bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Knowledge, attitude and perceptions of breast cancer screening among native and immigrant women in Barcelona, Spain
Authors: Pons‐Vigués Mariona , Puigpinós‐Riera Rosa , Serral Gemma , Pasarín M. Isabel , Rodríguez Dolors , Pérez Glòria , Benet Josep , Casamitjana Montserrat , Borrell Carme
Published: March 2011

Objective

Inequalities between immigrant and native populations in terms of access and use of health services have been described. The objective is to compare knowledge, attitudes, vulnerabilities, benefits and barriers related to breast cancer (BC) and screening mammography among women from different countries resident in Barcelona.

Methods

A cross‐sectional survey carried out in Barcelona in 2009. The study population consisted of female residents in Barcelona between 45 and 69 years of age; participants were Spanish nationals or immigrants from low‐income countries. 960 participants were asked 72 questions, mainly with Likert responses. The dependent variables were five quantitative scales: (1) knowledge of BC and early detection, (2) attitude towards health and BC, (3) vulnerability to BC, (4) barriers to mammography, (5) benefits of mammography. The independent variables were country of origin, social class, setting, cohabitation, age, mammography use, length of residence and fluency of the language. Analyses compared scale scores stratified by the independent variables. Multivariable linear regression models were fitted to determine the relationship between the scales and the independent variables.

Results

We observed inequalities according to country of origin on all scales after adjustment for independent variables. Chinese women presented the greatest differences with respect to native women, followed by Maghrebi and Filipino women. Inequalities exist on the vulnerability and barriers scales according to social class and urban/rural setting, and on the attitude scale according to social class.

Conclusions

Country of origin, social class and urban/rural setting are key contributors to inequality in these scales.

Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Characterization of Ag/TlInSe2/Ag structure
Authors: Qasrawi A. F. , Gasanly N. M.
Published: March 2011

In this work, the current–voltage characteristics of Ag/TlInSe2/Ag and In/TlInSe2/In structures, the incident light intensity and time dependencies of photocurrent as well as the response time–illumination intensity dependence of Ag/TlInSe2/Ag structures have been studied. For bias voltages larger than 120.0 and 4.0 V, the current injection was found to be space‐charge limited and was assigned to the existing of deep and shallow hole traps being located at 210 and 16 meV for Ag and In‐contacted samples, respectively. While indium‐contacted samples show S‐shaped I–V dependence above bias voltage of 10.0 V, silver contacted samples does not show this behavior even at 200.0 V. For the Ag/TlInSe2/Ag structure, photocurrent was observed to exhibit stable values in a very short period of time. The device response time decreases with increasing illumination intensity, it exhibits a value of 0.13 s at incident light intensity of 53.6 mW cm−2. The decrement in response time with increasing illumination intensity is associated with an increment in photocurrent at the same ratio. The ohmic behavior up to high voltages (120 V), the fast response time and the large spatial photocurrent make the Ag/TlInSe2/Ag structure promising IR detectors.
Impurity strength and impurity domain modulated frequency‐dependent linear and second non‐linear response properties of doped quantum dots
Authors: Datta Nirmal Kumar , Ghosh Manas
Published: March 2011

We explore the pattern of frequency‐dependent linear and second non‐linear optical responses of repulsive impurity doped quantum dots harmonically confined in two dimensions. The dopant impurity potential chosen assumes a Gaussian form and it is doped into an on‐center location. The quantum dot is subject to a periodically oscillating external electric field. For some fixed values of transverse magnetic field strength (ωc) and harmonic confinement potential (ω0), the influence of impurity strength (V0) and impurity domain (ξ) on the diagonal components of the frequency‐dependent linear (αxx and αyy) and second non‐linear (γxxxx and γyyyy) responses of the dot are computed through a linear variational route. The investigations reveal that the optical responses undergo enhancement with increase in both V0 and ξ values. However, in the limitingly small dopant strength regime one observes a drop in the optical responses with increase in V0. A time‐average rate of energy transfer to the system is often invoked to support the findings.
Theoretical study on photophysical properties of novel bis(BF2)‐2,2′‐bidipyrrins dyes: Effect of variation in monomer structure
Authors: Jin J. L. , Wu S. X. , Geng Y. , Yang S. Y. , Yang G. C. , Wu J. , Muhammad S. , Liao Y. , Su Z.M. , Hao L. Z.
Published: March 2011

