bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Side Chain Length on Fluorescence Intensity of ROMP‐Based Polymeric Nanoparticles and Their Tumor Specificity in In‐Vivo Tumor Imaging
Authors: Miki Koji , Oride Kazuaki , Kimura Akinori , Kuramochi Yoshiaki , Matsuoka Hideki , Harada Hiroshi , Hiraoka Masahiro , Ohe Kouichi
Published: October 2011

In this study, amphiphilic brush‐like copolymers conjugated with short alkyl or long polymeric chains of various lengths are synthesized using ring‐opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of substituted norbornadiene monomers followed by chemical transformations. These amphiphilic copolymers form spherical self‐assemblies in aqueous media with diameters of 132–244 nm. The low critical aggregation concentration of these assemblies (2.5 × 10−3−1.4 × 10−5 g/L) indicates that they are quite stable in dilute conditions. An appropriate length of polymer side chain that conjugates the polymer backbone with a hydrophobic ICG (indocyanine green) moiety enhanced the fluorescence intensities of these self‐assemblies in aqueous solution as well as in tumor‐bearing mice. A longer side chain conjugated with tumor targeting agents could significantly affect the tumor specificity of self‐assemblies to a greater extent. The self‐assemblies bearing hydrophilic tumor targeting agents, such as a glucosamine molecule and a cyclic RGD (arginine–glycine–asparatic acid) peptide, accumulated in tumor tissues with high selectivity, while those having a hydrophobic targeting agent, such as folate moieties, accumulated in tumor sites with low selectivity. The results demonstrated here unambiguously indicate that the fluorescence intensity and tumor specificity of self‐assemblies are strongly affected by the length of side chains that conjugate with dyes and targeting agents.
Indices for monitoring changes in extremes based on daily temperature and precipitation data
Authors: Zhang Xuebin , Alexander Lisa , Hegerl Gabriele C. , Jones Philip , Tank Albert Klein , Peterson Thomas C. , Trewin Blair , Zwiers Francis W.
Published: October 2011

Indices for climate variability and extremes have been used for a long time, often by assessing days with temperature or precipitation observations above or below specific physically‐based thresholds. While these indices provided insight into local conditions, few physically based thresholds have relevance in all parts of the world. Therefore, indices of extremes evolved over time and now often focus on relative thresholds that describe features in the tails of the distributions of meteorological variables. In order to help understand how extremes are changing globally, a subset of the wide range of possible indices is now being coordinated internationally which allows the results of studies from different parts of the world to fit together seamlessly. This paper reviews these as well as other indices of extremes and documents the obstacles to robustly calculating and analyzing indices and the methods developed to overcome these obstacles. Gridding indices are necessary in order to compare observations with climate model output. However, gridding indices from daily data are not always straightforward because averaging daily information from many stations tends to dampen gridded extremes. The paper describes recent progress in attribution of the changes in gridded indices of extremes that demonstrates human influence on the probability of extremes. The paper also describes model projections of the future and wraps up with a discussion of ongoing efforts to refine indices of extremes as they are being readied to contribute to the IPCC's Fifth Assessment Report. WIREs Clim Change 2011, 2:851–870. doi: 10.1002/wcc.147

This article is categorized under:

Paleoclimates and Current Trends > Modern Climate Change
Accurate variational calculations for line lists to model the vibration–rotation spectra of hot astrophysical atmospheres
Authors: Tennyson Jonathan
Published: October 2011

The first principles calculation of the spectra of small molecules is making a significant impact on high‐resolution spectroscopy as well as astrophysics and atmospheric physics. Variational nuclear motion calculations, combined with high‐accuracy ab initio electronic structure computations, are being used to make spectral predictions of increasing accuracy with very few a priori assumptions. This work is important for spectral analysis and particularly for dipole transition intensities, which are often very difficult to measure reliably but are essential inputs for many applications such as modeling of radiative transport and remote sensing. Demands for very extended line lists covering many, many millions of transitions which are required to simulate spectra of hot sources are best met using high‐quality theoretical models. This aspect of the use of variational nuclear motion calculations is discussed with reference to both the benchmark water molecule and future data needs, in particular, for models of the atmospheres of extrasolar planets. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

This article is categorized under:

Theoretical and Physical Chemistry > Spectroscopy
Na5[CN2]2[CN], (Li, Na)5[CN2]2[CN], and K2[CN2]: Carbodiimides from High‐Pressure Synthesis
Authors: Zhang Shiyu , Zherebtsov Dmitry A. , DiSalvo Francis J. , Niewa Rainer
Published: October 2011

The first alkali metal carbodiimide cyanides Na5[CN2]2[CN] and (Li, Na)5[CN2]2[CN] were obtained from reaction of carbon with nitrogen gas pressure of 7 MPa in sodium melts without orwith admixture of Li3N, respectively. The crystal structures wererefined from single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction (Na5[CN2]2[CN]:a = 7.201(2) Å, c = 6.605(4) Å, I4/mmm, R1 = 0.028, wR2 = 0.079; (Li1.40Na3.60(3))5[CN2]2[CN]: a = 7.0034(3) Å, Im$\bar{3}$m, R1 = 0.038,wR2 = 0.084). Whereas in Na5[CN2]2[CN] a fully ordered arrangement of the anions is realized, in (Li, Na)5[CN2]2[CN] both the alkali metal cations and the anions are disordered, with some site preference of lithium and sodium, leading to an increase of space group symmetry from I4/mmm for the pure sodium compound to Im$\bar{3}$m for the mixed Li/Na phase. Ammonothermal synthesis at 90 MPa leads to crystal growth of carbodiimide K2[CN2] (a = 5.762(1) Å, b = 5.669(1) Å,c = 5.756(1) Å, β = 108.78(3)°, C2/m) crystals in the cold zone of an autoclave. The crystal structure was analyzed and compared to the carbodiimide cyanides.
Identification of C18 Intermediates Formed During Stearidonic Acid Biohydrogenation by Rumen Microorganisms In Vitro
Authors: Alves S. P. , Maia M. R. G. , Bessa R. J. B. , Fonseca A. J. M. , Cabrita A. R. J.
Published: October 2011

