bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Corporate Social Responsibility within Social Media-Stakeholder Relations Strategies: Case of Turkish Stock Exchange Companies
Authors: Saatci Ezgi Yildirim , Erdönmez Işıl Çobanlı
Published: September 2015

Emergence and dominance of internet has changed the rules of the business world. Customer centric strategies became customer participated actions with the rise of social networks where all functional strategies of the firms are continuously being reshaped according to customer values. At the same time, concerns of customers as the buyers in terms of cost and quality are also backed up with their concerns as a member of the society where the organizations have direct impact on, which can give a clear explanation for the enhanced corporate social responsibility movement of the last decade. Philanthropic act of organizations are also considered as the fifth P of marketing which is also channeled through new media such as Face book, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube. This paper intends to investigate 53 Turkish Holding companies which are register to Turkish Capital Market Board -and therefore, have to declare their social responsibility projects according to corporate governance rules- with an aim to contrast these projects’ prevalence in the social media and strategic use of marketing elements accordingly to frame the Turkish perspective.
Outdoor measurements of spherical acoustic shock decay
Authors: Young Sarah M. , Gee Kent L. , Neilsen Tracianne B. , Leete Kevin M.
Published: September 2015

Prior anechoic measurements of a small acetylene-oxygen balloon explosion were used to study spherical weak-shock decay over short ranges [Muhlestein et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 131, 2422–2430 (2012)]. Here, longer-range measurements conducted at the Bonneville Salt Flats with a larger balloon are described. Waveform and spectral characteristics and comparisons of the peak pressure decay with an analytical weak-shock model are presented. Weak shocks persist to at least 305 m, with an amplitude decay that is predicted reasonably well using the model. Deviations are discussed in the context of atmospheric effects and nonlinear ground reflections.
In Wisconsin, an early clash over fetal tissue
Authors: Servick Kelly
Published: September 2015

Planned Parenthood controversy spurs state bill that would criminalize research.
Skintight invisibility cloak radiates deception
Authors: Cho Adrian
Published: September 2015

Differing from previous clunky cloaks, new device erases an object's optical signature.
Humanity's long, lonely road
Authors: Gibbons Ann
Published: September 2015

Oldest ancient nuclear DNA suggests humans and Neandertals parted ways early.
Cancer therapies that are gone with the Wnt
Authors: Nanus David M. , Giannakakou Paraskevi
Published: September 2015

Wnt signaling in prostate cancer cells may contribute to escape from androgen receptor–targeted therapies

[Also see Report by

Miyamoto
et al.

]
Wildfires burn science capacity
Authors: Topik Christopher
Published: September 2015

With just over 3 months remaining, it looks like 2015 could be a record-breaking year for wildfires in the United States. So far this year, more than 8.5 million acres have burned and severe fires often happen in October. For the first time, the U.S. Forest Service will spend over 50% of its budget on fire management. Ironically, this is directing resources away from projects and research that would reduce the risk of forest fires. This must be fixed.
Finished Genome Assembly of Warm Spring Isolate Francisella novicida DPG 3A-IS
Authors: Johnson Shannon L. , Minogue Timothy D. , Daligault Hajnalka E. , Wolcott Mark J. , Teshima Hazuki , Coyne Susan R. , Davenport Karen W. , Jaissle James G. , Chain Patrick S.
Published: September 2015

We sequenced the complete genome of
Francisella novicida
DPG 3A-IS to closed and finished status. This is a warm spring isolate recovered from Hobo Warm Spring (Utah, USA). The final assembly is available in NCBI under accession number CP012037.
Complete Sequence of a
bla
OXA-48
-Harboring IncL Plasmid from an Enterobacter cloacae Clinical Isolate
Authors: Manageiro Vera , Pinto Margarida , Caniça Manuela
Published: September 2015

We report a 63,584-bp conjugative IncL plasmid (pUR17313-1) from an
Enterobacter cloacae
clinical isolate, containing a
bla
OXA-48
gene. The plasmid sequence also carried important mobile genetic elements involved in the spread of antibiotic resistance, namely, the Tn
1999
.
2
composite transposon, which enclosed
bla
OXA-48
-, integrase-, and transposase-encoding genes.
Osteochondroma of the clavicle causing Horner's syndrome
Authors: Watura Karen , Williams Martin , Bradley Mike
Published: September 2015

A 17-year-old girl was admitted with a 1-year history of right-sided headaches and unilateral ptosis for 6 months. She was diagnosed with Horner's syndrome. Ultrasound and CT scan demonstrated an osteochondroma of the posterosuperior aspect of the medial clavicle compressing adjacent structures, including the right internal jugular vein and right common carotid artery. Cartilage sequence MRI showed an osteochondroma with a 5 mm cartilage cap. There were no suspicious features of malignancy. The patient was referred to a specialist centre for surgical resection. Osteochondroma of the clavicle presenting with Horner's syndrome is extremely rare, with only one previously reported case. In this case report, we discuss the anatomy of the oculosympathetic chain, which consists of a three neuron arc. The disruption of the neuronal arc, at any point, may result in Horner's syndrome. We also discuss the various causes of Horner's syndrome and its radiological investigation.
The effect of Tai Chi on four chronic conditions—cancer, osteoarthritis, heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review and meta-analyses
Authors: Chen Yi-Wen , Hunt Michael A , Campbell Kristin L , Peill Kortni , Reid W Darlene
Published: September 2015

