bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interaction of charge carriers with lattice and molecular phonons in crystalline pentacene
Authors: Girlando Alberto , Grisanti Luca , Masino Matteo , Brillante Aldo , Della Valle Raffaele G. , Venuti Elisabetta
Published: August 2011

The computational protocol we have developed for the calculation of local (Holstein) and non-local (Peierls) carrier-phonon coupling in molecular organic semiconductors is applied to both the low temperature and high temperature bulk crystalline phases of pentacene. The electronic structure is calculated by the semimpirical INDO/S (Intermediate Neglect of Differential Overlap with Spectroscopic parametrization) method. In the phonon description, the rigid molecule approximation is removed, allowing mixing of low-frequency intra-molecular modes with inter-molecular (lattice) phonons. A clear distinction remains between the low-frequency phonons, which essentially modulate the transfer integral from a molecule to another (Peierls coupling), and the high-frequency intra-molecular phonons, which modulate the on-site energy (Holstein coupling). The results of calculation agree well with the values extracted from experiment. The comparison with similar calculations made for rubrene allows us to discuss the implications for the current models of mobility.
On the Rydberg transitions and elemental compositions in the laser produced Al (6063) plasma
Authors: Baig M. A. , Fareed M. A. , Rashid B. , Ali R.
Published: August 2011

We present new studies on the optical emission spectra of the laser produced Al 6063 alloy plasma generated by the 1064 nm Nd: YAG laser. The spectrum reveals Rydberg transitions; nd 2D3/2,5/2 → 3p 2P1/2,3/2 (n = 3 – 8), ns 2S1/2 → 3p 2P1/2,3/2 (n = 4–6), and the dominant spectral lines of the other constituent elements. We have extracted the relative abundance of the impurities using the relative intensity ratio method. Besides, we have calculated the electron temperature (∼7580 K) from the Boltzmann plot method and the electron number densities (∼1.4 × 1017/cm3) from the Stark widths of the aluminum spectral lines. The plasma parameters determined in the present work are in agreement with that reported in the literature. The molecular vibrational transitions of the AlO free radical associated with the B 2∑→X 2∑ band system have also been identified.
Near-infrared photodetector with CuIn1−x AlxSe2 thin film
Authors: Chang Ruo-Ping , Perng Dung-Ching
Published: August 2011

Application of the CuInSe2-based thin film for a near-infrared (NIR) photodetector (PD) has been demonstrated. The Cu(In,Al)Se2 (CIAS) was used as an absorption layer for NIR PD with comb-structured Al electrodes. X-ray diffraction spectrum and scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs show that the CIAS film is a single phased polycrystalline film with smooth surface and super large (2–5 μm) grains. Low temperature photoluminescence analysis indicates that the CIAS has a strong NIR excitation emission peak. The CIAS PDs are highly sensitive to the NIR spectrum with cut-off frequency near 790 nm and demonstrate four-orders of magnitude in photocurrent amplification.
Two-photon-pumped stimulated emission from ZnO single crystal
Authors: He T. C. , Chen R. , Lin W. W. , Huang F. , Sun H. D.
Published: August 2011

We report on two-photon-pumped stimulated emission (SE) from ZnO single crystal at low temperature. Under nanosecond pulse excitation, two-photon absorption induced SE with a threshold of 2.8 MW/cm2 is observed, which is ascribed to the inelastic exciton-exciton scattering. The mechanism of the SE is further confirmed by temperature dependent photoluminescence spectra. However, it is interesting to find that under one photon pumping with the same power density, no SE is observed from the sample. Such unusual phenomenon is explained by the nonradiative surface recombination induced carriers depletion under single photon excitation.
Probabilities in Implicit Learning
Authors: Tseng Philip , Hsu Tzu-Yu , Tzeng Ovid J L , Hung Daisy L , Juan Chi-Hung
Published: August 2011

The visual system possesses a remarkable ability in learning regularities from the environment. In the case of contextual cuing, predictive visual contexts such as spatial configurations are implicitly learned, retained, and used to facilitate visual search—all without one's subjective awareness and conscious effort. Here we investigated whether implicit learning and its facilitatory effects are sensitive to the statistical property of such implicit knowledge. In other words, are highly probable events learned better than less probable ones even when such learning is implicit? We systematically varied the frequencies of context repetition to alter the degrees of learning. Our results showed that search efficiency increased consistently as contextual probabilities increased. Thus, the visual contexts, along with their probability of occurrences, were both picked up by the visual system. Furthermore, even when the total number of exposures was held constant between each probability, the highest probability still enjoyed a greater cuing effect, suggesting that the temporal aspect of implicit learning is also an important factor to consider in addition to the effect of mere frequency. Together, these findings suggest that implicit learning, although bypassing observers' conscious encoding and retrieval effort, behaves much like explicit learning in the sense that its facilitatory effect also varies as a function of its associative strengths.
Structural and functional approaches to describe polychaete assemblages: ecological implications for estuarine ecosystems
Authors: Magalhães Wagner F. , Barros Francisco
Published: August 2011

