bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modulation of Platelet Aggregation, Haematological and Histological Parameters by Structured Lipids on Hypercholesterolaemic Rats
Authors: Sengupta Avery , Ghosh Mahua
Published: April 2010

The effect of the consumption of medium‐chain fatty acid (MCFA)‐rich and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)‐rich mustard oil on platelet aggregation, haematological parameters and the liver was studied in male albino rats. The rats were fed on standard stock diet with control (mustard oil) and experimental oils for 28 days. Haematological examinations in the normal condition showed that there was no significant variation in the platelet count, total white blood cell (WBC) and red blood cell (RBC) counts, haematocrit value and mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) percentage in the rats fed with control and experimental oils. Haematological examinations in the hypercholesterolaemic condition revealed that there was a significant increase in the platelet count by 39.38% in hypercholesterolaemia, which was decreased by 27.29 and 42.71% by the administration of the experimental oils, respectively. The haemoglobin level was decreased by 5.3%, whereas the haematocrit value was increased by 12.52% in hypercholesterolaemia, which were normalised by treatment with the experimental oils. The platelet aggregation study indicated that the adenosine diphosphate (ADP)‐induced platelet aggregation increased by 71.67% in hypercholesterolaemia, but the experimental oils beneficially reduced platelet aggregation by 26.33 and 68.33%, respectively. There was increased total cholesterol, non‐high‐density lipoprotein (non‐HDL) cholesterol and triglyceride levels in liver in hypercholesterolaemia, which was also recovered by the administration of experimental oils. Organopathological examination showed that there was deposition of cholesterol in the liver in the hypercholesterolaemic condition, which was also reduced by treatment with the two experimental oils.
HCV NS3 protein helicase domain assists RNA structure conversion
Authors: Huang Zhi-Shun , Wang Chun-Chung , Wu Huey-Nan
Published: April 2010

NS3H, the helicase domain of HCV NS3, possesses RNA‐stimulated ATPase and ATP hydrolysis‐dependent dsRNA unwinding activities. Here, the ability of NS3H to facilitate RNA structural rearrangement is studied using relatively long RNA strands as the model substrates. NS3H promotes intermolecular annealing, resolves three‐stranded RNA duplexes, and assists dsRNA and ssRNA inter‐conversions to establish a steady state among RNA structures. NS3H facilitates RNA structure conversions in a mode distinct from an ATP‐independent RNA chaperone. These findings expand the known function of HCV NS3 helicase and reveal a role for viral helicase in assisting RNA structure conversions during virus life cycle.
COCONUT HUSK ASH AS A FERTILIZER FOR COCONUT PALMS ON PEAT
Authors: BONNEAU X. , HARYANTO IRFAN , KARSIWAN TRIYONO
Published: April 2010

We demonstrated experimentally that coconut husk ash is an excellent mineral fertilizer for immature coconut hybrids on developed peat, providing potassium (K) in particular. Coconut husk ash performed as well as potassium chloride (KCl) in a proportion of 2–2.5 to 1. At four years, 99% of coconut palms fertilized with husk ash, 92% of coconut palms fertilized with KCl and 26% of control palms were sexually differentiated. The cumulative yield in the first two harvesting years more than trebled between control palms (26 nuts per tree) and the palms fertilized with KCl (93 nuts per tree) or husk ash (105 nuts per tree). This is an important result, given the intensity of K deficiency and the increasing cost of imported fertilizers. Although coconut husk ash will never totally replace K fertilizer, it can recycle a substantial proportion of nutrients in a coconut plantation. It now remains to optimize its use on an estate level, by examining the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of its mass production and determining conditions for maximum efficiency.
Shock wave interaction with convex circular cylindrical surfaces
Authors: SKEWS BERIC W. , KLEINE HARALD
Published: April 2010

The reflection of shock waves off cylindrical surfaces of different radii is examined with the help of time-resolved flow visualization. The primary diagnostic is a newly developed technique based on the tracking of deliberately introduced small perturbations in the flow. The main focus of the investigation is to determine at which position the shock wave receives information about the shape of the wall that it reflects off. In the pseudo-steady shock reflection off a plane wall, it is commonly accepted that the reflection changes from regular to irregular as soon as sonic signals generated behind the reflection point catch up with the reflection point, and the common interpretation is that this corresponds to the transition from regular to Mach reflection (the so-called sonic criterion). The results obtained here for convex circular surfaces show that this ‘catch-up’ condition occurs at wall angles considerably higher than in the plane wall case, while a visible Mach stem occurs only further along the surface at wall angles distinctively lower than those for plane walls. Tests are also conducted on a surface where a cylindrical portion is followed by a fixed angle plane section. The Mach numbers are chosen to be on either side of the plane wall transition condition so as to examine the adjustment from reflection on the cylindrical portion to that on the plane wall. These tests confirm that the wall angle at which sonic ‘catch-up’ to the reflection point occurs on the cylindrical surface is much higher than the corresponding wall angle predicted by the sonic criterion for a plane wall. While the transition from regular to irregular reflection is not the main concern of this contribution, the present results show that the transition criteria developed for steady and pseudo-steady flows are only of limited use in the fully unsteady flows such as the one investigated here.
Single-species Weibel instability of radiationless plasma
Authors: BORODACHEV L. V. , KOLOMIETS D. O.
Published: April 2010

