bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adverse event profile of a mature voluntary medical male circumcision programme performing PrePex and surgical procedures in Zimbabwe
Authors: Bochner Aaron F , Feldacker Caryl , Makunike Batsi , Holec Marrianne , Murenje Vernon , Stepaniak Abby , Xaba Sinokuthemba , Balachandra Shirish , Tshimanga Mufuta , Chitimbire VTS , Barnhart Scott
Published: March 2017

Introduction: The frequency of adverse events (AEs) is a widely used indicator of voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) programme quality. Though over 11.7 million male circumcisions (MCs) have been performed, little published data exists on the profile of AEs from mature, large‐scale programmes. No published data exists on routine implementation of PrePex, a device‐based MC method.

Methods: The ZAZIC Consortium began implementing VMMC in Zimbabwe in 2013, supporting services at 36 facilities. Aggregate data on VMMC outputs are collected monthly from each facility. Detailed forms are completed describing the profile of each moderate and severe AE. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were conducted using log‐binomial regression models.

Results: From October 2014 through September 2015, 44,868 clients were circumcised with 156 clients experiencing a moderate or severe AE. 96.2% of clients had a follow‐up visit within 14 days of their procedure. AEs were uncommon, with 0.3% (116/41,416) of surgical and 1.2% (40/3,452) of PrePex clients experiencing a moderate or severe AE. After adjusting for VMMC site, we found that PrePex was associated with a 3.29‐fold (95% CI: 1.78–6.06) increased risk of experiencing an AE compared to surgical procedures. Device displacements, when the PrePex device is intentionally or accidentally dislodged during the 7‐day placement period, accounted for 70% of PrePex AEs. The majority of device displacements were intentional self‐removals. Overall, infection was the most common AE among VMMC clients. Compared to clients aged 20 and above, clients aged 10–14 were 3.07‐fold (95% CI: 1.36–6.91) more likely to experience an infection and clients aged 15–19 were 1.80‐fold (95% CI: 0.82–3.92) more likely to experience an infection, adjusted for site.

Conclusions: This exploratory analysis found that clients receiving PrePex were more likely to experience an AE than surgical circumcision clients. This is largely attributable to the occurrence of device displacements, which require prompt access to corrective surgical MC procedures as part of their clinical management. Most device displacements were self‐removals which are preventable if client behaviour could be modified through counselling interventions. We also found that infection after MC is more common among younger clients, who may benefit from additional counselling or increased parental involvement.
Decoupling global biases and local interactions between cell biological variables
Authors: Zaritsky Assaf , Obolski Uri , Gan Zhuo , Reis Carlos R , Kadlecova Zuzana , Du Yi , Schmid Sandra L , Danuser Gaudenz
Published: March 2017

Analysis of coupled variables is a core concept of cell biological inference, with co-localization of two molecules as a proxy for protein interaction being a ubiquitous example. However, external effectors may influence the observed co-localization independently from the local interaction of two proteins. Such global bias, although biologically meaningful, is often neglected when interpreting co-localization. Here, we describe DeBias, a computational method to quantify and decouple global bias from local interactions between variables by modeling the observed co-localization as the cumulative contribution of a global and a local component. We showcase four applications of DeBias in different areas of cell biology, and demonstrate that the global bias encapsulates fundamental mechanistic insight into cellular behavior. The DeBias software package is freely accessible online via a web-server at https://debias.biohpc.swmed.edu.
The pioneer factor OCT4 requires the chromatin remodeller BRG1 to support gene regulatory element function in mouse embryonic stem cells
Authors: King Hamish W , Klose Robert J
Published: March 2017

Pioneer transcription factors recognise and bind their target sequences in inaccessible chromatin to establish new transcriptional networks throughout development and cellular reprogramming. During this process, pioneer factors establish an accessible chromatin state to facilitate additional transcription factor binding, yet it remains unclear how different pioneer factors achieve this. Here, we discover that the pluripotency-associated pioneer factor OCT4 binds chromatin to shape accessibility, transcription factor co-binding, and regulatory element function in mouse embryonic stem cells. Chromatin accessibility at OCT4-bound sites requires the chromatin remodeller BRG1, which is recruited to these sites by OCT4 to support additional transcription factor binding and expression of the pluripotency-associated transcriptome. Furthermore, the requirement for BRG1 in shaping OCT4 binding reflects how these target sites are used during cellular reprogramming and early mouse development. Together this reveals a distinct requirement for a chromatin remodeller in promoting the activity of the pioneer factor OCT4 and regulating the pluripotency network.
Quantitative proteomics reveal proteins enriched in tubular endoplasmic reticulum of Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Wang Xinbo , Li Shanshan , Wang Haicheng , Shui Wenqing , Hu Junjie
Published: March 2017

