bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Acoustic Detail Guides Attention Allocation in a Selective Listening Task
Authors: Wöstmann Malte , Schröger Erich , Obleser Jonas 
Published: November 2014

Abstract
The flexible allocation of attention enables us to perceive and behave successfully despite irrelevant distractors. How do acoustic challenges influence this allocation of attention, and to what extent is this ability preserved in normally aging listeners? Younger and healthy older participants performed a masked auditory number comparison while EEG was recorded. To vary selective attention demands, we manipulated perceptual separability of spoken digits from a masking talker by varying acoustic detail (temporal fine structure). Listening conditions were adjusted individually to equalize stimulus audibility as well as the overall level of performance across participants. Accuracy increased, and response times decreased with more acoustic detail. The decrease in response times with more acoustic detail was stronger in the group of older participants. The onset of the distracting speech masker triggered a prominent contingent negative variation (CNV) in the EEG. Notably, CNV magnitude decreased parametrically with increasing acoustic detail in both age groups. Within identical levels of acoustic detail, larger CNV magnitude was associated with improved accuracy. Across age groups, neuropsychological markers further linked early CNV magnitude directly to individual attentional capacity. Results demonstrate for the first time that, in a demanding listening task, instantaneous acoustic conditions guide the allocation of attention. Second, such basic neural mechanisms of preparatory attention allocation seem preserved in healthy aging, despite impending sensory decline.
Interdecadal Changes in Summertime Tropical Cyclone Precipitation over Southeast China during 1960–2009
Authors: Li Richard C. Y. , Zhou Wen 
Published: November 2014

Abstract
This study examines the changes in tropical cyclone (TC) precipitation and the associated contributing factors over southeast China during 1960–2009. Climatologically, TC rainfall accounts for approximately 20%–40% of the total rainfall over southeast China during boreal summer, and the contribution can even reach 50% for some of the coastal provinces, such as Guangdong, Fujian, Zhejiang, and Hainan. The dominant mode of TC rainfall reveals a dipole pattern over southern southeast China (SSC) and eastern southeast China (ESC), and the associated principal component time series exhibits remarkable interdecadal variations, with two potential change points being identified in the late 1970s and early 1990s. These interdecadal shifts in TC rainfall are also found to be synchronous with two regime shifts in total rainfall, and they can account for more than 40% of the total rainfall anomalies over the coastal regions of southeast China.
To discover the dominant factors responsible for the interdecadal variations, the overall TC rainfall anomalies are broken down into three different components (rainfall frequency, rainfall intensity, and nonlinear terms) based on a new empirical statistical approach. It is found that the interdecadal variation in TC precipitation over SSC is controlled predominantly by changes in TC rainfall intensity as well as TC rainfall frequency, while that over ESC depends mainly on the intensity and the nonlinear terms. Further examination of the TC passage frequency (TPF) suggests that the significant reduction in TPF and TC rainfall frequency over SSC during 1979–92 is associated mainly with suppressed TC genesis (negative genesis effect), while the increase in TPF and TC rainfall frequency during 1993–2009 can be attributed primarily to the enhanced passage probability (positive track effect) over SSC. Meanwhile, variations in TC rainfall intensity seem to be unrelated to the TC’s own intensity change.
Characteristics of the Near-Surface Currents in the Indian Ocean as Deduced from Satellite-Tracked Surface Drifters. Part II: Lagrangian Statistics
Authors: Peng Shiqiu , Qian Yu-Kun , Lumpkin Rick , Li Ping , Wang Dongxiao , Du Yan 
Published: November 2014

