bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
GEOMETRIC ATTACK RESISTANT ROBUST IMAGE WATERMARKING SCHEME
Authors: SUGI T. , DEJEY  , RAJESH R. S.
Published: April 2013

A new watermarking approach based on affine Legendre moment invariants (ALMIs) and local characteristic regions (LCRs) which allows watermark detection and extraction under affine transformation attacks is presented in this paper. It is a non-blind watermarking scheme. Original image color image is converted into HSV color space and divided into four parts. LCR is constructed and a set of affine invariants are derived on LCRs based on Legendre moments for each part. These invariants can be used for estimating the affine transform coefficients on the LCRs. ALMIs are used for watermark embedding, detection and extraction as they provide synchronization and invariant feature which is necessary for a robust watermarking scheme. The proposed scheme shows resistance to geometric distortion, cropping, filtering, compression, and additive noise than the existing ALMI based scheme [Alghoniemy, M. and Tewfik, A. H. [2004] "Geometric invariance in image watermarking," IEEE Trans. Image Process13(2), 145–153] and affine geometric moment invariant (AGMI) based scheme [Seo, J. S. and Yoo, C. D. [2006] "Image watermarking based on invariant regions of scale-space representation," IEEE Trans. Signal Process. 54(4), 1537–1549].
THE EINSTEIN–BOLTZMANN SYSTEM AND POSITIVITY
Authors: LEE HO , RENDALL ALAN D.
Published: April 2013

The Einstein–Boltzmann (EB) system is studied, with particular attention to the non-negativity of the solution of the Boltzmann equation. A new parametrization of post-collisional momenta in general relativity is introduced and then used to simplify the conditions on the collision cross-section given by Bancel and Choquet-Bruhat. The non-negativity of solutions of the Boltzmann equation on a given curved spacetime has been studied by Bichteler and Tadmon. By examining to what extent the results of these authors apply in the framework of Bancel and Choquet-Bruhat, the non-negativity problem for the EB system is resolved for a certain class of scattering kernels. It is emphasized that it is a challenge to extend the existing theory of the Cauchy problem for the EB system so as to include scattering kernels which are physically well-motivated.
A BOUNDED VARIATION ESTIMATE FOR THE FORCE SCHEME APPLIED TO STRICTLY HYPERBOLIC SYSTEMS OF CONSERVATION LAWS IN THE TEMPLE CLASS
Authors: DUTTA RAJIB
Published: April 2013

Bressan and Jenssen established a uniform bounded variation (BV) estimate for the Godunov scheme for Temple-type strictly hyperbolic systems of conservation laws and gave a proof based on the probability theory of random walks. In this paper, we provide a different proof which is simpler and does not use any probability theory. Applying our theory, we establish a uniform BV estimate for the Force scheme for the same class of hyperbolic systems, under the assumption of small total variation of initial data.
SHOCK FORMATION IN THE COMPRESSIBLE EULER EQUATIONS AND RELATED SYSTEMS
Authors: CHEN GENG , YOUNG ROBIN , ZHANG QINGTIAN
Published: April 2013

We prove shock formation results for the compressible Euler equations and related systems of conservation laws in one space dimension, or three dimensions with spherical symmetry. We establish an L∞bound for C1solutions of the one-dimensional (1D) Euler equations, and use this to improve recent shock formation results of the authors. We prove analogous shock formation results for 1D magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) with orthogonal magnetic field, and for compressible flow in a variable area duct, which has as a special case spherically symmetric three-dimensional (3D) flow on the exterior of a ball.
The structural characterization of bacterioferritin, BfrA, from Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: McMath Lisa M. , Contreras Heidi , Owens Cedric P. , Goulding Celia W.
Published: April 2013

Tuberculosis is a deadly disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Like most bacterial pathogens, iron acquisition, regulation, and storage are critical for its survival. Due to the poor solubility of iron under physiological conditions, both eukaryotes and prokaryotes possess ferritins, large protein complexes that store iron and keep it bioavailable. Mtb encodes for two ferritin homologs: a heme-containing bacterioferritin (Mtb-BfrA) and a non-heme eukaryotic-like ferritin (Mtb-BfrB). A conserved feature of bacterioferritins is the presence of a heme group at the interface between two subunits of each dimer that is related by a non-crystallographic two-fold axis. The structure of a selenomethionine derivative of Mtb-BfrA was previously reported (PDB ID: 2WTL); however, a proposed heme degradation product was modeled into the heme-binding site, as electron density for intact heme was not observed. Here, the purification and structure determination of recombinant Mtb-BfrA is reported. As-isolated Mtb-BfrA from Escherichia coli is not fully heme loaded. However, the absorption spectrum features suggest binding of intact heme. In an attempt to fully complement Mtb-BfrA with heme, two different methodologies are described. Electronic spectroscopy and structure determination were used to confirm varying amounts of intact bis-methionine coordinated heme to Mtb-BfrA. We also report that increased heme incorporation only slightly increases Mtb-BfrA ferroxidase activity. Finally, the cognate partner of Mtb-BfrA is proposed to be a putative encoded gene which is located approximately 300 bps upstream of Mycobacterium tuberculosisbfrA, homologous to the cognate partner of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacterioferritin, a 7 kDa ferrodoxin Bfd.
UNBOUNDEDNESS OF THE FIRST EIGENVALUE OF THE LAPLACIAN IN THE SYMPLECTIC CATEGORY
Authors: BUHOVSKY LEV
Published: April 2013

