bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Schmorl’s Node
Authors: Sahoo Manas Kumar , Ahlawat Kulbir , Yadav Rajiv , Gajendra Smeeta
Published: July 2018

68Ga–prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) ligand PET/CT is commonly believed to be prostate specific as the name itself suggests. However, PSMA-expressing nonprostatic cancers as well as benign lesions are continuously being added to the list. We reported PSMA-expressing Schmorl’s node in L1 vertebra of a 74-year-old man with prostate cancer. Prostate-specific membrane antigen expression in the vertebral lesion raised a metastatic suspicion. However, on analysis of previous CT scan done 2 years before, the same lesion was observed with no significant interval change, confirming its benign nature. With more use of PSMA ligand PET/CT, more limitations and false positivities will be explored.
Primary Extragastrointestinal Stromal Tumor on FDG PET/CT
Authors: Zhang Yanyan , Zhang Annan , Song Le , Li Xinxin , Zhang Weifang
Published: July 2018

Primary extragastrointestinal stromal tumor is very rare. We report a case of cervical paravertebral extragastrointestinal stromal tumor involving adjacent bones revealed by FDG PET/CT in a 66-year-old man without any gastrointestinal involvement.
Molecular Pathways Underlying Adaptive Repair of the Injured Kidney
Authors: Orlando Giuseppe , Danger Richard , Okut Hayrettin , Edgar Lauren , Bussolati Benedetta , Gall Emily , Bergman Christopher R. , Tamburrini Riccardo , Gazia Carlo , Farney Alan C. , Freedman Barry I. , McPherson Gwen , Rogers Jeffrey , Stratta Robert J. , Brouard Sophie , Walker Stephen J.
Published: July 2018

Objective:

To test the hypothesis that gene expression profiling in peripheral blood from patients who have undergone kidney transplantation (KT) will provide mechanistic insights regarding graft repair and regeneration.

Background:

Renal grafts obtained from living donors (LD) typically function immediately, whereas organs from donation after cardiac death (DCD) or acute kidney injury (AKI) donors may experience delayed function with eventual recovery. Thus, recipients of LD, DCD, and AKI kidneys were studied to provide a more complete understanding of the molecular basis for renal recovery.

Methods:

Peripheral blood was collected from LD and DCD/AKI recipients before transplant and throughout the first 30 days thereafter. Total RNA was isolated and assayed on whole genome microarrays.

Results:

Comparison of longitudinal gene expression between LD and AKI/DCD revealed 2 clusters, representing 141 differentially expressed transcripts. A subset of 11 transcripts was found to be differentially expressed in AKI/DCD versus LD. In all recipients, the most robust gene expression changes were observed in the first day after transplantation. After day 1, gene expression profiles differed depending upon the source of the graft. In patients receiving LD grafts, the expression of most genes did not remain markedly elevated beyond the first day post-KT. In the AKI/DCD groups, elevations in gene expression were maintained for at least 5 days post-KT. In all recipients, the pattern of coordinate gene overexpression subsided by 28 to 30 days.

Conclusions:

Gene expression in peripheral blood of AKI/DCD recipients offers a novel platform to understand the potential mechanisms and timing of kidney repair and regeneration after transplantation.
Efficacy and Safety of Atypical Antipsychotics in Bipolar Disorder With Comorbid Substance Dependence: A Systematic Review
Authors: Sepede Gianna , Lorusso Marco , Spano Maria Chiara , Di Nanno Piero , Di Iorio Giuseppe , Di Giannantonio Massimo
Published: July 2018

Objectives

Bipolar disorder (BD) patients with a comorbid substance use disorder (SUD) are notoriously difficult to treat. Atypical antipsychotics (AAPs) are widely prescribed in BD, but their efficacy in patients with comorbid SUD is still debated. The aim of the present article is to systematically review the literature findings on the efficacy and safety of AAPs in BD patients with comorbid SUD.

Methods

We searched PubMed to identify original studies focused on the treatment of dual diagnosed BD with AAPs.

Results

Ten articles met our inclusion/exclusion criteria, involving a total of 969 subjects, 906 affected by BD and 793 with comorbid SUD: 4 were randomized controlled trials, 4 were open label trials and 2 were observational studies, published between 2002 and 2017. The most commonly abused substances were alcohol and cocaine. The AAPs used to treat patients were quetiapine (n = 337), asenapine (n = 119), olanzapine (n = 80), risperidone (n = 62), and aripiprazole (n = 48). In terms of safety, AAPs were usually well tolerated. Atypical antipsychotics were usually efficacious on acute mood symptoms, whereas their impact on substance-related issues was reported only in those studies without a placebo comparison.

