bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk and protective factors, longitudinal research, and bullying prevention
Authors: Ttofi Maria M. , Farrington David P.
Published: April 2012

This chapter presents the results from two systematic/meta‐analytic reviews of longitudinal studies on the association of school bullying (perpetration and victimization) with adverse health and criminal outcomes later in life. Significant associations between the two predictors and the outcomes are found even after controlling for other major childhood risk factors that are measured before school bullying. The results indicate that effective antibullying programs should be encouraged. They could be viewed as a form of early crime prevention as well as an early form of public health promotion. The findings from a systematic/meta‐analytic review on the effectiveness of antibullying programs are also presented. Overall, school‐based antibullying programs are effective, leading to an average decrease in bullying of 20 to 23 percent and in victimization of 17 to 20 percent. The chapter emphasizes the lack of prospective longitudinal research in the area of school bullying, which does not allow examination of whether any given factor (individual, family,. or social) is a correlate, a predictor, or a possible cause for bullying. This has important implications for future antibullying initiatives, as well as implications for the refinement of theories of school bullying. It is necessary to extend the framework of the traditional risk‐focused approach by incorporating the notion of resiliency and investigating possible protective factors against school bullying and its negative consequences.
Modified signals for supersymmetry in the NMSSM with a singlino-like LSP
Authors: Das Debottam , Ellwanger Ulrich , Teixeira Ana M.
Published: April 2012

Abstract

In the framework of the NMSSM with a singlino-like LSP, we study quantitatively the impact of the additional bino → singlino cascade on the efficiencies in several search channels for supersymmetry of the ATLAS and CMS collaborations. Compared to the MSSM, the additional cascade reduces the missing transverse energy, but leads to additional jets or leptons. For the NMSSM benchmark lines which generalize cMSSM benchmark points, the efficiencies in the most relevant 2/3 jet + missing energy search channels can drop by factors ~ 1/3 to ~ 1/7, and can reduce the present lower bounds on M
1/2 by as much as ~ 0.9 − 0.75 in the NMSSM for large bino-singlino mass differences. The larger efficiencies in multijet or multilepton search channels are not strong enough to affect this conclusion. In the fully constrained cNMSSM, sparticle decay cascades via the lightest stau can lead to signal cross sections in multilepton and 2τ search channels which are potentially visible at the LHC with 7 TeV center of mass energy.
Seprafilm® adhesion barrier: (2) a review of the clinical literature on intraabdominal use
Authors: Diamond Michael P. , Burns Ellen L. , Accomando Beverly , Mian Sadiqa , Holmdahl Lena
Published: April 2012

This study seeks to provide a review of the clinical data published as of July 2011 concerning the postsurgical adhesion barrier, Seprafilm (chemically modified hyaluronic acid and carboxymethylcelulose; Genzyme Corporation, Cambridge, MA). Included articles detail the application of Seprafilm for intraabdominal uses that have been approved (on-label) and those considered investigational (off-label) by the FDA. Medline and EMBASE Drugs and Pharmaceuticals databases were searched for all original clinical Seprafilm research published as of July 2011. All human Seprafilm intraabdominal clinical reports and studies, excluding those related to prosthetic mesh were included. Data extraction involved the systematic review of each article. The data synthesis is the summary of Seprafilm human intraabdominal clinical reports and studies describing safety and/or efficacy. The safety and efficacy of Seprafilm in reducing postoperative adhesions has been clearly demonstrated in abdominal and pelvic laparotomy. While reports have described the safe and successful use of Seprafilm following laparoscopy, pediatric laparotomy, and in patients with malignancy and/or infection, the safety and efficacy of Seprafilm use in these procedures has not been definitively established in randomized controlled trials.
Talking About Evolution in Natural History Museums
Authors: Gay Honor
Published: April 2012

The Natural History Museum’s approach to conducting learning conversations about evolution with visitors in the galleries is described. Potentially difficult scenarios were identified, and training was developed for education staff and volunteers to enable them to engage visitors with a range of motivations and beliefs. Workshops and discussion events focusing on evolution, which form part of the museum’s education program, are also described.
Evolutionary Theory and the Florence Paleontological Collections
Authors: Dominici Stefano , Cioppi Elisabetta
Published: April 2012

Florence has a tradition of Natural Philosophy, and since as early as the sixteenth century fossils were collected by the Granduke. The Museum of Natural History of the University of Florence houses today collections that belonged to Nicolas Steno, when fossils were for the first time used as documents to reconstruct Earth history. Natural philosophers and geologists, both Italian and foreigners, continued to study fossils collected in Tertiary strata of Tuscany until the nineteenth century, when the first speculations on the origin of species were proposed. Charles Darwin himself mentions fossil vertebrates that are today on show in our museum. In the last years, this part of the history of science has been proposed to the public. The aim was to foster an understanding of the centrality of fossils in two cultural revolutions, the discovery of deep time and the birth of evolutionary theory–connected among themselves and with the emergence of geology. Dedicated volumes, public conferences, guided visits to the collections, and field trips to paleontological sites have attracted an attentive and responsive public, showing that the history of science can help deliver modern evolutionary thinking. Other activities aimed at students of all ages have also shown that the interaction between schools, university teachers, and museum personnel is vital to form the mind of future generations on the reality of the evolution of natural systems.
Predictors of short – and long-term clinical outcome in schizophrenic psychosis – the Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort study
Authors: Juola P. , Miettunen J. , Veijola J. , Isohanni M. , Jääskeläinen E.
Published: April 2012

Objective:

Since the outcome in schizophrenia is heterogeneous and often poor, identification of specific predictors of outcome would be useful in clinical practice.