In vitro batch incubations were used to study the rumen biohydrogenation of unsaturated fatty acids. An earlier study using increasing supplementation levels of stearidonic acid (18:4n‐3), revealed that the rumen microbial population extensively biohydrogenates 18:4n‐3 after 72 h of in vitro incubation, though several intermediates formed were not completely characterized. Therefore, in the present study, samples were reanalyzed in order to identify the 18:2, 18:3 and 18:4 biohydrogenation intermediates of 18:4n‐3. Gas–liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry was used to characterize these intermediates. The acetonitrile chemical ionization mass spectrometry of the fatty acid methyl esters derivatives enabled the discrimination of fatty acids as non‐conjugated or conjugated biohydrogenation intermediates. In addition, the acetonitrile covalent adduct chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry yielded prominent ions indicative of the double bond position of the major 18:3 isomers, i.e. Δ5,11,15 18:3. Furthermore, the 4,4‐dimethyloxazoline derivatives prepared from the fatty acid methyl esters enabled the structure of novel 18:2, 18:3 and 18:4 biohydrogenation intermediates to be elucidated. The intermediates accumulated in the fermentation media after 72 h of incubation of 18:4n‐3 suggest that similar to the biohydrogenation pathways of linoleic (18:2n‐6) and α‐linolenic (18:3n‐3) acids, the pathway of the 18:4n‐3 also proceeds with the formation of conjugated fatty acids followed by hydrogenation, although no conjugated dienes were found. The formation of the novel biohydrogenation intermediates of 18:4n‐3 seems to follow an uncommon isomerization pattern with distinct double bond migrations.
Niemann‐Pick C2 Protein Expression Regulates Lithogenic Diet‐Induced Gallstone Formation and Dietary Cholesterol Metabolism in Mice
Authors: Balboa Elisa , Morales Gabriela , Aylwin Paula , Carrasco Gonzalo , Amigo Ludwig , Castro Juan , Rigotti Attilio , Zanlungo Silvana
Published: October 2011

Niemann‐Pick C2 protein (NPC2) is a lysosomal soluble protein that is highly expressed in the liver; it binds to cholesterol and is involved in intracellular cholesterol trafficking, allowing the exit of lysosomal cholesterol obtained via the lipoprotein endocytic pathway. Thus, this protein may play an important role in controlling hepatic cholesterol transport and metabolism. The aim of this work was to study the relevance of NPC2 protein expression in hepatic cholesterol metabolism, biliary lipid secretion and gallstone formation by comparing NPC2 hypomorph [NPC2 (h/h)] and wild‐type mice fed control, 2% cholesterol, and lithogenic diets. NPC2 (h/h) mice exhibited resistance to a diet‐induced increase in plasma cholesterol levels. When consuming the chow diet, we observed increased biliary cholesterol and phospholipid secretions in NPC2 (h/h) mice. When fed the 2% cholesterol diet, NPC2 (h/h) mice exhibited low and high gallbladder bile cholesterol and phospholipid concentrations, respectively. NPC2 (h/h) mice fed with the lithogenic diet showed reduced biliary cholesterol secretion, gallbladder bile cholesterol saturation, and cholesterol crystal and gallstone formation. This work indicates that hepatic NPC2 expression is an important factor in the regulation of diet‐derived cholesterol metabolism and disposal as well as in diet‐induced cholesterol gallstone formation in mice.
Assessment of Different Measurement Methods Using 1H‐NMR Data for the Analysis of the Transesterification of Vegetable Oils
Authors: Andrade D. F. , Mazzei J. L. , Kaiser C. R. , d'Avila L. A.
Published: October 2011

In the present work we make assessments of the correlation of equations based on 1H‐NMR data for the analysis of FAME in 45 transesterification products with methanol from several vegetable oils (soybean, corn, sunflower, canola, linseed, cottonseed and jatropha). The products employed in this study were of high and low yield. A comprehensive approach to the applicability, advantages and limitations of employing NMR expressions is described. A new expression to determine the degree of unsaturation of combined and free fatty acids was found to be satisfactory when compared with the classic expression. Estimates of uncertainties for classic equations, which have been used to determine yield and degree of unsaturation, were proposed in the present work. The results show that either one or both of the expressions for estimating yields could not be satisfactorily used for products from linseed oil, and also indicate the possibility that products from cottonseed oil may also be exceptions. Both the equations were found to be satisfactory for the products obtained from the other oils (soybean, corn, sunflower, canola and jatropha), considering the uncertainties proposed in the present work.
Synthesis of Trimethylolpropane Esters of Oleic Acid Using a Multi‐SO3H‐Functionalized Ionic Liquid as an Efficient Catalyst
Authors: Li Rui‐Jun , Chen Li , Yan Zong‐Cheng
Published: October 2011

