bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Geometrical Characterisation of the Mamfe Basin, Cameroon, from the Earth, Gravitational Model (EGM 2008)
Authors: Djieto Lordon Anatole Eugene , YOSSA Mbohlieu , Agyingi Christopher M , Shandini Yves , Kuisseu Thierry Stephane
Published: January 2018

Gravimetric studies using the ETOPO1-corrected high resolution satellite-based EGM2008 gravity data was used to define the surface extent, depth to basement and shape of the Mamfe basin. The Bouguer anomaly map was produced in Surfer 11.0. The Fast Fourier Transformed data was analyzed by spectral analysis to remove the effect of the regional bodies in the study area. The residual anomaly map obtained was compared with the known geology of the study area, and this showed that the gravity highs correspond to the metamorphic and igneous rocks while the gravity lows match with Cretaceous sediments. Three profiles were drawn on the residual anomaly map along which 2D models of the Mamfe basin were drawn. The modeling was completed in Grav2dc v2.06 software which uses the Talwini’s algorithm and the resulting models gave the depth to basement and the shape of the basement along the profiles. After processing and interpretation, it was deduced that the Mamfe basin has an average length and width of 77.6 km and 29.2 km respectively, an average depth to basement of 5 km and an overall U-shape basement. These dimensions (especially the depth) theoretically create the depth and temperature conditions for petroleum generation.
A Comparison of the Current Account and the Monetary Theories of Exchange Rate Determination
Authors: Arize Augustine C. , Kallianiotis Ioannis N. , Malindretos John , Panayides Alex , Tsanacas Demetri
Published: January 2018

In this study, we develop a way to test for the two theories, the Monetary and the current account, in explaining exchange rate determination. The approach we develop has two components to it. The first is a test of the appropriate signs. That is, the two theories disagree on the signs of the determining variables. Thus, depending on the sign of the regressors, we can prove the one, or the other. The second sub test is one which has to do with the speed of adjustment. Specifically, importance should be depicted in a quicker speed of adjustment. On that issue, if real(monetary) variables adjust faster, then it supports the traditional (monetary) view.
Digital Currency Risk
Authors: Gilbert Scott , Loi Hio
Published: January 2018

Digital currencies, such as Bitcoin, have emerged as an alternative form of money, untethered to traditional money and largely unregulated. As such, digital currency represents a wild frontier for investors who might otherwise be shopping for gold or foreign currencies, with serious risks. The present work considers digital currency from a traditional asset pricing perspective. Setting aside risks of seller fraud or currency theft, we examine fluctuation and systematic risk in the price of Bitcoin. From this perspective, Bitcoin does not appear to carry much systematic risk -- despite its high volatility -- and so is a reasonable candidate for inclusion in investors’ portfolios. Some illustrative examples suggest that the optimal amount of Bitcoin to include in investor portfolios may be tiny or instead substantial - as high as 21 percent of total financial assets.
Edge-Maximal Graphs Containing No $r$ Vertex-Disjoint Triangles
Authors: Hailat Mohammad
Published: January 2018

An important problem in graph theory is that of determining the maximum number of edges in a given graph $G$ that contains no specific subgraphs. This problem has attracted the attention of many researchers. An example of such a problem is the determination of an upper bound on the number of edges of a graph that has no triangles. In this paper, we let $\mathcal{G}(n,V_{r,3})$ denote the class of graphs on $n$ vertices containing no $r$-vertex-disjoint cycles of length $3$. We show that for large $n$, $\mathcal{E}(G)\les \lfloor \frac{(n-r+1)^2}{4} \rfloor +(r-1)(n-r+1)$ for every $G\in\mathcal{G}(n,V_{r,3})$. Furthermore, equality holds if and only if $G=\Omega(n,r)=K_{r-1,\lfloor \frac{n-r+1}2\rfloor,\lceil \frac{n-r+1}2\rceil}$ where $\Omega(n,r)$ is a tripartite graph on $n$ vertices.
Transatlantic Lessons on Higher Education Access and Completion Policy
Authors: Dougherty Kevin J. , Callender Claire
Published: January 2018

This article explores what England and the United States can learn from each other withregard to reducing social class and racial/ethnic differences in higher education accessand completion. It focuses on seven policy strands: student information provision;outreach from higher education institutions; student financial aid; affirmative action orcontextualization in higher education admissions; higher education efforts to improveretention and completion; performance funding; and degree of reliance onsubbaccalaureate institutions.
Anarchy and Exploitation in Scientific Communication
Authors: Altbach Philip G.
Published: January 2018

In the very recent past, scientific publication was largely in the hands of university publishers and nonprofit scientific societies, most of which were controlled by the academic community. This article explores the consequences of anarchy and exploitation in the communication of the scholarly enterprise.
Globalizing the Academic Presidency: Competing for Talented Leadership
Authors: Skinner Richard A.
Published: January 2018