Polychaete assemblages are of special interest when studying dynamic environments such as estuaries because of their high plasticity in life strategies to cope with environmental variability. We tested the hypothesis that polychaete feeding guilds would be more related to environmental characteristics than to taxonomic composition. Polychaetes were sampled on two different occasions along three tropical estuarine systems in north-eastern Brazil. Different polychaete taxa replaced one another along the entire salinity gradient and the overall pattern from high- to low-salinity regions was from high species and feeding-guild diversities to dominance by a single species or a feeding group. We suggest that the relationships between structure and function of polychaete assemblages might provide a measure of the resilience of estuarine conditions; estuaries with a high redundancy in the trophic role of polychaetes might recover faster from disturbance and retain more natural ecological functions than those estuaries with low or no redundancy, because more species would have the capacity to expand their niches to compensate for the loss of neighbouring species. Integrative approaches allying species composition to their trophic role need to be thoroughly investigated to help understand such complex temporal and spatial organisation of benthic assemblages in estuaries.
Effect of runoff from acid-sulfate soils on pneumatophores of the grey mangrove, Avicennia marina
Authors: Amaral Valter , Cabral Henrique N. , Bishop Melanie J.
Published: August 2011

Runoff from acid-sulfate soils (ASS) is increasingly threatening the structure and function of estuarine ecosystems worldwide. Along the eastern coast of Australia, sulfuric acid is known to affect the growth and survival of mangrove saplings; however, impacts of ASS runoff on the structure and function of established mangrove trees are unclear. Pneumatophores, the aerial roots produced by some species of mangrove, are critical sites of gas exchange, allowing these species to persist in waterlogged soils. They also provide physical structure in estuarine sediments, facilitating communities of algae, invertebrates and, at high tide, fish. We tested the hypotheses that Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh. pneumatophores would be less abundant, shorter, thinner and weaker close to major ASS outflow drains. Sampling at sites close to and away from drains within each of two estuaries of New South Wales, Australia, showed no effect of exposure to runoff on pneumatophore density or thickness. Pneumatophores were, however, shorter (~2 cm) and weaker (up to two-fold) at ASS-affected than reference sites. Although the reduced length and strength of pneumatophores at acidified sites may limit the number of epifaunal molluscs they can support, the persistence of dense pneumatophores indicates that the capacity to benefit invertebrates and fish remains.
DNA barcoding to support conservation: species identification, genetic structure and biogeography of fishes in the Murray - Darling River Basin, Australia
Authors: Hardy Christopher M. , Adams Mark , Jerry Dean R. , Court Leon N. , Morgan Matthew J. , Hartley Diana M.
Published: August 2011

Freshwater fish stocks worldwide are under increasing threat of overfishing, disease, pollution and competition from introduced species. In the Murray—Darling Basin (MDB), the largest river system of Australia, more than half the native species are listed as rare or endangered. Active management is required to counteract reduction in population sizes, prevent local extinctions and to maintain genetic diversity. We describe the first comprehensive set of DNA barcodes able to discriminate between all 58 native and introduced species of freshwater fish recorded in the MDB. These barcodes also distinguish populations from those in adjacent basins, with estimated separation times as short as 0.1 million years ago. We demonstrate the feasibility of using DNA fingerprinting of ribosomal RNA (12S and 18S rRNA) genes and mitochondrial DNA control region (mtDNA CR) sequences to identify species from eggs, larvae, tissues and predator gut contents as well as differentiate populations, morphologically cryptic species and hybrids. The DNA barcode resource will enhance capacity in many areas of fish conservation biology that can benefit from improved knowledge of genetic provenance. These include captive breeding and restocking programs, life history studies and ecological research into the interactions between populations of native and exotic species.
Validation of a spatially distributed erosion and sediment yield model (SedNet) with empirically derived data from a catchment adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon
Authors: Hughes Andrew O. , Croke Jacky C.
Published: August 2011

The use of spatially distributed erosion and sediment yield models has become a common method to assess the impacts of land-use changes within catchments and determine appropriate management options. Lack of model validation is, however, increasingly recognised as an issue, especially for models applied at the large-catchment or regional scale. The present study applies the spatially distributed erosion and sediment yield model SedNet to a 6000-km2 subcatchment of the Fitzroy River in central Queensland, Australia. Model outputs are compared with the results from sediment-source tracing, measured floodplain deposition rates and available hydrometric station data. Results indicated that significant improvement can be made to model predictions when catchment-specific observations (such as river bank and gully geometry and gully erosion history) are used to refine model-input parameters. It was also shown that the use of generic input parameters used by previous SedNet applications within the Great Barrier Reef catchment area resulted in overestimates of sediment yields. Previous model applications may have overestimated the significance of post-European catchment disturbance on the sediment yields of the dry-tropical catchments draining to the Great Barrier Reef. Our findings illustrated the value of obtaining empirically derived data to validate spatially distributed models applied at large scales.
Alborz High School and the Process of Rationalization in Iran
Authors: Vahdat Farzin
Published: August 2011

As a leading foundational institution of modernity, Alborz High School under the leadership of Dr. Mohammad Ali Mojtahedi came to embody and promote techno-scientific (or instrumental) rationality that has been the dominant form of rationality in Iran in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The essay analyzes this form of rationality and its fostering by Alborz High School during the tenure of Mohammad Ali Mojtahedi. It is argued that while instrumental rationality is necessary for any developing country, it poses fundamental problems for the development of democratic ethos. Alternatively, Jürgen Habermas' notion of “communicative rationality” is proposed and analyzed as a way to complement and democratize Iranian approach toward rationality and modernity

The disease of reason is that reason was born from man's urge to dominate nature, and the “recovery” depends on insight into the nature of the original disease.

