bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Volatility Estimation Using Symmetric and Asymmetric Models in Oil Exporting Emerging Markets
Authors: Sreeram Latha
Published: February 2019

The study empirically investigates the volatility pattern of thirteen emerging economies which are predominantly oil exporting countries. It is based on the time series data which consists of monthly closing price data of their index for a ten-year period from 01 January 2008 to 31 December 2017. Emerging markets are considered as investment destinations due to the presence of risk premium which has made the stock markets of these countries more volatile. Added to this is that these countries underwent crisis due to the sharp decline in crude oil prices as they were primarily dependent on oil exports. Hence it is a significant to study the volatility behavior of these countries.  The study has been done by employing both symmetric and asymmetric models of generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedastic. As per Akaike Information Criterion (AIC), Log likelihood and Schwarz Information Criterion (SIC) the study provides evidence that GARCH (1,1) and TGARCH(1,1) estimations are found to be the most appropriate model that fits symmetric and asymmetric volatility respectively for all the thirteen countries. There was evidence of volatility clustering and leptokurtic in all the countries considered in the study. While EGARCH model revealed no support of existence of leverage on the stock returns, TGARCH supported existence of leverage in case of four countries. The tests for asymmetries in volatility indicate the size effect of the news, reaffirmed through the results of sign bias tests and news impact curves, which indicate that the size effect is stronger for bad news than the good news for countries which supported existence of leverage.
A Corpus-Based Analysis of Eight English Synonymous Adjectives of Fear
Authors: Sayyed Sa'ida Walid , Al-Khanji Rajai Rasheed
Published: February 2019

This corpus-based study aims at investigating the similarities and differences that exist between afraid, scared, frightened, terrified, startled, fearful, horrified and petrified. Specifically, it compared and contrasted them in terms of dialectal differences, frequency of occurrence, distribution in different genres and core meanings. The data were collected from the British National Corpus (BNC), the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA), the online Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (LDOCE) and the online Merriam Webster’s Dictionary (MWD). The results of both corpora have revealed that the most frequent adjectives of fear are “afraid”, “scared” and “frightened”. Moreover, the findings of both corpora have shown that nearly all adjectives appear to be mostly used in fiction and spoken genres. Furthermore, the results also unveiled that both the Americans and the British tend to avoid using such adjectives of fear in academic contexts. As for the core meanings, the findings have uncovered that the core meanings of these adjectives in dictionaries have shown that LDOCE gives more emphasis on idiomatic meanings of words under investigation. Unlike MWD, LDOCE offers more senses for the words “afraid”, “scared” and “frightened”. Further, the meanings of these adjectives in COCA have revealed that this corpus gives more space for idiomatic expressions related to the adjectives under investigation if compared to the results of MWD. Therefore, it can be concluded that the data of the two corpora give extra meanings that are not found in these dictionaries. Also, the study concluded with some pedagogical implications.
Responsabilidad solidaria derivada de las relaciones laborales triangulares en Nicaragua
Authors: Gutiérrez Guerrero Arlen Francela
Published: February 2019

El presente trabajo describe el contexto jurídico de las relaciones laborales triangulares y la responsabilidad solidaria que de ellas se derivan, con el propósito de identificar posibles recomendaciones tendientes a mejorar el sistema de responsabilidad ya fijado en el derecho doméstico, en aras de contar con un sistema jurídico que brinde seguridad a los sujetos que conforman la relación laboral, y sea garante de los derechos fundamentales de los trabajadores.

 Se dedica un apartado a la responsabilidad derivada de las obligaciones en general de acuerdo a las disposiciones contenidas en nuestro derecho común como fuente del derecho laboral. De igual manera, se exponen y analizan las distintas posiciones doctrinales que fundamentan la existencia de responsabilidad solidaria o subsidiaria en las relaciones laborales triangulares, y seguidamente el tratamiento jurídico dado por las legislaciones peruana y chilena a la responsabilidad solidaria derivada de este tipo de relaciones.

 Se realizó una identificación del marco jurídico de esta clase de relaciones laborales en el ordenamiento jurídico nicaragüense, haciendo énfasis en los tipos de relaciones laborales triangulares reconocidas por nuestra legislación y cómo se determina la responsabilidad en este tipo de relaciones para identificar debilidades y limitaciones presentes en nuestro régimen de responsabilidad, y en base a ello proponer los elementos básicos de deba contener un régimen de responsabilidad aplicable a las relaciones laborales triangulares que brinde seguridad y garantía jurídica a los sujetos involucrados en ellas.
El delito de plagio en el ordenamiento jurídico penal nicaragüense
Authors: Santos López Roger Lenín
Published: February 2019

El plagio constituye una de las mayores vulneraciones de los derechos de autor. Esta conducta infringe no solo derechos morales, sino también patrimoniales. Su regulación penal reviste particular interés no solo por los bienes jurídicos que tutela, sino también por las complejidades que dicha protección implica dada la interrelación que existe con otros elementos distintivos del derecho de autor como es el criterio de la originalidad, y el reconocimiento de limitaciones en el ejercicio de los derechos como es el derecho de cita.

