bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cancer and Aging: Reflections for Elders (CARE): A pilot randomized controlled trial of a psychotherapy intervention for older adults with cancer
Authors: Nelson Christian J. , Saracino Rebecca M. , Roth Andrew J. , Harvey Elizabeth , Martin Anne , Moore Mark , Marcone Dana , Poppito Shannon R. , Holland Jimmie
Published: October 2018

Objective

Cancer and Aging: Reflections for Elders (CARE) is a novel, telephone‐delivered intervention designed to alleviate distress in older cancer patients. This pilot randomized controlled trial tested the feasibility and initial efficacy of CARE, drawing from age‐appropriate developmental themes and well‐established coping theory.

Method

Eligible patients were ≥70 years old; ≥6 months post‐diagnosis of lung, prostate, breast, lymphoma, or gynecological cancer; on active cancer treatment or within 6 months of ending cancer treatment; and had elevated scores on the Distress Thermometer (≥4) or Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (≥6). Participants completed five sessions of psychotherapy over 7 weeks with assessments at study entry, post‐intervention, and 2 months post‐intervention. Primary outcomes were feasibility and initial efficacy on anxiety and depression; secondary outcomes included demoralization, coping, loneliness, and spiritual well‐being.

Results

Fifty‐nine participants were randomized to either the CARE arm (n = 31) or the enhanced Social Work Control arm (n = 28). The intervention was feasible and tolerable, meeting a priori criteria for rates of eligibility, acceptance, retention, assessment, and treatment fidelity. Upon completion of the intervention, participants in the CARE arm demonstrated lower mean depression scores (d = 0.58 [CI: 0.04‐1.12], P = 0.01) and trended towards increased coping‐planning (d = 0.30 [CI: −0.83 to 0.24], P = 0.18). Promising trends in anxiety (d = 0.41 [CI: −0.17 to 0.98], P = 0.10) emerged at 2 months post‐intervention; effects for coping‐planning dissipated.

Conclusion

These pilot data suggest the CARE intervention is feasibly delivered, potentially impacts important psychosocial variables, and is accessible for older, frail patients with cancer. Future research will evaluate this intervention on a larger scale.
Anomalous Green Luminescent Properties in CVD Synthetic Diamonds
Authors: Wassell Amber M. , McGuinness Colin D. , Hodges Chris , Lanigan Peter M. P. , Fisher David , Martineau Philip M. , Newton Mark E. , Lynch Stephen A.
Published: October 2018

In this paper, the authors explore the spectral properties of a sharp emission line centered at 499.6 nm (reported previously as 499 nm) observed in the UV‐luminescence spectrum of synthetic CVD diamond gemstones. These gemstones also exhibit spectrally prompt broad blue luminescence centered at 435 nm which is similar in character to the 425 nm blue luminescence characteristic of type IIa natural diamonds. By comparing the results against synthetic CVD diamond material which has been subjected to high temperature anneals, the authors can speculate on the nature of the defect associated with this color center. Since the 499 nm spectral line has only been observed in synthetic CVD diamonds to date, the authors further propose that it can be helpful in the identification of synthetic diamonds, in particular those showing the blue luminescence signature usually associated with type IIa natural diamonds.
On the Stability of Operation of Antimony Sulfide Selenide Thin Film Solar Cells Under Solar Radiation
Authors: Ríos‐Ramirez Bernardino , Nair P. K.
Published: October 2018

Operational stability of FTO/CdS/Sb2S1.08Se1.92/C‐Ag thin film solar cells under solar radiation is presented. These solar cells are produced on fluorine‐doped SnO2 (FTO) by thermal evaporation of Sb2S3 and Sb2Se3 powders. Thin film of Sb2S1.08Se1.92 (300 nm) shows a bandgap of 1.45 eV. Its electrical conductivity is 10−7 Ω−1 cm−1 (dark) and 10−5 Ω−1 cm−1 under illumination. Thin film of CdS (120 nm) for the solar cell is obtained on FTO by chemical deposition. Antimony chalcogenide film is deposited on FTO/CdS substrates maintained at 425 °C via thermal evaporation from a mixture of Sb2S3 and Sb2Se3 powders. Subsequently, graphite paint and silver paint electrodes of area 0.49–0.64 cm2 are applied on it. Efficiency of conversion (η) is 5.9 % for the best solar cell and 5.6% on an average for eight cells. Open circuit voltage (Voc) of the cell is 0.453 V; short circuit current density (Jsc), 24.7 mA cm−2; and fill factor, 0.53. For solar cells placed under the sun over 5 days in the exterior with exposure of 24 kWh m−2, η dropped to 5%. Under 30 suns, Voc of 0.54 V and Jsc of 130 mA cm−2 are recorded. The cells remained functional.
Latin American contributions to quantum chemical topology
Authors: García‐Revilla Marco A. , Cortés‐Guzmán Fernando , Rocha‐Rinza Tomás , Hernández‐Trujillo Jesús
Published: October 2018

