bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A weighted residual method for two-layer non-Newtonian channel flows: steady-state results and their stability
Authors: Alba K. , Taghavi S. M. , Frigaard I. A.
Published: August 2013

We study buoyant displacement flows in a plane channel with two fluids in the long-wavelength limit in a stratified configuration. Weak inertial effects are accounted for by developing a weighted residual method. This gives a first-order approximation to the interface height and flux functions in each layer. As the fluids are shear-thinning and have a yield stress, to retain a formulation that can be resolved analytically requires the development of a system of special functions for the weight functions and various integrals related to the base flow. For displacement flows, the addition of inertia can either slightly increase or decrease the speed of the leading displacement front, which governs the displacement efficiency. A more subtle effect is that a wider range of interface heights are stretched between advancing fronts than without inertia. We study stability of these systems via both a linear temporal analysis and a numerical spatiotemporal method. To start with, the Orr–Sommerfeld equations are first derived for two generalized non-Newtonian fluids satisfying the Herschel–Bulkley model, and analytical expressions for growth rate and wave speed are obtained for the long-wavelength limit. The predictions of linear analysis based on the weighted residual method shows excellent agreement with the Orr–Sommerfeld approach. For displacement flows in unstable parameter ranges we do observe growth of interfacial waves that saturate nonlinearly and disperse. The observed waves have similar characteristics to those observed experimentally in pipe flow displacements. Although the focus in this study is on displacement flows, the formulation laid out can be easily used for similar two-layer flows, e.g. co-extrusion flows.
Mean force structure and its scaling in rough-wall turbulent boundary layers
Authors: Mehdi Faraz , Klewicki J. C. , White C. M.
Published: August 2013

The combined roughness/Reynolds number problem is explored. Existing and newly acquired data from zero pressure gradient rough-wall turbulent boundary layers are used to clarify the leading order balances of terms in the mean dynamical equation. For the variety of roughnesses examined, it is revealed that the mean viscous force retains dominant order above (and often well above) the roughness crests. Mean force balance data are shown to be usefully organized relative to the characteristic length scale, which is equal or proportional to the width of the region from the wall to where the leading order mean dynamics become described by a balance between the mean and turbulent inertia. This is equivalently the width of the region from the wall to where the mean viscous force loses leading order. For both smooth-wall and rough-wall flows, the wall-normal extent of this region consistently ends just beyond the zero-crossing of the turbulent inertia term. In smooth-wall flow this characteristic length is a known function of Reynolds number. The present analyses indicate that for rough-wall flows the wall-normal position where the mean dynamics become inertial is an irreducible function of roughness and Reynolds number, as it is an inherent function of the relative scale separations between the inner, roughness, and outer lengths. These findings indicate that, for any given roughness, new dynamical regimes will typically emerge as the Reynolds number increases. For the present range of parameters, there appear to be three identifiable regimes. These correspond to the ratio of the equivalent sand grain roughness to the characteristic length being less than, equal to, or greater than$O(1)$. The relative influences of the inner, outer, and roughness length scales on the characteristic length are explored empirically. A prediction for the decay rate of the mean vorticity is developed via extension of the smooth-wall theory. Existing data are shown to exhibit good agreement with this extension. Overall, the present results appear to expose unifying connections between the structure of smooth- and rough-wall flows. Among other findings, the present analyses show promise toward providing a self-consistent and dynamically meaningful way of identifying the domain where the wall similarity hypothesis, if operative, should hold.
Explaining Party Positions on Decentralization
Authors: Toubeau Simon , Wagner Markus
Published: August 2013

Debates about decentralization raise cultural questions ofidentityand economic questions ofredistributionandefficiency. Therefore the preferences of statewide parties regarding decentralization are related to their positions on the economic and cultural ideological dimensions. A statistical analysis using data from thirty-one countries confirms this: parties on the economic right are more supportive of decentralization than parties on the economic left, while culturally liberal parties favour decentralization more than culturally conservative parties. However, country context – specifically the degree of regional self-rule, the extent of regional economic disparity and the ideology of regionalist parties – determines whether and how decentralization is linked to the two dimensions. These findings have implications for our understanding of the politics of decentralization by showing how ideology, rooted in a specific country context, shapes the ‘mindset’ of agents responsible for determining the territorial distribution of power.
Is Plato Really in Favour of Monotonous Literature?Republic392c6-398b9
Authors: MORRIS T. F.
Published: August 2013

Plato is not serious when he has Socrates deduce that poetry must be mostly narrative with just a little dialogue. Not only is the argumentation purposely flawed, but he also has Socrates purposely obfuscate a key distinction. He then has Socrates pretend to be confused by his own obfuscation. By forcing us to work our way through the thickets of his faulty argumentation, Plato gives us the opportunity to become more deeply involved with the underlying issues and to discover his theme: a good person is one who is stoically indifferent to both bad fortune and good fortune.
The evaluation of a dynamic, mechanistic, thermal balance model for Bos indicus and Bos taurus
Authors: THOMPSON V. A. , SAINZ R. D. , STRATHE A. B. , RUMSEY T. R. , FADEL J. G.
Published: August 2013

The Thompson model (Thompson et al., in press), a heat balance model for cattle, was evaluated for Bos indicus and B. taurus under different climate conditions through the use of two local and one global sensitivity analyses and tested against independent datasets. The local analyses, which evaluate the individual effects of parameters on model output, showed that the vasodilation/vasoconstriction parameter and reference body temperature (Tbref) strongly affected body temperature. The global analysis, which evaluates the overall effect of parameters on model output, showed that 6 out of 24 parameters account for 0·79–0·89 of the model variation. The high proportion of variation accounted for by the parameters demonstrates that the model is linear in its parameters, with little interaction between the parameters.

