bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mallard survival and nesting ecology in the Lower Great Lakes Region, New York
Authors: Kaminski Matthew R. , Baldassarre Guy A. , Davis J. Brian , Wengert Eric R. , Kaminski Richard M.
Published: July 2013

Ecology of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) breeding in the Lower Great Lakes Region of the United States has not been investigated as comprehensively as mid‐continent populations of this species. We studied mallard breeding ecology in the Cowaselon Creek Watershed Area in New York during 2003–2004. Daily and 100‐day breeding season survival of female mallards (n = 41) was 0.997 and 0.782, respectively, and was positively influenced by female age and body mass at time of capture. Eight radiomarked female mallards were killed by either mammalian or avian predators. Earliest and latest nest initiation dates were 14 April and 24 May 2003–2004, respectively, and females initiated nests in wetlands 10 days earlier than in uplands. Overall, average clutch size was 9.4 ± 0.32 eggs (SE), and probability of reproductive success of females was 0.27, with nest success in wetlands and uplands of 0.71 and 0.42, respectively. Daily and 35‐day nest success was 0.968 and 0.326, respectively. We found an estimated 70% of all initiated nests prior to clutch destruction or hatch; thus, our estimates of nesting and re‐nesting effort may be biased low. Survival of breeding females and nest success were comparable or exceeded parameter estimates from other regions of the mallard breeding range. We suggest that wetland and upland habitats are both important to nesting mallards in New York and elsewhere in the Lower Great Lakes Region. © 2013 The Wildlife Society.
Topological Properties of Chemical Bonds from Static and Dynamic Electron Densities
Authors: Jagannatha Prathapa Siriyara , Held Jeanette , van Smaalen Sander
Published: July 2013

Dynamic and static electron densities (EDs) based on the independent spherical atom model (IAM) and multipole (MP) models of crambin were successfully computed, holding no series‐termination effects. The densities are compared to EDs of small biological molecules at diverse temperatures. It is outlined that proteins exhibit an intrinsic flexibility, present as frozen disorder at 100 K, in contrast to small molecules. The flexibility of the proteins is reflected by atomic displacement parameters (B‐factors), which are considerably larger than for small molecules at 298 K. Thus, an optimal deconvolution of deformation density and thermal motion is not guaranteed, which prevents a free refinement of MP parameters but allows an application of transferable, fixed MP parameters. The analysis of the topological properties, such as the density at bond critical points (BCPs) and the Laplacian, reveals systematic differences between static and dynamic EDs. Zero‐point‐vibrations, yet present in dynamic EDs at low temperature, affect but marginally the EDs of small molecules. The zero‐point‐vibrations cause a smearing of the ED, which becomes more pronounced with increasing temperature. Topological properties, primarily the Laplacian, of covalent bonds appear to be more sensitive to effects by temperature and the polarity of the bonds. However, dynamic EDs at ca. 20 K based on MP models provide a good characterization of chemical bonding. Both the density at BCPs and the Laplacian of hydrogen bonds constitute similar values from static and dynamic EDs for all studied temperatures. Deformation densities demonstrate the necessity of the employment of MP parameters in order to comprise the nature of covalent bonds. The character of hydrogen bonds can be roughly pictured by IAM, whereas MP parameters are recommended for a classification of hydrogen bonds beyond a solely interpretation of topological properties.
Minimal lepton flavour structures lead to non-maximal 2-3 mixing
Authors: Frigerio Michele , Villanova del Moral Albert
Published: July 2013

Abstract

Present data prefer a large but non-maximal 2 − 3 mixing in the lepton sector. We argue that this value, in connection with sinθ13 ≃ 0.15, is the generic outcome of minimal flavour structures. We present a few different incarnations of this statement, in terms of lepton mass matrices depending on a small number of parameters, that can be justified by discrete flavour symmetries. We also propose a general procedure to study the correlation betweenθ23, the absolute scale and ordering of the neutrino masses, and the leptonic CP-violating phases.
Scale-invariant resonance tagging in multijet events and new physics in Higgs pair production
Authors: Gouzevitch Maxime , Oliveira Alexandra , Rojo Juan , Rosenfeld Rogerio , Salam Gavin P. , Sanz Veronica
Published: July 2013

Abstract

We study resonant pair production of heavy particles in fully hadronic final states by means of jet substructure techniques. We propose a new resonance tagging strategy that smoothly interpolates between the highly boosted and fully resolved regimes, leading to uniform signal efficiencies and background rejection rates across a broad range of masses. Our method makes it possible to efficiently replace independent experimental searches, based on different final state topologies, with a single common analysis. As a case study, we apply our technique to pair production of Higgs bosons decaying into
$ b\overline{b} $
pairs in generic New Physics scenarios. We adopt as benchmark models radion and massive KK graviton production in warped extra dimensions. We find that despite the overwhelming QCD background, the 4b final state has enough sensitivity to provide a complementary handle in searches for enhanced Higgs pair production at the LHC.
Spontaneous Rectus Sheath Hematomas: When to Restart Anticoagulation?
Authors: Kunkala Meghana R. , Kehl Jack , Zielinski Martin D.
Published: July 2013

Background

The aim of the present study was to obtain data regarding the timing of anticoagulation resumption in patients with spontaneous rectus sheath hematomas (RSH).

