bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Excitation and evolution of finite-amplitude plasma wave
Authors: Hou Y. W. , Chen M. X. , Yu M. Y. , Wu B. , Wu Y. C.
Published: December 2015

The evolution of a small spatially periodic perturbation in the electron velocity distribution function in collisionless plasma is reconsidered by numerically solving the Vlasov and Poisson equations. The short as well as long time behaviors of the excited oscillations and damping/modulation are followed. In the small but finite-amplitude excited plasma wave, resonant electrons become trapped in the wave potential wells and their motion affects the low-velocity electrons participating in the plasma oscillations, leading to modulation of the latter at an effective trapping frequency. It is found that the phase space of the resonant and low-velocity electrons becomes chaotic, but then self-organization takes place but remains fine-scale chaotic. It is also found that as long as particles are trapped, there is only modulation and no monotonic damping of the excited plasma wave. The modulation period/amplitude increases/decreases as the magnitude of the initial disturbance is reduced. For the initial and boundary conditions used here, linear Landau damping corresponds to the asymptotic limit of the modulation period becoming infinite, or no trapping of the resonant electrons.
Laser scattering diagnostics of an argon atmospheric-pressure plasma jet in contact with vaporized water
Authors: Seo B. H. , Kim J. H. , You S. J. , Seong D. J.
Published: December 2015

The radial profiles of the electron density, electron temperature, and molecular rotational temperature are investigated in an argon atmospheric-pressure plasma jet in contact with vaporized water, which is driven by a 13.56 MHz radio frequency by means of the Thomson and Raman laser scattering methods. There is a distinct difference in the radial profiles of the plasma parameters between plasmas in contact with water and those without water contact. In the case of plasmas without vaporized water contact, all the parameters have a single-peak distribution with maximum values at the center of the discharge. In the case of plasmas in contact with vaporized water, all parameters have double-peak distributions; a neighboring peak appears beside the main peak. The new peak may have originated from the ripple of the water surface, which works as a cathode, and the peak of the ripple offers a sharp curvature point, playing the role of a pin. Our experimental results and the underlying physics are described in detail.
Water dynamics on ice and hydrate lattices studied by second-order central-line stimulated-echo oxygen-17 nuclear magnetic resonance
Authors: Adjei-Acheamfour Mischa , Tilly Julius F. , Beerwerth Joachim , Böhmer Roland
Published: December 2015

Oxygen-17 stimulated-echo spectroscopy is a novel nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique that allows one to investigate the time scale and geometry of ultraslow molecular motions in materials containing oxygen. The method is based on detecting orientationally encoded frequency changes within oxygen’s central-transition NMR line that are caused by second-order quadrupolar interactions. In addition to the latter, the present theoretical analysis of various two-pulse echo and stimulated-echo pulse sequences takes also heteronuclear dipolar interactions into account. As an experimental example, the ultraslow water motion in polycrystals of tetrahydrofuran clathrate hydrate is studied via two-time oxygen-17 stimulated-echo correlation functions. The resulting correlation times and those of hexagonal ice are similar to those from previous deuteron NMR measurements. Calculations of the echo functions’ final-state correlations for various motional models are compared with the experimental data of the clathrate hydrate. It is found that a six-site model including the oxygen-proton dipolar interaction describes the present results.
Electrical conductivity of the films grown by ballistic deposition of rodlike particles
Authors: Sharafedini Elham , Hamzehpour Hossein , Masoudi S. Farhad , Sahimi Muhammad
Published: December 2015

Using extensive Monte Carlo simulations, we study the growth of films by ballistic deposition of rodlike particles with various sizes on a one-dimensional substrate. Particles are deposited over an initially flat substrate, which leads to the formation of a porous film with rough surface. The surface width and the corresponding scaling exponents α and β and, hence, the dynamic exponent z are calculated. Also studied is the time evolution of the porosity of the material and its dependence on the particles' size. The frequency-dependent electrical conductivity of the film and its dependence on the size of the particles and the porosity are also studied. The morphology of the films, as characterized by its surface width, follows three types of evolution before reaching its ultimate structure. At short times, film growth is close to the random deposition model with the growth exponent β1 ≈ 1/2. At intermediate times, the surface width grows more slowly with a growth exponent of β2 ≈ 1/3. Finally, at long times, the width saturates and is characterized by a roughness exponent α ≈ 1/2. The results also indicate that even if the film is grown with particles of various sizes, the universality class of the model remains unchanged. The films' porosity grows rapidly with the time, before eventually saturating. As the size of the particles increases, the saturation porosity ultimately attains a value of ϕs=0.5. The frequency-dependent effective conductivity σe is a decreasing function of the deposited particles' size, as well as the porosity. The dc conductivity depends on the particle size through a power law. As is the case with a wide variety of disordered materials, the effective conductivity depends on the frequency through a power law.
Microbubble generation by piezotransducer for biological studies
Authors: Zhu W. , Alkhazal M. , Cho M. , Xiao S.
Published: December 2015

