bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Treating Cancer as an Invasive Species
Authors: Noorbakhsh Javad , Zhao Zi-Ming , Russell James C. , Chuang Jeffrey H.
Published: September 2019

To cure a patient's cancer is to eradicate invasive cells from the ecosystem of the body. However, the ecologic complexity of this challenge is not well understood. Here we show how results from eradications of invasive mammalian species from islands—one of the few contexts in which invasive species have been regularly cleared—inform new research directions for treating cancer. We first summarize the epidemiologic characteristics of island invader eradications and cancer treatments by analyzing recent datasets from the Database of Invasive Island Species Eradications and The Cancer Genome Atlas, detailing the superior successes of island eradication projects. Next, we compare how genetic and environmental factors impact success in each system. These comparisons illuminate a number of promising cancer research and treatment directions, such as heterogeneity engineering as motivated by gene drives and adaptive therapy; multiscale analyses of how population heterogeneity potentiates treatment resistance; and application of ecological data mining techniques to high-throughput cancer data. We anticipate that interdisciplinary comparisons between tumor progression and invasive species would inspire development of novel paradigms to cure cancer.
Urbanização crítica e alienação das práticas alimentares
Authors: Ribeiro Junior José Raimundo Sousa
Published: September 2019

O objetivo do artigo é contribuir com o debate sobre a crise alimentar que se generaliza. Na primeira parte do texto busco realizar uma crítica contra uma concepção redutora da alimentação que define-a como uma necessidade elementar e/ou biológica. Em contraposição apresento a alimentação como uma das formas pelas quais o homem se apropria da natureza e de sua própria natureza. Em seguida apresento a crítica da vida cotidiana como um caminho possível de interpretação das práticas alimentares e busco enfatizar como essa opção ressalta o incessante embate entre alienação e apropriação que caracteriza a vida cotidiana e consequentemente a alimentação. Por fim, procuro expor a relação existente entre o processo de urbanização e a alienação das práticas alimentares, apoiando-me, sobretudo, no conceito de urbanização crítica e em trabalhos de campo realizados na cidade de São Paulo.
Effect of Prior Sternotomy on Outcomes in Transvenous Lead Extraction
Authors: Tsang Darren C. , Perez Adryan A. , Boyle Thomas A. , Carrillo Roger G.
Published: September 2019

Background:

A history of open-heart surgery has been a heavily debated topic in transvenous lead extraction. This study evaluates the impact of prior sternotomy on transvenous lead extraction outcomes.

Methods:

Data for all patients undergoing transvenous lead extraction at a tertiary referral center were prospectively gathered from 2004 to 2017. Relevant clinical information was compared between patients with a history of sternotomy before transvenous lead extraction and those without. After considering baseline differences, multivariate regression, and propensity-matched analysis were performed. Outcome variables included major and minor complication rates, clinical success, and in-hospital mortality as defined by the 2017 Heart Rhythm Society consensus statement.

Results:

Of 1480 patients in the study period, 455 had a prior sternotomy. When compared with patients with no prior sternotomy, those with prior sternotomy were more likely to be older, male, and present with more comorbidities and leads targeted for extraction. No statistical differences were identified in major and minor complication rates (
P
=0.75,
P
=0.41), clinical success rate (
P
=0.26), and in-hospital mortality (
P
=0.08). In patients with prior sternotomy, there were no instances of pericardial effusion after extraction. Prior sternotomy was not an independent predictor of clinical or procedural outcomes. No associations were elucidated after propensity-matched analysis.

Conclusions:

In a large, single-center series, no differences in clinical or procedural outcomes were elucidated between patients with a history of sternotomy and those without. Patients with sternotomies before lead extraction who experienced vascular or cardiac perforations clinically presented with hemothoraces rather than pericardial effusions.
Association of Long-Term Risk Factor Levels With Carotid Atherosclerosis
Authors: Berry Jarett D. , Mehta Anurag , Lin Kai , Ayers Colby R. , Carroll Timothy , Pandey Ambarish , Garside Daniel B. , Daviglus Martha L. , Yuan Chun , Lloyd-Jones Donald M.
Published: September 2019

Background:

Absence of cardiovascular risk factors (RF) in young adulthood is associated with a lower risk for cardiovascular disease. However, it is unclear if low RF burden in young adulthood decreases the quantitative burden and qualitative features of atherosclerosis.

Methods:

Multi-contrast carotid magnetic resonance imaging was performed on 440 Chicago Healthy Aging Study participants in 2009 to 2011, whose RF (total cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, and smoking) were measured in 1967 to 1973. Participants were divided into 4 groups: low-risk (with total cholesterol <200 mg/dL and no treatment, blood pressure <120/80 mm Hg and no treatment, no smoking, and no diabetes mellitus), 0 high RF but some RF unfavorable (≥1 RF above low-risk threshold but below high-risk threshold), 1 high RF (total cholesterol ≥240 mg/dL or treated, blood pressure ≥140/90 or treated, diabetes mellitus, or smoking), and 2 or more high RF. Association of baseline RF status with carotid atherosclerosis (overall mean carotid wall thickness and lipid-rich necrotic core) at follow-up was assessed.

