bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Economic assessment of screening for pre‐eclampsia
Authors: Shmueli Amir , Meiri Hamutal , Gonen Ron
Published: January 2012

Background

Pre‐eclampsia is a major contributor to maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Our objectives in this study are to economically assess, from the payer perspective, routine screening for pre‐eclampsia using placental markers ‐placental protein 13 and placental growth factor ‐ and uterine artery Doppler compared with standard care.

Methods

A decision model was developed, which progresses through three sequential endpoints, and compares screening with no screening: (1) Pre‐eclampsia yes/no: calculation of the incremental cost of pre‐eclampsia‐case averted; (2) Hospital discharge: calculation of the mean accumulated costs until discharge after delivery; and (3) Offspring death: calculation of the incremental cost per quality of life‐adjusted life‐year gained by screening. Data used includes: (1) Obstetrical data of 14 500 births; (2) cost data from the Israeli Ministry of Health and the literature; and (3) screening performance and outcome from the literature.

Results

(1) The incremental cost of pre‐eclampsia‐case averted is $66 949 and $24 723 when the prevalence is 1.7 and 5% respectively. (2) With test cost of $112, the total cost until discharge with/without screening is equal. With pre‐eclampsia prevalence of 3%, screening is cheaper. (3) The cost per quality of life‐adjusted life‐year with screening is $18 919 and < $10 000 with pre‐eclampsia prevalence of 1.7 and 3%, respectively.

Conclusions

Screening for pre‐eclampsia is cost‐effective under various scenarios. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Trying to make sense of the chaos: Clinical psychologists' experiences and perceptions of clients with ‘borderline personality disorder’
Authors: Millar Humera , Gillanders David , Saleem Jannat
Published: January 2012

Background

Evidence of negative perceptions of clients with ‘borderline personality disorder’ (BPD) in mental health professionals has been well documented. However, few researchers have focused upon perspectives of clinical psychologists on this client group. The aim of the present research was to explore clinical psychologists' experiences and perceptions of clients with BPD.

Method

Sixteen female clinical psychologists (including trainees and qualified staff) participated in focus groups, 12 of whom had direct clinical experience with this client group. All four groups' audio recordings were transcribed verbatim and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (Smith, 1996).

Results

The following eight superordinate themes emerged from the analysis: ‘negative perceptions of the client’, ‘undesirable feelings in the psychologist’, ‘positive perceptions of the client’, ‘desirable feelings in the psychologist’, ‘awareness of negativity’, ‘trying to make sense of the chaos’, ‘working in contrast to the system’ and ‘improving our role’.

Discussion

Implications include concerns regarding negativity, yet also the suggestion of hope and optimism in working with this client group. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Three‐dimensional SLAM for mapping planetary work site environments
Authors: Tong Chi Hay , Barfoot Timothy D. , Dupuis Érick
Published: January 2012

In this paper, we present a robust framework suitable for conducting three‐dimensional simultaneous localization and mapping (3D SLAM) in a planetary work site environment. Operation in a planetary environment imposes sensing restrictions, as well as challenges due to the rugged terrain. Utilizing a laser rangefinder mounted on a rover platform, we have demonstrated an approach that is able to create globally consistent maps of natural, unstructured 3D terrain. The framework presented in this paper utilizes a sparse‐feature‐based approach and conducts data association using a combination of feature constellations and dense data. Because of feature scarcity, odometry measurements are also incorporated to provide additional information in feature‐poor regions. To maintain global consistency, these measurements are resolved using a batch alignment algorithm, which is reinforced with heterogeneous outlier rejection to improve its robustness to outliers in either measurement type (i.e., laser or odometry). Finally, a map is created from the alignment estimates and the dense data. Extensive validation of the framework is provided using data gathered at two different planetary analogue facilities, which consist of 50 and 102 3D scans, respectively. At these sites, root‐mean‐squared mapping errors of 4.3 and 8.9 cm were achieved. Relative metrics are utilized for localization accuracy and map quality, which facilitate detailed analysis of the performance, including failure modes and possible future improvements. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
MULTISPECIES FISH PASSAGE BEHAVIOUR IN A VERTICAL SLOT FISHWAY ON THE RICHELIEU RIVER, QUEBEC, CANADA
Authors: Thiem J. D. , Binder T. R. , Dumont P. , Hatin D. , Hatry C. , Katopodis C. , Stamplecoskie K. M. , Cooke S. J.
Published: January 2012

A shift from target species to ecosystem restoration has generated interest in developing fishways that are capable of passing entire fish communities. Although a number of multispecies fishways now exist in North America, evaluations of these fishways are lacking. We used a passive integrated transponder antenna array to quantify passage success and passage duration of fish using a vertical slot fishway (85 m in length, 2.65 m elevation rise, 12 regular pools and 2 turning basins) at a low head dam on the Richelieu River in Quebec, Canada. Fourteen of the 18 tagged species re‐ascended the fishway, and passage efficiency was highly variable among species (range 25%–100%); however, it was >50% for five of the species well represented in this study (n > 10) (Atlantic salmon, channel catfish, smallmouth bass, walleye and white sucker). Passage duration was likewise highly variable both among and within species (e.g. 1.0–452.9 h for smallmouth bass, 2.4–237.5 h for shorthead redhorse). Although this fishway design was not uniformly successful in passing fish of all species, this study does reveal the species that have problems with ascent and provides an estimate on the time spent in the fishway that is an important component of passage delay. Such information could be used to inform future design refinements to facilitate passage of the entire assemblage with minimal delay. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
CARBON FROM PERIPHYTON SUPPORTS FISH BIOMASS IN WATERHOLES OF A WET–DRY TROPICAL RIVER
Authors: Jardine T. D. , Hunt R. J. , Faggotter S. J. , Valdez D. , Burford M. A. , Bunn S. E.
Published: January 2012

