthesis of benzoxazine monomers and their resulting polymers and composites as well as the current progress of their applications to smart materials ranging from porous materials to self‐healing systems.
Which is the better proxy for paleo‐current strength: Sortable‐silt mean size () or sortable‐silt mean grain diameter (dSS)? A case study from the Nordic Seas
Authors: Tegzes Andrea D. , Jansen Eystein , Telford Richard J.
Published: September 2015

The coarseness of the 10–63 μm terrigenous silt (i.e., sortable‐silt) fraction tends to vary independently of sediment supply in current‐sorted muds in the world's oceans, with coarser sediments representing relatively greater near‐bottom flow speeds. Traditionally, the coarseness of this size fraction is described using an index called sortable‐silt mean size (
), which is an arithmetic average calculated from the differential volume or mass distribution of grains within the 10–63 μm terrigenous silt fraction, where the relative weights of the individual size bins become increasingly disproportionate, with respect to the actual number of grains within those size bins, toward the coarse end of the size range. This not only increases the absolute value of the apparent “mean size” within the 10–63 μm terrigenous silt fraction, but it may also affect the apparent pattern of relative changes in the coarseness of the sortable‐silt fraction along the core. In addition, it makes
more prone to biases due to, for example, analytical errors. Here we present a detailed analysis of grain‐size distributions over three selected Holocene time intervals from two complementary sediment cores (JM97‐948/2A and MD95‐2011), extracted from the center of a high‐accumulation area along the flow path of the main branch of the Atlantic Inflow into the Nordic Seas and show that differential‐number‐based statistics, which likely better describes variations in the actual coarseness of the sortable‐silt fraction, may provide a more robust alternative to
.
Impoundment of the Zipingpu reservoir and triggering of the 2008 Mw 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake, China
Authors: Tao Wei , Masterlark Timothy , Shen Zheng‐Kang , Ronchin Erika
Published: September 2015

Impoundment of the Zipingpu reservoir (ZR), China, began in September 2005 and was followed 2.7 years later by the 2008 Mw 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake (WE) rupturing the Longmen Shan Fault (LSF), with its epicenter ~12 km away from the ZR. Based on the poroelastic theory, we employ three‐dimensional finite element models to simulate the evolution of stress and pore pressure due to reservoir impoundment, and its effect on the Coulomb failure stress on the LSF. The results indicate that the reservoir impoundment formed a pore pressure front that slowly propagated through the crust with fluid diffusion. The reservoir loading induced either moderate or no increase of the Coulomb failure stress at the hypocenter prior to the WE. The Coulomb failure stress, however, grew ~9.3–69.1 kPa in the depth range of 1–8 km on the LSF, which may have advanced tectonic loading of the fault system by ~60–450 years. Due to uncertainties of fault geometry and hypocenter location of the WE, it is inconclusive whether impoundment of the ZR directly triggered the WE. However, a small event at the hypocenter could have triggered large rupture elsewhere on fault, where the asperities were weakened by the ZR. The microseismicity around the ZR also showed an expanding pattern from the ZR since its impoundment, likely associated with diffusion of a positive pore pressure pulse. These results suggest a poroelastic triggering effect (even if indirectly) of the WE due to the impoundment of the ZR.
The Iquique earthquake sequence of April 2014: Bayesian modeling accounting for prediction uncertainty
Authors: Duputel Z. , Jiang J. , Jolivet R. , Simons M. , Rivera L. , Ampuero J.‐P. , Riel B. , Owen S. E. , Moore A. W. , Samsonov S. V. , Ortega Culaciati F. , Minson S. E.
Published: September 2015

