bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychological Factors Predict Unexpected Diagnoses
Authors: Vranceanu Ana-Maria , Ring David
Published: March 2012

Background

Unexpected diagnoses and treatment recommendations can be awkward for both hand specialist and patient. We tested the hypothesis that psychological factors predict an unexpected hand specialist diagnosis after referral from a primary care provider (PCP) for management of an atraumatic hand condition.

Methods

One hundred and thirty patients referred to a hand surgeon by their PCP were asked to complete measures of symptoms of depression, catastrophic thinking, hypochondriacal attitudes and beliefs, and disability prior to the visit. Patients indicated their impression of the diagnosis and treatment recommendations. The hand specialist recorded a diagnosis and treatment recommendations after the visit.

Results

Patients receiving unexpected diagnoses had more psychological symptoms than patients receiving expected diagnoses. In logistic regression analysis, symptoms of depression were the sole predictor of an unexpected diagnosis. Patients receiving unexpected treatment recommendations had greater catastrophic thinking and hypochondriacal attitudes and beliefs than patients receiving expected treatment recommendations. In logistic regression analysis, catastrophic thinking was the sole predictor of unexpected treatment recommendations.

Conclusions

Given that unexpected hand diagnoses or treatment recommendations are both inherently awkward and associated with greater symptoms of depression, catastrophic thinking, and hypochondriacal beliefs, a practiced, thoughtful, and empathetic communication strategy may improve patient satisfaction and health outcomes.
Pathways for resilience in Mediterranean cork oak land use systems
Authors: Acácio Vanda , Holmgren Milena
Published: March 2012

Context

Loss of woodlands and degradation of vegetation and soil have been described for all Mediterranean-type ecosystems worldwide. In the Western Iberian Peninsula, overexploitation of evergreen cork oak land use systems has led to soil erosion, failures in oak recruitment, and loss of forests. Degraded and dry sites are quickly colonised by pioneer heathland rockrose (Cistus spp.) shrubs forming highly persistent patches.

Aims

Although traditionally shrublands have been considered as a transient successional state, we present evidence that they can represent persistent alternative states to former cork oak forests.

Review trends and conclusions

We first describe how Mediterranean vegetation evolved in the Iberian Peninsula and the role of fire and long-term human management as main disturbances. We then discuss alternative pathways through state-and-transition models indicating the ecological and land use variables that halt cork oak regeneration and recruitment and drive vegetation transitions towards persistent shrublands. Unless concerted management actions and restoration programmes are undertaken, the cork oak land use systems will not be sustainable.
Sexual minority status, peer harassment, and adolescent depression
Authors: Martin‐Storey Alexa , Crosnoe Robert
Published: March 2012

The well‐documented higher rates of depression among sexual minority youth are increasingly viewed by developmentalists as a byproduct of the stigmatization of sexual minority status in American society and of the negative impact this stigma has on the processes associated with depression. This study attempted to spur future research by testing Hatzenbuehler's (2009) psychological mediation framework to investigate the ways in which peer harassment related to sexuality puts young people at risk by influencing the cognitive, social, and regulatory factors associated with depression. Analyses of 15 year olds in the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development revealed that sexual minority status was largely associated with depressive outcomes via harassment, which was subsequently associated with depression via cognitive and social factors. Results point to various avenues for exploring the importance of the social world and self‐concept for the outcomes of sexual minority adolescents in the future.
Factors Influencing Patients' Treatment Selection for Localised Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review
Authors: Robles L.A. , Chou S. , Cole O. , Hamid A. , Griffiths A. , Vedhara K.
Published: March 2012

Objective:

Men diagnosed with localised prostate cancer (LPCa) are usually offered a range of treatment options. Patients' beliefs about their illness and treatments have been shown to be influential in treatment selection for chronic conditions. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the role of these beliefs in influencing treatment selection in LPCa.

Methods:

A systematic review of the literature was conducted in electronic journal databases and major charity, government and dissertation databases. Content experts were contacted for recommendations of studies of relevance.

Results:

The search yielded 10 published papers; six of which used a qualitative approach. Content analysis was performed to identify the factors frequently associated with treatment decisions. The salient beliefs influencing each of the most common treatment choices for LPCa, including the factors external to the patient that inform these beliefs, were reported.

Conclusion:

Patients' treatment choices are influenced by their beliefs, and the beliefs of others, regarding the disease, the effectiveness of treatment and the severity of possible side effects. The findings of this review highlight that psychosocial interventions may be necessary to challenge erroneous beliefs and ensure that patients are making informed decisions regarding their treatment.
The Assessment of Anemia from Attenuation Values of Cranial Venous Drainage on Unenhanced Computed Tomography of the Head
Authors: Bruni Silvio G. , Patafio Francis M. , Dufton John A. , Nolan Robert L. , Islam Omar
Published: March 2012

Objective

To determine if prediction of anemia is possible from quantitative analyses of unenhanced cranial computed tomography (CT) images.

