bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A review of psychiatric genetics research in the Brazilian population
Authors: Cordeiro Quirino , Souza Bruno Rezende , Correa Humberto , Guindalini Camila , Hutz Mara Helena , Vallada Homero , Romano-Silva Marco Aurélio
Published: July 2009

OBJECTIVE AND METHOD: A large increase in the number of Brazilian studies on psychiatric genetics has been observed in the 1970's since the first publications conducted by a group of researchers in Brazil. Here we reviewed the literature and evaluated the advantages and difficulties of psychiatric genetic studies in the Brazilian population. CONCLUSION: The Brazilian population is one of the most heterogeneous populations in the world, formed mainly by the admixture between European, African and Native American populations. Although the admixture process is not a particularity of the Brazilian population, much of the history and social development in Brazil underlies the ethnic melting pot we observe nowadays. Such ethnical heterogeneity of the Brazilian population obviously brings some problems when performing genetic studies. However, the Brazilian population offers a number of particular characteristics that are of major interest when genetic studies are carried out, such as the presence of isolated populations. Thus, differences in the genetic profile and in the exposure to environmental risks may result in different interactions and pathways to psychopathology.
Atividade física sistematizada e desempenho cognitivo em idosos com demência de Alzheimer: uma revisão sistemática
Authors: Coelho Flávia Gomes de Melo , Santos-Galduroz Ruth Ferreira , Gobbi Sebastião , Stella Florindo
Published: July 2009

OBJETIVO : Apesar da crescente evidência dos benefícios do exercício físico para a cognição, existem controvérsias a respeito da prática de atividade física sistematizada em pacientes com doença de Alzheimer. Desta forma, o objetivo deste trabalho foi o de realizar uma revisão sistemática dos estudos que analisaram o efeito da atividade física sistematizada no desempenho cognitivo em idosos com doença de Alzheimer. MÉTODO : Efetuou-se uma pesquisa na PsycINFO, Biological Abstracts, Medline, Web of Science, Physical Education Index e SPORTDiscus, no período de 1990 a 2008, utilizando-se as seguintes palavras-chave: "physical activity", "physical therapy", "exercise", "fitness", "aerobic", "strength", "intervention", "cognition", "cognitive performance", "Alzheimer's disease", "Alzheimer's dementia", "Alzheimer", além de referências cruzadas dos artigos selecionados. RESULTADOS: Foram encontrados oito estudos que preencheram os critérios de inclusão adotados para o presente trabalho. Estes estudos mostraram que a atividade física sistematizada contribuiu para melhorar pelo menos temporariamente as funções cognitivas em paciente com doença de Alzheimer, particularmente, atenção, funções executivas e linguagem. CONCLUSÃO: Não foi possível estabelecer um protocolo de recomendações a respeito do tipo e intensidade da atividade física sistematizada necessária para produzir benefícios no funcionamento cognitivo. No entanto, a prática regular de atividade física sistematizada parece contribuir para a preservação ou mesmo melhora das funções cognitivas em pacientes com doença de Alzheimer.
Características das gestações, partos e recém-nascidos da região metropolitana de Aracaju, Sergipe, Brasil
Authors: Gurgel Ricardo Queiroz , Nery Alzira Maria D'Avila Guimarães , Almeida Maria Luíza Dória , Oliveira Eleonora Ribeiro Ramos , Lima Danilo Dantas Freire , Bettiol Heloísa , Barbieri Marco Antonio
Published: July 2009

OBJETIVOS: descrever as características das gestações, partos e nascimentos da região metropolitana de Aracaju. As principais características demográficas e socioeconômicas e de atenção à saúde da população foram avaliadas. MÉTODOS: estudo transversal dos nascimentos ocorridos entre março e julho de 2005, procedentes da região metropolitana de Aracaju, Sergipe, Brasil. Todas as mães que tiveram parto único nascido vivo foram entrevistadas através de um questionário estruturado, com informações sobre as condições demográficas, socioeconômicas, história sexual/reprodutiva. Registros do peso, comprimento e perímetro cefálico das crianças foram transferidos para o questionário. Foi feita comparação com outros estudos brasileiros de características semelhantes. RESULTADOS: foram analisados 4746 nascimentos de parto único de Aracaju, com 69% das mães referindo renda inferior a três salários mínimos. As mães adolescentes representaram 20,6% da amostra. Entre todos os nascimentos, 7,7% tiveram duração inferior a 37 semanas, percentual semelhante ao de baixo peso ao nascer (7,2%). Prevaleceu a assistência pré-natal oferecida pelo Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) (76,0%), que custeou 85,2% dos partos. Destes, 31,6% foram cesáreas. CONCLUSÕES: o estudo mostrou menores percentuais de partos cesária, prematuridade e baixo peso ao nascer que os encontrados em Ribeirão Preto, São Luís e Pelotas. Estudos como este podem ser muito úteis ao planejamento de saúde perinatal.
Molecular cloning of a novel secreted peptide, INM02, and regulation of its expression by glucose
Authors: Wang Xuanchun , Gong Wei , Liu Yu , Yang Zhihong , Zhou Wenbai , Wang Mei , Yang Zhen , Wen Jie , Hu Renming
Published: July 2009

