bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deep-sea coral evidence for lower Southern Ocean surface nitrate concentrations during the last ice age
Authors: Wang Xingchen Tony , Sigman Daniel M. , Prokopenko Maria G. , Adkins Jess F. , Robinson Laura F. , Hines Sophia K. , Chai Junyi , Studer Anja S. , Martínez-García Alfredo , Chen Tianyu , Haug Gerald H.
Published: March 2017

Significance

The concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (
p
CO
2
) varies by 80–100 ppm on glacial–interglacial timescales, with lower
p
CO
2
during the ice ages. In the modern Southern Ocean, the surface nutrients are not fully consumed by phytoplankton, resulting in leakage of deeply sequestered CO
2
to the atmosphere. It has been suggested that more complete nutrient consumption in the Southern Ocean would have caused the lower
p
CO
2
during the ice ages. Here, we provide the most spatially comprehensive evidence to date in support of the proposal that the entire Southern Ocean was nutrient-depleted during the last ice age relative to modern conditions. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that Southern Ocean changes contributed to the lower atmospheric
p
CO
2
of the ice ages.
Translation and modification
Authors: Xiao Jiayan , Huang Guowen
Published: March 2017

Both phonemic transliteration and semantic translation have been widely used in translating the names of characters in literary works. Nonetheless, discussion as to which of them is more appropriate continues. An investigation of the English translation of characters’ names in the Chinese classics Hong Lou Meng has suggested that either phonemic transliteration or semantic translation is reluctantly accompanied by some modification from the originals due to cultural and literary contextual constraints. Many of the past studies have reviewed the cultural context for explaining and considering the merits of each, though the literary angle has sometimes been disregarded. The case study of the translation by D. Hawkes has provided insight into that cultural context was not the only one that mediated the translation of names, instead the literary context acted in much the same way.
Robots Showing Emotions
Authors: Angel-Fernandez Julian M. , Bonarini Andrea
Published: March 2017

Robots should be able to represent emotional states to interact with people as social agents. There are cases where robots cannot have bio-inspired bodies, for instance because the task to be performed requires a special shape, as in the case of home cleaners, package carriers, and many others. In these cases, emotional states have to be represented by exploiting movements of the body. In this paper, we present a set of case studies aimed at identifying speciﬁc values to convey emotion trough changes in linear and angular velocities, which might be applied on different non-anthropomorphic bodies. This work originates from some of the most considered emotion expression theories and from emotion coding for people. We show that people can recognize some emotional expressions better than others, and we propose some directions to express emotions exploiting only bio-neutral movement.
Long-term evaluation of a social robot in real homes
Authors: de Graaf Maartje M. A. , Ben Allouch Somaya , van Dijk Jan A. G. M.
Published: March 2017

This study aims to contribute to emerging human-robot interaction research by adding longitudinal findings to a limited number of long-term social robotics home studies. We placed 70 robots in users’ homes for a period of up to six months, and used questionnaires and interviews to collect data at six points during this period. Results indicate that users’ evaluations of the robot dropped initially, but later rose after the robot had been used for a longer period of time. This is congruent with the so-called mere-exposure effect, which shows an increasing positive evaluation of a novel stimulus once people become familiar with it. Before adoption, users focus on control beliefs showing that previous experiences with robots or other technologies allows to create a mental image of what having and using a robot in the home would entail. After adoption, users focus on utilitarian and hedonic attitudes showing that especially usefulness, social presence, enjoyment and attractiveness are important factors for long-term acceptance.
Linguistic cues for recipient design in an Indigenous Australian conversational narrative
Authors: Mushin Ilana
Published: March 2017

This article presents an examination of some of the linguistic and interactional features of a story emerging from talk in a remote Indigenous Australian community. In the data used here, the storyteller is an elderly Garrwa woman in Borroloola who speaks Garrwa and Kriol. The focus is on how the addition of a non-community member to the field of interaction affected the way the storyteller recounted events from a situation within the previous 24 hours. This is seen not only in what events are told, but also how the teller tailored her story to her audience in the context of telling — a recognition that stories are interactively achieved. Here I examine how she accommodated the knowledge states of her audience, how recipients responded and how this in turn affected the trajectory of the storytelling.
Expression of the interpersonal connection between narrators and characters in Umpila and Kuuku Ya’u storytelling
Authors: Hill Clair
Published: March 2017

This article analyses the selection of person reference expressions in narratives in Umpila/Kuuku Ya’u, a Pama-Nyungan language of Cape York Peninsula (Australia). The analysis takes the principle of topic-fittedness, one of a set of design principles proposed to account for the interactional conditioning of person reference formulation, and applies it to Umpila/Kuuku Ya’u narration. The ensuing anlaysis demonstrates that referring practices are conditioned by, and ultimately work to convey, manifold contextual aspects of the narrative and the speech event it is embedded in. The focus is on the narrator’s use and manipulation of kin-terms to highlight the interpersonal connection between themselves and characters. Kin-term expressions are shown to be fitted to the pragmatic-action being undertaken by the narrator: namely, to signal authority to quote another’s words in represented speech; to bolster authority to speak on a subject matter; and to develop a stance in relation to events being narrated.
The consistency of the subjective concept of randomness
Authors: Yu Ru Qi , Gunn Jordan , Osherson Daniel , Zhao Jiaying
Published: March 2017

