bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Brief Overview of Factors Affecting Speech Intelligibility of People With Hearing Loss: Implications for Amplification
Authors: Ching Teresa Y. C. , Dillon Harvey
Published: May 2014

Purpose

The authors aimed to determine the predictability of speech intelligibility of people with different degrees of hearing loss from audibility and other factors.

Method

After a brief overview of why people with hearing loss have greater difficulty in understanding speech than people with normal hearing, the authors describe a study that was aimed to predict speech intelligibility from audibility, psychoacoustic abilities, cognitive ability, and age.

Results

The study showed that the ability of people with hearing loss to extract speech information from an audible signal decreased with increase in hearing loss. This hearing loss desensitization was significantly related to hearing thresholds, sharpness of psychophysical tuning curves, presence of dead regions, age, and cognitive ability. After allowing for the effects of hearing loss, the authors found that speech intelligibility was significantly related to age and cognitive ability. The effects did not vary with frequency.

Conclusions

The current evidence supports the allowance of hearing loss desensitization in prescribing amplification that is aimed to maximize speech intelligibility. There is insufficient evidence to recommend the inclusion of estimates of frequency resolution or dead regions in prescribing amplification.
The Awareness of Doctoral-Level Professions Among Entering College Students
Authors: Donai Jeremy J. , Hicks Candace B. , McCart Mallory
Published: May 2014

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to survey entering college students' awareness of the profession of audiology, as well as to compare the students' awareness of audiology to their awareness of roles in 2 other doctoral-level professions.

Method

A survey examining students' awareness and perception of the profession of audiology was administered in 2009 at the California University of Pennsylvania (Emanuel, Donai, & Araj, 2012). A modified survey, which included questions about awareness of the profession of audiology as well as podiatry and optometry, was distributed in 2012.

Results

Survey data suggest that, overall, students were more accurate in describing the profession of optometry compared to audiology, but no difference existed between their awareness of podiatry and audiology. However, students with self-reported awareness of the three professions were more accurate in describing the professions of podiatry and optometry as compared to audiology.

Conclusions

Results of this distribution suggest an upward trend in audiology awareness among students. However, the awareness of audiology as a potential career path is low relative to that of the professions of optometry and podiatry for those with self-reported knowledge. Future surveys should be distributed to entering college students at other universities, varying in size, location, and demographics.
Frequency Response Options for People With Low-Frequency Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Authors: Schum Donald J. , Collins M. Jane
Published: May 2014

Six listeners with low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss completed objective and subjective speech recognition tasks while listening to signals spectrally shaped to replicate traditional low-pass amplification and various alternative schemes. The alternative schemes included high-pass, broadband, and K-bass responses. Both objectively and subjectively, listeners achieved greater benefit from the alternative amplification schemes than from low-pass amplification. A case example is presented in which a person with low-frequency hearing loss and a previous history of unsuccessful hearing aid use has been using high-frequency emphasis amplification successfully for the past 6 years. The results call into question the clinical practice of providing amplification only in the region of hearing loss for listeners with low-frequency impairments.
Use of the Implicit Association Test for the Measurement of Tinnitus-Related Distress
Authors: Moring John , Bowen Anne , Thomas Jenifer
Published: May 2014

Purpose

A priming stimulus activates and increases an association with the target stimulus. The goal of this research was to investigate whether current tinnitus measures are susceptible to increased error due to priming and, if so, to examine the feasibility of using the Implicit Association Test (IAT; Greenwald, McGhee, & Schwartz, 1998) for an alternative measurement of tinnitus-related distress.

Method

Participants completed 2 tinnitus-related questionnaires and the IAT online.

Results

Although participants with tinnitus did not view sound-related words as significantly more negative and IAT scores did not predict scores on the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (Newman, Jacobson, & Spitzer, 1996), priming did affect negative implicit attitudes toward sound-related words.

Conclusions

On the basis of these results, it is suggested that current tinnitus measures may be susceptible to priming error and that future studies should continue to pursue how the IAT can be utilized in the measure of tinnitus-related distress. Moreover, researchers should develop overt-behavioral measurements that can assess the validity of a tinnitus IAT.
Finite‐time reliable ℒ2  − ℒ∞ /ℋ∞ control for Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy systems with actuator faults
Authors: Shen Hao , Park Ju H. , Wu Zheng‐Guang
Published: May 2014

This study deals with the problem of finite‐time reliable ℒ2  − ℒ∞ /ℋ∞ control for non‐linear systems with actuator faults through Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy model approach. The actuator failure model under consideration is assumed to be governed by a homogenous Markov chain. The focus is on the design of a fuzzy Markov switching fault‐tolerant controller such that the resulting closed‐loop system is stochastically finite‐time bounded with a mixed ℒ2  − ℒ∞ /ℋ∞ performance level over a finite‐time interval. Some sufficient conditions for the solvability of the above problem are given in terms of linear matrix inequalities by introducing a new mixed ℒ2  − ℒ∞ /ℋ∞ performance function. Finally, a quarter‐vehicle suspension model is employed to demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed approach.
Quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical/continuum style solvation model: Second order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory
Authors: Thellamurege Nandun M. , Si Dejun , Cui Fengchao , Li Hui
Published: May 2014

