bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
TGF-β regulates LARG and GEF-H1 during EMT to affect stiffening response to force and cell invasion
Authors: Osborne Lukas D. , Li George Z. , How Tam , O'Brien E. Tim , Blobe Gerard C. , Superfine Richard , Mythreye Karthikeyan
Published: August 2014

Recent studies implicate a role for cell mechanics in cancer progression. The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) regulates the detachment of cancer cells from the epithelium and facilitates their invasion into stromal tissue. Although classic EMT hallmarks include loss of cell–cell adhesions, morphology changes, and increased invasion capacity, little is known about the associated mechanical changes. Previously, force application on integrins has been shown to initiate cytoskeletal rearrangements that result in increased cell stiffness and a stiffening response. Here we demonstrate that transforming growth factor β (TGF-β)–induced EMT results in decreased stiffness and loss of the normal stiffening response to force applied on integrins. We find that suppression of the RhoA guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) LARG and GEF-H1 through TGF-β/ALK5–enhanced proteasomal degradation mediates these changes in cell mechanics and affects EMT-associated invasion. Taken together, our results reveal a functional connection between attenuated stiffness and stiffening response and the increased invasion capacity acquired after TGF-β–induced EMT.
Passive and impersonal reflexives in the Italian dialects
Authors: Cennamo Michela
Published: August 2014

This chapter discusses passive and impersonal reflexives in contemporary and early Italo-Romance varieties. Synchronic and diachronic data (drawn from northern, central, and southern dialects, and from Sardinian) are used to throw light on the controversial theoretical status of the first person plural clitic ci and the reflexive morpheme si in impersonal patterns. The evidence points to ci as an indefinite pronoun with an existential (inclusive/non-inclusive) interpretation, and reveals the existence of two types of si, belonging to different grammatical domains, respectively reflexive-passive and impersonal, which result from two different diachronic paths. The former is related to voice, the latter to changes in the encoding of the anaphoric system in the transition from Latin to Romance.
On the personal infinitive in Sicilian
Authors: Bentley Delia
Published: August 2014

This chapter discusses the personal infinitive in Sicilian, taking a comparative and diachronic perspective. It is pointed out that this structure, which is characterized by a nominative subject, has properties which are comparable to those of the inflected infinitive (it occurs in clausal domains) and of the personal infinitive in other Romance languages (it is not found in obligatory control domains). A distinction is drawn between a conservative dependent-marking structure in early Sicilian, where the infinitive occurs in bare subject and object complement clauses, and an innovative head-marking structure, where the infinitive occurs in adverbial purpose or causal clauses. Whilst the former structure is well-attested in the early texts, but subsequently lost, the latter has evolved into a switch-referencing strategy in modern Sicilian. Complement clauses with a personal infinitive require a complementizer in modern Sicilian, and appear not to be a direct development of the conservative structure of the early texts.
The evolution of Italo-Romance clitic clusters
Authors: Pescarini Diego
Published: August 2014

The chapter focuses on the diachronic evolution of pronominal clitic sequences, and argues for a correlation between morphophonological irregularities and the change that reversed the order of clitic elements from accusative-dative in earlier stages to dative-accusative in modern varieties. Once that reversal had taken place, clitic clusters began to exhibit a series of morphophonological irregularities: i) the 3rd person dative clitic in cluster-initial position began to undergo suppletion; ii) the vowel in cluster-internal position was turned into -e, as in lo mi becoming me lo ‘it to me’; iii) the plural affix -s, if present, began to occur in cluster-final position, regardless of the position of the plural clitic. Building on Kayne 1994, it is argued that these changes result from the left-adjunction of the dative clitic onto another clitic. The proposal is supported by synchronic evidence from restructuring and doubling.
‘Why is your axe bloody?’
Authors: Miller William Ian
Published: August 2014

Njáls saga is acknowledged as the greatest of the Icelandic sagas, and it rightly deserves acclaim as one of the great masterpieces of all time. The author’s reading reveals not only the saga’s sublime artistry, but also its pragmatic and tough-minded analysis of the complex tactics and strategies that inform feud and law. Unforgettable fully-rounded characters abound—their motives, their inner lives subtly revealed by a narrator who describes motive and psychology in a way that mirrors how we understand them in our own lives: not by magical access into a person’s head, but by close observation of what they do, says, and how and when they do or say it. Nothing previously written even approaches the nuances of thought and action that the author shows to be right there in the text. His book makes the law accessible, and demonstrates how the saga reveals the economic constraints that limit or finance conflict. The author’s writing style entertains as well as instructs.
The Two Thorgeirs and Death of Gunnar: Chapters 67–77
Authors: Miller William Ian
Published: August 2014

