bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Volunteering and Trajectories of Depression
Authors: Kim Joongbaeck , Pai Manacy
Published: November 2009

Objective: The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to examine the association between volunteering and trajectories of depression; and (2) to evaluate whether this relationship varies by age. Method: Data come from three waves of the Americans’ Changing Lives (ACL) study. ACL is a nationally representative sample of adults 25 years of age or older who lived in the United States. Results: Latent growth model analysis indicates that although volunteering is associated with lower levels of baseline depression, it does not predict trajectories of depression. Nevertheless, further analyses reveal an age variation in the relationship between volunteering and trajectories of depression. Specifically, we find that volunteering affects the decline of depression for individuals above age 65; yet there is no effect of volunteering on trajectories of depression for younger and middle-aged adults. Discussion: Overall findings highlight the importance of assessing the long-term health impact of volunteering and doing so under diverse social structural contexts.
A Review of Children’s Rights Literature Since the Adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
Authors: Reynaert Didier , Bouverne-de-Bie Maria , Vandevelde Stijn
Published: November 2009

Children’s rights have become a significant field of study during the past decades, largely due to the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 1989. Today, scholarly work on children’s rights is almost inconceivable without considering the Convention as the bearer of the children’s rights debate. The goal of this article is to critically explore academic work on the UNCRC. By means of a discourse analysis of international literature, the article maps the academic discourse on children’s rights. Three themes are identified that predominate in the academic work on the UNCRC: (1) autonomy and participation rights as the new norm in children’s rights practice and policy, (2) children’s rights vs parental rights and (3) the global children’s rights industry. That these three themes distinguish contemporary scholarly work on the UNCRC might not be a coincidence, analysed from the process of ‘educationalization ’ that has characterized childhood in western societies since the 19th century. The perspective of educationalization presents a contemporary research agenda for children’s rights for the coming decades.
Historical records of Cipreses glacier (34°S): combining documentary-inferred ‘Little Ice Age’ evidence from Southern and Central Chile
Authors: Araneda Alberto , Torrejón Fernando , Aguayo Mauricio , Alvial Ingrid , Mendoza Carlos , Urrutia Roberto
Published: November 2009

The historical behaviour of Cipreses glacier from the nineteenth through the early twentieth century is described based on written records, cartography, iconography and photographs. These data allow us to infer that the last maximum advance of Cipreses glacier attributable to the ‘Little Ice Age’ occurred around AD 1842. The first historical retreat was recorded in 1858 and, since then, the glacier has shown a clear retreating trend with no new advances. All this information was compared with the historical data gathered for San Rafael glacier, which shows the occurrence of a cold period contemporary with the European LIA. Whereas Cipreses glacier was retreating by 1858, San Rafael glacier was advancing, reaching its last maximum between 1857 and 1875. The dates for the advances and retreats reveal a time-lag of approximately 30 years in the responses of these glaciers. The comparison of timing in glacier advances suggests that this time-lag is due to changes in precipitation and temperature associated mainly with fluctuations of the Westerlies.
High-resolution chironomid-inferred temperature history since ad 1580 from varved Lake Silvaplana, Switzerland: comparison with local and regional reconstructions
Authors: Larocque-Tobler Isabelle , Grosjean Martin , Heiri Oliver , Trachsel Mathias
Published: November 2009

Chironomids were used to reconstruct mean July air temperatures between c. AD 1580 and 2001 at Lake Silvaplana, a varved lake located in the Engadine, eastern Swiss Alps. The goal of this study was to reconstruct temperature changes at near-annual resolution, and validate the reconstruction by comparison with records based on early instrumental data, documentary proxy evidence, dendrochronology, geochemical (biogenic silica (BSi)) and mineralogical data (quartz/mica ratios) at local and regional scales. Warmer than-the-climate-normal (AD 1961—1990) mean July air temperatures were inferred between c. AD 1610 and 1662, AD 1710 and 1740, AD 1790 and 1866, AD 1940 and 1960 and AD 1990 and 2001. Colder-than-the-climate-normal July air temperatures were reconstructed between c. AD 1662 and 1710, AD 1740 and 1790, AD 1866 and 1919, and AD 1970 and 1990. The 420-year chironomid-inferred mean July air temperature record was significantly ( p < 0.01) related to June—September (JJAS) temperatures reconstructed from early instrumental and documentary data at regional scale, JJA temperature inferred from documentary proxy evidence at local scale and summer temperatures based on early instrumental data in central Europe. When the Z-scores of warm/cold periods were compared between records, only one period ( c. AD 1740—1790) did not show significant correlations between the chironomid record and any of the eight other records considered here, probably because of increased precipitation and changes in the sediment composition which influenced the chironomid assemblages. 75% of the periods considered had significant correlations between the chironomid records, and both the reconstruction based on quartz/mica ratios and the inferred JJAS early instrumental and documentary proxy evidence, while 60% of the periods showed significant correlations between the chironomid-based record and the reconstruction based on early instrumental data of Central Europe. These results suggest that chironomids in the sediment of Lake Silvaplana yield valid temperature reconstructions at regional scales for the last 420 years.
‘Senseless’ violence
Authors: Duck Waverly
Published: November 2009

