bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Morphological features and new description of the fossil species Thalassiosira dolmatovae (Bacillariophyceae)
Authors: GLADENKOV ANDREY
Published: August 2013

Specimens of the Neogene marine diatom Thalassiosira dolmatovae have been studied with a scanning electron microscope for the first time. The observations revealed the morphological features typical of this species including arrangement of different kinds of processes. T. dolmatovae has one single subcentral strutted process, a ring of marginal strutted processes, a labiate process located at the margin and enclosed by two strutted processes. Marginal strutted processes with outward extensions and without inward extensions have internal openings surrounded by 4 satellite pores. The location of a labiate process not on the valve face and the presence of marginal strutted processes with outward extensions indicate that the studied species really belongs to genus Thalassiosira not to genus Shionodiscus. A valid description of T. dolmatovae is given.
Recent changes in abundance and cell size of pelagic diatoms in the North American Great Lakes
Authors: REAVIE EUAN D. , BARBIERO RICHARD P.
Published: August 2013

Changes in diatom abundance and cell size in Great Lakes phytoplankton collections were examined from two periods, 1996–1999 and 2007–2008. Trends indicate marked shifts in pelagic diatoms, including diatom total biovolume and cell density declines. Concurrent with these changes have been establishments of invasive species, water quality changes and longer stratification periods resulting from climate warming. No consistent change in cell sizes was observed in diatoms between the two periods in the Great Lakes basin as a whole, but lake- and taxon-specific changes were apparent. Cell size declines include centric and pennate diatoms in the spring in Lake Huron and pennate diatoms in the spring in Lake Superior. Increases in cell size occurred for centric diatoms in Lake Erie and pennate diatoms in the summer in lakes Michigan and Ontario. Some of the more dominant taxa exhibited lake-specific shifts. For instance, lightly-silicified diatoms such as Nitzschia increased in length in Lake Huron, possibly as an adaptation to climate warming and/or declining nutrient supplies. Difficulty in explaining the observed changes in cell sizes is acknowledged, but continued study of these trends is critical to understanding impacts on Great Lakes food webs.
Investigation of evolutionary effects on the relative frequency of sexual reproduction in freshwater diatoms
Authors: CARD VIRGINIA M. , CARRA MEEGEN
Published: August 2013

There are substantial ecological and evolutionary costs to sexual reproduction and there is only a narrow range of conditions that favors the evolution of high rates of sexual reproduction in species that are capable of both sexual and asexual reproduction. Considering the evolutionary costs and benefits of sexual reproduction, it was hypothesized that the frequency of sexual reproduction relative to asexual reproduction in diatoms would be greater for attached pennates and lower for planktonic centrics. This was investigated by comparison of the size-class distributions of the attached pennate, Rhopalodia gibba (Ehrenberg) Müller 1895 and the planktonic centric Cyclotella meneghiniana Kützing 1844 collected from the littoral zone of Lake Phalen in St. Paul Minnesota, USA. Numerical combination of binomial functions was used to infer the number of significant occurrences of sexual reproduction contributing to the size-class distribution of each population, with the frequency of sexual reproduction relative to asexual reproduction inferred from the number of binomial curves contributing to the distribution. The size-class profile of C. meneghiniana was unimodal, dominated by a single peak at 12 µm, with additional contributing curves with peaks at 15 µm and 18 µm. The size-class profile of R. gibba was bimodal, dominated by peaks at 46 µm and 60 µm, with additional contributing curves with peaks at 36 µm, 73 µm, and 84 µm. The results of this investigation were robust with respect to difference between the species in sample size and number of size-classes, although the analysis method is sensitive to differences in the number of size-classes. The results supported the hypothesis, and demonstrate the principle that size-class analysis of diatom populations can be used to investigate evolutionary hypotheses about differences among taxa in the relative frequency of sexual and asexual reproduction.
A review of past and recent research on Cretaceous silicoflagellates
Authors: McCARTNEY KEVIN
Published: August 2013

Previous knowledge of Cretaceous silicoflagellates has come primarily from scattered Maastrichtian or late Campanian localities. Silicoflagellates from the earlier Upper Cretaceous have been observed from the southern shore of the Baltic Sea and eastern slope of the northern Ural Mountains, and Lower Cretaceous from the Weddell Sea near Antarctica are also known. Much of the previous work, including type specimens for genera and species, have been illustrated with few and simple line drawings. Taxonomic distinctions and evolutionary lineages have often been speculative.        Recent studies of Santonian and lower Campanian marine sediments from several sites in the northern Canada Arctic Margin and Archipelago substantially increase our knowledge of Cretaceous silicoflagellate morphology, biostratigraphy, and early evolutionary history. This work, which develops from previous diatom studies, provides new information on the enigmatic genera Cornua and Variramus, describes new genera and species, and presents new information on the timing of silicoflagellate evolutionary events. Seven new biostratigraphic zones replace the previously applied single biostratigraphic unit for the Cretaceous.         This article reviews recent silicoflagellate discoveries in the context of previous work to provide a current general knowledge of the subject that includes important taxa.
Minnesota diatomists: The first 150 years
Authors: EDLUND MARK B.
Published: August 2013

