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Multiple elliptic integrals related to the generalized Clebsch–Gordan (CG) integral are of importance in many areas in physics and special functions theory. Zhou has introduced and applied Legendre function‐based techniques to prove symbolic evaluations for integrals of CG form involving twofold and threefold products of complete elliptic integral expressions, and this includes Zhou's remarkable proof of an open problem due to Wan. The foregoing considerations motivate the results introduced in this article, in which we prove closed‐form evaluations for new CG‐type integrals that involve threefold products of the complete elliptic integrals K$$ \mathbf{K} $$ and E$$ \mathbf{E} $$. Our methods are based on the use of fractional derivative operators, via a variant of a technique we had previously referred to as semi‐integration by parts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stream fluxes are commonly reported without a complete accounting for uncertainty in the estimates, which makes it difficult to evaluate the significance of findings or to identify where to direct efforts to improve monitoring programs. At the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, USA, stream flow has been monitored continuously and solute concentrations have been sampled approximately weekly in small, gaged headwater streams since 1963, yet comprehensive uncertainty analyses have not been reported. We propagated uncertainty in the stage height–discharge relationship, watershed area, analytical chemistry, the concentration–discharge relationship used to interpolate solute concentrations, and the streamflow gap‐filling procedure to estimate uncertainty for both streamflow and solute fluxes for a recent 6‐year period (2013–2018) using a Monte Carlo approach. As a percentage of solute fluxes, uncertainty was highest for NH4+ (34%), total dissolved nitrogen (8.8%), NO3− (8.1%), and K+ (7.4%), and lowest for dissolved organic carbon (3.7%), SO42− (4.0%), and Mg2+ (4.4%). In units of flux, uncertainties were highest for solutes in highest concentration (Si, DOC, SO42−, and Na+) and lowest for those lowest in concentration (H+ and NH4+). Laboratory analysis of solute concentration was a greater source of uncertainty than streamflow for solute flux, with the exception of DOC. Our results suggest that uncertainty in solute fluxes could be reduced with more precise measurements of solute concentrations. Additionally, more discharge measurements during high flows are needed to better characterize the stage‐discharge relationship. Quantifying uncertainty in streamflow and element export is important because it allows for determination of significance of differences in fluxes, which can be used to assess watershed response to disturbance and environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric deposition of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) to terrestrial ecosystems is a small, but rarely studied component of the global carbon (C) cycle. Emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and organic particulates are the sources of atmospheric C and deposition represents a major pathway for the removal of organic C from the atmosphere. Here, we evaluate the spatial and temporal patterns of DOC deposition using 70 data sets at least one year in length ranging from 40° south to 66° north latitude. Globally, the median DOC concentration in bulk deposition was 1.7 mg L−1. The DOC concentrations were significantly higher in tropical (<25°) latitudes compared to temperate (>25°) latitudes. DOC deposition was significantly higher in the tropics because of both higher DOC concentrations and precipitation. Using the global median or latitudinal specific DOC concentrations leads to a calculated global deposition of 202 or 295 Tg C yr−1 respectively. Many sites exhibited seasonal variability in DOC concentration. At temperate sites, DOC concentrations were higher during the growing season; at tropical sites, DOC concentrations were higher during the dry season. Thirteen of the thirty‐four long‐term (>10 years) data sets showed significant declines in DOC concentration over time with the others showing no significant change. Based on the magnitude and timing of the various sources of organic C to the atmosphere, biogenic VOCs likely explain the latitudinal pattern and the seasonal pattern at temperate latitudes while decreases in anthropogenic emissions are the most likely explanation for the declines in DOC concentration. Plain Language Summary: Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is ubiquitous in precipitation. However, the geographic and temporal patterns in terrestrial ecosystems are not well established. We analyzed 70 data sets of DOC from rainfall collectors sampled for at least a year to examine these patterns and relate them to possible sources of the carbon. The combination of higher concentrations of DOC and more precipitation resulted in greater DOC deposition at low latitude sites. Some sites had strongly seasonal patterns in DOC concentration while others had similar concentrations year round. The most noticeable seasonal pattern was that the mid‐latitude sites had the highest concentrations during the summer months. The latitudinal and seasonal patterns of DOC deposition best matched with the pattern of emissions of organic compounds from plants to the atmosphere suggesting plant emissions are the dominant source of DOC to ecosystems. The temporal trends from sites with at least 10 years of data suggest declining DOC concentrations, especially in the mid‐latitudes. These declines are consistent with declines in anthropogenic emissions of organic compounds to the atmosphere over this time period. It is essential to document the patterns and changing amounts of DOC and other compounds in precipitation to understand the effects on terrestrial ecosystems. Key Points: Many sites have strong seasonal patterns in the concentration of carbon in precipitationLow latitudes have the highest carbon deposition because of significantly higher concentrations of carbon and greater precipitationThe seasonal, temporal, and latitudinal patterns of carbon in atmospheric deposition are most consistent with biogenic emissions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Myeloma is characterised by the presence of monoclonal immunoglobulin (M‐protein) and the free light chain (FLC) in blood. We investigated whether these M‐proteins and FLC are detectable in myeloma patients' saliva to evaluate its utility for non‐invasive screening and monitoring of haematological malignancies. Methods: A total of 57 patients with monoclonal gammopathy and 26 age‐matched healthy participants provided paired serum and saliva samples for immunoglobulin characterisation and quantification. Results: Myeloma patients had IgG or IgA M‐protein levels ranging up to five times and FLC levels up to a thousand times normal levels of polyclonal immunoglobulins. Despite these highly elevated levels, only two IgG and no IgA M‐proteins or FLC could be detected in paired saliva samples. Most patients had reduced levels of serum polyclonal immunoglobulins, but all had normal levels of salivary IgA. Conclusions: Immunoglobulin transfer from blood is not determined by levels in the systemic circulation and more likely dictated by periodontal inflammation and the integrity of the oral epithelium. Immunoglobulins secreted by bone marrow plasma cells do not substantially enter saliva, which represents a poor medium for myeloma