The subduction zone in northern Chile is a well‐identified seismic gap that last ruptured in 1877. On 1 April 2014, this region was struck by a large earthquake following a two week long series of foreshocks. This study combines a wide range of observations, including geodetic, tsunami, and seismic data, to produce a reliable kinematic slip model of the Mw=8.1 main shock and a static slip model of the Mw=7.7 aftershock. We use a novel Bayesian modeling approach that accounts for uncertainty in the Green's functions, both static and dynamic, while avoiding nonphysical regularization. The results reveal a sharp slip zone, more compact than previously thought, located downdip of the foreshock sequence and updip of high‐frequency sources inferred by back‐projection analysis. Both the main shock and the Mw=7.7 aftershock did not rupture to the trench and left most of the seismic gap unbroken, leaving the possibility of a future large earthquake in the region.
MESSENGER observations of the dayside low‐latitude boundary layer in Mercury's magnetosphere
Authors: Liljeblad Elisabet , Karlsson Tomas , Raines Jim M. , Slavin James A. , Kullen Anita , Sundberg T. , Zurbuchen Thomas H.
Published: September 2015

Observations from MErcury Surface Space ENvironment GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER)'s Magnetometer and Fast Imaging Plasma Spectrometer instruments during the first orbital year have resulted in the identification of 25 magnetopause crossings in Mercury's magnetosphere with significant low‐latitude boundary layers (LLBLs). Of these crossings 72% are observed dawnside and 65% for northward interplanetary magnetic field. The estimated LLBL thickness is 450 ± 56 km and increases with distance to noon. The Na+ group ion is sporadically present in 14 of the boundary layers, with an observed average number density of 22 ± 11% of the proton density. Furthermore, the average Na+ group gyroradii in the layers is 220 ± 34 km, the same order of magnitude as the LLBL thickness. Magnetic shear, plasma β and reconnection rates have been estimated for the LLBL crossings and compared to those of a control group (non‐LLBL) of 61 distinct magnetopause crossings which show signs of nearly no plasma inside the magnetopause. The results indicate that reconnection is significantly slower, or even suppressed, for the LLBL crossings compared to the non‐LLBL cases. Possible processes that form or impact the LLBL are discussed. Protons injected through the cusp or flank may be important for the formation of the LLBL. Furthermore, the opposite asymmetry in the Kelvin‐Helmholtz instability (KHI) as compared to the LLBL rules out the KHI as a dominant formation mechanism. However, the KHI and LLBL could be related to each other, either by the impact of sodium ions gyrating across the magnetopause or by the LLBL preventing the growth of KH waves on the dawnside.
Evolution of the Current Population Survey
Authors: Wolter Kirk M. , Polivka Anne E. , Lubich Antoinette
Published: September 2015

The Current Population Survey (CPS) is one of the world's foremost and historic household surveys, providing the data to generate the United State's monthly unemployment rate along with a myriad of other key labor‐force statistics. This paper discusses the evolution of the CPS from its origin in the 1940s. In addition to documenting current procedures, the paper highlights important changes in concepts, survey questions, sample designs, estimation procedures, and data collection procedures. The paper addresses how official estimates derived from the data are released to the public, and briefly discusses the organizational structure that has supported the CPS throughout its history.
Newsboy Inventory Problem
Authors: Berk Emre , Gürler Ülkü
Published: September 2015

A definition and classical formulation of the newsboy inventory model as a profit maximization problem is provided. The structure of the optimal stocking policy is given. Alternative formulations of mean‐variance, down‐side risk,VaR(value‐at‐risk), andCVaR(conditional value‐at‐risk) for general demand distributions and aminimaxformulation for the distribution‐free newsboy model are also presented. Demand estimation in the presence of fully observable and censored sales is discussed from the frequentist and Bayesian perspectives. Explicit formulas are provided for Bayesian updating of a comprehensive set of demand functions.
Prior Distributions
Authors: Liseo Brunero
Published: September 2015

We review the principal issues regarding the use of prior distributions in Bayesian statistics.
EmpiricalBayes
Authors: Datta Somnath
Published: September 2015

The empirical Bayes technique has been proved to be immensely useful in various applications of statistics. We have covered the basic theoretical developments of two forms of this technique, parametric and nonparametric, and explored its connection to the compound decision problem and shrinkage estimation. Recent applications to differential gene expression analysis and false discovery rate control are discussed.
Epidemiological Statistics – Further Issues
Authors: McNeil Don
Published: September 2015

