bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neonatal outcome following long‐distance air travel for fetoscopic laser coagulation treatment of twin‐to‐twin transfusion syndrome
Authors: Tchirikov Michael , Oshovskyy Viktor , Steetskamp Joscha , Thäle Volker
Published: March 2012

Objective

To investigate the impact of undertaking long‐distance air travel to a specialized medical center while pregnant in order to undergo fetoscopic laser coagulation (FLC) for twin‐to‐twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS).

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was conducted of women with TTTS who travelled by air (n = 16) or land (n = 61) to the Centre of Perinatal Diagnosis and Microinvasive Fetal Surgery, Mainz, Germany, between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2010. All women underwent FLC on arrival at the study center. Neonatal outcome, postoperative neonatal survival rates, and rates of adverse effects were recorded.

Results

The postoperative survival rate for a single twin was 100.0% (n = 16) in the flight group and 98.3% in the land transportation group (n = 60). The postoperative survival rate for both twins was 81.3% in the flight group (n = 13) and 75.4% (n = 46) in the land transportation group. No differences in neonatal outcome or the rate of adverse effects were observed between the 2 groups. No flight‐related pregnancy complications were recorded.

Conclusion

Long‐distance air travel to a specialized tertiary care medical center is sufficiently safe to warrant recommendation to pregnant women with TTTS who require FLC.
Comprehension and error monitoring in simultaneous interpreters
Authors: YUDES CAROLINA , MACIZO PEDRO , MORALES LUIS , BAJO M. TERESA
Published: March 2012

In the current study we explored lexical, syntactic, and semantic processes during text comprehension in English monolinguals and Spanish/English (first language/second language) bilinguals with different experience in interpreting (nontrained bilinguals, interpreting students and professional interpreters). The participants performed an error-detection task in which they read English texts and tried to identify lexical, syntactic, and semantic errors embedded in texts. After reading, global comprehension of the texts was assessed by means of a sentence verification task and open/ended questionnaire. The results showed that the interpreters detected more syntactic and semantic errors than monolinguals, nontrained bilinguals and interpreting students. They also had better global comprehension. We discussed the consequences of bilingualism, working memory capacity, and training in interpreting on text comprehension.
Black carbon aerosol over the Los Angeles Basin during CalNex
Authors: Metcalf A. R. , Craven J. S. , Ensberg J. J. , Brioude J. , Angevine W. , Sorooshian A. , Duong H. T. , Jonsson H. H. , Flagan R. C. , Seinfeld J. H.
Published: March 2012

Refractory black carbon (rBC) mass and number concentrations were quantified by a Single Particle Soot Photometer (SP2) in the CalNex 2010 field study on board the Center for Interdisciplinary Remotely‐Piloted Aircraft Studies (CIRPAS) Twin Otter in the Los Angeles (LA) Basin in May, 2010. The mass concentrations of rBC in the LA Basin ranged from 0.002–0.530μg m−3, with an average of 0.172 μg m−3. Lower concentrations were measured in the Basin outflow regions and above the inversion layer. The SP2 afforded a quantification of the mixing state of rBC aerosols through modeling the scattering cross‐section with a core‐and‐shell Mie model to determine coating thickness. The rBC particles above the inversion layer were more thickly coated by a light‐scattering substance than those below, indicating a more aged aerosol in the free troposphere. Near the surface, as the LA plume is advected from west to east with the sea breeze, a coating of scattering material grows on rBC particles, coincident with a clear growth of ammonium nitrate within the LA Basin and the persistence of water‐soluble organic compounds as the plume travels through the outflow regions. Detailed analysis of the rBC mixing state reveals two modes of coated rBC particles; a mode with smaller rBC core diameters (∼90 nm) but thick (>200 nm) coating diameters and a mode with larger rBC cores (∼145 nm) with a thin (<75 nm) coating. The “weekend effect” in the LA Basin results in more thickly coated rBC particles, coinciding with more secondary formation of aerosol.
Contrasting the responses of three different ground‐based instruments to energetic electron precipitation
Authors: Rodger Craig J. , Clilverd Mark A. , Kavanagh Andrew J. , Watt Clare E. J. , Verronen Pekka T. , Raita Tero
Published: March 2012

In order to make best use of the opportunities provided by space missions such as the Radiation Belt Storm Probes, we determine the response of complementary subionospheric radiowave propagation measurements (VLF), riometer absorption measurements, cosmic noise absorption, and GPS‐produced total electron content (vTEC) to different energetic electron precipitation (EEP). We model the relative sensitivity and responses of these instruments to idealized monoenergetic beams of precipitating electrons, and more realistic EEP spectra chosen to represent radiation belts and substorm precipitation. In the monoenergetic beam case, we find riometers are more sensitive to the same EEP event occurring during the day than during the night, while subionospheric VLF shows the opposite relationship, and the change in vTEC is independent. In general, the subionospheric VLF measurements are much more sensitive than the other two techniques for EEP over 200 keV, responding to flux magnitudes two‐three orders of magnitude smaller than detectable by a riometer. Detectable TEC changes only occur for extreme monoenergetic fluxes. For the radiation belt EEP case, clearly detectable subionospheric VLF responses are produced by daytime fluxes that are ∼10 times lower than required for riometers, while nighttime fluxes can be 10,000 times lower. Riometers are likely to respond only to radiation belt fluxes during the largest EEP events and vTEC is unlikely to be significantly disturbed by radiation belt EEP. For the substorm EEP case both the riometer absorption and the subionospheric VLF technique respond significantly, as does the change in vTEC, which is likely to be detectable at ∼3–4 total electron content units.
Synthesis of inositol phosphate ligands of plant hormone–receptor complexes: pathways of inositol hexakisphosphate turnover
Authors: Hanke David E. , Parmar Paroo N. , Caddick Samuel E. K. , Green Porntip , Brearley Charles A.
Published: March 2012

