bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phosphorylated Akt up‐regulates angiotensin II type‐1 receptor expression in castration resistant prostate cancer
Authors: Kosaka Takeo , Miyajima Akira , Shirotake Suguru , Kikuchi Eiji , Oya Mototsugu
Published: February 2011

BACKGROUND

Accumulating evidences has suggested that the renin‐angiotensin system (RAS) participates in the regulation of tumor angiogenesis. We previously demonstrated that castration‐resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) showed significantly higher angiotensin II (Ang II) type‐1 receptor (AT1R) expression, and that AT1R blockade (ARB) exerted protective effects by inhibiting angiogenesis. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms for the increase of AT1R expression in CRPC has not been fully elucidated yet.

METHODS

In this study we used C4‐2 and C4‐2AT6 cells, which were PTEN‐null, androgen receptor (AR) positive, PSA‐producing CRPC cell lines. We investigated the association between phosphorylated Akt (pAkt) and AT1R expression, and used LY294002 as a PI3K/Akt inhibitor.

RESULTS

Western blot analysis revealed C4‐2AT6 cells showed significantly higher pAkt expression than C4‐2 cells, although there were no significant differences in total Akt (tAkt) expression. Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis also revealed significant higher pAkt expression in C4‐2AT6 tumors obtained from castrated male nude mice. These results indicated that C4‐2AT6 cells acquired elevated pAkt status under androgen‐ablated treatment in vitro. Treatment with LY294002 at the same dose reduced the viability of C4‐2AT6 more effectively than that of C4‐2, reflecting the dependency of cancer cells on PI3K/Akt pathway. The up‐regulated AT1R expression in C4‐2AT6 cells was reduced by LY294002 in a dose‐dependent manner. On the other hand, in C4‐2 cells, serum starvation induced pAkt up‐regulation, which led to an increase of AT1R expression.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicated that up‐regulation of pAkt contributed to elevated AT1R expression in CRPC. Prostate 71:1510–1517, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A facile approach for synthesis and in situ modification of onion‐like carbon with molybdenum carbide
Authors: Du Jianping , Zhao Ruihua , Zhu Zhenping
Published: February 2011

Uniform small onion‐like carbon (OLC) modified with molybdenum carbide has been synthesized by a one‐step process, using detonation‐assisted chemical vapor deposition. The obtained material was characterized by transmission electron microscope, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X‐ray diffraction. The results show that the OLC have almost perfect onion structures containing about 7–10 closed shells and exhibit a narrow distribution of 4–6 nm when the C/Mo ratio is about 150. The hexagonal molybdenum carbide (Mo2C) is dispersed on the surface of OLC. The size of OLC can be controlled by adjusting the C/Mo ratios. The formation mechanism of the nanocomposites of OLC and Mo2C is briefly discussed.
Reproducible resistive‐switching behavior in copper‐nitride thin film prepared by plasma‐immersion ion implantation
Authors: Lu Qian , Zhang Xin , Zhu Wei , Zhou Yongning , Zhou Qianfei , Liu Lilong , Wu Xiaojing
Published: February 2011

Copper nitride film prepared by plasma‐immersion ion implantation (PIII) is demonstrated to exhibit reversible resistance variance character. By forming a gradually distributed nitrogen concentration in the Cu‐nitride film, the nitride‐based memory devices show bipolar nature with a low operation voltage, forming‐free characteristics and a distinguishable resistance ratio. The bipolar switching behavior is attributed to the formation and rupture of conductive filaments within a cycle, which is confirmed by spreading‐resistance images of a conducting atomic force microscope. Based on X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis, semiconducting Cu3N phase and metallic Cu4N phase coexist in the copper nitride film and local conducting filaments might be formed by interconnection of the metallic phases by migration of Cu+ ions under a bias voltage.
Comparison of fitting procedures in the study of plasma‐induced defect formation in carbon nanotubes
Authors: Lee Szetsen , Peng Jr‐Wei
Published: February 2011

We have adopted different fitting procedures to study the Raman dispersion behavior of the G′ band in plasma‐treated multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Our analysis shows that the trend of the G′ band dispersion is related to the presence of defects in the MWCNTs. The intensity ratio dispersions involving the $G'_{21} $, $G'_{32} $, $G'_{41} $, and $G'_{42} $ components of the G band behave in a similar way to the well known D to G band ratio ($D/G$), which is a good criterion for estimating the defect content in MWCNTs. The $G'_{21} $, $G'_{32} $, $G'_{41} $, and $G'_{42} $ peaks are shown to belong to the lower‐frequency components of the G′ band by using two‐, three‐, and four‐peak fitting procedures. Conversely, the higher‐frequency components $G'_{22} $, $G'_{33} $, $G'_{43} $, and $G'_{44} $ behave like the G band and are related to the non‐defect content. Consequently, the intensity ratios $G'_{21} /G'_{22} $, $G'_{32} /G'_{33} $, and $G'_{41 + 42} /G'_{43 + 44} $ show the same dispersion behavior as that of $D/G$. The difference of band position between the high and low frequency G′ band components is found to be sensitive to plasma treatment.
Preface: Phys. Status Solidi C 8/2
Authors: Hirayama Yoshiro , Fujita Shizuo
Published: February 2011

The present issue of physica status solidi contains the papers presented at the 37th International Symposium on Compound Semiconductors (ISCS 2010). The symposium was held in Takamatsu, Kagawa, Japan, May 31–June 4, 2010. This symposium was one in an annual series that is held throughout North America, Europe and Asia. The last three conferences were held in Santa Barbara, USA (2009), Rust, Germany (2008) and Kyoto, Japan (2007).

