bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Teaching, Learning, and Assessment Resources for Introductory Materials Science and Engineering Courses
Authors: Krause Stephen , Kelly Jacquelyn
Published: July 2011

In order to make innovative curriculum materials more accessible to instructors, a set of teaching, learning, and assessment resources have been created to implement more student-centered pedagogy for many topics in an introductory materials course. The resource development has been based on major principles for effective learning described in the book, How People Learn. The book states that, for more effective teaching and learning, instructors need pay attention to three major principles. One is that they should be aware of students’ prior knowledge and experience and misconceptions in order to inform classroom instruction and materials. As such, we have created tools to assess prior knowledge including the Materials Concept Inventory and Pre-Post Topical Concept Question Sets. Eliciting such information is critical in informing creation of innovative and misconception-informed teaching materials. A second principle is that instructors should create opportunities for student engagement with one another in order to promote conceptual change with deeper content understanding. This will help students build a conceptual framework that facilitates recall and transfer of concepts to new applications. As such, we have created visually-rich, contextualized content to promote student interest and link abstract concepts to concrete applications. The constructivist materials and activities that have been created include: Misconception-Informed Mini-Lecture Slide Sets, topical concept-context maps, a variety of classroom engagement activities, and homework that includes just-in-time preview problems to prepare students for the next class. A third principle is that instructors should promote student reflection so they become more metacognitive learners who can develop their own expertise by defining learning goals and monitoring their own progress. This need was addressed with a Daily Reflection Points sheet that requested students to write down their own class Points of Interest, Muddiness, and Learning. Most of these resources are available on the web at http://concept.asu.edu/. Assessment results showed significant gains on specific course topics using the innovative materials and an increase in persistence of students completing the class that rose from 85% to 95% compared with earlier lecture-based classes.
Leakage Current and Dielectric Properties of Ba0.5Sr0.5TiO3 Films Deposited by RF Sputtering at Low Substrate Temperature
Authors: Cramer Nicholas , Kalkur Thottam S. , Philofsky Elliot , Kammerdiner Lee
Published: August 2011

Most studies of Ba0.5Sr0.5TiO3 (BST) thin film deposition have focused on chemical vapor deposition or spin-on techniques. Both these techniques require high substrate temperature (greater than 600 °C), either during the deposition or during an anneal after deposition. A few groups have reported on sputtered films, but most of these studies also used high-temperature processes. While such temperatures are compatible with poly-Si plug DRAM and related technologies, they are far above the limits for technologies that require the deposition of non-refractory metals before the deposition of the ceramic film. For example, the use of Al metalization before the deposition of BST would limit the BST processing temperature to about 450 °C. A process compatible with such a temperature limit is reported. Such a process makes fabrication of high quality BST thin films difficult, primarily due to the need for oxidation and grain growth in the ceramic. The leakage current and dielectric properties of BST films deposited in such a process are reported and are shown to be sufficient for practical device applications.
Facilitators and Barriers to Disclosing Abuse Among Women With Disabilities
Authors: Curry Mary Ann , Renker Paula , Robinson-Whelen Susan , Hughes Rosemary B. , Swank Paul , Oschwald Mary , Powers Laurie E.
Published: July 2011

An anonymous audio computer-assisted self-interview (A-CASI) designed to increase awareness of abuse was completed by 305 women with diverse disabilities. Data were also collected about lifetime and past year abuse; perpetrator risk characteristics; facilitators and barriers to disclosing abuse; abuse disclosure to a health provider, case manager, or police officer; and whether a health provider had ever discussed abuse or personal safety. A total of 276 (90%) women reported abuse, 208 (68%) reported abuse within the past year. Women who reported the most abuse experiences in the past year and the most dangerous perpetrators endorsed fewer facilitators and more barriers, but were also more likely to have ever disclosed abuse. Only 15% reported that a health provider had ever discussed abuse and personal safety.
Profiles of Distress in Sheltered Battered Women: Implications for Intervention
Authors: Hughes Honore M. , Cangiano Claudine , Hopper Elizabeth K.
Published: July 2011

Heterogeneity in patterns of distress and psychological functioning was investigated using a person-oriented approach to data analysis in two diverse samples of battered women in shelters. In order to provide some empirically derived guidance to clinicians, scores on measures of depressive symptoms as well as state and trait anxiety were cluster analyzed. A four-cluster solution provided the best fit for both samples of women, and despite the demographic differences in the women, generally similar clusters were found in both samples. One cluster contained women with minimal distress; another, those who were mildly anxious; in a third cluster, the women were moderately to highly depressed and anxious; and in a fourth cluster, the women were reporting severe levels of distress. Implications for treatment include the importance of providing individually tailored interventions for the women, based on differential combinations of depression and anxiety, especially for women whose distress levels are in the high and severe ranges of distress.
Treatment of Three Anxiety Disorder Cases With Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in a Private Practice
Authors: Codd R. Trent , Twohig Michael P. , Crosby Jesse M. , Enno Angela
Published: July 2011

