bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does environmental, social and governance performance influence intellectual capital disclosure tone in integrated reporting?
Authors: Beretta Valentina , Demartini Chiara , Trucco Sara
Published: December 2018

Purpose

The integrated reporting framework seeks to connect a firm’s financial and non-financial performance in a single report by displaying how different forms of capital contribute to the firm’s value creation. Drawing on impression management and incremental information approaches, the purpose of this paper is to examine how the content and semantic properties of intellectual capital disclosure (ICD) found in integrated reports is associated with firms’ performance.

Design/methodology/approach

All reports by European listed firms from 2011 to 2016 available via the integrated reporting emerging practice examples database are analysed. Content analysis is used to assesses the quality of ICDs, whereas a regression analysis tests the variation in semantic properties of ICDs according to firms’ performance.

Findings

ICDs in integrated reports are mainly discursive, with a backward looking orientation and a limited focus on human capital. On average, more than half of each ICD is conveyed in a positive tone. As the optimistic tone in firms’ ICDs increases, so too does their non-financial performance measured in terms of environmental, social and governance aspects. This finding supports the incremental information approach.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the current literature on ICDs by introducing new evidence on firms’ motivations for non-financial disclosures in integrated reports. By taking a more comprehensive theoretical approach, namely, testing both impression management and incremental information hypotheses, this research extends on prior studies which tested similar relationships in integrated reports but focussed only on the impression management hypothesis.
Regarding high voltage overhead transmission lines (HVOTLs)
Authors: Wadley David , Han Jung Hoon , Elliott Peter
Published: December 2018

Purpose

Professionals’ market knowledge and business experience can facilitate transactions of residential property potentially impacted by stigmatised installations, such as large-scale public infrastructure. The purpose of this paper is to explore perceptions and assessments among homeowners, valuers (appraisers) and real estate agents (realtors) regarding infrastructure in general and high voltage overhead transmission lines (HVOTLs) in particular.

Design/methodology/approach

Informed by a literature review, separate surveys in Queensland, Australia, analyse via non-parametric and parametric means informational and perceptual variables concerning HVOTLs among 600 homeowners, 90 valuers and 90 real estate agents.

Findings

The findings reveal statistically significant differences in risk and valuation perceptions of homeowners, valuers and real estate agents relating to the placement of major linear forms of infrastructure.

Research limitations/implications

This study adds to a now-solid body of literature pertaining to property effects of HVOTLs. It extends the analysis among classes of real estate professionals and provides new comparisons for further analysis and commentary.

Practical implications

The results speak to property professionals, land use planning and electricity authorities. Prior research can be triangulated with that obtained here from valuers and real estate agents who act as informants, gatekeepers and confidants in the market place. Various hypotheses address specific points of professional practice.

Social implications

This study shows that property professionals’ disposition to HVOTLs and other large-scale infrastructure is likely to be a good deal more measured than that of homeowners, so that valuers and real estate agents might exercise a mediating influence in placement and installations decisions.

Originality/value

This research raises understanding of differences in market knowledge and perception of essential infrastructure among clients and property agents. As a point of difference, it concentrates on examining empirically what texts refer to as “information asymmetry” in residential real estate markets.
The importance and adaptive value of life‐history evolution for metapopulation dynamics
Authors: Bonte Dries , Bafort Quinten
Published: December 2018

The spatial configuration and size of patches influence metapopulation dynamics by altering colonisation–extinction dynamics and local density dependency. This spatial forcing as determined by the metapopulation typology then imposes strong selection pressures on life‐history traits, which will in turn feed back on the ecological metapopulation dynamics. Given the relevance of metapopulation persistence for biological conservation, and the potential rescuing role of evolution, a firm understanding of the relevance of these eco‐evolutionary processes is essential.

We here follow a systems’ modelling approach to quantify the importance of spatial forcing and experimentally observed life‐history evolution for metapopulation demography as quantified by (meta)population size and variability. We therefore developed an individual‐based model matching an earlier experimental evolution with spider mites to perform virtual translocation and invasion experiments that would have been otherwise impossible to conduct.

We show that (a) metapopulation demography is more affected by spatial forcing than by life‐history evolution, but that life‐history evolution contributes substantially to changes in local‐ and especially metapopulation‐level population sizes, (b) extinction rates are minimised by evolution in classical metapopulations, and (c) evolution is optimising individual performance in metapopulations when considering the importance of more cryptic stress resistance evolution.

Ecological systems’ modelling opens up a promising avenue to quantify the importance of eco‐evolutionary feedbacks in spatially structured populations. Metapopulation sizes are especially impacted by evolution, but its variability is mainly determined by the spatial forcing.

