bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Seroprevalence and serum profile of cytomegalovirus infection among patients with hematologic disorders in Bahia State, Brazil
Authors: de Matos Sócrates Bezerra , Meyer Roberto , Lima Fernanda Washington de Mendonça
Published: December 2010

Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a ubiquitous herpesvirus with from 30% to 100% of the general population exhibiting prior exposure by serology. This cross‐sectional study evaluated the serological profile of anti‐CMV antibodies and two acute‐phase reaction proteins in Haematologic Disorder Patients (HDPs) from Bahia State, Brazil. Immuno‐chemiluminescence assays were performed to detect anti‐CMV IgM and IgG antibodies. Serological levels of High Sensitivity C‐Reactive Protein (CRPH) and Alpha‐1‐Acid Glycoprotein (AAG) were measured using immunonephelometry. A total of 470 HDPs were enrolled, 238 (50.6%) males and 232 (49.4%) females. The overall seroprevalence of CMV was 89.4%, directly proportional to age and to the amount of blood units transfused. There was no difference between seroprevalence rates according to gender (P = 0.12). Four HDPs (0.9%) were seropositives for anti‐CMV IgM, only one could be characterized as recent acute infection. The most CMV seropositive HDPs had anti‐CMV IgG in low titers. There was a tendency for females to have higher anti‐CMV IgG titers than men (P < 0.05). CRPH levels were different among HDPs CMV negative and positive groups (P < 0.001). There was no difference in the AAG levels between groups (P = 0.15). The high CMV seroprevalence found underscores the importance of using strategies to provide “CMV safe” blood to HDPs who are at high risk of developing severe CMV infection. CRPH can be used as a biomarker associated with CMV seropositivity; however, more efforts are needed to better characterize the clinical profile of active CMV infection in this group of patients. J. Med. Virol. 83:298–304, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Seroepidemiology of hepatitis A virus infection among schoolchildren in Taiwan
Authors: Tsai Chin‐Feng , Lin Ding‐Bang , Chen Shiuan‐Chih , Chang Yih‐Hsin , Chen Chien‐Yi , Lin Jye‐Bin
Published: December 2010

Taiwan was a hyperendemic area for hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection before 1980. The aim of this study was to examine the association between seropositivity of antibodies against HAV (anti‐HAV) by a community‐based survey. School children from 10 elementary and 3 junior high schools, as well as staff members who worked at the above schools in central Taiwan were selected at random in this study. Anti‐HAV was tested in sera of 1,954 healthy schoolchildren (aged 7–15 years old) and 254 teachers by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Schoolchildren had a low prevalence of anti‐HAV (2.3%) in contrast to the high seroprevalence in their teachers (52%). The seropositive rates of HAV antibody among the study subjects were increasing with age. No significant differences of anti‐HAV seroprevalence among the study subjects were observed when they were stratified by gender, geographical area, household members, and parental education. Whereas, the anti‐HAV seroprevalence was significantly higher in schoolchildren who were either aboriginal or living in areas without a supply of drinking tap‐water. The seroprevalence of HAV data among the healthy pediatric population would be helpful to evaluate the need for mass vaccination policies. J. Med. Virol. 83:196–200, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Surgical management of patients with insulinomas: Result of 292 cases in a single institution
Authors: Zhao Yu‐pei , Zhan Han‐xiang , Zhang Tai‐ping , Cong Lin , Dai Meng‐hua , Liao Quan , Cai Li‐xing
Published: December 2010

Background

Insulinoma is rare tumor with an incidence of approximately four cases per million per year. There are few large sample, single‐center series that focus on the surgical management strategy of insulinomas.

Patients and Methods

Medical records of patients diagnosed as insulinoma from 1990 to 2010 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital were reviewed retrospectively. Clinical data were collected and statistically analyzed.

Results

A total of 328 patients were diagnosed with insulinomas; 292 of them underwent 320 operations, which included 46 laparoscopic surgeries. Tumor enucleation was the most common operative procedure. Multiple tumors were found in 30 cases; 17 cases were multiple endocrine neoplasia‐1 syndrome. Thirteen patients with malignant insulinomas underwent tumor resection. Pancreatic fistula (PF) was the most frequent complication, and the incidence of clinical PFs (Grades B and C) was 14.4%. There was no significant statistical difference between open and laparoscopic surgery in blood loss, operative time, and complications. Metachronous tumors were noted in 11 patients.

Conclusion

Surgery is the best treatment of choice for insulinoma patients. Surgical approach depends on tumor size, location, and its pathological characters. Laparoscopic management of insulinomas is feasible and safe for tumors located in the body or tail of the pancreas. Open surgery combined with intraoperative ultrasonography is recommended to avoid omission of lesions in patients with multiple insulinomas. An aggressive surgical approach is indicated for malignant insulinoma patients. J. Surg. Oncol. 2011; 103:169–174. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Desmoplastic melanoma – the step‐child in the melanoma family?
Authors: Wasif Nabil , Gray Richard J. , Pockaj Barbara A.
Published: December 2010

Background and Objectives

Desmoplastic melanoma (DM) is a rare variant of cutaneous melanoma. Our goal was to study the surgical management of DM, identify prognostic factors, and impact of treatment options.

