bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of a Functional Measure for Persons With Alzheimer’s Disease: The Disability Assessment for Dementia
Authors: Gélinas Isabelle , Gauthier Louise , McIntyre Maria , Gauthier Serge
Published: April 2012

Objectives. This article describes the development of an assessment of functional disability for use with proxyrespondents of community-dwelling persons who have Alzheimer’s disease as well as a study testing its reliability.

Method. Panels composed of health care professionals and caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s disease were used to develop the Disability Assessment for Dementia (DAD). Fifty-nine caregivers participated in the refinement of the content and the testing of reliability.

Results. The DAD includes 40 items: 17 related to basic self-care and 23 to instrumental activities of daily living. It demonstrated a high degree of internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = .96) and excellent interrater (N = 31, ICC = .95) and test–retest (N = 45, ICC = .96) reliability. In addition, it was found not to have gender bias.

Conclusion. This instrument may help clinicians and caregivers of the population with Alzheimer’s disease make decisions regarding the choice of suitable interventions.
The Effects of Occupational Therapy With Sensory Integration Emphasis on Preschool-Age Children With Autism
Authors: Case-Smith Jane , Bryan Teresa
Published: April 2012

Objective. Using single-subject research design, the effects of an occupational therapy intervention emphasizing sensory integration with five preschool children with autism were examined.

Method. In the AB design, nonengagement, mastery play, and interaction were measured, using videotape clips of each child’s free play in the preschool. Following a 3-week baseline, an occupational therapist provided one-on-one sessions and consultation to teachers for 10 weeks.

Results. When baseline and intervention phases were compared, four children demonstrated decreased frequency of nonengaged behavior, and three demonstrated increased frequency of mastery (goal-directed) play. Improvements in frequency of interaction were minimal.

Conclusion. The results support descriptions in the literature regarding the behavioral changes that children with autism can make when participating in intervention using a sensory integration approach.
Motor Performance Changes in Children Testing Positive for HIV Over 2 Years
Authors: Parks Rebecca A. , Danoff Jerome V.
Published: April 2012

Objective. To determine the effect of HIV infection on the motor performance of children and preadolescents, the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP) was administered to see whether performance scores (raw and standard) would change with duration of the disease.

Method. Thirty-four children and preadolescents were tested on the BOTMP at initial diagnosis of HIV positive and again at 6-month intervals over a 2-year period for a total of five test sessions. The participants’ scores on the Gross, Fine, and Battery Composites, as well as eight individual subtests, were compared with those of children who were developing typically.

Results. Gross Composite and Battery Composite percentile scores were consistently 1 to 2 standard deviations below the means for the normal reference populations over the 2-year period. Fine Composite scores were closer than +.5 standard deviation to the mean for the normal reference population.

Conclusion. Gross motor function was more impaired than fine motor function in this sample of children and preadolescents who were HIV positive, and this pattern was unchanged after 2 years of infection. The BOTMP can be useful both to identify specific areas of motor deficits and to monitor changes in motor function over time after application of interventions.
Differences between downscaling with spectral and grid nudging using WRF
Authors: Liu P. , Tsimpidi A. P. , Hu Y. , Stone B. , Russell A. G. , Nenes A.
Published: April 2012

Abstract. Dynamical downscaling has been extensively used to study regional climate forced by large-scale global climate models. During the downscaling process, however, the simulation of regional climate models (RCMs) tends to drift away from the driving fields. Developing a solution that addresses this issue, by retaining the large scale features (from the large-scale fields) and the small-scale features (from the RCMs) has led to the development of "nudging" techniques. Here, we examine the performance of two nudging techniques, grid and spectral nudging, in the downscaling of NCEP/NCAR data with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model. The simulations are compared against the results with North America Regional Reanalysis (NARR) data set at different scales of interest using the concept of similarity. We show that with the appropriate choice of wave numbers, spectral nudging outperforms grid nudging in the capacity of balancing the performance of simulation at the large and small scales.
Detailed flow, hydrometeor and lightning characteristics of an isolated thunderstorm during COPS
Authors: Schmidt K. , Hagen M. , Höller H. , Richard E. , Volkert H.
Published: April 2012

Abstract. The three-hour life-cycle of the isolated thunderstorm on 15 July 2007 during the Convective and Orographically-induced Precipitation Study (COPS) is documented in detail, with a special emphasis on the rapid development and mature phases. Remote sensing techniques as 5-min rapid scans from geostationary satellites, combined velocity retrievals from up to four Doppler-radars, the polarimetric determination of hydrometeors and spatio-temporal occurrences of lightning strokes are employed to arrive at a synoptic quantification of the physical parameters of this, during the COPS period, rare event. Inner cloud flow fields are available from radar multiple Doppler analyses, gridded on a 500 m-mesh, at four consecutive times separated by 15 min-intervals (14:35, 14:50, 15:05, 15:20; all times are in UTC). They contain horizontal winds of around 15 m s−1 and updrafts exceeding 5 m s−1, the latter collocated with lightning strokes. Reflectivity and polarimetric data indicate the existence of hail at the 2 km level around 14:40. Furthermore, polarimetric and Doppler radar variables indicate intense hydrometeor variability and cloud dynamics corresponding to an enhanced variance of the retrieved 3-D wind fields. Profiles of flow and hydrometeor statistics over the entire cloud volume provide reference data for high-resolution, episode-type numerical weather prediction runs in research mode. The study embarks from two multi-channel time-lapse movie-loops from geostationary satellite imagery (as Supplement), which provide an intuitive distinction of six phases making up the entire life-cycle of the thunderstorm. It concludes with a triple image-loop, juxtaposing a close-up of the cloud motion as seen by Meteosat, simulated brightness temperature (as a proxy for clouds seen by the infrared satellite channel), and a perspective view on the model generated system of cloud cells. By employing the motion-geared human visual system, such multiple image loops provide a high, and as yet hardly utilised potential for a well-grounded specification of further sensitivity experiments in the modelling community.
Inferring Amazon leaf demography from satellite observations of leaf area index
Authors: Caldararu S. , Palmer P. I. , Purves D. W.
Published: April 2012