AbstractLagrangian statistics of the surface circulation in the Indian Ocean (IO) are investigated using drifter observations during 1985–2013. The methodology isolates the influence of low-frequency variations and horizontal shear of mean flow. The estimated Lagrangian statistics are spatially inhomogeneous and anisotropic over the IO basin, with values of ~6–85 × 107 cm2 s−1 for diffusivity, ~2–7 days for integral time scale, and ~33–223 km for length scale. Large diffusivities (>20 × 107 cm2 s−1) occur in the central-eastern equatorial IO and the eastern African coast. Small diffusivities (~6–8 × 107 cm2 s−1) appear in the subtropical gyre of the southern IO and the southeastern Arabian Sea. The equatorial IO has the largest zonal diffusivity (~85 × 107 cm2 s−1), corresponding to the largest time scale (~7 days) and length scale (~223 km), while the eastern coast of Somalia has the largest meridional diffusivity (~31 × 107 cm2 s−1). The minor component of the Lagrangian length scale is approximately equal to the first baroclinic Rossby radius (R1) at midlatitudes (R1 ~ 30–50 km), while the major component equals R1 in the equatorial region (R1 > 80 km). The periods of the energetic eddy-containing bands in the IO in Lagrangian spectra range from several days to a couple of months, where anticyclones dominate. A significant result is that the drifter-derived diffusivities asymptote to constant values in relatively short time lags (~10 days) for some subregions of the IO if they are correctly calculated. This is an important contribution to the ongoing debate regarding drifter-based diffusivity estimates with relatively short Lagrangian velocity time series versus tracer-based estimates.
Institutional Review Boards at Very High Research Activity Universities
Authors: Cannon Clare , Buttell Frederick 
Published: November 2014

Objectives: This study investigated to what degree social work was represented in the position of chair of social–behavioral institutional review boards (IRBs) at very high research activity (VHRA) universities in the United States. Method: We collected data on IRB rosters for all 108 schools designated by the Carnegie Foundation as VHRAs in the United States and analyzed the percentage of chairs for social–behavioral IRBs that came from social work. Results: Data (104 of the 108 VHRA universities) indicate only 3.8% of chairs come from social work. Conclusions: Universities would benefit from more social workers serving as chairs of social–behavioral IRBs because social work has a professional obligation to ethical and just research and is the most holistic of the social sciences. The background and training of professional social workers have obvious benefits in accessing and understanding the unique risks posed by the diverse proposals IRBs receive.
Using the Amplitude of Pulse-Synchronous Intramuscular Pressure Oscillations When Diagnosing Chronic Anterior Compartment Syndrome
Authors: Nilsson Andreas , Zhang Qiuxia , Styf Jorma 
Published: November 2014

Background: To diagnose chronic anterior compartment syndrome (CACS) among patients with exercise-induced leg pain, intramuscular pressure (IMP) is regarded as the gold standard. Two recent studies have suggested that the evidence for commonly used IMP criteria are weak, and the validity has therefore come under question. Purpose: To evaluate whether the amplitude of pulse-synchronous IMP oscillations at rest after an exercise test is a reliable parameter that may aid in diagnosing CACS. Study Design: Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2. Methods: A total of 89 consecutive patients with suspected CACS (mean age, 31 years) and 19 healthy subjects (mean age, 28 years) participated in this study. All participants performed an exercise test until they were unable to continue because of leg pain and/or muscle fatigue. The IMP was recorded continuously in the anterior compartment of the leg with a noninfusion pressure recording system, starting 15 to 30 seconds after discontinuation of exercise. To test the amplitude of pulse-synchronous IMP oscillations as an indicator of CACS, a peak-to-peak amplitude of >2 mm Hg was chosen as the cutoff value. The clinical diagnosis of CACS was considered reference standard. Results: The mean ± SD IMP 1 minute after exercise was 54 ± 16 mm Hg in 53 patients with CACS, 17 ± 6 mm Hg in 36 non-CACS patients, and 18 ± 5 mm Hg in control subjects. The mean amplitude of the oscillations was 7.1 ± 3 mm Hg in patients with CACS, 1.3 ± 0.9 mm Hg in non-CACS patients, and 1.5 ± 0.6 mm Hg in control subjects 1 minute after exercise. The sensitivity of the amplitude to validate CACS was 96%, while the specificity was 94%. The positive predictive value was 96%, and the negative predictive value was 94%. Conclusion: The amplitude of the pulse-synchronous IMP oscillations at rest after an exercise test that elicits a patient’s leg pain and muscle fatigue has high sensitivity to identify an abnormally elevated IMP. Clinical Relevance: Oscillations are easily recorded during clinical routine IMP measurements. They ascertain the diagnosis of CACS, corroborate the level of IMP, and ensure catheter patency.
Effects of storage time and temperature on the antimony and some trace element release from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into the bottled drinking water
Authors: Molaee Aghaee Ebrahim , Alimohammadi Mahmood , Nabizadeh Ramin , Jahed khaniki Gholamreza , Naseri Simin , Mahvi Amir Hossein , Yaghmaeian Kamyar , Aslani Hassan , Nazmara Shahrokh , Mahmoudi Babak , Ghani Maryam 
Published: November 2014

