bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Solid‐phase extraction of melamine from aqueous samples using water‐compatible molecularly imprinted polymers
Authors: He Limin , Su Yijuan , Shen Xiangguang , Zheng Yaqiu , Guo Hongbin , Zeng Zhenling
Published: August 2009

A method for molecularly imprinted SPE of the melamine from environmental water samples was investigated. Cyromazine‐imprinted polymers were synthesized in water–methanol systems for the selective extraction of melamine from aqueous samples, followed by HPLC analysis. Molecular recognition properties and binding capability to melamine were evaluated by adsorption test and Scatchard analysis, which showed the dissociation constant (KD) and the maximum binding quantity (Qmax) were 0.032 μmol/L and 4.77 μmol/g for high affinity binding site, and 0.26 μmol/L and 19.10 μmol/g for lower affinity binding site, respectively. Under the optimum extraction protocol, the method can be successfully applied to selectively extract and enrich melamine in environmental water. The linearity was ranged from 0.500 to 100.0 ng/mL (r > 0.999) in tap water, lake water, and seawater analysis. When 50 mL of the water samples loaded, the LODs of the method were ca. 0.1 ng/mL, and the LOQs were ca. 0.5 ng/mL. The mean recoveries of melamine from blank water samples spiked at 0.5, 5.0, and 50 ng/mL were more than 86.3%, with the RSD less than 8.8%.
Liquid Crystals Embedded in Polymeric Electrolytes for Quasi‐Solid State Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cell Applications
Authors: Kim Sung Chul , Song Myungkwan , Ryu Tae In , Lee Myung Jin , Jin Sung‐Ho , Gal Yeong‐Soon , Kim Hyeon‐Kyung , Lee Gi‐Dong , Kang Yong Soo
Published: September 2009

A new series of liquid crystal embedded in polymeric electrolytes was developed for obtaining high efficiency in quasi‐solid state dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The polymeric electrolytes were composed of iodide and tri‐iodide redox species in polyacrylonitrile (PAN) as a polymer matrix and liquid crystals (E7 or ML‐0249) for increasing the order parameter of electrolyte components with easy transport of redox species. The highest efficiency (6.21 and 6.29% at 1 sun) was obtained for the quasi‐solid state DSSCs using E7 to PAN and ML‐0249 to PAN, respectively, under AM 1.5 G illumination and an aperture mask condition. The high efficiencies of the quasi‐solid state DSSCs are due to the effective formation of pathways through liquid crystal orientation for the transport of redox species.

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Polybenzimidazoles (PBIs) Derived from Non‐Coplanar Dibenzoic Acid Containing Imidazole (IDBA): Synthesis, Characterization and Properties
Authors: Liang Zhumei , Jiang Xuesong , Xu Hongjie , Chen Dan , Yin Jie
Published: September 2009

A novel non‐coplanar imidazole dibenzoic acid (IDBA) was successfully prepared, and its structure was carefully characterized by FT‐IR, NMR, MS and elemental analysis. Polybenzimidazoles (PBIs) derived from IDBA were synthesized by a conventional one‐step method in polyphosphoric acid (PPA). The obtained PBIs exhibited good organic solubility, excellent thermo‐stability and interesting optical properties. The initiation decomposition temperature for these PBIs ranged from 560–600 °C, and the 5% weight loss temperature (T5) for all these PBIs was above 600 °C in N2. No obvious glass transition for these PBIs was observed below 350 °C. These PBIs shows UV‐vis absorption maximum around 360–380 nm and strong photoluminescence emission (blue light) around 430–440 nm in solution, which is red‐shifted to 490–510 nm in the solid state.

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Invertibility of Helmholtz operators for nonhomogeneous medias
Authors: Rabinovich Vladimir , Cerdan Manuel Quino
Published: September 2009

The paper is devoted to the investigation of the Helmholtz operators

describing the propagation of acoustic waves in non‐homogeneous space. We consider the operator A with a wave number k such that

where k0 is a positive function, k± are complex constants with ℑ︁(k)>0. The Helmholtz operator A with such wave number describes the propagation of acoustic waves in the waveguides being no homogeneous layer between two absorbing half‐space. We prove that the operator A has an inverse operator A‐1 bounded in the Hilbert space L2(ℝn). Our proof is based on the limit operators method.

We also consider the construction of the inverse operator for the Helmholtz operator Aε with the density ρ = ρ(xn) depending on xn only and wave number k0 = k0(εx′, xn) depending on a small parameter ε>0 which characterizes the slowness of variation of the wave number in the horizontal direction. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The sea urchin major yolk protein is synthesized mainly in the gut inner epithelium and the gonadal nutritive phagocytes before and during gametogenesis
Authors: Unuma Tatsuya , Nakamura Akifumi , Yamano Keisuke , Yokota Yukio
Published: August 2009

