bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Time‐resolved spectroscopy study of donor–acceptor‐type copolymers in a monodisperse system: The effect of ratio between the acceptor and the donor
Authors: Wang Ying‐Hui , Gong Li‐Jing , Dong Wen‐Yue , Lu Ping , Kang Zhi‐Hui , Huang Tian‐Hao , Ma Yu‐Guang , Zhang Han‐Zhuang
Published: May 2013

The photoexcitation processes of two donor–acceptor‐type copolymers PCFBT with different ratios between the donor and the acceptor (PCFBT0.5 and PCFBT0.1) in the solution system are systematically studied. If the number of the donor is equal to that of the acceptor in one repeat unit (such as PCFBT0.5), intrachain charge transfer (ICT) can occur and participate in the relaxation of the excited state after photoexcitation. When the number of donors is much larger than that of acceptors (such as PCFBT0.1) in one repeat unit, the ICT character can disappear, and the localized exciton decay process is dominant in the relaxation of the copolymer, which also involves an excitation intensity‐independent vibrational thermal relaxation process at the initial time. The results further the understanding of the basic structure‐property relationship. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2013, 51, 992–996
Electrochemical behavior of CoCrMo implant in Ringer's solution
Authors: Wang Lu‐Ning , Shinbine Alyssa , Luo Jing‐Li
Published: May 2013

CoCrMo has been successfully employed as an orthopedic and orthodontic material because of its excellent corrosion resistant and suitable biocompatibility. The purpose of this research was to investigate the susceptibility of CoCrMo in Ringer's solution at three different temperatures: 22 °C, 37 °C, and 60 °C. The corrosion behavior of CoCrMo was carried out by using common electrochemical methods such as open circuit potential, potentiodynamic measurement, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and Mott–Schottky measurements. CoCrMo was passivated by the air, forming a passive film, which was not destroyed during the immersion in electrolytes under different temperatures. Results from potentiodynamic tests showed that at high anodic potentials, the passive film did not demonstrate significant localized corrosion and rather exhibited overall passive film degradation corresponding to the general corrosion of the alloy in Ringer's solution at the three temperatures. EIS measurements showed the presence of the stable passive film on the alloy surface when tested at open circuit potential. Mott–Schottky test indicated that the preformed passive film is an n‐type semiconductor due to the presence of a donor species. This is implied by the existence of oxygen vacancies and interstitial metallic cations. As the potential increased, the Cr3+ oxidized and produced soluble Cr4+ species. This resulted in the film changing to a p‐type semiconductor owing to the dissolution and creation of cation vacancies (acceptor species). The passive film rupture was not due to p‐type characteristics but rather was a result of the considerable oxidative dissolution of the film at high anodic potential. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The measurement of the Higgs self-coupling at the LHC: theoretical status
Authors: Baglio J. , Djouadi A. , Gröber R. , Mühlleitner M.M. , Quevillon J. , Spira M.
Published: May 2013

Abstract

Now that the Higgs boson has been observed by the ATLAS and CMS experiments at the LHC, the next important step would be to measure accurately its properties to establish the details of the electroweak symmetry breaking mechanism. Among the measurements which need to be performed, the determination of the Higgs self-coupling in processes where the Higgs boson is produced in pairs is of utmost importance. In this paper, we discuss the various processes which allow for the measurement of the trilinear Higgs coupling: double Higgs production in gluon fusion, vector boson fusion, double Higgs-strahlung and associated production with a top quark pair. We first evaluate the production cross sections for these processes at the LHC with center-of-mass energies ranging from the present
$ \sqrt{s}=8 $
TeV to
$ \sqrt{s}=100 $
TeV, and discuss their sensitivity to the trilinear Higgs coupling. We include the various higher order QCD radiative corrections, at next-to-leading order for gluon and vector boson fusion and at next-to-next-to-leading order for associated double Higgs production with a gauge boson. The theoretical uncertainties on these cross sections are estimated. Finally, we discuss the various channels which could allow for the detection of the double Higgs production signal at the LHC and estimate their potential to probe the trilinear Higgs coupling.
Occurrence and Significance of Odontoid Lateral Mass Interspace Asymmetry in Trauma Patients
Authors: Billmann Franck , Bokor‐Billmann Therezia , Burnett Claude , Kiffner Erhard
Published: May 2013

Background

The odontoid lateral mass interspace (OLMI) is the space between the lateral aspect of the dens axis and the medial circumference of the massa lateralis atlantis. The position of OLMI asymmetry as a normal variant or pathologic finding is an area of debate and clinical interest in trauma patients. We designed this prospective study to lay a framework for proposing strategies for the appropriate use of OLMI.

Methods

A total of 301 adult patients admitted for trauma were included. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the cervical spine were performed and examined for the presence OLMI asymmetry and bony/ligamentous lesions of the occipitoatlantoaxial complex.

Results

Head rotation is linked to the occurrence of OLMI asymmetry. Reliable OLMI asymmetry evaluation is limited by observer agreement under a threshold value of 1.0 mm. In all, 86 patients (28.6 %) were found to have OLMI asymmetry on CT after trauma. Among these patients, 17.4 % had a bony/ligamentous lesion of the occipitoatlantoaxial complex. Among the patients without OLMI asymmetry, 8.8 % were found to have such lesions.