Given a closed symplectic manifold (M2n, ω) of dimension 2n ≥ 4, we consider all Riemannian metrics on M, which are compatible with the symplectic structure ω. For each such metric g, we look at the first eigenvalue λ1 of the Laplacian associated with it. We show that λ1 can be made arbitrarily large, when we vary g. This generalizes previous results of Polterovich, and of Mangoubi.
EMPIRICAL MODE DECOMPOSITION OF EARTHQUAKE ACCELEROGRAMS
Authors: RAGHUKANTH S. T. G. , SANGEETHA S.
Published: April 2013

This article analyzes the strong motion records of past earthquakes by empirical mode decomposition (EMD) technique. The recorded earthquake acceleration time histories are decomposed into a finite number of empirical modes of oscillation. The instantaneous frequency and amplitude of these modes and evolutionary power spectral density (PSD) is estimated from the Hilbert–Huang transform (HHT). Strong motion parameters such as spectral and temporal centroid, spectral and temporal standard deviation, Arias intensity, correlation coefficient of frequency and time are derived from the evolutionary PSD. The variation of these parameters with magnitude, distance and shear wave velocity of the recording station is reported. Empirical equations to estimate these six ground motion parameters are derived from the strong motion data by regression analysis. These equations can be used by engineers to estimate the design ground motion.
FUNDAMENTAL MODES OF ATMOSPHERIC CFC-11 FROM EMPIRICAL MODE DECOMPOSITION
Authors: KOBAYASHI-KIRSCHVINK KOSEKI J. , LI KING-FAI , SHIA RUN-LIE , YUNG YUK L.
Published: April 2013

Following an initial growth, the concentrations of chlorofluorocarbon-11 (CFC-11) in the atmosphere started to decline in the 1990's due to world-wide legislative control on emissions. The amplitude of the annual cycle of CFC-11 was much larger in the earlier period compared with that in the later period. We apply here the Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (EEMD) analysis to the CFC-11 data obtained by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The sum of the second and third intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) represents the annual cycle, which shows that the annual cycle of CFC-11 has varied by a factor of 2–3 from the mid-1970's to the present over polar regions. The results provide an illustration of the power of the EEMD method in extracting a variable annual cycle from data dominated by increasing and decreasing trends. Finally, we compare the annual cycle obtained by the EEMD analysis to that obtained using conventional methods such as Fourier transforms and running averages.
NOISE-ASSISTED EMD METHODS IN ACTION
Authors: COLOMINAS MARCELO A. , SCHLOTTHAUER GASTÓN , TORRES MARÍA E. , FLANDRIN PATRICK
Published: April 2013

In this work we explore the capabilities of two noise-assisted EMD methods: Ensemble EMD (EEMD) and the recently proposed Complete Ensemble EMD with Adaptive Noise (CEEMDAN), to recover a pure tone embedded in different kinds of noise, both stationary and nonstationary. Experiments are carried out for assessing their performances with respect to the level of the added noise and the number of realizations used for averaging. The obtained results partly support empirical recommendations reported in the literature while evidencing new distinctive features. While EEMD presents quite different behaviors for different situations, CEEMDAN evidences some robustness with an almost unaffected performance for the studied cases.
A RAPID ASSESSMENT MODEL FOR UNDERSTANDING THE SOCIAL COST OF CARBON
Authors: NEWBOLD STEPHEN C. , GRIFFITHS CHARLES , MOORE CHRIS , WOLVERTON ANN , KOPITS ELIZABETH
Published: April 2013

The "social cost of carbon" (SCC) is the present value of the stream of future damages from one additional unit of carbon emissions in a particular year. This paper develops a rapid assessment model for the SCC. The model includes the essential ingredients for calculating the SCC at the global scale and is designed to be transparent and easy to use and modify. Our goal is to provide a tool to help analysts and decision-makers quickly explore the implications of various modeling assumptions for the SCC. We use the model to conduct sensitivity analyses over some of the key input parameters, and we compare estimates of the SCC under certainty and uncertainty in a Monte Carlo analysis. We find that, due to the combined effects of uncertainty and risk aversion, the certainty-equivalent SCC can be substantially larger than the expected value of the SCC. In our Monte Carlo simulation, the certainty-equivalent SCC is more than four times larger than the expected value of the SCC, and we show that this result depends crucially on how the uncertain preference parameters are handled. We also compare the approximate present value of benefits estimated using the SCC to the exact value of compensating variation in the initial period for a wide range of hypothetical emission reduction policies.
Menopause is associated with decreased whole body fat oxidation during exercise
Authors: Abildgaard J. , Pedersen A. T. , Green C. J. , Harder-Lauridsen N. M. , Solomon T. P. , Thomsen C. , Juul A. , Pedersen M. , Pedersen J. T. , Mortensen O. H. , Pilegaard H. , Pedersen B. K. , Lindegaard B.
Published: April 2013