A pervasive bias in the subjective concept of randomness is that people often expect random sequences to exhibit more alternations than produced by genuine random processes. What is less known is the stability of this bias. Here, we examine two important aspects of the over-alternation bias: first, whether this bias is present in stimuli that vary across feature dimensions, sensory modalities, presentation modes and probing methods, and, second, how consistent the bias is across these stimulus variations. In Experiment 1, participants adjusted sequences until they looked maximally random. The sequences were presented as temporal streams of colors, shapes, auditory tones or tiled as spatial matrices. In Experiment 2, participants produced random matrices by adjusting the color of each cell. We replicated the findings using a within-subjects design in Experiment 3. We found that participants judged and produced over-alternating stimuli as the most random. Importantly, this bias was consistent across presentation modes (temporal vs spatial), feature dimensions (color vs shape), sensory modalities (visual vs auditory), speed (fast vs slow), stimulus size (small vs large matrices) and probing methods (adjusting the generating process vs individual bits). Overall, the results suggest that the subjective concept of randomness is highly stable across stimulus variations.
Bright flash response recovery of mammalian rods in vivo is rate limited by RGS9
Authors: Peinado Allina Gabriel , Fortenbach Christopher , Naarendorp Franklin , Gross Owen P. , Pugh Edward N. , Burns Marie E.
Published: March 2017

The temporal resolution of scotopic vision is thought to be constrained by the signaling kinetics of retinal rods, which use a highly amplified G-protein cascade to transduce absorbed photons into changes in membrane potential. Much is known about the biochemical mechanisms that determine the kinetics of rod responses ex vivo, but the rate-limiting mechanisms in vivo are unknown. Using paired flash electroretinograms with improved signal-to-noise, we have recorded the amplitude and kinetics of rod responses to a wide range of flash strengths from living mice. Bright rod responses in vivo recovered nearly twice as fast as all previous recordings, although the kinetic consequences of genetic perturbations previously studied ex vivo were qualitatively similar. In vivo, the dominant time constant of recovery from bright flashes was dramatically reduced by overexpression of the RGS9 complex, revealing G-protein deactivation to be rate limiting for recovery. However, unlike previous ex vivo recordings, dim flash responses in vivo were relatively unaffected by RGS9 overexpression, suggesting that other mechanisms, such as calcium feedback dynamics that are strongly regulated by the restricted subretinal microenvironment, act to determine rod dim flash kinetics. To assess the consequences for scotopic vision, we used a nocturnal wheel-running assay to measure the ability of wild-type and RGS9-overexpressing mice to detect dim flickering stimuli and found no improvement when rod recovery was speeded by RGS9 overexpression. These results are important for understanding retinal circuitry, in particular as modeled in the large literature that addresses the relationship between the kinetics and sensitivity of retinal responses and visual perception.
Report on the consultative committee for photometry and radiometry key comparison of regular spectral transmittance 2010 (CCPR-K6.2010)
Authors: Koo Annette
Published: March 2017

This report details the final results of the CCPR comparison on regular spectral transmittance carried out between 2010 and 2016. Scales held by 12 participating national metrology institutes were compared over the spectral range from 380 nm to 1000 nm and over the nominal transmittance range from 0.1% transmittance to 90% transmittance. Sets of five absorbing neutral density filters (nominal transmittance 0.1%, 1%, 10%, 50% and 90%) were measured firstly by the pilot (MSL) and then were sent out in a 'star' format, one to each other participant (A*STAR, KRISS, LNE-CNAM, MKEH, NIST, NMIJ, NMISA, NPL, NRC, PTB, VNIIOFI). This cycle was repeated twice and followed by a final measurement at the pilot. The stability of the filters allowed unilateral degrees of equivalence to be calculated for each participant. These showed that the scales held by the participants are broadly equivalent. The results indicate scope for some participants to improve their measurement claims. Where occasional non-equivalence was revealed, some revision of uncertainty budgets may also be required.

Main text

To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/.

The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCPR, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).
Advanced Study of Unsteady Heat and Chemical Reaction with Ramped Wall and Slip Effect on a Viscous Fluid
Authors: Sohail Ayesha , Maqbool K. , Akbar Noreen Sher , Younas Muhammad
Published: March 2017

This paper investigate the effect of slip boundary condition, thermal radiation, heat source, Dufour number, chemical reaction and viscous dissipation on heat and mass transfer of unsteady free convective MHD flow of a viscous fluid past through a vertical plate embedded in a porous media. Numerical results are obtained for solving the nonlinear governing momentum, energy and concentration equations with slip boundary condition, ramped wall temperature and ramped wall concentration on the surface of the vertical plate. The influence of emerging parameters on velocity, temperature and concentration fields are shown graphically.
Optimal shape design in three-dimensional Brinkman flow using asymptotic analysis techniques
Authors: Meftahi Houcine
Published: March 2017

