bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rural‐Urban Differences in Chronic Disease and Drug Utilization in Older Oregonians
Authors: Goeres Leah M. , Gille Allison , Furuno Jon P. , Erten‐Lyons Deniz , Hartung Daniel M. , Calvert James F. , Ahmed Sharia M. , Lee David S.H.
Published: October 2015

Purpose

To characterize disease burden and medication usage in rural and urban adults aged ≥85 years.

Methods

This is a secondary analysis of 5 years of longitudinal data starting in the year 2000 from 3 brain‐aging studies. Cohorts consisted of community‐dwelling adults: 1 rural cohort, the Klamath Exceptional Aging Project (KEAP), was compared to 2 urban cohorts, the Oregon Brain Aging Study (OBAS) and the Dementia Prevention study (DPS). In this analysis, 121 participants were included from OBAS/DPS and 175 participants were included from KEAP. Eligibility was determined based on age ≥85 years and having at least 2 follow‐up visits after the year 2000. Disease burden was measured by the Modified Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (MCIRS), with higher values representing more disease. Medication usage was measured by the estimated mean number of medications used by each cohort.

Findings

Rural participants had significantly higher disease burden as measured by MCIRS, 23.0 (95% CI: 22.3‐23.6), than urban participants, 21.0 (95% CI: 20.2‐21.7), at baseline. The rate of disease accumulation was a 0.2 increase in MCIRS per year (95% CI: 0.05‐0.34) in the rural population. Rural participants used a higher mean number of medications, 5.5 (95% CI: 4.8‐6.1), than urban participants, 3.7 (95% CI: 3.1‐4.2), at baseline (P < .0001).

Conclusions

These data suggest that rural and urban Oregonians aged ≥85 years may differ by disease burden and medication usage. Future research should identify opportunities to improve health care for older adults.
Misallocation and Total Factor Productivity in Italy: Evidence from Firm‐Level Data
Authors: Calligaris Sara
Published: November 2015

Over the last two decades, total factor productivity (TFP) in Italy decreased by 0.2% per year, while increasing on average in the Euro‐area countries. This decline suggests the existence of large inefficiencies in the allocation of resources, making the Italian case particularly interesting and suitable in order to study the role of misallocation. In this article, I quantify the within‐industry misallocation of inputs in Italy over the period 1993–2011, by applying the Hsieh and Klenow's methodology. Using a micro‐level longitudinal dataset of Italian manufacturing firms, I find that, in the hypothetical absence of distortions, aggregate TFP in manufacturing would be boosted by 58% in 1993, by 67% in 2006 and by 80% in 2011. This leads to a twofold conclusion: first, misallocation plays a crucial role in determining the inefficiency level of the Italian manufacturing sector; second, misallocation has increased over time. Given the magnitude of the results obtained and the policy implications related thereto, I take a step ahead by checking to what extent the degree of misallocation can be attributed to specific characteristics of the Italian firms: it emerges that misallocation is higher for firms located in the south and at low‐technological intensity, as well as for small or young firms.
Authorization and the Right to Punish in Hobbes
Authors: Green Michael J.
Published: October 2015

This article answers questions about the consistency, coherence, and motivation of Hobbes's account of the right to punish. First, it develops a novel account of authorization that explains how Hobbes could have consistently held both that the subjects do not give the sovereign the right to punish and also that they authorize the sovereign to punish. Second, it shows that, despite appearances, the natural and artificial elements of Hobbes's account form a coherent whole. Finally, it explains why Hobbes thought it was important to establish the sovereign's right to punish apart from the sovereign's power to punish.
Variation in circadian rhythms is maintained among and within populations in Boechera stricta
Authors: Salmela Matti J. , Greenham Kathleen , Lou Ping , McClung C. Robertson , Ewers Brent E. , Weinig Cynthia
Published: October 2015

Circadian clocks have evolved independently in all three domains of life, and fitness benefits of a functional clock have been demonstrated in experimental genotypes in controlled conditions. Still, little is known about genetic variation in the clock and its fitness consequences in natural populations from heterogeneous environments. Using Wyoming populations of the Arabidopsis relative Boechera stricta as our study system, we demonstrate that genetic variation in the clock can occur at multiple levels: means of circadian period among populations sampled at different elevations differed by less than 1 h, but means among families sampled within populations varied by as much as 3.5 h. Growth traits also varied among and within populations. Within the population with the most circadian variation, we observed evidence for a positive correlation between period and growth and a negative correlation between period and root‐to‐shoot ratio. We then tested whether performance tradeoffs existed among families of this population across simulated seasonal settings. Growth rankings of families were similar across seasonal environments, but for root‐to‐shoot ratio, genotype × environment interactions contributed significantly to total variation. Therefore, further experiments are needed to identify evolutionary mechanisms that preserve substantial quantitative genetic diversity in the clock in this and other species.
Insights into genetic alterations of liver metastases from uveal melanoma
Authors: McCarthy Conni , Kalirai Helen , Lake Sarah L. , Dodson Andrew , Damato Bertil E. , Coupland Sarah E.
Published: November 2015

