bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of T-helper 17 cell related cytokines in laryngeal cancer
Authors: Muderris T K , Gul F , Doblan A , Ergin M , Muderris T
Published: April 2019

Objective

To explore the role of T-helper 17 cells and their cascade in the pathogenesis of laryngeal cancer.

Methods

Prospectively, 110 consecutive patients with a suspicious laryngeal lesion were evaluated for serum levels of T-helper 17 cell related interleukins, including interleukins 23, 17A and 22, determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The patients were divided into 2 groups after pathological evaluation: 49 patients with malignancy and 61 with benign pathology. Associations between interleukin levels and malignancy were determined via correlation analyses.

Results

Interleukin 17A and 22 levels were significantly higher in the malignancy group than the benign lesion group. Pearson correlation analysis showed that interleukins 17A and 22 acted in a cascade, but interleukin 23 did not. According to predictive values, interleukin 17A levels were 3.87 times and interleukin 22 levels were 1.09 times more likely to be associated with laryngeal cancer. The cut-off values for predicting laryngeal cancer were 3.55 pg/ml for interleukin 17A and 119.82 pg/ml for interleukin 22.

Conclusion

T-helper 17 cell related interleukins are potential biomarkers that may be helpful in diagnosing laryngeal cancer. Moreover, these data may support neutralisation of T-helper 17 cell related cytokine activity, which could be an attractive strategy for treating laryngeal cancer.
Dry surgical field minor salivary gland harvest using a chalazion clamp for sicca syndrome
Authors: Wijaya C , Ramli R R , Khoo S G
Published: April 2019

Background

Sjögren's syndrome is a rheumatological condition. Diagnosing Sjögren's syndrome can be challenging given the overlapping nature of clinical presentations. Currently, minor salivary gland biopsy is considered the definitive test for diagnosing Sjögren's syndrome. Various surgical techniques have been described, targeting biopsy of minor salivary glands from the lower lip. Identification of minor salivary glands is often difficult because of bleeding. One common complication of minor salivary gland biopsy is lip paraesthesia from iatrogenic sensory nerve injury.

Objectives

To describe a minor salivary gland biopsy technique in a bloodless operative field using a chalazion ophthalmic clamp under local anaesthesia, and to report our clinical outcomes.

Methods

A prospective study was performed on patients who underwent minor salivary gland biopsy using a chalazion ophthalmic clamp between July 2017 and April 2018.

Results

The study included 23 patients. The histopathological reports positively identified minor salivary glands for all patients. In nine cases, the histological findings were positive for Sjögren's syndrome. No lip paraesthesia complications were reported post-operatively.

Conclusion

This technique facilitates a superior yield, ensures adequate sampling of appropriate glands for histopathological analysis, and minimises the complications associated with traditional techniques.
The diagnosis and management of supernumerary nasal teeth
Authors: Jin K-F , Lou Z-C , Lou Z-H
Published: April 2019

Objective

To discuss the reasons for misdiagnosis of supernumerary nasal teeth.

Methods

Clinical data of four supernumerary nasal tooth patients were analysed retrospectively at visits to our otolaryngology department between 2005 and 2018.

Results

All four patients were male and had a supernumerary nasal tooth in the right nasal cavity. Three of the four patients had previously been misdiagnosed. All the supernumerary nasal teeth were surrounded by granulation tissue or hypertrophic nasal mucosa, and were subsequently confirmed by computed tomography and endoscopy. The granulation tissue or hypertrophic nasal mucosa was removed using microwave ablation, and the supernumerary nasal teeth successfully removed by endoscopy.

Conclusion

Supernumerary nasal teeth are rare, and are usually misdiagnosed because such teeth are surrounded by hypertrophic nasal mucosa or granulation tissue. They can be confirmed by computed tomography and endoscopy.
Effects of some natural products from fungal and herbal sources on Giardia lamblia in vivo
Authors: Chabra Aroona , Rahimi-Esboei Bahman , Habibi Emran , Monadi Taha , Azadbakht Mohammad , Elmi Taher , valian Hossein Keshavarz , Akhtari Javad , Fakhar Mahdi , Naghshvar Farshad
Published: April 2019

Giardia lamblia (G. lamblia) is the most widely known protozoan parasite that causes human gastrointestinal infection worldwide. Some natural compounds exhibited pivotal effects against different infectious diseases. In this research, the antigiardial activity and cytotoxicity of fungal chitosan, nano-chitosan, Rhamnus cathartica (R. cathartica) and emodin were evaluated in Balb/c mice. Genotyping of G. lamblia was assessed by PCR-RFLP technique. Different concentrations of mentioned compounds were used to check their antigiardial and cytotoxicity effects on human intestinal epithelial cells (HT-29) after 24, 48 and 72 h. The G. lamblia strain used in the current work was genotyped and revealed as an AII assemblage. All the concentration showed acceptable activity against G. lamblia cysts and trophozoites in comparison to the negative and positive controls (furazolidone and metronidazole) in vitro (P < 0.05). Giardia lamblia cysts were susceptible after treatment in all experiments in vivo in comparison to negative control (P < 0.05). Approximately, in most of the concentration, nano-chitosan and emodin were more effective than chitosan and R. cathartica, respectively (P < 0.05). The effects of exposure times in antigiardial and cytotoxicity effects were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The maximum mortality rate (100%) was achieved at 100 and 50 µg kg−1 concentrations after 48 and 72 h of exposure time, respectively. Our results provide significant information about the new antigiardial agent and proposed the nano-chitosan and emodin for the development of new drugs against G. lamblia in the future.
GOING THE EXTRA MILE: TRAVEL, TIME AND DISTANCE IN CLASSICAL ATTICA
Authors: McHugh Maeve
Published: April 2019

