bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of chain architecture (branching) on the thermal and mechanical behavior of polystyrene thin films
Authors: Torres Jessica M. , Stafford Christopher M. , Uhrig David , Vogt Bryan D.
Published: December 2011

The modulus and glass transition temperature (Tg) of ultrathin films of polystyrene (PS) with different branching architectures are examined via surface wrinkling and the discontinuity in the thermal expansion as determined from spectroscopic ellipsometry, respectively. Branching of the PS is systematically varied using multifunctional monomers to create comb, centipede, and star architectures with similar molecular masses. The bulk‐like (thick film) Tg for these polymers is 103 ± 2 °C and independent of branching and all films thinner than 40 nm exhibit reductions in Tg. There are subtle differences between the architectures with reductions in Tg for linear (25 °C), centipede (40 °C), comb (9 °C), and 4 armed star (9 °C) PS for ≈ 5 nm films. Interestingly, the room temperature modulus of the thick films is dependent upon the chain architecture with the star and comb polymers being the most compliant (≈2 GPa) whereas the centipede PS is most rigid (≈4 GPa). The comb PS exhibits no thickness dependence in moduli, whereas all other PS architectures examined show a decrease in modulus as the film thickness is decreased below ∼40 nm. We hypothesize that the chain conformation leads to the apparent susceptibility of the polymer to reductions in moduli in thin films. These results provide insight into potential origins for thickness dependent properties of polymer thin films. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2012
Study of the Effects of Aging under Humidity Control on the Thermal Decomposition of NC/NG/BTTN/RDX Propellants
Authors: McDonald Brian A.
Published: December 2011

The effects of aging under controlled humidity on the thermal decomposition of two nitrate ester/RDX propellants are examined. Propellant samples are artificially aged at 60 °C and 70 °C at various levels of relative humidity. Differential scanning calorimetry is used to study the post aged samples to determine the activation energy of the peak exotherm and peak temperature of these events. For each humidity level, differential scanning calorimetry is conducted on an aged and an unaged sample that is conditioned to the humidity of the environment to distinguish between aging effects and residual moisture effects. Nitrate ester stabilizer depletions rates are presented as a function of aging and humidity. The results of the study show that moisture level during aging irreversibly alters the activation energy of the primary heat release events and significantly influences the stabilizer depletion rates.
Physicomathematical Modeling of Explosive Dispersion of Liquid and Powders
Authors: Kudryashova Olga B. , Vorozhtsov Boris I. , Muravlev Eugene V. , Akhmadeev Igor R. , Pavlenko Anatoly A. , Titov Sergey S.
Published: December 2011

Studies have been conducted with respect to the generation of fine‐disperse aerosols with the use of an explosive disperser model based on hydrodynamic shock tube. The physicomathematical model for the process of explosive dispersion with the aforesaid design is described [1]. The use of elements in the model design to produce cavitation bubbles under the action of shock wave and ensurance of slower outflow process of a water‐steam mixture makes it possible to obtain liquid disperse aerosols.

The experimental results for aerosol disperse parameters and the processes of initiation and propagation of an aerosol cloud produced upon explosive dispersion of a variety of liquids and condensed powders are presented. Pressure values in the combustion chamber of the disperser, velocity of aerosol particles, and aerosol disperse parameters were obtained.

The design of the explosive disperser with a nozzle, which provides favorable conditions for cavitation processes inside the dispersed liquid, is shown to allow the generation of a high dispersity aerosol (about 1–100 nm), which is essential for many practical problems. The function of distribution of such particles by size cannot be measured reliably and directly by methods available; however, indirect experiments (measurement of humidity when dispersing water) permit estimating the existence of particles in the aerosol with sizes below 1 μm in quantity of approx. 90 %.
Dependence of the Mechanical Sensitivity on the Fractal Characteristics of Octahydro‐1,3,5,7‐tetranitro‐1,3,5,7‐tetrazocine Particles
Authors: Wang Yi , Song Xiaolan , Song Dan , Jiang Wei , Liu Hongying , Li Fengsheng
Published: December 2011

Three fabrication methods were used to synthesize HMX powders with different particle sizes and microscopic morphologies. All as‐prepared samples were characterized by laser granularity measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The mechanical sensitivity and thermal stability of the different HMX powders were characterized using mechanical sensitivity tests and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Size distribution data and SEM images were used to find the size fractal dimension (D) and surface fractal dimension (Ds) of HMX samples, which were calculated by the least‐squares method and fractal image processing software (FIPS), respectively. The parameters D and Ds quantize two important properties of HMX particles, namely the complexity of the particle size distribution and the irregularity of the particle surface, which affect the thermal conductivity of the particle group if it is exposed to stimuli such as impact, friction or heating. The fractal dimensions reveal the dependence of the mechanical sensitivity of HMX on the powder size, size distribution and microscopic morphology. The results indicate that the proportion of fine particles in HMX powder increases as the D value increases, which causes decreased impact sensitivity. This occurs because hot spot formation leading to an explosion is more difficult because of the improved thermal conductivity of the particle group. Similarly, the surface roughness of HMX particles increases with an increase in Ds, causing an increase in friction sensitivity because of the excessive accumulation of frictional heat. In addition, thermal analysis results indicate that the maximum thermal decomposition rate of HMX decreases with increasing D and Ds.
Role of amino acid hydrophobicity, aromaticity, and molecular volume on IAPP(20–29) amyloid self‐assembly
Authors: Doran Todd M. , Kamens Alissa J. , Byrnes Nadia K. , Nilsson Bradley L.
Published: December 2011