The tubular network is a critical part of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The network is shaped by the reticulons and REEPs/Yop1p that generate tubules by inducing high membrane curvature, and the dynamin-like GTPases atlastin and Sey1p/RHD3 that connect tubules via membrane fusion. However, the specific functions of this ER domain are not clear. Here, we isolated tubule-based microsomes from Saccharomyces cerevisiae via classical cell fractionation and detergent-free immunoprecipitation of Flag-tagged Yop1p, which specifically localizes to ER tubules. In quantitative comparisons of tubule-derived and total microsomes, we identified a total of 79 proteins that were enriched in the ER tubules, including known proteins that organize the tubular ER network. Functional categorization of the list of proteins revealed that the tubular ER network may be involved in membrane trafficking, lipid metabolism, organelle contact, and stress sensing. We propose that affinity isolation coupled with quantitative proteomics is a useful tool for investigating ER functions.
Along‐strike variations in the Himalayan orogenic wedge structure in Bhutan from ambient seismic noise tomography
Authors: Singer Julia , Obermann Anne , Kissling Eduard , Fang Hongjian , Hetényi György , Grujic Djordje
Published: March 2017

The geological units and tectonic structure exposed in the Bhutan Himalaya document significant regional variations, expressed primarily as tectonic windows and klippen. The along‐strike variations of these structures and their metamorphic grade are usually associated with the formation of local duplexes in the underlying tectonic units. To investigate these variations and their extent in depth, we image the isotropic shear‐wave velocity structure of the orogenic wedge by ambient noise tomography. Group velocities are extracted from cross correlations of ambient seismic noise, recorded by the temporary GANSSER network in Bhutan. The upper crustal structure beneath Bhutan is mapped down to 18 km depth by directly inverting Rayleigh‐wave group velocity measurements in the period range between 2 and 20 s with a ray tracing based inversion approach. Our results reveal several distinct high shear‐wave velocity anomalies (
km/s) and reflect the along‐strike variations in the upper crustal structure in relation to the alternating tectonic windows and klippen at the surface. In correlation with the surface geology in the northern part of Bhutan, we interpret shallow high shear‐wave velocity anomalies as quarzite‐dominated rocks or felsic migmatites with large intrusions of leucogranites. High‐velocity anomalies in the orogenic wedge in eastern and western Bhutan correlate with the local geometry of the Main Himalayan Thrust and provide evidence for the formation and depth extent of localized duplexes of quartzite dominated lithology in association with the formation of tectonic windows in the Bhutan Himalaya.
An adaptive kriging method for solving nonlinear inverse statistical problems
Authors: Fu Shuai , Couplet Mathieu , Bousquet Nicolas
Published: March 2017

In various environmental contexts, estimating the distribution of unobserved random vectors Xi from some noisy indirect observations H(Xi)+Ui is required. If the relation between Xi and the quantity H(Xi), measured with the error Ui, is implemented by a CPU‐consuming computer model H, a major practical difficulty is to perform the statistical inference with a relatively small number of runs of H. A Bayesian statistical framework is considered to make use of possible prior knowledge on the parameters of the distribution of the Xi, which is assumed Gaussian. Moreover, a Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm is carried out to estimate their posterior distribution by replacing H by a kriging metamodel build from a limited number of simulated experiments. Two heuristics, involving two different criteria to be optimized, are proposed to sequentially design these computer experiments in the limits of a given computational budget. The first criterion is a weighted integrated mean square error. The second one, called expected conditional divergence, developed in the spirit of the stepwise uncertainty reduction criterion is based on the discrepancy between two consecutive approximations of the target posterior distribution. Several numerical comparisons conducted over a toy example then a motivating hydraulic real case study show that such adaptive designs can significantly outperform the classical choice of a maximin latin hypercube design of experiments. Dealing with a major concern in hydraulic engineering, a particular emphasis is placed upon the prior elicitation of the case study, highlighting the overall feasibility of the methodology. Faster convergences and manageability considerations lead to recommend the use of the expected conditional divergence criterion in practical applications.
An intelligent approach for resource allocation in the cognitive radio vehicular ad hoc network
Authors: Das Deepa , Das Susmita
Published: March 2017

With the overwhelming demand for wireless devices, cognitive radios (CRs) have been envisioned to be applied in the vehicular communications in the near future. In the moving vehicular scenario, reliable detection of the primary user and the interference‐aware power allocation to the vehicular secondary users (VSUs) are amongst the main challenging issues in CR. So, this paper proposes techniques to evaluate the false alarm probability and detection probability on the basis of the spatial correlation among the vehicular users in a soft decision fusion‐based CR vehicular ad hoc network. Further, an attempt has been made to optimize the power allocation to the VSUs. The energy efficiency maximization problem is formulated under the constraints of maximum transmission power limit, interference to the primary receiver and the minimum achievable data rate. For the nonlinear and nonconvex optimization problem to be solved, the parametric transformation is used. The power allocation to the VSUs satisfying the nonlinear constraints is solved by our proposed adaptive scheme on the basis of normalized least mean square algorithm. The relevant simulation results provided show the efficacy of our proposed scheme, and the effect of different network parameters is also studied.
Atmospheric driving mechanisms of flash floods in Portugal
Authors: Santos Mónica , Santos João A. , Fragoso Marcelo
Published: March 2017