Max Horkheimer1
Alborz and its Teachers
Authors: Katouzian Homa
Published: August 2011

The success story of Alborz High School was due to a number of factors. The legacy of Dr. Jordan and other of its American founders had set unusually high standards of teaching, behavior, discipline and conduct. Dr. Mojathedi managed to maintain those standards through dedication and hard work, even though there was occasional friction between him and students and teachers. Almost all the students, some of them from the upper echelons of society, came from educated and cultured homes, had performed well at their primary schools, were well-motivated, loved their school, ran various cultural programs by themselves, and included notable writers, poets, artist and athletes. Teachers generally maintained discipline, good humor and high standards, and included stars of altogether different varieties such as Zeinolabedin Motamen, Dr. Mahmud Behzad and Mostafa Sarkhosh.
Mohammad-Ali Mojtahedi: His Life and Work
Authors: Bayani Bahram
Published: August 2011

Mohammad Ali Mojtahedi occupies a prominent place in the development of modern education in Iran. Yet, though not a politician, his influence exceeded far beyond education into the social and political life of contemporary Iran. Deeply convinced of the central role of education in development, his career made important contributions to changes in the landscape of modern education in Iran at both high school and university levels. Within this context, the paper traces the outlines of Mojtahedi's life and work from his birth in 1908 in the city of Lahijan in the northern province of Gilan, up to his death in 1997 in southern France. The paper's most seminal contribution covers the events of the period between the summer of 1964, when Mojtahedi was director of Tehran Polytechnic, and his dismissal in February 1967 by the shah as the head of Aryamehr (now Sharif) University which were closely related to the unsuccessful attempt on the shah's life in April 1965.
American Crosses, Persian Crescents: Religion and the Diplomacy of US–Iranian Relations, 1834–1911
Authors: Kashani-Sabet Firoozeh
Published: August 2011

The American public came to know Iran through its missionaries who had lived among the Persians. For their part, Iranians grew familiar with Americans through interactions with these missionary pioneers as well. While American Presbyterians quickly established and expanded their institutional presence in the country, it became abundantly clear to them that Muslim converts to Protestantism remained few and far between. Missionary perceptions of Iranian Muslims, however, left an indelible imprint on American public understanding of Iran and its people. The paper argues that religious ideology frequently colored perceptions and influenced policy-making. Even after more than a hundred years of interaction, cultural representations were refracted through religious difference and similarity. Despite the increasingly secular cultures of Iran and America in the early twentieth century, religion remained a salient ideology for the public in both societies—one that has had a profound impact on the nature of US–Iranian relations. Thus, it is important to analyze the origins and impact of this contact beginning in the nineteenth century.
Inequality and the home learning environment: Predictions about seven‐year‐olds’ language and literacy
Authors: Hartas Dimitra
Published: August 2011

Using a UK representative sample from the Millennium Cohort Study, the present study examined the unique and cumulative contribution of children's characteristics and attitudes to school, home learning environment and family's socio‐economic background to children's language and literacy at the end of Key Stage 1 (age seven‐years‐old). Consistently with previous studies, the findings showed that family's socio‐economic background made a substantive contribution to teacher‐rated language and literacy. Moreover, children's characteristics and attitudes to school as well as certain aspects of the home learning environment explained a significant amount of variance in language and literacy. Homework support and book reading, however, were not found to associate with children's language and literacy outcomes, despite a high percentage of parents being involved with home learning support routinely. These findings are likely to contribute to debates regarding the role of home learning in reducing underachievement, drawing important implications for family policy.
Researching educational praxis: Spectator and participant perspectives
Authors: Kemmis Stephen
Published: August 2011

This paper describes two parallel research programmes exploring educational practice/praxis. The first, including a theory of ‘practice architectures’, aims to contribute to contemporary practice theory that views practice from the perspective of a spectator. The second aims to contribute to an emerging (practical philosophy) tradition of ‘researching practice from within practice traditions’ and views practice (and praxis) from the perspective of participants. It is argued that these particular spectator and participant perspectives are complementary. They offer a dual approach to researching educational practice and praxis and allow us (educational actors, educational researchers) to see ourselves as formed by a collective praxis, within which teacher—researchers can aspire to act educationally in the sense of acting for the good for each person and for the good for humankind.
Analysis of corner kicks in relation to match status in the 2006 World Cup
Authors: De Baranda Pilar Sainz , Lopez‐Riquelme David
Published: August 2011