Major yolk protein (MYP), the predominant component of yolk granules in sea urchin eggs, is also contained in the coelomic fluid and nutritive phagocytes of the gonad in both sexes. MYP is stored in ovarian and testicular nutritive phagocytes prior to gametogenesis and is used during gametogenesis as material for synthesizing proteins and other components necessary for eggs and sperm. To reveal the expression profile and the main production site of MYP, we analyzed MYP mRNA expression in immature and maturing Pseudocentrotus depressus. Real‐time reverse‐transcribed polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that MYP mRNA was expressed predominantly in the digestive tract (stomach, intestine and rectum) and the gonad of both sexes. The total amounts of MYP mRNA in the whole digestive tract and in the whole gonad were at similar levels in both immature and maturing sea urchins. MYP mRNA was also detected in white morula cells and vibratile cells separated from the coelomic fluid by density gradient centrifugation, but the expression levels in these cells were very low compared with those in the digestive tract and the gonad. Using in situ hybridization analysis, MYP mRNA was detected in the inner epithelium of the digestive tract and in nutritive phagocytes of the ovary and testis, but was not detected in the germ cells. We conclude that the adult sea urchin has two predominant production sites for MYP regardless of sex and reproductive stage: the inner epithelium of the digestive tract and the nutritive phagocytes of the gonad. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 77: 59–68, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
3,4‐Diaminopyridine is more effective than placebo in a randomized, double‐blind, cross‐over drug study in LEMS
Authors: Oh Shin J. , Claussen Gwendolyn G. , Hatanaka Yuki , Morgan Marla B.
Published: August 2009

The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical and electrophysiological efficacy of 3,4‐diaminopyridine (DAP) in patients with Lambert–Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) in a randomized, double‐blind, cross‐over drug trial. The diagnosis of LEMS was made based on the combination of fluctuating muscle weakness, diminished or absent reflexes, and more than 60% increment of the compound muscle action potential (CMAP) amplitude after brief exercise or 50‐HZstimulation on a repetitive nerve stimulation (RNS) test. Evaluations were done at baseline, with placebo, and with 3,4‐DAP (up to 75–80 mg/day). Assignment of placebo or 3,4‐DAP was done in a double‐blinded manner. Measurements included subjective symptoms score, objective clinical measurements [LEMS classification, muscle strength score, quantitative myasthenia gravis (QMG) score] and RNS test and single‐fiber electromyography (SFEMG). The differences between placebo and baseline values (placebo change) were compared with the differences between 3,4‐DAP and baseline or placebo values (DAP change). Seven patients with LEMS (QMG score >9) participated in the study. One patient had major side‐effects with 3,4‐DAP and withdrew from the study. Statistically significant efficacy was noted with DAP change (N= 13) compared with placebo change (N= 7) according to the subjective symptoms score (P= 0.01), LEMS classification (P< 0.001), muscle strength score (P< 0.006), QMG score (P= 0.02), and CMAP (P= 0.03). For long‐term treatment, 2 patients preferred 3,4‐DAP, 1 chose guanidine hydrochloride, 1 preferred pyridostigmine, and 2 chose no treatment. A randomized, double‐blind, cross‐over drug trial of 3,4‐DAP showed significant efficacy over placebo in patients with LEMS. As a long‐term treatment, however, not all patients preferred this drug. Muscle Nerve, 2009
Normal values for quantitative muscle ultrasonography in adults
Authors: Arts Ilse M.P. , Pillen Sigrid , Schelhaas H. Jurgen , Overeem Sebastiaan , Zwarts Machiel J.
Published: August 2009

Ultrasonography can detect structural muscle changes caused by neuromuscular disease. Quantitative analysis is the preferred method to determine if ultrasound findings are within normal limits, but normative data are incomplete. The purpose of this study was to provide normative muscle ultrasonography data for muscle thickness and echo intensity for five different muscle groups in adults. Bilateral scans of the sternocleidomastoid, biceps brachii/brachialis, forearm flexor group, quadriceps femoris, and tibialis anterior were made in 95 volunteers, aged 17–90 years. Both muscle thickness and echo intensity showed gender differences and a muscle‐specific non‐linear correlation with age. The muscles of the upper extremities showed right–left differences. These data demonstrate the effect of age on muscle characteristics and provide normative values that can be used in clinical practice. Muscle Nerve, 2010
High‐pass filtering surface EMG in an attempt to better represent the signals detected at the intramuscular level
Authors: Brown Stephen H.M. , Brookham Rebecca L. , Dickerson Clark R.
Published: August 2009

Surface electromyography (EMG) is often used to represent activation profiles of the underlying musculature. The purpose of this study was to assess the potential of high‐pass (HP) filtering to improve the matching of surface EMG signals to those signals recorded intramuscularly. EMG was recorded at the skin surface over the infraspinatus and supraspinatus muscles as well as from fine‐wire electrodes placed in the infraspinatus, supraspinatus, and teres minor muscles. The surface EMG signals were HP‐filtered at 18 cutoff frequencies (0–510 HZ in 30 HZ increments), and the time‐histories were correlated with the signals from the wire electrodes. HP filtering did not significantly alter the correlated muscle activation waveform relationship between the surface and wire signals until cutoffs reached 240 HZ. HP filtering of the surface signals did not improve the representation of the muscle fiber‐level activation profile, but the results suggest that enough information resides in the high‐frequency components of the signal to reproduce the activation time–history profile of the muscle. Muscle Nerve, 2010
Asymptotic upper bounds for the errors of Richardson extrapolation with practical application in approximate computations
Authors: Soroushian Aram , Wriggers Peter , Farjoodi Jamshid
Published: September 2009

