bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analyses of a long‐term, high‐resolution radar rainfall data set for the Baltimore metropolitan region
Authors: Smith James A. , Baeck Mary Lynn , Villarini Gabriele , Welty Claire , Miller Andrew J. , Krajewski Witold F.
Published: February 2012

We introduce a long‐term, high‐resolution radar rainfall data set for the Baltimore metropolitan area covering the 10‐yr period from 2000–2009. Rainfall fields are developed at 15 min time interval and 1 km horizontal resolution for a 17,000‐km2 region centered on the Baltimore metropolitan area. The Hydro‐NEXRAD system is used as a platform for generating radar rainfall fields. We utilize the high‐resolution, 10‐yr data set to characterize striking spatial heterogeneities in rainfall for the Baltimore metropolitan region, both in terms of mean rainfall and rainfall extremes. The role of complex terrain (associated with urbanization, the Chesapeake Bay, and mountainous terrain) in controlling spatial heterogeneities of rainfall climatology for the Baltimore study region is discussed. We also characterize the seasonal and diurnal variation of rainfall over the study region using the 10‐yr rainfall data set, with particular focus on the diurnal variation of rainfall during the warm season. High‐resolution rainfall fields are especially useful for examining the distribution of rainfall from a drainage basin perspective, as illustrated through analyses of basin‐averaged rainfall rate for basins of contrasting drainage area and analyses of the duration of dry periods for small urban watersheds. Analyses and methodologies used to develop the long‐term Baltimore rainfall data set are broadly applicable to other regions of the United States and in settings around the world with long‐term, high‐quality radar data sets.
Multiscale parameterization with adaptive regularization for improved assimilation of nonlocal observation
Authors: Chen Yan , Oliver Dean S.
Published: February 2012

Dynamic data for parameter estimation in groundwater hydrology are often strongly sensitive to averages of porosity and permeability over extended regions, but only weakly sensitive to the properties of individual gridblocks. Consequently, updates of gridblock parameters from the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) will be subject to substantial error due to spurious correlations when the size of the ensemble is small. It has been shown that adaptive localization methods can reduce the magnitude of spurious correlations and regularize updates from the EnKF. In this paper we show that when data are sensitive to an average of parameters over extended regions, adaptive localization methods may eliminate true, but weak, correlations. For this type of data, there appears to be a relationship between the spatial scale of the model variables and the sensitivity of observations to the variables. By introducing a multiscale expansion with adaptive localization, we are able to increase the sensitivity to variables corresponding to large spatial scales and more accurately compute their magnitudes, while eliminating updates to variables corresponding to small spatial scales with weak correlations. Three examples with distinct features are used to compare the new method of combining adaptive localization with wavelet parameterization to the case of no localization and adaptive localization with standard gridblock parameterization. We show that the Kalman gain estimated using the wavelet parameterization with adaptive localization is less biased and has smaller root‐mean‐square error for the problems in which spatial averaging is important and the Kalman gain has large‐scale features.
Effects of local structural distortion on magnetization in BiFeO3 with Pr, Ba co-doping
Authors: Cheng G. F. , Huang Y. H. , Ge J. J. , Lv B. , Wu X. S.
Published: February 2012

Effects of local structural distortion on magnetization in BiFeO3(BFO) with Pr and Ba co-doping were systematically investigated. A structural phase transition of rhombohedral-to-cubic occurs in Bi0.75Pr0.15Ba0.1FeO3 sample. The strong enhancement of the spontaneous magnetization is significantly affected by the local lattice distortion and collapse of the spatial spin structure. Charge compensation is very possible while Pr4+ and Ba2+ replacing for Bi3+ together in BFO, which may suppress the charge defects and decrease the magnetism.
Stochastic limits in synchronous imaging of sub-micron magnetization dynamics using scanning transmission x-ray microscopy
Authors: Cheng Cheng , Kaznatcheev Konstantine , Bailey William E.
Published: February 2012

We demonstrate a synchronous (lock-in) technique for imaging thin-film magnetization dynamics using scanning transmission x-ray microscopy (STXM). Gated photon counting synchronized with magnetic field modulation allows image acquisition with differential contrast for high and low magnetization. We have applied this technique to 5 × 12 μm2 Ni81Fe19 ellipses with well-defined closure domains at remanence. The stochastic nature of the domain wall motion and nucleation is apparent in images recorded during cycling along successive major hysteresis loops. Synchronous imaging shows the clearest enhancement of contrast for small-amplitude domain wall motion, with a less obvious benefit at higher fields/displacements. The technique shows promise for the contrast enhancement of magnetization in dynamics in STXM.
Investigation of the physics of sensing in organic field effect transistor based sensors
Authors: Duarte Davianne , Dodabalapur Ananth
Published: February 2012

