bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification and localization of the sperm CRISP family protein CiUrabin involved in gamete interaction in the ascidian Ciona intestinalis
Authors: Yamaguchi Akira , Saito Takako , Yamada Lixy , Taniguchi Hisaaki , Harada Yoshito , Sawada Hitoshi
Published: May 2011

Ascidians are hermaphrodites, and most release sperm and eggs nearly simultaneously. Many species, including Halocynthia roretzi and Ciona intestinalis, are self‐sterile. We previously reported that the interaction between a 12 EGF‐like repeat‐containing vitelline‐coat (VC) protein, HrVC70, and a sperm GPI‐anchored CRISP, HrUrabin, in lipid rafts plays a key role in self‐/nonself‐recognizable gamete interaction in H. roretzi. On the other hand, we recently identified two pairs of polymorphic genes responsible for self‐incompatibility in C. intestinalis by positional cloning: The sperm polycystin 1‐like receptors s‐Themis‐A/B and its fibrinogen‐like ligand v‐Themis‐A/B on the VC. However, it is not known if the orthologs of HrVC70 and HrUrabin also participate in gamete interaction in C. intestinalis since they are from different orders. Here, we tested for a C. intestinalis ortholog (CiUrabin) of HrUrabin by searching the genome database and proteomes of sperm lipid rafts. The identified CiUrabin belongs to the CRISP family, with a PR domain and a GPI‐anchor‐attachment site. CiUrabin appears to be specifically expressed in the testis and localized at the surface of the sperm head, as revealed by Northern blotting and immunocytochemistry, respectively. The specific interaction between CiVC57, a C. intestinalis ortholog of HrVC70, and CiUrabin was confirmed by Far Western analysis, similarly to the interaction between HrVC70 and HrUrabin. The molecular interaction between CiVC57 and CiUrabin may be involved in the primary binding of sperm to the VC prior to the allorecognition process, mediated by v‐Themis‐A/B and s‐Themis‐A/B, during fertilization of C. intestinalis. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 78:488–497, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Two‐dimensional phase correction method for single and multi‐shot echo planar imaging
Authors: Zur Yuval
Published: May 2011

Ghost artifacts are a serious issue in single and multi‐shot echo planar imaging. Because of these coherent artifacts, it is essential to consistently suppress the ghosts. In this article, we present a phase correction algorithm that achieves excellent ghost suppression for single and multi‐shot echo planar imaging. The phase correction is performed along both the x (read) direction and y (phase) direction. To this end, we apply a double field of view prescan and compute the phase required for ghost suppression. This phase is fitted to a 2D polynomial. The fitted phase is used to correct the echo planar imaging images. The correction algorithm can be used with any readout gradient polarities and any number of shots. A flow chart of the correction method is provided to better clarify the full process. Finally, phantom and volunteer images demonstrate the improvement of artifact suppression obtained with this algorithm over conventional phase correction methods. Magn Reson Med, 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Magnetic and relaxation properties of multifunctional polymer‐based nanostructured bioferrofluids as MRI contrast agents
Authors: Amiri Houshang , Bustamante Rodney , Millán Angel , Silva Nuno J.O. , Piñol Rafael , Gabilondo Lierni , Palacio Fernando , Arosio Paolo , Corti Maurizio , Lascialfari Alessandro
Published: May 2011

A series of maghemite/polymer composite ferrofluids with variable magnetic core size, which show a good efficiency as MRI contrast agents, are presented. These ferrofluids are biocompatible and can be proposed as possible platforms for multifunctional biomedical applications, as they contain anchoring groups for biofunctionalization, can incorporate fluorescent dyes, and have shown low cellular toxicity. The magnetic properties of the ferrofluids have been determined by means of magnetization and ac susceptibility measurements as a function of temperature and frequency. The NMR dispersion profiles show that the low frequency behavior of the longitudinal relaxivity r1 is well described by the heuristic model of 1H nuclear relaxation induced by superparamagnetic nanoparticles proposed by Roch and co‐workers. The contrast efficiency parameter, i.e., the nuclear transverse relaxivity r2, for samples with d > 10 nm assumes values comparable with or better than the ones of commercial samples, the best results obtained in particles with the biggest magnetic core, d = 15 nm. The contrast efficiency results are confirmed by in vitro MRI experiments at ν = 8.5 MHz, thus allowing us to propose a set of optimal microstructural parameters for multifunctional ferrofluids to be used in MRI medical diagnosis. Magn Reson Med, 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A flexible 32‐channel receive array combined with a homogeneous transmit coil for human lung imaging with hyperpolarized 3He at 1.5 T
Authors: Deppe Martin H. , Parra‐Robles Juan , Marshall Helen , Lanz Titus , Wild Jim M.
Published: May 2011