Conclusions

According to our results, even though AAPs are widely used and efficacious in treating the clinical symptoms of BD, there are not enough data to suggest their adjunctive benefit on craving and substance consumption.
Transient dynamics in strongly nonlinear systems: optimization of initial conditions on the resonant manifold
Authors: Perchikov Nathan , Gendelman O. V.
Published: July 2018

We consider a system of two linear and linearly coupled oscillators with ideal impact constraints. Primary resonant energy exchange is investigated by analysis of the slow flow using the action–angle (AA) formalism. Exact inversion of the action-energy dependence for the linear oscillator with impact constraints is not possible. This difficulty, typical for many models of nonlinear oscillators, is circumvented by matching the asymptotic expansions for the linear and impact limits. The obtained energy–action relation enables the complete analysis of the slow flow and the accurate description of the critical delocalization transition. The transition from the localization regime to the energy-exchange regime is captured by prediction of the critical coupling value. Accurate prediction of the delocalization transition requires a detailed account of the coupling energy with appropriate redefinition and optimization of the limiting phase trajectory on the resonant manifold.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Nonlinear energy transfer in dynamical and acoustical systems’.
Passive nonlinear targeted energy transfer
Authors: Vakakis Alexander F.
Published: July 2018

Nonlinearity in dynamics and acoustics may be viewed as scattering of energy across frequencies/wavenumbers. This is in contrast with linear systems when no such scattering exists. Motivated by irreversible large-to-small-scale energy transfers in turbulent flows, passive targeted energy transfers (TET) in mechanical and structural systems incorporating intentional strong nonlinearities are considered. Transient or permanent resonance captures are basic mechanisms for inducing TET in such systems, as well as nonlinear energy scattering across scales caused by strongly nonlinear resonance interactions. Certain theoretical concepts are reviewed, and some TET applications are discussed. Specifically, it is shown that the addition of strongly nonlinear local attachments in an otherwise linear dynamical system may induce energy scattering across scales and ‘redistribution' of input energy from large to small scales in the linear modal space, in similarity to energy cascades that occur in turbulent flows. Such effects may be intentionally induced in the design stage and may lead to improved performance, e.g. it terms of vibration and shock isolation or energy harvesting. In addition, a simple mechanical analogue in the form of a nonlinear planar chain of particles composed of linear stiffness elements but exhibiting strong nonlinearity due to kinematic and geometric effects is discussed, exhibiting similar energy scattering across scales in its acoustics. These results demonstrate the efficacy of intentional utilization of strong nonlinearity in design to induce predictable and controlled intense multi-scale energy transfers in the dynamics and acoustics of a broad class of systems and structures, thus achieving performance objectives that would be not possible in classical linear settings.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Nonlinear energy transfer in dynamical and acoustical systems’.
Demonstration of accelerating and decelerating nonlinear impulse waves in functionally graded granular chains
Authors: Chaunsali Rajesh , Kim Eunho , Yang Jinkyu
Published: July 2018

We propose a tunable cylinder-based granular system that is functionally graded in its stiffness distribution in space. With no initial compression given to the system, it supports highly nonlinear waves propagating under an impulse excitation. We investigate analytically, numerically and experimentally the ability to accelerate and decelerate the impulse wave without a significant scattering in the space domain. Moreover, the gradient in stiffness results in the scaling of contact forces along the chain. We envision that such tunable systems can be used for manipulating highly nonlinear impulse waves for novel sensing and impact mitigation purposes.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Nonlinear energy transfer in dynamical and acoustical systems’.
Quasiperiodic granular chains and Hofstadter butterflies
Authors: Martínez Alejandro J. , Porter Mason A. , Kevrekidis P. G.
Published: July 2018

We study quasiperiodicity-induced localization of waves in strongly precompressed granular chains. We propose three different set-ups, inspired by the Aubry–André (AA) model, of quasiperiodic chains; and we use these models to compare the effects of on-site and off-site quasiperiodicity in nonlinear lattices. When there is purely on-site quasiperiodicity, which we implement in two different ways, we show for a chain of spherical particles that there is a localization transition (as in the original AA model). However, we observe no localization transition in a chain of cylindrical particles in which we incorporate quasiperiodicity in the distribution of contact angles between adjacent cylinders by making the angle periodicity incommensurate with that of the chain. For each of our three models, we compute the Hofstadter spectrum and the associated Minkowski–Bouligand fractal dimension, and we demonstrate that the fractal dimension decreases as one approaches the localization transition (when it exists). We also show, using the chain of cylinders as an example, how to recover the Hofstadter spectrum from the system dynamics. Finally, in a suite of numerical computations, we demonstrate localization and also that there exist regimes of ballistic, superdiffusive, diffusive and subdiffusive transport. Our models provide a flexible set of systems to study quasiperiodicity-induced analogues of Anderson phenomena in granular chains that one can tune controllably from weakly to strongly nonlinear regimes.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Nonlinear energy transfer in dynamical and acoustical systems’.
A study of deformation localization in nonlinear elastic square lattices under compression
Authors: Pal Raj Kumar , Bonetto Federico , Dieci Luca , Ruzzene Massimo
Published: July 2018