The present study aims to investigate how large‐scale atmospheric circulation may influence flash floods in Portugal. For this purpose, weather types (WTs) in a northeastern North Atlantic sector are used and flash floods between 1950 and 2003 were identified in six hydrographic basins: three in the north of Portugal and another three in the south of Portugal. An adapted methodology for flash flood detection on daily discharges is applied. A total of 131 flash floods were detected: 35 in the northern basins and 96 in the southern basins. WTs are identified using the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 20th Century Reanalysis V2. The sea level pressure composites for flash flood days by WT reveal the large‐scale atmospheric patterns underlying their occurrence. The results show that the cyclonic (C) type was strongly associated with flash flood days in the northern basins. The C type pattern features deep low pressure systems north of Iberia, much stronger than average for this WT. For the southern basins, the C type still shows the highest relevance for flood occurrence, but to a lesser extent, since the easterly wind (E) and dual anticyclonic (AA) types also acquire some importance. The flash flood‐inducing AA‐type events are characterized by atypical largely zonal troughs extending towards Portugal. The flash flood‐inducing E type events hint at the occurrence of anomalously strong cut‐off low pressure systems over southern Portugal. Although the significance of these systems to precipitation in Portugal was addressed in previous studies, a systematized assessment of their role on flash flood occurrences is herein provided for the first time. The presented flash flood detection methodology can be applied to other regions where hourly flow discharge data are not available, thus being an alternative to the more conventional detection algorithms.
Firth's logistic regression with rare events: accurate effect estimates and predictions?
Authors: Puhr Rainer , Heinze Georg , Nold Mariana , Lusa Lara , Geroldinger Angelika
Published: March 2017

Firth's logistic regression has become a standard approach for the analysis of binary outcomes with small samples. Whereas it reduces the bias in maximum likelihood estimates of coefficients, bias towards one‐half is introduced in the predicted probabilities. The stronger the imbalance of the outcome, the more severe is the bias in the predicted probabilities. We propose two simple modifications of Firth's logistic regression resulting in unbiased predicted probabilities. The first corrects the predicted probabilities by a post hoc adjustment of the intercept. The other is based on an alternative formulation of Firth's penalization as an iterative data augmentation procedure. Our suggested modification consists in introducing an indicator variable that distinguishes between original and pseudo‐observations in the augmented data. In a comprehensive simulation study, these approaches are compared with other attempts to improve predictions based on Firth's penalization and to other published penalization strategies intended for routine use. For instance, we consider a recently suggested compromise between maximum likelihood and Firth's logistic regression. Simulation results are scrutinized with regard to prediction and effect estimation. We find that both our suggested methods do not only give unbiased predicted probabilities but also improve the accuracy conditional on explanatory variables compared with Firth's penalization. While one method results in effect estimates identical to those of Firth's penalization, the other introduces some bias, but this is compensated by a decrease in the mean squared error. Finally, all methods considered are illustrated and compared for a study on arterial closure devices in minimally invasive cardiac surgery. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Oral ambroxol increases brain glucocerebrosidase activity in a nonhuman primate
Authors: Migdalska‐Richards Anna , Ko Wai Kin D. , Li Qin , Bezard Erwan , Schapira Anthony H. V.
Published: March 2017

Mutations in the glucocerebrosidase 1 (GBA1) gene are related to both Parkinson disease (PD) and Gaucher disease (GD). In both cases, the condition is associated with deficiency of glucocerebrosidase (GCase), the enzyme encoded by GBA1. Ambroxol is a small molecule chaperone that has been shown in mice to cross the blood‐brain barrier, increase GCase activity and reduce alpha‐synuclein protein levels. In this study, we analyze the effect of ambroxol treatment on GCase activity in healthy nonhuman primates. We show that daily administration of ambroxol results in increased brain GCase activity. Our work further indicates that ambroxol should be investigated as a novel therapy for both PD and neuronopathic GD in humans.
Optimization of Chest Tube Management to Expedite Rehabilitation of Lung Cancer Patients After Video‐Assisted Thoracic Surgery: A Meta‐Analysis and Systematic Review
Authors: Deng Bo , Qian Kai , Zhou Jing‐Hai , Tan Qun‐You , Wang Ru‐Wen
Published: March 2017

Background

The aim of this meta‐analysis and systematic review of published evidence was to optimize chest tube management for fast‐track rehabilitation of lung cancer patients after video‐assisted thoracic surgery (VATS).

Methods

The PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases were searched to identify all studies that addressed the issue of chest tube management after VATS for lung cancer. Finally, 35 articles were included for analysis, i.e., 29 randomized controlled trials and 6 clinical trials.

Results

After synthesis of the published evidence, the following protocol for chest tube drainage was formulated: (1) after VATS lung wedge resection, chest tube drainage can be omitted in selected cases; (2) normally, one 28Fr chest tube (or 19Fr Blake drain) is placed; (3) the use of a digital monitoring system is recommended; (4) in case of increasing pneumothorax or severe air leakage supported by digital recording system, the tube should be placed with active suction; and (5) the chest tube can be removed within 48 h postoperatively when air leakage is resolved and fluid drainage is <400 mL/day.

