bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using SEM to Examine the Dimensions of Perfectionism and Investigate the Mediating Role of Self-Esteem Between Perfectionism and Depression in China
Authors: Zhang Bin , Cai Taisheng
Published: June 2012

The aim of the study was to examine the nature of perfectionism, to gain a better understanding of the construct using the Chinese population. The study also explored the relationships between perfectionism, self-esteem and depression after identifying the three dimensions of perfectionism. A sample of 292 Chinese university students completed the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (FMPS), the Hewitt Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (HMPS), the Almost Perfect Scale — Revised (APS-R), the Self-Esteem Scale (SES), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). As hypothesised, the confirmatory factor analyses revealed that multidimensional perfectionism is explained as a three-factor construct with dimensions of maladaptive perfectionism, adaptive perfectionism and order factor. As predicted, the structural equation model analyses indicated that self-esteem partially mediated the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and depression. Implications for counselling interventions and future research are discussed.
Establishing the Psychometric Properties of an Interactive, Self-Regulation Assessment Battery for Young Offenders
Authors: Carroll Annemaree , Hemingway Francene , Ashman Adrian , Bower Julie
Published: June 2012

This research investigated the reliability and validity of the Mindfields Assessment Battery (MAB), measuring three components of self-regulation (forethought, performance control, self-reflection) of young offenders. Participants were 57 12- to 18-year-olds from youth justice service centres, alternative education schools, and a youth correctional facility (Nmales= 46;NIndigenous= 7). Psychometric properties of the battery were sound with adequate alpha levels for the scales. The factor structure and internal reliability of three measures were replicated and validated. Positive significant correlations found between these subscales indicated consistent relationships with young people's responses to challenging situations. Prodelinquency scores were significantly positively correlated with minor misdemeanours and negatively correlated with social competency. Significant positive correlations were found between social competence and goal commitment, and self-regulation and life satisfaction. The battery provides a reliable, valid way of assessing forethought, performance control, self-reflection, and treatment amenability within the conceptual framework of self-regulation.
The Use of Individual Education Programs for Children in Australian Schools
Authors: Dempsey Ian
Published: June 2012

A cornerstone of special education practice is customising instruction to meet individual students’ needs. Individual education programs (IEPs) are used in many countries to document the manner in which such instruction is customised and to provide a record of student outcomes. Using 2009 data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, this paper examines a range of student and school variables associated with Australian children aged 8 to 9 years who had an IEP at the time. There were significant differences across government, Catholic and independent schools, and significant differences across the states and territories in the use of IEPs. The Discussion section of the paper explores possible reasons for those differences and the desirability for more consistent use of IEPs with students with a disability in Australia.
Identification and characterization of anonymous nuclear markers for the double-striped cockroach,Blattella bisignata
Authors: Ren Q.-P. , Fan Z. , Zhou X.-M. , Jiang G.-F. , Wang Y.-T. , Liu Y.-X.
Published: June 2012

During the last decade, multilocus analysis has gradually become a powerful tool for the studies of population genetics and phylogeography. The double-striped cockroach,Blattella bisignata, is endemic to southeast Asia, and there is currently little genetic information available for the species. We chose it as the target species to investigate a biodiversity hotspot in southwest China. Here, we report the identification and characterization of 11 single-copy anonymous nuclear markers with an average length of 378bp. These loci, isolated from a genomic library ofB. bisignata, can amplify in two additionalBlattellaspecies (B. germanicaandB. lituricollis). While testing these markers in representative species of Blattellidae, Blattidae and Epilampridae, some of them can cross-amplify successfully. After sequencing 30 individuals collected from southern China per locus, we found relatively high variability (approximately 3.6 SNPs per 100bp). Finally, a small-scale study was also performed to show that these markers do indeed fulfill the expectations as phylogeographic markers.
Case of progressive facial hemiatrophy with cervical sympathetic hyperactivity as underlying aetiology
Authors: Monobe H , Miyano K , Kagoya R , Tojima H
Published: June 2012

Objective:

We report a case of progressive facial hemiatrophy with cervical sympathetic hyperactivity as a possible underlying aetiology, based on clinical findings, three-dimensional computed tomography and thermographic imaging.

Methods:

We present a case report in which we describe the investigation and clinical course of progressive facial hemiatrophy, and we also review the world literature on this condition.

Results:

To our knowledge, this is the first report in the world literature of progressive facial hemiatrophy with cervical sympathetic hyperactivity indicated as a possible underlying aetiology, based on clinical findings, three-dimensional computed tomography and thermographic imaging.

Conclusion:

This syndrome may lead to atrophy of the subcutaneous adipose tissue with hyperfunction of the vegetative system. Although this is a rare syndrome, otolaryngologists should be aware of its symptoms, aetiology and treatment.
Auricular cutaneous leishmaniasis mimicking neoplastic disease
Authors: Tarkan Ö , Çetİk F , Uzun S
Published: June 2012

Objective:

Leishmaniasis comprises a group of diseases transmitted by the bite of infected sand flies. There are three basic clinical forms of leishmaniasis: cutaneous, mucocutaneous and visceral. Leishmaniasis may mimic neoplastic lesions and other infectious diseases because of similar disease localisation, physical characteristics and histopathological findings.

