bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phenoconversion from probable rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder to mild cognitive impairment to dementia in a population‐based sample
Authors: Jung Youngsin , Boot Brendon P. , Mielke Michelle M. , Ferman Tanis J. , Geda Yonas E. , McDade Eric , Christianson Teresa J.H. , Knopman David S. , St Louis Erik K. , Silber Michael H. , Petersen Ronald C. , Boeve Bradley F.
Published: May 2017

Introduction

Rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is strongly associated with synucleinopathies. In 2012, we reported an increased risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Parkinson disease (PD) in cognitively normal Olmsted County, Minnesota, residents, aged 70 to 89 years with probable RBD. Here, we examine their progression to dementia and other neurodegenerative phenotypes.

Methods

Fifteen participants with RBD who were diagnosed with either MCI or PD were longitudinally followed, and their subsequent clinical courses were reviewed.

Results

Over 6.4 ± 2.9 years, six of the 14 participants with MCI developed additional neurodegenerative signs, five of whom had Lewy body disease features. Four of them progressed to dementia at a mean age 84.8 ± 4.9 years, three of whom met the criteria for probable dementia with Lewy bodies. One subject with PD developed MCI, but not dementia.

Discussion

Our findings from the population‐based sample of Olmsted County, Minnesota, residents suggest that a substantial number of RBD patients tend to develop overt synucleinopathy features over time, and RBD patients who develop MCI and subsequent dementia have clinical features most consistent with dementia with Lewy bodies.
Implementation of the Theory of Planned Behavior to Promote Compliance with a Chlorhexidine Gluconate Protocol
Authors: Ryan Christina
Published: May 2017

Introduction: Blood cultures are critical values for identifying the source of an infection in patients seeking medical treatment for an acute illness. False-positive cultures can negatively influence patient care when physicians use inaccurate information to prescribe treatment. Inaccurate prescribed treatment negatively influences the quality of patient care related to prolonged medical treatment and hospital stay and unnecessary repetition of diagnostic tests.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to determine if blood culture contamination rates would be decreased if improved availability of CHG products was provided in all emergency department patient care areas would reduce the contamination rates of blood cultures.

Methodology: The Theory of Planned Behavior provided the theoretical framework for this descriptive correlational project to examine barriers to following the procedural guidelines to cleanse venipuncture sites with a chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) product before venipuncture Alcohol preparation pads were removed from the emergency department and a CHG product packaged similar to the alcohol preparation pads was placed in the department procedure trays and bedside carts.

Results: During the first 2 weeks of the pilot project, blood culture contamination rates were reduced from 4.5% to 1.5%. The following month, rates remained low at 1.9%.

Conclusion: Placement of CHG products at the bedside will improve patient safety and quality of care by reducing the incidence of inaccurate diagnosis and treatment based on false-positive blood cultures.
Theresienstadt 1941–1945
Authors: Adler H. G. , Adler Jeremy , Arnovitz Benton
Published: May 2017

First published in 1955, with a revised edition appearing five years later, H. G. Adler's Theresienstadt, 1941–1945 is a foundational work in the field of Holocaust studies. As the first scholarly monograph to describe the particulars of a single camp - the Jewish ghetto in the Czech city of Terezin - it is the single most detailed and comprehensive account of any concentration camp. Adler, a survivor of the camp, divides the book into three sections: a history of the ghetto, a detailed institutional and social analysis of the camp, and an attempt to understand the psychology of the perpetrators and the victims. A collaborative effort between the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Terezin Publishing Project makes this authoritative text on Holocaust history available for the first time in the English language, with a new afterword by the author's son Jeremy Adler.
The Works of Archimedes
Authors: Archimedes
Published: May 2017

This is the second volume of the first fully-fledged English translation of the works of Archimedes - antiquity's greatest scientist and one of the most important scientific figures in history. It covers On Spirals and is based on a reconsideration of the Greek text and diagrams, now made possible through new discoveries from the Archimedes Palimpsest. On Spirals is one of Archimedes' most dazzling geometrical tours de force, suggesting a manner of 'squaring the circle' and, along the way, introducing the attractive geometrical object of the spiral. The form of argument, no less than the results themselves, is striking, and Reviel Netz contributes extensive and insightful comments that focus on Archimedes' scientific style, making this volume indispensable for scholars of classics and the history of science, and of great interest for the scientists and mathematicians of today.
Third-Party Countermeasures in International Law
Authors: Dawidowicz Martin
Published: May 2017

The use of third-party countermeasures is an increasingly common phenomenon in international relations, yet their legal position remains uncertain. Providing the first systematic and comprehensive study of this key concept in international law, Martin Dawidowicz explores the position of third-party countermeasures and their safeguards regime based on the development of ideas on countermeasures in the UN International Law Commission and a thorough examination of state practice. The book clarifies the position of third-party countermeasures in international law, and in doing so challenges some widely held assumptions about the likely impact of a regime of third-party countermeasures on international relations. It will be of interest to international law and relations scholars and students, diplomats, policy makers, international civil servants and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the field of human rights.
The Conceptual Foundations of Transitional Justice
Authors: Murphy Colleen
Published: May 2017