The paper investigates localized deformation patterns resulting from the onset of instabilities in lattice structures. The study is motivated by previous observations on discrete hexagonal lattices, where a variety of localized deformations were found depending on loading configuration, lattice parameters and boundary conditions. These studies are conducted on other lattice structures, with the objective of identifying and investigating minimal models that exhibit localization, hysteresis and path-dependent behaviour. To this end, we first consider a two-dimensional square lattice consisting of point masses connected by in-plane axial springs and vertical ground springs, which may be considered as a discrete description of an elastic membrane supported by an elastic substrate. Results illustrate that, depending on the relative values of the spring constants, the lattice exhibits in-plane or out-of-plane instabilities leading to localized deformations. This model is further simplified by considering the one-dimensional case of a spring–mass chain sitting on an elastic foundation. A bifurcation analysis of this lattice identifies the stable and unstable branches and sheds light on the mechanism of transition from affine deformation to global or diffuse deformation to localized deformation. Finally, the lattice is further reduced to a minimal four-mass model, which exhibits a deformation qualitatively similar to that in the central part of a longer chain. In contrast to the widespread assumption that localization is induced by defects or imperfections in a structure, this work illustrates that such phenomena can arise in perfect lattices as a consequence of the mode shapes at the bifurcation points.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Nonlinear energy transfer in dynamical and acoustical systems’.
Pathologically distinct fibroblast subsets drive inflammation and tissue damage in arthritis
Authors: Croft Adam P , Campos Joana , Jansen Kathrin , Turner Jason D , Marshall Jennifer , Attar Moustafa , Savary Loriane , Perlman Harris , Barone Francesca , McGettrick Helen M , Fearon Douglas T , Wei Kevin , Raychaudhuri Soumya , Lorsunsky Ilya , Brenner Michael B , Coles Mark , Sansom Stephen N , Filer Andrew , Buckley Christopher D
Published: July 2018

The identification of lymphocyte subsets with non-overlapping effector functions has been pivotal to the development of targeted therapies in immune mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs). However it remains unclear whether fibroblast subclasses with non-overlapping functions also exist and are responsible for the wide variety of tissue driven processes observed in IMIDs such as inflammation and damage. Here we identify and describe the biology of distinct subsets of fibroblasts responsible for mediating either inflammation or tissue damage in arthritis. We show that deletion of FAPα+ synovial cells suppressed both inflammation and bone erosions in murine models of resolving and persistent arthritis. Single cell transcriptional analysis identified two distinct fibroblast subsets: FAPα+ THY1+ immune effector fibroblasts located in the synovial sub-lining, and FAPα+ THY1- destructive fibroblasts restricted to the synovial lining. When adoptively transferred into the joint, FAP α+ THY1- fibroblasts selectively mediate bone and cartilage damage with little effect on inflammation whereas transfer of FAP α+ THY1+ fibroblasts resulted in a more severe and persistent inflammatory arthritis, with minimal effect on bone and cartilage. Our findings describing anatomically discrete, functionally distinct fibroblast subsets with non-overlapping functions have important implications for cell based therapies aimed at modulating inflammation and tissue damage.
Carnelian: alignment-free functional binning and abundance estimation of metagenomic reads
Authors: Nazeen Sumaiya , Berger Bonnie
Published: July 2018

Accurate assignment of metagenomic reads to their functional roles is an important first step towards gaining insights into the relationship between the human microbiomeincluding the collective genesand disease. Existing approaches focus on binning sequencing reads into known taxonomic classes or by genes, often failing to produce results that generalize across different cohorts with the same disease. We present Carnelian, a highly precise and accurate pipeline for alignment-free functional binning and abundance estimation, which leverages the recent idea of even-coverage, low-density locality sensitive hashing. When coupled with one-against-all classifiers, reads can be binned by molecular function encoded in their gene content with higher precision and accuracy. Carnelians minutes-per-metagenome processing speed enables analysis of large-scale disease or environmental datasets to reveal disease- and environment-specific changes in microbial functionality previously poorly understood. Our pipeline newly reveals a functional dysbiosis in patient gut microbiomes, not found in earlier metagenomic studies, and identifies a distinct shift from matched healthy individuals in Type-2 Diabetes (T2D) and early-stage Parkinson’s Disease (PD). We remarkably identify a set of functional markers that can differentiate between patients and healthy individuals consistently across both the datasets with high specificity.
Lysosome exocytosis is required for mitosis
Authors: Nugues Charlotte , Helassa Nordine , Rajamanoharan Dayani , Burgoyne Robert D , Haynes Lee P
Published: July 2018