Conclusions

Further multicenter studies are warranted based on the variations of body sizes among different ethnicities.
Continuous Online Item Calibration: Parameter Recovery and Item Utilization
Authors: Ren Hao , van der Linden Wim J. , Diao Qi
Published: March 2017

Parameter recovery and item utilization were investigated for different designs for online test item calibration. The design was adaptive in a double sense: it assumed both adaptive testing of examinees from an operational pool of previously calibrated items and adaptive assignment of field-test items to the examinees. Four criteria of optimality for the assignment of the field-test items were used, each of them based on the information in the posterior distributions of the examinee’s ability parameter during adaptive testing as well as the sequentially updated posterior distributions of the field-test item parameters. In addition, different stopping rules based on target values for the posterior standard deviations of the field-test parameters and the size of the calibration sample were used. The impact of each of the criteria and stopping rules on the statistical efficiency of the estimates of the field-test parameters and on the time spent by the items in the calibration procedure was investigated. Recommendations as to the practical use of the designs are given.
Some Improvements in Confidence Intervals for Standardized Regression Coefficients
Authors: Dudgeon Paul
Published: March 2017

Yuan and Chan (Psychometrika 76:670–690, 2011. doi:10.1007/S11336-011-9224-6) derived consistent confidence intervals for standardized regression coefficients under fixed and random score assumptions. Jones and Waller (Psychometrika 80:365–378, 2015. doi:10.1007/S11336-013-9380-Y) extended these developments to circumstances where data are non-normal by examining confidence intervals based on Browne’s (Br J Math Stat Psychol 37:62–83, 1984. doi:10.1111/j.2044-8317.1984.tb00789.x) asymptotic distribution-free (ADF) theory. Seven different heteroscedastic-consistent (HC) estimators were investigated in the current study as potentially better solutions for constructing confidence intervals on standardized regression coefficients under non-normality. Normal theory, ADF, and HC estimators were evaluated in a Monte Carlo simulation. Findings confirmed the superiority of the HC3 (MacKinnon and White, J Econ 35:305–325, 1985. doi:10.1016/0304-4076(85)90158-7) and HC5 (Cribari-Neto and Da Silva, Adv Stat Anal 95:129–146, 2011. doi:10.1007/s10182-010-0141-2) interval estimators over Jones and Waller’s ADF estimator under all conditions investigated, as well as over the normal theory method. The HC5 estimator was more robust in a restricted set of conditions over the HC3 estimator. Some possible extensions of HC estimators to other effect size measures are considered for future developments.
Dealing with Reflection Invariance in Bayesian Factor Analysis
Authors: Erosheva Elena A. , Curtis S. McKay
Published: March 2017

This paper considers the reflection unidentifiability problem in confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and the associated implications for Bayesian estimation. We note a direct analogy between the multimodality in CFA models that is due to all possible column sign changes in the matrix of loadings and the multimodality in finite mixture models that is due to all possible relabelings of the mixture components. Drawing on this analogy, we derive and present a simple approach for dealing with reflection in variance in Bayesian factor analysis. We recommend fitting Bayesian factor analysis models without rotational constraints on the loadings—allowing Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithms to explore the full posterior distribution—and then using a relabeling algorithm to pick a factor solution that corresponds to one mode. We demonstrate our approach on the case of a bifactor model; however, the relabeling algorithm is straightforward to generalize for handling multimodalities due to sign invariance in the likelihood in other factor analysis models.
Gender and number polarity in Modern Standard Arabic numeral phrases
Authors: Alqassas Ahmad
Published: March 2017

Numeral phrases in Standard Arabic are known for gender and number mismatches1between the numeral and the enumerated noun. This article reduces these mismatches to two morphological deletion rules. The first deletes the feminine morpheme of the numeral when the enumerated noun is feminine, and the second deletes the plural morpheme of the enumerated noun when the numeral carries a plural morpheme. The first rule is further restricted to deleting only feminine morphemes that are underlyingly part of the numeral, and not inherited via agreement with a feminine enumerated noun via a syntactic agreement process. The analysis in this article is consistent with Sadiqi's (2006) claim that the feminine form in Arabic is the basic one from which the masculine was derived historically by reducing the feminine form. The deletion analysis here also finds support from Chomsky's approach of deriving the masculine from the feminine as theoretically less costly and more explanatorily adequate.
Subgrouping of Coahuitlán Totonac
Authors: Moore Devin
Published: March 2017

Coahuitlán Totonac is spoken in Veracruz, Mexico, and has been variously ascribed to two different branches of the Totonacan family tree. While recent work has begun to bring empirical evidence to the internal structure of this family tree, there remain several important areas of disagreement, in addition to the disputed affiliation of Coahuitlán. This article informs the family tree and demonstrates that Coahuitlán belongs to the Northern branch using shared innovations and two computational methods. The comparative method seeks sets of shared innovations for evidence of subgrouping. This article presents proposed shared innovations in phonology, morphology, and lexicon, which fall into two sets, one belonging to the Sierra and Lowland branches, and the other belonging to the Northern. Coahuitlán Totonac overwhelmingly shares innovations found in Northern languages and lacks innovations found in Sierra. Two quantitative methods are also used to show that Coahuitlán groups groups closely with other Northern languages.
Acculturation Strategy and Racial Group in the Perception of Immigrants
Authors: Alcott Yvette D. , Watt Susan E.
Published: March 2017

