bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A comparison of approaches to the teaching and learning of science in Chinese and Australian elementary classrooms: Cultural and socioeconomic complexities
Authors: Tao Ying , Oliver Mary , Venville Grady 
Published: November 2012

AbstractSet in the context of today's globalized approaches to curriculum reform, the purpose of this study was to compare the teaching and learning of science in Chinese and Australian Grade 6 classrooms. A conceptual framework based on notions of culture and socioeconomic status informed the research design. Case study participants were three teachers of science and 140 students from three elementary schools of high, medium, and low socioeconomic status in Hunan Province, China; and three teachers and 105 students from paired schools in Western Australia. The formal curriculum, the curriculum‐in‐action, and the experiential curriculum in all case studies in each country were examined. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected with student questionnaires, lesson observations, teacher interviews, a school tour, and document collection. Findings indicated that participating Chinese students reported a greater proportion of their science lessons involved activities such as reading textbooks and memorizing facts, activities that are consistent with Confucian educational culture. In Australia, where there has been a longer historical influence from social‐constructivist theorists such as Bruner and Vygotsky, students reported their lessons involved a greater proportion of activities such as designing and doing science experiments, and working in small groups. The findings also indicated that in both countries, socioeconomic status was an important factor impacting the implementation of the science curriculum with students in higher socioeconomic status schools participating more frequently in classroom activities consistent with reform curriculum documents. This phenomenon was more apparent in China possibly due to the Confucian educational tradition supporting culturally viable alternative approaches to the teaching and learning of science. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 50:33–61, 2013
Mutual relationships between transcription and pre‐mRNA processing in the synthesis of mRNA
Authors: Lenasi Tina , Barboric Matjaz 
Published: November 2012

AbstractThe generation of messenger RNA (mRNA) in eukaryotes is achieved by transcription from the DNA template and pre‐mRNA processing reactions of capping, splicing, and polyadenylation. Although RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) catalyzes the synthesis of pre‐mRNA, it also serves as a principal coordinator of the processing reactions in the course of transcription. In this review, we focus on the interplay between transcription and cotranscriptional pre‐mRNA maturation events, mediated by the recruitment of RNA processing factors to differentially phosphorylated C‐terminal domain of Rbp1, the largest subunit of RNAPII. Furthermore, we highlight the bidirectional nature of the interplay by discussing the impact of RNAPII kinetics on pre‐mRNA processing as well as how the processing events reach back to different phases of gene transcription. WIREs RNA 2013, 4:139–154. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1148This article is categorized under:

RNA Processing > Capping and 5' End Modifications
RNA Processing > Splicing Regulation/Alternative Splicing
RNA Processing > 3' End Processing
A New Polymorph of Potassium Chromate(III), β‐KCrO2, and Reinvestigation of α‐KCrO2
Authors: Zafar Ali Naveed , Nuss Jürgen , Jansen Martin 
Published: November 2012

Abstractα‐KCrO2 was synthesized by the azide/nitrate route. Stoichiometric mixtures of the precursors (KN3, KNO3, and Cr2O3) were heated in a special regime up to 853 K and annealed at this temperature for 5 h in a specially designed silver container. Dark green single crystals of β‐KCrO2 were grown by post annealing the reaction product at 773 K for 200 h in silver crucibles. According to single‐crystal X‐ray analysis, the new high temperature modification, β‐KCrO2, crystallizes in the β‐RbScO2 type of structure [P63/mmc; a = 3.0427(4) Å, c = 11.924(2) Å; c/a = 3.918; Z = 2]. The characteristic feature of the structure are CdCl2 analogue slabs of [CrO6/3]– edge shared octahedra stacked along the [001] direction with K+ atoms incorporated between the layers in a trigonal prismatic arrangement, rare for lighter alkali atoms. We have reinvestigated the specific heat (from 2 to 300 K) and the magnetic susceptibility (2 to 350 K) on α‐KCrO2, and clearly identified in the specific heat measurements, a λ‐type anomaly at 23 K, indicating the onset of long‐range AFM ordering. The Curie‐Weiss fit of experimental data in the temperature range above 100 K, yields the negative Curie‐Weiss temperature of –220 K, indicating predominant antiferromagnetic spin‐exchange interaction, with an effective magnetic moment (μeff) of the order of 3.91 μB, corresponding to a g‐factor [μeff /μB = g[S(S+1)]1/2] of 2.019 well in accordance for Cr3+ (d3 system) with spin S = 3/2.
Misoprostol for midtrimester termination of pregnancy in women with 1 or more prior cesarean deliveries
Authors: Küçükgöz Güleç Ümran , Urunsak Ibrahim F. , Eser Esra , Guzel Ahmet B. , Ozgunen Fatma T. , Evruke Ismail C. , Buyukkurt Selim 
Published: November 2012