In this study, we examine the physics governing the operation of chemical sensors based on field effect transistors, which use organic semiconductors as an active sensing medium. Short channel length devices can operate in the injection-limited regime and the sensing response in this regime is totally unlike the response in larger scale devices. In large geometry sensors, charge carrier trapping plays an important role in the sensor response. We describe in detail the various factors that influence charge trapping effects. Oriented dipoles from polar analytes can also influence sensor behavior and manifest as a current increase upon exposure to the analyte.
Hybrid polymer:colloidal nanoparticle photovoltaic cells incorporating a solution-processed, multi-functioned ZnO nanocrystal layer
Authors: Yang Jihua , Qian Lei , Zhou Renjia , Zheng Ying , Tang Aiwei , Holloway Paul H. , Xue Jiangeng
Published: February 2012

We report significant improvement in both the power conversion efficiency and the environmental stability of solution-processed hybrid organic-inorganic solar cells by including a solution-processed ZnO nanocrystal layer between the photoactive layer and the cathode. For devices based on blends of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and mostly-spherical CdSe nanocrystals, incorporation of the ZnO layer leads to an up to 70% increase in the power conversion efficiency. Compared to only a few hours of shelf lifetime for unencapsulated devices with the metal cathode directly deposited on the hybrid active layer, devices with the ZnO layer can retain approximately 70% of the original efficiency when they are exposed to the laboratory ambient without encapsulation for more than two months. We attribute the function of this ZnO nanocrystal layer to a combination of optical, electronic, morphological, and chemical effects, including blocking leakage of photogenerated holes to the cathode, optimizing the optical intensity profile in the hybrid active layer, minimizing recombination or quenching of photogenerated excitons and charge carriers, significantly reducing the transport rate of oxygen and water molecules to the active layer and reducing degradation/oxidation of any low work function layer at the cathode interface.
Organic salts as super-high rate capability materials for lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Zhang Y. Y. , Sun Y. Y. , Du S. X. , Gao H.-J. , Zhang S. B.
Published: February 2012

First-principles calculation reveals that organic salts could be super-high rate capability electrode materials for Li-ion batteries. We show that di-lithium terephthalate, an anode material demonstrated recently by experiment, has low Li diffusion barrier (EA). A resonant bonding model for the low EA is developed, which leads to the prediction that di-potassium terephthalate (K2TPA) has even lower EA (150 meV), with diffusion rate orders of magnitude higher than that in Li-intercalated graphite. The calculated anode voltage (0.62 V), specific energy density (209 mA·h/g), and volume change upon lithiation (5%) make K2TPA a promising anode material for power-intensive applications such as electric-vehicles.
Gate-all-around polycrystalline-silicon thin-film transistors with self-aligned grain-growth nanowire channels
Authors: Liao Ta-Chuan , Kang Tsung-Kuei , Lin Chia-Min , Wu Chun-Yu , Cheng Huang-Chung
Published: February 2012

In this letter, gate-all-around (GAA) polycrystalline silicon thin-film transistors (TFTs) with self-aligned grain-growth channels were fabricated using excimer laser crystallization (ELC) on a recessed-nanowire (RN) structure. Via the RN structure constructed by a simple sidewall-spacer formation, location-controlled nucleation and volume-confined lateral grain growth within the RN body during ELC process have been demonstrated with only one perpendicular grain boundary in each nanowire channel. Because of the high-crystallinity channel together with GAA operation mode, the proposed GAA-RN TFTs show good device integrity of lower threshold voltage, steeper subthreshold slope, and higher field-effect mobility as compared with the conventional planar counterparts.
Leaf nitrogen allocation and partitioning in three groundwater-dependent herbaceous species in a hyper-arid desert region of north-western China
Authors: Zhu Jun-Tao , Li Xiang-Yi , Zhang Xi-Ming , Yu Qiang , Lin Li-Sha
Published: February 2012

Groundwater-dependent vegetation (GDV) is useful as an indicator of watertable depth and water availability in north-western China. Nitrogen (N) is an essential limiting resource for growth of GDV. To elucidate how leaf N allocation and partitioning influence photosynthesis and photosynthetic N-use efficiency (PNUE), three typical GDV species were selected, and their photosynthesis, leaf N allocation and partitioning were investigated in the Taklamakan Desert. The results showed that Karelinia caspica (Pall.) Less. and Peganum harmala L. had lower leaf N content, and allocated a lower fraction of leaf N to photosynthesis. However, they were more efficient in photosynthetic N partitioning among photosynthetic components. They partitioned a higher fraction of the photosynthetic N to carboxylation and showed higher PNUE, whereas Alhagi sparsifolia Shap. partitioned a higher fraction of the photosynthetic N to light-harvesting components. For K. caspica and P. harmala, the higher fraction of leaf N was allocated to carboxylation and bioenergetics, which led to a higher maximum net photosynthetic rate, and therefore to a higher PNUE, water-use efficiency (WUE), respiration efficiency (RE) and so on. In the desert, N and water are limiting resources; K. caspica and P. harmala can benefit from the increased PNUE and WUE. These physiological advantages and their higher leaf-area ratio (LAR) may contribute to their higher resource-capture ability.
Anatomy, histochemistry and phytochemical profile of leaf and stem bark of Bathysa cuspidata (Rubiaceae)
Authors: Coelho Victor Peçanha de Miranda , Leite João Paulo Viana , Nunes Líria Granato , Ventrella Marília Contin
Published: February 2012

