bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A new test statistic for climate models that includes field and spatial dependencies using Gaussian Markov random fields
Authors: Nosedal-Sanchez Alvaro , Jackson Charles S. , Huerta Gabriel
Published: July 2016

Abstract. A new test statistic for climate model evaluation has been developed that potentially mitigates some of the limitations that exist for observing and representing field and space dependencies of climate phenomena. Traditionally such dependencies have been ignored when climate models have been evaluated against observational data, which makes it difficult to assess whether any given model is simulating observed climate for the right reasons. The new statistic uses Gaussian Markov random fields for estimating field and space dependencies within a first-order grid point neighborhood structure. We illustrate the ability of Gaussian Markov random fields to represent empirical estimates of field and space covariances using "witch hat" graphs. We further use the new statistic to evaluate the tropical response of a climate model (CAM3.1) to changes in two parameters important to its representation of cloud and precipitation physics. Overall, the inclusion of dependency information did not alter significantly the recognition of those regions of parameter space that best approximated observations. However, there were some qualitative differences in the shape of the response surface that suggest how such a measure could affect estimates of model uncertainty.
Mapping dominant runoff processes: an evaluation of different approaches
using similarity measures and synthetic runoff simulations
Authors: Antonetti Manuel , Buss Rahel , Scherrer Simon , Margreth Michael , Zappa Massimiliano
Published: July 2016

Abstract. The identification of landscapes with similar hydrological behaviour is useful for runoff and flood predictions in small ungauged catchments. An established method for landscape classification is based on the concept of dominant runoff process (DRP). The various DRP-mapping approaches differ with respect to the time and data required for mapping. Manual approaches based on expert knowledge are reliable but time-consuming, whereas automatic GIS-based approaches are easier to implement but rely on simplifications which restrict their application range. To what extent these simplifications are applicable in other catchments is unclear. More information is also needed on how the different complexities of automatic DRP-mapping approaches affect hydrological simulations. In this paper, three automatic approaches were used to map two catchments on the Swiss Plateau. The resulting maps were compared to reference maps obtained with manual mapping. Measures of agreement and association, a class comparison, and a deviation map were derived. The automatically derived DRP maps were used in synthetic runoff simulations with an adapted version of the PREVAH hydrological model, and simulation results compared with those from simulations using the reference maps. The DRP maps derived with the automatic approach with highest complexity and data requirement were the most similar to the reference maps, while those derived with simplified approaches without original soil information differed significantly in terms of both extent and distribution of the DRPs. The runoff simulations derived from the simpler DRP maps were more uncertain due to inaccuracies in the input data and their coarse resolution, but problems were also linked with the use of topography as a proxy for the storage capacity of soils. The perception of the intensity of the DRP classes also seems to vary among the different authors, and a standardised definition of DRPs is still lacking. Furthermore, we argue not to use expert knowledge for only model building and constraining, but also in the phase of landscape classification.
Consonant-vowel interactions in Modern Standard Latvian: a representational and constraint-based account
Authors: Urek Olga
Published: July 2016

In this article I provide a representational and a constraint-based analysis of four interacting palatalization processes operative in Modern Standard Latvian: velar affrication, velar palatalization, yod-palatalization and front vowel raising. The main advantage of the representational account developed here is that it treats all of the mentioned Latvian processes as strictly assimilatory, and at the same time avoids purely stipulative mechanisms characteristic of many feature-geometric approaches to cross-category interactions. The article also contributes to the debate on the role of geometric subsegmental representations in constraint-based computational models, by demonstrating that a principled account of locality, transparency and blocking effects in Latvian palatalization requires the reference to hierarchical autosegmental structures. This article is part of the special collection: Palatalization
Caracterización hidrogeoquímica del agua superficial de la subcuenca del río acahuapa, departamento de San Vicente, El Salvador
Authors: Marinero-Orantes Edgar Antonio , Durán-Zarabozo Odil , Zúniga-González Carlos Alberto , Molina Membreño Adalila
Published: July 2016

El presente tuvo la finalidad de ampliar el conocimiento hidrogeoquímico del acuífero en la zona de la subcuenca del río Acahuapa, en el departamento de San Vicente. Se recolectaron muestras de 10 puntos en las aguas superficiales de la red hídrica de la subcuenca.  Los muestreos se llevaron a cabo en la época seca y lluviosa durante el periodo comprendido de febrero de 2011 hasta agosto de 2012.   Los parámetros analizados fueron datos de cationes (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe total) y aniones (HCO-3, Cl-, SO-24, CaCO3-2), así como de carbonatos con el fin de determinar el balance de masa y flujo de gas CO2. Además, parámetros fisicoquímicos de temperatura, oxígeno disuelto, pH y conductividad eléctrica. Tales análisis son suficientes para el estudio de los principales procesos químicos en la mayoría de los acuíferos y sus relaciones con los sistemas hidrológicos. De forma general se concluyó que el comportamiento químico del acuífero en la subcuenca del río Acahuapa en ambas épocas lluviosa y seca, es similar, y que las familias de agua predominantes son bicarbonatadas magnésicas y cálcicas bicarbonatadas. Las aguas bicarbonatadas son malas para riego, debido a la fijación de iones en el terreno y creación de un medio alcalino.
El agua como recurso esencial para la vida y el cual hay que garantizar su sostenibilidad ante la adversidad del cambio climático
Authors: Marinero-Orantes Edgar Antonio , Vargas-Cañas José Isidro , Geles-Roffe Tatiana
Published: July 2016

