bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hard times and European youth. The effect of economic insecurity on human values, social attitudes and well‐being
Authors: Reeskens Tim , Vandecasteele Leen
Published: September 2016

While economic downturns have adverse effects on young people's life chances, empirical studies examining whether and to what extent human values, social attitudes and well‐being indicators respond to sudden economic shocks are scarce. To assess the claim that human values are less affected by economic shocks than social attitudes and well‐being, two distinct yet related studies based on the European Social Survey (ESS) are conducted. The first employs a fixed effects pseudo‐panel analysis of the 2008–2014 ESS‐waves to detect whether changes over time in the socio‐demographic group's unemployment risk and national youth unemployment affect individual dispositions to varying degrees. The second study captures micro‐ and cross‐national effects in the 2010 ESS cross‐section. Unique for this set‐up is that we can test whether the findings hold for over‐time changes in youth unemployment within countries (pseudo‐panel), as well as for cross‐country differences in youth unemployment (multilevel). Both studies indicate that political trust, satisfaction with the economy and subjective well‐being are lowered by economic risk and hardship, while social trust and self‐rated health are less affected by changes in youth unemployment. Secondly, human values are immune to economic risk, underscoring that values transcend specific situations and are therefore resistant against sudden economic shocks.
Relation between ultrasonic properties, rheology and baking quality for bread doughs of widely differing formulation
Authors: Peressini Donatella , Braunstein Dobrila , Page John H , Strybulevych Anatoliy , Lagazio Corrado , Scanlon Martin G
Published: September 2016

BACKGROUND

The objective was to evaluate whether an ultrasonic reflectance technique has predictive capacity for breadmaking performance of doughs made under a wide range of formulation conditions. Two flours of contrasting dough strength augmented with different levels of ingredients (inulin, oil, emulsifier or salt) were used to produce different bread doughs with a wide range of properties. Breadmaking performance was evaluated by conventional large‐strain rheological tests on the dough and by assessment of loaf quality. The ultrasound tests were performed with a broadband reflectance technique in the frequency range of 0.3–6 MHz.

RESULTS

Principal component analysis showed that ultrasonic attenuation and phase velocity at frequencies between 0.3 and 3 MHz are good predictors for rheological and bread scoring characteristics.

CONCLUSIONS

Ultrasonic parameters had predictive capacity for breadmaking performance for a wide range of dough formulations. Lower frequency attenuation coefficients correlated well with conventional quality indices of both the dough and the bread. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
Phenylboronic Acid‐Cross‐Linked Nanoparticles with Improved Stability as Dual Acid‐Responsive Drug Carriers
Authors: Wang Chunran , Wang Jinze , Chen Xiaofei , Zheng Xu , Xie Zhigang , Chen Li , Chen Xuesi
Published: September 2016

Herein, a kind of dual acid‐sensitive nanoparticles based on monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol)‐imine‐β‐cyclodextrin is constructed by a facile phenylboronic acid‐cross‐linked way. The data of dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscope reveal the cross‐linked nanoparticles have improved stability. The cross‐linked nanoparticles could easily self‐assemble and load the anticancer drug at neutral pH condition. However, when the drug‐loaded nanoparticles are delivered to extracellular tumor sites (pH ≈6.8), the surface of the nanoparticles would be amino positively charged and easily internalized by tumor cell due to the cleavage of the acid‐labile benzoic–imine. Subsequently, with the acidity in subcellular compartments significantly increasing (such as the endosome pH ≈5.3), the loaded drug would fast release from the endocytosis carriers due to the hydrolysis of boronate ester. These features suggest that these dual acid‐sensitive cross‐linked nanoparticles not only possess excellent biocompatibility but also can efficiently load and deliver anticancer drug into tumor cells to enhance the inhibition of cellular proliferation, outlining a favorable platform as drug carriers.

image
Progressive Brain Atrophy in Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood
Authors: Sasaki Masayuki , Ishii Atsushi , Saito Yoshiaki , Hirose Shinichi
Published: September 2016

Background

Alternating hemiplegia of childhood (AHC) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder that includes involuntary movements, paroxysmal symptoms, and various severities of nonparoxysmal symptoms.

Objective

To investigate the occurrence of structural brain abnormalities in patients with AHC during clinical courses.

Methods

Conventional brain magnetic resonance imaging findings and clinical courses were retrospectively investigated in 14 patients with AHC confirmed by ATP1A3 mutations.

Results

Progressive frontal dominant cerebral, diffuse cerebellar cortical, and severe hippocampal atrophy were observed in seven patients with irreversible severe motor and intellectual deterioration. All of these seven patients exhibited status epilepticus and required transient respiratory care. Isolated diffuse cerebellar cortical atrophy was observed in two adult patients with mild motor regression. Five patients without apparent deterioration displayed almost normal brain findings.

