bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biodegradation of Nanoparticles in a Body from Mössbauer and Magnetization Measurements
Authors: Chuev Mikhail , Cherepanov Valery , Nikitin Maxim P. , Polikarpov Mikhail
Published: June 2012

In order to extract a quantitative information about characteristics of the magnetic nanoparticles injected into a living organism one has to define a model of the magnetic dynamics in order to fit self-consistently the whole set of the experimental data, particularly, the evolution of Mössbauer spectral shape with temperature and external magnetic field as well as the magnetization curves. We have developed such a model and performed such an analysis of the temperature-and magnetic field-dependent spectra and magnetization curves of nanoparticles injected into a mice. This allowed us to reliably evaluate changes in the residual nanoparticles characteristics and their chemical transformation to paramagnetic ferritin-like forms in different mouses organs as a function of time after injection of nanoparticles. Actually, the approach allows one to quantitatively characterize biodegradation and biotransformation of magnetic nanoparticles injected into a body.
New Magnetoresistance Results in GdB6
Authors: Anisimov M.A. , Bogach A.V. , Glushkov V.V. , Demishev S.V. , Samarin N.A. , Shitsevalova Natalya , Levchenko A.V. , Filipov Volodymyr , Kuznetsov A.V. , Sluchanko N.E.
Published: June 2012

Detailed study of transverse magnetoresistance (MR) and magnetic susceptibility have been done on the high quality single crystals of antiferromagnet GdB6 (TN15.5K) in the wide range of temperatures 2-40K in magnetic fields up to 8T. The data obtained allow to establish the low temperature antiferromagnetic (AFMII) phase below T*~4.7K with the complex behavior of MR including the field hysteresis of the magnetoresistance. It was shown that MR behavior depends on the cooling-warming prehistory in AFM state of GdB6. The analysis of experimental data allowed us to deduce three contributions to MR in AFM(I), (T*) and paramagnetic (PM) phases of GdB6. In addition to the main negative component Δρ˿ρ~ H2 interpreted in terms of Yosida model both the linear and nonlinear magnetic contributions were also established. The anomalies of MR found in AFM(I) state seem to be associated with the local spin polarization of 5d-electron states of Gd3+ ion.
Exchange Bias Induced in Polycrystalline Co/FeMn-Structures by Magnetic Field Cooling
Authors: Chechenin N.G. , Dzhun I.O. , Dushenko S.A. , Konstantinova E.A.
Published: June 2012

Using the method of angular dependence of ferromagnetic resonance field the magnetic properties of Si/SiO2/Cu/Co/FeMn/Cu and Si/SiO2/Cu/Co/Cu/FeMn/Cu structures were investigated. The layer deposition was carried out by magnetron sputtering in absence of an external magnetic field. It was established that thermal annealing with further cooling down in presence of a magnetic field can generate an exchange bias at anneal temperature significantly below the bulk antiferromagnetic Néel temperature. It was also shown that a thin interlayer between ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic layers reduces the exchange bias effect at low anneal temperatures, however, makes this effect more stable at high annealing temperatures.
Expression, Regulation, and Function of Atypical Chemerin Receptor CCRL2 on Endothelial Cells
Authors: Monnier Justin , Lewén Susanna , O’Hara Edward , Huang Kexin , Tu Hua , Butcher Eugene C. , Zabel Brian A.
Published: June 2012

Chemokine (CC motif) receptor-like 2 (CCRL2) binds leukocyte chemoattractant chemerin and can regulate local levels of the attractant, but does not itself support cell migration. In this study, we show that CCRL2 and VCAM-1 are upregulated on cultured human and mouse vascular endothelial cells (EC) and cell lines by proinflammatory stimuli. CCRL2 induction is dependent on NF-κB and JAK/STAT signaling pathways, and activated endothelial cells specifically bind chemerin. In vivo, CCRL2 is constitutively expressed at high levels by lung endothelial cells and at lower levels by liver endothelium; and liver but not lung EC respond to systemic LPS injection by further upregulation of the receptor. Plasma levels of total chemerin are elevated in CCRL2−/− mice and are significantly enhanced after systemic LPS treatment in CCRL2−/− mice compared with wild-type mice. Following acute LPS-induced pulmonary inflammation in vivo, chemokine-like receptor 1 (CMKLR1)+ NK cell recruitment to the airways is significantly impaired in CCRL2−/− mice compared with wild-type mice. In vitro, chemerin binding to CCRL2 on endothelial cells triggers robust adhesion of CMKLR1+ lymphoid cells through an α4β1 integrin/VCAM-1–dependent mechanism. In conclusion, CCRL2 is expressed by EC in a tissue- and activation-dependent fashion, regulates circulating chemerin levels and its bioactivity, and enhances chemerin- and CMKLR1-dependent lymphocyte/EC adhesion in vitro and recruitment to inflamed airways in vivo. Its expression and/or induction on EC by proinflammatory stimuli provide a novel and specific mechanism for the local enrichment of chemerin at inflammatory sites, regulating the recruitment of CMKLR1+ cells.
Ethylenecarbodiimide-Fixed Donor Splenocyte Infusions Differentially Target Direct and Indirect Pathways of Allorecognition for Induction of Transplant Tolerance
Authors: Kheradmand Taba , Wang Shusen , Bryant Jane , Tasch James J. , Lerret Nadine , Pothoven Kathryn L. , Houlihan Josetta L. , Miller Stephen D. , Zhang Zheng J. , Luo Xunrong
Published: June 2012