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for anxiety disorders is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy that focuses on decreasing the behavior regulatory function of anxiety and related cognitions, and has a strong focus on behavior change that is consistent with client values. In this case series, 3 consecutive referrals seeking treatment for anxiety disorders at a private practice were treated with 9–13 sessions of ACT. In-session exposure therapy was not included to determine the effects of ACT without the compounding effects of already proven treatment procedures. The treatment procedure was identical across disorders to test the use of a unified treatment protocol for anxiety disorders: panic disorder with agoraphobia, comorbid social phobia and generalized anxiety disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. All participants showed clinical improvement in their specific anxiety disorders as rated on multiple standardized assessments after treatment, with gains maintained at follow-up (8 months or more). Time series assessments, taken throughout treatment, of anxiety and avoidance behaviors showed large decreases in avoidance but not in anxiety, suggesting ACT was effective by changing the way participants responded to anxiety rather than anxiety itself.
Soil Habitat and Horizon Properties Impact Bacterial Diversity and Composition
Authors: Michel Himaya M. , Williams Mark A.
Published: July 2011

Little is known about how bacterial communities differ between soil horizons and in response to horizon development. Soil horizons are distinct habitats that continue to develop and change with age. It was hypothesized that as soil horizons aged and differentiated, that microbial community composition and structure between the horizons would become more different. Clone libraries of the 16S rRNA (ribosomal ribonucleic acid) gene were constructed for soils from the A and B horizons along a soil‐age gradient of 5,000, 45,000, and 77,000 yr. Results showed that bacterial communities (16S rRNA genes) in both horizons and across the soil development gradient were dominated by similar groups: Acidobacteria, Alpha‐Proteobacteria, and Planctomycetes. Bacterial richness (Simpson's 1/D) was greater in the A (154–337) than the B (29–139) horizon and tended to increase with horizon development. The effect of horizon on the fatty acid‐based microbial community structure and physiology indicated a clear horizon effect. Despite the much greater richness in the A than the B horizon, cluster analysis of the 16S rRNA genes of the dominant bacterial taxa indicated that communities in developmentally immature soils (5,000) had similar communities in the A and B horizons, sharing ∼75% of the sequences (>97% sequence similarity). As the soils (45,000 and 77,000 yr) developed further, the communities between the A and B horizons diverged, sharing 50% or less of the sequences in the most abundant operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Horizon development during soil genesis seems to be an important determinant of bacterial community composition and structure.
Soil Structure and Physical Properties under Rye‐Corn Silage Double‐Cropping Systems
Authors: Liesch Amanda M. , Krueger Erik S. , Ochsner Tyson E.
Published: July 2011

Soils under continuous corn (Zea mays L.) silage production are often subjected to heavy traffic and tillage, which can degrade soil structure and physical properties. Cover crops have been shown to benefit soil structure, but the effects of double‐cropping on soil structure and physical properties are unknown. Our objective was to compare the soil structure and physical properties under rye (Secale cereale L.) and corn silage double‐cropping with those under continuous corn silage in Minnesota during the 2007–2008 cropping year. A conventional tillage corn silage system served as the control. Double‐crop treatments were conventional tillage winter rye harvested in May or June followed by no‐till corn silage. Relative to the control, the double‐cropping systems exhibited superior soil structure with up to 57% better visual soil structure scores and up to 16% smaller mean weight aggregate diameter. Visual soil structure scores exhibited seasonal dynamics with significant treatment effects in November and June but not in May when the structural assessment was conducted shortly after preplant tillage in the control. The double‐cropping system increased the resilience of the soil to traffic. The saturated hydraulic conductivity in wheel‐tracked interrows was 375% higher in the double‐cropping system relative to the control in July. Both the rye and the absence of tillage before corn planting may have contributed to this improved resilience. Heavy traffic and tillage in continuous corn silage production systems can degrade soil structure and physical properties; however, the rye–corn silage double‐cropping system provided a measure of protection.
Ground‐Penetrating Radar Detection and Three‐Dimensional Mapping of Lateral Macropores: II. Riparian Application
Authors: Gormally Kevin H. , McIntosh Marla S. , Mucciardi Anthony N. , McCarty Gregory W.
Published: July 2011

The morphology and prevalence of macropores < 10 cm in diameter in forested riparian wetlands is largely unknown despite their importance as a mechanism for preferential flow of contaminants to stream channels. Here, we validate field procedures for detecting and mapping the three‐dimensional structure of near‐surface (15–65 cm deep) lateral macropore networks using non‐invasive ground‐penetrating radar (GPR) technology at a Mid‐Atlantic riparian wetland field study site. Soil core samples used to ground truth the procedures showed that the detection predictions were 92% accurate and tracer dye transmission through the site corroborated the morphology predictions. The results demonstrate the feasibility of using GPR to map preferential flow networks in situ without disturbing environmentally sensitive wetland ecosystems.
No‐Till Impact on Soil and Soil Organic Carbon Erosion under Crop Residue Scarcity in Africa
Authors: Mchunu Charmaine N. , Lorentz Simon , Jewitt Graham , Manson Alan , Chaplot Vincent
Published: July 2011

