bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ecological Modernization in Japan: The Role of Interest Rate Subsidies and Voluntary Pollution Control Agreements
Authors: Elliott Robert J. R. , Okubo Toshihiro
Published: September 2016

The need for developed countries to take a lead in the global fight against climate change is generally acknowledged and was intrinsic to the 2015 Paris climate change agreement. An understanding of the way in which environmental policy in advanced nations has developed and which policies have had a significant impact on the reduction in the emissions of various pollutants may yield important policy prescriptions relevant to the current climate change negotiations. In this paper we consider how Japan's little-known environmental interest rate policy and voluntary pollution control agreements contributed to Japan's ecological modernization and how these policies compare with the more traditional regulatory approach. Our results show that Japan's use of an environmental interest rate policy was an effective policy as a complement to the more traditional regulatory approach.
Analysis of the FTA Negotiation between China and Korea
Authors: Cheong Inkyo
Published: September 2016

When signing their bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) in February 2015, South Korea (Korea, hereafter) and China called the deal a historic milestone in deepening their strategic cooperative partnership and expected it to bring about practical benefits for both countries. The China–Korea FTA seems to generate low impact, however, because of its narrow coverage and tenuous commitments. Korea has taken a passive position regarding the FTA in response to the strong objections from its agricultural sector, and China has promoted the FTA in light of political considerations, then hurried to conclude negotiations for inclusion in the Beijing 2014 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting. This study is the first academic assessment of the China–Korea FTA based on the Chapters and Appendices that both countries have signed. Major elements of the FTA, including its narrow coverage, are analyzed qualitatively. We also provide a quantitative assessment based on tariff liberalization commitments. Finally, the study discusses the policy implications of the China–Korea FTA for economic integration in East Asia and the Asia-Pacific region.
Zombie Firms and the Crowding-Out of Private Investment in China
Authors: Tan Yuyan , Huang Yiping , Woo Wing Thye
Published: September 2016

From a data set of Chinese firms in the 2005–07 period, we find that government investment boosted the performance of zombie firms and crowded out the growth of private firms; we also found that the higher the concentration of state banks (and of state-owned enterprises), the more conducive is the environment for nurturing zombie firms. With the exit of zombie firms, (a) the industrial output growth rate would be higher by 2.12 percentage points, (b) the capital accumulation rate would be higher by 1.4 percentage points, (c) the employment growth rate would be higher by 0.84 percentage points, and (d) the rate total factor productivity growth would be higher by 1.06 percentage points. Our results support a radical change in the way that government investment has been carried out, and support comprehensive reform of the state sector, but they do not necessarily argue against government investment in large infrastructure projects and strategically-critical areas.
Reduced Left Lateralization of Language in Congenitally Blind Individuals
Authors: Lane Connor , Kanjlia Shipra , Richardson Hilary , Fulton Anne , Omaki Akira , Bedny Marina
Published: September 2016

Language processing depends on a left-lateralized network of frontotemporal cortical regions. This network is remarkably consistent across individuals and cultures. However, there is also evidence that developmental factors, such as delayed exposure to language, can modify this network. Recently, it has been found that, in congenitally blind individuals, the typical frontotemporal language network expands to include parts of “visual” cortices. Here, we report that blindness is also associated with reduced left lateralization in frontotemporal language areas. We analyzed fMRI data from two samples of congenitally blind adults (n = 19 and n = 13) and one sample of congenitally blind children (n = 20). Laterality indices were computed for sentence comprehension relative to three different control conditions: solving math equations (Experiment 1), a memory task with nonwords (Experiment 2), and a “does this come next?” task with music (Experiment 3). Across experiments and participant samples, the frontotemporal language network was less left-lateralized in congenitally blind than in sighted individuals. Reduction in left lateralization was not related to Braille reading ability or amount of occipital plasticity. Notably, we observed a positive correlation between the lateralization of frontotemporal cortex and that of language-responsive occipital areas in blind individuals. Blind individuals with right-lateralized language responses in frontotemporal cortices also had right-lateralized occipital responses to language. Together, these results reveal a modified neurobiology of language in blindness. Our findings suggest that, despite its usual consistency across people, the neurobiology of language can be modified by nonlinguistic experiences.
Aisthēsis, Reason and Appetite in the Timaeus
Authors: Fletcher Emily
Published: September 2016

There are two types ofaisthēsisin theTimaeus, which involve distinct physiological processes and different kinds of soul, appetite and reason respectively. This distinction explains Timaeus’ ambivalent attitude towardsaisthēsis: on the one hand, it is one of the main causes of the disruption of the orbits of the immortal soul upon embodiment; on the other hand, it plays a central role in restoring the immortal soul to its original, god-like condition.
La mission dans les écoles turques du mouvement de Fethullah Gülen en Afrique subsaharienne
Authors: Angey Gabrielle
Published: September 2016

