bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
N–N‐Coupled Indolo‐sesquiterpene Atropo‐Diastereomers from a Marine‐Derived Actinomycete
Authors: Zhang Qingbo , Mándi Attila , Li Sumei , Chen Yuchan , Zhang Wenjun , Tian Xinpeng , Zhang Haibo , Li Huixian , Zhang Weimin , Zhang Si , Ju Jianhua , Kurtán Tibor , Zhang Changsheng
Published: August 2012

Four new indolo‐sesquiterpenes – dixiamycins A (1) and B (2), oxiamycin (3), and chloroxiamycin (4) – were isolated from a marine‐derived Actinomycete and characterized, together with the known compound xiamycin A (5). Dixiamycins A (1) and B (2) are the first examples of atropisomerism of naturally occurring N‐N‐coupled atropo‐diastereomers, with a dimeric indolo‐sesquiterpene skeleton and a stereogenic N‐N axis between sp3‐hybridized nitrogen atoms. Solution TDDFT ECD calculations were utilized to ascertain the axial chirality of 1 and 2, and rotational barriers and transitions states of the inversion were calculated. Oxiamycin (3) contains a seven‐membered 2,3,4,5‐tetrahydrooxepine ring. The two dimeric compounds 1 and 2 showed better antibacterial activities than the monomers 3–5.
A demonstration of the importance of bedload transport for fluvial bedrock erosion and knickpoint propagation
Authors: Cook Kristen L. , Turowski Jens M. , Hovius Niels
Published: August 2012

We provide field evidence for the role of bedload in driving fluvial incision and knickpoint propagation. Using aerial photographs, field surveys, and hydrological data, we constrain the incision history of a bedrock gorge 1200 m long and up to 20 m deep cut by Da'an River in western Taiwan. This reach of the river experienced 10 m of uplift during the 1999 Chi‐Chi earthquake. For five years following the earthquake, bedload was prevented from entering the uplift zone, the knickpoint was static and little incision took place. Bedload transport across the uplift zone resumed in 2004, initiating extremely rapid incision, with 620 m of knickpoint propagation and up to 20 m of downcutting by 2008. This change highlights the relative inefficiency of suspended sediment and the dominant role of bedload as a tool for fluvial erosion and knickpoint propagation. Once bedload tools became available, knickpoint propagation was influenced by geological structure, lithology, and drainage organization. In particular, a change in dip of the sandstone beds at the site caused a decrease of knickpoint propagation velocity. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Contemporary glacigenic inputs to the dust cycle
Authors: Bullard Joanna E.
Published: August 2012

The importance of glacigenic dust in the Earth's system during glacial periods is widely acknowledged. Under contemporary conditions, the world's largest dust sources are in low‐lying, hot, arid regions and this is where most aeolian research is focused. However the processes of dust production and emissions are still operating in cold climate regions, particularly in proglacial areas. This paper assesses current understanding of the relationship between glacierised landscapes and dust emissions and inputs to the global dust cycle. It focuses on how elements in the glacial and aeolian geomorphic sub‐systems interact to determine the magnitude, frequency and timing of aeolian dust emissions, and on feedback mechanisms between the systems. Where they have been measured, dust emission intensity and deposition rates in glacierised catchments are very high, in some cases far exceeding those in lower latitudes, however, few studies span long time scales. The impact of future glacier retreat on the balance between sediment supply, availability and aeolian transport capacity and implications for glacigenic dust emissions is also considered. This balance depends on relative spatial and temporal changes in meltwater suspended sediment concentration and wind strengths, which promote dust emissions, and patterns and rates of soil development and vegetation succession on recently‐deglaciated terrain which protect sediments from deflation. Retreat of the Antarctic ice sheet could mean that in future glacigenic contributions to the dust cycle exceed those of non‐glacigenic sources in the southern hemisphere. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Diorganotin(IV) complexes of polyaromatic azo‐azomethine ligand derived from salicylaldehyde and ortho‐aminophenol: Synthesis, characterization, and molecular structures
Authors: Basu Smita , Masharing Cheerfulman , Das Babulal
Published: August 2012

The diorganotin(IV) complexes of methyl 2‐{4‐hydroxy‐3‐[(2‐hydroxy‐phenylimino)‐methyl]‐phenylazo}‐benzoate (H2L) were obtained by the reaction of ortho‐aminophenol, R2SnO (R = Me, nBu, or Ph) and methyl 2‐[(E)‐(3‐formyl‐4‐hydroxy)diazenyl]benzoate (H2PL2) in ethanol, which led to diorganotin(IV) compounds of composition [Me2SnL]2 (1), nBu2SnL (2), and Ph2SnL (3) in good yield. The 1H, 13C, and 119Sn NMR, IR, the mass spectrometry along with elemental analyses allowed establishing the structure of ligand (H2L) and compounds 1–3. In all the three cases, 119Sn chemical shifts are indicators of five‐coordinated Sn atoms in a solution state. The crystal structures of ligand H2L and complexes 1 and 2 were determined by a single crystal X‐ray diffraction study. In the solid state, the ligand H2L exists as a keto‐enamine tautomeric form. The molecular structure of complex 1 in the solid state shows a distorted octahedral geometry around a tin atom due to additional coordination with an oxygen atom from a neighboring molecule leading to a four‐membered ring with Sn‐O···Sn‐O intermolecular coordination, leading to a dimeric species. On the other hand, complex 2 is a monomer with trigonal bipyramidal geometry surrounding the tin atom. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 23:457–465, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/hc.21037
Coffee consumption and risk of gastric and pancreatic cancer—A prospective cohort study
Authors: Bidel Siamak , Hu Gang , Jousilahti Pekka , Pukkala Eero , Hakulinen Timo , Tuomilehto Jaakko
Published: August 2012

