bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
β‐Agonists as Antiobesity, Antidiabetic and Nutrient Partitioning Agents
Authors: Yen Terence T.
Published: September 2012

In the past decade, the antiobesity, antidiabetic and nutrient partitioning activities of β‐agonists have been extensively studied. The data generated from these compounds in experimental and farm animals have convincingly proved that body fat content and body weight can be modified to some degree by a metabolic agent without decreasing food consumption. Marginal antiobesity and antidiabetic activities in humans have been demonstrated with a few mixed β‐agonists under certain conditions, but their utility is limited by side effects. The concept of a β3‐receptor rose from the study of these compounds and has been verified by the cloning and expression of this receptor from several species. Rat β3‐selective agonists have so far shown no antiobesity efficacy in humans. The resolution of several issues is critical for the discovery and development of efficacious antiobesity and antidiabetic agents with minimum side effects. Ultimately, the further investigation of these β‐agonists and β‐receptors should lead to a better understanding of the relationship between energy metabolism and feeding behavior.
Dietary and Environmental Correlates of Obesity in a Population Study in China
Authors: Popkin Barry M. , Paeratakul Sahasporn , Zhai Fengying , Ge Keyou
Published: September 2012

The patterns and correlates of obesity in China were studied in two panels of a nationwide longitudinal survey conducted in 1989 and 1991 (the China Health and Nutrition Survey). Among the Chinese adults, dietary energy and fat intakes were positively and significantly associated with the Body Mass Index (BMI). Household income and physical activity level were also significantly associated with BMI. Urban residence and higher in come were associated with lower energy intake, higher fat intake, and lower physical activity level compared to rural residence and other income categories. This paper documents an important emerging health problem: the increasing problem of obesity that has been observed in many lower‐income countries during the last several decades.
Relationship Between Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity and Plasma Leptin Concentration
Authors: Snitker Søren , Pratley Richard E. , Nicolson Margery , Tataranni P. Antonio , Ravussin Eric
Published: September 2012

SNITKER, SØREN, RICHARD E PRATLEY, MARGERY NICOLSON, P ANTONIO TATARANNI, ERIC RAVUSSIN, Relationship between muscle sympathetic nerve activity and plasma leptin concentration.

In humans, basal muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA), a direct measure of sympathetic nervous outflow, is correlated with percentage of body fat. The underlying physiological mechanism is unknown. On the basis of the observation that leptin increases sympathetic nervous outflow in the oblob mouse, we hypothesized that leptin, a hormone secreted by the adipose tissue, may act as a peripheral signal to increase sympathetic nervous outflow from the central nervous system. We therefore tested whether basal MSNA is correlated with plasma leptin concentration. Fasting plasma samples and recordings of basal MSNA in the peroneal nerve were obtained from 37 healthy, nondiabetic men (35 whites and 2 Mexican‐Americans; 29 ± 7 years, 86 ± 14 kg, 24 ± 10% body fat; mean ± SD) who were fed a weight‐maintenance diet on a metabolic ward. As expected, plasma leptin concentration (geometric mean, 6.4 ng/mL; 95% confidence interval, 4.6 ng/mL to 9.0 ng/mL) correlated with % body fat (r=0.93, p<0.001). Basal MSNA was 31.6 ± 10.0 bursts/min and correlated with % body fat (r=0.53, p<0.001) and with plasma leptin concentration (r=0.44, p<0.01). In conclusion, the results demonstrate a correlation between MSNA and plasma leptin concentration of a magnitude similar to that between MSNA and % body fat. Leptin may therefore be the peripheral signal explaining the correlation between MSNA and % body fat. A full understanding of the relationship between leptin and the activity of the sympathetic nervous system requires further studies, including the administration of leptin in humans.
Brain Serotonin Content: Physiological Regulation by Plasma Neutral Amino Acids
Authors: Fernstrom John D. , Wurtman Richard J.
Published: September 2012

When plasma tryptophan is elevated by the injection of tryptophan or insulin, or by the consumption of carbohydrates, brain tryptophan and serotonin also rise; however, when even larger elevations of plasma tryptophan are produced by the ingestion of protein‐containing diets, brain tryptophan and serotonin do not change. The main determinant of brain tryptophan and serotonin concentrations does not appear to be plasma tryptophan alone, but the ratio of this amino acid to other plasma neutral amino acids (that is, tyrosine, phenylalanine, leucine, isoleucine, and valine) that compete with it for uptake into the brain.
The Impact of a Shipboard Weight Control Program
Authors: Dennis Karen E. , Pane Karen W. , Adams Brenda K. , Qi Bing Bing
Published: September 2012

DENNIS, KAREN E., KAREN W. PANE, BRENDA K. ADAMS, AND BING BING QI. The impact of a shipboard weight control program. Obes Res. 1999;7:60–67.

Objective: The specific aim was to determine whether a multifaceted approach to weight loss and physical readiness could be implemented onboard a deployed combatant ship of the U.S. Navy.

Research Methods and Procedures: Thirty‐nine men (31±6 years old, mean±standard deviation) assigned to the USS ENTERPRISE (CVN 65) during a 6‐month Mediterranean deployment who had failed their previous Physical Readiness Test due to excessive body weight (108±11 kg overweight) were randomly assigned to nutrition, cognitivebehavioral obesity treatment plus exercise or to the Navy's usual treatment (control), which is exercise alone.