We report the identification of a novel secreted peptide, INM02. The mRNA transcript of human INM02 gene is about 3.0 kb. Its open-reading frame contains 762 bps and encodes a protein of 254 amino acids. Northern blot analysis demonstrates that INM02 mRNA is widely expressed in rat tissues, especially with abundant quantities in pancreatic islets, testis, and bladder tissue. We have expressed recombinant INM02 protein and generated rabbit anti-INM02 polyclonal antibodies. We show here that INM02 could be detectable in human serum by ELISA. We also present evidence that INM02 mRNA expression could be regulated by glucose. Experiments on both MIN6 cells and intact isolated islets demonstrate that INM02 mRNA levels are increased more than threefold by high glucose (25 mM) when compared with low glucose (5.5 mM). ELISA analysis shows that secretion of INM02 is significantly augmented by high glucose in vitro. It is speculated that as a novel secreted protein, INM02 is associated with functions of pancreatic islets, especially of β-cells.
Growth and development of tadpoles (Xenopus laevis) exposed to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, fluoxetine and sertraline, throughout metamorphosis
Authors: Conners Deanna E. , Rogers Emily D. , Armbrust Kevin L. , Kwon Jeong-Wook , Black Marsha C.
Published: July 2009

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are widely prescribed drugs that are present in sewage effluents and surface waters. The objective of the present study was to determine whether low environmentally relevant concentrations of the SSRIs fluoxetine and sertraline could impair growth and development in tadpoles of the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) and to evaluate if such effects may be caused by a disruption of the neuroendocrine system. Tadpoles were exposed to SSRIs at concentrations of 0.1, 1, and 10 μL for 70 d throughout metamorphosis. No effects on deformities were observed. Tadpoles exposed to fluoxetine (10 μL) and sertraline (0.1, 1, and 10 μL) exhibited reduced growth at metamorphosis. Tadpoles exposed to sertraline (0.1 and 1 μL) exhibited an acceleration of development as indicated by an increase in the time to tail resorption. The effects of SSRIs on growth and development in tadpoles were likely driven by reduced food intake. Reduced feeding rates were observed in SSRI-exposed tadpoles, and nutritional status can influence growth and development in amphibians via effects on the neuroendocrine system. Only sertraline was capable of causing developmental toxicity in tadpoles at environmentally relevant concentrations. These data warrant additional research to characterize the risks to human health and wildlife from pharmaceutical exposures.
Estrogen Concentration Affects its Biodegradation Rate in Activated Sludge
Authors: Xu Nan , Johnson Andrew C. , Jürgens Monika D. , Llewellyn Neville R. , Hankins Nick P. , Darton Richard C.
Published: July 2009

The effect of concentration on the biodegradation rate of the steroid estrogens, estrone (E1) and 17-α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), was studied in batch and continuous-flow reactor systems using fresh activated sludge from two sewage treatment plants. Between the concentrations of 0.03 and 10 μg/L in the batch system, no consistent difference was found in the biodegradation rates for either estrogen. The biodegradation half-life was 0.3 to 0.7 h for E1 and 1.5 to 4.4 h for EE2 at 15 to 20°C. However, at 100 μg/L, biodegradation rates for both estrogens decreased, with the half-life prolonged to approximately 2.5 h for E1 and 12 to 18 h for EE2. In continuous-flow experiments, over a 2-h residence time, 95% of E1 and 48% of EE2 were removed on average at 0.1 μg/L while 52% of E1 and 20% of EE2 were removed at 100 μg/L. In general, spiking concentration of estrogens did not appear to affect biodegradation rates between the nanogram per liter to low microgram per liter levels in activated sludge; however, the rates greatly slowed when the concentration increased up to 100 μg/L. The results suggest activated sludge biodegradation studies with estrogens in the high microgram per liter levels could give misleading results and should be avoided.
Evaluation of acute copper toxicity to juvenile freshwater mussels (fatmucket, Lampsilis siliquoidea) in natural and reconstituted waters
Authors: Wang Ning , Mebane Christopher A. , Kunz James L. , Ingersoll Christopher G. , May Thomas W. , Arnold W. Ray , Santore Robert C. , Augspurger Tom , Dwyer F. James , Barnhart M. Chris
Published: July 2009

The influence of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and water composition on the toxicity of copper to juvenile freshwater mussels (fatmucket, Lampsilis siliquoidea) were evaluated in natural and reconstituted waters. Acute 96-h copper toxicity tests were conducted at four nominal DOC concentrations (0, 2.5, 5, and 10 mg/L as carbon [C]) in dilutions of natural waters and in American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) reconstituted hard water. Toxicity tests also were conducted in ASTM soft, moderately hard, hard, and very hard reconstituted waters (nominal hardness 45–300 mg/L as CaCO3). Three natural surface waters (9.5–11 mg/L DOC) were diluted to obtain a series of DOC concentrations with diluted well water, and an extract of natural organic matter and commercial humic acid was mixed with ASTM hard water to prepare a series of DOC concentrations for toxicity testing. Median effective concentrations (EC50s) for dissolved copper varied >40-fold (9.9 to >396 μg Cu/L) over all 21 treatments in various DOC waters. Within a particular type of DOC water, EC50s increased 5- to 12-fold across DOC concentrations of 0.3 to up to 11 mg C/L. However, EC50s increased by only a factor of 1.4 (21–30 μg Cu/L) in the four ASTM waters with wide range of water hardness (52–300 mg CaCO3/L). Predictions from the biotic ligand model (BLM) for copper explained nearly 90% of the variability in EC50s. Nearly 70% of BLM-normalized EC50s for fatmucket tested in natural waters were below the final acute value used to derive the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency acute water quality criterion for copper, indicating that the criterion might not be protective of fatmucket and perhaps other mussel species.
Effect of Activated Carbon on Microbial Bioavailability of Phenanthrene in Soils
Authors: Yang Yu , Hunter Wesley , Tao Shu , Crowley David , Gan Jay
Published: July 2009