Aromatic amino acids strongly promote cross‐β amyloid formation; whether the amyloidogenicity of aromatic residues is due to high hydrophobicity and β‐sheet propensity or formation of stabilizing π–π interactions has been debated. To clarify the role of aromatic residues on amyloid formation, the islet amyloid polypeptide 20–29 fragment [IAPP(20–29)], which contains a single aromatic residue (Phe 23), was adopted as a model. The side chain of residue 23 does not self‐associate in cross‐β fibrils of IAPP(20–29) (Nielsen et al., Angew Chem Int Ed 2009;48:2118–2121), allowing investigation of the amyloidogenicity of aromatic amino acids in a context where direct π–π interactions do not occur. We prepared variants of IAPP(20–29) in which Tyr, Leu, Phe, pentafluorophenylalanine (F5‐Phe), Trp, cyclohexylalanine (Cha), α‐naphthylalanine (1‐Nap), or β‐naphthylalanine (2‐Nap) (in order of increasing peptide hydrophobicity) were incorporated at position 23 (SNNXGAILSS‐NH2), and the kinetic and thermodynamic effects of these mutations on cross‐β self‐assembly were assessed. The Tyr, Leu, and Trp 23 variants failed to readily self‐assemble at concentrations up to 1.5 mM, while the Cha 23 mutant fibrillized with attenuated kinetics and similar thermodynamic stability relative to the wild‐type Phe 23 peptide. Conversely, the F5‐Phe, 1‐Nap, and 2‐Nap 23 variants self‐assembled at enhanced rates, forming fibrils with greater thermodynamic stability than the wild‐type peptide. These results indicate that the high amyloidogenicity of aromatic amino acids is a function of hydrophobicity, β‐sheet propensity, and planar geometry and not the ability to form stabilizing or directing π–π bonds. Proteins 2012;. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Biological activity of the succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor fluopyram against Botrytis cinerea and fungal baseline sensitivity
Authors: Veloukas Thomas , Karaoglanidis George S
Published: December 2011

BACKGROUND: Succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors (SDHIs) constitute a fungicide class with increasing relevance in crop protection. These fungicides could play a crucial role in successful management of grey mould disease. In the present study the effect of fluopyram, a novel SDHI fungicide, on several developmental stages of Botrytis cinerea was determined in vitro, and the protective and curative activity against the pathogen was determined on strawberry fruit. Furthermore, fungal baseline sensitivity was determined in a set of 192 pathogen isolates.

RESULTS: Inhibition of germ tube elongation was found to be the most sensitive growth stage affected by fluopyram, while mycelial growth was found to be the least sensitive growth stage. Fluopyram provided excellent protective activity against B. cinerea when applied at 100 µg mL−1 96, 48 or 24 h before the artificial inoculation of the strawberry fruit. Similarly, fluopyram showed a high curative activity when it was applied at 100 µg mL−1 24 h post‐inoculation, but, when applications were conducted 48 or 96 h post‐inoculation, disease control efficacy was modest or low. The measurement of baseline sensitivity showed that it was unimodal in all the populations tested. The individual EC50 values for fluopyram ranged from 0.03 to 0.29 µg mL−1. In addition, no correlation was found between sensitivity to fluopyram and sensitivity to other fungicides, including cyprodinil, fenhexamid, fludioxonil, iprodione, boscalid and pyraclostrobin.

CONCLUSIONS: The obtained biological activity, baseline sensitivity and cross‐resistance relationship data suggest that fluopyram could play a key role in grey mould management in the near future and encourage its introduction into spray programmes. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
Structure and electrical properties of (Bi0.5Na0.5)1–x–y–z(Bi0.5K0.5)xBay(Bi0.5Li0.5)zTiO3 lead‐free piezoelectric ceramics
Authors: Lin Dunmin , Zheng Qiaoji , Wu Xiaochun , Fan Ximing , Sun Hailing , Wu Lang , Xu Chenggang
Published: December 2011

Lead‐free (Bi0.5Na0.5)1–x–y–z(Bi0.5K0.5)xBay(Bi0.5Li0.5)zTiO3 piezoelectric ceramics have been prepared by a conventional ceramic technique and their structure and electrical properties have been studied. The results of XRD diffraction show that after the addition of K+, Ba2+, and Li+, a new Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3‐based solid solution with a pure perovskite structure is obtained and a morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) between rhombohedral and tetragonal phases is formed at 0.10 < x < 0.20, 0.01 < y < 0.04, and z = 0.075. The partial substitutions of (Bi0.5K0.5)2+, Ba2+, and (Bi0.5Li0.5)2+ for the A‐site (Bi0.5Na0.5)2+ ions of Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3 decrease effectively the coercive field Ec and improve significantly the remanent polarization Pr. The piezoelectricity of the ceramics is greatly enhanced because of the MPB, lower Ec and higher Pr. The ceramic with x = 0.15, y = 0.02, and z = 0.075 situated at the MPB exhibits the optimum piezoelectric properties, giving d33 = 209 pC/N and kp = 30.5%. Two dielectric anomalies are observed, suggesting diffuse phase transition characteristics. The depolarization temperature Td reaches a minimum value near the MPB. The deformed P–E loop is observed near/above Td, indicating that the ceramics may contain both the polar and nonpolar regions.
Electronic structure and optical spectroscopy studies of HoNi5 and ErNi5 compounds doped with Cu
Authors: Knyazev Yu. V. , Lukoyanov A. V. , Kuz'min Yu. I. , Kuchin A. G.
Published: December 2011