 El presente artículo tiene como objetivo general analizar la regulación jurídica del plagio en el Código Penal nicaragüense. Se encuentra dividido en dos partes la primera dirigida a sistematizar los presupuestos de la conducta de plagio, a partir de establecer el tratamiento teórico que existe en relación a esta, y una segunda parte, en la cual se determinan los elementos constitutivos del delito de plagio y se propone una regulación jurídica para este delito en el ordenamiento jurídico nicaragüense. Para su desarrollo se utilizaron métodos de investigación como el análisis, síntesis, inducción y deducción, teórico-jurídico y el exegético analítico.
Newton’s Parabola Observed from Pappus’ Directrix, Apollonius’ Pedal Curve (Line), Newton’s Evolute, Leibniz’s Subtangent and Subnormal, Castillon’s Cardioid, and Ptolemy’s Circle (Hodograph) (09.02.2019)
Authors: Stavek Jiri
Published: February 2019

Johannes Kepler and Isaac Newton inspired generations of researchers to study properties of elliptic, hyperbolic, and parabolic paths of planets and other astronomical objects orbiting around the Sun. The books of these two Old Masters “Astronomia Nova” and “Principia…” were originally written in the geometrical language. However, the following generations of researchers translated the geometrical language of these Old Masters into the infinitesimal calculus independently discovered by Newton and Leibniz. In our attempt we will try to return back to the original geometrical language and to present several figures with possible hidden properties of parabolic orbits. For the description of events on parabolic orbits we will employ the interplay of the directrix of parabola discovered by Pappus of Alexandria, the pedal curve with the pedal point in the focus discovered by Apollonius of Perga (The Great Geometer), and the focus occupied by our Sun discovered in several stages by Aristarchus, Copernicus, Kepler and Isaac Newton (The Great Mathematician). We will study properties of this PAN Parabola with the aim to extract some hidden parameters behind that visible parabolic orbit in the Aristotelian World. In the Plato’s Realm some curves carrying hidden information might be waiting for our research. One such curve - the evolute of parabola - discovered Newton behind his famous gravitational law. We have used the Castillon’s cardioid as the curve describing the tangent velocity of objects on the parabolic orbit. In the PAN Parabola we have newly used six parameters introduced by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz - abscissa, ordinate, length of tangent, subtangent, length of normal, and subnormal. We have obtained formulae both for the tangent and normal velocities for objects on the parabolic orbit. We have also obtained the moment of tangent momentum and the moment of normal momentum. Both moments are constant on the whole parabolic orbit and that is why we should not observe the precession of parabolic orbit. We have discovered the Ptolemy’s Circle with the diameter a (distance between the vertex of parabola and its focus) where we see both the tangent and normal velocities of orbiting objects. In this case the Ptolemy’s Circle plays a role of the hodograph rotating on the parabolic orbit without sliding. In the Plato’s Realm some other curves might be hidden and have been waiting for our future research. Have we found the Arriadne’s Thread leading out of the Labyrinth or are we still lost in the Labyrinth?
An Investigation of the Interaction Markers of Pakistani Journalistic Discourse from Gender Perspective
Authors: Mehboob-Ul-Hassan Muhammad , Gulnaz Fahmeeda , Shafique Haroon , Adrees Muhammad
Published: February 2019

The objective of this research is to investigate the language used by male and female Pakistani journalists by focusing on the use of interaction markers. This study aims to explore the meta-discourse features in the writings of the Pakistani English newspaper journalists. The data is collected from Dawn, The News, The Nation and The Express Tribune newspapers. The corpus for the research consisted of two hundred (200) columns written by forty Pakistani journalists including both males and females. Hyland’s (2005a) model of interactional meta-discourse was used as a theoretical framework. Mixed methodology will be used to analyze the data qualitatively and quantitatively to find out the gender-based differences in the use of interaction markers in the writings of Pakistani journalists. First, the data collected are quantified quantitatively then for the elaboration of gender-based differences in the use of interaction markers, qualitative research methodology is used. Moreover, Antconc, a corpus-based research tool, is employed to statistically analyze the corpus of the study. The study provides the analysis of interactional markers in the Pakistani journalistic discourse by employing Hyland’s (2005a) model of interaction. The results show that there exists a gender-based difference in the use of interaction markers. The female Pakistani columnists use interaction markers more frequently than the male counterparts. The research provides new insight to the national and international researchers about gender-based differences in media discourse within the Pakistani context.
Kratom (Mitragynine) Ingestion Requiring Naloxone Reversal
Authors: Overbeek Daniel , Abraham Jonathan , Munzer Brendan
Published: February 2019

Kratom (mitragynine) is a naturally occurring opioid agonist whose use has been escalating. Its suppliers advertise it as a safe alternative for opioids and a safe treatment for opioid-withdrawal symptoms. There has been controversy in the past two years regarding the legal status and lack of regulation surrounding kratom. Currently, kratom is legal and unregulated, leaving users at risk from unpredictable potencies and effects. We present the first case of successful naloxone reversal of opioid toxidrome from recreationally used kratom. We advocate further research and regulation to ensure standardized dosing to protect patients.
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Presenting Solely as Low Back Pain
Authors: Goodwin Joshua , Das Bijon
Published: February 2019

