bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unraveling PBF effects beyond impact evaluation: results from a qualitative study in Cameroon
Authors: De Allegri Manuela , Bertone Maria Paola , McMahon Shannon , Mounpe Chare Idrissou , Robyn Paul Jacob
Published: March 2018

Introduction

Performance-based financing (PBF) has acquired increased prominence as a means of reforming health system purchasing structures in low-income and middle-income countries. A number of impact evaluations have noted that PBF often produces mixed and heterogeneous effects. Still, little systematic effort has been channelled towards understanding what causes such heterogeneity, including looking more closely at implementation processes.

Methods

Our qualitative study aimed at closing this gap in knowledge by attempting to unpack the mixed and heterogeneous effects detected by the PBF impact evaluation in Cameroon to inform further implementation as the country scales up the PBF approach. We collected data at all levels of the health system (national, district, facility) and at the community level, using a mixture of in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. We combined deductive and inductive analytical techniques and applied analyst triangulation.

Results

Our findings indicate that heterogeneity in effects across facilities could be explained by pre-existing infrastructural weaknesses coupled with rigid administrative processes and implementation challenges, while heterogeneity across indicators could be explained by providers’ practices, privileging services where demand-side barriers were less substantive.

Conclusion

In light of the country’s commitment to scaling up PBF, it follows that substantial efforts (particularly entrusting facilities with more financial autonomy) should be made to overcome infrastructural and demand-side barriers and to smooth implementation processes, thus, enabling healthcare providers to use PBF resources and management models to a fuller potential.
Voices from low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review protocol of primary healthcare interventions within public health systems addressing intimate partner violence against women
Authors: Signorelli Marcos Claudio , Hillel Stav , de Oliveira Daniel Canavese , Ayala Quintanilla Beatriz Paulina , Hegarty Kelsey , Taft Angela
Published: March 2018

Introduction

Intimate partner violence (IPV) considerably harms the health, safety and well-being of women. In response, public health systems around the globe have been gradually implementing strategies. In particular, low-income and middle-income countries (LMIC) have been developing innovative interventions in primary healthcare (PHC) addressing the problem. This paper describes a protocol for a systematic review of studies addressing the impacts and outcomes of PHC centre interventions addressing IPV against women from LMIC.

Methods and analysis

A systematic search for studies will be conducted in African Index Medicus, Africa Portal Digital Library, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Embase, Index Medicus for the Southeast Asia Region, IndMed, Latin American and Caribbean Health Science Literature Database (LILACS), Medecins Sans Frontieres, MEDLINE, Minority Health and Health Equity Archive, ProQuest, PsycINFO, Scientific Electronic Library Online, (SciELO) and Social Policy and Practice. Studies will be in English, Spanish and Portuguese, published between 2007 and 2017, addressing IPV against women from LMIC, whose data quantitatively report on the impacts and outcomes for survivors and/or workers and/or public health systems preintervention and postintervention. Two trilingual reviewers will independently screen for study eligibility and data extraction, and a librarian will cross-check for compliance. Risk of bias and quality assessment of studies will be measured according to: (1) the Cochrane Collaboration’s tool for assessing risk of bias for randomised controlled trials and (2) the Methodological Index for Non-Randomised Studies (MINORS). Data will be analysed and summarised using meta-analysis and narrative description of the evidence across studies. This systematic review will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols(PRISMA P) guidelines.

Ethics and dissemination

This systematic review will be based on published studies, thus not requiring ethical approval. Findings will be presented in conferences and published in a peer-reviewed journal.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42017069261.
Real-world effects of medications for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: protocol for a UK population-based non-interventional cohort study with validation against randomised trial results
Authors: Wing Kevin , Williamson Elizabeth , Carpenter James R , Wise Lesley , Schneeweiss Sebastian , Smeeth Liam , Quint Jennifer K , Douglas Ian
Published: March 2018

Introduction

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive disease affecting 3 million people in the UK, in which patients exhibit airflow obstruction that is not fully reversible. COPD treatment guidelines are largely informed by randomised controlled trial results, but it is unclear if these findings apply to large patient populations not studied in trials. Non-interventional studies could be used to study patient groups excluded from trials, but the use of these studies to estimate treatment effectiveness is in its infancy. In this study, we will use individual trial data to validate non-interventional methods for assessing COPD treatment effectiveness, before applying these methods to the analysis of treatment effectiveness within people excluded from, or under-represented in COPD trials.

