bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessing vaccine safety communication with healthcare providers in a large urban county
Authors: Meranus Dana , Stergachis Andy , Arnold Jenny , Duchin Jeffrey
Published: September 2011

Purpose

Vaccination is the primary public health tool for influenza control. Rapid assessment of the safety of any widely disseminated pandemic influenza vaccine is a public health priority. This study identifies practices, strengths, and weaknesses of vaccine‐associated adverse event (AE) reporting to inform public health systems improvement.

Methods

A survey was developed with local and state health agencies' input. After pre‐testing, the survey was distributed online and via mail to a random sample of King County, WA, healthcare professionals, composed of 60 commercial vaccinator employees and school health nurses, 500 physicians, and 300 pharmacists.

Results

The response rate was 36%. Results indicate that if an AE was suspected, 17% of respondents would not know how to report it, with 61% of respondents citing unclear definitions of a reportable AE as a barrier and 18% of respondents unaware of whose responsibility it is to report an AE.

Conclusion

Healthcare professionals who provide immunizations need additional information on their role in vaccine safety and AE reporting. Strengthening both passive and active reporting systems can enhance surveillance efforts during real‐time events, such as mass immunization during a pandemic and other large‐scale emergency countermeasure distribution programs. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evolving internship issues in school psychology preparation
Authors: Phelps LeAdelle , Swerdlik Mark E.
Published: September 2011

Current issues relevant to school psychology internships are reviewed. The movement toward professional competencies and behavioral benchmarks as they relate to school psychology internships is discussed, with a concentration on American Psychological Association and National Association of School Psychologists standards. Given the emphasis on observable outcomes and assessment of competencies, implications specific to the internship year at both the specialist and doctoral levels are considered. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
High nuclear RBM3 expression is associated with an improved prognosis in colorectal cancer
Authors: Hjelm Barbara , Brennan Donal J. , Zendehrokh Nooreldin , Eberhard Jakob , Nodin Björn , Gaber Alexander , Pontén Fredrik , Johannesson Henrik , Smaragdi Kristina , Frantz Christian , Hober Sophia , Johnson Louis B. , Påhlman Sven , Jirström Karin , Uhlen Mathias
Published: September 2011

Purpose: In this study, we investigated the prognostic impact of human RBM3 expression in colorectal cancer using tissue microarray‐based immunohistochemical analysis.

Experimental design: One polyclonal antibody and four monoclonal anti‐RBM3 antibodies were generated and epitope mapped using two different methods. Bacterial display revealed five distinct epitopes for the polyclonal antibody, while the four mouse monoclonal antibodies were found to bind to three of the five epitopes. A peptide suspension bead array assay confirmed the five epitopes of the polyclonal antibody, while only one of the monoclonal antibodies could be mapped using this approach. Antibody specificity was confirmed by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry, including siRNA‐mediated knock‐down. Two of the antibodies (polyclonal and monoclonal) were subsequently used to analyze RBM3 expression in tumor samples from two independent colorectal cancer cohorts, one consecutive cohort (n=270) and one prospectively collected cohort of patients with cancer of the sigmoid colon (n=305). RBM3‐expression was detected, with high correlation between both antibodies (R=0.81, p<0.001).

Results: In both cohorts, tumors with high nuclear RBM3 staining had significantly prolonged the overall survival. This was also confirmed in multivariate analysis, adjusted for established prognostic factors.

Conclusion and clinical relevance: These data demonstrate that high tumor‐specific nuclear expression of RBM3 is an independent predictor of good prognosis in colorectal cancer.
Index assignment of a carbon nanotube rope using tip‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Goß Karin , Peica Niculina , Thomsen Christian , Maultzsch Janina , Schneider Claus M. , Meyer Carola
Published: September 2011

We used tip‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy to study the diameter‐dependent Raman modes in a contacted carbon nanotube (CNT) rope. We show that with the near‐field tip enhancement a large number of nanotubes within a rope can be identified, even if the nanotube modes cannot be distinguished in the far‐field signal. Several metallic and semiconducting nanotubes can be identified and assigned to nanotube families. Additionally, we provide a tentative chiral index assignment.
Reflective interferometric gas sensing using nanoporous anodic aluminium oxide (AAO)
Authors: Kumeria Tushar , Losic Dusan
Published: September 2011

This Letter reports the use of nanoporous anodic aluminium oxide (AAO) for reflective interferometric gas sensing. Gas detection is based on changes of the interference signal from AAO porous layer as a result of the specific adsorption of gas molecules on a metal coated surface. Two different metal coatings – gold (Au) and platinum (Pt) – were used and their application for the detection of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) and hydrogen (H2) is shown. The practical application of a microchip Au‐AAO sensor for measurement of H2S concentration and monitoring of malodour is also presented. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Quasi‐randomness of graph balanced cut properties
Authors: Huang Hao , Lee Choongbum
Published: September 2011