Parallel imaging presents a promising approach for MRI of hyperpolarized nuclei, as the penalty in signal‐to‐noise ratio typically encountered with 1H MRI due to a reduction in acquisition time can be offset by an increase in flip angle. The signal‐to‐noise ratio of hyperpolarized MRI generally exhibits a strong dependence on flip angle, which makes a homogeneous B1+ transmit field desirable. This paper presents a flexible 32‐channel receive array for 3He human lung imaging at 1.5T designed for insertion into an asymmetric birdcage transmit coil. While the 32‐channel array allows parallel imaging at high acceleration factors, the birdcage transmit coil provides a homogeneous B1+ field. Decoupling between array elements is achieved by using a concentric shielding approach together with preamplifier decoupling. Coupling between transmit coil and array elements is low by virtue of a low geometric coupling coefficient, which is reduced further by the concentric shields in the array. The combination of the 32‐channel array and birdcage transmit coil provides 3He ventilation images of excellent quality with similar signal‐to‐noise ratio at acceleration factors R = 2 and R = 4, while maintaining a homogeneous B1+. Magn Reson Med, 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Origins of the ultrashort‐T21H NMR signals in myelinated nerve: A direct measure of myelin content?
Authors: Horch R. Adam , Gore John C. , Does Mark D.
Published: May 2011

Recently developed MRI techniques have enabled clinical imaging of short‐lived 1H NMR signals with T2 < 1 ms. Using these techniques, novel signal enhancement has been observed in myelinated tissues, although the source of this enhancement has not been identified. Herein, we report studies of the nature and origins of ultrashort T2 (uT2) signals (50 μs < T2 < 1 ms) from amphibian and mammalian myelinated nerves. NMR measurements and comparisons with myelin phantoms and expected myelin components indicate that these uT2 signals arise predominantly from methylene 1H on/in the myelin membranes, which suggests that direct measurement of uT2 signals can be used as a new means for quantitative myelin mapping. Magn Reson Med, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Estimation of liver T*2 in transfusion‐related iron overload in patients with weighted least squares T*2 IDEAL
Authors: Vasanawala Shreyas S. , Yu Huanzhou , Shimakawa Ann , Jeng Michael , Brittain Jean H.
Published: May 2011

MRI imaging of hepatic iron overload can be achieved by estimating T2* values using multiple‐echo sequences. The purpose of this work is to develop and clinically evaluate a weighted least squares algorithm based on T2* Iterative Decomposition of water and fat with Echo Asymmetry and Least‐squares estimation (IDEAL) technique for volumetric estimation of hepatic T2* in the setting of iron overload. The weighted least squares T2* IDEAL technique improves T2* estimation by automatically decreasing the impact of later, noise‐dominated echoes. The technique was evaluated in 37 patients with iron overload. Each patient underwent (i) a standard 2D multiple‐echo gradient echo sequence for T2* assessment with nonlinear exponential fitting, and (ii) a 3D T2* IDEAL technique, with and without a weighted least squares fit. Regression and Bland–Altman analysis demonstrated strong correlation between conventional 2D and T2* IDEAL estimation. In cases of severe iron overload, T2* IDEAL without weighted least squares reconstruction resulted in a relative overestimation of T2* compared with weighted least squares. Magn Reson Med, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Chronic inflammatory lumbosacral polyradiculopathy: A regional variant of CIDP
Authors: Caporale Christina M. , Staedler Claudio , Gobbi Claudio , Bassetti Claudio L. , Uncini Antonino
Published: May 2011

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) affects various components and segments of the peripheral nervous system differently, and thus there can be phenotypic heterogeneity. We report a 47‐year‐old woman with chronic sensory disturbances and proximal weakness limited to the legs. Motor and sensory nerve conduction studies were normal. Somatosensory evoked potentials and imaging indicated a demyelinating process involving the lumbosacral roots. The patient responded favorably to IVIg. Although she did not fulfill the diagnostic criteria for CIDP we believe this patient represents a restricted regional CIDP variant. Muscle Nerve, 2011
Sural‐to‐radial amplitude ratio in the diagnosis of diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy
Authors: Barnett Carolina , Perkins Bruce A. , Ngo Mylan , Todorov Slavko , Leung Rita , Bril Vera
Published: May 2011

In this investigation we measured sural and radial sensory potentials and the sural/radial amplitude ratio (SRAR) in 49 patients with diabetes and diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSP) according to consensus criteria. Forty‐five (92%) of the patients had a Toronto Clinical Neuropathy Score (TCNS) ≤5, which is consistent with a diagnosis of DSP. Using a threshold for SRAR of <0.21, we found no advantage of using the SRAR over the sural nerve potential amplitude alone in sensitivity for identification of DSP. Muscle Nerve 45: 126–, 2012
Stochastic analysis of unsaturated seepage through randomly heterogeneous earth embankments
Authors: Le Thi Minh Hue , Gallipoli Domenico , Sanchez Marcelo , Wheeler Simon J.
Published: May 2011

Spatial variability of material properties is inherent in both natural soil deposits and earth structures, yet it is often ignored during geotechnical design. With the objective of developing novel methods for assessing the effects of soil variability on groundwater flow, this study presents a stochastic finite element model of seepage through a flood defense embankment with randomly heterogeneous material properties. Stochastic modeling is undertaken by means of a Monte Carlo simulation which involves a large number of finite element analyses, each with randomly varied porosity at element level, which leads to a corresponding random variation of both permeability and water retention properties across the embankment domain. This provides a statistical distribution of responses, such as total flow rate and time to reach steady state, instead of a single deterministic result as in conventional studies of seepage through unsaturated heterogeneous soils. As the degree of heterogeneity increases, water tends to flow along the most permeable paths inside the soil mass, resulting in an irregular shape of the predicted wetting fronts and pore pressure contours. The mean and standard deviation of the computed quantities strongly depend on the statistics of the input porosity field. Simulations are also conducted to compare the statistical variation of flow rate with and without dependency of the water retention curve on porosity. With recent growth in computer speed, stochastic finite element models based on the Monte Carlo approach can become a powerful design tool, especially if a quantitative assessment of geotechnical risks is required. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Vitreous deformation during eye movement
Authors: Piccirelli Marco , Bergamin Oliver , Landau Klara , Boesiger Peter , Luechinger Roger
Published: May 2011