We survey the contributions from Latin American theoretical chemists to the field of quantum chemical topology (QCT) over nearly the last 30 years with emphasis on the developments and applications of the quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM). Applications of QCT in the fields of excited states, electron delocalization, chemical bond, aromaticity, conformational analysis, spectroscopic properties, and chemical reactivity are presented. We also consider the coupling of QTAIM with time‐dependent density functional theory, the virial theorem in the Kohn‐Sham method and the inclusion of electron dynamical correlation in the interacting quantum atoms method using coupled cluster and multi‐configurational densities. Additionally, we describe the development of efficient algorithms for the calculation of topological properties derived from the electron density. This review is aimed not only at providing an account of the contributions to QCT in Latin America but also at stimulating guides for further progress in the field.
Robust metal‐pentagon interactions in the Th‐based endohedral metallofullerenes revealed by DFT calculations
Authors: Li Ying , Yang Le , Wei Zhan , Hou Qinghua , Li Lanlan , Jin Peng
Published: October 2018

Endohedral metallofullerenes (EMFs) all feature obvious charge transfer from the metallic core to the carbon shell with the donated electrons largely accepted by the cage pentagons. In this work, a series of Th@C2n(2n = 64‐88) were thoroughly investigated by means of density functional theory calculations. Interestingly, we found that the tetravalent thorium atom mainly coordinates to three pentagonal rings with the metal–pentagon interactions independent on the distribution and distance among these pentagons. This coordination pattern is not only in sharp contrast to that of common organometallic complexes, where four pentagons are indispensable for stabilizing Th(IV), but also different from that of Ti‐containing fullerenes, whose valence state highly depends on the pentagon distribution. The specificity of Th‐based EMFs was rationalized by the synergetic effect of small metal ion size, low electronegativity, strong metal‐cage electrostatic attractions and effective orbital overlap between the metal and cage orbitals. Our work highlights the role of cage pentagons in the Th‐cage interactions, and points out the fundamental difference between EMFs and common organometallic complexes.
Improving the interfacial property of carbon fibre/epoxy resin composites by grafting amine‐capped cross‐linked poly‐itaconic acid
Authors: Shang Lei , Zhang Mengjie , Liu Liu , Xiao Linghan , Li Ming , Ao Yuhui
Published: October 2018

To improve the interfacial properties of carbon fibre‐reinforced polymer composites, a surface treatment was used to cap cross‐linked poly‐itaconic acid onto carbon fibres via in‐situ polymerization after itaconic acid grafting. The chemical composition of the modified carbon fiber (CF) surface was characterized by X‐ray photoelectron spectral and Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy images showed that the poly‐itaconic acid protective sheath was uniformly capped onto the CF surface and that the surface roughness was obviously enhanced. Chemical bonds also played a key role in the interfacial enhancement. The results showed that the interfacial shear strength of the composites with poly‐itaconic acid on the carbon fibres (72.2 MPa) was significantly increased by 89.5% compared with that of the composites with pristine CF (38.1 MPa). Moreover, the poly‐itaconic acid sheath promoted a slight increase in mono‐fibre tensile strength. In addition, the interfacial mechanisms were also discussed. Meanwhile, the mechanical property of the functionalized CF/epoxy resin composites was also significantly improved.
What makes a biostatistician?
Authors: Zapf Antonia , Huebner Marianne , Rauch Geraldine , Kieser Meinhard
Published: October 2018

Biostatisticians play an important role in medical research. They are co‐responsible for an appropriate and efficient study design, they are involved in monitoring the study conduct, they plan and perform the data analysis, and they are involved in interpreting and publishing the results. However, how are the biostatisticians prepared for their tasks and responsibilities? Graduate programs in biostatistics are being offered, but some practicing biostatisticians completed their studies in a mathematical or epidemiological program, or obtained their degree in subject‐specific fields (such as medicine or biology). Therefore, the expertise and the competencies can vary widely between the individual biostatisticians, also depending on the application field. In this article, focusing on European and US practices, we discuss the required professional expertise for the main areas of applications in the medical field as well as the necessary soft skill competencies of a biostatistician.
Ambient Air Condition for Room‐Temperature Deposition of MAPbI3 Films in Highly Efficient Solar Cells
Authors: Yang Zijiang , Pan Jinlong , Liang Yongqi , Li Qi , Xu Dongsheng
Published: October 2018

The power conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cells has been boosted rapidly, it has so far exceeded that of commercial polycrystalline silicon solar cells. This has prompted great interest in large‐scale production and deployment of perovskite solar cells. However, state‐of‐the‐art perovskite solar cells are fabricated inside gloveboxes and further annealing at high temperatures (typically at >100 °C for 30 min) is needed. These two required conditions are not compatible with, either in the respect to high‐throughput or thermal budget, a feasible industrial production process. By eliminating the two requirements, the deposition of perovskite films both at room temperature and under ambient air condition will make the scalable roll‐to‐roll fabrication scheme feasible. Here, the anti‐solvent (chloroform) washing is introduced to the previously developed hydrochloride‐assisted method and demonstrate that the room‐temperature method can be carried out under ambient air condition for MAPbI3 film deposition. Through this new procedure, a power conversion efficiency as high as 17.72% is achieved for MAPbI3 planar devices fabricated under a relative humidity of 30% at room temperature. Further, it is revealed that the room‐temperature process MAPbI3 films show a near monoexponential decay pathway with a long photoluminescence lifetime of >400 ns.
Future Perspectives on Biological Fabrication and Material Farming
Authors: Natalio Filipe
Published: October 2018

