bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Escala de compromiso deportivo: una adaptación de la Escala de Compromiso en el Trabajo de Utrecht (UWES) para ambientes deportivos
Authors: Guillén Félix , Martínez-Alvarado Julio Román
Published: September 2015

The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) is an instrument designed by Schaufeli y Bakker (2003) to measure engagement in the work context. The purpose of the present study is to adapt the UWES to the sports context. The sample consists of 240 national third division Spanish football players between the ages of 15 and 38. The UWES factor structure has been analyzed through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. The results reveal a three-factor structure of the scale (vigor, absorption and dedication) and also an adequate internal consistency in all cases. Finally the results show preliminary support for the validity of the construct as sport burnout is negatively related to the three engagement characteristics. These findings provide preliminary evidence for the benefits of using the UWES in the sports context.
Memoria de trabajo e inteligencia fluida: el papel de los procesos ejecutivos, según edad, tipo y nivel escolar en niños
Authors: Burges Sbicigo Juliana , Da Rosa Piccolo Luciane , Paz Fonseca Rochele , Fumagalli de Salles Jerusa
Published: September 2015

The aim of this study was to verify which components of the working memory (WM) model (phonological, visuospatial and central executive) predict the performance in fluid intelligence (FI), considering age, schooling and school type. The participants were 419 children aged between six and 12 years old, from the first year to the sixth grade of Primary School from public and private schools of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The WM subtests of the NEUPSILIN-Inf – Brazilian Brief Neuropsychological Assessment Battery – for children – were administered, and Raven’s Colored Progressive Matrices Test served as FI measure. In the linear regression analysis, the executive component primarily explained the relationship between WM and FI in children, rather than phonological component. When sociodemographic variables were included, age, school type and the executive component explained 47% of FI variance, but the predictive power of the executive component was reduced. The results reinforce the primary relationship between executive processing of WM and FI, as well as the importance of taking into account sociodemographic variables, so the relationship between these constructs are not overestimated.
Adaptación al español del Inventario Multidimensional de Fatiga al entorno laboral
Authors: Boada-Grau Joan , Merino-Tejedor Enrique , Gil-Ripoll Carme , Segarra-Pérez Gemma , Vigil-Colet Andreu
Published: September 2015

La necesidad de evaluar la fatiga al entorno laboral es esencial para poder desarrollar programas de prevención e intervención. El principal objetivo de este trabajo fue adaptar del inglés al español el Inventario Multidimensional de Fatiga. Se analizaron la estructura interna y la fiabilidad, y se aportaron evidencias de validez convergente. La aplicación de la escala se realizó a una muestra multiocupacional compuesta por 414 empleados. También se utilizaron varios correlatos externos y dos escalas de contraste. Se aplicó el análisis factorial tanto exploratorio como confirmatorio. Los resultados indican que la versión española está conformada por 19 ítems y tres factores denominados Fatiga General, Fatiga Física y Concentración/Motivación. Los coeficientes de fiabilidad obtenidos fueron adecuados y, además, se obtuvieron evidencias de validez con cuatro correlatos externos y dos escalas de fatiga. La presente escala adaptada al español muestra unas propiedades psicométricas idóneas y puede resultar adecuada para identificar de manera apropiada la fatiga en entornos laborales. Futuras investigaciones podrían utilizarla como una herramienta de screening en combinación con otros instrumentos.
¿Hay un déficit de comprensión gramatical multidominio en el Deterioro Cognitivo Leve?
Authors: López-Higes Ramón , Montejo Pedro , Prados José María , Montenegro Mercedes , Lozano Montserrat
Published: September 2015

Multidomain mild Cognitive Impairment (mMCI) patients have similar difficulties than those observed in the initial stages of Alzheimer disease. Many studies have explored language abilities in MCI, but few have focused in grammatical comprehension. This study explores the differences between mMCI patients and controls using a complete neuropsychological battery, it tries to discover if vocabulary and grammatical comprehension in both groups are predicted by naming and verbal fluency, and seeks the best subset of sentence structures to classify the subjects. There were significative differences between groups in verbs and in grammatical comprehension. Linear regression revealed that verb and sentence comprehension are independent of naming and verbal fluency performance in mMCI patients. In the control group verb comprehension is predicted by intrusions in verbal fluency, and the comprehension of sentences containing two propositions seems to be related to control processes and recognition errors. Two sentence structures, both not fitted to syntactic canonical order in Spanish, are especially useful for subjects’ classification. mMCI patients have a specific deficit affecting grammatical comprehension that doesn’t seem to depend on their low performance at lexical-semantic level. In healthy elders, verb and grammatical comprehension are related to control processes.
Validación de la escala de dificultades en la regulación emocional en la población universitaria de Córdoba, Argentina
Authors: Medrano Leonardo Adrián , Trógolo Mario
Published: September 2015

En este estudio se presenta la adaptación de la escala de dificultades en la regulación emocional (DERS) a la población de universitarios de Córdoba, Argentina. El análisis factorial exploratorio reveló la estructura original de seis factores subyacentes (50.79% de la varianza total). Se realizaron también estudios de consistencia interna y de validez concurrente con las escalas de Neuroticismo y Extraversión del cuestionario IPIP-FFM evidenciando resultados satisfactorios. Finalmente, estudios de contrastación según el género mostraron diferencias en el factor “falta de claridad emocional” en favor de las mujeres (t= 2.19; gl=209; p<.05; d=.17). Los resultados obtenidos son prometedores y posibilitan el desarrollo de investigaciones que indaguen el rol de las dificultades en la regulación emocional en el ámbito universitario de Córdoba.
Ciencia psicológica y profesionalización en Argentina y Brasil: 1930-1980
Authors: Piñeda María Andrea , Jacó-Vilela Ana
Published: September 2015