The purpose of this study was to examine if fat oxidation was affected by menopausal status and to investigate if this could be related to the oxidative capacity of skeletal muscle. Forty-one healthy women were enrolled in this cross-sectional study [premenopausal ( n = 19), perimenopausal ( n = 8), and postmenopausal ( n = 14)]. Estimated insulin sensitivity was obtained from an oral glucose tolerance test. Body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and magnetic resonance imaging. Fat oxidation and energy expenditure were measured during an acute exercise bout of 45 min of ergometer biking at 50% of maximal oxygen consumption (V̇o2 max). Muscle biopsies from the vastus lateralis of the quadriceps muscle were obtained before and immediately after the exercise bout. Postmenopausal women had 33% [confidence interval (CI) 95%: 12–55] lower whole body fat oxidation ( P = 0.005) and 19% (CI 95%: 9–22) lower energy expenditure ( P = 0.02) during exercise, as well as 4.28 kg lower lean body mass (LBM) than premenopausal women. Correction for LBM reduced differences in fat oxidation to 23% ( P = 0.05), whereas differences in energy expenditure disappeared ( P = 0.22). No differences between groups were found in mRNA [carnitine palmitoyltransferase I, β-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (β-HAD), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α, citrate synthase (CS), pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α)], protein [phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), vascular endothelial growth factor, pyruvate dehydrogenase-1Eα, cytochrome oxidase I], or enzyme activities (β-HAD, CS) in resting skeletal muscle, except for an increased protein level of cytochrome c in the post- and perimenopausal women relative to premenopausal women. Postmenopausal women demonstrated a trend to a blunted exercise-induced increase in phosphorylation of AMPK compared with premenopausal women ( P = 0.06). We conclude that reduced whole body fat oxidation after menopause is associated with reduced LBM.
Tuberculosis Endometrial Polyp
Authors: Seror Julien , Faivre Erika , Prevot Sophie , Deffieux Xavier
Published: April 2013

Tuberculosis can cause infertility when it infects the genital tract (e.g., endometritis). A 31-year-old woman (origin: Algeria) was referred to our academic gynecological institute for unexplained primary infertility. The patient presented with no complaint. Hysteroscopy showed a 10 mm sized endometrial polyp. The polyp was removed. Pathology showed lymphocytic and plasmacytic chronic inflammatory modification, granulomatous modification, and gigantocellular modification,which lead to the diagnosis of tuberculosis. No acid fast organism was seen on Ziehl-Neelsen staining. A chest thorax X-ray revealed no sign of pulmonary tuberculosis. The patient underwent antituberculosis therapy during one year. Posttreatment hysteroscopy revealed no abnormality. This is the first reported case of endometrial tuberculosis diagnosed following removal of a polyp with classical benign appearance.
A Potentially Catastrophic Anatomical Variation: Aberrant Internal Carotid Artery in the Middle Ear Cavity
Authors: Muderris Togay , Bercin Sami , Sevil Ergun , Cetin Huseyin , Kiris Muzaffer
Published: April 2013

Aberrant internal carotid artery (ICA) is a rare but a very important vascular anomaly of temporal bone. Misdiagnosis of the anomaly may lead to massive hemorrhage and severe complications during otologic procedures. It is essential to keep this anomaly in mind for any otologic surgeon to prevent catastrophic complications. We present a case of aberrant ICA appeared as a nonpulsatile middle ear mass. The patient had a complaint of hearing loss, and the otoscopic examination of the patient revealed a tympanic membrane perforation and a blue-reddish retrotympanic mass. Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) is a useful tool that may provide excellent visualization of temporal bone for the diagnosis of aberrant ICA. Otolaryngologists should be aware of the possibility of a vascular anomaly of temporal bone when a patient presents with a blue-reddish mass in the middle ear.
OPCPP: An Online Plug-Configure-Play Experiment Platform for WSN
Authors: Lin Wei , Hong XueHai , Xu Chaonong , Xu YongJun , Zhao DengChang
Published: April 2013

Wireless sensor network (WSN) experiment platforms are used for teaching, research, and development of WSN. However, existing WSN experiment platforms generally have the following disadvantages: tedious manual operations, invasive measurement method, poor sensor self-awareness, and low resource utilization rate. To address the above problems, this paper proposes OPCPP, an online Plug-Configure-Play experiment platform for WSN. It has four prominent strongpoints: in-application programming in batch, noninvasive measurement method, sensor self-awareness, and remote operation. OPCPP has been used in eight colleges in China for teaching course of “internet of things” till now. We also develop a sensor-aware ZigBee-based smart home system prototype based on OPCPP.
Studies on the Rain Scavenging Process of Tritium in a Tropical Site at Narora in India
Authors: Gautam Y. P. , Sharma Saivajay , Sharma A. K. , Kumar Aviansh , Ravi P. M. , Sarkar P. K.
Published: April 2013

