bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neoliberalism, Race and the Redefining of Urban Redevelopment
Authors: Mele Christopher
Published: June 2012

Neoliberal urban redevelopment is often represented as consensual, socially‐neutral ‘local economic development’ with a positive effect on both a city's overall economy and its level of racial and ethnic diversity. The purpose of this article is to focus specifically on the key ideological premises of color‐blind racial discourses that help facilitate and provide necessary legitimacy (and ideological cover) for neoliberal urban redevelopment in a mid‐sized US city. Color‐blind racial discourses facilitate the agenda and mandates behind tax abatements, enterprise zones, public–private partnerships and new forms of urban consumption. Despite efforts to the contrary, neoliberal urbanism does not retreat from race — rather, racial dynamics are reconstituted to accommodate processes of capital accumulation and uneven urban development in poor and minority cities. Drawing on the case of Chester, Pennsylvania, this article focuses on how color‐blind racial discourses influence exclusionary urban redevelopment policies and practices, facilitate their implementation and legitimize their outcomes.

On présente souvent le réaménagement urbain néolibéral comme un ‘développement économique local’ consensuel et socialement neutre, dont bénéficient à la fois l'économie générale et le degré de diversité raciale et ethnique de la ville. Cet article s'intéresse en particulier aux grands principes idéologiques des discours racialisés de type color‐blind (littéralement, aveugle aux couleurs) qui contribuent au réaménagement urbain néolibéral d'une ville américaine moyenne et fournissent la légitimité (et la caution idéologique) au projet. Ces discours facilitent les objectifs et missions que soutiennent crédits d'impôt, aides à l'installation dans certaines zones d'activité, partenariats public‐privé et nouvelles formes de consommation urbaine. En dépit d'efforts contraires, l'urbanisme néolibéral ne renonce pas à la dimension raciale. Plus précisément, les dynamiques raciales sont reconstituées pour s'adapter aux processus d'accumulation du capital et d'aménagement urbain inégal des villes aux populations pauvres ou minoritaires. À partir du cas de Chester (Pennsylvanie), ce travail montre comment les discours raciaux color‐blind influencent des politiques et pratiques d'exclusion au sein du réaménagement urbain, facilitant leur mise en place et légitimant leurs résultats.
The effects of low to moderate prenatal alcohol exposure in early pregnancy on IQ in 5‐year‐old children
Authors: Falgreen Eriksen H‐L , Mortensen EL , Kilburn T , Underbjerg M , Bertrand J , Støvring H , Wimberley T , Grove J , Kesmodel US
Published: June 2012

Please cite this paper as: Falgreen Eriksen H, Mortensen E, Kilburn T, Underbjerg M, Bertrand J, Støvring H, Wimberley T, Grove J, Kesmodel U. The effects of low to moderate prenatal alcohol exposure in early pregnancy on IQ in 5‐year‐old children. BJOG 2012;119:1191–1200.

Objective  To examine the effects of low to moderate maternal alcohol consumption during early pregnancy on children’s intelligence (IQ) at age 5 years.

Design  Prospective follow‐up study.

Setting  Neuropsychological testing in four Danish cities 2003–2008.

Population  A cohort of 1628 women and their children sampled from the Danish National Birth Cohort.

Methods  Participants were sampled based on maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy. At 5 years of age, children were tested with the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence—Revised (WPPSI‐R). Parental education, maternal IQ, maternal smoking in pregnancy, the child’s age at testing, gender, and tester were considered core confounding factors, whereas the full model also controlled for maternal binge drinking, age, BMI, parity, home environment, postnatal smoking in the home, health status, and indicators for hearing and vision impairments.

Main outcome measures  The WPPSI‐R.

Results  No differences in test performance were observed between children whose mothers reported consuming between one and four or between five and eight drinks per week at some point during pregnancy, compared with children of mothers who abstained. For women who reported consuming nine or more drinks per week no differences were observed for mean differences; however, the risks of low full‐scale IQ (OR 4.6; 95% CI 1.2–18.2) and low verbal IQ (OR 5.9; 95% CI 1.4–24.9) scores, but not low performance IQ score, were increased.

Conclusions  Maternal consumption of low to moderate quantities of alcohol during pregnancy was not associated with the mean IQ score of preschool children. Despite these findings, acceptable levels of alcohol use during pregnancy have not yet been established, and conservative advice for women continues to be to avoid alcohol use during pregnancy.
β‐Amyloid 1‐42 induces physiological transcriptional regulation of BACE1
Authors: Piccini Alessandra , Borghi Roberta , Guglielmotto Michela , Tamagno Elena , Cirmena Gabriella , Garuti Anna , Pollero Valeria , Cammarata Sergio , Fornaro Michele , Messa Massimo , Colombo Laura , Salmona Mario , Perry George , Tabaton Massimo
Published: June 2012

