bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
LMP computation at DG buses in radial distribution system
Authors: Veeramsetty Venkataramana , Chintham Venkaiah , D.M. Vinod Kumar
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to estimate the locational marginal price (LMP) at each distributed generation (DG) bus based on DG unit contribution in loss reduction. This LMP value can be used by distribution company (DISCO) to control private DG owners and operate network optimally in terms of active power loss.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper proposes proportional nucleolus game theory (PNGT)-based iterative method to compute LMP at each DG unit. In this algorithm, PNGT has been used to identify the share of each DG unit in loss reduction. New mathematical modeling has been incorporated in the proposed algorithm to compute incentives being given to each DG owner.

Findings

The findings of this paper are that the LMP and reactive power price values for each DG unit were computed by the proposed method for the first time. Network can be operated with less loss and zero DISCO’s extra benefit, which is essential in deregulated environment. Fair competition has been maintained among private DG owners using the proposed method.

Originality/value

PNGT has been used for the first time for computation of LMP in distribution system based on loss reduction. Incentives to each DG unit has have been computed based on financial savings of DISCO due to loss reduction. Share of active and reactive power generation of each DG unit on change in active power loss of network due to that DG unit has been computed with new mathematical modeling. The proposed method provides LMP value to each DG unit in such a way that the network will be operated with less loss.
What has project characteristics got to do with the empowerment of individuals, teams and organisations?
Authors: Tuuli Martin Morgan
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of project settings on empowerment experiences of individuals and teams by examining the effects of specific project characteristics on facets of the empowerment concept (i.e. the structural and psychological perspectives).

Design/methodology/approach

A parallel questionnaire survey of client, consultant and contractor organisations was conducted in Hong Kong to test hypotheses relating three facets of the empowerment concept and five project-level antecedents. Hierarchical linear modelling and ordinary least square regression were employed to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The analyses show that dynamic project environments, high project team integration and high interdependence of project tasks lead to high individual psychological empowerment, while public-client projects (compared with private-client projects), a hostile project environment and high client integration lead to a low individual psychological empowerment. Uncertainty in project technology also leads to high team psychological empowerment, while hostile project environments lead to low team psychological empowerment. Further, dynamic project environments lead to more empowering work climate, while hostile project environments lead to less empowering work climate. However, project team integration, project complexity, project lifecycle and quasi-public-client projects (compared with private-client projects) have no significant association with the empowerment of individuals and teams.

Originality/value

This study examined task-related factors (i.e. project in this case) which traditionally have not been the focus of studies examining the antecedents of empowerment. Further, project-level antecedents and their link to an integrated perspective of empowerment comprising a sociostructural perspective, a psychological perspective and a team-based perspective are examined, which is a significant departure from the unitary perspective of empowerment taken in most previous studies.
TapOnce: a novel authentication method on smartphones
Authors: Inoue Minori , Ogawa Takefumi
Published: May 2018

Purpose

Security technology on mobile devices is increasingly more important as smartphones are becoming more versatile and, thus, store more sensitive information. Among the three indispensable factors of owner authentication technologies on mobile devices, security, usability and system efficiency, usability is considered the key factor. This paper aims to challenge the limits of usability on mobile device authentication technology with respect to input size.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper introduces one tap authentication as a novel authentication method on mobile devices. A user just has to tap the screen of a smartphone once, and he or she will be authenticated.

Findings

One tap authentication is proven possible in this paper. The average equal error rate among 10 owners against 25 unauthorized users is as low as 3.8.

Research limitations/implications

This paper focuses on verifying the possibility on one tap authentication. However, the application to various environments, such as when standing or walking or on a train, is not explored.

Originality/value

This research explores tap authentication with a single tap for the first time in the field. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the minimum number of taps required in tap authentication has been 4.
Difficulties for enjoyment of public spaces by residents: Maldonado-Punta del Este conurbation
Authors: Sánchez-Fernández María Dolores , Álvarez-Bassi Daniel , Ramon Cardona Jose
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine whether the various types of negative impacts have an effect on the general attitude toward tourism and the difficulty for the enjoyment of public spaces.

Design/methodology/approach

It is a quantitative study that analyzes the causal relationships between variables through structural equation models. This study uses data from a sample of 420 residents from Maldonado and Punta del Este.

Findings

The result obtained shows that only the cultural loss is significant to explain the residents’ attitudes. On the other hand, the cultural loss, the environmental deterioration and the saturation are significant to explain the difficulties for the enjoyment of public spaces.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitations are the fact of performing the analysis in a specific destination with peculiarities that may affect the results and the representativeness of the sample used.

Practical implications

The enjoyment of public spaces is a good indicator of the perception of negative impacts, so managers of urban tourist destinations can use this element as an indicator of quick consultation on residents’ attitudes.