diagnosis. These findings, along with normal salivary IgA levels despite systemic immunoparesis, support a strong partitioning of oral from systemic humoral immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbonyl sulfide (OCS) is a non‐hygroscopic trace species in the free troposphere and a large sulfur reservoir maintained by both direct oceanic, geologic, biogenic, and anthropogenic emissions and the oxidation of other sulfur‐containing source species. It is the largest source of sulfur transported to the stratosphere during volcanically quiescent periods. Data from 22 ground‐based globally dispersed stations are used to derive trends in total and partial column OCS. Middle infrared spectral data are recorded by solar‐viewing Fourier transform interferometers that are operated as part of the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change between 1986 and 2020. Vertical information in the retrieved profiles provides analysis of discreet altitudinal regions. Trends are found to have well‐defined inflection points. In two linear trend time periods ∼2002 to 2008 and ∼2008 to 2016 tropospheric trends range from ∼0.0 to (1.55 ± 0.30%/yr) in contrast to the prior period where all tropospheric trends are negative. Regression analyses show strongest correlation in the free troposphere with anthropogenic emissions. Stratospheric trends in the period ∼2008 to 2016 are positive up to (1.93 ± 0.26%/yr) except notably low latitude stations that have negative stratospheric trends. Since ∼2016, all stations show a free tropospheric decrease to 2020. Stratospheric OCS is regressed with simultaneously measured N2O to derive a trend accounting for dynamical variability. Stratospheric lifetimes are derived and range from (54.1 ± 9.7)yr in the sub‐tropics to (103.4 ± 18.3)yr in Antarctica. These unique long‐term measurements provide new and critical constraints on the global OCS budget. Plain Language Summary: Carbonyl sulfide (OCS) is the most abundant sulfur containing gas in the atmosphere. There are many sources and sinks of OCS and other sulfur species in the atmosphere but most other short lived sulfur species eventually are converted to OCS. It is important to quantify and understand OCS as it can be used to understand CO2 and the carbon cycle and also since it eventually is transported into the stratosphere where it maintains the sulfate aerosol layer at about 20 km into the atmosphere. This layer is very important for earth's energy balance and climate change. In contrast with earlier and less comprehensive reports, this global study from 22 observation stations worldwide, shows stratospheric OCS to be increasing north and south of the equator but decreasing near the equator and to be increasing in the troposphere to 2016 and decreasing since. The main drivers of OCS in the troposphere are the cumulative anthropogenic sources. Key Points: Global distribution of carbonyl sulfide (OCS) measured by NDACC solar absorption FTIR remote sensingTropospheric trends in OCS are non‐monotonic globally, driven by anthropogenic emissionsLongest term stratospheric trends are increasing outside of sub‐tropics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The English Cancer Patient Experience Survey (CPES) is a regularly conducted survey measuring the experience of cancer patients. We studied the survey's underlying structure using factor analysis to identify potential for improvements in reporting or questionnaire design. Methods: Cancer Patient Experience Survey 2015 respondents (n = 71,186, response rate 66%) were split into two random subgroups. Using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on the first subgroup, we identified the survey's latent structure. EFA was then applied to 12 sets of items. A first ("core") set was formed by questions that applied to all participants. The subsequent sets contained the "core set" plus questions corresponding to specific care pathways/patient groups. We used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on the second data subgroup for cross‐validation. Results: The EFA suggested that five latent factors underlie the survey's core questions. Analysis on the remaining 11 care pathway/patient group items also indicated the same five latent factors, although additional factors were present for questions applicable to patients with an overnight stay or those accessing specialist nursing. The five factors models had an excellent fit (comparative fit index = 0.95, root mean square error of approximation = 0.045 for core set of questions). Items loading on each factor generally corresponded to a specific section or subsection of the questionnaire. CFA findings were concordant with the EFA patterns. Conclusion: The findings suggest five coherent underlying sub‐constructs relating to different aspects of cancer health care. The findings support the construction of evidence‐based composite indicators for different domains of experience and provide options for survey re‐design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) declines with advancing age and is a predictor of morbidity and mortality risk. The purpose here was to assess the utility of constant load tests performed either above or below peak work rate obtained from a graded exercise test for verification of VO2max in older adults. Twenty‐two healthy older adults (9M, 13F, 67 ± 6 years, BMI: 26.3 ± 5.1 kg·m−2) participated in the study. Participants were asked to complete two experimental trials in a randomized, counterbalanced cross‐over design. Both trials (cycle ergometer) consisted of (1) an identical graded exercise test (ramp) and (2) a constant load test at either 85% (CL85; n = 22) or 110% (CL110; n = 20) of the peak work rate achieved during the associated ramp (performed 10‐min post ramp). No significant differences were observed for peak VO2 (L·min−1) between CL85 (1.86 ± 0.72; p = 0.679) or CL110 (1.79 ± 0.73; p = 0.200) and the associated ramp (Ramp85, 1.85 ± 0.73; Ramp110, 1.85 ± 0.57). Using the study participant's mean coefficient of variation in peak VO2 between the two identical ramp tests (2.9%) to compare individual differences between constant load tests and the associated ramp revealed 19/22 (86%) of participants achieved a peak VO2 during CL85 that was similar or higher versus the ramp, while only 13/20 (65%) of participants achieved a peak VO2 during CL110 that was similar or higher versus the ramp. These data indicate that if a verification of VO2max is warranted when testing older adults, a constant load effort at 85% of ramp peak power may be more likely to verify VO2max as compared to an effort at 110% of ramp peak power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small catchments have served as sentinels of forest ecosystem responses to changes in air quality and climate. The Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire has been tracking catchment water budgets and their controls – meteorology and vegetation – since 1956. Water budgets in four reference catchments indicated an approximately 30% increase in the evapotranspiration (ET) as estimated by the difference between precipitation (P) and runoff (RO) starting in 2010 and continuing through 2019. We analyzed the annual water budgets, cumulative deviations of the daily P, RO and water budget residual (WBR = P − RO), potential ET (PET) and indicators of subsurface storage to gain greater insight into this shift in the water budgets. The PET and the subsurface storage indicators suggest that this change in WBR was primarily due to increasing ET. While multiple