■ This article, based on an ethnographic study conducted over a three-year period in an impoverished, predominately African American and Latino neighborhood in the northeastern US, describes how a drug gang narrative was created by the police and prosecutors to explain a series of unsolved murders. The narrative that the authorities constructed retroactively tied these unrelated crimes together by connecting them to neighborhood drug dealers whom they construed as a gang. Through this narrative, the authorities were able to prosecute all the cases in sequence and deploy a series of defendants and witnesses to win convictions — even in cases where they had little evidence. Murders like these are typically described by law enforcement agencies and the media as ‘senseless’ acts of ‘random violence’. When examined with ethnographic detail, however, these acts of murder turn out to have motives that community members understand but have nothing to do with gang activity.
Helping Young Men Thrive: Positive Youth Development and Men’s Health
Authors: Vo Dzung X. , Park M. Jane
Published: November 2009

Positive youth development (PYD) is a strong and growing field that complements the traditional problem-focused view of youth, and describes and promotes the healthy development and positive outcomes of young people. The PYD perspective can be applied in clinical and community intervention settings. Frameworks such as the “Five Cs” and the Search Institute’s developmental assets model have guided researchers and practitioners in better understanding the process of PYD and the effectiveness of community interventions to promote PYD. The PYD literature lacks a coherent guiding framework to describe gender differences in positive development, which in turn could guide community and clinical interventions designed to help young men thrive.
Can social marketing bring about long-term behaviour change?
Authors: Jackson Amanda
Published: November 2009

Amanda Jackson, Director of Social Change at ICE Marketing & Communications, an agency working with NHS partners and PCTs nationwide helping to tackle a range of public health concerns, offers her perspective
From service delivery to solution delivery: Commissioning for health improvement
Authors: Shircore Richard , Ladbury Patrick
Published: November 2009

The further division of responsibilities between commissioners and providers in England will have far-reaching consequences and opportunities for developing and enhancing health improvement. Commissioners will have the opportunity to craft local solutions to local issues. To be effective, these local responses need to tackle the core determinants of health and to build the social capital that is at the heart of all communities that enjoy high standards of health. This paper argues that the new arrangements mark an evolution of the Beveridge model of healthcare (centralized, top down and professionally prescribed) to a post-Beveridge model characterized by it being decentralized, localized and utilizing professional skills in the pursuit of client and community satisfaction and engagement rather than a narrowly defined professional perspective. This paper indicates some of the key conceptual changes commissioners need to employ to take advantage of the emerging opportunities. It is argued that the new arrangements will only be fully effective if commissioners of health improvement programmes ensure they factor in health promotion and social marketing expertise, both in the strategic and operational phases of commissioning. Finally, predictions are made about changes in the values and characteristics of current health improvement organizations.
Leukemic transformation by the APL fusion protein PRKAR1A-RARα critically depends on recruitment of RXRα
Authors: Qiu Jihui J. , Lu Xiaoxi , Zeisig Bernd B. , Ma Zhigui , Cai Xun , Chen Saijuan , Gronemeyer Hinrich , Tweardy David J. , So Chi Wai Eric , Dong Shuo
Published: November 2009

PRKAR1A (R1A)–retinoic acid receptor-α (R1A-RARα) is the sixth RARα–containing fusion protein in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Using the murine bone-marrow retroviral transduction/transformation assay, we showed that R1A-RARα fusion protein could transform bone-marrow progenitor/stem cells. In gel-shift assays, R1A-RARα was able to bind to a panel of retinoic acid response elements both as a homodimer and as a heterodimer with RXRα, and demonstrated distinct DNA-binding characteristics compared with wild-type RARα/RXRα or other X-RARα chimeric proteins. The ratio of R1A-RARα to RXRα proteins affected the retinoic acid response element interaction pattern of R1A-RARα/RXRα complexes. Studies comparing R1A-RARα with R1A-RARα(ΔRIIa) demonstrated that the RIIa protein interaction domain located within R1A was responsible for R1A-RARα homodimeric DNA binding and interaction with wild-type R1A protein. However, the RIIa domain was not required for R1A-RARα–mediated transformation because its deletion in R1A-RARα(ΔRIIa) did not compromise its transformation capability. In contrast, introduction of point mutations within the RARα portion of either R1A-RARα or R1A-RARα(ΔRIIa), previously demonstrated to eliminate RXRα interaction or treatment of transduced cells with RXRα shRNA or a RXRα agonist, reduced transformation capability. Thus, leukemic transformation by APL fusion protein PRKAR1A-RARα is critically dependent on RXRα, which suggests RXRα is a promising target for APL.
Anomalous superficial peroneal nerve and variant cutaneous innervation of the sural nerve on the dorsum of the foot: a case report
Authors: Nagabhooshana Somayaji , Vollala Venkata Ramana , Rodrigues Vincent , Rao Mohandas
Published: November 2009

Background

The superficial peroneal nerve is a branch of common peroneal nerve. There are reports about the variant course and distribution of this nerve. The sural nerve arises from the tibial nerve in the popliteal fossa. The variations of the above nerves described here are unique and provide significant information to surgeons dissecting lower limb.

Case presentation

The present case is about some important anatomic variations observed in left lower limb of approximately 55 - year - old male cadaver. The variations were; high division of superficial peroneal nerve into medial and lateral branches, lateral branch descending in the anterior intermuscular septum in a peroneal tunnel before piercing the deep fascia and variant distribution of sural nerve on the dorsum of the foot. The probable clinical significances of the variation are discussed.

