bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biases in the metabarcoding of plant pathogens using rust fungi as a model system
Authors: Makiola Andreas , Dickie Ian A. , Holdaway Robert J. , Wood Jamie R. , Orwin Kate H. , Lee Charles K. , Glare Travis R.
Published: December 2018

Plant pathogens such as rust fungi (Pucciniales) are of global economic and ecological importance. This means there is a critical need to reliably and cost‐effectively detect, identify, and monitor these fungi at large scales. We investigated and analyzed the causes of differences between next‐generation sequencing (NGS) metabarcoding approaches and traditional DNA cloning in the detection and quantification of recognized species of rust fungi from environmental samples. We found significant differences between observed and expected numbers of shared rust fungal operational taxonomic units (OTUs) among different methods. However, there was no significant difference in relative abundance of OTUs that all methods were capable of detecting. Differences among the methods were mainly driven by the method's ability to detect specific OTUs, likely caused by mismatches with the NGS metabarcoding primers to some Puccinia species. Furthermore, detection ability did not seem to be influenced by differences in sequence lengths among methods, the most appropriate bioinformatic pipeline used for each method, or the ability to detect rare species. Our findings are important to future metabarcoding studies, because they highlight the main sources of difference among methods, and rule out several mechanisms that could drive these differences. Furthermore, strong congruity among three fundamentally different and independent methods demonstrates the promising potential of NGS metabarcoding for tracking important taxa such as rust fungi from within larger NGS metabarcoding communities. Our results support the use of NGS metabarcoding for the large‐scale detection and quantification of rust fungi, but not for confirming the absence of species.
UWB four elements antenna array
Authors: Ahmed Bazil Taha , Masa Campos Jose Luis , Brande Hernández Daniel
Published: December 2018

In this work, a planar UWB four elements antenna array with and without notch filter is designed. The feeding system of the array is an UWB four branch multiple segment power divider/combiner. Each branch has a three segments impedance transformer. Measurements show that the array works well within the band 3.1 to 10.6 with S11 lower than −10 dB. It is shown that the maximum gain varies with the operating frequency having a value of 8 to 12.3 dB and that it is higher than the gain of the single element.
A fast scheme for renal microvascular perfusion functional imaging: Assessed by an imaging quality evaluation model
Authors: Wang Diya , Xu Shanshan , Zhang Kejia , Zhang Xinyu , Yang Xuan , Xiao Mengnan , Su Qiang , Wan Mingxi
Published: December 2018

Purpose

This study aimed to develop a fast scheme of multiparametric perfusion functional imaging (PFI) based on dynamic contrast‐enhanced ultrasound (DCEUS) for assessing renal microvascular hemodynamics.

Method

The flow process in the DCEUS‐based PFI was modified step‐by‐step to improve its operational efficiency, which was validated through in vivo renal perfusion experiments. A multiparametric model with a comprehensive coefficient of imaging quality (CIQ) was then built on four terms of the average information entropy, contrast, gray, and noise coefficient of PFIs to evaluate the sacrifice of imaging quality during modifications of DCEUS‐based PFI.

Results

The multiparametric model successfully evaluated modifications of DCEUS‐based PFI from multiple perspectives (R2 = 0.73, P < 0.01). Compared with the raw scheme in the renal sagittal and coronal planes, the fast PFI scheme significantly improved its operational efficiency by 62.82 ± 1.07% (P < 0.01) and the nine PFIs simultaneously maintained a similar CIQ of 0.26 ± 0.06.

Conclusions

The inhomogeneous hemodynamic distributions with a ring‐like feature in the renal microvasculature were accurately and efficiently characterized by the fast PFI scheme. The fast PFI scheme can be applied for early diagnosis, follow‐up evaluation and monitoring treatment of chronic kidney disease.
Modified predictor‐corrector solution approach for efficient discontinuous deformation analysis of jointed rock masses
Authors: Zheng Fei , Leung Yat Fai , Zhu Jian‐Bo , Jiao Yu‐Yong
Published: December 2018

The high computational costs associated with the implicit formulation of discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA) have been one of the major obstacles for its implementation to engineering problems involving jointed rock masses with large numbers of blocks. In this paper, the Newmark‐based predictor‐corrector solution (NPC) approach was modified to improve the performance of the original DDA solution module in modeling discontinuous problems. The equation of motion for a discrete block system is first established with emphasis on the consideration of contact constraints. A family of modified Newmark‐based predictor‐corrector integration (MNPC) scheme is then proposed and implemented into a unified analysis framework. Comparisons are made between the proposed approach and the widely used constant acceleration (CA) integration approach and central difference (CD) approach, regarding the stability and numerical damping features for a single‐degree‐of‐freedom model, where the implications of the proposed approach on open‐close iteration are also discussed. The validity of the proposed approach is verified by several benchmarking examples, and it is then applied to two typical problems with different numbers of blocks. The results show that the original CA approach in DDA is efficient for the simulation of quasi‐static deformation of jointed rock masses, while the proposed MNPC approach leads to improved computational efficiency for dynamic analysis of large‐scale jointed rock masses. The MNPC approach therefore provides an additional option for efficient DDA of jointed rock masses.
A statistical optimization of a green laser‐assisted ablation process towards automatic bonded repairs of CFRP composites
Authors: Loutas Theodoros H. , Sotiriadis George , Bonas Dimitris , Kostopoulos Vassilis
Published: December 2018