The aim of this paper is to explore the physical connectivity of Attica by examining the realities of travel for Athenians wishing to engage with wider civic, social, economic and cultic institutions. This will be achieved by focussing upon the practicalities of short-, medium- and long-distance travel with the aim of differentiating aspects, modes and reasons for travel. This investigation will be realised through a series of computational scenarios created on the basis of a combination of ancient and nineteenth-century accounts of journeys through Attica along with the archaeological evidence of the Athenian road system. The results of this study shed light upon the constraints on, and opportunities for, participation in wider practices and the experience of travel for the individual traveller. Recent studies have shown there were many spaces in Attica that provided opportunities for Athenians to come together, to interact with each other and participate in civic, ritual and social institutions. The ultimate conclusions of this study will help to illustrate the fundamental connectivity and active engagement of the traveller with the Athenian landscape.
Beyond accuracy: Heritage speakers’ performance on two kinds of acceptability judgment tasks
Authors: Zyzik Eve C. , Sanchez Ruben A.
Published: April 2019

This article examines the performance of heritage speakers (HSs) on two types of acceptability judgment tasks (AJTs) as well as their corresponding confidence ratings. Data were collected from 75 native speakers of Spanish who were subsequently divided into three groups: Spanish monolinguals, Spanish-dominant HSs, and English-dominant HSs. An AJT targeting morphosyntax (Task 1) showed that all groups were affected by task stimulus, that is, they were significantly less accurate on the ungrammatical items. A lexically focused AJT (Task 2) revealed the tendency of HSs to accept complex words that are possible yet not attested. Confidence ratings on both tasks were very high overall, and there was a significant relationship between accuracy and confidence. Thus, the data question the assumption made in a number of previous studies that HSs suffer from a lack of certainty in their linguistic intuitions. Finally, between-group effects show that the Spanish-dominant HS group was not different from the monolingual group on Task 1, yet there were significant differences between all three groups on Task 2. By comparing morphosyntactic and lexical phenomena on two tasks administered in the same modality, this research contributes to the discussion of vulnerable domains in heritage language bilingualism.
Orthography and speech production in children with good or poor reading skills
Authors: Saletta Meredith
Published: April 2019

Speech production is influenced by the orthographic representation of the spoken word. Although previous work has shown that inconsistencies between the word’s sound and spelling may facilitate or disrupt processing (e.g., Alario, Perre, Castel, & Ziegler, 2007; Saletta, Goffman, & Brentari, 2015; Saletta, Goffman, & Hogan, 2016; Ventura, Morais, Pattamadilok, & Kolinsky, 2004), the developmental course of this effect on new readers remains unclear. The current study examines how children’s production of nonwords changes as a function of exposure to the nonwords’ orthography. We tested nonword repetition in 17 children with typical reading skills and 17 children with poor reading skills. Participants heard and repeated nonword stimuli, or read them aloud when the stimuli were written in either a relatively transparent or an opaque spelling. We quantified participants’ segmental accuracy and speech movement stability both before and after their exposure to the nonwords’ orthography. The children improved only in segmental accuracy (and not speech movement stability) and only as a consequence of practice (and not because of exposure to the nonwords’ spellings). Children with poorer reading skills demonstrated a greater change in accuracy from pretest to posttest than children with stronger reading skills. Thus, one’s automaticity in reading and the reorganization of his/her literacy skills throughout development influence speech production.
Frequency effects on first and second language compositional phrase comprehension and production
Authors: Supasiraprapa Sarut
Published: April 2019

Usage-based approaches to language acquisition posit that first (L1) and second language (L2) speakers should process more frequent compositional phrases, which have a meaning derivable from word parts, faster than less frequent ones (e.g., Bybee, 2010; Ellis, 2011). Although this prediction has received increasing empirical support, methodological limitations in previous relevant studies include a lack of control of frequencies of subparts of target phrases and scant attention to L2 production. Addressing these limitations, the current study tested phrase frequency effects in both language comprehension and production in two respective experiments, in which adult native English speakers (N= 51) and English L2 learners (N= 52) completed a timed phrasal decision task and an elicited oral production task. Experiment 1 revealed phrase frequency effects in both groups, lending support to usage-based researchers’ proposal that L1 and L2 speakers retain memory of word co-occurrences and that compositional phrase processing reflects an accumulation of statistics in previously encountered input. Experiment 2, however, provided weaker evidence for phrase frequency effects in these participant groups. Based on the results and previous empirical studies, methodological issues that may have impacted frequency effects and implications for future work in this area are discussed.
A Study of Sensor-Fusion Mechanism for Mobile Robot Global Localization
Authors: Chen Yonggang , Chen Weinan , Zhu Lei , Su Zerong , Zhou Xuefeng , Guan Yisheng , Liu Guanfeng
Published: April 2019