The results produced by Richardson extrapolation, though, in general, very accurate, are inexact. Numerical evaluation of this inexactness and implementation of the evaluation in practice are the objectives of this paper. First, considering linear changes of errors in the convergence plots, asymptotic upper bounds are proposed for the errors. Then, the achievement is extended to the results produced by Richardson extrapolation, and finally, an error‐controlling procedure is proposed and successfully implemented in approximate computations originated in science and engineering. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An adaptive spacetime discontinuous Galerkin method for cohesive models of elastodynamic fracture
Authors: Abedi Reza , Hawker Morgan A. , Haber Robert B. , Matouš Karel
Published: September 2009

This paper describes an adaptive numerical framework for cohesive fracture models based on a spacetime discontinuous Galerkin (SDG) method for elastodynamics with elementwise momentum balance. Discontinuous basis functions and jump conditions written with respect to target traction values simplify the implementation of cohesive traction–separation laws in the SDG framework; no special cohesive elements or other algorithmic devices are required. We use unstructured spacetime grids in ah‐adaptive implementation to adjust simultaneously the spatial and temporal resolutions. Two independent error indicators drive the adaptive refinement. One is a dissipation‐based indicator that controls the accuracy of the solution in the bulk material; the second ensures the accuracy of the discrete rendering of the cohesive law. Applications of the SDG cohesive model to elastodynamic fracture demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method and reveal a new solution feature: an unexpected quasi‐singular structure in the velocity response. Numerical examples demonstrate the use of adaptive analysis methods in resolving this structure, as well as its importance in reliable predictions of fracture kinetics. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A series of new exact solutions of nonlinear evolution equations
Authors: Abdou M. A.
Published: September 2009

With the aid of computer symbolic computation system Maple, the generalized auxiliary equation method is first applied to two nonlinear evolution equations, namely, the nonlinear elastic rod equation and (2 + 1)‐dimensional Boiti‐Leon‐Pempinelli equation. As a results, some new types of exact traveling wave solutions are obtained which include bell and kink profile solitary wave solutions, and triangular periodic wave solutions and singular solutions. The method is straightforward and concise, and it can also be applied to other nonlinear evolution equations in mathematical physics. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 2010
Caregiver characteristics predict stroke survivor quality of life at 4 months and 1 year
Authors: Klinedinst N. Jennifer , Gebhardt Mary C. , Aycock Dawn M. , Nichols‐Larsen Deborah S. , Uswatte Gitendra , Wolf Steven L. , Clark Patricia C.
Published: August 2009

Evaluating factors that reduce stroke survivors' (SS) health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) is important for developing interventions to improve HRQOL after stroke. The influence of baseline caregiver and family characteristics (physical health, depressive symptoms, family communication) on five domains of SS HRQOL (physical function, memory/thinking, social activities, communication, and mood) was examined. Data were collected on 132 SS‐caregiver dyads at baseline, 4 months, and 12 months. Baseline caregiver depressive symptoms predicted lower scores for SS physical function and communication at 4 months and social participation and mood at 12 months. Male caregiver gender was negatively associated with SS HRQOL (communication and mood) at 12 months. Early intervention targeting these family characteristics, especially caregiver depressive symptoms, may improve survivors' HRQOL. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 32:592–605, 2009
Examining prejudice‐reduction theories in anti‐racism initiatives
Authors: Jensen Gitte , Cismaru Magdalena , Lavack Anne , Cismaru Romulus
Published: August 2009

We examined the role of prejudice‐reduction theories in anti‐racism initiatives, by identifying, gathering, and analyzing anti‐racism campaigns from a variety of English‐language websites. Our review revealed many anti‐racism initiatives running in the United Kingdom and a smaller number of initiatives running in Canada, the United States, Australia, and other countries. We provide a description of the key themes and messages being used in anti‐racism initiatives, including a variety of components such as TV and radio public service announcements, print materials, social events, competitions, awards, and help‐services. We also discuss how the components of the initiatives correspond with Duckitt's (2001) multi‐level framework for prejudice reduction, operating on four causal levels: (1) perceptual‐cognitive, (2) individual, (3) interpersonal, and (4) societal‐intergroup. Recommendations for enhancing future anti‐racism initiatives are provided.

Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mythos Galilei. Die ersten Fernrohrbeobachtungen und ihre Folgen
Authors: Hamel Jürgen
Published: September 2009

Nachdem holländische Brillenmacher im Herbst 1608 das Fernrohr erfunden hatten, war das Interesse an diesem neuen Instrument vor allem durch seine Anwendung im Militärwesen und der Seefahrt bestimmt. Doch schon kurz darauf richteten mehrere Astronomen das Fernrohr auch an den Himmel. Die Entdeckung der Mondformationen, der Sonnenflecken, der vier großen Jupitermonde, des Saturnrings sowie der Sterne in der Milchstraße und im Orionnebel gelang relativ gleichzeitig mehreren Beobachtern an verschiedenen Orten. Wenngleich auch diese Entdeckungen keine direkten Beweise für die Richtigkeit des copernicanischen Weltsystems erbrachten, erschütterten sie doch das Vertrauen in die aristotelische Physik. So ebneten sie den Weg für die Anerkennung des heliozentrischen Weltsystems.
Tetracycline treatment targeting Wolbachia affects expression of an array of proteins in Brugia malayi parasite
Authors: Dangi Anil , Vedi Satish , Nag Jeetendra Kumar , Paithankar Sameer , Singh Mahendra Pratap , Kar Santosh Kumar , Dube Anuradha , Misra‐Bhattacharya Shailja
Published: August 2009