Retinal detachment results in visual loss and requires surgical treatment. The risk of retinal detachment depends, among other factors, on the vitreous rheology, which varies with age. To date, the viscoelasticity of the vitreous body has only been measured in cadaver eyes. However, the ex vivo and in vivo viscoelasticity may differ as a result of the effect of intravitreal membranes. Therefore, an MRI method and appropriate postprocessing tools were developed to determine the vitreous deformation and viscoelastic properties in the eyes of living humans. Nineteen subjects (eight women and 11 men; mean age, 33 years; age range, 14–62 years) gazed at a horizontal sinusoidal moving target during the segmented acquisition of complementary spatial modulation of magnetization images. The center of the lens and the scleral insertion of the optic nerve defined the imaging plane. The vitreous deformation was tracked with a dedicated algorithm and fitted with the commonly used viscoelastic model to determine the model parameters: the modified Womersley number a and the phase angle b. The vitreous deformation was successfully quantified in all 17 volunteers having a monophasic vitreous. The mean and standard deviation of the model parameters were determined to be 5.5 ± 1.3 for a and −2.3 ± 0.2 for b. The correlation coefficient (−0.76) between a and b was significant. At the eye movement frequency used, the mean storage and loss moduli of the vitreous were around 3 ± 1 hPa. For two subjects, the vitreous deformation was clearly polyphasic: some compartments of the vitreous were gel‐like and others were liquefied. The borders of these compartments corresponded to reported intravitreal membrane patterns. Thus, the deformation of the vitreous can now be determined in situ, leaving the structure of the intravitreal membranes intact. Their effect on vitreous dynamics challenges actual vitreous viscoelastic models. The determination of the vitreous deformation will aid in the quantification of local vitreous stresses and their correlation with retinal detachment. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A mixed and discontinuous Galerkin finite volume element method for incompressible miscible displacement problems in porous media
Authors: Kumar Sarvesh
Published: May 2011

The incompressible miscible displacement problem in porous media is modeled by a coupled system of two nonlinear partial differential equations, the pressure‐velocity equation and the concentration equation. In this article, we present a mixed finite volume element method for the approximation of pressure‐velocity equation and a discontinuous Galerkin finite volume element method for the concentration equation. A priori error estimates in L∞(L2) are derived for velocity, pressure, and concentration. Numerical results are presented to substantiate the validity of the theoretical results. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq, 2012
50th anniversary of the word “allosteric”
Authors: Changeux Jean‐Pierre
Published: May 2011

A brief historical account on the origin and meaning of the word “allosteric” is presented. The word was coined in an attempt to qualify the chemical mechanism of the feedback inhibition of bacterial enzymes by regulatory ligands. The data lead to the proposal that, at variance with the classical mechanism of mutual exclusion by steric hindrance, the inhibition takes place through an “allosteric” interaction between “no overlapping”, stereospecifically distinct, sites for substrate and feedback inhibitor, mediated by a discrete reversible alteration of the molecular structure of the protein.
Development of [Ile40]HTLV‐I protease inhibition assay using novel fluorogenic and chromogenic substrate
Authors: Kumada Henri‐Obadja , Nguyen Jeffrey‐Tri , Kakizawa Taeko , Hidaka Koushi , Kimura Tooru , Hayashi Yoshio , Kiso Yoshiaki
Published: May 2011

HTLV‐I is a debilitating and/or lethal retrovirus that causes HTLV‐I‐associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis, adult T‐cell leukemia and several inflammatory diseases. HTLV‐I protease is an aspartic retropepsin involved in HTLV‐I replication and its inhibition could treatHTLV‐I infection. A recombinant L40I mutant HTLV‐I protease was designed and obtained from Escherichia coli, self‐processingand purification by ion‐exchange chromatography. The protease was refolded by a one‐step dialysis and recovered activity. The cleavage efficiency of the [Ile40]HTLV‐I protease was at least 300 times higher for a fluorescent substratethan that of our previously reported recombinant His‐tagged non‐mutated HTLV‐I protease. In addition, we designed and synthesized a substrate containing a highly fluorescent Mca moiety in the fragment before the scissile bond, and a chromogenic p‐nitrophenylalanine moiety after the scissile bond that greatly amplified spectrometry detection and improved the HTLV‐I protease inhibition potency assay. The HTLV‐I protease inhibition assay with the [Ile40]HTLV‐I protease and fluorogenic substrate requires distinctively less protease, substrate, inhibitor and assay time than our previous methods. This means our new assay is more cost‐effective and more time‐efficient while being reproducible and less labor‐intensive. Copyright © 2011 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Chemical functional polymers for direct UV assisted nanoimprinting of polymeric photonic microring resonators
Authors: Kirchner Robert , Kaiser Marie‐Kathrin , Adolphi Barbara , Landgraf Rene , Fischer Wolf‐Joachim
Published: May 2011