En el Salvador no existe una Ley General que regule lo concerniente a la conservación, uso y calidad del agua como recurso esencial para la vida y para la bioeconomia del país dado que interviene en una cadena de procesos para la producción de alimentos y bebidas. Este análisis tiene como propósito identificar las fortalezas y debilidades en cuanto a garantizar la preservación y uso sostenido del recurso agua como un bien común al alcance de la humanidad sin ninguna limitante de orden económico, dado que son los estados y los pobladores los encargados de velar por la existencia y calidad de dicho recurso. La escasez de agua es considerada como un problema de orden hidrológico, pero que corresponde en mayor grado a un problema económico, dado que es un recurso limitado y que se utiliza en un 90% para actividades económicas y primordialmente para el consumo humano.
The Valuation of Brand Architectures: An Empirical Investigation in the Wine Sector
Authors: Papa Marco , Rossi Paola
Published: July 2016

In recent years, consulting firms and academics have developed a plethora of methods to place a monetary value on brands. The models used in practice either focus on product brands - the commercial trademarks used to target specific client segments, or on corporate brands - all the intangibles that come under an umbrella name. However, the current marketing strategies reveal that few companies use commercial brands and corporate brands separately, as they are typically integrated into complex brand architectures that combine product brands and corporate brands in different flavours. This study critically reviews the brand valuation literature to assist practitioners in choosing appropriate methods to estimate different brand architectures. The analysis is carried out applying the Brand Finance valuation process to two Italian wineries. The findings suggest that whenever wineries use strong umbrella brand strategies, it is feasible to bundle the product brands into one comprehensive brand. The latter can be measured either by splitting the incremental benefits from the core brand, as suggested by Anson (2000), or by assembling the core brand and the incremental benefits together, as proposed by the Excess Earnings Method. For integrated wineries producing high quality wines, it is proposed that brand strength analysis be combined with the relief from royalty method.
Empirical Study on the Spillover Effect of FDI in the Egyptian and Polish Manufacturing Sector
Authors: Farag Amal Samir
Published: July 2016

This Paper has attempted to address the spillover effect of FDI on productivity in the Egyptian and Polish manufacturing sector. Empirical analysis has been implemented to determine the factors that influence productivity. In explaining the spillover effect of FDI, the study will apply a two stage least squares technique using the data panel between 2006 and 2014 across 9 sub sectors of the Egyptian and Polish manufacturing sector. A Cobb Douglas production function was used where productivity is established as a function of capital, labor, foreign direct investment, exports, imports, and technology gap.

The results from the production function suggest that physical capital and labor force are the main factors in determining the manufacturing productivity that accordingly enhance the fact that both physical capital and labor inputs are important to the productivity of manufacturing sector. It is also found that the foreign presence enhance productivity in the Egyptian and Polish manufacturing sector. We view the positive effect of FDI on productivity as evidence which indicates that the FDI inflow is not merely a source of capital; it is also a conduit for technology transfer. On the other hand, both imports, and technology gap exert a negative and significant effect on productivity. This is due to high protection, high tariffs in Egypt , and the technology of foreign firms is too advanced for domestic firms to adjust and absorb. In addition exports have a negative but insignificant effect as exports are mainly low-skill products. 
Impact of Macroeconomic and Demographic Variables on the Stock Market: Evidence from Tunisian Crisis
Authors: Ben Yaâla Sirine , Henchiri Jamel Eddine
Published: July 2016

This study aims to analyze the long-run as well as the short-run relationship between macroeconomic, demographic variables and the Tunisian stock market for the period subsequent to the financial crisis. Monthly data over the period 2008-2014 and ARDL model have been employed. Results indicate that the Tunisian stock market index, macroeconomic and demographic indicators are cointegrated and, therefore, a long-run relationship exists between them. The long-run coefficients suggest that budget deficit, inflation rate and number of unemployed graduates had a negative effect, otherwise, money supply and number of non-resident entries had positive effect on the Tunisian stock market. Moreover, results from the error correction model show that the Tunisian stock market index is influenced positively by money supply and second order difference of the number of unemployed graduated and negatively by first and second order difference of money supply, inflation rate, first order difference of number of non-resident entries and number of unemployment graduates.
Optimal Bonus-Malus System Design in Motor Third-Party Liability Insurance in Turkey: Negative Binomial Model
Authors: Bülbül Serpil Ergün , Baykal Kemal B.
Published: July 2016