We investigated the effects of race and different acculturation strategies on perceptions of immigrants in Australia, an immigrant-based nation with a multicultural policy. Two experimental studies presented participants with scenarios that systematically varied racial group (African, Asian, and European) and acculturation strategy (assimilation, integration, separation, marginalisation), then assessed responses to immigrant targets using measures of warmth, competence, affect, and cultural distance. Attitudes were significantly more positive towards targets who either integrated or assimilated, and negative towards targets who separated. This was regardless of the racial group being assessed, supporting the prediction that acculturation strategy is a stronger influence than race on perceptions of immigrants.
FIBONACCI–MANN ITERATION FOR MONOTONE ASYMPTOTICALLY NONEXPANSIVE MAPPINGS
Authors: ALFURAIDAN M. R. , KHAMSI M. A.
Published: March 2017

We extend the results of Schu [‘Iterative construction of fixed points of asymptotically nonexpansive mappings’, J. Math. Anal. Appl.158 (1991), 407–413] to monotone asymptotically nonexpansive mappings by means of the Fibonacci–Mann iteration process $$\begin{eqnarray}x_{n+1}=t_{n}T^{f(n)}(x_{n})+(1-t_{n})x_{n},\quad n\in \mathbb{N},\end{eqnarray}$$ where $T$ is a monotone asymptotically nonexpansive self-mapping defined on a closed bounded and nonempty convex subset of a uniformly convex Banach space and $\{f(n)\}$ is the Fibonacci integer sequence. We obtain a weak convergence result in $L_{p}([0,1])$, with $1<p<+\infty$, using a property similar to the weak Opial condition satisfied by monotone sequences.
ON ALGEBRAIC DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS FOR THE GAMMA FUNCTION AND -FUNCTIONS IN THE EXTENDED SELBERG CLASS
Authors: LÜ FENG
Published: March 2017

This paper concerns the problem of algebraic differential independence of the gamma function and ${\mathcal{L}}$-functions in the extended Selberg class. We prove that the two kinds of functions cannot satisfy a class of algebraic differential equations with functional coefficients that are linked to the zeros of the ${\mathcal{L}}$-function in a domain $D:=\{z:0<\text{Re}\,z<\unicode[STIX]{x1D70E}_{0}\}$ for a positive constant $\unicode[STIX]{x1D70E}_{0}$.
Sex differences in adolescents’ glycaemic and insulinaemic responses to high and low glycaemic index breakfasts: a randomised control trial
Authors: Cooper Simon B. , Dring Karah J. , Morris John G. , Cousins Ben E. W. , Nute Maria L. , Nevill Mary E.
Published: March 2017

During puberty young people undergo significant hormonal changes which affect metabolism and, subsequently, health. Evidence suggests there is a period of transient pubertal insulin resistance, with this effect greater in girls than boys. However, the response to everyday high and low glycaemic index (GI) meals remains unknown. Following ethical approval, forty adolescents consumed a high GI or low GI breakfast, in a randomised cross-over design. Capillary blood samples were taken during a 2-h postprandial period, examining the glycaemic and insulinaemic responses. Maturity offset and homoeostatic model assessment (HOMA) were also calculated. The glycaemic response to the breakfasts was similar between boys and girls, as shown by similar peak blood glucose concentrations and incremental AUC (IAUC) following both high and low GI breakfasts (all P>0·05). Girls exhibited a higher peak plasma insulin concentration 30 min post-breakfast following both high GI (P=0·043, g=0·69) and low GI (P=0·010, g=0·84) breakfasts, as well as a greater IAUC following high GI (P=0·041, g=0·66) and low GI (P=0·041, g=0·66) breakfasts. HOMA was positively correlated with the insulinaemic responses (all P<0·0005) and maturity offset (P=0·037). The findings of the present study suggest that pubertal insulin resistance affects the postprandial insulinaemic responses to both high and low GI meals. Specifically, girls exhibit a greater insulinaemic response than boys to both meals, despite similar glycaemic responses. This study is the first to report the glycaemic and insulinaemic responses to everyday meals in boys and girls, supporting the recommendation for young people to base their diet on low GI carbohydrates.
AESCHYLUS, SEPTEM CONTRA THEBAS 780–7
Authors: Mazor Maayan
Published: March 2017

In a recent paper, M. Finkelberg has endorsed part of M.L. West's emendation of the fifth strophe of the second stasimon in Aeschylus’ Seven against Thebes (= Sept.). In her opinion, accepting West's emendation also allows adopting earlier emendations proposed by Schütz and Prien, leading to a better understanding of the passage. It is recalled that this is where the chorus relates the disasters that ensued from Oedipus’ discovery of the truth about his marriage. In the following short discussion, I intend to revisit and defend once again the reading, according to which the two acts mentioned in connection with Oedipus’ discovery are gouging out his eyes and casting a curse on his sons, and not murdering his father and bedding his mother.
TO CONTROL OR NOT TO CONTROL: HOW DO WE LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW AGRONOMIC INNOVATIONS PERFORM ON FARMS?
Authors: COE RIC , NJOLOMA JOYCE , SINCLAIR FERGUS
Published: March 2017