We report the nanoimprinting of a microring resonator (MRR) and the development of a functional nanoimprint polymer as route toward selective MRR biosensors. A hybrid, residual layer‐free, UV assisted nanoimprint technique was used to pattern freestanding polymer waveguides with a resolution of 300 nm and an aspect ratio of 4:1. A low viscous, functional UV nanoimprint polymer was formulated with a hydroxyl functional acrylate monomer (4‐hydroxyl butyl acrylate, HBA). The functional polymer was characterized by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The added hydroxyl groups were found on the polymer surface and were accessible for selective binding of a fluorine tag (trifluoroacetic anhydride, TFAA). The density of the hydroxyl groups was tuned by the HBA concentration. A maximum hydroxyl group density of 8.4% was reached for 33.75 wt% HBA. The RMS surface roughness was 1.2–2.2 nm.

magnified image

Polymeric photonic MRR with superficial chemical functionalities for a subsequent biomolecule binding and application as a biosensor.
Comparison of internal friction and torsion strain spectra for the cubic–tetragonal transformation of PMN‐32PT crystal
Authors: Wu XiaoYi , Xiong XiaoMin , Tang XinGui , Zhao XiangYong , Luo HaoSu , Zhang JinXiu
Published: May 2011

Internal friction and torsion strain spectra are compared for PMN‐32PT crystal and it is found that the abrupt changes and random bouncing of the torsion strain are ascribed to a cubic–tetragonal transformation, which is accompanied by a large internal friction peak. This observation confirms that the cubic–tetragonal transformation of PMN‐32PT crystal is a burst‐type martensite transformation. We propose that it is caused by a parallel order–disorder transformation taken by the polar nanoregions (PNRs) inside PMN‐32PT, during which 90°‐domain twins inside the PNRs perform reorientations to satisfy the constraint of macroferroelectric domains.
55 nm gate ion‐implanted GaN‐HEMTs on sapphire and Si substrates
Authors: Katayose Hideo , Ohta Masanao , Nomoto Kazuki , Onojima Norio , Nakamura Tohru
Published: May 2011

This paper describes DC and RF characteristics of 55nm gate ion implanted GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) on sapphire and Si substrates. For DC characteristics, there is no difference in the ion implanted GaN HEMTs on a sapphire and a Si substrate, while RF characteristics are greatly influenced to substrates, especially the HEMTs on a Si substrate are influenced easily, because those have large parasitic capacitance between a substrate and a device compared with a sapphire substrate. The cut off frequency (fT) and the maximum oscillation frequency (fmax) of the HEMT on a sapphire substrate with the gate length (LG) of 55 nm were 108 and 146 GHz, respectively, which were higher than those of a Si substrate. By reducing the source‐drain distance (LSD) to 2 µm from 5 µm, the fT was increased up to 108 GHz from 88 GHz for the ion implanted GaN HEMTs on a sapphire substrate with the LG of 55 nm, whereas for a Si substrate, the fT was increased only 8 GHz. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Self‐aligned silicide gate GaN MISFETs with normally‐off operation
Authors: Taguchi Shinya , Hasegawa Kazuya , Nomoto Kazuki , Nakamura Tohru
Published: May 2011

We demonstrate normally‐off GaN MISFETs made by utilizing self‐alignment process using ion implantation and precisely controlled silicidation gate technologies. The fabrication technology is based on the silicon MOSFET process, but specific refined GaN device fabrication technology has been developed. The self‐aligned structures enable us to reduce source and drain parasitic resistance, which expect to improve in device characteristics.

To form shallow source and drain junctions which suppress the short channel effects, we selected the very low implantation energy of 30keV. The GaN MISFETs obtained Idss of 150 mA/mm, gmmax of 14 mS/mm and threshold voltage of +0.92 V. The Idss and gmmax are the highest value for the conventional GaN MISFETs ever reported. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Growth of Gd‐doped InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells and their characterization
Authors: Hasegawa Shigehiko , Kakimi Rina , Tawil Siti Nooraya Mohd , Krishnamurthy Daivasigamani , Zhou Yi‐Kai , Asahi Hajime
Published: May 2011

Gd‐doped InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) have been grown by ECR plasma‐assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The growth conditions of Gd‐doped InGaN were optimized by investigating the effects of the growth parameters (growth temperature, Ga and In fluxes). Based on the optimized growth condition, we have succeeded in growing both InGaGdN/GaN and InGaN/GaGdN MQWs. HR‐XRD and RSM measurements show that thin layers are preferred for MQWs with good crystalline quality, and that Gd‐doping into InGaN well regions prevents In atoms from incorporating into InGaN. Both InGaGdN/GaN and InGaN/GaGdN MQWs exhibit hysteresis in the magnetization curves at room temperature despite the very low concentrations of Gd. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Free‐standing GaN substrates fabricated by a combination of substrate fracturing and chemical lift‐off
Authors: Goto Hiroki , Lee Hyun‐Jae , Lee Seogwoo , Cho Meoung‐Whan , Yao Takafumi
Published: May 2011

