bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
EXAMINATION OF A ONE‐TRIAL BRIEF EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS TO IDENTIFY READING FLUENCY INTERVENTIONS
Authors: Andersen Melissa N. , Daly Edward J. , Young Nicholas D.
Published: February 2013

This study sought to evaluate whether a one‐trial brief experimental analysis (OTBEA) would reliably and validly identify effective treatments to improve oral reading fluency for 6 elementary school students referred for reading problems. An OTBEA was conducted with each participant to assess the effects of skill‐ and performance‐based treatment components. Following the OTBEA, an extended analysis was conducted using an alternating treatments design to experimentally assess whether predictions generated by the OTBEA would be accurate across sessions, time, and stimulus materials. OTBEA results suggested that 3 participants required a treatment package containing both performance‐based and skill‐based instructional components and that the other 3 participants might only need performance‐based interventions. Results indicate that predictions were accurate for those participants requiring both types of intervention components, but that predictions for the remaining participants met with mixed results in the extended analysis. Results are discussed in terms of further refining brief experimental analysis methods to make them more efficient for educators while ensuring valid results.
Screening for depression and anxiety in women with breast and gynaecologic cancer: course and prevalence of morbidity over 12 months
Authors: Stafford Lesley , Judd Fiona , Gibson Penny , Komiti Angela , Mann G. Bruce , Quinn Michael
Published: February 2013

Objective

This study aims to investigate the course and prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms over 56 weeks in women with newly diagnosed breast and gynaecologic cancer and determine the acceptability and efficiency of incorporating routine screening into practice.

Methods

Participants completed the anxiety subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS‐A) and Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES‐D) at diagnosis and again every 8 weeks for 56 weeks. Changes over time were analysed with repeated measures ANOVA adjusted for post hoc comparisons. Thresholds for caseness/referral to mental health were ≥11 and ≥16 on the HADS‐A and CES‐D, respectively.

Results

Participants were 167 women (101 breast, 66 gynaecologic). Mean ± SD age was 57.63 ± 22.66 years. Rates of anxiety (17.7%), depression (32.5%) and combined anxiety and depression (35%) symptoms were highest at diagnosis. Mean ± SD scores of anxiety (6.43 ± 3.83) and depression symptoms (12.68 ± 9.47) were highest at diagnosis with significant improvements observed by 8 and 24 weeks, respectively, and maintained thereafter. Overall rates of anxiety, depression and combined symptoms were 7.5%, 23.4% and 24.1%, respectively. Patients with breast and gynaecologic cancer did not differ. Referral was offered at least once to 94 women (56.3%), of whom 45 (47.9%) declined, 23 (24.5%) accepted and 26 (27.7%) were already receiving treatment. Patient evaluation was favourable.

Conclusions

Women are most vulnerable to psychological morbidity at diagnosis. Symptoms improve significantly over time. Reported rates are lower than those in the literature. Regular screening by self‐report is acceptable to patients but may not be the most efficient method of improving patient outcomes. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Anisotropic Thermal Processing of Polymer Nanocomposites via the Photothermal Effect of Gold Nanorods
Authors: Maity Somsubhra , Kozek Krystian A. , Wu Wei‐Chen , Tracy Joseph B. , Bochinski Jason R. , Clarke Laura I.
Published: February 2013

By embedding metal nanoparticles within polymeric materials, selective thermal polymer processing can be accomplished via irradiation with light resonant with the nanoparticle surface plasmon resonance due to the photothermal effect of the nanoparticles which efficiently transforms light into heat. The wavelength and polarization sensitivity of photothermal heating from embedded gold nanorods is used to selectively process a collection of polymeric nanofibers, completely melting those fibers lying along a chosen direction while leaving the remaining material largely unheated and unaffected. Fluorescence‐based temperature and viscosity sensing was employed to confirm the presence of heating and melting in selected fibers and its absence in counter‐aligned fibers. Such tunable specificity in processing a subset of a sample, while the remainder is unchanged, cannot easily be achieved through conventional heating techniques.
Shape Matters: A Gold Nanoparticle Enabled Shape Memory Polymer Triggered by Laser Irradiation
Authors: Xiao Zhiwei , Wu Qiang , Luo Sida , Zhang Chuck , Baur Jeffery , Justice Ryan , Liu Tao
Published: February 2013

With incorporation of gold nanoparticles, i.e., nanorods (AuNR) and nanospheres (AuNS), into a polyurethane‐based shape‐memory polymer (SMP) EG‐72D matrix, SMP nanocomposite films capable of being remotely triggered by low‐power laser are fabricated and characterized using UV‐vis‐NIR spectroscopy, X‐ray scattering, and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). It is demonstrated that, with incorporation of very low concentration of gold nanorods (≈0.1 wt%), the mechanically programmed EG‐72D/AuNR nanocomposite presents rapid response to low power laser irradiation (785 nm, ≈10 mW). Comparative studies on the laser irradiation response of EG‐72D/AuNS and EG‐72D/AuNR nanocomposite films suggest that AuNRs have significantly higher photothermal conversion efficiency than AuNS and on‐resonance laser irradiation, matching the wavelength of the incident laser with the longitudinal plasmon resonance of AuNR, is necessary to induce the fast response of gold nanoparticle enabled SMP nanocomposites.
Proteomic profiling of the autoimmune response to breast cancer antigens uncovers a suppressive effect of hormone therapy
Authors: Chao Timothy , Ladd Jon J. , Qiu Ji , Johnson Melissa M. , Israel Rebecca , Chin Alice , Wang Hong , Prentice Ross L. , Feng Ziding , Disis Mary L. , Hanash Samir
Published: February 2013

Purpose

Proteomics technologies are well suited for harnessing the immune response to tumor antigens for diagnostic applications as in the case of breast cancer. We previously reported a substantial impact of hormone therapy (HT) on the proteome. Here, we investigated the effect of HT on the immune response toward breast tumor antigens.