Eco‐evolutionary dynamics can increase the persistence of classical metapopulations. Conservation of genetic variation and, hence, adaptive potential is thus not only essential in the face of environmental change; it also generates putative rescuing feedbacks that impact metapopulation persistence.
Anaemia in pregnancy among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women of Far North Queensland: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Leonard Dympna , Buttner Petra , Thompson Fintan , Makrides Maria , McDermott Robyn
Published: December 2018

Aim

Anaemia during pregnancy is common worldwide. In Australia between 7.1% and 11% of mothers have been reported to have anaemia in pregnancy. Higher rates are reported for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women (Townsville: 34.2%, remote Northern Territory: 50%). The present study describes anaemia in pregnancy among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women of Far North Queensland.

Methods

Health service information was analysed for 2076 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women who gave birth between 2006 and 2010. The prevalence of anaemia in pregnancy, characteristics of the mothers and pregnancy outcomes were described. Logistic regression for bivariate analyses and multivariable linear modelling with and without imputed data were used to compare those mothers who had anaemia in pregnancy with those who did not.

Results

More than half of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women (54.5% (95% CI: 52.4%, 56.7%)) had anaemia in pregnancy. For mothers who gave birth in 2009 and 2010 (n = 1796) with more complete data, those who were iron deficient during pregnancy were more likely to be anaemic (RR: 1.40, P = <0.001). Mothers (29.0%) from localities of relative socioeconomic advantage had lower risk of anaemia in pregnancy (RR: 0.86, P = 0.003), as did mothers (31.9%) who were obese (RR: 0.87, P = 0.013).

Conclusions

The prevalence of anaemia in pregnancy among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women of Far North Queensland is high. Prevention and treatment of anaemia will improve the health of these mothers, and possibly the health and early development of their children.
First Nations students’ perceptions of school nutrition policy implementation: A mixed methods study
Authors: Gillies Christina ,   Alexander Research Committee, Farmer Anna , Maximova Katerina , Willows Noreen D.
Published: December 2018

Aim

School nutrition policies can improve healthy food access for Indigenous First Nations children in Canada. This study explored First Nations students’ perceptions of a school nutrition policy.

Methods

The research was a process evaluation of school nutrition policy implementation using a mixed‐methods design. Students in grades 4–12 (n = 94) completed a 17‐question survey to capture their perceptions of the policy. Survey data informed an 11‐question semi‐structured interview guide. Transcripts from interviews with students (n = 20) were analysed using content analysis to identify barriers and facilitators to policy implementation.

Results

Key facilitating factors to policy implementation were student support for the policy and taste preferences. Most students (87%) agreed that only healthy foods should be served at school and, in interviews, expressed a preference for healthy food choices. Barriers to policy implementation included foods available at school and lack of communication between students and their teachers and parents. Half (50%) of surveyed students reported that their eating habits at school were average; interviews explained that their diets could be improved by consuming more fruit and vegetables at school. Both surveys and interviews found that communication between students and their parents and teachers about what they ate and drank at school was low.

Conclusions

To support children’s healthy eating at school, the school nutrition policy could provide clear guidelines on foods permissible in the school, while considering social and environmental barriers to healthy eating. The involvement of First Nations children in the implementation and evaluation of school nutrition policies is recommended.
Application of geographic information systems and simulation modelling to dental public health: Where next?
Authors: Broomhead Tom , Ballas Dimitris , Baker Sarah R.
Published: December 2018

Public health research in dentistry has used geographic information systems since the 1960s. Since then, the methods used in the field have matured, moving beyond simple spatial associations to the use of complex spatial statistics and, on occasions, simulation modelling. Many analyses are often descriptive in nature; however, and the use of more advanced spatial simulation methods within dental public health remains rare, despite the potential they offer the field. This review introduces a new approach to geographical analysis of oral health outcomes in neighbourhoods and small area geographies through two novel simulation methods—spatial microsimulation and agent‐based modelling. Spatial microsimulation is a population synthesis technique, used to combine survey data with Census population totals to create representative individual‐level population datasets, allowing for the use of individual‐level data previously unavailable at small spatial scales. Agent‐based models are computer simulations capable of capturing interactions and feedback mechanisms, both of which are key to understanding health outcomes. Due to these dynamic and interactive processes, the method has an advantage over traditional statistical techniques such as regression analysis, which often isolate elements from each other when testing for statistical significance. This article discusses the current state of spatial analysis within the dental public health field, before reviewing each of the methods, their applications, as well as their advantages and limitations. Directions and topics for future research are also discussed, before addressing the potential to combine the two methods in order to further utilize their advantages. Overall, this review highlights the promise these methods offer, not just for making methodological advances, but also for adding to our ability to test and better understand theoretical concepts and pathways.
Skin sensitization: Uncertainties, challenges, and opportunities for improved risk assessment
Authors: Gilmour Nicola , Kimber Ian , Williams Jason , Maxwell Gavin
Published: December 2018