Patients and methods

The study is based on review of patients receiving anticoagulation medication who were diagnosed with a spontaneous RSH (traumatic and iatrogenic excluded) between 14 July 1997 and 17 March 2012.

Results

There were 156 patients (37 % male; aged 73 ± 13 years) with an average body mass index of 29 ± 7 (procedure group 28 ± 6). Anticoagulants included coumadin (64 %), intravenous heparin (21 %), aspirin (8 %), and others (7 %). An intervention was needed in 29 (19 %) of the patients (5 % operative; 16 % embolization). Sixty‐two percent of patients had their anticoagulation restarted during their hospitalization, with a median re‐initiation time of 4 days after RSH diagnosis (range 2–8 days). Timing of anticoagulant resumption did not differ regardless of the need for intervention (3 vs. 4 days). The complication rate was 19 % (42 % in the procedure group, none specific to the procedure), with the most common being acute renal failure (n = 8; 5 %), death (n = 8; 5 %), and thrombotic events (n = 5; 3 %). After resumption of anticoagulation, two patients suffered enlargement of their RSH, both 2 days after resumption.

Conclusions

Intervention to control hemorrhage was unnecessary in the majority of patients with RSH. In those with resumption of anticoagulation, the majority of patients were safely restarted by day 4. Even though complications secondary to anticoagulation were few, thrombotic complications outnumbered bleeding complications, suggesting that anticoagulation was withheld for too long after RSH diagnosis.
Lower Reoperation Rate for Recurrence after Mesh versus Sutured Elective Repair in Small Umbilical and Epigastric Hernias. A Nationwide Register Study
Authors: Christoffersen M. W. , Helgstrand F. , Rosenberg J. , Kehlet H. , Bisgaard T.
Published: July 2013

Background

Repair for a small (≤2 cm) umbilical and epigastric hernia is a minor surgical procedure. The most common surgical repair techniques are a sutured repair or a repair with mesh reinforcement. However, the optimal repair technique with regard to risk of reoperation for recurrence is not well documented. The aim of the present study was in a nationwide setup to investigate the reoperation rate for recurrence after small open umbilical and epigastric hernia repairs using either sutured or mesh repair.

Materials and methods

This was a prospective cohort study based on intraoperative registrations from the Danish Ventral Hernia Database (DVHD) of patients undergoing elective open mesh and sutured repair for small (≤2 cm) umbilical and epigastric hernias. Patients were included during a 4‐year study period. A complete follow‐up was obtained by combining intraoperative data from the DVHD with data from the Danish National Patient Register. The cumulative reoperation rates were obtained using cumulative incidence plot and compared with the log rank test.

Results and conclusions

In total, 4,786 small (≤2 cm) elective open umbilical and epigastric hernia repairs were included. Age was median 48 years (range 18–95 years). Follow‐up was 21 months (range 0–47 months). The cumulated reoperation rates for recurrence were 2.2 % for mesh reinforcement and 5.6 % for sutured repair (P = 0.001). The overall cumulated reoperation rate for sutured and mesh repairs was 4.8 %. In conclusion, reoperation rate for recurrence for small umbilical and epigastric hernias was significantly lower after mesh repair compared with sutured repair. Mesh reinforcement should be routine in even small umbilical or epigastric hernias to lower the risk of reoperation for recurrence avoid recurrence.
Development of ship sinking frequency model over Subsea Pipeline for Madura Strait using AIS data
Authors: Mulyadi Yeyes , Kobayashi Eiichi , Wakabayashi Nobukazu , Pitana Trika , Wahyudi
Published: July 2013

It is important to study the risk posed by heavy shipping traffic to a subsea pipeline located near an industrial port area. In this context, it is essential to estimate the accident frequency in an attempt to eliminate subjectivity in the analysis process. This study proposes a model for estimating the ship sinking frequency over the subsea pipeline in the Madura Strait area. The Madura Strait is one of the busiest shipping lanes in Indonesia. Many ships pass through the fairway in the strait, and many industrial ports have been built in this area. The proposed model is developed based on Fujii’s Model, and it uses Automatic Identification System (AIS) data as a ship traffic survey. Ship sinking accidents are considered based on ship–ship collisions over the critical subsea pipeline area. The ship–ship collision locations around the subsea pipeline and the ship traffic distribution models are estimated using AIS data. The causation probability Pc is determined based on a synthetics approach using a Bayesian network modified from Det Norske Veritas’ and Hänninen’s models. The causation probability is estimated by considering factors such as human performance, weather, technical problems, and support. The proposed model is validated by comparing its result with actual accident records for the Madura Strait area. The ratio value of 0.33 is considered to be reasonably agreement (ratio value ≥0.2).
Community-Wide Job Loss and Teenage Fertility: Evidence From North Carolina
Authors: Ananat Elizabeth Oltmans , Gassman-Pines Anna , Gibson-Davis Christina
Published: July 2013