Biodegradable trimethylolpropane triesters of oleic acid were synthesized by esterification of trimethylolpropane and oleic acid over a multi‐SO3H‐functionalized strong Brønsted acidic ionic liquid as the catalyst. The results showed that the esterification can proceed satisfactorily over the catalyst at an ambient pressure even without simultaneous removal of water. Under the optimal reaction conditions (temperature: 100 °C, reaction time: 3 h, reactant molar ratio: 3.6:1, and catalyst amount, high conversion rate of trimethylolpropane (99.0%) and selectivity of trimethylolpropane triester (92.1%) were obtained. The ionic liquid was reused six times after the removal of water and no obvious change in catalytic activity was detected. Operational simplicity, high yields along with good reusability makes the multi‐SO3H‐functionalized ionic liquid a promising catalyst for the esterification of trimethylolpropane with oleic acid.
Sign-changing solutions of competition–diffusion elliptic systems and optimal partition problems
Authors: Tavares Hugo , Terracini Susanna
Published: October 2011

In this paper we prove the existence of infinitely many sign-changing solutions for the system of

m

Schrödinger equations with competition interactions

−\mathrm{\Delta }u_{i} + a_{i}u_{i}^{3} + \beta u_{i}\sum \limits_{j \neq i}u_{j}^{2} = \lambda _{i,\beta }u_{i},\:u_{i} \in H_{0}^{1}(\Omega ),\:i = 1,\dots,m

where

Ω

is a bounded domain,

\beta > 0

and

a_{i}⩾0

∀i

. Moreover, for

a_{i} = 0

, we show a relation between critical energies associated with this system and the optimal partition problem

\inf_{\scriptsize
\begin{array}{c}
\omega_{i} \subset \Omega \:\text{open}\\
\omega_{i} \cap \omega_{j} = \emptyset \:\forall i \neq j
\end{array}
}
\sum_{i = 1}^{m}\lambda _{k_{i}}(\omega _{i}),

where

\lambda _{k_{i}}(\omega )

denotes the

k_{i}

-th eigenvalue of

−Δ

in

H_{0}^{1}(\omega )

. In the case

k_{i}⩽2

we show that the optimal partition problem appears as a limiting critical value, as the competition parameter

β

diverges to

+∞

.

Dans cet article nous montrons lʼexistence dʼune infinité de solutions qui changent de signe pour le système dʼéquations de Schrödinger avec des interactions compétitives

−\mathrm{\Delta }u_{i} + a_{i}u_{i}^{3} + \beta u_{i}\sum \limits_{j \neq i}u_{j}^{2} = \lambda _{i,\beta }u_{i},\:u_{i} \in H_{0}^{1}(\Omega ),\:i = 1,…,m

où

Ω

est un domaine borné,

\beta > 0

et

a_{i}⩾0

∀i

. De plus, quand

a_{i} = 0

, nous démontrons une relation entre les énergies critiques associées à ce système et le problème de partition optimale

\inf_{\scriptsize
\begin{array}{c}
\omega_{i} \subset \Omega \:\text{open}\\
\omega_{i} \cap \omega_{j} = \emptyset \:\forall i \neq j
\end{array}
}
\sum_{i = 1}^{m}\lambda _{k_{i}}(\omega _{i}),

\lambda _{k_{i}}(\omega )

indiques la

k_{i}

-ème valeur propre de lʼopérateur

−Δ

in

H_{0}^{1}(\omega )

. Dans le cas

k_{i}⩽2

, nous montrons que le problème de partition optimale apparaît comme une valeur limite critique, en tant que paramètre de compétition

β

diverge vers

+∞

.
Prevalence of Risk Factors for Contrast-Induced Nephrotoxicity in Outpatients Undergoing Intravenous Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography Studies
Authors: Carstensen Michael , Keer Dipinder , Rempel Jeremy , Jeon Paul , Barrett Brendan
Published: October 2011

Objective

To document the prevalence and pattern of risk factors for contrast-induced nephrotoxicity (CIN) in an outpatient population referred for contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) (CECT) studies.

Methods

Over a 4-month period, 3261 patients presenting for CT studies were asked to consent to a survey of CIN risk factors. Among these patients, 957 were outpatients who received contrast material before the CT study. Demographic information and available serum creatinine (SCr) data for these patients were extracted from medical records and then analysed. A telephone questionnaire to document risk factors was administered to 200 of these patients, who were outpatients not referred from the emergency department or on dialysis.

Results

Among the 200 surveyed patients, 69% reported risk factors for CIN or for kidney function impairment (low estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR]) at baseline. Among these patients, 43% reported multiple (2 or more) risk factors. Patients older than the mean age of 53 years had a higher incidence of having multiple risk factors when compared with those younger than this age. Patients with kidney function impairment at baseline had a higher incidence of having multiple risk factors when compared with those with normal kidney function. Among the patients with no SCr investigation in the 3 months preceding a CECT, 64% had multiple risk factors. In the study population of 957 outpatients undergoing CECT, 52% had SCr measurements within 3 months before the study. An eGFR of less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 was found in 17% of the study population, and, in 0.6%, the eGFR was less than 30 mL/min/1.73 m2.