Case report:

A 35-year-old man was referred to our clinic with a presumed diagnosis of angiolymphoid hyperplasia of the auricle; however, this lesion proved to be cutaneous leishmaniasis. The definitive diagnosis was reached by identifying the parasites on smears obtained from the lesion.

Conclusion:

It should be borne in mind that cutaneous leishmaniasis presenting as isolated auricular lesions may mimic neoplasia. In the present case report, we discuss auricular cutaneous leishmaniasis and we review the relevant literature.
(Dis)harmony, the Head-Proximate Filter, and linkers
Authors: PHILIP JOY
Published: June 2012

This paper presents a notion of harmonic word order that leads to a new generalisation over the presence or absence of disharmony cross-linguistically: for linkers – syntactically independent, semantically vacuous heads marking a relationship – disharmony is ungrammatical, while for any other head disharmony is simply dispreferred. Harmony is defined here by the interaction of three independently motivated word order constraints operating over the base-generated structure: linear proximity between a superordinate lexical head and the head of its dependent, uniformity in direction of headedness, and the preference for clausal dependents to follow their head. It is proposed that disharmony occurs where either a lexical head or a head bearing syntactic features encoding semantics has an ordering rule of its own. These proposals are shown to be empirically superior to the Final-Over-Final Constraint (Holmberg 2000, Biberauer, Holmberg & Roberts 2007 and subsequent work), in terms of both what is permitted and what is disallowed.
Too Soon to Say
Authors: James Edward
Published: June 2012

(1) Rupert Read charges that Rawls culpably overlooksthe politicized Euthyphro:Do we accept our political perspective because it is right or is it right because we accept it? (2) This charge brings up the question of thedeficiency dilemma:Do others disagree with us because of our failures or theirs? – where the two dilemmas appear to be independent of each other and lead to the questions ofthe logic of deficiency, moral epistemic deficiency, epistemic peers, and thehardnessof philosophy. (3) In reply, on an expanded principle of charity Rawls does not overlook theEuthyphrobut rather offers ground-breaking solutions to it, (4) that nonetheless trip on theindependent bootstrap(5) – as also do Dreben and Nussbaum. (6) Furthermore, Rawls's ‘burdens of judgment’ seek to bypass the necessity of moral epistemic deficiency and (7) suggest a wider framework for understanding disagreement that sees disagreement as arising from inquiry being in development, unpredictable and uncertain. (8) This wider frameworkentailsthat disagreement does not mean moral epistemic deficiency and (9) that our responses to theEuthyphroare ‘too soon to say’.
Behind the Mereological Fallacy
Authors: Harré Rom
Published: June 2012

Language based criticisms of the intelligibility of the programme of neuropsychology have made use of the principle that words the meaning of which is established in the context of descriptions of aspects of whole persons cannot be used in that sense to ascribe properties to parts of human bodies. In particular neither human brains nor their parts think, are conscious, imagine, suffer and so on. Recently, Bennett and Hacker have presented the error as a mereological fallacy, because brains are parts of persons. However, while brains are parts of human bodies it is not clear that they are parts of persons. I restyle the argument in terms of fields of family resemblances, in such a way that it makes sense to describe the hippocampus as an organ for remembering, but does not support the claim that neuroscience is core psychology. Such fields are networks of meanings linked by two principles. (1) Taxonomies of relevant body parts are determined by the psychological role they play in everyday human life. (2) Many body parts are also identified by the role they play as tools in human activities including psychological tasks. Arguments are developed to show that objections to the idea that brains and their constituent organs are tools are misplaced. Hybrid psychologies are possible.
Determinism: Did Libet Make the Case?
Authors: Robinson Daniel N.
Published: June 2012

Benjamin Libet's influential publications have raised important questions about voluntarist accounts of action. His findings are taken as evidence that the processes in the central nervous system associated with the initiation of an action occur earlier than the decision to act. However, in light of the methods employed and of relevant findings drawn from research addressed to the timing of neurobehavioural processes, Libet's conclusions are untenable.
Brain structures playing a crucial role in the representation of tools in humans and non-human primates
Authors: Gainotti Guido
Published: June 2012

The cortical representation of concepts varies according to the information critical for their development. Living categories, being mainly based upon visual information, are bilaterally represented in the rostral parts of the ventral stream of visual processing; whereas tools, being mainly based upon action data, are unilaterally represented in a left-sided fronto-parietal network. The unilateral representation of tools results from involvement in actions of the right side of the body.
Tool use induces complex and flexible plasticity of human body representations
Authors: Longo Matthew R. , Serino Andrea
Published: June 2012