The enemies of Gunnar unite and kill him, after Gunnar fails to honour a settlement in which he was required to leave Iceland for three years. The chapter discusses the various literary techniques the author employs, some eerily cinematographic, when Gunnar violates both prongs of Njal’s advice, others involving word-play. The dishonour of being known as a settlement breaker, griðnìðingr, and the refusal of Gunnar’s brother to be so called, even if it means leaving forever home and kin, is discussed. There is focus on the powerful presentation of Gunnar’s last stand and on Gunnar’s strange lack of self-knowledge. Questions regarding Hallgerd’s hair are touched on, but postponed to the end.
The Atlantic Interlude and Hrapp: Chapters 82–9
Authors: Miller William Ian
Published: August 2014

This chapter considers the action with the Hrapp, the roguish show-stealer, who upstages Grim and Helgi Njalsson, who are irrevocably unable to transcend being sidekicks. Hrapp provides an interesting study in comparison with Gunnar, and the text signals the points of comparison. The chapter argues that the way the author handles down time in the saga is a real tour de force, showing that his genius is no less stunning in the comic mode than in the heroic and tragic modes. There is also focus on the emergence of Thrain as the leader of the Sigfussons, which signals their desire to distance themselves from the Njal group: the Njalssons bring Kari back with them.
Conversion and the Genius of the Law: Chapters 100–6
Authors: Miller William Ian
Published: August 2014

The writer retards the action to link grand national events to his tale. The chapter argues that this episode is pivotal in that it forces the reader to make before-and-after comparisons, rather overtly signalled by the writer, of pre-Christian courses of the feud with feuding ways after. Things were not great before, but after they get worse from the standpoint of keeping violence reasonably manageable. The rules constraining the feud are put under stresses they can no longer handle after the Conversion. The brilliance of Thorgeir the Lawspeaker’s ruling leading Christianity into their law is discussed.
Preparation for the Next Althing: Chapters 132–7
Authors: Miller William Ian
Published: August 2014

This chapter deals with the importance of support-mustering to politics and legal action as well as to the narrative structure of the saga. Flosi, tired of visiting people to ask for their support, decides foolishly instead to muster further enmity by visiting Asgrim in what appears to be a highly ritualized form of forced hospitality. We are given rich details of how to construct the protocols of asking for aid, and to what extent it can be begged for and borrowed. We also see, in Flosi’s forcing himself on Asgrim’s hospitality, just how close symbolically, and often in reality, visiting is to attacking, hospitality a placating of implicit hostility.
Kari and Friends: Chapters 145–55
Authors: Miller William Ian
Published: August 2014

This chapter is an attempt to come to terms with Kari’s excessive revenge while the narrator cheers him on, the cheering substantially undercut by the author’s treatment of Thorgeir Skorargeir, and especially of the superb characterization of Bjorn of Mork. Flosi’s strange obsession with Kari is discussed, as again is Flosi’s troubled and complex character. Kari's sense of proper balance in the feud is broken. He understands exactly how properly to repay a favor, but not what the measure is for getting proportionality right when he feels wronged. That he is an outsider of sorts in many respects is subtly depicted/
Baladeva's Govindabhāṣya
Authors: Okita Kiyokazu
Published: August 2014

This chapter traces the development of Gauḍīya Theology in the eighteenth century by focusing on Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa's magnum opus the Govindabhāṣya, which is a commentary on the Brahmasūtras. As shown in Chapter 3, Jīva Gosvāmī, the founding father of Gauḍīya theology, offers a system significantly different from the one taught by Madhva. Nevertheless, the Gauḍīyas claimed their affiliation with the Madhva school under pressure from Jaisingh's religious policy discussed in Chapter 1. The current chapter analyses Baladeva's view on important topics such as the cause of the world and the nature of ultimate reality, and traces the influence on his works of earlier Hindu theologians such as Śaṇkara, Rāmānuja, Madhva, and Jīva. Based on a detailed textual analysis, this chapter concludes that Baladeva uses the material of the earlier authors, including Madhva, in order to rearticulate Jīva's theology.
The Fell Legacy 1686–1755
Authors: Kilburn Matthew
Published: August 2014

This chapter considers the role of Fell's successors, including Henry Aldrich and Arthur Charlett, in the management of the Press, their relationship with the University, and the University's relationship with the Crown. As the conflicts between the University of Oxford and the Stationers' Company and King's Printers in London over the printing of Bibles and other privileged items grew more heated, the University was called upon to defend its privilege and its appointed printers. Eventually, the dispute was settled when the University agreed to accept payments not to print certain texts; these arrangements were later clarified and standardized, leading to greater, more regular income for the Delegates. The chapter also considers the publication of the Oxford Almanack and Clarendon's History of the Rebellion, and discusses the political and financial reasons for the naming of the Clarendon Printing House, the new home for Bible and learned presses in Oxford.
The Blackstone Reforms 1755–1780
Authors: Kilburn Matthew
Published: August 2014