Methods

Patients with DM (n = 1,735) were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (1988–2006).

Results

The median age of the study population was 69 years and overall survival (OS) at 5 years 65%. DM was more common in males (65%), most commonly found on the head and neck (51%), and had a mean thickness of 2.97 mm. Patients undergoing a wide local excision (WLE; ≥1 cm) had improved 5‐year OS compared to a simple excision (<1 cm) or biopsy alone (67% vs. 60% vs. 45%, respectively, P < 0.001). Of 505 patients (29%) undergoing sentinel node biopsy (SLNB), only 14 (2.8%) were positive. Traditional prognostic factors such as Breslow thickness, nodal positivity, and ulceration did not predict survival. On multivariate analysis only adjuvant radiation therapy [HR 1.65 (95% CI 1.17–2.31)] and WLE correlated with survival [HR 0.47 (95% CI 0.32–0.69)].

Conclusions

Desmoplastic melanoma does not share traditional prognostic factors with the melanoma family. Surgical resection with wide margins is needed to optimize survival and routine SLNB may be unnecessary. J. Surg. Oncol. 2011; 103:158–162. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Surgical outcome of modified versus conventional parotidectomy in treatment of benign parotid tumors
Authors: Hegazy Mohamed Abdel Fattah , Nahas Waleed El , Roshdy Sameh
Published: December 2010

Background

Our proposed modified technique includes creating a posterior pedicle parotid gland fascia flap without separating the great auricular nerve branches through an aesthetic incision. This fascial flap is sutured back to the parotid bed creating a barrier of the aberrant regeneration of sympathetic fibers thus, theoretically, decreasing the incidence of Frey's syndrome.

Patients and methods

Superficial parotidectomy for benign parotid neoplasms was carried out using either the conventional (Group 1) or modified (Group 2) technique. Outcomes of the two groups were reviewed. Both techniques were compared for the cosmetic outcome, great auricular nerve anesthesia, and the incidence of Frey's syndrome.

Results

The incision in the modified group was more cosmetic both subjectively and objectively. Postoperatively, transient numbness was reported by 21% of cases in the modified group. In the control group, transient sensory deficit was complained by all cases. Fourteen patients restored sensation completely within 2 years after surgery. The incidence of subjective Frey's syndrome was significantly lower in the modified group. Objectively, on starch iodine test, the incidence of Frey's syndrome was higher in both groups.

Conclusion

In selected cases of benign parotid neoplasm, modified parotidectomy is an effective technique in improving the outcome of the procedure. J. Surg. Oncol. 2011; 103:163–168. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Analysis of DNA copy number aberrations by multiple ligation‐dependent probe amplification on 50 intestinal type gastric cancers
Authors: Zhang Dai , Wang Zhenning , Luo Yang , Xu Yan , Liu Yanshan , Yang Wei , Zhang Xue
Published: December 2010

Background and Objectives

The molecular genetic alterations leading to gastric malignancy are largely unknown. This study aimed to unravel the genomic DNA copy number aberrations (CNAs) profile during gastric tumorigenesis.

Methods

In this study, we performed genomic profiling in a set of 50 intestinal type gastric carcinomas by a PCR‐based relative quantification method, multiple ligation‐dependent probe amplification (MLPA) with 112 cancer‐related gene loci selected throughout each human chromosome as probes of MLPA assay.

Results

Numerous chromosomal DNA CNAs, including gains of 3p22, 4q25, 8q24, 11p13, and 20q13, and losses of 1p36 and 9p21, were identified by MLPA assay as recurrent DNA CNAs in gastric cancer. Moreover, we found the median numbers of gains, losses, and total CNAs were significantly higher in lymph node metastasis positive patients than in cases without metastasis. And gain of 11p13 and losses of 9p21.3, 11q13.3, 17q25.3, and 22q11.23 were associated with lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05). Finally, two major groups, including G1 + 2 with a large number of CNAs and G3 + 4 with a small number of CNAs, can be successfully distinguished by hierarchical cluster analysis.

Conclusions

Our results proved MLPA is a reliable and efficient method to evaluate DNA copy number changes in gastric cancers. J. Surg. Oncol. 2011; 103:124–132. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Outcome of re‐excision for intralesionally treated parosteal osteosarcoma
Authors: Song Won Seok , Jeon Dae‐Geun , Kong Chang‐Bae , Cho Wan Hyeong , Lee Soo‐Yong
Published: December 2010

Background

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the risk of subsequent local recurrence (LR) and survival of parosteal osteosarcoma (POS) patients who underwent re‐excision after intralesional excision.

Methods

We analyzed clinical outcomes of 11 POS patients referred after intralesional excision. Average follow‐up was 86 months (range: 37–190 months). There were 9 Stage IB lesions and 2 Stage IIB lesions. Tumors were located in the femur (3) and in other locations (8). Seven patients showing recurrent tumor at referral received entire segmental excision while remaining four patients without LR underwent hemi‐cortical excision.

Results

The 5‐year metastasis free survival rate of 11 patients was 81.8%. Patients without evident tumor mass did not show further recurrence after re‐excision. However, 5 (71.4%) of the 7 patients with recurrent tumor relapsed despite segmental re‐excision, and their median interval to subsequent LR was 18.8 months (range: 4–9 months). Two of five patients with re‐recurrence developed metastases which were unresponsive to chemotherapy.

