bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Competition and switching in public service markets: Can they reduce inequalities?
Authors: Fernández‐Gutiérrez Marcos , James Oliver , Jilke Sebastian 
Published: February 2016

AbstractRegulatory reforms to public infrastructure services across European Union (EU) countries were aimed at increasing consumer welfare by introducing competition and choice into service markets. However, empirical evaluations have questioned whether these reforms have benefitted all consumers, suggesting that vulnerable groups of service users (especially those with lower levels of formal education), might be locked into poorly performing services. We assess the relationship between the level of competition in electricity and fixed telephony markets in EU countries and evaluate the affordability of these services for different socio‐educational layers. Our findings show that – although in countries where there is a relatively high frequency of switching, inequalities between socio‐educational groups are smaller and eventually disappear – competition as such does not play a part. These results suggest that demand‐side regulation that successfully enables consumer switching has the potential to equalize social welfare, thereby reflecting a possible convergence of regulatory instruments and the central aims of the welfare state in this context.
Estimating the Density of Ethnic Minorities and Aged People in Berlin: Multivariate Kernel Density Estimation Applied to Sensitive Georeferenced Administrative Data Protected Via Measurement Error
Authors: Groß Marcus , Rendtel Ulrich , Schmid Timo , Schmon Sebastian , Tzavidis Nikos 
Published: February 2016

SummaryModern systems of official statistics require the timely estimation of area-specific densities of subpopulations. Ideally estimates should be based on precise geocoded information, which is not available because of confidentiality constraints. One approach for ensuring confidentiality is by rounding the geoco-ordinates. We propose multivariate non-parametric kernel density estimation that reverses the rounding process by using a measurement error model. The methodology is applied to the Berlin register of residents for deriving density estimates of ethnic minorities and aged people. Estimates are used for identifying areas with a need for new advisory centres for migrants and infrastructure for older people.
Zero-Inflated Modelling for Characterizing Coverage Errors of Extracts from the US Census Bureau'sMaster Address File
Authors: Young Derek S. , Raim Andrew M. , Johnson Nancy R. 
Published: February 2016

SummaryTo meet the strategic goals and objectives for the 2020 census, the US Census Bureau must make fundamental changes to the design, implementation and management of the decennial census. The changes must build on the successes and address the challenges of the previous censuses. Of particular interest is to gauge the on-going quality of the census frames. We address this topic by discussing a set of statistical models for the Master Address File that will produce estimates of coverage error at levels of geography down to the block level. The distributions of added and deleted housing units in a block are used to characterize the undercoverage and overcoverage respectively. The data used are from the 2010 address canvassing operation. As will be shown, these distributions are highly right skewed with a very large proportion of 0 counts. Hence, we utilize zero-inflated regression modelling to determine the predicted distribution of additions and deletions. In addition to standard statistical measures, we gauge the performance of this model by simulating a 2010 address canvassing operation using a specified coverage level. We also discuss future maintenance and updating of this model.
India's Grain Security Policy in the Era of High Food Prices: A Computable General Equilibrium Analysis
Authors: Yu Wusheng , Bandara Jayatilleke 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThis study uses a computable general equilibrium model to evaluate the fiscal and welfare costs of the market stabilisation and insulating food policy of India during the 2007–08 global food crisis. We demonstrate that domestic food grain price stabilisation through simultaneously subsidising consumers and producers and restricting exports entailed huge fiscal costs and equally large welfare costs to India, an outcome that is almost always the worst as compared to the alternative policy mixes examined in this study. While the most market‐oriented domestic and trade policy alternatives that would generate better welfare effects and the least fiscal costs may not be feasible due to political economy considerations, we argue that there exist some ‘middle‐ground’ policy mixes featuring partial relaxations of domestic subsidies on either food grains or fertilisers and/or less restrictive border policies, which are superior in terms of their welfare effects and fiscal costs and might also be politically feasible. These findings have important implications on the ongoing debates on India's food security policy, particularly in relation to the discussion on its National Food Security Act.
The importance of the gastrorenal axis in the control of body sodium homeostasis
Authors: Jose Pedro A. , Yang Zhiwei , Zeng Chunyu , Felder Robin A. 
Published: February 2016

New Findings

What is the topic of this review?
Sensing the amount of ingested sodium is one mechanism by which sodium balance is regulated. This review describes the role of gastrin in the cross‐talk between the stomach and the kidney following the ingestion of sodium.

