bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using Transfer of Stimulus Control Technology to Promote Generalization and Spontaneity of Language
Authors: Spencer Trina D. , Higbee Thomas S.
Published: October 2012

Children with autism often use newly acquired language in restricted contexts and with limited variability. Instructional tactics that embed generalization technology have shown promise for increasing spontaneity, response variation, and the generalized use of language across settings, people, and materials. In this study, we explored the integration of textual scripts and explicit engineering of transfer of stimulus control procedures to facilitate functional conversation skills of a young girl with autism. The generalized use of prepositions, coordinating conjunctions, and subordinating conjunctions was assessed within the context of natural conversation with teachers, parents, and peers. The intentional programming of training contexts has the potential to affect language spontaneity, generalization, and variability without relying on script-fading conventions.
Alpha nerds: Cultural intermediaries in a subcultural scene
Authors: Woo Benjamin
Published: October 2012

Recent studies of cultural intermediaries demonstrate that economic activity in even the most rationalized organizations and industries is thoroughly cultural. However, they may not do justice to contexts where production and mediation are embedded in communities with distinctive traditions and aesthetic standards. This article offers an ethnographically informed account of intermediaries working within one such context: namely, the organizations and stores composing the ‘nerd-culture scene’ in a Canadian city. Retailers and group organizers enable geeky cultural practices by providing spaces where individuals can develop their interests and hobbies. Their labour is analysed in terms of their subcultural careers, gatekeeping functions within the scene and dispositions towards the ‘mainstream’. They are not simply economic agents but also culturally and socially situated actors motivated to do this work for its intrinsic rewards. Subcultural scenes cut across industrial sectors and cultural industries, making them a special context for the work of cultural intermediaries.
Low Tuberculosis Knowledge among HIV-Infected Patients in a High HIV Prevalence Region within Southeast India
Authors: Arora Nick , Vadrevu Ravi , Chandrasekhar Aditya , Gupta Amita
Published: October 2012

Setting:

A private multispecialty hospital in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, India.

Methods:

A survey of knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions adapted from a pretested questionnaire was administered to 128 HIV-infected adults, from July to August 2008.

Results:

A total of 31% had not heard of tuberculosis (TB), with 15 (38%) currently receiving anti-TB therapy or had received it in the past. Of those familiar with TB, 70% could not list a method by which it was spread. Low education attainment, female sex, and less frequent television exposure were associated with low TB literacy.

Conclusions:

HIV-infected patients in southeast India have poor knowledge of TB and the methods by which it is spread. Scale-up of patient-directed educational programs is necessary to help control TB in India.
Improving the thermostability of alpha-amylase by combinatorial coevolving-site saturation mutagenesis
Authors: Wang Chenghua , Huang Ribo , He Bingfang , Du Qishi
Published: October 2012

Background

The generation of focused mutant libraries at hotspot residues is an important strategy in directed protein evolution. Existing methods, such as combinatorial active site testing and residual coupling analysis, depend primarily on the evolutionary conserved information to find the hotspot residues. Hardly any attention has been paid to another important functional and structural determinants, the functionally correlated variation information--coevolution.

Results

In this paper, we suggest a new method, named combinatorial coevolving-site saturation mutagenesis (CCSM), in which the functionally correlated variation sites of proteins are chosen as the hotspot sites to construct focused mutant libraries. The CCSM approach was used to improve the thermal stability of α-amylase from Bacillus subtilis CN7 (Amy7C). The results indicate that the CCSM can identify novel beneficial mutation sites, and enhance the thermal stability of wild-type Amy7C by 8°C (

T
50
30

), which could not be achieved with the ordinarily rational introduction of single or a double point mutation.

Conclusions

Our method is able to produce more thermostable mutant α-amylases with novel beneficial mutations at new sites. It is also verified that the coevolving sites can be used as the hotspots to construct focused mutant libraries in protein engineering. This study throws new light on the active researches of the molecular coevolution.
Rapid, simple, and sensitive detection of the ompB gene of spotted fever group rickettsiae by loop-mediated isothermal amplification
Authors: Pan Lei , Zhang Lijuan , Wang Guiqiang , Liu Qinghui
Published: October 2012

Background

Spotted fever caused spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR) is prevalent throughout China. In this study, we describe a rapid, simple, and sensitive loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay targeting the ompB gene of spotted fever group rickettsiae ideal for application in China. The LAMP assay has the potential to detect spotted fever group rickettsiae early in infection and could therefore serve as an alternative to existing methods.

Methods

A set of universal primers which are specific 7 common species of spotted fever group rickettsiae in China were designed using PrimerExplorer V4 software based on conserved sequences of ompB gene. The sensitivity, specificity and reproducibility of the LAMP were evaluated. The LAMP assay for detecting SFGR was compared with conventional PCR assays for sensitivity and specificity in early phase blood samples obtained from 11 infected human subjects.

Results

The sensitivity of the LAMP assay was five copies per reaction (25 μL total volume), and the assay did not detect false-positive amplification across 42 strains of 27 members of the order Rickettsiales and 17 common clinical pathogens. The LAMP assay was negative to typhus group rickettsiae including R. prowazekii and R. typhi for no available conserved sequences of ompB was obtained for designing primers.