Originality/value

It is a study that focuses on the negative impacts of tourism and its effect on the public spaces. The importance of public spaces in tourist destinations is under studied.
SDPedia: from DBpedia to domain-micropedia
Authors: Dong Chao , Zhao Chongchong
Published: May 2018

Purpose

Online encyclopedia has facilitated users to easily access interesting knowledge and find solutions for daily problems. However, for the staff in specific domains, especially in secret-related domains, a domain-micropedia is still necessary for work.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the authors propose an approach to extract entities from DBpedia and construct the SDPedia in space debris mitigation domain. First, the authors select the root categories about space debris mitigation domain by manual methods. Subsequently, the authors propose Distance of Electrical Resistance, Pages Common Words and AVDP algorithms to implement the extraction. The authors also achieve the data visualization by generating swf files and embedding them into web pages.

Findings

In the experiments, the precision, recall and F1-measure are used to evaluate the proposed algorithms. The authors set a series of thresholds to pursue the highest F1-measure. The experimental data indicate that the AVDP algorithm gets the highest F1-measure and is statistically effective for the entities extraction from DBpedia.

Originality/value

The authors propose an approach of deriving linked data from DBpedia and construct their own SDPedia, which has been applied in the space debris mitigation domain currently. Compared with DBpedia, the authors also add the linked data visualization. Moreover, the methodology can be used in many other domains in the future.
Corporate social responsibility disclosure and catering to investor sentiment in China
Authors: Sun Weizhang , Zhao Chunguang , Wang Yaping , Cho Charles H.
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to examine the impact of investor sentiment on managers’ decisions to provide CSR disclosures. The core issue focuses on whether, why and how managers adjust their approach to CSR disclosure to cater to the investor sentiment.

Design/methodology/approach

On the basis of 13,488 observations of A-share listed companies, the authors examine the impacts of investor sentiment on CSR disclosure, which is measured separately by the propensity to issue a standalone CSR report and the quality of CSR reports. Furthermore, the authors examine the moderating role of institutional factors in China.

Findings

The authors find that during low-sentiment periods, managers are more likely to issue a standalone CSR report and the quality of CSR reports is higher, and vice versa. Additionally, the authors find that the negative correlations between CSR disclosure and investor sentiment are stronger in state-owned enterprises.

Research limitations/implications

First, the measurement of investor sentiment reflects only a part of characteristics of investor sentiment. Second, the authors pay less attention to the specific items of a CSR report.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the literature on CSR disclosure and investor sentiment by combining the two fields together. Furthermore, the study deepens the understanding of the institutional context in China and contributes to research on the predictors of CSR disclosure.
Spiritual intelligence research within human resource development: a thematic review
Authors: Mahmood Arshad , Arshad Mohd Anuar , Ahmed Adeel , Akhtar Sohail , Khan Shahid
Published: May 2018

Purpose

This study aims to synthesize the rich knowledge on spiritual intelligence (SI) research within the framework of human resource development (HRD) research.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the search of multiple electronic databases authors conducted thematic review of the literature on SI and HRD. Themes associated with SI and HRD are extracted while employing the content analysis technique.

Findings

Five major themes emerged through the process of content analysis on the body of the reviewed literature. The themes which described the presence of SI-related research within the field of HRD, included: Conceptual connections between SI and HRD; SI Holistic Mechanism; SI and Leadership development, SI measurement tools and, finally, the impact of SI on sustainability.

Research limitations/implications

The inclusion and exclusion criteria are that the search for this review has been limited to peer-reviewed journals that are published SI-related articles. This paper excluded all articles on SI that `do not explicitly discuss the valuable role of human resources. The key words used are spiritual intelligence (SI) and HRD.

Originality/value

This paper offered new-fangled value and insightful understanding on SI and its implications for other areas, more specifically HRD. It suggests that SI is an important component for organizational development. Such interventions nurture the human resources that can lead to better performance as a whole.
Civil Liberties and the Korean War
Authors: Ewing K. D. , Mahoney Joan , Moretta Andrew
Published: May 2018

This article addresses the unsuccessful attempts to suppress free speech during the Korean War, and in particular explains the attempts to silence three reporters of alleged atrocities by United Nations forces. In the absence of carefully targeted legislation, the three individuals – Alan Winnington (a journalist), Monica Felton (a women's movement activist) and Jack Gaster (a solicitor) ‐ were threatened with or investigated for prosecution for treason or sedition, and Winnington was unable to renew his passport until 1968. Drawing heavily on archival sources (including MI5 files, which unusually fail to redact the identity of one of the lawyers who was reporting to Special Branch about Gaster's activities), the article explores the threat to civil liberties from the administrative as well as the legislative and the judicial power of the state. The article concludes by drawing contemporary parallels, and highlighting the continuing relevance of the writings of Winnington, Felton and Gaster.
The Common Law Constitution at Work: R (on the application of UNISON) v Lord Chancellor
Authors: Bogg Alan
Published: May 2018

This note considers the radical significance of Supreme Court's judgment in R (on the Application of UNISON) v Lord Chancellor (UNISON) on the unlawfulness of tribunal fees. It argues that the decision marks the coming of age of the ‘common law constitution at work’. The radical potential of UNISON lies in its generation of horizontal legal effects in disputes between private parties. Recent litigation on employment status in the ‘gig economy’ is analysed through the lens of UNISON and common law fundamental rights. The note identifies the various ways in which the common law tests of employment status might be ‘constitutionalised’ in the light of UNISON.
Autonomy, Erasure, and Persistence in the Urban Gardening Commons
Authors: Ginn Franklin , Ascensão Eduardo
Published: May 2018