A 23-year-old man with acute lymphoblastic leukemia presented to the emergency department without any history of constitutional symptoms (fatigue, anorexia, or weight loss), dyspnea, bruising, or bleeding. Presentation of acute leukemia solely as musculoskeletal pathology is common in pediatric populations but rare among adult patients. Recognizing this presentation of acute leukemia in adult patients could help prevent delayed diagnoses.
Ruptured Tubal Ectopic Pregnancy at Fifteen Weeks Gestational Age
Authors: Stremick Justine , Couperus Kyle , Ashworth Simeon
Published: February 2019

Tubal ectopic pregnancies are commonly diagnosed during the first trimester. Here we present a second-trimester tubal ectopic pregnancy that was previously misdiagnosed as an intrauterine pregnancy on a first-trimester ultrasound. A 39-year-old gravida 1 para 0 woman at 15 weeks gestation presented with 10 days of progressive, severe abdominal pain, along with vaginal bleeding and intermittent vomiting for two months. She was ultimately found to have a ruptured left tubal ectopic pregnancy. Second-trimester ectopic pregnancies carry a significant maternal mortality risk. Even with the use of ultrasound, they are difficult to diagnose and present unique diagnostic challenges.
Pura Vida: Affect, Puerto Viejo, and Emergent Tourism Erotics
Authors: Maksymowicz Kristofer
Published: February 2019

Located approximately four hours southeast of San José on the Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is a burgeoning tourist town thoroughly characterized and “eroticized” in guidebook, anthropological, and ethnographic representations, as a place where “tourist women come to ‘hook up’ with local, Afro-Caribbean men.” Drawing on recent developments at the intersections of affect studies and the anthropologies of tourism, in this experimental paper, I seek to augment and accomplish a disruption of such representational and critical assessments, specifically, through a retooling of salient tourism studies concepts such as encounters and contact zones, toward a theoretical orientation that explores “eroticization” as an affectively charged, durative, and ongoing process of becoming. In doing so, I further experiment with ethnographic writing practices and conventions adequate to this task, thereby enacting a mimetic performance of affects toward an extension of their disruptive potentials. To that effect, I take up locally and touristically inflected notions of vortices, understood as seductive and relational affectively charged pulls that draw tourists and locals alike into new and ongoing infrastructures of difference, for better or for worse.
Entre kawaii et hentai, le Japon fantasmé à travers sa pop culture
Authors: Sabre Clothilde
Published: February 2019

Le succès du manga et de l’animation japonaise en France a contribué à la diffusion d’un certain nombre d’images du pays et de sa culture, et les fans ont bâti leur imaginaire du Japon dans ce contexte. Parmi ces éléments, les thèmes de l’amour, de la séduction et de la sexualité occupent une place importante, non seulement en tant que représentations exotiques lointaines s’appuyant sur les contenus, mais également à l’occasion de voyages au Japon. Les références établies au préalable à travers le manga et l’animation entretiennent donc un fantasme qui guide le désir de rencontre lors du séjour, avec une palette allant de la relation romantique à la multiplication des aventures sexuelles. Cette étude ethnographique s’intéresse à la manière dont ces images de l’érotisme et de l’amour influencent le vécu du séjour au Japon et la relation à ses habitants, le temps liminoïde des vacances et l’immersion dans un pays fantasmé et admiré renforçant le désir de l’Autre jusqu’à en faire un impératif du voyage.
Communiquer et percevoir les valeurs culturelles d’un territoire par le biais de souvenirs artisanaux : expériences touristiques francophones au Centre du Vietnam
Authors: Tiến Dũng Trương
Published: February 2019

Les valeurs culturelles représentées par les souvenirs, malgré leur importance capitale, n’occupent qu’une petite place dans la littérature et, plus particulièrement, dans les études touristiques francophones. Ainsi, cette recherche vise à examiner les valeurs culturelles associées aux souvenirs artisanaux du Centre du Vietnam achetés par des touristes francophones. L’examen des perceptions des diverses parties prenantes révèle que la culture reste le premier critère qui motive les touristes à se procurer des souvenirs artisanaux. Si ceux-ci traduisent effectivement plusieurs valeurs culturelles de la destination, d’autres valeurs s’ajoutent néanmoins au cours de l’achat. L’étude montre également l’écart entre l’image que veut transmettre la population locale et celle perçue par les touristes. Cet écart est généralement dû au manque de renseignements fournis ou recherchés par les touristes. Les promoteurs devraient donc travailler sur cet aspect de la communication de l’information afin de promouvoir la vente des souvenirs et, par le fait même, amoindrir l’écart.
Heterodimerization of UNC-13/RIM regulates synaptic vesicle release probability but not priming in C. elegans
Authors: Liu Haowen , Li Lei , Nedelcu Daniel , Hall Qi , Zhou Lijun , Wang Wei , Yu Yi , Kaplan Joshua M , Hu Zhitao
Published: February 2019