The effect of Cu‐doping on the electronic structure and optical properties of intermetallic compounds (Ho,Er)Ni5−xCux (x = 0, 1, 2) has been studied. Band structure and interband optical conductivity were investigated theoretically using the LSDA + U method supplementing local spin density approximation with a correction for strong electron interaction on the 4f shell of rare earth element. Optical properties were studied by the ellipsometry method in the spectral range 0.22–15 µm. It was found that substitution of Cu for Ni atoms in these alloys leads to significant changes in the frequency dependence of the optical conductivity. Both the theoretical calculations and spectroscopic experiments revealed the appearance of a new absorption maximum near 4.5 eV formed by Cu 3d → Ni 3d interband transitions.
Critical scattering in the vicinity of the metal–insulator transition in Mn‐doped GaAs
Authors: Varpula A. , Novikov S. , Kuivalainen P.
Published: December 2011

We have developed an improved model for describing the electrical transport properties of diluted ferromagnetic semiconductors such as Mn‐doped GaAs. The model takes into account transport mechanisms in disordered semiconductors in the vicinity of the metal–insulator transition and the critical scattering due to the exchange interaction between the charge carrier spins and the localized magnetic moments. The model is based on Kubo–Greenwood formalism and the scaling theory of localization. The contribution from the critical scattering is calculated using the Green's function technique and the self‐consistent Born approximation. The model explains well the measured resistivity in Mn‐doped GaAs as a function of temperature, doping concentration, and magnetic field.
Application of emulsified zero‐valent iron: Four full‐scale remediation sites
Authors: Huff James E.
Published: December 2011

Emulsified zero‐valent iron (EZVI) is a technology developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) that is used to remediate soil and groundwater contaminated with chlorinated solvents. It consists of micro‐ and/or nano‐scale iron particles suspended in a water‐in‐vegetable oil emulsion. This allows EZVI to combine three remediation technologies: partitioning of the chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs) into vegetable oil, a chemical reaction between the CVOCs and elemental iron, and hydrogen production from the fermentation of the vegetable oil to promote biological degradation. A description of the chemistry and biology of this NASA technology is presented, followed by a description of four full‐scale case studies where EZVI has been applied, including post‐injection results extending over three years. At each of these sites, EZVI was determined to be the most cost‐effective remedy. The sustained treatment long after the injections resulted in contaminant reductions continuing for over three years and accelerated remediation times compared to traditional approaches, due to the combination of technologies. Furthermore, EZVI is consistent with US EPA's green remediation policy. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Exosomes as Extrapulmonary Signaling Conveyors for Nanoparticle‐Induced Systemic Immune Activation
Authors: Zhu Motao , Li Yiye , Shi Jian , Feng Weiyue , Nie Guangjun , Zhao Yuliang
Published: December 2011

Evaluation of systemic biosafety of nanomaterials urgently demands a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms of the undesirable interference and systemic signaling that arises between man‐made nanomaterials and biological systems. It is shown that exosomes may act as signal conveyors for nanoparticle‐induced systemic immune responses. Exosomes are extracellularly secreted membrane vesicles which act as Trojan horses for the dissemination and intercellular communication of natural nanosized particles (like viruses). Upon exposure to magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MIONs), it is possible to dose‐dependently generate a significant number of exosomes in the alveolar region of BALB/c mice. These exosomes are quickly eliminated from alveoli into systemic circulation and largely transfer their signals to the immune system. Maturation of dendritic cells and activation of splenic T cells are significantly induced by these exosomes. Furthermore, exosome‐induced T‐cell activation is more efficient toward sensitized T cells and in ovalbumin (OVA)‐sensitized mice than in the unsensitized counterparts. Activation of systemic T cells reveals a T helper 1 polarization and aggravated inflammation, which poses potential hazards to the deterioration of allergic diseases in OVA‐sensitized mice. The studies suggest that exosomes may act as conveyors for extrapulmonary signal transduction in nanoparticle‐induced immune systemic responses, which are the key in vivo processes of manufactured nanoparticles executing either biomedical functions or toxic responses.
The merger of electrochemistry and molecular electronics
Authors: Mccreery Richard L.
Published: December 2011

