bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Coupled‐fed small‐size PIFA for penta‐band folder‐type mobile phone application
Authors: Chang Chih‐Hua , Wong Kin‐Lu , Row Jeen‐Sheen
Published: November 2008

A small‐size planar inverted‐F antennas (PIFA) for penta‐band operation in the folder‐type mobile phone is presented. The PIFA occupies a small volume of 2.1 cm3 only. Instead of using the conventional direct contact feed, the proposed PIFA uses a coupling feed, which allows the antenna in its open state or talk condition to generate a dual‐resonance lower band of bandwidth 300 MHz (780–1080 MHz, 3:1 VSWR or 6‐dB return loss) to cover GSM850/900 operation. In addition, the PIFA can also generate a very wide upper band of bandwidth 925 MHz (1368–2293 MHz) to cover GSM1800/1900/UMTS operation. When the mobile phone is in its close state or standby condition, the obtained lower and upper bands can still cover GSM850/900/1800/1900/UMTS penta‐band operation with impedance matching better than 6:1 VSWR or 3‐dB return loss, which is acceptable for the mobile phone in standby condition for practical applications. Details of the proposed PIFA and the obtained results are presented. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 51: 18–23, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.23980
Reconfigurable circularly polarized microstrip antenna with dual‐frequency operation
Authors: Han Tuan‐Yung , Tseng Lin‐Yu
Published: November 2008

A circularly polarized (CP) microstrip antenna with dual‐frequency operation is presented. The proposed antenna has a square radiating patch with four shorting pins, and it is excited by an L‐shaped strip through the coupling of a ring‐slot in the ground plane. Five PIN diodes are attached to the proposed antenna, and the ability to reconfigure the CP performances is achieved by switching these diodes in certain sequences. The measured results demonstrated that the proposed dual‐frequency antenna is able to operate with a small frequency ratio radiating in the same polarization. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 51: 29–32, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.23987
A simple smart composite using fiber Bragg grating sensors for strain and temperature discrimination
Authors: Frazão O. , Oliveira R. , Dias I.
Published: November 2008

A smart laminated composite with a simple geometry was produced with embedded fiber Bragg grating sensors. The smart structure is composed of two Bragg gratings located in regions of different thicknesses of the laminated composite. Although one of the Bragg gratings is embedded between two layers, the other is embedded in four layers. When the strain is applied to the smart composite, different response is obtained. Because of this characteristic it is possible to discriminate strain and temperature using a traditional matrix method. To reduce the inherent error, an artificial neural network approach is proposed that will improve the strain and temperature measurement discrimination when using this new configuration. These instrumented carbon fiber laminates can be used for monitoring of reinforcement and protection of structures. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 51: 235–239, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.23990
Novel microstrip lowpass filter using stepped impedance resonator and spurline resonator
Authors: Li Lingyu , Liu Haiwen , Teng Baohua , Shi Zhiguo , Li Wenming , Li Xiaohua , Wang Shuxin
Published: November 2008

A novel low‐pass filter (LPF) is introduced in this article. The filter consists of a pair of feed lines with spurline resonators and a compact step impedance hairpin resonator. Because of the use of spurline resonators, the LPF exhibits better stopband characteristics and improved ripples performances. The proposed microstrip filter was examined, simulated, and measured. Measurements are given and a good agreement is achieved between simulated and measured results. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 51: 196–197, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.23993
Tunable bandstop filter‐based defected ground structure using a metal plate
Authors: Sung Yongje
Published: November 2008

To obtain the electromagnetic bandgap structure with a wide stopband, this article presents a novel approach for realizing a tunable bandstop filter using defected ground structure (DGS) section. To change the rejection band of DGS section, a movable conducting plate is applied in parallel over an H‐shaped defect on the ground plane. The measured results show that the proposed bandstop filter with one cell etched hole has a 30 dB rejection bandwidth of 27.96%, whereas a conventional DGS section of the same dimension has a 30 dB rejection bandwidth of below 1%. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 51: 160–163, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.23995
Microwave multi‐level band‐pass filter using discrete‐time Yule‐Walker method
Authors: Hsue Ching‐Wen , Hsu Jer‐Wei , Chen Yen‐Jen , Chen Kuo‐Lung
Published: November 2008

The modified Yule‐Walker scheme is employed to define arbitrary transmission scattering parameter of a multiple‐level band‐pass filter in the discrete‐time domain. Equal‐length microstrips including single‐ and double‐section stubs are used to implement the multiple‐level band‐pass filter. Experimental results are presented to illustrate the validity of this design method. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 51: 225–229, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24006
Human pericardial fluid at microwave frequencies
Authors: Lonappan Anil , Paul Benzy , Thimothy V. O. , Rajasekaran C. , Thomas Vinu , Jacob Joe , Mathew K. T.
Published: November 2008

