bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A serosurvey reveals Bosnia and Herzegovina as a Europe's hotspot in hantavirus seroprevalence
Authors: HUKIC M. , NIKOLIC J. , VALJEVAC A. , SEREMET M. , TESIC G. , MARKOTIC A.
Published: December 2009

The extent of hantavirus seroprevalence in the healthy population from Bosnia and Herzegovina has not yet been investigated; therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the hantavirus seroprevalence in the population from different regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and in different risk groups. The serosurvey included 1331 subjects from endemic and non-endemic regions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. All sera samples were examined using IgG ELISA, and Western blot (Bunyavirus IgG) tests. Hantavirus seroprevalence was 7·4% in the endemic region and 2·4% in the non-endemic region (P<0·05). Former soldiers from the endemic region had significantly the highest seroprevalence (16·1%) compared to the general population from the endemic region (6·2%), the occupational risk group from the non-endemic region (5·6%) and the general population from the non-endemic region (0·8%) (P<0·01). No difference in hantavirus seroprevalence between gender or age groups was observed. Hantavirus seroprevalence in different populations in Bosnia and Herzegovina was found to be highest compared to other central European countries.
The ZKM Institute for Music and Acoustics up to 2002: Politics, context and foundations
Authors: Goebel Johannes
Published: December 2009

The overall concept for a Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie in Karlsruhe positioned music as integral part of it from the very beginning in 1985. The following text does not list accomplishments by discussing individual works, productions and research projects; this report describes and contextualises what happened and how it happened, it talks of people and concepts, of politics and ideas. It tries to illuminate the complex path between politics and technology, individual interests and cultural perspectives that led to and shaped ZKM. The uniqueness of ZKM is not only that it comprises museums as well as institutes, which actively produce art. The uniqneness of ZKM also lies in that music was planned as an equally important partner in the original concept, and that the Institute for Music and Acoustics still holds a major position in the institution today even though ZKM as a whole shifted towards the dominance of visual media. The focus of this text is on how the Institute for Music and Acoustics forms an integral part of ZKM as a whole while evolving its own inner direction and dynamics.
‘Shaping Electronic Sounds like Clay’: The historical situation and aesthetic position of electroacoustic music at the ZKM | Institute for Music and Acoustics
Authors: Heidenreich Achim
Published: December 2009

Twenty years after the founding of the Karlsuhe ZKM | Center for Art and Media and its Institute for Music and Acoustics, we reexamine the institute’s position with regard to both aesthetic approaches and the 20 years of a reunified Germany. When the broadcasting corporations in West Germany decided to discontinue support for all of their electronic music studios except the Southwest German Radio’s Experimental Studio in Freiburg, the Institute for Music and Acoustics took on a special role that also had an impact on the course of music history in former East Germany. Together with the studio at the Berlin Academy of the Arts, the Institute became a studio for electroacoustic art that served the whole of Germany, though financed by local funding from the City of Karlsruhe and regional funding from the state of Baden-Württemberg. One of the artistic themes pursued at the ZKM’s Institute for Music and Acoustics is the combination of instruments and voice with electronics, for both theatrical settings and purely concert performances. The aspect of real-time composition gives rise to a lasting alteration of the performance situation and the character of the work produced.
The ZKM | Institute for Music and Acoustics
Authors: Brümmer Ludger
Published: December 2009

The ZKM | Karlsruhe has been producing work now for 20 years. The Institute for Music and Acoustics in particular has commissioned, produced or co-produced approximately 400 works in this time. The Institute’s work takes place within a very active but also very complex environment in Germany, one which often repudiates the use of technology and its accompanying shift in the aesthetic paradigm. The following text will shed light on the work of the ZKM | Karlsruhe in general and the various activities of the Institute for Music and Acoustics (IMA) in particular. These activities encompass the areas of production, presentation, publication and research. To this end, the article will touch upon the IMA’s primary research projects, in particular the archiving project Mediaartbase (Brümmer, Heidenreich, Haecker et al. 2009), the development of software and hardware in the context of spatial music, and a number of interface developments. Reasons will be discussed that substantiate the significance of spatial music with regard to the reception of music in the future, and the role of new interfaces in future musical activities will be described.
Timbre Spatialisation: The medium is the space
Authors: Normandeau Robert
Published: December 2009

In this text, the author argues that space should be considered as important a musical parameter in acousmatic music composition as more conventional musical parameters in instrumental music. There are aspects of sound spatialisation that can be considered exclusive to the acousmatic language: for example, immersive spatialisation places listeners in an environment where they are surrounded by speakers. The author traces a history of immersive spatialisation techniques, and describes the tools available today and the research needed to develop this parameter in the future. The author presents his own cycle of works within which he has developed a new way to compose for a spatial parameter. He calls this technique timbre spatialisation.
Which Aural Skills are Necessary for Composing, Performing and Understanding Electroacoustic Music, and to what Extent are they Teachable by Traditional Aural Training?
Authors: Tsabary Eldad
Published: December 2009