Using North Carolina data for the period 1990–2010, we estimate the effects of economic downturns on the birthrates of 15- to 19-year-olds, using county-level business closings and layoffs as a plausibly exogenous source of variation in the strength of the local economy. We find little effect of job losses on the white teen birthrate. For black teens, however, job losses to 1 % of the working-age population decrease the birthrate by around 2 %. Birth declines start five months after the job loss and then last for more than one year. Linking the timing of job losses and conceptions suggests that black teen births decline because of increased terminations and perhaps also because of changes in prepregnancy behaviors. National data on risk behaviors also provide evidence that black teens reduce sexual activity and increase contraception use in response to job losses. Job losses seven to nine months after conception do not affect teen birthrates, indicating that teens do not anticipate job losses and lending confidence that job losses are “shocks” that can be viewed as quasi-experimental variation. We also find evidence that relatively advantaged black teens disproportionately abort after job losses, implying that the average child born to a black teen in the wake of job loss is relatively more disadvantaged.
Modeling of surface texturing in hydrodynamic lubrication
Authors: Etsion Izhak
Published: July 2013

Theoretical modeling of surface texturing in hydrodynamic lubrication is a necessary first step to obtain favorable effect of the texturing. This invited review presents a comprehensive summary of the modeling of several basic applications that was done mostly by the author’s group at Technion and published in the relevant literature.
Topology-induced effect in biomimetic propulsive wakes
Authors: Raspa V. , Godoy-Diana R. , Thiria B.
Published: July 2013

It is known that the wake pattern observed in a cross-section behind swimming or flying animals is typically characterized by the presence of periodical vortex shedding. However, depending on species, propulsive wakes can differ according to the spatial ordering of the main vortex structures. We conducted a very precise experiment to analyse the role of the topology of the wake in the generation of propulsion by comparing two prototypical cases in a quasi-two-dimensional view. One configuration is jellyfish-like, with symmetric shedding of vortex pairs, and the other is fish-like, with alternating shedding of counter-rotating vortices. Self-propulsion is achieved by the flapping motion of two identical pitching rigid foils, separated by a distance$d$. By keeping the momentum input unchanged, we compared both symmetric and asymmetric flapping modes. For the entire explored range of parameters, the symmetric jellyfish-like mode has shown to produce more thrust than the fish-like asymmetrical one. We show here that this difference is due to a pressure effect related to the ability of each wake to produce or not, strong fluctuations of transversal velocities in the near-wake region.
Origin and evolution of the Italian subterranean termiteReticulitermes lucifugus(Blattodea, Termitoidae, Rhinotermitidae)
Authors: Luchetti A. , Scicchitano V. , Mantovani B.
Published: July 2013

The Holarctic genusReticulitermesshows seven species within the Mediterranean Basin. While phylogeny and systematics at continental level has been deeply investigated, a few studies concentrated on local ranges. To gain a clearer picture of the diversity and evolution of the Italian speciesReticulitermes lucifugus, we analyzed the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase II (COII) gene marker in newly collected colonies across the Peninsula. Data were gathered with allR. lucifugussequences available from previous studies; COII sequences of the closely related Iberian taxa were also added to the data set. Maximum-likelihood, median-joining and statistical parsimony network elaborations on the resulting 119 colonies all agreed in indicating that: (i) the Sardo-Corsican subspeciesR. lucifugus corsicus, strictly related to Southern Italian populations (including the Sicilian ones), is phylogenetically closer to the IberianReticulitermes grassei; and (ii)R. lucifugus lucifuguspeninsular populations are structured into three clusters. The phylogenetic relationships and the biogeography of extant taxa suggest a scenario in whichR. lucifugusancestors colonized the Italian region through the Sardo-Corsican microplate during its Oligocene-Miocene anticlockwise rotation. Moreover, well after the colonization took place, northward range expansion might have produced the presently observed genetic diversity, as inferred from haplotype and nucleotide diversity estimates. On the whole, this study highlights the evolution of ItalianReticulitermestaxa and supports the importance of a wide taxon sampling especially when dealing with organisms easily dispersed by human activities.
Siemens and the Business of Medicine in Japan, 1900–1945
Authors: Donzé Pierre-Yves
Published: July 2013

This article focuses on the involvement of Siemens in the market for radiology equipment in Japan between 1900 and 1945. It explores why the German multinational company was unable to keep its dominant position in the Japanese market in the interwar years despite its technological competitiveness. At this time the Japanese medical market was already well structured when the country opened up to the West. In particular, it examines the firm's strategic choices in relation to the changing economic and technological environment, highlighting the importance for foreign multinationals of working together with national trading firms involved in the distribution of drugs and products for doctors.
Modernizing Electric Utilities in Brazil: National vs. Foreign Capital, 1889–1930
Authors: Saes Alexandre Macchione
Published: July 2013