Strategic exposure to donor Ags prior to transplantation can be an effective way for inducting donor-specific tolerance in allogeneic recipients. We have recently shown that pretransplant infusion of donor splenocytes treated with the chemical cross-linker ethylenecarbodiimide (ECDI-SPs) induces indefinite islet allograft survival in a full MHC-mismatched model without the need for any immunosuppression. Mechanisms of allograft protection by this strategy remain elusive. In this study, we show that the infused donor ECDI-SPs differentially target T cells with indirect versus direct allospecificities. To target indirect allospecific T cells, ECDI-SPs induce upregulation of negative, but not positive, costimulatory molecules on recipient splenic CD11c+ dendritic cells phagocytosing the injected ECDI-SPs. Indirect allospecific T cells activated by such CD11c+ dendritic cells undergo robust initial proliferation followed by rapid clonal depletion. The remaining T cells are sequestered in the spleen without homing to the graft site or the graft draining lymph node. In contrast, direct allospecific T cells interacting with intact donor ECDI-SPs not yet phagocytosed undergo limited proliferation and are subsequently anergized. Furthermore, CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T cells are induced in lymphoid organs and at the graft site by ECDI-SPs. We conclude that donor ECDI-SP infusions target host allogeneic responses via a multitude of mechanisms, including clonal depletion, anergy, and immunoregulation, which act in a synergistic fashion to induce robust transplant tolerance. This simple form of negative vaccination has significant potential for clinical translation in human transplantation.
In Vivo VL-Targeted Microbial Superantigen Induced Global Shifts in the B Cell Repertoire
Authors: Grönwall Caroline , Kosakovsky Pond Sergei L. , Young Jason A. , Silverman Gregg J.
Published: June 2012

To subvert host defenses, some microbial pathogens produce proteins that interact with conserved motifs in V regions of B cell Ag receptor shared by large sets of lymphocytes, which define the properties of a superantigen. Because the clonal composition of the lymphocyte pool is a major determinant of immune responsiveness, this study was undertaken to examine the in vivo effect on the host immune system of exposure to a B cell superantigen, protein L (PpL), a product of the common commensal bacterial species, Finegoldia magna, which is one of the most common pathogenic species among Gram-positive anaerobic cocci. Libraries of Vκ L chain transcripts were generated from the spleens of control and PpL-exposed mice, and the expressed Vκ rearrangements were characterized by high-throughput sequencing. A total of 120,855 sequencing reads could be assigned to a germline Vκ gene, with all 20 known Vκ subgroups represented. In control mice, we found a recurrent and consistent hierarchy of Vκ gene usage, as well as patterns of preferential Vκ–Jκ pairing. PpL exposure induced significant targeted global shifts in repertoire with reduction of Vκ that contain the superantigen binding motif in all exposed mice. We found significant targeted reductions in the expression of clonotypes encoded by 14 specific Vκ genes with the predicted PpL binding motif. These rigorous surveys document the capacity of a microbial protein to modulate the composition of the expressed lymphocyte repertoire, which also has broad potential implications for host–microbiome and host–pathogen relationships.
Macrophage Dectin-1 Expression Is Controlled by Leukotriene B4 via a GM-CSF/PU.1 Axis
Authors: Serezani C. Henrique , Kane Steve , Collins Latima , Morato-Marques Mariana , Osterholzer John J. , Peters-Golden Marc
Published: June 2012

Pattern recognition receptors for fungi include dectin-1 and mannose receptor, and these mediate phagocytosis, as well as production of cytokines, reactive oxygen species, and the lipid mediator leukotriene B4 (LTB4). The influence of G protein-coupled receptor ligands such as LTB4 on fungal pattern recognition receptor expression is unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of LTB4 signaling in dectin-1 expression and responsiveness in macrophages. Genetic and pharmacologic approaches showed that LTB4 production and signaling through its high-affinity G protein-coupled receptor leukotriene B4 receptor 1 (BLT1) direct dectin-1–dependent binding, ingestion, and cytokine production both in vitro and in vivo. Impaired responses to fungal glucans correlated with lower dectin-1 expression in macrophages from leukotriene (LT)- and BLT1-deficent mice than their wild-type counterparts. LTB4 increased the expression of the transcription factor responsible for dectin-1 expression, PU.1, and PU.1 small interfering RNA abolished LTB4-enhanced dectin-1 expression. GM-CSF controls PU.1 expression, and this cytokine was decreased in LT-deficient macrophages. Addition of GM-CSF to LT-deficient cells restored expression of dectin-1 and PU.1, as well as dectin-1 responsiveness. In addition, LTB4 effects on dectin-1, PU.1, and cytokine production were blunted in GM-CSF−/− macrophages. Our results identify LTB4-BLT1 signaling as an unrecognized controller of dectin-1 transcription via GM-CSF and PU.1 that is required for fungi-protective host responses.
Identification of Protective B Cell Antigens of Legionella pneumophila
Authors: Weber Stefan S. , Joller Nicole , Küntzel Anna Barbara , Spörri Roman , Tchang Vincent S. , Scandella Elke , Rösli Christoph , Ludewig Burkhard , Hilbi Hubert , Oxenius Annette
Published: June 2012