A combined quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical/continuum (QM/MM/C) style second order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2) method that incorporates induced dipole polarizable force field and induced surface charge continuum solvation model is established. The Z-vector method is modified to include induced dipoles and induced surface charges to determine the MP2 response density matrix, which can be used to evaluate MP2 properties. In particular, analytic nuclear gradient is derived and implemented for this method. Using the Assisted Model Building with Energy Refinement induced dipole polarizable protein force field, the QM/MM/C style MP2 method is used to study the hydrogen bonding distances and strengths of the photoactive yellow protein chromopore in the wild type and the Glu46Gln mutant.
Terahertz spectroscopy and solid-state density functional theory calculation of anthracene: Effect of dispersion force on the vibrational modes
Authors: Zhang Feng , Hayashi Michitoshi , Wang Houng-Wei , Tominaga Keisuke , Kambara Ohki , Nishizawa Jun-ichi , Sasaki Tetsuo
Published: May 2014

The phonon modes of molecular crystals in the terahertz frequency region often feature delicately coupled inter- and intra-molecular vibrations. Recent advances in density functional theory such as DFT-D* have enabled accurate frequency calculation. However, the nature of normal modes has not been quantitatively discussed against experimental criteria such as isotope shift (IS) and correlation field splitting (CFS). Here, we report an analytical mode-decoupling method that allows for the decomposition of a normal mode of interest into intermolecular translation, libration, and intramolecular vibrational motions. We show an application of this method using the crystalline anthracene system as an example. The relationship between the experimentally obtained IS and the IS obtained by PBE-D* simulation indicates that two distinctive regions exist. Region I is associated with a pure intermolecular translation, whereas region II features coupled intramolecular vibrations that are further coupled by a weak intermolecular translation. We find that the PBE-D* data show excellent agreement with the experimental data in terms of IS and CFS in region II; however, PBE-D* produces significant deviations in IS in region I where strong coupling between inter- and intra-molecular vibrations contributes to normal modes. The result of this analysis is expected to facilitate future improvement of DFT-D*.
An algorithm for nonrelativistic quantum-mechanical finite-nuclear-mass variational calculations of nitrogen atom in L = 0, M = 0 states using all-electrons explicitly correlated Gaussian basis functions
Authors: Sharkey Keeper L. , Adamowicz Ludwik
Published: May 2014

An algorithm for quantum-mechanical nonrelativistic variational calculations of L = 0 and M = 0 states of atoms with an arbitrary number of s electrons and with three p electrons have been implemented and tested in the calculations of the ground 4S state of the nitrogen atom. The spatial part of the wave function is expanded in terms of all-electrons explicitly correlated Gaussian functions with the appropriate pre-exponential Cartesian angular factors for states with the L = 0 and M = 0 symmetry. The algorithm includes formulas for calculating the Hamiltonian and overlap matrix elements, as well as formulas for calculating the analytic energy gradient determined with respect to the Gaussian exponential parameters. The gradient is used in the variational optimization of these parameters. The Hamiltonian used in the approach is obtained by rigorously separating the center-of-mass motion from the laboratory-frame all-particle Hamiltonian, and thus it explicitly depends on the finite mass of the nucleus. With that, the mass effect on the total ground-state energy is determined.
Chiral selection and frequency response of spiral waves in reaction-diffusion systems under a chiral electric field
Authors: Li Bing-Wei , Cai Mei-Chun , Zhang Hong , Panfilov Alexander V. , Dierckx Hans
Published: May 2014

Chirality is one of the most fundamental properties of many physical, chemical, and biological systems. However, the mechanisms underlying the onset and control of chiral symmetry are largely understudied. We investigate possibility of chirality control in a chemical excitable system (the Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction) by application of a chiral (rotating) electric field using the Oregonator model. We find that unlike previous findings, we can achieve the chirality control not only in the field rotation direction, but also opposite to it, depending on the field rotation frequency. To unravel the mechanism, we further develop a comprehensive theory of frequency synchronization based on the response function approach. We find that this problem can be described by the Adler equation and show phase-locking phenomena, known as the Arnold tongue. Our theoretical predictions are in good quantitative agreement with the numerical simulations and provide a solid basis for chirality control in excitable media.
Scale effects in gas nano flows
Authors: Barisik Murat , Beskok Ali
Published: May 2014

Most previous studies on gas transport in nano-scale confinements assume dynamic similarity with rarefied gas flows, and employ kinetic theory based models. This approach is incomplete, since it neglects the van der Waals forces imposed on gas molecules by the surfaces. Using three-dimensional molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of force driven gas flows, we show the significance of wall force field in nano-scale confinements by defining a new dimensionless parameter (B) as the ratio of the wall force-penetration length to the channel height. Investigation of gas transport in different nano-channels at various Knudsen numbers show the importance of wall force field for finite B values, where the dynamic similarity between the rarefied and nano-scale gas flows break down. Comparison of MD results employing molecularly structured three-dimensional walls versus reflection of gas molecules from a two-dimensional planar surface with Maxwell distribution show that the nano-confinement effects cannot be resolved by the latter approach, frequently used in kinetic theory calculations. Molecularly structured walls determine the bulk flow physics by setting a proper tangential momentum accommodation coefficient, and they also determine the transport in the near wall region. Gas nano-flows with finite B exhibit significant differences in the local density and velocity profiles, affecting the mass flow rate and the formation of Knudsen's minimum in nano-channels.
A reciprocal transformation for the Geng-Xue equation
Authors: Li Nianhua , Niu Xiaoxing
Published: May 2014