For more than half a century, globalization has been a powerful force in almost every aspect of contemporary life. The search for talent in some sectors is now global in scope. Higher education shows signs of the same force at work in some universities’ searches for leadership. Two examples are provided and conjectures offered as to why this may continue with academic presidents.
International Branch Campuses: Can They Be Research Universities
Authors: Sutrisno Agustian
Published: January 2018

International branch campuses are often seen as teaching institutions. There are several factors inhibiting research at these campuses. Three possible scenarios to transform them into more research-intensive institutions are discussed in this article.
Internationalization of Universities: The German Way
Authors: Wahlers Marijke
Published: January 2018

While German universities have traditionally followed a partnership-based cooperativeapproach to internationalization, more recently, growing competition and increasingresource shortages have resulted in the emergence of a more competitive approach.Also with regard to international students as a target group, the cooperative andcompetitive approaches have coexisted for many years, albeit virtually unconnected.This has resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of international students inGermany over the past two decades. The question arises as to whether, and how, thetwo sometimes contradictory rationales can, in the future, be harmonized. There ismuch to be said for Germany further enhancing its international profile in the globalcompetitive market by consistently pursuing its partnership-based approach. There isevidence that not only universities, but also the economy and society, reap long-termbenefits.
Mapping Internationalization on US Campuses
Authors: Brajkovic Lucia , Matross Helms Robin
Published: January 2018

This article summarizes the results of the American Council on Education’s (ACE) 2016 Mapping Internationalization on U.S. Campuses survey, and explores their implications. Conducted every five years, Mapping assesses the current state of internationalization at American colleges and universities, analyzes progress and trends over time, and identifies future priorities. The 2016 Mapping survey addressed the six key areas that comprise CIGE’s Model for Comprehensive Internationalization: articulated commitment; administrative structures and staffing; curriculum, cocurriculum, and learning outcomes; faculty policies and practices; student mobility; and collaboration and partnerships.
Increasing International Students’ Tuition Fees: The Two Sides of the Coin
Authors: Sanchez-Serra Daniel , Marconi Gabriele
Published: January 2018

While higher tuition fees contribute to better funded tertiary education systems, they also put a burden on families whose children enroll in tertiary education, especially those with limited financial means. This article explores this dilemma and identifies key questions.
“One Belt One Road” and Central Asia: A New Trend in Internationalization of Higher Education?
Authors: Li Aisi
Published: January 2018

China’s One Belt One Road (OBOR) strategy is the latest trend in international relations, and it is making a real impact on higher education in Central Asia. This article discusses the impact of three aspects of the plan: Chinese funding for study abroad, the Confucius Institutes, and the role of Xinjiang, China’s northwestern frontier.
Training Administrative Staff to Become Key Players in the Internationalization of Higher Education
Authors: Hunter Fiona
Published: January 2018

A recent survey has sought to understand the current and potential roles that administrative staff might play in internationalization and to identify relevant training provision that could enable them to become more active in, and committed to, the internationalization strategies of their institutions. It reveals that there is still much that needs to be done and that the learning needs to take place both at individual andinstitutional levels.
Disparities and Parallels in Internationalization: The Ethiopian Experience
Authors: Tamrat Wondwosen , Teferra Damtew
Published: January 2018

This article examines the ways in which internationalization is expressed in developed and developing countries. Specifically, we discuss factors such as motives, approaches, policies, strategies, and the nature of institutional relationships in the Ethiopian context.
Imbalanced Student Mobility in India: A Serious Concern
Authors: Wadhwa Rashim
Published: January 2018

A major challenge that India is facing is the existing imbalance between inbound and outbound student mobility. The inflow–outflow ratio of about 1:10 is a matter of concern. Evidence shows that it is not only the human capital that is flowing out of India, but also a substantial amount of revenue. In connection with this, concerns have been raised, which need immediate attention from Indian policy makers.
Better Informing the Market? The Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF)
Authors: Shattock Michael
Published: January 2018

The current British policy toward higher education emphasizes that market forces and competition represent key factors in raising quality. Intense competition already exists in research through the Research Excellence Framework (REF) but this, it is argued, has led to a diversion of interest away from teaching. The REF is therefore to be paralleled by a Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), which will better inform the student market. The TEF, the first results of which were announced in June, is metrics based and categorizes teaching as qualifying for a Gold, Silver, or Bronze award. The metrics have been heavily criticized. The article describes the metrics involved and the reactions to the first round of TEF awards.
Reenvisioning Welsh Postcompulsory Education
Authors: Hazelkorn Ellen
Published: January 2018

In 2015, the Welsh government commissioned a review of its postcompulsory education system. Recommendations included the creation of a single regulatory, oversight, and coordinating authority bringing together further, higher, and adult learning. By its swift endorsement of the report’s principles and recommendations, the Welsh government conspicuously diverged from the market–demand drivenapproach adopted by the UK government for England.
English-medium Instruction and the Information Technology Parallel in Japanese Higher Education
Authors: Bradford Annette , Brown Howard
Published: January 2018