This study presents the results of systematic experiments on tritium (3H) concentrations in ground level air against those in rainwater near a pressurized heavy water reactor in a tropical region. The samples were collected over the rainy season of year 2011 from eight locations in the environment around Narora Atomic Power Station. The specific activity ratio of 3H between rainwater and air moisture at ground level was calculated for each data set. The average specific activity ratio was found to be ranged from 0.12 to 1.1. A correlation ( to 0.76, ) was observed between the total rain hours in a day and the rainwater 3H activity. Higher rain duration with slower rain rate yielded higher 3H concentrations as more time was available for the scavenging/wash-out process to take effect together with lower dilution. Annual tritium (HTO) wet deposition has been measured and calculated for the year 2011 within 0.8 km distance from 145 m high stack of Narora Atomic Power Station (NAPS) at nine locations in different directions. The range of deposition velocity, (m·s−1), at nine locations for the years 2011 is found to be from 4.43E − 04 to 6.42E − 03. The average value for wet deposition velocity for NAPS site is estimated as 3.17E − 03 m·s−1.
Sociodemographic Inequalities in Sexual Activity and Cervical Cancer Screening: Implications for the Success of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination
Authors: Drolet Mélanie , Boily Marie-Claude , Greenaway Christina , Deeks Shelley L. , Blanchette Caty , Laprise Jean-François , Brisson Marc
Published: April 2013

Background: Papanicolaou smear screening has significantly reduced cervical cancer morbidity and mortality. However, inequalities still persist across different socioeconomic status (SES) groups. These inequalities have been associated with differential participation in screening. However, even with equal participation to screening, some women may still have greater risk of cervical cancer because of sexual behavior. We aim to identify the sociodemographic characteristics of women who reported greater sexual activity and/or screening underuse.

Methods: We used data from (i) the Canadian Community Health Survey—2005, a population-based survey of 130,000 Canadians, and (ii) a multicenter study including 952 women screened for cervical cancer.

Results: Aboriginals and women with lower SES reported greater sexual activity and lower screening participation, which may produce synergetic effects toward higher cervical cancer risk. Women who did not complete high school and aboriginals were, respectively, 3.6 and 2.5 times more likely to report sexual debut before 15 years old compared with women with university degree and Caucasians. Women who did not complete high school were 2.2 times more likely to have never been screened compared with women with university degree. East and South Asian women were, respectively, 4.3 and 3.1 times more likely to have never been screened than Canadian-born women but reported lower levels of sexual activity and were adherent to screening guidelines when screened at least once.

Conclusions: The success of human papillomavirus vaccination at reducing cervical cancer and inequalities will depend on achieving high coverage among high-risk subpopulations.

Impact: These groups must be monitored closely, and if need be, targeted for additional interventions. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 22(4); 641–52. ©2013 AACR.
Precursors in Cancer Epidemiology: Aligning Definition and Function
Authors: Wacholder Sholom
Published: April 2013

A precursor of a disease is a definable pathologic state that progresses directly to disease without a known intermediate step and whose presence substantially increases the likelihood of disease. Precancers, or precursors of cancer, can help provide detail about the dynamic pathogenesis process before clinical disease. Thereby, ascertainment of properly defined precancers can increase precision of estimates and power in epidemiologic and clinical studies. Besides providing targets for direct treatment and improving tools for risk assessment in screening programs, precancers can help establish temporal ordering of cause and effect; can identify relatively homogeneous subsets of cancer that have passed through a given precancer state; and provide a basis for choosing high-risk individuals for detailed longitudinal study. Although the most appropriate definition of the precancer will vary with its function in particular research or clinical applications, the proportion of cancers that progress from the precancer and risk of cancer progressing from the precancer can be important measures of the value of a precancer in translational efforts. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 22(4); 521–7. ©2013 AACR.
Chronic Knockdown of the Nucleus of the Solitary Tract AT
1
Receptors Increases Blood Inflammatory-Endothelial Progenitor Cell Ratio and Exacerbates Hypertension in the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat
Authors: Shan Zhiying , Zubcevic Jasenka , Shi Peng , Jun Joo Y. , Dong Ying , Murça Tatiane M. , Lamont Gwyneth J. , Cuadra Adolfo , Yuan Wei , Qi Yanfei , Li Qiuhong , Paton Julian F.R. , Katovich Michael J. , Sumners Colin , Raizada Mohan K.
Published: April 2013

AT
1
receptor subtype a (AT
1
Ra) expression is increased in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) in spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) compared with Wistar Kyoto controls. However, the chronic role of AT
1
Ra in the NTS for cardiovascular control is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the hypothesis that the NTS AT
1
Ra is involved in the neural regulation of the peripheral inflammatory status and linked with hypertension. Transduction of brain neuronal cultures with recombinant adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV2)-AT
1
R-small hairpin RNA (shRNA) resulted in a 72% decrease in AT
1
Ra mRNA and attenuated angiotensin II–induced increase in extracellular signal–regulated kinase 1/2 phosphorylation and neuronal firing. Specific NTS microinjection of AAV2-AT
1
R-shRNA vector in the SHR resulted in a ≈30 mm Hg increase in the mean arterial pressure compared with control vector–injected animals (Sc-shRNA: 154±4 mm Hg; AT
1
R-shRNA: 183±10 mm Hg) and induced a resetting of the baroreflex control of heart rate to higher mean arterial pressure. In addition, AAV2-AT
1
R-shRNA–treated SHRs exhibited a 74% decrease in circulating endothelial progenitor cells (CD90
+
, CD4
−
/CD5
−
/CD8
−
) and a 300% increase in the circulating inflammatory cells, including CD4
+
+
CD8
+
, CD45
+
/3
+
T lymphocytes, and macrophages (CD68
+
). As a result, the endothelial progenitor cell/inflammatory cells ratio was decreased by 8- to 15-fold in the AT
1
R-shRNA–treated SHR. However, identical injection of AAV2-AT
1
R-shRNA into the NTS of Wistar Kyoto rats had no effect on mean arterial pressure and inflammatory cells. These observations suggest that increased expression of the AT
1
Ra in SHR NTS may present a counterhypertensive mechanism involving inflammatory/angiogenic cells.
Proximal Tubule Angiotensin AT
2
Receptors Mediate an Anti-Inflammatory Response via Interleukin-10
Authors: Dhande Isha , Ali Quaisar , Hussain Tahir
Published: April 2013

