bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The reorientation temperature in ultrathin ferromagnetic films
Authors: Ilkovič V.
Published: August 2009

The reorientation temperature in ultrathin ferromagnetic films is studied within the framework of the many‐body Green function theory. The model Hamiltonian includes a Heisenberg term with the different surface exchange couplings with respect to the bulk one, a second‐order single‐ion anisotropy, and a transverse external magnetic field in thex‐direction. The single‐ion anisotropy term is treated by the generalized Anderson–Callen decoupling scheme. We investigate the reorientation temperatureTR(a) as a function of the surface single‐ion anisotropic parameterK2,S(T → 0) for different: film thicknessesL, surface exchange coupling enhancementsΔS, transverse magnetic fieldshand (b) as a function of the transverse magnetic fieldhfor different: film thicknessesL, surface exchange coupling enhancementsΔS, surface single‐ion anisotropic parametersK2,S(T → 0).
Effect of an electric field and nonlinear optical rectification of confined excitons in quantum dots
Authors: Xie Wenfang
Published: August 2009

An interacting electron‐hole pair in a parabolic quantum dot (QD), under growth‐direction applied electric field, is studied within the framework of the effective‐mass approximation. The binding energies of the ground and the three low‐excited states of the confined excitons are calculated as a function of the confined potential radius and as a function of the intensity of the applied electric field. We find that the effect of the applied electric field on the binding energy of the low‐lying states of the confined exciton depends strongly on the quantum number (N, m), but the binding energy of the ground state is practically not influenced by the presence of the applied electric field in the regime of very strong confinement. The nonlinear optical rectification between the ground (N = 0, m = 0) and low‐excited (N = 1, m = 0) states have been examined based on the computed energies and wave functions in details for the excitons. The results show that the optical rectification susceptibility obtained in the spherical QD can reach the magnitude of 10−2 m/V, which is 3–4 orders of magnitude higher than that in one‐dimensional QDs. It is found that the second‐order nonlinear optical properties of exciton states in a QD are strongly affected by the confinement strength and the electric field.
Achieving environmental sustainability and growth in Africa: the role of science, technology and innovation
Authors: Webersik Christian , Wilson Clarice
Published: August 2009

African economies are closely linked to natural resources and rely heavily on agriculture, largely rain fed. Agricultural development has long being considered of secondary importance in African economic development. As the current food crisis shows, it is important as this article argues to rethink not only agricultural policies, but also agricultural practices, and particularly the role science and innovation can play to address development and sustainability challenges. It is predicted that Africa will be particularly vulnerable to climate change and climate variability associated with biodiversity loss, food insecurity, water scarcity and an increase in drought frequency. This article examines pressing environmental challenges Africa is facing and discusses the role of science and technology solutions in meeting these challenges. An environmental performance country methodology is used to identify areas of best practice in achieving environmental policy targets, such as clean water or biodiversity conservation, as well as areas of action. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
Geographic information systems
Authors: Wieczorek William F. , Delmerico Alan M.
Published: August 2009

This article presents an overview of the development, capabilities, and utilization of geographic information systems (GISs). There are nearly an unlimited number of applications that are relevant to GIS because virtually all human interactions, natural and man‐made features, resources, and populations have a geographic component. Everything happens somewhere and the location often has a role that affects what occurs. This role is often called spatial dependence or spatial autocorrelation, which exists when a phenomenon is not randomly geographically distributed. GIS has a number of key capabilities that are required to conduct a spatial analysis to assess this spatial dependence. This article presents these capabilities (e.g., georeferencing, adjacency/distance measures, and overlays) and provides a case study to illustrate how GIS can be used for both research and planning. Although GIS has developed into a relatively mature application for basic functions, development is required to more seamlessly integrate spatial statistics and models. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

This article is categorized under:

Software for Computational Statistics > Software/Statistical Software
Financial time series
Authors: Politis Dimitris N.
Published: August 2009

The evolution of financial markets is a complicated real‐world phenomenon that ranks at the top in terms of difficulty of modeling and/or prediction. One reason for this difficulty is the well‐documented nonlinearity that is inherent at work. The state‐of‐the‐art on the nonlinear modeling of financial returns is given by the popular auto‐regressive conditional heteroscedasticity (ARCH) models and their generalizations but they all have their short‐comings. Foregoing the goal of finding the ‘best’ model, it is possible to simplytransformthe problem into a more manageable setting such as the setting of linearity. The form and properties of such a transformation are given, and the issue of one‐step‐ahead prediction using the new approach is explicitly addressed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

This article is categorized under:

Applications of Computational Statistics > Computational Finance
Pricing variance swaps with cash dividends
Authors: Klassen Timothy
Published: August 2009

We derive a simple formula for the price of a variance swap when the underlying has cash dividends. The formula allows arbitrary rates, yield‐like dividends (discrete or continuous), and volatility skews, and is exact to first order in the effective cash dividend yield. Copyright © 2009 Wilmott Magazine Ltd
Volatility calibration using spline and high dimensional model representation models
Authors: Feil Balazs , Kucherenko Sergei , Shah Nilay
Published: August 2009