As English-medium instruction expands in the higher education sector in Japan, stakeholders are experiencing frustration. However, these are not new problems; we have seen these roadblocks before in the implementation of information technology in the 1990s.
Admissions in Japanese National Universities: The Need for Change
Authors: Ishikura Yukiko , Kawashima Tatsuo
Published: January 2018

Higher education institutions have undergone significant changes concerning college admissions. Leading countries for higher education, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as countries in Asia such as China, Korea, and Taiwan are making changes to their higher education systems. There is also a call for change in college admissions in Japan. Japanese universities, especially national universities, have heavily relied on test scores for student selection. However, universities are currently shifting theircollege admissions processes toward a holistic review approach. This involves making admission decisions by assessing not only academic achievements, but also students’ backgrounds, personal experience, and potential. This task was initiated by the government in response to the changing concepts of knowledge and fairness, as well as the perceived desirability of attracting students with diverse educational backgrounds. For higher education institutions both in Japan and abroad, college admission reforms become a necessary process. Japan, where the government has the most power for making decisions, offers other countriespriceless lessons about how top-down education/admission reforms are implemented or impeded.
Creating National Champions in France: A Little Less Égalité, a Little More Sélectivité?
Authors: Highman Ludovic
Published: January 2018

The merger between Paris–Sorbonne University (Paris IV) and Pierre and Marie Curie University (Paris VI) will create a single, multidisciplinary institution in the heart of Paris. This merger needs to be contextualized within the national and European contexts, in order to shed light on the drivers, opportunities, and challenges behind a trend that has become increasingly visible among European nations, which seek torationalize and consolidate their higher education systems.
Conflict of Interest in Eastern Europe: “Academic Capture”
Authors: Milovanovitch Mihaylo , Denisova-Schmidt Elena , Anapiosyan Arevik
Published: January 2018

Lobbying public officials is common practice, but becomes problematic when officials have a financial interest in the sector that lobbies them and for which they are responsible. This article explores such cases, with a particular focus on Eastern Europe.
New Publications
Authors: Altbach Philip G.
Published: January 2018

Editor’s note: IHE no longer publishes short book summaries, but rather provides a more comprehensive listing of new books that will be of interest to a higher education audience. We welcome suggestions from readers for books on higher education published especially outside of the United States and United Kingdom. This list was compiled by Edward Choi, graduate assistant at the Center.
A Gauge model for analysis of biological systems
Authors: Jeff-Eke Imadol V.
Published: January 2018

For this initial work, we shall focus on introducing a biological model for utilization mainly as a descriptive framework on which future analyses will be based. The model includes a definition of biological systems and introduces a concept of failure; in addition to a hypothetical mechanism by which failure occurs. We then define a functional response as a means of preventing attainment of failure state. We also define such functional responses as properties of the system, in addition to interactions between these systemic properties. We discuss determinants of the rate of- and measures of systemic failure. We conclude with two assumptions on the principal significance of systemic phenomena.
Actively restored ecosystems as a refuge for biological diversity: A case study from eelgrass (Zostera marina L.)
Authors: Lefcheck Jonathan , Marion Scott R , Orth Robert J
Published: January 2018

As nearshore ecosystems are increasingly degraded by human activities, active restoration is a critical element in ensuring the continued provision of goods and services by coastal habitats. Since 1997, over 1800 ha of the foundational species eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) has been reestablished in the coastal bays of the mid-western Atlantic. Here, we follow the functional recovery of the epifaunal invertebrate community associated with the restored eelgrass habitat from 2001-2013. After less than a decade, the invertebrate community in the restored bed was richer, more even, and exhibited greater variation in functional traits than a nearby reference bed. Analysis of environmental and physical data using random forests revealed the primary drivers of these differences was the increasing area and density of eelgrass directly attributable to ongoing restoration efforts. We also infer based on existing paradigms that the diverse epifaunal communities observed may have positive consequences for critical ecosystem services, including removal of fouling epiphytes from eelgrass blades and transfer of energy to higher trophic levels. Given that restored eelgrass now make up 32% of total seagrass cover in the mid-Atlantic coastal bays, this restoration may foster regional biodiversity by providing new habitat, particularly given the general decline of natural eelgrass in this region and globally.
simplex: An individual-based platform for ecological modeling
Authors: Locey Kenneth J
Published: January 2018