Estimating the robot state within a known map is an essential problem for mobile robot; it is also referred to “localization”. Even LiDAR-based localization is practical in many applications, it is difficult to achieve global localization with LiDAR only for its low-dimension feedback, especially in environments with repetitive geometric features. A sensor-fusion-based localization system is introduced in this paper, which has the capability of addressing the global localization problem. Both LiDAR and vision sensors are integrated, making use of the rich information introduced by vision sensor and the robustness from LiDAR. A hybrid grid-map is built for global localization, and a visual global descriptor is applied to speed up the localization convergence, combined with a pose refining pipeline for improving the localization accuracy. Also, a trigger mechanism is introduced to solve kidnapped problem and verify the relocalization result. The experiments under different conditions are designed to evaluate the performance of the proposed approach, as well as a comparison with the existing localization systems. According to the experimental results, our system is able to solve the global localization problem, and the sensor-fusion mechanism in our system has an improved performance.
Optimizing Control of Passive Gait Training Exoskeleton Driven by Pneumatic Muscles Using Switch-Mode Firefly Algorithm
Authors: Cao Yu , Huang Jian , Huang Zhangbo , Tu Xikai , Mohammed Samer
Published: April 2019

This paper presents a lower-limb exoskeleton that is actuated by pneumatic muscle actuators (PMAs). This exoskeleton system is composed of the mechanical structures, a treadmill, and a weight support system. With the cooperative work of the three parts, the system aims to assist either the elderly for muscle strengthening by conducting walking activities or the stroke patients during a rehabilitation training program. A mechanism is developed to separate the PMAs from the wearer’s legs to reduce the subject’s physical exertion. Furthermore, considering the difficulty in the modeling of proposed PMAs-driven exoskeleton, a safe and model-free control strategy called proxy-based sliding mode control (PSMC) is used to ensure proper control of the exoskeleton. However, the favorable performances are strongly dependent on the appropriate control parameters, which may be difficult to obtain with blind tuning. Therefore, we propose a global parameters optimization algorithm called switch-mode firefly algorithm (SMFA) to automatically calculate the pre-defined object function and attain the most applicable parameters. Experimental studies are conducted, and the results show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Output Feedback Hybrid Force/Motion Control for Robotic Manipulators Interacting with Unknown Rigid Surfaces
Authors: Gutiérrez–Giles Alejandro , Arteaga–Pérez Marco
Published: April 2019

The problem of hybrid force and motion control over unknown rigid surfaces when only joint position measurements are available is considered. To overcome this problem, an extended state high-gain observer is designed to simultaneously estimate the contact force and joint velocities. These estimated signals are in turn employed to design a local estimator of the unknown surface gradient. This gradient is utilized to decompose the task space into two orthogonal subspaces: one for force tracking and the other one for motion control. A simple position Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) and force Proportional Integral (PI) controllers are proposed to track the desired signals. Finally, a mathematical analysis of the closed-loop dynamics is carried out, guaranteeing uniform ultimate boundedness of the position and force tracking errors and of the surface gradient estimation error. A numerical simulation is employed to validate the approach in an ideal scenario, while experiments are carried out to test the proposed strategy when uncertainties and unmodeled dynamics are present.
Disinvestment Activities and Candidates in the Health Technology Assessment Community: An Online Survey
Authors: Polisena Julie , Trunk Gerhard , Gutierrez-Ibarluzea Iñaki , Joppi Roberta
Published: April 2019

Objectives

As healthcare decision makers continue to face challenges in health services delivery to their patients, disinvestment programs are being established for a sustainable healthcare system. This study aimed to collect data and information by means of a survey of disinvestment candidates and ongoing disinvestment projects in the health technology assessment (HTA) community.

Methods

An online survey was conducted to collect information on disinvestment candidates and activities from members of the Health Technology Assessment International Disinvestment & Early Awareness Interest Group, the EuroScan International Network and International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment.

Results

Among the 362 invitees, twenty-four unique responses were received, and almost 70 percent were involved in disinvestment initiatives. The disinvestment candidates identified represented a range of health technologies. Evidence or signaling of clinical ineffectiveness or inappropriate use typically led to the nomination of disinvestment candidates. Health technology assessments and reassessments were usually conducted to evaluate the technology in question, and decisions usually led to the limited use of the technology. Barriers to disinvestment decisions included the strength of interest and advocacy groups, insufficient data for assessments, a systematic decision process and political challenges, while obstacles to their implementation were clinicians’ reluctance and insufficient funding and incentives.