Abs confer protection from secondary infection with Legionella pneumophila, the causative agent of a severe form of pneumonia known as Legionnaires’ disease. In this study, we demonstrate that Ab-mediated protection is effective across L. pneumophila serogroups, suggesting that Abs specific for conserved protein Ags are sufficient to mediate this protective effect. We used two independent methods to identify immunogenic L. pneumophila protein Ags, namely, the screening of a λ phage library representing the complete L. pneumophila genome and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis combined with Western blot analysis and protein spot identification by mass spectrometry. A total of 30 novel L. pneumophila B cell Ags were identified, the majority of which are located in or associated with the bacterial membrane, where they are accessible for Abs and, therefore, likely to be relevant for Ab-mediated protection against L. pneumophila. Selected B cell Ags were recombinantly expressed and tested in a vaccination protocol. Mice immunized with either single-protein Ags or an Ag combination showed reduced bacterial titers in bronchoalveolar lavage and lung after L. pneumophila challenge. To determine the clinical relevance of these findings, we tested Legionnaires’ disease patient sera for reactivity with the identified L. pneumophila Ags. The recognized Ags were indeed conserved across host species, because Abs specific for all three selected Ags could be detected in patient sera, rendering the identified protein Ags potential vaccine candidates.
Will the proposed compensation guidelines for research-related injury spell the death knell for clinical research in India?
Authors: Pramesh CS , Badwe RA
Published: June 2012

The Indian Council of Medical Research and the Central Drugs Standards Control Organization of the Directorate General of Health Services of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare' draft guidelines for compensation of research-related injury have evoked strong responses from the clinical research community. All stakeholders, including academic researchers, teachers in medical colleges, the pharmaceutical industry and even members of Institutional Review Boards and Ethics Committees have expressed grave reservations about several clauses in the guidelines. Moreover, these two guidelines differ from each other in important areas, reiterating that more thought and discussion is necessary to refine the guidelines. We present an academic researcher's perspective of the guidelines and our views on how they will affect clinical research in the country. The paper covers the types of research-related injury that are entitled for compensation, controversies on whether injury resulting from standard care should be entitled for compensation, whether causality needs to be established as a prerequisite for eligibility for compensation and whether all forms of research should have mandatory provision for compensation. We also put forward the potential dangers of such recommendations, which could potentially be inducement for patients to participate in clinical research. Finally, we raise the philosophical issue of infringement of an individual's fundamental rights regarding what research he/she wishes to participate in. While these points are based on several formal and informal discussions with stakeholders from various fields of clinical research, the views expressed are the authors' own personal thoughts.
MilP: The Monomer Identification and Isolation Program
Authors: Bun1 Christopher , Ziccardi William , Doering Jeffrey , Putonti Catherine
Published: June 2012

Repetitive elements within genomic DNA are both functionally and evolutionarily informative. Discovering these sequences ab initio is computationally challenging, compounded by the fact that selection on these repeats is often relaxed; thus sequence identity between repetitive elements can vary significantly. Here we present a new application, the Monomer Identification and Isolation Program (MilP), which provides functionality to both search for a particular repeat as well as discover repetitive elements within a larger genomic sequence. To compare MilP's performance with other repeat detection tools, analysis was conducted for synthetic sequences as well as several α21-II clones and HC21 BAC sequences. The primary benefit of MilP is the fact that it is a single tool capable of searching for both known monomelic sequences as well as discovering the occurrence of repeats ab initio, per the user's required sensitivity of the search. Furthermore, the report functionality helps easily facilitate subsequent phylogenetic analysis.
A Parallel Second Order Cartesian Method for Elliptic Interface Problems
Authors: Cisternino Marco , Weynans Lisl
Published: June 2012

We present a parallel Cartesian method to solve elliptic problems with complex immersed interfaces. This method is based on a finite-difference scheme and is second-order accurate in the whole domain. The originality of the method lies in the use of additional unknowns located on the interface, allowing to express straightforwardly the interface transmission conditions. We describe the method and the details of its parallelization performed with the PETSc library. Then we present numerical validations in two dimensions, assorted with comparisons to other related methods, and a numerical study of the parallelized method.
Soot and SO2 contribution to the supersites in the MILAGRO campaign from elevated flares in the Tula Refinery
Authors: Almanza V. H. , Molina L. T. , Sosa G.
Published: June 2012

