bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antigenic Variation in Treponema pallidum: TprK Sequence Diversity Accumulates in Response to Immune Pressure during Experimental Syphilis
Authors: Giacani Lorenzo , Molini Barbara J. , Kim Eric Y. , Godornes B. Charmie , Leader B. Troy , Tantalo Lauren C. , Centurion-Lara Arturo , Lukehart Sheila A.
Published: February 2010

Pathogens that cause chronic infections often employ antigenic variation to evade the immune response and persist in the host. In Treponema pallidum (T. pallidum), the causative agent of syphilis, the TprK Ag undergoes variation of seven V regions (V1–V7) by nonreciprocal recombination of silent donor cassettes with the tprK expression site. These V regions are the targets of the host humoral immune response during experimental infection. The present study addresses the causal role of the acquired immune response in the selection of TprK variants in two ways: 1) by investigating TprK variants arising in immunocompetent versus immunosuppressed hosts; and 2) by investigating the effect of prior specific immunization on selection of TprK variants during infection. V region diversity, particularly in V6, accumulates more rapidly in immunocompetent rabbits than in pharmacologically immunosuppressed rabbits (treated with weekly injections of methylprednisolone acetate). In a complementary experiment, rabbits preimmunized with V6 region synthetic peptides had more rapid accumulation of V6 variant treponemes than control rabbits. These studies demonstrate that the host immune response selects against specific TprK epitopes expressed on T. pallidum, resulting in immune selection of new TprK variants during infection, confirming a role for antigenic variation in syphilis.
Integrin αMβ2 Clustering Triggers Phosphorylation and Activation of Protein Kinase Cδ that Regulates Transcription Factor Foxp1 Expression in Monocytes
Authors: Xue Zhi-Hong , Zhao Chang-Qing , Chua Geok-Lin , Tan Sze-Wah , Tang Xiao-Yan , Wong Siew-Cheng , Tan Suet-Mien
Published: February 2010

Integrins are type I membrane and heterodimeric (αβ) cell adhesion receptors. Intracellular signals triggered by ligand-bound integrins are important for cell growth, differentiation, and migration. Integrin αMβ2 plays key roles in myeloid cell adhesion, phagocytosis, and degranulation. In this study, we show that protein kinase C (PKC) δ is involved in αMβ2 signaling. In human monocytic U937 cells and peripheral blood monocytes, αMβ2 clustering induced PKCδ translocation to the plasma membrane, followed by Tyr311 phosphorylation and activation of PKCδ by the src family kinases Hck and Lyn. Interestingly, αMβ2-induced PKCδ Tyr311 phosphorylation was not mediated by the tyrosine kinase Syk, which is a well reported kinase in β2 integrin signaling. Analysis of the β2 cytoplasmic tail showed that the sequence Asn727-Ser734 is important in αMβ2-induced PKCδ Tyr311 phosphorylation. It has been shown that αMβ2 clustering regulates the expression the transcription factor Foxp1 that has a role in monocyte differentiation. We show that Foxp1 expression was reduced in monocytes that were allowed to adhere to human microvascular endothelial cells. However, the expression of Foxp1 was not affected in monocytes that were treated with PKCδ-targeting small interfering RNA, suggesting that PKCδ regulates Foxp1 expression. These results demonstrate a role of PKCδ in αMβ2-mediated Foxp1 regulation in monocytes.
How Far Are We from Making Metamaterials by Self‐Organization? The Microstructure of Highly Anisotropic Particles with an SRR‐Like Geometry
Authors: Pawlak Dorota A. , Turczynski Sebastian , Gajc Marcin , Kolodziejak Katarzyna , Diduszko Ryszard , Rozniatowski Krzysztof , Smalc Julita , Vendik Irina
Published: March 2010

Metamaterials offer new unusual electromagnetic properties, which have already been demonstrated, and many postulated new functionalities are yet to be realized. Currently, however, metamaterials are mostly limited by narrow band behavior, high losses, and limitation in making genuinely 3D materials. In order to overcome these problems an overlap between metamaterial concepts and materials science is necessary. Engineered self‐organization is presented as a future approach to metamaterial manufacturing. Using directional solidification of eutectics, the first experimental realization of self‐organized particles with a split‐ring resonator‐like cross section is demonstrated. This unusual morphology/microstructure of the eutectic composite has a fractal character. With the use of TEM and XRD the clear influence of the atomic crystal arrangement on the microstructure geometry is presented. The materials obtained present very high anisotropy and can be obtained in large pieces. Metallodielectric structures can be created by etching and filling the space with metal. The next steps in the development of self‐organized materials exhibiting unusual properties are discussed.
Interface Modifications of InAs Quantum‐Dots Solids and their Effects on FET Performance
Authors: Soreni‐Harari Michal , Mocatta David , Zimin Marina , Gannot Yair , Banin Uri , Tessler Nir
Published: March 2010