The angiotensin type 2 receptor (AT
2
R) has been shown to lower inflammation in the kidney. However, the role of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-10 in AT
2
R-mediated attenuation of inflammation has not been elucidated. We hypothesized that AT
2
R activation is renoprotective by directly increasing the levels of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in the kidney via nitric oxide (NO) signaling. For in vitro studies, the human proximal tubule epithelial cell-line (human kidney-2 [HK-2]) was activated with lipopolysaccharide (10 μg/mL) and AT
2
R agonist C21 (1 μmol/L) for 24 hours, and media cytokine levels were assessed. Lipopolysaccharide modestly downregulated AT
2
R expression. Treatment with C21 lowered lipopolysaccharide-induced levels of both tumor necrosis factor-α and IL-6, but increased IL-10 levels. Treatment with neutralizing IL-10 antibody (1 μg/mL) or NO synthase inhibitor L-NAME (1 mmol/L) abolished this effect. For in vivo studies, prehypertensive obese Zucker rats and age-matched lean Zucker rats were treated for 2 weeks with C21 (300 μg/kg per day, IP) and AT
2
R antagonist (PD123319; 50 μg/kg per minute, SC infusion). Compared with lean Zucker rats, obese Zucker rats had higher levels of renal AT
2
R expression, tumor necrosis factor-α, and IL-6. C21 treatment decreased levels of tumor necrosis factor-α by 75% and IL-6 by 60%. Conversely, PD treatment lowered the renal IL-10 levels in obese Zucker rats by ≈60%. Renal morphometry revealed increased mesangial matrix expansion and glomerular macrophage infiltration, which was improved by C21 treatment in obese Zucker rats. Our findings suggest that proximal tubule AT
2
R activation is anti-inflammatory by increasing IL-10 production, which is largely NO dependent and thus offers renoprotection by preventing early inflammation–induced renal injury in obesity.
Relative Density-Ratio Estimation for Robust Distribution Comparison
Authors: Yamada Makoto , Suzuki Taiji , Kanamori Takafumi , Hachiya Hirotaka , Sugiyama Masashi
Published: April 2013

Divergence estimators based on direct approximation of density ratios without going through separate approximation of numerator and denominator densities have been successfully applied to machine learning tasks that involve distribution comparison such as outlier detection, transfer learning, and two-sample homogeneity test. However, since density-ratio functions often possess high fluctuation, divergence estimation is a challenging task in practice. In this letter, we use relative divergences for distribution comparison, which involves approximation of relative density ratios. Since relative density ratios are always smoother than corresponding ordinary density ratios, our proposed method is favorable in terms of nonparametric convergence speed. Furthermore, we show that the proposed divergence estimator has asymptotic variance independent of the model complexity under a parametric setup, implying that the proposed estimator hardly overfits even with complex models. Through experiments, we demonstrate the usefulness of the proposedapproach.
In School and Out of Trouble? The Minimum Dropout Age and Juvenile Crime
Authors: Anderson D. Mark
Published: April 2013

This paper examines the relationship between the minimum high school dropout age and juvenile arrest rates by exploiting state-level variation in dropout age laws. County-level arrest data for the period 1980 to 2008 and difference-in-difference-in-difference-type empirical strategy are used to compare the arrest rates over time of various age groups within counties that differ by their state's minimum dropout age. The evidence suggests that minimum dropout age requirements have a significant and negative effect on property and violent crime arrest rates for individuals 16 to 18 years old. The results are consistent with an incapacitation effect of schooling.
Monopsony in the Low-Wage Labor Market? Evidence from Minimum Nurse Staffing Regulations
Authors: Matsudaira Jordan D.
Published: April 2013

This paper provides direct evidence on the extent of monopsony power in the low-wage labor market by estimating the firm-level elasticity of labor supply for nurse aides in the long-term care (nursing home) industry. Using exogenous variation in hiring induced by the passage of a state minimum nurse staffing law, I find that facilities initially out of compliance with the new law did not have to raise their wage offers relative to their competitors in order to hire more nurses. While this is consistent with perfect competition in simple monopsony models of the labor market, I discuss how the results may be more ambiguous in more complicated models.
Is the Effect of Competition on Price Dispersion Nonmonotonic? Evidence from the U.S. Airline Industry
Authors: Dai Mian , Liu Qihong , Serfes Konstantinos
Published: April 2013