The aim of this article is to expose the missionary perspective of a Muslim Movement originating from Turkey, the Gülen movement, in its educative action in Subsharan Africa. We will underline the way the followers of this movement articulate a discourse of development to their educative mission in Africa. This article will also analyze the point of view of African students from the Gülen schools on the Gülen Movement’s mission.
Missions et Organisation Internationale du Travail (OIT) : quelles collaborations pour le développement ?
Authors: Zaragori Aurélien
Published: September 2016

This article considers the links between development programs and policies set up by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the actions and positions of Christian missions. It aims at understanding how and why the ILO and missions got in touch in the mid-1920s. Then it examines how these relations strengthened up to the beginning of the 1970s, at first for the elaboration of international labour standards, and later as part of technical assistance programs.
In memoriam
Authors: Etherington Norman
Published: September 2016

Patrick Harries passed away in June 2016. This short contribution reviews his contribution to the study of missions and missionaries.
A classification for Blechnaceae (Polypodiales: Polypodiopsida): New genera, resurrected names, and combinations
Authors: GASPER ANDRÉ LUÍS DE , DITTRICH VINÍCIUS ANTONIO DE OLIVEIRA , SMITH ALAN REID , SALINO ALEXANDRE
Published: September 2016

The fern family Blechnaceae, with about 250 species, has traditionally comprised one large genus, Blechnum, plus seven to nine smaller genera, most with fewer than 10 species. Several phylogenetic analyses strongly suggest that Blechnum in the traditional sense is not a monophyletic group. We propose a new classification for the family, with three subfamilies and 24 genera. All genera are described and new combinations are provided, with an estimate of species number for each genus. We also provide a key for the identification of the genera.
A tiny new species of Specklinia from Haiti’s Parc National Naturel Macaya and new combinations in Acianthera (Pleurothallidinae, Epidendreae, Epidendroideae, Orchidaceae)
Authors: DOUCETTE ALFONSO , TIMYAN JOEL , HENRYS INGRID , CAMERON KENNETH M.
Published: September 2016

A new species of Specklinia with a repent growth habit and minute purple flowers is described and illustrated. The new species is distinguished from Specklinia wrightii based on its morphological and molecular distinctness from that species. The phylogenetic placement of the new species is provided based on an nrITS tree. The species described here represents the first new orchid to be described from material originating from the Parc National Naturel Macaya in six years. New combinations are made in Acianthera for species of Kraenzlinella and Pleurothallis subgen. Antilla embedded within the genus. In particular Kraenzlinella rinkei is provided as a new synonym for Specklinia montezumae and Specklinia simpliciflora is transferred to Acianthera sect. Antilla based on morphology and geographic distribution.
Neotropical spittlebugs related to Neaenini (Hemiptera, Cercopidae) and the origins of subfamily Cercopinae
Authors: HAMILTON K.G. ANDREW
Published: September 2016

The Central American tribe Neaenini, originally comprising only the monobasic genus Neaenus Fowler, was thought to be transitional between Cercopinae and Aphrophorinae. The genus is here enlarged by 5 (1 unnamed)  additional species including 2 in a distinctive new subgenus Neaniskus. Keys are presented to 5 species of Neaenus, to 12 allied Neotropical genera and their 57 species: 12 of Tomaspisinella Lallemand, 1927 (=Hemitomaspis Lallemand, 1949, syn.nov. and 3 distinctive new subgenera Meretricula, Merinx and Merulatomus), 14 species of Microsargane Fowler, 1897 (=Ecothera Melichar, 1915, syn.nov., with 2 distinctive new subgenera Microrhaphe and Microtholia) and 31 species of Zuata Fennah, together with 2 species of Helioptera gen. nov. and 6 monobasic genera (Liparonotum gen. nov., Marcion Fennah, Menytes gen. nov., Microclimax gen. nov., Microlaqueus gen. nov. and Simorhina Jacobi). The small Neotropical genera Tomaspisina Distant and Olcotomaspis Lallemand (with 2 new combinations and subgenus Hyalotomaspis Lallemand, stat.nov.) appear to be allied to the large old-world genus Phymatostetha Stål rather than to any new-world Cercopinae. A check list is presented to these 13 genera and their 76 species (of which 30 are new to science and 5 of Zuata are new synonyms). Males are described for 5 species previously known from females but males of 9 (in 6 genera) are still unknown. Male genitalia define a new tribe of Cercopinae, Microsarganini (Microsargane was formerly placed in Aphrophorinae) that also includes Liparonotum, Microclimax and Microlaqueus. Almost half of the genera are monobasic without synapomorphies to Aphrophorinae, suggesting that these genera (including several genera resembling both Aphrophorinae and Cercopinae) represent relict lineages at the base of the subfamily Cercopinae.
Gluphisia irene, a new species (Lepidoptera, Notodontidae) from China and some taxonomical remarks about the palaearctic Gluphisia Boisduval, 1828
Authors: SALDAITIS AIDAS , PEKARSKY OLEG
Published: September 2016