Only few prospective studies have examined the association between coffee consumption and risk of gastric and pancreatic cancer. This study is designed to evaluate this relationship among Finns, whose coffee consumption is the highest in the world. A total of 60,041 Finnish men and women who were 26–74 years of age and without history of any cancer at baseline were included in the present analyses. Coffee consumption and other study parameters were determined at baseline using standardized measurements. Participants were prospectively followed up for onset of gastric and/or pancreatic cancer, emigration, death or until June 30, 2006. During a mean follow‐up period of 18 years, 299 cases of gastric cancer and 235 cases of pancreatic cancer were found. There was a nonsignificant inverse association between coffee consumption and risk of gastric cancer among men but not in the women. The multivariate‐adjusted hazard ratio of stomach and pancreatic cancer incidence for ≥10 cups of coffee per day compared with nondrinkers were 0.75 (95% CI, 0.40–1.41) (Pfor trend = 0.19) and 0.82 (95% CI, 0.38–1.76) (Pfor trend = 0.95) for the combined population of men and women, respectively. We did not find a significant association between coffee consumption and the risk of gastric and/or pancreatic cancers.
Infant Mental Health Intervention for Preterm Infants in Japan: Promotions of Maternal Mental Health, Mother–Infant Interactions, and Social Support by Providing Continuous Home Visits until the Corrected Infant Age of 12 Months
Authors: Cho Yukiko , Hirose Taiko , Tomita Naoko , Shirakawa Sonoko , Murase Kimiko , Komoto Keiko , Nagayoshi Michie , Okamitsu Motoko , Omori Takahide
Published: August 2012

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the Japanese Infant Mental Health Program (JIMHP) for preterm mother–infant dyads until the infants reached 12 months of corrected age. Mothers in the JIMHP group (n = 26) received one hospital visit in addition to standard care in the Growing Care Unit (GCU) and five home visits based on the principles of infant mental health (IMH) after discharge from the hospital, until the infant reached 12 months of corrected age. In contrast, mothers in the control program group (n = 40) received standard care in the GCU and three conventional home visits during the same period. The dyads were then compared across groups, revealing that the JIMHP dyads showed less maternal depressive symptoms, better maternal interaction, increased social support by medical workers and healthcare professionals, a high persistence rate for attending the program, and a more positive perception toward the program (p < .05). However, there were no significant differences in the impact of parenting stress or in child development. These results are discussed in terms of their significance and the practical/clinical availability of IMH principles and the JIMHP as a new support model for preterm infants in Japan.
Predictive value of FRAX for fracture in obese older women
Authors: Premaor Melissa , Parker Richard A , Cummings Steve , Ensrud Kris , Cauley Jane A , Lui Li-Yung , Hillier Theresa , Compston Juliet ,   for the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SOF) Research Group
Published: August 2012

Recent studies indicate that obesity is not protective against fracture in postmenopausal women and increases the risk of fracture at some sites. Risk factors for fracture in obese women may differ from those in the nonobese. We aimed to compare the ability of FRAX with and without bone mineral density (BMD) to predict fractures in obese and nonobese older postmenopausal women who were participants in the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures. Data for FRAX clinical risk factors and femoral neck BMD were available in 6049 women, of whom 18.5% were obese. Hip fractures, major osteoporotic fractures, and any clinical fractures were ascertained during a mean follow-up period of 9.03 years. Receiving operator curve (ROC) analysis, model calibration, and decision curve analysis were used to compare fracture prediction in obese and nonobese women. ROC analysis revealed no significant differences between obese and nonobese women in fracture prediction by FRAX, with or without BMD. Predicted hip fracture risk was lower than observed risk in both groups of women, particularly when FRAX + BMD was used, but there was good calibration for FRAX + BMD in prediction of major osteoporotic fracture in both groups. Decision curve analysis demonstrated that both FRAX models were useful for hip fracture prediction in obese and nonobese women for threshold 10-year fracture probabilities in the range of 4% to 10%, although in obese women FRAX + BMD was superior to FRAX alone. For major osteoporotic fracture, both FRAX models were useful in both groups of women for threshold probabilities in the range of 10% to 30%. For all clinical fractures, the FRAX models were not useful at threshold probabilities below 30%. We conclude that FRAX is of value in predicting hip and major osteoporotic fractures in obese postmenopausal women, particularly when used with BMD. © 2013 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
Protective effects of thymol on altered plasma lipid peroxidation and nonenzymic antioxidants in isoproterenol‐induced myocardial infarcted rats
Authors: Nagoor Meeran Mohamed Fizur , Stanely Mainzen Prince Ponnian
Published: August 2012

