bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Parasite communities in stray cat populations from Lisbon, Portugal
Authors: Waap H. , Gomes J. , Nunes T.
Published: May 2013

Stray cats live in high-density colonies in urban areas and pose a health hazard to household cats and humans. In Portugal, information on the parasitic fauna of stray cats is limited and relies mostly on results from faecal analysis. The present survey aimed to determine the prevalence, diversity and intensity of parasites in stray cats from the urban area of Lisbon by means of parasitological necropsy. Internal organs were collected from 162 cats captured in different areas of the city and systematically subjected to parasitological dissection. Helminths were identified by macro- and microscopic examination and protozoa by faecal floatation and sedimentation techniques. The overall prevalence of parasites was 90.7% (95% confidence interval (CI): 85.3–94.6%). A total of 12 parasite species was recorded:Cystoisospora felis(14.2%),Cystoisospora rivolta(46.3%),Sarcocystissp. (1.2%),Ancylostoma tubaeforme(19.1%),Toxocara cati(38.3%),Ollulanus tricuspis(30.9%),Aelurostrongylus abstrusus(12.4%), Eucoleus aerophilus(0.6%),Taenia taeniaeformis(3.1%),Dipylidium caninum(53.1%),Joyeuxiella pasqualei(15.4%) andDiplopylidium nölleri(3.7%). Overall mean species richness was 2.36 ±  1.52. Helminth mean intensity was highest forO. tricuspis(285.8), followed byD. caninum(42.4),J. pasqualei(14.4),A. tubaeforme(8.1) andT. cati(5.9). The prevalence and variety of parasites found in our sampling are substantially higher than the numbers previously reported in Portugal. Some of the parasites, includingT. catiandA. tubaeforme,are zoonotic, which emphasizes the need for parasite control strategies based on demographic containment of stray cat populations in urban areas to promote public health protection.
In search of a unified model of language contact
Authors: WINFORD DONALD
Published: May 2013

Much previous research has pointed to the need for a unified framework for language contact phenomena – one that would include social factors and motivations, structural factors and linguistic constraints, and psycholinguistic factors involved in processes of language processing and production. While Contact Linguistics has devoted a great deal of attention to the structural properties of contact phenomena and their sources in the input languages, the field has made much less progress in attending to Weinreich's observation that language contact can best be understood only “in a broad psychological and socio-cultural setting” (Weinreich, 1953, p. 4). There have been some attempts to establish links between the disciplines that investigate language contact, for example, the psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic (Walters, 2005), and the linguistic and psycholinguistic (Myers-Scotton 2002, Winford 2009, among others). Yet, so far, no one has come close to achieving the kind of integrative, multi-disciplinary framework that Weinreich envisaged. Muysken's paper is therefore a welcome reminder of the need for such a framework, and the complexity of the task involved in constructing it, if indeed it can be accomplished. The introduction to the paper outlines a very ambitious objective – “to explore the possibility of unifying these fields, all different approaches to language contact, creating a single framework within which it is possible to link results from different subfields” (Section 1.1).
French–Dutch bilinguals do not maintain obligatory semantic distinctions: Evidence from placement verbs
Authors: ALFERINK INGE , GULLBERG MARIANNE
Published: May 2013

It is often said that bilinguals are not the sum of two monolinguals but that bilingual systems represent a third pattern. This study explores the exact nature of this pattern. We ask whether there is evidence of a merged system when one language makes an obligatory distinction that the other one does not, namely in the case of placement verbs in French and Dutch, and whether such a merged system is realised as a more general or a more specific system. The results show that in elicited descriptions Belgian French–Dutch bilinguals do not maintain two distinct categories in one of the languages, resulting in a more general semantic system in comparison with the non-contact variety. They do not uphold the obligatory distinction in the verb nor elsewhere despite its communicative relevance. This raises important questions regarding how widespread these differences are and what drives these patterns.
Negotiating Gendered Institutions: Women's Parliamentary Friendships
Authors: Childs Sarah
Published: May 2013

In 1997, an unprecedented number of female MPs—120—were elected to the UK House of Commons, doubling the numbers of female representatives overnight. Of these, 101 came from a single party: Labour. They entered a political institution that had hitherto been massively male-dominated (even in 1997, their number counted less than 20%) and famed for its historic traditions dominated by masculinized structures and norms (Lovenduski 2005; 2010). Many of the newly elected Labour women were known to each other, having already shared experiences of passing through their party's internal selection processes over the preceding years. Many broadly shared the same views of what the Labour party should stand for, ideologically speaking, and most were attitudinally feminist (Childs 2004). The mass media at the time of the general election, and thereafter, routinely constituted them as a collective entity—Blair's Babes—and the specifically right-wing media regularly subjected them to highly gendered criticism (Childs 2008, 140–165).
The Default Model: Gender Equality, Fatherhood, and Structural Constraint
Authors: Browne Jude
Published: May 2013

What does a political commitment to gender equality mean in the context of fatherhood? In what ways should the state support or compel fathers so as to affect greater gender equality? If there is any consensus on these questions in the gender literature, then it is that existing family leave policy—even the most progressive—has fallen short of a satisfactory answer. Typically, this failure is understood either in economic terms—that policy provision is simply inadequate in scale—or in terms of individual preferences that should be encouraged to change. Indeed, both of these approaches intend to incentivize men to take up more caring duties, a theme that has become central to the politics of gender equality (Gornick and Meyers 2008; Haas and Rostgaard 2011; Hobson 2002; Kamerman and Moss 2009).
A Critical Analysis of Gender Mainstreaming
Authors: Lyle-Gonga Marsha
Published: May 2013