Many countries have attempted to transition to democracy following conflict or repression, but the basic meaning of transitional justice remains hotly contested. In this book, Colleen Murphy analyses transitional justice - showing how it is distinguished from retributive, corrective, and distributive justice - and outlines the ethical standards which societies attempting to democratize should follow. She argues that transitional justice involves the just pursuit of societal transformation. Such transformation requires political reconciliation, which in turn has a complex set of institutional and interpersonal requirements including the rule of law. She shows how societal transformation is also influenced by the moral claims of victims and the demands of perpetrators, and how justice processes can fail to be just by failing to foster this transformation or by not treating victims and perpetrators fairly. Her book will be accessible and enlightening for philosophers, political and social scientists, policy analysts, and legal and human rights scholars and activists.
Weighing private preferences in public sector safety decisions: some reflections on the practical application of the willingness-to-pay approach
Authors: JONES-LEE MICHAEL , AVEN TERJE
Published: May 2017

Viewed from both an ethical and practical perspective, it is clearly desirable that public sector allocative and regulatory decisions should, so far as possible, reflect the preferences of individual members of society. It is therefore hardly surprising that, in appraising proposed safety improvements, public sector bodies have displayed an increasing tendency to estimate the benefits of such improvements on the basis of values of safety defined in such a way as to reflect the preferences and attitudes to safety of individual members of the public. However, given the technical complexity of many public sector safety decisions, it is also necessary to rely on expert analysis and informed judgement in reaching such decisions, so that preference-based values of safety should be regarded as being only one input to the decision-making process. In addition, the definition and estimation of the values themselves raise a number of practical and ethical questions. The purpose of this paper is to consider the role that preference-based values of safety can realistically be expected to play in these decision-making processes, given these difficulties and limitations.
How psychological bias shapes accounting and financial regulation
Authors: HIRSHLEIFER DAVID , TEOH SIEW HONG
Published: May 2017

Most applications of behavioral economics, finance, and accounting research to policy focus on alleviating the adverse effects of individuals’ biases and cognitive constraints (e.g. through investor protection rules or nudges). We argue that it is equally important to understand how psychological bias can cause a collective dysfunction – bad accounting policy and financial regulation. We discuss here how psychological bias on the part of the designers of regulation and accounting policy (voters, regulators, politicians, media commentators, managers, users, auditors, and financial professionals) has helped shape existing regulation, and how an understanding of this process can improve regulation in the future. Regulatory ideologies are belief systems that have evolved and spread by virtue of their ability to recruit psychological biases. We examine how several psychological factors and social processes affect regulatory ideologies.
Review on high repetition rate and mass production of the cryogenic targets for laser IFE
Authors: Aleksandrova I.V. , Koresheva E.R.
Published: May 2017

In inertial fusion energy (IFE) research, a considerable attention has recently been focused on the issue of large target fabrication for MJ-class laser facilities. The ignition and high-gain target designs require a condensed uniform layer of hydrogen fuel on the inside of a spherical shell. In this report, we discuss the current status and further trends in the area of developing the layering techniques intended to produce ignition, and layering techniques proposed to high repetition rate and mass production of IFE targets.
First Results of the Swiss National Surgical Site Infection Surveillance Program: Who Seeks Shall Find
Authors: Troillet Nicolas , Aghayev Emin , Eisenring Marie-Christine , Widmer Andreas F. ,   Swissnoso
Published: May 2017

OBJECTIVES

To report on the results of the Swiss national surgical site infection (SSI) surveillance program, including temporal trends, and to describe methodological characteristics that may influence SSI rates

DESIGN

Countrywide survey of SSI over a 4-year period. Analysis of prospectively collected data including patient and procedure characteristics as well as aggregated SSI rates stratified by risk categories, type of SSI, and time of diagnosis. Temporal trends were analyzed using stepwise multivariate logistic regression models with adjustment of the effect of the duration of participation in the surveillance program for confounding factors.

SETTING

The study included 164 Swiss public and private hospitals with surgical activities.

RESULTS

From October 2011 to September 2015, a total of 187,501 operations performed in this setting were included. Cumulative SSI rates varied from 0.9% for knee arthroplasty to 14.4% for colon surgery. Postdischarge follow-up was completed in >90% of patients at 1 month for surgeries without an implant and in >80% of patients at 12 months for surgeries with an implant. High rates of SSIs were detected postdischarge, from 20.7% in colon surgeries to 93.3% in knee arthroplasties. Overall, the impact of the duration of surveillance was significantly and independently associated with a decrease in SSI rates in herniorraphies and C-sections but not for the other procedures. Nevertheless, some hospitals observed significant decreases in their rates for various procedures.