Abstract. This work presents a simulation of the plume emitted by flaring activities of the Miguel Hidalgo Refinery in Mexico. The flame of a representative sour gas flare is modeled with a CFD combustion code in order to estimate emission rates of combustion by-products of interest for air-quality: acetylene, ethylene, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, soot and sulfur dioxide. The emission rates of NO2 and SO2 were compared against measurements obtained at Tula as part of MILAGRO field campaign. The rates of soot, VOCs and CO were compared with estimates obtained by IMP. The emission rates of the species considered were further included in WRF-Chem model to simulate the chemical transport of the plume from 22 March to 27 March of 2006. The model presents reliable performance of the resolved meteorology, with respect to the Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), vector RMSE and Index of Agreement (IOA). WRF-Chem outputs of SO2 and soot were compared with surface measurements obtained at the three supersites of MILAGRO campaign. The results suggest a contribution of Tula flaring activities to the total SO2 levels of 23% to 37% at the urban supersite (T0), and of 29% to 39% at the suburban supersite (T1). For soot, the model predicts low contribution at the three supersites, with less than 1% at both T0 and T1; and about 1% at T2. According to the model, the greatest contribution of both pollutants to the three supersites occurred on 23 March, which coincides with the third cold surge event.
Comparative verification of different nowcasting systems to support optimisation of thunderstorm warnings
Authors: Wapler K. , Goeber M. , Trepte S.
Published: June 2012

Abstract. The development and use of nowcasting systems should inevitably be accompanied by the development and application of suitable verification methods. A thorough verification strategy is needed to adequately assess the quality of the system and consequently to lead to improvements. Different verification methods for thunderstorms and its attributes are discussed along with the importance of observational data sets. They are applied to two radar-based nowcasting algorithms for a convective season using various observation data sets. The results show, that the combination of the two algorithms outperforms a single algorithm.
Continuum: a distributed hydrological model for water management and flood forecasting
Authors: Silvestro F. , Gabellani S. , Delogu F. , Rudari R. , Boni G.
Published: June 2012

Abstract. Full process description and distributed hydrological models are very useful tools in hydrology as they can be applied in different contexts and for a wide range of aims such as flood and drought forecasting, water management, prediction of impact on the hydrologic cycle due to natural and human changes to catchment features in present and changing climates. Since they must mimic a variety of physical processes they can be very complex and with a high degree of parameterization. This complexity can be increased by the need to relate the state variables to observations in order to allow data assimilation. In this work a model, aiming at balancing the need to reproduce the physical processes with the practical goal of avoiding over-parameterization, is presented. The model is designed to be implemented in different contexts with a special focus on data scarce environments. All the main hydrological phenomena are modeled in a distributed way. Mass balance and energy balance are solved explicitly. Land surface temperature, which is particularly suited to being extensively observed and assimilated, is an explicit state variable. An objective performance evaluation, based on both traditional and satellite derived data, is presented with a specific reference to the application in an Italian catchment. The model has been calibrated and validated using different data sets on two nested outlet sections and the capability of the model in reproducing both the stream-flow measurements and the land surface temperature retrieved by satellite measurements, has been investigated.
Climatic drivers of seasonal glacier mass balances: an analysis of 6 decades at Glacier de Sarennes (French Alps)
Authors: Thibert E. , Eckert N. , Vincent C.
Published: June 2012

Abstract. Refined temporal signals are extracted from a glacier winter and summer mass balance series recorded at Glacier de Sarennes (French Alps) using variance decomposition. They are related to local and synoptic meteorological data in terms of interannual variability and structured trends. The winter balance has increased by +23% since 1976 due to more precipitation in early and late winter. The summer balance has decreased since 1982 due to a 43% increase in snow and ice melt. A 24-day lengthening of the ablation period – mainly due to longer ice ablation – is the main component in the overall increase in ablation. In addition, the last 25 yr have seen increases in ablation rates of 14 and 10% for snow and ice respectively. A simple degree-day analysis can account for both the snow/ice melt rate rise and the lengthening of the ablation period as a function of higher air temperatures. From the same analysis, the equilibrium line altitude of this 45° North latitude south-facing glacier has sensitivity to temperature of +93 m °C−1 around its mean elevation of 3100 m a.s.l. over 6 decades. The sensitivity of summer balance to temperature is −0.62 m w.e. yr−1 °C−1 for a typical 125-day long ablation season. Finally, the time structure of winter and summer mass balance terms are connected to NAO anomalies. Best correlations are obtained with winter NAO anomalies. However, they strongly depend on how the NAO signal is smoothed, so that the link between mass-balance seasonal terms and NAO signal remains tenuous and hard to interpret.
Basic Color Terms Use by Aged Observers: Lens Aging and Perceptual Compensation
Authors: Lillo Julio , Moreira Humberto , del Tío Leticia Pérez , Álvaro Leticia , Durán María del Carmen
Published: June 2012

Basic Color Terms (BCTs) use by aged people (normal and tritanomalous) was analysed on the basis of the results provided by two visual search tasks. One task (mapping) required participants to select every stimulus that could be included in a specific BCT. Another task (best representative) required participants to select the stimulus that most accurately identified a BCT. Both tasks' results were used for two different goals. First (descriptive level), to specify the main differences between aged and young people in their use of BCTs (dimensions provided by multidimensional scaling, confusions between specific pairs of BCTs). Second (explicative level), to compare the accuracy of three models for predicting aged people's performance. Model A (filtering without compensation) assumed that aged people must use BCTs as young people do when responding to stimuli similar to the ones produced by lens aging. On the contrary, model B (filtering with compensation) assumed that lens aging effects were partially compensated by a von Kries-type mechanism (white normalisation). Finally, model C (tritan lines) assumed that ocular aging only influences S cone responses (tritan responses). Results showed that model B was the most accurate with the percentage of explained variance over 90% for both aged groups.
Text Anxiety in Adolescents: The Role of Self-Criticism and Acceptance and Mindfulness Skills
Authors: Cunha Marina , Paiva Maria Jacinta
Published: June 2012