The local volatility function is approximated using two different models: a bicubic spline and High Dimensional Model Representation (HDMR) model. For a bicubic spline the local volatility values σi at a chosen discrete set of knots are determined by minimizing the least square error between market and model option prices. Model option prices are found using the one‐factor diffusion process for the underlying asset. For the HDMR model, the parameters to be optimized are the parameters of the HDMR model. Smoothness of the approximation functions is crucial to overcome the ill‐posedness of the volatility calibration problem. Two models are compared using two test cases. It is shown that the HDMR model can produce more accurate results than the cubic spline model, and it is also cheaper to run. It is demonstrated that the considered approach can accurately reproduce not only option prices but Greeks as well. Copyright © 2009 Wilmott Magazine Ltd
Prediction of Survival After Liver Transplantation for Chronic Severe Hepatitis B Based on Preoperative Prognostic Scores: A Single Center’s Experience in China
Authors: Xiao Liang , Fu Zhi‐Ren , Ding Guo‐Shan , Fu Hong , Ni Zhi‐Jia , Wang Zheng‐Xin , Shi Xiao‐Min , Guo Wen‐Yuan , Ma Jun
Published: August 2009

Background

The aim of this study was to estimate the utility of a preoperative model of end‐stage liver disease (MELD) score and Child‐Turcotte‐Pugh (CTP) score in predicting the prognosis after othotopic liver transplantation (OLT) for chronic severe hepatitis B (CSHB) and explore the prognostic factors.

Methods

The outcome of 137 patients who underwent OLT using donors after cardiac death (DCDs) for CSHB in our center was reviewed retrospectively. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan‐Meier method; the log‐rank test was used for univariate analysis; and the Cox proportional hazards regression model was used for prognostic factors screening.

Results

The overall mortality rate was 33.6% (46/137); and 1‐month, 6‐month, 1‐year, and 5‐year patient survival rates were 75.8, 72.0, 71.0, and 60.1%, respectively. Most patients (33/46) died during the first month after OLT. The area under the curve values generated by the receiver operating characteristics curves were 0.82 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.72–0.92] and 0.68 (95% CI 0.58–0.79), respectively (P < 0.01), for the MELD and CTP models in predicting 1‐month mortality after OLT. Patients with a preoperative MELD score <33.8 or a CTP score <12.5 had significantly better prognosis than those with higher scores (P < 0.05). Other mortality predictors include hepatic encephalopathy, preoperative infection, serum creatinine ≥1.5 mg/dl.

Conclusions

The MELD score was more efficient than the CTP score for evaluating the short‐term prognosis in patients with CSHB undergoing OLT using DCDs, which should be taken into consideration during graft allocation.
Fatty Acid, Phytosterol, and Polyamine Conjugate Profiles of Edible Oils Extracted from Corn Germ, Corn Fiber, and Corn Kernels
Authors: Moreau Robert A. , Lampi Anna‐Maija , Hicks Kevin B.
Published: August 2009

This study compared the profiles of fatty acids, phytosterols, and polyamine conjugates in conventional commercial corn oil extracted from corn germ and in two “new‐generation” corn oils: hexane‐extracted corn fiber oil and ethanol‐extracted corn kernel oil. The fatty acid compositions of all three corn oils were very similar and were unaffected by degumming, refining, bleaching, and deodorization. The levels of total phytosterols in crude corn fiber oil were about tenfold higher than those in commercial corn oil, and their levels in crude corn kernel oil were more than twofold higher than in conventional corn oil. When corn kernel oil was subjected to conventional degumming, refining, bleaching, and deodorization, about half of the phytosterols was removed, whereas when corn fiber oil was subjected to a gentle form of degumming, refining, bleaching, and deodorization, only about 10% of the phytosterols was removed. Finally, when the levels of polyamine conjugates (diferuloylputrescine and p‐coumaroyl feruloylputrescine) were examined in these corn oils, they were only detected in the ethanol‐extracted crude corn kernel oil, confirming earlier reports that they were not extracted by hexane, and providing new information that they could be removed from ethanol‐extracted corn kernel oil by conventional degumming, refining, bleaching, and deodorizing.
Catalytic Activity of Ruthenium Nanoparticles Supported on Carbon Nanotubes for Hydrogenation of Soybean Oil
Authors: Guo Shanshan , Liew Kong Yong , Li Jinlin
Published: August 2009

Ruthenium catalysts supported on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MCNTs) with different loadings (1% wt, 3% wt, 5% wt) were prepared by reduction with H2 or NaBH4 for selective hydrogenation of soybean oil at 338 K and initial pressure of 1.066 MPa. These catalysts were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X‐ray powder diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption–desorption, and H2‐temperature programmed desorption (TPD) techniques. Ru particles were dispersed more homogeneously on the surface of the nanotubes after being reduced with H2 than with NaBH4. The catalysts with 3% and 5% Ru loadings had higher hydrogenation activity. The NaBH4‐reduced catalyst had higher cis‐isomer selectivity.
A Comparative Study of the Properties of Six Sudanese Cucurbit Seeds and Seed Oils
Authors: Mariod Abdalbasit Adam , Ahmed Yousif M. , Matthäus Bertrand , Khaleel Galaledin , Siddig Abdeen , Gabra Aied Mohamed , Abdelwahab Siddig Ibrahim
Published: August 2009