The liver is the organ usually affected by metastatic uveal melanoma (MUM). Current treatments are almost always ineffective and mortality remains high. In this study, copy number variations (CNVs) were identified in 12 metastatic and five matched primary UMs (PUMs). Our data revealed a wide spectrum of genetic alterations in MUM. Most common were amplifications of chromosome (chr.) 8q; alterations on chr. 3 included monosomy, isodisomy, and large regions of homozygosity (ROH). Genomic profiles of PUM‐MUM pairs varied in their degree of similarity and complexity. However, within the pairs, 135 genes were consistently altered. Protein expression of C‐MYC and BAP1 was examined by immunohistochemistry (IHC); a positive association between IHC and CNVs was seen for C‐MYC. This comprehensive catalogue of CNVs associated with MUM should facilitate the identification of key alterations that drive tumor growth. This would have the potential to select urgently needed novel, targeted, therapeutic regimens.
Characterization of bovine MHC class II DRB3 diversity in South American Holstein cattle populations
Authors: Takeshima S.‐N. , Giovambattista G. , Okimoto N. , Matsumoto Y. , Rogberg‐Muñoz A. , Acosta T. J. , Onuma M. , Aida Y.
Published: October 2015

Holstein cattle dominate the global milk production industry because of their outstanding milk production, however, this breed is susceptible to tropical endemic pathogens and suffers from heat stress and thus fewer Holstein populations are raised in tropical areas. The bovine major histocompatibility complex (BoLA)‐DRB3 class II gene is used as a marker for disease and immunological traits, and its polymorphism has been studied extensively in Holstein cattle from temperate and cold regions. We studied the genetic diversity of the BoLA‐DRB3 gene in South American Holstein populations to determine whether tropical populations have diverged from those bred in temperate and cold regions by selection and/or crossbreeding with local native breeds. We specifically studied Exon 2 of this gene from 855 South American Holstein individuals by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) sequence‐based typing method. We found a high degree of gene diversity at the allelic (Na > 20 and He > 0.87) and molecular (π > 0.080) levels, but a low degree of population structure (FST = 0.009215). A principal components analysis and tree showed that the Bolivian subtropical population had the largest genetic divergence compared with Holsteins bred in temperate or cold regions, and that this population was closely related to Bolivian Creole cattle. Our results suggest that Holstein genetic divergence can be explained by selection and/or gene introgression from local germplasms. This is the first examination of BoLA‐DRB3 in Holsteins adapted to tropical environments, and contributes to an ongoing effort to catalog bovine MHC allele frequencies by breed and location.
Assessing Export Competitiveness through the Lens of Value Added
Authors: Ceglowski Janet
Published: October 2015

Extensive changes in the organization of world trade over the last two decades have renewed concerns about countries’ ability to compete in export markets. The impact could be especially large in industries that participate in global value chains (GVCs). This study assesses the recent export performance of 56 countries in five industries associated with GVCs using an index of normalised revealed comparative advantage (RCA) that can be compared across industries and countries and new data on the domestic value added in exports from the OECD's Trade in Value‐added database. For a number of the GVC industries, countries identified as the most competitive based on gross exports are often found to be less competitive when evaluated in terms of domestic value added. Business services are an important exception; several countries appear more competitive on a value‐added basis than based on conventional measures of gross exports. Despite concerns about hollowing out, a number of major industrial countries remain highly competitive in one or more GVC industries, even from the perspective of domestic value added. A value‐added approach to RCA provides insights that are not apparent from an exclusive focus on gross exports.
Calidad de vida y sustentabilidad: una nueva ciudadanía
Authors: Cantú-Martínez Pedro César
Published: October 2015

El presente artículo expone que subsistimos en una complejidad social hondamente diversa, que en la actualidad somos participes de una comunidad universal y de cuyos problemas no podemos excluirnos. Estos son producto de los patrones económicos prevalecientes, que nos han llevado a un sistema donde las inequidades sociales se han incrementado. Es así que se yergue una nueva ciudadanía apoyada en los principios de frugalidad y seguridad, que es donde convergen los preceptos de calidad de vida y sustentabilidad.

PALABRAS CLAVE: calidad de vida, sustentabilidad, ciudadanía, frugalidad, seguridad.
The Relative Performance of External Casing Impingement Cooling Arrangements for Thermal Control of Blade Tip Clearance
Authors: Choi Myeonggeun , Dyrda David M. , Gillespie David R. H. , Tapanlis Orpheas , Lewis Leo V.
Published: October 2015