The current study sets out to explore test anxiety in adolescent students. The effect of sociodemographic variables on test anxiety was controlled for and the relationship between test anxiety and other psychological constructs, such as self-criticism, social anxiety, acceptance and mindfulness, was examined. In addition, the predictive effect/power of these variables was analyzed and a comparative study between high and low test anxiety adolescents was conducted. Participants in this study were 449 high school students, 211 boys and 238 girls, with a mean age of 16.28 years. These participants completed a battery of self-report questionnaires composed by the Portuguese versions of Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI), Child Acceptance and Mindfulness Measure (CAMM), Forms of Self-Criticizing/Attacking and Self-Reassuring Scale (FSCRS), and the Social Anxiety and Avoidance Scale for Adolescents (SAASA). Results showed that gender, self-criticism and competencies for acceptance and mindfulness had a significant and an independent contribution on the prediction of test anxiety. The comparative study revealed that adolescents with high test anxiety score significantly higher in negative forms of self-criticism, social anxiety and lower in self-reassurance, acceptance and mindfulness, when compared to those with low test anxiety. Despite its exploratory nature, the current study adds to the existing knowledge on the influence of psychological processes, such as self-criticism and acceptance, on test anxiety. These findings might constitute a relevant contribution to psychological intervention with adolescents.
Research Participation Improves Student's Exam Performance
Authors: de Liaño Beatriz Gil-Gómez , León Orfelio G. , Pascual-Ezama David
Published: June 2012

Although there have been several attempts to explore for beneficial effects of research participation in social sciences, most of them have mainly explored satisfaction and students learning perceptions (e.g., Bowman & Waite, 2003). Very few works have studied learning by measuring exam performance. Moreover, participation has been usually conceptualized as a mixture of active and passive participation, including in the same measure different practices such as filling up questionnaires, running experiments or reading and answering questions about a journal article or a scientific conference. The present work tries to determine if there is an advantage due to research participation comparing exam performance, satisfaction and perceived learning of the matter Research Methods in Psychology, in three different groups (non-participating, passive and active participating). As we can see in the results, the mere participation benefits exam performance. Results are discussed in terms of the use of research participation as a new powerful active method in education.
Assessment of a Sexual Coercion Prevention Program for Adolescents
Authors: Martín Antonio Fuertes , Baz Mª Begoña Orgaz , Vicario-Molina Isabel , Álvarez José Luis Martínez , Fuertes Andrés Fernández , González Rodrigo J. Carcedo
Published: June 2012

This study's focus is to evaluate a sexual coercion prevention program in adolescents. Using a beforeand- after design with both a treatment group (n = 93) and a control group (n = 76), an intervention of seven sessions was completed. Said sessions included such content as conceptualizing sexual freedom, sexual coercion and voluntary consent, analyzing different sexual coercion tactics and the contexts in which they occur, empathy toward the victim, and developing abilities to avoid risky situations. Other risk factors for coercive behavior and sexual victimization are explored as well, such as alcohol use, sexist attitudes and inadequate communication, among others. The intervention's results include a decrease in stereotypical beliefs about the opposite sex and increased empathy toward victims of sexual coercion. These changes were maintained with the passage of time. Also, in the treatment group, a more acute decline was observed in the proportion of young people engaging in sexually coercive behaviors. This article emphasizes the importance, necessity and efficacy of such interventions, and discusses and analyzes possible improvements to the program for its future implementation.
Parent Involvement in School: English Speaking versus Spanish Speaking Families
Authors: Lee Sang Min , Thorn Antoinette , Bloomdahl Susana Contreras , Ha Jung Hee , Nam Suk Kyung , Lee Jayoung
Published: June 2012

The purpose of the present study was to explore the relationships between three predictor variables (attitude toward school, parent-child communication, and school commitment action) and the criterion variable (parent involvement) in a representative sample and to examine if these relationships were consistent across three groups (English speaking Caucasian family, English speaking Latino family, and Spanish speaking Latino families). Using a national database (N= 9.841), multi-group SEM analyses were conducted to investigate the relationship between three predictor variables and the criterion variable in three family groups. While all three predictor variables significantly predicted parent involvement in English speaking Caucasian and Latino families, only two variables (parent-child communication and school commitment actions), significantly predicted parent involvement in Spanish speaking Latino families. The results of this study suggest that when administrators, teachers and counselors in school strive to share specific school-related information with Latino families, Spanish speaking families are more likely to become involved with schools.
Perceived Control and Anxiety in Portuguese Children
Authors: Pereira Ana I. F. , Barros Luísa , Mendonça Denisa
Published: June 2012