The aim of this paper is to reconstruct an obstacle

ω
\omega

immersed in a fluid governed by the Brinkman equation in a three-dimensional bounded domain

Ω
\Omega

from internal data. We reformulate the inverse problem in an optimization one by using a least square functional. We prove the existence of an optimal solution for the optimization problem. We perform the asymptotic expansion of the cost function using a straightforward way based on a penalization technique. An important advantage of this method is that it avoids the truncation method used in the literature. Finally, we make some numerical results, exploring the efficiency of the method.
Eberlein oligomorphic groups
Authors: Ben Yaacov Itaï , Ibarlucía Tomás , Tsankov Todor
Published: March 2017

We study the Fourier–Stieltjes algebra of Roelcke precompact, non-archimedean, Polish groups and give a model-theoretic description of the Hilbert compactification of these groups. We characterize the family of such groups whose Fourier–Stieltjes algebra is dense in the algebra of weakly almost periodic functions: those are exactly the automorphism groups ofℵ0\aleph _0-stable,ℵ0\aleph _0-categorical structures. This analysis is then extended to all semitopological semigroup compactificationsSSof such a group:SSis Hilbert-representable if and only if it is an inverse semigroup. We also show that every factor of the Hilbert compactification is Hilbert-representable.
Ornamentalism in a European Context? Napoleon’s Italian Coronation, 26 May 1805
Authors: Caiani Ambrogio A.
Published: March 2017

Napoleon’s Italian Coronation has been neglected, or at best consigned to a footnote, in historical scholarship. The ceremony involved immense expenditure and thousands of participants, but its true importance lay in the elusive—and somewhat confused—semiotic claims put forward by its organisers. The manner in which the events of May 1805 were choreographed reveals much about how French imperialists viewed their nascent Empire and their relationship with their northern Italian citizen-subjects. The argument put forward here is inspired by the concept of ‘ornamentalism’. While the realities of imperial brutality, cultural chauvinism and economic exploitation of conquered territories cannot be brushed under the carpet, the reverse side of this coin is also worthy of further investigation. Nowhere more than in the satellite kingdom of Italy did Napoleon seek to promote collaboration and local investment in his supranational empire. He rewarded, honoured and rallied his Lombard and Emilian officials in order to endow them with a sense that they belonged to, and benefited from membership of, the wider imperial community. The coronation in Milan, on 26 May 1805, was an important experiment in the creation of new hierarchies and elite affinities. Its mixed, though significant, legacy was continued, to a certain extent, by Napoleon’s Habsburg successors well into the first half of the nineteenth century.
Enhancing knowledge discovery from cancer genomics data with Galaxy
Authors: Albuquerque Marco A. , Grande Bruno M. , Ritch Elie J. , Pararajalingam Prasath , Jessa Selin , Krzywinski Martin , Grewal Jasleen K. , Shah Sohrab P. , Boutros Paul C. , Morin Ryan D.
Published: March 2017

The field of cancer genomics has demonstrated the power of massively parallel sequencing techniques to inform on the genes and specific alterations that drive tumor onset and progression. Although large comprehensive sequence data sets continue to be made increasingly available, data analysis remains an ongoing challenge, particularly for laboratories lacking dedicated resources and bioinformatics expertise. To address this, we have produced a collection of Galaxy tools that represent many popular algorithms for detecting somatic genetic alterations from cancer genome and exome data. We developed new methods for parallelization of these tools within Galaxy to accelerate runtime and have demonstrated their usability and summarized their runtimes on multiple cloud service providers. Some tools represent extensions or refinement of existing toolkits to yield visualizations suited to cohort-wide cancer genomic analysis. For example, we present Oncocircos and Oncoprintplus, which generate data-rich summaries of exome-derived somatic mutation. Workflows that integrate these to achieve data integration and visualizations are demonstrated on a cohort of 96 diffuse large B-cell lymphomas and enabled the discovery of multiple candidate lymphoma-related genes. Our toolkit is available from our GitHub repository as Galaxy tool and dependency definitions and has been deployed using virtualization on multiple platforms including Docker.
Genome sequencing of the sweetpotato whitefly Bemisia tabaci MED/Q
Authors: Xie Wen , Chen Chunhai , Yang Zezhong , Guo Litao , Yang Xin , Wang Dan , Chen Ming , Huang Jinqun , Wen Yanan , Zeng Yang , Liu Yating , Xia Jixing , Tian Lixia , Cui Hongying , Wu Qingjun , Wang Shaoli , Xu Baoyun , Li Xianchun , Tan Xinqiu , Ghanim Murad , Qiu Baoli , Pan Huipeng , Chu Dong , Delatte Helene , Maruthi M. N. , Ge Feng , Zhou Xueping , Wang Xiaowei , Wan Fanghao , Du Yuzhou , Luo Chen , Yan Fengming , Preisser Evan L. , Jiao Xiaoguo , Coates Brad S. , Zhao Jinyang , Gao Qiang , Xia Jinquan , Yin Ye , Liu Yong , Brown Judith K. , Zhou Xuguo “Joe” , Zhang Youjun
Published: March 2017