Experimental design

Plasmas collected 0–10 months prior to diagnosis of ER+ breast cancer from 190 postmenopausal women and 190 controls that participated in the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study were analyzed for the effect of HT on IgG reactivity against arrayed proteins from MCF‐7 or SKBR3 breast cancer cell line lysates following extensive fractionation.

Results

HT user cases exhibited significantly reduced autoantibody reactivity against arrayed proteins compared to cases who were Not Current users. An associated reduced level of IL‐6 and other immune‐related cytokines was observed among HT users relative to nonusers.

Conclusion and clinical relevance

Our findings suggest occurrence of a global altered immune response to breast cancer‐derived proteins associated with HT. Thus a full understanding of factors that modulate the immune response is necessary to translate autoantibody panels into clinical applications.
Non‐allosteric enzyme switches possess larger effector‐induced changes in thermodynamic stability than their non‐switch analogs
Authors: Choi Jay H. , San Angela , Ostermeier Marc
Published: February 2013

The ability to regulate cellular protein activity offers a broad range of biotechnological and biomedical applications. Such protein regulation can be achieved by modulating the specific protein activity or through processes that regulate the amount of protein in the cell. We have previously demonstrated that the nonhomologous recombination of the genes encoding maltose binding protein (MBP) and TEM1 β‐lactamase (BLA) can result in genes that confer maltose‐dependent resistance to β‐lactam antibiotics even though the encoded proteins are not allosteric enzymes. We showed that these phenotypic switches—named based on their conferral of a switching phenotype to cells—resulted from a specific interaction with maltose in the cell that increased the switches cellular accumulation. Since phenotypic switches represent an important class of engineered proteins for basic science and biotechnological applications in vivo, we sought to elucidate the phenomena behind the increased accumulation and switching properties. Here, we demonstrate the key role for the linker region between the two proteins. Experimental evidence supports the hypothesis that in the absence of their effector, some phenotypic switches possess an increased rate of unfolding, decreased conformational stability, and increased protease susceptibility. These factors alone or in combination serve to decrease cellular accumulation. The effector functions to increase cellular accumulation by alleviating one or more of these defects. This perspective on the mechanism for phenotypic switching will aid the development of design rules for switch construction for applications and inform the study of the regulatory mechanisms of natural cellular proteins.
The Lignan (‐)‐Cubebin Inhibits Vascular Contraction and Induces Relaxation Via Nitric Oxide Activation in Isolated Rat Aorta
Authors: Carvalho Marco Túlio Menezes , Rezende Karen Cristina Souza , Evora Paulo Roberto Barbosa , Bastos Jairo Kenupp , Cunha Wilson Roberto , Andrade e Silva Marcio Luis , Celotto Andréa Carla
Published: February 2013

Cubebin, the most abundant lignan in Piper cubeba, has been described as having several effects as trypanocidal, antimycobacterial, antispasmodic, antimicrobial, anti‐inflammatory, and analgesic. This study investigated the vasorelaxant effect produced by (‐)‐cubebin in isolated rat aortic rings pre‐contracted with phenylephrine (Phe), and the possible mechanism involved in this event was evaluated. Endothelium‐dependent relaxation was evoked by acetylcholine and (‐)‐cubebin in intact aortic rings, while endothelium‐independent vasorelaxation was elicited by sodium nitroprusside and (‐)‐cubebin in denuded rings. Cumulative concentration–response curves for Phe (10−10–10−5 M) were determined for endothelium‐intact and endothelium‐denuded aortic rings in either the presence or absence of (‐)‐cubebin. Dose–response curves were also constructed for pre‐incubation of vascular rings with Nω‐nitro‐L‐arginine methyl ester (L‐NAME) (a non‐specific nitric oxide synthase inhibitor), indomethacin (an unspecific cyclooxygenase inhibitor), and 1H‐[1,2,4] oxadiazolo [4,3‐a]quinoxalin‐1‐one (ODQ) (a guanylyl cyclase inhibitor). (‐)‐Cubebin was found to exert a vasorelaxant effect irrespective of the presence of endothelium, which was abolished by pretreatment with L‐NAME and ODQ, but not with indomethacin. In addition, (‐)‐cubebin was able to reduce Phe contraction in the case of intact rings. These results suggest that (‐)‐cubebin promotes vasorelaxation via NO/cGMP pathway in rat aorta, without prostacyclin involvement. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Gas chromatography combined with mass spectrometry, flame ionization detection and elemental analyzer/isotope ratio mass spectrometry for characterizing and detecting the authenticity of commercial essential oils of Rosa damascena Mill.
Authors: Pellati Federica , Orlandini Giulia , van Leeuwen Katryna A. , Anesin Giulia , Bertelli Davide , Paolini Mauro , Benvenuti Stefania , Camin Federica
Published: February 2013

RATIONALE

The essential oil of Rosa damascena Mill. is known for its fine perfumery application, use in cosmetic preparations and for several pharmacological activities. Due to its high value, it can be easily adulterated with flavors or cheaper oils. This study is aimed at a detailed phytochemical characterization of commercial samples of R. damascena essential oil and at their authenticity assessment.