The proximate analysis of seeds and physicochemical properties of oils extracted from six Sudanese cucurbit seeds Cucumis mello var. agrestis, Cucumis melo var. flexuosus, Cucumis sativus, Citrullus lanatus var. colocynthoides, Cucumis prophetarum, and Luffa echinata were examined by established methods. For each variety, the proximate analysis showed ranges for moisture, protein, and carbohydrates as 3.70–6.87, 14.50–17.50, and 15.62–28.89% on a dry matter basis, respectively. The oils were extracted by Soxhlet using petroleum ether, with yields that ranged from 10.9 to 27.10% (wt/wt). The obtained extracted oils were subjected to phyiscochemical, fatty acid, and tocopherol analysis. The physicochemical characterization of the oil revealed that the refractive indices and relative densities of the oils fell within the narrow ranges of 1.334–1.442 and 0.874–0.920 g/cm3, respectively. Unsaponifiable matters ranged between 0.8 and 1.2 mg KOH/g, whilst peroxide values (PV) ranged from 2.3 to 4.1 meq/kg. The ranges of the values for free fatty acid (FFA %) were 1.2–4.0%. The predominant fatty acids were 16:0, 18:0, 18:1, and 18:2 with ranges of 8.9–14.2, 6.0–9.4, 14.6–32.1, and 43.6–65.5%, respectively. γ‐Tocopherol was the predominant tocopherol in all samples ranging from 0.8 to 43.2% of the total tocopherols, followed by δ‐tocopherol and α‐tocopherol.
Silencing of TNF‐α receptors coordinately suppresses TNF‐α expression through NF‐κB activation blockade in THP‐1 macrophage
Authors: Verma Nandini , Chaudhury Indrajit , Kumar Deepak , Das Rakha H.
Published: August 2009

Persistently elevated level of TNF‐α has been implicated in several inflammatory disorders, however, its autocrine production through TNF‐α receptors signaling is poorly understood. Here we report that simultaneous silencing of TNF‐receptors, R1 and R2 by DNAzyme or siRNA suppressed TNF‐α expression more efficiently than silencing them individually in lipopolysaccharides (LPS) stimulated THP‐1 macrophages. Co‐silencing of TNF‐receptors also inhibited TNF‐α induced NF‐κB activation to a higher extent. It was further observed that NF‐κB inhibitor but not c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase inhibitor (SP600125) suppressed TNF‐α expression. All these results suggest that TNF‐α expression is regulated by synergistic signaling of TNF receptors through downstream NF‐κB activation.
PANDER binds to the liver cell membrane and inhibits insulin signaling in HepG2 cells
Authors: Yang Jichun , Wang Chunjiong , Li Jing , Burkhardt Brant R. , Robert-Cooperman Claudia E. , Wilson Camella , Gao Zhiyong , Wolf Bryan A.
Published: August 2009

PANDER is a cytokine co‐secreted with insulin from islet β‐cells. To date, the physiological function of PANDER remains largely unknown. Here we show that PANDER binds to the liver membrane by 125I‐PANDER saturation and competitive binding assays. In HepG2 cells, pre‐treatment with PANDER ranging from 4 pM to 4 nM for 8 h resulted in a maximal inhibition of insulin‐stimulated activation of insulin receptor and insulin receptor substrate 1 by 52% and 63%, respectively. Moreover, PANDER treatment also reduced insulin‐stimulated PI3K and pAkt levels by 55% and 48%, respectively. In summary, we have identified the liver as a novel target for PANDER, and PANDER may be involved in the progression of diabetes by regulating hepatic insulin signaling pathways.
Genetic and pharmacological evidence of intraneuronal Aβ accumulation in APP transgenic mice
Authors: Philipson Ola , Lannfelt Lars , Nilsson Lars N.G.
Published: August 2009

Intraneuronal punctate immunostaining in Alzheimer's disease brain and amyloid‐β precursor protein (APP) transgenic mice has been suggested to represent Aβ, but this is somewhat controversial. Here we show that both biochemical Aβ levels and intraneuronal immunostaining are reduced in APP transgenic mice when γ‐secretase is inhibited. Moreover, BACE‐1 deficient APP transgenic mice show neither Aβ production nor intraneuronal immunostaining. Our findings suggest that the punctate immunostaining with APP antibodies is due to Aβ that has accumulated inside neurons. Similar type of intraneuronal Aβ accumulation, which precedes senile plaque formation, may link Aβ to tauopathy and neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis.
On the similar spatial arrangement of active site residues in PAPS‐dependent and phenolic sulfate‐utilizing sulfotransferases
Authors: Teramoto Takamasa , Adachi Rumi , Sakakibara Yoichi , Liu Ming-Cheh , Suiko Masahito , Kimura Makoto , Kakuta Yoshimitsu
Published: August 2009