Methods:

Subjects with schizophrenic psychoses (n= 103) included in the Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort (n= 12,058), representing the general population, were followed-up for an average of 16.4 years. Predictor and outcome data were collected from the nationwide Finnish Hospital Discharge Register, hospital records and interviews.

Results:

Insidious onset of illness predicted a rehospitalization due to psychosis in the 2 years after the initial discharge. Being single, having an early onset, insidious onset, suicidal ideations upon the first admission, a rehospitalization and a high number of treatment days due to psychosis in the early stages of the illness all predicted a poorer clinical outcome in the longer term, after a minimum follow-up of 10 years.

Conclusions:

This population-based study indicates that clinical and sociodemographic factors around the onset of illness have significance for the long-term outcome in schizophrenia. These prognostic factors should be taken into account in clinical practice.
Evidence that AKT and GSK‐3β pathway are involved in acute hyperhomocysteinemia
Authors: da Cunha Aline A. , Horn Ana Paula , Hoppe Juliana B. , Grudzinski Patrícia B. , Loureiro Samanta O. , Ferreira Andréa G.K. , da Cunha Maira J. , Schmitz Felipe , Salbego Christianne G. , Wyse Angela T.S.
Published: April 2012

Homocysteine is a neurotoxic amino acid that accumulates in several disorders including homocystinuria, neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases. In the present study we evaluated the effect of acute and chronic hyperhomocysteinemia on Akt, NF‐κB/p65, GSK‐3β, as well asTauprotein in hippocampus of rats. For acute treatment, rats received a single injection of homocysteine (0.6 μmol/g body weight) or saline (control). For chronic treatment, rats received daily subcutaneous injections of homocysteine (0.3–0.6 μmol/g body weight) or saline (control) from the 6th to the 28th days‐of‐age. One or 12 h after the last injection, rats were euthanized, the hippocampus was removed and samples were submitted to electrophoresis followed by Western blotting. Results showed that acute hyperhomocysteinemia increases Akt phosphorylation, cytosolic and nuclear immunocontent of NF‐κB/p65 subunit andTauprotein phosphorylation, but reduces GSK‐3β phosphorylation at 1 h after homocysteine injection. However, 12 h after acute hyperhomocysteinemia there is no effect on Akt and GSK‐3β phosphorylation. Furthermore, chronic hyperhomocysteinemia did not alter Akt and GSK‐3β phosphorylation at 1 h and 12 h after the last administration of this amino acid. Our data showed that Akt, NF‐κB/p65, GSK‐3β andTauprotein are activated in hippocampus of rats subjected to acute hyperhomocysteinemia, suggesting that these signaling pathways may be, at least in part, important contributors to the neuroinflammation and/or brain dysfunction observed in some hyperhomocystinuric patients.
Is the body adiposity index (hip circumference/height1·5) more strongly related to skinfold thicknesses and risk factor levels than is BMI? The Bogalusa Heart Study
Authors: Freedman David S. , Blanck Heidi M. , Dietz William H. , DasMahapatra Pronabesh , Srinivasan Sathanur R. , Berenson Gerald S.
Published: April 2012

Because of its strong association (r 0·85) with percentage of body fat determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, hip circumference divided by height1·5 (the body adiposity index) has recently been proposed as an index of body fatness among adults. We examined whether this proposed index was more strongly associated with skinfold thicknesses and levels of CVD risk factors (lipids, fasting insulin and glucose, and blood pressure) than was BMI among 2369 18- to 49-year-olds in the Bogalusa Heart Study. All analyses indicated that the body adiposity index was less strongly associated with skinfold thicknesses and CVD risk factors than was either waist circumference or BMI. Correlations with the skinfold sum, for example, were r 0·81 (BMI) v.r 0·75 (body adiposity index) among men, and r 0·87 (BMI) v.r 0·80 among women; P< 0·001 for both differences. An overall index of seven CVD risk factors was also more strongly associated with BMI (r 0·58) and waist circumference (r 0·61) than with the body adiposity index (r 0·49). The weaker associations with the body adiposity index were observed in analyses stratified by sex, race, age and year of examination. Multivariable analyses indicated that if either BMI or waist circumference were known, the body adiposity index provided no additional information on skinfold thicknesses or risk factor levels. These findings indicate that the body adiposity index is likely to be an inferior index of adiposity than is either BMI or waist circumference.
Yield, nutritive value and ensilage characteristics of whole-crop maize, and of the separated cob and stover components – nitrogen, harvest date and cultivar effects
Authors: LYNCH J. P. , O'KIELY P. , DOYLE E. M.
Published: April 2012