This article reports a new method of analyzing pericardial fluid based on the measurement of the dielectric properties at microwave frequencies. The microwave measurements were performed by rectangular cavity perturbation method in the S‐band of microwave frequency with the pericardial fluid from healthy persons as well as from patients suffering from pericardial effusion. It is observed that a remarkable change in the dielectric properties of patient samples with the normal healthy samples and these measurements were in good agreement with clinical analysis. This measurement technique and the method of extraction of pericardial fluid are simple. These results give light to an alternative in‐vitro method of diagnosing onset pericardial effusion abnormalities using microwaves without surgical procedure. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 51: 155–158, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24010
A novel control scheme for four‐plate retardation polarization controller
Authors: Liu Yang , Chi Hao , Zhang Xianmin , Jin Xiaofeng , Zheng Shilie
Published: November 2008

In this letter, a control scheme with novel algorithm is proposed and experimentally demonstrated for a four‐plate retardation polarization controller. The presented control scheme consists of two steps. In the first step, a fast localization algorithm (FLA) is applied to transform the input state of polarization (SOP) into a relatively close state to the desired output state; in the second step, an ordinary gradient search algorithm is used to finely tune the wave plates and search for the optimum SOP from the current SOP. The mathematic description on the presented algorithm is presented with the help of Poincaré sphere. Experimental results demonstrate that the efficiency is greatly increased due to the application of the FLA. The performance of the given control scheme is compared with that without the FLA in an experiment with 200 randomly chosen input SOPs. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 51: 124–128, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24011
Impedance matrix generation by using the fast matrix generation technique
Authors: Kwon Soon Jae , Mittra Raj
Published: November 2008

The computation of impedance matrix for layered structures is time‐consuming because each element requires the evaluation of quadruple integrals. To increase the efficiency, we propose a technique referred to as the fast matrix generation. In this method, conventional and rigorous numerical methods are still used for generating the impedance matrix elements that are associated with the near‐field interactions, whereas a more efficient scheme is employed where the separation distance between basis and testing functions exceeds a threshold value. A significant saving in computation time, sometimes over 90%, can be achieved via the application of this approach, as is demonstrated by numerical results for a number of typical microwave circuits. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 51: 204–213, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24015
Control of phase centre location in circular microstrip antennas operating at TM11 and TM02 modes
Authors: Pour Zahra Allahgholi , Shafai Lotfollah
Published: November 2008

The phase centre of a dual‐mode circular microstrip antenna is investigated when the fundamental TM11 and higher order TM02 modes are excited. It is shown that the location of the phase centre can be controlled by the excitation amplitude and phase of these modes. The problem is treated analytically using the cavity model. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 51: 166–169, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24017
Detection of biliary functional problems using microwaves
Authors: Lonappan Anil , Paul Benzy , Thimothy V. O. , Rajasekaran C. , Thomas Vinu , Jacob Joe , Mathew K. T.
Published: November 2008

This article reports a new in vitro bile analysis based on the measurement of the dielectric properties at microwave frequencies. The measurements were made using rectangular cavity perturbation technique at the S‐band of microwave frequency with the different samples of bile obtained from healthy persons as well as from patients. It is observed that an appreciable change in the dielectric properties of patient's samples with the normal healthy samples and these measurements were in good agreement with clinical analysis. These results prove an alternative in‐vitro method of detecting bile abnormalities based on the measurement of the dielectric properties of bile samples using microwaves without surgical procedure. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 51: 101–103, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24021
A compact wideband bandpass filter using single asymmetric SIR with low loss and high selectivity
Authors: Chang Yu‐Chi , Kao Chia‐Hsiung , Weng Min‐Hang
Published: November 2008

In this letter, a novel compact wideband bandpass filter (BPF) using single asymmetric stepped‐impedance resonator with one‐step discontinuity is designed and fabricated. The first two resonant modes of the asymmetric SIR are coupled together and applied to create a wide passband. The proposed filter at center frequency f0 of 4.2 GHz has very good measured characteristics including the bandwidth of 2.9–5.05 GHz (3‐dB fractional bandwidth of 52%), average low insertion loss of 0.2 dB, and sharp rejection of 53 and 88 dB/GHz in lower and higher passband edges. Additionally, the wideband BPF has a smaller circuit size in comparison of previous works. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 51: 242–244, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24023
Methotrexate‐associated alterations of the folate and methyl‐transfer pathway in the CSF of ALL patients with and without symptoms of neurotoxicity
Authors: Vezmar Sandra , Schüsseler Patrick , Becker Achim , Bode Udo , Jaehde Ulrich
Published: November 2008

Background

Severe neurotoxicity has been observed after systemic high‐dose and intrathecal methotrexate (MTX) treatment. The role of biochemical MTX‐induced alterations of the folate and methyl‐transfer pathway in the development of neurotoxic symptoms is not yet fully elucidated.

Procedure

MTX, 5‐methyltetrahydrofolate, calcium folinate, S‐adenosylmethionine, and S‐adenosylhomocysteine were measured in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 29 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who were treated with high‐dose MTX (5 g/m2) followed by calcium folinate rescue (3 × 15 mg/m2) and/or intrathecal (8–12 mg) MTX. Two patients developed subacute MTX‐associated neurotoxicity. CSF was obtained by lumbal puncture 1–3 weeks after administration of MTX and shortly after the occurrence of neurotoxicity. The analytes were measured using HPLC assays with UV and/or fluorescence detection.