Methods and analysis

Using individual patient data from the landmark COPD Towards a Revolution in COPD Health (TORCH) trial and validated methods for detecting COPD and exacerbations in routinely collected primary care data, we will assemble a cohort in the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (selecting people between 1 January 2004 and 1 January 2017) with similar characteristics to TORCH participants and test whether non-interventional data can generate comparable results to trials, using cohort methodology with propensity score techniques to adjust for potential confounding. We will then use the methodological template we have developed to determine risks and benefits of COPD treatments in people excluded from TORCH. Outcomes are pneumonia, COPD exacerbation, mortality and time to treatment change. Groups to be studied include the elderly (>80 years), people with substantial comorbidity, people with and without underlying cardiovascular disease and people with mild COPD.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval has been granted by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Ethics Committee (Ref: 11997). The study has been approved by the Independent Scientific Advisory Committee of the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (protocol no. 17_114R). An application to use the TORCH trial data made to clinicalstudydatarequest.com has been approved. In addition to scientific publications, dissemination methods will be developed based on discussions with patient groups with COPD.
Glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes patients and its predictors: a retrospective database study at a tertiary care diabetes centre in Ningbo, China
Authors: Li Jialin , Chattopadhyay Kaushik , Xu Miao , Chen Yanshu , Hu Fangfang , Chu Jianping , Li Li
Published: March 2018

Objectives

The objectives of the study were to assess glycaemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) at a tertiary care diabetes centre in Ningbo, China and to determine factors that independently predict their glycaemic control.

Design

Retrospective cross-sectional study using an existing database, the Diabetes Information Management System.

Setting

Tertiary care diabetes centre in Ningbo, China.

Participants

The study included adult patients with T2DM, registered and received treatment at the diabetes centre for at least six consecutive months. The study inclusion criteria were satisfied by 1387 patients, from 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2017.

Primary outcome measure

Glycaemic control (poor was defined as glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c)>=7% or fasting blood glucose (FBG)>7.0 mmol/L).

Results

In terms of HbA1c and FBG, the 5-year period prevalence of poor glycaemic control was 50.3% and 57.3%, respectively. In terms of HbA1c and FBG, the odds of poor glycaemic control increased with the duration of T2DM (>1 to 2 years: OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.06 to 3.19; >2 to 4 years: 3.32, 1.88 to 5.85 and >4 years: 5.98, 4.09 to 8.75 and >1 to 2 years: 2.10, 1.22 to 3.62; >2 to 4 years: 2.48, 1.42 to 4.34 and >4 years: 3.34, 2.32 to 4.80) and were higher in patients residing in rural areas (1.68, 1.24 to 2.28 and 1.42, 1.06 to 1.91), with hyperlipidaemia (1.57, 1.12 to 2.19 and 1.68, 1.21 to 2.33), on diet, physical activity and oral hypoglycaemic drug (OHD) as part of their T2DM therapeutic regimen (1.80, 1.01 to 3.23 and 2.40, 1.36 to 4.26) and on diet, physical activity, OHD and insulin (2.47, 1.38 to 4.41 and 2.78, 1.58 to 4.92), respectively.

Conclusions

More than half of patients with T2DM at the diabetes centre in Ningbo, China have poor glycaemic control, and the predictors of glycaemic control were identified. The study findings could be taken into consideration in future interventional studies aimed at improving glycaemic control in these patients.
Cross-sectional associations of objectively assessed neighbourhood attributes with depressive symptoms in older adults of an ultra-dense urban environment: the Hong Kong ALECS study
Authors: Zhang Casper J P , Barnett Anthony , Sit Cindy H P , Lai Poh-chin , Johnston Janice M , Lee Ruby S Y , Cerin Ester
Published: March 2018

Objectives

This study aimed to examine the associations between objectively assessed neighbourhood environmental attributes and depressive symptoms in Hong Kong Chinese older adults and the moderating effects of neighbourhood environmental attributes on the associations between living arrangements and depressive symptoms.

Design

Cross-sectional observational study.

Setting

Hong Kong.

Participants

909 Hong Kong Chinese community dwellers aged 65+ years residing in preselected areas stratified by walkability and socioeconomic status.

Exposure and outcome measures

Attributes of participants’ neighbourhood environment were objectively assessed using geographic information systems and environmental audits. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Geriatric Depression Scale.

Results

Overall, pedestrian infrastructure (OR=1.025; P=0.008), connectivity (OR=1.039; P=0.002) and prevalence of public transport stops (OR=1.056; P=0.012) were positively associated with the odds of reporting depressive symptoms. Older adults living alone were at higher risk of reporting any depressive symptoms than those living with others (OR=1.497; P=0.039). This association was moderated by neighbourhood crowdedness, perceptible pollution, access to destinations and presence of people. Residing in neighbourhoods with lower levels of these attributes was associated with increased deleterious effects of living alone. Living in neighbourhoods with lower public transport density also increased the deleterious effects of living alone on the number of depressive symptoms. Those living alone and residing in neighbourhoods with higher levels of connectivity tended to report more depressive symptoms than their counterparts.