The symposium, which began in 1966 under the name “International Symposium on GaAs and Related Compounds” has a long standing tradition in science, technology, and applications of compound semiconductors. At the 2010 conference, 11 subcommittees (Growth and Nanostructure Formation; Electron Devices; Photonic Devices; New Properties and Physics; Spintronics; Nanocharacterization and Nanodevices; GaN and Related Semiconductors; Oxide Semiconductors; Carbon Related Materials; Organic Semiconductors and Other Soft Materials; Solar Cells) covered the entire spectrum of III–V compound semiconductors as well as II–VI, oxide semiconductors, and carbon related materials.

The symposium was first collocated with the International Conference on Indium Phosphide and Related Materials (IPRM 2010) as “Compound Semiconductor Week 2010”. The ISCS and IPRM conferences attracted about 670 participants in total and the ISCS 2010 attended by 462 registered participants from more than 22 countries all over the world. Over the course of the symposium, 3 general plenary talks (conducted with IPRM), 3 plenary talks, 41 invited papers, 22 late news papers as well as 368 contributed papers were given as oral or poster presentations. The ISCS 2010 highlighted emerging wide‐band gap and oxide semiconductor materials and devices as well as high‐speed electronics, next generation photonics, and physics studies based on traditional compound semiconductors. The importance of the green application of compound semiconductors was also well addressed.

The symposium is also the venue for the attribution of three prestigious scientific awards, the Welker Award, the Quantum Device Award and the Young Scientist Award.

The Proceedings contains many of the papers presented at the symposium.

We would like to thank all the participants of the ISCS 2010 for contributing to the success of the symposium and acknowledge the diligent work of the committee members and referees of the manuscripts.

We would also like to thank Prof. Hiroshi Itoh and other members of Kagawa University for their excellent local organization. Takamatsu, a beautiful city facing an inland sea called “Setonaikai”, has Japanese style gardens, local culture, and the delicious Japanese noodle “Udon”, giving us the ideal location to combine a scientific conference with motivating entertainment.

The 38th International Symposium on Compound Semiconductors, organized by Prof. Oliver Ambacher will be held at Berlin, Germany, May 22–26, 2011.

January 2011
Coriolus versicolor Suppresses Inflammatory Bowel Disease by Inhibiting the Expression of STAT1 and STAT6 Associated with IFN‐γ and IL‐4 Expression
Authors: Lim Beong Ou
Published: February 2011

To investigate the effects of Coriolus versicolor extract (CVE) on infl ammatory bowel disease (IBD), ulcerative colitis was induced in male BALb/c mice by administering drinking water containing dextran‐sulfate sodium (DSS). The mice were divided into the following four experimental groups: control, DSS‐induced colitis, CVE treatment and CVE treatment + DSS‐induced colitis. Mice receiving DSS treatment developed clinical and macroscopic signs of ulcerative colitis. However, treatment with CVE relieved the symptoms of IBD, including the decrease in body and organ weight. The levels of serum, spleen and mesenteric lymph node IgE in the CVE‐treated groups was lower compared with the untreated groups. The antiinfl ammatory response upon CVE treatment correlated with the reduced expression of TNF‐α, IL‐1β and IL‐6. Also, there was a significant reduction in the expression of STAT1 and STAT6 molecules, thereby leading to lower IFN‐γ and IL‐4 expression. Therefore, the antiinfl ammatory effects of Coriolus versicolor can be explained by its ability to inhibit certain proinflammatory cytokines. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluation of the Antipeptic Ulcer Activity of the Leaf Extract of Plantago lanceolata L. in Rodents
Authors: Melese Endale , Asres Kaleab , Asad Mohammed , Engidawork Ephrem
Published: February 2011