Reduction of phytate is a major goal of plant breeding programs to improve the nutritional quality of crops. Remarkably, except for the storage organs of crops such as barley, maize and soybean, we know little of the stereoisomeric composition of inositol phosphates in plant tissues. To investigate the metabolic origins of higher inositol phosphates in photosynthetic tissues, we have radiolabelled leaf tissue of Solanum tuberosum with myo-[2-3H]inositol, undertaken a detailed analysis of inositol phosphate stereoisomerism and permeabilized mesophyll protoplasts in media containing inositol phosphates. We describe the inositol phosphate composition of leaf tissue and identify pathways of inositol phosphate metabolism that we reveal to be common to other kingdoms. Our results identify the metabolic origins of a number of higher inositol phosphates including ones that are precursors of cofactors, or cofactors of plant hormone–receptor complexes. The present study affords alternative explanations of the effects of disruption of inositol phosphate metabolism reported in other species, and identifies different inositol phosphates from that described in photosynthetic tissue of the monocot Spirodela polyrhiza. We define the pathways of inositol hexakisphosphate turnover and shed light on the occurrence of a number of inositol phosphates identified in animals, for which metabolic origins have not been defined.
Unusual broadening of E and E + ΔSO transitions in GaAsBi studied by electromodulation spectroscopy
Authors: Kudrawiec R. , Kopaczek J. , Sitarek P. , Misiewicz J. , Henini M. , Novikov S. V.
Published: March 2012

The authors report very unusual relations between broadenings and intensities of E0 and E0 + ΔSO transitions in GaAsBi alloy. Such relations are not observed for typical III-V semiconductors including GaAs. For GaAs0.97Bi0.03 it has been found that the broadening of E0 transition is about 40% larger comparing to the broadening of the E0 + ΔSO one, whereas for GaAs the E0 transition is three times narrower that the E0 + ΔSO one. In addition, relative intensities between E0 and E0 + ΔSO transitions decreased from 100 to 4 times due to the incorporation of 3% Bi atoms into GaAs host. The origin of such behaviors is discussed in this paper.
New Lax pairs of the Toda lattice and the nonlinearization under a higher-order Bargmann constraint
Authors: Dong Huanhe , Su Jie , Yi Fangjiao , Zhang Tongqian
Published: March 2012

By starting from a new discrete spectral problem, the Toda lattice is derived through the discrete zero curvature equation. Applying the discrete variational identity to the spectral problem will also reach to the bi-Hamiltonian structure of the Toda lattice. Under a higher-order Bargmann symmetry constraint, the new Lax pairs and the adjoint Lax pairs are nonlinearized into integrable symplectic maps and finite-dimensional Liouville integrable Hamiltonian systems. Finally, a Bäcklund transformation of the Toda lattice is obtained.
Electric field induced intermediate phase and polarization rotation path in alkaline niobate based piezoceramics close to the rhombohedral and tetragonal phase boundary
Authors: Fu Jian , Zuo Ruzhong , Wu S. C. , Jiang J. Z. , Li L. , Yang T. Y. , Wang Xiaohui , Li Longtu
Published: March 2012

High resolution synchrotron x-ray and dielectric measurements on unpoled and poled (Na,K)(Nb,Sb)O3-LiTaO3-xBaZrO3 lead-free ceramics close to the rhombohedral-tetragonal (R-T) phase boundary have suggested an additional lattice distortion induced by poling field. This intermediate phase (IP) is consistent with the orthorhombic (O) symmetry but lower symmetries cannot be discarded. As a result, a modified polarization rotation path along R-IP-T in poled ceramics would be responsible for their high piezoelectric activity owing to the effect of the IP bridging the R and T phases. Simultaneously, the electric field induced phase transition would probably contribute to the observed large piezoelectric strains.
Planar covariation of limb elevation angles during bipedal walking in the Japanese macaque
Authors: Ogihara Naomichi , Kikuchi Takeo , Ishiguro Yutaro , Makishima Haruyuki , Nakatsukasa Masato
Published: March 2012

We investigated the planar covariation of lower limb segment elevation angles during bipedal walking in macaques to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the origin and evolution of the planar law in human walking. Two Japanese macaques and four adult humans walking on a treadmill were recorded, and the time course of the elevation angles at the thigh, shank and foot segments relative to the vertical axis were calculated. Our analyses indicated that the planar law also applies to macaque bipedal walking. However, planarity was much lower in macaques, and orientations of the plane differed between the two species because of differences in the foot elevation angle. The human foot is rigidly structured to form a longitudinal arch, whereas the macaque's foot is more flexible and bends at the midtarsal region in the stance phase. This difference in midfoot flexibility between the two species studied was the main source of the difference in the planar law. Thus, the evolution of a stable midfoot in early hominins may have preceded the acquisition of the strong planar intersegmental coordination and possibly facilitated the subsequent emergence of habitual bipedal walking in the human lineage.
When should cuckolded males care for extra-pair offspring?
Authors: Liedtke Jannis , Fromhage Lutz
Published: March 2012