Molecular Electronics has the potential to greatly enhance existing silicon‐based microelectronics to realize new functions, higher device density, lower power consumption, and lower cost. Although the investigation of electron transport through single molecules and molecular monolayers in “molecular junctions” is a recent development, many of the relevant concepts and phenomena are derived from electrochemistry, as practiced for the past several decades. The past 10+ years have seen an explosion of research activity directed toward how the structure of molecules affects electron transport in molecular junctions, with the ultimate objective of “rational design” of molecular components with new electronic functions, such as chemical sensing, interactions with light, and low‐cost, low‐power consumer electronics. In order to achieve these scientifically and commercially important objectives, the factors controlling charge transport in molecules “connected” to conducting contacts must be understood, and methods for massively parallel manufacturing of molecular circuits must be developed. This Personal Account describes the development of reproducible and robust molecular electronic devices, starting with modified electrodes used in electrochemistry and progressing to manufacturable molecular junctions. Although the field faced some early difficulties in reliability and characterization, the pieces are now in place for rapid advances in understanding charge transport at the molecular level. Inherent in the field of Molecular Electronics are many electrochemical concepts, including tunneling, redox exchange, activated electron transfer, and electron coupling between molecules and conducting contacts. DOI 10.1002/tcr.201100006
Mass Transport to micro‐ and nanoelectrodes and their arrays: a review
Authors: Henstridge Martin C. , Compton Richard G.
Published: December 2011

The use of micro‐ and nanoelectrodes and their arrays has become commonplace in modern electrochemistry. Numerical simulation is often required for detailed analysis of voltammetric data and this relies upon an understanding of the prevailing mass transport operating under the experimental conditions. The theoretical basis of our understanding of mass transport, particularly diffusion and migration, has developed greatly in recent years. We review both theoretical and experimental studies which have probed the mass transport at micro‐ and nanoelectrodes and their arrays. DOI 10.1002/tcr.201100032
Hydrogels and microtechnologies for engineering the cellular microenvironment
Authors: Gauvin Robert , Parenteau‐Bareil Rémi , Dokmeci Mehmet R. , Merryman W. David , Khademhosseini Ali
Published: December 2011

Hydrogels represent a class of materials suitable for numerous biomedical applications such as tissue engineering and drug delivery. Hydrogels are by definition capable of absorbing large amount of fluid, making them adequate for cell seeding and encapsulation as well as for implantation because of their biocompatibility and excellent diffusion properties. They also possess other desirable properties for fundamental research as they have the ability to mimic the basic three‐dimensional (3D) biological, chemical, and mechanical properties of native tissues. Furthermore, their biological interactions with cells can be modified through the numerous side groups of the polymeric chains. Thus, the biological, chemical, and mechanical properties, as well as the degradation kinetics of hydrogels can be tailored depending on the application. In addition, their fabrication process can be combined with microtechnologies to enable precise control of cell‐scale features such as surface topography and the presence of adhesion motifs on the hydrogel material. This ability to control the microscale structure of hydrogels has been used to engineer tissue models and to study cell behavior mechanisms in vitro. New approaches such as bottom‐up and directed assembly of microscale hydrogels (microgels) are currently emerging as powerful methods to enable the fabrication of 3D constructs replicating the microenvironment found in vivo. WIREs Nanomed Nanobiotechnol 2012, 4:235–246. doi: 10.1002/wnan.171

This article is categorized under:

Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Cells at the Nanoscale

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies

Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanomaterials and Implants

Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanotechnology in Tissue Repair and Replacement
Two New Zinc(II) Coordination Polymers Based on 1, 6‐Bis(2‐methyl‐imidazole‐1‐yl)‐hexane Ligand: Synthesis, Structures, and Properties
Authors: Xu Li‐Li , Cheng Jian‐Guang , Yue Ke‐Fen , Liu Yong‐Liang , Wang Cheng‐Jun , Wang Yao‐Yu
Published: December 2011

Two coordination polymers based on 1, 6‐bis(2‐methyl‐imidazole‐1‐yl)‐hexane (bimh), namely {[Zn3(BTC)2(bimh)]·(bimh)}n (1) and {[Zn(IPA)(bimh)]·(CH3CH2OH)0.5}n (2) (H3BTC = trimesic acid, H2IPA = isophthalic acid), were synthesized through hydrothermal reactions. In compound 1, the zinc(II) ions are bridged by BTC3– ligands to form an undulating infinite two‐dimensional (2D) polymeric network. The 3D networks of 1 show a twofold interpenetrating net. In compound 2, zinc(II) ions are bridged by IPA2– ligands to form one‐dimensional (1D) helical structures. The 2D structures of 2 are further assembled into 3D networks through aromatic π–π stacking interactions. Both compounds exhibit strong photoluminescence at room temperature and may be good candidates for potential luminescence materials.
Enhanced Recovery Program following Colorectal Resection in the Elderly Patient
Authors: Pawa Nikhil , Cathcart Paul L. , Arulampalam Tan H. A. , Tutton Matthew G. , Motson Roger W.
Published: December 2011

Background

The enhanced recovery program (ERP) aims to reduce the metabolic response to surgery, hastening recovery and shortening hospital stay. Concerns exist regarding morbidity and hospital stay in elderly patients. The present study aimed to compare the outcomes and compliance of elderly patients managed by an ERP protocol with a younger group.

Methods

A review was performed of a prospective database of patients undergoing colorectal resection managed under the ERP protocol between 2005 and 2010. Patients were grouped into <80 years and ≥80 years, and perioperative data were collated. The postoperative outcomes were compared with the goals set out by the ERP protocol.