Abstract

Background and objectives
Heavy metals are considered as one of the major contaminants that can enter into the bottled waters. Antimony (Sb) is a contaminant, which may leach from the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles into the water. The aim of this study was to investigate the content of antimony and other trace elements in bottled waters which was kept in varied storage conditions and temperatures.

Materials and methods
Five time-temperature treatments were carried out on five different brands of commercially available bottled waters. Heavy metal measurement was performed by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES) method. Analysis of the collected data was processed by SPSS software.

Results
Antimony concentration was the main concern in our study. The concentrations increased in each of the sample during storage period at all temperatures. The results for different conditions were as follow: at 40°C, in outdoor and at room temperature the Sb concentrations were below the MCLs, i e. 6 ppb. However, at 65°C and 80°C for longer storage times Sb concentration exceeded the MCLs, and variations between the samples were significant (p ≤ 0.05). Storage time and temperature effects on the content of some other trace elements such as Al, Fe were also significant (p ≤ 0.05).

Conclusion
By increasing the duration of storage time and temperatures, antimony leaching from the PET bottles into the bottled water increased. The concentration of Al demonstrated an increase in higher temperatures and storage duration, whereas the content of Fe demonstrated no significant differences.
Short-term exposure with vibration and its effect on attention
Authors: Zamanian Zahra , Nikravesh Asghar , Monazzam Mohammad Reza , Hassanzadeh Jafar , Fararouei Mohammad 
Published: November 2014

Abstract

Background
About 20 to 50 percent of accidents are due to some forms of carelessness and mindedness. Studies suggested that vibration is one of the most important physical factors in human performance when traveling on any sort of vehicles. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of vehicles vibration on cognitive performance (attention and concentration).

Methods
The sample consists of 25 male students who undergone 4 experimental phases: acceleration low vibration (0.53 m/s2), medium vibration (0.81 m/s2), high vibration (1.12 m/s2) and non- exposure to vibration (control phase) according to ISO 2631-1 standard and with fixed frequency between 3 to 7 Hz. Students paired T test was applied to analysis the data, using SPSS software ver. 19.

Results
The mean number of correct answers obtained from selective attention test under vibration levels of 0.53 m/s2 and 0.81 m/s2 were significantly lower than the condition without vibration. The mean reaction time of divided attention test in three vibration levels was significantly lower than the condition without vibration. Exposing to vibration reduces number of correct answers, selective attention and reaction time.

Conclusion
In this study, it was found that vibration may disrupt the ability of the participants for sustainability attention. It also changes the precision and speed of humans’ information processing systems.
Screening Newborn Blood Spots for 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome Using Multiplex Droplet Digital PCR
Authors: Pretto Dalyir , Maar Dianna , Yrigollen Carolyn M , Regan Jack , Tassone Flora 
Published: November 2014

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The diagnosis of 22q11 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) is often delayed or missed due to the wide spectrum of clinical involvement ranging from mild to severe, often life-threatening conditions. A delayed diagnosis can lead to life-long health issues that could be ameliorated with early intervention and treatment. Owing to the high impact of 22q11DS on public health, propositions have been made to include 22q11DS in newborn screening panels; however, the method of choice for detecting 22q11DS, fluorescent in situ hybridization, requires specialized equipment and is cumbersome for most laboratories to implement as part of their routine screening. We sought to develop a new genetic screen for 22q11DS that is rapid, cost-effective, and easily used by laboratories currently performing newborn screening.

METHODS
We evaluated the accuracy of multiplex droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) in the detection of copy number of 22q11DS by screening samples from 26 patients with 22q11DS blindly intermixed with 1096 blood spot cards from the general population (total n = 1122).