In this work, monomeric molecules (BODIPY) 4,4‐difluoro‐1,2,3,5,7‐pentamethyl‐6‐ethyl‐4‐bora‐3a,4a‐diaza‐s‐indacene (1), 4,4‐difluoro‐1,7‐dimethyl‐2,3,6‐terethyl‐8‐(4‐tolyl)‐4‐bora‐3a,4a‐diaza‐s‐indacene (Ph1), dimeric monomers (bisBODIPY) 2, Ph2, and their packing systems were taken as calculation models to investigate the relationship between monomeric structures and spectral properties of packing systems. Their spectra and carrier transport properties were systemically investigated by density functional theory and time‐dependent DFT methods. The results reveal that dimeric monomers bisBODIPY 2 and Ph2 show significantly bathochromic shift and exhibit a clear exciton splitting in the absorption spectrum compared with those of 1 and Ph1. Monomeric and dimeric molecules have different monomer conformations (nearly flat and corniform, respectively) and thus diverse packing styles. The intermolecular aggregation affects the excitation energy and oscillator strength of monomers 1 and Ph1 more than those of the corniform monomers 2 and Ph2. The unique corniform structure of molecules 2 and Ph2 can greatly reduce self‐quenching effect induced by the formation of excimers. This means that suitable modification of molecular arrangement is an effective way to reduce self‐quenching. From the calculation results for molecules Ph1 and 1, the aryl group at the 8‐position of BODIPY core can hardly affect the optical properties. According to our calculations, BODIPY 1 is a better hole transporter than electron transporter with the internal reorganization energy for hole (λ+) even lower than that of 4,4′‐bis(phenyl‐mtolylamino)biphenyl (TPD), a well‐known hole‐transporting material. Molecules Ph1, BisBODIPYs 2, and Ph2 are promising candidate to be excellent ambipolar materials for electroluminescent devices, owing to their quite small and nearly identical reorganization energies for both carriers. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2012
On stability and protonation of multielectron systems: The concept of proton affinity. II. Dissociative proton attachment and protonation—Deprotonation mapping
Authors: Kryachko Eugene S.
Published: March 2011

A few touches on the thematic palette “molecular protonation” directly linked to the concept of molecular stability have been accomplished. They are of different nature, of different origin, and taken from “different angles” of lighting; however, together, they definitely provide a sufficiently complete picture “The protonation interaction, as being strong enough, may break the stability of molecules subject to protonation.” © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2012
Calculation of electric multipole moment integrals with the different screening parameters via the Fourier transform method
Authors: Yükçü N. , Şenlik İ. , Öztekin E.
Published: March 2011

Three‐center electric multipole moment integrals over Slater‐type orbitals (STOs) can be evaluated by translating the orbitals on one center to the other and reducing the system to an expansion of two‐center integrals. These are then evaluated using Fourier transforms. The resulting expression depends on the overlap integrals that can be evaluated with the greatest ease. They involve expressions for STO with different screening parameters that are known analytically. This work gives the overall expressions analytically in a compact form, based on Gegenbauer polynomials. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2012
Theoretical study on charge transport of quinacridone polymorphs
Authors: Gao Hong‐Ze
Published: March 2011

The charge carrier transporting ability in the polymorphism of quinacridone (QA) has been studied using density‐functional theory and Marcus charge transport theory. The theoretical results indicated quinacridone has good electron transport ability and electron mobilities of all the polymorphism are at 10−2 magnitude. But its hole mobility, which varied with the different molecular packing, is at range of 10−1–10−3 magnitude. The difference of charge carrier mobilities among the polymorphism is originated from the different packing mode. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011
Toward analyzing some neutral and cationic boron–lithium clusters (BxLiy x = 2–6; y = 1, 2) as effective hydrogen storage materials: A conceptual density functional study
Authors: Bandaru Sateesh , Chakraborty Arindam , Giri Santanab , Chattaraj Pratim K.
Published: March 2011

The ability of neutral and cationic BxLiy (x = 2–6; y = 1, 2) systems as effective hydrogen‐trapping materials are investigated at the MP2 level of theory using the 6‐311+G(d, p) basis set. The different conceptual DFT‐based global and local reactivity descriptors and the associated electronic structure principles provide invaluable insights toward assessing the utility of the boron–lithium clusters in trapping molecular hydrogen. A consistent thermodynamic spontaneity of the allied H2‐binding reactions along with a favorable decrease in the average dissociative chemisorption energies invokes the plausible usage of these cluster motifs for hydrogen loading in practice. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011
Principal component analysis for interval‐valued observations
Authors: Douzal‐Chouakria A. , Billard L. , Diday E.
Published: March 2011

One feature of contemporary datasets is that instead of the single point value in the p‐dimensional space ℜp seen in classical data, the data may take interval values thus producing hypercubes in ℜp. This paper studies the vertices principal components methodology for interval‐valued data; and provides enhancements to allow for so‐called ‘trivial’ intervals, and generalized weight functions. It also introduces the concept of vertex contributions to the underlying principal components, a concept not possible for classical data, but one which provides a visualization method that further aids in the interpretation of the methodology. The method is illustrated in a dataset using measurements of facial characteristics obtained from a study of face recognition patterns for surveillance purposes. A comparison with analyses in which classical surrogates replace the intervals, shows how the symbolic analysis gives more informative conclusions. A second example illustrates how the method can be applied even when the number of parameters exceeds the number of observations, as well as how uncertainty data can be accommodated. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Statistical Analysis and Data Mining 4: 229–246 2011
In vitro toxicology of ambient particulate matter: Correlation of cellular effects with particle size and components
Authors: Kroll Alexandra , Gietl Johanna K. , Wiesmüller Gerhard A. , Günsel Andreas , Wohlleben Wendel , Schnekenburger Jürgen , Klemm Otto
Published: March 2011