Background

Many middle-aged and older persons have more than one chronic condition. Thus, it is important to synthesise the effectiveness of interventions across several comorbidities. The aim of this systematic review was to summarise current evidence regarding the effectiveness of Tai Chi in individuals with four common chronic conditions—cancer, osteoarthritis (OA), heart failure (HF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods

4 databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and SPORTDiscus) were searched for original articles. Two reviewers independently screened the titles and abstracts and then conducted full-text reviews, quality assessment and finally data abstraction. 33 studies met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analyses were performed on disease-specific symptoms, physiological outcomes and physical performance of each chronic condition. Subgroup analyses on disease-specific symptoms were conducted by categorising studies into subsets based on the type of comparison groups.

Results

Meta-analyses showed that Tai Chi improved or showed a tendency to improve physical performance outcomes, including 6-min walking distance (6MWD) and knee extensor strength, in most or all four chronic conditions. Tai Chi also improved disease-specific symptoms of pain and stiffness in OA.

Conclusions

The results demonstrated a favourable effect or tendency of Tai Chi to improve physical performance and showed that this type of exercise could be performed by individuals with different chronic conditions, including COPD, HF and OA.
Statistical inference and string theory
Authors: Heckman Jonathan J.
Published: September 2015

In this paper, we expose some surprising connections between string theory and statistical inference. We consider a large collective of agents sweeping out a family of nearby statistical models for an [Formula: see text]-dimensional manifold of statistical fitting parameters. When the agents making nearby inferences align along a [Formula: see text]-dimensional grid, we find that the pooled probability that the collective reaches a correct inference is the partition function of a nonlinear sigma model in [Formula: see text] dimensions. Stability under perturbations to the original inference scheme requires the agents of the collective to distribute along two dimensions. Conformal invariance of the sigma model corresponds to the condition of a stable inference scheme, directly leading to the Einstein field equations for classical gravity. By summing over all possible arrangements of the agents in the collective, we reach a string theory. We also use this perspective to quantify how much an observer can hope to learn about the internal geometry of a superstring compactification. Finally, we present some brief speculative remarks on applications to the AdS/CFT correspondence and Lorentzian signature space–times.
Decays of τ → ρ(770)(ρ′(1450))ντ and τ → K∗(892)(K∗′(1410))ντ in the extended Nambu–Jona-Lasinio model
Authors: Ahmadov A. I. , Kalinovsky Yu. L. , Volkov M. K.
Published: September 2015

In the extended Nambu–Jona-Lasinio model the decay widths [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are studied in the quark one-loop approximation. Our estimations of the decay widths [Formula: see text] are in satisfactory agreement with experimental data. In the paper, the decay widths [Formula: see text] are also calculated.
New IceCube data and color octet neutrino interpretation of the PeV energy events
Authors: Akay A. N. , Cakir O. , Gunaydin Y. O. , Kaya U. , Sahin M. , Sultansoy S.
Published: September 2015

IceCube collaboration has published two papers on ultrahigh energy neutrinos observation, recently. They have used the data collected in two years in their first publication, which reveals observation of 2 PeV energy neutrino events. The second publication of the collaboration including more data has also confirmed main features of the former paper. In literature, various interpretations of the IceCube data have been proposed. In this study, it is shown that PeV energy neutrino events observed by the IceCube collaboration can be interpreted as resonance production of color octet neutrinos with masses in 500–800 GeV range.
Correlation functions of massless interacting scalar fields in de Sitter space
Authors: Rajaraman Arvind
Published: September 2015

In this paper, we examine the behavior of correlation functions for a massless scalar field in de Sitter space with a quartic interaction. We find that two-loop corrections are relevant, and the resummation of these corrections generates a complicated structure whereby high momentum modes stay massless while low momentum modes develop a dynamical mass.
Specification Patterns: Formal and Easy
Authors: Asteasuain Fernando , Braberman Víctor
Published: September 2015

Property specification is still one of the most challenging tasks for transference of software verification technology. The use of patterns has been proposed in order to hide the complicated handling of formal languages from the developer. However, this goal is not entirely satisfied. When validating the desired property the developer may have to deal with the pattern representation in some particular formalism. For this reason, we identify four desirable quality attributes for the underlying specification language: succinctness, comparability, complementariness, and modifiability. We show that typical formalisms such as temporal logics or automata fail at some extent to support these features. Given this context we introduce Featherweight Visual Scenarios (FVS), a declarative and graphical language based on scenarios, as a possible alternative to specify behavioral properties. We illustrate FVS applicability by modeling all the specification patterns and we thoroughly compare FVS to other known approaches, showing that FVS specifications are better suited for validation tasks. In addition, we augment pattern specification by introducing the concept of violating behavior. Finally we characterize the type of properties that can be written in FVS and we formally introduce its syntax and semantics.
Gravity in six elegant steps
Authors: Padmanabhan T.
Published: September 2015