By definition, gender mainstreaming is the process by which a gendered perspective (male and female) is integrated into the fabric of our communities, institutions, and lives (United Nations 1997). We live in a society defined by our values of equality, social justice, and opportunity. In order for these values to permeate into our everyday lives, we must address issues of “separateness” that still seem to prevail in our institutions, particularly in our political science curricula. Di Stefano (1997, 204) presented gender as “a socially constructed and politically enforced notion of what it means to be male or female” and argues that this gendered lens is “political because it has the power to impose meaning and value to our activities and social relationships.” Mainstreaming is a transition from a male-defined curriculum to a more gender-balanced curriculum that better reflects the improved status of women in society.
Gender Mainstreaming in Political Science Experiential Learning Programs
Authors: Doherty Leanne
Published: May 2013

In her piece on experiential learning in a Gender and Politics course, Cynthia Daniels (1997) discusses the ways students' democratic ideals are expanded and enforced through work outside the classroom. She describes the intersection of the classroom with service-learning activities as a way to tackle questions such as, how does gender equity require us to rethink the distinction between public and private life, and what might be the risks of using state power to regulate private relations of power in the home and the workplace (120)? Accomplishing gender mainstreaming through experiential learning serves the purpose of reemphasizing different group perspectives in all types of student learning while demonstrating the “uniqueness” of the effects of policy on women.
Musikalische Bildung und Ausbildung in Zentralamerika und die Förderung des Zentralamerikanischen Jugendorchesters als sozial- therapeutische Maßnahme
Authors: Schmitt Stephan
Published: May 2013

Musik und musikspezifische Aktivitäten mit präventivem und sozialpädagogischem Charakter müssen nicht immer in den Bereich der expliziten Musiktherapie oder musikalischen Heilpädagogik fallen. Die hier vorliegende Studie zeigt die multidimensionale Funktion des Zentralamerikanischen Jugendorchesters als weitgreifendes System. Hier spielen psychisch stabilisierende Faktoren ebenso eine Rolle wie Förderung von positiver Persönlichkeitsentwicklung trotz grundsätzlich pathogener und antisozial stimulierender Umweltbedingungen. Die empirisch datenorientierte Studie zeigt, wie gerade im Bereich sozialer Umweltfaktoren therapeutische, präventive und pädagogische Dimensionen verschränkt sein können.
Zum Wirkfaktor Suggestion im Heilritual tromba in Madagaskar
Authors: Schmidhofer August
Published: May 2013

Das Wechselspiel von Suggestivkraft des Heilers und Suggestivität des Patienten bildet eine wichtige psychologische Grundlage der Wirksamkeit von Heilritualen wie der madagassischen tromba. Neben persönlichkeitsspezifischen Variablen ist dabei insbesondere der situative Kontext zu beleuchten, da suggestive Prozesse in großem Maße durch psychosoziale Merkmale der beteiligten Personen zum gegebenen Zeitpunkt bestimmt werden. Musik dient der Induktion außergewöhnlicher Bewusstseinszustände und gruppenpsychologische Aspekte der Übertragung von Emotionen unterstützen die Hervorbringung ekstatischer Zustände bei Medium, Patient und allen übrigen Teilnehmern des Heilrituals. Die für die tromba charakteristische allgemeine Euphorie und Erregung steigert die Empfänglichkeit für persuasive Botschaften und therapeutische Interventionen.
Philosophische Aspekte Chinesischer Musiktherapie
Authors: Mastnak Wolfgang , Gu (顾家慰) Jiawei
Published: May 2013

Der Name Musiktherapie wirft zunächst Fragen auf, wie Musik und wie Therapie in verschiedenen Kulturen überhaupt verstanden werden. Hier gibt es essentielle Unterschiede zwischen China und dem Westen. Ebenso werden verschiedene Instrumente wie etwa die Guqin, die Erhu oder die Suona und deren Repertoire in beiden Kulturen weitgehend unterschiedlich rezipiert, was musiktherapeutisch von Belang ist. Für eine Chinesische Musiktherapie sind schließlich philosophische Aspekte von Krankheit, Gesundheit, Musik und Harmonie ausschlaggebend. Dies führt zur Diskussion alter chinesischer Schöpfungsmythen, zu Vergleichen mit westlichen Therapieausrichtungen, zu Charakteristika traditioneller Chinesischer Musik und deren therapierelevanten Dimensionen sowie zu musikalischen Aspekten von Grundprinzipien traditioneller Chinesischer Medizin.
Die Effektivität des Trainings mit aggressiven Kindern im Rahmen einer Hochschulambulanz
Authors: Petermann Ulrike , Kamau Lena , Nitkowski Dennis , Petermann Franz
Published: May 2013