Quasi‐random graphs can be informally described as graphs whose edge distribution closely resembles that of a truly random graph of the same edge density. Recently, Shapira and Yuster proved the following result on quasi‐randomness of graphs. Let k ≥ 2 be a fixed integer, α1,…,αk be positive reals satisfying
\documentclass{article}\usepackage{mathrsfs}\usepackage{amsmath, amssymb}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document} \begin{align*}\sum_{i} \alpha_i = 1\end{align*} \end{document}
and (α1,…,αk)≠(1/k,…,1/k), and G be a graph on n vertices. If for every partition of the vertices of G into sets V
1,…,V
k of size α1n,…,αkn, the number of complete graphs on k vertices which have exactly one vertex in each of these sets is similar to what we would expect in a random graph, then the graph is quasi‐random. However, the method of quasi‐random hypergraphs they used did not provide enough information to resolve the case (1/k,…,1/k) for graphs. In their work, Shapira and Yuster asked whether this case also forces the graph to be quasi‐random. Janson also posed the same question in his study of quasi‐randomness under the framework of graph limits. In this paper, we positively answer their question. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 2011
Sampling colourings of the triangular lattice
Authors: Jalsenius Markus
Published: September 2011

We show that the Glauber dynamics on proper 9‐colourings of the triangular lattice is rapidly mixing, which allows for efficient sampling. Consequently, there is a fully polynomial randomised approximation scheme (FPRAS) for counting proper 9‐colourings of the triangular lattice. Proper colourings correspond to configurations in the zero‐temperature anti‐ferromagnetic Potts model. We show that the spin system consisting of proper 9‐colourings of the triangular lattice has strong spatial mixing. This implies that there is a unique infinite‐volume Gibbs distribution, which is an important property studied in statistical physics. Our results build on previous work by Goldberg, Martin and Paterson, who showed similar results for 10 colours on the triangular lattice. Their work was preceded by Salas and Sokal's 11‐colour result. Both proofs rely on computational assistance, and so does our 9‐colour proof. We have used a randomised heuristic to guide us towards rigourous results. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 40, 501–533, 2012
Thermophysical Properties of a Fe‐Cr‐Mo Alloy in the Solid and Liquid Phase
Authors: Wunderlich R. K. , Fecht H. ‐J. , Egry I. , Etay J. , Battezzati L. , Ricci E. , Matsushita T. , Seetharaman S.
Published: September 2011

Results of a thermophysical characterization of a Fe‐Cr‐Mo alloy in the solid and liquid phases are reported. Methods applied include calorimetry, dilatometry; the laser flash technique for thermal diffusivity measurement and ultrasound pulse echo for the measurement of the room temperature sound velocities and elastic constants. Density in the liquid phase and surface tension were measured by optical dilatometry and by the oscillating drop method on electromagnetic levitated specimen. In addition, surface tension and viscosity were measured by the oscillating drop method on board parabolic flights under reduced gravity conditions. The methods applied and results obtained are presented. This work represents a collaborative effort, including round robin measurements in different laboratories for a characterization of the basic thermophysical properties needed for process simulation.
Magnetism of Rare‐Earth Cobalt Phosphides GdCo3P2 and GdCo5P3
Authors: Thompson Corey M. , Kovnir Kirill , Zhou Haidong , Shatruk Michael
Published: September 2011

Magnetic properties of GdCo3P2 and GdCo5P3 are reported. Both compounds are paramagnetic at room temperature. GdCo3P2 undergoes an antiferromagnetic transition due to the ordering of gadolinium magnetic moments at 16 K. The cobalt atoms do not contribute to the magnetism of this compound. The antiferromagnetic transition is shifted to lower temperatures by an applied magnetic field, reaching 12 K at 0.60 T. Such behavior is attributed to spin canting or spin reorientation at higher fields. No such abrupt transition is observed in GdCo5P3, but the field dependence of magnetization at 1.8 K indicates canted antiferromagnetism. In addition, observation of distinct peaks in the AC magnetic susceptibility at 66 K, 54 K, and 48 K suggests occurrence of successive magnetic state changes. An examination of previously determined crystal structures of these solids reveals common structural elements derived from the [Co2P2] layer present in the structure of RECo2P2 phases (RE = rare earth; ThCr2Si2 structure type). In GdCo3P2 and GdCo5P3, such layers are truncated and form triangular patterns when viewed along the [010] crystallographic direction. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis showed that GdCo5P3 is isostructural to YCo5P3. The gadolinium atoms form chains along [010] with d(Gd–Gd) = 3.683 Å. In GdCo3P2, the gadolinium atoms form cobalt‐centered trigonal prisms with d(Gd–Gd) approx. 3.7–3.8 Å. The prisms share their trigonal faces to form columns along [010].
The Utility of Multidetector Computed Tomography for Detection of Parathyroid Disease in the Setting of Primary Hyperparathyroidism
Authors: Linda Dorota D. , Ng Bernard , Rebello Ryan , Harish Srinivasan , Ioannidis George , Young J.E.M.
Published: September 2011

Purpose

The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) in the detection of parathyroid adenoma and hyperplasia in the setting of primary hyperparathyroidism.

Methods

Records of 48 patients with biochemically confirmed primary hyperparathyroidism, who underwent preoperative imaging with 16- or 64-slice contrast-enhanced MDCT and subsequent successful parathyroidectomy over a 3-year period, were reviewed. Two radiologists, blinded to the operative and histologic findings, independently evaluated multiplanar computed tomographic images for all patients.

