bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Distinct Pathogenic Patterns of Burkholderia pseudomallei Isolates Selected from Caenorhabditis elegans and Dictyostelium discoideum Models
Authors: Chen Ya-Lei , Hsu Duen-Wei , Hsueh Pei-Tan , Chen Jou-An , Shih Pei-Jyun , Lee Susan , Lin Hsi-Hsun , Chen Yao-Shen
Published: August 2019

Burkholderia pseudomallei is a selective agent that causes septic melioidosis and exhibits a broad range of lethal doses in animals. Host cellular virulence and phagocytic resistance are pathologic keys of B. pseudomallei. We first proposed Caenorhabditis elegans as the host cellular virulence model to mimic bacterial virulence against mammals and second established the resistance of B. pseudomallei to predation by Dictyostelium discoideum as the phagocytosis model. The saprophytic sepsis–causing Burkholderia sp. (B. pseudomallei, Burkholderia thailandensis, Burkholderia cenocepacia, and Burkholderia multivorans) exhibited different virulence patterns in both simple models, but B. pseudomallei was the most toxic. Using both models, attenuated isolates of B. pseudomallei were selected from a transposon-mutant library and a panel of environmental isolates and reconfirmed by in vitro mouse peritoneal exudate cell association and invasion assays. The distinct pathological patterns of melioidosis were inducted by different selected B. pseudomallei isolates. Fatal melioidosis was induced by the isolates with high virulence in both simple models within 4–5 day, whereas the low-virulence isolates resulted in prolonged survival greater than 30 day. Infection with the isolates having high resistance to D. discoideum predation but a low C. elegans killing effect led to 83% of mice with neurologic melioidosis. By contrast, infection with the isolates having low resistance to D. discoideum predation but high C. elegans killing effect led to 20% cases with inflammation in the salivary glands. Our results indicated that individual B. pseudomallei isolates selected from simple biological models contribute differently to disease progression and/or tissue tropism.
Application of Recombinant Angiostrongylus cantonensis Galectin-2 Protein for Serodiagnosis of Human Angiostrongyliasis by Immunoblotting
Authors: Somboonpatarakun Chalermchai , Intapan Pewpan M. , Sanpool Oranuch , Wongkham Chaisiri , Maleewong Wanchai
Published: August 2019

Angiostrongyliasis is a foodborne disease caused by a zoonotic nematode, Angiostrongylus cantonensis, which produces eosinophilic meningitis or meningoencephalitis (EOM) in humans. Definitive diagnosis is rarely possible because worms are almost never recovered from patients. Human disease can be diagnosed by clinical symptoms and serological tests. Presently, diagnosis is performed by serological detection of antibodies against specific somatic antigens (molecular mass 29–31 kDa) extracted from female worms. The life cycle of A. cantonensis must be maintained in the laboratory to provide a source of this diagnostic antigen. Here, we cloned and expressed recombinant A. cantonensis galectin-2 (rAcGal2) corresponding to a 31-kDa antigenic peptide. Recombinant protein was purified and used in immunoblot tests, which showed reactions with human serum panels consisting of six confirmed angiostrongyliasis and 24 clinically diagnosed cases of EOM-associated with angiostrongyliasis, 160 samples from patients with other parasitic infections, and 30 samples from normal healthy subjects. Accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were 95.0%, 93.3%, 95.3%, 75.7%, and 98.9%, respectively. The test was nonreactive with sera of human gnathostomiasis and cysticercosis, two diseases that could present similar neurological symptoms. Recombinant AcGal2 has potential as a diagnostic antigen and could replace native parasite antigens in further development of an angiostrongyliasis serodiagnostic test kit.
Simplification of Rabies Postexposure Prophylaxis: A New 2-Visit Intradermal Vaccine Regimen
Authors: Warrell Mary J.
Published: August 2019

A 2-visit multiple-site intradermal (ID) vaccine protocol would be the most economical, immunogenic, and practicable regimen for postexposure rabies prophylaxis (PEP) in clinics seeing few patients a month. This regimen with an additional day 28 dose is now recommended by the WHO. The difficulties surrounding ID rabies vaccination have hindered progress in provision of prophylaxis, especially in rural Asia and Africa. Although the latest WHO recommendations include 1-week ID postexposure vaccine regimens, these are unlikely to prove economical where rabies vaccination is presently unavailable. The new protocol uses a whole vial of vaccine divided between 4-sites ID on the first day and half a vial at 2-sites ID on day 7. Gavi has recently approved support for rabies PEP. This 2-visit 4-site ID regimen, with or without a day 28 dose, should be considered for implementation in this remarkable new initiative.
Genetic Diversity and Molecular Epidemiology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Roraima State, Brazil
Authors: Tatara Mariana Bento , Perdigão João , Viveiros Miguel , Kritski Afrânio , Silva Kesia Esther da , Sacchi Flávia Patussi Correia , de Lima Camila Camioli , dos Santos Paulo César Pereira , Diniz Jaciara de Lourdes do Carmo Guimarã , Almeida Silva Pedro Eduardo , Gomes Pedro , Gomes Mônica Maria Quirino , Cunha Eunice Atsuko Totumi , Lapa e Silva José Roberto , Portugal Isabel , Croda Julio , Andrade Monica Kramer de N.
Published: August 2019