Free‐standing GaN thick films are successfully fabricated by employing intentional mechanical fracturing of Al2O3 substrates during HVPE growth followed by chemical lift‐off of Al2O3 substrates after growth. To do so, thermal stress induced in the Al2O3 substrates and overgrown GaN layers are controlled by adjusting the thickness of the Al2O3 substrates. The grown layers however consist of multi domains, which deteriorate crystal quality. Domains coalesce to form larger domains as the growth proceed, which results in an improvement in crystal quality. Bending of free‐standing GaN thick layers is of concave shape and its typical bending radius is 2.5 m (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Pressure effect on crystal structure and superconductivity of La0.8Th0.2FeAsO
Authors: Kumar Ravhi S. , Antonio Daniel , Kanagaraj M. , Arumugam S. , Cornelius Andrew L. , Sinogeikin Stanislav , Prakash J. , Thakur Gohil S. , Ganguli A. K. , Hartmann Thomas , Zhao Yusheng
Published: May 2011

We have studied the effect of pressure on the superconducting transition temperature (Tc) of thorium doped La1–xThx FeAsO (x = 0.2) superconductor under hydrostatic pressures up to 1.6 GPa by resistivity and magnetization experiments. Application of pressure increases the Tc to 31 K with a positive pressure coefficient of ∼1 K/GPa. Low temperature X‐ray diffraction studies performed at 7.8 K at high pressures show no pressure induced structural changes and the tetragonal P4/nmm structure is found to persist up to 31 GPa. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
SPATIAL RELATIONS OF TOPOGRAPHY, LITHOLOGY AND WATER QUALITY IN A LARGE RIVER FLOODPLAIN
Authors: Schilling K. E. , Jacobson P.
Published: May 2011

Floodplains exert important controls on water and nutrient processing, yet spatial heterogeneities in floodplain characteristics result in variable effectiveness. In this study, we evaluated the spatial relations among topographic, lithologic and water quality features within the Cedar River floodplain located in southeastern Iowa. Floodplain topography and lithology were dominated by a series of sandy ridges and fine‐textured swales typical of a natural meandering river floodplain complex. Groundwater sampling results from 10 monitoring wells placed in representative ridge and swale environments indicated that water quality varied systematically. Beneath sand‐dominated ridges, water was aerobic and had low specific conductance, and higher concentration of NO3–N and lower concentrations of PO4–P and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Groundwater beneath swales was anaerobic and typified by high specific conductance, and higher concentrations of NH4–N, PO4–P and DOC. We extrapolated the results from point measurements to the entire floodplain area using surface geophysics and light detection and ranging using co‐kriging to map the distribution of groundwater geochemical environments at the study site. Results are seen to provide an approach to better predict shallow groundwater quality in large river floodplains and improve our ability to manage ecosystem services in these strategic locations. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Towards a goal‐driven approach to action selection in self‐adaptive software
Authors: Salehie Mazeiar , Tahvildari Ladan
Published: May 2011

Self‐adaptive software is a closed‐loop system, since it continuously monitors its context (i.e. environment) and/or self (i.e. software entities) in order to adapt itself properly to changes. We believe that representing adaptation goals explicitly and tracing them at run‐time are helpful in decision making for adaptation. While goal‐driven models are used in requirements engineering, they have not been utilized systematically yet for run‐time adaptation. To address this research gap, this article focuses on the deciding process in self‐adaptive software, and proposes the Goal‐Action‐Attribute Model (GAAM). An action selection mechanism, based on cooperative decision making, is also proposed that uses GAAM to select the appropriate adaptation action(s). The emphasis is on building a light‐weight and scalable run‐time model which needs less design and tuning effort comparing with a typical rule‐based approach. The GAAM and action selection mechanism are evaluated using a set of experiments on a simulated multi‐tier enterprise application, and two sample ordinal and cardinal action preference lists. The evaluation is accomplished based on a systematic design of experiment and a detailed statistical analysis in order to investigate several research questions. The findings are promising, considering the obtained results, and other impacts of the approach on engineering self‐adaptive software. Although, one case study is not enough to generalize the findings, and the proposed mechanism does not always outperform a typical rule‐based approach, less effort, scalability, and flexibility of GAAM are remarkable. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Survival Function and Protein Malnutrition in Burns Patients at a Rural Hospital in Africa
Authors: Kingu H. J. , Longo‐Mbenza Benjamin , Dhaffala A. , Mazwai E. L.
Published: May 2011

Background

The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence of acute malnutrition and to identify predictors of case fatality among burn patients in the poorest South African province, Eastern Cape.

Methods

This longitudinal follow‐up study was conducted among consecutive burn patients admitted to Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital, Mthatha, South Africa, between 2006 and 2008. Patients were monitored and treated daily from admission to discharge. Outcomes were acute protein malnutrition and mortality. Patients’ demography, total body surface area (TBSA) of the burn, cause of the burn, weight, height, location of the burn, hemoglobin, serum albumin, wound infection, and antibiotics after culture and sensitivity results were the potential predictors of in‐hospital mortality. A Cox’s proportional hazards model for the time to death was then used to identify independent predictors of mortality after adjusting for confounding factors. Kaplan–Meier survival curves were generated for each arm of exposure status.