A particle-in-cell numerical simulation of the electron Weibel instability is applied in a frame of Darwin (radiationless) approximation of the self-consistent fields of sparse plasma. As a result, we were able to supplement the classical picture of the instability and, in particular, to obtain the dependency of the basic characteristics (the time of development and the maximum field energy) of the thermal anisotropy parameter, to trace the dynamic restructuring of current filaments accompanying the non-linear stage of the instability and to trace in detail the evolution of the initial anisotropy of the electron component of plasma.
Changing eating and physical activity patterns of US children
Authors: Johnson Rachel K.
Published: April 2010

The number of US children who are overweight has more than doubled over the last decade. This change has broadened the focus of dietary guidance for children to address nutrient overconsumption and physical activity patterns. Total fat consumption expressed as a percentage of energy intake has decreased among US children. However, this decrease is largely the result of increased total energy intake in the form of carbohydrates and not necessarily due to decreased fat consumption. The majority of children aged 5–17 years are not meeting recommendations for Ca intakes. Much of this deficit is attributed to changing beverage consumption patterns, characterized by declining milk intakes and substantial increases in soft-drink consumption. On average, US children are not eating the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables. US adolescents become less active as they get older, and one-quarter of all US children watch 4 h television each day, which is positively associated with increased BMI and skinfold thickness. There is an urgent need in the USA for effective prevention strategies aimed at helping children grow up with healthful eating and physical activity habits to achieve optimal health.
From Sure Start to Children's Centres: An Analysis of Policy Change in English Early Years Programmes
Authors: LEWIS JANE
Published: April 2010

Sure Start was set up in 1998 as a flagship policy of the first New Labour government, with the promise of ten years funding. However, in 2003 it was superseded by plans for the establishment of Children's Centres, a universal programme rather than one for disadvantaged areas as in the case of Sure Start local programmes. The government claimed that the shift to Children's Centres represented continuity, but, using historical methods and key informant interviews, this paper shows that there was considerable change, particularly in the programme content and governance of the new centres. The paper explores the reasons for the policy shift in terms of factors arising from changes in government's goals for Sure Start and for children's services more broadly on the one hand, and from evidence of programme failure on the other. It concludes by reflecting on why the shift to Children's Centres was claimed as continuity rather than change, and what this tells us about the nature of policy change.
Economic evaluation of enhanced staff contact for the promotion of breastfeeding for low birth weight infants
Authors: Rice Stephen J. C. , Craig Dawn , McCormick Felicia , Renfrew Mary J. , Williams Anthony F.
Published: April 2010

Objectives: There is evidence that breastmilk feeding reduces mortality and short and long-term morbidity among infants born too soon or too small. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of enhanced staff contact for mothers with infants in a neonatal unit with a birth weight of 500–2,500 g from the perspective of the UK National Health Service.

Methods: A decision-tree model linked clinical outcomes with long-term health outcomes. The study population was divided into three weight bands: 500–999 g, 1000–1,749 g, and 1,750–2,500 g. Clinical and resource use data were obtained from literature reviews. The measure of benefit was quality-adjusted life-years. Uncertainty was evaluated using cost-effectiveness acceptability curves and sensitivity analyses.

Results: The intervention was less costly and more effective than the comparator in the base–case analysis for each birth weight group. The results were quite robust to the sensitivity analyses performed.

Conclusions: This is the first economic evaluation in this complex field and offers a model to be developed in future research. The results provide preliminary indications that enhanced staff contact may be cost-effective. However, the limited evidence available, and the limited UK data in particular, suggest that further research is required to provide results with confidence.
Policy brief on improving access to artemisinin-based combination therapies for malaria in Burkina Faso
Authors: Kouyaté Bocar , Nana Victor
Published: April 2010

Malaria is a major public health problem in Burkina Faso. Statistics from health facilities in 2006 show that 40.1 percent of medical consultations, 53.4 percent of hospital admissions, and 45.8 percent of deaths are malaria related (2). Malaria among children under 5 years of age accounted for 46 percent of all cases in 2004, 49 percent in 2005 and 48 percent in 2006. In the same age group, malaria was the cause of 66.4 percent of deaths in 2004, 62.0 percent in 2005 and 62.7 percent in 2006.
Policy brief on improving access to artemisinin-based combination therapies for malaria in Mozambique
Authors: Mbofana Francisco , Machatine Gertrudes , Moreira Celeste
Published: April 2010

Malaria is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Mozambique. Approximately 6 million cases are reported each year. Malaria accounts for approximately 40 percent of all outpatient visits and 60 percent of pediatric hospital admissions. It is the leading cause of death among children admitted to pediatric services. Malaria transmission takes place year round with a seasonal peak extending from December to April. More than 18.5 million people in Mozambique are considered to be at-risk of malaria, including an estimated 3.6 million children less than 5 years old and almost 1 million pregnant women (13). The Presidential Malaria Initiative (PMI) -supported Malaria Indicator Survey, conducted in 2007, found the national prevalence of malaria parasitemia among children 6 to 59 months old to be 38.5 percent, with a range by province from 60.4 percent in Nampula to less than 10 percent in Maputo. Among pregnant women, the parasite prevalence was 16.3 percent, with 30.1 percent of women in their first pregnancy demonstrating parasites on blood slides (11).
Outbreak of Legionnaires' disease associated with a supermarket mist machine
Authors: BARRABEIG I. , ROVIRA A. , GARCIA M. , OLIVA J. M. , VILAMALA A. , FERRER M. D. , SABRIÀ M. , DOMÍNGUEZ A.
Published: April 2010

