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In their paper “Spectral Risk Measures: Properties and Limitations”, Dowd et al. (J Financ Serv Res 341:61–75, 2008 ) introduce exponential and power spectral risk measures as subclasses of spectral risk measures (SRMs) to the literature, and claim that they are subject to three serious limitations: First, for these subclasses, the spectral risk may be counterintuitively decreasing when the user’s risk aversion is increasing. Second, these subclasses, and power SRMs in particular, become completely insensitive to market volatility when the respective parameters of risk aversion tend to their lower and upper boundaries. Third, exponential SRMs exhibit constant absolute risk aversion, while constant relative risk aversion better meets the empirical evidence. Consequently, “users of spectral risk measures must be careful to select utility functions that fit the features of the particular problems they are dealing with, and should be especially careful when using power SRMs.” (p. 61). In this comment, we show that the findings of Dowd et al. (J Financ Serv Res 341:61–75, 2008 ) suffer from misinterpretations and wrong conclusions.

This paper focused on responses to everyday hazards and intensive disasters in Ibadan city characterized by a wide spectrum of risks. Qualitative data were elicited through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. The results show a disconnect among neighborhoods, government institutions and humanitarian agencies with regard to disaster response. Neglect and lack of service delivery to mitigate the impact of disasters were linked to absence of necessary synergy among key stakeholders. As a result, the residents resorted to self-help activities, which, for the most part, were embedded in ignorance with a potential for opening up another vista of vulnerabilities. There is need for stakeholders, particularly the government, to recognize the dangerous African Renaissance lapses created by these response complications and address them through policies and vigorous community enlightenment programs.

Background Trio-based whole-exome sequencing (trio-WES) enables identification of pathogenic variants, including copy-number variants (CNVs), in children with unexplained neurodevelopmental delay (NDD) and neurodevelopmental comorbidities (NDCs), including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), epilepsy, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Further phenotypic and genetic analysis on trio-WES-tested NDD-NDCs cases may help to identify key phenotypic factors related to higher diagnostic yield of using trio-WES and novel risk genes associated with NDCs in clinical settings. Methods In this study, we retrospectively performed phenotypic analysis on 163 trio-WES-tested NDD-NDCs children to determine the phenotypic differences between genetically diagnosed and non-genetically diagnosed groups. Additionally, we conducted genetic analysis of ASD genes with the help of Simons Foundation for Autism Research Institute (SFARI) Gene database to identify novel possible ASD-risk genes underlying genetic NDD conditions. Results Among these 163 patients, pathogenic variants were identified in 82 cases (82/163, 50.3%), including 20 cases with CNVs. By comparing phenotypic variables between genetically diagnosed group (82 cases) and non-genetically diagnosed group (81 cases) with multivariate binary logistic regression analysis, we revealed that NDD-NDCs cases presenting with severe-profound NDD [53/82 vs 17/81, adjusted-OR (95%CI): 4.865 (2.213 – 10.694), adjusted- P < 0.001] or having multiple NDCs [26/82 vs 8/81, adjusted-OR (95%CI): 3.731 (1.399 – 9.950), adjusted- P = 0.009] or accompanying ASD [64/82 vs 35/81, adjusted-OR (95%CI): 3.256 (1.479 – 7.168), adjusted- P = 0.003] and head circumference abnormality [33/82 vs 11/81, adjusted-OR (95%CI): 2.788 (1.148 – 6.774), adjusted- P = 0.024] were more likely to have a genetic diagnosis using trio-WES. Moreover, 37 genes with monogenetic variants were identified in 48 patients genetically diagnosed with NDD-ASD, and 15 dosage-sensitive genes were identified in 16 individuals with NDD-ASD carrying CNVs. Most of those genes had been proven to be ASD-related genes. However, some of them (9 genes) were not proven sufficiently to correlate with ASD. By literature review and constructing protein-protein interaction networks among these 9 candidate ASD-risk genes and 102 established ASD genes obtained from the SFARI Gene database, we identified CUL4B , KCNH1 , and PLA2G6 as novel possible ASD-risk genes underlying genetic NDD conditions. Conclusions Trio-WES testing is recommended for patients with unexplained NDD-NDCs that have severe-profound NDD or multiple NDCs, particularly those with accompanying ASD and head circumference abnormality, as these independent factors may increase the likelihood of genetic diagnosis using trio-WES. Moreover, NDD patients with pathogenic variants in CUL4B , KCNH1 and PLA2G6 should be aware of potential risks of developing ASD during their disease courses.

Parent responsiveness is critical for child development of cognition, social-communication, and self-regulation. Parents tend to respond more frequently when children at-risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) demonstrate stronger social-communication; however, it is unclear how responsiveness is associated with sensory characteristics of children at-risk for ASD. To address this issue, we examined the extent to which child social-communication and sensory reactivity patterns (i.e., hyper- and hypo-reactivity) predicted parent responsiveness to 1-year-olds at-risk for ASD in a community sample of 97 parent-infant pairs. A combination of child social-communication and sensory hypo-reactivity consistently predicted how parents played and talked with their 1-year-old at-risk for ASD. Parents tended to talk less and use more play actions when infants communicated less and demonstrated stronger hypo-reactivity.