Plasticity of body representation fundamentally underpins human tool use. Recent studies have demonstrated remarkably complex plasticity of body representation in humans, showing that such plasticity (1) occurs flexibly across multiple time scales and (2) involves multiple body representations responding differently to tool use. Such findings reveal remarkable sophistication of body plasticity in humans, suggesting that Vaesen may overestimate the similarity of such mechanisms in humans and non-human primates.
An area specifically devoted to tool use in human left inferior parietal lobule
Authors: Orban Guy A. , Rizzolatti Giacomo
Published: June 2012

A comparative fMRI study by Peeters et al. (2009) provided evidence that a specific sector of left inferior parietal lobule is devoted to tool use in humans, but not in monkeys. We propose that this area represents the neural substrate of the human capacity to understand tool use by using causal reasoning.
Motor planning in primates
Authors: Weiss Daniel J. , Chapman Kate M. , Wark Jason D. , Rosenbaum David A.
Published: June 2012

Vaesen asks whether goal maintenance and planning ahead are critical for innovative tool use. We suggest that these aptitudes may have an evolutionary foundation in motor planning abilities that span all primate species. Anticipatory effects evidenced in the reaching behaviors of lemurs, tamarins, and rhesus monkeys similarly bear on the evolutionary origins of foresight as it pertains to tool use.
Human tool-making capacities reflect increased information-processing capacities: Continuity resides in the eyes of the beholder
Authors: Gibson Kathleen R.
Published: June 2012

Chimpanzee/human technological differences are vast, reflect multiple interacting behavioral processes, and may result from the increased information-processing and hierarchical mental constructional capacities of the human brain. Therefore, advanced social, technical, and communicative capacities probably evolved together in concert with increasing brain size. Interpretations of these evolutionary and species differences as continuities or discontinuities reflect differing scientific perspectives.
Look, no hands!
Authors: Patterson Eric M. , Mann Janet
Published: June 2012

Contrary to Vaesen's argument that humans are unique with respect to nine cognitive capacities essential for tool use, we suggest that although such cognitive processes contribute to variation in tool use, it does not follow that these capacities arenecessaryfor tool use, nor that tool use shaped cognition per se, given the available data in cognitive neuroscience and behavioral biology.
The key to cultural innovation lies in the group dynamic rather than in the individual mind
Authors: Ragir Sonia , Brooks Patricia J.
Published: June 2012

Vaesen infers unique properties of mind from the appearance of specific cultural innovation – a correlation without causal direction. Shifts in habitat, population density, and group dynamics are the only independently verifiable incentives for changes in cultural practices. The transition from Acheulean to Late Stone Age technologies requires that we consider how population and social dynamics affect cultural innovation and mental function.
Tool use and constructions
Authors: Arbib Michael A.
Published: June 2012

We examine tool use in relation to the capacity of animals for construction, contrasting tools and nests; place human tool use in a more general problem-solving context, revisiting the body schema in the process; and relate the evolution of language and of tool use.
The dual nature of tools and their makeover
Authors: Rizzo Antonio
Published: June 2012

Vaesen argues that functional knowledge differentiates humans from non-human primates. However, the rationale he provides for this position is open to question – with respect to both the underlying theoretical assumptions and inferences drawn from certain empirical studies. Indeed, there is some recent empirical work that suggests that functional fixedness is not necessarily uniquely human. I also question the central role of stable function representations in Vaesen's account of tool production and use.
Tool use as situated cognition
Authors: Blitzer Andy , Huebner Bryce
Published: June 2012

Vaesen disregards a plausible alternative to his position, and so fails to offer a compelling argument for unique cognitive mechanisms. We suggest an ecological alternative, according to which divergent relationships between organism and environment, not exotic neuroanatomy, are responsible for unique cognitive capacities. This approach is pertinent to claims about primate cognition; and on this basis, we argue that Vaesen's inference from unique skills to unique mechanisms is unwarranted.
Bringing the bureaucrats back in: neo-liberal tax reform in New Zealand
Authors: Christensen Johan
Published: June 2012

New Zealand moved further in neo-liberal tax reform than most other advanced economies over the last three decades. The article investigates this extreme case to address the question of what explains major neo-liberal economic reform. Comparing tax policy-making in two periods, the 1980s and 2008–10, we argue that neo-liberal tax reform in New Zealand is best understood as the product of “autonomous bureaucratic action”. That is, bureaucratic organisations within the state independently formulated the goals and ideas for reform, took an activist role in policy-making and strongly influenced the policy preferences of ministers. Moreover, responding to a criticism often raised against state-centred theories, we offer an explicit explanation of bureaucratic preferences. We argue that bureaucratic goals and ideas were a product of how particular structural features of the bureaucracy – organisation and training – made ministries more or less receptive to new ideas within the economics discipline.
Universal Grammar, crosslinguistic variation and second language acquisition
Authors: White Lydia
Published: June 2012

