bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Advances in comparative genetics: influence of genetics on obesity
Authors: Mathes Wendy Foulds , Kelly Scott A. , Pomp Daniel
Published: October 2011

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions and is recognised as a significant global health problem. Increased food intake and decreased physical activity are traditionally to blame for the development of obesity; however, many variables such as behaviour, diet, environment, social structures and genetics also contribute to this multifactorial disease. Complex interactions among these variables (for example, gene–environment, gene–diet and gene–gene) contribute not only to individual differences in the development of obesity, but also in treatment response. Mouse models have historically played valuable roles in understanding the genetics of traits related to energy balance and obesity. In the present review, we survey past use and examine new advances in mouse models designed to uncover the genetic architecture of obesity and its component traits. We discuss traditional models such as inbred strains and selectively bred lines and their contributions and shortcomings. We consider the evolution of mouse models into more informative resources such as outbred crosses and the Hybrid Mouse Diversity Panel, as well as novel next-generation approaches such as the Collaborative Cross. Moreover, the genetic architecture of voluntary exercise and the interactive relationship between host genetics and the gut microbiome are presented as novel phenotypes that augment studies using body weight and body fat percentage as endpoints. Understanding the intricate network of phenotypic, genotypic and environmental variables that predispose individuals to obesity will elucidate biological networks involved in the development of obesity. Knowledge obtained from advances in mouse models will inform human health and provide insight into inter-individual variability in the aetiology of obesity-related diseases.
Intake of minerals, trace elements and vitamins in bone and raw food rations in adult dogs
Authors: Dillitzer Natalie , Becker Nicola , Kienzle Ellen
Published: October 2011

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the vitamin and mineral content of bone and raw food rations fed to adult dogs in Germany. Pet owners completed a standardised feeding questionnaire. The composition of 95 rations was calculated from mean data for foodstuffs using nutrition balancing software. Typical ration ingredients were meats, fish, offal, dairy products, eggs, oil, nuts, cod liver oil and natural and commercial supplements. The supply of nutrients was compared with the recommended allowance (RA). Of the rations that were used, 10 % supplied < 25 % of the RA of Ca. In these rations, Ca:P was below 0·6:1, and vitamin D was below RA. About half of the rations supplied less iodine than the minimum requirement. Many of the rations had low Zn and Cu supply, and 25 % of the rations supplied only 70 % of RA for vitamin A or less. A total of 60 % of the rations had one or more of the above-mentioned imbalance. The remaining 40 % of rations either had minor problems like Ca excess from bones or they were balanced.
Lipid profile and insulin sensitivity in rats fed with high-fat or high-fructose diets
Authors: Zaman Muhammad-Quaid , Leray Véronique , Le Bloc'h Jérôme , Thorin Chantal , Ouguerram Khadija , Nguyen Patrick
Published: October 2011

The occurrence and severity of obesity- and insulin resistance-related disorders vary according to the diet. The aim of the present longitudinal study was to examine the effects of a high-fat or a high-fructose diet on body weight (BW), body fat mass, insulin sensitivity (IS) and lipid profiles in a rat model of dietary-induced obesity and low IS. A total of eighteen, 12-week-old male Wistar rats were divided into three groups, and were fed with a control, a high-fat (65 % lipid energy) or a high-fructose diet (65 % fructose energy) for 10 weeks. BW, body fat mass (2H2O dilution method), IS (euglycaemic–hyperinsulinaemic clamp technique), plasma glucose, insulin, NEFA, TAG and total cholesterol were assessed before and at the end of 10-week period. Cholesterol was measured in plasma lipoproteins separated from pooled samples of each group and each time period by using fast-protein liquid chromatography. All rats had similar BW at the end of the 10-week period. Body fat mass was higher in the high-fat group compared to the control group. There was no change in basal glycaemia and insulinaemia. The IS was lower in the high-fat group and was unchanged in the high-fructose group, compared to the control group. Plasma TAG concentration and cholesterol distribution in lipoproteins did not change over time in any group. Plasma NEFA concentration decreased, whereas plasma TAG concentration increased over time, regardless of the diet in both cases. The 10-week high-fat diet led to obesity and low IS, whereas rats fed with the high-fructose diet exhibited no change in IS and lipidaemia. The high-fat diet had more deleterious response than high-fructose diet to induce obesity and low IS in rats.
Pet food safety: a shared concern
Authors: Buchanan Robert L. , Baker Robert C. , Charlton Adrian J. , Riviere Jim E. , Standaert Robert
Published: October 2011

The safety of the food supply is a subject of intense interest to consumers, particularly as a result of large-scale outbreaks that involve hundreds and sometimes thousands of consumers. During the last decade, this concern about food safety has expanded to include the diets of companion animals as a result of several incidences of chemical toxicities and infectious disease transmission. This has led to increased research into the causes and controls for these hazards for both companion animals and their owners. The following summary provides an introduction to the issues, challenges and new tools being developed to ensure that commercial pet foods are both nutritious and safe.
Improvement of calcium balance byFructus Ligustri Lucidiextract in mature female rats was associated with the induction of serum parathyroid hormone levels
Authors: Dong Xiao-Li , Zhao Ming , Wong Kwun-Kit , Che Chun-Tao , Wong Man-Sau
Published: October 2011