As a key way of improving jet engine performance, a thermal tip clearance control system provides a robust means of manipulating the closure between the casing and the rotating blade tips, reducing undesirable tip leakage flows. This may be achieved using an impingement cooling scheme on the external casing. Such systems can be optimized to increase the contraction capability for a given casing cooling flow. Typically, this is achieved by changing the cooled area and local casing features, such as the external flanges or the external cooling geometry. This paper reports the effectiveness of a range of impingement cooling arrangements in typical engine casing closure system. The effects of jet-to-jet pitch, number of jets, and inline and staggered alignment of jets on an engine representative casing geometry are assessed through comparison of the convective heat transfer coefficient distributions as well as the thermal closure at the point of the casing liner attachment. The investigation is primarily numerical, however, a baseline case has been validated experimentally in tests using a transient liquid crystal technique. Steady numerical simulations using the realizable k–ε, k–ω SST, and EARSM turbulence models were conducted to understand the variation in the predicted local heat transfer coefficient distribution. A constant mass flow rate was used as a constraint at each engine condition, approximately corresponding to a constant feed pressure when the manifold exit area is constant. Sets of local heat transfer coefficient data generated using a consistent modeling approach were then used to create reduced order distributions of the local cooling. These were used in a thermomechanical model to predict the casing closure at engine representative operating conditions.
Blistering during the atomic layer deposition of iridium
Authors: Genevée Pascal , Ahiavi Ernest , Janunts Norik , Pertsch Thomas , Oliva Maria , Kley Ernst-Bernhard , Szeghalmi Adriana
Published: October 2015

The authors report on the formation of blisters during the atomic layer deposition of iridium using iridium acetylacetonate and oxygen precursors. Films deposited on fused silica substrates led to sparsely distributed large blisters while in the case of silicon with native oxide additional small blisters with a high density was observed. It is found that the formation of blisters is favored by a higher deposition temperature and a larger layer thickness. Postdeposition annealing did not have a significant effect on the formation of blisters. Finally, changing purge duration during the film growth allowed us to avoid blistering and evidenced that impurities released from the film in gas phase were responsible for the formation of blisters.
Spatially resolved electron density and electron energy distribution function in Ar magnetron plasmas used for sputter-deposition of ZnO-based thin films
Authors: Maaloul L. , Gangwar R. K. , Morel S. , Stafford L.
Published: October 2015

Langmuir probe and trace rare gases optical emission spectroscopy were used to analyze the spatial structure of the electron density and electron energy distribution function (EEDF) in a cylindrical Ar magnetron plasma reactor used for sputter-deposition of ZnO-based thin films. While a typical Bessel (zero order) diffusion profile was observed along the radial direction for the number density of charged particles at 21 cm from the ZnO target, a significant rise of these populations with respect to the Bessel function was seen in the center of the reactor at 4 cm from the magnetron surface. As for the EEDF, it was found to transform from a more or less Maxwellian far from the target to a two-temperature Maxwellian with a depletion of high-energy electrons where magnetic field confinement effects become important. No significant change in the behavior of the electron density and EEDF across a wide range of pressures (5–100 mTorr) and self-bias voltages (115–300 V) was observed during magnetron sputtering of Zn, ZnO, and In2O3 targets. This indicates that sputtering of Zn, In, and O atoms do not play a very significant role on the electron particle balance and electron heating dynamics, at least over the range of experimental conditions investigated.
Evaluation of the local dose enhancement in the combination of proton therapy and nanoparticles
Authors: Martínez‐Rovira I. , Prezado Y.
Published: October 2015

Purpose:

The outcome of radiotherapy can be further improved by combining irradiation with dose enhancers such as high‐Z nanoparticles. Since 2004, spectacular results have been obtained when low‐energy x‐ray irradiations have been combined with nanoparticles. Recently, the same combination has been explored in hadron therapy. In vitro studies have shown a significant amplification of the biological damage in tumor cells charged with nanoparticles and irradiated with fast ions. This has been attributed to the increase in the ionizations and electron emissions induced by the incident ions or the electrons in the secondary tracks on the high‐Z atoms, resulting in a local energy deposition enhancement. However, this subject is still a matter of controversy. Within this context, the main goal of the authors’ work was to provide new insights into the dose enhancement effects of nanoparticles in proton therapy.

Methods:

For this purpose, Monte Carlo calculations (gate/geant4 code) were performed. In particular, the geant4‐DNA toolkit, which allows the modeling of early biological damages induced by ionizing radiation at the DNA scale, was used. The nanometric radial energy distributions around the nanoparticle were studied, and the processes (such as Auger deexcitation or dissociative electron attachment) participating in the dose deposition of proton therapy treatments in the presence of nanoparticles were evaluated. It has been reported that the architecture of Monte Carlo calculations plays a crucial role in the assessment of nanoparticle dose enhancement and that it may introduce a bias in the results or amplify the possible final dose enhancement. Thus, a dosimetric study of different cases was performed, considering Au and Gd nanoparticles, several nanoparticle sizes (from 4 to 50 nm), and several beam configurations (source‐nanoparticle distances and source sizes).

Results:

This Monte Carlo study shows the influence of the simulations’ parameters on the local dose enhancement and how more realistic configurations lead to a negligible increase of local energy deposition. The obtained dose enhancement factor was up to 1.7 when the source was located at the nanoparticle surface. This dose enhancement was reduced when the source was located at further distances (i.e., in more realistic situations). Additionally, no significant increase in the dissociative electron attachment processes was observed.