Although no‐till (NT) is now practiced in many countries of the world, for most smallholders, the crop residues are of such a value that they cannot be left on the soil surfaces to promote soil protection, thus potentially limiting NT benefits and adoption. In this study our main objective was to evaluate runoff, soil, and soil organic carbon (SOC) losses from traditional small‐scale maize (Zea mays) field under conventional tillage (T) and NT, with crop residues cover of less than 10% during the rainy season, in South Africa. Six runoff plots of 22.5 m2 (2.25 × 10 m) under NT and T since 2002 were considered. At each plot, soil bulk density (ρb) and SOC content of the 0–0.02 m layer were estimated at nine pits. Top‐soil SOC stocks were 26% higher under NT than under T (P = 0.001). The NT reduced soil losses by 68% (96.8 vs. 301.5 g m−2 yr−1, P = 0.001) and SOC losses by 52% (7.7 vs. 16.2 g C m−2 yr−1, P = 0.001), and differences in runoff were not significant. Dissolved organic carbon accounted for about 10% of total SOC losses and showed significantly higher concentrations under T than NT (1.49 versus 0.86 mg C m−2 yr−1). The less erosion in NT compared to T was explained by a greater occurrence under NT of indurated crusts, less prone to soil losses. These results showed the potential of NT even with low crop residue cover (<10%) to significantly reduce soil and SOC losses by water under small‐scale agriculture.
Evaporation from High Residue No‐Till versus Tilled Fallow in a Dry Summer Climate
Authors: Wuest Stewart B. , Schillinger William F.
Published: July 2011

Farmers in the low‐precipitation (<300 mm annual) region of the Inland Pacific Northwest of the USA practice summer fallow to produce winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in a 2‐yr rotation. No‐till fallow (NTF) is ideal for wind erosion control but is not widely practiced because of seed‐zone soil drying during the summer, whereas adequate seed‐zone water for germination and emergence of deep‐sown winter wheat can generally be retained with tilled fallow (TF). Successful establishment of winter wheat from late August– early September planting is critical for optimum grain yield potential. A 6‐yr field study was conducted to determine if accumulations of surface residue under long‐term NTF might eventually be enough to substitute for TF in conserving seed‐zone water over summer. Averaged over the 6 yr, residue rates of 1500, 6000, and 10 500 kg ha−1 (1×, 4×, and 7× rates, respectively) on NTF produced incrementally greater seed‐zone water but were not capable of conserving as much as TF. Total root zone (0–180 cm) over‐summer water loss was greatest in the 1× NTF whereas there were no significant differences in the 4× and 7× NTF versus TF. Average precipitation storage efficiency ranged from 33% for 1× NTF to 40% for TF. We conclude that for the low‐precipitation winter wheat‐summer fallow region of the Inland Pacific Northwest: (i) Cumulative water loss during the summer from NTF generally exceeds that of TF; (ii) there is more extensive and deeper over‐summer drying of the seed‐zone layer with NTF than with TF; (iii) increased quantities of surface residue in NTF slow the rate of evaporative loss from late‐summer rains, and (iv) large quantities of surface residue from April through August will marginally enhance total‐profile and seed‐zone water in NTF, but will not retain adequate seed‐zone water for early establishment of winter wheat except sometimes during years of exceptionally high precipitation or when substantial rain occurs in mid‐to‐late August.
Soil and Crop Response to Varying Levels of Compaction, Nitrogen Fertilization, and Clay Content
Authors: Gregorich E. G. , Lapen D. R. , Ma B. L. , McLaughlin N. B. , VandenBygaart A. J.
Published: July 2011

Compaction affects nearly all soil properties and functions, thereby affecting the growth, distribution, and function of roots, and crop productivity. Our objectives in this research were to evaluate the effects of compaction, N fertilization, and soil texture on corn (Zea mays L.) growth and yield and to determine whether additional N fertilization could compensate for lower yields caused by compaction. Soil was differentially compacted for 3 yr to create two compaction treatments in Year 1 and four in Years 2 and 3; N fertilizer was applied at two rates in Year 1 and four different rates to each compaction treatment in Years 2 and 3; yield was measured in each of the 3 yr, and soil and crop growth properties were measured after 2 and 3 yr. Variation in soil texture across the experimental plots allowed us to partly assess the effects of clay content on the soil and crop response to compaction. Compaction substantially reduced plant growth and productivity; yields were reduced by up to 2.7 Mg ha−1 (33%) and dry matter by 4.1 Mg ha−1 (26%) in compacted soils. Avoiding compaction for a year appeared to allow crop growth and yields to recover. For example, grain yield after two consecutive years of compaction (5.21 Mg ha−1) was significantly lower than after 1 yr of compaction followed by no compaction (7.59 Mg ha−1). Compaction increased soil strength near the bottom of the plow layer, where a carryover effect of compaction was apparent. Compaction‐induced yield reductions were greatest on soils with more clay and were attributed to adverse soil physical conditions rather than limited N fertility.
Separating Nitrogen Polymers from Urea in Ureaform Fertilizer to Study Soil Nitrogen Transformations
Authors: Chien S. H. , Singh U. , Austin E. R. , Kruse J. S.
Published: July 2011

