bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Optimizing the preclinical Alzheimer's cognitive composite with semantic processing: The PACC5
Authors: Papp Kathryn V. , Rentz Dorene M. , Orlovsky Irina , Sperling Reisa A. , Mormino Elizabeth C. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractIntroductionAmyloid‐related decline in semantic memory was recently shown to be observable in the preclinical period of Alzheimer's disease. Cognitive composites designed to be sensitive to cognitive change in preclinical Alzheimer's disease (e.g., preclinical Alzheimer's cognitive composite [PACC]) and currently used in secondary prevention trials do not currently integrate measures of semantic processing. Our objective was to determine whether a standard semantic measure (i.e., category fluency [CAT] to animals, fruits, and vegetables) adds independent information above and beyond Aβ‐related decline captured by the PACC.MethodsClinically normal older adults from the Harvard Aging Brain Study were identified at baseline as Aβ+ (n = 70) or Aβ− (n = 209) using Pittsburgh compound B–positron emission tomography imaging and followed annually with neuropsychological testing for 3.87 ± 1.09 years. The relationships between PACC, CAT, and variations of the PACC including/excluding CAT were examined using linear mixed models controlling for age, sex, and education. We additionally examined decline on CAT by further grouping Aβ+ participants into preclinical stage 1 and stage 2 on the basis of neurodegeneration markers.ResultsCAT explained unique variance in amyloid‐related decline, with Aβ+'s continuing to decline relative to Aβ−'s in CAT even after controlling for overall PACC decline. In addition, removal of CAT from the PACC resulted in a longitudinal Aβ+/− effect size reduction of 20% at 3‐year follow‐up and 12% at 5‐year follow‐up. Finally, both stage 1 and stage 2 participants declined on CAT in comparison with stage 0, suggesting CAT declines early within the preclinical trajectory.ConclusionAddition of CAT to the PACC provides unique information about early cognitive decline not currently captured by the episodic memory, executive function, and global cognition components and may therefore improve detection of early Aβ‐related cognitive decline.
Audiological results of endoscopic surgical repair of the long process of incus
Authors: Aldosari Badi , Thomassin Jean‐Marc 
Published: November 2017

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study is to evaluate our experience with endoscopic repair of ossicular discontinuity at the incudostapedial joint, with or without an intact stapes suprastructure, and present our hearing results. We classify results based on the causative pathology, the type of ossiculoplasty, and type of lesion. We demonstrate the ability to endoscopically place a total ossicular replacement prosthesis (TORP), measuring 4.25 mm, between the stapes footplate and the incus remnant to reestablish ossicular continuity.MethodsThis was a retrospective case series conducted in tertiary referral center (Hopital de la Timone) Marseille, France. 25 patients underwent incudostapedial rebridging ossiculoplasty between 2009 and 2013. Fifteen cases of chronic otitis media and 10 otosclerosis revisions were included in the study. Three different materials were used in ossiculoplasty, hydroxyapatite cement, incus remnant, and partial/total ossicular replacement prostheses. Audiometric results were evaluated before and after ossiculoplasty. Twelve month follow‐up data is provided.ResultsThe mean postoperative air‐bone gap was 15 dB (5–25 dB). Hearing results were better inotosclerosis revisions. Hydroxyapatite cement produced an air‐bone gap of 5 dB, TORP placed under the incus produced a 12 dB gap, and TORP placed under the malleus resulted in a 12 dB gap and one deaf ear. In cases of chronic otitis media, the residual air‐bone gap was 17 dB with PORP, 12 dB with TORP, and 20 dB with incus transposition.ConclusionThe hydroxyapatite cement is effective in the reconstruction of ossicular discontinuity but the high price limits its utilization. TORP placed under the incus is a reliable and stable method of ossicular reconstruction that is cost effective and offers satisfactory hearing results in selected patients.
Effect of back pressure and freestream dynamic pressure on a typical Ramjet engine duct under realistic supersonic inlet condition
Authors: Saravanan R. , Desikan S.L.N. , Muruganandam T.M. 
Published: November 2017