Fructus Ligustri Lucidi(FLL) is a commonly prescribed herb in many kidney-tonifying Traditional Chinese Medicinal formulae for the treatment of osteoporosis. The present study aimed to identify the active fractions in FLL and to characterise its effects on Ca balance, calciotropic hormone levels as well as bone properties in mature female rats fed diets containing different levels of Ca. In the present study, 4-month-old Sprague–Dawley female rats were treated with either FLL ethanol extract (EE), ethyl acetate-soluble fraction of EE (EAF), water-soluble fraction of EE (WF) or their vehicle for 12 weeks on a medium-Ca diet (MCD, 0·6 % Ca, 0·65 % P). Then, the Sprague–Dawley female rats treated with WF or its vehicle for 12 weeks were fed diets containing different levels of dietary Ca (low-Ca diet (LCD), 0·1 % Ca, 0·65 % P; MCD; high-Ca diet (HCD), 1·2 % Ca, 0·65 % P). The results demonstrated that WF from EE but not EAF exerted a prominent effect on Ca balance by inhibiting urinary and faecal Ca excretion. WF significantly increased Ca balance in rats fed MCD or HCD with an associated increase in serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels. WF did not alter bone mineral density or bone mineral content of the tibia in all the rats fed with different levels of dietary Ca. In conclusion, WF was responsible for the positive actions of FLL on Ca absorption and balance. The regulation of Ca balance by WF might involve its action in stimulating PTH production in the mature female rats.
Blueberry anthocyanins: protection against ageing and light-induced damage in retinal pigment epithelial cells
Authors: Liu Yixiang , Song Xue , Zhang Di , Zhou Feng , Wang Dan , Wei Ying , Gao Fengyi , Xie Liyang , Jia Gang , Wu Wei , Ji Baoping
Published: October 2011

Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells are vital for retinal health. However, they are susceptible to injury with ageing and exposure to excessive light, including UV (100–380 nm) and visible (380–760 nm) radiation. To evaluate the protective effect of blueberry anthocyanins on RPE cells,in vitrocell models of replicative senescent and light-induced damage were established in the present study. After purification and fractionation, blueberry anthocyanin extracts (BAE) were yielded with total anthocyanin contents of 31·0 (sd0·5) % and were used in this study. Replicative senescence of RPE cells was induced by repeatedly passaging cells from the fourth passage to the tenth. From the fifth passage, cultured RPE cells began to enter a replicative senescence, exhibiting reduced cell proliferation along with an increase in the number of β-galactosidase-positive cells. RPE cells maintained high cell viability (P < 0·01) and a low (P < 0·01) percentage of β-galactosidase-positive cells when treated with 0·1 μg/ml BAE. In contrast, after exposure to 2500 (sd500) lx light (420–800 nm) for 12 h, RPE cells in the positive control (light exposure, no BAE treatment) exhibited premature senescence, low (P < 0·01) cell viability and increased (P < 0·01) vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) release compared with negative control cells, which were not subjected to light irradiation and BAE exposure. Correspondingly, BAE is beneficial to RPE cells by protecting these cells against light-induced damage through the suppression of ageing and apoptosis as well as the down-regulation of the over-expressed VEGF to normal level. These results demonstrate that BAE is efficacious against senescence and light-induced damage of RPE cells.
The protein level of isoenergetic formulae does not modulate postprandial insulin secretion in piglets and has no consequences on later glucose tolerance
Authors: Blat Sophie , Morise Anne , Sauret Anne , Louveau Isabelle , Macé Katherine , Le Huërou-Luron Isabelle , Sève Bernard
Published: October 2011

Early postnatal nutrition is involved in metabolic programming, an excess of protein being suspected to enhance early growth and the propensity to later develop insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that excessive protein intake during the suckling period would overstimulate the endocrine pancreas in the short term and alter durably its maturation, contributing to the later disruption of glucose homeostasis. Normal-birth-weight and low-birth-weight piglets were fed isoenergetic formulae providing an adequate-protein (AP, equivalent to sow milk) or a high-protein (HP, +48 %) supply between 7 and 28 d of age and were fed a standard diet until 70 d of age. During the formula-feeding period, the HP formula did not modify postprandial insulin secretion but transiently increased fasting insulin and the homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR, P < 0·05). Fasting insulin and HOMA-IR were restored to AP piglets' values 1 month after weaning. The structure of the endocrine pancreas was not affected by the protein content of the formula. The weight at birth had no major effect on the studied parameters. We concluded that a high-protein supply during the suckling period does not interfere with insulin secretion and endocrine pancreas maturation in the short term. It has no consequences either on glucose tolerance 1 month after weaning. The present study demonstrated that up-regulation of postprandial insulin secretion is not involved in higher growth observed in piglets fed a HP formula.
Including climate change in pest risk assessment: the peach fruit fly,Bactrocera zonata(Diptera: Tephritidae)
Authors: Ni W.L. , Li Z.H. , Chen H.J. , Wan F.H. , Qu W.W. , Zhang Z. , Kriticos D.J.
Published: October 2011

