bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
New Evidence on Mutual Fund Performance: A Comparison of Alternative Bootstrap Methods
Authors: Blake David , Caulfield Tristan , Ioannidis Christos , Tonks Ian 
Published: May 2017

We compare two bootstrap methods for assessing mutual fund performance. The first produces narrow confidence intervals due to pooling over time, whereas the second produces wider confidence intervals because it preserves the cross correlation of fund returns. We then show that the average U.K. equity mutual fund manager is unable to deliver outperformance net of fees under either bootstrap. Gross of fees, 95% of fund managers on the basis of the first bootstrap and all fund managers on the basis of the second bootstrap fail to outperform the luck distribution of gross returns.
Legacies of ‘madiro’? Worker-peasantry, livelihood crisis and ‘siziphile’ land occupations in semi-arid north-western Zimbabwe
Authors: Thebe Vusilizwe 
Published: May 2017

AbstractThis paper examines acts of land ‘self-provisioning’ (‘siziphile’ land occupations) and ‘radical land restitution’ (of land previously annexed from people by the local authority for a pilot grazing project) by villagers in a communal area in Lupane District in north-western Zimbabwe. Situating these occurrences within the wider and historical context of ‘madiro’ (freedom farming and unauthorised development of settlements) and Matabeleland land politics and semi-proletarianisation, it stresses the livelihood history of households, the disappointments with local job opportunities and destruction of urban-based livelihoods in a crumbling economy, and the accompanying crisis of communal area agriculture. It concludes that these factors provided a real threat to semi-proletarianisation. By self-provisioning of the land the overriding concern of villagers was to maintain a certain level of livelihood survival, even if it was at odds with their livelihood strategies, while they sought opportunities to maintain semi-proletarianisation.
‘Written in Bone’: New Discoveries about the Lives and Burials of Four Roman Londoners
Authors: Redfern Rebecca C. , Marshall Michael , Eaton Katherine , Poinar Hendrik N. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractThe Museum of London selected four individuals for multidisciplinary scientific analyses in order to establish their ancestry, aspects of their personal appearance and health. We also reinterpreted their burial context in order to better understand how identity was constructed and expressed in this unique Roman settlement. Our study discovered the presence of people with Black and White European ancestry, some of whom had migrated from the southern Mediterranean. The most surprising result was that Harper Road woman's chromosomes were male. Overall, our experience of undertaking a multidisciplinary study served to further underline the need for these different techniques to be used in combination when investigating past identities. The mtDNA results were very broad and required the mobility isotopes to better understand their significance, while the aDNA evidence confirmed the osteological analysis. In terms of public engagement at the Museum of London, the ability to determine hair and eye colour had a significant impact.
Salt of the Hearth: Understanding the Briquetage from a Later Romano-British Saltern at Pyde Drove, near Woolavington, Somerset
Authors: Hughes Simon , Payne Naomi , Rainbird Paul 
Published: May 2017

AbstractA saltern associated with salt production was excavated at Pyde Drove, near Woolavington. The large assemblage of briquetage recovered has allowed for some novel interpretations of the function of the different component types within the hearth structures. The saltern comprised a mound of waste material adjacent to 12 brine-settling tank pits and two salt water channels. A further settling tank was revealed beneath the mound. The pottery indicates that activity on the site dates to the later Romano-British period.
A THREE-VALUED QUANTIFIED ARGUMENT CALCULUS: DOMAIN-FREE MODEL-THEORY, COMPLETENESS, AND EMBEDDING OF FOL
Authors: LANZET RAN 
Published: May 2017