Conclusion

Awareness of anatomical variations of superficial peroneal and sural nerves such as those presented here becomes important to avoid injury in real clinical situations.
Menschen und das Datenweb: Semantische Textverarbeitung für Nicht-ExpertenHumans and the Web of Data: Semantic Text Authoring for the non-Expert
Authors: Luczak-Rösch Markus , Heese Ralf , Paschke Adrian
Published: November 2009

Durch die vielversprechende Linked Data Initiative ist das World Wide Web als ein Web das aus (HTML-)Dokumenten besteht, die mittels Hyperlinks vernetzt sind und dessen Informationen nur für die menschlichen Nutzer erschließbar sind, im Wandel zu einem so genannten Datenweb begriffen. Dennoch ist der Wert eines Datenwebs für Benutzer, die ohne technische Intention und Vorbildung das Web nutzen, bis heute kaum bekannt. Einige Merkmale semantischer Daten sind überdies nahezu unvereinbar mit dem etablierten Umgang mit Inhalten für das Web und der menschlichen Denk- und Arbeitsweise. Mit loomp präsentieren wir einen Ansatz für direkte semantische Textverarbeitung und die Verwaltung von Linked Data durch Nicht-Experten. Ziel ist es, der semantischen Annotation von Inhalten einen Vorrang vor der autorengetriebenen Formatierung zu geben und so den Zusatzaufwand, den manuelle Annotation bisher erzeugt, zu minimieren. Ferner wird eine Benutzerschnittstelle vorgestellt, die das Erzeugen, Verwalten und Durchsuchen von RDF-Daten im Datenweb in einer Form ermöglicht, die dem intuitiven Umgang der meisten technisch unerfahrenen Nutzer mit dem Web folgt.
Mit Social Semantic Bookmarking zur nützlichen OntologieWith Social Semantic Bookmarking towards useful ontologies
Authors: Braun Simone , Schmidt Andreas , Zacharias Valentin
Published: November 2009

Dieser Artikel präsentiert das SOBOLEO-System und das zugrundeliegende Ontologiereifungsprozessmodell für die kollaborative Ontologieentwicklung. Man kann beobachten, dass die meisten aktuellen Ontologieentwicklungsprozesse und -werkzeuge von einer organisatorischen, personellen, technischen und zeitlichen Trennung zwischen Entwicklung und Nutzung der Ontologie ausgehen – eine Trennung, die wiederum häufig zu kostspieligen und nicht an ihre Nutzung angepasste Ontologien führt. Unser Ansatz überwindet die durch diese Trennung verursachten Schwierigkeiten mittels Methoden und Werkzeugen, die die Nutzer der Ontologie in die Lage versetzen, diese selbst zu entwickeln, und zwar im gleichen System, das die Ontologie nutzt und zu dem Zeitpunkt und Umfang wie jeweils nötig (arbeits integriert).
Charles Darwin: Genius or Plodder?
Authors: Wilkins Adam S
Published: November 2009

There is no doubt about the magnitude of Charles Darwin's contributions to science. There has, however, been a long-running debate about how brilliant he was. His kind of intelligence was clearly different from that of the great physicists who are deemed geniuses. Here, the nature of Darwin's intelligence is examined in the light of Darwin's actual style of working. Surprisingly, the world of literature and the field of neurobiology might supply more clues to resolving the puzzle than conventional scientific history. Those clues suggest that the apparent discrepancy between Darwin's achievements and his seemingly pedestrian way of thinking reveals nothing to Darwin's discredit but rather a too narrow and inappropriate set of criteria for “genius.” The implications of Darwin's particular creative gifts with respect to the development of scientific genius in general are briefly discussed.
A global meta‐analysis of soil exchangeable cations, pH, carbon, and nitrogen with afforestation
Authors: Berthrong Sean T. , Jobbágy Esteban G. , Jackson Robert B.
Published: November 2009

Afforestation, the conversion of non‐forested lands to forest plantations, can sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide, but the rapid growth and harvesting of biomass may deplete nutrients and degrade soils if managed improperly. The goal of this study is to evaluate how afforestation affects mineral soil quality, including pH, sodium, exchangeable cations, organic carbon, and nitrogen, and to examine the magnitude of these changes regionally where afforestation rates are high. We also examine potential mechanisms to reduce the impacts of afforestation on soils and to maintain long‐term productivity.

Across diverse plantation types (153 sites) to a depth of 30 cm of mineral soil, we observed significant decreases in nutrient cations (Ca, K, Mg), increases in sodium (Na), or both with afforestation. Across the data set, afforestation reduced soil concentrations of the macronutrient Ca by 29% on average (P< 0.05). Afforestation byPinusalone decreased soil K by 23% (P< 0.05). Overall, plantations of all genera also led to a mean 71% increase of soil Na (P< 0.05). Mean pH decreased 0.3 units (P< 0.05) with afforestation.

