bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Arctic Snow Microstructure Experiment for the development of snow emission modelling
Authors: Maslanka W. , Leppänen L. , Kontu A. , Sandells M. , Lemmetyinen J. , Schneebeli M. , Hannula H.-R. , Gurney R.
Published: December 2015

Abstract. The Arctic Snow Microstructure Experiment (ASMEx) took place in Sodankylä, Finland in the winters of 2013–2014 and 2014–2015. Radiometric, macro-, and microstructure measurements were made under different experimental conditions of homogenous snow slabs, extracted from the natural seasonal taiga snowpack. Traditional and modern measurement techniques were used for snow macro- and microstructure observations. Radiometric measurements of the microwave emission of snow on reflector and absorber bases were made at frequencies 18.7, 21.0, 36.5, 89.0 and 150.0 GHz, for both horizontal and vertical polarizations. Two measurement configurations were used for radiometric measurements: a reflecting surface and an absorbing base beneath the snow slabs. Simulations of brightness temperatures using two microwave emission models were compared to observed brightness temperatures. RMSE and bias were calculated; with the RMSE and bias values being smallest upon an absorbing base at vertical polarization. Simulations overestimated the brightness temperatures on absorbing base cases at horizontal polarization. With the other experimental conditions, the biases were small; with the exception of the HUT model 36.5 GHz simulation, which produced an underestimation for the reflector base cases. This experiment provides a solid framework for future research on the extinction of microwave radiation inside snow.
PLASIM-GENIE: a new intermediate complexity AOGCM
Authors: Holden P. B. , Edwards N. R. , Fraedrich K. , Kirk E. , Lunkeit F. , Zhu X.
Published: December 2015

Abstract. We describe the development, tuning and climate of PLASIM-GENIE, a new intermediate complexity Atmosphere–Ocean Global Climate Model (AOGCM), built by coupling the Planet Simulator to the GENIE earth system model. PLASIM-GENIE supersedes "GENIE-2", a coupling of GENIE to the Reading IGCM. It has been developed to join the limited number of models that bridge the gap between EMICS with simplified atmospheric dynamics and state of the art AOGCMs. A 1000 year simulation with PLASIM-GENIE requires approximately two weeks on a single node of a 2.1 GHz AMD 6172 CPU. An important motivation for intermediate complexity models is the evaluation of uncertainty. We here demonstrate the tractability of PLASIM-GENIE ensembles by deriving a "subjective" tuning of the model with a 50 member ensemble of 1000 year simulations.
Tsunami hazard warning and risk prediction based on inaccurate earthquake source parameters
Authors: Goda K. , Abilova K.
Published: December 2015

Abstract. This study investigates the issues related to underestimation of the earthquake source parameters in the context of tsunami early warning and tsunami risk assessment. The magnitude of a very large event may be underestimated significantly during the early stage of the disaster, resulting in the issuance of incorrect tsunami warnings. Tsunamigenic events in the Tohoku region of Japan, where the 2011 tsunami occurred, are focused on as a case study to illustrate the significance of the problems. The effects of biases in the estimated earthquake magnitude on tsunami loss are investigated using a rigorous probabilistic tsunami loss calculation tool that can be applied to a range of earthquake magnitudes by accounting for uncertainties of earthquake source parameters (e.g. geometry, mean slip, and spatial slip distribution). The quantitative tsunami loss results provide with valuable insights regarding the importance of deriving accurate seismic information as well as the potential biases of the anticipated tsunami consequences. Finally, usefulness of rigorous tsunami risk assessment is discussed in defining critical hazard scenarios based on the potential consequences due to tsunami disasters.
Defining Membership in a Particular Social Group: The Search for a Uniform Approach to Adjudicating Asylum Applications in the United States
Authors: Ludlum Kenneth
Published: December 2015

N/A
Superficialidad máxima. Superficie como posibilidad de sentido: imagen y síntoma
Authors: Caranci Sáez Carlos
Published: December 2015

En estas páginas se pretende proponer un modo de entender lo visto siempre como adaptación inmanente, deseo y simbolización, esto es, entenderlo como imagen. Se hará conforme a un concepto de ‘superficie’ que prolonga la lectura que hiciera Didi-Huberman del concepto de imagen-síntoma de Aby Warburg, y se apoya en textos de teoría psicoanalítica de la mano de Jacques Lacan, en un intento no de arruinar la capacidad de hermenéutica del observador, sino de entender la búsqueda del sentido y de la esencia –del arte por ejemplo– como la investigación sobre un conflicto histórico de pérdidas, crisis y memoria. ‘Superficie’ en tanto que masa átona y sin sentido donde el ojo siempre visiona formas: ver superficie es que el ojo siempre adapte lo visto, deseando abrirlo visionariamente en su significado para recabar su verdad oculta, pero paradójicamente cerrándolo. Porque mirar imágenes supone siempre perder visión respecto de una supuesta totalidad en la que se darían todos los significados en todas sus ambigüedades y en todas sus posibilidades históricas, pérdida sólo decible en su retorno en tanto que resignificación traumática. Aquí postulamos que la ilusión será creer no que las apariencias son ilusorias, sino que más allá de ellas hay “más realidad”. Este planteamiento no sólo ratifica la posición del sujeto, inserto en una superficie/cuadro dada-a-ver, sino que descubre la brecha constitutiva que le rige y que es un “más en él” que él mismo.
"Places making": Construcción participada de ciudades de cultura científi ca
Authors: Sanz Hernández María Alexia , M. Bacallao-Pino Lázaro
Published: December 2015