A technique was developed to separate polymers from urea in a soluble urea‐formaldehyde (ureaform) N fertilizer that contained 45.3% of total N as urea N and 54.0% as polymer N. First, urease was used to hydrolyze urea to NH4HCO3. Then NH4–N was precipitated with sodium tetraphenylboron followed by filtration. The filtrate that contained the polymers was compared with urea and ureaform in a soil incubation at 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 10, and 12 wk. The N rates of urea and polymers applied separately were the same as urea and polymers applied from ureaform. The results showed that the amounts of NH4–N and NO3–N produced from the ureaform fertilizer were about the same as the sum of those from urea and polymers, indicating the successful separation of polymers from the urea in the ureaform fertilizer. Mineralization of polymer N to NH4–N and NO3–N ranged from 45 to 80% of the polymer N applied during the incubation.
Estuarine Subaqueous Soil Temperature
Authors: Salisbury Alexander , Stolt Mark H.
Published: July 2011

Most biological and chemical processes related to soil function and formation are temperature dependent. To begin understanding soil temperature in estuarine subaqueous soils, this parameter was investigated in two shallow coastal lagoons in southern New England. Temperature loggers were placed in the soil at two depths (25 and 50 cm) on three subaqueous soil‐landscape types. Soil temperatures were compared among soil‐landscape types, and relative to overlying water temperature, ambient air temperature, and a tidal marsh soil. Subaqueous soil temperature varied slightly among soil‐landscape types, and appears to be primarily influenced by water temperature and depth. Mean annual water temperatures (11.5–12.4°C) were within 1°C of the associated soil temperatures regardless of water depth suggesting that mean annual water temperature would serve as an excellent surrogate for mean annual soil temperature. Soil temperatures at the 50‐cm depth showed less fluctuation than temperatures measured at 25 cm from the soil–water column interface. Mean annual soil temperatures measured at 50 cm were 12.3 and 12.6°C in washover fan and lagoon bottom soils, respectively. Subaqueous soil temperatures were noticeably warmer than the tidal marsh soil. Differences between mean summer and mean winter soil temperatures were >10°C. Thus, these subaqueous soils classify within the mesic soil temperature regime; similar to subaerial soils of southern New England.
Long‐Term Field Fertilization Significantly Alters Community Structure of Ammonia‐Oxidizing Bacteria rather than Archaea in a Paddy Soil
Authors: Wu Yucheng , Lu Lu , Wang Baozhan , Lin Xiangui , Zhu Jianguo , Cai Zucong , Yan Xiaoyuan , Jia Zhongjun
Published: July 2011

Long‐term field fertilization experiments may provide useful insight into the relative contributions of NH3–oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and NH3–oxidizing archaea (AOA) to soil nitrification. In this study, the abundance and composition of AOB and AOA were investigated in bulk soil from paddy field plots (4 by 5 m) that received no fertilization (CK), 180 kg urea N ha−1 yr−1 (NPK), or 180 kg urea N plus 4500 kg rice (Oryza sativa L.) straw ha−1 yr−1 (NPK/OM) since 1988 (each with three replicated plots). Our results clearly indicate that long‐term fertilization (22 yr) significantly altered the community structure of AOB rather than AOA in the soil within fertilized plots compared with the CK plot. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis of the amoA genes that encode the ammonia monooxygenase subunit A revealed that the AOB in the fertilized plots were 50 times more abundant than in the CK plot. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis fingerprinting of the amoA genes demonstrated a drastic shift in the AOB community structure, resulting in highly enriched AOB similar to Nitrosospira cluster 3 in the fertilized plots. In contrast, the population size and composition of the AOA community remained largely unchanged in all plots. Furthermore, a positive correlation was observed between the bacterial rather than archaeal amoA gene copy numbers and potential nitrification activity among the soils. The distinct responses of AOA and AOB to long‐term field fertilization were probably related to the availability of NH3. Our results suggest that AOB might play major roles in the NH3 oxidation that occurs in bulk soil under the in situ fertilized paddy field conditions tested in this study.
Recovery of phosphorus and aluminium from sewage sludge ash by a new wet chemical elution process (SESAL-Phos-recovery process)
Authors: Petzet S. , Peplinski B. , Bodkhe S. Y. , Cornel P.
Published: August 2011

The potential of a new wet chemical process for phosphorus and aluminium recovery from sewage sludge ash by sequential elution with acidic and alkaline solutions has been investigated: SESAL-Phos (sequential elution of sewage sludge ash for aluminium and phosphorus recovery). Its most innovative aspect is an acidic pre-treatment step in which calcium is leached from the sewage sludge ash. Thus the percentage of alkaline soluble aluminium phosphates is increased from 20 to 67%. This aluminium phosphate is then dissolved in alkali. Subsequently, the dissolved phosphorus is precipitated as calcium phosphate with low heavy metal content and recovered from the alkaline solution. Dissolved aluminium is recovered and may be reused as a precipitant in wastewater treatment plants.
Two-phase thermophilic anaerobic digestion process for biohythane production treating biowaste: preliminary results
Authors: Cavinato C. , Bolzonella D. , Fatone F. , Giuliano A. , Pavan P.
Published: August 2011