In this study, an optimization of a laser‐based ablation process of aeronautical carbon‐fiber reinforced polymers is aimed via statistical tools such as the design of experiments, the analysis of variance and response surface methodologies. Three basic process parameters and their interactions is under examination that is, the laser beam scanning speed, the pulse repetition frequency and the hatching distance between two scan lines. A green short‐pulsed laser with a central wavelength at 532 nm is for the first time utilized for the ablation task with the purpose of bulk material removal prior to a structural repair. The Box–Behnken Design and a three‐level factorial design are implemented to define the minimum number of experimental trials and build an appropriate test matrix. The results identify the statistically significant parameters that affect five selected responses namely the material removal rate, the shear strength of a stepped‐lap joint and the heat affected zones measured at three locations. Quadratic models are fitted to the experimental data and a near‐optimal solution is identified at the multi‐objective optimization task of laser‐assisted ablation of carbon‐fiber polymer composites. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:3084–3100, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers
Effects of Statin Therapy on the Risk of Intracerebral Hemorrhage in Korean Patients with Hyperlipidemia
Authors: Jung Minji , Lee Sukhyang
Published: December 2018

Study Objective

Statins are widely used for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. Several large randomized trials have suggested that statins might increase the risk of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH); studies have also shown interethnic variability in responses to statins. This study aimed to determine the association between statin use and the risk of ICH in patients with hyperlipidemia among a Korean population.

Design

Population‐based, retrospective cohort study.

Data Source

Korean National Health Insurance Service–National Sample Cohort database (2002–2015).

Patients

A total of 313,368 patients, aged 40–85 years, without a history of hemorrhagic stroke were included after being diagnosed with hyperlipidemia between January 2003 and December 2013 (for follow‐up through December 2015). Of those, statin users were compared with nonusers by using propensity score matching in a 1:1 ratio (21,797 in each group). The study groups were matched for age, sex, Charlson Comorbidity Index score, follow‐up duration, comorbidities, and concurrent medications.

Measurements and Main Results

The primary endpoint was occurrence of an ICH event. Secondary endpoints were mortality (all‐cause, major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular event related, and stroke related) and outcomes after ICH (e.g., recurrent ICH and mortality after primary ICH event). The Cox proportional hazard model was used to evaluate the ICH risk of statins. Subgroup analyses were performed based on ICH‐related risk factors. During a mean follow‐up period of 6.4 years, ICH occurred in 456 of the 43,594 patients (1.05%). Statin use was significantly associated with a decreased ICH risk (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.65–0.94). Compared with nonusers, statin users showed significantly lower all‐cause mortality (aHR 0.61, 95% CI 0.57–0.64), cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease‐related mortality (aHR 0.75, 95% CI 0.65–0.85), and stroke‐related mortality (aHR 0.69, 95% CI 0.54–0.88). No significant differences in recurrence and mortality after an ICH event were noted between study groups.

Conclusion

Statin therapy was associated with a decreased ICH risk and improvements in ischemic cardiovascular and cerebrovascular outcomes in Korean patients with hyperlipidemia. Further large‐scale clinical studies are needed to clarify the impact of statins on the risk of developing ICH.
Association of anti‐inflammatory and antiangiogenic therapies negatively influences prostate cancer progression in TRAMP mice
Authors: Mateus Pedro Augusto Marischka , Kido Larissa Akemi , Silva Rafael Sauce , Cagnon Valéria Helena Alves , Montico Fabio
Published: December 2018

Background

Chronic inflammation has been implicated in cancer etiology and angiogenesis is stimulated in this disease. In prostate, the crosstalk between malignant epithelial cells and their microenvironment is an essential step of tumorigenesis during which glandular stroma undergo changes designated as reactive stroma. Thus, the aim herewith was to evaluate the effects of associating anti‐inflammatory and antiangiogenic therapies on cancer progression, correlating them with steroid hormone receptor (AR and ERα), reactive stroma (vimentin, αSMA, and TGF‐β), and cell proliferation (PCNA) markers expression in the Transgenic Adenocarcinoma of Mouse Prostate (TRAMP) model.

Methods

TRAMP mice (12‐week old) were divided into the groups: Control (TRCON): received the vehicles used for drug dilution; Celecoxib (TRCEL): received oral doses of the anti‐inflammatory drug celecoxib (15 mg/kg) twice daily; Nintedanib (TRNTB): received oral doses of the antiangiogenic drug nintedanib (10 mg/kg) daily; Nintedanib+Celecoxib (TRNTCEL): received the combination of drugs. After 6 weeks, mice were euthanized and ventral prostate samples were harvested for morphological, immunohistochemical, and Western blotting analyses.

Results

While celecoxib led to fibromuscular hypertrophy attenuation, nintedanib significantly reduced the incidence of well‐differentiated adenocarcinoma (WDAC) foci in relation to controls, both when administered per se or in association to celecoxib. Furthermore, drug combination was associated with unique effects, including lower incidence of HGPIN lesions; lower AR stromal distribution; changes in ERα localization from epithelial nuclei to stroma as well as significant decrease of TGF‐β levels and associated angiogenesis. In parallel, all treatments applied resulted in reduced inflammatory marker and vimentin (VIM) expression.