Minnesota boasts over 12,000 lakes, most of glacial origin, three major continental drainage systems (Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico, Lake Superior via the other Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, and the Red River of the North via the Nelson River,  to Hudson Bay), and a diversity of landforms comprising seven major ecological regions. Such landscape and aquatic variability hosts a high diversity of diatoms, which  have been studied for over 150 years. Diatom communities range from saline and eutrophic  in the southwest agricultural lands, to oligotrophic and endemic forms in the cold waters of Lake Superior. Early diatom collections were distributed to reknowned diatomists such as C.G. Ehrenberg and H.L. Smith. Other botanists and phycologists, including Tilden, Eddy, and Drouet, were active in Minnesota but only rarely included  diatoms in their studies. Interest in Minnesota diatoms increased in the latter half of the 20th century with taxonomic and floristic surveys (e.g., Czarnecki, Koppen, and Kingston) and the inclusion of diatoms in applied research efforts that set the groundwork for understanding post-glacial ecology, effects of Euroamerican settlement, impacts of climate, and the effects of acid precipitation. Important to these latter developments were the efforts of Dr. Herb Wright Jr., who invited several European diatomists (e.g., Florin, Battarbee, and Haworth) to work on paleoecological projects in and near Minnesota. Although not a diatomist per se, Wright's subsequent efforts to promote diatom research included the appointment of Platt Bradbury as a research associate and later John Kingston, Dick Brugam, and Brian Cumming. Students Sheri Fritz, Kate Laird, and Virginia Card completed diatom research for their doctoral degrees. These workers and others have left a legacy that continues to fuel several active labs in Minnesota that have used diatoms to develop water quality standards, assess and restore impaired waters, and understand the impacts of climate, management, and landuse change across the state.
Gato hyalinus gen. et sp. nov., an unusual araphid tube-dwelling diatom from Western Pacific and Caribbean islands
Authors: LOBBAN CHRISTOPHER S. , NAVARRO J. NELSON
Published: August 2013

A new species of tube-dwelling diatom, unusual in being araphid, is described from benthic coral reef habitats in Guam, Palau, Puerto Rico and Jamaica. Gato gen. nov. is heteropolar and heterovalvar, exhibits very fine striae delimiting a narrow and irregular sternum, and possesses a series of rimmed pores on each side of the foot pole. One valve of the frustule has a rimoportula at the foot pole, but both valves possess a rimoportula at the head pole. The generitype, G. hyalinus sp. nov. forms small, branched colonies. Individual cells are oval, slightly tapered along the apical axis, 30–40 µm x 13–15 µm, with 60–70 striae in 10 µm. On the foot pole with a rimoportula the rimmed pores are connected to the sternum by diagonal striae; several additional rimmed pores interrupt transapical striae further up both valves. We compare valve structure of G. hyalinus with Florella portoricensis and F. pascuensis, which we report for the first time from the Marshall Islands, and to Licmophora spp. We find no taxa to which this genus is related, and can identify no structure potentially homologous to the series of rimmed pores among the diatoms.
Encyonema hamsherae, a new diatom species from the Northern Rocky Mountains, USA
Authors: WINTER DIANE , BAHLS LOREN
Published: August 2013

A new species of Encyonema is described from the benthos of small mountain streams and rivers in western Montana and northern Wyoming. Previously this species had been identified incorrectly as E. hebridicum Grunow ex Cleve and Cymbella affinis Kützing or assigned the provisional name Encyonema sp. 1 MONTANA HAMSHER ANSP. Here we formally recognize this taxon as a new species, Encyonema hamsherae.
Grassflies of the subfamily Chloropinae (Diptera: Chloropidae) from Vietnam and Thailand, with descriptions of two new species
Authors: NARTSHUK E. P.
Published: August 2013

Seven genera of Chloropinae (Diptera: Chloropidae) from Vietnam and Thailand are discussed: Eurina Meigen (1 species), Chloromerus Becker (1 species), Siphlus Loew (1 species), Neoloxotaenia Sabrosky (3 species), Aragara Walker (1 species), Elachiptereicus Becker (1 species), Lagaroceras Becker (1 species). Some of them are new to the fauna of Vietnam and Thailand. Two new species are described: Chloromerus orientalis n. sp. from Thailand, and Lagaroceras tulense n. sp. from Vietnam and Thailand. The genus Chloromerus Becker, 1911 is recorded for the first time in the Oriental Region. The genus Semaranga Becker, 1911 is synonymised with Elachiptereicus Becker, 1909—syn. nov. A key to the Palaearctic and Oriental species of Lagaroceras Becker, 1903 is given.
Elephantis, a new genus for Caridina natalensis Bouvier, 1925 from eastern rivers of Madagascar
Authors: CASTELIN MAGALIE , MARQUET GERARD , KLOTZ WERNER
Published: August 2013