RESULTS
Multiplex ddPCR correctly identified all 22q11DS samples and distinguished between 1.5- and 3-Mb deletions, suggesting the approach is sensitive and specific for the detection of 22q11DS.

CONCLUSIONS
These data demonstrate the utility of multiplex ddPCR for large-scale population-based studies that screen for 22q11DS. The use of samples from blood spot cards suggests that this approach has promise for newborn screening of 22q11DS, and potentially for other microdeletion syndromes, for which early detection can positively impact clinical outcome for those affected.
On Being Contemporary
Authors: Cardoso Catarina Figueiredo 
Published: November 2014

Review of Anne Moeglin-Delcroix's new edition of Esthétique du Livre d'Artiste 1960-1980: Une Introduction à l'Art Contemporain. 2nd edition, Marseilles/Paris: Le mot et le reste/ Bibliothèque Nationale de France [1st ed., Esthétique du Livre d'Artiste: 1960-1980, Paris: Bibliothèque Nationale de France/Jean Michel Place, 1997], 2012, 444 pp. ISBN 9782360540136. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.14195/2182-8830_2-1_15
Semiotic Resources in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time: The Narrative Power of the Visual in Multimodal Fiction
Authors: Mussetta Mariana 
Published: November 2014

Multimodal fiction, as recently studied by Hallet (2009), Gibbons (2012), and Maziarczyk (2011; 2012), among others, is the phenomenon shared by those novels which combine various semiotic modes in the development of the narrative. The purpose of the present work is to account for the most salient semiotic resources used in the multimodal novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (2004). In view of the work which still needs to be done in the field, and the increasing profusion and diversity of multimodal literary forms in recent years, this study aims at throwing new light upon the diverse and significant ways in which the strategic inclusion of various semiotic resources operates in fiction. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.14195/2182-8830_2-1_5
Inflammatory caspases: key regulators of inflammation and cell death
Authors: Fernández Daniel Jiménez , Lamkanfi Mohamed 
Published: November 2014

Abstract
The innate immune system represents the first line of defence against infectious agents, and co-ordinates cellular and molecular mechanisms that result in effective inflammatory and anti-microbial responses against pathogens. Infection and cellular stress trigger assembly of canonical and noncanonical inflammasome complexes that activate the inflammatory caspases-1 and -11, respectively. These inflammatory caspases play key roles in innate immune responses by inducing pyroptosis to halt intracellular replication of pathogens, and by engaging the extracellular release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and danger signals. In addition, the inflammatory caspases-4, -5 and -11 were recently shown to directly bind microbial components. Although the immune roles of caspase-12 are debated, it was proposed to dampen inflammatory responses by interfering with caspase-1 activation and other innate immune pathways. Here, we recapitulate the reported roles of inflammatory caspases with an emphasis on recent insights into their biological functions.
Evaluation of analgesic activity of levofloxacin in human experimental pain model
Authors: Shetty Rohita , Chaudhari Sameer , Jadhav Pradeep , Ray Ipseeta , Deshmukh Yeshwant 
Published: November 2014

Abstract

Background: Levofloxacin, an optically active isomer of ofloxacin, exerts broad spectrum antibacterial activity. Apart from its antibacterial action, experimental studies have documented antinociceptive properties in animal pain models suggesting an analgesic effect. This study was conducted with the aim to evaluate the analgesic activity of levofloxacin in healthy human volunteers.

Methods: This was an open label, prospective, non-randomized, interventional study conducted on 12 apparently healthy volunteers at a tertiary care teaching hospital in India. Permission from the Institutional Ethics Committee was obtained. After obtaining informed consent, volunteers fulfilling the inclusion criteria were enrolled. Analgesic activity was assessed by Cola cap and sphygmomanometer, a human experimental pain model. Observation of pain threshold and tolerance was recorded at baseline and at an interval of 2 h and 4 h after administration of levofloxacin (500 mg oral) in all 12 subjects. The results were analysed using repeated measures one way analysis of variance.

Results: The mean age of the volunteers was 27.5±3.26 years. A statistically significant increase in the pain threshold and tolerance was found at 2 h and 4 h when compared to baseline.