What is biological fabrication? It is combining the ability of designing bioinspired molecules (chemistry) with nature's complexity and ingenious paths (biology) in order to produce new composite materials with emergent properties while being able to tailor the said materials' end‐functionality or functionalities. And what is material farming? It is the possibility to implement alternative and sustainable methodologies of biological fabrication toward larger scales, real‐life applications, and marketable products. The proof‐of‐principle is recently demonstrated for biological fabrication of fibers with tailored properties using an in vitro cotton culture and designed glucose derivatives yielding fluorescent and supermagnetic cotton fibers. This new “fabrication approach” will allow, in the future, to sustainably transform abundant raw materials into an innovative new class of composite functional materials, such as a new generation of smart textiles in the above case of cotton. This essay provides a very brief overview of the research done in cotton, the methodology used for the biological fabrication of cotton fibers with tailored properties and, finally, showcases perspectives on the future of this new and exciting research field that challenges the present fabrication methodologies that heavily rely on an old mindset toward bio‐based fabrication strategies.
Face detection based on multilayer feed‐forward neural network and Haar features
Authors: Owusu Ebenezer , Abdulai Jamal‐Deen , Zhan Yongzhao
Published: October 2018

Fast and accurate detection of a facial data is crucial for both face and facial expression recognition systems. These systems include internet protocol video surveillance systems, crime scene photographs systems, and criminals' databases. The aim for this study is both improvement of accuracy and speed. The salient facial features are extracted through Haar techniques. The sizes of the images are reduced by Bessel down‐sampling algorithm. This method preserved the details and perceptual quality of the original image. Then, image normalization was done by anisotropic smoothing. Multilayer feed‐forward neural network with a back‐propagation algorithm was used as classifier. A detection accuracy of 98.5% with acceptable false positives was registered with test sets from FDDB, CMU‐MIT, and Champions databases. The speed of execution was also promising. An evaluation of the proposed method with other popular detectors on the FDDB set shows great improvement.
Quasi‐linear SVM classifier with segmented local offsets for imbalanced data classification
Authors: Liang Peifeng , Zheng Feng , Li Weite , Hu Jinglu
Published: October 2018

Within‐class imbalance problems often occur in imbalanced data classification, which worsen the imbalance distribution problem and increase the learning concept complexity. However, most existing methods for the imbalanced data classification focus on rectifying the between‐class imbalance problem, which is insufficient and inappropriate in many different scenarios. This paper proposes a simple yet effective support vector machine (SVM) classifier with local offset adjustment for imbalance classification problems. First, a geometry‐based partitioning method is modified for imbalanced datasets to divide the input space into multiple linearly separable partitions along the potential separation boundary. Then an F‐score‐based method is applied to obtain local offsets optimized on each local cluster. Finally, by constructing a quasi‐linear kernel based on the partitioning information, a quasi‐linear SVM classifier with local offsets is constructed for the imbalanced datasets. Simulation results on different real‐world datasets show that the proposed method is effective for imbalanced data classifications. © 2018 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Saving, Sharing, or Spending? The Wealth Consequences of Raising Children
Authors: Maroto Michelle
Published: October 2018

This study uses 1986–2012 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 cohort data to investigate the relationship between raising children and net worth among younger Baby Boomer parents. I combine fixed-effects and unconditional quantile regression models to estimate changes in net worth associated with having children in different age groups across the wealth distribution. This allows me to test whether standard economic models for savings and consumption over the life course hold for families at different wealth levels. My findings show that the wealth effects of children vary throughout the distribution. Among families at or below the median, children of all ages were associated with wealth declines, likely due to the costs of child-rearing. However, at the 75th percentile and above, wealth increased with the presence of younger children but decreased after those children reached age 18. My results, therefore, provide evidence for a saving and investment model of child-rearing among wealthier families but not among families at or below median wealth levels. For these families, the costs of raising children largely outweighed motivations for saving.
Injection of Saline into the Biopsy Tract and Rapid Patient Rollover Decreases Pneumothorax Size following Computed Tomography–Guided Transthoracic Needle Biopsy
Authors: Khorochkov Eugenia , Garvin Gregory J. , Potoczny Stefan , Kozak Roman I.
Published: October 2018

Purpose

To determine if saline tract injection and rapid patient rollover following computed tomography (CT)–guided transthoracic needle biopsy (TTNB) affects pneumothorax incidence and size.

Methods

A retrospective cohort design was used to compare 278 patients who underwent post-biopsy saline injection and rapid rollover so that the biopsy site was dependent (N = 180) to a control group with routine post-biopsy care (N = 98). Post-procedure radiographs and CT were assessed for presence and size of pneumothorax, as well as requirement for chest tube placement.