Mammalian sulfotransferases (STs) utilize exclusively the sulfuryl group donor 3′‐phosphoadenosine 5′‐phosphosulfate (PAPS) to catalyze the sulfurylation reactions based on a sequential transfer mechanism. In contrast, the commensal intestinal bacterial arylsulfate sulfotransferases (ASSTs) do not use PAPS as the sulfuryl group donor, but instead catalyze sulfuryl transfer from phenolic sulfate to a phenol via a Ping‐Pong mechanism. Interestingly, structural comparison revealed a similar spatial arrangement of the active site residues as well as the cognate substrates in mouse ST (mSULT1D1) and Escherichia coli CFT073 ASST, despite that their overall structures bear no discernible relationship. These observations suggest that the active sites of PAPS‐dependent SULT1D1 and phenolic sulfate‐utilizing ASST represent an example of convergent evolution.
Chronic TNFα and cAMP pre‐treatment of human adipocytes alter HSL, ATGL and perilipin to regulate basal and stimulated lipolysis
Authors: Bézaire Véronic , Mairal Aline , Anesia Rodica , Lefort Corinne , Langin Dominique
Published: August 2009

We examined the effects of chronic TNFα and dibutyryl‐cAMP (Db‐cAMP) pre‐treatment on the lipolytic machinery of human hMADS adipocytes. TNFα decreased adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) and hormone‐sensitive lipase (HSL) protein content and triglycerides (TG)‐hydrolase activity but increased basal lipolysis due to a marked reduction in perilipin (PLIN) protein content. Conversely, Db‐cAMP increased ATGL and HSL protein content but prevented PLIN phosphorylation, the net result being accentuated basal lipolysis. In forskolin‐stimulated conditions, TNFα and Db‐cAMP pre‐treatment decreased stimulated TG‐hydrolase activity and impaired PLIN phosphorylation. Together, this resulted in a severely attenuated response to forskolin‐stimulated lipolysis.
Immune‐Mediated Mechanisms Potentially Regulate the Disease Time‐Course of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and Provide Targets for Therapeutic Intervention
Authors: Evans Nicholas P. , Misyak Sarah A. , Robertson John L. , Bassaganya‐Riera Josep , Grange Robert W.
Published: August 2009

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a lethal muscle‐wasting disease that affects boys. Mutations in the dystrophin gene result in the absence of the dystrophin glycoprotein complex (DGC) from muscle plasma membranes. In healthy muscle fibers, the DGC forms a link between the extracellular matrix and the cytoskeleton to protect against contraction‐induced membrane lesions and to regulate cell signaling. The absence of the DGC results in aberrant regulation of inflammatory signaling cascades. Inflammation is a key pathological characteristic of dystrophic muscle lesion formation. However, the role and regulation of this process in the disease time‐course has not been sufficiently examined. The transcription factor nuclear factor‐κB has been shown to contribute to the disease process and is likely involved with increased inflammatory gene expression, including cytokines and chemokines, found in dystrophic muscle. These aberrant signaling processes may regulate the early time‐course of inflammatory events that contribute to the onset of disease. This review critically evaluates the possibility that dystrophic muscle lesions in both patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy andmdxmice are the result of immune‐mediated mechanisms that are regulated by inflammatory signaling and also highlights new therapeutic directions.
New Concepts in the Assessment and Treatment of Regional Musculoskeletal Pain and Sports Injury
Authors: Borg‐Stein Joanne , Zaremski Jason L. , Hanford Mary Alice
Published: August 2009

During the past decade there have been significant advances in understanding the basic science of musculoskeletal injury and healing. These new concepts alter the approach to injury management and rehabilitation for clinicians managing musculoskeletal conditions. This article examines the most recent advances in the treatment of regional musculoskeletal pain, and muscle and tendon sports injury. Specifically, developments in understanding the pathogenesis of muscle and tendon sports injuries, newer imaging modalities, and updated treatment paradigms and their rationale are reviewed. The purpose of this review is to provide the clinician with new approaches for treating nonsurgical muscle and tendon injuries.
The Significance of Multifidus Atrophy After Successful Radiofrequency Neurotomy for Low Back Pain
Authors: Dreyfuss Paul , Stout Alison , Aprill Charles , Pollei Steve , Johnson Blake , Bogduk Nikolai
Published: August 2009

Objective

To determine the presence of lumbar multifidus atrophy and pain after successful lumbar medial branch radiofrequency neurotomy for zygapophysial joint mediated pain.

Design

A prospective observational analysis of 5 patients who had undergone successful unilateral radiofrequency neurotomy (RFN) of the lumbar medial branch divisions of the lumbar dorsal rami. At 17 to 26 months after RFN, 3 blinded radiologists evaluated the relative composition and size of the multifidus muscle at different segmental levels on lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). They were asked to determine the lesioned levels by evidence of multifidus atrophy. The accuracy of predicting the correct side and level lesioned was evaluated.

Setting

Private spine practice in Tyler, Texas.

Patients

Five patients who had unilateral lumbar medial branch RFN for proven lumbar zygapophysial joint‐mediated pain were selected.

Interventions

MRI of the lumbar spine at a mean of 21 months (range, 17‐26) after successful lumbar RFN.

Outcome Measures

Multifidus atrophy on a lumbar MRI, pain assessment and use of cointerventions.

Results

Diffuse lumbar multifidus atrophy was detectable with MRI. However, radiologists could not reliably predict the side and segments lesioned. Despite denervation of the multifidus, at 12 months after RFN all subjects had ongoing pain relief and did not require or request additional treatment.

