bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Value and Size Effects in the Stock Market of the Philippines
Authors: Perez Gerardo “Gerry” Alfonso
Published: March 2018

Several market abnormalities, such as the small size effect or the value effect, have been found in the stock markets across the world. In this article it is analyzed the case of the stock market of the Philippines. The Philippines, while having a relatively large economy and a capital market with long history, has attracted less research than other Asian countries, such as China or Japan. This is perhaps due to the much larger size of the economies and capital markets of those countries. Nevertheless the stock market of the Philippines is important enough to warrant attention. It will be shown that in recent years there is no indication of a value effect or a small size effect in the stock market of the Philippines, which is surprising given the amount of articles finding such results in other countries. The results were consistent when using the entire dataset as well as when comparing each year individually. It was also found, using weekly returns, that value and growth stocks as well as small and large companies present volatility clustering, which is a result more consistent with the existing literature in other markets. There are less evidence of volatility clustering when using monthly returns rather than when using weekly returns.
Reviewer acknowledgements for Environment and Pollution, Vol. 7, No. 1
Authors: John Albert
Published: March 2018

Reviewer acknowledgements for Environment and Pollution, Vol. 7, No. 1, 2018.
Applying Measurement of Situational Self-Determination Theory to Use of a Self-Access Centre at a Japanese University
Authors: Robson Graham G. , Hardy Darrell J.
Published: March 2018

One way to promote autonomy in the second language can be through the use of Self-access Centres (SACs). These are spaces for students to engage in activities such as self-study or communication with other learners, or native-speakers of the target language. However, merely having these spaces available does not guarantee that students will use the facility effectively, or even attend at all, so a degree of learner motivation linked with visiting the SAC would be necessary. Deci and Ryan’s (1985) Self-Determination Theory (SDT) has been used as the base for numerous studies in second language learning, including those in Japan. Proponents claim SDT is both universal and can be measured on different levels, which are global, situational and state. The authors sought to validate a measure of four subscales of SDT (Intrinsic Motivation, Identified Regulation, Introjected Regulation and External Regulation) written for this study at the situational level among undergraduates using an SAC at a Japanese University (n = 83). The rationale for items at this level comes from the field of psychology (Vallerand & Ratelle, 2002) and a study of second language constructs (Robson, 2016). A factor analysis confirmed four reliable factors, as hypothesized. Further, simplex correlations between the subconstructs somewhat confirms the underlying continuum posited by SDT researchers. These results may lead to a body of work that validates SDT theory in second language learning.
Building State-Level Business Cycle Tracer Tools: Evidence from a Large Emerging Economy
Authors: Colombo Jéfferson A. , Cortes Renan X. , Cruz Fernando I. L. , Paese Luis H. Z.
Published: March 2018

Tracing business cycle movements in a timely way can help government, firms, and consumers to allocate resources efficiently in the economy. However, analytical systems designed to monitor the business cycles are hard to find, especially in state-level economies and in emerging markets. In this paper, we present the methodology of construction of the Business Cycle Tracer of the State of Rio Grande do Sul – Brazil (BCT-RS), a tool that focuses on the visualization of a key subset of financial and socioeconomic data and allows users to analyze the interrelationships and the co-movements of those variables over time. Specifically, we discuss our methodological procedure to select leading, coincident and lagging indicators, including seasonal adjustment, cycle extraction, cross-correlation analysis and detection of turning points. We also describe the three functionalities of the BCT-RS -- time series, table of variations and macroeconomic dynamics. Overall, our proposed system offers a reliable representation of the current state of the business cycle before information about GDP becomes available. Importantly, our framework is generalizable to other states, especially in developing economies.
Middlemen Market Power and Land Reform Policy Implication: An Imperfect Competition Analysis for the Traditional Food Market of Vietnam
Authors: Thanh Ngo Chi
Published: March 2018

The traditional food distribution system is often characterized by small farmers and of several retailer called middlemen who sell their products on market. Since the intermediaries and their market powers are largely considerable in the food market, this paper proposes an industrial organization model of the middlemen in this conventional food distribution system for developing countries. Since most of the works in this field has adopted an empirical approach, the focus of our study in this paper will be instead on theoretical model. In order to analyze this situation, we borrow several arguments from the theory of imperfect competition. We assume that middlemen have oliopsony and oligopoly power in the up and down stream of the food system. We defined the consumer behavior by discrete choice model and study the quantity flow from small producers to the consumers by mean of Cournot competition. We address the question of land reform policy implication by creating a productivity shock in order to examine the effect of this instrument on the wealth of both farmers and consumers.
Mathematical Model for the Dynamics of Neisseria Gonorrhea Disease with Natural Immunity and Treatment Effects
Authors: Isa Adamu Ibrahim , Usman Sulaiman
Published: March 2018