Results

Pneumothorax size as estimated on post-procedure CT was 3.33% in the treatment group and 6.63% in the control group ( P < .05). There was also a reduction in chest tube placements in the treatment group (3.9% vs 10%, P < .05). On post-procedure radiographs, pneumothorax rates were 20% in the treatment group, and 25% in the control group ( P > .05).

Conclusion

Saline injection with rapid patient rollover following TTNB significantly decreased pneumothorax size and chest tube placement but not incidence.
Methotrexate for the treatment of unruptured tubal ectopic pregnancy
Authors: Hawrylyshyn K , McLeod SL , Thomas J , Varner Catherine
Published: October 2018

Objective

The objective of this study was to determine the outcomes of women who presented to the emergency department (ED) with suspected ectopic pregnancy and received methotrexate as first-line treatment.

Methods

This was a retrospective chart review of pregnant (< 12 week’ gestational age) women from an academic tertiary care ED with a diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy, rule-out ectopic pregnancy, or pregnancy of unknown location over a 7-year period.

Results

Of 612 patients with a suspected ectopic pregnancy at initial ED presentation, 326 (53.3%) had non-ectopic pregnancy outcomes, 30 (4.9%) were diagnosed with a ruptured ectopic pregnancy at the index ED visit, and 18 (2.9%) were diagnosed and managed as non-tubal ectopic pregnancies and excluded from further analyses; 238 patients were diagnosed with a tubal ectopic pregnancy, and 152 (63.9%) were treated with methotrexate at the index ED visit or in follow-up. Of patients treated with methotrexate, 27 (17.8%) went on to require surgical management, with 17 (11.2%) documented as having ruptured on surgical evaluation.

Conclusion

The proportion of patients failing methotrexate as first-line treatment was higher than previously reported. Further investigation is needed to determine whether methotrexate failure was due to non-adherence to recommended guidelines.
Varzaghan Earthquake Affected Mothers’ and Their Newborns’ Health More Severely, in Socioeconomically Vulnerable Area
Authors: Esfandyari Mehdi , Vaghef-Mehrabany Elnaz , Ebrahimi-Mameghani Mehrangiz
Published: October 2018

Objective

We aimed to compare the pregnancy status of the pregnant women and birth status of their newborns, socioeconomic status, and access to health services, between high- and low-damage areas in Heris, affected by the Varzaghan Earthquake, 2012.

Methods

The study was conducted on pregnant women at any trimester of pregnancy (with complete medical profiles in local health centers) in August 2012 (time of the earthquake) who lived in Heris and delivered up to March 2013. Data were obtained on pregnancy- and infant-related variables, housing, socioeconomic status, and access to health services, including food supplies, before and after the earthquake.

Results

Family income and mothers’ education were lower in highly damaged areas. Among these women, underweight at first trimester of pregnancy was higher, and weight gain during the last trimester was lower, compared with low-damage regions. Preterm delivery was higher in low-damage areas. Birth indices of the infants were not significantly different between the 2 areas; however, in highly damaged areas, moderate malnutrition was more prevalent among children under 1 year (weight-for-age) and under 2 years (height-for-age).

Conclusions

Socioeconomic status of mothers was lower in highly damaged areas and might have played a role in their own and newborns’ health status. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:
511-518)
Nilsequences and multiple correlations along subsequences
Authors: LE ANH NGOC
Published: October 2018

The results of Bergelson, Host and Kra, and Leibman state that a multiple polynomial correlation sequence can be decomposed into a sum of a nilsequence (a sequence defined by evaluating a continuous function along an orbit in a nilsystem) and a null sequence (a sequence that goes to zero in density). We refine their results by proving that the null sequence goes to zero in density along polynomials evaluated at primes and along the Hardy sequence $(\lfloor n^{c}\rfloor )$. In contrast, given a rigid sequence, we construct an example of a correlation whose null sequence does not go to zero in density along that rigid sequence. As a corollary of a lemma in the proof, the formula for the pointwise ergodic average along polynomials of primes in a nilsystem is also obtained.
Hyperbolic rank rigidity for manifolds of -pinched negative curvature
Authors: CONNELL CHRIS , NGUYEN THANG , SPATZIER RALF
Published: October 2018

A Riemannian manifold $M$ has higher hyperbolic rank if every geodesic has a perpendicular Jacobi field making sectional curvature $-1$ with the geodesic. If, in addition, the sectional curvatures of $M$ lie in the interval $[-1,-\frac{1}{4}]$ and $M$ is closed, we show that $M$ is a locally symmetric space of rank one. This partially extends work by Constantine using completely different methods. It is also a partial counterpart to Hamenstädt’s hyperbolic rank rigidity result for sectional curvatures $\leq -1$, and complements well-known results on Euclidean and spherical rank rigidity.
READING THE TEMPLE OF NABU AS A CODED SENSORY EXPERIENCE
Authors: Neumann Kiersten
Published: October 2018