Epidemiological studies use statistical methods to understand the factors that cause, reduce, and prevent diseases in human populations. These studies estimate the parameters in a target population based on representative samples, and can be qualitative or quantitative, descriptive or comparative, and observational or experimental. Parameters of interest include levels of disease and associations between risk factors and disease outcomes. Concept maps are useful for showing causal paths between risk factors, disease outcomes, and intervening variables (confounders) that could distort the association. The statistical methods can be classified by the type and role of the data, and are subject to both inaccuracy or lack of statistical power (due to sampling variability) and bias (due to faulty measurement, differential selection of subjects, or confounding). Matching of subjects can improve accuracy. Mantel–Haenszel methods can reduce confounding bias. Meta‐analysis is used to combine results from different studies. Statistical models include linear, logistic, and Poisson regression and the proportional hazards model for handling censored data.
Categorical Data, Marginal Models for
Authors: Molenberghs Geert
Published: September 2015

We briefly review two building blocks (generalized linear models and linear mixed models) for models for repeated categorical data. Three families of models for repeated categorical data are introduced: marginal models, conditional models, and random‐effects models. A number of marginal models are presented for binary and ordinal data in turn. Major differences between marginal models and conditional models (such as loglinear models) are discussed. Attention is given to nonlikelihood‐based methods, such as generalized estimating equations and pseudo‐likelihood. We discuss marginal models that are derived from random‐effects specifications as well and place some emphasis on how to allow for overdispersion.
Pareto Distribution
Authors: Arnold Barry C.
Published: September 2015

Pareto distributions and related generalizations have historically been viewed as being suitable for modelling income and wealth distributions. Following a brief review of the history of such models, distributional properties and inference procedures are surveyed. Various related distributions, including multivariate variants, are described.
Copula Process,
A
rchimedean
Authors: Malov Sergey V.
Published: September 2015

Archimedean copulas have a wide range of applications in probability theory and in mathematical statistics. A copula arose first in the work of Sklar in 1959. It is the function that characterizes principal connection of components in a random vector independently of marginal distributions. Archimedean copula process was introduced as a generalization of the scheme of independent random variables. The most of interesting applications of this object was in the order statistics theory and in the extreme values theory. The extreme type theorems and some characterizations of classes of sequences via properties of order statistics and record values can be improved from the class of independent random variables to the class of Archimedean copula processes. In this way, the proportional Archimedean copula process appeared as the generalization of the ‐scheme for independent random variables. Some representations of the Archimedean copula process via independent random variables as well as MTP positive dependence property are also given.
Saddlepoint Approximations
Authors: Gatto Riccardo
Published: September 2015

The saddlepoint method provides accurate approximations for the distributions of many test statistics, and estimators, as well as for important probabilities arising in various stochastic models. The saddlepoint approximation is a large deviations technique which is substantially more accurate than limiting normal or Edgeworth approximations, especially in the presence of very small sample sizes or very small probabilities. The outstanding accuracy of the saddlepoint approximation can be explained by the fact that it has bounded relative error.
Wear Processes
Authors: Griffith William S.
Published: September 2015

There is an extensive literature on a class of deterioration models in reliability theory calledwear processes. These can be used as models of time to failure in which a stochastic process describes the wear that a device accrues over time until it ultimately fails. This article provides a brief survey and can direct the interested reader to papers that have developed the work in this field.
Power Law Process
Authors: Rigdon Steven E.
Published: September 2015

The power law process is a nonhomegeoeous Poisson process whose intensity function is proportional to a power of timet. It is often used to model the event times for recurrent events, such as the failure times of repairable systems. We consider the problems of inference for the power law process and extend this to the case of multiple realizations of the power law process, which would occur, for example, if we were modeling several similar repairable systems. Both Bayesian and classical approaches are described. Finally, several extensions of the power law process to more general models are suggested.
Effect Modification and Interaction
Authors: Greenland Sander
Published: September 2015

This article discusses definitions and concepts of effect modification, interaction, synergism, and related concepts and terms.
Environmental Toxicology, Statistics in
Authors: Zhang Jing , Bailer A. John , Oris James T.
Published: September 2015