Results

On pathologic examination, 63 abnormal glands were confirmed in 41 female and 7 male patients (mean age, 63 years). Of the 63 abnormal glands, 40 were adenomatous and 23 were hyperplastic. MDCT demonstrated an 88% (95% confidence interval [CI], 77%–99%) positive predictive value for localizing abnormal hyperfunctioning parathyroid glands. The sensitivity of MDCT in detecting single-gland disease was 80% (95% CI, 68%–92%); whereas the specificity for ruling out hyperfunctioning parathyroid tissue, either adenomatous or hyperplastic, was 75% (95% CI, 51%–99%). The sensitivity for exclusively localizing parathyroid hyperplasia was 17% (95% CI, 2%–33%). The parathyroid adenomas were substantially larger and heavier than their hyperplastic counterparts, with an average weight of 1.51 g (range, 0.08–6.00 g) and 0.42 g (range, 0.02–2.0 g) for adenoma and hyperplasia, respectively.

Conclusions

Contrast-enhanced MDCT demonstrated an 88% positive predictive value for localizing adenomatous and hyperplastic parathyroid glands. The poor sensitivity for detection of multigland disease was likely a result of the smaller size and weight of the abnormal hyperplastic glands.
Comparison of the efficacy and safety of titrated oral misoprostol and a conventional oral regimen for cervical ripening and labor induction
Authors: Thaisomboon Amporn , Russameecharoen Kusol , Wanitpongpan Prapat , Phattanachindakun Buraya , Changnoi Alita
Published: September 2011

Objective

To compare the efficacy and safety of titrated oral misoprostol and a conventional oral regimen for cervical ripening and labor induction.

Methods

A randomized double‐blind trial of women with term singleton pregnancies with indications for labor induction. Participants were allocated to receive 20 mL of misoprostol solution (1 μg/mL) orally every 1 hour for 4 doses then titrated to 40 μg every 1 hour (titrated group) or 50 μg of misoprostol orally every 4 hours up to 12 hours (conventional group). Primary outcomes were success rate of cervical ripening within 12 hours, interval from first dose until more favorable cervix or active labor occurred, and total dose of misoprostol.

Results

Sixty‐four participants were included. Mean total dose of misoprostol and incidence of tachysystole were significantly higher in the titrated compared with the conventional group (236.2 ± 110.1 μg vs 103.1 ± 35.7 μg; P = 0.001 and 25.0% vs 6.3%; P = 0.03), whereas success rate, interval from drug administration to more favorable cervix and delivery, proportion of patients delivered vaginally within 12 hours and 24 hours, need for oxytocin augmentation, cesarean delivery rate, maternal adverse effects and complications, and neonatal outcome were not significantly different (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

Conventional oral misoprostol is as effective as titrated misoprostol for cervical ripening and labor induction, but has a lower incidence of tachysystole and a lower total dose of misoprostol is required. ClinicalTrial.gov: NCT00886860.
Management of a Wild Boar Wound: A Case Report
Authors: Kose Ozkan , Guler Ferhat , Baz Ali B. , Akalın Serdar , Turan Adil
Published: September 2011

Injuries caused by wild boar attacks are rare. A 34-year-old male shepherd sustained injuries caused by a wild boar attack, and was brought to our emergency department. The patient had 2 skin and deep tissue lacerations on the posterior aspect of his thigh. Herein, we discuss the clinical management of a wild boar bite wound with a review of the literature.
Demonology at a Crossroads: The Visions of Ermine de Reims and the Image of the Devil on the Eve of the Great European Witch-Hunt
Authors: Campagne Fabián Alejandro
Published: September 2011

From November 1, 1395, until August 25, 1396, Ermine de Reims, a peasant widow from Northern France, was systematically beaten and tortured by the devil almost every night. This is at least what the woman told her confessor, Jean le Graveur. This story takes place only thirty years before the formal beginning of the witchcraft repression in the Continent. For that reason I have opted to explore in this article a historical problem that lies at the very heart of the strange case of Ermine: the image of the devil on the eve of the great European witch-hunt. In particular, Jean le Graveur's narration can provide new evidence for assessing the continuities and ruptures between radical demonology and the previous theological conceptions of the devil. The overlap we find in Jean's manuscript between different traditions, contributes to demonstrate that the image of the devil that prevails in times of the early modern witchcraft persecution was not necessarily built in opposition to previous demonological paradigms. The new science of demons that began to emerge during the thirteenth century merely remarked certain traits of the devil of the Fathers, and therefore the differences between both mythologies arose from the decision of emphasizing different components of the very same demonological complex. The Satan of scholasticism, then, was not only an enhanced, revised and expanded version of the Augustinian devil, but the true consummation of the Patristic model, its fullest expression: one that would begin to emerge only at the end of time, on the eve of the Second Coming of Christ.
“God Is My Partner”: An Evangelical Business Man Confronts Depression and War
Authors: Hammond Sarah R.
Published: September 2011