Elephantis, new genus, is established for Caridina natalensis Bouvier, 1925 hitherto known only from South Africa with one male specimen. Recently, three surveys by electric fishing (2004, 2008 and 2010) of some eastern rivers from Madagascar have permitted to discover numerous specimens of this species. Caridina natalensis is different from all other known species of Caridina by its remarkably broad endopod of the male first pleopod, a long clubbed appendix masculina on the male second pleopod reaching beyond distal end of endopod and strong third pereiopods. Therefore a new genus name is proposed for this species. In addition to detailed description of diagnostic morphological characters, molecular sequences obtained from mitochondrial 16S gene are provided for six specimens of this species. These DNA sequences are integrated to the 16S molecular phylogeny of atyid freshwater shrimps recently published by von Rintelen et al. (2012). Elephantis natalensis comb. nov. sequences formed a divergent group supported in maximum likelihood analysis. The availability of DNA samples could be used as reference and integrated in further phylogenetic studies on atyid freshwater shrimps.
New species of Tetradiplosis (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) inducing galls on Prosopis caldenia (Fabaceae) in Argentina
Authors: MARTÍNEZ JUAN JOSÉ , CORRÓ-MOLAS BÁRBARA , ALFONSO GRACIELA L.
Published: August 2013

Two new species of Tetradiplosis inducing galls on Prosopis caldenia are described from Argentina: Tetradiplosis panghitruz Martínez n. sp. and Tetradiplosis rayen Martínez n. sp. Tetradiplosis panghitruz induces multilocular galls on vegetative stems, whereas T. rayen induces unilocular galls containing multiple larvae on the rachis of the developing inflorescences. The adult male, female, pupa and larva are described and illustrated for both species. A key to the known species of the genus is provided.
Arabic-speaking religious leaders’ perceptions of the causes of mental illness and the use of medication for treatment
Authors: Youssef Jacqueline , Deane Frank P
Published: August 2013

Objectives:

The Arabic-speaking clergy is highly revered and considered the first point of contact for people who suffer from mental illness within their community. The current study aimed to explore the beliefs of Arabic-speaking religious leaders regarding the causes of mental illness and the use of medication for their treatment.

Method:

Participants consisted of 170 Arabic-speaking clerics of Muslim ( n = 85) and Christian ( n = 85) denominations residing in Sydney, Australia. A questionnaire was administered during face-to-face interviews and included items regarding the causes of mental illness and beliefs about whether psychiatric medications were viewed as helpful or harmful.

Results:

Most of the Arabic-speaking clerics viewed drug and alcohol addiction and psychosocial factors as the most important causes of mental illness. Biological causes such as a chemical imbalance in the brain were less frequently endorsed. Although medications were viewed by most religious clerics as helpful in the treatment of mental illness, there were also concerns about the potential harms of medications, particularly among Muslim clerics. Muslim clerics also endorsed the religious causes for mental illness, such as spiritual poverty, as being more important more so than did Christian clerics.

Conclusions:

The beliefs of Arabic-speaking religious leaders influence how they respond to people with mental illness and may determine whether they refer people to professional mental health services or not. Understanding their perspectives allows opportunities to share information to facilitate collaborative work in the care of Arabic-speaking people with mental illness. Arabic-speaking religious leaders need to be better educated about the mechanisms of action and benefits of medication in the treatment of mental illness.
Muriel Driver Memorial Lecture 2013
Authors: Finlayson Marcia L.
Published: August 2013

Background.

Given the nature of occupational therapy philosophy and practice, it is not surprising that “change agent” has been identified as one of the seven professional roles that occupational therapists fulfill.

Purpose.

This Muriel Driver lecture examines the change agent role, what it means, and what knowledge, skills, and personal qualities are necessary to be effective.

Key Issues.

Overall, relatively little has been written about the change agent role in the occupational therapy literature. Much of what does exist is implicit and often embedded in related topics, such as advocacy. An examination of literature from outside of occupational therapy uncovered four major themes about this role: (a) Change agents are insightful, reflective, and disciplined; (b) Change agents are visionary leaders and mobilizers; (c) Change agents are knowledge integrators and translators; and (d) Change agents are diplomatic interventionists who produce meaningful outcomes. These themes point to several areas of silence in the occupational therapy literature.

Implications.

Overcoming these areas of silence and moving forward will require open, challenging, and scholarly debates; reconsideration of change agent role competencies; and clear messaging that we all have the capacity to be competent and effective change agents regardless of our title or setting.
DUI Offenders’ Beliefs About DUI Statutes and DUI Law Enforcement
Authors: Goodfellow Marianne , Kilgore Catharine
Published: August 2013

Development of a profile of those who drink and drive is needed to more effectively deter this behavior. Using data from the 2001 NSDDAB (National Survey of Drinking and Driving Attitudes and Behavior), Bertelli and Richardson found that the existence of DUI (driving under the influence) statutes impacts only those least likely to drink and drive, while concern for the likelihood of arrest and individual agreement with the goals of drinking and driving laws significantly reduces propensity for almost everyone except the “extreme ‘hard core’ drinking drivers.” Using the same NSDDAB items, this study examined propensity to drink and drive for a sample of 58 offenders in a local DUI Court program. A majority of these known DUI offenders were problem drinkers. Results show that DUI offenders were not deterred by DUI statutes and perceptions of DUI law enforcement. Implications for deterrence theory and the legal legitimacy hypothesis are discussed.
Do they adapt or react? A comparison of the adaptation model and the stress reaction model among South African unemployed
Authors: Griep Yannick , Baillien Elfi , Vleugels Wouter , Rothmann Sebastiaan , De Witte Hans
Published: August 2013