Neisseria gonorrhea infection; a sexually transmitted disease, is caused primarily by a type of germ; a bacteria called neisseria gonorrhea. The infection is a major public health challenge today due to the high incidence of infections accompanied by a dwindling number of treatment options especially in developing and underdeveloped countries. In this paper, we developed a mathematical model for the transmission dynamics of neisseria gonorrhea infection and studied the effect of natural immunity and treatment as the only available control interventions on the spread of the disease in a population. We computed the model disease-free equilibrium and analyzed its local and global stability in a well-defined positively invariant and attracting set Ω using the next-generation matrix plus linearization method and the comparison theorem respectively. The disease-free equilibrium was proved to be both locally and globally asymptotically stable if $R_0<1$ and unstable if $R_0>1$. We conducted sensitivity analysis of parameters in the basic reproduction number $R_0$ using the normalized forward sensitivity index method. Results of the analysis revealed that $R_0$ decreases with increase in treatment and natural immunity rates. The results of the numerical simulations carried out using MATLAB R2012B showed that there is increase in new infections due to increased contact with infected individuals in the susceptible population and that, with increased treatment rate and controlled death due to the disease in the population, neisseria gonorrhea infection would be wiped out within 300 days of the treatment intervention.
Conceptual Framework of the Green Economy for Oil Palm
Authors: Phoochinda Wisakha
Published: March 2018

The study aimed to investigate operation of oil palm industry based on Green Economy concept. The conceptual framework of the Green Economy for the oil palm industry was established in accordance with Thailand’s context. Information was compiled via literature review on definition, meaning, concept, and theory of the Green Economy, and the oil palm industry, as well as interviews with 15 specialists, experts, scholars, farmers, and officials of relevant agencies such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives.The information from the interviews was analyzed by grouping issues and content analysis, and description to obtain the conceptual framework. Then, the framework was assessed by specialists, experts, and officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives with expertise in oil palm, and farmers for implementation.The study findings revealed that the application of the conceptual framework of the Green Economy for the oil palm industry consisted of the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy, Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), economic development such as development of organic farming, management of yields and waste, social development such as better quality of life for farmers, higher negotiating power for farmers, equality; and environmental development such as balanced eco system, reduced impact on the environment, and use of environmental-friendly technology.
A Comprehensive Performance Analysis of MIMO-OFDM Technology Using Different MIMO Configurations and M-QAM Modulation Schemes for LTE Cellular Network
Authors: Akhtar Jobaida , Reja Mohammad Istiaque , Al Amin Md. , Rahman Md. Sahidur
Published: March 2018

MIMO-OFDM (Multiple Input Multiple Output-Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) uses multiple antennas at transmitter and receiver side to facilitate high throughput performance without needing additional bandwidth or transmission power. But frequency synchronization, Inter Carrier Interference (ICI) minimization and antenna diversity are the main challenges for MIMO-OFDM wireless technology. In this paper, a MIMO-OFDM hybrid model is designed with proper frequency synchronization and antenna diversity that minimizes ICI with improved signal strength. Using the model a comprehensive analysis in terms of Bit Error Rate (BER) performance with respect to Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) and Bit Rate for different M-ary QAM modulation schemes and different MIMO configurations are presented over Rayleigh fading and AWGN channel. After an extensive analysis, it is found that the propose OFDM scheme shows better Bit Error rate (BER) performance for 64-QAM than any other M-ary QAM modulation schemes and the optimum MIMO configuration for this good quality performance is found to be 3×2 configuration.
Urban Land Use Pattern and Road Network Characteristics Using GIS in Al Salt City, Jordan
Authors: Qtiashat Deya , Makhmreh Zeyad , Taleb Hala Abu , Khlaifat Ahmed
Published: March 2018

The aim of this study is to analyze the land use pattern and roads network in relation to the population density and distribution. The GIS analysis tools was used to investigate and describe the characteristics of land use pattern.  method by utilizing the methods of surveying and spatial statistical analysis, and studying the areas’ topography; which includes the optimal land use and assessment through aerial photography that determines the future urban development besides determining the role played by the roads network within the study area. The study show that the residential use is dominant in the study area with 77.19 %. The study also showed that the urban growth was random and accompanied by the increase demand on the use of land for residential purpose. The study recommended paying more attention to the agricultural activities in Al Salt city and establishing a commercial organization that attracts visitors from the capital city of Amman who would like to get out of the city busy life but still stay near the capital city of Amman.
A Simple and Inexpensive 3D Scanning of Remote Objects by Robot
Authors: Hudieb Amjad , AL-Azzam Saad
Published: March 2018

Accessing remote objects that might be hard for a human being to reach to has become feasible by the use of mobile robots, which can be equipped with numerous gadgets to facilitate the purpose of using this robot. Scanning a remote object to study it or build a model of it is one of the applications where such mobile robots can be used for. This research aims at providing a cheap and efficient robot that performs 3D scanning of remote objects in order to build a model at the controller’s station. The robot has its own obstacle avoidance and distance calculation mechanism, but it can also be remotely controlled. Images of the object are captured by two cameras; one normal camera and another Time-of-Flight dedicated camera for capturing the depth of the object. The collected fragments of the images collected by the scanning process are sent wirelessly and securely to the controller, where a CAD model is built of the scanned object’s received data. The application will be applied on Festo Robotino because of its movement that supports this job as it uses Swedish Wheel drive.
How the Financial Sector Could Fight The Increasing Generational Divide (1)
Authors: Monti Luciano
Published: March 2018

How can the financial system support young people’s social and economic development? Is the financing of startups the only way to combat the growing generational divide in Europe? This paper, using the Generational Divide Index, focusses on four domains: Financing, Income, Wealth and Family Welfare—to demonstrate why financial regulation should intervene during a young person’s life to combat emerging intergenerational inequalities. The aim of this paper is to examine the extent to which the Credit, Wealth and Family Welfare domains affect the generational divide—referring, in particular, to the new Generational Divide Index (GDI 2.0) indicators—which have been recently modified with a new set of sub-indicators in the domains of Financing, Income, and Wealth.
Functionalization of technical textile
tapes
Authors: Urbaniak-Domagała W. , Kobierska E.
Published: March 2018