InAs nanocrystals field‐effect transistors with an ON/OFF ratio of 105 are reported. By tailoring the interface regions in the active layer step‐by‐step, the evolution of the ON/OFF ratio can be followed from approximately 5 all the way to around 105. The formation of a semiconducting solid from colloidal nanocrystals is achieved through targeted design of the nanocrystal–nanocrystal interaction. The manipulation characteristics of the nanocrystal interfaces include the matrix surrounding the inorganic core, the interparticle distance, and the order of nanocrystals in the 3D array. Through careful analysis of device characteristics following each treatment, the effect of each on the physical properties of the films are able to be verified. The enhanced performance is related to interparticle spacing, reduction in sub‐gap states, and better electronic order (lower σ parameter). Films with enhanced charge transport qualities retain their quantum‐confined characteristics throughout the procedure, thus making them useful for optoelectronic applications.
Nanostructures for Thermoelectric Applications: Synthesis, Growth Mechanism, and Property Studies
Authors: Zhang Genqiang , Yu Qingxuan , Wang Wei , Li Xiaoguang
Published: March 2010

Both heterostructures and hollow nanostructures have been predicted as candidates with excellent thermoelectric performance. In this Research News areticle, recent advances with regard to synthetic strategies, growth mechanisms, and thermoelectric properties of one‐dimensional heterostructures (segmented and core/shell) and tubular nanostructures are reported. The thermoelectric property studies of Te/Bi core/shell heterostructured nanowires and Bi2Te3 nanotubes indicate that the Seebeck coefficient and thermal conductivity of these materials can be optimized to improve their thermoelectric performance. In addition, the current issues and future research directions for promising thermoelectric nanostructures will be discussed on the basis of these experimental results.
A computational fluid dynamics design of a carbon dioxide sorption circulating fluidized bed
Authors: Chalermsinsuwan Benjapon , Piumsomboon Pornpote , Gidaspow Dimitri
Published: March 2010

A kinetic theory based hydrodynamic model with experimentally determined sorption rates for reaction of CO2 with K2CO3 solid sorbent is used to design a compact circulating fluidized bed sorption‐regeneration system for CO2 removal from flue gases. Because of high solids fluxes, the sorber does not require internal or external cooling. The output is verified by computing the granular temperatures, particle viscosities, dispersion, and mass transfer coefficients. These properties agree with reported measurement values except the radial dispersion coefficients, which are much higher due to the larger bed diameter. With the solid sorbent prepared according to published information, the CO2 removal percentage at the riser top is 69.16%. To improve the CO2 removal, an effort is needed to develop a better sorbent or to simply lower the inlet gas velocity to operate in a denser mode, leading to a larger system. Also, the effect of temperature rise on the removal efficiency is investigated. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010
Axial segregation in bubbling gas‐fluidized beds with Gaussian and lognormal distributions of Geldart Group B particles
Authors: Chew Jia Wei , Wolz Jeffrey R. , Hrenya Christine M.
Published: March 2010

Bubbling, gas‐fluidized bed experiments involving Geldart Group B particles with continuous‐size distributions have been carried out. Sand of various widths of Gaussian or lognormal distributions were completely fluidized, then axial concentration profiles were obtained from frozen‐bed sectioning. Similar to previous works on binary systems, results show that mean particle diameter decreases with increasing bed height, and that wider Gaussian distributions show increased segregation extents. Surprisingly, however, lognormal distributions exhibit a nonmonotonic segregation trend with respect to distribution widths. In addition, the shape of the local‐size distribution is largely preserved with respect to that of the overall distribution. These findings on the nature of local‐size distribution provide experimental confirmation of previous results for granular and gas‐solid simulations. Lastly, an interesting observation is that although monodisperse Geldart Group D particles cannot be completely fluidized, their presence in lognormal distributions investigated still results in complete fluidization of all particles. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010
Impact of deposit aging and surface roughness on thermal fouling: Distributed model
Authors: Coletti F. , Ishiyama E. M. , Paterson W. R. , Wilson D. I. , Macchietto S.
Published: March 2010

A kinetic model was recently proposed to describe the effect of aging on deposit thermal conductivity and the thermal performance of a shell‐and‐tube heat exchanger undergoing crude oil fouling. The model is adapted for implementation within a dynamic, distributed system with spatial and temporal distributions, relaxing several of the previous assumptions. The evolution of surface roughness is also considered, using conjectural linear and asymptotic functions. Simulations are performed for a single tube representative of a refinery exchanger. The results demonstrate the substantial effects over time of aging and roughness on heat transfer and pressure drop. Roughness effects yield apparently negative initial fouling resistances, as reported in some experimental tests. The importance of accounting for roughness dynamics in short time scale pilot plant scale tests and aging over longer time scales in industrial applications is highlighted. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010
An exact method for determining local solid fractions in discrete element method simulations
Authors: Freireich Ben , Kodam Madhusudhan , Wassgren Carl
Published: March 2010

A novel solid fraction algorithm is presented which accounts for the partial volume of a sphere straddling cuboidal bin boundaries. The algorithm accounts for spheres intersecting a single plane (face), two perpendicular planes (edge), or three perpendicular planes (corner). Comparisons are made against the more common algorithm in which the solid fraction is determined by assigning the sphere's total volume to the bin in which the sphere's center of volume (COV) is located. Bin size‐to‐sphere diameter ratios >30 must be used to give errors <5% when using the traditional method when applied to simple cubic (SC) and hexagonal packing assemblies. Bin size‐to‐sphere diameter ratios larger than five are required for random sphere packings. Although time averaged solid fraction measurements are similar using either the exact or COV solid fraction schemes, the scatter in the COV method is much larger than for the exact method. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010
High‐efficiency power production from coal with carbon capture
Authors: Adams Thomas A. , Barton Paul I.
Published: March 2010