This study investigates affective experience as a function of unemployment duration in South Africa. The study contrasts two models. The stress reaction model proposes a linear decrease of affective experience as unemployment prolongs. The adaptation model assumes a curvilinear pattern between affective experience and unemployment duration. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) with contrast revealed no differences in affective experience between short-term ( N = 101), long-term ( N = 152) and very long-term ( N = 119) unemployed. The findings do not favour either of the models, yet indicate that unemployment is a severe stressor regardless of its duration. These results underline the need for structural changes (e.g. delivering unemployment benefits, stimulating job creation) in order to overcome the negative affective experiences of the South African unemployed.
Statistic lz-Based Person-Fit Methods for Noncognitive Multiscale Measures
Authors: Conijn Judith M. , Emons Wilco H. M. , Sijtsma Klaas
Published: August 2013

Most person-fit statistics require long tests to reliably detect aberrant item-score vectors and are not readily applicable to noncognitive measures that consist of multiple short subscales. The authors propose combining subscale person-fit information to detect aberrant item-score vectors on noncognitive multiscale measures. They used a simulation study and three empirical personality and psychopathology test datasets to assess five multiscale person-fit methods based on the [Formula: see text] person-fit statistic with respect to (a) identifying aberrant item-score vectors, (b) improving accuracy of research results, and (c) understanding causes of aberrant responding. Simulated data analysis showed that the person-fit methods had good detection rates for substantially misfitting item-score vectors. Real-data person-fit analyses identified 4% to 17% misfitting item-score vectors. Removal of these vectors little improved model fit and test-score validity. The person-fit methods helped to understand causes of aberrant responding after controlling for response style on the explanatory variables. More real-data analyses are needed to demonstrate the usefulness of multiscale person-fit methods for noncognitive multiscale measures.
Transcendence and Spirituality
Authors: Woiwode Christoph
Published: August 2013

In this article the significance of spirituality in human development is discussed using the “Svadhyaya movement” as a case study in urban India. As the principles of the movement are grounded in a modern revision of classical Hindu philosophy emphasizing personal development and self-realization, it challenges the Western paradigm of materialism as an inevitable first stage of development. The findings of this case are contextualized by drawing attention to emerging neo-integrative approaches in “the West” that attempt to bridge the schism of spirituality/religion and the sciences. Finally, I explore the implications this may have in the related praxis fields of urban planning and international development.
Drug and Cash Donations to Developing Countries
Authors: Igoumenidis Michael , Kyriopoulos Ilias-Ioannis , Athanasakis Kostas
Published: August 2013

A global economic crisis should not prevent aid towards developing countries, but it calls for wiser and more effective policies. This article proposes specific interventions with regard to drug donations, as well as a more general mentality which should govern related policies. It is generally acknowledged that donations in cash are preferable to donations in kind, but many problems persist either way, rendering obvious that some alternative approaches need to be adopted or enhanced. In the long run, independency from foreign interventions is significant for any developing country. Therefore, we recommend interventions which have the potential to sustain healthy economic development.
Poverty and Social Protection in Nigeria
Authors: Umukoro Nathaniel
Published: August 2013

Nigeria like most other African countries has responded to the growing challenge of poverty by introducing social protection strategies. Despite the rising popularity of social protection as an anti-poverty intervention throughout Africa, social protection is still inadequate in Nigeria. This article examines major social protection arrangements in Nigeria and challenges associated with them. The article begins by providing a general perspective on poverty and social protection in Nigeria. The article brings into view major reasons for the inadequacy of social protection arrangements in Nigeria.
Music, play and Darwin’s children: Pedagogical reflections of and on the ontogeny/phylogeny relationship
Authors: Bannan Nicholas
Published: August 2013

This article explores the relationship between ideas about the role and purpose of music introduced in the major publications of Charles Darwin, and the fields of child development, music education and pedagogy. It also considers the significant influence on Darwin’s work of his own biography and family life. In the global village of 21st-century cyber-culture, music is in danger of increasing commodification, whereby powerful commercial forces shape the assumption that music is a product to be consumed, rather than a process in which to participate. Speculation about the role of music in the evolution of culture (Bannan, 2003; Merker, 2000; Mithen, 2005; Morley, 2002; Wallin, 1991) supports the view that the capacity for music was expressed early in the genetic inheritance that gave rise to the species Homo; and that its universality within each individual in every culture is a consequence of its usefulness in behavior and inter-generational transmission that exploit its potential. Given the manner in which modern human societies conduct themselves, a robust evolutionary account of the role of music has significant implications for the way we educate our young, both informally in the home and in the more formal setting of school. This relationship between Darwin’s published theories and the role of musical play in the upbringing of children was evident in his and his wife Emma’s approach to parenting in the family home at Down House where he wrote his major works.
Prospects for using a hemoconcentrator as an alternative hemodialysis method in cardiopulmonary bypass surgeries
Authors: Tagaya M , Matsuda M , Yakehiro M , Izutani H
Published: August 2013

Objective:

Cardioplegic solutions often cause high blood concentrations of potassium. The conventional hemoconcentration circuit was improved to correct electrolyte imbalances through a method involving dilutional ultrafiltration (DUF) and an alternative hemodialysis (ALTHD) method. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of this ALTHD method.

