bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of non-specific interactions on formation and stability of specific complexes
Authors: Osmanović Dino , Rabin Yitzhak
Published: May 2016

We introduce a simple model to describe the interplay between specific and non-specific interactions. We study the influence of various physical factors on the static and dynamic properties of the specific interactions of our model and show that contrary to intuitive expectations, non-specific interactions can assist in the formation of specific complexes and increase their stability. We then discuss the relevance of these results for biological systems.
Kinetics of droplet formation and Bi incorporation in GaSbBi alloys
Authors: Tait C. Ryan , Millunchick Joanna M.
Published: June 2016

Bi incorporation in GaAs and GaSb has exhibited some promising properties allowing for potential new materials operating in the infrared regime. The growth of these materials has proven difficult, often leading to surfaces covered in droplets or nonuniformity in the composition. We propose a new kinetic model to capture the dynamics of incorporation and droplet formation in the growth of these alloys. The model accurately predicts trends found experimentally. Furthermore, the model shows that compositional nonuniformity arises due to a reduction in the incorporation rate of Bi caused by the nucleation of droplets.
Relevance of 4f-3d exchange to finite-temperature magnetism of rare-earth permanent magnets: An ab-initio-based spin model approach for NdFe12N
Authors: Matsumoto Munehisa , Akai Hisazumi , Harashima Yosuke , Doi Shotaro , Miyake Takashi
Published: June 2016

A classical spin model derived ab initio for rare-earth-based permanent magnet compounds is presented. Our target compound, NdFe12N, is a material that goes beyond today's champion magnet compound Nd2Fe14B in its intrinsic magnetic properties with a simpler crystal structure. Calculated temperature dependence of the magnetization and the anisotropy field agrees with the latest experimental results in the leading order. Having put the realistic observables under our numerical control, we propose that engineering 5d-electron-mediated indirect exchange coupling between 4f-electrons in Nd and 3d-electrons from Fe would most critically help enhance the material's utility over the operation-temperature range.
Separating the effects of repulsive and attractive forces on the phase diagram, interfacial, and critical properties of simple fluids
Authors: Fuentes-Herrera M. , Moreno-Razo J. A. , Guzmán O. , López-Lemus J. , Ibarra-Tandi B.
Published: June 2016

Molecular simulations in the canonical and isothermal–isobaric ensembles were performed to study the effect of varying the shape of the intermolecular potential on the phase diagram, critical, and interfacial properties of model fluids. The molecular interactions were modeled by the Approximate Non-Conformal (ANC) theory potentials. Unlike the Lennard-Jones or Morse potentials, the ANC interactions incorporate parameters (called softnesses) that modulate the steepness of the potential in their repulsive and attractive parts independently. This feature allowed us to separate unambiguously the role of each region of the potential on setting the thermophysical properties. In particular, we found positive linear correlation between all critical coordinates and the attractive and repulsive softness, except for the critical density and the attractive softness which are negatively correlated. Moreover, we found that the physical properties related to phase coexistence (such as span of the liquid phase between the critical and triple points, variations in the P-T vaporization curve, interface width, and surface tension) are more sensitive to changes in the attractive softness than to the repulsive one. Understanding the different roles of attractive and repulsive forces on phase coexistence may contribute to developing more accurate models of liquids and their mixtures.
Analysis of loss mechanisms in InGaN solar cells using a semi-analytical model
Authors: Huang Xuanqi , Fu Houqiang , Chen Hong , Lu Zhijian , Ding Ding , Zhao Yuji
Published: June 2016

InGaN semiconductors are promising candidates for high-efficiency next-generation thin film solar cells. In this work, we study the photovoltaic performance of single-junction and two-junction InGaN solar cells using a semi-analytical model. We analyze the major loss mechanisms in InGaN solar cell including transmission loss, thermalization loss, spatial relaxation loss, and recombination loss. We find that transmission loss plays a major role for InGaN solar cells due to the large bandgaps of III-nitride materials. Among the recombination losses, Shockley-Read-Hall recombination loss is the dominant process. Compared to other III-V photovoltaic materials, we discovered that the emittance of InGaN solar cells is strongly impacted by Urbach tail energy. For two- and multi-junction InGaN solar cells, we discover that the current matching condition results in a limited range of top-junction bandgaps. This theoretical work provides detailed guidance for the design of high-performance InGaN solar cells.
Long-lived nanosecond spin coherence in high-mobility 2DEGs confined in double and triple quantum wells
Authors: Ullah S. , Gusev G. M. , Bakarov A. K. , Hernandez F. G. G.
Published: June 2016

We investigated the spin coherence of high-mobility two-dimensional electron gases confined in multilayer GaAs quantum wells. The dynamics of the spin polarization was optically studied using pump-probe techniques: time-resolved Kerr rotation and resonant spin amplification. For double and triple quantum wells doped beyond the metal-to-insulator transition, the spin-orbit interaction was tailored by the sample parameters of structural symmetry (Rashba constant), width, and electron density (Dresselhaus linear and cubic constants) which allow us to attain long dephasing times in the nanoseconds range. The determination of the scales, namely, transport scattering time, single-electron scattering time, electron-electron scattering time, and spin polarization decay time further supports the possibility of using n-doped multilayer systems for developing spintronic devices.
Kinks and bell-type solitons in microtubules
Authors: Zdravković Slobodan , Gligorić Goran
Published: June 2016