Archaeological evidence alongside textual sources allow for a deep reading of the meaningful encounters ancient peoples had with their built environments and the ways in which these spaces were connected to cultural values and priorities. This paper argues that the sensory affordances of the first-millenniumb.c. temples of Nabu, the god of wisdom and writing, manifested the exclusive, specialised knowledge that was associated with this god in a manner that differentiated these built environments within the active, sensory landscape of the Neo-Assyrian royal citadel. This potential of the Nabu temples is best shown in the most well-preserved examples at the capital cities of Kalḫu (modern Nimrud) and Dur-Šarrukin (modern Khorsabad). These two temples of Nabu have the same combination of architectural features that produced this sensory experience, despite being in different cities and despite having different spatial layouts. These features include: (1) a sense of emphatic placement of the temples on the royal citadels and distinctive exterior features; (2) an indirect route towards the cult rooms of Nabu that passed through multiple courtyards, passage-chambers, and doorways with remarkable architectural programmes; (3) andakītu-suites, which were associated with the Assyrianakītu-festival andadê-ceremony. The appreciation of knowledge and of experts (Akk.ummânu) materialised in these built environments expresses developments in royal ideology and the preferences of Neo-Assyrian kings, in particular during the eighth and seventh centuriesb.c. This examination of the temples of Nabu demonstrates the ways in which a sensory-oriented approach adds a unique perspective to previous archaeological and textual studies, as well as insight into the relationship between cultural and ideological values and complex sensory landscapes of past societies.
Validation of the Japanese Version of the Multidimensional Stress Questionnaire for Couples: Factor Structure, Validity and Reliability
Authors: Kurosawa Tai , Yokotani Kenji
Published: October 2018

We validated the Japanese version of the Multidimensional Stress Questionnaire for Couples (MSQ) and examined construct validity and reliability. We conducted an online longitudinal survey of 300 husbands and 300 wives. The Japanese version of the MSQ (MSQ-J) had a two-factor structure centred on internal and external stressors. The internal-stressor factor showed sufficient validity and reliability, indicating its suitability for measuring marital stressors. The external-stressors factor also showed acceptable validity for both husbands and wives. The findings indicate that the MSQ-J is suitable for both research and clinical practice.
Organizational Form and Payoff Imbalances in an Aggrievement Model: Cooperatives versus Privately Owned Wineries
Authors: Santos-Arteaga Francisco J. , Schamel Günter
Published: October 2018

We build on Hart and Holmstrom (2010) to analyze the strategic choice of organizational form among wine producers. They claim that a firm's organizational form, when agreed upon competitively, conditions the sense of entitlement of the involved parties. The sense of entitlement determines their feeling of grievance for the outcome of the contract and, if so, their shading efforts by partially withholding consummate performance, creating deadweight losses. We consider two main organizational forms:non-integration, where growers interact in the winemaking process and can highlight the quality of their individual contributions, andintegration, where individual contributions to the process may not be explicitly acknowledged and the winemaker cannot exert quality control over the production chain. We present a formal coordination model that illustrates how cooperatives and private firms can coexist within a market. Furthermore, given the reasonable parameter constraints, it illustrates how an integrated cooperative can obtain a higher social surplus than a non-integrated private firm. (JEL Classifications: C72, L22, L66)
CONTROL SOBRE TIERRAS, SISTEMAS DE CAMELLONES, CANALES Y MANO DE OBRA DURANTE EL PERIODO PREHISPÁNICO EN LA SABANA DE BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA
Authors: Boada Rivas Ana María
Published: October 2018

En este artículo se evalúan dos aproximaciones arqueológicas relacionadas con el control de recursos económicos básicos como un componente central en el surgimiento de la complejidad social durante el periodo prehispánico en la Sabana de Bogotá, Colombia. La visión “de arriba hacia abajo” propone que los caciques Muiscas derivaron su poder del control sobre recursos económicos, principalmente derechos sobre la tierra, mano de obra, mejores suelos agrícolas y sistemas de camellones y canales. La visión “de abajo hacia arriba” plantea que las unidades domésticas fueron las que controlaron los derechos sobre la tierra, mejores suelos agrícolas, sistemas de camellones y canales. Para evaluar ambas aproximaciones, se analizaron los datos de un reconocimiento regional de 235 km2en la Sabana de Bogotá a través de un programa de Sistema de Información Geográfica para establecer la relación entre la distribución de la población y la calidad de suelos, camellones y canales. Los resultados apoyan la coexistencia de ambas situaciones. Los grupos locales y las unidades domésticas individuales tuvieron control directo sobre los derechos sobre la tierra y la infraestructura agrícola. Sin embargo, el núcleo del cacicazgo de Bogotá presentó más centralización demográfica y política y mayor grado de control directo sobre derechos de tierras, mano de obra, suelos de mejor calidad e infraestructura agrícola que otros cacicazgos locales.
14C Release from Steels under El Cabril Standard Leaching Test
Authors: Leganés José L , Muñoz José V , García Carmen M
Published: October 2018

The study of the mechanisms of radiocarbon (14C) release from different types of radioactive waste in final disposal conditions (organic, inorganic species, liquid, or gaseous phase) is an important aspect for the definition of waste acceptance criteria in a repository. The goal of this work is to determine the behavior of activated stainless steel, under standard leaching tests performed at El Cabril laboratory, with the aim of determining the retention capacity of the activated stainless steel, and therefore to assess the treatment and the potential additional barriers necessary for the fulfillment of waste acceptance criteria relevant to the El Cabril surface repository, Spain.
The Scarcity Value of Treasury Collateral: Repo-Market Effects of Security-Specific Supply and Demand Factors
Authors: D’Amico Stefania , Fan Roger , Kitsul Yuriy
Published: October 2018