Bathysa cuspidata (A. St. Hil.) Hook. f. ex K. Schum. is a species native to the Atlantic Rainforest of Brazil, with stem bark currently used in folk medicine. Uncontrolled bark collections cause problems of environmental sustainability, making it necessary to evaluate more abundant and renewable new sources of raw plant material, such as leaves. This work evaluated the anatomy, histochemistry and phytochemistry of leaves and stem bark of B. cuspidata, aiming to find similarities in the chemical composition between these plant parts and to provide anatomical data to supplement the quality control of this plant drug. Common light and scanning electron microscopy techniques were used in the anatomical and histochemical studies. Thin-layer chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography were used for the phytochemistry analysis. The concentration of total phenolics was determined using the Folin–Ciocalteau method and the contents of proanthocyanidins using the vanillin reagent. The leaves and bark of B. cuspidata display morphoanatomical characters common to the family Rubiaceae. The histochemical and phytochemical results reveal similarities and differences between the leaves and bark of B. cuspidata, suggesting that the extracts of both parts should be considered and subjected to pharmacological studies in order to investigate the effectiveness of the therapeutic actions reported in folk medicine.
Preventing hypoxia-induced cell death in beta cells and islets via hydrolytically activated, oxygen-generating biomaterials
Authors: Pedraza Eileen , Coronel Maria M. , Fraker Christopher A. , Ricordi Camillo , Stabler Cherie L.
Published: February 2012

A major hindrance in engineering tissues containing highly metabolically active cells is the insufficient oxygenation of these implants, which results in dying or dysfunctional cells in portions of the graft. The development of methods to increase oxygen availability within tissue-engineered implants, particularly during the early engraftment period, would serve to allay hypoxia-induced cell death. Herein, we designed and developed a hydrolytically activated oxygen-generating biomaterial in the form of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-encapsulated solid calcium peroxide, PDMS-CaO
2
. Encapsulation of solid peroxide within hydrophobic PDMS resulted in sustained oxygen generation, whereby a single disk generated oxygen for more than 6 wk at an average rate of 0.026 mM per day. The ability of this oxygen-generating material to support cell survival was evaluated using a β cell line and pancreatic rat islets. The presence of a single PDMS-CaO
2
disk eliminated hypoxia-induced cell dysfunction and death for both cell types, resulting in metabolic function and glucose-dependent insulin secretion comparable to that in normoxic controls. A single PDMS-CaO
2
disk also sustained enhanced β cell proliferation for more than 3 wk under hypoxic culture conditions. Incorporation of these materials within 3D constructs illustrated the benefits of these materials to prevent the development of detrimental oxygen gradients within large implants. Mathematical simulations permitted accurate prediction of oxygen gradients within 3D constructs and highlighted conditions under which supplementation of oxygen tension would serve to benefit cellular viability. Given the generality of this platform, the translation of these materials to other cell-based implants, as well as ischemic tissues in general, is envisioned.
The resilience and adaptive capacity of social-environmental systems in colonial Mexico
Authors: Endfield Georgina H.
Published: February 2012

Civilization collapse scenarios highlight what for some are worrying parallels between past case studies and societies under threat from apparently unprecedented global environmental and climate change today. Archive-based studies of socio-economic responses to climate variability in colonial Mexico suggest that the complex interactions between environment and society influence the degree to which regional livelihoods may be vulnerable or resilient to disruption and also illustrate that vulnerability to change can lead to improved understanding of risk and increased adaptive capacity. In this paper, I draw on examples to argue that experience of climate variability, extreme weather events, or weather-related events and crises can challenge societal resilience, but can also increase opportunities for learning and innovation, extending the repertoire of adaptive responses. The historical examples selected might help inform the degree to which societies can develop strategies to deal with environmental perturbations at different scales and highlight that social breakdown and collapse are not an inevitable result of transformation.
Kax and kol: Collapse and resilience in lowland Maya civilization
Authors: Dunning Nicholas P. , Beach Timothy P. , Luzzadder-Beach Sheryl
Published: February 2012

Episodes of population loss and cultural change, including the famous Classic Collapse, punctuated the long course of Maya civilization. In many cases, these downturns in the fortunes of individual sites and entire regions included significant environmental components such as droughts or anthropogenic environmental degradation. Some afflicted areas remained depopulated for long periods, whereas others recovered more quickly. We examine the dynamics of growth and decline in several areas in the Maya Lowlands in terms of both environmental and cultural resilience and with a focus on downturns that occurred in the Terminal Preclassic (second century Common Era) and Terminal Classic (9th and 10th centuries CE) periods. This examination of available data indicates that the elevated interior areas of the Yucatán Peninsula were more susceptible to system collapse and less suitable for resilient recovery than adjacent lower-lying areas.
Impact of declining Arctic sea ice on winter snowfall
Authors: Liu Jiping , Curry Judith A. , Wang Huijun , Song Mirong , Horton Radley M.
Published: February 2012