“‘God Is My Partner’: An Evangelical Business Man Confronts Depression and War” chronicles the early career of R. G. LeTourneau, an industrialist and lay preacher whose life challenges the historiography of mid-twentieth-century fundamentalism as apolitical and otherworldly. In the 1930s and 1940s, every businessman had to grapple with the expanding federal state under the New Deal and in World War II. LeTourneau exemplified theologically conservative evangelical resourcefulness under changing political and economic conditions. Born in 1888 to a Plymouth Brethren family, his cultural memory reached back to the evangelical business activism of the nineteenth century, while his future lay in the fundamentalist subculture that the Brethren did much to create. However, as a businessman, LeTourneau had little patience with doctrines dividing “the world” from the church. He integrated evangelicalism into his manufacturing and managerial roles, and pushed fundamentalist clergy to tap laymen's proselytizing energy. Between 1930 and 1943, the years on which this article focuses, LeTourneau attacked dilemmas that preoccupied other evangelical business men: higher taxes, greater regulation, a forceful labor movement, and the challenge, as he saw it, to uphold the gospel and private enterprise against communist subversion. Business men such as LeTourneau represented the front line of what scholars have too often dismissed as trivial: evangelical politics during the New Deal.
FORUM: American Religion and the Great Depression
Authors: Butler Jon
Published: September 2011

Few topics seem more natural and, sadly, timelier than American religion in bad economic times, our own or the economic depression of the 1930s. The essays by Heather Curtis, Jonathan Ebel, and Alison Greene point up how little we know about religion in the 1930s and, by implication, how little religion has informed policy during our own economic downturn. Perhaps our own crisis is still too new or we are distracted by the “Christian nation” debate or the latest clerical sex scandal. Whatever the cause, Curtis, Ebel, and Greene demonstrate that in the 1930s religion and economic dislocation produced remarkable religious challenges and transformations whose similarities as well as differences underlined their sometimes fateful intersection.
Experimental evidence for costs due to chewing lice in the European bee-eater (Merops apiaster)
Authors: HOI H. , KRIŠTOFÍK J. , DAROLOVÁ A. , HOI C.
Published: September 2011

Animals frequently host organisms on their surface which can be beneficial, have no effect or a negative effect on their host. Ectoparasites, by definition, are those which incur costs to their host, but these costs may vary. Examples of avian ectoparasites are chewing lice which feed exclusively on dead feather or skin material; therefore, costs to their bird hosts are generally considered small. Theoretically, many possible proximate effects exist, like loss of tissue or food, infected bites, transmission of microparasitic diseases or reduced body insulation due to loss of feathers, which may ultimately also have fitness consequences. Here, we experimentally examined a possible negative impact of 2 feather-eating louse species (Meropoecus meropisandBrueelia apiastri) on male and female European bee-eaters (Merops apiaster) by removing or increasing louse loads and comparing their impact to a control group (lice removed and immediately returned) after 1 month. A negative effect of chewing lice was found on body mass and sedimentation rate and to a lesser extent on haematocrit levels. Males and females lost more weight when bearing heavy louse loads, and were more susceptible to infestations as indicated by the higher sedimentation rate. Our results further suggest differences in sex-specific susceptibility.
Embedding an interpreted language using higher-order functions and types
Authors: RAMSEY NORMAN
Published: September 2011

Using an embedded, interpreted language to control a complicated application can have significant software-engineering benefits. But existing interpreters are designed for embedding into C code. To embed an interpreter into a different language requires an API suited to that language. This paper presents Lua-ML, a new API that is suited to languages that provide higher-order functions and types. The API exploits higher-order functions and types to reduce the amount ofglue codeneeded to use an embedded interpreter. Where embedding in C requires a special-purpose “glue function” for every function to be embedded, embedding in Lua-ML requires only a description of each function's type. Lua-ML also makes it easy to define a Lua function whose behavior depends on the number and types of its arguments.
Apathy and Depression: Separate Factors in Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Kirsch-Darrow Lindsey , Marsiske Michael , Okun Michael S. , Bauer Russell , Bowers Dawn
Published: September 2011

The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that apathy and depression are dissociable in Parkinson disease (PD) by conducting a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of items from two commonly used mood scales. A total of 161 non-demented PD patients (age = 64.1; ± 8.4 years) were administered the Apathy Scale and the Beck Depression Inventory-II. Items were hypothesized to load onto four factors: (1) an apathy factor representing loss of motivation, (2) dysphoric mood factor representing sadness and negativity, (3) loss of interest/pleasure factor representing the features common to both apathy and depression, and (4) a somatic factor representing bodily complaints. Results indicated a good fit for the overall CFA model, χ2 (128, N = 146) = 194.9; p<.01. RMSEA was .060 (p = .16). The four-factor model was significantly better than all alternative nested models at p < .001, including an overarching single factor model, representing “depression.” Results support the concept that apathy and depression are discrete constructs. We suggest a “factor based” scoring of the Apathy Scale and Beck Depression Inventory-II that disentangles symptoms related to apathy, depression, overlapping symptoms, and somatic complaints. Such scoring may be important in providing useful information regarding differential treatment options. (JINS, 2011, 17, 1058–1066)
Co-habiting amphibian species harbor unique skin bacterial communities in wild populations
Authors: McKenzie Valerie J , Bowers Robert M , Fierer Noah , Knight Rob , Lauber Christian L
Published: September 2011