Conclusions

The areas of atrophy were consistent with the areas of increased expression of the Na+/K+‐ATPase α3 subunit encoded by ATP1A3. Some of paroxysmal and nonparoxysmal neurological symptoms are considered as related to the areas of brain atrophy.
A multiband microstrip patch antenna with defected ground structure for its applications
Authors: Kishore Nand , Prakash Arun , Tripathi V. S.
Published: September 2016

This article describes a circularly polarized multiband microstrip patch antenna for ITS applications. The proposed antenna works for six band. The proposed antenna can be used for Dedicated Short Range Communication, Global Positioning System, WiMAX, etc. It has a modified T shaped patch and a defected ground for improved performance. The proposed antenna at 5.9 GHz frequency gives 17% of bandwidth, which makes it suitable for modern ITS applications. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:2814–2818, 2016
Generalized design of continuous‐mode second harmonic tuned amplifiers
Authors: Sharma Tushar , Darraji Ramzi , Mousavi Pedram , Ghannouchi F.M.
Published: September 2016

This article presents generalized design equations for achieving broadband second harmonic tuned power amplifiers (PAs) that are operated in class‐B, class‐AB, or class‐A bias conditions. The investigation is carried out by deriving the general intrinsic drain current and voltage waveforms for conduction angle, α, varying between 180 and 360°. New impedance solutions are then extracted using the generalized current and voltage equations. Shifted fundamental design space and expanded second harmonic impedance area are obtained when α is swept between 180 and 360°. A Gallium Nitride (GaN) fabricated PA is operated in class‐AB and delivers an output power greater than 40 dBm with minimum drain efficiency of 73% in the frequency band ranging from 500 to 950 MHz. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:2787–2789, 2016
Frequency‐reconfigurable circularly polarized antenna for UHF RFID reader
Authors: Cao Rong , Kai Wang Chun
Published: September 2016

A frequency‐reconfigurable circularly polarized (CP) monopole antenna is proposed for ultrahigh frequency (UHF) radio frequency identification (RFID) reader applications. This reader antenna can operate in both North America and Europe regions because of the frequency‐reconfigurable characteristic. Two L shaped strips are the major radiating elements which can produce CP radiation. Two short rectangular patches are connected to the L shaped strips via two pin diodes. By switching the pin diodes on and off, the antenna can produce CP at the two desired frequency bands. The measured 3‐dB axial ratio bands of this antenna are 864–887 and 899–913 MHz at the two different states, respectively, and both bands are included in the 10‐dB return loss bands. This antenna can be used for UHF RFID reader in both North America and Europe. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:2842–2845, 2016
Inkjet printed transparent and bendable patch antenna based on polydimethylsiloxane and indium tin oxide nanoparticles
Authors: Khan Muhammad Arshad Hassan , Ali Shawkat , Bae Jinho , Lee Chong Hyun
Published: September 2016

We propose a transparent and bendable inset microstrip patch antenna for 2.4 GHz wearable electronics applications. The proposed antenna is designed in high frequency structure simulator and realized by depositing indium tin oxide nanoparticles as a radiating patch and a ground on the polydimethylsiloxane substrate through Fujifilm Dimatix DMP‐3000 inkjet material printer at ambient conditions. On a flat position, the theoretical gain of the proposed antenna is 5.75 dBi, and its practical reflection coefficient (S11) is −25.9 dB. Under bending down to a diameter of 10 cm, the reflection coefficient is decreased up to 28.5%. It achieves the transparency of 91.5, 88, and 80% at thickness 1, 1.5, and 2 mm, respectively, and its restoration time is not more than 210 ms. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:2884–2887, 2016
Fabrication and characterisation of polysiloxane optical fiber microloop interferometers
Authors: Martincek I.
Published: September 2016

We fabricated micrometer‐order diameter polysiloxane optical fibers by drawing process of partially cured siloxane. Using a few mm long polysiloxane fibers integrated on the polydimethylsiloxane substrate or in telecommunications optical fibers, we studied the influence of looping on the transmission characteristics of a polysiloxane optical fibers. We have demonstrated an optical interferometers built of a coiled self‐touching polysiloxane fibers with a diameter of up to 25 microns. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:2876–2879, 2016
Outcomes of children with rhabdomyosarcoma treated with intensive chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy through a period of protocol revision at a South African center, 1990–2010
Authors: Hendricks Marc , Parkes Jeanette , Pillay Komala , Millar Alastair , van Eyssen Ann , Numanoglu Alp , Davidson Alan
Published: September 2016

A total of 75 children with biopsy‐proven rhabdomyosarcoma were treated at our institution between 1990 and 2010. Five‐year overall survival (OS) for the entire cohort was 58.7%. OS by stage was as follows: Stage 1 (80%), Stage 2 (80%), Stage 3 (54.1%), and Stage 4 (38.5%). There was a trend to suggest that revision of treatment approaches improved crude survival over time: pre‐2003 (OS 42.1%); 2003–2005 (OS 50.0%); 2005–2010 (OS 60.8%).
Determining the geographical origin of Asian longhorn beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) specimens using stable isotope and trace element analyses
Authors: Heinrich Katharina , Collins Larissa
Published: September 2016

BACKGROUND

An outbreak of EU‐quarantine‐listed pest Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky) (Coleoptera: Cerambicidae), the Asian longhorn beetle, in Kent (UK) resulted in environmentally and financially costly eradication action being taken. In this study the potential of using multi‐element stable isotope or trace element analyses to determine the geographical origin of individual specimens has been investigated.