According to generative linguistic theory, certain principles underlying language structure are innately given, accounting for how children are able to acquire their mother tongues (L1s) despite a mismatch between the linguistic input and the complex unconscious mental representation of language that children achieve. This innate structure is referred to as Universal Grammar (UG); it includes universal principles, as well as parameters which allow for constrained variation across languages.
Modeling of the plasma produced by moderate energy laser beam interaction with metallic targets: Physics of the phenomena
Authors: Beilis Isak I.
Published: June 2012

The physical phenomena of plasma plume generation and plasma expansion by target-laser interaction are considered for moderate laser power density. The kinetics of target vaporization, atom ionization, and plasma heating are described. The mechanism of electric sheath formation near the surface, electron emission from the target, and the electrical breakdown phenomena by laser irradiation are analyzed. The plasma expansion is described taking into account the near target plasma structure and the absorption of the laser radiation. The mechanisms accelerating the plasma and generating an electric field in it are discussed. The work reviews experiments and theoretical models and summarizes the results in order to understand the measurements and to discuss open questions. As example, the plasma parameters (electron temperature and density, degree of ionization, and plasma velocity) are calculated for an Ag target using the developed model that considers self-consistently the target heating, kinetics of target evaporation, plasma heating, and ion flux to the target. The calculated ion velocity in the expanding plasma jet is in accordance with the measurement. The ion energy linearly depends on the ion charge state, as observed experimentally.
Piracy in Somalia: A Challenge to The International Community
Authors: Baniela Santiago Iglesias , Ríos Juan Vinagre
Published: June 2012

In the paperPiracy at Sea: Somalia an Area of Great Concern(Baniela, 2010), a general up-to-date vision of piracy at sea in Somalia was analysed. As piracy at sea has political, socio-economic, security and humanitarian dimensions, the international community requires a thorough approach that embraces a comprehensive and multi-faceted response of effective counter-measures, both onshore and offshore. So as a follow-up to that paper, the objective of this one is to analyse the impact of the current strategy in the struggle against piracy in Somalia carried out by the international community focused solely at sea and to examine the proposals to find a solution to the problem on land.
Rietveld quantitative analysis of cast super duplex steel
Authors: Garin J. L. , Mannheim R. L.
Published: June 2012

To interpret highly superimposed diffraction patterns, the Rietveld method together with conventional X-ray powder diffraction techniques were carried out on a series of heat-treated weldments of cast super duplex stainless steel. High temperature processing of this type of alloys causes embrittlement and loss of corrosion resistance owing to precipitation of intermediate phases, principally sigma-phase. The annealing processing of the samples proceeded at temperatures in the range of 800–950 °C for periods of time from 1 to 96 h. This procedure permitted an accurate quantification of the microstructural components such as austenite, ferrite and sigma-phase in all studied samples. The contents of sigma-phase in the heat-affected zones of all weldments reached asymptotical values of 30–38 wt% after 96 h of heat treatment.
Hospitalizations for respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis in preterm infants at <33 weeks gestation without bronchopulmonary dysplasia: the CASTOR study
Authors: GOUYON J.-B. , ROZÉ J.-C. , GUILLERMET-FROMENTIN C. , GLORIEUX I. , ADAMON L. , DI MAIO M. , MILORADOVICH T. , ANGHELESCU D. , PINQUIER D. , ESCANDE B. , ELLEAU C.
Published: June 2012

This study was conducted during the 2008–2009 respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) season in France to compare hospitalization rates for bronchiolitis (RSV-confirmed and all types) between very preterm infants (<33 weeks' gestational age, WGA) without bronchopulmonary dysplasia and full-term infants (39–41 WGA) matched for date of birth, gender and birth location, and to evaluate the country-specific risk factors for bronchiolitis hospitalization. Data on hospitalizations were collected both retrospectively and prospectively for 498 matched infants (249 per group) aged <6 months at the beginning of the RSV season. Compared to full-term infants, preterm infants had a fourfold [95% confidence interval (CI) 1·36–11·80] and a sevenfold (95% CI 2·79–17·57) higher risk of being hospitalized for bronchiolitis, RSV-confirmed and all types, respectively. Prematurity was the only factor that significantly increased the risk of being hospitalized for bronchiolitis. The risk of multiple hospitalizations for bronchiolitis in the same infant significantly increased with male gender and the presence of siblings aged ⩾2 years.
Population size of threatened and endemic birds of the Cerrado in Estação Ecológica de Itirapina, a fragmented area in the State of São Paulo, Brazil
Authors: KANEGAE MIEKO FERREIRA
Published: June 2012