En el marco del proyecto europeo Platform of Local Authorities and Communicators Engaged in Science (PLACES), se analizan las articulaciones entre comunicación científica, percepción pública de la ciencia, procesos de participación ciudadana y apropiación del espacio, a partir de un estudio de caso de los habitantes de la ciudad de Teruel, en la Comunidad Autónoma de Aragón, España. En las interrelaciones entre tales cuestiones, se ponen de manifiesto una serie de contradicciones, como la diferencia entre un elevado interés informativo por temas de ciencia y tecnología y un bajo nivel de reconocimiento e interacción con las instituciones locales vinculadas a aquellos, la dual y compleja conceptualización de los espacios científicos en relación con el par “público-privado”, o la coexistencia de una retórica cívica reivindicativa junto con una escasa corresponsabilidad. Se concluye que, en un contexto local, la dimensión de la territorialidad y en particular la identificación con la localidad, es una mediación central en la activación de la participación ciudadana activa como parte de procesos de apropiación del espacio para la configuración de ciudades de cultura científica.
Análisis dinámico de trayectorias laborales a través del concepto de flexiguridad
Authors: Alonso Dominguez Angel
Published: December 2015

El artículo realiza un análisis dinámico para conocer si el mercado laboral español responde a las características de los mercados de trabajo transicionales, desde un enfoque de flexiguridad. A través de la Muestra Continua de Vidas Laborales se estudian las trayectorias de los trabajadores españoles durante el período 2007-2010, que abarca el final de la expansión de la economía española y el comienzo de la actual crisis de empleo. De la conjunción del tema elegido, el enfoque y la base de datos utilizada, resulta una perspectiva novedosa en nuestro país. Se ofrece evidencia empírica de la evolución de los episodios de empleo y paro, del grado de rotación del mercado laboral español y de las dificultades de determinados colectivos para realizar transiciones en y hacia el empleo. Los resultados muestran un mercado de trabajo en el que a) las transiciones se encuentran bloqueadas,  y b) existe una alta inseguridad laboral.
Trade Union Leaders at the Plant Level and Their Perspective on Trade Union Management and HR Practices: A Case Study
Authors: M Srimannarayana
Published: December 2015

The present study aimed at identifying the profile of trade union leaders operating at a plant level in India and to find out their viewpoint on trade union management and HR practices of their plant.  The data collected from 81 local trade union leaders using an interview schedule is the basis for the study. The study finds that that an average trade union leader is a middle aged, educated, urbanite employee of the plant with multilingual proficiency. He has joined in the union with a genuine interest of serving working class. However, increasing expectations of the members makes his job difficult. He firmly believes that mutual discussions, negotiations and legal methods are the best means of achieving union objectives. He is happy with the present HR practices existing in the Plant.  Though there is a feeling that intensity of work and workload are increased, he believes that improved quality of working conditions, increased employee benefits and services, and learning opportunities make the employees happy. Finally, he is willing to sacrifice the sectional interests of the members for the long term benefit of the plant.
Challenges of Preoperative Diagnosis and Management of Scalene Intramuscular Angioma
Authors: Zhang Lei , Wang Beverly , Goddard Julie
Published: December 2015

Intramuscular angioma of scalene muscle is rare with only five cases reported so far. Four of them have not been suspected before surgery; one was diagnosed preoperatively by core biopsy. Preoperative diagnosis is important for management. Awareness of cytologic features could help preoperative diagnosis when need of ruling out malignancy and coagulopathy make fine needle aspiration a choice. We herein demonstrate a new case of a 27 year old male with history of hepatocellular carcinoma, who presented with a 6 cm left supraclavicular mass. The fine needle aspiration was paucicellular; however, the bland ovoid to spindle cells with a whirling and luminal arrangement in the background of blood, fatty drops and degenerate muscle are suggestive of intramuscular angioma. The magnetic resonance imagines (MRI) demonstrate a T1 isointense and T2 hyperintense ill-defined lesion splaying anterior and mid scalene muscles with subtle vascular voids at periphery. These features in combination with cytology findings indicate intramuscular angioma. The pre-operative findings are correlated to the histologic picture of mixed capillaries and varying sized venues intervening with fatty tissue and atrophic muscle. Intraoperatively, the mass is adjacent to the brachial plexus rootlets, interdigitating with the scalene muscle and pushing the carotid sheath, left subclavicular artery and vein aside. Following embolization, the mass is resected with minimal bleeding. Our case suggests that scalene intramuscular angioma can be successfully managed by surgery after embolization; preoperative diagnosis rendered by cytologic features and imaging characters would aid the planning of surgery.
Anxiety State and ITS Psychosocial Consequences among Acne Vulgaris and Chronic Urticaria Patients in Abuja
Authors: A. B. Ukonu , P. E. Ibekwe , A. Ezechukwu
Published: December 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: the skin defines the essence of beauty and overall perceived attention within a social context. As such, there is a relationship between skin diseases and the extent of provoked emotional psychological disturbances and social concern that the sufferers do have. This study therefore seeks to ascertain levels of anxiety and their psychosocial consequences among sufferers of acne vulgaris and chronic urticaria in dermatological outpatient in Abuja-Nigeria.