Afforestation caused a 6.7% and 15% (P< 0.05) decrease in soil C and N content respectively, though the effect was driven principally byPinusplantations (15% and 20% decrease,P< 0.05). Carbon to nitrogen ratios in soils under plantations were 5.7–11.6% higher (P< 0.05). In several regions with high rates of afforestation, cumulative losses of N, Ca, and Mg are likely in the range of tens of millions of metric tons. The decreases indicate that trees take up considerable amounts of nutrients from soils; harvesting this biomass repeatedly could impair long‐term soil fertility and productivity in some locations. Based on this study and a review of other literature, we suggest that proper site preparation and sustainable harvest practices, such as avoiding the removal or burning of harvest residue, could minimize the impact of afforestation on soils. These sustainable practices would in turn slow soil compaction, erosion, and organic matter loss, maintaining soil fertility to the greatest extent possible.
Extrapolating population size from the occupancy–abundance relationship and the scaling pattern of occupancy
Authors: Hui Cang , McGeoch Melodie A. , Reyers Belinda , Roux Peter Cle , Greve Michelle , Chown Steven L.
Published: November 2009

The estimation of species abundances at regional scales requires a cost‐efficient method that can be applied to existing broadscale data. We compared the performance of eight models for estimating species abundance and community structure from presence–absence maps of the southern African avifauna. Six models were based on the intraspecific occupancy–abundance relationship (OAR); the other two on the scaling pattern of species occupancy (SPO), which quantifies the decline in species range size when measured across progressively finer scales. The performance of these models was examined using five tests: the first three compared the predicted community structure against well‐documented macroecological patterns; the final two compared published abundance estimates for rare species and the total regional abundance estimate against predicted abundances. Approximately two billion birds were estimated as occurring in South Africa, Lesotho, and Swaziland. SPO models outperformed the OAR models, due to OAR models assuming environmental homogeneity and yielding scale‐dependent estimates. Therefore, OAR models should only be applied across small, homogenous areas. By contrast, SPO models are suitable for data at larger spatial scales because they are based on the scale dependence of species range size and incorporate environmental heterogeneity (assuming fractal habitat structure or performing a Bayesian estimate of occupancy). Therefore, SPO models are recommended for assemblage‐scale regional abundance estimation based on spatially explicit presence–absence data.
Combining Explicit and Implicit Measures of Racial Discrimination in Health Research
Authors: Krieger Nancy , Carney Dana , Lancaster Katie , Waterman Pamela D. , Kosheleva Anna , Banaji Mahzarin
Published: November 2009

Objectives. To improve measurement of discrimination for health research, we sought to address the concern that explicit self-reports of racial discrimination may not capture unconscious cognition.

Methods. We used 2 assessment tools in our Web-based study: a new application of the Implicit Association Test, a computer-based reaction-time test that measures the strength of association between an individual's self or group and being a victim or perpetrator of racial discrimination, and a validated explicit self-report measure of racial discrimination.

Results. Among the 442 US-born non-Hispanic Black participants, the explicit and implicit measures, as hypothesized, were weakly correlated and tended to be independently associated with risk of hypertension among persons with less than a college degree. Adjustments for both measures eliminated the significantly greater risk for Blacks than for Whites (odds ratio = 1.4), reducing it to 1.1 (95% confidence interval = 0.7, 1.7).

Conclusions. Our results suggest that the scientific rigor of research on racism and health will be improved by investigating how both unconscious and conscious mental awareness of having experienced discrimination matter for somatic and mental health.
The Return to English in a Non-English Speaking Country: Russian Immigrants and Native Israelis in Israel
Authors: Lang Kevin , Siniver Erez
Published: November 2009

Using a unique sample of Russian immigrants and native Israelis, we examine the return to English knowledge. Panel and cross-section estimates of the return to English are substantial for highly educated immigrants and natives. Hebrew and English language acquisition contribute to immigrant/native earnings convergence, but most convergence is explained by other factors. While immigrants with low levels of education do not benefit from knowing English, native Israelis may. Conditional on occupation, English and Hebrew acquisition are largely orthogonal. Therefore earlier work on the importance of knowledge of the host-country language (Hebrew) is not significantly biased by unmeasured English knowledge.
Effect of Sparse Long-chain Branching on the Film-casting Behavior for a Series of Well-defined HDPEs
Authors: McGrady C. D. , Seay C. W. , Baird D. G.
Published: November 2009

The effect of sparse long chain branching, LCB, on the film-casting process is analyzed using a molecular model for the rheological behavior for a series of well-characterized, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) resins and a low-density polyethylene (LDPE) resin at various drawdown ratios. A full rheological characterization in both shear and shear-free flows is also presented. At low drawdown ratios, the LDPE exhibited the least degree of necking at distances less than the HDPE frostline. The sparsely-branched HDPE resins films had similar final film-widths that were larger than those of the linear HDPE. As the drawdown ratio was increased, film width profiles separated based on branching level. Small amounts of LCB were found to reduce the amount of necking at intermediate drawdown ratios. At higher drawdown ratios, the sparsely-branched HDPE resins of lower LCB content had film-widths that mimicked that of the linear HDPE, while the sparsely-branched HDPE resins of higher LCB content retained a larger film width. Molecular structural analysis via the Pom-Pom constitutive model suggested that branching that was distributed across a larger range of backbone lengths served to improve resistance to necking. As the drawdown ratio increased, the length of the backbones dominating the response decreased, so that the linear chains were controlling the necking behavior of the sparsely-branched resins of lower LCB content while remaining in the branched regime for higher LCB content HDPEs. Other processing variables such as shear viscosity magnitude, extrudate swell, and non-isothermal processing conditions were eliminated as contributing factors to the differences in the film width profile.
Caregivers of Loved Ones with Alzheimer's Disease: Nursing Care for the Caregivers
Authors: Callan Judith A. , Howland Robert H.
Published: November 2009