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate the safety and efficacy of vaginal misoprostol for midtrimester termination of pregnancy (TOP) in women with 1 or more prior cesarean deliveries (CDs).MethodsA retrospective study was conducted with 279 women undergoing TOP with vaginal misoprostol between 14 and 26 weeks of gestation. Of these, 193 had no uterine scars (group 1), 60 had 1 prior CD (group 2), and 26 had 2 or more prior CDs (group 3). The primary outcome was the success rate of TOP. Secondary outcomes were time from induction to abortion, total dose of misoprostol used, and occurrence of uterine rupture.ResultsThe success rates were 96.4% in group 1, 81.7% in group 2, and 76.9% in group 3 (P = 0.001). Time from induction to abortion, total dose misoprostol, and duration of hospital stay differed significantly among the groups (P = 0.001 for all variables). There were 3 cases (11.5%) of uterine rupture in group 3, for an overall rate of 1.1%.ConclusionMisoprostol inserted vaginally was effective for midtrimester TOP but the safety of using misoprostol in women with 2 or more prior CDs cannot be confirmed from the present study. Misoprostol should be used carefully, particularly in women with 2 or more prior CDs.
IMPROVING MAIZE (ZEA MAYS L.) PERFORMANCE IN SEMI-ARID ZIMBABWE THROUGH MICRO-DOSING WITH AMMONIUM NITRATE TABLETS
Authors: MASHINGAIDZE N. , BELDER P. , TWOMLOW S. , Hove L. , MOYO M. 
Published: November 2012

SUMMARYAlthough the application of small quantities of nitrogen (N) fertiliser has improved cereal yields on low-input farms in semi-arid Zimbabwe, the practice is reported to be laborious and time-consuming by farmers. In an effort to make micro-dosing less labour-intensive and more precise, an ammonium nitrate (AN) tablet, the equivalent of a micro-dose of prill AN (28 kg N ha−1) applied per maize plant, was developed by International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics in collaboration with Agri-Seeds, Zimbabwe. This study characterized the physical stability, chemical (N% and solubility) and agronomic performance of AN tablets compared with prill AN. Only 10% of tablets broke when dropped from 2 m, showing that they are physically stable and can handle rough treatment. The N content in the tablets (33.3%) was comparable to that in prill AN (34.6%). However, the tablet formulation took twice as long to dissolve than prill AN when placed on a wet soil. Despite this difference in solubility, simple leaching column experiments suggest that less than 2% of the total AN applied was lost due to leaching. Agronomic trials were superimposed on the paired-plot demonstrations used to promote micro-dosing and the conservation agriculture tillage technique of planting basins from 2005 to 2008. Each tillage (plough and basins) plot was subdivided into three sub-plots on which no AN, prill AN and tableted AN treatments were superimposed. Maize was planted and management of plots was left to farmers. Micro-dosing with either prill or tableted AN significantly (p < 0.001) increased maize grain yield by over 40% in all seasons for planting basins. However, on the ploughed plot there was no yield benefit to using either AN formulation in the season with the lowest rainfall (2006–2007). There was no significant difference in grain yield and agronomic N use efficiency between prill and tableted AN formulations except for the 2005–2006 season in planting basins. During this season, in planting basins, tableted AN had significantly (p < 0.001) higher rainwater productivity than prill AN, which translated into greater grain yield. In addition, the maximum benefit to micro-dosing was observed to accrue when combined with water harvesting techniques such as planting basins. An observation supported by the host farmers, who in the second and third seasons chose to apply available basal soil fertility amendments to the basin plots over the flat plots. Thus, AN tablets if available at an affordable price can be used by smallholder farmers to more precisely apply N fertiliser. Future work should focus on the labour issues of micro-dosing, and making cost-effective tablets available to resource-poor farmers and also addressing other limiting soil nutrients.
Prediction of crop productivity and evapotranspiration with two photosynthetic parameter regionalization methods
Authors: HU S. , MO X. 
Published: November 2012