Results:

Among 424 participants with evaluable carotid magnetic resonance images, the mean age was 32 years at baseline and 73 years at follow-up; 67% were male, 86% white, and 36% were low-risk at baseline. Two or more high RF status was associated with higher carotid wall thickness (0.99±0.11 mm) and lipid-rich necrotic core prevalence (30%), as compared with low-risk group (0.94±0.09 mm and 17%, respectively). Each increment in baseline RF status was associated with higher carotid wall thickness (β-coefficient, 0.015; 95% CI, 0.004–0.026) and with higher lipid-rich necrotic core prevalence at older age (odds ratio, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.00–1.58) in models adjusted for baseline RF and demographics.

Conclusions:

RF status in young adulthood is associated with the burden and quality of carotid atherosclerosis in older age suggesting that the decades-long protective effect of low-risk status might be mediated through a lower burden of quantitative and qualitative features of atherosclerotic plaque.
Automated Echocardiographic Quantification of Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction Without Volume Measurements Using a Machine Learning Algorithm Mimicking a Human Expert
Authors: Asch Federico M. , Poilvert Nicolas , Abraham Theodore , Jankowski Madeline , Cleve Jayne , Adams Michael , Romano Nathanael , Hong Ha , Mor-Avi Victor , Martin Randolph P. , Lang Roberto M.
Published: September 2019

Background:

Echocardiographic quantification of left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) relies on either manual or automated identification of endocardial boundaries followed by model-based calculation of end-systolic and end-diastolic LV volumes. Recent developments in artificial intelligence resulted in computer algorithms that allow near automated detection of endocardial boundaries and measurement of LV volumes and function. However, boundary identification is still prone to errors limiting accuracy in certain patients. We hypothesized that a fully automated machine learning algorithm could circumvent border detection and instead would estimate the degree of ventricular contraction, similar to a human expert trained on tens of thousands of images.

Methods:

Machine learning algorithm was developed and trained to automatically estimate LVEF on a database of >50 000 echocardiographic studies, including multiple apical 2- and 4-chamber views (AutoEF, BayLabs). Testing was performed on an independent group of 99 patients, whose automated EF values were compared with reference values obtained by averaging measurements by 3 experts using conventional volume-based technique. Inter-technique agreement was assessed using linear regression and Bland-Altman analysis. Consistency was assessed by mean absolute deviation among automated estimates from different combinations of apical views. Finally, sensitivity and specificity of detecting of EF ≤35% were calculated. These metrics were compared side-by-side against the same reference standard to those obtained from conventional EF measurements by clinical readers.

Results:

Automated estimation of LVEF was feasible in all 99 patients. AutoEF values showed high consistency (mean absolute deviation =2.9%) and excellent agreement with the reference values:
r
=0.95, bias=1.0%, limits of agreement =±11.8%, with sensitivity 0.90 and specificity 0.92 for detection of EF ≤35%. This was similar to clinicians’ measurements:
r
=0.94, bias=1.4%, limits of agreement =±13.4%, sensitivity 0.93, specificity 0.87.

Conclusions:

Machine learning algorithm for volume-independent LVEF estimation is highly feasible and similar in accuracy to conventional volume-based measurements, when compared with reference values provided by an expert panel.
A Novel Predictive-Coding-Inspired Variational RNN Model for Online Prediction and Recognition
Authors: Ahmadi Ahmadreza , Tani Jun
Published: September 2019

This study introduces PV-RNN, a novel variational RNN inspired by predictive-coding ideas. The model learns to extract the probabilistic structures hidden in fluctuating temporal patterns by dynamically changing the stochasticity of its latent states. Its architecture attempts to address two major concerns of variational Bayes RNNs: how latent variables can learn meaningful representations and how the inference model can transfer future observations to the latent variables. PV-RNN does both by introducing adaptive vectors mirroring the training data, whose values can then be adapted differently during evaluation. Moreover, prediction errors during backpropagation—rather than external inputs during the forward computation—are used to convey information to the network about the external data. For testing, we introduce error regression for predicting unseen sequences as inspired by predictive coding that leverages those mechanisms. As in other variational Bayes RNNs, our model learns by maximizing a lower bound on the marginal likelihood of the sequential data, which is composed of two terms: the negative of the expectation of prediction errors and the negative of the Kullback-Leibler divergence between the prior and the approximate posterior distributions. The model introduces a weighting parameter, the meta-prior, to balance the optimization pressure placed on those two terms. We test the model on two data sets with probabilistic structures and show that with high values of the meta-prior, the network develops deterministic chaos through which the randomness of the data is imitated. For low values, the model behaves as a random process. The network performs best on intermediate values and is able to capture the latent probabilistic structure with good generalization. Analyzing the meta-prior's impact on the network allows us to precisely study the theoretical value and practical benefits of incorporating stochastic dynamics in our model. We demonstrate better prediction performance on a robot imitation task with our model using error regression compared to a standard variational Bayes model lacking such a procedure.
Adversarial Feature Alignment: Avoid Catastrophic Forgetting in Incremental Task Lifelong Learning
Authors: Yao Xin , Huang Tianchi , Wu Chenglei , Zhang Rui-Xiao , Sun Lifeng
Published: September 2019