What advances does it highlight?
Neural mechanisms and several gut hormones, including cholecystokinin and uroguanylin, have been suggested to mediate the natriuresis after an oral sodium load. It is proposed that gastrin produced by G‐cells via its receptor, cholecystokinin B receptor, interacts with renal D1‐like dopamine receptors to increase renal sodium excretion.

Hypertension develops with chronically increased sodium intake when sodium that accumulates in the body can no longer be sequestered, extracellular fluid volume is expanded, and compensatory neural, hormonal and pressure‐natriuresis mechanisms fail. Sensing the amount of ingested sodium, by the stomach, is one mechanism by which sodium balance is regulated. The natriuresis following the ingestion of a certain amount of sodium may be due to an enterokine, gastrin, secreted by G‐cells in the stomach and duodenum and released into the circulation. Circulating gastrin levels are 10‐ to 20‐fold higher than those for cholecystokinin. Of all the gut hormones circulating in the plasma, gastrin is the one that is reabsorbed to the greatest extent by renal tubules. Gastrin, via its receptor, the cholecystokinin type B receptor (CCKBR), is natriuretic in mammals, including humans, by inhibition of renal sodium transport. Germline deletion of gastrin (Gast) or Cckbr gene in mice causes salt‐sensitive hypertension. Selective silencing of Gast in the stomach and duodenum impairs the ability to excrete an oral sodium load and also increases blood pressure. Thus, the gastrorenal axis, mediated by gastrin, can complement pronatriuretic hormones, such as dopamine, to increase sodium excretion after an oral sodium load. These studies in mice may be translatable to humans because the chromosomal loci of CCKBR and GAST are linked to human essential hypertension. Understanding the role of genes in the regulation of renal function and blood pressure may lead to the tailoring of antihypertensive treatment based on genetic make‐up.
The interactive contributions of Na+/K+‐ATPase and nitric oxide synthase to sweating and cutaneous vasodilatation during exercise in the heat
Authors: Louie Jeffrey C. , Fujii Naoto , Meade Robert D. , Kenny Glen P. 
Published: February 2016