This paper reports a study that sought to discover the necessary aural skills for composing, performing, and understanding electroacoustic (EA) music and the extent of their teachability by traditional aural training according to an analysis of a mixed-method (qualitative/quantitative) questionnaire completed by a purposive sample of 15 experts in the field of electroacoustics. The participants evaluated a list of 50 potentially necessary aural skills, which were gathered from skills described in existing, but insufficiently applied, aural training systems and theoretical methods related to aural perception in EA, and provided additional skills they found necessary for EA. The survey revealed that the aural skills deemed the most necessary for EA by the participants were not regarded as sufficiently teachable by traditional aural training and the majority of the skills considered teachable by traditional aural training were not thought of as significantly necessary for the EA musician. Moreover, among the 50 skills listed in the questionnaire 56 per cent were deemed at least very necessary by the participants, with only 18 per cent of them viewed as sufficiently teachable by traditional aural training. The main implication of this study is a pressing need for further development, research, and experimental testing of aural training methods for EA.
Sound-objects, Values and Characters in Åke Parmerud’sLes objets obscurs, 3rd Section
Authors: Thoresen Lasse
Published: December 2009

In volume 12, number 2 ofOrganised Sound, we presented a revision of Pierre Schaeffer’s spectromorphology adapted to practical analysis. The present paper shows the steps of applying the proposed method of analysis to a specific work by the Swedish composer Åke Parmerud, as we pursue the application of two other central terms in Schaffer’s analytical work, namely ‘caractère’ and ‘valeur’. Whereas ‘sound-character’ would refer only to a timbral constant that supports pertinent values, we identify a form-building entity, termed integral sound-character, consisting of a union of sound-character and its temporal behaviour.
Parenting styles, family structure and adolescent dietary behaviour
Authors: Pearson Natalie , Atkin Andrew J , Biddle Stuart JH , Gorely Trish , Edwardson Charlotte
Published: December 2009

Objective

To examine associations between parenting styles, family structure and aspects of adolescent dietary behaviour.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

Secondary schools in the East Midlands, UK.

Subjects

Adolescents aged 12–16 years (n 328, 57 % boys) completed an FFQ assessing their consumption of fruit, vegetables, unhealthy snacks and breakfast. Adolescents provided information on parental and sibling status and completed a seventeen-item instrument measuring the general parenting style dimensions of involvement and strictness, from which four styles were derived: indulgent, neglectful, authoritarian, authoritative.

Results

After controlling for adolescent gender and age, analysis of covariance revealed no significant interactions between parenting style and family structure variables for any of the dietary behaviours assessed. Significant main effects for family structure were observed only for breakfast consumption, with adolescents from dual-parent families (P < 0·01) and those with no brothers (P < 0·05) eating breakfast on more days per week than those from single-parent families and those with one or more brother, respectively. Significant main effects for parenting style were observed for all dietary behaviours apart from vegetable consumption. Adolescents who described their parents as authoritative ate more fruit per day, fewer unhealthy snacks per day, and ate breakfast on more days per week than those who described their parents as neglectful.

Conclusions

The positive associations between authoritative parenting style and adolescent dietary behaviour transcend family structure. Future research should be food-specific and assess the efficacy of strategies promoting the central attributes of an authoritative parenting style on the dietary behaviours of adolescents from a variety of family structures.
The role of autophagy in tumour development and cancer therapy
Authors: Rosenfeldt Mathias T. , Ryan Kevin M.
Published: December 2009

Autophagy is a catabolic membrane-trafficking process that leads to sequestration and degradation of intracellular material within lysosomes. It is executed at basal levels in every cell and promotes cellular homeostasis by regulating organelle and protein turnover. In response to various forms of cellular stress, however, the levels and cargoes of autophagy can be modulated. In nutrient-deprived states, for example, autophagy can be activated to degrade cargoes for cell-autonomous energy production to promote cell survival. In other contexts, in contrast, autophagy has been shown to contribute to cell death. Given these dual effects in regulating cell viability, it is no surprise that autophagy has implications in both the genesis and treatment of malignant disease. In this review, we provide a comprehensive appraisal of the way in which oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes regulate autophagy. In addition, we address the current evidence from human cancer and animal models that has aided our understanding of the role of autophagy in tumour progression. Finally, the potential for targeting autophagy therapeutically is discussed in light of the functions of autophagy at different stages of tumour progression and in normal tissues.
Oligarchy in the United States?
Authors: Winters Jeffrey A. , Page Benjamin I.
Published: December 2009

We explore the possibility that the US political system can usefully be characterized as oligarchic. Using a material-based definition drawn from Aristotle, we argue that oligarchy is not inconsistent with democracy; that oligarchs need not occupy formal office or conspire together or even engage extensively in politics in order to prevail; that great wealth can provide both the resources and the motivation to exert potent political influence. Data on the US distributions of income and wealth are used to construct several Material Power Indices, which suggest that the wealthiest Americans may exert vastly greater political influence than average citizens and that a very small group of the wealthiest (perhaps the top tenth of 1 percent) may have sufficient power to dominate policy in certain key areas. A brief review of the literature suggests possible mechanisms by which such influence could occur, through lobbying, the electoral process, opinion shaping, and the US Constitution itself.
Complex nonvolcanic tremor near Parkfield, California, triggered by the great 2004 Sumatra earthquake
Authors: Ghosh Abhijit , Vidale John E. , Peng Zhigang , Creager Kenneth C. , Houston Heidi
Published: December 2009