The central role of perceived control in the development of anxiety disorders is proposed by several theoretical models. The main objective of the present study was to examine the relation between perceived control and anxiety in Portuguese school-age children. To accomplish this objective we developed the Portuguese short form of the Anxiety Control Questionnaire for Children (ACQ-C, Weems, 2005; Pereira & Barros, 2010), whose psychometric studies are presented. The sample comprised 238 children, aged 8 to 15 years, from the general population attending Portuguese schools. Children completed measures of perceived control (ACQ-C) and their anxiety (Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders – Revised, SCARED-R). The psychometric studies indicate good psychometric characteristics of the Portuguese ACQ-C short form, in particular a high internal consistency (α = .85) and an adequate temporal stability (r = .60, p = .002). Results show a significant negative association between perceived control and anxiety symptomatology, providing partial support for models that assign a central role to control beliefs in explaining the development of anxiety disorders. These results also suggest the importance of considering the perception of control as a prime target for preventive actions and intervention aimed at reducing anxiety in school aged children.
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Minimum Intervention Measures on Young Offenders
Authors: Acosta Elena , de Bustillo Mª Carmen Muñoz , Martín Eduardo , Aragón Nuria , Betancort Moisés
Published: June 2012

The goal of this study was to analyze the recidivism rate in minor offenders to whom a minimum intervention measure was applied after their first felony or misdemeanor, and to determine the variables associated with recidivism. The sample was made up of 154 minors from the province of Santa Cruz of Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain). The information was collected from the database of the Minors' Court. The recidivism rate depends on the measure imposed, ranging between 14 and 40.6%. The degree of agreement between the Technical Team's proposal and the court decision was 70%. With regard to the variables associated with recidivism, a model was obtained through logistic regression that correctly classified 83.7% of the cases, and was made up of the variables perception of parenting problems, intervention of social services, and social isolation.
Validation of Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) –Spanish Version– for Screening Eating Disorders
Authors: Peláez-Fernández María Angeles , Labrador Francisco Javier , Raich Rosa María
Published: June 2012

This research examines the internal consistency, convergent validity, and sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value of the Spanish version of the Eating Disorder Examination-Self-Report Questionnaire (S-EDE-Q), as a screening questionnaire for eating disorders (ED) in a community sample. Participants were 1543 male and female Spanish-speaking students (age range: 12-21 years), who volunteered to complete the S-EDE-Q and the EAT-40. The Spanish version of the Eating Disorders Examination (S-EDE) interview, 12thedition, was administered to 602 of the students. Acceptable internal consistency for the four subscales of the S-EDE-Q was obtained (α ≥ .74). Corrected pointbiserial correlation performed with the 22 items included in the S-EDE-Q subscales showed acceptable values for all the items. The EAT-40 Dieting subscale correlated highly and positively with the four S-EDE-Q subscales (r≥ .70). Acceptable results in sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value when compared with the EDE were found. Correlation between S-EDE and S-EDE-Q diagnoses was positive and significant. Overall, results support the psychometric adequacy of the S-EDE-Q as a screening questionnaire for ED in community samples.
Reliability and Sources of Validity Evidence of the Oviedo Schizotypy Assessment Questionnaire-Abbreviated (ESQUIZO-Q-A)
Authors: Fonseca-Pedrero Eduardo , Lemos-Giráldez Serafín , Paino Mercedes , Santarén-Rosell Marta , Sierra-Baigrie Susana , Muñiz José
Published: June 2012

The main goal of this research was to examine the reliability and different sources of validity evidence of the Oviedo Schizotypy Assessment Questionnaire-Abbreviated (ESQUIZO-Q-A) in nonclinical adolescents. The final sample was made up of 1,455 participants, 705 males (48.5%), with a mean age of 15.92 years (SD = 1.18). The internal consistency of the subscales ranged from .62 to .75. The analysis of its internal structure yielded a three-dimensional solution based on the dimensions: Reality Distortion, Anhedonia, and Interpersonal Disorganization. Likewise, the goodness-of-fit indices derived from the Confirmatory Factor Analysis for the hypothesized three-factor model were adequate. The three dimensions of the ESQUIZO-Q-A were significantly correlated with the subscales of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. The ESQUIZO-Q is a brief and simple self-report with adequate psychometric properties for the assessment of schizotypal traits in nonclinical adolescent populations. Future research should continue to explore the metric quality of the ESQUIZO-Q-A (e.g., sensitivity and specificity) and incorporate the new advances in psychological and educational assessment such as Computerized Adaptive Testing.
The Effect of Cataract Surgery on Imaging Optic Nerve Head Topography with the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph
Authors: Falck Aura A.K. , Saarela Ville
Published: June 2012

Purpose.

To determine whether phacoemulsification cataract surgery with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation interferes with measuring optic nerve head (ONH) topography using the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph (HRT).

Methods.

The study population consisted of 31 women and 12 men aged 63–81 years with no previous history of eye diseases, surgery, laser procedures, or medication. The patients underwent first eye cataract surgery for senile cataract. The HRT II with software version 1.6 was used to obtain 3-dimensional images of the ONH as a part of a comprehensive ocular examination. The quality of the HRT image was assessed using topography standard deviation (TSD). Topography measurements are considered to be unreliable if TSD is more than 50 μm. Re-examination took place 1 month after surgery.

Results.