Conclusions

Celecoxib plus nintedanib is an effective antitumor combination against prostate cancer progression in TRAMP mice, showing remarkable efficacy in relation to isolated therapies. Importantly, this efficacy might be due to drug association effect on driving AR and mainly ERα distribution in the prostatic tissue towards benign patterns. In addition, celecoxib and nintedanib impaired the development of a stromal reaction by reducing the recruitment of reactive stroma cells and maintaining a normal smooth muscle cell‐rich prostate stroma in TRAMP mice. Collectively, these findings pointed to the beneficial effects of combining anti‐inflammatory and antiangiogenic strategies to prevent or delay prostatic tumorigenesis.
The taxonomic content of the genus Gavialis from the Siwalik Hills of India and Pakistan
Authors: Martin Jeremy E.
Published: December 2018

The fossil record of the genus Gavialis currently comprises nine species, many of which were erected from the mid nineteenth to the early twentieth century, sometimes on the basis of incomplete specimens. A survey of the Natural History Museum, London, collections, where many specimens were collected in the course of geological surveys in Punjab and Sindh, part of the former Indian Empire, provides a basis to reevaluate the taxonomic content of the genus Gavialis. Four species, G. leptodus, G. pachyrhynchus, G. curvirostris and G. breviceps, are not referable to the genus Gavialis. The species G. hysudricus is considered a junior synonym of G. gangeticus. The genus Gavialis includes two species, namely G. gangeticus and G. bengawanicus; two others, G. browni and G. lewisi require revisions. Several similarities are noted between the tomistomine Rhamphosuchus crassidens and G. leptodus, G. pachyrhynchus, G. curvirostris and G. breviceps. As a generality, the scarcity of information on sampling locations renders difficult a discussion on taxon provenance and age. However, a definitive revision of these taxa requires a revision of R. crassidens as well as an improved stratigraphic framework for all these taxa in a continuing effort to update the diversity of Gavialis and other longirostrine forms in the Mio‐Plio‐Pleistocene of India–Pakistan and SE Asia.
Music, movement and memory: Pedagogical songs as mnemonic aids
Authors: Werner Riah
Published: December 2018

This article proposes a theoretical foundation and practical strategies for incorporating pedagogical songs and corresponding gestures into the language classroom. Music and movement are connected to verbal memory, which is a key component of language learning. Music and language are processed in the same areas of the brain, and recent empirical studies conducted with pre‐K‐12 learners around the world have found a range of benefits when music is integrated into language classrooms. In addition, neuroscientific research has found that presenting text through music can lead to increased recall. Verbal recall can be further enhanced by the incorporation of gesture. Pedagogical songs—created for classroom use and designed to target specific linguistic items—can harness the memory benefits of music for language learning. When teachers create these songs themselves, they can have full control over the songs’ linguistic content. This article outlines three approaches to the creation of pedagogical songs with accompanying examples, so teachers can create lyrics that fit the content they are teaching. Research‐based strategies for incorporating gestures and teaching songs are also presented.
Teachers’ frequently asked questions about focused written corrective feedback
Authors: Lee Icy
Published: December 2018

Although feedback researchers generally advocate a selective, focused written corrective feedback (FWCF) approach, a large number of second language writing teachers in school contexts still respond to written errors in an unfocused manner. Much of existing written corrective feedback (WCF) research is conducted in experimental classrooms, and hence there is a lack of information in current WCF research that can guide teachers’ actual practice of FWCF in real classroom contexts. To fill this gap, the present study aims to find out teachers’ common concerns or questions about FWCF and, based on such information, offers practical suggestions to help teachers come to grips with implementing FWCF in their own contexts. A total of 90 Hong Kong English teachers were surveyed online about their questions and concerns regarding FWCF. The findings reveal three main areas of concern pertaining to the rationale, efficacy, and outcome of FWCF, its practical implementation, and the perceptions of key stakeholders. The article provides answers to teachers’ frequently asked questions about FWCF and concludes with implications for classroom practice, teacher education, and future research.
Initialization of DFIG wind turbines with a phasor‐based approach
Authors: Rolán Alejandro , Pedra Joaquín
Published: December 2018

The objective of this paper is to propose a simple approach to solve the steady state of a wind turbine (WT) equipped with a doubly fed induction generator (DFIG), which can be used to initialize dynamic studies of the machine. The idea is to model the rotor‐side converter (RSC) as a constant current source connected to the rotor of the DFIG. The resulting equivalent circuit consists of a voltage source in series with a reactance, which makes it possible to obtain simple phasor expressions that can be used to obtain the Park components of the variables. The proposed method is compared with the traditional Newton–Raphson algorithm, showing that it is easier and faster to implement, as it makes use of the phasor expressions and it does not require an iterative process to obtain the final solution. Finally, the results of the proposed method are used to simulate a 2‐MW DFIG‐based WT under three‐phase faults, considering three different WT‐operating points. In these simulations, the idea of constant rotor current is extrapolated to the entire event. The simulated results show that both current at torque peaks are reduced. The analytical study and the simulations have been carried out in Matlab™.
Using maternal mule deer movements to estimate timing of parturition and assist fawn captures
Authors: Peterson Mark E. , Anderson Charles R. , Alldredge Mathew W. , Doherty Paul F.
Published: December 2018