The effect of the leaf extract of Plantago lanceolata L. (Plantaginaceae) on gastric secretion and cytoprotection was evaluated using different models of gastroduodenal ulcer, including acetic acid induced chronic gastric ulcer, indomethacin induced gastric ulcer, cysteamine induced duodenal ulcer and pylorus ligation induced gastric ulcer. The aqueous extract was administered at 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg and 140 mg/kg and 280 mg/kg for mice and rats, respectively, and compared with vehicle or the standard, ranitidine (50 or 70 mg/kg) or misopristol (280 μg/kg). In addition, activity of the mucilage (172 mg/kg) was also evaluated in acetic acid induced chronic gastric ulcer. Administration was done orally except in pylorus ligation, where the intraduodenal route was used. In all cases, higher doses of the extract provided better protection than lower doses and the mucilage, hinting at a dose‐dependent effect. Whilst higher doses of the extract showed a better healing of the ulcer as well as protection in indomethacin and pylorus ligation models, activities of lesser magnitude than ranitidine were noted in the cysteamine model. Together these findings indicate that higher doses used in the present study provided an overall better protection against gastroduodenal ulcers than the standard drugs employed through antisecretory and cytoprotective mechanisms. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Are adaptation studies effective, and what can enhance their practical impact?
Authors: Eakin Hallie C. , Patt Anthony
Published: February 2011

In this piece we explore the interface between adaptation research and adaptation policy, planning, and investment. We ask, ‘How is research on adaptation informing the nascent domain of adaptation policy and practice?’ To inform this discussion, we extract a few of the more salient lessons from four different domains of adaptation research: risk assessment and impact response, social vulnerability and adaptive capacity, resilience, and the science of decision making and policy implementation. Through a few select case studies of adaptation planning, we explore the extent to which we see these lessons taking hold in adaptation practice. The cases reviewed suggest that there may be significant differences in the type of research that informs planning in more industrial contexts compared to the developing world. Risk assessment and cost/benefit analysis appear to dominate adaptation planning in the industrialized world, while insights concerning governance, the social and economic constraints to adaptation, and building systemic resilience are featured more in planning documents from the developing world. The focus on risk assessment and associated technological interventions in the industrialized world illustrates the difficulty of addressing underlying structural and cognitive barriers to change, as well as the policy implications of conceptualizing adaptation as an outcome rather than a dynamic process. More broadly, the challenge of adaptation now offers an opportunity for innovative and collaborative research in which networks of academics, policy makers, at‐risk populations, and other stakeholders actively participate in understanding the process of adaptation, experimenting in responses to change and learning from that process. WIREs Clim Change 2011 2 141–153 DOI: 10.1002/wcc.100

This article is categorized under:

Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change > Institutions for Adaptation

Social Status of Climate Change Knowledge > Knowledge and Practice
Is There Any Benefit to Incorporating a Laparoscopic Procedure into Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy? The Impact on Perioperative Results in Patients with Esophageal Cancer
Authors: Lee Jang‐Ming , Cheng Jen‐Wei , Lin Ming‐Tsang , Huang Pei‐Ming , Chen Jin‐Shing , Lee Yung‐Chie
Published: February 2011

Background

The benefit of using the laparoscopic approach in minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) has not been established. We therefore compared the outcome of esophagectomy for patients with esophageal cancer performed with open surgery, video‐assisted thoracic surgery (VATS)/laparotomy (hybrid MIE), and VATS/ laparoscopy (total MIE).

Methods

Patients with esophageal cancer undergoing tri‐incisional esophagectomy with three different approaches between 2005 and 2009 were analyzed from a prospective database.

Results

Three groups of patients underwent esophagectomy by open surgery (n = 64), hybrid MIE (n = 44), and total MIE (n = 30). The total MIE group had significantly longer operative times but had shorter postoperative ventilator usage times postoperative hospital stay, and they began jejunostomy feeding sooner (P < 0.05, compared with the other groups). There was a significant trend toward a decrease in postoperative pulmonary complications and anastomotic leakage in parallel to the proportion of minimally invasive procedures for esophagectomy (P < 0.05 for the trend test), with a significant difference between the open surgery and total MIE groups (30% vs. 6.7%, and 28% vs. 6.7%, respectively; P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Use of a laparoscopic procedure in MIE for patients with esophageal cancer might provide benefit by facilitating postoperative recovery and reducing the rates of post‐esophagectomy pulmonary complications and anastomotic leakage.
Surgical Simulation Tasks Challenge Visual Working Memory and Visual‐Spatial Ability Differently
Authors: Schlickum Marcus , Hedman Leif , Enochsson Lars , Henningsohn Lars , Kjellin Ann , Felländer‐Tsai Li
Published: February 2011

Background

New strategies for selection and training of physicians are emerging. Previous studies have demonstrated a correlation between visual‐spatial ability and visual working memory with surgical simulator performance. The aim of this study was to perform a detailed analysis on how these abilities are associated with metrics in simulator performance with different task content. The hypothesis is that the importance of visual‐spatial ability and visual working memory varies with different task contents.

Methods

Twenty‐five medical students participated in the study that involved testing visual‐spatial ability using the MRT‐A test and visual working memory using the RoboMemo computer program. Subjects were also trained and tested for performance in three different surgical simulators. The scores from the psychometric tests and the performance metrics were then correlated using multivariate analysis.