At the ESCD congress held in Manchester in 2016, a session was organized to encourage more dialogue between clinicians with expertise in skin sensitization and toxicologists seeking to provide effective risk assessment to prevent human health issues. That session focused on the remaining uncertainties regarding the induction and regulation of skin sensitization in humans, and the opportunities and challenges associated with the refinement and improvement of risk assessment methodologies. This short article, prompted by those discussions, debates what the authors regard as being among the most important and most intriguing uncertainties about skin sensitization and allergic contact dermatitis in humans, and the most significant opportunities for improving risk assessment. The aim has been to provide a basis for mapping out the areas that might benefit from a closer alignment between the relevant clinical community and toxicologists charged with the responsibility of ensuring that skin sensitization risks are understood and managed.
Private engagement by Nordic institutional investors on environmental, social, and governance risks in global companies
Authors: Semenova Natalia , Hassel Lars G.
Published: December 2018

Research question/issue

The paper examines private engagements related to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) incidents as a corporate governance mechanism used by Nordic institutional investors to influence MSCI World companies. The questions addressed are how an agent‐led collaborative engagement is carried out, what are the characteristics of the target companies selected, and if the successful engagements can improve ESG performance compared with pre‐engagement and incomplete cases.

Research findings/insights

A unique data set of 355 private engagements of a professional agent on behalf of its Nordic clients is studied on environment, human and labor rights, and corruption risks between 2005 and 2013. An engagement process of the agent is described with focus on sequence and duration of actions of private engagement dialogues before filing a resolution. Successful private engagements, when target companies adopt the proposed ESG changes, are 27.6%. The incident‐driven private engagements target companies rated with high market values and ESG performance. ESG performance and transparency increase for succeeded engagements in the postengagement period and relative to incomplete engagements.

Theoretical/academic implications

The paper provides empirical support for a social movement‐based influence of private engagements on target companies and adds to the broad‐scale empirical literature on investor activism. In the Nordic governance setting, an agent‐coordinated private engagement is seen as a social movement that supports targeting companies with a potential for change.

Practical/policy implications

Insights are offered to actors in the value chain in financial markets by demonstrating that successful ESG engagements have the potential to change portfolio company ESG practices.
Zerumbone, a cyclic sesquiterpene, exerts antimitotic activity in HeLa cells through tubulin binding and exhibits synergistic activity with vinblastine and paclitaxel
Authors: Ashraf Shabeeba M. , Sebastian Jomon , Rathinasamy Krishnan
Published: December 2018

Objectives

The aim of this study was to elucidate the antimitotic mechanism of zerumbone and to investigate its effect on the HeLa cells in combination with other mitotic blockers.

Materials and methods

HeLa cells and fluorescence microscopy were used to analyse the effect of zerumbone on cancer cell lines. Cellular internalization of zerumbone was investigated using FITC‐labelled zerumbone. The interaction of zerumbone with tubulin was characterized using fluorescence spectroscopy. The Chou and Talalay equation was used to calculate the combination index.

Results

Zerumbone selectively inhibited the proliferation of HeLa cells with an IC50 of 14.2 ± 0.5 μmol/L through enhanced cellular uptake compared to the normal cell line L929. It induced a strong mitotic block with cells exhibiting bipolar spindles at the IC50 and monopolar spindles at 30 μmol/L. Docking analysis indicated that tubulin is the principal target of zerumbone. In vitro studies indicated that it bound to goat brain tubulin with a Kd of 4 μmol/L and disrupted the assembly of tubulin into microtubules. Zerumbone and colchicine had partially overlapping binding site on tubulin. Zerumbone synergistically enhanced the anti‐proliferative activity of vinblastine and paclitaxel through augmented mitotic block.

Conclusion

Our data suggest that disruption of microtubule assembly dynamics is one of the mechanisms of the anti‐cancer activity of zerumbone and it can be used in combination therapy targeting cell division.
Relative Bioavailability of Orally Dispersible Tablet Formulations of Levo‐ and Racemic Praziquantel: Two Phase I Studies
Authors: Bagchus Wilhelmina Maria , Bezuidenhout Deon , Harrison‐Moench Eleanor , Kourany‐Lefoll Elly , Wolna Peter , Yalkinoglu Oezkan
Published: December 2018

Orally dispersible tablet (ODT) formulations of levo praziquantel (L‐PZQ) and racemic PZQ (rac‐PZQ) are being developed to treat schistosomiasis in preschool‐aged children. Two crossover studies (N = 32 and 36, respectively) assessed the relative bioavailability of these ODTs vs. Cysticide in adults. Bioavailability for L‐PZQ of ODT rac‐PZQ and Cysticide at 40 mg/kg was comparable (L‐PZQ area under the concentration‐time curve from zero to infinity (AUC0–∞) test/reference ratio (90% confidence interval (CI)): 96% (84–111%)), whereas relative bioavailability of ODT L‐PZQ 20 mg/kg was ~40% that of Cysticide 40 mg/kg (test/reference: 40% (35–46%)). AUC0‐∞ and peak plasma concentration (Cmax) were highly variable in both studies. For both ODTs, L‐PZQ AUC0–∞ showed greater than dose‐proportional increase over the ranges tested and a significant food effect. Safety was comparable among formulations. The lower bioavailability of ODT L‐PZQ, as well as the high variability and nondose‐proportionality of pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters, highlighted the need for a dedicated pediatric dose‐finding study for the selection of the most appropriate formulation and dose (L‐PZQ ODT or rac‐PZQ ODT).
Developmental differences in the neural correlates supporting semantics and syntax during sentence processing
Authors: Schneider Julie M. , Maguire Mandy J.
Published: December 2018