Key points
Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) contributes to sweating and cutaneous vasodilatation during exercise in the heat.
Similarly, reports show that Na+/K+‐ATPase activation can modulate sweating and microvascular circulation. In light of the fact that NO can activate Na+/K+‐ATPase, we evaluated whether there is an interaction between Na+/K+‐ATPase and NOS in the regulation of heat loss responses during an exercise‐induced heat stress.
We demonstrate that Na+/K+‐ATPase and NOS do not synergistically influence local forearm sweating during moderate intensity (fixed rate of metabolic heat production of 500 W) exercise in the heat (35°C). Conversely, we show an interactive role between NOS and Na+/K+‐ATPase in the modulation of cutaneous vasodilatation.
These findings provide novel insight regarding the mechanisms underpinning the control of sweating and cutaneous vasodilatation during exercise in the heat. Given that ouabain may be prescribed as a cardiac glycoside in clinical settings, potential heat loss impairments with ouabain administration should be explored.
AbstractNitric oxide (NO) synthase (NOS) contributes to the heat loss responses of sweating and cutaneous vasodilatation. Given that NO can activate Na+/K+‐ATPase, which also contributes to sweating and microvasculature regulation, we evaluated the separate and combined influence of Na+/K+‐ATPase and NOS on sweating and cutaneous vasodilatation. Thirteen young (23±3 years) males performed two 30 min semi‐recumbent cycling bouts in the heat (35°C) at a fixed rate of metabolic heat production (500 W) followed by 20 and 40 min recoveries, respectively. Local sweat rate (LSR) and cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC) were measured at four forearm skin sites continuously perfused via intradermal microdialysis with either: (1) lactated Ringer solution (Control); (2) 6 mᴍ ouabain (Ouabain), a Na+/K+‐ATPase inhibitor; (3) 10 mᴍ l‐NG‐nitroarginine methyl ester (l‐NAME), a NOS inhibitor; or (4) 6 mᴍ ouabain and 10 mᴍ l‐NAME (Ouabain+l‐NAME). At the end of both exercise bouts relative to Control, LSR was attenuated with Ouabain (54–60%), l‐NAME (12–13%) and Ouabain+l‐NAME (68–74%; all P < 0.05). Moreover, the sum of attenuations from Control induced by independent administration of Ouabain and l‐NAME was similar to the combined infusion of Ouabain+l‐NAME (both P ≥ 0.74). Compared to Control, CVC at the end of both exercise bouts was similar with Ouabain (both P ≥ 0.30), but attenuated with l‐NAME (%CVCmax reduction from Control, 24–25%). Furthermore, CVC at the Ouabain+l‐NAME site (38–39%; all P < 0.01) was attenuated compared to Control and did not differ from baseline resting values (both P ≥ 0.81). We show that Na+/K+‐ATPase and NOS do not synergistically mediate sweating, whereas they influence cutaneous blood flow in an interactive manner during exercise in the heat.
Motion‐robust intensity‐modulated proton therapy for distal esophageal cancer
Authors: Yu Jen , Zhang Xiaodong , Liao Li , Li Heng , Zhu Ronald , Park Peter C. , Sahoo Narayan , Gillin Michael , Li Yupeng , Chang Joe Y. , Komaki Ritsuko , Lin Steven H. 
Published: February 2016

Purpose:To develop methods for evaluation and mitigation of dosimetric impact due to respiratory and diaphragmatic motion during free breathing in treatment of distal esophageal cancers using intensity‐modulated proton therapy (IMPT).Methods:This was a retrospective study on 11 patients with distal esophageal cancer. For each patient, four‐dimensional computed tomography (4D CT) data were acquired, and a nominal dose was calculated on the average phase of the 4D CT. The changes of water equivalent thickness (ΔWET) to cover the treatment volume from the peak of inspiration to the valley of expiration were calculated for a full range of beam angle rotation. Two IMPT plans were calculated: one at beam angles corresponding to small ΔWET and one at beam angles corresponding to large ΔWET. Four patients were selected for the calculation of 4D‐robustness‐optimized IMPT plans due to large motion‐induced dose errors generated in conventional IMPT. To quantitatively evaluate motion‐induced dose deviation, the authors calculated the lowest dose received by 95% (D95) of the internal clinical target volume for the nominal dose, the D95 calculated on the maximum inhale and exhale phases of 4D CT , the 4D composite dose, and the 4D dynamic dose for a single fraction.Results:The dose deviation increased with the average ΔWET of the implemented beams, ΔWETave. When ΔWETave was less than 5 mm, the dose error was less than 1 cobalt gray equivalent based on and . The dose deviation determined on the basis of and was proportionally larger than that determined on the basis of the 4D composite dose. The 4D‐robustness‐optimized IMPT plans notably reduced the overall dose deviation of multiple fractions and the dose deviation caused by the interplay effect in a single fraction.Conclusions:In IMPT for distal esophageal cancer, ΔWET analysis can be used to select the beam angles that are least affected by respiratory and diaphragmatic motion. To further reduce dose deviation, the 4D‐robustness optimization can be implemented for IMPT planning. Calculation of and is a conservative method to estimate the motion‐induced dose errors.
A spectroscopic study of the chromatic properties of GafChromic™EBT3 films
Authors: Callens M. , Crijns W. , Simons V. , De Wolf I. , Depuydt T. , Maes F. , Haustermans K. , D'hooge J. , D'Agostino E. , Wevers M. , Pfeiffer H. , Van Den Abeele K. 
Published: February 2016