National border areas are special places for the spread of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). These regions concentrate vulnerable populations and constant population movements. Understanding the dynamics of the transmission of MTB is fundamental to propose control measures and to monitor drug resistance. We conducted a population-based prospective study of tuberculosis (TB) to evaluate molecular characteristics of MTB isolates circulating in Roraima, a state on the border of Venezuela and Guyana. Eighty isolates were genotyped by IS6110-RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism), spoligotyping, and 24-locus mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit-variable number of repeats tandem (MIRU-VNTR). Drug susceptibility tests were performed by using the proportion method and GeneXpert® MTB/RIF (Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA). Isolates showing a phenotypic resistance profile were submitted to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing. Spoligotyping showed 40 distinct patterns with a high prevalence of Latin-American and Mediterranean (LAM), Haarlem (H), and the “ill-defined” T clades. Mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit -VNTR and IS6110-RFLP showed clustering rates of 21.3% and 30%, respectively. Drug resistance was detected in 11 (15.1%) isolates, and all were found to have primary resistance; among these, six (8.2%) isolates were streptomycin mono-resistant, four (5.4%) isoniazid mono-resistant, and one (1.3%) multidrug resistant. This is the first study on the molecular epidemiology and drug resistance profile of MTB from Roraima. Herein, we describe high diversity of genetic profiles circulating in this region that may be driven by the introduction of new strain types because of large population flow in this region. In summary, our results showed that analyses of these circulating strains can contribute to a better understanding of TB epidemiology in the northern Brazilian border and be useful to establish public health policies on TB prevention.
2015 External Sector Report
Authors:   International Monetary Fund
Published: August 2019

After narrowing modestly in 2013, the global scale of current account imbalances, and of excess imbalances, held steady in 2014. Over the last several years, while the country composition of imbalances has rotated somewhat, overall there has been little progress on reducing excess imbalances. Excess deficits narrowed in some cases, but widened in others; progress on reducing excess surpluses has stalled.

An unfinished policy agenda to reduce excess imbalances remains. Efforts by both surplus and deficit economies would be mutually reinforcing and support growth.

Several significant recent developments will affect external positions in 2015: sharply lower oil prices, cyclical divergence and different monetary policies among the major economies, and related currency movements. Those developments do not overturn the previous pattern of excess imbalances and associated policy agenda, but they will have significant effects and raise new issues.
Balance Sheet Analysis in Fund Surveillance
Authors:   International Monetary Fund
Published: August 2019

Balance sheets convey vital information about economic prospects and risks. Balance sheet analysis captures the role that financial frictions and mismatches play in creating fragility and amplifying shocks. This is key to understanding the macroeconomic outlook, identifying vulnerabilities, and tracing the transmission of potential shocks and policies.

This paper reviews the use of balance sheet analysis in the Fund’s bilateral surveillance and introduces some practical examples of how it can be deepened. Recent evaluations of IMF surveillance––including the 2014 TSR––have emphasized the importance of strengthening balance sheet analysis and coverage of macro-financial issues. This paper is a first step that highlights useful examples of such analysis conducted by staff over the last decade, documents the data and tools that have been used, and mentions some limitations. In addition, it discusses recent improvements in the coverage and quality of balance sheet data through initiatives launched in the wake of the global crisis, as well as key remaining gaps, addressing which requires international collaboration.
Gulf Cooperation Council
Authors:   International Monetary Fund
Published: August 2019

Global economic activity is gaining momentum. Global growth is forecast at 3.6 percent this year, and 3.7 percent in 2018, compared to 3.2 percent in 2016. Risks around this forecast are broadly balanced in the near term, but are skewed to the downside over the medium term. The more positive global growth environment should support somewhat stronger oil demand. With inflation in advanced countries remaining subdued, monetary policy is expected to remain accommodative.

GCC countries are continuing to adjust to lower oil prices. Substantial fiscal consolidation has taken place in most countries, mainly focused on expenditure reduction. This is necessary, but it has weakened non-oil growth. With the pace of fiscal consolidation set to slow, non-oil growth is expected to increase to 2.6 percent this year, from 1.8 percent last year. However, because of lower oil output, overall real GDP growth is projected to slow to 0.5 percent in 2017 from 2.2 percent in 2016. Growth prospects in the medium-term remain subdued amid relatively low oil prices and geopolitical risks.

Policymakers have made a strong start in adjusting fiscal policy. While the needed pace of fiscal adjustment varies across countries depending on the fiscal space available, in general countries should continue to focus on recurrent expenditure rationalization, further energy price reforms, increased non-oil revenues, and improved efficiency of capital spending. Fiscal consolidation should be accompanied by a further improvement in fiscal frameworks and institutions. The direction of fiscal policy in the GCC is broadly consistent with these recommendations.

Policies should continue to be geared toward managing evolving liquidity situations in the banking system and supporting the private sector’s access to funding. While countries have made progress in enhancing their financial policy frameworks, strengthening liquidity forecasting and developing liquidity management instruments will help banks adjust to a tighter liquidity environment. Banks generally remain profitable, well capitalized, and liquid, but with growth expected to remain relatively weak, the monitoring of financial sector vulnerabilities should continue to be enhanced.