To evaluate the clinical applicability of the LAMP assay, a total of 11 clinical samples, 10 samples confirmed serologically (3 cases), ecologically (1 case), by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR; 2 cases), ecologically and by real-time PCR (1 case), and serologically and by real-time PCR (3 cases) were analyzed by the ompB LAMP assay. Data were validated using a previously established nested PCR protocol and real-time PCR. A positive LAMP result was obtained for 8 of the 10 confirmed cases (sensitivity, 73%; specificity, 100%), while none of these samples were positive by nested PCR (sensitivity, 0%; specificity, 100%).

Conclusions

The LAMP assay described here is the most reliable among the three methods tested and would be an ideal choice for development as a rapid and cost-effective means of detecting SFGR in China.
Modified protocol for in vivo imaging of wild-type mouse retina with customized miniature spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) device
Authors: Ferguson Lee R , Balaiya Sankarathi , Grover Sandeep , Chalam Kakarla V
Published: October 2012

This protocol outlines and evaluates a modified scanning procedure for a customized spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) imaging apparatus within the wild-type C57Bl/6 mouse posterior segment. This modified protocol allows for the capture of a 50 degree field of view spanning 3 mm by 3 mm perimeter with the optic disc as the central point. By utilizing this scanning protocol a more reliable measurement of retinal thickness can be achieved outside the fluctuating region of the optic disc. This protocol, when applied to this high resolution device, enables non-invasive in vivo histological imaging and biometric assessment of the various layers of the rodent posterior segment within a 20 – 30 min procedural time-frame. This protocol could establish a standardized method for evaluating morphological changes, with this commercial SDOCT device, when assessing longitudinal disease pathophysiology and treatment response in mouse models for future vision science research.
Coexistence of protease sensitive and resistant prion protein in 129VV homozygous sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease: a case report
Authors: Rodríguez-Martínez Ana B. , de Munain Adolfo López , Ferrer Isidro , Zarranz Juan J. , Atarés Begoña , Villagra Nuria T. , Arteagoitia Jose M. , Garrido Joseba M. , Juste Ramón A.
Published: October 2012

Introduction

The coexistence of different molecular types of classical protease-resistant prion protein in the same individual have been described, however, the simultaneous finding of these with the recently described protease-sensitive variant or variably protease-sensitive prionopathy has, to the best of our knowledge, not yet been reported.

Case presentation

A 74-year-old Caucasian woman showed a sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease clinical phenotype with reactive depression, followed by cognitive impairment, akinetic-rigid Parkinsonism with pseudobulbar syndrome and gait impairment with motor apraxia, visuospatial disorientation, and evident frontal dysfunction features such as grasping, palmomental reflex and brisk perioral reflexes. She died at age 77.

Neuropathological findings showed: spongiform change in the patient’s cerebral cortex, striatum, thalamus and molecular layer of the cerebellum with proteinase K-sensitive synaptic-like, dot-like or target-like prion protein deposition in the cortex, thalamus and striatum; proteinase K-resistant prion protein in the same regions; and elongated plaque-like proteinase K-resistant prion protein in the molecular layer of the cerebellum. Molecular analysis of prion protein after proteinase K digestion revealed decreased signal intensity in immunoblot, a ladder-like protein pattern, and a 71% reduction of PrPSc signal relative to non-digested material. Her cerebellum showed a 2A prion protein type largely resistant to proteinase K. Genotype of polymorphism at codon 129 was valine homozygous.

Conclusion

Molecular typing of prion protein along with clinical and neuropathological data revealed, to the best of our knowledge, the first case of the coexistence of different protease-sensitive prion proteins in the same patient in a rare case that did not fulfill the current clinical diagnostic criteria for either probable or possible sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease. This highlights the importance of molecular analyses of several brain regions in order to correctly diagnose rare and atypical prionopathies.
Sleep disturbances are associated with increased pain, disease activity, depression, and anxiety in ankylosing spondylitis: a case-control study
Authors: Li Yan , Zhang Shengli , Zhu Jian , Du Xuna , Huang Feng
Published: October 2012

Introduction

Literature data suggest that sleep disturbances are prevalent among patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and have a close correlation with pain. Other studies indicate that sleep disturbances are constantly accompanied by depression and anxiety in AS, but their interrelations are poorly understood. This study was designed to evaluate sleep disturbances and their association with demographic variables, pain, disease-specific variables, functional status, covering depression and anxiety in AS patients.

Methods

The 314 patients with AS and age- and sex-matched controls took part in the study, completed a battery of questionnaires, and participated in long-term follow-up. Blood samples were taken to measure C-reactive protein (CRP) and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). The association among sleep, pain, disease activity, functional status, depression, and anxiety were assessed by using Pearson/Spearman correlations and multiple regression analysis.