Results

MRT‐A score correlated significantly with the performance metrics Efficiency of screening (p = 0.006) and Total time (p = 0.01) in the GI Mentor II task and Total score (p = 0.02) in the MIST‐VR simulator task. In the Uro Mentor task, both the MRT‐A score and the visual working memory 3‐D cube test score as presented in the RoboMemo program (p = 0.02) correlated with Total score (p = 0.004).

Conclusions

In this study we have shown that some differences exist regarding the impact of visual abilities and task content on simulator performance. When designing future cognitive training programs and testing regimes, one might have to consider that the design must be adjusted in accordance with the specific surgical task to be trained in mind.
Changing Incidence of Acute Appendicitis and Nonspecific Abdominal Pain Between 1987 and 2007 in Finland
Authors: Ilves Imre , Paajanen Hannu E. K. , Herzig Karl‐Heinz , Fagerström Anne , Miettinen Pekka J.
Published: February 2011

Background

The incidence of acute appendicitis has declined in many countries. The aim of this study was to determine the trends in incidence of acute appendicitis (AA), appendectomies for AA, and nonspecific abdominal pain (NSAP) in Finland between 1987 and 2007.

Methods

We carried out a national register study. Demographic features were investigated. Diagnoses and procedures were classified according to the World Health Organization International Classification of Diseases. Data were analyzed for each of all five University Hospital districts (UHD) of Finland.

Results

During the observation period of 21 years, 186,558 appendectomies were performed in Finland, of which 137,528 (74%) cases were reported as AA. The incidence of acute appendicitis declined 32%. The diagnostic accuracy improved from 73 to 82% and was higher in men. The accuracy rate among the male patients was stable throughout the two decades; among the female patients it rose from 63 to 75%. The incidence of appendicitis was highest in patients aged 15–24 years. The average incidence of NSAP was 34/10,000/year, and it was higher in older age groups. There was a large geographical disparity in the incidence of NSAP.

Conclusion

The incidence of acute appendicitis as well as the incidence of appendectomies is declining in Finland. The incidence of the NSAP has also been declining but we did not find any correlations between the incidences of the acute appendicitis and NSAP. There were clear geographical differences in the incidence of NSAP but not in the incidence of AA.
Preoperative Biliary MRSA Infection in Patients Undergoing Hepatobiliary Resection with Cholangiojejunostomy: Incidence, Antibiotic Treatment, and Surgical Outcome
Authors: Takara Daisuke , Sugawara Gen , Ebata Tomoki , Yokoyama Yukihiro , Igami Tsuyoshi , Nagino Masato
Published: February 2011

Background

There have been no reports on the impact of preoperative biliary MRSA infection on the outcome of major hepatectomy. The aim of this study was to review the surgical outcome of patients who underwent hepatobiliary resection after biliary drainage and to evaluate the impact of preoperative biliary MRSA infection.

Methods

Medical records from 350 patients who underwent hepatobiliary resection with cholangiojejunostomy after external biliary drainage were retrospectively reviewed.

Results

Of the 350 study patients, 14 (4.0%) had MRSA‐positive bile culture, 246 (70.3%) had positive bile culture without MRSA growth, and the remaining 90 (25.7%) had negative bile culture. In all of the patients with MRSA‐positive bile culture, vancomycin was prophylactically administered after surgery. Of the 14 patients, 6 (42.9%) had surgical site infections, including wound infection in 5 patients and intra‐abdominal abscess in 2 patients. The incidence of surgical site infection in the 14 MRSA‐positive patients was higher but not statistically significant compared to the incidence in other patient groups. All 14 patients tolerated difficult hepatobiliary resection. Of the 350 study patients, 28 (8.0%) had postoperative MRSA infections. Multivariate analysis identified preoperative MRSA‐positive bile culture as a significant independent risk factor for postoperative MRSA infection.

Conclusions

Preoperative biliary MRSA infection is troublesome as it is an independent risk factor of postoperative MRSA infection. Even in such troublesome situations, however, difficult hepatobiliary resection can be performed with acceptable rates of morbidity and mortality using appropriate antibiotic prophylaxis, including vancomycin, based on bile culture.
Response of litter decomposition and related soil enzyme activities to different forms of nitrogen fertilization in a subtropical forest
Authors: Wang Congyan , Han Guomin , Jia Yong , Feng Xiaoguang , Guo Peng , Tian Xingjun
Published: February 2011