Conclusions

The survey results suggested that disinvestment activities are occurring in the HTA community, especially in the public sector. Future research can further investigate the processes and methods used to reach and implement disinvestment decisions from our survey respondents and explore to form closer ties between the HTA and clinical communities.
Airborne Pseudolite Distributed Positioning based on Real-time GNSS PPP
Authors: Huang Panpan , Rizos Chris , Roberts Craig
Published: April 2019

Airborne-Pseudolite (A-PL) systems have been proposed to augment Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSSs) in difficult areas where GNSS-only navigation cannot be guaranteed due to signal blockages, signal jamming, etc. One of the challenges in realising such a system is to determine the coordinates of the A-PLs to a high accuracy. The GNSS Precise Point Positioning (PPP) technique is a possible alternative to differential GNSS techniques such as those that generate Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) solutions. To enhance the A-PL positioning performance in GNSS challenged areas, it is assumed that inter-PL range measurements are also used in addition to GNSS measurements. When processing these new measurements, cross-correlations among A-PL estimated states introduced during measurement updates need to be accounted for so as to obtain consistent estimated states. In this paper, a distributed algorithm based on a Split Covariance Intersection Filter (SCIF) is proposed. Three commonly used means of implementing the SCIF algorithm are analysed. Another challenge is that real-time GNSS PPP relies on the use of precise satellite orbit and clock information. One problem is that these real-time orbit and satellite clock error corrections may not be always available, especially for moving A-PLs in challenging environments when signal outages occur. To maintain A-PL positioning accuracy using GNSS PPP, it is necessary to predict these error corrections during outages. Different prediction models for orbit and clock error corrections are discussed. A test was conducted to evaluate the A-PL positioning based on GNSS PPP and inter-PL ranges, as well as the performance of error prediction modelling. It was found that GNSS PPP combined with inter-PL ranges could achieve better converged positioning accuracy and a reduction in convergence time of GNSS PPP. However, the performance of GNSS PPP with inter-PL ranges was degraded by observing A-PLs with limited positioning accuracy. Although the performance improvement achieved by the SCIF-based distributed algorithms was smaller than that by the centralised algorithm, greater robustness in dealing with deteriorated observed A-PLs' trajectory data was demonstrated by the distributed algorithms. In addition, short-term prediction models were analysed, and their performance was shown to reduce the effect of error correction outages on A-PL positioning accuracy.
The protective effect of melatonin on the in vitro development of yak embryos against hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative injury
Authors: Peng Wei , Lei Mengtong , Zhang Jun , Zhang Yong
Published: April 2019

Melatonin plays a critical role in several types of cells as an antioxidant to protect intracellular molecules from oxidative stress. The anti-oxidation effect of melatonin in yak embryos is largely unknown. We report that melatonin can protect the development of yak preimplantation embryos against oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Therefore, the quality of blastocysts developed from zygotes exposed to H2O2 was promoted. In addition, we observed that melatonin reduced H2O2-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and prevented mitochondrial dysfunction in zygotes. These phenomena revealed the effective antioxidant activity of melatonin to prevent oxidative stress in yak embryos. To determine the underlying mechanism, we further demonstrated that melatonin protected preimplantation embryos from oxidative damage by preserving antioxidative enzymes. Collectively, these results confirmed the anti-oxidation effect of melatonin in yak embryos that significantly improved the quantity and quality of blastocysts in the in vitro production of embryos in yaks.
ON COMMERCIAL GLUTS, OR WHEN THE SAINT-SIMONIANS ADOPTED JEAN-BAPTISTE SAY’S VIEW
Authors: Lutz Adrien
Published: April 2019

A standard reading in the history of economic thought sets the classical stream of economists drawing upon the influence of Adam Smith (Jean-Baptiste Say, David Ricardo, etc.) in opposition to a “black box” of social thinkers (Louis Blanc, Fourierism, Saint-Simonianism, Jean de Sismondi, Robert Owen). This article, however, argues that, in the first quarter of the nineteenth century, the Saint-Simonians and the liberal economist Jean-Baptiste Say can be seen to adopt convergent views during the famous controversy about commercial gluts.

First, we show that the Saint-Simonians and Say both see undersupply and lack of industry as causes of gluts. Next, we assert that their intellectual affinities are also visible in their belief that increasing production remains an appropriate solution for gluts. Finally, this convergence is explained by their common belief in industrialism: Saint-Simonianism is embedded in a French industrialist tradition for which Say can be taken as representative. We argue that their common belief in industry explains their convergence.
MACHIAVELLI BEFORE PARETO: FOXES, LIONS, AND THE SOCIAL EQUILIBRIUM AS THE RESULT OF NON-LOGICAL ACTIONS
Authors: Baldin Claire , Ragni Ludovic
Published: April 2019

