bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Familial factors and suicide: an adoption study in a Swedish National Cohort
Authors: von Borczyskowski A. , Lindblad F. , Vinnerljung B. , Reintjes R. , Hjern A.
Published: July 2010

Background

Parental characteristics influence the risk of offspring suicide. In this study we wanted to separate the hereditary from the environmental influence of such factors by comparing their effects in the adoptedversusnon-adopted.

Method

A register study was conducted in a national cohort of 2 471 496 individuals born between 1946 and 1968, including 27 600 national adoptees, followed-up for suicide during 1987–2001. Cox regression was used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) for suicide of socio-economic indicators of the childhood household and biological parents' suicide, alcohol abuse and psychiatric morbidity separately in the adopted and non-adopted. Differences in effects were tested in interaction analyses.

Results

Suicide and indicators of severe psychiatric disorder in the biological parents had similar effects on offspring suicide in the non-adopted and adopted (HR 1.5–2.3). Biological parents' alcohol abuse was a risk factor for suicide in the non-adopted group only (HR 1.8v. 0.8, interaction effect:p=0.03). The effects of childhood household socio-economic factors on suicide were similar in adopted and non-adopted individuals, with growing up in a single parent household [HR 1.5 (95% confidence interval 1.4–1.5)] as the most important socio-economic risk factor for the non-adopted.

Conclusions

The main familial effects of parental suicide and psychiatric morbidity on offspring suicide are not mediated by the post-natal environment or imitation, in contrast to effects of parental alcohol abuse that are primarily mediated by the post-natal environment. Social drift over generations because of psychiatric disorders does not seem likely to explain the association of socio-economic living conditions in childhood to suicide.
Validating extended neglect tolerance model for human robot interactions in humanoid soccer robots
Authors: Mohan R. E. , Wijesoma W. S. , Calderon C. A. A. , Zhou C. J.
Published: July 2010

Estimating robot performance in human robot teams is a vital problem in human robot interaction community. In a previous work, we presented extended neglect tolerance model for estimation of robot performance, where the human operator switches control between robots sequentially based on acceptable performance levels, taking into account any false alarms in human robot interactions. Task complexity is a key parameter that directly impacts the robot performance as well as the false alarms occurrences. In this paper, we validate the extended neglect tolerance model for two robot tasks of varying complexity levels. We also present the impact of task complexity on robot performance estimations and false alarms demands. Experiments were performed with real and virtual humanoid soccer robots across tele-operated and semi-autonomous modes of autonomy. Measured false alarm demand and robot performances were largely consistent with the extended neglect tolerance model predictions for both real and virtual robot experiments. Experiments also showed that the task complexity is directly proportional to false alarm demands and inversely proportional to robot performance.
Numerical synthesis of three-dimensional gait cycles by dynamics optimization
Authors: Saidouni Tarik
Published: July 2010

The present paper aims at generating three-dimensional cyclic gait of a biped with a locomotion system having anthropomorphic characteristics. Kinematic and dynamic models of both single and double support phases are extensively developed with a special attention devoted to the double support phase. A variety of gait constraints defining a feasible walk is taken into account. Joint trajectories are approximated by cubic spline functions connected at uniformly distributed knots. Joint coordinates at knots, walking phase durations, and independent parameters at phase transitions are the design parameters of a parametric optimization problem. Therefore, only the pattern organization and the gait speed are explicitly specified. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified and discussed through some simulation results.
A course for teaching design research methodology
Authors: Chakrabarti Amaresh
Published: July 2010

Design research informs and supports practice by developing knowledge to improve the chances of producing successful products. Training in design research has been poorly supported. Design research uses human and natural/technical sciences, embracing all facets of design; its methods and tools are adapted from both these traditions. However, design researchers are rarely trained in methods from both the traditions. Research in traditional sciences focuses primarily on understanding phenomena related to human, natural, or technical systems. Design research focuses on supporting improvement of such systems, using understanding as a necessary but not sufficient step, and it must embrace methods for both understanding reality and developing support for its improvement. A one-semester, postgraduate-level, credited course that has been offered since 2002, entitled Methodology for Design Research, is described that teaches a methodology for carrying out research into design. Its steps are to clarify research success; to understand relevant phenomena of design and how these influence success; to use this to envision design improvement and develop proposals for supporting improvement; to evaluate support for its influence on success; and, if unacceptable, to modify, support, or improve the understanding of success and its links to the phenomena of design. This paper highlights some major issues about the status of design research and describes how design research methodology addresses these. The teaching material, model of delivery, and evaluation of the course on methodology for design research are discussed.
Self-organised critical hot spots of criminal activity
Authors: BERESTYCKI H. , NADAL J.-P.
Published: July 2010

In this paper1 we introduce a family of models to describe the spatio-temporal dynamics of criminal activity. It is argued here that with a minimal set of mechanisms corresponding to elements that are basic in the study of crime, one can observe the formation of hot spots. By analysing the simplest versions of our model, we exhibit a self-organised critical state of illegal activities that we propose to call a warm spot or a tepid milieu2 depending on the context. It is characterised by a positive level of illegal or uncivil activity that maintains itself without exploding, in contrast with genuine hot spots where localised high level or peaks are being formed. Within our framework, we further investigate optimal policy issues under the constraint of limited resources in law enforcement and deterrence. We also introduce extensions of our model that take into account repeated victimisation effects, local and long range interactions, and briefly discuss some of the resulting effects such as hysteresis phenomena.
Dynamic coupling between shallow-water sloshing and horizontal vehicle motion
Authors: ALEMI ARDAKANI HAMID , BRIDGES THOMAS J.
Published: July 2010