Humans are able to master a variety of knowledge and skills with ongoing learning. By contrast, dramatic performance degradation is observed when new tasks are added to an existing neural network model. This phenomenon, termed catastrophic forgetting, is one of the major roadblocks that prevent deep neural networks from achieving human-level artificial intelligence. Several research efforts (e.g., lifelong or continual learning algorithms) have proposed to tackle this problem. However, they either suffer from an accumulating drop in performance as the task sequence grows longer, or require storing an excessive number of model parameters for historical memory, or cannot obtain competitive performance on the new tasks. In this letter, we focus on the incremental multitask image classification scenario. Inspired by the learning process of students, who usually decompose complex tasks into easier goals, we propose an adversarial feature alignment method to avoid catastrophic forgetting. In our design, both the low-level visual features and high-level semantic features serve as soft targets and guide the training process in multiple stages, which provide sufficient supervised information of the old tasks and help to reduce forgetting. Due to the knowledge distillation and regularization phenomena, the proposed method gains even better performance than fine-tuning on the new tasks, which makes it stand out from other methods. Extensive experiments in several typical lifelong learning scenarios demonstrate that our method outperforms the state-of-the-art methods in both accuracy on new tasks and performance preservation on old tasks.
Bridging global and local topology in whole-brain networks using the
network statistic jackknife
Authors: Henry Teague
                            R. , Duffy Kelly
                        A. , Rudolph Marc
                            D. , Nebel Mary
                            Beth , Mostofsky Stewart
                            H. , Cohen Jessica
                            R.
Published: September 2019

Whole-brain network analysis is commonly used to investigate the topology of the brain using a variety of neuroimaging modalities. This approach is notable for its applicability to a large number of domains, such as understanding how brain network organization relates to cognition and behavior and examining disrupted brain network organization in disease. A benefit to this approach is the ability to summarize overall brain network organization with a single metric (e.g., global efficiency). However, important local differences in network structure might exist without any corresponding observable differences in global topology, making a whole-brain analysis strategy unlikely to detect relevant local findings. Conversely, using local network metrics can identify local differences, but are not directly informative of differences in global topology. Here, we propose the network statistic (NS) jackknife framework, a simulated lesioning method that combines the utility of global network analysis strategies with the ability to detect relevant local differences in network structure. We evaluate the NS jackknife framework with a simulation study and an empirical example comparing global efficiency in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and typically developing (TD) children. The NS jackknife framework has been implemented in a public, open-source R package, netjack, available at https://cran.r-project.org/package=netjack.
Eudémonisme politique et ontologie de l’action dans la Politique d’Aristote (Pol., VII, 3, 1325b14-32)
Authors: Morel Pierre-Marie
Published: September 2019

In the last lines of Politics VII, 3, Aristotle states that the happy city acts nobly. This implies that the city has a practical life, and that this life has its end in itself. This claim seems to contradict the famous distinction, which has been made elsewhere by Aristotle, between the practical and theoretical (or contemplative) lives. It is argued in this paper that there is, here, neither contradiction nor inconsistency in Aristotle’s conception of human action. Some readings, according to which this passage deals with the role of the philosophers in the happy city, are also ruled out. The proposed solution consists in showing that this text refers to a broader conception of action, one that is beyond the sphere of human practical activities: any genuine praxis has its goal in itself, even when it produces external effects.
φύσις, ἔθος, λόγος : comment devient-on vertueux ? Lecture de Politiques, VII, 13
Authors: Gautier Timothée
Published: September 2019

In Politics VII, 13, to the question of how one becomes virtuous, Aristotle answers that one acquires virtue through three factors: nature, habit and reason. The purpose of my paper is to examine the process of virtue acquisition in the light of these three concepts, their articulation, and the harmonization of their own dynamics, which Aristotle seems to call his wishes.
Aristotle on the Pleasure of Courage
Authors: Holberg Erica A.
Published: September 2019

Aristotle repeatedly qualifies the pleasure of courageous actions relative to other kinds of virtuous actions. This article argues that the pleasure of courageous actions is qualified because virtuous activity and its pleasure is dependent upon external conditions, and the external conditions of courageous actions are particularly constraining. The article shows that Curzer’s explanation of the qualified pleasure of courageous actions by the presence of pain violates Aristotle’s commitment to virtuous actions as being pleasant by their nature.
A City of Guardians: Refocusing the Aim and Scope of Aristotle’s Critique of Plato’s Republic
Authors: Santoro Alessio
Published: September 2019

