bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phenomenal Blending and the Palette Problem
Authors: Roelofs Luke ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: April 2014

I discuss the apparent discrepancy between the qualitative diversity of consciousness and the relative qualitative homogeneity of the brain’s basic constituents, a discrepancy that has been raised as a problem for identity theorists by Maxwell and Lockwood (as one element of the ‘grain problem’), and more recently as a problem for panpsychists (under the heading of ‘the palette problem’). The challenge posed to panpsychists by this discrepancy is to make sense of how a relatively small ‘palette’ of basic qualities could give rise to the bewildering diversity of qualities we, and presumably other creatures, experience. I argue that panpsychists can meet this challenge, though it requires taking contentious stands on certain phenomenological questions, in particular on whether any familiar qualities are actual examples of ‘phenomenal blending’, and whether any other familiar qualities have a positive ‘phenomenologically simple character’. Moreover, it requires accepting an eventual theory most elements of which are in a certain explicable sense unimaginable, though not for that reason inconceivable. Nevertheless, I conclude that there are no conclusive reasons to reject such a theory, and so philosophers whose prior commitments motivate them to adopt it can do so without major theoretical cost.
Using sightability‐adjusted brood‐pair ratios to estimate waterfowl productivity
Authors: Pagano Anthony M. , Amundson Courtney L. , Pieron Matthew R. , Arnold Todd W. , Kimmel Timothy C.
Published: April 2014

Historically, biologists used brood‐pair ratios (BPRs) as an index to waterfowl productivity to help guide management decisions and evaluate conservation practices. However, BPRs are biased by imperfect detection probabilities, especially for broods. We conducted roadside surveys for breeding waterfowl pairs on 7–8 study sites in the springs of 2006–2008 in northeastern North Dakota, USA. Later each year, we conducted replicate counts of broods on the same wetlands and used mark–recapture methods to estimate sightability‐adjusted BPRs (SA‐BPRs). Traditional roadside brood surveys detected only 30–45% of the available broods, depending on species. We explored the potential for using SA‐BPRs to measure hen success (i.e., the probability a female hatches ≥1 egg across all nesting attempts) for mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) and other upland‐nesting dabbling ducks (Anas spp.). We found that SA‐BPRs explained 40% of the variation in hen success over 5 species of dabbling ducks, and we were able to detect an effect of predator reduction on hen success in combined dabblers, but not in mallards alone. However, we found no relationship between SA‐BPRs and mallard fledging rates (hen success × initial brood size × duckling survival). Our results suggest that SA‐BPRs can provide a cost‐effective alternative to traditional measures of productivity such as nesting success, but not to measures of duckling survival. Nevertheless, SA‐BPRs may be useful in areas where traditional measures of waterfowl productivity are logistically or financially challenging. © 2014 The Wildlife Society.
Surgical Treatment of Endemic Goiter in a Nonhospital Setting without General Anesthesia in Africa
Authors: Gil J. , Rodríguez J. M. , Gil E. , Balsalobre M. D. , Hernández Q. , Gonzalez F. M. , García J. A. , Torregrosa N. , Tortosa J. A. , Diallo A. B. , Parrilla P.
Published: April 2014

Background

Endemic goiter remains a serious public health problem and 75 % of people affected live in underdeveloped countries where treatment is difficult for various reasons. The aim of this article is to report our experience in African countries with the management and surgical treatment of endemic goiter, performed in a nonhospital setting and without general anesthesia in the context of a collaborative development project by experienced endocrine surgeons.

Methods

Fifty‐six black African patients with a goiter were studied. Those in poor general health, the elderly, patients with either small goiters or clinical hyperthyroidism, and those presenting with an acute episode of malaria were excluded from the study. Cervical epidural anesthesia with spontaneous ventilation was used and a partial thyroidectomy was performed. The technique used, its immediate complications, and early and late follow‐up were analyzed.

Results

Surgery was performed on 31 patients with grades 3 and 4 goiter without mortality and a morbidity rate of 11.9 %, with 97 % of all complications being minor. There were no instances of dysphonia or symptomatic hypocalcemia and the mean stay was 1.57 days (range 1.25–1.93). Follow‐up in the first year was 71 % and no case of severe or recurrent hypothyroidism was detected.

Conclusions

Surgery without general anesthesia performed in a nonhospital setting in underdeveloped countries in patients with goiter is a viable option with good results and low morbidity.
Living Independently as an Ethnic Minority Elder: A Relational Perspective on the Issues of Aging and Ethnic Minorities
Authors: Shin Jung-hye
Published: April 2014

This study examines the residential experiences of Korean ethnic elders in affordable housing in the greater Chicago area, focusing on how patterns of social relationships that evolved around a geographical location and its urban infrastructure enabled the elders to achieve their desire for residential independence. Based on the theoretical concept of activity settings and social capital, the study suggests an integrated theoretical model where social capital is understood as an embedded asset of an activity setting. Methodologically, this study uses a combined method of qualitative interviews with 138 Korean elders in affordable housing in the greater Chicago area and a geographic analysis of their social relationships in order to present associations among social relationships, urban infrastructures, and the shared value of independence within their residential communities. The study findings indicate that the elders mobilized ethnic businesses, urban infrastructures, and the collective efficacy of groups to achieve the shared goal of maintaining residential independence. In each community, a cultural broker acted as an important bridge between the community of ethnic minorities and the larger social networks coexisting within the community boundary. The relational perspective as a potent ground for understanding and further solving the issues of aging and ethnicity is highlighted.
Antioxidant Stability in Vegetable Oils Monitored by the ASTM D7545 Method
Authors: Machado Y. L. , Dantas Neto A. A. , Fonseca J. L. C. , Dantas T. N. C.
Published: April 2014