Diversification and private sector development will be needed to offset lower government spending and ensure stronger, sustainable, and inclusive growth. This will require stepped-up reforms to improve the business climate and reduce the role of the public sector in the economy through privatization and PPPs. Reforms are needed to increase the incentives for nationals to work in the private sector and for private sector firms to hire them. Increasing female participation in the labor market and employment would benefit productivity and growth across the region. Where fiscal space is available, fiscal policy can be used to support the structural reforms needed to boost private sector growth and employment.
First eddy covariance flux measurements of gaseous elemental mercury (Hg0) over a grassland
Authors: Osterwalder Stefan , Eugster Werner , Feigenwinter Iris , Jiskra Martin
Published: August 2019

Abstract. Direct measurements of the net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of gaseous elemental mercury (Hg0) are crucial to improve the understanding of global Hg cycling und ultimately human and wildlife Hg exposure. The lack of long-term, ecosystem-scale measurements causes large uncertainties in Hg0 flux estimates. Today it remains unclear whether terrestrial ecosystems are net sinks or sources of atmospheric Hg0. Here we show a detailed validation of the eddy covariance technique for direct Hg0 flux measurements (Eddy Mercury) based on a Lumex mercury monitor RA-915AM. The flux detection limit derived from a zero-flux experiment in the laboratory was 0.22 ng m−2 h−1 (maximum) with a 50 % cut-off at 0.074 ng m−2 h−1. The statistical estimate of the Hg0 flux detection limit under real-world outdoor conditions at the site was 5.9 ng m−2 h−1 (50 % cut-off). We present the first successful eddy covariance NEE measurements of Hg0 over a low-Hg level soil (41–75 ng Hg g−1 topsoil [0–10 cm]) in summer 2018 at a managed grassland at the Swiss FluxNet site in Chamau, Switzerland (CH-Cha). We measured a net summertime re-emission over a period of 34 days with a median Hg0 flux of 2.5 ng m−2 h−1 (−0.6 to 7.4 ng m−2 h−1, range between 25th and 75th percentiles). We observed a distinct diel cycle with higher median daytime fluxes (8.4 ng m−2 h−1) than nighttime fluxes (1.0 ng m−2 h−1). Drought stress during the measurement campaign in summer 2018 induced partial stomata closure of vegetation which led to a midday depression in CO2 uptake which did not recover during the afternoon. Thus, the cumulative net CO2 uptake was only 8 % of the net CO2 uptake during the same period in the previous year 2017. We suggest that partial stomata closure dampened Hg0 uptake by vegetation, resulting in a NEE of Hg0 dominated by soil re-emission. Finally, we give suggestions to further improve the precision and handling of the Eddy Mercury system in order to assure its suitability for long-term NEE measurements of Hg0 over natural background surfaces with low soil Hg concentrations (
Historical Aurora Borealis Observations in Anatolia during medieval period: Implications for the past solar activity
Authors: Maden Nafiz
Published: August 2019

Abstract. In this paper, it is reviewed the relationships between the aurora observations, past solar activity and climatic change in Anatolia during medieval period. For this purpose, it is presented two historical aurora catalogs for Anatolia and Middle East regions at various dates in order to understand the past solar activity and possible physical mechanism using historical texts, chronicles and other auroral records. The available catalogs in literature are covered records observed in the Europe, Japan, China, Russia and Middle East. There is no study dealing only with the historical aurora observations recorded in Anatolia. The data of the catalog strongly support that there is a considerable relationship between the aurora activity and past strong solar activity. An unusually high auroral activity during the years around 1100 in Anatolia and Middle East is quite consistent with the past solar variability, geomagnetic field intensity and planetary climatic changes drastically impacting on the economy and human events.
Historical and future changes in global flood magnitude – evidence from a model-observation investigation
Authors: Do Hong Xuan , Zhao Fang , Westra Seth , Leonard Michael , Gudmundsson Lukas , Chang Jinfeng , Ciais Philippe , Gerten Dieter , Gosling Simon N. , Schmied Hannes Müller , Stacke Tobias , Stanislas Boulange Julien Eric , Wada Yoshihide
Published: August 2019