Conclusions

Following inadvertent intralesional procedure, re‐excision should be liberally applied before there is an evidence of recurrence. In patients presenting with gross LR, amputation should not be spared unless wide surgical margin can be achieved. J. Surg. Oncol. 2011; 103:264–268. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Expression of tissue levels of matrix metalloproteinases and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases in gastric adenocarcinoma
Authors: Zhang Ming , Zhu Guan‐Yu , Gao Hong‐Yu , Zhao Shu‐Peng , Xue Yingwei
Published: December 2010

Background and Objectives

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are one of the major classes of proteolytic enzymes involved in tumor invasion and metastasis, being inhibited by naturally occurring tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). We examined mRNA expression for MMP‐2, MMP‐7, MMP‐9, MT1‐MMP, TIMP‐1, and TIMP‐2 in human gastric adenocarcinoma tissues, and the correlation between their expression and clinicopathological variables.

Methods

Gastric tissue samples from 72 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma were available for this study. To determine mRNA expression for MMP‐2, MMP‐7, MMP‐9, MT1‐MMP, TIMP‐1, and TIMP‐2, semiquantitative reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) was carried out on tumor and normal tissues, respectively.

Results

Mean MMP‐2, MMP‐7, MMP‐9, MT1‐MMP, TIMP‐1, and TIMP‐2 mRNA expression in the gastric adenocarcinomas was significantly higher than in the normal tissue. In terms of the invasion of the tumor, lymph node metastasis, and tumor stage of gastric adenocarcinoma, the differences in MMP‐2, MMP‐7, MMP‐9, and MT1‐MMP mRNA expression levels were significant. MMP‐2, MMP‐7, MMP‐9, MT1‐MMP, TIMP‐1, and TIMP‐2 mRNA expression did not differ significantly in relation to histological type of gastric adenocarcinoma.

Conclusion

The correlation between the increased expression of MMP‐2, MMP‐7, MMP‐9, and MTI‐MMP and clinicopathological parameters reflects a role in predicting the aggressive behavior of gastric cancer. J. Surg. Oncol. 2011; 103:243–247. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Lymph node ratio as determined by the 7th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system predicts survival in stage III colon cancer
Authors: Hong Kwang Dae , Lee Sun Il , Moon Hong Young
Published: December 2010

Background and Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic usefulness of the lymph node ratio (LNR) in stage III colon cancer using the 7th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system.

Method

We analyzed data from 130 consecutive patients with stage III colon cancer. Kaplan–Meier and Cox proportional hazard model analyses were used to evaluate prognostic effects.

Results

Quartile analysis indicated that an LNR of 0.1638 was the best cut‐off value with regard to predicting disease‐free survival (DFS). Six patients had stage IIIA disease, 102 patients had stage IIIB disease, and 22 patients had stage IIIC disease. For patients with stage IIIB disease, the 3‐year DFS for an LNR of <0.1638 (N = 87) and an LNR of ≥0.1638 (N = 15) was 79.0% and 50.0%, respectively (P = 0.015). For patients with stage IIIC disease, the 3‐year DFS for an LNR of <0.1638 (N = 6) and an LNR of ≥0.1638 (N = 16) was 100% and 28.6%, respectively (P = 0.03).

Conclusions

The authors found that 7th AJCC stage IIIB and stage IIIC patients are heterogeneous groups with respect to DFS, when stratified by LNR, and suggest that an LNR‐based algorithm be devised for incorporation into the 7th AJCC staging system. J. Surg. Oncol. 2011; 103:406–410. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Gold‐Nanoparticle‐ and Gold‐Nanoshell‐Induced Polymorphism in Poly(vinylidene fluoride)
Authors: Wang Wei , Zhang Shishan , Srisombat La‐ongnuan , Lee T. Randall , Advincula Rigoberto C.
Published: December 2010

PVDF nanocomposites are prepared through solution mixing of Au‐NPs or Au‐NSs with PVDF. The novel optical properties of Au‐NPs and ‐NSs are retained as confirmed from UV‐Vis spectra. Analysis of resulting nanocomposites by FT‐IR, XRD, and DSC shows an obvious polymorphism change from α‐ to β‐form compared to PVDF prepared under the same conditions. The β‐polymorph seems to be more prominent with higher concentration of Au‐NPs (0.5%) and even more so with Au‐NSs. Thermogravimetric analysis shows that both nanocomposites have better resistance toward thermal degradation. Combination of novel optical properties of Au‐NPs or Au‐NSs with induced ferroelectric‐active β‐polymorph in PVDF can lead to new design of optical, piezoelectric devices.

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Forming of Protein Bubbles and Porous Films Using Co‐Axial Electrohydrodynamic Flow Processing
Authors: Ekemen Zeynep , Ahmad Zeeshan , Edirisinghe Mohan , Stride Eleanor
Published: December 2010

Air and 5 wt.‐% BSA solution are used as a model system to generate protein‐coated microbubbles, which are significantly smaller in diameter than the processing needle apertures. The effects of processing parameters (applied voltage and flow rate) on the bubble size distribution and stability are studied. The optimal processing conditions are also explored in terms of heating of the solutions and prepared structures. Both individual microbubbles and porous films were successfully prepared using this method which has significant potential for the preparation of microbubbles for drug delivery systems, porous coatings, thin films, scaffolds and ultrasound contrast agents. The versatile nature of the method implies that many macromolecules and other active agents can be used.