Ziel dieser Studie war es, die Wirksamkeit des „Trainings mit aggressiven Kindern” im Rahmen einer psychotherapeutischen Hochschulambulanz zu untersuchen. 22 aggressive Kinder (19 Jungen, 3 Mädchen) zwischen sechs und zwölf Jahren (M 9;8 Jahre, SD 1.85), die die Diagnosekriterien der Störungen des Sozialverhaltens nach ICD-10 erfüllten, wurden von ihren Eltern und Lehrern vor Beginn und nach Abschluss des Trainings eingeschätzt. Im Prätest-Posttest-Vergleich ließen sich deutliche Besserungen in den externalisierenden Störungen mit der Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) belegen. Anhand des Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) wurde eine Verringerung in den Verhaltensauffälligkeiten, der Gesamtproblembelastung und auch in der hyperaktiven Symptomatik nachgewiesen. Die Lehrereinschätzungen, die sich auf eine reduzierte Stichprobe von 16 Kindern bezogen, bestätigten nur in der Teacher‘s Report Form (TRF) eine Abnahme von aggressivem Verhalten. Weder Eltern noch Lehrkräfte gaben eine Verbesserung des prosozialen Verhaltens an. Insgesamt bestätigen die Ergebnisse die Wirksamkeit des Trainings primär in der Verminderung aggressiven Verhaltens.
The inconstant gut microbiota of Drosophila species revealed by 16S rRNA gene analysis
Authors: Wong Adam C-N , Chaston John M , Douglas Angela E
Published: May 2013

The gut microorganisms in some animals are reported to include a core microbiota of consistently associated bacteria that is ecologically distinctive and may have coevolved with the host. The core microbiota is promoted by positive interactions among bacteria, favoring shared persistence; its retention over evolutionary timescales is evident as congruence between host phylogeny and bacterial community composition. This study applied multiple analyses to investigate variation in the composition of gut microbiota in drosophilid flies. First, the prevalence of five previously described gut bacteria (Acetobacter and Lactobacillus species) in individual flies of 21 strains (10 Drosophila species) were determined. Most bacteria were not present in all individuals of most strains, and bacterial species pairs co-occurred in individual flies less frequently than predicted by chance, contrary to expectations of a core microbiota. A complementary pyrosequencing analysis of 16S rRNA gene amplicons from the gut microbiota of 11 Drosophila species identified 209 bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs), with near-saturating sampling of sequences, but none of the OTUs was common to all host species. Furthermore, in both of two independent sets of Drosophila species, the gut bacterial community composition was not congruent with host phylogeny. The final analysis identified no common OTUs across three wild and four laboratory samples of D. melanogaster. Our results yielded no consistent evidence for a core microbiota in Drosophila. We conclude that the taxonomic composition of gut microbiota varies widely within and among Drosophila populations and species. This is reminiscent of the patterns of bacterial composition in guts of some other animals, including humans.
Linking microbial community structure to β-glucosidic function in soil aggregates
Authors: Bailey Vanessa L , Fansler Sarah J , Stegen James C , McCue Lee Ann
Published: May 2013

To link microbial community 16S structure to a measured function in a natural soil, we have scaled both DNA and β-glucosidase assays down to a volume of soil that may approach a unique microbial community. β-Glucosidase activity was assayed in 450 individual aggregates, which were then sorted into classes of high or low activities, from which groups of 10 or 11 aggregates were identified and grouped for DNA extraction and pyrosequencing. Tandem assays of ATP were conducted for each aggregate in order to normalize these small groups of aggregates for biomass size. In spite of there being no significant differences in the richness or diversity of the microbial communities associated with high β-glucosidase activities compared with the communities associated with low β-glucosidase communities, several analyses of variance clearly show that the communities of these two groups differ. The separation of these groups is partially driven by the differential abundances of members of the Chitinophagaceae family. It may be observed that functional differences in otherwise similar soil aggregates can be largely attributed to differences in resource availability, rather than to the presence or absence of particular taxonomic groups.
Angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockade restores angiotensin-(1–7)-induced coronary vasodilation in hypertrophic rat hearts
Authors: Souza Álvaro P. S. , Sobrinho Deny B. S. , Almeida Jônathas F. Q. , Alves Gisele M. M. , Macedo Larissa M. , Porto Juliana E. , Vêncio Eneida F. , Colugnati Diego B. , Santos Robson A. S. , Ferreira Anderson J. , Mendes Elizabeth P. , Castro Carlos H.
Published: May 2013

The aim of the present study was to investigate the coronary effects of Ang-(1–7) [angiotensin-(1–7)] in hypertrophic rat hearts. Heart hypertrophy was induced by abdominal aorta CoA (coarctation). Ang-(1–7) and AVE 0991, a non-peptide Mas-receptor agonist, at picomolar concentration, induced a significant vasodilation in hearts from sham-operated rats. These effects were blocked by the Mas receptor antagonist A-779. Pre-treatment with L-NAME (NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester) or ODQ (1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinozalin-1-one) [NOS (NO synthase) and soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitors respectively] also abolished the effect of Ang-(1–7) in control hearts. The coronary vasodilation produced by Ang-(1–7) and AVE 0991 was completely blunted in hypertrophic hearts. Chronic oral administration of losartan in CoA rats restored the coronary vasodilation effect of Ang-(1–7). This effect was blocked by A-779 and AT2 receptor (angiotensin II type 2 receptor) antagonist PD123319. Acute pre-incubation with losartan also restored the Ang-(1–7)-induced, but not BK (bradykinin)-induced, coronary vasodilation in hypertrophic hearts. This effect was inhibited by A-779, PD123319 and L-NAME. Chronic treatment with losartan did not change the protein expression of Mas and AT2 receptor and ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) and ACE2 in coronary arteries from CoA rats, but induced a slight increase in AT2 receptor in aorta of these animals. Ang-(1–7)-induced relaxation in aortas from sham-operated rats was absent in aortas from CoA rats. In vitro pre-treatment with losartan restored the Ang-(1–7)-induced relaxation in aortic rings of CoA rats, which was blocked by the Mas antagonist A-779 and L-NAME. These data demonstrate that Mas is strongly involved in coronary vasodilation and that AT1 receptor (angiotensin II type 1 receptor) blockade potentiates the vasodilatory effects of Ang-(1–7) in the coronary beds of pressure-overloaded rat hearts through NO-related AT2- and Mas-receptor-dependent mechanisms. These data suggest the association of Ang-(1–7) and AT1 receptor antagonists as a potential therapeutic avenue for coronary artery diseases.
N2O ionization and dissociation dynamics in intense femtosecond laser radiation, probed by systematic pulse length variation from 7 to 500 fs
Authors: Karimi Reza , Bisson Éric , Wales B. , Beaulieu Samuel , Giguère Mathieu , Long ZiJian , Liu Wing-Ki , Kieffer Jean-Claude , Légaré François , Sanderson Joseph
Published: May 2013