Purpose: The aim of the study was to deposit a hydrophobic barrier coating on technical
tapes in order to protect them from water and to test and assess the obtained products.
Design/methodology/approach: The coatings were deposited on elastic, textile
substrates using PACVD of hexamethyldisiloxane vapours with an RF commercial plasma
system under reduced pressure.
Findings: The coatings increased the hydrophobicity of the technical tapes, which
was confirmed by high water contact angles and reduced water sorption by the tape.
The polymerization of the monomer vapour plasma was achieved without carrier gas.
With a relatively slow increase in the deposition, rough coatings were obtained on a
submicroscopic level, as opposed to the commonly produced smooth ppHMDSO coatings.
This rough character enhanced the hydrophobicity of the surface according to the Wetzel or
Cassie models. The modification processes did not significantly affect the basic mechanical
properties of the tapes, such as Young’s modulus and tensile strength. The ppHMDSO
coatings are resistant to aging and mechanical wear and retain their hydrophobic barrier
properties.
Research limitations/implications: The quantitative assessment of the wettability
of a substrate with a rough surface is difficult and often ambiguous. This element of
physicochemical metrology is wide open for innovation.
Practical implications: The use of this plasma technique to make textile barrier products
shows several merits, such as an economically justifiable, pro-ecological and dry process.
The hydrophobicity of the textile substrates can also be obtained using other monomers.
Originality/value: The formation of local hierarchical structures on the top layer of the
fabric surface enhance the hydrophobic effect.
Preliminary Numerical Estimation of Selected Terminal Ballistic Effects Produced by Explosion of Mortar Projectile
Authors: FIKUS Bartosz
Published: March 2018

Results of theoretical modelling of mortar projectile’s fragments propulsion were shown. Taking into account universality of application of the considered ammunition, it seems to be reasonable to conduct simulations of projectile’s fragments propulsion and interaction with the environment. In the conducted investigations, due to dynamic character of the whole phenomena, characterized by extremely high values of strains and strain’s rate, the meshless explicit approach was used (Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics method implemented in AUTODYN software). This approach minimalized the negative effects of deformation of “classical” Lagrangian mesh.
In order to validate a numerical model, the results were compared with the simplified Gurney’s formula, which provides high accuracy of fragment’s velocity for regular shapes of casing. Comparison of the results showed low value of relative discrepancy (lower than 10%) for the cylindrical part of the casing in which detonation was fully developed and resulted in higher values of relative discrepancy of initial velocity for the non – cylindrical region, especially where the detonation was not developed.
Investigations of Thermal Diffusivity of Material of Compressor Blade of Turbine Jet Engine Using Modified Temperature Oscillation Metho
Authors: OMEN Łukasz , PANAS Andrzej
Published: March 2018

The modified temperature oscillation method was applied for investigation of thermal diffusivity of the aviation turbine engine’s part. The studies resulted in characterization of the applied method and experimental procedures performance. They were motivated by a need of determination of thermophysical data of the investigated material. The acquired thermal diffusivity data enabled identification of the material’s type and will be applied as input data for numerical analyses on thermo-mechanical loads of the structure. The investigated specimen was a sample of material from the first stage compressor’s blade of the AŁ-21F3 turbine engine. The measurements were conducted within the range of 5°C to 95°C. The thermal diffusivity was calculated from both the amplitude and phase responses to the harmonic excitation from exact analytical solution of the appropriate heat conduction problem. The appropriate transcendental equations describing the response signal amplitude attenuation and phase shift were solved applying iterative procedures. The analysis confirmed the effectiveness of the research methods and enabled to identify the material as titanium alloy.
Açık tibia kırıklarının minimal invaziv teknikle kilitli plakla tedavinin orta dönem sonuçları
Authors: ATİÇ Ramazan , ALEMDAR Celil , ULUDAG Abuzer , SARGIN Serdar , AYDIN Abdulkadir , KAPUKAYA Ahmet
Published: March 2018