Conclusion

In an ambulatory outpatient population, many patients presenting for outpatient CECT studies will have risk factors for CIN or for kidney function impairment (low eGFR) at baseline. Kidney function assessment, therefore, is indicated in this patient population before CECT.
The Heartland no more: Russia's Weakness and Eurasia's Meltdown
Authors: Tsygankov Andrei P.
Published: October 2011

The Eurasian region continues to disintegrate, and neither Russia nor the West has been able to arrest the destabilizing dynamics. Evidence of rising instability throughout the region include the August 2008 Russia-Georgia war, terrorist attacks in the Northern Caucasus, the persistent failure of Western forces to stabilize Afghanistan, the inability of Central Asian rulers to reign in local clans and drug lords, and the paralysis of legitimately elected bodies of power in Ukraine and Moldova. The West's attempts to secure and stabilize Eurasia after the end of the Cold War have not led to success. Russia too has greatly contributed to the Eurasian meltdown. The Soviet collapse and the subsequent retreat of Russia from the region have greatly destabilized the area. The relative recovery of the Russian economy during the post-Yeltsin decade began to revive Russia's standing in Eurasia, yet Moscow could ill afford serious efforts to stabilize and pacify the region. Russia's resurgence is a response to its lacking recognition as a vital power and partner of the West. If Russia chooses to dedicate itself to obstructing Western policies in Eurasia, we will see more of the collapsing dynamics in the region. Preventing this requires recognizing Russia's role in stabilizing the region and working with Russia in developing a joint assessment of threat and establishing a collective security arrangement in Eurasia.
RETRACTED: Puerperal and menstrual bleeding patterns with different types of contraceptive device fitted during elective cesarean delivery
Authors: Elsedeek Mervat S.E.
Published: October 2011

Objective

To evaluate the impact of a copper‐containing intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCD) and the levonorgestrel‐releasing intrauterine system (IUS) on puerperal and menstrual bleeding when fitted intraoperatively during scheduled elective cesarean.

Methods

Participants were allocated to 3 groups: cesarean with no device inserted; IUCD inserted during cesarean; and IUS inserted during cesarean.

Results

There was significantly shorter and lighter puerperium in the IUS group (20.2 ± 7.7 days and 3.1 ± 1.6 pads/day) than in the IUCD (33.4 ± 9.5 days and 4.9 ± 2.4 pads/day) and the control (27.0 ± 11.4 days and 4.9 ± 2.3 pads/day) groups (P < 0.012 and P < 0.0001, respectively). At the end of puerperium, mean duration of amenorrhea was significantly longer in the IUS group than in the IUCD and control groups (P < 0.0001). Menstrual periods were longer and heavier in the IUCD group than in the control group but the difference was not significant (P > 0.07). In the IUS group, menstrual periods were significantly shorter and lighter than in the other groups (P < 0.0001).

Conclusion

Intrauterine system fitting at the time of elective cesarean is associated with significant reductions in the duration and amount of puerperal blood loss, as well as a high incidence of amenorrhea and lighter periods thereafter.
Characterization of colorectal symptoms in women with vesicovaginal fistulas
Authors: Kirby Anna C. , Gleason Jonathan L. , Greer William Jerod , Norman Andy J. , Lengmang Sunday , Richter Holly E.
Published: October 2011

Objective

To characterize colorectal symptoms in women with a history of an obstetric vesicovaginal fistula (VVF).

Methods

Patients under evaluation with a VVF during two 2‐week surgical service trips to Evangel Hospital VVF Center in Jos, Nigeria, in 2010 were assessed for symptoms of fecal incontinence (FI) using the Vaizey and Colorectal‐Anal Impact (CRAIQ) questionnaires. Women with rectovaginal fistulas were excluded. Each participant's impression of overall health was assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS) from 0 (poor) to 15 (excellent). A study nurse translated questionnaires into native languages.

Results

The mean age of the 83 women included was 29 years. Three women (3.6%) reported FI and 42 (50.6%) reported constipation. All of the women with FI reported that it affected their quality of life on the CRAIQ. Average VAS score was 10.8 overall and 6.8 for women with FI.

Conclusion

In this population of women with VVF but no rectovaginal fistulas, we found a low prevalence of fecal incontinence and a high prevalence of constipation. Despite significant pelvic floor trauma resulting in VVF, the majority of patients appeared to have an intact bowel continence mechanism.
Comparison of double‐ and single‐dose methotrexate protocols for treatment of ectopic pregnancy
Authors: Hamed Hossam O. , Ahmed Salah R. , Alghasham Abdullah A.
Published: October 2011

Objective

To compare efficacy between double‐dose methotrexate and single‐dose methotrexate for treatment of tubal ectopic pregnancy (EP).

Methods

Between March 2008 and February 2011,157 patients who had tubal EP diagnosed by a non‐laparoscopic approach and were hemodynamically stable were enrolled in a prospective study in Qassim, Saudi Arabia. The participants were randomized to receive either double‐dose (50 mg/m2 intramuscularly on days 0 and 4; group 1) or single‐dose (50 mg/m2 intramuscularly on day 0; group 2) methotrexate. Serum human chorionic gonadotropin (β‐hCG) levels were followed until negative.