Conclusions

OLMI asymmetry should only be investigated by CT scans of the head in optimal position and with the threshold value of 1.0 mm. OLMI asymmetry should not be used alone as a sign of a cervical spine lesion. MRI should be performed if: (1) the physician has a high degree of suspicion of a cervical spine lesion; (2) OLMI asymmetry was demonstrated on a technically adequate CT scan; (3) clinical symptoms persist in patients with OLMI asymmetry when no acute MRI was performed.
Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) and Elementary School Aged Children's Aggression: Results from a Cluster Randomized Trial
Authors: Crean Hugh F. , Johnson Deborah B.
Published: May 2013

This study reports on aggressive outcomes from a cluster randomized trial of the Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) curriculum. Fourteen elementary schools were randomly assigned to intervention or control condition and third grade students were followed through the fifth grade. Teacher and self‐reports of student aggression, conduct problems, delinquency, acting out problems, and social information processing (SIP) variables were collected. Linear change for each of the SIP variables was noted with control students demonstrating increased normative beliefs about aggression, increased aggressive social problem solving, increased hostile attribution bias, and increased aggressive interpersonal negotiation strategies over time while PATHS students remained relatively stable. Teachers reported significant curvilinear change in student aggression, conduct problems, and acting out behavior problems; all favoring PATHS students.
Stemflow in two xerophytic shrubs and its significance to soil water and nutrient enrichment
Authors: Zhang Ya‐feng , Wang Xin‐ping , Hu Rui , Pan Yan‐xia , Zhang Hao
Published: May 2013

Shrub canopies are expected to funnel substantial amounts of intercepted rainwater with enriched nutrients as stemflow to shrub base in the desert ecosystems characterized by limited water and nutrients. However, lacking are quantitative studies on the water and nutrient enrichment of stemflow at the shrub basal area. In this study, stemflow were quantified for two xerophytic shrubs (Caragana korshinskii and Artemisia ordosica) in a revegetated desert ecosystem of Shapotou area in northwestern China. We also measured the ion concentrations of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphors (TP), NH4+–N, NO3−–N, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl−, SO42− and the pH and electric conductivity (EC) in stemflow, throughfall and bulk precipitation. Results indicated that stemflow accounted for 8.8 and 2.8 % of the gross rainfall for C. korshinskii and A. ordosica, respectively. Individual stemflow linearly increased with increasing rainfall depth. Stemflow increased with rainfall intensity when rainfall intensity was less than 2 mm h−1 but showed decreased tendency thereafter. An antecedent precipitation of 1.3 and 1.6 mm was necessary for stemflow initiation for C. korshinskii and A. ordosica, respectively. The mean (confidence intervals, α = 0.05) funneling ratio was 82 (17) for C. korshinskii and 26 (7) for A. ordosica. Ion concentrations in stemflow were higher than in throughfall, and the concentration of most of the ions measured were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in stemflow than in bulk precipitation, with a nutrient enrichment ratio ranged 122.8–1677.0 for C. korshinskii and 12.6–1306.0 for A. ordosica among measured ions, respectively. Overall, the larger funneling ratios and enrichment ratios for the two shrubs suggest that stemflow plays a significant positive role in soil water replenishment and nutrient enrichment at deeper soil profile of root zone in the revegetated ecosystems under arid desert conditions.
Mixtures of Nonionic Surfactants made from Renewable Resources with Alkyl Sulfates and Sodium n‐Alkanecarboxylates: Comparison of Mixing Behavior using Rubingh's Treatment
Authors: Jackson Louis P. , Townsend Colby , Grady Brian P.
Published: May 2013

Binary aqueous mixtures of (1) alkyl glucopyranosides (glycosides), (2) alkyl maltopyranosides (maltosides), or (3) alkyl N‐methyl glucamines with (1′) sodium alkyl sulfates or (2′) sodium n‐alkyl carboxylates were investigated in an effort to evaluate physiochemical properties for mixtures of surfactants from renewable resources. Solutions at various concentrations and mixture ratios were tested and evaluated to determine critical micelle concentrations (CMCs). The greatest reduction in CMC was found for surfactants with long and intermediate hydrophobe lengths. In agreement with other studies, an increase in hydrophilic group size and flexibility decreased the electrostatic repulsion of ionic‐nonionic mixed micelles as evidenced by a more negative Rubingh's β parameter. However, at low hydrophobe length, carboxylate and glycoside headgroup mixtures produced mixed micelle interactions displaying synergism at low nonionic surfactant mole fractions and slight antagonism at high nonionic mole fractions. The asymmetry in interaction produces an S‐shaped CMC curve and demonstrates that the one‐parameter Rubingh model is insufficient in describing both synergism and antagonism for this binary mixture.
Synthesis and Characterization of Hyperbranched Linear Surfactants
Authors: Qiang Taotao , Bu Qiaoqiao , Huang Zhaofeng , Wang Xuechuan
Published: May 2013