Results

In non‐toxic patients, CSF concentrations of 5‐methyltetrahydrofolate and S‐adenosylmethionine were in the normal range 2 weeks after administration of high‐dose and intrathecal MTX followed by rescue. In contrast, when these patients received intrathecal MTX without rescue, 5‐methyltetrahydrofolate concentrations were significantly decreased 12 days after the first MTX administration. S‐adenosylmethionine concentrations were significantly decreased up to 45 days. The two patients suffering from neurotoxicity had decreased levels of 5‐methyltetrahydrofolate and S‐adenosylmethionine during or following toxicity. S‐adenosylhomocysteine was determined in all samples of neurotoxic patients but was below the limit of quantification in most samples of non‐toxic patients. Calcium folinate was not detected; MTX was present only in samples obtained during its infusion.

Conclusion

Intrathecal MTX without folinate rescue as well as MTX‐associated neurotoxicity are likely to be associated with specific alterations of the folate and methyl‐transfer pathway. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2009;52:26–32. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Synthesis and characterization of soluble polyimides functionalized with carbazole moieties
Authors: Mathews Anu Stella , Kim Dongjo , Kim Youngkyoo , Kim Il , Ha Chang‐Sik
Published: November 2008

Here, we report the synthesis and characterization of new soluble polyimides that are functionalized using carbazole moieties in their side chain. As a monomer for synthesizing the polyimides, 4″‐carbazole‐9‐yl‐[1,1′;2′,1″] terphenyl‐4‐4′‐diamine and 2‐(3‐carbazol‐9‐yl‐propyl)‐biphenyl‐4,4′‐diamine were synthesized and then characterized using 1H NMR, 13C NMR, FTIR, UV–visible and photoluminescence spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and elemental analysis. The polyimides synthesized via chemical imidization processes were characterized with X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, wide angle X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, DSC, tensile strength measurement, and dielectric property measurement. Results showed that the synthesized polyimides were soluble in a variety of organic solvents, optically transparent in a visible range, thermally stable, mechanically strong, and considerably low dielectric. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 8117–8130, 2008
Y‐shaped poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(trimethylene carbonate) amphiphilic copolymer: Synthesis and for drug delivery
Authors: Zhang Huai‐Hong , Huang Zi‐Qun , Sun Bai‐Wang , Guo Jia‐Xiu , Wang Jian‐Li , Chen Yao‐Qiang
Published: November 2008

New Y‐shaped (AB2‐type) amphiphilic copolymers of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) with poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC), PEG‐b‐(PTMC)2, were successfully synthesized by the ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of TMC with bishydroxy‐modified monomethoxy‐PEG (mPEG). First, a bishydroxy functional ROP initiator was synthesized by esterification of acryloyl bromide with mPEG, followed by Michael addition using excess diethanolamine. A series of Y‐shaped amphiphilic PEG‐(PTMC)2 block copolymers were obtained via ROP of TMC using this PEG with bishydroxyl end groups as macroinitiator and ZnEt2 as catalyst. The amphiphilic block copolymers with different compositions were characterized by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and 1H NMR, and their molecular weight was measured by GPC. The results showed that the molecular weight of Y‐shaped copolymers increased with the increase of the molar ratio of TMC to mPEG‐(OH)2 initiator in feed while the PEG chain length was kept constant. The Y‐shaped copolymer mPEG‐(PTMC)2 could self‐assemble into micelles in aqueous medium and the critical micelle concentration values of the micelles decrease with increase in hydrophobic PTMC block length of mPEG‐(PTMC)2. The in vitro cytotoxicity and controlled drug release properties of the Y‐shaped amphiphilic block copolymers were also investigated. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 8131–8140, 2008
Control of a Pilot‐Scale, Solid‐Liquid Separation Plant Using Electrical Impedance Tomography Measurements
Authors: Gutierrez‐Gnecchi J. A. , Marroquín‐Pineda E.
Published: November 2008

This paper describes the design and construction of a pilot‐scale, solid‐liquid separation plant. The system includes conventional measurements, e.g., inlet feed flow rate and pressure etc., as well as Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) measurements to determine the separation status of the separator, by measuring the air core size and position. Image and feature extraction procedures are shown for obtaining the air core measurements. The different aspects in the construction of the plant are described. Tests show that the air core size can be maintained automatically using EIT images over the operating range. The resulting equipment can then be used for testing different implementations of data acquisition systems, EIT image reconstruction procedures and control strategies. The equipment is self‐contained, does not require special facilities and can be used for teaching different aspects of electronics design and control theory to undergraduate students.
Genetic variations in inflammatory mediators influence lung disease progression in cystic fibrosis
Authors: Corvol Harriet , Boelle Pierre‐Yves , Brouard Jacques , Knauer Nicola , Chadelat Katarina , Henrion‐Caude Alexandra , Flamant Cyril , Muselet‐Charlier Celine , Boule Michele , Fauroux Brigitte , Vallet Christelle , Feingold Josue , Ratjen Felix , Grasemann Hartmut , Clement Annick
Published: November 2008