In Politics 2.2-5 Aristotle criticises the state described in Plato’s Republic. The general consensus in the secondary literature (in particular after E. Bornemann) is that Aristotle’s critique is unfair and too narrow in scope. Aristotle unjustifiably ignores significant parts of Plato’s Republic and unreasonably assumes that the community of wives, children and property extends to the whole of Kallipolis. Although R. Mayhew’s defence of Aristotle’s criticism has mitigated this negative assessment, the problem has remained unresolved. This paper questions the traditional view and suggests an explanation of Aristotle’s selective reading of Plato’s Republic. Based on what turns out to be a reasonable interpretation of Plato’s text, Aristotle does not extend Plato’s communism to the whole city, but rather reduces Plato’s city to the community of the guardians. As a result, Aristotle’s arguments in fact hit the mark and present Aristotle as a much fairer reader than is usually acknowledged.
Broad geographic sampling and DNA barcoding do not support the presence of Helobdella stagnalis (Linnaeus, 1758) (Clitellata: Glossiphoniidae) in North America
Authors: IWAMA RAFAEL EIJI , OCEGUERA-FIGUEROA ALEJANDRO , DE CARLE DANIELLE , MANGLICMOT CLAIRE , ERSÉUS CHRISTER , MILES NA’TA’NE MORNING-SONG , SIDDALL MARK E. , KVIST SEBASTIAN
Published: September 2019

The description of Helobdella stagnalis (Linnaeus, 1758) has emphasized the presence of a nuchal, chitinous scute located on the dorsal surface in the first third of the body as the diagnostic character for the species. Historically, identifications of species of Helobdella have relied heavily on this character and, as a result, Helobdella stagnalis has been reported from an inordinately broad geographic range, including Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, and South America. In addition to a few earlier investigations, a recent analysis showed that great genetic distances (orders of magnitude greater than previous estimations of intraspecific divergence in leeches) are present between scute-bearing specimens identified as H. stagnalis from Europe and North America, implying that H. stagnalis does not occur in North America. The present study expands the geographic boundaries of taxon sampling for both European and North American taxa, and re-examines the phylogenetic relationships and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) variation within scute-bearing species of the genus Helobdella. Our analyses include specimens putatively identified as “Helobdella stagnalis” from Sweden, Norway, Iceland, England, France, Italy, Slovenia, Turkey, Russia, and Iran, as well as numerous localities covering Canada and the USA. Our results corroborate previous studies in that European and west Asian specimens form a clade, including the neotype, which is separate from North American taxa. To alleviate future taxonomic confusion, we redescribe H. stagnalis and designate a neotype from the inferred type locality. The designation of a neotype stabilizes the taxonomy of scute-bearing leeches of the genus Helobdella and enables us to definitively correct erroneous identifications reported in previous studies. We also note that at least four lineages of scute-bearing, North American species of Helobdella lack formal descriptions.
Arcanumophis, a new genus and generic allocation for Erythrolamprus problematicus (Myers 1986), Xenodontinae (Colubridae) from the Cordillera de Carabaya, southern Peru
Authors: SMAGA CHRISTOPHER R. , TTITO ALEX , CATENAZZI ALESSANDRO
Published: September 2019

The systematics of South American Xenodontinae snakes has experienced large changes and improvements as a result of recent studies employing molecular data. Herein we assess the status of the rare Peruvian snake species, Erythrolamprus problematicus (Dipsadidae, Xenodontinae, Xenodontini), previously known from a single specimen collected in 1950. Based on new morphological and molecular data from a second specimen that we collected, we confirmed the presence of a crease in the rostral scale, mentioned in the original description (a unique trait among the Xenodontini), and recovered E. problematicus as the sister-taxon of all other Xenodontini, instead of nested among the current Erythrolamprus. Therefore, our phylogenetic results justify the erection of a new genus to accommodate the species.
A new species of Versicorpus Deschodt, Davis & Scholtz, 2011 (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Byrrhidiini) from the Brandberg Mountain, Namibia
Authors: DESCHODT CHRISTIAN M. , SOLE CATHERINE L.
Published: September 2019

The recently described dung beetle tribe Byrrhidiini currently comprises seven genera and nineteen species (Davis et al. 2019). During a recent collecting expedition to the Brandberg Mountain [S21.11° E14.69°] in Namibia, a single male specimen, together with various disarticulated body parts of a new species belonging to this tribe were collected. It was found amongst dried hyrax (Procavia capensis) dung pellets between large granite boulders. This new species clearly fits the current definition of the genus Versicorpus Deschodt, Davis & Scholtz, 2011. This raises the number of the constituent species of Versicorpus to three and that for Byrrhidiini to twenty.
Review of the Brazilian species of Physiculus (Gadiformes: Moridae), with description of a new species from Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago, equatorial Atlantic
Authors: PIRES ALESSANDRA M. A. , CARVALHO-FILHO ALFREDO , FERREIRA RÔMULO C. P. , VIANA DANIELLE , NUNES DIOGO , HAZIN FABIO H. V.
Published: September 2019