The kinematical description of gravity, based on the principle of equivalence, is extraordinarily beautiful. In striking contrast, the field equation [Formula: see text] is conceptually ugly, lacking in simple physical interpretation or even in common ground to describe the left- and right-hand sides. This paper shows how one can develop all of gravity in an elegant manner by recognizing that the gravitational dynamics describes the heating and cooling of spacetime.
IN VITRO INVESTIGATION OF DYNAMIC VISCOELASTIC PROPERTIES OF HUMAN SAPHENOUS VEINS USING A CARDIOVASCULAR SIMULATOR
Authors: DARJANI MORTEZA , ESTEKI ALI , HASSANTASH S. AHMAD
Published: September 2015

Coronary bypass surgery is a usual therapy for vessel-related diseases as several thousand of this kind of surgery are reported annually. In this surgery, saphenous vein, internal mammary artery or radial artery are grafted to replace coronary vessels. This research aims to evaluate viscoelastic properties of human saphenous vein vessel wall used in bypass surgery using a device designed in our laboratory. The most important feature of this device is its ability to simulate physiological conditions which exist inside humans’ bodies. During experiments, variations in both vessel diameter and exerted pressure are recorded simultaneously. After performing measurements at frequencies near to heart beat frequency and finding loss and storage modulus for each frequency, it is found that, in the scanned frequency range, Kelvin model is the best approach to assess viscoelastic behavior of vessels. Remarkably, the results found in this research are in agreement with literature.
Solar Elastosis in Its Papular Form: Uncommon, Mistakable
Authors: Heng Jun Khee , Aw Derrick Chen Wee , Tan Kong Bing
Published: September 2015

Solar elastosis is a degenerative condition of elastic tissue in the dermis due to prolonged sun exposure. There are a variety of clinical manifestations of solar elastosis. In its most common form, solar elastosis manifests as yellow, thickened, coarsely wrinkled skin. We report two uncommon cases of severe solar elastosis with a papular morphology. Its presentation can closely mimic a host of cutaneous disorders and thus, although it is helpful to be cognizant of this entity, it is still crucial to biopsy these lesions to avoid missing a more sinister condition.
B4G2 Induces Mitochondrial Apoptosis by the ROS-Mediated Opening of Ca2+-Dependent Permeability Transition Pores
Authors: Yao Nan , Li Ying-Jie , Zhang Dong-Mei , Liu Dao-Lu , Tang Ming-Kuen , Yiu Anita , Li Yong , Chen Wei-Min , Lan Ping , Yao Zhe , Chen Zhe-Sheng , Ye Wen-Cai
Published: September 2015

Background/Aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer. At present, only sorafenib is approved to treat HCC. In this study, we found that a 23-hydroxybetulinic acid derivative, B4G2, exhibited potent antiproliferative activity in HCC cell lines. Methods: We used four HCC cell lines (HepG2, HepG2/ADM, Hep3B and Bel-7402) to evaluate the anti-tumour activity and explore underlying mechanisms by which B4G2 induces apoptosis. Results: Among these cell lines, HepG2 showed the highest sensitivity to B4G2. HepG2 cells treated with B4G2 showed a depolarized mitochondrial membrane potential, released cytochrome c, activated caspase-9 and caspase-3 and cleaved poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP). However, Z-VAD-FMK, a pan-caspase inhibitor, did not attenuate B4G2-induced apoptosis, implying that the induction of mitochondrial apoptosis by B4G2 may be independent of caspases. Moreover, pre-treatment with MgCl2, a blocker of Ca2+-dependent permeability transition (PT) pores, attenuated the depolarization of the mitochondrial potential and decreased the population of apoptotic cells, indicating that B4G2-induced apoptosis was partly dependent on the opening of the Ca2+-dependent PT pores. B4G2 also increased the levels of intracellular calcium and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Furthermore, an ROS scavenger, N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC), markedly decreased the accumulation of intracellular calcium and apoptosis. Conclusion: This is the first demonstration that B4G2 inhibits the growth of HCC cells and induces mitochondrial apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells by the ROS-mediated opening of Ca2+-dependent permeability transition pores.
Epidemiology of Intracranial Haemorrhages Associated with Vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulants in Spain: TAC Registry
Authors: Zapata-Wainberg Gustavo , Ximénez-Carrillo Rico Álvaro , Benavente Fernández Lorena , Masjuan Vallejo Jaime , Gállego Culleré Jaime , Freijó Guerrero María del Mar , Egido José , Gómez Sánchez José Carlos , Martínez Domeño Alejandro , Purroy García Francisco , Vives Pastor Bárbara , Blanco González Miguel , Vivancos José ,   representing the research team of the TAC Registry study
Published: September 2015