Abstract. To improve the understanding of trends in extreme flows related to flood events at the global scale, historical and future changes of annual maximum streamflow are investigated, using a comprehensive streamflow archive and six global hydrological models. The models' capacity to characterise trends in annual maximum streamflow is evaluated across 3,666 river gauge locations over the period from 1971 to 2005, focusing on four aspects of trends over continental and global scale: (i) mean, (ii) standard deviation, (iii) percentage of locations showing significant trends and (iv) spatial pattern. Compared to observed trends, simulated trends driven by observed climate forcing generally have a higher mean, lower spread, and a similar percentage of locations showing significant trends. Models show a moderate capacity to simulate spatial patterns of historical trends, with approximately only 12–25 % of the spatial variance of observed trends across all gauge stations accounted for by the simulations. Interestingly, there are significant differences between trends simulated by GHMs forced with historical climate and forced by bias corrected climate model output during the historical period, suggesting the important role of the stochastic natural (decadal, inter-annual) climate variability. Significant differences were found in simulated flood trend results when averaged only at gauged locations compared to when averaging across all simulated grid cells, highlighting the potential for bias toward well-observed regions in the state-of-understanding of changes in floods. Future climate projections (simulated under RCP2.6 and RCP6.0 greenhouse gas concentration scenario) suggest a potentially high level of change in individual regions, with up to 35 % of cells showing a statistically significant trend (increase or decrease) and greater changes indicated for the higher concentration pathway. Importantly, the observed streamflow database under-samples the percentage of high-risk locations under RCP6.0 greenhouse gas concentration scenario by more than an order of magnitude (0.9 % compared to 11.7 %). This finding indicates a highly uncertain future for both flood-prone communities and decision makers in the context of climate change.
Characterisation of subglacial water using a constrained transdimensional Bayesian Time Domain Electromagnetic Inversion
Authors: Killingbeck Siobhan F. , Booth Adam D. , Livermore Philip W. , Bates Charles R. , West Landis J.
Published: August 2019

Abstract. Subglacial water influences the dynamics of ice masses. The state of subglacial pore water, whether liquid or frozen, is associated with differences in electrical resistivity that span several orders of magnitude, hence liquid water can be inferred from electrical resistivity depth profiles. Such profiles can be obtained from inversions of time domain electromagnetics (TEM) soundings, but these are often non-unique. Here, we adapt an existing Bayesian transdimensional algorithm (MuLTI) to the inversion of TEM data constrained by independent depth constraints, to provide statistical properties and uncertainty analysis of the resistivity profile with depth. The method was applied to ground-based TEM data acquired on the terminus of the Norwegian glacier Midtdalsbreen, with depth constraints provided by co-located ground penetrating radar data. Our inversion shows that the glacier bed is directly underlain by material of resistivity 102 Ωm ± 100 %, with thickness 5–40 m, in turn underlain by a highly conductive basement (100 Ωm ± 15 %). High resistivity material, 5 × 104 Ωm ± 25 %, exists at the front of the glacier. All uncertainties are defined by the interquartile range of the posterior resistivity distribution. Combining these resistivity profiles with co-located seismic shear-wave velocity inversions to further reduce ambiguity in the hydro-geological interpretation of the subsurface, we propose a new 3D interpretation of the Midtdalsbreen subglacial material partitioned into partially frozen sediment, frozen sediment/permafrost and weathered/fractured bedrock with saline water.
La configuración del discurso democrático en la prensa aragonesa de la transición: un reforzamiento del consenso en torno a la reforma política
Authors: Zugasti Azagra Ricardo
Published: August 2019

Este trabajo analiza cómo se configuró el discurso democrático en la prensa diaria aragonesa durante la transición, entre la muerte de Franco y la entrada en vigor de la Constitución de 1978. La metodología empleada es un análisis de contenido cualitativo aplicado a una muestra de los editoriales publicados por Heraldo de Aragón, Amanecer y Aragón Exprés. Los resultados verifican las dos hipótesis planteadas: en primer lugar, la prensa aragonesa reforzó el consenso en torno a la reforma política como vía para llegar a la democracia; en segundo lugar, los diarios analizados mostraron un discurso compartido en líneas generales, con el proceso autonómico como el tema que dio lugar a más divergencias.
Viabilidade in vitro de leveduras armazenadas à temperatura ambiente
Authors: Pedroso Reginaldo Dos Santos , Menezes Ralciane De Paula
Published: August 2019

Introdução. O armazenamento de isolados fúngicos, especialmente de leveduras, é importante para estudos de sensibilidade a antifúngicos ou outros testes complementares ao diagnóstico laboratorial, especialmente daqueles que ocorrem a partir de sítios como sangue e líquidos de cavidades corporais fechadas.
Objetivo. Avaliar a viabilidade de leveduras dos gêneros Candida e Cryptococcus armazenadas em água destilada, solução salina fisiológica e BHI-glicerol, mantidas à temperatura ambiente.
Material e Métodos. Foram analisados 404 isolados de leveduras, sendo 354 isolados de espécies de Candida e 50 de Cryptococcus neoformans/gattii.
Resultados. Dos isolados de Candida spp. foram recuperados 100/178 (56,2%) isolados a partir de água destilada, 90/97 (92,8%) isolados a partir de solução salina fisiológica e 63/79 (79,7%) a partir do BHI-glicerol. Dos isolados de Cryptococcus spp. armazenados em BHI-glicerol foram recuperados 30/50 (60%) dos isolados.
Conclusão. Para laboratórios com pouca demanda em exames micológicos, em que ocorrem poucos isolamentos de leveduras, especialmente do gênero Candida, o armazenamento em solução salina parece ser alternativa melhor que em água destilada.
Warfarin-induced spontaneous retroperitoneal hemorrhage from the renal vein: A rare case with an uncommon etiology
Authors: Nasr Mohamed A. , Khallafalla Hosam , Kumar Vajjala R. , Pathan Sameer A.
Published: August 2019