UNC-13 proteins play an essential role in synaptic transmission by recruiting synaptic vesicles (SVs) to become available for release, which is termed SV priming. Here we show that the C2A domain of UNC-13L, like the corresponding domain in mammalian Munc13-1, displays two conserved binding modes: forming C2A/C2A homodimers, or forming a heterodimer with the zinc finger domain of UNC-10/RIM (C2A/RIM). Functional analysis revealed that UNC-13L’s C2A promotes synaptic transmission by regulating a post-priming process. Stimulus-evoked release but not SV priming, was impaired in unc-10 mutants deficient for C2A/RIM heterodimerization, leading to decreased release probability. Disrupting C2A/C2A homodimerization in UNC-13L-rescued animals had no effect on synaptic transmission, but fully restored the evoked release and the release probability of unc-10/RIM mutants deficient for C2A/RIM heterodimerization. Thus, our results support the model that RIM binding C2A releases UNC-13L from an autoinhibitory homodimeric complex to become fusion-competent by functioning as a switch only.
Chronology-based architecture of descending circuits that underlie the development of locomotor repertoire after birth
Authors: Pujala Avinash , Koyama Minoru
Published: February 2019

The emergence of new and increasingly sophisticated behaviors after birth is accompanied by dramatic increase of newly established synaptic connections in the nervous system. Little is known, however, of how nascent connections are organized to support such new behaviors alongside existing ones. To understand this, in the larval zebrafish we examined the development of spinal pathways from hindbrain V2a neurons and the role of these pathways in the development of locomotion. We found that new projections are continually layered laterally to existing neuropil, and give rise to distinct pathways that function in parallel to existing pathways. Across these chronologically layered pathways, the connectivity patterns and biophysical properties vary systematically to support a behavioral repertoire with a wide range of kinematics and dynamics. Such layering of new parallel circuits equipped with systematically changing properties may be central to the postnatal diversification and increasing sophistication of an animal’s behavioral repertoire.
Cellular entry and uncoating of naked and quasi-enveloped human hepatoviruses
Authors: Rivera-Serrano Efraín E , González-López Olga , Das Anshuman , Lemon Stanley M
Published: February 2019

Many ‘non-enveloped’ viruses, including hepatitis A virus (HAV), are released non-lytically from infected cells as infectious, quasi-enveloped virions cloaked in host membranes. Quasi-enveloped HAV (eHAV) mediates stealthy cell-to-cell spread within the liver, whereas stable naked virions shed in feces are optimized for environmental transmission. eHAV lacks virus-encoded surface proteins, and how it enters cells is unknown. We show both virion types enter by clathrin- and dynamin-dependent endocytosis, facilitated by integrin β1, and traffic through early and late endosomes. Uncoating of naked virions occurs in late endosomes, whereas eHAV undergoes ALIX-dependent trafficking to lysosomes where the quasi-envelope is enzymatically degraded and uncoating ensues coincident with breaching of endolysosomal membranes. Neither virion requires PLA2G16, a phospholipase essential for entry of other picornaviruses. Thus naked and quasi-enveloped virions enter via similar endocytic pathways, but uncoat in different compartments and release their genomes to the cytosol in a manner mechanistically distinct from other Picornaviridae.
Discriminative stimuli are sufficient for incubation of cocaine craving
Authors: Madangopal Rajtarun , Tunstall Brendan J , Komer Lauren E , Weber Sophia J , Hoots Jennifer K , Lennon Veronica A , Bossert Jennifer M , Epstein David H , Shaham Yavin , Hope Bruce T
Published: February 2019

In abstinent drug addicts, cues formerly associated with drug-taking experiences gain relapse-inducing potency (‘incubate’) over time. Animal models of incubation may help develop treatments to prevent relapse, but these models have ubiquitously focused on the role of conditioned stimuli (CSs) signaling drug delivery. Discriminative stimuli (DSs) are unique in that they exert stimulus-control over both drug taking and drug seeking behavior and are difficult to extinguish. For this reason, incubation of the excitatory effects of DSs that signal drug availability, not yet examined in preclinical studies, could be relevant to relapse prevention. We trained rats to self-administer cocaine (or palatable food) under DS control, then investigated DS-controlled incubation of craving, in the absence of drug-paired CSs. DS-controlled cocaine (but not palatable food) seeking incubated over 60 days of abstinence and persisted up to 300 days. Understanding the neural mechanisms of this DS-controlled incubation holds promise for drug relapse treatments.
Point-of-Care Ultrasonography Integration in Undergraduate Medical Education: A Student-Driven Approach
Authors: Goodcoff Adam , Keane Delaney , Bialczak Angelica , Ziner Elizabeth , Hanna Jandy B.
Published: February 2019

Background

The importance of medical ultrasonography (US) is well established, but given an already dense curriculum, integration of US into preclinical training can be difficult. Although there is no clear consensus on the best practice for integrating US into medical school curricula, growing student interest in US training demands investigation of potential solutions.

Objective

To investigate whether US integration through peer-assisted learning (PAL) and extracurricular activities during preclinical training is perceived to be valuable by student participants.

Methods

First- and second-year students at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) were invited via email to attend 4 monthly PAL extracurricular US sessions on the following point-of-care US topics: (1) basic lung examination to assess pleural sliding, (2) extended focused assessment with sonography for trauma, (3) right upper quadrant biliary examination, and (4) US-guided central venous catheter placement. A brief survey using Likert-style questions inquired about participants’ level of agreement with whether the given session was appropriately complex, increased comfort with US, was informative and interactive, and improved confidence in identifying anatomic structures (sessions 2 and 3 only). A final question asked participants whether they would attend more extracurricular US sessions.

