bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Japan Municipal Bond Yield Curve: 2002 to the Present
Authors: Hattori Takahiro , Miyake Hiroki
Published: June 2016

The aim of this paper is to present the par yield curve for Japan’s Municipal Bonds, by examining daily data from 2002 to the present. Moreover, this paper contributes to current literature by making available for the first time additional long-run market data on Japan’s Municipal Bonds, and thereby enabling economists and practitioners to analyze the large municipal bond market of Japan in detail. We also investigate the fit of the well-known parametric and spline methods in their standard measures, and are able to show that the spline method does, in fact, fit well as in previous studies. In keeping with our aim to make these data more widely available, we posted the data on the following website and expect to update this regularly: http://www.mcnnns77.net.
Engendering Women’s Access to Credit through Financial Inclusion in India
Authors: Mathew Jaya , Kurian Reeba
Published: June 2016

Government of India and Reserve Bank of India has undertaken a lot of measures to mitigate the problem of financial inclusion in India. The emergence of Self Help Groups (SHGs) and SHG-Bank linkage Programme have helped extensively to strengthen the poor especially women. In India due to social and cultural reasons women face greater challenges in access to formal finance.

This study highlights the representation of Women in Self Help Groups (WSHGs) and SHG-Bank Linkage programmes undertaken by the Government of India (GOI) and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and tries to establish that these initiatives have improved women’s access to finance in India.
An Empirical Study on the Characteristics of K-REITs
Authors: Jung Won Hyun , Park Sang Beom
Published: June 2016

In this study the characteristics of REITs in Korea were investigated. REITs has been introduced and managed for almost 15 years in Korea. The research results show that K-REITs has higher return and lower risk structure than KOSPI, and higher return and higher risk than bond. These results indicate that we can attain portfolio effects by including REITs in an investment set. Regarding the correlation between return of K-REITs and that of stock and bond is smaller than that of the case of the U. S., which means there is possibility to attain more portfolio effects in Korea than the U. S. using REITs. Also the systematic risk of K-REITs is near zero. And alike from that of U. S., the asymmetric risk and return structure according to the market condition of K-REITs is not found. So if an investor analyzes the volatility of real estate market and the unique characteristics of REITs exquisitely and includes the REITs in his/her portfolio accordingly, he/she can achieve reduced risk and improve portfolio effects. In short, K-REITs can be very useful to diversify the investment and attain portfolio effects in the financial market.
A Time Series Analysis of the Impact of International Sporting Events on International Arrivals: Melbourne, Australia and Jamaica
Authors: Logan Twila-Mae , Huntley Lewis Eritha , Scott Clive
Published: June 2016

This study examines changes in international tourist arrivals in Melbourne, Australia after the 2006 Commonwealth Games, and tourist arrivals in Jamaica after the 2007 Cricket World Cup matches to answer the questions: do international arrivals increase as a result of hosting a large sporting event, and how long is the impact sustained over the post-event period? Using data prior to the Games, autoregressive models with independent variables were used to model these series. The differences between the actual and predicted series after the Games were attributed to shocks caused by hosting the Commonwealth Games. In the Australian case, the results indicate that after the Games, international arrivals were marginally higher than before the Games. In the Jamaican case, the data indicate that while there was an increase in international tourist arrivals for the event, the international tourist arrivals from non-traditional countries increased after the World Cup Cricket matches.
An Investigation of Corporate Sustainability Value to Investors Before and After the Financial Crisis
Authors: Baas Rudolf B. , Georgakopoulos Georgios , Vasileiou Konstantinos Z. , Sotiropoulos Ioannis
Published: June 2016

During the last decennia there is a shift in corporate sustainability strategies amongst large companies, as they increasingly exhibit an inclination to opt to strategies which do not aim solely on the maximization of shareholders value, but they consider, as well, environmental and social aspects. This paper investigates the impact on the share price of the companies included in or excluded from the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index before (2006-2007) and after (2009-2010) the financial crisis, employing the CAPM-model. The research results reveal that after the financial crisis the investors changed their investment strategies in favor of the more corporate sustainable companies (included in the DJSWI) compared to unsustainable companies (excluded from the DJSWI). However, the exclusion of a company from the DJSWI was not found to have a significant negative impact on the companies’ share price.
Investigating the Motivations of VC Syndication in China --- Do Chinese Leading VC Firms Make a Difference in Terms of Syndication Decisions
Authors: Tan Yi , Wang Xiaoli
Published: June 2016

The venture capital industry in China is quickly evolving and becoming more and more important in the development of small and medium-size companies in China. Venture capital firms usually invest in young private transactions which are usually involved with high risk. In addition, the legal and political environments in China are significantly different from those in the developed markets and at the same time, China is undergoing significant changes of business environments, which brings even more challenges to the VC firms in China’s market. Under these challenges, syndication has become a very popular investment method for the VC companies to diversify their investment risks. In this paper, we explore the various factors that might influence the motivation of VC firm’s syndication decisions in China’s market and especially focus on the impact of the firm’s Chinese ownership. We believe that VC firms’ Chinese ownership has a significant influence on the firm’s decision for syndication investment and our empirical analysis confirms this. We find that Chinese VC firms have a significantly lower likelihood to make syndicated investment than their foreign counterparties. We also explore the interactions between the firms’ Chinese ownership and other influencing factors to investigate their joint impacts on the syndication likelihood. We believe our study will provide a better and thorough understanding about the VC firms’ syndication behavior in China’s market and thus will offer significant values to Chinese policy makers in terms of their efforts to promoting VC development in China.
A constituição docente na formação inicial e a escuta supervisiva com base na teoria holística da atividade
Authors: Camillo Leila Bom
Published: June 2016