Methods:

Bovine blood was used, in conjunction with a hemoconcentrator, in an experimental hemodialysis (HD) circuit to evaluate an ALTHD method. The effectiveness of the method was determined by electrolyte and hematocrit measurements following the procedure.

Results:

The ALTHD method corrected electrolyte levels as effectively as DUF and was less affected by dilution than DUF.

Conclusion:

The ALTHD method may provide faster electrolyte adjustments than DUF because its efficiency depends on both the blood and dialysate flow rates. In addition, the ALTHD method is expected to provide increased efficiency. Thus, our DUF/ALTHD circuit-switching method may be clinically useful when rapid electrolyte correction is required.
Competitiveness and the post-regional political economy
Authors: Huggins Robert , Thompson Piers
Published: August 2013

This article seeks to examine how the changing institutional environment concerning local and regional economic development in Britain is related to the changing competitive fortunes of its localities and regions. Drawing on evidence from the UK Competitiveness Index, it is found that the institutional shift toward a post-regional political economy, particularly the demise of Regional Development Agencies and the introduction of Local Enterprise Partnerships, has coincided with an increased concentration of Britain’s economic competitiveness and growth capacity within London, in particular the City of London. Overall, there is found to be continuing divergence in competitiveness between England’s least and most prosperous regions and localities. In the devolved regions of Scotland and Wales, there is little evidence to indicate that their localities are competing any more effectively with their English counterparts. It is suggested that the most effective role for economic development institutions is to act as a guiding light to ensure sustainable local and regional economic models are established.
How should we help business grow? Delivering business support
Authors: Sivaev Dmitry
Published: August 2013

The abolition of Regional Development Agencies and Business Links saw the scrapping of the institutional infrastructure used to deliver state-funded business support. Beginning by looking at the evolution of state business support infrastructure in England from the 1990s, the article looks at the current system to argue that it is characterised by a lack of structure, extreme complexity, difficulty of access and navigation, and has the potential for duplication and management inefficiencies. While acknowledging that business support is not exclusively a public sector function, it argues for the need for a state-funded approach. The article questions whether there is a need for a reactive system that only assists businesses that are willing to grow, or a more proactive system that engages with businesses that are not making the most of growth opportunities and addresses the ‘long tail’ of underperforming business. The article suggests that most services should be delivered at a national level to ensure greater efficiency and better coordination. The local level should focus on adjusting national schemes to local needs; assisting business in navigating and accessing support; and proactively engaging with the local business base to help it identify growth potential.
Music Therapy for Prisoners
Authors: Gold Christian , Assmus Jörg , Hjørnevik Kjetil , Qvale Liv Gunnhild , Brown Fiona Kirkwood , Hansen Anita Lill , Waage Leif , Stige Brynjulf
Published: August 2013

Mental health problems are common among prison inmates. Music therapy has been shown to reduce mental health problems. It may also be beneficial in the rehabilitation of prisoners, but rigorous outcome research is lacking. We compared group music therapy with standard care for prisoners in a pilot randomised controlled trial that started with the establishment of music therapy services in a prison near Bergen in 2008. In all, 113 prisoners agreed to participate. Anxiety (STAI-State [State–Trait Anxiety Inventory], STAI-Trait), depression (HADS-D [Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale]), and social relationships (Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire [Q-LES-Q]) were assessed at baseline; every 2 weeks in the experimental group; after 1, 3, and 6 months in the control group; and at release. No restrictions were placed on the frequency, duration, or contents of music therapy. Duration of stay in the institution was short (62% stayed less than 1 month). Only a minority reached clinical cutoffs for anxiety and depression at baseline. Between-group analyses of effects were not possible. Music therapy was well accepted and attractive among the prisoners. Post hoc analysis of within-group changes suggested a reduction of state anxiety after 2 weeks of music therapy ( d = 0.33, p = .025). Short sentences and low baseline levels of psychological disturbance impeded the examination of effects in this study. Recommendations for planning future studies are given, concerning the careful choice of participants, interventions and settings, comparison condition and design aspects, choice of outcomes, and integration of research approaches. Thus, the present study has important implications for future studies evaluating interventions for improving prisoners’ mental health. Trial registration: ISRCTN22518605
A review of ground-penetrating radar studies related to peatland stratigraphy with a case study on the determination of peat thickness in a northern boreal fen in Quebec, Canada
Authors: Proulx-McInnis Sandra , St-Hilaire André , Rousseau Alain N. , Jutras Sylvain
Published: August 2013