This study evaluates the protective effects of thymol on altered plasma lipid peroxidation products and nonenzymic antioxidants in isoproterenol (ISO)‐induced myocardial infarcted rats. Male albino Wistar rats were pre and cotreated with thymol (7.5 mg/kg body weight) daily for 7 days. ISO (100 mg/kg body weight) was subcutaneously injected into rats on 6th and 7th day to induce myocardial infarction (MI). Increased activity/levels of serum creatine kinase‐MB (CK‐MB), plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, lipid hydroperoxides, and conjugated dienes with decreased levels of plasma reduced glutathione (GSH), vitamin C, and vitamin E were observed in ISO‐induced myocardial infarcted rats. Pre and cotreatment with thymol (7.5 mg/kg body weight) showed normalized activity of serum CK‐MB and near normalized levels of plasma lipid peroxidation products, reduced GSH, vitamin C, and vitamin E in myocardial infarcted rats. Furthermore, the in vitro study on reducing power of thymol confirmed its potent antioxidant action. Thus, thymol protects ISO‐induced MI in rats by its antilipid peroxidation and antioxidant properties. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 26:368–373, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/jbt.21431
Peer‐comparison overconfidence: Does it measure bias in self‐evaluation?
Authors: Bi Yan‐Ling , Du Xue‐Lei , Li Shu
Published: August 2012

Overconfidence is generally regarded as one of the most robust findings in the psychology of judgment. A precise method for evaluating overconfidence is essential if researchers are to validate these findings. Although peer‐comparison questions are a convenient tool for measuring overconfidence, their validity has been questioned. We employed a specific paradigm to verify the validity, and the respondents were asked to predict a verifiable future event in a real‐world setting that allowed empirical checking and comparison between the actual result and the prediction. Studies 1 and 2 found that the actual percentile of overconfidence could be accurately predicted using our initial calculation of participants’ peer‐comparison overconfidence in answering questions about academic performance. Study 3 found a similar effect when using questions related to job hunting. All studies indicated that peer‐comparison questions are valid for measuring bias in self‐evaluation. Thus, future studies could employ peer‐comparison questions to investigate the domain specificity versus the domain generality of overconfidence.
Pathways to hostile collective action: The roles of general attitudes toward the advantaged group and situational anger
Authors: Zhou Jie , Wang Erping
Published: August 2012

Collective action is a group behavior that aims to improve the status, power, or influence of an entire group. The present study focused on hostile collective action performed for releasing negative emotions, and explored a pathway including the roles of general attitudes toward the advantaged group and situational group‐based anger in predicting the disadvantaged groups’ hostile collective action. Group‐level data were collected via a laboratory experiment. The results obtained using multiple regression analysis suggested that general attitudes toward the advantaged group formed before the trigger event predicted hostile collective action indirectly through the mediating effects of situational group‐based anger and collective action tendencies, which were both produced after that trigger event. In addition, situational group‐based anger predicted hostile collective action fully through collective action tendencies. These pathways provided a continuous process of hostile collective action in which general attitudes toward the advantaged group that were formed before the trigger events would influence situational group‐based anger when the trigger events occurred, and then affected hostile collective action for responding to these events. Thus, hostile collective action could be predicted before the trigger events by monitoring the disadvantaged groups’ attitudes toward the advantaged group. Moreover, reducing destructive collective action by improving intergroup attitudes through some effective interventions was discussed in this study.
Defect engineering for modern power devices
Authors: Job Reinhart , Laven Johannes G. , Niedernostheide Franz‐Josef , Schulze Hans‐Joachim , Schulze Holger , Schustereder Werner
Published: August 2012

Radiation‐induced defects are a common tool in the manufacturing of modern power semiconductor devices. Hydrogen‐related doping is a feasible method to introduce deep doping profiles with a low thermal budget. The hydrogen‐related donors (HDs) require radiation damage and hydrogen, which can be induced by different methods, e.g., proton implantation, helium and proton co‐implantation, or an implantation followed by a hydrogen‐plasma step. The choice of these methods significantly affects the introduction efficiency of the donors and the necessary post‐implantation thermal budget. By controlling the hydrogen‐to‐damage ratio, the manufacturing process of the HD profiles may be moved on a trade‐off between the activation efficiency and the necessary thermal budget. A low hydrogen‐to‐damage ratio leads to an increased activation of the HDs, whereas a high hydrogen‐to‐damage ratio reduces the necessary diffusion time of the hydrogen during the post‐implantation anneal. For the technical usage of hydrogen‐related doping, knowledge of an efficient process window is desirable. In this paper, we consider proton implantation, helium and proton co‐implantation, and a proton implantation followed by a hydrogen‐plasma step as different introduction methods of HD profiles with regard to the activation efficiency of the HDs and the necessary thermal budget.
An Empirical Investigation into the Influence of Sealing Crimp Geometry and Process Settings on the Seal Integrity of Traditional and Biopolymer Packaging Materials
Authors: Matthews Jason , Hicks Ben , Mullineux Glen , Leslie John , Burke Andy , Goodwin Jim , Ogg Andrew , Campbell Alan
Published: August 2012