By the mid-eighteenth century the working practices and management of the Press were again in need of reform, as evidenced by an inquiry launched by William Blackstone, who became a Delegate of the Press in 1755. Blackstone suggested changes to price structures, rates of pay for workers, record keeping, and a reformed Delegacy who would more closely oversee the finances and publications of the Press. New types were ordered and the quality of production improved; the re-animated press began to establish again its reputation for authoritative classical texts. As sales of Bibles increased greater competition among printers led to larger sums paid to the Delegates for the lease of the privilege to publish them, but legal challenges to the privilege covering almanacs and Bibles and to perpetual copyright involved Oxford, Cambridge, and the Stationers' Company in costly court proceedings, and necessitated the complete reorganization of the Bible Press in 1780.
The Learned Press: Geography, Science, and Mathematics
Authors: Feola Vittoria , Mandelbrote Scott
Published: August 2014

This chapter surveys works on the natural and physical sciences, geography and mathematics, and discusses how from the mid-seventeenth century new scholarship worked to capitalize on the opportunities provided by the emerging press and analyzes the difficulties of publishing and selling such material. The work of Robert Plot, first keeper of the Ashmolean Museum and secretary of the Royal Society, and John Wallis, the first president of the Philisophical Society, established the Learned Press as a centre of scientific publishing. The chapter focuses on books concerned with the history and investigation of the natural world, providing detailed accounts of their inception and publication and considering their wider scholarly significance. The scientific endeavours of the Press are situated in the wider context of English and, more significantly, Dutch and other European scientific publications.
The Learned Press: Divinity
Authors: Poole William
Published: August 2014

The majority of the officers of the Press and of the university were theologians, and although they were often widely read and actively involved in the research and teaching of other subjects, divinity remained a primary interest of the Delegates and theological works featured prominently in the publications of the Learned Press. These works included collections of sermons, systematic theology, polemic theology, some devotional material, polyglot and variorum texts and a few editions of the church fathers. Many of these works proved difficult to sell, and some were complicated by difficulties of production due to the unusual types required for printing and specialized readers needed for proofing. Throughout, the Press maintained a conservative Anglican outlook, upholding both theological and ecclesiastical orthodoxy in the midst of religious conflict.
The efficient coding principle
Authors: Zhaoping Li
Published: August 2014

Starting with a brief introduction to information theory, this chapter describes in detail the proposal that visual encoding in the early stages of the visual pathway aims to extract as much information as possible about visual inputs using limited neural resources—the efficient coding principle. Through examples and case studies, this principle is applied to understand physiological data on input sampling and neural receptive fields in the retina and the primary visual cortex (V1), and to understand the consequent behavioral sensitivities to visual inputs. In particular, this principle is applied to understand spatial coding, temporal coding, stereo coding, and color coding, as well as how visual coding in these different dimensions interact with each other and how the coding adapts to input environment. Predictions from this principle and their experimental tests are presented.
V1 and information coding
Authors: Zhaoping Li
Published: August 2014

This chapter discusses the difficulties in understanding the primary visual cortex (V1) by the role of efficient encoding of visual information. It shows that the redundancy in visual input is mainly in the second order, rather than the higher order, statistics of visual inputs, and that the higher order, rather than the second order, redundancy contains much of the useful information about visual objects in the scene. Since much of the second order redundancy is removed by the efficient visual encoding in the retina, this chapter argues that that V1, the largest cortical area in the brain, with an overcomplete representation of visual inputs in its neural responses, is unlikely to be devoted to further increasing the encoding efficiency by removing the higher order redundancy. It thus argues that V1 must be serving some other important function in vision.
Epilogue
Authors: Zhaoping Li
Published: August 2014

Limitations in our current understanding of vision are highlighted. It is argued that vision, with its unprecedented abundance of experimental data—physiological, anatomical, and behavioral—and many open questions to be asked and answered, provides a fertile ground for productive research to understand the brain. A computational approach that emphasizes the importance of experimental data for inspiration and verifications of ideas is strongly advocated.
Phylogeny reconstruction: overview
Authors: Yang Ziheng
Published: August 2014

This chapter introduces basic concepts related to phylogenetic trees such as rooted and unrooted trees, consensus trees and partition distance, species trees, and gene trees. It discusses general features of tree reconstruction methods, including exhaustive and heuristic tree searches, local optima in the tree space, and tree rearrangement algorithms such as nearest neighbour interchange (NNI), subtree pruning and regrafting (SPR), and tree bisection and reconnection (TBR). The chapter also discusses distance (UPGMA (Unweighted Pair-Group Method using Arithmetic Averages), least squares, and neighbour joining) and parsimony methods of phylogeny reconstruction.
Bayesian computation (MCMC)
Authors: Yang Ziheng
Published: August 2014