The sweetpotato whitefly Bemisia tabaci is a highly destructive agricultural and ornamental crop pest. It damages host plants through both phloem feeding and vectoring plant pathogens. Introductions of B. tabaci are difficult to quarantine and eradicate because of its high reproductive rates, broad host plant range, and insecticide resistance. A total of 791 Gb of raw DNA sequence from whole genome shotgun sequencing, and 13 BAC pooling libraries were generated by Illumina sequencing using different combinations of mate-pair and pair-end libraries. Assembly gave a final genome with a scaffold N50 of 437 kb, and a total length of 658 Mb. Annotation of repetitive elements and coding regions resulted in 265.0 Mb TEs (40.3%) and 20 786 protein-coding genes with putative gene family expansions, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis based on orthologs across 14 arthropod taxa suggested that MED/Q is clustered into a hemipteran clade containing A. pisum and is a sister lineage to a clade containing both R. prolixus and N. lugens. Genome completeness, as estimated using the CEGMA and Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs pipelines, reached 96% and 79%. These MED/Q genomic resources lay a foundation for future ‘pan-genomic' comparisons of invasive vs. noninvasive, invasive vs. invasive, and native vs. exotic Bemisia, which, in return, will open up new avenues of investigation into whitefly biology, evolution, and management.
Effect of radiation-induced endothelial cell injury on platelet regeneration by megakaryocytes
Authors: Chen Fang , Shen Mingqiang , Zeng Dongfeng , Wang Cheng , Wang Song , Chen Shilei , Tang Yong , Hu Mengjia , Chen Mo , Su Yongping , Ran Xinze , Xu Yang , Wang Junping
Published: March 2017

Thrombocytopenia is an important cause of hemorrhage and death after radiation injury, but the pathogenesis of radiation-induced thrombocytopenia has not been fully characterized. Here, we investigated the influence of radiation-induced endothelial cell injury on platelet regeneration. We found that human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) underwent a high rate of apoptosis, accompanied by a significant reduction in the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) at 96 h after radiation. Subsequent investigations revealed that radiation injury lowered the ability of HUVECs to attract migrating megakaryocytes (MKs). Moreover, the adhesion of MKs to HUVECs was markedly reduced when HUVECs were exposed to radiation, accompanied by a decreased production of platelets by MKs. In vivo study showed that VEGF treatment significantly promoted the migration of MKs into the vascular niche and accelerated platelet recovery in irradiated mice. Our studies demonstrate that endothelial cell injury contributes to the slow recovery of platelets after radiation, which provides a deeper insight into the pathogenesis of thrombocytopenia induced by radiation.
MEG-EEG Primer
Authors: Hari, MD, PhD Riitta , Puce, PhD Aina
Published: March 2017

This book provides newcomers and more experienced researchers with the very basics of magnetoencephalography (MEG) and electroencephalography (EEG)—two noninvasive methods that can inform about the neurodynamics of the human brain on a millisecond scale. These two closely related methods are addressed side by side, starting from their physical and physiological bases and then advancing to methods of data acquisition, analysis, visualization, and interpretation. Special attention is paid to careful experimentation, guiding the readers to differentiate brain signals from various biological and non-biological artifacts and to ascertain that the collected data are reliable. The strengths and weaknesses of MEG and EEG are presented relative to each other and to other available brain-imaging methods. Necessary instrumentation and laboratory set-ups, as well as potential pitfalls in data collection and analysis are discussed. Spontaneous brain rhythms and evoked responses to sensory and multisensory stimulation are covered and examined both in healthy individuals and in various brain disorders, such as epilepsy. MEG/EEG signals related to motor, cognitive, and social events are discussed as well. The integration of MEG and EEG information with other methods to assess human brain function is discussed with respect to the current state-of-the art in the field. The book ends with a look to future developments in equipment design, and experimentation, emphasizing the role of accurate temporal information for human brain function.
Cosmic microwave background science at commercial airline altitudes
Authors: Feeney Stephen M. , Gudmundsson Jon E. , Peiris Hiranya V. , Verde Licia , Errard Josquin
Published: March 2017

Obtaining high-sensitivity measurements of degree-scale cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarization is the most direct path to detecting primordial gravitational waves. Robustly recovering any primordial signal from the dominant foreground emission will require high-fidelity observations at multiple frequencies, with excellent control of systematics. We explore the potential for a new platform for CMB observations, the Airlander 10 hybrid air vehicle, to perform this task. We show that the Airlander 10 platform, operating at commercial airline altitudes, is well suited to mapping frequencies above 220 GHz, which are critical for cleaning CMB maps of dust emission. Optimizing the distribution of detectors across frequencies, we forecast the ability of Airlander 10 to clean foregrounds of varying complexity as a function of altitude, demonstrating its complementarity with both existing (Planck) and ongoing (C-BASS) foreground observations. This novel platform could play a key role in defining our ultimate view of the polarized microwave sky.
Spontaneous Bilateral Carotid-Cavernous Fistulas Secondary to Cavernous Sinus Thrombosis
Authors: Al-Mufti Fawaz , Amuluru Krishna , El-Ghanem Mohammad , Changa Abhinav R. , Singh Inder Paul , Gandhi Chirag D. , Prestigiacomo Charles J.
Published: March 2017