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is a non-intrusive geophysical observation method based on propagation and reflection of high-frequency electromagnetic waves in the shallow subsurface. The vertical cross-sectional images obtained allow the identification of thickness and lithologic horizons of different media, without destruction. Over the last decade, several studies have demonstrated the potential of GPR. This paper presents a review of recent GPR applications to peatlands, particularly to determine peat stratigraphy. An example study of acquisition and comparison of peatland soil thickness of a fen-dominated watershed located in the James Bay region of Quebec, using (1) a meter stick linked to a GPS RTK and (2) a GSSI GPR, is given. A coefficient of determination ( r2) of 56% was obtained between the ordinary krigings performed on data gathered using both techniques. Disparities occurred mainly in the vicinity of ponds which can be explained by the attenuation of GPR signal in open water. Despite these difficulties – the higher time required for analysis and the error margin – it seems more appropriate to use a GPR, instead of a graduated rod linked to a GPS, to measure the peat depths on a site like the one presented in this study. Manual measurements, which are user-dependent in the context of variable mineral substrate densities and with the presence of obstacles in the substrate, may be more subjective.
Integrating experiments and simulations to estimate uncertainty in lattice strain measurements
Authors: Schuren Jay C , Wong Su L , Dawson Paul R , Miller Matthew P
Published: August 2013

The investigation of lattice strains has proven to be a viable method for probing the crystal level stress state in deforming polycrystalline samples. Building on the recent availability of high-rate X-ray detectors, we have developed a new technique that combines diffraction data with crystal-based finite element simulations to estimate the lattice strain uncertainty for each measurement. To estimate the uncertainty, we combine the probable number of crystals expected for each measurement with the simulated lattice strain standard deviation. Under this framework, the uncertainty is related not just to the number of diffracting crystals but also to the variability in the lattice strain between these crystals. An estimate of uncertainty for each measurement enables both the investigation of previously inaccessible phenomena where the lattice strain evolution is expectantly small and the application of lattice strain measurement techniques to materials with more complex microstructures. The new approach was demonstrated for an aluminum alloy 7075-T6 sample undergoing uniaxial tensile loading.
RNA expression profiling in brains of familial hemiplegic migraine type 1 knock-in mice
Authors: Vries Boukje de , Eising Else , Broos Ludo AM , Koelewijn Stephany C , Todorov Boyan , Frants Rune R , Boer Judith M , Ferrari Michel D , Hoen Peter AC ‘t , Maagdenberg Arn MJM van den
Published: August 2013

Background

Various CACNA1A missense mutations cause familial hemiplegic migraine type 1 (FHM1), a rare monogenic subtype of migraine with aura. FHM1 mutation R192Q is associated with pure hemiplegic migraine, whereas the S218L mutation causes hemiplegic migraine, cerebellar ataxia, seizures, and mild head trauma-induced brain edema. Transgenic knock-in (KI) migraine mouse models were generated that carried either the FHM1 R192Q or the S218L mutation and were shown to exhibit increased CaV2.1 channel activity. Here we investigated their cerebellar and caudal cortical transcriptome.

Methods

Caudal cortical and cerebellar RNA expression profiles from mutant and wild-type mice were studied using microarrays. Respective brain regions were selected based on their relevance to migraine aura and ataxia. Relevant expression changes were further investigated at RNA and protein level by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and/or immunohistochemistry, respectively.

Results

Expression differences in the cerebellum were most pronounced in S218L mice. Particularly, tyrosine hydroxylase, a marker of delayed cerebellar maturation, appeared strongly upregulated in S218L cerebella. In contrast, only minimal expression differences were observed in the caudal cortex of either mutant mice strain.

Conclusion

Despite pronounced consequences of migraine gene mutations at the neurobiological level, changes in cortical RNA expression in FHM1 migraine mice compared to wild-type are modest. In contrast, pronounced RNA expression changes are seen in the cerebellum of S218L mice and may explain their cerebellar ataxia phenotype.
Multifunctional nanocarrier based on clay nanotubes for efficient intracellular siRNA delivery and gene silencing
Authors: Wu Hui , Shi Yinfeng , Huang Chusen , Zhang Yang , Wu Jiahui , Shen Hebai , Jia Nengqin
Published: August 2013