Results

The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score of the Chinese version was significantly higher in the AS group than in the control group (P = 0.020). Of the 314 patients with AS, 184 (58.6%) had a high risk for sleep disturbances. The PSQI score was associated with age, years of education, ESR, CRP, overall assessment of health, pain, morning stiffness, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), depression, and anxiety (all P < 0.001), but were not associated with disease duration, fingertip-to-floor distance, and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index (BASMI) (P > 0.05). In hierarchic multiple regression analysis, the medical and psychological variables contributed significantly to the variance in sleep-disturbances scores, adding an additional 23.9% to the overall R
2
beyond that accounted for by demographic variables (R-square, 8.5%), resulting in a final R
2
of 42.6%. Multiple stepwise regression analysis revealed that anxiety was the maximal statistical contribution in predicting sleep disturbances (standardized coefficients, 0.287).

Conclusions

The prevalence of sleep disturbances in AS patients is higher than it is generally thought to be. Depression, anxiety, nocturnal pain, and total back pain are the major contributors of sleep disturbances in AS.
An Interdependent Analytic Approach to Explaining the Evolution of Ngos, Social Movements, and Biased Government Response to AIDS and Tuberculosis in Brazil
Authors: Gómez Eduardo J.
Published: October 2012

The politics of government response to health epidemics is a new area of scholarly research. Nevertheless, to date scholars have not considered how social science theory can be used and interdependently linked to provide a more thorough discussion of civil societal and national government response to different types of health epidemics. Introducing what I call an interdependent analytic framework of government response to epidemics, this article illustrates how social science theories can be interdependently linked and applied to help explain the evolutionary role of interest groups and social movements in response to AIDS and tuberculosis in Brazil, and when and why the government eventually responded more aggressively to AIDS but not tuberculosis. Evidence from Brazil suggests that the policy influence of interest groups and social movements evolves over time and is more influential after the national government implements new policies; moreover, this response is triggered by the rise of international pressures and government reputation building, not civil society. I highlight new areas of research that the framework provides and provide examples of how this approach can help explain civil societal and biased government responses to different types of epidemics in other nations.
The roof plate boundary is a bi-directional organiser of dorsal neural tube and choroid plexus development
Authors: Broom Emma R. , Gilthorpe Jonathan D. , Butts Thomas , Campo-Paysaa Florent , Wingate Richard J. T.
Published: October 2012

The roof plate is a signalling centre positioned at the dorsal midline of the central nervous system and generates dorsalising morphogenic signals along the length of the neuraxis. Within cranial ventricles, the roof plate gives rise to choroid plexus, which regulates the internal environment of the developing and adult brain and spinal cord via the secretion of cerebrospinal fluid. Using the fourth ventricle as our model, we show that the organiser properties of the roof plate are determined by its boundaries with the adjacent neuroepithelium. Through a combination of in ovo transplantation, co-culture and electroporation techniques in chick embryos between embryonic days 3 and 6, we demonstrate that organiser properties are maintained by interactions between the non-neural roof plate and the neural rhombic lip. At the molecular level, this interaction is mediated by Delta-Notch signalling and upregulation of the chick homologue of Hes1: chairy2. Gain- and loss-of-function approaches reveal that cdelta1 is both necessary and sufficient for organiser function. Our results also demonstrate that while chairy2 is specifically required for the maintenance of the organiser, its ectopic expression is not sufficient to recapitulate organiser properties. Expression of atonal1 in the rhombic lip adjacent at the roof plate boundary is acutely dependent on both boundary cell interactions and Delta-Notch signalling. Correspondingly, the roof plate boundary organiser also signals to the roof plate itself to specify the expression of early choroid plexus markers. Thus, the roof plate boundary organiser signals bi-directionally to acutely coordinate the development of adjacent neural and non-neural tissues.
Rapid positional cloning of zebrafish mutations by linkage and homozygosity mapping using whole-genome sequencing
Authors: Obholzer Nikolaus , Swinburne Ian A. , Schwab Evan , Nechiporuk Alex V. , Nicolson Teresa , Megason Sean G.
Published: October 2012

Forward genetic screens in zebrafish have identified >9000 mutants, many of which are potential disease models. Most mutants remain molecularly uncharacterized because of the high cost, time and labor investment required for positional cloning. These costs limit the benefit of previous genetic screens and discourage future screens. Drastic improvements in DNA sequencing technology could dramatically improve the efficiency of positional cloning in zebrafish and other model organisms, but the best strategy for cloning by sequencing has yet to be established. Using four zebrafish inner ear mutants, we developed and compared two approaches for ‘cloning by sequencing’: one based on bulk segregant linkage (BSFseq) and one based on homozygosity mapping (HMFseq). Using BSFseq we discovered that mutations in lmx1b and jagged1b cause abnormal ear morphogenesis. With HMFseq we validated that the disruption of cdh23 abolishes the ear's sensory functions and identified a candidate lesion in lhfpl5a predicted to cause nonsyndromic deafness. The success of HMFseq shows that the high intrastrain polymorphism rate in zebrafish eliminates the need for time-consuming map crosses. Additionally, we analyzed diversity in zebrafish laboratory strains to find areas of elevated diversity and areas of fixed homozygosity, reinforcing recent findings that genome diversity is clustered. We present a database of >15 million sequence variants that provides much of this approach's power. In our four test cases, only a single candidate single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) remained after subtracting all database SNPs from a mutant's critical region. The saturation of the common SNP database and our open source analysis pipeline MegaMapper will improve the pace at which the zebrafish community makes unique discoveries relevant to human health.
Keeping momentum with a mouthful of water: behavior and kinematics of humpback whale lunge feeding
Authors: Simon Malene , Johnson Mark , Madsen Peter T.
Published: October 2012