A zero‐emissions power plant with high efficiency is presented. Syngas, produced by the gasification of coal, is shifted to produce H2 which in turn fuels stacks of solid oxide fuel cells. Because the fuel cells maintain separate anode and cathode streams, air can be used as the oxygen source without diluting the fuel exhaust with nitrogen. This enables recovery of CO2 from the exhaust with a very small energy penalty. As a result, an absorption‐based CO2 recovery process is avoided, as well as the production of large quantities of high‐purity O2, allowing a high overall thermal efficiency and essentially eliminating the energy penalty for carbon capture. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010
Immigrants as crime victims: Experiences of personal nonfatal victimization
Authors: Wheeler Krista , Zhao Weiyan , Kelleher Kelly , Stallones Lorann , Xiang Huiyun
Published: March 2010

Background

Immigrants to the United States are disproportionately victims of homicide mortality in and outside the workplace. Examining their experiences with nonfatal victimization may be helpful in understanding immigrant vulnerability to violence.

Methods

We compared the annual prevalence of nonfatal personal victimization experienced by immigrant and US‐born adults by sociodemographics, employment, occupation, industry, smoking, alcohol and drug use using data from Wave 1 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions.

Results

The prevalence of victimization among immigrants was comparable to that among US‐born adults [3.84% (95% CI: 3.18–4.63) vs. 4.10% (95% CI: 3.77–4.44)]. Lower percentages of victimization experienced by immigrants were seen among the unmarried, those age 30–44 years, and among residents of central city areas as compared to those groups among the US‐born. For immigrants entering the US as youth, the victimization prevalence declines with greater years of residency in US. Multivariate logistic regression models suggest that, the odds of victimization was significantly associated with age, family income, marital status, central city residency, smoking, and drug use while employment status was not a significant factor. Immigrant workers with farming/forestry occupations might face a higher risk of being victims of violence than their US‐born counterparts.

Conclusions

The prevalence of victimization among immigrants was comparable to that among US‐born adults. Employment status and industry/occupation overall were not significant risk factors for becoming victims of violence. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53:435–442, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A global perspective of migration and occupational health
Authors: Schenker Marc B.
Published: March 2010

Background

Global migration has dramatically increased over the past decade and is at an all‐time high, approaching 200 million persons per year. Demographics and economic interdependence suggest that immigration will continue for the near future at record high levels.

Methods

A review of the few studies that have investigated occupational injury and illness rates among immigrant populations.

Results

Existing data indicate that higher rates of fatal and non‐fatal injuries are common compared to native populations. This increase is in part due to immigrants working in higher risk occupations (e.g., agriculture, construction), but occupational morbidity and mortality is higher among immigrants than native‐born workers within occupational categories.

Conclusions

Research is needed to identify the causes of increased risk among immigrants and to provide direction to effective public health interventions. Research methods must be adapted to different epidemiologic characteristics of immigrant populations, including lack of standard sampling frames, different language and culture from the dominant culture, and precarious work status. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53:329–337, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A flexible content‐based image retrieval model and a customizable system for the retrieval of shapes
Authors: Bordogna Gloria , Pagani Marco
Published: March 2010

The authors describe a flexible model and a system for content‐based image retrieval of objects' shapes. Flexibility is intended as the possibility of customizing the system behavior to the user's needs and perceptions. This is achieved by allowing users to modify the retrieval function. The system implementing this model uses multiple representations to characterize some macroscopic characteristics of the objects shapes. Specifically, the shape indexes describe the global features of the object's contour (represented by the Fourier coefficients), the contour's irregularities (represented by the multifractal spectrum), and the presence of concavities and convexities (represented by the contour scale space distribution). During a query formulation, the user can specify both the preference for the macroscopic shape aspects that he or she considers meaningful for the retrieval, and the desired level of accuracy of the matching, which means that the visual query shape must be considered with a given tolerance in representing the desired shapes. The evaluation experiments showed that this system can be suited to different retrieval behaviors, and that, generally, the combination of the multiple shape representations increases both recall and precision with respect to the application of any single representation.
Maternal exposures to endocrine disrupting chemicals and hypospadias in offspring
Authors: Giordano Felice , Abballe Annalisa , De Felip Elena , di Domenico Alessandro , Ferro Fabio , Grammatico Paola , Ingelido Anna Maria , Marra Valentina , Marrocco Giacinto , Vallasciani Santiago , Figà‐Talamanca Irene
Published: March 2010

BACKGROUND

Prenatal exposures to endocrine‐disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are suspected risk factors in the etiology of hypospadias. The aim of this case‐control study was to test the hypothesis of an association between maternal environmental exposures to EDCs and hypospadias in the offspring.