Abstract. Seasonal and year-to-year variations in leaf cover imprint significant spatial and temporal variability on biogeochemical cycles, and affect land-surface properties related to climate. We develop a demographic model of leaf phenology based on the hypothesis that trees seek an optimal leaf area index (LAI) as a function of available light and soil water, and fit it to spaceborne observations of LAI over the Amazon basin, 2001–2005. We find the model reproduces the spatial and temporal LAI distribution whilst also predicting geographic variation in leaf age from the basin centre (2.1 ± 0.2 years), through to the lowest values over the deciduous eastern and southern Amazon (6 ± 2 months). The model explains the observed increase in LAI during the dry season as a net addition of leaves in response to increased solar radiation. We anticipate our work to be a starting point from which to develop better descriptions of leaf phenology to incorporate into more sophisticated earth system models.
"OAE 3" – a low- to mid-latitude Atlantic oceanic event during the Coniacian-Santonian
Authors: Wagreich M.
Published: April 2012

Abstract. The Coniacian-Santonian time interval is the inferred time of oceanic anoxic event 3 (OAE 3), the last of the Cretaceous OAEs. A detailed look on the temporal and spatial distribution of organic-rich deposits attributed to OAE 3 suggests that black shale occurrences are restricted to the equatorial to mid-latitudinal Atlantic and adjacent basins, shelves and epicontinental seas like parts of the Caribbean, the Maracaibo Basin and the Western Interior Basin, and are largely absent in the Tethys, the North Atlantic, the southern South Atlantic, and the Pacific. Here, oxic bottom waters prevailed as indicated by the widespread occurrence of red deep-marine CORBs (Cretaceous Oceanic Red Beds). Widespread CORB sedimentation started during the Turonian after Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 (OAE 2) except in the Atlantic realm where organic-rich strata continue up to the Santonian. The temporal distribution of black shales attributed to OAE 3 indicates that organic-rich strata do not define a single and distinct short-time event, but are distributed over a longer time span and occur in different basins during different times. This suggests intermittent and regional anoxic conditions from the Coniacian to the Santonian. A comparison of time-correlated high-resolution δ13C curves for this interval indicates several minor positive excursions of about 0.5 permil, probably as a result of massive organic carbon burial cycles in the Atlantic. Regional wind-induced upwelling and silled deep basins may have contributed to the development of anoxia during a global oxic time interval, thus highlighting the regional character of inferred OAE 3 as an Atlantic anoxic event (AAE).
A model-data comparison for a multi-model ensemble of early Eocene atmosphere-ocean simulations: EoMIP
Authors: Lunt D. J. , Dunkley Jones T. , Heinemann M. , Huber M. , LeGrande A. , Winguth A. , Loptson C. , Marotzke J. , Tindall J. , Valdes P. , Winguth C.
Published: April 2012

Abstract. The early Eocene (~55 to 50 Ma) is a time period which has been explored in a large number of modelling and data studies. Here, using an ensemble of previously published model results, making up "EoMIP" – the Eocene Modelling Intercomparison Project, and syntheses of early Eocene terrestrial and SST temperature data, we present a self-consistent inter-model and model-data comparison. This shows that the previous modelling studies exhibit a very wide inter-model variability, but that at high CO2, there is good agreement between models and data for this period, particularly if possible seasonal biases in some of the proxies are considered. An energy balance analysis explores the reasons for the differences between the model results, and suggests that differences in surface albedo feedbacks, water vapour and lapse rate feedbacks, and prescribed aerosol loading are the dominant cause for the different results seen in the models, rather than inconsistencies in other prescribed boundary conditions or differences in cloud feedbacks. The CO2 level which would give optimal early Eocene model-data agreement, based on those models which have carried out simulations with more than one CO2 level, is in the range 2000 ppmv to 6500 ppmv. Given the spread of model results, tighter bounds on proxy estimates of atmospheric CO2 during this time period will allow a quantitative assessment of the skill of the models at simulating warm climates, which could be used as a metric for weighting future climate predictions.
Detection, tracking and event localization of jet stream features in 4-D atmospheric data
Authors: Limbach S. , Schömer E. , Wernli H.
Published: April 2012