In several instances, the passing surface waves from large earthquakes have ignited nonvolcanic tremor (NVT) on major faults. Still, the mechanism of tremor and its reaction to the dynamic stressing from various body and surface waves is poorly understood. We examine tremor near Parkfield, California, beneath the San Andreas fault triggered by the Mw 9.2, 2004 Sumatra earthquake. The prolonged shaking produces the richest and the most varied observations of dynamically triggered tremor to date. The tremor appears in at least three distinct locations and shows activity pulsing with encouraging stress, as has been observed in other cases. The greatest amount of triggering and tremor modulation accompanies the long‐period Love waves. Rayleigh waves, on the other hand, appear to be less effective in exciting tremor sources. Also, at times, the tremor stops before the surface waves are complete, at other times it continues quivering after the waves have passed. While tremor is found to be sensitive to small stress changes, there are times when stresses of comparable magnitudes do not trigger noticeable tremor. Some tremors in this NVT sequence appear to be associated with the passage of P waves, which is unusual and surprising given the small stresses they impart.
Lateral circulation and sediment transport driven by axial winds in an idealized, partially mixed estuary
Authors: Chen Shih‐Nan , Sanford Lawrence P. , Ralston David K.
Published: December 2009

A 3D hydrodynamic model (ROMS) is used to investigate lateral circulation in a partially mixed estuary driven by axial wind events and to explore the associated transport of sediments. The channel is straight with a triangular cross section. The model results suggest that driving mechanisms for lateral circulation during axial wind events are different between stratified and unstratified conditions. When the water column is largely unstratified, rotational effects do not drive significant lateral circulation. Instead, differential advection of the axial salinity gradient by wind‐driven axial flow is responsible for regulating the lateral salinity gradients that in turn drive bottom‐divergent/convergent lateral circulation during down/up‐estuary winds. From the subtidal lateral salt balance, it is found that the development of lateral salinity gradient by wind‐induced differential advection is largely counterbalanced by the advection of salt by lateral circulation itself. When the water column is stratified, the lateral flow and salinity structures below the halocline closely resemble those driven by boundary mixing, and rotational effects are important. Lateral sediment flux and the event‐integrated sediment transport are from channel to shoals during down‐estuary winds but reversed for up‐estuary winds. Potential impacts of wind‐generated waves on lateral sediment transport are evaluated with two cases representing event conditions typical of upper Chesapeake Bay. Accounting for wind wave effects results in an order of magnitude increase in lateral sediment fluxes because of greater bottom stresses and sediment resuspension.
Spectral broadening and phase scintillation measurements using interplanetary spacecraft radio links during the peak of solar cycle 23
Authors: Morabito David D.
Published: December 2009

When an interplanetary spacecraft is in a solar superior conjunction configuration, the received radio signals are degraded by several effects that generally increase in magnitude as the angle between the spacecraft and the Sun (Sun‐Earth‐Probe or SEP angle) decreases as viewed by a terrestrial tracking station. During periods of quiescent solar activity, phase scintillation and spectral broadening follow well‐defined trends as a function of solar impact distance (SEP angle) and link frequency. During active solar periods, the magnitudes of these effects increase above background levels predicted by the quiet period models. Several such events were observed during the solar superior conjunction of the Cassini spacecraft during the peak of solar cycle 23 in May 2000. Pronounced features in the spectral broadening data above the quiet background appear to be associated with Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs), and last for extended periods of time ranging from ∼30 min to ∼4 h. These features are coincident with periods of increased activity seen in the region of the spacecraft signal source on coronal white light images, and tend to be related or matched with EIT flare events and possibly long‐duration flare events seen in satellite X‐ray data. Several such features were captured in the May 2000 Cassini solar conjunction phase scintillation and spectral broadening data at X band (8.4 GHz) and Ka band (32 GHz) radio frequencies, and are presented here. Such characterizations are beneficial in understanding the impact of such events in future interplanetary communication scenarios during solar conjunction periods.
Design of broadband antenna elements for a low‐frequency radio telescope using Pareto genetic algorithm optimization
Authors: Kerkhoff A. , Ling H.
Published: December 2009