School‐aged and adolescent children continue to demonstrate improvements in how they integrate and comprehend real‐time, auditory language over this developmental time period, which can have important implications for academic and social success. To better understand developmental changes in the neural processes engaged during language comprehension in this age group, we use electroencephalography to investigate how 8–9 year old, 12–13 year olds, and adults process semantics and syntax in naturally paced, auditory sentences. Participants listened to semantically and syntactically correct and incorrect sentences and were asked to complete an acceptability judgment task. When processing a semantic error, developmental differences were observed in theta, but not the N400, suggesting that the N400 may be too gross a measure to identify more subtle aspects of semantic development that occur in the school years. For the syntactic task, errors resulted in a larger P600 and greater beta decrease than correct sentences, but the amplitude and location of the P600 and amplitude of beta decreases differed as a function of age, suggesting specialization of syntactic skills is ongoing through adolescence. The current findings shed new light on the development of the neural oscillations supporting language comprehension and suggest that the neural substrates underlying semantic processing reach adult‐like levels at a younger age than those underlying syntactic processing.
Quantitative analysis and EEG markers of KCNT1 epilepsy of infancy with migrating focal seizures
Authors: Kuchenbuch Mathieu , Benquet Pascal , Kaminska Anna , Roubertie Agathe , Carme Emilie , de Saint Martin Anne , Hirsch Edouard , Dubois Fanny , Laroche Cécile , Barcia Giulia , Chemaly Nicole , Milh Matthieu , Villeneuve Nathalie , Sauleau Paul , Modolo Julien , Wendling Fabrice , Nabbout Rima
Published: December 2018

Objective

We aimed to characterize epilepsy of infancy with migrating focal seizures (EIMFS), a rare, severe early onset developmental epilepsy related to KCNT1 mutation, and to define specific electroencephalography (EEG) markers using EEG quantitative analysis. The ultimate goal would be to improve early diagnosis and to better understand seizure onset and propagation of EIMFS as compared to other early onset developmental epilepsy.

Methods

EEG of 7 EIMFS patients with KCNT1 mutations (115 seizures) and 17 patients with other early onset epilepsies (30 seizures) was included in this study. After detection of seizure onset and termination, spatiotemporal characteristics were quantified. Seizure propagation dynamics were analyzed using chronograms and phase coherence.

Results

In patients with EIMFS, seizures started and were localized predominantly in temporal and occipital areas, and evolved with a stable frequency (4‐10 Hz). Inter‐ and intrahemispheric migrations were present in 60% of EIMFS seizures with high intraindividual reproducibility of temporospatial dynamics. Interhemispheric migrating seizures spread in 71% from temporal or occipital channels to the homologous contralateral ones, whereas intrahemispheric seizures involved mainly frontotemporal, temporal, and occipital channels. Causality links were present between ictal activities detected under different channels during migrating seizures. Finally, time delay index (based on delays between the different ictal onsets) and phase correlation index (based on coherence of ictal activities) allowed discrimination of EIMFS and non‐EIMFS seizures with a specificity of 91.2% and a sensitivity of 84.4%.

Significance

We showed that the migrating pattern in EIMFS is not a random process, as suggested previously, and that it is a particular propagation pattern that follows the classical propagation pathways. It is notable that this study reveals specific EEG markers (time delay and phase correlation) accessible to visual evaluation, which will improve EIMFS diagnosis.
Cardiomyocyte calcineurin is required for the onset and progression of cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis in adult mice
Authors: Martínez‐Martínez Sara , Lozano‐Vidal Noelia , López‐Maderuelo María Dolores , Jiménez‐Borreguero Luis J. , Armesilla Ángel Luis , Redondo Juan Miguel
Published: December 2018