Mitosis, the accurate segregation of duplicated genetic material into what will become two new daughter cells, is accompanied by extensive membrane remodelling and membrane trafficking activities. Early in mitosis, adherent cells partially detach from the substratum, round up and their surface area decreases. This likely results from an endocytic uptake of plasma membrane material. As cells enter cytokinesis they re-adhere, flatten and exhibit an associated increase in surface area. The identity of the membrane donor for this phase of mitosis remains unclear. Here we show by biochemical and imaging approaches that lysosomes undergo exocytosis at telophase and that this requires the activity of phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase-IIIβ. Inhibition of lysosome exocytosis resulted in mitotic failure in a significant proportion of cells suggesting that this facet of lysosome physiology is essential and represents a new regulatory mechanism in mitosis.
Divergent receptor proteins confer responses to different karrikins in two ephemeral weeds
Authors: Sun Yueming Kelly , Yao Jiaren , Scaffidi Adrian , Melville Kim T. , Davies Sabrina F , Bond Charles S , Smith Steven M , Flematti Gavin R , Waters Mark T
Published: July 2018

Wildfires can encourage the establishment of invasive plants by releasing potent germination stimulants, such as karrikins. Seed germination of Brassica tournefortii, a noxious weed of Mediterranean climates, is strongly stimulated by KAR1, which is the archetypal karrikin produced from burning vegetation. In contrast, the closely-related yet non-fire-associated ephemeral Arabidopsis thaliana is unusual because it responds preferentially to KAR2. The α/β-hydrolase KARRIKIN INSENSITIVE2 (KAI2) is the putative karrikin receptor identified in Arabidopsis. Here we show that B. tournefortii differentially expresses three KAI2 homologues, and the most highly-expressed homologue is sufficient to confer enhanced responses to KAR1 relative to KAR2 when expressed in Arabidopsis. We further identify two variant amino acid residues near the KAI2 active site that explain the ligand selectivity, and show that this combination has arisen independently multiple times within dicots. Our results suggest that duplication and diversification of KAI2 proteins could confer upon weedy ephemerals and potentially other angiosperms differential responses to chemical cues produced by environmental disturbance, including fire.
A scripting interface for GSAS-II
Authors: O'Donnell Jackson H. , Von Dreele Robert B. , Chan Maria K. Y. , Toby Brian H.
Published: July 2018

The GSAS-II suite is a complete crystallographic analysis package for all types of X-ray and neutron diffraction data, suited for fitting models ranging from simple materials to proteins, and designed around an integrated graphical user interface. This article describes a new module within GSAS-II, GSASIIscriptable, which provides access to the GSAS-II data structures and an extensible mechanism to run a significant fraction of GSAS-II functionality, particularly for powder diffraction applications, from within Python scripts or directly from commands in a shell/batch script. This allows parallelization in a high-performance computing environment; near ideal speedup is seen with up to 240 simultaneous processes.
Formalization of business workflow with typed attributed graph
Authors: Tripathi Dipty , Banerjee Shreya , Sarkar Anirban
Published: July 2018

Purpose

Business process workflow is a design conceptualization to automate the sequence of activities to achieve a business goal with involved participants and a predefined set of rules. Regarding this, a formal business workflow model is a prime requisite to implement a consistent and rigorous business process. In this context, majority of the existing research works are formalized structural features and have not focused on functional and behavioral design aspects of business processes. To address this problem, this paper aims to propose a formal model of business process workflow called as business process workflow using typed attributed graph (BPWATG) enriched with structural, functional and behavioral characteristics of business processes.

Design/methodology/approach

Typed attributed graph (ATG) and first-order logic have been used to formalize proposed BPWATG to provide rigorous syntax and semantics towards business process workflows. This is an effort to execute a business workflow on an automated machine. Further, the proposed BPWATG is illustrated using a case study to show the expressiveness of proposed model. Besides, the proposed graph is initially validated using generic modelling environment (GME) case tool. Moreover, a comparative study is performed with existing formal approaches based on several crucial features to exhibit the effectiveness of proposed BPWATG.

Findings

The proposed model is capable of facilitating structural, functional and behavioral aspects of business process workflows using several crucial features such as dependency conceptualization, timer concepts, exception handling and deadlock detection. These features are used to handle real-world problems and ensure the consistency and correctness of business workflows.

Originality/value

BPWATG is proposed to formalize a business workflow that is required to make a model of business process machine-readable. Besides, formalizations of dependency conceptualization, exception handling, deadlock detection and time-out concepts are specified. Moreover, several non-functional properties (reusability, scalability, flexibility, dynamicity, reliability and robustness) are supported by the proposed model.
Identification of substructures in complex networks using formal concept analysis
Authors: Neto Sebastião M. , Dias Sérgio , Missaoui Rokia , Zárate Luis , Song Mark
Published: July 2018

Purpose

In recent years, the increasing complexity of the hyper-connected world demands new approaches for social network analysis. The main challenges are to find new computational methods that allow the representation, characterization and analysis of these social networks. Nowadays, formal concept analysis (FCA) is considered an alternative to identifying conceptual structures in a social network. In this FCA-based work, this paper aims to show the potential of building computational models based on implications to represent and analyze two-mode networks.