Background: Vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (VKA-OACs) are effective for primary and secondary prevention of embolic events. The rate of haemorrhagic neurological complications in patients admitted to neurology departments in Spain is not yet known. Aims: We aimed to determine the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients with intracranial haemorrhage secondary to VKA-OACs as well as the incidence of this severe complication. Methods: We conducted a retrospective, descriptive, multi-centre study using information from the medical records of all patients admitted to neurology departments, diagnosed with spontaneous intracranial haemorrhage, and treated with VKA-OACs within a 1-year period. We collected demographic and care data from centres, patients' medical records [demographic data, medical history, haemorrhage origin, vascular risk factors, concomitant treatment, and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores], and patients' outcome at 3 months [independence (modified Rankin Scale score <3) and mortality rate]. Results: Twenty-one hospitals serving a population of 8,155,628 inhabitants participated in the study. The total number of cases was 235, the mean age was 78.2 (SD 9.4) years, and the baseline NIHSS score was 11.6 (SD 9.5; median 9; interquartile range 14). The VKA-OACs used were acenocoumarol in 95.3% (224 patients) and warfarin in 4.7% (11 patients). The haemorrhage origin was deep in 29.8%, lobar in 25.5%, intraventricular in 11.5%, extensive in 17.4% (>100 ml), cerebellar in 12.3%, and in the brainstem in 3.4%. The international normalised ratio was within therapeutic ranges at admission (according to indication) in 29.4% (69 patients). The global incidence (cases per 100,000 inhabitants per year) is 2.88. The in-hospital mortality rate was 40%, and 24.3% of the patients were independent at 3 months, while the mortality at 3 months was 42.6%. Conclusion: VKA-OAC treatment is associated with a large percentage of all cases of spontaneous intracranial haemorrhage, an event leading to high dependence and mortality rates.
The Association between Multisite Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Routine Hemodynamic Measurements in Relation to Short-Term Outcome in Preterms with Clinical Sepsis
Authors: van der Laan Michelle E. , Schat Trijntje E. , Olthuis Annelies J. , Boezen H. Marike , Bos Arend F. , Kooi Elisabeth M.W.
Published: September 2015

Background: The added clinical value of multisite near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) monitoring to detect low organ tissue perfusion in preterm infants at risk of circulatory failure remains unclear. Objectives: To evaluate the associations between multisite NIRS measurements and clinical signs of circulatory failure in relation to short-term outcome in preterm infants with clinical sepsis. Methods: Prospective cohort study of preterm infants (gestational age <32 weeks) with clinical sepsis. We monitored cerebral, renal, and intestinal oxygen saturation using NIRS for 72 h following sepsis workup and calculated fractional tissue oxygen extraction (FTOE). We recorded clinical signs of circulatory failure every 8 h. We analyzed the associations between FTOE values, clinical signs of circulatory failure, and short-term outcome. Results: In 28 preterm infants with clinical sepsis, intraindividual and interindividual associations between NIRS values and clinical signs of circulatory failure were weak. At several points of time during the study period, cerebral and renal FTOE were higher in infants who developed intestinal complications compared with infants who did not, while clinical signs of circulatory failure never differed between groups. After correcting for multiple testing, significant differences disappeared. Conclusions: The associations between multisite FTOE values and clinical signs of circulatory failure were weak in preterm infants with clinical sepsis. Nevertheless, in contrast to clinical signs of circulatory failure, cerebral and renal FTOE values were associated with adverse short-term intestinal outcome in the uncorrected analyses. Multisite NIRS monitoring might help to detect critically low tissue oxygen delivery leading to adverse intestinal outcome not detected by routine hemodynamic measurements.
Hand Preference during Tool Use in Wild Bearded Capuchins
Authors: de A. Moura Antonio Christian
Published: September 2015

The preferential use of one limb (lateralization) has been observed in many species. This lateralization reflects functional asymmetries of the brain. Right-handedness and left-hemisphere dominance seem to be the norm in humans. However, suggestions that vertebrates, particularly non-human primates, show handedness are contentious. Tool use could be a driver of handedness. Here I investigated hand bias during tool use activities in groups of wild capuchins (Sapajus libidinosus). I observed the use of feeding tools in wild capuchin monkeys living in the dry Caatinga forests of the Serra da Capivara National Park, Piaui, Brazil. Capuchins used three major types of feeding tools: (a) tools for probing; (b) tools for pounding/cracking, and (c) digging stones to extract tubers or roots. I recorded hand use in 118 tool use bouts. These different types of tools had different motor demands; digging tools apparently favour right-hand use. The harsh Caatinga habitat poses a strong selective pressure for tool using, which might favour increased laterality and right-hand bias. However, the extent of right-handedness associated with tool use, particularly for digging, can only be fully evaluated following studies with larger sample sizes.
Giant Hidroacanthoma Simplex Mimicking Bowen's Disease
Authors: Niiyama Shiro , Oharaseki Toshiaki , Mukai Hideki
Published: September 2015

Hidroacanthoma simplex is a benign tumor of the skin, macroscopically resembling seborrheic keratosis or Bowen's disease and histologically mimicking clonal-type seborrheic keratosis. We observed a plaque of 70 × 50 mm on the right flank part. From clinical appearance, we suspected Bowen's disease; however, based on immunohistochemical findings, we made a diagnosis of hidroacanthoma simplex.
Inhibition of Diaphanous Formin Signaling In Vivo Impairs Cardiovascular Development and Alters Smooth Muscle Cell Phenotype
Authors: Weise-Cross Laura , Taylor Joan M. , Mack Christopher P.
Published: September 2015

Objective—

We and others have previously shown that RhoA-dependent stimulation of myocardin-related transcription factor nuclear localization promotes smooth muscle cell (SMC) marker gene expression. The goal of this study was to provide direct in vivo evidence that actin polymerization by the diaphanous-related formins contributes to the regulation of SMC differentiation and phenotype.