Wolbachia is an intracellular endosymbiont of Brugia malayi parasite whose presence is essential for the survival of the parasite. Treatment of B. malayi‐infected jirds with tetracycline eliminates Wolbachia, which affects parasite survival and fitness. In the present study we have tried to identify parasite proteins that are affected when Wolbachia is targeted by tetracycline. For this Wolbachia depleted parasites (B. malayi) were obtained by tetracycline treatment of infected Mongolian jirds (Meriones unguiculatus) and their protein profile after 2‐DE separation was compared with that of untreated parasites harboring Wolbachia. Approximately 100 protein spots could be visualized followed by CBB staining of 2‐D gel and included for comparative analysis. Of these, 54 showed differential expressions, while two new protein spots emerged (of 90.3 and 64.4 kDa). These proteins were subjected to further analysis by MALDI‐TOF for their identification using Brugia coding sequence database composed of both genomic and EST sequences. Our study unravels two crucial findings: (i) the parasite or Wolbachia proteins, which disappeared/down‐regulated appear be essential for parasite survival and may be used as drug targets and (ii) tetracycline treatment interferes with the regulatory machinery vital for parasites cellular integrity and defense and thus could possibly be a molecular mechanism for the killing of filarial parasite. This is the first proteomic study substantiating the wolbachial genome integrity with its nematode host and providing functional genomic data of human lymphatic filarial parasite B. malayi.
Leaf proteome analysis of eight Populus ×euramericana genotypes: Genetic variation in drought response and in water‐use efficiency involves photosynthesis‐related proteins
Authors: Bonhomme Ludovic , Monclus Romain , Vincent Delphine , Carpin Sabine , Lomenech Anne‐Marie , Plomion Christophe , Brignolas Franck , Morabito Domenico
Published: August 2009

Genetic variation of leaf proteome in drought response was investigated among eight Populus ×euramericana genotypes contrasting for their leaf carbon isotope discrimination (Δ), an estimate of intrinsic water‐use efficiency. Plants were grown in open field on two similar plots. Drought was induced by an 86‐day irrigation cessation on one plot, whereas a second plot remained regularly irrigated. Using 2‐DE, 863 reproducible spots were detected; about 60% presented at least one significant effect i.e. treatment, genotype and/or genotype by treatment interaction effect. A significant genotype by treatment interaction was detected for 62 reliably identified proteins among which, about 65% consisted in chloroplast‐associated proteins either involved in the Calvin cycle or in the electron‐transport chains. The other proteins were involved in oxidative stress, amino acid or protein metabolisms. Correlations between protein abundance and Δ variations were found for 45 reliably identified proteins. The abundance of ribulose‐1,5‐bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase activase isoforms scaled negatively with Δ regardless of the treatment, suggesting that a large intrinsic water‐use efficiency could be due to higher abundance of ribulose‐1,5‐bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase activase. Under control condition, abundance of enzymes involved in carbon fixation was also negatively correlated with Δ, whereas abundance of enzymes involved in photorespiration or respiration was positively correlated with Δ.
A MS data search method for improved 15N‐labeled protein identification
Authors: Zhang Yaoyang , Webhofer Christian , Reckow Stefan , Filiou Michaela D. , Maccarrone Giuseppina , Turck Christoph W.
Published: August 2009

Quantitative proteomics using stable isotope labeling strategies combined with MS is an important tool for biomarker discovery. Methods involving stable isotope metabolic labeling result in optimal quantitative accuracy, since they allow the immediate combination of two or more samples. Unfortunately, stable isotope incorporation rates in metabolic labeling experiments using mammalian organisms usually do not reach 100%. As a consequence, protein identifications in 15N database searches have poor success rates. We report on a strategy that significantly improves the number of 15N‐labeled protein identifications and results in a more comprehensive and accurate relative peptide quantification workflow.
Human lysosomal α‐mannosidases exhibit different inhibition and metal binding properties
Authors: Venkatesan Meenakshi , Kuntz Douglas A. , Rose David R.
Published: August 2009

Two structurally‐related members of the lysosomal mannosidase family, the broad substrate specificity enzyme human lysosomal α‐mannosidase (hLM, MAN2B1) and the human core α‐1, 6‐specific mannosidase (hEpman, MAN2B2) act in a complementary fashion on different glycosidic linkages, to effect glycan degradation in the lysosome. We have successfully expressed these enzymes in Drosophila S2 cells and functionally characterized them. hLM and hEpman were significantly inhibited by the class II α‐mannosidase inhibitors, swainsonine and mannostatin A. We show that three pyrrolidine‐based compounds designed for selective inhibition of Golgi α‐mannosidase II (GMII) exhibited varying degrees of inhibition for hLM and hEpman. While these compounds inhibited hLM and GMII similarly, they inhibited hEpman to a lesser extent. Further, the two lysosomal α‐mannosidases also show differential metal dependency properties. This has led us to propose a secondary metal binding site in hEpman. These results set the stage for the development of selective inhibitors to members of the GH38 family, and, henceforth, the further investigation of their physiological roles.
Structure of the Cdt1 C‐terminal domain: Conservation of the winged helix fold in replication licensing factors
Authors: Khayrutdinov Bulat I. , Bae Won Jin , Yun Young Mi , Lee Jie Hye , Tsuyama Takashi , Kim Jung Joo , Hwang Eunha , Ryu Kyoung‐Seok , Cheong Hae‐Kap , Cheong Chaejoon , Ko Jung‐Soon , Enomoto Takemi , Karplus P. Andrew , Güntert Peter , Tada Shusuke , Jeon Young Ho , Cho Yunje
Published: August 2009

