bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Nonergodic metallic and insulating phases of Josephson junction chains
Authors: Pino Manuel , Ioffe Lev B. , Altshuler Boris L. 
Published: December 2015

Significance
Conventional equilibrium statistical physics that aims to describe dynamical systems with many degrees of freedom relies crucially on the equipartition postulate: After evolving for a sufficiently long time, the probabilities to find the system in states with the same energy are equal. Time averaging is thus assumed to be equivalent to the averaging over the energy shell—the famous ergodic hypothesis. In this study we show that this hypothesis is not correct for a large class of quantum many-body models that can be implemented in the laboratory. These models are predicted to show a novel type of behavior that we name bad metal, which is neither a many-body insulator nor a conventional conductor.
Statistical redundancy of instantaneous phases: theory and application to the seismic ambient wavefield
Authors: Gaudot I. , Beucler É. , Mocquet A. , Schimmel M. , Le Feuvre M. 
Published: December 2015

AbstractIn order to detect possible signal redundancies in the ambient seismic wavefield, we develop a new method based on pairwise comparisons among a set of synchronous time-series. This approach is based on instantaneous phase coherence statistics. The first and second moments of the pairwise phase coherence distribution are used to characterize the phase randomness. For perfect phase randomness, the theoretical values of the mean and variance are equal to 0 and $\sqrt{1-2/\pi }$, respectively. As a consequence, any deviation from these values indicates the presence of a redundant phase in the raw continuous signal. A previously detected microseismic source in the Gulf of Guinea is used to illustrate one of the possible ways of handling phase coherence statistics. The proposed approach allows us to properly localize this persistent source, and to quantify its contribution to the overall seismic ambient wavefield. The strength of the phase coherence statistics relies in its ability to quantify the redundancy of a given phase among a set of time-series with various useful applications in seismic noise-based studies (tomography and/or source characterization).
Historical population size of the threatened New Zealand sea lion
Phocarctos hookeri
Authors: Collins Catherine J. , Chilvers B. Louise , Taylor Matthew , Robertson Bruce C. 
Published: December 2015

Abstract
Marine mammal species were exploited worldwide during periods of commercial sealing in the 18th and 19th centuries. For many of these species, an estimate of the pre-exploitation abundance of the species is lacking, as historical catch records are generally scarce and inaccurate. Genetic estimates of long-term effective population size provide a means to estimate the pre-exploitation abundance. Here, we apply genetic methods to estimate the long-term effective population size of the subantarctic lineage of the New Zealand sea lion (NZ sea lion), Phocarctos hookeri . This species is predominantly restricted to the subantarctic islands, south of mainland New Zealand, following commercial sealing in the 19th century. Today, the population consists of ~9,880 animals and population growth is slow. Auckland Island breeding colonies of NZ sea lion are currently impacted by commercial trawl fisheries via regular sea lion deaths as bycatch. In order to estimate sustainable levels of bycatch, an estimate of the population’s carrying capacity ( K ) is required. We apply the genetically estimated long-term effective population size of NZ sea lions as a proxy for the estimated historical carrying capacity of the subantarctic population. The historical abundance of subantarctic NZ sea lions was significantly higher than the target values of K employed by the contemporary management. The current management strategy may allow unsustainable bycatch levels, thereby limiting the recovery of the NZ sea lion population toward historical carrying capacity.
A direct approach to estimating false discovery rates conditional on covariates
Authors: Boca Simina M. , Leek Jeffrey T. 
Published: December 2015

AbstractModern scientific studies from many diverse areas of research abound with multiple hypothesis testing concerns. The false discovery rate is one of the most commonly used error rates for measuring and controlling rates of false discoveries when performing multiple tests. Adaptive false discovery rates rely on an estimate of the proportion of null hypotheses among all the hypotheses being tested. This proportion is typically estimated once for each collection of hypotheses. Here we propose a regression framework to estimate the proportion of null hypotheses conditional on observed covariates. This may then be used as a multiplication factor with the Benjamini-Hochberg adjusted p-values, leading to a plug-in false discovery rate estimator. Our case study concerns a genome-wise association meta-analysis which considers associations with body mass index. In our framework, we are able to use the sample sizes for the individual genomic loci and the minor allele frequencies as covariates. We further evaluate our approach via a number of simulation scenarios.
Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Trials: An Opportunity for Improved Design of Stroke Reperfusion Trials
Authors: Meurer William , Seewald Nicholas J. , Kidwell Kelley 
Published: December 2015

