bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Probabilistic Policy Reuse for Safe Reinforcement Learning
Authors: García Javier , Fernández Fernando
Published: March 2019

This work introduces
Policy Reuse for Safe Reinforcement Learning
, an algorithm that combines Probabilistic Policy Reuse and teacher advice for safe exploration in dangerous and continuous state and action reinforcement learning problems in which the dynamic behavior is reasonably smooth and the space is Euclidean. The algorithm uses a continuously increasing monotonic risk function that allows for the identification of the probability to end up in failure from a given state. Such a risk function is defined in terms of how far such a state is from the state space known by the learning agent. Probabilistic Policy Reuse is used to safely balance the exploitation of actual learned knowledge, the exploration of new actions, and the request of teacher advice in parts of the state space considered dangerous. Specifically, the π-reuse exploration strategy is used. Using experiments in the helicopter hover task and a business management problem, we show that the π-reuse exploration strategy can be used to completely avoid the visit to undesirable situations while maintaining the performance (in terms of the classical long-term accumulated reward) of the final policy achieved.
Communication Complexity and Graph Families
Authors: Kolay Sudeshna , Panolan Fahad , Saurabh Saket
Published: March 2019

Given a graph
G
and a pair (
F
1
,
F
2
) of graph families, the function GDISJ

G
,
F
1
,
F
2

takes as input, two induced subgraphs
G
1
and
G
2
of
G
, such that
G
1
∈
F
1
and
G
2
∈
F
2
and returns 1 if
V
(
G
1
)∩
V
(
G
2
)=∅ and 0 otherwise. We study the communication complexity of this problem in the two-party model. In particular, we look at pairs of hereditary graph families. We show that the communication complexity of this function, when the two graph families are hereditary, is sublinear if and only if there are finitely many graphs in the intersection of these two families. Then, using concepts from parameterized complexity, we obtain nuanced upper bounds on the communication complexity of GDISJ

G
,
F
1
,
F
2

. A concept related to communication protocols is that of a (
F
1
,
F
2
)-separating family of a graph
G
. A collection
F
of subsets of
V
(
G
) is called a (
F
1
,
F
2
)-
separating family
for
G
, if for any two vertex disjoint induced subgraphs
G
1
∈
F
1
,
G
2
∈
F
2
, there is a set
F
∈
F
with
V
(
G
1
) ⊆
F
and
V
(
G
2
) ∩
F
= ∅. Given a graph
G
on
n
vertices, for any pair (
F
1
,
F
2
) of hereditary graph families with sublinear communication complexity for GDISJ

G
,
F
1
,
F
2

, we give an enumeration algorithm that finds a subexponential sized (
F
1
,
F
2
)-separating family. In fact, we give an enumeration algorithm that finds a 2

o
(
k
)

n

O
(1)

sized (
F
1
,
F
2
)-separating family, where
k
denotes the size of a minimum sized set
S
of vertices such that
V
(
G
)\
S
has a bipartition (
V
1
,
V
2
) with
G
[
V
1
] ∈
F
1
and
G
[
V
2
]∈
F
2
. We exhibit a wide range of applications for these separating families, to obtain combinatorial bounds, enumeration algorithms, as well as exact and FPT algorithms for several problems.
A study on corrosion resistance of electroplated Gold over Nanocrystalline Ni-W for contact applications
Authors: Budhraja Vinay , Stirn Jarvis , Hallstrom Eric , Lutz Brian , Brennan Michael , DeFord Kevin
Published: March 2019

In this work gold and nanocrystalline Ni-W with nickel sulfamate was electroplated on beryllium-copper. This sample was compared with the baseline coupon in which the electroplating was done with gold and nickel on beryllium-copper. Both samples were passed through the environments of (a) 85% relative humidity at 85oC for 24 hours (b) 85% relative humidity at 85oC for 96 hours and (c) Salt spray treatment for 24 hours, (d) nitric acid vapors for 30 minutes. After passing through these environments, the effect on electrical, mechanical and materials properties of samples were investigated through Force Deflection Resistance, Life-cycle test, Scanning electron microscopy, Energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy and X-Ray. Thicknesses of electroplating layers are 0.9 µm, 1.8 µm, 1.9 µm and 0.5 µm of gold, nanocrystalline Ni-W, Ni sulfamate and Ni strike respectively. In the case of Au/Ni sulfamate sample, during the compression cycle the spring force increased from 2.1 oz to 11.3 oz and during the extension the spring force reduced from 5.2 oz to 1.1 oz. During the compression and extension the resistance was constantly measured, which varied from 9 mΩ to 4 mΩ during compression and from 6 mΩ to 12 mΩ during extension. In LCT, the resistance was measured under a stroke length of 0.09 inch and a life cycle of 10,000 at a test current of 0.025 amps with cycle rate of 4 cycles/sec. The rate of increase in resistance with number of cycles is higher in the case of Au/Ni sulfamate than Au/nc Ni-W/ Ni sulfamate.
Development of a decerebrate model for investigating mechanisms mediating viscero-sympathetic reflexes in the spinalized rat
Authors: Reynolds Christian A. , O’Leary Donal S. , Ly Cheng , Smith Scott A. , Minic Zeljka
Published: March 2019