Conclusions

The level of access to destinations and social networks across Hong Kong may be sufficiently high to reduce the risk of depressive symptoms in older adults. Yet, exposure to extreme levels of public transport density and associated traffic volumes may increase the risk of depressive symptoms. The provision of good access to a variety of destinations, public transport and public open spaces for socialising in the neighbourhood may help reduce the risk of depressive symptoms in older adults who live alone.
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation for improving peripheral nerve health: protocol for a systematic review
Authors: Zhang Alexis Ceecee , MacIsaac Richard J , Roberts Leslie , Kamel Jordan , Craig Jennifer P , Busija Lucy , Downie Laura E
Published: March 2018

Introduction

Damage to peripheral nerves occurs in a variety of health conditions. Preserving nerve integrity, to prevent progressive nerve damage, remains a clinical challenge. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are implicated in the development and maintenance of healthy nerves and may be beneficial for promoting peripheral nerve health. The aim of this systematic review is to assess the effects of oral omega-3 PUFA supplementation on peripheral nerve integrity, including both subjective and objective measures of peripheral nerve structure and/or function.

Methods and analysis

A systematic review of randomised controlled trials that have evaluated the effects of omega-3 PUFA supplementation on peripheral nerve assessments will be conducted. Comprehensive electronic database searches will be performed in Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), US National Institutes of Health Clinical Trials Registry and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. The title, abstract and keywords of identified articles will be assessed for eligibility by two reviewers. Full-text articles will be obtained for all studies judged as eligible or potentially eligible; these studies will be independently assessed by two reviewers to determine eligibility. Disagreements will be resolved by consensus. Risk of bias assessment will be performed using the Cochrane Collaboration risk of bias tool to appraise the quality of included studies. If clinically meaningful, and there are a sufficient number of eligible studies, a meta-analysis will be conducted and a summary of findings table will be provided.

Ethics and dissemination

This is a systematic review that will involve the analysis of previously published data, and therefore ethics approval is not required. A manuscript reporting the results of this systematic review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and may also be presented at relevant scientific conferences.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42018086297.
Index coronary angiography use in Manitoba, Canada: a population-level descriptive analysis of First Nations and non-First Nations recipients
Authors: Schultz Annette S H , Dahl Lindsey , McGibbon Elizabeth , Brownlie R Jarvis , Cook Catherine , Elbarouni Basem , Katz Alan , Nguyen Thang , Sawatzky Jo Ann , Sinclaire Moneca , Throndson Karen , Fransoo Randy
Published: March 2018

Objectives

To investigate recipient characteristics and rates of index angiography among First Nations (FN) and non-FN populations in Manitoba, Canada.

Setting

Population-based, secondary analysis of provincial administrative health data.

Participants

All adults 18 years or older who received an index angiogram between 2000/2001 and 2008/2009.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

(1) Descriptive statistics for age, sex, income quintile by rural and urban residency and Charlson Comorbidity Index for FN and non-FN recipients. (2) Annual index angiogram rates for FN and non-FN populations and among those rates of ‘urgent’ angiograms based on acute myocardial infarction (AMI)-related hospitalisations during the previous 7 days. (3) Proportions of people who did not receive an angiogram in the 20 years preceding an ischaemic heart disease (IHD) diagnosis or a cardiovascular death; stratified by age (<65 or ≥65 years old).

Results

FN recipients were younger (56.3vs63.8 years; p<0.0001) and had higher Charlson Comorbidity scores (1.32vs0.78; p<0.001). During all years examined, index angiography rates were lower among FN people (2.67vs3.33 per 1000 population per year; p<0.001) with no notable temporal trends. Among the index angiogram recipients, a higher proportion was associated with an AMI-related hospitalisation in the FN group (28.8%vs25.0%; p<0.01) and in both groups rates significantly increased over time. FN people who died from cardiovascular disease or were older (65+years old) diagnosed with IHD were more likely to have received an angiogram in the preceding 20–30 years (17.8%vs12.5%; p<0.01 and 50.9%vs49.5%; p<0.03, respectively). FN people diagnosed with IHD who were under the age of 65 were less likely to have received an angiogram (47.8%vs53.1%; p<0.01)

Conclusions

Index angiogram use differences are suggested between FN and non-FN populations, which may contribute to reported IHD disparities. Investigating factors driving these rates will determine any association between ethnicity and angiography services.
How do explicitly stated hospital trust values relate to their CQC ratings?
Authors: Hamnett Nathan , Patel Naomi , Nelson Kathryn , Harrison Tom , White Nicholas
Published: March 2018

Introduction

ForNational Health Service(NHS) Trusts in the process of setting internal organisational values, it would be useful to see if there was a correlation between certain organisational values and Care Quality Commission (CQC) ratings to enable quality improvement.

Methods

To examine this, we identified the CQC ratings of the NHS England provider trusts and identified and listed the trust’s values. These values were then categorised and a comparison made of well-performing and underperforming trusts.