Before surgery, the topography measurements were unreliable in 35% (15/43) of the eyes; in 3 of these cases, ONH topography could not be calculated at all. One month after cataract surgery, the ONH topography could be calculated in all eyes and only one displayed unreliable topography measurements. The mean TSD was 40 μm before and 22 μm after surgery when calculated for all eyes with measurable topographies. The change in TSD was statistically significant (p<0.0005). The image alignment between the HRT examinations before and after surgery was excellent in 67% (26/39). Magnification changes occurred in 21% (8/39).

Conclusions.

Phacoemulsification cataract surgery with IOL implantation improves the image quality of the HRT. However, because of magnification changes and image misalignment, HRT follow-up of the ONH after cataract surgery is often unreliable.
Appropriate Patient Selection in the Management of Common Bile Duct Stones: When Not to Do ERCP
Authors: Trivedi Palak Jitendrakumar , Tse Donald , Al-Bakir Ibrahim , D'Costa Horace
Published: June 2012

Background. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is noninvasive and accurate for diagnosing intra common bile duct stones (ICSs). However, given limited access, routine utilisation for investigating all patients with gallstone disease is neither practical nor cost-effective. Conversely, many individuals proceed directly to endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), an invasive test with appreciable complications. Aim. Identify factors associated with ICS in order to improve risk-stratification for MRCP/ERCP. Methods. All patients having undergone cholecystectomy between November 2007 and October 2008 were reviewed. High-risk features for ICS were predefined, and their true presence confirmed by ERCP or intraoperative cholangiogram. Multivariate logistic regression was performed on candidate risk features. Results. Of 231 patients, 10.4% had ICS. Defining a high-risk group with “both” biochemical and ultrasound risk factors predicted ICS with 92% specificity and also bore strong association (OR 8.88). However, isolated hyperbilirubinaemia, ultrasound impression of CBD stones, and clinical risk factors did not (OR 1.10, 0.97, and 1.26). Normal liver biochemistry and normal ultrasound had a NPV of 99.5% for ICS. Conclusions. Ultrasound impression of CBD calculi without ductal dilatation is not predictive of ICS. Patients with normal liver biochemistry and normal CBD diameter on ultrasound are unlikely to have ICS and should not proceed to ERCP.
Management of Type 3 Acromioclavicular Joint Dislocation: Comparison of Long-Term Functional Results of Two Operative Methods
Authors: Kovilazhikathu Sugathan Hari , Dodenhoff Ronald Martin
Published: June 2012

Introduction. Treatment of Rockwood Type 3 Acromioclavicular joint dislocation is controversial. We compared the long-term functional outcome of early repair of coracoclavicular ligament and internal fixation (Tension Band Wiring) with delayed reconstruction by modified Weaver-Dunn procedure for Type 3 dislocations. Method. Retrospective analysis of case records and telephone review to assess the long-term functional outcome by patient satisfaction and Oxford shoulder score. Results. We had 18 cases of Type 3 Acromioclavicular dislocations over a period of 10 years. 7 cases had Tension Band Wiring and 11 cases had modified Weaver-Dunn procedure. Early repair group has higher risk (71%) of post operative complications compared to that of the delayed reconstruction group (9%). All 5 patients who developed postoperative complications in the early repair group required a second operation for metal work removal. Long-term functional results of both groups were comparable in terms of Oxford shoulder score and patient satisfaction. Conclusions. We recommend modified Weaver-Dunn procedure for failed conservative management of Grade 3 Acromioclavicular joint dislocation for the following reasons (1). better short-term functional outcome, low risk of complications and hence faster recovery (2). no need for a second surgery.
Embedding Repositories: A Guide and Self-Assessment Tool
Authors: Wyngard Michele I
Published: June 2012

As the number of institutional repositories continues to grow, the conversation is evolving from how to establish a repository to how to make a repository integral to the operations of an institution. In an effort to create a coherent synthesis of previous studies, literature, and best practices on the topic of embedded repositories, the Joint Information Systems Committee’s Repositories Support Project has developed a free online service called Embedding Repositories: A Guide and Self-Assessment Tool. As the title suggests, this guide serves as a resource for users wanting to transform an existing repository into an integral part of an organization’s processes, systems, and culture.
The Movement to Change Scholarly Communication Has Come a Long Way—How Far Might It Go?
Authors: Ogburn Joyce L.
Published: June 2012

Librarians envision a future where they are firmly aligned with the health of scholarship and scholarly communications. To reflect the progress that is already being made—and to continue to move toward this future—it is especially appropriate and timely to welcome the Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication to our profession’s literature.
Epicapsular Stars in an Asymptomatic Patient
Authors: Barbosa Gabriel C. S. , Susanna Bianca N.
Published: June 2024

This case report discusses a diagnosis of epicapsular stars during a routine ophthalmologic examination in an asymptomatic female patient aged 14 years.
Adaptive position control using backstepping technique for the leader‐follower multiple quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle formation
Authors: Song Xia , Shen Lihua , Chen Fuyang
Published: June 2024