A series of hyperbranched linear surfactants (HLS) was prepared by using oleic acid modifying the first generation hydroxyl‐terminated hyperbranched polymer (HBP‐1), which was obtained through a step synthesis method using trimethylolpropane and N,N‐dihydroxyethyl dodecylamine ‐3‐amine‐methyl propionate (AB2‐type monomer). AB2—type monomer was obtained through the Michael addition reaction of methyl acrylate and diethanol amine. Single‐factor experiments were conducted to investigate the influences of reaction conditions such as temperature, oleic acid dosage, and reaction time on the synthesis of HLS. Results indicate that the optimal temperature and time of the esterification reaction were 130 °C and 3 h, respectively. The structures of HLS were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry (FT‐IR) and the results indicate that HBP‐1 had been successfully modified by oleic acid. Furthermore, the surface tension and the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of the HLS solution show that HLS can significantly reduce the surface tension of water.
A Simple Chemical Resistant Hotplate for Geochemical Applications
Authors: Gopalan K.
Published: May 2013

Hotplates in geochemical laboratories are most susceptible to chemical corrosion and hence a major source of corrosion-generated particles as possible contamination in trace-element analysis of rocks and minerals. Teflon-coated hotplates are now commercially available to alleviate this problem, but are expensive and need to be imported. This report describes the design of a Teflon-covered rather than coated hotplate which is inexpensive and easy to fabricate from readily available materials.
Neotectonic Response of the Godavari and Kaddam Rivers in Andhra Pradesh, India: Implications to Quaternary Reactivation of Old Fracture System
Authors: Sangode S. J. , Meshram D. C. , Kulkarni Y. R. , Gudadhe S. S. , Malpe D. B. , Herlekar M. A.
Published: May 2013

A field and imagery based study at the eastern margin of the Deccan Volcanic Province (DVP), and in the Precambrian terrain of Adilabad and Karimnagar districts of Andhra Pradesh, India display a striking response of the Godavari and Kaddam rivers to Kaddam lineament-fault fracture (KLF) system. Brittle to ductile deformations within the Precambrian formations indicate its antiquity, while the continuity of Kaddam lineament over DVP suggests its Tertiary reactivation. The morpho-tectonic response of the Godavari and Kaddam rivers in this area depict southward tilt of the fault block west of Kaddam fault during Quaternary. In the given set-up we postulate a greater role of crustal loading of the Deccan traps, and its rapid erosional unloading during Late Cenozoic intensified monsoon conditions as one of the causative factors for the above neotectonic response demanding further detailed work on the KLF and elsewhere in the peripheral regions of DVP encountered by active faults and old fractures.
Application of Double Side Approach Method to the Solution of Fully Developed Laminar Flow in Duct Problems
Authors: Tang H.-W. , Yang Y.-T. , Chen C.-K.
Published: May 2013

The double side approach method combines the method of weighted residuals (MWR) with mathematical programming to solve the differential equations. Once the differential equation is proved to satisfy the maximum principle, collocation method and mathematical programming are used to transfer the problem into a bilateral inequality. By utilizing Genetic Algorithms optimization method, the maximum and minimum solutions which satisfy the inequality can be found. Adopting this method, quite less computer memory and time are needed than those required for finite element method.

In this paper, the incompressible-Newtonian, fully-developed, steady-state laminar flow in equilateral triangular, rectangular, elliptical and super-elliptical ducts is studied. Based on the maximum principle of differential equations, the monotonicity of the Laplace operator can be proved and the double side approach method can be applied. Different kinds of trial functions are constructed to meet the no-slip boundary condition, and it was demonstrated that the results are in great agreement with the analytical solutions or the formerly presented works. The efficiency, accuracy, and simplicity of the double side approach method are fully illustrated in the present study to indicate that the method is powerful for solving boundary value problems.
Sexual-Risk Behaviour and HIV Testing among Canadian Snowbirds Who Winter in Florida
Authors: Mairs Katie , Bullock Sandra L.
Published: May 2013

Les taux de VIH (virus d’immunodéficience humaine) et les comportements à risque pour les personnes âgées de 50 et plus aux États-Unis sont les plus élevés et les plus croissants en Floride, ou beaucoup de retraités migrateurs canadiens passent leurs hivers. Cette étude pilote a examiné le comportement sexuel à risque et les prédicteurs du dépistage du VIH dans un échantillon facilement accessible de Canadiens qui hivernent en Floride (n – 265). Des analyses multivariées de regression logistique ont révelé que la probabilité de tests ont été augmentés pour les célibataires, les personnes âgées de 50 ans, ceux qui avaient parlé à un médecin au sujet des comportements sexuels à risque depuis 50 ans, et ceux qui estiment que le sexe est important dans leur vies. Les hommes qui fréquentaient les partenaires sexuels étaient plus susceptibles que ceux qui n’avaient pas de telles rencontres de se faire tester pour le VIH. Les femmes qui fréquentaient les partenaires sexuels n’étaient pas plus susceptibles que celles qui n’avaient pas de telles rencontres de se faire tester pour le VIH, et les hommes qui fréquentaient les partenaires sexuels étaient 13,6 fois plus susceptibles que les femmes de se faire tester. Des recherches supplémentaires nous permettront d’améliorer notre compréhension des interactions sexuelles parmi les retraités migrateurs canadiens et de leur tendances à se faire tester pour le VIH.
Look in a Microscope to Determine the Age of a Shrimp, Crab, or Lobster!
Authors: Carmichael Stephen W.
Published: May 2013