Purpose:This work provides an interpretation of the chromatic properties of GafChromic™EBT3 films based on the chemical nature of the polydiacetylene (PDA) molecules formed upon interaction with ionizing radiation. The EBT3 films become optically less transparent with increasing radiation dose as a result of the radiation‐induced polymerization of diacetylene monomers. In contrast to empirical quantification of the chromatic properties, less attention has been given to the underlying molecular mechanism that induces the strong decrease in transparency.Methods:Unlaminated GafChromic™EBT3 films were irradiated with a 6 MV photon beam to dose levels up to 20 Gy. The optical absorption properties of the films were investigated using visible (vis) spectroscopy. The presence of PDA molecules in the active layer of the EBT3 films was investigated using Raman spectroscopy, which probes the vibrational modes of the molecules in the layer. The vibrational modes assigned to PDA's were used in a theoretical vis‐absorption model to fit our experimental vis‐absorption spectra. From the fit parameters, one can assess the relative contribution of different PDA conformations and the length distribution of PDA's in the film.Results:Vis‐spectroscopy shows that the optical density increases with dose in the full region of the visible spectrum. The Raman spectrum is dominated by two vibrational modes, most notably by the ν(C≡C) and the ν(C=C) stretching modes of the PDA backbone. By fitting the vis‐absorption model to experimental spectra, it is found that the active layer contains two distinct PDA conformations with different absorption properties and reaction kinetics. Furthermore, the mean PDA conjugation length is found to be 2–3 orders of magnitude smaller than the crystals PDA's are embedded in.Conclusions:Vis‐ and Raman spectroscopy provided more insight into the molecular nature of the radiochromic properties of EBT3 films through the identification of the excited states of PDA and the presence of two PDA conformations. The improved knowledge on the molecular composition of EBT3's active layer provides a framework for future fundamental modeling of the dose–response.
A simple method for determining the coagulation threshold temperature of transparent tissue‐mimicking thermal therapy gel phantoms: Validated by magnetic resonance imaging thermometry
Authors: Brodin N. Patrik , Partanen Ari , Asp Patrik , Branch Craig A. , Guha Chandan , Tomé Wolfgang A. 
Published: February 2016

Purpose:Tissue‐mimicking thermal therapy phantoms that coagulate at specific temperatures are valuable tools for developing and evaluating treatment strategies related to thermal therapy. Here, the authors propose a simple and efficient method for determining the coagulation threshold temperature of transparent thermal therapy gel phantoms.Methods:The authors used a previously published gel phantom recipe with 2% (w/v) of bovine serum albumin as the temperature‐sensitive protein. Using the programmable heating settings of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machine, the authors heated 50 μl gel samples to various temperatures for 3 min and then imaged them using the BioRad Gel Doc system to determine the coagulation temperature using an opacity quantification method. The estimated coagulation temperatures were then validated for gel phantoms prepared with different pH levels using high‐intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) heating and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) thermometry methods on a clinical MR‐HIFU system.Results:The PCR heating method produced consistent and reproducible coagulation of gel samples in precise correlation with the set incubation temperatures. The resulting coagulation threshold temperatures for gel phantoms of varying pH levels were found to be 44.1 ± 0.1, 53.4 ± 0.9, and 60.3 ± 0.9 °C for pH levels of 4.25, 4.50, and 4.75, respectively. This corresponded well with the coagulation threshold temperatures determined by MR‐thermometry, with coagulation defined as a 95% decrease in T2 relaxation time, which were estimated at 53.6 ± 1.9 and 62.9 ± 2.4 °C for a pH of 4.50 and 4.75, respectively.Conclusions:The opacity quantification method provides a fast and reproducible estimate of the coagulation threshold temperature of transparent temperature‐sensitive gel phantoms. The temperatures determined using this method were well within the range of temperatures estimated using MR‐thermometry. Due to the specific heating capabilities of the PCR machine, and the robust determination of coagulation threshold temperatures based on the statistically significant increase in the opacity of gel samples, coagulation temperatures can be determined more precisely and with less variability compared to MRI‐based methods.
Second Language Experience Can Hinder the Discrimination of Nonnative Phonological Contrasts
Authors: Holliday Jeffrey J. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractBackground/Aims: Many studies have shown that experienced second language (L2) learners are more skilled than novice L2 learners at a variety of L2 tasks, including auditory discrimination between members of L2 phonological contrasts. In this paper we argued that while L2 experience is typically beneficial when comparing the effects of more versus less experience, it is not necessarily beneficial when comparing the effects of some experience versus none. Methods: We compared the perceptual assimilation and discrimination of the Korean sibilant fricatives /sh/ and /s*/ by 3 native Mandarin populations: naïve listeners, novice L2 learners (4-6 weeks of experience), and advanced L2 learners (over 2 years of experience). Results: The perceptual assimilation of /sh/ changed as a result of L2 experience, but only in the /a/ context. It is also shown that novice L2 learners were less accurate than the naïve listeners at discriminating between /sh/ and /s*/ but, crucially, only in the /a/ context. Conclusion: The perception of /sh/ by L2 learners may be affected by knowledge of the L2 unavailable to naïve listeners, and some aspects of this knowledge may result in a decline in discrimination accuracy after even a very short period of L2 experience.
Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Cloud Cover and Fog Inundation in Coastal California: Ecological Implications
Authors: Rastogi Bharat , Williams A. Park , Fischer Douglas T. , Iacobellis Sam F. , McEachern Kathryn , Carvalho Leila , Jones Charles , Baguskas Sara A. , Still Christopher J. 
Published: February 2016