Methods

A retrospective chart review revealed 101 patients who had hemoglobin and hematocrit levels obtained within 24 hours of an unenhanced cranial CT. Regions of interest were the place on the torcular Herophili (confluence of sinuses) and the left and right transverse sinuses. Attenuation values were correlated with hemoglobin and hematocrit to investigate any possible relationship.

Results

Hemoglobin levels were correlated with torcular and transverse sinus attenuation levels. For every 10 Hounsfield unit (HU) increase in torcular attenuation, hemoglobin levels increased by 16.3 g/L ( P < .001). When subgroup analysis was performed, by sex, for every 10 HU increase in torcular attenuation, hemoglobin levels increased by 22.6 g/L ( P < .001) in men and 8.96 g/L ( P < .05) in women.

Conclusion

The attenuation values for venous drainage on unenhanced cranial CT constitute a practical adjunct in the assessment of anemia. Given the number of individuals undergoing CT without blood work, this rapid assessment technique for anemia is a convenient means for narrowing possible diagnoses.
Molecular switches in animal cells
Authors: Hörner Maximilian , Weber Wilfried
Published: March 2012

Molecular switches are the fundamental building blocks in the field of synthetic biology. The majority of these switches is based on protein–protein, protein–DNA or protein–RNA interactions that are responsive towards endogenous metabolites or external stimuli like small molecules or light. By the rational and predictive reassembling of multiple compatible molecular switches, complex synthetic signaling networks can be engineered. Here we review how these switches were used for the regulation of important cellular processes at every level of the signaling cascade. In the second part we review how these switches can be assembled to open‐ and closed‐loop control signaling networks and how these networks can be applied to facilitate cattle reproduction, to treat diabetes or to autonomously detect and cure disease states like gouty arthritis or cancer.
Brands as intentional agents framework: How perceived intentions and ability can map brand perception
Authors: Kervyn Nicolas , Fiske Susan T. , Malone Chris
Published: March 2012

Building on the Stereotype Content Model, this paper introduces and tests the Brands as Intentional Agents Framework. A growing body of research suggests that consumers have relationships with brands that resemble relations between people. We propose that consumers perceive brands in the same way they perceive people. This approach allows us to explore how social perception theories and processes can predict brand purchase interest and loyalty. Brands as Intentional Agents Framework is based on a well‐established social perception approach: the Stereotype Content Model. Two studies support the Brands as Intentional Agents Framework prediction that consumers assess a brand's perceived intentions and ability and that these perceptions elicit distinct emotions and drive differential brand behaviors. The research shows that human social interaction relationships translate to consumer–brand interactions in ways that are useful to inform brand positioning and brand communications.
Self‐regulatory strength amplification through selective information processing
Authors: Trudel Remi , Murray Kyle B.
Published: March 2012

We propose and demonstrate that although depletion of self‐regulatory strength is common, it is not inevitable. Four experiments show that under certain conditions, consumers can amplify their self‐regulatory strength and, as a result, increase their ability to control their behavior. Experiments 1–3 examine the depleting effects of information processing by exposing dieters and nondieters to either cost or pleasure information about chocolate. The results of experiments 1–3 show that when dieters have the ability to monitor the costs of consumption, they are motivated to mobilize additional strength and increase their ability to self‐regulate. In experiment 4 we show the practical implications of our work and show that dieters are better able to control their eating because they choose to focus more on the cost (versus pleasure) of consumption.
Knowledge does not necessarily make the heart grow fonder: The moderating role of knowledge on accessibility experiences
Authors: Sinha Jayati , Naykankuppam Dhananjay
Published: March 2012

Accessibility experiences have been a subject of interest since Tversky and Kahneman (1973) published their account of the availability heuristic—specifically, individuals often utilize the phenomenological experience of ease or difficulty of recall in constructing a judgment (Schwarz, 1998). The reported studies contribute further to work in this area by examining the moderating role of knowledge on accessibility experiences and their use in evaluative judgments. We argue that knowledgeable individuals are more likely to experience interference effects in early stages of recall. This would result in a reversal of the usual phenomenon such that while low knowledge individuals would find recalling larger sets effortful, which would lead them to form more negative evaluations when recalling larger amounts of information, high knowledge individuals would find recalling smaller sets effortful and would form more negative evaluations when recalling smaller amounts of information. We discuss potential explanations and draw attention to the distinction between generating a response and the appropriateness of the response in accessibility experiences.
Bifurcation and stability analysis of a jet in cross-flow: onset of global instability at a low velocity ratio
Authors: Ilak Miloš , Schlatter Philipp , Bagheri Shervin , Henningson Dan S.
Published: March 2012