Results: Outcomes for the treatment group were significantly better than the controls, with 8.6±5.0 vs. 5.0±4.1 kg weight loss, 8% vs. 5% reduction in original body weight, and body fat loss of 7% vs. 5%. Triglycerides declined significantly greater in the treatment group than the controls (145 mg/dL to 109 mg/dL vs. 146 mg/dL to 145 mg/dL, p<0.05), whereas depression and eating behaviors significantly improved among treated men. Problematic environmental factors were the limited variety of heart healthy foods in the galley, short meal breaks, and long mess hall lines that led to eating snacks from vending machines and frequent port calls.

Discussion: Although greater weight loss than would be expected of a Navy usual care group diluted the treatment effect, the treated men still fared significantly better. The physical readiness implication of this research has the potential to impact Navy health promotion programs and policy, the health and well‐being of its personnel, and the Navy's ability to meet mission requirements.
Isoproterenol Decreases Leptin Expression in Adipose Tissue of Obese Humans
Authors: Ricci Matthew R. , Fried Susan K.
Published: September 2012

RICCI, MATTHEW R. AND SUSAN K. FRIED. Isoproterenol decreases leptin expression in adipose tissue of obese humans. Obes Res.

Objective: We investigated the effects of the non‐selective β‐adrenergic agonist, isoproterenol (Iso), on leptin expression in human adipose tissue.

Research Methods and Procedures: Subcutaneous (SQ) and omental adipose (OM) tissue taken during surgery from 12 morbidly obese subjects (10 women and 2 men) were cultured for up to 24 hours with insulin (7 nM) and/or dexamethasone (25 nM), a synthetic glucocorticoid, in the presence or absence of isoproterenol (10 μM). Adipose tissue was also acutely incubated for 3 hours in media alone with or without isoproterenol. Leptin secretion and leptin mRNA abundance were measured.

Results: Iso acutely decreased leptin release by −30% (vs. no hormone controls) in fragments of OM and SQ adipose tissue. In 24‐hour culture, addition of Iso (in the presence of insulin) resulted in lower leptin accumulation in the medium (−20–30%) and leptin mRNA levels (−40–50%) from both tissue depots. Culture with insulin and dexamethasone increased leptin expression vs. insulin alone. Addition of Iso with insulin and dexamethasone decreased media leptin (−40–60%) and leptin mRNA levels were lower (−65%) in Iso‐treated adipose tissue from both depots after 24 hours. Iso effects were not detectable after 5 hours of culture.

Discussion: We conclude that stimulation of β‐adrenergic receptors may modulate leptin expression in human adipose tissue by two mechanisms: an acute effect on leptin release and a longer‐term antagonism of stimulatory effects of insulin and dexamethasone on leptin mRNA expression. These mechanisms may contribute to the decline in serum leptin that occurs during fasting.
Beneficial Effects of Pharmacotherapy on Weight Loss, Depressive Symptoms, and Eating Patterns in Obese Binge Eaters and Non‐Binge Eaters
Authors: Alger Sharon A. , Malone Margaret , Cerulli Jennifer , Fein Steven , Howard Lyn
Published: September 2012

ALGER, SHARON A., MARGARET MALONE, JENNIFER CERULLI, STEVEN FEIN, LYN HOWARD. Beneficial effects of pharmacotherapy on weight loss, depressive symptoms, and eating patterns in obese binge eaters and non‐binge eaters. Obes Res.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the impact of drug therapy on weight loss, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores, and binge eating patterns (BES) between obese binge eaters and non‐binge eaters.

Research Methods and Procedures: 22 severe binge eaters, 17 moderate binge eaters, and 16 non‐binge eaters received phentermine resin 15mg/day and dl‐fenfluramine 20mg three times daily over a 6 month period for weight loss. All data are reported as mean±S.

Results: The percent weight loss compared to baseline within the 3 groups ranged from 8. 9% to 11. 3% at 3 months and 10. 6% to 14. 9% at 6 months. After 6 months, 73% of the severe binge eaters, 59% of moderate binge eaters and 69% of non‐binge eaters had experienced more than 10% weight loss. BDI scores were significantly higher in the severe group at baseline when compared to non‐binge eaters (p<0. 006). After 3 and 6 months BDI scores improved in all groups but remained significantly different between the severe and non‐binge eaters until the 6‐month assessment. BES scores declined in all groups over the 6‐month period. Echocardiograms were performed in 35 of 55 subjects following reports of a possible association between fenfluramine and valvular changes. Fifteen (43%) of subjects had no abnormal findings and 20 (57%) had evidence of valvular insufficiency occurring in one or more valves. Seven patients (20%) had significant valve damage according to the DHHS and FDA criteria.