METHODS

Nineteen commercial samples of R. damascena essential oil of different geographic origin and an additional authentic one, directly extracted by hydro‐distillation from fresh flowers, were considered. GC/MS and GC/FID techniques were applied for the phytochemical analysis of the samples. EA/IRMS (Elemental Analyzer/Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry) and GC/C (Combustion)/IRMS were used to determine the δ13C composition of bulk samples and of some specific components.

RESULTS

Citronellol (28.7–55.3%), geraniol (13.5–27.3%) and nonadecane (2.6–18.9%) were the main constituents of Bulgarian and Turkish essential oils, while those from Iran were characterized by a high level of aliphatic hydrocarbons (nonadecane: 3.7–23.2%). The δ13C values of bulk samples were between −28.1 and −26.9‰, typical for C3 plants. The δ13C values of specific components were in the usual range for natural aromatic substances from C3 plants, except for geranyl acetate, which displayed higher values (up to −18‰). These unusual δ13C values were explained by the addition of a natural cheaper oil from a C4 plant (Cymbopogon martinii, palmarosa), which was found to occur in most of the essential oils.

CONCLUSION

GC/C/IRMS, in combination with GC/MS and GC/FID, can be considered as an effective and reliable tool for the authenticity control of R. damascena essential oil. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Efficiency enhancement of single off‐axis and multiple overlapping beam reflectors using dielectric‐covered focal plane array feeds
Authors: Ng Mou Kehn M.
Published: February 2013

Reflector antennas fed by dense focal plane arrays (FPAs) are known for their high aperture efficiency, low scan loss, and ability to achieve closely overlapping beams and thus improved continuity in the field of scan. These benefits are possible because FPAs comprise electrically small elements with diameters within half a wavelength, which sample the focal plane fields to a high resolution. This work explores the prospects of further enhancing the total efficiency of FPA‐fed reflector systems by using dielectric covers placed over FPA feeds composed of open‐ended waveguides. The parameters investigated are the permittivity and thickness of the dielectric layer. We will demonstrate the ability of these covers to improve the overall efficiency of reflectors compared to that of reflectors fed by uncovered FPAs, over several beam widths of scan for single steered beams, as well as to enhance the individual constituent beam efficiencies of simultaneously overlapping multiple beams.
Preservice Elementary Teachers and Explanation Construction: Knowledge‐for‐Practice and Knowledge‐in‐Practice
Authors: ZANGORI LAURA , FORBES CORY T.
Published: February 2013

Effectively designed science learning environments revolve around students’ sensemaking through the use of evidence to ground explanations about natural phenomena. However, little research has been conducted to investigate elementary teachers’ learning to promote students’ sensemaking in elementary (K‐5) classrooms. The purpose of this multiple‐case study is to explore how preservice elementary teachers conceptualize and foster students’ construction of evidence‐based explanations. Our findings show that when the preservice teachers had difficulty conceptualizing their ideas about explanation construction, they were also challenged to support students’ explanations constructed in the classroom. They frequently accepted evidence as a complete explanation and afforded their students opportunities to describe evidence rather than formulate evidence‐based claims. Furthermore, each of the preservice teachers articulated rich and varied conceptions of ways to elicit students’ prior knowledge and scaffold new knowledge construction that were not evident in their enactments in the classroom. These findings, which complement and extend those of other studies focused on in‐service elementary teachers, suggest that a lack of emphasis on sensemaking components of scientific practice could be an endemic issue across the teacher professional continuum for which elementary teachers require ongoing and multifaceted forms of support. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed 97:310–330, 2013
Alamut: a high‐performance network intrusion detection system in support of virtualized environments
Authors: Sharifi Mohsen , Salimi Hadi , Asadi Ebrahim
Published: February 2013

One of the benefits of virtualization technology is the provision of secure and isolated computing environments on a single physical machine. However, the use of virtual machines for this purpose often degrades the overall system performance that is due to emulation costs, for example, packet filtering on every virtual machine. To allow virtual machines to be favorably used as before for the provision of secure environments but with comparably less performance degradation, we propose a new architecture called Alamut in this paper for restructuring any typical network intrusion detection system (NIDS) to run in a Xen‐based virtual execution environment. In the proposed architecture, primitive mechanisms for implementing the security concerns of typical NIDSs such as signature matching are placed at the kernel level of driver domain (dom0), whereas security policies and management modules are kept in user space of that domain. Separation of mechanisms from policies allows network packets to be verified at the kernel level first hand more efficiently without requiring costly context switches to push them to user space for validation. In addition, system administrators can easily define new policies at user level and determine on which virtual machines these policies should be enforced. A proof‐of‐concept implementation of Alamut has been prototyped on the Xen hypervisor using Bro open‐source NIDS. Experimental results show approximately 3.5‐fold increase in the overall system performance when our prototype is run compared with when Bro is run. Results also show 19% improvement in network throughput. The comparison of Alamut with Snort with the same set of signatures and attacks shows that our prototyped NIDS has lower processor utilization and has captured more packets in heavy network loads. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Content integrity and non‐repudiation preserving audio‐hiding scheme based on robust digital signature
Authors: Zhu Liehuang , Liu Dan , Yu Litao , Xie Yuzhou , Wang Mingzhong
Published: February 2013