An outbreak of Legionnaires' disease affected 12 customers of a supermarket in a town in Catalonia, Spain, between August and November 2006. An epidemiological and environmental investigation was undertaken. Preliminary investigation showed that all patients had visited the same supermarket in this town where a mist machine was found in the fish section. Water samples were collected from the machine and from the supermarket's water distribution system when high-risk samples were excluded. Environmental samples from the mist machine and clinical samples from two patients tested positive for L. pneumophila serogroup 1 and had the same molecular pattern. The PFGE pattern detected in the clinical and mist-machine isolates had never previously been identified in Catalonia prior to the outbreak and has not been identified since. Four days after turning off the machine, new cases ceased appearing. Molecular study supports the hypothesis that the mist machine from the fish section of the supermarket was the source of infection. We believe it is essential to include exposure to mist machines in any legionellosis epidemiological survey.
Harmonic Grammar with linear programming: from linear systems to linguistic typology
Authors: Potts Christopher , Pater Joe , Jesney Karen , Bhatt Rajesh , Becker Michael
Published: April 2010

Harmonic Grammar is a model of linguistic constraint interaction in which well-formedness is calculated in terms of the sum of weighted constraint violations. We show how linear programming algorithms can be used to determine whether there is a weighting for a set of constraints that fits a set of linguistic data. The associated software package OT-Help provides a practical tool for studying large and complex linguistic systems in the Harmonic Grammar framework and comparing the results with those of OT. We first describe the translation from harmonic grammars to systems solvable by linear programming algorithms. We then develop a Harmonic Grammar analysis of ATR harmony in Lango that is, we argue, superior to the existing OT and rule-based treatments. We further highlight the usefulness of OT-Help, and the analytic power of Harmonic Grammar, with a set of studies of the predictions Harmonic Grammar makes for phonological typology.
A test case for the phonetics–phonology interface: gemination restrictions in Hungarian
Authors: Pycha Anne
Published: April 2010

Despite differences in parsimony and philosophical orientation, physical and abstract theories of phonology often make similar empirical predictions. This study examines a case where they do not: gemination restrictions in Hungarian. While both types of theory correctly prohibit the lengthening of a consonant when flanked by another consonant, they make different predictions regarding both the relative duration changes within a target consonant and the applicability of restrictions to lengthening processes besides gemination. In two speech-production experiments, these predictions are evaluated by measuring stop and frication durations within affricates. Results show that relative duration changes occur, and that the restriction holds only for gemination, supporting an abstract theory. Yet results also indicate that gemination exhibits sensitivity to inherent durational differences between affricates, providing some support for a physical theory. Thus I argue that an adequate theory of phonology must include abstract constituents, alongside a limited, principled set of physical landmarks.
Testing the role of phonetic knowledge in Mandarin tone sandhi
Authors: Zhang Jie , Lai Yuwen
Published: April 2010

Phonological patterns often have phonetic bases. But whether phonetic substance should be encoded in synchronic phonological grammar is controversial. We aim to test the synchronic relevance of phonetics by investigating native Mandarin speakers' applications of two exceptionless tone sandhi processes to novel words: the contour reduction 213→21/—T (T≠213), which has a clear phonetic motivation, and the perceptually neutralising 213→35/—213, whose phonetic motivation is less clear. In two experiments, Mandarin subjects were asked to produce two individual monosyllables together as two different types of novel disyllabic words. Results show that speakers apply the 213→21 sandhi with greater accuracy than the 213→35 sandhi in novel words, indicating a synchronic bias against the phonetically less motivated pattern. We also show that lexical frequency is relevant to the application of the sandhis to novel words, but cannot account alone for the low sandhi accuracy of 213→35.
Trade sanctions and green trade liberalization
Authors: NAGHAVI ALIREZA
Published: April 2010

This paper studies the impact of a World Trade Organization withdrawal of trade concessions against countries that fail to respect globally recognized environmental standards. We show that a punishing tariff can be effective when environmental and trade policies are endogenous. When required standards are not too stringent with respect to the marginal damage of pollution, compliance along with free trade as a reward is the unique equilibrium outcome. A positive optimal tariff in the case of non-compliance prevents complete relocation to pollution havens, but only works as a successful credible threat and does not emerge in equilibrium.
Psychometrische Eigenschaften einer deutschsprachigen Adaptation des Test of Performance Strategies (TOPS)
Authors: Schmid Jürg , Birrer Daniel , Kaiser Ursula , Seiler Roland
Published: April 2010