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Synthesis of a Novel Glycopeptide by Polymeranalogous Reaction of Gelatin with Mono‐6‐para‐toluenesulfonyl‐β‐cyclodextrin and its Supramolecular Properties
Authors: Bernert Dominika B. , Isenbügel Kathrin , Ritter Helmut
Published: December 2010

A synthetic model glycoprotein was successfully synthesized using gelatin and mono‐6‐para‐toluenesulfonyl‐β‐cyclodextrin which were reacted under microwave conditions in basic media. The resulting glycoprotein is observed to form intermolecular inclusion complexes through complexation of the aromatic moieties along the polymer chain by the attached cyclodextrins. This phenomenon was analyzed and proven by 2D NMR spectroscopy (ROESY) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Above the denaturation temperature, a strong increase of the hydrodynamic diameter was found due to enhanced supramolecular agglomeration. Such a novel glycoprotein with supramolecular self‐recognition would be promising in biomedical applications serving as a drug‐delivery basis polymer.

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Compression and expansion in graphs using overlays
Authors: Khan Bilal , Bhutani Kiran R.
Published: December 2010

In this article, we describe how to construct physical computer network topologies, which can support the establishment of overlays that reduce or increase the distances between nodes. Reducing pairwise distances (i.e., compression) implies that the overlay enjoys significantly lower inter‐node latencies compared to the ambient physical network; such an overlay can be used to implement a “high‐performance mode” for disaster situations in which network responsiveness is of critical importance. On the other hand, increasing pairwise distances (i.e., expansion) implies that the overlay exhibits significantly higher internode latencies compared to the ambient physical network; such an overlay can be used to implement a brief “dilated state” in networks that have been infected by a malicious worm, where slowing down the infection spread allows greater time for antidote generation. We show that it is possible to design physical networks which support overlays whose logical link bandwidth is equal to the physical link bandwidth while providing arbitrarily high compression or expansion. We also show that it is possible to “grow” such networks over time in a scalable way, that is to say, it is possible to retain the compression/expansion properties while augmenting the network with new nodes, by making relatively small adjustments to the physical and overlay network structure. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, Vol. 58(1), 36–42 2011
Resource allocation by means of project networks: Complexity results
Authors: Roel Leus R.
Published: December 2010

This article examines the complexity of resource‐allocation decisions for resource‐constrained project scheduling. The allocation decisions are modeled by means of precedence networks and are closely related to ES‐policies, which are a type of scheduling policies introduced for stochastic scheduling. We find that even a number of ‘surrogate’ objective functions, whose use has recently been proposed by multiple sources, lead to hard problems. Our results confirm that resource allocation is difficult even when objective‐function evaluation by itself is not intractable. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, Vol. 58(1), 59–67 2011
The most likely path on series‐parallel networks
Authors: Reich Daniel , Lopes Leo
Published: December 2010

In this article, we present a stochastic shortest path problem that we refer to as the Most Likely Path Problem (MLPP). We demonstrate that optimal solutions to the MLPP are not composed of optimal subpaths, which limits the computational tractability of exact solution methods. On series‐parallel networks, we produce analytical bounds for the MLPP's optimality indices, the probabilities of given paths in the network being shortest, and compute these bounds efficiently via numerical integration. These bounds can also be used independently of the MLPP to gain further understanding for paths of interest that are identified by other stochastic shortest path frameworks, e.g., robust shortest paths or expected shortest paths. Additionally, we present a heuristic method that uses dynamic programming and ordinal optimization to identify an MLP on series‐parallel networks. Our computational study shows our bounds to be tight in a majority of test networks and shows our heuristic to be both efficient and highly accurate for identifying an MLP in all test networks. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, Vol. 58(1), 68–80 2011
On minimum reload cost paths, tours, and flows
Authors: Amaldi Edoardo , Galbiati Giulia , Maffioli Francesco
Published: December 2010

The concept of reload cost, that is of a cost incurred when two consecutive arcs along a path are of different types, naturally arises in a variety of applications related to transportation, telecommunication, and energy networks. Previous work on reload costs is devoted to the problem of finding a spanning tree of minimum reload cost diameter (with no arc costs) or of minimum reload cost. In this article, we investigate the complexity and approximability of the problems of finding optimum paths, tours, and flows under a general cost model including reload costs as well as regular arc costs. Some of these problems, such as shortest paths and minimum cost flows, turn out to be polynomially solvable while others, such as minimum shortest path tree and minimum unsplittable multicommodity flows, are NP‐hard to approximate within any polynomial‐time computable function. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, Vol. 57(3), 254–260 2011
Combinatorial algorithms for inverse absolute and vertex 1‐center location problems on trees
Authors: Alizadeh Behrooz , Burkard R.E.
Published: December 2010

