bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Two cases of breast carcinoma with osteoclastic giant cells: Are the osteoclastic giant cells pro-tumoural differentiation of macrophages?
Authors: Shishido-Hara Yukiko , Kurata Atsushi , Fujiwara Masachika , Itoh Hiroki , Imoto Shigeru , Kamma Hiroshi
Published: August 2010

Breast carcinoma with osteoclastic giant cells (OGCs) is characterized by multinucleated OGCs, and usually displays inflammatory hypervascular stroma. OGCs may derive from tumor-associated macrophages, but their nature remains controversial. We report two cases, in which OGCs appear in common microenvironment despite different tumoural histology. A 44-year-old woman (Case 1) had OGCs accompanying invasive ductal carcinoma, and an 83-year-old woman (Case 2) with carcinosarcoma. Immunohistochemically, in both cases, tumoural and non-tumoural cells strongly expressed VEGF and MMP12, which promote macrophage migration and angiogenesis. The Chalkley count on CD-31-stained sections revealed elevated angiogenesis in both cases. The OGCs expressed bone-osteoclast markers (MMP9, TRAP, cathepsin K) and a histiocyte marker (CD68), but not an MHC class II antigen, HLA-DR. The results indicate a pathogenesis: regardless of tumoural histology, OGCs derive from macrophages, likely in response to hypervascular microenvironments with secretion of common cytokines. The OGCs have acquired bone-osteoclast-like characteristics, but lost antigen presentation abilities as an anti-cancer defense. Appearance of OGCs may not be anti-tumoural immunological reactions, but rather pro-tumoural differentiation of macrophage responding to hypervascular microenvironments induced by breast cancer.
Process evaluation of a participatory ergonomics programme to prevent low back pain and neck pain among workers
Authors: Driessen Maurice T , Proper Karin I , Anema Johannes R , Bongers Paulien M , van der Beek Allard J
Published: August 2010

Background

Both low back pain (LBP) and neck pain (NP) are major occupational health problems. In the workplace, participatory ergonomics (PE) is frequently used on musculoskeletal disorders. However, evidence on the effectiveness of PE to prevent LBP and NP obtained from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) is scarce. This study evaluates the process of the Stay@Work participatory ergonomics programme, including the perceived implementation of the prioritised ergonomic measures.

Methods

This cluster-RCT was conducted at the departments of four Dutch companies (a railway transportation company, an airline company, a steel company, and a university including its university medical hospital). Directly after the randomisation outcome, intervention departments formed a working group that followed the steps of PE during a six-hour working group meeting. Guided by an ergonomist, working groups identified and prioritised risk factors for LBP and NP, and composed and prioritised ergonomic measures. Within three months after the meeting, working groups had to implement the prioritised ergonomic measures at their department. Data on various process components (recruitment, reach, fidelity, satisfaction, and implementation components, i.e., dose delivered and dose received) were collected and analysed on two levels: department (i.e., working group members from intervention departments) and participant (i.e., workers from intervention departments).

Results

A total of 19 intervention departments (n = 10 with mental workloads, n = 1 with a light physical workload, n = 4 departments with physical and mental workloads, and n = 4 with heavy physical workloads) were recruited for participation, and the reach among working group members who participated was high (87%). Fidelity and satisfaction towards the PE programme rated by the working group members was good (7.3 or higher). The same was found for the Stay@Work ergocoach training (7.5 or higher). In total, 66 ergonomic measures were prioritised by the working groups. Altogether, 34% of all prioritised ergonomic measures were perceived as implemented (dose delivered), while the workers at the intervention departments perceived 26% as implemented (dose received).

Conclusions

PE can be a successful method to develop and to prioritise ergonomic measures to prevent LBP and NP. Despite the positive rating of the PE programme the implementation of the prioritised ergonomic measures was lower than expected.

Trial registration

Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN27472278
Prospective evaluation of microscopic extension using whole-mount preparation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: Definition of clinical target volume for radiotherapy
Authors: Wang Weihu , Feng Xiaoli , Zhang Tao , Jin Jing , Wang Shulian , Liu Yueping , Song Yongwen , Liu Xinfan , Yu Zihao , LI Yexiong
Published: August 2010

Background

To define the clinical target volume (CTV) for radiotherapy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

A prospective study was conducted to histologically evaluate the presence and the distance of microscopic extension (ME) for resected HCC on the basis of examination of whole-mount preparations of carcinoma tissue sections.