ABSTRACTThe present study investigates the behaviour of the shock train in a typical Ramjet engine under the influence of shock and expansion waves at the entry of a low aspect ratio (1:0.75) rectangular duct/isolator at supersonic Mach number (M = 1.7). The start/unstart characteristics are investigated through steady/unsteady pressure measurements under different back and dynamic pressures while the shock train dynamics are captured through instantaneous Schlieren flow visualisation. Two parameters, namely pressure recovery and the pressure gradient, is derived to assess the duct/isolator performance. For a given back pressure, with maximum blockage (9% above nominal), the duct/isolator flow is established when the dynamic pressure is increased by 23.5%. The unsteady pressure measurements indicate different scales of eddies above 80 Hz (with and without flap deflection). Under the no flap deflection (no back pressure) condition, the maximum fluctuating pressure component is 0.01% and 0.1% of the stagnation pressure at X/L = 0.03 (close to the entry of the duct) and X/L = 0.53 (middle of the duct), respectively. Once the flap is deflected (δ = 8°), decay in eddies by one order is noticed. Further increase in back pressure (δ ≥ 11°) leads the flow to unstart where eddies are observed to be disappeared.
Transitive action on finite points of a full shift and a finitary Ryan’s theorem
Authors: SALO VILLE 
Published: November 2017

We show that on the four-symbol full shift, there is a finitely generated subgroup of the automorphism group whose action is (set-theoretically) transitive of all orders on the points of finite support, up to the necessary caveats due to shift-commutation. As a corollary, we obtain that there is a finite set of automorphisms whose centralizer is
$\mathbb{Z}$
(the shift group), giving a finitary version of Ryan’s theorem (on the four-symbol full shift), suggesting an automorphism group invariant for mixing subshifts of finite type (SFTs). We show that any such set of automorphisms must generate an infinite group, and also show that there is also a group with this transitivity property that is a subgroup of the commutator subgroup and whose elements can be written as compositions of involutions. We ask many related questions and prove some easy transitivity results for the group of reversible Turing machines, topological full groups and Thompson’s
$V$
.
Disentangling Wine Judges’ Consensus, Idiosyncratic, and Random Expressions of Quality or Preference
Authors: Bodington Jeffrey 
Published: November 2017

AbstractJudges confer various awards on wines entered in dozens of wine competitions each year. This article employs data on blind replicates to show that those awards are based on one instance of stochastic ratings assigned by wine judges; awards based on the expected values of those stochastic ratings would be different. This article recognizes the stochastic nature of ratings and builds on the work of many others to propose and test a conditional-probability model that yields maximum-likelihood estimates of judges’ latent consensus, idiosyncratic, and random assignments of scores to wines. The exact p-value for a likelihood test of the null hypothesis that the model's results are random is less than 0.001. Applying the notion of conditional probability may lead to better methods of assigning awards to entries in wine competitions and of assessing the capabilities of wine judges. (JEL Classifications: A10, C10, C00, C12, D12)
TORSION OF ABELIAN VARIETIES OVER LARGE ALGEBRAIC EXTENSIONS OF
Authors: JARDEN MOSHE , PETERSEN SEBASTIAN 
Published: November 2017