We apply Pareto genetic algorithm (GA) optimization to the design of antenna elements for use in the Long Wavelength Array (LWA), a large, low‐frequency radio telescope currently under development. By manipulating antenna geometry, the Pareto GA simultaneously optimizes the received Galactic background or “sky” noise level and radiation patterns of the antenna over all frequencies. Geometrical constraints are handled explicitly in the GA in order to guarantee the realizability, and to impart control over the monetary cost of the generated designs. The antenna elements considered are broadband planar dipoles arranged horizontally over the ground. It is demonstrated that the Pareto GA approach generates a set of designs, which exhibit a wide range of trade‐offs between the two design objectives, and satisfy all constraints. Multiple GA executions are performed to determine how antenna performance trade‐offs are affected by different geometrical constraint values, feed impedance values, radiating element shapes and orientations, and ground conditions. Two different planar dipole antenna designs are constructed, and antenna input impedance and sky noise drift scan measurements are performed to validate the results of the GA.
Orthogonal‐polarization alternating codes
Authors: Gustavsson B. , Grydeland T.
Published: December 2009

We propose that by using orthogonal polarizations for alternating bauds of an alternating code, improvements are available both in cycle length, by means of using weak condition alternating codes, and in code performance through a reduction of autocorrelation function estimate variances by a factor of 4. This means an increase in the speed of incoherent scatter radar experiments by the same factor of 4.
Far‐field lithospheric deformation in Tibet during continental collision
Authors: Dayem Katherine E. , Molnar Peter , Clark Marin K. , Houseman Gregory A.
Published: December 2009

Crustal deformation along the present‐day northern margin of the Tibetan Plateau has occurred since mid to late Eocene time, soon after India collided with Eurasia. Assuming that on these distance and time scales the lithosphere can be approximated using a thin viscous sheet, we show that far‐field lithospheric deformation caused by an indenting boundary is expected to start shortly after collision begins. When a strong region analogous to cratonic lithosphere like that of the Tarim Basin is included in the calculations, shear and vertical strain rates concentrate along the southern edge of the strong region, resulting in enhanced deformation there. In calculations scaled to the dimensions of India and the Tibetan Plateau, shear and vertical strain rates on the northern edge of the plateau increase soon after collision begins. Crustal thickening accelerates later in the calculations. We propose that the apparent increased exhumation (and perhaps surface uplift) around 10 Ma may signal the arrival of the thickening front.
Alkenones, alkenoates, and organic matter in coastal environments of NW Scotland: Assessment of potential application for sea level reconstruction
Authors: Bendle James A. P. , Rosell‐Melé Antoni , Cox Nicholas J. , Shennan Ian
Published: December 2009

Reconstruction of late Quaternary sea level history in areas of glacioisostatic uplift often relies on sediment archives from coastal isolation basins, natural coastal rock depressions previously isolated from or connected to the sea at different times. Proxy indicators for marine, brackish, or lacustrine conditions combined with precise dating can constrain the time when the sea crossed the sill threshold and isolated (or connected) the basin. The utility of isolation basins in investigations of sea level change is well known, but investigations have been mostly limited to microfossil proxies, the application of which can be limited by preservation and nonanalog problems. Here we investigate the potential of long‐chain alkenones, alkenoates, and bulk organic parameters (TOC, Corg/N) for reconstructing past sea level changes in isolation basins in NW Scotland. We analyze organic biomarkers and bulk parameters from both modern basins (at different stages of isolation from the sea) and fossil basins (with sea level histories reconstructed from established proxies). Logit regression analysis was employed to find which of the biomarker metrics or bulk organic measurements could reliably characterize the sediment samples in terms of a marine/brackish or isolated/lacustrine origin. The results suggested a good efficiency for the alkenone index %C37:4at predicting the depositional origin of the sediments. This study suggests that alkenones could be used as a novel proxy for sea level change in fossil isolation basins especially when microfossil preservation is poor.
Plasma environment at Titan's orbit with Titan present and absent
Authors: Wei H. Y. , Russell C. T. , Wellbrock A. , Dougherty M. K. , Coates A. J.
Published: December 2009

To understand the possible large scale influence of Titan on its plasma environment, we study the magnetic fields and plasma measurements, both when Cassini flies close to Titan and when Cassini crosses the moon's orbit far from it. Using 98 Cassini passes from 06/2004 to 12/2008, we examine the plasma environments at the orbit of Titan with the moon present and absent. In particular, the presence of Titan appears to affect the magnetopause location. Near noon, the Saturn magnetopause is more frequently inside of Titan's orbit with the moon absent than with it present. Titan's presence near noon appears to locally enhance the total pressure and reduce the magnetosphere compressibility, possibly by mass‐loading. Near local midnight, the stretching and sweepback angles for cases with Titan present and absent suggest that the moon enhances the tail reconnection rate, in agreement with previous studies of the moon's influence on the Saturnian magnetosphere.
Electric and magnetic field observations of Pc4 and Pc5 pulsations in the inner magnetosphere: A statistical study
Authors: Liu W. , Sarris T. E. , Li X. , Elkington S. R. , Ergun R. , Angelopoulos V. , Bonnell J. , Glassmeier K. H.
Published: December 2009