METHODS

Detailed questionnaire data on occupational and dietary exposures to EDCs in the perinatal period were collected from 80 mothers with hypospadiac infants and from 80 mothers with healthy controls within 24 months of childbirth. Maternal exposure to selected EDCs was also ascertained by measuring the concentration of dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene, hexachlorobenzene, and several polychlorinated biphenyl congeners in the serum of primiparous mothers of 37 cases and 21 controls.

RESULTS

The risk to bear an hypospadiac infant was associated with perinatal maternal occupational exposures to EDCs evaluated by a job‐exposure matrix: jobs with exposure to one class of EDCs (odds ratios [OR]crude, 2.83; 95% confidence intervals [CI], 1.32–6.07; ORadjusted, 2.44; 95% CI, 1.06–5.61) and jobs with exposure to more than one group of EDCs (ORcrude, 4.27; 95% CI, 1.43–12.78; ORadjusted, 4.11; 95%CI, 1.34–12.59). Increase in risk was also found among mothers consuming a diet rich in fish or shellfish (ORcrude, 3.41; 95% CI, 1.42–8.23; ORadjusted, 2.73; 95%CI, 1.09–6.82). Serum hexachlorobenzene concentration above the median of all subjects was significantly associated with the risk of hypospadias (ORadjusted, 5.50; 95% CI, 1.24–24.31).

CONCLUSIONS

This study, although based on a limited number of cases, for the first time provides evidence of an association between maternal exposure to EDCs, in particular elevated plasma hexachlorobenzene concentration, and the development of hypospadias in the offspring. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Contactless passive diagnosis for brain intracranial applications: A study using dielectric matching materials
Authors: Gouzouasis Ioannis A. , Karathanasis Konstantinos T. , Karanasiou Irene S. , Uzunoglu Nikolaos K.
Published: March 2010

A prototype system for passive intracranial monitoring using microwave radiometry is proposed. It comprises an ellipsoidal conductive wall cavity to achieve beamforming and focusing, in conjunction with sensitive multiband receivers for detection. The system has already shown the capability to provide temperature and/or conductivity variations in phantoms and biological tissue. In this article, a variant of the initially constructed modality is theoretically and experimentally investigated. Specifically, dielectric matching materials are used in an effort to improve the system's focusing attributes. The theoretical study investigates the effect of dielectric matching materials on the system's detection depth, whereas measurements with phantoms focus on the investigation of the system's detection level and spatial resolution. The combined results suggest that the dielectric matching layers lead to the improvement of the system's detection depth and temperature detection level. Also, the system's spatial resolution is explored at various experimental setups. Theoretical and experimental results conclude that with the appropriate combination of operation frequencies and dielectric layers, it is possible to monitor areas of interest inside human head models with a variety of detection depths and spatial resolutions. Bioelectromagnetics 31:335–349, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Inline ultrafiltration
Authors: Teske Christopher A. , Lebreton Benedicte , Reis Robert van
Published: March 2010

Inline ultrafiltration (UF) can significantly increase the recoverable mass of biopharmaceutical products when pool tank volumes are limiting. Using relatively small commercially available ultrafiltration cassettes, a proof‐of‐concept study demonstrates that inline UF can significantly increase recoverable mass in an antibody purification process. With ever‐increasing cell culture titers pushing product masses to higher levels, inline UF offers a relatively easy‐to‐implement and less disruptive alternative to installing larger pool tanks and enables more cost‐effective production utilizing facilities designed for smaller bulk sizes. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2010
Refolding of denatured/reduced lysozyme at high concentrations by artificial molecular chaperone‐ion exchange chromatography
Authors: Wang Chaozhan , Zhang Qinming , Cheng Yan , Wang Lili
Published: March 2010

Development of high efficiency and low cost protein refolding methods is a highlighted research focus in biotechnology. Artificial molecular chaperone (AMC) and protein folding liquid chromatography (PFLC) are two attractive refolding methods developed in recent years. In the present work, AMC and one branch of PFLC, ion exchange chromatography (IEC), are integrated to form a new refolding method, artificial molecular chaperone‐ion exchange chromatography (AMC‐IEC). This new method is applied to the refolding of a widely used model protein, urea‐denatured/dithiothreitol‐reduced lysozyme. Many factors influencing the refolding of lysozyme, such as urea concentration, β‐cyclodextrin concentration, molar ratio of detergent to protein, mobile phase flow rate, and type of detergent, were investigated, respectively, to optimize the conditions for lysozyme refolding by AMC‐IEC. Compared with normal IEC refolding method, the activity recoveries of lysozyme obtained by AMC‐IEC were much higher in the investigated range of initial protein concentrations. Moreover, the activity recoveries obtained by using this newly developed refolding method were still quite high for denatured/reduced lysozyme at high initial concentrations. When the initial protein concentration was 200 mg mL−1, the activity recovery was over 60%. In addition, the lifetime of the chromatographic column during AMC‐IEC was much longer than that during protein refolding by normal IEC. Therefore, AMC‐IEC is a high efficient and low cost protein refolding method. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2010
Stability and reactivity of liposome‐encapsulated formate dehydrogenase and cofactor system in carbon dioxide gas‐liquid flow
Authors: Yoshimoto Makoto , Yamashita Takayuki , Yamashiro Takuya
Published: March 2010