Our paper ‘Loading the dice in favour of the farmer: reducing the risk of adopting agronomic innovations’ revealed mean increases but also large variation in the impact of four agroforestry practises on maize yield, as experienced by farmers in Malawi. This prompted a response from Sileshi and Akinnifesi that was critical of the data and methods used. Their main concern was that farmers did not necessarily manage crops identically in plots with and those without trees, so the yield differences that we measured may be partly caused by these differences in crop management. We argue here that it is valid and useful to look at the actual effect on crop yield of farmers having trees intercropped with maize, rather than controlling for how the crop is managed, because this is what happens in the real world. Farmers respond to having trees in their field by treating their crop differently, so this is part of the system response to having trees in fields. Attempts to eliminate this will result in measuring an artefact rather than the real impact of trees on crop yield. By doing this, we revealed important variation in the impact of trees on crop yield amongst farmers, and we argue that it is important to explore, assess and communicate to farmers and development actors the extent and implications of this variation. Understanding the contextual factors that determine who is likely to benefit most from an innovation and for whom it is less suitable can then be incorporated in scaling up, so that targeting of innovations and the appropriateness of messages given to farmers are continuously refined.
Laurentian origin of solutan echinoderms: new evidence from the Guzhangian (Cambrian Series 3) Weeks Formation of Utah, USA
Authors: LEFEBVRE BERTRAND , LEROSEY-AUBRIL RUDY
Published: March 2017

A new solutan echinoderm,Pahvanticystis utahensis gen. et sp. nov. is described from the upper part of the Weeks Formation (Guzhangian). The Cambrian (Series 3) succession of the central House Range in western Utah documents the early diversification of the class Soluta, which is characterized by a major ecological transition from sessile, ‘pelmatozoan’ primitive taxa (Coleicarpus, Wheeler Formation), to more and more vagile, temporarily attached (Castericystis, Marjum Formation), to mostly unattached, ‘homalozoan’ derived forms (Pahvanticystis, Weeks Formation). The morphology ofPahvanticystisis remarkably intermediate between those ofCastericystisandMinervaecystis. Its twisted, flattened dististele possibly represents an adaptation for a more efficient crawling atop soft substrates. This morphological feature also questions the phylogenetic relationships between syringocrinid and dendrocystitid solutans, and the possible evolution of the latter from basal,Pahvanticystis- orMinervaecystis-like syringocrinids by paedomorphosis.
FROM COMPLETE TO PARTIAL FLAGS IN GEOMETRIC EXTENSION ALGEBRAS
Authors: SAUTER JULIA
Published: March 2017

A geometric extension algebra is an extension algebra of a semi-simple perverse sheaf (allowing shifts), e.g., a push-forward of the constant sheaf under a projective map. Particular nice situations arise for collapsings of homogeneous vector bundles over homogeneous spaces. In this paper, we study the relationship between partial flag and complete flag cases. Our main result is that the locally finite modules over the geometric extension algebras are related by a recollement. As examples, we investigate parabolic affine nil Hecke algebras, geometric extension algebras associated with parabolic Springer maps and an example of Reineke of a parabolic quiver-graded Hecke algebra.
POLYCYCLIC, METABELIAN OR SOLUBLE OF TYPE (FP)∞ GROUPS WITH BOOLEAN ALGEBRA OF RATIONAL SETS AND BIAUTOMATIC SOLUBLE GROUPS ARE VIRTUALLY ABELIAN
Authors: ROMAN'KOV VITALY
Published: March 2017

Let G be a polycyclic, metabelian or soluble of type (FP)∞ group such that the class Rat(G) of all rational subsets of G is a Boolean algebra. Then, G is virtually abelian. Every soluble biautomatic group is virtually abelian.
Proliferation-apoptosis balance inStaphylococcus aureuschronically infected bovine mammary glands during involution
Authors: Andreotti Carolina S , Pereyra Elizabet A L , Sacco Sofía C , Baravalle Celina , Renna María S , Ortega Hugo H , Calvinho Luis F , Dallard Bibiana E
Published: March 2017

The objective of this study was to determine whetherStaphylococcus aureuschronic intramammary infection (IMI) influences expression of proteins related to regulation of proliferation and apoptosis processes and proliferation/apoptosis index during active involution in bovine mammary gland. Twenty-one Holstein non-pregnant cows in late lactation either uninfected or with chronic naturally acquiredS. aureusIMI were included in this study. Cows were slaughtered at 7, 14 and 21 d after cessation of milking and samples for immunohistochemical analysis were taken. Protein expression of Bcl-2, Bax, Fas and active caspase-3 in mammary tissue was significantly affected by chronicS. aureusIMI, all showing increased immunoexpression inS. aureus-infected quarters at all involution stages. The percentage of apoptotic cells was increased by IMI in both mammary parenchyma and stroma, and the percentage of parenchymal and stromal cell proliferation was also increased. The proliferation/apoptosis ratio was significantly increased by IMI only in stromal cells. This imbalance to favour proliferation inS. aureus-infected mammary quarters could be one of the underlying causes that induce aberrant involution with permanence of nonsecretory tissue and increase of stromal components.
Assessing tag loss and survival probabilities in green turtles (Chelonia mydas) nesting in Malaysia
Authors: Nishizawa Hideaki , Joseph Juanita , Chew Vicki Yii-Ching , Liew Hock-Chark , Chan Eng-Heng
Published: March 2017