The Thompson model was tested against four independent datasets which included both B. indicus and B. taurus animals. The prediction of the relationship between skin and body temperature from the model aligned closely with the relationship in the datasets (R2 ranged from 0·55 to 0·87, mean bias ranged from 0·32 to 1·49). The prediction of sweating and respiration rates from the model aligned closely with the rates measured in the datasets (R2 ranged from 0·80 to 0·98 and 0·79 to 0·93, respectively). The delay in the diurnal body temperature variation, relative to air temperature, was more accurately predicted for cattle in the sun than for cattle in climate chambers. Given the limited datasets for construction and parameterization (both of which are described in Thompson et al., in press), the model evaluated in the current study performed relatively well compared to the literature and known biology.
Internal versus external CEO choice and the structure of compensation contracts
Authors: Palomino Frédéric , Peyrache Eloïc
Published: August 2013

Any firm choosing a chief executive officer (CEO) faces a double problem: candidate selection and choice of a compensation scheme. We derive sufficient conditions where the unique optimal compensation scheme is a capped-bonus contract in a pure moral-hazard environment, while equity is used when the firm also faces adverse selection. Then, we provide a rationale for the simultaneous increases in CEO pay, use of equity in compensation, and external hiring of CEOs. Our results are consistent with empirical evidence that shows externally hired CEOs earn more than those internally hired and that externally hired CEOs get a higher fraction of their compensation equity based.
Open source drug discovery – A limited tutorial
Authors: ROBERTSON MURRAY N. , YLIOJA PAUL M. , WILLIAMSON ALICE E. , WOELFLE MICHAEL , ROBINS MICHAEL , BADIOLA KATRINA A. , WILLIS PAUL , OLLIARO PIERO , WELLS TIMOTHY N. C. , TODD MATTHEW H.
Published: August 2013

Open science is a new concept for the practice of experimental laboratory-based research, such as drug discovery. The authors have recently gained experience in how to run such projects and here describe some straightforward steps others may wish to take towards more openness in their own research programmes. Existing and inexpensive online tools can solve many challenges, while some psychological barriers to the free sharing of all data and ideas are more substantial.
Urban forests as hubs for novel zoonosis: blood meal analysis, seasonal variation inCulicoides(Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) vectors, and avian haemosporidians
Authors: SANTIAGO-ALARCON DIEGO , HAVELKA PETER , PINEDA EDUARDO , SEGELBACHER GERNOT , SCHAEFER H. MARTIN
Published: August 2013

Culicoidesvectors can transmit a diverse array of parasites and are globally distributed. We studied feeding preferences and seasonal variation ofCulicoides(Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) vectors in an urban forest of Germany to determine whether humans living nearby are readily exposed to vector-borne parasites from wild animals. We used a fragment of the mtDNA COI gene to identify hosts from blood meals. We amplified a fragment of the mtDNA cyt b to detect haemosporidian infections inCulicoidesabdomens and thoraxes. We detected a total of 22Culicoidesspecies. Fifty-eight blood meals (84%) were from humans, 10 from birds, and one from livestock. We foundCulicoides kibunensis(considered ornithophilic) with 29 human blood meals. Host generalistCulicoides festivipennisandCulicoides obsoletushad 14 human blood meals.Culicoides clastrieriandCulicoides semimaculatusfed on birds; previously humans were their only known host. Six thoraxes and three abdomens were infected with eitherHaemoproteus pallidulusorHaemoproteus parabelopolskyi. There were changes inCulicoidescommunity structure across months.Culicoides pictipenniswas the dominant species during spring,C. kibunensisandC. clastrieriwere dominant during summer, andC. obsoletuswas dominant by early autumn. All dominant species were generalists feeding on birds, livestock and humans. Our results indicate that humans can serve as a blood source for dominantCulicoidesspecies instead of the normal wild animal hosts in urban areas.
Extremely preterm birth and adolescent mental health in a geographical cohort born in the 1990s
Authors: Burnett A. , Davey C. G. , Wood S. J. , Wilson-Ching M. , Molloy C. , Cheong J. L. Y. , Doyle L. W. , Anderson P. J.
Published: August 2013

Background

Preterm birth confers risk for poor outcome, including mental health problems. Survival of extremely preterm (EP; <28 weeks' gestation) or extremely low birthweight (ELBW; <1000 g) infants increased in the 1990s but psychiatric outcomes in older adolescents born preterm since 1990 are not well documented. This study aimed to characterize mental health and personality traits in a prospective geographical cohort of adolescents born EP/ELBW in Victoria, Australia in 1991 and 1992.

Method

At age 18 years, 215 EP/ELBW and 157 normal birthweight (>2499 g) control adolescents completed the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Disorders, Axis 1 Non-Patient version (SCID-I/NP), the Children's Interview for Psychiatric Syndromes (ChIPS) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) module, and questionnaires assessing recent depression and anxiety symptoms and personality traits.