Conclusion: After 24 weeks of treatment severe binge eaters improved their eating pattern, depression scores, and achieved weight loss similar to non‐binge eaters. These data suggest that pharmacologic intervention for weight loss and subsequent weight maintenance can be as successful in binge eaters as non‐binge eaters. A relationship was seen between duration of drug treatment and valvular insufficiency in subjects treated for an average of 52 weeks. These findings validate the FDA requirement for studies of at least 1 year duration to evaluate both the safety and efficacy of pharmacologic treatment for obesity.
Sustainable nitrogen fertilisation in sweet pepper: assessing growth and fruit quality and the potential nitrate pollution from different organic manures
Authors: Gómez‐López María D , del Amor Francisco M
Published: September 2012

BACKGROUND: The use of organic cultivation with manures does not avoid the risk of high nitrate concentrations if nutrient management is inefficient. So we studied the influence of three organic manures combined or not with additional chemical fertilisers on growth and yield of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), and on the soil and plant N concentrations.

RESULTS: After 3 years of organic cultivation, poultry manure caused the highest soil pollution. The evolution of nitrate and organic matter in soil showed a pattern close to that of plant growth. The addition of mineral fertiliser increased vegetative growth and yield, and a cumulative season effect was observed. In treatments with no additional mineral fertiliser N translocation from leaves to fruits happened. A cumulative effect of seasons on fruit quality and a reduction near to 30% was observed in the first fruit quality category after 3 years. The fruit vitamin C content was reduced by increasing N fertilisation.

CONCLUSION: The effects of organic fertiliser on soil and plant growth and yield depended on the type of manure used, its rate, and consecutive crop seasons. Horse manure gave the best combination of agricultural and environmental characteristics and could be used without additional fertigation. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Bridging the theory–practice gap in a nonprofit and philanthropic studies master's degree program
Authors: Donmoyer Robert , Libby Pat , McDonald Mary , Deitrick Laura
Published: September 2012

The gap between universities and the knowledge they generate and teach, on the one hand, and practitioners and the problems they confront, on the other, has been discussed by scholars in a number of applied fields. This article considers how those who design and run nonprofit academic programs might minimize the theory–practice gap problem. It presents a case study of one master of arts degree program focused on nonprofit leadership and management and discusses program development, the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council's curricular guidelines, applied learning, and practitioner instructors and quality instruction.
Inter‐laboratory Study of Particle Size Distribution Measurements by Laser Diffraction
Authors: Kuchenbecker Petra , Gemeinert Marion , Rabe Torsten
Published: September 2012

Presented are results of an inter‐laboratory study (ILS) for measurements of the particle size distribution of fine powders in wet dispersion by laser diffraction. In this proficiency test 32 participants from four countries took part. They utilized 13 different devices from 7 manufacturers.

Three commercial powders (glass spheres and two silicon carbide powders) showing a median diameter of about 30, 10 and 1 μm (volume distribution), respectively, were chosen for the procedure. A homogeneity study was carried out after the units had been separated and bottled.

All participants received their test samples including a description of the standard operating procedures based on ISO 13320:2009 – to ensure that experiments were performed in a consistent manner. Results were calculated using the Mie Theory. The general means and the precision of the results were estimated in accordance with ISO 5725‐2:2002.

The evaluation showed excellent values of repeatability standard deviation. Values of 4 to 21 % of the reproducibility standard deviation of the results were found in the particle size range above 1 μm. Much larger deviation between the labs was detected in the case of smaller particles. Differences in the design of the analyzers were unambiguously identified as the main reason for the large deviations.
A Global Introduction to Baptist Churches
Authors: Johnson Robert E.
Published: September 2012

Coinciding with the four-hundredth anniversary of the birth of the Baptist movement, this book explores and assesses the cultural sources of Baptist beliefs and practices. Although the movement has been embraced, enriched, and revised by numerous cultural heritages, the Baptist movement has focused on a small group of Anglo exiles in Amsterdam in constructing its history and identity. Robert E. Johnson seeks to recapture the varied cultural and theological sources of Baptist tradition and to give voice to the diverse global elements of the movement that have previously been excluded or marginalized. With an international communion of over 110 million persons in more than 225,000 congregations, Baptists constitute the world's largest aggregate of evangelical Protestants. This work offers insight into the diversity, breadth, and complexity of the cultural influences that continue to shape Baptist identity today.
The Spanish Civil War
Authors: Payne Stanley G.
Published: September 2012

This book presents a new history of the most important conflict in European affairs during the 1930s, the Spanish Civil War. It describes the complex origins of the conflict, the collapse of the Spanish Republic and the outbreak of the only mass worker revolution in the history of Western Europe. Stanley Payne explains the character of the Spanish revolution and the complex web of republican politics, while also examining the development of Franco's counter-revolutionary dictatorship. Payne gives attention to the multiple meanings and interpretations of war and examines why the conflict provoked such strong reactions at the time, and long after. The book also explains the military history of the war and its place in the history of military development, the non-intervention policy of the democracies and the role of German, Italian and Soviet intervention, concluding with an analysis of the place of the war in European affairs, in the context of twentieth-century revolutionary civil wars.
Coleridge
Authors: Traill Henry Duff
Published: September 2012