The clinical course of cystic fibrosis (CF) varies considerably among patients carrying the same CF‐causing gene mutation. Additional genetic modifiers may contribute to this variability. As airway inflammation is a key component of CF pathophysiology, we investigated whether major cytokine variants represent such modifiers in young CF patients. We tested 13 polymorphisms in 8 genes that play a key role in the inflammatory response: tumor necrosis factor, lymphotoxin alpha, interleukin (IL) 1B, IL1 receptor antagonist, IL6, IL8, IL10 and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFB1), for an association with lung disease progression and nutritional status in 329 CF patients. Variants in the TGFB1 gene at position +869T/C demonstrated a significant association with lung function decline. A less pronounced rate of decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were observed in patients heterozygous for TGFB1 +869 (+869CT), when compared to patients carrying either TGFB1 +869TT or +869CC genotypes. These findings support the concept that TGFB1 gene variants appear to be important genetic modifiers of lung disease progression in CF. Pediatr. Pulmonol. 2008; 43:1224–1232. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The EPICure study: Comparison of pediatric spirometry in community and laboratory settings
Authors: Kirkby J. , Welsh L. , Lum S. , Fawke J. , Rowell V. , Thomas S. , Marlow N. , Stocks J.
Published: November 2008

Rationale

Accuracy of spirometry testing is a prerequisite for its use as an objective outcome measure in large epidemiological studies. We compared spirometry measurements obtained by trained pediatricians in a variety of school settings with those obtained in the laboratory by respiratory physiologists.

Methods

Following a 3‐day training course, three pediatricians carried out spirometry in children born extremely preterm (EP) and age matched controls in schools across the UK and Ireland (The EPICure study). A subgroup had repeated measurements in the laboratory. Spirometric flows and volumes were expressed as Z‐scores. Bland–Altman analysis was used to calculate within‐subject differences.

Results

Fifty children (40% boys), 37 (74%) of whom were born EP, with a mean age 10.8 years had paired spirometry results (average interval between tests: 20.3 weeks). There was no statistically significant difference between any of the outcome variables: mean (95% CI of difference) in Z‐scores [school–laboratory]) being 0.0 (−0.1; 0.1) for FEV1, 0.1 (−0.1; 0.3) for FVC, −0.1 (−0.3; 0.1) for FEF25–75, and 0.0 (−0.3; 0.1) for FEV1/FVC. Within individuals, the 95% limits of agreement for repeated measures were within ± 1 Z‐score for FEV1 and FVC, and within ± 1.5 Z‐score for FEF25–75 and FEV1/FVC.

Conclusion

With appropriate training, quality control, and support, pediatric spirometry can reliably be performed outside the lung function laboratory. Pediatr. Pulmonol. 2008; 43:1233–1241. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Detailed balance and reciprocity in solar cells
Authors: Kirchartz Thomas , Rau Uwe
Published: November 2008

The limiting efficiency of photovoltaic devices follows from the detailed balance of absorption and emission of a diode according to the Shockley–Queisser theory. However, the principle of detailed balance has more implications for the understanding of photovoltaic devices than only defining the efficiency limit. We show how reciprocity relations between carrier collection and dark carrier injection, between electroluminescence emission and photovoltaic quantum efficiency and between open circuit voltage and light emitting diode quantum efficiency all follow from the principle of detailed balance. We also discuss the validity range of the Shockley–Queisser limit and the reciprocity relations. Discussing the validity of the reciprocity relations helps to deepen the understanding of photovoltaic devices and allows us to identify interrelationships between the superposition principle, the diode ideality and the reciprocity relations. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
A rapid and precise method for determination of D/H ratios of plant methoxyl groups
Authors: Greule Markus , Mosandl Armin , Hamilton John T. G. , Keppler Frank
Published: November 2008

Stable hydrogen isotope ratio measurements of specific plant components are increasingly used in numerous fields of research, including sample origin verification and climate research. A recently suggested method with considerable potential in this context is the D/H isotope ratio (δ2H value) analysis of plant matter methoxyl groups. The method entails ether or ester cleavage with hydriodic acid (HI) to form the gaseous compound methyl iodide (CH3I) and measurement of the δ2H value of this gas. Here we describe a method for the rapid and precise δ2H analysis of plant matter methoxyl groups using gas chromatography/pyrolysis/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC/P/IRMS). The conditions for sample preparation were investigated for isotope discrimination effects, the GC conditions were optimized, the reproducibility of the measurement of standards was studied, and the precision of the method was defined. The reproducibility of δ2H values determined for a CH3I standard on 20 consecutive measurements was found to be 2‰. The method was also tested on four methoxyl‐rich plant components: vanillin, lignin, wood and pectin. The analytical precision obtained, when expressed as the average standard deviation for these compounds, was better than 1.6‰. The described method is rapid, allowing preparation and analysis of a sample within 1 h, and produces accurate and reproducible isotopic measurements. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Stability conditions for integral delay systems
Authors: Melchor‐Aguilar Daniel , Kharitonov Vladimir , Lozano Rogelio
Published: November 2008