long‐term hydrological and micrometeorological data sets were used to detect and investigate this change in ET, additional measurements of groundwater storage and soil moisture would enable better estimation of ET within the catchment water balance. Increasing the breadth of long‐term measurements across small gauged catchments allows them to serve as more effective sentinels of substantial hydrologic changes like the ET increase that we observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: (i) To evaluate immunohistochemical labeling of pre‐iridal monocellular and fibrovascular membranes and (ii) describe the light and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) characteristics of these membranes in glaucomatous and normal/control canine globes. Materials and methods: All globes were evaluated with light microscopy. Immunohistochemical labeling for CD18, Smooth muscle actin (SMA), and CD117 was completed on 40 canine globes with congenital/anterior segment dysgenesis‐associated glaucoma (n = 10), primary/goniodysgenesis‐associated glaucoma (n = 10), secondary glaucoma (n = 10), and normal/control globes (n = 10). SEM was completed on 10 globes: 5 with monocellular membranes, 3 with fibrovascular membranes, and 2 without a histologically detectable membrane. Results: Monocellular membranes were detected in all normal/control globes with light microscopy and appeared to be morphologically very similar to those in diseased globes. CD18 labeling was detected in 9/10 monocellular membranes in normal/control globes, 15/23 monocellular, and 7/8 fibrovascular membranes in globes with glaucoma. SMA and CD117 labeling was not detected in monocellular membranes of normal/control globes. SMA was expressed in 10/23 monocellular and 7/8 fibrovascular membranes of glaucomatous globes. CD117 was expressed in 7/23 monocellular and 5/8 fibrovascular membranes of glaucomatous globes. SEM of monocellular membranes revealed a continuous sheet of mostly spindle cells and few individual round cells that extended over the anterior iris face in normal/control and all glaucomatous globes. Conclusion: Pre‐iridal monocellular membranes are a normal component of the anterior iris surface, and CD18 immunoreactivity suggests some cells within these are of leukocytic origin. SMA and CD117 labeling of monocellular membranes in glaucomatous, but not normal/control globes, suggest metaplastic cellular change secondary to intraocular pathology related to glaucoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Aims: Historically, people who inject image and performance enhancing drugs (IPED) were not perceived as being at high risk of HIV or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However, recent studies indicate HCV and HIV prevalences are elevated, with many HCV infections undiagnosed. Design and Methods: Men who inject IPEDs recruited from community settings and specialist services, including needle‐syringe programs, across UK during 2016 self‐completed a questionnaire. Multivariate analyses examined factors associated with HCV/HIV testing. Results: The participants' (n=562; 24% service recruited) median age was 31 years, 4% identified as gay or bisexual, 18% had ever been imprisoned and 6% had ever injected a psychoactive drug. Those community recruited more often reported sharing drugs vials (16% vs. 8%, P=0.021) and, among those with 2+ sexual partners, poor condom use (50% vs. 36%, P=0.063), than those service recruited. Overall, one‐third had ever been tested for HCV (31%) and/or HIV (34%). Testing uptake was associated with other risk factors for HCV/HIV, being recruited through services and having received metabolic tests. Participants' motivations for using IPEDs were associated with recruitment setting and HIV/HCV testing uptake. Discussion and Conclusions: The majority were untested for HCV/HIV. HCV/HIV testing and risks were associated with recruitment through services. Previous needle and syringe program‐based studies have potentially overestimated testing uptake and underestimated risk. Targeted interventions are needed, particularly for those not accessing services. The association between HCV/HIV testing uptake and receipt of metabolic tests suggests that developing a combined offer of these tests as part of health monitoring could improve uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stream solute monitoring has produced many insights into ecosystem and Earth system functions. Although new sensors have provided novel information about the fine‐scale temporal variation of some stream water solutes, we lack adequate sensor technology to gain the same insights for many other solutes. We used two machine learning algorithms – Support Vector Machine and Random Forest – to predict concentrations at 15‐min resolution for 10 solutes, of which eight lack specific sensors. The algorithms were trained with data from intensive stream sensing and manual stream sampling (weekly) for four full years in a hydrologic reference stream within the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire, USA. The Random Forest algorithm was slightly better at predicting solute concentrations than the Support Vector Machine algorithm (Nash‐Sutcliffe efficiencies ranged from 0.35 to 0.78 for Random Forest compared to 0.29 to 0.79 for Support Vector Machine). Solute predictions were most sensitive to the removal of fluorescent dissolved organic matter, pH and specific conductance as independent variables for both algorithms, and least sensitive to dissolved oxygen and turbidity. The predicted concentrations of calcium and monomeric aluminium were used to estimate catchment solute yield, which changed most dramatically for aluminium because it concentrates with stream discharge. These results show great promise for using a combined approach of stream sensing and intensive stream discrete sampling to build information about the high‐frequency variation of solutes for which an appropriate sensor or proxy is not available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (HBEF) was established in 1955 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service out of concerns about the effects of logging increasing flooding and erosion. To address this issue, within the HBEF hydrological and micrometeorological monitoring was initiated in small watersheds designated for harvesting experiments. The Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study (HBES) originated in 1963, with the idea of using the small watershed approach to study element fluxes and cycling and the response of forest ecosystems to disturbances, such as forest management practices and air pollution. Early evidence of acid rain was documented at the HBEF and research by scientists at the site helped shape acid rain mitigation policies. New lines of investigation at the HBEF have built on the long legacy of watershed research resulting in a shift from comparing inputs and outputs and quantifying pools and fluxes to a more mechanistic understanding of ecosystem processes within watersheds. For example, hydropedological studies have shed light on linkages between hydrologic flow paths and soil development that provide valuable perspective for managing forests and understanding stream water quality. New high frequency in situ stream chemistry sensors are providing insights about extreme events and diurnal patterns that were indiscernible with traditional weekly sampling. Additionally, tools are being developed for visual and auditory data exploration and discovery by a broad audience. Given the