bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Plasma BDNF levels associate with Pittsburgh Compound B binding in the brain
Authors: Hwang Kristy S. , Lazaris Andreas S. , Eastman Jennifer A. , Teng Edmond , Thompson Paul M. , Gylys Karen H. , Cole Gregory M. , Apostolova Liana G. ,   Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: April 2015

Background

Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays an important role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative disorders. BDNF function is adversely affected by amyloid beta in AD. BDNF levels in brain and peripheral tissues are lower in patients with AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) than in controls. Here we examined the association between plasma levels of BDNF and amyloid deposition in the brain measured with Pittsburgh Compound B (PiB).

Method

Our data set consisted of 18 AD, 56 MCI, and 3 normal control Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative‐1 (ADNI1) subjects with available [11C] PiB and peripheral blood protein data. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)‐coregistered positron emission tomography data were smoothed with a 15 mm kernel and mapped onto three‐dimensional (3D) hemispheric models using the warping deformations computed in cortical pattern matching of the associated MRI scans. We applied linear regression to examine in 3D the associations between BDNF and PiB standard uptake value ratio, while adjusting for age and sex. We used permutation statistics thresholded at P < .01 for multiple comparisons correction.

Results

Plasma BDNF levels showed significant negative associations with left greater than right amyloid burden in the lateral temporal, inferior parietal, inferior frontal, anterior and posterior cingulate, and orbitofrontal regions (left Pcorrected = .03).

Conclusions

As hypothesized, lower plasma levels of BDNF were significantly associated with widespread brain amyloidosis.
Modelación psicométrica de las habilidades de cómputo en estudiantes universitarios de nuevo ingreso
Authors: Leenen Iwin , Martínez-Franco Israel , Martínez-González Adrián , Sánchez- Mendiola Melchor
Published: April 2015

Se describen el proceso y resultado de una validación psicométrica de un instrumento para estimar el nivel de las competencias de informática en estudiantes universitarios de nuevo ingreso. El nuevo instrumento, que se construyó a partir de un cuestionario existente (para una población anglófona), mide seis competencias a través de 45 ítems en los cuales los estudiantes expresan su grado de familiaridad con tareas concretas de cómputo. Los datos incluyeron las respuestas de dos cohortes de estudiantes de medicina (2 389 participantes, en total): la primera cohorte sirvió para seleccionar los ítems de la versión final del cuestionario; la segunda para una validación cruzada del nuevo instrumento. Se realizaron (a) análisis psicométricos basados en una variante del modelo del factor común y una nueva variante del modelo de crédito parcial generalizado, que da cuenta de dependencias locales entre los ítems y (b) análisis de ecuaciones estructurales para investigar las relaciones entre sí de las seis competencias. Los resultados psicométricos indicaron un buen ajuste a los modelos y mostraron adecuados valores para la fiabilidad y validez. El análisis estructural reveló relaciones de prerrequisito entre las habilidades. Los resultados fomentan el uso del instrumento para la evaluación formativa de los estudiantes.
La autorregulación en el aprendizaje, la luz de un faro en el mar
Authors: Vives-Varela Tania , Durán-Cárdenas Cassandra , Varela-Ruíz Margarita , Fortoul van der Goes Teresa
Published: April 2015

Se argumenta que el proceso de autorregulación se ha convertido en una competencia transversal común a todas las profesiones de la salud por su importancia para el aprendizaje y el desempeño profesional. Se menciona su definición sustentada en la teoría educativa cognitivo social, la cual resalta el valor del compromiso y actuación personal de quien aprende para hacerlo de forma autónoma, independiente y permanente. Además, se describen sus elementos y ventajas. Cómo se enseña y cómo se evalúa el aprendizaje autorregulado, son dos cuestiones que se examinan con múltiples ejemplos y estudios llevados a cabo en los últimos cinco años.
Virtudes y limitaciones de la teoría de respuesta al ítem para la evaluación educativa en las ciencias médicas
Authors: Leenen Iwin
Published: April 2015

la teoría clásica de los tests (TCT) y la teoría de respuesta al ítem (TRi) constituyen los dos enfoques principales de la psicometría. Aunque los fundamentos de la TRI se elaboraron a mediados del siglo XX y numerosas publicaciones han argumentado la superioridad teórica de la TRI sobre la TCT, el enfoque clásico sigue siendo, por mucho, lo más utilizado para la evaluación educativa, también en el campo de la educación médica. En este artículo, se revisan los fundamentos y conceptos centrales de ambos enfoques psicométricos y se esbozan las posibles ventajas de los modelos de la TRI en el contexto de la evaluación educativa en las ciencias de la salud. Sin embargo, al evaluar los supuestos que subyacen los modelos TRI básicos, es notable una discrepancia significativa entre los mismos y la compleja realidad en la evaluación educativa. Dicha discrepancia lleva a la conclusión que, para poder aprovechar las ventajas de la TRI, muchas veces es necesario considerar modelos más complejos que los conocidos tradicionalmente, como los modelos multidimensionales y/o modelos que toman en cuenta dependencias entre preguntas particulares.
Correlación entre la evaluación diagnóstica y el rendimiento académico de los estudiantes de medicina
Authors: Muñoz-Comonfort Armando , Leenen Iwin , Fortoul-van der Goes Teresa Imelda
Published: April 2015