Results

A total of 380 whole-mount slides prepared from tumor samples of 76 patients with HCC were examined. Patients with elevated pretreatment AFP levels exhibited higher risk of ME as compared to those with normal pretreatment AFP levels (93.9% vs. 69.8%, P < 0.01). ME positivity was 16.7% for Grade 1, 79.1% for Grade 2, and 96.3% for Grade 3 tumors (P < 0.01). The mean distance of ME was 0.0 ± 0.1 mm (range 0-0.2 mm) for Grade 1, 0.9 ± 0.9 mm (range 0-4.5 mm) for Grade 2, and 1.9 ± 1.9 mm (range 0-8.0 mm) for Grade 3 tumors (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

The CTV margins for tumor Grades 1, 2, and 3 HCC, are recommended to be 0.2 mm, 4.5 mm, and 8.0 mm beyond the gross tumor margin, respectively, to account for possible ME of the tumors in all patients.
Interferon-β attenuates lung inflammation following experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage
Authors: Cobelens Pieter M , Tiebosch Ivo ACW , Dijkhuizen Rick M , van der Meide Peter H , Zwartbol René , Heijnen Cobi J , Kesecioglu Jozef , van den Bergh Walter M
Published: August 2010

Introduction

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) affects relatively young people and carries a poor prognosis with a case fatality rate of 35%. One of the major systemic complications associated with SAH is acute lung injury (ALI) which occurs in up to one-third of the patients and is associated with poor outcome. ALI in SAH may be predisposed by neurogenic pulmonary edema (NPE) and inflammatory mediators. The objective of this study was to assess the immunomodulatory effects of interferon-β (IFN-β) on inflammatory mediators in the lung after experimental SAH.

Methods

Male Wistar rats were subjected to the induction of SAH by means of the endovascular filament method. Sham-animals underwent sham-surgery. Rats received IFN-β for four consecutive days starting at two hours after SAH induction. After seven days, lungs were analyzed for the expression of inflammatory markers.

Results

SAH induced the influx of neutrophils into the lung, and enhanced expression of the pulmonary adhesion molecules E-selectin, inter-cellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, and vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 compared to sham-animals. In addition, SAH increased the expression of the chemokines macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1α, MIP-2, and cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant (CINC)-1 in the lung. Finally, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) was significantly increased in lungs from SAH-animals compared to sham-animals. IFN-β effectively abolished the SAH-induced expression of all pro-inflammatory mediators in the lung.

Conclusions

IFN-β strongly reduces lung inflammation after experimental SAH and may therefore be an effective drug to prevent SAH-mediated lung injury.
Evaluation of pathogen detection from clinical samples by real-time polymerase chain reaction using a sepsis pathogen DNA detection kit
Authors: Yanagihara Katsunori , Kitagawa Yuko , Tomonaga Masao , Tsukasaki Kunihiro , Kohno Shigeru , Seki Masafumi , Sugimoto Hisashi , Shimazu Takeshi , Tasaki Osamu , Matsushima Asako , Ikeda Yasuo , Okamoto Shinichiro , Aikawa Naoki , Hori Shingo , Obara Hideaki , Ishizaka Akitoshi , Hasegawa Naoki , Takeda Junzo , Kamihira Shimeru , Sugahara Kazuyuki , Asari Seishi , Murata Mitsuru , Kobayashi Yoshio , Ginba Hiroyuki , Sumiyama Yoshinobu , Kitajima Masaki
Published: August 2010

Introduction

Sepsis is a serious medical condition that requires rapidly administered, appropriate antibiotic treatment. Conventional methods take three or more days for final pathogen identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. We organized a prospective observational multicenter study in three study sites to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and potential clinical utility of the SeptiFast system, a multiplex pathogen detection system used in the clinical setting to support early diagnosis of bloodstream infections.

Methods

A total of 212 patients, suspected of having systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) caused by bacterial or fungal infection, were enrolled in the study. From these patients, 407 blood samples were taken and blood culture analysis was performed to identify pathogens. Whole blood was also collected for DNA Detection Kit analysis immediately after its collection for blood culture. The results of the DNA Detection Kit, blood culture and other culture tests were compared. The chosen antimicrobial treatment in patients whose samples tested positive in the DNA Detection Kit and/or blood culture analysis was examined to evaluate the effect of concomitant antibiotic exposure on the results of these analyses.

Results

SeptiFast analysis gave a positive result for 55 samples, while 43 samples were positive in blood culture analysis. The DNA Detection Kit identified a pathogen in 11.3% (45/400) of the samples, compared to 8.0% (32/400) by blood culture analysis. Twenty-three pathogens were detected by SeptiFast only; conversely, this system missed five episodes of clinically significant bacteremia (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), 2; Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 1; Klebsiella spp, 1; Enterococcus faecium, 1). The number of samples that tested positive was significantly increased by combining the result of the blood culture analysis with those of the DNA Detection Kit analysis (P = 0.01). Among antibiotic pre-treated patients (prevalence, 72%), SeptiFast analysis detected more bacteria/fungi, and was less influenced by antibiotic exposure, compared with blood culture analysis (P = 0.02).