Results

A total of 688 patients were included, 558 were <80 years (median: 66 years; range: 17–79 years) and 130 were ≥80 years (median: 83 years; range: 80–95 years). Some 96% of operations were planned laparoscopically. Median total length of hospital stay was 6 days (range: 1–108 days) for the <80 year group and 8 days (range: 1–167 days; P 0.363) for the elderly group, with a 30 day readmission rate of 8.6% for the population and no significant differences between groups. The 30 day mortality was 5%, with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.0001). Differences in protocol adherence were identified in the discontinuation of intravenous fluids, catheter removal, and early mobilization.

Conclusions

An enhanced recovery program is feasible for colorectal surgery patients ≥80 years of age, with similar compliance as the younger group to some aspects of the protocol and an acceptable readmission rate. Attention to improving compliance in the postoperative phase is necessary, particularly in such high‐risk patients, as such improvement may reduce the morbidity and mortality.
Clinical Implication of Serosal Change in Pathologic Subserosa‐Limited Gastric Cancer
Authors: Kim Joo Mee , Jung Hun , Lee Jun Suh , Lee Han Hong , Song Kyo Yung , Park Cho Hyun , Jeon Myung Hae
Published: December 2011

Background

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical implication of serosal change in pathologic subserosa‐limited gastric cancer based on a retrospective analysis.

Methods

A total of 285 patients who were diagnosed with pathologically subserosa‐limited gastric cancer were included. The patients were divided into two groups: the accordance group, with subserosa‐limited cancer without macroscopic serosa change (n = 124); the discordance group, with subserosa‐limited cancer showing macroscopic serosal change (n = 161).

Results

Tumor size, number of metastatic lymph nodes, and pathologic N stage were significantly associated with macroscopic serosal change. Serosal change patients presented a higher recurrence rate compared with patients without serosal change (38.0 vs. 20.2% for the 5‐year recurrence rate, P = 0.002), and peritoneal seeding presented frequently in serosal‐change patients with significance (41.1%). Likewise, the overall survival of serosal‐change patients was significantly worse than that for those without serosal change (66.9 vs. 81.4% for the 5‐year survival rate, P = 0.002). Serosal change was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (relative risk 1.784, P = 0.039).

Conclusions

Serosal change in pathologic subserosa‐limited gastric cancer is related to poor survival. Therefore, adjuvant chemotherapy should be considered for these patients, and adequate follow‐up programs instituted for early detection of peritoneal seeding.
Magnetic Solid Base Catalysts for the Production of Biodiesel
Authors: Guo Pingmei , Huang Fenghong , Zheng Mingming , Li Wenlin , Huang Qingde
Published: December 2011

Magnetic solid base catalysts were prepared by loading Na2SiO3 on Fe3O4 nano‐particles with Na2O·3SiO2 and NaOH as precipitator. The catalysts were used to catalyze the transesterification reactions for the production of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME, namely biodiesel) from cottonseed oil. The optimum conditions of the catalysts' preparation and transesterification reactions were investigated by orthogonal experiments. The catalyst with the highest catalytic activity was obtained when Si/Fe molar ratio of 2.5, aging time of 2 h, calcination temperature of 350 °C, calcination time of 2.5 h. Magnetic of the catalyst was characterized with Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) and transmission electron microscopy photograph (TEM), and the results showed the catalyst Na2SiO3/Fe3O4 had good specific saturation magnetization and paramagnetism, and its water resistance was better than the traditional homogeneous base catalysts; under the transesterification conditions of methanol/oil molar ratio of 7:1, catalyst dosage of 5%, reaction temperature of 60 °C, reaction time of 100 min and stirring speed of 400 rpm, yield of biodiesel was 99.6%. The lifetime and recovery rate of the magnetic solid base catalyst were much better than those of Na2SiO3.
Assessing recovery from schizophrenia as an individual process. A review of self-report instruments
Authors: Cavelti M. , Kvrgic S. , Beck E.-M. , Kossowsky J. , Vauth R.
Published: December 2011

Objective

Studies investigating indicators of recovery from schizophrenia yielded two concepts of recovery. The first is the reduction of psychiatric symptoms and functional disabilities (‘clinical recovery’), while the second describes the individual adaptation process to the threat posed to the individual sense of self by the disorder and its negative consequences (‘personal recovery’). Evidence suggests that both perceptions contribute substantially to the understanding of recovery and require specific assessment and therapy. While current reviews of measures of clinical recovery exist, measures of personal recovery have yet to be investigated. Considering the steadily growing literature on recovery, this article gives an update about existing measures assessing personal recovery.

Method

A literature search for instruments was performed using Medline, Embase, PsycINFO&PSYNDEXPlus, ISI Web of Knowledge, and Cochrane Library. Inclusion criteria were: (1) quantitative self-report measures; (2) specifically developed for adults with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder or at least applied to individuals suffering from severe mental illness; (3) empirically tested psychometric properties and/or published in a peer-reviewed, English-language journal. Instruments were evaluated with regard to psychometric properties (validity and reliability) and issues of application (user and administrator friendliness, translations).

Results

Thirteen instruments met the inclusion criteria. They were individually described and finally summarized in a table reflecting the pros and cons of each instrument. This may enable the reader to make an evidence-based choice for a questionnaire for a specific application.