The loss of external tags is one of the biggest problems in mark-recapture research. An evaluation of tag loss is therefore required to improve tagging methodology, select appropriate tag types, and accurately estimate population status and dynamics. We estimated tag loss probability of double-tagged green turtles (Chelonia mydas) nesting at Redang Island, Malaysia (05°49′ N 103°00′ E), from 1993–2014. For both titanium and Inconel tags, we found a tag loss pattern with a high initial tag loss rate that decreased to an asymptote near a constant value above zero. The initial tag loss probability for titanium tags was higher than for Inconel tags, and titanium tags were lost earlier than Inconel tags in more individuals when both types of tags were attached. In addition, comparison of the tag loss probability of Inconel tags attached during the period when tagging staff changed every year to that when senior tagging staff were not changed, indicated that lack of consistency in tagging staff affected the application of at least one of two Inconel tags. Estimated tag loss probability was incorporated into a recapture model, and annual survival probability was estimated to be 0.893 (95% confidence interval: 0.857–0.921).
The importance of dietary DHA and ARA in early life: a public health perspective
Authors: Forsyth Stewart , Gautier Sheila , Salem Norman
Published: March 2017

Although the literature on the contribution of DHA and arachidonic acid (ARA) to fundamental metabolic functions in brain, immune and cardiovascular systems is extensive, there is a lack of consensus on the need for explicit recommendations on dietary intake for both DHA and ARA during the early years of life. This review takes a public health perspective with the objective of ensuring that recommendations protect the most vulnerable children worldwide. Most studies on the effects of DHA and ARA in early life have been undertaken in high-income countries and this is reflected in policy recommendations. Although breast milk is considered the gold standard and always contains DHA and ARA, there are proposals that infant formulas, especially follow-on formulas, do not need to be supplemented with these fatty acids. Complementary foods frequently have low concentrations of ARA and DHA and this is most significant in low-income countries where availability is also limited. Recent evidence shows that in developing countries, intakes of DHA and ARA during the age period 6–36 months are low and this relates to low national income. It is concluded that a continuum of DHA and ARA intake needs to be maintained during early life, a critical period of infant growth and development. For both infant and follow-on formulas, DHA and ARA should be mandatory at levels that are equivalent to breast milk. An optional recommendation may be limited to countries that can demonstrate evidence of adequate intakes of DHA and ARA during early life.
Can fictionalists have faith?
Authors: MALCOLM FINLAY
Published: March 2017

According to non-doxastic theories of propositional faith, belief that p is not necessary for faith that p. Rather, propositional faith merely requires a ‘positive cognitive attitude’. This broad condition, however, can be satisfied by several pragmatic approaches to a domain, including fictionalism. This article shows precisely how fictionalists can have faith given non-doxastic theory, and explains why this is problematic. It then explores one means of separating the two theories, in virtue of the fact that the truth of the propositions in a discourse is of little consequence for fictionalists, whereas their truth matters deeply for the faithful. Although promising, this approach incurs several theoretical costs, hence providing a compelling reason to favour a purely doxastic account of faith.
Discrimination Against Ethnic Minorities in Activation Programme? Evidence from a Vignette Experiment
Authors: TERUM LARS INGE , TORSVIK GAUTE , ØVERBYE EINAR
Published: March 2017

We conducted a vignette experiment involving 470 Norwegian front-line workers to investigate whether their decisions to sanction non-compliance of activation requirements varied with the ethnicity of the welfare claimant. This is the first vignette experiment on ethnic discrimination in the administration of activation programmes in Europe. The study shows that front-line workers did not sanction claimants with a North African name more often than claimants with a native Norwegian name. However, among front-line workers who had experience with the relevant activation programme, a male claimant with a North African name was sanctioned less often than a male claimant with a native Norwegian name. Thus, we find some degree of reverse discrimination on the part of experienced front-line workers. This finding is contrary to a similar US vignette experiment that detected discrimination (not reverse discrimination) with regard to claimants with an ethnic minority name. The most likely explanation for the difference concerns the different institutional-cultural contexts within which Norwegian and US social policy programmes operate.
Tunable terahertz radiation generation by nonlinear photomixing of cosh-Gaussian laser pulses in corrugated magnetized plasma
Authors: Varshney P. , Sajal V. , Upadhyay A. , Chakera J. A. , Kumar R.
Published: March 2017