In eukaryotic replication licensing, Cdt1 plays a key role by recruiting the MCM2‐7 complex onto the origin of chromosome. The C‐terminal domain of mouse Cdt1 (mCdt1C), the most conserved region in Cdt1, is essential for licensing and directly interacts with the MCM2‐7 complex. We have determined the structures of mCdt1CS (mCdt1C_small; residues 452 to 557) and mCdt1CL (mCdt1C_large; residues 420 to 557) using X‐ray crystallography and solution NMR spectroscopy, respectively. While the N‐terminal 31 residues of mCdt1CL form a flexible loop with a short helix near the middle, the rest of mCdt1C folds into a winged helix structure. Together with the middle domain of mouse Cdt1 (mCdt1M, residues 172–368), this study reveals that Cdt1 is formed with a tandem repeat of the winged helix domain. The winged helix fold is also conserved in other licensing factors including archaeal ORC and Cdc6, which supports an idea that these replication initiators may have evolved from a common ancestor. Based on the structure of mCdt1C, in conjunction with the biochemical analysis, we propose a binding site for the MCM complex within the mCdt1C.
Safety Guidelines for the merger and acquisition process
Authors: Melhem G. , Ozog H. , Kenney G. , Groves G. , Kalelkar A.
Published: August 2009

The Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) will publish a new book titled “Guidelines for Acquisition Evaluation and Post Merger Integration,” with a strong focus on risks associated with process safety and its management. This publication is very timely since there is a plethora of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) underway as chemical companies seek M&A as one avenue of growth and strategic consolidation in a highly mature industry.

This article summarizes this book that will contain detailed check lists identifying the “must do” items on a pre‐merger basis and a “must do and how to manage” check list and directions on a post merger, smooth and seamless integration basis. In any organization the responsibility, authority, and accountability (RAA) chain is clearly delineated, but the specific responsibility for process safety management issues may vary between the acquiring corporation and the acquired entity. During post merger integration it is vital that a unified RAA chain be articulated and be clearly understood and be operational on Day 1 after the merger. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2010
From ‘fish out of water’ to ‘fitting in’: the challenge of re‐placing home in a mobile world
Authors: Butcher Melissa
Published: August 2009

Recent academic arguments in transnational and mobility studies have emphasised fluid and flexible understandings of concepts such as place and home. This paper, however, will argue that the desire to fix home with particular meaning by attaching it to place is still apparent even for highly mobile migrants, and seeks to explore why this is the case. Using data from qualitative research with a group of highly mobile Australian transnational professionals working in Asia, the paper elaborates on social, material, and imaginative home‐making strategies utilised to re‐place home, regarded as a space of comfort and cultural fit. These strategies were ultimately a means by which expatriates managed affective responses to difference that were generated in new cultural contexts that challenged subjective understandings of identity. The paper concludes that mobility does not necessarily equate with relinquishing connections between home and place, but complex belonging to ‘bits’ of multiple homes for particular participants was also evident. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Bodies in and out of place: embodied transnationalism among invisible immigrants – the contemporary Irish in Australia
Authors: O'Connor Patricia M.
Published: August 2009

Migration involves the physical movement of bodies in and out of place. In a world characterised by increased ease of travel and major advances in telecommunications, some have argued that, in the international arena, this movement now occurs in the context of a borderless world. This paper contests this view by emphasising the embodied nature of this movement. The experiences of 203 contemporary Irish immigrants in Australia provide evidence of the embodied underpinnings of transnational practices. Separation from extended family in one place and the anchoring effect of family formation in another place are shown to be key affective drivers for maintaining transnational social spaces. Likewise, other embodied attributes such as ‘whiteness’ and accent play important roles not only in terms of citizenship and belonging, but also in providing further motivation for maintaining transnational social spaces. Findings from this study of an invisible immigrant group highlight gaps in the transnationalism literature with regard to the effects of distance, whiteness, and the embodied nature of citizenship. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Becoming a father, missing a wife: Chinese transnational families and the male experience of lone parenting in Canada
Authors: Waters Johanna L.
Published: August 2009