Previous studies have demonstrated that activation of calcineurin induces pathological cardiac hypertrophy (CH). In these studies, loss‐of‐function was mostly achieved by systemic administration of the calcineurin inhibitor cyclosporin A. The lack of conditional knockout models for calcineurin function has impeded progress toward defining the role of this protein during the onset and the development of CH in adults. Here, we exploited a mouse model of CH based on the infusion of a hypertensive dose of angiotensin II (AngII) to model the role of calcineurin in CH in adulthood. AngII‐induced CH in adult mice was reduced by treatment with cyclosporin A, without affecting the associated increase in blood pressure, and also by induction of calcineurin deletion in adult mouse cardiomyocytes, indicating that cardiomyocyte calcineurin is required for AngII‐induced CH. Surprisingly, cardiac‐specific deletion of calcineurin, but not treatment of mice with cyclosporin A, significantly reduced AngII‐induced cardiac fibrosis and apoptosis. Analysis of profibrotic genes revealed that AngII‐induced expression of Tgfβ family members and Lox was not inhibited by cyclosporin A but was markedly reduced by cardiac‐specific calcineurin deletion. These results show that AngII induces a direct, calcineurin‐dependent prohypertrophic effect in cardiomyocytes, as well as a systemic hypertensive effect that is independent of calcineurin activity.
Winter hardiness of Miscanthus (II): Genetic mapping for overwintering ability and adaptation traits in three interconnected Miscanthus populations
Authors: Dong Hongxu , Liu Siyao , Clark Lindsay V. , Sharma Shailendra , Gifford Justin M. , Juvik John A. , Lipka Alexander E. , Sacks Erik J.
Published: December 2018

Miscanthus × giganteus (M×g) is the primary species of Miscanthus for bioenergy feedstock production. The current leading biomass cultivar, M×g ‘1993‐1780’, is insufficiently adapted in temperate regions with cold winters such as USDA hardiness zone 5 (average annual minimum temperature of −28.9 to −23.3°C) or lower. Three interconnected Miscanthus F1 populations that shared a common parent were planted in a replicated field trial at Urbana, IL (hardiness zone 5b; average annual minimum temperature of −26.1 to −23.3°C) in spring 2011. The winter of 2013–2014 was especially cold in Urbana, with a minimum soil temperature at 10 cm of −6.2°C and a minimum air temperature of −25.3°C, giving us an opportunity to evaluate hardiness on established year‐3 plants. The parent in common to all three populations, M. sinensis ssp. condensatus ‘Cosmopolitan’, is native to maritime southern Japan, and in Urbana, it is winter‐damaged most years. In contrast, the three other parents, M. sacchariflorus ‘Robustus’ (MapA), M. sinensis ‘Silberturm’ (MapB), and M. sinensis ‘November Sunset’ (MapC), are typically winter hardy in Urbana. Nearly all MapA progeny plants survived and grew vigorously in spring 2014, whereas in MapB and MapC, many progeny plants did not survive the winter, and most of the survivors were severely damaged, with poor vigor. Negative correlations between overwintering ability and spring regrowth date and autumn dormancy date suggested that the genotypes most likely to survive winters were those that emerged early in spring and/or went dormant early in autumn. Using joint‐population analysis, we identified 53 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for nine adaptation traits, including nine QTLs for overwintering ability and 11 for spring hardiness scores. Many biologically intuitive candidate genes were observed within or near the QTLs detected in this study, suggesting their validity and potential for further study.
Crohn's & Colitis Australia inflammatory bowel disease audit: measuring the quality of care in Australia
Authors: Massuger Wayne , Moore Gregory T. C. , Andrews Jane M. , Kilkenny Monique F. , Reyneke Megan , Knowles Simon , Purcell Liz , Alex George , Buckton Stephanie , Page Amy T. , Stocks Nigel , Cameron Don , Manglaviti Francesca , Pavli Paul
Published: December 2018

Background

Australia has among the highest prevalence of Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis in the world. Management of the chronic gastrointestinal disorders results in significant societal costs and the standard of care is inconsistent across Australia.

Aim

To audit the quality of care received by patients admitted for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) across Australia against national IBD standards.

Methods

A retrospective cross‐sectional survey and clinical audit was undertaken assessing organisational resources, clinical processes and outcome measures. This study was conducted in Australian hospitals that care for inpatients with Crohn disease or ulcerative colitis. The main outcome measures were adherence to national IBD standards and comparison of quality of care between hospitals with and without multidisciplinary IBD services.

Results

A total of 71 hospitals completed the organisational survey. Only one hospital had a complete multidisciplinary IBD service and 17 had a partial IBD service (IBD nurse, helpline and clinical lead). A total of 1440 inpatient records was reviewed from 52 hospitals (mean age 37 years; 51% female, 53% Crohn disease), approximately 26% of IBD inpatient episodes over a 12‐month period in Australia. These patients were chronically unwell with high rates of anaemia (30%) and frequent readmissions (40% within 2 years). In general, care was inconsistent, and documentation was poor. Hospitals with a partial IBD service performed better in many processes and outcome measures: for example, 22% reduction in admissions through emergency departments and greater adherence to standards for safety monitoring of biological (89% vs 59%) and immunosuppressive drugs (79% vs 55%) in those hospitals than those without.