The ability to determine the age of commercially important aquatic species is important to managing their populations. Whereas the age of most aquatic animals can be found by counting annual growth bands in hard structures, such as the fish otoliths (stone-like structures in the ear that are important for balance and orientation) and bivalves' shells, a technique to directly and accurately age individual crustaceans does not exist. At least it didn't until the recent study by Raouf Kilada, Bernard Sainte-Marie, Rémy Rochette, Neill Davis, Caroline Vanier, and Steven Campana. This is a bit of surprise because nothing equivalent to the hard structures of fish or bivalves had been found, or even expected to exist, in crustaceans. This is simply because this group of animals grow by molting or by shedding off their skins. Not only does molting frequency vary considerably among species of crustaceans, but molting individuals are assumed to lose and replace all calcified structures, including the cuticle (exoskeleton), that might record annual growth.
Take-off Angle Imaging: A New Image Mode for Scanning Electron Microscopy
Authors: Barbi Nicholas C. , Mott Richard B.
Published: May 2013

Traditional electron detectors for scanning electron microscopes (SEMs) are the Everhart-Thornley detector located on one side of the specimen and the overhead backscattered electron detector (BSED), usually mounted under the final lens. In 2011 PulseTor introduced an efficient BSED based on scintillator/silicon photomultipler technology that is small enough to be mounted on the tip of an X-ray detector. The scintillator converts the electron signal to light, which is in turn converted to an electrical current in the silicon photomultiplier (SiPM). Silicon photomultipliers were initially developed in Russia in the 1990s. The review article by Dolgoshein et al. cites much of the historical development. Following the recent work of Piemonte and others, the SiPM consists of an array of many identical and independent detecting elements (microcells) connected in parallel on a common Si substrate. Each microcell is an avalanche photodiode only tens of micrometers in size.
The Association Between Teenage Motherhood and Poor Offspring Outcomes: A National Cohort Study Across 30 Years
Authors: Coyne Claire A. , Långström Niklas , Lichtenstein Paul , D'Onofrio Brian M.
Published: May 2013

Teenage motherhood is associated with poor offspring outcomes but these associations may be influenced by offspring birth year because of substantial social changes in recent decades. Existing research also has not examined whether these associations are due to the specific effect of mother's age at childbirth or factors shared by siblings in a family. We used a population-based cohort study in Sweden comprising all children born from 1960 to 1989 (N = 3,162,239), and a subsample of siblings differentially exposed to maternal teenage childbearing (N = 485,259) to address these limitations. We examined the effect of teenage childbearing on offspring violent and non-violent criminal convictions, poor academic performance, and substance-related problems. Population-wide teenage childbearing was associated with offspring criminal convictions, poor academic performance, and substance-related problems. The magnitude of these associations increased over time. Comparisons of differentially exposed siblings indicated no within-family association between teenage childbearing and offspring violent and non-violent criminal convictions or poor academic performance, although offspring born to teenage mothers were more likely to experience substance-related problems than their later-born siblings. Being born to a teenage mother in Sweden has become increasingly associated with negative outcomes across time, but the nature of this association may differ by outcome. Teenage childbearing may be associated with offspring violent and non-violent criminal convictions and poor academic performance because of shared familial risk factors, but may be causally associated with offspring substance-related problems. The findings suggest that interventions to improve offspring outcomes should delay teenage childbearing and also target risk factors influencing all offspring of teenage mothers.
Combined Antiapoptotic and Antioxidant Approach to Acute Neuroprotection for Stroke in Hypertensive Rats
Authors: Ord Emily NJ , Shirley Rachel , McClure John D , McCabe Christopher , Kremer Eric J , Macrae I Mhairi , Work Lorraine M
Published: May 2013

We hypothesized that targeting key points in the ischemic cascade with combined neuroglobin (Ngb) overexpression and c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibition (SP600125) would offer greater neuroprotection than single treatment after in vitro hypoxia/reoxygenation and in a randomized, blinded in vivo experimental stroke study using a clinically relevant rat strain. Male spontaneously hypertensive stroke-prone rats underwent transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) and were divided into the following groups: tMCAO; tMCAO + control GFP-expressing canine adenovirus-2, CAVGFP; tMCAO + Ngb-expressing CAV-2, CAVNgb; tMCAO + SP600125; tMCAO + CAVNgb + SP600125; or sham procedure. Rats were assessed till day 14 for neurologic outcome before infarct determination. In vitro, combined lentivirus-mediated Ngb overexpression + SP600125 significantly reduced oxidative stress and apoptosis compared with single treatment(s) after hypoxia/reoxygenation in B50 cells. In vivo, infarct volume was significantly reduced by CAVNgb, SP600125, and further by CAVNgb + SP600125. The number of Ngb-positive cells in the peri-infarct cortex and striatum was significantly increased 14 days after tMCAO in animals receiving CAVNgb. Neurologic outcome, measured using a 32-point neurologic score, significantly improved with CAVNgb + SP600125 compared with single treatments at 14 days after tMCAO. Combined Ngb overexpression with JNK inhibition reduced hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in cultured neurons and reduced infarct and improved neurologic outcome more than single therapy after in vivo experimental stroke in hypertensive rats.
Classroom Phonological Awareness Instruction and Literacy Outcomes in the First Year of School
Authors: Carson Karyn L. , Gillon Gail T. , Boustead Therese M.
Published: May 2013

Purpose

Despite strong investment in raising literacy achievement for all children, significant inequalities in literacy outcomes continue to exist among some of the world's most advanced economies. This study investigated the influence of a short, intensive period of phonological awareness (PA) instruction implemented by classroom teachers on raising the literacy achievement of children with and without spoken language impairment (SLI).