J. Neurochem. (2012) 122, 1023–1031.

The pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is only partially understood. β‐amyloid (Aβ) is physiologically generated by sequential cleavage of its precursor protein by the β‐ and the γ‐secretase and it is normally disposed of. In Alzheimer’s disease, Aβ is excessively produced or less dismissed, but the hypothesis on its physiological and pathological role are heterogeneous and often discordant. It has been described a positive feedback loop from the γ‐ to the β‐secretase cleavages of Aβ precursor protein, which is activated by mutations of Presenilin 1 (PS1), the catalytic core of the γ‐secretase. These findings show that Aβ precursor protein as well the activity of the γ‐secretase are required to obtain the up‐regulation of β‐secretase which is induced by Presenilin 1 mutations. Then, Aβ 1‐42 is the Aβ precursor protein derivative that up‐regulates the expression of β‐secretase, and c‐jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK)/c‐Jun and ERK1/2 are involved. Here, we describe the activation of β‐secretase and c‐jun N‐terminal kinase related proteins by monomeric Aβ 1‐42, defining the conditions that most efficiently strike the described signaling without producing toxicity. Taken together these data imply that monomeric Aβ 1‐42, at non‐toxic concentrations and time frames, are able to induce a signaling pathway that leads to transcriptional activation of β‐secretase.
Endoplasmic reticulum stress occurs downstream of GluN2B subunit of N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptor in mature hippocampal cultures treated with amyloid‐β oligomers
Authors: Costa Rui O. , Lacor Pascale N. , Ferreira Ildete L. , Resende Rosa , Auberson Yves P. , Klein William L. , Oliveira Catarina R. , Rego Ana C. , Pereira Cláudia M. F.
Published: June 2012

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting both the hippocampus and the cerebral cortex. Reduced synaptic density that occurs early in the disease process seems to be partially due to the overactivation of N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptors (NMDARs) leading to excitotoxicity. Recently, we demonstrated that amyloid‐beta oligomers (AβO), the species implicated in synaptic loss during the initial disease stages, induce endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in cultured neurons. Here, we investigated whether AβO trigger ER stress by an NMDAR‐dependent mechanism leading to neuronal dysfunction and analyzed the contribution of GluN2A and GluN2B subunits of this glutamate receptor. Our data revealed that AβO induce ER stress in mature hippocampal cultures, activating ER stress‐associated sensors and increasing the levels of the ER chaperone GRP78. We also showed that AβO induce NADPH oxidase (NOX)‐mediated superoxide production downstream of GluN2B and impairs ER and cytosolic Ca2+ homeostasis. These events precede changes in cell viability and activation of the ER stress‐mediated apoptotic pathway, which was associated with translocation of the transcription factor GADD153 / CHOP to the nucleus and occurred by a caspase‐12‐independent mechanism. Significantly, ER stress took place after AβO interaction with GluN2B subunits. In addition, AβO‐induced ER stress and hippocampal dysfunction were prevented by ifenprodil, an antagonist of GluN2B subunits, while the GluN2A antagonist NVP‐AAM077 only slightly attenuated AβO‐induced neurotoxicity. Taken together, our results highlight the role of GluN2B subunit of NMDARs on ER stress‐mediated hippocampal dysfunction caused by AβO suggesting that it might be a potential therapeutic target during the early stages of AD.
Aging is associated with chronic innate immune activation and dysregulation of monocyte phenotype and function
Authors: Hearps Anna C. , Martin Genevieve E. , Angelovich Thomas A. , Cheng Wan‐Jung , Maisa Anna , Landay Alan L. , Jaworowski Anthony , Crowe Suzanne M.
Published: June 2012

Chronic inflammation in older individuals is thought to contribute to inflammatory, age‐related diseases. Human monocytes are comprised of three subsets (classical, intermediate and nonclassical subsets), and despite being critical regulators of inflammation, the effect of age on the functionality of monocyte subsets remains to be fully defined. In a cross‐sectional study involving 91 healthy male (aged 20–84 years, median 52.4) and 55 female (aged 20–82 years, median 48.3) individuals, we found age was associated with an increased proportion of intermediate and nonclassical monocytes (P = 0.002 and 0.04, respectively) and altered phenotype of specific monocyte subsets (e.g. increased expression of CD11b and decreased expression of CD38, CD62L and CD115). Plasma levels of the innate immune activation markers CXCL10, neopterin (P < 0.001 for both) and sCD163 (P = 0.003) were significantly increased with age. Whilst similar age‐related changes were observed in both sexes, monocytes from women were phenotypically different to men [e.g. lower proportion of nonclassical monocytes (P = 0.002) and higher CD115 and CD62L but lower CD38 expression] and women exhibited higher levels of CXCL10 (P = 0.012) and sCD163 (P < 0.001) but lower sCD14 levels (P < 0.001). Monocytes from older individuals exhibit impaired phagocytosis (P < 0.05) but contain shortened telomeres (P < 0.001) and significantly higher intracellular levels of TNF both at baseline and following TLR4 stimulation (P < 0.05 for both), suggesting a dysregulation of monocyte function in the aged. These data show that aging is associated with chronic innate immune activation and significant changes in monocyte function, which may have implications for the development of age‐related diseases.
Microstructural white matter abnormality and frontal cognitive dysfunctions in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy
Authors: Kim Ji Hyun , Suh Sang‐il , Park So‐Yeon , Seo Woo‐Keun , Koh InSong , Koh Seong‐Beom , Seol Hae Young
Published: June 2012

Purpose:  Previous neuroimaging studies provide growing evidence that patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) have both structural and functional abnormalities of the thalamus and frontal lobe gray matter. However, limited data are available regarding the issue of white matter (WM) involvement, making the microstructural WM changes in JME largely unknown. In the present study we investigated changes of WM integrity in patients with JME, and their relationships with cognitive functions and epilepsy‐specific clinical factors.