The pressures for land use change have led to an increasing isolation of habitat remnants throughout the world. The goal of this study was to estimate the population size and density of some endemic and threatened species in a nature reserve in the Cerrado biome. One hundred and thirty four point transects were undertaken at the Estação Ecológica de Itirapina (EEI), one of the last natural grassland savannah remnants in São Paulo state, in the south-east of Brazil between September and December 2006 and densities estimated for seven species (four endemic to the Cerrado, one near-endemic and two grassland specialists). Neither species reached the minimum viable population size of 500-5000 individuals. Four species, White-banded Tanager, White-rumped Tanager, Black-throated Saltator and Sharp-tailed Tyrant have populations ranging from 112 to 248 individuals, while the other species have a low population (< 60 individuals). The mean densities of Sharp-tailed Tyrant and Cock-tailed Tyrant in the EEI grassland showed similar values to those observed in larger areas of the Cerrado, which may indicate that the EEI grassland area is well conserved. In spite of the restricted size of the EEI, small areas can maintain some endemic and threatened bird populations, thus contributing to local biodiversity and the ecological processes in the region. The capacity of fragments of Cerrado (~ 2,000 ha) to maintain populations of endemic and threatened bird species is unlikely to be effective in the long term.
Market-consistent valuations and Solvency II: Implications of the recent financial crisis ‐ Summary of the London discussion
Authors: Foroughi Kamran
Published: June 2012

This summary relates to the following paper:

ForoughiKMarket-consistent valuations and Solvency II: Implications of the recent financial crisis. British Actuarial Journal, doi:10.1017/S1357321712000025
An executive's handbook for understanding and risk managing unit linked guarantees ‐ Abstract of the Edinburgh discussion
Authors: Maher James
Published: June 2012

This abstract relates to the following paper:

MaherJ., CorriganJ., BentleyA., and DiffeyW.An executive's handbook for understanding and risk managing unit linked guarantees. British Actuarial Journal, doi:10.1017/S1357321712000013
Flour fortification with iron has no impact on anaemia in urban Brazilian children
Authors: Assunção Maria CF , Santos Iná S , Barros Aluísio JD , Gigante Denise P , Victora Cesar G
Published: June 2012

Objective

To verify the impact of flour fortification on anaemia in Brazilian children. The survey also investigated the role of Fe deficiency as a cause of anaemia and estimated the bioavailability of the Fe in the children's diet. This local study was complemented by a nationwide survey of the types of Fe compounds added to flour.

Design

Series of population-based surveys conducted in 2004 (baseline study), 2005, 2006 and 2008.

Setting

Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Subjects

Children under 6 years of age residing in the urban area of the city of Pelotas, Southern Brazil (n 507 in 2004; n 960 in 2005; n 893 in 2006; n 799 in 2008). In 2008, a sub-sample of children (n 114) provided venous blood samples to measure body Fe reserve parameters (ferritin and transferrin saturation).

Results

We found no impact of fortification, with an increase in anaemia prevalence among children under 24 months of age. Hb levels decreased by 0·9 g/dl in this age group between 2004 and 2008 (10·9 g/dl to 10·0 g/dl; P < 0·001). Roughly 50 % of cases of anaemia were estimated to be due to Fe deficiency. Half of the mills surveyed used reduced Fe to fortify wheat flour. Total Fe intake from all foodstuffs was adequate for 88·6 % of the children, but its bioavailability was only 5 %.

Conclusions

The low bioavailability of the Fe compounds added to flours, combined with the poor quality of children's diets, account for the lack of impact of mandatory fortification.
Soil fertility and crop growth under poultry/crop integration
Authors: Hilimire Kathleen , Gliessman Stephen R. , Muramoto Joji
Published: June 2012

Innovative sources of soil fertility are of utmost importance to growers in light of rising fertilizer costs and environmental concerns. Integrating livestock and crop production is one channel by which agricultural practitioners can enhance soil fertility. For this research, soil fertility was analyzed in pastured poultry/crop agroecosystems to determine whether free-ranging birds and pasture could be used to replace or supplement non-manure-based fertilizers. Soils from adjacent cropped areas were compared to plots with a recent history of pastured poultry use on two farms, and crop plants were grown in each type of soil in a replicated greenhouse experiment. Spatial variation in soil fertility was also assessed relative to location of poultry coops. Pastured poultry plots had elevated soil total C, total N, NH4+–N, NO3−–N, Olsen P, exchangeable K, organic matter, cation exchange capacity and electrical conductivity relative to the control of typically managed organic farm soils without pastured animal inputs. These soil fertility changes conferred greater biomass and height to sunflowers and beans grown in these soils relative to control soils for most treatments. Results suggest that pastured poultry can effectively fertilize soil for certain crops but that a need exists for more research into (1) phosphorus management and (2) ensuring a spatially uniform distribution of manure.
CATEGORICAL FOUNDATIONS OF MATHEMATICS OR HOW TO PROVIDE FOUNDATIONS FORABSTRACTMATHEMATICS
Authors: MARQUIS JEAN-PIERRE
Published: June 2012