Amaç: Açık tibia kırıklarının
tedavisinde minimal invaziv perkütan plakla osteosentez (MIPPO) tekniğiyle
yerleştirilen kilitli kompresyon plağı (LCP) ile tedavinin orta dönem
sonuçlarını değerlendirmektir.Yöntemler: Mart 2008 - Aralık 2009
yılları arasında, açık tibia kırığı nedeniyle MIPO tekniğiyle cerrahi olarak
tedavi edilen ortalama yaşı 32 (dağılım 16-64 yaş) ve ortalama takip süresi 18
ay (dağılım 12-30 ay) olan 41 hastanın (32 Erkek, 9 kadın) tedavi sonuçları
retrospektif olarak değerlendirildi. Hastaların açık kırık sınıflaması için Gustillo-Anderson
sınıflandırması kullanıldı. Buna göre 13 (%31,7) kırık Tip I, 21 (%51,2) kırık
Tip II , 6 (%14,6) kırık Tip IIIA, 1 (%2,4) kırık Tip III C olarak
değerlendirildi. Hastaların fonksiyonel sonuçları Karlstrom-Olerud fonksiyonel
değerlendirme ölçütlerine göre belirlendi.Bulgular: Kırıkların kaynama süresi
ortalama 29 hafta (dağılım 20-60 hafta) idi. 41 hastanın 38’inde tam kaynama,
3’ünde kaynama gecikmesi görüldü. 2 hastamızda plak yetmezliği gelişti, bu
hastaların birine otogreftle beraber plak değişimi diğerine sadece plak
değişimi yapıldı. Kalstrom-Olerud skorlamasına göre 7 (%17,1) hasta mükemmel,
27 (%65,9) hasta iyi, 4 (%9,8) hasta orta, 3 (%7,3) hastada tatmin edici sonuç
elde edildi. On hastada yüzeyel enfeksiyon, bir
hastada derin enfeksiyon bir hastada da osteomyelit gelişti. Yüzeyel enfeksiyon
oral antibioterapiyle tedavi edilirken derin enfeksiyon ve osteomyelit seri
debridman ve parenteral antibioterapiyle tedavi edildi.Sonuç: MIPPO tekniğiyle biyolojik tespit düşük
enfeksiyon, yüksek kaynama oranı ile açık tibia kırıklarının acil ve kalıcı
tedavisinde uygulanabilecek etkili bir yöntemdir.
The Ambiguity of the Inverse Secant
Authors: Bannon Thomas J.
Published: March 2018

Defining inverse trigonometric functions involves choosing ranges for the functions. The choices made for the inverse sine, cosine, tangent, and cotangent functions follow generally accepted conventions. However, different authors make different choices when defining y = arcsec x and y = arccsc x for negative x. I first discovered that the definitions of these functions were not a settled convention when I found an alternate definition in Schaum's (Ayers and Mendelson 2012) and Anton's (1995) books. The more commonly used definition is simpler and results in a function more easily evaluated and for that reason is preferable when introducing the inverse trigonometric functions in an algebra or precalculus course. As we shall see, though, the alternate definition of the inverse secant function has many advantages when we move on to calculus. Since we have a choice in our definitions, we should choose what makes the most sense in context.
Tiling the Cube
Authors: Deis Timothy
Published: March 2018

The Tiling Tubs task is a middle school activity published in NCTM's Navigating through Algebra in Grades 6-8. Students examine a drawing that shows a square hot tub with side length s feet. A border of square tiles surrounds the tub, with each border tile a 1-foot square. Students determine the number of border tiles required to surround the tub and express that number in as many ways as they can, thereby creating various equivalent algebraic representations. A valuable component of Tiling Tubs is its requirement that students contextually justify their algebraic representations. Students also realize that more than one correct representation and justification exists.
From Mathematical Reading to Mathematical Literacy
Authors: Beaudine Gregory
Published: March 2018

If teachers have a deeper comprehension of their students' reading ability, it may lead to students' improved literacy and understanding of the subject.
Weaving Mathematical Concepts through Native American Baskets
Authors: Caniglia Joanne C.
Published: March 2018

The stunning natural beauty of Arizona, New Mexico, southern Colorado, and Utah is indicative of the American Southwest and is reflected in Southwestern baskets. Many Southwestern basket weavers use coiling as their method of construction (see fig. 1). The following problems relate mathematics to the art of basket weaving, with an emphasis on coiling.
Comparison Tasks: Making More Sense
Authors: Sternal Alison , Milligan Lisa , Soto Melissa M.
Published: March 2018

Students often rely on keywords in word problems without understanding the task. In this article, sample comparison problems are presented to encourage students to focus on understanding context rather than keywords. Postscript items are designed as rich grab-and-go resources that any teacher can quickly incorporate into his or her classroom repertoire with little effort and maximum impact.
China’s Opportunity: Recommendations for Liberal Arts Innovation
Authors: Godwin Kara A. , Pickus Noah
Published: March 2018

This article is based on CIHE Perspectives No. 8: “Liberal Arts & Sciences Innovation in China: Six Recommendations to Shape the Future,” available in English and Chinese.
Combating Academic Corruption: Quality Assurance and Accreditation
Authors: Eaton Judith S.
Published: March 2018

The role of quality assurance and accrediting bodies in advancing academic integrity has long been clear.  Increasingly, however, these bodies are also expected to focus on the challenging issue of academic corruption – practices such as plagiarism, fraudulent credentials, bribery – and how to end them. This article explores additional tools that quality assurance and accreditation may need to combat corruption, beyond advancing academic integrity.
The Growth of International Student Mobility Is Faltering
Authors: Van Damme Dirk
Published: March 2018

After years of impressive growth, the number of international students seems to stabilize around 4.6 million. No further increase has been observed in recent years. Possible explanations include changes on the demand side, in particular the quantitative and qualitative growth of domestic higher education in countries such as China and India. Also, recent evolutions in the political climate in destination countries seem to have a deterring effect. International students are confronted with a less welcoming environmentand generally hostile attitudes toward immigration. As a result, international competition for fee-paying international students seems to slow down significantly.
Attracting and Retaining Global Talent: International Graduate Students in the United States
Authors: Bhandari Rajika
Published: March 2018