Methods:  We performed diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and neuropsychological assessment in 25 patients with JME and 30 control subjects matched for age, gender, and education level. Between‐group comparisons of fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) were carried out in a whole‐brain voxel‐wise manner by using tract‐based spatial statistics (TBSS). In addition, both FA and MD were correlated with cognitive performance and epilepsy‐specific clinical variables to investigate the influence of these clinical and cognitive factors on WM integrity changes.

Key Findings:  Neuropsychological evaluation revealed that patients with JME had poorer performance than control subjects on most of the frontal function tests. TBSS demonstrated that, compared to controls, patients with JME had significantly reduced FA and increased MD in bilateral anterior and superior corona radiata, genu and body of corpus callosum, and multiple frontal WM tracts. Disease severity, as assessed by the number of generalized tonic–clonic seizures in given years, was negatively correlated with FA and positively correlated with MD extracted from regions of significant differences between patients and controls in TBSS.

Significance:  Our findings of widespread disturbance of microstructural WM integrity in the frontal lobe and corpus callosum that interconnects frontal cortices could further support the pathophysiologic hypothesis of thalamofrontal network abnormality in JME. These WM abnormalities may implicate frontal cognitive dysfunctions and disease progression in JME.
Seizure generation: The role of nodes and networks
Authors: Terry John R. , Benjamin Oscar , Richardson Mark P.
Published: June 2012

The longstanding dichotomy between the concepts of “focal” and “primary generalized” epilepsy has become increasingly blurred, raising fundamental questions about the nature of ictal onset in localized brain regions versus large‐scale brain networks. We hypothesize that whether an EEG discharge appears focal or generalized is driven by the pattern of connections in brain networks, irrespective of the presence of focal brain abnormality. Using a computational model of a simple “brain” consisting of four regions and the connections between them, we explored the effects of altering connectivity structure versus the effects of introducing an “abnormal” brain region, and the interactions between these factors. Computer simulations demonstrated that electroencephalography (EEG) discharges representing either generalized or focal seizures arose purely as a consequence of subtle changes in network structure, without the requirement for any localized pathologic brain region. Furthermore we found that introducing a pathologic region gave rise to focal, secondary generalized, or primary generalized seizures depending on the network structure. Counterintuitively, we found that decreasing connectivity between regions of the brain increased the frequency of seizure‐like activity. Our findings may enlighten current controversies surrounding the concepts of focal and generalized epilepsy, and help to explain recent observations in genetic animal models and human epilepsies, where loss of white matter pathways was associated with the occurrence of seizures.
Impact of Experimental Conditions on Noncontact Laser Recordings in Microvascular Studies
Authors: MAHÉ GUILLAUME , DURAND SYLVAIN , HUMEAU‐HEURTIER ANNE , LEFTHERIOTIS GEORGES , ABRAHAM PIERRE
Published: June 2012

Please cite this paper as: Mahé G, Durand S, Humeau‐Heurtier A, Leftheriotis G, Abraham P. Impact of experimental conditions on noncontact laser recordings in microvascular studies. Microcirculation 19: 669–675, 2012.

Microcirculation, especially skin microcirculation, is a window toward systemic vascular function in magnitude and underlying mechanisms. Different techniques have been developed to assess the microcirculation. Among these techniques, laser technology is used to perform noninvasive microvascular assessments. In the 1970s, the laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) technique was proposed to monitor microvascular blood flow. More recently, noncontact technologies including laser Doppler perfusion imaging (LDI) and laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) have improved the reproducibility of the microcirculation measurements and facilitated some clinical evaluations such as on wounds and ulcers. However, due to the absence of contact between tissue and sensors, it is likely that different technical and environmental conditions may interfere with microvascular recordings. This review presents major technical and environmental conditions, which may interfere with noncontact laser recordings in microvascular studies.
The Low‐Temperature Sintering Mechanism of Sr Hexaferrite Using the Addition of CuO
Authors: Lisjak Darja , Lebourgeois Richard
Published: June 2012

We have investigated the sintering behavior of
Sr
hexaferrite (
SrFe

12

O

19) and the effects of adding
CuO
, which partly substituted for the
Fe

2

O

3 and the
Fe
deficiency during the sintering. For the experiments, samples with nominal compositions of
SrCu

x

Fe

y−x

O

19−δ (x = 0–1.0, y = 11–12) were prepared with a solid‐state reaction at 1000°C. The overall shrinkages and the shrinkage rates were followed using dilatometry during the sintering. The addition of
CuO
was found to enhance the sintering rate of the
Sr
hexaferrite significantly at temperatures below 1100°C, whereas the
Fe
deficiency had only a moderate effect on the sintering above 1100°C. The relative densities of the
Sr
hexaferrite ceramics containing
Cu
sintered at 1000°C for 3 h were above 90%, whereas the
Cu
‐free
Sr
hexaferrite ceramics only started to sinter at 1000°C. We have shown that the addition of
CuO
enabled the reactive liquid‐phase sintering of
Sr
hexaferrite at 1000°C.
How much skin protection cream is actually applied in the workplace? Determination of dose per skin surface area in nurses
Authors: Schliemann Sibylle , Petri Maximilian , Elsner Peter
Published: June 2012

Background. Skin protection creams (PCs) are used in the occupational setting to prevent irritant hand dermatitis. However, so far, the actual amounts of PC applied and the resulting dose per area unit on hands at work have not been a matter of systematic investigation. The quantities used in experimental studies investigating the efficacy of PCs range between 4 and 25 mg/cm2.