Collective gardening spaces have existed across Lisbon, Portugal for decades. This article attends to the makeshift natures made by black migrants from Portugal's former colonies, and the racial urban geography thrown into relief by the differing fortunes of white Portuguese community gardening spaces. Conceptualising urban gardens as commons‐in‐the‐making, we explore subaltern urbanism and the emergence of autonomous gardening commons on the one hand, and the state erasure, overwriting or construction of top‐down commons on the other. While showing that urban gardening forges commons of varying persistence, we also demonstrate the ways through which the commons are always closely entwined with processes of enclosure. We further argue that urban gardening commons are divergent and cannot be judged against any abstract ideal of the commons. In conclusion, we suggest that urban gardening commons do not have a “common” in common.
The ethical significance of Michael DiBiase v. City of Vaughan
Authors: MacEwen Philip
Published: May 2018

In academia, ethics is usually divided into three areas: 1) descriptive ethics, 2) prescriptive ethics, and 3) meta‐ethics. This article argues that Michael DiBiase v. City of Vaughan is significant in terms of all three areas of ethics. It is important for the following three reasons. a) It articulates a “statutory scheme” (Part V.1 of the Municipal Act, 2001, the code of conduct of the relevant municipality (Vaughan), and the complaint protocol or rules or any other guidelines or documents for receiving, investigating, and reporting the findings of a complaint to a municipal council) that governs an Integrity Commissioner. b) It confirms that an Integrity Commissioner who exercises the powers conferred upon her and applies the relevant municipal code of conduct and complaint protocol in a manner which passes the test of reasonableness is acting rightfully when she interprets and reformulates complaints submitted by the public. c) It clarifies what it means to be an “Integrity Commissioner” by specifying the purpose, role, and function of those who hold this position.
What lies ahead for public sector ethics?
Authors: Dodek Adam
Published: May 2018

What principles and dynamics unite public sector accountability offices—the need for independence, the need for resources, the need for clear mandates and appropriate powers, and the need for buy‐in from those who are being held accountable? This article explores where the field of public sector ethics is heading in the future, particularly in light of the tension with partisan politics in a Parliamentary democracy and the limited legal and administrative tools at the disposal of accountability/ethics officers. More broadly, this article will examine the significance of advancing a community of interest and professional standards across accountability/ethics officers.
Three Japanese adult cases of brain lesions with anti‐myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibodies lacking optic neuritis and myelitis
Authors: Sawada Jun , Katayama Takayuki , Toyoshima Sarasa , Nitamizu Senri , Yamamoto Kenji , Fukuura Ai , Kikuchi Shiori , Kano Kohei , Asanome Asuka , Takahashi Kae , Saito Tsukasa , Takahashi Toshiyuki , Kaneko Kimihiko , Nakashima Ichiro , Hasebe Naoyuki
Published: May 2018

Background

Anti‐myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibodies (MOG‐Ab) are positive in some patients with neuromyelitis optica/neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders; however, their clinical diversity remains unclear.

Case presentation

We encountered three anti‐MOG‐Ab‐positive Japanese adult patients with brain lesions, but lacking optic neuritis and myelitis. Magnetic resonance imaging detected lesions in the cerebral gray and white matter, brainstem, and cerebellum, and 18‐fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography imaging showed normal or decreased uptake in acute lesions.

Conclusions

Patients with anti‐MOG‐Ab might present with brain lesions only, and lack optic neuritis and myelitis. The anti‐MOG‐Ab titer needs to be measured in inflammatory diseases that affect the central nervous system, including atypical multiple sclerosis and autoimmune meningoencephalitis.
A brief primer on the mediational role of BDNF in the exercise‐memory link
Authors: Loprinzi Paul D. , Frith Emily
Published: May 2018

One of the most amazing aspects of the human brain is its ability to learn information and use it to change behaviour. A key neurotrophin that influences memory function is brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). This review briefly discusses the mechanistic role that BDNF may play in facilitating learning and memory. We also describe the role of exercise on this relationship. As discussed herein, BDNF may influence memory via BDNF‐induced alterations in membrane receptor expression and translocation, as well as activating several pathways (PLC‐y, PI3K, ERK) that act together to facilitate cellular effects that influence synaptic plasticity. Exercise may help to facilitate BDNF expression and its downstream cellular pathways from both direct and indirect mechanisms.
Improving biodiversity surrogates for conservation assessment: A test of methods and the value of targeted biological surveys
Authors: Ware Chris , Williams Kristen J. , Harding Jo , Hawkins Brian , Harwood Thomas , Manion Glenn , Perkins Genevieve C. , Ferrier Simon
Published: May 2018

Aim

Conservation assessment and planning across extensive regions rely on the use of mapped or modelled surrogates because direct field‐based inventories of biodiversity rarely provide complete spatial coverage. Surrogates are assumed to represent spatial patterns in the distribution of biodiversity, yet the validity of this assumption is rarely evaluated. Here, we use data from new biological surveys targeting poorly known taxonomic groups across sparsely surveyed landscapes to test: (1) the performance of established and novel surrogates; and (2) the value of targeted survey data in further improving surrogate effectiveness.