We investigate the effect of competition on price dispersion in the airline industry. Using panel data from 1993 to 2008, we find a nonmonotonic effect of competition on price dispersion. An increase in competition is associated with greater price dispersion in concentrated markets but with less price dispersion in competitive markets—an inverse-U relationship. Our empirical findings are consistent with an oligopolistic second-degree price discrimination model and encompass contradictory findings in the literature.
Statistical Discrimination or Prejudice? A Large Sample Field Experiment
Authors: Ewens Michael , Tomlin Bryan , Wang Liang Choon
Published: April 2013

A model of racial discrimination provides testable implications for two features of statistical discriminators: differential treatment of signals by race and heterogeneous experience that shapes perception. We construct an experiment in the U.S. rental apartment market that distinguishes statistical discrimination from taste-based discrimination. Responses from over 14,000 rental inquiries with varying applicant quality show that landlords treat identical information from applicants with African American– and white-sounding names differently. This differential treatment varies by neighborhood racial composition and signal type in a manner consistent with statistical discrimination and in contrast to patterns predicted by a model of taste-based discrimination.
Collusion Through Joint R&D: An Empirical Assessment
Authors: Duso Tomaso , Röller Lars-Hendrik , Seldeslachts Jo
Published: April 2013

This paper tests whether upstream R&D cooperation leads to downstream collusion. We show that a sufficient condition for identifying collusive behavior is a decline in the market share of firms participating in research joint ventures (RJVs). Using information from the U.S. National Cooperation Research Act, we estimate a market share equation correcting for the endogeneity of RJV participation and R&D expenditures. We find robust evidence that large networks between direct competitors, created through firms being members in several RJVs at the same time, are conducive to collusive outcomes in the product market that reduce consumer welfare. By contrast, RJVs among noncompetitors are efficiency enhancing.
The Evolution of the Black-White Test Score Gap in Grades K–3: The Fragility of Results
Authors: Bond Timothy N. , Lang Kevin
Published: April 2013

Although both economists and psychometricians typically treat them as interval scales, test scores are reported using ordinal scales. Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS-K) and the Children of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (CNLSY), we examine how order-preserving scale transformations affect the evolution of the black-white reading test score gap from kindergarten entry through third grade. Plausible transformations reverse the growth of the gap in the CNLSY and greatly reduce it in the ECLS-K during the early school years. All growth from entry through first grade and a nontrivial proportion from first to third grade probably reflects scaling decisions.
Credit Spreads as Predictors of Real-Time Economic Activity: A Bayesian Model-Averaging Approach
Authors: Faust Jon , Gilchrist Simon , Wright Jonathan H. , Zakrajšsek Egon
Published: April 2013

Employing a large number of financial indicators, we use Bayesian model averaging (BMA) to forecast real-time measures of economic activity. The indicators include credit spreads based on portfolios, constructed directly from the secondary market prices of outstanding bonds, sorted by maturity and credit risk. Relative to an autoregressive benchmark, BMA yields consistent improvements in the prediction of the cyclically sensitive measures of economic activity at horizons from the current quarter out to four quarters hence. The gains in forecast accuracy are statistically significant and economically important and owe almost exclusively to the inclusion of credit spreads in the set of predictors.
The Genus Pustulatirus Vermeij and Snyder, 2006 (Gastropoda: Fasciolariidae: Peristerniinae) in the Western Atlantic, with Descriptions of Three New Species
Authors: LYONS WILLIAM G. , SNYDER MARTIN AVERY
Published: April 2013

Western Atlantic species of the New World genus Pustulatirus Vermeij and Snyder, 2006 are revised. Types of previously named taxa are figured. Species recognized as valid include P. attenuata (Reeve, 1847), range uncertain; P. eppi (Melvill, 1891), Curaçao; P. ogum (Petuch, 1979), northeastern Brazil; and P. virginensis (Abbott, 1958), Bahama Islands and east-ern Caribbean Sea to Aruba. Latirus karinae Nowell-Usticke, 1969 is confirmed as a junior subjective synonym of P. vir-ginensis. Syrinx annulata Röding, 1798, treated as a Caribbean Pustulatirus by Vermeij and Snyder (2006), and Latirus annulatus Melvill, 1891 are regarded as species inquirenda. Three new species are described: P. biocellatus, northeastern Brazil; P. utilaensis, Bay Islands, Honduras and northwestern Panamá; and P. watermanorum, Honduras continental shelf and offshore Colombian banks. Most western Atlantic Pustulatirus shells exhibit little intraspecific variability in morphol-ogy or color and occur within rather precise, well-defined ranges; an exception is P. virginensis, whose shells exhibit much variability in size, morphology and color.
A revision of the genus Pinthaeus (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)
Authors: ZHAO QING , RÉDEI DÁVID , BU WENJUN
Published: April 2013