High concentrations of airborne particulate matter (PM) have been associated with increased rates of morbidity and mortality among exposed populations. Although certain components of PM were suggested to influence these effects, no clear‐cut correlation was determined thus far. One of the possible modes of action is the induction of oxidative stress by inhaled PM triggering inflammatory responses. Therefore, the in vitro formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in three cell lines in the presence of five subfractions of PM10, collected in Münster, Germany was investigated. The PM components chloride, nitrate, ammonium, sulfate, 68 chemical elements, and endotoxin were quantified. The highest concentration of endotoxin was found in particles of 0.42–1.2 μm aerodynamic diameters, and therefore probably subject to long‐range transport. Intracellular ROS formation in three well established mammalian cell lines (CaCo2, human; MDCK, canine; RAW264.7, mouse) only correlated positively with particle size. The two smallest PM size fractions provoked the highest rise in ROS. However, the latter did not correlate with the concentration of any PM components investigated. The smallest PM size fractions significantly dominated the number of particles. Therefore, the particle number may be most effective in inducing oxidative stress in vitro. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol, 2013.
Influence of a Positive Proximal Margin on Oral Intake in Patients with Palliative Gastrectomy for Far Advanced Gastric Cancer
Authors: Tanizawa Yutaka , Bando Etsuro , Kawamura Taiichi , Tokunaga Masanori , Kondo Junya , Taki Yusuke , Terashima Masanori
Published: March 2011

Background

Resection margin involvement is one of the most significant risk factors for local recurrence in curative gastrectomy, and local recurrence results in anastomotic stenosis. In the present study, the effects of a positive resection margin in palliative gastrectomy on the symptoms of anastomotic stenosis and the amount of oral intake were analyzed.

Methods

Between September 2002 and December 2009, 2,228 patients underwent resection for gastric cancer at Shizuoka Cancer Center, Japan, of whom 18 underwent palliative gastrectomy with a positive proximal margin because of urgent symptoms such as tumor bleeding, stenosis, or perforation. These 18 patients were analyzed retrospectively in this study.

Results

Twelve patients had a positive proximal margin, and six patients had both proximal and distal margin involvement. Anastomotic leakage occurred in 2 patients. The median overall survival was 7.5 months, and the median time from operation to a decrease in oral intake was 5.5 months. Anastomotic recurrence developed in 3 patients, and in all of them, anastomotic stricture was found 2–3 months after gastrectomy. One of these patients, who was in good general condition, was treated by endoscopic balloon dilatation. The other 2 patients did not undergo balloon dilatation because their general condition was poor, with peritonitis carcinomatosa.

Conclusions

It does not appear necessary for palliative gastrectomy to achieve a negative proximal margin, because salvage therapies resulted in maintaining a tolerable oral intake in patients who were in good general condition.
Neurological manifestations in patients with Gaucher disease and their relatives, it is just a coincidence?
Authors: Giraldo Pilar , Capablo Jose Luis , Alfonso Pilar , Garcia‐Rodriguez Beatriz , Latre Paz , Irun Pilar , de Cabezon Alicia Saenz , Pocovi Miguel
Published: March 2011

Gaucher disease (GD) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by defective function of glucocerebrosidase. GD presents a wide spectrum of manifestations, and patients and their relatives may develop neurological abnormalities more frequently than the general population. This study aims to determine the presence of neurological symptoms (NS) and Parkinson's disease (PD) in Spanish GD patients and their relatives. We surveyed 87 GD Spanish families and validated the information obtained on the neurological involvement through their physicians, as well as the historical data included in the Spanish Gaucher Disease Registry. Neurological abnormalities were correlated with the genetic characteristics. Statistical analyses included descriptive parameters, ANOVA, t‐test, correlation study and Pearson coefficient. Information was obtained from 118 patients and 324 relatives. Out of 110 patients with type 1 GD, 32 (29.1%) reported NS and 7 (6.4%) had PD. In relatives, a total of 39 (13.1%) subjects had NS, including 16 with PD (5.3%). The prevalence of NS in genetic carriers (15.9%) was greater than that in non‐carriers (5.9%; p < 0.01). Patients with PD carried the following GBA mutations: S364R, D409H, L444P, R257Q, IVS4‐2A > G, c.500insT, and L336P. Relatives with PD exhibited a wide spectrum of mutations: L444P, N370S, V398I, R257Q, G202R, c.1439‐1445del7, [E326K; N188S], and c.953delT. We observed a high incidence of PD in type 1 GD and relative's carriers. PD was more frequent in carriers of L444P and other rare GBA mutations. Therefore, it is important to perform a systematic neurological exam in patients with type 1 GD and carriers with high risk mutations.
Cascading effects of moose (Alces alces) management on birds
Authors: Mathisen Karen Marie , Skarpe Christina
Published: March 2011