A new species of Gluphisia irene sp. n., from China’s Sichuan Province is described. The new species differs in appearance and genitalia from its closest relatives, Gluphisia crenata (Esper, 1785), Gluphisia tristis Gaede, 1933 stat. n. and Gluphisia meridionalis Kiriakoff, 1963 stat. n. described from Europe and China, respectively.
Zaramillidae, a new amphipod family from the subantarctic Kerguelen Islands (Amphipoda, Senticaudata, Gammaroidea, Zaramillidae fam. nov.)
Authors: LOWRY J.K. , MYERS A.A
Published: September 2016

A new senticaudate amphipod family, Zaramillidae is described from the subantarctic Kerguelen Islands, based on the genus Zaramilla Stebbing, 1888. It is placed in the gammaridiran amphipods.
Lithobius (Ezembius) multispinipes n. sp., a new species of centipede from NorthWest China (Lithobiomorpha: Lithobiidae)
Authors: PEI SUJIAN , LU YANMIN , LIU HAIPENG , HOU XIAOJIE , MA HUIQIN , ZAPPAROLI MARZIO
Published: September 2016

The centipede subgenus Lithobius (Ezembius) Chamberlin, 1919 comprises a group of about 60 species known from the Near East across Siberia and Central Asia to China, and Japan, and Southwards into the Northern Indian subcontinent and the Northern part of the Oriental region (Eason 1992, Zapparoli 1999). It is also known from Alaska in Western North America (Zapparoli & Edgecombe 2011). Although the subgenus was formally proposed as new and described in 1923 (Chamberlin 1923), according to Jeekel (2005) its name had been already validated in 1919 (Chamberlin 1919). Ezembius is characterized by the presence of 2+2 or 3+3 coxosternal teeth, antennal articles fixed at 20 or thereabouts, tergites generally without posterior triangular projections and tarsal articulation of legs 1–13 distinct (Chamberlin 1923, Zapparoli & Edgecombe 2011).
On the Nazeris fauna of Zhejiang, China (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Paederinae)
Authors: HU JIA-YAO , TU YUE-YE , LI LI-ZHEN
Published: September 2016

Twelve species of Nazeris Fauvel, 1873 are recorded from Zhejiang, China. Three of them are described as new: N. gutianensis Hu & Li, sp. n., N. zhaotiexiongi Hu & Li, sp. n., and N. zhangsujiongi Hu & Li, sp. n. Two synonymies are proposed: N. minor Koch, 1939 = N. nigritulus Hu, Li & Zhao, 2011, syn. n.; N. chinensis Koch, 1939 = N. tianmuensis Hu, Li & Zhao, 2011, syn. n. Nazeris sadanarii Hu & Li, 2010 is newly recorded from Zhejiang.
Acasta sulcata akanthosa, new replacement name for Acasta sulcata spinosa
Authors: PERREAULT RAY T.
Published: September 2016

Acasta sulcata spinosa Daniel, 1955 has been discovered to be a junior homonym of Acasta spinosa Hiro, 1939. As both names were originally described in the genus Acasta, ICZN (International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature) Article 57.2 defines A. sulcata spinosa as a primary junior homonym, even though it is of subspecific nature.
First Jurassic grasshopper (Insecta, Caelifera) from China
Authors: GU JUN-JIE , YUE YANLI , SHI FUMING , TIAN HE , REN DONG
Published: September 2016

Orthoptera is divided into two suborders, the Ensifera (katydids, crickets and mole crickets) and the Caelifera (grasshoppers and pygmy mole crickets). The earliest definitive caeliferans are those found in the Triassic (Bethoux & Ross 2005). The extinct caeliferan families, such as Locustopsidae and Locustavidae, may prove to be stem groups to some of the modern superfamilies (Grimaldi & Engel 2005). Locustopsidae is known from the Late Triassic or Early Jurassic to Late Cretaceous, consisting of two subfamilies (Gorochov et al. 2006). They are recorded from Europe, England, Russia, central Asia, China, Egypt, North America, Brazil and Australia. Up to now, Late Mesozoic fossil deposits of China has been reported plenty taxa of orthopterids, e.g. ensiferans, phasmatodeans, grylloblattids (Cui et al. 2012; Gu et al. 2010; Gu et al. 2012a; Gu et al. 2012b; Ren et al. 2012; Wang et al. 2014); but, with few caeliferans records, only four species, Pseudoacrida costata Lin 1982, Mesolocustopsis sinica Hong 1990, Tachacris stenosis Lin 1977 and T. turgis Lin 1980, were reported from the Early Cretaceous of Ningxia, Shandong, Yunnan and Zhejiang of China.
A Simple Method for Attenuation Correction in Local X-Band Radar Measurements Using C-Band Radar Data
Authors: Lengfeld Katharina , Clemens Marco , Merker Claire , Münster Hans , Ament Felix
Published: September 2016

This paper presents a novel, simple method to correct reflectivity measurements of weather radars that operate in attenuation-influenced frequency bands using observations from less attenuated radar systems. In recent years radar systems operating in the X-band frequency range have been developed to provide precipitation fields for areas of special interest in high temporal (≤1 min) and spatial (≤250 m) resolution in complement to nationwide radar networks. However, X-band radars are highly influenced by attenuation. C- and S-band radars typically have coarser resolution (250 m–1 km and 5 min) but are less affected by attenuation.