Design/methodology/approach

This study proposes an approach to find three important substructures in social networks such as conservative access patterns, minimum behavior patterns and canonical access patterns. The present study approach considered as a case study a database containing the access logs of a cable internet service provider.

Findings

The result allows us to uncover access patterns, conservative access patterns and minimum access behavior patterns. Furthermore, through the use of implications sets, the relationships between event-type elements (websites) in two-mode networks are analyzed. This paper discusses, in a generic form, the adopted procedures that can be extended to other social networks.

Originality/value

A new approach is proposed for the identification of conservative behavior in two-mode networks. The proper implications needed to handle minimum behavior pattern in two-mode networks is also proposed to be analyzed. The one-item conclusion implications are easy to understand and can be more relevant to anyone looking for one particular website access pattern. Finally, a method for a canonical behavior representation in two-mode networks using a canonical set of implications (steam base), which present a minimal set of implications without loss of information, is proposed.
Effective keyword search on graph data using limited root redundancy of answer trees
Authors: Park Chang-Sup
Published: July 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to propose a new keyword search method on graph data to improve the relevance of search results and reduce duplication of content nodes in the answer trees obtained by previous approaches based on distinct root semantics. The previous approaches are restricted to find answer trees having different root nodes and thus often generate a result consisting of answer trees with low relevance to the query or duplicate content nodes. The method allows limited redundancy in the root nodes of top-k answer trees to produce more effective query results.

Design/methodology/approach

A measure for redundancy in a set of answer trees regarding their root nodes is defined, and according to the metric, a set of answer trees with limited root redundancy is proposed for the result of a keyword query on graph data. For efficient query processing, an index on the useful paths in the graph using inverted lists and a hash map is suggested. Then, based on the path index, a top-k query processing algorithm is presented to find most relevant and diverse answer trees given a maximum amount of root redundancy allowed for a set of answer trees.

Findings

The results of experiments using real graph datasets show that the proposed approach can produce effective query answers which are more diverse in the content nodes and more relevant to the query than the previous approach based on distinct root semantics.

Originality/value

This paper first takes redundancy in the root nodes of answer trees into account to improve the relevance and content nodes redundancy of query results over the previous distinct root semantics. It can satisfy the users’ various information need on a large and complex graph data using a keyword-based query.
The role of indigenous technological capability and interpersonal trust in supply chain learning
Authors: Li Min , Wang Zhiqiang , Zhao Xiande
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of indigenous technological capability and interpersonal trust on product innovation through supply-chain learning under a dynamic environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed model is tested with a sample of 300 manufacturers in China.

Findings

The results show that the learning from customers partially mediates the relationship between indigenous technological capability and product innovation, as well as between interpersonal trust with customers and product innovation. In addition, the influence of indigenous technological capability on learning from customers is weakened under a dynamic environment as well as the influence of learning from customers on product innovation.

Originality/value

This study illustrates the comparative roles of indigenous technological capability and interpersonal trust in learning customer knowledge and promoting innovation. It also enriches the innovation research by understanding the learning roles of indigenous technological capability and interpersonal trust under a dynamic environment.
Tax-related illicit financial flows and human rights
Authors: Bohoslavsky Juan Pablo
Published: July 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to discuss the tax-related illicit financial flows from a human rights perspective. It argues that curbing illicit financial flows, and specifically tax abuse, is essential not only for realizing human rights but also for achieving the sustainable development goals. It provides definitions of tax evasion and avoidance, as well as estimations of illicit financial flows. It studies the tax abuse implications for human rights and sustainable development, as well as the obligations in the field of human rights and tax abuse. It also critically assesses the recent international initiatives aim at curbing illicit financial flows. It concludes with a set of recommendations on how to curb illicit financial flows.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper combines economic, legal and policy perspectives to study the multidimensional, complex and global problem of illicit financial flows. It not only proposes an explanation of the volume, roots and economic, social and human rights implications of illicit financial flows but it also proposes reforms that states and other stakeholders need to implement in order to curb this phenomenon.

Findings

Combating tax abuse and illicit financial flows more broadly, is essential to make better progress in realizing international human rights obligations. The inclusion of a specific target to reduce illicit financial flows under the sustainable development goals makes clear that curbing such flows is also essential for creating an enabling environment for sustainable development. While we should applaud that reducing illicit financial flows is mentioned in one of the targets of the sustainable development goals, the target remains broad and vague. Specific measures to operationalize this target are needed to ensure that progress is achieved and that such progress can be tracked and measured. The author presents recommendations for discussion. To promote accountability, the recommendations are addressed to specific stakeholders.