Olivia is a 74-year-old caregiver for her husband of 50 years, Jim. In addition to the usual custodial requirements, she has assumed management of their finances, medical care, and home. During the past year, Jim's sleep has become severely disrupted, such that his nights and days are switched, and he has demonstrated periodic behavioral problems, such as emotional lability and threatening to hit Olivia when he becomes frustrated. Prior to Jim's diagnosis with Alzheimer's disease, Olivia led a very active social life. She has become socially isolated and frequently feels depressed, overwhelmed, and impatient with Jim.
Prescribing Psychotropic Medications for Elderly Patients
Authors: Howland Robert H.
Published: November 2009

Compared with younger patients, the use of various psychotropic drugs is typically associated with expected, but exaggerated adverse effects in elderly patients. Falls are the single most important serious complication associated with all types of prescription and nonprescription drug use in older adults; psychotropic drugs contribute to or cause falls by various direct and indirect mechanisms, including sedation, confusion, vision changes, blood pressure changes, cardiac rhythm changes, balance problems, and neuromuscular incoordination. This article discusses dosage titration for elderly patients, laboratory testing for monitoring pharmacotherapy, and the importance of careful clinical assessment. In their role of providing, monitoring, and coordinating treatment, nurses should be knowledgeable about the appropriate use of medication in elderly patients.
Effect of a Suction Device for Femtosecond Laser on Anterior Chamber Depth and Crystalline Lens Position Measured by OCT
Authors: Kunert Kathleen S. , Blum Marcus , Reich Matthias , Dick Manfred , Russmann Christoph
Published: November 2009

Purpose:

To investigate the position and stability of the crystalline lens after application of a suction device containing a contact lens and a vacuum unit for the treatment of presbyopia using a femtosecond laser.

Methods:

Twenty presbyopic (44.4±4.3 years) and 5 pre-presbyopic patients (31.6±3.8 years) were included. The anterior chamber depth, along with the position of the lens, was investigated before and after application of the suction device with optical coherence tomography (Visante OCT; Carl Zeiss Meditec AG). The type of suction device is routinely used for femtosecond LASIK with the VisuMax laser (Carl Zeiss Meditec AG).

Results:

In both groups, there was a reduction in anterior chamber depth of approximately 700 µm due to the suction device, and the anterior chamber depth achieved was stable. The maximum variation was 160 µm. At the periphery of the crystalline lens, there were movements up to 310 µm axially and 470 µm laterally.

Conclusions:

The study proves that once the suction device has been applied, the crystalline lens is stable enough to undergo presbyopic laser therapy. However, the reduction in anterior chamber depth induced by the suction device showed significant individual variation. The exact position of the lens should therefore be measured immediately before laser surgery.

[
J Refract Surg
. 2009;25:1005–1011.]
Location of Steepest Corneal Area of Cone in Keratoconus Stratified by Age Using Pentacam
Authors: Ertan Aylin , Kamburoglu Günhal , Colin Joseph
Published: November 2009

Purpose:

To evaluate topographic patterns in keratoconic cases and to classify those topographic patterns according to different age groups.

Methods:

Four hundred eighty-two eyes of 251 patients with keratoconus were separated into 3 groups based on age. The age range of group 1 (younger) was <21 years (83 eyes), group 2 (middle) was 21 to 40 years (362 eyes), and group 3 (older) was >40 years (37 eyes). All patients underwent full ocular examination and Pentacam (Oculus Optikgeräte GmbH) measurement. Topographic patterns were analyzed by comparing the results according to age groups.

Results:

Distribution ratios of keratoconic eyes in the three age groups were 17.2% younger, 75.3% middle, and 7.5% older. The most frequent topographic patterns for those patients were vertical bowtie pattern (28.4%) in the younger group, inferior global cone pattern (23.7%) in the middle group, and inferotemporal global cone pattern (16.4%) in the older group. Temporal global cone pattern was more frequently seen among younger keratoconus patients—22% for the eyes in the younger group, 6.9% for the eyes in the middle group, and 11.1% for the eyes in the older group.

Conclusions:

In keratoconus, the steepest part of the cone can be located temporally, especially in younger patients, which is unusual. Younger candidates for refractive surgery should be screened for temporal forme fruste.

[
J Refract Surg.
2009;25:1012–1016.]
Integrating Regular, On-Line Evaluation by Students into the Curriculum Review Process in an Australian Medical Program
Authors: Tedman Raymond , Loudon Robert , Wallace Barbara , Pountney Helen
Published: November 2009

The School of Medicine Resources Management System (SOMRMS) supports the medical program at Griffith University via on-line delivery of various types of learning resources. One of the key functionalities of this system is the capacity for regular collection of on-line evaluations. PBL tutorial groups evaluate their perceptions of the groupâ??s learning against the stated learning objectives and these results are immediately available for review by staff. This paper presents data demonstrating the important role that this evaluation tool plays. It promotes student engagement by linking their evaluations to consequential course and curriculum improvements, highlights staff development needs and assists in the identification of students at risk.
Enabling Effective E-Learning Creation on a Large Scale: Special-Purpose Authoring Tools
Authors: Guralnick David , Levy Christine
Published: November 2009