Three valid species of the genus Physiculus are known from the Brazilian marinewaters. A fourth, new species, Physiculus cirm n. sp.., is described based on seventeen specimens collected in the surroundings of Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago, equatorial Atlantic. A review of the Brazilian species of Physiculus is provided, as well as a key to the species of the genus reported from the Atlantic Ocean. The new species is distinguished from all its congeners, except P. cynodon and P. karrerae, by the large number of longitudinal series of scales (156–189 vs. 70–150). P. cynodon from the Northern Pacific has about 200 longitudinal series of scales, and it differs from the new species by the number of rays of the first dorsal fin (6–8 vs. 10 in P. cynodon), pectoral-fin rays (20–25 vs. 27 in P. cynodon), and the presence of an outer row of large canine teeth on upper and lower jaw. From P. karrerae, which has 134–160 longitudinal series of scales, the new species differs by the presence of scales on the tip of the snout and dorsal-fin membrane, and the number of pectoral-fin rays (20–25 vs. 24–27 in P. karrerae). [Zoobank URL: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:1AFBC251-2BB1-4479-98A4-307188EC5D66]
A new species of Cyrtodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from central New Guinea
Authors: OLIVER PAUL M. , KARKKAINEN DENISE TAIMI , RÖSLER HERBERT , RICHARDS STEPHEN J.
Published: September 2019

We describe a new species of bent-toed gecko in the genus Cyrtodactylus from hill forest in Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea. Cyrtodactylus manos sp. nov. can be distinguished from all congeners in New Guinea by its small size in combination with aspects of colouration and body and tail scalation. The new species adds to the growing number of vertebrate species known only from karstic mountains along the southern edge of New Guinea’s Central Cordillera, suggesting that this region holds previously overlooked endemic karst-associated biota.
Microlaryngeal Teaching Courses: A National Survey on Prevalence, Value, and Barriers to Implementation
Authors: Dhillon Vaninder K. , Dailey Seth H. , Akst Lee M.
Published: September 2019

Objective:

To assess the prevalence of microlaryngeal teaching course in Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited otolaryngology residency programs in an effort to evaluate the nature, perceived value and barriers to implementation of microlaryngeal courses.

Method:

A 14-question survey to all ACGME-accredited otolaryngology programs in the United States.

Result:

Out of 119 ACGME-accredited otolaryngology programs identified on the ACGME Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database, responses were received from 67 programs (56%). Although 90% of respondents indicated that instruction courses in one discipline or another existed at their institution for their otolaryngology residents, only 33% indicated that their program offers a hands-on instruction course in microlaryngeal surgery. Of those programs that offered a microlaryngeal surgery course, 100% felt the residents appreciated the course; 95% of those programs that did not have a course felt their residents would appreciate a microlaryngeal course at their institution if they were able to offer one. Among programs without a microlaryngeal teaching course, the largest perceived barriers were cost and availability of appropriate equipment.

Conclusion:

Microlaryngeal courses for otolaryngology residency training are limited in availability in the United States, and there is variability in training across the country. All respondents in our survey indicated the value in these courses for microlaryngeal surgical skill training. There is a clear role for increasing availability of low-cost microlaryngeal stations and courses.
Synthesis and thermal studies of bis(isomaleimide)/bisphenol A and ortho novalac blends
Authors: Sarannya Vijayakumar , Rishwana S Shamim , Mahalakshmy Rajaram , Mahendran Arunjunai Raj , Surender R , Vijayakumar Chinnaswamy Thangavel
Published: September 2019

Phenol formaldehyde ortho novalac (ON) resin and 4,4′-bisisomaleimidodiphenyl methane (VS) were prepared. Bisphenol A (BPA) and ON were blended with VS in different ratios and thermally cured. The structural characterization of the synthesized and polymerized materials was done using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The thermal curing properties of VS and its blends were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry. The temperature at which the rate of curing was maximum ( T max) was found to be varying from 210°C to 220°C. The degradation properties of the polymerized VS and its blends were studied using thermogravimetric analysis. The Friedman, corrected Flynn–Wall–Ozawa, corrected Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose, and advanced Vyazovkin methods are used to calculate the Ea-D for various reaction extents ( α). The variation of ln A with the α and thermal lifetime for these materials were predicted. The volatile products obtained during the thermal degradation of these polymers are analyzed using thermogravimetric-FTIR.
Governance Beyond the Rhetoric: Organizational Action, Change, and Illusion in the Italian Local Welfare System
Authors: Gasparre Angelo , Bassoli Matteo
Published: September 2019

In this article, we offer a critical analysis of governance arrangements looking at the evolution of the Italian local welfare system over a time period of more than 40 years. The broad idea of a shift “from government to governance” is questioned. The nonprofit organizations had a vital role in the foundation of the Italian local welfare system. However, their participation in the governance arenas of today is often illusionary. This has practical consequences, as innovation in the welfare domain needs authentic public–private partnerships, and genuine participation of the nonprofits at all levels of social and political action.
An Investigation of Adolescents’ Reported and Self-Perceived Risk-Taking
Authors: Heffer Taylor , Wylie Breanne , Willoughby Teena
Published: September 2019