RESULTS

The isotope ratios of A. glabripennis individuals for hydrogen varied within and across five locations. Carbon isotope ratios fell within the expected values for C3 plants (trees using the photosynthetic pathway common for moderate climates). Nitrogen isotope ratios indicated separation of UK laboratory from US (New York, Ohio, Massachusetts) beetles, while sulphur isotope ratios distinguished beetles from New York against the other four locations. Three trace elements (TEs) separated UK laboratory‐reared beetles from US beetles (Ohio and New York) with ∼ 68% confidence.

CONCLUSIONS

Stable isotope and TE analyses show potential to differentiate between newly arrived A. glabripennis individuals and those from previously undetected in‐country populations, which would be of immediate practical benefit in making appropriate strategic decisions on surveillance and eradication. Analyses of additional samples from (i) the same populations, (ii) different locations and (iii) a variety of host trees will enhance the overall picture. © 2016 Crown copyright. Pest Management Science © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
Molecular characterisation of two α‐esterase genes involving chlorpyrifos detoxification in the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella
Authors: Xie Miao , Ren Na‐Na , You Yan‐Chun , Chen Wei‐Jun , Song Qi‐Sheng , You Min‐Sheng
Published: September 2016

BACKGROUND

Carboxylesterases (CarEs) are involved in metabolic detoxification of dietary and environmental xenobiotics in insects. However, owing to the complexity of the protein family, the involvement of CarEs in insecticide metabolism in Plutella xylostella has not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to characterise two CarE genes and assess their potential roles in response to chlorpyrifos in P. xylostella.

RESULTS

Synergistic tests showed that triphenyl phosphate decreased the resistance of the third‐instar larvae to chlorpyrifos. The treatment of the third‐instar larvae with chlorpyrifos at the LC30 dose led to a significant increase in CarE activity. Two CarE cDNAs (Pxae18 and Pxae28) were subsequently sequenced and characterised. Both genes were expressed predominantly in the larval midgut. Most importantly, two CarE genes showed significantly higher expression in the chlorpyrifos‐resistant strain than in the susceptible strain. RNAi knockdown of Pxae18 and Pxae28 significantly increased the mortality to chlorpyrifos from 40% in the control to 73.8 and 63.3% respectively.

CONCLUSION

RNAi knockdown of Pxae18 and Pxae28 significantly inhibited detoxification ability and increased the mortality in P. xylostella. The results indicate that these two CarE genes play important roles in the detoxification of chlorpyrifos in P. xylostella. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
Biological control potential of entomopathogenic nematodes for management of Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa Loew (Tephritidae)
Authors: Heve William K , El‐Borai Fahiem E , Carrillo Daniel , Duncan Larry W
Published: September 2016

BACKGROUND

Caribbean fruit fly (Caribfly) is a serious economic insect pest because of development of larvae that hatch from eggs oviposited into fruits by female adults. This study assessed the virulence of twelve entomopathogenic nematode (EPN) isolates to Caribfly in laboratory bioassays as a starting point toward evaluation of management strategies for the fruit‐to‐soil‐dwelling stages of A. suspensa in fields infested by Caribfly.

RESULTS

Inoculation of A. suspensa with 1 mL of ca 200 IJs larva−1 killed Caribfly at either larval or pupal stage. Pupae were more resistant to EPN infections than larvae. Adult emergence from inoculated pupae in soil microcosms was significantly lower than that observed in filter paper assays. Longest or largest steinernematids suppressed emergence of more adult Caribfly from pupae in soils, whereas shorter heterorhabditids were more infectious to Caribfly larvae. The highest mortalities of A. suspensa were caused by exotic nematodes Steinernema feltiae and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, followed by the native Heterorhabditis indica and the exotic Steinernema carpocapsae.

CONCLUSION

Entomopathogenic nematodes reduced the development of Caribfly larvae and pupae to adult in our bioassays, suggesting that EPNs have potential for biological control of A. suspensa. Future work will assess management strategies, using the virulent EPNs, in orchards infested by A. suspensa. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
Thermally exfoliated fluorinated graphite for NO2 gas sensing
Authors: Sysoev V. I. , Bulusheva L. G. , Asanov I. P. , Shubin Yu. V. , Okotrub A. V.
Published: September 2016

Few‐layer graphene samples have been obtained by a thermal expansion of bromine‐intercalated fluorinated graphite with a ∼C2F matrix composition at 600, 700, and 800 °C. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy detected that the products contained almost the same quantities of foreign atoms independently on the exfoliation temperature. However, the Raman spectra showed a progressive increase in the relative intensity of the D mode with the temperature growth. This was attributed to more edge states developed in graphene planes at the higher temperature. Thin films from obtained samples were tested as sensors using 1000 ppm nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in argon. The film from few‐layer graphene produced at 800 °C had the largest relative response, while its recovery was quite low at room temperature. The sensor performances were related with the structural characteristics of the exfoliated graphenes.