We study direct numerical simulations (DNS) of a jet in cross-flow at low values of the jet-to-cross-flow velocity ratio$R$. We observe that, as the ratio$R$increases, the flow evolves from simple periodic vortex shedding (a limit cycle) to more complicated quasi-periodic behaviour, before finally becoming turbulent, as seen in the simulation of Bagheriet al. (J. Fluid. Mech., vol. 624, 2009b, pp. 33–44). The value of$R$at which the first bifurcation occurs for our numerical set-up is found, and shedding of hairpin vortices characteristic of a shear layer instability is observed. We focus on this first bifurcation, and find that a global linear stability analysis predicts well the frequency and initial growth rate of the nonlinear DNS at the critical value of$R$and that good qualitative predictions about the dynamics can still be made at slightly higher values of$R$where multiple unstable eigenmodes are present. In addition, we compute the adjoint global eigenmodes, and find that the overlap of the direct and the adjoint eigenmode, also known as a ‘wavemaker’, provides evidence that the source of the first instability lies in the shear layer just downstream of the jet.
The laminar free surface boundary layer of a solitary wave
Authors: Klettner Christian A. , Eames Ian
Published: March 2012

The laminar free surface boundary layer beneath a solitary wave is investigated using numerical simulations. Across the boundary layer $\partial {u}_{s} / \partial {x}_{n} $ and $\partial {u}_{n} / \partial {x}_{s} $ are comparable in magnitude, where $u$ is the velocity, $x$ position and subscripts $s$ and $n$ refer to components tangential and normal to the free surface. In this region $\partial {u}_{n} / \partial {x}_{s} $ is approximately constant across the boundary layer while $\partial {u}_{s} / \partial {x}_{n} $ varies with ${x}_{n} $ and outside the boundary layer tends to ${\ensuremath{-} } \mathop{ (\partial {u}_{s} / \partial {x}_{n} )} \nolimits _{n= 0} $. The numerical results are compared to analytical models and good agreement is found.
Tracking of vortices in a turbulent boundary layer
Authors: Elsinga G. E. , Poelma C. , Schröder A. , Geisler R. , Scarano F. , Westerweel J.
Published: March 2012

The motion of spanwise vortical elements and large-scale bulges has been tracked in the outer region between wall-normal distance $z/ \delta = 0. 11$ and 0.30 of a turbulent boundary layer at ${\mathit{Re}}_{\theta } = 2460$. The experimental dataset of time-resolved three-dimensional velocity fields used has been obtained by tomographic particle image velocimetry. The tracking of these structures yields their respective average trajectories as well as the variations thereof, quantified by the root mean square of the trajectory coordinates as a function of time. It is demonstrated that the variation in convection can be described by a dispersion model for infinitesimal particles in homogeneous turbulence, which suggests that these vortical structures and bulges are transported passively by the external velocity field without significant changes in their topology, at least over the present observation time of $1. 2\delta / {U}_{e} $. However, this does not mean that the structure’s convection velocity is equal to the local flow velocity at each instant. Differences of the order of the Kolmogorov or wall friction velocity have been observed for the spanwise vortical elements. In addition, the simultaneous detection and tracking of multiple structures allows an evaluation of the relative velocity between two spanwise vortex elements, which are approximately aligned along the streamwise direction. The typical streamwise distance between such neighbouring structures is found to be around $0. 2\delta $. Their relative velocities are small, especially the streamwise component, which shows less variation as may be expected based on the relative flow velocity statistics for the same separation distance. This appears consistent with the hairpin packet model, which comprises a set of streamwise aligned hairpins travelling coherently. In exceptional cases, however, the structures approach each other rapidly, forcing an interaction on a time scale of the order of $1\delta / {U}_{e} $. It is shown that the measured variation in convection velocity can further be used successfully to predict the temporal development of space–time correlation functions starting from the instantaneous correlation map. In this prediction the structures are assumed to convect without change, following our observations.
von Kármán self-preservation hypothesis for magnetohydrodynamic turbulence and its consequences for universality
Authors: Wan Minping , Oughton Sean , Servidio Sergio , Matthaeus William H.
Published: March 2012

We argue that the hypothesis of preservation of shape of dimensionless second- and third-order correlations during decay of incompressible homogeneous magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence requires, in general, at least two independent similarity length scales. These are associated with the two Elsässer energies. The existence of similarity solutions for the decay of turbulence with varying cross-helicity implies that these length scales cannot remain in proportion, opening the possibility for a wide variety of decay behaviour, in contrast to the simpler classic hydrodynamics case. Although the evolution equations for the second-order correlations lack explicit dependence on either the mean magnetic field or the magnetic helicity, there is inherent implicit dependence on these (and other) quantities through the third-order correlations. The self-similar inertial range, a subclass of the general similarity case, inherits this complexity so that a single universal energy spectral law cannot be anticipated, even though the same pair of third-order laws holds for arbitrary cross-helicity and magnetic helicity. The straightforward notion of universality associated with Kolmogorov theory in hydrodynamics therefore requires careful generalization and reformulation in MHD.
Boundary layers and wind in cylindrical Rayleigh–Bénard cells
Authors: Wagner Sebastian , Shishkina Olga , Wagner Claus
Published: March 2012