In an inverse network absolute (or vertex) 1 ‐center location problem the parameters of a given network, like edge lengths or vertex weights, have to be modified at minimum total cost such that a prespecified vertex s becomes an absolute (or a vertex) 1 ‐center of the network. In this article, the inverse absolute and vertex 1 ‐center location problems on unweighted trees with n + 1 vertices are considered where the edge lengths can be changed within certain bounds. For solving these problems, a fast method is developed for reducing the height of one tree and increasing the height of a second tree under minimum cost until the heights of both trees become equal. Using this result, a combinatorial O(n2) time algorithm is stated for the inverse absolute 1‐center location problem in which no topology change occurs. If topology changes are allowed, an O(n2r) time algorithm solves the problem where r, r < n, is the compressed depth of the tree network T rooted in s. Finally, the inverse vertex 1 ‐center problem with edge length modifications is solved on T. If all edge lengths remain positive, this problem can be solved within the improved O(n2) time complexity by balancing the height of two trees. In the general case, one gets the improved O(n2r
v) time complexity where the parameter rv is bounded by n. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, Vol. 58(3), 190–200 2011
Immature platelet count: A simple parameter for distinguishing thrombocytopenia in pediatric acute lymphocytic leukemia from immune thrombocytopenia
Authors: Strauß Gabriele , Vollert Cora , von Stackelberg Arend , Weimann Andreas , Gaedicke Gerhard , Schulze Harald
Published: December 2010

Background

Platelet counts below normal values define thrombocytopenia. However, platelet counts alone do not reveal the underlying pathomechanism. New blood cell counters provide additional information on platelet size and volume, and enable the distinction of sub‐populations. In this preliminary study, we evaluate whether one of these markers can be used for diagnosis of isolated thrombocytopenia in children.

Procedure

We provide normal values for mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), plateletcrit (PCT), platelet large cell ratio (P‐LCR), platelet mean‐frequent volume (P‐MFV), relative immature platelet fraction (IPF%), and absolute IPF (IPF#) for 100 healthy children and analyzed 87 children with thrombocytopenia.

Results

In children with platelet production defects, IPF% was low, while in acute immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), IPF% was markedly increased (median 25.2%, P < 0.01), representing accelerated platelet turnover. Interestingly, children diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) also had elevated IPF% (median 10%, P < 0.01), suggesting that thrombopoiesis is stimulated despite virtual absence of bone marrow progenitors. Low IPF# was only found in patients with acute ITP.

Conclusions

IPF% is a marker for thrombocytopenia due to defective platelet production while IPF#, representing the immature platelet count, might become a practical parameter to distinguish acute ITP from thrombocytopenia in children with newly diagnosed ALL (P < 0.01). Pediatr Blood Cancer 2011; 57: 641–647. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Gorham's disease and diffuse lymphangiomatosis in children and adolescents
Authors: Venkatramani Rajkumar , Ma Nina S. , Pitukcheewanont Pisit , Malogolowkin Marcio H. , Mascarenhas Leo
Published: December 2010

Gorham's disease is a rare disorder of unknown etiology and variable clinical presentation that is characterized by proliferation of thin‐walled vascular channels resulting in destruction and resorption of osseous matrix. The condition is frequently under recognized or misdiagnosed. There is no standard treatment defined for this disease. Here we report on eight children diagnosed with Gorham's disease at our institution over a ten‐year period. Soft tissue lymphangioma was present in seven and six children had splenic involvement. Disease stabilization and improvement was observed on treatment with interferon alpha‐2b and bisphosphonate therapy. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2011;56:667–670. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Continuous Crystallization of Submicrometer Energetic Compounds
Authors: Spitzer Denis , Baras Christian , Schäfer Michael Richard , Ciszek Fabrice , Siegert Benny
Published: December 2010

This study introduces the conception of an apparatus to crystallize continuously nanosized explosive or more generally nanosized organic materials. These materials can be elaborated in pure state or in form of mixtures of energetic and inert materials. The installation can produce nano‐RDX or nano‐PETN from 1 to 10 g h−1 using a reactor containing one ultrasonic piezoelectric transducer.

The present study describes the different parameters which influence the crystallization process. It presents first results of the parametric study of the influence of these parameters. The most important parameters which were already identified are the frequency of the ultrasonic piezoelectric transducer, the nature of the solvent, the liquid level in the reactor, the temperatures in the system, and the passing time of the aerosol droplets in the oven.
Isolation, kinetic analysis, and structural characterization of an antibody targeting the Bacillus anthracis major spore surface protein BclA
Authors: Nuttall Stewart D. , Wilkins Michelle L. , Streltsov Victor A. , Pontes‐Braz Luisa , Dolezal Olan , Tran Hung , Liu Chun‐Qiang
Published: December 2010

One method of laboratory‐ or field‐based testing for anthrax is detection of Bacillus anthracis spores by high‐affinity, high specificity binding reagents. From a pool of monoclonal antibodies, we selected one such candidate (A4D11) with high affinity for tBclA, a truncated version of the B. anthracis exosporium protein BclA. Kinetic analysis utilising both standard and kinetic titration on a Biacore biosensor indicated antibody affinities in the 300 pM range for recombinant tBclA, and the A4D11 antibody was also re‐formatted into scFv configuration with no loss of affinity. However, assays against B. anthracis and related Bacilli species showed limited binding of intact spores as well as significant cross‐reactivity between species. These results were rationalized by determination of the three‐dimensional crystallographic structure of the scFv‐tBclA complex. A4D11 binds the side of the tBclA trimer, contacting a face of the antigen normally packed against adjacent trimers within the exosporium structure; this inter‐spore interface is highly conserved between Bacilli species. Our results indicate the difficulty of generating a high‐affinity antibody to differentiate between the highly conserved spore structures of closely related species, but suggest the possibility of future structure‐based antibody design for this difficult target. Proteins 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Comparison of TNO multienergy and Baker–Strehlow–Tang models
Authors: Sari Ali
Published: December 2010