Method

A quasi-experimental design was employed to measure the PA, reading, and spelling development of one hundred twenty-nine 5-year-olds. Thirty-four children received 10 weeks of PA instruction from their teachers. Ninety-five children continued with their usual reading program, which included phonics instruction but did not target PA.

Results

Children who received PA instruction demonstrated superior literacy outcomes compared to children who followed the usual literacy curriculum. Children with SLI showed significant improvements in PA, reading, and spelling but had a different pattern of response to instruction compared to children with typical language. Importantly, the number of children experiencing word decoding difficulties at the end of the program was 26% among children who followed the usual literacy curriculum compared to 6% among children who received the PA instruction.

Implications

A short, intensive period of classroom PA instruction can raise the literacy profiles of children with and without spoken language difficulties.
The care and feeding of an Antarctic telescope
Authors: Ashley Michael C. B.
Published: May 2013

Antarctica’s Dome A region is an excellent site for housing telescopes that look at terahertz radiation. But getting the telescopes down to the continent and maintaining them once they’re in place is a challenge.
Are photochemical oxidant control strategies robust to the choice of chemical mechanism?
Authors: Derwent Richard G. , Murrells Tim P.
Published: May 2013

Environmental context
Throughout the world there are many places where ozone levels are elevated above internationally accepted guidelines set to protect human health. Policy makers use air quality models to formulate emission control strategies to achieve these air quality goals for ozone. There are large uncertainties in these air quality models that mask the sensitivity of the model control strategies to chemical mechanism choice.

Abstract
Monte Carlo sampling of pre-specified parameter ranges has been used to replace a single ‘best estimate’ photochemical trajectory model run with 11 694 ‘acceptable’ model runs that are each consistent with the observations of elevated O3 during the PUMA (Pollution in the Urban Midlands Atmosphere) campaign in the UK, West Midlands during 1999. These 11 694 ‘acceptable’ parameter sets were then used for probabilistic evaluation of photochemical oxidant control strategies, based on 30% reductions in volatile organic compounds and NOx precursor emissions and on precursor emission projections to 2020. The sensitivity of single ‘best estimate’ model runs to chemical mechanism choice gave some indication of the robustness of photochemical oxidant control strategies. However, Monte Carlo parametric uncertainty analysis showed that sensitivity to mechanism choice failed to indicate the magnitudes of the likely uncertainty ranges in the O3 responses to photochemical oxidant control strategies. Furthermore, Monte Carlo uncertainty analysis showed that there may be O3 air quality disbenefits from 30% NOx emission reduction that were not apparent from ‘best estimate’ runs.
Qajar Ambitions in the Great Game: Notes on the Embassy of ‘Abbas Qoli Khan to the Amir of Bokhara, 1844
Authors: Gustafson James M.
Published: May 2013

Literature on the Great Game presents a strong dichotomy between European aggressors and Oriental victims. However, Qajar Iran possessed its own forgotten imperial project in Central Asia, explored here through an 1844 travelogue published anonymously in Iran as Safarnameh-ye Bokhara. This text, whose author is identified here as Qajar statesman ‘Abbas Qoli Khan, details a diplomatic exchange with the amir of Bokhara over the life and death of Rev. Joseph Wolff and the infamous disappearance of British agents Stoddart and Conolly. Notably, ‘Abbas Qoli Khan pressed Qajar claims to Marv to the amir, utilizing a discourse of historical and cultural unity between Iran and Greater Khorasan, in contrast to that of difference and hierarchy common in Anglo-Russian imperial projects.
Pilot Test of 12-Step Linkage for Alcohol-Abusing Women in Leaving Jail
Authors: Johnson Jennifer E. , Schonbrun Yael Chatav , Stein Michael D.
Published: May 2013

Background

More than a million US women are detained in jails each year; many have alcohol use disorders (AUDs). AUD intervention with pretrial jail detainees presents a logistical challenge due to limited jail stays and lack of resources for postrelease treatment. The availability, no-cost entry, and promise of anonymity of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) make it a highly accessible resource for underserved populations. However, the outreach of AA volunteers into jails (as opposed to prisons) has been limited, and incarcerated women are unlikely to seek out strangers for help after release. This study pilot tested an enhanced referral approach introducing a 12-step volunteer to a woman in jail who would attend a meeting with her after release.

Methods

Participants were 14 unsentenced female pretrial jail detainees with AUD. Intervention consisted of introducing participants detained in jail to female AA volunteers who could accompany them to an AA meeting after release. Assessments took place at baseline and 1 month after release. This uncontrolled pilot study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of this enhanced referral approach. Pre-post alcohol use, drug use, alcohol problems, and AA attendance are also reported.

Results

Enhanced referral was feasible and acceptable. Many (57%) of the 14 participants who met with AA volunteers in jail were in contact with those volunteers after release from jail. Participants had significantly fewer drinking days, heavy drinking days, alcohol problems, and drug-using days during the postrelease follow-up than they did before jail detention.