Formate dehydrogenase from Candida boidinii (CbFDH) is potentially applicable in reduction of CO2 through oxidation of cofactor NADH into NAD+. For this, the CbFDH activity needs to be maintained under practical reaction conditions, such as CO2 gas‐liquid flow. In this work, CbFDH and cofactor were encapsulated in liposomes and the liposomal enzymes were characterized in an external loop airlift bubble column. The airlift was operated at 45°C with N2 or CO2 as gas phase at the superficial gas velocity UG of 2.0 or 3.0 cm/s. The activities of liposomal CbFDH/cofactor systems were highly stable in the airlift regardless of the type of gas phase because liposome membranes prevented interactions of the encapsulated enzyme and cofactor molecules with the gas‐liquid interface of bubbles. On the other hand, free CbFDH was deactivated in the airlift especially at high UG with CO2 bubbles. The liposomal CbFDH/NADH could catalyze reduction of CO2 in the airlift giving the fractional oxidation of the liposomal NADH of 23% at the reaction time of 360 min. The cofactor was kept inside liposomes during the reaction operation with less than 10% of leakage. All of the results obtained demonstrate that the liposomal CbFDH/NADH functions as a stable catalyst for reduction of CO2 in the airlift. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2010
Evaluation of substrate promiscuity of anL‐carbamoyl amino acid amidohydrolase fromGeobacillus stearothermophilusCECT43
Authors: Pozo‐Dengra Joaquín , Martínez‐Gómez Ana Isabel , Martínez‐Rodríguez Sergio , Clemente‐Jiménez Josefa María , Rodríguez‐Vico Felipe , Las Heras‐Vázquez Francisco Javier
Published: March 2010

N‐carbamoyl‐amino‐acid amidohydrolase (also known as N‐carbamoylase) is the stereospecific enzyme responsible for the chirality of theD‐ orL‐amino acid obtained in the “Hydantoinase Process.” This process is based on the dynamic kinetic resolution ofD,L‐5‐monosubstituted hydantoins. In this work, we have demonstrated the capability of a recombinantL‐N‐carbamoylase from the thermophilic bacterium Geobacillus stearothermophilus CECT43 (BsLcar) to hydrolyze N‐acetyl and N‐formyl‐L‐amino acids as well as the known N‐carbamoyl‐L‐amino acids, thus proving its substrate promiscuity. BsLcar showed faster hydrolysis for N‐formyl‐L‐amino acids than for N‐carbamoyl and N‐acetyl‐L‐derivatives, with a catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) of 8.58 × 105, 1.83 × 104, and 1.78 × 103(s−1M−1), respectively, for the three precursors ofL‐methionine. Optimum reaction conditions for BsLcar, using the three N‐substituted‐L‐methionine substrates, were 65°C and pH 7.5. In all three cases, the metal ions Co2+, Mn2+, and Ni2+greatly enhanced BsLcar activity, whereas metal‐chelating agents inhibited it, showing that BsLcar is a metalloenzyme. The Co2+‐dependent activity profile of the enzyme showed no detectable inhibition at high metal ion concentrations. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2010
Use of cellulases and recombinant cellulose binding domains for refining TCF kraft pulp
Authors: Cadena Edith M. , Chriac A. Iulia , Pastor F. I. Javier , Diaz Pilar , Vidal Teresa , Torres Antonio L.
Published: March 2010

The modular endoglucanase Cel9B from Paenibacillus barcinonensis is a highly efficient biocatalyst, which expedites pulp refining and reduces the associated energy costs as a result. In this work, we set out to identify the specific structural domain or domains responsible for the action of this enzyme on cellulose fibre surfaces with a view to facilitating the development of new cellulases for optimum biorefining. Using the recombinant enzymes GH9–CBD3c, Fn3–CBD3b, and CBD3b, which are truncated forms of Cel9B, allowed us to assess the individual effects of the catalytic, cellulose binding, and fibronectin‐like domains of the enzyme on the refining of TCF kraft pulp from Eucalyptus globulus. Based on the physico‐mechanical properties obtained, the truncated form containing the catalytic domain (GH9–CBD3c) has a strong effect on fibre morphology. Comparing its effect with that of the whole cellulase (Cel9B) revealed that the truncated enzyme contributes to increasing paper strength through improved tensile strength and burst strength and also that the truncated form is more effective than the whole enzyme in improving tear resistance. Therefore, the catalytic domain of Cel9B has biorefining action on pulp. Although cellulose binding domains (CBDs) are less efficient toward pulp refining, evidence obtained in this work suggests that CBD3b alters fibre surfaces and influences paper properties as a result. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2010
Use of disposable reactors to generate inoculum cultures for E. coli production fermentations
Authors: Mahajan Ekta , Matthews Timothy , Hamilton Ryan , Laird Michael W.
Published: March 2010