Feferman’s argument presented in 1977 seemed to block any possibility for category theory to become a serious contender in the foundational game. According to Feferman, two obstacles stand in the way: one logical and the other psychological. We address both obstacles in this paper, arguing that although Feferman’s argument is indeed convincing in a certain context, it can be dissolved entirely by modifying the context appropriately.
Heritability of Multivariate Gray Matter Measures in Schizophrenia
Authors: Turner Jessica A. , Calhoun Vince D. , Michael Andrew , van Erp Theo G. M. , Ehrlich Stefan , Segall Judith M. , Gollub Randy L. , Csernansky John , Potkin Steven G. , Ho Beng-Choon , Bustillo Juan , Schulz S. Charles , FBIRN  , Wang Lei
Published: June 2012

Structural brain measures are employed as endophenotypes in the search for schizophrenia susceptibility genes. We analyzed two independent structural imaging datasets with voxel-based morphometry and with source-based morphometry, a multivariate, independent components analysis, to determine the stability and heritability of regional gray matter concentration abnormalities in schizophrenia. The samples comprised 209 and 102 patients with schizophrenia and 208 and 96 healthy volunteers, respectively. The second sample additionally included non-ill siblings of participants with and without schizophrenia. A standard voxel-based analysis showed reproducible regional gray matter deficits in the affected participants compared with unrelated, unaffected controls in both datasets: patients showed significant gray matter concentration deficits in cortical frontal, temporal, and insular lobes. Source-based morphometry (SBM) was applied to the gray matter images of the entire sample to determine the effects of diagnosis on networks of covarying structures. The SBM analysis extracted 24 significant sets of covarying regions (components). Four of these components showed significantly lower gray matter concentrations in patients (p < .05). We determined the familiality of the observed SBM components based on 66 sibling pairs (25 discordant for schizophrenia). Two components, one including the medial frontal, insular, inferior frontal, and temporal lobes, and the other including the posterior occipital lobe, showed significant familiality (p < .05). We conclude that structural brain deficits in schizophrenia are replicable, and that SBM can extract unique familial and likely heritable components. SBM provides a useful data reduction technique that can provide measures that may serve as endophenotypes for schizophrenia.
EnigmaVis: Online Interactive Visualization of Genome-Wide Association Studies of the Enhancing NeuroImaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis (ENIGMA) Consortium
Authors: Novak Nic M. , Stein Jason L. , Medland Sarah E. , Hibar Derrek P. , Thompson Paul M. , Toga Arthur W.
Published: June 2012

In an attempt to increase power to detect genetic associations with brain phenotypes derived from human neuroimaging data, we recently conducted a large-scale, genome-wide association meta-analysis of hippocampal, brain, and intracranial volume through the Enhancing NeuroImaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis (ENIGMA) consortium. Here, we present a freely available online interactive tool, EnigmaVis, which makes it easy to visualize the association results generated by the consortium alongside allele frequency, genes, and functional annotations. EnigmaVis runs natively within the web browser, and generates plots that show the level of association between brain phenotypes at user-specified genomic positions. Uniquely, EnigmaVis is dynamic; users can interact with elements on the plot in real time. This software will be useful when exploring the effect on brain structure of particular genetic variants influencing neuropsychiatric illness and cognitive function. Future projects of the consortium and updates to EnigmaVis will also be displayed on the site. EnigmaVis is freely available online at http://enigma.loni.ucla.edu/enigma-vis/
A Comparison of Heritability Maps of Cortical Surface Area and Thickness and the Influence of Adjustment for Whole Brain Measures: A Magnetic Resonance Imaging Twin Study
Authors: Eyler Lisa T. , Chen Chi-Hua , Panizzon Matthew S. , Fennema-Notestine Christine , Neale Michael C. , Jak Amy , Jernigan Terry L. , Fischl Bruce , Franz Carol E. , Lyons Michael J. , Grant Michael , Prom-Wormley Elizabeth , Seidman Larry J. , Tsuang Ming T. , Fiecas Mark Joseph A. , Dale Anders M. , Kremen William S.
Published: June 2012

Understanding the genetic and environmental contributions to measures of brain structure such as surface area and cortical thickness is important for a better understanding of the nature of brain-behavior relationships and changes due to development or disease. Continuous spatial maps of genetic influences on these structural features can contribute to our understanding of regional patterns of heritability, since it remains to be seen whether genetic contributions to brain structure respect the boundaries of any traditional parcellation approaches. Using data from magnetic resonance imaging scans collected on a large sample of monozygotic and dizygotic twins in the Vietnam Era Twin Study of Aging, we created maps of the heritability of areal expansion (a vertex-based area measure) and cortical thickness and examined the degree to which these maps were affected by adjustment for total surface area and mean cortical thickness. We also compared the approach of estimating regional heritability based on the average heritability of vertices within the region to the more traditional region-of-interest (ROI)-based approach. The results suggested high heritability across the cortex for areal expansion and, to a slightly lesser degree, for cortical thickness. There was a great deal of genetic overlap between global and regional measures for surface area, so maps of region-specific genetic influences on surface area revealed more modest heritabilities. There was greater inter-regional variability in heritabilities when calculated using the traditional ROI-based approach compared to summarizing vertex-by-vertex heritabilities within regions. Discrepancies between the approaches were greatest in small regions and tended to be larger for surface area than for cortical thickness measures. Implications regarding brain phenotypes for future genetic association studies are discussed.
Brain SCALE: Brain Structure and Cognition: an Adolescent Longitudinal Twin Study into the Genetic Etiology of Individual Differences
Authors: van Soelen Inge L. C. , Brouwer Rachel M. , Peper Jiska S. , van Leeuwen Marieke , Koenis Marinka M. G. , van Beijsterveldt Toos C. E. M. , Swagerman Suzanne C. , Kahn René S. , Hulshoff Pol Hilleke E. , Boomsma Dorret I.
Published: June 2012