Este texto propõe uma reflexão teórica, no contexto de estágio supervisionado do Curso de Licenciatura em Letras da UFSM, referente à escuta supervisiva no processo de constituição docente. Com base na Teoria Holística da Atividade, a escuta supervisiva busca acompanhar o estagiário, pautada na empatia, na congruência e na aceitação incondicional. A supervisão passa a ser uma base segura que acolhe, orienta e encoraja o acadêmico na inserção da nova profissão. Essa escuta se dá na dimensão afetivo-identificatória, em que ocorre a relação entre a nucleação nomotética com a objetivação idiográfica. Nesse processo, o estagiário passa por uma crescente diferenciação do saber, conscientizando-se dele. Na formação do sujeito do pensar-sentir-agir, a Teoria Holística da Atividade (THA) contempla não só os processos sociocognitivos, mas também os processos semióticos afetivo-identificatórios, em que numa aliança didática entre Universidade, acadêmico e escola, se estabelece o Desenvolvimento Profissionalizante Corresponsável (DPC). Dessa forma, a THA mostra-se melhor equipada para atender as demandas do mercado e reduzir os conflitos do entorno do sistema.
A política linguística de interdição: o caso de descendentes de alemão
Authors: Ronsani Luciana Vargas , Drabrach Neila Pedrotti
Published: June 2016

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo analisar os efeitos de sentido da gestão educacional do Estado Novo (1937 a 1945) sobre as políticas linguísticas de promoção do ensino da língua portuguesa e, ao mesmo tempo, do silenciamento da língua dos descendentes de imigrantes alemães. Para tanto, buscou-se, através da história e legislação da educação, realizar uma análise dos períodos históricos que antecederam o Estado Novo para tentar compreender como ele se configurou e como ele foi determinante para a interdição/promoção das línguas.
O desenvolvimento profissional corresponsável de professores de língua materna como proposta de intercâmbio entre academia e mercado de trabalho
Authors: Kist Liane Batistela
Published: June 2016

A proposta que aqui se apresenta tem por objetivo investigar o Desenvolvimento Profissional Corresponsável (DPC), especialmente do professor de Língua Materna (LM), como possibilidade de intercâmbio entre academia e mercado de trabalho. O DPC consiste em uma concepção triádica de profissionalização articulando, em bases de aliança e confiança recíproca, três lugares: Academia, Graduação e Mercado, sendo irredutível à simples soma de duas díades, como não raro se observa em iniciativas de formação inicial ou continuada. O DPC é um dos conceitos subjacentes à Teoria Holística da Atividade (THA) de Richter (2011), cuja matriz diz respeito à inseparabilidade entre conduta, conceito e valor no exercício profissional, ordenados de forma sistêmica através de um conjunto de conceitos teóricos que permitem ao professor organizar seu trabalho. Para realizar a investigação, partiu-se da análise de algumas seções do relatório de atividades do Subprojeto Letras Português integrante do Programa Institucional de Bolsas de Iniciação à Docência – PIBID. Tendo em vista que, para se implementar um DPC, seja necessária uma aliança profissional alicerçada num elo de confiança e na adoção de um paradigma de trabalho consensual entre capacitação inicial e em-serviço, buscou-se identificar no PIBID/Português a possibilidade de um modelo formativo capaz de ancorar os fatores necessários ao desenvolvimento profissional de professores de LM. Como método investigativo, foi utilizada a análise de indícios discursivos, através do paradigma indiciário de Ginsburg (1989). Em linhas gerais, pode-se dizer, de modo geral, que o PIBID/Português revelou aspectos positivos no tocante à inseparabilidade entre conduta, conceito e valor no exercício profissional e, portanto, indícios de um DPC no contexto de implementação, já que proporcionou, de modo preciso, uma triangulação ou, dito de outra forma, uma horizontalização profissional com o objetivo de proceder à capacitação integrada inicial e em-serviço, condição sine qua non para a formação de uma aliança profissional, no caso do ensino de língua materna, uma aliança linguodidática.
How do Agency Problems Affect the Implied Cost of Capital?
Authors: Wu Ching-Chih , Lin Bing-Huei , Yang Tung-Hsiao
Published: June 2016

We test the relationship between the implied cost of capital and two agency problems, free cash flows and overinvestment. We show that free cash flows have a significant negative impact on the implied cost of capital, but overinvestment has a significantly positive impact. In addition, the pay-for-performance sensitivity has a negative effect but the sensitivity of volatility has a significantly positive effect on the implied cost of capital. After taking the incentives into account, we find that the significance of the impact from both agency problems still exists. Finally, we conclude that well-designed executive compensation should focus on reducing overinvestment and the sensitivity of volatility.
Scaling Capitalist Class Relations: Commercial Property Development in Tampa, Florida
Authors: Amen M. Mark
Published: June 2016