Bactrocera zonata(Saunders) is one of the most harmful species of Tephritidae. It causes extensive damage in Asia and threatens many countries located along or near the Mediterranean Sea. The climate mapping program, CLIMEX 3.0, and the GIS software, ArcGIS 9.3, were used to model the current and future potential geographical distribution ofB. zonata. The model predicts that, under current climatic conditions,B. zonatawill be able to establish itself throughout much of the tropics and subtropics, including some parts of the USA, southern China, southeastern Australia and northern New Zealand. Climate change scenarios for the 2070s indicate that the potential distribution ofB. zonatawill expand poleward into areas which are currently too cold. The main factors limiting the pest's range expansion are cold, hot and dry stress. The model's predictions of the numbers of generations produced annually byB. zonatawere consistent with values previously recorded for the pest's occurrence in Egypt. The ROC curve and the AUC (an AUC of 0.912) were obtained to evaluate the performance of the CLIMEX model in this study. The analysis of this information indicated a high degree of accuracy for the CLIMEX model. The significant increases in the potential distribution ofB. zonataprojected under the climate change scenarios considered in this study suggest that biosecurity authorities should consider the effects of climate change when undertaking pest risk assessments. To prevent the introduction and spread ofB. zonata, enhanced quarantine and monitoring measures should be implemented in areas that are projected to be suitable for the establishment of the pest under current and future climatic conditions.
Emergency and Escape: Explaining Derogations from Human Rights Treaties
Authors: Hafner-Burton Emilie M. , Helfer Laurence R. , Fariss Christopher J.
Published: October 2011

Several prominent human rights treaties seek to minimize violations during emergencies by authorizing states to “derogate”—that is, to suspend certain civil and political liberties—in response to crises. The drafters of these treaties envisioned that international restrictions on derogations, together with international notification and monitoring mechanisms, would limit rights suspensions during emergencies. This article analyzes the behavior of derogating countries using new global data sets of derogations and states of emergency from 1976 to 2007. We argue that derogations are a rational response to domestic political uncertainty. They enable governments facing serious threats to buy time and legal breathing space from voters, courts, and interest groups to confront crises while signaling to these audiences that rights deviations are temporary and lawful. Our findings have implications for studies of treaty design and flexibility mechanisms, and compliance with international human rights agreements.
Testing Clausewitz: Nationalism, Mass Mobilization, and the Severity of War
Authors: Cederman Lars-Erik , Warren T. Camber , Sornette Didier
Published: October 2011

Drawing on Clausewitz's classical theory, we argue that the emergence of mass nationalism following the French Revolution profoundly altered the nature of the units constituting the interstate system, thereby transforming the conduct of interstate warfare. To validate these assertions—and thus to test Clausewitz—we rely on quantitative evidence at the macro level, with a particular focus on the global distribution of interstate war sizes, measured in terms of battle deaths, over the past five centuries. Drawing on extreme value theory, we demonstrate that temporal discontinuities in the shapes of the tails of such distributions can be used to draw inferences about the nature of the mechanisms underlying the bloodiest events in world history. This approach allows us to show that the interstate system experienced a fundamental shift in the mechanisms underlying the production of war sizes: a shift that can be dated to the years 1770–1810, and that resulted in a systematic increase in war severity. These same tools also allow us to rule out a number of alternative explanations for this shift (including changes in population sizes and changes in weapons technology), while providing evidence for a specific account of war severity rooted in the mobilizational capacities of states.
Why Do Some Countries Get Better WTO Accession Terms Than Others?
Authors: Pelc Krzysztof J.
Published: October 2011

The process by which countries accede to the World Trade Organization (WTO) has become the subject of considerable debate. This article takes a closer look at what determines the concessions the institution requires of an entrant. In other words, who gets a good deal, and who does not? I argue that given the institutional design of accession proceedings and the resulting suspension of reciprocity, accession terms are driven by the domestic export interests of existing members. As a result, relatively greater liberalization will be imposed on those entrants that have more valuable market access to offer upon accession, something that appears to be in opposition to expectations during multilateral trade rounds, where market access functions as a bargaining chit. The empirical evidence supports these assertions. Looking at eighteen recent entrants at the six-digit product level, I find that controlling for a host of country-specific variables, as well as the applied protection rates on a given product prior to accession, the more a country has to offer, the more it is required to give. Moreover, I show how more democratic countries, in spite of their greater overall depth of integration, exhibit greater resistance to adjustment in key industries than do nondemocracies. Finally, I demonstrate that wealth exhibits a curvilinear effect. On the one hand, institutionalized norms lead members to exercise observable restraint vis-à-vis the poorest countries. On the other hand, the richest countries have the greatest bargaining expertise, and thus obtain better terms. The outcome, as I show using a semi-parametric analysis, is that middle-income countries end up with the most stringent terms, and have to make the greatest relative adjustments to their trade regimes.
The Long Arm of the Law: Extraterritoriality and the National Implementation of Foreign Bribery Legislation
Authors: Kaczmarek Sarah C. , Newman Abraham L.
Published: October 2011