The objectives of the present study were to determine the effects of nitrogen (N) application rate, harvest date and maize cultivar on the yield, quality and the subsequent conservation characteristics of whole-crop, cob and stover silages. The experiment was organized in a spilt-plot design, with harvest date (15 September, 6 October and 27 October) as the main plot, and a three (maize cultivars: Tassilo, Andante and KXA 7211)×two (N application rate: 33 and 168 kg N/ha) factorial arrangement of treatments as the sub-plot, within three replicate blocks, and was conducted at Grange, Dunsany, Co. Meath, Ireland in 2009. The three harvest dates represented early, normal and late harvests, respectively, for a midland site in Ireland. Of the three maize cultivars selected, cvars Tassilo and Andante represent conventional cultivars sown by commercial livestock farmers in Ireland, while cvar KXA 7211 is categorized as a high biomass cultivar. No effect of N application rate was observed on the dry matter (DM) yield, nutritive value or ensiling characteristics of maize whole-crop or cob. Whole-crop and stover harvested on the later date had a lower digestible DM (DDM) content and the silages underwent a more restricted fermentation, compared to silages produced from herbage harvested on earlier dates. Cob silages produced from crops harvested on 15 September had lower DDM content and higher DM loss during ensiling than later harvest dates. Despite higher whole-crop DM yields, the later maturing cultivar KXA 7211 did not improve the DM yields of cob and also resulted in increased DM losses from the ensilage of cob, when compared with the other cultivars. In addition to the DM yield and nutritive value of forage maize at harvest, the subsequent fermentation profile during ensilage influences the optimum choice of cultivar and date for crop harvest in a maize silage production system.
Development and availability of the free-living stages of Ostertagia gruehneri, an abomasal parasite of barrenground caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus), on the Canadian tundra
Authors: HOAR BRYANNE M. , RUCKSTUHL KATHREEN , KUTZ SUSAN
Published: April 2012

Climate change in the Arctic is anticipated to alter the ecology of northern ecosystems, including the transmission dynamics of many parasite species. One parasite of concern is Ostertagia gruehneri, an abomasal nematode of Rangifer ssp. that causes reduced food intake, weight loss, and decreased pregnancy rates in reindeer. We investigated the development, availability, and overwinter survival of the free-living stages of O. gruehneri on the tundra. Fecal plots containing O. gruehneri eggs were established in the Northwest Territories, Canada under natural and artificially warmed conditions and sampled throughout the growing season of 2008 and the spring of 2009. Infective L3 were present 3–4 weeks post-establishment from all trials under both treatments, except for the trial established 4 July 2008 under warmed conditions wherein the first L3 was recovered 7 weeks post-establishment. These plots were exposed to significantly more time above 30°C than the natural plots established on the same date, suggesting a maximum temperature threshold for development. There was high overwinter survival of L2 and L3 across treatments and overwintering L2 appeared to develop to L3 the following spring. The impact of climate change on O. gruehneri is expected to be dynamic throughout the year with extreme maximum temperatures negatively impacting development rates.
Foetal origins of depression? A systematic review and meta-analysis of low birth weight and later depression
Authors: Wojcik W. , Lee W. , Colman I. , Hardy R. , Hotopf M.
Published: April 2012

Background

The foetal origins hypothesis suggests an association between low birth weight and later depression, yet evidence supporting this association has been inconsistent.

Method

We systematically reviewed evidence for an association between low birth weight and adult depression or psychological distress in the general population by meta-analysis. We searched EMBASE, Medline, PsycINFO and ISI Web of Science for studies reporting observational data with low birth weight as the exposure and self- or clinician-rated depression or psychological distress measures as an outcome. Selective studies of exposures such as famine or outcomes such as severe illness only were excluded. Altogether,1454 studies were screened for relevance, 26 were included in the qualitative synthesis, 18 were included in the meta-analysis. A random effects meta-analysis method was used to obtain a pooled estimate of effect size.

Results

The odds of depression or psychological distress was greater for those of low birth weight (<2500 g) compared to those of normal birth weight (>2500 g) or greater [odds ratio (OR) 1.15, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.00–1.32]. However, this association became non-significant after trim-and-fill correction for publication bias (OR 1.08, 95% CI 0.92–1.27). Using meta-regression, no differences in effect size were observed by gender, outcome measure of depression or psychological distress, or whether the effect size was adjusted for possible confounders.

Conclusions

We found evidence to support a weak association between low birth weight and later depression or psychological distress, which may be due to publication bias. It remains possible that the association may vary according to severity of symptoms or other factors.
A COMPARISON OF PHARMACEUTICAL REIMBURSEMENT AGENCIES' PROCESSES AND METHODS IN FRANCE AND SCOTLAND
Authors: Bending Matthew , Hutton John , McGrath Clare
Published: April 2012

Objectives:Pharmaceutical reimbursement agencies’ processes and methods of appraisal vary across countries. The objective of this study was to examine the contribution of formal health economic analysis in a process using such analysis in Scotland in comparison to a process not routinely using such analysis in France.

Methods:A framework for classifying reimbursement systems was used to analyze the two systems. A typology of recommendation was defined and a qualitative analysis of decisions on a sample of medicines appraised by both reimbursement agencies was conducted. Reasons for differences in recommendations were analyzed and case studies selected to illustrate the common reasons.