Conclusions:

The authors’ results indicate that physical effects play a minor role in the amplification of damage, as a very low dose enhancement or increase of dissociative electron attachment processes is observed when the authors get closer to more realistic simulations. Thus, other effects, such as biological or chemical processes, may be mainly responsible for the enhanced radiosensibilization observed in biological studies. However, more biological studies are needed to verify this hypothesis.
The influence of hearing-aid compression on forward-masked thresholds for adults with hearing loss
Authors: Brennan Marc A. , McCreery Ryan W. , Jesteadt Walt
Published: October 2015

This paper describes forward-masked thresholds for adults with hearing loss. Previous research has demonstrated that the loss of cochlear compression contributes to deficits in this measure of temporal resolution. Cochlear compression can be mimicked with fast-acting compression where the normal dynamic range is mapped to the impaired dynamic range. To test the hypothesis that fast-acting compression will most-closely approximate the normal ability to perceive forward-masked pure-tones, forward-masked thresholds were measured for two groups of adults (normal hearing, hearing loss). Adults with normal hearing were tested without amplification. Adults with hearing loss were tested with three different compression speeds and two different prescriptive procedures using a hearing-aid simulator. The two prescriptive procedures differed in the extent to which the normal dynamic range was mapped onto the impaired dynamic range. When using a faster compression speed with the prescriptive procedure that best restored the lost dynamic range, forward-masked thresholds for the listeners with hearing loss approximated those observed for the listeners with normal hearing.
Sound propagation in dilute suspensions of spheres: Analytical comparison between coupled phase model and multiple scattering theory
Authors: Valier-Brasier Tony , Conoir Jean-Marc , Coulouvrat François , Thomas Jean-Louis
Published: October 2015

Sound propagation in dilute suspensions of small spheres is studied using two models: a hydrodynamic model based on the coupled phase equations and an acoustic model based on the ECAH (ECAH: Epstein-Carhart-Allegra-Hawley) multiple scattering theory. The aim is to compare both models through the study of three fundamental kinds of particles: rigid particles, elastic spheres, and viscous droplets. The hydrodynamic model is based on a Rayleigh-Plesset-like equation generalized to elastic spheres and viscous droplets. The hydrodynamic forces for elastic spheres are introduced by analogy with those of droplets. The ECAH theory is also modified in order to take into account the velocity of rigid particles. Analytical calculations performed for long wavelength, low dilution, and weak absorption in the ambient fluid show that both models are strictly equivalent for the three kinds of particles studied. The analytical calculations show that dilatational and translational mechanisms are modeled in the same way by both models. The effective parameters of dilute suspensions are also calculated.
An investigation of prior knowledge in Automatic Music Transcription systems
Authors: Cazau Dorian , Revillon Guillaume , Krywyk Julien , Adam Olivier
Published: October 2015

Automatic transcription of music is a long-studied research field with many operational systems available commercially. In this paper, a generic transcription system able to host various prior knowledge parameters has been developed, followed by an in-depth investigation of their impact on music transcription. Explicit links between musical knowledge and algorithmic formalism have been made. Musical knowledge covers classes of timbre, musicology, and playing style of an instrument repertoire. An evaluation sound corpus gathering musical pieces played by human performers from three different instrument repertoires, namely, classical piano, steel-string acoustic guitar, and the marovany zither from Madagascar, has been developed. The different components of musical knowledge have been successively incorporated in a complete transcription system, consisting mainly of a Probabilistic Latent Component Analysis algorithm post-processed with a Hidden Markov Model, and their impact on transcription results have been comparatively evaluated.
Using Masculine Capital to Understand the Role of a Sport Program in the Lives of Men From a Western Canadian Inner City
Authors: Holt Nicholas L. , Scherer Jay , Koch Jordan
Published: November 2015

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of a sport program in the lives of homeless men with severe mental illnesses and addictions. Interviews were conducted with eight men who attended a floor hockey program, and data examined using categorical-content narrative methodology. Five themes captured the role of the floor hockey program in the men’s lives: (a) relationships with program leader, (b) therapy, (c) community, (d) action, and (e) achievement. These themes were interpreted using theories of masculinity (Connell, 1995; Gough, 2014). Relationships with the program leader and other men, and ways in which they were allowed to play with physicality, provided opportunities to accumulate masculine capital (i.e., ways in which competence in traditionally masculine behaviors provides masculine credit). Practically, the findings suggest that sport program delivery for men such as those in this study can be enhanced by providing opportunities for accruing masculine capital.
Immunogenicity of somatic mutations in human gastrointestinal cancers
Authors: Tran Eric , Ahmadzadeh Mojgan , Lu Yong-Chen , Gros Alena , Turcotte Simon , Robbins Paul F. , Gartner Jared J. , Zheng Zhili , Li Yong F. , Ray Satyajit , Wunderlich John R. , Somerville Robert P. , Rosenberg Steven A.
Published: October 2015

Low mutation rate okay for T cells

Cancers that tend to have high numbers of mutations, such as melanoma and smoking-induced lung cancer, respond well to immunotherapies, whereas those with fewer mutations, such as pancreatic cancer, do not. Tran
et al.
searched for tumor mutation–reactive T cells in 10 patients with metastatic gastrointestinal cancers, which have relatively low mutation burdens, and discovered that 9 out of 10 harbored such cells. T cells from one patient recognized a mutation common to many types of cancers. Engineering T cells to express this particular mutation-reactive T cell receptor may extend adoptive cell immunotherapy to a larger pool of patients than previously anticipated.