Correcting for attenuation effects in simple (non-Doppler) single-polarized X-band radars remains challenging and is often dependent on restriction parameters, for example, those derived from mountain returns. Therefore, these algorithms are applicable only in limited areas. The method proposed here uses measurements from C-band radars and hence can be applied in all regions covered by nationwide C- (or S-) band radar networks. First, a single scan of X-band radar measurements is used exemplary to identify advantages and disadvantages of the novel algorithm compared to a standard single radar algorithm. The performance of the correction algorithms in different types of precipitation is examined in nine case studies. The proposed method provides very promising results for each type of precipitation. Additionally, it is evaluated in a 5-month comparison with Micro Rain Radar (MRR) observations. The bias between uncorrected X-band radar and MRR data is nearly eliminated by the attenuation correction algorithm, and the RMSE is reduced by 20% while the correlation of ~0.9 between both systems remains nearly constant.
Collecting Quality Infrared Spectra from Microscopic Samples of Suspicious Powders in a Sealed Cell
Authors: Kammrath Brooke W. , Leary Pauline E. , Reffner John A.
Published: September 2016

The infrared (IR) microspectroscopical analysis of samples within a sealed-cell containing barium fluoride is a critical need when identifying toxic agents or suspicious powders of unidentified composition. The dispersive nature of barium fluoride is well understood and experimental conditions can be easily adjusted during reflection–absorption measurements to account for differences in focus between the visible and IR regions of the spectrum. In most instances, the ability to collect a viable spectrum is possible when using the sealed cell regardless of whether visible or IR focus is optimized. However, when IR focus is optimized, it is possible to collect useful data from even smaller samples. This is important when a minimal sample is available for analysis or the desire to minimize risk of sample exposure is important. While the use of barium fluoride introduces dispersion effects that are unavoidable, it is possible to adjust instrument settings when collecting IR spectra in the reflection–absorption mode to compensate for dispersion and minimize impact on the quality of the sample spectrum.
Application of Tunable Diode Laser Spectroscopy for the Assessment of Food Quality
Authors: Li Tianqi , Lin Huiying , Zhang Hao , Svanberg Katarina , Svanberg Sune
Published: September 2016

Adequate food packaging is important to ensure food quality and prolong the shelf life of food. Frequently, the method of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) is used. We used a tunable diode laser spectroscopy technique to detect the oxygen content in food packages, e.g., in packaged milk and bread. Different detection geometries were adopted to be able to collect scattering light that had passed through the gas volume in the packages, and to avoid the disturbance of ambient air. Furthermore, studies of the bread-baking process have been performed by measuring the water vapor signals in a fermenting dough. The results demonstrate that the technique has a great potential for nonintrusive assessment of food quality and the bread-baking process.
Remote Raman Efficiencies and Cross-Sections of Organic and Inorganic Chemicals
Authors: Acosta-Maeda Tayro E. , Misra Anupam K. , Porter John N. , Bates David E. , Sharma Shiv K.
Published: September 2016

We determined Raman cross-sections of various organic liquids and inorganic polyatomic ions in aqueous solutions with a 532 nm pulsed laser using remote Raman systems developed at the University of Hawaii. Using a calibrated integrating sphere as a light source, we converted the intensity counts in the spectrum of the light from the integrating sphere measured with UH remote Raman instrument to spectral radiance. From these data, a response function of the remote Raman instrument was obtained. With the intensity-calibrated instrument, we collected remote Raman data from a standard 1 mm path length fused silica spectrophotometer cell filled with cyclohexane. The measured value of the differential Raman cross-section for the 801 cm−1 vibrational mode of cyclohexane is 4.55 × 10−30 cm2 sr−1 molecule−1 when excited by a 532 nm laser, in good agreement with the values reported in the literature. Using the measured cyclohexane Raman cross-section as a reference and relative Raman mode intensities of the various ions and organic liquids, we calculated the Raman cross-sections of the strongest Raman lines of nitrate, sulfate, carbonate, phosphate ions, and organic liquids by maintaining same experimental conditions for remote Raman detection. These relative Raman cross-section values will be useful for estimating detection capabilities of remote Raman systems for planetary exploration.
Refractive Index Mixing Rules and Excess Infrared Spectra of Binary Mixtures
Authors: Baranović Goran
Published: September 2016

Three refractive index mixing rules, Arago–Biot, Lorentz–Lorenz, and Newton, are generalized to complex refractive index and used to define infrared (IR) spectra of the corresponding ideal liquid mixtures. Using the measured optical constants n and k for acetonitrile-water mixtures (Bertie and Lan, 1997) the excess absorbances, AE =  Aobs −  Aideal, are calculated. Relying upon the well-established properties of the acetonitrile–water mixtures, the interpretation of the excess absorbances is established that is essentially based on the understanding of a liquid as a set of oscillators. The set depends on the composition of the mixture and comprises oscillators as present in the pure components and oscillators perturbed by hydrogen bonding between unlike molecules. The main features of an excess spectrum can be established assuming chemical equilibria among various oscillators. The most informative parts of the spectrum of a yet unstudied binary system can well be observed and even qualitatively explained from the excess absorbance provided: first, a detailed vibrational study of the components has been done; and, second, it is well understood what actually is subtracted from Aobs. As examples, the binary mixtures of ethynylbenzene and tetrachloroethylene and 2-ethynylpyridine and tetrachloroethylene are considered.
Simultaneous Orthogonal Drug Detection Using Fully Integrated Gas Chromatography with Fourier Transform Infrared Detection and Mass Spectrometric Detection
Authors: Lanzarotta Adam , Falconer Travis , McCauley Heather , Lorenz Lisa , Albright Douglas , Crowe John , Batson JaCinta
Published: September 2016