Results:Thirty-nine common medicines appraised by both agencies were identified between 2005 and 2010, treating a variety of diseases for which the Scottish Medicines Consortium tended to provide more restrictive, or did not recommend, listing. Similarities in clinical evidence submitted to the respective reimbursement committees were observed. Differences in recommendation can be explained by a combination of the manufacturer's freedom to set price and the incentives provided by the consideration of health economic analysis and quality of life, alongside differences in relevant comparators, relevant outcomes, treatment guidelines, and the propensity to use network meta-analysis, in decision making.

Conclusions:This study provides some explanations and hypotheses for the differences observed in recommendations for a selected sample of medicines with regards to differences in appraisal processes and methods adopted. Further research using larger datasets may allow stakeholders to assess the impact of such differences on the efficient use of health resources.
WHAT DO WE MEAN BY TALKING ABOUT “VALUE(S)”? A REPLY TO SAARNI ET AL.
Authors: Dengler Kathrin , Bittner Uta
Published: April 2012

In their article “Different methods for ethical analysis in health technology assessment: An empirical study” published inInternational Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care, Volume 27 Number 4, Samuli I. Saarni, Annette Braunack-Mayer, Bjørn Hofmann, and Gert Jan van der Wilt present an empirical study about different methods for ethical analysis in health technology assessment (HTA). They claim that ethical analysis is an important issue which can highlight values inherent in a technology and value-decisions underlying a HTA process (4). Although their study is rich in detail; gives an interesting overview of casuistry, principlism, and axiological ethic frameworks; and make ethical evaluations within HTA more transparent, we suppose, one important point needs further serious discussion: the clarification of what is meant by “value.”
Interferon-α induces nitric oxide synthase expression and haem oxygenase-1 down-regulation in microglia: implications of cellular mechanism of IFN-α-induced depression
Authors: Lu Dah-Yuu , Leung Yuk-Man , Su Kuan-Pin
Published: April 2012

Substantiating evidence for the inflammation theory of depression is that interferon-alpha (IFN-α) induces clinical depression. Despite numerous researches on neurochemical and neuroendocrinological mechanisms from human and animal studies, the direct mechanisms of IFN-α at cellular levels are still lacking. In this study, we aimed to identify the cellular mechanisms for IFN-α-induced neuroinflammatory response with the murine BV-2 microglia cell line. IFN-α potently induced nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and nitric oxide (NO) release and down-regulated haem oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression, which could be dampened by Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibition, respectively. IFN-α activated JAK1, JNK, signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT)1 and STAT3, but not extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) and phosphoinositide 3 (PI3) kinase, signal pathways. The transfection with STAT1 and STAT3 siRNA also inhibited IFN-α-induced iNOS/NO expression and HO-1 down-regulation. The HO-1 activator, CoppIX, reversed iNOS/NO up-regulation and HO-1 down-regulation induced by IFN-α. On the other hand, a knockdown of HO-1 expression enhanced IFN-α-induced iNOS/NO expression. The effects of IFN-α-induced iNOS/NO up-regulation and HO-1 down-regulation in microglia are associated with JAK1/JNK/STAT1 and STAT3 signalling pathways. The different effects between IFN-α and IFN-γ on HO-1 regulation and ERK phosphorylation might provide a possible explanation of different risk in their induction of neuropsychiatric adverse effects in clinical and animal studies. The results from this study add the missing part of direct cellular mechanisms for IFN-α-induced depression.
Gesellschaftliche Herausforderungen für Bildungsforschung und -praxis
Authors: Spinath Birgit , Hasselhorn Marcus , Artelt Cordula , Köller Olaf , Möller Jens , Brünken Roland
Published: April 2012

Zusammenfassung. Da die Verbesserung des Bildungssystems und die damit verbundene gerechtere Verteilung von Ressourcen in den letzten Jahren zu zentralen Herausforderungen unserer Gesellschaft geworden sind, ist der Stellenwert der interdisziplinären Bildungsforschung mit starker Beteiligung der Pädagogischen Psychologie enorm angestiegen. Es ist daher ein guter Zeitpunkt, aktuelle Entwicklungen der Bildungsforschung und Bildungspraxis in Deutschland zusammenzufassen. Der vorliegende Artikel zeigt entlang der Stationen vorschulische, schulische, hochschulische Bildung im Allgemeinen und Lehrerbildung im Speziellen sowie dem lebenslanges Lernen auf, welchen Herausforderungen unsere Gesellschaft bezogen auf die Bildung gegenübersteht und in welchen Veränderungen der Bildungspraxis sich diese niederschlagen. Für jede dieser Stationen wird anhand von Beispielen dargestellt, inwiefern die pädagogisch-psychologische Bildungsforschung Veränderungen der Bildungspraxis angestoßen oder aber auf diese reagiert hat. Gleichzeitig werden Bereiche aufgezeigt, die Chancen für die Entwicklung der pädagogisch-psychologischen Bildungsforschung bereithalten. Es wird ein Fazit zu der Frage formuliert, welche Rolle pädagogisch-psychologische Bildungsforschung bei der Gestaltung der Bildungspraxis in Deutschland spielt.
Magnetosheath pressure pulses: Generation downstream of the bow shock from solar wind discontinuities
Authors: Archer M. O. , Horbury T. S. , Eastwood J. P.
Published: April 2012