Science, this issue p.
1387
Transcription factor trapping by RNA in gene regulatory elements
Authors: Sigova Alla A. , Abraham Brian J. , Ji Xiong , Molinie Benoit , Hannett Nancy M. , Guo Yang Eric , Jangi Mohini , Giallourakis Cosmas C. , Sharp Phillip A. , Young Richard A.
Published: October 2015

Noncoding RNA helps protein binding

Besides reading the coding regions of genes, RNA polymerase generates RNA at promoter-proximal and -distal DNA elements, but the function of these molecules is largely unknown. Sigova
et al.
show that these RNAs facilitate interactions between gene regulators and the regulatory elements they occupy. Nascent RNA associates with the transcription factor YY1 and increases its ability to bind DNA. Thus, transcription at active regulatory elements may provide a positive feedback loop that reinforces regulatory elements contributing to the stability of gene expression programs.

Science
, this issue p.
978
Complete Genome Sequences of Grapevine Yellow Speckle Viroid 1 and Hop Stunt Viroid Assembled from the Transcriptome of
Ixeridium dentatum
Plants
Authors: Lee Joong-Hwan , Lim Seungmo , Lee Seung-Won , Yoo Ran Hee , Igori Davaajargal , Zhao Fumei , Yoon Youngnam , Lee Su-Heon , Moon Jae Sun
Published: October 2015

Here, we report complete genome sequences of grapevine yellow speckle viroid 1 (GYSVd1) and hop stunt viroid (HSVd), members of the family
Pospiviroidae
, assembled from the transcriptome data generated from
Ixeridium dentatum
plants. To our knowledge, this is the first report of GYSVd1 and HSVd in
I. dentatum
.
Draft Genome Sequence and Assembly of Photorhabdus heterorhabditis Strain VMG, a Bacterial Symbiont Associated with the Entomopathogenic Nematode
Heterorhabditis zealandica
Authors: Naidoo Stephanie , Mothupi Boipelo , Featherston Jonathan , Mpangase Phelelani T. , Gray Vincent M.
Published: October 2015

Here, we report the draft genome sequence of
Photorhabdus heterorhabditis
strain VMG, a symbiont of the entomopathogenic nematode
Heterorhabditis zealandica
in South Africa. The draft genome sequence is 4,878,919 bp long and contains 4,023 protein-coding genes. The genome assembly contains 262 contigs with a G+C content of 42.22%.
Complete Genome Sequence of Herbaspirillum hiltneri N3 (DSM 17495), Isolated from Surface-Sterilized Wheat Roots
Authors: Guizelini Dieval , Saizaki Paula M. , Coimbra Nilson A. R. , Weiss Vinicius A. , Faoro Helisson , Sfeir Michelle Z. T. , Baura Valter A. , Monteiro Rose A. , Chubatsu Leda S. , Souza Emanuel M. , Cruz Leonardo M. , Pedrosa Fabio O. , Raittz Roberto T. , Marchaukoski Jeroniza N. , Steffens Maria B. R.
Published: October 2015

We report the complete genome sequence of
Herbaspirillum hiltneri
N3 (DSM 17495), a member of the genus
Herbaspirillum
of the
Betaproteobacteria
. The genome is contained in a single chromosome, and analysis revealed that N3 lacks the whole nitrogen fixation (
nif
) gene cluster, confirming its inability to fix nitrogen.
Improved image-based deformation measurement for geotechnical applications
Authors: Stanier S.A. , Blaber J. , Take W.A. , White D.J.
Published: October 2015

This paper describes and benchmarks a new implementation of image-based deformation measurement for geotechnical applications. The updated approach combines a range of advances in image analysis algorithms and techniques best suited to geotechnical applications. Performance benchmarking of the new approach has used a series of artificial images subjected to prescribed spatially varying displacement fields. An improvement by at least a factor of 10 in measurement precision is achieved relative to the most commonly used particle image velocimetry (PIV) approach for all deformation modes, including rigid-body displacements, rotations, and strains (compressive and shear). Lastly, an example analysis of a centrifuge model test is used to demonstrate the capabilities of the new approach. The strain field generated by penetration of a flat footing and an entrapped sand plug into an underlying clay layer is computed and compared for both the current and updated algorithms. This analysis demonstrates that the enhanced measurement precision improves the clarity of the interpretation.
Correlation between global thermodynamic functions and experimental data in multicomponent heterogeneous systems
Authors: Povar Igor , Spinu Oxana
Published: October 2015