The identification of the dominant sources of carbon supporting consumer biomass in aquatic food webs is often difficult but essential to understanding the limits to aquatic secondary production. Stable isotope analysis (SIA) is a powerful tool to estimate the contribution of different sources to consumers, but most food web studies using this approach limit analyses to a few key consumer taxa rather than measuring biomass‐weighted contribution of sources to the entire community. Here we combined stable isotope analysis with standardized measurements of abundance and biomass of fishes and invertebrates in seven waterholes of a wet–dry tropical river sampled early and late in the dry season. We showed that periphyton (as opposed to phytoplankton and terrestrial C3 plant detritus) was responsible for most standing fish biomass (range 42%–97%), whereas benthic invertebrates were reliant on a mixture of the three sources (range 26%–100%). Furthermore, larger, older fishes at high trophic levels (catfish Neoarius spp., sleepy cod Oxyeleotris lineaolatus and barramundi Lates calcarifer) were supported almost exclusively by periphyton. Phytoplankton and detritus supported a considerable biomass of benthic and pelagic invertebrates, but only in taxa that occupied low trophic levels (e.g. snails). These measurements provide further evidence that although periphyton is relatively inconspicuous relative to other sources, it contributes disproportionately to metazoan biomass in wet–dry tropical rivers. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Influence of a wind turbine service life on the mechanical properties of the material and the blade
Authors: Sayer Florian , Bürkner Falko , Buchholz Benjamin , Strobel Michael , van Wingerde Arno M. , Busmann Hans‐Gerd , Seifert Henry
Published: January 2012

This paper presents results out of investigations of the DEBRA‐25 wind turbine blades. Almost unique in the history of modern wind energy, these blades were in operation for 18 years next to a weather station and were investigated afterward. Therefore, the loads experienced in the operational life could be post‐processed accurately with the measured data of the weather station and the turbine. The blades are made of materials that are similar with today's wind turbines. Furthermore, intensive laboratory tests and free field tests have been carried out, and all load assumptions and data and results are still available today. The results include experimental investigations on the moisture content of the load‐carrying material, static and fatigue behavior of the material, the relaxation of the coupling joints, the natural frequencies of the blade and a full scale static blade test. It is shown that the structural performance of the DEBRA‐25 service blades is comparable with modern wind turbine blades. Although some damage was found by visual inspection, the service blade of the DEBRA‐25 showed excellent mechanical behavior in the full scale blade test. Only small changes of the edgewise eigenfrequencies were detected. The pre‐tensioning forces of the IKEA bolts, where the two blade parts are connected, were measured and were still adequate. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Melanopsin, the photopigment of intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells
Authors: Provencio Ignacio , Warthen Daniel M.
Published: January 2012

Melanopsin (gene symbol: Opn4) is the G protein‐coupled photopigment that confers photosensitivity upon intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs). ipRGCs are the third class of retinal photoreceptor in mammals, complementing the two previously identified classes, the rods and cones. This novel class, however, differs from rods and cones in many significant ways. First, ipRGCs are more similar morphologically to other retinal ganglion cell classes than to other retinal photoreceptors, i.e., rods and cones. Instead of having photopigment concentrated in a specialized light‐absorbing cellular domain such as the outer segment, ipRGCs have photopigment distributed throughout the plasma membrane of the cell. Second, the phototransduction cascade of ipRGCs more closely resembles that of the rhabdomeric photoreceptors that are typically found in the invertebrates rather than that of ciliary photoreceptors typical of vertebrate visual systems. Accordingly, like the rhabdomeric photoreceptors of invertebrates, ipRGCs depolarize in response to illumination while rods and cones hyperpolarize. Third, in addition to their inherent light sensitivity, ipRGCs also function as a conduit for information that originates in the rods and cones and is conveyed to the brain for the purposes of generating non‐visual light responses. WIREs Membr Transp Signal 2012, 1:228–237. doi: 10.1002/wmts.29

For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
IP3 receptor‐binding partners in cell‐death mechanisms
Authors: Kiviluoto Santeri , Akl Haidar , Vervliet Tim , Bultynck Geert , Parys Jan B. , Missiaen Ludwig , De Smedt Humbert
Published: January 2012