Bioavailability is a governing factor that controls the rate of biological degradation of hydrophobic organic contaminants in soil. Among the solid phases that can adsorb hydrophobic organic contaminants in soil, black carbon (BC) exerts a particularly significant effect on phase distribution. However, knowledge on the effect of BC on the microbial availability of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soil is still limited. In the present study, the effect of a coal-derived activated carbon on the bioavailability of phenanthrene (PHE) during its degradation by Mycobacterium vanbaalenii PYR-1 was measured in three soils. The freely dissolved concentration of PHE was concurrently determined in soil solutions using disposable polydimethylsiloxane fibers. The results showed that PHE mineralization was significantly inhibited after addition of activated carbon in all test soils. After 216 h, only 5.20, 5.83, and 6.85% of PHE was degraded in the 0.5% BC-amended soils initially containing organic carbon at 0.23, 2.1, and 7.1%, respectively. Significant correlation was found between PHE degradability and freely dissolved concentration, suggesting that BC affected PHE bioavailability by decreasing chemical activity. The effect of activated carbon in the amended soils was attributed to its enhancement of soil surface areas and pore volumes. Results from the present study clearly highlighted the importance of BC for influencing the microbial availability of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soils.
Hydraulic-Fracture Predictions With a Fully Coupled Geomechanical Reservoir Simulator
Authors: Dean R. H. , Schmidt J. H.
Published: July 2009

A new geomechanical reservoir simulator has been developed that combines hydraulic fracture growth, multiphase/multicomponent Darcy/nonDarcy porous flow, heat convection and conduction, solids deposition, and poroelastic/poroplastic deformation in a single application. The equations for the different mechanisms such as fracture-width changes, laminar-channel flow in the fracture, porous flow in the reservoir, heat convection and conduction, and poroelastic/poroplastic deformations are combined to produce an implicit fully coupled formulation. The nonlinear system of equations is solved through use of a full Newton-Raphson expansion of all solution variables, which enhances solution stability and allows second-order convergence rates for the nonlinear iterations.

The program contains two separate criteria that one can use to model fracture propagation. Fracture-growth computations can be based on critical stress-intensity factors or can use cohesive elements that exhibit strain-softening behavior. The critical stress-intensity factor is based on the asymptotic stress/strain state at the tip of a fracture and is limited to linear poroelastic applications or applications in which the plastic zone is small relative to the fracture length; while cohesive elements are based on energy-release rates and cohesive stresses and can be used for both poroelastic and poro-plastic applications. In addition to the fracture-propagation logic, the program allows a dry zone to develop at the fracture tip as a natural part of the solution process. It is shown in sample simulation that a dry zone may develop naturally at the tip of a propagating fracture when there is a large pressure drop down the fracture.

The new geomechanical simulator is described and several examples are included to demonstrate the predictive capability of the application. Examples are also included to highlight the differences between the two fracture-propagation models and to illustrate when a dry zone may be expected to develop at the fracture tip. The examples also allow one to compare the program's predictions with analytic solutions validating the fracture propagation algorithms used in the application.
Leakage management in a low-pressure water distribution network of Bangkok
Authors: Babel Mukand S. , Islam Md. S. , Das Gupta A.
Published: July 2009

Losses of water due to leakage occur in every distribution network, the only difference is in the amount of leakage. The leakage levels are relatively high in cities of developing Asian countries. Among the several factors, operating pressure is the most important affecting the leakage. This paper describes how the management of pressure can help reduce the leakage in the water distribution network. EPANET is used to develop the hydraulic model to analyse the effect of alternative pressure profiles on the leakage in a pilot area within the water distribution system of Bangkok. One of the alternatives is implemented in the field to verify the applicability of the model. Results indicate that the average reduction in pressure by 2.4 m can reduce the leakage by 12.5% of the system inflow without compromising the level of service.
Optimizing treatment for reduction of disinfection by-product (DBP) formation
Authors: Smith Edward , Kamal Yasmine
Published: July 2009

