bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Whole Cancer Genome Sequencing by Next-Generation Methods
Authors: Ross Jeffrey S. , Cronin Maureen
Published: September 2011

Traditional approaches to sequence analysis are widely used to guide therapy for patients with lung and colorectal cancer and for patients with melanoma, sarcomas (eg, gastrointestinal stromal tumor), and subtypes of leukemia and lymphoma. The next-generation sequencing (NGS) approach holds a number of potential advantages over traditional methods, including the ability to fully sequence large numbers of genes (hundreds to thousands) in a single test and simultaneously detect deletions, insertions, copy number alterations, translocations, and exome-wide base substitutions (including known “hot-spot mutations”) in all known cancer-related genes. Adoption of clinical NGS testing will place significant demands on laboratory infrastructure and will require extensive computational expertise and a deep knowledge of cancer medicine and biology to generate truly useful “clinically actionable” reports. It is anticipated that continuing advances in NGS technology will lower the overall cost, speed the turnaround time, increase the breadth of genome sequencing, detect epigenetic markers and other important genomic parameters, and become applicable to smaller and smaller specimens, including circulating tumor cells and circulating free DNA in plasma.
Symbolic Interactionism and Ethnomethodology
Authors: Dennis Alex
Published: September 2011

Symbolic interactionism and ethnomethodology, while apparently similar in topic and approach, are radically different sociological perspectives. Garfinkel's notion of a plenum is used to illustrate this difference with regard to their approaches to the concept of interaction. Ethnomethodology's rejection of the concepts of actor and context, and its different treatment of meaning, are contrasted with symbolic interactionism's terms of reference.
Vision Scenes in Bernadette
Authors: Jackson Roland
Published: September 2011

The 1943 movie The Song of Bernadette names Alfred Newman as its “composer.” But his chief assistant at the time, Edward Powell, appears to have made a number of important contributions. If Newman provided the themes and harmonies with their positioning within the individual scenes, Powell worked out the scorings and registers, and at times filled out the harmonies with additional notes or counter-melodies. In this regard Newman and Powell can be considered a “team.” They also shared enthusiasms concerning composers, such as Sibelius, Wagner, or Ravel, from whom thematic ideas appear to have been borrowed, e.g. Sibelius’s “forest murmurs” (Symphony no.5) with its strangely dissonant chromaticisms, or the opulent celesta and harp effects in the first vision scene that recall Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé. The three vision scenes are based on essentially the same thematic material, although the third brings in a quotation from Victoria’s motet “Ave Maria,” which subsequently becomes a leitmotif throughout the movie, underscoring those moments when a sacred feeling was suggested or emphasized.
Enhanced nutrient removal MBR system with chemical addition for low effluent TP
Authors: Liu Wen-jun , Hu Zhi-rong , Walker R. L. , Dold P. L.
Published: September 2011

A pilot study was conducted to test an membrane bioreactor (MBR) process for combined biological and chemical P removal to achieve a very low effluent total phosphorus (TP) concentration of 0.025 mg P/L. With the data from the pilot test, a simulation study was performed to demonstrate that: (1) the pilot system behaviour (effluent quality, MLSS, etc.) can be modelled accurately with an activated sludge model combined with a chemical precipitation model; and (2) with the calibrated model, simulation scenarios can be performed to further understand the pilot MBR process, and provide information for optimizing design and operation when applied at full-scale. Results from the pilot test indicated that the system could achieve very low effluent TP concentration through biological P removal with a limited chemical addition, and chemical addition to remove P to very low level did not affect other biological processes, i.e., organic and nitrogen removal. Simulation studies indicate that the process behaviour can be modelled accurately with an activated sludge model combined with a chemical precipitation model, and the calibrated model can be used to provide information to optimize system design and operation, e.g., chemical addition control under dynamic loading conditions is important for maintaining biological P removal.
A Novel Routing Protocol Based on the Channel Load Similarity for Multi-Interface Wireless Mesh Networks
Authors: Tian Qi Ming
Published: September 2011

Routing protocols are the key factors which determine the communication performance in the multi-interface wireless mesh networks. The existing routing protocols can not capture the channel interference accurately. In order to utilize the multi-interface technology to reduce the interference and improve the network throughput, this paper presented a novel routing metric for multi-interface wireless mesh networks. This metric integrated both the channel similarity and the link load to measure the route quality. Furthermore, this paper applied this routing metric to the AODV routing protocol which formed a new routing protocol. The simulation results show that the new protocol outperforms the original AODV protocol in terms of the average throughput, transmission rate and end-to-end delay.
Pearl – A Nano-Composite & Natural Super Dielectric
Authors: Pradhan S.S. , Sarkar A.
Published: September 2011

Pearl is a bio-originated valuable natural gem and it is also cultivated or harvested for jewellery. In this paper, the material aspects of pearl have been investigated experimentally and it has been found that it has a very high static dielectric constant ~ 105. The functional nature of the material is also established in this work. The beautiful lustre of natural pearl is explained by nano-optics and the layered structure of the material. The origin of super-dielectric nature of pearl has been explained by lightning rod effect (LRE) that causes ultra-high polarization of the dielectric background. The LRE is due to the presence of very small sized nano-particles in the natural pearl. Its electrical conductivity is mostly ionic, only less than 10% of the total conductivity is electronic. The scope of tailoring of its electro-activity has been probed.
Synthesis of Nano CuO by Polymeric Precursor Method and its Low Temperature Reduction to Stable Copper Nanoparticles
Authors: Andal V. , Buvaneswari G.
Published: September 2011