This paper presents a scheme of THz generation by nonlinear photomixing of two cosh-Gaussian lasers pulses having different frequencies (ω1, ω2) and wave numbers $(\vec k_1, \vec k_2 )$ and same electrical field amplitude in a corrugated plasma embedded with transverse static magnetic field. Cosh-Gaussian laser pulses have steep gradient in intensity profile along with wider cross-section, which exerts a stronger nonlinear ponderomotive force at ω1 − ω2 and $\vec k_1 - \vec k_2 $ on plasma electrons imparting a nonlinear oscillatory velocity to plasma electrons. Oscillatory plasma electrons couple with the density ripple n′ = nα0eiαx to produce a nonlinear current, which is responsible for resonant THz radiation at frequency $\sim\left( {{\rm \omega} _{\rm c}^2 + {\rm \omega} _{\rm p}^2} \right)^{1/2} $. The amplitude, efficiency and beam quality of THz radiation can be optimized by choosing proper corrugation factor (α of the plasma), applied magnetic field (ωc), decentered parameter (b), and beam width parameter a0 of cosh-Gaussian lasers. An efficiency of $\sim\!10^{ - 2} - 10^{ - 1} $ is achieved for laser electric field E = 3.2 × 109 V/cm.
Informal learning: A lived experience in a university musicianship class
Authors: Mok Annie O.
Published: March 2017

This study investigates how a class of university music students who engaged in a ‘lived’ experience of informal learning adopted methods and strategies to complete a self-learning ‘aural copying’ performance assignment in a musicianship class in Hong Kong. Data were collected from observations of the performances and the students’ written reflections. The findings showed that they used the methods of intensive listening, using technology, and collaborative learning, as well as the strategies of putting their knowledge of music theory into practice, substitution of instruments, and learning a new instrument in order to emulate the sounds of various instruments. They found this an interesting task that gave them opportunities to improve their musicianship, and they became more sensitive to different voice parts.
THE FITTING-ATTITUDE ANALYSIS OF VALUE RELATIONS AND THE PREFERENCES VS. VALUE JUDGEMENTS OBJECTION
Authors: Rossi Mauro
Published: March 2017

According to Wlodek Rabinowicz's (2008) fitting-attitude analysis of value relations, two items are on a par if and only if it is both permissible to strictly prefer one to the other and permissible to have the opposite strict preference. Rabinowicz's account is subject, however, to one important objection: if strict preferences involve betterness judgements, then his analysis contrasts with the intuitive understanding of parity. In this paper, I examine Rabinowicz's three responses to this objection and argue that they do not succeed. I then propose an alternative solution. I argue that the objection can be avoided if we ‘relativize’ Rabinowicz's account and define parity in terms of opposite strict preferences between two items that are only relatively permissible, rather than permissible simpliciter. I argue that this account of parity can be defended if we take seriously the distinction between sufficient and decisive reason for a preference relation. I also show that, on the basis of this distinction, we can arrive at a more extensive taxonomy of value relations than the one proposed by Rabinowicz.
How can island communities deal with environmental hazards and hazard drivers, including climate change?
Authors: KELMAN ILAN
Published: March 2017

This paper provides a critiquing overview of how island communities deal with environmental hazards and hazard drivers, including climate change. The key activity is disaster risk reduction including climate change adaptation, for which many concepts and techniques have emerged from island studies. Although these concepts and techniques are not exclusive to island contexts, this paper focuses on island communities in order to illustrate the importance of human actions in causing and dealing with disasters involving environmental hazards. This point is demonstrated by examining key human and physical geography characteristics representing ‘islandness’: population, area, geomorphology and connectedness. The characteristics are not mutually exclusive, but island stereotypes emerge as small and static populations, small resource areas, highly volatile and changing geomorphology and limited connectedness. In exploring exceptions and diversities amongst islands, stereotypes are sometimes seen and sometimes not seen in reality. Advantages and disadvantages are demonstrated for different island settings dealing with environmental hazards and hazard drivers.
Evaluating a tax-based subsidy approach for forest carbon sequestration
Authors: CHO SEONG-HOON , LEE JUHEE , ROBERTS ROLAND K. , ENGLISH BURTON C. , YU EDWARD T. , KIM TAEYOUNG , ARMSWORTH PAUL R.
Published: March 2017

Forest carbon sequestration plays an important role in reducing the build-up of greenhouse gases that are known to contribute to global climate change. However, private landowners will supply less carbon sequestration than would be socially desirable if they are unable to capture the economic value of sequestration. We examine the viability of offering landowners property tax subsidies for forest carbon sequestration (referred to as a ‘tax-based subsidy approach’). Waiving property taxes on forestland provides incentives for landowners to afforest non-forested land and/or sustain forests that are at risk of deforestation. We focus on 17 Tennessee counties and one Kentucky county, constituting one of 179 Bureau of Economic Analysis areas in the United States, as a case study. Higher forestland net return from waiving property taxes increases the share of forestland in the 18 counties, which in turn increases the accumulation of carbon in the forest ecosystem, suggesting that this is a viable approach. The annualized county-level cost of supplying forest carbon sequestration using a tax-based subsidy ranges between US$15.56 and US$563.58 per carbon tonne across the 18 counties. Relevant government agencies can use these estimates to target selected counties for more cost-effective adoption of the county-level tax-based subsidy approach.