The PetroOXY method was used to evaluate the kinetics of oxidation of two edible vegetable oils, extracted from moringa and passion fruit. This method, which uses pure oxygen at 700 kPa is effective and fast and our experiments were carried out at temperatures 110–140 °C with BHA antioxidant additive concentration ranging from 0 to 500 ppm. Moringa and passion fruit oils followed first‐order kinetics although, in the case of passion fruit oil, mathematical approximations in the first‐order kinetic expression resulted in a final equation that could also be interpreted as deriving from zero‐order kinetics. The higher stability of moringa oil was characterized by an activation enthalpy ca. 50 % higher than the one related to passion fruit oil.
Schopenhauer
Authors: Cartwright David E.
Published: April 2014

In his quest to solve 'the ever-disquieting riddle of existence', Schopenhauer explored almost every dimension of human existence, developing a darkly compelling worldview that found deep resonance in contemporary literature, music, philosophy, and psychology. This is the first comprehensive biography of Schopenhauer written in English. Placing him in his historical and philosophical contexts, David E. Cartwright tells the story of Schopenhauer's life to convey the full range of his philosophy. He offers a fully documented portrait in which he explores Schopenhauer's fractured family life, his early formative influences, his critical loyalty to Kant, his personal interactions with Fichte and Goethe, his ambivalent relationship with Schelling, his contempt for Hegel, his struggle to make his philosophy known, and his reaction to his late-arriving fame.
Precedents and Case-Based Reasoning in the European Court of Justice
Authors: Jacob Marc
Published: April 2014

Past cases are the European Court of Justice's most prominent tool in making and justifying the rulings and decisions which affect the everyday lives of more than half a billion people. Marc Jacob's detailed analysis of the use of precedents and case-based reasoning in the Court uses methods such as doctrinal scholarship, empirical research, institutional analysis, comparative law and legal theory in order to unravel and critique the how and why of the Court's precedent technique. In doing so, he moves the wider debate beyond received 'common law' versus 'civil law' figments and 'Eurosceptic' versus 'Euromantic' battle lines, and also provides a useful blueprint for assessing and comparing the case law practices of other dispute resolution bodies.
Power Politics and State Formation in the Twentieth Century
Authors: Coggins Bridget
Published: April 2014

From Kurdistan to Somaliland, Xinjiang to South Yemen, all secessionist movements hope to secure newly independent states of their own. Most will not prevail. The existing scholarly wisdom provides one explanation for success, based on authority and control within the nascent states. With the aid of an expansive new dataset and detailed case studies, this book provides an alternative account. It argues that the strongest members of the international community have a decisive influence over whether today's secessionists become countries tomorrow and that, most often, their support is conditioned on parochial political considerations.
Youth in the Roman Empire
Authors: Laes Christian , Strubbe Johan
Published: April 2014

Modern society has a negative view of youth as a period of storm and stress, but at the same time cherishes the idea of eternal youth. How does this compare with ancient Roman society? Did a phase of youth exist there with its own characteristics? How was youth appreciated? This book studies the lives and the image of youngsters (around 15–25 years of age) in the Latin West and the Greek East in the Roman period. Boys and girls of all social classes come to the fore; their lives, public and private, are sketched with the help of a range of textual and documentary sources, while the authors also employ the results of recent neuropsychological research. The result is a highly readable and wide-ranging account of how the crucial transition between childhood and adulthood operated in the Roman world.
A Treatise on Man and the Development of his Faculties
Authors: Quetelet Lambert Adolphe Jacques
Published: April 2014

The Belgian polymath Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetelet (1796–1874) pioneered social statistics. Applying his training in mathematics to the physical and psychological dimensions of individuals, he identified the 'average man' as characterised by the mean values of measured variables that follow a normal distribution. He believed that comparing the features of individuals against this average would allow scientists to better explore the processes that determine normal and abnormal qualities. Quetelet's methods influenced many, among them Florence Nightingale, and his simple measure for classifying a person's weight, dividing it by the square of their height, is widely known as the body mass index. First published in French in 1835 and reissued here in the 1842 English translation, this is his most influential work and includes a new preface that succinctly states his aim to be 'the analysis of normal man through his actions and of intellectual man through his productions'.
Health Care Workers’ Knowledge and Confidence in Personal Protective Equipment During the H1N1 Pandemic in Israel
Authors: Schwartz Dagan , Shapira Stav , Bar-Dayan Yaron
Published: April 2014

Objectives

Healthcare workers (HCW) are at increased risk of infection during pandemics. HCW personal protective equipment (PPE) use has been shown to lower infection rates among HCW and patients. However, low compliance and misuse are frequent. Since future outbreaks are unavoidable, this issue needs to be addressed.

Methods

A validated questionnaire was distributed to 617 HCWs (nurses and physicians) in 21 hospitals and 40 primary care clinics in Israel at the peak of the A/H1N1 pandemic.