This article presents the results of investigations to determine how process settings and crimp geometry affect the seal strength and integrity of traditional polyolefin and biopolymer flexible packaging materials. The results show agreement with previous studies where temperature and dwell time are found to be the dominant factors for both polyolefin and biopolymer films. Pressure and crimp geometry are shown to be secondary factors in the process, up to the point of squeezing the film into molecular contact. In general, it is shown that biopolymers exhibit similar sealing characteristics to more traditional films. Regarding the sealing crimp geometry, it is shown that the crimp pitch has little or no effect on sealing integrity for films with gauges between 25 and 40 µm. However, for the same gauge material, crimp angles more than 80° offer the greatest potential to gain higher seal strengths. It is further shown that with the cellulose and polylactic acid films tested, a higher seal strength can be produced with crimp pitches of 2 mm and lower. Also presented are some more general implications for guiding the selection of sealing crimp geometry and their usage with biopolymers. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Understanding the Antibacterial Mechanism of CuO Nanoparticles: Revealing the Route of Induced Oxidative Stress
Authors: Applerot Guy , Lellouche Jonathan , Lipovsky Anat , Nitzan Yeshayahu , Lubart Rachel , Gedanken Aharon , Banin Ehud
Published: August 2012

To date, there is still a lack of definite knowledge regarding the interaction of CuO nanoparticles with bacteria and the possible permeation of the nanoparticles into bacterial cells. This study was aimed at shedding light on the size‐dependent (from the microscale down to the small nanoscale) antibacterial activity of CuO. The potent antibacterial activity of CuO nanoparticles was found to be due to ROS‐generation by the nanoparticles attached to the bacterial cells, which in turn provoked an enhancement of the intracellular oxidative stress. This paradigm was confirmed by several assays such as lipid peroxidation and reporter strains of oxidative stress. Furthermore, electron microscopy indicated that the small nanoparticles of CuO penetrated the cells. Collectively, the results reported herein may reconcile conflicting concepts in the literature concerning the antibacterial mechanism of CuO nanoparticles, as well as highlight the potential for developing sustainable CuO nanoparticles‐based devices for inhibiting bacterial infections.
Software quality metrics aggregation in industry
Authors: Mordal Karine , Anquetil Nicolas , Laval Jannik , Serebrenik Alexander , Vasilescu Bogdan , Ducasse Stéphane
Published: August 2012

With the growing need for quality assessment of entire software systems in the industry, new issues are emerging. First, because most software quality metrics are defined at the level of individual software components, there is a need for aggregation methods to summarize the results at the system level. Second, because a software evaluation requires the use of different metrics, with possibly widely varying output ranges, there is a need to combine these results into a unified quality assessment. In this paper we derive, from our experience on real industrial cases and from the scientific literature, requirements for an aggregation method. We then present a solution through the Squale model for metric aggregation, a model specifically designed to address the needs of practitioners. We empirically validate the adequacy of Squale through experiments on Eclipse. Additionally, we compare the Squale model to both traditional aggregation techniques (e.g., the arithmetic mean), and to econometric inequality indices (e.g., the Gini or the Theil indices), recently applied to aggregation of software metrics. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Automated evaluation of website navigability: an empirical validation of multilevel quality models
Authors: Vaucher Stéphane , Moulart Antoine , Sahraoui Houari , Habra Naji
Published: August 2012

Websites are an important and efficient means of communication for companies wishing to interact with their clients. Therefore, research has focused on evaluating how websites should be structured to ensure their quality. The majority of this research has focused on evaluating the quality of individual pages or that of a site as a whole. In this article, we propose the use of two‐level models that combine evaluations at the page level with evaluations at the site level, and applied them to the problem of evaluating the navigability of websites. To test our models, we conducted a study with 21 subjects who had to complete navigation tasks on several websites, and compared their quality judgments to those produced by single and two‐level quality models. We found that two‐level models are better predictors of navigability. Finally, we show how two‐level models are able to suggest modifications to improve site navigability. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Clinical Experience with Primary Hepatic Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma: Retrospective Study of 33 Patients
Authors: Wang Long‐Rong , Zhou Jia‐Min , Zhao Yi‐Ming , He Hong‐Wei , Chai Zong‐Tao , Wang Miao , Ji Yuan , Chen Yi , Liu Chen , Sun Hui‐Chuan , Wu Wei‐Zhong , Ye Qing‐Hai , Zhou Jian , Fan Jia , Tang Zhao‐You , Wang Lu
Published: August 2012

Background

This multicenter‐based retrospective study aimed to investigate the prognostic factors and report our experiences with the diagnosis and treatment of hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (HEHE), a rare malignant vascular tumor.

Methods

A total of 33 patients with HEHE from two centers between 2004 and 2011 were retrospectively reviewed with respect to their clinical, radiologic, and pathologic characteristics; treatment modalities and outcomes; and potential prognostic factors.