Large herbivores often have key functions in their ecosystems, and may affect ecosystem processes with cascading effects on other animals. The mechanisms often involve relocations of resources of various kinds, including reduction in resource availability following foraging and increase in resources from animal excreta. As large herbivore populations in Europe generally are intensely managed, management activities may interact with the activities of the herbivores themselves in the effect on other ecosystem components. We investigated the effects of moose (Alces alces) winter browsing, together with the effect of net nutrient input via supplementary winter feeding of moose on functional composition and species richness of birds in a boreal forest. Supplementary feeding stations for moose had a net zero effect on bird species richness and abundance, because negative effects of moose browsing were balanced by positive effects of nutrient input. Sites with a similar browsing intensity as at feeding stations but without nutrient input had lower abundance and species richness than feeding stations. Functional groups of bird species showed differing responses: birds nesting at or below browsing height were negatively affected by moose browsing, whereas species nesting above the browsing zone were positively affected by moose browsing. Insect‐eating species responded negatively to moose browsing on birch but positively to nutrient input at feeding stations, whereas seed‐eating species responded positively to birch browsing and negatively to feeding stations. This study showed that both high levels of cervid activity and human management interventions influence bird communities.
Identification of Potential Leptospira Phosphoheptose Isomerase Inhibitors Through Virtual High-Throughput Screening
Authors: Umamaheswari Amineni , Pradhan Dibyabhaba , Hemanthkumar Marisetty
Published: March 2011

The life-threatening infections caused by Leptospira serovars demand the need for designing anti-leptospirosis drugs. The present study encompasses exploring inhibitors against phosphoheptose isomerase (GmhA) of Leptospira, which is vital for lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biosynthesis and is identified as a common drug target through the subtractive genomic approach. GmhA model was built in Modeller 9v7. Structural refinement and energy minimization of the predicted model was carried out using Maestro 9.0. The refined model reliability was assessed through Procheck, ProSA, ProQ and Profile 3D. The substrate-based virtual high-throughput screening (VHTS) in Ligand.Info Meta-Database tool generated an in-house library of 354 substrate structural analogs. Furthermore, structure-based VHTS from the in-house library with different conformations of each ligand provided 14 novel competitive inhibitors. The model together with insight gained from the VHTS would be a promising starting point for developing anti-leptospirosis competitive inhibitors targeting LPS biosynthesis pathway.
Drunkards, Fornicators, and a Great Hen Squabble: Censure Practices and the Gendering of Puritanism
Authors: Fitzgerald Monica D.
Published: March 2011

The chamber pot was still full. The Dewy family's servant had not yet completed her morning chore of emptying the chamber pot when she dumped it over the head of their next door neighbor, Goody Ingerson. The unexpected assault was retaliation for the murder of some of the Dewys' hens. In 1714, the Dewys owned over 120 chickens, and as their closest neighbor, Ingerson grew tired of the fowl running freely through the Ingersons' property. The Ingersons chased those chickens out of their garden, barn, barley field, and scurried the unwanted guests out of their house. So, to show her unhappiness, Goodwife Ingerson wrung a few necks. The contents of the chamber pot did not slow her down, as Ingerson sent her daughter home with two more dead hens. Tensions escalated and a small brawl almost erupted when Abigail Dewy ordered her chamber pot wielding servant to apprehend the young girl escaping with the dead poultry. The Ingersons' daughter escaped the servant's clutches before Dewy could mete out a flogging with her whipping cord. The Ingersons' daughter made it home safely (perhaps to a chicken dinner). The case of the great hen squabble went to court, where the Connecticut magistrates ordered the Ingersons to pay for the dead chickens. However, when the court asked Abigail Dewy if she ordered her servant to drag Ingerson's daughter by the hair to the Dewy house, she lied and said no. For that, the Westfield church censured her for the sin of lying.
Mighty Upheaval on the Minnesota Frontier: Violence, War, and Death in Dakota and Missionary Christianity
Authors: Graber Jennifer
Published: March 2011

Stephen Riggs, Presbyterian missionary to the Dakota Indians, anxiously awaited a letter from the American Tract Society. He expected a reply about his proposed account of the recent war between the Dakotas and Euro-American settlers in Minnesota. After more than two centuries of contact between Dakotas and Europeans, and later Americans, relations had broken down entirely. Confined to reservations with some of their people starving, disgruntled Dakota warriors attacked villages and outlying cabins across southern Minnesota. Over several weeks in August and September 1862, they killed at least five hundred settlers and depopulated as many as twenty-three counties. The Reverend Riggs and his family barely escaped. Like so many Minnesota settlers, their home and possessions were destroyed. Military reinforcements eventually stopped the Dakotas' progress, compelling some to surrender and others to escape west to the plains. When hostilities ended, Riggs served as an interpreter in the negotiations over captives and at military tribunals organized to deal with detained Dakota fighters. He later visited Dakotas incarcerated in prison camps, paying special attention to the more than three hundred men sentenced to death for their part in the uprising. In light of his dramatic experience, Riggs proposed an account of his family's escape, along with details of the Dakota warriors' capture and confinement, in order to share how God had worked through this “mighty upheaval.”
Tuning tidal turbines in-concert to maximise farm efficiency
Authors: VENNELL ROSS
Published: March 2011