Left: Relative response of gas sensors based on few‐layer graphene products of an expansion of fluorinated graphite at 600, 700, and 800 °C toward 1000 ppm NO2. Right: Proposed structures of the products.
Design, Synthesis and Structure‐Activity Relationship Study of Coumarin Benzimidazole Hybrid as Potent Antibacterial and Anticancer Agents
Authors: Holiyachi Megharaja , Shastri Samundeeswari L. , Chougala Bahubali M. , Shastri Lokesh A. , Joshi Shrinivas D. , Dixit Sheshagiri R. , Nagarajaiah Honnappa , Sunagar Vinay A.
Published: September 2016

New coumarin‐benzimidazole hybrids (3a–f) have been synthesized from 4‐formylcoumarins and a series of N‐sulphonation (4 a‐f) and N‐methylation (5 a‐f) compounds were obtained from compounds (3a–f). All the synthesized compounds have exhibited good antimicrobial activity. Docking studies provide valuable insights to potential binding modes of inhibitors. Anti cancer activity of compound 4 a and 4 c have shown excellent activity against HeLa cell line. Whereas compound 4 a and 4 d exhibited higher activity against HT 29 cell lines. We calculated the LC50, TGI and GI50 which show < 10 mg/mL. The synthesized compounds were characterized by IR, NMR, Mass spectral analysis and few of them by single X‐ray crystallography analysis.
The influence of competition from informal firms on new product development
Authors: McCann Brian T. , Bahl Mona
Published: September 2016

Research summary: Existing research describes a broad range of determinants of new product development (NPD), a fundamental competitive activity of firms. A considerable share of this work has occurred in the context of developed economies, raising a concern that some important determinants may remain unexamined. We suggest that one such determinant is competition from informal (unregistered) firms. Drawing from the attention‐based view, we investigate the effects of informal competition on NPD in a large sample of firms located across Eastern Europe and Central Asia. We examine not only the direct effect but also how this effect is moderated by characteristics of the competitive and institutional context.

Managerial summary: The purpose of this research is to examine the relationship between competition from informal (unregistered) firms and new product development (NPD) by formal firms. We argue that NPD is an effective response to differentiate from informal firms, and our analyses of over 9,000 firms located in emerging economies across Eastern Europe and Central Asia indicate that NPD activities are more likely in formal firms who rate informal competition as a greater obstacle. The strength of this direct relationship depends on aspects of the competitive and institutional environment: it is weakened when levels of competition from other formal firms are higher, when alternative responses such as corruption are more available, and when managers are more optimistic about the regulatory environment. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Abandoning personalization to get to precision in the pharmacotherapy of depression
Authors: Perlis Roy H.
Published: September 2016

Effectiveness studies and analyses of naturalistic cohorts demonstrate that many patients with major depressive disorder do not experience symptomatic remission with antidepressant treatments. In an effort to better match patients with effective treatments, numerous investigations of predictors or moderators of treatment response have been reported over the past five decades, including clinical features as well as biological measures. However, none of these have entered routine clinical practice; instead, clinicians typically personalize treatment on the basis of patient preferences as well as their own. Here, we review the reasons why it has been challenging to identify and deploy treatment‐specific predictors of response, and suggest strategies that may be required to achieve true precision in the pharmacotherapy of depression. We emphasize the need for changes in how depression care is delivered, measured, and used to inform future practice.
“Prolonged grief disorder” and “persistent complex bereavement disorder”, but not “complicated grief”, are one and the same diagnostic entity: an analysis of data from the Yale Bereavement Study
Authors: Maciejewski Paul K. , Maercker Andreas , Boelen Paul A. , Prigerson Holly G.
Published: September 2016

There exists a general consensus that prolonged grief disorder (PGD), or some variant of PGD, represents a distinct mental disorder worthy of diagnosis and treatment. Nevertheless, confusion remains over whether different names and proposed symptom criteria for this disorder identify the same or different diagnostic entities. This study aimed to determine whether PGD, complicated grief (CG), and persistent complex bereavement disorder (PCBD) as described by the DSM‐5 are substantively or merely semantically different diagnostic entities. Data were derived from the Yale Bereavement Study, a longitudinal community‐based study of bereaved individuals funded by the US National Institute of Mental Health, designed explicitly to evaluate diagnostic criteria for disordered grief. The results suggested that the difference between PGD and PCBD is only semantic. The level of agreement between the original PGD test, a new version of the PGD test proposed for ICD‐11 and the PCBD test was high (pairwise kappa coefficients = 0.80‐0.84). Their estimates of rate of disorder in this community sample were similarly low (∼10%). Their levels of diagnostic specificity were comparably high (95.0‐98.3%). Their predictive validity was comparable. In contrast, the test for CG had only moderate agreement with those for PGD and PCBD; its estimate of rate of disorder was three‐fold higher (∼30%); its diagnostic specificity was poorer, and it had no predictive validity. We conclude that PGD, PCBD and proposed ICD‐11, but not CG, symptom‐diagnostic tests identify a single diagnostic entity. Ultimately, brief symptom‐diagnostic tests, such as the one proposed here for ICD‐11, may have the greatest clinical utility.
Genetic switches and related tools for controlling gene expression and electrical outputs of Geobacter sulfurreducens
Authors: Ueki Toshiyuki , Nevin Kelly P , Woodard Trevor L , Lovley Derek R
Published: September 2016