This article addresses the position control issue of multi‐quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle (QUAV) formation. Concerning the translational dynamic of a multi‐QUAV system, on the one hand, it is an under‐actuation dynamic; on the other hand, it does not satisfy the matching condition. These features will cause inevitable thorny in the formation position control design. Furthermore, because of the state coupling problem, the formation control of multi‐QUAV system is more challenging and knotty than the control of single QUAV system. To achieve this control, both backstepping technique and neural network (NN) approximation strategy are combined by introducing an intermediary control, where NN is employed to compensate the system uncertainty. However, since the traditional adaptive NN control methods need to train a large number of adaptive parameters for the high approximation accuracy, it will cause the heavy computing burden if traditional adaptive method is used for the QUAV formation control. The proposed adaptive NN strategy in this paper only requires training a scalar adaptive parameter, which is generated from the norm of NN weight vector or matrix, thereby significantly reducing computational burden. Finally, according to Lyapunov stability proof and computer simulation, it is demonstrated that the control tasks can be successfully accomplished.
Sintering Mechanism of Pure B4C Ceramic Prepared by Hot Oscillating Pressing and with Excellent Mechanical Properties
Authors: Zhao Ke , Zhong Weimin , Sun Mengyong , Chen Litao , Liu Dianguang , Liu Jinling
Published: June 2024

Pure boron carbide (B4C) ceramics are sintered by hot oscillating pressing at temperatures of 1700–1900 °C for different soaking times. The densification mechanism, grain growth kinetics, and mechanical properties obtained under these sintering conditions are systematically investigated. It is found that the fully densified B4C ceramic is obtained at 1900 °C within 120 min, possessing an excellent combination of hardness (≈38.5 GPa) and fracture toughness (4.8 MPa m1/2). The densification mechanisms during sintering are as follows: viscous flow at the initial stage (relative density D ranged from 55% to 65%) under 1700 °C; lattice diffusion/grain boundary diffusion at the sintering stage (62% <  < 75%) of 1800 and 1850 °C; grain boundary sliding by dislocation motion at the late stage (65% <  < 82%) of 1700 °C and the sintering stage (75% < D < 90%) at 1800–1900 °C; and dislocation gliding and stacking faults at the final stage (90% < D < 95%) occurring at 1850–1900 °C. The dislocation motion exhibits a critical impact on the densification process of the hot oscillating–pressed B4C ceramic. The grain growth kinetics at 1900 °C is controlled by grain boundary diffusion.
High Thermal Conductivity of Liquid Crystal Elastomer for Stress‐Less Flexible Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Ma Yabin , You Jiaxue , Zhang Lu , Chen Ran , Zeng Hanqing , Ge Jinghao , Li Kun , Ma Xiaokang , Jen Alex K.‐Y. , Liu Shengzhong (Frank)
Published: June 2024

Flexible perovskite solar cells (FPSCs) have gained considerable attention for potential applications in portable and wearable electronics. However, the design principles governing FPSCs remain incompletely understood. In this study, two critical factors—thermal conductivity and elastic modulus—that significantly influence the thermal and mechanical stabilities of FPSCs are identified. Achieving stress‐less conditions is crucial for enhancing the performance of FPSCs. To address this, a liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) is employed as a buffer interlayer to effectively mitigate residual thermal stress. This is achieved by improving the thermal conductivity of the electron transport layer from 0.76 to 1.07 W mK−1 and softening the perovskite layer, reducing the Young's modulus from 50 to 42 GPa. The optimized thin films are utilized in both rigid and flexible PSCs, resulting in efficiencies of 24.5% and 22.8%, respectively. Remarkably, these devices demonstrated excellent thermal stability, with unpackaged LCE rigid PSCs retaining 85.6% of their initial efficiency after 504 h of aging at 85 °C. Moreover, robust mechanical stability in FPSCs is exhibited, with 88.4% of the original efficiency retained after 5400 bending cycles. This investigation elucidates the profound impact of thermal conductivity and Young's modulus on the efficiency and stability of flexible electronics.
3D‐Printed Porous Organic Cages for Gas Filtration: Fabrication and Flow Simulations
Authors: Ling Bin , Agrawal Rishav , He Donglin , Poole Robert J. , Cooper Andrew I. , Liu Ming , García‐Tuñón Esther
Published: June 2024

Porous organic cages (POCs) are a class of emerging porous materials with high porosity and selectivity for gas adsorption and separation. As a representative of first‐generation POCs, the cage molecule CC3, has huge potential for separating noble gases and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). 3D printing CC3 using direct ink writing (DIW) offers significant advantages to build complex structures. Through rational design, formulations that are both printable and functional are achieved. Optimised formulations have the elasto‐visco‐plastic behavior required while retaining the functional properties of the cages. The characterization of printed parts evidence that the CC3 structure and adsorption capacity are well preserved. BET surface areas vary with CC3 concentration and can reach up to ≈249 m2 g−1 for 70 wt% CC3. However, high CC3 content leads to a decrease in shrinkage, higher porosity, and low compressive strength ≈0.7 MPa. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is used to investigate the gas flow behavior through grid‐type structures with tailored geometric parameters. The results reveal that changing the offset distance and porosity manipulates the flow path, velocity distribution, and pressure drop. This work provides a pathway to design and fabricate structures with multi‐scale porosity that can be widely used for other functional materials and applications.