In this paper we consider a special class of integral delay systems arising in several stability problems of time‐delay systems. For these integral systems we derive stability and robust stability conditions in terms of Lyapunov–Krasovskii functionals. More explicitly, after providing the stability conditions we compute quadratic functionals and apply them to derive exponential estimates for solutions, and robust stability conditions for perturbed integral delay systems. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Modeling email use: a case of email system transition
Authors: Kanungo Shivraj , Jain Vikas
Published: November 2008

A large urban university expected its transition to a new and improved email system to result in higher productivity than before. However, email productivity did not show significant improvement after the transition. To understand this lack of improvement in productivity, we modeled the relations among variables that affect email use and productivity using system dynamics. The results show that in non‐volitional use situations stress related to email use and email productivity are significantly influenced by the levels of tolerable email backlog and steady incoming emails. Users react to changes in email backlog by calibrating their level of use. This adjustment, in turn, depends on each user's level of email self‐efficacy and the rate at which users learn to adapt to changes. The contribution of this paper lies in showing that email productivity can improve if users develop a stable pattern of email use. This can minimize variations in email use and in so doing is likely to leverage email use. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nutritive value of different varieties and morphological fractions of oats harvested at the soft dough stage
Authors: Feyissa Fekede , Tolera Adugna , Melaku Solomon
Published: November 2008

Chemical composition and in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) were measured in whole forage and morphological fractions of 20 varieties of oats (Avena sativa) harvested at the soft dough stage. Among the varieties, crude protein (CP) varied from 48 to 76 g kg−1 dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) from 586 to 683 g kg−1 DM, acid detergent fibre (ADF) from 370 to 482 g kg−1 DM and lignin from 54 to 83 g kg−1 DM. The IVOMD of the whole forage ranged from 43 to 62%. Among the morphological fractions, leaf blades had the highest CP content and IVOMD, whereas the fibre constituents (NDF, ADF and lignin) were highest in the stems. The results revealed considerable variation in chemical composition and IVOMD among the oat varieties and morphological fractions. This implies that there are opportunities for improving forage production and quality from oats through appropriate exploitation of varietal differences. However, manipulation of management practices (such as choice of harvesting stage, use of mixed cropping with compatible legumes and fertiliser application) may still be needed for further improvement. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Endoscopic Subtotal Thyroidectomy: The Procedure of Choice for Graves’ disease?
Authors: Sasaki Akira , Nitta Hiroyuki , Otsuka Koki , Obuchi Toru , Kurihara Hideo , Wakabayashi Go
Published: November 2008

Background

The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and outcomes of endoscopic subtotal thyroidectomy for Graves’ disease.

Methods

From August 1998 to April 2008, a total of 100 patients with benign thyroid diseases underwent endoscopic thyroidectomy via the breast approach. Among these patients, 42 underwent subtotal thyroidectomy for Graves’ disease.

Results

The resection was successfully completed endoscopically in 41 patients (98%). Overall, the mean operating time, mean blood loss, and mean resected thyroid weight were 277 minutes, 76 ml, and 49.9 g, respectively. As the resected thyroid weight increased, the operating time was significantly prolonged and the blood loss significantly increased. Morbidities included one permanent and one temporary case of recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy with hypocalcemia. A hypertrophic scar was seen in the right breast medial margin in three men. Thyroid function was classified as euthyroidism, hypothyroidism, and recurrent hyperthyroidism in 5, 34, and 3 patients, respectively. At 92 months of median follow‐up, two patients had modest operation‐associated symptoms: one with swallowing discomfort and another with paresthesia in the anterior chest wall at the time of discharge. However, both patients’ symptoms disappeared within 36 months after surgery. Young women were highly satisfied, with an overall mean satisfaction rating of 9.3 points.

Conclusions

Although the endoscopic approach may be relatively contraindicated for large thyroid glands, endoscopic subtotal thyroidectomy via the breast approach is a safe, feasible procedure with excellent cosmetic benefits, and it may be the procedure of choice in carefully selected patients with Graves’ disease.
Modified Radical Neck Dissection Is Better Than Partial Dissection of Lymph Nodes
Authors: Noguchi Shiro , Yamashita Hiroto , Uchino Shinya
Published: November 2008

Background

For papillary thyroid cancer, lymph node excision may be less important for smaller tumors and rather limited node excision might be sufficient to prevent recurrence.

Methods

We compared patients who had undergone modified radical neck dissection with patients who had undergone limited node basin excision. Between 1967 and 1996, 4966 patients at our institution had resection of pure papillary carcinoma tumors larger than 11 mm.

Results

In patients whose tumors were larger than 25 mm without local adhesion, modified radical neck dissection had a significantly better prognosis compared to that of more limited node excision. For patients with a primary tumor larger than 11 mm, modified radical had a better prognosis than partial node excision only if there was adhesion or invasion to the recurrent nerve, jugular vein, common carotid artery, vagus nerve, or trachea.