Results

PPE confidence was higher among HCWs with higher tested and self-perceived knowledge. Confidence was also higher among nurses compared with physicians and among employees in hospitals compared with those in primary care clinics. Experience treating A/H1N1 patients was related to higher self-perceived knowledge and PPE confidence.

Conclusions

High levels of PPE knowledge were significantly correlated to HCWs’ confidence in PPE and may help increase PPE usage and reduce absenteeism. (Diaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;0:1-8)
DEGENERATIONS OF COMPLEX DYNAMICAL SYSTEMS
Authors: DE MARCO LAURA , FABER XANDER
Published: April 2014

We show that the weak limit of the maximal measures for any degenerating sequence of rational maps on the Riemann sphere ${\hat{{\mathbb{C}}}} $ must be a countable sum of atoms. For a one-parameter family $f_t$ of rational maps, we refine this result by showing that the measures of maximal entropy have a unique limit on $\hat{{\mathbb{C}}}$ as the family degenerates. The family $f_t$ may be viewed as a single rational function on the Berkovich projective line $\mathbf{P}^1_{\mathbb{L}}$ over the completion of the field of formal Puiseux series in $t$, and the limiting measure on $\hat{{\mathbb{C}}}$ is the ‘residual measure’ associated with the equilibrium measure on $\mathbf{P}^1_{\mathbb{L}}$. For the proof, we introduce a new technique for quantizing measures on the Berkovich projective line and demonstrate the uniqueness of solutions to a quantized version of the pullback formula for the equilibrium measure on $\mathbf{P}^1_{\mathbb{L}}$.
From Economic History to Cultural History in Ottoman Studies
Authors: Kırlı Cengiz
Published: April 2014

Reflecting on the state of Ottoman social history poses a paradox. On the one hand, it is impossible not to appreciate the great strides accomplished over the past three decades. Earlier approaches have been challenged, topics that were previously untouched or unimagined have been studied, and the foundations of a meaningful dialogue with historiographies of other parts of the world have been established. On the other hand, the theoretical sophistication and methodological debates of Ottoman social history still look pale compared to European and other non-Western historiographies in the same period.
Distribution, status, and conservation of Camellia changii Ye (Theaceae), a Critically Endangered plant endemic to southern China
Authors: Ren Hai , Jian Shuguang , Chen Yongju , Liu Hong , Zhang Qianmei , Liu Nan , Xu Yi , Luo Jian
Published: April 2014

The distribution of the endemic threatened plant Camellia changii Ye (Family Theaceae) is restricted to a small area in southern China, and little else is known about its status in the wild. To provide information for the conservation of C. changii we investigated its distribution, population size and structure, and habitat, and assessed its conservation status. Surveys confirmed that the species grows in a narrow band along both sides of a 4 km long segment of a stream in Ehuangzhang Nature Reserve, under the discontinuous canopy of a secondary evergreen broadleaved forest on well-drained, acidic sandy loam soil. We found a total of 1,039 individuals of C. changii. The population has a high flowering rate but a low seed-setting rate. The population appears to be in decline because no seedlings and few young plants were evident. Our findings indicate that C. changii should be categorized as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. We have recommended an integrated species-conservation plan for the species that includes patrolling the Ehuangzhang Nature Reserve to prevent plant removal, establishing an ex situ living collection that contains the entire wild genetic diversity (accomplished by grafting of short cuttings from all wild individuals), facilitating propagation for commercial use, and implementing reintroduction to augment the wild population.
Changes in plastochromanol-8 and tocopherols during germination in Ethiopian mustard lines with contrasting tocopherol levels
Authors: García-Navarro Elena , Pérez-Vich Begoña , Velasco Leonardo
Published: April 2014

Plastochromanol-8 and tocopherols are natural antioxidants with vitamin E activity that protect seeds and plants from oxidative damage. Whereas α-tocopherol is predominant in photosynthetic tissues, γ-tocopherol is more abundant in seeds. Ethiopian mustard (Brassica carinata A. Braun) seeds contain varying levels of both tocopherol forms. The objective of this research was to study changes in plastochromanol-8 and tocopherol contents during seed germination in Ethiopian mustard lines with contrasting seed tocopherol levels, and to evaluate their influence on seed germination and seedling growth. Cotyledons and radicles of seven lines with contrasting seed tocopherol levels and a control line were sampled periodically until 120 h after sowing (HAS) under light and dark conditions, and were analysed for plastochromanol-8 and tocopherol contents. The main factors genotype, tissue, light and HAS were significant for all the traits, excepting the light effect for total tocopherol content. Most of the lines showed a gradual decrease in γ-tocopherol that was nearly completely replaced by α-tocopherol at 120 HAS. However, line BCT-4, with high γ-tocopherol content in seeds, exhibited unusually high γ-tocopherol content in cotyledons and radicles during the whole sampling period. Light treatment and initial seed tocopherol levels had no influence on germination percentage. Despite significant differences for seedling development among genotypes, no clear association between seedling development and seed tocopherols was observed. The results revealed that the unusual presence of high γ-tocopherol levels in cotyledons and radicles of line BCT-4 did not have an effect on seedling growth.
Evidence for Linguistic Deficit in Nonlexical Processing in Reading. A Study of a Spanish-Speaking Patient
Authors: Plasencia Pilar Martín , Dorado Jaime Iglesias , Serrano Juan Manuel
Published: April 2014