Results

ADHD prevalence was significantly elevated in EP/ELBW adolescents compared with controls [15% v. 7%; odds ratio (OR) 2.67, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.08–6.58]. Aside from ADHD, however, EP/ELBW and control adolescents reported very similar outcomes, with other lifetime diagnoses identified in 23% of EP/ELBW and 21% of controls. These were predominantly mood and anxiety disorders (21% EP/ELBW, 20% controls). The groups did not differ in recent depression or anxiety symptoms assessed using questionnaires, and personality traits were also similar.

Conclusions

ADHD was more prevalent in EP/ELBW adolescents than controls, which is consistent with some, but not all, reports on preterm survivors born before the 1990s, and younger preterm children born in the 1990s. The high rates of anxiety and mood disorders were similar in both groups, and comparable with population-based estimates.
An existential problem: The sociolinguistic monitor and variation in existential constructions on Bequia (St. Vincent and the Grenadines)
Authors: Meyerhoff Miriam , Walker James A.
Published: August 2013

Existential constructions in a corpus of spontaneous English from Bequia (St. Vincent and the Grenadines) are used to explore a linguistic problem (Is variation in verb form in existential constructions best viewed as grammatical or lexical?) and a sociolinguistic problem (What aspects of variation change over a lifetime?). We compare “urban sojourners” (Bequians who have been away) with their home village norms. We observe differences in the frequency of thetypeof existential preferred in different villages and by the urban sojourners. We also observe differences in whether or not the main verb agrees in number with a postposed plural subject. Building on William Labov's early discussions of constraints on variation imposed by the “sociolinguistic monitor,” we suggest that variation in individual speakers supports the notion that variables that are fundamentally grammatical are less likely to mark social factors than lexical variables are. (Bequia, Caribbean English, existentials, subject-verb agreement)*
There's madness in your method: a philosophical exploration into the thought of Paul Feyerabend and its implications for music education
Authors: Louth Paul
Published: August 2013

Drawing on the work of the philosopher of science Paul Feyerabend, this paper argues that the popular yet mistaken notion of scientific method has had a deleterious effect on music education by discouraging us from embracing conflict or pursuing counterinductive ways of thinking about music. Feyerabend argues that knowledge advances not according to principles traditionally associated with scientific method, but rather as a result of ad hoc hypotheses, counterinduction, and contradictions that are recognised between partly overlapping theories that are mutually inconsistent. Ignoring this truth results in the erasure of all but abstract forms of knowledge acquired through methodical investigation, which occurs when educators put all of their faith in method and ignore musical knowledge that escapes articulation or measurement. Yet tacit or informal musical knowledge can be seen as the artistic equivalent of the ad hoc propositions that are required, ultimately, to advance knowledge.
Climate change and conservation implications for wet meadows in dry Patagonia
Authors: CREGO RAMIRO D. , NIELSEN CLAYTON K. , DIDIER KARL A.
Published: August 2013

Climate change is predicted to be a major threat for biodiversity and, from a conservation prospective, it is important to understand how ecosystems may respond to that change. Predicted climate change effects on the distribution of meadows in the arid and semi-arid Argentinean Patagonia by 2050 were assessed for change trends and areas of desertification vulnerability using species distribution models (SDM) and climate-change models. Four modelling techniques composed an ensemble-forecasting approach. Suitable areas for meadows will decrease by 7.85% by 2050 given predicted changes in climate. However, there were two contrasting trends: severe reduction of suitable areas for meadows in north-west Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego Island, and an expansion of suitable areas for meadows in the south and a small section in the north-west. Meadows in Patagonia will likely be impacted by climate change, probably due to changes in precipitation regimes, and consequently many species that rely on meadows in an arid environment will also be impacted. Given the low level of protection of meadows in Patagonia, such information on meadow distribution and vulnerability to climate change will be important for increasing and improving the network of conservation areas through conservation planning.
In vitro development rate of preimplantation rabbit embryos cultured with different levels of melatonin
Authors: Mehaisen Gamal Mohamed Kamel , Saeed Ayman Moustafa
Published: August 2013

This study aimed to investigate the effect of melatonin supplementation at different levels in culture medium on embryo development in rabbits. Embryos of 2–4 cells, 8–16 cells and morula stages were recovered from nulliparous Red Baladi rabbit does by laparotomy technique 24, 48 and 72 h post-insemination, respectively. Normal embryos from each stage were cultured to hatched blastocyst stages in either control culture medium (TCM-199 + 20% fetal bovine serum) or control supplemented with melatonin at 10−3 M, 10−6 M or 10−9 M. No effect of melatonin was found on development of embryos recovered at 24 h post-insemination. The high level of melatonin at 10−3 M adversely affected the in vitro development rates of embryos recovered at 48 h post-insemination (52 versus 86, 87 and 80% blastocyst rate; 28 versus 66, 78 and 59% hatchability rate for 10−3 M versus 10−9 M, 10−6 M and control, respectively, P< 0.05). At the morula stage, melatonin at 10−3 M significantly increased the in vitro development of embryos (92% for 10−3 M versus 76% for control, P < 0.05), while the hatchability rate of these embryos was not improved by melatonin (16–30% versus 52% for melatonin groups versus control, P < 0.05). Results show that a moderate level of melatonin (10−6 M) may improve the development and hatchability rates of preimplantation rabbit embryos. The addition of melatonin at a 10−3 M concentration enhances the development of rabbit morulae but may negatively affect the development of earlier embryos. More studies are needed to optimize the use of melatonin in in vitro embryo culture in rabbits.
YAFFE'S ATTEMPTS
Authors: Moore Michael S.
Published: August 2013