The correlation between global thermodynamic functions and such experimental data, which quantitatively characterize the precipitation–dissolution processes of sparingly soluble compounds, as the degree of precipitation and residual concentrations of the solid-phase components in saturated solutions under real conditions, taking into account the complex formation reactions, has been deducted. The paper intends also to introduce widely formal thermodynamic methods for forecasting the conditions of mutual transformation of solid phases through chemical synthesis by precipitation methods, optimization of coprecipitation methods, fractional precipitation from homogeneous solutions, and separation and analysis of chemical compounds. Within the method of residual concentrations, the thermodynamic parameters of the process of precipitating cadmium ions with potassium decanoate from acid and alkaline solutions for different temperatures were investigated. On the basis of the experimentally determined degree of precipitation and its dependence on temperature, the temperature coefficients and overall thermodynamic characteristics of the precipitation process ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text]) were determined. The optimum conditions of the investigated process of precipitation have been established.
Software Risk Modeling by Clustering Project Metrics
Authors: Chang Ching-Pao
Published: October 2015

Together with the development and integration of software technologies, an increase in the complexity of the software development environment has made identifying software risks challenging. Identifying software risks, which is a critical activity in project management, is challenging because numerous factors may affect software projects. In this paper, an approach to identify software-risk items is proposed in which data collected from past software projects are mined to construct software-risk models. The prediction models obtained can be used to identify potential software risks for subsequent software projects. The advantage of the proposed approach is that the software-risk models can be constructed at an early stage in software projects to facilitate the planning of methods to mitigate software risks. The proposed approach is applied to a business project to demonstrate how software risk items can be identified.
An Analysis of Problem-Solving Patterns in Open Source Software
Authors: Koo Hyung-Min , Ko In-Young
Published: October 2015

Open Source Software (OSS) has become an important environment where developers can create, exchange, and improve reusable software assets by collaborating with other developers. Although developers may find useful software assets to reuse from OSS for their projects, they usually experience difficulties in solving problems that occur while integrating the assets to their own software. We investigated data from major open source environments such as Sourceforge.net and GitHub, and learned that there is a common pattern of solving reuse-related problems in OSS. To analyze the pattern in detail, we have developed an ontological model to formally represent the symptoms and causes of the reuse-related problems, and the correlations between them. Based on this model, we collected data from Sourceforge.net, and built a knowledge base for the most common problem type. We extracted the core types of symptoms and causes for the problem type and calculated the number of correlations between the types of symptoms and causes. We found that there exist correlations between the symptoms and causes that are extracted from the discussion threads for the problem type, and about 60% of them are statistically significant. We also conducted a study to understand the effective timing of recommending solutions to the developers by analyzing the recall rates of finding the causes of the problems in a timeline. We figured that most of the important causes of a problem are discussed at the beginning of the forum discussion. This leads us to the conclusion that recommending the causes of a problem early by using our knowledge framework may help developers spend less amount of time to solve the problem (around 50% less time than solving the problem without using our framework).
A MULTI-SEGMENTED APPROACH TO THE QUANTIFICATION OF TRUNK MOVEMENT DURING GAIT
Authors: Breloff Scott P. , Chou Li-Shan
Published: October 2015

Typical gait analyses commonly define the trunk as a single rigid segment, which overlooks its inter-segmental motion. The current study examined the validity and reliability of a multi-segmented trunk marker set and the quantification of trunk motion during gait. A total of 10 young subjects were tested on two different days using identical procedures which incorporated a 22-marker set to define 7 trunk segments. Validity was evaluated by comparing results to a previous protocol. Reliability was assessed with the range of motion (ROM), coefficient of multiple correlation (CMC) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The multi-segmented trunk marker set was able to reveal different inter-segmental movement patterns. During gait, ROM reliability was approximately 92%, and within-day CMC displayed moderate to strong reliabilities while between-day CMC data had moderately weak to moderately strong associations of the multi-segmented angle waveform trajectories. Reliability of the peak angles, assessed by ICC ranged from poor to almost perfect. The findings provide trends that suggest the incorporation of a multi-segmented trunk marker set could add a useful assessment to gait analysis.
EFFICIENT HEDGING FOR DEFAULTABLE SECURITIES AND ITS APPLICATION TO EQUITY-LINKED LIFE INSURANCE CONTRACTS
Authors: MELNIKOV ALEXANDER , NOSRATI AMIR
Published: October 2015

The paper deals with efficient hedging problem for defaultable securities with multiple default times and nonzero recovery rates. First, we convert the efficient hedging problem into a Neyman–Pearson problem with composite hypothesis against a simple alternative. Then we apply nonsmooth convex duality to provide a solution in the framework of a “defaultable” Black–Scholes model. Moreover, in the case of zero recovery rates, we find a closed form solution for the problem. As an application, it is shown how to use such type of results in pricing equity-linked life insurance contracts. The results are also demonstrated by some numerical examples.
Microwave-Assisted Hydrothermal Preparation of SnO2/MoS2 Composites and their Electrochemical Performance
Authors: Ma Lin , Zhou Xiaoping , Xu Limei , Xu Xuyao , Zhang Lingling
Published: November 2015