RNA interference-mediated gene silencing relating to disease has recently emerged as a powerful method in gene therapy. Despite the promises, effective transport of siRNA with minimal side effects remains a challenge. Halloysites are cheap and naturally available aluminosilicate clay nanotubes with high mechanical strength and biocompatibility. In this study, a novel multifunctional nanocarrier based on functionalized halloysite nanotubes (f-HNTs) has been developed via electrostatic layer-by-layer assembling approach for loading and intracellular delivery of therapeutic antisurvivin siRNA and simultaneously tracking their intracellular transport, in which PEI-modified HNTs are used as gene vector, antisurvivin siRNA as gene therapeutic agent, and mercaptoacetic acid-capped CdSe quantum dots as fluorescent labeling probes. The successful assembly of the f-HNTs-siRNA complexes was systematically characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV–visible spectrophotometry, Zeta potential measurement, fluorescence spectrophotometry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Confocal microscopy, biological TEM, and flow cytometry studies revealed that the complexes enabled the efficient intracellular delivery of siRNA for cell-specific gene silencing. MTT assays exhibited that the complexes can enhance antitumor activity. Furthermore, Western blot analysis showed that f-HNTs-mediated siRNA delivery effectively knocked down gene expression of survivin and thereby decreased the levels of target proteins of PANC-1 cells. Therefore, this study suggested that the synthesized f-HNTs were a new effective drug delivery system for potential application in cancer gene therapy.
Freeze-dried and spray-dried zinc-containing silica microparticles entrapping insulin
Authors: Vanea Emilia , Moraru Corina , Vulpoi Adriana , Cavalu Simona , Simon Viorica
Published: August 2013

New approaches for oral administration of insulin are strongly related to novel insulin carriers. The aim of this study was the insulin microencapsulation in a new zinc-silica matrix for drug protection and controlled release. Zinc-silica microparticles loaded with insulin were obtained by sol-gel process via spray drying and freeze drying methods. Inorganic silica matrix isolates and constrains the movement of the biomolecules preventing their aggregation and denaturation, while the zinc oxide improves the system stability. Moreover, formation of insulin hexamers in the presence of zinc ions leads to an increased stability of the insulin three-dimensional structure during preparation, storage and release. The particles were characterized with respect to average size, specific surface area, porosity and morphology. In vitro behavior of insulin-loaded particles together with protein structural conformation was also evaluated. The release profile can be adapted by synthesis route of microparticles.
Effect of photofunctionalization on fluoride-treated nanofeatured titanium
Authors: Ikeda Takayuki , Hagiwara Yoshiyuki , Hirota Makoto , Tabuchi Masako , Yamada Masahiro , Sugita Yoshihiko , Ogawa Takahiro
Published: August 2013

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of ultraviolet light treatment, known as photofunctionalization, on the biological and osseointegration capability of nanofeatured titanium created by a combination of sandblasting and hydrofluoric acid treatment. Titanium samples in disk and cylinder forms were photofunctionalized by treatment with ultraviolet light for 15 min. The nanofeatured surface was converted from hydrophobic to superhydrophilic after photofunctionalization. The strength of osseointegration measured by a biomechanical push-in test in a rat model was stronger for photofunctionalized implants than for untreated implants by 2.2 and 2.3 times, respectively, at the early (week 2) and late (week 4) stages of healing, implying that photofunctionalization did not only accelerate but also increased the degree of osseointegration. Culture studies using bone marrow-derived osteoblasts showed that the attachment, spread, and functional phenotypes of osteogenic cells, such as alkaline phosphatase activity and mineralization, were remarkably increased on photofunctionalized titanium. In conclusion, photofunctionalization substantially increased biological and osseointegration capability of a nanofeatured titanium surface. In light with proven effectiveness on microfeatured surfaces in the literature, photofunctionalization may provide a novel and practical avenue to further improve osseointegration capability of implants in a wide range of surface morphology with micro-to-nano features.
The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs as Witnesses to Pre-Christian Judaism: A Re-Assessment
Authors: DeSilva David A.
Published: August 2013

In regard to the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, the pendulum of scholarship has been swinging in the direction of treating these texts as Christian compositions that, therefore, cannot be used to illumine pre-Christian Judaism. This article reassesses this movement in light, first, of recent methodological propositions regarding determining the faith community in which a text had its origin and, second, of traditional methodological approaches to the question of the Christian material found in extant manuscripts of the Testaments. It also challenges the hyper-Christianization of the Testaments in modern scholarship, arguing that, in many cases, material is being designated as distinctively Christian simply because interpreters are not sufficiently aware of how their own lenses are coloring their readings. The Testaments remain an important witness to Hasmonean Jewish readings of Genesis, developments in ethical thought, and re-articulations of Israel's hope.
Lift-over crossings as a solution to tram-generated ground-borne vibration and re-radiated noise
Authors: Talbot James P
Published: August 2013

The operation of trams close to sensitive buildings can lead to concerns over ground-borne vibration and re-radiated noise. Vibration generated at the wheel/rail interface propagates through the track structure, through the ground and into buildings, where it may cause disturbance as perceptible vibration and/or re-radiated noise. This paper presents work undertaken to solve a re-radiated noise problem within the auditorium of the Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, UK. The hall is situated alongside a crossover between two tracks of Nottingham’s Express Transit tramway. Initial measurements established the dominance of re-radiated noise over airborne noise. Simultaneous noise and vibration measurements were then used to establish the relative significance of the impulsive vibration generated at the various rail discontinuities of the crossover, compared with the essentially continuous vibration due to wheel/rail roughness. The results led to the selection of a new ‘lift-over’ crossing, together with an improved design of switch, as the basis for solving the problem. The paper includes descriptions of the experimental methods, together with a summary of the results. The new crossover design is described and the results of the commissioning measurements are presented as a final demonstration of the new lift-over crossing’s performance.
Design and construction of backfills for railway track transition zones
Authors: Paixão André , Fortunato Eduardo , Calçada Rui
Published: August 2013