Conclusion

The size of papillary cancer of the thyroid directly affects prognosis and the role of nodal dissection.
Clinical trials update from European Society of Cardiology meeting 2008: TIME‐CHF, BACH, BEAUTIFUL, GISSI‐HF, and HOME‐HF
Authors: Coletta Alison P. , Cullington Damien , Clark Andrew L. , Cleland John G.F.
Published: November 2008

This article provides information and a commentary on trials relevant to the pathophysiology, prevention and treatment of heart failure presented at the European Society of Cardiology meeting which was held in Munich, Germany from 30th August to 3rd September 2008. Unpublished reports should be considered as preliminary, as analyses may change in the final publication.

The TIME‐CHF study failed to show that BNP guided therapy was superior to usual care in patients with heart failure. The BACH study suggested that a new biomarker, MR‐proANP, was as good as BNP for the diagnosis of heart failure in patients presenting with breathlessness. Ivabradine failed to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular events in patients with coronary artery disease and left ventricular systolic dysfunction in the BEAUTIFUL study, but patients with higher heart rates might have benefited. In GISSI‐HF, n–3 PUFA reduced mortality and cardiovascular hospitalisation by a small amount compared to placebo in patients with chronic heart failure, but rosuvastatin had no effect on clinical outcomes. In the HOME‐HF study, telemonitoring support failed to reduce the time to first re‐hospitalisation or death, or days alive and out of hospital, compared with usual care.
Adenosine A2A receptors assemble into higher‐order oligomers at the plasma membrane
Authors: Vidi Pierre-Alexandre , Chen Jiji , Irudayaraj Joseph M.K. , Watts Val J.
Published: November 2008

MINT‐6797156, MINT‐6797142: A2AR (uniprotkb:P29274) physically interacts (MI:0218) with A2AR (uniprotkb:P29274) by bimolecular fluorescence complementation (MI:0809)

MINT‐6797129: A2AR (uniprotkb:P29274) physically interacts (MI:0218) with A2AR (uniprotkb:P29274) by fluorescent resonance energy transfer (MI:0055)
Comment on administration and scoring of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory in clinical trials
Authors: Connor Donald J. , Sabbagh Marwan N. , Cummings Jeffery L.
Published: November 2008

Background

The Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) is commonly used in dementia trials to quantify and qualitate changes in psychiatric symptoms.

Methods

A questionnaire was administered to clinical trial raters to assess whether they were being trained to administer and score the NPI differently between clinical trial protocols.

Results

Responses to the survey indicated that there are differences between clinical trials protocols in how the instrument is administered and scored.

Discussion

Clarification of administration and scoring rules are provided, including the behavioral sampling period, whether premorbid characteristics are considered, and what behaviors are considered in rating frequency, severity, and caregiver distress.
Anti‐metastatic Action of Non‐steroidal Anti‐inflammatory Drugs
Authors: Hung Wen‐Chun
Published: November 2008

Epidemiological studies suggest that nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) reduce the incidence and mortality of several types of human cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms by which NSAIDs exert their chemopreventive and anticancer effects are not fully understood. Cyclooxygenase 1 (COX‐1) and COX‐2 are the main targets for NSAIDs. Recent studies demonstrate that COX‐2 is overexpressed in many human cancers and may promote tumorigenesis via: (1) stimulation of cancer cell proliferation; (2) increase of tumor angiogenesis; (3) prevention of cancer cell apoptosis; (4) modulation of immunoregulatory reactions; and (5) enhancement of tumor metastasis. NSAIDs may target the signaling molecules (from upstream activators to downstream effectors) involved in these mechanisms to attenuate the development and progression of cancer. In this review, we discuss the recent findings with regard to the mechanisms by which NSAIDs inhibit tumorigenesis and will specifically focus on the elucidation of NSAID‐induced inhibition of tumor metastasis.
Peripheral Odontogenic Fibroma in a Taiwan Chinese Population: A Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Lin Chun‐Tzu , Chuang Fu‐Hsiung , Chen Jeng‐Huey , Chen Chun‐Ming , Chen Yuk‐Kwan
Published: November 2008

A retrospective analysis of 25 cases of peripheral odontogenic fibroma (World Health Organization‐type) (PODF [WHO‐type]) in a Taiwan Chinese population was performed at a single institution. The clinical findings, which included a wide age distribution, a female preponderance and no racial predilection, were consistent with those of previous case series reports; however, a slight preference for location in the maxilla was found in the current case series. It is noteworthy that one particularly sizable lesion was identified in a 30‐year‐old Chinese female who presented with a swollen mass in the right mandible that had been present for about 2 years. Intraoral examination revealed an exophytic firm mass that measured 4.5 × 4 cm, located over the right mandibular edentulous ridge from the second premolar to the second molar area. Both panoramic radiography and computerized tomography revealed multiple radiopacities within the tumor. In conclusion, the analysis of clinical data in the current case series of PODFs (WHO‐type) occurring in Taiwan Chinese mostly corroborates other reports; however, an unusually large mandible lesion was noted, indicative of the apparent size that such tumors can reach unless they are surgically removed at an early stage.
Penile Crural Injury Due to Perineal Penetrating Trauma: A Case Report
Authors: Akgül Turgay , Ersoy Erim , Polat Osman , Karakan Tolga , Germiyanoĝlu Cankon
Published: November 2008