Analytes that co-elute and yield nearly identical electron ionization (EI) mass spectra, as well as analytes that yield non-specific EI fragmentation patterns, have been identified using fully integrated gas chromatography with direct deposit Fourier transform infrared detection and mass spectrometric detection (GC/FT-IR/MS). While the IR detector proved to be more selective for identifying analytes such as synthetic cannabinoids and weight loss drugs, it was limited by a relatively high detection limit of 8.4 parts per million (ppm) for non-targeted identification of sibutramine based on a single injection but was reduced to 840  parts per billion (ppb) for targeted identification of sibutramine by redepositing ten injections along the same track. The MS detector was less selective for identifying these analytes but yielded non-targeted and targeted detection limits of approximately 84 ppb and 8.4 ppb, respectively, which corresponded to a 100-fold advantage compared to the IR detector. Overall, the results of this study demonstrate that the advantages of each detector compensate for the limitations of the other, which allows a wider range of analytes and concentrations to be examined using a fully integrated GC/FT-IR/MS instrument compared to what can be examined using GC/IR or GC/MS independently. Not only does this approach reduce consumption of laboratory resources and time, it provides IR and MS information on the same sample, which is important for forensic analyses that require data from two or more orthogonal techniques to make an identification.
Effectiveness of Depression–Suicidal Behaviour Gatekeeper Training among police officers in three European regions: Outcomes of the Optimising Suicide Prevention Programmes and Their Implementation in Europe (OSPI-Europe) study
Authors: Arensman Ella , Coffey Claire , Griffin Eve , Van Audenhove Chantal , Scheerder Gert , Gusmao Ricardo , Costa Susana , Larkin Celine , Koburger Nicole , Maxwell Margaret , Harris Fiona , Postuvan Vita , Hegerl Ulrich
Published: September 2016

Background:

Gatekeeper training for community facilitators, to identify and respond to those at risk of suicide, forms an important part of multi-level community-based suicide prevention programmes.

Aims:

This study examined the effects of gatekeeper training on attitudes, knowledge and confidence of police officers in dealing with persons at risk of suicide.

Methods:

A total of 828 police officers across three European regions participated in a 4-hour training programme which addressed the epidemiology of depression and suicidal behaviour, symptoms of depression, warning signs and risk factors associated with suicidal behaviour, motivating help-seeking behaviour, dealing with acute suicidal crisis and informing bereaved relatives. Participants completed internationally validated questionnaires assessing stigmatising attitudes, knowledge about depression and confidence in dealing with suicidal persons pre- and post-training.

Results:

There were significant differences among countries in terms of previous exposure to suicidal persons and extent of previous training. Post-training evaluation demonstrated significant improvements in stigmatising attitudes, knowledge and confidence in all three countries.

Conclusion:

The consistently positive effects of gatekeeper training of police officers across different regions support inclusion of this type of training as a fundamental part of multi-level community-based suicide prevention programmes and roll-out, nationally and internationally.
Influence of Familiarization of Preschool Children With Motor Tests on Test Results and Reliability Coefficients
Authors: Tomac Zvonimir , Hraski Zeljko
Published: September 2016

The study was conducted with the aim to research the influence of familiarization on test results for the assessment of motor skills in preschool children. In sum, 165 children (84 boys and 81 girls; mean age = 5.2 years, SD = 0.91) participated in the study. The measurement protocol consisted of six series of measurements in three different motor tests. Results showed a significant improvement of 11.51% in the standing long jump test, 13.02% in the polygon backwards test, and 26.29% in the hand taping test. In assessing the motor status of preschool children, it is essential to conduct a process of familiarizing with motor tests as well as the overall situation in which the measurement is carried out and wait for the stabilization of scores before their use.
Religious vs secular nationhood: ‘Multiple secularities’ in post-Soviet Armenia
Authors: Burchardt Marian , Hovhannisyan Hovhannes
Published: September 2016

This article draws on the notion of ‘cultural defense’ to examine how nationalism shapes contemporary contestations around religion and secularity in Armenia. While clearly relevant, this framework has rarely been used for the analysis of religious change in the Caucasus region as part of the broader post-Soviet space. This article fills this lacuna. Simultaneously, it moves beyond the relatively narrow interest in the degree of secularization or reinforced religious nationalism as social outcomes of cultural defense situations. Instead, we are interested in how boundaries between religion and secular spheres in society are drawn in particular ways, how the resulting religious – secular configurations have evolved since the end of the Soviet Union – of which Armenia was a part – and how concepts of nationhood and nationalist mobilizations have shaped this process.
Model Misspecification When Eliminating a Factor in Age-period-cohort Multiple Classification Models
Authors: O’Brien Robert M.
Published: September 2016