SUMMARYParameter regionalization is the foundation for the spatial application of an ecosystem model at the canopy level and has been improved greatly by remote sensing (RS). Photosynthetic rate is restricted by the carboxylation rate, which is limited by the activity of the enzyme Rubisco. By including RS normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and census data of grain yield at the county level in an ecosystem model (vegetation interface processes (VIP) model), the pattern of photosynthetic parameter Vcmax (maximum catalytic activity of Rubisco) of winter wheat was obtained and then used to simulate the wheat yield and evapotranspiration (ET) in the North China Plain (referred to as the Vcmax method). To evaluate its performance, the simulated yield and ET were compared with those derived by the leaf area index (LAI) method using the retrieved LAI from NDVI to drive the VIP model. The results showed that the Vcmax method performed better than the LAI method in highly productive fields, while the LAI method described the inter-annual variations of yield more favourably in fields with low productivity. Over the study area, average yield (4520 kg/ha) and seasonal ET (360 mm) simulated by the LAI method was slightly lower than those simulated using the Vcmax method (4730 kg/ha for yield and 372 mm for ET). Compared with the census data of yield, the relative root mean square error (RMSE) of grain yield with Vcmax method (0·17) was lower than that of the LAI method (0·20). In conclusion, the physical model with spatial Vcmax pattern from remote sensing is reliable for regional crop productivity prediction.
Aberrant resting-state connectivity in non-psychotic individuals with auditory hallucinations
Authors: Diederen K. M. J. , Neggers S. F. W. , de Weijer A. D. , van Lutterveld R. , Daalman K. , Eickhoff S. B. , Clos M. , Kahn R. S. , Sommer I. E. C. 
Published: November 2012

BackgroundAlthough auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) are a core symptom of schizophrenia, they also occur in non-psychotic individuals, in the absence of other psychotic, affective, cognitive and negative symptoms. AVH have been hypothesized to result from deviant integration of inferior frontal, parahippocampal and superior temporal brain areas. However, a direct link between dysfunctional connectivity and AVH has not yet been established. To determine whether hallucinations are indeed related to aberrant connectivity, AVH should be studied in isolation, for example in non-psychotic individuals with AVH.MethodResting-state connectivity was investigated in 25 non-psychotic subjects with AVH and 25 matched control subjects using seed regression analysis with the (1) left and (2) right inferior frontal, (3) left and (4) right superior temporal and (5) left parahippocampal areas as the seed regions. To correct for cardiorespiratory (CR) pulsatility rhythms in the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data, heartbeat and respiration were monitored during scanning and the fMRI data were corrected for these rhythms using the image-based method for retrospective correction of physiological motion effects RETROICOR.ResultsIn comparison with the control group, non-psychotic individuals with AVH showed increased connectivity between the left and the right superior temporal regions and also between the left parahippocampal region and the left inferior frontal gyrus. Moreover, this group did not show a negative correlation between the left superior temporal region and the right inferior frontal region, as was observed in the healthy control group.ConclusionsAberrant connectivity of frontal, parahippocampal and superior temporal brain areas can be specifically related to the predisposition to hallucinate in the auditory domain.
Hearing and speech impairment at age 4 and risk of later non-affective psychosis
Authors: Fors A. , Abel K. M. , Wicks S. , Magnusson C. , Dalman C. 
Published: November 2012