CuO nanoparticles showing different morphologies were prepared by polymeric precursor method using three different copper sources: basic copper carbonate, copper nitrate and copper hydroxide. The decomposition temperature of the precursors varies from 200 C to 400 C. The effect of the concentration of the polymeric additive was studied. The CuO nanopowder was reduced to metallic copper at low temperature using hydrazine hydrate as a reducing agent. The oxide was treated with the reducing agent in two forms: (1) as dispersion in 0.1% PVA (dispersion method) (2) as slurry with 0.1% PVA applied on a glass plate (plate method). The maroon copper metal nanofluid achieved in dispersion method was stable for six months and the copper nanopowder obtained from the plate method showed stability for more than six months. The precursor, CuO and Cu nanomaterials were characterized by powder XRD, FT-IR, TGA, SEM and TEM techniques.
Protein‐Polymer Conjugates
Authors: Briand Victoria A. , Kumar Challa V. , Kasi Rajeswari M.
Published: September 2011

This chapter focuses on the design and applications of protein‐polymer conjugates. Protein‐polymer conjugates are synthesized by conjugating a polymer chain or many polymer chains onto a protein. The site of conjugation, protein, polymer, and stoichiometry are important criteria when designing a protein‐polymer conjugate. The important structural aspects and functions of proteins, such as hierarchical structure and activity, are discussed. The various methods of site‐specific conjugation, “grafting to”, “grafting from” and cofactor reconstitution, are included along the pros and cons of each method. Conjugates synthesized by random conjugation are also discussed. The specific reactions used for protein attachment are not included, as numerous synthetic reviews exist; however, a broad overview of the field is presented. Novel conjugate structures can be synthesized by attaching synthetic peptide sequences onto polymers. In addition to design considerations, the range of applications from drug delivery systems to biosensors are discussed. This chapter aims to aid in furthering the knowledge and growth of the synergistic combination of proteins and polymers.
Triangular Graphene Grain Growth on Cube‐Textured Cu Substrates
Authors: Liu Jianwei , Wu Judy , Edwards Christina M. , Berrie Cindy L. , Moore David , Chen Zhijun , Maroni Victor A. , Paranthaman M. Parans , Goyal Amit
Published: September 2011

The growth of graphene has been carried out on cube‐textured (100) oriented Cu (CTO‐Cu) foils using chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Well‐aligned triangular grains self‐assembled on CTO‐Cu during CVD heating in flowing hydrogen. The nucleation of triangular graphene grains has been confirmed. This demonstrates that the shape and possible alignment of the graphene grains can potentially be tuned by changing the properties of the substrate, which should ultimately lead to improved electrical properties of the graphene. This type of graphene nucleation and alignment is novel and has not been observed in previous studies on other copper foil samples.
Quantum critical behavior of heavy fermions: Quasiparticles in the Gaussian fluctuation regime
Authors: Wölfle P. , Abrahams E.
Published: September 2011

Landau quasiparticle (qp) theory may be extended into the non‐Fermi liquid regime of metallic compounds near a quantum critical point (QCP), provided the width of the quasiparticle states is less than their energy. Sufficiently far from the QCP, when the critical fluctuations are non‐interacting, their influence on the qp properties may be calculated in a controlled way. A prominent example is the `marginal Fermi liquid,' characterized by a logarithmic variation of the specific heat coefficient and a linear variation of the resistivity with temperature. The latter is induced by the interaction of qps with three‐dimensional ferromagnetic (FM) or, in a disordered system, with quasi‐two‐dimensional antiferromagnetic (AFM) spin fluctuations. It is argued that both types of fluctuations are present in YbRh2Si2. It is suggested that the experimentally observed crossover line at T* marks the changeover from AFM to FM fluctuations with increasing magnetic field. The non‐Fermi liquid behavior found in the electron spin resonance data on YbRh2Si2 may be completely interpreted using critical quasiparticle theory.
Exact ground states for polyphenylene type of hexagon chains
Authors: Trencsényi R. , Gulácsi K. , Kovács E. , Gulácsi Z.
Published: September 2011

A technique based on positive semidefinite operator properties has been used in deducing exact ground states for hexagon chains of polyphenylene type (hexagons interconnected by bonds build up the 1D periodic structure), placed in a constant external magnetic field B perpendicular to the surface containing the system. The used Hubbard type of model takes into account B by Peierls phase factors, and has the peculiar property to provide only flat bands in the bare band structure for elevated external field values independent on the parameters entering in the kinetic part of the Hamiltonian. The deduced ground states are non‐magnetic or ferromagnetic in character, localized in the thermodynamic limit, and besides the fact that B is able to switch the system between different phases, emphasize that the localization length and connectivity conditions can be tuned by external magnetic fields.
Electron‐electron interactions and the metal‐insulator transition in heavily doped silicon
Authors: v. Löhneysen H.
Published: September 2011