Yaffe's handling of two general questions is assessed in this review. The first question is why mere attempts (as opposed to successful wrongdoing) should be made punishable in a well-conceived criminal code. The second question is how attempt liability should be conceived in such a code. As to the first question, Yaffe's nonsubstantive mode of answering it (in terms of his “transfer principle”) is contrasted to answers based on some more substantive desert-bases; Yaffe's own more substantive kind of answer (in terms of a desert-base of “faulty modes of reason recognition and response”) is examined in light of the implication that the traditional requirements of trying and intending are mere proxies for faulty reason recognition and response as the basis for blaming and punishing attempts. As to the second question, Yaffe's analysis of trying in terms of a “guiding commitment view” is examined in some detail. Canvassed here are the subquestions of: (1) whether appropriate assessibility by certain norms of rationality can give the nature of intending and thus of trying; (2) whether the externally de dicto intent requirements of criminal law statutes can easily be interpreted and applied by standard, extensional methods; (3) whether the distinctions between various kinds of elements within the content of intentions, can be justified ontologically or only practically; (4) whether actors necessarily intend results of their actions that are “very close” to other results that clearly are intended, and if not, whether such actors are nonetheless just as blameworthy for those results as if they did intend them; and (5) whether intention with respect to circumstance-elements differ (in either their psychology or in their moral effect) from beliefs with respect to such circumstance-elements.
Shifting the Focus of One's Attention Mediates Improvement in Cognitive Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder
Authors: Mörtberg Ewa , Hoffart Asle , Boecking Benjamin , Clark David M.
Published: August 2013

Background: Cognitive therapy is an effective treatment for social anxiety disorder but little is known about the mechanisms by which the treatment achieves its effects. Aims: This study investigated the potential role of self-focused attention and social phobia related negative automatic thoughts as mediators of clinical improvement. Method: Twenty-nine patients with social phobia received individual cognitive therapy (ICT) in a randomized controlled trial. Weekly process and outcome measures were analysed using multilevel mediation models. Results: Change from self-focused to externally focused attention mediated improvements in social anxiety one week later. In contrast, change in frequency of, or belief in, negative social phobia related negative automatic thoughts did not predict social anxiety one week later. Conclusions: Change in self-focused attention mediate therapeutic improvement in ICT. Therapists should therefore target self-focused attention.
Level Set Methods for Modelling Field Evaporation in Atom Probe
Authors: Haley Daniel , Moody Michael P. , Smith George D.W.
Published: August 2013

Atom probe is a nanoscale technique for creating three-dimensional spatially and chemically resolved point datasets, primarily of metallic or semiconductor materials. While atom probe can achieve local high-level resolution, the spatial coherence of the technique is highly dependent upon the evaporative physics in the material and can often result in large geometric distortions in experimental results. The distortions originate from uncertainties in the projection function between the field evaporating specimen and the ion detector. Here we explore the possibility of continuum numerical approximations to the evaporative behavior during an atom probe experiment, and the subsequent propagation of ions to the detector, with particular emphasis placed on the solution of axisymmetric systems, such as isolated particles and multilayer systems. Ultimately, this method may prove critical in rapid modeling of tip shape evolution in atom probe tomography, which itself is a key factor in the rapid generation of spatially accurate reconstructions in atom probe datasets.
Development, Preimaginal Phases and Adult Sensillar Equipment inAganaspisParasitoids (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) of Fruit Flies
Authors: Tormos José , de Pedro Luis , Beitia Francisco , Sabater Beatriz , Asís Josep Daniel , Polidori Carlo
Published: August 2013

Aganaspis daciandAganaspis pelleranoi(Hymenoptera: Figitidae) are important parasitoids of fruit flies. Here we studied, with light and scanning electron microscopy, aspects of their morphology that could help with plans to mass rear and thus contribute to improved pest control (preimaginal phases) and to shed light on parasitoid-pest relationships (sensillar equipment). The two species present a stalked egg, eucoiliform first and second-instar larvae and hymenopteriform third instar and mature larvae. The first instar presents tegumental differentiations in the mesoma and first metasomal segment inA. daci, but not inA. pelleranoi, while unlike other figitids, neither species displays setae in the mesosomal processes. Second and third instar and mature larvae present tegumental differentiations inA. daci, but not inA. pelleranoi. The moniliform (female) and filiform (male) antennae ofA. daciandA. pelleranoiharbor seven types of sensilla, four of them (sensilla campaniformia, sensilla coeloconica type II, and two types of sensilla trichoidea) described here for the first time in Cynipoidea. The largest sensilla were the multiporous placoid sensilla, which were smaller and more numerous inA. pelleranoi. Species also differed to some extent in morphology of sensilla coeloconica. Observations on the ovipositor revealed the presence of coeloconic sensilla on Valva I in both species.
Exploitation of forage attribute-based variations in Sudan pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] collections
Authors: Babiker Sara A. , Khair Mohammed A. M. , Tahir Izzat S. A.
Published: August 2013