Adolescence is a sensitive period for taking risks, yet research has not investigated whether adolescents who engage in risk-taking actually perceive themselves to be risk-takers. In the current study, students (Grade: 6-8, N = 437) reported on their frequency of risk-taking and perceptions of themselves as risk-takers, forming four groups of interest (aware risk-takers, unaware risk-takers, aware non-risk-takers, unaware non-risk-takers). We also investigated whether these groups were associated with engagement in certain types of risks. Overall, low-risk-takers had more accurate self-perceptions (i.e., greater awareness) compared with high risk-takers. Of concern, unaware high risk-takers engaged in more rule-breaking and adventurous risks compared with non-risk-takers, though they did not consider themselves to be risk-takers. It is possible that this group of adolescents may be less receptive to educational practices that target high risk-takers given that they do not consider themselves to be a risk-taker.
Do Labor Values Explain Chinese Prices? Evidence from China’s Input-Output Tables, 1990–2012
Authors: Cheng Han , Li Minqi
Published: September 2019

We use China’s input-output tables from 1990 to 2012 to study the deviations between labor-value-based direct prices, prices of production, and market prices. We find that the cross-sectional deviations between direct prices and market prices averaged 17–18 percent, and the variations in relative direct prices can explain about 70 percent of the variations in relative market prices over time. Marxian and Sraffian production prices have significantly smaller deviations from market prices. When our study is applied to productive capitalist sectors, the average deviations between direct prices, Marxian prices, Sraffian prices, and market prices are reduced significantly. The results suggest that price theory based on either the Marxian or classical tradition can largely explain observed market prices in the productive capitalist sectors in China.

JEL Classification: B51, C67, O53
None of your business: Media companies and disclosure of employment reductions
Authors: Babington Stuart C.
Published: September 2019

Ethical obligations for news organizations and their parent companies announcing employment reductions were explored. Scholarship concerning multiple ethical perspectives was reviewed and analyzed. Findings suggest that when a company acquires media properties, it should announce the details of newsroom layoffs in the same spirit of transparency that has become fundamental to journalism.
Childhood Adversity, Resilience, and Mental Health: A Sequential Mixed-Methods Study of Chinese Young Adults
Authors: Ho G. W. K. , Chan A. C. Y. , Shevlin M. , Karatzias T. , Chan P. S. , Leung D.
Published: September 2019

Resilience is a key health protective factor for those with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), but little research has explored how it manifests in early adulthood or across cultures. The purpose of this study was to generate a fuller understanding of resilience and its contribution to the relationships between mental health problems and ACEs among Chinese young adults in Hong Kong. Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, 433 Chinese young adults aged 18 to 24 years were surveyed online to examine the relationships between ACEs, resilience, and mental health problems (depression, anxiety, maladjustment, and posttraumatic stress symptoms). Among them, 34 participants with ACEs were purposively selected and interviewed to explore cultural factors that influenced their resilience. Quantitative data were analyzed using multiple hierarchical regression analyses; qualitative data were analyzed using a qualitative descriptive approach. Higher cumulative ACE exposure was associated with higher severity of adjustment disorder and odds for screening positive for posttraumatic stress disorders, but not for symptoms of depression or anxiety. Resilience significantly contributed to explaining variances across all mental health outcomes over and beyond ACEs and in a protective fashion. Four themes emerged from qualitative interviews: (a) Privacy, emotional restraint, and “saving face”; (b) Conforming to preserve harmony; (c) A will to excel; and (d) Viewing adversity as a matter of luck. These findings suggest Chinese young adults’ resilience was influenced by cultural norms of restraint, conformity, competition, and superstition. The present study provides a model for future studies using a mixed-methods design to deeply examine resilience among younger people exposed to early adversities within sociocultural, historical, or geographical contexts.
An experimental study on interfacial fracture toughness of 3-D printed ABS/CF-PLA composite under mode I, II, and mixed-mode loading
Authors: Khan Abdul Samad , Ali Aaqib , Hussain Ghulam , Ilyas Muhammad
Published: September 2019

Multimaterial structures made using fused deposition modeling (FDM) offer an attractive prospect for enhancing their mechanical properties and functionality. In this study, the interfacial fracture toughness of a unidirectional hybrid composite fabricated by FDM was studied through mechanical testing. The composite structure comprises acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and carbon fiber-reinforced polylactic acid. Since, de-adhesion or bond failure at the interface can occur under a combination of the different fracture modes, therefore, interfacial fracture toughness, in terms of the critical energy release rate, was characterized using double cantilever beam specimen test for mode I, end-notched flexural specimen test for mode II, and mixed-mode bending specimen test for mixed-mode I/II. Effects of varying process parameters, like printing speed and nozzle temperature, on the interfacial fracture toughness in mode I and II were also investigated. It was found that increasing the nozzle temperature and printing speed enhance the fracture toughness, both in mode I and II, but the effect of increasing nozzle temperature on mode II fracture toughness was quite significant.
What was fair in actuarial fairness?
Authors: Heras Antonio J. , Pradier Pierre-Charles , Teira David
Published: September 2019