Abstract. We introduce a novel algorithm for the efficient detection and tracking of features in spatiotemporal atmospheric data, as well as for the precise localization of the occurring genesis, lysis, merging and splitting events. The algorithm works on data given on a four-dimensional structured grid. Feature selection and clustering are based on adjustable local and global criteria, feature tracking is predominantly based on spatial overlaps of the feature's full volumes. The resulting 3-D features and the identified correspondences between features of consecutive time steps are represented as the nodes and edges of a directed acyclic graph, the event graph. Merging and splitting events appear in the event graph as nodes with multiple incoming or outgoing edges, respectively. The precise localization of the splitting events is based on a search for all grid points inside the initial 3-D feature that have a similar distance to two successive 3-D features of the next time step. The merging event is localized analogously, operating backward in time. As a first application of our method we present a climatology of upper-tropospheric jet streams and their events, based on four-dimensional wind speed data from European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) analyses. We compare our results with a climatology from a previous study, investigate the statistical distribution of the merging and splitting events, and illustrate the meteorological significance of the jet splitting events with a case study. A brief outlook is given on additional potential applications of the 4-D data segmentation technique.
Integration of SRTM and TRMM date into the GIS-based hydrological model for the purpose of flood modelling
Authors: Akbari A. , Abu Samah A. , Othman F.
Published: April 2012

Abstract. Due to land use and climate changes, more severe and frequent floods occur worldwide. Flood simulation as the first step in flood risk management can be robustly conducted with integration of GIS, RS and flood modeling tools. The primary goal of this research is to examine the practical use of public domain satellite data and GIS-based hydrologic model. Firstly, database development process is described. GIS tools and techniques were used in the light of relevant literature to achieve the appropriate database. Watershed delineation and parameterizations were carried out using cartographic DEM derived from digital topography at a scale of 1:25 000 with 30 m cell size and SRTM elevation data at 30 m cell size. The SRTM elevation dataset is evaluated and compared with cartographic DEM. With the assistance of statistical measures such as Correlation coefficient (r), Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), Percent Bias (PBias) or Percent of Error (PE). According to NSE index, SRTM-DEM can be used for watershed delineation and parameterization with 87% similarity with Topo-DEM in a complex and underdeveloped terrains. Primary TRMM (V6) data was used as satellite based hytograph for rainfall-runoff simulation. The SCS-CN approach was used for losses and kinematic routing method employed for hydrograph transformation through the reaches. It is concluded that TRMM estimates do not give adequate information about the storms as it can be drawn from the rain gauges. Event-based flood modeling using HEC-HMS proved that SRTM elevation dataset has the ability to obviate the lack of terrain data for hydrologic modeling where appropriate data for terrain modeling and simulation of hydrological processes is unavailable. However, TRMM precipitation estimates failed to explain the behavior of rainfall events and its resultant peak discharge and time of peak.
Quasi-synchronous multi-parameter anomalies associated with the 2010–2011 New Zealand earthquake sequence
Authors: Qin K. , Wu L. X. , De Santis A. , Meng J. , Ma W. Y. , Cianchini G.
Published: April 2012

Abstract. Positive thermal anomalies about one month before the 3 September 2010 Mw = 7.1 New Zealand earthquake and "coincidental" quasi-synchronous fluctuations of GPS displacement were reported. Whether there were similar phenomena associated with the aftershocks? To answer it, the following was investigated: multiple parameters including surface and near-surface air temperature, surface latent heat flux, GPS displacement and soil moisture, using a long-term statistical analysis method. We found that local thermal and deformation anomalies appeared quasi-synchronously in three particular tectonic zones, not only about one month before the mainshock, but also tens of days before the 21 February 2011 Mw = 6.3 aftershock, and that the time series of soil moisture on the epicenter pixel had obvious peaks on most of the anomalous days. Based on local tectonic geology, hydrology and meteorology, the particular lithosphere-coversphere-atmosphere coupling mode is interpreted and four mechanisms (magmatic-hydrothermal fluids upwelling, soil moisture increasing, underground pore gases leaking, and positive holes activating and recombining) are discussed.
Technical Note: Assessing predictive capacity and conditional independence of landslide predisposing factors for shallow landslide susceptibility models
Authors: Pereira S. , Zêzere J. L. , Bateira C.
Published: April 2012

Abstract. The aim of this study is to identify the landslide predisposing factors' combination using a bivariate statistical model that best predicts landslide susceptibility. The best model is one that has simultaneously good performance in terms of suitability and predictive power and has been developed using variables that are conditionally independent. The study area is the Santa Marta de Penaguião council (70 km2) located in the Northern Portugal. In order to identify the best combination of landslide predisposing factors, all possible combinations using up to seven predisposing factors were performed, which resulted in 120 predictions that were assessed with a landside inventory containing 767 shallow translational slides. The best landslide susceptibility model was selected according to the model degree of fitness and on the basis of a conditional independence criterion. The best model was developed with only three landslide predisposing factors (slope angle, inverse wetness index, and land use) and was compared with a model developed using all seven landslide predisposing factors. Results showed that it is possible to produce a reliable landslide susceptibility model using fewer landslide predisposing factors, which contributes towards higher conditional independence.
The 2011 marine heat wave off southwest Australia
Authors: Rose T. H. , Smale D. A. , Botting G.
Published: April 2012