A multiprotein complex, which involves the inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate receptor (IP3R) on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the voltage‐dependent anion channel (VDAC) on the outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM) along with multiple other IP3R‐binding partners, is responsible for a privileged and tightly controlled transfer of Ca2+ from the ER to the mitochondria. To stimulate cell metabolism and survival, the mitochondrial Ca2+ level [Ca2+]mit has to be kept within a small physiological range. Decreased or increased Ca2+ fluxes result in an adaptive cellular response involving, respectively, autophagy to meet cellular energy demands or mitophagy to remove damaged mitochondria. Failure of these autophagic responses eventually leads to initiation of cell death. Malfunction of the interaction between the IP3R and its binding partners may have pathological consequences. In cancer cells, such malfunctions lead to an inability to generate large proapoptotic mitochondrial Ca2+ signals. In familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD) and Huntington's disease (HD) on the other hand, exaggerated Ca2+ signals may result in neuronal damage and cell death. WIREs Membr Transp Signal 2012, 1:201–210. doi: 10.1002/wmts.5

For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
Bias in the Reporting of Family History: Implications for Clinical Care
Authors: Ozanne Elissa M. , O'Connell Adrienne , Bouzan Colleen , Bosinoff Phil , Rourke Taryn , Dowd Dana , Drohan Brian , Millham Fred , Griffin Pat , Halpern Elkan F. , Semine Alan , Hughes Kevin S.
Published: January 2012

Family history of cancer is critical for identifying and managing patients at risk for cancer. However, the quality of family history data is dependent on the accuracy of patient self reporting. Therefore, the validity of family history reporting is crucial to the quality of clinical care. A retrospective review of family history data collected at a community hospital between 2005 and 2009 was performed in 43,257 women presenting for screening mammography. Reported numbers of breast, colon, prostate, lung, and ovarian cancer were compared in maternal relatives vs. paternal relatives and in first vs. second degree relatives. Significant reporting differences were found between maternal and paternal family history of cancer, in addition to degree of relative. The number of paternal family histories of cancer was significantly lower than that of maternal family histories of cancer. Similarly, the percentage of grandparents’ family histories of cancer was significantly lower than the percentage of parents’ family histories of cancer. This trend was found in all cancers except prostate cancer. Self‐reported family history in the community setting is often influenced by both bloodline of the cancer history and the degree of relative affected. This is evident by the underreporting of paternal family histories of cancer, and also, though to a lesser extent, by degree. These discrepancies in reporting family history of cancer imply we need to take more care in collecting accurate family histories and also in the clinical management of individuals in relation to hereditary risk.
Environmentally Friendly Nonionic Surfactants Derived from Tannic Acid: Synthesis, Characterization and Surface Activity
Authors: Negm Nabel A. , El Farargy Ahmed F. M. , Mohammed Dalia Emam , Mohamad Haytham N.
Published: January 2012

In order to discover new and safe surfactants with regard to the environment, new environmentally friendly nonionic surface active agents were synthesized by the reaction of tannic acid (as a natural product presents in several plants) and polyethylene glycol fatty acids containing different numbers of ethylene glycol units. The fatty acids were dodecanoic, hexadecanoic, octadecanoic and oleic acids. The chemical structures of the synthesized surfactants were confirmed using elemental analysis, infrared and 1H‐NMR spectroscopy. The molecular weights of the synthesized surfactants were determined using viscosity measurements and gel permeation chromatography. The surface properties of these surfactants were determined using surface tension measurements. The chemical structure–surface activity relationship of these surfactants showed a strong dependence of the surface activity on their chemical structures including the hydrophobic chains and the number of ethylene glycol units incorporated in the molecules. The free energy of micellization of the surfactants in their solutions showed their tendency towards micellization in the bulk of their solutions, while the free energy of adsorption showed their high tendency towards adsorption at the air–water interface.
Maintenance of Arachidonic Acid and Evidence of Δ5 Desaturation in Cats Fed γ‐Linolenic and Linoleic Acid Enriched Diets
Authors: Trevizan Luciano , de Mello Kessler Alexandre , Brenna J. Thomas , Lawrence Peter , Waldron Mark K. , Bauer John E.
Published: January 2012

Cats have limited Δ6 desaturase activity. However, γ‐linolenate (GLA) feeding may by‐pass the Δ6 desaturase step allowing arachidonate (ARA) accumulation via Δ5‐desaturation. Alternatively, high dietary linoleate (LNA) may induce limited Δ6 desaturase also resulting in ARA accumulation. Fatty acid profiles were determined after feeding high LNA, high GLA, or adequate LNA diets. Adult female cats (n = 29) were assigned to one of three groups and fed for 8 weeks. Plasma samples were collected at weeks 0, 2, 4 and 8 for plasma triacylglycerol (TAG), total cholesterol (TC), lipoprotein (LP), and plasma and red blood cell membrane phospholipid fatty acid determinations. Time, but no diet, effects were observed for TAG, TC, and LP fractions at weeks 2 and 4 with significant increases likely due to increased dietary fat. However, all values were within feline normal limits. The GLA diet resulted in increased dihomo‐γ‐linolenic acid (DGLA) and ARA as early as week 2, supporting a ∆5 desaturase. Further evidence of Δ5 desaturase was found at high dietary LNA with the appearance of a novel fatty acid, 20:3 ∆7, 11, 14, apparently formed via ∆5 desaturation and chain elongation of LNA. However, Δ6 desaturase induction at high dietary LNA concentration was not observed. Cats are able to maintain plasma and red blood cell ARA when fed a practical diet containing GLA using what appears to be an active Δ5 desaturase enzyme.
Purification of l‐α‐Glycerylphosphorylcholine from the Enzyme Reaction Solutions by Resin Column Chromatography
Authors: Zhang Kangyi , Wang Xingguo , Liu Yuanfa
Published: January 2012