In this paper, we construct a reciprocal transformation for the Geng-Xue equation and show that, with help of this transformation, we relate the first negative flow of the modified Boussinesq hierarchy to the Geng-Xue equation. Furthermore, we analyze the construction of conserved quantities and present new ones.
Comparison of dynamic properties of ground- and excited-state emission in p-doped InAs/GaAs quantum-dot lasers
Authors: Arsenijević D. , Schliwa A. , Schmeckebier H. , Stubenrauch M. , Spiegelberg M. , Bimberg D. , Mikhelashvili V. , Eisenstein G.
Published: May 2014

The dynamic properties of ground- and excited-state emission in InAs/GaAs quantum-dot lasers operating close to 1.31 μm are studied systematically. Under low bias conditions, such devices emit on the ground state, and switch to emission from the excited state under large drive currents. Modification of one facet reflectivity by deposition of a dichroic mirror yields emission at one of the two quantum-dot states under all bias conditions and enables to properly compare the dynamic properties of lasing from the two different initial states. The larger differential gain of the excited state, which follows from its larger degeneracy, as well as its somewhat smaller nonlinear gain compression results in largely improved modulation capabilities. We demonstrate maximum small-signal bandwidths of 10.51 GHz and 16.25 GHz for the ground and excited state, respectively, and correspondingly, large-signal digital modulation capabilities of 15 Gb/s and 22.5 Gb/s. For the excited state, the maximum error-free bit rate is 25 Gb/s.
Square Turing patterns in reaction-diffusion systems with coupled layers
Authors: Li Jing , Wang Hongli , Ouyang Qi
Published: May 2014

Square Turing patterns are usually unstable in reaction-diffusion systems and are rarely observed in corresponding experiments and simulations. We report here an example of spontaneous formation of square Turing patterns with the Lengyel-Epstein model of two coupled layers. The squares are found to be a result of the resonance between two supercritical Turing modes with an appropriate ratio. Besides, the spatiotemporal resonance of Turing modes resembles to the mode-locking phenomenon. Analysis of the general amplitude equations for square patterns reveals that the fixed point corresponding to square Turing patterns is stationary when the parameters adopt appropriate values.
Electrical response in atomic layer deposited Al:ZnO with varying stack thickness
Authors: Mundle R. , Pradhan A. K.
Published: May 2014

We report on the effects of stacking of the macrocycles in atomic layer deposited (ALD) Al:ZnO thin films on the structural and electrical properties. There is a large change in the resistivity ranging from as high as 1.19 × 10−3 Ω cm for 760 growth cycles film down to as low as 7.9 × 10−4 Ω cm for the 4000 cycles. The electrical transport demonstrates a transition from a semiconductor behavior at 760 cycles to a metallic behavior in the 4000 cycle, due to an increase in electron scattering as well as increase in the carrier concentration. However, interestingly the carrier concentration sharply increases with increasing macrocycles containing Al and Zn, exhibiting a nearly metal-like behavior in thicker films. We anticipate that the change in Zn-vacancy, Vzn, formation energy is related to the increase in surface area of the ALD precursor deposition plane. The increase in Vzn density allows for more adsorption of Al-precursor into the doped monolayer, showing interesting electrical properties.
Self-assembled nanoscale capacitor cells based on ultrathin BiFeO3 films
Authors: Miao Qing , Zeng Min , Zhang Zhang , Lu Xubing , Dai Jiyan , Gao Xingsen , Liu Jun-Ming
Published: May 2014

Ultrathin multiferroic BiFeO3 (BFO) films with self-assembled surface nano-islands on La0.67Sr0.33MnO3/(100) SrTiO3 substrates are fabricated by a one-step pulsed laser deposition process using the Bi-rich BFO target. It is revealed that these surface nano-islands mainly consist of conductive Bi2O3 outgrowths, which serve as top electrodes for the nanoscale BFO capacitor cells with lateral size of 10–30 nm. The ferroelectric BFO layer underneath these Bi2O3 nanoislands prefers certain complex domain structure with vertical and antiparallel polarization components (the so-called “anti-domain structure”) and reduced domain switching fields. Moreover, these nanoscale capacitor cells exhibit the resistive switching IV behavior, offering opportunities for application in ultrahigh density non-volatile memories.
Highly oriented NdFeCoB nanocrystalline magnets from partially disproportionated compacts by reactive deformation under low pressure
Authors: Zheng Qing , Li Jun , Liu Ying , Yu Yunping , Lian Lixian
Published: May 2014

In the present investigation, we take advantage of the ultrafine grain size of NdFeCoB partially hydrogen-disproportionated phases, and prepare anisotropic nanocrystalline magnets with full density and homogenous microstructure and texture by reactive deformation under low pressure. Our results suggest that the pressure could properly promote an occurrence of desorption-recombination reaction due to a shorter-range rearrangement of the atoms, and the newly recombined Nd2Fe14B grains with fine grain size could undergo deformation immediately after the phase transformation, and then an obvious anisotropy and uniform alignment would be obtained. The maximum magnetic properties, (BH)max = 25.8 MGOe, Br = 11.8 kG, Hcj = 5.5 kOe, were obtained after being treated for 5 min at 820 °C in vacuum. The present study highlights the feasibility to prepare anisotropic nanocrystalline magnets with homogeneous microstructure and a strong (00l) texture of uniform grain size under low pressure.
Transient space-charge-perturbed currents of N,N′-diphenyl-N,N′-bis(1-naphthyl)-1,1′-biphenyl-4,4′-diamine and N,N′-diphenyl-N,N′-bis(3-methylphenyl)-1,1′-biphenyl-4,4′-diamine in diode structures
Authors: Li Haoyuan , Duan Lian , Zhang Deqiang , Qiu Yong
Published: May 2014