The metal‐insulator (MI) transition in Si:P can be tuned by varying the P concentration or – for barely insulating samples – by application of uniaxial stress S. On‐site Coulomb interactions lead to the formation of localized magnetic moments and the Kondo effect on the metallic side, and to a Hubbard splitting of the donor band on the insulating side. Continuous stress tuning allows the observation of finite‐temperature dynamic scaling of σ (T,S) and hence a reliable determination of the critical exponent μ of the extrapolated zero‐temperature conductivity σ (0) ∼ | S ‐ Sc |μ, i.e., μ = 1, and of the dynamical exponent z = 3. The issue of half‐filling vs. away from half‐filling of the donor band (i.e., uncompensated vs. compensated semiconductors) is discussed in detail.
On the nature of a*kak and the emergence of the Born rule
Authors: Assis A.V.D.B.
Published: September 2011

This paper is intended to show that a review in the concept of the game theoretical utility, the revised utility to be applied to the definition of the utility of a wave function representing an object subsystem relative to its observer subsystem, both within an isolated system, leads to the emergence of Max Born's rule as a profit under a von Neumann good measure game.
A new approach for linking event‐based upland sediment sources to downstream suspended sediment transport
Authors: Gao Peng , Puckett James
Published: September 2011

In this study, we proposed a new approach for linking event sediment sources to downstream sediment transport in a watershed in central New York. This approach is based on a new concept of spatial scale, sub‐watershed area (SWA), defined as a sub‐watershed within which all eroded soils are transported out without deposition during a hydrological event. Using (rainfall) event data collected between July and November, 2007 from several SWAs of the studied watershed, we developed an empirical equation that has one independent variable, mean SWA slope. This equation was then used to determine event‐averaged unit soil erosion rate, QS/A, (in kg/km2/hr) for all SWAs in the studied watershed and calculate event‐averaged gross erosion Eea (in kg/hr). The event gross erosion Et (in kilograms) was subsequently computed as the product of Eea and the mean event duration, T (in hours) determined using event hydrographs at the outlet of the studied watershed. Next, we developed two linear sediment rating curves (SRCs) for small and big events based on the event data obtained at the watershed outlet. These SRCs, together with T, allowed us to determine event sediment yield SYe (in kilograms) for all events during the study period. By comparing Et with SYe, developing empirical equations (i) between Et and SYe and (ii) for event sediment delivery ratio, respectively, we revealed the event dynamic processes connecting sediment sources and downstream sediment transport. During small events, sediment transport in streams was at capacity and dominated by the deposition process, whereas during big events, it was below capacity and controlled by the erosion process. The key of applying this approach to other watersheds is establishing their empirical equations for QS/A and appropriately determining their numbers of SWAs. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Human brain changes across the life span: A review of 56 longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging studies
Authors: Hedman Anna M. , van Haren Neeltje E.M. , Schnack Hugo G. , Kahn René S. , Hulshoff Pol Hilleke E.
Published: September 2011

There is consistent evidence that brain volume changes in early and late life. Most longitudinal studies usually only span a few years and include a limited number of participants. In this review, we integrate findings from 56 longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies on whole brain volume change in healthy individuals. The individual longitudinal MRI studies describe only the development in a limited age range. In total, 2,211 participants were included. Age at first measurement varied between 4 and 88 years of age. The studies included in this review were performed using a large range of methods (e.g., different scanner protocols and different acquisition parameters). We applied a weighted regression analysis to estimate the age dependency of the rate of relative annual brain volume change across studies. The results indicate that whole brain volume changes throughout the life span. A wave of growth occurs during childhood/adolescence, where around 9 years of age a 1% annual brain growth is found which levels off until at age 13 a gradual volume decrease sets in. During young adulthood, between ∼18 and 35 years of age, possibly another wave of growth occurs or at least a period of no brain tissue loss. After age 35 years, a steady volume loss is found of 0.2% per year, which accelerates gradually to an annual brain volume loss of 0.5% at age 60. The brains of people over 60 years of age show a steady volume loss of more than 0.5%. Understanding the mechanisms underlying these plastic brain changes may contribute to distinguishing progressive brain changes in psychiatric and neurological diseases from healthy aging processes. Hum Brain Mapp, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc
Establishment of VCA and EBNA1 IgA‐based combination by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay as preferred screening method for nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a two‐stage design with a preliminary performance study and a mass screening in southern China
Authors: Liu Yue , Huang Qihong , Liu Wanli , Liu Qing , Jia Weihua , Chang Ellen , Chen Feng , Liu Zhiwei , Guo Xiang , Mo Haoyuan , Chen Jinou , Rao Dongping , Ye Weimin , Cao Sumei , Hong Minghuang
Published: September 2011