Conclusions

This preliminary study provides evidence that successful medial branch RFN for lumbar zygapophysial‐mediated pain does cause initial denervation but no discernable segmental atrophy of the multifidus at long‐term follow‐up. Previous denervation and diffuse atrophy in these subjects was not associated with pain.
The Effect of Prehabilitation Exercise on Strength and Functioning After Total Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Topp Robert , Swank Ann M. , Quesada Peter M. , Nyland John , Malkani Arthur
Published: August 2009

Objective

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a preoperative exercise intervention on knee pain, functional ability, and quadriceps strength among patients with knee osteoarthritis before and after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery.

Design

A repeated‐measures design was used to compare 2 groups over 4 data collection points.

Setting and Patients

Community‐dwelling subjects with osteoarthritis of the knee who were scheduled for a unilateral TKA were recruited from a single orthopedic surgeon's office and were randomized into control (n = 28) or prehab groups (n = 26).

Interventions

The control patients maintained usual care before their TKA. The exercisers performed prehabilitation exercises, which included resistance training, flexibility, and step training, 3 times per week before their TKA.

Outcome Measures

Knee pain, functional ability, quadriceps strength, and strength asymmetry were assessed at baseline (T1), at 1 week before the patients' TKA (T2), and again at 1 (T3) and 3 (T4) months after TKA.

Results

The exercisers improved their sit‐to‐stand performance at T2, whereas the control group did not change their performance of functional tasks and had increased pain at T2. At T3 the exercisers demonstrated improved sit‐to‐stand performance. The control patients at T3 exhibited decreases in pain, their 6‐minute walk, surgical leg strength and an increase in their nonsurgical leg strength and leg strength asymmetry. At T4 the exercisers improved in their performance of 3 of the 4 functional tasks, decreased all of their pain measures, and increased their surgical and nonsurgical quadriceps strength. At T4 the control group improved their performance on 2 of the 4 functional tasks, decreased all of their pain measures, increased their nonsurgical leg strength, and exhibited greater leg strength asymmetry.

Conclusion

These findings appear to indicate the efficacy of prehabilitation among TKA patients and support the theory of prehabilitation.
Therapeutic Effect of Microcurrent Therapy in Infants With Congenital Muscular Torticollis
Authors: Kim Min Young , Kwon Dong Rak , Lee Hak Il
Published: August 2009

Objective

The aim of this study was to determine whether microcurrent therapy is therapeutically effective in infants with torticollis.

Design

Prospective, unblinded, controlled trial.

Setting

Bundang CHA Hospital.

Subjects

Fifteen infants were included in this study who received torticollis treatment from April to July 2008. The control group (CG) included 8 infants (3 male, 5 female) with a mean age of 7.1 months. The experimental group (EG) included 7 infants (6 male, one female) with a mean age of 10 months.

Methods

The CG underwent stretching exercises for 30 minutes after ultrasound therapy and the EG underwent stretching exercises for 2 minutes after microcurrent therapy for 30 minutes. Each group received 3 treatments per week for 2 consecutive weeks.

Main Outcome Measures

Measurements included head tilting angle at supine (TA) and neck rotation range of motion to the affected side (RR) at the first day and the 14th day of treatment. The incidence of crying during therapy also was recorded. The results were assessed by Mann‐Whitney U and the Fisher exact tests.

Results

In the CG, 4 infants showed TA improvement, one infant showed RR improvement, and 8 infants cried during therapy. In the EG, 6 infants showed TA improvement, 5 infants showed RR improvement, and 3 infants cried during therapy. In the CG, mean TA was 16.3 ± 9.2° at the first day and 13.9 ± 8.2° at the 14th day of treatment. In the EG, mean TA was 15.7 ± 8.2° at the first day and 6.7 ± 4.3° at the 14th day of treatment. TA improvement was greater in the EG (P < .01) as compared with the CG. In the CG, mean RR was 65.0 ± 24.6° at the first day and 66.3 ± 25.7° at the 14th day of treatment. In the EG, mean RR was 70.0 ± 11.5° at the first day and 80.7 ± 6.7° at the 14th day of treatment. RR showed greater improvement in the EG (P < .05). The incidence of crying during therapy was significantly lower in the EG (P < .05).

Conclusion

Microcurrent therapy in infants with torticollis appears more effective in improving TA and RR and shows better therapeutic compliance than traditional therapy.
Caregivers' Concerns about Judgment and Safety of Patients with Brain Injury: A Preliminary Investigation
Authors: Kreutzer Jeffrey S. , Livingston Lee A. , Everley Rachel S. , Gary Kelli W. , Arango‐Lasprilla Juan Carlos , Powell Victoria D. , Marwitz Jennifer H.
Published: August 2009

Objective

To identify caregivers' most common concerns about the judgment and safety of patients with brain injury in home and community environments. To quantify caregivers' stress levels and their level of comfort leaving patients at home unsupervised and examine the interrelationships between caregivers' safety and judgment ratings, stress levels, and levels of comfort leaving patients unattended.

Design

Retrospective, cross‐sectional design.

Setting

Outpatient brain injury neuropsychology clinic at a university medical center.

Participants

A convenience sample of 121 caregivers of traumatic brain injury survivors at least 1 month postinjury and 18 years of age or older.

Main Outcome Measurements

Scores in 9 domains from the Judgment and Safety Screening Inventory; ratings of stress levels and levels of comfort leaving patients at home unattended derived from the General Health and History Questionnaire.