The coupled motion between shallow-water sloshing in a moving vehicle and the vehicle dynamics is considered, with the vehicle dynamics restricted to horizontal motion. The paper is motivated by Cooker's experiments and theory for water waves in a suspended container. A new derivation of the coupled problem in the Eulerian fluid representation is given. However, it is found that transformation to a Lagrangian representation leads to a formulation which has nice properties for numerical simulation. In the Lagrangian representation, a simple and fast numerical algorithm with excellent energy conservation over long times, based on the Störmer–Verlet method, is implemented. Numerical simulations of the coupled dynamics in both the linear and non-linear case are presented.
Methylation patterns in 5′ terminal regions of pluripotency-related genes in mature bovine gametes
Authors: Lan Jie , Hua Song , Yuan Yuan , Zhan Liping , He Xiaoning , Zhang Yong
Published: July 2010

Gametogenesis is associated with DNA methylation and involves complicated and delicate gene regulation network in which stem cell marker genes exert their functions. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate DNA methylation profiles of those genes in mature gametes that have an effect on embryo development. However, to date, there are limited data available on these genes in mature gametes of bovine. Here we show methylation profiles in 5′ terminal regions of five pluripotency-related genes (Oct4, Sox2, Nanog, Rex1 and Fgf4) in bovine mature gametes, based on the reasoning that the five genes harbour CpG islands in their own 5′ terminal regions, which are frequently the targets of DNA methylation. The results showed that Oct4 and Fgf4 exhibited significant hypermethylation in sperm compared with that in oocytes (p < 0.01), while Sox2 and Nanog displayed relatively the same methylation levels between sperm and oocytes (p > 0.05). Additionally, Rex1 showed a relatively high methylation level in sperm than in oocytes, although no significant differences were found (p > 0.05). In conclusion, bovine mature gametes exhibited two methylation profiles in terms of the five genes, one being non-sex-specific and the other being sex-specific.
It Must be True – But How Can it Be? Some Remarks on Panpsychism and Mental Composition
Authors: Basile Pierfrancesco
Published: July 2010

Although panpsychism has had a very long history, one that goes back to the very origin of western philosophy, its force has only recently been appreciated by analytic philosophers of mind. And even if many still reject the theory as utterly absurd, others have argued that it is the only genuine form of physicalism. This paper examines the case for panpsychism and argues that there are at least goodprima faciereasons for taking it seriously. In a second step, the paper discusses the main difficulty the theory has to face, the ‘composition problem’. This is the problem of explaining how the primitive experiences that are supposed to exist at the ultimate level of reality could give rise to the unified experience of a human being. What assumptions as to the nature of experience generate the composition problem? Is mental composition impossible in principle or do we simply lack at present any understanding of phenomenal parts and wholes?
Quality, Thought and Consciousness
Authors: Robinson Howard
Published: July 2010

My objective in this essay is to argue for two things. The first is that intellectual mental states – thoughts – are not physicalistically reducible, just as qualia are not reducible. The second is that thoughts and qualia are not as different as is sometimes believed, but not because – as some empiricists thought – thoughts are qualia-like by being mental images, but because qualia are universals and their apprehension is a proto-intellectual act. I shall mainly be concerned with the first of these topics.
A prospective randomised controlled clinical trial to evaluate three immobilisation devices for intra-thoracic radiation therapy
Authors: O'Shea Evelyn , Armstrong John , Gillham Charles , McCloy Roisin , Murrells Rachel , O'Hara Tom , Clayton-Lea Angela , Murphy Michael , Browne Patricia , Booth Catherine , Thirion Pierre
Published: July 2010

Purpose: To determine the optimal of three immobilisation devices for lung radiotherapy in terms of set-up reproducibility, patient comfort, radiation therapists’ (RTs) satisfaction and cost-effectiveness.

Materials and methods: A total of 30 lung CRT patients were randomised to one of three immobilisation techniques – Arm A, headsponge; Arm B, BreastBoard dedicated immobilisation device; and Arm C, LungBoard dedicated immobilisation device.

Results: Random errors were larger for Arm A versus C in all directions (p < 0.05). Random errors were larger for Arm A versus B for y and z directions (p < 0.05). When the data for the immobilisation devices (Arms B+C) were pooled and compared with Arm A (no dedicated device), the systematic errors were larger in the z direction for A (p < 0.05). Arm C was cheaper and was more comfortable for patients. Therapists preferred this device (Arm C) and treatment times were less (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: This is the first prospective randomised controlled lung immobilisation trial, based on 3-DCRT, that takes into account treatment accuracy, users satisfaction and resource implications. It suggests that the LungBoard immobilisation device is optimal.
Enhanced smoking cue salience associated with depression severity in nicotine-dependent individuals: a preliminary fMRI study
Authors: Kushnir Vladyslav , Menon Mahesh , Balducci Xavier L. , Selby Peter , Busto Usoa , Zawertailo Laurie
Published: July 2010