Ultralow frequency (ULF) waves in the Pc4 and Pc5 bands are ubiquitous in the inner magnetosphere and have significant influence on energetic particle transport. Investigating the source and characteristics of ULF waves also helps us better understand the interaction processes between the solar wind and the magnetosphere. However, owing to the limitation in instrumentation and spatial coverage, the distribution of ULF waves in local time and L shell in the inner magnetosphere has not been completely studied. The recent Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions During Substorms (THEMIS) mission provides unique opportunities to investigate the spatial distribution of ULF pulsations across different L shells with full local time coverage in the inner magnetosphere during solar minimum, with both electric and magnetic field measurements. Pc4 and Pc5 pulsations in the electric field observations are identified throughout 13 months of measurements, covering 24 h in local time. The pulsations are characterized as either toroidal or poloidal (including compressional) mode, depending on the polarization of the electric field. Subsequently, the pulsations' occurrence rate and wave power distributions in radial distance and local time are recorded. While the distributions of both Pc4 and Pc5 events vary greatly with radial distance and local time, Pc4 events are more frequently observed in the inner region around 5–6 RE and Pc5 events are more frequently observed in the outer region around 7–9 RE, which suggests that the field line resonance is an important source of the ULF waves. In the flank regions, the wave power is dominated by the toroidal mode, likely associated with the Kelvin‐Helmholtz (KH) instability. In the noon sector, the Pc5 ULF wave power is dominated by the poloidal mode, likely associated with the solar wind dynamic pressure disturbance. The KH instability plays an important role, suggested by our observations, during the solar minimum when the solar wind dynamic pressure is relatively weak. We also find that the contributions to the Pc5 ULF wave power from the external sources are larger than the contributions from the internal sources. These statistical results are important in characterizing Pc4 and Pc5 waves and also important for any efforts to model the transport of energetic particles in the magnetosphere.
Sporadic E layer observations over Arecibo using coherent and incoherent scatter radar: Assessing dynamic stability in the lower thermosphere
Authors: Hysell D. L. , Nossa E. , Larsen M. F. , Munro J. , Sulzer M. P. , González S. A.
Published: December 2009

A patchy sporadic E ionization layer was observed using the 430 MHz incoherent scatter radar at the Arecibo Radio Observatory and a new, 30 MHz coherent scatter radar imager located on St. Croix. The former measured state parameters of the layer (plasma density, temperature, and composition) while the latter observed small‐scale plasma waves and the associated quasiperiodic (QP) echoes. Regularization was used to estimate horizontal vector ion drifts from Arecibo line‐of‐sight data. Assuming the ion temperatures and drifts to be representative of the neutral atmospheric temperatures and drifts in the mesosphere lower‐thermosphere (MLT) region, we evaluated the Richardson number criterion for neutral dynamic instability in regions occupied by the layers. We find that the condition for instability was generally satisfied and thus that dynamic instability is consistent with the layer breakup. The electrodynamics of the resulting patchy layers could then give rise to the QP echoes.
Low diversity and high host preference of ectomycorrhizal fungi in Western Amazonia, a neotropical biodiversity hotspot
Authors: Tedersoo Leho , Sadam Ave , Zambrano Milton , Valencia Renato , Bahram Mohammad
Published: December 2009

Information about the diversity of tropical microbes, including fungi is relatively scarce. This study addresses the diversity, spatial distribution and host preference of ectomycorrhizal fungi (EcMF) in a neotropical rainforest site in North East Ecuador. DNA sequence analysis of both symbionts revealed relatively low richness of EcMF as compared with the richness of temperate regions that contrasts with high plant (including host) diversity. EcMF community was positively autocorrelated up to 8.5±1.0-m distance—roughly corresponding to the canopy and potentially rooting area of host individuals. Coccoloba (Polygonaceae), Guapira and Neea (Nyctaginaceae) differed by their most frequent EcMF. Two-thirds of these EcMF preferred one of the host genera, a feature uncommon in boreal forests. Scattered distribution of hosts probably accounts for the low EcMF richness. This study demonstrates that the diversity of plants and their mycorrhizal fungi is not always related and host preference among EcMF can be substantial outside the temperate zone.
Peripheral Administration of Fetuin-A Attenuates Early Cerebral Ischemic Injury in Rats
Authors: Wang Haichao , Li Wei , Zhu Shu , Li Jianhua , D'Amore Jason , Ward Mary F , Yang Huan , Wu Rongqian , Jahnen-Dechent Willi , Tracey Kevin J , Wang Ping , Sama Andrew E
Published: December 2009

Cerebral ischemia-elicited inflammatory responses are driven by inflammatory mediators produced both by central (e.g., neurons and microglia) and infiltrating peripheral immune cells (e.g., macrophage/monocyte), and contribute to the evolution of tissue injury. A ubiquitous molecule, spermine, is released from injured cells, and counter-regulates release of various proinflammatory cytokines. However, the spermine-mediated anti-inflammatory activities are dependent on the availability of fetuin-A, a liver-derived negative acute-phase protein. Using an animal model of focal cerebral ischemia (i.e., permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion, MCAo), we found that levels of fetuin-A in the ischemic brain tissue were elevated in a time-dependent manner, starting between 2 and 6 h, peaking around 24 to 48 h, and returning to baseline 72 h after MCAo. When administered peripherally, exogenous fetuin-A gained entry across the BBB into the ischemic brain tissue, and dose dependently reduced brain infarct volume at 24 h after MCAo. Meanwhile, fetuin-A effectively attenuated (i) ischemia-induced HMGB1 depletion from the ischemic core; (ii) activation of centrally (e.g., microglia) and peripherally derived immune cells (e.g., macrophage/monocytes); and (iii) TNF production in ischemic brain tissue. Taken together, these experimental data suggest that fetuin-A protects against early cerebral ischemic injury partly by attenuating the brain inflammatory response.
Using the Campus as a Teaching and Research Tool*: opportunities for ecologists to link to campus sustainability efforts
Authors: Savanick Hansen Suzanne
Published: December 2009