The initial geometry of a railway track continually degrades over its life-cycle. Changes in the track alignment give rise to variations in the dynamic axle load which accelerate track degradation, with consequences for maintenance and availability of the line. This behaviour is particularly evident at some critical locations that are associated with abrupt changes in the track’s vertical stiffness, such as transitions to bridges or other structures. In order to mitigate this problem, careful design and construction is required, for which several recommendations have been suggested in the literature. However, studies based on the maintenance records of existing high-speed lines have shown that the problem of track degradation associated with stiffness variations is far from being solved. This paper presents a short review on the design of transition zones. A case study on the design and construction of a transition zone on a new Portuguese railway line is analysed. Results of conventional laboratory and cyclic load triaxial testing on granular materials and in situ mechanical characterization of the layers are presented. Relevant aspects regarding the construction are addressed and discussed. The results obtained at the substructure level seem to indicate that the design of the transition zone was successful in minimizing settlement and achieving a gradual stiffness increase as a bridge is approached.
Enhanced therapy for primary and secondary syphilis: a longitudinal retrospective analysis of cure rates and associated factors
Authors: Tittes Julia , Aichelburg Maximilian C , Antoniewicz Lukasz , Geusau Alexandra
Published: August 2013

For the treatment of early infectious syphilis, enhanced therapy with three dosages of benzathine penicillin G has been under consideration, particularly in the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infected population (HIV-1). The serological outcome of 249 patients with primary and secondary syphilis treated with standard or enhanced therapy was analyzed retrospectively; 98% (139/142) achieved serological cure with a single dosage and 92% with enhanced therapy ( P = 0.033). In HIV-1 infected individuals, cure rates were 88% after a single dosage compared to 97% after three dosages ( P = 0.18). A fourfold decrease of Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) titres was achieved within a median of 102 days after treatment initiation (SD = 2; 95% CI = 98–106). Patients aged over 40 years were 5.5 times (OR = 5.52; 95% CI = 1.43–21.32; P = 0.013) and patients with low baseline VDRL titres (≤1 : 32) were 4 times (OR = 4.25; 95% CI = 1.21–14.87; P = 0.024) more likely to experience serological failure.
Acute generalised exanthematous pustulosis induced by Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia prophylaxis with dapsone
Authors: Vas A , Laws P , Marsland AM , McQuillan O
Published: August 2013

We describe the case of HIV-1 infected patient presenting to hospital with a severe cutaneous adverse drug reaction shortly after commencing dapsone therapy as Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia prophylaxis. To the best of our knowledge, acute generalised exanthematous pustulosis has not been reported as a reaction to dapsone in the setting of HIV.
Do Girls Really Experience More Anxiety in Mathematics?
Authors: Goetz Thomas , Bieg Madeleine , Lüdtke Oliver , Pekrun Reinhard , Hall Nathan C.
Published: August 2013

Two studies were conducted to examine gender differences in trait (habitual) versus state (momentary) mathematics anxiety in a sample of students (Study 1: N = 584; Study 2: N = 111). For trait math anxiety, the findings of both studies replicated previous research showing that female students report higher levels of anxiety than do male students. However, no gender differences were observed for state anxiety, as assessed using experience-sampling methods while students took a math test (Study 1) and attended math classes (Study 2). The discrepant findings for trait versus state math anxiety were partly accounted for by students’ beliefs about their competence in mathematics, with female students reporting lower perceived competence than male students despite having the same average grades in math. Implications for educational practices and the assessment of anxiety are discussed.
Numerical and experimental study of cavitating flow through an axial inducer considering tip clearance
Authors: Campos-Amezcua Rafael , Khelladi Sofiane , Mazur-Czerwiec Zdzislaw , Bakir Farid , Campos-Amezcua Alfonso , Rey Robert
Published: August 2013

This paper presents three-dimensional numerical simulations and experimental investigations of cavitating flow through an axial inducer. Particularly, this work focuses on the influence of radial tip clearance on cavitation behavior. Numerical analysis was carried out on two different configurations: first, the inducer was modeled without taking tip clearance into consideration. Later, the inducer was modeled with nominal tip clearance and some modifications of this. It was found that radial tip clearance has a significant influence on the overall inducer performance in the non-cavitating regime because of the small size of the inducer. Moreover, the effects of radial tip clearance are strong in inducer cavitation behavior. Numerical results and experimental data with nominal tip clearance were compared in cavitating and non-cavitating regimes and these were discussed. The cavitation model used for calculation is based on a single-fluid multiphase flow method, assuming thermal equilibrium between phases. It is based on the classical conservation equations of the vapor phase and a mixture phase, with mass transfer due to cavitation appearing as a source and a sink term in the vapor mass fraction equation. Mass transfer rates are derived from the Rayleigh–Plesset model for bubble dynamics.