This paper deals with the optimization of a two-phase anaerobic process treating biowaste for hydrogen and methane production. Neither physical nor chemical pre-treatments were used to optimize the process. The work was carried out at pilot scale, using two CSTRs (200 and 380 L working volume respectively) both maintained at thermophilic temperature (55 °C) and fed semi-continuously with biowaste. The experiment was divided into three periods; during the first two periods the organic loading rate was maintained at 20 kg TVS/m3 d and the hydraulic retention time was changed from 6.6 to 3.3 days, while in the last period the digestate of the second reactor was recirculated to the first reactor in order to buffer the system and control pH at levels around 5. The HRT was maintained at 3.3 days and the OLR was decreased at 16.5 kg TVS/m3 d. The best yield was obtained in the last period where a specific hydrogen production of 50.9 L/kg VSfed was reached, with a H2 content in biogas from the first reactor of 36%. The methanogenic stage after the hydrogen conversion reached a specific biogas production of 0.62 m3/kg VSfed and an overall organic removal above 70%, without any stability problem. The overall biogas production was some 1.5 m3 per day with a gas composition of 10% H2 and 50% CH4.
The dissolution study of a South African magnesium-based material from different sources using a pH-stat
Authors: Limo Rutto , Enweremadu Christopher
Published: July 2011

One of the main steps in the wet flue gas desulphurization (WFGD) process is
the dissolution of either magnesite or limestone. Evaluating the magnesite
dissolution rate is vital for the design and efficient operation of wet FGD
plants. A study on the dissolution of magnesite from different sources in
South Africa is presented in this work. The effect of reaction temperature
(303.15-343.15K), solid-to-liquid ratio (0.5-2.5g/200 ml), particle size
(25-125?m), pH (4-6) and HCl concentration (0.5-2.5 mol/l) on the dissolution
rate was studied. It was found out that the dissolution reaction follows a
shrinking-core model with the chemical reaction control as the
rate-controlling step. The dissolution rate increased with an increase in
concentration and reaction temperature and with a decrease in particle size
and solid-to-liquid ratio. The activation energy of this dissolution process
was found to be 45.685 kJ/mol.
Numerical algorithm based on fast convolution for fractional calculus
Authors: Chen An , Guo Peng , Li Changpin
Published: July 2011

In this paper, numerical algorithms based on fast convolution for the
fractional integral and fractional derivative are proposed. Two examples are
also included which show the efficiency of the derived method.
Exact solutions of time-fractional heat conduction equation by the fractional complex transform
Authors: Li Zheng-Biao , Zhu Wei-Hong , He Ji-Huan
Published: July 2011

The Fractional Complex Transform is extended to solve exactly time-fractional
differential equations with the modified Riemann-Liouville derivative. How to
incorporate suitable boundary/initial conditions is also discussed.
On analytical study of factional Oldroyd-B flow in annular region of two torsionally oscillating cylinders
Authors: Mahmood A.
Published: July 2011

The velocity field and the associated shear stress corresponding to the
torsional oscillatory flow of a fractional Oldroyd-B fluid, also called
generalized Oldroyd-B fluid (GOF), between two infinite coaxial circular
cylinders, are determined by means of the Laplace and Hankel transforms.
Initially, the fluid and cylinders are at rest and after some time both
cylinders suddenly begin to oscillate around their common axis with different
angular frequencies of their velocities. The exact analytic solutions of the
velocity field and associated shear stress, that have been obtained, are
presented under integral and series forms in terms of generalized G and R
functions. Moreover, these solutions satisfy the governing differential
equation and all imposed initial and boundary conditions. The respective
solutions for the motion between the cylinders, when one of them is at rest,
can be obtained from our general solutions. Furthermore, the corresponding
solutions for the similar flow of classical Oldroyd-B, generalized Maxwell,
classical Maxwell, generalized second grade, classical second grade and
Newtonian fluids are also obtained as limiting cases of our general
solutions.
Anti-Islet Autoantibodies Trigger Autoimmune Diabetes in the Presence of an Increased Frequency of Islet-Reactive CD4 T Cells
Authors: Silva Diego G. , Daley Stephen R. , Hogan Jennifer , Lee Sau K. , Teh Charis E. , Hu Daniel Y. , Lam Kong-Peng , Goodnow Christopher C. , Vinuesa Carola G.
Published: July 2011

OBJECTIVE

To define cellular mechanisms by which B cells promote type 1 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

The study measured islet-specific CD4 T cell regulation in T-cell receptor transgenic mice with elevated frequencies of CD4 T cells recognizing hen egg lysozyme (HEL) autoantigen expressed in islet β-cells and thymic epithelium under control of the insulin-gene promoter. The effects of a mutation in Roquin that dysregulates T follicular helper (Tfh) cells to promote B-cell activation and anti-islet autoantibodies were studied, as were the effects of HEL antigen–presenting B cells and passively transferred or maternally transmitted anti-islet HEL antibodies.

RESULTS

Mouse anti-islet IgG antibodies—either formed as a consequence of excessive Tfh activity, maternally transmitted, or passively transferred—caused a breakdown of tolerance in islet-reactive CD4+ cells and fast progression to diabetes. Progression to diabetes was ameliorated in the absence of B cells or when the B cells could not secrete islet-specific IgG. Anti-islet antibodies increased the survival of proliferating islet-reactive CD4+ T cells. FcγR blockade delayed and reduced the incidence of autoimmune diabetes.