Movement patterns of maternal ungulates have been used to determine parturition dates and aid in locating fawns, which may be important for understanding reproductive rates (e.g., pregnancy and fetal), but such methods have not been validated for mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). We first determined timing of parturition using vaginal implant transmitters (VITs) and then predicted timing of parturition using VITs in conjunction with Global Positioning System collar data in the Piceance Basin of northwestern Colorado, USA, during 2012–2014. We examined daily movement rate to determine differences in movement rate among days (7 days pre‐ and postpartum) and for movement patterns indicative of parturition. Mean daily movement rate (m/day) of 102 maternal deer decreased by 46% from 1 day preparturition ( = 1,253, SD = 1,091) to parturition date ( = 682, SD = 574), and remained at this low rate 1–7 days postpartum. We applied an independent data set to validate predicted parturition dates based on daily movement rate. We estimated day of parturition correctly (i.e., day 0), within 1–3 days postparturition, and ≥4 days postparturition of field‐reported dates for 10 (29%), 21 (60%), and 4 (11%) maternal females, respectively. For novel data sets, we predict that a mule deer female whose daily movement rate decreases by ≥46% and remains low ≥3 days postparturition particularly when preceded by a sudden increase in movement—has given birth. However, we caution that disturbance of deer by field crews should be minimized, and if birth sites are not found, neonatal mortality will be underestimated. Our results can help determine timing and general location of parturition as an aid in capturing fawns when the use of VITs is not feasible, with the ultimate objective of estimating pregnancy, fetal, and fawn survival rates if birth sites are found. © 2018 The Wildlife Society.
AN EARLY WOODLAND DOMESTICATED CHENOPOD (CHENOPODIUM BERLANDIERISUBSP.JONESIANUM) CACHE FROM THE TUTELA HEIGHTS SITE, ONTARIO, CANADA
Authors: Crawford Gary W. , Lytle Jessica L. , Williamson Ronald F. , Wojtowicz Robert
Published: December 2018

A cache of charred, domesticated chenopod (Chenopodium berlandierisubsp.jonesianum) seeds is reported from the Early Woodland (930–915 cal BC) Tutela Heights site (AgHb-446) in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. This is the northernmost report of the crop, approximately 800 km northeast of Kentucky where the previous northernmost occurrences contemporary with Tutela Heights are reported. The Tutela Heights chenopod dates to about 1,500 years before the earliest maize is reported in Ontario and is the earliest Eastern Agricultural Complex crop in Canada. The chenopod may represent a crop that was not grown locally. In this scenario, the crop was strictly an exchange item that was circulating in an interregional exchange system that extended south to the US Midwest region and east to the Maritime provinces. Another possibility, although less likely given our current understanding of Early Woodland plant use in Ontario, is that chenopod was introduced to Southern Ontario in this exchange network and subsequently became a crop in a low-level food producing economy during the Ontario Early Woodland. However, no ecological indicators of cultivation have been found at Tutela Heights, and continuity of domesticated chenopod utilization from the Early Woodland period in the province has not yet been documented.
Random local complex dynamics
Authors: GUERINI LORENZO , PETERS HAN
Published: December 2018

The study of the dynamics of an holomorphic map near a fixed point is a central topic in complex dynamical systems. In this paper, we will consider the corresponding random setting: given a probability measure $\unicode[STIX]{x1D708}$ with compact support on the space of germs of holomorphic maps fixing the origin, we study the compositions $f_{n}\circ \cdots \circ f_{1}$, where each $f_{i}$ is chosen independently with probability $\unicode[STIX]{x1D708}$. As in the deterministic case, the stability of the family of the random iterates is mostly determined by the linear part of the germs in the support of the measure. A particularly interesting case occurs when all Lyapunov exponents vanish, in which case stability implies simultaneous linearizability of all germs in $\text{supp}(\unicode[STIX]{x1D708})$.
Application of Craig-Bampton Reduction Technique and 2D Dynamic Infinite Element Modeling Approach to Membrane Vibration Problems
Authors: Liu D. S. , Chen Y. W.
Published: December 2018

An approach is presented for solving membrane vibration problems using an integrated scheme consisting of the Craig-Bampton (CB) reduction technique and a 2D dynamic infinite element modeling (DIEM) method. In the proposed CB-DIEM scheme, the substructure domain is partitioned into multiple layers of geometrically-similar infinite elements (IEs) which use only the data of the boundary nodes. A convergence criterion based on the first invariant of the DIEM mass matrix is used to determine the optimal parameters of the CB-DIEM scheme, namely the proportionality ratio and number of layers in the DIEM partitioning process and the number of retained frequency modes in the CB reduction method. Furthermore, in implementing the CB method, the inversion of the global stiffness matrix is calculated using only the stiffness matrix of the first element layer. Having reduced the DIEM model, a coupled DIE-FE algorithm is employed to model the dynamic problems of the full structure, which removes the respective methods disadvantages while keeping their advantages. The validity and performance of the proposed CB-DIEM method are investigated by means of three illustrative problems.
A Cathaysian rugose coral fauna from the upper Carboniferous of central Iran
Authors: Wang Xiangdong , Gorgij Mohammad N. , Yao Le
Published: December 2018