Results

A total of 43 different values were identified, with a total of 800 values being used across all 188 trusts. In the reviewed hospitals, a broad range of values were found with some not meeting common definitions of what a value is. All trusts included some aspect of behaviour in their values.

Conclusion

Well-performing hospitals are more likely to be open and honest with aspirational values, whereas those which are not are more likely to be focused on day to day service delivery with operational or proscriptive values. There was considerable variation from the published NHS constitution values with outstanding and good trusts having more variance from the values in the NHS constitution than trusts rated requiring improvement or inadequate.
Nutrition and ontogeny influence weapon development in a long-lived mammal
Authors: Jones P.D. , Strickland B.K. , Demarais S. , Wang G. , Dacus C.M.
Published: March 2018

Selection in male cervids should optimize allocation of nutritional resources to the competing demands of body growth versus weapon development. We investigated allocation decisions of growing and mature male white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmerman, 1780)) from three regions of low, moderate, and high diet quality. We tested (i) if deer under greater nutritional limitations would allocate proportionally less to antler growth, (ii) if antler and body mass became less variable with age, and (iii) if antler size consistently exhibited positive allometry with body mass across age classes and nutritional planes. Greater nutrition increased antler allocation in 2.5 to 4.5 year olds but not in yearlings or prime-aged males. Variability of antler mass decreased with age and was generally less in more fertile regions, but body mass was equally variable across all ages and regions. Antler mass was positively allometric with body mass for all combinations of age class and region but exhibited age- and region-related differences. Our results suggest that accruing body mass is more important to lifetime reproductive success than increasing weapon size. Reduced allometric coefficients in older males likely stem from increasing use of skeletal mineral reserves, selective pressures favoring greater body mass, and possible selection for optimal weapon strength and structure.
FINANCIAL EFFICIENCY OF TERTIARY EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS: A SECOND-STAGE DYNAMIC NETWORK DATA ENVELOPMENT ANALYSIS METHOD
Authors: TRAN CAROLYN-DUNG T. T. , VILLANO RENATO A.
Published: March 2018

The overall performance of an organization depends on the operational efficiency of different divisions in a network structure. The organization is really efficient only if each division is operating efficiently. The linkage between divisions is inherently complex and needs to be perused to provide more appropriate solutions for further improvement. Using the advanced dynamic network data envelopment analysis method, this paper investigates divisional efficiency in relation to the overall performance of tertiary education institutions in a network structure. As an illustrative case, the performance of 82 Vietnamese public universities was analyzed for the period 2011–2013. The results indicate that the financial efficiency is 0.826, while the academic efficiency is 0.782. The overall dynamic network efficiency of public universities is 0.804 which strongly correlated with academic efficiency rather than financial efficiency. The second-stage fractional regression analysis is proposed to investigate the effects of contextual factors on the efficiency of the financial division. The findings reveal that enrolment growth, central management and location influence financial efficiency. These findings suggest that more consideration has to be given to government policies by removing enrolment quotas and complicated line management in the context of Vietnamese higher education.
HAS MONETARY POLICY CAUSED HOUSING PRICES TO RISE OR FALL IN CHINA?
Authors: YIN XIAO-CUI , SU CHI-WEI , TAO RAN
Published: March 2018

This paper examines whether broader money supply (M2) and interest rate as two monetary policy tools may have differently affected housing prices in China. Empirical results show that there is a co-movement between housing prices and M2 in the short run and it becomes more pronounced after 2006 in the medium run. In addition, generally M2 positively affects housing prices. This supports the asset price channel which indicates that an easing monetary policy offers ample liquidity and results in raising the housing prices. The excess liquidity after 2008 spread to housing market, resulting in too much money chasing relatively few assets and triggering a surge in housing prices. On the other hand, we observe that co-movement between housing prices and interest rate is not very evident in most time. Moreover, we find that interest rate has a positive effect on housing prices which is not consistent with the user cost approach and indicates that a contracting monetary policy is not effective in curbing housing market. Not completely liberalized interest rate system and the high return on housing investments reduce the impact of interest rate on housing prices. These findings indicate that money supply is more effective than interest rate as channel to control the housing prices in China. The results are helpful for the scientific formulation of monetary policy for reasonable regulation of the market.
Tunable spin-dependent transport in the dot–ring nanostructure
Authors: Kȩdzierska B. , Gorczyca-Goraj A. , Zipper E. , Maśka M. M.
Published: March 2018

We study spin-dependent transport through a quantum nanostructure composed of a quantum dot (QD) surrounded by a quantum nanoring. The nanostructure is side-attached to source and drain electrodes and we assume that the confining potential that forms the nanostructure can be controlled by electrical gating. We demonstrate that depending on the model parameters the system can exhibit positive as well as negative differential conductance (NDC). What is more interesting, these properties can be easily controlled by tuning the applied gate voltage.
Manifestations of spin and charge fluctuations in spectra of the Hubbard model
Authors: Sherman A.
Published: March 2018