This chapter provides a detailed introduction to modern Bayesian computation. The Metropolis–Hastings algorithm is illustrated using a simple example of distance estimation between two sequences. A number of generic Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) proposal moves are described, and the calculation of their proposal ratios is illustrated. The chapter discusses the convergence rate of the Markov chain as well as its mixing efficiency, as influenced by the MCMC proposal. The chapter also illustrates several advanced MCMC algorithms, including parallel tempering (Metropolis-coupled MCMC or MCMCMC) which uses heated chains to improve mixing when there are multiple local peaks on the posterior surface, reversible jump MCMC (rjMCMC) which is used in trans-model and trans-dimensional inference, and calculation of the Bayes factor used in Bayesian model selection.
Coalescent theory and species trees
Authors: Yang Ziheng
Published: August 2014

This chapter introduces Kingman’s coalescent process, which describes the genealogical relationships within a sample of DNA sequences taken from a population, and forms the basis for likelihood-based inference methods using such data. The simple case of Bayesian estimation of the population size parameter theta using a DNA sample is discussed to illustrate the basic features of Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) inference algorithms. The chapter then discusses the use of parametric and nonparametric demographic models of population size change to infer the past demographic history of a species. The multispecies coalescent model, which extends the single-population coalescent to multiple populations, is introduced with examples. This is then used as the general framework for estimating parameters such as species divergence times and ancestral population sizes, for inferring the species tree from multiple genetic loci despite the existence of conflicting gene trees, for estimating migration rates between populations, and for delimiting species using multi-locus DNA sequence data.
What are sexes, and why are there sexes?
Authors: Beukeboom Leo W. , Perrin Nicolas
Published: August 2014

Sex and genders occupy a central place in the human mind and have a long history of alternative interpretations throughout human cultures. Although intimately linked to reproduction in animals and other multicellular eukaryotes, sex is fundamentally not a reproductive process. This chapter first discusses what sex is and why it evolved, arguing that it is best defined by the presence of meiosis, that it might have originated as a DNA-repair mechanism, and is likely maintained by indirect benefits stemming from recombination.We then present the several kinds of mating categories (mating types, sexes, genders, self-incompatibility systems), discussing their similarities and differences, and the reasons why they exist. We introduce the concepts of sex-ratio selection and sexual selection, which are arguably the main evolutionary forces underlying the dynamics of sex-determination systems. Finally, this chapter we argues against the traditional distinction between sex determination and primary sex differentiation, defining sex determination as the whole process that leads, from undifferentiated gonads or meristems, to the development of differentiated reproductive organs. This broad definition widens the scope of our book, to also include, for example, sex differentiation in simultaneous and sequential hermaphrodites.
Transitions among sex-determination systems
Authors: Beukeboom Leo W. , Perrin Nicolas
Published: August 2014

Transitions among sex-determination systems and mechanisms are manifold and surprisingly frequent. The ultimate causes for such transitions are classified in three main categories: i) neutral processes, ii) fitness differences between sex phenotypes (stemming e.g. from sexually antagonistic mutations or accumulating mutational load), and iii) sex-ratio selection, arguably the most important evolutionary force triggering transitions. Sex-ratio selection may result from changes in population structure or environmental conditions, or from conflicts between genetic elements. Intergenomic conflicts may arise from differences between parents and offspring over optimal sex allocation, and intragenomic conflicts from differences in inheritance modes. The latter may have led to the control of sex determination by endosymbiotic microbes, and ensuing evolution towards haplodiploidy. Open questions in this area include why turnover rates differ between lineages, whether particular sex-determination systems are more labile and some transitions more likely to occur, and whether particular chromosome pairs are more likely to evolve into sex chromosomes. It is argued that experimental evolution approaches offer a promising way forward.
Individual behaviour: behavioural ecology meets quantitative genetics
Authors: Dingemanse Niels J. , Dochtermann Ned A.
Published: August 2014

Emerging interest on the part of behavioural ecologists into the causes and consequences of individually repeatable behaviour substantially crosses over methodology and theory well developed in the field of quantitative genetics. Unfortunately, how behavioural ecological concepts translate to quantitative genetic parameters has been under-recognized by researchers in both groups. In this chapter, this overlap is discussed, behavioural ecology terms like ‘animal personality’ and ‘behavioural syndrome’ explicitly defined as quantitative genetic parameters, and adaptive explanations for between-individual behavioural variation are also examined. In addition, this chapter talks about what is known about patterns of behavioural heritabilities, additive genetic correlations between behaviours, and how behavioural correlations might constrain evolutionary responses. Finally, this chapter describes ways in which theory and empirical research in behavioural ecology might inform attempts among the broader quantitative genetics community to understand how and why variation is distributed.
Molecular quantitative genetics
Authors: Jensen Henrik , Szulkin Marta , Slate Jon
Published: August 2014