Colorless l‐α‐glycerylphosphorylcholine (l‐α‐GPC) was obtained at 98.8% purity, and with a specific rotation of −2.5° via a four‐step procedure. l‐α‐GPC was first produced by phospholipase A1 hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine in an aqueous medium. Almost all the impurities were then removed using two successive D001 cation and D301‐111 anion exchange resin column chromatography procedures, followed by decoloration with active carbon to remove minor pigments and remaining impurities. D001 resin and D301‐111 resin showed remarkable ability for l‐α‐GPC isolation after being used eight times. Thus, this study presents a simple and cost‐effective method for preparing l‐α‐GPC with high purity, low costs, and environmental friendliness, and encourages future investigation into its adaptation for industrial applications.
Yeast ribosomal protein S3 possesses a β‐lyase activity on damaged DNA
Authors: Seong Ki Moon , Jung Sang-Oun , Kim Hag Dong , Kim Hee Ju , Jung You-Jin , Choi Soo-Young , Kim Joon
Published: January 2012

Yeast ribosomal protein S3 has multifunctional activities that are involved in both protein translation and DNA repair. Here, we report that yeast Rps3p cleaves variously damaged DNA that contains not only AP sites and pyrimidine dimers but also 7,8‐hydro‐8‐oxoguanine. This study also revealed that Rps3p has a β‐lyase activity with a broad range of substrate specificity which cleaves phosphodiester bonds of UV or oxidatively damaged DNA substrates. Mutation analysis of the yeast Rps3 protein including introduction of domain deletions and residue replacements identified the residues Asp154 and Lys200 are important for the catalytic activity. In addition, the repair enzyme activity of yeast Rps3p was confirmed by complementation inxth,nfo Escherichia colicells in which the DNA repair process is defective.
Hypoxia‐induced SM22α in A549 cells activates the IGF1R/PI3K/Akt pathway, conferring cellular resistance against chemo‐ and radiation therapy
Authors: Kim Tae Rim , Cho Eun Wie , Paik Sang Gi , Kim In Gyu
Published: January 2012

IGFR1 Beta
physically interacts with
SM22 alpha
by anti bait coimmunoprecipitation (View Interaction:
1
,
2
)
Mutation of a raft‐targeting signal in the transmembrane region retards transport of influenza virus hemagglutinin through the Golgi
Authors: Engel Stephanie , de Vries Maren , Herrmann Andreas , Veit Michael
Published: January 2012

Inclusion of proteins into membrane‐rafts favours interactions required for virus assembly but has also been proposed to facilitate vesicular transport of proteins. The hemagglutinin (HA) of influenza virus contains a raft‐targeting sequence in the outer leaflet of its transmembrane region. We report that its mutation enhances co‐localization of HA with a cis‐Golgi marker and retards Golgi‐localized processing, such as acquisition of Endo‐H resistant carbohydrates and proteolytic cleavage. In contrast, trimerization of the molecule in the ER and transport to the apical membrane were not affected. The second signal for raft‐targeting, S‐acylation at cytoplasmic cysteines, did not retard HA transport.
PEDV ORF3 encodes an ion channel protein and regulates virus production
Authors: Wang Kai , Lu Wei , Chen Jianfei , Xie Shiqi , Shi Hongyan , Hsu Haojen , Yu Wenjing , Xu Ke , Bian Chao , Fischer Wolfgang B. , Schwarz Wolfgang , Feng Li , Sun Bing
Published: January 2012

Several studies suggest that the open reading frame 3 (ORF3) gene of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is related to viral infectivity and pathogenicity, but its function remains unknown. Here, we propose a structure model of the ORF3 protein consisting of four TM domains and forming a tetrameric assembly. ORF3 protein can be detected in PEDV‐infected cells and it functions as an ion channel in both Xenopus laevis oocytes and yeast. Mutation analysis showed that Tyr170 in TM4 is important for potassium channel activity. Furthermore, viral production is reduced in infected Vero cells when ORF3 gene is silenced by siRNA. Interestingly, the ORF3 gene from an attenuated PEDV encodes a truncated protein with 49 nucleotide deletions, which lacks the ion channel activity.
Activation of macrophage‐stimulating protein by human airway trypsin‐like protease
Authors: Orikawa Hiroshi , Kawaguchi Makiko , Baba Takashi , Yorita Kenji , Sakoda Sumio , Kataoka Hiroaki
Published: January 2012

HAT
cleaves
proMSP
by protease assay (View interaction)
Late Quaternary paleoenvironmental record from a sedimentary fill in Cucú Cave, Almería, SE Spain
Authors: González-Ramón Antonio , Andreo Bartolomé , Ruiz-Bustos Antonio , Richards David A. , López-Sáez José Antonio , Alba-Sánchez Francisca
Published: January 2012