We test the relationship between the implied cost of capital and two agency problems, free cash flows and overinvestment. We show that free cash flows have a significant negative impact on the implied cost of capital, but overinvestment has a significantly positive impact. In addition, the pay-for-performance sensitivity has a negative effect but the sensitivity of volatility has a significantly positive effect on the implied cost of capital. After taking the incentives into account, we find that the significance of the impact from both agency problems still exists. Finally, we conclude that well-designed executive compensation should focus on reducing overinvestment and the sensitivity of volatility.
Le marais du Colombier à Varennes-sur-Seine : une zone humide valorisée et valorisante entre le XVIe et le XVIIIe siècle
Authors: Hurard Séverine , Cavanna Emilie
Published: June 2016

La ferme du Colombier de Varennes-sur-Seine, créée ex nihilo dans une zone humide de la vallée de la Seine en 1506, constitue un exemple d’exploitation interdisciplinaire du paysage, unique à ce jour pour l’archéologie moderne en France métropolitaine. Données archéologiques, paléoenvironnementales, historiques et archéogéographiques participent à la lecture de ce paysage de marais et de prairies humides, hérité mais aussi valorisé en continu sur deux siècles. Appréhendé comme un milieu à part entière, ce site a aussi été étudié en tant que territoire – ce qui a permis d’en affiner l’interprétation sociale, en démontrant pourquoi le marais du Colombier est loin d’avoir été un espace de relégation, au tout début du XVIe siècle. Artéfacts, écofacts et géofacts démontrent qu’il est en réalité vécu et perçu comme un vecteur de distinction sociale par une petite élite rurale en quête d’affirmation sociale, à la charnière entre le Moyen Âge et l’époque moderne.
Reduction in edge dislocation density in corundum-structured α-Ga2O3 layers on sapphire substrates with quasi-graded α-(Al,Ga)2O3 buffer layers
Authors: Jinno Riena , Uchida Takayuki , Kaneko Kentaro , Fujita Shizuo
Published: June 2016

Efforts have been made to reduce the density of defects in corundum-structured α-Ga2O3 thin films on sapphire substrates by applying quasi-graded α-(Al
x
Ga1−

x
)2O3 buffer layers. Transmission electron microscopy images revealed that most strains were located in the α-(Al
x
Ga1−

x
)2O3 buffer layers, and that the total density of dislocations in the α-Ga2O3 thin films was successfully decreased by more than one order of magnitude compared with that without buffer layers, that is, the screw and edge dislocation densities were about 3 × 108 and 6 × 108 cm−2, respectively.
The Rapid Assessment of Competency in Echocardiography Scale
Authors: Millington Scott J. , Arntfield Robert T. , Hewak Michael , Hamstra Stanley J. , Beaulieu Yanick , Hibbert Benjamin , Koenig Seth , Kory Pierre , Mayo Paul , Schoenherr Jordan R.
Published: June 2016

Objectives

Increased use of point‐of‐care ultrasound (US) requires the development of assessment tools that measure the competency of learners. In this study, we developed and tested a tool to assess the quality of point‐of‐care cardiac US studies performed by novices.

Methods

In phase 1, the Rapid Assessment of Competency in Echocardiography (RACE) scale was developed on the basis of structured interviews with subject matter experts; the tool was then piloted on a small series of US studies in phase 2. In phase 3, the tool was applied to a sample of 154 point‐of‐care US studies performed by 12 learners; each study was independently rated by 2 experts, with quantitative analysis subsequently performed.

Results

Evidence of the content validity of the RACE scale was supported by a consensus exercise, wherein experts agreed on the assessment dimensions and specific items that made up the RACE scale. The tool showed good inter‐rater reliability. An analysis of inter‐item correlations provided support for the internal structure of the scale, and the tool was able to discriminate between learners early in their point‐of‐care US learning and those who were more advanced in their training.

Conclusions

The RACE scale provides a straightforward means to assess learner performance with minimal requirements for evaluator training. Our results support the conclusion that the tool is an effective means of making valid judgments regarding competency in point‐of‐care cardiac US.
Correlating the Sonographic Finding of Echogenic Debris in the Bladder Lumen With Urinalysis
Authors: Cheng Sarah N. , Phelps Andrew
Published: June 2016

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to determine the significance of urinary bladder debris detected by sonography.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis of urinalysis results in age‐matched patients with and without bladder debris detected by transabdominal sonography. Patients were recruited from a radiology database search for bladder sonograms either with words suggesting echogenic debris or by a clinical history suggesting an infectious course. The sonograms were randomized and read by a single radiologist, who was blinded to case versus control. The urinalysis and sonographic results were analyzed by the Fisher exact test.

Results

There was no statistically significant correlation between the finding of debris on sonography and the frequency of abnormal urinalysis results, regardless of the quality of debris (layering versus floating). The only variable that was significantly associated with abnormal urinalysis results was a clinical history suggesting infection.