Bubbles induced by blast waves or shocks are speculated to be the major cause of damages in biological cells in mild traumatic brain injuries. Microbubble collapse was found to induce noticeable cell detachment from the cell substrate, changes in focal adhesion and biomechanics. To better understand the bubble mechanism, we would like to construct a system, which allows us to clearly differentiate the impact of bubbles from that of shocks. Such a generator needs to be low profile in order to place under a microscope. A piezoelectric transducer system was designed to meet the need. The system uses either a flat or a spherical focusing piezoelectric transducer to produce microbubbles in a cuvette loaded with cell-culture medium. The transducer is placed on the side of the cuvette with its axis lining horizontally. A cover slip is placed on the top of the cuvette. The impact of the waves to the cells is minimized as the cover slip is parallel to the direction of the wave. Only bubbles from the medium reach the cover slip and interact with cells. The effect of bubbles therefore can be separated that of pressure waves. The bubbles collected on a cover slip range in size from 100 μm to 10 μm in radius, but the dominant size is 20-30 μm.
Spin dynamics induced by ultrafast heating with ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic interfacial exchange in perpendicularly magnetized hard/soft bilayers
Authors: Ma Q. L. , Iihama S. , Zhang X. M. , Miyazaki T. , Mizukami S.
Published: December 2015

The laser-induced spin dynamics of FeCo in perpendicularly magnetized L10-MnGa/FeCo bilayers with ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interfacial exchange coupling (IEC) are examined using the time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect. We found a precessional phase reversal of the FeCo layer as the IEC changes from ferromagnetic to antiferromagnetic. Moreover, a precession-suspension window was observed when the magnetic field was applied in a certain direction for the bilayer with ferromagnetic IEC. Our observations reveal that the spin dynamics modulation is strongly dependent on the IEC type within the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert depiction. The IEC dependence of the precessional phase and amplitude suggests the interesting method for magnetization dynamics modulation.
Dynamic control of the asymmetric Fano resonance in side-coupled Fabry–Pérot and photonic crystal nanobeam cavities
Authors: Lin Tong , Chau Fook Siong , Deng Jie , Zhou Guangya
Published: December 2015

Fano resonance is a prevailing interference phenomenon that stems from the intersection between discrete and continuum states in many fields. We theoretically and experimentally characterize the asymmetric Fano lineshape in side-coupled waveguide Fabry–Pérot and photonic crystal nanobeam cavities. The measured quality-factor of the Fano resonance before tuning is 28 100. A nanoelectromechanical systems bidirectional actuator is integrated seamlessly to control the shape of the Fano resonance through in-plane translations in two directions without sacrificing the quality-factor. The peak intensity level of the Fano resonance can be increased by 8.5 dB from 60 nW to 409 nW while the corresponding dip intensity is increased by 12.8 dB from 1 nW to 18 nW. The maximum recorded quality-factor throughout the tuning procedure is up to 32 500. Potential applications of the proposed structure include enhancing the sensitivity of sensing, reconfigurable nanophotonics devices, and on-chip intensity modulator.
Time-resolved observation of coherent excitonic nonlinear response with a table-top narrowband THz pulse wave
Authors: Uchida K. , Hirori H. , Aoki T. , Wolpert C. , Tamaya T. , Tanaka K. , Mochizuki T. , Kim C. , Yoshita M. , Akiyama H. , Pfeiffer L. N. , West K. W.
Published: December 2015

By combining a tilted-pulse-intensity-front scheme using a LiNbO3 crystal and a chirped-pulse-beating method, we generated a narrowband intense terahertz (THz) pulse, which had a maximum electric field of more than 10 kV/cm at around 2 THz, a bandwidth of ∼50 GHz, and frequency tunability from 0.5 to 2 THz. By performing THz-pump and near-infrared-probe experiments on GaAs quantum wells, we observed that the resonant excitation of the intraexcitonic 1s-2p transition induces a clear and large Autler-Townes splitting. Our time-resolved measurements show that the splitting energy observed in the rising edge region of electric field is larger than in the constant region. This result implies that the splitting energy depends on the time-averaged THz field over the excitonic dephasing time rather than that at the instant of the exciton creation by a probe pulse.
On the dynamics of a subnanosecond breakdown in nitrogen below atmospheric pressures
Authors: Shklyaev V. A. , Baksht E. Kh. , Belomyttsev S. Ya. , Burachenko A. G. , Grishkov A. A. , Tarasenko V. F.
Published: December 2015

The dynamics of a breakdown in a gas-filled diode with a highly inhomogeneous electric field was studied in experiments at a time resolution of ∼100 ps and in numerical simulation by the 2D axisymmetric particle-in-cell (PIC) code XOOPIC. The diode was filled with nitrogen at pressures of up to 100 Torr. The dynamics of the electric field distribution in the diode during the breakdown was analyzed, and the factors that limit the pulse duration of the runaway electron beam current at different pressures were determined.
Pt nanoparticles supported on carbon nanowalls with different domain sizes for oxygen reduction reaction
Authors: Ashikawa Akira , Yoshie Ryo , Kato Kyohei , Miyazawa Kun'ichi , Murata Hidenobu , Hotozuka Kozue , Tachibana Masaru
Published: December 2015