Cucú cave is a small cavity, 1600 m above sea level on the southern slope of Sierra de María (Almería Province, SE Spain), where current mean annual precipitation is < 450 mm. Fossils and palynomorphs contained within a sedimentary sequence, up to 9 m in depth, allow us to consider the prevailing climatic conditions, and the timing of cavern development. The lithological sequence is dominated by clast-supported detrital material with no evidence of alluvial transport. These sediments were formed by freeze-cracking during periglacial conditions, causing further cave enlargement after initial solutional development. The clastic sequence formed during cold climates is covered by a flowstone that was deposited during a period of warmer, wetter conditions. This provides a minimum U–Th isochron age of 40.2±4.5 ka for the timing of periglacial action. Micromammal fossil species indicate a chronology between 140 and 80 ka. Paleoecological data based on the structure of the mammal community indicates that cold conditions prevailed at the time of deposit. In the studied sequence the presence of anthropogenic components has not been documented. The pollen assemblages identified are a common feature of Pleistocene cold stages that are in semi-arid regions.
Impact of exposure to combat during deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan on mental health by gender
Authors: Woodhead C. , Wessely S. , Jones N. , Fear N. T. , Hatch S. L.
Published: January 2012

Background

Interest in the mental health of women deployed to modern military campaigns is increasing, although research examining gender differences is limited. Little is known about experiences women have had on these deployments, or whether men and women respond differently to combat exposure.

Method

The current study used data from a representative sample of UK Armed Forces personnel to examine gender differences among those deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan (n=432 women,n=4554 men) in three measures of experience: ‘risk to self’, ‘trauma to others’ and ‘appraisal of deployment’. We examined the impact of such experiences on post-deployment symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), symptoms of common mental disorder (CMD) and hazardous alcohol use.

Results

After adjustment, men reported more exposure to ‘risk to self’ and ‘trauma to others’ events and more negative appraisals of their deployment. Among both genders, all measures of combat experience were associated with symptoms of PTSD and CMD (except ‘risk to self’ events on symptoms of CMD among women) but not with alcohol misuse. Women reported higher scores on the PTSD Checklist – Civilian Version (PCL-C) among those exposed to lower levels of each experience type but this did not hold in the higher levels. Women reported greater symptoms of CMD and men reported greater hazardous alcohol use across both levels of each experience type. Examining men and women separately suggested similar responses to exposure to adverse combat experiences.

Conclusions

The current findings suggest that, although gender differences in mental health exist, the impact of deployment on mental health is similar among men and women.
THE IMPACT OF HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT REPORTS ON DECISION MAKING IN AUSTRIA
Authors: Zechmeister Ingrid , Schumacher Ines
Published: January 2012

Objectives: Health technology assessment (HTA) was established in Austria in the 1990s and, since then, it has gained considerable importance. In this study, we aim to analyze whether the HTA reports that have been produced at the Institute for Technology Assessment (ITA) and at the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for HTA (LBI-HTA) have had an impact on decision making within the Austrian health care system.

Methods: We selected all reports that were intended for supporting (i) reimbursement/investment or (ii) disinvestment decisions. Eleven full HTA reports and fifty-eight rapid assessments fulfilled the inclusion criteria. We used interview data and administrative data on volumes, tariffs and expenditure of products/services to analyze whether and how reports were in reality used in decision making and what the consequences for health care expenditure and resource distribution have been.

Results: Five full HTA reports and fifty-six rapid technology assessments were used for reimbursement decisions. Four full HTA reports and two rapid assessments were used for disinvestment decisions and resulted in reduced volumes and expenditure. Two full HTA reports showed no impact on decision making. Impact was most evident for hospital technologies.

Conclusions: HTA has played some role in reducing volumes of over-supplied hospital technologies, resulting in reduced expenditure for several hospital providers. Additionally, it has been increasingly included in prospective planning and reimbursement decisions of late, indicating re-distribution of resources toward evidence-based technologies. However, further factors may have influenced the decisions, and the impact could be considerably increased by systematically incorporating HTA into the decision-making process in Austria.
Modelling tuberculosis trends in the USA
Authors: HILL A. N. , BECERRA J. E. , CASTRO K. G.
Published: January 2012

We present a mathematical transmission model of tuberculosis in the USA. The model is calibrated to recent trends of declining incidence in the US-born and foreign-born populations and is used in assessing relative impacts of treatment of latently infected individuals on elimination time, where elimination is defined as annual incidence <1 case/million. Provided current control efforts are maintained, elimination in the US-born population can be achieved before the end of this century. However, elimination in the foreign-born population is unlikely in this timeframe even with higher rates of targeted testing and treatment of residents of and immigrants to the USA with latent tuberculosis infection. Cutting transmission of disease as an interim step would shorten the time to elimination in the US-born population but foreign-born rates would remain above the elimination target.
THECAPITÃES MORESOF THE JAPAN VOYAGE: A GROUP PORTRAIT
Authors: Hesselink Reinier H.
Published: January 2012

Starting from the premise that all empire building involves ideological constructs justifying the violence that accompanies such efforts, this article concentrates on elucidating the case of the Portuguese in Asia, specifically in Japan. Although well beyond the formal Portuguese thalassocracy in Asia, the Japanese islands were exposed for about a century, between 1543 and 1640, to the informal presence of Portuguese traders and missionaries. The symbiotic relationship between these two groups was based on the experience that, in Japan, the trade was difficult to conduct, for violence was always lurking beneath the surface of the trading relationship. We know of several instances when such violence actually exploded into major armed clashes, and many other times violence was narrowly averted through the mediation of the missionaries.