In the present paper, we study the nonlinear dynamics of microtubules relying on the known u-model. As a mathematical procedure, we use the simplest equation method. We recover some solutions obtained earlier using less general methods. These are kink solitons. In addition, we show that the solution of the crucial differential equation, describing nonlinear dynamics of microtubules, can be a bell-type soliton. The discovery of this new solution is supported by numerical analysis.
Synchronization using environmental coupling in mercury beating heart oscillators
Authors: Singla Tanu , Montoya Fernando , Rivera M. , Tajima Shunsuke , Nakabayashi Seiichiro , Parmananda P.
Published: June 2016

We report synchronization of Mercury Beating Heart (MBH) oscillators using the environmental coupling mechanism. This mechanism involves interaction of the oscillators with a common medium/environment such that the oscillators do not interact among themselves. In the present work, we chose a modified MBH system as the common environment. In the absence of coupling, this modified system does not exhibit self sustained oscillations. It was observed that, as a result of the coupling of the MBH oscillators with this common environment, the electrical and the mechanical activities of both the oscillators synchronized simultaneously. Experimental results indicate the emergence of both lag and the complete synchronization in the MBH oscillators. Simulations of the phase oscillators were carried out in order to better understand the experimental observations.
Communication: Proper use of broken-symmetry calculations in antiferromagnetic polyradicals
Authors: Malrieu Jean-Paul , Trinquier Georges
Published: June 2016

The present comment formulates some recommendations regarding the use of broken-symmetry Unrestricted Density Functional Theory (UDFT) solutions in those polyradical architectures predicted to be of ground-state singlet character according to Ovchinnikov’s rule. It proposes a procedure to identify the number of open shells, to reach the relevant Ms = 0 solution, and to estimate the low-energy spectrum of the states which keeps this number of open shells.
Explicit-water theory for the salt-specific effects and Hofmeister series in protein solutions
Authors: Kalyuzhnyi Yuriy V. , Vlachy Vojko
Published: June 2016

Effects of addition of salts on stability of aqueous protein solutions are studied theoretically and the results are compared with experimental data. In our approach, all the interacting species, proteins, ions, and water molecules, are accounted for explicitly. Water molecules are modeled as hard spheres with four off-center attractive square-well sites. These sites serve to bind either another water or to solvate the ions or protein charges. The ions are represented as charged hard spheres, and decorated by attractive sites to allow solvation. Spherical proteins simultaneously possess positive and negative groups, represented by charged hard spheres, attached to the surface of the protein. The attractive square-well sites, mimicking the protein–protein van der Waals interaction, are located on the surface of the protein. To obtain numerical results, we utilized the energy route of Wertheim’s associative mean spherical approximation. From measurable properties, we choose to calculate the second virial coefficient B2, which is closely related to the tendency of proteins to aggregate and eventually crystalize. Calculations are in agreement with experimental trends: (i) For low concentration of added salt, the alkali halide salts follow the inverse Hofmeister series. (ii) At higher concentration of added salt, the trend is reversed. (iii) When cations are varied, the salts follow the direct Hofmeister series. (iv) In contrast to the colloidal theories, our approach correctly predicts the non-monotonic behavior of B2 upon addition of salts. (v) With respect to anions, the theory predicts for the B2 values to follow different sequences below and above the iso-ionic point, as also confirmed experimentally. (vi) A semi-quantitative agreement between measured and calculated values for the second virial coefficient, as functions of pH of solution and added salt type and concentration, is obtained.
Surface evolution of perfluoropolyether film at high speed quasi-contact conditions
Authors: Chen Yung-Kan , Peng Jih-Ping , Bogy David B.
Published: May 2016

Nanoscale analysis characterized by microscopy with atomic resolution demand that the targeted surface remains nearly static. Therefore, the interaction between two fast moving surfaces requires a unique methodology to capture its dynamics when contacts are of nominal area on the order of 100 μm2 but only a few angstroms in depth. We present a contact study of the head-disk interface in hard disk drives, which consists of a disk surface coated with a molecularly thin perfluoropolyether lubricant and a slider surface moving slightly separated from it with a relative velocity of 20 m/s and with 10 nm spacing. By investigating the slider dynamics and lubricant topography in-situ, we disclose that high-speed contact initiates when the slider shears the top surface of the lubricant. Such contact can pile up molecules a few angstroms high as “moguls” or annihilate existing ones through a 5–10 Å interference. The transitional spacing regime of mogul evolution is defined as “quasi-contact,” and it is the initial contact in the fast sliding interface.
Focusing of Rayleigh waves with gradient-index phononic crystals
Authors: Zhao Jinfeng , Bonello Bernard , Becerra Loïc , Boyko Olga , Marchal Rémi
Published: June 2016