While the Arctic region has been warming strongly in recent decades, anomalously large snowfall in recent winters has affected large parts of North America, Europe, and east Asia. Here we demonstrate that the decrease in autumn Arctic sea ice area is linked to changes in the winter Northern Hemisphere atmospheric circulation that have some resemblance to the negative phase of the winter Arctic oscillation. However, the atmospheric circulation change linked to the reduction of sea ice shows much broader meridional meanders in midlatitudes and clearly different interannual variability than the classical Arctic oscillation. This circulation change results in more frequent episodes of blocking patterns that lead to increased cold surges over large parts of northern continents. Moreover, the increase in atmospheric water vapor content in the Arctic region during late autumn and winter driven locally by the reduction of sea ice provides enhanced moisture sources, supporting increased heavy snowfall in Europe during early winter and the northeastern and midwestern United States during winter. We conclude that the recent decline of Arctic sea ice has played a critical role in recent cold and snowy winters.
Wetland fields as mirrors of drought and the Maya abandonment
Authors: Luzzadder-Beach Sheryl , Beach Timothy P. , Dunning Nicholas P.
Published: February 2012

Getting at the Maya Collapse has both temporal and geographic dimensions, because it occurred over centuries and great distances. This requires a wide range of research sites and proxy records, ranging from lake cores to geomorphic evidence, such as stratigraphy and speleothems. This article synthesizes these lines of evidence, together with previously undescribed findings on Maya wetland formation and use in a key region near the heart of the central Maya Lowlands. Growing lines of evidence point to dryer periods in Maya history, which correlate to major periods of transition. The main line of evidence in this paper comes from wetland use and formation studies, which show evidence for both large-scale environmental change and human adaptation or response. Based on multiproxy studies, Maya wetland fields had a long and varied history, but most evidence indicates the start of disuse during or shortly after the Maya Terminal Classic. Hence, the pervasiveness of collapse extended into a range of wetlands, including perennial wetlands, which should have been less responsive to drought as a driver of disuse. A synthesis of the lines of evidence for canal infilling shows no attempts to reclaim them after the Classic Period.
A distinct lineage of influenza A virus from bats
Authors: Tong Suxiang , Li Yan , Rivailler Pierre , Conrardy Christina , Castillo Danilo A. Alvarez , Chen Li-Mei , Recuenco Sergio , Ellison James A. , Davis Charles T. , York Ian A. , Turmelle Amy S. , Moran David , Rogers Shannon , Shi Mang , Tao Ying , Weil Michael R. , Tang Kevin , Rowe Lori A. , Sammons Scott , Xu Xiyan , Frace Michael , Lindblade Kim A. , Cox Nancy J. , Anderson Larry J. , Rupprecht Charles E. , Donis Ruben O.
Published: February 2012

Influenza A virus reservoirs in animals have provided novel genetic elements leading to the emergence of global pandemics in humans. Most influenza A viruses circulate in waterfowl, but those that infect mammalian hosts are thought to pose the greatest risk for zoonotic spread to humans and the generation of pandemic or panzootic viruses. We have identified an influenza A virus from little yellow-shouldered bats captured at two locations in Guatemala. It is significantly divergent from known influenza A viruses. The HA of the bat virus was estimated to have diverged at roughly the same time as the known subtypes of HA and was designated as H17. The neuraminidase (NA) gene is highly divergent from all known influenza NAs, and the internal genes from the bat virus diverged from those of known influenza A viruses before the estimated divergence of the known influenza A internal gene lineages. Attempts to propagate this virus in cell cultures and chicken embryos were unsuccessful, suggesting distinct requirements compared with known influenza viruses. Despite its divergence from known influenza A viruses, the bat virus is compatible for genetic exchange with human influenza viruses in human cells, suggesting the potential capability for reassortment and contributions to new pandemic or panzootic influenza A viruses.
Water reservoir maintained by cell growth fuels the spreading of a bacterial swarm
Authors: Wu Yilin , Berg Howard C.
Published: February 2012

Flagellated bacteria can swim across moist surfaces within a thin layer of fluid, a means for surface colonization known as swarming. This fluid spreads with the swarm, but how it does so is unclear. We used micron-sized air bubbles to study the motion of this fluid within swarms of
Escherichia coli
. The bubbles moved diffusively, with drift. Bubbles starting at the swarm edge drifted inward for the first 5 s and then moved outward. Bubbles starting 30 μm from the swarm edge moved inward for the first 20 s, wandered around in place for the next 40 s, and then moved outward. Bubbles starting at 200 or 300 μm from the edge moved outward or wandered around in place, respectively. So the general trend was inward near the outer edge of the swarm and outward farther inside, with flows converging on a region about 100 μm from the swarm edge. We measured cellular metabolic activities with cells expressing a short-lived GFP and cell densities with cells labeled with a membrane fluorescent dye. The fluorescence plots were similar, with peaks about 80 μm from the swarm edge and slopes that mimicked the particle drift rates. These plots suggest that net fluid flow is driven by cell growth. Fluid depth is largest in the multilayered region between approximately 30 and 200 μm from the swarm edge, where fluid agitation is more vigorous. This water reservoir travels with the swarm, fueling its spreading. Intercellular communication is not required; cells need only grow.
Multiple self-splicing introns in the 16S rRNA genes of giant sulfur bacteria
Authors: Salman Verena , Amann Rudolf , Shub David A. , Schulz-Vogt Heide N.
Published: February 2012