Physiological studies and biotechnology applications of Geobacter species have been limited by a lack of genetic tools. Therefore, potential additional molecular strategies for controlling metabolism were explored. When the gene for citrate synthase, or acetyl-CoA transferase, was placed under the control of a LacI/IPTG regulator/inducer system, cells grew on acetate only in the presence of IPTG. The TetR/AT system could also be used to control citrate synthase gene expression and acetate metabolism. A strain that required IPTG for growth on d-lactate was constructed by placing the gene for d-lactate dehydrogenase under the control of the LacI/IPTG system. d-Lactate served as an inducer in a strain in which a d-lactate responsive promoter and transcription repressor were used to control citrate synthase expression. Iron- and potassium-responsive systems were successfully incorporated to regulate citrate synthase expression and growth on acetate. Linking the appropriate degradation tags on the citrate synthase protein made it possible to control acetate metabolism with either the endogenous ClpXP or exogenous Lon protease and tag system. The ability to control current output from Geobacter biofilms and the construction of an AND logic gate for acetate metabolism suggested that the tools developed may be applicable for biosensor and biocomputing applications.
Enhanced separation and analysis procedure reveals production of tri-acylated mannosylerythritol lipids by Pseudozyma aphidis
Authors: Goossens Eliane , Wijnants Marc , Packet Dirk , Lemière Filip
Published: September 2016

Mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs) are one of the most promising biosurfactants because of their high fermentation yields (>100 g l−1) and during the last two decades they have gained a lot of attention due to their interesting self-assembling properties and biological activities. In this study, MELs were produced by fed-batch bioreactor fermentation of rapeseed oil with Pseudozyma aphidis MUCL 27852. This high-level MEL-producing yeast secretes four conventional MEL structures, -A, -B, -C and -D, which differ in their degree of acetylation. During our research, unknown compounds synthesized by P. aphidis were detected by thin-layer chromatography. The unknown compounds were separated by flash chromatography and identified as tri-acylated MELs by high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS/MS). The third fatty acid chain on the tri-acylated MELs was positioned on the primary alcohol of the erythritol moiety and comprised long-chain acids, mainly oleic and linoleic acid, which are not found in conventional di-acylated MELs. Furthermore, the LC–MS analysis time of conventional MELs was reduced to almost one-third by switching from HPLC–MS/MS to ultraperformance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS). Provided optimization of the fermentation yield, P. aphidis could be an interesting novel producer of tri-acylated MELs and, thereby expand the supply and applicability of biosurfactants.
Frugivore assemblage of Ficus superba in a warm‐temperate forest in Yakushima, Japan
Authors: Hamada Asuka , Hanya Goro
Published: September 2016

Understanding fig consumption patterns is important because figs are regarded as a keystone resource for many frugivorous species in the tropics. While much work on fig consumption has been conducted in tropical regions, temperate forests are particularly interesting for study owing to pronounced seasonal variations in temperature and community‐level fruiting phenology. We studied frugivore consumption of Ficus superba (Miq.) Miq. var. japonica Miq syconia in a warm‐temperate forest in Yakushima, southern Japan. We conducted 141 4‐h focal observations of fruiting F. superba trees over 12 months. We aimed to assess the relative quantitative contribution of each species of frugivore to F. superba consumption over a year as well as factors affecting seasonal variation in consumption. Japanese macaques were by far the most important F. superba syconia consumer (87.6 %), followed by brown‐eared bulbuls (5.0 %), and varied tits (4.2 %). Japanese macaques increased their F. superba consumption when the temperature was high and fruit availability (F. superba and other species) was low. Macaques seemed to avoid searching for rare F. superba trees during winter and used F. superba syconia as a fallback food during fruit scarcity. Birds showed the opposite pattern: they increased F. superba syconia consumption when the temperature was low and fruit availability was high. This was probably because birds eat insects as their main food in the summer and switch to fruit as autumn turns to winter.
Asymptotic Robustness Study of the Polychoric Correlation Estimation
Authors: Jin Shaobo , Yang-Wallentin Fan
Published: September 2016

Asymptotic robustness against misspecification of the underlying distribution for the polychoric correlation estimation is studied. The asymptotic normality of the pseudo-maximum likelihood estimator is derived using the two-step estimation procedure. The t distribution assumption and the skew-normal distribution assumption are used as alternatives to the normal distribution assumption in a numerical study. The numerical results show that the underlying normal distribution can be substantially biased, even though skewness and kurtosis are not large. The skew-normal assumption generally produces a lower bias than the normal assumption. Thus, it is worth using a non-normal distributional assumption if the normal assumption is dubious.
Emotional and behavioral difficulties in children growing up homeless in Paris. Results of the ENFAMS survey
Authors: Roze M. , Vandentorren S. , Vuillermoz C. , Chauvin P. , Melchior M.
Published: September 2016

Purpose

Children growing up in homeless families are disproportionately more likely to experience health and psychological problems. Our objective was to describe social, environmental, individual and family characteristics associated with emotional and behavioral difficulties among homeless children living in the Paris region.

Methods

Face-to-face interviews with a representative sample of homeless families were conducted by bilingual psychologists and interviewers between January and May 2013 (n = 343 children ages 4-13 years). Mothers reported children’s emotional and behavioral difficulties (Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire [SDQ]), family socio-demographic characteristics, residential mobility, and parents’ and children’s physical and mental health. Children were interviewed regarding their perception of their living arrangements, friendships and school experiences. We studied children’s SDQ total score in a linear regression framework.