Conclusions

This rapid multiplex pathogen detection system complemented traditional culture-based methods and offered some added diagnostic value for the timely detection of causative pathogens, particularly in antibiotic pre-treated patients. Adequately designed intervention studies are needed to prove its clinical effectiveness in improving appropriate antibiotic selection and patient outcomes.
The 1890's as a Turning Point in German Jewish History
Authors: Borut Yaakov
Published: August 2010

During the early 1890s, profound changes occurred in German Jewry's organizational culture and public activities, which amounted to a turning point in its history. They led to the rise of a Jewish organizational network that constituted a »partial subsociety«, in reversal of the previous trend towards disintegration of the Jewish realm. Those changes corresponded to major changes that took place within the German Reich during the same period. The former manner of public activity of German-Jewish leaders can be described as a »low profile mode«, keeping out of the public limelight, avoiding conflict with the government and refraining from public defense of Jewish interests. Three processes that were evident in German politics and society in the early 1890s were manifest within Jewish society: I) The rise of mass-politics and the use of noisy mass-propaganda techniques. Its Jewish manifestation was public defense against anti- Semitism. II) The rise of an extra-parliamentary political system based on pressure and interest groups. Its Jewish manifestation was the foundation of the Centralverein that defended Jewish interests and reversed the »low profile mode«. III) Rising particularism. Its Jewish manifestation was the creation of specifically Jewish groups, and especially a network of Societies for jüdische Geschichte und Literatur. An examination of the personal characteristics of the leaders who initiated those changes, in comparison with the older Jewish leaders (who mostly opposed the new initiatives), reveals common attributes shared by the new leaders, which explain their ability to grasp the changes occurring in Germany and implement them within German Jewry.
Nationalism at the Edge: The Jüdische Volksrat of Habsburg Bukovina
Authors: Rechter David
Published: August 2010

The Jüdische Volksrat was the final expression of a distinctive brand of Jewish Volkspolitik that flourished in the final decades of Habsburg Austria. The article is a case study of a political culture that derived from two related contexts: Jewish nationalism – in its east central European variation – and the larger framework of Habsburg ethnic and nationalist politics. The Volksrat was the centerpiece of an attempt to put the Zionist house in Bukovina in order, and the article is also a first foray into the history of Bukovina Zionism. It is a story of famous success and infamous failure and conflict. If the stage was parochial, the issues at stake were not: power, autonomy, democracy, Zionism and Jewish nationalism — all were at play and all had local, regional and imperial implications.
Die Waltherschen Totenklagen auf Reinmar
Authors: Ohlenroth Derk
Published: August 2010

The Walther corpus includes two obituaries dedicated to the minnesinger Reinmar which share the same style. With regard to the personal evaluation of the fellow singer, however, they are simply irreconcilable with each other. To resolve this problem, the statement in L.82,24 has to be reflected in a critical way, along with a new look at the performative orientation of L.83,1. This serves to verify how the two stanzas are linked to reality and to reconcile them with the confusion evoked by their contradictory nature.
Wolframs ›Titurel‹ und der Mythos der Minne
Authors: Seeber Stefan
Published: August 2010

The article is concerned with the presentation of Minne in Wolfram von Eschenbach's ›Titurel‹. Based on Kiening's and Köbele's considerations on the metaphorical quality of the speaking of courtly love in the fragments, it argues that Wolfram's text is structured by a mythic concept of Minne. This concept transcends the standards of discourse established around 1200 by using elements of mythic narration like homology, polarization and the repetition of basic patterns. Wolfram's ›Titurel‹ thus presents its reader with a deification of Minne which resists (modern) logic approach. The concept functions as »mythic analogon« and allows Wolfram to design his poem on the myth of love as a mythic narrative.
Measurement of occupational humorous coping
Authors: Doosje Sibe , De Goede Martijn , Van Doornen Lorenz , Goldstein Jeffrey
Published: August 2010

The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a Questionnaire of Occupational Humorous Coping (QOHC), partly based on the model of emotion regulation by Gross (Current Directions in Psychological Science 10: 214–219, 2001). Items intended to measure antecedent-focused, response-focused, and affiliative and aggressive-manipulative humorous coping methods were generated. Preliminary studies led to improvements in the questionnaire and to the removal of items controlling for acquiescence bias. Principal axis factoring with oblique rotation on a large sample yielded four stable and reliable factors: an antecedent-focused, a response-focused, an aggressive-manipulative and an affiliative instrumental humorous coping factor. Convergent and discriminant validity with existing humorous coping and other sense of humor measures (the CHS, the MSHS and the HSQ) was satisfactory, but not always in the expected direction. Antecedent-focused and generic humorous coping (CHS) were weakly associated with job-related positive affect and well-being; for the self-enhancing humor style these associations were moderate. Aggressive-manipulative, response-focused and generic humorous coping (CHS) showed weak associations with negative job-related affect. The findings are explained in terms of assessment issues and possible moderating effects of humorous coping.
Assessing the appreciation of the content and structure of humor: Construction of a new scale
Authors: Carretero-Dios Hugo , Pérez Cristino , Buela-Casal Gualberto
Published: August 2010

The study describes the construction and initial validation of a new assessment instrument named EAHU (from the Spanish Escala de Apreciación del Humor, Humor Appreciation Scale, in English). A dimensional proposal is presented, which incorporates funniness and aversiveness of the content and structure of humor. The dimensions are incongruity-resolution, nonsense, sexual, black, man disparagement and woman disparagement humor. The construction strategy for the EAHU is outlined. The development of the EAHU involved using Spanish samples comprising more that 1500 participants altogether. The metric characteristics of the items and the internal structure of the scale appeared to be highly stable across the samples. The psychometric characteristics of the EAHU scales appeared to be satisfactory. There were sex differences only in the content scales, and a relevant role of age was observed in the EAHU scales. An interaction effect was found for sex, age and different type of humor. We conclude that the EAHU is an adequate instrument to assess the content and structure of humor.
Humor comprehension, humor production, and insight: An exploratory study
Authors: Kozbelt Aaron , Nishioka Kana
Published: August 2010