The association between cigarette smoking and depression has been well documented; however, little research has been done to elucidate the neurobiological substrates of this highly prevalent comorbidity. We used multiple linear regression analysis to evaluate the relationship between depression severity as assessed by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) and blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) responses to visual smoking cues in drug-free nicotine-dependent smokers (n=18). Two functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans were completed over a single study day, following overnight smoking abstinence (pre-smoking scan) and after cigarette reinstatement (post-smoking scan). During the pre-smoking scan positive correlations between BOLD activity and HAMD scores were observed in areas of the mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic system [inferior frontal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus (MFG), hippocampus (HC), anterior cingulate gyrus] and areas of the visuospatial attention circuit (medial occipital lobe, middle cingulate cortex, superior frontal gyrus, angular gyrus). During the post-smoking scan positive correlations were observed in areas of the brain implicated in drug expectancy (MFG), memory (HC), attentional motivation (posterior cingulate cortex), and visual processing and attention (precuneus). These preliminary findings demonstrate that smokers with higher depression severity attribute greater incentive salience to smoking-related cues and this is especially pronounced during periods of acute abstinence. Such enhanced salience of smoking cues, even after smoking a cigarette, may play a critical role both in the maintenance of smoking in depression and in greater levels of nicotine dependence seen in this patient population.
Introducing Students to Research: Electron Microscopy of Bacteriophages
Authors: Sanchez Jorge E. , Jacovetty Erica L. , Carragher Bridget , Potter Clinton S. , Taurog Rebecca E.
Published: July 2010

Bacteriophages, as the name “bacteria-eater” suggests, are viruses that infect bacteria. Bacteriophages, often abbreviated as “phages,” have receptors that bind to specific bacterial species, thus there are many types of bacteriophages. Once a phage interacts with its target bacterium, the phage injects its genetic material into the bacterial host where the phage is replicated to produce many new phages that then leave the host via cell lysis.
Selected Area Electron Diffraction and its Use in Structure Determination
Authors: Tivol William F.
Published: July 2010

One of the capabilities of electron microscopes is to obtain diffraction patterns, which can be analyzed to give information about the structure of the specimen. This brief review discusses some of the technical considerations in using electron diffraction patterns for structural analysis. The technique of selected-area electron diffraction uses diffraction obtained from a limited region of the specimen.
A “Clean” TEM
Authors: Carpenter Graham J.C.
Published: July 2010

“All microscopes cause contamination of the specimen under the electron beam,” said our instructor at the EELS school I was attending. “Ours doesn't!” I responded. This only caused him to repeat his assertion.
It's YOUR Point of View…on Social Media
Authors: Foster Barbara
Published: July 2010

For 20 years, Microscopy/Microscopy Education (MME) has been conducting market surveys for the industry, identifying emerging trends and, even more importantly, giving you, the practicing microscopist and spectroscopist, a chance to impact the direction of instrumentation via your input on our surveys. (Many of you remember us for the M&Ms we used to hand out in exchange for your input at key trade shows). The results of 20 years of your valued participation have been profound: new technology that fits your needs, coming on line faster and more economically.
One Year with the Re-Styled Magazine
Authors: Lyman Charles
Published: July 2010

This is the seventh issue of Microscopy Today in its new format. The re-styled magazine has received favorable comments from both readers and advertisers. Article submission has increased, and many authors have used Microscopy Today to highlight and summarize their work published in other venues. In this issue we begin two new occasional departments. One is called “Microscopy Protocols.” I invite readers to contribute protocols and procedures useful for microscopists and microanalysts. The other new department is called “Your Point of View” where we will publish the results of periodic surveys concerning the microscopy and microanalysis communities.
Net Notes
Authors: Phillips Thomas E.
Published: July 2010

Selected postings from the Microscopy Listserver from January 31, 2010 to May 1, 2010. Complete listings and subscription information can be obtained at http://www.microscopy.com. Postings may have been edited to conserve space or for clarity.
Considerations on the de-embedding of differential devices using two-port techniques
Authors: Issakov Vadim , Wojnowski Maciej , Thiede Andreas , Weigel Robert
Published: July 2010

Differential signaling is very common for high frequency integrated circuit design. Accurate multimode de-embedding at multigigahertz frequencies, however, is a major challenge. The differential and common-mode parameters can be obtained by converting the measured four-port nodalS-parameters into the mixed-mode form. Under certain conditions, it is possible to separate the modes and consider only the entries corresponding to the differentialS-parameters. This allows to reduce the measured 4 × 4 matrix to a 2 × 2 matrix and consider the differential device as a two-port network. Thus, the standard de-embedding techniques, derived for two-port networks, can be applied to differentialS-parameters. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the applicability of this approach for on-wafer measurements. We describe analytically the conditions under which this method is valid. As an example, a 2:1 transformer, manufactured in Infineon's 0.13 μm CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) process, has been characterized. On-chip de-embedding structures have been fabricated using the same process. The results obtained using Short-Open, Thru-Line, and Thru-Line-Reflect de-embedding techniques are compared. Additionally, the results are verified by simulation of a device under test having high-mode conversion.
Psychotherapie und Migration
Authors: Brähler Elmar , Petermann Franz , Rief Winfried
Published: July 2010