We have made a series of measurements, as a function of pulse duration, of ionization and fragmentation of the asymmetric molecule N2O in intense femtosecond laser radiation. The pulse length was varied from 7 fs to 500 fs with intensity ranging from 4 × 1015 to 2.5 × 1014 W/cm2. Time and position sensitive detection allows us to observe all fragments in coincidence. By representing the final dissociation geometry with Dalitz plots, we can identify the underlying breakup dynamics. We observe for the first time that there are two stepwise dissociation pathways for N2O3+: (1) N2O3+ → N+ + NO2+ → N+ + N+ + O+ and (2) N2O3+ → N22+ + O+ → N+ + N+ + O+ as well as one for N2O4+ → N2+ + NO2+ → N2+ + N+ + O+. The N22+ stepwise channel is suppressed for longer pulse length, a phenomenon which we attribute to the influence which the structure of the 3+ potential has on the dissociating wave packet propagation. Finally, by observing the total kinetic energy released for each channel as a function of pulse duration, we show the increasing importance of charge resonance enhanced ionization for channels higher than 3+.
Association effects in the {methanol + inert solvent} system via Monte Carlo simulations. II. Thermodynamics
Authors: Gómez-Álvarez Paula , Romaní Luis , González-Salgado Diego
Published: May 2013

Mixtures containing associated substances show a singular thermodynamic behaviour that has attracted to scientific community during the last century. Particularly, binary systems composed of an associating fluid and an inert solvent, where association occurs only between molecules of the same kind, have been extensively studied. A number of theoretical approaches were used in order to gain insights into the effect of the association on the macroscopic behaviour, especially on the second-order thermodynamic derivatives (or response functions). Curiously, to our knowledge, molecular simulations have not been used to that end despite describing the molecules and their interactions in a more complete and realistic way than theoretical models. With this in mind, a simple methodology developed in the framework of Monte Carlo molecular simulation is used in this work to quantify the association contribution to a wide set of thermodynamic properties for the {methanol + Lennard Jones} specific system under room conditions and throughout the composition range. Special attention was paid to the response functions and their respective excess properties, for which a detailed comparison with selected previous works in the field has been established.
Nuclear spin-induced Cotton-Mouton effect in molecules
Authors: Fu Li-juan , Vaara Juha
Published: May 2013

In nuclear magneto-optic spectroscopy, effects of nuclear magnetization are detected in light passing through a sample containing spin-polarized nuclei. An optical analogue of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shift has been predicted and observed in the nuclear spin optical rotation of linearly polarized light propagating parallel to the nuclear magnetization. A recently proposed magneto-optic analogue of the NMR spin-spin coupling, the nuclear spin-induced Cotton-Mouton (NSCM) effect entails an ellipticity induced to linearly polarized light when passing through a medium with the nuclear spins polarized in a direction perpendicular to the light beam. Here we present a first-principles electronic structure formulation of NSCM in terms of response theory as well as ab initio and density-functional theory calculations for small molecules. The roles of basis set (we use completeness-optimized sets), electron correlation, and relativistic effects are discussed. It is found that the explicitly temperature-dependent contribution to NSCM, arising from the partial orientation of the molecules due to the nuclear magnetization, typically dominates the effect. This part of NSCM is proportional to the tensor product of molecular polarizability and the NMR direct dipolar coupling tensor. Hence, NSCM provides a means of investigating the dipolar coupling and, thus, molecular structure in a formally isotropic medium. Overall ellipticities of the order of magnitude of 10−8…10−7 rad/(M cm) are predicted for fully polarized nuclei. These should be detectable with modern instrumentation in the Voigt setup.
The influence of neighboring vacancies and their charge state on the atomic migration of LaAlO3
Authors: Yamamoto Takashi , Mizoguchi Teruyasu
Published: May 2013

We investigated the effects of neighboring vacancies and their charge state on ion migration in rhombohedral-LaAlO3. Our results show that the oxygen migration energy is greatly influenced by the charge state of the oxygen vacancies, which is attributed to the neutral oxygen vacancy generating a localized electronic state at the vacancy site, while the charged oxygen vacancy has delocalized electronic state. In contrast, the charge state of the vacancy does not influence the migration of cations. Furthermore, we found that cation vacancies around the migrating ion enhance the cation migration, whereas they inhibit oxygen migration.
Enhanced emission efficiency in electrospun polyfluorene copolymer fibers
Authors: Morello Giovanni , Polini Alessandro , Girardo Salvatore , Camposeo Andrea , Pisignano Dario
Published: May 2013