Bilateral carotid cavernous fistulas are rare entities that can cause debilitating symptoms and can lead to more severe consequences if left untreated. Therefore, the recognition and adequate treatment of these pathologies is very important. We present 2 cases of bilateral carotid cavernous fistulas that arose as a result of cavernous sinus thrombosis. We review the literature and discuss the pathophysiology, symptomatology, management, and treatment of bilateral carotid cavernous fistulas. Within our own cases, treatment of the patients was varied. The patient in case 1 was successfully treated with endovascular therapy after a failed trial of anticoagulation. The patient in case 2 demonstrated resolution of bilateral carotid cavernous fistulas after anticoagulation therapy. Case 2 highlights the fact that certain cases of bilateral carotid cavernous fistulas due to cavernous sinus thrombosis may benefit from extensive anticoagulation therapy. If anticoagulation therapy is unsuccessful, endovascular therapy may prove beneficial in resolving the fistulous shunt.
Launching Effectiveness Research to Guide Practice in Neurosurgery: A National Institute Neurological Disorders and Stroke Workshop Report
Authors: Walicke Patricia , Abosch Aviva , Asher Anthony , Barker Fred G. , Ghogawala Zoher , Harbaugh Robert , Jehi Lara , Kestle John , Koroshetz Walter , Little Roderick , Rubin Donald , Valadka Alex , Wisniewski Stephen , Chiocca E. Antonio ,   for the Workshop Participants
Published: March 2017

This workshop addressed challenges of clinical research in neurosurgery. Randomized
controlled clinical trials (RCTs) have high internal validity, but often insufficiently
generalize to real-world practice. Observational studies are inclusive but often lack
sufficient rigor. The workshop considered possible solutions, such as (1) statistical
methods for demonstrating causality using observational data; (2) characteristics required
of a registry supporting effectiveness research; (3) trial designs combining advantages of
observational studies and RCTs; and (4) equipoise, an identified challenge for RCTs. In
the future, advances in information technology potentially could lead to creation of a
massive database where clinical data from all neurosurgeons are integrated and analyzed,
ending the separation of clinical research and practice and leading to a new “science of
practice.”
Monitoring Using a Sentinel Plant System Reveals Very Limited Aerial Spread of Phytophthora ramorum From Infected Ornamental Plants in a Quarantine Research Nursery
Authors: Pastalka Tomas , Rooney-Latham Suzanne , Kosta Kathleen , Suslow Karen , Huffman Vernon , Ghosh Sibdas , Schweigkofler Wolfgang
Published: March 2017

The potential aerial spread of Phytophthora ramorum, causal agent of sudden oak death and Ramorum blight, from infected plants in a quarantine research nursery at the National Ornamentals Research Site at Dominican University of California (NORS-DUC) to the environment was monitored weekly for five years (2011 to 2016) using a sentinel system. Phytophthora ramorum was never detected on any of the sentinel plants (Rhododendron, Viburnum, and Loropetalum spp), indicating very limited aerial spread under suboptimal meteorological and environmental conditions. An infection experiment with host plants placed in the immediate vicinity of symptomatic plants proved the potential for short-distance (1 to 2 m) aerial transmission of P. ramorum. Other Phytophthora spp. causing symptoms similar to P. ramorum were detected during the rainy season (January to May) on the sentinel plants, among them potentially two novel species. These data reveal how sentinel monitoring at NORS-DUC allows for seasonal assessments of disease incidence and provide longitudinal data to assess the threat of P. ramorum movement in nurseries.
Stair-Climbing Capacity as a Marker of Improvement Following Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Authors: Dubé Bruno-Pierre , Houle-Péloquin Marilyn , Sauvageau Benoit , Lalande-Gauthier Mélina , Poirier Claude
Published: March 2017

PURPOSE:

The aim of this study was to explore the potential and safety of a stair-climbing test as a tool to monitor improvement following pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

METHODS:

Stair-climbing capacity was assessed in 139 patients with COPD before and after a comprehensive 8-week PR program, which included stair-climbing training. Stair-climbing capacity was assessed as the total number of flights of stairs climbed without stopping. A constant work rate endurance test (CET) was also performed before and after PR. Change in stair-climbing after PR (Δstairs) was compared and correlated to the change in endurance time (ΔCET) and, for 40 patients, to the change in COPD assessment test (ΔCAT) score.

RESULTS:

Most patients had moderate to severe COPD (mean forced expiratory volume in 1 second = 54% ± 20% predicted). Stair-climbing capacity, endurance time, and CAT score improved after PR (2.8 ± 1.4 vs 8.3 ± 3.3 flights, 408 ± 272 vs 717 ± 415 seconds, and 20.0 ± 6.4 vs 17.6 ± 6.6 units, respectively; P value for all < .001). Δstairs was moderately correlated to ΔCET (r = 0.49; P < .001) and well correlated to ΔCAT (r = −0.71; P < .001). Patients with greater change in Δstairs had better baseline resting lung function and aerobic capacity. No adverse events were reported during stair-climbing.