Can the application of domestic law by bureaucracies in powerful states alter policy dynamics globally? Courts and regulatory agencies with jurisdiction over large markets routinely impose national rules to conduct transpiring outside of their physical borders. Such extraterritoriality has expanded to issues ranging from antitrust to the environment. Proponents claim that extraterritorial acts can have far-reaching international consequences, spilling over into the domestic political economy of regulation in target states. Skeptics, however, question the effects of these sanctions against internationally mobile actors. In this study, we offer the first quantitative analysis of extraterritorial intervention for global policy convergence. In particular, we construct an original time-series panel data set to test the association between extraterritorial actions by U.S. prosecutors and the national enforcement of foreign bribery regulations in target countries. Our empirical analysis finds strong statistical evidence linking extraterritoriality to national policy implementation, with jurisdictions that experienced a U.S. intervention being twenty times more likely to enforce their national rules. The findings suggest the important influence that domestic law in powerful states may have for global cooperation in general and sheds light on the key pillars of international anticorruption efforts in particular.
Are laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma incidence and patient mortality a function of ABO blood grouping? A retrospective study
Authors: Adam S I , Wilson K M , Overholser S M , Khabbaz E , Moreno K , Patil Y J
Published: October 2011

Objective:

Few studies have examined the association between ABO blood grouping and head and neck cancer. This retrospective review examined the association between blood group and laryngeal cancer incidence and patient mortality.

Methods:

Of 271 patients treated for squamous cell laryngeal carcinoma (1997–2002), 143 patients with supraglottic, glottic and subglottic tumours were included; 128 patients were excluded. The blood group characteristics of patients and healthy blood donors were compared.

Results:

There was no significant correlation between blood type and laryngeal carcinoma incidence or mortality. Type A blood was commoner in African Americans with laryngeal cancer than Caucasian patients, but not significantly so. As expected, five-year survival rates were lower in patients with more advanced stage cancer (p < 0.0001).

Conclusion:

Although our findings show no association between blood group and five-year survival, these results are inconclusive, and warrant further study of the association between blood type and laryngeal (and other) head and neck cancers.
Human–carnivore conflict around Pendjari Biosphere Reserve, northern Benin
Authors: Sogbohossou Etotépé A. , de Iongh Hans H. , Sinsin Brice , de Snoo Geert R. , Funston Paul J.
Published: October 2011

Close proximity between humans and large predators results in high levels of conflict. We investigated the extent of, and factors leading to, this conflict through focal group and individual interviews in all villages around Pendjari Biosphere Reserve, northern Benin. Livestock losses from 2000 to 2007 (n = 752) were reported to be mainly caused by spotted hyaena Crocuta crocuta (53.6%), baboon Papio anubis (24.8%), and lion Panthera leo (18.0%). These predators mainly predated sheep and goats (52.1%) and pigs (42.3%), with lions being the main predators of cattle (78.9%). Lion and hyaena diets were more diverse than that of baboons, which killed only small stock. The level of conflict increased during 2000–2007. Predation rate differs between predator species and is significantly influenced by month, rainfall of the month before the predation event, and length of the dry period in a year. The geographical position of the village, the distance of the village to the Park and the number of herbivores legally killed every hunting season also influenced predation intensity. Our findings suggest that improvement of husbandry techniques and education will reduce conflicts and contribute to improved conservation of these threatened predators.
A coupled configurational description of boundary shape based on distance and directionality
Authors: Shpuza Ermal
Published: October 2011

A configurational method for describing shape is proposed based on two measures that gauge human experiences of moving through space: distance and changes in direction of travel. Boundary shapes from the built environment and nature are studied in a morphospace composed of two axes: one corresponding to each measure, to yield a typological classification of form. It is shown that the covariance between distance and directionality is mediated by the topological structure of embedded main circulation. Three kinds of circulation—elementary, ring, and linear—thus affect three fundamentally different balancing conditions between distance and directionality in boundary shapes. The analysis of large samples of shapes thus far demonstrates a “unique shape” status, where no two different shapes have the same pair of relative distance and directional fragmentation values.
Considering multiscale scenes to elucidate problems encumbering three-dimensional intellection and navigation
Authors: Glueck Michael , Khan Azam
Published: October 2011

Virtual three-dimensional (3-D) environments have become pervasive tools in a number of professional and recreational tasks. However, interacting with these environments can be challenging for users, especially as these environments increase in complexity and scale. In this paper, we argue that the design of 3-D interaction techniques is an ill-defined problem. This claim is elucidated through the context of data-rich and geometrically complexmultiscale virtual 3-D environments, where unexpected factors can encumberintellectionandnavigation. We develop an abstract model to guide our discussion, which illustrates the cyclic relationship of understanding and navigating; a relationship that supports the iterative refinement of a consistent mental representation of the virtual environment. Finally, we highlight strategies to support the design of interactions in multiscale virtual environments, and propose general categories of research focus.
Event-Based Prospective Memory in Newly Diagnosed, Drug-Naive Parkinson's Disease Patients
Authors: Pagni Cristina , Frosini Daniela , Ceravolo Roberto , Giunti Giulia , Unti Elisa , Poletti Michele , McClintock Shawn M. , Murri Luigi , Bonuccelli Ubaldo , Tognoni Gloria
Published: October 2011