Die psychische Situation von Menschen mit Migrationshintergrund ist bislang in Deutschland unzureichend erforscht und spezifische Angebote der psychotherapeutischen Versorgung entwickeln sich erst allmählich. Erste Informationen zum Gesundheitszustand älterer Migranten in Deutschland werden vorgestellt. Auf die Chancen und Spezifika einer stationären Rehabilitation durch die Rentenversicherung wird differenziert eingegangen.
Somatoforme Symptome, Angst und Depression bei Migranten aus der Türkei, aus Osteuropa und aus der ehemaligen Sowjetunion
Authors: Mewes Ricarda , Rief Winfried , Martin Alexandra , Glaesmer Heide , Brähler Elmar
Published: July 2010

Hintergrund: Gegenüberstellende epidemiologische Studien zur psychischen Gesundheit bei verschiedenen Migrantengruppen in Deutschland fehlen weitgehend. Sie sind jedoch von großer Wichtigkeit, um den Therapiebedarf für diese Gruppen zu bestimmen und Angebote entsprechend auszurichten. Die vorliegende Studie möchte die Ausprägung einer depressiven, somatoformen und angstbezogenen Symptomatik bei osteuropäischen, türkischen und Migranten aus der ehemaligen Sowjetunion in der Allgemeinbevölkerung miteinander vergleichen und untersuchen, ob es Unterschiede in der Bereitschaft gibt, für verschiedene Beschwerden einen Arzt aufzusuchen. Methode: 43 osteuropäische Migranten (beide Eltern in Polen, Rumänien, Slowakischer Republik, Tschechischer Republik oder Ungarn geboren), 49 Migranten aus der ehemaligen Sowjetunion (beide Eltern in Russland, Ukraine, Weißrussland oder Kasachstan geboren; Russlanddeutsche Personen fallen auch in diese Gruppe) und 42 Personen mit türkischem Migrationshintergrund wurden mit dem Patient-Health-Questionnaire auf depressive, somatoforme und angstbezogene Symptome untersucht und mit einem Fragebogen zu ihrer Bereitschaft befragt, für verschiedene Beschwerden einen Arzt aufzusuchen. Die Gruppen wurden mit Varianzanalysen unter Kontrolle möglicher konfundierender Variablen miteinander verglichen. Ergebnisse: Unter Kontrolle von Geschlecht, Alter, Partnerschaft und Erwerbstätigkeit zeigten sich keine signifikanten Unterschiede in depressiver, somatoformer und ängstlicher Symptomatik zwischen den drei Gruppen. Unter Kontrolle für Alter und Geschlecht zeigten sich ebenfalls keine Unterschiede in der Bereitschaft, für verschiedene Beschwerden einen Arzt aufzusuchen. Frauen berichteten mehr somatoforme Beschwerden als Männer und zeigten eine höhere Bereitschaft, einen Arzt zu konsultieren. Diskussion: Es lassen sich keine kulturellen Einflüsse in Bezug auf die psychische Gesundheit und den Umgang mit verschiedenen Beschwerden bei diesen eher gut integrierten Migranten feststellen. Weitere Studien zu dieser Fragestellung mit größeren Stichproben und unter Einbezug schlechter Deutsch sprechender Migranten wären wünschenswert.
Stationäre psychosomatische Rehabilitationsbehandlung von Patienten mit türkischem Migrationshintergrund
Authors: Göbber Julia , Pfeiffer Wolfgang , Winkler Michael , Kobelt Axel , Petermann Franz
Published: July 2010

Die Behandlung von Patienten mit Migrationshintergrund gewinnt im Kontext psychosomatischer Rehabilitation zunehmend an Bedeutung. Dabei stellt die Gruppe der türkischstämmigen Personen die größte Migrantengruppe dar. Erste Befunde weisen den Faktor Migrationshintergrund als negativen Prädiktor des Behandlungserfolges aus, die spezifischen Hemm- und Förderfaktoren dieser Patientengruppe sind jedoch nur unzureichend untersucht. Der vorliegende Beitrag klärt anhand einer Stichprobe von 521 Patienten einer psychosomatischen Rehabilitationseinrichtung, ob sich deutsch- und türkischstämmige Patienten in Bezug auf Ausgangsvoraussetzungen sowie Behandlungserwartungen und -erfolg unterscheiden. Hierbei zeigt sich, dass die türkische Migrantengruppe nicht nur schlechtere Behandlungsergebnisse aufweist als die deutsche Kontrollgruppe, sondern sich auch in den Störungsbildern und nahezu allen Ausgangsbedingungen unterscheidet (z. B. bildungs- und erwerbsbezogenen Angaben, den Lebensformen und Rentenbestrebungen).
Psychosomatische Rehabilitation
Authors: Lange Meike , Petermann Franz
Published: July 2010