Conclusion

Patients admitted to hospital suffering from IBD are young, chronically unwell and are subject to substantial variations in clinical documentation and quality of care. Only one hospital met accepted standards for multidisciplinary care; hospitals with even a minimal IBD service provided improved care.
The Rise in Orientation at Collective Bargaining Without a Formal Contract
Authors: Bossler Mario
Published: December 2018

While firm participation in collective bargaining between unions and employers’ associations has been decreasing in Germany over the last two decades, orientation at collectively bargained wages has increased in popularity. Orientation implies that employers claim to set wages according to collective agreements but they are not formally bound by the respective bargaining contract, and in fact, I observe that they pay significantly lower wages than firms that are formally covered. Dynamic nonlinear panel estimation applied to establishment‐level data shows that this orientation is a stepping stone into formal participation. However, the decline in formal participation and the opposing rise in orientation are mostly due to a changing establishment composition rather than to behavioral transitions.
An efficient local search algorithm with large neighborhoods for the maximum weighted independent set problem†
Authors: Haraguchi Kazuya , Hashimoto Hideki , Itoyanagi Junji , Yagiura Mutsunori
Published: December 2018

Given an undirected graph and a weight for each vertex, the maximum weighted independent set problem (MWISP) calls for a maximum weight subset I of V such that no two vertices in I are adjacent. In this paper, we present an algorithm based on an iterated local search for the MWISP. We incorporate a branch‐and‐bound method in our local search, which enables the algorithm to search a very large neighborhood. Moreover, we propose a search method that reduces the number of candidate solutions to be searched in the neighborhood without missing improved solutions. The proposed algorithm also features an adaptive memory strategy in which each vertex is associated with a penalty that is used to explore diverse solutions in the iterated local search. We tested our algorithm on several instances taken from the DIMACS website and their weighted counterparts, which included large instances with more than 3000 vertices. From the results, we observed that our algorithm was competitive with existing algorithms for unweighted instances, and it found better solutions for some weighted instances.
Question and Answer
Authors: Jowett G. H.
Published: December 2018

Readers are invited to submit questions, or to deal shortly with points of general interest by supplying both the question and the answer.
Row-And-Column Designs
Authors: Pearce S. C.
Published: December 2018

Instances are given where an experiment requires two mutually orthogonal blocking systems; the least squares solution is presented for the general case. It leads to conclusions relating to the overall efficiency of the resulting design and the efficiency factors for basic contrasts. Necessary and sufficient conditions are found for a mean or a difference of means to be estimated with full efficiency. Suggestions are made for the construction of row-and-column designs appropriate to the practical problem in hand. It is shown that an unbiased estimate of error can always be found by writing down a design and permuting both rows and columns at random. Missing plots are considered.
Some Simple Stochastic Processes
Authors: Ramakrishnan Alladi
Published: December 2018

Recently Janossy in his treatment of the stochastic problem of cosmic radiation employed “the method of regeneration points”—a method used earlier by Bellman and Harris and by C. Palm. In this paper, we consider some simple stochastic processes using this method. The simplified statistical problem of cosmic radiation is discussed in detail.
Estimation Methods for Evolutive Processes
Authors: Moran P. A. P.
Published: December 2018

The logic of estimating the parameters in evolutive processes is considered with reference to a simple Poisson process and to the process resulting from using a counter with a non-zero resolving time. A complete solution of the problem of estimating the parameter in a simple birth process is followed by a partial solution of the problem of estimating the two parameters in the simplest birth and death process. The same method is applied to logistic processes without, however, obtaining exact distributions.
The Expression of the Complementary Outputs of Two Products in Terms of a Common Unit of Production Effort
Authors: Jowett G. H.
Published: December 2018

Sometimes the output of an industrial process includes more than one kind of product, and the unit in terms of which this output is measured differs from one product to another. It is shown how an index of output may sometimes be constructed with the aid of an analysis, based on maximum likelihood methods, of the joint variation of the output of the products, and without prior information about the relationship between the different units. Discussion is confined to the case of two products and steady output. The solution is discussed in relation to the general problem of fitting a linear functional relationship for two variates.
Quantal Responses to Mixtures of Poisons
Authors: Plackett R. L. , Hewlett P. S.
Published: December 2018

Various models for the joint action of poisons are examined. An attempt is made to clarify the differences between similar and dissimilar physiological actions; in similar action, the poisons act at a common site, whereas in dissimilar action each acts at a different site. In order to allow for the influence of one poison upon the action of another, the concept of interaction is defined on a physiological basis. Relations between mortality and dose are constructed for each model, and methods of estimation and tests of significance are put forward. These are illustrated by data from insecticidal experiments. The set of models considered is by no means exhaustive, and it may sometimes be found that others are required to give a satisfactory description of comparable data.
Further Notes on the Productivity of Machines Requiring Attention at Random Intervals
Authors: Benson F.
Published: December 2018

A previous paper has described the problem of estimating the loss of production due to interference when an operative is required to attend a number of machines. The present paper discusses the necessary modifications to the theory when the operative has other duties.
Application of the Theory of Stochastic Processes to the Study of Irreproducible Chemical Reactions and Nucleation Processes
Authors: Singer K.
Published: December 2018