The aim of this study was twofold: to provide a quantitative analysis of corner kicks during the 2006 World Cup and to examine the effect of match status on corner kicks. Through the elaboration of a category system and following an observational methodology, we performed an analysis of all corner kicks (n = 653) in the 64 matches in the 2006 World Cup held in Germany. Matches were divided into sections according to evolving match status (whether the team was winning, n = 144; losing, n = 171; or drawing, n = 338). Using an observational methodology the following performance indicators were analysed: type of corner kick, scoring area, effectiveness, subsequent play, part of the body used to shoot, goal zone, number of players defending the goalposts, and defence tactics. The results obtained showed that: a) in relation to kick modality, teams perform more short corners and take more short kicks and outswing corner kicks when winning. On the other hand, teams perform more outstep and inswing corner kicks when drawing and losing; b) In relation to the scoring area, teams perform more shots that head toward the semicircle placed by the penalty area or do not use the centre when winning. However, teams head their s'hots toward the first and the second goalpost when drawing and losing; c) In relation to defence, when teams that are winning perform the corner kick, the defending teams tend to have fewer players defending the goal line; d) No significant statistical association was observed for the following performance indicators: effectiveness, subsequent play, part of the body used to shoot, goal zone, and defensive system.
Effect of the ball mass on the one‐on‐one game situation in 9–11 year old boys' basketball
Authors: Arias José L. , Argudo Francisco M. , Alonso José I.
Published: August 2011

Children normally lack the strength and physical characteristics required to use the equipment and rules of adult sports. Studies that utilise a test have shown that changes in the ball mass may improve shot performance and other ball handling skills. The objective of this study was to analyse with which ball participants played a higher number of one‐on‐one situations in basketball. The participants were 54 nine to eleven‐year‐old boys from six teams. We established three situations in which the participants played four games with each of the following balls: (a) regulation ball (485 g, 69–71 cm), (b) ball of smaller mass (440 g, 69–71 cm), and (c) ball of greater mass (540 g, 69–71 cm). The procedures that were followed were: (a) defining the variable, the dependent variable was the number of one‐on‐one situations; (b) instructing the observers and obtaining reliability, reliability was above 0.95; (c) monitoring the properties of the ball and filming the games; and (d) recording (four observers) the data from the observation of the game videos. The results reflected statistically significant differences for the number of one‐on‐one situations χ 2 (2, N=1,858)=44.510, P=0.000, indicating an increase when using the 440 g ball in comparison to the regulation ball, the 540 g ball, and the results of the reviewed studies.
Environmental and venue‐related factors affecting the performance of elite male track athletes
Authors: Hollings Stephen C. , Hopkins Will G. , Hume Patria A.
Published: August 2011

The effects of environmental and other venue‐related factors need to be taken into account when tracking an individual athlete's competitive performance. We report the effects of such factors on the performances of elite male track athletes. Performance times throughout the athletic careers of male track athletes placed in the top 16 of their event in at least one Olympic Games or World Championship between 2000 and 2009 were downloaded from the athletics results database at tilastopaja.org. In the 10 running events (100 m through 10,000 m, including hurdles and steeplechase), there were 619 athletes with 43,999 performances, all with enviromental and venue‐related information. Times for a given event were log‐transformed to estimate percent effects in a mixed linear model with fixed effects for the environmental and venue‐related factors and random effects for within‐athlete race‐to‐race variability and individual athlete performance progression. After adjustment for quadratic trends for year of competition and each athlete's age, the model provided estimates of effects of standard of competition (Olympics and World Championships vs other competitions), altitude (sea level vs ≥ 1000 m), timing method (electronic vs stopwatch), wind speed (greater than vs less than 2 m · s–1), and venue (outdoors vs indoors). Uncertainty in estimates of environmental effects expressed as 99% confidence limits was sufficiently small (at most ±0.9%) for almost all outcomes to be clear when interpreted in relation to smallest important changes (0.3–0.5%). Olympics and World Championships produced substantially faster times for events up to 400 m (0.7–0.8%) but slower times for the 1500 m, 5000 m, and 10,000 m events (0.6%, 1.2%, and 0.2% respectively), presumably reflecting differences in preparation or pacing. Altitude produced substantially faster times in some 100 m, 200 m, 400 m, and hurdle events (0.1–0.5%) but substantially slower times in longer races (1.1–2.4%), reflecting opposing effects of altitude on air resistance and aerobic power. Stopwatch times were faster for sprints (0.3–0.5%) but slower for 1500 m and longer events (0.6–2.1%), possibly because of bias in reaction time and confounding by standard of competition. A typical trailing wind of 2 m · s–1 conferred small benefits (0.5–0.8%) on the three sprint events where wind speed was recorded. Indoor events were consistently slower (1.6–2.3%), a likely consequence of tight bends. In conclusion, use of these environmental and venue‐related effects to adjust performances of male track athletes will make comparative assessment of all their performances more meaningful.
c-Jun N-terminal kinase phosphorylates DCP1a to control formation of P bodies
Authors: Rzeczkowski Katharina , Beuerlein Knut , Müller Helmut , Dittrich-Breiholz Oliver , Schneider Heike , Kettner-Buhrow Daniela , Holtmann Helmut , Kracht Michael
Published: August 2011