CONCLUSION:

Stair-climbing is responsive to training in patients with COPD and is correlated to the change in CAT score following PR. Although the test requires further standardization, it could eventually be used as a simple and safe way to assess improvement following interventions in COPD.
VITRECTOMY FOR MACULAR DISORDERS ASSOCIATED WITH LAMELLAR MACULAR HOLE EPIRETINAL PROLIFERATION
Authors: Choi Won Seok , Merlau Daniel J. , Chang Stanley
Published: March 2017

Purpose:

To compare the surgical outcome of a lamellar macular hole (LMH) depending on lamellar hole–associated epiretinal proliferation (LHEP) and full-thickness macular hole.

Methods:

This is a retrospective chart review. Thirty-three patients were enrolled for this study. The patients were divided into three groups depending on the type of macular hole and presence of LHEP. Group 1 had epiretinal membranes with LMH without LHEP, Group 2 had LMH with LHEP, and Group 3 had full-thickness macular hole with LHEP. The best-corrected visual acuity was recorded and optical coherence tomography scans were obtained.

Results:

Preoperative best-corrected visual acuity showed no significant difference between groups (P = 0.968). Final visual acuity of Group 1 was better than that of Group 2 (P = 0.009). Group 1 showed less postoperative ellipsoid zone disruption compared with Group 2 (P = 0.010), and the duration of LHEP to surgery had no significant correlation with postoperative visual acuity (P = 0.629).

Conclusion:

Lamellar macular hole with LHEP showed poorer visual outcomes compared with those with highly reflective epiretinal membranes. Lamellar macular hole with LHEP showed a greater chance of ellipsoid zone disruption. These findings may explain the wide variability of visual outcomes previously reported after vitrectomy for LMH.
ALLERGIC REACTION UPON INTRAVITREAL ADMINISTRATION OF ANTI–VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR AGENTS
Authors: Meredith Gavin G. , Schkade Paul A. , Joondeph Brian C.
Published: March 2017

Purpose:

To describe the patient's allergic response to anti–vascular endothelial growth factor drugs after receiving intravitreal bevacizumab for choroidal neovascularization.

Methods:

Clinical case report.

Results:

Formal allergy evaluation revealed hypersensitivity to bevacizumab and ranibizumab, but not to pegaptanib or aflibercept.

Conclusion:

Bevacizumab and ranibizumab are derivatives of murine monoclonal antibodies, whereas pegaptanib is an aptamer and aflibercept is a fusion protein of human origin. These chemical origins may allow patients to receive pegaptanib or aflibercept despite having allergy to bevacizumab or ranibizumab.
Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy
Authors: Wright Mayes Emily , Cole Emily D. , Dang Sabin , Novais Eduardo A. , Vuong Laurel , Mendoza-Santiesteban Carlos , Duker Jay S. , Hedges Thomas R.
Published: March 2017

Background:

Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) has demonstrated good utility in qualitative analysis of retinal and choroidal vasculature and therefore may be relevant in the diagnostic and treatment efforts surrounding nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION).

Methods:

Retrospective, cross-sectional study of 10 eyes of 9 patients with a previous or new diagnosis of NAION that received imaging with OCTA between November 2015 and February 2016. Two independent readers qualitatively analyzed the retinal peripapillary capillaries (RPC) and peripapillary choriocapillaris (PCC) for flow impairment. Findings were compared with automated visual field and structural optical coherence tomography (OCT) studies.

Results:

Flow impairment seen on OCTA in the RPC corresponded to structural OCT deficits of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and ganglion cell layer complex (GCC) in 80% and 100% of eyes, respectively, and to automated visual field deficits in 90% of eyes. Flow impairment seen on OCTA in the PCC corresponded to structural OCT deficits of the RNFL and GCC in 70% and 80% of eyes, respectively, and to visual field deficits in 60%–80% of eyes.

Conclusions:

OCTA can noninvasively visualize microvascular flow impairment in patients with NAION.
Bio-Docklets: Virtualization Containers for Single-Step Execution of NGS Pipelines
Authors: Kim Baekdoo , Ali Thahmina , Lijeron Carlos , Afgan Enis , Krampis Konstantinos
Published: March 2017

Background

Processing of Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) data requires significant technical skills, involving installation, configuration, and execution of bioinformatics data pipelines, in addition to specialized post-analysis visualization and data mining software. In order to address some of these challenges, developers have leveraged virtualization containers, towards seamless deployment of preconfigured bioinformatics software and pipelines on any computational platform.

Findings

We present an approach for abstracting the complex data operations of multi-step, bioinformatics pipelines for NGS data analysis. As examples, we have deployed two pipelines for RNAseq and CHIPseq, pre-configured within Docker virtualization containers we call Bio-Docklets. Each Bio-Docklet exposes a single data input and output endpoint and from a user perspective, running the pipelines is as simple as running a single bioinformatics tool. This is achieved through a “meta-script” that automatically starts the Bio-Docklets, and controls the pipeline execution through the BioBlend software library and the Galaxy Application Programming Interface (API). The pipelne output is post-processed using the Visual Omics Explorer (VOE) framework, providing interactive data visualizations that users can access through a web browser.