CONCLUSIONS

Intensive post-discharge surveillance may explain high SSI rates and cause artificial differences between programs. Surveillance per se, without structured and mandatory quality improvement efforts, may not produce the expected decrease in SSI rates.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:697–704
Effect of wall cooling on boundary-layer-induced pressure fluctuations at Mach 6
Authors: Zhang Chao , Duan Lian , Choudhari Meelan M.
Published: May 2017

Direct numerical simulations of turbulent boundary layers with a nominal free-stream Mach number of $6$ and a Reynolds number of $Re_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}}\approx 450$ are conducted at a wall-to-recovery temperature ratio of $T_{w}/T_{r}=0.25$ and compared with a previous database for $T_{w}/T_{r}=0.76$ in order to investigate pressure fluctuations and their dependence on wall temperature. The wall-temperature dependence of widely used velocity and temperature scaling laws for high-speed turbulent boundary layers is consistent with previous studies. The near-wall pressure-fluctuation intensities are dramatically modified by wall-temperature conditions. At different wall temperatures, the variation of pressure-fluctuation intensities as a function of wall-normal distance is dramatically modified in the near-wall region but remains almost intact away from the wall. Wall cooling also has a strong effect on the frequency spectrum of wall-pressure fluctuations, resulting in a higher dominant frequency and a sharper spectrum peak with a faster roll-off at both the high- and low-frequency ends. The effect of wall cooling on the free-stream noise spectrum can be largely accounted for by the associated changes in boundary-layer velocity and length scales. The pressure structures within the boundary layer and in the free stream evolve less rapidly as the wall temperature decreases, resulting in an increase in the decorrelation length of coherent pressure structures for the colder-wall case. The pressure structures propagate with similar speeds for both wall temperatures. Due to wall cooling, the generated pressure disturbances undergo less refraction before they are radiated to the free stream, resulting in a slightly steeper radiation wave front in the free stream. Acoustic sources are largely concentrated in the near-wall region; wall cooling most significantly influences the nonlinear (slow) component of the acoustic source term by enhancing dilatational fluctuations in the viscous sublayer while damping vortical fluctuations in the buffer and log layers.
Instabilities and transient growth of the stratified Taylor–Couette flow in a Rayleigh-unstable regime
Authors: Park Junho , Billant Paul , Baik Jong-Jin
Published: May 2017

The stability of the Taylor–Couette flow is analysed when there is a stable density stratification along the axial direction and when the flow is centrifugally unstable, i.e. in the Rayleigh-unstable regime. It is shown that not only the centrifugal instability but also the strato-rotational instability can occur. These two instabilities can be explained and well described by means of a Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin–Jeffreys asymptotic analysis for large axial wavenumbers in inviscid and non-diffusive limits. In the presence of viscosity and diffusion, numerical results reveal that the strato-rotational instability becomes dominant over the centrifugal instability at the onset of instability when the axial density stratification is sufficiently strong. Linear transient energy growth is next investigated for counter-rotating cylinders in the stable regime of the Froude number–Reynolds number parameter space. We show that there exist two types of transient growth mechanism analogous to the lift up and the Orr mechanisms in homogeneous fluids but with the additional effect of density perturbations. The dominant mechanism depends on the stratification: when the stratification is strong, non-axisymmetric three-dimensional perturbations achieve the optimal energy growth through the Orr mechanism while for moderate stratification, axisymmetric perturbations lead to the optimal transient growth by a lift-up mechanism involving internal waves.
High-quality fish oil has a more favourable effect than oxidised fish oil on intermediate-density lipoprotein and LDL subclasses: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Rundblad Amanda , Holven Kirsten B. , Ottestad Inger , Myhrstad Mari C. , Ulven Stine M.
Published: May 2017

Fish oil (FO) supplementation reduces the risk of CVD. However, it is not known if FO of different qualities have different effects on lipoprotein subclasses in humans. We aimed at investigating the effects of oxidised FO and high-quality FO supplementation on lipoprotein subclasses and their lipid concentrations in healthy humans. In all, fifty-four subjects completed a double-blind randomised controlled intervention study. The subjects were randomly assigned to receive high-quality FO (n17), oxidised FO (n18) or high-oleic sunflower oil capsules (HOSO,n19) for 7 weeks. The concentration of marinen-3 fatty acids was equal in high-quality FO and oxidised FO (1·6 g EPA+DHA/d). The peroxide value (PV) and anisidine value (AV) were 4 mEq/kg and 3 in high-quality FO and HOSO, whereas the PV and AV in the oxidised FO were 18 mEq/kg and 9. Blood samples were collected at baseline and end of study. NMR spectroscopy was applied for the analysis of lipoprotein subclasses and their lipid concentrations. High-quality FO reduced the concentration of intermediate-density lipoprotein (IDL) particles and large, medium and small LDL particles, as well as the concentrations of total lipids, phospholipids, total cholesterol, cholesteryl esters and free cholesterol in IDL and LDL subclasses compared with oxidised FO and HOSO. Hence, high-quality FO and oxidised FO differently affect lipid composition in lipoprotein subclasses, with a more favourable effect mediated by high-quality FO. In future trials, reporting the oxidation levels of FO would be useful.
1 Cor 14.34–5 without ‘in All the Churches of the Saints’: External Evidence
Authors: Lavrinoviča Aļesja
Published: May 2017