Results

Caregivers' most common judgment and safety‐related concerns were in the Travel and Financial domains, with many reflecting patients' memory deficits. Heightened caregiver stress levels were prevalent. Higher levels of concern about judgment and safety were associated with higher stress levels and concerns about leaving patients unattended.

Conclusions

Consistent with research on patients with other types of neurological disorders, concerns about driving and financial management among caregivers are prevalent. Additional research is needed to identify the most cost‐effective methods of evaluating patients and enabling them to function at their highest level in the community.
Luminescence-dated aeolian deposits of late Quaternary age in the southern Tibetan Plateau and their implications for landscape history
Authors: Lai ZhongPing , Kaiser Knut , Brückner Helmut
Published: August 2009

Aeolian deposits are widely distributed in the interior of the Tibetan Plateau, and their chronology is poorly known. It is not yet clear whether they accumulated only after the last deglaciation, or over a longer time. We applied quartz OSL dating to aeolian samples from the Lhasa area with OSL ages ranging from 2.9 ± 0.2 to at least 118 ± 11 ka. The probability density frequency (PDF) distribution of 24 ages reveals age clusters at about 3, 8, 16–21, 33, and 79–83 ka, indicating enhanced sediment accumulation then. The results show that aeolian deposition occurred throughout most of the last 100 ka. This implies that: 1) an ice sheet covering the whole Tibetan Plateau during the last glacial maximum (LGM) could not have existed; and 2) erosion during the last deglaciation was not as strong as previously proposed, such that not all pre-Holocene loess was removed. The age distribution shown in the PDF indicates that aeolian accumulation is episodic. Sand-formation events revealed by age clusters at 3, 8, and 16–21 ka imply roughly synchronous environmental responses to corresponding global-scale arid events.
OPTIMAL LOWER BOUND ON THE SUPREMAL STRICT p-NEGATIVE TYPE OF A FINITE METRIC SPACE
Authors: WESTON ANTHONY
Published: August 2009

Determining meaningful lower bounds on the supremal strict p-negative type of classes of finite metric spaces is a difficult nonlinear problem. In this paper we use an elementary approach to obtain the following result: given a finite metric space (X,d) there is a constant ζ>0, dependent only on n=∣X∣ and the scaled diameter 𝔇=(diamX)/min{d(x,y)∣x⁄=y} of X (which we may assume is >1), such that (X,d) has p-negative type for all p∈[0,ζ] and strict p-negative type for all p∈[0,ζ). In fact, we obtain A consideration of basic examples shows that our value of ζ is optimal provided that 𝔇≤2. In other words, for each 𝔇∈(1,2] and natural number n≥3, there exists an n-point metric space of scaled diameter 𝔇 whose supremal strict p-negative type is exactly ζ. The results of this paper hold more generally for all finite semi-metric spaces since the triangle inequality is not used in any of the proofs. Moreover, ζ is always optimal in the case of finite semi-metric spaces.
Rewriting Collaboration: China, Japan, and the Self in the Diaries of Bai Jianwu
Authors: Dryburgh Marjorie
Published: August 2009

This essay considers the meanings of Sino-Japanese collaboration before the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–45) through the personal diary of one collaborator, Bai Jianwu (1886–1937). Rather than debate the veracity of the diary narrative, the author considers the diary as a “political performance”—as an assembly of formulaic elements borrowed from contemporary discourse, historical example, and generic conventions that was designed to locate collaboration within a range of conceivable responses to China's predicament. While the emerging narratives of national resistance typically portrayed collaboration as an unthinkable transgression, the collaboration narrative of the diary, shifting and often ambivalent, illuminates the terms on which Bai was prepared to argue that collaboration with the Japanese was an acceptable choice, and the place that he allowed collaboration in the story of his life.
Murakami Haruki in Greater China: Creative Responses and the Quest for Cosmopolitanism
Authors: Hillenbrand Margaret
Published: August 2009

The relationship between popular culture and East Asian identity is now an established field of enquiry, with the products of Japan's mass media industries—television series, pop stars, and manga—still providing much of the fuel for debate. This paper, however, moves away from the dominant notion of “culture as industry,” and explores animated personal responses to the fiction of Japanese writer Murakami Haruki in Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan through art house cinema, popular fiction, and online creative communities. The vogue for Murakami has swept across the region in recent years, and for many of those inspired by his work, it is Murakami's role as a conduit to cosmopolitan cultural citizenship that is so alluring. Yet rather than crude imitation, the filmmakers, writers, and Internet fans analyzed here misappropriate the “Murakami mood” in different ways, and in the process, they reveal the diverse meanings that attach to cosmopolitanism across contemporary East Asia.
Politics and Pageantry in Protectorate Korea (1905–10): The Imperial Progresses of Sunjong
Authors: Kim Christine
Published: August 2009

In the winter of 1909, at the height of Japan's informal rule in Korea, the protectorate government sent the Korean emperor Sunjong on an extended tour of the provinces. Applying the nation-building techniques of Meiji Japan, the residency-general had intended to promote unity and cooperation through the Korean royal house. Instead, the progresses sparked anti-Japanese nationalism and culminated in expressions of resistance. This article explores the political context of the progresses, the role of the newspapers in Korea and Japan in shaping public opinion, and the contest of official and popular nationalisms in Korea, defined by the symbols of the throne and the national flag.
Hydrogen peroxide aids assessment of pharyngeal closure after laryngectomy
Authors: Tysome J R , Jeannon J P , Simo R
Published: August 2009

Objective:

Pharyngocutaneous fistula is a serious complication following total laryngectomy. We report a simple technique which is useful in assessing the adequacy of pharyngeal closure following total laryngectomy.