Results

The overall success rate was comparable between groups 1 and 2 (88.6% versus 82.0%, P = 0.1). The duration of follow up until negative β‐hCG was shorter in group 1 (P = 0.001). Receiver operative characteristics showed that higher cut‐off levels of β‐hCG and gestational mass diameter were associated with successful outcome in group 1. Among participants with initial β‐hCG of 3600–5500 mIU/mL, the success rate was higher in group 1 (P = 0.03). There was no significant difference between groups in adverse effects.

Conclusion

For treatment of EP, double‐dose methotrexate had efficacy and safety comparable to that of single‐dose methotrexate; it had better success among patients with moderately high β‐hCG and led to a shorter follow up.
Advancing obstetric and neonatal care in a regional hospital in Ghana via continuous quality improvement
Authors: Srofenyoh Emmanuel , Ivester Thomas , Engmann Cyril , Olufolabi Adeyemi , Bookman Laurel , Owen Medge
Published: October 2011

Objective

To reduce maternal and neonatal death at a large regional hospital through the use of quality improvement methodologies.

Methods

In 2007, Kybele and the Ghana Health Service formed a partnership to analyze systems and patient care processes at a regional hospital in Accra, Ghana. A model encompassing continuous assessment, implementation, advocacy, outputs, and outcomes was designed. Key areas for improvement were grouped into “bundles” based on personnel, systems management, and service quality. Primary outcomes included maternal and perinatal mortality, and case fatality rates for hemorrhage and hypertensive disorders. Implementation and outcomes were evaluated tri‐annually between 2007 and 2009.

Results

During the study period, there was a 34% decrease in maternal mortality despite a 36% increase in patient admission. Case fatality rates for pre‐eclampsia and hemorrhage decreased from 3.1% to 1.1% (P < 0.05) and from 14.8% to 1.9% (P < 0.001), respectively. Stillbirths were reduced by 36% (P < 0.05). Overall, the maternal mortality ratio decreased from 496 per 100 000 live births in 2007 to 328 per 100 000 in 2009.

Conclusion

Maternal and newborn mortality were reduced in a low‐resource setting when appropriate models for continuous quality improvement were developed and employed.
Clinical outcomes associated with surgical treatment of endometrioma coupled with resection of the posterior broad ligament
Authors: Mereu Liliana , Florio Pasquale , Carri Giada , Pontis Alessandro , Petraglia Felice , Mencaglia Luca
Published: October 2011

Objective

To evaluate clinical outcomes associated with the resection of both endometrioma and posterior broad ligament (PBL) among women with PBL adhesion associated with endometrioma.

Methods

Between January 2007 and December 2009 at the Villanova Hospital, Florence, Italy, a prospective trial was conducted on 99 consecutive patients with unilateral or bilateral endometrioma who underwent laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy by a stripping technique and homolateral PBL resection where PBL adhesion was associated with endometrioma. The prevalence of PBL adhesion and endometriosis, the association between PBL endometriosis and pain, and the recurrence of endometrioma and pain were evaluated. All data were analyzed with Prism software.

Results

Among 124 endometriomas treated by concomitant PBL resection, the PBL was not affected by adhesions in only 2% of patients. PBL endometriosis was superficial in 36 (29.5%) and deep in 86 (70.5%) of the histologic preparations; deep endometriosis correlated with preoperative pain. At 1‐year follow‐up, endometrioma had recurred in 7 patients; the main symptom reported was mid‐cycle pain (24 patients, 24%; P = 0.0007).

Conclusion

Ovarian endometriosis was often (98%) associated with PBL endometriosis; deep endometriosis of PBL correlated with pain symptoms. Although PBL resection increased the incidence of mid‐cycle pain, it was associated with low recurrence of endometrioma.
Building trust to increase purchase intentions: The signaling impact of low pricing policies
Authors: White Tiffany Barnett , Yuan Hong
Published: October 2011

We examine the differential signaling impact of two low pricing policies, Price Matching Guarantees and Everyday Low Prices, on consumers' trusting beliefs and purchase intentions. We demonstrate that both PMG and EDLP pricing policies signal stores' ability to offer lower prices. However, whether these sellers were perceived as benevolent, and—consequently—consumers' purchase intentions, varied critically depending upon price uncertainty. Perceived benevolence and purchase intentions were significantly higher [lower] for sellers offering PMG than EDLP when price dispersion was high [low]. Our findings offer insights into whether and under what conditions firms should adopt these low pricing policies.
ROMAN TOPOGRAPHY AND LATIN DICTION
Authors: Heyworth S.J.
Published: October 2011

This article contains five notes on Roman topography. The first three briefly argue (1) that theuia Tectasupposedly to be placed in the Campus Martius has perhaps arisen from corruption ofuia Recta; (2) that the temple of Juturna, placed by Ovid near the arches of the Aqua Virgo, could not have stood where Largo Argentina now is, but further north, perhaps in the grounds of Santa Maria in Via; and (3) that the rites of Anna Perenna described by Ovid inFasti3 took place near the Mausoleum of Augustus, and not at the recently discovered spring near Piazza Euclide. Note (4) exhibits the evidence for regarding the twin summits of the Capitol and the Arx as theduo lucibetween which the Asylum was set up, and goes on to suggest that Vergil and Ovid may have used the nameIaniculumto refer to the Arx; (5) demonstrates thatinwith the name of a hill can refer to any site from the foot up, and builds on this in arguing that the phraseConcordia in Arcerefers to a temple constructed where the slope rises from the Forum.
THE PUBLIC IMAGE OF THE SEVERAN WOMEN
Authors: Rowan Clare
Published: October 2011