Die psychosomatische Rehabilitation stellt eine besondere Form der medizinischen Rehabilitation dar. In diesem Konzept nehmen psychotherapeutische Maßnahmen einen besonderen Stellenwert ein. Es wird ein Überblick über die unterschiedlichen Behandlungsformen und Effekte der psychosomatischen Rehabilitation gegeben. Zudem wird auf Prädiktoren für eine erfolgreiche Behandlung wie Therapiemotivation, Krankheitsmodelle, Arbeitsunfähigkeitszeiten und besondere Belastungen der Patienten eingegangen. Es folgt eine Darstellung von Vorbereitungs- und Nachsorgemaßnahmen sowie Interventionen für besonders belastete Patientengruppen. Aus den vorliegenden Befunden wird abschließend ein Entscheidungsmodell zur Diagnose und Behandlung psychosomatischer Störungen vorgestellt.
Motorisch-koordinative Leistungs- fähigkeit adipöser Jugendlicher
Authors: Kastner Julia , Mayer Hermann , Walther Alexandra , Petermann Franz
Published: July 2010

Es werden die Einsatzmöglichkeiten der Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (Movement ABC-2) zur Einschätzung motorischer Leistungsdefizite bei adipösen Jugendlichen im Alter von 11;0–16;11 Jahren untersucht. Insgesamt wurden 84 Jugendliche, die zur Behandlung einer Adipositas (BMI > 97. Perzentile) einer Rehabilitationsmaßnahme zugeführt wurden, mit der Movement ABC-2 getestet. Die Testergebnisse werden mit den Leistungen einer alters- und geschlechtsparallelisierten Kontrollgruppe verglichen. Im Gesamtgruppenvergleich wurden für alle drei motorischen Dimensionen (Handgeschicklichkeit, Ballfertigkeiten, Balance), die mittels der Movement ABC-2 erfasst werden, signifikante Leistungsunterschiede nachgewiesen. Knapp ein Drittel der adipösen Jugendlichen weist dabei Defizite auf, die als kritisch oder therapiebedürftig klassifiziert werden. Der Einsatz der Movement ABC-2 erweist sich als geeignet, um routinemäßig zu Beginn einer Behandlung zuverlässig und zeitökonomisch motorisch-koordinative Defizite adipöser Jugendlicher aufzudecken.
Cushing-Syndrom nach Steroid-Infiltration bei zwei behandelten HIV-infizierten Patienten
Authors: Herold  , Günthard
Published: July 2010

Die Einführung der antiretroviralen Therapie mit mindestens drei aktiven Substanzen hat seit 1996 zu einer massiven Reduktion von Morbidität und Mortalität geführt. Bei einigen antiretroviralen Medikamenten besteht das Potenzial von Interaktionen mit anderen Medikamenten. Wir berichten über zwei Fälle der bisher wenig beachteten Interaktion von Ritonavir mit Triamcinolonacetonid. Bei beiden Fällen kam es nach Infiltrationen mit diesem Steroid in üblicher Dosierung zu Cushing-Symptomen. Wir möchten mit diesen Fallbeschreibungen auf ein bisher wenig beachtetes und potentiell schwerwiegendes Interaktionspotenzial hinweisen.
Effects of Issue Frames on Aversion to Ethnic-Targeted School Policies
Authors: van Londen Marieke , Coenders Marcel , Scheepers Peer
Published: July 2010

In this article, we discuss the results of a survey experiment designed to examine the impact of issue framing on the level of aversion to ethnic-targeted school policies in the Netherlands, in 2000 and 2005. Emphasizing the costs for Dutch children increased the level of aversion to these policies, compared to the level of aversion expressed by respondents in the unframed condition (control group). Emphasizing the benefits for ethnic minorities was less effective in altering the level of aversion. Moreover, when respondents were confronted with both the cost and benefit frames – a situation which closely resembles the political and public debate – they still showed less support for ethnic-targeted school policies. We also found that aversion to ethnic-targeted school policies is driven by negative considerations such as a preference for hierarchical social relations and perceptions of ethnic threat. Emphasizing out-group benefits did neither decrease the impact of these negative considerations on the level of aversion to ethnic-targeted school policies, nor strengthen the liberalizing effect of education.
Accentuating the Negative?
Authors: Clarke Harold D. , Kornberg Allan , Scotto Thomas J.
Published: July 2010

Survey research on political efficacy is longstanding. In a number of countries efficacy has been measured using batteries of negatively worded “agree-disagree” statements. In this paper, we investigate the measurement properties of the Canadian variant of this traditional battery and compare its performance with an alternative, positively worded, battery. The research is based on data gathered by a random half-sample experiment administered in the 2004 Political Support in Canada national panel survey. Analyses of these data provide no evidence that negatively framing the statements designed to tap political efficacy is problematic. Rather, it appears that students of political efficacy would have been worse off if they had spent the past several decades conducting analyses employing positively worded variants of the traditional statements. Perhaps most important, scholars have not been misled by acquiescence bias depressing efficacious responses to the traditional battery. These experimental results indicate that widespread political inefficacy in contemporary democracies is a fact, not an artifact.
Validity of a Factorial Survey Approach to the Analysis of Criminal Behavior
Authors: Eifler Stefanie
Published: July 2010