Location

Continental Australia.

Methods

Surrogates were derived from either mapped land classifications (bioregions, vegetation types), or models of spatial turnover in biodiversity composition. Models were derived by linking best‐available biological observations to high‐resolution mapped climate, terrain and soil attributes using generalized dissimilarity modelling (GDM). The performance of surrogates was evaluated using survey data for eight biological groups collected as part of the Bush Blitz programme (http://bushblitz.org). For theGDM‐based surrogates, within‐ and cross‐taxon performance was first evaluated for models fitted to biological data available prior to Bush Blitz, and then for models enhanced through the addition of the Bush Blitz data.

Results

All of the tested surrogates performed significantly better than random across all eight biological groups.GDM‐based surrogates performed over 10% better on average than the best performing combination of mapped land classifications. The addition of Bush Blitz targeted data inGDM‐based surrogates led to further improvements in surrogate performance.

Main conclusions

Our results support continued investment in targeted biological survey programmes to enhance the performance of surrogates and ensure that surrogates represent a wider breadth of biodiversity. The strong performance of compositional turnover modelling, relative to mapped land classifications, suggests that this surrogate strategy deserves greater consideration in future conservation assessments and has potential for use in continental‐scale monitoring of biodiversity.
Towards a legal theory of capture
Authors: Devaux Caroline
Published: May 2018

To assert their role in global governance, international organisations, including the EU, have progressively involved economic actors in their activities, particularly in the course of law‐making processes. Their integration, even if necessary, raises the risk of excessive influence that they may exert on law‐makers. The paper builds on the theory of regulation that coined the concept of ‘capture’ and proposes to analyse the conditions and effects of such phenomenon within three selected international organisations that are particularly prone to the influence of economic actors: the United Nations (UN), the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). In light of their practice, the paper suggests key features that an EU legal framework could take to promote the participation of economic actors in its law‐making process while preventing the occurrence of capture.
Structural basis for nucleotide recognition by the ectoenzyme CD203c
Authors: Gorelik Alexei , Randriamihaja Antsa , Illes Katalin , Nagar Bhushan
Published: May 2018

The ecto‐nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase (NPP) enzyme family modulates purinergic signaling by degrading extracellular nucleotides. CD203c (NPP3, ENPP3) regulates the inflammatory response of basophils via ATP hydrolysis and is a marker for allergen sensitivity on the surface of these cells. Multiple other roles and substrates have also been proposed for this protein. In order to gain insight into its molecular functions, we determined the crystal structure of human NPP3 as well as its complex with an ATP analog. The enzyme exhibits little preference for nucleobase type, and forms specific contacts with the alpha and beta phosphate groups of its ligands. Dimerization of the protein does not affect its catalytic activity. These findings expand our understanding of substrate recognition within the NPP family.

Database

Structural data are available in the Protein Data Bank under the accession numbers 6C01 (human NPP3) and 6C02 (human NPP3 T205A N594S with AMPCPP).
Crossing Boundaries: “Some College,” Schools, and Educational Assortative Mating
Authors: McClendon David
Published: May 2018

As more Americans delay marriage and meet partners online, schools may be less important for educational assortative mating. At the same time, social ties formed during college may continue to shape partner choice later in adulthood. This study focuses on young adults with “some college, no degree” to see what, if any, marriage‐market benefit is gained from exposure to highly educated social networks in college. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Youth 1997, including newly collected postsecondary transcripts, the author finds young adults with “some college” are more likely than their less‐educated peers to marry a college graduate, especially if they attended a 4‐year school, but young adults with bachelor's degrees still hold an advantage, even after controlling for duration of schooling. The results support the role of schools in shaping opportunities to meet partners but highlight the value of college degrees on the marriage market.
Following in Partners’ Footsteps: An Uncertainty‐Reduction Perspective on Firms’ Choice of New Markets
Authors: Makarevich Alex , Kim Young‐Choon
Published: May 2018

In this paper, we develop a new perspective on what determines firms’ choice of new markets for entry. First, drawing on the open‐system theoretical tradition and literature on inter‐organizational networks, we advance and empirically test the proposition that firms tend to enter new markets to which they are connected by partnership ties. We then show that this network influence is filtered through the structure of firms’ network connections to new markets and firms’ experience. Specifically, we find that multiplicity of connections to new markets, as well as the extensiveness of firms’ experience and its relevance to new markets weaken the effect of network ties on firms’ choice of new markets. The results of this study indicate that firms’ choice of new markets for entry is a nuanced process that is affected by the interplay of firms’ collaborative ties, the structure of their network, and firms’ internal capabilities. We test our hypotheses in the empirical context of the U.S. venture capital (VC) industry using panel data over a 23‐year period and find broad support for them.
Antidiarrheal effect of bioactivity‐guided fractions and bioactive components of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) peels
Authors: Zhao S.‐S. , Ma D.‐X. , Zhu Y. , Zhao J.‐H. , Zhang Y. , Chen J.‐Q. , Sheng Z.‐L.
Published: May 2018

Background

Pomegranate peels have been widely used to treat diarrhea in China. The antidiarrheal activities of aqueous extracts of pomegranate peels have been evaluated. However, there have not been any bioactivity‐guided fractionation studies on the antidiarrheal effect to identify the bioactive components of the extract.