A two‐stage study was conducted in southern China to determine and validate an optimal combination of Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV)‐related seromarkers for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) screening. In the first stage, six seromarkers [VCA‐IgA, EA‐IgA, Epstein‐Barr virus nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1‐IgA), EBNA1‐IgG, Zta‐IgA and Rta‐IgG] were detected by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and two traditional NPC screening seromarkers (VCA‐IgA and EA‐IgA) were detected by immunofluorescence assay (IFA) in serum samples from 191 NPC patients and 337 controls. An optimal combination of seromarkers for NPC diagnosis was selected using logistic regression models. Results showed that the diagnostic performances of VCA‐IgA and EA‐IgA tested by ELISA were superior to the performances of the same seromarkers by IFA. VCA‐IgA combined with EBNA1‐IgA by ELISA was identified as the optimal combination, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) up to 0.97, a sensitivity of 95.3% and a specificity of 94.1% for classification of NPCs vs. controls. In the second stage, 5,481 participants aged 30–59 years and without clinical evidence of NPC were recruited into a population‐based NPC screening program from May 2008 to February 2009 in Sihui City, China. Their sera were tested simultaneously by both the new and the traditional screening schemes and eight early stage NPC patients were subsequently histopathologically confirmed. The traditional and the new screening schemes had comparable specificity (estimated as 98.5%), but the sensitivity of the new scheme (75.0%) was significantly higher than that of the traditional one (25.0%). The combination of VCA‐IgA and EBNA1‐IgA by ELISA outperforms the traditional NPC screening scheme and could become the preferred serodiagnostic strategy for NPC screening in high‐incidence areas.
Pannexin 3 is a novel target for Runx2, expressed by osteoblasts and mature growth plate chondrocytes
Authors: Bond Stephen R , Lau Alice , Penuela Silvia , Sampaio Arthur V , Underhill T Michael , Laird Dale W , Naus Christian C
Published: September 2011

Pannexins are a class of chordate channel proteins identified by their homology to insect gap junction proteins. The pannexin family consists of three members, Panx1, Panx2, and Panx3, and the role each of these proteins plays in cellular processes is still under investigation. Previous reports of Panx3 expression indicate enrichment in skeletal tissues, so we have further investigated this distribution by surveying the developing mouse embryo with immunofluorescence. High levels of Panx3 were detected in intramembranous craniofacial flat bones, as well as long bones of the appendicular and axial skeleton. This distribution is the result of expression in both osteoblasts and hypertrophic chondrocytes. Furthermore, the Panx3 promoter contains putative binding sites for transcription factors involved in bone formation, and we show that the sequence between bases −275 and −283 is responsive to Runx2 activation. Taken together, our data suggests that Panx3 may serve an important role in bone development, and is a novel target for Runx2-dependent signaling. © 2011 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
Electrochemical Detection of Catechol on Boron‐doped Diamond Electrode Modified with Au/TiO2 Nanorod Composite
Authors: Wei Min , Liu Yong , Gu Zhong‐Ze , Liu Zhong‐Dong
Published: September 2011

Au/TiO2 nanorod composites with different ratios of [TiO2]:[Au] have been prepared by chemically reducing AuCl4‐ on the positively charged TiO2 nanorods surface and used to modify boron‐doped diamond (BDD) electrodes. The electrochemical behaviors of catechol on the bare and different Au/TiO2 nanorod composites‐modified BDD electrodes are studied. The cyclic voltammetric results indicate that these different Au/TiO2 nanorod composites‐modified BDD electrodes can enhance the electrocatalytic activity toward catechol detection, as compared with the bare BDD electrode. Among these different conditions, the Au/TiO2‐BDD3 electrode (the ratio of [TiO2]:[Au] is 27:1) is the most choice for catechol detection. The electrochemical response dependences of the Au/TiO2‐BDD3 electrode on pH of solution and the applied potential are studied. The detection limit of catechol is found to be about 1.4 × 10‐6 M in a linear range from 5 × 10‐6 M to 200 × 10‐6 M on the Au/TiO2‐BDD3 electrode.
Infrared heat aided solid state synthesis of pyrroles from 1,4‐diketones and ammonium acetate
Authors: Zhang Chun , Wang Jian , Li Jing‐Hua
Published: September 2011

A facile amination of 1,4‐diketones with ammonium acetate has been achieved by mechanochemical grinding assisted by infrared irradiation in the presence of silica gel. The wastes are reduced and the energy resources saved. J. Heterocyclic Chem., (2012).
Influence of house‐staff experience on teaching‐hospital mortality: The “July Phenomenon” revisited
Authors: van Walraven Carl , Jennings Alison , Wong Jenna , Forster Alan J.
Published: September 2011

BACKGROUND:

The “July Phenomenon” refers to a purported worsening of outcomes in teaching‐hospital patients with the arrival of new, inexperienced house‐staff. Previous quantitative studies of new house‐staff and increased mortality have been limited primarily by a focused patient population and the use of limited data to adjust for severity of patient illness.

METHODS:

We included all medicine, surgical, and obstetrical patients admitted to a teaching hospital in Ontario, Canada between April 15, 2004 and December 31, 2008. We calculated the ratio of observed to expected weekly number of deaths in hospital. The expected number of deaths was calculated using a validated, discriminative, and well‐calibrated multivariate survival model. Collective house‐staff experience was modeled from a minimum on July 1st to a maximum on June 30th using five distinct patterns.

RESULTS:

We studied 259,748 encounters that included 164,318 people. The mortality rate was 3.0%. The ratio of observed to expected number of weekly deaths was not associated with collective house‐staff experience, irrespective of the pattern in which it was modeled. The lack of association between risk of death in hospital and house‐staff experience did not vary by admission type (urgent vs elective) or specialty (medicine vs surgery).