Vapor cloud explosions (VCEs) cause considerable problems in the chemical and petrochemical industries. They generate damaging levels of overpressure and the possibility of human injury/death, and building/equipment damage. Predicting the possible consequences of VCEs is important to ensure the safe design of existing and new structures. Prediction of the overpressures resulting from a VCE is typically done using simplified (empirical) models, phenomenological models, and computational fluid dynamics models. The focus of this article is on two of the most frequently used simplified prediction methods: TNO multienergy and Baker–Strehlow–Tang models. These models are compared in terms of structural response and vulnerability of damage caused by an explosion. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2011
Learning from events: Major process safety incidents from waste water in process chemical plants, or take care of your waste water or it will take care of you
Authors: Lambert Paul G. , Woodward John L.
Published: December 2010

Most, if not all, chemical plants generate waste water from their processes. This waste water is often pretreated and then disposed to water courses as agreed with the appropriate authorities. The focus of attention has usually been on the environmental hazards of waste water. This article illustrates that process safety hazard from waste water treatment can also pose significant risks.

Five serious events are described associated with the pretreatment, storage, reuse, or treatment of waste water from chemical production. They are from three different countries and from a variety of businesses. These include one detonation, a confined vapor cloud explosion, an overpressure from gas evolution and one thermal runaway and fire. Significantly, often waste water sumps span an entire plant and have developed explosions over extensive areas. The article describes the events, lessons learned and some methods and procedures that can be used minimize the risks. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2011
A full‐scale experimental and modeling investigation of dust explosions in a roller mill
Authors: van Wingerden Kees , Pedersen Geir , Wilkins Brian , Berg Mogens , Findsen Nielsen Niels Otto
Published: December 2010

Combustion of biomass is becoming an increasingly important energy source. This is especially true for wood pellets, as several power companies have decided to use this fuel instead of coal. In this process, the wood pellets are ground in big mills and, from there, pneumatically transported to the burners in the boiler where they are consumed. The grinding of biomass and coal represents an explosion hazard, which can potentially result in considerable damage to the power plant upon propagation of the explosion from the mill into other parts of the installation.

An experimental investigation was performed aiming at understanding explosion loads that can occur due to an accidental dust explosion in a mill under realistic operating conditions. The tests were performed in a roller mill (capacity 36 metric tons coal/h; internal volume 23.2 m3) connected to a coal feeder located on top of the mill.

Test conditions were predefined using the computational fluid dynamic‐based dust explosion simulation tool DESC. DESC was used to estimate the flow conditions inside the roller mill during normal operating conditions. In the full‐scale tests, these flow conditions have been simulated injecting the dust pneumatically.

In total, 25 tests were performed, and a number of parameters were varied, including dust type (wood dust and coal dust), dust concentration, and dust cloud location. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2011
Anodic TiO2‐based porous photonic films
Authors: Cheng Jian‐Wen , Tsang Chun Kwan , Cheng Hua , Liang Fengxia , Li Yang Yang
Published: December 2010

We here report using the convenient anodization method to fabricate colored porous TiO2 films. The photonic color of the fabricated TiO2 film originates from the Fabry–Pérot interference phenomena. By adjusting the parameters of the anodization process, TiO2 films with different colors are obtained. The fabricated TiO2 photonic film is mesoporous and is capable of optical sensing as illustrated by the change of its optical response upon exposure to ethanol vapor.

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Development and optimization of scanning spreading resistance microscopy for measuring the two‐dimensional carrier profile in solar cell structures
Authors: Eyben Pierre , Seidel Felix , Hantschel Thomas , Schulze Andreas , Lorenz Anne , De Castro Angel Uruena , Van Gestel Dries , John Joachim , Horzel Joerg , Vandervorst Wilfried
Published: December 2010

Within this work, we have explored the use of scanning spreading resistance microscopy (SSRM) on advanced solar cell structures. Three main topics, corresponding to three important needs, were targeted. First, we have analyzed the highly doped regions at the frontside of solar cells. The influence of the surface roughness, hindering the use of other techniques (e.g., secondary ion mass spectrometry, SIMS), and the phosphorus diffusion along grains for multicrystalline silicon (mc‐Si) have been studied quantitatively as they may affect substantially the electrical properties of solar cells.