We analyse the wind and boundary layer properties of turbulent Rayleigh–Bénard convection in a cylindrical container with aspect ratio one for Prandtl number $\mathit{Pr}= 0. 786$ and Rayleigh numbers ($\mathit{Ra}$) up to $1{0}^{9} $ by means of highly resolved direct numerical simulations. We identify time periods in which the orientation of the large-scale circulation (LSC) is nearly constant in order to perform a statistical analysis of the LSC. The analysis is then reduced to two dimensions by considering only the plane of the LSC. Within this plane the LSC is treated as a wind with thermal and viscous boundary layers developing close to the horizontal plates. Special focus is on the spatial development of the wind magnitude and the boundary layer thicknesses along the bottom plate. A method for the local analysis of the instantaneous boundary layer thicknesses is introduced which shows a dramatically changing wind magnitude along the wind path. Furthermore a linear increase of the viscous and thermal boundary layer thickness along the wind direction is observed for all $\mathit{Ra}$ considered while their ratio is spatially constant but depends weakly on $\mathit{Ra}$. A possible explanation is a strong spatial variation of the wind magnitude and fluctuations in the boundary layer region.
Bounds for growth rates for dynamos with shear
Authors: Proctor M. R. E.
Published: March 2012

In several recent papers it has been established that the addition of a shear flow to a small-scale velocity field can enhance dynamo action. Many of these studies show that the growth rate of the magnetic energy increases linearly with the shear amplitude over a range of shears. In this paper it is shown analytically that for a variety of dynamo models and very large shear amplitudes $S$, growth rates increase no faster than ${S}^{2/ 3} $ under plausible conditions on the amplitude of the remaining velocity.
Primaries on Demand? Intra-Party Politics and Nominations in Ghana
Authors: Ichino Nahomi , Nathan Noah L.
Published: March 2012

In new democracies, why do political party leaders relinquish power over nominations and allow legislative candidates to be selected by primary elections? Where the legislature is weak and politics is clientelistic, democratization of candidate selection is driven by local party members seeking benefits from primary contestants. Analysis of an original dataset on legislative nominations and political interference by party leaders for the 2004 and 2008 elections in Ghana shows that primaries are more common where nominations attract more aspirants and where the party is more likely to win, counter to predictions in the existing literature. Moreover, the analysis shows that party leaders interfere in primaries in a pattern consistent with anticipation of party members’ reactions.
Epigenetic and antioxidant effects of dietary isothiocyanates and selenium: potential implications for cancer chemoprevention
Authors: Barrera Lawrence N. , Cassidy Aedin , Johnson Ian T. , Bao Yongping , Belshaw Nigel J.
Published: March 2012

There is evidence from epidemiological studies suggesting that increased consumption of cruciferous vegetables may protect against specific cancers more effectively than total fruit and vegetable intake. These beneficial effects are attributed to the glucosinolate breakdown products, isothiocyanates (ITC). Similarly, selenium (Se) consumption has also been inversely associated with cancer risk and as an integral part of many selenoproteins may influence multiple pathways in the development of cancer. This paper will briefly review the current state of knowledge concerning the effect of Se and ITC in cancer development with a particular emphasis on its antioxidant properties, and will also address whether alterations in DNA methylation may be a potential mechanism whereby these dietary constituents protect against the carcinogenic process. Furthermore, we will discuss the advantages of combining ITC and Se to benefit from their complementary mechanisms of action to potentially protect against the alterations leading to neoplasia. Based on this review it may be concluded that an understanding of the impact of ITC and Se on aberrant DNA methylation in relation to factors modulating gene-specific and global methylation patterns, in addition to the effect of these food constituents as modulators of key selenoenzymes, such as gastrointestinal glutathione peroxidase-2 (GPx2) and thioredoxin reductase-1 (TrxR1), may provide insights into the potential synergy among various components of a plant-based diet that may counteract the genetic and epigenetic alterations that initiate and sustain neoplasia.
Potential health benefits of moderate alcohol consumption: current perspectives in research
Authors: Nova E. , Baccan G. C. , Veses A. , Zapatera B. , Marcos A.
Published: March 2012

The benefits of moderate amounts of alcohol for a better health and longer life expectancy compared with abstinence have been suggested by the findings of numerous studies. However, controversies have emerged regarding the influence of confounding factors and the systematic errors that might have been inadvertently disregarded in the early studies. This review includes a description of the findings of those research studies published in the last 5 years on the effects of moderate alcohol consumption on all-cause mortality, CVD and inflammation, the immune system, insulin sensitivity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and cancer. Promising evidences exist from both animal studies and human clinical trials regarding intermediate end-points of CHD and insulin sensitivity, such as HDL, adiponectin or fibrinogen. However, controversies and inconsistent findings exist regarding many of these diseases and related functions and biomarkers. Further research and human randomised-controlled trials with adequate standardisation of the study conditions are necessary in order to draw a comparison between studies, establish the causal effect of moderate alcohol intake on disease protection and reach consensus on the circumstances that allow the recommendation of moderate alcohol habitual intakes as a strategy for health maintenance.
Bridging the Grammar Gap: teaching English grammar to the iPhone generation
Authors: Aarts Bas , Clayton Dan , Wallis Sean
Published: March 2012