We quantify the scarcity value of Treasury collateral by estimating the impact of security-specific demand and supply factors on the specific collateral repurchase agreement (repo) rates of all outstanding U.S. Treasury securities. We find a positive and significant scarcity premium for on- and off-the-run Treasuries that persists for approximately 3 months and is larger in magnitude for shorter-term securities. This scarcity effect seems to pass through to Treasury cash market prices, providing additional evidence for the scarcity channel of quantitative easing (QE). On the contrary, the Federal Reserve’s reverse repo operations could help reduce the scarcity premium by alleviating potential shortages of high-quality collateral.
Predicting U.S. Bank Failures with MIDAS Logit Models
Authors: Audrino Francesco , Kostrov Alexander , Ortega Juan-Pablo
Published: October 2018

We propose a new approach based on a generalization of the logit model to improve prediction accuracy in U.S. bank failures. Mixed-data sampling (MIDAS) is introduced in the context of a logistic regression. We also mitigate the class-imbalance problem in data and adjust the classification accuracy evaluation. In applying the suggested model to the period from 2004 to 2016, we show that it correctly classifies significantly more bank failure cases than the classic logit model, in particular for long-term forecasting horizons. Some of the largest recent bank failures in the United States that had been previously misclassified are now correctly predicted.
The Effect of Investment Constraints on Hedge Fund Investor Returns
Authors: Joenväärä Juha , Kosowski Robert , Tolonen Pekka
Published: October 2018

This paper examines the effect of real-world, investor-level investment constraints, including several that have not been studied before, on hedge fund performance and its persistence. Using a large consolidated database, we demonstrate that hedge fund performance persistence is significantly reduced when rebalancing rules reflect fund size restrictions and liquidity constraints but remains statistically significant at higher rebalancing frequencies. Hypothetical investor portfolios that incorporate additional minimum diversification constraints, minimum investment requirements, and focus on open funds suggest that the performance and its persistence documented in earlier studies of hedge funds is not easily exploitable, especially by large investors.
Morphological divergence in the anchovy Anchoa januaria (Actinopterygii, Engraulidae) between tropical and subtropical estuarine areas on the Brazilian coast
Authors: Santos Joaquim N. S. , Gomes-Gonçalves Rafaela de S. , Silva Márcio de A. , Vasconcellos Ruan M. , Araújo Francisco G.
Published: October 2018

Phenotypic differentiation among fish populations may be used for management of distinct stocks and helps in conserving biodiversity. We compared morphometric and meristic characters of the anchovy Anchoa januaria from shallow semi-closed bays between the south-eastern (Tropical, 23°S) and southern (Subtropical, 25°S) Brazilian coast. We hypothesized that differences between habitats and environmental conditions result in morphological divergence between conspecific populations. Fish size did not differ significantly between the two areas. Significant differences in the meristic and morphological characters were detected for individuals between the two areas, with specimens from the Subtropical region having significant larger head height, pectoral fin length and eye diameter compared with those from the Tropical region. Conversely, specimens from the Tropical region had significantly larger maxillary length, mouth length and body height than those from the Subtropical region. The number of rays for the dorsal and pectoral fins were higher for the specimens from the Subtropical region, whereas for the anal fin was higher for individuals from the Tropical region. Different morphological groups between the two regions were depicted by principal component analysis and discriminant function analysis, which suggest that morphological divergence is occurring. Local environmental influences and the lack of genetic interchange are likely to be the causes of such divergence. This is facilitated by the low tolerance of this species to marine waters that prevents connectivity between these stocks/populations.
Vocabulary size and native speaker self-identification influence flexibility in linguistic prediction among adult bilinguals
Authors: PETERS RYAN E. , GRÜTER THERES , BOROVSKY ARIELLE
Published: October 2018

When language users predict upcoming speech, they generate pluralistic expectations, weighted by likelihood (Kuperberg & Jaeger, 2016). Many variables influence the prediction of highly likely sentential outcomes, but less is known regarding variables affecting the prediction ofless-likelyoutcomes. Here we explore how English vocabulary size and self-identification as a native speaker (NS) of English modulate adult bi-/multilinguals’ preactivation of less-likely sentential outcomes in two visual-world experiments. Participants heard transitive sentences containing an agent, action, and theme (The pirate chases the ship) while viewing four referents varying in expectancy by relation to the agent and action. In Experiment 1 (N=70), spoken themes referred to highly expected items (e.g., ship). Results indicate lower skill (smaller vocabulary size) and less confident (not identifying as NS) bi-/multilinguals activate less-likely action-related referents more than their higher skill/confidence peers. In Experiment 2 (N=65), themes were one of two less-likely items (The pirate chases the bone/cat). Results approaching significance indicate an opposite but similar size effect: higher skill/confidence listeners activate less-likely action-related (e.g., bone) referents slightly more than lower skill/confidence listeners. Results across experiments suggest higher skill/confidence participants more flexibly modulate their linguistic predictions per the demands of the task, with similar but not identical patterns emerging when bi-/multilinguals are grouped by self-ascribed NS status versus vocabulary size.
Being Carmen: Cutting Pathways towards Female Androgyny in Japan and India
Authors: Diamond Catherine
Published: October 2018