Autonomic dysreflexia (AD) often occurs in individuals living with spinal cord injury (SCI) and is characterized by uncontrolled hypertension in response to otherwise innocuous stimuli originating below the level of the spinal lesion. Visceral stimulation is a predominant cause of AD in humans and effectively replicates the phenotype in rodent models of SCI. Direct assessment of sympathetic responses to viscerosensory stimulation in spinalized animals is challenging and requires invasive surgical procedures necessitating the use of anesthesia. However, administration of anesthesia markedly affects viscerosensory reactivity, and the effects are exacerbated following spinal cord injury (SCI). Therefore, the major goal of the present study was to develop a decerebrate rodent preparation to facilitate quantification of sympathetic responses to visceral stimulation in the spinalized rat. Such a preparation enables the confounding effect of anesthesia to be eliminated. Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to SCI at the fourth thoracic segment. Four weeks later, renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) responses to visceral stimuli were quantified in urethane/chloralose-anesthetized and decerebrate preparations. Visceral stimulation was elicited via colorectal distension (CRD) for 1 min. In the decerebrate preparation, CRD produced dose-dependent increases in mean arterial pressure (MAP) and RSNA and dose-dependent decreases in heart rate (HR). These responses were significantly greater in magnitude among decerebrate animals when compared with urethane/chloralose-anesthetized controls and were markedly attenuated by the administration of urethane/chloralose anesthesia after decerebration. We conclude that the decerebrate preparation enables high-fidelity quantification of neuronal reactivity to visceral stimulation in spinalized rats.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY In animal models commonly used to study spinal cord injury, quantification of sympathetic responses is particularly challenging due to the increased susceptibility of spinal reflex circuits to the anesthetic agents generally required for experimentation. This constitutes a major limitation to understanding the mechanisms mediating regionally specific neuronal responses to visceral activation in chronically spinalized animals. In the present study, we describe a spinalized, decerebrate rodent preparation that facilitates quantification of sympathetic reactivity in response to visceral stimuli following spinal cord injury. This preparation enables reliable and reproducible quantification of viscero-sympathetic reflex responses resembling those elicited in conscious animals and may provide added utility for preclinical evaluation of neuropharmacological agents for the management of autonomic dysreflexia.
Intratumoral Genetic and Functional Heterogeneity in Pediatric Glioblastoma
Authors: Hoffman Mary , Gillmor Aaron H. , Kunz Daniel J. , Johnston Michael J. , Nikolic Ana , Narta Kiran , Zarrei Mehdi , King Jennifer , Ellestad Katrina , Dang Ngoc Ha , Cavalli Florence M.G. , Kushida Michelle M. , Coutinho Fiona J. , Zhu Yuankun , Luu Betty , Ma Yussanne , Mungall Andrew J. , Moore Richard , Marra Marco A. , Taylor Michael D. , Pugh Trevor J. , Dirks Peter B. , Strother Douglas , Lafay-Cousin Lucie , Resnick Adam C. , Scherer Stephen , Senger Donna L. , Simons Benjamin D. , Chan Jennifer A. , Morrissy A. Sorana , Gallo Marco
Published: March 2019

Pediatric glioblastoma (pGBM) is a lethal cancer with no effective therapies. To understand the mechanisms of tumor evolution in this cancer, we performed whole-genome sequencing with linked reads on longitudinally resected pGBM samples. Our analyses showed that all diagnostic and recurrent samples were collections of genetically diverse subclones. Clonal composition rapidly evolved at recurrence, with less than 8% of nonsynonymous single-nucleotide variants being shared in diagnostic-recurrent pairs. To track the origins of the mutational events observed in pGBM, we generated whole-genome datasets for two patients and their parents. These trios showed that genetic variants could be (i) somatic, (ii) inherited from a healthy parent, or (iii) de novo in the germlines of pGBM patients. Analysis of variant allele frequencies supported a model of tumor growth involving slow-cycling cancer stem cells that give rise to fast-proliferating progenitor-like cells and to nondividing cells. Interestingly, radiation and antimitotic chemotherapeutics did not increase overall tumor burden upon recurrence. These findings support an important role for slow-cycling stem cell populations in contributing to recurrences, because slow-cycling cell populations are expected to be less prone to genotoxic stress induced by these treatments and therefore would accumulate few mutations. Our results highlight the need for new targeted treatments that account for the complex functional hierarchies and genomic heterogeneity of pGBM.

Significance:

This work challenges several assumptions regarding the genetic organization of pediatric GBM and highlights mutagenic programs that start during early prenatal development.
IFNγ, a Double-Edged Sword in Cancer Immunity and Metastasis
Authors: Liu Chengfei , Gao Allen C.
Published: March 2019

IFNγ has antitumorigenic effects; however, the findings of IFNγ in promoting the tumor cell survival and inducing adaptive immune resistance via CD4+ T-cell loss and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) upregulation challenge this concept. Lo and colleagues determined that IFNγ induces epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) by regulating the turnover of miRNA in prostate cancer, emphasizing the duplicitous effects of IFNγ. IFIT5, an IFN-induced tetratricopeptide repeat (IFIT) family member, was found to form a complex with the exoribonuclease-XRN1 to process miRNA maturation. These findings unveil a new IFNγ–STAT1–IFIT5–miRNA–EMT pathway in prostate cancer progression. The biphasic effects of IFNγ in prostate cancer raise concerns about its therapeutic application, which need to be evaluated in future studies.