For second language learners, the value of the explicit teaching of English grammar has never been questioned. However, in recent times there has been dissent about whether or not to teach English grammar to native speakers. From the late 1960s onwards English grammar teaching in the United Kingdom largely disappeared from the curriculum, and was replaced by teachers focusing on students learning to express themselves. This was in the main not a bad thing, because it made students active participants in their own learning, and they were expected to think critically and express themselves well. The teaching of grammar, with its emphasis on rules, drilling and learning by rote, was seen as conformist, dull and unnecessary, and this view seemed to be confirmed by research into the effectiveness of grammar teaching.
English-only instruction at Korean universities: Help or hindrance to higher learning?
Authors: Kang Hyun-Sook
Published: March 2012

As the suicides by a few students at one of South Korea's (hereafter Korea) most prestigious universities drew a great deal of attention from the public, partial blame went to the new institutional policy imposed by the university's top administrator: exclusive use of English as the medium of instruction across the entire curriculum (McDonald, 2011). The fanatical pursuit of English education and the overall status of the English language in Korean society have been well documented in the literature (e.g., Jeon & Lee, 2006; Jeong, 2004; Lee & Shin, 2008; Park, 2009; Seth, 2002). However, little has been written about another controversial trend, English-only instruction, recently introduced at a few selective institutions of higher education in Korea.
Visual signal processing in the macaque lateral geniculate nucleus
Authors: SEIM THORSTEIN , VALBERG ARNE , LEE BARRY B.
Published: March 2012

Comparisons of S- or prepotential activity, thought to derive from a retinal ganglion cell afferent, with the activity of relay cells of the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) have sometimes implied a loss, or leak, of visual information. The idea of the “leaky” relay cell is reconsidered in the present analysis of prepotential firing and LGN responses of color-opponent cells of the macaque LGN to stimuli varying in size, relative luminance, and spectral distribution. Above a threshold prepotential spike frequency, called the signal transfer threshold (STT), there is a range of more than 2 log units of test field luminance that has a 1:1 relationship between prepotential- and LGN-cell firing rates. Consequently, above this threshold, the LGN cell response can be viewed as an extension of prepotential firing (a “nonleaky relay cell”). The STT level decreased when the size of the stimulus increased beyond the classical receptive field center, indicating that the LGN cell is influenced by factors other than the prepotential input. For opponent ON cells, both the excitatory and the inhibitory response decreased similarly when the test field size increased beyond the center of the receptive field. These findings have consequences for the modeling of LGN cell responses and transmission of visual information, particularly for small fields. For instance, for LGN ON cells, information in the prepotential intensity–response curve for firing rates below the STT is left to be discriminated by OFF cells. Consequently, for a given light adaptation, the STT improves the separation of the response range of retinal ganglion cells into “complementary” ON and OFF pathways.
A critique of current trends in the statistical analysis of seed germination and viability data
Authors: Sileshi Gudeta W.
Published: March 2012

Statistical analysis is increasingly used in seed germination/viability studies across different disciplines. The objective of this opinion piece is to assess current trends in statistical analysis of such data, and draw attention of readers to the limitations of the usual inferential statistics in controlling error rates. The assessments are based on a survey of 429 papers published in 139 peer-reviewed journals in the past 11 years. My intention is to identify areas of concern across a wide range of studies. Accordingly, the areas of greatest concern found in the analysis of percentage seed germination and viability data were: (1) pseudoreplication and/or use of a few replicates; (2) ignoring assumptions of ANOVA and non-parametric tests (NPARTs); (3) uncritical data transformation; (4) arbitrary choice of multiple comparison tests; and (5) lack of emphasis on effect sizes. Given the prevalence of these problems, in my opinion we would be building a body of knowledge on a shaky ground. The discussions that follow will: (1) describe situations where germination data violate assumptions of ANOVA and NPARTs; (2) highlight the implications of the various problems to Type I and Type II error rates; and (3) indicate remedial measures based on the recent statistical literature.
Incidence and ecology of very fast germination
Authors: Parsons R.F.
Published: March 2012

A group of flowering plant species is known to germinate in less than 24 h from imbibition, but this phenomenon is often overlooked in the current literature. Here, I review this topic by searching the literature published since 1967 and listing the 28 most detailed cases found. Of these, 20 are species of Amaranthaceae (all formerly treated as Chenopodiaceae); 15 of these are from the subfamily Salsoloideae, which is characterized by the possession of spiral embryos. The non-chenopods listed are small numbers of species from the families Acanthaceae, Cruciferae, Gramineae (one species) and Salicaceae (PopulusandSalix). Seeds of the Salsoloideae contain fully differentiated embryos. On imbibition, the embryo cells elongate and the spiral embryo uncoils and ruptures the thin seed coat. This can occur in as little as 10 min. Nearly all of the families showing very fast germination have small to very small seeds and little or no endosperm. Most species have soft, thin seed coats that imbibe water readily. All are from high-stress habitats, either arid or saline or from active floodplains, where they can rapidly exploit temporarily favourable conditions for germination. They exhibit one of two contrasting germination behaviours, either having seeds which all germinate within a very short time of wetting or having seed persistence whereby small amounts of rain cause germination of small fractions of seed from a long-living soil seed bank. Serious confusion in the literature in the use of the term ‘opportunistic’ is pointed out and clarified.
The vanishing banker
Authors: Flandreau Marc
Published: March 2012