Approach and Results—

Conditional Cre-based genetic approaches were used to overexpress a well-characterized dominant-negative variant of mDia1 (DNmDia) in SMC. DNmDia expression in SM22-expressing cells resulted in embryonic and perinatal lethality in ≈20% of mice because of defects in myocardial development and SMC investment of peripheral vessels. Although most DNmDia
+
/SM22Cre
+
mice exhibited no overt phenotype, the re-expression of SMC differentiation marker gene expression that occurs after carotid artery ligation was delayed, and this effect was accompanied by a significant decrease in myocardin-related transcription factor-A nuclear localization. Interestingly, neointima growth was inhibited by expression of DNmDia in SMC and this was likely because of a defect in directional SMC migration and not to defects in SMC proliferation or survival. Finally, by using the tamoxifen-inducible SM MHC-CreER
T2
line, we showed that SMC-specific induction of DNmDia in adult mice decreased SMC marker gene expression.

Conclusions—

Our demonstration that diaphanous-related formin signaling plays a role in heart and vascular development and the maintenance of SMC phenotype provides important new evidence that Rho/actin/myocardin-related transcription factor signaling plays a critical role in cardiovascular function.
GDF11 Does Not Rescue Aging-Related Pathological Hypertrophy
Authors: Smith Shavonn C. , Zhang Xiaoxiao , Zhang Xiaoying , Gross Polina , Starosta Timothy , Mohsin Sadia , Franti Michael , Gupta Priyanka , Hayes David , Myzithras Maria , Kahn Julius , Tanner James , Weldon Steven M. , Khalil Ashraf , Guo Xinji , Sabri Abdelkarim , Chen Xiongwen , MacDonnell Scott , Houser Steven R.
Published: September 2015

Rationale:

Growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11) is a member of the transforming growth factor-β super family of secreted factors. A recent study showed that reduced GDF11 blood levels with aging was associated with pathological cardiac hypertrophy (PCH) and restoring GDF11 to normal levels in old mice rescued PCH.

Objective:

To determine whether and by what mechanism GDF11 rescues aging dependent PCH.

Methods and Results:

Twenty-four–month-old C57BL/6 mice were given a daily injection of either recombinant (r) GDF11 at 0.1 mg/kg or vehicle for 28 days. rGDF11 bioactivity was confirmed in vitro. After treatment, rGDF11 levels were significantly increased, but there was no significant effect on either heart weight or body weight. Heart weight/body weight ratios of old mice were not different from 8- or 12-week-old animals, and the PCH marker atrial natriuretic peptide was not different in young versus old mice. Ejection fraction, internal ventricular dimension, and septal wall thickness were not significantly different between rGDF11 and vehicle-treated animals at baseline and remained unchanged at 1, 2, and 4 weeks of treatment. There was no difference in myocyte cross-sectional area rGDF11 versus vehicle-treated old animals. In vitro studies using phenylephrine-treated neonatal rat ventricular myocytes, to explore the putative antihypertrophic effects of GDF11, showed that GDF11 did not reduce neonatal rat ventricular myocytes hypertrophy, but instead induced hypertrophy.

Conclusions:

Our studies show that there is no age-related PCH in disease-free 24-month-old C57BL/6 mice and that restoring GDF11 in old mice has no effect on cardiac structure or function.
Trail Making Test Elucidates Neural Substrates of Specific Poststroke Executive Dysfunctions
Authors: Muir Ryan T. , Lam Benjamin , Honjo Kie , Harry Robin D. , McNeely Alicia A. , Gao Fu-Qiang , Ramirez Joel , Scott Christopher J.M. , Ganda Anoop , Zhao Jiali , Zhou X. Joe , Graham Simon J. , Rangwala Novena , Gibson Erin , Lobaugh Nancy J. , Kiss Alex , Stuss Donald T. , Nyenhuis David L. , Lee Byung-Chul , Kang Yeonwook , Black Sandra E.
Published: September 2015

Background and Purpose—

Poststroke cognitive impairment is typified by prominent deficits in processing speed and executive function. However, the underlying neuroanatomical substrates of executive deficits are not well understood, and further elucidation is needed. There may be utility in fractionating executive functions to delineate neural substrates.

Methods—

One test amenable to fine delineation is the Trail Making Test (TMT), which emphasizes processing speed (TMT-A) and set shifting (TMT-B-A difference, proportion, quotient scores, and TMT-B set-shifting errors). The TMT was administered to 2 overt ischemic stroke cohorts from a multinational study: (1) a chronic stroke cohort (N=61) and (2) an acute–subacute stroke cohort (N=45). Volumetric quantification of ischemic stroke and white matter hyperintensities was done on magnetic resonance imaging, along with ratings of involvement of cholinergic projections, using the previously published cholinergic hyperintensities projections scale. Damage to the superior longitudinal fasciculus, which colocalizes with some cholinergic projections, was also documented.

Results—

Multiple linear regression analyses were completed. Although larger infarcts (
β
=0.37,
P
<0.0001) were associated with slower processing speed, cholinergic hyperintensities projections scale severity (
β
=0.39,
P
<0.0001) was associated with all metrics of set shifting. Left superior longitudinal fasciculus damage, however, was only associated with the difference score (
β
=0.17,
P
=0.03). These findings were replicated in both cohorts. Patients with ≥2 TMT-B set-shifting errors also had greater cholinergic hyperintensities projections scale severity.