See related article by Lo et al., p. 1098
N-Terminal Pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide Levels for Risk Prediction in Patients With Heart Failure and Preserved Ejection Fraction According to Atrial Fibrillation Status
Authors: Kristensen Søren L. , Mogensen Ulrik M. , Jhund Pardeep S. , Rørth Rasmus , Anand Inder S. , Carson Peter E. , Desai Akshay S. , Pitt Bertram , Pfeffer Marc A. , Solomon Scott D. , Zile Michael R. , Køber Lars , McMurray John J. V. ,   On behalf of the I-Preserve and TOPCAT investigators
Published: March 2019

Background

NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide) is useful in diagnosis and prognostication in heart failure (HF). We examined the relationship between NT-proBNP and outcomes in patients with HF and preserved ejection fraction, with and without atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods and Results

Among 3835 HF with preserved ejection fraction patients enrolled in the I-Preserve (Irbesartan in Heart Failure With Preserved Systolic Function trial) or TOPCAT trial (Treatment of Preserved Cardiac Function in Heart Failure With an Aldosterone Antagonist), 719 (19%) patients had AF on their baseline ECG. Median (Q1–Q3) levels of NT-proBNP were 1286 pg/mL (778–2072) in those with AF and 288 pg/mL (122–704) in those without (
P
<0.001). We analyzed patients using 4 NT-proBNP bands: <400, 400 to 999 (reference), 1000 to 1999, and ≥2000 pg/mL. The event rates for the primary composite outcome of cardiovascular death or HF hospitalization were higher in patients with AF versus patients without or those without without AF in the lowest NT-proBNP band (<400 pg/mL; 8.0 versus 3.2 per 100 patient-years), whereas for the higher bands the opposite was true (1000–1999 pg/mL; 11.4 versus 13.2 per 100 patient-years and ≥2000 pg/mL; 17.4 versus 25.6 per 100 patient-years). In adjusted analyses, higher NT-proBNP levels were less predictive of HF hospitalization than mortality in patients with AF compared with those without.

Conclusions

Event rates in HF with preserved ejection fraction patients without AF and with NT-proBNP <400 pg/mL are low. Among patients with NT-proBNP ≥400 pg/mL, the relationship between NT-proBNP and outcomes differs with lower absolute risk in patients who have AF compared with those who do not have AF.

Clinical Trial Registration

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifiers: NCT00094302 and NCT00095238.
Association Between Hospital Recognition for Resuscitation Guideline Adherence and Rates of Survival for In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest
Authors: Khera Rohan , Tang Yuanyuan , Link Mark S. , Krumholz Harlan M. , Girotra Saket , Chan Paul S. ,   for the American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines–Resuscitation Investigators
Published: March 2019

Background

Hospitals participating in the national Get With The Guidelines–Resuscitation registry receive an award for high rates of adherence to quality metrics for in-hospital cardiac arrest. We sought to evaluate whether awards based on these quality metrics can be considered a proxy for performance on cardiac arrest survival.

Methods and Results

Among 195 hospitals with continuous participation in Get With The Guidelines–Resuscitation between 2012 and 2015, we identified 78 that received an award (Gold or Silver) for ≥85% compliance for all 4 metrics for in-hospital cardiac arrest—time to chest compressions, ≤1 minute; time to defibrillation, ≤2 minutes; device confirmation of endotracheal tube placement; and a monitored/witnessed arrest—for at least 12 consecutive months during 2014 to 2015. Award hospitals had higher cardiac arrest volumes than nonaward hospitals but otherwise had similar site characteristics. During 2014 to 2015, award hospitals had higher rates of return of spontaneous circulation for in-hospital cardiac arrest than nonaward hospitals (median [interquartile range], 71% [64%–77%] versus 66% [59%–74%]; Spearman ρ, 0.19;
P
=0.009). However, rates of risk-standardized survival to discharge at award hospitals (median, 25% [interquartile range, 22%–30%]) were similar to nonaward hospitals (median, 24% [interquartile range, 12%–27%]; Spearman ρ, 0.13;
P
=0.06). Among hospitals in the best tertile for survival to discharge in 2014 to 2015, 55.4% (36/65) did not receive an award, with poor discrimination of high-performing hospitals by award status (C statistic, 0.53). Similarly, there was only a weak association between hospitals’ award status in 2014 to 2015 and their rates of survival to discharge in the preceding 2-year period (Spearman ρ, 0.16;
P
=0.03).

Conclusions

The current recognition mechanism within a national registry for in-hospital cardiac arrest captures hospital performance on return of spontaneous circulation but is not well correlated with survival to discharge. This suggests that current awards for resuscitation quality may not adequately capture hospital performance on overall survival—the outcome of greatest interest to patients.
Metabolic Risk Factors and Left Ventricular Diastolic Function in Middle‐Aged Chinese Living in the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Zheng Congyi , Chen Zuo , Zhang Linfeng , Wang Xin , Dong Ying , Wang Jiali , Shao Lan , Tian Ye , Wang Zengwu , Zhao Tianming , Fan Guohui , Jia Xiuyun , Gao Runlin , Guo Yanfei , Tong Yaqi , Chen Yundai , Duan Peng , Li Nanfang , Suo Feiya , Cao Mei , He Liu , Kang Yuting , Li Suning , Zhang Zugui
Published: March 2019

Background

Data regarding the metabolic risk factors clustering on the risk of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (
LVDD
) are lacking among people living at high altitude and under hypoxic conditions. In this study, we explored the association between metabolic risk factor clustering and
LVDD
among the Tibetan population of China.