The influence of long-range spin and charge fluctuations on spectra of the two-dimensional (2D) fermionic Hubbard model is considered using the strong coupling diagram technique (SCDT). Infinite sequences of diagrams containing ladder inserts, which describe the interaction of electrons with these fluctuations, are summed, and obtained equations are self-consistently solved for the range of Hubbard repulsions 4t [Formula: see text]U [Formula: see text] 8t and temperatures 0.3t [Formula: see text] T [Formula: see text] t with t the intersite hopping constant. It was found that a metal–insulator transition curve goes from larger U and T to smaller values of these parameters. The temperature decrease causes the transition to the long-range antiferromagnetic order. It is responsible for the splitting out of a narrow band from a Hubbard subband with doping for U = 8t and low T. This segregated band is located near the Fermi level and forms a pseudogap here.
Three-Dimensional Space Vector Modulation Strategy for Capacitor Balancing in Split Inductor Neutral-Point Clamped Multilevel Inverters
Authors: Ramasamy Palanisamy , Krishnasamy Vijayakumar , Sathik Mohamed Ali Jagabar , Ali Ziad M. , Aleem Shady H. E. Abdel
Published: March 2018

Capacitor imbalance is one of the major drawbacks of a neutral-point clamped multilevel inverter (NPC-MLI). The capacitor imbalance rises due to the nonuniform switching, nonideal DC link capacitors, improper commutation, and various asymmetrical phase currents in switching states. The imbalance can be minimized by using proper switching using a redundancy switching method and avoiding the usage of medium vectors. The computational cost of this system is to be decided by the level of the inverter system. This paper presents a comprehensive three-dimensional space vector modulation (3D-SVM) strategy to eliminate the imbalance in the DC link capacitor voltage, which is across the applied input DC source. The technique is easy to implement without using any trigonometric functions, lookup tables, or angle determinations. This proposed scheme has been verified using MATLAB Simulink and authenticated using field-programmable gate array (FPGA) controller.
Control of Memristor-Based Simplest Chaotic Circuit with One-State Controllers
Authors: Kizmaz Hakan , Kocamaz Uğur Erkin , Uyaroğlu Yilmaz
Published: March 2018

This paper deals with the control of the memristor-based simplest chaotic circuit by means of only one-state controller. Three distinct control techniques, namely linear feedback control, sliding mode control, and nonlinear control, are examined for the control. Routh–Hurwitz stability criteria are used for constructing the linear feedback and sliding mode gains. Lyapunov function is used for ensuring the global asymptotic stability of the system with the nonlinear controller. Numerical simulations are demonstrated not only to validate the theoretical analyses, but also to compare the control results. They have shown that even if one-state controller is used, all the methods are effective for controlling the memristor-based simplest chaotic circuit. However, the control is observed in a better time period with the sliding mode controller.
Cost-Reliability-Optimal Release Time of Software with Patching Considered
Authors: Kumar Vijay , Singh V. B. , Dhamija Ashish , Srivastav Shreyas
Published: March 2018

Testing life cycle poses a problem of achieving a high level of software reliability while achieving an optimal release time for the software. To enhance the reliability of the software, retain the market potential for the software and reduce the testing cost, the enterprise needs to know when to release the software and when to stop testing. To achieve this, enterprises usually release their product earlier in market and then release patches subsequently. Software patching is a process through which enterprises debug, update, or enhance their software. Software patching when used as a debugging process ensures an optimal release for the product, increasing the reliability of the software while reducing the economic overhead of testing. Today, due to the diverse and distributed nature of software, its journey in the market is dynamic, making patching an inherent aspect of testing. A patch is a piece of software designed to update a computer program or its supporting data to fix or improve it. Researchers have worked in the field to minimize the testing cost, but so far, reliability has not been considered in the models for optimal time scheduling using patching. In this paper, we discuss reliability, which is a major attribute of the quality of software. Thus, to address the issues of testing cost, release time of software, and a desirable reliability level, we propose a reliability growth model implementing software patching to make the software system reliable and cost effective. The numeric illustration has been implemented using real-life software failure data set.
Optimal Reliability and Cost of Non-Repairable Systems Subject to Two Failure Modes Considering Correlated Failures
Authors: Krishna Murthy Anusha , Bhattacharya Saikath , Fiondella Lance
Published: March 2018

Most reliability models assume that components and systems experience one failure mode. Several systems such as hardware, however, are prone to more than one mode of failure. Past two-failure mode research derives equations to maximize reliability or minimize cost by identifying the optimal number of components. However, many if not all of these equations are derived from models that make the simplifying assumption that components fail in a statistically independent manner. In this paper, models to assess the impact of correlation on two-failure mode system reliability and cost are developed and corresponding expressions for reliability and cost optimal designs derived. Our illustrations demonstrate that, despite correlation, the approach identifies reliability and cost optimal designs.
KYLE–BACK’S MODEL WITH A RANDOM HORIZON
Authors: CORCUERA JOSÉ MANUEL , DI NUNNO GIULIA
Published: March 2018