Conclusions

The goal of our approach is to enable easy access to NGS data analysis pipelines for nonbioinformatics experts, on any computing environment whether a laboratory workstation, university computer cluster, or a cloud service provider,. Besides end-users, the Bio-Docklets also enables developers to programmatically deploy and run a large number of pipeline instances for concurrent analysis of multiple datasets.
Canu: scalable and accurate long-read assembly via adaptivek-mer weighting and repeat separation
Authors: Koren Sergey , Walenz Brian P. , Berlin Konstantin , Miller Jason R. , Bergman Nicholas H. , Phillippy Adam M.
Published: March 2017

Long-read single-molecule sequencing has revolutionized de novo genome assembly and enabled the automated reconstruction of reference-quality genomes. However, given the relatively high error rates of such technologies, efficient and accurate assembly of large repeats and closely related haplotypes remains challenging. We address these issues with Canu, a successor of Celera Assembler that is specifically designed for noisy single-molecule sequences. Canu introduces support for nanopore sequencing, halves depth-of-coverage requirements, and improves assembly continuity while simultaneously reducing runtime by an order of magnitude on large genomes versus Celera Assembler 8.2. These advances result from new overlapping and assembly algorithms, including an adaptive overlapping strategy based ontf-idfweighted MinHash and a sparse assembly graph construction that avoids collapsing diverged repeats and haplotypes. We demonstrate that Canu can reliably assemble complete microbial genomes and near-complete eukaryotic chromosomes using either Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) or Oxford Nanopore technologies and achieves a contig NG50 of >21 Mbp on both human andDrosophila melanogasterPacBio data sets. For assembly structures that cannot be linearly represented, Canu provides graph-based assembly outputs in graphical fragment assembly (GFA) format for analysis or integration with complementary phasing and scaffolding techniques. The combination of such highly resolved assembly graphs with long-range scaffolding information promises the complete and automated assembly of complex genomes.
Learned interval time facilitates associate memory retrieval
Authors: van de Ven Vincent , Kochs Sarah , Smulders Fren , De Weerd Peter
Published: March 2017

The extent to which time is represented in memory remains underinvestigated. We designed a time paired associate task (TPAT) in which participants implicitly learned cue–time–target associations between cue–target pairs and specific cue–target intervals. During subsequent memory testing, participants showed increased accuracy of identifying matching cue–target pairs if the time interval during testing matched the implicitly learned interval. A control experiment showed that participants had no explicit knowledge about the cue–time associations. We suggest that “elapsed time” can act as a temporal mnemonic associate that can facilitate retrieval of events associated in memory.
A pyridyl-substituted cyclodisilazane [(Apy)2(μ-SiMe)2] (ApyH2 = 2-aminopyridine)
Authors: Li Rui , Duan Xin-E , Cao Wei , Wei Xue-Hong
Published: March 2017

The title compound, C14H20N4Si2 or [(Apy)2(μ-SiMe)2], systematic name 2-[2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-3-(pyridin-2-yl)-1,3,2,4-diazadisiletidin-1-yl]pyridine, was obtained as a side product from the reaction of 2-amino-pyridine with LiBu
n
followed by the addition of Me2NMe2SiCl in hexane. The compound was characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and NMR spectroscopy. The title compound lies about an inversion center at the centroid of the cyclodisilazane ring. The four-membered Si2N2 core is strictly planar with the two pyridyl rings placed centrosymmetrically on either side of the Si2N2 plane and are almost coplanar with the central four-membered ring.
Farm income and output and lending by the farm credit system
Authors: Nadolnyak Denis , Shen Xuan , Hartarska Valentina
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide evidence of the positive impact of the FCS lending on farm incomes which should be useful to policymakers as they consider reforms and further support for this 100-year-old major agricultural lender.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors construct a panel for the 1991-2010 period from the FCS financial statements and evaluate how lending by the FCS institutions has affected farm incomes and farm output. The authors use fixed effects estimations and control for credit by other agricultural lenders as well as the stock of capital, prices, and interest rates. Since previous work suggests that rural financial markets are segmented and the FCS serves larger full-time farmers with mostly real-estate backed loans, the authors evaluate the impacts of farm real-estate backed loans and of short-term agricultural loans separately for a shorter period for which the data is available. The authors also perform robustness checks with alternative estimation techniques.

Findings

The authors found a positive association between credit by the FCS institutions and farm income and output. The magnitude of the estimated impact is larger during the 1990s than in the 2000s.

Research limitations/implications

The positive link between the FCS institutions’ credit and farm incomes and output supports the notion that the FCS lending was beneficial to farmers. The evidence also supports the segmentation hypothesis of rural financial markets. The financial reports data for 1991-2010 are from the ACAs and FLCAs aggregated on the regional level because there is no clear way to classify FCS lending to a more disaggregate level like the state. The authors also assemble and analyze a state-level data set that contains state-level balance sheet data for the period 1991-2003.