Conclusions—

In this multinational stroke cohort study, damage to lateral cholinergic pathways and the superior longitudinal fasciculus emerged as significant neuroanatomical correlates for executive deficits in set shifting.
Visual Decisions in the Presence of Measurement and Stimulus Correlations
Authors: Bhardwaj Manisha , Carroll Samuel , Ma Wei Ji , Josić Krešimir
Published: September 2015

Humans and other animals base their decisions on noisy sensory input. Much work has been devoted to understanding the computations that underlie such decisions. The problem has been studied in a variety of tasks and with stimuli of differing complexity. However, how the statistical structure of stimuli, along with perceptual measurement noise, affects perceptual judgments is not well understood. Here we examine how correlations between the components of a stimulus—stimulus correlations—together with correlations in sensory noise, affect decision making. As an example, we consider the task of detecting the presence of a single or multiple targets among distractors. We assume that both the distractors and the observer’s measurements of the stimuli are correlated. The computations of an optimal observer in this task are nontrivial yet can be analyzed and understood intuitively. We find that when distractors are strongly correlated, measurement correlations can have a strong impact on performance. When distractor correlations are weak, measurement correlations have little impact unless the number of stimuli is large. Correlations in neural responses to structured stimuli can therefore have a strong impact on perceptual judgments.
A Novel Parameter Estimation Method for Boltzmann Machines
Authors: Takenouchi Takashi
Published: September 2015

We propose a novel estimator for a specific class of probabilistic models on discrete spaces such as the Boltzmann machine. The proposed estimator is derived from minimization of a convex risk function and can be constructed without calculating the normalization constant, whose computational cost is exponential order. We investigate statistical properties of the proposed estimator such as consistency and asymptotic normality in the framework of the estimating function. Small experiments show that the proposed estimator can attain comparable performance to the maximum likelihood expectation at a much lower computational cost and is applicable to high-dimensional data.
A Key to the New World species of holostipous Lejeuneaceae

Authors: Gradstein S. Rob
Published: September 2015

A synopsis and key emphasizing vegetative characters are provided for the 967species (in 36 genera) of Lejeuneaceae with undivided underleaves recorded from the New World.
A preliminary treatment of the Holomitrium complex (Musci: Dicranaceae) in Central America

Authors: Allen Bruce
Published: September 2015

The Holomitrium-complex (consisting of Holomitrium, Eucamptodontopsis, and Schliephackea) is a group of closely related genera in the Dicranaceae characterized by five features: 1. a strong single costa, 2. well developed alar cells, 3. long, sheathing perichaetial leaves, 4. erect capsules, and 5. undivided peristome teeth. Holomitrium sinuosum is newly described. Dicranoloma brittonae is transferred to Eucamptodontopsis. Holomitrium standleyi is a synonym of H. arboreum. Breedlovea chiapensis is a synonym of Holomitrium pulchellum and the genus Breedlovea is placed into the synonymy of Holomitrium.
Ecology of tropical bryophytes: a bibliography
Authors: Frahm Jan-Peter , Gradstein S. Rob
Published: September 2015

a bibliography of Ecology of tropical bryophytes
Frullania dorsimamillosa, a unique new species from Central China and the resurrection of Frullania chinlingensis (Frullaniaceae, Marchantiophyta)
Authors: Potemkin Alexey D. , HENTSCHEL JÖRN , SOFRONOVA ELENA V. , MAMONTOV YURIY S.
Published: September 2015

Frullania dorsimamillosa is described as new to science based on collections from northeastern Sichuan, China. The closely related F. chinlingensis from Shaanxi has been erroneously treated as a synonym of F. dilatata and has to be resurrected. The distinguishing features are discussed and a determination key is provided. Frullania dorsimamillosa and F. chinlingensis are ascribed to F. subg. Frullania and are unique in having conspicuous protrusions on the dorsal leaf surface. The development of papillae-like structures is considered to be an ecophysiological adaptation primarily aiding for light reflection and for water uptake.
Taxonomic studies on Zingiber (Zingiberaceae) in China II: Zingiber tenuifolium, a new species from Yunnan, China
Authors: Bai Lin , Leong-Škorničková Jana , Xia Nianhe
Published: September 2015

Zingiber tenuifolium (Zingibereae, Zingiberaceae), a new species from Yunnan, China, is described and illustrated here. It is compared to the three most similar species from the sect. Cryptanthium, namely Zingiber shuanglongense and Z. kawagoii, two endemics from Taiwan, China and Z. lingyunense from Guangxi, China. The original specific epithet ‘shuanglongensis’ is corrected here to ‘shuanglongense’, to agree grammatically with the generic name.
Three new species of Encholirium (Bromeliaceae) from eastern Brazil
Authors: Forzza Rafaela Campostrini , Leme Elton
Published: September 2015

Encholirium is an exclusively Brazilian genus of Bromeliaceae that occurs principally in the South American dry diagonal, with only a few species found on inselbergs within the Atlantic Forest. The center of diversity of the genus falls within the Campos Rupestres of the Espinhaço Range of the state of Minas Gerais, followed by rocky outcrops found within the Caatinga and Cerrado biomes. Three new species are described and illustrated, two of which occur on limestone outcrops in western Bahia (Encholirum splendidum and Encholirium fragae), while the third, Encholirium kranzianum, occurs in the Campos Rupestres of the Espinhaço Range of Minas Gerais.
Begonia difformis comb. & stat. nov. (Sect. Platycentrum, Begoniaceae), a new species segregated from B. palmata D. Don
Authors: Leong Wai-Chao , Deng Tao , Sun Hang , Peng Ching-I , Chung Kuo-Fang
Published: September 2015