The relation between humor comprehension and humor production was examined. Unlike earlier studies that used comprehension tasks requiring a productive component, here participants simply decided whether cartoons were matched or mismatched to presented “latent content” (i.e., the implied meaning of the cartoon). To test humor production, the same participants devised humorous captions for photographs, which judges reliably rated on funniness. Performance on the two tasks showed a significant positive correlation. Relations between response time, confidence, and funniness ratings in the comprehension task were consistent with an “insight” view of humor comprehension: correct responses were made more quickly, and matched latent content trials were identified faster and were rated as funnier than mismatched trials. In the humor production task, judged funniness showed a reliable (but rather small) positive correlation with response time, offering little support for an “insight” view of humor production. Limitations of the study and possibilities for future research on humor production, modeled on creativity research, are discussed.
Exploration of Chinese humor: Historical review, empirical findings, and critical reflections
Authors: Dong Yue Xiao
Published: August 2010

Humor was first documented around 2,500 BC in China when the first Chinese poetry and literary books appeared. Zhuangzi, a co-founder of Taoism, is recognized as the very first humorist in China. Chinese humor has been mostly characterized by joke-telling and funny show-performing. Humor has been traditionally given little respect in Chinese culture mainly due to the Confucian emphasis on keeping proper manners of social interactions. Confucius once ordered to execute humorists for having “improper performance” before dignitaries in 500 BC. The term humor was translated by Mr. Lin Yu-tang in 1920s and it has been increasingly popular in China. During the “Cultural Revolution” (1966–1976), however, humorists of various kinds were all criticized and even prosecuted. Since 1980s, humor got rehabilitated as an important element of creativity, personal charisma and social harmony. Important as it is, humor has rarely been studied in China. Of the few studies conducted, it was shown that (1) humor was not valued by the Chinese even though they all enjoyed it; (2) humor was often considered the least important factor in ration to creativity, and ideal Chinese personality.
Pediatric and Adolescent Sledding-Related Injuries Treated in US Emergency Departments in 1997–2007
Authors: Howell Candace A. , Nelson Nicolas G. , McKenzie Lara B.
Published: August 2010

OBJECTIVES:

The objectives were to examine comprehensively the patterns and to estimate the rates of sledding-related injuries among children and adolescents treated in US emergency departments between 1997 and 2007.

METHODS:

Through the use of the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database, cases of sledding-related injuries were selected by using diagnosis codes for sleds. Sample weights were used to calculate national estimates. US Census Bureau data were used to calculate injury rates per 100 000 individuals ≤19 years of age. Computation of odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals was performed.

RESULTS:

From 1997 through 2007 an estimated 229 023 patients ≤19 years of age were treated for sledding-related injuries in US emergency departments, with an average of 20 820 cases per year. Children 10 to 14 years of age sustained 42.5% of sledding-related injuries, and boys represented 59.8% of all cases. The most frequent injury diagnoses were fractures (26.3%), followed by contusions and abrasions (25.0%). The head was the most commonly injured body part (34.1%), and injuries to the head were twice as likely to occur during collisions as through other mechanisms. Traumatic brain injuries were more likely to occur with snow tubes than with other sled types. A total of 4.1% of all cases required hospitalization.

CONCLUSIONS:

More research on the prevention of sledding-related injuries is warranted, particularly regarding the impact of helmets in reducing injury rates. The use of sledding products that may reduce visibility (such as snow tubes) should be discouraged.
High Incidence of Invasive Group B Streptococcal Infections in HIV-Exposed Uninfected Infants
Authors: Epalza Cristina , Goetghebuer Tessa , Hainaut Marc , Prayez Fany , Barlow Patricia , Dediste Anne , Marchant Arnaud , Levy Jack
Published: August 2010

OBJECTIVES:

The occurrence of an unusual number of group B streptococcal (GBS) infections in HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) infants who were followed in our center prompted this study. The objective of this study was to describe and compare the incidence and clinical presentation of GBS infections in infants who were born to HIV-infected and -uninfected mothers.

METHODS:

All cases of invasive GBS infections in infants who were born between 2001 and 2008 were identified from the database of HEU infants and from the microbiology laboratory records. The medical charts of all infants with GBS infection were reviewed.

RESULTS:

GBS invasive infections were described for 5 (1.55%) infants who were born to 322 HIV-infected mothers who delivered in our center. The incidence of GBS infections during the same period was 16 (0.08%) of 20 158 infants who were born to HIV-uninfected mothers. One HEU infant presented a recurrent infection 28 days after completion of treatment for the first episode. Late-onset infection was more frequent in HEU infants (5 of 6 vs 2 of 16 episodes in the control population). The diseases were also more severe in HEU infants with 5 of 6 sepsis or sepsis shock in HEU infants versus 10 of 16 in control subjects, and most HEU infants had leukopenia at onset of infection.