Carbon nanowalls (CNWs) with different domain sizes were synthesized by a dc plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Platinum (Pt) loading on the CNWs (Pt/CNW) was carried out by a solution reduction method. As a result, Pt nanoparticles were preferentially deposited along the domain boundaries in CNWs as reported previously. It should be noted that the Pt particle size strongly depends on the domain size. Namely, the smaller the domain size is, the smaller the Pt particle size is. Moreover, the Pt/CNW with smaller Pt particles exhibit high catalytic activity. Especially, the mass activity related to cathodic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is high and reach about five times as much as that of commercial T-Pt/CB with good performance. The high ORR activity can be attributed to the domain boundaries in CNWs, which might lower not only the activation energy of O2 dissociation on Pt particles but also the energy barrier of the rate-limiting step in the ORR process.
Metasurface external cavity laser
Authors: Xu Luyao , Curwen Christopher A. , Hon Philip W. C. , Chen Qi-Sheng , Itoh Tatsuo , Williams Benjamin S.
Published: December 2015

A vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting-laser is demonstrated in the terahertz range, which is based upon an amplifying metasurface reflector composed of a sub-wavelength array of antenna-coupled quantum-cascade sub-cavities. Lasing is possible when the metasurface reflector is placed into a low-loss external cavity such that the external cavity—not the sub-cavities—determines the beam properties. A near-Gaussian beam of 4.3° × 5.1° divergence is observed and an output power level >5 mW is achieved. The polarized response of the metasurface allows the use of a wire-grid polarizer as an output coupler that is continuously tunable.
Superconducting transport in single and parallel double InAs quantum dot Josephson junctions with Nb-based superconducting electrodes
Authors: Baba Shoji , Sailer Juergen , Deacon Russell S. , Oiwa Akira , Shibata Kenji , Hirakawa Kazuhiko , Tarucha Seigo
Published: December 2015

We report conductance and supercurrent measurements for InAs single and parallel double quantum dot Josephson junctions contacted with Nb or NbTiN superconducting electrodes. Large superconducting gap energy, high critical field, and large switching current are observed, all reflecting the features of Nb-based electrodes. For the parallel double dots, we observe an enhanced supercurrent when both dots are on resonance, which may reflect split Cooper pair tunneling.
An acoustic metasurface design for wave motion conversion of longitudinal waves to transverse waves using topology optimization
Authors: Noguchi Y. , Yamada T. , Otomori M. , Izui K. , Nishiwaki S.
Published: December 2015

This letter presents an acoustic metasurface that converts longitudinal acoustic waves into transverse elastic waves in an acoustic-elastic coupled system. Metasurface configurations are obtained by a level set-based topology optimization method, and we describe the mechanism that changes the direction of the wave motion. Numerical examples of 2D problems with prescribed frequencies of incident acoustic waves are provided, and transverse elastic wave amplitudes are maximized by manipulating the propagation of the acoustic waves. Frequency analysis reveals that each of the different metasurface designs obtained for different wavelengths of incident waves provides peak response at the target frequency.
Epitaxial growth of
M
-plane GaN on ZnO micro-rods by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy
Authors: You Shuo-Ting , Lo Ikai , Tsai Jenn-Kai , Shih Cheng-Hung
Published: December 2015

We have studied the GaN grown on ZnO micro-rods by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. From the analyses of GaN microstructure grown on non-polar M-plane ZnO surface (101̄0) by scanning transmission electron microscope, we found that the ZnGa2O4 compound was formed at the M-plane hetero-interface, which was confirmed by polarization-dependent photoluminescence. We demonstrated that the M-plane ZnO micro-rod surface can be used as an alternative substrate to grow high quality M-plane GaN epi-layers.
Fertility and genomics: comparison of gene expression in contrasting reproductive tissues of female cattle
Authors: McGettigan P. A. , Browne J. A. , Carrington S. D. , Crowe M. A. , Fair T. , Forde N. , Loftus B. J. , Lohan A. , Lonergan P. , Pluta K. , Mamo S. , Murphy A. , Roche J. , Walsh S. W. , Creevey C. J. , Earley B. , Keady S. , Kenny D. A. , Matthews D. , McCabe M. , Morris D. , O'Loughlin A. , Waters S. , Diskin M. G. , Evans A. C. O.
Published: December 2015