Results

Homeless children had higher SDQ total scores than children in the general population of France, (mean total score = 11.3 vs 8.9, P < 0,001). In multivariate analyses, children’s difficulties were associated with parents’ region of birth (beta = 1.74 for Sub-Saharan Africa, beta = 0.60 for Eastern Europe, beta = 3.22 for other countries, P = 0.020), residential mobility (beta = 0.22, P = 0.012), children’s health (beta = 3.49, P < 0.001) and overweight (beta = 2.14, P = 0.007), the child’s sleeping habits (beta = 2.82, P = 0.002), the mother’s suicide risk (beta = 4.13, P < 0.001), the child’s dislike of the family’s accommodation (beta = 3.59, P < 0.001) and the child’s experience of bullying (beta = 3.21, P = 0.002).

Conclusions

Children growing up homeless experience high levels of psychological difficulties which can put them at risk for poor mental health and educational outcomes long-term. Access to appropriate screening and medical care for this vulnerable yet underserved group are greatly needed.
Suboptimal maternal diets alter mu opioid receptor and dopamine type 1 receptor binding but exert no effect on dopamine transporters in the offspring brain
Authors: Thanos Panayotis K. , Zhuo Jianmin , Robison Lisa , Kim Ronald , Ananth Mala , Choai Ilon , Grunseich Adam , Grissom Nicola M. , George Robert , Delis Foteini , Reyes Teresa M.
Published: September 2016

Birthweight is a marker for suboptimal fetal growth and development in utero. Offspring can be born large for gestational age (LGA), which is linked to maternal obesity or excessive gestational weight gain, as well as small for gestational age (SGA), arising from nutrient or calorie deficiency, placental dysfunction, or other maternal conditions (hypertension, infection). In humans, LGA and SGA babies are at an increased risk for certain neurodevelopmental disorders, including Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, schizophrenia, and social and mood disorders. Using mouse models of LGA (maternal high fat (HF) diet) and SGA (maternal low protein (LP) diet) offspring, our lab has previously shown that these offspring display alterations in the expression of mesocorticolimbic genes that regulate dopamine and opioid function, thus indicating that these brain regions and neurotransmitter systems are vulnerable to gestational insults. Interestingly, these two maternal diets affected dopamine and opioid systems in somewhat opposing directions (e.g., LP offspring are generally hyperdopaminergic with reduced opioid expression, and the reverse is found for the HF offspring). These data largely involved evaluation at the transcriptional level, so the present experiment was designed to extend these analyses through an assessment of receptor binding. In this study, control, SGA and LGA offspring were generated from dams fed control, low protein or high fat diet, respectively, throughout pregnancy and lactation. At weaning, mice were placed on the control diet and sacrificed at 12 weeks of age. In vitro autoradiography was used to measure mu‐opioid receptor (MOR), dopamine type 1 receptor (D1R), and dopamine transporter (DAT) binding level in mesolimbic brain regions. Results showed that the LP offspring (males and females) had significantly higher MOR and D1R binding than the control animals in the regions associated with reward. In HF offspring there were no differences in MOR binding, and limited increases in D1R binding, seen only in females in the nucleus accumbens core and the dorsomedial caudate/putamen. DAT binding revealed no differences in either models. In conclusion, LP but not HF offspring show significantly elevated MOR and D1R binding in the brain thus affecting DA and opioid signaling. These findings advance the current understanding of how suboptimal gestational diets can adversely impact neurodevelopment and increase the risk for disorders such as ADHD, obesity and addiction.
Byzantine coins from Hadrianoupolis in Paphlagonia
Authors: Laflı Ergün , Lightfoot Chris , Ritter Max
Published: September 2016

This paper gives a brief report on the 21 Byzantine coins recovered during archaeological fieldwork at Hadrianoupolis in southwestern Paphlagonia between 2005 and 2008. One coin is silver and the rest are all bronze or copper alloy. Chronologically, the latter are divided between the Early and the Middle Byzantine periods. Although the assemblage is small, it provides useful information about the distribution of Byzantine coins from one of the more remote rural areas of northern Asia Minor.
On the -theory of -algebras arising from integral dynamics
Authors: BARLAK SELÇUK , OMLAND TRON , STAMMEIER NICOLAI
Published: September 2016

We investigate the$K$-theory of unital UCT Kirchberg algebras${\mathcal{Q}}_{S}$arising from families$S$of relatively prime numbers. It is shown that$K_{\ast }({\mathcal{Q}}_{S})$is the direct sum of a free abelian group and a torsion group, each of which is realized by another distinct$C^{\ast }$-algebra naturally associated to$S$. The$C^{\ast }$-algebra representing the torsion part is identified with a natural subalgebra${\mathcal{A}}_{S}$of${\mathcal{Q}}_{S}$. For the$K$-theory of${\mathcal{Q}}_{S}$, the cardinality of$S$determines the free part and is also relevant for the torsion part, for which the greatest common divisor$g_{S}$of$\{p-1:p\in S\}$plays a central role as well. In the case where$|S|\leq 2$or$g_{S}=1$we obtain a complete classification for${\mathcal{Q}}_{S}$. Our results support the conjecture that${\mathcal{A}}_{S}$coincides with$\otimes _{p\in S}{\mathcal{O}}_{p}$. This would lead to a complete classification of${\mathcal{Q}}_{S}$, and is related to a conjecture about$k$-graphs.
Dynamical properties of shift maps on inverse limits with a set valued function
Authors: KENNEDY JUDY , NALL VAN
Published: September 2016