A popular approach in ecological modeling explicitly simulates the biology and ecology of individual organisms. Individual-based models (IBM) allow ecological patterns and dynamics to be studied as they emerge from the individual level according to simulated principles and theories. IBMs also allow virtually any aspect of a simulated system to be tracked and recorded for later analysis. I developed a novel IBM platform (i.e, simplex) to explicitly simulate physiology, life history, resource-limited growth, fluctuating environmental dynamics, and community assembly and structure in both fluid and non-fluid environments. simplex accomplishes three primary tasks in keeping with its namesake (i.e., a generalized notion of a triangle to arbitrary dimensions). First, simplex assembles and runs stochastic ecological models from random combinations of over 20 state variables. Second, simplex stores the output of models and generates and stores animations. Third, simplex provides R Markdown files for analyzing simulated data. The simplex source code is freely available, includes the standard ODD description protocol, is open to community-based revision, includes unit testing and time testing, and has been developed to run on modest hardware.
Finding pattern in biochemical reaction networks - a sub-graph mining approach
Authors: Henkel Ron , Lambusch Fabienne , Waltemath Dagmar
Published: January 2018

Biological questions today are often answered with the help of simulation models. Many of these models encode biological processes as biochemical reaction networks. The increasing amount of published models and the growing size of encoded reaction networks demand methods to analyse models. Specifically, researchers need to identify reoccurring and biologically relevant patterns. However, pattern recognition in large networks is a hard problem, and only partial solutions for very specific biological networks exist until now. In addition, while such patterns where already postulated, identifying them manually is barley feasible given a large set of complex models. This paper examines automatic methods to find reoccurring patterns structural similarities in models represented as bipartite graphs. An approach is presented to find the most frequent structures within the models. Appropriate patterns were found, which occur in a major part of the 575 input models. The occurrences of the resulting structures can provide insight into the encoding of certain biological processes, evaluate the postulated structures and serve as a reasonable similarity measure for grouping models that share many common structures.
Biodiversity collapse and early warning indicators in a spatial phase transition between neutral and niche communities
Authors: Saravia Leonardo A , Momo Fernando R
Published: January 2018

The dynamics of ecological communities can be described by two contrasting models: the first assumes that individuals of all species are identical and do not have interactions. The second assumes that species are different, adapted to particular habitat conditions, and have strong interactions. It is known that a critical transition exist between these two states, but the spatial aspect of this transition has not been studied. Here we study the simplest model of neutral-niche communities in a spatially explicit way using a stochastic cellular automata. The neutral model follows the Hubbell's original formulation and niche dynamics is represented as a competitive hierarchy. The competition intensity is defined as a parameter that modulates the transition between these extremes. We use the theory of percolation to study the geometric properties of species patches. The transition is signed by the apparition of a large patch that connects the whole area, the properties of this patch can be used as an early warning signals: the proportion of the largest patch with respect to the total area covered by the species, variance of the size fluctuations and the skewness of the fluctuations distribution. These three indices can be combined to show that a critical transition is approaching. The model shows that at the critical point there is a sudden fall of species diversity but the richness shows a gentle decline with increasing competitive intensity. The critical point occurs at a very low value of competitive intensity and the rate of migration from the metacommunity greatly influences the position of the critical point. As an example we apply the early warnings to the Barro Colorado Tropical forest, which as expected, appear to be far from a critical transition. Low values of competitive intensity were also reported for different high diversity real communities suggesting the possibility that these kind of communities are located before the critical point. A small increase of competitive interactions could bring them to the other side where diversity is much lower. This transition could happen before habitat destruction or degradation affect the community in response to changes in environmental conditions like the ones produced by climate change or exotic species invasions.
Are the impacts of an ecosystem engineer context-dependent? Tests with the leaf-cutter ant Atta laevigata in a Neotropical savanna
Authors: Costa Alan N , Bruna Emilio M , Vasconcelos Heraldo L
Published: January 2018

Species that transform habitats or create new ones are known as Ecosystem Engineers. It has been posited that ecosystem engineers benefit other species by ameliorating conditions at the stressful end of environmental gradients, but that this beneficial impact diminishes as conditions along the gradient become more benign. We tested this hypothesis along a canopy-cover gradient in Brazil’s Cerrado with a widespread engineer of Neotropical ecosystems – the leaf-cutter ant Atta laevigata. We tested for changes in environmental conditions influencing seedling establishment, seedling abundance, and seedling diversity at different distances from ant nests. Local environmental conditions are influenced by both canopy cover and proximity to nests. Furthermore, the negative effect of Atta on seedlings overwhelms that of the gradient, but these impacts restricted to the area covered by nest mounds. The results demonstrate that some engineers amplify rather than reduce stress along environmental gradients, but that these impacts can be context-dependent and spatially-complex.
Potential for primary poisoning of a critically endangered endemic land bird during rodent eradication operations at Gough Island, Tristan da Cunha
Authors: Bond Alexander L , Risi Michelle M , Jones Christopher W , Ryan Peter G
Published: January 2018