Perineal traumas are rarely seen in males, and can affect the anterior urethra and corpus cavernosum of the penis. In this paper, we report the case of a 14‐year‐old boy admitted to the emergency room with a pencil entering the perineum. We performed perineal exploration and observed that the urethra was totally intact, and that the pencil had entered into the right penile cavernosal structure.
Spontaneous Retroperitoneal Hemorrhage in a Mediastinal Tumor in a Patient With Polymyositis: A Case Report
Authors: Fang Tzu‐Jung , Hsu Shih‐Chieh , Shih Ming‐Chen , Wang Cheng‐Yuan , Chen Ling‐I , Tsai Yi‐Chun , Lin Yu‐Chih
Published: November 2008

Spontaneous retroperitoneal hemorrhage is a lethal cause of acute abdomen that is most frequently related to drugs, coagulopathy and intra‐abdominal tumors. In patients with polymyositis and dermatomyositis, acute abdomen is attributed to intestinal vasculitis causing ischemia, ulceration or perforation. Spontaneous retroperitoneal hemorrhage, however, has rarely been reported in patients with polymyositis. We report the case of a 65‐year‐old woman with newly diagnosed polymyositis and suspected thymoma who suffered from spontaneous retroperitoneal hemorrhage. She experienced two massive retroperitoneal hemorrhage episodes within 24 hours, which resulted in shock and required emergent angiographic embolization. There was no evidence of tumor, vasculitis or aneurysm from abdominal angiography and computed tomography.
PROPORTIONAL THREE-PERSON RED-AND-BLACK GAMES
Authors: Chen May-Ru
Published: November 2008

Consider a three-person game that occurs in stages. The state of the game is given by the integral amounts of chips that the players have, say x=(x1, x2, x3) with M=x1+x2+x3 fixed. At a stage of the game, player i places ai chips in the pot, an integer between 1 and xi. (Player i is already eliminated from the game if xi=0.) The winner of the pot is then immediately chosen in such a way that player i wins the pot with probability proportional to the index wiai for i with xi>0. The idea is that if player i bets more, then he is more likely to win, but this is modified by weights that parameterize the players’ abilities.

Each player is trying to maximize his probability of taking all the chips (i.e., reaching xi=M). In the two-person game, it is known that a Nash equilibrium is for each player to adopt strategy σ of playing timidly (ai=1) or boldly (ai=xi) according to whether the game is in his favor or not (assuming the other also plays σ). In this article, we investigate whether this also is the form of a Nash equilibrium in a three-person game when the weights are of the form (w1, w2, w3)=(w, w, 1−2w) with 0<w<1/2. It turns out that this is true if w<1/3, but not true if w>1/3 and M≥8.
DYNAMIC ROUTING POLICIES FOR MULTISKILL CALL CENTERS
Authors: Bhulai Sandjai
Published: November 2008

We consider the problem of routing calls dynamically in a multiskill call center. Calls from different skill classes are offered to the call center according to a Poisson process. The agents in the center are grouped according to their heterogeneous skill sets that determine the classes of calls they can serve. Each agent group serves calls with independent exponentially distributed service times. We consider two scenarios. The first scenario deals with a call center with no buffers in the system, so that every arriving call either has to be routed immediately or has to be blocked and is lost. The objective in the system is to minimize the average number of blocked calls. The second scenario deals with call centers consisting of only agents that have one skill and fully cross-trained agents, where calls are pooled in common queues. The objective in this system is to minimize the average number of calls in the system. We obtain nearly optimal dynamic routing policies that are scalable with the problem instance and can be computed online. The algorithm is based on one-step policy improvement using the relative value functions of simpler queuing systems. Numerical experiments demonstrate the good performance of the routing policies. Finally, we discuss how the algorithm can be used to handle more general cases with the techniques described in this article.
HITTING PROBABILITIES AND HITTING TIMES FOR STOCHASTIC FLUID FLOWS: THE BOUNDED MODEL
Authors: Bean Nigel G. , O'Reilly Małgorzata M. , Taylor Peter G.
Published: November 2008

We consider a Markovian stochastic fluid flow model in which the fluid level has a lower bound zero and a positive upper bound. The behavior of the process at the boundaries is modeled by parameters that are different than those in the interior and allow for modeling a range of desired behaviors at the boundaries. We illustrate this with examples. We establish formulas for several time-dependent performance measures of significance to a number of applied probability models. These results are achieved with techniques applied within the fluid flow model directly. This leads to useful physical interpretations, which are presented.
Prosodic patterns in Hebrew child-directed speech
Authors: SEGAL OSNAT , NIR-SAGIV BRACHA , KISHON-RABIN LIAT , RAVID DORIT
Published: November 2008