Se realiza un estudio historiográfico comparativo del desarrollo de la ciencia psicológica en Argentina y Brasil entre 1930 y 1980, analizando el papel de la psicología en la planificación estatal y las relaciones entre el modelo científico y el modelo profesional, basado en el análisis de variedad de fuentes primarias y secundarias. Hasta el inicio del proceso de creación de las carreras de psicología, se descubren procesos análogos de recepción y constitución del campo disciplinar e institucional, destacándose el lugar de la ciencia psicológica en la planificación estatal. Posteriormente, se registran las diferencias más significativas. En Argentina la cultura científica tendió a desplazarse afuera de dichas carreras, al igual que el apoyo estatal a la investigación psicológica. En Brasil, desde la década de 1960, el desarrollo tecnológico del sudeste y la dictadura militar propiciaron la difusión de una cultura psicológica en la clase media urbana. El Estado financió fuertemente los programas de posgrado y de investigación en las universidades.
La guerra de las escuelas y la psicología: Colombia 1876
Authors: Oviedo Gilberto
Published: September 2015

La guerra de las escuelas fue una disputa político-militar por la formación espiritual de la población colombiana. El radicalismo liberal sustituyó en 1872 la educación religiosa, heredada de España, por la pedagogía pestalozziana. El conservatismo reaccionó para restablecer la espiritualidad del alma y la educación escolástica regentada por la Iglesia. Las ideas políticas sobre la mente humana fueron un lema de batalla y la educación su escenario bélico. La guerra de 1876 demostró la predilección popular por el discurso religioso y su consideración de la psique como un hecho sobrenatural entendible a la luz de la fe. Los términos del debate constituyen una valiosa pieza conceptual que reflejan la aproximación colombiana a la psicología en el siglo XIX.
A history of South African (SA) Psychology
Authors: Nicholas Lionel
Published: September 2015

This historical account of SA psychology spans over hundred years of its engagement with international psychology and the influence of racism on its development. It traces Jan C. Smuts’s correspondence with Adler, Koffka and Perls and Allport’s extensive contact with SA psychologists. The positive impact of the academic boycott in turning psychology towards the concerns of the oppressed is delineated, as well as the response of professional organizations to apartheid. The extensive reciprocal visits of US and Dutch phenomenologists are described and the contributions of Wolpe, Rachman and Lazarus to behavior therapy are noted.
Mujeres extraviadas: psicología y prostitución en la España de postguerra
Authors: Bandrés Javier , Zubieta Eva , Llavona Rafael
Published: September 2015

La brutal depresión económica en que se sumió la España de postguerra empujó a muchas mujeres a recurrir a la prostitución como único medio de subsistencia. Las autoridades franquistas habían anulado el decreto abolicionista republicano por lo que el comercio sexual era tolerado. Sin embargo, el auge incontrolado de la prostitución hizo reaccionar a las autoridades y se establecieron cárceles especiales para prostitutas. En el presente artículo, se analizan los trabajos de postguerra sobre la psicología de la prostitución de tres personajes situados en instituciones claves de la época: Antonio Vallejo Nágera (Universidad de Madrid, Consejo Nacional de Sanidad), Eduardo Martínez Martínez (Clínica Psiquiátrica Penitenciaria de Mujeres) y Francisco J. Echalecu y Canino (Patronato de Protección a la Mujer). Los textos de estos tres autores y sus investigaciones sobre prostitutas españolas les llevan a caracterizarlas como afectas innatas de psicopatía sexual, deficiencia mental y amoralidad. Este diagnóstico les conduce a justificar su internamiento en las cárceles especiales para prostitutas, para reforma. De este modo, los trabajos de Vallejo, Martínez y Echalecu fueron instrumentales para la justificación del establecimiento de las cárceles especiales. El marco conceptual de la biopsicología de inspiración alemana se puso al servicio del proyecto social de la biopolítica franquista.
Psicólogos europeos en los países andinos (Bolivia, Ecuador y Perú) durante la primera mitad del siglo XX
Authors: Leon Ramon
Published: September 2015

Un reducido número de psicólogos y pedagogos europeos trabajó en Bolivia, Ecuador y Perú, los así llamados países andinos, en la primera mitad del siglo XX. En Bolivia, Georges Rouma, un educador belga, fue el responsable de la reforma educativa emprendida por el Gobierno boliviano, organizando una expedición antropológica en los Andes. En Ecuador, Oliver Brachfeld, un psicólogo húngaro de orientación adleriana, se desempeñó por un corto tiempo en la Universidad de Quito, en tanto que en el Perú, Walter Blumenfeld, un psicólogo alemán, obligado a dejar su país en los años del nacionalsocialismo, trabajó en la Universidad de San Marcos desde 1935 y fue un pionero de la orientación objetiva en la psicología en ese país.
Psicología e higiene mental en Brasil: la historia por contar
Authors: Freire Figueira Fernanda , Boarini Maria Lucia
Published: September 2015