With the continuing increase in the impact of human activities on ecosystems, ecologists are increasingly becoming interested in understanding the effects of nitrogen deposition on litter decomposition. At present, numerous studies have investigated the effects of single form of nitrogen fertilization on litter decomposition in forest ecosystems. However, forms of N deposition vary, and changes in the relative importance of different forms of N deposition are expected in the future. Thus, identifying the effects of different forms of N deposition on litter decomposition in forest ecosystems is a pressing task. In this study, two dominant litter types were chosen from Zijin Mountain in China: Quercus acutissima leaves from a late succession broad‐leaved forest and Pinus massoniana needles from an early succession coniferous forest. The litter samples were incubated in microcosms with original forest soil and treated with four different forms of nitrogen fertilization [NH4+, NO3−, CO(NH2)2, and a mix of all three]. During a 5‐month incubation period, litter mass losses, soil pH values, and soil enzyme activities were determined. Results show that all four forms of nitrogen fertilization significantly accelerate litter decomposition rates in the broadleaf forest, while only two forms of nitrogen fertilization [i.e., mixed nitrogen and CO(NH2)2] significantly accelerate litter decomposition rates in the coniferous forest. Litter decomposition rates with the mixed nitrogen fertilization were higher than those in any single form of nitrogen fertilization. All forms of nitrogen fertilization enhanced soil enzyme activities (i.e., catalase, cellulase, invertase, polyphenol oxidase, nitrate reductase, urease, and acid phosphatase) during the litter decomposition process for the two forest types. Soil enzyme activities under the mixed nitrogen fertilization were higher than those under any single form of nitrogen fertilization. These results suggest that the type and activity of the major degradative enzymes involved in litter decomposition vary in different forest types under different forms of nitrogen fertilization. They also indicate that a long‐term consequence of N deposition‐induced acceleration of litter decomposition rates in subtropical forests may be the release of carbon stored belowground to the atmosphere.
Quantitative Analysis of Phospholipids Using Nanostructured Laser Desorption Ionization Targets
Authors: Colantonio Simona , Simpson John T. , Fisher Robert J. , Yavlovich Amichai , Belanger Julie M. , Puri Anu , Blumenthal Robert
Published: February 2011

Since its introduction as an ionization technique in mass spectrometry, matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) has been applied to a wide range of applications. Quantitative small molecule analysis by MALDI, however, is limited due to the presence of intense signals from the matrix coupled with non‐homogeneous surfaces. The surface used in nano‐structured laser desorption ionization (NALDI) eliminates the need for a matrix and the resulting interferences, and allows for quantitative analysis of small molecules. This study was designed to analyze and quantitate phospholipid components of liposomes. Here we have developed an assay to quantitate the DPPC and DC8,9PC in liposomes by NALDI following various treatments. To test our method we chose to analyze a liposome system composed of DPPC (1,2‐dipalmitoyl‐sn‐glycero‐3‐phosphocholine) and DC8,9PC (1,2‐bis(tricosa‐10,12‐diynoyl)‐sn‐glycero‐3‐phosphocholine), as DC8,9PC is known to undergo cross‐linking upon treatment with UV (254 nm) and this reaction converts the monomer into a polymer. First, calibration curves for pure lipids (DPPC and DC8,9PC) were created using DMPC (1,2‐dimyristoyl‐sn‐glycero‐3‐phosphocholine) as an internal standard. The calibration curve for both DPPC and DC8,9PC showed an R2 of 0.992, obtained using the intensity ratio of analyte and internal standard. Next, DPPC:DC8,9PC liposomes were treated with UV radiation (254 nm). Following this treatment, lipids were extracted from the liposomes and analyzed. The analysis of the lipids before and after UV exposure confirmed a decrease in the signal of DC8,9PC of about 90%. In contrast, there was no reduction in DPPC signal.
High Doses of Rosuvastatin are Superior to Low Doses of Rosuvastatin Plus Fenofibrate or n‐3 Fatty Acids in Mixed Dyslipidemia
Authors: Agouridis A. P. , Tsimihodimos V. , Filippatos T. D. , Tselepis A. D. , Elisaf M. S.
Published: February 2011

The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy of high‐dose rosuvastatin, low‐dose rosuvastatin plus fenofibrate and low‐dose rosuvastatin plus omega‐3 fatty acids with regard to the lipid profile in patients with mixed hyperlipidemia. The primary endpoint was changes in non‐high density lipoprotein‐cholesterol (non‐HDL‐C) levels. Study participants were randomly allocated to receive rosuvastatin 40 mg (n = 30, R group), rosuvastatin 10 mg plus fenofibrate 200 mg (n = 30, RF group) or rosuvastatin 10 mg plus n‐3 fatty acids 2 g (n = 30, RN group). Non‐HDL‐C levels were reduced in all groups: in R group by 54%, in RF group by 42% and in RN group by 42%. Significant reductions in total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL)‐C and triglyceride levels were observed in all groups. The reductions in total and LDL‐C were greatest in the R group while a more pronounced reduction of triglycerides in the RF group compared with that in the R and the RN group was observed. HDL‐C levels were significantly increased only in the RF group. In conclusion, high doses of rosuvastatin and small doses of rosuvastatin plus either fenofibrate or n‐3 fatty acids exhibit favorable effects on both LDL‐C and non‐HDL‐C levels. However, rosuvastatin monotherapy more potently reduces these parameters. The combination of rosuvastatin plus fenofibrate leads to a greater decrease in triglyceride levels and a greater increase in HDL‐C levels compared with the other two treatments. While awaiting the results of ongoing trials high doses of rosuvastatin may represent the treatment of choice in individuals with mixed dyslipidemia.
Efficient Utilization of Crude Glycerol as Fermentation Substrate in the Synthesis of Poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) Biopolymers
Authors: Ashby Richard D. , Solaiman Daniel K. Y. , Strahan Gary D.
Published: February 2011