This article explores the relation between financial crises and economic discourse, focusing on the record of foreign debt crises. I identify a curious migration of discourse across social groups. Discourse that was previously proffered by bankers is now part of the production of economic ‘science’. I argue that this migration can be interpreted as an attempt to manage ‘speech-liability’.
Association of DiGeorge anomaly and caudal dysplasia sequence in a neonate born to a diabetic mother
Authors: Dentici Maria L. , Placidi Silvia , Francalanci Paola , Capolino Rossella , Rinelli Gabriele , Marino Bruno , Digilio Maria C. , Dallapiccola Bruno
Published: March 2012

Aim/objective

Several studies have demonstrated a significantly increased risk of specific patterns of congenital anomalies in infants born to diabetic mothers. In particular, caudal dysplasia sequence has been linked to pregnancy complicated by maternal diabetes. In addition, several cases of infants born to diabetic mothers presenting with features of DiGeorge anomaly have been reported. Infants with DiGeorge anomaly can display additional manifestations within the spectrum of caudal dysplasia sequence, including vertebral anomalies and renal agenesis.

Methods

We report a neonate presenting with the co-occurrence of features of both DiGeorge anomaly and caudal dysplasia sequence, born to a mother with poorly controlled insulin-dependent diabetes.

Results

The patient was affected by truncus arteriosus type A1 and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Conclusion

Maternal diabetes can cause a spectrum of manifestations, expressing with isolated DiGeorge anomaly or caudal dysplasia sequence, with intermediate phenotypes or with the co-occurrence of both the congenital anomalies in the same patient. The present observations argue for a feasible link between truncus arteriosus with hypertrophic cardiomiopathy, DiGeorge anomaly, and maternal diabetes.
Specific and generic subjects in the Italian of German–Italian simultaneous bilinguals and L2 learners
Authors: KUPISCH TANJA
Published: March 2012

This study investigates definite articles in specific and generic subject nominals in Italian spoken by adult simultaneous bilinguals (2L1ers) and second language learners (L2ers). The study focuses on plural and mass DPs, in which German and Italian differ. The aims are to (i) compare acquisition outcomes between the weaker and the stronger language in 2L1 acquisition, (ii) see in a comparison with L2ers whether the phenomenon under investigation, which is typically acquired late (after age 6;0), lacks age of onset effects, and (iii) discuss predictions for the directionality of cross-linguistic influence. Twenty German–Italian 2L1ers and 15 advanced L2ers of Italian with German as their native language were tested in an acceptability judgment task and a truth value judgment task. The results show clear differences between Italian as the weaker and as the stronger language in 2L1 acquisition, and similarities between Italian as L2 and as the weaker language in 2L1 acquisition.
A theoretical framework for the morphodynamics of bedrock channels
Authors: Nelson Peter A. , Seminara Giovanni
Published: March 2012

Bedrock rivers are characterized by conditions of insufficient sediment supply, wherein the amount of sediment supplied to the channel is less than the channel's sediment transport capacity. Consequently, bedrock channels generally exhibit discontinuous sediment cover, which current approaches to the morphodynamics of alluvial rivers are unable to handle. To fill this gap, we present a theoretical framework in which local sediment transport rates are proportional to the areal concentration of sediment available for transport on the bed and the sediment continuity equation is reformulated to account for temporal changes in areal concentration of sediment on nonalluviated surfaces. We then perform a linear stability analysis that shows that an initially uniform distribution of the areal concentration of sediment on the bed is unstable to small perturbations. This suggests that the sediment cover in bedrock channels tends to concentrate into regions which may eventually be alluviated, in general agreement with experimental observations.
Observations of molecular oxygen Atmospheric band emission in the thermosphere using the near infrared spectrometer on the ISS/RAIDS experiment
Authors: Christensen Andrew B. , Yee Jeng‐Hwa , Bishop Rebecca L. , Budzien Scott A. , Hecht James H. , Sivjee Gulamabas , Stephan Andrew W.
Published: March 2012