Introducción: El rendimiento académico de los estudiantes está asociado con una gran variedad de factores, uno de ellos corresponde a los conocimientos previos de ingreso a la licenciatura de médico cirujano, por lo que, describir las calificaciones en los exámenes departamentales a partir de dichos conocimientos, en la fase inicial de la licenciatura, permitirá identificar aquellos en riesgo académico e implementar las medidas remediales pertinentes.
Objetivo: Determinar la relación entre los resultados en el examen diagnóstico y en los exámenes departamentales de las asignaturas de primer año en estudiantes de nuevo ingreso a la licenciatura de Médico Cirujano.
Método: Se realizó un estudio de correlación y comparación que incluyó los datos de un total de 6 590 estudiantes. En particular se calcularon correlaciones de forma separada para seis generaciones (2007 a 2012), para tres tipos de bachillerato de procedencia y para seis asignaturas del primer año entre, por un lado, el examen diagnóstico de conocimientos generales y por otro la calificación promedio de los exámenes departamentales.
Resultados: Se encontraron diferencias en los resultados de la evaluación diagnóstica entre estudiantes que provienen de los sistemas NO UNAM, ENP y CCH. Los estudiantes que provienen del bachillerato NO UNAM presentaron correlaciones mayores en las seis asignaturas y seis ciclos escolares estudiados, con respecto a los estudiantes de la ENP y CCH. Por asignatura Bioquímica presentó los mayores valores de correlación: para estudiantes de la ENP varió entre 0.38 y 0.55, CCH entre 0.42 y 0.58 y NO UNAM entre 0.63 y 0.82: por otro lado Salud Pública presentó las correlaciones menores, la ENP entre 0.26 y 0.42, CCH entre 0.36 y 0.47 y NO UNAM entre 0.51 y 0.70.
Conclusiones: Estos resultados muestran una correlación entre el promedio de los exámenes departamentales de las asignaturas de primer año y el examen diagnóstico de conocimientos generales, lo cual en una investigación futura se puede aprovechar para realizar predicciones y proponer medidas remediales tempranas para los estudiantes que puedan detectarse.
Percepción sobre factores estresantes en estudiantes de Medicina de primer semestre, sus padres y sus maestros
Authors: Phinder-Puente Marian Elizabeth , Sánchez-Cardel Alfonso , Romero-Castellanos Francisco , Sánchez-Valdivieso Enrique Alejandro
Published: April 2015

Introducción: El estudiante de Medicina que se somete a niveles de estrés elevados, puede resultar con una gama de desórdenes mentales. Investigamos la percepción de estudiantes de primer semestre de Medicina, sus padres y sus profesores, sobre los factores estresantes en su día a día.

Método: Diseñamos una guía de entrevista revisada y validada, y con ella entrevistamos a estudiantes, catedráticos de Medicina y padres de familia, y triangulamos la información. Por medio de metodología cualitativa se utilizó el diseño de “Teoría Fundamentada” de tipo sistemático, llegando a la saturación de categorías y el texto seleccionado, fue codificado y categorizado (codificación abierta).

Resultados: La mayoría de los entrevistados, tanto estudiantes, padres y profesores consideran que si se llega a producir estrés es por falta de estudio y organización, ya que desde el inicio los estudiantes y sus padres esperaban una carrera difícil.

Conclusiones: El estrés va implícito en la vida del estudiante de Medicina, donde la organización y las técnicas de estudio son importantes. Recomendamos impartir talleres sobre manejo del tiempo y técnicas de estudio.
Generando evidencias en investigación de educación médica: modelamiento estructural de variables
Authors: Castañeda-Figueiras Sandra , Austria-Corrales Fernando
Published: April 2015

El trabajo se inserta en el campo de la investigación en educación médica en lo general, y en lo particular, en la generación de evidencias usando modelamiento estructural de variables. Se discute la necesidad de que el investigador en educación médica sea sensible a la complejidad de los resultados de aprendizaje, derivados de la formación médica cuando elija el modelo de análisis estadístico que va a usar, de manera tal que se supere la insuficiencia de los modelos univariados para analizar fenómenos complejos. Así, es factible optimizar la generación de evidencias que respondan a la complejidad de lo estudiado y, optimicen la toma de decisiones en educación médica. El trabajo revisa modelos multivariados brevemente y ofrece ejemplos concretos de técnicas multivariadas aplicadas a la investigación en salud.
Carta al editor
Authors: Hernández-Carrillo J. Ignacio
Published: April 2015

He leído algunos de los artículos publicados en la revista Investigación en Educación Médica, en la que se tocan temas con interés práctico. Su Editorial “Los educadores en ciencias de la salud del siglo XXI: ¿trabajamos como locos (en el sentido Einsteniano)?”, me induce a reflexionar sobre la versatilidad que debe mostrar el humano actual, particularmente el profesional médico quien, además de ejercer esta profesión de manera pública o privada (como es mi caso), ejerce la docencia de manera empírica o profesional y más aún, contribuye a la generación del conocimiento también de manera empírica o profesional.
Escrutinio de depresión y ansiedad en twitter a través de un programa de análisis de palabras
Authors: Cabrera Arriaga Tania , Frias Luna José Adnán , Hernández Flores Salvador , Inistra Ayllon Oscar Francisco , Solís Álvarez Alex Manuel
Published: April 2015

Introducción: Twitter es la segunda red social más utilizada en el país con aproximadamente 10.2 millones de usuarios. Es posible que a través de esta, el estado de ánimo pueda verse reflejado en las publicaciones de texto que los usuarios realizan. Un grupo de especialistas diseñó un software que promete analizar los enunciados publicados en Twiitter y detectar diversos componentes de la personalidad. Esta investigación se enfocó en conocer si es posible utilizar estas publicaciones como elementos para detectar depresión o ansiedad, y comparar la congruencia entre la interpretación del software y las pruebas in vivo a través de inventarios de diagnóstico estandarizados.