Campus sustainability projects offer opportunities to link campus operations with academics. For ecologists, these links can include building upon urban long term ecological research such as urban nitrogen budgeting. In addition, the campus can serve as a tool to examine local biodiversity, urban storm water, and climate change issues in the classroom. This presentation will describe how an urban nitrogen budget at the University of Minnesota was developed. In addition, this presentation will describe how the Sustainability Office and the environmental studies department at Macalester College currently collaborate to develop campus sustainability academic projects. By linking to campus sustainability projects, ecologists have an opportunity to improve pedagogy, connect students to civic engagement, and offer real-world projects without leaving campus.
Triumphs and Challenges of Implementing a Nursing Bedside Swallow Screening Tool: A Stroke Coordinator's Perspective
Authors: Poskus Kelly
Published: December 2009

The bedside swallow screen has become an essential part of the evaluation of a patient after stroke in the hospital setting. Implementing this type of tool should be simple. However, reinforcement and monitoring of the tool presents a challenge. Verifying the consistency and reliability of nurses performing the bedside swallow screen can be a difficult task. This article will document the journey of implementing and maintaining a reliable and valid nursing bedside swallow screen.
Development of a Multidisciplinary Evidence-Based Dysphagia Screen for All Acute Care Admissions
Authors: Hind Jacqueline A. , Robbins JoAnne , Priefer Beverly
Published: December 2009

Delay in referral to a speech language pathologist for evaluation and appropriate treatment of swallowing dysfunction may increase a patient's risk for dysphagia related sequelae such as pneumonia and dehydration. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) issued a Veterans Health Administration directive that included a mandate that nurses complete a dysphagia screening on all patients admitted to a VA hospital. Initial attempts to translate this mandate into an assessment tool generated considerable controversy and debate nationwide among VA nurses and also between the disciplines of nursing and speech language pathology. A multidisciplinary cohort of nurses and speech language pathologists (SLPs) received a grant to determine, via systematic literature review, which risk factors and best practices were appropriate for screening VA patients. A six-item screen was developed to be used by nurses with a goal of identifying acute-care patients at risk for dysphagia for timely referral to a SLP. Feasibility studies are ongoing.
Equation of state for He4, including a regular and a scalar part
Authors: Bezverkhy P. P. , Martynets V. G. , Matizen E. V.
Published: December 2009

A new unified equation of state is proposed which describes the P–ρ–T data of He4 with an error with respect to pressure P of about ±1% in the interval of reduced densities from −1 to +1 and reduced temperatures from −0.3 to +0.3. The unified equation P(ρ,T), which for the first time is written in explicit functions of density ρ and temperature T, includes a regular equation of state for approximating the data outside the critical region, a nonparametric scaling equation of state that adequately represents the P–ρ–T data near the critical point of vaporization, and a crossover function that joins the two different equations of state. The crossover function that is proposed is a classical damping function for the density and temperature fluctuations characteristic of the critical region. The regular part of the unified equation consists of a universal seven-constant Kaplun–Meshalkin equation of state and a new, five-constant cubic equation. The unified equation of state obeys the condition that the first and second derivatives of the pressure with respect to the density vanish at the critical point; there are a binodal and a spinodal.
The features of the collective modes in aerogels filled with superfluid helium
Authors: Zadorozhko A. A. , Chagovets V. K. , Rudavskii E. Ya. , Sheshin G. A. , Kekutia Sh. E. , Chkhaidze N. D. , Mulders N.
Published: December 2009

The velocity of fast and slow collective modes of 90, 94, and 98% porosity aerogels filled with superfluid helium are measured by a low-frequency resonant technique at temperatures 0.5–2.5K. The temperature dependences of the velocities of the two modes are compared with the hydrodynamic theory modified to take into account the mobility of the aerogel matrix, porosity of the media, and tortuosity of the acoustic path. It is found that the fast and slow modes in an aerogel are coupled much more strongly than the first and second sounds in bulk He II.
Features of P–T–H diagrams of the solid solution (Sm0.5Gd0.5)0.55Sr0.45MnO3
Authors: Todris B. M. , Dvornikov E. A. , Bukhan’ko F. N. , Val’kov V. I.
Published: December 2009