Method:

Installation of 1.5 per cent hydrogen peroxide into the oral cavity, while observing for leakage at the pharyngeal repair.

Results:

We have found this technique to be useful in 22 patients undergoing total laryngectomy with pharyngeal resection and neck dissection.

Conclusion:

This method ensures that pharyngeal closure has been technically adequate.
Chromosomes of Pacific hydrothermal vent invertebrates: towards a greater understanding of the relationship between chromosome and molecular evolution
Authors: Dixon D.R. , Jolly M.T. , Vevers W.F. , Dixon L.R.J.
Published: August 2009

Karyotypes for several East Pacific Rise hydrothermal vent invertebrates are described here for the first time: the vestimentiferansRiftia pachyptilaandOasisia alvinae, the alvinellid polychaetesAlvinella pompejana, A. caudataandParalvinella grasslei, the polynoid polychaetesBranchinotogluma grassleiandBranchipolynoe symmytilida, the serpulidLaminatubus alviniand the mytilid bivalveBathymodiolus thermophilus. For comparative purposes, the karyotype of the Atlantic vent musselBathymodiolus azoricusis also described here for the first time. Each species has its own unique chromosomal characteristics which can be interpreted both in terms of group characteristics and species divergence. From comparisons with published results on other vent species and closely-related coastal species, we identified a positive correlation between chromosome number variation and molecular divergence at two ribosomal ribonucleic acid gene loci (the 18S and 28S rRNA). Whilst the patterns of chromosome divergence we found were generally within the ranges previously reported for these taxonomic groupings, there was an apparent inconsistency in the case ofBranchipolynoe symmytilida(EPR) andBranchipolynoe seepensis(MAR), which show a greater degree of divergence at the chromosome level compared with other members of the same genus. Moreover, polychaetes as a whole showed greater variation in the number and structural divergence of chromosomes compared to Mytilids (structural information only). Our findings highlight the great potential for chromosome analysis in future taxonomic and evolutionary studies of the deep-sea vent fauna.
Simultaneous detection ofAureliaandChrysaorascyphozoan jellyfish on a DNA microarray
Authors: Ki Jang-Seu , Hwang Dae-Sik , Lee Jae-Seong
Published: August 2009

To demonstrate the effectiveness of microarrays for the detection of jellyfish, we developed a low density DNA chip based on the mitochondrial COI gene sequences of scyphozoans (jellyfish). We designed species-specific oligonucleotide probes by sequence comparisons between scyphozoans and other cnidarians such as hydrozoans and anthozoans. Each amine-labelled capture probe was arrayed onto a silylated slide. PCR products of the COI gene were hybridized to the DNA microarray that contained COI consensus sequences. We tested the ability of the DNA chip to discriminate between species from the generaAureliaandChrysaorabased on samples of both species from the polyp and ephyra stages. The array produced unique hybridization patterns for each of the two tested jellyfish species. Furthermore, we were able to simultaneously detect individual jellyfish species from mixtures of these two different species in the laboratory and from environmental samples. These results show that the low density DNA chip that we designed can be used as a technical platform for parallel molecular detection of various jellyfish species.
Introduction and Comments
Authors: Isaac Jeffrey C.
Published: August 2009

In the June issue of Perspectives Jim Johnson wrote a very generous Introduction, in which he graciously handed off of the journal to me. I am thankful that he has agreed to return one last time, to introduce this issue's articles, all edited under his watch.
Scientific Expertise and the Culture War: Public Opinion and the Teaching of Evolution in the American States
Authors: Berkman Michael B. , Plutzer Eric
Published: August 2009

The teaching of evolution in public schools has been a central element in the nation's “culture wars” since the 1920s and remains a contentious issue today. Content standards for the teaching of biology have been flashpoints for conflict, with well publicized battles occurring in state governments, in federal courts, and in local school districts. We show that a full understanding of evolution politics at the state level must simultaneously account for three important features. First, cultural politics typically includes an important role for public opinion. Second, scientists and their professional organizations have actively sought a monopoly on defining what is and is not science by marginalizing their uncredentialled opponents and by erecting boundaries that buffer science policy from the influence of politics and public opinion. Third, in the American federal system courts rarely settle cultural issues but merely narrow the space within which politics can operate. In accounting for these features, we explain why court victories for science have had only limited impacts and provide a model for understanding other issues—such as sex education, stem cell research, and global warming—in which moral and ideological arguments may conflict with scientific consensus.
Comparing Presidents' Economic Policy Leadership
Authors: Weatherford M. Stephen
Published: August 2009