We present multipoint Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) observations of transient dynamic pressure pulses in the magnetosheath 3–10 times the background in amplitude, due to enhancements in both the ion density and velocity. Their spatial dimensions are of the order of ∼1 RE parallel to the flow and ∼0.2–0.5 RE perpendicular to it, inferred from the difference in the amplitudes observed by the different spacecraft. For the first time, simultaneous observations of the solar wind and foreshock are also shown, proving no similar dynamic pressure enhancements exist upstream of the bow shock and that the majority of pulses are downstream of the quasi‐parallel shock. By considering previously suggested mechanisms for their generation, we show that the pressure pulses cannot be caused by reconnection, hot flow anomalies, or short, large‐amplitude magnetic structures and that at least some of the pressure pulses appear to be consistent with previous simulations of solar wind discontinuities interacting with the bow shock. These simulations predict large‐amplitude pulses when the local geometry of the shock changes from quasi‐perpendicular to quasi‐parallel, while the opposite case should also produce notable pulses but typically of lower amplitude. Therefore, in a given region of the magnetosheath, some of the discontinuities in the solar wind should generate pressure pulses, whereas others are expected not to. There is also evidence that the pulses can impinge upon the magnetopause, causing its motion.
Interplanetary dust detection by radio antennas: Mass calibration and fluxes measured by STEREO/WAVES
Authors: Zaslavsky A. , Meyer‐Vernet N. , Mann I. , Czechowski A. , Issautier K. , Le Chat G. , Pantellini F. , Goetz K. , Maksimovic M. , Bale S. D. , Kasper J. C.
Published: April 2012

We analyze dust impacts recorded by the S/WAVES radio instrument onboard the two STEREO spacecraft near 1 A.U. during the period 2007–2010. The impact of a dust particle on a spacecraft produces a plasma cloud whose associated electric field can be detected by on‐board electric antennas. For this study we use the electric potential time series recorded by the waveform sampler of the instrument. The high time resolution and long sampling times of this measurement enable us to deduce considerably more information than in previous studies based on the dynamic power spectra provided by the same instrument or by radio instruments onboard other spacecraft. The large detection area compared to conventional dust detectors provides flux data with a better statistics. We show that the dust‐generated signals are of two kinds, corresponding to impacts of dust from distinctly different mass ranges. We propose calibration formulas for these signals and show that we are able to use S/WAVES as a dust detector with convincing results both in the nanometer and micrometer size ranges. In the latter, the orbital motion of the spacecraft enables us to distinguish between interstellar and interplanetary dust components. Our measurements cover the mass intervals ∼10−22–10−20 kg and ∼10−17 − 5 × 10−16 kg. The flux of the larger dust agrees with measurements of other instruments on different spacecraft.
From atmospheric winds to fracture ventilation: Cause and effect
Authors: Nachshon Uri , Dragila Maria , Weisbrod Noam
Published: April 2012

Vadose zone fractures and soil cracks exposed to the atmosphere have an impact on gas exchange processes at the Earth–atmosphere interface. In this study we explored and quantified the role of ground‐surface winds on fracture ventilation. While the governing physical mechanisms that cause ventilation are relatively well understood, this is the first work to quantify these processes in natural fractures and to determine the net effect on gas exchange. In this study field measurements pointed to a correlation between surface wind velocity and the ventilate rate of surface‐exposed fractures. To better explore and quantify this phenomenon, laboratory experiments were carried out using a Hele‐Shaw chamber to simulate a natural fracture and the ventilation of smoke, used as a gas tracer, was explored as a function of controlled surface‐wind and fracture aperture. It was found that ventilation depth is linearly correlated to wind velocity and nonlinearly with fracture aperture. Results were used to formulate an empirical model for Earth‐atmosphere air exchange. This model can be used to estimate by how much the presence of fractures enhances that exchange under windy conditions. Incorporating this venting process into Earth‐atmosphere gas exchange simulations is another step toward improving our ability to better predict and quantify soil aeration, soil temperature variation, water vapor loss and processes related to climate change, such as the fate and transport of greenhouse gases.
Signatures of the 3‐day wave in the low‐latitude and midlatitude ionosphere during the January 2010 URSI World Day campaign
Authors: Liu Guiping , England Scott L. , Immel Thomas J. , Kumar Karanam K. , Ramkumar Geetha , Goncharenko Larisa P.
Published: April 2012

Recent studies of the equatorial ionosphere have found evidence of forcing by atmospheric Ultra Fast Kelvin (UFK) waves. This study investigates the quasi‐3‐day UFK wave and its effects on the variations of the ionosphere at low latitudes and midlatitudes using coordinated observations of both the atmosphere and ionosphere during the January 2010 URSI World Day campaign. The global maps of TEC from the IGS ground‐based GPS product demonstrate a 3‐day periodic variation during January 15–25. This variation has the largest amplitude at 15° magnetic latitude and extends into lower latitudes. Simultaneously, a 3‐day wave is observed in the mesosphere in the zonal wind measurements by a meteor radar at the magnetic equator. The latitudinal range of the TEC variation (20°S–20°N) is also consistent with that of the 3‐day wave. The Incoherent Scatter Radar (ISR) observations show a 3‐day signature in vertical ion drifts over Jicamarca (11.9°S, 76°W) and in the electron densities in the top side of ionosphere measured from Millstone Hill (42.6°N, 71.5°W). This signature is consistent with the fountain effect in the equatorial region, and shows the impact on the topside ionosphere at midlatitudes. The UFK wave is trapped within ±30° geographic latitude, but this study shows that the effects of the wave could reach the ionosphere at the higher latitude even as high as 40°N (50°N magnetic latitude).
Involvement of CaM kinase II in the impairment of endothelial function and eNOS activity in aortas of Type 2 diabetic rats
Authors: Kobayashi Tsuneo , Nemoto Shingo , Ishida Keiko , Taguchi Kumiko , Matsumoto Takayuki , Kamata Katsuo
Published: April 2012