The irreproducibility of some chemical reactions is due either to (A) the inherent mechanism of the process or (B) extraneous factors (e.g., impurities). The purpose of this paper is to show that mathematical techniques developed in recent years permit the quantitative calculation of statistical properties of reactions of the type (A). An exposition of some general methods is given; their application to some typical chain mechanisms shows that conditions for the experimental observation of inherent fluctuations can occur. The distinction between the two types of irreproducibility is briefly discussed.
An Approximate Treatment of the Properties of the Correlogram and Periodogram
Authors: Sargan J. D.
Published: December 2018

M. G. Kendall (1946) has shown that the correlogram is unsatisfactory in that it has a characteristic undamped oscillation even when the generating auto-regressive relationship is highly damped, and that the periodogram is misleading in indicating spurious cyclical periods when applied to series generated by a known auto-regression relationship. This paper gives an approximate treatment of the problem designed to explain these features of the correlogram and periodogram.

It is shown that the correlogram of an auto-regressive series can be regarded as though it were derived from an auto-regression equation of double the order of the equation generating the original series. Some properties of the periodograms of time series generated by linear stochastic equations are investigated, and the results are applied to the study of Beveridge’s wheat price index.
The Power of Wilcoxon’s 2-Sample Test
Authors: Sundrum R. M.
Published: December 2018

Pitman’s formula for the variance of a distribution-free test of two samples, due to Wilcoxon, is evaluated for some special cases. The upper bound of this variance is derived, and a population is constructed in which this upper bound is attained. The value of the variance is then used to find the power of the test against normal and rectangular alternatives for large samples and to compare this test with certain distributional tests.
Some Experiments on the Prediction of Sunspot Numbers
Authors: Moran P. A. P.
Published: December 2018

Various methods of predicting annual sunspot numbers are considered. Linear and curvilinear regressions on previous values give very inaccurate predictions and semi-empirical methods appear better. The representation of the series as an autoregressive process is unsatisfactory.
Sampling Inspection and Statistical Decisions
Authors: Barnard G. A.
Published: December 2018

The close correspondence between the theory of statistical decisions and the theory of sampling inspection is pointed out. The most important result is the elementary example of section 4, which shows that, not only must we know the prior distribution in order to solve a decision problem, but we may have to know it in considerable detail.
Confidence Intervals for Parameters in Markov Autoregressive Schemes
Authors: David S. T.
Published: December 2018

An investigation is made of two suggested methods by which confidence intervals might be indirectly obtained for the autocorrelation in a stationary first-order Markov series. The suggestions were to use in the one case the distribution of the mean of the disturbance terms, and in the other case the distribution of their serial correlation. It is shown that both methods give meaningful results if the observations do not diverge too greatly from the characteristics of a Markov series.
A Revised Test for Systematic Oscillation
Authors: Johnston J.
Published: December 2018

This note suggests a revised test for the existence of systematic oscillation in the deviations of a time series from a fitted moving average. It is shown that the existing test may be misleading and simple alternative formulae are derived, though the test still remains subjective in the sense that the sampling distributions involved have not yet been derived.
Permutation Theory in the Derivation of Robust Criteria and the Study of Departures from Assumption
Authors: Box G. E. P. , Andersen S. L.
Published: December 2018

SYNOPSIS

In the practical circumstances in which statistical procedures are applied, little is usually known of the validity of assumptions such as the normality of the error distribution. Procedures are required which are “robust” (insensitive to changes in extraneous factors not under test) as well as powerful (sensitive to specific factors under test). Permutation theory, which provides one method for deriving robust criteria, is discussed and applied to the problem of comparing variances.
Pivotal Quantities for Wishart’s and Related Distributions, and a Paradox in Fiducial Theory
Authors: Mauldon J. G.
Published: December 2018

An infinity of sets of pivotal quantities (with a remarkably simple distribution) is found for Wishart’s distribution, leading to an infinity of different “fiducial distributions” for the parameters, all derived from the same data. §7 is entirely independent of the rest of the paper, and provides the simplest case of the paradox discussed here.

Pivotal quantities for the distribution of the second-order moments of a sample from a multivariate normal population are also found in the cases when the second-order moments are taken about the population mean and/or the sample is too small for the usual theory to apply.
Some Statistical Methods Connected with Series of Events
Authors: Cox D. R.
Published: December 2018

The paper deals with a number of problems of statistical analysis connected with events occurring haphazardly in space or time. The topics discussed include: tests of randomness, components of variance, the correlation between events of different types, and a modification of the snap-round method used in operational research.
A Unified Theory of Sampling from Finite Populations
Authors: Godambe V. P.
Published: December 2018