CONCLUSION:

At our hospital, we found no association between the arrival of new house‐staff and the adjusted risk of death in hospital. These data, along with the results of the vast majority of previous studies in this field, make the existence of the “July Phenomenon” for inpatient mortality extremely unlikely. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2011. © 2011 Society of Hospital Medicine
Development and validation of a gas chromatography‐mass spectrometric method for the determination of sildenafil and desmethyl‐sildenafil in whole blood
Authors: Papoutsis Ioannis , Nikolaou Panagiota , Athanaselis Sotirios , Alevizopoulos Giorgos , Pistos Constantinos , Paraskevopoulou Christina , Spiliopoulou Chara
Published: September 2011

Sildenafil (SDL) is a phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor and it is approved for the treatment of erectile dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension. SDL is extensively metabolized to its pharmacologically active metabolite, desmethyl‐sildenafil (DSDL). A sensitive and specific GC/MS method for the determination of SDL and DSDL in whole blood was developed and validated to support therapeutic drug monitoring of SDL patients. The combination of solid‐phase extraction with derivatization using BSTFA with 1% TMCS in acetonitrile efficiently reduced matrix effect and improved sensitivity of the method. In this assay, protriptyline was used as internal standard for both analytes. The LODs were 1.50 and 5.00 ng/mL for SDL and DSDL, respectively, whereas the respective LOQs were 5.00 and 15.0 ng/mL. The calibration curves were linear up to 500.0 ng/mL (SDL: R2 0.992, DSDL: R2 0.990). Absolute recovery values for both analytes ranged from 83.1 to 93.2%. Within‐ and between‐batch accuracy was less than 11.8 and 10.2%, respectively, whereas within‐ and between‐batch precision was less than 8.1 and 10.8%, correspondingly. The developed method is suitable for the determination of SDL and DSDL concentrations in blood samples obtained from patients under Viagra® treatment, for pharmacokinetic studies or for the investigation of related forensic cases.
Silicon microring resonators
Authors: Bogaerts W. , De Heyn P. , Van Vaerenbergh T. , De Vos K. , Kumar Selvaraja S. , Claes T. , Dumon P. , Bienstman P. , Van Thourhout D. , Baets R.
Published: September 2011

An overview is presented of the current state‐of‐the‐art in silicon nanophotonic ring resonators. Basic theory of ring resonators is discussed, and applied to the peculiarities of submicron silicon photonic wire waveguides: the small dimensions and tight bend radii, sensitivity to perturbations and the boundary conditions of the fabrication processes. Theory is compared to quantitative measurements. Finally, several of the more promising applications of silicon ring resonators are discussed: filters and optical delay lines, label‐free biosensors, and active rings for efficient modulators and even light sources.
Putting the Kappa Statistic to Use
Authors: Nichols Thomas R , Wisner Paola M , Cripe Gary , Gulabchand Lakshmi
Published: September 2011

Inter‐rater assessments of agreement are an essential criterion in the subjective evaluation of product quality. When assessments among raters demonstrate evidence of a lack of agreement (partial or total), there is a need to identify the source of disagreement. The objective being the reduction or mitigation of the influence different raters have on the assessment and the achievement of consistency among raters. The less influence that raters have on the assessment, the more confident one is in making critical to quality decisions. However, situations do exist in which user perceptions can be unreliable (not repeatable) and demonstrate poor correlation with engineered specifications. Quality management teams must be aware of this. When such situations exist, it is advisable to revisit the voice of the process as a reliable function of specification. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Adaptation of a particle filtering method for data assimilation in a 1D numerical model used for fog forecasting
Authors: Rémy S. , Pannekoucke O. , Bergot T. , Baehr C.
Published: September 2011

COBEL‐ISBA, a boundary‐layer 1D numerical model, has been developed for the very‐short‐term forecasting of fog and low clouds. This forecast system assimilates local observations to produce initial profiles of temperature, specific humidity and liquid water content. As fog forecasting is a threshold problem, the model is strongly nonlinear.

A new assimilation method based on a genetic selection particle filter was tested to produce the initial conditions. The particle filter was adapted for a deterministic forecast and to take into account the time dimension by minimizing the error on a time window. A simplified particle filter was also used to determine the initial conditions in the soil. The filter was tested with two sets of simulated observations. In all cases, the initial conditions produced by this algorithm were of considerably better quality than the ones obtained with a Best Linear Unbiased Estimator (BLUE). The forecast of the control variables and of fog events was also improved. When comparing scores with the ones obtained with an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF), the particle filter showed better performances for most of the cases. The ensemble size impacted the frequency of filter collapse and the quality of the initial temperature and specific humidity profiles in the lower part of the domain. Copyright © 2011 Royal Meteorological Society
Biological activity of camel milk casein following enzymatic digestion
Authors: Salami Maryam , Moosavi-Movahedi Ali Akbar , Moosavi-Movahedi Faezeh , Ehsani Mohammad Reza , Yousefi Reza , Farhadi Mohammad , Niasari-Naslaji Amir , Saboury Ali Akbar , Chobert Jean-Marc , Haertlé Thomas
Published: September 2011