E-learning design and development today relies more on technological tools than ever before. In todayâ??s world, for budget and efficiency reasons, e-learning is often created by people without a technical background, using the authoring tools that are available to them. While this process is in some ways unavoidable, the result is that e-learning design is often dictated as much by the capabilities of existing authoring tools as by educational and design principles. In order to support the creation of more sophisticated, effective, educationally-sound e-learning on a large scale, I suggest an approach based on â??special-purpose
Evaluation of Collaborative Learning Settings in 3D Virtual Worlds
Authors: Chang Vanessa , Gütl Christian , Kopeinik Simone , Williams Robert
Published: November 2009

Virtual 3D worlds are gaining popularity among the general population and the virtual world environment is widely used particularly by the younger generations as a knowledge and social tool. In recent years, universities have conducted experiments with the use of virtual 3D worlds for teaching and learning. Virtual 3D worlds are no longer just for the stereotypical geek. By 2011 it is estimated that about 80% of active Internet users will have an â??avatar
AFLP analyses of genetic variation of Eupatorium adenophorum (Asteraceae) populations in China
Authors: Huang W. K. , Wan F. H. , Guo J. Y. , Gao B. D. , Xie B. Y. , Peng D. L.
Published: November 2009

The Eupatorium adenophorum is one of the most widespread invasive alien species in China. In the present study, the genetic variation and population structure of this species were analyzed using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. Nine primer pairs were selected for the analysis and 685 bands were produced, among which 474 bands were polymorphic (PPB = 69.2%). Diversity levels within populations were relatively high (mean expected heterozygosity = 0.188, mean Shannon index = 0.296). Regression analysis showed a significant positive relationship between Shannon genetic diversity and altitude (R2 = 0.31). However, there was a negative correlation between Shannon genetic diversity and latitude (R2 = 0.16), as well as between Shannon genetic diversity and longitude (R2 = 0.45). Cluster analysis grouped the majority of the weed populations into three main clusters that corresponded with the geographic regions. At the regional level, the AMOVA indicated that about 70% of the variations in the data set were from genotypic variations within populations, 13.3% of the variations were due to regional differences, and the remaining 16.6% were due to differences among populations within the provincial regions. The results imply that most individuals tested in the present study should have been produced through seeds, and the process of colonization resulted in progressive loss of genetic diversity from the southwest to the northeast of China. Key words: Amplified fragment length polymorphism, invasive species, Eupatorium adenophorum, diversity, genetic variation, population structure
The biology of Canadian weeds. 139. Rhamnus cathartica L.
Authors: Qaderi Mirwais M , Clements David R , Cavers Paul B
Published: November 2009

European buckthorn, Rhamnus cathartica L., is an introduced shrub or small tree of forests, thickets, open pastures, hedgerows, roadsides, and riparian habitats. In Canada, it is found from Alberta east to the Maritimes, but is absent from Newfoundland. It is particularly abundant in southern Ontario. Problems arise from its status as an alternate host for the fungi Puccinia coronata Corda. f. sp. avenae Eriks., which causes crown rust and leaf rust of oats and for Puccinia coronata var. hordei Jin & Steff., which causes crown rust of barley. It is also the overwintering host for the recently invasive soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura, which has been described as a serious threat to soybean production in North America. Prolific fruit production, in combination with extensive seedling establishment and shade tolerance, allows R. cathartica to dominate an understorey quickly. Its ability to tolerate a wide range of conditions, at least in fairly moist areas, may lead to further expansion of its Canadian range. Control strategies should focus on reducing populations in close proximity to oats, soybeans or barley and to reduce its abundance in areas of ecological importance. Key words: Rhamnus cathartica, European buckthorn, Puccinia coronata, soybean aphid, weed biology
Fall-seeded cover crops after dry bean and potato in Southern Alberta
Authors: Moyer J. R. , Blackshaw R. E.
Published: November 2009

Dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) usually provide insufficient plant residue cover after harvest to protect the soil from wind erosion. Experiments were conducted at the Lethbridge Research Centre to determine the potential beneficial effects of planting cereal cover crops after Russett Burbank potato, which is harvested in late September or October, and dry bean, which is harvested in mid- to late September at Lethbridge, Alberta. Annual cereals planted after potato provided insufficient ground cover to protect the soil from erosion in the fall or spring. Winter annual cereals after potato and dry bean and annual cereals after dry bean usually provided enough residue in the spring (> 30% ground cover). However, winter cereals killed with glyphosate just before seeding spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) consistently reduced wheat yield. Reductions in available N and soil moisture due to winter annual cereals were small, and likely did not reduce wheat yield. None of the cover crops provided enough ground cover to reduce weed density. Additional research is required to assess the benefits of seeding annual cereals after early-maturing potato varieties and after dry bean, which matures earlier at lower elevations in southern Alberta, with more heat units. Key words: Fall rye, ground cover, soil erosion, winter triticale
Control of common waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus var. rudis) in corn and soybean with sequential herbicide applications
Authors: Soltani Nader , Vyn Joshua D , Sikkema Peter H
Published: November 2009