Conclusions

Providing linkage between women in jail and female AA volunteers who can accompany them to a postrelease meeting is achievable, and may be a disseminable and low-cost method to improve alcohol outcomes in this vulnerable population.
Internal Medicine Residents’ Training in Substance Use Disorders: A Survey of the Quality of Instruction and Residents’ Self-Perceived Preparedness to Diagnose and Treat Addiction
Authors: Wakeman Sarah E. , Baggett Meridale V. , Pham-Kanter Genevieve , Campbell Eric G.
Published: May 2013

Background

Resident physicians are the direct care providers for many patients with addiction. This study assesses residents’ self-perceived preparedness to diagnose and treat addiction, measures residents’ perceptions of the quality of addictions instruction, and evaluates basic knowledge of addictions.

Methods

A survey was e-mailed to 184 internal medicine residents at Massachusetts General Hospital in May 2012.

Results

Responses were obtained from 55% of residents. Residents estimated that 26% of inpatients they cared for met criteria for a substance use disorder (SUD). Twenty-five percent of residents felt unprepared to diagnose and 62% felt unprepared to treat addiction. Only 13% felt very prepared to diagnose addiction. No residents felt very prepared to treat addiction. Preparedness to diagnose or treat addiction did not differ significantly across postgraduate year (PGY) level. Fifty-five percent rated the overall instruction in addictions as poor or fair. Seventy-two percent of residents rated the quality of addictions training as poor or fair in the outpatient clinical setting, and 56% in the inpatient setting. No resident answered all 6 knowledge questions correctly. Slightly more than half correctly identified the mechanism of buprenorphine and 19% correctly answered a question about naltrexone. Nine percent of residents responded that someone had expressed concern about the respondent's substance use.

Conclusions

Despite providing care for a substantial population with addiction, the majority of internal medicine residents in this study feel unprepared to treat SUDs. More than half rate the quality of addictions instruction as fair or poor. Structured and comprehensive addictions curriculum and faculty development are needed to address the deficiencies of the current training system.
The state and religion in the fundamentals of Islam and contemporary interpretation
Authors: Ghannouchi Rached
Published: May 2013

From a historical perspective, there has always existed a distinction between the state and religion in Islam, yet no separation. Moreover, there are many types of secularism and many interpretations in Islam. The elite in Tunisia adopts the French type of secularism whereby a most complete separation between the state and religion exists. The case advanced here is that a large part of the unfolding discussions and debates in the context of the ongoing struggle is based on an ambiguous understanding of secularism and Islam. Secularism is not an atheist philosophy, but a series of arrangements and measures designed to ensure freedom of thought and belief. The way of arriving at an equation that guarantees people’s rights and freedoms is by delineating religion’s constants and variables. Modern democratic mechanisms are the best manifestation of shura in Islam, whereby interpretation is no longer an individual act but a collective one performed by the people’s representatives.
Models and Methods of Assessing Adaptive Behavior
Authors: Hangauer Jason , Worcester Jonathan , Armstrong Kathleen Hague
Published: May 2013

This chapter will summarize contemporary models and methods used for the assessment of adaptive behavior functioning in children and adolescents. This chapter will also emphasize how to best use such assessment information for diagnostic and eligibility purposes and in developing interventions and support plans. We will review the use of traditional, norm-referenced adaptive behavior assessment tools as well as what will be referred to as “supplemental methods,” including the direct observation of adaptive skill functioning. The assessment of adaptive behavior with respect to developmental expectations, cultural expectations, systems of care, and legislation will also be discussed. Lastly, case studies will be presented to illustrate the usefulness of these methods in assessing individuals and planning effective interventions and services.
Expression of α-DIOXYGENASE 1 in Tomato and Arabidopsis Contributes to Plant Defenses Against Aphids
Authors: Avila Carlos Augusto , Arevalo-Soliz Lirio Milenka , Lorence Argelia , Goggin Fiona L.
Published: May 2013

Plant α-dioxygenases (α-DOX) are fatty acid–hydroperoxidases that contribute to the synthesis of oxylipins, a diverse group of compounds primarily generated through oxidation of linoleic (LA) and linolenic acid (LNA). Oxylipins are implicated in plant signaling against biotic and abiotic stresses. We report here that the potato aphid (Macrosiphum euphorbiae) induces Slα-DOX1 but not Slα-DOX2 expression in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Slα-DOX1 upregulation by aphids does not require either jasmonic acid (JA) or salicylic acid (SA) accumulation, since tomato mutants deficient in JA (spr2, acx1) or SA accumulation (NahG) still show Slα-DOX1 induction. Virus-induced gene silencing of Slα-DOX1 enhanced aphid population growth in wild-type (WT) plants, revealing that Slα-DOX1 contributes to basal resistance to aphids. Moreover, an even higher percent increase in aphid numbers occurred when Slα-DOX1 was silenced in spr2, a mutant line characterized by elevated LA levels, decreased LNA, and enhanced aphid resistance as compared with WT. These results suggest that aphid reproduction is influenced by oxylipins synthesized from LA by Slα-DOX1. In agreement with our experiments in tomato, two independent α-dox1 T-DNA insertion mutant lines in Arabidopsis thaliana also showed increased susceptibility to the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae), indicating that the role α-DOX is conserved in other plant-aphid interactions.
Odour cues influence predation risk at artificial bat roosts in urban bushland
Authors: Threlfall Caragh , Law Bradley , Banks Peter B.
Published: May 2013