Triggered by the need to develop inter-seasonal, multi-cut cereal forage crops, this study aimed at the exploitation of phenotypic variations among the rich pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) collections in Sudan for possible utilization in forage-type breeding programmes. A total of 100 pearl millet accessions were used in three field trials grown in rainy, winter and summer seasons (2008–2009) at the Gezira Research Station Farm and the Gezira University Experimental Farm. Wide diversity and highly significant differences in the total dry forage yield, days to harvest, plant height, number of tillers/plant and leaf/stem ratio were found among the accessions. At an 80% morphological similarity level, the 100 accessions of pearl millet were clustered into four main groups. In the rainy and winter seasons, 71 and 56% of the accessions produced forage yield of more than 5 t/ha, respectively. In contrast, 77% of the accessions produced less than 5 t/ha in the summer season. Among the top-ranking 25 accessions, two accessions (HSD 2190 and HSD 2236) were common in dry matter yield in the three seasons, whereas 11 accessions were identified in at least two seasons. The presence of such common accessions in more than one season is encouraging for growing pearl millet as a multi-cut crop for a longer period. These results indicated the possibility of the development of forage-suited varieties of pearl millet directly through further evaluation of those common accessions or indirectly through a crop breeding programme.
Interspecific hybridization betweenCajanus cajan(L.) Millsp. andC. lanceolatus(WV Fitgz) van der Maesen
Authors: Srikanth Sandhya , Rao M. V. , Mallikarjuna Nalini
Published: August 2013

Cultivated pigeonpea has a narrow genetic base. Wild relatives play an important role in the efforts to broaden its genetic base. In this report, we present a successful wide-cross between the cultivated pigeonpea andCajanus lanceolatus, a wild relative from the secondary gene pool, native to Australia, with desirable traits such as frost and drought resistance. A range of F1progeny were obtained and the resultant F1hybrid plants set mature pods and seeds. The hybrids had intermediate morphology, sharing the traits of both the parents. All the F1hybrids flowered profusely. Some of the hybrids were completely male sterile and some were partially fertile with pollen fertility ranging from 35 to 50 %. Meiotic analysis of the fertile F1hybrids revealed a high degree of meiotic chromosome pairing between the two parental genomes. Meiotic analysis of the sterile F1hybrids revealed that the breakdown of microsporogenesis occurred at the post-meiotic stage after the formation of tetrads. Fertile plants formed regular bivalents with normal disjunction, except for occasional asynchrony at meiotic II division.
Religion: productive or unproductive?
Authors: WISEMAN TRAVIS , YOUNG ANDREW
Published: August 2013

In this paper, we investigate the relationships between informal institutions – proxied for by measures of religiosity – and levels of entrepreneurial activity, both productive and unproductive, using cross-section US state-level data. In doing so, we evaluate Baumol's (1990) conjectures on the role of institutions in determining whether entrepreneurs will channel their efforts toward wealth-generating activities or toward zero- or negative-sum rent-seeking. We distinguish between measures of both the belief (e.g., the frequency of prayer) and belonging (e.g., church attendance) that have been stressed by authors such as Barro and McCleary (2003). We find that several religious variables significantly and negatively correlate with a state's productive entrepreneurship score. Alternatively, most religious variables in our data do not correlate significantly with unproductive entrepreneurship. We also find that the percent of individuals reporting as atheist/agnostic is positively associated with productive entrepreneurship.
Connector-less test setup for measurement of passive inter-modulation products at UHF band
Authors: Ramagiri Santhosh Kumar , Shukla Arvind B. , Bavaria Ramaniklal B. , Singh Surinder , Parikh Kaushik S.
Published: August 2013

This paper describes the establishment of a test setup for measurement of passive inter-modulation (PIM) products generated by various device(s) under test (DUT(s)) (filters, coaxial cables etc.) at ultra high frequency (UHF) band. The paper begins with a brief discussion of an ideal PIM test setup using a quiet load. It then discusses the establishment of the setup in the absence of quiet load and demonstrates a PIM level of −192 dBc of the test setup. Finally it shows the PIM performance of a band-stop filter, a flexible cable, cascade of band-stop filter, and flexible cable, measured using the established test setup. These components are required for UHF payload of a communication satellite.
Insulin-like growth factor-1 and lipoprotein profile in cord blood of preterm small for gestational age infants
Authors: Nagano N. , Okada T. , Fukamachi R. , Yoshikawa K. , Munakata S. , Usukura Y. , Hosono S. , Takahashi S. , Mugishima H. , Matsuura M. , Yamamoto T.
Published: August 2013