In the present sutdy, we have examined the relationship between the CaMKII (Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II) pathway and endothelial dysfunction in aortas from GK (Goto–Kakizaki) Type 2 diabetic rats. The ACh (acetylcholine)-induced relaxation and NO production were each attenuated in diabetic aortas (compared with those from age-matched control rats). ACh-stimulated Ser1177-eNOS (endothelial NO synthase) phosphorylation was significantly decreased in diabetic aortas (compared with their controls). ACh markedly increased the CaMKII phosphorylation level within endothelial cells only in control aortas (as assessed by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting). ACh-stimulated Thr286-CaMKII phosphorylation within endothelial cells was significantly decreased in diabetic aortas (compared with their controls). The ACh-induced relaxations, NO production, eNOS phosphorylation, and CaMKII phosphorylation were inhibited by KN93 and/or by lavendustin C (inhibitors of CaMKII) in control aortas, but not in diabetic ones. Pre-incubation of aortic strips with a PP (protein phosphatase)-1 inhibitor, PPI2 (protein phosphatase inhibitor 2), or with a PP2A inhibitor, CA (cantharidic acid), corrected the above abnormalities in diabetic aortas. The expression of PP2A type A subunit was increased in diabetic aortas. The ACh-stimulated Thr320-phosphorylation level of PP1α was lower in diabetic aortas than in their controls, but the total PP1α protein level was not different. These results suggest that the aortic relaxation responses, NO production, and eNOS activity mediated by CaMKII phosphorylation are decreased in this Type 2 diabetic model, and that these impairments of CaMKII signalling may be, at least in part, due to enhancements of PP1α activity and PP2A expression.
Providing a Program To Meet the Needs of Toddlers With Hearing Loss and Deafness
Authors: Gomez Gina M. , Piehota Lisa D. , Dischner Rachael R. B.
Published: April 2012

When they noticed an increase in the number of children identified with an educational label of hearing impairment or deafness in Arlington County, Virginia, Arlington Public Schools' (APS') special education department and staff at Patrick Henry Elementary School were determined to meet the needs of these children in an intensified manner. In APS, toddlers identified with hearing loss or deafness can now enter a full-day toddler total communication program for children ages 2 to 3. An interdisciplinary team collaborates to provide instruction that is developed and tailored to meet the unique needs of students with hearing loss. We anticipate that students with hearing impairment or deafness who have participated in Arlington's Toddler Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program will score higher on countywide assessments than their peers who did not attend the program.
Exploring the Relationship Between Gesture and Language in ASD
Authors: Ham Heidi Stieglitz , Bartolo Angela
Published: April 2012

In this paper, we will explore the relationship between gesture and language in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Gesture and speech have been shown to share the same neural substrates, and it has been proposed that speech evolved over time from a gestural repertoire. Simultaneously, research in gesture and language has shown that gesture plays a critical role in language development, and a gestural disturbance may be a predictor of future language development. Individuals with autism often present with imitation deficits, developmental dyspraxia, and deficits in motor coordination. Taken together, these deficits pose challenges to the speech-language pathologist providing therapy to these clients. If gesture is indeed critical to language development, and individuals with ASD demonstrate gestural deficits, new therapies are needed to bridge this gap. We will describe an innovative battery of tasks assessing gesture and discuss future gestural intervention.
Linear conversion of pressure into concentration, rapid switching of concentration, and generation of linear ramps of concentration in a microfluidic device
Authors: Adler Micha , Groisman Alex
Published: April 2012

Mixing of liquids to produce solutions with different concentrations is one of the basic functionalities of microfluidic devices. Generation of specific temporal patterns of concentration in microfluidic devices is an important technique to study responses of cells and model organisms to variations in the chemical composition of their environment. Here, we present a simple microfluidic network that linearly converts pressure at an inlet into concentration of a soluble reagent in an observation region and also enables independent concurrent linear control of concentrations of two reagents. The microfluidic device has an integrated mixer channel with chaotic three-dimensional flow that facilitates rapid switching of concentrations in a continuous range. A simple pneumatic setup generating linear ramps of pressure is used to produce smooth linear ramps and triangular waves of concentration with different slopes. The use of chaotic vs. laminar mixers is discussed in the context of microfluidic devices providing rapid switching and generating temporal waves of concentration.
The microwave and millimeter rotational spectra of the PCN radical (${\rm \tilde X}$X̃3Σ−)
Authors: Halfen D. T. , Sun M. , Clouthier D. J. , Ziurys L. M.
Published: April 2012