MATERIALS/METHODS: this study was a prospective, cross sectional study carried out on consecutive consented dermatological outpatients who had acne vulgaris (N = 62) and chronic urticaria (N = 31) over a period of nine months (June 2013-February 2014) and 50 apparently healthy control matched for age and sex were recruited into the study. Diagnosis of acne vulgaris and chronic urticaria were clinically made. Questions on State Trait Anxiety Index STAI (Y-1) form were used to determine their present feelings and level of perceived anxiety within the society as a result of acne vulgaris and chronic urticaria. Total STAI score greater than 54 suggests severe level of anxiety and univariate analysis of variance was used to determine relationship between anxiety and its social consequences. Data was keyed into and analysed with SPSS 20.

RESULTS: ratio of male: female for subjects is 1:1.9 and 1:1.3 for controls while mean age in years ± Standard Deviation (SD) for subjects and controls were 29.02 ± (9.2) and 28.42 ± (8.3) respectively. There was sex and age match between subjects and controls. Also, there was observable moderate to severe anxiety among those that had acne vulgaris and chronic urticaria as compared to apparently healthy controls. Low self-esteem, inferiority complex, lack of self-confidence, and social withdrawal, were among the common social reactions noticeable among the subject group. Mean STAI score ± s.e (standard error) of subjects was significantly higher than that of the controls 49.7 ± 0.788 and 33.9 ± 1.255 respectively at t-test = 11.2 and p = 0.0001.

CONCLUSION: acne vulgaris and chronic urticaria was highly associated with moderate to severe anxiety with attending social reactions when compared to apparently healthy controls.
A Preface to the Islamic Personality Psychology
Authors: Othman Nooraini
Published: December 2015

The personality psychology of Islam stands as an essential feature in the understanding of Islamic psychology. Human being, being physical and metaphysical in nature is certainly a complex creature. It is physical as it involves the study of human being and his personality and metaphysical as it is studying the unseen matters of the person such as his heart, mind, spirit and soul. The study of psychology is a scientific domain that deals with behaviour of a person. Thus, this paper briefly analysed the concept of personality in Islam, the Islamic worldview and its relationship with personality and finally Islamic personality psychology.
School-Based Behavioural Consultation for School-Refusal Behaviour
Authors: Maeda Naoki
Published: December 2015

Through three case reports, the present study explores a school-based behavioural consultation for school-refusal behaviour. A two-part intervention was established in this study. The first part consisted of a school counsellor providing behavioural consultation for school-refusal behaviour to the parents and school staff and the second part used an attendance process which parents and school staff escorted children who are unwilling to engage in treatment process to school. Through a series of intervention, all participants were able to attend school from the first week of intervention, and a school-based behavioural consultation using escorting school attendance was effective in treating these children. In addition, this study found that all the parties involved in this process should spend most of their energy during the first crucial week of intervention.
A new approach to design of control systems using genetic programming
Authors: Cpalka Krzysztof , Łapa Krystian , Przybył Andrzej
Published: December 2015

In this paper a new approach to automatic design of control systems is proposed. It is based on a knowledge about modelling object and capabilities of the genetic programming. In particular, a new type of the problem encoding, new evolutionary operators (tuning operator and mutation operator) and new initialization method are proposed. Moreover, we present a modified block schema of genetic algorithm and modification of genetic operators: insertion, pruning, crossover were introduced. Combination of mentioned elements allows us to simplify a design of control systems. It also provides a lot of possibilities in the selection of the control system parameters and its structure. Our method was tested on the model of quarter car active suspension system.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.itc.44.4.10214
A Three-Party Password-based Authenticated Key Exchange Protocol for Wireless Communications
Authors: Lu Yanrong , Li Lixiang , Peng Haiepeng , Yang Yixian
Published: December 2015

A three-party password-based authenticated key exchange (3PAKE) protocol is an important cryptographic primitive which allows two entities to establish a session key with the help of a trusted server through an insecure channel. Recently, Farash and Attari (Information Technology and Control 43(2), 143-150, 2014) presented an improved 3PAKE protocol to erase the security flaws found in Tallapally’s 3PAKE protocol (Information Technology and Control 41(1), 15-22, 2012). They claimed that their improved protocol could withstand many security attacks. However, we identified that Farash and Attari’s protocol was still sensitive to the off-line password guessing attack which directly resulted in defencelessness to the impersonation attack. In order to cope with the loopholes of Farash and Attari’s protocol, we proposed a modified 3PAKE protocol without using smart cards for wireless communications. We demonstrate that the proposed protocol can mitigate all the problems of the protocol of Farash and Attari and possess more security properties. In addition, we make a comparison among the proposed protocol and the other related protocols regarding the performance and security properties.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.itc.44.4.9729
Efficient statistics-based algebraic codebook search algorithms derived from RCM for an ACELP speech coder
Authors: Lin Tzu-Hung , Yeh Cheng-Yu , Hwang Shaw-Hwa
Published: December 2015