Previous studies have shown that in the so-called opaque languages (those in which spelling does not correspond to pronunciation), there are relatively independent routes for lexical and nonlexical processing, that is, for words and nonwords, both in spoken and in written language. On the other hand, in the so-called transparent languages (those in which pronunciation corresponds to written forms), empirical evidence is scarcer. In this study of a neurological patient (parieto-temporal lesion), speaker of a transparent language (Spanish) showing a specific deficit in nonlexical reading processing, linguistic analysis for words was relatively preserved. This finding suggests the use of various routes in the processing of transparent languages.
Condom Use, Contraceptive Methods, and Religiosity among Youths of Low Socioeconomic Level
Authors: Cerqueira-Santos Elder , Koller Sílvia , Wilcox Brian
Published: April 2014

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the use of condoms and other contraceptive methods and religiosity/spirituality among youths of a low socioeconomic level in Porto Alegre. 1013 youths, between 12–24 years of age participated, responding to a personal questionnaire containing 109 items. Results show that 53.5% of these youths had already had their first sexual encounter, 55% of which had this experience before the age of 15. The majority (42.8%) claimed to be Catholic, and 26.7% said they believe in God, but were not religious. There appeared no significant difference in the use of condoms in relation to the level of religiosity, however, men used this method more than women to avoid AIDS and as a contraceptive. Women used other contraceptive methods more frequently, and there were no cases of exclusive use of methods permitted by the major religions (natural methods). This study revealed a high level of condom use (more than 80%) among both religious and non-religious youths.
A New Mathematical Model For Assessment of Memorization Dynamics
Authors: Stepanov Igor I. , Abramson Charles I.
Published: April 2014

A new memory model is proposed based on regression analysis and exponential- shaped learning curves. The efficacy of the model is tested with several types of experiments including food aversion in snails, maze learning in rats and memory tests for adults and children. The model is also tested on drug abusers and alcoholics. The results of goodness of fit tests indicate that our model can accurately be used to predict the memory dynamics of diverse experiments and populations. The model can also be used to predict both group and individual performance. The application of the model to detect memory impairment is discussed, as are limitations.
Neuropsychological Disorders Indicative of Postresuscitation Encephalopathy in Rats
Authors: Gorenkova Natalia A. , Nazarenko Irina V. , Volkov Aleksandr V. , Avruschenko Maria Sh. , Lapa Gennady B. , Kovalev Georgi I. , Molchanova Lidia V.
Published: April 2014

The aim of this research was to study the effect of 12-minute clinical death on innate and acquired behavior, biogenic amine concentration, and the composition and quantity of neural populations in specific brain regions of white rats. The study shows that in animals during the postresuscitation period with formal restoration of neurological status, there are changes in emotional reactivity, orientation-exploration reactions, impairment of learning and memory, decrease in exercise tolerance and pain sensitivity. These processes are accompanied by alterations in serotonin and norepinephrine levels in the frontal cerebral cortex, dopamine and serotonin levels in the striatum, certain biochemical indices in blood plasma and neural loss in the CA1 sector of the hippocampus and lateral portions of the cerebellum.
Adult Performance in Naming Spatial Dimensions of Objects
Authors: Moreno Miguel Ángel Galeote , Adrados Herminia Peraita , Ponce Elena Checa
Published: April 2014

Most work on acquisition of lexical meaning in developmental psycholinguistics is based on the idea of the relevance of the adult model, which is generally described in relation to certain theoretical semantic analyses. Up to the present, adult behavior itself has not been examined and its validity as a model for children has been taken for granted. This paper analyzes the knowledge of spatial terms, namely dimensional terms, shown by a group of 20 adults. The results show that the adult subjects used in our study - supposedly linguistically competent - committed errors, significantly varying their strategies for naming dimensions from one case to another, and showing a lack of consistency between them. The results are discussed in terms of assumed theoretical validity with regard to theoretical semantic analysis, as well as the methods of research about the acquisition of lexical meaning.
Multiple Comparison Procedures for Simple One-Way ANOVA with Dependent Data
Authors: Seco Guillermo Vallejo , de la Fuente Ignacio Menéndez , García Paula Fernández
Published: April 2014

The independence assumption, although reasonable when examining cross-sectional data using single-factor experimental designs, is seldom verified by investigators. A Monte Carlo type simulation experiment was designed to examine the relationship between true Types I and II error probabilities in six multiple comparison procedures. Various aspects, such as patterns of means, types of hypotheses, and degree of dependence of the observations, were taken into account. Results show that, if independence is violated, none of the procedures control a using the error rate per comparison. At the same time, as the correlation increases, so does the per-comparison power.
Machiavellianism: Dimensionality of the Mach IV and its Relation to Self-Monitoring in a Spanish Sample
Authors: Corral Susana , Calvete Esther
Published: April 2014