Although all plant and animal species harbor microbial symbionts, we know surprisingly little about the specificity of microbial communities to their hosts. Few studies have compared the microbiomes of different species of animals, and fewer still have examined animals in the wild. We sampled four pond habitats in Colorado, USA, where multiple amphibian species were present. In total, 32 amphibian individuals were sampled from three different species including northern leopard frogs (Lithobates pipiens), western chorus frogs (Pseudacris triseriata) and tiger salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum). We compared the diversity and composition of the bacterial communities on the skin of the collected individuals via barcoded pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Dominant bacterial phyla included Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteriodetes, Cyanobacteria, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. In total, we found members of 18 bacterial phyla, comparable to the taxonomic diversity typically found on human skin. Levels of bacterial diversity varied strongly across species: L. pipiens had the highest diversity; A. tigrinum the lowest. Host species was a highly significant predictor of bacterial community similarity, and co-habitation within the same pond was not significant, highlighting that the skin-associated bacterial communities do not simply reflect those bacterial communities found in their surrounding environments. Innate species differences thus appear to regulate the structure of skin bacterial communities on amphibians. In light of recent discoveries that some bacteria on amphibian skin have antifungal activity, our finding suggests that host-specific bacteria may have a role in the species-specific resistance to fungal pathogens.
The Association Between Socioeconomic Status and Obesity in Peruvian Women
Authors: Poterico Julio A. , Stanojevic Sanja , Ruiz‐Grosso Paulo , Bernabe‐Ortiz Antonio , Miranda J. Jaime
Published: September 2011

Historically in developing countries, the prevalence of obesity has been greater in more advantaged socioeconomic groups. However, in recent years the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and obesity has changed and varies depending on the country's development stage. This study examines the relationship between SES and obesity using two indicators of SES: education or possession assets. Using the cross‐sectional 2008 National Demographic and Family Health Survey of Peru (ENDES 2008), we investigated this relationship in women aged 15–49 years living in rural and urban settings. Descriptive, linear and logistic regressions analyses were conducted accounting for the multistage nature of the sampling design. The overall prevalence of obesity in this study was 14.1% (95% confidence interval (CI): 13.3–14.8); 8.4% (95% CI: 7.5–9.3) in rural areas and 16.2% (95% CI: 15.2–17.2) in urban areas. Wealthier women were more likely to be obese, and this association was stronger in rural areas. Conversely, more educated women were less likely to be obese, especially in urban areas. The distribution of obesity in Peruvian women is strongly related to socioeconomic position, and differs whether measured as possession assets or by level of education. These findings could have important implications for policy development in Peru.
Impact of the Look AHEAD Intervention on NT‐pro Brain Natriuretic Peptide in Overweight and Obese Adults With Diabetes
Authors: Bertoni Alain G. , Wagenknecht Lynne E. , Kitzman Dalane W. , Marcovina Santica M. , Rushing Julia T. , Espeland Mark A. ,   ; and Brain Natriuretic Peptide Subgroup of the Look AHEAD Research Group
Published: September 2011

Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) is a randomized trial determining whether intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) aimed at long‐term weight loss and increased physical fitness reduces cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in overweight and obese individuals with type 2 diabetes compared to control (diabetes support and education, DSE). We investigated the correlates of N‐terminal pro‐brain natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP), a biomarker associated with heart failure (HF) risk, in a subsample from 15 of 16 participating centers and tested the hypothesis that ILI decreased NT‐proBNP levels. Baseline and 1‐year blood samples were assayed for NT‐proBNP in a random sample of 1,500 without, and all 628 with, self‐reported baseline CVD (cardiovascular disease) (N = 2,128). Linear models were used to assess relationships that log‐transformed NT‐proBNP had with CVD risk factors at baseline and that 1‐year changes in NT‐proBNP had with intervention assignment. At baseline, the mean (s.d.) age, BMI, and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) were 59.6 (6.8) years, 36.0 kg/m2 (5.8), and 7.2% (1.1), respectively. Baseline geometric mean NT‐proBNP was not different by condition (ILI 53.3 vs. DSE 51.5, P = 0.45), was not associated with BMI, and was inversely associated with HbA1c. At 1 year, ILI participants achieved an average weight loss of 8.3% compared to 0.7% in DSE. At 1 year, NT‐proBNP levels increased to a greater extent in the intervention arm (ILI +21.3% vs. DSE +14.2%, P = 0.046). The increased NT‐proBNP associated with ILI was correlated with changes in HbA1c, BMI, and body composition. In conclusion, among overweight and obese persons with diabetes, an ILI that reduced weight was associated with an increased NT‐proBNP.
(Central) Auditory Processing Disorders: Issues and Challenges in India
Authors: Bantwal Anuradha R.
Published: September 2011