The present study of the oldest and most relevant extant manuscripts that contain 1 Cor 14.33b–35 shows that v. 33b (ὡς ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις τῶν ἁγίων) is not connected with vv. 34–5. Scribes would consider 33b to be a part of 33a. Manuscripts א, A, B, Fuldensis, D, F, G, ms. 88* clearly read 1 Cor 14.34–5 as a separate paragraph. In these manuscripts, where vv. 34–5 are found after v. 40, v. 33b closely follows 33a. P46 and P123 are damaged and require reconstruction. Moreover, Greek New Testament editions that link v. 33b with v. 34 reflect exegetical decisions and are not based on external evidence.
‘Without Lies or Deception’: Oracular Claims to Truth in the Epistle to Titus
Authors: Harrill J. Albert
Published: May 2017

The claim to communicate the divine ‘without lies or deception’ appears both in the Epistle to Titus and in contemporaneous debates about the truth value of oracles, but not because of any direct literary borrowings from an original source. The Epistle to Titus exemplifies a trend in the second century that created from oracular one-liners a literary discourse about divination, which defended traditional religious knowledge against the rise of unauthorised agents. Shared responses to contemporary phenomena best explain the parallels – and, for example, the quotation of a pagan oracle in the letter, ‘All Cretans are liars’ (Titus 1.12).
Zwischen Mythos und Wahrheit: Neue Perspektiven auf die sogenannten Pastoralbriefe
Authors: Herzer Jens
Published: May 2017

The perspective on the Pastoral Epistles presented in this paper differs from the established scholarly consensus and moves beyond the controversy concerning pseudonymity versus authenticity. After examining the development of the ‘Corpus Pastorale’ theory and clarifying some methodological questions, the paper argues for an interpretation of the Pastorals separately from each other and in their specific relation to Paul and his tradition. Significant examples indicate the possibility of understanding 2 Timothy and Titus as authentic letters of Paul, whereas 1 Timothy proves to belong to the second centuryce. From this perspective, many otherwise contradictory aspects of the history of interpretation regain their rationale.
Biography, History and the Genre of Luke-Acts
Authors: Smith Daniel Lynwood , Kostopoulos Zachary Lundin
Published: May 2017

Genre looms large in contemporary Lukan scholarship. While many scholars are content to label Luke as biography and Acts as history, others argue that both volumes must belong to a single genre. This solution preserves the generic unity of Luke-Acts by shoehorning one or both volumes into ill-fitting categories; such a move only makes sense within an understanding of genre-as-classification. By exploring recent scholarship on genre and privileging ancient practice over ancient theory, we propose reading Luke-Acts as a unified narrative influenced by and modelled after a wide range of Greek prose narratives, rather than representing one genre in particular.
Why space is not one-dimensional: Location may be categorical and imagistic
Authors: Giezen Marcel R. , Costello Brendan , Carreiras Manuel
Published: May 2017

In our commentary, we raise concerns with the idea that location should be considered a gestural component of sign languages. We argue that psycholinguistic studies provide evidence for location as a “categorical” element of signs. More generally, we propose that the use of space in sign languages comes in many flavours and may be both categorical and imagistic.

In their target article, Goldin-Meadow & Brentari (G-M&B) discuss several observations suggesting that the use of space is imagistic and may not form part of the categorical properties of sign languages. Specifically, they point out that (1) the number of locations toward which agreeing verbs can be directed is not part of a discrete set, (2) event descriptions by users of different sign languages and hearing nonsigners exhibit marked similarities in the use of space, and (3) location as a phonological parameter is not categorically perceived by native signers. It should be noted that G-M&B acknowledge that categorical properties of location and movement may simply not have been captured yet because the proper investigative tools are not yet readily available.
What is a gesture? A lesson from comparative gesture research
Authors: Liebal Katja
Published: May 2017

Research into nonhuman primates’ gestures is often limited by the lack of clear criteria to define a gesture and by studying gestures separately from other communicative means. Despite the fundamental differences between the gestural communication of humans and other primates, I argue that sign language research might benefit from the lessons learned from these drawbacks and the current developments in primate communication research.
“Target-absent” decisions in cancer nodule detection are more efficient than “target-present” decisions!
Authors: Crawford Trevor J. , Litchfield Damien , Donovan Tim
Published: May 2017

Many parts of the medical image are never fixated when a radiologist searches for cancer nodules. Experts are able to use peripheral vision very efficiently. The size of the functional visual field appears to increase according to the level of expertise. However, searching a medical image diverges, in a puzzling way, from the typical search for a target feature in the laboratory.
Fixations are not all created equal: An objection to mindless visual search
Authors: Enns James T. , Watson Marcus R.
Published: May 2017

This call to revolution in theories of visual search does not go far enough. Treating fixations as uniform is an oversimplification that obscures the critical role of the mind. We remind readers that what happens during a fixation depends on mindset, as shown in studies of search strategy and of humans' ability to rapidly resume search following an interruption.
Feature integration, attention, and fixations during visual search
Authors: Khani Abbas , Ordikhani-Seyedlar Mehdi
Published: May 2017