The study presented here deals with two aspects of the validity of a factorial survey approach ( Rossi & Anderson, 1982 ). This technique is applied to the analysis of crime in everyday life from the perspective of a rational choice approach ( Cornish & Clarke, 1986 ). The situation of “lost letters” (Milgram, Mann, & Harter, 1965) is regarded as an opportunity to display criminal behaviors within the routine activities of everyday life. The study features this situation and focuses on situational influences upon keeping “lost” letters. According to the theoretical framework, the effort and the utility of keeping a “lost” letter are manipulated on the basis of a 2 × 3 design. The study aims at a systematic analysis of the empirical validity and the construct validity of the factorial survey approach. It compares data from a factorial survey (n = 881) with data from a field experiment (n = 395) using an equal study design. The results of the study reveal restrictions of the empirical validity of the factorial survey. Influences of the utility of a “lost” letter are equal across the factorial survey and the field experiment and support the idea of construct validity. In addition to these influences, differences between data collection methods occur which indicate a susceptibility to social desirable responses in a lost letter framework. This result is discussed with regard to the underlying research questions and methodological implications.
Nonlinear dynamics of the electromagnetic ion cyclotron structures in the inner magnetosphere
Authors: Tsintsadze N. L. , Kaladze T. D. , Van Dam J. W. , Horton W. , Fu X. R. , Garner T. W.
Published: July 2010

Electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves, called EMICs, are widely observed in the inner magnetosphere and can be excited through various plasma mechanisms such as ion temperature anisotropy. These waves interact with magnetospheric particles, which they can scatter into the loss cone. This paper investigates how nonlinearities in the ion fluid equations governing the electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves cause large‐amplitude EMIC waves to evolve into coherent nonlinear structures. Both planar soliton structures and also two‐dimensional vortex‐like nonlinear structures are found to develop out of these nonlinearities.
On the occurrence of high‐velocity E‐region echoes in SuperDARN observations
Authors: Makarevich Roman A.
Published: July 2010

A comprehensive data set comprising 3 years of E‐region backscatter observations by the entire Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) of coherent high‐frequency (HF) radars is analyzed statistically. The average spectral characteristics are examined for both morning and evening short‐range echoes to develop a simple criterion for separating E‐ and F‐region HF backscatter. Different E‐region echo populations are considered for all 16 auroral radars with half of the radars detecting substantial numbers of echoes with Doppler velocities above the nominal value of the ion‐acoustic speed Cs of 350–450 ms−1. The high‐velocity echoes with Doppler velocity distributions that are asymmetric about zero velocity are examined separately for velocities near and well above the nominal Cs. Indicators of the total numbers of echoes near the Cs are shown to decrease from radar to radar as the radar's boresite direction approaches an L‐shell angle of 90°. The very high‐velocity echoes, on the other hand, are predominantly seen by the two most zonally looking radars. These echoes are typically observed at greater slant ranges than echoes both below and near the Cs and both their occurrence and velocity are independent of the direction of observation. Moreover, their velocity polarity is inconsistent with that of the plasma convection component. The observations provide further support for the idea that the auroral decameter‐scale irregularities with unusually high phase velocities independent of the flow angle are generated through nonlinear mode coupling processes.
Climatological patterns of high‐latitude convection in the Northern and Southern hemispheres: Dipole tilt dependencies and interhemispheric comparisons
Authors: Pettigrew E. D. , Shepherd S. G. , Ruohoniemi J. M.
Published: July 2010

Using line‐of‐sight measurements of horizontal plasma drift from the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) located in the Northern and Southern hemispheres over a period extending from 1998 to 2002, statistical models of the high‐latitude convection electric field are derived for various ranges of interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) magnitude and orientation and for several ranges of dipole tilt angle. Direct comparison of the corresponding convection patterns in each hemisphere shows that under neutral tilt conditions (dipole tilt angle magnitude <10°) the patterns are most similar. However, a strong dipole tilt angle dependence is observed under northward (Bz+) and By dominated IMF conditions. For IMF Bz+, reverse convection is observed to be much stronger during positive tilt than negative tilt. For IMF By dominated conditions (IMF Bz = 0), the round convection cell is more enhanced for positive tilt than for negative tilt, particularly for IMF By < 0 in both hemispheres. The presence of a lobe cell is a likely cause of this enhancement, although it is not entirely clear why it occurs preferentially under IMF By < 0. In addition, the crescent‐shaped cells are weakened as tilt angle progresses from negative to positive, most likely due to vastly different solar produced conductivities under different tilt angles. For IMF Bz−, asymmetric values of the cross‐polar cap potentials (ΦPC) are observed between hemispheres, with ΦPC in the south being systematically larger than ΦPC in the north. Although neutral tilt patterns are similar enough to be used interchangeably, convection has a strong dipole tilt dependence and a Northern Hemisphere convection model should not be applied to the Southern Hemisphere if dipole tilt angle is not taken into account. When dipole tilt is accounted for, ΦPC differs between hemispheres by less than 10% on average, but the strength of the convection in the individual cells differs by 15% to 20% on average.
Observation of the multifractal spectrum in solar wind turbulence by Ulysses at high latitudes
Authors: Wawrzaszek Anna , Macek Wieslaw M.
Published: July 2010