The genus Pinthaeus Stål, 1868 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae: Asopinae) is revised, a single species is recog-nized, redescribed, and illustrated. The following new synonymy is proposed: Pinthaeus sanguinipes (Fabricius, 1781) = P. humeralis Horváth, 1911, syn. nov. A lectotype is designated for P. sanguinipes. The geographic distribution and un-usual intraspecific variability of P. sanguinipes is discussed.
Some scleractinian corals (Scleractinia: Anthozoa) of Larak Island, Persian Gulf
Authors: SAMIEI JAHANGIR VAJED , DAB KOOSHA , GHEZELLOU PARVIZ , SHIRVANI ARASH
Published: April 2013

There is a shortage of knowledge about taxonomy and distribution of coral reef communities in the Persian Gulf. One of the main steps in the conservation and evaluation of such an environment is to locate and identify the communities and their inhabited fauna and flora. In the present study scleractinian corals were collected from depths of 3 to 9 meter around Larak Island, Persian Gulf. Underwater photographs of the sampled specimens were obtained in the natural habitat before sampling. 37 species have been identified via morphological characteristics of exoskeletons. The following study provided a pictorial reference to enhance the basic knowledge about coral reef communities in the Persian Gulf.
A new species of the subgenus Stigmatochirus of Plastus Bernhauer (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Osoriinae) from Yunnan, China
Authors: LI GUO-FENG , LI HONG-WEI , LIU YING-JIE , HUANG RONG-WEN
Published: April 2013

Plastus (Stigmatochirus) menglaius sp. nov. is described from Yunnan, China. Color images of the habitus and aedeagus of the new species are included. A key to the subgenus Stigmatochirus of World species is provided.
What’s It All About? A Qualitative Study of Undergraduate Students’ Beliefs About Meaning of Life
Authors: Hill Clara E. , Bowers Gerald , Costello Anna , England Jessica , Houston-Ludlam Alexandra , Knowlton Graham , May Michael , Moraff Elizabeth , Pinto-Coelho Kristen , Rosenberg Lauren , Sauber Elizabeth , Crook-Lyon Rachel E. , Thompson Barbara J.
Published: April 2013

Ten undergraduate students from psychology classes were interviewed regarding their beliefs about the meaning of life (definition, goals, limitations to goals, sources of meaning, and development of meaning). Interviews were analyzed using consensual qualitative research. These interviewees all indicated that meaning differs across people and time. Typical sources of meaning were relationships, altruism, career, personal growth, pursuit of happiness, and religion. Participants indicated that parents and life-changing experiences triggered changes in their thinking about meaning of life. Specific changes involved shifting from superficial to more meaningful pursuits and thinking more for themselves. Implications for further research and developing programs for helping undergraduate students examine issues related to meaning of life are offered.
Mental Health and Disrupted Family Processes in the Lives of Court-Involved African American and Caucasian Youth Being Raised by Grandparents
Authors: Yorgason Jeremy B. , Gavazzi Stephen M. , Kamp-Dush Claire , Yarcheck Courtney M. , Chang Sarah L. , Stockdale Laura
Published: April 2013

Using data generated from the Global Risk Assessment Device, mental health and disrupted family processes were examined in a sample of 166 court-involved youth being raised by grandparents. Race and gender mean differences were found with regard to both mental health symptoms and disrupted family processes. Specifically, Caucasian male adolescents reported higher mental health symptoms and disrupted family processes than African American males. Also, females in the sample generally reported higher disrupted family processes than males, with African American females reporting significantly higher average disrupted family processes than African American males. Despite mean differences associated with gender and race, when entered as predictors, neither main effects nor interactions of gender or race were related to mental health symptoms. Disrupted family processes were predictive of higher mental health symptoms. Family-targeted interventions with court-involved youth being raised by grandparents would likely benefit the mental health of these adolescents.
Do Events Have Effects? A Commentary on Polizzi and Draper
Authors: Davidson Larry
Published: April 2013

Polizzi and Draper offer an elegant application of a phenomenological approach to the practice of psychotherapy within the forensic context. They describe how—even though these contexts are constituted through layers of sedimented meanings that pre-signify setting and participants—therapists and inmates may find ways to be open to each other and to genuine encounters that they conceptualize as “events.” In this commentary, I raise a question that the authors did not appear to consider, which is that of whether these “events” have “effects” either for the participants themselves or for the broader context as well. I contrast a hermeneutic–Heideggerian approach, which does not necessarily concern itself with such effects—as they are considered irrelevant to the genuineness of the interpersonal encounter—and a transcendental Husserlian–Deleuzian approach, in which such events are thought to have profound effects for all parties involved, including the broader context.
Solidarity, Strikes, and Scabs
Authors: Akkerman Agnes , Born Marieke J. , Torenvlied René
Published: April 2013

This article studies how participation norms affect workers’ willingness to strike. A factor analysis on the responses of 468 Dutch union members about appropriate behavior during a strike produces two factors. The first factor reflects a “solidarity norm” favoring group solidarity; the second factor reflects a norm about the treatment of defecting colleagues, which we call the “free-rider-punishment” norm. Using OLS regression, we show that adherence to these norms significantly affects union members’ willingness to strike, controlling for group identification, and past participation in strikes. This article contributes to a deeper understanding of how solidarity and free-rider-punishment affect future participation.
Civil Society in a Transitional Context
Authors: Ljubownikow Sergej , Crotty Jo
Published: April 2013