This paper explores men's embodied experiences of transnational families. Recent research has stressed the gendered nature of transnationalism, exposing the patriarchal structures and unequal power relations that exist within contemporary migrant households. While there is a greater awareness of the female experience of transnational migration (both as the migrant and the person ‘left behind’), we still have little parallel knowledge of men. When the male experience has been studied, it is commonly in the context of their mobility (and in the absence of their wife and children), and ‘disembodied’ images of power dominate these accounts. This paper examines immigrant households from Hong Kong and Taiwan in Canada, where the male has been left behind to take care of the home and children, and his wife has returned to East Asia to pursue her career. In the process, men's lives have been completely transformed – from successful businessman to ‘homemaker’ and from distant father to lone parent, giving moral, emotional, and practical guidance to their children in the absence of the mother and extended family. The paper highlights the diverse nature of gendered experiences of transnational families and the varied forms that these arrangements can take. It also makes an important conceptual point about common understandings of transnationalism as something that ‘privileged’ migrants enact strategically at certain stages in the life course. I argue that the experience of transnationalism can also, in fact, change migrants – their objectives and their sense of self. Transnationalism can be transformative in the lives of ostensibly strategic immigrant families. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sexualised politics of proximities among female transnational migrants in Singapore
Authors: Yeoh Brenda S. A. , Huang Shirlena
Published: August 2009

In going beyond the general observation in the geographical literature that migrant women are often rendered ‘out of place’ in both globalisation discourses and the material spaces of the global city, we draw on a comparative frame in order to tease out more specific insights. The paper compares the sexualised moral discourses generated by the presence of two different groups of transnational migrant women in the city – foreign domestic workers primarily from the Philippines, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka who provide domestic service in home spaces, and pei du ma ma (‘study mothers’) from China accompanying their young children studying in Singapore schools. While the two groups are very different from each other (in terms of nationality, ethnicity, socio‐economic status, and immigration category), they are both inserted into the globalising city as ‘foreign women’ and independent migrants who are unaccompanied, and therefore ‘unprotected’, by male figures. Both groups inspire within local society certain anxieties of the other, as each in a different but equally uncomfortable way can become potentially proximate to the ‘self’. While fear of the foreign domestic worker's sexualised danger is primarily rooted in her physical proximity in the privatised spaces of the home, suspicions surrounding the study mother tend to stem from her racial proximity. These forms of sexualised politics have a crippling effect on the forging of progressive feminist alliances between local and migrant women. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Formation of CuInS2–carbon multilayers in the spray ILGAR process
Authors: Camus Christian , Abou‐Ras Daniel , Allsop Nicholas A. , Gledhill Sophie E. , Köhler Tristan , Rappich Jörg , Lauermann Iver , Lux‐Steiner Martha C. , Fischer Christian‐Herbert
Published: August 2009

In this paper, the incorporation of carbon into CuInS2(CIS) thin films is described as observed in spray ion layer gas reaction (ILGAR) deposition of such thin films. It is shown that this carbon incorporation leads to the formation of a CIS–carbon multilayer stack. Its growth mechanism is explained by the interaction of the copper and indium precursor compounds used in the deposition process.
Identification of etch‐pit crystallographic faces induced on diamond surface by H2/O2 etching plasma treatment
Authors: Achard J. , Silva F. , Brinza O. , Bonnin X. , Mille V. , Issaoui R. , Kasu M. , Gicquel A.
Published: August 2009

Even for samples exhibiting excellent electronic properties in terms of carrier mobility, sample‐to‐sample variability remains considerable and dislocation density is still very high, the latter characteristic being often related to damages induced either by the substrate polishing step or by substrate bulk dislocations. In order to limit the polishing effect, a pre‐treatment based on H2/O2 plasma etching under relatively high pressure (a few 100 mbar) has been routinely used for several years. Nevertheless, those bulk dislocations present in the substrate that reach its surface lead to square etch‐pit formation which depth can grow to several 100 nm, preventing the growth of smooth and flat thin films (<few µm). In order to overcome this limitation, we have focused our work on the identification of the crystallographic faces constitutive of the etch‐pits. Starting from a geometrical model describing the diamond crystal morphology evolution, and by carefully choosing the initial growth conditions, we show that it is possible to fill the etch‐pits rapidly and thus to recover the H2/O2 plasma pre‐treatment advantages, even for thin film deposition with smooth surface.
Electrically active defects in boron doped diamond homoepitaxial layers studied from deep level transient spectroscopies and other techniques
Authors: Muret Pierre , Kumar Amit , Volpe Pierre‐Nicolas , Wade Mamadou , Pernot Julien , Magaud Laurence , Mer Christine , Bergonzo Philippe
Published: August 2009

Homoepitaxial thin films of boron doped diamond are investigated with the help of Fourier transform deep level transient spectroscopy (FT‐DLTS) and high resolution isothermal transient spectroscopy (HR‐ITS) in order to determine the properties of hole traps. Conductivity studies and other characterisation techniques of defects are also used to bring complementary information. The main conclusions are as follows: (i) many hole traps can be found with activation energies in the range 0.9–1.6 eV; (ii) most of them show inwards decreasing concentrations, which passes below 1015/cm3 at a depth close to a few hundred nanometers from the surface; (iii) some of them are metastable, in the sense the emission rate distribution undergoes changes after thermal treatments performed at temperatures well below those used for growth and previous annealing. These two last facts suggest that hydrogen atoms may be involved in charged defects. In other samples, an irreversible decrease of the conductivity correlated with the increase of the cathodoluminescence (CL) A band demonstrates that a deep donor is connected with dislocations and acts as a very efficient compensating centre in the first 400 nm just below the surface but with a decreasing concentration deeper inside the homoepitaxial layer. The physical origin of these deep levels is discussed and believed to be likely connected with hydrogen atoms.
Phosphorus incorporation and activity in (100)‐oriented homoepitaxial diamond layers
Authors: Frangieh G. , Pinault M.‐A. , Barjon J. , Tillocher T. , Jomard F. , Chevallier J.
Published: August 2009