One of the most significant instruments used in motor third-party liability insurance rating is bonus-malus system. The aim of the bonus-malus system is to provide a fairness of the premiums paid by ensuring everyone pays a premium that corresponds exactly to their own claim frequency. A balance of total amount of bonuses and maluses is very important to maintain the financial stability of the insurance companies. In Turkey, free tariff regime in motor third-party liability insurance has been adopted since 2014. In this study, an experience rating was employed via the insured’s individual claim experience by considering the drawbacks of using mandatory bonus-malus system. Data entailing information about the claim frequencies of automobiles over a year for motor third party liability policies were obtained from an insurance company. Optimal bonus-malus rates are determined by negative binomial model by using credibility theory, Bayesian approach and the principle of expected value premium.
Project Based Learning in Literature: The Teacher’s New Role and the Development of Student’s Social Skills in Upper Secondary Education
Authors: Styla Despoina , Michalopoulou Aikaterini
Published: July 2016

The present research examines the project method, as it is met at the new curriculum of literature in the first Grade of Greek high schools and the effectiveness of it and of the teacher’s role at the development of social skills, of students with low level. At first it is made an effort to measure that level at the beginning of the literature lessons, by giving to 381 students a questionnaire to answer about themselves and to their 13 teachers a questionnaire to answer about their student’s social skills. The investigation was made with methodological triangulation. We observed at the beginning and at the end of the semester the 42 students who were found to have low level of social skills. Also we interviewed their 13 teachers about the way they organized their lessons. Moreover we interviewed the 42 students about the role of their teachers and if the teachers helped them to increase their social skills. At the end of the semester we gave the same questionnaire both to the 42 students and their teachers (post-tests). The comparison of the pre and post tests and the data processing of the observations and the interviews, show an increase of student’s social skills. Those results are important because of the following reasons: first of all the majority of the investigations examine the results of project method at the “territory” of cognition and not at the “territory” of social skills and secondly the majority of the investigations focuse on the social skills of disabled children.
Effects of Depression and Anxiety on Asthma-Related Quality of Life
Authors: Lomper Katarzyna , Chudiak Anna , Uchmanowicz Izabella , Rosińczuk Joanna , Jankowska-Polanska Beata
Published: July 2016

Introduction: Asthma is the most prevalent chronic disease in adults. It affects their quality of life. Studies confirm that depression and anxiety occurs in asthma patients. Material and methods: The study involved 96 patients with asthma divided into two groups: patients with controlled (n = 33) and uncontrolled asthma (n = 63). The analysis of asthma control was performed on the basis of the ACT (Asthma Control Test) results. The study used SF-36 (Short Form 36) questionnaire and HADS (Hospital and Depression Scale) Scale. Results: An analysis of the correlations between QoL (Quality of Life) and the level of depression revealed a decrease in QoL scores in MCS (Mental Component Score) domain in the group with controlled asthma (71.8—patients without depression, 53.4—patients with probable depression, and 51.4—patients with depression; p = 0.032). A similar analysis of the correlations between QoL and the level of anxiety in this group of patients proved no correlations in PCS (Physical Component Score) and MCS domains. In the group of patients with uncontrolled asthma, anxiety and depression correlated negatively with the QoL in PCS and MCS domains. Anxiety and depression are found in asthma patients, with higher severity observed in patients with uncontrolled asthma. Female gender, the level of asthma control, asthma severity, smoking, as well as diagnoses of anxiety and depression are predictors of a significantly lower QoL in asthma. Conclusions: Anxiety and depression are found in asthma patients, with higher severity observed in patients with uncontrolled asthma. Female gender, the level of asthma control, asthma severity, smoking, as well as diagnoses of anxiety and depression are predictors of a significantly lower quality of life in asthma.
Can Pancreatic Tissue Cause Haemoptysis?
Authors: Bubel Adam , Rogoziński Paweł , Bruliński Krzysztof
Published: July 2016

A mature teratoma is a tumour of primary germ cells. It is often found in the mediastinum. The authors describe a case of a young man who demonstrated haemoptysis as the only symptom of a mediastinal tumour. The tumour was removed operatively, sent for histopathological examination and immunohistochemistry. The removed tumour was a mature teratoma including elements of the pancreas. The authors revealed the presence of trypsin in the pancreatic acinar cells. The proteolytic activity of the tumour was taken as the cause of haemoptysis because of enzymatic erosion of lung tissue intimately attached to the tumour. In such cases surgical removal saves life of patients.
Scripted Spaces: The Geopoetics of the Newspaper from Tret’iakov to Prigov
Authors: Edmond Jacob
Published: July 2016

This essay examines Sergei Tret’iakov’s and Dmitrii Prigov’s turn to the newspaper in their search for a symbolic form adequate to the geopolitical flux at the beginning and endpoints of Soviet history. Fusing the epic and the sublime with the modernist montage principle, both present the newspaper as embodying simultaneously totalizing and disintegrative imaginings of space. Reflecting his avant-gardist and statist commitments, Tret’iakov’s newspaper-epic andocherkjournalism figure the tension between socialist internationalism and socialism in one country and between federal and centralist models of the state. Prigov’s newspaper art embodies the contrary pressures of resurgent nationalisms and globalization in perestroika-era and post-Soviet Russia. Having linked the decline of print culture to the Soviet Union’s demise, Prigov addresses the return of an imperial Russian spatial imaginary by highlighting how the tension between spatial boundlessness and totality in the print newspaper anticipates and complicates the information sublime of the digital age.
The Red Army in Yugoslavia, 1944–1945
Authors: Majstorović Vojin
Published: July 2016