Current secure communication schemes do not take together traffic security and data security (content integrity and non‐repudiation) of the secret message into consideration, making the content prone to blind tampering and compromised party cheating attacks. In this paper, we present a scheme that hides secret audio in cover audio on the basis of robust digital signature to preserve not only hidden communication but also content integrity and non‐repudiation of the secret audio. Furthermore, instead of traditional binary authentication that only outputs yes or no, the authentication of our scheme is flexibly measurable, and the measurement value is in correspondence with the sense of human hearing precisely. Experimental results show that the proposed scheme provides highly robust authentication against content‐preserving degradations with 99.03% of test audios having the strongest authenticity (1.00) and high level of distinct authentication between content‐destructive degradations with 95.01% of test audios having relatively weak authenticity (less than 0.15). As the authentication is flexibly measureable, there is no false alarm in the semantic aspect. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Influence of near‐surface deformed layers on filiform corrosion of AA3104 aluminium alloy
Authors: Liu Y. , Hashimoto T. , Zhou X. , Thompson G. E. , Scamans G. M. , Rainforth W. M. , Hunter J. A.
Published: February 2013

The filiform corrosion behaviour of hot‐rolled AA3104 aluminium alloy was investigated in the presence of a near‐surface deformed layer produced by hot rolling. Through detailed examination of microstructure of the near‐surface deformed layer and observation of the propagation behaviour of filiform corrosion, it was found that lateral development of surface‐active filiform corrosion in the deformed layer was promoted by magnesium oxide in bands and manganese‐containing dispersoids. Further, successive‐pitting filiform corrosion was observed along the underlying grain boundaries of the bulk alloy, which develops into crystallographic corrosion of the grain interiors. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Preorogenic exhumation of the North Pyrenean Agly massif (Eastern Pyrenees‐France)
Authors: Vauchez Alain , Clerc Camille , Bestani Lucie , Lagabrielle Yves , Chauvet Alain , Lahfid Abdeltif , Mainprice David
Published: February 2013

The Pyrenees, north of the North Pyrenean fault, display a complex structure involving a succession of peridotite massifs, basement massifs, and mid‐Cretaceous to Late Cretaceous basins located in a narrow domain, which was affected by a mid‐Cretaceous, preorogenic, high‐temperature, low‐pressure metamorphism. The Late Cretaceous basins were interpreted either as pull‐apart basins formed during transcurrent motion of Iberia relative to Eurasia or as remnants of a larger extensional basin. Recent models support that peridotite massifs result from the exhumation of the mantle during this preorogenic event. The northern boundary of the Agly basement massif shows evidence of ductile deformation of the basal formations of the Agly sedimentary cover. Macroscopic and microscopic kinematics indicators consistent with asymmetry of crystallographic fabrics suggest normal sense of shear and thus suggest detachment, at least partial, of the Mesozoic cover from its basement. Triassic to Early Cretaceous limestones are mylonitic and consistently shows a foliation, a NS‐ to NE‐trending lineation, shear criteria suggesting top‐to‐the‐north shearing and locally boudinage. At the microscopic scale, mylonites are characterized by a very fine grain size, frequently <10 µm. They contain larger, partially recrystallized calcite parent grains and undeformed quartz grains with calcite fringes crystallized in pressure shadows. In these mylonites, calcite systematically shows a weak but well‐defined crystallographic‐preferred orientations, suggesting HT dislocation creep combined to diffusion creep and possibly grain boundary sliding in the finest fraction of the mylonites. Paleotemperatures determined using Raman spectrometry suggest synkinematic temperature conditions in the range 340–390°C, in good agreement with observed microstructures and calcite CPO. The mylonitic fabric in Mesozoic limestones is folded by EW‐trending Pyrenean folds north of the Agly basement massif, attesting that this fabric formed before the Pyrenean orogeny. These data consistently support preorogenic extension under medium‐temperature conditions of the northern Agly massif and likely of the massif itself. Since simultaneously (~100 Ma) a mid‐Cretaceous basin opened south of the basement massif, we suggest a model of preorogenic exhumation of the Agly massif in response to the regional extension associated to the rotation of Iberia. This model may explain the exhumation of the North Pyrenean massifs during a single preorogenic event that allowed the opening of extensional basins and the exhumation of the lithospheric mantle. All these structures being subsequently reworked during the Pyrenean orogeny.
Reduction of radar interference—stealth wind blade structure with carbon nanocomposite sheets
Authors: Kim Jinbong , Lim Dowan
Published: February 2013