Rorqual baleen whales lunge feed by engulfment of tons of prey-laden water in a large and expandable buccal pouch. According to prior interpretations, feeding rorquals are brought to a near-halt at the end of each lunge by drag forces primarily generated by the open mouth. Accelerating the body from a standstill is energetically costly and is purported to be the key factor determining oxygen consumption in lunge-feeding rorquals, explaining the shorter dive times than expected given their sizes. Here, we use multi-sensor archival tags (DTAGs) sampling at high rates in a fine-scale kinematic study of lunge feeding to examine the sequence of events within lunges and how energy may be expended and conserved in the process of prey capture. Analysis of 479 lunges from five humpback whales reveals that the whales accelerate as they acquire prey, opening their gape in synchrony with strong fluke strokes. The high forward speed (mean depth rate: 2.0±0.32 m s−1) during engulfment serves both to corral active prey and to expand the ventral margin of the buccal pouch and so maximize the engulfed water volume. Deceleration begins after mouth opening when the pouch nears full expansion and momentum starts to be transferred to the engulfed water. Lunge-feeding humpback whales time fluke strokes throughout the lunge to impart momentum to the engulfed water mass and so avoid a near or complete stop, but instead continue to glide at ~1–1.5 m s−1 after the lunge has ended. Subsequent filtration and prey handling appear to take an average of 46 s and are performed in parallel with re-positioning for the next lunge.
How does the blue-ringed octopus (Hapalochlaena lunulata) flash its blue rings?
Authors: Mäthger Lydia M. , Bell George R. R. , Kuzirian Alan M. , Allen Justine J. , Hanlon Roger T.
Published: October 2012

The blue-ringed octopus (Hapalochlaena lunulata), one of the world's most venomous animals, has long captivated and endangered a large audience: children playing at the beach, divers turning over rocks, and biologists researching neurotoxins. These small animals spend much of their time in hiding, showing effective camouflage patterns. When disturbed, the octopus will flash around 60 iridescent blue rings and, when strongly harassed, bite and deliver a neurotoxin that can kill a human. Here, we describe the flashing mechanism and optical properties of these rings. The rings contain physiologically inert multilayer reflectors, arranged to reflect blue–green light in a broad viewing direction. Dark pigmented chromatophores are found beneath and around each ring to enhance contrast. No chromatophores are above the ring; this is unusual for cephalopods, which typically use chromatophores to cover or spectrally modify iridescence. The fast flashes are achieved using muscles under direct neural control. The ring is hidden by contraction of muscles above the iridophores; relaxation of these muscles and contraction of muscles outside the ring expose the iridescence. This mechanism of producing iridescent signals has not previously been reported in cephalopods and we suggest that it is an exceptionally effective way to create a fast and conspicuous warning display.
Far infrared radiation (FIR): Its biological effects and medical applications
Authors: Vatansever Fatma , Hamblin Michael R.
Published: October 2012

Far infrared (FIR) radiation (λ=3–100 μm) is a subdivision of the electromagnetic spectrum that has been investigated for biological effects. The goal of this review is to cover the use of a further sub-division (3–12 μm) of this waveband, that has been observed in both
Datenbasierte Optimalsteuerung mit neuronalen Netzen und dateneffizientem Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Runkler Thomas , Udluft Steffen , Düll Siegmund
Published: October 2012

Methoden der Computational Intelligence werden im Automatisierungsumfeld zur Datenanalyse, Klassifikation, Regression, dynamischen Systemidentifikation, Zustandsschätzung, Steuerung oder Regelung eingesetzt. Dieser Beitrag zeigt, wie neuronale Netze, Regressionsbäume, Kernel-Methoden und Reinforcement Learning von der Datenanalyse bis zur fertigen Lösung eingesetzt werden können. Als Anwendungsbeispiel dient eine Gasturbine, für die optimale Regelgesetze aus Daten erlernt und bei Inbetriebnahme und Arbeitspunktoptimierung eingesetzt werden.
Influence of hormonal control on LH pulsatility and secretion in women with classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia
Authors: Bachelot Anne , Chakhtoura Zeina , Plu-Bureau Geneviève , Coudert Mathieu , Coussieu Christiane , Badachi Yasmina , Dulon Jérome , Charbit Beny , Touraine Philippe
Published: October 2012

The journal apologises for an error in the Funding section of the above article published in the October issue of the journal (vol 167 issue 4 pages 499–505). The corrected section is published in full below:
Functional Characterization of Drosophila microRNAs by a Novel in Vivo Library
Authors: Schertel Claus , Rutishauser Tobias , Förstemann Klaus , Basler Konrad
Published: October 2012