Cytokines and stress-inducing stimuli signal through c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) using a diverse and only partially defined set of downstream effectors. In this paper, the decapping complex subunit DCP1a was identified as a novel JNK target. JNK phosphorylated DCP1a at residue S315 in vivo and in vitro and coimmunoprecipitated and colocalized with DCP1a in processing bodies (P bodies). Sustained JNK activation by several different inducers led to DCP1a dispersion from P bodies, whereas IL-1 treatment transiently increased P body number. Inhibition of TAK1–JNK signaling also affected the number and size of P bodies and the localization of DCP1a, Xrn1, and Edc4. Transcriptome analysis further identified a central role for DCP1a in IL-1–induced messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression. Phosphomimetic mutation of S315 stabilized IL-8 but not IκBα mRNA, whereas overexpressed DCP1a blocked IL-8 transcription and suppressed p65 NF-κB nuclear activity. Collectively, these data reveal DCP1a as a multifunctional regulator of mRNA expression and suggest a novel mechanism controlling the subcellular localization of DCP1a in response to stress or inflammatory stimuli.
The evolution of the cytoskeleton
Authors: Wickstead Bill , Gull Keith
Published: August 2011

The cytoskeleton is a system of intracellular filaments crucial for cell shape, division, and function in all three domains of life. The simple cytoskeletons of prokaryotes show surprising plasticity in composition, with none of the core filament-forming proteins conserved in all lineages. In contrast, eukaryotic cytoskeletal function has been hugely elaborated by the addition of accessory proteins and extensive gene duplication and specialization. Much of this complexity evolved before the last common ancestor of eukaryotes. The distribution of cytoskeletal filaments puts constraints on the likely prokaryotic line that made this leap of eukaryogenesis.
Fishing and environment drive spatial heterogeneity in Celtic Sea fish community size structure
Authors: Shephard Samuel , Gerritsen Hans D. , Kaiser Michel J. , Truszkowska Holly S. , Reid David G.
Published: August 2011

Shephard, S., Gerritsen, H. D., Kaiser, M. J., Truszkowska, H. S., and Reid, D. G. 2011. Fishing and environment drive spatial heterogeneity in Celtic Sea fish community size structure. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 68: 2106–2113. The Large Fish Indicator (LFI) is a univariate size-based indicator of fish community state that has been selected to support the OSPAR fish community Ecological Quality Objective (EcoQO). To operate this EcoQO, a survey-based LFI for each OSPAR region needs to be developed. However, fish communities in these regions are spatially heterogeneous, and there is evidence of within-region spatial variation in the LFI that could confound an overall indicator series. For Celtic Sea trawl-survey sites, spline correlograms indicate positive spatial autocorrelation at a similar range (∼40 km) for the LFI and for fishing effort (h year−1) from vessel monitoring systems. Statistical models reveal a strong negative effect on annual LFI by site of fishing effort within a radius of 40 km. There was a weak effect of fishing within 20 km and no effect at 10 km. LFI also varied significantly with substratum and with local fish community composition identified by a resemblance matrix derived from the survey data. Finally, there was a weak effect of survey year on LFI. Spatial stratification of LFI calculations may be necessary when developing size-based indicators for OSPAR or Marine Strategy Framework Directive regions.
Head Injury
Authors: Cheshire James
Published: August 2011

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a physical injury to brain tissue that temporarily or permanently impairs the brain's function. The causes include road traffic accidents (64.1%), falls (19.3%), assaults (5.1%) and sporting activities (2%). Primary injury occurs at the time of impact and is irreversible. During this time, brain function may be immediately impaired by direct damage to brain tissue. Further damage triggered by the primary injury can occur shortly after, leading to secondary injury. The aim of prehospital management is to stabilize and treat the damage from the primary injury and to prevent and manage secondary injury.
Assessment of Patients Presenting with Headache
Authors: Fisher Louise
Published: August 2011

Headache is one of the most common presentations in primary care and accounts for 4.4% of all consultations. Most headaches are due to primary headache disorders such as migraine and tension-type headache. However, headaches can be associated with serious underlying conditions such as intracranial tumours, and it is often concerns about this that will trigger a patient to consult their GP. Since headache is predominantly managed in primary care (with only 2–3% referred to specialists), GPs must have a clear and focused strategy for diagnosis and management. This article aims to provide an overview of the assessment of patients presenting with headache to enable GPs confidently to manage this common symptom.
Evaluation of Northern Grape Hybrid Cultivars for Their Susceptibility to Anthracnose Caused by Elsinoe ampelina
Authors: Carisse Odile , Lefebvre Annie
Published: August 2011

