Population dynamics of two sympatric intertidal fish species (the shanny, Lipophrys pholis, and long-spined scorpion fish,Taurulus bubalis) of Great Britain

The shanny/common blenny (Lipophrys pholis) and long-spined scorpionfish/bullhead (Taurulus bubalis) are commonly encountered, sympatric species within much of Great Britain’s rocky intertidal zones. Despite being prey items of the cod (Gadus morhua) and haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) respectively, and both contributors to the diet of the near-threatened European otter (Lutra lutra), little is known on the population dynamics of the temperate specimens of Great Britain. It is further less known of the degrees of sympatricy between the two fish species and to what extent they are able to coexist. The current study examines spatio-temporal distributions and abundances at various resolutions: monthly population dynamics of both species along England’s Yorkshire coast and seasonal population dynamics along the Yorkshire coast and around the Isle of Anglesey, Wales. Studies of their abundances, sizes, degrees of rock pool co-occurrence and diel activities are further examined, which indicate coexistence is maintained when interspecific co-occurrence takes place only between specimens of similar sizes, thus demoting size-related dominance hierarchies

Image Reconstruction with a LaBr3-based Rotational Modulator

A rotational modulator (RM) gamma-ray imager is capable of obtaining significantly better angular resolution than the fundamental geometric resolution defined by the ratio of detector diameter to mask-detector separation. An RM imager consisting of a single grid of absorbing slats rotating ahead of an array of a small number of position-insensitive detectors has the advantage of fewer detector elements (i.e., detector plane pixels) than required by a coded aperture imaging system with comparable angular resolution. The RM therefore offers the possibility of a major reduction in instrument complexity, cost, and power. A novel image reconstruction technique makes it possible to deconvolve the raw images, remove sidelobes, reduce the effects of noise, and provide resolving power a factor of 6 - 8 times better than the geometric resolution. A 19-channel prototype RM developed in our laboratory at Louisiana State University features 13.8 deg full-angle field of view, 1.9 deg geometric angular resolution, and the capability of resolving sources to within 35' separation. We describe the technique, demonstrate the measured performance of the prototype instrument, and describe the prospects for applying the technique to either a high-sensitivity standoff gamma-ray imaging detector or a satellite- or balloon-borne gamma-ray astronomy telescope.Comment: submitted to Nuclear Instrument & Methods, special edition: SORMA 2010 on June 16, 201

Age-Related Disparities in Trauma Center Access for Severe Head Injuries Following the Release of the Updated Field Triage Guidelines

Objective: In 2006, the American College of Surgeons’ Committee on Trauma and the Center for Disease Control released field triage guidelines with special consideration for older adults. Additional considerations for direct transport to a Level I or II trauma center (TC) were added in 2011, reflecting perceived undertriage to TCs for older adults. We examined whether age-based disparities in TC care for severe head injury decreased following introduction of the 2011 revisions. Methods: A pre-post design analyzing the 2009 and 2012 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Emergency Department Databases (SEDD) and State Inpatient Databases (SID) with multivariable logistic regressions considered changes in (1) the trauma designation of the emergency department where treatment was initiated and (2) transfer to a TC following initial treatment at a non-TC. Results: Compared with adults aged 18–44 years, after multivariable adjustment, in both years TC care was less likely for adults aged 45–64 years (OR: 0.76 in 2009 and 0.74 in 2012), aged 65–84 years (OR: 0.61 and 0.59), and aged 85+ years (OR: 0.53 and 0.56). Between 2009 and 2012, the likelihood of TC care increased for all age groups, with the largest increase among those aged 85+ years (OR = 1.18), which was statistically different (p = .02) from the increase among adults aged 18–44 years (OR = 1.12). The analysis of transfers yielded similar results. Conclusions: Although patterns of increased TC treatment for all groups with severe head trauma indicate improvements, age-based disparities persisted

The atmospheric charged kaon/pion ratio using seasonal variation methods

Observed since the 1950's, the seasonal effect on underground muons is a well studied phenomenon. The interaction height of incident cosmic rays changes as the temperature of the atmosphere changes, which affects the production height of mesons (mostly pions and kaons). The decay of these mesons produces muons that can be detected underground. The production of muons is dominated by pion decay, and previous work did not include the effect of kaons. In this work, the methods of Barrett and MACRO are extended to include the effect of kaons. These efforts give rise to a new method to measure the atmospheric K/$\pi$ ratio at energies beyond the reach of current fixed target experiments. These methods were applied to data from the MINOS far detector. A method is developed for making these measurements at other underground detectors, including OPERA, Super-K, IceCube, Baksan and the MINOS near detector.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Astropart. Phy

A Novel Adaptation of a Parent-Child Observational Assessment Tool for Appraisals and Coping in Children Exposed to Acute Trauma