In this article Catherine Diamond examines the flows of transcultural hybridity occurring in dance between Spanish flamencos, Japanese exponents of flamenco, and Indian dancers interacting with flamenco within their classical dance forms. Japan and India represent two distinct Asian reactions to the phenomenon of global flamenco: the Japanese have adopted it wholesale and compete with the Spanish on their own ground; the Indians claim that as the Roma (gypsy) people originated in India, the country is also the home of flamenco. Despite their differing attitudes, flamenco dance offers women in both cultures a pathway toward participating in an internal androgyny, a wider spectrum of gender representation than either the Asian traditional dance or contemporary Asian society normally allows. Catherine Diamond is a professor of theatre and environmental literature. She is Director of the Kinnari Ecological Theatre Project in Southeast Asia, and the director/choreographer of Red Shoes Dance Theatre in Taiwan.
Serafima Birman: the Path of the Actress from the Moscow Art Theatre to People's Artist of the USSR
Authors: Whyman Rose
Published: October 2018

Serafima Birman was an actress of the Moscow Art Theatre who worked in the First Studio and Second Moscow Art Theatre throughout the revolutionary and civil war period (1910s–1920s) and went on to have a distinguished career as a performer, teacher, and director in Stalinist and post-Stalinist USSR (1920s–1970s). In this article Rose Whyman investigates her artistic and cultural contribution in the development of the Stanislavsky System and of her approach to acting, working alongside Vakhtangov, Michael Chekhov, and influenced by Meyerhold and other artists of the avant-garde. She was the first female director at the theatre, continued to act and direct in Soviet theatres, and worked in film, notably with Eisenstein on Ivan the Terrible. The development of her career required great determination and necessitated making theatrical and political choices in order to survive and maintain the artistic principles on which her work was based. Rose Whyman is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Drama and Theatre Arts at the University of Birmingham and is the author of The Stanislavsky System of Acting (Cambridge, 2008) and Stanislavsky: the Basics (Routledge, 2013).
‘Was Ever Treason so Unnatural?’: Phallic Mothers and Propaganda in Two Plays by William Hatchett
Authors: Moon Jina
Published: October 2018

By examining William Hatchett's The Chinese Orphan alongside The Fall of Mortimer, in this article Jina Moon aims to expand our critical awareness of Hatchett's oeuvre and to deepen our understanding of the shifting contours of misogyny as an integral component of eighteenth-century political discourse. The Fall of Mortimer differs from other sources of anti-Walpole propaganda, offering pointedly acrimonious treatment not only of Walpole, but of Queen Caroline. The Chinese Orphan was published in February 1741, two months before the election of that year dealt the final blow to Walpole's career. The play reflects shifting attitudes towards women in power and the contemporary tendency to contrast the ambitious and political Caroline with submissive and domestic Princess Augusta. To examine Hatchett's work is to gain new insight into the ways in which authors adapted both to the restrictions of the Licensing Act and to the shifting political climate of the 1740s. Jina Moon received her Ph.D. in English from the University of Tulsa (2015). Her study of Domestic Violence in Victorian and Edwardian Fiction appeared from Cambridge Scholars Publishing in 2016.
The changing epidemiology worldwide ofMycobacterium ulcerans
Authors: O'Brien D. P. , Jeanne I. , Blasdell K. , Avumegah M. , Athan E.
Published: October 2018

Mycobacterium ulceransis recognised as the third most common mycobacterial infection worldwide. It causes necrotising infections of skin and soft tissue and is classified as a neglected tropical disease by the World Health Organization (WHO). However, despite extensive research, the environmental reservoir of the organism and mode of transmission of the infection to humans remain unknown. This limits the ability to design and implement public health interventions to effectively and consistently prevent the spread and reduce the incidence of this disease. In recent years, the epidemiology of the disease has changed. In most endemic regions of the world, the number of cases reported to the WHO are reducing, with a 64% reduction in cases reported worldwide in the last 9 years. Conversely, in a smaller number of countries including Australia and Nigeria, reported cases are increasing at a rapid rate, new endemic areas continue to appear, and in Australia cases are becoming more severe. The reasons for this changing epidemiology are unknown. We review the epidemiology ofM. ulceransdisease worldwide, and document recent changes. We also outline and discuss the current state of knowledge on the ecology ofM. ulcerans, possible transmission mechanisms to humans and what may be enabling the spread ofM. ulceransinto new endemic areas.
New product, old problem(s): multistate outbreak of Salmonella Paratyphi B variant L(+) tartrate(+) infections linked to raw sprouted nut butters, October 2015
Authors: Heiman Marshall K. E. , Booth H. , Harrang J. , Lamba K. , Folley A. , Ching-Lee M. , Hannapel E. , Greene V. , Classon A. , Whitlock L. , Shade L. , Viazis S. , Nguyen T. , Neil K. P.
Published: October 2018