Common waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus) is an aggressive annual broadleaf whose distribution is expected to increase rapidly in agricultural land in eastern Canada. Eight field experiments (four in corn and four in soybean) over a 2-yr period (2005 and 2006) were established on two Ontario farms (near Comber and Petrolia, Ontario) with waterhemp infestations to evaluate the efficacy of various PRE- and POST-emergence herbicides applied alone or in sequence for the control of waterhemp in corn and soybean. There was minimal injury (up to 3.8%) to corn and soybean from the herbicide treatments evaluated. In corn, sequential herbicide programs of isoxaflutole + atrazine PRE fb either dicamba POST, dicamba/diflufenzopyr POST, dicamba/atrazine POST or mesotrione + atrazine POST provided consistent full-season control of waterhemp. Corn yield was reduced 48% when waterhemp was not controlled. Corn yield was equivalent to the weed-free check with the herbicide treatments evaluated. In soybean, PRE or POST herbicides alone provided 41 to 94% control of waterhemp, however, waterhemp control was increased to 90 to 99% with the sequential herbicide programs. Dimethenamid (PRE; 1250 g ha-1) followed by glyphosate (POST1; 900 g ha-1) followed by glyphosate (POST2; 900 g ha-1) controlled waterhemp 99%. Results with waterhemp density and biomass were similar to visible control. Soybean yield was reduced 41% when waterhemp was not controlled. Soybean yield was equivalent to the weed-free check with all the herbicide treatment except dimethenamid PRE, acifluorfen POST1 and fomesafen POST1 where the yield was 30, 19, and 19% lower, respectively. Key words: Waterhemp, weed control, glyphosate, corn, soybean, pre-emergence herbicide, post-emergence herbicide
Comparison of consecutive and alternate fertilizer applications in wild blueberry production
Authors: Eaton L. J. , Sanderson K. R. , Fillmore S. A. E.
Published: November 2009

Research has shown that improved nutrient uptake and yield of wild blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait) are very sporadic when fertilizers are applied. Growers are concerned with environment impacts and keeping fertilizer costs to a minimum. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the response of wild blueberries to soil-applied fertilization over four cropping cycles in Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia from 1997 to 2004. Commercial fertilizers (17-17-17, 1-46-0 and 13-26-5) were soil-applied in the sprout year either as a consecutive fertilizer application (every cropping cycle) or an alternate fertilizer application (every second cropping cycle). All fertilizers were applied at a rate of 200 kg ha-1. Fertilizer applications increased soil levels of P and K, leaf tissue concentrations of N and P and stem lengths of plants. Higher levels of soil P and leaf tissue concentrations of N, P and K were observed with consecutive than with alternate fertilizer applications. Average stem lengths, buds and blossoms per stem were higher over the length of the study when fertilizers were applied consecutively compared with alternately. Fruit yields were increased compared with the unfertilized control. Within applied fertilizers treatments, fruit yield was not affected when fertilizer was applied in either consecutive or alternate cropping cycles. Alternate fertilizer applications may reduce soil accumulation of P and production costs without comprising yields. Key words: Cropping cycles, fertilization, soil and tissue nutrients, yield
Jordan oat
Authors: Mitchell Fetch J. W. , Brown P. D. , Duguid S. D. , Ames N. , Chong J. , Fetch Jr. T. G. , Haber S. M. , Menzies J. G. , Stadnyk K. D.
Published: November 2009

Jordan is a high-yielding, white-hulled spring oat (Avena sativa L.) cultivar postulated to carry the crown rust resistance combination Pc38, Pc39, and Pc68, which was effective against the prevalent pathotypes of crown rust races on the Canadian prairies at the time of its release. It has very good resistance to loose and covered smut, moderately good resistance to most of the prairie stem rust races (likely due to the presence of Pg2 and Pg13) and moderate tolerance to barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV). Jordan has high kernel weight, high percent plump kernels, and low percent thin kernels. Jordan exhibits high yielding capacity in the oat growing areas of western Canada. Jordan was supported for registration at the Prairie Grain Development Committee Meeting in February 2005. Key words: Oat, Avena sativa L., cultivar description, yield, milling oat
The Addition Reaction of Samarium Enolates and 2‐Haloenolates Derived from Esters, and Amides to Imines. Totally Stereoselective Synthesis of Enantiopure 3,4‐Diamino Esters or Amides
Authors: Concellón José M. , Rodríguez‐Solla Humberto , Simal Carmen , del Amo Vicente , García‐Granda Santiago , Díaz M. Rosario
Published: November 2009

The addition reaction of samarium enolates and 2‐haloenolates derived from esters and amides to imines takes place in an efficient manner. A novel protocol to perform the addition reaction of samarium enolates derived from esters or amides to chiral 2‐aminoimines, with total stereoselectivity and without racemization, is also reported. The use of samarium enolates in place of other classic metallic enolates (lithium, magnesium, etc.) could be a valuable alternative to obtain enantiopure 3,4‐diamino esters or amides, when enolates of low basicity are necessary.
On neat embeddings of cylindric algebras
Authors: Ahmed Tarek Sayed
Published: November 2009