From childhood into adolescence, the child's brain undergoes considerable changes in both structure and function. Twin studies are of great value to explore to what extent genetic and environmental factors explain individual differences in brain development and cognition. In The Netherlands, we initiated a longitudinal study in which twins, their siblings and their parents are assessed at three year intervals. The participants were recruited from The Netherlands Twin Register (NTR) and at baseline consisted of 112 families, with 9-year-old twins and an older sibling. Three years later, 89 families returned for follow-up assessment. Data collection included psychometric IQ tests, a comprehensive neuropsychological testing protocol, and parental and self-ratings of behavioral and emotional problems. Physical maturation was measured through assessment of Tanner stages. Hormonal levels (cortisol, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, testosterone, and estrogens) were assessed in urine and saliva. Brain scans were acquired using 1.5 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), which provided volumetric measures and measures of cortical thickness. Buccal swabs were collected for DNA isolation for future candidate gene and genome-wide analysis studies. This article gives an overview of the study and the main findings. Participants will return for a third assessment when the twins are around 16 years old. Longitudinal twin-sibling studies that map brain development and cognitive function at well-defined ages aid in the understanding of genetic influences on normative brain development.
Associations Between Variants Near a Monoaminergic Pathways Gene (PHOX2B) and Amygdala Reactivity: A Genome-Wide Functional Imaging Study
Authors: Ousdal Olga Therese , Anand Brown Andrew , Jensen Jimmy , Nakstad Per H. , Melle Ingrid , Agartz Ingrid , Djurovic Srdjan , Bogdan Ryan , Hariri Ahmad R. , Andreassen Ole A.
Published: June 2012

As the amygdala is part of the phylogenetic old brain, and its anatomical and functional properties are conserved across species, it is reasonable to assume genetic influence on its activity. A large corpus of candidate gene studies indicate that individual differences in amygdala activity may be caused by genetic variants within monoaminergic signaling pathways such as dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. However, to our knowledge, the use of genome-wide data to discover genetic variants underlying individual differences in adult amygdala activity is novel. In the present study, the combination of genome-wide data and functional imaging phenotypes from an emotional faces task yielded a significant association between rs10014254 and the amygdala using a region of interest approach. This single nucleotide polymorphism is located in a regulatory region upstream of the Paired-like homeobox 2b (PHOX2B) gene; therefore it could affect the expression of this gene. PHOX2B regulates the expression of enzymes necessary for the synthesis of several monoamines and is essential for the development of the autonomic nervous system. However, an attempt to replicate the finding in an independent sample from North America did not succeed. The synthesis of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and genome-wide data takes a hypothesis-free approach as to which genetic variants are of interest. Therefore, we believe that an undirected finding within such a plausible region is of interest, and that our results add further support to the hypothesis that monoaminergic signaling pathways play a central role in regulating amygdala activity.
The Effect of the Neurogranin Schizophrenia Risk Variant rs12807809 on Brain Structure and Function
Authors: Rose Emma J. , Morris Derek W. , Fahey Ciara , Robertson Ian H. , Greene Ciara , O'Doherty John , Newell Fiona N. , Garavan Hugh , McGrath Jane , Bokde Arun , Tropea Daniela , Gill Michael , Corvin Aiden P. , Donohoe Gary
Published: June 2012

A single nucleotide polymorphism rs12807809 located upstream of the neurogranin (NRGN) gene has been identified as a risk variant for schizophrenia in recent genome-wide association studies. To date, there has been little investigation of the endophenotypic consequences of this variant, and our own investigations have suggested that the effects of this gene are not apparent at the level of cognitive function in patients or controls. Because the impact of risk variants may be more apparent at the level of brain, the aim of this investigation was to delineate whether NRGN genotype predicted variability in brain structure and/or function. Healthy individuals participated in structural (N= 140) and/or functional (N= 36) magnetic resonance imaging (s/fMRI). Voxel-based morphometry was used to compare gray and white matter volumes between carriers of the non-risk C allele (i.e., CC/CT) and those who were homozygous for the risk T allele. Functional imaging data were acquired during the performance of a spatial working memory task, and were also analyzed with respect to the difference between C carriers and T homozygotes. There was no effect of the NRGN variant rs12807809 on behavioral performance or brain structure. However, there was a main effect of genotype on brain activity during performance of the working memory task, such that while C carriers exhibited a load-independent decrease in left superior frontal gyrus/BA10, TT individuals failed to show a similar decrease in activity. The failure to disengage this ventromedial prefrontal region, despite preserved performance, may be indicative of a reduction in processing efficiency in healthy TT carriers. Although it remains to be established whether this holds true in larger samples and in patient cohorts, if valid, this suggests a potential mechanism by which NRGN variability might contribute to schizophrenia risk.
Comparison between Huynen and Cameron monostatic parameters
Authors: Titin‐Schnaider C.
Published: June 2012