Applied to analgebraic codebook search conducted on an algebraic code-excitedlinear-prediction (ACELP) speech coder, two improved versions of reducedcandidate mechanism (RCM), designated as Fixed-G1-RCM and Fixed-2Track-RCM, arepresented in this study for further search performance improvement. It ismainly derived from two major research findings in a piece of our prior work.The first finding is that a pulse with a high contribution in a track is morelikely to serve as the optimal pulse in the optimal vector pertaining to thetrack, and the second is that the speech quality can be well maintained at asearch accuracy above 50%. In this proposal, the trade off can be tuned betweenthe search accuracy and the search complexity so as to reach a nearlyconsistent speech quality. It is experimentally demonstrated that either Fixed-G1-RCM(N = 3), or Fixed-2Track-RCM (M = 2, N = 3, or M = 3, N = 4) can provide ahighly superior search performance relative to a global pulse replacementmethod (iteration = 2) and an iteration-freepulse replacement method.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.itc.44.4.9847
Chyba měření a odhad pravého skóru: Připomenutí některých postupů Klasické testové teorie
Authors: Cígler Hynek , Šmíra Martin
Published: December 2015

Práce s chybou měření patří k základním dovednostem při interpretaci výsledků psychologických výsledků. Bohužel, řada českých psychologických metod však neobsahuje veškeré informace o chybě měření, například intervaly spolehlivosti či odhad standardní chyby měření pro různá použití. I v případě, že tyto informace jsou dostupné, je často nutné zvážit i další okolnosti a způsob výpočtu přizpůsobit – ne vždy je přitom možné se spolehnout na informace poskytnuté distributorem testu. Ani v současné počítačové době navíc nejsou jednoduše dostupné příslušné aplikace a řadu základních výpočtů by si tak psycholog v ideálním případě měl umět provést sám. Článek v krátkosti shrne běžné postupy při interpretaci chyby měření s využitím intervalů spolehlivosti v rámci klasické testové teorie, a to včetně podrobných příkladů, aby text mohl sloužit jako návod pro psychology z praxe. Cígler, H., & Šmíra, M.: Error of measurement and the estimation of true score: Selected methods of Classical test theoryOne of the elementary skills involved in the interpretation of the psychological results is handling the error of measurement. Unfortunately, many Czech psychological tests do not include all the necessary information about the error of measurement (e.g. confidence intervals and standard errors of measurement for different purposes). Even if such information is available, we might need to consider other circumstances of the assessment, and adjust the method of estimation and its application properly – it is not always possible to rely on the test developer in such cases. Since there are not many applications for such computations easily available for the test users, they should be capable of doing many of the elementary computations by hand. This paper briefly summarizes common techniques for the interpretation of the error of measurement using confidence intervals in the framework of Classical Test Theory. The theory is supported by detailed examples that should be helpful for applying these procedures in practice.
A Brief Review of Intimate Partner Violence in the United States: Nature, Correlates, and Proposed Preventative Measures
Authors: Regan Pamela C. , Durvasula Ramani S.
Published: December 2015

Aggression and violence are themes which characterize a significant proportion of many close romantic relationships. Both women and men may find themselves caught in a web of intimate terror – controlled, manipulated, and hurt by a coercive and violent partner. In this brief review article, we summarize existing literature on the form of intimate partner violence known as coercive controlling violence (CCV), domestic abuse, or intimate terrorism. We begin by discussing the nature and consequences of CCV relationships. Personal or individual (e.g., biological sex, age, immigrant status, socioeconomic status, attitudes and beliefs, mental health and psychopathology), relational or interpersonal (e.g., relationship type, relationship satisfaction), and environmental (e.g., economic strain, social isolation) risk factors associated with the occurrence of domestic abuse are identified. Finally, potential preventative measures at the individual, interpersonal, and sociocultural level that may serve to reduce the likelihood of this pernicious interpersonal phenomenon are considered.
A COMPOSITIONAL STUDY OF A SELECTION OF SONG DYNASTY CHINESE CERAMICS FROM THE JAVA SEA SHIPWRECK: RESULTS FROM LA-ICP-MS ANALYSIS
Authors: Niziolek Lisa C.
Published: December 2015

Although much historical work has been done on early trading networks in the South China Sea and Indian Ocean regions, few published projects have utilized the rich contributions that underwater archaeology can make to the study of such relationships and their intricacies. In this paper, I use the twelfth-thirteenth century Java Sea Shipwreck as a starting point to examine medieval maritime exchange networks and the production of trade goods in East and Southeast Asia during the early second millennium AD. Specifically, I report on the results of laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) analysis conducted at The Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago on a number of high-fired Chinese ceramics from the shipwreck. This geochemical analysis was undertaken in order to assess correlations between style and material and to identify potential kiln sites where the pieces were manufactured. By doing so, we can better understand the organization, intensity, and scale of ceramic production in China at the time and how these commodities linked Chinese producers to consumers throughout East and Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean World.
Evidence for a common evolutionary rate in metazoan transcriptional networks
Authors: Carvunis Anne-Ruxandra , Wang Tina , Skola Dylan , Yu Alice , Chen Jonathan , Kreisberg Jason F , Ideker Trey
Published: December 2015