Individuals with (Central) Auditory Processing Disorder, or (C)APD, form a heterogeneous group. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association has listed the auditory processes that could be assessed to enable diagnosis of (C)APD. In India, detailed audiological assessment and intervention for auditory processing problems is being conducted in relatively few centers. The linguistic diversity of India presents with a unique challenge in providing clinical services and having complete test batteries in all spoken languages. In recent years, (C)APD has generated significant interest among speech and hearing professionals in India, with several leading institutes making efforts toward filling various lacunae in this area.
Diminishing Barriers to the Praxis Examination in Communication Sciences and Disorders
Authors: Riquelme Luis F.
Published: September 2011

Passing the Praxis Examination in speech-language pathology or audiology can be a difficult task. A passing score is the entry to a list of requirements for national certification (CCC-SLP, CCC-A) and for state licensure in the United States. This article will provide current information on the examination and address barriers to success that have been identified over the years. A call to action may serve to refocus efforts on improving access to success for all test-takers regardless of race/ethnicity, ability, or geographic location.
High-responsivity plasmonics-based GaAs metal-semiconductor-metal photodetectors
Authors: Karar Ayman , Das Narottam , Leong Tan Chee , Alameh Kamal , Tak Lee Yong , Karouta Fouad
Published: September 2011

We report the experimental characterization of high-responsivity plasmonics-based GaAs metal-semiconductor-metal photodetector (MSM-PD) employing metal nano-gratings. Both the geometry and light absorption near the designed wavelength are theoretically and experimentally investigated. The measured photocurrent enhancement is 4-times in comparison with a conventional single-slit MSM-PD. We observe reduction in the responsivity as the bias voltage increases and the input light polarization varies. Our experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of developing a high-responsivity, low bias-voltage high-speed MSM-PD.
Proximity effect on vortex dynamics at low field in Nb and Nb/Au bilayer microbridges exhibiting strong pinning
Authors: Lam Simon K. H.
Published: September 2011

The transport properties of Nb and Nb/Au thin film microbridges have been investigated. The presence of an Au layer on top of a Nb thin film was found to reduce the critical temperature and change the vortex dynamics due to the proximity effect. The voltage-current characteristics of Nb/Au bilayer microbridges were studied at low applied magnetic fields in the range of 0.15–3 mT. Two different types of vortex motion were observed as the current increased. Linear resistive branches were first observed with resistance values consistent with the normal resistance of non-superconducting channels, a direct evidence of the motion for individual vortices while the vortex lattice is still pinned. At higher driving currents, the whole vortex lattice was moved causing an abrupt voltage jump from the mixed state to the normal state.
A streamwise-constant model of turbulent pipe flow
Authors: Bourguignon Jean-Loup , McKeon Beverley J.
Published: September 2011

A streamwise-constant model is presented to investigate the basic mechanisms responsible for the change in mean flow occuring during pipe flow transition. The model is subject to two different types of forcing: a simple forcing of the axial momentum equation via a deterministic form for the streamfunction and a stochastic forcing of the streamfunction equation. Using a single forced momentum balance equation, we show that the shape of the velocity profile is robust to changes in the forcing profile and that both linear non-normal and nonlinear effects are required to capture the change in mean flow associated with transition to turbulence. The particularly simple form of the model allows for the study of the momentum transfer directly by inspection of the equations. The distribution of the high- and low-speed streaks over the cross-section of the pipe produced by our model is remarkably similar to one observed in the velocity field near the trailing edge of the puff structures present in pipe flow transition. Under stochastic forcing, the model exhibits a quasi-periodic self-sustaining cycle characterized by the creation and subsequent decay of “streamwise-constant puffs,” so-called due to the good agreement between the temporal evolution of their velocity field and the projection of the velocity field associated with three-dimensional puffs in a frame of reference moving at the bulk velocity. We establish that the flow dynamics are relatively insensitive to the regeneration mechanisms invoked to produce near-wall streamwise vortices, such that using small, unstructured background disturbances to regenerate the streamwise vortices in place of the natural feedback from the flow is sufficient to capture the formation of the high- and low-speed streaks and their segregation leading to the blunting of the velocity profile characteristic of turbulent pipe flow. We propose a “quasi self-sustaining process” to describe these mechanisms.
Atomic-scale investigation and magnetic properties of Cu80Co20 nanowires
Authors: Hannour A. , Lardé R. , Jean M. , Bran J. , Pareige P. , Le Breton J. M.
Published: September 2011

Cu80Co20 granular alloy nanowires were synthesized by electrodeposition method and investigated by x-ray diffraction (XRD), Laser Assisted Wide Angle Tomographic Atom Probe (LAWATAP), and SQUID magnetometry. XRD results reveal the existence of a fcc Cu matrix and fcc Co-rich nanograins, with a preferred orientation along the [200] direction (perpendicular to the substrate surface). The Co-rich nanograins could be coherent with the Cu matrix. 3D reconstructions of a nano-sized volume, obtained by LAWATAP, reveal the heterogeneous aspect of the Cu80Co20 nanowires: Co-rich nanoclusters with size between 2 and 10 nm are detected, and the presence of Cu and Co oxides is evidenced. Magnetization measurements indicate that the Co-rich nanoclusters are superparamagnetic, with a blocking temperature that extends up to, at least, room temperature. The presence of ferromagnetic domains at room temperature indicates that some Co-rich nanoclusters are correlated within a volume that corresponds to a so-called interacting superparamagnetic phase. As a matter of fact, by LAWATAP atomic-scale analysis, a very good correlation is obtained between microstructure and magnetic properties.
Core-softened system with attraction: Trajectory dependence of anomalous behavior
Authors: Fomin Yu. D. , Tsiok E. N. , Ryzhov V. N.
Published: September 2011