For coherent targets, Huynen then Cameron proposed a set of characteristic parameters deduced from monostatic full polarimetric scattering matrices. Among these parameters, the two Authors have considered two parameters connected to the same physical properties: orientation and symmetry degree. As the Huynen definition seems to be more intuitive, we will try to compare these parameters by simulations with the aim to test the real connection of the Huynen parameters to physical properties. This study will show significant differences. However, it is shown that the Huynen parameters correctly represent the orientation and the symmetry degree for nearly symmetric targets. In some cases (real eigenvalues in particular), the two orientation angles can be equal to an ambiguity of 45°, even for asymmetric targets.
Consistent estimates from satellites and models for the first aerosol indirect forcing
Authors: Penner Joyce E. , Zhou Cheng , Xu Li
Published: June 2012

Satellite‐based estimates for the aerosol indirect forcing are consistently smaller than those from models due, in part, to the use of present‐day results that do not capture the temporal changes between present day and pre‐industrial conditions. Here, we use results from a coupled aerosol‐climate model to pick regions and seasons that are sufficiently pristine to represent pre‐industrial conditions. Then we use results from MODIS and CERES to estimate the forcing between present and pre‐industrial conditions. The estimated forcing in the North Pacific Ocean region ranges from −1.8 to −2.2 Wm−2 from observations. This range is similar to our modeled forcing for this region, −2.65 Wm−2, but is smaller than the modeled forcing using the same methodology as that used with the satellite observations, −3.6 W/m2. Nevertheless, a previous estimate based on satellite observations was a factor of 10 smaller, −0.2 to −0.5 Wm−2. Results demonstrate that while the estimated forcing from models may be somewhat larger than estimates based on satellite data, a judicious choice of analysis methods, yields results that are much closer than previous satellite and model‐based comparisons.
Regional climate downscaling with prior statistical correction of the global climate forcing
Authors: Colette A. , Vautard R. , Vrac M.
Published: June 2012

A novel climate downscaling methodology that attempts to correct climate simulation biases is proposed. By combining an advanced statistical bias correction method with a dynamical downscaling it constitutes a hybrid technique that yields nearly unbiased, high‐resolution, physically consistent, three‐dimensional fields that can be used for climate impact studies. The method is based on a prior statistical distribution correction of large‐scale global climate model (GCM) 3‐dimensional output fields to be taken as boundary forcing of a dynamical regional climate model (RCM). GCM fields are corrected using meteorological reanalyses. We evaluate this methodology over a decadal experiment. The improvement in terms of spatial and temporal variability is discussed against observations for a past period. The biases of the downscaled fields are much lower using this hybrid technique, up to a factor 4 for the mean temperature bias compared to the dynamical downscaling alone without prior bias correction. Precipitation biases are subsequently improved hence offering optimistic perspectives for climate impact studies.
The impact of future changes in weather patterns on extreme sea levels over southern Australia
Authors: Colberg Frank , McInnes Kathleen L.
Published: June 2012

This study first compares two methods by which the global, variable resolution Cubic Conformal Atmospheric Model (CCAM) is forced by reanalysis over Australia. The methods are the spectral nudging and bias‐corrected sea surface temperature (SST) forcing. Surface winds and sea level pressure are compared since these influence coastal sea levels. SST forcing was found to better preserve the mean and standard deviation of these quantities. Second, a hydrodynamic model is used to model sea levels over southern Australia over 1980–1999 and 2080–2099 to investigate how changes in weather patterns affect extreme sea levels. Forcing from one Global Climate Model (GCM) and two CCAM simulations in which CCAM was used to downscale two GCMs over Australia with bias‐corrected SST forcing (including the GCM considered in this study) were used. While there are differences in the spatial patterns of change between seasons over the modeled coastline between the three models, extreme sea levels were mostly lower in the future period over the southern mainland coastline from autumn to spring due to reduced westerlies in the climate models. The sea level changes around Tasmania varied from positive to negative depending on the model and season. The projected extreme sea level changes were within 10 cm of current climate values. This suggests that over southern Australia extreme sea level changes will be dominated by changes in mean sea level due to thermal expansion and ice sheet and glacier melt rather than changes in weather patterns.