BackgroundSchizophrenia often becomes manifest in late adolescence and young adulthood but deviations in physical and behavioural development may already be present in childhood. We investigated the relationship between hearing impairment (measured with audiometry) and speech impairment (broadly defined) at age 4 years and adult risk of non-affective psychosis.MethodWe performed a population-based, case–control study in Sweden with 105 cases of schizophrenia or other non-affective psychoses and 213 controls matched for sex, date and place of birth. Information on hearing and speech impairment at age 4, along with potential confounding factors, was retrieved from Well Baby Clinic (WBC) records.ResultsHearing impairment [odds ratio (OR) 6.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.6–23.2] and speech impairment (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.4–4.9) at age 4 were associated with an increased risk of non-affective psychotic illness. These associations were mutually independent and not explained by parental psychiatric history, occupational class or obstetric complications.ConclusionsThese results support the hypothesis that psychosis has a developmental aspect with presentation of antecedent markers early in childhood, long before the disease becomes manifest. Our findings add to the growing evidence that early hearing impairment and speech impairment are risk indicators for later non-affective psychosis and possibly represent aetiological clues and potentially modifiable risk factors. Notably, speech impairment and language impairment are both detectable with inexpensive, easily accessible screening.
Decreased functional connectivity between the amygdala and the left ventral prefrontal cortex in treatment-naive patients with major depressive disorder: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study
Authors: Tang Y. , Kong L. , Wu F. , Womer F. , Jiang W. , Cao Y. , Ren L. , Wang J. , Fan G. , Blumberg H. P. , Xu K. , Wang F. 
Published: November 2012

BackgroundConvergent studies provide support for abnormalities in the structure and functioning of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the amygdala, the key components of the neural system that subserves emotional processing in major depressive disorder (MDD). We used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine potential amygdala–PFC functional connectivity abnormalities in treatment-naive subjects with MDD.MethodsResting-state fMRI data were acquired from 28 individuals with MDD and 30 healthy control (HC) subjects. Amygdala–PFC functional connectivity was compared between the MDD and HC groups.ResultsDecreased functional connectivity to the left ventral PFC (VPFC) from the left and right amygdala was observed in the MDD group, compared with the HC group (p < 0.05, corrected).ConclusionsThe treatment-naive subjects with MDD showed decreased functional connectivity from the amygdala to the VPFC, especially to the left VPFC. This suggests that these connections may play an important role in the neuropathophysiology of MDD at its onset.
Multi-terawatt femtosecond laser system of visible range based on a photochemical XeF(C-A) amplifier
Authors: Alekseev S.V. , Aristov A.I. , Ivanov N.G. , Kovalchuk B.M. , Losev V.F. , Mesyats G.A. , Mikheev L.D. , Panchenko Yu.N. , Ratakhin N.A. 
Published: November 2012

AbstractThis paper reports on the creation of a THL-100 multi-terawatt hybrid laser system based on a Start-480M titanium-sapphire starting complex and photochemical XeF(C-A) amplifier with a 25-cm aperture. The complex produces 50-fs radiation pulses of energy up to 5 mJ at a second harmonic wavelength of 475 nm. The active medium of the amplifier is created in a XeF2/N2 mixture under vacuum-ultraviolet radiation of electron beam-excited xenon. The results of first experiments on femtosecond pulse amplification in the active medium of the XeF(C-A) amplifier are presented to demonstrate that a laser beam peak power of 14 TW has been attained.
X-ray powder diffraction data for (1R, 5S, 7R)-7-[(S)-4-benzyl-4,5-dihydrooxazole-2-yl]-1,5,7-trimethyl-3-azabicyclo-[3.3.1]-nonane-2,4-dione, another new chiral Kemp's acid diamide
Authors: Pažout R. , Maixner J. , Přech J. , Kačer P. 
Published: November 2012

X-ray powder diffraction data, unit-cell parameters, and space group for a new chiral Kemp's acid diamide, C21H26N2O3, are reported [a = 16.061(4) Å, b = 14.340(5) Å, c = 8.361(2) Å, β = 97.678(4)°, unit-cell volume V = 1908,54 Å3, Z = 4, and space group P21]. All measured lines were indexed and found to be consistent with the P21 space group. No detectable impurity was observed.
‘Treats’, ‘sometimes foods’, ‘junk’: a qualitative study exploring ‘extra foods’ with parents of young children
Authors: Petrunoff Nicholas A , Wilkenfeld Rachel L , King Lesley A , Flood Victoria M 
Published: November 2012