In light of current developments in in-bound international student flows to the U.S., this articleuses multiple recent data sources to examine the appeal of the U.S. as a destination forinternational graduate students, as well as the current status of international graduate enrollmentin the U.S.
Student Debt in the United States: Rhetoric vs Reality
Authors: Baum Sandy
Published: March 2018

The general notion of a student debt “crisis” in the United States is rooted in misperceptions. The problems lie largely with students who leave school without a credential, with those who attend for-profit institutions, and with older adults returning to school—not with young, four-year college graduates.
Egzotik Hadronlar
Authors: YILMAZKAYA SÜNGÜ Jale , VELİ Elşen
Published: March 2018

Son yıllarda yapılan yüksek enerji
fiziği deneylerinde Standart Model çerçevesinde bilinen parçacık yapıları
dışında yeni parçacıklar dedekte edilmiştir. Bu gelişmeler, Standart Model
ötesi fizik açısından oldukça önemlidir. İç yapısı nedeniyle egzotik parçacık
diye adlandırılan bu parçacıkların hem deneysel, hemde teorik çalışmalara
farklı bir yön vereceği düşünülmektedir. Bu parçacıklar bugüne kadar tam olarak
açıklanamayan madde-antimadde asimetrisi, evrenin oluşumu, karanlık madde,
karanlık enerji, nötron yıldızlarının iç yapısı gibi pekçok konu hakkında
ipuçları verebilir. Ayrıca bu parçacıkların keşfi son yıllarda hadron
spektroskopisine olan ilgiyi oldukça artırmıştır. Bu çalışmada, bugüne kadar
tespit edilen egzotik parçacıkların kütle, kuantum sayıları, bozunma
genişlikleri gibi temel özellikleri hakkında bilgi sunulacaktır.
18 Temmuz 2017 Tarihinde İstanbul’da Meydana Gelen Sel Olayının Meteorolojik Analizi
Authors: BALTACI Hakkı
Published: March 2018

Sel hadisenin yer yüzünde meydana gelen önemli
doğal afetlerden birisi olduğu bilinmektedir. Sel nedeniyle meydana gelmesi
muhtemel zararları minimize etmek için sebeplerinden birisi olan kısa süreli
orta ölçekli konvektif yağışların analizi ve tahmini oldukça önemlidir. Bu
çalışmada, 18 Temmuz 2017 tarihinde İstanbul’da meydana gelen sel hadisesinin
meteorolojik analizi yapılmıştır. Azor yüksek basınç merkezi ile İzlanda alçak
basınç merkezinin etkileşimi arasında kalan İstanbul iline, yukarı seviye alçak
merkezinin bölge üzerinde konumlanması neticesinde Ege ve Marmara denizlerinden
nem transfer edilmiştir. Nemin aşağı seviyelerden yukarı seviyelere kuvvetli
rüzgarlar ile birlikte iletilmesi kararsızlık koşullarını artırmış (K index=
36.6), İstanbul ili üzerinde sabah saatlerinde kısa süreli kuvvetli yağışlara
neden olmuş (Beykoz’da 1 saatte 44.0 kg) ve ekonomik ve sosyal hayatı olumsuz
yönde etkilemiştir.
Restoration actions in marine ecosystems: a global analysis
Authors: Fraschetti Simonetta , Guarnieri Giuseppe , Papa Loredana , McOwen Chris , Papadopoulou Nadia , Bilan Meri , Boström Christoffer , Capdevila Pol , Carugati Laura , Cebrian Emma , Dailianis Thanos , De Leo Francesco , Fiorentino Dario , Gagnon Karine , Gambi Cristina , Garrabou Joaquim , Gerovasileiou Vasilis , Hereu Bernat , Kipson Silvija , Kotta Jonne , Ledoux Jean-Baptiste , Linares Cristina , Martin Juliette , Medrano Alba , Montero-Serra Ignasi , Morato Telmo , Pusceddu Antonio , Sevastou Katerina , Smith Chris , Verdura Jana , Danovaro Roberto
Published: March 2018

A review of 573 studies on active restoration actions in the marine environment, published in the last 25 years, was carried out at global scale. We assessed how, where, at which spatial and temporal scales and under which socio-ecological settings restoration studies have been carried out, from very shallow to deep sea habitats. Results show that restoration efforts across habitats are increasing, especially in seagrasses and coral reefs, but never approached at ecosystem level. Targets, methods, response variables and standards are still very heterogeneous. Of the factors considered in the review, habitat, human impact intensity, realm and methods of restoration were found to be good determinant of restoration success. Short project duration (one-two years), small restoration areas (< 1 ha), lack of controls and knowledge of baselines are still a limit for deriving generalities. Finally, restorations rarely consider future challenges linked to global change this impairing long-term success stories. Restoration science needs more robust approaches leading to the development of best practices (e.g. protocols, monitoring of the effects, reasons for failure) to be applied at spatial and temporal scales so as to answer to present and future disturbance regimes.
Drastic effects of Climate Change on Mediterranean marine forests
Authors: Verdura Jana , Vergés Alba , Santamaría Jorge , de Caralt Sònia , Ballesteros Enric , Cebrian Emma
Published: March 2018