The publication in 1798 of Lyrical Ballads, written by William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834), is considered to be the starting point of the Romantic movement. Published in the first series of English Men of Letters in 1884, this biography by H. D. Traill (1842–1900), who also wrote on Sterne for the series, sets Coleridge's work within the context of his troubled childhood, his travels, and the depression and financial crises that plagued his life. The first writer to attempt a detailed account of Coleridge's life and work - which ranged from poetry, journalism and literary criticism to history, philosophy and theology - Traill admits to some difficulty in tracing source material, particularly as Coleridge's theological and philosophical writings were largely incomplete, and remained unpublished at his death. Nonetheless he reveals something of both the writer and also the man famously described by Lamb as 'an Archangel a little damaged'.
Terror and Democracy in West Germany
Authors: Hanshew Karrin
Published: September 2012

In 1970, the Red Army Faction declared war on West Germany. The militants failed to bring down the state, but this book argues that the decade-long debate they inspired helped shape a new era. After 1945, West Germans answered long-standing doubts about democracy's viability and fears of authoritarian state power with a 'militant democracy' empowered against its enemies and a popular commitment to anti-fascist resistance. In the 1970s, these postwar solutions brought Germans into open conflict, fighting to protect democracy from both terrorism and state overreaction. Drawing on diverse sources, Karrin Hanshew shows how Germans, faced with a state of emergency and haunted by their own history, managed to learn from the past and defuse this adversarial dynamic. This negotiation of terror helped them to accept the Federal Republic of Germany as a stable, reformable polity and to reconceive of democracy's defence as part of everyday politics.
Reparations for Nazi Victims in Postwar Europe
Authors: Ludi Regula
Published: September 2012

Reparations of Nazi Victims in Postwar Europe traces reparations back to their origins in the final years of the Second World War, when victims of Nazi persecution for the first time articulated demands for indemnification en masse. Simultaneous appearance of claims in New York, London, Paris and Tel Aviv exemplified the birth of a new standard in political morality. Across Europe, the demand for compensation to individuals who suffered severe harm gained momentum. Despite vast differences in their experiences of mass victimisation, post-war societies developed similar patterns in addressing victims' claims. Regula Ludi chronicles the history of reparations from a comparative and trans-national perspective. This book explores the significance of reparations as a means to provide victims with a language to express their unspeakable suffering in a politically meaningful way.
Harpocration of Argos: Etymology and Metaphysics in the Platonist Revival
Authors: Boys-Stones George
Published: September 2012

This paper shows that our principal ancient source for the metaphysical views of the second-century Platonist Harpocration of Argos drew on his interpretation of Plato's Cratylus. This is important because there is no other evidence of the Cratylus being read for its metaphysical content until Proclus, 300 years later. It also changes our understanding of Harpocration: he is generally supposed to share the metaphysical views of Numenius, but his exegesis of the Cratylus reveals him to be a faithful student of Atticus.
The Byzantine Role in the Making of the Corpus of Classical Greek Historiography: A Preliminary Investigation
Authors: Kaldellis Anthony
Published: September 2012

The selective survival of the corpus of ancient Greek historiography was in large part due to Byzantine historical and religious interests, combined with the ancient valorization, on literary grounds, of the three Classical historians. Our corpus generally reflects the Byzantine interest in Roman history, especially regime-changes, and sacred history, especially the Hellenistic context of Jewish history. Selections from ancient historians dealing with those themes were, in some cases, circulating independently already from the tenth century. The Byzantines had little interest in Hellenistic or local histories. This paper concludes by examining two moments (or ‘indices’) of survival and selection, Photios' Bibliotheke and the Constantinian Excerpta. Our corpus was largely in place by the time of the Excerpta, and the loss of some texts read by Photios may have been facilitated by the process of transliteration but was due to the same selective interests.
Derivation of the maximum voltage drop in power grids of integrated circuits with an array bonding package
Authors: AGUARELES M. , de HARO J.
Published: September 2012

In this work we derive a formula for the maximum value of the voltage drop that takes place in power grids of integrated circuits with an array bonding package. We consider a simplified model for the power grid where the voltage is represented as the solution of the Poisson's equation in an infinite planar domain with a regularly aligned array of small square pads where the voltage is set to be zero. We study the singular limit where these pads' size tends to be zero and we derive an asymptotic formula in terms of a power series in ε, being 2ε the side of the square. We also discuss pads of more general shapes, for which we provide an expression for the leading order term. To deduce all these formulae we use the method of matched asymptotic expansions using an iterative scheme, along with conformal maps to compare this problem with the corresponding one when the pads are circular.
Consistent near‐surface ocean warming since 1900 in two largely independent observing networks
Authors: Gouretski Viktor , Kennedy John , Boyer Tim , Köhl Armin
Published: September 2012

We compare historical global temperature time series, based on bias‐adjusted sea‐surface temperatures with independent temperature time series, for the upper 20 meter layer of the ocean based on the latest update of an historical hydrographic profile data set. Despite the two underlying data sets being different in number of data points, instrumentation and applied adjustments, both of the time series are consistent in showing an overall warming since 1900. We also extend records of temperature change in the upper 400 m back to 1900. Noting that the geographic coverage is limited prior to 1950, the temperature change in the 0–400 m layer is characterized by two periods of temperature increase between 1900 and 1940–45 and between 1970 and 2003, separated by a period of little change.
Synchronized observations of cloud‐to‐ground lightning using VHF broadband interferometer and acoustic arrays
Authors: Qiu Shi , Zhou Bi‐Hua , Shi Li‐Hua
Published: September 2012