Let$K$be a finitely generated extension of$\mathbb{Q}$, and let$A$be a nonzero abelian variety over$K$. Let$\tilde{K}$be the algebraic closure of$K$, and let$\text{Gal}(K)=\text{Gal}(\tilde{K}/K)$be the absolute Galois group of$K$equipped with its Haar measure. For each$\unicode[STIX]{x1D70E}\in \text{Gal}(K)$, let$\tilde{K}(\unicode[STIX]{x1D70E})$be the fixed field of$\unicode[STIX]{x1D70E}$in$\tilde{K}$. We prove that for almost all$\unicode[STIX]{x1D70E}\in \text{Gal}(K)$, there exist infinitely many prime numbers$l$such that$A$has a nonzero$\tilde{K}(\unicode[STIX]{x1D70E})$-rational point of order$l$. This completes the proof of a conjecture of Geyer–Jarden from 1978 in characteristic 0.
Feedback and Feeding in the Context of Galaxy Evolution withSPICA: Direct Characterisation of Molecular Outflows and Inflows
Authors: González-Alfonso E. , Armus L. , Carrera F. J. , Charmandaris V. , Efstathiou A. , Egami E. , Fernández-Ontiveros J. A. , Fischer J. , Granato G. L. , Gruppioni C. , Hatziminaoglou E. , Imanishi M. , Isobe N. , Kaneda H. , Koziel-Wierzbowska D. , Malkan M. A. , Martín-Pintado J. , Mateos S. , Matsuhara H. , Miniutti G. , Nakagawa T. , Pozzi F. , Rico-Villas F. , Rodighiero G. , Roelfsema P. , Spinoglio L. , Spoon H. W. W. , Sturm E. , van der Tak F. , Vignali C. , Wang L. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractA far-infrared observatory such as theSPace Infrared telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics, with its unprecedented spectroscopic sensitivity, would unveil the role of feedback in galaxy evolution during the last ~10 Gyr of the Universe (z= 1.5–2), through the use of far- and mid-infrared molecular and ionic fine structure lines that trace outflowing and infalling gas. Outflowing gas is identified in the far-infrared through P-Cygni line shapes and absorption blueshifted wings in molecular lines with high dipolar moments, and through emission line wings of fine-structure lines of ionised gas. We quantify the detectability of galaxy-scale massive molecular and ionised outflows as a function of redshift in AGN-dominated, starburst-dominated, and main-sequence galaxies, explore the detectability of metal-rich inflows in the local Universe, and describe the most significant synergies with other current and future observatories that will measure feedback in galaxies via complementary tracers at other wavelengths.
Impact of mid- to late Holocene precipitation changes on vegetation across lowland tropical South America: a paleo-data synthesis
Authors: Smith Richard J. , Mayle Francis E. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractA multi-proxy paleo-data synthesis of 110 sites is presented, exploring the impact of mid- to late Holocene precipitation changes upon vegetation across Southern Hemisphere tropical South America. We show that the most significant vegetation changes occurred in southwest Amazonia and southeast Brazil, regions reliant on precipitation derived from the South American summer monsoon (SASM). A drier mid-Holocene in these regions, linked to a weaker SASM, favored more open vegetation (savannah/grasslands) than present, while increased late-Holocene precipitation drove expansion of humid forests (e.g., evergreen tropical forest in southwest Amazonia,Araucariaforests in southeast Brazil). The tropical forests of central, western and eastern Amazonia remained largely intact throughout this 6000-year period. Northeastern Brazil’s climate is “antiphased” with the rest of tropical South America, but a lack of paleo-data limits our understanding of how vegetation responded to a wetter (drier) mid-(late) Holocene. From this paleo-data perspective, we conclude that ecotonal forests already close to their climatic thresholds are most vulnerable to predicted future drought, but the forest biome in the core of Amazonia is likely to be more resilient. Of greater concern are widespread deforestation and uncontrolled anthropogenic burning, which will decrease ecosystem resilience, making them more vulnerable than they might be without current anthropogenic pressures.
EXAMINING TEMPORAL SHIFTS IN THE PROXIMATE DETERMINANTS OF FERTILITY IN LOW- AND MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES
Authors: Rogers Erin , Stephenson Rob 
Published: November 2017