Background: Millions of children worldwide are exposed to acute potentially traumatic events (PTEs) annually. Many children and their families experience significant emotional distress and/or functional impairment following PTEs. While current research has begun to highlight a role for early appraisals and coping in promoting or preventing full recovery from PTEs, the exact nature of the relationships among appraisals, coping, and traumatic stress reactions as well as how appraisals and coping behaviors are influenced by the child\u27s environment (e.g., parents) remains unclear; assessment tools that reach beyond self-report are needed to improve this understanding. Objective: The objective of the current study is to describe the newly created Trauma Ambiguous Situations Tool (TAST; i.e., an observational child–parent interview and discussion task that allows assessment of appraisals, coping, and parent–child processes) and to report on initial feasibility and validation of TAST implemented with child–parent dyads in which children were exposed to a PTE. Method: As part of a larger study on the role of biopsychosocial factors in posttraumatic stress reactions, children (aged 8–13) and parents (n=25 child–parent dyads) completed the TAST during the child\u27s hospitalization for injury. Results: Children and parents engaged well with the TAST. The time to administer the TAST was feasible, even in a peri-trauma context. The TAST solicited a wide array of appraisals (threat and neutral) and coping solutions (proactive and avoidant). Forced-choice and open-ended appraisal assessments provided unique information. The parent–child discussion portion of the TAST allowed for direct observation of parent–child processes and demonstrated parental influence on children\u27s appraisals and coping solutions. Conclusions: The TAST is a promising new research tool, which may help to explicate how parents influence their child\u27s developing appraisals and coping solutions following a PTE. More research should examine the relationships of appraisals, coping, and parent–child processes assessed by the TAST with traumatic stress outcomes

Electronic structure of nuclear-spin-polarization-induced quantum dots

We study a system in which electrons in a two-dimensional electron gas are confined by a nonhomogeneous nuclear spin polarization. The system consists of a heterostructure that has non-zero nuclei spins. We show that in this system electrons can be confined into a dot region through a local nuclear spin polarization. The nuclear-spin-polarization-induced quantum dot has interesting properties indicating that electron energy levels are time-dependent because of the nuclear spin relaxation and diffusion processes. Electron confining potential is a solution of diffusion equation with relaxation. Experimental investigations of the time-dependence of electron energy levels will result in more information about nuclear spin interactions in solids

The Cardiology Audit and Registration Data Standards (CARDS), European data standards for clinical cardiology practice

AIMS: Systematic registration of data from clinical practice is important for clinical care, local, national and international registries, and audit. Data to be collected for these different purposes should be harmonized. Therefore, during Ireland's Presidency of the European Union (EU) (January to June 2004), the Department of Health and Children worked with the European Society of Cardiology, the Irish Cardiac Society, and the European Commission to develop data standards for clinical cardiology. The Cardiology Audit and Registration Data Standards (CARDS) Project aimed to agree standards for three modules of cardiovascular health information systems: acute coronary syndromes (ACS), percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI), and clinical electrophysiology (pacemakers, implantable cardioverter defibrillators, and ablation procedures). METHODS AND RESULTS: Data items from existing registries and surveys were reviewed to derive draft data standards (variables, coding, and definitions). Variables common to the three modules include demographics, risk factors, medication, and discharge and follow-up data. Modules about a procedure contain variables on the l

Search for the Proton Decay Mode proton to neutrino K+ in Soudan 2

We have searched for the proton decay mode proton to neutrino K+ using the one-kiloton Soudan 2 high resolution calorimeter. Contained events obtained from a 3.56 kiloton-year fiducial exposure through June 1997 are examined for occurrence of a visible K+ track which decays at rest into mu+ nu or pi+ pi0. We found one candidate event consistent with background, yielding a limit, tau/B > 4.3 10^{31} years at 90% CL with no background subtraction.Comment: 13 pages, Latex, 3 tables and 3 figures, Accepted by Physics Letters

Systematic study of the effect of short range correlations on the form factors and densities of s-p and s-d shell nuclei

Analytical expressions of the one- and two-body terms in the cluster expansion of the charge form factors and densities of the s-p and s-d shell nuclei with N=Z are derived. They depend on the harmonic oscillator parameter b and the parameter $\beta$ which originates from the Jastrow correlation function. These expressions are used for the systematic study of the effect of short range correlations on the form factors and densities and of the mass dependence of the parameters b and $\beta$. These parameters have been determined by fit to the experimental charge form factors. The inclusion of the correlations reproduces the experimental charge form factors at the high momentum transfers ($q\geq 2 1/fm$). It is found that while the parameter $\beta$ is almost constant for the closed shell nuclei, $^4$He, $^{16}$O and $^{40}$Ca, its values are larger (less correlated systems) for the open shell nuclei, indicating a shell effect in the closed shell nuclei.Comment: Latex, 21 pages, 6 figures, 1 tabl

Contextual representations of negative images modulate intrusion frequency in an intrusion provocation paradigm

Background and objectives: To understand how memories of negative events become highly accessible in the context of trauma, we tested the hypothesis that contextual information modulates how easily intrusions can be provoked by perceptual stimuli. Methods: Healthy participants viewed pictures depicting trauma scenes either with or without accompanying moderate (i.e. survival, recovery) or severe (i.e. fatality, permanent injury) outcome information. All participants viewed the same depictions of trauma scenes. Involuntary memories for the pictures were assessed using self-report diaries and an adapted version of the Impact of Event Scales (IES). A blurred picture perceptual priming paradigm was adapted to be used as an intrusion provocation task. Results: The severe outcome group experienced a significantly higher frequency of intrusions on the intrusion provocation task in comparison to both moderate outcome and control (no-context) conditions. The severe outcome condition did not increase intrusions on the self-report diaries or the adapted IES. There was no effect of condition on ratings for the emotionality, self-relevance, valence, or seriousness of the trauma scenes. Limitations: The analogue method should not be generalized directly to incidences of real-life trauma. It was unclear why differences in intrusion frequency were found in the provocation task only. The relative amount of individual conceptual and data-driven processing adopted by the participants was not assessed. Conclusions: Manipulating contextual information that determines the meaning of sensory-perceptual features for a trauma scene can modulate subsequent intrusion frequency in response to visually similar cues