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of enzymatic hydrolysis with digestive enzymes of camel whole casein and beta-casein (β-CN) on their antioxidant and Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory properties. Peptides in each hydrolysate were fractionated with ultra-filtration membranes. The antioxidant activity was determined using a Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) scale. After enzymatic hydrolysis, both antioxidant and ACE-inhibitory activities of camel whole casein and camel β-CN were enhanced. Camel whole casein and β-CN showed significant ACE-inhibitory activities after hydrolysis with pepsin alone and after pepsinolysis followed by trypsinolysis and chymotrypsinolysis. Camel β-CN showed high antioxidant activity after hydrolysis with chymotrypsin. The results of this study suggest that when camel milk is consumed and digested, the produced peptides start to act as natural antioxidants and ACE-inhibitors.
Neurohumoral and haemodynamic profile in postural tachycardia and chronic fatigue syndromes
Authors: Okamoto Luis E. , Raj Satish R. , Peltier Amanda , Gamboa Alfredo , Shibao Cyndya , Diedrich André , Black Bonnie K. , Robertson David , Biaggioni Italo
Published: September 2011

Several studies recognized an overlap between CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) and POTS (postural tachycardia syndrome). We compared the autonomic and neurohormonal phenotype of POTS patients with CFS (CFS–POTS) to those without CFS (non-CFS–POTS), to determine whether CFS–POTS represents a unique clinical entity with a distinct pathophysiology. We recruited 58 patients with POTS, of which 47 were eligible to participate. A total of 93% of them reported severe fatigue [CIS (Checklist of Individual Strength), fatigue subscale >36], and 64% (n=30) fulfilled criteria for CFS (CFS–POTS). The prevalence of CFS symptoms (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria) was greater in the CFS–POTS group, but the pattern of symptoms was similar in both groups. Physical functioning was low in both groups (RAND-36 Health Survey, 40±4 compared with 33±3; P=0.153), despite more severe fatigue in CFS–POTS patients (CIS fatigue subscale 51±1 compared with 43±3; P=0.016). CFS–POTS patients had greater orthostatic tachycardia than the non-CFS–POTS group (51±3 compared with 40±4 beats/min; P=0.030), greater low-frequency variability of BP (blood pressure; 6.3±0.7 compared with 4.8±1.0 mmHg2; P=0.019), greater BP recovery from early to late phase II of the Valsalva manoeuvre (18±3 compared with 11±2 mmHg; P=0.041) and a higher supine (1.5±0.2 compared with 1.0±0.3 ng/ml per·h; P=0.033) and upright (5.4±0.6 compared with 3.5±0.8 ng/ml per h; P=0.032) PRA (plasma renin activity). In conclusion, fatigue and CFS-defining symptoms are common in POTS patients. The majority of them met criteria for CFS. CFS–POTS patients have higher markers of sympathetic activation, but are part of the spectrum of POTS. Targeting this sympathetic activation should be considered in the treatment of these patients.
From Recreational Applications to Workplace Technologies: An Empirical Study of Cross-Context IS Continuance in the Case of Virtual Worlds
Authors: Nevo Saggi , Nevo Dorit , Kim Henry
Published: September 2011

Although three-dimensional, immersive virtual worlds, such as Active Worlds, Second Life, and Teleplace have been in existence for several years, their organizational use is rather limited. This paper posits, perhaps counter intuitively, that the diffusion of virtual worlds within organizations could be enhanced by their recreational usage. This argument is motivated by the notion developed in this paper that the use of technologies need not remain within a single context, but instead can cross-contexts, for example from recreational to vocational. We term such shift cross-context IS continuance. This paper proposes that workers using virtual worlds for recreational (i.e., hedonic and social) use are suitably positioned to discover those technologies’ workplace applicability, thereby assisting in their diffusion within the organization. Building on the supporting results of an empirical study, this paper recommends that managers consider allowing for ‘playtime’ with virtual worlds as a mechanism for enhancing their adoption and subsequent diffusion in the workplace. From an information systems (IS)-research perspective, this paper makes several important contributions. First, it contributes to the IS continuance literature by arguing for, and providing evidence in support of, the existence of cross-context continuance. To date, this literature stream has examined only one aspect of continuance - for example, within-context. Second, this paper identifies recreational and work as distinct dimensions of technology usage, and hedonic and social usage as sub-dimensions of the former, thereby contributing to the contextualization of this core IS construct. Third, it is one of the early field studies dedicated to the empirical examination of virtual worlds.
Thermodynamic, dynamic, structural, and excess entropy anomalies for core-softened potentials
Authors: Barraz Ney M. , Salcedo Evy , Barbosa Marcia C.
Published: September 2011

Using molecular dynamic simulations, we study three families of continuous core-softened potentials consisting of two length scales: a shoulder scale and an attractive scale. All the families have the same slope between the two length scales but exhibit different potential energy gap between them. For each family three shoulder depths are analyzed. We show that all these systems exhibit a liquid-liquid phase transition between a high density liquid phase and a low density liquid phase ending at a critical point. The critical temperature is the same for all cases suggesting that the critical temperature is only dependent on the slope between the two scales. The critical pressure decreases with the decrease of the potential energy gap between the two scales suggesting that the pressure is responsible for forming the high density liquid. We also show, using the radial distribution function and the excess entropy analysis, that the density, the diffusion, and the structural anomalies are present if particles move from the attractive scale to the shoulder scale with the increase of the temperature indicating that the anomalous behavior depends only in what happens up to the second coordination shell.
The effect of oxide precipitates on minority carrier lifetime in p-type silicon
Authors: Murphy J. D. , Bothe K. , Olmo M. , Voronkov V. V. , Falster R. J.
Published: September 2011