In the present article we carry out a molecular dynamics study of the core-softened system and show that the existence of the water-like anomalies in this system depends on the trajectory in P–ρ–T space along which the behavior of the system is studied. For example, diffusion and structural anomalies are visible along isotherms as a function of density, but disappears along the isochores and isobars as a function of temperature. On the other hand, the diffusion anomaly may be seen along adiabats as a function of temperature, density, and pressure. It should be noted that it may be no signature of a particular anomaly along a particular trajectory, but the anomalous region for that particular anomaly can be defined when all possible trajectories in the same space are examined (for example, signature of diffusion anomaly is evident through the crossing of different isochors. However, there is no signature of diffusion anomaly along a particular isochor). We also analyze the applicability of the Rosenfeld entropy scaling relations to this system in the regions with the water-like anomalies. It is shown that the validity of the Rosenfeld scaling relation for the diffusion coefficient also depends on the trajectory in the P–ρ–T space along which the kinetic coefficients and the excess entropy are calculated.
Electric-field control of spin accumulation signals in silicon at room temperature
Authors: Ando Y. , Maeda Y. , Kasahara K. , Yamada S. , Masaki K. , Hoshi Y. , Sawano K. , Izunome K. , Sakai A. , Miyao M. , Hamaya K.
Published: September 2011

We demonstrate spin accumulation signals controlled by the gate voltage in a metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor structure with a Si channel and a CoFe/n+-Si contact at room temperature. Under the application of a back-gate voltage, we clearly observe the three-terminal Hanle-effect curves, i.e., spin accumulation signals. The magnitude of spin accumulation signals can be reduced with increasing the gate voltage. We consider that the gate controlled spin signals are attributed to the change in the carrier density in the Si channel beneath the CoFe/n+-Si contact. This study is not only a technological jump for Si-based spintronic applications with gate structures but also reliable evidence for the spin injection into the semiconducting Si channel at room temperature.
Transformation of concentrated sunlight into laser radiation on small parabolic concentrators
Authors: Payziyev Sh. D. , Bakhramov S. A. , Kasimov A. K.
Published: September 2011

The possibility of creation of effective lasers on small parabolic solar concentrators with the use of ceramic active elements of disk geometry was studied. Various variants of a design for solar lasers were considered. It is shown that the efficiency of transformation can reach the value of 35% for the considered schemes of solar laser. It was proposed to use solar lasers for large-scale synthesis of nanoparticles and nanostructures.
Surface barrier height lowering at above 540 K in AlInN/AlN/GaN heterostructures
Authors: Tanvir Hasan Md. , Tokuda Hirokuni , Kuzuhara Masaaki
Published: September 2011

Hall mobility (μH) and two dimensional electron gas density (ns) have been measured from 77 up to 973 K in AlInN/AlN/GaN heterostructures, where the atmospheric condition is changed as measured in vacuum and air. The μH decreases monotonically with increasing the temperature. The characteristic feature is observed in ns that it is almost constant up to around 540 K and shows sudden increase at higher temperatures when measured in the vacuum, while it is almost constant measured in the air. The surface barrier lowering originated from the decomposition of the surface oxide layer on AlInN is proposed as the most probable mechanism for the increase in ns.
Investigating the improvement of resistive switching trends after post-forming negative bias stress treatment
Authors: Tseng Hsueh-Chih , Chang Ting-Chang , Huang Jheng-Jie , Yang Po-Chun , Chen Yu-Ting , Jian Fu-Yen , Sze S. M. , Tsai Ming-Jinn
Published: September 2011

This paper investigates the improvement of resistive switching trends after post-forming negative bias stress treatment of a Pt/Yb2O3/TiN device that has undergone positive bias forming process for activation. After the treatment, characteristics of the conductive filament, such as the temperature dependence of resistivity and transition mechanism, undergo changes. Furthermore, this treatment causes the conductive filament to transform from being primarily composed of vacancies to being metallic Yb dominant, which not only reduces operation voltages such as Vset and Vreset but also improves the on/off ratio. In reliability tests, the device has stable retention.
Bomb radiocarbon dating of three important reef-fish species using Indo-Pacific Δ14C chronologies
Authors: Andrews Allen H. , Kalish John M. , Newman Stephen J. , Johnston Justine M.
Published: September 2011