The overall rate of major bleeding in patients with atrial fibrillation receiving warfarin therapy is approximately 4%. Among these 4% patients, spontaneous retroperitoneal hemorrhage (SRH) is a rare but potentially lethal complication with a nonspecific presentation that can lead to missed or delayed diagnosis. The current literature provides little direction for diagnosis and management of such cases. Anticoagulation-related SRH is associated with a high mortality rate (approximately 20%). Despite the vague presentation, prompt diagnosis is crucial to reverse the anticoagulation and prevent further bleeding. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen is the imaging modality of choice in suspected cases. Patients with SRH require aggressive treatment with blood transfusions, interventional radiological procedures, percutaneous drainage or surgical evacuation of the hematoma. We report a case of warfarin-induced SRH from the renal vein in a patient who presented to our emergency department with acute, nonspecific abdominal pain and shock. We diagnosed the patient with warfarin-induced SRH on the basis of clinical suspicion and characteristic CT findings. We initially treated the patient conservatively, followed by embolization of the right renal artery during the late course of hospital stay, and he was discharged with good recovery. SRH should be considered in the differential diagnosis of abdominal pain, hypotension, and/or decreased hemoglobin levels in patients receiving anticoagulation therapy, especially in those with preexisting end-stage renal disease.
The Effect of Employee Engagement on Organizational Citizenship Behaviour: An Empirical Study on an Egyptian University
Authors: Mohamed Riad Amira Abd-El Aziz , Hafez Eglal , Elsaid Eahab , Taylor Nicole
Published: August 2019

The goal of the study is to examine the effect of Employee Engagement (EE) as an independent variable on Organizational Citizenship Behaviour (OCB) as a dependent variable. The study was carried out in an Egyptian public university (Ain Shams University). The data was collected through questionnaires distributed to faculty members. The sample consisted of 318 questionnaires valid for statistical analysis. The methodology used was regression analysis, and structured equation model (path analysis). The study found a positive direct effect of  EE on OCB.
Jasmonic Acid and K-Phosphite Enhance Productivity and Technological Quality of Sugarcane Crop
Authors: Moreira B. R. A. , Viana R. S. , Lisboa L. A. M. , Lopes P. R. M. , Figueiredo P. A. M. , Ramos S. B. , Bonini C. S. B. , Trindade V. D. R. , Andrade M. G. O. , May A.
Published: August 2019

Plant resistance inducers are cost-effective and environmentally pleasing strategies of plant protection to mitigate biotic and abiotic agents threatening food safety and energy security. We, accordingly, present jasmonic acid and k-phosphite as low-cost strategies to enhance productive yield and technological quality of sugarcane crop. Exogenously treatment of the sugarcane variety ‘SP81-3250’ consisted of carrying out foliar application of jasmonic acid at 1, 1.5 and 2 ml L-1 and K-phosphite at 2, 4 and 6 ml L-1 before crop flowering. Interestingly, both systemic phytorregulator and foliar fertilizer at the lowest doses significantly improved contents of total soluble solids and sucrose, as well as productive yield of fermentable sugars. Jasmonic acid could promote growth and development by triggering either non-enzymatic or enzymatic mechanisms in the host self-defense system to support of external stresses, including herbivory by sugarcane-borer. K-phosphite could improve crop performance by not only releasing water-soluble inorganic ions like phosphorus and potash, but also by signaling synthesis of phytoalexins. Purity of cane juice and productivity of stalks sharply decreased, as the doses of the plant-resistance inducers increased. Jasmonic acid and k-phosphite at unbalanced endogenous levels could inhibit physiological ripening and specific enzymatical activity of alkaline invertases and sucrose-phosphate synthase, thereby influencing bioavailability of sucrose. The lower the sucrose content, the poorer the technological quality of sugarcane crop. The conclusion is, therefore, jasmonic acid and K-phosphite at lower doses prove to be effective induced resistance techniques to produce richer feedstock, with potential to produce ethanol fuel and refined sugar in sugar-energy plants.
Cross-product Manipulation in Electricity Markets, Microstructure Models and Asymmetric Information
Authors: Prete Chiara Lo , Hogan William W. , Liu Bingyuan , Wang Jia
Published: August 2019

Electricity market manipulation enforcement actions have moved from conventional analysis of generator market power in real-time physical markets to material allegations of sustained cross-product price manipulation in forward financial markets. A major challenge is to develop and apply forward market analytical frameworks and models. This task is more difficult than for the real-time market. An adaptation of cross-product manipulation models from cash-settled financial markets provides an existence demonstration under uncertainty and asymmetric information. The implications of this analysis include strong empirical predictions about necessary randomized strategies that are not likely to be observed or sustainable in electricity markets. Absent these randomized strategies and other market imperfections, the means for achieving sustained forward market price manipulation remains unexplained.
Renewable Generation Capacity and Wholesale Electricity Price Variance
Authors: Johnson Erik Paul , Oliver Matthew E.
Published: August 2019