Genome sequences diverge more rapidly in mammals than in other animal lineages, such as birds or insects. However, the effect of this rapid divergence on transcriptional evolution remains unclear. Recent reports have indicated a faster divergence of transcription factor binding in mammals than in insects, but others found the reverse for mRNA expression. Here, we show that these conflicting interpretations resulted from differing methodologies. We performed an integrated analysis of transcriptional network evolution by examining mRNA expression, transcription factor binding and cis-regulatory motifs across >25 animal species, including mammals, birds and insects. Strikingly, we found that transcriptional networks evolve at a common rate across the three animal lineages. Furthermore, differences in rates of genome divergence were greatly reduced when restricting comparisons to chromatin-accessible sequences. The evolution of transcription is thus decoupled from the global rate of genome sequence evolution, suggesting that a small fraction of the genome regulates transcription.
Human Holliday junction resolvase GEN1 uses a chromodomain for efficient DNA recognition and cleavage
Authors: Lee Shun-Hsiao , Princz Lissa Nicola , Klügel Maren Felizitas , Habermann Bianca , Pfander Boris , Biertümpfel Christian
Published: December 2015

Holliday junctions (HJs) are key DNA intermediates in homologous recombination. They link homologous DNA strands and have to be faithfully removed for proper DNA segregation and genome integrity. Here, we present the crystal structure of human HJ resolvase GEN1 complexed with DNA at 3.0 Å resolution. The GEN1 core is similar to other Rad2/XPG nucleases. However, unlike other members of the superfamily, GEN1 contains a chromodomain as an additional DNA interaction site. Chromodomains are known for their chromatin-targeting function in chromatin remodelers and histone(de)acetylases but they have not previously been found in nucleases. The GEN1 chromodomain directly contacts DNA and its truncation severely hampers GEN1’s catalytic activity. Structure-guided mutations in vitro and in vivo in yeast validated our mechanistic findings. Our study provides the missing structure in the Rad2/XPG family and insights how a well-conserved nuclease core acquires versatility in recognizing diverse substrates for DNA repair and maintenance.
PROJETO INFÂNCIA E CINEMA: OLHARES SOBRE A CRIANÇA
Authors: Marchi Rita De Cassia , Oliveira Daniela Odete , Santos Maristela Pitz , Santos João Altair
Published: December 2015

 A infância tem, nas últimas décadas, exigido atenção das políticas públicas, notadamente a partir da promulgação dos Direitos das Crianças, caracterizando modificações na concepção destas categorias no âmbito da escola, da família, das mídias. O projeto “Infância e Cinema: olhares sobre a criança”, elaborado no quadro teórico da Sociologia da Infância, é um projeto de extensão universitária que discute imagens da infância veiculadas pelo cinema. Tendo a criança como centro das narrativas, o propósito é estimular, junto a profissionais da Educação Básica de (nome omitido) e região, e estudantes de cursos de Licenciatura, reflexão sobre a construção social da infância, percebendo as crianças em diferentes contextos sociais e geográficos. Como resultados, destacam-se as discussões que se multiplicaram nos locais de trabalho dos participantes, possibilitando “mover o pensamento” e colocando em xeque concepções tidas como “naturais” ou “únicas” sobre crianças, a infância e sua educação.
Patterns of alcohol policy enforcement activities among local law enforcement agencies: A latent class analysis
Authors: Erickson Darin J. , Rutledge Patricia C. , Lenk Kathleen M. , Nelson Toben F. , Jones-Webb Rhonda , Toomey Traci L.
Published: December 2015

Erickson, D., Rutledge, P., Lenk, K., Nelson, T., Jones-Webb, R., & Toomey, T. (2015). Patterns of alcohol policy enforcement activities among local law enforcement agencies: A latent class analysis. The International Journal Of Alcohol And Drug Research, 4(2), 103-111. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.v4i2.204Aims: We assessed levels and patterns of alcohol policy enforcement activities among U.S. local law enforcement agencies.Design/Setting/Participants: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of a representative sample of 1,631 local law enforcementagencies across the 50 states.Measures/Methods: We assessed 29 alcohol policy enforcement activities within each of five enforcement domains—underagealcohol possession/consumption, underage alcohol provision, underage alcohol sales, impaired driving, and overservice ofalcohol—and conducted a series of latent class analyses to identify unique classes or patterns of enforcement activity for eachdomain.Findings: We identified three to four unique enforcement activity classes for each of the enforcement domains. In four of thedomains, we identified a Uniformly Low class (i.e., little or no enforcement) and a Uniformly High enforcement activity class(i.e., relatively high levels of enforcement), with one or two middle classes where some but not all activities were conducted.The underage provision domain had a Uniformly Low class but not a Uniformly High class. The Uniformly Low class was themost prevalent class in three domains: underage provision (58%), underage sales (61%), and overservice (79%). In contrast, lessthan a quarter of agencies were in Uniformly High classes.Conclusions: We identified qualitatively distinct patterns of enforcement activity, with a large proportion of agencies in classescharacterized by little or no enforcement and fewer agencies in high enforcement classes. An important next step is to determineif these patterns are associated with rates of alcohol use and alcohol-related injury and mortality.
Commentary: The land of insurmountable opportunities
Authors: Denniston Robert W.
Published: December 2015