Recent development of high-throughput genomics tools has made it possible and affordable to examine the molecular basis of variation in quantitative traits in studies of non-model species in the wild. High-density single nucleotide polymorphism data and genome sequences provide promising methodological advances complementing and strengthening traditional quantitative genetic analyses from long-term pedigrees. This chapter, discusses how high-density genomic data can be used to determine the actual or realised genetic relationship between relatives, which then can be accounted for in further analyses to improve estimates of quantitative genetic parameters, perhaps even without the need to construct a pedigree. Furthermore, this chapter suggests how combining long-term field data with high-density genomic data, to carry out genome-wide association studies or genomic predictions of phenotypes, can provide important insight into the genetic architecture and evolutionary dynamics of fitness-related traits. Empirical results thus far provide good support for the notion that most quantitative genetic traits studied in wild populations have a highly polygenic basis; a key assumption of quantitative genetic analyses. This chapter also discusses how high-density genomic data can be used to identify past signatures of selection in genetic data that can be further compared to loci currently responsible for variation in individual fitness. Finally, this chapter presents some important issues to consider when sampling, storing and preparing DNA for high-throughput genomics analyses. The application of high-throughput genomics tools in quantitative genetic studies of non-model species in the wild shows great promise to increase understanding of ecological and evolutionary processes in natural populations.
Bayesian approaches to the quantitative genetic analysis of natural populations
Authors: Morrissey Michael B. , de Villemereuil Pierre , Doligez Blandine , Gimenez Olivier
Published: August 2014

Bayesian statistics provides a flexible set of tools for analysis of empirical data. This chapter focuses primarily on how flexible Bayesian tools, especially Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms, are particularly amenable to statistical inference of quantitative genetic parameters in the wild. First, this chapter takes a practical tour of a simple quantitative genetic analysis—estimation of a heritability—by setting up quantitative genetic models in the BUGS statistical programming language. No prior familiarity with the particular software is necessary, and following these analyses through should go some way to demystifying some aspects of ‘what goes on under the hood’. This chapter then discusses three ways in which the flexibility of Bayesian tools can be used to make quantitative genetic inferences of complex data from natural populations. These examples in no way provide a comprehensive list of ways that Bayesian methods can contribute to wild quantitative genetics, but together serve to outline a range of the benefits afforded.
Evolutionary dynamics in response to climate change
Authors: Gienapp Phillip , Brommer Jon E.
Published: August 2014

Environmental changes lead to new or altered selection pressures and possibly also to changes in expressed genetic (co)variances. Understanding the resulting evolutionary dynamics is important for predicting possible negative impacts of environmental change for populations and species. Consequently, knowledge of how climate change affects selection and the genetic variation in important traits is crucial in this context. However, the molecular genetics of relevant traits potentially affected by climate change are currently not well known and quantitative genetic approaches offer a possibility to gain insight into this. The aim of this chapter is to illustrate how quantitative genetic approaches can be used to address these questions in the wild, for example by estimating phenotypic plasticity and genetic variation in relevant traits and also by disentangling genetic and phenotypic trends with the help of breeding values. This chapter provides an overview of current evidence as well as an outlook on possible future directions.
Future tense vs. future time: An introduction
Authors: Brabanter Philippe De , Kissine Mikhail , Sharifzadeh Saghie
Published: August 2014

This chapter lays bare some of the difficulties and intricacies that often remain implicit in the literature on future tense(s). After outlining some foundational issues concerning the definition of ‘tense’ as distinct from ‘aspect’ and ‘modality’, this chapter examines criteria for deciding if a given language has a future tense. More fundamentally, the chapter considers whether there is justification for the very category of ‘future tense’ as part of the linguist’s descriptive repertoire. To achieve these goals, the chapter reviews some of the relevant literature from such fields as traditional linguistics, formal semantics, and the philosophy of language and also assesses to what extent work in cognitive psychology confirms that referring to future time is in essence different from referring to the past. The chapter concludes by explaining why a book such as Future Times, Future Tenses is timely, and by sketching all the contributions to the volume.
Talking about the future: Unsettled truth and assertion
Authors: Stojanovic Isidora
Published: August 2014

Philosophers have long been concerned with the issue of whether or not the notions of truth and falsity apply to future contingents, that is, to statements that express future events that have not been determined yet and thus may not happen. There are several frameworks that (arguably) provide a satisfactory account of the truth conditions of future tensed sentences, but there have been few accounts of the assertability conditions for such statements. The question therefore remains: under which conditions should one assert that some event will happen, if the universe is indeterministic and its current state leaves it open whether the event at stake will indeed happen. The chapter first explains the problem that future contingents raise for natural language semantics and introduces four frameworks that rely upon the idea of “branching time”. These frameworks are compared and evaluated in the second section. The final section discusses a puzzle that turns upon the assertability of future-tensed sentences.
The riddle of ‘future tense’ in Polish
Authors: Błaszczak Joanna , Jabłońska Patrycja , Klimek-Jankowska Dorota , Migdalski Krzysztof
Published: August 2014