Conclusions

A urinalysis should not be routinely recommended to work up the finding of urinary bladder debris on sonography.
Improving Unfamiliar Face Matching by Masking the External Facial Features
Authors: Kemp Richard I. , Caon Alita , Howard Mark , Brooks Kevin R.
Published: June 2016

Counter‐terrorism and crime prevention often depend on our ability to match images of unfamiliar faces. For example, when issuing passports, staff must establish an applicant's identity by comparing the submitted photograph witht those in the database of current passports to ensure that multiple documents are not issued to the same person under different names. Previous research has shown that this is a difficult and error prone task. We suggest that this ‘passport problem’ may be due to an over‐reliance on the appearance of external facial features that can be unreliable cues to identity. Compatible with this explanation, we demonstrate that in difficult trials involving a change of appearance or attempted fraud involving a similar looking foil, participants are better able to determine whether two images are of the same person when shown only the internal features of the faces rather than whole images. This discovery has significant practical implications and could form the basis of a procedure to improve the detection of identity fraud.Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ultrathin Epitaxial Ferromagnetic γ‐Fe2O3 Layer as High Efficiency Spin Filtering Materials for Spintronics Device Based on Semiconductors
Authors: Li Peng , Xia Chuan , Zhu Zhiyong , Wen Yan , Zhang Qiang , Alshareef Husam N. , Zhang Xi‐Xiang
Published: June 2016

In spintronics, identifying an effective technique for generating spin‐polarized current has fundamental importance. The spin‐filtering effect across a ferromagnetic insulating layer originates from unequal tunneling barrier heights for spin‐up and spin‐down electrons, which has shown great promise for use in different ferromagnetic materials. However, the low spin‐filtering efficiency in some materials can be ascribed partially to the difficulty in fabricating high‐quality thin film with high Curie temperature and/or partially to the improper model used to extract the spin‐filtering efficiency. In this work, a new technique is successfully developed to fabricate high quality, ferrimagnetic insulating γ‐Fe2O3 films as spin filter. To extract the spin‐filtering effect of γ‐Fe2O3 films more accurately, a new model is proposed based on Fowler–Nordheim tunneling and Zeeman effect to obtain the spin polarization of the tunneling currents. Spin polarization of the tunneled current can be as high as −94.3% at 2 K in γ‐Fe2O3 layer with 6.5 nm thick, and the spin polarization decays monotonically with temperature. Although the spin‐filter effect is not very high at room temperature, this work demonstrates that spinel ferrites are very promising materials for spin injection into semiconductors at low temperature, which is important for development of novel spintronics devices.
Thermally Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanohybrids of Chiral Functional Naphthalenediimides for Prostate Cancer Cells Bioimaging
Authors: Tyson James A. , Mirabello Vincenzo , Calatayud David G. , Ge Haobo , Kociok‐Köhn Gabriele , Botchway Stanley W. , Dan Pantoş G. , Pascu Sofia I.
Published: June 2016

This study reports on the supramolecular assemblies formed between planar carbon systems (PCSs) such as thermally reduced graphene oxide (TRGO) and its small‐molecule model system coronene and a series of d‐ and l‐α amino acid derivatized naphthalenediimides (NDIs) where the halogen substituents (X = F, Cl, Br, I) are varied systematically. Confocal fluorescence microscopy of NDIs, NDI•coronene, and NDI•TRGO complexes is performed proving the uptake and stability of such complexes in the cellular environment and suggesting their potential as prostate cancer imaging agents. 1H NMR and UV–vis spectroscopy studies support the formation of charge transfer complexes whereby the increasing polarizability and general electronegativity of the aryl halide substituted at the NDI periphery influence the magnitude of the association constants in the ground state between NDI and coronene. Complexation between NDIs and PCSs also results in stable photoexcited assemblies within the solution (coronene) as well as the dispersed phased (TRGO). Fluorescence emission titrations and 2‐photon time correlated single photon counting measurements suggest the existence of dynamic quenching mechanisms upon the excitation of the fluorophore in the presence of the carbon substrates, as these methods are sensitive proves for the subtle changes in the NDI environment. The series of halogenated species used exerts supramolecular control over the degree of surface assembly on the TRGO and over the interactions with the coronene molecule, and this is of relevance to the assembly of future biosensing platforms as these materials can both be viewed as congeners of graphene. Finally, MTT assays carried out in PC‐3 cells demonstrate that the stable noncovalent functionalization of TRGO and coronene with either l or d NDIs remarkably improves the cellular viability in the presence of such graphene‐like materials. These phenomena are of particular relevance for the understanding of the direct donor–acceptor interactions in solutions which govern the design of nanomaterials with future biosensing and bioimaging applications.
Fluidic Processing of High‐Performance ZIF‐8 Membranes on Polymeric Hollow Fibers: Mechanistic Insights and Microstructure Control
Authors: Eum Kiwon , Rownaghi Ali , Choi Dalsu , Bhave Ramesh R. , Jones Christopher W. , Nair Sankar
Published: June 2016