Macroalgal forests have gone missing from most temperate rocky shores during the last decades, triggering an important biodiversity loss. Cystoseira species are some of the main marine habitat-forming species on shallow water Mediterranean rocky bottoms and follow the same tendency, mainly related to habitat destruction and pollution. However, here we suggest that anormal positive thermal events may contribute to this widespread Cystoseira decline. Monitoring thorough natural populations showed a drastic decline on a natural and relict C. crinita population in terms of density and structure coinciding with anormal high temperatures experienced during a summer period. Additionally, we experimentally test in the laboratory the cause-effect of those temperatures and UV radiation conditions experienced in the field on C. crinita populations. Although, C. crinita is able to resist high temperature picks, usually reached in Mediterranean summers, exceptional and maintained periods as those experienced during extreme events (28ºC) lead to the death of all individuals, compromising the viability and conservation of these forest-forming populations. We show how climate change may seriously compromise algal populations and synergically act with historical drivers of macroalgal decline (pollution, habitat destruction and herbivorism). Financial support from EU2020 (R+I) under grant agreement No 689518 (MERCES), MINECO (CGL2016-76341-R) and from University of Girona under congress assistance fellowship program for PhD and master students.
Global mapping of potential natural vegetation: an assessment of Machine Learning algorithms for estimating land potential
Authors: Hengl Tomislav , Walsh Markus G , Sanderman Jonathan , Wheeler Ichsani , Harrison Sandy P , Prentice Iain C
Published: March 2018

Potential Natural Vegetation (PNV) is the vegetation cover in equilibrium with climate, that would exist at a given location non-impacted by human activities. PNV is useful for raising public awareness about land degradation and for estimating land potential. This paper presents results of assessing Machine Learning Algorithms (MLA) for operational mapping of Potential Natural Vegetation (PNV). The following MLA were considered: neural networks (nnet package), random forest (ranger), gradient boosting (gmb), K-nearest neighborhood (class) and cubist. Three case studies were considered: (1) global distribution of biomes based on the BIOME 6000 data set (8057 modern pollen-based site reconstructions), (2) distribution of forest tree taxa in Europe based on detailed occurrence records (1,546,435 ground observations), and (3) global monthly Fraction of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FAPAR) values (30,301 randomly-sampled points). A stack of 160 global maps representing biophysical conditions over land, including atmospheric, climatic, relief and lithologic variables, were used as explanatory variables. The overall results show that random forest gives the overall best performance. The highest accuracy for predicting BIOME 6000 classes (20) was estimated at 68% (33% with spatial Cross Validation) with the most important predictors being total annual precipitation, monthly temperatures and bioclimatic layers. Predicting forest tree species (73) resulted in mapping accuracy of 25%, with the most important predictors being monthly cloud fraction, mean annual and monthly temperatures and elevation. Regression models for FAPAR (monthly images) gave an R-square of 90% with most important predictors being total annual precipitation, monthly cloud fraction, CHELSA bioclimatic layers and month of the year, respectively. Further developments of PNV mapping could include using GBIF records to map global distribution of plant species at different taxonomic levels. This methodology could also be extended to dynamic modeling of PNV, so that future climate scenarios can be incorporated. Global maps of biomes, FAPAR and tree species at 1 km spatial resolution are available for download via http://dx.doi.org/10.7910/DVN/QQHCIK.
Live cell-lineage tracing and machine learning reveal patterns of organ regeneration
Authors: Viader-Llargués Oriol , Lupperger Valerio , Pola-Morell Laura , Marr Carsten , López-Schier Hernán
Published: March 2018

Despite the intrinsically stochastic nature of damage, sensory organs recapitulate normal architecture during repair to maintain function. Here we present a quantitative approach that combines live cell-lineage tracing and multifactorial classification by machine learning to reveal how cell identity and localization are coordinated during organ regeneration. We use the superficial neuromasts in larval zebrafish, which contain three cell classes organized in radial symmetry and a single planar-polarity axis. Visualization of cell-fate transitions at high temporal resolution shows that neuromasts regenerate isotropically to recover geometric order, proportions and polarity with exceptional accuracy. We identify mediolateral position within the growing tissue as the best predictor of cell-fate acquisition. We propose a self-regulatory mechanism that guides the regenerative process to identical outcome with minimal extrinsic information. The integrated approach that we have developed is simple and broadly applicable, and should help define predictive signatures of cellular behavior during the construction of complex tissues.
A transformation from temporal to ensemble coding in a model of piriform cortex
Authors: Stern Merav , Bolding Kevin A , Abbott LF , Franks Kevin M
Published: March 2018

Different coding strategies are used to represent odor information at various stages of the mammalian olfactory system. A temporal latency code represents odor identity in olfactory bulb (OB), but this temporal information is discarded in piriform cortex (PCx) where odor identity is instead encoded through ensemble membership. We developed a spiking PCx network model to understand how this transformation is implemented. In the model, the impact of OB inputs activated earliest after inhalation is amplified within PCx by diffuse recurrent collateral excitation, which then recruits strong, sustained feedback inhibition that suppresses the impact of later-responding glomeruli. We model increasing odor concentrations by decreasing glomerulus onset latencies while preserving their activation sequences. This produces a multiplexed cortical odor code in which activated ensembles are robust to concentration changes while concentration information is encoded through population synchrony. Our model demonstrates how PCx circuitry can implement multiplexed ensemble-identity/temporal-concentration odor coding.
Inflammatory markers and the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Darweesh Sirwan K.L. , Wolters Frank J. , Ikram M. Arfan , de Wolf Frank , Bos Daniel , Hofman Albert
Published: March 2018

Introduction

Inflammatory markers are often elevated in patients with dementia, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, it remains unclear whether inflammatory markers are associated with the risk of developing dementia.