This article examines the way Vilfredo Pareto addresses the dynamics of social equilibrium and the evolution of economic institutions based on the principle of the rupture of the Machiavellian Moment. In the first part, we analyze why and how Pareto’s categories(residues, derivations, interests, \social heterogeneity, logical actions, andnon-logical1actions)borrow from those of Machiavelli(virtù, fortuna, corruptio, andordine)to define various forms of the Machiavellian Moment. In the second part, we show that this borrowing allows Pareto to explain: (i) the evolution of political equilibriums, from the distinction the author makes between “Maximum of utility FOR a community in sociology” and “Maximum of ophelimity FOR a community in political economy”; and (ii) the alternative between free trade and protectionism.
DID IRVING FISHER REALLY DISCOVER THE PHILLIPS CURVE?
Authors: Mathews Don
Published: April 2019

Economic lore has it that, with his 1926 article, “A Statistical Relation between Unemployment and Price Changes,” Irving Fisher “discovered the Phillips curve.” Did he? This paper argues he did not, for two reasons. One: the statistical relationship between inflation and unemployment that Fisher described in his 1926 article was contemporaneously described by Alvin Hansen, Henri Fuss, John Rotherford Bellerby, and Arthur Pigou in their own studies. Two: the statistical relationship that Fisher, Hansen, Fuss, Bellerby, and Pigou described is substantially different from the statistical relationship that Alban William Phillips described in his famous 1958 paper, as well as the many variations of the Phillips curve in the literature, including today’s conventional expectations-augmented Phillips curve. To correct the economic lore, the work of Fisher, Hansen, Fuss, Bellerby, and Pigou on the statistical relationship between inflation and unemployment and Phillips’s 1958 paper should be viewed as separate contributions.
ANTONIO DE VITI DE MARCO, THE PRINCIPLE OF MINIMUM MEANS, AND POLITICAL COMPETITION
Authors: Fossati Amedeo , Montefiori Marcello
Published: April 2019

In contrast to the common maxims for good taxation, Antonio De Viti de Marco revolutionized public finance studies by placing collective economic activity within a theoretical framework and trying to explain concrete fiscal phenomena such as tax incidence or public debt. The polar cases of cooperative and monopolistic states and the state factor of production are usually considered characteristics of such a framework. Here, we remark that De Viti’s theory of the cooperative state appears grounded only on the principles of minimum means and of political competition, and on the assumption that individual income is a proxy of individual consumption of general public services. Thus, it appears that the characteristics might be inessential to the real core of his theoretical framework. Moreover, we claim that his theoretical framework was not actually applied in his explanation of concrete fiscal phenomena. Finally, we remark that he seldom employed marginal tools in hisPrincipî.
What I Learned from 35 Years of Mistakes
Authors: Anderson Kim B.
Published: April 2019

There is no success without errors. Three keys to success are to learn from your errors, to learn from successful people, and to have mentors or role models whose advice and counsel you may follow to minimize errors. It takes more than knowledge and skill to develop a successful Cooperative Extension program. Programs need to be research-based, part of a team effort, and may involve using research and extension programs conducted and developed by others.

The best advice given to me on my first real job was, “The only way you’re not going to make mistakes is if you’re not doing your job” (Laubhan, 1972). Another quote from Henry Ford, “Theonly real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing,” added tomy philosophical base (Ford and Crowther, 1922). Without the wisdom conveyedby Laubhan and Ford, plus Oklahoma State University colleague Phil Kenkel’s (1990) famous quote, “How hard can it be?,” mine could have been just another mediocre career.

As a dairy and farm boy from Muskogee County, Oklahoma, with a new Ph.D. in agricultural economics, I set out to educate producers in the area of marketing and risk management. I noticed that attendance at meetings and workshops was good. Participants were interested and listened. They even triedsome of my ideas. Nearly all of them, if not all, reverted back to decisions and techniques they had used before my meetings or workshops.

Observant and inquisitive soul that I was, I conducted research to determine who was right. The results indicated that the producers were mostly right! If research-based information and education were to be transferred, and management practices were to be changed, either the subject matter and/or the method of delivery had to change.
A Challenge to Three Widely Held Ideas in Environmental Valuation
Authors: Interis Matthew G.
Published: April 2019

Environmental valuation is the branch of environmental economics in which researchers estimate the economic value of environmental goods and services. Environmental valuation has been practiced for decades. However, there are some ideas in the field of environmental valuation held by many environmental economists and nonenvironmental economists that appear to be outdated. This article discusses three such ideas: 1) that it is better to estimate willingness-to-pay values than willingness-to-accept values; 2) that stated preference valuation methods are questionable because they are based on hypothetical choices rather than real choices; and 3) that it is better to use a repeated-choice question format than a single-choice format in choiceexperiments. We discuss the origins of each idea and why the idea became prevalent in the first place. We then review recent literature, which casts doubt on the idea. We conclude with a reminder for researchers—in environmental economics and in other economic fields—to periodically reassess ideas they currently hold in light of recent research developments and in light of the context in which they are used.
Individual differences in the production of referential expressions: The effect of language proficiency, language exposure and executive function in bilingual and monolingual children
Authors: Serratrice Ludovica , De Cat Cécile
Published: April 2019