Recently, a methodology for fabricating polycrystalline metal‐organic framework (MOF) membranes has been introduced – referred to as interfacial microfluidic membrane processing – which allows parallelizable fabrication of MOF membranes inside polymeric hollow fibers of microscopic diameter. Such hollow fiber membranes, when bundled together into modules, are an attractive way to scale molecular sieving membranes. The understanding and engineering of fluidic processing techniques for MOF membrane fabrication are in their infancy. Here, a detailed mechanistic understanding of MOF (ZIF‐8) membrane growth under microfluidic conditions in polyamide‐imide hollow fibers is reported, without any intermediate steps (such as seeding or surface modification) or post‐synthesis treatments. A key finding is that interfacial membrane formation in the hollow fiber occurs via an initial formation of two distinct layers and the subsequent rearrangement into a single layer. This understanding is used to show how nonisothermal processing allows fabrication of thinner (5 μm) ZIF‐8 films for higher throughput, and furthermore how engineering the polymeric hollow fiber support microstructure allows control of defects in the ZIF‐8 membranes. The performance of these engineered ZIF‐8 membranes is then characterized, which have H2/C3H8 and C3H6/C3H8 mixture separation factors as high as 2018 and 65, respectively, and C3H6 permeances as high as 66 GPU.
Enhanced Biological Functions of Human Mesenchymal Stem‐Cell Aggregates Incorporating E‐Cadherin‐Modified PLGA Microparticles
Authors: Zhang Yan , Mao Hongli , Gao Chao , Li Suhua , Shuai Qizhi , Xu Jianbin , Xu Ke , Cao Lei , Lang Ren , Gu Zhongwei , Akaike Toshihiro , Yang Jun
Published: June 2016

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as a promising source of multipotent cells for various cell‐based therapies due to their unique properties, and formation of 3D MSC aggregates has been explored as a potential strategy to enhance therapeutic efficacy. In this study, poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) (PLGA) microparticles modified with human E‐cadherin fusion protein (hE‐cad‐PLGA microparticles) have been fabricated and integrated with human MSCs to form 3D cell aggregates. The results show that, compared with the plain PLGA, the hE‐cad‐PLGA microparticles distribute within the aggregates more evenly and further result in a more significant improvement of cellular proliferation and secretion of a series of bioactive factors due to the synergistic effects from the bioactive E‐cadherin fragments and the PLGA microparticles. Meanwhile, the hE‐cad‐PLGA microparticles incorporated in the aggregates upregulate the phosphorylation of epidermal growth factor receptors and activate the AKT and ERK1/2 signaling pathways in the MSCs. Additionally, the E‐cadherin/β‐catenin cellular membrane complex in the MSCs is markedly stimulated by the hE‐cad‐PLGA microparticles. Therefore, engineering 3D cell aggregates with hE‐cad‐PLGA microparticles can be a promising method for ex vivo multipotent stem‐cell expansion with enhanced biological functions and may offer a novel route to expand multipotent stem‐cell‐based clinical applications.
A Method to Control Curcumin Release from PELA Fibers by Heat Treatment
Authors: Chen Weiming , EI‐Hamshary Hany , Al‐Deyab Salem S. , Mo Xiumei
Published: June 2016

Poly(ethylene glycol ‐co‐ DL‐lactide) (PELA) is a biodegradable polymer, which has attracted considerable interest in the area of drug release due to its potential as drug carrier. Drug‐loaded electrospun PELA fibers tend to be a promising candidate for local chemotherapy application in the future. In this study, curcumin was encapsulated into PELA fibers (Cur@PELA) for drug delivery via electrospinning. It was found that the shrinkage ratio, porosity, water absorption and water contact angle of Cur@PELA fiber membrane could be changed by heat treatment with different heating temperature (45°C, 50°C) and heating time (5 min, 10 min, 20 min). Moreover, the release rate of curcumin from Cur@PELA fibers was influenced by the porosity, water absorption and water contact angle of the drug‐loaded membrane. Heat treatment is thought to be a novel method to control release of drug from electrospun PELA fibers.
Exploring the mitochondrial DNA variability of the Amazonian Yanomami
Authors: Varano Sara , Scorrano Gabriele , Martínez‐Labarga Cristina , Finocchio Andrea , Rapone Cesare , Berti Andrea , Rickards Olga
Published: June 2016

Objectives

The aim of this study was to explore the mitochondrial variability in the Yanomami population to reconstruct its demographic history and explore its genetic composition in relation to its cultural and linguistic features.

Methods

A total of 174 human head hair shafts ‐collected in 1958‐ belonging to individuals from a Yanomami group living in Santa Isabel, Brazil, were analyzed. Automated extraction of the hairs was performed, and several methods were applied to optimize the analysis of the degraded DNA. The mtDNA hypervariable segments I–II, along with the 9‐bp COII‐tRNALysdeletion, were investigated. Using published data from the Yanomami and other Amazonian populations, several statistical analyses were carried out to explore the genetic variability within the study population.

Results

Ninety eight percent of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences analyzed belonged to Native American haplogroups, while 2% belonged to African haplogroups. Compared with the Yanomami groups previously studied, the Santa Isabel sample seemed more genetically similar to other Amazonian populations.

Conclusions

Among the Yanomami samples studied to date, the Santa Isabel Yanomami show a higher genetic heterogeneity. This could be due to gene flow with non‐Yanomami populations, as well as to the introduction of new mitochondrial haplotypes by gold miners. In both cases, the geographic location of Santa Isabel might have made this Yanomami village less isolated than the others, suggesting that the Rio Negro played a central role in increasing its genetic variability. On the whole, the Yanomami were quite genetically diversified, probably mirroring their great linguistic heterogeneity. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:846–856, 2016. © 2016Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
An Air‐Stable Na3SbS4 Superionic Conductor Prepared by a Rapid and Economic Synthetic Procedure
Authors: Wang Hui , Chen Yan , Hood Zachary D. , Sahu Gayatri , Pandian Amaresh Samuthira , Keum Jong Kahk , An Ke , Liang Chengdu
Published: June 2016