AbstractThis paper presents an extended version of the Quantified Argument Calculus (Quarc). Quarc is a logic comparable to the first-order predicate calculus. It employs several nonstandard syntactic and semantic devices, which bring it closer to natural language in several respects. Most notably, quantifiers in this logic are attached to one-place predicates; the resulting quantified constructions are then allowed to occupy the argument places of predicates. The version presented here is capable of straightforwardly translating natural-language sentences involving defining clauses. A three-valued, model-theoretic semantics for Quarc is presented. Interpretations in this semantics are not equipped with domains of quantification: they are just interpretation functions. This reflects the analysis of natural-language quantification on which Quarc is based. A proof system is presented, and a completeness result is obtained. The logic presented here is capable of straightforward translation of the classical first-order predicate calculus, the translation preserving truth values as well as entailment. The first-order predicate calculus and its devices of quantification can be seen as resulting from Quarc on certain semantic and syntactic restrictions, akin to simplifying assumptions. An analogous, straightforward translation of Quarc into the first-order predicate calculus is impossible.
Explaining Differing Democratic Norm Commitment: Rethinking the Religion-Psychological Security-Democratic Norm Support Connection
Authors: Eisenstein Marie A. , Clark April K. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractThe psychological security index is an important predictor of democratic norm support. However, insufficient attention has been paid to the separate but independent contributions of dogmatism, self-esteem, and trust, the three components typically combined to create that index. Thus, we do not know the unique influence of these components on democratic norm commitment. We also do not know the exact nature of the influence of the multiple dimensions of religion (belief, belonging, behavior) on the separate psychological security components. Using structural equation modeling and two national surveys, we examine the religion-psychological security-democratic norm support relationship. Our findings do not fully support a negative association between religion and democratic values. In fact, no matter the influence of religious belief, belonging, or behavior on psychological security, the mediating link of psychological security to democratic norm support is what is most important. Indeed, any differences that manifest as a consequence of the various dimensions of religion disappear in the religion-psychological security-democratic norm support linkage. As such, anti-democratic values are a product of one's psychological attributes and are almost entirely unrelated to one's religion. Further, our findings challenge the theoretical underpinnings of the psychological security index, as we find little evidence that the separate components used to construct the composite measure, particularly trust, are an appropriate proxy for authoritarianism.
Intron retention is regulated by altered MeCP2-mediated splicing factor recruitment
Authors: Wong Justin J. -L. , Gao Dadi , Nguyen Trung V. , Kwok Chau-To , van Geldermalsen Michelle , Middleton Rob , Pinello Natalia , Thoeng Annora , Nagarajah Rajini , Holst Jeff , Ritchie William , Rasko John E. J. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractWhile intron retention (IR) is considered a widely conserved and distinct mechanism of gene expression control, its regulation is poorly understood. Here we show that DNA methylation directly regulates IR. We also find reduced occupancy of MeCP2 near the splice junctions of retained introns, mirroring the reduced DNA methylation at these sites. Accordingly, MeCP2 depletion in tissues and cells enhances IR. By analysing the MeCP2 interactome using mass spectrometry and RNA co-precipitation, we demonstrate that decreased MeCP2 binding near splice junctions facilitates IR via reduced recruitment of splicing factors, including Tra2b, and increased RNA polymerase II stalling. These results suggest an association between IR and a slower rate of transcription elongation, which reflects inefficient splicing factor recruitment. In summary, our results reinforce the interdependency between alternative splicing involving IR and epigenetic controls of gene expression.
Quantum-circuit refrigerator
Authors: Tan Kuan Yen , Partanen Matti , Lake Russell E. , Govenius Joonas , Masuda Shumpei , Möttönen Mikko 
Published: May 2017