Eradicating introduced rodents from islands restores these communities, but operations must mitigate bait uptake by non-target species to ensure adequate bait coverage, and minimize mortality of non-target species. Ingestion of toxic bait is a recognised risk for scavenging birds, but is also a concern for generalist feeders. Gough Island, Tristan da Cunha, in the South Atlantic Ocean, has introduced house mice (Mus musculus) that negatively affect the island ecosystem. It is also home to the endemic globally threatened Gough bunting (Rowettia goughensis), a generalist that may be affected by primary poisoning. We presented 26 wild individuals with non-toxic bait pellets and observed their reactions for up to 30 min, or until they flew away. While 23% of Gough buntings did not react to bait pellets, 77% showed some level of interest. Generalist feeders, such as Gough bunting, may also be at risk of primary poisoning during rodent eradication operations.
Acceptance of the German e-mental health portal www.psychenet.de: an online survey
Authors: Tlach Lisa , Thiel Juliane , Härter Martin , Liebherz Sarah , Dirmaier Jörg
Published: January 2018

Background. Taking into account the high prevalence of mental disorders and the multiple barriers to the use of mental health services, new forms of fostering patient information, involvement, and self-management are needed to complement existing mental health services. The study aimed at investigating acceptance regarding design and content of the e-mental health portal www.psychenet.de. Methods. An online cross-sectional survey was conducted between May 2013 and May 2015 using a self-administered questionnaire including items on perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, attitude towards using, and perceived trust. Effects of different participants’ characteristics on the portals’ acceptance were analyzed. Results. The majority of the N=252 respondents suffered from mental disorders (n=139) or were relatives from persons with mental disorders (n=65). The portal was assessed as “good” or “very good” by 71% of the respondents. High levels of agreement (89-96%) were shown for statements on the perceived ease of use, the behavioral intention to use the portal, and the trustworthiness of the portal. Lower levels of agreement were shown for some statements on the perceived usefulness of the portals’ content. There were no effects of different participants’ characteristics on the perceived ease of use, the perceived usefulness, the attitude towards using the website and the perceived trust. Discussion. This survey provides preliminary evidence that the e-mental health portal www.psychenet.de appears to be a usable, useful and trustworthy information resource for a broad target group. The behavioral usefulness of the portals’ content might be improved by integrating more activating patient decision aids.
Examining the relationship between herbivores, corals and macroalgae on Singapore’s heavily disturbed reefs
Authors: Guest James R , Vergés Adriana , Bauman Andrew G , Campbell Alexandra H , Chou Loke Ming , Feary David A , Low Jeffrey KY , Marzinelli Ezequiel M , Tun Karenne , Steinberg Peter D
Published: January 2018

Background.Herbivores play a critical role in structuring benthic communities on tropical coral dominated reefs because they remove macro and microalgae, which might otherwise overgrow adult corals or prevent successful recruitment of juveniles. Reducing herbivory has been implicated in promoting phase shifts from coral dominance to other ecosystem states following acute disturbances. Turbidity and sedimentation are key physical processes that also structure coral reef communities because they limit light penetration and may interfere with biological processes such as heterotrophy. Singapore’s coral reefs have been heavily impacted by human activities for decades and experience very high levels of sedimentation and turbidity. Macroalgae, particularly Sargassum spp. are abundant on the reef flats, while adjacent reef slopes are dominated by diverse coral assemblages, yet nothing is known about the role of herbivory in structuring these heavily disturbed reefs. Methods. To gain a better understanding of the role of herbivore biomass and potential herbivory in structuring these disturbed reefs, we quantified benthic cover of corals and macroalgae, fish biomasses and urchin abundance at eight representative sites among Singapore’s southern islands during two seasons. In addition we filmed herbivory assays on replicate experimental macroalgal stands (4 separate macroalgal species) and natural EAM patches at three of these sites to estimate species-specific rates of herbivory. Using generalised linear mixed models we examine the relationship between herbivore abundances and benthic cover of corals and macroalgae. Results. Average coral cover at 3-4 m depth was surprisingly high (~40%) compared to other Indo-Pacific reefs, considering decades of chronic anthropogenic impacts. In contrast, the average biomass of herbivorous fishes (~4 g m-2) was more typical of degraded and overfished reefs, while urchin abundances were within the range found at other Indo-Pacific sites. Herbivorous fish were not observed feeding on macroalgal assays during 29 h of filming, with all bites counted on EAM carried out primarily by territorial damselfish. There was a significant but weak relationship between coral cover and herbivore biomass but none for macroalgae or between urchin abundance and benthic cover. Discussion. Relatively high coral cover and low macroalgal cover at 3-4 m depth has been maintained on these highly disturbed reefs, demonstrating possible resilience to coral-macroalgal phase shifts despite decades of chronic human disturbances. We suggest that low light levels at 3-4 m depth may limit algal growth rates so that only low levels of herbivory are necessary to prevent seaweeds from outcompeting corals on turbid reefs such as those in the present study.
A mathematical theory of knowledge, science, bias and pseudoscience
Authors: Fanelli Daniele
Published: January 2018