Set-valued functions from an interval into the closed subsets of an interval arise in various areas of science and mathematical modeling. Research has shown that the dynamics of a single-valued function on a compact space are closely linked to the dynamics of the shift map on the inverse limit with the function as the sole bonding map. For example, it has been shown that with Devaney’s definition of chaos the bonding function is chaotic if and only if the shift map is chaotic. One reason for caring about this connection is that the shift map is a homeomorphism on the inverse limit, and therefore the topological structure of the inverse-limit space must reflect in its richness the dynamics of the shift map. In the set-valued case there may not be a natural definition for chaos since there is not a single well-defined orbit for each point. However, the shift map is a continuous single-valued function so it together with the inverse-limit space form a dynamical system which can be chaotic in any of the usual senses. For the set-valued case we demonstrate with theorems and examples rich topological structure in the inverse limit when the shift map is chaotic (on certain invariant sets). We then connect that chaos to a property of the set-valued function that is a natural generalization of an important chaos producing property of continuous functions.
Steady shear rheology of a viscous emulsion in the presence of finite inertia at moderate volume fractions: sign reversal of normal stress differences
Authors: Srivastava Priyesh , Malipeddi Abhilash Reddy , Sarkar Kausik
Published: September 2016

The shear rheology of an emulsion of viscous drops in the presence of finite inertia is investigated using direct numerical simulation. In the absence of inertia, emulsions display a non-Newtonian rheology with positive first and negative second normal stress differences. However, recently it was discovered that a small amount of drop-level inertia alters their signs – the first normal stress difference becomes negative and the second one becomes positive, each in a small range of capillary numbers (Li & Sarkar,J. Rheol., vol. 49, 2005, pp. 1377–1394). Sign reversal was shown numerically and analytically, but only in the limit of a dilute emulsion where drop–drop interactions were neglected. Here, we compute the rheology of a density- and viscosity-matched emulsion, accounting for the interactions in the volume fraction range of 5 %–27 % and Reynolds number range of 0.1–10. The computed rheological properties (effective shear viscosity and first and second normal stress differences) in the Stokes limit match well with previous theoretical (Choi–Schowalter in the dilute limit) and simulated results (for concentrated systems) using the boundary element method. The two distinct components of the rheology arising from the interfacial stresses at the drop surface and the perturbative Reynolds stresses are investigated as functions of the drop Reynolds number, capillary number and volume fraction. The sign change is caused by the increasing drop inclination in the presence of inertia, which in turn directly affects the interfacial stresses. Increase of the volume fraction or capillary number increases the critical Reynolds number for sign reversals due to enhanced alignment of the drops with the flow directions. The effect of increasing the volume fraction on the rheology is explained by relating it to interactions and specifically to the contact pair-distribution function computed from the simulation. The excess stresses are seen to show an approximately linear behaviour with the Reynolds number in the range of 0.1–5, while with the capillary number and volume fraction, the variation is weakly quadratic.
Lost in Translation: An Epistemological Exploration of the Relation between Historical Analysis and the NOMINATE Algorithm
Authors: Bensel Richard
Published: September 2016

The NOMINATE algorithm has become the most important analytical tool used in the study of the United States Congress. As such, congressional scholars have developed a great many social conventions, practices, and assumptions that enable interpretation of the statistical artifacts the algorithm produces. However, as many of these scholars recognize, serious problems emerge whenever we try to translate these statistical artifacts into language and thus attempt to assign them meaning in historical analysis. These problems are irresolvable because they reside in the very construction of the algorithm itself.
Meningococcal carriage in children and young adults in the Philippines: a single group, cross-sectional study
Authors: GONZALES M. L. A. , BIANCO V. , VYSE A.
Published: September 2016

This cross-sectional prevalence study investigates meningococcal carriage for the first time in a Southeast Asian population. Posterior pharyngeal swabs were collected between August 2013 and March 2014 from 937 healthy Filipinos aged 5–24 years attending school or university in Manila. Of these, 35 were found to be carriers giving an overall carriage prevalence of 3·7% [95% confidence interval (CI) 2·6–5·2]. Carriage was associated with age (P < 0·001) and was highest (9·0%, 95% CI 5·5–13·8) in subjects aged 10–14 years, but was comparatively low (<3%) in all other age groups considered. This suggests that an immunization programme in the Philippines designed to reduce carriage acquisition and induce herd immunity may require a vaccine dose before the age of 10 years. Serogroup B was most commonly carried (65·7%, 95% CI 47·8–80·9), with a small number of carriers for serogroups C, Y and W also present. Two individuals (5·7%, 95% CI 0·7–19·2) who were simultaneously carrying multiple serogroups were identified. This exploratory study provides valuable insight into the asymptomatic carriage of Neisseria meningitidis in a healthy subset of the Filipino population and illustrates the importance of generating local carriage data.
Emotions, speech, and the art of politics in fifteenth-century York:House Books, mystery plays and Richard duke of Gloucester
Authors: REES JONES SARAH
Published: September 2016