The impossibility of uniquely estimating all of the age, period, and cohort coefficients in age-period-cohort multiple classification (APCMC) models without imposing a constraint on the model is widely recognized. The problem results from a linear dependency in the design matrix, and this dependency involves the linear trends of age effects, period effects, and cohort effects. This article critiques the use of fit statistics to assess the overall importance of the effects of ages, periods, and cohorts in APCMC models. In particular, one proposed strategy to avoid the APCMC model identification problem is to test to see if including only two of the factors in a model (e.g., ages and cohorts) produces a fit that is not significantly different statistically from a model that includes all three factors. If the third factor (in this example periods) does not account for a statistically significant amount of variance, this strategy suggests that one should use the model with only the two factors. This is consistent with model selection approaches. The two-factor model is identified and produces estimates of the individual effects of ages and cohorts. There is, however, a fundamental problem with this approach when used with APCMC models. That problem results from the complete confounding of the linear effects of the three factors.
Looking Forward and Looking Back
Authors: Si Kao , Wyer Robert S. , Dai Xianchi
Published: September 2016

Past events are perceived to be temporally more distant when they are unlikely rather than likely to reoccur in the future. This can be because (a) future events that are unlikely to occur are perceived to be temporally remote and (b) these feelings of remoteness can generalize and influence subjective distance judgments of the events’ occurrences in the past. Six studies confirmed this effect and provided insights into the processes that underlie it. Alternative interpretations and implications of the current findings are discussed.
Event-as-participation: building a framework for the practice of ‘live-tweeting’ during televised public events
Authors: Kjeldsen Lena
Published: September 2016

Real-time commentary, also called ‘live-tweeting’, has become a widely used feature of the social networking site Twitter. Live-tweeting offers new dynamics in political communication by affording a space in which politicians, journalists, and the public alike are present while commenting on televised events in real time. Here, the social, spatial, and temporal arrangements of political communication are intermingled in a new fashion. This article presents a novel framework to theoretically conceptualize the use of live-tweeting. Drawing on the literature of ‘context collapse’ and a phenomenological perspective on media use, the concept of ‘events-as-participation’ is developed to identify a situation in which a public event is commented on online both by the participants present at the actual event and by an audience not physically present. Thus, a pluralization of the event occurs as it is experienced in situ, via broadcast and on various online platforms where new forms of interaction between those present and the audience can occur, blurring the boundaries between places, scenes, and social contexts and creating a new type of interplay between older and newer media formats.
Exploring Differences between TTO and DCE in the Valuation of Health States
Authors: Robinson Angela , Spencer Anne E. , Pinto-Prades José Luís , Covey Judith A.
Published: September 2016

There is recent interest in using discrete choice experiments (DCEs) to derive health state utility values, and results can differ from time tradeoff (TTO). Clearly, DCE is “choice based,” whereas TTO is generally considered a “matching” task. We explore whether procedural adaptations to the TTO, which make the method more closely resemble a DCE, make TTO and choice converge. In particular, we test whether making the matching procedure in TTO less “transparent” to the respondent reduces disparities between TTO and DCE. We designed an interactive survey that was hosted on the Internet, and 2022 interviews were achieved in the United Kingdom in a representative sample of the population. We found a marked divergence between TTO and DCE, but this was not related to the “transparency” of the TTO procedure. We conclude that a difference in the error structure between TTO and choice and that factors other than differences in utility are affecting choices is driving the divergence. The latter has fundamental implications for the way choice data are analyzed and interpreted.
Treatment-related myelodysplastic syndrome (t-MDS)/acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in children with cancer: A single-center experience
Authors: Tragiannidis Athanasios , Gombakis Nikolaos , Papageorgiou Maria , Hatzipantelis Emmanuel , Papageorgiou Theodotis , Hatzistilianou Maria
Published: September 2016

Treatment-related myelodysplastic syndrome (t-MDS)/acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a devastating early or late complication of treatment for childhood cancer related with a significant morbidity and mortality. We retrospectively studied survivors of childhood cancer. Overall, 287 patients were recorded in the databases and we identified three (1.04%) with t-MDS. The primary cancer diagnoses were Langerhans cell histiocytosis (one patient) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL; two patients). The mean age of patients was 12.1 years. All patients had received systemic antifungal treatment for invasive pulmonary aspergillosis successfully treated with voriconazole and liposomal amphotericin B before diagnosis of t-MDS. Two patients (66%) remain alive after a median follow-up period of 3.5 years.
Convergent Validity, Concurrent Validity, and Diagnostic Accuracy of the interRAI Depression Rating Scale
Authors: Penny Katherine , Barron Alex , Higgins Ann-Marie , Gee Susan , Croucher Matthew , Cheung Gary
Published: September 2016

Aims:

Depression Rating Scale (DRS) is one of the clinical outcome measures of the International Resident Assessment Instrument (interRAI) assessment. The primary aim of this study is to investigate the diagnostic accuracy and concurrent validity of the 3-day assessment window version of the DRS.