Results

In all, 67 patients (35 males, 59 children) were studied. The mean (range) age was 8 ± 12 years (1 month to 59 years). The cumulative incidence of acute malnutrition was 62.0% (n = 42): 46.3% (n = 31) at admission and 15.7% (n = 11) after 7 days of hospitalization. Incidence of mortality was 16.4% (n = 11 with in‐hospital acute malnutrition). The only significant and independent predictors of mortality were total body surface area (TBSA) burn >40% [hazard ratio (HR) 10.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.7–63; P < 0.01] and affected anterior trunk (HR 4.4, 95% CI 1.3–14.7; P = 0.018).

Conclusions

Urgent prevention strategies of burns and evidence‐based practice with early nutritional supplementation are needed to reduce high rates of malnutrition and mortality.
Reversal of inflammatory pain by HSV‐1‐mediated overexpression of enkephalin in the caudal ventrolateral medulla
Authors: Martins I. , Cabral L. , Pinto A. , Wilson S.P. , Lima D. , Tavares I.
Published: May 2011

Targeting supraspinal pain control centers by gene transfer is known to induce sustained analgesia. In this study, we evaluated the effects of injecting a Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 vector which expresses enkephalin (HSV‐ENK vector) in the lateralmost part of the caudal ventrolateral medulla (VLMlat), a pain control center that exerts mainly descending inhibitory effects on pain modulation. Overexpression of enkephalin at the VLMlat reduced the number of flinches during the early and delayed phases of the formalin test and decreased c‐fos expression in the spinal cord. These antinociceptive effects were detected at 2 and 10 days after injection of HSV‐ENK in the VLMlat and were completely reversed by local administration of naloxone. Virally driven‐enkephalin was expressed from transduced neurons located in the VLMlat and, at lower extent, in the rostral ventromedial medulla. Our results show that HSV‐mediated expression of enkephalin in the VLMlat induced antinociceptive effects, likely due to an enhancement of the opioidergic input to the VLMlat which accounted for descending inhibition of the nociceptive transmission at the spinal cord. This study also demonstrates the value of HSV‐1 derived vectors to manipulate, in a sustained and directed manner, pain modulatory pathways in the brain, which is important in the study of supraspinal pain control circuits.
Comparison of insight among schizophrenia and bipolar disorder patients in remission of affective and positive symptoms: Analysis and critique
Authors: Braw Y. , Sitman R. , Sela T. , Erez G. , Bloch Y. , Levkovitz Y.
Published: May 2011

Background

Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are associated with impairments in insight, leading to a poorer clinical outcome and functioning. Earlier studies comparing the two disorders on the basis of insight included inpatients or patients who were clinically symptomatic. The current study therefore assessed patients in remission of affective symptoms and positive symptoms of schizophrenia.

Methods

Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder patients (n= 32,n= 34; respectively) underwent clinical and functional evaluations. Insight was assessed using the Scale to assess Unawareness of Mental Disorder (SUMD) and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Attention was assessed using a continuous performance task (CANTAB's Rapid Visual Information Processing).

Results

Schizophrenia patients displayed poorer insight into having a mental disorder and into the social consequences thereof compared to the bipolar disorder patients. They were also less aware of their anhedonia-asociality. Age, however, was significantly correlated with insight and differences in insight between the patient groups became nonsignificant when age was used as a covariate in the statistical analyses. Age was not a moderating variable of the relationship between diagnosis and insight.

Conclusions

Significant differences in insight held by the two patient groups might be related to age disparities between patient groups. Earlier studies did not adequately address these age differences, their cause and their potential effects on findings. These issues are explored with regard to the findings of the current study, as well as earlier studies, emphasizing the need for further research of the relationship between age and insight.
Effect of carbon dioxide inhalation on pulmonary hypertension induced by increased blood flow and hypoxia
Authors: Chuang I‐Chun , Yang Rei‐Cheng , Chou Shah‐Hwa , Huang Li‐Ru , Tsai Tsen‐Ni , Dong Huei‐Ping , Huang Ming‐Shyan
Published: May 2011

There is now increasing evidence from the experimental and clinical setting that therapeutic hypercapnia from intentionally inspired carbon dioxide (CO2) or lower tidal volume might be a beneficial adjunct to the strategies of mechanical ventilation in critical illness. Although previous reports indicate that CO2 exerts a beneficial effect in the lungs, the pulmonary vascular response to hypercapnia under various conditions remains to be clarified. The purpose of the present study is to characterize the pulmonary vascular response to CO2 under the different conditions of pulmonary hypertension secondary to increased pulmonary blood flow and secondary to hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction. Isolated rat lung (n = 32) was used to study (1) the vasoactive action of 5% CO2 in either N2 (hypoxic‐hypercapnia) or air (normoxic‐hypercapnia) at different pulmonary arterial pressure levels induced by graded speed of perfusion flow and (2) the role of nitric oxide (NO) in mediating the pulmonary vascular response to hypercapnia, hypoxia, and flow‐associated pulmonary hypertension. The results indicated that inhaled CO2 reversed pulmonary hypertension induced by hypoxia but not by flow alteration. Endogenous NO attenuates hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction but does not augment the CO2‐induced vasodilatation. Acute change in blood flow does not alter the endogenous NO production.
Non-normality and internal flame dynamics in premixed flame–acoustic interaction
Authors: SUBRAMANIAN PRIYA , SUJITH R. I.
Published: May 2011