We report on the unique emission features of light-emitting fibers made of a prototype conjugated polymer, namely, poly[(9,9-dioctylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl)-co-(1,4-benzo-{2,1′-3}-thiadiazole)] (F8BT), realized by electrospinning with diameters in the range of 500-1000 nm. The fibers display emission polarized along their axis, evidencing a favoured alignment of the polymer molecules. Emission efficiency and time resolved measurements reveal an enhancement of both the quantum efficiency and the radiative rate (up to 22.5%) of the fibers compared to spin-coated films, shedding more light on their potential as miniaturized photon sources in optoelectronic devices requiring high recombination rates.
Characterization of Co distribution in ZnO by x-ray magnetic circular dichroism
Authors: Zhang Y. , Wang Z. , Cao J. X.
Published: May 2013

We analyze the electronic and magnetic properties of the various atomic arrangements of Zn1−xCoxO with x = 10% using K-edge x-ray absorption and magnetic circular dichroism spectra from both measurements and first principle calculations. Significantly, the K-edge spectroscopic features of Co are highly sensitive to the local atomic arrangement, and thus can be used as a powerful tool to investigate structural properties of dilute magnetic semiconductors. We clearly showed that defects such as interstitial Co and O vacancy near to substitutional Co are present in the 10% Co doped ZnO sample. The magnetic ordering of ZnO-based diluted magnetic semiconductors is strongly correlated with the presence of oxygen vacancies. Finally, we elucidated the origin of the X-ray magnetic circular dichroism signals.
Nanowire-based refractive index sensor on the tip of an optical fiber
Authors: Pevec Simon , Donlagic Denis
Published: May 2013

This letter presents a refractive index sensor created at the tip of an optical fiber that utilizes silica nanowire within a radius of between 225 nm and 600 nm, as a sensing element. Sensitivity in excess of 800 nm/RIU was demonstrated within an aquatic medium, while the entire sensor structure was shorter than 1 mm with a diameter equal to or less than the standard fiber diameter. The presented sensor structure is made entirely from silica and provides the mechanical protection of sensitive nanowire. The proposed sensor is thus a robust and self-sustained structure, which does not require any complex packing.
A high-temperature superconducting monolithic microwave integrated Josephson down-converter with high conversion efficiency
Authors: Du J. , Zhang T. , Guo Y. J. , Sun X. W.
Published: May 2013

A compact high-Tc superconducting monolithic microwave integrated circuit Josephson down-converter is presented. The circuit consists of a single Josephson junction mixer, a bandpass filter, a lowpass filter, and a resonator for local oscillator fabricated on a single 10 mm × 20 mm chip of YBa2Cu3O7−x film on MgO substrate. The down-converter demonstrates superior performance in terms of conversion efficiency, dynamic range, linearity, and low local oscillator power with stable operation from 20 to 77 K. A maximum conversion gain of −4.7 dB was measured at 20 K and −12.8 dB at 70 K.
Measurement of the transport spin polarization of FeV using point-contact Andreev reflection
Authors: Osofsky M. S. , Cheng L. , Bailey W. E. , Bussmann K. , Parker D.
Published: May 2013

The Fe1−xVx alloy system exhibits the lowest known Gilbert relaxation rate of any ferromagnetic metal or binary alloy with G = 35 MHz at x = 27% V. Low relaxation rates are of particular interest in modern spin electronic applications involving spin torque. The transport spin polarization of a series of sputtered epitaxial Fe1−xVx samples was measured using point contact Andreev reflection. Values of the transport spin polarization agree well with those measured for pure Fe and are independent of composition. The results indicate that the substitution of up to 50% of V for Fe does not reduce the spin polarization in the alloy.
Useful Field of View in Simulated Driving: Reaction Times and Eye Movements of Drivers
Authors: Seya Yasuhiro , Nakayasu Hidetoshi , Yagi Tadasu
Published: May 2013

To examine the spatial distribution of a useful field of view (UFOV) in driving, reaction times (RTs) and eye movements were measured in simulated driving. In the experiment, a normal or mirror-reversed letter “E” was presented on driving images with different eccentricities and directions from the current gaze position. The results showed significantly slower RTs in the upper and upper left directions than in the other directions. The RTs were significantly slower in the left directions than in the right directions. These results suggest that the UFOV in driving may be asymmetrical among the meridians in the visual field.
The Roles of Physical and Physiological Simultaneity in Audiovisual Multisensory Facilitation
Authors: Leone Lynnette M. , McCourt Mark E.
Published: May 2013

A series of experiments measured the audiovisual stimulus onset asynchrony (SOAAV), yielding facilitative multisensory integration. We evaluated (1) the range of SOAAV over which facilitation occurred when unisensory stimuli were weak; (2) whether the range of SOAAV producing facilitation supported the hypothesis that physiological simultaneity of unisensory activity governs multisensory facilitation; and (3) whether AV multisensory facilitation depended on relative stimulus intensity. We compared response-time distributions to unisensory auditory (A) and visual (V) stimuli with those to AV stimuli over a wide range (300 and 20 ms increments) of SOAAV, across four conditions of varying stimulus intensity. In condition 1, the intensity of unisensory stimuli was adjusted such that d′ ≈ 2. In condition 2, V stimulus intensity was increased ( d′ > 4), while A stimulus intensity was as in condition 1. In condition 3, A stimulus intensity was increased ( d′ > 4) while V stimulus intensity was as in condition 1. In condition 4, both A and V stimulus intensities were increased to clearly suprathreshold levels ( d′ > 4). Across all conditions of stimulus intensity, significant multisensory facilitation occurred exclusively for simultaneously presented A and V stimuli. In addition, facilitation increased as stimulus intensity increased, in disagreement with inverse effectiveness. These results indicate that the requirements for facilitative multisensory integration include both physical and physiological simultaneity.
Role of nanoparticles in analytical solid phase microextraction (SPME)
Authors: Zielińska Katarzyna , van Leeuwen Herman P.
Published: May 2013

Environmental context
Organic hydrophobic compounds are present in water in low concentrations, and they can be analysed by means of a preconcentration technique called solid phase microextraction. We investigate the role of sorbing nanoparticles in the solid phase microextraction analysis of organic compounds. Our results show that nanoparticles are capable of partitioning between water and the solid phase and aggregate at the interface leading, most probably, to substantial overestimation of the original sample concentration.