Signs of improvement in the early twentieth-century Brazilian economy enabled a process of urban renewal. One of the most visible features of Brazilian urban modernization was street and house lighting, as well as electricity for tramways and industry. Conflicts between the Canadian company Light and the Brazilian firm CBEE over the supply of urban electricity to Brazil's main economic centers—Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Salvador—mirror the contradictions in the country's capitalist formation during the first decades of the twentieth century. From an emerging market view, and through political debates, this article addresses the development of electric utilities in major Brazilian cities.
Corporate Pension Plans as Takeover Deterrents
Authors: Cocco João F. , Volpin Paolo F.
Published: July 2013

We use UK data to show that firms that sponsor a defined-benefit pension plan are less likely to be targeted in an acquisition and, conditional on an attempted takeover, they are less likely to be acquired. Our explanation is that the uncertainty in the value of pension liabilities is a source of risk for acquirers of the firm's shares, which works as a takeover deterrent. In support of this explanation we find that these same firms are more likely to use cash when acquiring other firms, and that the announcement of a cash acquisition is associated with positive announcement effects.
Strong site-fidelity increases vulnerability of common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus in a mass tourism destination in the western Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Gonzalvo Joan , Forcada Jaume , Grau Esteve , Aguilar Alex
Published: July 2013

The local population of common bottlenose dolphin in the Balearic Islands coastal waters, a mass tourism destination in the western Mediterranean subject to increasing anthropogenic pressures, was monitored over a three-year period. Photo-identification surveys provided a relatively small population estimate, even though the islands are considered to be a hotspot for the species in the Mediterranean. Dolphins showed strong site-fidelity and relatively limited mobility across the archipelago, which makes them highly dependent on waters which are severely affected by overfishing, habitat degradation and boat disturbance resulting from a continuously-growing tourism and shipping industry. Ecosystem-based management actions are urgently needed to ensure the conservation of this fragile population of bottlenose dolphins. Conservation measures should be developed within the already-existing political and legal marine biodiversity conservation framework and in collaboration with local authorities and stakeholders.
Prioritizing threats to improve conservation strategy for the tiger Panthera tigris in the Sundarbans Reserve Forest of Bangladesh
Authors: Aziz Abdul , Barlow Adam C. D. , Greenwood Christina C. , Islam Anwarul
Published: July 2013

Tigers Panthera tigris face a wide and complex array of threats. Given limited time and resources it is essential to direct conservation actions based on the relative importance of each threat. The Sundarbans Reserve Forest is the last stronghold of tigers in Bangladesh and supports one of the largest populations of tigers in the world. As in other tiger landscapes, the threats faced by the tigers have yet to be assessed. This study follows an approach developed by The Nature Conservancy to identify and prioritize threats and set a time-frame for their reduction. We identified a total of 23 threats; four were linked to tigers, two to prey and 17 to habitat. Of the identified threats, the highest ranked included poaching of tigers, poaching of prey, sea-level rise, upstream water extraction/divergence, wood collection, fishing, and harvesting of other aquatic resources. All threats were then scheduled for reduction, based on the rank and current information base for each threat and the likely time-frame for implementing potential solutions. This study demonstrates how the application of a prioritization framework can greatly improve the focus and likelihood of success of any species- or ecosystem-based conservation programme.
Toward a second-person neuroscience
Authors: Schilbach Leonhard , Timmermans Bert , Reddy Vasudevi , Costall Alan , Bente Gary , Schlicht Tobias , Vogeley Kai
Published: July 2013

In spite of the remarkable progress made in the burgeoning field of social neuroscience, the neural mechanisms that underlie social encounters are only beginning to be studied and could – paradoxically – be seen as representing the “dark matter” of social neuroscience. Recent conceptual and empirical developments consistently indicate the need for investigations that allow the study of real-time social encounters in a truly interactive manner. This suggestion is based on the premise that social cognition is fundamentally different when we are in interaction with others rather than merely observing them. In this article, we outline the theoretical conception of a second-person approach to other minds and review evidence from neuroimaging, psychophysiological studies, and related fields to argue for the development of a second-person neuroscience, which will help neuroscience to really “go social”; this may also be relevant for our understanding of psychiatric disorders construed as disorders of social cognition.
Towards a diagrammatic classification
Authors: Giardino Valeria
Published: July 2013

In this article I present and discuss some criteria to provide a diagrammatic classification. Such a classification is of use for exploring in detail the domain of diagrammatic reasoning. Diagrams can be classified in terms of the use we make of them—staticordynamic—and of the correspondence between their space and the space of the data they are intended to represent. The investigation is not guided by the opposition visual vs. non-visual, but by the idea that there is a continuous interaction between diagrams and language. Diagrammatic reasoning is characterized by a duality, since it refers both to an object, the diagram, having its spatial characteristics, and to a subject, the user, who interprets them. A particular place in the classification is occupied byconstructional diagrams, which exhibit for the user instructions for the application of some procedures.
AN EYE FOR WORDS
Authors: Godfroid Aline , Boers Frank , Housen Alex
Published: July 2013

This eye-tracking study tests the hypothesis that more attention leads to more learning, following claims that attention to new language elements in the input results in their initial representation in long-term memory (i.e., intake; Robinson, 2003; Schmidt, 1990, 2001).