This article discusses the Red Army’s behaviour in Yugoslavia in 1944 and 1945, focusing on the issue of rape. It explores the magnitude of the sexual violence that the Soviet troops perpetrated in the country by comparing it to their conduct in the countries which fought against the Soviet Union, arguing that the Red Army behaved with relative restraint in Yugoslavia. In order to explain the Soviet soldiers and officers’ behaviour there, the article focuses on the high command’s propaganda line about Yugoslavia, the army leadership’s disciplinary policies towards rapists and other criminals in the ranks, the frontline troops’ attitudes towards the Yugoslavs, the emergence of large number of stray soldiers behind the frontlines, and some Soviet soldiers’ tendency to abuse alcohol.
ATENÇÃO PRIMÁRIA E DOENÇA FALCIFORME: UMA REVISÃO SOBRE O PAPEL DO GESTOR
Authors: Castilhos Lívia Gelain , Schlemmer Josiane Bizzi , Lima Suzinara Beatriz Soares de
Published: July 2016

O objetivo deste estudo foi realizar na literatura uma revisão sistemática de artigos científicos que mencionem a respeito do papel do gestor na atenção primária à saúde e na garantia da adesão ao tratamento dos pacientes portadores de anemia falciforme. Foi realizada busca em diferentes bases eletrônicas de dados (Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, e no Scientific Electronic Library Online) no período de maio de 2004 a maio de 2014, utilizando os seguintes descritores: gestão em saúde, atenção primária à saúde, anemia falciforme e terapêutica. Os usuários do sistema reportam um atendimento inadequado por parte dos profissionais da saúde devido a desinformação sobre a doença, assim como a falta de acesso aos medicamentos essenciais nas unidades básicas de saúde. Uma maior ênfase por parte dos gestores sobre a doença falciforme deve ser dada na educação dos profissionais de saúde atuantes nas unidades básicas. Embora posteriormente o usuário necessite de ambulatórios de atenção secundária, tudo deve estar atrelado à atenção primária, a qual deve coordenar o fluxo e acompanhar o usuário.Descritores: Gestão em Saúde; Atenção Primária à Saúde; Anemia Falciforme; Terapêutica.
Editorial - Sociais e Humanas
Authors: Vieira Kelmara Mendes
Published: July 2016

Editorial
San Antonio Water System Market Street Pump Station
Authors: Eckhardt Gregg
Published: July 2016

The San Antonio market street pump station in texas helped open the west to development in 1891 and continues operations to this day.
Successful Women in the Water Community
Authors: Clancy Jennifer L.
Published: July 2016

Jennifer clancy, a water pioneer in her own right, spoke with five women who have forged paths of career success and influence in the water community.
A Binomial Distribution Model for the Traveling Salesman
Problem Based on Frequency Quadrilaterals
Authors: Wang Yong , Remmel Jeffrey
Published: July 2016

We study the symmetric traveling salesman problem via frequency graphs.
One computes the frequency of edges by computing how many times
an edge occurs in an optimal path involving four vertices.
The edges that are in the Optimal Hamiltonian Cycle ($OHC$) have
a higher frequency than most edges that are not in the $OHC$ and
thus edges with a low frequency can safely be ignored when searching for the optimal solution.
A binomial distribution model is introduced for the symmetric traveling
salesman problem based on frequency quadrilaterals. When
the frequency of each edge is computed with $N$ frequency
quadrilaterals, our model suggests that the minimum frequency
of an edge in the $OHC$ is
$F_\mathrm{min} =(\epsilon_\mathrm{min}+1)N$ where $\frac{4}{3}+\frac{4}{3(n-2)} < \epsilon_\mathrm{min} < 4$.
This suggests a heuristic to reduce the number of edges that
need to be considered in the search for the $OHC$ which is
to keep only those edges whose frequencies
are $\geq F_\mathrm{min}$. We explore this heuristic in several real-world examples.

An erratum for this paper has been published on August 2017 (see link on the right)
Experiences in implementation and publication of operations research interventions: gaps and a way forward
Authors: Kalibala Samuel , Woelk Godfrey B , Gloyd Stephen , Jani Nrupa , Kay Lynnette , Sarna Avina , Okal Jerry , Ndwiga Charity , Haberland Nicole , Sinai Irit
Published: July 2016

Introduction

According to UNAIDS, the world currently has an adequate collection of proven HIV prevention, treatment and diagnostic tools, which, if scaled up, can lay the foundation for ending the AIDS epidemic. HIV operations research (OR) tests and promotes the use of interventions that can increase the demand for and supply of these tools. However, current publications of OR mainly focus on outcomes, leaving gaps in reporting of intervention characteristics, which are essential to address for the utilization of OR findings. This has prompted WHO and other international public health agencies to issue reporting requirements for OR studies. The objective of this commentary is to review experiences in HIV OR intervention design, implementation, process data collection and publication in order to identify gaps, contribute to the body of knowledge and propose a way forward to improve the focus on “implementation” in implementation research.