 

Método: Se realizó un estudio comparativo correlacional, con muestreo de sujetos por conveniencia a estudiantes de la licenciatura en Medicina de la Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana de edades entre 18 y 24 años que tuvieran cuentas activas de Twitter, se les aplicó en persona los Inventarios de Depresión y Ansiedad de Beck. Una vez aplicados se utilizó en las cuentas de Twitter Software Analyze Words para el análisis de sus publicaciones. Los resultados fueron vaciados y analizados en el programa SPSS.

 

Resultados: Para el inventario de ansiedad de 3eck el valor mínimo fue O, el máximo 29 y la media 9.37. Para depresión la mínima fue igual a O, el máximo 20 y la media 4.94. Para las pruebas hechas por el software Analyze Words, para ansiedad resultó 19 como mínimo y 99 máximo con una media de 54.58; para depresión se obtuvo un mínimo de 35, máximo de 66 y media de 51.89. En la prueba de correlación de Pearson se obtuvo un valor de —.197 usando como variables el inventario deBeck y el software Analyze Words para ansiedad. De igual manera, se obtuvo en un valor de R de Pearson de .047 en las mismas pruebas para depresión.

 

Conclusiones: No existe concordancia entre resultados pues se considera que el software está diseñado para la población estadounidense y las publicaciones realizadas por usuarios mexicanos no proyectan sus emociones como lo hacen los norteamericanos y no tendrían las características necesarias para determinar el estado de ánimo. Como conclusión en este estudio, Twitter no muestra ser indicador diagnóstico de probables trastornos depresivos o ansiosos.
Calidad en habilidades de resucitación cardiopulmonar básica asociada a la fidelidad de simulación en pregrado
Authors: Graciela Zamora Fanny , De los Santos Rodríguez Moisés , Sierra Basto Gilberto , Luna Villanueva Edgar
Published: April 2015

Objetivo: Comparar la calidad de habilidades en la Resucitación Cardiopulmonar Básica (RCPB)  para adultos según el grado de fidelidad empleado en simulación médica.

Método: Estudio piloto experimental con 21 Estudiantes de 3' año de la Licenciatura de Médico Cirujano de la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán seleccionados y divididos de forma aleatoria en grupo de Alta y Baja Fidelidad de Simulación (AFS y BES). Excluyéndose quienes tuvieran entrenamiento teórico práctico en RCP3 y/o avanzada vigente, o con capacidades limitantes. Todos recibieron: sesión teórica-multimedia de RCPB —90 minutos—, 2 evaluaciones videograbadas —5 minutos— (inicial y final: post-entrenamiento, con mismo escenario) de Mediana Fidelidad (ME), entrenamiento de AFS y BES individual (con ambientación y Torso de RCP sin ambientación) realizando mismas secuencias de entrenamiento por 10 minutos y posteriormente, se presentó reproducción en video que demostraba en 14:26 minutos las secuencias de entrenamiento para ambos grupos.

Resultados: En las puntuaciones medias de las evaluaciones de habilidades globales de RCPB: BES obtuvo 6.7 y AFS 6.27 en la evaluación inicial; BES tuvo 8.3 y AFS 9.73 en la evaluación final. Con diferencia significativa (p 0.0026, 1C 95%) con U de Mann-Whitney no pareada de 2 colas.

Conclusiones: Implementar simulación médica de alta fidelidad en estudiantes de pregrado mejora la adquisición de habilidades de RCPB.
Evaluación de la fiabilidad del cuestionario sobre estilos de aprendizaje de Felder y Soloman en estudiantes de medicina
Authors: Brito-Orta Ma. Dolores , Espinoza-Tanguma Ricardo
Published: April 2015

Introducción: El aumento exponencial del conocimiento en el área de la medicina ha exigido la formación de estudiantes con una serie de competencias como la creatividad, el razonamiento crítico, el trabajo en equipo y el auto-aprendizaje. Por ello, es importante planear  estrategias de enseñanza, dinámicas y variadas, que promuevan el desarrollo de las competencias requeridas; el identificar los estilos de aprendizaje de los estudiantes puede facilitar dicha planeación.   Objetivo: Analizar la fiabilidad del cuestionario sobre estilos de aprendizaje de Felder y Soloman, identificar los estilos de aprendizaje de los estudiantes del curso de Fisiología Humana y su laboratono de la carrera de medicina y determinar si hay diferencias debido al género.   Método: Este estudio se llevó a cabo con alumnos de segundo año de la carrera que cursaron la sección de Fisiología Gastrointestinal de la materia de Fisiología Humana y su Laboratorio en los ciclos escolares 2009-2010, 2011-2012 y 2012-2013. Se aplicó el inventario de Felder y Soloman a un total de 459 estudiantes; 265 (126 mujeres y 139 hombres) lo contestaron completamente. Se calculó, al final, la fiabilidad del instrumento.   Resultados: El valor del alfa de Cronbach para cada una de las cuatro dimensiones del cuestionario quedó comprendido entre 0.38 y 0.61. Los estilos de aprendizaje predominantes de los alumnos fueron el activo, el sensitivo, el visual y el secuencial. No hubo diferencias significativas entre los estilos de aprendizaje por género.   Conclusiones: Los datos apoyan la confiabilidad de las dimensiones activo-reflexivo y visual verbal, pero las dimensiones sensitivo intuitivo y secuencial global requieren reevaluación. Son necesarios trabajos adicionales con poblaciones mayores de estudiantes que validen el cuestionario, a través de estimar tanto su validez como su confiabilidad. De igual forma, se recomiendan investigaciones que determinen si existe alguna relación positiva entre los estilos de aprendizaje y diversas estrategias de enseñanza.
Apreciación sobre capacitación en investigación y publicación científica en estudiantes universitarios
Authors: Bendezú-Quispe Guido , Hurtado-Horta Suham , Medina-Sarabia Carlos Enrique , Aguilar-León Pool
Published: April 2015