El presente estudio tuvo el objetivo de investigar la influencia de la Liga Brasileña de Higiene Mental (LBHM) en la construcción de la psicología científica en Brasil, en el inicio del siglo XX. Debido a la extensión del asunto y de la lista de integrantes de esta asociación, se enfocó el campo de la educación escolar y específicamente tres miembros de la LBHM: Manoel Bomfim, Plínio Olinto y Maurício de Medeiros. Se priorizaron las fuentes primarias producidas por estos autores, a mediados del siglo XX, las cuales se analizaron a la luz de la vertiente teórica inspirada en el materialismo histórico. Como resultado, se constató que los conocimientos psicológicos fueron considerados básicos en el proceso educativo para difusión del ideario de la LBHM y consecuente progreso de la nación. Por tanto, la historia de la psicología en Brasil y la historia de la LBHM son complementarias.
Application of Logistic Regression on the Analysis of Chilean Children’s Fears
Authors: Aguirre González Medardo Juan , Castro Meline Marcela , Campano Claudio Candia , Veloso Castro Bárbara
Published: September 2015

La investigación tuvo como objetivo encontrar algunos factores determinantes del miedo en los niños chilenos. Para realizar el estudio, se administró una encuesta a 729 niños entre los 6 y 11 años de edad. El instrumento de medición se basó en una adaptación del cuestionario “Fear Survey Schedule for Children – Revised, FSSC – R”. Luego, para el examen de los datos se realizó un análisis factorial exploratorio que agrupó los miedos en cinco factores los que posteriormente permitieron construir un índice ponderado de miedos. Finalmente, a través de un modelo de regresión logística y usando una categorización del índice ponderado de miedos como variable dependiente, se encontraron algunos factores determinantes de los miedos infantiles. Entre estos están: el género, encontrar imágenes atemorizantes en internet, el nivel socioeconómico y la auto-suficiencia para enfrentar situaciones de miedo.
Incidencia de las estrategias de alfabetización económica en el ámbito familiar sobre el desarrollo del pensamiento económico de los niños
Authors: Llanos Martínez Marina , Abello Raimundo
Published: September 2015

Desde una perspectiva cognitivo, estructuralista, evolucionista, que resalta los aspectos cognitivos del proceso de comprensión de conceptos económicos y desde una perspectivas del aprendizaje social, que resalta los factores externos de la comprensión de conceptos económicos, el articulo tiene como propósito presentar los resultados de un estudio que se planteo como objetivo determinar la incidencia de las estrategias de alfabetización económica identificada por una muestra de de 150 niños entre los 10 y 14 años de edad, como utilizadas por sus padres para alfabetizarlos económicamente sobre el desarrollo de su pensamiento económico y la incidencia del nivel socioeconómico la estructura familiar y la edad, a través una guía de entrevista para hijos y del test de alfabetización económica para niños respectivamente. En síntesis el resultado del modelo que incluye toadas la variables independientes abordadas en el estudio y que explica el 62,81% de la variabilidad en el TAEN muestran que en primer lugar la edad, en segundo lugar el nivel socioeconómico bajo -en dirección negativa- y en tercer lugar el número total de estrategias percibidas por los niños como utilizadas por sus padres para alfabetizarlos económicamente, inciden de manera directa sobre el desarrollo de su pensamiento económico.
Organización vital de una muestra clínica que demanda atención psicológica
Authors: Labrador Francisco J. , García-Fernández Gloria , Gómez Roberto , Mendez Leo Cristina , Bernaldo-de-Quirós Mónica , Fernández-Arias Ignacio
Published: September 2015

La asociación entre trastornos psicopatológicos y variables de funcionamiento psicosocial ha sido documentada, pero son escasos los estudios que evalúan su impacto sobre la eficacia de los tratamientos psicológicos. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la organización vital de 78 pacientes de un servicio de atención psicológica y examinar la relación con variables clínicas y con el éxito del tratamiento. Esta organización se evaluó mediante una escala confeccionada ad hoc para este estudio. El área de pareja resultó la menos organizada frente a la familiar y personal, con las mayores puntuaciones. La organización vital se relacionó de forma significativa con distintos ejes del DSM-IV-TR. Se confirmó que pacientes con baja organización vital requieren un mayor número de objetivos terapéuticos.
Representación social de la noción de felicidad en estudiantes y profesionales de educación y salud de Chile e Italia
Authors: Rodríguez Araneda María José
Published: September 2015

La felicidad es un constructo aún impreciso en ciencias sociales y psicología. Se realizó un estudio transcultural sobre su representación social en muestras de estudiantes y profesionales de la salud y la educación en Chile e Italia, agentes socializadores en bienestar y calidad de vida. La investigación contempló dos estudios cualitativos, el primero empleando un cuestionario de preguntas abiertas y el segundo realizando grupos focales. Se constató un núcleo común a ambos países para la noción, componentes y tipos de felicidad. Se concluyó que los significados atribuidos a la felicidad se configuran como un imaginario ético que influye en las experiencias, su interpretación, los juicios de vida y la orientación del proyecto vital de las personas.
Novel Deployable Mechanisms With Decoupled Degrees-of-Freedom
Authors: Lu Shengnan , Zlatanov Dimiter , Ding Xilun , Molfino Rezia , Zoppi Matteo
Published: September 2015