The present study investigated memory for intention in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) who were newly diagnosed and not yet treated to avoid the effect of therapy as a potential confounding variable. A comprehensive neuropsychological battery and an event-based prospective memory task were administered to 41 subjects with de novo PD and 40 control subjects. Separate scores were computed for correct execution of intended action (prospective component) and recall of intention (retrospective component). PD patients performed marginally worse (p = .053) than controls on the prospective component of the task. On the other hand, the performance of the two groups was comparable for the retrospective component. Neuropsychological findings revealed lower performance of the PD group in episodic memory and in some measures of executive functions. These results suggested a subtle prospective memory dysfunction present at the initial stage of PD, which may be related to disruption of fronto-striatal circuitry. (JINS, 2011, 17, 1158–1162)
Effects of phonological feedback on the selection of syntax: Evidence from between-language syntactic priming
Authors: BERNOLET SARAH , HARTSUIKER ROBERT J. , PICKERING MARTIN J.
Published: October 2011

Research on word production in bilinguals has often shown an advantage for cognate words. According to some accounts, this cognate effect is caused by feedback from a level that represents information about phonemes (or graphemes) to a level concerned with the word. In order to investigate whether phonological feedback influences the selection of words and syntactic constructions in late bilinguals, we investigated syntactic priming between Dutch and English genitive constructions (e.g., the fork of the girl vs. the girl's fork). The head nouns of prime and target constructions were always translation equivalents. Half of these were Dutch–English cognates with a large phonological overlap (e.g., vork–fork), the other half were non-cognates that had very few phonemes in common (e.g., eend–duck). Cognate status boosted between-language syntactic priming. Further analyses showed a continuous effect of phonological overlap for cognates and non-cognates, indicating that this boost was at least partly caused by feedback from the translation equivalents’ shared phonemes.
In vivo grafting of wild Lens species to Vicia faba rootstocks
Authors: Yuan Hai Ying , Lulsdorf Monika , Tullu Abebe , Gurusamy Valar , Vandenberg Albert
Published: October 2011

Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) was used as the rootstock for lentil scions to test the feasibility of using in vivo inter-generic grafting techniques as a substitute for root induction and as a tool in lentil genetic improvement. An accession of each of the six wild Lens species was used as the scion in grafts to faba bean breeding line FB50-9 rootstock. Successful grafts were obtained for all species with survival of grafts to seed maturity between 70.7 and 87.7% except for Lens orientalis PI 72735 with 55.3% survival. Days to flower remained the same after grafting, except for scions of L. nigricans PI 72560 and L. orientalis PI 72735 which had a lag phase of 9 and 7 d, respectively. For all six wild species, seed diameter and seed weight were not significantly different between non-grafted controls and scions grafted onto faba bean rootstocks. This simple approach opens the possibility of using in vivo grafting techniques to rescue inter-specific hybrids of lentil. The technique has potential as a useful tool in lentil breeding, as a means of improving seed multiplication rate of rare genetic resources of wild lentil and as a way to reduce the costs of germplasm multiplication of wild lentil species.
Revisiting the origin of the domestication of noni (Morinda citrifolia L.)
Authors: Singh Anurudh K. , Singh Kirti , Peter P. I.
Published: October 2011

Based on the distribution, molecular similarity and use of Morinda citrifolia L., and occurrence of a wild Morinda species, Southeast Asia and Micronesia have been suggested to be the places where noni originated. The present article discusses the indices used by Vavilov and subsequent authorities on the origin of crop plants to argue that South Asia (Southeast India) has a greater probability of being the centre of domestication/origin for noni than Southeast Asia or Micronesia. The basic reasoning is that economically important plant cannot originate without richness in biodiversity and ingenuity of local people. India with rich floristic diversity, one of the centres of origin of crop plants with a natural distribution of Morinda species, including M. citrifolia L. and its immediate ancestors, has the oldest reference of occurrence, use and cultivation (Vedic literature); therefore, it appears to be the more probable centre of noni's origin. The ancient history of the expansion of Indian culture, religion and trade to Southeast Asian countries corroborate the possible role of Indians in the introduction of noni or knowledge regarding its value to Southeast Asia, from which it was carried to Micronesia and Polynesia, which provided a more favourable environmental niche for perpetuation and use.
Primary-care mental-health workers’ views of clinical supervision
Authors: McFadyen Kenneth M. , Darongkamas Jurai , Crowther-Green Ross , Williams Olivia
Published: October 2011

Clinical supervision is an essential component of psychological work with clients. This article presents views of a group of primary-care mental-health workers on the introduction of clinical supervision. A focus group interview was analysed. The key themes extracted were: the supervisor's approach that provided an educative, safe, boundaried space that allowed exploration, support and validation; the advantages and disadvantages of group supervision; helpful and unhelpful ingredients of supervision; the governance and facilitative functions of supervision; and the dangers inherent in not having supervision for both client and worker. Key recommendations are made encompassing: training in supervision and a psychological approach; encouraging theory–practice consolidation; balancing competency with curiosity; and reviewing supervision regularly. Limitations of the study are also discussed.
REASONING WITH PROTOCOLS UNDER IMPERFECT INFORMATION
Authors: PACUIT ERIC , SIMON SUNIL
Published: October 2011