Demersal reef fishes of the Indo-Pacific are under increasing pressure as a fisheries resource, yet many of the important life history characteristics required for suitable management are poorly known. The three fish species, eightbar grouper (Hyporthodus octofasciatus), ruby snapper (Etelis carbunculus) and the spangled emperor (Lethrinus nebulosus), are important components of fisheries and ecosystems throughout the Indo-Pacific. Despite their importance, age and growth information is incomplete. Age has been estimated for E. carbunculus and L. nebulosus, but validated age beyond the first few years is lacking and for H. octofasciatus no age estimates exist. Bomb radiocarbon dating can provide age estimates that are independent of growth-zone counting, but only if appropriate reference Δ14C chronologies exist. In this study, a series of Δ14C records from hermatypic corals was assembled to provide a basis for bomb radiocarbon dating in the western Indo-Pacific region. Results provided (1) valid age estimates for comparison to age estimates from two facilities investigating growth-zones in otolith thin sections; (2) support for age estimation protocols using otolith thin sections; and (3) the information necessary for further refinement of age estimation procedures. Estimates of longevity from bomb radiocarbon dating agree with some prior studies: H. octofasciatus, E. carbunculus and L. nebulosus all being long-lived species with life spans of at least 43, 35 and 28 years respectively.
Social-Science Research by North Americans Abroad: Some Reflections
Authors: Mintz Sidney W.
Published: September 2011

The break-up of colonial empires in Asia and Africa since World War II; the rise of sternly nationalistic regimes in many non-western countries; the great unpopularity of America's undertakings in Viet Nam; and persisting international tensions have all contributed to the difficulties faced by American social scientists engaged in research abroad. These difficulties have mounted so in recent years that the central problem for North American social scientists could soon become not what to study, but where to study; and one may expect the situation to grow worse, not better. In the Middle East, recent hostilities have made North American social scientists less than welcome in many countries; while “Operation Camelot” in Latin America --when Department of Defense funds were secretly employed to support allegedly “pure” research--did the cause of honest social science much harm.
Notes on the Safavid State
Authors: Savory Roger
Published: September 2011

It is axiomatic that, if a language does not have a word for a given concept, that particular concept does not exist for the people who speak that language. We must therefore begin consideration of the evolution of the Ṣafavid state by making the negative statement that, for the Ṣafavids the concept of the state in any Western sense did not exist. As Minorsky has said: “it is a moot question how the idea of the State, if ever distinctly realized, was expressed in Ṣafavid terminology.” The term dawlat, meaning “bliss, felicity”, was sometimes used in an abstract way to denote the aura of beneficence which surrounded the just ruler and sheltered his subjects. Thus the principal officers of the Ṣafavid state were termed arkān-i dawlat. that is, the pillars which supported this regal canopy. So too, especially from the time of shāh ᶜAbba I onwards, the vazīr was entitled iᶜtimād al-dawla, that is, its trusty support or prop.
Economic Development of Petroleum-Exporting Countries
Authors: Fatemi Ali M.S.
Published: September 2011

In this study the contribution of petroleum revenues, as a source of capital formation, for the economic development of the exporting countries is considered. Initally, the question of significance of capital as a necessary factor for economic development is investigated. The overall rate of development is greatly affected and limited by shortage of productive factors, and among the scarce factors associated with underdevelopment capital is a very important one. However, the effectiveness of capital itself is limited by the absorptive capacity of the given economy. The availability of noncapital factors and their relative elasticities not only determine the rate of development but generally in the short run set a limit to the amount of capital which can efficiently be invested. For the purpose of this study the assumption is that absorptive capacity in some of the petroleum exporting countries is not the limiting factor to economic development.
Educational Ambivalence in Iran
Authors: Zonis Marvin
Published: September 2011

Iran is rare among developing societies, in the intensity of its dilemma resulting from efforts to effect a symbiosis between two divergent traditions--cultural continuity and technological, i.e., Western, innovation. As the Shah himself sees it, “we are both adjusting the technology to our culture and our culture to the technology.” But the “adjustment” proceeds, at best, haltingly with the result that neither of the traditions is especially vital, nor entirely relevant to Iran's political goals.

In no area of contemporary Iranian life can this be more tellingly demonstrated than that of education. Where the political leadership has made a firm commitment to social, political, and economic change, the educational sector is frequently among the first to reflect this commitment. But the ambiguities, contradictions, and ambivalences of Iran's political elite is reflected in the course of Iran's educational system.
The Earliest Communities of Iran
Authors: Lamberg‐Karlovsky C.C.
Published: September 2011

Recent archaeological excavations in Iran have contributed fundamentally to our understanding of the economic subsistence patterns in man's earliest communities. Excavations at the sites of Tepe Yahya in Kerman, Ali Kosh in Khuzistan, and Ganj-i-Dareh in Western Azerbaijan, to name but a few within different environmental zones and ecological niches, show that within the area of present-day Iran the cultural and economic transition from an earlier subsistence of hunting and gathering to settled village agricultural communities took place. This transition has been documented in other areas, i. e. Palestine, Anatolia, of Southwestern Asia. The development from a hunting and gathering economy to settled village agricultural productivity, often referred to as the ‘Neolithic Revolution’, was not an historical event (taking place in a moment of time) nor restricted to a single geographical area, but a cultural process which necessitated millennia for its achievement. The important role which Iran played can perhaps best be documented by summarizing the developing economic subsistence patterns in three loosely defined periods of time about 7000, 6000, and 5000 B.C.