AbstractQuantum technology promises revolutionizing applications in information processing, communications, sensing and modelling. However, efficient on-demand cooling of the functional quantum degrees of freedom remains challenging in many solid-state implementations, such as superconducting circuits. Here we demonstrate direct cooling of a superconducting resonator mode using voltage-controllable electron tunnelling in a nanoscale refrigerator. This result is revealed by a decreased electron temperature at a resonator-coupled probe resistor, even for an elevated electron temperature at the refrigerator. Our conclusions are verified by control experiments and by a good quantitative agreement between theory and experimental observations at various operation voltages and bath temperatures. In the future, we aim to remove spurious dissipation introduced by our refrigerator and to decrease the operational temperature. Such an ideal quantum-circuit refrigerator has potential applications in the initialization of quantum electric devices. In the superconducting quantum computer, for example, fast and accurate reset of the quantum memory is needed.
Highly selective covalent organic functionalization of epitaxial graphene
Authors: Bueno Rebeca A. , Martínez José I. , Luccas Roberto F. , del Árbol Nerea Ruiz , Munuera Carmen , Palacio Irene , Palomares Francisco J. , Lauwaet Koen , Thakur Sangeeta , Baranowski Jacek M. , Strupinski Wlodek , López María F. , Mompean Federico , García-Hernández Mar , Martín-Gago José A. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractGraphene functionalization with organics is expected to be an important step for the development of graphene-based materials with tailored electronic properties. However, its high chemical inertness makes difficult a controlled and selective covalent functionalization, and most of the works performed up to the date report electrostatic molecular adsorption or unruly functionalization. We show hereafter a mechanism for promoting highly specific covalent bonding of any amino-terminated molecule and a description of the operating processes. We show, by different experimental techniques and theoretical methods, that the excess of charge at carbon dangling-bonds formed on single-atomic vacancies at the graphene surface induces enhanced reactivity towards a selective oxidation of the amino group and subsequent integration of the nitrogen within the graphene network. Remarkably, functionalized surfaces retain the electronic properties of pristine graphene. This study opens the door for development of graphene-based interfaces, as nano-bio-hybrid composites, fabrication of dielectrics, plasmonics or spintronics.
A general method for controlling and resolving rotational orientation of molecules in molecule-surface collisions
Authors: Godsi Oded , Corem Gefen , Alkoby Yosef , Cantin Joshua T. , Krems Roman V. , Somers Mark F. , Meyer Jörg , Kroes Geert-Jan , Maniv Tsofar , Alexandrowicz Gil 
Published: May 2017

AbstractThe outcome of molecule–surface collisions can be modified by pre-aligning the molecule; however, experiments accomplishing this are rare because of the difficulty of preparing molecules in aligned quantum states. Here we present a general solution to this problem based on magnetic manipulation of the rotational magnetic moment of the incident molecule. We apply the technique to the scattering of H2 from flat and stepped copper surfaces. We demonstrate control of the molecule’s initial quantum state, allowing a direct comparison of differences in the stereodynamic scattering from the two surfaces. Our results show that a stepped surface exhibits a much larger dependence of the corrugation of the interaction on the alignment of the molecule than the low-index surface. We also demonstrate an extension of the technique that transforms the set-up into an interferometer, which is sensitive to molecular quantum states both before and after the scattering event.
Inadequate sleep as a contributor to type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents
Authors: Dutil C , Chaput J-P 
Published: May 2017

AbstractLack of sleep is a modifiable risk factor for adverse health in humans. Short sleep duration and poor sleep quality are common in the pediatric population; the largest decline in sleep duration over the past decades has been seen in children and adolescents. The objective of the present narrative review was to provide for the first time an overview of the literature on sleep and its association with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) biomarkers in children and adolescents. For this narrative review, 23 studies were retained (21 observational and 2 experimental studies). Notwithstanding the conflicting results found in these studies and despite being attenuated by adiposity level, maturity, sex and age, there is still some compelling evidence for an association between sleep duration (for both objective or subjective measurements of duration) and architecture with one or more T2D biomarkers in children and adolescents. The majority of the studies reviewed did focus on sleep duration and one or more T2D biomarkers in children and adolescents, but sleep architecture, more precisely the suppression of slow wave sleep and rapid eye movement sleep, has also been shown to be associated with insulin resistance. Only two studies looked at sleep quality, and the association between sleep quality and insulin resistance was not independent of level of adiposity. Future experimental studies will help to better understand the mechanisms linking insufficient sleep with T2D. Work also needs to be carried out on finding novel and effective strategies aimed at improving sleep hygiene and health outcomes of children and adolescents.
Determination of nasal and oropharyngeal microbiomes in a multicenter population-based study – findings from Pretest 1 of the German National Cohort
Authors: Akmatov Manas K. , Koch Nadine , Vital Marius , Ahrens Wolfgang , Flesch-Janys Dieter , Fricke Julia , Gatzemeier Anja , Greiser Halina , Günther Kathrin , Illig Thomas , Kaaks Rudolf , Krone Bastian , Kühn Andrea , Linseisen Jakob , Meisinger Christine , Michels Karin , Moebus Susanne , Nieters Alexandra , Obi Nadia , Schultze Anja , Six-Merker Julia , Pieper Dietmar H. , Pessler Frank 
Published: May 2017