CONCLUSIONS:

The incidence of GBS infection was significantly higher in HEU infants than in infants who were born to HIV-uninfected mothers. These episodes of GBS sepsis in HEU infants were mostly of late onset and more severe than in the control population, suggesting an increased susceptibility of HEU infants to GBS infection.
Postgrown Li-rich vapor transport equilibration-induced Mg diffusion within MgO:LiNbO3 crystal
Authors: Zhang De-Long , Zheng Hui , Hua Ping-Rang , Pun Edwin Yue-Bun
Published: August 2010

A number of congruent LiNbO3 crystals homogeneously doped with 5 mol% Mg in growth melt were subjected to Li-rich vapor transport equilibration (VTE) treatments at 1100 °C for different durations. Secondary ion mass spectrometry study shows that the VTE induces the Mg diffusion within the crystal and an inhomogeneous Mg depth profile. The surface Mg concentration, determined from measured ordinary refractive index, shows a strong VTE duration dependence. Neutron activation analysis shows that the amount of MgO diffusing out of the crystal is ignorable, allowing to conclude that the Mg ions counter diffuse to the crystal surface at the early stage of VTE and then come back toward equilibrium as the Li concentration comes to equilibrium. The VTE-induced Li2O content increase in crystal was determined by the gravimetric method. The crystalline phase, crystal composition, and site occupation of Mg and Li are discussed.
A new paradigm in thin film indentation
Authors: Zhou Bo , Prorok Barton C.
Published: August 2010

A new method to accurately and reliably extract the actual Young's modulus of a thin film on a substrate by indentation was developed. The method involved modifying the discontinuous elastic interface transfer model to account for substrate effects that were found to influence behavior a few nanometers into a film several hundred nanometers thick. The method was shown to work exceptionally well for all 25 different combinations of five films on five substrates that encompassed a wide range of compliant films on stiff substrates to stiff films on compliant substrates. A predictive formula was determined that enables the film modulus to be calculated as long as one knows the film thickness, substrate modulus, and bulk Poisson's ratio of the film and the substrate. The calculated values of the film modulus were verified with prior results that used the membrane deflection experiment and resonance-based methods. The greatest advantages of the method are that the standard Oliver and Pharr analysis can be used, and that it does not require the continuous stiffness method, enabling any indenter to be used. The film modulus then can be accurately determined by simply averaging a handful of indents on a film/substrate composite.
Structural, microstructural, transport, and magnetotransport properties of nanostructured La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 manganites synthesized by coprecipitation
Authors: Solanki P.S. , Doshi R.R. , Khachar U.D. , Vagadia M.V. , Ravalia A.B. , Kuberkar D.G. , Shah N.A.
Published: August 2010

The structural, transport, and magnetotransport properties of single-phase, homogeneous nanostructured La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) manganites synthesized by the coprecipitation route were investigated and the effect of sintering temperature on the microstructure of LSMO compounds was studied. A strong dependence of transport and magnetotransport behavior on the microstructure and nature of grain boundaries has been observed in the single-phase LSMO sintered at various temperatures. High-field magnetoresistance (HFMR) at room temperature is found to increase [13% (LS6) to 25% (LS9)] while low temperature (5 K) magnetoresistance decreases [75% (LS6) to 46% (LS9)] under 9 T field with increase in sintering temperature, which has been attributed to the spin-polarized tunneling and spin-dependent scattering of charge carriers.
Measurement of electromigration activation energy in eutectic SnPb and SnAg flip-chip solder joints with Cu and Ni under-bump metallization
Authors: Chen Hsiao-Yun , Chen Chih
Published: August 2010

Electromigration activation energy is measured by a built-in sensor that detects the real temperature during current stressing. Activation energy can be accurately determined by calibrating the temperature using the temperature coefficient of resistivity of an Al trace. The activation energies for eutectic SnAg and SnPb solder bumps are measured on Cu under-bump metallization (UBM) as 1.06 and 0.87 eV, respectively. The activation energy mainly depends on the formation of Cu–Sn intermetallic compounds. On the other hand, the activation energy for eutectic SnAg solder bumps with Cu–Ni UBM is measured as 0.84 eV, which is mainly related to void formation in the solder.
Dielectric, ferroelectric, and ferromagnetic properties of 0.7Bi1−xLax(Fe0.9Cr0.1)O3–0.1BaTiO3–0.2PbTiO3solid solutions
Authors: Liu Xiao-hui , Xu Zhuo , Wei Xiao-yong , Yao Xi
Published: August 2010

Solid solutions 0.7Bi1−xLax(Fe0.9Cr0.1) O3–0.1BaTiO3–0.2PbTiO3(BLxFOC-BT-PT, withx= 0, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07) solid solutions were prepared by the traditional ceramic process. X-ray diffraction results reveal that all samples show pure pseudocubic perovskites structure. The lattice parameter of the solid solutions increases linearly with the La content, indicating that La ions have entered crystal lattices to form a solid solution. The Curie temperature of the solid solutions decreases with the La content. Room-temperature polarization–electric field (P–E) curves indicate that the samples withx= 0.03 and 0.05 exhibit saturatedP–Eloops. Piezoelectric constant d33of the solid solutions increases firstly and then decreases. Magnetizations of the solid solutions decrease with the La content. The evidence of weak ferromagnetism and saturated ferroelectric hysteresis loops in BLxFOC–BT–PT system at room temperature makes it a good candidate for multiferroic applications.
Effects of boron on microstructure in cast zirconium alloys
Authors: Dargusch M.S. , Bermingham M.J. , McDonald S.D. , StJohn D.H.
Published: August 2010