Wind turbines appear to be an ongoing threat to radar systems because of their large radar cross‐sections (RCS). In particular, the Doppler shift of the radar signal caused by blade rotation can confuse even modern Doppler radar systems. To reduce the radar interference problem, this study presents a stealth wind blade structure with a minimal weight increase compared with the conventional wind blade structure, while maintaining the same manufacturing process. The Salisbury screen‐type absorbing structure with a carbon nanocomposite sheet was adapted for the wind blade. The radar‐absorbing structure was integrated with the wind blade structure by sharing the spacer and ground of the absorbing structure with the wind blade structure. A ply of carbon fabric was used as the ground, for which the reflection was verified to be greater than − 0.078 dB over the whole range of X‐band frequencies. The radar‐absorbing structure was designed to have a reflection loss greater than − 40 dB at 10 GHz. The stealth wind blade structure was manufactured via the resin transfer process used for conventional wind blades. The RCS reduction performance of the stealth wind blade was measured in the compact range at 10 GHz, and an RCS reduction of nearly 20 dB was achieved in the angle range of the most severe RCS.Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
H+ and He2 + induced W L X‐rays intensity ratios: part I, Si(Li) data and EDS high resolution insight
Authors: Chaves P. C. , Taborda A. , Marques J. P. , Reis M. A.
Published: February 2013

Recently, the authors have presented experimental evidences that for some energy windows, proton‐induced W L shell X‐rays intensity ratios of transitions to L1 subshell depend on the ion beam energy and on the chemical species even after known matrix effects are subtracted. These results, which put in question the assumption of the invariance of the relative intensity of X‐ray transitions to the same atomic subshells, are further exploited in this work, where more data for three different W compounds (W, Li2WO4 and P2O5.24WO3.xH2O) are presented followed by a detailed study using an ultra‐pure (99.995%) W thick foil, used to avoid any possible target contamination interference on the results. Samples were irradiated by H+ beams in various conditions in the energy range between 0.25 and 2.38 MeV and by He2 + beams having energies between 3.5 and 5.0 MeV. Spectra were collected using the Si(Li) detector at CTN 2.5 MV Van de Graaff standard Proton‐Induced X‐ray Emission (PIXE) set‐up as well as using the Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (EDS) high resolution X‐ray microcalorimeter spectrometer (XMS) at CTN 3.0 MV Tandetron accelerator high resolution high energy (HRHE) PIXE end station. Results were normalized to the theoretical intensity ratios and plotted as function of the ratio of collision characteristic times allowing the comparison of H+ and He2 + results. W L X‐rays intensity ratio variations are presented and compared with theoretical expected results. Radiative Auger emission transitions observed in an EDS high resolution XMS spectra are shown to probably play a crucial role in the highly unexpected results obtained for intensity ratios of transitions to the same subshell. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Multivariate analysis of hyperspectral hard X‐ray images
Authors: Egan Christopher K. , Jacques Simon D. M. , Cernik Robert J.
Published: February 2013

This article describes methods to analyse and process hyperspectral hard X‐ray imaging data. We focus on the use of multivariate techniques that exploit the spectral information to make informed decisions on the material content within each pixel of an X‐ray image. These analysis methods have the ability to auto‐segment data without prior knowledge of the sample composition or structure, and are particularly useful for studying completely unknown, diluted or complex specimens. We demonstrate the methods on a variety of hard X‐ray images including X‐ray fluorescence and absorption data recorded using a hard X‐ray imaging spectrometer. The multivariate methods described are very powerful with the ability to segment, distinguish and, in some cases, identify different materials within a single X‐ray image. Potential uses of hyperspectral X‐ray imaging are discussed varying from materials science to industrial or security applications. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Review on Nitrosyl Metal Halides and Mass Spectroscopic Support for the Dimeric Structure of [Ni(NO)I]2 and ­[Pd(NO)Cl]2. A Tribute to Walter Hieber (1895–1976) and Fritz Seel (1915–1987)
Authors: Beck Wolfgang , Fischer Gerd , Göbel Michael , Evers Jürgen , Klapötke Thomas M.
Published: February 2013

Neutral halogenido nitrosyl metal complexes and their history are reviewed. The mass spectra indicate the dimeric nature of [(ON)Ni(μ‐I)2Ni(NO)] and of [(ON)Pd(μ‐Cl)Pd(NO)] whereas hitherto a tetramer was favored for nitrosyl nickel iodide.
Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Two New Non‐Centrosymmetric Tetrasulfidometalates
Authors: Srinivasan Bikshandarkoil R. , Dhuri Sunder N. , Naik Ashish R. , Näther Christian , Bensch Wolfgang
Published: February 2013

The synthesis and structural characterization of two new group VI tetrasulfidometalates (NH4)6[MS4]3·(hmt)4 [hmt = hexamethylenetetramine; M = W (1); M = Mo (2)] is reported. 1 and 2 are isostructural and crystallize in the non‐centrosymmetric trigonal space group R3c. The (NH4)+ cations, [MS4]2– anions, and hmt molecules are joined by hydrogen bonding to form a three‐dimensional network. In the crystal structure six NH4+ ions and six [MS4]2– anions are arranged to form channels running along [001] hosting a part of the hmt molecules. The channels are surrounded by the remaining hmt molecules. The presence of hmt in the structures of 1 or 2 results in a reduction of the decomposition temperature compared to that of (NH4)2[MS4] and formation of carbon contaminated metal sulfide residues.
Higgs couplings at the end of 2012
Authors: Bélanger G. , Dumont B. , Ellwanger U. , Gunion J. F. , Kraml S.
Published: February 2013