unprecedented environmental change that is occurring, data from the small watersheds at the HBEF are more relevant now than ever and will continue to serve as a basis for sound environmental decision‐making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grain size is an important consideration in the determination of the bulk chemistry of Martian rocks and unconsolidated materials in situ by the alpha particle X‐ray spectrometer (APXS), deployed on the NASA‐led Mars Science Laboratory mission. We used 2.5 MeV protons to emulate the particle‐induced X‐ray emission (PIXE) branch (5 MeV alphas) of the APXS. Seven polished rock slabs (igneous and sedimentary), ranging from fine‐ to coarse‐grained, were analyzed by PIXE in their original form, then milled to powders and pressed into pellets for further analysis. The summed area (160 mm2) over 10 interrogated regions on each slab is comparable to the area interrogated on the APXS; analysis of two pellets per rock, each using a 16 mm2 region, was found to be appropriate. The mean pellet/slab concentration ratio for Na, Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca, and Fe was close to 1.0 for fine‐grained samples, but changed by ±10% for the coarser cases. The variability among PIXE concentration values across the 10 rock regions increased monotonically with coarseness in the rock slabs. Comparison of overall PIXE concentrations with values measured by borate‐fusion WDXRF provides further quantitative support to the direct comparison of pellet and slab PIXE concentrations. This work affirms the use of the APXS on fine‐grained Martian materials but recommends larger interrogation areas (including rastering) when analyzing coarser‐grained materials. It also demonstrates that the presence of relatively large mineral grains (phenocrysts) or rock/mineral fragments within fine‐grained materials can contribute to greater error for specific elements associated with those phenocrysts/fragments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the determinants of corporate failure and the pricing of financially distressed stocks whose failure probability, estimated from a dynamic logit model using accounting and market variables, is high. Since 1981, financially distressed stocks have delivered anomalously low returns. They have lower returns but much higher standard deviations, market betas, and loadings on value and small-cap risk factors than stocks with low failure risk. These patterns are more pronounced for stocks with possible informational or arbitrage-related frictions. They are inconsistent with the conjecture that the value and size effects are compensation for the risk of financial distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of household finance is challenging because household behavior is difficult to measure, and households face constraints not captured by textbook models. Evidence on participation, diversification, and mortgage refinancing suggests that many households invest effectively, but a minority make significant mistakes. This minority appears to be poorer and less well educated than the majority of more successful investors. There is some evidence that households understand their own limitations and avoid financial strategies for which they feel unqualified. Some financial products involve a cross-subsidy from naive to sophisticated households, and this can inhibit welfare-improving financial innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the effect of equity volatility on corporate bond yields. Panel data for the late 1990s show that idiosyncratic firm-level volatility can explain as much cross-sectional variation in yields as can credit ratings. This finding, together with the upward trend in idiosyncratic equity volatility documented by, helps to explain recent increases in corporate bond yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses a disaggregated approach to study the volatility of common stocks at the market, industry, and firm levels. Over the period from 1962 to 1997 there has been a noticeable increase in firm-level volatility relative to market volatility. Accordingly, correlations among individual stocks and the explanatory power of the market model for a typical stock have declined, whereas the number of stocks needed to achieve a given level of diversification has increased. All the volatility measures move together countercyclically and help to predict GDP growth. Market volatility tends to lead the other volatility series. Factors that may be responsible for these findings are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We show that the external habit-formation model economy of Campbell and Cochrane (1999) can explain why the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) and its extensions are better approximate asset pricing models than is the standard consumption-based model. The model economy produces time-varying expected returns, tracked by the dividend-price ratio. Portfolio-based models capture some of this variation in state variables, which a state-independent function of consumption cannot capture. Therefore, though the consumption-based model and CAPM are both perfect conditional asset pricing models, the portfolio-based models are better approximate unconditional asset pricing models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper surveys the field of asset pricing. The emphasis is on the interplay between theory and empirical work and on the trade-off between risk and return. Modern research seeks to understand the behavior of the stochastic discount factor (SDF) that prices all assets in the economy. The behavior of the term structure of real interest rates restricts the conditional mean of the SDF, whereas patterns of risk premia restrict its conditional volatility and factor structure. Stylized facts about interest rates, aggregate stock prices, and cross-sectional patterns in stock returns have stimulated new research on optimal portfolio choice, intertemporal equilibrium models, and behavioral finance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internally‐promoted CEOs should have a deep understanding of their firm's products, supply chain, operations, business climate, corporate culture, and how to navigate among employees to get the information they need. Thus, we argue that internally‐promoted CEOs are likely to produce higher quality disclosure than outsider CEOs. Using a sample of US firms from the S&P1500 index from 2001 to 2011, we hand‐collect whether a CEO is hired from inside the firm and, if so, the number of years they worked at the firm before becoming CEO. We then examine whether managers with more internal experience issue higher quality disclosures and offer three main findings. First, CEOs with more internal experience are more likely to issue voluntary earnings forecasts than those managers with less internal experience as well as those managers hired from outside the firm. Second, CEOs with more internal experience issue more accurate earnings forecasts than those managers with less internal experience as well as those managers hired from outside the firm. Finally, investors react more strongly to forecasts issued by insider CEOs than to those issued by outsider CEOs. In additional analysis, we find no evidence that these results extend to mandatory reporting quality (i.e., accruals quality, restatements, or internal control weaknesses), perhaps because mandatory disclosure is subjected to heavy oversight by the board of directors, auditors, and regulators. Overall, our findings