Methods and Results

We conducted a cross‐sectional survey in a representative sample of 1963 Tibetans in 2014 to 2016. Grading
LVDD
was based on recommendations for the evaluation of
LV
diastolic function by echocardiography (2009). The prevalence of
LVDD
among 1963 participants (mean age: 51.51 years, 41.11% male) was 34.39%. Odds ratios (95%
CI
) of
LVDD
for the 1, 2, and 3 to 5 risk factors clustering were 1.45 (0.96–2.17), 2.68 (1.8–3.98), and 2.9 (1.9–4.43), respectively (
P
for trend <0.001). The association between metabolic risk factors clustering and
LVDD
was much more pronounced in the middle‐aged group than in the elderly (
P
for interaction=0.0170). High altitude was one of the major independent risk factors for
LVDD
; however, habitation altitude had no significant effect on the association between metabolic risk factors and
LVDD
(
P
for interaction=0.1022). The multivariable dominance analysis indicated that abdominal obesity, hypertension, and elevated blood glucose were the significant contributors to
LVDD
.

Conclusions

There was a significant positive association between the metabolic risk factor clustering number and
LVDD
among a population living at high altitude, especially in middle‐aged adults. However, habitation altitude itself has no significant effect on the association between metabolic risk factors and
LVDD
.
ÖRGÜTSEL SİNİZM: SATIŞ PERSONELİ ÜZERİNE NİTEL BİR ARAŞTIRMA
Authors: ERCAN ÖNBIÇAK Aslı , KAZANÇOĞLU İpek
Published: March 2019

Çalışmanın amacı, satış personelinin örgütüne ve satış departmanına karşı algıladığı örgütsel sinizm boyutlarının nedenlerini araştırmaktır. Derinlemesine görüşme tekniği araştırmanın veri kaynağını oluşturmaktadır. Erdost, Karacaoğlu ve Reyhanoğlu (2007); Brandes (1997); Brandes, Dharwadkar ve Dean (1999)’nin örgütsel sinizm çalışmalarından yararlanılarak görüşme soruları oluşturulmuştur. Bu doğrultuda, hızlı tüketim ürünleri satış personeli, araştırmanın örneklemini kapsamaktadır. Araştırmanın analizi, Nvivo 11 Plus nitel araştırma programı ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırma verilerinin analizinde içerik analizi kullanılmıştır. Bu doğrultuda, satış personelinin algıladığı örgütsel sinizm boyutlarından öne çıkan boyut/ alt boyutlar gruplandırılmıştır. Elde edilen bulgularda, satış personelinde örgütsel sinizmin duygusal boyutta öne çıktığı belirlenmiştir. Bilişsel sinizm boyutunun etkisinin az görüldüğü tespit edilmiştir. Davranışsal sinizm boyutun ise, tüm katılımcıların işle ilgili olumsuz durumlarının davranışlarına yansıdığı belirlenmiştir. Araştırma sonuçlarına eklenen yeni temalar ise, adalet algısı, örgüt içi iletişim, kariyer beklentisi, yönetici baskısı-belirsizlik, kişilik özellikleri ve örgüt kültürüdür. Bu temaların örgütsel sinizmin oluşmasına neden olabilecek yeni temalar olarak tespit edilmiştir.
MUHASEBE BİLGİ SİSTEMİNİN KURUMSAL YÖNETİM UYGULAMALARINA ETKİSİ
Authors: GÜNER Mehmet , KURNAZ Ersin
Published: March 2019

Uluslararası
finansal krizler sermaye piyasalarının temel prensiplerinden olan güven
ortamını ciddi bir şekilde etkilemiştir. Kaybolan güven ortamının yeniden
oluşturulması için sermaye piyasası aktörleri önemli adımlar atmıştır. Kurumsal
yönetim uygulamaları, işletmelerin istikrarlı bir ortamda faaliyet
göstermeleri, daha fazla yatırımcı çekmeleri, finansal performanslarını
artırmaları ve şeffaf bir şekilde yönetilebilmeleri için gerekli bir araç
olmuştur. Bu uygulamalar, işletme içerisinde farklı bilgi sistemleri ile ilişki
içerisinde yürütülmektedir. İşletmelerin, planlama ve kontrol faaliyetlerini
yerine getirmede başvurabilecekleri en önemli bilgiler muhasebe bilgi sistemi
tarafından sağlanmaktadır. Dolayısıyla, kurumsal yönetim uygulamaları muhasebe
bilgi sistemi ile etkileşim halindedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, muhasebe bilgi
sisteminin etkinliğinin kurumsal yönetim uygulamalarına etkisini ortaya
koymaktır. Bu amaçla, Borsa İstanbul (BIST) kapsamında olan çimento fabrikaları
işletmelerinden anket yöntemi ile veri toplanmış, elde edilen veriler
doğrultusunda bir yapısal eşitlik modeli kurulmuştur. Çalışma sonucunda, etkin
bir muhasebe bilgi sisteminin kurumsal yönetim uygulamalarına pozitif yönde
etki ettiği tespit edilmiştir.
TİCARİ BANKACILIK SEKTÖRÜNDE SORUNLU KREDİLERİ ETKİLEYEN FAKTÖRLERİN ANALİZİ
Authors: TORUN Melike , ALTAY Erdinç
Published: March 2019