Denniston, R. (2015). Commentary: The land of insurmountable opportunities. The International Journal Of Alcohol And Drug Research, 4(2), 97-99. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.v4i2.207Much is known about how to change alcohol policy to reduce harm, but despite the evidence little action has been taken at thenational level in the United States. Government officials have shown little interest in putting prevention research results to work.The influence of the alcohol industry on policy-makers combined with free market ideology has thwarted change despite theefforts of advocacy groups working to reduce harm. The role of the alcohol industry at the national and international level servesas a powerful deterrent to policy change.
Retrospective assessment of prenatal alcohol exposure by detection of phosphatidylethanol in stored dried blood spot cards: An objective method for determining prevalence rates of alcohol consumption during pregnancy
Authors: Baldwin Aileen E. , Jones Joseph , Jones Mary , Plate Charles , Lewis Douglas
Published: December 2015

Baldwin, A., Jones, J., Jones, M., Plate, C., & Lewis, D. (2015). Retrospective assessment of prenatal alcohol exposure by detection of phosphatidylethanol in stored dried blood spot cards: An objective method for determining prevalence rates of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. The International Journal Of Alcohol And Drug Research, 4(2), 131-137. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.v4i2.209Aims: To analyze the efficacy of screening banked newborn dried blood spots (DBS) for detection of phosphatidylethanol(PEth), a direct alcohol biomarker, with the purpose of performing a retrospective assessment of statewide prevalence rates ofalcohol consumption in late pregnancy that results in risky prenatal alcohol exposure.Design: Residual DBS samples collected for newborn screening and stored by a state department of public health wereexamined for concentrations of PEth. The prevalence of prenatal alcohol exposure, as determined by this direct alcoholbiomarker, was compared to prevalence rates of alcohol consumption during pregnancy that have been derived from multiplestate-based and national studies using maternal self-report surveys.Setting: DBS cards representative of the general newborn population were collected from multiple hospitals across a singlemidwestern state.Participants: Two hundred fifty anonymous newborn DBS collected for routine metabolic screening in a midwestern state wererequested through the Virtual Repository of Dried Blood Spots.Measures: Concentrations of PEth, a highly specific biomarker of alcohol consumption, were analyzed using a liquidchromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method validated by our laboratory.Findings: Of 2 50 D BS e xamined, 4 % w ere p ositive f or PEth ( PEth ≥ 8 n g/ml) which is indicative of exposure to maternalalcohol consumption during the last month of pregnancy.Conclusions: Detection of PEth from newborn DBS cards can identify prenatal alcohol exposure and also be used forretrospective surveillance of alcohol consumption during the last three to four weeks of pregnancy, using specimens that arecollected for routine metabolic screening and stored by many state health departments.
Special Issue on the Alcohol Policy 16 Conference: Building Blocks for Sound Alcohol Policies, April 3-5, 2013, Washington, DC
Authors: Ryan Barbara
Published: December 2015

Ryan, B. (2015). Special Issue on the Alcohol Policy 16 Conference: Building Blocks for Sound Alcohol Policies, April 3-5, 2013, Washington, DC. The International Journal Of Alcohol And Drug Research, 4(2), 95. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.v4i2.210In 1981, the South Carolina Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse convened the first Alcohol Policy conference (AP1) in Charleston, to provide a forum where researchers, practitioners, and prevention advocates could discuss innovative policy approaches and research for preventing alcohol-related problems. Its director, Jerry McCord, used his position to organize AP1 to promote the careful consideration of alcohol policy issues from both a research and practitioner perspective at a time when few public officials were interested in pursuing alcohol control policies as a way to address—and reduce—societal alcohol problems.
Synodic and semiannual oscillations of argon‐40 in the lunar exosphere
Authors: Hodges R. Richard , Mahaffy Paul R.
Published: December 2015

The neutral mass spectrometer on the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) spacecraft collected a trove of exospheric data, including a set of high‐quality measurements of radiogenic 40Ar over a period of 142 days. Data synthesis studies, using well‐established exosphere simulation tools, show that the LADEE argon data are consistent with an exosphere‐regolith interaction that is dominated by adsorption and that the desorption process generates the Armand distribution of exit velocities. The synthesis work has uncovered an apparent semiannual oscillation of argon that is consistent with temporal sequestration in the seasonal cold traps created at the poles by the obliquity of the Moon. In addition, the LADEE data provide new insight into the pristine nature of lunar regolith, its spatially varying sorption properties, and the influence of sorption processes on the synodic oscillation of the argon exosphere.
Estimating daily forest carbon fluxes using a combination of ground and remotely sensed data
Authors: Chirici Gherardo , Chiesi Marta , Corona Piermaria , Salvati Riccardo , Papale Dario , Fibbi Luca , Sirca Costantino , Spano Donatella , Duce Pierpaolo , Marras Serena , Matteucci Giorgio , Cescatti Alessandro , Maselli Fabio
Published: December 2015