Secondly, we have explored local backside contacts manufactured using new techniques like laser ablation followed by dopant diffusion. Having a better knowledge of the two‐dimensional (2D)‐dopant distribution is a subject of growing interest. Finally, we have studied electrical properties of grain‐boundary and intragrain defects in polycrystalline silicon (pc‐Si) layers as they may play a major role in the electrical performances of the solar cells.
Si and Si‐Ge wires for thermoelectrics
Authors: Druzhinin Anatoly , Ostrovskii Igor , Kogut Iurii , Nichkalo Stepan , Shkumbatyuk Taras
Published: December 2010

In this paper thermal conductivity of boron‐doped Si and SiGe (3‐5 at.% of germanium) whiskers has been measured by means of slightly modified 3ω ‐method in the range of 290‐400 K. We have shown that obtained thermal conductivity temperature dependence of micron‐scale whiskers agrees well with expected for bulk Si and SiGe with 3 to 5% of Ge content and at room temperature is equal to 150 and 100 Wm‐1K‐1respectively, which evidences the reliability of proposed modification of 3ω ‐method. Prospects of possible thermoelectric application of nanoscaled SiGe solid solutions have been considered. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Back contact formation for p‐type based a‐Si:H/c‐Si heterojunction solar cells
Authors: Tucci Mario , Serenelli Luca , De Iuliis Simona , Izzi Massimo , De Cesare Giampiero , Caputo Domenico
Published: December 2010

Even if p‐type silicon is a more common PV material, heterojunction solar cells on p‐type c‐Si are less popular than on n‐type. In turn, it has been difficult to achieve high efficiency with double‐sided heterojunction with intrinsic thin layer structure on p‐type c‐Si. The double‐sided silicon heterojunction solar cell is more appropriate for n‐type crystalline silicon wafers than for p‐type c‐Si ones because of larger band offset at the valence band edge between the amorphous and crystalline semiconductors with respect to the conduction band edge. Indeed, it represents a large barrier for majority carrier holes flowing through to the back contact. In turn at the backside, the small conduction band offset provides a much less effective mirror for the minority carrier electrons. We have found an alternative way to obtain a quasi‐ohmic contact promoting the formation of a CrSi film on top of p‐a‐Si:H layer. This reduces the problem of low p‐a‐Si:H doping value and the high activation energy, leading to a better carrier collection. In this work we present a detailed investigation of the p‐c‐Si/i‐a‐Si:H/p‐a‐Si:H contact, comparing the experimental transport measurements with numerical model of the stacked structure. We verify the effectiveness of p‐c‐Si/i‐a‐Si:H/p‐a‐Si:H as back side contact on the heterojunction solar cell performances. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Chemical synthesis of silver nanoparticles for solar cell applications
Authors: Bonsak Jack , Mayandi Jeyanthinath , Thøgersen Annett , Stensrud Marstein Erik , Mahalingam Umadevi
Published: December 2010

A novel approach to fabricate silver nanoparticles for light trapping applications in silicon based solar cells has been demonstrated. Silver nanoparticles of various sizes have been synthesized by chemical reduction reactions. The particle size in the colloidal solutions was varied by using two different reducing compounds in addition to altering the compositions of the mixtures. In the present work, deposition of the silver nanoparticles onto a conventional bulk silicon solar cell shows an increase in the quantum efficiency at longer wavelengths, indicating the utilization of incident radiation that is normally lost in poor absorbing silicon (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Confined growth of silicon nanowires as a possible process for third generation solar cells
Authors: Buttard Denis , Dupré Ludovic , Bernardin Thomas , Zelsmann Marc , Peyrade David , Gentile Pascal
Published: December 2010

A generic method for the growth of high density silicon nanowires in nano channels of alumina is presented. All fabrication steps are shown. Using nanoimprint lithography, fabricated porous alumina matrices present a perfect triangular array of vertical cylindrical pores. The gold catalyst was deposited at the bottom of the pores by an electrochemical way and catalytic growth of silicon nanowires was performed in a Chemical‐Vapour‐Deposition reactor. Scanning Electron Microscopy images are presented and detailed. We show that this system is the first step for the elaboration of a solar cell based on silicon core‐shell nanowires. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Standard‐free composition measurements of Alx In1–xN by low‐loss electron energy loss spectroscopy
Authors: Palisaitis Justinas , Hsiao Ching‐Lien , Junaid Muhammad , Xie Mengyao , Darakchieva Vanya , Carlin Jean‐Francois , Grandjean Nicolas , Birch Jens , Hultman Lars , Persson Per O. Å.
Published: December 2010

We demonstrate a standard‐free method to retrieve compositional information in Alx In1–xN thin films by measuring the bulk plasmon energy (Ep), employing electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) in a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM). Two series of samples were grown by magnetron sputter epitaxy (MSE) and metal organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE), which together cover the full com‐ positional range 0 ≤ x ≤ 1. Complementary compositional measurements were obtained using Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) and the lattice parameters were obtained by X‐ray diffraction (XRD). It is shown that Ep follows a linear relation with respect to composition and lattice parameter between the alloying elements from AlN to InN allowing for straightforward compositional analysis. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Beobot 2.0: Cluster architecture for mobile robotics
Authors: Siagian Christian , Chang Chin‐Kai , Voorhies Randolph , Itti Laurent
Published: December 2010