The aim of this study was to assess the measurement model of a Spanish version of the Mach IV Scale (Christie, 1970b), used to measure Machiavellianism, and its relation with the Self-Monitoring Scale (Snyder & Gangestad, 1986). 346 undergraduate students (70 males and 276 females) filled in both scales. The results of confirmatory factor analyses showed a four-factor structure to be the most adequate model for the Mach IV, with the following factors: Positive Interpersonal Tactics, Negative Tactics, Positive View of Human Nature, and Cynical View of Human Nature. These results are not in accordance with the original factor structure but are consistent with other authors' findings. A structural model between Machiavellianism and self-monitoring was tested, showing statistically significant paths between interpersonal tactics and one self-monitoring subscale.
Regression Periods in Infancy: A Case Study from Catalonia
Authors: Sadurní Marta , Rostan Carlos
Published: April 2014

Based on Rijt-Plooij and Plooij's (1992) research on emergence of regression periods in the first two years of life, the presence of such periods in a group of 18 babies (10 boys and 8 girls, aged between 3 weeks and 14 months) from a Catalonian population was analyzed. The measurements were a questionnaire filled in by the infants' mothers, a semi-structured weekly tape-recorded interview, and observations in their homes. The procedure and the instruments used in the project follow those proposed by Rijt-Plooij and Plooij. Our results confirm the existence of the regression periods in the first year of children's life. Inter-coder agreement for trained coders was 78.2% and within-coder agreement was 90.1 %. In the discussion, the possible meaning and relevance of regression periods in order to understand development from a psychobiological and social framework is commented upon.
Advantage for Emotional Words in Immediate and Delayed Memory Tasks: Could it be Explained in Terms of Processing Capacity?
Authors: Ferré Pilar
Published: April 2014

Emotional stimuli are better remembered and recognized than neutral ones. This advantage for emotional stimuli has been repeatedly obtained when testing long-term retention. However, there are contradictory results concerning retention of emotional information when short retention intervals are used. The aim of the present study was, on the one hand, to test the effect of retention interval on memory for emotional stimuli (Experiment 1). The results showed that emotional information is better remembered than neutral information in both immediate and delayed memory tests, suggesting that the advantage for emotional information is not limited to long retention intervals. On the other hand, I tried to test the proposals made by Christianson and Nilsson (1984) and Bower (1992). These authors suggested that the advantage for emotional stimuli could be explained as emotional stimuli spending more processing capacity during acquisition, thus rendering less capacity available to encode simultaneously presented information (Experiments 2 and 3). Results showed that concurrent presentation of emotional stimuli did not inhibit the recall of neutral stimuli. These findings do not seem to support the proposals of Christianson and Nilsson (1984) and Bower (1992). According to these results, some mechanisms other than a greater spending of processing capacity have to be involved in the advantage for emotional information in memory.
Presentation of Keywords by Means of Interactive Drawings
Authors: Campos Alfredo , Amor Ángeles , González María Ángeles
Published: April 2014

One of the main outstanding problems in keyword mnemotechnics is whether this technique is more effective when the subjects generate their own keywords, or when the keywords are supplied by the experimenter. Both methods have advantages and disadvantages. An alternative method has recently been suggested, in which the keywords are generated by the subjects' peers. In the present study we aimed to investigate whether immediate or delayed recall are affected by keyword generation method (experimenter or peer generation). We also aimed to determine whether the method of keyword generation affects imaging capacity as evaluated by questionnaires or spatial tests. A total of 377 secondary-school students were selected and divided into four groups. All subjects were presented with 30 Latin words. Additionally, the subjects in Group 1 were presented with bizarre images, while the subjects of Group 2 were presented with normal images, in both cases representing the keywords selected by peers as interacting with the Latin words. The subjects in Groups 3 and 4 were likewise presented with normal or bizarre images, respectively, but representing the keywords selected by the experimenters. The subjects' imaging capacity was evaluated by means of the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire (VVIQ) and the Spatial Test of Primary Mental Abilities (ST-PMA). The results were analysed by multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) with three factors (ST-PMA imaging capacity, 2 levels; VVIQ imaging capacity, 2 levels; and mnemotechnic method, 4 levels) and dependent variables immediate recall and delayed recall. All three factors influenced recall. Subsequent univariate analyses of variance indicated that subjects with high ST-PMA score and subjects with high VVIQ score showed better immediate and delayed recall than subjects with low ST-PMA score and subjects with low VVIQ score. Mnemotechnic method (i.e. whether keywords are generated by the experimenter or by peers) significantly affected immediate recall but not delayed recall.
An Empirical Test of Formal Equivalence between Emmert's Law and the Size-Distance Invariance Hypothesis
Authors: Imamura Mariko , Nakamizo Sachio
Published: April 2014

Emmert's law and the size-distance invariance hypothesis have been said to be formally equivalent, provided that Emmert's law means that the perceived size of an afterimage is proportional to the perceived distance of the projected surface of the afterimage. However, there have been very few studies that have attempted to verify this formal equivalence empirically. We measured both the perceived size and distance of afterimages and real objects with the same proximal size. Nineteen participants projected afterimages of 1 deg in visual angle on the wall located at distances of 1 to 23 meters from the participants. They also observed real objects, disc-shaped and made from a sheet of Styrofoam board, with the same proximal size as that of the afterimages, which were located at the same physical distances as those of the wall on which the afterimages were projected. Each participant reproduced the apparent sizes of the afterimages and real objects using the reproduction method and estimated the apparent distances using the magnitude estimation method. When the mean apparent sizes of the afterimages and real objects, represented as a function of apparent distance, were fitted to a linear function, the slopes for the afterimages and real objects did not differ significantly. These results are interpreted as evidence for the formal equivalence of Emmert's law and the size-distance invariance hypothesis.
Reply to Hutchison and Loomis
Authors: Proffitt Dennis R. , Stefanucci Jeanine , Banton Tom , Epstein William
Published: April 2014