Abstract
Solid phase microextraction (SPME) is commonly used to measure the free concentration of fairly hydrophobic substances in aqueous media on the basis of their partitioning between sample solution and a solid phase. Here we study the role of nanoparticles that may sorb the analyte in the sample medium. As an example case, the solid phase poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) is exposed to an aqueous dispersion containing silica nanoparticles with 10-nm radius. Confocal laser microscopic data show that these SiO2 nanoparticles do enter the PDMS and partition between the sample solution and solid phase. Moreover, they form aggregates at the surface of the solid phase. The overall partitioning of the SiO2 nanoparticles in the aqueous sample–PDMS system is examined and potential effects on the SPME analysis of organic analytes are indicated.
Identification of bovine embryos cultured in groups by attachment of barcodes to the zona pellucida
Authors: Novo Sergi , Morató Roser , Penon Oriol , Duran Sara , Barrios Leonardo , Nogués Carme , Plaza José Antonio , Pérez-García Luisa , Mogas Teresa , Ibáñez Elena
Published: May 2013

The low number of oocytes collected from unstimulated donors by ovum pick-up means that embryos produced from each individual female have to be cultured individually or in very small groups. However, it has been demonstrated that single-embryo culture is less efficient than embryo culture in groups. To overcome this limitation, we developed a direct embryo-tagging system, which allows the collective culture of embryos from different origins whilst preserving their pedigree. Presumptive bovine zygotes were tagged with eight wheat-germ agglutinin biofunctionalised polysilicon barcodes attached to the outer surface of the zona pellucida (ZP). Four different barcodes were used to encode groups of 20–25 embryos, which were then cultured in the same drop. Cleavage, Day-7 and Day-8 blastocysts and barcode retention rates were assessed. In addition, Day-7 blastocysts were vitrified and warmed. Barcode attachment to the ZP of bovine embryos affected neither in vitro embryo development nor post-warming survival of the tagged embryos. All the embryos maintained barcodes attached until Day 8 of culture (3.63 ± 0.37 barcodes per embryo) and could be identified. In conclusion, identification of embryos by barcodes attached to the ZP is feasible and will allow the culture of embryos from different donors in the same drop.
Eocene cooling linked to early flow across the Tasmanian Gateway
Authors: Bijl Peter K. , Bendle James A. P. , Bohaty Steven M. , Pross Jörg , Schouten Stefan , Tauxe Lisa , Stickley Catherine E. , McKay Robert M. , Röhl Ursula , Olney Matthew , Sluijs Appy , Escutia Carlota , Brinkhuis Henk ,   Expedition 318 Scientists, Klaus Adam , Fehr Annick , Williams Trevor , Carr Stephanie A. , Dunbar Robert B. , Gonzàlez Jhon J. , Hayden Travis G. , Iwai Masao , Jimenez-Espejo Francisco J. , Katsuki Kota , Kong Gee Soo , Nakai Mutsumi , Passchier Sandra , Pekar Stephen F. , Riesselman Christina , Sakai Toyosaburo , Shrivastava Prakash K. , Sugisaki Saiko , Tuo Shouting , van de Flierdt Tina , Welsh Kevin , Yamane Masako
Published: May 2013

The warmest global temperatures of the past 85 million years occurred during a prolonged greenhouse episode known as the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (52–50 Ma). The Early Eocene Climatic Optimum terminated with a long-term cooling trend that culminated in continental-scale glaciation of Antarctica from 34 Ma onward. Whereas early studies attributed the Eocene transition from greenhouse to icehouse climates to the tectonic opening of Southern Ocean gateways, more recent investigations invoked a dominant role of declining atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations (e.g., CO
2
). However, the scarcity of field data has prevented empirical evaluation of these hypotheses. We present marine microfossil and organic geochemical records spanning the early-to-middle Eocene transition from the Wilkes Land Margin, East Antarctica. Dinoflagellate biogeography and sea surface temperature paleothermometry reveal that the earliest throughflow of a westbound Antarctic Counter Current began ∼49–50 Ma through a southern opening of the Tasmanian Gateway. This early opening occurs in conjunction with the simultaneous onset of regional surface water and continental cooling (2–4 °C), evidenced by biomarker- and pollen-based paleothermometry. We interpret that the westbound flowing current flow across the Tasmanian Gateway resulted in cooling of Antarctic surface waters and coasts, which was conveyed to global intermediate waters through invigorated deep convection in southern high latitudes. Although atmospheric CO
2
forcing alone would provide a more uniform middle Eocene cooling, the opening of the Tasmanian Gateway better explains Southern Ocean surface water and global deep ocean cooling in the apparent absence of (sub-) equatorial cooling.
Asynchronous marine-terrestrial signals of the last deglacial warming in East Asia associated with low- and high-latitude climate changes
Authors: Xu Deke , Lu Houyuan , Wu Naiqin , Liu Zhenxia , Li Tiegang , Shen Caiming , Wang Luo
Published: May 2013