Use of winter-hardy grape cultivars has enabled expansion of wine grape production in the province of Quebec, Canada, but some of the cultivars have been reported as susceptible to grape anthracnose, a serious disease. The disease causes grape leaves and berries to dry up and drop prematurely, resulting in poor or no yield and, in cold climates, reduced winter survival. On susceptible cultivars, anthracnose management is costly, making grape production unprofitable. Therefore, cold climate grape cultivars were evaluated for their susceptibility to leaf infection by E. ampelina. Plants were grown from dormant cuttings and on each plant the youngest three leaves were tagged and inoculated with a conidial suspension of E. ampelina (1 × 106 spores per ml). Immediately after inoculation, plants were maintained under high humidity conditions at 24 ± 2°C for 72 h. The number of lesions per leaf was determined 14 days after inoculation. Cluster analysis was used to group the cultivars based on their susceptibility. The cultivars were classified as: (i) resistant or slightly susceptible – DM 8521-1, ES 10-18-30, St-Pépin, Sabrevois, Vidal banc, Baltica, Frontenac gris, Ste-Croix, Somerset, Frontenac, Seyval blanc; (ii) susceptible – Muscat de Swenson, Geisenheim, La Crescent, Frontenac blanc, Louise Swanson, Delisle; and (iii) highly susceptible – Swenson White, Vandal Cliche, Traminette, and Marquette. Knowledge of the susceptibility of grape cultivars to anthracnose will help growers to make prudent cultivar choices when new vineyards are established.

Accepted for publication 31 May 2011. Published 5 August 2011.
Introduction to spin-polarized ballistic hot electron injection and detection in silicon
Authors: Appelbaum Ian
Published: August 2011

Ballistic hot electron transport overcomes the well-known problems of conductivity and spin lifetime mismatch that plague spin injection attempts in semiconductors using ferromagnetic ohmic contacts. Through the spin dependence of the mean free path in ferromagnetic thin films, it also provides a means for spin detection after transport. Experimental results using these techniques (consisting of spin precession and spin-valve measurements) with silicon-based devices reveals the exceptionally long spin lifetime and high spin coherence induced by drift-dominated transport in the semiconductor. An appropriate quantitative model that accurately simulates the device characteristics for both undoped and doped spin transport channels is described; it can be used to recover the transit-time distribution from precession measurements and determine the spin current velocity, diffusion constant and spin lifetime, constituting a spin ‘Haynes–Shockley’ experiment without time-of-flight techniques. A perspective on the future of these methods is offered as a summary.
Spin-transfer torque in nanoscale magnetic devices
Authors: Ralph D. C. , Cui Y.-T. , Liu L. Q. , Moriyama T. , Wang C. , Buhrman R. A.
Published: August 2011

We discuss recent highlights from research at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, regarding the use of spin-transfer torques to control magnetic moments in nanoscale ferromagnetic devices. We highlight progress on reducing the critical currents necessary to produce spin-torque-driven magnetic switching, quantitative measurements of the magnitude and direction of the spin torque in magnetic tunnel junctions, and single-shot measurements of the magnetic dynamics generated during thermally assisted spin-torque switching.
Identifying key performance indicators for nursing and midwifery care using a consensus approach
Authors: McCance Tanya , Telford Lorna , Wilson Julie , MacLeod Olive , Dowd Audrey
Published: August 2011

Aims.  The aim of this study was to gain consensus on key performance indicators that are appropriate and relevant for nursing and midwifery practice in the current policy context.

Background.  There is continuing demand to demonstrate effectiveness and efficiency in health and social care and to communicate this at boardroom level. Whilst there is substantial literature on the use of clinical indicators and nursing metrics, there is less evidence relating to indicators that reflect the patient experience.

Design.  A consensus approach was used to identify relevant key performance indicators.

Methods.  A nominal group technique was used comprising two stages: a workshop involving all grades of nursing and midwifery staff in two HSC trusts in Northern Ireland (n = 50); followed by a regional Consensus Conference (n = 80). During the workshop, potential key performance indicators were identified. This was used as the basis for the Consensus Conference, which involved two rounds of consensus. Analysis was based on aggregated scores that were then ranked.

Results.  Stage one identified 38 potential indicators and stage two prioritised the eight top‐ranked indicators as a core set for nursing and midwifery. The relevance and appropriateness of these indicators were confirmed with nurses and midwives working in a range of settings and from the perspective of service users.

Conclusions.  The eight indicators identified do not conform to the majority of other nursing metrics generally reported in the literature. Furthermore, they are strategically aligned to work on the patient experience and are reflective of the fundamentals of nursing and midwifery practice, with the focus on person‐centred care.

Relevance to clinical practice.  Nurses and midwives have a significant contribution to make in determining the extent to which these indicators are achieved in practice. Furthermore, measurement of such indicators provides an opportunity to evidence of the unique impact of nursing/midwifery care on the patient experience.
Infection of human enteroendocrine cells with Chlamydia trachomatis: a possible model for pathogenesis in irritable bowel syndrome
Authors: Dlugosz A. , Zakikhany K. , Muschiol S. , Hultenby K. , Lindberg G.
Published: August 2011

Background  Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a widespread gastrointestinal disorder of unknown etiology. Recently, our group detected chlamydial antigens in enteroendocrine cells (EEC) of jejunum biopsies from patients with IBS. Impairment of EEC secretion upon Chlamydia infection might lead to disturbances of gut functions. We have therefore studied the interaction between Chlamydia and EEC in vitro.

Methods  Two different human enteroendocrine cell lines were studied: LCC‐18 from a neuroendocrine colonic tumour and CNDT2 from a small intestinal carcinoid. Cell lines were infected with C. trachomatis serovar LGV II strain 434. We used Penicillin G for inducing persistent infection. The ultrastructure of infected cells was studied using transmission electron microscopy and immunofluorescence and we used RT‐PCR analysis for studying changes in gene expression at different stages of infection.