Twenty-eight advanced learners of English read English texts that contained 12 targets for incidental word learning. The target was a known word (control condition), a matched pseudoword, or that pseudoword preceded or followed by the known word (with the latter being a cue to the pseudoword’s meaning). Participants’ eye-fixation durations on the targets during reading served as a measure of the amount of attention paid (see Rayner, 2009).

Results indicate that participants spent more time processing the unknown pseudowords than their matched controls. The longer participants looked at a pseudoword during reading, the more likely they were to recognize that word in an unannounced vocabulary posttest. Finally, the known, appositive cues were fixated longer when they followed the pseudowords than when they preceded them; however, their presence did not lead to higher retention of the pseudowords.

We discuss how eye-tracking may add to existing methodologies for studying attention and noticing (Schmidt, 1990) in SLA.
Remembering Massive Resistance to School Desegregation
Authors: Golub Mark
Published: July 2013

The historian Charles Payne has describedBrown v. Board of Educationas “a milestone in search of something to signify.” Widely hailed as a symbol of Jim Crow's demise, the case is popularly understood to represent America at its best. For many,Brownsymbolizes the end of segregation, a national condemnation of racism, a renewed commitment to the ideal of color-blind justice, or some combination of all of these, butBrownis equally affirmed in less celebratory narratives, in which it is seen to articulate a constitutional aspiration against which the injustice of current racial practices can be measured. Unlike the celebratoryBrown, which indulges a fantasy of completion or accomplishment, this aspirationalBrownmarks “an appeal to law to make good on its promises” of equal citizenship and racial democracy, even if that promise remains as yet largely unfulfilled.
The People's Property Law: A Step Toward Building a New Legal Order in Revolutionary New York
Authors: Pashman Howard
Published: July 2013

Like revolutionaries throughout the modern world, Americans built a new, stable legal order on property confiscated from their enemies. Early in the American War for Independence, colonial governments collapsed, British courts closed, and ordinary people took the law into their own hands. They created committees that enforced harsh, revolutionary justice. But remarkably, by the end of the War, they were able to develop the stable legal institutions of new governments.
An analysis of functional modeling approaches across disciplines
Authors: Eisenbart Boris , Gericke Kilian , Blessing Luciënne
Published: July 2013

Authors across disciplines propose functional modeling as part of systematic design approaches, in order to support and guide designers during conceptual design. The presented research aims at contributing to a better understanding of the diverse functional modeling approaches proposed across disciplines. The article presents a literature review of 41 modeling approaches from a variety of disciplines. The analysis focuses on what is addressed by functional modeling at which point in the proposed conceptual design process (i.e., in which sequence). The gained insights lead to the identification of specific needs and opportunities, which could support the development of an integrated functional modeling approach. The findings suggest that there is no such shared sequence for functional modeling across disciplines. However, a shared functional modeling perspective has been identified across all reviewed disciplines, which could serve as a common basis for the development of an integrated functional modeling approach.
Vulnerability to depression: A moderated mediation model of the roles of child maltreatment, peer victimization, and serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region genetic variation among children from low socioeconomic status backgrounds
Authors: Banny Adrienne M. , Cicchetti Dante , Rogosch Fred A. , Oshri Assaf , Crick Nicki R.
Published: July 2013

Child maltreatment, peer victimization, and a polymorphism of the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) were examined as predictors of depressive symptomatology. Children (Mage = 11.26,SD= 1.65), including 156 maltreated and 145 nonmaltreated children from comparable low socioeconomic backgrounds, provided DNA samples and self-reports of relational peer victimization, overt peer victimization, and depressive symptoms. Path analysis showed that relational and overt victimization mediated the association between child maltreatment and depressive symptoms. Bootstrapping procedures were used to test moderated mediation and demonstrated that genotype moderated the indirect effects of relational and overt victimization on child depressive symptoms, such that victimized children with the long/long variation were at an increased risk for depressive symptoms compared to victimized children carrying a short allele. Results highlight the utility of examining process models that incorporate biological and psychological factors contributing to the development of depressive symptomatology and provide direction toward understanding and promoting resilience among high-risk youth from a multiple levels of analysis approach.
Interests in high-functioning autism are more intense, interfering, and idiosyncratic than those in neurotypical development
Authors: Anthony Laura Gutermuth , Kenworthy Lauren , Yerys Benjamin E. , Jankowski Kathryn F. , James Joette D. , Harms Madeline B. , Martin Alex , Wallace Gregory L.
Published: July 2013