In socially monogamous species with bi-parental care, males suffer reduced reproductive success if their mate engages in extra-pair copulations (EPCs). One might therefore expect that males should refuse to care for a brood if they can detect that an EPC has occurred. Here, we use a game-theory model to study male brood care in the face of EPCs in a cooperatively breeding species in which offspring help to raise their (half-) siblings in their parents' next breeding attempt. We show that under certain conditions males are selected to care even for broods completely unrelated to themselves. This counterintuitive result arises through a form of pseudo-reciprocity, whereby surviving extra-pair offspring, when helping to rear their younger half-siblings, can more than compensate for the cost incurred by the male that raised them. We argue that similar effects may not be limited to cooperative breeders, but may arise in various contexts in which cooperation between (half-) siblings occurs.
The genetic influence on diverticular disease – a twin study
Authors: Granlund J. , Svensson T. , Olén O. , Hjern F. , Pedersen N. L. , Magnusson P. K. E. , Thelin Schmidt P.
Published: March 2012

Background

The contribution of hereditary factors to the development of diverticular disease (DD) of the colon is unknown. Prevalence and location of diverticula differ in Western world compared to in Asia and several case reports describing families with DD have been published.

Aim

To assess the heritability of DD in a large population‐based sample of twins.

Methods

The Swedish Twin Registry was cross‐linked to the Swedish Inpatient Registry. All twins, born between 1886 and 1980 and not dead before 1969, with a discharge diagnosis of DD were identified. Twins with diagnoses of colon cancer, coeliac disease or non‐infectious colitis were excluded to decrease bias. Co‐twin odds ratio (OR), concordance rates and tetrachoric correlations were calculated for monozygotic (MZ) and same gender‐dizygotic (SS‐DZ) twins. Mx‐analyses were used to estimate the relative contributions of genetic effects and environmental factors to susceptibility for DD. Calculations were based on both primary and secondary discharge diagnoses to provide estimates reflecting impact of severity of the disease.

Results

A total of 104 452 twins met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 2296 had a diagnosis of DD. The OR of developing the disease given one's co‐twin was affected was 7.15 (95% CI: 4.82–10.61) for MZ and 3.20 (95% CI: 2.21–4.63) for SS‐DZ twins. Similarly, concordance rates and tetrachoric correlations were higher in MZ than those in SS‐DZ twins. The heritability was estimated to 40% and the non shared environmental effects to 60%.

Conclusion

Genetic susceptibility is an important component, along with individual specific environmental factors, for the development of diverticular disease of the colon.
Plasma concentrations of fibrinogen and factor VII in adult life and their relation to intra‐uterine growth
Authors: Martyn C. N. , Meade T. W. , Stirling Y. , Barker D. J. P.
Published: March 2012

Summary. To examine the relation between fetal development and plasma concentrations of fibrinogen and factor VII in adult life we followed up 202 men and women, now aged around 50 years, who had been measured in detail at birth. Plasma concentrations of fibrinogen were related to weight and abdominal circumference at birth. In men, after adjustment for cigarette smoking and current obesity, plasma concentrations of fibrinogen fell by 0.12g/l (95% CI 0.05–0.19) for each pound increase in birthweight and by 0.10g/l (95% CI 0.03–0.17) for each inch increase in abdominal circumference. In contrast, analysis of the data for women showed no statistically significant relation between plasma fibrinogen concentration and weight or abdominal circumference at birth. No relation was seen between concentrations of factor VII and measurements made at birth in either sex. These findings suggest that, in men, reduced growth of the liver in fetal life has a long‐term influence on fibrinogen metabolism.
Identity of the fungal species present in the homes of asthmatic children
Authors: Meng J. , Barnes C. S. , Rosenwasser L. J.
Published: March 2012

Background

Fungal exposures are believed to play an important role in the development of asthma and atopy, accounting for increased asthmatic symptoms and severe asthma exacerbation. Indoor fungal species vary both in taxa and concentration in different residences and in different regions.

Objectives

We explored the fungal species spectrum in 88 homes with at least one asthmatic child in the Middle West region of the United States mostly during late spring and fall season in comparison with 85 homes that did not contain an asthmatic child during flu season.

Methods

The average fungal spore counts per cubic metre of air in the bedroom of the enrolled child, the main living spaces and outdoor environments, and the culturable fungal colony‐forming units per cubic metre of air samples in the main living space from each home were measured.

Results

The results indicated that Cladosporium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, Basidiospores, Epicoccum and Pithomyces were found in more asthmatic homes than in homes without an asthmatic child or existed in higher concentration in asthmatic homes than in homes without an asthmatic child even after adjusting outdoor spore concentration. The results for culturable fungal species confirmed most of these findings even after adjusting for seasonal factors. Although Alternaria was commonly found in both kinds of homes, there was no significant difference in detection rate or concentration of Alternaria between asthmatic homes and homes without an asthmatic child by either spore counting or culturable airborne detection.