The share of electric power generated from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar must increase dramatically in the coming decades if greenhouse gas emissions are to be reduced to sustainable levels. An under-researched implication of such a transition in competitive wholesale electricity markets is that greater wind and solar generation capacity directly affects wholesale price variability. In theory, two counter-vailing forces should be at work. First, greater wind and solar generation capacity should reduce short-run variance in the wholesale electricity price due to a stochastic merit-order effect. However, increasing the generation capacity of these technologies may increase price variance due to an intermittency effect. Using an instrumental variables identification strategy to control for endogeneity, we find evidence that greater combined wind and solar generation capacity is associated with an increase in the quarterly variance of wholesale electricity prices. That is, the intermittency effect dominates the stochastic merit-order effect.
EIA Storage Announcements, Analyst Storage Forecasts, and Energy Prices
Authors: Ederington Louis H. , Lin Fang , Linn Scott C. , Yang Lisa (Zongfei)
Published: August 2019

Exploring properties both of the EIA’s natural gas and crude oil storage announcements and of analyst forecasts of the EIA storage figures, we find that analyst storage forecasts bring additional information to the market beyond seasonal patterns and past storage flows and that the market promptly incorporates analyst forecasts into oil and gas prices prior to the EIA announcements. Analyst’s natural gas forecasts efficiently impound the available time-series information but crude oil forecasts do not. We further find that the price reaction to subsequent EIA natural gas storage announcements is contingent on the level of analyst forecast uncertainty as proxied by analyst forecast disagreement. Storage flows higher or lower than analysts had expected one week tend to be partially reversed the following week and analyst forecast dispersion regarding future forecasts increases following large forecast errors.
Switching on Electricity Demand Response: Evidence for German Households
Authors: Frondel Manuel , Kussel Gerhard
Published: August 2019

Empirical evidence on households’ awareness of electricity prices and potentially divergent demand responses to price changes conditional on price knowledge is scant. Using panel data originating from Germany’s Residential Energy Consumption Survey (GRECS), we fill this void by employing an instrumental-variable (IV) approach to cope with the endogeneity of the consumers’ tariff choice. By additionally exploiting information on the households’ knowledge about power prices, we combine the IV approach with an Endogenous Switching Regression Model to estimate price elasticities for two groups of households, finding that only those households that are informed about prices are sensitive to price changes, whereas the electricity demand of uninformed households is entirely price-inelastic. Based on these results, to curb the electricity consumption of the household sector and its environmental impact, we suggest implementing low-cost information measures on a large scale, such as improving the transparency of tariffs, thereby increasing the saliency of prices.
A Strategic Perspective on Competition between Pipeline Gas and LNG
Authors: Ritz Robert A.
Published: August 2019

Global gas markets feature two types of suppliers: piped gas and LNG exporters. Pipelines have a high degree of “asset specificity” : once built, they are physically bound to a particular route. LNG is transported by tanker, with a choice of export markets. Put simply: LNG is mobile, pipelines are not. This paper uses game-theoretic modelling to show how its commitment to serving a single market confers a strategic advantage on piped gas. By “overinvesting” in its own market, a pipeline exporter can induce LNG rivals to shift sales to their other markets. The model helps understand competition between Russian piped gas and Qatari LNG. It shows how Russia’s dependence on Europe can be good news for gas buyers, why these nonetheless strongly benefit from diversifying into LNG imports, and how the Herfindahl index of imports can mismeasure “supply security”. The paper also discusses Russia’s evolving gas export strategy, including gas deals with China.
Strategic Withholding through Production Failures
Authors: Fogelberg Sara , Lazarczyk Ewa
Published: August 2019

Anecdotal evidence indicates that electricity producers use production failures to disguise strategic reductions of capacity in order to influence prices, but systematic evidence is lacking. We use an instrumental variable approach and data from the Swedish electricity market to examine such behavior. In a market without strategic withholding, reported production failures should not depend directly on the market price. We show that marginal producers in part base their decision to report a failure on prices, which indicates that production failures are a result of economic incentives as well as of technical problems.
Öffentliche Verwaltung im Zeitalter der Digitalisierung
Authors: Guckelberger Annette
Published: August 2019

The digitalisation of Administration
is unstoppable. E-Government must deal with artificial intelligence, blockchain, mobile and open government as well as legal implications of digitalisation for the organisation of administration as well as administrative procedures.

The Handbook on the Law of Electronic Administration
deals with the entire spectrum of digital administration, with analysis of deficits, and practical solutions, taking all legal levels (EU, federal and state law) into account, by a single author. Using demonstrative examples, the work follows administration on its digital transformation process by, for example, presenting the following brand new topics:
Portal interconnection, digital cabinet, digital ministries;
Gov Bots, robotic process automation, process mining, artificial intelligence (AI);
Legal nature, transparency and control of algorithms;
Legal assessment of automated administrative decisions.

Up to date
The new EU regulation on the single digital gateway and other current changes (digital pact for schools, internet-based vehicle registration) have been considered.