In Polish two types of constructions express future time reference: a ‘simple future’ (SF) and a ‘periphrastic future’ (PF). These two seemingly simple constructions raise four complex questions concerning their syntax, semantics, and diachrony: What is the syntactic structure of future constructions in Polish? Why does Polish have two variants of the periphrastic future (one with an l-participle as a complement of the future auxiliary będzie and another with an infinitive as a complement of będzie)? (More specifically, can the fact that at some point in the history of Polish the two variants developed be attributed to the semantics of these forms, or should it be treated as a diachronic accident?) How is future reference obtained in the Polish future constructions? Assuming that there is the same mechanism for securing future time reference both in SF and PF, what then is the difference between SF and PF?
Consistent Testing of Functional Form in Time Series Models
Authors: Davidson James , Halunga Andreea G.
Published: August 2014

We develop a consistent procedure for testing the adequacy of parametric time series models. The approach is to extend Herman Bierens’s idea of examining the covariances between regression residuals and an exponential weight function, to check the full range of orthogonalities predicted for the score contributions in quasi-maximum likelihood estimation. Tests of this type, which involve nuisance parameters, are constructed as either "sup"ed or integrated conditional moment tests, and are often implemented using bootstrap methods. However, our emphasis in this study is on practical implementation. We study a two-statistic approach that aims to exploit the available power while keeping computing requirements to a minimum.
Linearity Testing for Trending Data with an Application of the Wild Bootstrap
Authors: Kruse Robinson , Sandberg Rickard
Published: August 2014

This chapter presents new linearity tests in smooth transition logistic time series models allowing for parameter instability. Building on work by Lundbergh and Teräsvirta (2003), Vogelsang (1998), and Harvey and Leybourne (2007), our linearity tests are constructed in such a way that they do not depend on the order of integration of the time series under consideration. As an important practical implication, this means that critical values from standard distributions can be used when testing for linearity, regardless of whether the process is linear I(0) or linear I(1). In fact, for many macroeconomic and financial time series, it is not evident whether a linear I(0) or linear I(1) process a priori should serve as the null hypothesis. Asymptotic properties of the tests are studied and consistency is shown. Monte Carlo simulations shed light on the tests’ empirical performance in finite samples. The tests, as well as its heteroskedasticity-robust wild bootstrap versions, are applied to 43 macroeconomic and financial US time series. Evidence of both nonlinearities and structural changes is found.
Semi-Automatic Nonlinear Model Selection
Authors: Castle Jennifer L. , Hendry David F.
Published: August 2014

We consider model selection for nonlinear dynamic equations with more candidate variables than observations, based on a general class of nonlinear-in-the-variables functions, addressing possible location shifts by impulse-indicator saturation. After an automatic search delivers a simplified congruent terminal model, an encompassing test can be implemented against an investigator’s preferred nonlinear function. When that is nonlinear in the parameters, such as a threshold model, the overall approach can only be semi-automatic. The method is applied to re-analyze an empirical model of real wages in the UK over 1860–2004, updated and extended to 2005–2011 for forecast evaluation.
Fluid Dynamics
Authors: Ruban Anatoly I. , Gajjar Jitesh S. B.
Published: August 2014

This book, the first of a four-part series on fluid dynamics, consists of four chapters on classical theory suitable for an introductory undergraduate course. Chapter 1 discusses the continuum hypothesis and introduces macroscopic functions. The forces acting inside a fluid are analysed, and the Navier–Stokes equations are derived for incompressible and compressible fluids. Chapter 2 studies the properties of flows represented by exact solutions of the Navier–Stokes equations, including Couette flow between two parallel plates, Hagen–Poiseuille flow through a pipe, and Kármán flow above an infinite rotating disk. Chapter 3 deals with inviscid incompressible flows, starting with a discussion of integrals of the Euler equations, the Bernoulli integral, and the Cauchy–Lagrange integral. Kelvin’s Circulation Theorem is proved, and used to identify physical situations where a flow can be treated as potential. Attention is principally directed at two-dimensional potential flows. These can be described in terms of a complex potential, allowing the full power of the theory of functions of a complex variable to be used. The method of conformal mapping is introduced and used to study various flows, including flow past Joukovskii aerofoils. Chapter 4 introduces the elements of gasdynamics, describing compressible flows of a perfect gas, including supersonic flows. Particular attention is paid to the theory of characteristics, which is used, for example, to analyse Prandtl–Meyer flow over a body surface bend and a corner. Shock waves are discussed and the chapter concludes with analysis of unsteady flows, including the theory of blast waves.
Are Women Better Bankers to the Poor? Evidence from Rural Microfinance Institutions
Authors: Hartarska Valentina , Nadolnyak Denis , Mersland Roy
Published: August 2014

Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) provide financial services to the poor and in many ways resemble both banks and non‐profit organizations. Many MFIs target women because more women than men are poor, especially in rural areas. Studies show that women manage money differently from men and have different leadership styles. Thus, in credit unions and financial firms, female and male managers achieve different results. In microfinance, gender diversity on the board of MFIs is beneficial, and loans authorized by female loan officers have lower default rates. Motivated by these findings, we ask whether MFIs with a female Chief Executive Officer (CEO) are more efficient at serving the poor without jeopardizing financial sustainability. We adapt the banking approach to managerial (in)efficiency to account for the outreach and sustainability goals of the MFIs, and evaluate whether MFIs' outreach efficiency differs by the gender of their respective CEOs. We estimate a stochastic frontier cost function using the Battese‐Coelli (1995) model and the “true” random effects estimators using panel data from over 250 MFIs. We find that MFIs with female CEOs have significantly higher outreach efficiency than MFIs with male CEOs. Similar results are found with a two‐step stochastic frontier approach. Overall, the results suggest that promoting gender diversity at the top levels of MFI management is likely to have both social and financial benefits.
The Efficacy of Palonosetron Plus Dexamethasone in Preventing Chemoradiotherapy-induced Nausea and Emesis in Patients Receiving Daily Low-dose Cisplatin-based Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy for Uterine Cervical Cancer
Authors: Mitsuhashi Akira , Usui Hirokazu , Nishikimi Kyoko , Yamamoto Noriko , Hanawa Shinsuke , Tate Shinichi , Watanabe-Nemoto Miho , Uno Takashi , Shozu Makio
Published: August 2014

Objectives:

The prevention of chemotherapy-induced and radiotherapy-induced emesis is recommended by several guidelines; however, there are no evidence-based recommendations for the use of antiemetics in concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of antiemetic therapy comprising palonosetron and dexamethasone during CCRT.

Methods:

This is a nonrandomized, prospective, single-center, open phase II study.

Twenty-six consecutive patients with cervical carcinoma were treated with daily low-dose cisplatin (8 mg/m2/d)-based CCRT (2 Gy/d, 25 fractions, 5 times a week). All patients received 0.75 mg of palonosetron on day 1 of each week and 4 mg of oral dexamethasone daily. The primary endpoint was the percentage of patients achieving a complete response, which was defined as no emetic episodes and no antiemetic rescue medication during treatment.

Results:

Planned daily low-dose cisplatin-based CCRT was successful without delay or interruption in 46% (12/26) of the patients. The mean dose of total cisplatin was 184 (range, 136 to 200) mg/m2.

No patient vomited during the treatment period. The complete response rate during CCRT was 100%. A total of 81% patients were completely free from nausea. All patients tolerated the combination of palonosetron and dexamethasone and completed the scheduled regimen. Five patients exhibited grade 1 Cushingoid features that resolved after treatment.

Conclusions:

Antiemetic therapy comprising palonosetron and dexamethasone provided complete protection from nausea and vomiting in patients with cervical cancer receiving daily low-dose cisplatin-based CCRT.
Protein folding and binding can emerge as evolutionary spandrels through structural coupling
Authors: Manhart Michael , Morozov Alexandre V.
Published: August 2014

Binding interactions between proteins and other molecules mediate numerous cellular processes, including metabolism, signaling, and regulation of gene expression. These interactions evolve in response to changes in the protein’s chemical or physical environment (such as the addition of an antibiotic), or when genes duplicate and diverge. Several recent studies have shown the importance of folding stability in constraining protein evolution. Here we investigate how structural coupling between protein folding and binding–the fact that most proteins can only bind their targets when folded–gives rise to evolutionary coupling between the traits of folding stability and binding strength. Using biophysical and evolutionary modeling, we show how these protein traits can emerge as evolutionary “spandrels” even if they do not confer an intrinsic fitness advantage. In particular, proteins can evolve strong binding interactions that have no functional role but merely serve to stabilize the protein if misfolding is deleterious. Furthermore, such proteins may have divergent fates, evolving to bind or not bind their targets depending on random mutation events. These observations may explain the abundance of apparently nonfunctional interactions among proteins observed in high-throughput assays. In contrast, for proteins with both functional binding and deleterious misfolding, evolution may be highly predictable at the level of biophysical traits: adaptive paths are tightly constrained to first gain extra folding stability and then partially lose it as the new binding function is developed. These findings have important consequences for our understanding of fundamental evolutionary principles of both natural and engineered proteins.
Oxidative Stress Contributes to Autophagy Induction in Response to Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
Authors: Pérez-Martín Marta , Pérez-Pérez María Esther , Lemaire Stéphane D. , Crespo José L.
Published: August 2014