Conclusion and Clinical Relevance

Since many allergens have been identified in these fungal species, identifying and controlling these fungal species in asthmatic homes might be expected to improve asthma care and benefit asthmatic children.
Exposure to microbial agents in house dust and wheezing, atopic dermatitis and atopic sensitization in early childhood: a birth cohort study in rural areas
Authors: Karvonen A. M. , Hyvärinen A. , Gehring U. , Korppi M. , Doekes G. , Riedler J. , Braun‐Fahrländer C. , Bitter S. , Schmid S. , Keski‐Nisula L. , Roponen M. , Kaulek V. , Dalphin J.‐C. , Pfefferle P. I. , Renz H. , Büchele G. , von Mutius E. , Pekkanen J.
Published: March 2012

Background

Early‐life exposure to environmental microbial agents may be associated with development of wheezing and allergic diseases.

Objective

To assess the association of microbial exposure in rural homes with the risk of asthma, wheezing, atopic dermatitis and sensitization.

Methods

Birth cohorts of rural children (n = 1133), half from farmer families, were followed up from birth to 2 years of age by questionnaires in five European centres. Endotoxin and extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) of Penicillium and Aspergillus spp. were determined from living room floor and mother's mattress dust samples collected at 2 months of age. Specific IgE against 19 allergens was measured at 1 year of age. Discrete‐time hazard models, generalized estimations equations (GEE) and logistic regression were used for statistical analyses.

Results

The incidence of asthma was inversely associated with the amount of dust (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.73, 95% CI 0.58–0.93) and the loads (units/m2) of EPS (aOR 0.75, 95% CI 0.55–1.04) and endotoxin (aOR 0.79, 95% CI 0.60–1.05) in the mother's mattress. Similar associations were seen with wheezing and with living room floor dust. The microbial markers were highly correlated and their effects could not be clearly separated. The inverse associations were seen especially among non‐farmers. The risk of sensitization to inhalant allergens increased with increasing endotoxin exposure from mattress dust. No associations were observed with concentrations (units/g) or with atopic dermatitis.

Conclusion and Clinical Relevance

The amount and microbial content of house dust were inversely associated with asthma and wheezing, but due to high correlations between microbial agents and amount of dust, it was not possible to disentangle their individual effects. New ways to better measure and represent exposure to environmental microbes, including indexes of biodiversity, are needed especially among farmers.
Forecasting phenology: from species variability to community patterns
Authors: Diez Jeffrey M. , Ibáñez Inés , Miller‐Rushing Abraham J. , Mazer Susan J. , Crimmins Theresa M. , Crimmins Michael A. , Bertelsen C. David , Inouye David W.
Published: March 2012

Ecology Letters (2012)

Shifts in species’ phenology in response to climate change have wide‐ranging consequences for ecological systems. However, significant variability in species’ responses, together with limited data, frustrates efforts to forecast the consequences of ongoing phenological changes. Herein, we use a case study of three North American plant communities to explore the implications of variability across levels of organisation (within and among species, and among communities) for forecasting responses to climate change. We show how despite significant variation among species in sensitivities to climate, comparable patterns emerge at the community level once regional climate drivers are accounted for. However, communities differ with respect to projected patterns of divergence and overlap among their species’ phenological distributions in response to climate change. These analyses and a review of hypotheses suggest how explicit consideration of spatial scale and levels of biological organisation may help to understand and forecast phenological responses to climate change.
The preferences of people with diabetes for diabetic retinopathy screening
Authors: Scanlon P. H.
Published: March 2012

Diabet. Med. 29, 836–837 (2012)
The impact of insulin administration during the mixed meal tolerance test
Authors: Besser R. E. J. , Jones A. G. , McDonald T. J. , Shields B. M. , Knight B. A. , Hattersley A. T.
Published: March 2012

Diabet. Med. 29, 1279–1284 (2012)

Aims  The mixed meal tolerance test is the gold standard measure of endogenous insulin secretion. Practical issues limit the routine clinical use of this test, including omitting insulin prior to the ingestion of a high‐carbohydrate liquid mixed meal, which can result in marked hyperglycaemia. We aimed to assess whether insulin omission is necessary during the mixed meal tolerance test and whether fasting C‐peptide was a practical alternative to the test.

Methods  Ninety‐one adults with insulin‐treated diabetes (Type 1 n = 56, Type 2 n = 35) underwent two mixed meal tolerance tests; one standard without insulin and one with the patient’s usual morning insulin.

Results  The 90‐min serum C‐peptide was highly correlated in the standard mixed meal tolerance test and the test with insulin (r = 0.98, P < 0.0001). There was a 20% reduction in the peak C‐peptide value when insulin was given {test with insulin [0.39 (0.01–1.16) vs. test without insulin 0.48 (0.01–1.36) nmol/l, P = 0.001]}, but the original serum C‐peptide cut‐off for significant endogenous insulin secretion (≥ 0.2 nmol/l) still correctly classified 90/91 patients (98% sensitivity/100% specificity). Fasting serum C‐peptide was highly correlated to 90‐min serum C‐peptide during the test (r = 0.97, P < 0.0001). A fasting serum C‐peptide ≥ 0.07 nmol/l was the optimal cut‐off (100% sensitivity and 97% specificity) for significant endogenous insulin secretion (defined as 90‐min stimulated serum C‐peptide ≥ 0.2 nmol/l).