Abstract. Over 2000 km of Western Australian coastline experienced a significant marine heat wave in February and March 2011. Seawater temperature anomalies of +2–4 °C were recorded at a number of locations and satellite-derived SSTs were the highest on record. Here, we present seawater temperatures from southwestern Australia and describe, in detail, the marine climatology of Cockburn Sound; a large, multiple-use coastal embayment. We compared temperature and dissolved oxygen levels in 2011 with data from routine monitoring conducted from 2002–2010. A significant warming event, 2–4 °C in magnitude, persisted for >8 weeks, and seawater temperatures at 10 to 20 m depth were significantly higher than those recorded in the previous 9 yr. Dissolved oxygen levels were depressed at most monitoring sites, being ~2 mg l−1 lower than usual in early March 2011. Ecological responses to short-term extreme events are poorly understood, but evidence from elsewhere along the Western Australian coastline suggests that the heat wave was associated with high rates of coral bleaching, fish, invertebrate and macroalgae mortalities, and algal blooms. However, more ecological information from Cockburn Sound and other multiple-use embayments is urgently needed. The 2011 heat wave provided insights into conditions that may become more prevalent in Cockburn Sound, and elsewhere, if the intensity and frequency of short-term extreme events increases as predicted.
A numerical model for meltwater channel evolution in glaciers
Authors: Jarosch A. H. , Gudmundsson M. T.
Published: April 2012

Abstract. Meltwater channels form an integral part of the hydrological system of a glacier. Better understanding of how meltwater channels develop and evolve is required to fully comprehend supraglacial and englacial meltwater drainage. Incision of supraglacial stream channels and subsequent roof closure by ice deformation has been proposed in recent literature as a possible englacial conduit formation process. Field evidence for supraglacial stream incision has been found in Svalbard and Nepal. In Iceland, where volcanic activity provides meltwater with temperatures above 0 °C, rapid enlargement of supraglacial channels has been observed. Supraglacial channels provide meltwater through englacial passages to the subglacial hydrological systems of big ice sheets, which in turn affects ice sheet motion and their contribution to eustatic sea level change. By coupling, for the first time, a numerical ice dynamic model to a hydraulic model which includes heat transfer, we investigate the evolution of meltwater channels and their incision behaviour. We present results for different, constant meltwater fluxes, different channel slopes, different meltwater temperatures, different melt rate distributions in the channel as well as temporal variations in meltwater flux. The key parameters governing incision rate and depth are channel slope, meltwater temperature loss to the ice and meltwater flux. Channel width and geometry are controlled by melt rate distribution along the channel wall. Calculated Nusselt numbers suggest that turbulent mixing is the main heat transfer mechanism in the meltwater channels studied.
The Fourth Branch of Government: How Direct Democracy is Altering the Structure of State Governments
Authors: Helgerman Thomas
Published: April 2012

This paper aims to explore how direct democracy (i.e. the initiative and referendum) affect the balance of power in state governments. Traditionally, like the federal government, state governments consist of three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. Due to a complex system of checks and balances, one branch cannot become too powerful, adhering to an anti-monarchy sentiment of the founders of the United States. In this set-up, the legislative branch is responsible for creating policy, the executive branch is responsible for implementing it, and the judicial branch is responsible for interpreting it. My thesis is that direct democracy, by allowing the populous to directly implement policy without bearing the responsibility for their actions as politicians do, undermines the legislative branch and therefore representative democracy itself, leading to irresponsible legislation that is not subject to the scrutiny of the United States political process.
Reform and Revolution: The Arab Spring at One Year
Authors: Brown Simon
Published: April 2012

This paper concerns the differences in the development of the Algerian and Egyptian uprisings within the context of the Arab Spring revolts.
God Save the King: Letter from Swaziland
Authors: Samudzi Zoe
Published: April 2012

Swaziland has for the past 300 years been subject to royal rule. The ruling monarch, King Mswati III, has been living in disconnect with his subjects and has failed to modernize the monarchy. In the midst of this regime that is still dictatorial and fails to abide by the constitution, unrest is slowly brewing in the tiny and mountainous country. With the present political climate of long-standing rulers being toppled, are the king's days numbered?
The Influence of Ron Paul: Loud Bang or Flash in the Pan?
Authors: Kozlowski Mark T.
Published: April 2012

The 2012 primary season has been one of the most volatile in recent memory, with the Republican Party struggling to settle on a candidate. The campaign has also vaulted some previously obscure politicians to national prominence, only to relegate them again to obscurity. Ron Paul has demonstrated perhaps the most dramatic transformation, from a lone voice who was once largely ignored to one of the last four candidates for the nomination, who has performed quite creditably in several primaries. In this article, I examine how much influence Paul is going to have in the short term, up to and including the Republican National Convention. I also examine how lasting his influence will be over the long term, and whether or not he will mount a third-party bid in 2012.
#140ToWinIt
Authors: Sakaria Ankur , Singer Matthew , Uhrmacher David
Published: April 2012