In this work, we present a study about the homoepitaxial growth of phosphorus‐doped diamond on (100) substrates. The growth was performed by microwave plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) adding an organic precursor for phosphorus (tertiarybutylphosphine: TBP) in the gaseous phase. We show that phosphorus is incorporated in (100) chemical vapor deposition (CVD) diamond as proved by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). The recombination of excitons bound to phosphorus donors is observed by cathodoluminescence (CL) spectroscopy. The influence of the growth parameters on the phosphorus donor activity is investigated. We show that the [C*]/[H2] ratio is a key parameter for controlling the P‐donor activity when diamond is grown on (100) surfaces.
Influence of tertiarybutylphosphine (TBP) addition on the CVD growth of diamond
Authors: Frangieh G. , Jomard F. , Pinault M.‐A. , Barjon J.
Published: August 2009

Understanding the growth mechanisms of phosphorus‐doped diamond is an important issue for the fabrication of n‐type diamond. In this work, the influence of the addition of phosphorus precursor, tertiarybutylphosphine (TBP), on diamond growth mechanism, is investigated. Isolated diamond crystallites and polycrystalline diamond films were grown on silicon substrates by microwave plasma assisted chemical vapour deposition (CVD). The growth rate anisotropy is deduced by measuring the facet sizes of crystallites observed in a scanning electron microscope. We show that a small amount of TBP added during diamond growth, has a strong impact on the growth rate anisotropy and on the secondary nucleation. We also show that phosphorus is incorporated in polycrystalline diamond films as observed by secondary ion mass spectrometry.
Electrochemical deposition of Pt nanoparticles on diamond substrates
Authors: Hu Jingping , Lu Xiao , Foord John S. , Wang Qiang
Published: August 2009

Platinum nanoparticles were deposited on polished smooth, as‐grown large grain and small grain diamond substrates by a potentiostatic method. The influence of deposition potential and the morphology of BDD substrates were studied. A progressive nucleation along with spherical clusters was observed on smooth BDD electrode, accompanied with a heterogeneous segregation of platinum on diamond facets of higher electrochemical activities and a weak binding to the substrate. In contrast, an instantaneous nucleation was observed on as‐grown small grain and large grain BDD electrodes, with a dendritic microstructure and a much larger specific active area. The platinum decorated as‐grown smaller grain BDD electrodes show a much better electrochemical stability than the other electrodes investigated.
High surface smoothening of diamond HPHT (100) substrates
Authors: Mer‐Calfati C. , Habka N. , Ben‐Younes A. , Pinault M.‐A. , Barjon J. , Bergonzo P.
Published: August 2009

The aim of this work is to study the influence of (100) substrate pre‐treatment before boron doped homoepitaxial diamond growth. Atomic force microscopy measurements were made on (100) Ib HPHT and (100) IIa chemical vapour deposition commercially available substrates after the classical acid cleaning and before any growth or treatment. The (100) Ib HPHT substrates exhibit the most reproducible surfaces (on both sides). Different treatments before growth were performed on this type of substrates (hydrogen plasma etching, ion implantation, etc.). We show that a combined ion implantation and H2 plasma etching pre‐treatment improves drastically the substrate roughness, with values as low as 0.2 nm readily obtained.
High reactivity and stability of diamond electrodes: The influence of the B‐doping concentration
Authors: Vanhove E. , de Sanoit J. , Mailley P. , Pinault M.‐A. , Jomard F. , Bergonzo P.
Published: August 2009

The use of diamond to develop electrochemical (EC) sensors opens up promising perspectives with interests for biosensing applications. However, in spite of the superior EC properties of diamond, two crucial issues remain to be solved: to improve (i) the electrode stability and (ii) the charge transfer rate k0. To address these issues, the influence of the boron concentration and of EC treatments on EC behaviour was assessed. Our results were compared with those obtained on a commercial diamond electrode. The reactivity of the as‐grown electrodes was very high whatever the boron concentration. However, a systematic linear increase of the charge transfer resistance (Rt) with time, highly dependent on the boron concentration, was observed. The most favourable EC behaviour was obtained for a boron concentration close to the phase separation limit and attributed to a higher effective doping. Moreover, a further EC‐treatment of the diamond samples considerably enhances the electrodes stability. Optimized samples, obtained after EC‐treatment, show a high reactivity (k0 = 0.2 cm/s) equivalent to that of platinum as well as a remarkably enhanced stability.
Photoluminescence and XPS investigations of Cu2+‐doped ZnS quantum dots capped with polyvinylpyrrolidone
Authors: Hou Shili , Zhang Xiangqiang , Mao Huibing , Wang Jiqing , Zhu Ziqiang , Jing Weiping
Published: August 2009