Begonia palmata D. Don is one of the most widely distributed and morphologically variable species of Asian Begoniaceae. Examinations of its morphological variation indicate that two of its seven varieties, B. palmata var. difformis and B. palmata var. crassisetulosa, both distributed in the Gaoligong Mountain areas of Yunnan, China are indistinguishable and yet distinct from other varieties. Phylogenetic analyses using ITS DNA sequences further reveals that samples identifiable to these two varieties are also distantly related to samples of typical B. palmata. Based on these observations, we combine and elevate these two varieties to the status of species, Begonia difformis (Irmsch.) W.C. Leong, C.I Peng & K.F Chung, comb. & stat. nov..
Extended Simulation of Tropical Cyclone Formation in the Western North Pacific Monsoon Trough
Authors: Wu Liguang , Duan Jingjing
Published: September 2015

Previous studies suggest that the low-frequency background makes an important contribution to the predictability of tropical cyclone (TC) activity on the intraseasonal time scale by providing large-scale conditions favorable for TC formation. Extended numerical experiments were conducted to demonstrate additional low-frequency influence on TC activity, which results from the development of a synoptic-scale wave train. The cyclonic circulation of the wave train provides low-level synoptic-scale disturbances for TC formation.

The observed TC formation events over the western North Pacific during 14 August–10 September 2004 were first successfully simulated with the initial and lateral conditions derived from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Final (FNL) Operational Global Analysis. Then the 27-day extended experiment was repeated only with the initial and lateral boundary conditions derived from the FNL low-frequency (longer than 20 days) background. It is found that the development of the synoptic-scale wave train can be well simulated with TCs forming in the cyclonic circulations of the wave train although the wavelength of the simulated wave train is substantially reduced in the absence of higher-frequency influences with periods shorter than 20 days. Sensitivity experiments indicate that the development of wave trains is sensitive to the initial monsoon trough structure. This study suggests that the synoptic-scale wave train can develop in situ and does not need upstream precursors.
Coordinated Global and Regional Climate Modeling*
Authors: Scinocca J. F. , Kharin V. V. , Jiao Y. , Qian M. W. , Lazare M. , Solheim L. , Flato G. M. , Biner S. , Desgagne M. , Dugas B.
Published: September 2015

A new approach of coordinated global and regional climate modeling is presented. It is applied to the Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling and Analysis Regional Climate Model (CanRCM4) and its parent global climate model CanESM2. CanRCM4 was developed specifically to downscale climate predictions and climate projections made by its parent global model. The close association of a regional climate model (RCM) with a parent global climate model (GCM) offers novel avenues of model development and application that are not typically available to independent regional climate modeling centers. For example, when CanRCM4 is driven by its parent model, driving information for all of its prognostic variables is available (including aerosols and chemical species), significantly improving the quality of their simulation. Additionally, CanRCM4 can be driven by its parent model for all downscaling applications by employing a spectral nudging procedure in CanESM2 designed to constrain its evolution to follow any large-scale driving data. Coordination offers benefit to the development of physical parameterizations and provides an objective means to evaluate the scalability of such parameterizations across a range of spatial resolutions. Finally, coordinating regional and global modeling efforts helps to highlight the importance of assessing RCMs’ value added relative to their driving global models. As a first step in this direction, a framework for identifying appreciable differences in RCM versus GCM climate change results is proposed and applied to CanRCM4 and CanESM2.
Transforming values into action
Authors: Kirsh Bonnie H.
Published: September 2015

Background.

The goal of enabling meaningful occupation for all requires occupational therapy to become a more socially and politically responsible discipline.

Purpose.

This paper argues that occupational therapy’s dominant individualist perspective is too narrow to meet this goal. It presents an argument for integrating advocacy into occupational therapy identity and discusses why we should advocate at political and public levels.

Key Issues.

Although the dominant paradigm and political climate pose challenges, there must be a realignment of the balance between helping individuals who are facing disruptions in their occupational lives and addressing systems and structures that prevent them from moving forward. Adopting a broader sociopolitical approach involves engaging in advocacy as a key strategy. Indeed, advocacy is a professional imperative for occupational therapy.

Implications.

Advocacy must become part of the process of professional socialization. A new set of competencies is needed in our educational programs and in our professional development, accompanied by a sense of self-confident idealism.
Do Two or More Multicomponent Instruments Measure the Same Construct? Testing Construct Congruence Using Latent Variable Modeling
Authors: Raykov Tenko , Marcoulides George A. , Tong Bing
Published: September 2015

A latent variable modeling procedure is discussed that can be used to test if two or more homogeneous multicomponent instruments with distinct components are measuring the same underlying construct. The method is widely applicable in scale construction and development research and can also be of special interest in construct validation studies. The approach can be readily utilized in empirical settings with observed measure nonnormality and/or incomplete data sets. The procedure is based on testing model nesting restrictions, and it can be similarly employed to examine the collapsibility of latent variables evaluated by multidimensional measuring instruments. The outlined method is illustrated with two data examples.
Assessing the Effectiveness of Anchoring Vignettes in Bias Reduction for Socioeconomic Disparities in Self-rated Health among Chinese Adults
Authors: Xu Hongwei , Xie Yu
Published: September 2015