The continuous-time version of Kyle [(1985) Continuous auctions and insider trading, Econometrica 53 (6), 1315–1335.] developed by Back [(1992) Insider trading in continuous time, The Review of Financial Studies 5 (3), 387–409.] is studied here. In Back’s model, there is asymmetric information in the market in the sense that there is an insider having information on the real value of the asset. We extend this model by assuming that the fundamental value evolves with time and that it is announced at a future random time. First, we consider the case when the release time of information is predictable to the insider and then when it is not. The goal of the paper is to study the structure of equilibrium, which is described by the optimal insider strategy and the competitive market prices given by the market makers. We provide necessary and sufficient conditions for the optimal insider strategy under general dynamics for the asset demands. Moreover, we study the behavior of the price pressure and the market efficiency. In particular, we find that when the random time is not predictable, there can be equilibrium without market efficiency. Furthermore, for the two cases of release time and for classes of pricing rules, we provide a characterization of the equilibrium.
Development of a Partitioned Coupling Analysis System for Fluid–Structure Interactions Using an In-House ISPH Code and the Adventure System
Authors: Ogino Masao , Iwama Takuya , Asai Mitsuteru
Published: March 2018

In this paper, a partitioned coupling analysis system is developed for a numerical simulation of 3-dimensional fluid–structure interaction (FSI) problems, adopting an incompressible smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method for fluid dynamics involving free surface flow and the finite element method (FEM) for structural dynamics. A coupling analysis of a particle-based method and a grid-based method has been investigated. However, most of these are developed as a function-specific application software, and therefore lack versatility. Hence, to save cost in software development and maintenance, the open source software is utilized. Especially, a general-purpose finite element analysis system, named ADVENTURE, and a general-purpose coupling analysis platform, named REVOCAP_Coupler, are employed. Moreover, techniques of an interface marker on fluid–structure boundaries and a dummy mesh for fluid analysis domain are adopted to solve the problem that the REVOCAP_Coupler performs to unify two or more grid-based method codes. To verify a developed system, the dam break problem with an elastic obstacle is demonstrated, and the result is compared with the results calculated by the other methods.
On the exceptional sets in Erdös–Rényi limit theorem of β-expansion
Authors: Liu Jia , Lü Meiying , Zhang Zhenliang
Published: March 2018

Let [Formula: see text] be a real number. For any [Formula: see text], the run-length function [Formula: see text] is defined as the length of the longest run of 0’s amongst the first [Formula: see text] digits in the [Formula: see text]-expansion of [Formula: see text]. Let [Formula: see text] be a non-decreasing sequence of integers and [Formula: see text], we define [Formula: see text] In this paper, we show that the set [Formula: see text] has full Hausdorff dimension under the condition that [Formula: see text].
Fabrication of α-alumina by a combination of a hydrothermal process and a seeding technique
Authors: Yamamura Katsumi , Kobayashi Yoshio , Yasuda Yusuke , Morita Toshiaki
Published: March 2018

This paper describes a method for producing [Formula: see text]-Al2O3 at low temperatures by a combination of a hydrothermal process and a seeding technique. White aluminum hydroxide precipitate was prepared by a homogeneous precipitation method using aluminum nitrate and urea in aqueous solution. Peptization of the precipitate by acetic acid at room temperature transformed it into a transparent alumina sol. The alumina sol was treated with a hydrothermal process. [Formula: see text]-Al2O3 particles serving as seeds were added to the hydrothermally treated alumina sol. The sol containing the [Formula: see text]-Al2O3 particles was transformed into an [Formula: see text]-Al2O3-seeded alumina gel by drying at room temperature. The non-seeded alumina gel was amorphous or showed fine crystallites and began to crystallize into [Formula: see text]-Al2O3 at 900[Formula: see text]C. The [Formula: see text]-Al2O3-seeding promoted the crystallization of the alumina gel to [Formula: see text]-Al2O3. A remarkable [Formula: see text]-Al2O3 crystallinity was achieved with an increase in [Formula: see text]-Al2O3 particle content by weight in the final seeded alumina gel. For an [Formula: see text]-Al2O3 particle content of 5%, the seeded alumina gel was partially crystallized to [Formula: see text]-Al2O3 by annealing at temperatures as low as 600[Formula: see text]C.
Formation of excess fluid pressure, sediment fluidization and mass-transport deposits in the Plio-Pleistocene Boso forearc basin, central Japan
Authors: Kamiya Nana , Utsunomiya Masayuki , Yamamoto Yuzuru , Fukuoka Junichi , Zhang Feng , Lin Weiren
Published: March 2018