Recent studies in communities in greater Cairo, Egypt have identified trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs) at levels that exceed regulatory limits depending upon the season. The objective of this study was to better understand the formation of DBPs in Nile River source water with a view toward optimizing conventional treatment, focusing on enhanced coagulation, to achieve reduction in DBP formation potential (FP) in a cost-effective scheme. To this end, characterisation of natural organic matter (NOM) in Nile raw water and after treatment by fractionating according to hydrophobic-hydrophilic properties was included in the analysis. Seasonal variations in raw water quality were found to be important for achieving optimum reduction of turbidity and DBP formation. In summer, alkalinity is lower; therefore, enhanced coagulation with 30 mg/L alum can be done at pH 6 without excessive additions of acid, and satisfactory reductions in turbidity and DBPs attained. During the remainder of the year, high alkalinity results in enhanced coagulation at about pH 6.5 and notably lower reduction of NOM, THMFP, and HAAs versus summer conditions. Supplementing enhanced coagulation with 10 mg/L PAC is highly recommended for these conditions as it improves removal of all DBP indicators. The transphilic fraction was the main contributor to DBP formation and the primary fraction removed by enhanced coagulation for achieving gains in THMFP reduction.
Use of an enriched inoculum for determination of biodegradable dissolved organic carbon (BDOC) in drinking water
Authors: Yapsaklı K. , Çeçen Ferhan
Published: July 2009

The original BDOC procedure requires the use of indigenous bacteria as a seed. Most of the time in original water samples either bacteria are insufficient in numbers or the diversity is not enough to reflect the biodegradable part of DOC. In this study, instead of using the water sample itself as an inoculum as in the original BDOC test, the bacteria originating from the Ömerli reservoir in İstanbul were acclimated in a suspended growth system to remove readily and slowly biodegradable DOC fractions from the reservoir water. This modified BDOC procedure was first tested on standard acetate solutions and later on raw and ozonated waters of the Ömerli reservoir. Additionally, the results of the modified procedure were compared with the original one by also testing the effectiveness of the indigenous seed from the reservoir. In order to determine the most suitable inoculum amount in the modified BDOC procedure, different seeding ratios like 1:100, 1:250 and 1:500 (v/v) were tested. In both raw water and ozonated waters, higher BDOC readings were achieved at a seeding ratio of 1:100 than the original procedure. The results showed that the modified procedure resulted in more accurate results compared to the original one and that using an acclimated culture can bring an improvement in BDOC measurement.
Removal of As(V) from aqueous solution using glycidyl methacrylate resin immobilized with Cu(II)-tetraethylenepentamine complex
Authors: Elwakeel Khalid Z.
Published: July 2009

Glycidyl methacrylate/ methelenebisacrylimide resin with tetraethelenepentamine ligand was prepared, investigated, and loaded with Cu(II). The adsorption characteristics of the obtained resin towards As(V) (asHAsO4) at different experimental conditions were established by means of batch and column methods. The mechanism of interaction between As(V) and resin's active sites was discussed. The selectivity of the studied resin towards AsV) in the presence of other anions (Cl−,NO3−,SO42− and CO32−) was evaluated. The kinetics and thermodynamic behaviour of the adsorption reaction were also defined. Regeneration and durability of the loaded resin towards the successive resin were also clarified.
Adsorption of arsenic in aqueous solution by RH-Fe-MCM-41
Authors: Tong-on W. , Sthiannopkao S. , Kim K. W. , Chiarakorn S.
Published: July 2009

RH-Fe-MCM-41 adsorption efficiency and capacity were examined with arsenic in lower concentrations in aqueous solution under varying pH values. The adsorption of arsenite (As3 + ) and arsenate (As5 + ) by RH-Fe-MCM-41 at the molar ratio of Si/Fe 10 gave removal efficiencies of 47% and 99% for As3 +  and As5 + , respectively, in the 100–1,000 μg l−1 concentration range. For the adsorption test of arsenic the best conditions were found to be an equilibrium time of 12 h at pH 7 for As3 +  and 2 h at pH 4 for As5 + . The adsorption capacity by the Langmuir constants (Qm) for As3 +  and As5 +  were 416.67 μg g−1 and 277.78 μg g−1, respectively, while the Freundlich constants (KF) were 0.583 μg g−1 for As3 +  and 112.87 μg g−1 for As5 + . The fit for As5 +  was good with both the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms by considering the R2 values, which were quite similar (0.916 and 0.912); As3 +  fit well only with the Langmuir isotherm. The impregnation of iron (Fe3 + ) into the RH-Fe-MCM-41 structure increases the adsorption capacity of As3 +  and As5 +  both by oxidizing As3 +  to As5 +  and by co-precipitation with As5 + .
Tea drinking habit for reducing copper concentration in drinking water
Authors: Utomo H. Djati
Published: July 2009

Sanitation is fundamental to broader national development. In fact, current practice of water treatment is not a guarantee for providing a safe drinking water required by humans. Corroded copper pipes contributed an increase in copper concentration in drinking water. At trace concentration copper is one of essential nutrients required by human body for both physical and mental health. However an excessive copper concentration in human body becomes toxic threat. Acute copper toxicity can result in a number of pathologies and, in severe cases, death. Drinking tea habitually may be helpful in reducing copper toxicity. The experimental study using copper-ion selective electrode (Cu-ISE) lowered copper concentration due to the availability of copper binding ligands found in tea solution.
Effects of acid treatment on the improvement of specific capacitance and deionization efficiency of porous carbon electrodes
Authors: Machunda R. L. , Jeon H. , Lee J. K. , Lee J.
Published: July 2009