The gene encoding the small subunit rRNA serves as a prominent tool for the phylogenetic analysis and classification of
Bacteria
and
Archaea
owing to its high degree of conservation and its fundamental function in living organisms. Here we show that the 16S rRNA genes of not-yet-cultivated large sulfur bacteria, among them the largest known bacterium
Thiomargarita namibiensis
, regularly contain numerous self-splicing introns of variable length. The 16S rRNA genes can thus be enlarged to up to 3.5 kb. Remarkably, introns have never been identified in bacterial 16S rRNA genes before, although they are the most frequently sequenced genes today. This may be caused in part by a bias during the PCR amplification step that discriminates against longer homologs, as we show experimentally. Such length heterogeneity of 16S rRNA genes has so far never been considered when constructing 16S rRNA-based clone libraries, even though an elongation of rRNA genes due to intervening sequences has been reported previously. The detection of elongated 16S rRNA genes has profound implications for common methods in molecular ecology and may cause systematic biases in several techniques. In this study, catalyzed reporter deposition–fluorescence in situ hybridization on both ribosomes and rRNA precursor molecules as well as in vitro splicing experiments were performed and confirmed self-splicing of the introns. Accordingly, the introns do not inhibit the formation of functional ribosomes.
Primary epimutations introduced during intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) are corrected by germline-specific epigenetic reprogramming
Authors: de Waal Eric , Yamazaki Yukiko , Ingale Puraskar , Bartolomei Marisa , Yanagimachi Ryuzo , McCarrey John R.
Published: February 2012

The use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) has become increasingly common worldwide and is now responsible for 2–3% of children born in developed countries. Multiple reports have suggested that ART-conceived children are more likely to develop rare epigenetic disorders such as Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome or Angelman Syndrome, both of which involve dysregulation of imprinted genes. Anecdotal reports suggest that animals produced with ART that manifest apparent epigenetic defects typically do not transmit these epimutations to subsequent generations when allowed to breed naturally, but this hypothesis has not been directly studied. We analyzed allele-specific DNA methylation and expression at three imprinted genes,
H19, Snrpn,
and
Peg3
, in somatic cells from adult mice generated with the use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), a type of ART. Epimutations were detected in most of the ICSI-derived mice, but not in somatic cells of their offspring produced by natural mating. We examined germ cells from the ICSI mice that exhibited epimutations in their somatic cells and confirmed normal epigenetic reprogramming of the three imprinted genes analyzed. Collectively, these results confirm that ART procedures can lead to the formation of primary epimutations, but while such epimutations are likely to be maintained indefinitely in somatic cells of the ART-derived individuals, they are normally corrected in the germ line by epigenetic reprogramming and thus, not propagated to subsequent generations.
Rediscovering the Jāmāspi: A Walk in Four Steps
Authors: Agostini Domenico
Published: February 2012

The Jāmāspi is one of the most popular Zoroastrian texts. It was probably conceived as a kind of encyclopedia for laymen. At the beginning of the last century, it was still well-known among the Zoroastrian community of India and has reached us through various manuscript traditions: Pahlavi, Pāzand and Pārsi. A philological analysis of all the manuscript traditions suggests that there was a Pahlavi archetype of the text. Moreover, it shows clearly that the Pārsi codex M52, which represents the best preserved tradition, was the result of a collation of all the existing Pahlavi and Pāzand materials. The study of the language and the narrative pattern allows us to consider the Pārsi transcription as a mechanical transcription from a Pāzand model.
An Analysis of the Literary Structure of theZand ī Wahman Yasn
Authors: Josephson Judith
Published: February 2012

In this article it is maintained that the extantZand ī Wahman Yasnis a work which was composed to be recited orally. In it mythological and historical material familiar to both storyteller and audience is woven into an integral text whose purpose is to interpret contemporary events. An analysis of each chapter shows how various rhetorical devices belonging to every level of language are used to underscore the contents and give cohesion to the text. These devices include alliteration and assonance, grammatical parallelism, and clusters of synonyms. Different types of dialogues and monologues are discussed and comparisons are made with other extant texts with apocalyptic themes.
Sanctions, Smuggling, and the Cigarette: The Granting of Iran OFAC Licenses to Big Tobacco
Authors: Batmanghelidj Esfandyar
Published: February 2012

This paper seeks to understand the political economy implications of nicotine addiction in Iran, focusing on the US Office of Foreign Asset Control's granting of Iran operations licenses to American tobacco companies. Presuming that tobacco taxes, levied both as import duties and ad valorem, would financially benefit the Iranian government, the introduction of a highly desired US product to the market would be antithetical to the sanctions regime currently in place. By comparing Iran's tobacco industry, and the attendant public health crisis that has arisen from high rates of nicotine addiction, to conditions in Turkey, it can be demonstrated that Iran is uniquely unable to extract revenues from the sale of tobacco products. The primary point of comparison between Iran and Turkey is smoking-attributable annual productivity losses of each country, as estimated through the use of Smoking-Attributable Mortality, Morbidity and Economic Costs Software (SAMMEC) and the available related literature. According to the calculations derived from the SAMMEC model, Iran is burdened with an astonishing economic cost due to the high prevalence of smokers. It is concluded that an awareness of this condition enables OFAC to award licenses to Big Tobacco without fear of undermining current foreign policy initiatives.
The Word Order in Saravi Dialect and Spoken Persian Language: A Typological Comparative Study
Authors: Mirdehghan Mahinnaz , Mehmanchian Shirin
Published: February 2012