All‐solid‐state sodium batteries, using solid electrolyte and abundant sodium resources, show great promise for safe, low‐cost, and large‐scale energy storage applications. The exploration of novel solid electrolytes is critical for the room temperature operation of all‐solid‐state Na batteries. An ideal solid electrolyte must have high ionic conductivity, hold outstanding chemical and electrochemical stability, and employ low‐cost synthetic methods. Achieving the combination of these properties is a grand challenge for the synthesis of sulfide‐based solid electrolytes. Design of the solid electrolyte Na3SbS4 is described, realizing excellent air stability and an economic synthesis based on hard and soft acid and base (HSAB) theory. This new solid electrolyte also exhibits a remarkably high ionic conductivity of 1 mS cm−1 at 25 °C and ideal compatibility with a metallic sodium anode.
Hydrogen Storage and Selective, Reversible O2 Adsorption in a Metal–Organic Framework with Open Chromium(II) Sites
Authors: Bloch Eric D. , Queen Wendy L. , Hudson Matthew R. , Mason Jarad A. , Xiao Dianne J. , Murray Leslie J. , Flacau Roxana , Brown Craig M. , Long Jeffrey R.
Published: June 2016

A chromium(II)‐based metal–organic framework Cr3[(Cr4Cl)3(BTT)8]2 (Cr‐BTT; BTT3−=1,3,5‐benzenetristetrazolate), featuring coordinatively unsaturated, redox‐active Cr2+ cation sites, was synthesized and investigated for potential applications in H2 storage and O2 production. Low‐pressure H2 adsorption and neutron powder diffraction experiments reveal moderately strong Cr–H2 interactions, in line with results from previously reported M‐BTT frameworks. Notably, gas adsorption measurements also reveal excellent O2/N2 selectivity with substantial O2 reversibility at room temperature, based on selective electron transfer to form CrIII superoxide moieties. Infrared spectroscopy and powder neutron diffraction experiments were used to confirm this mechanism of selective O2 binding.
Total Synthesis of Millingtonine
Authors: Brown Patrick D. , Lawrence Andrew L.
Published: June 2016

Millingtonine is a glycosidic alkaloid that exists as a pair of pseudo‐enantiomeric diastereomers. Consideration of the likely biosynthetic origins of this unusual natural product has resulted in the development of a seven‐step total synthesis. Results from this synthetic work provide evidence in support of a proposed network of biosynthetic pathways that can account for the formation of several phenylethanoid natural products.
Combustion pattern, characteristics, and kinetics of biomass and chars from segmented heating carbonization
Authors: Han Kuihua , Wang Qian , Zhao Jianli , Luo K. H. , Li Hui , Chen Yang , Lu Chunmei
Published: June 2016

The combustion patterns, characteristics, and kinetics were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis for raw maize straw, cotton stalk, and chars obtained from segmented heating carbonization at 300–800 °C. With increasing carbonization temperature, combustion patterns of biomass chars transform from the sequential reaction steps corresponding to pyrolysis and heterogeneous oxidation of volatiles and char to the in situ heterogeneous oxidation of fixed carbon and volatiles, the ignition temperature of biomass chars gradually increases, the ignition index does not monotonically increase, and the burnout index and combustion characteristic index decrease to different degrees. Judging from the combustion characteristic index, chars obtained from 300 to 500 °C of carbonization show better combustibility. The kinetic parameters of raw and carbonized biomass were determined by Coats–Redfern method. Different reaction mechanisms exist in oxidation processes of different chars, which attribute to the synergistic effects of homogenous oxidation of volatiles and heterogeneous oxidation of char. The kinetic parameters obtained from the variation of species and model functions exhibit kinetic compensation effect. © 2016 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Conformational Preferences and the Phase Stability of Fullerene Hexa‐adducts
Authors: Wu San‐Lien , Hong Chen‐Yang , Wu Kuan‐Yi , Lan Shih‐Ting , Hsieh Chou‐Ting , Chen Hsin‐Lung , Wang Chien‐Lung
Published: June 2016

Molecular conformation and the assembly structure determine the spatial arrangements of the constituent units and the functions of a molecule. Although, fullerene hexa‐adducts (FHAs) have been known as functional materials with great versatility, their conformational preferences and phase stability remain a complicate issue. By choosing bithiophene (T2) and dodecyl bithiophene (C12T2) as the peripheral units of FHA, and using microscopic, scattering and diffraction characterizations, our study reveals how the intramolecular interaction and environmental stimulus affects the conformational preferences and phase stability of FHAs.
Effect of oligochitosan and oligo‐β‐glucan supplementation on growth, innate immunity, and disease resistance of striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus)
Authors: Nguyen Ngoc Duy , Van Dang Phu , Le Anh Quoc , Nguyen Thi Kim Lan , Pham Duy Hai , Van Nguyen Nguyen , Nguyen Quoc Hien
Published: June 2016