Dr. Melchor Sánchez-Mendiola:
La formación en investigación en salud ha sido reconocido como un componente importante de la educación médica ante una rápida expansión y progreso en la investigación biomédica. La investigación biomédica es un componente importante en la formación médica, siendo esencial para el avance científico y del cuidado de la salud. Sin embargo, son pocas las investigaciones que los estudiantes publican durante su formación universitaria. Solo en el Perú, la participación estudiantil en la publicación de artículos en revistas médicas peruanas es de 4.5%. Y es que la capacitación en temas relacionados con la investigación es percibida como deficiente por los estudiantes del pregrado de medicina en Latinoamérica. La importancia de la publicación en pregrado desde la percepción estudiantil señala que con esta se culmina el proceso de investigación, se adquiere experiencia, se genera criterio científico, se forma el hábito y cultura de investigación, se da valoración personal al trabajo realizado y sirve además como medio de feedback con la comunidad científica
Inpatient suicide death in Ireland: challenges and opportunities for clinical care
Authors: Malone K. M. , Cleary E. , Lane A.
Published: April 2015

Rates of admissions and residency in Irish psychiatric units and hospitals have decreased significantly over the last 30 years. Through this period national suicide rates have increased, with Ireland currently having the 17th highest suicide rate of the 27 EU countries and the fourth highest rate in males aged 15–24 years. Suicide deaths among inpatients in psychiatric care are rare but tragic occurrences. At present, little is known about the incidence, prevalence or profile of inpatient suicide in Ireland and in comparison with other European countries. Addressing a similar deficit, the United Kingdom established a National Confidential Enquiry in 1992, which over the past two decades has used a standardized research methodology to comprehensively investigate all suicide deaths of, and homicides committed by, people in contact with the mental health services. This inquiry, using a no-fault and confidential approach with all clinicians has informed and improved services and policies and possibly impacted on suicide reduction efforts in the United Kingdom. Suicide prevention efforts in Ireland are negatively influenced by an ongoing stigma of mental illness and suicide, which sustains the knowledge gap in relation to inpatient suicide. A similar method of enquiry to that of the UK confidential approach blended with current demographic and clinical data sources and including family input (from those bereaved by inpatient suicide) could inform a tailored policy and provide a valuable model for studying suicide across all inpatient and community psychiatric services.
Optimal transient growth in compressible turbulent boundary layers
Authors: Alizard F. , Pirozzoli S. , Bernardini M. , Grasso F.
Published: April 2015

The structure of zero-pressure-gradient compressible turbulent boundary layers is analysed using the tools of optimal transient growth theory. The approach relies on the extension to compressible flows of the theoretical framework originally developed by Reynolds & Hussain (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 52, 1972, pp. 263–288) for incompressible flows. The model is based on a density-weighted triple decomposition of the instantaneous field into the contributions of the mean flow, the organized (coherent) motions and the disorganized background turbulent fluctuations. The mean field and the eddy viscosity characterizing the incoherent fluctuations are here obtained from a direct numerical simulation database. Most temporally amplified modes (optimal modes) are found to be consistent with scaling laws of turbulent boundary layers for both inner and outer layers, as well as in the logarithmic region, where they exhibit a self-similar spreading. Four free-stream Mach numbers are considered: $\mathit{Ma}_{\infty }=0.2$, 2, 3 and 4. Weak effects of compressibility on the characteristics length and the orientation angles are observed for both the inner- and the outer-layer modes. Furthermore, taking into account the effects of mean density variations, a universal behaviour is suggested for the optimal modes that populate the log layer, regardless of the Mach number. The relevance of the optimal modes in describing the near-wall layer dynamics and the eddies that populate the outer region is discussed.
THERE WAS A COLLEGE: INTRODUCINGTHE UMUAHIAN: A GOLDEN JUBILEE PUBLICATION, EDITED BY CHINUA ACHEBE
Authors: Ochiagha Terri
Published: April 2015