A single‐station‐based lightning discharge channel reconstruction system by combining a two‐dimensional (2D) VHF broadband interferometer and a three‐dimensional (3D) acoustic lighting mapping system has been developed and used for lightning observations. Two cloud‐to‐ground (CG) flashes with highly branched leaders recorded by the system are analyzed and presented in this paper. VHF radiation could well delineate the development of simultaneous leader branches, while acoustic emissions mainly located on the main channel which was traversed by return stroke (RS) process. Localizations by VHF and acoustic emissions agree well with each other. The mapping results confirm that audible acoustic emission of lightning discharge is mainly associated with high current process like RS. Leaders could generate detectable acoustic signals, with amplitude at least an order weaker than ensuing RS, but they are hard to identify except in closer ranges than the main channel. As a significant phenomenon, this paper provides the first 3D locations associated with sources of tearing sounds, which are inferred to be generated by downward negative leaders when they approach ground. The synchronized observation enable VHF interferometer locate lightning development in spatially quasi 3D, and three stepped leaders, five dart leaders and two dart‐stepped leaders are identified, with the 3D velocity (1.3–3.9) × 105 m/s, (1.0–2.9) × 107 m/s and from (1.0–1.3) × 107 m/s to (2.4–2.6) × 106 m/s, respectively. In addition, the application of this approach in improving the accuracy of thunder ranging is discussed.
Utilizing Interdisciplinary Treatment To Enhance Clinical Outcomes: Learning From Clinical Experience
Authors: Johnson Gail R. , Voigt Elizabeth
Published: September 2012

Interdisciplinary treatment can enhance clinical outcomes through the collaboration of disciplines in patient-centered treatment planning. Clinicians have options when deciding which treatment venue will best facilitate achievement of functional outcomes. In this review, we discuss the value of co-treatment and the benefits of collaboration between disciplines. Co-treatment is patient-centered and focuses on functional tasks. We will provide clinicians with examples of co-treatment that many be integrated into clinical practice.
Biomixing by chemotaxis and efficiency of biological reactions: The critical reaction case
Authors: Kiselev Alexander , Ryzhik Lenya
Published: September 2012

Many phenomena in biology involve both reactions and chemotaxis. These processes can clearly influence each other, and chemotaxis can play an important role in sustaining and speeding up the reaction. In continuation of our work [A. Kiselev and L. Ryzhik, “Biomixing by chemotaxis and enhancement of biological reactions,” Comm. Partial Differential Equations 37, 298–318 (2012)]10.1080/03605302.2011.589879, we consider a model with a single density function involving diffusion, advection, chemotaxis, and absorbing reaction. The model is motivated, in particular, by the studies of coral broadcast spawning, where experimental observations of the efficiency of fertilization rates significantly exceed the data obtained from numerical models that do not take chemotaxis (attraction of sperm gametes by a chemical secreted by egg gametes) into account. We consider the case of the weakly coupled quadratic reaction term, which is the most natural from the biological point of view and was left open in Kiselev and Ryzhik [“Biomixing by chemotaxis and enhancement of biological reactions,” Comm. Partial Differential Equations 37, 298–318 (2012)]10.1080/03605302.2011.589879. The result is that similarly to Kiselev and Ryzhik [“Biomixing by chemotaxis and enhancement of biological reactions,” Comm. Partial Differential Equations 37, 298–318 (2012)]10.1080/03605302.2011.589879, the chemotaxis plays a crucial role in ensuring efficiency of reaction. However, mathematically, the picture is quite different in the quadratic reaction case and is more subtle. The reaction is now complete even in the absence of chemotaxis, but the timescales are very different. Without chemotaxis, the reaction is very slow, especially for the weak reaction coupling. With chemotaxis, the timescale and efficiency of reaction are independent of the coupling parameter.
Stability and clustering of self-similar solutions of aggregation equations
Authors: Sun Hui , Uminsky David , Bertozzi Andrea L.
Published: September 2012

In this paper we consider the linear stability of a family of exact collapsing similarity solutions to the aggregation equation ρt = ∇ · (ρ∇K * ρ) in \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$\mathbb {R}^d$\end{document}Rd, d ⩾ 2, where K(r) = rγ/γ with γ > 2. It was previously observed [Y. Huang and A. L. Bertozzi, “Self-similar blowup solutions to an aggregation equation in Rn,” J. SIAM Appl. Math. 70, 2582–2603 (2010)]10.1137/090774495 that radially symmetric solutions are attracted to a self-similar collapsing shell profile in infinite time for γ > 2. In this paper we compute the stability of the similarity solution and show that the collapsing shell solution is stable for 2 < γ < 4. For γ > 4, we show that the shell solution is always unstable and destabilizes into clusters that form a simplex which we observe to be the long time attractor. We then classify the stability of these simplex solutions and prove that two-dimensional (in-)stability implies n-dimensional (in-)stability.
Rotationally resolved PFI-ZEKE photoelectron spectroscopic study of the low-lying electronic states of ArXe+
Authors: Piticco Lorena , Merkt Frédéric
Published: September 2012