Observations of airglow emission using the RAIDS (Remote Atmospheric and Ionospheric Detection System) instruments on the International Space Station Kibo module are reported and compared to a photochemical model of the emission process. Launched in Sept. 2009, RAIDS performed routine observations of the O2(b1Σ → X3Σ) Atmospheric band (O2 A‐band) transition during solar minimum conditions from October 2009 to December 2010. Limb brightness of the (0,0), (0,1) and (1,1) vibration band emissions were measured in the altitude range 80 to 180 km with the Near Infrared Spectrometer (NIRS) instrument, one of eight limb viewing instruments in the RAIDS experiment. Comparison of observed brightness profiles with the model shows very good agreement for the (0,0) and (0,1) bands. The model underestimates the (1,1) brightness profiles throughout the region, especially near the peak. Reasonable variations of composition and selected rate constants do not account for the underestimation of (1,1) band brightness. A contributing factor could be in the assumption of detailed balance and the accepted energy transfer pathways that redistribute energy between the v = 0 and v = 1 states.
Simulation of the polar cap potential during periods with northward interplanetary magnetic field
Authors: Bhattarai S. K. , Lopez R. E. , Bruntz R. , Lyon J. G. , Wiltberger M.
Published: March 2012

In this paper we examine the response of the ionospheric cross‐polar cap potential to steady, purely northward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) using the Lyon‐Fedder‐Mobarry global magnetohydrodynamic simulation of the Earth's magnetosphere. The simulation produces the typical, high‐latitude “reversed cell” convection that is associated with northward IMF, along with a two cell convection pattern at lower latitude that we interpret as being driven by the viscous interaction. The behavior of the potential can be divided into two basic regions: the viscous dominated region and the reconnection dominated region. The viscous dominated region is characterized by decreasing viscous potential with increasing northward IMF. The reconnection dominated region may be further subdivided into a linear region, where reconnection potential increases with increasing magnitude of northward IMF, and the saturation region, where the value of the reconnection potential is relatively insensitive to the magnitude of the northward IMF. The saturation of the cross‐polar cap potential for northward IMF has recently been documented using observations and is here established as a feature of a global MHD simulation as well. The region at which the response of the potential transitions from the linear region to the saturation region is also the region in parameter space at which the magnetosheath transitions from being dominated by the plasma pressure to being dominated by the magnetic energy density. This result is supportive of the recent magnetosheath force balance model for the modulation of the reconnection potential. Within that framework, and including our current understanding of the viscous potential, we present a conceptual model for understanding the full variation of the polar cap potential for northward IMF, including the simulated dependencies of the potential on solar wind speed and ionospheric conductivity.
Comparison of the bubble and blob distributions during the solar minimum
Authors: Choi H.‐S. , Kil H. , Kwak Y.‐S. , Park Y.‐D. , Cho K.‐S.
Published: March 2012

Plasma blobs, local plasma density enhancements with respect to the background, in low to middle latitudes are understood as byproducts of equatorial plasma bubbles, but this hypothesis is challenged by observations of blobs in the absence of equatorial bubbles in the same magnetic meridian. This study investigates the causal linkage between bubbles and blobs using their occurrence statistics during the solar minimum. The bubble and blob distributions were obtained by analyzing the ion density data acquired during the period August 2008–April 2010 by the Coupled Ion‐Neutral Dynamics Investigation instrument on board the Communication/Navigation Outage Forecasting System satellite. The seasonal, longitudinal, and latitudinal distributions of bubbles during the solar minimum are similar to those during other periods of the solar cycle. The distinctive bubble distribution during the solar minimum is the high occurrence rate of bubbles after midnight. The blob distribution shows the peak occurrence rate near midnight in the altitude range 400–450 km and around ±25° magnetic latitudes. The bubble occurrence rate is minimal during the June solstice, but the blob occurrence rate is maximal during that season. The blob occurrence rate has a peak value at about a 1700 km magnetic apex height, where the bubble occurrence rate is negligibly small. The difference in the bubble and blob distributions and the frequent occurrence of blobs beyond the bubble apex height suggest that bubbles are not a prerequisite for the creation of blobs.
Slow slip events and strain accumulation in the Guerrero gap, Mexico
Authors: Radiguet M. , Cotton F. , Vergnolle M. , Campillo M. , Walpersdorf A. , Cotte N. , Kostoglodov V.
Published: March 2012

Global positioning system (GPS) time series in Guerrero (Mexico) reveal the existence of large slow slip events (SSEs) at the boundary between the Cocos and North American plates. In this study, we examined the last three SSEs that occurred in 2001/2002, 2006 and 2009/2010, and their impact on the strain accumulation along the Guerrero subduction margin. GPS displacements were inverted to retrieve the slip distribution during each SSE and the inter‐SSE coupling of the subduction interface. The three analyzed SSEs have equivalent moment magnitudes of between 7.50 and 7.65, their lateral extents are variable, and they all show significant slip in the Guerrero seismic gap. During the inter‐SSE epochs, the interplate coupling is high in the area where slow slip subsequently occurs. In the Guerrero gap, the shallow portion of the plate interface from the trench to the coast is weakly coupled. The average slip deficit accumulated in the Guerrero gap over a period of 12 years, which corresponds to three cycles of SSE, is only 1/4 of the slip deficit accumulated on both sides of the gap. Moreover, the regions of large slip deficit coincide with the rupture areas of recent large earthquakes. We conclude that the SSEs in the Guerrero gap release a significant part of the strain accumulated during the inter‐SSE period. If large subduction thrust earthquakes occur in the Guerrero gap, their recurrence time is probably increased compared to adjacent regions.
Varying discharge controls on timescales of autogenic storage and release processes in fluvio‐deltaic environments: Tank experiments
Authors: Powell Erica J. , Kim Wonsuck , Muto Tetsuji
Published: March 2012