AbstractWe examined acceptability, preference and feasibility of collecting nasal and oropharyngeal swabs, followed by microbiome analysis, in a population-based study with 524 participants. Anterior nasal and oropharyngeal swabs were collected by certified personnel. In addition, participants self-collected nasal swabs at home four weeks later. Four swab types were compared regarding (1) participants’ satisfaction and acceptance and (2) detection of microbial community structures based on deep sequencing of the 16 S rRNA gene V1–V2 variable regions. All swabbing methods were highly accepted. Microbial community structure analysis revealed 846 phylotypes, 46 of which were unique to oropharynx and 164 unique to nares. The calcium alginate tipped swab was found unsuitable for microbiome determinations. Among the remaining three swab types, there were no differences in oropharyngeal microbiomes detected and only marginal differences in nasal microbiomes. Microbial community structures did not differ between staff-collected and self-collected nasal swabs. These results suggest (1) that nasal and oropharyngeal swabbing are highly feasible methods for human population-based studies that include the characterization of microbial community structures in these important ecological niches, and (2) that self-collection of nasal swabs at home can be used to reduce cost and resources needed, particularly when serial measurements are to be taken.
Digital Etch Technique for Forming Ultra-Scaled Germanium-Tin (Ge
1−x
Sn
x
) Fin Structure
Authors: Wang Wei , Lei Dian , Dong Yuan , Gong Xiao , Tok Eng Soon , Yeo Yee-Chia 
Published: May 2017

AbstractWe developed a new digital etch process that allows precise etching of Germanium or Germanium-tin (Ge1−x
Sn
x
) materials. The digital etch approach consists of Ge1−x
Sn
x
oxide formation by plasma oxidation and oxide removal in diluted hydrochloric acid at room temperature. The first step is a self-limiting process, as the thickness of oxide layer grows logarithmically with the oxidation time and saturates fast. Consistent etch rates in each cycle were found on the Ge1−x
Sn
x
samples, with the surfaces remaining smooth after etch. The digital etch process parameters were tuned to achieve various etch rates. By reducing the radio frequency power to 70 W, etch rate of sub-1.2 nm was obtained on a Ge0.875Sn0.125 sample. The digital etch process was employed to fabricate the Ge1−x
Sn
x
fin structures. Extremely scaled Ge0.95Sn0.05 fins with 5 nm fin width were realized. The side walls of the Ge0.95Sn0.05 fins are smooth, and no crystal damage can be observed. This technique provides an option to realize aggressively scaled nanostructure devices based on Ge1−x
Sn
x
materials with high-precision control.
Quantitative trait loci for large sink capacity enhance rice grain yield under free-air CO2 enrichment conditions
Authors: Nakano Hiroshi , Yoshinaga Satoshi , Takai Toshiyuki , Arai-Sanoh Yumiko , Kondo Katsuhiko , Yamamoto Toshio , Sakai Hidemitsu , Tokida Takeshi , Usui Yasuhiro , Nakamura Hirofumi , Hasegawa Toshihiro , Kondo Motohiko 
Published: May 2017