Conclusion

The Recovery Assessment Scale is possibly the best currently available measure of personal recovery when all evaluation criteria are included. However, the ratings listed in the current paper depended on the availability of information and the quality of available reports of previous assessment of the measurement properties. Considering the significant amount of information lacking and inconsistent findings, further research on the reviewed measures is perhaps more important than the development of new measures of personal recovery.
The role of Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet food groups in blood pressure in type 2 diabetes
Authors: de Paula Tatiana Pedroso , Steemburgo Thais , de Almeida Jussara Carnevale , Dall'Alba Valesca , Gross Jorge Luiz , de Azevedo Mirela Jobim
Published: December 2011

The role of each Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet component in blood pressure (BP) of patients with diabetes is still uncertain. The aim of the present study was to evaluate possible associations of the recommended food groups of the DASH diet eating plan with BP values in patients with type 2 diabetes. In the present cross-sectional study, 225 patients with type 2 diabetes (age 61·1 (sd10·4) years; diabetes duration 13·1 (sd9·1) years; males 48·4 %; BMI 28·5 (sd4·3) kg/m2; HbA1c 7·1 (sd1·3) %; systolic BP 136·7 (sd20·0) mmHg; diastolic BP 78·4 (sd11·8) mmHg) without dietary counselling during the previous 6 months had their dietary intake assessed by 3 d weighed-diet records. Patients were divided into two groups according to BP tertiles: LOW BP (first tertile) and HIGH BP (second plus third tertiles). Multivariate logistic regression models demonstrated that the daily intake of 80 g of fruits per 4184 kJ (1000 kcal) (OR 0·781; 95 % CI 0·617, 0·987;P = 0·039) or 50 g of vegetables per 4184 kJ (1000 kcal) (OR 0·781; 95 % CI 0·618, 0·988;P = 0·040) reduced the chance of the presence of HIGH mean BP (MBP ≥ 92 mmHg) by 22 % each, adjusted for possible confounders. In conclusion, fruit and vegetables were the food groups of the DASH diet associated with reduced BP values in patients with type 2 diabetes, and their consumption might play a protective role against increased BP values.
Daily intake ofLactobacillus caseiShirota increases natural killer cell activity in smokers
Authors: Reale Marcella , Boscolo Paolo , Bellante Veronica , Tarantelli Chiara , Di Nicola Marta , Forcella Laura , Li Qing , Morimoto Kanehisa , Muraro Raffaella
Published: December 2011

Dietary probiotics supplementation exerts beneficial health effects. Since cigarette smoking reduces natural killer (NK) activity, we evaluated the effect ofLactobacillus caseiShirota (LcS) intake on NK cytotoxic activity in male smokers. The double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised study was conducted on seventy-two healthy Italian blue-collar male smokers randomly divided for daily intake of LcS powder or placebo. Before and after 3 weeks of intake, peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated and NK activity and CD16+cells' number were assessed. Daily LcS intake for 3 weeks significantly increased NK activity (P < 0·001). The increase in NK activity was paralleled by an increase in CD16+cells (P < 0·001). Before intake, NK cytotoxic activity inversely correlated with the number of cigarettes smoked (R− 0·064). LcS intake prevented the smoke-dependent expected NK activity reduction. The analysis of the distribution of changes in smoke-adjusted NK activity demonstrated that the positive variations were significantly associated with LcS intake, while the negative variations were associated with placebo intake (median value of distributions of differences, 20·98 lytic unit (LU)/107cells for LcSv.− 4·38 LU/107cells for placebo,P = 0·039). In conclusion, 3 weeks of daily LcS intake in Italian male smokers was associated with a higher increase in cytotoxic activity and CD16+cells' number in comparison to the placebo intake group.
Structure of hyperiid amphipod assemblages on Isla Gorgona, eastern tropical Pacific off Colombia
Authors: Valencia Bellineth , Giraldo Alan
Published: December 2011

Temporal variation of hyperiid amphipod structure assemblages was studied on Isla Gorgona, eastern tropical Pacific (ETP) off Colombia between September 2005 and August 2006. Forty-six species were found during the entire sampling period:Hyperioides sibaginis, Lestrigonus bengalensis, Phronimopsis spinifera, Tetrathyrus forcipatusandParalycaea gracilisdominated the assemblage, representing 92%. The dendogram based on the Bray–Curtis similarity index showed that the hyperiid assemblages were separated into two groups, which did not coincide with the seasonality described for the ETP (wet versus dry season). Rather, groups comprised wet (May to November) and dry season months (December to April). The first group included November, December, February and March. During these months, significantly higher hyperiid richness, diversity and abundance were found, although colder subsurface water temperatures in Gorgona were registered only during February and March. The other group included May to October and January, and was characterized by lower hyperiid diversity and abundance values. Significant correlations were found between hyperiid abundance and the possible gelatinous zooplankton hosts (medusae, siphonophores and salps). This study contributes to increasing knowledge of the zooplankton community in the Panama Bight, as well as of a poorly studied group in the ETP.
Pictures from an Antarctic expedition: Mikhailov on the Bellingshausen voyage
Authors: Bulkeley Rip
Published: December 2011