Twelve rugose coral species belonging to seven genera are described and discussed based on 70 thin sections of 32 specimens collected from the Anarak section, northeast of Nain, Esfahan Province, Yazd Block, central Iran. These species include two new colonial rugose coral species,Antheria fedorowskiiandAntheria robusta, and five previously named species of colonial rugose corals,Antheria lanceolataandStreptophyllidium scitulum, and solitary rugose corals,Arctophyllum jiangsiense,Caninophyllumcf.somtaiense, andPseudotimania delicata. Five species are left in open nomenclature:Antheriasp.,Arctophyllumsp.,Caninophyllumsp.,Nephelophyllumsp., andYakovleviellasp. These Iranian corals are associated with the fusulinidsRauserites(several species) andUltradaixina bosbytauensis, indicating a latest Carboniferous age (Gzhelian age). All the described genera and named species belong to the families Aulophyllidae, Bothrophyllidae, Cyathopsidae, and Kepingophyllidae, among which the family Kepingophyllidae has been previously documented only from China and Indochina. They are typical representatives of the Cathaysian rugose fauna, which was widely developed around the South China and Indochina blocks near the paleoequator and was absent from the Gondwanan and Cimmerian continents in high latitudes during the Late Pennsylvanian. Hence, the occurrence of the Cathaysian fauna from central Iran in the latest Carboniferous suggests that it may have had a close biogeographical connection with China and Indochina, which further implies its latitudinal position intermediate between the Gondwanan continent and South China and Indochina blocks during this time.

UUID:http://zoobank.org/5257d2bb-1346-4dee-8f3e-f4b1b33ba5a9
HASSE PRINCIPLES FOR ÉTALE MOTIVIC COHOMOLOGY
Authors: GEISSER THOMAS H.
Published: December 2018

We discuss the kernel of the localization map from étale motivic cohomology of a variety over a number field to étale motivic cohomology of the base change to its completions. This generalizes the Hasse principle for the Brauer group, and is related to Tate–Shafarevich groups of abelian varieties.
From Barrios to Condos: The Effects of Gentrification on Minority Descriptive Representation
Authors: Casellas Jason , McBrayer Markie
Published: December 2018

Academics, practitioners, and community activists have hotly debated the effects, both positive and negative, of gentrification. Still, political scientists have yet to fully weigh in on the phenomenon. Here, we assess how gentrification affects descriptive minority representation. We find evidence that gentrification negatively impacts minority descriptive representation, specifically black descriptive representation. Gentrification that results in a growing white population negatively affects the election of black councilmembers, and the effect is particularly pronounced when the black population is close to losing its dominance (i.e., it comprises roughly half of the area's population). In contrast, the election of Latino councilmembers is not affected by a growing white population. This suggests that gentrification resulting in demographic shifts has varying effects on descriptive representation, depending on the race and ethnicity of the councilmember and neighborhood, and thus warrants greater attention from political scientists.
The Countervailing Effects of Competition on Public Goods
Provision: When Bargaining Inefficiencies Lead to Bad
Outcomes
Authors: GOTTLIEB JESSICA , KOSEC KATRINA
Published: December 2018

Political competition is widely recognized as a mediator of public
goods provision through its salutary effect on incumbents’ electoral
incentives. We argue that political competition
additionally mediates public goods provision by
reducing the efficiency of legislative bargaining. These
countervailing forces may produce a net negative effect in places
with weak parties and low transparency—typical of many young
democracies. We provide evidence of a robust negative relationship
between political competition and local public goods using panel
data from Mali. Tests of mechanisms corroborate our interpretation
of this relationship as evidence of legislative bargaining
inefficiencies. To explore the generalizability of these findings,
we analyze cross-country panel data and show that political
competition leads to better (worse) public goods provision under
high (low) levels of party system institutionalization. The paper
sheds light on why political competition is only selectively
beneficial, and underscores the importance of considering both the
electoral and legislative arenas.
THE MAXIMUM SIZE OF -SUM-FREE SETS IN CYCLIC GROUPS
Authors: BAJNOK BÉLA , MATZKE RYAN
Published: December 2018

A subset$A$of a finite abelian group$G$is called$(k,l)$-sum-free if the sum of$k$(not necessarily distinct) elements of$A$never equals the sum of$l$(not necessarily distinct) elements of $A$. We find an explicit formula for the maximum size of a$(k,l)$-sum-free subset in$G$for all$k$and$l$in the case when$G$is cyclic by proving that it suffices to consider$(k,l)$-sum-free intervals in subgroups of $G$. This simplifies and extends earlier results by Hamidoune and Plagne [‘A new critical pair theorem applied to sum-free sets in abelian groups’,Comment. Math. Helv. 79(1) (2004), 183–207] and Bajnok [‘On the maximum size of a$(k,l)$-sum-free subset of an abelian group’,Int. J. Number Theory 5(6) (2009), 953–971].
Effects of a 3-month dietary intervention with a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet on vitamin B12 levels in a group of omnivores: results from the CARDIVEG (Cardiovascular Prevention with Vegetarian Diet) study
Authors: Dinu M. , Pagliai G. , Cesari F. , Giusti B. , Gori A. M. , Marcucci R. , Casini A. , Sofi F.
Published: December 2018