Trace additions of boron to cast zirconium result in significant microstructural changes similar to those observed with additions of boron to titanium alloys. These changes include the promotion of dendritic growth and a refinement in both the prior β and α grain size. The refinement of the prior β grain size is explained using a model of grain refinement in association with values calculated from the binary Zr–B phase diagram. It is proposed that the refinement of the α phase occurs through a combination of increased nucleation and altered diffusion mechanisms during cooling through the β transus.
Laser ablation of nanoparticles and nanoparticulate, thick Fe1.92Tb0.3Dy0.7 films
Authors: Ma J. , Becker M.F. , Keto J.W. , Kovar D.
Published: August 2010

Two laser processes, flat plate ablation (FPA) and laser ablation of microparticle aerosols (LAMA), capable of producing nanoparticles and nanoparticulate thick films of Terfenol-D (Fe1.92Tb0.3Dy0.7) were investigated. The influence of processing parameters on the sizes, compositions, and morphologies of the nanoparticles produced using these processes were studied by transmission electron microscopy. The nanoparticles were used to deposit nanoparticulate films by supersonic impaction with thicknesses ranging from 4 to 50 μm, depending on processing conditions. The microstructures and properties of the films were studied using scanning electron microscopy and magnetometry. The LAMA process produced nanoparticles with a mean size and standard deviation (SD) of 8 to 10 nm ± 5 nm, depending on the type of gas used during synthesis. In contrast, nanoparticles produced using the FPA process exhibited a much broader size distribution varying from 5 to 150 nm and a much greater variation in compositions compared to the LAMA process. Films produced using LAMA also had lower levels of porosity compared to those produced using FPA as a result of the smaller, more uniform nanoparticles from which they were produced and the resulting higher impaction velocities. Compared to the FPA-produced films, the LAMA-produced films exhibited greater resistance to oxidation, higher magnetizations (13–15 emu/g versus 9–11 emu/g, depending on processing conditions) and lower coercivities (versus 41–59 Oe versus 80–110 Oe).
Photoelectrochemical solar cells made from SnO2/ZnO films sensitized with an indoline dye
Authors: Onwona-Agyeman Boateng , Nakao Motoi , Asoka Kumara Gamaralalege Rajanya
Published: August 2010

A dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical (DS-PEC) cell consisting of SnO2 and ZnO nanoparticles was found to yield higher solar energy conversion efficiency than similar cells made of the individual oxide semiconductors when they were sensitized with an indoline dye. The SnO2/ZnO composite solar cell gave an overall energy conversion efficiency of 3.8% while the SnO2 and ZnO individual cells yielded efficiencies of 2.8% and 1.2%, respectively, under standard AM 1.5 irradiation (100 mW cm−2). The broadening of the absorption spectra and a large red shift of the absorption peak were observed by the adsorbing dyes on the composite film suggesting the formation of various kinds of J-aggregates. It is suggested that the formation of the J-aggregates and the presence of the ZnO barrier were responsible for the higher efficiency of the composite cell.
Structural and electrical properties of AlxIn1-xN (0.10≤x≤0.94) films grown on sapphire substrates
Authors: Han Qi-Feng , Duan Cheng-Hong , Du Guo-Ping , Shi Wang-Zhou
Published: August 2010

AlxIn1–xN films were grown on (0001) sapphire substrates by reactive radiofrequency (RF) magnetron sputtering in an ambient of Ar and N2. The XRD patterns are shown from AlxIn1–xN films grown on AlN/sapphire substrates using a wide range of magnetron power ratio settings. The wurtzite structure films have high crystal quality with full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) in the range of 0.22°–0.52°. The surface morphologies were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Raman spectra were measured on the AlxIn1–xN surfaces in a backscattering configuration at room temperature with 532 nm laser excitation and show A1(LO) bimodal behavior. Electrical resistivity and electron mobility were measured by the Hall effect method in the conventional Van der Pauw geometry at room temperature. The lowest electrical resistivity is 1 × 10−3 Ω·cm. This work suggests that reactive magnetron sputtering is a promising method for growing AlxIn1–xN films in over a large composition range.
Minimally Invasive Sinus Augmentation
Authors: Steiner Gregory Gene , Steiner Dainon M. , Herbias Melis P. , Steiner Roslynn
Published: August 2010

Sinus lift surgery has become more common as patients choose dental implants for tooth replacement. The recent development of a graft material that stimulates osteogenesis coupled with the application of tissue engineering principles has allowed for refinement of this surgical modality. A simple nontraumatic subantral sinus lift microsurgery is presented. This sinus lift microsurgery resulted in a 97% implant success rate.
Survival Rate of Immediately vs Delayed Loaded Implants: Analysis of the Current Literature
Authors: Romanos Georgios , Froum Stuart , Hery Cyril , Cho Sang-Choon , Tarnow Dennis
Published: August 2010