Objectives. To develop a practical and accurate method to analyse the actual consumed quantities of PCs at workplaces in relation to hand surface area.

Methods. Thirty‐one hospital nurses without hand eczema were provided with a sample PC in special monitoring tubes with Medication Event Monitoring Systems (MEMS TrackCaps®; Aardex Ltd, Zug, Switzerland), and used the product over 5 working days as usual. The consumption was calculated by weighing of the tubes and analysis of the application frequency, and related to the individual calculated hand surface area.

Results. The mean PC dose applied was 0.97 ± 0.6 mg/cm2.

Conclusions. The amounts of PC applied by hospital nurses were significantly lower than the amounts that have been used in experimental studies. The method appears to be suitable for use in different in occupational settings. Further investigations are needed to gain realistic insights into consumers' attitudes regarding PCs.
Informing in the Information Age: How to Communicate Measurement Concepts to Education Policy Makers
Authors: Sireci Stephen G. , Forte Ellen
Published: June 2012

Current educational policies rely on educational assessments. However, the technical aspects of assessments are often unknown to policy makers, which is dangerous because sound assessment policy requires knowledge of the strengths and limitations of educational tests. In this article, we discuss the importance of informing policy makers of important psychometric issues that should be considered whenever tests are proposed for specific purposes. We discuss the types of information that are important to communicate to policy makers, how to best convey this information in a manner in which it can be understood, and how to be seen as a valuable source of information to education policy makers. We end with some specific steps organizations such as NCME can take to inform policy makers and advocate for valid educational assessment policies.
MiR‐21 Modulates hTERT Through a STAT3‐Dependent Manner on Glioblastoma Cell Growth
Authors: Wang Ying‐Yi , Sun Guan , Luo Hui , Wang Xie‐Feng , Lan Feng‐Ming , Yue Xiao , Fu Lin‐Shan , Pu Pei‐Yu , Kang Chun‐Sheng , Liu Ning , You Yong‐Ping
Published: June 2012

Background and purpose

As an important oncogenic miRNA, miR‐21 has been reported to play crucial roles in glioblastoma (GBM) carcinogenesis. However, the precise biological function and molecular mechanism of miR‐21 in GBM remain elusive. This study is designed to explore the mechanism of miR‐21 involved in the control of GBM cell growth.

Methods and results

MTT assay, cell cycle analysis, and apoptosis analysis showed that reduction of miR‐21 inhibited cell growth in U87 and LN229 GBM cells. Further, reduction of miR‐21 decreased the expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) and repressed STAT3 expression and STAT3 phosphorylation. STAT3 inhibition led to a remarkable depletion of hTERT at both mRNA and protein levels by binding to the hTERT gene promoter by performing luciferase reporter assay and chromatin Immunoprecipitation PCR. Finally, knockdown of miR‐21 considerably inhibited tumor growth and diminished the expression of STAT3 and hTERT in xenograft model.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that miR‐21 regulates hTERT expression mediated by STAT3, therefore controlling GBM cell growth.
Computational Modeling in Cognitive Science: A Manifesto for Change
Authors: Addyman Caspar , French Robert M.
Published: June 2012

Computational modeling has long been one of the traditional pillars of cognitive science. Unfortunately, the computer models of cognition being developed today have not kept up with the enormous changes that have taken place in computer technology and, especially, in human‐computer interfaces.  For all intents and purposes, modeling is still done today as it was 25, or even 35, years ago. Everyone still programs in his or her own favorite programming language, source code is rarely made available, accessibility of models to non‐programming researchers is essentially non‐existent, and even for other modelers, the profusion of source code in a multitude of programming languages, written without programming guidelines, makes it almost impossible to access, check, explore, re‐use, or continue to develop. It is high time to change this situation, especially since the tools are now readily available to do so. We propose that the modeling community adopt three simple guidelines that would ensure that computational models would be accessible to the broad range of researchers in cognitive science. We further emphasize the pivotal role that journal editors must play in making computational models accessible to readers of their journals.
WAGNER'S LAW REVISITED: A NOTE FROM SOUTH AFRICA
Authors: MENYAH KOJO , WOLDE‐RUFAEL YEMANE
Published: June 2012

The aim of this note is to reassess the validity of Wagner's law for South Africa for the period 1950‐2007 using cointegration and causality tests. The evidence shows causality running from income to government expenditure, thus supporting the Wagnerian proposition of an expanding public sector. Using five different long‐run estimators, we found that the size of South Africa's public sector was positively and significantly related to South Africa's national income. The elasticity ranges from 1.12 to 1.57, implying that a 1% increase in income leads to a 1.12‐1.57% increase in government expenditure.
Trilostane Dose versus Body Weight in the Treatment of Naturally Occurring Pituitary‐Dependent Hyperadrenocorticism in Dogs
Authors: Feldman E.C. , Kass P.H.
Published: June 2012

Background

Trilostane is commonly used in the treatment of dogs with naturally occurring pituitary‐dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH). Dose recommendations have varied from the manufacturer and the literature.