SummaryTargeting reductions in fertility remains a key development goal, as too-high fertility hampers the economic and health prosperity of low- and middle-income countries. However, critical to the success of gaining reductions in fertility is the ability to understand the factors that are shaping fertility, and to understand the factors that are acting to keep fertility levels high. To contribute to this understanding, this study applied the Bongaarts (2015) adjusted proximate determinants of fertility model to 33 low- and middle-income countries using data collected from the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) programme between 2000 and 2016. Results from the analysis indicate that there has been a universal decrease in the duration of breast-feeding and postpartum abstinence, which has contributed to stalling and increasing fertility rates in countries of Central Africa. In other regions of the world, such as Southern Africa, Latin America & Caribbean and Asia, increased contraceptive use and increased age at marriage, or sexual debut, has been able to offset this, leading to substantial decreases in fertility rates. These findings should serve as a guide to where additional development policy and programmatic attention should focus to reduce too-high fertility in resource-poor settings.
Impacts of anthropogenic pressures on the contemporary biogeography of threatened crocodilians in Indonesia
Authors: Shaney Kyle J. , Hamidy Amir , Walsh Matthew , Arida Evy , Arimbi Aisyah , Smith Eric N. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThe Greater Sunda region of South-east Asia supports a rich diversity of economically and ecologically important species. However, human pressures are reshaping contemporary biogeography across the region. Megafaunal distributional patterns have been particularly affected because of deforestation, poaching and human–wildlife conflict. Crocodilians are at the centre of these conflicts in Indonesia and yet remain poorly studied across much of the archipelago. We conducted population surveys of salt-water crocodiles Crocodylus porosus and false gharials Tomistoma schlegelii in Sumatra, and examined whether crocodile abundance and distribution are correlated with variations in human disturbance, fishing pressure, and habitat type. We then used these data to model remaining suitable habitat for T. schlegelii across South-east Asia. We found that abundance of T. schlegelii and C. porosus was correlated with distance from human settlements, and fish-trapping pressure. We recorded the presence of T. schlegelii in a river system in which it was previously unknown, thus expanding the known range of the species. We also found that the predicted remaining suitable habitat for T. schlegelii in Indonesia is largely limited to areas of low human activity. From these empirical and modelling approaches we propose several key conservation priorities: (1) eliminate the use of fish traps in remaining patches of T. schlegelii habitat, (2) prioritize crocodile population surveys in remaining suitable habitat, particularly in remote areas, (3) consider T. schlegelii to be potentially Endangered locally in Sumatra, and (4) expand existing reserves around the Lower Kampar River and Berbak National Park/Sembilang National Park areas of Sumatra.
A “Grandiose Future for Italian Somalia”: Colonial Developmentalist Discourse, Agricultural Planning, and Forced Labor (1900–1940)
Authors: Urbano Annalisa 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThis article explores the evolution of a developmentalist discourse for colonial Somalia and the attempts of the colonial government to present agricultural plans and labor policies as efforts to bring about social and economic development for colonial subjects and profit for colonial investors. In the long term, these efforts provided both a justification and a scope for the colonial venture. Fostering intensive farming and commercial agriculture, development planning institutionalized forced labor, disrupted the local production of foodstuff, and made the colony dependent on foreign imports.
What “Development” Does to Work
Authors: Rossi Benedetta 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThis article introduces an Africa-focused special issue showing that the rise of development in its modern form coincided with the demise of the political legitimacy of forced labor. It argues that by mobilizing the idea of development, both colonial and independent African governments were able to continue recruiting unpaid (or underpaid) labor—relabeled as “voluntary participation,” “self-help,” or “human investment” —after the passing of the ILO’s Forced Labor Convention. This introduction consists of two parts: the first section summarizes the main findings of the contributions to the special issue. The second part advances preliminary considerations on the implications of these findings for our assessment of international development “aid.” The conclusion advocates that research on planned development focus not on developers-beneficiaries, but rather on employers-employees. Doing so opens up a renewed research agenda on the consequences of “aid” both for development workers (those formally employed by one of the many development institutions) and for so-called beneficiaries (those whose participation in development is represented as conducive to their own good).
REAL WAGES AND SKILL PREMIUMS IN LATIN AMERICA, 1900-2011
Authors: Astorga Pablo 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThis paper discusses and documents a new data set of real wages for unskilled, semi-skilled and relatively skilled labour in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela (LA-6) over the period 1900-2011. Three interrelated aspects are examined: the wage growth record associated with periods dominated by a particular development strategy; developments in the wage share of income; and movements in skill premiums and their links with fundamentals. The key findings are: (i) the region’s unskilled wage rose by 147 per cent compared to rises of 254 per cent in the average wage and 440 per cent in income per worker (including both property and labour income); (ii) the average LA-6 wage share started a secular fall in the 1950s; (iii) skill premiums tended to peak during the middle decades of the 20thcentury, coinciding with the acceleration of industrialisation and the timing of the demographic transition. Movements in the terms of trade are broadly associated with both fluctuations and trends in wage premiums, though the direction of the link is country and time specific.
THE RECONSTRUCTION OF BRAZIL’S FOREIGN TRADE SERIES, 1821-1913
Authors: Absell Christopher David , Tena-Junguito Antonio 
Published: November 2017