Government College, Umuahia is known as the alma mater of eight important Nigerian writers: Chinua Achebe, Elechi Amadi, Gabriel Okara, Chike Momah, I. N. C. Aniebo, Chukwuemeka Ike, Ken Saro-Wiwa and Christopher Okigbo. Many illustrious Nigerian scientists, intellectuals and public leaders passed through the college in its prime, and in West Africa the name of the school evokes an astounding range of success stories. But Umuahia's legend as ‘the Eton of the East’ and theprimus inter paresof Nigeria's elite colonial institutions obscures its present reality: nothing remains of its past but its extensive grounds, landmark buildings, and the glittering roll call of dignitaries who once studied within its walls. In 1979, prompted by the many signs of impending doom, a group of old boys joined hands in a historicizing venture,The Umuahian: a golden jubilee publication – the commemorative booklet compiled by the school's most famous alumnus, Chinua Achebe, to mark the college's golden jubilee. The booklet conjured up the school's founding ideals and glorious past in order to lay the ground for its rehabilitation. This introductory essay explains whyThe Umuahianis an indispensable source for the literary, cultural and educational history of West Africa, contextualizing its singular construction of colonial educational heritage. Sample and hitherto unpublished texts from the booklet by Achebe, his editorial toThe Umuahianand its coda, ‘Continuity and change in Nigerian education: a jubilee essay’, are included with the main article. While the contributors toThe Umuahianpertain to elite circles, and the volume had a world-class literary figure as its editor, the volume itself was produced for a local occasion and rarefied local audience, had a very limited distribution, and subsequently fell into obscurity. It is in the spirit of the historical and academic retrieval of such locally published and little-known materials by African thinkers and writers that this work appears in the Local Intellectuals strand.
PORRIDGE, PIETY AND PATIENCE: YOUNG QUR'ANIC STUDENTS' EXPERIENCES OF POVERTY IN KANO, NIGERIA
Authors: Hoechner Hannah
Published: April 2015

Inequalities are growing on a global scale and rising consumerism has exacerbated the negative connotations of material deprivation in many places. What does this imply for how poor people experience their situation? What role does religion play in their lives? This paper explores these questions by studying how young Qur'anic students (almajirai) in Kano in northern Nigeria experience, and deal with, being poor. In the context of growing violent conflict related to the Boko Haram insurgency, poor Muslims, including thealmajirai, have frequently been cast as being prone to violence in order to claim their share of highly unequally distributed resources. Religion has often been portrayed as a radicalizing force in their lives. This paper challenges such views. It describes how thealmajiraideploy religious discourses to moderate feelings of inadequacy and shame triggered by experiences of exclusion. At the same time, recourse to religious discourses emphasizing the values of asceticism and endurance does not further an agenda of social change and thus risks perpetuating thealmajirai's weak social position. The paper concludes that consumerism and wealth-based definitions of status are likely to silence demands for social justice.
THREE STORIES ABOUT LIVING WITHOUT MIGRATION IN DAKAR: COMING TO TERMS WITH THE CONTRADICTIONS OF THE MORAL ECONOMY
Authors: Rodriguez Anne-Line
Published: April 2015

This article focuses on life without migration in Dakar. In a context of scarcity of opportunities and the emergence of emigrants as new models of success, many who remain are seen as unsuccessful and are under a personal or social expectation to emigrate. This paper examines the unfolding of everyday life without migration. Through ethnographic description, it points to the coexistence in the capital city of changes and continuities in the moral economy, the scarcity of income-generating opportunities for men, and women's growing financial contribution. This article suggests that, for those of an age to support their families, these transformations often mean living with contradictions. To overcome these tensions, inventive strategies of ‘demonstration’ and ‘concealment’ are deployed to fit in with the moral economy. However, living without migration in Dakar is often easier when an alternative moral economy is adhered to.
UNFOLDING THE DOUBLE SHUFFLE STRUCTURE OF -MULTIPLE ZETA VALUES
Authors: CASTILLO-MEDINA JAIME , EBRAHIMI-FARD KURUSCH , MANCHON DOMINIQUE
Published: April 2015

We exhibit the double $q$-shuffle structure for the $q$MZVs introduced by Ohno et al. [‘Cyclic $q$-MZSV sum’, J. Number Theory132 (2012), 144–155].
Pollinator communities in strawberry crops – variation at multiple spatial scales
Authors: Ahrenfeldt E.J. , Klatt B.K. , Arildsen J. , Trandem N. , Andersson G.K.S. , Tscharntke T. , Smith H.G. , Sigsgaard L.
Published: April 2015

Predicting potential pollination services of wild bees in crops requires knowledge of their spatial distribution within fields. Field margins can serve as nesting and foraging habitats for wild bees and can be a source of pollinators. Regional differences in pollinator community composition may affect this spill-over of bees. We studied how regional and local differences affect the spatial distribution of wild bee species richness, activity-density and body size in crop fields. We sampled bees both from the field centre and at two different types of semi-natural field margins, grass strips and hedges, in 12 strawberry fields. The fields were distributed over four regions in Northern Europe, representing an almost 1100 km long north-south gradient. Even over this gradient, daytime temperatures during sampling did not differ significantly between regions and did therefore probably not impact bee activity. Bee species richness was higher in field margins compared with field centres independent of field size. However, there was no difference between centre and margin in body-size or activity-density. In contrast, bee activity-density increased towards the southern regions, whereas the mean body size increased towards the north. In conclusion, our study revealed a general pattern across European regions of bee diversity, but not activity-density, declining towards the field interior which suggests that the benefits of functional diversity of pollinators may be difficult to achieve through spill-over effects from margins to crop. We also identified dissimilar regional patterns in bee diversity and activity-density, which should be taken into account in conservation management.
The soybean yield gap in Brazil – magnitude, causes and possible solutions for sustainable production
Authors: SENTELHAS P. C. , BATTISTI R. , CÂMARA G. M. S. , FARIAS J. R. B. , HAMPF A. C. , NENDEL C.
Published: April 2015