Discussion

Interventions in OR, like ordinary service delivery programmes, are subject to the programme cycle, which continually uses insights from implementation and the local context to modify service delivery modalities. Given that some of these modifications in the intervention may influence study outcomes, the documentation of process data becomes vital in OR. However, a key challenge is that study resources tend to be skewed towards documentation and the reporting of study outcomes to the detriment of process data, even though process data is vital for understanding factors influencing the outcomes.

Conclusions

Interventions in OR should be viewed using the lens of programme evaluation, which includes formative assessment (to determine concept and design), followed by process evaluation (to monitor inputs and outputs) and effectiveness evaluation (to assess outcomes and effectiveness). Study resources should be equitably used between process evaluation and outcome measurement to facilitate inclusion of data about fidelity and dose in publications in order to enable explanation of the relationship between dosing and study outcomes for purposes of scaling up and further refinement through research.
Remote sensing of land use/cover changes and its effect on wind erosion potential in southern Iran
Authors: Rezaei Mahrooz , Sameni Abdolmajid , Fallah Shamsi Seyed Rashid , Bartholomeus Harm
Published: July 2016

Wind erosion is a complex process influenced by different factors. Most of these factors are stable over time, but land use/cover and land management practices are changing gradually. Therefore, this research investigates the impact of changing land use/cover and land management on wind erosion potential in southern Iran. We used remote sensing data (Landsat ETM+ and Landsat 8 imagery of 2004 and 2013) for land use/cover mapping and employed the Iran Research Institute of Forest and Rangeland (IRIFR) method to estimate changes in wind erosion potential. For an optimal mapping, the performance of different classification algorithms and input layers was tested. The amount of changes in wind erosion and land use/cover were quantified using cross-tabulation between the two years. To discriminate land use/cover related to wind erosion, the best results were obtained by combining the original spectral bands with synthetic bands and using Maximum Likelihood classification algorithm (Kappa Coefficient of 0.8 and 0.9 for Landsat ETM+ and Landsat 8, respectively). The IRIFR modelling results indicate that the wind erosion potential has increased over the last decade. The areas with a very high sediment yield potential have increased, whereas the areas with a low, medium, and high sediment yield potential decreased. The area with a very low sediment yield potential have remained constant. When comparing the change in erosion potential with land use/cover change, it is evident that soil erosion potential has increased mostly in accordance with the increase of the area of agricultural practices. The conversion of rangeland to agricultural land was a major land-use change which lead to more agricultural practices and associated soil loss. Moreover, results indicate an increase in sandification in the study area which is also a clear evidence of increasing in soil erosion.
Artificial reefs and marine protected areas: a study in willingness to pay to access Folkestone Marine Reserve, Barbados, West Indies
Authors: Smith Anne E. , Wheeler Philip M. , Johnson Magnus L.
Published: July 2016

Artificial reefs in marine protected areas provide additional habitat for biodiversity viewing, and therefore may offer an innovative management solution for managing for coral reef recovery and resilience. Marine park user fees can generate revenue to help manage and maintain natural and artificial reefs. Using a stated preference survey, this study investigates the present consumer surplus associated with visitor use of a marine protected area in Barbados. Two hypothetical markets were presented to differentiate between respondents use values of either: (a) natural reefs within the marine reserve or (b) artificial reef habitat for recreational enhancement. Information was also collected on visitors’ perceptions of artificial reefs, reef material preferences and reef conservation awareness. From a sample of 250 visitors on snorkel trips, we estimate a mean willingness to pay of US$18.33 (median—US$15) for natural reef use and a mean value of US$17.58 (median—US$12.50) for artificial reef use. The number of marine species viewed, age of respondent, familiarity with the Folkestone Marine Reserve and level of environmental concern were statistically significant in influencing willingness to pay. Regression analyses indicate visitors are willing to pay a significant amount to view marine life, especially turtles. Our results suggest that user fees could provide a considerable source of income to aid reef conservation in Barbados. In addition, the substantial use value reported for artificial reefs indicates a reef substitution policy may be supported by visitors to the Folkestone Marine Reserve. We discuss our findings and highlight directions for future research that include the need to collect data to establish visitors’ non-use values to fund reef management.
Protein function in precision medicine: deep understanding with machine learning
Authors: Rost Burkhard , Radivojac Predrag , Bromberg Yana
Published: July 2016

Precision medicine and personalized health efforts propose leveraging complex molecular, medical and family history, along with other types of personal data toward better life. We argue that this ambitious objective will require advanced and specialized machine learning solutions. Simply skimming some low‐hanging results off the data wealth might have limited potential. Instead, we need to better understand all parts of the system to define medically relevant causes and effects: how do particular sequence variants affect particular proteins and pathways? How do these effects, in turn, cause the health or disease‐related phenotype? Toward this end, deeper understanding will not simply diffuse from deeper machine learning, but from more explicit focus on understanding protein function, context‐specific protein interaction networks, and impact of variation on both.
Theoretical bounce resonance diffusion coefficient for waves generated near the equatorial plane
Authors: Tao X. , Li X.
Published: July 2016