Experimental investigations of reversible and irreversible magnetic field induced first-order phase transitions under pressure in the sample (Sm0.5Gd0.5)0.55Sr0.45MnO3 of the system (Sm1−xGdx)0.55Sr0.45MnO3 have made it possible to construct a P–T magnetic phase diagram in which a wide (of the order of 10kbar) metastable region of first-order phase transitions between the ferromagnetic, paramagnetic, and low-temperature phases is present. It is shown that the ferromagnetic phase can be expected to appear spontaneously at pressure of the order of 10kbar. At atmospheric pressure the low-temperature phase and the irreversibly induced ferromagnetic phase are metastable and vanish at temperatures 49 and 59K, respectively. It is conjectured that the low-temperature region of the P–T diagram and its boundary features are formed under the influence of competition between interacting order parameters, one of which is the ferromagnetic order parameter.
Magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of the alloys Mn2−xFexP0.5As0.5 (0⩽x⩽0.5)
Authors: Gribanov I. F. , Golovchan A. V. , Varyukhin D. V. , Val’kov V. I. , Kamenev V. I. , Sivachenko A. P. , Sidorov S. L. , Mityuk V. I.
Published: December 2009

The results of investigations of the magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of alloys from the system Mn2−xFexP0.5As0.5 (0⩽x⩽0.5) are presented. The magnetization measurements are performed in the temperature interval 4.2–700K in magnetic fields up to 8T. The entropy changes ΔS with the magnetic field changing from 0 to 2, 4, 5, and 8T are determined from the magnetization isotherms obtained near temperatures of the spontaneous appearance of the ferromagnetic state (TC,TAF–FM1), and the curves ΔS(T0) are constructed. It is found that TC and TAF–FM1 decrease monotonically with increasing manganese concentration and that the ferromagnetic phase is completely suppressed in Mn1.5Fe0.5P0.5As0.5. It is found that the concentration dependences of the maximum entropy jump (and the corresponding cold-storage capacity) and the magnitudes of the ferromagnetic moment of the unit cell with maxima for x=0.9 and 0.8 show extremal behavior. The data obtained are compared with the ferromagnetic moments calculated from first principles by the Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker method using the coherent-potential approximation (KKR-CPA)—the discrepancy for 0.5⩽x⩽0.7 is attributed to the appearance of an antiferromagnetic component of the magnetic structure. It is concluded that the alloys Mn2−xFexP0.5As0.5 have promise for use in magnetic refrigerators operating at room temperature.
Interaction of solitons with a localized rf field
Authors: Kovalev A. S. , Peretyat’ko A. A.
Published: December 2009

The nonlinear Schrödinger equation is used to study the propagation of small-amplitude nonlinear magnetic pulses (solitons) in an actively dissipative medium (easy-axis ferromagnet) in which an external, circularly polarized, rf magnetic field is applied in spatially localized regions. The interaction of solitons with nonlinearly excited regions of the medium which are coupled with rf pumping centers is studied in the adiabatic approximation. The change of the parameters of solitons during such an interaction is calculated and the possibility of amplification of soliton pulses is examined.
Ab initiocalculations of the phonon frequencies and related properties of crystalline Ne under pressure
Authors: Troitskaya E. P. , Chabanenko Val. V. , Gorbenko E. E. , Kuzovo N. V.
Published: December 2009

Ab initio theoretical investigations of the dynamics and thermodynamics of a compressed Ne crystal performed using a model that explicitly takes account of the deformation of the electronic shells in the dipole approximation are presented. A dynamical matrix based on a non-empirical short-range repulsive potential and integration over the principal-value points of the Brillouin zone are used to calculate the specific heat of compressed Ne, the Debye temperature, and the mean-square displacement in the harmonic approximation. The temperature dependences obtained are in good agreement with an experiment performed at zero pressure.
Nonequilibrium effects during tunneling into manganites
Authors: Boĭchenko D. I. , D’yachenko A. I. , Tarenkov V. Yu.
Published: December 2009

The current-voltage characteristics of Ag–I–LaCaMnO tunneling junctions have shown an anomalously sharp increase of current near voltages V≈±1V, irrespective of the polarity of the applied potential and the resistance of the sample. The anomalous growth of current in the IVCs of the metal-insulator-manganite contacts is attributed to the presence of resonance levels in the barrier of the tunneling contact and a redistribution of oxygen vacancies under the action of a current of “hot” electrons, resulting in partial metallization of the barrier surface.
Fluctuation conductivity and pseudogap in SmFeAsO1−x
Authors: Solov’ev A. L. , Sidorov S. L. , Tarenkov V. Yu. , D’yachenko A. I.
Published: December 2009

The temperature dependences of the fluctuation conductivity and pseudogap in SmFeAsO1−x are determined from resistivity measurements. It is shown that the temperature dependence of the pseudogap contains a number of features that substantially distinguish it from that of HTSC-cuprates.
Dimensionally gradient magnetoelectric bimorph structure exhibiting wide frequency and magnetic dc bias operating range
Authors: Park Chee-Sung , Ahn Cheol-Woo , Yang Su-Chul , Priya Shashank
Published: December 2009