The time-of-flight (TOF) experiment is the standard method to measure the charge mobility in organic semiconductors. Typically, this measurement assumes space-charge-free (SCF) transport. However, pure SCF current cannot be achieved in experiment since carriers have charges, which will cause space-charge perturbation. For a long time, the charge transport under space-charge-perturbed (SCP) conditions was not understood for organic semiconductors. Until recently, it is learned from Monte Carlo simulations that the TOF measurement under SCP conditions may lead to lower mobility. Our previous work also suggests that the influence of space-charge perturbation might be overestimated in the past. These results, if verified in experiment, might motivate us to review the requirements of the TOF measurement. Here, the transient SCP currents in organic semiconductors are studied using two commonly used hole transporting materials—N,N′-diphenyl-N,N′-bis(1-naphthyl)-1,1′-biphenyl-4,4′-diamine (NPB) and N,N′-diphenyl-N,N′-bis(3-methylphenyl)-1,1′-biphenyl-4,4′-diamine (TPD). The results confirmed the prediction of earlier peak time, longer transit time, and lower charge mobility. Further investigations using Monte Carlo simulations indicate that the enhanced carrier dispersion and low overall carrier movement under SCP conditions are caused by the inhomogeneous electric field. For the systems we studied, it is found that at small SCP degrees, determining the transit time by the “half plateau value” has small precision loss in mobility compared with the SCF condition.
High Q silicon carbide microdisk resonator
Authors: Lu Xiyuan , Lee Jonathan Y. , Feng Philip X.-L. , Lin Qiang
Published: May 2014

We demonstrate a silicon carbide (SiC) microdisk resonator with optical Q up to 5.12 × 104. The high optical quality, together with the diversity of whispering-gallery modes and the tunability of external coupling, renders SiC microdisk a promising platform for integrated quantum photonics applications.
Modulation of over 1014 cm−2 electrons in SrTiO3/GdTiO3 heterostructures
Authors: Boucherit M. , Shoron O. , Jackson C. A. , Cain T. A. , Buffon M. L. C. , Polchinski C. , Stemmer S. , Rajan S.
Published: May 2014

We demonstrate charge modulation of over 1014 cm−2 electrons in a two-dimensional electron gas formed in SrTiO3/GdTiO3 inverted heterostructure field-effect transistors. Increased charge modulation was achieved by reducing the effect of interfacial region capacitances through thick SrTiO3 cap layers. Transport and device characteristics of the heterostructure field-effect transistors were found to match a long channel field effect transistor model. SrTiO3 impurity doped metal–semiconductor field effect transistors were also demonstrated with excellent pinch-off and current density exceeding prior reports. The work reported here provides a path towards oxide-based electronics with extreme charge modulation exceeding 1014 cm−2.
Effect of “symmetry mismatch” on the domain structure of rhombohedral BiFeO3 thin films
Authors: Chen Z. H. , Damodaran A. R. , Xu R. , Lee S. , Martin L. W.
Published: May 2014

Considerable work has focused on the use of epitaxial strain to engineer domain structures in ferroic materials. Here, we revisit the observed reduction of domain variants in rhombohedral BiFeO3 films on rare-earth scandate substrates. Prior work has attributed the reduction of domain variants to anisotropic in-plane strain, but our findings suggest that the monoclinic distortion of the substrate, resulting from oxygen octahedral rotation, is the driving force for variant selection. We study epitaxial BiFeO3/DyScO3 (110)O heterostructures with and without ultrathin, cubic SrTiO3 buffer layers as a means to isolate the effect of “symmetry mismatch” on the domain formation. Two-variant stripe domains are observed in films grown directly on DyScO3, while four-variant domains are observed in films grown on SrTiO3-buffered DyScO3 when the buffer layer is >2 nm thick. This work provides insights into the role of the substrate—beyond just lattice mismatch—in manipulating and controlling domain structure evolution in materials.
Highly luminescent two dimensional excitons in atomically thin CdSe nanosheets
Authors: Halder O. , Pradhani A. , Sahoo P. K. , Satpati B. , Rath S.
Published: May 2014

Atomically thin Cadmium Selenide (CdSe) nanosheets have been synthesized using a surfactant mediated growth technique. The transmission electron microscopy studies confirm the presence of single layered nanosheets with thickness 1.31 nm and their stacking structures which are complemented by the small angle x-ray scattering measurements. The strongly bound and polarized character of two dimensional excitonic states with enhanced oscillator strength yielding distinct narrow blue luminescence has been observed from the CdSe nanosheets using room temperature based optical studies.
Exploration of mechanisms underlying the strain-rate-dependent mechanical property of single chondrocytes
Authors: Nguyen Trung Dung , Gu YuanTong
Published: May 2014