We report on the subwavelength focusing of Rayleigh waves using gradient-index (GRIN) phononic crystals (PCs) made of air holes scatters in a thick silicon substrate. The subwavelength focusing is demonstrated both in the inner and in the silicon substrate behind the GRIN PCs by using a non-contact experimental technique. In both situations, the focal zone was observed at the position, which is in very good agreement with our theoretical predictions, at a frequency in the sound cone free of radiation into the substrate.
Guest–Host Interaction of Coinage Metals in π-Rich Cavities
Authors: Wong Zhi Xiang , Lein Matthias
Published: May 2016

The complexation of coinage metal cations with [2.2.2]paracyclophane and deltaphane has been investigated by means of density functional theory (DFT) calculations employing the PBE0-D3 hybrid functional, which incorporates explicit dispersion corrections to account for the weak intermolecular forces that are important in the systems studied. Natural bond orbital (NBO) analyses, Bader's Atoms in Molecules theory analyses as well as localised molecular orbital – energy decomposition analyses (LMO-EDAs) have been carried out to further investigate the electronic structure and bonding of the complexes. It was found that both cyclophanes bind strongest with gold ions, followed closely by copper ions and lastly silver ions. The two fragments interact in a non-covalent fashion in these complexes and the metal preferentially resides at the periphery of the molecular cavity of the cyclophane.
Sex of co-twin affects the in vitro developmental competence of oocytes derived from 6- to 8-week-old lambs
Authors: Kelly Jennifer M. , Kleemann David O. , McGrice Hayley , Len Jose A. , Kind Karen L. , van Wettere Will H. E. J. , Walker Simon K.
Published: June 2016

Several intrinsic factors (age, genotype, liveweight) influence the reliability of juvenile in vitro fertilisation embryo transfer (JIVET) programs. Limited evidence indicates that variability between lambs is reduced in twin-born lambs. We examined the impact of birth type (single, twin, triplet) and sex of the co-twin (with age, birthweight and liveweight as covariates) on JIVET outcomes. Birth type did not influence any parameter studied. However, blastocysts produced, as a percentage of embryos cleaved or total cumulus–oocyte complexes collected, was higher (P < 0.05) for females born with a female co-twin (67.0 ± 6.1, 57.5 ± 6.0 respectively) compared with those born with a male co-twin (26.9 ± 6.5, 22.3 ± 6.2 respectively; least-square mean ± s.e.m.). Blastocyst rates for lambs born with a male co-twin did not differ significantly from lambs born either as singles (39.5 ± 6.7%, 34.6 ± 6.5% respectively) or triplets (43.1 ± 10.6%, 36.5 ± 10.3% respectively). Other parameters were not influenced by sex of the co-twin. These results are indicative of an enhancement effect of the female co-twin on oocyte development. From a practical perspective, selecting lambs for a JIVET program based on litter size and sex of the co-twin is warranted.
Changes in soil quality and carbon storage under biofuel crops in central Ohio
Authors: Das Anup , Lal Rattan , Somireddy Upender , Bonin Catherine , Verma Sudhir , Rimal Basant Kumar
Published: June 2016

The issue of carbon (C) neutrality and the environmental advantages and variations in soil organic C (SOC) stocks under biofuel crops need to be addressed thoroughly and objectively. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare the impact of annual biofuel crops (no-till maize, Zea mays L.; sorghum, Sorghum bicolor L.) and perennial lignocellulosic grasses (switch grass, Panicum virgatum L.; miscanthus, Miscanthus × giganteus; and prairie mix) on soil properties and SOC stock in central Ohio. Two years of perennial energy crops improved soil properties in terms of lower soil bulk density, higher porosity, improved water-stable aggregates (WSA), higher mean weight diameter, pH and electrical conductivity compared with those under maize and sorghum. The WSA in the 0–10 and 10–20 cm soil layers were higher under miscanthus (94.7% and 91.8%, respectively) and switch grass (92.7% and 89.4%) than under maize (89.9% and 86.1%) and sorghum (85.1% and 85.4%). Macroaggregates (>0.25 mm diameter) contained higher concentrations of C and nitrogen (N) than microaggregates. Macroaggregates in soil under sorghum and maize contained 17.3% and 14.2% less C and 22.8% and 15.2% less N in 0–10 cm layer, and 29.8% and 24.2% less C and 22% and 7.1% less N in 10–20 cm layer, than macroaggregates under switch grass (15.82 g C kg–1 in 0–10 cm and 14.06 g C kg–1 in 10–20 cm layers), respectively. The SOC stock in the 0–10 cm layer, on an equivalent soil-mass basis, was significantly higher under switch grass (28.5 Mg C ha–1) and miscanthus (28 Mg C ha–1) than that under sorghum (24.8 Mg C ha–1). Thus, only switch grass and miscanthus sequestered C, whereas other species had no or negative effect, with loss of soil C under sorghum in 2 years. There is a need for long-term studies and estimation of SOC stock in deeper layers to establish the SOC balance under biofuel crops.
Combined application of rice husk biochar and fly ash improved the yield of lowland rice
Authors: Munda Sushmita , Nayak A. K. , Mishra P. N. , Bhattacharyya P. , Mohanty Sangita , Kumar Anjani , Kumar Upendra , Baig M. J. , Tripathi Rahul , Shahid Mohammad , Adak Totan , Thilagam V. Kasturi
Published: June 2016