This study aimed to assess some early symptoms of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) measured by a screening tool developed for an early detection of ASD. We investigated if the early symptoms were associated with toddlers’ age, gender or ASD familial risk status. We used the Polish version of the Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (Q-CHAT) to assess 1024 children aged 16 to 36 months. The sample included four groups of participants: typically developing toddlers, toddlers with parent-reported ASD-specific concerns, toddlers at risk for autism due to having an older sibling with ASD, and toddlers with a developmental delay. We found that mean Q-CHAT scores were significantly higher in boys than in girls. We did not find any associations between Q-CHAT scores and age. We observed that toddlers with a familial risk for ASD and those with a developmental delay scored significantly higher than controls. We collated these results with previous studies that used the Q-CHAT and other instruments.

Background Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is one of the fastest-growing developmental disorders in the United States. It was hypothesized that variations in the placental chorionic surface vascular network (PCSVN) structure may reflect both the overall effects of genetic and environmentally regulated variations in branching morphogenesis within the conceptus and the fetus’ vital organs. This paper provides sound evidences to support the study of ASD risks with PCSVN through a combination of feature-selection and classification algorithms. Methods Twenty eight arterial and 8 shape-based PCSVN attributes from a high-risk ASD cohort of 89 placentas and a population-based cohort of 201 placentas were examined for ranked relevance using a modified version of the random forest algorithm, called the Boruta method. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to isolate principal effects of arterial growth on the fetal surface of the placenta. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) with a 10-fold cross validation was performed to establish error statistics. Results The Boruta method selected 15 arterial attributes as relevant, implying the difference in high and low ASD risk can be explained by the arterial features alone. The five principal features obtained through PCA, which accounted for about 88% of the data variability, indicated that PCSVNs associated with placentas of high-risk ASD pregnancies generally had fewer branch points, thicker and less tortuous arteries, better extension to the surface boundary, and smaller branch angles than their population-based counterparts. Conclusion We developed a set of methods to explain major PCSVN differences between placentas associated with high risk ASD pregnancies and those selected from the general population. The research paradigm presented can be generalized to study connections between PCSVN features and other maternal and fetal outcomes such as gestational diabetes and hypertension.

Ground motion response spectra (GMRS) at rock/soil sites in regions where earthquake ground motions have dominant contents at high frequencies of 10 Hz or more are evaluated and the effects of soil amplification on the GMRS are studied. The seismic hazard levels at the soil sites are estimated from soil amplification functions and hazard curves for rock outcrop motions. The soil amplification functions are obtained using modified earthquake ground motions which match the uniform hazard response spectra (UHRS) for rock outcrop motions with various mean annual frequencies of exceedance in order to consider the effects of earthquake ground motions consistently in a site response analysis. UHRS at soil sites are determined from the calculated seismic hazard curves. Subsequently, design factors, which will be applied to UHRS, and the corresponding GMRS are evaluated such that the seismic risk for the structures, systems, and components of nuclear facilities would be equal to a target seismic risk. It can be observed from example applications that the UHRS and GMRS at soil sites have peaks at the natural frequencies of the soil, where the soil responses are amplified. Amplification at soil sites depends on the frequency contents of rock outcrop motions.

Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a pattern of anomalies occurring in children born to alcoholic women. The main features of this pattern are pre and/or postnatal growth retardation, characteristic facial abnormalities, and central nervous system dysfunction, including mental retardation. Since its clinical recognition in 1973 it has progressed from an unrecognized condition to a major public health concern with exaggerated and unfounded claims as to causality and impact. This review summarizes some of the basic facts about fetal alcohol syndrome with respect to terminology, prevalence, and mechanisms, in the context of exposure risk.

The objective of the Review of Risk Mitigation Instruments for Infrastructure Financing and Recent Trends and Developments is to provide a concise yet comprehensive guide as well as reference information for practitioners of infrastructure financing, including private sector financiers and developing country officials. The work is also intended as a reference for institutions offering (or developing) risk mitigation instruments, allowing them to learn from each other's recent practices. The book is organized into five chapters with the following objectives: Chapter 1 Type of Risk Mitigation Instruments: increases awareness of the different types and nature of risk mitigation instruments currently available for private financiers. Chapter 2 Recent Trends in Risk Mitigation: highlights areas in risk mitigation for developing country infrastructure financing receiving recent attention. Chapter 3 Characteristics of Providers and Compatibility: summarizes the characteristics of multilateral, bilateral, and private providers of risk mitigation instruments and the compatibility of those instruments. Chapter 4 Innovative Application of Risk Mitigation Instruments: presents recent developments and innovative applications of risk mitigation instruments through case transactions. Chapter 5 Challenges Ahead: summarizes areas that pose challenges to the use of risk mitigation instruments as catalysts of infrastructure development. The focus of this book is on the multilateral development banks and agencies (that is, The World Bank Group and regional development banks and affiliates) and bilateral development agencies and export credit and investment agencies of major developed countries that have supported the compilation of this information.

Companies operating both within their conventional business settings and in more unique operating environments would be presented with a wide scope of tangible and intangible risks. Executive leaders and risk managers must understand the nature, scope, probability, and impact of a varied spectrum of risks challenging their corporate interests and business activities, so that threats can be avoided or mitigated through sound contingency planning. Understanding the scope of risk also enables companies better to manage crisis events, as the direct and associated effects of a risk would be more fully understood and planned against before they occur. Security vendors must also be able to place risks into a company‐specific and commercial context, as risks would be perceived differently and result in unique impacts for each client company. This chapter presents the scope of risk that many companies face, allowing managers to understand and navigate complex and changing risks to their company's activities and enabling a greater degree of business continuity assurance.