Results

Fifty-eight students (36 unique students) attended the peer-led sessions. Of the 58 students, 50 responded to the survey for a response rate of 86.2%. Responses were overwhelmingly positive. All respondents strongly agreed or agreed that these sessions improved their confidence in identifying anatomic structures using US, and 49 (98%) strongly agreed or agreed that they would attend more US sessions.

Conclusion

Respondents strongly endorsed the peer-led US sessions, which has facilitated the formal integration of an elective US course at WVSOM. The peer-led sessions introduced at WVSOM could provide the framework and motivation for similar courses at osteopathic medical schools across the country.
Development of X-Band Transceiver MMIC’s Using GaN Technology
Authors: Memioglu O. , Kazan O. , Karakuzulu A. , Turan I. , Gundel A. , Kocer F. , Civi O. A.
Published: February 2019

This paper describes X-Band power amplifier (PA), low noise amplifier (LNA) and switches that can be used in transmit/receive modules which are developed with GaN technology. For Transmit chain two 25 W high power amplifiers that are tuned between 8-10 GHz and 10-12 GHz bands are designed. A low noise amplifier with 2 W survivability and less than 2dB noise figure is designed for receive chain Furthermore, an RF switch that is capable of withstanding 25 W RF power is developed for the selection of transmit or receive chains. Measurement results show that both power amplifiers produce 25 W of power. Low noise amplifier has more than 20 dB small signal gain with less than 2 dB noise figure. RF switch has 50 dB of isolation with less than 1 dB insertion loss.
Oxidative stress and the presence of bacteria increase gene expression of the antimicrobial peptide aclasin, a fungal CSαβ defensin in Aspergillus clavatus
Authors: Contreras Gabriela , Wang Nessa , Schäfer Holger , Wink Michael
Published: February 2019

Background

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent a broad class of naturally occurring antimicrobial compounds. Plants, invertebrates and fungi produce various AMPs as, for example, defensins. Most of these defensins are characterised by the presence of a cysteine-stabilised α-helical and β-sheet (CSαβ) motif. The changes in gene expression of a fungal CSαβ defensin by stress conditions were investigated in Aspergillus clavatus. A. clavatus produces the CSαβ defensin Aclasin, which is encoded by the aclasin gene.

Methods

Aclasin expression was evaluated in submerged mycelium cultures under heat shock, osmotic stress, oxidative stress and the presence of bacteria by quantitative real-time PCR.

Results

Aclasin expression increased two fold under oxidative stress conditions and in the presence of viable and heat-killed Bacillus megaterium. Under heat shock and osmotic stress, aclasin expression decreased.

Discussion

The results suggest that oxidative stress and the presence of bacteria might regulate fungal defensin expression. Moreover, fungi might recognise microorganisms as plants and animals do.
Some methods to improve the utility of conditioned Latin hypercube sampling
Authors: Malone Brendan P. , Minansy Budiman , Brungard Colby
Published: February 2019

The conditioned Latin hypercube sampling (cLHS) algorithm is popularly used for planning field sampling surveys in order to understand the spatial behavior of natural phenomena such as soils. This technical note collates, summarizes, and extends existing solutions to problems that field scientists face when using cLHS. These problems include optimizing the sample size, re-locating sites when an original site is deemed inaccessible, and how to account for existing sample data, so that under-sampled areas can be prioritized for sampling. These solutions, which we also share as individual R scripts, will facilitate much wider application of what has been a very useful sampling algorithm for scientific investigation of soil spatial variation.
A simulation framework for evaluating multi-stage sampling designs in populations with spatially structured traits
Authors: Puerta Patricia , Ciannelli Lorenzo , Johnson Bethany
Published: February 2019

Selecting an appropriate and efficient sampling strategy in biological surveys is a major concern in ecological research, particularly when the population abundance and individual traits of the sampled population are highly structured over space. Multi-stage sampling designs typically present sampling sites as primary units. However, to collect trait data, such as age or maturity, only a sub-sample of individuals collected in the sampling site is retained. Therefore, not only the sampling design, but also the sub-sampling strategy can have a major impact on important population estimates, commonly used as reference points for management and conservation. We developed a simulation framework to evaluate sub-sampling strategies from multi-stage biological surveys. Specifically, we compare quantitatively precision and bias of the population estimates obtained using two common but contrasting sub-sampling strategies: the random and the stratified designs. The sub-sampling strategy evaluation was applied to age data collection of a virtual fish population that has the same statistical and biological characteristics of the Eastern Bering Sea population of Pacific cod. The simulation scheme allowed us to incorporate contributions of several sources of error and to analyze the sensitivity of the different strategies in the population estimates. We found that, on average across all scenarios tested, the main differences between sub-sampling designs arise from the inability of the stratified design to reproduce spatial patterns of the individual traits. However, differences between the sub-sampling strategies in other population estimates may be small, particularly when large sub-sample sizes are used. On isolated scenarios (representative of specific environmental or demographic conditions), the random sub-sampling provided better precision in all population estimates analyzed. The sensitivity analysis revealed the important contribution of spatial autocorrelation in the error of population trait estimates, regardless of the sub-sampling design. This framework will be a useful tool for monitoring and assessment of natural populations with spatially structured traits in multi-stage sampling designs.
Integrative taxonomic reassessment ofOdontophrynuspopulations in Argentina and phylogenetic relationships within Odontophrynidae (Anura)
Authors: Martino Adolfo Ludovico , Dehling Jonas Maximilian , Sinsch Ulrich
Published: February 2019