Analyses of consolidation state, fabrics and physical properties were conducted on rock samples from the Plio-Pleistocene Boso forearc basin, central Japan. Consolidation tests identified that the trend in consolidation yield stress was systematically 8 MPa smaller than expected for the overburden from the sediment thickness of the Kazusa Group. An excess fluid pressure interval was also identified in the lower part of the basin fill, where several large-scale (several kilometres in length and several tens of metres thick) mass-transport deposits (MTDs) are intercalated. This interval is characterized by high porosity and small consolidation yield stresses, indicating that consolidation had been retarded by the excess fluid pressure. The estimated excess fluid pressure was
c.
5–7 MPa. In addition, outcrop-scale fluidization and minor liquefaction features were identified within and below the high fluid pressure interval. The excess fluid pressure reduced the effective stress in the Boso forearc basin and, subsequently, the stability of the slope, allowing small tectonic events to generate submarine landslides. Therefore, the formation of these large-scale MTDs was probably related to the excess fluid-pressure generation.
Stable Radical Materials for Energy Applications
Authors: Wilcox Daniel A. , Agarkar Varad , Mukherjee Sanjoy , Boudouris Bryan W.
Published: March 2018

Although less studied than their closed-shell counterparts, materials containing stable open-shell chemistries have played a key role in many energy storage and energy conversion devices. In particular, the oxidation-reduction (redox) properties of these stable radicals have made them a substantial contributor to the progress of organic batteries. Moreover, the use of radical-based materials in photovoltaic devices and thermoelectric systems has allowed for these emerging molecules to have impacts in the energy conversion realm. Additionally, the unique doublet states of radical-based materials provide access to otherwise inaccessible spin states in optoelectronic devices, offering many new opportunities for efficient usage of energy in light-emitting devices. Here, we review the current state of the art regarding the molecular design, synthesis, and application of stable radicals in these energy-related applications. Finally, we point to fundamental and applied arenas of future promise for these designer open-shell molecules, which have only just begun to be evaluated in full.
Biomolecular Ultrasound and Sonogenetics
Authors: Maresca David , Lakshmanan Anupama , Abedi Mohamad , Bar-Zion Avinoam , Farhadi, Arash , Lu George J. , Szablowski Jerzy O. , Wu Di , Yoo Sangjin , Shapiro Mikhail G.
Published: March 2018

Visualizing and modulating molecular and cellular processes occurring deep within living organisms is fundamental to our study of basic biology and disease. Currently, the most sophisticated tools available to dynamically monitor and control cellular events rely on light-responsive proteins, which are difficult to use outside of optically transparent model systems, cultured cells, or surgically accessed regions owing to strong scattering of light by biological tissue. In contrast, ultrasound is a widely used medical imaging and therapeutic modality that enables the observation and perturbation of internal anatomy and physiology but has historically had limited ability to monitor and control specific cellular processes. Recent advances are beginning to address this limitation through the development of biomolecular tools that allow ultrasound to connect directly to cellular functions such as gene expression. Driven by the discovery and engineering of new contrast agents, reporter genes, and bioswitches, the nascent field of biomolecular ultrasound carries a wave of exciting opportunities.
Critical Comparison of Structured Contactors for Adsorption-Based Gas Separations
Authors: DeWitt Stephen J.A. , Sinha Anshuman , Kalyanaraman Jayashree , Zhang Fengyi , Realff Matthew J. , Lively Ryan P.
Published: March 2018

Recent advances in adsorptive gas separations have focused on the development of porous materials with high operating capacity and selectivity, useful parameters that provide early guidance during the development of new materials. Although this material-focused work is necessary to advance the state of the art in adsorption science and engineering, a substantial problem remains: how to integrate these materials into a fixed bed to efficiently utilize the separation. Structured sorbent contactors can help manage kinetic and engineering factors associated with the separation, including pressure drop, sorption enthalpy effects, and external heat integration (for temperature swing adsorption, or TSA). In this review, we discuss monoliths and fiber sorbents as the two main classes of structured sorbent contactors; recent developments in their manufacture; advantages and disadvantages of each structure relative to each other and to pellet packed beds; recent developments in system modeling; and finally, critical needs in this area of research.
Polygenic Risk Scores in Clinical Psychology: Bridging Genomic Risk to Individual Differences
Authors: Bogdan Ryan , Baranger David A.A. , Agrawal Arpana
Published: March 2018