Brazil is one of the most important soybean producers in the world. Soybean is a very important crop for the country as it is used for several purposes, from food to biodiesel production. The levels of soybean yield in the different growing regions of the country vary substantially, which results in yield gaps of considerable magnitude. The present study aimed to investigate the soybean yield gaps in Brazil, their magnitude and causes, as well as possible solutions for a more sustainable production. The concepts of yield gaps were reviewed and their values for the soybean crop determined in 15 locations across Brazil. Yield gaps were determined using potential and attainable yields, estimated by a crop simulation model for the main maturity groups of each region, as well as the average actual famers’ yield, obtained from national surveys provided by the Brazilian Government for a period of 32 years (1980–2011). The results showed that the main part of the yield gap was caused by water deficit, followed by sub-optimal crop management. The highest yield gaps caused by water deficit were observed mainly in the south of Brazil, with gaps higher than 1600 kg/ha, whereas the lowest were observed in Tapurah, Jataí, Santana do Araguaia and Uberaba, between 500 and 1050 kg/ha. The yield gaps caused by crop management were mainly concentrated in South-central Brazil. In the soybean locations in the mid-west, north and north-east regions, the yield gap caused by crop management was <500 kg/ha. When evaluating the integrated effects of water deficit and crop management on soybean yield gaps, special attention should be given to Southern Brazil, which has total yield gaps >2000 kg/ha. For reducing the present soybean yield gaps observed in Brazil, several solutions should be adopted by growers, which can be summarized as irrigation, crop rotation and precision agriculture. Improved dissemination of agricultural knowledge and the use of crop simulation models as a tool for improving crop management could further contribute to reduce the Brazilian soybean yield gap.
What would it take to prevent stunted growth in children in sub-Saharan Africa?
Authors: Lartey Anna
Published: April 2015

There is increasing agreement among the nutrition community about the use of length/height-for-age as the indicator to monitor the long-term impact of chronic nutritional deficiencies. Stunting, an indicator of linear growth failure, has both long- and short-term consequences affecting growth and development and adult work potential. The number of stunted children in sub-Saharan Africa is expected to increase by 2025 if the current trends remain. Stunting among African children peaks during the complementary feeding period, which coincides with the period when children are no longer on exclusive breastfeeding and infections are frequent. Addressing stunting has become the focus of global efforts. The World Health Assembly in 2012 set a 40 % reduction in the number of stunted children by 2025. To effectively address the issues of stunting in sub-Saharan Africa is it appropriate to examine the issue of what it takes. The WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study (MGRS) conducted in several regions of the world, including Africa has lessons on what it would take to prevent in African children. The children in the MGRS had good socioeconomic background characteristics reflected by years of maternal education and availability of basic amenities, such as potable water and sanitary conditions. The prescription of exclusive breastfeeding, high-quality diversified diets and attention to care were critical factors contributing to healthy growth for the African children. Preventing stunting in sub-Saharan Africa is possible. It requires governments to put in place policies that would create the conducive environment needed. The complex and multiple causes of stunting offer the opportunity to address stunting in a multisectoral and within a food systems approach. The global resolve to make food systems deliver on healthy diet requires all stakeholders to work together to achieve the global goal of reducing stunting. This review highlights the key elements contributing to adequate growth in the Africa cohort of the WHO-MGRS and how these provide lessons for addressing stunting in children in sub-Saharan Africa.
Effect of nature and pressure of ambient environments on the surface morphology, plasma parameters, hardness, and corrosion resistance of laser-irradiated Mg-alloy
Authors: Dawood Asadullah , Bashir Shazia , Akram Mahreen , Hayat Asma , Ahmed Sajjad , Iqbal Muhammad Hassan , Kazmi Ali Hassan
Published: April 2015

The influence of nature and pressure of ambient environment on the surface modification, plasma parameters, hardness, and corrosion resistance of Mg-alloy has been investigated. Nd: YAG laser (1064 nm, 10 ns, 25 mJ) at a fluence of 1.3 J cm−2 has been employed as an irradiation source. Targets of Mg-alloy were exposed in the ambient environments of argon (Ar), neon (Ne), and helium (He) at pressures ranging from 5 to 760 Torr. Scanning electron microscope has been employed to investigate the surface morphology of the irradiated targets. It reveals the formation of cavities, cones, droplets, ripples, and islands on the surface of the irradiated sample. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy technique was employed to measure electron temperature (Te) and electron number density (Ne) of Mg-alloy. The value of electron temperature ranges from 6628 to 12,855 K, whereas the value of electron number density varies from 5.4 × 1017 to 19.2 × 1017 cm−3. The maximum Te and Ne are observed in Ar and minimum in case of He. It was also revealed that both the surface morphology and plasma parameters are strongly dependent upon nature and pressure of environmental gases. The maxima of Te is achieved at a pressure of 10 Torr for all the three ambient environments that is, Ar, Ne, and He; whereas maxima of Ne is achieved at different pressures, that is, at 760 Torr for Ar, at 200 Torr for Ne, and at 50 Torr for He. The hardness and corrosion resistance of irradiated Mg-alloy have been explored using Vickers Micro-hardness tester and Potentio-dynamic polarization technique, respectively. It was investigated that as compared with un-irradiated target, the hardness as well as corrosion resistance of the laser-irradiated target has been increased significantly in all environments. Plasma parameters, mechanical, and electrical properties of laser-irradiated Mg-alloy have been correlated with induced surface modifications and are strongly influenced by environmental conditions.
European New Legal Realism and International Law: How to Make International Law Intelligible
Authors: HOLTERMANN JAKOB V. H. , MADSEN MIKAEL RASK
Published: April 2015