Proffitt, Stefanucci, Banton, and Epstein (2003) reported a set of studies showing that the perceived distance to a target is influenced by the effort required to walk to its location. Hutchison and Loomis (H&L) reported an experiment that failed to find a significant influence of effort on indices of apparent distance. There were numerous important differences between the design and methods of H&L's study and those of Proffitt et al. Moreover, there are important theoretical reasons to believe that these differences were responsible for the different results. The theoretical motivation of H&L's studies was also brought into question.
Which Language Declines More? Longitudinal versus Cross-sectional Decline of Picture Naming in Bilinguals with Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Ivanova Iva , Salmon David P. , Gollan Tamar H.
Published: April 2014

In this study, we investigated dual-language decline in non-balanced bilinguals with probable Alzheimer’s disease (AD) both longitudinally and cross-sectionally. We examined patients’ naming accuracy on the Boston Naming Test (BNT: Kaplan et al., 1983) over three testing sessions (longitudinal analysis) and compared their performance to that of matched controls (cross-sectional analysis). We found different longitudinal and cross-sectional patterns of decline: Longitudinally, the non-dominant language seemed to decline more steeply than the dominant language, but, cross-sectionally, differences between patients and controls were larger for the dominant than for the non-dominant language, especially at the initial testing session. This differential pattern of results for cross-sectional versus longitudinal decline was supported by correlations between decline measures and BNT item characteristics. Further studies will be needed to better characterize the nature of linguistic decline in bilinguals with AD; however, these results suggest that representational robustness of individual lexical representations, rather than language membership, might determine the time course of decline for naming in bilinguals with AD. (JINS, 2014, 20, 1–13)
FISCAL SHOCKS IN A TWO-SECTOR OPEN ECONOMY WITH ENDOGENOUS MARKUPS
Authors: Cardi Olivier , Restout Romain
Published: April 2014

We use a two-sector neoclassical open economy model with traded and nontraded goods and endogenous markups to investigate the effects of temporary fiscal shocks. One central finding is that theory can be reconciled with evidence once we allow for endogenous markups and assume that the traded sector is more capital-intensive than the nontraded sector. More precisely, although both ingredients are essential to produce the real exchange rate depreciation, only the second ingredient is necessary to account for the simultaneous decline in investment and the current account, in line with the evidence.
Prolonging the longevity of ex situ conserved seeds by storage under anoxia
Authors: Groot Steven P. C. , de Groot Liesbeth , Kodde Jan , van Treuren Rob
Published: April 2014

Plant genetic resources are conserved by genebanks mainly in the form of seeds. In most of the cases, the dried seeds can be stored for a considerable period of time, but eventually seed deterioration results in the inability to generate healthy seedlings. Prolonging seed longevity during storage reduces the frequency of regeneration, which is beneficial from a genetic as well as a management point of view. To reduce the rate of deterioration, cool and dry storage conditions are usually practised for long-term seed storage. In spite of the growing body of evidence that seed deterioration is predominantly caused by oxidative processes, the importance of seed storage under anoxic conditions has received little attention from the genebank community. Herein, we report on the effects of anoxia on seed viability, the oxygen uptake by dry seeds in closed containers and the permeability for oxygen of various seed storage containers. Our results confirm that the ageing of dry seeds is accelerated by the presence of oxygen in the storage environment. Therefore, we recommend that genebanks store dry seeds under anoxic conditions to prolong their longevity during ex situ conservation. To reduce the initial rate of viability loss, we further recommend that the period of temporary storage after seed harvest be minimized and also that the seeds are kept during this period under controlled conditions, including anoxia.
Systemisch orientierte Interventionen in der Lerntherapie
Authors: Robering Nicole
Published: April 2014

In diesem Artikel soll anhand von konkreten Sequenzen aus der lerntherapeutischen Arbeit speziell mit Kindern und Jugendlichen (und zum Teil auch Erwachsenen) mit verfestigten Lernstörungen bzw. bereits mehrjährig bestehender LRS/Legasthenie aufgezeigt werden, welche Möglichkeiten sich durch systemische Haltungen und Interventionen für die lerntherapeutische Arbeit ergeben.

Diese systemisch orientierten Interventionsmöglichkeiten in der Lerntherapie werden entlang der Markierungspunkte „Diagnostik – Entwickeln von Hypothesen“ und „Arbeit an konkreten Rechtschreibphänomenen“ dargestellt. Die hier vorgestellten systemischen Interventionsmöglichkeiten bieten im Rahmen dieses Artikels nur einen kleinen Einblick in eine systemische Lerntherapie, wollen aber den Leser zu einer Auseinandersetzung mit systemischen Interventionen in der Lerntherapie anregen.
Unsustainable Consumption
Authors: Thøgersen John
Published: April 2014