Although circumscribed interests are pathognomonic with autism, much about these interests remains unknown. Using the Interests Scale (IS), this study compares interests between 76 neurotypical (NT) individuals and 109 individuals with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (HF-ASD) matched groupwise on age, IQ, and gender ratio. Participants and their parents/caregivers completed diagnostic measures (the Autism Diagnostic Interview—Revised and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule; HF-ASD only), cognitive tests (Wechsler IQ Scales), and questionnaires (the Repetitive Behavior Scale—Revised, the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, and the Social Responsiveness Scale), in addition to the IS. Consistent with previous research, HF-ASD and NT individuals did not differ in number of interest areas, but the types of interests and intensity of those interests differed considerably. Using only the IS intensity score, 81% of individuals were correctly classified (NT or HF-ASD) in a logistic regression analysis. Among individuals with HF-ASD, Interests Scale scores were significantly related to Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, Repetitive Behavior Scale—Revised, and Social Responsiveness Scale scores, but they were not related to Autism Diagnostic Interview—Revised scores, IQ, gender, age, or psychotropic medication use. The type and intensity, but not the number, of interests distinguish high-functioning individuals with ASD from NT individuals.
Prospective developmental subtypes of alcohol dependence from age 18 to 32 years: Implications for nosology, etiology, and intervention
Authors: Meier Madeline H. , Caspi Avshalom , Houts Renate , Slutske Wendy S. , Harrington Honalee , Jackson Kristina M. , Belsky Daniel W. , Poulton Richie , Moffitt Terrie E.
Published: July 2013

The purpose of the present study is to identify child and adult correlates that differentiate (a) individuals with persistent alcohol dependence from individuals with developmentally limited alcohol dependence and (b) individuals with adult-onset alcohol dependence from individuals who never diagnose. There are 1,037 members of the Dunedin Longitudinal Study, which is a birth cohort followed prospectively from birth until age 32. Past-year DSM-IV alcohol dependence diagnoses are ascertained with structured diagnostic interviews at ages 18, 21, 26, and 32. Individuals are classified as developmentally limited, persistent, or adult-onset subtypes based on their time-ordered pattern of diagnoses. The persistent subtype generally exhibits the worst scores on all correlates, including family psychiatric history, adolescent and adult externalizing and internalizing problems, adolescent and adult substance use, adult quality of life, and coping strategies. The prospective predictors that distinguished them from the developmentally limited subtype involved family liability, adolescent negative affectivity, daily alcohol use, and frequent marijuana use. Furthermore, young people who develop the persistent subtype of alcohol dependence are distinguished from the developmentally limited subtype by an inability to reduce drinking and by continued use despite problems by age 18. The adult-onset group members are virtually indistinguishable from ordinary cohort members as children or adolescents; however, in adulthood, adult-onset cases are distinguished by problems with depression, substance use, stress, and strategies for coping with stress. Information about age of onset and developmental course is fundamental for identifying subtypes of alcohol dependence. Subtype-specific etiologies point to targeted prevention and intervention efforts based on the characteristics of each subtype.
AVICENNA'S CONCUPISCENCE
Authors: Lameer Joep
Published: July 2013

Philosophical and medical excellence notwithstanding, Avicenna was far from being an otherwordly person who buried himself in his books. He had an extraordinarily adventurous life and is reported to have been fond of good food, drink, and lovemaking. This article discusses the wellknown but quite unusual view that he died of having too much sex. A detailed analysis of the sources and a common-sense approach to some of their medical claims will show that this allegation is not supported by any evidence whatsoever. Quite the opposite: it will be argued that the main source on which all later reports must taken to depend has been tampered with in two places to produce the image that we know. Thus, we must assume that people hostile to Avicenna and his philosophy are behind this, their forgery most likely having been committed in the first half of the twelfth century AD.
Cheatham platinum stent implantation in children with coarctation of the aorta: single-centre short-term, intermediate-term, and long-term results from Turkey
Authors: Baykan Ali , Narin Nazmi , Ozyurt Abdullah , Argun Mustafa , Pamukcu Ozge , Mavili Ertugrul , Sezer Saadettin , Onan Sertac H. , Uzum Kazım
Published: July 2013

Objectives:Our aim was to evaluate patients who were treated by percutaneous stent implantation.Methods:Patients with aortic coarctation (n = 35) who had been treated with 38 stents – 12 bare and 26 covered – were evaluated. The demographics and procedural and follow-up data were recorded from hospital registers and compared according to patient specifications, for example, weight and coarctation nature.Results:The procedure was successful in all patients. There was a statistically significant difference between the patients with native coarctation (n = 17) and those with recurrent coarctation (n = 18) in terms of pre-procedural blood pressures, systolic gradients, coarctation diameters, and the ratio of the coarctation site diameter to the descending aorta diameter. Although all patients received antihypertensive drugs before the procedure, the drug was discontinued in 26 patients during follow-up (p < 0.001). Stent migration was observed in four patients with recurrent coarctation (11.4%), and peripheral arterial injury was seen in three patients (8.5%). The mean follow-up time was 34 ± 16 months. On average, 21 (6–42) months after the procedure, six patients underwent cardiac catheterisation. At least 2 years after the procedure, tomography was performed in 20 patients (57.2%). Patients who were evaluated by multi-slice computerised tomography revealed no pathologies. There was no statistically significant difference between the five patients weighing less than 20 kg and the other 30 patients in terms of demographic and procedural characteristics, procedure success and complication rates, and follow-up data.Conclusion:Stent implantation for aortic coarctation is a method yielding satisfactory results in reducing coarctation gradients, efficient enlargement of the lesion area, and resolution of hypertension for children, including those weighing less than 20 kg.
Cargo Cult Science
Authors: Hanlon Michael
Published: July 2013