A high-resolution multiproxy record, including pollen, foraminifera, and alkenone paleothermometry, obtained from a single core (DG9603) from the Okinawa Trough, East China Sea (ECS), provided unambiguous evidence for asynchronous climate change between the land and ocean over the past 40 ka. On land, the deglacial stage was characterized by rapid warming, as reflected by paleovegetation, and it beganca.15 kaBP, consistent with the timing of the last deglacial warming in Greenland. However, sea surface temperature estimates from foraminifera and alkenone paleothermometry increased around 20–19 kaBP, as in the Western Pacific Warm Pool (WPWP). Sea surface temperatures in the Okinawa Trough were influenced mainly by heat transport from the tropical western Pacific Ocean by the Kuroshio Current, but the epicontinental vegetation of the ECS was influenced by atmospheric circulation linked to the northern high-latitude climate. Asynchronous terrestrial and marine signals of the last deglacial warming in East Asia were thus clearly related to ocean currents and atmospheric circulation. We argue that (i) early warming seawater of the WPWP, driven by low-latitude insolation and trade winds, moved northward via the Kuroshio Current and triggered marine warming along the ECS around 20–19 kaBP similar to that in the WPWP, and (ii) an almost complete shutdown of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulationca.18–15 kaBP was associated with cold Heinrich stadial-1 and delayed terrestrial warming during the last deglacial warming untilca.15 kaBP at northern high latitudes, and hence in East Asia. Terrestrial deglacial warming therefore lagged behind marine changes byca.3–4 ka.
Signal-dependent repression of DUSP5 by class I HDACs controls nuclear ERK activity and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy
Authors: Ferguson Bradley S. , Harrison Brooke C. , Jeong Mark Y. , Reid Brian G. , Wempe Michael F. , Wagner Florence F. , Holson Edward B. , McKinsey Timothy A.
Published: May 2013

Cardiac hypertrophy is a strong predictor of morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure. Small molecule histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors have been shown to suppress cardiac hypertrophy through mechanisms that remain poorly understood. We report that class I HDACs function as signal-dependent repressors of cardiac hypertrophy via inhibition of the gene encoding dual-specificity phosphatase 5 (DUSP5) DUSP5, a nuclear phosphatase that negatively regulates prohypertrophic signaling by ERK1/2. Inhibition of DUSP5 by class I HDACs requires activity of the ERK kinase, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK), revealing a self-reinforcing mechanism for promotion of cardiac ERK signaling. In cardiac myocytes treated with highly selective class I HDAC inhibitors, nuclear ERK1/2 signaling is suppressed in a manner that is absolutely dependent on DUSP5. In contrast, cytosolic ERK1/2 activation is maintained under these same conditions. Ectopic expression of DUSP5 in cardiomyocytes results in potent inhibition of agonist-dependent hypertrophy through a mechanism involving suppression of the gene program for hypertrophic growth. These findings define unique roles for class I HDACs and DUSP5 as integral components of a regulatory signaling circuit that controls cardiac hypertrophy.
Regulated ADAM17-dependent EGF family ligand release by substrate-selecting signaling pathways
Authors: Dang Michelle , Armbruster Nicole , Miller Miles A. , Cermeno Efrain , Hartmann Monika , Bell George W. , Root David E. , Lauffenburger Douglas A. , Lodish Harvey F. , Herrlich Andreas
Published: May 2013

Ectodomain cleavage of cell-surface proteins by A disintegrin and metalloproteinases (ADAMs) is highly regulated, and its dysregulation has been linked to many diseases. ADAM10 and ADAM17 cleave most disease-relevant substrates. Broad-spectrum metalloprotease inhibitors have failed clinically, and targeting the cleavage of a specific substrate has remained impossible. It is therefore necessary to identify signaling intermediates that determine substrate specificity of cleavage. We show here that phorbol ester or angiotensin II-induced proteolytic release of EGF family members may not require a significant increase in ADAM17 protease activity. Rather, inducers activate a signaling pathway using PKC-α and the PKC-regulated protein phosphatase 1 inhibitor 14D that is required for ADAM17 cleavage of TGF-α, heparin-binding EGF, and amphiregulin. A second pathway involving PKC-δ is required for neuregulin (NRG) cleavage, and, indeed, PKC-δ phosphorylation of serine 286 in the NRG cytosolic domain is essential for induced NRG cleavage. Thus, signaling-mediated substrate selection is clearly distinct from regulation of enzyme activity, an important mechanism that offers itself for application in disease.
12. Land*
Authors: Deakin Simon , Johnston Angus , Markesinis Basil
Published: May 2013

This chapter discusses trespass to land and defences. Trespass can be committed in various ways, provided that the interference is direct and immediate. Entry on to land is simply the most obvious example; placing things on land or inducing animals to enter are also potentially trespassory. The Limitation Act 1623, section 5 provides that if the defendant pleads disclaimer of title to the land and if ‘the trespass was by negligence or involuntary’ and he makes a tender of sufficient amends, action against him shall be barred. The claimant’s consent is always a defence in the sense that it constitutes ‘leave and licence’.
2. Possession and title
Authors: Gray Kevin , Francis Gray Susan
Published: May 2013