Amphibians are the most vulnerable vertebrates to biodiversity loss mediated by habitat destruction, climate change and diseases. Informed conservation management requires improving the taxonomy of anurans to assess reliably the species’ geographic range. The genusOdontophrynusthat is geographically refined to Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay includes currently 12 nominal species with many populations of uncertain taxonomic assignment and subsequently unclear geographic ranges. In this study, we applied integrative taxonomic methods combining molecular (mitochondrial 16S gene), allozyme, morphological and bioacoustic data to delimit species of the genusOdontophrynussampled from throughout Argentina where most species occur. The combined evidence demonstrates one case of cryptic diversity and another of overestimation of species richness. The populations referred to asO. americanuscomprise at least three species. In contrast,O. achalensisandO. barrioirepresent junior synonyms of the phenotypically plastic speciesO. occidentalis. We conclude that each of the four species occurring in Argentina inhabits medium to large areas. The Red List classification is currently “Least Concern”. We also propose a phylogenetic hypothesis for the genus and associated generaMacrogenioglottusandProceratophrys(Odontophrynidae).
Evaluating the utility of camera traps in field studies of predation
Authors: Akcali Christopher K. , Adán Pérez-Mendoza Hibraim , Salazar-Valenzuela David , Kikuchi David W. , Guayasamin Juan M. , Pfennig David W.
Published: February 2019

Artificial prey techniques—wherein synthetic replicas of real organisms are placed in natural habitats—are widely used to study predation in the field. We investigated the extent to which videography could provide additional information to such studies. As a part of studies on aposematism and mimicry of coral snakes (Micrurus) and their mimics, observational data from 109 artificial snake prey were collected from video-recording camera traps in three locations in the Americas (terra firmeforest, Tiputini Biodiversity Station, Ecuador; premontane wet forest, Nahá Reserve, Mexico; longleaf pine forest, Southeastern Coastal Plain, North Carolina, USA). During 1,536 camera days, a total of 268 observations of 20 putative snake predator species were recorded in the vicinity of artificial prey. Predators were observed to detect artificial prey 52 times, but only 21 attacks were recorded. Mammals were the most commonly recorded group of predators near replicas (243) and were responsible for most detections (48) and attacks (20). There was no difference between avian or mammalian predators in their probability of detecting replicas nor in their probability of attacking replicas after detecting them. Bite and beak marks left on clay replicas registered a higher ratio of avian:mammalian attacks than videos registered. Approximately 61.5% of artificial prey monitored with cameras remained undetected by predators throughout the duration of the experiments. Observational data collected from videos could provide more robust inferences on the relative fitness of different prey phenotypes, predator behavior, and the relative contribution of different predator species to selection on prey. However, we estimate that the level of predator activity necessary for the benefit of additional information that videos provide to be worth their financial costs is achieved in fewer than 20% of published artificial prey studies. Although we suggest future predation studies employing artificial prey to consider using videography as a tool to inspire new, more focused inquiry, the investment in camera traps is unlikely to be worth the expense for most artificial prey studies until the cost:benefit ratio decreases.
Tumor mutational profile of triple negative breast cancer patients in Thailand revealed distinctive genetic alteration in chromatin remodeling gene
Authors: Niyomnaitham Suvimol , Parinyanitikul Napa , Roothumnong Ekkapong , Jinda Worapoj , Samarnthai Norasate , Atikankul Taywin , Suktitipat Bhoom , Thongnoppakhun Wanna , Limwongse Chanin , Pithukpakorn Manop
Published: February 2019

Background

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a breast cancer subtype characterized by absence of both hormonal receptors and human epithelial growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). TNBC accounts for 15–20% of breast cancer. TNBC is associated with more aggressive disease and worse clinical outcome. Though the underlying mechanism of TNBC is currently unclear, the heterogeneity of clinical characteristics in various population may relate to the difference in tumor mutational profile. There were studies on TNBC gene mutations in various ethnic groups but the tumor genome data on Thai TNBC patients is currently unknown. This study aims to investigate mutational profile of Thai TNBC.

Methods

The patients were Thai individuals who were diagnosed with primary breast carcinoma between 2014 and 2017. All surgically removed primary tumor tissues were carefully examined by pathologists and archived as formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor. TNBC was defined by absence of hormonal receptors and HER2 by immunohistochemistry. Genomic DNA was extracted, enriched and sequenced of all exomes on the Illumina HiSeq. Genomic data were then processed through bioinformatics platform to identify genomic alterations and tumor mutational burden.