Abstract

Performing a fit to all publicly available data, we analyze the extent to which the latest results from the LHC and Tevatron constrain the couplings of the Higgs boson like state at ~ 125 GeV. To this end we assume that only Standard Model (SM) particles appear in the Higgs decays, but tree-level Higgs couplings to the up-quarks, down-quarks and vector bosons, relative to the SM are free parameters. We also assume that the leptonic couplings relative to the SM are the same as for the down-quark, and a custodial symmetry for the V = W, Z couplings. In the simplest approach, the effective Higgs couplings to gluons and photons are computed in terms of the previous parameters. This approach is also applied to Two-Higgs-Doublet Models of Type I and Type II. However, we also explore the possibility that the net Higgs to gg and γγ couplings have extra loop contributions coming from Beyond-the-Standard Model physics. We find that the SM p- value ~ 0.5 is more than 2σ away from fits in which: a) there is some non-SM contribution to the γγ coupling of the Higgs; or b) the sign of the top quark coupling to the Higgs is opposite that of the W coupling. In both these cases p-values ~ 0.9 can be achieved. Since option b) is difficult to realize in realistic models, it would seem that new physics contributions to the effective couplings of the Higgs are preferred.
d-geometries revisited
Authors: Ceresole Anna , Ferrara Sergio , Gnecchi Alessandra , Marrani Alessio
Published: February 2013

Abstract

We analyze some properties of the four dimensional supergravity theories which originate from five dimensions upon reduction. They generalize to N > 2 extended supersymmetries the d-geometries with cubic prepotentials, familiar from N = 2 special Kähler geometry. We emphasize the role of a suitable parametrization of the scalar fields and the corresponding triangular symplectic basis. We also consider applications to the first order flow equations for non-BPS extremal black holes.
Resolving anti-brane singularities through time-dependence
Authors: Blåbäck Johan , Danielsson Ulf H. , Van Riet Thomas
Published: February 2013

Abstract

In this note we discuss a possible resolution of the flux singularities associated with the insertion of branes in backgrounds supported by fluxes that carry charges opposite to the branes. We present qualitative arguments that such a setup could be unstable both in the closed and open string sector. The singularities in the fluxes then get naturally resolved by taking the true solution to be a time-dependent process in which flux gets attracted towards the brane and subsequently annihilates.
MRI morphometric characterisation of the paediatric cervical spine and spinal cord in children with MPS IVA (Morquio‐Brailsford syndrome)
Authors: Solanki Guirish A. , Lo William B. , Hendriksz Christian J.
Published: February 2013

Nearly all children with MPS IVA develop skeletal deformities affecting the spine. At the atlanto‐axial spine, odontoid hypoplasia occurs. GAG deposition around the dens, leads to peri‐odontoid infiltration. Transverse/alar ligament incompetence causes instability. Atlanto‐axial instability is associated with cord compression and myelopathy, leading to major morbidity and mortality. Intervention is often required. Does the presence of widened bullet shaped vertebra in platyspondily encroach on the spinal canal and cause spinal stenosis in MPS IVA? So far, there have been no standardised morphometric measurements of the paediatric MPS IVA cervical spine to evaluate whether there is pre‐existing spinal stenosis predisposing to compressive myelopathy or whether this is purely an acquired process secondary to instability and compression. This study provides the first radiological quantitative analysis of the cervical spine and spinal cord in a series of affected children. MRI morphometry indicates that the MPS IVA spine is narrower at C1–2 level giving an inverted funnel shape. There is no evidence of a reduction in the Torg ratio (canal‐body ratio) in the cervical spine. The spinal canal does not exceed 11 mm at any level, significantly smaller than normal historical cohorts (14 mm). The sagittal diameter and axial surface area of both spinal canal and cord are reduced. C1–2 level cord compression was evident in the canal‐cord ratio but the Torg ratio was not predictive of cord compression. In MPS IVA the reduction in the space available for the cord (SAC) is multifactorial rather than due to congenital spinal stenosis.
Development of an attachment‐informed measure of sexual behavior in late adolescence
Authors: Szielasko Alicia L. , Symons Douglas K. , Lisa Price E.
Published: February 2013

There is considerable interest in relations between sexual behavior and romantic attachment styles in adolescence as attachment needs are increasingly met through intimate partners rather than parents. The objectives of this research were to organize a measure of sexual behavior within an attachment theory framework, and then show that this new measure uniquely predicted sexual approach styles and invasive sexual experiences. 190 18‐ and 19‐year‐old university students in late adolescence completed sexual behavior items that were provided ambivalent (anxious) and avoidant dimensions. These were systematically related to the romantic attachment dimensions of the Experiences in Close Relationships – Revised. However, even after romantic relationship style, gender, and social desirability were controlled, avoidance in sexual relationships predicted lifetime sexual partner number and negatively predicted positive sexual strategies, and ambivalence in sexual relationships predicted invasive and coercive sexual behaviors. A measure specific to sexual relationships informs the attachment and romantic context of sex in late adolescence.
Cosmogenic nuclide constraints on late Quaternary glacial chronology on the Dalijia Shan, northeastern Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Wang Jie , Kassab Christine , Harbor Jonathan M. , Caffee Marc W. , Cui Hang , Zhang Guoliang
Published: February 2013