Tuning is essential to maximise the output of turbines extracting power from tidal currents. To realise a large fraction of a narrow channel's potential, rows of turbines not only have to be tuned for a particular tidal channel, they must also be tuned in the presence of all the other rows, i.e. ‘tuned in-concert’. The necessity for in-concert tuning to maximise farm efficiency occurs because the tuning of any one row affects a channel's total drag coefficient and hence the flow through all other rows. Surprisingly, in several circumstances the optimal in-concert tunings are the same or almost the same for all rows. Firstly, in both constricted and unconstricted channels, rows with the same turbine density have the same optimal tuning. Secondly, turbine rows in channels with a quasi-steady dynamical balance typically have almost the same optimal in-concert tunings, irrespective of their turbine density or any channel constrictions. Channel constrictions, occupying a large fraction of the cross-section or adding more rows of turbines, also make optimal tunings more uniform between rows. Adding turbines to a cross-section increases a farm's efficiency. However, in a law of diminishing returns for quasi-steady channels, turbine efficiency (the output per turbine) decreases as turbines are added to a cross-section. In contrast, for inertial channels with only moderate constrictions, turbine efficiency increases as turbines are added to a cross-section.
Algebraic/transcendental disturbance growth behind a row of roughness elements – ERRATUM
Authors: GOLDSTEIN M. E. , SESCU ADRIAN , DUCK PETER W. , CHOUDHARI MEELAN
Published: March 2011

It has come to our attention that in the printed version of Goldstein et al. (2011) figures 8, 9, 10 and 11 were printed in black and white when they should have appeared in colour. The reader is referred to the online version of this article where the colour is correct for all figures.
Electron-acoustic waves in the laboratory: an experiment revisited
Authors: HELLBERG M. A. , MACE R. L. , ARMSTRONG R. J. , KARLSTAD G.
Published: March 2011

High-frequency electrostatic waves have been observed in a two-electron-temperature plasma. Both bi-Maxwellian and Maxwellian-waterbag models were
found to be inadequate in explaining the observed dispersion and damping rates.
However, modelling of the hot electron component with a κ-distribution function
confirms that the experiments represent observation of the electron-acoustic wave
in the laboratory.
Dynamics of waves and multidimensional solitons of the Zakharov–Kuznetsov equation
Authors: INFELD E. , SKORUPSKI A. A. , SENATORSKI A.
Published: March 2011

Nonlinear waves and one-dimensional solitons of the Zakharov–Kuznetsov
equation are unstable in two dimensions. Although the wavevector
K of a perturbation leading to an instability covers a whole region in (Kx, Ky)
parameter space, two classes are of particular interest. One corresponds to the
perpendicular, Benjamin–Feir instability (Kx = 0). The second is the wave-length-doubling instability. These two are the only purely growing modes. We
concentrate on them. Both analytical and numerical methods for calculating
growth rates are employed and results compared. Once a nonlinear wave or
soliton breaks up owing to one of these instabilities, an array of cylindrical
and/or spherical solitons can emerge. We investigate the interaction of these
entities numerically.
Turbulent adiabatic shock waves and diffusive particle acceleration
Authors: LERCHE I. , POHL M. , SCHLICKEISER R.
Published: March 2011

We investigate the properties of turbulent adiabatic shock waves resulting
from the self-consistent inclusion of finite Alfvén-wave pressure in the shock balance
equations. We demonstrate (i) the absence of a switch-on shock; (ii) the existence of
two separated domains where the Mach number is greater than unity that have gas
compression, and an associated domain where the gas compression ratio is less than
unity (i.e. a rarefaction domain); (iii) the difference between the scattering-centre
compression ratio and the gas compression ratio for all upstream wave cross-helicity
values except for the isolated case of zero helicity; (iv) the presence of anomalous
domains where the cosmic-ray particle spectral index can be negative. All of these
results are brought about by including the upstream and downstream turbulent
wave energies in the shock balance structure. Without the waves, none of the effects
persists.
Raman gain against a background of non-thermal ion fluctuations in a plasma
Authors: BARR H. C. , BOYD T. J. M. , LUKYANOV A. V.
Published: March 2011

A complex stimulated Raman scattering event against a background of
non-thermal ion acoustic waves in an inhomogeneous plasma is described. We obtain
analytic forms for the Raman gain due to a five-wave interaction consisting of
conventional three-wave Raman scattering followed by the decay of the Raman
Langmuir wave into a second Langmuir wave (or a second scattered light wave)
and an ion acoustic wave. Very modest levels of ion waves produce a significant
effect on Raman convective gain. A combination of plasma inhomogeneity and
suprathermal ion fluctuations may offer a means for the control of Raman gain.
Editorial: Rapid Communications
Authors: Cairns Alan , Miley George
Published: March 2011

It is proposed to add a Rapid Communications section to the Journal of Plasma
Physics. Papers submitted to this section should be restricted to no more than
five printed pages in length, and should contain new and important ideas that
warrant rapid dissemination amongst the plasma physics community.
Submissions may be sent to any of the Editors or Associate Editors, who will obtain
an assessment of the suitability of the paper as quickly as possible. We hope
that readers and authors will find this a valuable addition to the journal.
Hāla's stanzas on life and love in Ancient India: A review article
Authors: Wright J. C.
Published: March 2011