Ticari bankaların öncelikli
görevlerinden biri olan kredi verme işlemi, kredilerin geri ödenmemesi sonucu
hem bankacılık sektörünü hem de domino etkisi ile reel sektörü olumsuz
etkileyen bir sarmala dönüşmektedir. Sorunlu kredilerin ülke ekonomisindeki önemi
açısından, sorunun teşhis edilerek, çözüm önerileri üretebilmesi amacıyla, bu
çalışmada Türk bankacılık sektöründe, 2008-2015 tarihleri arasında
faaliyetlerine kesintisiz devam eden 25 ticari bankanın sorunlu kredilerine
sebep olan mikro (bankaya özgü) ve makro (ekonomiye özgü) değişkenler
araştırılmıştır. Analiz yöntemi olarak dengeli statik panel veri analizi
kullanılmıştır. Analiz sonucunda, ilgili dönemde Türk ticari bankalarındaki
sorunlu krediler üzerinde istatistiki olarak anlamlı olan makro değişkenler
olarak; enflasyonun, işsizlik oranının, reel döviz kurunun, GSMH büyüme
hızının, Euro bölgesine ait GSMH büyüme hızının ve BIST Endeksinin
gösterilebileceği, mikro değişkenler olarak da; reel efektif faiz oranının, sermaye
yeterlilik rasyosunun, tüketici kredilerinin payının, mevduatın krediye dönüşüm
oranının, personel giderlerinin aktiflere oranının ve Banka Aktif/ Sektör Aktif
Toplamının (banka büyüklüğü) gösterileceği sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Sorunlu
krediler ile banka büyüklüğünü temsil eden bir diğer oran olan Banka Kredi/
Sektör Toplam Kredi oranı ile Türk parası kredilerinin payı, aktif ve öz
sermaye karlılığı arasında istatistiki olarak anlamlı bir ilişki
bulunamamıştır.
Estimated Profit: A Look at the Excess Revenues of Private Four-Year Nonprofit Postsecondary Institutions
Authors: Toutkoushian Robert , Raghav Manu
Published: March 2019

In this study, we use institution-level data for the period 2004 to 2016 from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System to examine the excess revenues of private, four-year nonprofit institutions. We present data on the magnitude of excess revenues for these institutions over this period, examine how excess revenues are associated with different types of private institutions, and how within-institution excess revenues are affected by changes in time-varying factors, such as their size, selectivity, revenue structure, and expense distribution. We find that across most years in our sample, private, four-year nonprofits averaged double-digit excess returns. The results show that variations over time in excess revenues are related to a number of factors, including institution size, yield rates, net tuition revenue, and tuition discount rates.
A Horn for Phemius
Authors: Morgan Harry
Published: March 2019

In 51 BC, Titus Pomponius Atticus wrote to his friend Cicero with an unusual request: his musician Phemius needed a new instrument—a special ‘horn’ (κέρας) that could only be found in the region of Cilicia where Cicero was serving as governor. Several months later, the object in question was finally tracked down and an order placed. What exactly was this elusive piece of musical exotica, and why was Atticus so eager to get his hands on it? This article states a case for identifying Phemius’ κέρας with the Phrygian aulos/tibia, a species of pipe noted for its resonant ox-horn bell. Atticus’ acquisition of the ‘Phrygian pipe’ provides a revealing counterpoint to the often stereotyped depictions of musical entertainment (symphoniae) that we find in contemporary literature. It therefore presents an effective model for re-evaluating the place of musical culture in late Republican elite society.
Does the End Justify the Means? A Media Analysis of Invasive Pig and Fox Management
Authors: Thompson Beatrice Emma , Grace Melanie Elyse , Foster Bridget Clare , Harrison Claire Louise , Graham Sonia
Published: March 2019

Growing numbers of researchers and animal rights advocates are concerned about the welfare of invasive nonhuman animals, and new government policies echo these concerns. Past survey research, however, shows that the general public defines invasive animal welfare differently than scientists and animal rights advocates. There is little social research that investigates how differing views on the acceptability of invasive animal controls are reconciled in public fora. This article examines how invasive animal control is represented in two newspapers—The Sydney Morning Herald and The Land—in New South Wales, Australia, focusing on the management of invasive foxes and pigs. The findings revealed that efficacy is emphasized more than humaneness, especially among farmers and peri-urban residents, suggesting a disjuncture between new policies and landholders’ values. Views of indigenous land managers and amenity migrants are rarely represented yet they need to be actively engaged to ensure effective policy change.
Molecular phylogenetic analysis and comparative morphology reveals the diversity and distribution of needle nematodes of the genus Longidorus (Dorylaimida: Longidoridae) from Spain
Authors: Archidona-Yuste Antonio , Cantalapiedra-Navarrete Carolina , Castillo Pablo , Palomares-Rius Juan E.
Published: March 2019

The genus Longidorus constitutes a large group of approximately 170 species of plant-ectoparasitic nematodes that are polyphagous and distributed almost worldwide. Some of the species of this genus are vectors of plant viruses. Species discrimination in Longidorus is difficult because the morphology is very conservative, and morphometric characters often overlap, leading to potential misidentification. Integrative taxonomy, based on the combination of molecular analyses with morphology, is a useful and necessary approach in Longidorus species identification. In Spain from 2014 to 2017, we conducted nematode surveys among cultivated and wild plants, from which we identified 13 populations of Longidorus, two of which appeared to represent new species and are described herein as L. iliturgiensis sp. nov. and L. pacensis sp. nov., and 11 populations belonging to eight known species: L. africanus, L. baeticus, L. carpetanensis, L. fasciatus, L. nevesi, L. cf. olegi, L. pini, and L. vallensis. Three species are new geographical records for Spain (L. nevesi, L. cf. olegi, and L. africanus). We report molecular data for L. nevesi, L. cf. olegi,
L. carpetanensis and L. pini for the first time. Additionally, we describe the males of L. pini and the juveniles of L. cf. olegi.
Gymnopilus minisporus sp. nov., a new species and a new record of the European species G. hybridus from northeast China
Authors: LIU MENGTING , BAU TOLGOR
Published: March 2019