Theoretical bounce resonance diffusion coefficient for waves generated near the equatorial plane with arbitrary wave normal angle distributions is derived. Previous studies either assumed waves to cover the whole bounce trajectory or to have only one wave normal angle for a given frequency. In this work, we theoretically derive a new bounce resonance diffusion coefficient without these limitations. We demonstrate that the pitch angle diffusion from bounce resonance is significant for near‐equatorially mirroring particles using a published magnetosonic wave model. Our results suggest that the bounce resonance diffusion by magnetosonic waves could be an important mechanism for pitch angle scattering of near‐equatorially mirroring particles; therefore, it might be important to include bounce resonance with magnetosonic waves in global radiation belt modeling.
Observational evidence of generation mechanisms for very oblique lower band chorus using THEMIS waveform data
Authors: Gao Xinliang , Mourenas Didier , Li Wen , Artemyev Anton V. , Lu Quanming , Tao Xin , Wang Shui
Published: July 2016

Chorus waves are intense coherent whistler mode waves with frequency chirping which play a dual role in both loss and acceleration of radiation belt electrons in the Earth's magnetosphere. Although the generation of parallel chorus waves has been extensively studied by means of theory, simulations, and observations, the generation mechanism of very oblique chorus waves still remains a mystery. In this study, we have analyzed hundreds of very oblique discrete (rising or falling tone) lower band chorus events collected from 7 years of Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) waveform data to investigate their potential generation mechanisms. Comparisons between wave normal angles directly measured onboard THEMIS in the dawn‐day sector at L = 5–9 and inferred from theoretical models on the basis of measured wave characteristics (frequency sweep rate, mean frequency, and amplitude) show that these very oblique waves are more commonly generated through cyclotron resonance with anisotropic electron streams. However, a second generation mechanism via Landau resonance with low‐energy electron beams seems to be also operating on the nightside at L < 6.7 and at all local times at L > 8.5. Moreover, very oblique lower band chorus waves with large frequency chirping rates or small magnetic field amplitudes are more likely excited via cyclotron resonance, while waves with small frequency chirping rates or large magnetic field amplitudes are preferentially generated through Landau resonance. This comprehensive statistical study provides interesting insight into the possible generation mechanisms of very oblique lower band chorus waves in the Earth's magnetosphere.
Thermoelasticity of Fe7C3 under inner core conditions
Authors: Li Y. , Vočadlo L. , Brodholt J. , Wood I. G.
Published: July 2016

It has recently been reported, on the basis of extrapolated experimental data, that the iron carbide, Fe7C3, has shear wave velocities and a Poisson's ratio consistent with the seismological values for the Earth's inner core and thus that Fe7C3 is a strong candidate for the inner core composition. In this study, using ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, we report the thermoelastic properties of Fe7C3 at 350 GPa up to its melting temperature. Due to significant elastic softening prior to melting, the calculated elastic properties, including wave velocities, do indeed agree well with those from seismology. However, the density was found to be much too low (by ~8%) when compared to geophysical data, and therefore, Fe7C3 must be ruled out as a major component of the Earth's inner core.
Deep brain stimulation and climbing fiber synaptic pathology in essential tremor
Authors: Kuo Sheng‐Han , Lin Chi‐Ying , Wang Jie , Liou Jyun‐You , Pan Ming‐Kai , Louis Ravi J. , Wu Wei‐Pu , Gutierrez Jesus , Louis Elan D. , Faust Phyllis L.
Published: July 2016

Essential tremor (ET) patients have abnormal climbing fiber (CF) synapses in the parallel fiber territory in the cerebellum, and these abnormal CF synapses are inversely correlated with tremor severity. We therefore examined CF synaptic pathology in ET cases with and without thalamic deep brain stimulation (DBS) and assessed the association with tremor severity. We found that CF synaptic pathology was inversely correlated with tremor severity in ET cases without DBS, and this correlation disappeared in ET cases with DBS. Our data suggest that DBS might have effects in modulating excitatory synapses in ET cerebellum, in addition to its symptomatic effects on tremor. Ann Neurol 2016;80:461–465
Morphology of complexes formed between β‐lactoglobulin nanofibrils and pectins is influenced by the pH and structural characteristics of the pectins
Authors: Hettiarachchi Charith A. , Melton Laurence D. , Williams Martin A. K. , McGillivray Duncan J. , Gerrard Juliet A. , Loveday Simon M.
Published: July 2016

For the optimal use of β‐lactoglobulin nanofibrils as a raw material in biological composites an in‐depth knowledge of their interactions with other constituents is necessary. To understand the effect of electrostatic interactions on the morphology of resulting complexes, β‐lactoglobulin nanofibrils were allowed to interact with pectins in which the amount of available negative charge was controlled by selecting their degree of methylesterification. In this study, citrus pectins having different degrees of methylesterification (∼48, 67, 86, and 97%) were selected and interacted with nanofibrils at pH 2 and pH 3, where they possess a net positive charge. Electrostatic complexes formed between β‐lactoglobulin nanofibrils and all pectin types, except for the sample having a degree of methylesterification of 97%. The morphology of these complexes, however, differed significantly with the degree of methylesterification of the pectin, its concentration, and the pH of the medium, revealing that distinct desired biological architectures can be attained relatively easily through manipulating the electrostatic interactions. Interestingly, the pectin with a degree of methylesterification of 86% was found to crosslink the β‐lactoglobulin nanofibrils into ordered ‘nanotapes’.
Development and validation of an ultra‐fast and sensitive microflow liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry (MFLC‐MS/MS) method for quantification of LSD and its metabolites in plasma and application to a controlled LSD administration study in humans
Authors: Steuer Andrea E. , Poetzsch Michael , Stock Lorena , Eisenbeiss Lisa , Schmid Yasmin , Liechti Matthias E. , Kraemer Thomas
Published: July 2016

Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a semi‐synthetic hallucinogen that has gained popularity as a recreational drug and has been investigated as an adjunct to psychotherapy. Analysis of LSD represents a major challenge in forensic toxicology due to its instability, low drug concentrations, and short detection windows in biological samples. A new, fast, and sensitive microflow liquid chromatography (MFLC) tandem mass spectrometry method for the validated quantification of LSD, iso‐LSD, 2‐oxo 3‐hydroxy‐LSD (oxo‐HO‐LSD), and N‐desmethyl‐LSD (nor‐LSD) was developed in plasma and applied to a controlled pharmacokinetic (PK) study in humans to test whether LSD metabolites would offer for longer detection windows. Five hundred microlitres of plasma were extracted by solid phase extraction. Analysis was performed on a Sciex Eksigent MFLC system coupled to a Sciex 5500 QTrap. The method was validated according to (inter)‐national guidelines. MFLC allowed for separation of the mentioned analytes within 3 minutes and limits of quantification of 0.01 ng/mL. Validation criteria were fulfilled for all analytes. PK data could be calculated for LSD, iso‐LSD, and oxo‐HO‐LSD in all participants. Additionally, hydroxy‐LSD (HO‐LSD) and HO‐LSD glucuronide could be qualitatively detected and PK determined in 11 and 8 subjects, respectively. Nor‐LSD was only sporadically detected. Elimination half‐lives of iso‐LSD (median 12 h) and LSD metabolites (median 9, 7.4, 12, and 11 h for oxo‐HO‐LSD, HO‐LSD, HO‐LSD‐gluc, and nor‐LSD, respectively) exceeded those of LSD (median 4.2 h). However, screening for metabolites to increase detection windows in plasma seems not to be constructive due to their very low concentrations. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of multiple dimensions of bacterial diversity on functioning, stability and multifunctionality
Authors: Roger Fabian , Bertilsson Stefan , Langenheder Silke , Osman Omneya Ahmed , Gamfeldt Lars
Published: July 2016

Bacteria are essential for many ecosystem services but our understanding of factors controlling their functioning is incomplete. While biodiversity has been identified as an important driver of ecosystem processes in macrobiotic communities, we know much less about bacterial communities. Due to the high diversity of bacterial communities, high functional redundancy is commonly proposed as explanation for a lack of clear effects of diversity. The generality of this claim has, however, been questioned. We present the results of an outdoor dilution‐to‐extinction experiment with four lake bacterial communities. The consequences of changes in bacterial diversity in terms of effective number of species, phylogenetic diversity, and functional diversity were studied for (1) bacterial abundance, (2) temporal stability of abundance, (3) nitrogen concentration, and (4) multifunctionality. We observed a richness gradient ranging from 15 to 280 operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Individual relationships between diversity and functioning ranged from negative to positive depending on lake, diversity dimension, and aspect of functioning. Only between phylogenetic diversity and abundance did we find a statistically consistent positive relationship across lakes. A literature review of 24 peer‐reviewed studies that used dilution‐to‐extinction to manipulate bacterial diversity corroborated our findings: about 25% found positive relationships. Combined, these results suggest that bacteria‐driven community functioning is relatively resistant to reductions in diversity.
Characteristics of patients with haematological and breast cancer (1996–2009) who died of heart failure‐related causes after cancer therapy
Authors: Versace Vincent L. , Berry Narelle M. , Chowdhury Munir H. , Ullah Shahid , McCarthy Alexandra L. , Atherton John J. , Koczwara Bogda , Roder David , Clark Robyn A.
Published: July 2016

Aims

To describe the characteristics and time to death of patients with breast or haematological cancer who died of heart failure (HF) after cancer therapy. Patients with an index admission for HF who died of HF‐related causes (IAHF) and those with no index admission for HF who died of HF‐related causes (NIAHF) were compared.

Methods and results

We performed a linked data analysis of cancer registry, death registry, and hospital administration records (n = 15 987). Index HF admission must have occurred after cancer diagnosis. Of the 4894 patients who were deceased (30.6% of cohort), 734 died of HF‐related causes (50.1% female) of which 279 (38.0%) had at least one IAHF (41.9% female) post‐cancer diagnosis. Median age was 71 years [interquartile range (IQR) 62–78] for IAHF and 66 years (IQR 56–74) for NIAHF. There were fewer chemotherapy separations for IAHF patients (median = 4, IQR 2–9) compared with NIAHF patients (median = 6, IQR 2–12). Of the IAHF patients, 71% had died within 1 year of the index HF admission. There was no significant difference in HF‐related mortality in IAHF patients compared with NIAHF (HR, 1.10, 95% CI, 0.94–1.29, P = 0.225).