The Internet has transformed from being almost insubstantial in political campaigns to being essential in only ten years. The elections of 2008 and 2010 have revolutionized the way that campaigns reach out to voters, with a new benchmark set by President Barack Obama and his campaign team in 2008. In the 2010 midterm elections, Republicans in Congress were able to match Obama’s social media success, and voters turned out in their favor. By delving into the uses of social media in those campaigns, we can evaluate how Republicans in the upcoming 2012 campaign are sharing the same success.
Making a Beast With Green Backs: The Legal Battle Over Money in American Elections
Authors: Chidiac Thomas Edward
Published: April 2012

An examination of the legal battle over Citizens United and its consequences for our electoral system.
Complacency and Controversy: Transgender Policy on Pitt's Campus
Authors: Hallinan Julie
Published: April 2012

The University of Pittsburgh updated its Nondiscrimination Policy in 2008 to include "gender identity and expression." This article looks at the transgender policies of other universities in order to evaluate whether Pitt could be doing more to be an advocate for social equality.
Hillary 2016: Will a Second Clinton Era Arise?
Authors: Editorial Staff Senior
Published: April 2012

Given Hillary Clinton’s role as Secretary of State over the past four years, how electable of a candidate would she be for the presidential election in 2016? The PPR senior editorial staff briefly summarizes the past four years and evaluates her chances at a 2016 bid.
Four new species of Diorygma from India
Authors: Sharma Bharati , Khadilkar Pradnya
Published: April 2012

Four new species of the lichen genus Diorygma from India are described — D. agumbense, D. dandeliense, and D. karnatakense from the Western Ghats and D. rupicola from Northeast India.
Typification of Lecanora expallens and L. expallens var. conizaea (Lecanorales, Ascomycota)
Authors: Kukwa Martin
Published: April 2012

Lectotypes are selected for Lecanora expallens and L. expallens var. conizaea from the collection in H-ACH. Characteristic of the species based on the type collection is provided.
Gloeocystidiellum kenyense in Azores and Madeira
Authors: Telleria M. Teresa , Dueñas Margarita , Melo Ireneia , Beltrán-Tejera Esperanza , Rodríguez-Armas J. Laura , Salcedo Isabel , Martín María P.
Published: April 2012

The aim of this study was to clarify the identity of several collections of Gloeocystidiellum from Azores Archipelago and Madeira Island that were initially related to the Gloeocystidiellum porosum–clavuligerum group. Three new ITS nrDNA sequences were aligned
and analysed phylogenetically with 18 homologous sequences from GenBank. The two main lineages, with very high bootstrap value, that were detected correspond to two wellseparated species, G. kenyense and G. clavuligerum. The sequences obtained from Azores and Madeira specimens
clustered in the G. kenyense clade. Gloeocystidiellum kenyense is described and illustrated from the specimens collected in Macaronesian region, and its affinities with G. clavuligerum are discussed.
Tuber in China: T. microspermum and T. microspiculatum spp. nov.
Authors: Fan Li , Cao Jin-Zhong , Zheng Zhao-Hui , Li Yu
Published: April 2012

Two new species, Tuber microspermum and T. microspiculatum, are described from China. Tuber microspermum is characterized by small asci and spiny reticulate ascospores; T. microspiculatum can be separated from the other species with spinoreticulate ornamented
ascospores by numerous minute meshes.
Marasmioid and gymnopoid fungi of the Republic of Korea. 5. Marasmius sect. Hygrometrici
Authors: Antonín Vladimír , Ryoo Rhim , Ka Kang-Hyeon , Shin Hyeon-Dong
Published: April 2012

Two species of Marasmius sect. Hygrometrici from South Korea are published in this paper. Descriptions based on morphological characteristics and illustrations are provided. Marasmius crescentiae is a new record for the studied region, and "M. junipericola"
represents a provisional new species.
Psilocybe s.s. in Thailand: four new species and a review of previously recorded species
Authors: Guzmán Gastón , Ramírez Guillén Florencia , Hyde Kevin D. , Karunarathna Samantha C.
Published: April 2012

Psilocybe deconicoides, P. cubensis, P. magnispora, P. samuiensis, and P. thailandensis (previously known from Thailand) are revisited, and P. thaiaerugineomaculans, P. thaicordispora, P. thaiduplicatocystidiata, and P. thaizapoteca
are described as new species. These new species are bluing and belong to sections Cordisporae, Stuntzae, and Zapotecorum. Following the recent conservation of Psilocybe as the generic name for bluing species, P. deconicoides, which does not blue upon bruising,
is transferred to Deconica, while the bluing taxa P. cubensis (sect. Cubensae), P. magnispora and P. thailandensis (sect. Neocaledonicae), and P. samuiensis (sect. Mexicanae) remain in Psilocybe.
A new Corynesporella species and two first records from China
Authors: Ma Li-Guo , Ma Jian , Zhang Yi-Dong , Zhang Xiu-Guo
Published: April 2012

A new species, Corynesporella obclavata, is described and illustrated from dead branches of Pistacia chinensis collected from tropical forests in Yunnan Province, China. A synopsis of Corynesporella species is provided. Stephembruneria elegans and Diplococcium
pulneyense are recorded for the first time from China.
Prevalence of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg) Among HIV Seropositive Patients
Authors: Anamika Vyas  , Ramavtar Saini  , Pooja Gangrade
Published: April 2012