Zusammenfassung. Der Test of Performance Strategies (TOPS; Thomas, Murphy & Hardy, 1999 ) ist ein Fragebogen zur Erfassung psychischer Techniken und Fertigkeiten, die Athleten im Training und Wettkampf verwenden. Auf der Basis einer Stichprobe von 378 Sportlern verfolgt dieser Beitrag das Ziel, die psychometrische Qualität einer deutschsprachigen Adaptation des TOPS (TOPS-D) zu untersuchen. Konfirmatorische Faktorenanalysen ergeben für den Trainings- sowie den Wettkampfkontext Hinweise für die Angemessenheit der postulierten Acht-Faktoren-Modelle. Die inneren Konsistenzen der Skalen schwanken zwischen .56 und .86 und betragen im Mittel .76. Der TOPS-D diskriminiert zwischen Athleten unterschiedlicher Leistungsstärke und korreliert im erwarteten Sinn mit einer deutschsprachigen Version des Ottawa Mental Skills Assessment Tool (OMSAT-3*; Durand-Bush, Salmela & Green-Demers, 2001 ). Insgesamt bestätigen die Ergebnisse zum TOPS-D weitgehend jene zur Originalversion. Wenngleich einzelne Skalen revisionsbedürftig sind, lässt sich der TOPS-D in der Forschung und – mit Vorbehalt – in der Beratungspraxis im deutschen Sprachraum einsetzen.
Three Indirect Tasks Assessing Implicit Threat Associations and Behavioral Response Tendencies
Authors: Reinecke Andrea , Becker Eni S. , Rinck Mike
Published: April 2010

Anxiety disorders are characterized by biased implicit threat associations, which can be measured by indirect reaction time tasks. These tasks might provide a useful tool in the assessment of individual diagnoses and therapeutic changes. However, sufficient psychometric properties of the applied tasks are a prerequisite for these applications. Therefore, we comparatively investigated the reliability and validity of an Extrinsic Affective Simon Task (EAST), an Approach-Avoidance Task (AAT), and an Affective Priming Task (APT) by presenting the same tasks twice within 1 week. Data show retest reliabilities of around r = .42 for the EAST, r = .35 for the AAT, and r = .63 for the APT. Internal consistencies varied between .44 and .49 for the EAST, .66 and .70 for the AAT, and .53 and .76 for the APT. Validity correlations with self-report questionnaires ranged between r = .43 and r = .59, being lowest for the EAST and highest for the AAT. We argue that while these instruments might not be applicable to individual diagnostics yet, they are sufficiently reliable and valid to be used in the assessment of group differences.
Prejudice Implicit Association Test Effects
Authors: Popa-Roch Maria , Delmas Florian
Published: April 2010

Self-concept is accessible information that can be used when facing a demanding task. Based on findings suggesting that effects observed in Implicit Association Tests (IATs) could be partially explained by the procedural features of the task, we investigated the role of participants’ self-inclusion in target categories for group IATs. We propose that IAT constraints lead participants to use self-relevant heuristics related to their membership of target categories in order to respond rapidly, which contributes to IAT group preferences. Thus positive IAT effects should dramatically diminish if participants were induced not to use self-related heuristics. Study 1 showed that when mapping outgroup names and idiosyncratic characteristics of participants onto the same category during the IAT task, the IAT effect no longer occurs. Study 2 replicated these findings when associating outgroup-participants’ idiosyncratic characteristics prior to the completion of the standard IAT. Therefore inhibiting the use of self-related heuristics reduces IAT effects. The implications of our results for the construct validity of prejudice IATs are discussed.
Mechanisms of geochemical and geophysical variations along the western Galápagos Spreading Center
Authors: Ingle Stephanie , Ito Garrett , Mahoney John J. , Chazey William , Sinton John , Rotella Melissa , Christie David M.
Published: April 2010

Improved insights into the processes of hot spot–ridge interaction along the Galápagos Spreading Center (GSC) are revealed by geochemical data between ∼91°W and 98°W. Principal components analysis reveals that >87% of the total isotopic variability can be explained with only two mantle source components. The “depleted” component has lower ratios of highly to moderately incompatible elements, higher Nd isotopic ratios, and lower Sr and Pb isotopic ratios. The second component is relatively enriched in incompatible elements, has more radiogenic Pb and Sr and less radiogenic Nd, and is comparable to the C or “common” mantle component observed at many locations in the Pacific. The enriched component's signature is strongest nearest the hot spot at ∼92°W and diminishes with distance from the hot spot to 95.5°W. Near 95.5°W, lava compositions change sharply, becoming dominated by the depleted component and remaining so farther west, to 98°W. Thus, the Galápagos hot spot most clearly influences the composition of the GSC between 91°W and 95.5°W. The depleted component between 91°W and 98°W differs from that evident at the Galápagos Archipelago, along the GSC east of 91°W, and along the East Pacific Rise. This suggests some form of compositional zoning in the regional mantle. If the depleted materials are intrinsic to the Galápagos mantle plume, then the plume is bilaterally zoned and feeds a depleted component to the GSC at 91°W–98°W that is distinct from the depleted material elsewhere in the region. This possibility is supported by melting models in which the Galápagos plume is a uniform mixture of a depleted matrix and fine‐scale enriched veins. The expression of the more fusible veins is predicted to be enhanced nearest the hot spot (∼92°W), where plume‐like upwelling drives rapid flow and melting deeper in the melting zone (where the veins are melting). With increasing westward distance from the hot spot, the deep, plume‐driven flow is predicted to decrease, as does the expression of the enriched veins in lava compositions. The model therefore adequately explains the compositional and crustal variations from 92°W to 95.5°W. The average model composition of the plume in this region does not differ significantly from that of the ambient mantle beneath other ridges not influenced by hot spots.
High‐speed intensified video recordings of sprites and elves over the western Mediterranean Sea during winter thunderstorms
Authors: Montanyà J. , van der Velde O. , Romero D. , March V. , Solà G. , Pineda N. , Arrayas M. , Trueba J. L. , Reglero V. , Soula S.
Published: April 2010