To compare gene expression among bovine tissues, large bovine RNA-seq datasets were used, comprising 280 samples from 10 different bovine tissues (uterine endometrium, granulosa cells, theca cells, cervix, embryos, leucocytes, liver, hypothalamus, pituitary, muscle) and generating 260 Gbases of data. Twin approaches were used: an information–theoretic analysis of the existing annotated transcriptome to identify the most tissue-specific genes and a de-novo transcriptome annotation to evaluate general features of the transcription landscape. Expression was detected for 97% of the Ensembl transcriptome with at least one read in one sample and between 28% and 66% at a level of 10 tags per million (TPM) or greater in individual tissues. Over 95% of genes exhibited some level of tissue-specific gene expression. This was mostly due to different levels of expression in different tissues rather than exclusive expression in a single tissue. Less than 1% of annotated genes exhibited a highly restricted tissue-specific expression profile and approximately 2% exhibited classic housekeeping profiles. In conclusion, it is the combined effects of the variable expression of large numbers of genes (73%–93% of the genome) and the specific expression of a small number of genes (<1% of the transcriptome) that contribute to determining the outcome of the function of individual tissues.
Stonefish toxin defines an ancient branch of the perforin-like superfamily
Authors: Ellisdon Andrew M. , Reboul Cyril F. , Panjikar Santosh , Huynh Kitmun , Oellig Christine A. , Winter Kelly L. , Dunstone Michelle A. , Hodgson Wayne C. , Seymour Jamie , Dearden Peter K. , Tweten Rodney K. , Whisstock James C. , McGowan Sheena
Published: December 2015

Significance

Here, we present the structure of the pore-forming toxin stonustoxin (SNTX), the lethal factor present in stonefish venom. Our work shows that SNTX comprises two homologous subunits (α and β), each of which belongs to the perforin superfamily of pore-forming immune effectors. In SNTX, the α- and β-Membrane Attack Complex-Perforin/Cholesterol-Dependent Cytolysin (MACPF/CDC) domains interact and form a prepore-like complex. These data provide, to our knowledge, the first high-resolution insights into how MACPF/CDCs interact with one another during pore formation.
Tissue mechanics govern the rapidly adapting and symmetrical response to touch
Authors: Eastwood Amy L. , Sanzeni Alessandro , Petzold Bryan C. , Park Sung-Jin , Vergassola Massimo , Pruitt Beth L. , Goodman Miriam B.
Published: December 2015

Significance

Recordings from Pacinian corpuscles in the 1960s showed that touch elicits symmetric activation followed by rapid adaptation. Sinusoidal stimulation resulted in frequency doubling within a sensitive frequency band, suggesting that these receptors function as frequency-tuned vibration sensors. At the time, the surrounding lamellar capsule was proposed to generate these response dynamics by acting as a mechanical filter. However, similar response dynamics have since been seen in many other mechanoreceptors, leading to controversy over the specificity of this hypothesis. Using a combination of in vivo electrophysiology, feedback-controlled mechanical stimulation, and simulation, we resolve this controversy in favor of a systems-level mechanical filter that is independent of specific anatomical features or specific mechanoelectrical transduction channels.
On variational formulation of current drive problem in uniformly magnetized relativistic plasma
Authors: Hu Y.M. , Hu Y.J.
Published: December 2015

A fully relativistic extension of the variational principle with the modified test function for the Spitzer function with momentum conservation in the electron–electron collision is investigated in uniformly magnetized plasma. The term of the momentum conserving constraint in Hirshman’s variational calculation is studied. The model developed is extended for arbitrary temperatures and covers exactly the asymptotic for

when

, and the results obtained are suited to facilitate the development of a rigorous variational formulation of current drive efficiency in tokamak plasma.
Explaining the Impact of USDA's Healthy Incentives Pilot on Different Spending Outcomes
Authors: Wilde Parke , Klerman Jacob Alex , Olsho Lauren E.W. , Bartlett Susan
Published: December 2015

This article reports spending results for the USDA's Healthy Incentives Pilot (HIP), which tested a 30% incentive on fruit and vegetable purchases with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Self‐reported mean usual monthly spending for all fruits and vegetables was $6.15 higher for randomly assigned HIP participant households than for a control group. Much of the additional spending appears to have taken place in ways that did not earn the incentive—spending with non‐SNAP resources or in retailers that did not participate in HIP. This article investigates mechanisms that might explain the HIP impact on fruit and vegetable purchases that did not earn the incentive.
Managing the Supreme Court: The Chief Justice, Management, and Consensus
Authors: Ura Joseph Daniel , Flink Carla M.
Published: December 2015

In this article, we draw on a prominent model of public management to develop a preliminary theoretical approach to understanding the role of the chief justice in Supreme Court decision-making. In particular, we argue that the Court may seek legitimacy through greater unanimity and discuss how the leadership of the chief justice can facilitate that effort. We assess a hypothesis derived from this theory, showing greater agreement among the justices as the incumbent chief justice’s tenure in office increases. We argue that these results provide support for further attention to and development of a public administration-based approach to the study of Supreme Court decision-making. The application of public administration to judicial politics provides further evidence of management dynamics in American institutions.
Middle Holocene Fishing and Hunting in the Baikal Region of Siberia
Authors: Losey Robert J. , Katzenberg M. Anne , Nomokonova Tatiana
Published: December 2015