Cosmogenic nuclide (CN) apparent exposure dating has become a widely used method for determining the age of glacial landforms on the Tibetan Plateau with > 1200 published ages. We present the first 10Be exposure ages from the Dalijia Shan, the most northeastern formerly glaciated mountain range on the Tibetan Plateau. The moraine groups identified from field and remote sensing imagery mapping record four glacial events at 37.07 ± 3.70 to 52.96 ± 4.70 ka (MIS 3), 20.17 ± 1.79 to 26.99 ± 2.47 ka (MIS 2), 16.92 ± 1.49 to 18.76 ± 1.88 ka (MIS 2), and 11.56 ± 1.03 to 11.89 ± 1.06 ka (Younger Dryas). These ages indicate that glaciation in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau is much younger than previously thought. In addition, this record is consistent with many other regions on the Tibetan Plateau, with a local last glacial maximum during MIS 3 asynchronous with Northern Hemisphere last glacial maximum during MIS 2. The Dalijia Shan might also include an event of Younger Dryas age, but this needs to be tested in future studies.
Travels through North and South Carolina, Georgia, East and West Florida, the Cherokee Country, the Extensive Territories of the Muscogulges or Creek Confederacy, and the Country of the Chactaws
Authors: Bartram William
Published: February 2013

The son of a naturalist, William Bartram (1739–1823) was commissioned to undertake a tour of south-eastern North America in 1773. Collecting seeds, taking specimens and making meticulous drawings and observations of previously unknown flora and fauna, his four-year expedition took him from the foothills of the Appalachians, through Florida and on to the Mississippi. First published in 1791, within ten years this account had been translated into German, French and Dutch. A unique historical record now, and of particular interest at the time, his accounts of the Seminole, Creek and Cherokee Indians were seen by contemporaries as being sympathetic towards peoples commonly regarded as little better than savages, but his writings persuaded others of the need for a more humane approach to the indigenous people. This work influenced not only scientists, but writers such as Wordsworth and Coleridge, and it remains a classic of American science, history and literature.
State Strategies in Multi-Ethnic Territories: Explaining Variation in the Former Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc
Authors: Daly Sarah Zukerman
Published: February 2013

After the collapse of the Soviet bloc, its twenty-seven successor states were charged with devising policies with respect to their ethnic minorities. This shock enables an analysis of the conditions that render states more likely to repress, exclude, assimilate or accommodate their minorities. One would anticipate that groups that are most ‘threatening’ to the state's territorial integrity are more likely to experience repression. However the data do not validate this expectation. Instead, the analysis suggests that minority groups’ demographics and states’ coercive capacities better account for variation in ethnic minority policies. While less robust, the findings further indicate the potential importance of lobby states and Soviet multinational legacies in determining minority rights. The results have implications for ethnic politics, human rights, nationalism, democratization and political violence.
A 10-year single-centre experience in percutaneous interventions for multi-stage treatment of hypoplastic left heart syndrome
Authors: Moszura Tomasz , Dryzek Pawel , Goreczny Sebastian , Mazurek-Kula Anna , Moll Jacek J. , Sysa Andrzej , Bobkowski Waldemar , Moll Jadwiga A. , Qureshi Shakeel A.
Published: February 2013

Objectives

The purpose of this paper is to report our 10 years of experience of interventional treatment of patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and to focus on the frequency, type, and results of percutaneous interventions during all the stages of palliation, considering the different techniques, devices, and complications.

Background

Constant progress in surgical treatment of congenital heart defects in the last decade has significantly improved the prognosis for children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. However, morbidity and mortality remain relatively high. Modern interventional procedures complement or occasionally replace surgical treatment.

Methods

Between January, 2001 and December, 2010, 161 percutaneous interventions were performed in 88 patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Patients were divided into four groups: (a) before the first surgical treatment including hybrid approach, (b) after first-stage Norwood operation, (c) after second-stage bidirectional Glenn operation, and (d) after third-stage Fontan operation.

Results

Percutaneous interventions resulted in statistically significant changes in pulmonary artery pressures, vessel diameters, and O2saturation. Complications occurred in 4.3% of interventions and were related mainly to stent implantation in stenosed pulmonary arteries.

Conclusions

Percutaneous interventions may result in haemodynamic stability and reduction in the number of operations. They may result in significant changes in pulmonary artery pressures, vessel diameters, O2saturation, with a low rate of complications, which are mainly related to stent implantation in the pulmonary arteries.
Associations between knowledge of disease, depression and anxiety, social support, sense of coherence and optimism with health-related quality of life in an ambulatory sample of adolescents with heart disease
Authors: Wang QiFeng , Hay Margaret , Clarke David , Menahem Samuel
Published: February 2013

Introduction

Advances in overall management have led to an increasing number of adolescents with congenital heart disease reaching adulthood. This study aimed to evaluate the health-related quality of life in adolescents with heart disease, and examine its relationship with the adolescents’ knowledge and understanding of their congenital heart disease, its severity, and its relationship to the degree of anxiety and depression, feeling of optimism and sense of coherence experienced by the adolescents together with their social support.