Annette Guckelberger is Professor of Public Law at the Saarland University. Digitalisation issues relating to state and administration law have long been among her main areas of research, as her pioneering study on the transition to (exclusively) electronic promulgation of the law in Germany and her presentation on E-Government at the conference of the German Association of Public Law Professors have shown.
Soziale Netzwerke im Nachlass
Authors: Fußeder Florian
Published: August 2019

This thesis focuses on social networks as part of an inheritance, a problem known as digital legacy. Unlike previous publications on this subject, it focuses on the dogmatics of the postmortem protection of secrecy, which has received very little consideration so far. Before answering this substantial question, it addresses the issue of the hereditability of continuing obligations. Its central chapter on the postmortem protection of secrecy first clarifies the basics of the protection of secrecy while an individual is alive with its manifestations of the secrecy of telecommunications and data protection. After that, the thesis clarifies how the legal situation changes postmortem and what dogmatics are behind that change. The book closes with a chapter on the regulations on inheritance in the terms and conditions of the providers of social networks.
Procedure to Prepare and Model Speed Data Considering the Traffic Infrastructure, as Part of a Cyber-Physical System
Authors: Gerardo Carrillo-González José , Sandoval-Gutiérrez Jacobo , Pérez-Martínez Francisco
Published: August 2019

This chapter investigates the relationship between traffic control infrastructure (traffic lights and speed bumps) and the vehicles’ travel speeds, for certain hours and days of the week. The authors propose the following procedures: (1) street segmentation, (2) clustering and categorization of speed data, (3) histograms’ comparison analysis, (4) outlier detection, (5) modeling, and (6) delivering info to the users. Comparing speed histograms, segments with matching infrastructure presented similarities, regardless of the day of the week. Two techniques to model data were employed: polynomial regression and multinomial logistic regression. The algorithms to predict the travel speed category were also developed. The first technique yields on average 91.3% of data categorized correctly, and the second gets 90.09%. The traffic lights and speed bumps, located on the street segments under consideration, were identified as variables causing different travel speeds. The procedure allows to incorporate more traffic elements and can also be applied to other geographical locations.
Are University Students Who Are Taking Philosophy Courses Familiar with the Basic Tools for Argument?
Authors: Iliadi Simoni , Theologou Kostas , Stelios Spyridon ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: August 2019

Philosophy courses help students develop logical reasoning and argument skills or so it is widely assumed. To test if this is actually the case, we examined university students’ familiarity with the basic tools for argument. Our findings, based on a sample of 651 students enrolled in philosophy courses at six Greek universities, indicate that students who have prior experience with philosophy are more familiar with the basic tools for argument, and that students who have taken philosophy courses at the university have stronger argument-recognition and argument-evaluation skills compared to university students with no prior experience with philosophy. Moreover, our findings suggest that students get more familiar with the basic tools for argument as their level of engagement with philosophy increases, and that they get significantly better at evaluating arguments when they become graduate students in philosophy. However, our findings also suggest that the majority of students in philosophy classrooms haven’t developed fluency in (at least some) basic argument-related concepts and skills. To remedy this, we argue that philosophy instructors need to re-think (a) the place that the teaching of argument has in philosophy courses, and (b) the way that they teach students about argument.
Revision of Distictus Townes, 1966 (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Cryptinae), with descriptions of ten new species
Authors: Supeleto Fernanda A. , Santos Bernardo F. , Aguiar Alexandre P.
Published: August 2019

The Neotropical Distictus Townes, 1966 is diagnosed, redescribed and its species revised. A neotype is designated for the type species, D. tibialis (Brullé, 1846). The genus is characterized mainly by having the body subcylindric; clypeal margin with median tooth; areolet medium-sized, pentagonal, with crossvein 3r-m distinct; first metasomal tergite short and stout, with anterolateral tooth. Distictus aurantium Santos & Aguiar, 2008 is shown to lack some of these character states and is transferred to Mallochia Viereck, 1912. A total of 12 valid species are recognized, ten of which are new: D. apaensis sp. nov., D. ardens sp. nov., D. asterios sp. nov., D. ateles sp. nov., D. caligaris sp. nov., D. commatus sp. nov., D. daelus sp. nov., D. notabilis sp. nov., D. paratibialis sp. nov. and D. terrosus sp. nov. Other valid species are D. tibialis and D. mexicanus Kasparyan & Ruíz-Cancino, 2005. All species are described and illustrated. New distribution records, maps and separate keys for females and males of the species are provided.
COMMUNITY & COLLABORATION: “Only connect”: The collocation of the University of Washington, Bothell and Cascadia Community College
Authors: Fugate Cynthia
Published: August 2019

COMMUNITY & COLLABORATION: “Only connect”: The collocation of the University of Washington, Bothell and Cascadia Community College
ACRL NATIONAL CONFERENCE: Crossing the divide: Coverage from ACRL’s 10th National Conference, Part 1
Authors: Library Association American
Published: August 2019

ACRL NATIONAL CONFERENCE: Crossing the divide: Coverage from ACRL’s 10th National Conference, Part 1
Antinociceptive and antioxidant activities of methanolic extract of leaves of Azadirachta indica in vivo
Authors: Mali Akash S , Thorat Mahesh B , Ghadge Dhairysheel M , Nikam Kumodini A , Sawant Shraddha D , Shaikh Farida , Vhatkar Nayana M , Shinde Swapnja , Dhongade Kavyshree D , Tamboli Munaf A
Published: August 2019