Low birth weight was associated with cardiometabolic diseases in adult age. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) has a crucial role in fetal growth and also associates with cardiometabolic risks in adults. Therefore, we elucidated the association between IGF-1 level and serum lipids in cord blood of preterm infants. The subjects were 41 consecutive, healthy preterm neonates (27 male, 14 female) born at <37-week gestational age, including 10 small for gestational age (SGA) infants (<10th percentile). IGF-1 levels and serum lipids were measured in cord blood, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) and very low-density lipoprotein triglyceride (VLDLTG) levels were determined by HPLC method. SGA infants had lower IGF-1 (13.1 ± 5.3 ng/ml), total cholesterol (TC) (55.0 ± 14.8), LDLC (21.6 ± 8.3) and HDLC (26.3 ± 11.3) levels, and higher VLDLTG levels (19.0 ± 12.7 mg/dl) than in appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants (53.6 ± 25.6, 83.4 ± 18.9, 36.6 ± 11.1, 38.5 ± 11.6, 8.1 ± 7.0, respectively). In simple regression analyses, log IGF-1 correlated positively with birth weight (r = 0.721, P < 0.001), TC (r = 0.636, P < 0.001), LDLC (r = 0.453, P = 0.006), and HDLC levels (r = 0.648, P < 0.001), and negatively with log TG (r = −0.484, P = 0.002) and log VLDL-TG (r = −0.393, P = 0.018). Multiple regression analyses demonstrated that IGF-1 was an independent predictor of TC, HDLC and TG levels after the gestational age and birth weight were taken into account. In preterm SGA infants, cord blood lipids profile altered with the concomitant decrease in IGF-1 level.
Depression, Neuroticism, and Urinary Incontinence in Premenopausal Women: A Nationwide Twin Study
Authors: Tettamanti Giorgio , Altman Daniel , Iliadou Anastasia N. , Bellocco Rino , Pedersen Nancy L.
Published: August 2013

Previous studies have found that major depression and neuroticism are positively associated with urinary incontinence (UI). However, the genetic contribution to these associations has never been investigated. In 2005, a total of 14,094 female twins born 1959–1985 in the Swedish Twin Registry participated in a comprehensive survey on common exposures and complex diseases. Structured questions provided information on UI, depressive symptoms, major depression, and neuroticism. A logistic regression model based on generalized estimating equations (GEE) was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Environmental and genetic influences were assessed in co-twin control analyses and quantitative genetic analyses, which were also used to determine the proportion of the phenotypic correlation explained by familial factors. Major depression, depressive symptoms, and neuroticism were positively associated with all UI subtypes (overall, stress, urge, and mixed UI). In a trivariate Cholesky model with neuroticism, depressive symptoms (or depression), and UI a modest genetic correlation was found between indicators of depression and overall, or stress, UI. The majority of this correlation was independent from neuroticism. In contrast, the genetic factors shared between indicators of depression and urge or mixed UI were entirely in common with neuroticism. In conclusion, depression and neuroticism are associated with UI among premenopausal women: the associations are in part determined by genetic factors in common to the disorders.
Relationship of Mode of Conception and Sex Concordance With Mortality/Morbidity in Preterm Twins
Authors: Mirea Lucia , Yang Junmin , Paterson Andrew D. , Shah Vibhuti , Bassil Kate L. , Lee Shoo K. , Shah Prakesh S.
Published: August 2013

Objective:To assess the association of mode of conception and sex concordance with neonatal outcomes in very preterm twins.Study design:Twin pairs born at gestational age ≤32 weeks and admitted to a Level 3 neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in 2010–2011 were retrospectively identified from the Canadian Neonatal Network™ database. A composite outcome representing neonatal mortality or any severe morbidity (intraventricular hemorrhage grades ≥3 or periventricular leukomalacia, retinopathy of prematurity stages ≥3, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, or necrotizing enterocolitis stages ≥2) was compared between twins conceived using assisted reproduction technologies (ARTs) or spontaneously (SP), and tested for association with sex concordance in individual-level and pair-wise multivariable logistic regression analyses.Results:Study subjects included 1,508 twins from 216 ART (53 [25%] male–male, 104 [48%] male–female, and 59 [27%] female–female) and 538 SP (192 [36%] male–male, 123 [23%] male–female, and 223 [41%] female–female) pairs. No statistically significant association was detected between mode of conception and the composite outcome of mortality/morbidities. The composite outcome was significantly higher in same-sex than in opposite-sex twins (OR = 1.68; 95% CI = [1.09, 2.59]). This relationship was most pronounced in ART pairs (OR = 2.25; 95% CI = [1.02, 4.98]), with increased rates in one or both twins from male–male versus opposite-sex ART pairs (OR = 3.0; 95% CI = [1.07, 8.36]).Conclusion:Same-sex pairing was associated with higher mortality/morbidities in very preterm twins admitted to the NICU, and can be used in clinical practice to identify twins at higher risk of adverse neonatal outcomes.
Laser-induced rotation and cooling of a trapped microgyroscope in vacuum
Authors: Arita Yoshihiko , Mazilu Michael , Dholakia Kishan
Published: August 2013

Quantum state preparation of mesoscopic objects is a powerful playground for the elucidation of many physical principles. The field of cavity optomechanics aims to create these states through laser cooling and by minimizing state decoherence. Here we demonstrate simultaneous optical trapping and rotation of a birefringent microparticle in vacuum using a circularly polarized trapping laser beam—a microgyroscope. We show stable rotation rates up to 5 MHz. Coupling between the rotational and translational degrees of freedom of the trapped microgyroscope leads to the observation of positional stabilization in effect cooling the particle to 40 K. We attribute this cooling to the interaction between the gyroscopic directional stabilization and the optical trapping field.
Opinion: The Pharmacometrics of Infectious Disease
Authors: Davies GR , Hope W , Khoo S
Published: August 2013

The application of pharmacometric principles to the treatment of infectious diseases must address important biological issues across the diversity of pathogenic organisms. Recent applications of pharmacometric tools in this therapeutic area have had important translational impact not only in drug development but on real‐world clinical practice. The fruitful fusion of preclinical and population methodologies promises increasingly personalized and mechanistic approaches.