Results

A total of 17 patients underwent liver resections (LRs) alone, 12 patients had transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) alone, three patients had LR followed by TACE, and one patient underwent liver transplantation (LT). The difference of overall survival (OS) between LR and TACE was not significant (p = 0.499). Older patients [≥47 years, n = 17; p = 0.035, hazard ratio (HR) = 7.0), those with symptoms (n = 17; p = 0.001, HR = 86.5], and those with an elevated serum CA19‐9 level (>37 U/ml, n = 5; p = 0.018, HR = 5.0) had a poorer OS, according to univariate analysis. The presence of symptoms was validated as a prognostic factor (p = 0.012) by multivariate analysis.

Conclusions

Liver resection and TACE have comparable outcomes in HEHE patients. The presence of symptoms indicates a poor prognosis. Older age and elevated serum CA19‐9 are potential negative impact factors on outcome.
Factors associated with the success of the Rigo System Chêneau brace in treating mild to moderate adolescent idiopathic scoliosis
Authors: Ovadia Dror , Eylon Sharon , Mashiah Avraham , Wientroub Shlomo , Lebel Eduard David
Published: August 2012

Background

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is the most prevalent spine deformity within the pediatric population. Orthosis is the mainstay of conservative treatment for mild to moderate AIS. The Rigo System Chêneau (RSC) brace is a custom-made thoracolumbar sacral orthosis (TLSO) based on a three-dimensional correction concept. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that could predict the therapeutic success/failure of the RSC brace.

Materials and methods

A retrospective cohort study was performed on all consecutive patients according to the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) criteria for the success of conservative treatment. Participants had a 2-year follow-up beyond the termination of brace treatment. All patients were treated with the RSC orthotic device.

Results

Ninety-three patients met the inclusion criteria. At treatment onset, their average age was 12.9 years, average Cobb angle 31.97°, Risser score 1.07, and the mean angle of thoracic rotation (ATR) was 10.2°. The mean brace treatment period was 36 months. Treatment was successful in 83.8 % of these patients ( n = 79). The average final Cobb angle was 28.97°, Risser score 4.88, and ATR 8.09°. The pre-treatment factors associated with the success of applying the RSC brace were a high Risser score [odds ratio (OR) = 2.97, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.18–7.44; p = 0.02), a low Cobb angle (OR = 0.92, 95 % CI 0.85–0.99; p = 0.02), and low ATR (OR = 0.86, 95 % CI 0.75–0.99; p = 0.04).

Conclusions

The treatment of mild to moderate AIS with the RSC brace provides excellent clinical results. Its added benefit is enabling a three-dimensional correction of a three-dimensional deformity. Pre-treatment high Risser score, low Cobb angles, and low ATRs are associated with treatment success.

Level of evidence

Retrospective analysis, Level III.
Maternal mortality in Eritrea: Improvements associated with centralization of obstetric services
Authors: Holzgreve Wolfgang , Greiner Dorothea , Schwidtal Peter
Published: August 2012

To reduce maternal mortality and move more effectively toward achieving Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5 it is important to learn from positive national experiences and to try to isolate the significant factors that were successful. Maternal mortality in Eritrea is still high, but within the period since the country's independence in 1991, the Eritrean Government has received support to improve maternal health from two German nongovernmental organizations: the Hammer Forum and Archemed. This support has focused on prenatal care, contraception counseling, postabortion care, and most notably the centralization of obstetric and neonatal services in the capital, Asmara, and in the second biggest city, Keren. It is now possible to tentatively evaluate the effect of this approach. National data show that the maternal mortality ratio declined from 998 per 100 000 live births in 1995 to 486 in 2010. Although the positive effect of skilled birth attendants in the periphery is also well documented, the centralization of obstetric services in Eritrea seems to have been a major factor in the country's considerable progress toward achieving MDG 5.
Russia under Putin: Titanic looking for its iceberg?
Authors: Shevtsova Lilia
Published: August 2012

December 2011 protests in Russia, the largest after the collapse of the Soviet Union, shattered the status quo that had taken shape over the last decade and signaled that Russia is entering turbulent waters. Russia found itself caught in a trap: the 2011–2012 elections perpetuate a personalized power system that became the source of decay. The top-down rule and its “personificator” – Vladimir Putin – are already rejected by the most dynamic and educated urban population. However, no clear political alternative with a broad social support has yet emerged to replace the old Russian matrix.

In terms of strategic significance, Putin’s regime will most certainly unravel in the fore-seeable perspective. But it is hard to predict what consequences this will have: the system’s disintegration and even collapse of the state, growing rot and atrophy, or the last grasp in the life of personalized power and transformation that will set Russia on a new foundation. One thing is apparent: transformation will not happen in the form of reform from above and within, and if it does occur, it will be the result of the deepening crisis and society’s pressure.
The Weather Observer's Handbook
Authors: Burt Stephen
Published: August 2012