suggest that when managers have work experience with the firm prior to becoming the CEO, the firm's voluntary disclosure is of higher quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The direction and magnitude of responses of evapotranspiration (ET) to climate change are important to understand, as ET represents a major water and energy flux from terrestrial ecosystems, with consequences that feed back to the climate system. We inferred multidecadal trends in water balance in 11 river basins (1940–2012) and eight smaller watersheds (with records ranging from 18 to 61 years in length) in the Northeastern United States. Trends in river basin actual ET (AET) varied across the region, with an apparent latitudinal pattern: AET increased in the cooler northern part of the region (Maine) but decreased in some warmer regions to the southwest (Pennsylvania–Ohio). Of the four small watersheds with records longer than 45 years, two fit this geographic pattern in AET trends. The differential effects of the warming climate on AET across the region may indicate different mechanisms of change in more‐ vs. less‐energy‐limited watersheds, even though annual precipitation greatly exceeds potential ET across the entire region. Correlations between AET and time series of temperature and precipitation also indicate differences in limiting factors for AET across the Northeastern U.S. climate gradient. At many sites across the climate gradient, water‐year AET correlated with summer precipitation, implying that water limitation is at least transiently important in some years, whereas correlations with temperature indices were more prominent in northern than southern sites within the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the human resource (HR) practice of building HR capability in the United States. Two firms, namely, General Electric Co. and Amoco Corp., describe what they are doing to build the HR function itself. General Electric incorporates its HR development activity within its overall agenda for development in all function and across all levels. Amoco claims that its concern for HR development was a function of three simultaneous events, namely, a management poll in which HR received poor ratings, a vice-president for HR, and a major profits decline.

This paper uses a vector autoregressive model to decompose excess stock and 10-year bond returns into changes in expectations of future stock dividends, inflation, short-term real interest rates, and excess stock and bond returns. In monthly postwar U.S. data, stock and bond returns are driven largely by news about future excess stock returns and inflation, respectively. Real interest rates have little impact on returns, although they do affect the short-term nominal interest rate and the slope of the term structure. These findings help to explain the low correlation between excess stock and bond returns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses the predictability of monthly excess returns on U.S. and Japanese equity portfolios over the U.S. Treasury bill rate to study the integration of long-term capital markets in these two countries. During the period 1971-1990 similar variables, including the dividend-price ratio and interest rate variables, help to forecast excess returns in each country. In addition, in the 1980's U.S. variables help to forecast excess Japanese stock returns. There is some evidence of common movement in expected excess returns across the two countries, which is suggestive of integration of long-term capital markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long historical averages of real earnings help forecast present values of future real dividends. With aggregate U.S. stock market data (1871-1986), a vector-autoregressive forecast of the present value of future dividends is, for each year, roughly a weighted average of moving-average earnings and current real price, with between two thirds and three fourths of the weight on the earnings measure. We develop the implications of this for the present-value model of stock prices and for recent results that long-horizon stock returns are highly forecastable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expectations theories of asset returns may be interpreted either as stating that risk premia are zero or that they are constant through time. Under the former interpretation, different versions of the expectations theory of the term structure are inconsistent with one another, but I show that this does not necessarily carry over to the constant risk premium interpretation of the theory. I present a general equilibrium example in which different types of risk premium are constant through time and dependent only on maturity. Furthermore, I argue that differences among expectations theories are second-order effects of bond yield variability. I develop an approximate linearized framework for analysis of the term structure in which these differences disappear, and I test its accuracy in practice using data from the CRSP government bond tapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concerns about structural racism and policing have fuelled public demands in the US, UK and elsewhere to 'defund' and demilitarize the police. However, given the interlinked nature of the entire criminal justice system – the police, courts and prisons – further thought needs to be given to how the system should be reformed. This article summarizes research on the nature of injustice experienced in magistrates' courts in London from the point of view of defendants from black, Asian and ethnic minority communities and 'the precariat'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current asthma treatments address symptoms rather than the underlying disease pathophysiology, a better understanding of which has led to the identification of the Th2 high endotype. The activation of Toll‐like receptors to induce Type I interferons directly in the lungs represents a novel therapeutic approach to reset this underlying Th2 pathophysiology with the potential to provide long‐term disease modification. We present the nonclinical data and phase I clinical profile of an inhaled TLR9 agonist, AZD1419, a C‐type CpG designed to induce interferon in the lung. In healthy volunteers, AZD1419 was found to be safe and well‐tolerated. Target engagement in the lung was demonstrated at all dose levels tested. No evidence of tolerization or amplification of responses was evident on repeated dosing and 15.4 mg was defined as the maximum tolerated dose. AZD1419 clinical data supports its continued development as a potentially disease‐modifying therapeutic in asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A thin, patchy layer of airfall dust covers rock surfaces examined by the Mars Science Lab rover Curiosity and complicates interpretation of textures in Mars Hand Lens Imager images and compositions determined by Alpha Particle X‐ray Spectrometer (APXS). Using three image processing methods, we estimate dust coverages for Mars Hand Lens Imager images of APXS targets to Sol 1512. Dust coverages of as is rock targets range from 6% to 77% (±5% to 10% estimated error). Targets brushed by the Dust Removal Tool range to lower coverages than as is targets, but quality depends on surface type; brushed mudstones have the narrowest range and lowest coverages (11–25%), while sandstones vary, ranging to higher coverages (12–58%). Groups of rocks with similar compositions (APXS classes) can have strong correlations between dust coverage and SO3/Cl (up to r = 0.985). Dust