Based on the characterization by Atomic Force Microscopy, we report that the mechanical property of single chondrocytes has dependency on the strain-rates. By comparing the mechanical deformation responses and the Young's moduli of living and fixed chondrocytes at four different strain-rates, we explore the deformation mechanisms underlying this dependency property. We found that the strain-rate-dependent mechanical property of living cells is governed by both of the cellular cytoskeleton and the intracellular fluid when the fixed chondrocytes are mainly governed by their intracellular fluid, which is called the consolidation-dependent deformation behavior. Finally, we report that the porohyperelastic constitutive material model which can capture the consolidation-dependent behavior of both living and fixed chondrocytes is a potential candidature to study living cell biomechanics.
Examination of the perception of communication and collaboration in a neonatal intensive care unit: a decade on, has it changed?
Authors: Aydon Laurene , Martin Kathy , Nathan Elizabeth
Published: May 2014

Objective
The aim of this study was to ascertain the perception of communication and collaboration within and between the groups of medicine and nursing in a neonatal unit.

Methods
The study used an analytical cross-sectional design involving both doctors and nursing staff in the neonatal clinical care unit (NCCU). A quantitative questionnaire using a Likert scale format, accompanied by an open-ended question, provided a snapshot of the perception of communication and collaboration within the NCCU.

Results
Significant differences were noted between the two disciplines. Medical staff were satisfied overall with the communication. They perceived communication was more open, timely and that a mutual understanding existed. They thought teamwork was good. As time of employment in NCCU lengthened, the understanding between the groups lessened. Problems with the handover information emerged for both medical and nursing staff. Both groups felt problems were due to the hierarchical system.

Conclusion
Within the NCCU the perception of communication and collaboration is rated more highly by doctors. This has implications for the overall care of babies and for safety issues. Education is needed in the neonatal unit to identify and bridge gaps in communication and enhance teamwork.

What is known about this topic?
Doctors rate their inter-professional communication and collaboration with nurses much higher than nursing staff in many areas of health care, including the neonatal clinical care unit.

What does this paper add?
There has been little change in the perception of communication and collaboration in the neonatal unit over the past decade. This is despite a change in professional roles and an emphasis on working together to improve safety in medicine. This paper provides a snapshot experience of a neonatal unit striving to work together at the bedside, from admission to discharge.

What are the implications for practitioners?
Strategies need to be implemented to educate the workforce to work together as a team to deliver total safe care.
Effect of weekend physiotherapy provision on physiotherapy and hospital length of stay after total knee and total hip replacement
Authors: Maidment Zoe L. , Hordacre Brenton G. , Barr Christopher J.
Published: May 2014

Objective The aim of the present study was to investigate a change in physiotherapy provision from a 5- to 7-days-a-week service on both physiotherapy and hospital length of stay (LOS) after total knee (TKR) and total hip (THR) replacement. Methods A retrospective analysis of a clinical database was conducted for patients who received either a TKR or THR between July 2010 and June 2012 in one regional hospital. Results There was a significant decrease in physiotherapy LOS from 5.0 days (interquartile range (IQR) 5.0–6.0 days) for a 5-day physiotherapy service, to 5.0 days (IQR 4.0–5.0 days) for 7-day physiotherapy service (U = 1443.5, z = –4.62, P = 0.001). However, hospital LOS was not reduced (P = 0.110). For TKR, physiotherapy LOS decreased significantly by 1 day with a 7-day physiotherapy service (U = 518.0, z = –4.20, P = 0.001). However, hospital LOS was again no different (P = 0.309). For THR there was no difference in physiotherapy LOS (P = 0.060) or hospital LOS (P = 0.303) between the 5- and 7-day physiotherapy services. Where physiotherapy LOS was less than hospital LOS, delayed discharge was due primarily to non-medical issues (72%) associated with hospital organisational aspects. Conclusions Increasing the provision of physiotherapy service after TKR provides an increase in physiotherapy sessions and has the potential to reduce hospital LOS. To be effective this must align with other administrative aspects of hospital discharge. What is known about the topic? Previous studies have investigated the effect of increasing physiotherapy services following total hip replacement (THR) and total knee replacement (TKR) surgery, with varying reports of decreased or unaffected hospital length of stay (LOS). What does this paper add? This study investigates both hospital and physiotherapy LOS individually for THR and TKR patients following an increase from a 5- to 7-day physiotherapy service. Where physiotherapy LOS decreased and hospital LOS did not, delays in hospital discharge were investigated. What are the implications for practitioners? Additional physiotherapy services decrease physiotherapy LOS for TKR patients, but administrative aspects of hospital discharge must improve to reduce hospital LOS.
An animal house study on utilisation of fresh tedera (Bituminaria bituminosa var. albomarginata and crassiuscula) by Merino wethers
Authors: Oldham C. M. , Wood D. , Milton J. , Real D. , Vercoe P. , van Burgel A. J.
Published: May 2014