The Weather Observer's Handbook provides a comprehensive, practical and independent guide to all aspects of making weather observations. Automatic weather stations today form the mainstay of both amateur and professional weather observing networks around the world and yet – prior to this book – there existed no independent guide to their selection and use. Traditional and modern weather instruments are covered, including how best to choose and to site a weather station, how to get the best out of your equipment, how to store and analyse your records and how to share your observations with other people and across the Internet. From amateur observers looking for help in choosing their first weather instruments on a tight budget to professional observers looking for a comprehensive and up-to-date guide covering World Meteorological Organization recommendations on observing methods and practices, all will welcome this handbook.
Linear stability of magnetohydrodynamic flow in a perfectly conducting rectangular duct
Authors: Priede Jānis , Aleksandrova Svetlana , Molokov Sergei
Published: August 2012

We analyse numerically the linear stability of a liquid-metal flow in a rectangular duct with perfectly electrically conducting walls subject to a uniform transverse magnetic field. A non-standard three-dimensional vector stream-function/vorticity formulation is used with a Chebyshev collocation method to solve the eigenvalue problem for small-amplitude perturbations. A relatively weak magnetic field is found to render the flow linearly unstable as two weak jets appear close to the centre of the duct at the Hartmann number $\mathit{Ha}\approx 9. 6. $ In a sufficiently strong magnetic field, the instability following the jets becomes confined in the layers of characteristic thickness $\delta \ensuremath{\sim} {\mathit{Ha}}^{\ensuremath{-} 1/ 2} $ located at the walls parallel to the magnetic field. In this case the instability is determined by $\delta , $ which results in both the critical Reynolds number and wavenumber scaling as ${\ensuremath{\sim} }{\delta }^{\ensuremath{-} 1} . $ Instability modes can have one of the four different symmetry combinations along and across the magnetic field. The most unstable is a pair of modes with an even distribution of vorticity along the magnetic field. These two modes represent strongly non-uniform vortices aligned with the magnetic field, which rotate either in the same or opposite senses across the magnetic field. The former enhance while the latter weaken one another provided that the magnetic field is not too strong or the walls parallel to the field are not too far apart. In a strong magnetic field, when the vortices at the opposite walls are well separated by the core flow, the critical Reynolds number and wavenumber for both of these instability modes are the same: ${\mathit{Re}}_{c} \approx 642{\mathit{Ha}}^{1/ 2} + 8. 9\ensuremath{\times} 1{0}^{3} {\mathit{Ha}}^{\ensuremath{-} 1/ 2} $ and ${k}_{c} \approx 0. 477{\mathit{Ha}}^{1/ 2} . $ The other pair of modes, which differs from the previous one by an odd distribution of vorticity along the magnetic field, is more stable with an approximately four times higher critical Reynolds number.
Yield and grain quality of wheat in response to increased temperatures at key periods for grain number and grain weight determination: considerations for the climatic change scenarios of Chile
Authors: LIZANA X. C. , CALDERINI D. F.
Published: August 2012

Agricultural systems are challenged by global climatic change in a scenario of increasing food demand by a growing population. The increase in average temperature will be the main environmental factor affecting the crop development and productivity worldwide, although changes in carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration and rainfall are also expected. Global warming in the range of moderately high temperatures (15–32°C) is projected for temperate environments such as that of central-southern Chile, where grain crops such as wheat are widely grown. The present study assessed the impact of moderately high temperatures on both yield and quality traits of wheat during key stages for grain number and grain weight determination. Two cultivars of spring wheat (Pandora INIA and Huayún INIA) were grown under field conditions during two cropping seasons (2006/07 and 2007/08) under different thermal regimes, consisting of a combination of three temperatures (a control at ambient temperature and two increased temperature treatments, ranging from 2·6 to 11·7°C above the control) and two (3–15 and 20–32 days after anthesis) or three (booting to anthesis (Bo-At), 3–15 and 20–32 days after anthesis) timing regimes. The data recorded showed that the extent of yield reduction was strongly dependent on the timing of the heat treatments. Increased temperature at pre- (Bo-At) or early post-anthesis (3–15 days after anthesis) affected grain yield the most (reducing it by 8–30%). In light of these results, yield reductions of up to 18% can be expected when the crop undergoes average temperature increase of 2·8°C at Bo-At. In this study, the negative effect of increasing temperature on grain yield was associated with both grain number and grain weight reductions; however, different sensitivities to higher temperatures were found between cultivars. Although protein concentration of grains was not affected by higher temperatures, other negative effects on industrial quality traits are important, considering the impact of thermal treatments on grain size of both cultivars.
Ageing and taste
Authors: Methven Lisa , Allen Victoria J. , Withers Caroline A. , Gosney Margot A.
Published: August 2012