Originality/value

This paper tries to contribute to improve our knowledge and understanding of illicit financial flows and tax abuse more specifically at global level and their implications for human rights, to make the need for change more compelling, as well as to stimulate the debate around reforms that need to be implemented to curb illicit financial flows.
Hedge fund manager fraud through PIPEs
Authors: Muhtaseb Majed R.
Published: July 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to draw lessons to investors from the conduct of a hedge fund manager who according to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) complaint made false and misleading statements before and after an auditor’s reports, misappropriated for personal benefit over $1m, misappropriated clients’ assets, failed to conduct due diligence on third-party buyer, instructed an employee to mislead investors and satisfied some investors’ redemptions with other investors’ subscriptions (Ponzi scheme) without disclosing it to investors. Ironically, the scheme was unveiled by the economic crises and not the investors, their advisers or third-party hedge fund vendors. Corey Ribotsky set up the investment adviser NIR Group to manage four AJW Funds that invested in private equity in public companies in 1999. Through manipulation of financial statements, he also managed to collect about $136m in management and incentive fees over an eight-year period. The SEC complaint alleged the AJW Funds’ assets to be $876m in 2007, yet this figure was not verified, and no assets were traced. Ribotsky did not pay any monies to SEC, as ordered by court settlement, and hence the victims did not recover any of their monies. The SEC could not produce criminal charges; hence, Ribotsky did not go to jail. This case highlights sterility of law enforcement when confronted with brazen fraud.

Findings

Investors fail to monitor hedge fund managers. Fraud was detected late and not through investors. Fraud was unraveled by the economic crises of 2008. The SEC had sued the fund manager. The fund manager consented to making payment to the SEC but did not make any payments. The SEC could not bring evidence to criminally charge the fund manager.

Research limitations/implications

The findings based on the case study are valuable to investors and hedge fund industry stakeholders. The findings are not based on an empirical study.

Practical implications

Investors need to carefully vet all hedge fund managers before allocating and funds and understand how managers make money through the claimed strategy. Also, there are limitations to law enforcement even with confronted with profound fraud schemes.

Originality/value

The case was built up from public sources to benefit investors considering making allocations to hedge fund managers. The public information about the case is of either legalistic or journalistic in nature.
Medical pluralism for community health in Thammasen sub-district, Photharam district, Ratchaburi province, Thailand
Authors: Muangsakul Wipanun , Srisuantang Sunti , Sajjasophon Ravee
Published: July 2018

Purpose

When reviewing Community Health Development, it is necessary to understand the community context, including community health and details of medical pluralism (MP). The purpose of this paper is to correlate and predict between community health and related factors and delineate phenomenon of MP in Thammasen, Ratchaburi province, Thailand.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed-methods sequential explanatory design was applied in this research. The quantitative survey was conducted by using an interview questionnaire. The 400 respondents were selected by simple random sampling from 11 villages. For the qualitative study, in-depth interviews were conducted with 37 key informants from selected health professionals, folk healers and local leaders.

Findings

The respondents were 56.5 percent female with a mean age of 53.8 years. The factors relating to community health included: health care behaviors, perceived health status, attitudes toward health care and access to health services. Considering the four predictive variables as a group revealed a 26.2 percent variation in community health. The phenomenon of MP was covered by the following three main aspects: self-health care (SHC)—healthy people pay attention to self-care and used herbal remedies to reduce early symptoms; folk medicine (FM)—some folk healers provide holistic healing, use herbal remedies and transfer knowledge to people who are interested and professional medicine (PM)—some health professionals adopt the concept of integrated medicines such as recommending that patients practice SHC and promote the use of Thai traditional medicine (TTM) and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

Originality/value

Health professionals, folk healers and local leaders should provide effective action domains that focus on the following four factors of community health: effective health care behavior, concern for health status, positive attitudes toward health care and accessibility to health services. Regarding MP, integrated medical and health care models should be developed to link SHC, FM and PM (including TTM/CAM).
Evaluating tools for the spatial management of fisheries
Authors: Canty Steven W. J. , Truelove Nathan K. , Preziosi Richard F. , Chenery Simon , Horstwood Matthew A. S. , Box Stephen J.
Published: July 2018

The ability to define the spatial dynamics of fish stocks is critical to fisheries management. Combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and the regulation of area‐based management through physical patrols and port side controls are growing areas of management attention. Augmenting the existing approaches to fisheries management with forensic techniques has the potential to increase compliance and enforcement success rates.

We tested the accuracy of three techniques (genotyping, otolith microchemistry and morphometrics) that can be used to identify geographic origin. We used fish caught from three fishing grounds, separated by a minimum of 5 km and a maximum of 60 km, to test the accuracy of these approaches at relatively small spatial scales.

Using nearest‐neighbour analyses, morphometric analysis was the most accurate (79.5%) in assigning individual fish to their fishing ground of origin. Neither otolith microchemistry (54.0%) or genetic analyses (52.4%) had sufficient accuracy at the spatial scales we examined.