This paper investigates the non-normal nature of premixed flame–acoustic interaction. The thermoacoustic system is modelled using the acoustic equations for momentum and energy, together with the equation for the evolution of the flame front obtained from the kinematicG-equation. As the unsteady heat addition acts as a volumetric source, the flame front is modelled as a distribution of monopole sources. Evolutions of the system are characterized with a measure of energy due to fluctuations. In addition to the acoustic energy, the energy due to fluctuations considered in the present paper accounts for the energy of the monopole sources. The linearized operator for this thermoacoustic system is non-normal, leading to non-orthogonality of its eigenvectors. Non-orthogonal eigenvectors can cause transient growth even when all the eigenvectors are decaying. Therefore, classical linear stability theory cannot predict the finite-time transient growth observed in non-normal systems. In the present model, the state space variables include the monopole source strengths in addition to the acoustic variables. Inclusion of these variables in the state space is essential to account for the transient growth due to non-normality. A parametric study of the variation in transient growth due to change in parameters such as flame location and flame angle is performed. In addition to projections along the acoustic variables of velocity and pressure, the optimal initial condition for the self-evolving system has significant projections along the strength of the monopole distribution. Comparison of linear and corresponding nonlinear evolutions highlights the role of transient growth in subcritical transition to instability. The notion of phase between acoustic pressure and heat release rate as an indicator of stability is examined.
Caught in the Draft: The Effects of Vietnam Draft Lottery Status on Political Attitudes
Authors: ERIKSON ROBERT S. , STOKER LAURA
Published: May 2011

The 1969 Vietnam draft lottery assigned numbers to birth dates in order to determine which young men would be called to fight in Vietnam. We exploit this natural experiment to examine how draft vulnerability influenced political attitudes. Data are from the Political Socialization Panel Study, which surveyed high school seniors from the class of 1965 before and after the national draft lottery was instituted. Males holding low lottery numbers became more antiwar, more liberal, and more Democratic in their voting compared to those whose high numbers protected them from the draft. They were also more likely than those with safe numbers to abandon the party identification that they had held as teenagers. Trace effects are found in reinterviews from the 1990s. Draft number effects exceed those for preadult party identification and are not mediated by military service. The results show how profoundly political attitudes can be transformed when public policies directly affect citizens' lives.
American Postwar “Big Religion”: Reconceptualizing Twentieth-Century American Religion Using Big Science as a Model
Authors: Zeller Benjamin E.
Published: May 2011

This article traces the basic qualities of big science and applies them to the history of what I envision as “big religion.” Big religion offers a model for understanding several developments in mid-century American religious history, including religious revival within the mainline churches and synagogues, an evangelical resurgence, and various forms of backlash as well. Like big science, big religion peaked during the postwar era (though it built on earlier foundations) and is characterized by heightened institutionalization, professionalization, centralization of knowledge, government entanglements, and public support, as well as opposition. With big science as a guide, the concept of big religion offers historians of American religion an analogous manner of understanding the development of institutions, individuals, and movements within American religion, as well as responses and backlashes against them, as part of the same overarching phenomenon.
Introduction
Authors: Finch Martha L.
Published: May 2011

It has been more than one hundred years since the American Society of Church History (ASCH) began publishing its Papers in 1889, followed in 1932 by the journal Church History. To commemorate these one hundred–plus years of publication, the History of Christianity Section of the American Academy of Religion (AAR) invited four current and past editors of Church History and, for an “outsider's” perspective, one historian who has not served as editor to participate in a panel discussion at the AAR's 2009 annual meeting in Montreal. We asked the panelists to look back on changes to Church History over time and how those changes have both mirrored and stimulated changes in the broader field of history of Christianity. We also wanted them to reflect on where they see scholarship in the field headed in the next five years or so.
From Unity to Locality
Authors: Corrigan John
Published: May 2011

In 1932, Shirley Jackson Case, a recent president of the American Society of Church History, summarized the activities of the “The Church History Deputation to the Orient” by rehearsing some of the questions that the visiting scholars asked of their colleagues in Asia. Among those queries were these: “What service is the study of Church History as a whole rendering to Christianity today in your country? Could this service be improved, and, if so, in what practical way?” For Case and others, the study of church history was directly related to the practice of Christianity. To research, publish, and teach church history was to serve Christianity.
Structural changes and immunohistochemical localisation of epidermal growth factor receptor in the true vocal fold of female albino rats administered anabolic, androgenic steroids, and effects of anti-androgen therapy
Authors: Amer H E , Asker S A , Mazroa S A
Published: May 2011

Background:

Anabolic steroid abuse by women is associated with a number of adverse effects, including laryngeal changes. The epidermal growth factor receptor is related to regulation of the cell life cycle. This study aimed to investigate the structural changes and immunohistochemical localisation of epidermal growth factor receptor in rat vocal folds following anabolic steroid administration, and also to assess the effect of anti-androgens.

Material and methods:

Thirty-two adult female albino rats were divided into: group I (controls), group II (receiving anabolic steroids for two months) or group III (receiving anabolic steroids plus anti-androgen for two months).

Results:

Group II rat true vocal folds showed thicker epithelial layers with many mitotic figures, thicker lamina propria and thicker muscle fibres; epithelial cells were also immunohistochemically positive for epidermal growth factor receptor. Group III rats showed similar changes, but thin muscle fibres and extravasated red blood cells within the lamina propria.