Changes in external forcing have traditionally been the main areas of interest in understanding sedimentary records, while in most stratigraphic interpretation, autogenic behavior has been thought of as a “noise” generator. This study aims to investigate autogenic processes in a fluvio‐deltaic system under a range of discharge conditions and to show that autogenic processes generate distinct signatures rather than random noise. A matrix of nine different experiments is presented here to systematically evaluate the effects of sediment and water discharge variations on the timescale of fluvial autogenic processes. Temporary sediment storage regularly occurs by backfilling of sediment in the fluvio‐deltaic channels, followed by a period of strong channelization that releases the stored sediment. These storage and release processes cycle along with changes in the fluvial slope and planform pattern of the flow. Here we propose that the autogenic behavior of deltaic progradation has a distinct timescale that is controlled by sediment and water discharges. An increase in sediment discharge primarily reduces the autogenic timescale as higher sediment supply fills the channels faster. In contrast, the high sediment discharge causes a morphologic feedback by increasing the magnitude of fluvial slope change between the storage and release events and increasing the size of the temporary sediment storage (termed “the fluvial envelope”). This works against the sediment discharge control as the autogenic timescale is increased. Increasing the water discharge increases the autogenic timescale by improving the fluvial organization toward a strongly channelized system. Changes in autogenic timescale due to variations in the sediment and water discharges are nonlinear for different sediment to water discharge ratios. As the ratio decreases, the fluvial system is better organized and the timescale is more linearly related to the change in sediment discharge. As the ratio increases, deltas develop poorly organized fluvial systems and the associated timescales converge even with different sediment discharges. The results presented here provide enhanced interpretation of sedimentary records by better decoupling of autogenic signatures from allogenic products developed across a wide range of discharge conditions.
Field method for separating the contribution of surface‐connected preferential flow pathways from flow through the soil matrix
Authors: Sanders Emily C. , Abou Najm Majdi R. , Mohtar Rabi H. , Kladivko Eileen , Schulze Darrell
Published: March 2012

Liquid latex was used as a method to seal visible surface‐connected preferential flow pathways (PFPs) in the field in an effort to block large surface‐connected preferential flow and force water to move through the soil matrix. The proposed approach allows for the quantification of the contribution of large surface‐connected cracks and biological pores to infiltration at various soil moisture states. Experiments were conducted in a silty clay loam soil in a field under a no‐till corn‐soybean rotation planted to corn. Surface intake rates under ponding were measured using a simplified falling head technique under two scenarios: (1) natural soil conditions with unaltered PFPs and (2) similar soil conditions with latex‐sealed large macropores at the surface. Results indicated that the contribution of flow from large surface‐connected macropores to overall surface intake rates varied from approximately 34% to 99% depending on the initial moisture content and macroporosity present. However, evidence of preferential flow continued to appear in latex‐sealed plots, suggesting significant contributions to preferential flow from smaller structural macropores, particularly in two out of four tests where no significant differences were observed between control and latex‐sealed plots.
Relative efficiency of land surface energy balance components
Authors: Bateni S. M. , Entekhabi D.
Published: March 2012

The partitioning of available energy into dissipative fluxes over land surfaces is dependent on the state variable of the surface energy balance (land surface temperature) and the state variable of the surface water balance (soil moisture). The direct measurement of the turbulent fluxes is achieved with in situ instruments at tower sites. These point‐scale measurements are sparsely distributed. Broader scale mapping of the turbulent fluxes is mostly dependent on land surface temperature (LST) and optical/infrared vegetation that can be sensed remotely. There are several data assimilation approaches currently in use that intake sequences of daytime LST that attain different diurnal amplitudes depending on available energy and the relative efficiency of surface energy balance to infer the magnitude of surface flux components such as latent and sensible heat flux. In this study we perform stability analysis on the evolution of LST in order to provide insights into the physical bases for why LST variations can be used to diagnose surface energy balance (SEB) components. The derived relative efficiencies of SEB components in dissipating available energy at the land surface are tested using two field experiment measurements. The results show that the theoretically derived relative efficiencies of SEB components agree well with field observations. The study provides insight into how LST sequences implicitly contain the signature of partitioning of available energy among SEB components and can be used to infer their magnitudes.
Observatories for integrated water basin science
Authors: James L. Douglas
Published: March 2012

For more than 30 years, with the last 20 years at the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), I have been immersed in community efforts to focus water resources research on growing societal needs. Past strategies have stumbled, but creative thinking on basin function offers a way out. The following ideas are mine and are not necessarily shared by NSF.