We report the effect of acid treatment on porous carbon materials on their double layer capacitance and electrosorption of ions in capacitive deionization systems. The as-received activated carbon cloth (ACC) had the capacitance value of 210 F/g and was markedly (∼175%) improved when treated with acid solution. Surface functional groups such as hydroxyl, quinines, lactones and ethers on carbon after modification were increased by 40% and 29% with HNO3 and H2SO4 respectively. In capacitive deionization test of NaCl solution, the ACC treated with HNO3 had more than two times removal efficiency when charged with a 1.5 V current than the untreated one. This is attributed to activation and changes of surface functional groups when charged with a current.
Use of GAC after enhanced coagulation for the removal of natural organic matter from water for purification
Authors: García I. , Moreno L.
Published: July 2009

Filtration with granular activated carbon (GAC) after an enhanced coagulation (EC) process was evaluated in order to determine the effectiveness of GAC in the reduction of natural organic matter (NOM), which should result in much lower formation of trihalomethane in the disinfection step. The results show that a combination of EC and GAC considerably reduces the organic matter content, which is mainly fulvic acid. This type of organic matter is removed with high coagulant dosages which neutralize their high anionic charge. A further reduction of NOM is achieved due the adsorption of NOM by GAC. As a result, the average trihalomethane (THM) concentration was only 14.5±5 μg L−1. Enhanced coagulation alone decreased the NOM concentration by 50%, but the remaining NOM reacted in the chlorination step and a higher average THM concentration was found (38±23 μg L−1). An average THM concentration of 73.8±41.2 μg L−1 was found at the drinking water plant of Boaco when conventional treatment was used. This THM concentration sometimes exceeds the maximum contaminant level of 80 μg L−1 established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), but not the Nicaraguan threshold of 460 μg L−1.
Asymmetric Price Transmission, Market Power, and Supply and Demand Curvature
Authors: Xia Tian
Published: July 2009

This paper studies asymmetries in the magnitude of price transmission from farm to retail markets in a simple framework consisting of three stages of the market chain: farm, wholesale, and retail. The effects of farm supply curvature and buyer power in farm markets, in addition to those of consumer demand curvature and seller power in retail markets, on asymmetries in price transmission are examined. Strict convexity of farm supply and wholesalers/processors' buyer power in farm markets are shown to be a main reason for asymmetries in the magnitude of farm-retail price transmission. The effect of consumer demand curvature and seller power in retail markets on farm-retail price transmission is often indeterminate and tends to be relatively small.
Does handling reduce the winter body mass of the European hare?
Authors: Takacs Viktoria , Zduniak Piotr , Panek Marek , Tryjanowski Piotr
Published: July 2009

Winter body mass of the European hare Lepus europaeus Pallas 1778 was analyzed with a special focus on changes induced by handling. Data were obtained from large scale translocation (net catchments) during 1960–1980 in Poland. The influence of handling was compared using the mass of first-time captured and repeatedly-captured hares, and, in case of repeated capture, individuals’ mass changes were investigated. The average body mass ranged from 2.1 kg to 5.0 kg. Generally, fewer factors influenced the hare’s body mass than expected. Body mass was related to age and winter precipitation, while the date of catching, sex and temperature did not have an effect. Body mass of first-captured hares were significantly higher than the re-captured ones (3.99±0.42 vs. 3.88±0.48, mean ±SD). Body mass change between captures was related to the date of the first capture, and the duration between the first capture and re-capture. Following the initial capture, a slight (2.8±2.6), but significant decrease in body weight occurred. Thus, the handling of hares should be used with caution during studies or management of the species.
Portable electro-optic device for performing serviceability check on IR guided missiles
Authors: Maini A. , Agrawal V.
Published: July 2009

Electro-optically guided weapons are the most potent and widely used munitions on land-based, aerial and ship-borne platforms because of their proven precision strike capability. Two such guided weapon categories include the IR guided surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles and laser guided bombs and missiles. The efficacy of the mission is critically dependent on the successful deployment of the weapon. This not only necessitates that periodic functionality check be carried out on these weapons, it should also be possible to perform functionality check also known as serviceability check even after they are strapped on to the launch platform. Serviceability check in the strap-on condition ensures a much higher hit probability. This paper presents the design and development of a portable electro-optic device that generates IR signatures in 3–5-µm band having the desired amplitude and spectral shape to match the IR signatures of target aircraft. A prototype was built using the proposed concept. The prototype was characterized in terms of its output amplitude and wavelength spectrum. The prototype was used to perform serviceability check on IR seekers of foreign origin. Test results are presented in the paper.
Simplified coupling power model for fibers fusion
Authors: Saktioto J. , Ali J. , Fadhali M.
Published: July 2009