The artist Pavel Nikolayevich Mikhailov (1786–1840) took part in the Antarctic expedition of the Imperial Russian Navy commanded by Captain F.F. Bellingshausen from 1819 to 1821. The author was invited to view the collection of Mikhailov's work, from two expeditions, that is held at the Russian Museum, St Petersburg. The Bellingshausen pieces in the collection are described, and their relationships to the smaller collection of Mikhailov's work for the Bellingshausen expedition, held at the State Historical Museum in Moscow, to the lithographs in theAtlasvolume of Bellingshausen's published narrative, and to the various versions of Mikhailov's images that have been published in the 20th and 21st centuries, are discussed.
Outbreak of hepatitis A in an extended family after importation by non-immune travellers
Authors: KUMBANG J. , EJIDE S. , TEDDER R. S. , NGUI S. L.
Published: December 2011

The incidence of hepatitis A in England has declined in recent years, but travel-related cases and imported infections remain a challenge. We report an outbreak of hepatitis A in an extended family where two primary cases were infected while in Pakistan and two secondary cases were infected in England. All four were infected by the same genotype IIIA virus. Testing of the children in the extended family by dried blood spots (DBS) determined that three had evidence of recent past infections (anti-HAV IgM positive), one had a current asymptomatic infection (anti-HAV IgM and HAV RNA positive) and one was incubating the virus (anti-HAV IgM negative, HAV RNA positive). HAV RNA from the DBS was identical to the adult cases. This outbreak demonstrates secondary spread of hepatitis A by asymptomatic children after importation from abroad and highlights the importance of preventing travel-associated hepatitis A infection.
Part of speech tagging for Arabic
Authors: KÜBLER SANDRA , MOHAMED EMAD
Published: December 2011

This paper presents an investigation of part of speech (POS) tagging for Arabic as it occurs naturally, i.e. unvocalized text (without diacritics). We also do not assume any prior tokenization, although this was used previously as a basis for POS tagging. Arabic is a morphologically complex language, i.e. there is a high number of inflections per word; and the tagset is larger than the typical tagset for English. Both factors, the second one being partly dependent on the first, increase the number of word/tag combinations, for which the POS tagger needs to find estimates, and thus they contribute to data sparseness. We present a novel approach to Arabic POS tagging that does not require any pre-processing, such as segmentation or tokenization: whole word tagging. In this approach, the complete word is assigned a complex POS tag, which includes morphological information. A competing approach investigates the effect of segmentation and vocalization on POS tagging to alleviate data sparseness and ambiguity. In the segmentation-based approach, we first automatically segment words and then POS tags the segments. The complex tagset encompasses 993 POS tags, whereas the segment-based tagset encompasses only 139 tags. However, segments are also more ambiguous, thus there are more possible combinations of segment tags. In realistic situations, in which we have no information about segmentation or vocalization, whole word tagging reaches the highest accuracy of 94.74%. If gold standard segmentation or vocalization is available, including this information improves POS tagging accuracy. However, while our automatic segmentation and vocalization modules reach state-of-the-art performance, their performance is not reliable enough for POS tagging and actually impairs POS tagging performance. Finally, we investigate whether a reduction of the complex tagset to the Extra-Reduced Tagset as suggested by Habash and Rambow (Habash, N., and Rambow, O. 2005. Arabic tokenization, part-of-speech tagging and morphological disambiguation in one fell swoop. In Proceedings of the 43rd Annual Meeting of the Association for Computational Linguistics (ACL), Ann Arbor, MI, USA, pp. 573–80) will alleviate the data sparseness problem. While the POS tagging accuracy increases due to the smaller tagset, a closer look shows that using a complex tagset for POS tagging and then converting the resulting annotation to the smaller tagset results in a higher accuracy than tagging using the smaller tagset directly.
Apprehending Human Form
Authors: Thompson Michael
Published: December 2011

My immediate aim in this lecture is to contribute something to the apt characterization ofour representation and knowledge of the specifically human life form, as I will put it—and, to some extent, of things ‘human’ more generally. In particular I want to argue against an exaggerated empiricism about such cognition. Meditation on these themes might be pursued as having a kind of interest of its own, an epistemological and in the end metaphysical interest, but my own purpose in the matter is practical-philosophical. I want to employ my theses to make room for a certain range of doctrines in ethical theory and the theory of practical rationality—doctrines, namely, ofnatural normativityornatural goodness, as we may call them. I am not proposing to attempt a positive argument for any such ‘neo-Aristotelian’ position, but merely to defend such views against certain familiar lines of objection; and even here my aims will be limited, as will be seen.
Does Modern Moral Philosophy Rest on a Mistake?
Authors: Crisp Roger
Published: December 2011

Someone once told me that the average number of readers of a philosophy article is about six. That is a particularly depressing thought when one takes into account the huge influence of certain articles. When I think of, say, Gettier's article on knowledge, or Quine's ‘Two Dogmas’, I begin to wonder whether anyone is ever likely to read anything I write. Usually the arguments of these very influential articles have been subjected to widespread analysis and interpretation. The case of Elizabeth Anscombe's ‘Modern Moral Philosophy’, published in 1958, is something of an exception. That article has played a significant part in the development of so-called ‘virtue ethics’, which has burgeoned over the last three decades in particular. But there has been less close attention to its arguments than one might have expected.
The Force of Numbers
Authors: Raz Joseph
Published: December 2011