Abstract
The presence of low-lying stratocumulus clouds and fog has been known to modify biophysical and ecological properties in coastal California where forests are frequently shaded by low-lying clouds or immersed in fog during otherwise warm and dry summer months. Summer fog and stratus can ameliorate summer drought stress and enhance soil water budgets and often have different spatial and temporal patterns. Here, this study uses remote sensing datasets to characterize the spatial and temporal patterns of cloud cover over California’s northern Channel Islands. The authors found marine stratus to be persistent from May to September across the years 2001–12. Stratus clouds were both most frequent and had the greatest spatial extent in July. Clouds typically formed in the evening and dissipated by the following early afternoon. This study presents a novel method to downscale satellite imagery using atmospheric observations and discriminate patterns of fog from those of stratus and help explain patterns of fog deposition previously studied on the islands. The outcomes of this study contribute significantly to the ability to quantify the occurrence of coastal fog at biologically meaningful spatial and temporal scales that can improve the understanding of cloud–ecosystem interactions, species distributions, and coastal ecohydrology.
Fast Playback Framework for Analysis of Ground-Based Doppler Radar Observations Using MapReduce Technology
Authors: Tang Jingyin , Matyas Corene J. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThe creation of a 3D mosaic is often the first step when using the high-spatial- and temporal-resolution data produced by ground-based radars. Efficient yet accurate methods are needed to mosaic data from dozens of radar to better understand the precipitation processes in synoptic-scale systems such as tropical cyclones. Research-grade radar mosaic methods of analyzing historical weather events should utilize data from both sides of a moving temporal window and process them in a flexible data architecture that is not available in most stand-alone software tools or real-time systems. Thus, these historical analyses require a different strategy for optimizing flexibility and scalability by removing time constraints from the design. This paper presents a MapReduce-based playback framework using Apache Spark’s computational engine to interpolate large volumes of radar reflectivity and velocity data onto 3D grids. Designed as being friendly to use on a high-performance computing cluster, these methods may also be executed on a low-end configured machine. A protocol is designed to enable interoperability with GIS and spatial analysis functions in this framework. Open-source software is utilized to enhance radar usability in the nonspecialist community. Case studies during a tropical cyclone landfall shows this framework’s capability of efficiently creating a large-scale high-resolution 3D radar mosaic with the integration of GIS functions for spatial analysis.