The effects of rice husk biochar (BC) and coal fly ash (FA) on growth and yield of rice and soil properties were investigated in a lowland rice soil. All growth parameters and yield were positively influenced by the integrated application of BC, FA and chemical fertilisers compared with sole application of chemical fertilisers. Yield increase was 16.4% when BC+FA was applied together with 50% of the recommended dose of nitrogen (N) compared with the recommended dose of N, phosphorus and potassium (NPK). Post-harvest soil analysis suggested that BC and FA both act as a supplier, as well as a reservoir of nutrients. Accumulation of heavy metals in soil and plant parts after harvest was below the toxicity threshold for plants and humans. There was also no significant change in microbial population compared with the initial soil. Therefore, combined application of BC and FA supplemented with chemical fertilisers could be recommended to improve soil fertility and crop productivity without affecting the soil quality.
Effects of anodisation parameters on thin film properties: A review
Authors: Wong Y. H. , Affendy M. G. , Lau S. K. , Teh P. C. , Lee H. J. , Tan C. Y. , Ramesh S.
Published: June 2016

Electrochemical anodisation is a well-received method in the complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor field as it is advantageous; best performed at room temperature which translates into being more affordable and a simple alternative to form nano-structured oxide films for different metals. The quintessential parameters involved allow numerous formations of metal oxide films according to desired morphology and thickness. Therefore, this paper aims to review the effects of anodising parameters such as applied voltage, concentration, temperature, time, current density and post-anodisation annealing among them.
Development of a simple assay system for protein-stabilizing efficiency based on hemoglobin protection against denaturation and measurement of the cooperative effect of mixing protein stabilizers
Authors: Chen Siyu , Manabe Yoshiyuki , Minamoto Naoya , Saiki Naoka , Fukase Koichi
Published: June 2016

We have elucidated the cooperative stabilization of proteins by sugars, amino acids, and other protein-stabilizing agents using a new and simple assay system. Our system determines the protein-stabilizing ability of various compounds by measuring their ability to protect hemoglobin from denaturation. Hemoglobin denaturation was readily measured by quantitative changes in its ultraviolet–visible absorption spectrum. The efficiency of our assay was confirmed using various sugars such as trehalose and sucrose that are known to be good protein stabilizers. We have also found that mixtures of two different types of protein stabilizers resulted in a cooperative stabilizing effect on protein.
Fish allergy in patients with parvalbumin-specific immunoglobulin E depends on parvalbumin content rather than molecular differences in the protein among fish species
Authors: Kobayashi Ayako , Kobayashi Yukihiro , Shiomi Kazuo
Published: June 2016

Allergenic characteristics of purified parvalbumins from different fish species have not been thoroughly investigated. We revealed that purified parvalbumins from nine different fish species have identical IgE-reactivities and high cross-reactivities. We also showed that fish allergenicity is associated with the parvalbumin content of the fish species, rather than species-specific differences in the molecular characteristics of the individual parvalbumin proteins.
Milton and Legal Reform
Authors: Chapman Alison A.
Published: June 2016

The second half of the seventeenth century was the first great period of legal reform in England’s history. This article situates John Milton in relationship to this contemporary context, arguing that he comments frequently on the need to change England’s laws and displays a finely tuned awareness of some of the major legal debates of his time. This article surveys Milton’s writings about the law and legal education, and it concludes by examining his 1659–60 political pamphlets where he calls for reform of the judicial system and the establishment of local courts.
Domesticating the Reformation: Material Culture, Memory, and Confessional Identity in Early Modern England
Authors: Walsham Alexandra
Published: June 2016

This article explores domestic artifacts that testify to the afterlife of the European Reformation in the British Isles. Focusing especially on decorated and commemorative delftware, it investigates how the memory of the Protestant past was appropriated and altered in the English context and how it infiltrated the household in the guise of consumer goods in which taste, piety, politics, and private sentiment were intertwined. It analyzes their changing meanings as they moved in space and time, examines their role in cementing and complicating senses of confessional identity, and probes the process of selective remembering and forgetting by which the Reformation acquired the status of a momentous event.
Investigation of impurity transport using laser blow-off technique in the HL-2A Ohmic and ECRH plasmas
Authors: Zhang Kai , Cui Zheng-Ying , Sun Ping , Dong Chun-Feng , Deng Wei , Dong Yun-Bo , Song Shao-Dong , Jiang Min , Li Yong-Gao , Lu Ping , Yang Qing-Wei
Published: June 2016