Introduction: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Hepatitis B virus (HBV) share the routes of transmission as a consequences infection with Hepatitis B Virus are expected to occur in HIV infected patients. The co-infection of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) have become a major health care catastrophe as it complicates the clinical course, management and therapy for HIV infection. Hence it is important to identify them as early as possible.
Aim: The prevalence of HBV co-infection with HIV varies widely across different studies within India and outsides. This study is planned to evaluate the prevalence of HIV-HBV co-infection by HBsAg screening in HIV seropositive patients in our region.
Material and Method: A total of 140 HIV seropositive patients were screened for the presence of Hepatitis B virus on the basis of the presence of HBsAg.
Result: In patients infected with HIV the prevalence of HBsAg was 7.1% (10/140) wherease in control group it was 1% (5/500).
Discussion: Our study documents fairly high rate of Hepatitis B co-infection among HIV seropositive patients suggesting that it should be mandatory to screen every HIV seropositive patient and their sexual partners for co infection with HBV and vice versa for early detection and a simultaneous treatment of hepatitis B co-infection beside HIV infection management to reduce the morbidity, delay mortality and improve quality of life in HIV-AIDS patients.
Polymers Based on Phenols
Authors: Solomon D. H. , Qiao G. G. , Caulfield M. J.
Published: April 2012

Introduction

Phenol–Carbonyl Resins

Carbon Derived from Phenolic Resins

Other Polymers with Phenolic Components
Impact of Medicare Part D for Medicare‐age adults with arthritis: Prescription use, prescription expenditures, and medical spending from 2005 to 2008
Authors: Cheng Lung‐I , Rascati Karen L.
Published: April 2012

Objective

To evaluate the impact of Medicare Part D on medication utilization, drug expenditures, and medical expenditures in patients with arthritis.

Methods

This was a retrospective study using a national sample of 2,484 Medicare‐eligible beneficiaries with arthritis from the pooled Medical Expenditure Panel Survey 2005–2008 data. Quantile regression was used to estimate the following outcomes: 1) number of prescription fills, 2) total drug expenditures, 3) out‐of‐pocket (OOP) drug expenditures, 4) Medicare‐paid drug expenditures, 5) total medical expenditures (including all payments for inpatient/outpatient care, prescription drugs, and other medical services), 6) OOP medical expenditures, and 7) Medicare‐paid medical expenditures. For each outcome variable, the 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles were estimated, adjusting for demographics and comorbidity. All expenditures were inflation adjusted to 2008 dollars.

Results

From 2005 to 2008, the adjusted median annual number of prescription fills increased by 4.2 (14.6% change), from 28.4 to 32.6. The adjusted median OOP drug expenditures and OOP medical expenditures decreased by $151 (25.2% change) and $197 (17.3% change), respectively. The adjusted median Medicare‐paid drug and medical expenditures increased by $366 and $896 (39.5% change), respectively. The adjusted total prescription expenditures increased by $845 (25.3% change) at the 75th percentile and by $1,194 (22.0% change) at the 90th percentile. The adjusted total medical expenditures did not change significantly.

Conclusion

Medicare Part D resulted in increased medication utilization and significant reductions in OOP drug and OOP medical expenditures among beneficiaries with arthritis 3 years after its implementation. Part D was not associated with significant differences in total medical spending.
Co‐Implantation of Carbon and Protons: An Integrated Silicon Device Technology Compatible Method to Generate the Lasing G‐Center
Authors: Berhanuddin Dilla D. , Lourenço Manon A. , Gwilliam Russell M. , Homewood Kevin P.
Published: April 2012

The optically active carbon related G‐center is attracting great interest because of evidence that it can provide lasing in silicon. Here a technique to form the G‐center in silicon is reported. The carbon G‐center is generated by implantation of carbon followed by proton irradiation. Photoluminescence measurements confirm the controlled formation of high levels of the G‐center that, importantly, completely dominates the emission spectrum. Unlike previous methods of introducing the G‐center the current approach significantly is truly fully compatible with standard silicon ULSI (ultralarge scale integration) technology.
A Twisting Donor‐Acceptor Molecule with an Intercrossed Excited State for Highly Efficient, Deep‐Blue Electroluminescence
Authors: Li Weijun , Liu Dandan , Shen Fangzhong , Ma Dongge , Wang Zhiming , Feng Tao , Xu Yuanxiang , Yang Bing , Ma Yuguang
Published: April 2012