Rotationally resolved pulsed-field-ionization zero-kinetic-energy photoelectron spectra of the X 1/2, A1 3/2, and A2 1/2 electronic states of the ArXe+ molecular ion have been recorded following resonant (1+1′) two-photon excitation via selected rovibrational levels of the C 1 and D 0+ states of selected isotopomers of the ArXe molecule. Using rovibronic selection and propensity rules for the photoionization out of these intermediate molecular states enabled the determination of the parity of the molecular-ion levels and of the magnitude and sign of the Ω-doubling constants of the coupled X 1/2 (p ≈ 4B) and A2 1/2 (p ≈ −2B) states of ArXe+. The results indicate that these molecular-ion states can be approximately described using Mulliken's second variant of Hund's angular momentum coupling case (c), for which Ja, the total electronic and spin angular momentum of the two atoms, is a good quantum number (semi-united atom). The analysis of the rotational structure enabled the derivation of improved values of the dissociation energies, equilibrium distances, and molecular constants for the X 1/2, A1 3/2, and A2 1/2 states of ArXe+.
A general theory of DNA-mediated and other valence-limited colloidal interactions
Authors: Varilly Patrick , Angioletti-Uberti Stefano , Mognetti Bortolo M. , Frenkel Daan
Published: September 2012

We present a general theory for predicting the interaction potentials between DNA-coated colloids, and more broadly, any particles that interact via valence-limited ligand-receptor binding. Our theory correctly incorporates the configurational and combinatorial entropic factors that play a key role in valence-limited interactions. By rigorously enforcing self-consistency, it achieves near-quantitative accuracy with respect to detailed Monte Carlo calculations. With suitable approximations and in particular geometries, our theory reduces to previous successful treatments, which are now united in a common and extensible framework. We expect our tools to be useful to other researchers investigating ligand-mediated interactions. A complete and well-documented Python implementation is freely available at http://github.com/patvarilly/DNACC.
Instability in evaporative binary mixtures. II. The effect of Rayleigh convection
Authors: Uguz K. E. , Narayanan R.
Published: September 2012

Multi-component mixtures undergoing phase change in the presence of gravity depict instabilities whose physical origins depend upon the heating arrangement. Calculations on evaporative instability in closed systems using the example of low weight alcohols predict that cellular patterns would occur when the system is heated from above provided that the liquid depths are small compared to the vapor depths. The cellular patterns give way to long wavelength modes when the liquid depths are large because the solutal convection is dominant. When heated from below, cellular patterns can always be obtained regardless of the phase depths. Moreover, for this heating arrangement the physics shows thermal dominance at large wave numbers and solutal dominance at small wave numbers.
Structure and magnetic properties of Ni-doped AlN films
Authors: Pan D. , Jian J. K. , Ablat A. , Li J. , Sun Y. F. , Wu R.
Published: September 2012

We report the crystal structure and magnetic properties of Al1−xNixN films with 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.032 deposited on Si (100) substrates by radio frequency reactive sputtering. X-ray diffractometry, x-ray photoemission spectroscopy, and x-ray absorption fine structure analysis clearly showed that Ni atoms were successfully incorporated into AlN, while the crystal structure of the films was maintained. All the doped samples exhibited ferromagnetism both at 5 K and 300 K. The saturation magnetizations (Ms) and coercive fields (Hc) tended to decrease as Ni concentration increased from 0.019 to 0.032, the maximum Ms obtained at 5 K and 300 K were about 0.025 and 0.014 emu/g, respectively, and the corresponding Hc were 208 and 60 Oe. Temperature dependence of remanent magnetization showed that the ferromagnetic transition temperature was beyond 300 K.
Physical aspects of low power synapses based on phase change memory devices
Authors: Suri Manan , Bichler Olivier , Querlioz Damien , Traoré Boubacar , Cueto Olga , Perniola Luca , Sousa Veronique , Vuillaume Dominique , Gamrat Christian , DeSalvo Barbara
Published: September 2012

In this work, we demonstrate how phase change memory (PCM) devices can be used to emulate biologically inspired synaptic functions in particular, potentiation and depression, important for implementing neuromorphic hardware. PCM devices with different chalcogenide materials are fabricated and characterized. The asymmetry between the potentiation and depression behaviors of the PCM is stressed. Detailed multi-physical simulations are performed to study the underlying physics of the synaptic behavior of PCM. A versatile behavioral model and a multi-level circuit-compatible model are developed for system and circuit-level neuromorphic simulations. We propose a unique low-power methodology named the 2-PCM Synapse, to use PCM devices as synapses in large scale neuromorphic systems. To show the strength of our proposed solution, we efficiently simulated fully connected feed-forward spiking neural network capable of complex visual pattern extraction from real world data.
Excellent magnetocaloric properties of melt-extracted Gd-based amorphous microwires
Authors: Bingham N. S. , Wang H. , Qin F. , Peng H. X. , Sun J. F. , Franco V. , Srikanth H. , Phan M. H.
Published: September 2012