Presidents are rightly held responsible for managing the national economy—they exercise substantial discretion over fiscal policy and have the potential for informally influencing monetary policy. At the same time, presidential accomplishments are circumscribed by market forces and institutions at home and overseas, and the complexities of fragmented authority and external constraints make judging performance difficult. I draw on the literature on economic policymaking and on the presidency to explicate a set of criteria for comparing presidential economic policy leadership, construct quantitative indicators of each dimension, and display the results of comparative analyses covering the second half of the twentieth century. The four criteria view presidents from three different vantage points: the separation of powers, focusing on presidents' success at gaining congressional approval for an economic agenda; the public, based on an original compilation of survey data tracking the electorate's evaluation; and the economy, tracing how presidents' policies affect overall prosperity and the distribution of income. Combining information about how crucial audiences have perceived and responded to presidential initiatives, with outcomes in the economy, this approach emphasizes comparison, and thus complements the qualitative depth of narrative approaches.
Identification of atmospheric boundary layer height over a tropical station using high‐resolution radiosonde refractivity profiles: Comparison with GPS radio occultation measurements
Authors: Basha Ghouse , Ratnam M. Venkat
Published: August 2009

In this study, long‐term (2.5 years) observations of a high vertical resolution radiosonde are used for the first time to identify the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) height over a tropical station, Gadanki (13.5°N, 79.2°E). An alternative method of detecting ABL height from refractivity (N) profiles is proposed, which includes both temperature and water vapor information, and several advantages were found. The identified height using N is compared with that detected by traditional methods like potential, virtual potential temperature, and mixing ratio during different background meteorological conditions. Very good correlations in all weather conditions indicate that N can also be used as an indicator for detecting the ABL height. The ABL height thus obtained is compared with independent measurements of N from the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology Ionosphere and Climate GPS radio occultation (RO), and very good correlation is found between the two. ABL height is found to be higher during premonsoon, followed by monsoon and postmonsoon, and is minimum in winter. In addition, radiosondes launched four times a day during different seasons have been used to study the diurnal variation. These results were compared with GPS RO data collected during different times in a day for a given season, and very strong diurnal variation was found. For studying the global distribution of ABL height from GPS RO data, it is suggested that one considers the GPS RO data for a fixed time or range of time (as RO data are very sparse in tropical regions) and the profiles reaching down to 0.5 km, particularly during nighttime.
Mixing within fracture intersections during colloidal suspension flow
Authors: Michalis V. K. , Kalarakis A. N. , Skouras E. D. , Burganos V. N.
Published: August 2009

The effects of mixing within pore or fracture intersections on dispersion in porous media are investigated through the development and use of different simulation techniques that play particular attention to the flow field and mass transport details inside the intersection region. The flow field in an orthogonal intersection is computed using a lattice Boltzmann technique. Particle trajectories are computed taking into account both convection and molecular diffusion and allow the calculation of the transverse and longitudinal dispersion coefficients over a wide range of Peclet number values. The mixing ratio in the intersection is also calculated and is used in two distinct ways to yield the transverse dispersion coefficient. It is found that a random walk method that is introduced here reproduces the dispersion coefficient with excellent accuracy in the low and moderate Peclet number range, thanks to the fact that it accounts for upstream motion of solute particles and for different travel times within each fracture. Both slip and no‐slip conditions at the solid walls are used, and a direct comparison shows that the former, which is known to develop in the presence of a wetting film or a porous wall, for instance, reduces the longitudinal dispersion considerably but affects the transverse dispersion only slightly.
Catastrophe Finance: An Emerging Discipline
Authors: Elsner James B. , Burch R. King , Jagger Thomas H.
Published: August 2009

While the recent disasters in the world's financial markets demonstrate that finance theory remains far from perfected, science also faces steep challenges in the quest to predict and manage the effects of natural disasters. Worldwide, as many as half a million people have died in disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and tropical cyclones since the turn of the 21st century [Wirtz, 2008]. Further, natural disasters can lead to extreme financial losses, and independent financial collapses can be exacerbated by natural disasters.

In financial cost, 2008 was the second most expensive year on record for such catastrophes and for financial market declines. These extreme events in the natural and financial realms push the issue of risk management to the fore, expose the deficiencies of existing knowledge and practice, and suggest that progress requires further research and training at the graduate level.
A First Course in Atmospheric Thermodynamics
Authors: Chilson Phillip
Published: August 2009

It is not uncommon to find textbooks that have been written with the intention of catering to a broad spectrum of readers. Often, though not always, the result is a book appropriate for neither advanced nor beginning students. However, Grant Petty had a very specific target audience in mind when he wrote A First Course in Atmospheric Thermodynamics. The book is clearly gauged for atmospheric science and meteorology students who have had introductory courses in physics and calculus but who have not necessarily established a firm foundation in analytic problem solving.
Discovery of a north‐south asymmetry in Saturn's radio rotation period
Authors: Gurnett D. A. , Lecacheux A. , Kurth W. S. , Persoon A. M. , Groene J. B. , Lamy L. , Zarka P. , Carbary J. F.
Published: August 2009

For many years it has been known that Saturn emits intense radio emissions at kilometer wavelengths and that this radiation is modulated by the rotation of the planet at a rate that varies by up to one percent on a time scale of years. Recent radio observations from the Cassini spacecraft have revealed the appearance of a second component, with a rotation period of about 10.6 hours, significantly less than the period of the previously known component, which is currently about 10.8 hours. In this paper we show that the first component originates from the southern auroral region, and that the second component originates from the northern auroral region. This north‐south asymmetry in the rotation period has potentially important implications on how angular momentum is transferred from the interior to the magnetosphere.