The accumulation of unfolded/misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) results in the activation of stress responses, such as the unfolded protein response or the catabolic process of autophagy to ultimately recover cellular homeostasis. ER stress also promotes the production of reactive oxygen species, which play an important role in autophagy regulation. However, it remains unknown whether reactive oxygen species are involved in ER stress-induced autophagy. In this study, we provide evidence connecting redox imbalance caused by ER stress and autophagy activation in the model unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Treatment of C. reinhardtii cells with the ER stressors tunicamycin or dithiothreitol resulted in up-regulation of the expression of genes encoding ER resident endoplasmic reticulum oxidoreductin1 oxidoreductase and protein disulfide isomerases. ER stress also triggered autophagy in C. reinhardtii based on the protein abundance, lipidation, cellular distribution, and mRNA levels of the autophagy marker ATG8. Moreover, increases in the oxidation of the glutathione pool and the expression of oxidative stress-related genes were detected in tunicamycin-treated cells. Our results revealed that the antioxidant glutathione partially suppressed ER stress-induced autophagy and decreased the toxicity of tunicamycin, suggesting that oxidative stress participates in the control of autophagy in response to ER stress in C. reinhardtii In close agreement, we also found that autophagy activation by tunicamycin was more pronounced in the C. reinhardtii sor1 mutant, which shows increased expression of oxidative stress-related genes.
Bait pricing: evaluating the success of regulatory reform in advertising
Authors: Kupke Valerie , Rossini Peter , Kershaw Paul
Published: August 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of this legislative reform in the state of South Australia (SA) through an examination of the relationship between listed or advertised price and transaction prices before and after the changes in regulation. Between 2000 and 2008, legislative changes took place throughout Australia to make real-estate transactions more transparent and to deal with misleading conduct by real-estate agents. The practice of “charm” or “bait” pricing was targeted. This denotes the under-quoting of estimated selling prices in real-estate sale advertisements which can be considered deceptive or even fraudulent.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study area is Adelaide, the state capital of SA and includes analysis of first and last advertised prices and eventual selling price for > 120,000 residential sales transactions over a nine-year period between 2003 and 2011. The analysis to test these hypotheses included, first, a descriptive evaluation of the percentage price difference over time and a spatial breakdown of mean percentage price difference before and after legislation. Second, for each hypothesis, the change was tested by measuring the variance of the percentage change, with significance established through the Levene and Brown–Forsythe tests, rather than by the mean percentage change.

Findings

– The results, both descriptive and statistical, support the effectiveness of the reform in legislation.

Research limitations/implications

– The study has application in terms of agents as social gatekeepers and confirms the role of regulation to ensure market values are achieved and consumers not disadvantaged. With friction in the market, imperfect information and the possible behavioural responses of land agents, there may be incomplete market correction of underpricing strategies. This paper confirms the effectiveness of one such market intervention.

Social implications

– Some half a million dwellings are purchased in Australia every year. Annually, in the state of SA, some 53,000 dwellings are financed to be purchased or built. These levels of purchase reflect national home ownership rates of about 69 per cent, with some 33 per cent of Australians owning their houses outright and a growing number, some 36 per cent, owners with a mortgage. Australian households also move house relatively frequently. In 2008, 43 per cent of Australians reported moving in the previous 5 years, 15 per cent had moved 3 or more times. The most common reasons for moving were twofold, either to buy a house or to buy a bigger house. These levels of purchase, home ownership and mobility underpin the importance and viability of some 10,000 real-estate services businesses in Australia; a sector which, up to 2,000, was largely self-regulated.

Originality/value

– This paper is one of the first in Australia to effectively quantify the success of legislative reform on residential agency behaviour.
Why multi-owned housing owners are dissatisfied with the service provided by their management companies in New Zealand
Authors: Levy Deborah , Sim Quan-Hui
Published: August 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of paper is to investigate the dissatisfaction and what specifically prompts multi-owned housing owners to change their body corporate management provider. Globally there has been a substantial growth reported in the number of residents living in multi-owned housing in recent years. There is increasing evidence that residents in these developments are experiencing dissatisfaction and frustration especially with the service received from their body corporate management company.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper includes a review of both the body corporate literature and customer switching literature which serves to inform the research. The investigation takes the form of a qualitative study comprising eight in-depth one-to-one interviews with residential body corporate owners who have recently switched to an alternative body corporate management provider.

Findings

– The dissatisfaction experienced by body corporate owners leading them to change management companies bears a close similarity to the retail banking industry. The interviews record highly emotive responses from interviewees and the desire for an improved quality of service and better value for money from their service provider. These findings allow a deeper understanding of the outcome of studies that have been carried out previously in England and New Zealand.

Practical implications

– The findings will assist directors of body corporate companies, property management and real-estate companies to understand the needs and wants of their clients and may also benefit property developers in their selection of a body corporate management company and legislators in providing a suitable legal framework.

Originality/value

– This paper provides in-depth insights into switching behaviour within the context of body corporate management companies which has not before been published within academic journals.