One hundred and seventy-two English-speaking 5- to 7-year-olds participated in a referential communication task where we manipulated the linguistic mention and the visual presence of a competitor alongside a target referent. Eighty-seven of the children were additionally exposed to a language other than English (bilinguals). We measured children's language proficiency, verbal working memory (WM), cognitive control skills, family SES, and relative amount of cumulative exposure and use of the home language for the bilinguals. Children's use of full Noun Phrases (NPs) to identify a target referent was predicted by the visual presence of a competitor more than by its linguistic mention. Verbal WM and proficiency predicted NP use, while cognitive control skills predicted both the ability to use expressions signalling discourse integration and sensitivity to the presence of a discourse competitor, but not of a visual competitor. Bilingual children were as informative as monolingual children once proficiency was controlled for.
An Application of ASP Theories of Intentions to Understanding Restaurant Scenarios: Insights and Narrative Corpus
Authors: ZHANG QINGLIN , BENTON CHRIS , INCLEZAN DANIELA
Published: April 2019

This paper presents a practical application of Answer Set Programming to the understanding of narratives about restaurants. While this task was investigated in depth by Erik Mueller, exceptional scenarios remained a serious challenge for his script-based story comprehension system. We present a methodology that remedies this issue by modeling characters in a restaurant episode as intentional agents. We focus especially on the refinement of certain components of this methodology in order to increase coverage and performance. We present a restaurant story corpus that we created to design and evaluate our methodology.
A protocol for managing dissociative symptoms in refugee populations
Authors: Chessell Zoe J. , Brady Francesca , Akbar Sameena , Stevens Adele , Young Kerry
Published: April 2019

This article describes a clinical protocol for supporting those presenting with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and dissociative symptoms, particularly dissociative flashbacks, based on a cross-culturally applicable model. The protocol is discussed from the perspective of working with a refugee and asylum seeker population, although many of the principles will be applicable to clients from any background presenting with these dissociative symptoms. The protocol addresses the assessment and formulation of a client’s dissociative symptoms. It includes guidance on sharing psycho-education with clients regarding the evolutionary function of dissociation and developing practical strategies to monitor and manage dissociative symptoms. The strengths and limitations of this protocol are also discussed.

Key learning aims

After reading this article people will:

(1)

Be able to understand a cross-culturally applicable model of dissociation and how it applies to clinical practice when working with clients presenting with dissociative symptoms, particularly dissociative flashbacks, in the context of a diagnosis of PTSD.

(2)

Be able to assess and formulate dissociative symptoms as part of an overall PTSD formulation.

(3)

Be able to develop practical strategies for assisting clients in monitoring and managing their dissociative symptoms.

(4)

Be familiar with adaptations for using this approach with refugee and asylum seeker populations.
Seasonality and symptoms of depression: A systematic review of the literature
Authors: Øverland Simon , Woicik Wojtek , Sikora Lindsey , Whittaker Kristoffer , Heli Hans , Skjelkvåle Fritjof Stein , Sivertsen Børge , Colman Ian
Published: April 2019

Aims

Lay opinions and published papers alike suggest mood varies with the seasons, commonly framed as higher rates of depression mood in winter. Memory and confirmation bias may have influenced previous studies. We therefore systematically searched for and reviewed studies on the topic, but excluded study designs where explicit referrals to seasonality were included in questions, interviews or data collection.

Methods

Systematic literature search in Cochrane database, DARE, Medline, Embase, PsychINFO and CINAHL, reporting according to the PRISMA framework, and study quality assessment using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Two authors independently assessed each study for inclusion and quality assessment. Due to large heterogeneity, we used a descriptive review of the studies.

Results

Among the 41 included studies, there was great heterogeneity in regards to included symptoms and disorder definitions, operationalisation and measurement. We also observed important heterogeneity in how definitions of ‘seasons’ as well as study design, reporting and quality. This heterogeneity precluded meta-analysis and publication bias analysis. Thirteen of the studies suggested more depression in winter. The remaining studies suggested no seasonal pattern, seasonality outside winter, or inconclusive results.

Conclusions

The results of this review suggest that the research field of seasonal variations in mood disorders is fragmented, and important questions remain unanswered. There is some support for seasonal variation in clinical depression, but our results contest a general population shift towards lower mood and more sub-threshold symptoms at regular intervals throughout the year. We suggest future research on this issue should be aware of potential bias by design and take into account other biological and behavioural seasonal changes that may nullify or exacerbate any impact on mood.
Shared Genetic Etiology of Hwabyung (Anger Syndrome) and Somatization Symptoms in South Korean Adolescent and Young Adult Twins
Authors: Hur Yoon-Mi , Jin Hee-Jeong , Lee Siwoo , Kim Jong-Woo
Published: April 2019