Cu2+‐doped ZnS quantum dots were synthesized by a chemical precipitation method in water/ethanol solution. The quantum dots obtained were characterized by X‐ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and spectroscopy techniques including X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The [S2−]/[Zn2+] ratios have an effect on the photoluminescence of both aqueous solutions and powders of Cu2+‐doped ZnS quantum dots. For aqueous samples, a green luminescence centre is observed in the spectrum of sample 1 with [S2−]/[Zn2+] = 1:2 and a blue one for sample 2 with [S2−]/[Zn2+] = 1:1. For powders, only the green emission is the main luminescence centre, and the integrated intensity in the blue emission region of sample 1 is stronger than that of sample 2. Compared with the spectrum of CuS powders, the X‐ray‐induced Auger electron spectrum of Cu L3M45M45 in ZnS quantum dots shows a unique spectral characteristic. The 3d level of the Cu2+ ion is split into two different energy levels at 334.0 and 347.2 eV, respectively.
Use of liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry and online databases for identification of phosphocholines and lysophosphatidylcholines in human red blood cells
Authors: Xu Fengguo , Zou Li , Lin Qingsong , Ong Choon Nam
Published: September 2009

In this work a systematic strategy integrating liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) and online databases was developed to identify phosphocholines (PC) and lysophosphatidylcholines (LPC) in human red blood cells (RBCs). First of all, the neutral loss scan of 59 and the precursor ion scan of m/z 184 were performed to find out the possible lipids with phosphocholine head‐group structure in RBCs. The acquired [M+H]+ and [M+Na]+ adduct ions were then identified online using the Human Metabolome Database (HMDB) and the LIPID MAPS, which were then further confirmed by their MS/MS fragmentation. Based on the comparison of chemical structures of the detected PC and LPC with their corresponding MS/MS fragmentation pathways, several new diagnostic fragments or fragmentation pathway were found. These include, (1) the neutral losses of 183 could be used as a diagnostic fragmentation to discriminate PC and LPC; (2) product ions at m/z 104 could be used to distinguish LPC and their sn‐2 isomers; (3) fragment ions at m/z 184 are characteristic fragmentation that could be used for discrimination of sodiated ions [M+Na]+ and protonated ions [M+H]+, especially for co‐eluted PC or LPC with a molecular weight difference of 22. The structures of the above‐mentioned fragment ions were confirmed by quadrupole time‐of‐flight (Q‐TOF) MS. Furthermore, a PC and LPC focused LC/MS semi‐quantification approach was also developed and validated. This approach could be useful for future lipidomic study. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Efficient three‐dimensional scene modeling and mosaicing
Authors: Nicosevici Tudor , Gracias Nuno , Negahdaripour Shahriar , Garcia Rafael
Published: August 2009

Scene modeling has a key role in applications ranging from visual mapping to augmented reality. This paper presents an end‐to‐end solution for creating accurate three‐dimensional (3D) textured models using monocular video sequences. The methods are developed within the framework of sequential structure from motion, in which a 3D model of the environment is maintained and updated as new visual information becomes available. The proposed approach contains contributions at different levels. The camera pose is recovered by directly associating the 3D scene model with local image observations, using a dual‐registration approach. Compared to the standard structure from motion techniques, this approach decreases the error accumulation while increasing the robustness to scene occlusions and feature association failures, while allowing 3D reconstructions for any type of scene. Motivated by the need to map large areas, a novel 3D vertex selection mechanism is proposed, which takes into account the geometry of the scene. Vertices are selected not only to have high reconstruction accuracy but also to be representative of the local shape of the scene. This results in a reduction in the complexity of the final 3D model, with minimal loss of precision. As a final step, a composite visual map of the scene (mosaic) is generated. We present a method for blending image textures using 3D geometric information and photometric differences between registered textures. The method allows high‐quality mosaicing over 3D surfaces by reducing the effects of the distortions induced by camera viewpoint and illumination changes. The results are presented for four scene modeling scenarios, including a comparison with ground truth under a realistic scenario and a challenging underwater data set. Although developed primarily for underwater mapping applications, the methods are general and applicable to other domains, such as aerial and land‐based mapping. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Development and evaluation of a data‐adaptive alerting algorithm for univariate temporal biosurveillance data
Authors: Elbert Yevgeniy , Burkom Howard S.
Published: September 2009

This paper discusses further advances in making robust predictions with the Holt–Winters forecasts for a variety of syndromic time series behaviors and introduces a control‐chart detection approach based on these forecasts. Using three collections of time series data, we compare biosurveillance alerting methods with quantified measures of forecast agreement, signal sensitivity, and time‐to‐detect. The study presents practical rules for initialization and parameterization of biosurveillance time series. Several outbreak scenarios are used for detection comparison. We derive an alerting algorithm from forecasts using Holt–Winters‐generalized smoothing for prospective application to daily syndromic time series. The derived algorithm is compared with simple control‐chart adaptations and to more computationally intensive regression modeling methods. The comparisons are conducted on background data from both authentic and simulated data streams. Both types of background data include time series that vary widely by both mean value and cyclic or seasonal behavior. Plausible, simulated signals are added to the background data for detection performance testing at signal strengths calculated to be neither too easy nor too hard to separate the compared methods. Results show that both the sensitivity and the timeliness of the Holt–Winters‐based algorithm proved to be comparable or superior to that of the more traditional prediction methods used for syndromic surveillance. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.