Methods and results

Adolescents with heart disease were recruited from an ambulatory setting at a tertiary centre. Patients completed self-report questionnaires including the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory 3.0-Cardiac Module, a questionnaire assessing the adolescents’ knowledge of their cardiac condition, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Life Orientation Test-Revised, and Sense of Coherence-13, supplemented by clinical information provided by the attending cardiologists. A total of 114 patients aged 12–20 years were recruited over 15 months. In all, 98% of patients were in New York Heart Association class I. Their health-related quality of life was found to positively correlate with a low level of anxiety and depression (Pearson correlation, r = −0.57, p < 0.001), a good knowledge of their cardiac condition (r = 0.31, p < 0.01), feelings of optimism (r = 0.39, p < 0.001), adequate social support (r = 0.27, p < 0.01), and a strong sense of coherence (r = 0.24, p < 0.01).

Conclusions

Adolescents’ knowledge and understanding of their cardiac abnormality together with an improved sense of well-being had a positive influence on their health-related quality of life.
The Work and Social Adjustment Scale as a Measure of Dysfunction in Chronic Insomnia: Reliability and Validity
Authors: Jansson-Fröjmark Markus
Published: February 2013

Background: Dysfunction is an integral part of chronic insomnia. Despite this, very little effort has yet been made to design and psychometrically validate an insomnia-specific measure of dysfunction. Aims: The purpose was to examine the psychometric properties of the Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS) as a measure of dysfunction in chronic insomnia. Method: Seventy-three patients with chronic insomnia from three subsamples participated. All the patients completed the WSAS, the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and sleep diaries over one week. Results: An exploratory factor analysis suggested a one-factor solution for the WSAS, determining dysfunction, accounting for 73.7% of the variance. The internal consistency of the WSAS was α = .91. The test-retest reliability for the WSAS items was high at .90–.99 and for the entire scale .99. A cut-off at 17 points was established, discriminating those with subclinical versus moderate or severe clinical insomnia (88% sensitivity and 78% specificity). Evidence of convergent and criterion validity was documented via (1) a significant, positive association between the WSAS and ISI and (2) a higher WSAS score among those with severe clinical insomnia, relative to those with moderate clinical and subthreshold insomnia, as well as a higher WSAS score among those with moderate clinical insomnia relative to those with subthreshold insomnia. The WSAS was also shown to be a treatment-sensitive measure for insomnia patients. Conclusions: The WSAS appears as a reliable and valid measure of dysfunction in chronic insomnia. Additional advantages are its shortness, easiness, and treatment-sensitivity.
Evaluation of a cooking skills programme in parents of young children – a longitudinal study
Authors: Garcia Ada L , Vargas Elisa , Lam Po S , Shennan David B , Smith Fiona , Parrett Alison
Published: February 2013

Objective

To evaluate longitudinally the effectiveness of a cooking programme on self-reported confidence about cooking skills and food consumption patterns in parents of young children.

Design

An evaluation of cooking programmes delivered by National Health Service (NHS) community food workers using a single group pre-test/post-test repeated measures design. A shortened version of a validated questionnaire at baseline, post intervention and 1-year follow-up determined confidence in cooking using basic ingredients, following a simple recipe, tasting new foods, preparing and cooking new foods on consumption of ready meals, vegetables and fruit.

Setting

Deprived communities in Ayrshire and Arran, Scotland.

Subjects

Parents of nursery age children, 97 % were female and <45 years old.

Results

One hundred and two participants had completed baseline and post-intervention questionnaires. Forty-four participants contacted by telephone completed a follow-up questionnaire. In participants who completed all questionnaires (n 44), median confidence in four aspects of cooking increased significantly from baseline to post intervention (P < 0·001) but was retained at 1-year follow-up only for following a simple recipe and preparing and cooking new foods. Improved food consumption patterns were reported from baseline to post intervention (ready-meal consumption reduced from 2-4 times/week to 1 time/week, P < 0·001; vegetable consumption increased from 5–6 times/week to 1 time/d, P < 0·001; fruit consumption increased from 5–6 times/week to 1 time/d, P < 0·001) and remained at 1-year follow-up.

Conclusions

The cooking programmes appeared to improve cooking confidence and food consumption patterns in the target group and some of these changes were retained after 1 year.
Genotype by environment interaction and neurodevelopment III. Focus on the child's broader social ecology
Authors: Bellani M. , Nobile M. , Bianchi V. , van Os J. , Brambilla P.
Published: February 2013

In a short series of articles, we will review the evidence for genotype by environment interaction (G × E) in developmental psychopathology. We will focus specifically on the characteristics of types of exposure assessed with respect to both their methods and findings. This article aims to review the studies exploring the effects of the child's broader social ecology on child and adolescent internalizing and externalizing psychopathology, based on a G × E perspective.
28-jährige Patientin mit Eisenmangelanämie
Authors: Pavlov Nikolay , Strebel Bruno M. , Brill Anne-Kathrin , Schmidtko Jan , Cottagnoud Philippe , Stucki Armin N.
Published: February 2013

Wir berichten über eine 28-jährige Patientin mit Turner-Syndrom und einer Eisenmangelanämie. Der Hämoccult-Test war intermittierend positiv, eine Blutungsquelle konnte in früheren oberen und unteren Endoskopien nicht gefunden werden. Die Kapselendoskopie zeigte multiple vaskuläre Malformationen im Jejunum und Ileum. Insbesondere zeigt unser Fallbeispiel die grosse Bedeutung der Kapselendoskopie zur Lokalisation von okkulten Blutungen im Bereich des Dünndarms. Wir diskutieren die verschiedene diagnostische Möglichkeiten und Therapieoptionen.