AbstractBackground: Modern clinical trials in stroke reperfusion fall into two categories: alternative systemic pharmacological regimens to alteplase and "rescue" endovascular approaches using targeted thrombectomy devices and/or medications delivered directly for persistently vessel occlusions. Clinical trials in stroke have not evaluated how initial pharmacological thrombolytic management might influence subsequent rescue strategy. A sequential multiple assignment randomized trial (SMART) is a novel trial design that can test these dynamic treatment regimens and lead to treatment guidelines which more closely mimic practice.Aim: To characterize a SMART design in comparison to traditional approaches for stroke reperfusion trials.Methods: We conducted a numerical simulation study that evaluated the performance of contrasting acute stroke clinical trial designs of both initial reperfusion and rescue therapy. We compare a SMART design where the same patients are followed through initial reperfusion and rescue therapy within one trial to a standard phase III design comparing two reperfusion treatments and a separate phase II futility design of rescue therapy in terms of sample size, power, and ability to address particular research questions.Results: Traditional trial designs can be well powered and have optimal design characteristics for independent treatment effects. When treatments, such as the reperfusion and rescue therapies, may interact, commonly used designs fail to detect this. A SMART design, with similar sample size to standard designs, can detect treatment interactions.Conclusions: The use of SMART designs to investigate effective and realistic dynamic treatment regimens is a promising way to accelerate the discovery of new, effective treatments for stroke.
Single-stranded DNA library preparation uncovers the origin and diversity of ultrashort cell-free DNA in plasma
Authors: Burnham Philip , Kim Min Seong , Agbor-Enoh Sean , Luikart Helen , Valantine Hannah A. , Khush Kiran K. , De Vlaminck Iwijn 
Published: December 2015

AbstractCirculating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is emerging as a powerful monitoring tool in cancer, pregnancy and organ transplantation. Nucleosomal DNA, the predominant form of cfDNA in blood, can be readily adapted for sequencing via ligation of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) adapters. dsDNA library preparation, however, is insensitive to ultrashort, degraded and single-stranded cfDNA. Drawing inspiration from recent technical advances in ancient genome analyses, we have applied a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) library preparation method to sequencing of cfDNA in the plasma of lung transplant recipients (40 samples, six patients). We found that the ssDNA library preparation yields a greater portion of sub-100 bp DNA, as well as an increased relative abundance of human mitochondrial cfDNA (10.7x) and microbial cfDNA (71.3x). We report the fragmentation pattern of mitochondrial, nuclear genomic and microbial cfDNA over a broad fragment length range. We furthermore report the first observation of donor-specific mitochondrial cfDNA in the circulation of lung transplant recipients. We found that donor-specific mitochondrial cfDNA molecules are significantly shorter than those specific to the recipient. The higher yield of viral, microbial and fungal sequences that result from the single-stranded ligation approach reduces the cost and increase the sensitivity of cfDNA-based monitoring for infectious complications after transplantation. An ssDNA library preparation method provides a more informative window into understudied forms of cfDNA, including mitochondrial and microbial derived cfDNA and short fragment nuclear genomic cfDNA, while retaining information provided by standard dsDNA library preparation methods.
The Arabidopsis ABHD11 Mutant Accumulates Polar Lipids in Leaves as a Consequence of Absent Acylhydrolase Activity
Authors: Vijayakumar Anitha , Vijayaraj Panneerselvam , Vijayakumar Arun Kumar , Rajasekharan Ram 
Published: December 2015

Abstract
Alpha/beta hydrolase domain (ABHD)-containing proteins are structurally related with diverse catalytic activities. In various species, some ABHD proteins have been characterized and shown to play roles in lipid homeostasis. However, little is known about ABHD proteins in plants. Here, we characterized AT4G10030 (AtABHD11), an Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) homolog of a human ABHD11 gene. In silico analyses of AtABHD11 revealed homology with other plant species with a conserved GXSXG lipid motif. Interestingly, Arabidopsis abhd11 mutant plants exhibited an enhanced growth rate compared with wild-type plants. Quantitative analyses of the total lipids showed that the mutant abhd11 has a high amount of phospholipid and galactolipid in Arabidopsis leaves. The overexpression of AtABHD11 in Escherichia coli led to a reduction in phospholipid levels. The bacterially expressed recombinant AtABHD11 hydrolyzed lyso(phospho)lipid and monoacylglycerol. Furthermore, using whole-genome microarray and real-time PCR analyses of abhd11 and wild-type plants, we noted the up-regulation of MGD1, -2, and -3 and DGD1. Together, these findings suggested that AtABHD11 is a lyso(phospho)lipase. The disruption of AtABHD11 caused the accumulation of the polar lipids in leaves, which in turn promoted a higher growth rate compared with wild-type plants.
Developing SMEs as environmental businesses
Authors: Onyido Tochukwu Ben C. , Boyd David , Thurairajah Niraj 
Published: December 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to establish opportunities for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to become environmental businesses. The “Environmental Business” concept refers to a commercial organisation that provides goods and/or services which provide socio-environmental value and which are produced in such a way that the organisation addresses environmental and social problems.