Based on original research in the archives of Portugal and Spain, this article analyzes the records that the leaders of the Portuguese who came to Japan in the sixteenth century, the so-called capitães mores,have left behind. Finding that a significant number of these men were or later became members of the Order of Christ or were closely related to such members, it then explores their mindset through a survey of the function of this military order in Portuguese society of the late Middle Ages. The result is a group portrait of thirty-seven men who may be considered a representative sample of the Portuguese leading both the formal and informal empires in Asia. This portrait will clarify why both Japanese and Portuguese authorities agreed, at least during the second half of the sixteenth century, that the Jesuit missionaries were an indispensable presence in Japan.
“DEEP CHANGES IN INTERPRETIVE CURRENTS”? CHIANG KAI-SHEK STUDIES IN THE POST-COLD WAR ERA
Authors: Taylor Jeremy E. , Huang Grace C.
Published: January 2012

This essay explores the nature of the changing scholarship on Chiang Kai-shek, reviewing some of the established assessments which dominated writing about Chiang for much of the latter half of the twentieth century, but contrasting these with new assessments which are now emerging in both Chinese- and English-language scholarship. The authors examine the ways in which new access to the Chiang Kai-shek diaries, a changing cross-Strait relationship and new attempts to rehabilitate the Republican past in the People's Republic of China have all had major ramifications for scholarship on Chiang. They tease out some of the exciting new threads that such scholarship is leading to, but also ask questions about the limitations and shortcomings of some of the approaches that are now dominant in the field.
Improving historical precipitation estimates over the Lake Superior basin
Authors: Holman K. D. , Gronewold A. , Notaro M. , Zarrin A.
Published: January 2012

Lake Superior, the northern‐most of the Laurentian Great Lakes, is the largest (by surface area) freshwater lake on the planet. Due in part to its high water surface to land area ratio, over one‐third of the Lake Superior basin water budget is derived from precipitation falling directly on the lake surface. For most of the Great Lakes (including Lake Superior), historical precipitation estimates extend back to the early 1880s, and are based primarily on land‐based gauge measurements. While alternatives to gauge‐based estimates have been explored, there is no clear history of applying regional climate models (RCMs) to improve historical over‐lake precipitation estimates. To address this gap in regional research, and to advance the state‐of‐the‐art in Great Lakes regional hydrological modeling, we compare 21 years of output (1980–2000) from an RCM to conventional gauge‐based precipitation estimates for the same time period over the Lake Superior basin. We find that the RCM, unlike the gauge‐based method, simulates realistic variations in over‐lake atmospheric stability, which propagate into basin‐wide precipitation estimates with a relatively low over‐lake to over‐land precipitation ratio in warm months (roughly 0.7 to 0.8 in June, July, and August) and a relatively high over‐lake to over‐land precipitation ratio in cold months (roughly 1.3 to 1.4 in December and January), compared to gauge‐based estimates. Our findings underscore a need to potentially update historical gauge‐based precipitation estimates for large lake systems, including Lake Superior, and that RCMs appear to provide a robust and defensible basis for making those updates.
Mechanical basis for slip along low‐angle normal faults
Authors: Lecomte Emmanuel , Le Pourhiet Laetitia , Lacombe Olivier
Published: January 2012

The existence of active low‐angle normal faults is much debated because (1) the classical theory of fault mechanics implies that normal faults are locked when the dip is less than 30° and (2) shallow‐dipping extensional fault planes do not produce large earthquakes (M > 5.5). However, a number of field observations suggest that brittle deformation occurs on low‐angle normal faults at very shallow dip. To reconcile observations and theory, we use an alternative model of fault reactivation including a thick elasto‐plastic frictional fault gouge, and test it at large strain by the mean of 2D mechanical modeling. We show that plastic compaction allows reducing the effective friction of faults sufficiently for low‐angle normal faults to be active at dip of 20°. As the model predicts that these faults must be active in a slip‐hardening regime, it prevents the occurrence of large earthquakes. However, we also evidence the neoformation of Riedel‐type shear bands within thick fault zone, which, we believe, may be responsible for repeated small earthquakes and we apply the model to the Gulf of Corinth (Greece).
Multiple ion species fluid modeling of sprite halos and the role of electron detachment of O− in their dynamics
Authors: Liu Ningyu
Published: January 2012

A two‐dimensional fluid model with multiple charged species is developed for simulating the ionospheric responses to the lightning quasi‐static electric (QE) field. In addition to electrons, the model takes into account four symbolic ion species and O− ions that are considered separately to investigate the role of the fast electron detachment process from O− in the ionospheric response. The modeling results of a sprite halo driven by positive cloud‐to‐ground lightning indicate that the halo can descend to lower altitude with much higher electron density behind its front when the O− detachment process is included. Electron density ahead of the halo front is not significantly reduced from the ambient value, so there is no attachment “hole” forming in that region that is commonly observed in previous modeling studies. The fast O− detachment process affects the dynamics of the halo by allowing the growth of electron density in the upper atmosphere under sub‐breakdown condition, i.e., the electric field is smaller than the conventional breakdown threshold field. The implications of the results reported here to sprite streamer initiation include (1) low ambient electron density at sprite initiation altitude may be the only means to avoid avalanche overlapping before the avalanche‐to‐streamer transition; and (2) the large downward extent of the halo may offer an explanation for the initiation of sprites at the altitude as low as 65–70 km, which was observed in previous studies.
Wind, waves, and acoustic background levels at Station ALOHA
Authors: Duennebier Fred K. , Lukas Roger , Nosal Eva‐Marie , Aucan Jérome , Weller Robert A.
Published: January 2012