CONCLUSIONS

B cells can promote type 1 diabetes by secreting anti-islet autoantibodies that act in an FcγR-mediated manner to enhance the expansion of islet-reactive CD4 T cells and cooperate with inherited defects in thymic and peripheral CD4 T–cell tolerance. Cooperation between inherited variants affecting CD4 T–cell tolerance and anti-islet autoantibodies should be examined in epidemiological studies and in studies examining the efficacy of B-cell depletion.
Coccidioides, Cryptococcus, or Blastomyces? A Diagnostic Dilemma Encountered during Frozen Section Evaluation
Authors: McClain Colt M. , Van Horn Gerald T. , Chappell James D. , Stratton Charles W.
Published: August 2011

Intraoperative consultation via frozen section is an important part of modern day surgical pathology. Recognizing fungi in tissues on frozen and permanent sections is not always a simple task, and correctly identifying the agent can be a significant challenge, even for experienced microscopists. We present a case of a 17-year-old boy with chronic osteomyelitis involving the right proximal ulna. During an irrigation and debridement operation, a frozen section was sent to surgical pathology for evaluation. A limited patient history coupled with sparse organisms present in the frozen section led to the diagnosis of fungal osteomyelitis, favor Coccidioides. Follow-up permanent sections with special staining and successful fungal culture clarified the causal agent to be Blastomyces dermatitidis. The role of frozen sections is not to perfectly speciate the fungal pathogen but to describe the morphology and infectious process and provide a differential diagnosis of the candidate fungi. The importance of intraoperative culture in infectious cases cannot be understated, and it is the responsibility of pathologists to inform surgeons that tissue is needed for culture. A brief overview of Blastomyces, including histopathologic features and key microscopic differences from Coccidioides and Cryptococcus, is discussed.
The Berlin Wall after Fifty Years: Introduction
Authors: Harrison Hope M.
Published: July 2011

Fifty years ago on 13 August 1961, the East Germans sealed the east-west

border in Berlin, beginning to build what would become known as the

Berlin Wall. Located 110 miles/177 kilometers from the border with West

Germany and deep inside of East Germany, West Berlin had remained the

“last loophole” for East Germans to escape from the communist German

Democratic Republic (GDR) to the western Federal Republic of Germany

(FRG, West Germany). West Berlin was an island of capitalism and democracy

within the GDR, and it enticed increasing numbers of dissatisfied East

Germans to flee to the West. This was particularly the case after the border

between the GDR and FRG was closed in 1952, leaving Berlin as the only

place in Germany where people could move freely between east and west.

By the summer of 1961, over 1,000 East Germans were fleeing westwards

every day, threatening to bring down the GDR. To put a stop to this, East

Germany’s leaders, with backing from their Soviet ally, slammed shut this

“escape hatch.”
The Double Task of the East German Border Guards: Policing the Border and Military Functions
Authors: Maurer Jochen , Sälter Gerhard
Published: July 2011

The border guards were what made the Berlin Wall both function and lethal. Without them, people could escape nearly without any hindrance. Thus, it is crucial to understand the role of the border guards, who they were, and how they were prepared for their duty. They had a double task: preventing citizens, in most cases respectable and unarmed, from fleeing; and serving as an initial front-line defense in case of war. The military aspect of their mission, however, remained hypothetical, whereas preventing escapes became their daily duty. The duplicity of their task, with the military aspect determining armament, training, and structure no doubt increased the number of fatalities at the border.
Reaction between 5-Isopropylidene-2,2-Dimethyl-1,3-Dioxane-4,6-Dione and Trialkyl(aryl) Phosphites in the Presence of Alcohols
Authors: Hosseini-Tabatabaei Mohammad R. , Hassanabadi Alireza , Ghazanfari Dadkhoda , Miri Adel
Published: July 2011

5-Isopropylidene-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane-4,6-dione (the condensation product of Meldrum's acid and acetone) reacts with trialkyl(aryl) phosphites in the presence of alcohols to produce dialkyl 2-[1-(dialkoxyphosphoryl)-1-methylethyl]malonate in good yields.
Bis-enaminones as precursors for synthesis of novel 3,4-bis(heteroaryl)pyrazoles and 3,6-bis-(heteroaryl)-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyridazines
Authors: Shawali Ahmad S. , Haboub Adel J. M.
Published: July 2011

Coupling of bis-enaminones with benzenediazonium chloride and 3-diazo-1,2,4-triazole proved to be convenient routes for the synthesis of novel 3,4-bis(pyrazol-3-yl)pyrazoles and 3,6-bis(heteroaryl)pyrazolo[3,4- d]pyridazines which have not been reported previously. The structures of the products were elucidated on the basis of their spectral properties, elemental analyses and, wherever possible, by alternate synthesis.
The Addition of Hydrogen Halides to the Carbonyl Group to give gem-halogenohydrins
Authors: McManus Michael D. , Skinner James B.B. , Hughes D.E. Peter
Published: July 2011

By conductivity measurements, it has been shown that HCl, HBr and HI undergo addition to propanone and propanal to give gem-halogenohydrins. Chlorohydrins have been detected when HCl combined with aldehydes that do not undergo keto-enol tautomerism and 1,2,2,2-tetrachlorethanol has been identified when HCl combines with trichloroethanal (chloral). The formation of gem-chlorohydrins has been reported in the enzymic degradation of chlorinated hydrocarbons, but this is the first report that they can be formed by direct combination at room temperature. This reaction should, therefore, be considered as a typical property of the carbonyl group, similar to the addition of water and HCN.
Urinary Concentrations of Dialkylphosphate Metabolites of Organophosphorus Pesticides: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2004
Authors: Barr Dana Boyd , Wong Lee-Yang , Bravo Roberto , Weerasekera Gayanga , Odetokun Martins , Restrepo Paula , Kim Do-Gyun , Fernandez Carolina , Jr. Ralph D. Whitehead , Perez Jose , Gallegos Maribel , Williams Bryan L. , Needham Larry L.
Published: July 2011