Results

A total of 116 TNBC patients were recruited. Genomic analysis of TNBC samples identified 81,460 variants, of which 5,906 variants were in cancer-associated genes. The result showed that Thai TNBC has higher tumor mutation burden than previously reported data. The most frequently mutated cancer-associated gene was TP53 similar to other TNBC cohorts. Meanwhile KMT2C was found to be more commonly mutated in Thai TNBC than previous studies. Mutational profile of Thai TNBC patients also revealed difference in many frequently mutated genes when compared to other Western TNBC cohorts.

Conclusion

This result supported that TNBC breast cancer patients from various ethnic background showed diverse genome alteration pattern. Although TP53 is the most commonly mutated gene across all cohorts, Thai TNBC showed different gene mutation frequencies, especially in KMT2C. In particular, the cancer gene mutations are more prevalent in Thai TNBC patients. This result provides important insight on diverse underlying genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of TNBC that could translate to a new treatment strategy for patients with this disease.
Emergence of visible light optical properties of L-phenylalanine aggregates
Authors: Ziaunys Mantas , Smirnovas Vytautas
Published: February 2019

The ability of phenylalanine to form fibrillar nanostructures was demonstrated on multiple occasions, and such an oligomerization reaction could be the cause of cytotoxicity in patients with phenylketonuria. These findings were supported by claims that L-phenylalanine (Phe) fibrils have amyloid properties and can be detected using thioflavin T fluorescence assay. However, a part of Phe aggregation studies reported the opposite data, suggesting no amyloid structures to be formed. Due to the contradicting reports, the amyloid nature of Phe aggregates remains uncertain. In this work we tested Phe aggregation under conditions where amyloid formation was previously reported. We show the emergence of Phe aggregates with visible light optical properties that overlap with the spectra of dyes used in amyloid fibril assays, which could lead to false-positive identifications.
How the Fractional-order Improve and Extend the Well-known Competitive Exclusion Principle in the Chemostat Model with n Species Competing for a Single Resource?
Authors: Sayari Sayed , Hajji Miled El
Published: February 2019

In this paper, a fractional-order mathematical model for n species competing, in a chemostat,for a single resource is proposed. The global dynamics was studied using Lyapunov theory, forany set of increasing growth functions. Obtained results generalize and improve the well-knowncompetitive exclusion principle in the chemostat, that one species will eliminate all other species.
Incidence of Plant Viral Disease Symptoms and Their Transmission Agents in Dutsin-Ma Metropolis
Authors: Bem A. A. , Toryila M. , Anakaa T. M. , Orpin J. B.
Published: February 2019

This work explores the incidence of plant viral disease symptoms as well as their transmission agents in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area Katsina State, Nigeria. The studied diseased plants were identified while diseases were based on visual inspection using characteristic symptoms. Organisms associated with such symptoms were collected by handpicking, shacking/beating and tissue teasing methods. Identification was done using a standard voucher. Incidence of plants with viral symptoms was determined by plant disease index method. Chi square analysis was used to ascertain significant differences (P≥ 0.05) of plants showing viral symptoms. Results shows that plants with viral symptoms included Amaranthus sp. (Amaranthus), Vigna unguiculata (cowpea), Zea mays (maize), Abelmoschus esculentus (okra), Carica papaya (pawpaw) and Capsicum sp (pepper). Studies also reveal Myzus persicae (aphids), Frankinella occidentalis (thrips), Bemisa tabaci (whitefly), Peregrinus maydis (leafhoppers) and Pseudococcidae (mealy bugs) as organisms associated with diseased plants with viral symptoms. Disease index showed Amaranthus spp. 63%, Vigna unguiculata 84%, Zea mays 73%, Abelmoschus esculentus, Carica papaya and Capsicum spp. 100%. Incidence rate varied significantly (P≥ 0.05) in the various locations surveyed. Further studies need to be carried out to identify the individual viruses.
Amalgamation of Novel Schiff Base Ligand and Its Transition Metal Complexes and Their Biological Activity
Authors: Akila B. , Xavier A.
Published: February 2019

Schiff base synthesized from 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde and 2-2’ (ethylene dioxy) bis ethylenediamine (L1) and its Metal complexes, [M (II) (L)6](where M= Mn(II), Ru(III), Cu(II)and V(V) L= Schiff base moiety), have been prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, spectroscopic measurements (infrared, electronic spectroscopy, 1H-NMR, EPR and Mass spectroscopy ). Elemental analysis of the metal complexes was suggested that the stoichiometry ratio is 1:1 (metal-ligand). The electronic spectra suggest an octahedral geometry for MC1and MC2 Schiff base complexes and distorted octahedral for MC3 and MC4 complexes. The Schiff base and its metal chelates have been screened for their invitro test antibacterial activity against three bacteria, gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and gram-negative (Klebsiella pheneuammonia and Salmonella typhi). Two strains of fungus (Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans). The metal chelates were shown to possess more anti fungal activity compare then antibacterial activity and antioxidant properties. The complexes are highly active than the free Schiff-base ligand.
Toeplitz and slant Toeplitz operators on the polydisk
Authors: Hazarika Munmun , Marik Sougata
Published: February 2019