In actuarial parlance, the price of an insurance policy is considered fair if customers bearing the same risk are charged the same price. The estimate of this fair amount hinges on the expected value obtained by weighting the different claims by their probability. We argue that, historically, this concept of actuarial fairness originates in an Aristotelian principle of justice in exchange (equality in risk). We will examine how this principle was formalized in the 16th century and shaped in life insurance during the following two hundred years, in two different interpretations. The Domatian account of actuarial fairness relied on subjective uncertainty: An agreement on risk was fair if both parties were equally ignorant about the chances of an uncertain event. The objectivist version grounded any agreement on an objective risk estimate drawn from a mortality table. We will show how the objectivist approach collapsed in the market for life annuities during the 18th century, leaving open the question of why we still speak of actuarial fairness as if it were an objective expected value.
Scenes Modulate Object Processing Before Interacting With Memory Templates
Authors: Gayet Surya , Peelen Marius V.
Published: September 2019

When searching for relevant objects in our environment (say, an apple), we create a memory template (a red sphere), which causes our visual system to favor template-matching visual input (applelike objects) at the expense of template-mismatching visual input (e.g., leaves). Although this principle seems straightforward in a lab setting, it poses a problem in naturalistic viewing: Two objects that have the same size on the retina will differ in real-world size if one is nearby and the other is far away. Using the Ponzo illusion to manipulate perceived size while keeping retinal size constant, we demonstrated across 71 participants that visual objects attract attention when their perceived size matches a memory template, compared with mismatching objects that have the same size on the retina. This shows that memory templates affect visual selection after object representations are modulated by scene context, thus providing a working mechanism for template-based search in naturalistic vision.
High-response electrorheological servo valve
Authors: Heinken Helge , Ulrich Stephan , Bruns Rainer , Schneider Steffen
Published: September 2019

The demand of more powerful and high-dynamic hydraulic actuators gives the servo valve as a control member an increasingly important role. The valve should provide the hydraulic actuator with sufficient volume flow over wide frequency range to achieve large strains at high operating frequencies. Here, the electrorheological effect as an electrohydraulic valve drive offers great potential. It converts the electrical input signal directly into a controlling mechanical quantity within a few milliseconds and provides theoretically unlimited strain. Thus, the electrorheological effect has the ability to increase the performance of conventional hydraulic systems. This work presents a two-stage servo valve with an electrorheological pilot stage. Furthermore, it introduces a model to describe the static and dynamic properties of the system. The model is validated on the basis of measurement results.
Differences in Health Care Expenditures Among Non-Latino Whites and Asian Subgroups Vary Along the Distribution of the Expenditures
Authors: Park Sungchul , Chen Jie , Roby Dylan H. , Ortega Alexander N.
Published: September 2019

Using a nationally representative sample from the 2013 to 2016 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, we examined differences among non-Latino Whites and Asian subgroups (Asian Indians, Chinese, Filipinos, and other Asians) across distributions of total health care expenditures and out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditures. For total health care expenditures, differences between Asian and White adults persisted throughout the distribution, but the magnitude of the difference was larger at no or low levels of expenditures than at high expenditure levels. A similar pattern was observed in OOP expenditures, but the magnitude of the difference was substantially larger at low levels of expenditures. The extent of the difference varied by Asian subgroup, but this trend persisted across all the subgroups. Similar trends were observed by nativity and limited English proficiency. Our findings suggest that differences in health care expenditures between Whites and Asians are more pronounced at low expenditure levels.
Investigation on the behaviors of Tou–Kung sets in historic timber structures
Authors: Xue Jianyang , Ma Linlin , Dong Xiaoyang , Zhang Xin , Zhang Xicheng
Published: September 2019

To investigate the structural performance of Tou–Kung, two 1/3.52-scaled models of Tou–Kung were designed and tested subjected to vertical loading and quasi-static loading. Also, the finite element models of intact Tou–Kung and tilting Tou–Kung were established. Based on the validation of experimental results and finite element models, numerical simulation analysis of the models was carried out to study the influence of tilting angle on the behaviors of Tou–Kung. It is shown that the failure modes of the models were the compressive fracture of Da-Tou under vertical load, the shear failure of the dowel at Da-Tou, and the slipping between Da-Tou and Pingban-Fang subjected to lateral cyclic loads. The relationship of vertical load and vertical displacement was obtained and analyzed, and the vertical initial stiffness and bearing capacity of the models descended with the increase in tilting angle. The hysteretic loops of the tilting models subjected to cyclic loads are asymmetrical in positive and negative loading, and the asymmetrical degrees of the curves are much significant with a larger tilting angle of the models. With the increase in tilting angle, the lateral stiffness and ultimate load increased in positive loading, and both of them decreased in negative loading due to the tilting of the models. Also, the equivalent viscous damping coefficient of the models decreases with a larger tilting angle of Tou–Kung.
Genetic Variant of NFIB is Associated With the Metastasis of Osteosarcoma in Chinese Population
Authors: Xu Leilei , Ni Jun , Wang Yongjie , Dong Yang , Wang Shoufeng
Published: September 2019