A cluster of Salmonella Paratyphi B variant L(+) tartrate(+) infections with indistinguishable pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns was detected in October 2015. Interviews initially identified nut butters, kale, kombucha, chia seeds and nutrition bars as common exposures. Epidemiologic, environmental and traceback investigations were conducted. Thirteen ill people infected with the outbreak strain were identified in 10 states with illness onset during 18 July–22 November 2015. Eight of 10 (80%) ill people reported eating Brand A raw sprouted nut butters. Brand A conducted a voluntary recall. Raw sprouted nut butters are a novel outbreak vehicle, though contaminated raw nuts, nut butters and sprouted seeds have all caused outbreaks previously. Firms producing raw sprouted products, including nut butters, should consider a kill step to reduce the risk of contamination. People at greater risk for foodborne illness may wish to consider avoiding raw products containing raw sprouted ingredients.
Multilocus sequencing-based evolutionary analysis of 52 strains of Burkholderia pseudomallei in Hainan, China
Authors: Fang Y. , Hu Z. , Chen H. , Gu J. , Hu H. , Qu L. , Mao X.
Published: October 2018

Previously, we reported a phylogenetic study of 98 Burkholderia pseudomallei clinical isolates from Hainan, China. Here, we update the B. pseudomallei strain library with 52 strains from newly identified cases dating from 2014 to 2017, analysed by multilocus sequence typing. Twenty-two sequence types (STs) were identified from the 52 cases, illustrating high genetic diversity; five of them (ST1480, ST1481, ST1482, ST1483 and ST1484) were novel. ST46, ST50 and ST58 predominated (34.6%) as was the case in the previous study (35.7%). An e-BURST map of the ST profiles of the two collections of isolates showed their genetic foundation to be largely unchanged. Neighbour-joining tree analysis was suggestive of a close phylogenetic relationship between the novel STs from this series and those first reported from Hainan (ST1105, ST1099, ST55 and ST1095). Moreover, the two novel STs (1481 and 1483) showed close similarity to ST58 which originated in Thailand indicating a close relationship between B. pseudomallei strains from both countries. The previously described allele profiles gmhD-36 and lepA-68 were found for the first time in our strain collections. Our study emphasises the importance of monitoring the epidemiological status and evolutionary trends of B. pseudomallei in China.
An analytic study of vibrational energy harvesting using piezoelectric tiles in stairways subjected to human traffic
Authors: EDLUND CONNOR , RAMAKRISHNAN SUBRAMANIAN
Published: October 2018

This work investigates analytically, the use of piezoelectric tiles placed on stairways for vibrational energy harvesting – harnessing electrical power from natural vibrational phenomena – from pedestrian footfalls. While energy harvesting from pedestrian traffic along flat pathways has been studied in the linear regime and realised in practical applications, the greater amounts of energy naturally expended in traversing stairways suggest better prospects for harvesting. Considering the characteristics of two types of commercially available piezoelectric tiles – Navy Type III and Navy Type V – analytical models for the coupled electromechanical system are formulated. The harvesting potential of the tiles is then studied under conditions of both deterministic and carefully developed random excitation profiles for three distinct cases: linear, monostable nonlinear and an array of monostable nonlinear tiles on adjacent steps with linear coupling between them. The results indicate enhanced power output when the tiles are: (1) placed on stairways, (2) uncoupled and (3) subjected to excitation profiles with stochastic frequency. In addition, the Navy Type V tiles are seen to outperform the Navy Type III tiles. Finally, the strongly nonlinear regime outperforms the linear one suggesting that the realisation of commercially available piezoelectric tiles with appropriately tailored nonlinear characteristics will likely have a significant impact on energy harvesting from pedestrian traffic.
Waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio and conicity index to evaluate android fat excess in Brazilian children
Authors: Filgueiras Mariana De Santis , Vieira Sarah Aparecida , Fonseca Poliana Cristina de Almeida , Pereira Patrícia Feliciano , Ribeiro Andréia Queiroz , Priore Silvia Eloiza , Franceschini Sylvia do Carmo Castro , Novaes Juliana Farias de
Published: October 2018

Objective

To evaluate the ability of anthropometric measurements to identify excess android fat and to propose cut-off points for excess central adiposity in children, according to age and sex.

Design

A cross-sectional study with children from a municipality of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Receiver-operating characteristic curve analyses were performed to evaluate waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and conicity index (C-index) in estimating excess android fat by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA).

Setting

Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Subjects

Children aged 4–9 years (n 788).

Results

Overweight prevalence was 29·1 % and android fat percentage was higher among girls. All central fat measurements were able to discriminate excess android fat in the age groups evaluated, especially WC and WHtR, with cut-off points showing good sensitivity and specificity overall.

Conclusions

Because these methods are easy to obtain and inexpensive, it is possible to use WC, WHtR and C-index in population surveys to evaluate central obesity. The proposed cut-off points showed satisfactory values of sensitivity and specificity and can be used in epidemiological studies.