Organophosphorus (OP) insecticides were among the first pesticides that EPA reevaluated as part of the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996. Our goal was to assess exposure to OP insecticides in the U.S. general population over a six-year period. We analyzed 7,456 urine samples collected as part of three two-year cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999–2004. We measured six dialkylphosphate metabolites of OP pesticides to assess OP pesticide exposure. In NHANES 2003–2004, dimethylthiophosphate was detected most frequently with median and 95th percentile concentrations of 2.03 and 35.3 µg/L, respectively. Adolescents were two to three times more likely to have diethylphosphate concentrations above the 95th percentile estimate of 15.5 µg/L than adults and senior adults. Conversely, for dimethyldithiophosphate, senior adults were 3.8 times and 1.8 times more likely to be above the 95th percentile than adults and adolescents, respectively, while adults were 2.1 times more likely to be above the 95th percentile than the adolescents. Our data indicate that the most vulnerable segments of our population—children and older adults—have higher exposures to OP pesticides than other population segments. However, according to DAP urinary metabolite data, exposures to OP pesticides have declined during the last six years at both the median and 95th percentile levels.
Anti-Fatigue Properties of Tartary Buckwheat Extracts in Mice
Authors: Jin Hong-Mei , Wei Ping
Published: July 2011

Anti-fatigue properties of tartary buckwheat extracts (TBE) was investigated in male Kunming mice. The animals were divided into four groups. The first group, designated as the control group (control), was administered with distilled water by gavage every day for 28 days. The other three groups, designated as TBE treatment groups, were administered with TBE of 60, 120 and 240 mg/kg body weight, respectively, by gavage every day for 28 days. Exhaustive swimming time, blood lactic acid (BLA), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), tissue glycogen, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) of mice after swimming were determined. The results showed that tartary buckwheat extracts had anti-fatigue properties, which extended the exhaustive swimming time of mice, effectively inhibiting the increase of BLA, decreasing the level of BUN, increasing the tissue glycogen content and the activities of SOD and GPx of mice. However, further study is needed to elucidate the exact mechanism of the effect of TBE on fatigue.
Correction: Sejnoha, M. et al. Mori-Tanaka Based Estimates of Effective Thermal Conductivity of Various Engineering Materials. Micromachines 2011, 2, 129–149
Authors: Stránský Jan , Vorel Jan , Zeman Jan , Sejnoha Michal
Published: July 2011

We have discovered a mistake in our original derivation related to the definition of the apparent conductivity due to orientation averaging. [...]
Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Novel 99mTc-Labelled Bisphosphonates as Superior Bone Imaging Agents
Authors: Qiu Ling , Cheng Wen , Lin Jianguo , Luo Shineng , Xue Li , Pan Jing
Published: July 2011

A series of novel zoledronic acid (ZL) derivatives 1-hydroxy-3-(2-methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propane-1,1-diyldiphosphonic acid (MIPrDP), 1-hydroxy-4-(2-methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)butane-1,1-diyldiphosphonic acid (MIBDP), and 1-hydroxy-5-(2-methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)pentane-1,1-diyldiphosphonic acid (MIPeDP) were prepared and successfully labeled with 99mTc in high labeling yields. The in vitro stability and in vivo biodistribution of 99mTc-MIPrDP, 99mTc-MIBDP and 99mTc-MIPeDP were investigated and compared. The biodistribution studies indicate that the radiotracer 99mTc-MIPrDP has highly selective uptake in the skeletal system and rapid clearance from soft tissues. The present findings indicate that 99mTc-MIPrDP holds great potential for use in bone imaging.
Anticancer Activity of Chamaejasmine: Effect on Tubulin Protein
Authors: Fang Wenlong , Liu Songtao , Nie Yingkun
Published: July 2011

In this work, the anticancer activity of chamaejasmine was studied by evaluating its in vitro cytotoxicity against several human cancer cell lines (MCF-7, A549, SGC-7901, HCT-8, HO-4980, Hela, HepG2, PC-3, LNCap, Vero and MDCK) using the MTT assay. Results indicated chamaejasmine showed more notable anticancer activity than taxol against PC-3 cells, with IC50 values of 2.28 and 3.98 µM, respectively. Furthermore, Western blot analysis showed that chamaejasmine was able to increase the expression of β-tubulin, but not α-tubulin. In silico simulations indicated that chamaejasmine specifically interacts with the active site which is located at the top of β-tubulin, thanks to the presence of strong hydrophobic effects between the core templates and the hydrophobic surface of the TB active site. The binding energy (Einter) was calculated to be −164.77 kcal·mol−1. Results presented here suggest that chamaejasmine possesses anti-cancer properties relating to β-tubulin depolymerization inhibition, and therefore is a potential source of anticancer leads for the pharmaceutical industry.
Tunable Crystal-to-Crystal Phase Transition in a Cadmium Halide Chain Polymer
Authors: Lamberts Kevin , Kalf Irmgard , Ramadan Amr , Müller Paul , Dronskowski Richard , Englert Ulli
Published: July 2011