We report the first intensified high‐speed video images of elves, sprites, and halos observed in Europe. All the events corresponded to winter season thunderstorms over the Mediterranean Sea. The observations comprise many elves generated by both cloud‐to‐ground lightning current polarities. In 8 of the 14 sprite observations we observed an elve previous to the sprite. In three cases we observed also an elve quickly followed by a halo and a sprite. In several observations we observed lightning light before the mesospheric transient luminous event. We present a case where the lightning from cloud tops was visible during the entire event. Thanks to the high‐speed videos and their resolution and low intensifier phosphor persistence we analyzed the timing distribution of the development phase of sprite elements, the persisting luminosity phase, and the total duration. Finally, we summarize one particular observation where a streamer collides and bounces with a previous formed column; it may be a new phenomenon of collision between an existing column body that interacts with a later streamer point‐like tip which is not merged and attached.
microRNA/Argonaute 2 regulates nonsense‐mediated messenger RNA decay
Authors: Choe Junho , Cho Hana , Lee Hyung Chul , Kim Yoon Ki
Published: April 2010

Imperfect base‐pairing between microRNA (miRNA) and the 3′‐untranslated region of target messenger RNA (mRNA) triggers translational repression of the target mRNA. Here, we provide evidence that human Argonaute 2 targets cap‐binding protein (CBP)80/20‐bound mRNAs and exon junction complex‐bound mRNAs and inhibits nonsense‐mediated mRNA decay (NMD), which is restricted tightly to CBP80/20‐bound mRNAs. Furthermore, microarray analyses reveal that a subset of cellular transcripts, which are expected to be targeted for NMD, is stabilized by miRNA‐mediated gene silencing. The regulation of NMD by miRNAs will shed light on a new post‐transcriptional regulation mechanism of gene expression in mammalian cells.
Short‐term memory in gene induction reveals the regulatory principle behind stochastic IL‐4 expression
Authors: Mariani Luca , Schulz Edda G , Lexberg Maria H , Helmstetter Caroline , Radbruch Andreas , Löhning Max , Höfer Thomas
Published: April 2010

Although cell‐to‐cell variability has been recognized as an unavoidable consequence of stochasticity in gene expression, it may also serve a functional role for tuning physiological responses within a cell population. In the immune system, remarkably large variability in the expression of cytokine genes has been observed in homogeneous populations of lymphocytes, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are incompletely understood. Here, we study the interleukin‐4 gene (il4) in T‐helper lymphocytes, combining mathematical modeling with the experimental quantification of expression variability and critical parameters. We show that a stochastic rate‐limiting step upstream of transcription initiation, but acting at the level of an individual allele, controls il4 expression. Only a fraction of cells reaches an active, transcription‐competent state in the transient time window determined by antigen stimulation. We support this finding by experimental evidence of a previously unknown short‐term memory that was predicted by the model to arise from the long lifetime of the active state. Our analysis shows how a stochastic mechanism acting at the chromatin level can be integrated with transcriptional regulation to quantitatively control cell‐to‐cell variability.
A functional metagenomic approach for expanding the synthetic biology toolbox for biomass conversion
Authors: Sommer Morten OA , Church George M , Dantas Gautam
Published: April 2010

Sustainable biofuel alternatives to fossil fuel energy are hampered by recalcitrance and toxicity of biomass substrates to microbial biocatalysts. To address this issue, we present a culture‐independent functional metagenomic platform for mining Nature's vast enzymatic reservoir and show its relevance to biomass conversion. We performed functional selections on 4.7 Gb of metagenomic fosmid libraries and show that genetic elements conferring tolerance toward seven important biomass inhibitors can be identified. We select two metagenomic fosmids that improve the growth of Escherichia coli by 5.7‐ and 6.9‐fold in the presence of inhibitory concentrations of syringaldehyde and 2‐furoic acid, respectively, and identify the individual genes responsible for these tolerance phenotypes. Finally, we combine the individual genes to create a three‐gene construct that confers tolerance to mixtures of these important biomass inhibitors. This platform presents a route for expanding the repertoire of genetic elements available to synthetic biology and provides a starting point for efforts to engineer robust strains for biofuel generation.
Variants in the Adiponectin Gene and Serum Adiponectin: The Coronary Artery Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study
Authors: Wassel Christina L. , Pankow James S. , Jacobs David R. , Steffes Michael W. , Li Na , Schreiner Pamela J.
Published: April 2010

Circulating adiponectin is involved in the atherosclerotic process and has been associated with cardiovascular disease as well as obesity, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes. The adiponectin gene (ADIPOQ) encodes the circulating protein adiponectin and affects its expression. Only a small proportion of all known ADIPOQ polymorphisms have been investigated in relation to circulating adiponectin concentrations. Using data from 3,355 African‐American and white men and women aged 33–45 at the year 15 examination from the Coronary Artery Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study the association between 10 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within ADIPOQ and serum adiponectin was examined using linear regression. SNPs were chosen based on a tagSNP approach. Models were stratified by self‐reported race to control for population stratification, and Bonferroni corrected for multiple comparisons. ADIPOQ SNPs rs17300539 (P < 0.0001), rs182052 (P = 0.0013), rs822393 (P = 0.0005), rs9882205 (P = 0.0001), and rs3774261 (P = 0.0001) were strongly associated with serum adiponectin concentrations in whites. In general, there was a dose‐response relationship of adjusted mean adiponectin concentrations across genotypes. Only one SNP, rs17300539 was marginally associated with serum adiponectin concentrations (P = 0.0087) in African Americans. Significant interactions were found between waist and rs182052 (P = 0.0029) and between rs9882505 and smoking (P = 0.001) in whites. Many ADIPOQ SNPs have not yet been examined, and additional studies are needed to determine whether these may be functional variants.
Preparation and structural characterization of FeCo epitaxial thin films on insulating single-crystal substrates
Authors: Nishiyama Tsutomu , Ohtake Mitsuru , Kirino Fumiyoshi , Futamoto Masaaki
Published: April 2010