Oligochitosan (COS) and oligo‐β‐glucan (βOG) were prepared by gamma Co‐60 irradiation of chitosan/H2O2 and β‐glucan/H2O2 solutions. The striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) was fed diets containing 0–200 mg COS, βOG, and a mixture of COS/βOG per kg feed for 45 days, and then challenged with Edwardsiella ictaluri bacterium. The effects of supplemented COS, βOG, and a mixture of COS/βOG on immune stimulation and growth performance in striped catfish were investigated. The results indicated that when striped catfish fed with 100–200 mg COS or βOG/kg feed the growth performance was significantly improved and the mortality was considerably decreased. Furthermore, striped catfish fed with supplementation of 50 mg COS + 50 mg βOG/kg feed was the best for increasing weight gain (∼26%) and for decreasing mortality (∼38%) compared with the control group. Moreover, phagocytic activity and lysozyme activity of fish were enhanced by feeding diet‐supplemented COS and/or βOG. Thus, COS and/or βOG can be potentially utilized as the immunostimulants and growth promoters for aquaculture.
WDVS im Holzbau – Optimierter Nachweis des dauerhaften Witterungsschutzes durch Kombination von Messungen im Wandprüfstand und hygrothermischen Simulationen
Authors: Fülle Claudia , Leopold Nadine
Published: June 2016

Wärmedämm‐Verbundsysteme (WDVS) für die Anwendung auf Außenwänden im Holzbau werden national durch allgemeine bauaufsichtliche Zulassungen geregelt. Im Zuge der Zulassungserteilung muss der dauerhaft wirksame Witterungsschutz der Holzkonstruktion durch das WDVS nachgewiesen werden. Dies kann im Wandprüfstand durch die Messung von Holzfeuchten sowie Temperaturen und rel. Luftfeuchten in verschiedenen Bereichen der Konstruktion bei hygrothermischer Belastung nach ETAG 004 erfolgen. Hersteller von WDVS sind bestrebt, den Zeit‐ und Kostenaufwand für solche Prüfungen zu optimieren, indem aus der Vielzahl der zur Verfügung stehenden Putze und Dämmstoffe nur die ungünstigsten Kombinationen geprüft werden. Die Entscheidung über die ungünstigste Variante wird meistens anhand einzelner Kriterien, wie Wasserdampfdurchlässigkeit des Putzes, getroffen. Die hygrothermischen Simulationen haben jedoch gezeigt, dass bei Einbeziehung verschiedener Randbedingungen die ungünstigste Variante nicht immer erwartungsgemäß ausfällt. Der Beitrag zeigt beispielhaft, wie und unter welchen Voraussetzungen Simulationsberechnungen zu einer sicheren Einschätzung des hygrothermischen Verhaltens der verschiedenen Varianten einer Wandkonstruktion führen.

ETICS in timber frame constructions – optimised proof of the permanent weather protection through a combination of measurements on the test bench and hygrothermal simulations. External thermal composite systems with rendering (ETICS) for use on exterior walls in timber frame constructions are regulated nationally through general building inspectorate approvals. In the course of issuing the approval, the permanently effective weather protection of the timber construction must be proven by the external thermal composite system. This can be carried out on the test bench for walls by measuring the timber moisture contents as well as temperatures and rel. humidities in various areas of the construction with a hygrothermal load pursuant to ETAG 004. Manufacturers of ETICS strive to optimise the time and costs of such tests by only testing the most unfavourable combination of renderings and insulating materials from the wide variety that are available. The decision about the most unfavourable variant is usually taken on the basis of only a few criteria such as the water vapour permeability of the rendering. However, hygrothermal simulations have shown that if various marginal conditions are taken into account, the most unfavourable variant is not always as expected. The article shows by way of example how and under which conditions simulation calculations lead to a more reliable estimate of the hygrothermal behaviour of the different variants of a wall construction.
Assessment of penetrant and vehicle mixture properties on transdermal permeability using a mixed effect pharmacokinetic model ofex vivoporcine skin
Authors: Chittenden Jason T. , Riviere Jim E.
Published: June 2016

The accurate prediction of the rate and extent of transdermal absorption from topical exposure to chemical mixtures would be beneficial in risk assessment and drug delivery applications. The isolated perfused porcine skin flap (IPPSF) has been used as anex vivomodel for assessing transdermal absorption from topical exposures. A mixed effect, pharmacokinetic tissue model was used to model finite dose, transdermal, absorption data from IPPSF experiments for 12 penetrants dosed in up to 10 different vehicles. The model was able to identify permeability constant, while accounting for between and within unit variability, across the entire data set. This approach provides a platform for exploring the relationship between covariates (chemical descriptors and functions thereof) and the model parameters. Successive models were employed that reduced the overall variability in the parameter estimate by modeling the parameters as functions of the covariates. Logkpwas initially modeled as a function of LogPand MW of the pure penetrant (adjustedr2 = 0.48). The addition of mixture factors to account for the different dosing vehicles further improved the relationship: tor2 = 0.56 with Connolly molecular area (CMA) andr2 = 0.78 with the further addition of total polar surface area difference (TPSAd). The pharmacokinetic model and quantitative structure property relationship (QSPR) developed for the IPPSF may be relevant to clinical transdermal formulation development. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Average Fuel‐Efficiency Fallacy: Overestimation of Average Fuel Efficiency and How It Can Lead to Biased Decisions
Authors: Gamliel Eyal , Peer Eyal
Published: June 2016