One refined and two crude glycerol (from biodiesel production) samples were utilized to produce poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) by Pseudomonas oleovorans NRRL B‐14682. A batch culture fermentation protocol including 1% glycerol and an aeration rate of 3 standard liters per minute proved best for PHB synthesis (av. yield = 1.0 ± 0.2 g/L at 48 h) and efficient glycerol utilization. PHB molecular weights decreased as MeOH concentration increased. Refined glycerol resulted in PHB polymers with number average molecular weights (Mn) of 314,000 g/mol which decreased by 17 and 90% as MeOH media concentrations increased to <0.005 and 0.85%, respectively. Proton (1H) NMR demonstrated the presence of glycerol‐ and methoxy‐based end‐capping, which was confirmed by 1H diffusion experiments (DOSY analyses). NMR diffusion analyses of the PHB polymers established their diffusivities, and confirmed that their relative molecular sizes were dependent on the impurities in the glycerol. In addition, DOSY analyses indicated that each end‐capped PHB polymer and the glycerol or methoxy groups bound to it had the same diffusion constants, demonstrating that they migrated together as covalent complexes. Non‐covalent complexation was eliminated by physically mixing free glycerol with PHB synthesized from oleic acid; their respective diffusivities were notably faster.
A Brief History of Lipid Oxidation
Authors: Hammond Earl G. , White Pamela J.
Published: February 2011

The history of our understanding of fat oxidation is reviewed from the early observations that oxygen was involved to the discovery of the role of singlet oxygen. It includes the debate about relative importance of triglyceride hydrolysis and oxidation; the search for tests that correlated with oxidized flavor; the evidence that oxidation involved the formation of hydroperoxides; the development of tests for hydroperoxides; and the work on the chemistry, mechanism, and kinetics of oxidation by the British Rubber Producers Research Association. The review ends with the effort to isolate and determine the structure of the oxidation products of the common unsaturated fatty acids, their relative rate of oxidation, and the role of singlet oxygen and metals in initiation.
Purity Assessment of Commercial Zein Products After Purification
Authors: Sessa D. J. , Woods K. K.
Published: February 2011

Successful utilization of commercial zein products for certain food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and medical applications requires a decolorized/deodorized zein of high purity that can be achieved by column filtration of commercial yellow zein solutions through Zeolite 5A and activated carbon. The objective of this investigation was to devise a combination of methodologies to assess purity and degree of deodorization and decolorization. Off‐odor removal is defined by a UV spectroscopic ratio of 280:325 nm where diferuloylputrescine is the major contributor. Removal of yellow color, attributed to xanthophylls in zein, was followed by visible spectroscopic assays of a series of dilutions at 448 nm. SDS‐PAGE analysis demonstrated removal of β‐zein in combination with diminished sulfur content by sulfur analysis. Zein purity was assessed by Dumas nitrogen and FTIR of commercial zein before and after column filtration. Spectral differences were observed in the amide I (1,650 cm−1) peak, amide II region (1,530 and 1,550 cm−1) and the amide III peak at 1,240 cm−1, where ratio of the dominant peaks were strongly dependent on purity of sample. Circular dichroism (CD) analyses validated the FTIR results by showing increased α‐helical content for the column purified zeins. Combinations of these methodologies can be used to define zein products as a quality control measure for a commercial operation.
A middleware platform to support river monitoring using wireless sensor networks
Authors: Hughes Danny , Ueyama Jo , Mendiondo Eduardo , Matthys Nelson , Horré Wouter , Michiels Sam , Huygens Christophe , Joosen Wouter , Man Ka Lok , Guan Sheng-Uei
Published: February 2011

Flooding is a critical global problem, which is growing more severe due to the effects of climate change. This problem is particularly acute in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, where flooding during the rainy season incurs significant financial and human costs. Another critical problem associated with flooding is the high level of pollution present in urban rivers. Efforts to address these problems focus upon three key research areas: river monitoring, modelling of river conditions and incident response. This paper introduces a rich next-generation middleware platform designed to support wireless sensor network based environmental monitoring along with a supporting hardware platform. This system has been deployed and evaluated in a real-world river monitoring scenario in the city of São Carlos, Brazil.
Mechanism of drag reduction by a surface trip wire on a sphere
Authors: SON KWANGMIN , CHOI JIN , JEON WOO-PYUNG , CHOI HAECHEON
Published: February 2011