Design/methodology/approach
– Interviewing and observation were used to conduct a case study of how 30 SMEs prepared for the UK’s Green Deal programme in the West Midlands County, UK. In total, 20 interviews were conducted and 23 field notes were recorded. Based on the literature review, the research enquiry into practice, and the philosophical approach of pragmatism adopted by the research, a “Three Ps” (profit, process and product) analytical framework was established with which to operationalise the environmental business.

Findings
– The research identifies tactical opportunities that assist SMEs to function as environmental businesses whilst maintaining the traditional focus on economic performance. It also shows the benefits and challenges involved.

Research limitations/implications
– The research focused on a case study related to specific sectors (building and energy) within a specific UK region (West Midlands), which limits the generalisability of the results.

Practical implications
– The research highlights practical opportunities for SMEs to address existing environmental and social problems through their products and processes and prevent new problems arising due to their operations.

Originality/value
– This research represents an initial step in developing a pragmatic implementation model by which SMEs can overcome barriers to being environmental businesses whilst maximising business advantages.
Methodology for developing capability maturity levels for PPP stakeholder organisations using critical success factors
Authors: Babatunde Solomon Olusola , Perera Srinath , Zhou Lei 
Published: December 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this study is to use critical success factors (CSFs) to develop a process maturity and determine the current maturity levels of stakeholder organisations in public–private partnership (PPP) project implementation in Nigeria. The success of any PPP project is largely dependent on the country’s maturity on CSFs that made PPP projects successful. Thus, the identification of metrics and standards for measuring the maturity of stakeholder organisations on CSFs for PPP project implementation remains a challenge.Design/methodology/approach– The study adopted literature review and six PPP project case studies including interviews in each case study and expert forum. The outcome of a comprehensive literature review provides a total list of 14 CSFs that made PPP projects successful in Nigeria. These CSFs were used for capability maturity levels ' definition ranging from level 1 (Ad hoc) to level 5 (Optimising) in line with capability maturity model concept. Quantitative assessment was considered as a support tool for making an overall assessment of both the public and private organisations ' current capability maturity levels and for comparison approach.Findings– A capability enhancement framework for stakeholder organisations in PPP project was developed. This framework was used in assessing the current capability maturity levels of stakeholder organisations involved in PPP projects in Nigeria. Using this framework, it was found that public sector organisations were positioned between maturity level 1 and maturity level 2 (out of five maturity levels) on CSFs applicable to them. While, most private sector organisations were placed in maturity level 2 on CSFs associated with them.Practical implications– The results emanated from this study provided both the theoretical and practical implications. The theoretical implication provides new insights into the usefulness of CSFs in PPP projects and indicates that merely identifying possible CSFs for PPP projects is not sufficient. The practical implication shows that the framework developed in this study had provided the benchmark for the identification of methodical approach, and standard to process improvement in PPP infrastructure projects, which can be replicated in both the developed and developing countries. Thus, the framework could be used to benchmark future studies.Originality/value– The framework would provide a useful guide and roadmaps for improvement by indicating “what” needs to be done by stakeholder organisations involved in PPP projects in achieving higher capability maturity levels on identified CSFs for PPP projects in Nigeria and developing countries at large.
Diffusion of green building guidelines as innovation in developing countries
Authors: Mollaoglu Sinem , Chergia Citra , Ergen Esin , Syal Matt 
Published: December 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to comprehend the ways of knowledge and application of green building guidelines and assessment systems as innovations diffuse in developing countries’ Architecture Engineering and Construction (AEC) industries.

Design/methodology/approach
– Building up on recent research on the India case, this study focused on Indonesia and Turkey and further studied “how green building assessment systems diffuse in developing countries”. A total of 110 experts representing individuals from private and governmental sectors from both countries responded to the conducted survey.

Findings
– Findings show insights to adoption of green building guidelines in developing countries, including their diffusion paths, barriers to their use and their applications. Additionally, the results are compared with the India case from the recent literature and analysed via the lens of the diffusion of innovation theory.

Research limitations/implications
– A random sampling of the AEC industries in developing countries in future studies and capturing of the evolution of the trends over time will provide further insights into the diffusion of innovation phenomena in the context of green building guidelines.

Practical implications
– Innovation adoption paths for green building guidelines in Indonesia, Turkey and India are similar, while a higher adoption rate is observed in the case of India. “Diffusion of innovation” categories for green building guidelines that define the state of each adopter at the time of survey conduct in India, Indonesia and Turkey are found. Environmental groups as innovator, large business houses as early adopter and nodal agencies as early majority are the common adopters and categories of green building guidelines. The study findings align with those in the literature and show that clients and market conditions can catalyse the diffusion of innovation in AEC industries in Turkey and Indonesia.