This research is a comparative study of the typological parameters of contemporary spoken Persian language and Saravi, a main dialect of the Mazandarani language, using some Greenbergian universals as its theoretical framework in word order correlations. The study aims to determine the common parameters and the variations of specific syntactic constituents among the systems studied here. On this basis it investigates the unmarked word order in declarations, as well as preparing a systematic comparison of phrasal genitive and adjective structures in the systems under investigation, along with examining their self and possessive pronominal orders. Together with revealing the use of differential orderings within the systems in these respects throughout the paper, the findings uphold Greenberg's language universals as a useful tool in classifying language types as well as specifying the variations of the syntactic constituents.
Learning Styles
Authors: Rolfe Alexandra , Cheek Brad
Published: February 2012

Individuals have diverse characteristics that lead to different styles of learning. Teaching is an intervention designed to promote learning and accumulation of knowledge. In theory, this can be improved by matching an individual's learning style to how the individual is taught. Knowledge of learning styles can be useful for trainees for a number of reasons: improvement of their own learning techniques, participation in teaching of others or development of teaching skills in the future. This article aims to look at various models of learning styles and then discusses how teaching could be tailored to the individual to optimize the learning environment.
An overview of the biology and status of undulate ray Raja undulata in the north‐east Atlantic Ocean
Authors: Ellis J. R. , McCully S. R. , Brown M. J.
Published: February 2012

The undulate ray Raja undulata is one of the lesser‐known skates occurring on the continental shelf of the north‐east Atlantic Ocean. It is patchily distributed throughout its range, with sites of local abundance in the central English Channel and off the coasts of Ireland, France, Spain and Portugal. Raja undulata is most abundant in coastal waters (<50 m deep) and is often found in proximity to large estuaries, rias and bays. It is a relatively large‐bodied species, attaining a maximum total length (LT) of at least 114 cm, with females maturing at an LT of c. 84 cm in Portuguese waters. Although infrequently taken in existing trawl surveys, it can be locally abundant in certain areas, where it can be the dominant skate species. Given its large size, patchy distribution and concern over the possibilities of localized depletions, the IUCN listed R. undulata as an endangered species and, since 2009, the European Union has established regulations to prohibit commercial fisheries landing the species. Given the increased interest in the species, a synopsis of current knowledge is provided, and available data from internationally co‐ordinated trawl surveys presented.
Non‐Audit Services and Auditor Independence in the 2007 Italian Regulatory Environment
Authors: Ianniello Giuseppe
Published: February 2012

This paper analyzes the first‐time application of mandatory disclosure in annual reports of audit and non‐audit fees in the Italian context. This information can give the readers of financial statements an indication of auditor independence (in appearance). An empirical analysis is conducted on year 2007 annual reports of 239 Italian listed companies. The main research objectives are as follows: (1) to provide a comprehensive description of the relative level of non‐audit fees; and (2) to investigate the relation between non‐audit services (NAS) and the opinion expressed in the audit report.
Do larger pictorial health warnings diminish the need for plain packaging of cigarettes?
Authors: Wakefield Melanie , Germain Daniella , Durkin Sarah , Hammond David , Goldberg Marvin , Borland Ron
Published: February 2012

Aims  To assess the effects on brand appeal of plain packaging and size of pictorial health warnings (PHWs).

Design  Three (30%, 70% and 100% size front‐of‐pack PHWs) by two (branded versus plain) between‐subjects online experiment.

Setting  Australia.

Participants  A total of 1203 adult smokers.

Measurements  Rating of cigarette brands, smoking attitudes and intentions, purchase intent.

Findings  Compared to branded packs, plain packs reduced smokers' ratings of ‘positive pack characteristics’ (P < 0.001), ‘positive smoker characteristics’ (P < 0.001) and ‘positive taste characteristics’ (P = 0.039). Plain packs were rated as being smoked by people who were more ‘boring’ than those who smoked branded packs (P = 0.001). By contrast, increasing size of PHW above 30% only reduced ratings of ‘positive pack characteristics’ (P = 0.001), but also decreased ratings of smokers as being ‘boring’ (P = 0.027). Plainness and size of PHW interacted in predicting ratings of ‘positive pack characteristics’ (P = 0.008), so that when packs were plain, increasing the size of PHW above 30% did not further reduce ratings. Presentation of only plain packs increased the likelihood that smokers would not choose to purchase any pack (20.3%) compared to presentation of only branded packs (15.3%) (odds ratio = 1.4; P = 0.026), while size of PHWs had no influence upon purchase choice.