International law remains in many ways a challenge to legal science. As in domestic law, the available options appear to be exhausted by either internal doctrinal approaches, or external approaches applying more general empirical methods from the social sciences. This article claims that, while these major positions obviously provide interesting insights, none of them manage to make international law intelligible in a broader sense. Instead, it argues for a European New Legal Realist approach to international law accommodating the so-called external and internal dimensions of law in a single more complex analysis which takes legal validity seriously but as a genuinely empirical object of study. This article constructs this position by identifying a distinctively European realist path which takes as its primary inspirations Weberian sociology of law and Alf Ross’ Scandinavian Legal Realism and combines them with insights originating from Bourdieusian sociology of law.
Enhancing Constitutional Justice by Using External References: The European Court of Human Rights’ Reasoning on the Protection against Expulsion
Authors: FARAHAT ANUSCHEH
Published: April 2015

This article argues that the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) uses external references as a tool to enhance ‘constitutional justice’. This technique is illustrated by the Court's contribution to an important shift in migration law beginning in the late 1980s and resulting in an enhanced scheme for protection against expulsion in Europe. This shift reflects the changing role of the ECtHR from a court primarily concerned with providing ‘individual justice’ to a court aiming at enabling ‘constitutional justice’. The aim of the article is to contextualize the aforementioned shift with a historical view and to understand it in methodological terms. It argues that the Court supports its dynamic interpretation of the right to privacy in Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights in crucial judgments by reference to often non-binding instruments issued by the Council of Europe and to other human rights treaties. In this regard, the case of protection against expulsion illustrates a particular feature of the Court's turn to ‘constitutional justice’, namely the increased application of the principle of systemic integration. This allowed the Court to develop a meaningful and comprehensive protection scheme in the first place. However, the article reveals that once the substantial standard developed by the ECtHR has been formally implemented in domestic law, domestic decisions are reviewed with significantly less scrutiny. This limitation may again be explained by the ‘constitutional turn’ which results in a pragmatic tendency to proceduralization in the jurisprudence of the ECtHR.
Preventing community-wide transmission ofCryptosporidium: a proactive public health response to a swimming pool-associated outbreak – Auglaize County, Ohio, USA
Authors: COPE J. R. , PROSSER A. , NOWICKI S. , ROBERTS M. W. , ROBERTS J. M. , SCHEER D. , ANDERSON C. , LONGSWORTH A. , PARSONS C. , GOLDSCHMIDT D. , JOHNSTON S. , BISHOP H. , XIAO L. , HILL V. , BEACH M. , HLAVSA M. C.
Published: April 2015

The incidence of recreational water-associated outbreaks in the United States has significantly increased, driven, at least in part, by outbreaks both caused byCryptosporidiumand associated with treated recreational water venues. Because of the parasite's extreme chlorine tolerance, transmission can occur even in well-maintained treated recreational water venues (e.g. pools) and a focal cryptosporidiosis outbreak can evolve into a community-wide outbreak associated with multiple recreational water venues and settings (e.g. childcare facilities). In August 2004 in Auglaize County, Ohio, multiple cryptosporidiosis cases were identified and anecdotally linked to pool A. Within 5 days of the first case being reported, pool A was hyperchlorinated to achieve 99·9%Cryptosporidiuminactivition. A case-control study was launched to epidemiologically ascertain the outbreak source 11 days later. A total of 150 confirmed and probable cases were identified; the temporal distribution of illness onset was peaked, indicating a point-source exposure. Cryptosporidiosis was significantly associated with swimming in pool A (matched odds ratio 121·7, 95% confidence interval 27·4–∞) but not with another venue or setting. The findings of this investigation suggest that proactive implementation of control measures, when increasedCryptosporidiumtransmission is detected but before an outbreak source is epidemiologically ascertained, might prevent a focal cryptosporidiosis outbreak from evolving into a community-wide outbreak.
Magnetic resonance imaging markers of suicide attempt and suicide risk in adolescents
Authors: Martin Petra C. , Zimmer Thomas J. , Pan Lisa A.
Published: April 2015

More than 36,000 people in the United States die from suicide annually, and suicide is the third leading cause of death in adolescence. Adolescence is a time of high risk for suicidal behavior, as well as a time that intervention and treatment may have the greatest impact because of structural brain changes and significant psychosocial development during this period. Functional and structural neuroimaging studies in adults who have attempted suicide suggest distinct gray matter volume abnormalities in cortical regions, as well as prefrontal cortical and dorsal anterior cingulate gyrus neural circuitry differences compared with affective and healthy adult controls. Recent functional neuroimaging studies in adolescents with a history of suicide attempt suggest differences in the attention and salience networks compared with adolescents with depression and no history of suicide attempt and healthy controls when viewing angry faces. In contrast, no abnormalities are seen in these areas in the absence of emotional stimuli. These networks may represent promising targets for future neuroimaging studies to identify markers of risk for future suicide attempt in adolescents.
The appropriateness of treating psychopathic disorders
Authors: Felthous Alan R.
Published: April 2015