The authors investigate how reporting heterogeneity may bias socioeconomic and demographic disparities in self-rated general health, a widely used health indicator, and how such bias can be adjusted by using new anchoring vignettes designed in the 2012 wave of the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS). The authors find systematic variation by sociodemographic characteristics in thresholds used by respondents in rating their general health status. Such threshold shifts are often nonparallel in that the effect of a certain group characteristic on the shift is stronger at one level than another. The authors find that the resulting bias of measuring group differentials in self-rated health can be too substantial to be ignored. They demonstrate that the CFPS anchoring vignettes prove to be an effective survey instrument in obtaining bias-adjusted estimates of health disparities not only for the CFPS sample but also for an independent sample from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Effective adjustment for reporting heterogeneity may require vignette administration only to a small subsample (20 percent to 30 percent of the full sample). Using a single vignette can be as effective as using more in terms of anchoring, but the results are sensitive to the choice of vignette design.
Adaptive sliding mode control approach
Authors: Shahi Mahmoud , Fallah Kazemi Mehdi
Published: September 2015

The main goal of the present research is to deal with two non-identical hyperchaotic master–slave systems based on an efficient adaptive sliding mode control algorithm, namely the adaptive sliding mode control approach. As long as both non-identical systems are synchronized, the systems mentioned need to be handled through the proposed control algorithm. Since the effect of the external disturbance and uncertainty may truly be ignored, the whole of the chosen states of the slave system should be followed by the corresponding states of the master system in a very careful manner. The proposed adaptive sliding mode control approach has been realized to cope with the synchronization error, in a reasonable amount of time, in order to drive the applicable hyperchaotic systems. Finally, the performance of the proposed control scheme is verified via the simulation results.
Anti-disturbance autopilot design for missile system via finite time integral sliding mode control method and nonlinear disturbance observer technique
Authors: Liu Xinge , Liu Zaozhen , Shan Jiayuan , Sun Haibin
Published: September 2015

In this paper, a composite anti-disturbance autopilot design for a missile system is proposed based on finite time integral sliding mode control scheme and nonlinear disturbance observer technique. First, a nonlinear disturbance observer is developed to estimate the external disturbances with partial known information. Second, in order to obtain good disturbance rejection performance and reject the other type of disturbances, a finite time integral sliding mode control strategy is employed to the design of a feedback controller. Third, an improved adaptive composite anti-disturbance autopilot is given to avoid the inaccuracy of the upper bound of external disturbances. Finally, simulation results are employed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Non-myopic sensor scheduling for low radiation risk tracking using mixed POMDP
Authors: Shan Gan-lin , Zhang Zi-ning
Published: September 2015

This paper addresses a non-myopic sensor-scheduling problem of how to select and assign active sensors for trading off the tracking accuracy and the radiation risk, where the radiation risk is incurred by the fact that the emission energy originating from active sensors for target tracking can be intercepted by the enemy target. This problem is formulated as a mixed partially observable Markov decision process (POMDP) composed of a continuous-state POMDP for target tracking and a discrete-state POMDP for emission control. Based on the idea of foresight optimization, the long-term accuracy reward is evaluated by the combination of unscented transformation sampling and Kalman filtering, whereas the long-term radiation cost is derived from hidden Markov model filter. Because the problem can be converted into a decision tree, a branch and bound algorithm is developed for problem solution. A simulation example illustrates the effectiveness of our approach.
From indignation to norms against violence in Occupy Geneva: A case study for the problem of the emergence of norms
Authors: Minner Frédéric
Published: September 2015

Why and how do norms emerge? Which norms emerge and why these ones in particular? Such questions belong to the ‘problem of the emergence of norms’, which consists of an inquiry into the production of norms in social collectives. I address this question through the ethnographic study of the emergence of ‘norms against violence’ in the political collective Occupy Geneva. I do this, first, empirically, with the analysis of my field observations; and, second, theoretically, by discussing my findings. In consequence of two episodes categorized as sexual assaults that occurred in their camp, the members of Occupy Geneva decided to tackle those issues in a general assembly. Their goal was to amend their first charter of good conduct in order to reform its norms and complete it with norms aiming to regulate ‘facts’ of ‘unjustified violence’. During a collective deliberation, new norms were devised, debated and consensually adopted. The writing of the new charter took place in a second general assembly during which the wording of the written norms was collectively decided. I show that indignation over the sexual assaults was the main motive that led to the collective deliberation, and that the entire process of the making of these norms was characterized by different collective emotions. Indeed, indignation, contempt and fear played major roles in the emergence of norms prohibiting violence, allowing punishment and exclusion of wrongdoers, and prescribing collective intervention against an aggressor to neutralize the threat represented. These findings prompt me to hypothesize that social norms emerge from emotions thanks to the latters’ internal structure; and that emotions provide causal and grounding explanations for this emergence. Thus, emotions allow us to answer the questions: ‘Why do norms emerge?’ and ‘Why do they have their specific forms?’ In short, I argue that social norms have emotional foundations.