This chapter shows how a combination of zooarchaeological and stable isotope evidence documents substantial but variable use of aquatic resources by Middle Holocene foragers inhabiting the Cis-Baikal region of Eastern Siberia. We first outline potential food items—including terrestrial mammals, riverine and lacustrine fish, the Baikal freshwater seal, and some plant foods. Faunal remains exist from both habitation sites and cemeteries. Habitation site assemblages show subsistence practices at seasonally occupied locations, with composition varying within the region. Some cemetery assemblages are taxonomically richer, indicating that small mammals and waterfowl were also important. Stable nitrogen and carbon isotope studies of human skeletal collections document substantial use of aquatic foods. Regional variability in the use of aquatic foods is evident, but there is little clear evidence for Middle Holocene dietary shifts. Instead, there appears to have been long-term stability with some regional variation related to resource availability.
Diets of Hunter-gatherers in the Arctic and Subarctic
Authors: Ziker John P.
Published: December 2015

The diets of Arctic and subarctic hunter-gatherers are the source of perennial theoretically relevant questions and debates, for example on cooking and raw food, the relative importance of protein in diet and its effects, the degree of labour specialization, and modes of food-sharing and trading. This chapter outlines the use of ethnographic enquiry to best inform archaeological interpretations in the Arctic and subarctic, with vignettes from the ethnography of northern Siberia. It discusses the advantages and disadvantages of methods typically used to study diet among contemporary hunter-gatherers. Development of quantitative data on food consumption is useful for developing information on seasonality, gender, taboos, and other kinds of effects on behaviour and data sets suited for comparative research. Ethnographers in the Arctic and subarctic have faced particular challenges with some observational methods, since the construction of permanent communities for indigenous populations over the last fifty to one hundred years.
Intersectionality in Third-Wave Popular Music
Authors: Keenan Elizabeth K.
Published: December 2015

This essay traces popular music’s relationship to third-wave feminism through the concept of intersectionality and situates the development of popular music and feminism in the larger political context of the 1990s and 2000s. Intersectionality forms a key discourse through which the members of the movement located themselves generationally, politically, and intellectually. At the same time, the third wave’s emphasis on intersectionality has not always translated into holistically intersectional practices. Despite the commitment to understanding that aspects of identity offer greater or lesser positions of power and influence, third-wave feminists have most often foregrounded the activities of white, middle-class musicians and sometimes ignored the contributions of women of color, from hip-hop feminists to pop musicians. This essay focuses on popular music’s relationship to the third wave in sexuality, race, and, class as they play out across mainstream pop, hip-hop, and alternative/indie rock music from the 1990s to the 2000s.
Theorization, Measurement, and Standardization of Calendrical Time
Authors: Hannah Robert
Published: December 2015

This article initially considers the sociology of time in general. It presents a framework of four aspects of time—time frame, timing, temporality, and tempo—derived from the work of Barbara Adam, within which a sociology specifically applicable to the Greek and Roman world can be fruitfully developed. Calendrical time naturally sits within the notion of “time frame” but also evinces elements of “timing” and “temporality.” How calendars were developed so as to measure time is then discussed, with a particular focus on the increasing standardization of time, especially under the Roman Empire. Yet within that empire’s standardized Julian calendar, it is noted that local variations persisted.
How Ecological Collectives are Morally Considerable
Authors: Callicott J. Baird
Published: December 2015

Populations, species, biotic communities, ecosystems, landscapes, biomes, and the biosphere are the referents of “ecological collectives.” The essence-accident moral ontology prevailing in twentieth-century moral philosophy cannot, while the theory of moral sentiments originating with Hume, biologized by Darwin, and ecologized by Leopold can, endow ecological collectives with moral considerability. The Hume-Darwin-Leopold approach to environmental ethics has been validated by twenty-first-century evolutionary moral psychology, while the twenty-first-century analysis of the human microbiome has revealed that erstwhile human “individuals” are themselves ecological collectives, thus rendering future ethical theory exclusively concerned with ecological collectives. To reconceptualize ourselves as moral beings in relational, communal, and collective terms is a matter of the greatest urgency for twenty-first century moral philosophy.
Law, Governance, and the Ecological Ethos
Authors: Butt Daniel
Published: December 2015

This chapter examines the limitations of both command-and-control and market-based legal mechanisms in the pursuit of environmental justice. If the environment is to be protected to at least a minimally acceptable degree, approaches that focus on the coercive force of the state must be complemented by the development of an “ecological ethos,” whereby groups and individuals are motivated to act with non-self-interested concern for the environment. The need for this ethos means that the state is dependent on the cooperation of a wide range of non-state actors. Recent work on environmental governance emphasizes the delegation of aspects of governing to such actors and supports efforts to increase popular participation in governmental processes. The chapter therefore advocates a governance approach that seeks to rectify some of the limitations of state-led environmental law, while encouraging popular participation in a way that can encourage the development of an ecological ethos among the citizenry.
Integrating Neuroscience Knowledge and Neuropsychiatric Skills Into Psychiatry: The Way Forward
Authors: Schildkrout Barbara , Benjamin Sheldon , Lauterbach Margo D.
Published: December 2015

Increasing the integration of neuroscience knowledge and neuropsychiatric skills into general psychiatric practice would facilitate expanded approaches to diagnosis, formulation, and treatment while positioning practitioners to utilize findings from emerging brain research. There is growing consensus that the field of psychiatry would benefit from more familiarity with neuroscience and neuropsychiatry. Yet there remain numerous factors impeding the integration of these domains of knowledge into general psychiatry.