Immediate loading of oral implants has been reported as a beneficial treatment protocol in implant dentistry that increases the comfort of the patient. However, documentation in the literature is poor regarding the clinical outcome and the peri-implant bone response of immediately loaded implants compared with the conventional loading protocol placed in different bone qualities. The aim of this report was to present the role of bone quality in the survival rate of implants using conventional or immediate loading according to the literature. A literature search analysis was performed to demonstrate the survival rate of immediately loaded implants, as well as data from the histologic and histomorphometric evaluation in comparison with conventional loaded implants. This analysis showed high survival rates of immediately loaded implants along with osseointegration, with high percentages of bone-to-implant contacts based on histologic evaluation from human and animal studies of immediately and conventionally loaded implants. This study may provide histologic and clinical evidence of the immediate loading protocol for different bone qualities.
Comparison of feeding suppression by the anorexigenic hormones neuromedin U and neuromedin S in rats
Authors: Nakahara Keiko , Katayama Tetsuro , Maruyama Keisuke , Ida Takanori , Mori Kenji , Miyazato Mikiya , Kangawa Kenji , Murakami Noboru
Published: August 2010

We compared the central mechanisms of feeding suppression by the anorexigenic hormones neuromedin U (NMU) and neuromedin S (NMS) in rats. I.c.v. injection of either NMU or NMS dose dependently decreased 3-h food intake during the first quarter of a dark period. Pretreatment involving i.c.v. injection of a specific anti-NMS IgG blocked the suppression of food intake induced by i.c.v.- and i.p.-injected leptin, but anti-NMU IgG elicited no blockade. Quantitative PCR analysis revealed that i.c.v. injection of NMU or NMS caused a dose-dependent increase in CRH and proopiomelanocortin mRNA expression in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and arcuate nucleus (Arc) respectively. In tissue cultures of the Arc, secretion of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone was stimulated by NMU and NMS, with more potent stimulation by NMS. The time-course curves of the increase in neuronal firing rate in Arc slices in response to NMU and NMS showed almost the same pattern, with a peak 10–15 min after treatment, whereas the time-course curves for the PVN slices differed between NMU and NMS. These results suggest that NMS and NMU may share anorexigenic effects, depending on physiological conditions.
A high‐resolution autostereoscopic display system with a wide viewing angle using an LCOS projector array
Authors: Chen Wu‐Li , Tsai Chao‐Hsu , Wu Chang‐Shuo , Chen Chang‐Ying , Cheng Shu‐Chuan
Published: August 2010

Abstract—This study develops an autostereoscopic display based on a multiple miniature projector array to provide a scalable solution for a high‐resolution 3‐D display with large viewing freedom. To minimize distortion and dispersion, and to maximize the modulation transfer function (MTF) of the projection image to optimize 3‐D image quality, a dedicated projection lens and an accurate six‐axis adjusting platform for the miniature projector were designed and fabricated. Image‐blending technology based on a lookup table was adopted to combine images from 30 miniature projectors into a seamless single image. The result was a 35‐in. autostereoscopic display with 60 views ata 30° viewing angle, 90° FOV, and large range of viewing distance. The proposed system exhibits very smooth motion parallax when viewers move around in front of it.
Video 2‐D—to—3‐D conversion based on hybrid depth cueing
Authors: Cheng Chao‐Chung , Li Chung‐Te , Chen Liang‐Gee
Published: August 2010

Abstract—With the maturation of three‐dimensional (3‐D) technologies, display systems can provide higher visual quality to enrich the viewer experience. However, the depth information required for 3‐D displays is not available in conventional 2‐D recorded contents. Therefore, the conversion of existing 2‐D video to 3‐D video becomes an important issue for emerging 3‐D applications. This paper presents a system which automatically converts 2‐D videos to 3‐D format. The proposed system combines three major depth cues: the depth from motion, the scene depth from geometrical perspective, and the fine‐granularity depth from the relative position. The proposed system uses a block‐based method incorporating a joint bilateral filter to efficiently generate visually comfortable depth maps and to diminish the blocky artifacts. By means of the generated depth map, 2‐D videos can be readily converted into 3‐D format. Moreover, for conventional 2‐D displays, a 2‐D image/video depth perception enhancement application is also presented. With the depth‐aware adjustment of color saturation, contrast, and edge, the stereo effect of the 2‐D content can be enhanced. A user study on subjective quality shows that the proposed method has promising results on depth quality and visual comfort.
Water table response to an experimental alley farming trial: dissecting the spatial and temporal structure of the data
Authors: Noorduijn S. L. , Ghadouani A. , Vogwill R. , Smettem K. R. J. , Legendre P.
Published: August 2010

Clearing vegetation for traditional agriculture diminishes native habitat and reduces plant transpiration, leading to increased groundwater recharge and onset of dryland salinization due to rising groundwater and mobilization of salt stores in the soil profile. This change in hydrology and salinity can also negatively affect biodiversity in many semiarid regions. Alternating native perennial tree belts with mono‐species agriculture within the tree belt alleys is one possible system that can provide recharge control and recover some of the ecosystem services of degraded agricultural landscapes. To assess the effect of this agroforestry technique on groundwater levels, an alley farming trial was established in 1995, incorporating different combinations of belt width, alley width, and revegetation density. Transects of piezometers within each design have been monitored from October 1995 to January 2008.