Social implications
– Diffusion of green building guidelines as innovations in developing countries’ AEC industries showed alignment with the Roger’s (2003) model. However, respondents in both Turkey and Indonesia reported approximately ten times as many innovators and twice as many early adopters as Roger’s (2003) model would predict. Because of the small proportions of late adopters and laggards in these two countries, any useful innovation should be quickly incorporated.

Originality/value
– Aligning with the literature, findings show that clients and market conditions catalyse diffusion of innovation in AEC industries in Turkey and Indonesia. It is important to note that both countries approximately have ten times as many innovators and twice as many early adopters as theory would predict. Because of the small proportions of late adopters and laggards in these two countries, useful green building innovations could be quickly incorporated.
Statistical process control
Authors: Avakh Darestani Soroush , Nasiri Mina 
Published: December 2015

Purpose
– In this context, process capability indices (PCI) reveal the process zones base on specification limits (SLs). Most of the research on control charts assumed certain data. However, to measure quality characteristic, practitioners sometimes face with uncertain and linguistic variables. Fuzzy theory is one of the most applicable tools which academia has employed to deal with uncertainty. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach
– In this investigation, first, fuzzy and S control chart has been developed and second, the fuzzy formulation of the PCIs such as C

pm

,C

pmu

,C

pml

, C

pmk

, P

p

, P

pl

, P

pu

, P

pk
are constructed when SLs and measurements are at both triangular fuzzy numbers (TFNs) and trapezoidal fuzzy numbers (TrFNs) stages.

Findings
– The results show that using fuzzy make more flexibility and sense on recognition of out-of-control warnings.

Research limitations/implications
– For further research, the PCIs for non-normal data can be conducted based on TFN and TrFN.

Practical implications
– The application case is related to a piston company in Konya’s industry area.

Originality/value
– In the previous researches, for calculating C

p

, C

pk

, C

pm
and C

pmk
indices, the base approach was calculate standard deviation for a short term variation. For calculating these indices, the variation between subgroups are being ignored. Therefore, P

p
and P

pk
indices solved this fault by mentioning long term and short term variations. Therefore these two indices calculate the actual process capability.
Designing optimal double sampling plan using the weighted Poisson distribution
Authors: Haridoss Venugopal , Subramani Kandasamy 
Published: December 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to present the optimal double sampling attribute plan using the weighted Poisson distribution.

Design/methodology/approach
– For the given AQL and LQL, sum of producer’s and consumer’s risks have been attained. Based on the weighted Poisson distribution, the sum of these risks has been optimized.

Findings
– In the final inspection, the producer and the consumer represent the same party. So, the sum these two risks should be minimized. In this paper, the sum of risks has been tabulated using the weighted Poisson distribution for different operating ratios. These tabulated values are comparatively less than the sum of risks derived using Poisson distribution.

Originality/value
– The sampling plan presented in this paper is particularly useful for testing the quality of finished products in shop floor situations.
Total quality management (TQM) movement in public health
Authors: Jarrett Jeffrey E. 
Published: December 2015

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to suggest better methods for monitoring the diagnostic and treatment services for providers of public health and the management of public health services. In particular, the authors examine the construction and use of industrial quality control methods as applied to the public providers, in both the prevention and cure for infectious diseases and the quality of public health care providers in such applications including water quality standards, sewage many others. The authors suggest implementing modern multivariate applications of quality control techniques and/or better methods for univariate quality control common in industrial applications in the public health sector to both control and continuously improve public health services. These methods entitled total quality management (TQM) form the foundation to improve these public services.Design/methodology/approach– The study is designed to indicate the great need for TQM analysis to utilize methods of statistical quality control. All this is done to improve public health services through implementation of quality control and improvement methods as part of the TQM program. Examples of its use indicate that multivariate methods may be the best but other methods are suggested as well.Findings– Multivariate methods provide the best solutions when quality and reliability tests show indications that the variables observed are inter-correlated and correlated over time. Simpler methods are available when the above factors are not present.Research limitations/implications– Multivariate methods will provide for better interpretation of results, better decisions and smaller risks of both Type I and Type II errors. Smaller risks lead to better decision making and may reduce costs.Practical implications– Analysts will improve such things as the control of water quality and all aspects of public health when data are collected through experimentation and/or periodic quality management techniques.Social implications– Public health will be better monitored and the quality of life will improve for all especially in places where public development is undertaking rapid changes.Originality/value– The manuscript is original because it uses well known and scientific methods of analyzing data in area where data collection is utilized to improve public health.