Methods

We searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane library for prospective population‐based studies reporting associations between inflammatory markers and all‐cause dementia or AD. We used random effects meta‐analyses to obtain pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals of inflammatory markers (highest vs. lowest quantile) for all‐cause dementia and AD.

Results

Fifteen articles from 13 studies in six countries reported data that could be meta‐analyzed. C‐reactive protein (HR = 1.37 [1.05; 1.78]), interleukin‐6 (HR = 1.40 [1.13; 1.73]), α1‐antichymotrypsin (HR = 1.54 [1.14; 2.80]), lipoprotein‐associated phospholipase A2 activity (HR = 1.40 [1.03; 1.90]), and fibrinogen were each associated with all‐cause dementia, but neither was significantly associated with AD.

Discussion

Several inflammatory markers are associated with an increased risk of all‐cause dementia; however, these markers are not specific for AD. Whether inflammatory markers closely involved in AD pathology are associated with the risk of AD remains to be elucidated.
The Nature of Notebooks: How Enlightenment Schoolchildren Transformed theTabula Rasa
Authors: Eddy Matthew Daniel
Published: March 2018

John Locke's comparison of the mind to a blank piece of paper, thetabula rasa, was one of the most recognizable metaphors of the British Enlightenment. Though scholars embrace its impact on the arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences, they seldom consider why the metaphor was so successful. Concentrating on the notebooks made and used by the schoolchildren of Enlightenment Scotland, this essay contends that the answer lies in the material and visual conditions that gave rise to the metaphor's usage. By the time students had finished school, they had learned to conceptualize the pages, the script, and the figures of their notebooks as indispensable learning tools that could be manipulated by scores of adaptable folding, writing, and drawing techniques. In this article, I reveal that historicizing the epistemology and manipulability of student manuscript culture makes it possible to see that the success of Locke's metaphor was founded on its appeal to everyday note-keeping activities performed by British schoolchildren.
„Allein mit dem Tabu“ – Wie Frauen mit vulvären Neoplasien die Unterstützung durch ihr soziales Umfeld beschreiben – Eine qualitative Studie
Authors: Rüegsegger Anna Barbara , Senn Beate , Spirig Rebecca
Published: March 2018

Zusammenfassung. Hintergrund: Vulväre Neoplasien sind gynäkologische Erkrankungen mit zum Teil einschneidenden Folgen für die Betroffenen. Neben physischen Komplikationen leiden die Frauen häufig unter psychischen Problemen. Die mit Scham besetzte Krankheit führt zu einer Verminderung der Lebensqualität und beeinträchtigt das Sozialleben. Es ist wenig bekannt darüber, was diese Frauen an sozialer Unterstützung erhalten. Ziel: Das Ziel dieser qualitativen Studie war, zu beschreiben, wie betroffene Frauen die Unterstützung durch das soziale Umfeld in der Zeit von der Diagnose bis sechs Monate postoperativ erleben bzw. vermissen. Methode: In der vorliegenden Sekundäranalyse wurde ein qualitatives Design gewählt. Es wurden 20 transkribierte Interviews aus der WOMAN-PRO-Studie mittels qualitativer Inhaltsanalyse nach Mayring ausgewertet. Ergebnisse: Die Analyse ergab vier Hauptkategorien: Eine schlimme Krankheit haben zeigt, wie die Frauen die Diagnose als Schock erlebten, mit welchen Tabuthemen sowie Schuldfragen sie sich auseinandersetzen mussten. Stark ausgeprägt war die Kategorie Sich allein fühlen, bedingt durch Nicht-Sprechen, Nicht-Hinschauen und Nicht-Handeln. In Selber anpacken wird beschrieben, welche Strategien den Frauen halfen, aus dem Alleinsein herauszufinden. In Hilfe erfahren wird deutlich, dass diejenigen Frauen, die von sich aus mit dem sozialen Umfeld in Kontakt traten, in der Regel soziale Unterstützung erhielten. Schlussfolgerungen: Diese Patientinnen haben einen hohen Bedarf an umfassenden Informationen sowie an emotionaler und praktischer Unterstützung durch das private Umfeld und besonders auch durch die Gesundheitsfachleute. Eine definierte Bezugs- und Vertrauensperson während des ganzen Behandlungsprozesses ist zu empfehlen.
Investigating Construct Validity of the Cyber-Peer Experiences	Questionnaire
Authors: Moore Kendall D. , Fairchild Amanda J.
Published: March 2018

Abstract. Cyberaggression and cybervictimization have gained momentum as a research focus given associated mental health sequelae. To date, however, there remains little consensus on the conceptualization and measurement of these constructs. The purpose of this study was to explore construct validity evidence for the Cyber-Peer Experiences Questionnaire (C-PEQ), a novel measure that assesses experiences of cyberaggression and cybervictimization. Undergraduate participants ( n = 735) completed an online survey including the C-PEQ and other theoretically related instruments. Confirmatory factor analysis did not provide support for the hypothesized two-factor model [MLM χ2(125) = 293.58, RMSEA = .06, CFI = .87, SRMR = .06]. The C-PEQ displayed evidence for internal consistency reliability. Evidence for convergent validity with theoretically similar constructs was mixed. Specific areas of model misspecification included items 1 and 2 on both subscales (altering social media friend lists). Future research may explore additional construct validity evidence of the C-PEQ in novel samples with these items removed.
Measurement Invariance Analysis of the Parental Stress	Index
Authors: Piskernik Bernhard , Supper Barbara , Ahnert Lieselotte
Published: March 2018