Animal microRNAs (miRNA) are implicated in the control of nearly all cellular functions. Due to high sequence redundancy within the miRNA gene pool, loss of most of these 21- to 24-bp long RNAs individually does not cause a phenotype. Thus, only very few miRNAs have been associated with clear functional roles. We constructed a transgenic UAS-miRNA library in Drosophila melanogaster that contains 180 fly miRNAs. This library circumvents the redundancy issues by facilitating the controlled misexpression of individual miRNAs and is a useful tool to complement loss-of-function approaches. Demonstrating the effectiveness of our library, 78 miRNAs induced clear phenotypes. Most of these miRNAs were previously unstudied. Furthermore, we present a simple system to create GFP sensors to monitor miRNA expression and test direct functional interactions in vivo. Finally, we focus on the miR-92 family and identify a direct target gene that is responsible for the specific wing phenotype induced by the misexpression of miR-92 family members.
Workplace Concentrations and Exposure Assessment of Monoterpenes in Rosemary‐ and Lavender‐growing Greenhouses
Authors: Tani Akira , Nozoe Susumu
Published: October 2012

Workplace Concentrations and Exposure Assessment of Monoterpenes in Rosemary‐ and Lavender‐growing Greenhouses: Akira TANI, et al. Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Shizuoka—

Objectives

Monoterpenes can positively or negatively affect human health depending on their concentrations. To assess the atmospheric risk for greenhouse workers, monoterpene concentrations and personal exposure in herb‐growing greenhouses were measured.

Methods

Monoterpene concentrations in a commercial greenhouse, where rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) and lavender (Lavandula angustifolia L.) were grown in pots, were measured every 4 hours on 11 days spread across a year. In a small experimental greenhouse, typical horticultural tasks were conducted to determine the factors increasing monoterpene concentrations.

Results

Concentrations of α‐pinene, camphene, β‐pinene, limonene and cineole in the farmer's greenhouse were higher in winter than in summer because of longer ventilation periods of the greenhouse in summer. Further, the concentrations of these compounds were high (but <2 parts per billion in volume [ppbv]) when horticultural tasks were conducted inside the greenhouse. In a small experimental greenhouse, moving pots and cutting shoots increased ambient monoterpene concentrations to 10 ppbv. Spraying water also increased monoterpene concentrations but to a lesser extent. When performing tasks, greenhouse workers were exposed to monoterpene concentrations 2−3 times higher than the concentration in the ambient greenhouse air.

Conclusions

Our measurement results reveal that monoterpene emissions are stimulated by horticultural tasks, even by spraying water. Our calculation result suggests that if ventilation is limited, the concentrations can reach levels high enough to cause sensory irritation in greenhouse workers. Greenhouse workers should be cautious when performing tasks for hours in tightly closed herb‐growing greenhouses.
Electrical and structural properties of ABO3/SrTiO3 interfaces
Authors: Kalabukhov A. , Claeson T. , Aurino P.P. , Gunnarsson R. , Winkler D. , Olsson E. , Tuzla N. , Börjesson J. , Boikov Yu.A. , Serenkov I.T. , Sakharov V.I. , Volkov M.P.
Published: October 2012

Electrical transport and microstructure of interfaces between nm-thick films of various perovskite oxides grown by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on TiO2- terminated SrTiO3 (STO) substrates are compared. LaAlO3/STO and KTaO3/STO interfaces become quasi-2DEG after a critical film thickness of 4 unit cell layers. The conductivity survives long anneals in oxygen atmosphere. LaMnO3/STO interfaces remain insulating for all film thicknesses and NdGaO3/STO interfaces are conducting but the conductivity is eliminated after oxygen annealing. Medium-energy ion spectroscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy detect cationic intermixing within several atomic layers from the interface in all studied interfaces. Our results indicate that the electrical reconstruction in the polar oxide interfaces is a complex combination of different mechanisms, and oxygen vacancies play an important role.
Effect of Substrate Strain and Interface on Magnetic Properties of EuTiO3 Thin Film
Authors: Tanaka Katsuhisa , Fujita Koji , Maruyama Yuya , Kususe Yoshiro , Murakami Hideo , Akamatsu Hirofumi , Murai Shunsuke
Published: October 2012

Bulk EuTiO3 is known as a compound in which spin and soft phonon mode is strongly coupled. Recent theoretical study suggests that application of stress or formation of strain leads to a drastic change in magnetic and dielectric properties of EuTiO3 and that so-called multiferroic properties emerge under such a situation. In the present study, effect of strain induced by a substrate, on which EuTiO3 thin film is deposited, on the magnetic properties of the film has been experimentally examined. By using a pulsed laser deposition method, EuTiO3 thin film has been deposited on different kinds of substrate, i.e., LaAlO3, SrTiO3, and DyScO3; the lattice parameter of these compounds is smaller than, just the same as, and larger than that of EuTiO3, respectively. X-ray diffraction analysis confirms that the strain induced in the plane of as-deposited EuTiO3 thin films on different substrates is coincident with the lattice parameter of the substrate compounds. Also, all the as-deposited EuTiO3 thin films manifest elongation of lattice in a direction perpendicular to the film surface. Temperature dependence of magnetization indicates that all the thin films exhibit ferromagnetic behavior at low temperatures. The magnetization at 2 K under a magnetic field of 100 Oe is the highest for EuTiO3 on DyScO3 and the lowest for EuTiO3 on LaAlO3. The experimental result is coincident with the first-principles calculations which predict that ferromagnetic spin configuration becomes more stable as the lattice volume of EuTiO3is increased.
Facial Soft Tissue Dynamics before and after Primary Lip Repair
Authors: Trotman Carroll-Ann E. , Faraway Julian , Soltmann Renate , Hartman Terry , Van Aalst John
Published: October 2012

Objectives

(1) To collect three-dimensional, dynamic facial images from two groups of infants: one group born with cleft lip and palate slated to have a primary lip repair and a second, age-matched, noncleft control group. (2) To develop analyses to determine differences in facial movement between infants with cleft lip with or without palate (CL±P) and noncleft control infants and to determine changes in facial movement before and after primary lip repair.