Key Results  We found that both cell lines could be infected with C. trachomatis yielding productive infections and persistence could be induced using penicillin G. Immunofluorescence showed different cellular distributions of serotonin and chromogranin A in non‐infected (cytoplasmatic distribution) compared with infected cells (serotonin and chromogranin mostly in chlamydial inclusions). In line with the microscopical findings, we found a significant down‐regulation of the gene coding for the vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT1) in infected compared with non‐infected EEC (P < 0.05).

Conclusions & Inferences  Altered protein distributions together with down‐regulation of VMAT1 suggest that chlamydial infection may influence vesicular transport. It is therefore possible that such an infection in vivo could lead to disturbances in the regulation of gut functions.
Burial surveillance detected significant reduction in HIV‐related deaths in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Authors: Araya Tekebash , Tensou Biruk , Davey Gail , Berhane Yemane
Published: August 2011

Objective  To determine the level of HIV‐related mortality reduction after the introduction of large‐scale antiretroviral therapy (ART) using a burial surveillance system coupled with verbal autopsy (VA) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Methods  Prospective burial surveillance was established in 2001 at cemeteries in Addis Ababa. VA interviews were periodically conducted on a random sample of adult burials registered between 2001 and 2009. Independent physicians reviewed the completed VA questionnaires and assigned underlying causes of death. The period before 2005 was defined as pre‐ART and that since 2005 as the ART era. HIV‐specific mortality fractions were calculated by age, sex and year of burial to examine the mortality trends before and during the ART era.

Results  Of the 4239 VA physician diagnoses, 1087 (25.6%) were ascribed to HIV‐related deaths. HIV‐related deaths in 2009 were 33% fewer than in 2001. The proportion of HIV‐related deaths was reduced from 44.0% in the pre‐ART period to 20.0% in the ART era. Mortality in women (36.7%) declined more than in men (30%). A marked reduction in HIV‐specific mortality was observed in the age group 30–39 years (from 69.1% pre‐ART to 46.8% during ART era) compared to 20–29 (from 60.5% pre‐ART to 41.0% during ART) and 40–49 year olds (49.7%) pre‐ART to 34.4% during ART provision).

Conclusion  Burial surveillance combined with VA demonstrated a significant reduction in HIV‐related deaths during the provision of free ART. Replication of burial surveillance is recommended in similar settings, where a vital registration system is non‐existent, to track large‐scale population‐level interventions.
Calcium supplements lower bone resorption after renal transplant
Authors: Yu Raymond W. , Faull Randall J. , Coates P. Toby H. , Coates Penelope S.
Published: August 2011

Yu RW, Faull RJ, Coates PTH, Coates PS. Calcium supplements lower bone resorption after renal transplant.  Clin Transplant 2011 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399‐0012.2011.01487.x.  © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Abstract:  Aim:  Bone loss in renal transplant (RT) patients is a problem that begins during end‐stage kidney disease and persists after transplantation. Suppression of parathyroid hormone (PTH) may decrease bone loss and improve fracture rate.

Methods:  A single‐group prospective intervention study involving 30 patients was performed at a large RT unit. Investigations included dual‐emission X‐ray absorptiometry scan, vertebral X‐ray, calcium absorption test, 24‐h urinary calcium and serum measurements of total and ionized calcium, PTH, C‐telopeptide cross‐links (CTX), osteocalcin, alkaline phosphatase, 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D), and 1,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D3. Patients were given 500 mg elemental calcium daily for seven d, and serum measurements were repeated.

Results:  Two‐tailed Wilcoxon rank‐sum test showed significant decreases in PTH (p < 0.01) and CTX (p < 0.01) after calcium load. Dietary calcium, mean calcium absorption, and urinary calcium excretion were below desirable levels. Mean 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) was low, but levels of 1,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D3 were normal. Calcium absorption significantly correlated with change in PTH (p < 0.001), baseline 25(OH)D (p < 0.001), and mycophenolate dose (p = 0.024).

Conclusions:  Calcium malabsorption is prevalent in RT recipients, contributing to bone destruction and compounded by poor dietary intake and low 25(OH)D. Calcium supplementation appears to help overcome this deficiency and acutely suppress PTH. Calcium may be an effective and inexpensive therapy for bone loss in RT recipients.
Full‐length sequence of a novel HLA‐A*02:230 allele
Authors: Nie D.‐M. , Zou H.‐Y.
Published: August 2011

The full‐length sequences of exons 1–8 of this novel HLA‐A*02:230 allele are identical to those of HLA‐A*02:03:01, except for one nucleotide change at nt 858 in exon 3 from G to A.
Early Cannulation Grafts in Straight Axillo‐Axillary Angioaccesses Avoid Central Catheter Insertions
Authors: Chemla Eric S. , Nelson Steve , Morsy Mohamed
Published: August 2011