The authors make recommendations to move the field forward, focusing on the need for advocacy by psychiatry and medical organizations and changes in psychiatry education at all levels. For individual psychiatrists, the recommendations target obstacles to attaining expanded neuroscience and neuropsychiatry education and barriers stemming from widely held, often unspoken beliefs. For the system of psychiatric care, recommendations address the conceptual and physical separation of psychiatry from medicine, overemphasis on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and on psychopharmacology, and different systems in medicine and psychiatry for handling reimbursement and patient records. For psychiatry residency training, recommendations focus on expanding neuroscience/neuropsychiatry faculty and integrating neuroscience education throughout the curriculum.

Psychiatry traditionally concerns itself with helping individuals construct meaningful life narratives. Brain function is one of the fundamental determinants of individuality. It is now possible for psychiatrists to integrate knowledge of neuroscience into understanding the whole person by asking, What person has this brain? How does this brain make this person unique? How does this brain make this disorder unique? What treatment will help this disorder in this person with this brain?
Beyond Medical “Missions” to Impact-Driven Short-Term Experiences in Global Health (STEGHs): Ethical Principles to Optimize Community Benefit and Learner Experience
Authors: Melby Melissa K. , Loh Lawrence C. , Evert Jessica , Prater Christopher , Lin Henry , Khan Omar A.
Published: December 2015

Increasing demand for global health education in medical training has driven the growth of educational programs predicated on a model of short-term medical service abroad. Almost two-thirds of matriculating medical students expect to participate in a global health experience during medical school, continuing into residency and early careers. Despite positive intent, such short-term experiences in global health (STEGHs) may exacerbate global health inequities and even cause harm. Growing out of the “medical missions” tradition, contemporary participation continues to evolve. Ethical concerns and other disciplinary approaches, such as public health and anthropology, can be incorpo rated to increase effectiveness and sustainability, and to shift the culture of STEGHs from focusing on trainees and their home institutions to also considering benefits in host communities and nurtur ing partnerships. The authors propose four core principles to guide ethical development of educational STEGHs: (1) skills building in cross-cultural effective ness and cultural humility, (2) bidirectional participatory relationships, (3) local capacity building, and (4) long-term sustainability. Application of these principles highlights the need for assessment of STEGHs: data collection that allows transparent compar isons, standards of quality, bidirectionality of agreements, defined curricula, and ethics that meet both host and sending countries’ standards and needs. To capture the enormous potential of STEGHs, a paradigm shift in the culture of STEGHs is needed to ensure that these experiences balance training level, personal competencies, medical and cross-cultural ethics, and educational objectives to minimize harm and maximize benefits for all involved.
Is Intraoperative Remifentanil Associated With Acute or Chronic Postoperative Pain After Prolonged Surgery? An Update of the Literature
Authors: de Hoogd Sjoerd , Ahlers Sabine J.G.M. , van Dongen Eric P.A. , van de Garde Ewoudt M.W. , Hamilton - Ter Brake Tanja A.T. , Dahan Albert , Tibboel Dick , Knibbe Catherijne A.J.
Published: December 2015

Objective:

Remifentanil is an ultra-short-acting opioid that is used commonly during both short-term and prolonged surgery. This review investigated associations of intraoperative remifentanil administration with acute postoperative pain, hyperalgesia, and chronic postoperative pain, with emphasis on the perioperative coanesthetic drug regimen used.

Methods:

Medline and Embase databases were searched for randomized studies, evaluating the intraoperative use of remifentanil (>2 h) versus another analgesic or a different dosage of remifentanil, and reporting acute postoperative pain parameters such as postoperative pain scores, hyperalgesia, acute opioid tolerance, or analgesics requirements. Furthermore, all studies in which remifentanil was used intraoperatively and parameters for chronic postoperative pain were measured were included (pain levels after a prolonged period of time after surgery).

Results:

From the 21 studies that were identified, less than half of the studies found higher acute postoperative pain, higher postoperative analgesic requirements after intraoperative remifentanil use, or both. Coanesthetics to some extent determined this incidence, with mainly studies using volatile agents reporting increased pain levels. There was less evidence when remifentanil was combined with total intravenous anesthesia or a combination of anesthetics. The limited number of studies (n=4) evaluating chronic pain suggested a potential association with the intraoperative use of remifentanil.

Discussion:

Although studies are diverse and sample sizes small, coanesthetics used in combination with remifentanil may influence the occurrence of postoperative hyperalgesia. No firm conclusions could be made regarding acute and chronic pain, indicating that further research with the goal to investigate the effect of volatile or intravenous anesthetics along with simultaneous remifentanil infusion on acute and chronic postoperative pain is needed.
Health Care Costs and Utilization in Patients Receiving Prescriptions for Long-acting Opioids for Acute Postsurgical Pain
Authors: Gold Laura S. , Strassels Scott A. , Hansen Ryan N.
Published: December 2015

Objectives:

Severe pain after joint replacement surgeries is common and is usually managed by opioid analgesics. We described joint replacement surgery patients who received prescriptions for long-acting opioids (LAOs) and compared their health care utilization and costs with postsurgical patients who did not receive LAO prescriptions.