Somatization is known to be more prevalent in Asian than in Western populations. Using a South Korean adolescent and young adult twin sample (N = 1754; 367 monozygotic male, 173 dizygotic male, 681 monozygotic female, 274 dizygotic female and 259 opposite-sex dizygotic twins), the present study aimed to estimate heritability of somatization and to determine common genetic and environmental influences on somatization and hwabyung (HB: anger syndrome). Twins completed self-report questionnaires of the HB symptoms scale and the somatization scale via a telephone interview. The results of the general sex-limitation model showed that 43% (95% CI [36, 50]) of the total variance of somatization was attributable to additive genetic factors, with the remaining variance, 57% (95% CI [50, 64]), being due to individual-specific environmental influences, including measurement error. These estimates were not significantly different between the two sexes. The phenotypic correlation between HB and somatization was .53 (p < .001). The bivariate model-fitting analyses revealed that the genetic correlation between the two symptoms was .68 (95% CI [.59, .77]), while the individual-specific environmental correlation, including correlated measurement error, was .41 (95% CI [.34, .48]). Of the additive genetic factors of 43% that influence somatization, approximately half (20%) were associated with those related to HB, with the remainder being due to genes unique to somatization. A substantial part (48%) of individual environmental variance in somatization was unrelated to HB; only 9% of the environmental variance was shared with HB. Our findings suggest that HB and somatization have shared genetic etiology, but environmental factors that precipitate the development of HB and somatization may be largely independent from each other.
The Efficiency of Coronal Mass Ejection With Different IMF Preconditions on the Production of Megaelectronvolt Electron Content in the Outer Radiation Belt
Authors: Yuan C.‐J. , Zong Q.‐G.
Published: April 2019

Fifty‐two coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from 2012 to 2017 are categorized into four types according to different interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) preconditions, and behaviors of 1.8‐, 3.4‐, 5.2‐, and 7.7‐MeV electrons are quantitatively investigated using an Radiation Belt Content (RBC) index improved for nondipolar geomagnetic field configuration due to interaction with CMEs. Statistical analyses show that CMEs with continuous southward IMF from upstream of shock front to CME leading edge are the most efficient in the production of megaelectronvolt electron content, with RBC five times larger after shock arrival for 1.8‐MeV channel, seven times larger for 3.4‐MeV channel, and three times larger for 5.2‐MeV channel; the 7.7‐MeV channel also experiences less pronounced enhancements. For CMEs with continuous northward IMF from upstream of shock front to CME leading edge, clear dropouts of RBC are revealed. The depletion is the most significant for 1.8 MeV, and the magnitude of depletion gradually decreases when the electron energy goes higher. It is suggested that the location of magnetopause and plasmapause, and thus magnetopause shadowing and magnetopsheric waves like whistler mode chorus, contributes to the dynamics of megaelectronvolt electrons in the outer radiation belt, with energy dependence, in response to CMEs with different preconditions.
Sea State Trends and Variability: Consistency Between Models, Altimeters, Buoys, and Seismic Data (1979–2016)
Authors: Stopa Justin E. , Ardhuin Fabrice , Stutzmann Eleonore , Lecocq Thomas
Published: April 2019

Wave hindcasts of long time series (>30 years) have been instrumental in understanding the wave climate. However, it is still difficult to have a consistent reanalysis suitable for study of trends and interannual variability. Here we explore the consistency of a wave hindcast with independent observations from moored buoys, satellite altimeters, and seismic data. We use the Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) winds to drive a wave model since extreme events are generally well captured. Unfortunately, the original CFSR winds are not homogeneous in time. We systematically modify this wind field in time and space to produce a wave field that has homogeneous differences against the Globwave/SeaStateCCI altimeter wave height database. These corrections to the winds and resulting waves are validated using independent buoy and microseism data. We particularly use seismic data in the dominant double‐frequency band, around 5‐s period, that are generated by opposing waves of equal frequencies. The seismic data confirms that our correction of time‐varying biases is consistent, even in remote and undersampled region such as the Southern Ocean where the original CFSR biases are strongest. Our analysis is performed on monthly time series, and we expect the monthly statistics to be better suited for climate studies. Remaining issues with time consistency of reanalysis products and associated wave hindcasts are further discussed.
A New Method for Simulation of Lunar Microwave Brightness Temperatures and Evaluation of Chang'E‐2 MRM Data Using Thermal Constraints From Diviner
Authors: Wei Guangfei , Li Xiongyao , Gan Hong , Blewett David T. , Neish Catherine D. , Greenhagen Benjamin T.
Published: April 2019

We used the bolometric brightness temperatures (TBol) derived from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiters Diviner Lunar Radiometer (Diviner) as an upper boundary condition in our thermal model. We then calculated temperature profiles at any local time based on our improved thermal model at low to middle latitudes (70° N/S). Based on the temperature profiles, we modeled the midnight brightness temperature at 19.35 (TB19) and 37 GHz (TB37). Comparing to the Chang'E‐1 and Chang'E‐2 (CE‐1/2) observations, we found that CE‐1 showed a better data quality than that of CE‐2, especially for the TB37 data. Assuming that the issue with the CE‐2 data is caused by heat contamination of the cold‐reference antennas, we performed an empirical normalization of the CE‐2 microwave radiometer data near midnight following the approach of Hu et al. (2017). The results show that TB difference (modeled values minus modified TB) for 19.35 GHz is less than 3.40 K for ∼80% of the pixels. At 37 GHz, ∼67% of the pixels have TB difference less than 2.88 K. Additionally, we identified some areas of low microwave temperature in our modified TB maps. These low‐TB features can be characterized by two types: (1) low TB spots at fresh craters with high rock abundance and bright rays and (2) high‐Ti lunar mare surfaces with a low content of rock fragments. Investigating these low‐TB regions with the modified TB data can reveal more information about subsurface thermal regime and properties and help us better understand the evolution of regolith on the Moon.
Understanding Negative Subtropical Shallow Cumulus Cloud Feedbacks in a Near‐Global Aquaplanet Model Using Limited Area Cloud‐Resolving Simulations
Authors: Narenpitak Pornampai , Bretherton Christopher S.
Published: April 2019