During our field work in northeast China, two species of Gymnopilus, Gymnopilus minisporus sp. nov. and Gymnopilus hybridus, were identified and described based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses. The main distinguishing characteristic of G. minisporus is the conspicuously small basidiospores. The phylogenetic tree based on internal transcribed spacers of rDNA sequences using Bayesian and Maximum Likelihood methods showed that G. minisporus has an independent monophyletic lineage, and G. hybridus from China and Sweden grouped in a monophyletic branch.
Multigene phylogeny and morphology of Alternaria reveal a novel species and a new record in China
Authors: TAO YA QUN , JIA GUO GENG , AUNG SEIN LAI LAI , WU QING LI , LU HONG XUE , DENG JIAN XIN
Published: March 2019

Two Alternaria species, A. carotiincultae and A. glehniae sp. nov. are isolated from necrotic leaf symptoms of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. and Glehnia littoralis Fr. Schmidt ex Miq in China, respectively. The two species are determined as distinct species belonging to sect. Radicina of Alternaria based on morphology and a multigene analysis of ITS, EF-1α, RPB2 and ATPase sequences. Alternaria glehniae is illustrated here as a novel species because the conidial size, septa and sporulation patterns are different from its closely related species. A. carotiincultae is also described as a new record in China.
Revision of the genus Ptilothyris Walsingham, 1897 (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Lecithoceridae), with descriptions of eight new species from Africa
Authors: PARK KYU-TEK , MEY WOLFRAM , KOO JUN-MO , DE PRINS JURATE , CHO SOOWON
Published: March 2019

Ptilothyris Walsingham, 1897, a poorly known Afrotropical genus of Lecithoceridae, is revised. Eight new species are described and illustrated: P. subcucullata Park, sp. nov., P. crassiella Park, sp. nov., P. drepanodes Park, sp. nov., P. enormisella Park, sp. nov., P. hylodes Park, sp. nov., P. leifaarviki Park, sp. nov., P. pilosa Park, sp. nov., and P. vokaensis Park, sp. nov. Each species is compared with type specimens of the related species deposited in various museums worldwide. COI barcode sequences of six species were successfully obtained and are provided. Of the 13 previously known African species of the genus, P. serangota ab. cyanea Ghesquière, 1940 is synonymized with P. serangota Meyrick, 1932, and the following three species are excluded from the genus: brachysema Meyrick, 1938, crocophracta Meyrick, 1938, and nemophorella Ghesquière, 1940. The latter three will be transferred to related genera in forthcoming studies. Adults and genitalia of all the known species including the new species are illustrated, and a key to the species is provided.
Building combined MRP-matrices with BuM, an automated web-tool
Authors: HAMMOUD MUHSEN , GOIS JOÃO PAULO , SANTOS DAUBIAN , SAMPRONHA STEPHANIE , SANTOS CHARLES MORPHY D.
Published: March 2019

The most common methods for combining different phylogenetic trees with uneven but overlapping taxon sampling are the Matrix Representation with Parsimony (MRP) and consensus tree methods. Although straightforward, some steps of MRP are time-consuming and risky when manually performed, especially the preparation of the matrix representations from the original topologies, and the creation of the single matrix containing all the information of the individual trees. Here we present Building MRP-Matrices (BuM), a free online tool for generating a combined matrix, following Baum and Ragan coding scheme, from files containing phylogenetic trees in parenthetical format.
Four new Neotropical species in the Hirtodrosophila hirticornis species group (Diptera: Drosophilidae)
Authors: JUNGES JOÃO , ROBE LIZANDRA JAQUELINE , GOTTSCHALK MARCO SILVA
Published: March 2019

Hirtodrosophila Duda, 1923 (Diptera, Drosophilidae) is a worldwide genus associated with fungi that encompasses 30 Neotropical species. They are gathered into four clusters: glabrifrons species group (Burla 1956), hirticornis species group (Burla 1956), magnarcus species group (Frota-Pessoa 1951), and thoracis species group (Grimaldi 1987), although there are still some ungrouped species. Nevertheless, their species richness is highly underestimated, and several unknown species of the genus have been sampled in different Brazilian regions. The known Neotropical flies of the hirticornis group belong to a set of four yellow sibling species, which are very difficult to identify based only on external morphology, a fact that partially explains the knowledge gap regarding ecology, biology, and evolution of the group. However, these species are easily sampled around some fungi fruiting bodies, particularly over Auricularia spp. (Auriculariales, Auriculariaceae). In the last years, we collected some hundreds of specimens, which allowed us to detect some common but yet undescribed species. Thus, here we describe four new Neotropical species in the hirticornis group.
Holothurian (Echinodermata) diversity and distribution in the central Cantabrian Sea and the Avilés Canyon System (Bay of Biscay)
Authors: FERNÁNDEZ-RODRÍGUEZ IRENE , ARIAS ANDRÉS , ANADÓN NURIA , ACUÑA JOSÉ LUIS
Published: March 2019