This essay proposes mathematical answers to meta-scientific questions including "how much knowledge is produced by research?", "how rapidly is a field making progress?", "what is the expected reproducibility of a result?", "what do we mean by soft science?", "what demarcates a pseudoscience?", and many others. From two simple postulates - 1) information is finite; 2) knowledge is information compression - we derive a function \(K(y;x\tau)=\frac{T(y)-T(y|x \tau)}{(T(y)+T(x)+T(\tau)}\), in which the total information \(T()\) contained in an explanandum \(y\) is lossless or lossy compressed via an explanans composed of an information input \(x\) and a "theory" component \(\tau\). The latter is a factor that conditions the relationship between \(y\) and \(x\), with an information "cost" equivalent to the description length of the relationship itself. This function is proposed as a simple and universal tool to understand and analyse knowledge dynamics, scientific or otherwise. Soft sciences are shown to be simply fields that yield relatively low K values. Bias turns out to be information that is concealed in methodological choices, thereby reducing K. Disciplines typically classified as pseudosciences are suggested to be sciences that suffer from extreme bias: their informational input is greater than their output, yielding \(K(y;x\tau) < 0\). The essay derives numerous general results, some of which may be counter-intuitive. For example, it suggests that reproducibility failures are inevitable, and that the value of publishing negative results may vary across fields and within a field over time. Therefore, there may be conditions in which the costs of reproducible research practices such as publishing negative results and sharing data may outweigh the benefits. The theory makes several testable predictions concerning science and cognition in general, and it may have numerous applications that future research could develop, test and implement to foster progress on all frontiers of knowledge.
A simple method for measuring long-term integrated testosterone levels in men
Authors: Matas Devorah , Koren Lee
Published: January 2018

Steroids play multiple roles in the regulation of development, physiology, reproduction, and behavior. Measuring circulating steroids is especially challenging since concentrations are extremely labile, responding to stressors within minutes. Matrices that integrate long-term steroid levels are therefore valuable as biomarkers of baseline, as well as chronic steroid exposures. Here we report on a simple method to extract and measure accumulated testosterone from human fingernails using commercial EIA kits. Further, we demonstrate known human testosterone sex and age trends. Thus, this method is a potential tool for biomonitoring endogenous as well as exogenous steroid exposure.
Parameter estimation in tree graph metabolic networks
Authors: Astola Laura , Stigter Hans , Gomez Roldan Maria Victoria , van Eeuwijk Fred , Hall Robert D , Groenenboom Marian , Molenaar Jaap J.
Published: January 2018

We study the glycosylation processes that convert initially toxic substrates to nutritionally valuable metabolites in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) seedlings. To estimate the reaction rates we use ordinary differential equations (ODEs) to model the enzyme kinetics. A popular choice is to use a system of linear ODEs with constant kinetic rates or to use Michaelis-Menten kinetics. In reality, the catalytic rates, which are affected among other factors by kinetic constants and enzyme concentrations, are changing in time and with the approaches just mentioned, this phenomenon cannot be described. Another problem is that, in general these kinetic coefficients are not always identifiable. A third problem is that, it is not precisely known, which enzymes are catalyzing the observed glycosylation processes. With several hundred potential gene candidates, experimental validation using purified target proteins is expensive and time consuming. We aim at reducing this task via mathematical modeling to allow for the pre-selection of most potential gene candidates. In this article we discuss a fast and relatively simple approach to estimate time varying kinetic rates, with three favorable properties: Firstly, it allows for identifiable estimation of time dependent parameters in networks with a tree-like structure. Secondly, it is very fast compared to the usually applied methods, since it is not based on an iterative scheme. Thirdly, by combining the metabolite concentration data with a corresponding microarray data, it can help in detecting the genes related to the enzymatic processes. By comparing the estimated time dynamics of the catalytic rates with time series gene expression data we may assess potential candidate genes behind enzymatic reactions. As an example, we show how to apply this method to select prominent glycosyltransferase genes in tomato seedlings.
A primer for managing international collaboration and legal compliance in biobank based genomics
Authors: Klingström Tomas , Bongcam-Rudloff Erik , Reichel Jane
Published: January 2018

Legal & ethical compliance when sharing biospecimen across borders is a complex topic where few researchers can claim a high degree of competence. Therefore most major research projects now contain a component with dedicated experts on research ethics. But in most jurisdictions researchers still have a legal, as well as moral, duty to ensure that their research adhere to national standards and regulations. This review aim to strengthen the position of researchers by helping them to better understand the complex relationship between national law, the soft law mechanisms whereby these laws are enforced and the critical issue of how international research currently rely diffuse soft law mechanisms to enable collaborative research and the transfer of potentially sensitive information across national borders. By having an at least basic understanding of these topics researchers are better positioned to make autonomous decisions and communicate with experts who possess an in-depth knowledge of the issues described in the article. In such a context it is important for a researcher to understand how laws and ethics interact to enforce the basic concepts such as informed consent and the reporting of planned or incidental findings. But it must also be realized that even if such issues are important, they are not the core topic of interest to most researchers and this review should be seen as a basic primer to collaborating with experts rather than as a replacement for experts.
NASA WorldWind: virtual globe for an open smart city
Authors: Brovelli Maria A , Kilsedar Candan E , Hogan Patrick J , Prestifilippo Gabriele , Zamboni Giorgo
Published: January 2018