There is plenty of stuff out there that looks like science, sounds like science and yet which is no more science than the ‘cargo cult’ aircraft and landing strips constructed by Pacific Islanders in the 1940s and 1950s were functional technology. My talk is not so much about the usual suspects – homeopathy, crystal healing, UFOs and the like – but other areas of cargo-cult science that sit far closer to the high altar of respectability. We take far too much for granted in science, and this can be seen in the replicability (or otherwise) of peer-reviewed studies, the phenomenon of publication bias, the so-called Decline Effect and the persistence of folk myths such as the one that describes how aeroplanes fly.
The clinical application of ABCB1 genotyping in antidepressant treatment: a pilot study
Authors: Breitenstein Barbara , Scheuer Sandra , Pfister Hildegard , Uhr Manfred , Lucae Susanne , Holsboer Florian , Ising Marcus , Brückl Tanja M.
Published: July 2013

Background

The gene product of the ABCB1 gene, the P-glycoprotein, functions as a custodian molecule in the blood–brain barrier and regulates the access of most antidepressants into the brain. Previous studies showed that ABCB1 polymorphisms predicted the response to antidepressants that are substrates of the P-gp, while the response to nonsubstrates was not influenced by ABCB1 polymorphisms. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical application of ABCB1 genotyping in antidepressant pharmacotherapy.

Methods

Data came from 58 depressed inpatients participating in the Munich Antidepressant Response Signature (MARS) project, whose ABCB1 gene test results were implemented into the clinical decision making process. Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) scores, remission rates, and duration of hospital stay were documented with dose and kind of antidepressant treatment.

Results

Patients who received ABCB1 genotyping had higher remission rates [χ2(1) = 6.596,p= 0.005, 1-sided] and lower Hamilton sores [t(111) = 2.091,p= 0.0195, 1-sided] at the time of discharge from hospital as compared to patients without ABCB1 testing. Among major allele homozygotes for ABCB1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs2032583 and rs2235015 (TT/GG genotype), an increase in dose was associated with a shorter duration of hospital stay [rho(28) = –0.441,p= 0.009, 1-sided], whereas other treatment strategies (eg, switching to a nonsubstrate) showed no significant associations with better treatment outcome.

Discussion

The implementation of ABCB1 genotyping as a diagnostic tool influenced clinical decisions and led to an improvement of treatment outcome. Patients carrying the TT/GG genotype seemed to benefit from an increase in P-gp substrate dose.

Conclusion

Results suggest that antidepressant treatment of depression can be optimized by the clinical application of ABCB1 genotyping.
Backward and trigger-based language models for statistical machine translation
Authors: XIONG DEYI , ZHANG MIN
Published: July 2013

The language model is one of the most important knowledge sources for statistical machine translation. In this article, we present two extensions to standard n-gram language models in statistical machine translation: a backward language model that augments the conventional forward language model, and a mutual information trigger model which captures long-distance dependencies that go beyond the scope of standard n-gram language models. We introduce algorithms to integrate the two proposed models into two kinds of state-of-the-art phrase-based decoders. Our experimental results on Chinese/Spanish/Vietnamese-to-English show that both models are able to significantly improve translation quality in terms of BLEU and METEOR over a competitive baseline.
Characterization of Sudanese pearl millet germplasm for agro-morphological traits and grain nutritional values
Authors: Bashir Elfadil M. A. , Ali Abdelbagi M. , Ali Adam M. , Melchinger Albrecht E. , Parzies Heiko K. , Haussmann Bettina I. G.
Published: July 2013

Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum(L.) R. Br.) is an important staple cereal cultivated in the arid and semi-arid tropics of Asia and Africa, regions severely affected by malnutrition. Knowledge about the extent of genetic variability and patterns of agro-morphological variation in local germplasm from a target region is an important prerequisite for efficient crop improvement. To assess the potential of Sudanese pearl millet landraces as sources of desirable traits for pearl millet improvement including biofortification, a total of 225 accessions were evaluated in Sudan at three locations for agro-morphological traits and at one location for grain mineral nutrient contents (Fe, Zn, Ca, P, K, Mg, Mn, S, Na, Cu and β-carotene). Genetic variation was highly significant, but relatively limited for some agro-morphological traits (62–78 d to flowering, 119–188 cm plant height and 16–34 cm panicle length), pointing to the potential usefulness of a targeted diversification for these traits. Self-pollinated grain micronutrient contents showed a wide variation: 19.7–86.4 mg/kg for Fe and 13.5–82.4 mg/kg for Zn. Significant and positive correlations among most of the nutritional traits were observed; therefore, enhancement of the concentrations of some nutrients will lead to the improvement of other related nutrients. No significant associations were observed between the nutritional and agro-morphological traits, indicating good prospects for simultaneous improvement of both trait categories. No clear patterns of geographic differentiation for specific traits were detected for the Sudanese pearl millet. Nutrient-rich accessions were identified and those with acceptable agro-morphological traits are encouraging materials for future pearl millet biofortification programmes in Sudan.
Retracted Article: Facile synthesis of quantum dots/mesoporous silica/quantum dots core/shell/shell hybrid microspheres for ratiometric fluorescence detection of 5-fluorouracil in human serum
Authors: Gui Rijun , Wan Ajun , Jin Hui
Published: July 2013