Coinage remains one of the best resources from which to gain an insight into the public image of empresses in the Roman Empire. This article employs a quantitative approach to the coinage of the Severan women, utilizing coin hoards to gain an idea of the frequency of particular coin types. The result offers a nuanced and contextual assessment of the differing public images of the Severan empresses and their role within wider Severan ideology. Evidence is presented to suggest that in this period there was one workshop at the mint dedicated to striking coins for the empresses. The Severan women played a key connective role in the dynasty, a position communicated publicly through their respective numismatic images. By examining the dynasty as a whole, subtle changes in image from empress to empress and from reign to reign can be identified. During the reign of Elagabalus, the divergence in imagery between Julia Soaemias and Julia Maesa is so great that we can perhaps see the influence of these women on their own numismatic image.
Labor and the Military: Introduction
Authors: Freeman Joshua B. , Field Geoffrey
Published: October 2011

The military and the working class have intersected in myriad ways, especially in the era of mass conscription. Millions of workers served in, fought in, and died in the armed services. They brought their political and cultural values into armies and their military experiences back into labor movements and working-class communities. Militaries have been large employers of civilians, on bases in home countries and abroad, directly and indirectly, in the vast armament industries. In some countries, like China and Iran, they directly control large parts of the economy, including major industrial establishments. Military employment practices have reflected and shaped civilian-sector labor relations, race relations, and gender roles. Armies have been used to break strikes and have launched coups designed to defeat left-wing and labor movements or, occasionally (as in Portugal and, more recently, Venezuela), to defeat conservative forces. Twenty years after the end of the Cold War, war and militarism remain prominent features of both advanced industrial societies and less developed ones.
Functional MRI studies in disruptive behaviour disorders
Authors: Bellani M. , Garzitto M. , Brambilla P.
Published: October 2011

Aggressive or antisocial behaviours with violations of social rules are the main features of disruptive behaviour disorders (DBDs), which are developmental diseases and include conduct disorder and oppositional defiant disorder. In the last decade, several efforts have been made to shed light on the biological underpinnings of DBDs. In this context, the main findings of functional magnetic resonance imaging studies in DBD are reported here. There are indications of neural dysfunctions in response to affective stimuli, especially regarding medial and orbitofrontal prefrontal cortex and connected subcortical structures.
The Role of Sample Cluster Means in Multilevel Models
Authors: Grilli Leonardo , Rampichini Carla
Published: October 2011

The paper explores some issues related to endogeneity in multilevel models, focusing on the case where the random effects are correlated with a level 1 covariate in a linear random intercept model. We consider two basic specifications, without and with the sample cluster mean. It is generally acknowledged that the omission of the cluster mean may cause omitted-variable bias. However, it is often neglected that the inclusion of the sample cluster mean in place of the population cluster mean entails a measurement error that yields biased estimators for both the slopes and the variance components. In particular, the contextual effect is attenuated, while the level 2 variance is inflated. We derive explicit formulae for measurement error biases that allow us to implement simple post-estimation corrections based on the reliability of the covariate. In the first part of the paper, the issue is tackled in a standard framework where the population cluster mean is treated as a latent variable. Later we consider a different framework arising when sampling from clusters of finite size, where the latent variable methods may have a poor performance, and we show how to effectively modify the measurement error correction. The theoretical analysis is supplemented with a simulation study and a discussion of the implications for effectiveness evaluation.
Drawing Inferences From Multiple Intervals in the Single-Factor Design
Authors: Wendorf Craig A.
Published: October 2011

Although confidence intervals for means are excellent vehicles for making inferences about population values, they are not always efficient and practical for making inferences about the differences among the means. This article reviews and elaborates on methods that modify the calculations and the graphical presentations of confidence intervals in order to make them appropriate for both single value inferences and pairwise comparisons in a single-factor between-subjects design. Extensions of the procedure, as well as potential problems, are also discussed.
The Effects of Purification and the Evaluation of Differential Item Functioning With the Likelihood Ratio Test
Authors: González-Betanzos Fabiola , Abad Francisco J.
Published: October 2011

The current research compares the effects of several strategies to establish the anchor subtest when detecting for differential item functioning (DIF) using the IRT likelihood ratio test in one- and two-stage procedures. Two one-stage strategies were examined: (1) “One item” and (2) “All other items” used as anchor. Additionally, two two-stage strategies were tested: (3) “One anchor item with posterior anchor test augmentation” and (4) “All other items with purification.” The strategies were compared in a simulation study, where sample sizes, DIF size, type of DIF, and software implementation (MULTILOG vs. IRTLRDIF) were manipulated. Results indicated that Procedure (1) was more efficient than (2). Purification was found to improve Type I error rates substantially with the “all other items” strategy, while “posterior anchor test augmentation” did not yield a significant improvement. In relation to the effect of the software used, we found that MULTILOG generally offers better results than IRTLRDIF.
The Impact of Controlling for Extreme Responding on Measurement Equivalence in Cross-Cultural Research
Authors: Morren Meike , Gelissen John , Vermunt Jeroen
Published: October 2011