In this paper, we first present the open source framework NASA WorldWind. NASA WorldWind comes with two versions. The Java version is well established in the market and has many customers. There is now a new Web version, Web WorldWind, with many of the same features implemented and is already being used by government agencies, the European Space Agency having standardized on it. We describe here some of the features available in the Web framework. Additionally, we show an interesting application developed with NASA WorldWind and the possibilities it offers in the field of smart cities. Moreover, we illustrate some of the opportunities that this framework provides and the direction the community of people interested in open source for smart cities are following.
NASA WorldWind: virtual globe for an open smart city
Authors: Brovelli Maria A , Kilsedar Candan E , Hogan Patrick J , Prestifilippo Gabriele , Zamboni Giorgo
Published: January 2018

In this paper, the open source framework NASA WorldWind is presented. NASA WorldWind comes with two versions. The Java version is well established in the market and has many customers. On the other side the new version, which is the Web version, Web WorldWind, is still at the dawn of development cycle, with many features implemented and already used in several applications, with a great future ahead. Moreover, some of the features available in the Web WorldWind are listed and a short comparison with Cesium library is provided. Additionally, an interesting application developed in the smart cities context with Web WorldWind is described.
An open-source based toolchain for the georeferencing of old cadastral maps
Authors: Follin Jean-Michel , Fahrasmane Maïté , Simonetto Élisabeth
Published: January 2018

More and more historical data are available on the web. In France, old cadastral maps are regularly published by the “départements”. Such material is relevant to various applications (on-the-field search of specific objects such as old boundary stakes, historical studies of demography, human activities, land cover…). The GeF laboratory is working on the development of a complete methodological toolchain to vectorise, correct and analyse cadastral parcels and their evolution, using open source software and programming language only (QGIS, GDAL, Python). This article details the use of a part of this toolchain - georeferencing old cadastral data - on parcels located near the Loir river, in two villages of southern Sarthe: Vaas and Aubigné-Racan. After a presentation of our methodological toolchain, we will discuss our first results.
CREGIS-Q: a GIS tool to support decision making in case of aquifer contamination emergency
Authors: Petrangeli Anna Bruna , Preziosi Elisabetta , Campopiano Francesco , Corazza Angelo , Duro Andrea
Published: January 2018

GIS technology has been used for many years in environmental risk analysis due to its capability to focus on the management and analysis of geographic and alphanumeric data to support spatial decision-making [Vairavamoorthy et al, 2007]. Especially in emergency management, a DSS (Decision Support System) constitutes an important task to provide quick responses, though not completely exhaustive, to immediately handle a critical scenario and limit the possible damage. In the framework of a collaboration between the Water Research Institute and the National Civil Protection Department, a customized tool called CREGIS (ContaminazioneRisorseEvento-GIS) has been developed in order to facilitate the emergency management of accidental contamination of aquifers and support decision making [Preziosi et al, 2013]. The tool is aimed at both national and local authorities in order to improve response capability for a better emergency management. Originally, the tool has been developed programming Python in an ArcGIS environment; but due to the great development and dissemination of open source software, our aim is to replicate the same structure programming Python in a GIS open source environment (QGIS). The review of the tool's code is still in progress. The goal is to make the tool (now named CREGIS-Q) free and accessible to a greater number of people and stakeholders.
Crowdsourcing with mobile techniques for crisis support
Authors: Frigerio Simone , Schenato Luca
Published: January 2018

Within natural processes responsibilities from central authorities to local levels as first actors of civil protection is a changing pattern. Prevention and preparedness are long-term goals in natural hazards, based on capacities of professional volunteers, and awareness of the citizens as local inhabitants. MAppERS is based on human role as “crowd-sourced mappers” through mobiles application. The feedback from testing and the training courses aim to raising participation in a networked disaster response. The aim is designing and testing an app for mobile with a real-time dashboard platform for public citizens and volunteers of civil protection. Two pilot sites, including trainings on modules fixing, control usability and quality of the product. The synchronized platform offers the activity of cloud data collection with a central data dashboard. A first context of floods processes gathers data in simulations, with crowdsourcing achievement from local population, for proper awareness and long-term preparedness. A second context tests pre-emergency actions on field with rescue team, collecting state-of-art and condition of hazards.
Moving to 3D: relationships between coral planar area, surface area and volume
Authors: House Jenny E , Bidaut Luc M , Christie Alec P , Pizarro Oscar , Dornelas Maria
Published: January 2018