The received wisdom is that there is no known effective treatment for psychopathic disorders. Although outcome studies have not identified an effective programmatic treatment for psychopathic disorders, such studies tend to leave the question open. If behavioral science has not established that psychopathic disorders respond to a particular programmatic approach, neither are psychopathic disorders convincingly proven to be absolutely resistant to treatment. If no treatment is known to be effective in psychopathic disorders, then any treatment seems to squander resources. What is often missing from the discussion is effective therapeutic measures to treat other behaviors that often co-occur, if they do not represent a domain of pathology of psychopathic disorders, such as impulsive aggression. After a brief summary of results of programmatic treatment of psychopathic offenders, this review focuses on the pharmacotherapy of impulsive aggression in psychopathic disorders. If the impulsive aggression that occurs with psychopathic disorders can be better controlled, treatment can have substantial benefits and would be most appropriate.
Role of Disgust Proneness in Parkinson’s Disease: A Voxel-Based Morphometry Study
Authors: Ille Rottraut , Wabnegger Albert , Schwingenschuh Petra , Katschnig-Winter Petra , Kögl-Wallner Mariella , Wenzel Karoline , Schienle Anne
Published: April 2015

The knowledge about personality traits in Parkinson’s disease (PD) is still limited. In particular, disgust proneness has not been investigated as well as its neuronal correlates. Although several morphometric studies demonstrated that PD is associated with gray matter volume (GMV) reduction in olfactory and gustatory regions involved in disgust processing, a possible correlation with disgust proneness has not been investigated. We conducted a voxel-based morphometry analysis to compare GMV between 16 cognitively normal male PD patients with mild to moderate symptoms and 24 matched control subjects. All participants had answered questionnaires for the assessment of disgust proneness, trait anger and trait anxiety. We correlated questionnaire scores with GMV in both groups. The clinical group reported selectively reduced disgust proneness toward olfactory stimuli associated with spoilage. Moreover, they showed GMV reduction in the central olfactory system [orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and piriform cortex]. Disgust items referring to olfactory processing were positively correlated with OFC volume in PD patients. Our data suggest an association between PD-associated neurodegeneration and olfactory related facets of the personality trait disgust proneness. (JINS, 2015, 21, 314–317)
Effect of postnatal progesterone therapy following preterm birth on neurosteroid concentrations and cerebellar myelination in guinea pigs
Authors: Palliser H. K. , Kelleher M. A. , Tolcos M. , Walker D. W. , Hirst J. J.
Published: April 2015

Allopregnanolone protects the fetal brain and promotes normal development including myelination. Preterm birth results in the early separation of the infant from the placenta and consequently a decline in blood and brain allopregnanolone concentrations. Progesterone therapy may increase allopregnanolone and lead to improved oligodendrocyte maturation. The objectives of this study were to examine the efficacy of progesterone replacement in augmenting allopregnanolone concentrations during the postnatal period and to assess the effect on cerebellar myelination – a region with significant postnatal development. Preterm guinea pig neonates delivered at 62 days of gestation by caesarean section received daily s.c. injections of vehicle (2-Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin) or progesterone (16 mg/kg) for 8 days until term-equivalent age (TEA). Term delivered controls (PND1) received vehicle. Neonatal condition/wellbeing was scored, and salivary progesterone was sampled over the postnatal period. Brain and plasma allopregnanolone concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay; cortisol and progesterone concentrations were determined by enzyme immunoassay; and myelin basic protein (MBP), proteolipid protein (PLP), oligodendroctye transcription factor 2 (OLIG2) and platelet-derived growth factor receptor-α (PDGFRα) were quantified by immunohistochemistry and western blot. Brain allopregnanolone concentrations were increased in progesterone-treated neonates. Plasma progesterone and cortisol concentrations were elevated in progesterone-treated male neonates. Progesterone treatment decreased MBP and PLP in lobule X of the cerebellum and total cerebellar OLIG2 and PDGFRα in males but not females at TEA compared with term animals. We conclude that progesterone treatment increases brain allopregnanolone concentrations, but also increases cortisol levels in males, which may disrupt developmental processes. Consideration should be given to the use of non-metabolizable neurosteroid agonists.
Enrichment of DNRA bacteria in a continuous culture
Authors: van den Berg Eveline M , van Dongen Udo , Abbas Ben , van Loosdrecht Mark C M
Published: April 2015

Denitrification and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) are competing microbial nitrate-reduction processes. The occurrence of DNRA has been shown to be effected qualitatively by various parameters in the environment. A more quantitative understanding can be obtained using enrichment cultures in a laboratory reactor, yet no successful DNRA enrichment culture has been described. We showed that a stable DNRA-dominated enrichment culture can be obtained in a chemostat system. The enrichment was based on the hypothesis that nitrate limitation is the dominant factor in selecting for DNRA. First, a conventional denitrifying culture was enriched from activated sludge, with acetate and nitrate as substrates. Next, the acetate concentration in the medium was increased to obtain nitrate-limiting conditions. As a result, conversions shifted from denitrification to DNRA. In this selection of a DNRA culture, two important factors were the nitrate limitation and a relatively low dilution rate (0.026 h−1). The culture was a highly enriched population of Deltaproteobacteria most closely related to Geobacter lovleyi, based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing (97% similarity). We established a stable and reproducible cultivation method for the enrichment of DNRA bacteria in a continuously operated reactor system. This enrichment method allows to further investigate the DNRA process and address the factors for competition between DNRA and denitrification, or other N-conversion pathways.