Abstract. While parenting research continues to compare similarities and differences in mothers’ and fathers’ behaviors based on mean values on the respective dimensions, measurement invariance as a prerequisite for these comparisons has seldom been assured. The present study thus subjected the well-known Parenting Stress Index (PSI), widely used in models of family functioning, to a rigorous measurement invariance analysis based on ( N = 214) Austrian couples with children younger than 3 years of age. We evaluated configural, metric, scalar, and uniqueness invariance on item and subscale levels, and tested for structural invariance of means and variances of the PSI parent and child domain by second-order confirmatory factor analyses. As a result, only measurement differences on the scalar levels affected the factor scores, though negligibly. On the structural levels, no differences were found on the PSI child domain across parents, but on the PSI parent domain, mothers reported more stress.
New Juno Data Reveal Four Key Secrets of Jupiter
Authors: Cartier Kimberly
Published: March 2018

Deep clouds, polar storms, lopsided gravity, and a uniformly rotating interior demonstrate that the gas giant plays by different rules than Earth.
Finding the Meaning of Meaning: Emerging Insights on Four Grand Questions
Authors: Baumeister Roy F. , Landau Mark J.
Published: March 2018

This is a stand-alone reflection on meaning written by two scholars who recently edited a special issue on that topic. The first of four organizing questions concerns the nature of meaning. The meaning of signs (e.g., words) consists of nonphysical connection (e.g., symbolism) and potential organization. Meanwhile, existential meaning (meaning of life) involves purpose, value, mattering, continuity, and coherence. The second question concerns how meaning affects behavior. Answers are diverse and multifaceted, ranging from efforts to grapple with uncertainty and unknowns to engaging in significance-seeking violence and self-regulating in light of abstract values and standards. To the question of whether meaning is made or found, the authors propose that finding meaning is prevalent, while the creation of new meanings is only supported in a limited sense. Although often portrayed as a constructive process, accessing meaning normally involves relating target stimuli to what is already known. A fourth question asks whether meaning is individual/personal or collective/social. The collective dimension plays an integral yet often neglected role in scaffolding personal meanings.
A giant amphipathic helix from a perilipin that is adapted for coating lipid droplets
Authors: Čopič Alenka , Antoine-Bally Sandra , Giménez-Andrés Manuel , La Torre Garay César , Antonny Bruno , Manni Marco M. , Pagnotta Sophie , Guihot Jeanne , Jackson Catherine L.
Published: March 2018

How proteins are targeted to lipid droplets (LDs) and distinguish the LD surface from the surfaces of other organelles is poorly understood, but many contain predicted amphipathic helices (AHs) that are involved in targeting. We have focused on human perilipin 4 (Plin4), which contains an AH that is exceptional in terms of length and repetitiveness. Using model cellular systems, we show that AH length, hydrophobicity, and charge are important for AH targeting to LDs and that these properties can compensate for one another, albeit at a loss of targeting specificity. Using synthetic lipids, we show that purified Plin4 AH binds poorly to lipid bilayers but strongly interacts with pure triglycerides, acting as a coat and forming small oil droplets. Because Plin4 overexpression alleviates LD instability under conditions where their coverage by phospholipids is limiting, we propose that the Plin4 AH replaces the LD lipid monolayer, for example during LD growth.
Spatial correlation of elastic heterogeneity tunes the deformation behavior of metallic glasses
Authors: Wang Neng , Ding Jun , Yan Feng , Asta Mark , Ritchie Robert O. , Li Lin
Published: March 2018

Metallic glasses (MGs) possess remarkably high strength but often display only minimal tensile ductility due to the formation of catastrophic shear bands. Purposely enhancing the inherent heterogeneity to promote distributed flow offers new possibilities in improving the ductility of monolithic MGs. Here, we report the effect of the spatial heterogeneity of elasticity, resulting from the inherently inhomogeneous amorphous structures, on the deformation behavior of MGs, specifically focusing on the ductility using multiscale modeling methods. A highly heterogeneous, Gaussian-type shear modulus distribution at the nanoscale is revealed by atomistic simulations in Cu64Zr36 MGs, in which the soft population of the distribution exhibits a marked propensity to undergo the inelastic shear transformation. By employing a mesoscale shear transformation zone dynamics model, we find that the organization of such nanometer-scale shear transformation events into shear-band patterns is dependent on the spatial heterogeneity of the local shear moduli. A critical spatial correlation length of elastic heterogeneity is identified for the simulated MGs to achieve the best tensile ductility, which is associated with a transition of shear-band formation mechanisms, from stress-dictated nucleation and growth to structure-dictated strain percolation, as well as a saturation of elastically soft sites participating in the plastic flow. This discovery is important for the fundamental understanding of the role of spatial heterogeneity in influencing the deformation behavior of MGs. We believe that this can facilitate the design and development of new ductile monolithic MGs by a process of tuning the inherent heterogeneity to achieve enhanced ductility in these high-strength metallic alloys.