Previous studies have suggested that vegetarianism can result in a reduction of vitamin B12 circulating levels. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of a 3-month dietary intervention with a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet (VD) on the levels of circulating vitamin B12 in a group of omnivores. We analysed fifty-four omnivorous subjects who followed a VD as a first dietary intervention within the CARDIVEG (Cardiovascular Prevention with Vegetarian Diet) study, a dietary intervention study. VD resulted in a significant reduction (P<0·001) of 51·2 % of vitamin B12 intake and in a significant reduction (P=0·005) of 6·2 % of the circulating levels of vitamin B12 (–24·5 pg/ml). Changes in vitamin B12 intake were significantly correlated with changes in circulating levels of vitamin B12 (R 0·61, P<0·001). Subgroup analyses showed that reduction in circulating vitamin B12 levels was more evident in participants who were younger, overweight, non-smokers and had hypercholesterolaemia. A logistic regression analysis showed that a reduction in vitamin B12 intake greater than the first quartile of the delta changes obtained in the study population (–28·5 %) conferred a significantly higher risk of experiencing a decrease in circulating vitamin B12 levels (OR 10·1; 95 % CI 1·3, 76·1). In conclusion, a 3-month VD period determined a significant reduction in circulating levels of vitamin B12, being significantly correlated with the reduction in vitamin B12 intake. Although a well-planned VD can provide adequate nutrition across all life stages, special care must be taken to ensure adequate vitamin B12 intake and to help prevent deficiency.
WHICH ROMANS PUNISHED THE GREEKS FOR WHAT THEY DID TO TROY?
Authors: Lintott Andrew
Published: December 2018

ille triumphata Capitolia ad alta Corinthouictor aget currum, caesis insignis Achiuis.eruet ille Argos Agamemnoniasque Mycenasipsumque Aeaciden genus armipotentis Achilli,ultus auos Troiae, templa et temerata Mineruae. (Verg. Aen. 6.836–40)That man will drive his chariot to the lofty Capitol in a triumph over CorinthA victor, made glorious by the Greeks he has slaughtered.That man will overthrow Argos and Agamemnon's MycenaeAnd the very offshoot of Aeacus, the kinsman of Achilles mighty in arms,Avenging his Trojan ancestors and the desecrated temple of Minerva.
THE LITTERSCAPE AND THE NUDE: HISTORY ESCAPES IN MANSUR BUSHNAF'SAL-ʿILKA(CHEWING GUM).
Authors: Olszok Charis
Published: December 2018

Mansur Bushnaf'sal-ʿIlka(Chewing Gum; 2008) is the author's sole novel, born of his twelve-year imprisonment in a Libyan jail, and his reflection on the nation's subjection to international marginalization and dictatorial rule under Gaddafi. The novel is centered on a 19th-century nude which confounds all who encounter it, and which lies neglected in a corner of Tripoli's Red Palace Museum. Through this statue, and the novel's broader poetics of stasis and “chewing,” I explore howturāthin Bushnaf's work, and wider Libyan fiction, is depicted through its abject vulnerability and exposure to historical vicissitudes, reflecting the parallel exclusion of human lives from rights and agency. Inal-ʿIlka, I examine how this is formulated into a defamiliarizing perspective on the postmodern, and on historical trauma and erasure, in which the possibility of narrative is a driving concern, rooted in existential reflection, as well as the real precarity of those who tell stories in Libya.
Franklin’s men and their families: New evidence from the Allotment Books
Authors: Lloyd-Jones Ralph
Published: December 2018

A rich seam of scientific research has been opened by the recent location of both shipwrecks from the disastrous 1845 Franklin northwest passage expedition. Even more than the forensic study of any human remains, the contents of Her Majesty’s Discovery Ships Erebus and Terror have already begun to illuminate the day-to-day lives of Victorian sailors in the Arctic. Yet many hitherto unexamined but informative documents have survived too, both in the British National Archives and at local levels throughout the United Kingdom, which also enable us to focus upon those men, their work and families, thereby gaining a far better understanding of their meticulously planned but ultimately doomed voyage. This article examines the previously ignored Royal Navy Allotment Books and cross-references them with other contemporary records, such as censuses and parish registers, to give us new insights into the backgrounds of the crews of HMSs Erebus and Terror.
A Novel Generation of Ergonomic Upper-Limb Wearable Robots: Design Challenges and Solutions
Authors: Ercolini Giorgia , Trigili Emilio , Baldoni Andrea , Crea Simona , Vitiello Nicola
Published: December 2018

In this work we present NEUROExos, a novel generation of upper-limb exoskeletons developed in recent years at The BioRobotics Institute of Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna (Italy). Specifically, we present our attempts to progressively (i) improve the ergonomics and safety (ii) reduce the encumbrance and weight, and (iii) develop more intuitive human–robot cognitive interfaces. Our latest prototype, described here for the first time, extends the field of application to assistance in activities of daily living, thanks to its compact and portable design. The experimental studies carried out on these devices are summarized, and a perspective on future developments is presented.
SEMIPARAMETRIC INDEPENDENCE TESTING FOR TIME SERIES OF COUNTS AND THE ROLE OF THE SUPPORT
Authors: Harris David , McCabe Brendan
Published: December 2018

This article considers testing for independence in a time series of small counts within an Integer Autoregressive (INAR) model, taking a semiparametric approach that avoids any distributional assumption on the arrivals process of the model. The nature of the testing problem is shown to differ depending on whether or not the support of the arrivals distribution is the full set of natural numbers (as would be the case for Poisson or Negative Binomial distributions for example) or some strict subset of the natural numbers (such as for a Binomial or Uniform distribution). The theory for these two cases is studied separately.