Disposable technology is being used more each year in the biotechnology industry. Disposable bioreactors allow one to avoid expenses associated with cleaning, assembly and operations, as well as equipment validation. The WAVE bioreactor is well established for Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) production, however, it has not yet been thoroughly tested for E. coli production because of the high oxygen demand and temperature maintenance requirements of that platform. The objective of this study is to establish a robust process to generate inoculum for E. coli production fermentations in a WAVE bioreactor. We opted not to evaluate the WAVE system for production cultures because of the high cell densities required in our current E. coli production processes. Instead, the WAVE bioreactor 20/50 system was evaluated at laboratory scale (10‐L) to generate inoculum with target optical densities (OD550) of 15 within 7–9 h (pre‐established target for stainless steel fermentors). The maximum settings for rock rate (40 rpm) and angle (10.5) were used to maximize mass transfer. The gas feed was also supplemented with additional oxygen to meet the high respiratory demand of the culture. The results showed that the growth profiles for the inoculum cultures were similar to those obtained from conventional stainless steel fermentors. These inoculum cultures were subsequently inoculated into 10‐L working volume stainless steel fermentors to evaluate the inocula performance of two different production systems during recombinant protein production. The results of these production cultures using WAVE inocula showed that the growth and recombinant protein production was comparable to the control data set. Furthermore, an economic analysis showed that the WAVE system would require less capital investment for installation and operating expenses would be less than traditional stainless steel systems. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2010
Microsurgical and histomorphometric study of the occipital sinus: Quantitative measurements using a novel approach of stereology
Authors: Balak Naci , Ersoy Gökhan , Uslu Ünal , Tanriöver Necmettin , Tapul Leyla , Çetin Gürsel , Işik Nejat , Elmaci Ilhan
Published: March 2010

Quantitative descriptions of the occipital sinus are lacking in the extant medical literature. Posterior fossa duras with the superior sagittal sinus, the inferior and superior petrosal sinuses were dissected and taken out from fresh human cadavers by cutting at the superior sagittal sinus, the marginal sinuses and the petrosal sinuses bilaterally. The length of the occipital sinuses was measured using calipers. A 0.5‐cm section of the occipital sinus was cut out at its midpoint and prepared for measurements of the perimeter and diameter using a stereology workstation. The sinuses were also examined qualitatively using a surgical microscope. There was no occipital sinus in 6.6% of total 30 cases. Multiple occipital sinuses were seen in 10%. In one specimen, the sinus seemed incomplete, failing to reach the marginal sinuses. Some specimens gave the impression that more than one occipital sinus was present, nevertheless, careful dissection showed connections. The breadth of the sinus steadily narrowed downward in direction of foramen magnum. The inner wall with many fibrous bridges was tight, except the lateral parts that were easily separated into two dural sheets. The length of the sinus varied from 10 to 37 mm. The inner diameter (feret maximum) varied from 0.33 to 7.06 mm at midpoint. The breadth of the multiple sinuses did not exceed the mean of our series except in one case. The occipital sinus, which is generally ellipsoid in shape, functions in the majority of cases as a thin, single midline sinus. It may have less resistant recesses laterally. Clin. Anat. 23:386–393, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Predicting radial nerve location using palpable landmarks
Authors: Cox C.L. , Riherd D. , Tubbs R.S. , Bradley E. , Lee D.H.
Published: March 2010

The purpose of this study is to predict the location of radial nerve (RN) utilizing palpable anatomic landmarks. Thirty‐four paired upper limbs were dissected. The RN was localized: (1) at the humeral spiral groove (SG), (2) lateral intermuscular septum (LIS), and (3) at its' division into the posterior interosseous nerve (PIN) and radial sensory nerve (RSN). The PIN was located at the anterior aspect of the radial neck (AN). Humeral and radial lengths were measured. The RN traversed the SG, on average, 48% (36%–63%) of humeral length, distal to the greater tuberosity. The RN pierced the LIS, on average, 38% (29%–56%) of humeral length, proximal to the lateral epicondyle (LE). The PIN/RSN division occurred on average 1.0 cm (−11.4 to 3.5) distal to the LE. The PIN crossed the AN, on average, 10% (5%–14%) of radial length, distal to the radial head articular surface. Clin. Anat. 23:420–426, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Design of communication interface and control system for intelligent humanoid robot
Authors: Lin Hsiung‐Cheng , Chen Chao Hung , Huang Guo‐Shing , Liu Ying‐Chu , Hsu Wei‐Chung
Published: March 2010

Currently, robot applications have been fast expanding to many areas such as entertainment, home task, security, medical care, etc. With an increasing robot demand, the development of highly reliable and low‐cost robot control system has become a hot research field in recent years. However, most robot control system requires special interface design or suffers from complexity or high cost. This phenomenon poses a great difficulty for students to learn such a robot development knowledge from a traditional classroom. Accordingly, this paper aims to propose a simple but reliable robot communication interface and local‐loop control system based on RS232 and 8051 microprocessor, suitable use as lecture material for various kinds of robot control. In this proposed scheme, the robot action commands stored in the database using C++ Builder can be transmitted from the command‐transmission microprocessor (CTM) and then received by the individual authorized action‐processing microprocessor (APM) via RS232. Every APM is responsible to its respective robot's joint so that there are up to tens of modules to be operated for a variety of robot actions simultaneously and independently. Real‐time implementation results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach in terms of robust, simple, flexible, and efficient performance. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 20: 454–467, 2012
Percutaneous retrograde revascularization of the superior mesenteric artery via the celiac artery for chronic mesenteric ischemia
Authors: Stephens John C. , Cardenas Gustavo , Safian Robert D.
Published: March 2010