Impurity transports in two neighboring discharges with and without electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) are studied in the HL-2A tokamak by laser blow-off (LBO) technique. The progression of aluminium ions as the trace impurity is monitored by soft x-ray (SXR) and bolometer detector arrays with good temporal and spatial resolutions. Obvious difference in the time trace of the signal between the Ohmic and ECRH L-mode discharges is observed. Based on the numerical simulation with one-dimensional (1D) impurity transport code STRAHL, the radial profiles of impurity diffusion coefficient D and convective velocity V are obtained for each shot. The result shows that the diffusion coefficient D significantly increases throughout the plasma minor radius for the ECRH case with respect to the Ohmic case, and that the convection velocity V changes from negative (inward) for the Ohmic case to partially positive (outward) for the ECRH case. The result on HL-2A confirms the pump out effect of ECRH on impurity profile as reported on various other devices.
The Slave Trade and Natural Science
Authors: Murphy Kathleen S.
Published: May 2016

Separately, the natural sciences and the slave trade have been the subject of extensive scholarship, yet only recently have scholars begun to examine them together. Such research reveals that slavery and the transatlantic slave trade shaped the science of the Atlantic world as deeply as it influenced its economy and demographics. The unfree migration of 11 million enslaved Africans via the transatlantic slave trade also led to the movement of plants, animals, diseases, and natural knowledge throughout the Atlantic basin. Encounters between diverse groups of people and with unfamiliar environments engendered new natural and medical knowledge. Enslaved Africans made significant contributions to Atlantic science as specimen collectors, guides, and informants. Specimens collected in slave societies and along the routes of the slave trade became part of European museums and thus the raw materials upon which much European natural science was based. Although colonial and European naturalists frequently disparaged and feared the natural knowledge of enslaved Africans, they also eagerly sought it out, believing that blacks had special access to certain categories of knowledge. The knowledge and practices of Atlantic science also bolstered colonialism and the institution of slavery. Naturalists, especially those interested in economic botany, sought new natural commodities to increase the profitability of the colonial project. Other naturalists were engaged in explaining the causes of physical differences between groups of people. The hardening of racial categories in the late 18th century was often framed in the language of the natural sciences and supported through references to scientific texts. Scientific texts and scientists themselves were also involved in late-18th- and early-19th-century debates over the abolition of the slave trade and slavery. Apologists on both sides marshalled evidence from natural histories, travel accounts, medical treatises, and other scientific texts in support of their arguments.
Welfare Policy and Gender
Authors: O'Connor Julia S.
Published: May 2016

“Welfare policy” and “gender” are contested concepts and this is particularly true when they are considered in relationship to one another. Similar contestation is evident with regard to several related concepts, such as welfare states, welfare regimes, social citizenship rights, and gender regimes. Issues related to the reconciliation of private lives and labor market demands underlie much of this contestation and are particularly relevant when considering policy relating to the care of dependent people and pension policy from a gender-sensitive perspective.
Multiculturalism
Authors: Voyer Andrea
Published: May 2016

In an increasingly global world with significant cross-border migration, societies inevitably contain people with different ethnic, cultural, and religious identities. In the context of the United States in particular, the presence of ethnic, cultural, and religious heterogeneity is more commonly referred to as diversity, while in most other contexts the mere presence of such heterogeneity is dubbed multiculturalism—the most general formulation of multiculturalism in sociology. However, multiculturalism is also an ideological position founded upon the claim that minority identities are important to the people who hold them, and that the identity groups they create will persist. Because identity and identity groups matter, they must be recognized and accommodated in social and political life. Generally speaking, the sociology of multiculturalism falls into six broad categories: the study of growing population diversity, commonly referred to as demographic multiculturalism; multicultural theory; multicultural policy; the impact of multiculturalism; the retreat from multiculturalism; and examination of multiculturalism as a cultural object. Due to its broad subject matter—recent and contemporary cultural diversity and the changes it has wrought in societies and nations—the study of multiculturalism is particularly interdisciplinary. The sociology of multiculturalism overlaps many other areas of research in sociology: migration and immigrant inclusion, national identity and citizenship, religious studies, and racial and ethnic studies, just to name a few. Multiculturalism is also a common subject in the fields of education, political science, philosophy, cultural studies, and history. This article focuses almost exclusively on work that is done in sociology and by sociologists. In addition, the sociology of multiculturalism is, most especially, an international field of research.
Alpine Biome
Authors: Nagy Laszlo
Published: May 2016