A novel family of deployable mechanisms (DMs) is presented. Unlike most such devices, which have one degree-of-freedom (DOF), the proposed DM can be deployed and compacted independently in two or three directions. This widens the range of its potential applications, including flexible industrial fixtures and deployable tents. The mechanism's basic deployable unit (DU) is assembled by combining a scissor linkage and a Sarrus linkage. The kinematic properties of these two components and of the combined unit are analyzed. The conditions under which the unit can be maximally compacted and deployed are determined through singularity analysis. New 2DOF DMs are obtained by linking the DUs: each mechanism's shape can be modified in two directions. The relationship between the degree of overconstraint and the number of DUs is derived. The magnification ratio is calculated as a function of link thickness and the number of DUs. The idea of deployment in independent directions is then extended to three dimensions with a family of 3DOF mechanisms. Finally, kinematic simulations are performed to validate the proposed designs and analyses.
Hydrogenation effects on carrier transport in boron-doped ultrananocrystalline diamond/amorphous carbon films prepared by coaxial arc plasma deposition
Authors: Katamune Yūki , Takeichi Satoshi , Ohmagari Shinya , Yoshitake Tsuyoshi
Published: September 2015

Boron-doped ultrananocrystalline diamond/hydrogenated amorphous carbon composite (UNCD/a-C:H) films were deposited by coaxial arc plasma deposition with a boron-blended graphite target at a base pressure of <10−3 Pa and at hydrogen pressures of ≤53.3 Pa. The hydrogenation effects on the electrical properties of the films were investigated in terms of chemical bonding. Hydrogen-scattering spectrometry showed that the maximum hydrogen content was 35 at. % for the film produced at 53.3-Pa hydrogen pressure. The Fourier-transform infrared spectra showed strong absorptions by sp3 C–H bonds, which were specific to the UNCD/a-C:H, and can be attributed to hydrogen atoms terminating the dangling bonds at ultrananocrystalline diamond grain boundaries. Temperature-dependence of the electrical conductivity showed that the films changed from semimetallic to semiconducting with increasing hydrogen pressure, i.e., with enhanced hydrogenation, probably due to hydrogenation suppressing the formation of graphitic bonds, which are a source of carriers. Carrier transport in semiconducting hydrogenated films can be explained by a variable-range hopping model. The rectifying action of heterojunctions comprising the hydrogenated films and n-type Si substrates implies carrier transport in tunneling.
Diffusion and interface evolution during the atomic layer deposition of TiO2 on GaAs(100) and InAs(100) surfaces
Authors: Ye Liwang , Gougousi Theodosia
Published: September 2015

Atomic layer deposition is used to form TiO2 films from tetrakis dimethyl amino titanium and H2O on native oxide GaAs(100) and InAs(100) surfaces. The evolution of the film/substrate interface is examined as a function of the deposition temperature (100–325 °C) using ex situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. An increase in the deposition temperature up to 250 °C leads to enhancement of the native oxide removal. For depositions at 300 °C and above, interface reoxidation is observed during the initial deposition cycles but when the films are thicker than 3 nm, the surface oxides are removed steadily. Based on these observations, two distinct film growth regimes are identified; up to 250 °C, layer-by-layer dominates while at higher temperatures island growth takes over. Angle resolved x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements performed on 3 nm TiO2 film deposited at 325 °C on both surfaces demonstrates a very important difference between the two substrates: for GaAs the native oxides remaining in the stack are localized at the interface, while for InAs(100), the indium oxides are mixed in the TiO2 film.
ZnO functionalization of multiwalled carbon nanotubes for methane sensing at single parts per million concentration levels
Authors: Humayun Md Tanim , Divan Ralu , Stan Liliana , Gupta Ashu , Rosenmann Daniel , Gundel Lara , Solomon Paul A. , Paprotny Igor
Published: September 2015

This paper presents a novel atomic layer deposition (ALD) based ZnO functionalization of surface pretreated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) for highly sensitive methane chemoresistive sensors. The temperature optimization of the ALD process leads to enhanced ZnO nanoparticle functionalization and improvement in their crystalline quality as shown by energy dispersive x-ray and Raman spectroscopy. The behavior of ZnO–MWCNT sensors in presence of methane concentrations down to 2 ppm level has been compared with that of pristine MWCNTs demonstrating that ZnO functionalization is an essential factor behind the highly sensitive chemoresistive nature of the ZnO–MWCNT heterostructures. The sensor is currently being tested under a range of conditions that include potentially interfering gases and changes to relative humidity.
Memory disruption by irrelevant noise-vocoded speech: Effects of native language and the number of frequency bands
Authors: Ellermeier Wolfgang , Kattner Florian , Ueda Kazuo , Doumoto Kana , Nakajima Yoshitaka
Published: September 2015

To investigate the mechanisms by which unattended speech impairs short-term memory performance, speech samples were systematically degraded by means of a noise vocoder. For experiment 1, recordings of German and Japanese sentences were passed through a filter bank dividing the spectrum between 50 and 7000 Hz into 20 critical-band channels or combinations of those, yielding 20, 4, 2, or just 1 channel(s) of noise-vocoded speech. Listening tests conducted with native speakers of both languages showed a monotonic decrease in speech intelligibility as the number of frequency channels was reduced. For experiment 2, 40 native German and 40 native Japanese participants were exposed to speech processed in the same manner while trying to memorize visually presented sequences of digits in the correct order. Half of each sample received the German, the other half received the Japanese speech samples. The results show large irrelevant-speech effects increasing in magnitude with the number of frequency channels. The effects are slightly larger when subjects are exposed to their own native language. The results are neither predicted very well by the speech transmission index, nor by psychoacoustical fluctuation strength, most likely, since both metrics fail to disentangle amplitude and frequency modulations in the signals.
Three-Dimensional Torso Motion in Tethered Front Crawl Stroke and its Implications on Low Back Pain
Authors: Du Tanghuizi , Narita Ikumi , Yanai Toshimasa
Published: September 2015