Conclusions  Insulin omission may not always be necessary during a mixed meal tolerance test and fasting serum C‐peptide may offer a practical alternative in insulin‐treated patients.
Governments' Ability to Assist Nationals in Disasters Abroad: What Do We Know about Consular Emergency Management?
Authors: Tindall Karen
Published: March 2012

This review draws attention to the need for consolidated inquiry into large‐scale consular emergency management. Occurring outside national borders, these low‐probability but high‐impact events affect a large number of national citizens. They challenge governments' crisis management systems, and direct public and government attention to a sector that has been largely overlooked in public administration literature – consular affairs. This review brings together the relevant literature on consular assistance and looks further afield to find analysis of emergency responses in case studies of three major consular emergencies. Three underlying themes emerge, central to a more nuanced understanding of the government response to large‐scale emergencies affecting citizens abroad.
Evaluating the sufficiency of protected lands for maintaining wildlife population connectivity in the U.S. northern Rocky Mountains
Authors: Cushman Samuel A. , Landguth Erin L. , Flather Curtis H.
Published: March 2012

Aim  The goal of this study was to evaluate the sufficiency of the network of protected lands in the U.S. northern Rocky Mountains in providing protection for habitat connectivity for 105 hypothetical organisms. A large proportion of the landscape falls into one of several categories of protected lands. However, protected lands in the region are primarily higher elevation forest and mountain habitats. Little is known about how the network of protected lands may maintain connectivity for a broad spectrum of species expressing different habitat requirements and dispersal abilities.

Location  The study was conducted across the states of Montana and northern Idaho, USA, comprising an area of 30.2 million hectares.

Methods  We used resistant kernel modelling to map the extent of the study area predicted to be connected by dispersal for each of 35 species groups with different ecological associations. We evaluated the effect of vagility on protected area sufficiency by varying dispersal ability across three levels for each species group. We evaluated the degree of vulnerability of each of the 105 hypothetical species (35 species groups × 3 dispersal abilities) in terms of the extent of the total study area predicted to be connected by dispersal. We defined nine categories of risk as the combination of species vulnerability because of the extent of connected habitat and the degree to which that habitat was protected.

Results  We found high variation in the vulnerability of species because of the extent of connected habitat, and the extent to which connected habitat overlapped protected lands. Species associated with high elevations and species associated with lower elevations were predicted to have limited extent of connected habitat. Species associated with high elevations were predicted to have the vast majority of their connected habitat protected by federal Forest Service and National Park Service lands. In contrast, species associated with lower elevations were poorly protected by the existing network of protected lands.

Main conclusions  Low elevation and non‐forest habitats are at highest risk of human‐induced habitat loss and fragmentation in the study area. Conservation efforts in the region may be most effective if they focus on expanding the network of lower elevation protected lands in such a way that maximizes connectivity across the landscape.
Nanoscale scratching of platinum thin films using atomic force microscopy with DLC tips
Authors: Jiang Xiaohong , Wu Guoyun , Du Zuliang , Ma Keng-Jeng , Shirakashi Jun-ichi , Tseng Ampere A.
Published: March 2012

Atomic force microscopy experiments were conducted to investigate the scratching characteristics of platinum thin-films for making microscale or nanoscale structures. The wear behavior of the diamond-like-carbon coated tip used was first studied to quantify the wear rate for scratching Pt films. The influences of the scratching parameters on the resulting geometries were then investigated. The scratching parameters to be considered included the applied tip force, number of scratch cycles, and scratch speed. All results indicated that the scratched groove size could be well correlated with and precisely controlled by the applied force and the scratch cycle number. With the aid of the correlation parameters and the known tip wear rate, the scratched geometry can be better controlled and fabricated. The associated scratchability, which is a measure of the easiness of the material to be removed by scratching, can also be determined.
N = 50 SHELL GAP EVOLUTION AND PARTICLE–HOLE EXCITATIONS IN 82Ge, 84Se AND 86Kr
Authors: HWANG J. K. , HAMILTON J. H. , RAMAYYA A. V.
Published: March 2012

The two excited 0+ states of the neutron-rich nuclei 82 Ge , 84 Se and 86 Kr are explained as 2-particle 2-hole (2p–2h) excited states associated with two different open-shells of Z = 28–50 and 28–40. Also, a configuration of 1p–1h 7+ state is assigned to the 3689 keV state in 82 Ge . These 1p–1h and 2p–2h excitation energies support the decreasing of the N = 50 shell gap when Z changes from 40 to 32. A N = 50 shell gap of 3.67 MeV for 78 Ni is extracted from an extrapolation of the known data.
NUCLEAR ALTERNATING-PARITY BANDS AND TRANSITION RATES IN A MODEL OF COHERENT QUADRUPOLE–OCTUPOLE MOTION
Authors: MINKOV N. , DRENSKA S. , STRECKER M. , SCHEID W.
Published: March 2012