Here we report on the holothurian fauna at the Avilés Canyon System (Natura 2000 Site of Community Importance), central Cantabrian Sea, northern Spain. The samples were collected during several cruises covering the shelf, the continental slope and the abyssal depth. We identified 174 specimens, belonging to 35 species of the seven orders of class Holothuroidea. Depth was the main structuring agent. Multivariate analysis allowed the differentiation of four main assemblages which corresponded to abyssal plain, lower continental slope, upper continental slope, and continental shelf. Depth had a significant effect on holothurian species richness (it increased with depth at an approximate rate of 1.7 species 1000 m-1), which is consistent with previously described global patterns.
Records of Carnidae from the collection of Miroslav Barták (Diptera: Carnidae), with the description of five new species
Authors: STUKE JENS-HERMANN , BARTÁK MIROSLAV
Published: March 2019

Carnidae of the genera Meoneura and Hemeromyia in the collection of Miroslav Barták, deposited in the Czech University of Life Sciences (Prague) have been studied. Five species are newly described: Meoneura artoodetoo spec. nov. (Uzbekistan), Meoneura baechli spec. nov. (Italy), Meoneura gnomi spec. nov. (Uzbekistan), Meoneura joedaltoni spec. nov. (Italy), and Meoneura mucki spec. nov. (Uzbekistan). Additional 21 species of Meoneura and 1 species of Hemeromyia are recorded with first records from Algeria, Andorra, Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Italy, Slovakia, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
Enhanced Latent Heating over the Tibetan Plateau as a Key to the Enhanced East Asian Summer Monsoon Circulation under a Warming Climate
Authors: He Chao , Wang Ziqian , Zhou Tianjun , Li Tim
Published: March 2019

Coupled climate system models consistently show that the low-level southerly wind associated with the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) is enhanced under anthropogenic greenhouse gas forcing, and the enhanced EASM was attributed to the enhanced land–sea thermal contrast by previous studies. Based on a comparison of the global warming scenarios with the present-day climate in an ensemble of 30 coupled models from phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5), we show evidence that changes in land–sea thermal contrast cannot explain the enhanced EASM circulation in terms of the seasonality. Indeed, the enhanced low-level southerly wind over East Asia is associated with a large-scale anomalous cyclone around the Tibetan Plateau (TP), and numerical simulation by the Linear Baroclinic Model suggests that the enhanced latent heating over the TP associated with enhanced precipitation is responsible for this low-level cyclone anomaly and the enhanced EASM circulation projected by the coupled models. Moisture budget analysis shows that enhanced hydrological recycling and enhanced vertical moisture advection due to increased specific humidity have the largest contribution to the increased precipitation over the TP, and more than half of the intermodel uncertainty in the projected change of EASM circulation is associated with the uncertainty in the changes of precipitation over the TP. Therefore, the TP plays an essential role in enhancing the EASM circulation under global warming through enhanced latent heating over the TP.
Understanding the Impacts of Soil Moisture Initial Conditions on NWP in the Context of Land–Atmosphere Coupling
Authors: Santanello Jr. Joseph A. , Lawston Patricia , Kumar Sujay , Dennis Eli
Published: March 2019

The role of soil moisture in NWP has gained more attention in recent years, as studies have demonstrated impacts of land surface states on ambient weather from diurnal to seasonal scales. However, soil moisture initialization approaches in coupled models remain quite diverse in terms of their complexity and observational roots, while assessment using bulk forecast statistics can be simplistic and misleading. In this study, a suite of soil moisture initialization approaches is used to generate short-term coupled forecasts over the U.S. Southern Great Plains using NASA’s Land Information System (LIS) and NASA Unified WRF (NU-WRF) modeling systems. This includes a wide range of currently used initialization approaches, including soil moisture derived from “off the shelf” products such as atmospheric models and land data assimilation systems, high-resolution land surface model spinups, and satellite-based soil moisture products from SMAP. Results indicate that the spread across initialization approaches can be quite large in terms of soil moisture conditions and spatial resolution, and that SMAP performs well in terms of heterogeneity and temporal dynamics when compared against high-resolution land surface model and in situ soil moisture estimates. Case studies are analyzed using the local land–atmosphere coupling (LoCo) framework that relies on integrated assessment of soil moisture, surface flux, boundary layer, and ambient weather, with results highlighting the critical role of inherent model background biases. In addition, simultaneous assessment of land versus atmospheric initial conditions in an integrated, process-level fashion can help address the question of whether improvements in traditional NWP verification statistics are achieved for the right reasons.
Introduction of Douglas W. Maynard for the Cooley-Mead Award
Authors: Clayman Steven E. , Gill Virginia Teas
Published: March 2019

On the occasion of Douglas Maynard’s selection as recipient of the 2018 Cooley-Mead Award, this essay provides a brief overview of his scholarly career. His diverse and expansive contributions to social psychological theory and research and his tireless mentorship of students and colleagues are both reviewed.
Action representations in robotics: A taxonomy and systematic classification
Authors: Zech Philipp , Renaudo Erwan , Haller Simon , Zhang Xiang , Piater Justus
Published: March 2019

Understanding and defining the meaning of “action” is substantial for robotics research. This becomes utterly evident when aiming at equipping autonomous robots with robust manipulation skills for action execution. Unfortunately, to this day we still lack both a clear understanding of the concept of an action and a set of established criteria that ultimately characterize an action. In this survey, we thus first review existing ideas and theories on the notion and meaning of action. Subsequently, we discuss the role of action in robotics and attempt to give a seminal definition of action in accordance with its use in robotics research. Given this definition we then introduce a taxonomy for categorizing action representations in robotics along various dimensions. Finally, we provide a meticulous literature survey on action representations in robotics where we categorize relevant literature along our taxonomy. After discussing the current state of the art we conclude with an outlook towards promising research directions.
Perceiving Social Cohesion: Movement Synchrony and Task Demands Both Matter
Authors: Wilson Stuart , Gos Caroline
Published: March 2019