FeCo epitaxial films were prepared on MgO(111), SrTiO3(111), and Al2O3(0001) single-crystal substrates by ultrahigh vacuum molecular beam epitaxy. The effects of insulating substrate material on the film growth process and the structures were investigated. FeCo(110)bcc films grow on MgO substrates with two type domains, Nishiyama–Wassermann (NW) and Kurdjumov–Sachs (KS) relationships. On the contrary, FeCo films grown on SrTiO3 and Al2O3 substrates include FeCo(111)bcc crystal in addition to the FeCo(110)bcc crystals with NW and KS relationships. The FeCo(111)bcc crystal consists of two type domains whose orientations are rotated around the film normal by 180° each other. The out-of-plane and the in-plane lattice spacings of FeCo(110)bcc and FeCo(111)bcc crystals formed on the insulating substrates are in agreement with those of the bulk Fe50Co50 (at. %) crystal with small errors ranging between +0.2% and +0.4%, showing that the strains in the epitaxial films are very small.
Phase structure, magnetic properties, and magnetization behavior of Sm(Co,Zr)7/α-(Fe–Co) nanocomposite made by mechanical alloying
Authors: Liu Z. , Chen R. J. , Ding Y. , Ding M. Z. , Lee D. , Yan A. R.
Published: April 2010

The Sm(Co,Zr)7/α-(Fe–Co) nanocomposite permanent magnets are produced by mechanical alloying and subsequent annealing. The soft magnetic phases were introduced by two different processes. In the first process, the crushed as-cast SmCo6.8Zr0.2 powders were blended and milled with different weight percent of fine iron powders (SCZ+Fe) and in the second process, the crushed as-cast (SmCo6.8Zr0.2)1−xFex (x=0,0.1,0.25,0.5,0.75) powders (SCZF) were milled directly. XRD analysis showed that the phase structure of annealed SCZ+Fe are consisted of SmCo7 phase and α-(Fe,Co) phase, while the composites of annealed SCZF are composed of α-(Fe,Co) and SmCo hard phases that varied with different Fe content. The best energy product of the annealed SCZF and SCZ+Fe are 11.3 MGOe (SCZF-3) and 10 MGOe (SCZ+Fe-1), respectively, resulting from the very strong exchange coupling between the hard phase and the soft phase. According to the Henkel-plots of SCZF-3 and SCZ+Fe-1, a stronger intergrain exchange coupling effect was observed in SCZF-3 sample. The irreversible nucleation fields of SCZF-3 and SCZ+Fe-1 are also studied in detail.
Structure and magnetic properties of bulk nanocrystalline Tm2(Co1−xFex)17 permanent magnet
Authors: Zhang D. T. , Yang J. J. , Yi X. F. , Yue M. , Cao S. , Liu W. Q. , Zhang J. X. , Qiang Y.
Published: April 2010

Structure and magnetic properties were studied for Tm2(Co1−xFex)17 bulk nanocrystalline magnet synthesized by spark plasma sintering technique. X-ray diffraction results indicate both ingot and sintered magnet of Tm2(Co0.7Fe0.3)17 alloy exhibit hexagonal Th2Ni17 type structure. The microstructure of the magnet is composed of Th2Ni17 type nanograins with an average size of 35 nm detected by transmission electron microscopy and selected area electron diffraction patterns. Magnetic measurement shows that the remanence of the magnet is higher at 573 K than at 300 K, indicating there is a positive remanence temperature coefficient in the magnet. The anisotropy field of Tm2(Co0.7Fe0.3)17 alloy is 3.8 T, which is much higher than the HA of 2.3 T for the pure Tm2Co17 alloy. The coercivity of the sintered magnet increases from 0.25 to 0.354 T after optimal annealing.
Magnetic properties and microstructure of FePt/Ag2Te particulate films
Authors: Tsai Jai-Lin , Tzeng Hsin-Te , Lin Guo-Bin
Published: April 2010

The [FePt(1 nm)/X(t)]10 (X=Ag2Te, Ag, and thickness of t=0.1–0.3 nm) multilayer was deposited alternately on glass substrate and subsequently annealed by rapid thermal process (RTP) at 800 °C for 10 min. After RTP, the interface between FePt and Ag2Te was intermixed by forming particulate films. The L10 FePt grain size decreases from 18 to 13 nm as t of Ag2Te intermediate layer increases from 0.1 to 0.2 nm. The (FePt/Ag2Te)10 particulate film shows perpendicular magnetization and out-of-plane coercivity increases with original Ag2Te thickness. As compared with (FePt/Ag2Te)10, the (FePt/Ag)10 multilayer is a continuous film after RTP. The Ag layer reduces ordering temperature of FePt but facilitates its grain growth during RTP. The [FePt/Ag(0.3 nm)]10 multilayer is magnetically isotropic as evidenced from magnetic hysteresis loops. Both Ag2Te and Ag atoms were immiscible with FePt phase but the FePt grains are refined and well-separated by Ag2Te phase.
On boundary superalgebras
Authors: Doikou Anastasia
Published: April 2010