Temperature decreases with latitude from the equator to the poles and with elevation from the lowlands to mountains peaks. A parallel change in biota, most apparent in how plant growth forms give rise to a sequence of tree-dominated biomes/vegetation belts, from tropical lowland evergreen rain forest to boreal taiga or upper montane forest, until tree growth form is no longer sustainable (latitudinal and elevational treelines) and the landscape changes into open low-stature shrub and forb vegetation: polar tundra at high latitudes and alpine vegetation in the mountains. While the concept of tundra biome is well established, no such thing as an “alpine biome” is recognized by most biogeographers. Biogeographically, the alpine “biome” is rather heterogeneous as it encompasses the climatically treeless cold-limited portions of mountain environments in all latitude climate/life zones from the tropics to the poles. The total extent of the alpine biome is estimated at being c. 3 percent of the total land surface of the Earth, where about 4 percent of known vascular plant species occur. The regional biological richness of alpine ecosystems is highly variable across continents, ranging from c. 200 plant species in the east African high volcanic mountains to more than 3,000 species in the north Andean “páramos.” Our knowledge of alpine ecosystems is uneven when mountains are considered worldwide. The Alps and other European mountains are well described botanically and zoologically, allowing comparative biogeographical analyses. Ecological and ecophysiological research in alpine ecosystems has been focusing on diversity/productivity-environment (primarily [micro-]climate) relationships: species acclimation, tolerance, and evolution, the bases of dispersal and distribution. The alpine biome has recently become a test field of the stress-gradient hypothesis and the focus of climate change impact studies, largely through modeling. The history and phylogeography of alpine organisms is also an active field. The number of population and community level studies is small in alpine ecosystems, and they are mostly associated with studying disturbance factors, such as (over)grazing or atmospheric deposition. While ecosystem services that alpine environments contribute to human well-being are increasingly being recognized, their sustainable use largely remains a theoretical consideration. Following major changes in land use in the 1960s, a large proportion of the biome is protected in economically developed countries; in developing countries it continues to provide important goods and services for sustaining local livelihoods. Initiatives are ongoing to undertake long-term integrated research to observe and report changes to the structure and functioning of alpine ecosystems in response to climate change and human land use.
Update on biphasic anaphylaxis
Authors: Lee Sangil , Sadosty Annie T. , Campbell Ronna L.
Published: June 2016

Purpose of review

Biphasic anaphylaxis is a well documented complication of anaphylaxis, but it has been inconsistently defined in the literature. Analysis of contemporary studies of biphasic anaphylaxis based on modern definitions is needed.

Recent findings

The rate of biphasic reactions in contemporary literature ranges from 0.4 to 14.7% depending on the study population. Observational studies have reported risk factors associated with the development of biphasic reactions; however, findings have been inconsistent and of questionable generalizability. Although life-threatening biphasic reactions are rare, up to 50% of biphasic reactions will require treatment with epinephrine. Early epinephrine administration may have a role in prevention of biphasic reactions, but the role of steroids needs further investigation. The optimal duration of observation is yet to be determined.

Given the relative rarity of life-threatening biphasic anaphylaxis and the new context of the NIAID/FAAN standardized definition, further research regarding biphasic anaphylaxis is needed to better elucidate the care model for anaphylaxis patients with a focus on: prevention of biphasic reactions; identification of patients at increased risk of a biphasic reaction; determination of appropriate observation strategies for anaphylaxis patients; and patient education and preparation for management of potential biphasic reactions.
A Mixed-Methods Investigation of the Motivations, Goals, and Aspirations of Male and Female Academic Medical Faculty
Authors: Jones Rochelle DeCastro , Griffith Kent A. , Ubel Peter A. , Stewart Abigail , Jagsi Reshma
Published: June 2016

Purpose

Understanding the goals and aspirations of the physician–scientist workforce can inform policies to promote retention. The authors explored gender differences therein, given women’s increasing representation.

Method

In 2010–2011, the authors qualitatively analyzed interviews with 100 former recipients of National Institutes of Health career development awards and 28 of their mentors. They also compared survey responses of 1,267 clinician–investigators who received these awards from 2006 to 2009, using logistic regression to evaluate gender differences after adjusting for other characteristics.

Results

Interview participants described relatively consistent career goals, including scientific contribution and desire to positively affect lives through research, clinical care, and teaching. For many, the specific ways they sought to achieve and measure goal attainment evolved over time. Survey respondents endorsed a goal of publishing high-quality research with highest frequency (97.3%, no significant gender difference). Women were more likely to endorse the importance of balancing work and other activities (95.5% vs. 90.5%, P < .001). There were no significant gender differences in the importance of patient care (86.6%), teaching (71.6%), or publishing prolifically (64.9%). Men were more likely than women to consider salary (49.4% vs. 41.8%, P < .001), reputation (84.2% vs. 77.6%, P = .004), and leadership positions (38.9% vs. 34.3%, P = .03) important.

Conclusions

In an elite research-oriented sample, gender differences in initial aspirations were generally limited. Gender differences in career outcomes in such groups are unlikely to exclusively result from different baseline aspirations. Goals appear to evolve in response to challenges experienced.
Promoting the Development of Adaptive Expertise: Exploring a Simulation Model for Sharing a Diagnosis of Autism With Parents
Authors: Kawamura Anne , Mylopoulos Maria , Orsino Angela , Jimenez Elizabeth , McNaughton Nancy
Published: June 2016

Purpose

To explore how a simulation model promoted the development of integrated competencies associated with adaptive expertise in senior health professions trainees as they learned to share a diagnosis of autism with parents.

Method

A qualitative instrumental case study method was used at the University of Toronto in 2014 to explore what eight developmental pediatrics residents and two clinical psychology interns learned from participating in a simulation model designed to enable trainees to practice sharing a diagnosis of autism with parents. This model incorporated variability (three cases), active experimentation in a safe environment, and feedback from multiple perspectives (peers, faculty, standardized patients, and a parent). Field notes were collected, and semistructured interviews were conducted to explore what participants learned. Constant comparative analysis was used to identify themes iteratively. Team analysis continued until a stable thematic structure was developed and applied to the entire data set.