Low back pain is a common problem among competitive swimmers, and repeated torso hyperextension is claimed to be an etiological factor. The purpose of this study was to describe the three-dimensional torso configurations in the front crawl stroke and to test the hypothesis that swimmers experience torso hyperextension consistently across the stroke cycles. Nineteen collegiate swimmers underwent 2 measurements: a measurement of the active range of motion in 3 dimensions and a measurement of tethered front crawl stroke at their maximal effort. Torso extension beyond the active range of torso motion was defined as torso hyperextension. The largest torso extension angle exhibited during the stroke cycles was 9 ± 11° and it was recorded at or around 0.02 ± 0.08 s, the instant at which the torso attained the largest twist angle. No participant hyperextended the torso consistently across the stroke cycles and subjects exhibited torso extension angles during tethered front crawl swimming that were much less than their active range of motion. Therefore, our hypothesis was rejected, and the data suggest that repeated torso hyperextension during front crawl strokes should not be claimed to be the major cause of the high incidence of low back pain in swimmers.
Calcaneal Plantar Flexion During the Stance Phase of Gait
Authors: Stamm Stacy E. , Chiu Loren Z.F.
Published: September 2015

When the rear- and forefoot are constrained, calcaneal plantar flexion may occur, deforming the longitudinal arch. Previous research has reported calcaneal motion relative to the tibia or forefoot; these joint rotations may not accurately describe rotation of the calcaneus alone. This investigation: (1) characterized the calcaneus and leg segment and ankle joint rotations during stance in gait, and (2) described the range of calcaneal plantar flexion in different structural arch types. Men (n = 14) and women (n = 16) performed gait in a motion analysis laboratory. From heel strike to heel off, the leg rotated forward while the calcaneus plantar flexed. Before foot flat, calcaneal plantar flexion was greater than forward leg rotation, resulting in ankle plantar flexion. After foot flat, forward leg rotation was greater than calcaneal plantar flexion, resulting in ankle dorsiflexion. Structural arch type was classified using the longitudinal arch angle. The range of calcaneal plantar flexion from foot flat to heel off was small in low (−2° to −8°), moderate in high (−3° to −12°), and large in normal (−2° to −20°) structural arches. Calcaneal plantar flexion in gait during midstance may reflect functional arch characteristics, which vary depending on structural arch type.
Loaded Vertical Jumping: Force–Velocity Relationship, Work, and Power
Authors: Feeney Daniel , Stanhope Steven J. , Kaminski Thomas W. , Machi Anthony , Jaric Slobodan
Published: September 2015

The aims of the current study were to explore the pattern of the force–velocity (F–V) relationship of leg muscles, evaluate the reliability and concurrent validity of the obtained parameters, and explore the load associated changes in the muscle work and power output. Subjects performed maximum vertical countermovement jumps with a vest ranging 0–40% of their body mass. The ground reaction force and leg joint kinematics and kinetics were recorded. The data revealed a strong and approximately linear F–V relationship (individual correlation coefficients ranged from 0.78–0.93). The relationship slopes, F- and V-intercepts, and the calculated power were moderately to highly reliable (0.67 < ICC < 0.91), while the concurrent validity F- and V-intercepts, and power with respect to the directly measured values, was (on average) moderate. Despite that a load increase was associated with a decrease in both the countermovement depth and absolute power, the absolute work done increased, as well as the relative contribution of the knee work. The obtained findings generally suggest that the loaded vertical jumps could not only be developed into a routine method for testing the capacities of leg muscles, but also reveal the mechanisms of adaptation of multijoint movements to different loading conditions.
A small-molecule antivirulence agent for treating
Clostridium difficile
infection
Authors: Bender Kristina Oresic , Garland Megan , Ferreyra Jessica A. , Hryckowian Andrew J. , Child Matthew A. , Puri Aaron W. , Solow-Cordero David E. , Higginbottom Steven K. , Segal Ehud , Banaei Niaz , Shen Aimee , Sonnenburg Justin L. , Bogyo Matthew
Published: September 2015

A high-throughput screen against the
Clostridium difficile
toxin B cysteine protease domain identified a drug in clinical trials that reduced
C. difficile
pathology in a mouse model.
Riding gravity away from doomsday
Authors: Sen Ashoke
Published: September 2015

The discovery that most of the energy density in the universe is stored in the form of dark energy has profound consequences for our future. In particular, our current limited understanding of quantum theory of gravity indicates that some time in the future, our universe will undergo a phase transition that will destroy us and everything else around us instantaneously. However, the laws of gravity also suggest a way out — some of our descendants could survive this catastrophe by riding gravity away from the danger. This paper describes the tale of this escape from doomsday.
Free Vibration of Plates of Various Shapes with Intermediate Point Supports by the Hp-Cloud Method and Lagrange Multiplier
Authors: Jamshidi Sajad , Azhari Mojtaba , Amoushahi Hossein
Published: September 2015