We examine the symmetry breaking of superalgebras due to the presence of appropriate integrable boundary conditions. We investigate the boundary breaking symmetry associated with both reflection algebras and twisted super-Yangians. We extract the generators of the resulting boundary symmetry as well as we provide explicit expressions of the associated Casimir operators.
Large constriction of lattice constant in epitaxial magnesium oxide thin film: Effect of point defects on lattice constant
Authors: Kaneko Satoru , Nagano Takatoshi , Akiyama Kensuke , Ito Takeshi , Yasui Manabu , Hirabayashi Yasuo , Funakubo Hiroshi , Yoshimoto Mamoru
Published: April 2010

Epitaxial thin films prepared using an MgO target on silicon substrate often show constriction of lattice constant (a∼4.1 Å). Detailed investigation of the crystal structure excluded the possibility that the epitaxial films are either cubic spinel MgO or magnesium silicate (a/2∼4.1 Å). With such a constriction in rock salt MgO structure point defects must be induced into structure. An ab initio method with semicore pseudopotentials predicted such constrictions on configurations of Schottky type defects. The Schottky defects with random distribution throughout lattice cites satisfied constricted lattice constant, mass density, and crystallography experimentally observed on the epitaxial MgO films.
Flat band voltage (VFB) modulation by controlling compositional depth profile in La2O3/HfO2 nanolaminate gate oxide
Authors: Maeng W. J. , Kim Woo-Hee , Kim Hyungjun
Published: April 2010

We investigated the flat band voltage (VFB) modulation by insertion of lanthanum oxide (La2O3) into hafnium oxide (HfO2) gate dielectrics. The properties of La2O3/HfO2 nanolaminates were precisely modulated by controlling the position of La2O3 layer at bottom, middle, or top using atomic layer deposition. When the La2O3 layer was positioned closer to the interface (bottom), the reduction in VFB shift was more effective than the other two cases (middle and top). From our experimental results, we propose that the main mechanism of VFB modulation using La2O3 layer is dipole moment formation at an interfacial layer between high k gate dielectric and Si substrate.
An impact of noise on invariant manifolds in nonlinear dynamical systems
Authors: Sun Xu , Duan Jinqiao , Li Xiaofan
Published: April 2010

Invariant manifolds provide geometric structures for understanding dynamical behavior of nonlinear systems. However, these nonlinear systems are often subject to random fluctuations or noises. It is thus desirable to quantify the impact of noises on the invariant manifolds. When the noise intensity is small, this impact is estimated via asymptotic analysis in the context of Liapunov–Perron formulation. Namely, the random invariant manifold is represented as a perturbation of the deterministic invariant manifold, with a well-defined bound for the deviation.
The effect of gas-injector location on bubble formation in liquid cross flow
Authors: Ghaemi Sina , Rahimi Payam , Nobes David S.
Published: April 2010

Liquid flows incorporating small-size bubbles play a vital role in many industrial applications. In this work, an experimental investigation is conducted on bubble formation during gas injection from a microtube into the channel of a downward liquid cross flow. The tip of the air injector has been located at the wall (wall orifice) and also at several locations from the wall to channel centerline (nozzle injection). The size, shape, and velocity of the bubbles along with liquid velocity field are measured using a shadow-particle image velocimetry/particle tracking velocimetry system. The process of bubble formation for the wall orifice and the nozzle injection configurations is physically explained. The effect of variation in water and air flow rates on the observed phenomena is also investigated by considering water average velocities of 0.46, 0.65, and 0.83 m/s and also air average velocities of 1.32, 1.97, 2.63, and 3.29 m/s. It was observed that shifting the air injector tip toward the center of the channel resulted in the coalescence of some of the preliminary bubbles and the formation of larger bubbles termed secondary and multiple bubbles. Increase in air flow rate and reduction in water flow rate also intensify the rate of bubble coalescence. A correlation-based model is also suggested to overcome the shortcoming of the available models in the literature which are developed to only estimate the size of the preliminary bubbles. The model predicts the percent of the preliminary, secondary, and multiple bubbles along with the average size of secondary and multiple bubbles as a function of nozzle position within a cross flow.
Electron-nuclear spin control in charged semiconductor quantum dots by electrical currents through micro-coils
Authors: Kim Jungtaek , Puls J. , Chen Y. S. , Bacher G. , Henneberger F.
Published: April 2010

We have fabricated micrometer-sized single-turn coils on top of charged CdSe/ZnSe quantum dot heterostructures by lithographical techniques. Current injection creates magnetic fields in the some 10 mT range, strong enough to modulate the hyperfine interaction. The very low coil inductance allows for generation of fast field transients. We demonstrate local control of the resident electron spin as well as read-out of the nuclear spin state on the 10 ns time scale by electrical current pulses.
Two-photon fabrication of photonic crystals by single-beam laser holographic lithography
Authors: Zhong Yongchun , Zhou Jianying , Wong Kam Sing
Published: April 2010