We argue that mechanistic premises of “item-based” theories are not invalidated by the fixation-based approach. We use item-based theories to propose an account that does not advocate strict serial item processing and integrates fixations. The main focus of this account is feature integration within fixations. We also suggest that perceptual load determines the size of the fixations.
Cognitive architecture enables comprehensive predictive models of visual search
Authors: Kieras David E. , Hornof Anthony
Published: May 2017

With a simple demonstration model, Hulleman & Olivers (H&O) effectively argue that theories of visual search need an overhaul. We point to related literature in which visual search is modeled in even more detail through the use of computational cognitive architectures that incorporate fundamental perceptual, cognitive, and motor mechanisms; the result of such work thus far bolsters their arguments considerably.
Gaze-contingent manipulation of the FVF demonstrates the importance of fixation duration for explaining search behavior
Authors: Laubrock Jochen , Engbert Ralf , Cajar Anke
Published: May 2017

Hulleman & Olivers' (H&O's) model introduces variation of the functional visual field (FVF) for explaining visual search behavior. Our research shows how the FVF can be studied using gaze-contingent displays and how FVF variation can be implemented in models of gaze control. Contrary to H&O, we believe that fixation duration is an important factor when modeling visual search behavior.
Set size slope still does not distinguish parallel from serial search
Authors: Little Daniel R. , Eidels Ami , Houpt Joseph W. , Yang Cheng-Ta
Published: May 2017

Much of the evidence for theories in visual search (including Hulleman & Olivers' [H&O's]) comes from inferences made using changes in mean RT as a function of the number of items in a display. We have known for more than 40 years that these inferences are based on flawed reasoning and obscured by model mimicry. Here we describe a method that avoids these problems.
Parallel attentive processing and pre-attentive guidance
Authors: Müller Hermann J. , Liesefeld Heinrich René , Moran Rani , Usher Marius
Published: May 2017

This commentary focuses on two related, open questions in Hulleman & Olivers' (H&O's) proposal: (1) the nature of the parallel attentive process that determines target presence within, and thus presumably the size of, the functional visual field, and (2) how the pre-attentive guidance mechanism must be conceived to also account for search performance in tasks that afford no reliable target-based guidance.
What fixations reveal about oculomotor scanning behavior in visual search
Authors: Shi Zhuanghua , Zang Xuelian , Geyer Thomas
Published: May 2017

Hulleman & Olivers' (H&O's) conceptual framework does not consider variation of fixation duration and its interaction with the size of the functional viewing field (FVF). Here we provide empirical evidence of a dynamic interaction between the two parameters, suggesting that fixations, as the central unit in H&O's framework, should be studied on both the spatial and temporal dimensions.
The “item” as a window into how prior knowledge guides visual search
Authors: Wu Rachel , Zhao Jiaying
Published: May 2017

We challenge the central idea proposed in Hulleman & Olivers (H&O) by arguing that the “item” is still useful for understanding visual search and for developing new theoretical frameworks. The “item” is a flexible unit that represents not only an individual object, but also a bundle of objects that are grouped based on prior knowledge. Uncovering how the “item” is represented based on prior knowledge is essential for advancing theories of visual search.
Irradiation of materials with short, intense ion pulses at NDCX-II
Authors: Seidl P.A. , Barnard J.J. , Feinberg E. , Friedman A. , Gilson E.P. , Grote D.P. , Ji Q. , Kaganovich I.D. , Ludewigt B. , Persaud A. , Sierra C. , Silverman M. , Stepanov A.D. , Sulyman A. , Treffert F. , Waldron W.L. , Zimmer M. , Schenkel T.
Published: May 2017

We present an overview of the performance of the Neutralized Drift Compression Experiment-II (NDCX-II) accelerator at Berkeley Lab, and report on recent target experiments on beam-driven melting and transmission ion energy loss measurements with nanosecond and millimeter-scale ion beam pulses and thin tin foils. Bunches with around 1011 ions, 1 mm radius, and 2–30 ns full width at half maximum duration have been created with corresponding fluences in the range of 0.1–0.7 J/cm2. To achieve these short pulse durations and mm-scale focal spot radii, the 1.1 MeV [megaelectronvolt (106 eV)] He+ ion beam is neutralized in a drift compression section, which removes the space charge defocusing effect during final compression and focusing. The beam space charge and drift compression techniques resemble necessary beam conditions and manipulations in heavy ion inertial fusion accelerators. Quantitative comparison of detailed particle-in-cell simulations with the experiment plays an important role in optimizing accelerator performance.
Experimental parameter identification of flexible joint robot manipulators
Authors: Miranda-Colorado Roger , Moreno-Valenzuela Javier
Published: May 2017

This paper contributes by presenting a parameter identification procedure for n-degrees-of-freedom flexible joint robot manipulators. An advantage of the given procedure is the obtaining of robot parameters in a single experiment. Guidelines are provided for the computing of the joint position filtering and velocity estimation. The method relies in the filtered robot model, for which no acceleration measurements are required. The filtered model is expressed in regressor form, which allows applying a parameter identification procedure based on the least squares algorithm. In order to assess the performance of the proposed parameter identification scheme, an implementation of a least squares with forgetting factor (LSFF) parameter identification method is carried out. In order to assess the reliability of the tested identification schemes, a model-based trajectory tracking controller has been implemented twice in different conditions: one control experiment using the estimated parameters provided by the proposed scheme, and another experiment using the parameters given by the LSFF method. These real-time control experiments are compared with respect to numerical simulations using the estimated parameters for each identification method. For the proposed scheme, the comparison between experiments and numerical simulations indicates better accuracy in the torque and position prediction.
The algebra of symmetric analytic functions on L∞
Authors: Galindo Pablo , Vasylyshyn Taras , Zagorodnyuk Andriy
Published: May 2017