Our dominant way of living is not sustainable and our activities as private individuals and households directly and indirectly account for a large and increasing share of total environmental impacts. These impacts are related to the structure as well as the level of consumption. In this article, research on the root causes of environmentally harmful human behavior is reviewed. Why is there no satiation of consumption in sight, even in the most affluent countries, and why do people continue to make choices that are known to be environmentally harmful? While potentially catastrophic, the harms from unsustainable consumption are mostly unintentional, which means that informational and educational means are not sufficient to produce the needed changes. They need to be implemented in concert with pervasive structural changes to make the right choice the easy choice.
Orally active microtubule-targeting agent, MPT0B271, for the treatment of human non-small cell lung cancer, alone and in combination with erlotinib
Authors: Tsai A-C , Wang C-Y , Liou J-P , Pai H-C , Hsiao C-J , Chang J-Y , Wang J-C , Teng C-M , Pan S-L
Published: April 2014

Microtubule-binding agents, such as taxanes and vinca alkaloids, are used in the treatment of cancer. The limitations of these treatments, such as resistance to therapy and the need for intravenous administration, have encouraged the development of new agents. MPT0B271 (N-[1-(4-Methoxy-benzenesulfonyl)-2,3-dihydro-1H-indol-7-yl]-1-oxy-isonicotinamide), an orally active microtubule-targeting agent, is a completely synthetic compound that possesses potent anticancer effects in vitro and in vivo. Tubulin polymerization assay and immunofluorescence experiment showed that MPT0B271 caused depolymerization of tubulin at both molecular and cellular levels. MPT0B271 reduced cell growth and viability at nanomolar concentrations in numerous cancer cell lines, including a multidrug-resistant cancer cell line NCI/ADR-RES. Further studies indicated that MPT0B271 is not a substrate of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), as determined by flow cytometric analysis of rhodamine-123 (Rh-123) dye efflux and the calcein acetoxymethyl ester (calcein AM) assay. MPT0B271 also caused G2/M cell-cycle arrest, accompanied by the up-regulation of cyclin B1, p-Thr161 Cdc2/p34, serine/threonine kinases polo-like kinase 1, aurora kinase A and B and the downregulation of Cdc25C and p-Tyr15 Cdc2/p34 protein levels. The appearance of MPM2 and the nuclear translocation of cyclin B1 denoted M phase arrest in MPT0B271-treated cells. Moreover, MPT0B271 induced cell apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner; it also reduced the expression of Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, and Mcl-1 and increased the cleavage of caspase-3 and -7 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Finally, this study demonstrated that MPT0B271 in combination with erlotinib significantly inhibits the growth of the human non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells as compared with erlotinib treatment alone, both in vitro and in vivo. These findings identify MPT0B271 as a promising new tubulin-binding compound for the treatment of various cancers.
Upstream Transcription Factor 1 (USF1) allelic variants regulate lipoprotein metabolism in women and USF1 expression in atherosclerotic plaque
Authors: Fan Yue-Mei , Hernesniemi Jussi , Oksala Niku , Levula Mari , Raitoharju Emma , Collings Auni , Hutri-Kähönen Nina , Juonala Markus , Marniemi Jukka , Lyytikäinen Leo-Pekka , Seppälä Ilkka , Mennander Ari , Tarkka Matti , Kangas Antti J. , Soininen Pasi , Salenius Juha Pekka , Klopp Norman , Illig Thomas , Laitinen Tomi , Ala-Korpela Mika , Laaksonen Reijo , Viikari Jorma , Kähönen Mika , Raitakari Olli T. , Lehtimäki Terho
Published: April 2014

Upstream transcription factor 1 (USF1) allelic variants significantly influence future risk of cardiovascular disease and overall mortality in females. We investigated sex-specific effects of USF1 gene allelic variants on serum indices of lipoprotein metabolism, early markers of asymptomatic atherosclerosis and their changes during six years of follow-up. In addition, we investigated the cis-regulatory role of these USF1 variants in artery wall tissues in Caucasians. In the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study, 1,608 participants (56% women, aged 31.9 ± 4.9) with lipids and cIMT data were included. For functional study, whole genome mRNA expression profiling was performed in 91 histologically classified atherosclerotic samples. In females, serum total, LDL cholesterol and apoB levels increased gradually according to USF1 rs2516839 genotypes TT < CT < CC and rs1556259 AA < AG < GG as well as according to USF1 H3 (GCCCGG) copy number 0 < 1 < 2. Furthermore, the carriers of minor alleles of rs2516839 (C) and rs1556259 (G) of USF1 gene had decreased USF1 expression in atherosclerotic plaques (P = 0.028 and 0.08, respectively) as compared to non-carriers. The genetic variation in USF1 influence USF1 transcript expression in advanced atherosclerosis and regulates levels and metabolism of circulating apoB and apoB-containing lipoprotein particles in sex-dependent manner, but is not a major determinant of early markers of atherosclerosis.
A simple, inexpensive method for preparing cell lysates suitable for downstream reverse transcription quantitative PCR
Authors: Shatzkes Kenneth , Teferedegne Belete , Murata Haruhiko
Published: April 2014