We introduce and study a PDL-style logic for reasoning about protocols, or plans, under imperfect information. Our paper touches on a number of issues surrounding the relationship between an agent’s abilities, available choices, and information in an interactive situation. The main question we address is under what circumstances can the agent commit to a protocol or plan, and what can she achieve by doing so?
Ethics: Speech-Language Pathologists’ Role in Audiologic Screenings
Authors: McCarthy Mary Pat
Published: October 2011

This article clarifies the role of the speech-language pathologist (SLP) in audiologic screenings. The article addresses recommended procedures consistent with the ASHA Code of Ethics (2010) and other professional documents (ASHA, 1994, 1997, 2004a, 2004b, 2007). In addition, this article explores education needed by SLPs to conduct audiologic screenings.
Enhanced transmission of THz radiation through sub-wavelength, asymmetry metallic hole arrays
Authors: Qiu M. X. , Ruan S. C. , Su H. , Wang C. D. , Zhang M. , Wang R. L. , Liang H. W.
Published: October 2011

Strongly enhanced transmission of terahertz radiation pulses through asymmetry rectangular hole arrays with various hole lengths are obtained experimentally. The transmission magnitudes increase and their positions shift to lower frequency with increasing hole length. The maximum transmittance peak is observed for the sample with a hole length of 400 μm. Apparent angle-dependent behavior is observed in the transmission spectra of the 200 × 400 μm2 hole array, which due to the size effect of the rectangular hole along the two orthogonal axes. The resonance frequencies are deduced according to the surface plasmon polaritons modes. Our experiment results closely match the theoretical calculations.
Effect of sub-bandgap illumination on the internal electric field of CdZnTe
Authors: Washington Aaron L. , Teague Lucile C. , Duff Martine C. , Burger Arnold , Groza Michael , Buliga Vladimir
Published: October 2011

Post-growth manipulation of the internal electric field in CdZnTe crystals using sub-bandgap illumination is measured as a function of temperature through infrared (IR) transmission measurements. Using near sub-bandgap IR illumination, both the optical de-trapping of charge carriers and the reduction in carrier recombination increased the mobility lifetime in the crystal. The increased carrier transport is a direct result of decreased hole and electron trapping in addition to other underlying mechanisms. Concentration of the electric field near the cathode is also observed. We measured the electric field distribution with sub-bandgap illumination as a function of temperature via the Pockels effect.
Laser-supported ionization wave in under-dense gases and foams
Authors: Gus’kov S. Yu. , Limpouch J. , Nicolaï Ph. , Tikhonchuk V. T.
Published: October 2011

Propagation of laser-supported ionization wave in homogeneous and porous materials with a mean density less than the critical plasma density is studied theoretically in the one-dimensional geometry. It is shown that the velocity of the ionization wave in a foam is significantly decreased in comparison with the similar wave in a homogeneous fully ionized plasma of the same density. That difference is attributed to the ionization and hydro-homogenization processes forming an under-critical density environment in the front of ionization wave. The rate of energy transfer from laser to plasma is found to be in a good agreement with available experimental data.
Optimal feeding is optimal swimming for all Péclet numbers
Authors: Michelin Sébastien , Lauga Eric
Published: October 2011

Cells swimming in viscous fluids create flow fields which influence the transport of relevant nutrients, and therefore their feeding rate. We propose a modeling approach to the problem of optimal feeding at zero Reynolds number. We consider a simplified spherical swimmer deforming its shape tangentially in a steady fashion (so-called squirmer). Assuming that the nutrient is a passive scalar obeying an advection-diffusion equation, the optimal use of flow fields by the swimmer for feeding is determined by maximizing the diffusive flux at the organism surface for a fixed rate of energy dissipation in the fluid. The results are obtained through the use of an adjoint-based numerical optimization implemented by a Legendre polynomial spectral method. We show that, to within a negligible amount, the optimal feeding mechanism consists in putting all the energy expended by surface distortion into swimming—so-called treadmill motion—which is also the solution maximizing the swimming efficiency. Surprisingly, although the rate of feeding depends strongly on the value of the Péclet number, the optimal feeding stroke is shown to be essentially independent of it, which is confirmed by asymptotic analysis. Within the context of steady actuation, optimal feeding is therefore found to be equivalent to optimal swimming for all Péclet numbers.
Role of interfacial transition layers in VO2/Al2O3 heterostructures
Authors: Zhou H. , Chisholm M. F. , Yang Tsung-Han , Pennycook S. J. , Narayan J.
Published: October 2011

Epitaxial VO2 films grown by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on c-cut sapphire substrates ((0001) Al2O3) were studied by aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). A number of film/substrate orientation relationships were found and are discussed in the context of the semiconductor-metal transition (SMT) characteristics. A structurally and electronically modified buffer layer was revealed on the interface and was attributed to the interface free-energy minimization process of accommodating the symmetry mismatch between the substrate and the film. This interfacial transition layer is expected to affect the SMT behavior when the interfacial region is a significant fraction of the VO2 film thickness.
Analytic model of electron beam thermalization during the resistive Weibel instability
Authors: Siemon Carl , Khudik Vladimir , Shvets Gennady
Published: October 2011