Fiber coupler fabrication used for an optical waveguide requires lossless power for an optimal application. The previous research coupled fibers were successfully fabricated by injecting hydrogen flow at 1 bar and fused slightly by unstable torch flame in the range of 800–1350°C. Optical parameters may vary significantly over wide range physical properties. Coupling coefficient and refractive index are estimated from the experimental result of the coupling ratio distribution from 1% to 75%. The change of geometrical fiber affects the normalized frequency V even for single mode fibers. V is derived and some parametric variations are performed on the left and right hand side of the coupling region. A partial power is modelled and derived using V, normalized lateral phase constant u, and normalized lateral attenuation constant, w through the second kind of modified Bessel function of the l order, which obeys the normal mode and normalized propagation constant b. Total power is maintained constant in order to comply with the energy conservation law. The power is integrated through V, u, and w over the pulling length of 7500 µm for 1-D. The core radius of a fiber significantly affects V and power partially at coupling region rather than wavelength and refractive index of core and cladding. This model has power phenomena in transmission and reflection for an optical switch and tunable filter.
Picture grammars in classification and semantic interpretation of 3D coronary vessels visualisations
Authors: Ogiela M. , Tadeusiewicz R. , Trzupek M.
Published: July 2009

The work presents the new opportunity for making semantic descriptions and analysis of medical structures, especially coronary vessels CT spatial reconstructions, with the use of AI graph-based linguistic formalisms. In the paper there will be discussed the manners of applying methods of computational intelligence to the development of a syntactic semantic description of spatial visualisations of the heart’s coronary vessels. Such descriptions may be used for both smart ordering of images while archiving them and for their semantic searches in medical multimedia databases. Presented methodology of analysis can furthermore be used for attaining other goals related performance of computer-assisted semantic interpretation of selected elements and/or the entire 3D structure of the coronary vascular tree. These goals are achieved through the use of graph-based image formalisms based on IE graphs generating grammars that allow discovering and automatic semantic interpretation of irregularities visualised on the images obtained during diagnostic examinations of the heart muscle. The basis for the construction of 3D reconstructions of biological objects used in this work are visualisations obtained from helical CT scans, yet the method itself may be applied also for other methods of medical 3D images acquisition. The obtained semantic information makes it possible to make a description of the structure focused on the semantics of various morphological forms of the visualised vessels from the point of view of the operation of coronary circulation and the blood supply of the heart muscle. Thanks to these, the analysis conducted allows fast and — to a great degree — automated interpretation of the semantics of various morphological changes in the coronary vascular tree, and especially makes it possible to detect these stenoses in the lumen of the vessels that can cause critical decrease in blood supply to extensive or especially important fragments of the heart muscle.
Double-frequency external cavity laser with a singular optical semiconductor amplifier
Authors: Kowalczyk E. , Szyjer M. , Fronc K. , Mroziewicz B.
Published: July 2009

Optical properties of an external cavity laser with a semiconductor optical amplifier and two diffraction gratings are described. The laser has been pigtailed and its emission showed two peaks in the output spectrum. The wavelength of the peaks, and in particular the spectral spacing between them, could be controlled by adjusting the reflecting elements in the system. The proposed double-frequency laser may be adopted as a signal source in terahertz generators.
Evaluation of optical quality and properties of Ga0.64In0.36N0.006As0.994 lattice matched to GaAs by using photoluminescence spectroscopy
Authors: Gholami M. , Esmaeili M. , Haratizadeh H. , Holtz P. , Hammar M.
Published: July 2009

We have investigated optical properties of Ga0.64In0.36N0.006As0.994/GaAs single quantum-well structures using photoluminescence technique. We have found that nitrogen creates potential fluctuations in the InGaNAs structures, so it is the cause of trap centres in these structures and leads to localized excitons recombination dynamics. The near-band edge PL at 2 K exhibited a blueshift with an increase in excitation intensity of a sample but there is not such a shift in the PL peak position energy of same sample at 150 K. It has been found that PL spectra have a large full width at half maximum (FWHM) value at 2 K. These results are discussed in terms of carrier localization. Additionally, our results suggest decreasing PL integrated intensity in this structure, possibly due to non-radiative recombination. It has been shown that thermal annealing reduces the local strain created by nitrogen. By annealing process, a blue shifted emission can be observed.
Accommodations for English Language Learners Taking Large-Scale Assessments: A Meta-Analysis on Effectiveness and Validity
Authors: Kieffer Michael J. , Lesaux Nonie K. , Rivera Mabel , Francis David J.
Published: July 2009

Including English language learners (ELLs) in large-scale assessments raises questions about the validity of inferences based on their scores. Test accommodations for ELLs are intended to reduce the impact of limited English proficiency on the assessment of the target construct, most often mathematic or science proficiency. This meta-analysis synthesizes research on the effectiveness and validity of such accommodations for ELLs. Findings indicate that none of the seven accommodations studied threaten the validity of inferences. However, only one accommodation—providing English dictionaries or glossaries—has a statistically significant effect on ELLs’ performance, and this effect equates to only a small reduction in the achievement score gap between ELLs and native English speakers. Findings suggest that accommodations to reduce the impact of limited language proficiency on academic skill assessment are not particularly effective. Given this, we posit a hypothesis about the necessary role of academic language skills in mathematics and science assessments.
The meaning of Nandigram
Authors: Sarkar Tanika , Chowdhury Sumit
Published: July 2009