Design

Longitudinal, prospective case-control study.

Setting

Facial Animation Laboratory at the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry.

Participants

Two groups of infants: one group with unrepaired CL±P slated to have primary lip repair (n = 15) and a second group of age-matched, noncleft controls (n = 15).

Interventions

Movement testing before and 4 months after primary lip repair in infants with CL±P and at similar time points in noncleft infants.

Main Outcome Measures

Seven measures of facial movement.

Results

The range of facial movements increased by 17% for all infants during the 4-month period. Compared with the noncleft group (1) infants with unilateral CL±P had 50% less nasolabial movement, and this difference did not change due to the lip repair; and (2) infants with unilateral or bilateral CL±P had 58% and 118% greater lateral upper lip movement, respectively, and 3.67 and 3.56 times greater asymmetry of movement, respectively, before lip repair. The procedure almost entirely removed the hypermobility and decreased the asymmetry.

Conclusions

Primary surgical lip repair decreased hypermobility and improved asymmetry of upper lip movement.
Lip Asymmetry and Smile Aesthetics
Authors: Batwa Waeil , McDonald Fraser , Cash Alex
Published: October 2012

Objective

To determine if lip asymmetry can affect lip aesthetics.

Setting and Participants

A group of dentists (n = 40) and cleft patients (n = 40) were recruited from the dental hospital and cleft service.

Interventions

Still photographic digital images of lips and teeth were manipulated to produce a computerized gradient of smile appearance with different degrees of upper-lip vertical asymmetry. These five photographs (with 0 mm representing “symmetry,” and 1, 2, 2.5, and 3 mm, asymmetries) were assessed by participants using a 5-point Likert scale.

Statistics

Descriptive statistics in addition to chi-square test were used to analyze the data. In order to satisfy the requirement of the chi-square test, the five smile ratings were reduced to three.

Results

Lip asymmetry did affect relative smile aesthetics, as determined by dentists and cleft patients. Both the dentists and cleft patients rated the 0-mm photograph more attractive than the 2.5-mm and 3-mm smiles ( P < .05). The 0-, 1-, and 2-mm smiles were indistinguishable for both dentists and cleft patients.

Conclusion

Lip asymmetry affects smile aesthetics. However, cleft patients and dentists were tolerant of minor asymmetries. This suggests that small degrees of lip asymmetry do not affect relative smile aesthetics as much as large degrees of lip asymmetry (2.5 mm or more).
Regional constraints to biological nitrogen fixation in post‐fire forest communities
Authors: Yelenik Stephanie , Perakis Steven , Hibbs David
Published: October 2012

Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is a key ecological process that can restore nitrogen (N) lost in wildfire and shape the pace and pattern of post‐fire forest recovery. To date, there is limited information on how climate and soil fertility interact to influence different pathways of BNF in early forest succession. We studied asymbiotic (forest floor and soil) and symbiotic (the shrubCeanothus integerrimus) BNF rates across six sites in the Klamath National Forest, California, USA. We used combined gradient and experimental phosphorus (P) fertilization studies to explore cross‐site variation in BNF rates and then related these rates to abiotic and biotic variables. We estimate that our measured BNF rates 22 years after wildfire (6.1–12.1 kg N·ha−1·yr−1) are unlikely to fully replace wildfire N losses. We found that asymbiotic BNF is P limited, although this is not the case for symbiotic BNF inCeanothus. In contrast,CeanothusBNF is largely driven by competition from other vegetation: in high‐productivity sites with high potential evapotranspiration (Et), shrub biomass is suppressed as tree biomass increases. Because shrub biomass governed cross‐site variation inCeanothusBNF, this competitive interaction led to lower BNF in sites with high productivity and Et. Overall, these results suggest that the effects of nutrients play a larger role in driving asymbiotic than symbiotic fixation across our post‐fire sites. However, because symbiotic BNF is 8–90× greater than asymbiotic BNF, it is interspecific plant competition that governs overall BNF inputs in these forests.
An emergent disease causes directional changes in forest species composition in coastal California
Authors: Metz Margaret R. , Frangioso Kerri M. , Wickland Allison C. , Meentemeyer Ross K. , Rizzo David M.
Published: October 2012