Sample nucleic acid purification can often be rate-limiting for conventional quantitative PCR (qPCR) workflows. We recently developed high-throughput virus microneutralization assays using an endpoint assessment approach based on reverse transcription qPCR (RT-qPCR). The need for cumbersome RNA purification is circumvented in our assays by making use of a commercial reagent that can easily generate crude cell lysates amenable to direct analysis by one-step RT-qPCR. In the present study, we demonstrate that a simple buffer containing a non-ionic detergent can serve as an inexpensive alternative to commercially available reagents for the purpose of generating RT-qPCR-ready cell lysates from MDCK cells infected with influenza virus. We have found that addition of exogenous RNase inhibitor as a buffer component is not essential in order to maintain RNA integrity, even following stress at 37°C incubation for 1–2 hours, in cell-lysate samples either freshly prepared or previously stored frozen at −80°C.
Mechanochemical synthesis and characterisation of two new bismuth metal organic frameworks
Authors: Tröbs L. , Wilke M. , Szczerba W. , Reinholz U. , Emmerling F.
Published: April 2014

Two metal organic structures composed of the ligands benzene-1,4-dicarboxylate and pyridine-2,5-dicarboxylate and bismuth cations are presented: (H2Im)[Bi(1,4-bdc)2] (1) and [Bi(pydc)(NO3)2(H2O)2]·H2O (2) (bdc = benzenedicarboxylate, H2Im = imidazole cation, pydc = pyridinedicarboxylate).
Reversible and selective luminescent determination of ClO−/H2S redox cycle in vitro and in vivo based on a ruthenium trisbipyridyl probe
Authors: Liu Fengyu , Gao Yulong , Wang Jitao , Sun Shiguo
Published: April 2014

A reversible and highly selective luminescent probe was successfully employed for the determination of ClO− and H2S and for monitoring the ClO−/H2S redox cycle both in vitro and in vivo.
Spectrophotometric estimation of the accessible inclusion sites of β-cyclodextrin fixed on cotton fabrics using phenolic dyestuffs
Authors: Dehabadi Vahid Ameri , Buschmann Hans-Jürgen , Gutmann Jochen Stefan
Published: April 2014

With the known stoichiometry of the complex formation of phenolic dyes with β-cyclodextrin, spectrophotometric study of complexation and decomplexation of these dyestuffs in cavities of cyclodextrins enables us to determine the accessible cyclodextrin sites quantitatively.
Ultrasensitive and rapid detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in beef juice using immunoassay based on field-effect enzymatic detection
Authors: Wang Jiapeng , Yau Siu-Tung
Published: April 2014

Detection ofE. coliO157:H7 in beef juice with a detection limit of 19 CFU mL−1. An assay time of 67 min was resulted due to the absence of sample pre-enrichment.
All-round robustness of the Mn19 coordination cluster system: experimental validation of a theoretical prediction
Authors: Ako Ayuk M. , Lan Yanhua , Hampe Oliver , Cremades Eduard , Ruiz Eliseo , Anson Christopher E. , Powell Annie K.
Published: April 2014

Experimental and theoretical studies confirm that the maximum possible ground spin state of ST = 83/2 for the Mn19 aggregate is insensitive to replacement of its eight μ3-N3 ligands by μ3-Cl, μ3-Br, μ3-OH or μ3-OMe.
Self-decoration of Pt metal particles on TiO2 nanotubes used for highly efficient photocatalytic H2 production
Authors: Basahel Sulaiman N. , Lee Kiyoung , Hahn Robert , Schmuki Patrik , Bawaked Salem M. , Al-Thabaiti Shaeel A.
Published: April 2014

Pt decorated TiO2 has, over the past decades, been a key material for photocatalytic hydrogen production.
An enantioselective Diels–Alder reaction of 1,2-dihydropyridines with α-acyloxyacroleins catalyzed by a chiral primary ammonium salt
Authors: Ishihara Kazuaki , Yamada Hiroki , Akakura Matsujiro
Published: April 2014

An enantioselective Diels–Alder reaction of 1,2-dihydropyridines with α-acyloxyacroleins catalyzed by a chiral primary ammonium salt has been developed.
Asymmetric dinuclear bis(dipyrrinato)zinc(ii) complexes: broad absorption and unidirectional quantitative exciton transmission
Authors: Tsuchiya Mizuho , Sakamoto Ryota , Kusaka Shinpei , Kitagawa Yasutaka , Okumura Mitsutaka , Nishihara Hiroshi
Published: April 2014

Asymmetric, heteroleptic dinuclear bis(dipyrrinato)zinc(ii) complexes convey excitons quantitatively and rapidly across their structure from one end to the other.
Facile synthesis of one-dimensional crystalline/amorphous tungsten oxide core/shell heterostructures with balanced electrochromic properties
Authors: Her Yung-Chiun , Chang Chia-Chun
Published: April 2014

The h-WO3/a-WOx core/shell heterostructures combine the assets of the constituent phases and exhibit highly improved and balanced electrochromic properties.
Racemic compound versus conglomerate: concerning the crystal chemistry of the triazoylketone, 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-4,4-dimethyl-2-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)pentan-3-one
Authors: Davey Roger J. , Sadiq Ghazala , Seaton Colin C. , Pritchard Robin G. , Coquerel Gerard , Rougeot Celine
Published: April 2014

The triazoylketone discussed in this paper crystallises from racemic solutions as a conglomerate.
Fluorescence response of a dipolar organic solute in a dicationic ionic liquid (IL): is the behavior of dicationic IL different from that of usual monocationic IL?
Authors: Sahu Prabhat Kumar , Das Sudhir Kumar , Sarkar Moloy
Published: April 2014

The solvation dynamics of coumarin 153 are compared in di and in mono-cationic-based ionic liquids for the first time.