Materials and Methods:

Patients undergoing hip, knee, or shoulder replacement surgery between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2011were included in the study and were classified by their exposure to LAOs. We estimated multivariate models to compare the groups’ health care utilization and costs in the first 7 days and in the 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery.

Results:

Of 118,816 patients who met our inclusion criteria, 15,094 (13%) received LAO prescriptions in 30 days following surgery. LAO recipients were slightly younger and more likely than nonrecipients to have taken antibiotics, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, antihypertensives, sedatives, muscle relaxants, and short-acting opioids in the 60 days before surgery. LAO recipients were more likely to have had a hospitalization and an emergency department visit in the subsequent 1 week and in the next 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. Patients receiving LAO prescriptions incurred greater costs in the 1 week and in the 1, 3, 6, and 12 months following their surgeries compared with patients who did not receive LAO prescriptions.

Discussion:

We found associations between patients who received prescriptions for LAOs and increased costs and utilization. Future studies should elucidate causal relationships between LAOs and increased resource use. Providers should consider alternative pain management strategies.
Clinically Important Change in Insomnia Severity After Chronic Pain Rehabilitation
Authors: Wilson Keith G. , Kowal John , Ferguson Emma J.
Published: December 2015

Objectives:

Insomnia is a common problem for people with chronic pain. It is unclear, however, whether interdisciplinary treatment centered on pain management, rather than sleep, confers a benefit in reducing insomnia symptoms. In this study, we examined clinically important change in insomnia severity following participation in an interdisciplinary chronic pain rehabilitation program.

Methods:

A total of 140 patients (43 men and 97 women) completed a 4-week outpatient day program for interdisciplinary rehabilitation that incorporated psychoeducation about pain, physical fitness, and group psychotherapy. The Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) was included as an outcome, along with measures of pain, mood, and function.

Results:

On the ISI before treatment, 20 patients (14.3%) reported no insomnia, 36 (25.7%) had a mild or subthreshold problem, and 84 (60%) had moderate (31.4%) or severe (28.6%) clinical insomnia. After treatment, ISI scores showed a statistically significant improvement overall (P<0.001). Six indices of individual change were examined among those with moderate-severe insomnia at baseline. Depending on the index used, rates of clinically important improvement ranged from 2.4% to 47.6%; however, only 2 patients with insomnia met criteria for full remission. Among patients with no or subthreshold symptoms at baseline, from 0% to 14.3% were worse after treatment, depending on the criterion.

Discussion:

Insomnia improves overall following interdisciplinary rehabilitation for chronic pain, but most patients with clinical insomnia continue to have a significant sleep problem after treatment, and some patients may get worse. Interventions to alleviate persistent insomnia comorbid with chronic pain are likely to require a more intensive focus on sleep itself.
Pain Catastrophizing and Anxiety are Associated With Heat Pain Perception in a Community Sample of Adults With Chronic Pain
Authors: Terry Marisa J. , Moeschler Susan M. , Hoelzer Bryan C. , Hooten W. Michael
Published: December 2015

Background:

The principle aim of this study was to investigate the associations between heat pain (HP) perception, pain catastrophizing, and pain-related anxiety in a heterogenous cohort of community-dwelling adults with chronic pain admitted to a 3-week outpatient pain rehabilitation program.

Methods:

All adults consecutively admitted to an outpatient pain rehabilitation program from July 2009 through January 2011 were eligible for study recruitment (n=574). Upon admission, patients completed the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), the short version of the Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale (PASS-20), and HP perception was assessed using a standardized quantitative sensory testing (QST) method of levels.

Results:

Greater PCS scores were significantly correlated with lower standardized values of HP threshold (HP 0.5) (P=0.006) and tolerance (HP 5) (P=0.003). In a multiple variable model adjusted for demographic and clinical factors known to influence HP perception, every 10-point increase in the PCS was associated with a −0.124 point change in HP 0.5 (P=0.014) and a −0.142 change in HP 5 (P=0.014) indicating that participants with higher PCS scores had lower HP thresholds and tolerances, respectively. Similarly, greater PASS-20 scores significantly correlated with lower standardized values of HP 0.5 and HP 5. In a multiple variable model, every 10-point increase in the PASS-20 was associated with a −0.084 point change in HP 0.5 (P=0.005) and a −0.116 point change in HP 5 (P=0.001) indicating that participants with higher PASS-20 scores had lower HP thresholds and tolerances, respectively.