Methods

Bioactivity‐guided fractionation of an aqueous extract of pomegranate peels was performed using different solvents of increasing polarity, generating fractions dissolved in ethyl acetate, n‐butyl alcohol, and the residual fraction. The principal chemical composition of the active fraction was analyzed by HPLC/ESI‐MS.

Key Results

Fecal frequencies revealed that only the ethyl acetate fraction possessed significant antidiarrheal activity. Furthermore, administration of the ethyl acetate fraction at 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg significantly reduced gastrointestinal transit in charcoal meal tests in mice. It also significantly inhibited castor oil‐induced enteropooling compared to control animals. Histopathological analysis revealed that small intestine lesions of mice treated with the ethyl acetate fraction were alleviated compared to those in mice treated with castor oil. The ethyl acetate fraction was found to be composed mainly of punicalagin, corilagin, and ellagic acid, and a combination of these compounds could mediate the antidiarrheal activities.

Conclusion and Inferences

Our study describes the protective effects of pomegranate peels against castor oil‐induced diarrhea. The findings showed that the ethyl acetate fraction was the active fraction of pomegranate peels, of which punicalagin, corilagin, and ellagic acid were responsible for the antidiarrheal effect of aqueous extracts.
Impact of funding sources on innovation: evidence from Brazilian software companies
Authors: Yigitcanlar Tan , Sabatini‐Marques Jamile , Kamruzzaman Md. , Camargo Francisco , Moreira da‐Costa Eduardo , Ioppolo Giuseppe , Palandi Fernanda Elisa Demore
Published: May 2018

This paper aims to investigate the impacts of different sources of innovation funding on company performances in the context of an emerging economy. Brazilian software companies are selected as a case for this investigation. Data – related to the types of funding support received and eight types of company performances measured in binary scales – was collected through an online survey from 188 companies located across Brazil. A multivariate probit model was estimated to assess the impacts of different funding schemes on company performances – controlling for other confounding effects. The findings confirmed the critical importance of public innovation funding, and revealed that companies that: (1) Used public funds were more likely to become nationally competitive; (2) Used loans from commercial banks were less likely to become nationally and internationally competitive; (3) Reinvested revenues were more likely to gain market share, and help in increasing the number of employees; (4) Not aware of public funding schemes were less likely to invest on research, development, and innovation. The overall findings suggest the positive impacts of innovation funds on company performance. They can serve as a policy guide to develop targeted performance strategy to determine which funding scheme would be effective to foster what outcomes.
Egalitarian nonconsequentialism and the levelling down objection
Authors: O'Brien David
Published: May 2018

Telic egalitarianism is famously threatened by the levelling down objection. In its canonical form, the objection purports to show that it is not, in itself, an improvement if inequality is reduced. In a variant that is less often discussed, the objection is that telic egalitarians are committed to believing that sometimes one ought to reduce inequality, even when doing so makes no one better off. The standard egalitarian response to this ‘all things considered’ variant of the levelling down objection is to embed egalitarianism in a pluralist consequentialist moral theory. In section 1, I briefly recapitulate this familiar strategy. In section 2, I argue that this standard pluralist consequentialist response is inadequate. The inadequacy of the standard response, I argue, stems from the fact that the following are jointly inconsistent: (1) a commitment to levelling down's impermissibility; (2) standard pluralist egalitarian consequentialism; (3) inequality being of non‐trivial importance; and (4) the most plausible measures of inequality's badness. In section 3, I show that egalitarians can better respond to the all‐things‐considered levelling down objection by embedding egalitarianism in a nonconsequentialist moral theory.
Should I pick that? A scoring tool to prioritize and valuate native wild seed for restoration
Authors: Rantala‐Sykes Brittany , Campbell Daniel
Published: May 2018

Commercial sources of native seed are often unavailable for ecological restoration projects or do not have a suitable provenance. Local collection of wild seed is an option, but it can be challenging to collect seed for a variety of species and set fair seed prices. Our aim was to quantify the relative effort to collect, clean, store, and propagate seed to better prioritize species and assess the value of their seed. For 57 species native to the Canadian subarctic and typical of upland habitats, we evaluated 13 poorly correlated attributes in the field and lab or using the literature. For collection attributes, regional occurrence, local abundance, seed collection rate, and collection window were normally or log‐normally distributed. Most species were easy to identify and posed few collection obstacles. Cleaning effort was evenly distributed across species and the majority could be cleaned to more than 95% purity. We only encountered orthodox seed and most species had seed longevity exceeding a year. Seed viability mostly exceeded 80%, pre‐treatment requirements were evenly distributed and the majority of species could be germinated under standard conditions. We propose a standard worksheet, in which we assign relative effort scores to the distribution of each attribute. We illustrate this approach for the revegetation planning of a remote mine site. We also propose a seed lot certificate to ensure high seed quality. This tool can be applied to various restoration applications to assess relative effort, to plan and prioritize species for restoration projects and to help set fair seed pricing.
Using ultrasound and nasalance to separate oral and nasal contributions to formant frequencies of nasalized vowels
Authors: Carignan Christopher
Published: May 2018