With the recent proliferation of robust but computationally demanding robotic algorithms, there is now a need for a mobile robot platform equipped with powerful computing facilities. In this paper, we present the design and implementation of Beobot 2.0, an affordable research‐level mobile robot equipped with a cluster of 16 2.2‐GHz processing cores. Beobot 2.0 uses compact Computer on Module (COM) processors with modest power requirements, thus accommodating various robot design constraints while still satisfying the requirement for computationally intensive algorithms. We discuss issues involved in utilizing multiple COM Express modules on a mobile platform, such as interprocessor communication, power consumption, cooling, and protection from shocks, vibrations, and other environmental hazards such as dust and moisture. We have applied Beobot 2.0 to the following computationally demanding tasks: laser‐based robot navigation, scale‐invariant feature transform (SIFT) object recognition, finding objects in a cluttered scene using visual saliency, and vision‐based localization, wherein the robot has to identify landmarks from a large database of images in a timely manner. For the last task, we tested the localization system in three large‐scale outdoor environments, which provide 3,583, 6,006, and 8,823 test frames, respectively. The localization errors for the three environments were 1.26, 2.38, and 4.08 m, respectively. The per‐frame processing times were 421.45, 794.31, and 884.74 ms respectively, representing speedup factors of 2.80, 3.00, and 3.58 when compared to a single dual‐core computer performing localization. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Development and Characterization of Novel Corrosion‐Resistant TWIP Steels
Authors: Mujica Lais , Weber Sebastian , Hunold Guido , Theisen Werner
Published: December 2010

Austenitic steels exhibiting twinning induced plasticity (TWIP) are materials with exceptional mechanical properties. In this work, the development of new grades of TWIP steels exhibiting corrosion resistance is presented. The alloy development was supported by thermodynamic and diffusion calculations within the (FeMnCr)‐(CN) alloy system. For the calculations ambient pressure and primary austenitic solidification were considered as necessary to avoid nitrogen degassing in all processing steps. Manganese is used as an austenite stabilizer, chromium to increase nitrogen solubility and provide corrosion resistance, while carbon and nitrogen provide mechanical strength. Diffusion calculations were used in order to predict the extent of micro segregations and additionally to evaluate the effect of diffusion annealing treatments. The material was cast in a laboratory scale with a nominal composition of Fe‐20Mn‐12Cr‐0.25C‐0.3N. Diffusion annealing was followed by hot rolling and solution annealing resulting in a fully austenitic microstructure. Tensile tests at room temperature were performed, exhibiting yield strengths of 430 MPa and elongation to fracture of 93%. In addition, not only the mechanical properties but also the weldability was studied, focussing on the characterization of the microstructure of bead on plate welds obtained by laser and TIG welding.
Experimental Investigations on Topological Surface Changes during Tensile Deformation of Steels
Authors: Hoffmann Sascha , Bleck Wolfgang
Published: December 2010

Steels show different types of deformation mechanisms. Those mechanisms inherit different geometrical influences on the shape of grains on the materials surface and lead to changes in surface topography during deformation. Within the Collaborative Research Center SFB 761 – Steel Ab Initio a way of strain dependent microstructure characterization concerning deformation mechanisms of austenitic high manganese steels is evaluated. With the measurement of a polished surface with confocal microscopy it is possible to observe not only the macroscopic visible orange peel, but also the effects that occur on grain size level during deformation. In a practical approach in‐situ measurements of surface topography are performed in incremental strain steps during tensile test. Each measurement delivers the evolution of surface roughness as well as information on the surface topography of single grains in a representative measurement area. The results of in situ confocal microscopy of 3 different steel concepts are presented and evaluated regarding the relevance of the technique for the deformation characterization.
Stress Oriented Delayed Cracking Induced by Dynamic Martensitic Transformation in Meta‐Stable Austenitic Stainless Steels
Authors: Guo Xiaofei , Post Jan , Groen Manso , Bleck Wolfgang
Published: December 2010

Delayed cracking in meta‐stable austenitic stainless steels AISI 304 and AISI 301 has been investigated by deep drawing test in this study. Specimens from both steels were deformed at different drawing ratios, forming temperatures and hydrogen pre‐charged conditions. The strain, martensitic fraction and residual stress distributions were characterised on the deep drawn specimens. Their influences on delayed cracking behaviours were quantitatively studied. We found that the incubation time to fracture and the fracture length depend chiefly on the amount of strain induced phase transformation and transformation induced residual stresses when the materials contain ∼1ppm hydrogen. When the materials were electrochemically charged with hydrogen up to the amount of 20ppm, the incubation time to fracture declined with increasing hydrogen contents following a power law relation. Besides, the fracture mode turned from a ductile nature to trans‐granular and later on to inter‐granular fracture feature with increasing hydrogen contents.
Adoption of the response spectra method for calculating the dynamic response of railway bridges
Authors: Mähr Tobias , Fink Josef
Published: December 2010

This paper introduces a simplified method for calculating the dynamic response of railway bridges under train service loads. Response spectrum analysis, which has proved itself in structural dynamics, has been adopted for the given problem. If essential parameters such as the natural frequency, mass, span and damping of a bridge are known, the maximum response quantities can be looked up in a diagram. Preparation of the response spectra diagrams is computationally intensive but they do provide an easy and quick way of obtaining accurate results. This method is exemplified for single‐span bridges and the load models defined in the Eurocode. However, it is possible to expand the theory to more complex bridge systems and other load models without difficulty. With the aid of this method, the maximum dynamic response of a bridge under moving loads can be calculated in an efficient and convenient way with the accuracy required by the current design codes.