Several studies have demonstrated that Monteith's approach can efficiently predict forest gross primary production (GPP), while the modeling of net ecosystem production (NEP) is more critical, requiring the additional simulation of forest respirations. The NEP of different forest ecosystems in Italy was currently simulated by the use of a remote sensing driven parametric model (modified C‐Fix) and a biogeochemical model (BIOME‐BGC). The outputs of the two models, which simulate forests in quasi‐equilibrium conditions, are combined to estimate the carbon fluxes of actual conditions using information regarding the existing woody biomass. The estimates derived from the methodology have been tested against daily reference GPP and NEP data collected through the eddy correlation technique at five study sites in Italy. The first test concerned the theoretical validity of the simulation approach at both annual and daily time scales and was performed using optimal model drivers (i.e., collected or calibrated over the site measurements). Next, the test was repeated to assess the operational applicability of the methodology, which was driven by spatially extended data sets (i.e., data derived from existing wall‐to‐wall digital maps). A good estimation accuracy was generally obtained for GPP and NEP when using optimal model drivers. The use of spatially extended data sets worsens the accuracy to a varying degree, which is properly characterized. The model drivers with the most influence on the flux modeling strategy are, in increasing order of importance, forest type, soil features, meteorology, and forest woody biomass (growing stock volume).
Evolutionary Genetics, Statistics in
Authors: Ewens Warren J.
Published: December 2015

Evolutionary genetics and statistics are twin subjects. Many important statistical concepts, for example, the Analysis of Variance (seeAnalysis of Variance), had their origin in evolution questions, and because of the stochastic nature of biological evolution, statistical methods are essential in analyzing genetical data. The importance of the Mendelian hereditary system to the Darwinian theory of evolution by natural selection was not fully recognized until statistical methods showed, for example, that the preservation of variation so necessary for the Darwinian theory obtains under the Mendelian system. However, the rewriting of the Darwinian theory in terms of Mendelian genetics is not straightforward for diploid organisms (such as humans). A parent passes on one of two randomly chosen genes at each gene locus to an offspring, and statistical analysis then shows that only a part of the variation in fitness has an evolutionary significance. This is the additive genetic variance in fitness, essentially that part of fitness due to “genes within genotypes.” This observation led to the statistical concept of the Analysis of Variance. Because of the many random factors involved in biological evolution, statistical methods are needed to assess features of the past history of a population, for example, the mean number of generations in the past back to the most recent common ancestor of all humans.
M
atrix, Ill‐Conditioned
Authors: Stewart G. W.
Published: December 2015

A system of linear equations is said to ill‐conditioned if its solution is sensitive to small perturbations in the matrix of the system, and the matrix itself is also said to be ill‐conditioned. The degree of ill‐condition is given by a condition number that can be computed from the matrix. This number can also be used to assess the sensitivity of a least‐squares or regression problem to errors in its defining data.
Skew‐Normal Family of Distributions
Authors: Azzalini Adelchi
Published: December 2015

The skew‐normal family of distributions is introduced, both in the univariate and the multivariate setting, and its main properties are summarized. A number of extensions are also presented, from the simplest forms denoted “extended skew‐normal” to more complex ones, such as the skew‐elliptical and skew‐symmetric distributions.
Cumulative Damage Models
Authors: Leiva Víctor , Saunders Sam C.
Published: December 2015

In this article, we introduce cumulative damage models. We provide a review of the basic issues related to these models and some recent ideas on the topic. Also, it contains a survey of some realistic engineering aspects associated with cumulative damage models. In addition, we discuss an implementation of related distributions in theRsoftware by using an example with fatigue life data.
M
arsaglia's Table Method
Authors: Kronmal Richard A. , Peterson Arthur V.
Published: December 2015

Marsaglia's table method is a clever, fast, general‐purpose table look‐up method of generating discrete random variables over finite sample spaces. It is based upon representing the probabilities of the discrete probability function as a finite‐length decimal (or other base) representation. For over 20 years, Marsaglia's table method was the method of choice for generating large numbers of discrete random variables. Recently, other methods have been developed, notably Walker's method and the indexed‐search method, which are exact and competitive in efficiency with the table method.
Optimal Design
Authors: Atkinson Anthony C.
Published: December 2015

The article focuses on the use of the methods of optimal experimental design to solve a number of nonstandard problems arising particularly in experiments in the process industries. Examples include response‐surface designs for an arbitrary number of observations. Because some combinations of factors may produce unstable results, designs are found over irregular design regions. The method of dividing such designs into blocks is also shown. Mixture designs, again over constrained regions, are mentioned. The theory underlying the construction of the designs is integrated using a general equivalence theorem for determinant optimality, which leads to algorithms for the construction of designs and to the assessment of their efficiency. These designs are compared with those that minimize the variance of prediction over a specified region, for which an equivalence theorem is also described, together with algorithms for construction of these I‐optimal designs. References are given to recent work.
Capital in Life Assurance
Authors: Forfar David O.
Published: December 2015