Bituminaria bituminosa is a drought-tolerant, perennial legume that has been used for centuries as a part of the mixed sward in grazing systems around the Mediterranean sea and ‘cut and carried’ to feed as hay to dairy goats in the Canary Islands; varieties albomarginata and crassiuscula, commonly known as tedera, are native only to the Canary Islands. In south-western Australia, tedera will likely be directly grazed as green plants to help fill the feed gap in summer–autumn, due to its drought tolerance and capacity to retain green leaves. There are no reports of ill-effects of grazing tedera in its native environment; however, tedera is never the sole diet there. Hence, before proceeding to grazing trials it was important to conduct pen feeding studies with a sole diet of tedera. Sheep fed fresh tedera exclusively for 34 days readily consumed the forage and remained in good health, as reflected by a standard set of blood chemistry parameters. Furthermore, while the intake of the sheep fed tedera may not have been ad libitum (~1.0 kg DM/head.day), they maintained their liveweight (42.5 kg) and body condition (condition score 3) throughout the experiment. This is the first experiment to measure the in vivo digestibility and nitrogen balance of sheep fed ‘fresh’ tedera forage. During the metabolism study, the in vivo digestibility of organic matter in the dry matter of the fresh tedera was similar to that of lucerne chaff (59% vs 55%) when the sheep fed lucerne chaff had their intake restricted to that of those fed tedera.
The acquisition of formulaic language by EFL learners
Authors: Leńko-Szymańska Agnieszka
Published: May 2014

Most of the studies on the use of phraseology by second language learners concentrate on advanced L2 users. Researchers attempt to tease out to what extent learners’ phraseology is different from the native one. There are almost no accounts of formulaic language emerging at the early stages of learning, particularly in foreign language settings. The research reported in this paper attempts to bridge this gap. It is exploratory in nature and investigates the emergence and use of lexical bundles by a range of students learning English in the classroom setting. The data analyzed in the study were drawn from the ICCI corpus and are examined with reference to learners’ ages, stages of proficiency, and L1 backgrounds. The probed essays were written by students in grades 6, 9 and 12 with Chinese, German, Hebrew, Japanese, Polish and Spanish as their L1s.
A corpus study of most frequently used English verbs by Chinese beginner learners from a conceptual transfer perspective
Authors: Huiping Zhang , Yongbing Liu
Published: May 2014

This paper reports a study that examines the relationship between English word learning and conceptual transfer within the conceptual transfer hypothesis in second language acquisition (SLA). Specifically, the paper identifies the systematic features of the most frequently used English verbs in the extended ICCI sub-corpus of Mainland China by beginner learners of L2 English from a conceptual transfer perspective. The identified systematic features of these most frequently used English verbs are analyzed by means of their collocation, colligation, semantic prosody, and discussed in terms of the conceptual or categorization system. We found that (i) conceptual transfer errors were recurrent and systematic; (ii) these errors were different from those made by the German-speaking beginner learners of L2 English. These findings largely support the hypothesis of conceptual transfer in SLA. Based upon the findings, some suggestions for English learning and teaching are offered.
Landen inequalities for special functions
Authors: Baricz Árpád
Published: May 2014

In this paper our aim is to present some Landen inequalities for Gaussian hypergeometric functions, confluent hypergeometric functions, generalized Bessel functions and general power series. Our main results complement and generalize some known results in the literature.
Trudinger-Moser type inequalities for weighted Sobolev spaces involving fractional dimensions
Authors: de Oliveira José , do Ó João
Published: May 2014

We derive sharp Trudinger-Moser inequalities for weighted Sobolev spaces and prove the existence of extremal functions. The inequalities we obtain here extend for fractional dimensions the classical results in the radial case. The main ingredient used in our arguments reveals a new proof of a result due to J. Moser for which we give an improved version.
Biochemical and biological properties of cortexillin III, a component ofDictyosteliumDGAP1–cortexillin complexes
Authors: Liu Xiong , Shu Shi , Yu Shuhua , Lee Duck-Yeon , Piszczek Grzegorz , Gucek Marjan , Wang Guanghui , Korn Edward D.
Published: May 2014

Cortexillins I–III are members of the α-actinin/spectrin subfamily of Dictyostelium calponin homology proteins. Unlike recombinant cortexillins I and II, which form homodimers as well as heterodimers in vitro, we find that recombinant cortexillin III is an unstable monomer but forms more stable heterodimers when coexpressed in Escherichia coli with cortexillin I or II. Expressed cortexillin III also forms heterodimers with both cortexillin I and II in vivo, and the heterodimers complex in vivo with DGAP1, a Dictyostelium GAP protein. Binding of cortexillin III to DGAP1 requires the presence of either cortexillin I or II; that is, cortexillin III binds to DGAP1 only as a heterodimer, and the heterodimers form in vivo in the absence of DGAP1. Expressed cortexillin III colocalizes with cortexillins I and II in the cortex of vegetative amoebae, the leading edge of motile cells, and the cleavage furrow of dividing cells. Colocalization of cortexillin III and F-actin may require the heterodimer/DGAP1 complex. Functionally, cortexillin III may be a negative regulator of cell growth, cytokinesis, pinocytosis, and phagocytosis, as all are enhanced in cortexillin III–null cells.
γ-Tubulin controls neuronal microtubule polarity independently of Golgi outposts
Authors: Nguyen Michelle M. , McCracken Christie J. , Milner E. S. , Goetschius Daniel J. , Weiner Alexis T. , Long Melissa K. , Michael Nick L. , Munro Sean , Rolls Melissa M.
Published: May 2014