The most general type of linear estimate is defined for a general sampling design. It is demonstrated that an unbiased linear estimate with least variance does not exist uniquely for the entire class of linear estimates. A slightly modified criterion for best estimate, with reference to certain given prior information is proposed. Some sampling designs have been analysed accordingly.
The Asymptotic Powers of Certain Tests Based on Multiple Correlations
Authors: Hannan E. J.
Published: December 2018

Pitman (1948) has proposed a criterion of the relative power of two tests of an hypothesis specified by a single parameter, based on the estimating efficiencies of the two test statistics, in case these test statistics are asymptotically normal. This criterion can be immediately generalized to many cases where the two statistics have limiting distributions of the same analytical form and, in particular, enables two tests based on statistics which are asymptotically distributed as chi-square to be compared, provided the numbers of degrees of freedom are the same. This was already recognized by Andrews (1954) who showed that the efficiencies of certain rank tests for analysis of variance could be compared in this way. Bradley (1955) also used the concept of asymptotic relative efficiency in relation to rank tests based on statistics which are asymptotically distributed as chi-square. The first section of this paper is therefore merely a slight generalization of Andrew’s and Bradley’s work.

The asymptotic powers of multiple correlations may then be compared since these statistics are asymptotically equivalent to statistics distributed as chi-square. In some cases which have arisen the two multiple correlations to be compared have not been based on the same numbers of regressors. In such cases the comparison requires the use of tables of non central chi-square and Pitman’s criterion is no longer directly applicable. However the distances, on which the asymptotic powers of the tests depend, can be simply expressed in terms of the covariance matrix of the regressors on the null hypothesis and in some instances clear-cut results may still be simply derived.

The applications in this paper relate to previous work by the author (Hannan (1955a), (1955b), (1956)).
Note on an Article by Sir Ronald Fisher
Authors: Neyman Jerzy
Published: December 2018

(1) Fisher’s allegation that, contrary to some passages in the introduction and on the cover of the book by Wald, this book does not really deal with experimental design is unfounded. In actual fact, the book is permeated with problems of experimentation. (2) Without consideration of hypotheses alternative to the one under test and without the study of probabilities of errors of the two kinds, no purely probabilistic theory of tests is possible. (3) The conceptual fallacy of the notion of fiducial distribution rests upon the lack of recognition that valid probability statements about random variables usually cease to be valid if the random variables are replaced by their particular values. The notorious multitude of “paradoxes” of fiducial theory is a consequence of this oversight. (4) The idea of a “cost function for faulty judgments” appears to be due to Laplace, followed by Gauss.
Comment on Sir Ronald Fisher’s Paper: “On a Test of Significance in Pearson’s Biometrika Tables (No. 11)”
Authors: Bartlett M. S.
Published: December 2018

It is pointed out that the conditional distribution claimed by Fisher to throw doubt on Welch’s solution of the Behrens-Fisher problem was already given in my 1936 paper, but has no relevance to the validity of Welch’s result.
Confirming Statistical Hypotheses
Authors: Bulmer M. G.
Published: December 2018

This paper distinguishes between the acceptability and the confirmation of a statistical hypothesis. A hypothesis is called acceptable if it is accepted by a significance test or some similar procedure and unacceptable if it is rejected. The likelihood ratio criterion of acceptability is discussed. In order to define confirmation, a distance function is introduced in the hypothesis space which reflects the size of the departure of any hypothesis from the null hypothesis. All admissible hypotheses are tested and classified as acceptable or unacceptable. If none of the acceptable hypotheses are “near” the null hypothesis, the latter is disconfirmed; if all the acceptable hypotheses are “near” the null hypothesis, it is confirmed; otherwise the experiment is inconclusive and the null hypothesis is unconfirmed. In the second part of the paper these ideas are applied to some common statistical techniques.
Sequential Confidence Intervals for the Mean of a Normal Population with Unknown Variance
Authors: Ray W. D.
Published: December 2018

A modified sequential procedure is put forward for the problem of estimating the mean of a normal population by a confidence interval of prescribed width and confidence coefficient, when the population variance is unknown. Certain problems akin to the latter are discussed and wherever possible comparison is made with some results of Anscombe based on his asymptotic theory.
The Efficiency of N Machines Uni-Directionally Patrolled by One Operative When Walking Time and Repair Times are Constants
Authors: Mack C. , Murphy T. , Webb N. L.
Published: December 2018

The solution is given to the problem of determining the efficiency of N machines looked after by an operative who walks round them in one direction, always taking the same time to walk to a given machine from the previous one and to inspect it and service it (we call this overall time the “walking time”), and then, if the machine has stopped, taking a fixed time to repair it.
The Efficiency of N Machines Uni-Directionally Patrolled by One Operative When Walking Time is Constant and Repair Times are Variable
Authors: Mack C.
Published: December 2018

The solution is given to the problem of determining the efficiency of N machines looked after by an operative who walks round them in one direction taking a constant time to walk from one machine to the next, inspect and service it (this overall time we call the walking time), and then, if the machine has stopped, repairing it, when the repair times have a probability distribution of a very general nature.