Transient and quasi-steady-state photoconductance methods were used to measure minority carrier lifetime in ∼10 Ω cm p-type Czochralski silicon processed in very clean conditions to contain oxide precipitates. The nucleation and growth times for precipitation were varied to produce 35 samples, which were then characterised by chemical etching and transmission electron microscopy to determine the density and morphology of the precipitates. The effects of other known recombination mechanisms (band-to-band, Coulomb-enhanced Auger, iron-related, and boron-oxygen related) were factored out to isolate the lifetime component associated with the precipitates as accurately as possible. In the samples processed to contain mainly unstrained precipitates, it was shown that the lifetime component due to the precipitates could be extremely high (up to ∼4.5 ms). Recombination at unstrained precipitates is weak and it is estimated that the capture coefficient lies between 3 × 10−8 cm3 s−1 and 1.3 × 10−7 cm3 s−1 at an injection level corresponding to half the doping level. Strained precipitates act as strong recombination centres with a capture coefficient of ∼1 × 10−6 cm3 s−1 at the same level of injection. For the samples investigated, the effective capture coefficient is increased by a factor of ∼3 to 4 when other extended defects (such as dislocations and stacking faults) accompany the strained precipitates. The shape of the injection level dependence of lifetime was similar for all the specimens studied, with the magnitude of the lifetime being dependent on the precipitate density and strain state but approximately independent of precipitate size.
Dual in-plane-gate oxide-based thin-film transistors with tunable threshold voltage
Authors: Jiang Jie , Sun Jia , Zhu Liqiang , Wu Guodong , Wan Qing
Published: September 2011

Dual in-plane-gate oxide-based thin-film transistors (TFTs) are self-assembled on SiO2-based solid-electrolytes by only one shadow mask. The unique feature of such TFTs is that indium-tin-oxide (ITO) channel and four ITO electrodes can be deposited simultaneously. Threshold voltage can be effectively tuned from −0.55 V to 0.76 V when the second in-plane gate bias switches from 3.0 V to −2.0 V. Such dual-gate TFTs exhibit a large current on/off ratio (>106) and a small subthreshold swing (<200 mV/decade). A model based on three gate capacitors is proposed to further understand the operation mechanism of such devices.
Insight into low frequency noise induced by gate leakage current in AlGaAs/GaAs high electron mobility transistors at 4.2 K
Authors: Liang Y. X. , Dong Q. , Cheng M. C. , Gennser U. , Cavanna A. , Jin Y.
Published: September 2011

The bias-cooling method—the gate being kept biased at Vgc during the cooling—has been used to investigate the low frequency noise (LFN) in an AlGaAs/GaAs two-dimensional electron gas high electron mobility transistor at 4.2 K. For a chosen working point (i.e., a chosen drain bias/current), its gate bias Vgs, gate leakage current Igs, and LFN depend on Vgc. With the help of the heterostructure band diagram simulation for each Vgc, the relation between Igs and the LFN can be elucidated by the gate Fermi level with regard to the heterostructure band diagram. The LFN originated from Igs is caused by its sequential tunnelling component.
Yield, transpiration efficiency, and water-use variations and their interrelationships in the sorghum reference collection
Authors: Vadez V. , Krishnamurthy L. , Hash C. T. , Upadhyaya H. D. , Borrell A. K.
Published: September 2011

Sorghum is well adapted to water-limited conditions, but the traits responsible for this enhanced adaptation under drought conditions remain unclear. In this study, yield, transpiration efficiency (TE) and water extraction were assessed in 149 germplasm entries from the sorghum reference set (plus three control cultivars) using a lysimetric system under terminal water stress and fully irrigated conditions outdoors. A 10-fold range for grain yield and harvest index (HI), 2-fold range for TE and a 1.25-fold variation for water extraction were observed under terminal water stress conditions. Transpiration efficiency and water extraction under water stress related poorly to that under fully irrigated conditions, reflecting a large genotype-by-water treatment interaction. Under drought stress, total water extraction varied by ~3 L plant–1 among germplasm. Entries from the Durra race had highest water extraction capacity, whereas Caudatum-Bicolor and Caudatum-Durra intermediate races had poor water extraction. Durra, Caudatum and Caudatum-Guinea races had highest TE, whereas the Guinea race had the lowest. Although yield was closely related to HI, at any level of HI there were substantial yield differences that remained unexplained, and these residual yield variations were closely related to TE (R2 = 0.60). Similarly, substantial yield variations that were still not explained by HI or TE were closely related to the total water extracted under water stress (R2 = 0.35). A multilinear regression analysis confirmed these results and showed the importance of water extraction during grain filling. Therefore, next to HI, the yield differences under terminal drought in sorghum were driven by TE, and then next by water extraction. The large genetic variation for TE and water extraction offer great breeding opportunities and in particular, highlight the Durra race as a critical source of variation.
Glycolytic rate and lymphomagenesis depend on PARP14, an ADP ribosyltransferase of the B aggressive lymphoma (BAL) family
Authors: Cho Sung Hoon , Ahn Annie K. , Bhargava Prerna , Lee Chih-Hao , Eischen Christine M. , McGuinness Owen , Boothby Mark
Published: September 2011

Poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP)14—a member of the B aggressive lymphoma (BAL) family of macrodomain-containing PARPs—is an ADP ribosyltransferase that interacts with Stat6, enhances induction of certain genes by IL-4, and is expressed in B lymphocytes. We now show that IL-4 enhancement of glycolysis in B cells requires PARP14 and that this process is central to a role of PARP14 in IL-4–induced survival. Thus, enhancements of AMP-activated protein kinase activity restored both IL-4–induced glycolytic activity in
Parp14
−/−
B cells and prosurvival signaling by this cytokine. Suppression of apoptosis is central to B-lymphoid oncogenesis, and elevated macro-PARP expression has been correlated with lymphoma aggressiveness. Strikingly, PARP14 deficiency delayed B lymphomagenesis and reversed the block to B-cell maturation driven by the Myc oncogene. Collectively, these findings reveal links between a mammalian ADP ribosyltransferase, cytokine-regulated metabolic activity, and apoptosis; show that PARP14 influences Myc-induced oncogenesis; and suggest that the PARP14-dependent capacity to increase cellular metabolic rates may be an important determinant of lymphoma pathobiology.
Liquid water can slip on a hydrophilic surface
Authors: Ho Tuan Anh , Papavassiliou Dimitrios V. , Lee Lloyd L. , Striolo Alberto
Published: September 2011

Understanding and predicting the behavior of water, especially in contact with various surfaces, is a scientific challenge. Molecular-level understanding of hydrophobic effects and their macroscopic consequences, in particular, is critical to many applications. Macroscopically, a surface is classified as hydrophilic or hydrophobic depending on the contact angle formed by a water droplet. Because hydrophobic surfaces tend to cause water slip whereas hydrophilic ones do not, the former surfaces can yield self-cleaning garments and ice-repellent materials whereas the latter cannot. The results presented herein suggest that this dichotomy might be purely coincidental. Our simulation results demonstrate that hydrophilic surfaces can show features typically associated with hydrophobicity, namely liquid water slip. Further analysis provides details on the molecular mechanism responsible for this surprising result.
Thyroid-stimulating hormone induces a Wnt-dependent, feed-forward loop for osteoblastogenesis in embryonic stem cell cultures
Authors: Baliram Ramkumarie , Latif Rauf , Berkowitz Joshua , Frid Simon , Colaianni Graziana , Sun Li , Zaidi Mone , Davies Terry F.
Published: September 2011

We have shown that the anterior pituitary hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), can bypass the thyroid to exert a direct protective effect on the skeleton. Thus, we have suggested that a low TSH level may contribute to the bone loss of hyperthyroidism that has been attributed traditionally to high thyroid hormone levels. Earlier mouse genetic, cell-based, and clinical studies together have established that TSH inhibits osteoclastic bone resorption. However, the direct influence of TSH on the osteoblast has remained unclear. Here, we have used a model system developed from murine ES cells, induced to form mature mineralizing osteoblasts, and show that TSH stimulates osteoblast differentiation primarily through the activation of protein kinase Cδ and the up-regulation of the noncanonical Wnt components frizzled and Wnt5a. We predict that a TSH-induced, fast-forward short loop in bone marrow permits Wnt5a production, which, in addition to enhancing osteoblast differentiation, also stimulates osteoprotegerin secretion to attenuate bone resorption by neighboring osteoclasts. We surmise that this loop should uncouple bone formation from bone resorption with a net increase in bone mass, which is what has been observed upon injecting TSH.
Glucocorticoids are critical regulators of dendritic spine development and plasticity in vivo
Authors: Liston Conor , Gan Wen-Biao
Published: September 2011

Glucocorticoids are a family of hormones that coordinate diverse physiological processes in responding to stress. Prolonged glucocorticoid exposure over weeks has been linked to dendritic atrophy and spine loss in fixed tissue studies of adult brains, but it is unclear how glucocorticoids may affect the dynamic processes of dendritic spine formation and elimination in vivo. Furthermore, relatively few studies have examined the effects of stress and glucocorticoids on spines during the postnatal and adolescent period, which is characterized by rapid synaptogenesis followed by protracted synaptic pruning. To determine whether and to what extent glucocorticoids regulate dendritic spine development and plasticity, we used transcranial two-photon microscopy to track the formation and elimination of dendritic spines in vivo after treatment with glucocorticoids in developing and adult mice. Corticosterone, the principal murine glucocorticoid, had potent dose-dependent effects on dendritic spine dynamics, increasing spine turnover within several hours in the developing barrel cortex. The adult barrel cortex exhibited diminished baseline spine turnover rates, but these rates were also enhanced by corticosterone. Similar changes occurred in multiple cortical areas, suggesting a generalized effect. However, reducing endogenous glucocorticoid activity by dexamethasone suppression or corticosteroid receptor antagonists caused a substantial reduction in spine turnover rates, and the former was reversed by corticosterone replacement. Notably, we found that chronic glucocorticoid excess led to an abnormal loss of stable spines that were established early in life. Together, these findings establish a critical role for glucocorticoids in the development and maintenance of dendritic spines in the living cortex.