The Hp-Cloud meshless method was developed to study the dynamic analysis of arbitrarily shaped thin plates with intermediate point supports. By proposing a special pattern for the influence radius of nodes and a polynomial type of enrichment function, the Hp-Cloud shape functions with Kronecker delta property were constructed. They can satisfy the zero deflection conditions for the field nodes at the point supports. The results obtained from these shape functions agree well with the previous ones, showing good accuracy and convergence. For plates with sharp corners, it is not possible to construct the Hp-Cloud shape function with Kronecker delta property. To this end, the Lagrange multiplier method was used for enforcing the boundary conditions. The computations were carried out by the Ritz method, and the cell structure method is refined to improve the speed and accuracy of numerical integration on the subscription surface of clouds intersecting with the plate boundaries. Using the algorithm developed, the natural frequencies of plates of various shapes and support patterns were computed. By increasing the number of point supports on the plate edges, the natural frequencies computed of the plate tend to those of the simply supported plate. Appropriate pattern of point supports distribution was presented for modeling the simply supported plates of various shapes by comparing the corresponding natural frequencies.
Center of the Schur algebra
Authors: Geetha T. , Prasad Amritanshu
Published: September 2015

We describe a basis of the center of the Schur algebra that comes from conjugacy classes in the symmetric group via Schur–Weyl duality. We give a combinatorial description of expansions of these basis elements in terms of the basis originally used by Schur. The primitive central idempotents of the Schur algebra can be written down using this basis and the character table of the symmetric group in the semisimple case. Along the way we prove a result on the non-singularity of the submatrix of the character table matrix of a symmetric group obtained by taking rows and columns indexed by partitions with at most [Formula: see text] parts for any [Formula: see text].
A net convergence for Schauder double bases
Authors: Loganathan S. , Moorthy C. Ganesa
Published: September 2015

The set of all pairs of natural numbers is considered as a directed set under the direction: [Formula: see text] if and only if [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. This directed set is used to study convergence of a double series in a sense of Pringsheim and to introduce double bases in topological vector spaces. An introductory study on double bases is presented.
Generalization of cross-correlation in Boolean functions and some generalized constructions in gbent functions
Authors: Sharma P. L. , Dhiman Neetu
Published: September 2015

The cross-correlation of two generalized Boolean functions defined on [Formula: see text] with values in [Formula: see text] is discussed in literature for [Formula: see text]. We generalize this result for [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] and show that the existing result is a special case of our work. Further, we give some constructions of gbent functions.
Nilpotent prime (−1,1) rings
Authors: Jayalakshmi K.
Published: September 2015

Let [Formula: see text] be a 2, 3-torsion-free prime [Formula: see text] ring with commutative center [Formula: see text]. If [Formula: see text] is not contained in the nucleus [Formula: see text], then a ring defined by a new product [Formula: see text] is nilpotent of index at most 11.
Optogenetic study of the projections from the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis to the central amygdala
Authors: Gungor Nur Zeynep , Yamamoto Ryo , Paré Denis
Published: September 2015

It has been proposed that the central amygdala (CeA), particularly its medial sector (CeM), generates brief fear responses to discrete conditioned cues, whereas the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) promotes long-lasting, anxiety-like states in response to more diffuse contingencies. Although it is believed that BNST-CeA interactions determine the transition between short- and long-duration responses, the nature of these interactions remains unknown. To shed light on this question, we used a double viral strategy to drive the expression of channelrhodopsin (ChR2) in BNST cells that project to CeA. Next, using patch-clamp recordings in vitro, we investigated the connectivity of infected cells to noninfected cells in BNST and compared the influence of BNST axons on neurons in the medial and lateral (CeL) parts of CeA. CeA-projecting BNST cells were concentrated in the anterolateral (AL) and anteroventral (AV) sectors of BNST. Dense plexuses of BNST axons were observed throughout CeA. In CeA and BNST, light-evoked excitatory postsynaptic potentials accounted for a minority of responses (0–9% of tested cells); inhibition prevailed. The incidence of inhibitory responses was higher in CeM than in CeL (66% and 43% of tested cells, respectively). Within BNST, the connections from CeA-projecting to non-CeA-targeting cells varied as a function of the BNST sector: 50% vs. 9% of tested cells exhibited light-evoked responses in BNST-AL vs. BNST-AV, respectively. Overall, these results suggest that via its projection to CeA, BNST exerts an inhibitory influence over cued fear and that BNST neurons projecting to CeA form contrasting connections in different BNST subnuclei.
Three Circulating Long Non-Coding RNAs Act as Biomarkers for Predicting NSCLC
Authors: Tang Qingfeng , Ni Zhenhua , Cheng Zhuoan , Xu Jianhua , Yu Hui , Yin Peihao
Published: September 2015