Taste perception has been studied frequently in young and older adult groups. This paper systematically reviews these studies to determine the effect of ageing on taste perception and establish the reported extent of sensory decline. Five databases were searched from 1900 to April 2012. Articles relating to healthy ageing in human subjects were included, reviewed and rated (Downs and Black scoring system). Sixty-nine studies investigated the effect of ageing on taste perception; forty examined detection thresholds of which twenty-three provided sufficient data for meta-analysis, eighteen reported identification thresholds and twenty-five considered supra-threshold intensity perception. Researchers investigating detection thresholds considered between one and thirteen taste compounds per paper. Overall, the consensus was that taste detection thresholds increased with age (Hedges’g = 0·91,P < 0·001), across all taste modalities. Identification thresholds were reported to be higher for older adults in seventeen out of eighteen studies. Sixteen out of twenty-five studies reported perception of taste intensity at supra-threshold levels to be significantly lower for older adults. However, six out of nine studies concerning sucrose found perceived intensity of sweet taste not to diminish with age. The findings of this systematic review suggest taste perception declines during the healthy ageing process, although the extent of decline varies between studies. Overall, the studies reviewed had low Downs and Black scores (mean 16 (SD 2)) highlighting the need for more robust large scale and longitudinal studies monitoring the impact of ageing on the sensory system, and how this influences the perception of foods and beverages.
Non-standard oscillation theory for multiparameter eigenvalue problems
Authors: Binding P. A. , Volkmer H.
Published: August 2012

An eigenvalue problem for k Sturm–Liouville equations coupled by k parameters λ1,…,λk is considered. In contrast to the standard case, for each r, the second-order derivative in the rth equation is multiplied by λr. This problem presents various interesting features. For example, the existence of eigenvalues with oscillation counts beyond a certain (computable) value is obtained without any of the restrictive definiteness conditions known from the standard case. Uniqueness is also analysed, and the results are given greater precision via eigencurve methods in the case of two equations coupled by two parameters.
Acute Q fever in northern Queensland: variation in incidence related to rainfall and geographical location
Authors: HARRIS P. , EALES K. M. , SQUIRES R. , GOVAN B. , NORTON R.
Published: August 2012

The aims of this study were to define the basic epidemiology of serologically confirmed acute Q fever in patients tested via the Townsville Hospital laboratory from 2000 to 2010 and to determine the impact of geographical location and seasonality on the incidence of acute cases in the Townsville region. Seven Statistical Local Areas (SLA) were identified as having an incidence higher than the average Queensland incidence over the study period. The SLA with the highest incidence was Woodstock-Ross with 24·9 cases/100 000. A clear seasonal peak was found, with the greatest number of cases observed in May, 3 months following the peak in rainfall in February. We hypothesize that an increase in wildlife numbers and drier conditions seen immediately following the wet season is the reason for the seasonal peak of human acute Q fever cases in Townsville.
Effects of different forms of monocular deprivation on primary visual cortex maps
Authors: JAFFER SAJJIDA , VOROBYOV VASILY , SENGPIEL FRANK
Published: August 2012

Monocular deprivation (MD) by lid suture is one of the classic paradigms for the study of developmental plasticity in the cerebral cortex, and we have detailed knowledge of its anatomical and physiological consequences as well as underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms. However, the effects of other forms of manipulating visual input through one eye on the functional architecture of the primary visual cortex (V1) have not yet been examined directly. We compared MD by lid suture with the effects of daily monocular lens wear using either a frosted lens or a neutral density (ND) filter. We used optical imaging of intrinsic signals and visually evoked potentials (VEPs) to assess responses in V1 to monocular stimulation. We found that loss of stimulus contrast through monocular frosted lens wear resulted in marked takeover of cortical territory by the nondeprived eye (NDE) similar to that caused by classic MD, and in virtual absence of orientation-selective responses following stimulation of the deprived eye (DE). Furthermore, amplitudes of VEPs in response to gratings of a range of spatial frequencies were significantly reduced in the DE compared to the NDE. In contrast, differences in luminance between two eyes caused by an ND filter in front of one eye did not affect ocular dominance and orientation maps, and there was no significant difference in the amplitude of VEPs elicited through the two eyes. Our results are consistent with previous electrophysiological studies in demonstrating that binocular pattern information is necessary to maintain normal functional maps in both eyes, while reduced luminance in one eye has little effect on the overall functional architecture and visual responses in V1.
Eruption of El Ruiz Volcano, Colombia
Authors: Gueri Miguel
Published: August 2012

The Republic of Colombia is situated in the northern part of South America, with coasts to both the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. It has a long history of natural disasters: hurricanes from the Caribbean sea have lashed the eastern seaboard more than once, while the western part of the country belongs to the so called “Pacific Fire Belt.” Being in the zone of contact between the Nazca and the South American Techtonic Plates, where the former gets under the latter, it suffers from volcanic eruptions and earthquakes (Figures 1 and 2). The more recent major earthquakes were those in Tumaco in 1979 and Popayan in 1983. In Tumaco, the combined action of the earth movement (magnitude 7.9 in the Richter scale) and the subsequent Tsunami caused an estimated 500 deaths (Gueri et al). Popayan was almost totally destroyed by an earthquake of 5.3 magnitude in which over 100 people died (Gueri and Alzate).
Conflict/Terrorism/ Civil Unrest
Authors: Kupperman Robert H.
Published: August 2012

I would like to talk about the changing forms of warfare, terrorism in particular, and try to relate to you where you may have some involvement with the problem. First of all, let me tell you that terrorism, and I'm not going to seek to define it fully because no one has ever succeeded in doing so, is political extortion. It is the warfare of the weak. The terrorists generally use very low technology weapons, by this I mean, hand grenades, bombs, automatic weapons, pistols; but their logistical support is of the highest magnitude in terms of technology, things such as jet aircraft and instant global satellite communications. The most fundamental observation to make about terrorism is that it's theatre and very highly choreographed. Its purpose is to make large governments, particularly democracies which both enjoy and insist upon human dignity and human rights, look impotent. And we have been made to look impotent in my mind.
Medical Consequences of Terrorism, Conflict and Civil Unrest
Authors: Sidenberg Barry S.
Published: August 2012

There are over 25 active insurgencies in progress worldwide today. Terrorism is often part of these actions. But terrorism is also found worldwide in areas where no active insurgency exists. There has been a sharp rise in terrorist activities in the last five years, and there will continue to be an increase in such activities in the future.