Previous research has shown that interpersonal synchrony is associated with a number of prosocial effects. We investigated the respective roles of behavioural synchrony and perceived task demands on perceptions of cohesion by performing two experiments in which participants viewed pairs of point-light figures engaging in four coordinated behaviours. Behaviours were seen twice, once in perfect in-phase synchrony and once with synchrony manipulated (phase shift: 180° in Experiment 1 and 45°, 90°, 270°, and 315° in Experiment 2). Dyads were rated on perceived exertion and perceived social cohesion. Results indicate that in-phase synchrony is associated with higher levels of perceived cohesion and that perceived exertion is a good predictor of cohesion ratings. Two interactions suggest that the effect is not purely perceptual and that participants observing coordinated movement also make inferences about the intentions of those observed. Results are discussed and future directions suggested.
Decision Tree Approach to Predicting Vehicle Stopping from GPS Tracks in a National Park Scenic Corridor
Authors: Fuentes Antonio , Heaslip Kevin , Sisneros-Kidd Abigail M. , D’Antonio Ashley , Kelarestaghi Kaveh Bakhsh
Published: March 2019

In this study, a GPS tracking dataset was utilized to predict the probability of a vehicle stopping along a scenic corridor in a national park setting. The Moose-Wilson Corridor (MWC) in Grand Teton National Park was evaluated for vehicle stopping/visiting determined from GPS collected data along the corridor. Four attractions were evaluated, which consisted of Death Canyon, Granite Canyon, the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve, and Sawmill Ponds. A decision tree analysis was implemented to determine the probabilities of visitors’ stopping patterns at park attractions. A benefit to the decision tree method is the easy to read structure and simple visual representation. An 814-observation sample set was split into training and testing datasets that resulted in model accuracies as high as 94%. A promising outcome of this methodology is that it provides a visual reference to help identify attraction relationships. Similarities in the tree structure were determined for Death Canyon and Granite Canyon owing to their child nodes being composed of other MWC attractions. Alternatively, the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve and Sawmill Ponds attractions determined more variability in their tree structure. The implementation of a data analysis method such as the one presented in this paper could help national park managers prepare for the incoming era of technology and data.
How to Talk About Attitudes Toward the End of Life: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Groebe Bernadette , Rietz Christian , Voltz Raymond , Strupp Julia
Published: March 2019

To individually plan end-of-life care, open communication about a person’s preferences and attitudes toward the end of life can facilitate dignity and quality of life in patients and relatives. To improve communication, structured guiding tools might be used as door openers. However, most tools focus on care preferences and decisions without assessing the person’s underlying attitudes in detail. This study aims to get insights into specific requirements and conditions for communication about the end of life in various end-of-life care settings. Four focus groups were conducted with volunteers and professionals from nursing and psychosocial care (16 females, 2 males) working in hospice and palliative care and long-term care settings in Germany. A semistructured interview guideline on experiences and aspects associated with end-of-life conversations was used. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed by a content analytic approach. Having end-of-life discussions primarily depended on a pleasant atmosphere, trusting bonds between conversation partners, and professional attitudes of staff members. Nursing home staff felt obligated to initiate conversations, but some reported insecurities doing so. Starting “early,” including relatives, and having continuous discussions seemed beneficial for end-of-life conversations. Implementing conversations into existing care structures and using low-threshold impulses to start conversations were helpful. Individualized approaches should be preferred. Each staff member can be a partner in detailed conversations about end-of-life attitudes, but some felt unprepared doing so. Further skill training concerning end-of-life discussions is needed. Communication might be facilitated by open-format tools using low-threshold impulses when conditions of the care setting are considered.
Playing the Game: Unpacking the Rationale for Organizational Corruption in MNCs
Authors: Zyglidopoulos Stelios , Dieleman Marleen , Hirsch Paul
Published: March 2019

What conditions must be present for multinational companies (MNCs) to benefit from corruption? We argue that corrupt acts by organizations can be profitable if four conditions are met: there must be an opportunity to do so, the risks must be perceived as low, the organization must be willing to engage in corruption, and it must have some skill in converting such acts into organizational advantages. We believe all of these conditions are necessary for organizational corruption to “pay off.” We argue that these conditions would most likely be present in MNCs from corrupt environments investing in other countries rife with corruption. However, if each of the conditions must be present for the return on corruption to be sufficient, each also offers opportunities to eliminate organizational corruption.
National Culture and Africa Revisited: Ethnolinguistic Group Data From 35 African Countries
Authors: van Pinxteren Bert
Published: March 2019

Africa is a continent of considerable cultural diversity. This diversity does not necessarily run in parallel to the national boundaries that were created in Africa in the colonial period. However, decades of nation building in Africa must have made their mark. Is it possible nowadays to distinguish national cultures in Africa, or are the traditional ethnolinguistic distinctions more important? This article uses an approach developed in cross-cultural psychology to examine these questions. In 2012, Minkov and Hofstede published an article in this journal analyzing World Values Survey data from seven countries in Sub-Saharan Africa at the level of subnational administrative regions. They argued that national culture is also a meaningful concept in this region. This study reexamines the matter. It uses an innovative approach, looking at ethnolinguistic groups instead of at administrative regions and using the much more extensive Afrobarometer survey data set. It finds that although the Minkov/Hofstede study still has merit, the picture is more nuanced in several important ways. There is not one pattern that adequately describes the situation in the whole of Africa.1