AbstractObjectiveThe present study investigated parents’ understanding and approaches to providing energy-dense and nutrient-poor ‘extra foods’ to pre-school children and explored variation between parents of low and high socio-economic status in relation to these issues.DesignWe conducted thirteen focus groups. Data were subject to framework analysis.SettingChild-care centres in distinctly socially disadvantaged and socially advantaged areas.SubjectsEighty-eight parents of children aged 3–5 years.ResultsThe three most common terms parents identified to describe foods that are not ‘everyday foods’ were ‘treats’, ‘sometimes foods’ and ‘junk’. Parents’ perceptions regarding what influences them in providing food to their children included seven sub-themes: (i) the influence of the child; (ii) food-related parenting practices; (iii) health considerations; (iv) food costs and convenience; (v) external factors perceived as influencing their child; (vi) factors related to child care; and (vii) social influences and occasions. Parents’ decision-making processes regarding provision of ‘extra foods’ related to moderation and balance. Parents generally expressed the position that as long as a child is eating healthy foods, then treats are appropriate; and for many parents, this might apply frequently. All groups described the health of their child as an influence, but parents in low socio-economic groups were more likely to describe immediate concerns (dental health, behaviour) in relation to avoiding sugar-dense food or drink.ConclusionsThe belief that provision of ‘extra foods’ can be frequent as long as children are eating a healthy balance of foods is factored into parents’ decision making. Challenging this belief may be important for reducing the consumption of ‘extra foods’ by young children.
The impact of patient quality of life and spirituality upon caregiver depression for those with advanced cancer
Authors: Douglas Sara L. , Daly Barbara J. 
Published: November 2012

AbstractObjective:Little is known about relationships between patient spiritual well-being and caregiver outcomes for those with advanced cancer. We were interested in examining the relationship between patient physical quality of life (QOL) and caregiver depression and to also evaluate whether patient spiritual well-being (SWB) played a mediating role in this relationship.Method:This is a prospective longitudinal study that was conducted in the outpatient clinics at a university-affiliated comprehensive cancer center. 226 patients with Stage III or IV cancer (lung, GI, GYN) and their primary caregivers were interviewed upon enrollment into the study and three months later. Measures of spirituality, health-related quality of life, and physical functioning were included in the interviews.Results:Key findings were that the relationship between patient physical QOL and caregiver depression was inverse and moderate (β = −0.24, p = 0.004) and that patient SWB (meaning/peace) played a significant (p = 0.02) and medium-size role (β = −0.31) in mediating the relationship between patient physical QOL and caregiver depression. The nature of these relationships was stable over time.Significance of results:Patients' spirituality is central to their coping and adjusting to cancer. It is this aspect of patient overall quality of life that mediates the relationship to caregiver well-being. The most potent intervention for caregiver depression may be attending to patient spiritual distress.
Surface waves of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake: Observations of Taiwan's dense high‐rate GPS network
Authors: Hung Huang‐Kai , Rau Ruey‐Juin 
Published: November 2012

AbstractSurface waves generated by the 2011 Mw 9.0 Tohoku, Japan earthquake were recorded by both the high‐rate GPS and broadband seismic stations in Taiwan. In this study, we investigate the precision of high‐rate GPS displacements and estimate the feasibility of using GPS for seismology study in Taiwan. One hertz observations of 210 continuous GPS stations in Taiwan and neighboring islands were processed using a precise point positioning technique to estimate the absolute epoch‐by‐epoch positions generated by the Tohoku earthquake. Modified sidereal filtering was used to correct for near‐daily periodical variations of high‐rate position time series that may be influenced by multipath effects, and a band‐pass filter was used to remove noises from marginal frequencies. For all the 210 stations, the GPS precision after modified sidereal filtering improved from 8.2 to 7.4 mm in the horizontal and from 19.5 to 12.7 mm in the vertical components except for about 20% of the data with large position errors. After applying the band‐pass filter in the teleseismic frequency band (0.008–0.08 Hz), excluding 54 stations with noisy data, 156 continuous GPS stations were selected. Surface wave displacements derived from both high‐rate GPS and broadband seismometers are highly consistent, and the correlation coefficients are enhanced by a band‐pass filter (0.008–0.08 Hz) from 0.85 to 0.95 in the horizontal and from 0.58 to 0.85 in the vertical components. We consider continuous GPS can be used as an alternative approach to study characteristics of surface wave propagation in Taiwan.