A further extension of a model of coherent quadrupole–octupole vibrations and rotations and its application to alternating-parity spectra in heavy even–even nuclei is presented. Within the model the yrast alternating-parity sequence includes the ground state band and the lowest negative parity levels with odd angular momenta, while the non-yrast sequences include excited β-bands and higher negative-parity levels. Electric transition operators reflecting the complex shape characteristics associated with the quadrupole–octupole vibration modes are introduced. By using them B(E1), B(E2) and B(E3) reduced transition probabilities within and between the different energy sequences are calculated. It is shown that the model successfully reproduces yrast and non-yrast alternating-parity bands together with the attendant B(E1)–B(E3) transition rates in the nuclei 154 Sm , 156 Gd and 100 Mo .
SCANNING AND ANALYSIS OF MISMATCH DISTRIBUTION ON HUMAN GENOME
Authors: WANG QINGYUN , XIAO YAYUAN , CHEN HAILU , ZOU QIN
Published: March 2012

The mismatch distribution is a good descriptive summary statistic that describes the phenomena of population genetics. This article scanned mismatch distribution on human genome with single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data from the International HapMap Project. It is found that the abnormal mismatch distribution could imply some special segments on some chromosomes. One of the segments, on chromosome 8, was proved as an inversion. Other special segments may also imply some special structure on chromosomes, such as duplication. The conjectures of other segments still need further research.
Regulation of presynaptic strength by controlling Ca2+ channel mobility: effects of cholesterol depletion on release at the cone ribbon synapse
Authors: Mercer Aaron J. , Szalewski Robert J. , Jackman Skyler L. , Van Hook Matthew J. , Thoreson Wallace B.
Published: March 2012

Synaptic communication requires proper coupling between voltage-gated Ca2+ (CaV) channels and synaptic vesicles. In photoreceptors, L-type CaV channels are clustered close to synaptic ribbon release sites. Although clustered, CaV channels move continuously within a confined domain slightly larger than the base of the ribbon. We hypothesized that expanding CaV channel confinement domains should increase the number of channel openings needed to trigger vesicle release. Using single-particle tracking techniques, we measured the expansion of CaV channel confinement domains caused by depletion of membrane cholesterol with cholesterol oxidase or methyl-β-cyclodextrin. With paired whole cell recordings from cones and horizontal cells, we then determined the number of CaV channel openings contributing to cone CaV currents ( ICa) and the number of vesicle fusion events contributing to horizontal cell excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) following cholesterol depletion. Expansion of CaV channel confinement domains reduced the peak efficiency of release, decreasing the number of vesicle fusion events accompanying opening of each CaV channel. Cholesterol depletion also inhibited exocytotic capacitance increases evoked by brief depolarizing steps. Changes in efficiency were not due to changes in ICa amplitude or glutamate receptor properties. Replenishing cholesterol restored CaV channel domain size and release efficiency to control levels. These results indicate that cholesterol is important for organizing the cone active zone. Furthermore, the finding that cholesterol depletion impairs coupling between channel opening and vesicle release by allowing CaV channels to move further from release sites shows that changes in presynaptic CaV channel mobility can be a mechanism for adjusting synaptic strength.
Global Stability and Hopf Bifurcation for Gause‐Type Predator‐Prey System
Authors: Guo Shuang , Jiang Weihua
Published: March 2012

A class of three‐dimensional Gause‐type predator‐prey model is considered. Firstly, local stability of equilibrium indicating the extinction of top‐predator is obtained. Meanwhile, we construct a Lyapunov function, which is an extension of the Lyapunov functions constructed by Hsu for predator‐prey system (2005), to give the global stability of the equilibrium. Secondly, we analyze the stability of coexisting equilibrium of predator‐prey system with time delay when the predator catches the prey of pregnancy or with growth time. The delay can lead to periodic solutions, which is consistent with the law of growth for birds and some mammals. Further, an explicit formula is given which determines the stability of the bifurcating periodic solutions theoretically and the existence of periodic solutions is displayed by numerical simulations.
Successful Management of Acute Catastrophic Juvenile Vaginal Bleeding in Glanzmann’s Thromboasthenia by Uterine Tamponade: A Case Report and Review of The Literature
Authors: Hossain Nazli , Shamsi Tahir S. , Feroz Adeel
Published: March 2012

Glanzmann’s thromboasthenia (GT) is a rare platelet disorder, due to membrane defects involving glycoprotein GP IIb/IIIa complex. Symptoms appear in infancy with episodes of bruising, gingival bleeding, epistaxis, or at the time of menarche acute episode of uterine bleeding. Hormonal therapy and antifibrinolytic agents are first-line treatment. Platelet transfusion is given to control hemorrhage when medical treatment fails. However, repeated transfusions may result in development of platelet refractioness, due to development of antibodies against membrane glycoprotein. Activated recombinant FVII is licensed for use in acute control of bleeding in GT. Here we report a case of acute juvenile uterine bleeding at menarche, which responded successfully to uterine tamponade. To our knowledge, this is the first case report on use of balloon tamponade for control of acute catastrophic juvenile bleeding at menarche.
Geoelectrical Tomography as an Operative Tool for Emergency Management of Landslide: An Application in Basilicata Region, Italy
Authors: Colangelo G. , Perrone A.
Published: March 2012