We report upon the excellent magnetocaloric properties of Gd53Al24Co20Zr3 amorphous microwires. In addition to obtaining the large magnetic entropy change (−ΔSM ∼ 10.3 J/kg K at TC ∼ 95 K), an extremely large value of refrigerant capacity (RC ∼ 733.4 J/kg) has been achieved for a field change of 5 T in an array of forty microwires arranged in parallel. This value of RC is about 79% and 103% larger than those of Gd (∼410 J/kg) and Gd5Si2Ge1.9Fe0.1 (∼360 J/kg) regardless of their magnetic ordering temperatures. The design and fabrication of a magnetic bed made of these parallel-arranged microwires would thus be a very promising approach for active magnetic refrigeration for nitrogen liquefaction. Since these microwires can easily be assembled as laminate structures, they have potential applications as a cooling device for micro electro mechanical systems and nano electro mechanical systems.
Flood-induced recruitment of the invasive perennial herb Phyla canescens (lippia)
Authors: Macdonald Matthew J. , Whalley Wal R. D. B. , Julien Mic H. , Sindel Brian M. , Duggin John A.
Published: September 2012

Phyla canescens (Kunth) Greene, lippia, (Verbenaceae) is an important invasive species in the Murray–Darling Basin, Australia. The general lack of quantitative information on aspects of the life-history of P. canescens is a substantial impediment to the sustainable management of this species and the communities it invades. Complementary laboratory and field experiments investigated P. canescens germination. A thermogradient plate was used to examine its germination response to a variety of temperature regimes. Recruitment in the field was investigated at four sites across two catchments following four season disturbances. In the laboratory trials, seeds required temperatures that alternated by at least 5°C, light, and to be covered by a thin film of water. Field germination occurred only at the one site that experienced a flood, despite periods of high rainfall that stimulated germination of other species. In this site seedling density and survivorship were reduced in the presence of existing vegetation. A survey of P. canescens following flooding of a temporary billabong revealed recruitment from both seed and vegetative fragments. This recruitment was almost exclusively restricted to the area that had been flooded. The results suggest that P. canescens requires inundation for successful recruitment and that these germination requirements are typical of species from disturbance-prone environments.
Knowledge sharing: influences of trust, commitment and cost
Authors: Casimir Gian , Lee Karen , Loon Mark
Published: September 2012

Purpose

This paper's aim is to examine the influence of perceived cost of sharing knowledge and affective trust in colleagues on the relationship between affective commitment and knowledge sharing.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology used was a survey of 496 employees from 15 organizations across ten industries.

Findings

Affective trust in colleagues moderates the relationship between affective commitment and knowledge sharing and the relationship between cost of knowledge sharing and knowledge sharing.

Research limitations/implications

Future researchers should operationalize the perceived cost of knowledge sharing construct to include other potential group barriers; for instance, politics and organizational barriers, management commitment and lack of trust.

Practical implications

The findings of this study suggest that employees who value social relationships and social resources tend to view knowledge as a collectively owned commodity. As such, their knowledge sharing behavior reflects the model of reciprocal social exchanges.

Social implications

The results of this study indicate that an organizational culture that encourages affect‐based trust between colleagues will facilitate knowledge sharing.

Originality/value

The paper bridges the gap between the literature on knowledge sharing, perceived cost of knowledge sharing, affective organizational commitment and trust in a single model.
From home to home: homelessness during austere times
Authors: Daly Angela , Anderson John , O'Driscoll Denis , Pitt Kathleen
Published: September 2012

Purpose

This paper aims to illustrate realities of homeless people's lives during a time of significant change in UK public sector funding and welfare policy.

Design/methodology/approach

A participatory research approach was used including working with two co‐researchers; two people who have direct experience of homelessness. A sustainable livelihoods approach was adapted to provide a framework for analysis. The research was undertaken during May to October 2011.

Findings

The paper interrogates five areas of assets held by people themselves that support sustainable livelihoods, an existing approach used in other research. Life journey narratives show that a connected range of services, operating through an empowerment model, promote human dignity.

Research limitations/implications

Findings resonate with issues identified in larger studies; however, as the funding and policy context is rapidly changing it is recommended that additional local qualitative studies could be conducted during the next three years to illustrate impacts in people's lives.

Practical implications

The paper suggests front‐line services must include resettlement as well as crisis and stabilising services in order to ensure homeless people can successfully move from home to home.

Social implications

The research identified negative attitudes towards homeless people. By illustrating homeless people's achievements the study provides evidence of the impact of, and the value of continuing to fund, homeless services.

Originality/value

The paper suggests that people who have experienced homelessness achieve a successful life with support by drawing on their considerable life experience and personal talents. This message is important for practitioners, commissioners and policy makers working through a period of change for homeless services.
Prevalence of Low Vitamin D Levels in an Urban Midwestern Obstetric Practice
Authors: Collins‐Fulea Catherine , Klima Katherine , Wegienka Ganesa Rebecca
Published: September 2012

Introduction: This study describes the prevalence of low vitamin D levels in pregnancy in a diverse urban population.

Methods: This was a retrospective chart review of 2839 women who gave birth at a Michigan hospital between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2009 and had at least 1 vitamin D (25‐hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D]) measurement during their pregnancies. Race/ethnic group, wearing the hijab, and season of 25(OH)D sample collection were used in the descriptive analysis.