AbstractThe global atmospheric CO2 concentration has been increasing annually. To determine the trait that effectively increases rice (Oryza sativa L.) grain yield under increased atmospheric CO2 concentrations, as predicted in the near future, we grew a chromosome segment substitution line (CSSL) and a near-isogenic line (NIL) producing high spikelet numbers per panicle (CSSL-GN1 and NIL-APO1, respectively) under free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) conditions and examined the effects of a large sink capacity on grain yield, its components, and growth-related traits under increased atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Under ambient conditions, CSSL-GN1 and NIL-APO1 exhibited a similar grain yield to Koshihikari, as a result of the trade-off between increased spikelet number and reduced grain filling. However, under FACE conditions, CSSL-GN1 and NIL-APO1 had an equal or a higher grain yield than Koshihikari because of the higher number of spikelets and lower reduction in grain filling. Thus, the improvement of source activity by increased atmospheric CO2 concentrations can lead to enhanced grain yield in rice lines that have a large sink capacity. Therefore, introducing alleles that increase sink capacity into conventional varieties represents a strategy that can be used to develop high-yielding varieties under increased atmospheric CO2 concentrations, such as those predicted in the near future.
Direct Observation of Sink-Dependent Defect Evolution in Nanocrystalline Iron under Irradiation
Authors: El-Atwani O. , Nathaniel J. E. , Leff A. C. , Hattar K. , Taheri M. L. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractCrystal defects generated during irradiation can result in severe changes in morphology and an overall degradation of mechanical properties in a given material. Nanomaterials have been proposed as radiation damage tolerant materials, due to the hypothesis that defect density decreases with grain size refinement due to the increase in grain boundary surface area. The lower defect density should arise from grain boundary-point defect absorption and enhancement of interstitial-vacancy annihilation. In this study, low energy helium ion irradiation on free-standing iron thin films were performed at 573 K. Interstitial loops of a
0
/2 [111] Burgers vector were directly observed as a result of the displacement damage. Loop density trends with grain size demonstrated an increase in the nanocrystalline (<100 nm) regime, but scattered behavior in the transition from the nanocrystalline to the ultra-fine regime (100–500 nm). To examine the validity of such trends, loop density and area for different grains at various irradiation doses were compared and revealed efficient defect absorption in the nanocrystalline grain size regime, but loop coalescence in the ultra-fine grain size regime. A relationship between the denuded zone formation, a measure of grain boundary absorption efficiency, grain size, grain boundary type and misorientation angle is determined.
Fitness estimates from experimental infections predict the long-term strain structure of a vector-borne pathogen in the field
Authors: Durand Jonas , Jacquet Maxime , Rais Olivier , Gern Lise , Voordouw Maarten J. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractThe populations of many pathogen species consist of a collection of common and rare strains but the factors underlying this strain-specific variation in frequency are often unknown. Understanding frequency variation among strains is particularly challenging for vector-borne pathogens where the strain-specific fitness depends on the performance in both the vertebrate host and the arthropod vector. Two sympatric multiple-strain tick-borne pathogens, Borrelia afzelii and B. garinii, that use the same tick vector, Ixodes ricinus, but different vertebrate hosts were studied. 454-sequencing of the polymorphic ospC gene was used to characterize the community of Borrelia strains in a local population of I. ricinus ticks over a period of 11 years. Estimates of the reproduction number (R0), a measure of fitness, were obtained for six strains of B. afzelii from a previous laboratory study. There was substantial variation in prevalence among strains and some strains were consistently common whereas other strains were consistently rare. In B. afzelii, the strain-specific estimates of R0 in laboratory mice explained over 70% of the variation in the prevalences of the strains in our local population of ticks. Our study shows that laboratory estimates of fitness can predict the community structure of multiple-strain pathogens in the field.
Visualization of a Mammalian Mitochondrion by Coherent X-ray Diffractive Imaging
Authors: Kim Yoonhee , Kim Chan , Kwon Ou Young , Nam Daewoong , Kim Sang Soo , Park Jae Hyun , Kim Sunam , Gallagher-Jones Marcus , Kohmura Yoshiki , Ishikawa Tetsuya , Song Changyong , Tae Giyoong , Noh Do Young 
Published: May 2017

AbstractWe report a three dimensional (3D) quantitative visualization of a mammalian mitochondrion by coherent x-ray diffractive imaging (CXDI) using synchrotron radiation. The internal structures of a mitochondrion from a mouse embryonic fibroblast cell line (NIH3T3) were visualized by tomographic imaging at approximately 60 nm resolution without the need for sectioning or staining. The overall structure consisted of a high electron density region, composed of the outer and inner membranes and the cristae cluster, which enclosed the lower density mitochondrial matrix. The average mass density of the mitochondrion was about 1.36 g/cm3. Sectioned images of the cristae reveal that they have neither a baffle nor septa shape but were instead irregular. In addition, a high resolution, about 14 nm, 2D projection image was captured of a similar mitochondrion with the aid of strongly scattering Au reference objects. Obtaining 3D images at this improved resolution will allow CXDI to be an effective and nondestructive method for investigating the innate structure of mitochondria and other important life supporting organelles.