Methods:

The performance of DRS was compared with a gold standard clinical diagnosis of depression in 92 patients (age ≥65) who had interRAI version 9.1 Home Care assessment completed within 30 days of discharge from psychogeriatric inpatient care or memory clinic assessment.

Results:

The DRS had poor diagnostic accuracy for depression diagnosis with an area under the curve of 0.68 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.57-0.77). The DRS score had a poor to moderate correlation with the Health of the Nation Outcome Scale 65+ depression item score ( rs = 0.30, 95% CI = 0.09-0.48, P = .006).

Conclusion:

This study and the existing literature raise concerns that the DRS is not an adequate measure of depression.
Person-Based Versus Generalized Impulsivity Disinhibition in Frontotemporal Dementia and Alzheimer Disease
Authors: Paholpak Pongsatorn , Carr Andrew R. , Barsuglia Joseph P. , Barrows Robin J. , Jimenez Elvira , Lee Grace J. , Mendez Mario F.
Published: September 2016

Background:

While much disinhibition in dementia results from generalized impulsivity, in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) disinhibition may also result from impaired social cognition.

Objective:

To deconstruct disinhibition and its neural correlates in bvFTD vs. early-onset Alzheimer’s disease (eAD).

Methods:

Caregivers of 16 bvFTD and 21 matched-eAD patients completed the Frontal Systems Behavior Scale disinhibition items. The disinhibition items were further categorized into (1) “person-based” subscale which predominantly associated with violating social propriety and personal boundary and (2) “generalized-impulsivity” subscale which included nonspecific impulsive acts. Subscale scores were correlated with grey matter volumes from tensor-based morphometry on magnetic resonance images.

Results:

In comparison to the eAD patients, the bvFTD patients developed greater person-based disinhibition ( P < 0.001) but comparable generalized impulsivity. Severity of person-based disinhibition significantly correlated with the left anterior superior temporal sulcus (STS), and generalized-impulsivity correlated with the right orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and the left anterior temporal lobe (aTL).

Conclusions:

Person-based disinhibition was predominant in bvFTD and correlated with the left STS. In both dementia, violations of social propriety and personal boundaries involved fronto-parieto-temporal network of Theory of Mind, whereas nonspecific disinhibition involved the OFC and aTL.
Improving the properties of poly(arylene ether nitrile) composites reinforced by covalently modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes
Authors: Zhan Yingqing , Wan Xinyi , He Yi , Long Zhihang , Hu Hai , Liu Xiaobo
Published: September 2016

To develop high-performance carbon nanotube (CNT)-based polymer nanocomposites, both the interface control and the dispersion of CNTs within the polymer hosts need to be considered. In this study, we show an effective way to modify the surface of multi-walled CNTs (MWCNTs) by applying a cyclization reaction between nitrile-modified MWCNTs and bis-phthalonitrile. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were used to examine the structure and morphology of as-prepared functional CNTs. Phthalocyanines (Pcs) were found to be evenly coated on the surface of MWCNTs, resulting in good dispersion and strong interfacial adhesion between MWNCTs and the poly(arylene ether nitrile) (PEN) matrix. Compared with neat PEN, the tensile strength and tensile modulus of PEN nanocomposites with 2 wt% MWCNTs–Pc increased from 85.6 MPa to 108 MPa and from 2300 MPa to 3350 MPa, respectively. Furthermore, surface-functionalized CNTs can also form the physical MWCNT network within the PEN matrix, as confirmed by rheological and thermal stability tests. Additionally, a low rheological percolation threshold of 0.69 wt% was obtained, and the dielectric constant of PEN nanocomposites was increased from 3.3 for neat PEN to 16.6 with 5 wt% MWCNTs–Pc.
An integrated evolutionary approach for simultaneous optimization of laser weld bead characteristics
Authors: Rajulu C. Govinda , Krishna A Gopala , Babu Rao Thella
Published: September 2016

The selection of optimal welding parameters in any welding process significantly improves the quality, production rate, and cost of a component. The weld bead characteristics such as bead width, depth of penetration, and heat-affected zone are the prominent factors for evaluating the performance of a welded joint. The work presents a novel evolutionary multi-objective optimization approach to derive the optimal laser welding conditions for the weld bead geometrical parameters. The welding experiments were conducted with the consideration of pulse frequency, pulse width, welding speed, and pulse energy as the process-control variables to evaluate the weld bead characteristics. Empirical models for the bead characteristics were developed in terms of the input variables using response surface methodology. The individual and interactive effects of the variables on the responses were also analyzed. As the influence of control variables on the bead characteristics is conflicting in nature, the problem is formulated as a multi-objective optimization problem to simultaneously optimize the output parameters. The aim is to simultaneously minimize the bead width, maximize the depth of penetration, and minimize the heat-affected zone. An efficient evolutionary algorithm called non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-II was applied to derive the set of Pareto-optimal solutions. The derived optimal process responses were confirmed with the experimental values. The proposed integrated methodology can be applied to any welding process to automate the process conditions in computer-integrated manufacturing environment.
An interpretive structural modelling of the features influencing researchers’ selection of reference management software
Authors: Nilashi Mehrbakhsh , Dalvi Mohammad , Ibrahim Othman , Zamani Morteza , Ramayah T.
Published: September 2016