Non‐native forest pathogens can cause dramatic and long‐lasting changes to the composition of forests, and these changes may have cascading impacts on community interactions and ecosystem functioning. Phytophthora ramorum, the causal agent of the emergent forest disease sudden oak death (SOD), has a wide host range, but mortality is concentrated in a few dominant tree species of coastal forests in California and Oregon. We examined interactions between P. ramorum and its hosts in redwood and mixed evergreen forest types over an 80,000 ha area in the Big Sur ecoregion of central California, an area that constitutes the southernmost range of the pathogen and includes forest stands on the advancing front of pathogen invasion. We established a network of 280 long‐term forest monitoring plots to understand how host composition and forest structure facilitated pathogen invasion, and whether selective mortality from SOD has led to shifts in community composition. Infested and uninfested sites differed significantly in host composition due to both historical trends and disease impacts. A reconstruction of pre‐disease forest composition showed that stands that eventually became infested with the pathogen tended to be more mature with larger stems than stands that remained pathogen‐free, supporting the hypothesis of aerial dispersal by the pathogen across the landscape followed by local understory spread. The change in species composition in uninfested areas was minimal over the study period, while infested stands had large changes in composition, correlated with the loss of tanoak (Notholithocarpus densiflorus), signaling the potential for SOD to dramatically change coastal forests through selective removal of a dominant host. Forest diversity plays an important role in pathogen establishment and spread, and is in turn changed by pathogen impacts. Asymmetric competency among host species means that impacts of P. ramorum on forest diversity are shaped by the combination and dominance of hosts present in a stand.
Low-pressure reversible axial fan with straight profile blades and relatively high efficiency
Authors: Spasic Zivan , Milanovic Sasa , Sustersic Vanja , Nikolic Boban
Published: October 2012

The paper presents the design and operating characteristics of a model of
reversible axial fan with only one impeller, whose reversibility is achieved
by changing the direction of rotation. The fan is designed for the purpose of
providing alternating air circulation in wood dryers in order to reduce the
consumption of electricity for the fan and increase energy efficiency of the
entire dryer. To satisfy the reversibility of flow, the shape of the blade
profile is symmetrical along the longitudinal and transversal axes of the
profile. The fan is designed with equal specific work of all elementary
stages, using the method of lift forces. The impeller blades have straight
mean line profiles. The shape of the blade profile was adopted after the
numerical simulations were carried out and high efficiency was achieved.
Based on the calculation and conducted numerical simulations, a physical
model of the fan was created and tested on a standard test rig, with air
loading at the suction side of the fan. The operating characteristics are
shown for different blade angles. The obtained maximum efficiency was around
0.65, which represents a rather high value for axial fans with straight
profile blades.
Undergraduate Research Projects: Practice and Perceptions
Authors: Brewer Gayle , Dewhurst Anne M. , Doran Dawn
Published: October 2012

Undergraduate research forms an integral part of higher education, and the research project in particular represents an important component of the undergraduate degree. This study investigated current practice and student and supervisor perceptions of undergraduate research, using both online surveys and telephone interviews. Important differences between student and supervisor perceptions of undergraduate research were identified. In particular, whilst both students and supervisors viewed the research project as a collaborative process, students reported that the project was more student led than supervisors rated it as being. Students were also more likely than supervisors to view activities as part of the supervisor role or to believe that the supervisor should act as a mentor. Students were less likely than supervisors to report that the research project enhanced skill development or that they were members of the departmental or psychological research community. There were no differences between supervisor estimates and direct student ratings of student satisfaction. Students were more satisfied if they believed that their project was student (as opposed to supervisor) led and that it advanced knowledge in the subject area.
The 100 top-cited articles in orthodontics from 1975 to 2011
Authors: Hui Jifang , Han Zongkai , Geng Guannan , Yan Weijun , Shao Ping
Published: October 2012

Objective:

To identify the 100 top-cited articles published in orthodontics journals and to analyze their characteristics to investigate the achievement and development of orthodontics research in past decades.

Methods and Materials:

The Institute for Scientific Information Web of Knowledge Database and the 2011 Journal Citation Report Science Editions were used to retrieve the 100 top-cited articles published in orthodontics journals since 1975. Some basic information was collected by the Analyze Tool on the Web of Science, including citation time, publication title, journal name, publication year, and country and institution of origin. A further study was then performed to determine authorship, article type, field of study, study design, and level of evidence.

Results:

The 100 target articles were retrieved from three journals: American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics (n  =  74), The Angle Orthodontist (n = 15), and European Journal of Orthodontics (n  =  11). Since 1975, the articles cited 89 to 545 times mainly originated from the United States, and the overwhelming majority of articles were clinical. The most common study design was case series; 40 articles were classified as level IV and 12 as level V evidence.