can also strongly affect the lightest elements measured (Na to Ca). By comparing paired as is and Dust Removal Tool analyses, using the determined dust coverages, and finding a best fit dust thickness (generally ~10 μm), we model relative contributions of the dust and bedrock to extrapolate dust‐free compositions for homogeneous APXS classes. The dust is basaltic with high S and Cl. Dust‐free rocks have higher SiO2 and Na2O (up to 6.5 wt% and 0.5 wt% higher, respectively) and lower SO3 and CaO (up to 5.5 wt% and 1.3 wt% lower, respectively) than dusty equivalents. Dust most influences compositions that are very different from average Mars, including the alkali‐rich, MgO‐poor Jake M class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To study the relationships between the different domains of quality of primary health care for the evaluation of health system performance and for informing policy decision making.Data Sources: A total of 137 quality indicators collected from 7,607 English practices between 2011 and 2012.Study Design: Cross-sectional study at the practice level. Indicators were allocated to subdomains of processes of care ("quality assurance," "education and training," "medicine management," "access," "clinical management," and "patient-centered care"), health outcomes ("intermediate outcomes" and "patient-reported health status"), and patient satisfaction. The relationships between the subdomains were hypothesized in a conceptual model and subsequently tested using structural equation modeling.Principal Findings: The model supported two independent paths. In the first path, "access" was associated with "patient-centered care" (β = 0.63), which in turn was strongly associated with "patient satisfaction" (β = 0.88). In the second path, "education and training" was associated with "clinical management" (β = 0.32), which in turn was associated with "intermediate outcomes" (β = 0.69). "Patient-reported health status" was weakly associated with "patient-centered care" (β = -0.05) and "patient satisfaction" (β = 0.09), and not associated with "clinical management" or "intermediate outcomes."Conclusions: This is the first empirical model to simultaneously provide evidence on the independence of intermediate health care outcomes, patient satisfaction, and health status. The explanatory paths via technical quality clinical management and patient centeredness offer specific opportunities for the development of quality improvement initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple, inexpensive procedure is described for calibrating a silicon drift detector-based PIXE system for the analysis of geological and other 'thick-target' materials. It rests on the use of single element, chemical compound, and National Institute for Standards and Technology multielement standards. Much less effort has been focussed on the impact of mass attenuation coefficients on PIXE's analytical accuracy than on ionization cross sections and fluorescence yields. The calibrated system enables us to investigate the effects of inserting different mass attenuation coefficient datasets into the GUPIX database. For the K X-rays of light elements, accuracy is significantly improved by replacing the formerly used XCOM self-attenuation coefficients by the corresponding FFAST values; this effect decreases rapidly with increasing atomic number. Similar improvement was found for L X-rays of medium- Z, but not for high- Z atoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Logging to 'salvage' economic returns from forests affected by natural disturbances has become increasingly prevalent globally. Despite potential negative effects on biodiversity, salvage logging is often conducted, even in areas otherwise excluded from logging and reserved for nature conservation, inter alia because strategic priorities for post-disturbance management are widely lacking., A review of the existing literature revealed that most studies investigating the effects of salvage logging on biodiversity have been conducted less than 5 years following natural disturbances, and focused on non-saproxylic organisms., A meta-analysis across 24 species groups revealed that salvage logging significantly decreases numbers of species of eight taxonomic groups. Richness of dead wood dependent taxa (i.e. saproxylic organisms) decreased more strongly than richness of non-saproxylic taxa. In contrast, taxonomic groups typically associated with open habitats increased in the number of species after salvage logging., By analysing 134 original species abundance matrices, we demonstrate that salvage logging significantly alters community composition in 7 of 17 species groups, particularly affecting saproxylic assemblages., Synthesis and applications. Our results suggest that salvage logging is not consistent with the management objectives of protected areas. Substantial changes, such as the retention of dead wood in naturally disturbed forests, are needed to support biodiversity. Future research should investigate the amount and spatio-temporal distribution of retained dead wood needed to maintain all components of biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to guide the integration of serum free light chain ( sFLC) tests into clinical practice, including a new rapid test (Seralite®). Blood and urine analysis from 5573 newly diagnosed myeloma patients identified 576 light chain only ( LCO) and 60 non-secretory ( NS) cases. Serum was tested by Freelite® and Seralite® at diagnosis, maximum response and relapse. 20% of LCO patients had urine FLC levels below that recommended for measuring response but >97% of these had adequate sFLC levels (oligosecretory). The recommended Freelite® sFLC ≥100 mg/l for measuring response was confirmed and the equivalent Seralite® FLC difference ( dFLC) >20 mg/l identified. By both methods, ≥38% of NS patients had measurable disease (oligosecretory). Higher sFLC levels were observed on Freelite® at all time points. However, good clinical concordance was observed at diagnosis and in response to therapy. Achieving at least a very good partial response according to either sFLC method was associated with better patient survival. Relapse was identified using a Freelite® sFLC increase >200 mg/l and found 100% concordance with a corresponding Seralite® dFLC increase >30 mg/l. Both Freelite® and Seralite® sensitively diagnose and monitor LCO/oligosecretory myeloma. Rapid testing by Seralite® could fast-track FLC screening and monitoring. Response by sFLC assessment was prognostic for survival and demonstrates the clinical value of routine sFLC testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) onboard the Mars rover Curiosity conducts high-precision in situ chemical measurements of rocks and regolith. Target surfaces are not always flat and thus can pose issues for interpretations that assume such. Here, we investigate when variable target relief is an important effect to consider for APXS targets. We provide operational recommendations on how to most efficiently study targets of significant changes in surface relief with the rover-arm-mounted APXS and Mars Hand Lens Imager camera. Additionally, we deconvolve the chemistry of heterogeneous targets of significant vertical relief encountered along Curiosity's traverse, providing the chemical composition of visible endmembers in the process. Specifically, presented here are the deconvolved endmember compositions of two recent targets. The first is a manganese-rich, calcium-rich, and zinc-rich dark-toned vein at Garden City that is chemically and visually unique compared with the intermixed light-toned Ca-sulfate-dominated vein. The other target is a weathered Mg-sulfate-rich nodule that is unique compared with a previously encountered nodule that had significant nickel enrichment. The distinctly different chemistry both at Garden City and with the Mg-sulfate-rich nodules along the traverse provides further evidence for either multiple fluid events or an evolving fluid on the surface of ancient Mars. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Patient experience surveys are increasingly important in the measurement of, and attempts to improve, health-care quality. To date, little research has focused upon doctors' attitudes to surveys which give them personalized feedback. Aim This paper explores doctors' perceptions of patient experience surveys in primary and secondary care settings in order to deepen understandings of how doctors view the plausibility of such surveys. Design, setting and participants We conducted a qualitative study with doctors in two regions of England, involving in-depth semi-structured interviews with doctors working in primary care ( n = 21) and secondary care ( n = 20) settings. The doctors in both settings had recently received individualized feedback from patient experience surveys. Findings Doctors in both settings express strong personal commitments to incorporating patient feedback in quality improvement efforts. However, they also concurrently express strong negative views about the credibility of survey findings and patients' motivations and competence in providing feedback. Thus, individual doctors demonstrate contradictory views regarding the plausibility of patient surveys, leading to complex, varied and on balance negative engagements with patient feedback. Discussion Doctors' contradictory views towards patient experience surveys are likely to limit the impact of such surveys in quality improvement initiatives in primary and secondary care. We highlight the need for 'sensegiving' initiatives (i.e. attempts to influence perceptions by communicating particular ideas, narratives and visions) to engage with doctors regarding the plausibility of patient experience surveys. Conclusion This study highlights the importance of engaging with doctors' views about patient experience surveys when developing quality improvement initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background There is growing interest in real-time feedback ( RTF), which involves collecting and summarizing information about patient experience at the point of care with the aim of informing service improvement. Objective To investigate the feasibility and acceptability of RTF in UK general practice. Design Exploratory randomized trial. Setting/Participants Ten general practices in south-west England and Cambridgeshire. All patients attending surgeries were eligible to provide RTF. Intervention Touch screens were installed in waiting areas for 12 weeks with practice staff responsible for encouraging patients to provide RTF. All practices received fortnightly feedback summaries. Four teams attended a facilitated reflection session. Outcomes RTF 'response rates' among consulting patients were estimated, and the representativeness of touch screen users were assessed. The frequency of staff-patient interactions about RTF (direct observation) and patient views of RTF (exit survey) were summarized. Associated costs were collated. Results About 2.5% consulting patients provided RTF (range 0.7-8.0% across practices), representing a mean of 194 responses per practice. Patients aged above 65 were under-represented among touch screen users. Receptionists rarely encouraged RTF but, when this did occur, 60% patients participated. Patients were largely positive about RTF but identified some barriers. Costs per practice for the twelve-week period ranged from £1125 (unfacilitated team-level feedback) to £1887 (facilitated team ± practitioner-level feedback). The main cost was the provision of touch screens. Conclusions Response rates for RTF were lower than those of other survey modes, although the numbers of patients providing feedback to each practice were comparable to those achieved in the English national GP patient survey. More patients might engage with RTF if the opportunity were consistently highlighted to them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shallow interrogation depth of the lightest elements (Na, Mg, Al, and Si) detected by the particle-induced X-ray emission branch of the Curiosity Rover's alpha particle X-ray spectrometer suggests that the X-rays of these elements very likely emerge from a single mineral grain. This reality violates the assumption of atomic homogeneity at the micron scale made in both existing spectrum-reduction approaches for the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer. Consequently, analytical results for these elements in igneous geochemical reference materials exhibit deviations from certified concentrations in a manner that can be related to the total alkali-silica diagram. A computer code is introduced here to provide quantitative prediction of these deviations using the mineral abundances determined from X-ray diffraction. The latter are converted to area coverage fractions to represent the sample surface, and a fundamental parameters computation predicts the elemental X-ray yields from each mineral and sums these. In this process, the chemistry of each individual mineral has to be varied by an iterative simplex approach; X-ray yields are computed and compared with the peak areas from the fit of the bulk sample. When the difference between mineral yields and peak areas for each element are minimized, the mineral formulae are set and elemental X-ray yields provided. The ratio between the summed mineral X-ray yields and the corresponding yields based on the homogeneity assumption may then be compared directly with the concentration deviations measured in our earlier work. For several rock types, good agreement is found, thereby consolidating our understanding of the effects of sample mineralogy on alpha particle X-ray spectrometer results. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior analyses have estimated the lifetime total societal costs of a person with Down syndrome (DS); however, no studies capture the expected medical costs that patients with DS can expect to incur during childhood. The study utilized the OptumHealth Reporting and Insights administrative claims database from 1999 to 2013. Children with a diagnosis of DS were identified, and their time was divided into clinically relevant age categories. Patients with DS in each age category were matched to controls without chromosomal conditions. Out-of-pocket medical costs and third-party expenditures were compared between the patient-age cohorts with DS and matched controls. Patients with DS had significantly higher mean annual out-of-pocket costs than their matched controls within each age and cost category. Total annual incremental out-of-pocket costs associated with DS were highest among individuals from birth to age 1 ($1,907, P < 0.001). The main drivers of the incremental out-of-pocket costs associated with DS were inpatient costs in the 1st year of life ($925, P < 0.001) and outpatient costs in later years (ranging $183-$623, all P < 0.001). Overall, patients with DS incurred incremental out-of-pocket medical costs of $18,248 between birth and age 18 years; third-party payers incurred incremental costs of $230,043 during the same period. Across all age categories, mean total out-of-pocket annual costs were greater for individuals with DS than those of matched controls. On average, parents of children with DS pay an additional $84 per month for out-of-pocket medical expenses when costs are amortized over 18 years. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cross-site analysis was conducted on seven diverse, forested watersheds in the northeastern United States to evaluate hydrological responses (evapotranspiration, soil moisture, seasonal and annual streamflow, and water stress) to projections of future climate. We used output from four atmosphere-ocean general circulation models ( AOGCMs; CCSM4, Had GEM2- CC, MIROC5, and MRI- CGCM3) included in Phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project, coupled with two Representative Concentration Pathways ( RCP 8.5 and 4.5). The coarse resolution AOGCMs outputs were statistically downscaled using an asynchronous regional regression model to provide finer resolution future climate projections as inputs to the deterministic dynamic ecosystem model Pn ET- BGC. Simulation results indicated that projected warmer temperatures and longer growing seasons in the northeastern United States are anticipated to increase evapotranspiration across all sites, although invoking CO2 effects on vegetation (growth enhancement and increases in water use efficiency ( WUE)) diminish this response. The model showed enhanced evapotranspiration resulted in drier growing season conditions across all sites and all scenarios in the future. Spruce-fir conifer forests have a lower optimum temperature for photosynthesis, making them more susceptible to temperature stress than more tolerant hardwood species, potentially giving hardwoods a competitive advantage in the future. However, some hardwood forests are projected to experience seasonal water stress, despite anticipated increases in precipitation, due to the higher temperatures, earlier loss of snow packs, longer growing seasons, and associated water deficits. Considering future CO2 effects on WUE in the model alleviated water stress across all sites. Modeled streamflow responses were highly variable, with some sites showing significant increases in annual water yield, while others showed decreases. This variability in streamflow responses poses a challenge to water resource management in the northeastern United States. Our analyses suggest that dominant vegetation type and soil type are important attributes in determining future hydrological responses to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The control of the metallurgy of steels is now highly developed. This is in contrast to the casting techniques for steels. Although continuous casting is generally conducted well, current ingot casting techniques are poor, unnecessarily introducing masses of oxides. For some steel compositions, double oxide films, bifilms, are entrained. This mechanism, occurring naturally during pouring, but till now generally overlooked, appears to be capable of explaining most of the features of steel defects in all their forms. For most Ni alloys and some steels it appears capable of generating a dense population of cracks, greatly impairing subsequent mechanical working and even final properties. In other steels the effects are much less severe. The techniques to avoid this damage to liquid steels and Ni alloys are described, including contact pouring, and naturally pressurized filling system designs. An ultimate system is counter gravity casting. For remelting processes, the risks of unreliability because of cracks intrinsic to VIM and VAR are discussed for both shop floor production and laboratory research. The potential crack-free properties of ESR when correctly made are recommended. Even so, remelting processes might constitute an unnecessary luxury if steels and Ni alloys were cast to avoid the entrainment of oxides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessments of future climate change impacts on ecosystems typically rely on multiple climate model projections, but often utilize only one downscaling approach trained on one set of observations. Here, we explore the extent to which modeled biogeochemical responses to changing climate are affected by the selection of the climate downscaling method and training observations used at the montane landscape of the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, New Hampshire, USA. We evaluated three downscaling methods: the delta method (or the change factor method), monthly quantile mapping (Bias Correction-Spatial Disaggregation, or BCSD), and daily quantile regression (Asynchronous Regional Regression Model, or ARRM). Additionally, we trained outputs from four atmosphere-ocean general circulation models ( AOGCMs) ( CCSM3, Had CM3, PCM, and GFDL- CM2.1) driven by higher (A1fi) and lower (B1) future emissions scenarios on two sets of observations (1/8º resolution grid vs. individual weather station) to generate the high-resolution climate input for the forest biogeochemical model Pn ET- BGC (eight ensembles of six runs).The choice of downscaling approach and spatial resolution of the observations used to train the downscaling model impacted modeled soil moisture and streamflow, which in turn affected forest growth, net N mineralization, net soil nitrification, and stream chemistry. All three downscaling methods were highly sensitive to the observations used, resulting in projections that were significantly different between station-based and grid-based observations. The choice of downscaling method also slightly affected the results, however not as much as the choice of observations. Using spatially smoothed gridded observations and/or methods that do not resolve sub-monthly shifts in the distribution of temperature and/or precipitation can produce biased results in model applications run at greater temporal and/or spatial resolutions. These results underscore the importance of carefully considering field observations used for training, as well as the downscaling method used to generate climate change projections, for smaller-scale modeling studies. Different sources of variability including selection of AOGCM, emissions scenario, downscaling technique, and data used for training downscaling models, result in a wide range of projected forest ecosystem responses to future climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on telework often focuses on the outcomes of telework, investigating if telework is ultimately a 'good' or a 'bad' thing for teleworkers and their organisations. However, findings across telework research studies are often inconclusive, requiring deeper engagement with potential explanations for contradictory and paradoxical results. This study uses virtual ethnography (netnography) to investigate naturally occurring data. By analysing online debates related to Yahoo!'s decision to ban telework for its employees, this study surfaces aspects currently overlooked by telework research. These findings suggest that the diversity of the nature of work undertaken by knowledge workers and perceived differences in the suitability of different tasks for telework are of critical importance for understanding telework from a practice perspective. However, deeper engagement with the different kinds of work activities of knowledge workers is currently missing in the telework research literature. This study therefore contributes to better understanding of telework and paradoxical findings in telework research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]