Odours that accumulate from roosting can attract predators and increase predation risk. Consequently, selection should favour strategies that allow prey to evade detection by predators, including changing roosts. Insectivorous bats that roost in tree hollows regularly switch roosts and roost in different sized groups, strategies that would alter the accumulation of roost odours and are hypothesized to reduce predation risk. We experimentally manipulated the amount and refresh rate of roosting odour cues at 90 artificial bat roosts in Sydney, Australia, to test the hypothesis that odours increase predator visitation. Predators visited roosts with bat faeces significantly more often than untreated control roosts. Roosts with small amounts of faeces mimicking sites used by solitary bats had the greatest rate of visitation. This suggests that bats roosting alone, rather than in groups, have a greater likelihood of disturbance or predation. Roost switching probably decreases the predictability of finding occupied roosts; however, we show that all roosts (those currently or recently occupied) were visited by predators, suggesting generalist urban predators readily investigate potential roosts. This is the first demonstration that bat odours are attractive to predators that use olfactory cues, showing that bats are at risk of predation in visually cryptic roosts.
Queen control of a key life-history event in a eusocial insect
Authors: Holland Jacob G. , Guidat Florian S. , Bourke Andrew F. G.
Published: May 2013

In eusocial insects, inclusive fitness theory predicts potential queen–worker conflict over the timing of events in colony life history. Whether queens or workers control the timing of these events is poorly understood. In the bumble-bee
Bombus terrestris
, queens exhibit a ‘switch point’ in which they switch from laying diploid eggs yielding females (workers and new queens) to laying haploid eggs yielding males. By rearing foundress queens whose worker offspring were removed as pupae and sexing their eggs using microsatellite genotyping, we found that queens kept in the complete absence of adult workers still exhibit a switch point. Moreover, the timing of their switch points relative to the start of egg-laying did not differ significantly from that of queens allowed to produce normal colonies. The finding that bumble-bee queens can express the switch point in the absence of workers experimentally demonstrates queen control of a key life-history event in eusocial insects. In addition, we found no evidence that workers affect the timing of the switch point either directly or indirectly via providing cues to queens, suggesting that workers do not fully express their interests in queen–worker conflicts over colony life history.
Migratory connectivity magnifies the consequences of habitat loss from sea-level rise for shorebird populations
Authors: Iwamura Takuya , Possingham Hugh P. , Chadès Iadine , Minton Clive , Murray Nicholas J. , Rogers Danny I. , Treml Eric A. , Fuller Richard A.
Published: May 2013

Sea-level rise (SLR) will greatly alter littoral ecosystems, causing habitat change and loss for coastal species. Habitat loss is widely used as a measurement of the risk of extinction, but because many coastal species are migratory, the impact of habitat loss will depend not only on its extent, but also on where it occurs. Here, we develop a novel graph-theoretic approach to measure the vulnerability of a migratory network to the impact of habitat loss from SLR based on population flow through the network. We show that reductions in population flow far exceed the proportion of habitat lost for 10 long-distance migrant shorebirds using the East Asian–Australasian Flyway. We estimate that SLR will inundate 23–40% of intertidal habitat area along their migration routes, but cause a reduction in population flow of up to 72 per cent across the taxa. This magnifying effect was particularly strong for taxa whose migration routes contain bottlenecks—sites through which a large fraction of the population travels. We develop the
bottleneck index
, a new network metric that positively correlates with the predicted impacts of habitat loss on overall population flow. Our results indicate that migratory species are at greater risk than previously realized.
Cooperative behaviour and prosocial reputation dynamics in a Dominican village
Authors: Macfarlan Shane J. , Quinlan Robert , Remiker Mark
Published: May 2013

Prosocial reputations play an important role, from the evolution of language to Internet transactions; however, questions remain about their behavioural correlates and dynamics. Formal models assume prosocial reputations correlate with the number of cooperative acts one performs; however, if reputations flow through information networks, then the number of individuals one assists may be a better proxy. Formal models demonstrate indirect experience must track behaviour with the same fidelity as direct experience for reputations to become viable; however, research on corporate reputations suggests performance change does not always affect reputation change. Debate exists over the cognitive mechanisms employed for assessing reputation dynamics. Image scoring suggests reputations fluctuate relative to the number of times one fails to assist others in need, while standing strategy claims reputations fluctuate relative to the number of times one fails to assist others in good standing. This study examines the behavioural correlates of prosocial reputations and their dynamics over a 20-month period in an Afro-Caribbean village. Analyses suggest prosocial reputations: (i) are correlated with the number of individuals one assists in economic production, not the number of cooperative acts; (ii) track cooperative behaviour, but are anchored across time; and (iii) are captured neither by image scoring nor standing strategy-type mechanisms.
Fossil evidence of wing shape in a stem relative of swifts and hummingbirds (Aves, Pan-Apodiformes)
Authors: Ksepka Daniel T. , Clarke Julia A. , Nesbitt Sterling J. , Kulp Felicia B. , Grande Lance
Published: May 2013