Originality/value

The authors are not aware of another work that directly links (real estate and non-real estate) credit by FCS institutions to agricultural output and farm incomes.
Endogenous schooling, school proximity and returns to rural schooling in Northwestern China
Authors: Chen Qihui , Xu Jingqin , Zhao Jiaqi , Zhang Bo
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to estimate the returns to rural schooling in China, addressing both endogeneity in rural individuals’ schooling and self-selection into off-farm work.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper exploits geographical proximity to rural secondary schools to create instrumental variables (IV) for individuals’ years of schooling. It addresses both endogenous schooling and self-selection using the two-step procedure developed in Wooldridge (2002, p. 586).

Findings

The preferred IV estimate of schooling returns, 7.6 percent, is considerably higher than most previous estimates found in rural China.

Originality/value

This paper is among the few papers that examine returns to rural schooling in China while simultaneously addressing both endogeneity in individuals’ schooling and self-selection into off-farm work. Its findings suggest that rural education in China is potentially able to generate a respectable level of economic returns if policies are designed to provide greater school accessibility to rural individuals.
What do China’s rising meat demand and industrialization of the livestock sector mean for its vegetable oil market?
Authors: Xiong Bo , Yi Fujin , Li Yaling
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the implications of the China’s rising meat demand and industrialization of the livestock sector for the vegetable oil market.

Design/methodology/approach

An equilibrium displacement model is constructed to analyze the interactions between meat consumption and vegetable oil market through the development of livestock sector modernization. Parameters derived from the 2006 to 2009 data are first used to produce the counterfactual growth rate of the non-soybean vegetable oil to validate the model. Then the authors use the second set of parameters derived from the 2010 to 2013 data to forecast the changes in the vegetable oil market in China.

Findings

Soybean oil, as a co-product of soybean processing, tends to crowd out other vegetable oils. In particular, the authors find that the market for non-soybean vegetable oils may shrink as long as the rapid industrialization pace above 10 percent within China’s livestock sector continues. Although their production takes up only 8.5 percent of all agricultural lands in China, oil crops remain as important cash crops for farmers contributing over 10 percent to the overall farm income in some provinces. The authors’ analysis suggests that stakeholders in these regions should closely monitor the structural changes within the livestock sector and consider the information for crop selection.

Originality/value

The authors’ analysis contributes to the literature on China’s meat demand by highlighting its implications for other agricultural markets involved in the food system.
How the new media impacts rural development in China: an empirical study
Authors: Zhou Dong , Li Benqian
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study a new pathway out of poverty for rural areas through cultivating non-farm employment: the new media utilization.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors utilize two waves of nationwide micro survey data in China, China General Social Survey 2005 and 2013, to investigate the impacts of new media coverage on non-farm employment and earnings in rural China with the ordered probit model and instrument variables.

Findings

The authors find that promotion of new media coverage can significantly enhance rural non-farm employment in China by 10-20 percent and ultimately increase earnings for rural residents. The findings provide new evidence for the new media as a potential newly emerging pathway out of poverty for rural areas. The conclusions are robust regarding a variety of controls and model specifications, evaluations with alternative measures, examinations within different subsamples, and estimations with constructed pseudo panels.

Social implications

Encouragement of new media coverage in rural China not only can improve the rural non-farm employment and living standards but also can contribute toward narrowing the differences between urban and rural areas, thereby balancing regional development.

Originality/value

It contributes to the existing literature through primarily empirically investigating the economic functions of new media in rural China.
The use of building technology to support disaster resilience: the case study of air shelter house
Authors: Pusceddu Cristina , Blumberg George , Salvalai Graziano , Imperadori Marco
Published: March 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to report on a study to investigate the feasibility of thermal reflective multi-layer system (TRMS) as support for disaster resilience.

Design/methodology/approach

It is an innovative insulation system, developed from space engineering studies, is lightweight and is characterised by a thermal conductivity of 0.038 W/mK, making it a strong candidate for inexpensive shelter after disaster design.

Findings

One of the results of this study is a proposal for the air shelter house, a new concept design of a shelter based on TRMS.

Originality/value

The combined use of TRMS with the low cost of building materials and a 3D printer system for the construction joints provides a good compromise between building cost and energy efficiency performance. Such an innovative design supports disaster resilience during response, reconstruction and mitigation phases, and it is suitable for a wide variety of cultural and environmental situations where energy efficiency is important.
The gender wage gap and sample selection via risk attitudes
Authors: Jung SeEun
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to consider a new way of estimating the gender wage gap by introducing individual risk attitudes that is applied to representative Korean data.

Design/methodology/approach

The selection bias via risk attitudes results in the overestimation of this wage gap. Women are more risk averse and hence prefer not to be active in the labour market or, if they are active, prefer to work in the public sector, where wages are generally lower than in the private sector. This paper explains the reduced gender wage gap by developing an appropriate sample-selection model, with wage decompositions corrected for selection.

Findings

Self-selection based on risk attitudes is shown to partly explain the gap that is popularly perceived as reflecting gender discrimination.

Originality/value

It is the first attempt to explain the gender wage gap by looking at the individual risk preference through work status selection.