Variant rs7034162 in NFIB was reported to be associated with metastasis of osteosarcoma in European cases with genome-wide significance. Our purpose was to replicate the association of rs7034162 with the metastasis of osteosarcoma in the Chinese population and to further characterize the expression level of NFIB in osteosarcoma tissues. A total of 321 patients were included in this study. Variant rs7034162 was genotyped for each patient using the Taqman genotyping assay. Fifty-two cases of tumor tissues and adjacent normal tissues were collected during surgery. The χ2 test was used to investigate the association of rs7034162 with the metastasis of osteosarcoma. The Student t test was used to compare the gene expression between patients with metastasis and those without metastasis. The messenger RNA expression level of NFIB was then compared among different genotypes of rs7034162 with 1-way analysis of variance test. Ninety-three patients were found to have metastasis. Patients with genotype AA had remarkably higher incidence of metastasis than those with genotype TT (34.4% vs 17.1%, P = .002). Patients with metastasis were found to have significantly higher rate of allele A than those without metastasis (53.2% vs 43.9%, P = .03). The messenger RNA expression of NFIB was significantly lower in tumor tissues of patients with metastasis than in those without metastasis (0.00035 ± 0.00017 vs 0.00063 ± 0.0025, P < .001). Compared to patients with genotype TT, those with genotype AA had remarkably decreased expression of NFIB (0.00033 ± 0.0014 vs 0.00067 ± 0.00037, P = .01). Single-nucleotide polymorphism rs7034162 was associated with metastasis of osteosarcoma in the Chinese population possibly via downregulation of NFIB. Further network analyses revealing the related pathways can help elucidate the molecular mechanism of distant metastasis in patients with osteosarcoma.
What the Proportional Recovery Rule Is (and Is Not): Methodological and Statistical Considerations
Authors: Kundert Robinson , Goldsmith Jeff , Veerbeek Janne M. , Krakauer John W. , Luft Andreas R.
Published: September 2019

In 2008, it was proposed that the magnitude of recovery from nonsevere upper limb motor impairment over the first 3 to 6 months after stroke, measured with the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), is approximately 0.7 times the initial impairment (“proportional recovery”). In contrast to patients with nonsevere hemiparesis, about 30% of patients with an initial severe paresis do not show such recovery (“nonrecoverers”). Hence it was suggested that the proportional recovery rule (PRR) was a manifestation of a spontaneous mechanism that is present in all patients with mild-to-moderate paresis but only in some with severe paresis. Since the introduction of the PRR, it has subsequently been applied to other motor and nonmotor impairments. This more general investigation of the PRR has led to inconsistencies in its formulation and application, making it difficult to draw conclusions across studies and precipitating some cogent criticism. Here, we conduct a detailed comparison of the different studies reporting proportional recovery and, where appropriate, critique statistical methodology. On balance, we conclude that existing data in aggregate are largely consistent with the PRR as a population-level model for upper limb motor recovery; recent reports of its demise are exaggerated, as these excessively focus on the less conclusive issue of individual subject-level predictions. Moving forward, we suggest that methodological caution and new analytical approaches will be needed to confirm (or refute) a systematic character to spontaneous recovery from motor and other poststroke impairments, which can be captured by a mathematical rule either at the population or at the subject level.
The Different Cardiovascular Outcomes Between Long-Term Efficacy of Hydrophilic and Lipophilic Statin Therapy in Both Asian Diabetic Sexes
Authors: Li Shang-Yi , Chen Hsin-Hung , Lin Cheng-Li , Yeh Su-Yin , Kao Chia-Hung
Published: September 2019

Purpose:

To evaluate the long-term efficacy of hydrophilic and lipophilic statin therapy for cardiovascular outcomes in Asian diabetic patients.

Method:

Newly diagnosed cases of type 2 diabetes during the period from January 2000 to December 2011 were divided into 2 cohorts on the basis of their statin use, namely hydrophilic statin and lipophilic statin. We used Cox proportional hazard regression models to analyze the risks of cardiovascular outcomes.

Result:

In this study, 12 896 patients used statin, including 4259 patients using hydrophilic statin and 8637 patients using lipophilic statin. With 12-year follow-up, higher incidence rate of coronary artery disease and stroke was noted in the lipophilic statin use instead of hydrophilic statin use.

Conclusion:

According to our long-term cohort study, hydrophilic statin use may be a better choice than lipophilic statin to reduce cardiovascular events in Asian diabetic patients.
Control of discharge time using physical contact in a two-stage coil gun
Authors: Kim Sejong , Kim Jinho
Published: September 2019

In this study, a coil gun was designed using a trigger that can discharge a capacitor using physical contact. Controlling the discharge time of the capacitor in a multi-stage coil gun is an important factor for the final velocity of the projectile. To control the discharge time, we used the physical contact of the projectile and the trigger and controlled the point in time when discharge occurs by sensing the projectile location using a sensor. Controlling the discharge using sensors allows for more accurate timing control than physical discharge systems, but the circuit is more complex, and the high current results in a higher risk of malfunction and higher costs. In contrast, systems that use physical contact are simple, have low risk of malfunction, and have low cost. The velocity of the projectile was predicted using the electromagnetic analysis simulation program MAXWELL, and the final velocity of the projectile was compared to the results of a prototype.