Limited area cloud‐resolving model (CRM) simulations called LASAM are used to reproduce and understand negative subtropical shallow cumulus cloud feedbacks in a near‐global aquaplanet CRM (NGAqua) with 4‐K sea surface temperature (SST) warming. NGAqua spans a large tropical channel domain, with 4‐km horizontal resolution, zonally symmetric equatorially peaked SST, and no cumulus parameterization. Prior work showed that its coarsely resolved shallow cumulus increases with warming. It was suggested that with warmer SST, the moister boundary layer is destabilized by more clear‐sky radiative cooling, driving more cumulus convection. A small doubly periodic version of the same CRM is configured to analyze this low cloud increase in a simpler context. It is driven by steady thermodynamic and advective forcing profiles averaged over the driest subtropical column humidity quartile of NGAqua. Sensitivity studies separate effects of radiative cooling and free tropospheric relative humidity changes from other aspects of NGAqua's warmer climate. Enhanced clear‐sky radiative cooling explains most of the cloud increase due to SST warming, regardless of CRM model resolution and advection scheme. A boundary layer energy budget shows that the downward entrainment heat flux strengthens to balance enhanced radiative cooling, carried by a stronger updraft cloud mass flux from a larger cumulus cloud fraction. In deeper trade cumulus layers, the enhanced radiative cooling in a warming climate may be balanced by increased precipitation warming, leaving the cloud coverage area almost unchanged. With larger domain sizes, shallow cumulus self‐aggregates, especially with higher SST, marginally increasing domain‐mean cloud fraction, but this is a secondary contributor to the cloud feedback.
Evaluation of Land Surface Subprocesses and Their Impacts on Model Performance With Global Flux Data
Authors: Li Jianduo , Zhang Guo , Chen Fei , Peng Xindong , Gan Yanjun
Published: April 2019

Study on the uncertainties in land surface models (LSMs) helps us understand the differences and errors in climate models. Meanwhile, uncertainty in model structure, derived from the many possible parameterization schemes for the same physical subprocess, is a primary source of land model uncertainties. To attribute structural errors and model parameterization scheme uncertainties, it is critical to identify the key subprocesses involved and investigate the interactions of these subprocesses on LSM behavior, which will ultimately help us identify the “optimal” parameterization schemes for various plant functional types, soil types, and different locations. Here, we conduct physical ensemble simulations for multiple sites from FLUXNET and then apply a variance‐based sensitivity analysis method to quantitatively assess the impacts of uncertainties in the parameterization schemes of subprocesses in the Noah with multiparameterization (Noah‐MP) LSM on model performance. The results show that three subprocesses—surface exchange coefficient, runoff and groundwater, and surface resistance to evaporation—have the most significant impacts on the performance of the simulated sensible heat flux, latent heat flux, and net absorbed radiation in the Noah‐MP LSM. The interaction between two subprocesses could contribute up to 50% of the variation in model performance for some sites, which highlights the need for taking into consideration the interactions of subprocesses to improve LSMs. Finally, a statistical optimal combination of the parameterization schemes is recommended for global land modeling, although it is noticed that the optimal schemes vary with regions and can be different even for neighboring sites.
Active‐Passive Surface Water Classification: A New Method for High‐Resolution Monitoring of Surface Water Dynamics
Authors: Slinski Kimberly M. , Hogue Terri S. , McCray John E.
Published: April 2019

This study develops a new, highly efficient method to produce accurate, high‐resolution surface water maps. The “active‐passive surface water classification” method leverages cloud‐based computing resources and machine learning techniques to merge Sentinel 1 synthetic aperture radar and Landsat observations and generate monthly 10‐m‐resolution water body maps. The skill of the active‐passive surface water classification method is demonstrated by mapping surface water change over the Awash River basin in Ethiopia during the 2015 East African regional drought and 2016 localized flood events. Errors of omission (water incorrectly classified as nonwater) and commission (nonwater incorrectly classified as water) in the case study area are 7.16% and 1.91%, respectively. The case study demonstrates the method's ability to generate accurate, high‐resolution water body maps depicting surface water dynamics in data‐sparse regions. The developed technique will facilitate better monitoring and understanding of the impact of environmental change and climate extremes on global freshwater ecosystems.