Results

Four themes were identified. Three themes described how participating in the simulation model changed residents’ and interns’ approaches to sharing a diagnosis of autism with parents from using a structured, scripted framework to share the diagnosis; to being flexible within the structured framework; and, finally, to being attentive and responsive to parents by adapting and creating new approaches for sharing the diagnosis. The fourth theme described how the multiple perspectives in the simulation model prompted learners to develop adaptive approaches.

Conclusions

This simulation model helped residents and interns move beyond use of a structured, scripted communication framework toward development of adaptive expertise.
Post-tenure Review at U.S. Medical Schools
Authors: Bunton Sarah A. , Walling Anne , Durham Dianne
Published: June 2016

Purpose

To assess post-tenure review policies at U.S. medical schools by examining how prevalent post-tenure review is, what models of post-tenure review are employed, and what outcomes result from post-tenure review processes.

Method

In late 2014, a Web-based survey was sent to the associate dean for faculty affairs (or equivalent) at each U.S. medical school accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (N = 141). The survey addressed elements of post-tenure review policies, including whether a policy was in place, the frequency of the review, and the review outcomes. Descriptive statistics were calculated.

Results

Of the 94 responding schools with a tenure system, 39 (41%) had an established post-tenure review policy. Although these policies showed great variability across schools in duration, having been in place from 1 to 50 years, 12 (31%) were established within the last 5 years. The outcomes of post-tenure review also varied. Superior performance ratings generally resulted in notations in the faculty member’s personnel file and notifications to school leadership. Conversely, when a faculty member received an unsatisfactory rating, a remediation or development plan was sometimes required.

Conclusions

At least 40% of medical schools with a tenure system have post-tenure review, and it is becoming more common. These findings about the prevalence and use of post-tenure review across institutions can assist medical school leaders as they strive to shape policies to facilitate faculty engagement and productivity. They also can provide the foundation for future evaluative studies on the effectiveness, outcomes, and impact of post-tenure review.
Piloting Augmented Reality Technology to Enhance Realism in Clinical Simulation
Authors: Vaughn Jacqueline , Lister Michael , Shaw Ryan J.
Published: June 2016

We describe a pilot study that incorporated an innovative hybrid simulation designed to increase the perception of realism in a high-fidelity simulation. Prelicensure students (N = 12) cared for a manikin in a simulation lab scenario wearing Google Glass, a wearable head device that projected video into the students’ field of vision. Students reported that the simulation gave them confidence that they were developing skills and knowledge to perform necessary tasks in a clinical setting and that they met the learning objectives of the simulation. The video combined visual images and cues seen in a real patient and created a sense of realism the manikin alone could not provide.
Immunosuppression in Solid-Organ Transplantation
Authors: Jasiak Natalia M. , Park Jeong M.
Published: June 2016

A multidisciplinary team approach is essential for successful management of patients with solid-organ transplant. Transplant nursing encompasses care and support of transplant recipients as well as caregivers and organ donors through all phases of transplantation, from pretransplant evaluation to posttransplant recovery and maintenance. The field of solid-organ transplantation has advanced rapidly, and new treatments continue to emerge. Nurses who are responsible for the care of transplant recipients should have a knowledge base in transplant immunology and pharmacology. This review discusses mechanism of action, indication, side effects, and drug interactions of commonly used immunosuppressive medications in solid-organ transplantation. Nonoral routes of drug administration, therapeutic drug monitoring, and patient monitoring strategies are also included as practical tips for bedside nurses who are responsible for delivery of direct patient care and education of patients and their caregivers. This review focuses on the following medications: antithymocyte globulins, basiliximab, alemtuzumab, corticosteroids, tacrolimus, cyclosporine, azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil/mycophenolate sodium, sirolimus, everolimus, belatacept, intravenous immunoglobulin, and rituximab.
Central Corneal Thickness in Aphakic Children With Microcornea-Microphthalmia
Authors: Bayoumi Nader H.L. , El Shakankiri Nihal M.
Published: June 2016

Purpose:

To study the central corneal thickness (CCT) in eyes with microcornea and aphakia and without glaucoma, compare it with normal controls, and correlate it with the measured intraocular pressure (IOP).

Methods:

The study was conducted on 62 eyes of 31 aphakic children with microcornea. Controls (20 children) were selected from age-matched children presenting for routine refraction. Detailed anterior-segment and fundus examinations were conducted. The CCT and the axial length were measured. Medical records of the study patients were reviewed for the stability of the ocular parameters over time to exclude glaucoma.

Results:

The mean±SD age of the study patients and controls were 4.0 (±3.1, 1.0 to 12.0) and 3.1 (±2.7, 0.6 to 12.0) years, respectively. The mean±SD CCT, the corneal diameter, the measured IOP, the cup/disc ratio, and the axial length of the study patients and the controls were 667.01±72.90 μm, 8.9±0.8 mm, 10.9±5.7 mm Hg, 0.1±0.1, 20.35±2.90 mm and 545.22±28.14 μm, 11.7±0.5 mm, 5.3±1.8 mm Hg, 0.1±0.1, and N/A, respectively. The difference between the study eyes and the controls in the CCT and the measured IOP was statistically significant (P<0.05).