In an organic electroluminescent (EL) device, the recombination of injected holes and electrons produces what appears to be an ion‐pair or charge‐transfer (CT) exciton, and this CT exciton decays to produce one photon directly, or relaxes to a low‐lying local exciton (LE). Thus the full utilization of both the energy of the CT exciton and the LE should be a pathway for obtaining high‐efficiency EL. Here, a twisting donor‐acceptor (D‐A) triphenylamine‐imidazol molecule, TPA‐PPI, is reported: its synthesis, photophysics, and EL performance. Prepared by a manageable, one‐pot cyclizing reaction, TPA‐PPI exhibits deep‐blue emission with high quantum yields (90%) both in solution and in the solid state. Fluorescent solvatochromic experiments for TPA‐PPI solutions show a red‐shift of 57 nm (3032 cm−1) from low‐polarity hexane (406 nm) to high‐polarity acetonitrile (463 nm), accompanied by the gradual disappearance of the vibrational band in the spectra with increased solvent polarity. The photophysical investigation and DFT analysis suggest an intercrossed CT and LE excited state of the TPA‐PPI, originating from its twisting D‐A configuration. This is a rare instance that a CT‐state material shows highly efficient deep‐blue emission. EL characterization demonstrates that, as a deep‐blue emitter with CIE coordinates of (0.15, 0.11), the performance of a TPA‐PPI‐based device is rather excellent, displaying a maximum current efficiency of >5.0 cd A−1, and a maximum external quantum efficiency of >5.0%, corresponding to a maximum internal quantum efficiency of >25%. The effective utilization of the excitation energy arising from materials with intercrossed‐excited‐state (LE and CT) characters is thought to be beneficial for the improved efficiency of EL devices.
Mechanism for Efficient Photoinduced Charge Separation at Disordered Organic Heterointerfaces
Authors: van Eersel Harm , Janssen René A. J. , Kemerink Martijn
Published: April 2012

Despite the poor screening of the Coulomb potential in organic semiconductors, excitons can dissociate efficiently into free charges at a donor–acceptor heterojunction, leading to application in organic solar cells. A kinetic Monte Carlo model that explains this high efficiency as a two‐step process is presented. Driven by the band offset between donor and acceptor, one of the carriers first hops across the interface, forming a charge transfer (CT) complex. Since the electron and hole forming the CT complex have typically not relaxed within the disorder‐broadened density of states (DOS), their remaining binding energy can be overcome by further relaxation in the DOS. The model only contains parameters that are determined from independent measurements and predicts dissociation yields in excess of 90% for a prototypical heterojunction. Field, temperature, and band offset dependencies are investigated and found to be in agreement with earlier experiments. Whereas the investigated heterojunctions have substantial energy losses associated with the dissociation process, these results suggest that it is possible to reach high dissociation yields at low energy loss.
The Impact of Molecular Orientation on the Photovoltaic Properties of a Phthalocyanine/Fullerene Heterojunction
Authors: Rand Barry P. , Cheyns David , Vasseur Karolien , Giebink Noel C. , Mothy Sébastien , Yi Yuanping , Coropceanu Veaceslav , Beljonne David , Cornil Jérôme , Brédas Jean‐Luc , Genoe Jan
Published: April 2012

The anisotropy inherent to many planar organic molecules leads to a high sensitivity of various fundamental processes to the orientation of molecules within films and at heterojunctions. Such processes include absorption, charge and exciton transport, energy levels, and charge transfer, all of which are critical to organic solar cell operation. Here,an in‐depth study of bilayer cells consisting of a donor/acceptor interface between zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) and fullerene (C60) is conducted and devices with the typically deposited standing up (edge‐on) orientation are compared to those with ZnPc lying flat (face‐on). The face‐on ZnPc‐based device allows for an increase in all solar cell parameters, substantially increasing power conversion efficiency from 1.5% to 2.8%. Spectrally resolved photocurrent measurements reveal a >50% increase in ZnPc signal, from which only 12% is accounted for by the increase in absorption associated with the face‐on orientation. The increase in internal quantum efficiency is accounted for via an improved charge transfer. The results of this study indicate that proper consideration of the orientation between donor and acceptor needs to be taken in order to fully optimize the numerous processes required for photovoltaic energy conversion.
3‐Mercaptopropionic Acid–Ce(IV) Redox Couple for Preparing Cross‐Linked Gels with Moderate Swelling Ratios
Authors: Özeroglu Cemal , Özduganci Ceyda
Published: April 2012

3‐Mercaptopropionic acid–Ce(IV) redox couple has been demonstrated to be useful for cross‐linking polymerization of acrylamide (AAm) with N,N′‐methylene bis(acrylamide) (MBAA). Effects of the cross‐linker ratio, acid concentration, and Ce(IV) molar ratios on swelling behavior of the resulting hydrogels have been studied. These experiments show that increasing cross‐linker content has greatly reduced the equilibrium swelling ratios as expected. Interestingly, the increase in the Ce(IV) concentration (nCe(IV)=nMPA) has resulted in a decrease in the swelling ratio. Because the thiol group in 3‐mercaptosuccinic acid acts as a cross‐linking agent, more cross‐linking occurs with an increase in the Ce(IV) concentration and Ce(III) forming in the cross‐linking polymerization reaction of AAm with MBAA may provide the formation of intermolecular complexes between amide groups in polymer chains; the swelling equilibrium ratio and swelling rate decrease with an increase in their concentrations in the cross‐linking polymerization reaction of AAm with MBAA. Kinetics and equilibrium swelling values have been discussed in terms of reaction parameters. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 32: E241–E248, 2013; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/adv.21270
Structural and Dielectric Properties of CdS Nanoparticle Embedded Polyurethane Nanocomposite Samples
Authors: Gaur M. S. , Indolia Ajay Pal , Kumar Purushottam , Thanganathan UMA
Published: April 2012