We introduce a two-step hydrothermal and microwave method to prepare novel SnO2/MoS2 composites. The as-prepared samples are well characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The experimental results indicate that the SnO2/MoS2 composites are composed of MoS2 nanosheets and ultrafine SnO2 nanoparticles with mean size of 3–4[Formula: see text]nm which are well-distributed and anchored on the surface of MoS2 nanosheets. The resultant composites demonstrate prominently improved electrochemical performances, which could be attributed to the unique and robust microstructures and synergetic effect between MoS2 and SnO2.
Can Affine Models Match the Moments in Bond Yields?
Authors: Feldhütter Peter
Published: October 2015

This paper examines the ability of three-factor affine term structure models with essentially, extended, and semi-affine risk premium specifications to capture the dynamics of bond excess returns, yield volatility and higher order moments in yields. Extended affine models can best capture the time-variation in excess returns and yield volatility simultaneous. However, none of the three-factor models can fully match bond return predictability and yield volatility jointly. Extended affine models are more restricted in the ability to price bonds because of necessary parameter restrictions — the so-called Feller condition — and essentially affine and semi-affine models are therefore better suited for pricing purposes.
InSAR monitoring using RADARSAT-2 data at Piton de la Fournaise (La Reunion) and Karthala (Grande Comore) volcanoes
Authors: Catry Thibault , Villeneuve Nicolas , Froger Jean-Luc , Maggio Giuseppe
Published: October 2015

Piton de la Fournaise (La Reunion) and Karthala (Grande Comore) are the two active volcanoes of the Southwestern Indian Ocean. A 14 month (April 2013 to June 2014) monitoring period was carried out at both volcanoes using synthetic aperture RADAR interferometry (InSAR) techniques on RADARSAT-2 data. Thanks to the SEAS-OI (Survey of Environment Assisted by Satellite in the Indian Ocean) station, 21 SAR scenes were acquired over this period and InSAR results revealed the slow subsidence of the Dolomieu caldera floor at Piton de la Fournaise, following the 2009 and 2010 eruptions, and the subsidence of the whole cone between April and July 2013. At Karthala no evidence of any volcanic activity was found for the period April 2013 to June 2014. The use of systematic InSAR for volcano monitoring is an efficient tool to study effusive eruptions. We showed that, during periods of unrest, InSAR is able to pick up early signs of a future eruption and monitor secondary phenomena that require no real-time data. During an effusive crisis, it is still difficult to carry out fully operational InSAR monitoring, but using the example of the June 2014 eruption at Piton de la Fournaise, we show that SAR data can help with the detection and tracking of lava flows and active flow paths during effusive eruptions, based on SAR coherence and SAR amplitude. These preliminary results are very promising for the future of InSAR monitoring of active volcanoes and highlight the need for near-real-time access to SAR data in the mapping of active lava flows during effusive eruptions. This study also revealed the major role of ground stations like SEAS-OI in the efficiency of this monitoring, supplying free, near-real-time remote sensing data to the scientific and institutional communities.
Fisheries-Induced Evolution
Authors: Heino Mikko , Díaz Pauli Beatriz , Dieckmann Ulf
Published: October 2015

Increased mortality from fishing is expected to favor faster life histories, realized through earlier maturation, increased reproductive investment, and reduced postmaturation growth. There is also direct and indirect selection on behavioral traits. Molecular genetic methods have so far contributed minimally to understanding such fisheries-induced evolution (FIE), but a large body of literature studying evolution using phenotypic methods has suggested that FIE in life-history traits, in particular maturation traits, is commonplace in exploited fish populations. Although no phenotypic study in the wild can individually provide conclusive evidence for FIE, the observed common pattern suggests a common explanation, strengthening the case for FIE. This interpretation is supported by theoretical and experimental studies. Evidence for FIE of behavioral traits is limited from the wild, but strong from experimental studies. We suggest that such evolution is also common, but has so far been overlooked.
Molecular Profiles of Prostate Cancer: To Treat or Not to Treat
Authors: Sternberg Itay A. , Vela Ian , Scardino Peter T.
Published: October 2015

A major dilemma in the selection of treatment for men with prostate cancer is the difficulty in accurately characterizing the risk posed by the cancer. This uncertainty has led physicians to recommend aggressive therapy for most men diagnosed with prostate cancer and has led to concerns about the benefits of screening and the adverse consequences of excessive treatment. Genomic analyses of prostate cancer reveal distinct patterns of alterations in the genomic landscape of the disease that show promise for improved prediction of prognosis and better medical decision making. Several molecular profiles are now commercially available and are being used to inform medical decisions. This article describes the clinical tests available for distinguishing aggressive from nonaggressive prostate cancer, reviews the new genomic tests, and discusses their advantages and limitations and the evidence for their utility in various clinical settings.
Nonclinical Tools to Assess Risk of Drug Hypersensitivity Reactions
Authors: Whritenour J. , Casinghino S. , Collinge M. , Zhu X.
Published: October 2015