CPT: Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology (2013) 2, e70; doi:10.1038/psp.2013.46; published online 28 August 2013
Autophagy impairment aggravates the inhibitory effects of high glucose on osteoblast viability and function
Authors: Bartolomé Alberto , López-Herradón Ana , Portal-Núñez Sergio , García-Aguilar Ana , Esbrit Pedro , Benito Manuel , Guillén Carlos
Published: August 2013

Autophagy is a highly regulated homoeostatic process involved in the lysosomal degradation of damaged cell organelles and proteins. This process is considered an important pro-survival mechanism under diverse stress conditions. A diabetic milieu is known to hamper osteoblast viability and function. In the present study, we explored the putative protective role of autophagy in osteoblastic cells exposed to an HG (high glucose) medium. HG was found to increase protein oxidation and triggered autophagy by a mechanism dependent on reactive oxygen species overproduction in osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells. MC3T3-E1 cell survival was impaired by HG and worsened by chemical or genetic inhibition of autophagy. These findings were mimicked by H2O2-induced oxidative stress in these cells. Autophagy impairment led to both defective mitochondrial morphology and decreased bioenergetic machinery and inhibited further osteoblast differentiation in MC3T3-E1 cells upon exposure to HG. These novel findings indicate that autophagy is an essential mechanism to maintain osteoblast viability and function in an HG environment.
Asymptotic throughput analysis of random beamforming for multi‐antenna cognitive broadcast networks
Authors: Ji Jianbo , Chen Wen , Sun Shanlin
Published: August 2013

Random beamforming (RBF) has received much attention recently in downlink beamforming because of its simple structure, low‐feedback load and same throughput scaling as that obtained using dirty paper coding at the transmitter. In this study, the authors analyse the performance of RBF for cognitive downlink multi‐antenna system in terms of the throughput of the secondary network. The authors consider a secondary broadcast station with multiple antennas utilising the licensed spectrum of each primary receiver to broadcast information to multiple secondary users (SUs) simultaneously, as long as the interference power inflicted at each primary receiver is less than a predefined threshold. Firstly, they derived the secondary network closed‐form throughput approximation of a single‐beam RBF by exploiting extreme value order statistics. Then, closed‐form approximation for secondary network throughput on multiple‐beam RBF is presented. Simulation results verify the validity of the authors approximation results analysis even with fewer SUs.
Vibration performances of polymeric micropump actuated by PbZrTiO3 bimorph
Authors: Luo Yi , Yin Xianglong , Wang Xiaodong , Zhang Zongbo
Published: August 2013

The check valve micropump can easily reach a high‐flow rate, and it has promising application prospects in microfluidic devices and artificial organs. There are several vibrating parts in the check valve pump, including the actuator, membrane and valves. The vibration performances of these parts have a coupling influence on the performance of the micropump. In the work reported in this Letter, four kinds of micropumps with different valves and actuators were designed and fabricated, and the vibration performances of the vibrating parts were analysed by the finite element method. Then, the performances of each kind of micropump were studied by frequency sweeping experiments. The factors affecting micropump performance were determined, and the experimental results approximately coincide with the theoretical analysis. This research provides a theoretical and experimental basis for the design and optimisation of the micropump.
Differentiating C8–T1 Radiculopathy from Ulnar Neuropathy: A Survey of 24 Spine Surgeons
Authors: Stoker Geoffrey E. , Kim Han Jo , Riew K. Daniel
Published: August 2013

Study Design

Questionnaire.

Objective

To evaluate the ability of spine surgeons to distinguish C8–T1 radiculopathies from ulnar neuropathy.

Methods

Twenty-four self-rated “experienced” cervical spine surgeons completed a questionnaire with the following items. (1) If the ulnar nerve is cut at the elbow, which of the following would be numb: ulnar forearm, small and ring fingers; only the ulnar forearm; only the small and ring fingers; or none of the above? (2) Which of the following muscles are weak with C8–T1 radiculopathies but intact with ulnar neuropathy at the elbow: flexor digiti minimi brevis, flexor pollicis brevis, abductor digiti minimi, abductor pollicis brevis, adductor pollicis, opponens digiti minimi, opponens pollicis, medial lumbricals, lateral lumbricals, dorsal interossei, palmar interossei?

Results

Fifteen of 24 surgeons (63%) correctly answered the first question—that severing the ulnar nerve results in numbness of the fifth and fourth fingers. None correctly identified all four nonulnar, C8–T1-innervated options in the second question without naming additional muscles.