The need for early cannulation grafts exists to prevent use of central venous catheters. We report our experience in patients who had a straight axillo‐axillary angioaccess. All patients who have undergone an early cannulation axillo‐axillary angioaccess between 2008 and 2010 were reviewed. Fifteen patients had 16 procedures. Of these, eight were women and their mean age was 56. All patients had exhausted access options bilaterally. All had previous catheter insertions with either sepsis or jugular veins thrombosis. They all had an axillary artery to axillary vein angioaccess using an early cannulation graft. Flixene® (Atrium Medical, Hudson, NH, USA) was used in 10 cases, whereas Rapidax® (Vascutek Ltd., Renfrewshire, UK) in 6. In 12 cases, grafts were cannulated after 12 hours, in 4 after 24 hours (12 hours–8 days, mean 1.8 days). For Flixene®, mean delay to cannulation was 1.1 days, whereas 2.71 for Rapidax® (p < 0.05). Primary patency rates were 92.9% and 65.7% at 6 weeks and 1 year, respectively. Secondary patency rates were 92.9% and 83.5%. There was no significant difference in patency rates between grafts. Early cannulation grafts in a complex position are safe and efficient considering their patency and complication rates. It avoids using central venous catheters.
Invasive species as drivers of evolutionary change: cane toads in tropical Australia
Authors: Shine Richard
Published: August 2011

The arrival of an invasive species can have wide‐ranging ecological impacts on native taxa, inducing rapid evolutionary responses in ways that either reduce the invader’s impact or exploit the novel opportunity that it provides. The invasion process itself can cause substantial evolutionary shifts in traits that influence the invader’s dispersal rate (via both adaptive and non‐adaptive mechanisms) and its ability to establish new populations. I briefly review the nature of evolutionary changes likely to be set in train by a biological invasion, with special emphasis on recent results from my own research group on the invasion of cane toads (Rhinella marina) through tropical Australia. The toads’ invasion has caused evolutionary changes both in the toads and in native taxa. Many of those changes are adaptive, but others may result from non‐adaptive evolutionary processes: for example, the evolved acceleration in toad dispersal rates may be due to spatial sorting of dispersal‐enhancing genes, rather than fitness advantages to faster‐dispersing individuals. Managers need to incorporate evolutionary dynamics into their conservation planning, because biological invasions can affect both the rates and the trajectories of evolutionary change.
The First Detection of Brucella canis in Cattle in the Republic of Korea
Authors: Baek B. K. , Park M. Y. , Islam M. A. , Khatun M. M. , Lee S. I. , Boyle S. M.
Published: August 2011

Twenty mammary lymph node samples were collected from cattle on a farm in the Republic of Korea. These cattle were serologically negative for Brucella by tube agglutination test (≤1 : 50) and serum agglutination test (≤1 : 50). Out of 20 lymph node samples, two samples were positive for Brucella growth on Brucella agar as well as blood agar. Tests for urease, hydrogen sulphide and reactions against monospecific sera A and M indicated that these two isolates (No. 15 and 16) belong to the genus Brucella. Genus specific, AMOS (abortus, melitensis, ovis, suis) and Bruce‐ladder multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays confirmed the Brucella isolates as either a B. abortus or a B. canis strain. This is the first report of the occurrence of a B. canis infection in cattle in Korea. More survey data are needed to determine whether B. canis is a significant aetiology in the cases of cattle brucellosis in Korea.
Particle Filters in a Multiscale Environment: Homogenized Hybrid Particle Filter
Authors: Park Jun H. , Namachchivaya N. Sri , Yeong Hoong Chieh
Published: August 2011

State estimation of random dynamical systems with noisy observations has been an important problem in many areas of science and engineering. Efficient new algorithms to estimate the present and future state of a dynamic signal based upon corrupted, distorted, and possibly partial observations of the signal are required. Since the true state is usually hidden and evolves according to its own dynamics, the objective of this work is to get an optimal estimation of the true state via noisy observations. The theory of filtering provides a recursive procedure for estimating an evolving signal or state from a noisy observation process. We consider a particle filter approach for nonlinear filtering in multiscale dynamical systems. Particle filters represent the posterior conditional distribution of the state variables by a system of particles, which evolves and adapts recursively as new information becomes available. Particle filters suffer from computational inefficiency when applied to high dimensional problems. In practice, large numbers of particles may be required to provide adequate approximations in higher dimensional poblems. In several high dimensional applications, after a sequence of updates, the particle system will often collapse to a single point. With the help of rigorous dimensional reduction methods, particle filters could regain their versatility. Based on our theoretical developments (Park, J. H., Sri Namachchivaya, N., and Sowers, R. B., 2008, “A Problem in Stochastic Averaging of Nonlinear Filters,” Stochastics Dyn., 8(3), pp. 543–560; Park, J. H., Sowers, R. B., and Sri Namachchivaya, N., 2010, “Dimensional Reduction in Nonlinear Filtering,” Nonlinearity, 23(2), pp. 305–324), we devise an efficient particle filter algorithm, which is applicable to high dimensional multiscale nonlinear filtering problems. In this paper, we present the homogenized hybrid particle filtering method that combines homogenization of random dynamical systems, reduced order nonlinear filtering, and particle methods.