In 2006, the Russian state sought to rein in nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) by passing a law restricting their activities. This legislation drew considerable criticism at home and within the international community with regard to the development of civil society in Russia. In this article, we assess the impact of the NGO law on organizations that have received relatively little attention in the literature: Russian health and educational NGOs. The data suggest that these NGOs have acquiesced to the demands of this legislation, which undermines their independence and is currently stalling the further development of Russia’s civil society. Our findings also illustrate that these legislative changes have not resulted in the predicted effects.
Needs Assessment in Genomic Education
Authors: Chen Lei-Shih , Kim Minjung
Published: April 2013

The knowledge of genomic discoveries has been expanding daily, holding enormous potential to improve population health. Nevertheless, the training of health educators about genomics is lagging behind. To facilitate the movement of genomics into health promotion practice, as the first step, we conducted the first national survey to examine genomic education needs among health educators in the United States. A total of 980 health educators holding the Certified Health Education Specialist designation completed our web-based survey. The majority of participants reported that they had limited knowledge and training in genomics and were interested in seeking genomic education. Their first three preferred educational topics included genomic disorders/diseases (68.2%), family health history or genetic risk assessments (55.5%), and how to link genomics to health promotion (51.0%). A few contents, including basic genomic concepts, communication skills, and how to integrate genomics into routine professional tasks, were important to health educators’ practice in genomics, but respondents seemed to be less favorable toward learning these contents. Continuing education (89.4%), web-based training (85.9%), and professional conferences (76.7%) were participants’ top three desired delivery methods. This study will help guide the development, implementation, and evaluation of future genomic training programs for U.S. health educators.
Ambient Intelligence for Monitoring and Research in Clinical Neurophysiology and Medicine
Authors: Pignolo L. , Riganello F. , Dolce G. , Sannita W. G.
Published: April 2013

Ambient Intelligence (AmI) provides extended but unobtrusive sensing and computing devices and ubiquitous networking for human/environment interaction. It is a new paradigm in information technology compliant with the international Integrating Healthcare Enterprise board (IHE) and eHealth HL7 technological standards in the functional integration of biomedical domotics and informatics in hospital and home care. AmI allows real-time automatic recording of biological/medical information and environmental data. It is extensively applicable to patient monitoring, medicine and neuroscience research, which require large biomedical data sets; for example, in the study of spontaneous or condition-dependent variability or chronobiology. In this respect, AML is equivalent to a traditional laboratory for data collection and processing, with minimal dedicated equipment, staff, and costs; it benefits from the integration of artificial intelligence technology with traditional/innovative sensors to monitor clinical or functional parameters. A prototype AmI platform (MIMERICA*) has been implemented and is operated in a semi-intensive unit for the vegetative and minimally conscious states, to investigate the spontaneous or environment-related fluctuations of physiological parameters in these conditions.
Multiscale Entropy Analysis of Electroencephalography During Sleep in Patients With Parkinson Disease
Authors: Chung Chen-Chih , Kang Jiunn-Horng , Yuan Rey-Yue , Wu Dean , Chen Chih-Chung , Chi Nai-Fang , Chen Po-Chih , Hu Chaur-Jong
Published: April 2013

Sleep disorders are frequently seen in patients with Parkinson disease (PD), including rapid eye movement (REM) behavior disorder and periodic limb movement disorder. However, knowledge about changes in non-REM sleep in patients with PD is limited. This study explored the characteristics of electroencephalography (EEG) during sleep in patients with PD and non-PD controls. We further conducted multiscale entropy (MSE) analysis to evaluate and compare the complexity of sleep EEG for the 2 groups. There were 9 patients with PD (Hoehn-Yahr stage 1 or 2) and 11 non-PD controls. All participants underwent standard whole-night polysomnography (PSG), which included 23 channels, 6 of which were for EEG. The raw data of the EEG were extracted and subjected to MSE analysis. Patients with PD had a longer sleep onset time and a higher spontaneous EEG arousal index. Sleep stage-specific increased MSE was observed in patients with PD during non-REM sleep. The difference was more marked and significant at higher time scale factors (TSFs). In conclusion, increased biosignal complexity, as revealed by MSE analysis, was found in patients with PD during non-REM sleep at high TSFs. This finding might reflect a compensatory mechanism for early defects in neuronal network control machinery in PD.
A spatial analysis of a community-based selection of indigents in Burkina Faso
Authors: Ridde Valéry , Bonnet Emmanuel , Nikiema Aude , Kadio Kadidiatou
Published: April 2013

Over recent decades, Burkina Faso has improved the geographic accessibility of its health centres. However, patients are still required to pay point-of-service user fees, which excludes the most vulnerable from access to care. In 2010, 259 village committees in the Ouargaye district selected 2649 indigents to be exempted from user fees. The 26 health centre management committees that fund this exemption retained 1097 of those selected indigents. Spatial analysis showed that the management committees retained the indigents who were geographically closer to the health centres, in contrast to the selections of the village committees which were more diversified. Using village committees to select indigents would seem preferable to using management committees. It is not yet known whether the management committees’ selections were due to a desire to maximize the benefits of exemption by giving it to those most likely to use it, or to the fact that they did not personally know the indigents who were more geographically distant from them, or that some villages are not represented at the management committees.