The chain polymer [{Cd(μ-X)2py2}1∞] (X = Cl, Br; py = pyridine) undergoes a fully reversible phase transition between a monoclinic low-temperature and an orthorhombic high-temperature phase. The transformation can be directly monitored in single crystals and can be confirmed for the bulk by powder diffraction. The transition temperature can be adjusted by tuning the composition of the mixed-halide phase: Transition temperatures between 175 K up to the decomposition of the material at ca. 350 K are accessible. Elemental analysis, ion chromatography and site occupancy refinements from single-crystal X-ray diffraction agree with respect to the stoichiometric composition of the samples.
The Park 51/Ground Zero Controversy and Sacred Sites as Contested Space
Authors: Kilde Jeanne Halgren
Published: July 2011

The Park 51 controversy swept like wildfire through the media in late August of 2010, fueled by Islamophobes who oppose all advance of Islam in America. Yet the controversy also resonated with many who were clearly not caught up in the fear of Islam. This article attempts to understand the broader concern that the Park 51 project would somehow violate the Ground Zero site, and, thus, as a sign of "respect" should be moved to a different location, an argument that was invariably articulated in “spatial language” as groups debated the physical and spatial presence of the buildings in question, their relative proximity, and even the shadows they cast. This article focuses on three sets of spatial meanings that undergirded these arguments: the site as sacred ground created through trauma, rebuilding as retaliation for the attack, and the assertion of American civil religion. The article locates these meanings within a broader civic discussion of liberty and concludes that the spatialization of the controversy opened up discursive space for repressive, anti-democratic views to sway even those who believe in religious liberty, thus evidencing a deep ambivalence regarding the legitimate civic membership of Muslim Americans.
Identification of Mangrove Areas by Remote Sensing: The ROC Curve Technique Applied to the Northwestern Mexico Coastal Zone Using Landsat Imagery
Authors: Alatorre Luis C. , Sánchez-Andrés Raquel , Cirujano Santos , Beguería Santiago , Sánchez-Carrillo Salvador
Published: July 2011

In remote sensing, traditional methodologies for image classification consider the spectral values of a pixel in different image bands. More recently, classification methods have used neighboring pixels to provide more information. In the present study, we used these more advanced techniques to discriminate between mangrove and non‑mangrove regions in the Gulf of California of northwestern Mexico. A maximum likelihood algorithm was used to obtain a spectral distance map of the vegetation signature characteristic of mangrove areas. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was applied to this map to improve classification. Two classification thresholds were set to determine mangrove and non-mangrove areas, and two performance statistics (sensitivity and specificity) were calculated to express the uncertainty (errors of omission and commission) associated with the two maps. The surface area of the mangrove category obtained by maximum likelihood classification was slightly higher than that obtained from the land cover map generated by the ROC curve, but with the difference of these areas to have a high level of accuracy in the prediction of the model. This suggests a considerable degree of uncertainty in the spectral signatures of pixels that distinguish mangrove forest from other land cover categories.
On the Misdiagnosis of Surface Temperature Feedbacks from Variations in Earth’s Radiant Energy Balance
Authors: Spencer Roy W. , Braswell William D.
Published: July 2011

The sensitivity of the climate system to an imposed radiative imbalance remains the largest source of uncertainty in projections of future anthropogenic climate change. Here we present further evidence that this uncertainty from an observational perspective is largely due to the masking of the radiative feedback signal by internal radiative forcing, probably due to natural cloud variations. That these internal radiative forcings exist and likely corrupt feedback diagnosis is demonstrated with lag regression analysis of satellite and coupled climate model data, interpreted with a simple forcing-feedback model. While the satellite-based metrics for the period 2000–2010 depart substantially in the direction of lower climate sensitivity from those similarly computed from coupled climate models, we find that, with traditional methods, it is not possible to accurately quantify this discrepancy in terms of the feedbacks which determine climate sensitivity. It is concluded that atmospheric feedback diagnosis of the climate system remains an unsolved problem, due primarily to the inability to distinguish between radiative forcing and radiative feedback in satellite radiative budget observations.
Modeling of Slot Waveguide Sensors Based on Polymeric Materials
Authors: Bettotti Paolo , Pitanti Alessandro , Rigo Eveline , De Leonardis Francesco , Passaro Vittorio M. N. , Pavesi Lorenzo
Published: July 2011

Slot waveguides are very promising for optical sensing applications because of their peculiar spatial mode profile. In this paper we have carried out a detailed analysis of mode confinement properties in slot waveguides realized in very low refractive index materials. We show that the sensitivity of a slot waveguide is not directly related to the refractive index contrast of high and low materials forming the waveguide. Thus, a careful design of the structures allows the realization of high sensitivity devices even in very low refractive index materials (e.g., polymers) to be achieved. Advantages of low index dielectrics in terms of cost, functionalization and ease of fabrication are discussed while keeping both CMOS compatibility and integrable design schemes. Finally, applications of low index slot waveguides as substitute of bulky fiber capillary sensors or in ring resonator architectures are addressed. Theoretical results of this work are relevant to well established polymer technologies.