A novel theoretical model for underdense electron beam propagation during the nonlinear stage of the resistive Weibel instability (WI) is presented and is used to calculate the stopping time of the beam. The model and supporting simulation results lead to the conclusion that the WI initially enhances beam deceleration but then reduces it when compared to a filamentation-suppressed beam (without WI), so that the overall stopping time of the beam is essentially unaffected by the instability. Using the theoretical model, a criterion is derived that determines when deceleration is no longer enhanced by the instability. We also demonstrate that exotic plasma return current distributions can be obtained within and outside of beam filaments that sharply contrast those observed in collisionless systems. For example, the plasma return current is reversed in selected areas.
Reactive quenching of OD A 2Σ+ by H2: Translational energy distributions for H- and D-atom product channels
Authors: Lehman Julia H. , Bertrand Jesse L. , Stephenson Thomas A. , Lester Marsha I.
Published: October 2011

The H- and D-atom products from collisional quenching of OD A 2Σ+ by H2 are characterized through Doppler spectroscopy using two-photon (2 2S ←← 1 2S) laser-induced fluorescence. Partial deuteration enables separation of the channel forming H + HOD products, which accounts for 75% of reactive quenching events, from the D + H2O product channel. The Doppler profiles, along with those reported previously for other isotopic variants, are transformed into product translational energy distributions using a robust fitting procedure based on discrete velocity basis functions. The product translational energy distribution for the H-atom channel is strongly peaked at low energy (below 0.5 eV) with a long tail extending to the energetic limit. By contrast, the D-atom channel exhibits a small peak at low translational energy with a distinctive secondary peak at higher translational energy (approximately 1.8 eV) before falling off to higher energy. In both cases, most of the available energy flows into internal excitation of the water products. Similar distributions are obtained upon reanalysis of D- and H-atom Doppler profiles, respectively, from reactive quenching of OH A 2Σ+ by D2. The sum of the translational energy distributions for H- and D-atom channels is remarkably similar to that obtained for OH A 2Σ+ + H2, where the two channels cannot be distinguished from one another. The product translational energy distributions from reactive quenching are compared with those obtained from a previous experiment performed at higher collision energy, quasiclassical trajectory calculations of the post-quenching dynamics, and a statistical model.
Comparison of polarizable continuum model and quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics solute electronic polarization: Study of the optical and magnetic properties of diazines in water
Authors: Manzoni Vinícius , Lyra Marcelo L. , Coutinho Kaline , Canuto Sylvio
Published: October 2011

A combination of the polarizable continuum model (PCM) and the hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) methodology, PCM-MM/QM, is used to include the solute electronic polarization and then study the solvent effects on the low-lying n→π* excitation energy and the 15N nuclear magnetic shielding of pyrazine and pyridazine in aqueous environment. The results obtained with PCM-MM/QM are compared with two other procedures, i.e., the conventional PCM and the iterative and sequential QM/MM (I-QM/MM). The QM calculations are made using density functional theory in the three procedures. For the excitation energies, the time-dependent B3LYP/6-311+G(d) model is used. For the magnetic shielding, the B3LYP/aug-pcS2(N)/pcS2(C,O,H) is used with the gauge-including atomic orbitals. In both cases, i.e., PCM-MM/QM and I-QM/MM, that use a discrete model of the solvent, the solute is surrounded by a first shell of explicit water molecules embedded by an electrostatic field of point charges for the outer shells. The best results are obtained including 28 explicit water molecules for the spectral calculations and 9 explicit water molecules for the magnetic shielding. Using the PCM-MM/QM methodology the results for the n→π* excitation energies of pyridazine and pyrazine are 32 070 ± 80 cm−1 and 32 675 ± 60 cm−1, respectively, in good agreement with the corresponding I-MM/QM results of 32 540 ± 80 cm−1 and 32 710 ± 60 cm−1 and the experimental results of 33 450–33 580 cm−1 and 32 700–33 300 cm−1. For the 15N magnetic shielding, the corresponding numbers for the gas-water shifts obtained with PCM-MM/QM are 47.4 ± 1.3 ppm for pyridazine and 19.7 ± 1.1 ppm for pyrazine, compared with the I-QM/MM values of 53.4 ± 1.3 ppm and 19.5 ± 1.2 ppm and the experimental results of 42–54 ppm and 17–22 ppm, respectively. The agreement between the two procedures is found to be very good and both are in agreement with the experimental values. PCM-MM/QM approach gives a good solute polarization and could be considered in obtaining reliable results within the expected QM/MM accuracy. With this electronic polarization, the solvent effects on the electronic absorption spectra and the 15N magnetic shielding of the diazines in water are well described by using only an electrostatic approximation. Finally, it is remarked that the experimental and theoretical results suggest that the 15N nuclear magnetic shielding of any diazine has a clear dependence with the solvent polarity but not directly with the solute-solvent hydrogen bonds.
High-reflectivity II-VI-based distributed Bragg reflectors for the blue-violet spectral range
Authors: Klembt S. , Dartsch H. , Anastasescu M. , Gartner M. , Kruse C.
Published: October 2011