A new English translation, by Peter Khoroche and Herman Tieken, of “Hāla's 700” Prakrit verses caters for a long-felt want in the field of classical Indology. It is an attractive literary rendering, succinctly annotated, of stanzas epitomizing the delights and sorrows of love. The result is not, however, in every case an improvement upon previous efforts, and it emphasizes the need for more objective textual criticism. It is the compilers' personal selection, both from among the thousand or so verses that vie to represent the nominal 700, and from among the multifarious variant readings that have accrued over the centuries in half a dozen distinct recensions. It is particularly regrettable that the work is based substantially upon Weber's Madhyadeśa Vulgate text, despite the indications, largely provided by Tieken's own previous work on the text, of the reliability of the “Jaina” recension, especially Bhuvanapāla's readings when supported and corrected by their Madhyadeśa and Kerala offshoots. The evidence does not really justify postulation, following Weber, of an underlying original corpus of 700 verses.
TAIL AND NONTAIL MEMORY WITH APPLICATIONS TO EXTREME VALUE AND ROBUST STATISTICS
Authors: Hill Jonathan B.
Published: March 2011

New notions of tail and nontail dependence are used to characterize separately extremal and nonextremal information, including tail log-exceedances and events, and tail-trimmed levels. We prove that near epoch dependence (McLeish, 1975; Gallant and White, 1988) andL0-approximability (Pötscher and Prucha, 1991) are equivalent for tail events and tail-trimmed levels, ensuring a Gaussian central limit theory for important extreme value and robust statistics under general conditions. We apply the theory to characterize the extremal and nonextremal memory properties of possibly very heavy-tailed GARCH processes and distributed lags. This in turn is used to verify Gaussian limits for tail index, tail dependence, and tail-trimmed sums of these data, allowing for Gaussian asymptotics for a new tail-trimmed least squares estimator for heavy-tailed processes.
Agrarian and Settlement Characterisation in Post-Medieval Strathbogie, Aberdeenshire, 1600–1760
Authors: SHEPHERD COLIN
Published: March 2011

Documentary, cartographic and archaeological sources suggest that agrarian practice in the north east of Scotland from the late sixteenth to the mid eighteenth centuries was more diverse, dynamic and targeted than often supposed. The evidence suggests that Strathbogie saw extensive agricultural expansion throughout the entire period, especially in areas demonstrating earlier under-utilisation. Real improvement and expansion occurred as a result of developing existing traditional systems of agriculture, which was socially at odds with the later and much vaunted ‘Improvements’. These practices maximised productivity by targeting the production of a range of commodities at their most appropriate ecological zones within the overall landscape of the estate, the Lordship of Huntly. Such a model for production appears to have influenced the settlement strategy within those individual ecological zones. However, an over-emphasis upon grain production may, ultimately, have resulted in unsustainable practices, contrasting with earlier more ecologically-targeted ones.
Natural History and Local History in Late Victorian and Edwardian England: The Contribution of the Victoria County History
Authors: BECKETT JOHN , WATKINS CHARLES
Published: March 2011

In 1899 the Victoria County History (VCH) was established as a ‘National Survey’ of England which was intended to show the present day condition of the country and trace the ‘domestic history’ of all English counties to the ‘earliest times’. Natural history was seen as a key component to be included in the first volume for every county. In this paper we examine the reasons for the prominence given to natural history and demonstrate how the expert knowledge of natural historians was marshalled and edited. We use the contrasting counties of Herefordshire and Nottinghamshire to examine key intellectual debates about the role of the amateur and the expert and concern about nomenclature, classification and the state of knowledge about different groups of species. We emphasize the importance of the geography of the natural history and the way in which the VCH charted concerns about species loss and extinction. We examine the reasons why the VCH later abandoned natural history and finally we assess the value of its published output for modern historical geographers, historical ecologists and environmental historians.
VITAMIN D AND HUMAN PREGNANCY
Authors: GRAYSON REBEKAH , HEWISON MARTIN
Published: March 2011

At the end of 2007, Time magazine listed the “benefits of vitamin D” as one of its top 10 medical breakthroughs for that year. Since then there has been a remarkable upsurge of interest in vitamin D, with new research advances seemingly published on a weekly basis. In particular, there has been increasing awareness of the variability of vitamin D status in populations across the globe and, significantly, a growing debate about the need for revised parameters for vitamin D supplementation. Although sub-optimal vitamin D is likely to be a widespread problem for 21stcentury societies, it is also clear that some groups are at much greater risk of low vitamin D status. Prominent amongst these are pregnant women and the aim of the following review article will be to discuss this problem in further detail with specific emphasis on its potential physiological and clinical impact.
Processing Speed and Working Memory Span: Their Differential Role in Superficial and Deep Memory Processes in Schizophrenia
Authors: Brébion Gildas , Bressan Rodrigo A. , Pilowsky Lyn S. , David Anthony S.
Published: March 2011