Background/Aims: Circulating long non coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged recently as major players in tumor biology and may be used for cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and as potential therapeutic targets. We explored circulating lncRNA as a predictor for the tumorigenesis of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: In this study, we applied a lncRNA microarray to screen for a potential biomarker for NSCLC, utilizing RT-PCR (ABI 7900HT). A multi-stage validation and risk score formula detection analysis was used. Results: We discovered that three lncRNAs (RP11-397D12.4, AC007403.1, and ERICH1-AS1) were up regulated in NSCLC, compared with cancer-free controls, with the merged area under the curve in the training and validation sets of 0.986 and 0.861. Furthermore, the positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the three merged factors were 0.72 and 0.87. We confirmed stable detection of the three lncRNAs by three cycles of freezing and thawing. Conclusions: RP11-397D12.4, AC007403.1, and ERICH1-AS1 may be potential biomarkers for predicting the tumorigenesis of NSCLC in the future.
An Optimized Biological Taser: Electric Eels Remotely Induce or Arrest Movement in Nearby Prey
Authors: Catania Kenneth C.
Published: September 2015

Despite centuries of interest in electric eels, few studies have investigated the mechanism of the eel's attack. Here, I review and extend recent findings that show eel electric high-voltage discharges activate prey motor neuron efferents. This mechanism allows electric eels to remotely control their targets using two different strategies. When nearby prey have been detected, eels emit a high-voltage volley that causes whole-body tetanus in the target, freezing all voluntary movement and allowing the eel to capture the prey with a suction feeding strike. When hunting for cryptic prey, eels emit doublets and triplets, inducing whole-body twitch in prey, which in turn elicits an immediate eel attack with a full volley and suction feeding strike. Thus, by using their modified muscles (electrocytes) as amplifiers of their own motor efferents, eel's motor neurons remotely activate prey motor neurons to cause movement (twitch and escape) or immobilization (tetanus) facilitating prey detection and capture, respectively. These results explain reports that human movement is ‘frozen' by eel discharges and shows the mechanism to resemble a law-enforcement Taser.
Prey-Capture Strategies of Fish-Hunting Cone Snails: Behavior, Neurobiology and Evolution
Authors: Olivera Baldomero M. , Seger Jon , Horvath Martin P. , Fedosov Alexander E.
Published: September 2015

The venomous fish-hunting cone snails (Conus) comprise eight distinct lineages evolved from ancestors that preyed on worms. In this article, we attempt to reconstruct events resulting in this shift in food resource by closely examining patterns of behavior, biochemical agents (toxins) that facilitate prey capture and the combinations of toxins present in extant species. The first sections introduce three different hunting behaviors associated with piscivory: ‘taser-and-tether', ‘net-engulfment' and ‘strike-and-stalk'. The first two fish-hunting behaviors are clearly associated with distinct groups of venom components, called cabals, which act in concert to modify the behavior of prey in a specific manner. Derived fish-hunting behavior clearly also correlates with physical features of the radular tooth, the device that injects these biochemical components. Mapping behavior, biochemical components and radular tooth features onto phylogenetic trees shows that fish-hunting behavior emerged at least twice during evolution. The system presented here may be one of the best examples where diversity in structure, physiology and molecular features were initially driven by particular pathways selected through behavior.
Serum Amyloid A-Positive Hepatocellular Neoplasm: A New Type of Tumor Arising in Patients with Advanced Alcoholic Disease
Authors: Sasaki Motoko , Nakanuma Yasuni
Published: September 2015

This chapter reviews a new type of hepatocellular neoplasm, serum amyloid A-positive hepatocellular neoplasm (SAA-HN), which arises in patients with advanced alcoholic liver disease such as cirrhosis. SAA-HNs share histological and immunohistochemical features with inflammatory hepatocellular adenoma, for example, a strong immunoreactivity for SAA. Clinicopathological features and issues regarding SAA-HN are reviewed with emphasis regarding its potential to develop into hepatocellular carcinoma.
A Giant Female Urethral Stone: An Unusual Complication after MidUrethral Sling Operation
Authors: Kilinc Muhammet Fatih , Karakan Tolga , Yildiz Yildiray , Doluoglu Omer Gokhan
Published: September 2015

Primary giant urethral stones are extremely rare in females, and they usually appear in the case of congenital diverticula, not as complications of surgery. Herein, we report a 54-year-old woman with a giant female urethral stone developed after tension-free obturator tape procedure. To our knowledge, this is the first late complication reported in the literature after midurethral sling procedure.
Characteristics of Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration in Brazilian Patients
Authors: Pereira Frederico Braga , Veloso Carlos Eduardo , Kokame Gregg T. , Nehemy Márcio B.
Published: September 2015

Purpose: To report features of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in Brazilian patients. Procedures: Data were prospectively collected from patients diagnosed with neovascular AMD. Eyes were classified as having typical neovascular AMD, polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV), or retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP). Results: In total, 265 eyes of 207 patients of predominantly Caucasian ancestry were included; 166 (62.6%) eyes had typical neovascular AMD, 65 (24.5%) eyes had PCV, and 34 (12.8%) eyes had RAP. RAP demonstrated a higher percentage of bilateral cases (p = 0.015). The mean foveal subfield thickness was significantly lower in eyes with PCV (p < 0.001). Cases with typical neovascular AMD had a higher percentage of predominantly classic and minimally classic lesions on fluorescein angiography (FA; p = 0.005). Conclusions: In Brazilian patients, PCV and RAP represented 24.5 and 12.8% of neovascular AMD cases. Neovascular AMD subtypes differ in relation to clinical features, mean foveal subfield thickness and FA presentation.
Outcomes of Spoke-Retained Telestroke Patients Versus Hub-Treated Patients After Intravenous Thrombolysis
Authors: Heffner Danielle L. , Thirumala Parthasarathy D. , Pokharna Pooja , Chang Yue-Fang , Wechsler Lawrence
Published: September 2015

Background and Purpose—

The outcomes of patients remaining at a community spoke hospital after tissue-type plasminogen activator treatment via telemedicine are unclear. Our aim was to compare medical outcomes between these patients and those treated at a hub stroke center.