The effect of a surface trip wire on the flow around a sphere is experimentally investigated at subcritical Reynolds numbers ofRe= 0.5 × 105– 2.8 × 105based on the free-stream velocityU∞and sphere diameterd. By varying the streamwise location (20° – 70° from the stagnation point) and diameter (0.33 × 10−2<k/d< 1.33 × 10−2) of a trip wire, we measure the drag, surface pressure distribution and boundary layer velocity profiles above the sphere surface, and conduct flow visualization. Depending on the size and streamwise location of the trip wire, three different flow characteristics are observed above the sphere surface. For low Reynolds numbers, the disturbance induced by the trip wire decays downstream and main separation occurs at a streamwise location similar to that of a smooth sphere. As the Reynolds number is increased, laminar separation is delayed farther downstream by the disturbance from the trip wire and the transition to turbulence occurs along the separated shear layer, resulting in the flow reattachment to the sphere surface and thus forming a secondary separation bubble on the sphere surface. Then, the main separation is delayed due to high momentum near the surface and the drag is significantly reduced. When the trip wire produces even larger disturbances through the separation and reattachment right at the trip-wire location for higher Reynolds numbers, the boundary layer flow becomes turbulent soon after the trip-wire location and the main separation is delayed, resulting in drag reduction.
Production of sound by unsteady throttling of flow into a resonant cavity, with application to voiced speech
Authors: HOWE M. S. , McGOWAN R. S.
Published: February 2011

An analysis is made of the sound generated by the time-dependent throttling of a nominally steady stream of air through a small orifice into a flow-through resonant cavity. This is exemplified by the production of voiced speech, where air from the lungs enters the vocal tract through the glottis at a time-variable volume flow rate Q(t) controlled by oscillations of the glottis cross-section. Voicing theory has hitherto determined Q from a heuristic, reduced complexity ‘Fant’ differential equation. A new self-consistent, integro-differential form of this equation is derived in this paper using the theory of aerodynamic sound, with full account taken of the back-reaction of the resonant tract on the glottal flux Q. The theory involves an aeroacoustic Green's function (G) for flow–surface interactions in a time-dependent glottis, so making the problem non-self-adjoint. In complex problems of this type, it is not usually possible to obtain G in an explicit analytic form. The principal objective of this paper is to show how the Fant equation can still be derived in such cases from a consideration of the equation of aerodynamic sound and from the adjoint of the equation governing G in the neighbourhood of the ‘throttle’. The theory is illustrated by application to the canonical problem of throttled flow into a Helmholtz resonator.
Symmetry breaking and instability mechanisms in medium depth torsionally driven open cylinder flows
Authors: COGAN STUART J. , RYAN KRIS , SHEARD GREGORY J.
Published: February 2011

A numerical investigation was conducted into the different flow states, and bifurcations leading to changes of state, found in open cylinders of medium to moderate depth driven by a constant rotation of the vessel base. A combination of linear stability analysis, for cylinders of numerous height-to-radius aspect ratios (H/R), and nonlinear stability analysis and three-dimensional simulations for a cylinder of aspect ratio 1.5, has been employed. Attention is focused on the breaking of SO(2) symmetry. A comprehensive map of transition Reynolds numbers as a function of aspect ratio is presented by combining a detailed stability analysis with the limited existing data from the literature. For all aspect ratios considered, the primary instabilities are identified as symmetry-breaking Hopf bifurcations, occurring at Reynolds numbers well below those of the previously reported axisymmetric Hopf transitions. It is revealed that instability modes with azimuthal wavenumbers m = 1, 3 and 4 are the most unstable in the range 1.0 < H/R < 4, and that numerous double Hopf bifurcation points exist. Critical Reynolds numbers generally increase with cylinder aspect ratio, though a decrease in stability occurs between aspect ratios 1.5 and 2.0, where a local minimum in critical Reynolds number occurs. For H/R = 1.5, a detailed characterisation of instability modes is given. It is hypothesized that the primary instability leading to transition from steady axisymmetric flow to unsteady three-dimensional flow is related to deformation of shear layers that are present in the flow, in particular at the interfacial region between the vortex breakdown bubble and the primary recirculation.
Acoustic–convective mode conversion in an aerofoil cascade
Authors: PALIES P. , DUROX D. , SCHULLER T. , CANDEL S.
Published: February 2011

When an acoustic wave impinges on an aerofoil cascade, a convective vorticity mode is generated giving rise to transverse velocity perturbations. This mode conversion process is investigated to explain the flow dynamics observed when swirlers are submitted to incident acoustic disturbances. The phenomenon is first studied in the case of a two-dimensional aerofoil cascade using a model derived from an actuator disk theory. The model is simplified to deal with low-Mach-number flows. The velocity field on the downstream side of the cascade features two components, an axial perturbation associated with the transmitted acoustic wave and a transverse disturbance corresponding to the vorticity wave generated at the cascade trailing edge. The model provides the amplitude of both components and defines their phase shift. Numerical simulations are carried out in a second stage to validate this model in the case of a cascade operating at a low Reynolds number Rec = 2700 based on the chord length. Space–time diagrams of velocity perturbations deduced from these simulations are used to retrieve the two types of modes. Experiments are then carried out in the case of an axial swirler placed in a cylindrical duct and submitted to plane acoustic waves emitted on the upstream side of the swirler. The amplitude and phase of the two velocity components measured in the axial and azimuthal directions are found to be in good agreement with theoretical estimates and with numerical calculations. This analysis is motivated by combustion dynamics observed in flames stabilized by aerodynamic swirlers in continuous combustors.
Interactions among pressure, density, vorticity and their gradients in compressible turbulent channel flows
Authors: WEI LIANG , POLLARD ANDREW
Published: February 2011