Conclusions: Levofloxacin exhibited significant analgesic activity in a human pain model and can be used in infections associated with pain or for pre-operative prophylaxis. Further investigations are required to understand the precise mechanism and pathway of antinociception exhibited by levofloxacin.
The Role of Student Affairs in Promoting Social Justice in South Africa
Authors: Schreiber Birgit 
Published: November 2014

AbstractStudent affairs, as an integral part of universities, has taken on a key position in contributing to social justice as one of the central imperatives of higher education in South Africa. This article sketches the development of this role and outlines some important tasks for contemporary student affairs. Three conceptual models within the social justice framework are utilized: participatory parity, universal design for learning, and student engagement. These models are uniquely useful to strengthen student affairs’s contribution to the development of social justice in South Africa. It is suggested that student affairs leaders articulate a more explicit position on social justice in order to contribute more cogently to students’ awareness of positionality, privilege, and exclusion.
Gawain’s Girdle and Joseph’s Garment: Tokens of ‘Vntrawþe’
Authors: Gill Jana Lyn 
Published: November 2014

Abstract:
Considering the correlation between the attempted seduction of Gawain by Lady Bertilak and the attempted seduction of Joseph of Egypt by Potiphar’s wife, there is a surprising void in scholarly analysis linking the Arthurian and biblical men who are each celebrated for virtue. With the exception of a footnote in 1961, this significant connection has been completely overlooked. This article identifies the similarities between the temptation stories of Gawain and Joseph, explores evidence of medieval knowledge about Joseph’s temptation, and suggests what conclusions might be drawn from this connection. The Gawain-poet was familiar with Joseph’s temptation story and, while omitting any direct references to Joseph of Egypt, the Gawain-poet associates Gawain’s temptation with Joseph’s. It is the exchange of the girdle that alerts readers to the fascinating connection to Joseph’s garment which changes hands when Joseph is tempted by Potiphar’s wife. The girdle is the key by which the Gawain-poet invites readers to recognize the similarities between the two virtuous men, as well as the differences, thus opening the way to an intriguing comparison and conclusion that the celebrated Arthurian knight falls short of the virtue exemplified by the righteous biblical Joseph.
Comparison of cortisol samples in the first two weeks of life in preterm infants
Authors: Moore Tiffany A. , Schmid Kendra K. , French Jeffrey A. 
Published: November 2014

AbstractGrowing literature on negative childhood stress emphasizes the need to understand cortisol values from varying biomarker samples.This work aimed to examine cortisol samples for usability, associations, and individual stability in neonates.The sample consisted of preterm infants (n=31).Analyses on cortisol collected from cord blood and from saliva and urine samples on days 1, 7, and 14 included Spearman correlations and paired t-tests.Usability rates were 80.6% (cord blood), 85.9% (saliva), and 93.5% (urine). Salivary and urinary cortisol levels had significant correlation on day 1 only (p=0.004). Significant differences in individual stability of cortisol concentrations existed except in urine on days 1 and 7 and in saliva on days 7 and 14.Usability was highest for urine samples. We found little correlation between cortisol sample levels at each time; individual stability of cortisol concentrations was minimal. Interpretation of cortisol findings in all studies should be performed cautiously.
The effect of pressure variations on the formation of gas inclusions in the rotational molding process
Authors: Löhner Martin , Drummer Dietmar 
Published: November 2014

Abstract
The major disadvantage of rotational molding is the cycle time, which is very long compared to other plastic processing methods. A major percentage of the cycle time besides heating and cooling results from the time necessary to remove gas inclusions from the polymer melt, which are trapped while sintering the polymer powder. In this work the formation of gas inclusions is investigated by conducting a cycle time variation on a uniaxial rotational molding machine. The influence of low pressure during melting on the formation of inclusions is investigated by examining sintering experiments with a pressure variation during the melting of the polymer. Sintering experiments are conducted with different melt residence times to investigate the mechanisms of gas inclusion removal. By comparing the time to reach a pore-free polymeric melt, the cycle time reduction potential under low-pressure application while melting the polymeric powder is estimated.