An elderly woman developed chronic mesenteric ischemia (CMI) due to severe stenosis of the celiac artery and chronic total occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA). Stenting of the celiac artery resulted in resolution of CMI, but symptoms recurred 4 months later due to restenosis. We report successful sustained resolution of CMI after percutaneous retrograde revascularization of the SMA via the celiac artery. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A biodegradable device (BioSTAR™) for atrial septal defect closure in children
Authors: Morgan Gareth , Lee Kyong‐Jin , Chaturvedi Rajiv , Benson Lee
Published: March 2010

Background: Percutaneous closure of atrial defects (ASD) has evolved as the treatment of choice for the majority of defects and patent oval foramens. The BioSTAR™ biodegradable implant avoids many issues associated with devices containing substantial amounts of metal. Methods: Reviewed was a consecutive series of 10 ASD occlusions in a pediatric population with the BioSTAR biodegradable device. All implantations were performed by one operator. The inclusion criterion was a balloon stretched ASD diameter of ≤16 mm. Procedural data and acute and early‐term closure rates were retrospectively matched to a cohort of children having defect closure using the Amplatzer Septal Occluder™ (ASO™). Results: Acute and 6 month follow up closure rates for the BioSTAR were 90% and 100% vs. 100% and 100% closure with the ASO implants. There was a statistically significant difference in the median procedure time (52 min: BioSTAR; 39.5 min: ASO device, P < 0.05), with fluoroscopy times slightly longer for the BioSTAR group (6.7 min vs. 6.1 min, P = ns). There were no significant complications in either group. Conclusions: The BioSTAR implant can achieve comparable closure rates to the ASO in small‐ to moderate‐atrial septal defects with only a minimal skeleton of foreign material remaining after 6 months. Longer fluoroscopy and procedure times were a drawback; however, these should improve with familiarity with the implant and deployment system. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Radial versus femoral access for orally anticoagulated patients
Authors: Ziakas, Antonios G. , Koskinas, Konstantinos C. , Gavrilidis Stavros , Giannoglou George D. , Hadjimiltiades Stavros , Gourassas Ioannis , Theofilogiannakos Efstratios , Economou Fotios , Styliadis Ioannis
Published: March 2010

Objectives: To prospectively compare the efficacy and procedural safety of the radial versus femoral route for cardiac catheterization during uninterrupted warfarin therapy. Background: The optimal treatment strategy for cardiac catheterization in patients receiving long‐term oral anticoagulation has not been defined. Increasing evidence suggests the feasibility and safety of catheterization without warfarin interruption. However, the relative safety and efficacy of the radial and femoral access in fully anticoagulated patients are unknown. Methods: Fifty‐six consecutive patients on chronic warfarin treatment with international normalized ratio (INR) between 1.8 and 3.5 were randomized to undergo coronary angiography, alone, or followed by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), via the femoral (n = 29) or radial route (n = 27). Procedural success, in‐hospital major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events, access‐site, and bleeding complications were recorded. Results: The two groups were well balanced with similar clinical characteristics at baseline. There were no significant differences in preprocedural antiplatelet therapy or in INR levels between the radial and femoral group (2.62 ± 0.7 vs. 2.48 ± 0.6, respectively, P = 0.63). Procedural success was achieved in all femoral patients, whereas one patient in the radial group (3.7%) required crossover to femoral access. Eight patients from the femoral and 10 patients from the radial group successfully underwent PCI. Access‐site complications occurred only in patients who underwent PCI: three (37.5%) in the femoral versus none in the radial group (P = 0.034). Conclusion: The radial access is as efficacious and safe as the femoral route for coronary angiography in fully anticoagulated patients, but is likely to result in fewer access‐site complications in patients who also undergo PCI. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Aortic valve regurgitation following percutaneous closure of patent ductus arteriosus
Authors: Bajić Stevan , Berden Pavel , Podnar Tomaž
Published: March 2010

Objectives: To determine the incidence and outcome of aortic valve regurgitation (AR) following the percutaneous closure of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). Background: Aortic valve regurgitation is an overlooked consequence of percutaneous PDA closure. Methods: Between December 2000 and May 2009, 51 children underwent percutaneous closure of PDA using Amplatzer Duct Occluders. Their median age at the time of the procedure was 2.6 years (range: 0.6–18.0 years), and median weight was 14.0 kg (range: 7.6–75.0 kg). Follow‐up echocardiograms were performed a day after the procedure and at 1, 3, 12 months, and yearly thereafter. Results: A day after the procedure, AR was detected for the first time in 13 of 48 patients (27.0%). A group of patients with newly developed AR was significantly different from a group of patients with competent aortic valves with respect to their age, weight, and minimal PDA diameter indexed to the body weight. The follow‐up period ranged from 0.2 to 8.5 years (median 3.3 years) and at the latest follow‐up evaluation, AR persisted in a single patient (2.0%) 6 years after the procedure. Conclusions: The aortic valve regurgitation following percutaneous PDA closure is trivial to mild and transient. It develops in approximately a quarter of children after percutaneous closure of PDA with a minimal diameter ≥1.5 mm and is more likely to develop in infants and small children having significant left‐to‐right shunts. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Delayed mortality from aortic dissection post transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI): The tip of the iceberg
Authors: Gerber Robert T. , Osborn Michael , Mikhail Ghada W.
Published: March 2010