This article discusses the events at Nandigram in West Bengal where in 2006-7, a Left Front government collaborated with an Indonesian corporate group to forcibly acquire land from local peasants and construct a Special Economic Zone. The events are placed against the broad processes of accumulation by dispossession through which peasants are losing their land and corporate profits are given priority over food production. The article looks at the working and implications of the policies and the way in which a Communist Party-led government had become complicit with such processes over the last decade. It critically examines the logic that the government offered for the policies: that of the unavoidable necessity of industrialization, demonstrating that industrialization could have been done without fresh and massive land loss and that industries of the new sort do not generate employment or offset the consequences of large scale displacements of peasants. The article's central focus is on the peasant resistance in the face of the brutalities of the party cadres and the police. We explore the meaning of the victory of the peasants at Nandigram against the combined forces of state and corporate power, especially in the context of the present neo-liberal conjuncture.
American death
Authors: Roberts Elizabeth F. S.
Published: July 2009

Sharon Kaufman, And a time to die: How American hospitals shape the end of life. New York: Scribner, 2004, 416 pp., ISBN 0-743-26476-2.

Lesley A. A. Sharp, Strange harvest: Organ transplants, denatured bodies, and the transformed self. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2006, 322 pp., ISBN 0-520-24786-8.
Bipolaris australiensis (M.B. Ellis) Tsuda & Ueyama â a new dematiaceous hyphomycetes record for Bangladesh
Authors: Shamsi Shamim , Yasmin Zuhra
Published: June 2009

Not available.Keywords: Bipolaris australiensis; New record; Bangladesh.DOI: 10.3329/bjpt.v16i1.2751Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 16(1): 91-93, 2009 (June)
HUMANITY AND ITS GODS: ATHEISM
Authors: Roudinesco Elisabeth
Published: July 2009

This paper recounts the author's personal historical relationship with two monotheistic religions, Christianity and Judaism. Freud's own understanding of Judaism as expressed in texts such as Moses and Monotheism is discussed, in relation to the universal aspirations of psychoanalysis. The particular materialism of Enlightenment philosophy is affirmed, whilst an allowance is made for a certain kind of mysticism contra the instrumentalization of human beings so prevalent in contemporary, globalized society.
Social Deliberation: Nash, Bayes, and the Partial Vindication of Gabriele Tarde
Authors: Alexander J. McKenzie
Published: July 2009

At the very end of the 19th century, Gabriele Tarde wrote that all society was a product of imitation and innovation. This view regarding the development of society has, to a large extent, fallen out of favour, and especially so in those areas where the rational actor model looms large. I argue that this is unfortunate, as models of imitative learning, in some cases, agree better with what people actually do than more sophisticated models of learning. In this paper, I contrast the behaviour of imitative learning with two more sophisticated learning rules (one based on Bayesian updating, the other based on the Nash-Brown-von Neumann dynamics) in the context of social deliberation problems. I show for two social deliberation problems, the Centipede game and a simple Lewis sender-receiver game, that imitative learning provides better agreement with what people actually do, thus partially vindicating Tarde.
SeaWASP: A Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull Autonomous Platform for Shallow Water Mapping
Authors: Beck Erin , Kirkwood William , Caress David , Berk Todd , Mahacek Paul , Brashem Kevin , Acain Jose , Reddy Vivek , Kitts Christopher , Skutnik John , Wheat Geoff
Published: June 2009

AbstractStudents with Santa Clara University (SCU) and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) are developing an innovative platform for shallow water bathymetry. Bathymetry data is used to analyze the geography, ecosystem, and health of marine habitats. Current
methods for shallow water measurements typically involve large manned vessels that are costly to operate and that may pose a danger to themselves and the environment in shallow, semi-navigable waters. Small vessels, however, are prone to disturbances by shallow water waves, tides, and currents,
thereby requiring more instrumentation and computation to accurately process bathymetric data. The SCU/MBARI autonomous surface vessel, SeaWASP, is designed to operate safely and stably in waters as shallow as 1 m without significant manned support in order to produce cost-effective and high-quality
bathymetric maps.The SeaWASP design introduces several key design innovations in order to provide high-quality maps with a platform that is safe, stable, and inexpensive. A small waterplane area twin hull (SWATH) design features a submerged dual hull, a small waterplane area, and a high
mass-to-damping ratio, thereby making the craft less prone to disturbances. Precision sensing, autonomous control, and platform-level configuration planning and control algorithms are used to navigate the boat along desirable trajectories in support of efficient map generation and to implement
low-cost unpiloted operations. Bathymetry is measured with multibeam sonar in concert with Doppler Velocity Logger and GPS sensors.The vessel has been operated successfully in several open water test environments, including Elkhorn Slough, Steven’s Creek Reservoir, and Lake Tahoe,
all in California. It is currently in the final stages of integration and test for its first major science mission at Orcas Island, San Juan Islands, WA, in 2009. Final deployment will be at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA’s) Kasitsna Bay Laboratory
in Alaska as one element of a multi-system remote observatory.SeaWASP has been developed in partnership with SCU, MBARI, the University of Alaska‐Fairbanks, and NOAA’s West Coast and Polar Regions Undersea Research Center.
Skin Inflammation Is Not Sufficient to Break Tolerance Induced against a Novel Antigen
Authors: Holcmann Martin , Stoitzner Patrizia , Drobits Barbara , Luehrs Petra , Stingl Georg , Romani Nikolaus , Maurer Dieter , Sibilia Maria
Published: July 2009