Environmental toxicity refers to the impact of a hazard or stressor at one or more levels of biological organization. This impact can range from molecular and cellular levels to whole organism, population, ecosystem, or landscape levels. The statistical methods employed to examine these impacts will reflect the level of organization and the measurements taken at this level. The methods associated with this spectrum are described and illustrated in this article.
Convergence and Mixing inMarkov ChainMonteCarlo: Advanced Algorithms and Latest Developments
Authors: Peluso Stefano , Mira Antonietta
Published: September 2015

We survey possible strategies to improve the performance of Markov chain Monte Carlo methods either by reducing the asymptotic variance of the resulting estimators or by increasing the speed of convergence to stationarity. Recent advances in the direction of the pseudomarginal approach, Gradient‐based algorithms, and Approximate Bayesian Computation are also highlighted.
Property Insurance – Personal
Authors: Ward Kimberley A.
Published: September 2015

Personal property insurance in the United States is written on a number of insurance forms. By far, the most common ones are homeowners package forms and private automobile physical damage coverage parts. Other forms include farmowners packages, dwelling forms, personal inland marine, and watercraft/recreational vehicle coverages.
Effect Modification
Authors: McKnight Barbara
Published: September 2015

Effect modification occurs when a measure of the association between an explanatory variable and an outcome variable is modified, or differs, over different values of a third variable, called the
effect modifier
. For a given measure of association between explanatory variable and outcome variable , there is usually a corresponding regression model scale on which the presence of effect modification corresponds to the presence of statistical interaction between and the effect modifier . This correspondence is described for several additive and multiplicative measures of association.
Educational Psychology: Measuring Change over Time
Authors: Kulikowich Jonna M.
Published: September 2015

Educational psychologists study changes over time that reflect academic, cognitive, emotional, and social development of students. The purpose of this article is to review the basic principles and procedures of the statistical applications used by educational psychologists to study change. While repeated measuresANOVAis widely used in empirical studies published recently in refereed journals, researchers are as likely to use growth‐curve modeling or structural equation modeling to test their hypotheses. Both growth‐curve modeling and structural equation modeling afford educational psychologists advantages in the analysis of change that overcome limitations of repeated measuresANOVA. A brief description of each statistical technique is provided with a summary of how the procedure has been applied by educational psychologists. Testing of assumptions, estimating effect sizes and power, and current statistical advances in the study of how individuals' affect, behavior, and cognition change are discussed.
Regression Trees
Authors: LeBlanc Michael
Published: September 2015

Regression trees are a flexible statistical method for modeling the conditional distribution of a response variable given a vector of predictors or covariates. Trees have several advantages compared with classical parametric regression methods: they are nonparametric; they include powerful variable subset selection; they are robust to outliers in the covariate space; and they are used easily on a wide variety of data structures. Importantly, the tree algorithm has also been widely utilized as a component of more complex prediction algorithms that involve combining or ensembles of trees.
Methodology of Adaptive Randomization
Authors: Buyse Marc E.
Published: September 2015

Simple randomization consists of allocating treatments to patients with equal probability. Attempts to improve over simple randomization stem from the desire (i) to ensure that a prespecified number of patients is enrolled in each treatment arm, (ii) to ensure balance with respect to important baseline prognostic factors across all treatment arms, or (iii) to favor (i.e., allocate with higher probability) the treatment arm that is currently faring better. These objectives can be fulfilled, respectively, by use of treatment‐adaptive randomization, covariate‐adaptive randomization, and outcome‐adaptive randomization. Treatment‐adaptive randomization can be implemented as a restricted randomization through randomly permuted blocks or as a dynamic method using a biased coin. Similarly, covariate‐adaptive randomization can use randomly permuted blocks within strata or minimization. Outcome‐adaptive randomization remains controversial because of it produces only modest gains in terms of total number of failures at the cost of increased complexity, a risk of accrual bias, and the potential for ethical concerns.
Stochastic Search Variable Selection (SSVS)
Authors: Perrakis Konstantinos , Ntzoufras Ioannis
Published: September 2015