Hypothesis

As body weight increases, dose/kg or dosage/day of trilostane required to control the clinical signs of PDH decreases.

Animals

70 dogs with naturally occurring hyperadrenocorticism.

Methods

Retrospective study. Each dog must have been treated for at least 6 months and should have shown a “good response” to trilostane, as determined by owners. Statistical comparisons of dose and dosage were made after the dogs were separated into groups weighing <15 or >15 kg; groups weighing ≤10, 10.1–20, 20.1–30, and ≥30 kg; and then groups based on body surface area versus dose/kg and total amount of trilostane required to control the condition.

Results

There was no significant difference in trilostane dose in mg/kg of body weight or in the total amount of trilostane required daily to control clinical signs, except when the dose for dogs weighing >30 kg was compared with that for the other groups. However, despite lack of statistical significance when comparing groups, there was a significant trend using polynomial regression analysis, suggesting that as body weight increases, the amount of trilostane (mg/kg/dose as well as mg/kg/daily dosage) required to control clinical signs decreases.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Dogs weighing >30 kg, and possibly those weighing >15 kg, might require smaller amounts of trilostane per dose or per day than those weighing less, to control PDH‐associated clinical signs.
Education or Creativity: What Matters Most for Economic Performance?
Authors: Marrocu Emanuela , Paci Raffaele
Published: June 2012

abstract

There is a large consensus among social researchers on the positive role that human capital plays in economic performances. The standard way to measure the human capital endowment is to consider the educational attainments of the resident population, usually the share of people with a university degree. Florida (2002) suggested a different measure of human capital—the “creative class”—based on the actual occupations of individuals in specific jobs like science, engineering, the arts, culture, and entertainment. However, the empirical analyses conducted so far have overlooked a serious measurement problem concerning the clear definition of the education and creativity components of human capital. This article aims to disentangle this issue by proposing a disaggregation of human capital into three nonoverlapping categories: creative graduates, bohemians, and noncreative graduates. Using a spatial error model to account for spatial dependence, we assess the concurrent effect of the human capital indicators on total factor productivity for 257 regions of EU27. Our results indicate that highly educated people working in creative occupations are the most relevant component in explaining production efficiency, noncreative graduates exhibit a lower impact, and bohemians do not show a significant effect on regional performance. Moreover, a significant influence is exerted by technological capital, cultural diversity, and industrial and geographic characteristics, thus providing robust evidence that a highly educated, innovative, open, and culturally diverse environment is becoming more central for productivity enhancements.
Dual X-ray absorptiometry
Authors: Altman Albert , Aaron Ronald
Published: June 2012

Dual X-ray absorptiometry is widely used in analyzing body composition and imaging. Both the method and its limitations are related to the Compton and photoelectric contributions to the X-ray attenuation coefficients of materials.
Introducing thermodynamics through energy and entropy
Authors: de Abreu Rodrigo , Guerra Vasco
Published: June 2012

We suggest a simple approach to introducing thermodynamics, beginning with the concept of internal energy of deformable bodies. From a series of thought experiments involving ideal gases, we show that the internal energy depends on the volume and on a second parameter, leading to the development of the concept of entropy. By introducing entropy before the notions of temperature and heat, the proposed approach avoids some of the major conceptual difficulties with the traditional presentation. The relationship between mechanics and thermodynamics naturally emerges, mechanics corresponding to isentropic thermodynamics. The questions of evolution to equilibrium and irreversibility are studied under the light of the action of the “dynamic force” and its dissipative character, evincing the benefits of keeping in mind the microscopic picture.
Cavity quantum electrodynamics of a two-level atom with modulated fields
Authors: Pisipati Uday , Almakrami Ismail M. , Joshi Amitabh , Serna Juan D.
Published: June 2012

We present a numerical study of the interaction of a two-level atom with a frequency-modulated cavity mode described by the Jaynes-Cummings Hamiltonian. In particular, we explore how the population of the atomic levels changes for monochromatic and bichromatic modulations of the cavity field. The primary goal is to find sets of boundary conditions for which the evolution of the system exhibits nonlinear dynamic behavior, by solving the equations of motion of the atomic system using embedded and semi-implicit numerical algorithms. We find that the system shows quasiperiodicity when the monochromatic frequencies or ratio of the bichromatic frequencies of the field are irrational (incommensurate) numbers. In addition, when the modulated frequencies are overtones of the Rabi frequency a nearly single dominant frequency becomes apparent for the evolution of the atomic level population of the system.
Dark chocolate for children's blood pressure: randomised trial
Authors: Chan Eunice K , Quach Jon , Mensah Fiona K , Sung Valerie , Cheung Michael , Wake Melissa
Published: June 2012

Background

Higher adult blood pressure, even without hypertension, predicts cardiovascular outcomes, and is predicted by childhood blood pressure. Regular dark chocolate intake lowers blood pressure in adults, but effects in children are unknown.

Aim

To examine the feasibility of school-based provision of dark chocolate and its short-term efficacy in reducing mean group blood pressure.