Genomewide association studies (GWASs) across psychiatric phenotypes have shown that common genetic variants generally confer risk with small effect sizes (odds ratio < 1.1) that additively contribute to polygenic risk. Summary statistics derived from large discovery GWASs can be used to generate polygenic risk scores (PRS) in independent, target data sets to examine correlates of polygenic disorder liability (e.g., does genetic liability to schizophrenia predict cognition?). The intuitive appeal and generalizability of PRS have led to their widespread use and new insights into mechanisms of polygenic liability. However, when currently applied across traits they account for small amounts of variance (<3%), are relatively uninformative for clinical treatment, and, in isolation, provide no insight into molecular mechanisms. Larger GWASs are needed to increase the precision of PRS, and novel approaches integrating various data sources (e.g., multitrait analysis of GWASs) may improve the utility of current PRS.
Responses of the Tropical Atmospheric Circulation to Climate Change and Connection to the Hydrological Cycle
Authors: Ma Jian , Chadwick Robin , Seo Kyong-Hwan , Dong Changming , Huang Gang , Foltz Gregory R. , Jiang Jonathan H.
Published: March 2018

This review describes the climate change–induced responses of the tropical atmospheric circulation and their impacts on the hydrological cycle. We depict the theoretically predicted changes and diagnose physical mechanisms for observational and model-projected trends in large-scale and regional climate. The tropical circulation slows down with moisture and stratification changes, connecting to a poleward expansion of the Hadley cells and a shift of the intertropical convergence zone. Redistributions of regional precipitation consist of thermodynamic and dynamical components, including a strong offset between moisture increase and circulation weakening throughout the tropics. This allows other dynamical processes to dominate local circulation changes, such as a surface warming pattern effect over oceans and multiple mechanisms over land. To improve reliability in climate projections, more fundamental understandings of pattern formation, circulation change, and the balance of various processes redistributing land rainfall are suggested to be important.
Oncological and Functional Evaluation of Open Conservation Surgery for Hypopharyngeal Cancer with/without Reconstruction
Authors: Nomura Tsutomu , Maki Daisuke , Kishishita Sadahiro , Matsumoto Fumihiko , Yoshimoto Seiichi
Published: March 2018

Objectives. Oncological and functional results of open conservation surgery for hypopharyngeal cancer have been desired.Methods. We performed a chart review of 33 patients with hypopharyngeal cancer who underwent open conservation surgery. Oncological and functional results were evaluated in surgery with primary closure (Group A) and surgery with reconstruction (Group B). Postoperative functions were evaluated by interval to resumption of oral intake, Functional Outcome Swallowing Scale (FOSS) and Communication Scale (CS).Results. Five-year disease-specific and overall cumulative survival rates by Kaplan-Meier method for all cases were 95.7% and 82.3%, respectively. Duration from surgery to full oral intake was 12 days in Group A and 14 days in Group B. FOSS rates were 83.3 in Group A and 95.5 in Group B. CS was 0 in both groups.Conclusion. Oncological and functional results of open conservation surgery were comparable to those with transoral surgery and chemo/radiotherapy. Our technique represents a reliable treatment for hypopharyngeal cancer.
The Accurate Location Estimation of Sensor Node Using Received Signal Strength Measurements in Large-Scale Farmland
Authors: Miao Yisheng , Wu Huarui , Zhang Lihong
Published: March 2018

The range measurement is the premise for location, and the precise range measurement is the assurance of accurate location. Hence, it is essential to know the accurate internode distance. It is noted that the path loss model plays an important role in improving the quality and reliability of ranging accuracy. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the path loss model in actual propagation environment. Through the analysis of experiments performed at the wheat field, we find that the best fitted parametric exponential decay model (OFPEDM) can achieve a higher distance estimation accuracy and adaptability to environment variations in comparison to the traditional path loss models. Based on the proposed OFPEDM, we perform the RSSI-based location experiments in wheat field. Through simulating the location characteristics in MATLAB, we find that for all the unknown nodes, the location errors range from 0.0004 m to 5.1739 m. The location error in this RSSI-based location algorithm is acceptable in the wide areas such as wheat field. The findings in this research may provide reference for location estimation in large-scale farmland.
Sensitivity Studies on the Impact of Dust and Aerosol Pollution Acting as Cloud Nucleating Aerosol on Orographic Precipitation in the Colorado River Basin
Authors: Jha Vandana , Cotton William R. , Carrió Gustavo G. , Walko Robert
Published: March 2018

In this study, we examine the cumulative effect of pollution aerosol and dust acting as cloud nucleating aerosol;cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), giant cloud condensation nuclei, and ice nuclei (IN), on orographic precipitation in the Rocky Mountains. We analyze the results of sensitivity studies for specific cases in 2004-2005 winter season to analyze the relative impact of aerosol pollution and dust acting as CCN and IN on precipitation in the Colorado River Basin. Dust is varied from 3 to 10 times in the experiments, and the response is found to be nonmonotonic and depends on various environmental factors. The sensitivity studies show that adding dust in a wet system increases precipitation when IN effects are dominant. For a relatively dry system high concentrations of dust can result in overseeding the clouds and reductions in precipitation. However, when adding dust to a system with warmer cloud bases where drizzle formation is active, the response is nonmonotonic.