Methods—

We retrospectively examined patient medical records from 2006 to 2014 of 272 consecutive patients treated with intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Presbyterian Hospital, a telestroke hub, and 134 consecutive patients treated after telemedicine consultation at 5 UPMC spoke hospitals, who then remained at these hospitals (drip-and-stay). Complications included mortality, length of stay, and common poststroke medical complications. We performed multivariate analysis to identify complications that are independently increased or decreased in the drip-and-stay population. We also performed a Cox proportional hazards regression to compare long-term survival.

Results—

The drip-and-stay patients had less severe strokes (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, 9.5±5.9 versus 12.7±7.1;
P
<0.001) and fewer large vessel occlusions (11.9% versus 36%;
P
<0.001). After controlling for all variables with multivariate analysis, we found that the drip-and-stay patients had an increased risk of adjusted in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio 11.046; 95% confidence interval, 2.785–43.810) and having a length of stay >6 days (adjusted odds ratio, 4.696, 95% confidence interval, 2.428–9.083). Furthermore, the drip-and-stay patients had significantly decreased long-term survival compared with the hub patients (
P
<0.001).

Conclusions—

Despite having less severe strokes, the drip-and-stay patients had an increased adjusted risk of in-hospital mortality, longer length of stay, and lower long-term survival than hub hospital patients. Further studies are needed to confirm the findings and address differences in post-tissue-type plasminogen activator medical care.
Electrocardiographic Left Atrial Abnormality and Risk of Stroke
Authors: Kamel Hooman , Hunter Madeleine , Moon Yeseon P. , Yaghi Shadi , Cheung Ken , Di Tullio Marco R. , Okin Peter M. , Sacco Ralph L. , Soliman Elsayed Z. , Elkind Mitchell S.V.
Published: September 2015

Background and Purpose—

Electrocardiographic left atrial abnormality has been associated with stroke independently of atrial fibrillation (AF), suggesting that atrial thromboembolism may occur in the absence of AF. If true, we would expect an association with cryptogenic or cardioembolic stroke rather than noncardioembolic stroke.

Methods—

We conducted a case-cohort analysis in the Northern Manhattan Study, a prospective cohort study of stroke risk factors. P-wave terminal force in lead V
1
was manually measured from baseline ECGs of participants in sinus rhythm who subsequently had ischemic stroke (n=241) and a randomly selected subcohort without stroke (n=798). Weighted Cox proportional hazard models were used to examine the association between P-wave terminal force in lead V
1
and stroke etiologic subtypes while adjusting for baseline demographic characteristics, history of AF, heart failure, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, tobacco use, and lipid levels.

Results—

Mean P-wave terminal force in lead V
1
was 4452 (±3368) μV*ms among stroke cases and 3934 (±2541) μV*ms in the subcohort. P-wave terminal force in lead V
1
was associated with ischemic stroke (adjusted hazard ratio per SD, 1.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.03–1.39) and the composite of cryptogenic or cardioembolic stroke (adjusted hazard ratio per SD, 1.31; 95% confidence interval, 1.08–1.58). There was no definite association with noncardioembolic stroke subtypes (adjusted hazard ratio per SD, 1.14; 95% confidence interval, 0.92–1.40). Results were similar after excluding participants with a history of AF at baseline or new AF during follow-up.

Conclusions—

ECG-defined left atrial abnormality was associated with incident cryptogenic or cardioembolic stroke independently of the presence of AF, suggesting atrial thromboembolism may occur without recognized AF.
New Caledonian crows (Corvus moneduloides) attend to barb presence during pandanus tool manufacture and use
Authors: Knaebe Brenna , Taylor Alex H. , Miller Rachael , Gray Russell D.
Published: September 2015

New Caledonian crows craft wooden hook tools and incorporate naturally occurring barbs into the leaf tools that they manufacture. This raises the question as to whether, or to what degree, these birds are sensitive to the hooks on their hooked and barbed tools. Past research in this area has provided equivocal results. We tested whether New Caledonian crows attend to the presence and orientation of barbs on pandanus leaves and tools during tool manufacture and selection tasks. Our results show that New Caledonian crows attend to barb presence during both pandanus tool manufacture and use, but do not attend to barb direction during pandanus tool use. We conclude that task context, the time and energetic costs of attending to barbs, relative foraging efficiency, and different experimental designs may influence whether, and to what degree, NC crows attend to pandanus barbs.
Introducing Seaside Town Muslims
Authors: Akyildiz Sevket Hylton
Published: September 2015

The majority of British Muslims live in cities such as London, Leicester, Birmingham and Bradford—and academic research thus far has reflected a city and post-manufacturing town emphasis. This paper investigates the as yet undocumented history and mosque politics of Muslims living in the small town of Eastbourne, East Sussex, using participant observation and unstructured and semi-structured interviews. Firstly, I conceptualise my case study group by highlighting some differences found in a small town in terms of the origins of its Muslims, their ethnic heterogeneity, and residential spatial distribution. Secondly, I explore mosque politics in terms of mosque planning, public reactions to mosque rebuilding, and mosque management issues.