The pure rotational spectrum of the PCN radical (${\rm \tilde X}$X̃3Σ−) has been measured for the first time using a combination of millimeter/submillimeter direct absorption and Fourier transform microwave (FTMW) spectroscopy. In the millimeter instrument, PCN was created by the reaction of phosphorus vapor and cyanogen in the presence of an ac discharge. A pulsed dc discharge of a dilute mixture of PCl3 vapor and cyanogen in argon was the synthetic method employed in the FTMW machine. Twenty-seven rotational transitions of PCN and six of P13CN in the ground vibrational state were recorded from 19 to 415 GHz, all which exhibited fine structure arising from the two unpaired electrons in this radical. Phosphorus and nitrogen hyperfine splittings were also resolved in the FTMW data. Rotational satellite lines from excited vibrational states with v2 = 1–3 and v1 = 1 were additionally measured in the submillimeter range. The data were analyzed with a Hund's case (b) effective Hamiltonian and rotational, fine structure, and hyperfine constants were determined. From the rotational parameters of both carbon isotopologues, the geometry of PCN was established to be linear, with a P–C single bond and a C–N triple bond, structurally comparable to other non-metal main group heteroatom cyanides. Analysis of the hyperfine constants suggests that the two unpaired electrons reside almost exclusively on the phosphorus atom in a π2 configuration, with little interaction with the nitrogen nucleus. The fine structure splittings in the vibrational satellite lines differ significantly from the pattern of the ground state, with the effect most noticeable with increasing v2 quantum number. These deviations likely result from spin-orbit vibronic perturbations from a nearby 1Σ+ state, suggested by the data to lie ∼12 000 cm−1 above the ground state.
A method for tensile tests of biological tissues at the mesoscale
Authors: Savin Thierry , Shyer Amy E. , Mahadevan L.
Published: April 2012

We describe a new technique for determining the tensile properties of biological tissues at the mesoscale. The procedure uses a calibrated magnetic interaction between a steel bead attached to the sample and a permanent magnet to apply a uniaxial tensile force, along with a simple video assay to monitor the sample extension and thus the strain. Our method fills a significant gap in the accessible range of both forces and strains and is useful for forces in the micro and milli-Newton range, and displacements in the range of hundreds of microns with strains of up to 200%. We give two examples of the mechanical characterization of tissues using our technique, employing it to characterize the elastic modulus of tubular and membraneous embryonic tissues from the chick.
Organic-vapor-liquid-solid deposition with an impinging gas jet
Authors: Shaw Daniel W. , Bufkin Kevin , Baronov Alexandr A. , Johnson Brad L. , Patrick David L.
Published: April 2012

A method for rapid, mass-efficient deposition of highly crystalline organic films under near ambient conditions of pressure and temperature is reported based on delivery of an organic precursor via an impinging gas jet to a substrate coated by a thin liquid solvent layer. Films of the organic semiconductor tetracene were deposited by sublimation into a flow of argon carrier gas directed at an indium-tin-oxide/glass substrate coated by a thin layer of bis(2-ethylhexyl)sebecate, and growth was followed in situ with optical microscopy. A fluid dynamics model is applied to account for the gas phase transport and aggregation, and the results compared to experiment. The combination of gas jet delivery with an organic-vapor-liquid-solid growth mechanism leads to larger crystals and lower nucleation densities than on bare surfaces, with markedly different nucleation and growth kinetics. An explanation based on enhanced solution-phase diffusivity and a larger critical nucleus size in the liquid layer is proposed to account for the differences.
The relationship between economic growth and biomass energy consumption
Authors: Bildirici Melike E.
Published: April 2012

This paper investigates the relationship analysis between biomass energy consumption and economic growth by using Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) bounds testing approach of cointegration and vector error-correction models. The cointegration test results show that there is cointegration between the biomasss energy consumption and the economic growth in five of the seven countries (Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Guatemala) and there is no cointegration between the biomasss energy consumption and the economic growth in two of the seven countries (Argentina and Jamaica).
Full characterization and optimization of a femtosecond ultraviolet laser source for time and angle-resolved photoemission on solid surfaces
Authors: Faure J. , Mauchain J. , Papalazarou E. , Yan W. , Pinon J. , Marsi M. , Perfetti L.
Published: April 2012

A novel experimental apparatus for time and angle-resolved photoemission on solid surfaces is presented. A 6.28 eV laser source operating at 250 kHz repetition rate is obtained by frequency mixing in nonlinear beta barium borate crystals. This UV light source has a high photon flux of 1013 photons/s with relatively low number of photons/pulse so that Fermi surface mapping over a wide region of the Brillouin zone is possible while mitigating space charge effects. The UV source has been fully characterized spatially, spectrally, and temporally. Its potential for time and angle-resolved photoemission is demonstrated through Fermi surface mapping and photoexcited electron dynamics in Bismuth. True femtosecond time resolution <65 fs is obtained while the energy resolution of 70 meV appears to be mainly limited by the laser bandwidth.
Theoretical study on ionization process in aqueous solution
Authors: Iida Kenji , Sato Hirofumi
Published: April 2012