The term drug hypersensitivity refers to a category of adverse drug reactions mediated by various immunological and nonimmunological mechanisms. Small-molecule drugs and biotherapeutics have been associated with drug hypersensitivity reactions (DHRs), and the mechanisms driving the responses vary. Depending on the mechanism, some DHRs may be detected in nonclinical toxicology studies, and there may be tools and models in place that can be used as part of a risk assessment strategy. In contrast, for other mechanisms, particularly those that are not readily detected during nonclinical development, predictive tools and strategies for risk assessment are not well defined. This chapter provides an overview of the nonclinical tools currently available to assess the risk for developing DHRs.
Color and the Cone Mosaic
Authors: Brainard David H.
Published: October 2015

Vision is limited by the measurements taken by the cone photoreceptors. To provide useful perceptual representations, the brain must go beyond the measurements and make inferences about the scene being viewed. This article considers the first stages of spatiochromatic vision. We show how spatial and chromatic information become intertwined by the optics of the eye and because of the structure of the retinal cone mosaic, and we consider the consequent implications for perception. Because there is at most one cone at each retinal location, the standard treatment of human trichromacy does not apply at fine spatial scales. Rather, trichromacy results from a perceptual inference based on measurements from cones of different classes at different locations. Our treatment emphasizes linking physics, biology, and computation with the goal of providing a framework for a larger understanding of how the brain interprets photoreceptor excitations to see objects and their properties.
Organization of the Central Visual Pathways Following Field Defects Arising from Congenital, Inherited, and Acquired Eye Disease
Authors: Morland Antony B.
Published: October 2015

Visual field defects that arise from eye disease are increasing as human life spans lengthen. The consequences of visual field defects on the central visual pathways are important to assess, particularly in light of potential treatments of eye disease that restore function to the retina. For individuals with field defects arising from congenital eye disease, primary visual cortex (V1) appears to remap, whereas this form of reorganization is not present in individuals with field defects that arise later in life as a result of inherited or acquired eye disease. However, research has revealed that the areas of V1 that normally map the visual field defect are active under specific circumstances. This review attempts to resolve whether or not this activity reflects reorganization of the central visual pathways. Alongside the measures of function are measures of anatomical properties of the human visual pathway, which demonstrate transneuronal degeneration in individuals with eye disease. These results are concerning because degeneration of the central visual pathways may ultimately limit the success of sight-restoring treatments of eye disease.
Identification of alanyl aminopeptidase (CD13) as a surface marker for isolation of mature gastric zymogenic chief cells
Authors: Moore Benjamin D. , Jin Ramon U. , Osaki Luciana , Romero-Gallo Judith , Noto Jennifer , Peek Richard M. , Mills Jason C.
Published: October 2015

Injury and inflammation in the gastric epithelium can cause disruption of the pathways that guide the differentiation of cell lineages, which in turn can cause persistent alterations in differentiation patterns, known as metaplasia. Metaplasia that occurs in the stomach is associated with increased risk for cancer. Methods for isolating distinct gastric epithelial cell populations would facilitate dissection of the molecular and cellular pathways that guide normal and metaplastic differentiation. Here, we identify alanyl aminopeptidase (CD13) as a specific surface marker of zymogenic chief cells (ZCs) in the gastric epithelium. We show that 1) among gastric epithelial cells alanyl aminopeptidase expression is confined to mature ZCs, and 2) its expression is lost en route to metaplasia in both mouse and human stomachs. With this new marker coupled with new techniques that we introduce for dissociating gastric epithelial cells and overcoming their constitutive autofluorescence, we are able to reliably isolate enriched populations of ZCs for both molecular analysis and for the establishment of ZC-derived ex vivo gastroid cultures.
Modal Parameter Identification from Output Data Only: Equivalent Approaches
Authors: Lardies Joseph
Published: November 2015

The problem of modal parameter identification from output data only is presented. To identify the modal parameters different algorithms are presented: the block Hankel matrix and its shifted version and the block observability and block controllability matrices and their shifted version. These algorithms are derived from properties of the subspace approach. It is shown in the paper that these algorithms give the same results even in the noisy data case. Numerical and experimental results are presented showing the effectiveness of the procedure. In particular a microsystem constituted of a perforated microplate is analysed.
Morphology of the Preimaginal Stages ofLasioptera donacisCoutin (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), a Candidate Biocontrol Agent for Giant Arundo Cane
Authors: Thomas Donald B. , Goolsby John A.
Published: November 2015

The larval stages ofLasioptera donacisCoutin consist of three instars which develop within the mesophyll of the leaf sheaths ofArundo donax(L.) (Poaceae). The larvae feed aggregatively on mycelia of an ambrosia fungus. The third instars are similar to other members of the genus except for a three-pronged spatula (typically two-pronged) and five lateral papillae (typically four) and with a nonbristled first instar. A related species,L. arundinis(Schiner) which breeds on fungus inPhragmites(Poaceae), also has a three-pronged spatula and five lateral papillae but has a bristled first instar. The third instar ofL. donacishas a feeding and a nonfeeding prepupal stage. Papillae associated with the spatula are sensory organs, sensilla chaetica, sensilla trichodea, and sensilla ampullacea, perhaps related to extraoral digestion of the fungal mycelia. Pupation occurs in the host plant within a silken cocoon. Egression of the adult is through an escape hatch excavated by the third instar.