Methods

194 children (aged 10–12 years) were randomised by class to intervention (7 g dark chocolate daily for 7 weeks, n=124) or control (n=70) groups; 98% and 93% provided baseline and follow-up measurements, respectively.

Results

Intervention and control students had similar systolic (mean difference 1.7 mm Hg, 95% CI −0.6 to 4.1) and diastolic (−1.2 mm Hg, 95% CI −3.6 to 1.3) blood pressure, anthropometry and well-being at outcome.

Conclusion

Results show that providing dark chocolate is feasible and acceptable in the school setting. For a definitive trial, the authors recommend a larger sample, endovascular function measures, and consideration of higher antioxidant ‘dose’ by virtue of duration and/or content.
Primary care providers' perceptions of physical activity counselling in a clinical setting: a systematic review
Authors: Hébert Emily T , Caughy Margaret O , Shuval Kerem
Published: June 2012

Objective

The evidence regarding the effectiveness of promoting physical activity (PA) in primary care is varied. The present study systematically reviews the literature pertaining to primary care providers' perceptions about PA counselling to identify the barriers and enablers to PA counselling in clinical practice.

Design

A systematic literature review (through 2011) of quantitative and qualitative studies was conducted. Articles were included in the review if the study population consisted of primary care providers and the study evaluated providers' attitudes and perceptions pertaining to PA counselling.

Results

Nineteen articles met the inclusion criteria. Most primary care providers believe PA counselling is important and that they have a role in promoting PA among their patients. However, providers are uncertain about the effectiveness of counselling, feel uncomfortable providing detailed advice about PA, and cite lack of time, training and reimbursement as barriers. Providers are more likely to counsel their patients about PA if they are active themselves, or if they feel their patients' medical condition would benefit from a lifestyle change.

Conclusion

Primary care providers are receptive to the notion of PA promotion in the clinical setting, yet numerous individual and organisational barriers need to be addressed to integrate PA counselling into primary care effectively.
Effects of hydration and water deprivation on blood viscosity during a soccer game in sickle cell trait carriers
Authors: Diaw Mor , samb Abdoulaye , Diop Saliou , Sall Niama Diop , Ba Abdoulaye , Cissé Fallou , Connes Philippe
Published: June 2012

The present study compared the changes in blood viscosity, hydration status, body temperature and heart rate between a group of sickle cell trait (SCT) carriers and a control (Cont) group before and after a soccer game performed in two conditions: one with water offered ad libitum (hydration condition; Hyd) and the other one without water (dehydration condition; Dehyd). Blood viscosity and haematocrit per blood viscosity ratio (HVR; an index of red blood cell oxygen transport effectiveness) were measured before and at the end of each game. Resting blood viscosity was greater in the SCT carriers than in the Cont group. The increase of blood viscosity over baseline at the end of the game in the Cont group was similar in the two conditions. In contrast, the change in blood viscosity occurring in SCT carriers during soccer games was dependant on the experimental condition: (1) in Dehyd condition, blood viscosity rose over baseline; (2) in Hyd condition, blood viscosity decreased below resting level reaching Cont values. The Cont group had higher HVR than SCT carriers at rest. HVR remained unchanged in the Cont group at the end of the games, whatever the experimental condition. Although HVR of SCT carriers decreased below baseline at the end of the game performed in Dehyd condition, it increased over resting level in Hyd condition reaching the values of the Cont group. Our study demonstrated that ad libitum hydration in exercising SCT carriers normalises the blood hyperviscosity.
Sports participation increased in Spain: a population-based time trend study of 21 381 adults in the years 2000, 2005 and 2010
Authors: Palacios-Ceña Domingo , Fernandez-de-las-Peñas Cesar , Hernández-Barrera Valentín , Jiménez-Garcia Rodrigo , Alonso-Blanco Cristina , Carrasco-Garrido Pilar
Published: June 2012

Objective

To assess the trend in prevalence of Spanish adults who engaged in sports activities from 2000 to 2010.

Design

Retrospective analysis of three population-based cross-sectional surveys conducted on a representative sample of Spanish adults: 2000 (N=5160), 2005 (N=8170) and 2010 (N=8925).

Results

The overall prevalence of sport-active men increased from 45.8% to 52.12% between 2000 and 2010. Among women the prevalence also increased from 27.26% to 33.27% (adjusted OR 1.03 95% CI 1.02 to 1.04). A significant decrease in the prevalence of sport-active subjects was found as the age increases. Adjusted time trends analysis showed that the prevalence of sport-active women and men increased over time in all age groups, with exception of women aged 15–25 years (adjusted OR 0.99, 0.97 to 1.01). Higher educational level was associated with more sport activity. The first reason for not practising sport was ‘I have no time due to working or studying’. Less than 10% of women and men reported health problems as the reason for not practising any sport.

Conclusions

Sports participation in Spain has increased between 2000 and 2010 among young-aged and middle-aged adults and decreased among older people. Women showed lower prevalence of sport activity as compared to men.
New guidelines are needed to manage heat stress in elite sports – The Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) Heat Stress Monitoring Programme
Authors: Bahr Roald , Reeser Jonathan C
Published: June 2012

Background

There seems to be a discrepancy between the available heat stress guidelines and the actual risk of heat-related illness among professional beach volleyball players competing under hot and humid conditions.