Ionization potential (ionization energy) is a fundamental quantity characterizing electronic structure of a molecule. It is known that the energy in solution phase is significantly different from that in the gas phase. In this report, vertical and adiabatic ionization processes in aqueous solution are studied based on a hybrid method of quantum chemistry and statistical mechanics called reference interaction site model-SCF-spacial electron density distribution method. A role of solvation effect is elucidated through molecular level information, i.e., solvent distribution function around solute molecule. By utilizing the linear response regime, a simple expression to evaluate the spectral width from the distribution function is proposed and compared with experimental data.
Improved constraint satisfaction in a simple generalized gradient approximation exchange functional
Authors: Vela Alberto , Pacheco-Kato Juan C. , Gázquez José L. , del Campo Jorge M. , Trickey S. B.
Published: April 2012

Though there is fevered effort on orbital-dependent approximate exchange-correlation functionals, generalized gradient approximations, especially the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE) form, remain the overwhelming choice in calculations. A simple generalized gradient approximation (GGA) exchange functional [A. Vela, V. Medel, and S. B. Trickey, J. Chem. Phys. 130, 244103 (2009)10.1063/1.3152713] was developed that improves substantially over PBE in energetics (on a typical test set) while being almost as simple in form. The improvement came from constraining the exchange enhancement factor to be below the Lieb-Oxford bound for all but one value of the exchange dimensionless gradient, s, and to go to the uniform electron gas limit at both s = 0 and s → ∞. Here we discuss the issue of asymptotic constraints for GGAs and show that imposition of the large s constraint, $\mathop {\lim }\nolimits_{s \to \infty } s^{1/2} F_{xc} (n,s) < \infty$lims→∞s1/2Fxc(n,s)<∞, where Fxc(n, s) is the enhancement factor and n is the electron density, upon the Vela-Medel-Trickey (VMT) exchange functional yields modest further improvement. The resulting exchange functional, denoted VT{8,4}, is only slightly more complicated than VMT and easy to program. Additional improvement is obtained by combining VT{8,4} or VMT exchange with the Lee-Yang-Parr correlation functional. Extensive computational results on several datasets are provided as verification of the overall performance gains of both versions.
Large piezoresistance and magnetoresistance effects on Ni45Co5Mn37.5In12.5 single crystal
Authors: Porcar L. , Bourgault D. , Courtois P.
Published: April 2012

We report resistivity measurements as a function of magnetic field or uniaxial stress across the martensitic transformation on Ni45Co5Mn37.5In12.5 Heusler single crystal. The resistivity and transformation temperatures are strongly affected by the application of an uniaxial stress or a magnetic field and consequent magnetoresistance and piezoresistance that can reach up to 60% or 122%, respectively, are measured. This behavior opens up a large range of possible applications with a relatively small pressure or magnetic field as a control parameter to tune the resistivity.
Unified analysis for calculating the amplification gain of Cerenkov laser in the single-particle and collective regimes
Authors: Fares Hesham
Published: April 2012

In this paper, we introduce a unified analytical model to describe both the single-electron and the collective modes of interaction in the Cerenkov laser. Although the basic formulations of the model are based on the single-electron interaction with the electromagnetic wave, the characteristics of the wave-wave interaction associated with the collective model are also determined. The transition regime between the single-electron and the collective models is explored. The electron relaxation effect caused by the asymmetric Coulomb forces among the electrons is taken into account. The essential results of this paper agree with those predicted by previous theories at the limits of the single-electron and collective.
Chemi-luminescence measurements of hyperthermal Xe+/Xe2+ + NH3 reactions
Authors: Prince Benjamin D. , Steiner Colby P. , Chiu Yu-Hui
Published: April 2012

Luminescence spectra are recorded for the reactions of Xe+ + NH3 and Xe2+ + NH3 at energies ranging from 11.5 to 206 eV in the center-of-mass (Ecm) frame. Intense features of the luminescence spectra are attributed to the NH (A 3Πi-X 3Σ−), hydrogen Balmer series, and Xe I emission observable for both primary ions. Evidence for charge transfer products is only found through Xe I emission for both primary ions and NH+ emission for Xe2+ primary ions. For both primary ions, the absolute NH (A-X) cross section increases with collision energy before leveling off at a constant value, approximately 9 × 10−18 cm2, at about 50 eV while H-α emission increases linearly with collision energy. The nascent NH (A) populations derived from the spectral analysis are found to be independent of collision energy and have a constant rotational temperature of 4200 K.
Nonlocal gravity: Modified Poisson's equation
Authors: Chicone C. , Mashhoon B.
Published: April 2012

The recent nonlocal generalization of Einstein's theory of gravitation reduces in the Newtonian regime to a nonlocal and nonlinear modification of Poisson's equation of Newtonian gravity. The nonlocally modified Poisson equation implies that nonlocality can simulate dark matter. Observational data regarding dark matter provide limited information about the functional form of the reciprocal kernel, from which the original nonlocal kernel of the theory must be determined. We study this inverse problem of nonlocal gravity in the linear domain, where the applicability of the Fourier transform method is critically examined and the conditions for the existence of the nonlocal kernel are discussed. This approach is illustrated via simple explicit examples for which the kernels are numerically evaluated. We then turn to a general discussion of the modified Poisson equation and present a formal solution of this equation via a successive approximation scheme. The treatment is specialized to the gravitational potential of a point mass, where in the linear regime we recover the Tohline-Kuhn approach to modified gravity.