Prior research has shown that extreme response style can seriously bias responses to survey questions and that this response style may differ across culturally diverse groups. Consequently, cross-cultural differences in extreme responding may yield incomparable responses when not controlled for. To examine how extreme responding affects the cross-cultural comparability of survey responses, we propose and apply a multiple-group latent class approach where groups are compared on basis of the factor loadings, intercepts, and factor means in a Latent Class Factor Model. In this approach a latent factor measuring the response style is explicitly included as an explanation for group differences found in the data. Findings from two empirical applications that examine the cross-cultural comparability of measurements show that group differences in responding import inequivalence in measurements among groups. Controlling for the response style yields more equivalent measurements. This finding emphasizes the importance of correcting for response style in cross-cultural research.
Analyzing Observed Composite Differences Across Groups
Authors: Steinmetz Holger
Published: October 2011

Although the use of structural equation modeling has increased during the last decades, the typical procedure to investigate mean differences across groups is still to create an observed composite score from several indicators and to compare the composite’s mean across the groups. Whereas the structural equation modeling literature has emphasized that a comparison of latent means presupposes equal factor loadings and indicator intercepts for most of the indicators (i.e., partial invariance), it is still unknown if partial invariance is sufficient when relying on observed composites. This Monte-Carlo study investigated whether one or two unequal factor loadings and indicator intercepts in a composite can lead to wrong conclusions regarding latent mean differences. Results show that unequal indicator intercepts substantially affect the composite mean difference and the probability of a significant composite difference. In contrast, unequal factor loadings demonstrate only small effects. It is concluded that analyses of composite differences are only warranted in conditions of full measurement invariance, and the author recommends the analyses of latent mean differences with structural equation modeling instead.
Engaging students in authentic climate research: Raising the bar for climate science education
Authors: Brooks David
Published: October 2011

Workshop to Define Student Collaborative Climate Research;Silver Spring, Maryland, 17–19 November 2010 In November 2010 a workshop organized by the Institute for Earth Science Research and Education (http://www.instesre.org) and cosponsored by the U.S. National Science Foundation and NOAA was held for the purpose of defining what it means for (mostly) secondary school students, teachers, and scientists to collaborate in authentic research related to climate and climate change. The workshop was premised on the understanding that (1) the nation must find new ways to build the scientific and technological expertise needed to understand and respond to climate change and (2) there are many opportunities for students, educators, and scientists to collaborate on scientifically and educationally beneficial climate research projects. Considering the many questions raised about the validity of climate research, including projections of future climate, the workshop participants concluded that engaging students in actual research experiences needs to be part of climate science education for the 21st century.
Working together for AGU and you
Authors: McPhaden Mike , Finn Carol , McEntee Chris
Published: October 2011

The AGU Board of Directors and Council continue to advance AGU's strategic plan and are working together to fulfill AGU's vision to “collaboratively advance and communicate science and its power to ensure a sustainable future.” Both met recently. The key outcomes from both meetings are described below and posted on the AGU Web site ( http://www.agu.org/about/governance/).
What controls methanol emissions from grassland?
Authors: Balcerak Ernie
Published: October 2011

Emission of volatile organic compounds, including methanol (CH3OH), from plants can affect atmospheric chemistry and climate. Seasonal variations such as changes in leaf growth result in changes in atmospheric methanol concentrations.Hörtnagl et al. sought to test whether the controls on methanol fluxes reported from controlled laboratory experiments at the leaf level applied to in situ conditions at ecosystem scales. They measured methanol fluxes above a managed grassland in the Stubai Valley in Austria and studied controls on methanol exchange by analyzing half hourly and daily average data.
Climate model's historical accuracy no guarantee of future success
Authors: Schultz Colin
Published: October 2011

To validate and rank the abilities of complex general circulation models (GCMs), emphasis has been placed on ensuring that they accurately reproduce the global climate of the past century. But because multiple paths can be taken to produce a given result, a model may get the right result but for the wrong reasons. Following this line of thinking,Crook and Forster analyzed the construction of 11 atmosphere‐ocean coupled GCMs. Rather than looking at the models' reproductions of twentieth‐century global average temperatures, which tend to perform well on all counts, the authors broke the models' results into their re‐creation of average, Arctic, and tropical climates. Further, they analyzed the models' treatment of climate forcings (such as solar activity), feedback systems (like Arctic ice melt or the effects of clouds), and representations of heat storage and transport mechanisms.
Building an empirical model of global carbon flux
Authors: Schultz Colin
Published: October 2011

Predicting the behavior of a complex system, like the one that explains the exchange of carbon between the Earth's surface and the atmosphere, by trying to produce theoretical formulations of every environmental process is a daunting challenge. Likewise, the alternative approach—forsaking numerical abstraction in favor of predictions based explicitly on observations—has been hindered by a lack of both observational data and the computational power needed to make sense of it. Expanding detector networks, advancements in processing power, and the development of new computational techniques, however, are opening the door to the development of empirical models of complex systems.
Finding rates of incorporation of windblown dust into soils
Authors: Balcerak Ernie
Published: October 2011