People falsely believe that equal increases in vehicles' fuel efficiency (e.g., miles per gallon (MPG)) will result in equal fuel savings. Whereas previous research on this “MPG illusion” has focused on people's biased choices of upgrading vehicle models, it has not examined a more common situation, namely, estimating a given vehicle's fuel efficiency based on the average of two efficiency values (e.g., in the city and on highways). In such situations, we find an additional bias in people's judgment and choice, the average fuel‐efficiency fallacy, in which people falsely believe that the combined fuel efficiency (e.g., of city and highway MPG) is a simple—instead of a harmonic—mean of the two values. Owing to the curvilinear relationship between fuel efficiency and fuel consumption, the combined fuel‐efficiency value would always be lower than the simple average, resulting in consistent overestimations of the actual fuel efficiency. In a series of studies, we demonstrate how this fallacy of overestimating combined fuel efficiency leads to suboptimal choices between vehicles. In addition, we find that the solution prescribed for the MPG illusion—using gallons per 100 miles—does reduce, but not eliminate, the average fuel‐efficiency fallacy, and that comprehension of the gallons per 100 miles measure is a precursory condition for this nudge to have any effect. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Alternative Lens Model Equations for Dichotomous Judgments about Dichotomous Criteria
Authors: Hamm Robert M. , Yang Huiqin
Published: June 2016

The Brunswik lens model typically represents a judge's accuracy using parameters derived from linear regression. This is not optimal if the judgment or the ecological criterion is dichotomous. Alternative approaches, modeling dichotomies using logistic regression, or linearizing judgments with confidence ratings, have not been compared with the same data. Four techniques for deriving lens model equation parameters were compared: (i) linear and (ii) logistic regression applied to dichotomous patient outcomes and judgments; (iii) linear regression with confidence‐adjusted judgments but dichotomous patient outcomes; and (iv) a hybrid with a linear model of the confidence‐adjusted judgments and a logistic model of the patient outcomes. Judgment accuracy (ra) was slightly higher with confidence adjustment of the categorical judgments. The logistic lens model accounted for a higher proportion of ra than the linear lens model; the confident‐linear and hybrid lens models were intermediate. For up to a quarter of participants, different methods identified different cues as most important. Display condition differences in achievement ra and in lens model components are similar with all lens model methods. Each of the three alternative lens model equation methods improves on the linear lens model equation's decomposition of the accuracy of dichotomous judgments. Confidence adjustment improves achievement although it requires additional work from the subjects. The logistic lens model equation explains the highest proportion of achievement, but with a small stimulus set, it is more vulnerable to cue intercorrelations than either the linear or the confident linear lens model equation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An eco‐friendly direct spectrofluorimetric method for the determination of irreversible tyrosine kinase inhibitors, neratinib and pelitinib: application to stability studies
Authors: Maher H.M. , Alzoman N.Z. , Shehata S.M.
Published: June 2016

A new rapid and simple stability‐indicating spectrofluorimetric method has been developed for the determination of two irreversible tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), neratinib (NER) and pelitinib (PEL). The method is based upon measurement of the native fluorescence intensity of both drugs at λex 270 nm in aqueous borate buffer solutions (pH 10.5). The fluorescence intensity recorded at 545 nm (NER) and 465 nm (PEL) were rectilinear over the concentration range of 0.1–10 μg/mL for both drugs with a high correlation coefficient (r > 0.999). The proposed method provided low limits of detection and of quantitation of 0.07, 0.11 μg/mL (NER) and 0.02, 0.05 μg/mL (PEL), respectively. The method was successfully applied for the determination of NER and PEL in bulk powder. The proposed methods were fully validated as per the International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH) guidelines. The application of the method was extended to stability studies of both NER and PEL under different forced‐degradation conditions (acidic‐induced, base‐induced, oxidative, wet heat, and photolytic degradation). Moreover, the kinetics of the base‐induced and oxidative degradation of both drugs was investigated and the pseudo‐first‐order rate constants and half‐lives were estimated at different temperatures. Also, an Arrhenius plot was applied to predict the stability behaviour of the two drugs at room temperature. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A supported liquid extraction LC–MS/MS method for determination of concentrations of GDC‐0425, a small molecule Checkpoint kinase 1 inhibitor, in human plasma
Authors: Ding Xiao , Chen Yuan , Sahasranaman Srikumar , Shi Yifan , McKnight Janine , Dean Brian
Published: June 2016

A liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method for the determination of GDC‐0425 concentrations in human plasma has been developed and validated. Supported liquid extraction was used to extract plasma samples (50 μL) and the resulting samples were analyzed using reverse‐phase chromatography and mass spectrometry coupled with a turbo‐ionspray interface. The mass analysis of GDC‐0425 was performed using multiple reaction monitoring transitions in positive ionization mode. The method was validated over the calibration curve range of 1.00–1000 ng/mL using linear regression and 1/x2 weighting. Within‐run relative standard deviation ranged from 0.8 to 5.1%, while between‐run RSD varied from 1.9 to 4.7% for QCs. The accuracy ranged from 90.0 to 101.0% of nominal for within‐run and from 94.0 to 100.0% of nominal for between‐run. Overall extraction recovery was 87.4% for GDC‐0425 and 87.9% for GDC‐0425‐d9. Stability of GDC‐0425 was established in human plasma for 374 days at −20 and −70 °C and established in reconstituted sample extracts for 88 h when stored at 2–8 °C. Stable‐labeled internal standard was used to minimize matrix effects. This assay was used to characterize the pharmacokinetics of GDC‐0425 in cancer patients.