We report two cases of autopsy confirmed aortic dissection as a cause of death following trans aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The TAVI procedures were performed via the transapical and transfemoral route, respectively, and death occurred several days after the index procedure and not immediately. This highlights a potential cause of delayed unexplained death days post TAVI and may be overlooked as a potential cause of death in patients undergoing this procedure. This also questions the empirical use of dual antiplatelet therapy following TAVI which could potentially exacerbate this phenomenon. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Study on Ce‐Doped Nonstoichiometric Nanosilica for Promoting Properties of Polysulfone Membranes
Authors: Zhang Y. , Du T. , An X. , Tu Z. , Zhang G.
Published: March 2010

Using the sol‐gel method a series of nonstoichiometric nanosilica doped with the rare earth element Ce (CexSi1–xO2–δ, x = 0.0–0.14) were prepared in order to modify the physicochemical properties of the nanosilica surface and to enhance the strength of the Ce‐nanosilica/polysulfone composite membranes. The CexSi1–xO2–δ samples were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectra, X‐ray diffraction and X‐ray photoelectron spectra. The observations from these characterizations suggest that most Ce atoms enter the silica framework to form a Ce‐O‐Si solid solution while the cubic CeO2 phase is segregated when x >0.08. Transmission electron microscopy images show that CexSi1–xO2–δ particles are spherical with a uniform size distribution in the range of 30–50 nm and contain some inner pores with sizes up to a few nanometers. Specifically, Ce0.08Si0.92O2–δ‐700 calcined at 700 °C shows the biggest surface area, the smallest pore size and the highest hydrophilicity, which makes the Ce0.08Si0.92O2–δ/polysulfone composite membranes (8.0 wt %) exhibit the strongest mechanical strength (3.223 MPa), which is enhanced by more than 100% in comparison with the pure polymer membrane.
Valuing software service development in support of business‐to‐consumer services
Authors: Tansey Brendan , Stroulia Eleni
Published: March 2010

In efforts to innovate, organizations are increasingly offering competitive value‐added services, frequently by evolving their software infrastructure. Business decisions are often motivated by economic trade‐offs related to the development and management of this software. To develop an economic‐modelling framework for the evolutionary development of software‐based services, we examine the problem of estimating the return on a software‐evolution investment. We present methods for estimating both the cost of developing a new service by incrementally modifying existing software and the value generated by introducing the service to the market in terms of revenue generated by the new service and the value of potential future services it may enable. An example case study illustrates the model. Copyright © 2010 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Colour harmony revisited
Authors: O'Connor Zena
Published: March 2010

A plethora of theories and studies exist that focus on the relationship between colour and esthetic response as well as the construction of colour harmony. However, consensus regarding colour harmony is lacking in the literature leaving designers and architects with colour harmony information that is contradictory and ambiguous. This article examines both early and more recent theories and definitions of colour harmony. The diverse theoretical paradigms and disparate assumptions embedded within these theories are discussed in some depth, and the validity and veracity of predictive colour harmony theories are discussed from a current theoretical perspective. An updated definition of colour harmony is providedalong with a conceptual model that represents an attempt to revise colour harmony in line with current theoretical paradigms. This conceptual model acknowledges that the interface between colour and esthetic response is less deterministic and predictable, and more idiographic than previous theories allow. In addition, the conceptual model suggests that colour harmony is contingent on factors that may influence the relationship between colour and esthetic response such as individual and cultural differences as well as perceptual, contextual, and temporal factors. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 2010
Structure and electrical properties of Mg‐doped ZnO nanoparticles
Authors: Kılınç N. , Arda L. , Öztürk S. , Öztürk Z. Z.
Published: March 2010

MgxZn1‐xO (x=0.01‐0.3) nanoparticles were synthesized by the sol‐gel technique using solutions of Mg and Zn based organometalic compounds. The electrical properties of Mg doped zinc oxide (ZnO) were studied within wide temperature range from 300 to 500 K under the N2 gas flow (flow rate: 20 sccm) and in the frequency range from 40 Hz to 1 MHz for ac electrical measurements. The dc conductivities and the activation energies were found to be in the range of 10‐9‐10‐6 S/cm at the room temperature and 0.26‐0.86 eV respectively depending on doping rate of these samples. The ac conductivity was well represented by the power law Aωs. The conduction mechanism for all doped ZnO could be related to correlated barrier hopping (CBH) model. The complex impedance plots (Nyquist plot) showed the data points lying on a single semicircle, implying the response originated from a single capacitive element corresponding to the nanoparticle grains. The crystal structures of the MgxZn1‐xO nanoparticles were characterized using X‐ray diffraction. The calculated average particle sizes values of Zn1‐xMgxO samples are found between 29.72 and 22.43 nm using the Sherrer equation. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)