Results: Most women (92.5%) in this study had documented insufficient levels of 25(OH)D (defined as < 30 mL), and 71.7% of all women had deficient levels of 25(OH)D (defined as < 20 ng/mL). Subgroups with the highest percentage of women who were vitamin D deficient were: Middle Eastern (91.8%), African American (81.6%), and Asian (74.3%). Overall, women who wore the hijab were more likely to be deficient (89.5% vs 68.7; P < .0001) and insufficient (98.8% vs 91.4%; P < .0001) compared with women who did not wear the hijab.

Discussion: The data demonstrate the high rate of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency in this white and nonwhite urban population in which samples were collected in both winter and nonwinter months. The percentage of woman who had 25(OH)D levels below 30 ng/mL was significantly higher than that reported in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III (NHANES III) (92.5% compared to 69%), although NHANES did not sample women in northern climates in the winter months. Even using new diagnostic definitions for vitamin D deficiency from the Institute of Medicine, the proportion of women with vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency was 40% and 31.6%, respectively. Clinicians caring for women in northern climates as well as women who are Middle Eastern, African American, and Asian need to be aware of the risk for vitamin D deficiency and the potential health effects for the mother and infant.
CoAl2O4 Nano Pigment Obtained by Combustion Synthesis
Authors: Salem Shiva , Jazayeri Seyed Hamid , Bondioli Federica , Allahverdi Ali , Shirvani Mansoor , Ferrari Anna Maria
Published: September 2012

The aim of this research was to study the influence of pH (2.5, 7, 10.5), molar ratio of fuel to nitrates (0.36, 0.56, 0.75), and calcination temperature (600, 800, 1000, 1200°C) on the characteristics of CoAl2O4 nano pigments synthesized using a solution‐based combustion method. Gel formation, morphology, specific surface area, and color of the powder were characterized using TG–DTA (thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis), XRD (X‐ray diffraction), TEM (transmission electron microscopy), BET (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller), and UV–Vis. The results indicate that spinel CoAl2O4 was formed independently of the different variables studied and that higher temperature promotes crystallite size. According to the TEM micrographs, most of particles calcined at 800 and 1000°C have average particle sizes <30 and 75 nm, respectively. Consistent with BET results, maximum specific surface area was obtained at pH of 7. Colorability tests demonstrate that the mixtures of glaze and calcined nano pigments are still dark blue after heating up to 1200°C.
Gross chromosomal rearrangement mediated by DNA replication in stressed cells: evidence from Escherichia coli
Authors: Moore J.M. , Wimberly Hallie , Thornton P.C. , Rosenberg Susan M. , Hastings P.J.
Published: September 2012

Gross chromosomal rearrangements (GCRs), or changes in chromosome structure, play central roles in evolution and are central to cancer formation and progression. GCRs underlie copy number variation (CNV), and therefore genomic disorders that stem from CNV. We study amplification in Escherichia coli as a model system to understand mechanisms and circumstances of GCR formation. Here, we summarize observations that led us to postulate that GCR occurs by a replicative mechanism as part of activated stress responses. We report that we do not find RecA to be downregulated by stress on a population basis and that constitutive expression of RecA does not inhibit amplification, as would be expected if downregulation of RecA made cells permissive for nonhomologous recombination. Strains deleted for the genes for three proteins that inhibit RecA activity, psiB, dinI, and recX, all show unaltered amplification, suggesting that if they do downregulate RecA indirectly, this activity does not promote amplification.
Adaptive radiation of venomous marine snail lineages and the accelerated evolution of venom peptide genes
Authors: Olivera Baldomero M. , Watkins Maren , Bandyopadhyay Pradip , Imperial Julita S. , de la Cotera Edgar P. Heimer , Aguilar Manuel B. , Vera Estuardo López , Concepcion Gisela P. , Lluisma Arturo
Published: September 2012

An impressive biodiversity (>10,000 species) of marine snails (suborder Toxoglossa or superfamily Conoidea) have complex venoms, each containing approximately 100 biologically active, disulfide‐rich peptides. In the genus Conus, the most intensively investigated toxoglossan lineage (∼500 species), a small set of venom gene superfamilies undergo rapid sequence hyperdiversification within their mature toxin regions. Each major lineage of Toxoglossa has its own distinct set of venom gene superfamilies. Two recently identified venom gene superfamilies are expressed in the large Turridae clade, but not in Conus. Thus, as major venomous molluscan clades expand, a small set of lineage‐specific venom gene superfamilies undergo accelerated evolution. The juxtaposition of extremely conserved signal sequences with hypervariable mature peptide regions is unprecedented and raises the possibility that in these gene superfamilies, the signal sequences are conserved as a result of an essential role they play in enabling rapid sequence evolution of the region of the gene that encodes the active toxin.
Overview of the creative genome: effects of genome structure and sequence on the generation of variation and evolution
Authors: Caporale Lynn Helena
Published: September 2012

This overview of a special issue ofAnnals of the New York Academy of Sciencesdiscusses uneven distribution of distinct types of variation across the genome, the dependence of specific types of variation upon distinct classes of DNA sequences and/or the induction of specific proteins, the circumstances in which distinct variation‐generating systems are activated, and the implications of this work for our understanding of evolution and of cancer. Also discussed is the value of non text‐based computational methods for analyzing information carried by DNA, early insights into organizational frameworks that affect genome behavior, and implications of this work for comparative genomics.