We consider the algebra of holomorphic functions on L∞ that are symmetric, i.e. that are invariant under composition of the variable with any measure-preserving bijection of [0, 1]. Its spectrum is identified with the collection of scalar sequences such that is bounded and turns to be separable. All this follows from our main result that the subalgebra of symmetric polynomials on L∞ has a natural algebraic basis.
Well-Being without Being? A Reply to Feit
Authors: CARLSON ERIK , JOHANSSON JENS
Published: May 2017

In a recent Utilitas article, Neil Feit argues that every person occupies a well-being level of zero at all times and possible worlds at which she fails to exist. Views like his face the ‘problem of the subject’: how can someone have a well-being level in a scenario where she lacks intrinsic properties? Feit argues that this problem can be solved by noting, among other things, that a proposition about a person can be true at a possible world in which neither she nor the proposition exists. In this response, we argue that Feit has not solved the problem of the subject, and also raise various related problems for his approach.
ANCIENT MAYA ECONOMY: LITHIC PRODUCTION AND EXCHANGE AROUND CEIBAL, GUATEMALA
Authors: Aoyama Kazuo
Published: May 2017

This article discusses the results of my diachronic analysis of lithic artifacts collected around Ceibal, Guatemala, in order to elucidate one aspect of long-term changing patterns in the pre-Columbian Maya economic systems and warfare. The importation of large polyhedral obsidian cores and local production of prismatic blades began as the result of sociopolitical development in Ceibal during the early Middle Preclassic Real-Xe phase. El Chayal obsidian was heavily used during the early Middle Preclassic period, while San Martín Jilotepeque was the principal source in the late Middle Preclassic, Late Preclassic, and Terminal Preclassic periods, and El Chayal once more became the major source in Ceibal during the Classic period. There is increasing evidence of the production and use of chert and obsidian points in the central part of Ceibal during the Late and Terminal Classic periods, indicating elites' direct involvement in warfare. Although the spear or dart points were predominant weapons in Classic Maya warfare, the increase in both chert small unifacial points and obsidian prismatic blade points in Ceibal points to bow-and-arrow technology by the Terminal Classic period.
SOCIAL TRANSFORMATIONS IN A MIDDLE PRECLASSIC COMMUNITY: ELITE RESIDENTIAL COMPLEXES AT CEIBAL
Authors: Triadan Daniela , Castillo Victor , Inomata Takeshi , Palomo Juan Manuel , Méndez María Belén , Cortave Mónica , MacLellan Jessica , Burham Melissa , Ponciano Erick
Published: May 2017

Excavations in large platforms in the center of Ceibal revealed extensive early Middle Preclassic constructions. They consisted of extensive clay platforms that supported low basal structural platforms. Although the function of the earliest platform, Sulul, during the Real-Xe 1 and 2 phases (950–775b.c.) is not clear, the one built during the Real-Xe 3 phase (775–700b.c.) likely supported multiple residential buildings. The emphasis on elevating this domestic space above the natural land surface and the communal labor involved in these constructions indicate that they were most likely inhabited by an emergent elite. These places were continuously remodeled and used until the end of the Middle Preclassic. This new data from Ceibal contributes significantly to our understanding of the processes involved in the transition to a sedentary lifestyle and the development of social and political differentiation in the Maya lowlands.
What makes prosecutors independent? Analysing the institutional determinants of prosecutorial independence
Authors: VOIGT STEFAN , WULF ALEXANDER J.
Published: May 2017

The prosecution of criminal suspects is an integral part of a country's justice system. While substantial scholarly attention has been devoted to the study of the police and judges and their relevance to the rule of law, surprisingly little is known about prosecutors. The aim of this paper is to contribute towards filling this knowledge gap. We first demonstrate the rising importance of prosecutors in criminal justice systems around the world. We identify the independence of prosecution agencies from the other two branches of government as a centrally important characteristic and then proceed to analyse the determinants ofde factoprosecutorial independence from a political economy perspective. We find that press freedom, the immunity of parliamentarians and belonging to the common law tradition are positively associated with higherde factoindependence.
Influence of Assessment Methods on Subjective and Objective Memory Impairment
Authors: Burmester Bridget , Leathem Janet , Merrick Paul
Published: May 2017

Abstract. Evidence regarding the relationship between subjective memory complaints (SMCs) and objective memory functioning remains mixed; assessment methods may underlie this inconsistency. In this study, 94 participants aged 40 and above completed two measures of SMCs (open-ended self-reports, and a questionnaire) and memory tests (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test and Rey Complex Figure Test). Canonical correlation analysis showed no significant associations between any measures of memory and SMCs, regardless of the assessment method employed. Possible explanations for this result and the influence of study limitations are discussed.
Feinfühliges Elternverhalten und kindliche Emotionsregulation
Authors: Petersen Rieke , Petermann Franz , Petermann Ulrike
Published: May 2017