Synthesis and applications. The combination of accuracy and minimal resource requirements make morphometric analysis a promising tool for assessing compliance with area‐based fishing restrictions at the scale of kilometres. Furthermore, this approach has promising application, in small‐scale fisheries through to community‐based management approaches where technical and financial resources are limited.
Broad‐scale occurrence of a subsidized avian predator: Reducing impacts of ravens on sage‐grouse and other sensitive prey
Authors: O'Neil Shawn T. , Coates Peter S. , Brussee Brianne E. , Jackson Pat J. , Howe Kristy B. , Moser Ann M. , Foster Lee J. , Delehanty David J.
Published: July 2018

Expanding human enterprise across remote environments impacts numerous wildlife species. Anthropogenic resources provide subsidies for generalist predators that can lead to cascading effects on prey species at lower trophic levels. A fundamental challenge for applied ecologists is to disentangle natural and anthropogenic influences on species occurrence, and subsequently develop spatially explicit models to help inform management and conservation decisions.

Using Bayesian hierarchical occupancy models, we mapped the broad‐scale occurrence of common ravens Corvus corax as a function of natural and anthropogenic landscape covariates using >15,000 point count surveys performed during 2007–2016 within the Great Basin region, USA. Raven abundance and distribution is substantially increasing across the American west due to unintended anthropogenic resource subsidies. Importantly, ravens prey on eggs and chicks of numerous species including greater sage‐grouse Centrocercus urophasianus, an indicator species whose decline is at the centre of national conservation strategies and land‐use policies.

Anthropogenic factors that contributed to greater raven occurrence were: increased road density, presence of transmission lines, agricultural activity, and presence of roadside rest areas. Natural landscape characteristics included lower elevations with greener vegetation (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), greater stream and habitat edge densities, and lower percentages of big sagebrush Artemisia tridentata spp.

Interactions between anthropogenic sources of nesting substrate and food subsidies suggested that raven occurrence increased multiplicatively when these resource subsidies co‐occurred. Overall, the average probability of raven occurrence estimated within sagebrush ecosystems of the study area was c. 0.83.

Synthesis and applications. We demonstrate how anthropogenic factors can be disentangled from natural effects when making spatially explicit predictions of subsidized predators occurring across expansive landscapes. This approach can guide management decisions where subsidized predators overlap sensitive prey habitats. For example, we identify areas where elevated raven occurrence coincides with breeding sage‐grouse concentration areas and appears to be largely driven by anthropogenic factors. Management applications could focus on reducing raven access to anthropogenic subsidies in these areas, while prioritizing habitat improvements for sage‐grouse elsewhere. Our approach is applicable to other species where widespread survey data are available.
Why do paramedics choose to bring patients to a private emergency department?
Authors: Aldridge Emogene S , Lim Anthony , Rogers Ian R , Hicks Brontie , Bailey Paul M
Published: July 2018

Objective

While prior experience, favourable location and anticipation of high quality care are known to influence patient choice to attend a private ED, it is likely that decision‐making is also influenced by other persons. In particular, patients arriving by ambulance are under the care of paramedics, whose values towards healthcare and rationale for choosing one ED over another have not been studied. This study aimed to describe reasons why paramedics choose to bring patients to a private ED.

Methods

Exploratory, qualitative study using semi‐structured, face‐to‐face interviews with paramedics bringing patients to a private ED from the community. Two primary questions reinforced by structured prompts were asked: ‘Why did you choose to come to this emergency department?’ and ‘What are your general expectations of this emergency department visit?’ Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically.

Results

Fifty paramedics were interviewed with 48 interviews able to be transcribed and used in analysis. Four factors were identified to increase the likelihood of a private ED destination: specific direction, institutional allegiance, hospital logistics and systems and receiving hospital service ethos.

Conclusions

Paramedics take into consideration when possible patient's wishes and are more likely to bring a patient to a private ED if they have specific direction from the patient or the patient's family or GP. The likelihood of presenting to a private ED is increased if the patient has an allegiance with the facility and the paramedics perceive favourably the hospital logistics and systems as well as service ethos.
Dynamic Context Sensory Testing–A Proof of Concept Study Bringing Virtual Reality to the Sensory Booth
Authors: Stelick Alina , Penano Alexandra G. , Riak Alden C. , Dando Robin
Published: July 2018

Eating is a multimodal experience. When we eat, we perceive not just the taste and aroma of foods, but also their visual, auditory, and tactile properties, as well as sensory input from our surroundings. Foods are commonly tested within a sensory booth, designed specifically to limit such input. Foods are not commonly experienced in such isolation, but alongside this context, which can alter how a food is perceived. In this study, we show that the sensory properties of food can be altered by changing the environment it is consumed in, using virtual reality (VR) to provide an immersive, dynamic context to the eating experience. The purpose of this project was to develop an affordable and easy‐to‐implement methodology for adapting VR technology to sensory evaluation, without prohibitive amounts of expensive equipment or specialized programming knowledge. Virtual environments were formed by processing custom‐recorded 360 degree videos and overlaying audio, text, sensory scales, and images to simulate a typical sensory evaluation ballot within the VR headset. In a pilot test, participants were asked to taste 3 identical blue cheese samples in 3 virtual contexts–a sensory booth, a park bench, and a cow barn. Respondents rated their liking of the sample, as well as its saltiness, and pungency, attributes either reflective of one context (pungency in the barn), or presumably unrelated (saltiness). Panelists duly rated the sample's flavor as being more pungent when consumed in the barn context. These results provide proof of concept for VR in applied sensory studies, providing an immersive context to a sensory test while remaining in place.