Previous work has suggested that decrement in both processing speed and working memory span plays a role in the memory impairment observed in patients with schizophrenia. We undertook a study to examine simultaneously the effect of these two factors. A sample of 49 patients with schizophrenia and 43 healthy controls underwent a battery of verbal and visual memory tasks. Superficial and deep encoding memory measures were tallied. We conducted regression analyses on the various memory measures, using processing speed and working memory span as independent variables. In the patient group, processing speed was a significant predictor of superficial and deep memory measures in verbal and visual memory. Working memory span was an additional significant predictor of the deep memory measures only. Regression analyses involving all participants revealed that the effect of diagnosis on all the deep encoding memory measures was reduced to non-significance when processing speed was entered in the regression. Decreased processing speed is involved in verbal and visual memory deficit in patients, whether the task require superficial or deep encoding. Working memory is involved only insofar as the task requires a certain amount of effort. (JINS, 2011,17, 485–493)
The right to counsel as a safeguard of justice in Afghanistan: the contribution of the International Legal Foundation
Authors: Smith Jennifer , Rea Natalie , Kamawal Shabir Ahmad
Published: March 2011

In Afghanistan, rule of law projects have placed a heavy emphasis on rebuilding courts and law enforcement institutions. Little attention has been given to the critical element of defence, particularly criminal defence services for the poor. Yet, without defence lawyers, there can be no rule of law. This article examines the right to counsel in Afghanistan and the indispensable role that defence lawyers are playing in the development of the justice system, illustrated by the experience of the International Legal Foundation. By providing early and effective representation to their clients, lawyers ensure that Afghanistan's new laws and constitutional provisions protecting the rights of the accused are implemented.
State-building in Afghanistan: a case showing the limits?
Authors: Edwards Lucy Morgan
Published: March 2011

Since the 1990s, the concept of ‘state-building’ has become the means by which intervenors have attempted to tackle ‘state failure/fragility’. The ‘ideal’ referred to when attempting to do this – both theoretically and in practice – has been that of the classic ‘nation-state’ as developed by Max Weber. To answer the question posed by the title above, the article first looks generally at the evolution of the current state-building paradigm and global governance discourse. Second, a background of historical attempts at state-building in Afghanistan is given. Third, an assessment is made of the international community's approach to Afghanistan since 2001. Finally, the appropriateness of replicating a Weberian state-building model onto more traditional societies such as Afghanistan – where modes of governance and authority are often informal, complex, and characterized by historical and charismatic sources of legitimacy – is addressed. Until now, such contexts have barely been acknowledged, still less understood, by intervenors. Today, however, some academics are beginning to outline an alternative response to state fragility, recognizing more traditional sources of legitimacy and a hybridity of political order.
Cooling rates and the depth of detachment faulting at oceanic core complexes: Evidence from zircon Pb/U and (U‐Th)/He ages
Authors: Grimes Craig B. , Cheadle Michael J. , John Barbara E. , Reiners Peter W. , Wooden Joseph L.
Published: March 2011

Oceanic detachment faulting represents a distinct mode of seafloor spreading at slow spreading mid‐ocean ridges, but many questions persist about the thermal evolution and depth of faulting. We present new Pb/U and (U‐Th)/He zircon ages and combine them with magnetic anomaly ages to define the cooling histories of gabbroic crust exposed by oceanic detachment faults at three sites along the Mid‐Atlantic Ridge (Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) holes 1270D and 1275D near the 15°20′N Transform, and Atlantis Massif at 30°N). Closure temperatures for the Pb/U (∼800°C–850°C) and (U‐Th)/He (∼210°C) isotopic systems in zircon bracket acquisition of magnetic remanence, collectively providing a temperature‐time history during faulting. Results indicate cooling to ∼200°C in 0.3–0.5 Myr after zircon crystallization, recording time‐averaged cooling rates of ∼1000°C–2000°C/Myr. Assuming the footwalls were denuded along single continuous faults, differences in Pb/U and (U‐Th)/He zircon ages together with independently determined slip rates allow the distance between the ∼850°C and ∼200°C isotherms along the fault plane to be estimated. Calculated distances are 8.4 ± 4.2 km and 5.0 ± 2.1 km from holes 1275D and 1270D and 8.4 ± 1.4 km at Atlantis Massif. Estimating an initial subsurface fault dip of 50° and a depth of 1.5 km to the 200°C isotherm leads to the prediction that the ∼850°C isotherm lies ∼5–7 km below seafloor at the time of faulting. These depth estimates for active fault systems are consistent with depths of microseismicity observed beneath the hypothesized detachment fault at the TAG hydrothermal field and high‐temperature fault rocks recovered from many oceanic detachment faults.
Merging late Holocene molecular organic and foraminiferal‐based geochemical records of sea surface temperature in the Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Richey Julie N. , Hollander David J. , Flower Benjamin P. , Eglinton Timothy I.
Published: March 2011