Objective

To monitor heat stress and record cases of heat-related medical forfeits on the Swatch FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour.

Methods

The FIVB Heat Stress Monitoring Protocol covered events on the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour and FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships during the 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons (51 events, most of these double gender). The protocol consisted of (1) measuring the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) on centre court prior to the start of every match, and (2) recording any heat-related medical forfeits during the tournament.

Results

Data were collected during 48 of 51 events. There were nine events where the peak WBGT exceeded the US Navy Black flag conditions of >32.3°C and an additional two events where the peak WBGT exceeded 31°C, (meeting Red flag conditions.) In two events, the average WBGT equalled at least 31°C. One case of a medical forfeit related to heat stress was recorded over the 3-year surveillance period: an athlete whose fluid balance was compromised from a 3-day bout of acute gastroenteritis.

Conclusion

The incidence of significant heat illness among athletes competing on the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour appears to be quite low, even though weather conditions frequently result in a WBGT index >32°C. Currently available guidelines appear to be inadequate to fully assess the risk of heat stress and too conservative to inform safety decisions in professional beach volleyball.
Rugby World Cup 2011: International Rugby Board Injury Surveillance Study
Authors: Fuller Colin W , Sheerin Kelly , Targett Steve
Published: June 2012

Objective

To determine the frequency and nature of injuries sustained during the IRB 2011 Rugby World Cup.

Design

A prospective, whole population survey.

Population

615 international rugby players representing 20 teams competing at the IRB 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

Method

The study was implemented according to the international consensus statement for epidemiological studies in rugby union; the main measures included the players' age (years), stature (cm) and body mass (Kg) and the incidence (number of injuries/1000 player-hours), mean and median severity (days absence), location (%), type (%) and cause (%) of match and training injuries.

Results

The incidences of injuries were 89.1/1000 player-match-hours (forwards: 85.0; backs: 93.8) and 2.2/1000 player-training-hours (forwards: 2.7; backs: 1.7). The mean severity of injuries was 23.6 days (forwards: 21.2; backs: 26.2) during matches and 26.9 (forwards: 33.4; backs: 14.3) during training. During matches, lower-limb muscle/tendon (31.6%) and ligament (15.8%) and, during training, lower-limb muscle/tendon (51.4%) and trunk muscle/tendon (11.4%) injuries were the most common injuries. The most common cause of injury during matches was the tackle (forwards: 43.6%, backs: 45.2%), and during training was full and semicontact skills activities.

Conclusion

The results confirm that rugby, like other full-contact sports, has a high incidence of injury: the results from IRB Rugby World Cup (RWC) 2011 were similar to those reported for RWC 2007.
EFFECTS OF THE DIPOLAR INTERACTION ON THE MAGNETIC PROPERTIES OF NANOPARTICLES ARRANGED IN DIFFERENT LATTICE SYMMETRIES
Authors: WEIZENMANN ANTONIO , FIGUEIREDO WAGNER
Published: June 2012

A set of single domain particles has been studied through Monte Carlo simulations on three different lattices. A simple cubic lattice, a face centered cubic lattice and a liquid-like structure. The particles are coupled by long-range dipolar forces and present a single ion uniaxial anisotropy, whose magnitude is chosen from a Gaussian distribution, and whose easy magnetization axes are oriented randomly in the three-dimensional space. We determined the blocking temperature and the hysteresis curves as a function of the ratio between the magnitude of dipolar coupling and uniaxial anisotropy. We show that the remanence and coercive field depend strongly on the nature of the magnetic arrangement. These results are compared with those found for a system of noninteracting particles.
1D PHONON SCATTERING BY STABLE SPATIALLY INHOMOGENEOUS EQUILIBRIUM SOLUTION IN NONLINEAR DISCRETE KLEIN–GORDON MODEL: EXACT ANALYSIS
Authors: MAJUMDAR PRIYADARSHI , PANDA SUBHENDU
Published: June 2012

Nonlinear Discrete Klein–Gordon (NDKG) model is a nonlinear lattice model used to investigate different nonlinear phenomena raised in many physical contexts. In the present study we use this model to observe linear phonon scattering by stable spatially inhomogeneous equilibrium solution in the piece-wise linear (PWL) version (asymmetric double well) of nonlinearity instead of the conventional cubic or other types of nonlinearities. Considering one-site symmetric solution in such a system we are able to construct the exact expressions for the transmittance (T) and reflectance using the transfer matrix formalism. From the condition of perfect transmission (T = 1, hence reflectance, R = 0) in the elastic scattering process, we observe in our model, such a situation happens to appear at the threshold of a localized mode at the band-edge of the extended eigen modes. The advantage of the PWL version of nonlinearity is that all the results derived are exact.
QUANTUM FLUCTUATIONS ENHANCE SUPERFLUIDITY IN TWO-DIMENSIONAL WEAKLY INTERACTING BOSON SYSTEM
Authors: HE PEI-SONG , YOU WEN-LONG
Published: June 2012