During the landslide emergency many kinds of data, even if preliminary, can help to better understand the complexity of the investigated phenomenon and to give a valid contribution to the successive damage valuation. The electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) method was applied for investigating the deep characteristics of a landslide body that occurred in March 2006 close to Potenza town in Basilicata region (southern Italy): the landslide slid on a road near some farmers’ houses which had to be evacuated. The information obtained by the application of this indirect technique appeared to be particularly useful for end users involved in the risk management. The high resolution of the 2D ERT technique allowed the detection of possible sliding surfaces and the characterization of high water content areas in which the increase of the saturation degree and of pore pressures could cause a weakening of the slopes and a reactivation of the movement. Due to the comparison between ERT results and stratigraphical data from boreholes carried out in the area it was possible to decide on the adoption of other evacuation decrees.
Lebesgue's Differentiation Theorems in R.I. Quasi-Banach Spaces and Lorentz SpacesΓp,w
Authors: Ciesielski Maciej , Kamińska Anna
Published: March 2012

The paper is devoted to investigation of new Lebesgue's type differentiation theorems (LDT) in rearrangement invariant (r.i.) quasi-Banach spacesEand in particular on Lorentz spacesΓp,w={f:∫(f**)pw<∞}for any0<p<∞and a nonnegative locally integrable weight functionw, wheref**is a maximal function of the decreasing rearrangementf*for any measurable functionfon(0,α), with0<α≤∞. The first type of LDT in the spirit of Stein (1970), characterizes the convergence of quasinorm averages off∈E, whereEis an order continuous r.i. quasi-Banach space. The second type of LDT establishes conditions for pointwise convergence of the best or extended best constant approximantsfϵoff∈Γp,worf∈Γp-1,w,1<p<∞, respectively. In the last section it is shown that the extended best constant approximant operator assumes a unique constant value for any functionf∈Γp-1,w,1<p<∞.
Health-Related Quality of Life in Short Children Born Small for Gestational Age: Effects of Growth Hormone Treatment and Postponement of Puberty
Authors: Lem Annemieke J. , Jobse Inge , van der Kaay Danielle C.M. , de Ridder Maria A.J. , Raat Hein , Hokken-Koelega Anita C.S.
Published: March 2012

Aims: To investigate health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in short children born small for gestational age (SGA) during growth hormone (GH) treatment and additional postponement of puberty by gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue (GnRHa). Methods: HRQoL was studied longitudinally during 2 years of treatment in 97 short SGA children (mean age 11.6 years at start). The children were divided into three groups: prepubertal GH-treated (prep-GH) children, pubertal GH-treated (pub-GH) children, and pubertal GH-treated children with additional GnRHa treatment (pub-GH/GnRHa). HRQoL was measured by generic (TACQOL) and short stature-specific (TACQOL-S) questionnaires. Results: The TACQOL-S showed that prep-GH children experienced significant HRQoL improvement on the subscales ‘contact with adults’, ‘body image’ and ‘vitality’, and pub-GH/GnRHa children on the subscales ‘contact with adults’, ‘contact with peers’ and ‘physical abilities’. Parents of prep-GH and pub-GH/GnRHa children reported significant HRQoL improvement on most TACQOL-S scales, whereas HRQoL improvement in pub-GH children reached significance for ‘future prospects’ only. The HRQoL gain was similar in the three groups, also after correction for confounders. The generic questionnaire TACQOL did not reveal any changes. Conclusions: HRQoL improved in prepubertal and pubertal short SGA children during GH treatment. Additional GnRHa treatment had no adverse effect on the HRQoL gain. Disorder-specific questionnaires were particularly appropriate to evaluate HRQoL in children treated for short stature.
Periprocedural Myocardial Infarction in a Randomized Trial of Everolimus-Eluting and Paclitaxel-Eluting Coronary Stents
Authors: Pervaiz M. Hassan , Sood Poornima , Sudhir Krishnankutty , Hermiller James B. , Hou Liming , Hattori Kyoko , Su Xiaolu , Cao Sherry , Wang John , Applegate Robert J. , Kereiakes Dean J. , Yaqub Manejeh , Stone Gregg W. , Cutlip Donald E.
Published: March 2012

Background—

A consensus definition for periprocedural myocardial infarction (MI) in coronary stent trials has not been established. Differences between a historic definition, based on modified World Health Organization (WHO) criteria, and a proposed universal definition have not been compared in a prospective clinical trial.

Methods and Results—

We randomly assigned 3687 patients with stable coronary artery disease to undergo stenting with either everolimus-eluting stents (2458 patients) or paclitaxel-eluting stents (1229 patients). Serial creatine kinase (CK) and CKMB or troponin measurements were obtained before and after stenting. MI was classified by protocol according to the WHO definition (total CK >2× normal with elevated CKMB) and post hoc according to the Universal/Academic Research Consortium (ARC) definition (CKMB or troponin >3× normal). Protocol MI was determined in 58 (1.6%) and universal/ARC MI in 287 (7.8%) patients within 48 hours post index procedure. There were substantial differences in frequency of universal/ARC MI if only CKMB (5.4%) or troponin (18.7%) data were included for evaluation. Total stent length was a strong predictor of both protocol and universal/ARC MI. Mortality at 2 years was low (2.3%) and was not different for either MI definition. The mortality rates did not increase with elevations of CKMB or troponin to >10× normal.