Titles in the Core Text series take the reader straight to the heart of the subject, providing focused, concise, and reliable guides for students at all levels.
This chapter discusses the following: the way in which physical possession has traditionally provided not only the authentic root of ‘title’ to an ‘estate’ in land but also the basis on which various important rights can be vindicated against strangers; the modern transition towards a rather different world in which ‘title’ to an ‘estate’ is derived from the state-administered registration of abstract forms of proprietorship; and the gradual replacement of the old regime of unregistered title by a sophisticated (and increasingly electronic) scheme of registered title under the Land Registration Act 2002.
Cranial Reflexes and Related Techniques
Authors: Smith Benn E.
Published: May 2013

Although a certain level of expertise is necessary, electrophysiologic study of cranial reflexes is not technically demanding, time-consuming, or associated with substantial patient discomfort. The information obtained may document objective abnormality and assist with localization. The blink reflexes are useful for studying the function of the trigeminal and facial nerves and their central connections in the brain stem. When NCS in the limbs suggest a demyelinating peripheral neuropathy, the blink reflex can provide information about involvement of proximal nerve segments. Patterns of involvement of the facial and trigeminal nerves are often helpful in suggesting the type of neuropathy under investigation. The jaw jerk is useful in assessing the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve, and it can aid in evaluating patients with suspected sensory ganglionopathies. The MIR is sometimes helpful in evaluating patients with demyelinating neuropathies and in assessing central inhibition. The great auricular sensory NCS is a useful method to assess proximal somatic sensory function in the upper cervical dermatomes. The CHEPS technology provides a method to study somatic small fiber sensory pathways from the trigeminal dermatomes to the sensory cortex. Although not discussed in this chapter, needle electrode examination of muscles innervated by the trigeminal and facial cranial nerves are usually performed in combination with cranial nerve reflex studies.
Drug Nation
Authors: Plant Martin , Robertson Roy , Plant Moira , Miller Patrick
Published: May 2013

Drug Nation provides an accessible and lucid introduction to some of the main health and social issues related to illicit drugs and their use, and reviews a range of popular drugs—including amphetamines, cannabis, cocaine, Ecstasy (MDMA), heroin and LSD—whilst considering the law related to such substances.
Drugs: patterns of use
Authors: Plant Martin , Robertson Roy , Plant Moira , Miller Patrick
Published: May 2013

This chapter will present details of changes of drug use, especially since the emergence of the ‘drug scene’ among teenagers and young adults in the 1960s. This review will outline demographic and geographical variations and the upsurge in drug use (including polydrug use, the use of a variety of illicit and legal substances) among both men and women. It will feature the authors’ own research indicating that the levels of teenage drug use in the UK were among the highest in Europe. This chapter will describe the adoption of new types of drug, such as ecstasy (MDMA), crack cocaine, ‘skunk’, cannabis, gammahydroxybutyrate (GHB), and mephedrone. It features the latest findings of the 2007 European School Survey Project on Alcohol and other Drugs (ESPAD). This unique study is eliciting detailed information about illicit drugs use as well as alcohol and tobacco use, among a sample of over 2100 teenage school students throughout the UK. It will be argued that illicit drug use has become firmly normalized throughout the UK.
Therapeutic options
Authors: Plant Martin , Robertson Roy , Plant Moira , Miller Patrick
Published: May 2013

This chapter has attempted to explore the breadth of treatment services and the issues involved. Few simple conclusions are possible for the very many reasons outlined above. It is important to observe, however, that the damage caused by addiction is considerable and its impact on health and social services immeasurable. Added to these costs are the social costs of crime and the expense of the criminal justice interventions. Treatment has to be flexible and increasingly coordinated between agencies. At any point in time change is required in treatment provision and vision is essential to allow the development of suitable services for an ever-changing population of service users.
Revision Notes for MCEM Part B
Authors: Stacey Victoria
Published: May 2013

This resource is only one that MCEM candidates will need to pass the MCEM Part B exam. This revision resource is framed around the most recent CEM syllabus, focusing on all the components of the exam, and each section is tailored to match different elements of the syllabus, allowing candidates to revise efficiently and comprehensively.
Anaesthetics and pain management
Authors: Stacey Victoria
Published: May 2013

Emergency airway care - Identifying the difficult airway - Emergency airway drugs - Rapid sequence induction (RSI) - Procedural sedation - Pain management - Local anaesthesia - Nerve blocks - Intravenous regional anaesthesia (Bier’s block) - SAQ
Major trauma
Authors: Stacey Victoria
Published: May 2013

Generic principles of trauma management - Chest trauma - Abdominal trauma - Pelvic trauma - Head injury - Spinal trauma - Burns - SAQs
Musculoskeletal, rheumatology, and wound management
Authors: Stacey Victoria
Published: May 2013

Musculoskeletal conditions: introduction - Long-bone anatomy - Fracture descriptions - Open fractures - Compartment syndrome - Upper limb injuries - Lower limb injuries - Rheumatology: introduction - Monoarthritis - Polyarthritis - Septic arthritis - Gonococcal arthritis - Crystal arthropathies - Sero-negative spondyloarthropathies - Rheumatoid arthritis - Acute back pain - Wound management: introduction - Describing wounds and hand injuries - Hand and wrist anatomy - Hand infections - Special hand injuries - Tetanus - SAQs
Cardiology
Authors: Stacey Victoria
Published: May 2013

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) - Investigations in ACS - Management of ACS - Management of STEMI/new LBBB - Atrial fibrillation - Arrhythmias - Transient loss of consciousness - Sudden cardiac death (SCD) - Heart failure - Hypertensive emergencies - Infective endocarditis - Pericardial disease - SAQs