The study examines prosodic characteristics of Hebrew speech directed to children between 0 ; 9–3 ; 0 years, based on longitudinal samples of 228,946 tokens (8,075 types). The distribution of prosodic patterns – the number of syllables and stress patterns – is analyzed across three lexical categories, distinguishing not only between open- and closed-class items, but also between these two categories and a third, innovative, class, referred to as between-class items. Results indicate that Hebrew CDS consists mainly of mono- and bisyllabic words, with differences between lexical categories; and that the most common stress pattern is word-final, with parallel distributions found for all categories. Additional analyses showed that verbs take word-final stress, but nouns are both trochaic and iambic. Finally, a developmental analysis indicates a significant increase in the number of iambic words in CDS. These findings have clear implications regarding the use of prosody for word segmentation and assignment of lexical class in infancy.
How do-not-resuscitate orders are utilized in cancer patients: Timing relative to death and communication-training implications
Authors: Levin Tomer T. , Li Yuelin , Weiner Joseph S. , Lewis Frank , Bartell Abraham , Piercy Jessica , Kissane David W.
Published: November 2008

Objectives:

End-of-life communication is crucial because most U.S. hospitals implement cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in the absence of do-not-resuscitate directives (DNRs). Despite this, there is little DNR utilization data to guide the design of communication-training programs. The objective of this study was to determine DNR utilization patterns and whether their use is increasing.

Methods:

A retrospective database analysis (2000–2005) of DNR data for 206,437 patients, the entire patient population at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), was performed.

Results:

The hospital recorded, on average, 4,167 deaths/year. In 2005, 86% of inpatient deaths had a DNR, a 3% increase since 2000 (p < .01). For patients who died outside the institution (e.g., hospice), 52% had a DNR, a 24% increase over 6 years (p < .00001). Adult inpatients signed 53% of DNRs but 34% were signed by surrogates. The median time between signing and death was 0 days, that is, the day of death. Only 5.5% of inpatient deaths had previously signed an outpatient DNR. Here, the median time between signing and death was 30 days.

Significance of results:

Although DNR directives are commonly utilized and their use has increased significantly over the past 6 years, most cancer patients/surrogates sign the directives on the day of death. The proximity between signing and death may be a marker of delayed end-of-life palliative care and suboptimal doctor–patient communication. These data underscore the importance of communication-training research tailored to improve end-of-life decision making.
Attitudes of Iranian nurses toward caring for dying patients
Authors: Iranmanesh Sedigheh , Dargahi Helen , Abbaszadeh Abbas
Published: November 2008

Objective:

To examine the attitudes of Iranian nurses toward caring for dying patients.

Methods:

Nurses' attitudes toward death and caring for dying patients were examined by using two types of questionnaires: the Death Attitude Profile–Revised (DAP-R) and Frommelt's Attitude towards Caring for Dying Patients (FATCOD), both with a demographic survey.

Results:

The results showed that most respondents are likely to view death as a natural part of life and also as a gateway to the afterlife. The majority reported that they are likely to provide care and emotional support for the people who are dying and their families, but they were unlikely to talk with them or even educate them about death. They had a tendency not to accept patients and their families as the authoritative decision makers or involve families in patient care. Nurses' personal views on death, as well as personal experiences, affected their attitudes toward care of the dying.

Significance of results:

Lack of education and experience, as well as cultural and professional limitations, may have contributed to the negative attitude toward some aspects of the care for people who are dying among the nurses surveyed. Creating a reflective narrative environment in which nurses can express their own feelings about death and dying seems to be a potentially effective approach to identify the factors influencing their interaction with the dying. Continuing education may be required for Iranian palliative care nurses in order to improve the patients quality of care at the end of life.
Introduction and Comments
Authors: Johnson James
Published: November 2008

This past summer was marked by violent conflict between Georgia and Russia over what might, from a parochial American vantage point, seem obscure and insignificant territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. For political scientists this conflict raises a host of issues. Most strikingly, it raises the question of whether and how nations and states map onto one another geograpically. In our lead article, Shererill Stroschein examines the case of Kosovo as a vehicle for proposals about “creative designs” for governance that might be implemented in demographically complex regions. The hope of course would be that such designs might dampen conflict in ways that are both practical and normatively attractive.
Reason, Interest, Rationality, and Passion in Constitution Drafting
Authors: Brown Nathan J.
Published: November 2008

Liberal constitutionalism is founded in part on a desire to build a polity on the basis of reason and the public interest. At its most ambitious, the result can verge on a prepolitical or even apolitical view of constitution writing. To be sure, most liberal constitutionalists have backed away from the extreme view by increasingly recognizing that passion and bargaining will inevitably play a role in constitution writing. But few have moved beyond grudging acceptance of passion and bargaining to active incorporation. In addition, the terms themselves are used in increasingly slippery ways. Yet while greater terminological precision is desirable and possible, it cannot overcome a key feature of constitution drafting: reason and interest are easily confused in practice as are passion and rationality. Even if reason and deliberation over the public interest could be distinguished from passion and private bargaining, they are unlikely to be able to deliver what is demanded of them. Constitutional politics differs from normal politics less in the role for rationality and the public interest and more in the means used and the number of actors with veto power. In such an environment, partisan interest and passion are not merely inevitable contaminants but essential elements.
The Challenges of Multiculturalism in Advanced Democracies
Authors: Isaac Jeffrey C. , Rohrschneider Robert , Kymlicka Will , Laurence Jonathan
Published: November 2008

When Ways of Life Collide: Multiculturalism and Its Discontents in the Netherlands.By Paul M. Sniderman and Louk Hagendoorn. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2007. 176p. $25.95.