AbstractTo date, research on the economic history of Brazil during the 19thcentury has relied on official foreign trade statistics, the accuracy of which has repeatedly been put into question. This paper provides insights into the accuracy of the official series by examining the accuracy of the export and import series for Brazil during the 19thcentury. We re-estimate the official import series using trading partner sources, and find that the official series was marginally under-valued during certain periods of the 19thcentury. Furthermore, we provide new upper- and lower-bound estimates of the export series by testing different assumptions regarding the size of the cost, insurance and freight to free on board factor adjustments. Finally, we introduce a new import price index for the period 1827-1913.
China's New “Black Box”: Problems and Prospects for the Central National Security Commission
Authors: Wuthnow Joel 
Published: November 2017

AbstractChina's establishment of a Central National Security Commission (CNSC) in late 2013 was a potentially transformative event in the evolution of China's national security decision-making structure. Yet, as of mid-2017, few details about this organization and its activities have been released, leading to continuing questions about its likely role and functions in the Chinese system. Based on an analysis of numerous authoritative but under-utilized Chinese sources, this article addresses the rationale, prospects and implications of the CNSC. It argues that the organization is both a fulfilment of a long-held desire by many in China for a centralized, permanent national security deliberation forum and also a reflection of the unique challenges facing China in the 21st century. Contrary to existing analyses, which argue that the CNSC is likely to be focused primarily on domestic security tasks, the article contends that it is more likely to play a major role in both internalandexternal security affairs. Moreover, the article argues that if certain obstacles can be addressed, the CNSC may have broad implications in areas ranging from China's crisis response capability to the role played by the Chinese Communist Party general secretary in the national security decision-making process. The conclusion recaps the findings and suggests avenues for further research.
Xi Jinping in Command: Solving the Principal–Agent Problem in CCP–PLA Relations?
Authors: Kou Chien-wen 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThe PLA has been a key player in Chinese elite politics since 1949. However, a series of developments over the last four years has prompted China watchers to re-evaluate Party–military relations. This paper argues that CCP–PLA relations in the Xi Jinping era are characterized by the centralization of power in a single civilian individual. This centralization is reflected by events such as a new emphasis on the CMC chairman responsibility system, the establishment of new coordination bodies under the top leader, radical reforms to the military command structure, the promotion of Xi's public image as the top leader, and large-scale personnel reshuffes during which Xi's trustees have gradually come to occupy key military posts while his rivals have been removed. For Xi, these measures are an antidote to the principal–agent problem in CCP–PLA relations caused by both information asymmetry and the discrepant interests of civilian leaders and the top brass of the PLA.
Monitoring the South African population’s salt intake: spot urine v. 24 h urine
Authors: Swanepoel Bianca , Schutte Aletta E , Cockeran Marike , Steyn Krisela , Wentzel-Viljoen Edelweiss 
Published: November 2017

Abstract

Objective
The present study set out to determine whether morning spot urine samples can be used to monitor Na (and K) intake levels in South Africa, instead of the ‘gold standard’ 24 h urine sample.

Design
Participants collected one 24 h and one spot urine sample for Na and K analysis, after which estimations using three different formulas (Kawasaki, Tanaka and INTERSALT) were calculated.

Setting
Between 2013 and 2015, urine samples were collected from different population groups in South Africa.

Subjects
A total of 681 spot and 24 h urine samples were collected from white (n 259), black (n 315) and Indian (n 107) subgroups, mostly women.

Results
The Kawasaki and the Tanaka formulas showed significantly higher (P≤0·001) estimated Na values than the measured 24 h excretion in the whole population (5677·79 and 4235·05 v. 3279·19 mg/d). The INTERSALT formula did not differ from the measured 24 h excretion for the whole population. The Kawasaki formula seemed to overestimate Na excretion in all subgroups tested and also showed the highest degree of bias (−2242 mg/d, 95 % CI−10 659, 6175) compared with the INTERSALT formula, which had the lowest bias (161 mg/d, 95 % CI−4038, 4360).

Conclusions
Estimations of Na excretion by the three formulas should be used with caution when reporting on Na intake levels. More research is needed to validate and develop a specific formula for the South African context with its different population groups. The WHO’s recommendation of using 24 h urine collection until more studies are carried out is still supported.