For n ≥ 1, let Dn be the polydisk in ℂn, and let Tn be the n-torus. L2(Tn) denotes the space of Lebesgue square integrable functions on Tn. In this paper we define slant Toeplitz operators on L2(Tn). Besides giving a necessary and sufficient condition for an operator on L2(Tn) to be slant Toeplitz, we also establish several properties of slant Toeplitz operators.
Use of a best practice alert linking Clostridioides difficile infection test results to a severity-based treatment order set
Authors: Reed Holly L. , Van Schooneveld Trevor C. , Reha Craig G. , Bergman Scott J.
Published: February 2019

We evaluated provider adherence to practice guidelines for inpatients diagnosed with Clostridoides difficile infection (CDI) before and after implementation of a best practice alert (BPA) linking a positive test result to guideline-based orders. After implementation of the BPA, guideline-based prescribing increased from 39.4% in 2013 to 67.7% in 2016 (P = .014).
Effective control test at the interface between the law of international responsibility and the law of international organizations: Managing concerns over the attribution of UN peacekeepers’ conduct to troop-contributing nations
Authors: Okada Yohei
Published: February 2019

On 27 June 2017, in theStichting Mothers of Srebrenicacase, The Hague Court of Appeal applied the effective control test in determining attribution and found that the Netherlands was responsible for the failure of the Dutch battalion (Dutchbat) acting as a part of the UN Protection Force (UNPROFOR) to protect civilians from the Srebrenica massacre in 1995. This judgment is of considerable significance because the court renounced the preventive approach to the effective control test, to which the Dutch courts had repeatedly declared their adherence, and reverted to the traditional (presumptive) approach. The preventive interpretation was originally proposed with a view to justifying much broader attribution to troop-contributing nations (TCNs). However, quite interestingly, the Court of Appeal reached the conclusion that the Dutchbat’s conduct was attributable to the Netherlands without recourse to the preventive approach. The present study argues that the legal framework for the attribution of UN peacekeepers’ conduct has developed in such a manner that the fair allocation of responsibility and the effectiveness of UN peacekeeping operations are in equilibrium. In that sense, the effective control test should be located at the interface between the law of international responsibility and the law of international organizations. It is illustrated that not only does the preventive interpretation fail to strike a fair balance between the institutional considerations and the need to provide remedies for victims of peacekeepers’ misconduct, but also the presumptive approach may lead to effective remedies while having due regard for the institutional considerations.
Separation Choosability and Dense Bipartite Induced Subgraphs
Authors: Esperet Louis , Kang Ross J. , Thomassé Stéphan
Published: February 2019

We study a restricted form of list colouring, for which every pair of lists that correspond to adjacent vertices may not share more than one colour. The optimal list size such that a proper list colouring is always possible given this restriction, we call separation choosability. We show for bipartite graphs that separation choosability increases with (the logarithm of) the minimum degree. This strengthens results of Molloy and Thron and, partially, of Alon. One attempt to drop the bipartiteness assumption precipitates a natural class of Ramsey-type questions, of independent interest. For example, does every triangle-free graph of minimum degree d contain a bipartite induced subgraph of minimum degree Ω(log d) as d→∞?
The influence of clinical and laboratory factors on the formation of monopronucleated zygotes after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)
Authors: Fabozzi Gemma , Rega Emilia , Starita Maria Flavia , Amendola Maria Giulia , Colicchia Antonio , Giannini Pierluigi , Piscitelli Claudio
Published: February 2019

The aim of the present study was to determine whether clinical or laboratory factors can influence the development of single pronucleated zygotes (1PN) and two polar bodies (PB) after ICSI. In total, 341 ICSI cycles performed at FertiClinic-Villa Margherita from January 2012 to December 2014 were enrolled in the study. Group A included 240 cycles with no 1PN−2PB while group B included 101 cycles with one or more 1PN−2PB. Age, stimulation protocol, infertility factor, amount of gonadotropin administered, duration of therapy, peak estradiol levels, number of follicles at maturation triggering, oocytes retrieved and mature oocytes, time between retrieval and injection and sperm characteristics were compared between groups. In opposition to previous results showing no relationship between 1PN occurrence and clinical or laboratory variables, we observed that 1PN−2PB zygote formation seems to be associated with a lower female age, higher level of E2 and higher number of follicles on day of oocyte maturation triggering, higher number of astenozoospermic male patients, more oocytes retrieved at pick-up, more mature oocytes (MII) and longer time to injection.
In Praise of Impredicativity: A Contribution to the Formalization of Meta-Programming
Authors: BRY FRANÇOIS
Published: February 2019

Processing programs as data is one of the successes of functional and logic programming. Higher-order functions, as program-processing programs are called in functional programming, and meta-programs, as they are called in logic programming, are widespread declarative programming techniques. In logic programming, there is a gap between the meta-programming practice and its theory: The formalizations of meta-programming do not explicitly address its impredicativity and are not fully adequate. This article aims at overcoming this unsatisfactory situation by discussing the relevance of impredicativity to meta-programming, by revisiting former formalizations of meta-programming, and by defining Reflective Predicate Logic, a conservative extension of first-order logic, which provides a simple formalization of meta-programming.