The article outlines the different nature of payouts on life company policies and lists the risks to which a life insurance company may be subject to. It looks at the requirements for capital for the life company to remain solvent. The American approach to solvency and the European approach are outlined. The central role of the actuary in ensuring his company remains solvent is highlighted.
Ethics of Randomized Trials
Authors: Fisher Lloyd D. , van Belle Gerald
Published: December 2015

Ethics of Randomized Trials. All agree on the need for ethical consideration in human randomized trials though there is disagreement on the specific principles and implications for practice. One area of agreement is the need for fully informed consent by the participants – where possible. When not possible (e.g. young children, diminished mental capacity or cardiac arrest), the issues are more subtle and difficult. Disinterested review and monitoring by Institutional Review Boards and Data Monitoring Committees is instituted in practice and in law in many countries. Both cluster randomization and Zelen's design are mentioned. The real or perceived difficult physician‐patient and physician‐scientist conflict are discussed, as well as placebo arms in randomized trials. Ethical codes for the practice of statistics are available from both the American Statistical Association and the Royal Statistical Society.
Assortative Mating
Authors: Wilson Susan R.
Published: December 2015

Assortative mating occurs when the phenotypes of biological parents are more (or less) similar than would occur under random mating. In contrast to inbreeding, mechanisms for assortative mating are poorly defined. The classical model for assortative mating makes strong assumptions, such as independent genetic and environmental contributions to a trait and no interaction between genotype and environment. More complex models have been developed, especially for human behavioral traits. Assortative mating affects the estimations and interpretation of heritability and lowers the power of linkage studies.
Transplantation
Authors: Bird Sheila M.
Published: December 2015

The first successful human corneal transplant was around 1900 by Zirm, corneal xenografting having been tried as early as 1837 but without notable success. From the early 1950s, Calne envisaged kidney transplantation as a practicable therapy; and surgical, immunological, and immunosuppressive advances made it so by the mid‐1980s. By 1970, Barnard had pioneered heart transplantation; and liver transplantation was also under way. Xenografting from transgenic pigs was an unrealized challenge of the next decades, together with improvements in unrelated donor bone marrow transplantation and therapeutic exploitation of stem cell banking. Interventional ventilation has not been proceeded with, and there has been more emphasis on realizing national potentials for living related kidney transplantation together with ethical and matching safeguards for unrelated living renal transplantation.

By 1990, transplantation had achieved 1‐year graft survival rates of 80% or more for most solid organs, and had done so through surgical innovation, advances in immunosuppression, beneficial and favorable matching of kidney donor to recipient, better preservation solutions, and by studying center variation in donor rates as well as in transplant outcome. In the 1990s, shortage of cadaveric donor organs was a limiting factor which the use of split livers or of domino heart transplants from cystic fibrosis heart‐lung block recipients mitigated only very partially. Epidemiological studies monitor malignancies secondary to immunosuppression.Quality of lifeas well as length of life (seeLife Expectancy) is improved by transplantation.

Statistical science has underpinned much of the above progress.

The past decade has seen transplant organizations internationally seeking to increase the equity and transparency as well as efficiency (e.g., in terms of quality‐adjusted life‐years) of their policies for national (and local) allocation of cadaveric donor organs.
Item Response Theory Models in Behavioral Social Science: Assessment of Fit
Authors: Glas Cees A. W.
Published: December 2015

The fit of item response theory models can be evaluated by the computation of residuals and the associated test statistics. The procedures are targeted at three assumptions: the form of the item response curves, the assumption of local stochastic independence, and the assumption of subpopulation invariance. A general statistical framework is given for the definition of test statistics with a known asymptotic distribution. The procedures are worked out in some detail for the three‐parameter logistic model and the generalized partial credit model. Further, it is outlined how the procedures generalize to other parametric models for dichotomously and polytomously scored items. An example from a school effectiveness study serves as a small illustration. Finally, some references to alternative approaches to the evaluation of model if are given.
Factor Analysis: Multiple Groups
Authors: Little Todd D. , Lee Jaehoon
Published: December 2015

The general factor model, when extended to include mean‐level information, is a very powerful tool for cross‐group and longitudinal comparisons. The multiple‐group mean and covariance structures (MACS) approach is particularly useful for making cross‐group (or cross‐time) comparisons because it allows for (i) simultaneous estimation of all parameters in each group (or at each occasion) and (ii) direct statistical comparisons of the estimated parameters across groups (or occasions). Because the means of measured indicators are included explicitly in the analyses, they provide a basis to make a very strong test of the validity of construct comparisons (i.e., measurement equivalence) across groups and across time. Specifically, strong factorial invariance indicates that the constructs are psychometrically equivalent in each group or at each occasion (i.e., comparable). When strong invariance holds, hypotheses about the nature of possible group‐ or time‐related influences can be meaningfully tested on any of the constructs' means, variances, or covariances. Here, groups can be defined on the basis of culture, gender, race, condition, or any other grouping criteria.