A feathered specimen of a new species ofEocypselusfrom the Early Eocene Green River Formation of Wyoming provides insight into the wing morphology and ecology in an early part of the lineage leading to extant swifts and hummingbirds. Combined phylogenetic analysis of morphological and molecular data supports placement ofEocypselusoutside the crown radiation of Apodiformes. The new specimen is the first described fossil of Pan-Apodiformes from the pre-Pleistocene of North America and the only reported stem taxon with informative feather preservation. Wing morphology ofEocypselus roweisp. nov. is intermediate between the short wings of hummingbirds and the hyper-elongated wings of extant swifts, and shows neither modifications for the continuous gliding used by swifts nor modifications for the hovering flight style used by hummingbirds. Elongate hindlimb elements, particularly the pedal phalanges, also support stronger perching capabilities than are present in Apodiformes. The new species is the smallest bird yet described from the Green River Formation, and supports the hypothesis that a decrease in body size preceded flight specializations in Pan-Apodiformes. The specimen also provides the first instance of melanosome morphology preserved in association with skeletal remains from the Green River Formation.
Microinjecting Holo-Aequorin into Dechorionated and Intact Zebrafish Embryos
Authors: Webb Sarah E. , Miller Andrew L.
Published: May 2013

The injection of holo-aequorin into embryos at the one-cell stage, along with the use of a simple photomultiplier tube or luminescence imaging system, allows transient localized elevations of free cytosolic Ca2+ to be recorded and observed during the first 24 h of zebrafish development. The technique for loading dechorionated or intact one-cell stage zebrafish embryos with holo-aequorin is described here.
Reconstitution of Holo-Aequorin with Apoaequorin mRNA and Coelenterazine in Zebrafish Embryos
Authors: Chan Ching Man , Miller Andrew L. , Webb Sarah E.
Published: May 2013

When holo-aequorin is injected into zebrafish embryos at the one-cell stage, it is normally depleted by ∼24 h post-fertilization (hpf). In order to acquire Ca2+ signaling information from embryos older than 24 hpf, we have developed a protocol to express apoaequorin transiently in embryos, after which we reconstitute active holo-aequorin in vivo by introducing the cofactor coelenterazine into the developing embryo. This protocol describes the preparation of apoaequorin mRNA, followed by microinjection into embryos and incubation with coelenterazine to reconstitute holo-aequorin.
DNase I Footprinting
Authors: Carey Michael F. , Peterson Craig L. , Smale Stephen T.
Published: May 2013

DNase I footprinting has found a wide following for both identifying and characterizing DNA–protein interactions, particularly because of its simplicity. The concept is that a partial digestion by DNase I of a uniquely 32P-end-labeled fragment will generate a ladder of fragments, whose mobilities on a denaturing acrylamide gel and whose positions in a subsequent autoradiograph will represent the distance from the end label to the points of cleavage. Bound protein prevents binding of DNase I in and around its binding site and thus generates a “footprint” in the cleavage ladder. The distance from the end label to the edges of the footprint represents the position of the protein-binding site on the DNA fragment. The position of the binding site can be determined by electrophoresing a DNA sequencing ladder alongside the footprint. DNase I cannot bind directly adjacent to a DNA-bound protein because of steric hindrance. Hence, the footprint gives a broad indication of the binding site, generally 8–10 base pairs (bp) larger than the site itself.
Inducing RNAi in Drosophila Cells by Transfection with dsRNA
Authors: Zhou Rui , Mohr Stephanie , Hannon Gregory J. , Perrimon Norbert
Published: May 2013

In Drosophila cells, RNA interference (RNAi) can be triggered by synthetic long double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs). For many Drosophila cell lines and cell types, passive dsRNA uptake is inefficient. More complete silencing responses can often be obtained in Drosophila S2 cells using transfection, perhaps because higher levels of intracellular dsRNA are achieved. In this protocol, S2 cells are transfected with dsRNA using QIAGEN's Effectene reagent, which has proven to be reliable for many investigators. A plasmid DNA can also be included in the transfection mix to provide additional functionality. The plasmid DNA can encode, for example, a reporter of the activity of a pathway or specific transcription factor, or a marker that allows visualization of some cellular behavior or structure. It is also useful to include a plasmid that encodes a fluorescent protein simply to monitor transfection efficiency.
An approach to creating novel anions: silylated triel compounds with –CH2– and –O– linkers, [InCl2{O(HO)Si(t-Bu)2}]2and Li[B(CH2SiMe3)4]
Authors: Scholz Stefan , Vitze Hannes , Bolte Michael , Lerner Hans-Wolfram
Published: May 2013

Bis[μ-di-tert-butyl(hydroxy)silanolato]bis[chloridoindium(III)], [In2(C8H19O2Si)2Cl4], (I), is a centrosymmetric two-centre indium complex featuring a system of three annulated four-membered rings; the structure is the first example of an In2O2ring which is annulated with two Si—O units to form a ring system composed of three rings. The coordination environment of the In centres is a distorted trigonal bipyramid. The crystal packing of (I) is characterized by chains of molecules connected by O—H...Cl hydrogen bonds. The crystal of (I) was a nonmerohedral twin. There is no known example of an In2O2ring in which the In atoms carry any two halogen ligands. The structure of tetrakis(tetrahydrofuran)lithium tetrakis[(trimethylsilyl)methyl]borate, [Li(C4H8O)4](C16H44BSi4), (II), is composed of discrete cations and anions. The coordination geometries of the Li and B centres is tetrahedral. The cations and anions lie in planes parallel to theabplane. There are no short contacts between the cations and anions. Compound (II) is the first example of a B centre bonded to four –CH2Si units.