Conclusions—

There was a marked difference in periprocedural MI rates according to protocol or universal/ARC MI definitions. No association was present between periprocedural MI and mortality up to 2 years by either definition.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00307047.
Comparing Markov Chains: Aggregation and Precedence Relations Applied to Sets of States, with Applications to Assemble-to-Order Systems
Authors: Bušić Ana , Vliegen Ingrid , Scheller-Wolf Alan
Published: March 2012

Solving Markov chains is, in general, difficult if the state space of the chain is very large (or infinite) and lacking a simple repeating structure. One alternative to solving such chains is to construct models that are simple to analyze and provide bounds for a reward function of interest. We present a new bounding method for Markov chains inspired by Markov reward theory: Our method constructs bounds by redirecting selected sets of transitions, facilitating an intuitive interpretation of the modifications of the original system. We show that our method is compatible with strong aggregation of Markov chains; thus we can obtain bounds for an initial chain by analyzing a much smaller chain. We illustrate our method by using it to prove monotonicity results and bounds for assemble-to-order systems.
Sequential Importance Sampling and Resampling for Dynamic Portfolio Credit Risk
Authors: Deng Shaojie , Giesecke Kay , Lai Tze Leung
Published: March 2012

We provide a sequential Monte Carlo method for estimating rare-event probabilities in dynamic, intensity-based point process models of portfolio credit risk. The method is based on a change of measure and involves a resampling mechanism. We propose resampling weights that lead, under technical conditions, to a logarithmically efficient simulation estimator of the probability of large portfolio losses. A numerical analysis illustrates the features of the method and contrasts it with other rare-event schemes recently developed for portfolio credit risk, including an interacting particle scheme and an importance sampling scheme.
Negotiating the Trilemma: The Indian Experience
Authors: Sen Gupta Abhijit , Manjhi Ganesh
Published: March 2012

Increased integration with the global capital markets in recent years has forced India to negotiate the trilemma, balancing the objectives of monetary independence, exchange rate stability, and orderly capital flows. India’s calibrated approach towards liberalization of capital account, wherein certain flows and agents were accorded priority in the liberalization process, has helped India to deal with the trilemma.

In this paper, we examine India’s experience in negotiating the trilemma during the last three decades. In doing so, we deviate from the existing literature by quantifying the various policy objectives under the trilemma. This allows us to analyze the extent to which pursuit of an objective has entailed giving up two other objectives.

Using empirical methods, we find that India has been constrained by the trilemma during the last three decades. However, instead of adopting corner solutions, India has juggled the various policy objectives under the trilemma as per the demands of the macroeconomic situation. The overall policy architecture encompassed active management of capital flows, especially volatile flows and debt flows, a moderately flexible exchange rate regime with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) intervening at times to prevent excessive volatility, sterilization of these interventions through multiple instruments, and building up of a stockpile of reserves. This intermediate approach has suited India well as it has been able to maintain a healthy growth rate, targeted monetary and credit growth rates, a moderate inflation rate through most of the period, and a sustainable current account deficit.
Impacts of the Exchange Rate and the Global Interest Rate on Real Output for Ten Selected Latin American Countries
Authors: Hsing Yu
Published: March 2012

This paper examines the effects of currency depreciation or appreciation, the changing global interest rate and other related macroeconomic variables on real GDP for ten selected Latin American countries, namely, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. The monetary policy reaction function is incorporated in the formulation of the model. There are several major findings. Currency depreciation hurts real GDP for Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay and Venezuela whereas the real exchange rate and real GDP exhibit a backward-bending relationship for Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and Peru, suggesting that currency depreciation increases real GDP in early years whereas currency appreciation raises real GDP in recent years. Except for Bolivia and Paraguay, a higher global interest rate reduces real GDP. Expansionary fiscal policy is effective for Argentina, Mexico and Paraguay. Except for Chile, Paraguay and Venezuela, a higher expected inflation rate reduces real GDP. Hence, currency depreciation may be contractionary or expansionary, depending upon the level of real GDP or the state of economic development.
Reaction Engineering Studies of Homogeneous Rhodium-Catalyzed Methanol Carbonylation in a Laboratory Semi-Batch Reactor
Authors: Golhosseini Reza , Naderifar Abas , Mohammadrezaei Alireza , Jafari Nasr Mohamadreza
Published: March 2012

Thermodynamic restrictions and simultaneous effects of operational conditions on the homogeneous rhodium-catalyzed carbonylation of methanol are studied in this line of research. It is shown that the general NRTL-Virial model can be appropriated to study thermodynamics of the carbonylation. It is obtained that the reaction is kinetically and thermodynamically reasonable at temperatures above 420K and below 520K, respectively. Moreover, at carbon monoxide partial pressures above 10 bar, the reaction rate is independent of the partial pressure. These results are in full accord with those reported in the literature. In addition, PCO > 2 bar is necessary for initializing the reaction. The parameters involved in the rate expression, equilibrium constants, CO solubility, and rate constant, are determined. The equilibrium constants are calculated with B3LYP/SDD ab initio method, and the value of Henry’s coefficient for CO (HCO) is determined as a function of temperature and methyl acetate conversion. The results predicted by this function agree well with those proposed by the general NRTL-Virial model with the errors below 11%. The Variation of CO solubility with acetic acid and methyl acetate concentrations is in good agreement with that obtained by others. It is found that the determined parameters give satisfactory predictions in modeling and simulation of the reaction.