Conclusions:

The 100 top-cited articles in orthodontics are generally old articles, rarely possessing high-level evidence.
Subdifferential inclusions and quasi-static hemivariational inequalities for frictional viscoelastic contact problems
Authors: Migórski Stanisław
Published: October 2012

We survey recent results on the mathematical modeling of nonconvex and nonsmooth contact problems arising in mechanics and engineering. The approach to such problems is based on the notions of an operator subdifferential inclusion and a hemivariational inequality, and focuses on three aspects. First we report on results on the existence and uniqueness of solutions to subdifferential inclusions. Then we discuss two classes of quasi-static hemivariational ineqaulities, and finally, we present ideas leading to inequality problems with multivalued and nonmonotone boundary conditions encountered in mechanics.
The Demyanov metric and some other metrics in the family of convex sets
Authors: Rzeżuchowski Tadeusz
Published: October 2012

We describe some known metrics in the family of convex sets which are stronger than the Hausdorff metric and propose a new one. These stronger metrics preserve in some sense the facial structure of convex sets under small changes of sets.
Commercial Coffee Wastes as Materials for Adsorption of Heavy Metals from Aqueous Solutions
Authors: Kyzas George Z.
Published: October 2012

This work aims to study the removal of Cu(II) and Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions with commercial coffee wastes. Materials with no further treatment such as coffee residues from café may act as adsorbents for the removal of Cu(II) and Cr(VI). Equilibrium data were successfully fitted to the Langmuir, Freundlich and Langmuir-Freundlich model (L-F). The maximum adsorption capacity of the coffee residues can reach 70 mg/g for the removal of Cu(II) and 45 mg/g for Cr(VI). The kinetic data were fitted to pseudo-first, -second and -third order equations. The equilibrium was achieved in 120 min. Also, the effect of pH on adsorption and desorption was studied, as well as the influence of agitation rate. Ten cycles of adsorption-desorption were carried out revealing the strong reuse potential of these low-cost adsorbents; the latter was confirmed from a brief economic approach.
System-on-Chip Integration of a New Electromechanical Impedance Calculation Method for Aircraft Structure Health Monitoring
Authors: Boukabache Hamza , Escriba Christophe , Zedek Sabeha , Medale Daniel , Rolet Sebastien , Fourniols Jean Yves
Published: October 2012

The work reported on this paper describes a new methodology implementation for active structural health monitoring of recent aircraft parts made from carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer. This diagnosis is based on a new embedded method that is capable of measuring the local high frequency impedance spectrum of the structure through the calculation of the electro-mechanical impedance of a piezoelectric patch pasted non-permanently onto its surface. This paper involves both the laboratory based E/M impedance method development, its implementation into a CPU with limited resources as well as a comparison with experimental testing data needed to demonstrate the feasibility of flaw detection on composite materials and answer the question of the method reliability. The different development steps are presented and the integration issues are discussed. Furthermore, we present the unique advantages that the reconfigurable electronics through System-on-Chip (SoC) technology brings to the system scaling and flexibility. At the end of this article, we demonstrate the capability of a basic network of sensors mounted onto a real composite aircraft part specimen to capture its local impedance spectrum signature and to diagnosis different delamination sizes using a comparison with a baseline.
Optimization of Passive Low Power Wireless Electromagnetic Energy Harvesters
Authors: Nimo Antwi , Grgić Dario , Reindl Leonhard M.
Published: October 2012

This work presents the optimization of antenna captured low power radio frequency (RF) to direct current (DC) power converters using Schottky diodes for powering remote wireless sensors. Linearized models using scattering parameters show that an antenna and a matched diode rectifier can be described as a form of coupled resonator with different individual resonator properties. The analytical models show that the maximum voltage gain of the coupled resonators is mainly related to the antenna, diode and load (remote sensor) resistances at matched conditions or resonance. The analytical models were verified with experimental results. Different passive wireless RF power harvesters offering high selectivity, broadband response and high voltage sensitivity are presented. Measured results show that with an optimal resistance of antenna and diode, it is possible to achieve high RF to DC voltage sensitivity of 0.5 V and efficiency of 20% at −30 dBm antenna input power. Additionally, a wireless harvester (rectenna) is built and tested for receiving range performance.
Colère d'enfant : le vrai, le juste, le vital
Authors: Coyer Gilbert , Dikoume-Ngotte Catherine , Durand Mathieu
Published: October 2012

Résumé L’expression de la colère, généralement mal perçue dans notre culture européenne, peut parfois traduire des élans vitaux et légitimes pour celui qui la vit. La colère, toujours animée du sentiment d’être juste, ne supporte aucun ajustement, mais elle ne demande pourtant pas moins d’être reçue, accueillie. Pour les enfants ou les adolescents, la colère est parfois l’expression de mouvements constructifs de reconnaissance ou d’édification de l’altérité.
Les fausses allégations de maltraitance sexuelle chez l'enfant prépubère
Authors: de Becker Emmanuel , Verheyen Catherine
Published: October 2012

Résumé Les professionnels concernés par la santé des enfants sont de plus en plus régulièrement confrontés aux questions liées à l’allégation de maltraitance sexuelle. Il n’est guère aisé de se situer, de contenir ses propres émotions, de demeurer le plus neutre possible pour accompagner l’enfant et son entourage de manière pertinente et adéquate. A la lumière d’une vignette clinique, l’article développe d’abord une réflexion sur le statut du discours tenu par l’enfant, le diagnostic différentiel de l’allégation de maltraitance sexuelle. Sont ensuite abordées quelques pistes principales de l’accompagnement thérapeutique tant dans sa phase d’évaluation que sur le plan du traitement. Nous partirons de l’expérience d’une équipe pluridisciplinaire composée d’assistants sociaux, de psychologues, d’une juriste, d’un pédopsychiatre et d’une pédiatre, spécialisée dans l’aide et les soins des situations de maltraitance d’enfants.