Bombs, in various assortments, are the favorite weapons of terrorists. When guns are utilized, they are often of the military type and produce subsequent high velocity missile injuries which have entirely different characteristics than the normal type of handgun injury encountered in the civilian practice of medicine. The type of wounds produced by bombings include blast injuries, burns, multiple fragment injuries, blunt trauma, and major mutilation to include amputation. High velocity missile injuries produced by the use of various military rifles and submachine guns require treatment by a surgeon knowledgeable in the care of such wounds. Surgical lessons learned by military surgeons dating back to the time of Napoleon's surgeon Larrey are discussed in some detail in the article. Special considerations attending to medical care associated with terrorist activities are highlighted. Such consequences include multi-system trauma to an individual, trauma to large numbers of individuals at one time, massive trauma to individuals, and the difficulty in treating and evacuating victims who are trapped in rubble.
National Disaster Medical System
Authors: Reutershan Thomas P.
Published: August 2012

A National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) has been planned to deal with medical care needs in disasters of great magnitude. NDMS is based on the concepts of the Civilian-Military Contingency Hospital System, in which civilian hospitals voluntarily commit a portion of their beds for military casualties. In the NDMS, the hospital beds will be augmented by medical teams and logistic support to enable the system to serve a large civilian disaster. The system is a cooperative effort of the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Defense, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, State and local governments, and the private sector. NDMS will comprise 150 disaster medical response teams to clear and stage civilian casualties, an evacuation system, and 100,000 pre-committed beds in hospitals throughout the Nation. The system will serve national needs in the event of a massive peace-time disaster or an overseas conventional military conflict.
Emergency Medicine: The State of the Art
Authors: Rutherford William H.
Published: August 2012

Coming from the city in the world which has made the least political progress in the past decade, I hope you will excuse me for starting with a distinction often made in Northern Ireland, and for all I know in other places in relation to the sphere of political activity. We say that such and such a matter is politics with a small p, and such and such is politics with a large P. Let me give you two examples. If I were to say that the contribution of nurses to disaster medicine is ten times as important as the contribution of paramedics, this would not only demonstrate that my death wish is alive and well, it would also be an example of politics with a small p. On the other hand if I were to say that Maggie Thatcher is destroying the National Health Service and somehow we must persuade all non Conservative parties to form a single coalition to get rid of her, that would be an example of politics with a very big P. If you wish to understand the entire scope of political activity, then it is very important that you recognize both politics with a small p and politics with a large P. Politics with a large P is really a subset of politics with a small p, which in its broadest sense embraces the totality of the subject.
Interdisciplinary Emergency Care System in a Medium Sized City: Evaluation of 3,997 Cases Over a Four Year Period
Authors: Behrenbeck Th. , Fastenrath C. , Behrenbeck J. , Groell K. , Dorsel Th. , Bender F.
Published: August 2012

In 1978 an emergency medical system was established to provide extensive, on the spot treatment for medical emergencies and traffic accidents in Münster. It was designed, like other systems (17,21,23,25,31,34) to treat all types of medical emergencies, although it was initially thought that victims of traffic accidents would predominate. The system covers the city of Münster, which is the capital of Westphalia (see Figure 1) and has a population of 270,000 plus its neighboring communities. Thus, the service provides for 300,000 people over a 20 mile circle in diameter. This area has a low percentage of blue collar workers due to a lack of industry, as Münster is mainly an academic, administrative and business center.
Disaster Management: An Introduction to the Incident Command System (ICS)
Authors: D'Acchioli Ronald L.
Published: August 2012

The Incident Command System is a personnel and resource management scheme which has several interactive components which make it an effective plan.

This system is being used effectively in the State of California for the control of large scale incidents on a daily basis. Dr. Rodney Herbert of London advised us not long ago, during his presentation of the “Moorgate Incident”, an event in which he participated, that a valuable lesson was learned as that catastrophe unfolded and was managed by local emergency services agencies. The lesson learned was that “special plans” for disaster management which sit on a shelf to collect dust while awaiting the event soon become of little use through inactivity. His message was that the protocols used by emergency services agencies for disaster management should merely be an extension of the day-to-day activities of that agency.
The U.S. National Disaster Medical System
Authors: Mahoney Louis E. , Esch Victor H.
Published: August 2012

We believe the National Disaster Medical System is of benefit to each participant, to his community, and to the nation. The National Disaster Medical System will enhance local, State, and national ability to respond to emergencies. The system is now under development with the support of the health care professions and institutions of the country.