Conclusions  Plain packaging probably plays a superior role in undermining brand appeal and purchase intent to increasing health warning size. Policymakers should not rely solely upon large health warnings, which are designed primarily to inform consumers about smoking harms, to also reduce brand appeal: both strategies are likely to be required.
Evaluation of a drop‐in rolling‐group model of support to stop smoking
Authors: Bauld Linda , Ferguson Janet , McEwen Andy , Hiscock Rosemary
Published: February 2012

Aims  To assess longer‐term outcomes of a drop‐in rolling‐group model of behavioural support for smoking cessation and the factors that influence cessation outcomes.

Design  Prospective observational cohort study.

Setting  Fag Ends NHS Stop Smoking Service in Liverpool and Knowsley, UK.

Participants  A total of 2585 clients, aged 16 or over, setting a quit date.

Measurements  Routine monitoring data were collected from Fag Ends service users and were supplemented by survey data on socio‐economic circumstances, smoking‐related behaviour and self‐report and carbon monoxide (CO)‐validated smoking status at 52‐week follow‐up.

Findings  The CO‐validated prolonged abstinence rate at 52 weeks for smokers attending the groups was 5.6%, compared with 30.7% at 4 weeks (a relapse rate of 78.2%). The sample was particularly disadvantaged: 68% resided in the most deprived decile of the English Index of Multiple Deprivation. Higher socio‐economic status within the sample was a predictor of quitting. Other predictors of long‐term cessation in multivariate analysis included older age, being female, lower levels of nicotine dependence, having a live‐in partner, stronger determination to quit and use of varenicline versus other medication.

Conclusions  A wholly state‐reimbursed clinical stop‐smoking service providing behavioural support and medication in a region of high economic and social disadvantage has reached a significant proportion of the smoking population. Long‐term success rates are lower than are found typically in clinical trials, but higher than would be expected if the smokers were to try and quit unaided. Research is needed into how to improve on the success rates achieved.
Randomised clinical trial: high‐dose vs. standard‐dose proton pump inhibitors for the prevention of recurrent haemorrhage after combined endoscopic haemostasis of bleeding peptic ulcers
Authors: Chen C.‐C. , Lee J.‐Y. , Fang Y.‐J. , Hsu S.‐J. , Han M.‐l. , Tseng P.‐H. , Liou J.‐M. , Hu F.‐C. , Lin T.‐l. , Wu M.‐S. , Wang H.‐P. , Lin J.‐T.
Published: February 2012

Background

The optimal dosage of intravenous proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for the prevention of peptic ulcer rebleeding remains unclear.

Aim

To compare the rebleeding rate of high‐dose and standard‐dose PPI use after endoscopic haemostasis.

Methods

A total of 201 patients with bleeding ulcers undergoing endoscopic treatment with epinephrine injection and heater probe thermocoagulation were randomised to receive a high‐dose regimen (80 mg bolus, followed by pantoprazole 8 mg/h infusion, n = 100) or a standard‐dose regimen (pantoprazole 40 mg bolus daily, n = 101). After 72 h, all patients were given 40 mg pantoprazole daily orally for 27 days.

Results

There were no statistical differences in mean units of blood transfused, length of hospitalisation ≦5 days, surgical or radiological interventions and mortality within 30 days between two groups. Bleeding recurred within 30 days in six patients [6.2%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3–11.1%] in the high‐dose group, as compared to five patients (5.2%, 95% CI 0.6–9.7%) in the standard‐dose group (P = 0.77). The stepwise Cox regression analysis showed end‐stage renal disease, haematemesis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (hazard ratio: 37.15, 10.07, 9.12, 95% CI: 6.76–204.14, 2.07–49.01, 1.66–50.00 respectively) were independent risk factors for rebleeding and Helicobacter pylori infection was associated with lower risk of rebleeding (hazard ratio: 0.20, 95% CI: 0.04–0.94).

Conclusions

Following combined endoscopic haemostasis of bleeding ulcers, co‐morbidities, haematemesis and H. pylori Status, but not PPI dosage, are associated with rebleeding (http://www.Clinical Trials.gov.ID: NCT00709046).
Infant health effects of a nurse–community health worker home visitation programme: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Meghea C. I. , Li B. , Zhu Q. , Raffo J. E. , Lindsay J. K. , Moore J. S. , Roman L. A.
Published: February 2012

Background  Home visiting is supported as a way to improve child health and development. Home visiting has been usually provided by nurses or community health workers (CHWs). Few studies compared the child health advantages of a nurse–CHW team approach over nurse prenatal and postnatal home visiting.

Methods  A randomized trial was conducted with Medicaid‐insured pregnant women in Kent County, Michigan. Pregnant women were assigned to a team intervention including nurse–CHW home visitation, or standard community care (CC) including nurse home visitation. Morbidity was assessed in 530 infants over their first 12 months of life from medical claims and reported by the mother.

Results  There were no differences in overall child health between the nurse–CHW intervention and the CC arm over the first year of life. There were fewer mother‐reported asthma/wheezing/croup diagnostics in the team intervention group among infants whose mothers have low psychosocial resources (13% vs. 27%, P = 0.01; adjusted OR = 0.4, P = 0.01). There were no differences in diagnosed asthma/wheezing/croup documented by medical claims. There were no differences in immunizations, hospitalizations and ear infections.