Frequency spectra from deep‐ocean near‐bottom acoustic measurements obtained contemporaneously with wind, wave, and seismic data are described and used to determine the correlations among these data and to discuss possible causal relationships. Microseism energy appears to originate in four distinct regions relative to the hydrophone: wind waves above the sensors contribute microseism energy observed on the ocean floor; a fraction of this local wave energy propagates as seismic waves laterally, and provides a spatially integrated contribution to microseisms observed both in the ocean and on land; waves in storms generate microseism energy in deep water that travels as seismic waves to the sensor; and waves reflected from shorelines provide opposing waves that add to the microseism energy. Correlations of local wind speed with acoustic and seismic spectral time series suggest that the local Longuet‐Higgins mechanism is visible in the acoustic spectrum from about 0.4 Hz to 80 Hz. Wind speed and acoustic levels at the hydrophone are poorly correlated below 0.4 Hz, implying that the microseism energy below 0.4 Hz is not typically generated by local winds. Correlation of ocean floor acoustic energy with seismic spectra from Oahu and with wave spectra near Oahu imply that wave reflections from Hawaiian coasts, wave interactions in the deep ocean near Hawaii, and storms far from Hawaii contribute energy to the seismic and acoustic spectra below 0.4 Hz. Wavefield directionality strongly influences the acoustic spectrum at frequencies below about 2 Hz, above which the acoustic levels imply near‐isotropic surface wave directionality.
Improved detection of sulphur dioxide in volcanic plumes using satellite‐based hyperspectral infrared measurements: Application to the Eyjafjallajökull 2010 eruption
Authors: Walker J. C. , Carboni E. , Dudhia A. , Grainger R. G.
Published: January 2012

The explosive phase of the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland beginning on 14 April 2010 caused extensive disruption to aviation in Europe with serious social and economic consequences. Despite its impact, the explosive phase was modest in size and the amount of sulphur dioxide (SO2) released was low. The potential of hyperspectral thermal infrared measurements to discriminate emissions from similar events by measuring SO2is examined using the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) on board MetOp‐A. The transported plume in the initial stages of the explosive phase contained low amounts of SO2at low altitude which placed it at the detection limit of space‐based sensors used to monitor the volcanic threat to aviation using current methods. A recently developed technique for the fast retrieval of SO2from IASI is applied in the context of the Eyjafjallajökull eruption to show that IASI is easily capable of sensing the SO2in the plume at this stage where existing methods fail. The fast SO2retrieval is calibrated against a fully quantitative optimal estimation retrieval of SO2total column amount and plume altitude to derive the detection limit for the plume on 15 April 2010. An estimate of the general detection limit for the instrument is placed conservatively at 0.3 Dobson Units (DU) which is an order of magnitude lower than previously thought.
The Two Pathophysiologies of Focal Brain Ischemia: Implications for Translational Stroke Research
Authors: Hossmann Konstantin-Alexander
Published: January 2012

Brain injury after focal ischemia evolves along two basically different pathophysiologies, depending on the severity of the primary flow reduction and the dynamics of postischemic recirculation. In permanent and gradually reversed focal ischemia as after thromboembolic occlusion, primary core injury is irreversible but the expansion of the core into the penumbra can be alleviated by hemodynamic and molecular interventions. Such alleviation can only be achieved within 3 hours after the onset of ischemia because untreated core injury expands to near maximum size during this interval. In promptly reversed transient ischemia as after mechanical vascular occlusion, primary core injury may recover but a secondary delayed injury evolves after a free interval of as long as 6 to 12 hours. This injury can be alleviated throughout the free interval but the longer window is without clinical relevance because transient mechanical vascular occlusion is not a model of naturally occurring stroke. As this difference is widely ignored in stroke research, most clinical trials have been designed with a far too long therapeutic window, which explains their failure. Transient mechanical vascular occlusion models should, therefore, be eliminated from the repertoire of preclinical stroke research.
Toll-like receptor 4 contributes to blood pressure regulation and vascular contraction in spontaneously hypertensive rats
Authors: Bomfim Gisele F. , Santos Rosangela A. Dos , Oliveira Maria Aparecida , Giachini Fernanda R. , Akamine Eliana H. , Tostes Rita C. , Fortes Zuleica B. , Webb R. Clinton , Carvalho Maria Helena C.
Published: January 2012