The stochastic search variable selection (SSVS), introduced by George and McCulloch[1], is one of the prominent Bayesian variable selection approaches for regression problems. Some of the basic principles of modern Bayesian variable selection methods were first introduced via the SSVS algorithm such as the use of a vector of variable inclusion indicators. SSVS can effectively search large model spaces, identifying the maximum a posteriori and median probability models, and also readily produce Bayesian model averaging estimates. A number of generalizations and extensions of the method have appeared in the statistical literature implementing SSVS to a variety of applications such as generalized linear models, contingency tables, time series data, and factor analysis.
Democracy—Unleashing the Power of “We”
Authors: Heaney Tom
Published: September 2015

An obvious goal of adult learners is to find their own voice, to be heard in rational discourse with their peers, and to gain control over the day‐to‐day decisions that affect their lives. This chapter asks how doctoral students can be partners with faculty in charting the direction of their academic pursuits.
Doctoral Studies: What Has Radical Adult Education Got to Do With It?
Authors: Choudry Aziz , Rochat Désirée
Published: September 2015

Working and writing together as supervisor and graduate student in a Canadian university, the authors bring their community/activist/adult education learning backgrounds into dialogue—and tension—with doctoral studies by reflecting on their personal learning paths and thinking about what this means for teaching and learning in academic contexts. They also explore potential avenues for doctoral studies to be a space of political, radical adult education.
Learning from Instructor‐managed and Self‐managed Split‐attention Materials
Authors: Gordon Chloe , Tindall‐Ford Sharon , Agostinho Shirley , Paas Fred
Published: September 2015

Instructor‐managed physical integration of mutually dependent, but spatially separated materials, is an effective way to overcome negative effects of split‐attention on learning. This study examined whether teaching students to self‐manage split‐attention materials would be effective for learning. Seventy‐eight primary‐school students learned about the water cycle, either by studying split‐attention examples, integrated examples or self‐managed split‐attention examples. It was hypothesised that students who study instructor‐integrated materials and students who study self‐integrated materials would outperform students who study split‐attention materials. The results showed that students learned more from instructor‐integrated materials than from split‐attention materials, thereby confirming the split‐attention effect. The implications for future research on self‐management are discussed.Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Few‐Layer Topological Insulator for All‐Optical Signal Processing Using the Nonlinear Kerr Effect
Authors: Chen Shuqing , Miao Lili , Chen Xing , Chen Yu , Zhao Chujun , Datta Subhadeep , Li Ying , Bao Qiaoliang , Zhang Han , Liu Yong , Wen Shuangchun , Fan Dianyuan
Published: September 2015

Topological insulators (TIs) are a new quantum phase of matter with topologically protected surface metallic states inside the insulating bulk states. Due to their unique single Dirac cone surface state, relatively low sheet resistance, and broadband optical operation, they have attracted enormous interests in both electronics and optics. Out of those above‐mentioned applications, electronic devices are seeking most attention until now. Here the experimental prototype for light processing device, TI‐coated microfiber (TCM), is demonstrated. Owing to the large Kerr coefficient of TI, TCM could operate as an effective optical Kerr switcher and broadband wavelength converter at the telecommunication band. This device could be well integrated with current high‐speed fiber optic communication networks and might well provide an approach for all‐optical signal processing through nonlinear processes. It is anticipated that few‐layer topological insulator might afford new opportunities for nonlinear photonic applications, especially in all‐optical routing, optical multiplication frequency, etc.
Formamidinium and Cesium Hybridization for Photo‐ and Moisture‐Stable Perovskite Solar Cell
Authors: Lee Jin‐Wook , Kim Deok‐Hwan , Kim Hui‐Seon , Seo Seung‐Woo , Cho Sung Min , Park Nam‐Gyu
Published: September 2015