Conclusions  There was no strong evidence that infant health was improved by the addition of CHWs to a programme of CC that included nurse home visitation. Targeting such interventions at common health problems of infancy and childhood or at diagnosed chronic conditions may prove more successful.
Measurement of family‐centred care: translation, adaptation and validation of the Measure of Processes of Care (MPOC‐56 and ‐20) for use in Japan
Authors: Himuro N. , Kozuka N. , Mori M.
Published: February 2012

Background The Measure of Processes of Care (MPOC) that was developed in Canada is a widely used quantitative measure of parents' perceptions of the extent to which family‐centred care is conducted. The purpose of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the MPOC.

Methods The translation of the MPOC was performed according to international standards for translation of questionnaires. The Canadian validation procedures were followed, consisting of concurrent validity, construct validity and test–retest reliability. The Japanese version of the MPOC was completed by 261 families with children receiving rehabilitation services.

Results The Japanese version of the MPOC showed adequate internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha, varying between 0.76 and 0.94. The construct validity was examined with confirmative analysis of each scale structure. Correlations between the MPOC scale scores and satisfaction questions scores were positive, and that to a question about parents' stress was negative. For test–retest reliability, the intraclass correlation coefficients were between 0.76 and 0.89.

Conclusions The Japanese version of the MPOC has good psychometric properties and can be recommended for evaluation of the processes of child rehabilitation in Japan.
Temozolomide in the management of dopamine agonist–resistant prolactinomas
Authors: Whitelaw B. C. , Dworakowska D. , Thomas N. W. , Barazi S. , Riordan‐Eva P. , King A. P. , Hampton T. , Landau D. B. , Lipscomb D. , Buchanan C. R. , Gilbert J. A. , Aylwin S. J. B.
Published: February 2012

Background

The majority of prolactinomas respond to dopamine agonist therapy, but a proportion are resistant, requiring other treatments including surgery and/or radiotherapy. Temozolomide is an oral chemotherapy agent, which has been used as a salvage therapy to treat aggressive pituitary adenomas and carcinomas, including prolactinomas, unresponsive to all conventional treatment.

Case Series

We report three patients where temozolomide was used in the treatment of refractory prolactinomas. Case 1 describes a patient with a highly invasive prolactinoma, resistant to all conventional therapy, which responded dramatically to temozolomide used as a salvage treatment. In case 2, temozolomide was used after incomplete surgical resection to relieve chiasmal compression and avoid chiasm exposure to radiotherapy. In case 3, temozolomide enabled radiotherapy to be deferred in a 16‐year old with a resistant prolactinoma. In all three cases, the tumours were negative by immunostaining for methylguanine methyltransferase (MGMT).

Literature Review and Discussion

A review of the published literature reveals 51 reported cases of temozolomide treatment for pituitary tumours, including 20 prolactinomas. Fifteen of the 20 prolactinomas showed a good response to temozolomide. Our analysis demonstrates a strong association between MGMT‐negative staining and a good response to temozolomide (OR 9·35, P = 0·0030). Current clinical practice is to use temozolomide as a salvage therapy after all conventional modalities of treatment have failed. We suggest that, in selected cases, consideration should be given to using temozolomide earlier in the treatment algorithm.
EuroSCORE and neutrophil adhesion molecules predict outcome post‐cardiac surgery
Authors: Kennedy Susan A. , McEllistrem Brian , Kinsella Aisling , Fan Yue , Boyce Susie , Murphy Katie , McCarthy James F. , Wood Alfred E. , Watson R. William G.
Published: February 2012

Eur J Clin Invest 2012

Background  This study tested the hypothesis that surgical stress and the host response to this trauma trigger an inflammatory cascade in which the neutrophil plays a central role. We hypothesised that pre‐operative neutrophil migratory responses will correlate with post‐operative clinical outcome in our shock model of open‐heart surgery patients. We also tested the hypothesis that surface expression of adhesion molecules involved in the migratory process – CD11b, CD47 and CD99 – could be used to predict outcome. We believe that combining neutrophil migratory response, CD11b, CD47 and CD99 with the logistic European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) will strengthen the power of the EuroSCORE not only in predicting post‐operative mortality but also other clinical endpoints.

Materials and methods  Neutrophils were isolated pre‐operatively from n = 31 patients undergoing open‐heart surgery and allowed to migrate across endothelial monolayers in response to N‐formyl‐methionine‐leucine‐phenylalanine (fMLP). Isolated neutrophils were also assessed for surface expression of CD11b, CD47 and CD99 in response to fMLP by flow cytometry. Post‐operative clinical parameters collected included days 1–5 white cell count and creatinine levels as well as intensive care unit (ICU) and post‐operative hospital stay.

Results  Pre‐operative surface expression of CD99 and CD47 correlates with post‐operative creatinine levels (P < 0·05), a measurement of renal injury. We also show that while the logistic EuroSCORE alone can be used as a predictor of ICU stay, when combined with pre‐operative CD99 surface expression, it improves its AUC value (0·794).

Conclusion  Immunological markers, specifically the ability of the neutrophil to migrate, combined with the logistic EuroSCORE lead to improved sensitivity and specificity to predict patient outcome.