We demonstrate a novel approach for the easy fabrication of photonic crystals (PCs) with arbitrary optical lattice using two-photon holographic lithography (HL). The quadratic dependence of the two-photon absorption process dramatically increases the contrast of the pattern and the low absorption coefficient of the photoresist at 720 nm lead to a high aspect ratio and low fluctuation of the pattern. By applying such a technique, defect-free and highly uniform one-dimensional gratings, two-dimensional quasicrystals, and three-dimensional (3D) face center cube-type PCs of high aspect ratio and small filling factor are obtained. This two-photon based HL technique is particularly suitable for making 3D PCs and quasicrystals with complex and fine structural details.
Electrolytes in porous electrodes: Effects of the pore size and the dielectric constant of the medium
Authors: Kiyohara Kenji , Sugino Takushi , Asaka Kinji
Published: April 2010

Monte Carlo simulations in the constant voltage ensemble were performed for electrolytes in porous electrodes. It was found that the electrical and mechanical properties in porous electrodes dramatically change depending on the pore size and the dielectric constant of the medium. For a low dielectric constant of the medium, the capacitance of porous electrodes tends to increase as the pore size decreases and the pressure in the porous electrodes is positive or negative depending on the pore size. For a high dielectric constant of the medium, on the contrary, the capacitance tends to decrease as the pore size decreases and the pressure is positive for all the conditions studied here. Such pore size dependencies are explained in terms of the balance between the electrostatic interaction and the volume exclusion interaction in the porous electrode.
Composition dependence of Si and Ge diffusion in relaxed Si1−xGex alloys
Authors: Kube R. , Bracht H. , Hansen J. Lundsgaard , Larsen A. Nylandsted , Haller E. E. , Paul S. , Lerch W.
Published: April 2010

Diffusion of silicon (Si) and germanium (Ge) in silicon-germanium Si1−xGex-isotope heterostructures with Ge contents x=0, 0.05, 0.25, 0.45, and 0.70 was investigated in a temperature range between 690 and 1270 °C. The concentration profiles of the stable Si-isotopes and Ge-isotopes were recorded by means of time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. Analysis of the experimental profiles shows that the Si and Ge diffusion coefficients in elemental Si agree within experimental accuracy. However with increasing Ge content the diffusion of Ge gets increasingly faster compared to that of Si. An Arrhenius type temperature dependence of diffusion is observed for all compositions with slightly lower values for the activation enthalpy of Ge compared to Si. The more pronounced Ge diffusion indicates that with increasing Ge concentration the diffusional jumps of Ge atoms become more successful compared to those of Si. This trend is explained with an increasing contribution of vacancies to self-diffusion in Si1−xGex with x. In contrast to earlier results the composition dependence of the activation enthalpy of self-diffusion reveals an upward bowing. A similar composition dependence is reported for the arsenic (As) and antimony (Sb) diffusion in SiGe and is predicted theoretically for the stability of phosphorus-vacancy and arsenic-vacancy pairs in SiGe. The nonlinear behavior seems to be a general trend and accordingly mainly a consequence of the SiGe alloy system.
Focusing of millijoule picosecond Kα radiation from 100 TW laser-solid interaction
Authors: Lévy A. , Dorchies F. , Audebert P. , Chalupský J. , Hájková V. , Juha L. , Kaempfer T. , Sinn H. , Uschmann I. , Vyšín L. , Gaudin J.
Published: April 2010

A calibrated x-ray spectrometer was used to characterize an intense 4.5 keV Kα source. Generated from the interaction of 30 J-320 fs laser pulses focused on 25 μm thick Ti foils, the conversion efficiency into Ti Kα line is estimated to (9±6)×10−5. Highly efficient collection, monochromatization and focusing were achieved using an ellipsoidally bent highly oriented pyrolytic graphite crystal. The measured 700 μm full width half maximum (FWHM) focal spot leads to a fluence of (3.0±2.1) mJ/cm2 hence paving the way to the study of intense x-ray pulse interaction with matter as demonstrated by a first simple experiment.
Longitudinal vibration mode of piezoelectric thick-film cantilever-based sensors in liquid media
Authors: Castille Christophe , Dufour Isabelle , Lucat Claude
Published: April 2010

We report on the fabrication of a self-actuated resonant-microsensor, based on a thick-film piezoelectric cantilever, dedicated to either (bio)chemical detection in gaseous or liquid media or fluid characterization. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that longitudinal modes can be used in highly viscous environments. Lower levels of fluid-solid interaction in comparison with classical flexural modes are expected from the results of our analytical model of a cantilever oscillating in a fluid. For example, in various fluid ranging from air to a Newtonian fluid of 300 cP viscosity, measured quality factors for the first longitudinal mode range from 300 to 20.
Origin of reverse annealing effect in hydrogen-implanted silicon
Authors: Di Z. F. , Wang Y. Q. , Nastasi M. , Theodore N. David
Published: April 2010

In contradiction to conventional damage annealing, thermally annealed H-implanted Si exhibits an increase in damage or reverse annealing behavior, whose mechanism has remained elusive. In this work, we conclusively elucidate that the reverse annealing effect is due to the nucleation and growth of hydrogen-induced platelets. Platelets are responsible for an increase in the height and width of the channeling damage peak following increased isochronal anneals.