The aim of our study is to examine the question of multifractal scaling properties of turbulence in the solar wind at high latitudes. We analyze time series of the velocities of the solar wind during solar minimum (1994–1997, 2006–2007) at various heliographic latitudes measured in situ by Ulysses, which is the only mission that has investigated parameters of the solar wind out of the ecliptic plane also in the polar regions of the Sun. We consider the non‐homogeneous energy transfer rate in the turbulent cascade leading to the phenomenon of intermittency. To quantify the degree of multifractality and the degree of asymmetric scaling of solar wind turbulence, we consider a generalized two‐scale weighted Cantor set with two different scales describing nonuniform distribution of the kinetic energy flux between cascading eddies of various sizes. It is worth noting that both characteristics exhibit latitudinal dependence with some symmetry with respect to the ecliptic plane. Generally, at high latitudes during solar minimum in the fast solar wind streams we observe a somewhat smaller degree of multifractality and intermittency as compared with those at the ecliptic and a roughly symmetric multifractal singularity spectrum. The minimum of intermittency is observed at midlatitudes, possibly related to the transition from the region where the interaction of the fast and slow streams takes place to a more homogeneous region of the pure fast solar wind.
GPS crustal deformation, strain rate, and seismic activity after the 1999 Chi‐Chi earthquake in Taiwan
Authors: Lin Kuan‐Chuan , Hu Jyr‐Ching , Ching Kuo‐En , Angelier Jacques , Rau Ruey‐Juin , Yu Shui‐Beih , Tsai Chun‐Hsiung , Shin Tzay‐Chyn , Huang Mong‐Han
Published: July 2010

Using data at 110 continuous GPS stations from 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2005, we characterized the surface deformation in Taiwan after the Mw = 7.6 Chi‐Chi earthquake of 21 September 1999. In continuous GPS (CGPS) data, the maximum coseismic deformation of the Chengkung earthquake and Ilan double earthquakes reached 165.5 ± 0.5 mm and 35.4 ± 0.5 mm in horizontal displacement and 181.7 ± 1.1 mm and 12.6 ± 1.5 mm in vertical displacement, respectively. With respect to Paisha station, S01R, the stations of the Coastal Range and Lanhsu showed an average displacement of 40.5–93.6 mm/yr with directions of 307°–333°. The stations in the Longitudinal Valley and Central Range revealed velocities in the range 19.0–49.3 mm/yr with directions of 285°–318°. In western Taiwan, the velocities in the inner fold‐and‐thrust belt range from 14.2 to 45.5 mm/yr with directions of 284°–304°. Extensional strain affects the Ilan and Pingtung plains near belt tips, revealing lateral extrusion toward the adjacent subduction zones. Extensional strain also affects the southern Central Range because of the rapid uplift related to the southward propagating collision process. Large and medium size earthquakes affect the strain pattern revealed by CGPS, albeit in different ways: regional extension and displacement were large and rotations were small regarding the Mw = 7.6 Chi‐Chi earthquake. In contrast, the limited size of the affected area, moderate displacement, and large rotations characterized the 2003 Mw = 6.8 Chengkung earthquake. The impact of smaller earthquakes such as the 2005 Mw = 5.9 Ilan double earthquakes and the 2005 Mw = 5.6 Hualien earthquake was locally significant but regionally minor. The CGPS data provide a snapshot of the deformation that is generally consistent with the long‐term history of the collision but should not be directly extrapolated because thrust deformation is migrating along the tectonic boundary. Regarding the Chi‐Chi earthquake, the new CGPS data show that the Chi‐Chi hanging wall is still recognizable as a kinematic block, whereas in the previous pattern the hanging wall was not discernable.
Possible atmospheric origin of the 7 May 2007 western Black Sea shelf tsunami event
Authors: Vilibić Ivica , Šepić Jadranka , Ranguelov Boyko , Mahović Nataša Strelec , Tinti Stefano
Published: July 2010

The paper examines the possibility that tsunami event recorded in the western Black Sea on 7 May 2007 was triggered by a traveling atmospheric disturbance. As meteotsunamis are favored by specific synoptic conditions, we inspected available ground and sounding observations, European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts reanalysis fields, and satellite‐based products and compared them to the documented Mediterranean meteotsunamis. We found an atmospheric disturbance traveling toward 30° (NNE) with amplitude of 2–3 hPa and propagation speed of about 16 m/s, passing through few tens of kilometers wide pathway over the region affected by the tsunami. This disturbance occurred in the lower troposphere, but it was capped by instable convective cell that preserved gravity disturbance's coherence over a region at least 150 km long. An ocean modeling study showed that such a disturbance is capable of generating large tsunami waves and strong currents over the shallow regions, following the observations over the region where maximum sea level oscillations have been documented. Therefore, this event has a potential to be classified as a meteotsunami, the first of such kind in the Black Sea.
Evidence of internal mixing of African dust and biomass burning particles by individual particle analysis using electron beam techniques
Authors: Hand Victoria L. , Capes Gerard , Vaughan David J. , Formenti Paola , Haywood Jim M. , Coe Hugh
Published: July 2010