Zusammenfassung. Feinfühliges Elternverhalten in der frühen Kindheit (0 – 3 Jahre) bildet die Basis für die Entwicklung grundlegender sozial-emotionaler Kompetenzen im Kindesalter. Ein gering ausgeprägtes feinfühliges Elternverhalten wird mit Verhaltens- und emotionalen Störungen sowie Emotionsregulationsproblemen bei Kindern assoziiert. Der vorliegende Review untersucht, wie feinfühliges Elternverhalten die Emotionsregulation und die sozial-emotionale Entwicklung von Kindern beeinflusst. Zwischen 2007 und 2016 konnten 12 Studien identifiziert werden, in denen diese Zusammenhänge betrachtet werden. Feinfühliges Elternverhalten konnte als Prädiktor für eine positive sozial-emotionale Entwicklung im weiteren Verlauf bestätigt werden, während sich wenig feinfühliges Verhalten negativ auf die Entwicklung von Kindern auswirkte. Die Ergebnisse sprechen für einen verstärkten Fokus auf der Förderung elterlicher Kompetenzen in den ersten Lebensjahren.
Genetischer Einfluss auf die Varianz im prosozialen Verhalten
Authors: Knoll-Pientka Nadja , Zmyj Norbert , Hebebrand Johannes , Schröder Lisa
Published: May 2017

Zusammenfassung. Bereits im Kleinkindalter zeigen sich Unterschiede in prosozialen Verhaltensweisen (z. B. in der Bereitschaft anderen zu helfen oder zu teilen). Diese interindividuellen Unterschiede untersuchter Personen weisen eine hohe Stabilität in der weiteren Entwicklung auf. Als Einflussfaktoren auf die Entwicklung prosozialen Verhaltens wurden bisher primär soziale Faktoren, insbesondere elterliches Verhalten, untersucht. In der vorliegenden systematischen Übersicht wurde der Frage nachgegangen, inwiefern genetische Faktoren einen Einfluss auf die Varianz im prosozialen Verhalten haben. Die Ergebnisse von Studien, die durch eine Abfrage von drei Datenbanken in das vorliegende Review eingeschlossen wurden, ergaben, dass genetische Faktoren bei Studien, die auf Fragebogen basieren, einen moderaten Einfluss auf die Varianz im prosozialen Verhalten haben, wohingegen Studien, die auf direkter Verhaltensbeobachtung basieren, einen geringeren Einfluss auf die Varianz im prosozialen Verhalten haben.
Inhibition of gelatinase B/MMP-9 does not attenuate colitis in murine models of inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: de Bruyn Magali , Breynaert Christine , Arijs Ingrid , De Hertogh Gert , Geboes Karel , Thijs Greet , Matteoli Gianluca , Hu Jialiang , Van Damme Jo , Arnold Bernd , Ferrante Marc , Vermeire Séverine , Van Assche Gert , Opdenakker Ghislain
Published: May 2017

One third of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) inadequately respond to anti-TNF treatment and preclinical data suggest that matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is a novel therapeutic target. Here we show that IBD clinical and histopathological parameters found in wild type mice challenged with three different models of colitis, acute and chronic dextran sodium sulphate (DSS), and acute 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid-induced colitis are not attenuated in MMP-9 knockout mice. We find similar colonic gene expression profiles in wild type and MMP-9 knockout mice in control and acute DSS conditions with the exception of eleven genes involved in antimicrobial response during colitis. Parameters of chronic colitis are similar in wild type and MMP-9 knockout mice. Pharmacological inhibition of MMP-9 with bio-active peptides does not improve DSS colitis. We suggest that MMP-9 upregulation is a consequence rather than a cause of intestinal inflammation and we question whether MMP-9 represents a disease target in IBD.
Oligolysine-based coating protects DNA nanostructures from low-salt denaturation and nuclease degradation
Authors: Ponnuswamy Nandhini , Bastings Maartje M. C. , Nathwani Bhavik , Ryu Ju Hee , Chou Leo Y. T. , Vinther Mathias , Li Weiwei Aileen , Anastassacos Frances M. , Mooney David J. , Shih William M.
Published: May 2017

DNA nanostructures have evoked great interest as potential therapeutics and diagnostics due to ease and robustness of programming their shapes, site-specific functionalizations and responsive behaviours. However, their utility in biological fluids can be compromised through denaturation induced by physiological salt concentrations and degradation mediated by nucleases. Here we demonstrate that DNA nanostructures coated by oligolysines to 0.5:1 N:P (ratio of nitrogen in lysine to phosphorus in DNA), are stable in low salt and up to tenfold more resistant to DNase I digestion than when uncoated. Higher N:P ratios can lead to aggregation, but this can be circumvented by coating instead with an oligolysine-PEG copolymer, enabling up to a 1,000-fold protection against digestion by serum nucleases. Oligolysine-PEG-stabilized DNA nanostructures survive uptake into endosomal compartments and, in a mouse model, exhibit a modest increase in pharmacokinetic bioavailability. Thus, oligolysine-PEG is a one-step, structure-independent approach that provides low-cost and effective protection of DNA nanostructures for in vivo applications.
Squeezing and quantum state engineering with Josephson travelling wave amplifiers
Authors: Grimsmo Arne L. , Blais Alexandre
Published: May 2017