Coral reefs are a valuable and vulnerable marine ecosystem. The structure of coral reefs influences their health and ability to fulfill ecosystem functions and services. However, monitoring reef corals largely relies on 1D or 2D estimates of coral cover and abundance that overlook change in ecologically significant aspects of the reefs because they do not incorporate vertical or volumetric information. This study explores the relationship between 2D and 3D metrics of coral size. We show that surface area and volume scale consistently with planar area, albeit with morphotype specific conversion parameters. We use a photogrammetric approach using open-source software to estimate the ability of photogrammetry to provide measurement estimates of corals in 3D. Technological developments have made photogrammetry a valid and practical technique for studying coral reefs. We anticipate that these techniques for moving coral research from 2D into 3D will facilitate answering ecological questions by incorporating the 3rd dimension into monitoring.
Birds in estuaries can act as indicators of climate change: a study at a key wintering site for waterbirds in Europe
Authors: Marchowski Dominik , Jankowiak Łukasz , Wysocki Dariusz , Ławicki Łukasz , Girjatowicz Józef
Published: January 2018

Climate change can shift the winter range of many species and birds can act as indicators of this process. Estuaries of large rivers are places where different waterbirds winter with each species reflecting their own behavior and sensitivity to weather changes. Knowing these behaviors and tracking long-term changes in the number of birds, we can confirm the direction of climate change. One estuary of key importance for wintering waterfowl is the Odra River Estuary situated in the south-western part of the Baltic Sea. The most numerous birds here belong to two groups: benthic feeders and fish feeders. We show that numbers of all benthivorous waterbirds were negatively correlated with the presence of ice, but for piscivorous there was no relationship. We anticipate that with continued global warming the importance of this area for benthic feeders will increase, but will decrease for fish feeders. Among the seven species of benthivorous birds we studied, one showed an increase in numbers (Greater Scaup Aythya marila), two were stable (Tufted Duck A. fuligula and Eurasian Coot Fulica atra) and two decreased (Common Pochard A. ferina and Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula); among the piscivorous group two species (Smew Mergellus albellus and Goosander Mergus merganser) showed a decline. The decline of the Common Pochard may reflect that species global decline. Climate change may be responsible for some of the local changes in the study area, namely the increase in the number of Greater Scaup and reduction in the numbers of Common Goldeneye, Smew and Goosander.
With Nearsightedness in Children on the Rise, Experts Push for Outdoor Time, Disease Designation
Authors: Schweitzer Kate
Published: October 2024

This Medical News article discusses new research on global trends in nearsightedness, possible ways to prevent and treat it, and calls to classify it as a disease.
Pertussis Cases Are Surging This Year—Here’s Why
Authors: Rubin Rita
Published: October 2024

This Medical News article discusses the reasons behind the resurgence of pertussis in the US and elsewhere this year.
RNA mis‐splicing in children with congenital myotonic dystrophy is associated with physical function
Authors: Hartman Julia M. , Ikegami Kobe , Provenzano Marina , Bates Kameron , Butler Amanda , Jones Aileen S. , Berggren Kiera N. , Dekdebrun Jeanne , McKay Marnee J. , Baldwin Jennifer N. , Cornett Kayla M. D. , Burns Joshua , Kiefer Michael , Johnson Nicholas E. , Hale Melissa A. ,   the DMCRN Consortium
Published: October 2024

Objectives

Dysregulated RNA alternative splicing is the hallmark of myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). However, the association between RNA mis‐splicing and physical function in children with the most severe form of disease, congenital myotonic dystrophy (CDM), is unknown.

Methods

Eighty‐two participants (42 adults with DM1 and 40 children with CDM) with muscle biopsies and measures of myotonia, motor function, and strength were combined from five observational studies. Data were normalized and correlated with an aggregate measure of alternative splicing dysregulation, [MBNL]inferred, in skeletal muscle biopsies. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to predict [MBNL]inferred using clinical outcome measures alone. Similar analyses were performed to predict 12‐month physical function using baseline metrics.

Results

Myotonia (measured via vHOT) was significantly correlated with RNA mis‐splicing in our cross‐sectional population of all DM1 individuals; CDM participants alone displayed no myotonia despite a similar range of RNA mis‐splicing. Measures of motor performance and muscle strength were significantly associated with [MBNL]inferred in our cohort of all DM1 individuals and when assessing children with CDM independently. Multiple linear regression analyses yielded two models capable of predicting [MBNL]inferred from select clinical outcome assessments alone in all subjects (adjusted R2 = 0.6723) or exclusively in children with CDM (adjusted R2 = 0.5875).

Interpretation

Our findings establish significant correlations between skeletal muscle performance and a composite measure of alternative splicing dysregulation, [MBNL]inferred, in DM1. The strength of these correlations and the development of predictive models will assist in designing efficacious clinical trials for individuals with DM1, particularly CDM.