Conclusion:

Anabolic steroids caused structural and immunohistochemical changes within the female rat true vocal fold. Co-administration of anti-androgens did not prevent these changes, suggesting that anti-androgens have a limited role in the management of such changes in humans.
Drug-free patients with major depression show an increased electrophysiological response to valid and invalid feedback
Authors: Mies G. W. , van der Veen F. M. , Tulen J. H. M. , Birkenhäger T. K. , Hengeveld M. W. , van der Molen M. W.
Published: May 2011

Background

Depressed patients are biased in their response to negative information. They have been found to show a maladaptive behavioral and aberrant electrophysiological response to negative feedback. The aim of this study was to investigate the behavioral and electrophysiological response to feedback validity in drug-free depressed patients.

Method

Fifteen drug-free in-patients with unipolar major depression disorder (MDD) and 30 demographically matched controls performed a time-estimation task in which they received valid and invalid (i.e. related and unrelated to performance) positive and negative feedback. The number of behavioral adjustments to the feedback and the feedback-related negativity (FRN) were measured.

Results

Patients made fewer correct adjustments after valid negative feedback than controls, and their FRNs were larger. Neither patients nor controls adjusted their time estimates following invalid negative feedback.

Conclusions

The FRN results suggest that depressed drug-free in-patients have an atypical rostral anterior cingulate response to feedback that is independent of feedback validity. Their behavioral response to invalid negative feedback, however, is not impaired. This study confirms the notion that the behavioral responses of depressed individuals to negative feedback are context dependent.
Results of early foetal echocardiography and cumulative detection rate of congenital heart disease
Authors: Hartge David R. , Weichert Jan , Krapp Martin , Germer Ute , Gembruch Ulrich , Axt-Fliedner Roland
Published: May 2011

Objective

The aim of this study is to evaluate the cumulative detection rate of foetal echocardiography during gestation and in the early neonatal period, with a special emphasis on early foetal echocardiography.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective survey of all singleton pregnancies from 1993 to 2007, with complete sequential echocardiography from 11 plus 0 to 13 plus 6 weeks of gestation. It was mandatory to have at least one foetal echocardiography in the second or third trimester and one postnatally.

Results

Our study included 3521 pregnancies, in which 77 cases were diagnosed with congenital heart disease. Of them, 66 were detected in the first trimester – 11 plus 0 to 11 plus 6 weeks: 22 cases; 12 plus 0 to 12 plus 6 weeks: 23 cases; 13 plus 0 to 13 plus 6 weeks: 21 cases – with an 85.7% detection rate of congenital heart disease in early foetal echocardiography. In the second trimester, seven cases were found, with a detection rate of 9.1%. The third trimester reported two cases, with a detection rate of 2.6%. Postnatally, two (2.6%) cases were detected. The overall in utero detection rate of congenital heart disease was 97.4%.

Conclusions

Foetal echocardiography performed at the time of anomaly screening in the first trimester results in high detection rates of congenital heart disease. Cardiac pathology may evolve, and further examinations at later stages of pregnancy could improve the detection rate of congenital heart disease.
Follow-up of tetralogy of Fallot patients: tertiary centre versus satellite clinic
Authors: Hancock Friesen Camille L. , Robertson Mark , Liu David , Burton Haley , Fleming Katherine , Jackson Simon , Warren Andrew E.
Published: May 2011

Background

Canadian Cardiovascular Society consensus guidelines recommend that tetralogy of Fallot patients be seen by a congenital cardiologist every 2 years. In Atlantic Canada, tetralogy of Fallot patients are followed up at either tertiary or satellite clinics, which are held in the community and attended by paediatric cardiologists. The effectiveness of satellite clinics in congenital cardiac disease follow-up is unproven. Our objective was to compare patient-reported quality of life measures to determine whether these were impacted by the site of follow-up.

Methods

We included patients with tetralogy of Fallot undergoing surgical repair at the Izaak Walton Killam Health Centre from 1 November, 1972 to 31 May, 2002. Quality of life surveys, SF-10 or SF-36v2, were administered to consenting patients. We analysed the subjective health status by patient age and site of follow-up.

Results

Of the 184 eligible patients, 72 were lost to follow-up. Of the locatable patients, 61% completed the questionnaires. In all, 90% (101 out of 112) were followed up at recommended intervals. Of the 112 (68%) patients, 76 were followed up at a tertiary clinic. These patients were older, with a mean age of 18.4 years versus 14.7 years, and scored higher on the SF-36 physical component summary (52.6 versus 45.7, p = 0.02) compared with satellite clinic patients. The SF-36 mental component summary scores were similar for patients regardless of the site of follow-up. SF-10 physical and psychosocial scores were similar regardless of the site of follow-up.

Conclusion

Tetralogy of Fallot patients followed at either satellite or tertiary clinics have similar subjective health status.
Opening technology's door: perils and possibilities
Authors: Adams Nicholas
Published: May 2011

While waiting for class two years ago one of my students looked at the back of the room where two unused slide projectors stood. ‘But’, he wondered out loud – having no history of comparative slide projection – ‘how come you have two of them?’ His remark speaks directly to the rapid change from print to pixel and about the transformation of the lecture room, the place where this change has been most sharply felt: pixels are our daily habit, our night-time curse, and our weekend distraction.