Neurons have highly polarized arrangements of microtubules, but it is incompletely understood how microtubule polarity is controlled in either axons or dendrites. To explore whether microtubule nucleation by γ-tubulin might contribute to polarity, we analyzed neuronal microtubules in Drosophila containing gain- or loss-of-function alleles of γ-tubulin. Both increased and decreased activity of γ-tubulin, the core microtubule nucleation protein, altered microtubule polarity in axons and dendrites, suggesting a close link between regulation of nucleation and polarity. To test whether nucleation might locally regulate polarity in axons and dendrites, we examined the distribution of γ-tubulin. Consistent with local nucleation, tagged and endogenous γ-tubulins were found in specific positions in dendrites and axons. Because the Golgi complex can house nucleation sites, we explored whether microtubule nucleation might occur at dendritic Golgi outposts. However, distinct Golgi outposts were not present in all dendrites that required regulated nucleation for polarity. Moreover, when we dragged the Golgi out of dendrites with an activated kinesin, γ-tubulin remained in dendrites. We conclude that regulated microtubule nucleation controls neuronal microtubule polarity but that the Golgi complex is not directly involved in housing nucleation sites.
Kinetochore-microtubule stability governs the metaphase requirement for Eg5
Authors: Gayek A. Sophia , Ohi Ryoma
Published: May 2014

The mitotic spindle is a bipolar, microtubule (MT)-based cellular machine that segregates the duplicated genome into two daughter cells. The kinesin-5 Eg5 establishes the bipolar geometry of the mitotic spindle, but previous work in mammalian cells suggested that this motor is unimportant for the maintenance of spindle bipolarity. Although it is known that Kif15, a second mitotic kinesin, enforces spindle bipolarity in the absence of Eg5, how Kif15 functions in this capacity and/or whether other biochemical or physical properties of the spindle promote its bipolarity have been poorly studied. Here we report that not all human cell lines can efficiently maintain bipolarity without Eg5, despite their expressing Kif15. We show that the stability of chromosome-attached kinetochore-MTs (K-MTs) is important for bipolar spindle maintenance without Eg5. Cells that efficiently maintain bipolar spindles without Eg5 have more stable K-MTs than those that collapse without Eg5. Consistent with this observation, artificial destabilization of K-MTs promotes spindle collapse without Eg5, whereas stabilizing K-MTs improves bipolar spindle maintenance without Eg5. Our findings suggest that either rapid K-MT turnover pulls poles inward or slow K-MT turnover allows for greater resistance to inward-directed forces.
Impact of Third‐party Contract Enforcement in Agricultural Markets—A Field Experiment in Vietnam
Authors: Saenger Christoph , Torero Maximo , Qaim Matin
Published: May 2014

We study the effect of alleviating the information asymmetry regarding product quality that is widespread in contracts between agricultural producers and buyers in developing countries. Opportunistic buyers may underreport quality levels to farmers to reduce the price that they have to pay. In response, farmers may curb investment, thereby negatively affecting farm productivity. In an experiment, we entitle randomly selected smallholder dairy farmers in Vietnam, who are contracted by a large company, to independently verify milk testing results. Results indicate that treatment farmers use 12% more inputs, and they also increase their output significantly. Some wider research and policy implications are discussed.
Early Effect of Tidal Volume on Lung Injury Biomarkers in Surgical Patients with Healthy Lungs
Authors: Fernandez-Bustamante Ana , Klawitter Jelena , Repine John E. , Agazio Amanda , Janocha Allison J. , Shah Chirag , Moss Marc , Douglas Ivor S. , Tran Zung Vu , Erzurum Serpil C. , Christians Uwe , Seres Tamas
Published: May 2014

Background:

The early biological impact of short-term mechanical ventilation on healthy lungs is unknown. The authors aimed to characterize the immediate tidal volume (VT)-related changes on lung injury biomarkers in patients with healthy lungs and low risk of pulmonary complications.

Methods:

Twenty-eight healthy patients for knee replacement surgery were prospectively randomized to volume-controlled ventilation with VT 6 (VT6) or 10 (VT10) ml/kg predicted body weight. General anesthesia and other ventilatory parameters (positive end-expiratory pressure, 5 cm H2O, Fio
2, 0.5, respiratory rate titrated for normocapnia) were managed similarly in the two groups. Exhaled breath condensate and blood samples were collected for nitrite, nitrate, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukins-1β, -6, -8, -10, -11, neutrophil elastase, and Clara Cell protein 16 measurements, at the onset of ventilation and 60 min later.

Results:

No significant differences in biomarkers were detected between the VT groups at any time. The coefficient of variation of exhaled breath condensate nitrite and nitrate decreased in the VT6 but increased in the VT10 group after 60-min ventilation. Sixty-minute ventilation significantly increased plasma neutrophil elastase levels in the VT6 (35.2 ± 30.4 vs. 56.4 ± 51.7 ng/ml, P = 0.008) and Clara Cell protein 16 levels in the VT10 group (16.4 ± 8.8 vs. 18.7 ± 9.5 ng/ml, P = 0.015). Exhaled breath condensate nitrite correlated with plateau pressure (r = 0.27, P = 0.042) and plasma neutrophil elastase (r = 0.44, P = 0.001). Plasma Clara Cell protein 16 correlated with compliance (r = 0.34, P = 0.014).