Reference management software packages are established as research software packages to help scholars organize their work, improve workflows and ultimately save time. The number of citation management software packages has increased in recent years and therefore choosing an appropriate one has become a challenge for researchers. Scholars always explore the features of an appropriate RMS prior to making an investment to invest in one. Hence, the purpose of this study was to identify and analyze the prominent features in the selection of appropriate reference management software based on an extensive literature review and further to validate this through experts’ opinions. We have utilized the valuable opinions of experts to develop a hierarchical model based on the interpretive structural modelling approach to demonstrate the contextual interrelationship among these factors. Furthermore, the Matrice d’Impacts Croisées-Multiplication Appliquée à un Classement analysis approach has been utilized to classify the identified features based on their dependences and driving power, and to validate the developed interpretive structural modelling-based conceptual model. The developed model in this study can help reference management software developers to understand the correlations among the identified features and their interdependences to further enhance the quality of their products. The academic and practical contributions of the study are discussed.
Measurement error, time lag, unmeasured confounding: Considerations for longitudinal estimation of the effect of a mediator in randomised clinical trials
Authors: Goldsmith KA , Chalder T , White PD , Sharpe M , Pickles A
Published: September 2016

Clinical trials are expensive and time-consuming and so should also be used to study how treatments work, allowing for the evaluation of theoretical treatment models and refinement and improvement of treatments. These treatment processes can be studied using mediation analysis. Randomised treatment makes some of the assumptions of mediation models plausible, but the mediator–outcome relationship could remain subject to bias. In addition, mediation is assumed to be a temporally ordered longitudinal process, but estimation in most mediation studies to date has been cross-sectional and unable to explore this assumption. This study used longitudinal structural equation modelling of mediator and outcome measurements from the PACE trial of rehabilitative treatments for chronic fatigue syndrome (ISRCTN 54285094) to address these issues. In particular, autoregressive and simplex models were used to study measurement error in the mediator, different time lags in the mediator–outcome relationship, unmeasured confounding of the mediator and outcome, and the assumption of a constant mediator–outcome relationship over time. Results showed that allowing for measurement error and unmeasured confounding were important. Contemporaneous rather than lagged mediator–outcome effects were more consistent with the data, possibly due to the wide spacing of measurements. Assuming a constant mediator–outcome relationship over time increased precision.
Association analysis of successive events data in the presence of competing risks
Authors: Chen Xiaotian , Cheng Yu , Frank Ellen , Kupfer David J
Published: September 2016

We aim to close a methodological gap in analyzing durations of successive events that are subject to induced dependent censoring as well as competing-risk censoring. In the Bipolar Disorder Center for Pennsylvanians study, some patients who managed to recover from their symptomatic entry later developed a new depressive or manic episode. It is of great clinical interest to quantify the association between time to recovery and time to recurrence in patients with bipolar disorder. The estimation of the bivariate distribution of the gap times with independent censoring has been well studied. However, the existing methods cannot be applied to failure times that are censored by competing causes such as in the Bipolar Disorder Center for Pennsylvanians study. Bivariate cumulative incidence function has been used to describe the joint distribution of parallel event times that involve multiple causes. To the best of our knowledge, however, there is no method available for successive events with competing-risk censoring. Therefore, we extend the bivariate cumulative incidence function to successive events data, and propose non-parametric estimators of the bivariate cumulative incidence function and the related conditional cumulative incidence function. Moreover, an odds ratio measure is proposed to describe the cause-specific dependence, leading to the development of a formal test for independence of successive events. Simulation studies demonstrate that the estimators and tests perform well for realistic sample sizes, and our methods can be readily applied to the Bipolar Disorder Center for Pennsylvanians study.
Multiple imputation with non-additively related variables: Joint-modeling and approximations
Authors: Kim Soeun , Belin Thomas R , Sugar Catherine A
Published: September 2016

This paper investigates multiple imputation methods for regression models with interacting continuous and binary predictors when continuous variable may be missing. Usual implementations for parametric multiple imputation assume a multivariate normal structure for the variables, which is not satisfied for a binary variable nor its interaction with a continuous variable. To accommodate interactions, missing covariates are multiply imputed from conditional distribution in a manner consistent with the joint model. Alternative imputation methods under multivariate normal assumptions are also considered as candidate approximations and evaluated in a simulation study. The results suggest that the joint modeling procedure performs generally well across a wide range of scenarios and so do the approximation methods that incorporate interactions in the model appropriately by stratification. It is critical to include interactions in the imputation model as failure to do so may result in low coverage and bias. We apply the joint modeling approach and approximation methods in the study of childhood trauma with gender × trauma interaction.