Activation of TLRs (Toll-like receptors) induces gene expression of proteins involved in the immune system response. TLR4 has been implicated in the development and progression of CVDs (cardio-vascular diseases). Innate and adaptive immunity contribute to hypertension-associated end-organ damage, although the mechanism by which this occurs remains unclear. In the present study, we hypothesize that inhibition of TLR4 decreases BP (blood pressure) and improves vascular contractility in resistance arteries from SHR (spontaneously hypertensive rats). TLR4 protein expression in mesenteric resistance arteries was higher in 15-week-old SHR than in age-matched Wistar controls or in 5-week-old SHR. To decrease the activation of TLR4, 15-week-old SHR and Wistar rats were treated with anti-TLR4 (anti-TLR4 antibody) or non-specific IgG control antibody for 15 days (1 μg per day, intraperitoneal). Treatment with anti-TLR4 decreased MAP (mean arterial pressure) as well as TLR4 protein expression in mesenteric resistance arteries and IL-6 (interleukin 6) serum levels from SHR when compared with SHR treated with IgG. No changes in these parameters were found in treated Wistar control rats. Mesenteric resistance arteries from anti-TLR4-treated SHR exhibited decreased maximal contractile response to NA (noradrenaline) compared with IgG-treated SHR. Inhibition of COX (cyclo-oxygenase)-1 and COX-2, enzymes related to inflammatory pathways, decreased NA responses only in mesenteric resistance arteries of SHR treated with IgG. COX-2 expression and TXA2 (thromboxane A2) release were decreased in SHR treated with anti-TLR4 compared with IgG-treated SHR. Our results suggest that TLR4 activation contributes to increased BP, low-grade inflammation and plays a role in the augmented vascular contractility displayed by SHR.
High-reflectivity, high-Q micromechanical membranes via guided resonances for enhanced optomechanical coupling
Authors: Bui Catvu H. , Zheng Jiangjun , Hoch S. W. , Lee Lennon Y. T. , Harris J. G. E. , Wei Wong Chee
Published: January 2012

Using Fano-type guided resonances (GRs) in photonic crystal (PhC) slab structures, we numerically and experimentally demonstrate optical reflectivity enhancement of high-Q SiNx membrane-type resonators used in membrane-in-the-middle optomechanical (OM) systems. Normal-incidence transmission and mechanical ringdown measurements of 50-nm-thick PhC membranes demonstrate GRs near 1064 nm, leading to a ∼4 × increase in reflectivity while preserving high mechanical Q factors of up to ∼5 × 106. The results would allow improvement of membrane-in-the-middle OM systems by virtue of increased OM coupling, presenting a path towards ground state cooling of such a membrane and observations of related quantum effects.
Effect of hafnium addition on Zn-Sn-O thin film transistors fabricated by solution process
Authors: Young Choi Jun , Sig Kim Sang , Yeol Lee Sang
Published: January 2012

The feasibility of controlling the threshold voltage (Vth) and field effect mobility (μFE) has been studied by adjusting hafnium ratio. Hafnium zinc tin oxide (HZTO) thin films were fabricated with various hafnium ratios. Vth shifted toward positive direction, and the μFE was decreased due to the decrease of carrier concentration, because hafnium acts as carrier suppressor. The subthreshold swing exhibits good properties from 1.01 to 0.44. The decrease of carrier concentration in HZTO is closely related with the decrease of the number of oxygen by hafnium ion.
The Landau band effects in the quantum magnetic oscillations and the deviations from the quasiclassical Lifshitz–Kosevich theory in quasi-two-dimensional conductors
Authors: Gvozdikov V. M.
Published: January 2012

The quantum magnetic oscillations (QMO) in the layered and quasi-two-dimensional (2D) conductors deviate from the quasiclassical Lifshitz–Kosevich (LK) theory developed for 3D conventional metals. We discuss deviations related to the broadening of the Landau levels into Landau bands by various mechanisms (layer-stacking, magnetic breakdown, incoherence, disorder, localization etc.). Each mechanism yields a specific factor modulating the QMO amplitudes depending on the density of states and electron velocities within the Landau bands. In contrast to the LK theory, these factors differ for the thermodynamic (de Haas–van Alphen (dHvA)) and kinetic (Shubnikov–de Haas (SdH)) oscillations. We calculated the magnetic breakdown damping factors for the SdH and dHvA oscillations in the 2D conductors and analyzed their difference as well as the analogy between the bandwidth and Weiss oscillations. In case of an isotropic 3D metals the kinetic factors become proportional to the thermodynamic ones as is assumed in the LK theory.
Anti-drift and auto-alignment mechanism for an astigmatic atomic force microscope system based on a digital versatile disk optical head
Authors: Hwu E.-T. , Illers H. , Wang W.-M. , Hwang I.-S. , Jusko L. , Danzebrink H.-U.
Published: January 2012

In this work, an anti-drift and auto-alignment mechanism is applied to an astigmatic detection system (ADS)-based atomic force microscope (AFM) for drift compensation and cantilever alignment. The optical path of the ADS adopts a commercial digital versatile disc (DVD) optical head using the astigmatic focus error signal. The ADS-based astigmatic AFM is lightweight, compact size, low priced, and easy to use. Furthermore, the optical head is capable of measuring sub-atomic displacements of high-frequency AFM probes with a sub-micron laser spot (∼570 nm, FWHM) and a high-working bandwidth (80 MHz). Nevertheless, conventional DVD optical heads suffer from signal drift problems. In a previous setup, signal drifts of even thousands of nanometers had been measured. With the anti-drift and auto-alignment mechanism, the signal drift is compensated by actuating a voice coil motor of the DVD optical head. A nearly zero signal drift was achieved. Additional benefits of this mechanism are automatic cantilever alignment and simplified design.