Practical application

We consume foods in environments that can “spill over” into our perceptions of the food. Thus, we consider some foods “unsuitable” for certain settings, with others deemed more suitable for this locale. This has been studied for many years as sensory “context,” with written descriptions, pictures, or videos of such contexts. We present a method generating virtual reality contexts without any specist programming knowledge, for a few hundred dollars. In an accompanying pilot test, perception of a sample was significantly influenced by the VR context in which it was delivered.
The Brief Attachment Scale (BAS‐16): A short measure of infant attachment
Authors: Cadman Tim , Belsky Jay , Pasco Fearon Richard M.
Published: July 2018

Background

Insecure attachment in infancy is associated with a range of later socioemotional problems; therefore, it is important to identify at‐risk children so that support can be provided. However, there are currently no well‐validated brief measures of infant attachment. The aim of this study is to create a brief version of the Attachment Q‐Sort (AQS), one of the gold‐standard measures of attachment.

Method

Data was used from the National Institute of Child Health and Development Study of Child Care and Youth Development (N = 1,364). The factor structure of the AQS was explored, and Item Response Theory was used to select a reduced number of items. Convergent validity of the shortened measure was assessed through associations with the Strange Situation Procedure. Correlations with sensitivity, externalising, and social competence were also examined.

Results

The Brief Attachment Scale (BAS‐16) was created consisting of two scales of eight items, relating to (a) harmonious interaction with the caregiver and (b) proximity‐seeking behaviours. The BAS‐16 showed comparable convergent, discriminant, and concurrent validity to the full AQS.

Conclusion

This brief version of the AQS shows potential as a screening measure for insecure attachment in infancy. Further development and validation is required in separate samples.
Immigrant selection before and after communism
Authors: Ganguli Ina
Published: July 2018

The end of the Soviet Union and communist regimes throughout Eastern Europe led to sudden increases in emigration and large changes in wage inequality. This has provided a unique opportunity to understand how these changes altered incentives to emigrate during the transition period. In this paper, I analyze immigrant selection before and after the fall of the Soviet Union within a Roy Model framework, in which the relative return to skills determines the skill composition of immigrants. Using micro‐level data from Russia, Ukraine and Bulgaria, matched to Census data on immigrants from these countries in the United States, Spain and Greece in the post‐Soviet period, I find evidence of positive selection of immigrants in the US, and negative selection for Greece and Spain. Using retrospective data from Ukraine during the communist period, I find that selection among Soviet men in the US was intermediate and selection among women was positive.
Mechanisms of action underlying the efficacy of deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus in Parkinson's disease: central role of disease severity
Authors: Stefani Alessandro , Cerroni Rocco , Mazzone Paolo , Liguori Claudio , Di Giovanni Giuseppe , Pierantozzi Mariangela , Galati Salvatore
Published: July 2018

Despite consensus on some neurophysiological hallmarks of the Parkinsonian state (such as beta) band increase) a single mechanism is unlikely to explain the efficacy of deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN). Most experimental evidence to date correlates with an extreme degree of nigral neurodegeneration and not with different stages of PD progression. It seems inappropriate to combine substantially different patients – newly diagnosed, early fluctuators or advanced dyskinetic individuals – within the same group. An efficacious STN‐DBS imposes a new activity pattern within brain circuits, favouring alpha‐ and gamma‐like neuronal discharge, and restores the thalamo‐cortical transmission pathway through axonal activation. In addition, stimulation via the dorsal contacts of the macro‐electrode may affect cortical activation antidromically. However, basal ganglia (BG) modulation remains cardinal for ‘OFF’‐’ON’ transition (as revealed by cGMP increase occurring during STN‐DBS in the substantia nigra pars reticulata and internal globus pallidus). New research promises to clarify to what extent STN‐DBS restores striato‐centric bidirectional plasticity, and whether non‐neuronal cellular actions (microglia, neurovascular) play a part. Future studies will assess whether extremely anticipated DBS or lesioning in selected patients are capable of providing neuroprotection to the synuclein‐mediated alterations of synaptic efficiency. This review addresses these open issues through the specific mechanisms prevailing in a given disease stage. In patients undergoing early protocol, alteration in endogenous transmitters and recovery of plasticity are concurrent players. In advanced stages, re‐modulation of endogenous band frequencies, disruption of pathological pattern and/or antidromic cortical activation are, likely, the prominent modes.