Conclusions:

Aphakic eyes with microcornea have thicker CCTs and greater measured IOPs than normal eyes. Hence, the measurement of CCT is recommended in the assessment of aphakic eyes with microcornea for possible glaucoma. The measured IOP, although a reliable parameter, in isolation does not provide a diagnosis of glaucoma and must be viewed in conjunction with other patient findings, such as the cup/disc ratio, the progression of which over time must be considered for a more solid diagnosis.
The Visual Function Questionnaire: Utility Index: Does It Measure Glaucoma-related Preference-based Status?
Authors: Goh Rachel L.Z. , Fenwick Eva , Skalicky Simon E.
Published: June 2016

Purpose:

As health budgets tighten globally, evaluating the cost-effectiveness of glaucoma services is vital; however, there is a lack of validated instruments that measure utility specific to glaucoma patients. We thus evaluated the validity of the Visual Function Questionnaire—Utility Index (VFQ-UI) as a measure of vision-related function and preference-based status in glaucoma.

Patients and Methods:

Cross-sectional study of 141 volunteer patients over 40 years of age with moderate (n=64) or severe (n=36) glaucoma, and 41 controls. Sociodemographic information, visual acuity, and visual field test parameters were obtained. The VFQ-UI and Glaucoma Activity Limitation-9 patient-reported outcome tools were administered, and their psychometric properties explored using Rasch analysis. Criterion, convergent, and divergent validity of the VFQ-UI were also assessed.

Results:

Mean age was 69.7 (±10.8) years, with a mean better eye visual acuity (LogMAR) of 0.074 (±0.356) (approximate Snellen acuity of 20/24). Overall, the VFQ-UI had satisfactory fit to the Rasch model, however targeting and precision were suboptimal with a person separation index of 1.72 and person reliability coefficient of 0.75. VFQ-UI scores significantly increased as glaucoma severity worsened between controls (−4.54, ±1.15) and patients with moderate (−3.77, ±1.57) and severe glaucoma (−1.98, ±2.98), indicating good criterion validity (P<0.001). Strong correlation between VFQ-UI and Glaucoma Activity Limitation-9 scores (r=0.764, P<0.001) demonstrated good convergent validity. There was no significant correlation between VFQ-UI scores and age and sex (r=0.150 and 0.026, respectively), demonstrating good divergent validity.

Conclusions:

The VFQ-UI shows potential to measure preference-based status in a cohort of glaucoma patients, with the means to calculate utility. Although the VFQ-UI displayed reasonable fit to the Rasch model overall and had good criterion, convergent and divergent validity, its lack of precision is a limitation. The difficulty of the VFQ-UI in discriminating among patients with varying glaucoma severity may be improved by including items specific to glaucomatous visual dysfunction.
Vision-related Quality of Life in Glaucoma Suspect or Early Glaucoma Patients
Authors: Alqudah Asem , Mansberger Steven L. , Gardiner Stuart K. , Demirel Shaban
Published: June 2016

Purpose:

To determine the association of vision-related quality of life (QoL) to demographic factors and visual function in glaucoma suspect or early glaucoma patients.

Materials and Methods:

We administered the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (VFQ-25) on the same day as a comprehensive ocular examination to participants either with glaucoma or at high risk for developing glaucoma. Regression models were used to determine the association between VFQ-25 composite and subscale scores, visual field status, logMAR equivalent visual acuity (VA), age, and sex. In all analyses we used data from the eye with the best mean deviation (MD), best pattern SD, and best VA.

Results:

Data from 198 participants were analyzed. The mean best MD (±SD) was 0.02±1.52 dB (range, −5.11 to 2.63 dB) and the mean best pattern SD was 1.75±1.03 dB (range, 0.91 to 8.36 dB). The mean VFQ-25 composite score was 91.6±6.7 (range, 54.5 to 100.0). Composite score and the Distance Activities, Color Vision subscale scores were associated with best MD (P≤0.05). The General Vision and Driving subscale scores were associated with best VA (P≤0.03). The composite score and the Distance Activities, Driving, and Color Vision subscale scores were associated with age (P≤0.05). Finally, the Distance Activities, Driving, and Peripheral Vision subscale scores were associated with sex (P≤0.04).

Conclusions:

Vision-related QoL is associated with visual field status even in early and suspected glaucoma. It is also associated with VA, age, and sex. Particular decreases in QoL are related to distance activities, driving, and color vision.
Early Childhood Inclusion in the United States
Authors: Guralnick Michael J. , Bruder Mary Beth
Published: June 2016

The current status and future directions of early childhood inclusion in the United States are discussed from the perspective of 4 key goals: access, accommodations and feasibility, developmental progress, and social integration. Recommendations are put forward to promote inclusion goals emphasizing administrative structures, personnel preparation, licensing and national standards, team processes, and expansion of inclusive practices beyond school settings. These recommendations are discussed within the context of an early childhood systems framework that encompasses all children.