For the case where the arrivals have support on the natural numbers, a new asymptotically efficient semiparametric test, the effective score (Neyman-Rao) test, is derived. The semiparametric Likelihood-Ratio, Wald and score tests are shown to be asymptotically equivalent to the effective score test, and hence also asymptotically efficient. Asymptotic relative efficiency calculations demonstrate that the semiparametric effective score test can provide substantial power advantages over the first order autocorrelation coefficient, which is most commonly applied in practice.

For the case where the arrivals have support that is a strict subset of the natural numbers, the theory is considerably altered because the support of the observations becomes different under the null and alternative hypotheses. The semiparametric Likelihood-Ratio, Wald and score tests become asymptotically degenerate in this case, while the effective score test remains valid. Remarkably, in this case the effective score test is also found to have power against local alternatives that shrink to the null at the rate T−1. In rare cases where the arrival support is partly or totally known, additional tests exploiting this information are considered.

Finite sample properties of the tests in these various cases demonstrate the semiparametric effective score test can provide substantial power advantages over the first order autocorrelation test implied by a parametric Poisson specification. The simulations also reveal situations in which the first order autocorrelation is preferable in finite samples, so a hybrid of the effective score and autocorrelation tests is proposed to capture most of the benefits of each test.
The course of maternal repetitive negative thinking at the transition to motherhood and early mother–infant interactions: Is there a link?
Authors: Müller Dana , Teismann Tobias , Hirschfeld Gerrit , Zmyj Norbert , Fuths Sabrina , Vocks Silja , Schneider Silvia , Seehagen Sabine
Published: December 2018

Potential long-term associations between repetitive negative thinking and mother-infant interactions have received little attention. The current longitudinal study includingN= 62 mother-infant dyads investigated both maternal and infant behavior in face-to-face interactions as a function of pre- and postnatal maternal repetitive negative thinking when infants were aged around 4 months. We hypothesised that mothers with a strong tendency to engage in repetitive negative thinking would react less contingently to their infants’ behavior compared to mothers with a weak tendency to engage in repetitive negative thinking. Furthermore, we hypothesised that infants of mothers high in repetitive negative thinking would differ from infants of mothers low in repetitive negative thinking in their reactions in the still-face task. Contrary to expectations, there was no difference in maternal contingency between mothers high versus low in repetitive negative thinking. However, infant behavior in the still-face task differed as a function of maternal repetitive negative thinking status. Specifically, infants of mothers high in repetitive negative thinking spent more time with object/environment engagement than infants of mothers who were low in repetitive negative thinking, and they also protested less frequently. These findings are discussed in terms of their relevance for the intergenerational transmission of mental disorders.
Shone’s complex in a patient with chromosome 9q34.3 deletion (Kleefstra syndrome)
Authors: Kohli Utkarsh
Published: December 2018

Kleefstra syndrome (chromosome 9q34.3 deletion) is a rare genetic disorder with less than 110 patients reported till date. We report a 4-month-old Caucasian girl with Kleefstra syndrome and Shone’s complex, an association which has not been previously reported. Surgical planning for patients with Kleefstra syndrome and complex CHD can pose challenges due to an uncertain natural history and a risk of post-operative pulmonary hypertension.
Mass-Gathering Medical Care Provided by a Collegiate-Based First Response Service at an Annual College Music Festival and Campus-Wide Celebration
Authors: Friedman Nicholas M.G. , O’Connor Emily K. , Munro Timothy , Goroff David
Published: December 2018

Background

There is insufficient research on medical care at mass-gathering events (MGEs) on college and university campuses. Fun Day is an annual celebratory day held at Skidmore College (Saratoga Springs, New York USA), a small liberal arts college in the Northeastern United States. Fun Day is focused around an outdoor music festival; students also congregate and celebrate throughout the surrounding campus. To improve care and alleviate strain on local resources, a model was developed for the provision of emergency care by a collegiate-based, volunteer first-response service – Skidmore College Emergency Medical Services (EMS) – in coordination with a contracted, private ambulance service.

Study/Objective

The aims of this study were to: (1) analyze medical usage rates and case mixes at Fun Day over a four-year period, and to (2) describe the collegiate-based first response model for MGEs.

Methods

Data were collected retrospectively from event staff, college administrators, and Skidmore College EMS on event-related variables, patient encounters, and medical operations at Fun Day over a four-year period (2014-2017).