A view as widely endorsed as it is disputed says, formulating it in my own words:The only thing we have reason to do is promote value. This I will callThe promotion of valuethesis (or principle).
Reason, Intention, and Choice An essay in Practical Philosophy
Authors: Lawrence Gavin
Published: December 2011

It is the famous first thesis of Anscombe's ‘Modern Moral Philosophy’ that we should lay aside moral philosophy—indeed ‘banish ethics totally from our minds’! (p. 38, paragraph 36)—‘until we have an adequate philosophy of psychology’. By a ‘philosophy of psychology’ I understand Anscombe to mean grammatical investigations into various psychological concepts that hold the key to ethics. Anscombe herself instances ‘action’, ‘intention’, ‘pleasure’, ‘wanting’ (‘more will probably turn up if we start with these’). Without such an understanding, she thinks we will simply go astray.
Modern Moral Philosophy and the Problem of Relevant Descriptions
Authors: O'Neill Onora
Published: December 2011

Anscombe's indictment of modern moral philosophy is full-blooded. She began with three strong claims:

The first is that is not profitable to do moral philosophy… until we have an adequate philosophy of psychology, in which we are conspicuously lacking. The second is that the concepts of obligation and duty… and of the moral sense of ‘ought’, ought to be jettisoned… because they are derivatives… from an earlier conception of ethics… and are only harmful without it. The third thesis is that the differences between the well-known English writers on moral philosophy from Sidgwick to the present are of little importance.
The Impact of Debt Advice as a Response to Financial Difficulties in Ireland
Authors: Stamp Stuart
Published: December 2011

Irish social policy has, since the early 1990s, prioritised debt advice as the primary policy tool for addressing over-indebtedness, targeting low-income households in particular. This article, which draws on secondary analysis of datasets and qualitative interviews, suggests that ‘person-centred’ debt advice plays a major role in alleviating personal over-indebtedness and its effects among this group. However, the government's objective that it should facilitate financial independence is unrealistic. For such debt advice to be effective, complimentary legal and institutional solutions to debt problems are required in Ireland. The dearth of financial options and resources available also needs to be addressed.
From Housing Wealth to Mortgage Debt: The Emergence of Britain's Asset-Shaped Welfare State
Authors: Lowe Stuart G. , Searle Beverley A. , Smith Susan J.
Published: December 2011

Housing has been unjustifiably neglected in comparative welfare state research. The banking crisis of 2007–08, however, revealed how important housing, especially home ownership and the institutional structures of the mortgage market, has become to welfare state change. Securitisation of mortgages created a new circuit of global capital, while national mortgage markets became the conduit through which home owners were connected to this wave of globally sourced capital. In the UK, equity stored in owner-occupied property became much more fungible because of the very open/liberal mortgage market. As a result home owners began to ‘bank’ on their homes using it not only for consumption but increasingly as a financial safety net, a cushion against adversity and a means for securing access to privately supplied services and supporting their family's welfare needs across the life-course. This welfare state change – a move towards asset-based welfare – was historically and today remains underpinned by the emergence of the UK as a home-owning society.
Dead Sea deep cores: A window into past climate and seismicity
Authors: Stein Mordechai , Ben‐Avraham Zvi , Goldstein Steven L.
Published: December 2011

The area surrounding the Dead Sea was the locus of humankind's migration out of Africa and thus has been the home of peoples since the Stone Age. For this reason, understanding the climate and tectonic history of the region provides valuable insight into archaeology and studies of human history and helps to gain a better picture of future climate and tectonic scenarios. The deposits at the bottom of the Dead Sea are a geological archive of the environmental conditions (e.g., rains, floods, dust storms, droughts) during ice ages and warm ages, as well as of seismic activity in this key region. An International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) deep drilling project was performed in the Dead Sea between November 2010 and March 2011. The project was funded by the ICDP and agencies in Israel, Germany, Japan, Norway, Switzerland, and the United States. Drilling was conducted using the new Large Lake Drilling Facility (Figure 1), a barge with a drilling rig run by DOSECC, Inc. (Drilling, Observation and Sampling of the Earth's Continental Crust), a nonprofit corporation dedicated to advancing scientific drilling worldwide. The main purpose of the project was to recover a long, continuous core to provide a high resolution record of the paleoclimate, paleoenvironment, paleoseismicity, and paleomagnetism of the Dead Sea Basin. With this, scientists are beginning to piece together a record of the climate and seismic history of the Middle East during the past several hundred thousand years in millennial to decadal to annual time resolution.
Concerns about Landsat 5 failure
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: December 2011

An electronic component on board the Landsat 5 Earth observation satellite has indicated signs of impending failure, and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has stopped acquiring images from the satellite, the agency announced on 18 November. USGS engineers have suspended imaging activities for 90 days to explore options for restoring image transmissions from the satellite, which was launched in 1984 and has operated long beyond the 3 years it was designed to last. “This anticipated decline of Landsat 5 provides confirmation of the importance of the timely launch of the next Landsat mission and the need for an operational and reliable National Land Imaging System,” said Anne Castle, assistant secretary for water and science at the U.S. Department of the Interior. USGS is part of the Interior department. Landsat 7, launched in 1999 with a 5‐year design life, remains in orbit. Landsat 8, the Landsat Data Continuity Mission, has a January 2013 scheduled launch.