The experimental method described in this manuscript offers a possible means to address a well known issue in research on the independent effects of nasalization on vowel acoustics: given that the separate transfer functions associated with the oral and nasal cavities are merged in the acoustic signal, the task of teasing apart the respective effects of the two cavities seems to be an intractable problem. The proposed method uses ultrasound and nasalance to predict the effect of lingual configuration on formant frequencies of nasalized vowels, thus accounting for acoustic variation due to changing lingual posture and excluding its contribution to the acoustic signal. The results reveal that the independent effect of nasalization on the acoustic vowel quadrilateral resembles a counter-clockwise chain shift of nasal compared to non-nasal vowels. The results from the productions of 11 vowels by six speakers of different language backgrounds are compared to predictions presented in previous modeling studies, as well as discussed in the light of sound change of nasal vowel systems.
The local microenvironment limits the regenerative potential of the mouse neonatal heart
Authors: Notari Mario , Ventura-Rubio Antoni , Bedford-Guaus Sylvia J. , Jorba Ignasi , Mulero Lola , Navajas Daniel , Martí Mercè , Raya Ángel
Published: May 2018

Decreasing ECM stiffness rescues the regeneration ability of the neonatal mouse heart.
Environmental DNA illuminates the dark diversity of sharks
Authors: Boussarie Germain , Bakker Judith , Wangensteen Owen S. , Mariani Stefano , Bonnin Lucas , Juhel Jean-Baptiste , Kiszka Jeremy J. , Kulbicki Michel , Manel Stephanie , Robbins William D. , Vigliola Laurent , Mouillot David
Published: May 2018

Environmental DNA reveals unsuspected shark diversity and calls for monitoring and protection of residual populations.
A social-ecological analysis of ecosystem services supply and trade-offs in European wood-pastures
Authors: Torralba Mario , Fagerholm Nora , Hartel Tibor , Moreno Gerardo , Plieninger Tobias
Published: May 2018

In traditional agroecosystems, provision of ecosystem services is driven by interrelated, place-based, social-ecological properties.
Success of cuckoo catfish brood parasitism reflects coevolutionary history and individual experience of their cichlid hosts
Authors: Blažek Radim , Polačik Matej , Smith Carl , Honza Marcel , Meyer Axel , Reichard Martin
Published: May 2018

Evolution teaches cichlids to outwit baby-killing cuckoo catfish.
A persulfidation-based mechanism controls aquaporin-8 conductance
Authors: Bestetti Stefano , Medraño-Fernandez Iria , Galli Mauro , Ghitti Michela , Bienert Gerd P. , Musco Giovanna , Orsi Andrea , Rubartelli Anna , Sitia Roberto
Published: May 2018

A two-step posttranslational modification of AQP8 provides a mechanism regulating plasma membrane H
2
O
2
conductance.
Climate models predict increasing temperature variability in poor countries
Authors: Bathiany Sebastian , Dakos Vasilis , Scheffer Marten , Lenton Timothy M.
Published: May 2018

Temperature variability will increase in poor countries and decrease in rich countries, creating a new climate injustice.
Alerting stem cells to regenerate
Authors: Holloway Julianne L.
Published: May 2018

Alarmin delivery accelerates tissue regeneration by transitioning quiescent stem cells to the metabolically active G
Alert
state.
Genome Sequence of Pseudomonas chlororaphis Lzh-T5, a Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacterium with Antimicrobial Activity
Authors: Li Zhenghua , Li Xiaoming , Zeng Qiangcheng , Chen Mei , Liu Dan , Wang Jihua , Shen Liang , Song Feng
Published: May 2018

Pseudomonas chlororaphis
Lzh-T5 is a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR) with antimicrobial activity isolated from tomato rhizosphere in the city of Dezhou, Shandong Province, China. Here, the draft genome sequence of
P. chlororaphis
Lzh-T5 is reported, and several functional genes related to antifungal antibiotics and siderophore biosynthesis have been found in the genome.
Draft Genome Sequence of Mercury-Resistant Pseudomonas putida Strain DRA525
Authors: Drace Kevin , Giangiuli Stephanie , LeSar Claire , Kiefer Adam M.
Published: May 2018

We report here the draft genome sequence of
Pseudomonas putida
strain DRA525, isolated from mercury-contaminated soil. This strain shows resistance to mercury and multiple antibiotics, and its genome sequence contains several gene sets known to confer resistance to heavy metals enzymatically and through multidrug efflux pumps.
Intragenogroup Recombination in the Complete Genome Sequence of Human Sapovirus Circulating in Bangladesh
Authors: Dey Shuvra Kanti , Sumiya Mariya Kibtiya , Shaha Modhusudon , Haque Razoanul , Okitsu Shoko , Ushijima Hiroshi
Published: May 2018