We report results on a dimensionally gradient magnetoelectric (ME) sensor that demonstrates high performance over a wide frequency range and a magnetic dc bias operating in the longitudinal-transversal mode. The design of the sensor is based on a piezoelectric bimorph structure and utilizes a laminate configuration with Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)0.2(Zr0.5Ti0.5)0.8O3 and Metglas as material layers. The wide-band behavior was characterized by a flat ME response over a wide range of magnetic dc biases corresponding to 60–215 Oe and frequencies corresponding to 7–22 kHz. By using tip mass, the wide-band frequency response was shifted to a lower frequency range of 5–14 kHz. The results show that the operating frequency range of the sensor can be easily shifted by changing the tip mass at the end of the composite.
Three component time reversal: Focusing vector components using a scalar source
Authors: Ulrich T. J. , Van Den Abeele Koen , Le Bas Pierre-Yves , Griffa Michele , Anderson Brian E. , Guyer Robert A.
Published: December 2009

In acoustics, it is known that, for a given response signal at an arbitrary location, reciprocity and time reversal (TR) can be used to focus high levels of acoustic energy at that position. In solid media, elastic waves generally induce different disturbances in three directions. In this paper, both experimental and numerical wave propagation results for solid materials demonstrate the ability to use a scalar source, a three component detector and the reciprocal TR process to selectively focus each of the different vector components, either individually or collectively. The principle is explained from an analytical point of view. The numerical and experimental study demonstrates excellent temporal and spatial focalization. Applications of the selective vector component focusing can be found in damage imaging techniques using both linear or nonlinear ultrasonic waves.
Charge transfer by electronic excitation: Direct measurement by high resolution spectroscopy in the gas phase
Authors: Fleisher A. J. , Morgan P. J. , Pratt D. W.
Published: December 2009

We report a quantitative measurement of the amount of charge that is transferred when the single ammonia complex of the photoacid β-naphthol (2HNA) is excited by light. The measurement was made by comparing the permanent electric dipole moments of cis-2HNA in its ground (S0) and excited (S1) states, determined by Stark-effect studies of its fully resolved S1←S0 electronic spectrum. While the increase in electron transfer from the donor (NH3) to the acceptor (2HN) upon excitation is small (∼0.05e), it is sufficient to redshift the electronic spectrum of the complex by ∼600 cm−1 (∼0.1 eV). Thereby explored is the incipient motion of the acid-base complex along the excited state (electron-coupled) proton transfer coordinate.
On violations of Le Chatelier’s principle for a temperature change in small systems observed for short times
Authors: Dasmeh Pouria , Searles Debra J. , Ajloo Davood , Evans Denis J. , Williams Stephen R.
Published: December 2009

Le Chatelier’s principle states that when a system is disturbed, it will shift its equilibrium to counteract the disturbance. However for a chemical reaction in a small, confined system, the probability of observing it proceed in the opposite direction to that predicted by Le Chatelier's principle, can be significant. This work gives a molecular level proof of Le Chatelier’s principle for the case of a temperature change. Moreover, a new, exact mathematical expression is derived that is valid for arbitrary system sizes and gives the relative probability that a single experiment will proceed in the endothermic or exothermic direction, in terms of a microscopic phase function. We show that the average of the time integral of this function is the maximum possible value of the purely irreversible entropy production for the thermal relaxation process. Our result is tested against computer simulations of the unfolding of a polypeptide. We prove that any equilibrium reaction mixture on average responds to a temperature increase by shifting its point of equilibrium in the endothermic direction.
Near band edge Schottky barrier height modulation using high-κ dielectric dipole tuning mechanism
Authors: Coss B. E. , Loh W.-Y. , Wallace R. M. , Kim J. , Majhi P. , Jammy R.
Published: December 2009

Schottky barrier height tuning using high-κ/SiO2 interfacial dipoles is reported. Schottky barrier heights of 1.0 and 0.2 eV are observed in a TaN/p-Si diode by insertion of thin layers of high-κ (LaOx,AlOx) and SiO2 at the metal-semiconductor interface. The dipole tunes the effective work function of TaN/p-Si by more than 0.8 eV to achieve effective Schottky barrier heights near conduction and valence band edge. LaOx (n-type) and AlOx (p-type) have a dipole potential offsets estimated to be 0.3 and 0.5 V, respectively. Applications to lowering contact resistivity are discussed, as well as a comparison of other dipole offsets.
A scaling method and its applications to problems in fractional dimensional space
Authors: Muslih Sami I. , Agrawal Om P.
Published: December 2009

A scaling method is proposed to find (1) the volume and the surface area of a generalized hypersphere in a fractional dimensional space and (2) the solid angle at a point for the same space. It is demonstrated that the total dimension of the fractional space can be obtained by summing the dimension of the fractional line element along each axis. The regularization condition is defined for functions depending on more than one variable. This condition is applied (1) to find a closed form expression for the fractional Gaussian integral, (2) to establish a relationship between a fractional dimensional space and a fractional integral, (3) to develop the Bochner theorem, and (4) to obtain an expression for the fractional integral of the Mittag–Leffler function. Some possible extensions of this work are also discussed.