Quantum dots/mesoporous silica/quantum dots core/shell/shell microspheres were developed toward the ratiometric fluorescence detection of 5-fluorouracil in human serum.
Influences of Fundamental Frequency, Formant Frequencies, Aperiodicity, and Spectrum Level on the Perception of Voice Gender
Authors: Skuk Verena G. , Schweinberger Stefan R.
Published: July 2013

Purpose

To determine the relative importance of acoustic parameters (fundamental frequency [F0], formant frequencies [FFs], aperiodicity, and spectrum level [SL]) on voice gender perception, the authors used a novel parameter-morphing approach that, unlike spectral envelope shifting, allows the application of nonuniform scale factors to transform formants and more direct comparison of parameter impact.

Method

In each of 2 experiments, 16 listeners with normal hearing (8 female, 8 male) classified voice gender for morphs between female and male speakers, using syllable tokens from 2 male–female speaker pairs. Morphs varied single acoustic parameters (Experiment 1) or selected combinations (Experiment 2), keeping residual parameters androgynous, as determined in a baseline experiment.

Results

The strongest cue related to gender perception was F0, followed by FF and SL. Aperiodicity did not systematically influence gender perception. Morphing F0 and FF in conjunction produced convincing changes in perceived gender—changes that were equivalent to those for Full morphs interpolating all parameters. Despite the importance of F0, morphing FF and SL in combination produced effective changes in voice gender perception.

Conclusions

The most important single parameters for gender perception are, in order, F0, FF, and SL. At the same time, F0 and vocal tract resonances have a comparable impact on voice gender perception.

Supplemental Material

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.6170438
Perioperative Voice Recovery and the Vocal Folds: Perspectives From the Voice Care Team
Authors: Carissa Portone-Maira , Michael M. Johns
Published: July 2013

Information regarding the significance of wound healing in laryngology is steadily increasing. Vocal fold tissue may be injured by phonotrauma (excessive impact from the opposing vocal fold), chemical agents (e.g., stomach acid), trauma, or iatrogenic causes (i.e., intubation, vocal fold surgery). Following injury, the affected area becomes inflamed. The body initiates cell proliferation and matrix deposition to begin the process of healing. Matrix remodeling during the healing process determines the degree of scar formation. Vocal fold scar has well-documented structural and functional consequences, and is notoriously difficult to manage (Hirano, 2005). Our roles as vocal professionals in relationship to the stages of wound healing change at key time points: before creating a wound, when making a wound, acute management (0–2 weeks), subacute management (2–8 weeks), and late management (8 weeks and beyond)..
Real‐time length measurement of epidural Tuohy needle during insertion
Authors: Vaughan Neil , Dubey Venketesh N. , Wee Michael Y.K. , Isaacs Richard
Published: July 2013

This study presents a novel technique for the measurement of insertion depth of an epidural Tuohy needle in real‐time. A wireless camera is used which transmits video images during insertion to a host computer. The computer contains the image processing algorithm to detect the visible needle in the image and measures the length. The measurement is done by HSV background removal, colour comparison and using RGB intensity profile to locate 10 mm markings on the Tuohy needle shaft. The visible length is then subtracted from the known length of the needle to calculate the depth of the needle tip. The camera can be placed in the operating theatre between 50 and 100 cm away from the needle insertion site. Wireless camera is beneficial since it minimises disturbance to the anaesthetist and the patient and avoids ethical and sterility concerns which would be caused by bringing additional equipment into the hospital room. The speed of the image processing technique is 10 frames per second with a maximum error of ±3 mm. The image processing failure rate was 3 frames out of 150 which gave an overall reliability of 97.8% during insertion. Also this enables continuous needle depth monitoring during insertion by storing measurements into a data file. The purpose of measuring needle depth in real time is to precisely place the needle in the epidural space.
Qualitative change of character of dispersive interaction with intermolecular distance
Authors: Haslmayr Johannes , Renger Thomas
Published: July 2013

The dispersive interaction between molecules results from Coulomb-correlated fluctuations of electrons and for large intermolecular distances it can be related to the molecular polarizabilities as in London's theory (F. London, Trans. Faraday Soc. 33, 8–26 (1937)10.1039/tf937330008b). Here, we investigate the interaction between molecules with anisotropic polarizabilities at arbitrary distances using symmetry adapted perturbation theory, which allows us to analyze the different parts of the intermolecular potential separately. Whereas at large distances, in accordance with London's theory, there is no way to describe the dispersive interaction by a sum over pairwise isotropic atom-centered energy terms, at short distances such a description becomes possible. This surprising result has consequences for the development of molecular mechanics force fields, supports the dispersion energy terms applied in dispersion corrected density functional theory, and indicates that there is a qualitative change in electron correlation with distance. Apparently, at short distances intermolecular electron correlation is less influenced by intramolecular electron delocalization.