In this investigation, the interaction between aerosols derived from biomass burning and dust aerosol is the focus of interest. We have examined the morphology and chemical composition of dust and biomass burning aerosol particles sampled on airborne filters using an environmental scanning electron microscope equipped with both an energy dispersive X‐ray analysis and an image analysis system. Using these techniques, we were able to study both mineral dust and biomass burning particles in samples containing significant amounts of both biomass burning and dust aerosol, compared to samples dominated by biomass burning aerosol and a sample dominated by dust aerosol. Thirteen particle types were classified in the samples. Aluminosilicates were the dominant particle type in the sample dominated by dust aerosol. Many more particles were found to be rich in S, Na, and K in the sample dominated by biomass burning aerosols, and particles in these samples were also found to be completely devoid of Cl due to aging of the aerosol and chemical conversion during atmospheric transport. We suggest that biomass burning particles containing all three characteristic elements are internal mixtures. Particle imaging showed that up to a third of soot particles were internally mixed with mineral dust particles in samples containing significant numbers of both biomass burning and mineral dust particles. This internal mixing would change the optical properties of the particle ensemble and the direct radiative forcing caused by biomass burning significantly.
MicroRNAs as Effectors of Brain Function with Roles in Ischemia and Injury, Neuroprotection, and Neurodegeneration
Authors: Saugstad Julie A
Published: July 2010

MicroRNAs are small RNAs that function as regulators of posttranscriptional gene expression. MicroRNAs are encoded by genes, and processed to form ribonucleoprotein complexes that bind to messenger RNA (mRNA) targets to repress translation or degrade mRNA transcripts. The microRNAs are particularly abundant in the brain where they serve as effectors of neuronal development and maintenance of the neuronal phenotype. They are also expressed in dendrites where they regulate spine structure and function as effectors in synaptic plasticity. MicroRNAs have been evaluated for their roles in brain ischemia, traumatic brain injury, and spinal cord injury, and in functional recovery after ischemia. They also serve as mediators in the brain's response to ischemic preconditioning that leads to endogenous neuroprotection. In addition, microRNAs are implicated in neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's, Huntington, Parkinson, and Prion disease. The discovery of microRNAs has expanded the potential for human diseases to arise from genetic mutations in microRNA genes or sequences within their target mRNAs. This review discusses microRNA discovery, biogenesis, mechanisms of gene regulation, their expression and function in the brain, and their roles in brain ischemia and injury, neuroprotection, and neurodegeneration.
Factors Affecting Accuracy of Past Tense Production in Children With Specific Language Impairment And Their Typically Developing Peers: The Influence of Verb Transitivity, Clause Location, and Sentence Type
Authors: Owen Amanda J.
Published: July 2010

Purpose

The author examined the influence of sentence type, clause order, and verb transitivity on the accuracy of children’s past tense productions. All groups of children, but especially children with specific language impairment (SLI), were predicted to decrease accuracy as linguistic complexity increased.

Method

The author elicited past tense productions in 2-clause sentences from 5- to 8-year-old children with SLI (
n
= 14) and their typically developing peers (
n
= 24). The target sentences varied in the type and obligatory nature of the second clause and the number of arguments.

Results

On average, 85% of the responses across all groups and sentence types contained 2 clauses. Fewer 2-clause sentences were produced in the complement clause condition than in the other conditions. Sentence type and clause order, but not argument structure, influenced use of past tense. Children with SLI had a similar but less accurate profile as compared with the age-matched group. The younger mean length of utterance (MLU)–matched group reflected decreased accuracy with each additional source of linguistic complexity.

Conclusions

Increased syntactic difficulty decreases use of morphology for all children, supporting the hypothesis that processing demands influence morphological accuracy. MLU-matched children, but not children with SLI, were more affected by changes in linguistic complexity. Further work on age-related changes in sentence production is necessary.
Fire regimes in north‐eastern Cambodian monsoonal forests, with a 9300‐year sediment charcoal record
Authors: Maxwell Andrew L.
Published: July 2010

Aim  To provide insights concerning changes in fire regime in north‐eastern Cambodia over the course of the Holocene, and discuss implications of these long‐term data for fire management in the present day.

Location  Southern Ratanakiri Province, north‐eastern Cambodia. The lake sites sampled here are embedded in a mosaic of mostly open, strongly deciduous dipterocarp forest, with patches of riparian, semi‐evergreen and evergreen forests.

Methods  Background information on the environmental and cultural setting comes from informal and semi‐structured interviews of local villagers to determine present‐day burning patterns and customs. Primary data come from analysis of changes in charcoal concentration within sediments from small, closed basin lakes. Charcoal data are compared with changes in pollen and sediment physical characteristics, and to present‐day local customs, to infer or speculate on changes in human use of fire.

Results  Interviews with local people reveal two general types of human‐induced fires, one type for swidden cultivation in denser forests, the other type for clearance of ground layer vegetation in more open forests. A 9300‐year sediment record of microscopic charcoal deposition shows strongest fire activity ending by 8000 years ago, and the remainder of the early Holocene reflecting a strong summer monsoon and low fire activity. Beginning c. 5500 years ago, forest disturbance and fire activity increased. A subtle change in the record at c. 3500 years ago and more marked change at c. 2500 years ago suggest that fire frequency, and maybe human control over fire, became more important during that period and continuing up to the present.

Main conclusions  With this type of empirical data from only one site, it is impossible to make accurate conclusions about long‐term human impacts from burning. However, this record does show that present‐day charcoal input from fire activity is among the lowest for the last 9300 years. Considered together with other changes in the record and with present‐day customs, there is a suggestion that anthropogenic fire is an adaptation to the monsoonal environment, and may be conservative of forest cover in open forest formations. This long‐term perspective on the role of indigenous land‐use customs in landscape evolution should be considered in forest management and biological conservation, as it differs significantly from the traditional rationale for policies of fire suppression in tropical forests.