Human sapovirus (SaV) is responsible for severe gastroenteritis among infants and children. Research about the genetic configuration of SaV is scarce in Bangladesh. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of an SaV strain with intragenogroup recombination, isolated from an infant with severe diarrhea in Bangladesh in 2005.
Consecutive negative findings on colonoscopy during surveillance predict a low risk of advanced neoplasia in patients with inflammatory bowel disease with long-standing colitis: results of a 15-year multicentre, multinational cohort study
Authors: ten Hove Joren R , Shah Shailja C , Shaffer Seth R , Bernstein Charles N , Castaneda Daniel , Palmela Carolina , Mooiweer Erik , Elman Jordan , Kumar Akash , Glass Jason , Axelrad Jordan , Ullman Thomas A , Colombel Jean-Frederic , Torres Joana , van Bodegraven Adriaan A , Hoentjen Frank , Jansen Jeroen M , de Jong Michiel E , Mahmmod Nofel , van der Meulen-de Jong Andrea E , Ponsioen Cyriel Y , van der Woude Christine J , Itzkowitz Steven H , Oldenburg Bas
Published: May 2018

Objectives

Surveillance colonoscopy is thought to prevent colorectal cancer (CRC) in patients with long-standing colonic IBD, but data regarding the frequency of surveillance and the findings thereof are lacking. Our aim was to determine whether consecutive negative surveillance colonoscopies adequately predict low neoplastic risk.

Design

A multicentre, multinational database of patients with long-standing IBD colitis without high-risk features and undergoing regular CRC surveillance was constructed. A ‘negative’ surveillance colonoscopy was predefined as a technically adequate procedure having no postinflammatory polyps, no strictures, no endoscopic disease activity and no evidence of neoplasia; a ‘positive’ colonoscopy was a technically adequate procedure that included at least one of these criteria. The primary endpoint was advanced colorectal neoplasia (aCRN), defined as high-grade dysplasia or CRC.

Results

Of 775 patients with long-standing IBD colitis, 44% (n=340) had >1 negative colonoscopy. Patients with consecutive negative surveillance colonoscopies were compared with those who had at least one positive colonoscopy. Both groups had similar demographics, disease-related characteristics, number of surveillance colonoscopies and time intervals between colonoscopies. No aCRN occurred in those with consecutive negative surveillance, compared with an incidence rate of 0.29 to 0.76/100 patient-years (P=0.02) in those having >1 positive colonoscopy on follow-up of 6.1 (P25–P75: 4.6–8.2) years after the index procedure.

Conclusion

Within this large surveillance cohort of patients with colonic IBD and no additional high-risk features, having two consecutive negative colonoscopies predicted a very low risk of aCRN occurrence on follow-up. Our findings suggest that longer surveillance intervals in this selected population may be safe.
Pulmonary arterial hypertension in adult congenital heart disease
Authors: Brida Margarita , Gatzoulis Michael A
Published: May 2018

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is commonly associated with congenital heart disease (CHD) and relates to type of the underlying cardiac defects and repair history. Large systemic to pulmonary shunts may develop PAH if untreated or repaired late. PAH, when present, markedly increases morbidity and mortality in patients with CHD. Significant progress has been made for patients with Eisenmenger syndrome in pathophysiology, prognostication and disease-targeting therapy (DTT), which needs to be applied to routine patient care. Patients with PAH–CHD and systemic to pulmonary shunting may benefit from late defect closure if pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) is still normal or near normal. Patients with PAH and coincidental defects, or previous repair of CHD should be managed as those with idiopathic PAH. Patients with a Fontan circulation, despite not strictly fulfilling criteria for PAH, may have elevated PVR; recent evidence suggests that they may also benefit from DTT, but more data are required before general recommendations can be made. CHD–PAH is a lifelong, progressive disease; patients should receive tertiary care and benefit from a proactive DTT approach. Novel biomarkers and genetic advances may identify patients with CHD who should be referred for late defect closure and/or patients at high risk of developing PAH despite early closure in childhood. Ongoing vigilance for PAH and further controlled studies are clearly warranted in CHD.
Effects of reducing dietary energy (tallow) in diets containing emulsifier blend on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and blood profile in growing pigs
Authors: Yin Jia , Jiao Yang , Kim Yong Min , Kim In Ho
Published: May 2018

This experiment was conducted to study the effects of reducing dietary energy (tallow) in diets contain 0.05% emulsifier blend (sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate and Tween-20) on growth performance parameters in growing pigs. Linear and quadratic polynomial contrasts were used to examine responses to supplemental graded levels of energy (3260, 3240, and 3220 kcal kg−1, respectively) in diets. However, no significant difference was observed in all treatment diets. There is an opportunity to reduce feed cost by reducing energy in diets containing emulsifier blend.
Description of nuclei with magic number Z (N) = 6
Authors: Kumawat M. , Saxena G. , Kaushik M. , Sharma R. , Jain S.K.
Published: May 2018