The polymer nanocomposite samples have been prepared by solution embedding of CdS nanoparticles in polyurethane (PU). The structural properties have been studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). SEM and AFM images represent the dispersion of CdS nanoparticles in a polymer matrix. The permittivity of nanocomposite samples increases with temperature due to formation of new dipoles or accumulation of charge carriers in a nanoparticle‐‐polymer interface. The increase in permittivity with temperature can be attributed to the heat‐assisted dipole moment. Furthermore, it has been observed that permittivity is the function of nanoparticle concentration, temperature, and frequency. The high concentration of nanoparticles lowers permittivity with frequency. The positive and negative tangential loss has been observed in PU‐‐CdS nanocomposite samples. The negative loss phenomenon could be understood in terms of a local space charge separation. The phase transition of PU and PU‐‐CdS nanocomposites has been studied by using a thermally stimulated discharge current technique. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 32: E274–E286, 2013; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/adv.21273
Synthesis and characterization of a porous poly(hydroxyethylmethacrylate‐co‐ethylene glycol dimethacrylate)‐based hydrogel device for the implantable delivery of insulin
Authors: Kumar Amit , Tyagi Priyanka , Singh Harpal , Kumar Yougesh , Lahiri Sitanshu S.
Published: April 2012

Poly(hydroxyethylmethacrylate‐co‐ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) [poly(HEMA‐co‐EGDMA)]‐based hydrogel devices were synthesized by a free‐radical polymerization reaction with 2‐hydroxyethylmethacrylate as the monomer, different concentrations of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as the crosslinking agent, and ammonium persulfate/N,N,N′,N′‐tetra‐methyl ethylenediamine as the free‐radical initiator. The porosity of the poly(HEMA‐co‐EGDMA) hydrogels was controlled with water as the porogen. The Fourier transform infrared spectrum of poly(HEMA‐co‐EGDMA) showed absorption bands associated with CO stretching at 1714 cm−1, COC stretching vibrations at 1152 cm−1, and a broad band at 3500–3800 cm−1 corresponding to OH stretching. Atomic force microscopy studies showed that the hydrogel containing 67% water had pores in the range of 3500–9000 nm, whereas the hydrogel containing 7% water did not show measurable pores. The hydrogel synthesized with 1% EGDMA showed 50% thallium‐201 release within the first 30 min and about 80% release within 60 min. In vitro insulin‐release studies suggested that the hydrogel with 27% water showed sustained release up to 120 min, whereas the hydrogels with 47 and 67% water showed that nearly all of the insulin was released within 60 min. Hydrogel devices synthesized with 27% water and filled with insulin particles showed sustained release for up to 8 days, whereas the hydrogels synthesized with 47 and 67% water released insulin completely within 3 days of administration. Animal studies suggested that the hydrogel devices synthesized with 27% water and filled with insulin‐loaded particles (120 IU) were able to control blood glucose levels for up to 5 days after implantation. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Stereochemical assignments of the nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of isobornyl acrylate/methacrylonitrile copolymers
Authors: Khandelwal Deepika , Hooda Sunita , Brar A. S. , Shankar Ravi
Published: April 2012

Isobornyl acrylate (B)/methacrylonitrile (N) copolymers with different compositions were synthesized by the free‐radical bulk polymerization with azobisisobutyronitrile as the initiator under a nitrogen atmosphere at 70°C. The copolymer compositions were calculated from quantitative 13C(1H)NMR spectra. The reactivity ratios of the comonomers in the B/N copolymers determined from the linear Kelen–Tudos method and nonlinear error‐in‐variable method were rB = 0.66 ± 0.11 and rN = 1.54 ± 0.22 and rB = 0.74 and rN = 1.65, respectively. The complete spectral assignments of the 1H‐NMR and 13C(1H)‐NMR spectra were carried out with the help of distortionless enhancement by polarization transfer, two‐dimensional (2D) heteronuclear single quantum coherence, and 2D total correlation spectroscopy. The nitrile carbon of the N unit and the methine and OCH carbons of the B unit were assigned to triad compositional sequences, whereas the β‐methylene carbons of the B and N units were assigned to the tetrad compositional and configurational sequences. The α‐methyl carbon of the N unit was also assigned to the triad level of configurational and compositional sequences. Similarly, the nitrile and quaternary carbon resonances with the methine, methylene, and methyl protons were studied in detail with 2D heteronuclear multiple‐bond correlation spectra. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Biocompatible polypropylene prepared by a combination of melt grafting and surface restructuring
Authors: Shi Qiang , Zhao Jie , Stagnaro Paola , Yang Huawei , Luan Shifang , Yin Jinghua
Published: April 2012

To construct biocompatible surfaces of polypropylene (PP), poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMEMA) was melt‐grafted onto PP backbones; this was followed by the restructuring of the surface mircostructure of the grafted PP by water treatment. The grafted products were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and 1H‐NMR; the surface microstructure of the graft copolymer was characterized by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy, and the biocompatibility was evaluated by water contact angle, protein adsorption, and platelet adhesion measurements. This study showed that highly biocompatible surfaces of PP could be obtained by a combination of melt grafting and surface restructuring techniques, and the formation of hole‐with‐rim patterns and the enrichment of the PEGMEMA chains on the topmost surface were the key factors for the improved biocompatibility. This work advances functionalized PP generated by melt grafting as a promising candidate for applications in blood‐contact devices. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012