Conclusions:

No tidal volume-related changes were observed in the selected lung injury biomarkers of patients with healthy lungs after 60-min ventilation. Plasma neutrophil elastase and plasma Clara Cell protein 16 might indicate atelectrauma and lung distention, respectively.
Prelacteal Feeding of Newborns in Postconflict Timor‐Leste
Authors: Khanal Vishnu , Lee Andy H. , Nunes Brites da Cruz Jonia Lourenca , Karkee Rajendra
Published: May 2014

Objectives:

The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of prelacteal feeding and its associated factors in Timor‐Leste using updated data from the national survey.

Methods:

Complex sample analysis was undertaken to account for the 2‐stage cluster design of the Demographic and Health Survey 2009–2010. Backward stepwise logistic regression was conducted to ascertain factors associated with the prevalence of prelacteal feeding.

Results:

A total of 4821 mother–infant pairs were included in the analysis. The prevalence of prelacteal feeding was 12.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 11.1–13.5). The most popular prelacteal food was plain water (50.7%), followed by glucose/sugar water (32.5%) and milk other than breast milk (22.7%). Older mothers (35–49 years), mothers with upper socioeconomic status, those who perceived their newborns as small size, and those residing in urban areas were approximately 1.5 times more likely to give prelacteal feeds, whereas women who followed religions other than Roman Catholic had twice the risk (adjusted odds ratio 1.98; 95% CI 1.16–3.41).

Conclusions:

Antenatal and postnatal counselling sessions that promote exclusive breast‐feeding and discourage prelacteal feeding are needed that specifically target these vulnerable subgroups of Timorese mothers.
Morphological disparity opposes latitudinal diversity gradient in lacertid lizards
Authors: Hipsley Christy A. , Miles Donald B. , Müller Johannes
Published: May 2014

While global variation in taxonomic diversity is strongly linked to latitude, the extent to which morphological disparity follows geographical gradients is less well known. We estimated patterns of lineage diversification, morphological disparity and rates of phenotypic evolution in the Old World lizard family Lacertidae, which displays a nearly inverse latitudinal diversity gradient with decreasing species richness towards the tropics. We found that lacertids exhibit relatively constant rates of lineage accumulation over time, although the majority of morphological variation appears to have originated during recent divergence events, resulting in increased partitioning of disparity within subclades. Among subclades, tropical arboreal taxa exhibited the fastest rates of shape change while temperate European taxa were the slowest, resulting in an inverse relationship between latitudinal diversity and rates of phenotypic evolution. This pattern demonstrates a compelling counterexample to the ecological opportunity theory of diversification, suggesting an uncoupling of the processes generating species diversity and morphological differentiation across spatial scales.
How interactions between animal movement and landscape processes modify local range dynamics and extinction risk
Authors: Fordham Damien A. , Shoemaker Kevin T. , Schumaker Nathan H. , Akçakaya H. Reşit , Clisby Nathan , Brook Barry W.
Published: May 2014

Forecasts of range dynamics now incorporate many of the mechanisms and interactions that drive species distributions. However, connectivity continues to be simulated using overly simple distance-based dispersal models with little consideration of how the individual behaviour of dispersing organisms interacts with landscape structure (functional connectivity). Here, we link an individual-based model to a niche-population model to test the implications of this omission. We apply this novel approach to a turtle species inhabiting wetlands which are patchily distributed across a tropical savannah, and whose persistence is threatened by two important synergistic drivers of global change: predation by invasive species and overexploitation. We show that projections of local range dynamics in this study system change substantially when functional connectivity is modelled explicitly. Accounting for functional connectivity in model simulations causes the estimate of extinction risk to increase, and predictions of range contraction to slow. We conclude that models of range dynamics that simulate functional connectivity can reduce an important source of bias in predictions of shifts in species distributions and abundances, especially for organisms whose dispersal behaviours are strongly affected by landscape structure.
Sir David Jack. 22 February 1924 — 8 November 2011
Authors: Breckenridge Sir Alasdair
Published: May 2014

David Jack was the Director of Research and Development of Allen & Hanburys Ltd and then Glaxo Holdings plc from 1961 to 1987. His aim over all these years was to concentrate the companies’ research on inventing treatments for common diseases such as those affecting the respiratory, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular systems. Under his research direction, Glaxo became one of the most successful pharmaceutical companies in the world. Medicines that he invented—salbutamol, salmeterol, beclamethasone dipropionate and fluticasone propionate—revolutionized the treatment of bronchial asthma by cutting down the incidence of acute asthma attacks, preventing hospital admissions and reducing the death rate from the disease. He also invented ranitidine for the treatment of peptic ulcer, which became the best-selling pharmaceutical product in the world. He was also responsible for the invention of sumatriptan for the treatment of migraine and ondansetron for the prevention of radiotherapy-induced nausea. David Jack was one of the most successful inventors of new medicines in the twentieth century.
Wallace, Darwin and Ternate 1858
Authors: Smith Charles H.
Published: May 2014

Recent debates on the mailing date of Alfred Russel Wallace's ‘Ternate essay’ to Charles Darwin in the spring of 1858 have ignored certain details that, once taken into account, alter the matter considerably. Here, a closer look is taken at the critical question of whether Wallace's manuscript-accompanying letter represented a reply to the Darwin letter that arrived in Ternate on 9 March; it is concluded that it very probably did not.