In the present paper, we compute the superfluid density of two-dimensional weakly interacting boson system at zero temperature using one-loop renormalization group calculations under the scheme of newly derived formula [M. Holzmann and G. Baym Phy. Rev. B 76, 092502 (2007)]. We find that the interactions between the boson particles are marginally irrelevant in the renormalization group sense. The fluctuations of high-energy scale enhance superfluid density compared with the result of the mean-field approximation. The correction has ( ln μ) form, where μ is the chemical potential of the boson system.
AUTOMATIC PARALLEL CODE GENERATION FOR NUFFT DATA TRANSLATION ON MULTICORES
Authors: ZHANG YUANRUI , LIU JUN , KULTURSAY EMRE , KANDEMIR MAHMUT , PITSIANIS NIKOS , SUN XIAOBAI
Published: June 2012

The nonuniform FFT (NuFFT) is widely used in many applications. Focusing on the most time-consuming part of the NuFFT computation, the data translation step, in this paper, we develop an automatic parallel code generation tool for data translation targeting emerging multicores. The key components of this tool are two scalable parallelization strategies, namely, the source-driven parallelization and the target-driven parallelization. Both these strategies employ equally sized geometric tiling and binning to improve data locality while trying to balance workloads across the cores through dynamic task allocation. They differ in the partitioning and scheduling schemes used to guarantee mutual exclusion in data updates. This tool also consists of a code generator and a code optimizer for the data translation. We evaluated our tool on a commercial multicore machine for both 2D and 3D inputs under different sample distributions with large data set sizes. The results indicate that both parallelization strategies have good scalability as the number of cores and the number of dimensions of data space increase. In particular, the target-driven parallelization outperforms the other when samples are nonuniformly distributed. The experiments also show that our code optimizations can bring about 32%–43% performance improvement to the data translation step of NuFFT.
PROGRAM DIFFERENTIATION
Authors: CHANG DANIEL , HINES STEPHEN , WEST PAUL , TYSON GARY , WHALLEY DAVID
Published: June 2012

Mobile electronics are undergoing a convergence of what were formerly multiple single application devices into a single programmable device — generally a smart phone. The programmability of these devices increases their vulnerability to malicious attack. In this paper, we propose a new malware management system that seeks to use program differentiation to reduce the propagation of malware when a software vulnerability exists. By modifying aspects of the control flow of the application, we allow various portions of an application executable to be permuted into unique versions for each distributed instance. Differentiation is achieved using hardware and systems software modifications which are amenable to and scalable in embedded systems. Our initial areas for modification include function call/return and system call semantics, as well as a hardware-supported Instruction Register File. Differentiation of executables hinders analysis for vulnerabilities as well as prevents the exploitation of a vulnerability in a single distributed version from propagating to other instances of that application. Computational demands on any instance of the application are minimized, while the resources required to attack multiple systems grows with the number of systems attacked. By focusing on prevention of malware propagation in addition to traditional absolute defenses, we target the economics of malware in order to make attacks prohibitively expensive and infeasible.
HIDDEN SUPERSYMMETRY IN POHLMEYER-REDUCED FORM OF AdSn × Sn SUPERSTRINGS
Authors: GOYKHMAN MIKHAIL , IVANOV EVGENY
Published: June 2012

We review how the AdS2 × S2, AdS3 × S3 and AdS5 × S5 superstring theories in the Pohlmeyer-reduced form exhibit hidden [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] worldsheet supersymmetries, with emphasis on the last two cases. Their characteristic feature is the presence of non-local terms in the supersymmetry transformations.
BRAIDED FIELD QUANTIZATION FROM QUANTUM POINCARE COVARIANCE
Authors: LUKIERSKI JERZY , WORONOWICZ MARIUSZ
Published: June 2012

We demonstrate that the covariance of the algebra of quantum NC fields under quantum-deformed Poincare symmetries implies the appearence of braided algebra of fields and the notion of braided locality in NC QFT. We briefly recall the historical development of NC QFT which was firstly formulated in the framework using classical relativistic symmetries but further it was described as generated by the quantum-deformed symmetries. We argue that consistent covariant quantum-deformed formalism requires "braiding all the way", in particular braided commutator of deformed field oscillators as well as the braid between the field oscillators and noncommutative Fourier exponentials. As example of braided quantum-deformed NC QFT we describe the NC scalar free fields on noncommutative canonical (Moyal-Weyl) space-time with braided c-number field commutator which implies braided locality.
The Maxillary Sinus Membrane Elevation Procedure: Augmentation of Bone around Dental Implants without Grafts—A Review of a Surgical Technique
Authors: Riben Christopher , Thor Andreas
Published: June 2012

Background. Long-term edentulism may in many cases result in resorption of the alveolar process. The sinus lift procedure aims to create increased bone volume in the maxillary sinus in order to enable installation of dental implants in the region. The method is over 30 years old, and initially autogenous bone grafts were used and later also different bone substitutes. Since 1997, a limited number of studies have explored the possibility of a graftless procedure where the void under the sinus membrane is filled with a blood clot that enables bone formation.Aim. To describe the evolution of the sinus-lift technique and to review the literature related to the technique with a focus on long-term studies related to the graft-less technique.Methods. The electronic database PubMed was searched, and a systematic review was conducted regarding relevant articles.Results. A relatively few long-term studies using the described technique were found. However, the technique was described as reliable considering the outcome of the existing studies.Conclusion. All investigated studies show high implant survival rates for the graftless technique. The technique is considered to be cost-effective, less time-consuming, and related to lower morbidity since no bone harvesting is needed.