Background: Azadirachta indica (Neem) is a communal plant of Meliaceae family called Neem Or Kadunimb in Maharashtra, India Neem stated anti-inflammatory through regulation of proinflammatory enzyme activities with COX and LOX enzyme. Previous studies show that Azadirachta Indica (neem) and its chief constituents play essential role in anticancer management via the modulation of different molecular pathways including NF- κ B, p53, PI3K/Akt, Bcl-2, pTEN and VEGF. Many parts of the plant are traditionally used in the treatment of various pharmacological action, the analgesic activity of Neem Seed Oil has already reported but Neem Leaves. Methods: The antinociceptive activity of Azadirachta Indica Leaves (AZIL) was examined using heat-induced-mechanical (hot-plate and tail-immersion test) and chemical-induced (acetic acid, formalin, glutamic acid, cinnamaldehyde) nociception models in mice at 50,100, and 200 mg/kg doses. ATP-sensitive K+ channel pathway, cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) pathway and involvement of opioid system was also tested using glibenclamide, methylene blue and naloxone/morphine respectively. The methanolic extract of leaves of A.Indica was assessed by using different in vitro antioxidant models of screening like scavenging of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical, nitric oxide radical, superoxide anion radical, and hydroxyl radical. Results: AZIL showed antinociceptive activity and antioxidant activity. In both hot plate and tail immersion tests AZIL significantly increases the latency to the thermal stimuli. In acetic acid-induced writhing test the extract repressed the number of abdominal writhing. Similarly, AZIL produced substantial dose-dependent inhibition of paw licking in both neurogenic and inflammatory pain induced by intraplanar injection of formalin. As well, AZIL also expressively withdrawn cinnamaldehyde-induced pain and the glutamate-induced pain in mice. It was also proved that pretreatment with naloxone significantly reversed the antinociception produced by AZIL in mechanical tests signifying the involvement of opioid system in its effect. Furthermore, administration of methylene blue, enhanced AZIL induced antinociception while glibenclamide, an ATP-sensitive K+ channel antagonist, could not converse antinociceptive activity induced by AZIL. Conclusion: Based on the results of the present study it can be said that AZIL keeps significant antinociceptive activity which acts in both central and peripheral mechanisms.
Modelling the effect of curves on distance running performance
Authors: Taboga Paolo , Kram Rodger
Published: August 2019

Background On a curve, the average axial leg force (Fa) of a runner is increased due to the need to exert centripetal force. The increased Fa presumably requires a greater rate of metabolic energy expenditure than straight running at the same velocity. We propose a model that explains the velocity reduction on curves, compared to straight running, assuming that runners maintain a constant metabolic rate.

Methods We combined published equations to estimate the change in the rate of gross metabolic energy expenditure as a function of Fa, where Fa depends on curve radius and velocity, with an equation for the gross rate of oxygen uptake as a function of velocity. We compared performances between straight courses and courses with different curve radii and geometries.

Results The differences between our model predictions and the actual indoor world records, are between 0.45 % in 3000 m and 1.78 % in the 1500 m for males, and 0.59 % in the 5000 m and 1.76 % in the 3000 m for females. We estimate thata 2:01:39 marathon on a 400 m track, corresponds to 2:01:32 on a straight path and to 2:02:00 on a 200 m track.

Conclusion Our model predicts that compared to straight racecourses, the increased time due to curves, is notable for smaller curve radii and for faster velocities. But, for larger radii and slower speeds, the time increase is negligible and the general perception of the magnitude of the effects of curves on road racing performance is not supported by our calculations.
Internal sensation of pleasure can be explained as a specific conformation of semblance: Inference from electrophysiological findings
Authors: Vadakkan Kunjumon
Published: August 2019

Semblance hypothesis was able to find a solution for the generation of first- person internal sensation of memory along with provisions for behavioral motor actions. The derived inter-postsynaptic functional LINK (IPL) mechanism was able to explain a large number of findings from different levels of the system ranging from perception to sleep. It was possible to explain long-term potentiation (LTP) as the effect of experimental scaling-up of the changes occurring during natural learning. By keeping the latter relationship as a baseline, it was possible to explain long-term depression (LTD) observed in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a scaled-up change of a mechanism responsible for inducing internal sensation of pleasure. This mechanism provides inter-connectable explanations for the attenuation of postsynaptic potentials, reduced ring of medium spiny neurons and the finding that LTD induced by stimulation of one pathway to NAc occludes the LTD induction by another pathway.
Mapping sequence structure in the human lateral entorhinal cortex
Authors: Bellmund Jacob LS , Deuker Lorena , Doeller Christian F
Published: August 2019

Remembering event sequences is central to episodic memory and presumably supported by the hippocampal-entorhinal region. We previously demonstrated that the hippocampus maps spatial and temporal distances between events encountered along a route through a virtual city (Deuker et al., 2016), but the content of entorhinal mnemonic representations remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that multi-voxel representations in the anterior-lateral entorhinal cortex (alEC) — the human homologue of the rodent lateral entorhinal cortex — specifically reflect the temporal event structure after learning. Holistic representations of the sequence structure related to memory recall and the timeline of events could be reconstructed from entorhinal multi-voxel patterns. Our findings demonstrate representations of temporal structure in the alEC; dovetailing with temporal information carried by population signals in the lateral entorhinal cortex of navigating rodents and alEC activations during temporal memory retrieval. Our results provide novel evidence for the role of the alEC in representing time for episodic memory.