Encouraged by the evidence for Z = 6 magic number in neutron-rich carbon isotopes, we have performed relativistic mean-field plus BCS calculations to investigate ground state properties of entire chains of isotopes (isotones) with Z (N) = 6 including even and odd mass nuclei. Our calculations include deformation, binding energy, separation energy, single particle energy, root mean squared radii, along with charge and neutron density profile, etc., and are found to be an excellent match with latest experimental results demonstrating Z = 6 as a strong magic number. N = 6 is also found to have a similar kind of strong magic character.
Dielectric and impedance spectroscopy of K+-doped MgAl2O4nanoparticles
Authors: Ahmad Javed , Bukhari S. H. , Qadeer Awan M. , Ehsan Mazhar M. , Makhdoom A. R.
Published: May 2018

In this study, the dielectric response of Potassium (K[Formula: see text])-doped magnesium aluminates nanoparticles (Mg[Formula: see text]K[Formula: see text]Al2O4, x = 0.0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0) have been investigated as a function of frequency (20 Hz to 2 MHz) at room-temperature. Interestingly, the behavior of dielectric constant indicated the ionic or space charge polarization in the low-frequency range and it remains almost constant at high frequency. However, the value of conductivity increases at higher frequencies which is consistent with the previously reported results for the parent compound MgAl2O4. Moreover, the Cole–Cole plots represent various relaxation phenomena reflecting the existence of grain (boundaries) resistance effects.
Electronic and magnetic properties of BaUO3 by modified Becke–Johnson (mBJ) functional
Authors: Mustafa Ghulam , ul Aarifeen Najm , Afaq Ahmad , Asif Muhammad
Published: May 2018

First-principle calculations have been performed to study the structural, electronic and magnetic properties of BaUO3 in cubic perovskite. The lattice parameter, bulk modulus, bond length, band structures, density of states, and magnetic moments are evaluated using Full Potential Linearized Augmented Plane Wave (FP-LAPW) method in Wien2k-code with GGA as exchange and correlation functional and mBJ functional is used to improve the results along with GGA+U to review magnetic properties. It is found that our calculated structural parameters are in good agreement with experimental results and other work at ambient pressure. The density of states results for spin up and spin down channels show that BaUO3 is an half ferromagnetic material, so we may use this material to make high-performance spintronics devices.
Nuclear Astrophysics Deep Underground
Authors: Depalo Rosanna
Published: May 2018

Cross sections of nuclear reactions relevant for astrophysics are crucial ingredients to understand the energy generation inside stars and the synthesis of the elements. At astrophysical energies, nuclear cross sections are often too small to be measured in laboratories on the Earth surface, where the signal would be overwhelmed by the cosmic-ray induced background.

LUNA is a unique Nuclear Astrophysics experiment located at Gran Sasso National Laboratories. The extremely low background achieved at LUNA allows to measure nuclear cross sections directly at the energies of astrophysical interest. Over the years, many crucial reactions involved in stellar hydrogen burning as well as Big Bang nucleosynthesis have been measured at LUNA.

The present contribution provides an overview on underground Nuclear Astrophysics as well as the latest results and future perspectives of the LUNA experiment.
Applications of Nuclear and Particle Physics Technology: Particles & Detection — A Brief Overview
Authors: Weisenberger Andrew G.
Published: May 2018

A brief overview of the technology applications with significant societal benefit that have their origins in nuclear and particle physics research is presented. It is shown through representative examples that applications of nuclear physics can be classified into two basic areas: 1) applying the results of experimental nuclear physics and 2) applying the tools of experimental nuclear physics. Examples of the application of the tools of experimental nuclear and particle physics research are provided in the fields of accelerator and detector based technologies namely synchrotron light sources, nuclear medicine, ion implantation and radiation therapy.
Measurement of Open Heavy-Flavour Production in pp and p–Pb Collisions with ALICE at the LHC
Authors: Bala Renu
Published: May 2018

The Large Hadron Collider at CERN allows us to study heavy-ion collisions at an un- precedented energy. ALICE, A Large Ion Collider Experiment, is the experiment ded- icated to the investigation of heavy-ion collisions. In this contribution, recent open heavy-flavour results from pp collisions at [Formula: see text]= 5.02, 7, 8 and 13 TeV and p–Pb collisions at [Formula: see text] = 5.02 TeV, collected with the ALICE detector during the LHC Run-1 and Run-2 are presented. The results include the production cross section, nuclear modification factor and multiplicity dependence studies of production of D mesons and electrons from heavy-flavour hadron decays at mid-rapidity and of muons from heavy-flavour hadron decays at forward rapidity. Charm production was measured down to [Formula: see text] = 0 GeV/[Formula: see text] in pp and p–Pb collisions. Recent measurements of the production cross section of heavy charmed baryons such as [Formula: see text] (in pp and p–Pb) and [Formula: see text] (in pp) are discussed. The results are compared with theoretical model predictions.