We show that certain properties of dimension complemented cylindric algebras, concerning neat embeddings, do not generalize much further. Let α ≥ ω. There are non‐isomorphic representable cylindric algebras of dimension α each of which is a generating subreduct of the same β dimensional cylindric algebra. We also show that there exists a representable cylindric algebra 𝔄 of dimension α, such that 𝔄 is a generating subreduct of 𝔅 and 𝔅′, both in CAα +ω , however 𝔅 and 𝔅′ are not isomorphic. This settle questions raised by Henkin, Monk and Tarski (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Hetero‐Multifunctional Poly(ethylene glycol) Copolymers with Multiple Hydroxyl Groups and a Single Terminal Functionality
Authors: Mangold Christine , Wurm Frederik , Obermeier Boris , Frey Holger
Published: November 2009

Hetero‐multifunctional poly(ethylene glycol‐co‐glycerol) random copolymers with multiple hydroxyl functionalities and a single terminal functionality have been prepared by copolymerization of ethylene oxide (EO) and ethoxy ethyl glycidyl ether (EEGE) with the use of a suitable initiator, introducing a protected amino group or a double bond, respectively. Acidic deprotection was used for removal of the acetal protecting groups in the chain, and the terminal amino group was regenerated by catalytic hydrogenation. A series of copolymers with narrow polydispersity was obtained, varying comonomer fractions from 3 to 67% and molecular weights in the range of 5 000–32 000 g · mol−1 (1.05 < $\overline M _{\rm w} /\overline M _{\rm n}$ < 1.25). Molecular and thermal characterization was carried out using 1H‐ and 13C NMR, SEC and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).

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Determination of nitrogen‐15 isotope fractionation in tropine: evaluation of extraction protocols for isotope ratio measurement by isotope ratio mass spectrometry
Authors: Molinié Roland , Kwiecień Renata A. , Silvestre Virginie , Robins Richard J.
Published: November 2009

N‐Demethylation of tropine is an important step in the degradation of this compound and related metabolites. With the purpose of understanding the reaction mechanism(s) involved, it is desirable to measure the 15N kinetic isotope effects (KIEs), which can be accessed through the 15N isotope shift (Δδ15N) during the reaction. To measure the isotope fractionation in 15N during tropine degradation necessitates the extraction of the residual substrate from dilute aqueous solution without introducing artefactual isotope fractionation. Three protocols have been compared for the extraction and measurement of the 15N/14N ratio of tropine from aqueous medium, involving liquid‐liquid phase partitioning or silica‐C18 solid‐phase extraction. Quantification was by gas chromatography (GC) on the recovered organic phase and δ15N values were obtained by isotope ratio measurement mass spectrometry (irm‐MS). Although all the protocols used can provide satisfactory data and both irm‐EA‐MS and irm‐GC‐MS can be used to obtain the δ15N values, the most convenient method is liquid‐liquid extraction from a reduced aqueous volume combined with irm‐GC‐MS. The protocols are applied to the measurement of 15N isotope shifts during growth of a Pseudomonas strain that uses tropane alkaloids as sole source of carbon and nitrogen. The accuracy of the determination of the 15N/14N ratio is sufficient to be used for the determination of 15N‐KIEs. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Eukaryotic initiator tRNA: Finely tuned and ready for action
Authors: Kolitz Sarah E. , Lorsch Jon R.
Published: November 2009

The initiator tRNA must serve functions distinct from those of other tRNAs, evading binding to elongation factors and instead binding directly to the ribosomal P site with the aid of initiation factors. It plays a key role in decoding the start codon, setting the frame for translation of the mRNA. Sequence elements and modifications of the initiator tRNA distinguish it from the elongator methionyl tRNA and help it to perform its varied tasks. These identity elements appear to finely tune the structure of the initiator tRNA, and growing evidence suggests that the body of the tRNA is involved in transmitting the signal that the start codon has been found to the rest of the pre‐initiation complex.
Generalized orientations and the Bloch invariant
Authors: Matthey Michel , Pitsch Wolfgang , Scherer Jérôme
Published: November 2009

For compact hyperbolic 3-manifolds we lift the Bloch invariant defined by Neumann and Yang to an integral class inK3(ℂ). Applying the Borel and the Bloch regulators, one gets back the volume and the Chern-Simons invariant of the manifold. We perform our constructions in stable homotopy theory, pushing a generalized orientation of the manifold directly intoK-theory. On the way we give a purely homotopical construction of the Bloch-Wigner exact sequence which allows us to explain the ℚ/ℤ ambiguity that appears in the non-compact case.
Comparison of two methods of assessing dairy cow body condition score
Authors: Bewley Jeffrey M , Boyce Robert E , Roberts David J , Coffey Michael P , Schutz Michael M
Published: November 2009

Two body condition scoring systems were compared for assessing body condition of cows at the Scottish Agricultural College's Crichton Royal Farm. The weekly body condition scores (BCS) were collected for a period of 12 weeks (5 September–21 November). Scores were obtained using the primary systems utilized within the UK and USA. The USBCS were obtained by the same evaluator each week, while the UKBCS were obtained by two different evaluators alternating between weeks. Paired scores (n=2088) between the two systems within week were moderately correlated (r=0·75, P<0·0001). Regression equations to convert scores between the two systems were created using the GLM procedure of SAS (SAS Institute Inc., Cary NC, USA). The simple GLM models to convert from UK to US scores and US to UK scores were USBCS=1·182+0·816 * UKBCS (R2=0·56) and UKBCS=0·131+0·681 (R2=0·56), respectively. These equations may be used to interpret scores within the literature obtained using these two BCS systems, although they must be used with caution.