The YorkHouse Booksprovide much-cited evidence of Richard III's relationship with the City of York in 1485, yet the nature and purpose of theHouse Bookshas never been satisfactorily explored. Through a focus on the records of a single year (1476–77), this article places their development within the context of new forms of civic bureaucracy in England and France in which the recording of emotions and speech had particular rhetorical and political significance in the reign of Edward IV. This expanding culture of civic literacy led not only to the creation of fuller records of civic politics and events (including the surviving texts of the Corpus Christi drama), but also enabled new forms of political activity.
Observations on obesity patterns in tetralogy of Fallot patients from childhood to adulthood
Authors: Briston David A. , Sabanayagam Aarthi , Zaidi Ali N.
Published: September 2016

Obesity is increasingly prevalent, and abnormal body mass index is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. There are limited data published regarding body mass index and CHD. We tested the hypothesis that body mass index and obesity prevalence are increasing in patients with tetralogy of Fallot over time by analysing time since surgery, age, height, weight, and body mass index among tetralogy of Fallot patients and demographic data from age-matched controls. NYHA class and left ventricular ejection fraction were analysed in adults. Body mass index was categorised into normal, overweight, and obese in this single-centre, retrospective chart review. Data were collected from 137 tetralogy of Fallot patients (71 men:66 women), of whom 40 had body mass index >25 kg/m2. Tetralogy of Fallot patients aged <6 years had lower body mass index (15.9 versus 17.1; p=0.042) until 16–20 years of age (27.4 versus 25.4; p=0.43). For adult tetralogy of Fallot patients, the mean body mass index was 26.5 but not statistically significantly different from the control cohort. Obese adult patients had significantly higher average NYHA class compared with those of normal weight (p=0.03), but no differences in left ventricular ejection fraction by echocardiography (p=0.55) or cardiac MRI (p=0.26) were noted. Lower body mass index was observed initially in tetralogy of Fallot patients, but by late adolescence no significant difference was observed. As adults, tetralogy of Fallot patients with higher body mass index had increased NYHA class but similar left ventricular ejection fraction.
Aerobic Exercise Improves Mood, Cognition, and Language Function in Parkinson’s Disease: Results of a Controlled Study
Authors: Altmann Lori J.P. , Stegemöller Elizabeth , Hazamy Audrey A. , Wilson Jonathan P. , Bowers Dawn , Okun Michael S. , Hass Chris J.
Published: September 2016

Objectives: Parkinson’s disease (PD) results in a range of non-motor deficits that can affect mood, cognition, and language, and many of these issues are unresponsive to pharmacological intervention. Aerobic exercise can improve mood and cognition in healthy older adults, although only a few studies have examined exercise effects on these domains in PD. The current study assesses the effects of aerobic exercise on aspects of cognition, mood, and language production in people with PD. Methods: This study compares the effects of aerobic exercise to stretch-balance training and a no-contact control group in participants with idiopathic PD. The aerobic and stretch-balance groups trained three times a week for 16 weeks, while controls continued normal activities. Outcome measures included disease severity, mood, cognition (speed of processing, memory, and executive function), and language production (picture descriptions). Cognition and language were assessed in single and dual task conditions. Results: Depressive symptoms increased only in the control group (p<.02). Executive function improved in the aerobic exercise group only in the single task (p=.007) and declined in controls in the dual task. Completeness of picture descriptions improved significantly more in the aerobic group than in the stretch-balance group (p<.02). Conclusions: Aerobic exercise is a viable intervention for PD that can be protective against increased depressive symptoms, and can improve several non-motor domains, including executive dysfunction and related aspects of language production. (JINS, 2016, 22, 878–889)
L2 processing as noisy channel language comprehension
Authors: FUTRELL RICHARD , GIBSON EDWARD
Published: September 2016

The thesis in this paper is that L2 speakers differ from L1 speakers in their ability to do memory storage and retrieval about linguistic structure. We would like to suggest it is possible to go farther than this thesis and develop a computational-level theory which explains why this mechanistic difference between L2 and L1 speakers exists. For this purpose, we believe a noisy channel model (Shannon, 1948; Levy, 2008; Levy, Bicknell, Slattery & Rayner, 2009; Gibson, Bergen & Piantadosi, 2013) could be a good start. Under the reasonable assumption that L2 speakers have a less precise probabilistic representation of the syntax of their L2 language than L1 speakers do, the noisy channel model straightforwardly predicts that L2 comprehenders will depend more on world knowledge and discourse factors when interpreting and recalling utterances (cf. Gibson, Sandberg, Fedorenko, Bergen & Kiran, 2015, for this assumption applied to language processing for persons with aphasia). Also, under the assumption that L2 speakers assume a higher error rate than L1 speakers do, the noisy channel model predicts that they will be more affected by alternative parses which are not directly compatible with the form of an utterance.