Although power conversion efficiency (PCE) of state‐of‐the‐art perovskite solar cells has already exceeded 20%, photo‐ and/or moisture instability of organolead halide perovskite have prevented further commercialization. In particular, the underlying weak interaction of organic cations with surrounding iodides due to eight equivalent orientations of the organic cation along the body diagonals in unit cell and chemically non‐inertness of organic cation result in photo‐ and moisture instability of organometal halide perovskite. Here, a perovskite light absorber incorporating organic–inorganic hybrid cation in the A‐site of 3D APbI3 structure with enhanced photo‐ and moisture stability is reported. A partial substitution of Cs+ for HC(NH2)2+ in HC(NH2)2PbI3 perovskite is found to substantially improve photo‐ and moisture stability along with photovoltaic performance. When 10% of HC(NH2)2+ is replaced by Cs+, photo‐ and moisture stability of perovskite film are significantly improved, which is attributed to the enhanced interaction between HC(NH2)2+ and iodide due to contraction of cubo‐octahedral volume. Moreover, trap density is reduced by one order of magnitude upon incorporation of Cs+, which is responsible for the increased open‐circuit voltage and fill factor, eventually leading to enhancement of average PCE from 14.9% to 16.5%.
Two novel POC1A mutations in the primordial dwarfism, SOFT syndrome: Clinical homogeneity but also unreported malformations
Authors: Barraza‐García Jimena , Iván Rivera‐Pedroza Carlos , Salamanca Luis , Belinchón Alberta , López‐González Vanesa , Sentchordi‐Montané Lucía , del Pozo Ángela , Santos‐Simarro Fernando , Campos‐Barros Ángel , Lapunzina Pablo , Guillén‐Navarro Encarna , González‐Casado Isabel , García‐Miñaur Sixto , Heath Karen E.
Published: September 2015

Primordial dwarfism encompasses rare conditions characterized by severe intrauterine growth retardation and growth deficiency throughout life. Recently, three POC1A mutations have been reported in six families with the primordial dwarfism, SOFT syndrome (Short stature, Onychodysplasia, Facial dysmorphism, and hypoTrichosis). Using a custom‐designed Next‐generation sequencing skeletal dysplasia panel, we have identified two novel homozygous POC1A mutations in two individuals with primordial dwarfism. The severe growth retardation and the facial profiles are strikingly similar between our patients and those described previously. However, one of our patients was diagnosed with severe foramen magnum stenosis and subglottic tracheal stenosis, malformations not previously associated with this syndrome. Our findings confirm that POC1A mutations cause SOFT syndrome and that mutations in this gene should be considered in patients with severe pre‐ and postnatal short stature, symmetric shortening of long bones, triangular facies, sparse hair and short, thickened distal phalanges. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Unusually Large Young’s Moduli of Amino Acid Molecular Crystals
Authors: Azuri Ido , Meirzadeh Elena , Ehre David , Cohen Sidney R. , Rappe Andrew M. , Lahav Meir , Lubomirsky Igor , Kronik Leeor
Published: September 2015

Young’s moduli of selected amino acid molecular crystals were studied both experimentally and computationally using nanoindentation and dispersion‐corrected density functional theory. The Young modulus is found to be strongly facet‐dependent, with some facets exhibiting exceptionally high values (as large as 44 GPa). The magnitude of Young’s modulus is strongly correlated with the relative orientation between the underlying hydrogen‐bonding network and the measured facet. Furthermore, we show computationally that the Young modulus can be as large as 70–90 GPa if facets perpendicular to the primary direction of the hydrogen‐bonding network can be stabilized. This value is remarkably high for a molecular solid and suggests the design of hydrogen‐bond networks as a route for rational design of ultra‐stiff molecular solids.
1‐Alkynyltriazenes as Functional Analogues of Ynamides
Authors: Perrin Florian G. , Kiefer Gregor , Jeanbourquin Loïc , Racine Sophie , Perrotta Daniele , Waser Jérôme , Scopelliti Rosario , Severin Kay
Published: September 2015

The chemical reactivity of 1‐alkynyltriazenes has been investigated and is found to parallel the reactivity of ynamides. The similarity in reactivity of these two classes of compounds is demonstrated by addition reactions with acids, by cycloaddition reactions with ketenes, tetracyanoethene, and cyclopropanes, as well as by intramolecular cyclization reactions. The presence of reactive triazene groups in the products enables subsequent transformations. Overall, our results suggest that 1‐alkynyltriazenes should become valuable reagents in synthetic organic chemistry.