As winds blow dust around, a significant amount settles back into terrestrial soils, providing minerals to the soils and affecting soil chemistry and erosion rates. However, the rate at which dust is incorporated into regolith, the loose soil and rock on surfaces, is difficult to measure, especially on eroding terrain. Ferrier et al. have developed a simple method of estimating the long‐term (millennial‐scale) rate of dust incorporation into actively eroding regolith by measuring regolith production rates and the concentrations of two immobile elements (e.g., zirconium and titanium) in dust, soil, and bedrock. The researchers applied their method at 17 field sites in the South Fork of the Salmon River in central Idaho and inferred dust incorporation rates of 3–13 tons per square kilometer per year, which is comparable to results from other studies. They suggest that their technique can be used to estimate long‐term rates of dust incorporation into soils, which can then be compared to modern measurements of dust deposition to study the effects of recent changes such as climate change and human activity. (Journal of Geophysical Research‐Earth Surface, doi:10.1029/2011JF001991, 2011)
All channel networks share some properties
Authors: Balcerak Ernie
Published: October 2011

Channel networks transport water through a catchment and play a key role in hydrology. Understanding the network properties can be useful, so Moussa et al. developed a model to calculate the morphometric properties of catchments. They found some parameters that are the same in all natural channel networks (though not in all virtual networks), regardless of the size or shape of the catchment. In particular, the total area of the headwater catchment is always the same fraction (about 29%) of the total basin area. (Water Resources Research, doi:10.1029/2010WR010132, 2011)
The relation between coronal holes and coronal mass ejections during the rise, maximum, and declining phases of Solar Cycle 23
Authors: Mohamed A. A. , Gopalswamy N. , Yashiro S. , Akiyama S. , Mäkelä P. , Xie H. , Jung H.
Published: October 2011

We study the interaction between coronal holes (CHs) and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) using a resultant force exerted by all the coronal holes present on the disk and is defined as the coronal hole influence parameter (CHIP). The CHIP magnitude for each CH depends on the CH area, the distance between the CH centroid and the eruption region, and the average magnetic field within the CH at the photospheric level. The CHIP direction for each CH points from the CH centroid to the eruption region. We focus on Solar Cycle 23 CMEs originating from the disk center of the Sun (central meridian distance ≤15°) and resulting in magnetic clouds (MCs) and non‐MCs in the solar wind. The CHIP is found to be the smallest during the rise phase for MCs and non‐MCs. The maximum phase has the largest CHIP value (2.9 G) for non‐MCs. The CHIP is the largest (5.8 G) for driverless (DL) shocks, which are shocks at 1 AU with no discernible MC or non‐MC. These results suggest that the behavior of non‐MCs is similar to that of the DL shocks and different from that of MCs. In other words, the CHs may deflect the CMEs away from the Sun‐Earth line and force them to behave like limb CMEs with DL shocks. This finding supports the idea that all CMEs may be flux ropes if viewed from an appropriate vantage point.
The Return of the Anal Character
Authors: Haslam Nick
Published: October 2011

The anal character is a central concept in the psychoanalytic theory of personality. It was originally described in the first decade of the 20th century, and quickly applied to the analysis of clinical cases, psychobiographies, and cultural phenomena. In midcentury a generation of psychoanalytically oriented psychologists found some evidence that anal traits cohere and that they are related to attitudes toward excreta. Subsequently, the concept of the anal character lost currency as studies failed to support the psychoanalytic explanation of its origins and enthusiasm for psychoanalysis dwindled. However, although the concept might seem to have met its demise, it has resurfaced under different names as a diverse assortment of characteristics that have inspired active research programs. These characteristics—authoritarianism, conscientiousness, detail focus, disgust sensitivity, hoarding, obsessive–compulsive personality disorder, perfectionism, and Type A—have a rarely remarked family resemblance that the anal character illuminates. I argue that the anal character has not so much been consigned to the scrap heap of bad ideas, but has been recycled into several smaller but better ones.
The Influence of Fictional Narrative Experience on Work Outcomes: A Conceptual Analysis and Research Model
Authors: Bal P. Matthijs , Butterman Olivia S. , Bakker Arnold B.
Published: October 2011

Fictional narrative experience is assumed to have a profound impact on human behavior, but the possible outcomes and the processes through which fictional narrative experience influence behaviors have rarely been studied. This paper introduces a model of the consequences of fictional narrative experience through transportation and transformation processes. We discuss a framework for understanding the effects of fictional narrative experience, distinguishing affective and behavioral effects, and temporality of effects (short-term or persistent). Exemplary outcomes of fictional narrative experience are presented, including recovery, creativity and interpersonal behavior. Finally, we propose that the effects of fictional narrative experience are dependent upon a person's frame of reference, as well the extent to which a reader can identify with the main characters, the perceived usefulness of a narrative, and degree of verisimilitude in the narrative.
Self-Compassion: Conceptualizations, Correlates, & Interventions
Authors: Barnard Laura K. , Curry John F.
Published: October 2011

Within American psychology, there has been a recent surge of interest in self-compassion, a construct from Buddhist thought. Self-compassion entails: (a) being kind and understanding toward oneself in times of pain or failure, (b) perceiving one's own suffering as part of a larger human experience, and (c) holding painful feelings and thoughts in mindful awareness. In this article we review findings from personality, social, and clinical psychology related to self-compassion. First, we define self-compassion and distinguish it from other self-constructs such as self-esteem, self-pity, and self-criticism. Next, we review empirical work on the correlates of self-compassion, demonstrating that self-compassion has consistently been found to be related to well-being. These findings support the call for interventions that can raise self-compassion. We then review the theory and empirical support behind current interventions that could enhance self-compassion including compassionate mind training (CMT), imagery work, the gestalt two-chair technique, mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). Directions for future research are also discussed.