Conclusions:

The findings of this study extend the use of a standardized method for assessing HP in a heterogenous sample of adults with chronic pain. Although pain catastrophizing shares significant variance with pain-related anxiety, our findings suggest that either measure would be appropriate for use in future studies that incorporate the QST method of levels.
Bucket-handle meniscal tear in a 9-year-old girl: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: Nooh Anas , Waly Feras , Abduljabbar Fahad H. , Janelle Chantal
Published: December 2015

Bucket-handle meniscal tears used to be rare in children younger than 10 years of age. However, nowadays, we encounter more cases because of increased sport and recreational activities. In this paper, we report on a 9-year-old girl who presented with an isolated medial meniscal bucket-handle tear of the right knee and review the literature for similar cases. Bucket-handle meniscal tears are rare in young children. However, it should be ruled out in patients with knee pain and mechanical symptoms following knee injury.
Dry Eye Disease: Concordance Between the Diagnostic Tests in African Eyes
Authors: Onwubiko Stella N. , Eze Boniface I. , Udeh Nnenma N. , Onwasigwe Ernest N. , Umeh Rich E.
Published: December 2015

Objective:

To assess the concordance between the diagnostic tests for dry eye disease (DED) in a Nigerian hospital population.

Methods:

The study was a hospital-based cross-sectional survey of adults (≥18 years) presenting at the eye clinic of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu; September–December, 2011. Participants' socio-demographic data were collected. Each subject was assessed for DED using the “Ocular Surface Disease Index” (OSDI) questionnaire, tear-film breakup time (TBUT), and Schirmer test. The intertest concordance was assessed using kappa statistic, correlation, and regression coefficients.

Results:

The participants (n=402; men: 193) were aged 50.1±19.1 standard deviation years (range: 18–94 years). Dry eye disease was diagnosed in 203 by TBUT, 170 by Schirmer test, and 295 by OSDI; the concordance between the tests were OSDI versus TBUT (Kappa, κ=−0.194); OSDI versus Schirmer (κ=−0.276); and TBUT versus Schirmer (κ=0.082). Ocular Surface Disease Index was inversely correlated with Schirmer test (Spearman ρ=−0.231, P<0.001) and TBUT (ρ=−0.237, P<0.001). In the linear regression model, OSDI was poorly predicted by TBUT (β=−0.09; 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.26 to −0.03, P=0.14) and Schirmer test (β=−0.35, 95% CI: −0.53 to −0.18, P=0.18).

Conclusion:

At UNTH, there is poor agreement, and almost equal correlation, between the subjective and objective tests for DED. Therefore, the selection of diagnostic test for DED should be informed by cost-effectiveness and diagnostic resource availability, not diagnostic efficiency or utility.
Characteristics of people who rapidly and frequently reattend the emergency department for mental health needs
Authors: Beck Alison , Sanchez-Walker Emma , Evans Lauren J. , Harris Victoria , Pegler Ruth , Cross Sean
Published: December 2015

Objective

This paper identifies the characteristics of emergency department (ED) attendees with a referral to their Mental Health Liaison Service (MHLS) who are at increased risk for rapidly reattending, attending frequently, or attending intensely at this service (which is defined here as rapid and frequent reattendance).

Methods

A retrospective 5-year longitudinal study was conducted of all visitors (n=24 010) attending four busy EDs with a referral to their MHLS from the beginning of 2009 until the end of 2013. A Cox proportional hazards regression was used to identify factors associated with intense use, and a negative binomial regression was used to identify factors associated with frequent attendance.

Results

People with certain characteristics were more likely to make ‘intense’ use of mental health emergency services, which we define as shorter time to reattendance and a higher number of visits over 5 years. The people more likely to make intense use are more likely to have certain clinical diagnoses such as substance misuse, stress disorder, personality disorder and learning disability, to have certain social characteristics such as not being in a relationship, or living alone, and to have healthcare issues such as having been detained under the Mental Health Act and having a greater number of care coordinators over 5 years.

Conclusion

Individuals with certain clinical and social characteristics were significantly more likely to reattend EDs and have referral to MHLS rapidly and frequently (i.e. intensely).
Using ambulance data to reduce community violence: critical literature review
Authors: Taylor Alexander , Boyle Adrian , Sutherland Alex , Giacomantonio Chris
Published: December 2015

Background

Previous work has demonstrated that much violence requiring medical help is not recorded by the police. Sharing emergency department data on victims of violence is associated with reductions in community violence and is well established throughout the UK. We undertook a critical literature review to determine whether sharing ambulance data was useful to identify violence hotspots and offered unique information for violence prevention.

Method

A search of the major medical and criminological databases was undertaken using search terms related to the ambulance service, violence and assault, as well as data collection. The search was conducted within the NICE Evidence, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, Criminal Justice Abstracts, Scopus and National Criminal Justice Reference Service databases, along with the websites of various relevant institutions.

Results

Overall, 36 papers were identified by abstract scanning and bibliography search, of which 10 were considered relevant. A further nine papers were detected in the grey literature, and two were considered to be useful in providing evidence for use of ambulance data in violence surveillance. Two of the identified papers were interventional studies, and the other 10 were observational studies.

Discussion

Although the standard of evidence was generally low, most studies demonstrated that ambulance services detected a substantial proportion of assaults that were not recorded by the police or the emergency departments. We identified only two interventional studies, but they were of low quality. Although the interventional evidence base is currently weak, ambulance data provide a unique source of information about the epidemiology of community violence and have the potential to improve current violent crime surveillance methods.