Conclusions

The profile of IAHF patients who died of HF‐related causes after cancer treatment matched the current profile of HF in the general population (over half were aged ≥70 years). However, NIAHF were younger (62% were aged ≤69 years), female patients with breast cancer that died of HF‐related causes before hospital admission for HF‐related causes—a group that may have been undiagnosed or undertreated until death.
Forest resampling for distributed sequential Monte Carlo
Authors: Lee Anthony , Whiteley Nick
Published: July 2016

This paper brings explicit considerations of distributed computing architectures and data structures into the rigorous design of Sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) methods. A theoretical result established recently by the authors shows that adapting interaction between particles to suitably control the effective sample size (ESS) is sufficient to guarantee stability of SMC algorithms. Our objective is to leverage this result and devise algorithms which are thus guaranteed to work well in a distributed setting. We make three main contributions to achieve this. First, we study mathematical properties of the ESS as a function of matrices and graphs that parameterize the interaction among particles. Secondly, we show how these graphs can be induced by tree data structures which model the logical network topology of an abstract distributed computing environment. Finally, we present efficient distributed algorithms that achieve the desired ESS control, perform resampling and operate on forests associated with these trees. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Statistical Analysis and Data Mining: The ASA Data Science Journal, 2015
Scatter matrix concordance as a diagnostic for regressions on subsets of data
Authors: Kane Michael J. , Lewis Bryan , Tatikonda Sekhar , Urbanek Simon
Published: July 2016

Linear regression models depend directly on the design matrix and its properties. Techniques that efficiently estimate model coefficients by partitioning rows of the design matrix are increasingly becoming popular for large‐scale problems because they fit well with modern parallel computing architectures. We propose a simple measure of concordance between a design matrix and a subset of its rows that estimates how well a subset captures the variance‐covariance structure of a larger data set. We illustrate the use of this measure in a heuristic method for selecting row partition sizes that balance statistical and computational efficiency goals in real‐world problems.
Sepsis-Induced Thymic Atrophy Is Associated with Defects in Early Lymphopoiesis
Authors: Kong Yaxian , Li Yajie , Zhang Weimei , Yuan Shaoxin , Winkler René , Kröhnert Ulrike , Han Junyan , Lin Tao , Zhou Yu , Miao Peng , Wang Beibei , Zhang Jianping , Yu Zhengya , Zhang Yu , Kosan Christian , Zeng Hui
Published: July 2016

Impaired T lymphopoiesis is associated with immunosuppression of the adaptive immune response and plays a role in the morbidity and mortality of patients and animal models of sepsis. Although previous studies examined several intrathymic mechanisms that negatively affect T lymphopoiesis, the extrathymic mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we report a dramatic decrease in the percentage of early T lineage progenitors (ETPs) in three models of sepsis in mice (cecal ligation and puncture, lipopolysaccharide continuous injection, and poly I:C continuous injection). However, septic mice did not show a decrease in the number of bone marrow (BM) precursor cells. Instead, the BM progenitors for ETPs expressed reduced mRNA levels of CC chemokine receptor (CCR) 7, CCR9 and P-selectin glycoprotein ligand 1, and exhibited impaired homing capacity in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, RNA-Seq analysis and real-time PCR showed a marked downregulation of several lymphoid-related genes in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells differentiated into myeloid cells but failed to generate T lymphocytes in vitro and in vivo. Our results indicate that the depletion of ETPs in septic mice might be a consequence of an impaired migration of BM progenitors to the thymus, as well as a defect in lymphoid lineage commitment.
Characterization of an evolved carotenoids hyper-producer of Saccharomyces cerevisiae through bioreactor parameter optimization and Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Olson Michelle L , Johnson James , Carswell William F , Reyes Luis H , Senger Ryan S , Kao Katy C
Published: July 2016

An evolutionary engineering approach for enhancing heterologous carotenoids production in an engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain was used previously to isolate several carotenoids hyper-producers from the evolved populations. β-Carotene production was characterized in the parental and one of the evolved carotenoids hyper-producers (SM14) using bench-top bioreactors to assess the impact of pH, aeration, and media composition on β-carotene production levels. The results show that with maintaining a low pH and increasing the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C:N) from 8.8 to 50 in standard YNB medium, a higher β-carotene production level at 25.52 ± 2.15 mg β-carotene g−1 (dry cell weight) in the carotenoids hyper-producer was obtained. The increase in C:N ratio also significantly increased carotenoids production in the parental strain by 298 % [from 5.68 ± 1.24 to 22.58 ± 0.11 mg β-carotene g−1 (dcw)]. In this study, it was shown that Raman spectroscopy is capable of monitoring β-carotene production in these cultures. Raman spectroscopy is adaptable to large-scale fermentations and can give results in near real-time. Furthermore, we found that Raman spectroscopy was also able to measure the relative lipid compositions and protein content of the parental and SM14 strains at two different C:N ratios in the bioreactor. The Raman analysis showed a higher total fatty acid content in the SM14 compared with the parental strain and that an increased C:N ratio resulted in significant increase in total fatty acid content of both strains. The data suggest a positive correlation between the yield of β-carotene per biomass and total fatty acid content of the cell.