A molecular organic geochemical proxy (TEX86) for sea surface temperature (SST) is compared with a foraminifera‐based SST proxy (Mg/Ca) in a decadal‐resolution marine sedimentary record spanning the last 1000 years from the Gulf of Mexico. We assess the relative strengths of the organic and inorganic paleoceanographic techniques for reconstructing high‐resolution SST variability during recent climate events, including the Little Ice Age (LIA) and the Medieval Warm Period (MWP). SST estimates based on the molecular organic proxy TEX86 show a similar magnitude and pattern of SST variability to foraminiferal Mg/Ca‐SST estimates but with some important differences. For instance, both proxies show a cooling (1°C–2°C) of Gulf of Mexico SSTs during the LIA. During the MWP, however, Mg/Ca‐SSTs are similar to near‐modern SSTs, while TEX86 indicates SSTs that were cooler than modern. Using the respective SST calibrations for each proxy results in TEX86‐SST estimates that are 2°C–4°C warmer than Mg/Ca‐SST throughout the 1000 year record. We interpret the TEX86‐SST as a summer‐weighted SST signal from the upper mixed layer, whereas the Mg/Ca‐SST better reflects the mean annual SST. Downcore differences in the SST estimates between the two proxies (ΔT = TEX86 − Mg/Ca) are interpreted in the context of varying seasonality and/or changing water column temperature gradients.
A trigonometric interpolation approach to mixed‐type boundary problems associated with permeameter shape factors
Authors: Klammler Harald , Hatfield Kirk , Nemer Bassel , Mathias Simon A.
Published: March 2011

Hydraulic conductivity is a fundamental hydrogeological parameter, whose in situ measurement at a local scale is principally performed through injection tests from screened probes or using impermeable packers in screened wells. The shape factorF[L] is a proportionality constant required to estimate conductivity from observed flow rate to injection head ratios, and it depends on the geometric properties of the flow field. Existing approaches for determination ofFare either based on geometric or mathematical simplifications and are limited to particular assumptions about the flow domain's external boundaries. The present work presents a general semianalytical solution to steady state axisymmetric flow problems, where external boundaries may be nearby and of arbitrary combinations of impermeable and constant head type. The inner boundary along the probe or well may consist of an arbitrary number of impermeable and constant head intervals resulting in a mixed‐type boundary value problem, for which a novel and direct solution method based on trigonometric interpolation is presented. The approach is applied to generate practical nondimensional charts ofFfor different field and laboratory situations. Results show thatFis affected by less than 5% if a minimum distance of 10 probe or well diameters is kept between the injection screen and a nearby boundary. Similarly, minimum packer lengths of two well diameters are required to avoid increasingFby more than 10%. Furthermore,Fis determined for laboratory barrel experiments giving guidelines for achieving equal shape factors as in field situations without nearby boundaries.Ffor the theoretical case of infinitely short packers is shown to be infinitely large.
Experimental and numerical evidence for intrinsic nonmigrating bars in alluvial channels
Authors: Crosato Alessandra , Mosselman Erik , Beidmariam Desta Frehiwot , Uijttewaal Wim S. J.
Published: March 2011

Alternate bars in straight alluvial channels are migrating or nonmigrating. The currently accepted view is that they are nonmigrating if the width‐to‐depth ratio is at the value of resonance or if the bars are forced by a persistent local perturbation. We carried out 2‐D numerical computations and a long‐duration mobile‐bed flume experiment to investigate this view. We find that nonmigrating bars can also occur in straight channels without resonant width‐to‐depth ratio or steady local perturbation. They appear to be an intrinsic response of the alluvial river bed. This finding bears on explanations for meandering of alluvial rivers, for which nonmigrating bars are seen as a prerequisite. We find, however, that the intrinsic tendency of a straight channel to form meanders usually has a different origin. The identified intrinsic nonmigrating bars can only become the dominant mechanism for incipient meandering if the erodibility of the banks is very low.
Multiple Test In Silico Weight-of-Evidence for Toxicological Endpoints
Authors: Aldenberg T. , Jaworska J. S.
Published: March 2011

New European legislation in chemical safety assessment (REACH) requires combining chemical and toxicological information from a variety of sources: chemical structure information, similarity with other chemicals (read-across), in vitro and in vivo laboratory test data, and computerised information and knowledge, i.e. in silico methods. Integrating such diverse sources of compound-related knowledge requires quantitative methods to merge multiple lines of evidence. Prediction of a toxicological property (endpoint) of a chemical from test information is analogous to medical diagnosis. As test predictions may fail, a probabilistic approach is imperative. Through Bayesian statistics, the probability of an endpoint can be estimated from test data on the basis of Diagnostic Likelihood Ratios (DLRs) involving test performance measures to produce correct predictions. An informative measure of Weight-of-Evidence (WoE) can be based on the logarithm of the DLR, which depends on the actual test result(s). A convenient unit of WoE, the deciban, was developed by Turing in the 1940s. Its usefulness for quantifying single test and multiple test (battery) information is demonstrated on an example dataset. Multiple joint test results for given endpoints are scarce, so it is important to assess the influence of small sample size. This can be done with binomial logistic regression, which permits candidate models to be compared. Model selection criteria point to models that optimize in approximating the data, while avoiding overfitting. This is important to reduce predictive uncertainty. The WoE measure developed here can be shown to be a simple linear function of the model parameters describing the joint test data.
Synthesis and physical gelation induced by self-assembly of well-defined poly(arylene ether sulfone)s with various numbers of arms
Authors: Park Jeyoung , Seo Myungeun , Choi Hyungsam , Kim Sang Youl
Published: March 2011

Synthesis of poly(arylene ether sulfone)s with various numbers of arms by chain-growth polycondensation and physical gelation induced by self-assembly.