The data set consisted of 70 piezometers monitored on 39 dates. Two trends were observed within the raw data: An increase in water table depth with time and an increase in the range of depths monitored at the site were clearly discernible. However, simple hydrograph analysis of the data has proved unsuccessful at distinguishing the effect of the tree belts on the water table morphology. The statistical techniques employed in this paper to show the effect of the experiment on the water table were variation partitioning, principal coordinates of neighbor matrices (PCNM), and canonical redundancy analysis (RDA). The environmental variables (alley farming design, distance of piezometer from the tree belt, and percentage vegetation cover including edge effect) explained 20–30% of the variation of the transformed and detrended data for the entire site. The spatial PCNM variables explained a further 20–30% of the variation. Partitioning of the site into a northern and southern block increased the proportion of explained variation for the plots in the northern block. The spatial PCNM variables and vegetation cover remained the most significant variables. The PCNM analysis revealed no spatial pattern that could be attributed to the trial. The high proportion of unexplained variation may be due to site variables that have not been considered in this study.
Quantifying fire severity, carbon, and nitrogen emissions in Alaska's boreal forest
Authors: Boby Leslie A. , Schuur Edward A. G. , Mack Michelle C. , Verbyla David , Johnstone Jill F.
Published: August 2010

The boreal region stores a large proportion of the world's terrestrial carbon (C) and is subject to high‐intensity, stand‐replacing wildfires that release C and nitrogen (N) stored in biomass and soils through combustion. While severity and extent of fires drives overall emissions, methods for accurately estimating fire severity are poorly tested in this unique region where organic soil combustion is responsible for a large proportion of total emissions. We tested a method using adventitious roots on black spruce trees (Picea mariana) in combination with canopy allometry to reconstruct prefire organic soil layers and canopy biomass in boreal black spruce forests of Alaska (USA), thus providing a basis for more accurately quantifying fire severity levels. We calibrated this adventitious‐root‐height method in unburned spruce stands and then tested it by comparing our biomass and soils estimates reconstructed in burned stands with actual prefire stand measurements. We applied this approach to 38 black spruce stands burned in 2004 in Alaska, where we measured organic soil and stand characteristics and estimated the amount of soil and canopy biomass, as well as C and N pools, consumed by fire. These high‐intensity quantitative estimates of severity were significantly correlated to a semiquantitative visual rapid assessment tool, the composite burn index (CBI). This index has proved useful for assessing fire severity in forests in the western United States but has not yet been widely tested in the boreal forest. From our study, we conclude that using postfire measurements of adventitious roots on black spruce trees in combination with soils and tree data can be used to reconstruct prefire organic soil depths and biomass pools, providing accurate estimates of fire severity and emissions. Furthermore, using our quantitative reconstruction we show that CBI is a reasonably good predictor of biomass and soil C loss at these sites, and it shows promise for rapidly estimating fire severity across a wide range of boreal black spruce forest types, especially where the use of high‐intensity measurements may be limited by cost and time.
Population‐specific vital rate contributions influence management of an endangered ungulate
Authors: Johnson Heather E. , Mills L. Scott , Stephenson Thomas R. , Wehausen John D.
Published: August 2010

To develop effective management strategies for the recovery of threatened and endangered species, it is critical to identify those vital rates (survival and reproductive parameters) responsible for poor population performance and those whose increase will most efficiently change a population's trajectory. In actual application, however, approaches identifying key vital rates are often limited by inadequate demographic data, by unrealistic assumptions of asymptotic population dynamics, and of equal, infinitesimal changes in mean vital rates. We evaluated the consequences of these limitations in an analysis of vital rates most important in the dynamics of federally endangered Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis sierrae). Based on data collected from 1980 to 2007, we estimated vital rates in three isolated populations, accounting for sampling error, variance, and covariance. We used analytical sensitivity analysis, life‐stage simulation analysis, and a novel non‐asymptotic simulation approach to (1) identify vital rates that should be targeted for subspecies recovery; (2) assess vital rate patterns of endangered bighorn sheep relative to other ungulate populations; (3) evaluate the performance of asymptotic vs. non‐asymptotic models for meeting short‐term management objectives; and (4) simulate management scenarios for boosting bighorn sheep population growth rates. We found wide spatial and temporal variation in bighorn sheep vital rates, causing rates to vary in their importance to different populations. As a result, Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep exhibited population‐specific dynamics that did not follow theoretical expectations or those observed in other ungulates. Our study suggests that vital rate inferences from large, increasing, or healthy populations may not be applicable to those that are small, declining, or endangered. We also found that, while asymptotic approaches were generally applicable to bighorn sheep conservation planning, our non‐asymptotic population models yielded unexpected results of importance to managers. Finally, extreme differences in the dynamics of individual bighorn sheep populations imply that effective management strategies for endangered species recovery may often need to be population‐specific.