Conclusion

The ulnar nerve provides sensation to the fourth and fifth fingers and medial border of the hand. The medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve provides sensation to the medial forearm. The ulnar nerve innervates all intrinsic hand muscles, except the abductor and flexor pollicis brevis, opponens pollicis, and lateral two lumbricals, which are innervated by C8 and T1 via the median nerve. By examining these five muscles, one can clinically differentiate cubital tunnel syndrome from C8–T1 radiculopathies. Although all participants considered themselves to be experienced cervical spine surgeons, this study reveals inadequate knowledge regarding the clinical manifestations of C8–T1 radiculopathies and cubital tunnel syndrome.
Instabilities in stagnation point flows of polymer solutions
Authors: Haward S. J. , McKinley G. H.
Published: August 2013

A recently developed microfluidic device, the optimized shape cross-slot extensional rheometer or OSCER [S. J. Haward, M. S. N. Oliveira, M. A. Alves, and G. H. McKinley, “Optimized cross-slot flow geometry for microfluidic extensional rheometry,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 128301 (2012)10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.128301], is used to investigate the stability of viscoelastic polymer solutions in an idealized planar stagnation point flow. Aqueous polymer solutions, consisting of poly(ethylene oxide) and of hyaluronic acid with various molecular weights and concentrations, are formulated in order to provide fluids with a wide range of rheological properties. Semi-dilute solutions of high molecular weight polymers provide highly viscoelastic fluids with long relaxation times, which achieve a high Weissenberg number (Wi) at flow rates for which the Reynolds number (Re) remains low; hence the elasticity number El = Wi/Re is high. Lower concentration solutions of moderate molecular weight polymers provide only weakly viscoelastic fluids in which inertia remains important and El is relatively low. Flow birefringence observations are used to visualize the nature of flow instabilities in the fluids as the volumetric flow rate through the OSCER device is steadily incremented. At low Wi and Re, all of the fluids display a steady, symmetric, and uniform “birefringent strand” of highly oriented polymer molecules aligned along the outflowing symmetry axis of the test geometry, indicating the stability of the flow field under such conditions. In fluids of El > 1, we observe steady elastic flow asymmetries beyond a critical Weissenberg number,Wicrit, that are similar in character to those already reported in standard cross-slot geometries [e.g., P. E. Arratia, C. C. Thomas, J. Diorio, and J. P. Gollub, “Elastic instabilities of polymer solutions in cross-channel flow,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 144502 (2006)10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.144502]. However, in fluids with El < 1 we observe a sequence of time-dependent inertio-elastic instabilities beyond a critical Reynolds number, ${\mathop{\rm Re}\nolimits} _{crit} $ Re crit, characterized by high frequency spatiotemporal oscillations of the birefringent strand. By plotting the critical limits of stability for the various fluids in the Wi-Re operating space, we are able to construct a stability diagram delineating the distinct steady symmetric, steady asymmetric and inertio-elastic flow regimes in this idealized planar elongational flow device.
Comment on “Correlated electron-nuclear dynamics: Exact factorization of the molecular wavefunction” [J. Chem. Phys. 137, 22A530 (2012)]
Authors: Alonso J. L. , Clemente-Gallardo J. , Echenique-Robba P. , Jover-Galtier J. A.
Published: August 2013

In spite of the relevance of the proposal introduced in the recent work by Abedi, Maitra, and Gross [J. Chem. Phys. 137, 22A530 (2012)], there is an important ingredient which is missing. Namely, the proof that the norms of the electronic and nuclear wavefunctions which are the solutions to the nonlinear equations of motion are preserved by the evolution. To prove the conservation of these norms is precisely the objective of this Comment.
Stability analysis and numerical simulation of simplified solid rocket motors
Authors: Boyer G. , Casalis G. , Estivalèzes J.-L.
Published: August 2013

This paper investigates the Parietal Vortex Shedding (PVS) instability that significantly influences the Pressure Oscillations of the long and segmented solid rocket motors. The eigenmodes resulting from the stability analysis of a simplified configuration, namely, a cylindrical duct with sidewall injection, are presented. They are computed taking into account the presence of a wall injection defect, which is shown to induce hydrodynamic instabilities at discrete frequencies. These instabilities exhibit eigenfunctions in good agreement with the measured PVS vortical structures. They are successfully compared in terms of temporal evolution and frequencies to the unsteady hydrodynamic fluctuations computed by numerical simulations. In addition, this study has shown that the hydrodynamic instabilities associated with the PVS are the driving force of the flow dynamics, since they are responsible for the emergence of pressure waves propagating at the same frequency.
Local CC2 response method based on the Laplace transform: Orbital-relaxed first-order properties for excited states
Authors: Ledermüller Katrin , Kats Daniel , Schütz Martin
Published: August 2013

A multistate local CC2 response method for the calculation of orbital-relaxed first order properties is presented for ground and electronically excited states. It enables the treatment of excited state properties including orbital relaxation for extended molecular systems and is a major step on the way towards analytic gradients with respect to nuclear displacements. The Laplace transform method is employed to partition the eigenvalue problem and the lambda equations, i.e., the doubles parts of these equations are inverted on-the-fly, leaving only the corresponding effective singles equations to be solved iteratively. Furthermore, the state specific local approximations are adaptive. Density-fitting is utilized to decompose the electron-repulsion integrals. The accuracy of the local approximation is tested and the efficiency of the new code is demonstrated on the example of an organic sensitizer for solar-cell applications, which consists of about 100 atoms.