We develop a quantum theory describing the input–output properties of Josephson traveling wave parametric amplifiers. This allows us to show how such a device can be used as a source of nonclassical radiation, and how dispersion engineering can be used to tailor gain profiles and squeezing spectra with attractive properties, ranging from genuinely broadband spectra to “squeezing combs” consisting of a number of discrete entangled quasimodes. The device’s output field can furthermore be used to generate a multi-mode squeezed bath—a powerful resource for dissipative quantum state preparation. In particular, we show how it can be used to generate continuous variable cluster states that are universal for measurement based quantum computing. The favorable scaling properties of the preparation scheme makes this a promising path towards continuous variable quantum computing in the microwave regime.
Singlet Exciton Fraction in Electroluminescence from Conjugated Polymer
Authors: Jen Tzu-Hao , Chen Show-An
Published: May 2017

The efficiency of electrofluorescent polymer light-emitting diodes is determined by singlet exciton fraction (χS) formation and its value still remains controversial. In this work, χS in spiropolyfluorene (SPF) is determined by analyzing transient emission of phosphor-dopant probe. The χS is found to range from 50% to 76%, depending on applied voltage. Higher applied voltage gives larger χS. Besides, more rapid increment in χS with applied voltage is observed in the higher-molecular-weight polymer. The voltage or molecular weight dependence of χS suggests the probability of singlet exciton (SE) generation through triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) is enhanced due to higher triplet exciton (TE) concentration at higher applied voltage or accommodation of more TEs in a polymer chain with high molecular weight, thereby increasing probability of TTA. At lower applied voltage, χS is contributed by charge recombination. Its value (χS ~50%) higher than the statistical limit 25% is in agreement with efficient interconversion between triplet and singlet polaron pairs (PP) and with larger formation rate of SE relative to that of TE.
In-situ freeze-drying - forming amorphous solids directly within capsules: An investigation of dissolution enhancement for a poorly soluble drug
Authors: Alqurshi Abdulmalik , Chan K. L. Andrew. , Royall Paul G.
Published: May 2017

Conversion into the amorphous form enhances the dissolution of poorly soluble drugs, however the barrier to market for medicines containing an amorphous drug is poor stability. The aim was to produce the amorphous form of a drug within a capsule, without thermal or mechanical stress during manufacture. To facilitate this aim, the mechanism for drug-polymer interaction was explored. Nifedipine and polyvinylpyrrolidone were dissolved in tert-butanol at different drug/polymer ratios. These solutions were dispensed into gelatin capsules and freeze-dried. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) & novel FT-IR analysis based on peak symmetry measurements confirmed the absence of crystallinity when polyvinylpyrrolidone exceeded 50%w/w. Capsules containing 10 mg of nifedipine were amorphous and stable for over 3 months at ≈40 °C. Evidence of hydrogen bonding between the N-H group of nifedipine and the C=O group of PVP was observed and this interaction inhibited nifedipine crystallisation. PVP’s high affinity for water and the nifedipine-polymer interaction lead to a significant dissolution rate enhancement. The freeze-dried capsule, 10%w/w nifedipine/PVP, had the highest dissolution rate constant of 0.37 ± 0.05 min−1, and the lowest time to achieve 50% dissolution or t1/2 of 1.88 ± 0.05 min. This formulation reached 80% dissolved in less than 6 min whereas the equivalent marketed liquid filled nifedipine capsule took 3 times longer to reach 80% dissolution.
Effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on UTIs and genital infections in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Liu Jiali , Li Ling , Li Sheyu , Jia Pengli , Deng Ke , Chen Wenwen , Sun Xin
Published: May 2017

Previous trial evidence suggested potential risk of serious urinary tract infections (UTIs) and genital infections in type 2 diabetes patients using sodium glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2) inhibitors. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on UTIs and genital infections in patients with type 2 diabetes. In total, 77 RCTs involving 50,820 participants were eligible. The meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) showed no significant difference in UTIs between SGLT2 inhibitors versus control (2,526/29,086 vs. 1,278/14,940; risk ratio (RR) 1.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.98 to 1.12; moderate quality evidence), but suggested increased risk of genital infections with SGLT2 inhibitors (1,521/24,017 vs. 216/12,552; RR 3.30, 95% CI 2.74 to 3.99; moderate quality evidence). Subgroup analyses by length of follow up (interaction p = 0.005), type of control (interaction p = 0.04) and individual SGLT2 inhibitors (interaction p = 0.03) also showed statistically significant differences in genital infections. The upcoming major trials may provide important additional insights on UTIs, and more efforts are needed to address comparative effects of each individual SGLT2 inhibitors on the infections.