We report on the realization of a high quality distributed Bragg reflector for the blue-violet spectral range, with both high and low refractive index layers lattice matched to the GaAs substrate. Our structure is grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The high refractive index layer is made of ZnMgSSe, while the low index material consists of a short period superlattice containing MgS and ZnCdSe. The refractive index step of Δn = 0.43 results in a stop band width of 40 nm and the normalized reflectivity exceeds 99% for 21 Bragg pairs.
Diamagnetic thresholds for sawtooth cycling in tokamak plasmas
Authors: Halpern Federico D. , Lütjens Hinrich , Luciani Jean-François
Published: October 2011

The cycling dynamics of the internal kink mode, which drives sawtooth oscillations in tokamak plasmas, is studied using the three dimensional, non-linear magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) code XTOR-2F [H. Lütjens and J.-F. Luciani, J. Comput. Phys. 229, 8130 (2010)]. It is found that sawtooth cycling, which is characterized by quiescent ramps and fast crashes in the experiment, can be recovered in two-fluid MHD provided that a criterion of diamagnetic stabilization is fulfilled. The simulation results indicate that diamagnetic effects alone may be sufficient to drive sawteeth with complete magnetic reconnection in high temperature Ohmic plasmas.
Dust trajectory sensor: Accuracy and data analysis
Authors: Xie J. , Sternovsky Z. , Grün E. , Auer S. , Duncan N. , Drake K. , Le H. , Horanyi M. , Srama R.
Published: October 2011

The Dust Trajectory Sensor (DTS) instrument is developed for the measurement of the velocity vector of cosmic dust particles. The trajectory information is imperative in determining the particles’ origin and distinguishing dust particles from different sources. The velocity vector also reveals information on the history of interaction between the charged dust particle and the magnetospheric or interplanetary space environment. The DTS operational principle is based on measuring the induced charge from the dust on an array of wire electrodes. In recent work, the DTS geometry has been optimized [S. Auer, E. Grün, S. Kempf, R. Srama, A. Srowig, Z. Sternovsky, and V Tschernjawski, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 79, 084501 (2008)10.1063/1.2960566] and a method of triggering was developed [S. Auer, G. Lawrence, E. Grün, H. Henkel, S. Kempf, R. Srama, and Z. Sternovsky, Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A 622, 74 (2010)10.1016/j.nima.2010.06.091]. This article presents the method of analyzing the DTS data and results from a parametric study on the accuracy of the measurements. A laboratory version of the DTS has been constructed and tested with particles in the velocity range of 2–5 km/s using the Heidelberg dust accelerator facility. Both the numerical study and the analyzed experimental data show that the accuracy of the DTS instrument is better than about 1% in velocity and 1° in direction.
Surface hopping with Ehrenfest excited potential
Authors: Fischer Sean A. , Chapman Craig T. , Li Xiaosong
Published: October 2011

Given the exponentially scaling cost of full quantum calculations, approximations need to be employed for the simulation of the time evolution of chemical systems. We present a modified version of surface hopping that has the potential to treat larger systems. This is accomplished through an Ehrenfest-like treatment of the excited states, thereby reducing the dynamics to transitions between the ground state and a mean-field excited state. A simplified description of the excited states is achieved, while still allowing for an accurate description of disparate reaction channels. We test our mean-field approximation for the excited states on a series of model problems. Results are compared to the standard surface hopping procedure, with its explicit treatment of all excited states, and the traditional Ehrenfest approach, with its averaging together of all states.
Improved ferroelectric property of very thin Mn-doped BiFeO3 films by an inlaid Al2O3 tunnel switch
Authors: Ju Lee Hyun , Hyuk Park Min , Jin Kim Yu , Seong Hwang Cheol , Hwan Kim Jeong , Funakubo Hiroshi , Ishiwara Hiroshi
Published: October 2011

A thin Al2O3 layer was atomic layer deposited on a 50 - or 70 nm-thick, polycrystalline Mn-doped BiFeO3 (BFMO) thin film to fabricate a dielectric/ferroelectric bi-layer capacitor. The thin Al2O3 layer worked as a tunnel switch to improve the ferroelectric performance of the BFMO films. The BFMO thin film and BiFeO3 film contains a high density of charged defects, such as oxygen vacancies, Bi vacancies, and Fe2+ ions reduced from Fe3+, which induce a large leakage current and cause instability of ferroelectric polarization in one direction. An asymmetric hysteresis loop and severe depolarization was observed in the BFMO capacitor due to the local field induced by the defect complexes that are mainly formed near the Pt/BFMO interface from interactions between charged defects. Depositing a thin Al2O3 tunnel switch layer reduced these detrimental phenomena, which could be attributed to a decrease in the amount of oxygen vacancies as well as the suppression of polarization back-switching after the polarization switching and during non-switching. The defects in the BFMO films also caused domain wall pinning during the relaxation time so the switching speed decreased with increasing relaxation time. Adopting an Al2O3 tunnel switch layer also improved this problem.