Results

Annual attendance at the music festival was estimated at 2,000 individuals. Over four years, 54 patients received emergency medical care on campus on Fun Day, and 18 (33.3%) were transported to the emergency department. On-site contracted ambulances transported 77.8% of patients who were transported to the emergency department; mutual aid was requested for the other 22.2% of transports. The mean (SD) patient presentation rate (PPR) was 7.0 (SD = 1.0) per 1,000 attendees. The mean (SD) transport-to-hospital rate (TTHR) was 2.0 (SD = 1.0) per 1,000 attendees. Thirty (55.6%) patients presented with intoxication, seven (13.0%) with laceration(s), and five (9.3%) with head trauma as the primary concern. Medical command was established by volunteer undergraduate students. Up to 16 volunteer student first responders (including emergency medical technicians [EMTs]) were stationed on campus, in addition to two contracted ambulances at the Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Life Support (ALS) levels. Operational strategies included: mobile first response crews, redundant communication systems, preventative education, and harm reduction.

Conclusion

High medical usage rates were observed, primarily due to alcohol/illicit substance use and traumatic injuries. The provision of emergency care by a collegiate-based first response service in coordination with a contracted, private ambulance agency serves as an innovative model for mass-gathering medical care on college and university campuses.

FriedmanNMG, O’ConnorEK, MunroT, GoroffD.Mass-gathering medical care provided by a collegiate-based first response service at an annual college music festival and campus-wide celebration. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2019;34(1):98–103.
Trade, Political Coalitions and Neo-Gothic Architecture
Authors: De Bièvre Dirk
Published: December 2018

Why did English lords build Gothic ruins, Flemish textile barons recreate medieval cities, and the Prussian elites restore castles?
Effectiveness of social marketing in improving knowledge, attitudes and practice of consumption of vitamin A-fortified oil in Tanzania
Authors: Wu Daphne Chen Nee , Corbett Kitty , Horton Susan , Saleh Nadira , Mosha Theobald CE
Published: December 2018

Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness of a social marketing intervention in enhancing knowledge, attitudes and practice (KAP) related to consumption of vitamin A-fortified oil.

Design

The intervention employed community events, distribution of educational materials and radio broadcasts. The intervention was assessed in a quasi-experimental non-equivalent control group study design by collecting information on KAP regarding vitamin A-fortified oil consumption before and after 9 months of a 13-month intervention.

Setting

Six districts in Manyara and Shinyanga regions in Tanzania were non-randomly selected as the intervention districts and two districts served as the control districts.

Participants

At baseline, 568 lactating mothers with children aged <5 years were randomly selected from the intervention and control districts. Of these, 494 mothers were followed up at endline.

Results

After 9 months of intervention, knowledge of fortification and actual consumption of adequately fortified oil were significantly higher in the intervention districts compared with the control districts (P <0·05). Knowledge of the health benefits of vitamin A improved significantly from about 33 to 45 % in both the intervention and control districts. The major sources of information for women were health clinics and community health workers (CHW).

Conclusions

The study showed that a social marketing intervention is effective in improving KAP regarding fortified oil consumption at the household level. Clinics and CHW are channels that should be prioritized when communicating health messages, particularly those targeting women.
Nutrient profile and energy cost of food sold by informal food vendors to learners in primary and secondary schools in the Eastern Cape, South Africa
Authors: Faber Mieke , de Villiers Anniza , Hill Jillian , van Jaarsveld Paul J , Okeyo Alice P , Seekoe Eunice
Published: December 2018

Objective

To assess type, nutrient profile and cost of food items sold by informal vendors to learners; and to determine nutrient content of corn-based processed snacks frequently sold.

Design

Cross-sectional survey.

Setting

Quintile 1 to 3 schools (n 36) randomly selected from six education districts; Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Participants

Informal food vendors (n 92) selling inside or immediately outside the school premises.

Results

Food items sold at most schools were corn-based processed snacks (94 % of schools), sweets (89 %), lollipops (72 %) and biscuits (62 %). Based on the South African Nutrient Profiling model, none of these foods were profiled as healthy. Foods less commonly sold were fruits (28 % of schools) and animal-source foods; these foods were profiled as healthy. Mean (sd) energy cost (per 418 kJ (100 kcal)) was highest for animal-source foods (R2·95 (1·16)) and lowest for bread and vetkoek (R0·76 (0·21)), snacks (R0·76 (0·30)) and confectionery products (R0·70 (0·28)). The nutrient profiling score was inversely related to the energy cost of the food item (r = −0·562, P = 0·010). Compared with brand-name corn-based processed snacks, non-branded snacks had lower energy (2177 v. 2061 kJ; P = 0·031) content per 100 g. None of the brand-name samples contained sucrose; six of the nine non-branded samples contained sucrose, ranging from 4·4 to 6·2 g/100 g.

Conclusions

Foods mostly sold were unhealthy options, with the healthier food items being more expensive sources of energy.
TAME DISCRETE SUBSETS IN STEIN MANIFOLDS
Authors: WINKELMANN JÖRG
Published: December 2018

Rosay and Rudin introduced the notion of ‘tameness’ for discrete subsets of$\mathbf{C}^{n}$. We generalize the notion of tameness for discrete sets to arbitrary Stein manifolds, with special emphasis on complex Lie groups.