Depending on the cellular and molecular microenvironment, immune responses generated by skin-associated lymphoid tissues can lead to protective immunity against pathogens or to tolerance. In this study, we investigated immune responses to an Ag expressed de novo in adult skin under homeostatic conditions by generating transgenic mice producing the Ag Ova in a Cre-inducible manner in keratinocytes. Expression of Ova was induced in adult mice with a tamoxifen-inducible K5-CreER transgenic line. Although Ova was efficiently expressed by keratinocytes and presented by Langerhans cells after Cre-mediated transgene recombination, adult transgenic mice did not develop any obvious autoimmune disease symptoms like hair or weight loss. Ag-specific T cells were activated after Ova expression as indicated by up-regulation of CD44 and CD69. After in vitro restimulation Ova-specific T cells showed reduced IFN-γ production suggesting induction of tolerance after Ova expression in the skin. After transfer into Ova-expressing mice, naive OT-1 T cells transiently proliferated in skin-draining lymph nodes, infiltrated the skin but did not cause disease. Topical application of danger signals at the time of Ova induction did also not induce autoimmune disease. The unresponsiveness of Ag-specific T cells after induction of Ova expression could only be circumvented by simultaneous priming with CpG-matured, bone marrow-derived dendritic cells. Our data suggest that low amount of Ag expressed in the induction phase of the immune response results in tolerance even in the presence of danger signals and thereby helps to preserve homeostasis in the skin under normal and pathologic conditions.
Spontaneous Autoimmunity Sufficiently Potent to Induce Diabetes Mellitus Is Insufficient to Protect against Insulinoma
Authors: Zwicker Kelley , Chatten Christa , Gratton Kathy , Demetrick Doug , Serra Pau , Shameli Afshin , Santamaria Pere , Bathe Oliver F.
Published: July 2009

Intact tolerogenic mechanisms preclude effective immunity against tumors, as most tumor Ags differ little from normal host Ags. In contrast, when tolerance fails, the immune system becomes inappropriately activated against an autoantigen. We postulated that CD8+ T cells activated during autoimmunity are capable of protecting against tumors that express the targeted autoantigen. To test this hypothesis, double-transgenic 8.3-NOD-RIPTAg mice were developed (where NOD is nonobese diabetic, RIP is rat insulin promoter, and TAg is large T Ag). In this model, individuals with the RIPTAg transgene develop insulinoma; those expressing a transgenic TCR (8.3-TCR) recognizing the islet-specific glucose 6 phosphatase catalytic subunit-related protein (IGRP) harbor a peripheral immune system dominated by diabetogenic CD8+ T cells. Although tumor emergence was significantly slower in 8.3-NOD-RIPTAg mice compared with NOD-RIPTAg mice, all 8.3-NOD-RIPTAg mice eventually developed insulinoma. Tumor emergence was not secondary to clonal deletion or anergy. Ag loss and MHC down-regulation were not apparent. Endogenous 8.3-TCR CD8+ T cells were recruited to the tumor site and proliferated upon arrival to the tumor, although they were notably absent from the central parts of more advanced tumors. These results demonstrate that a breakdown of tolerance capable of causing autoimmune disease is insufficient for effective tumor immunity. Alterations in the tumor microenvironment may inhibit efficient and comprehensive delivery of CD8+ T cells to all regions of the tumor. These data suggest that any immunotherapeutic strategy for cancer must involve enhancement of a proinflammatory tumor microenvironment in addition to inhibition of tolerogenic mechanisms.
Ubiquitin-Editing Enzyme A20 Promotes Tolerance to Lipopolysaccharide in Enterocytes
Authors: Wang Jin , Ouyang Yannan , Guner Yigit , Ford Henri R. , Grishin Anatoly V.
Published: July 2009

Although enterocytes are capable of innate immune responses, the intestinal epithelium is normally tolerant to commensal bacteria. To elucidate the mechanisms of tolerance, we examined the effect of preexposure to LPS on activation of p38, c-Jun, and NF-κB in enterocytes by several inflammatory and stress stimuli. Shortly after the initial LPS challenge, enterocytes become tolerant to restimulation with LPS or CpG DNA, but not with IL-17 or UV. The state of tolerance, which lasts 20–26 h, temporally coincides with LPS-induced expression of the anti-inflammatory ubiquitin-editing enzyme A20. Small interfering RNA silencing of A20 prevents tolerance, whereas ectopic expression of A20 blocks responses to LPS and CpG DNA, but not to IL-17 or UV. A20 levels in the epithelium of the small intestine are low at birth and following gut decontamination with antibiotics, but high under conditions of bacterial colonization. In the small intestine of adult rodents, A20 prominently localizes to the luminal interface of villus enterocytes. Lower parts of the crypts display relatively low levels of A20, but relatively high levels of phospho-p38. Gut decontamination with antibiotics reduces the levels of both A20 and phospho-p38. Along with the fact that A20-deficient mice develop severe intestinal inflammation, our results indicate that induction of A20 plays a key role in the tolerance of the intestinal epithelium to TLR ligands and bacteria.