The interactions among pressure, density, vorticity and their gradients in compressible turbulent channel flows (TCF) are studied using direct numerical simulations (DNS). DNS of three isothermal-wall TCF for Mach number Ma = 0.2, 0.7, and 1.5, respectively are performed using a discontinuous Galerkin method (DGM). The Reynolds numbers of these three cases are ≈2800, based on the bulk velocity, bulk density, half channel width and dynamic viscosity at the wall. A high cross-correlation between density and spanwise vorticity occurs at y+≈4, which is coincident with the peak mean spanwise baroclinicity. The relationship between the spanwise baroclinicity and the correlation is analysed. The difference between the evolution of density and spanwise vorticity very near the wall is discussed. The transport equation for the mean product of density and vorticity fluctuations 〈ρ′ω′i〉 is presented and the distributions of terms in the 〈ρ′ω′z〉 transport equation indicate that the minima and maxima of the profiles are located around y+≈5. The connection between pressure gradients and vorticity fluxes for compressible turbulent flows with variable viscosity has been formulated and verified. High correlations (0.7–1.0) between pressure gradient and vorticity flux are found very close to the wall (y+<5). The correlation coefficients are significantly influenced by Ma and viscosity in this region. Turbulence advection plays an important role in destroying the high correlations between pressure gradient and vorticity flux in the region away from the wall (y+ > 5).
Propaganda and Sovereignty in Wartime China: Morale Operations and Psychological Warfare under the Office of War Information
Authors: JOHNSON MATTHEW D.
Published: February 2011

During the later years of the War of Resistance to Japan (1937–1945), United States (US) propaganda activities intensified in both Japanese military-occupied and ‘free’ regions of China. One of the most important organizations behind these activities was the Office of War Information (OWI). This paper examines the OWI, and particularly its Overseas Office, as key institutional actors within a broader US total war effort which touched the lives of civilian populations in East Asia as well as combatants, arguing that:

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US propaganda institutions and propagandists played demonstrable roles in representing and shaping the experience of war in China;

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these institutions, which included Asians and individuals of Asian descent, simultaneously acted to advance US goals in the wartime ‘Far East’;

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while cooperation between US and Chinese governments was sporadic in the area of psychological warfare, conflicts over control often undermined or limited operations;

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despite these shortcomings, US propaganda institutions (which included both the OWI and offices within the Department of State) had developed comparatively wide-ranging capabilities by the end of the war, and continued operations into the Civil War of 1945–1949.

By 1945 propaganda had become an activity which regularly targeted allied populations as well as enemies. This process was facilitated by the early twentieth-century communications revolution, but was planned and controlled by the new engineers of the post-war order.
Choice and Welfare Reform: Lone Parents’ Decision Making around Paid Work and Family Life
Authors: RAFFERTY ANTHONY , WIGGAN JAY
Published: February 2011

Welfare-to-work policy in the UK sees ‘choice’ regarding lone parents’ employment decisions increasingly defined in terms of powers of selection between options within active labour market programmes, with constraints on the option of non-market activity progressively tightened. In this paper, we examine the wider choice agenda in public services in relation to lone-parent employment, focusing on the period following the 2007 Freud Review of welfare provision. (Freud, 2007) Survey data are used to estimate the extent to which recent policies promoting compulsory job search by youngest dependent child age map onto lone parents' own stated decision-making regarding if and when to enter the labour market. The findings indicate a substantial proportion of lone parents targeted by policy reform currently do not want a job and that their main reported reason is that they are looking after their children. Economically inactive lone mothers also remain more likely to have other chronic employment barriers, which traverse dependent child age categories. Some problems, such as poor health, sickness or disability, are particularly acute among those with older dependent children who are the target of recent activation policy.
A Chinese cooking robot for elderly and disabled people
Authors: Ma Wen-Tao , Yan Wei-Xin , Fu Zhuang , Zhao Yan-Zheng
Published: February 2011

Cooking themselves is very important and difficult for elderly and disabled people in daily life. This paper presents a cooking robot for those people who are confined to wheelchairs. The robot can automatically load ingredients, cook Chinese dishes, take cooked foods out, deliver dishes to the table, self-clean, collect used ingredient box components, and so on. Its structure and interface is designed based on the barrier-free design principles. Elderly and disabled people can only click one button in the friendly Graphic User Interface of a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) to launch the cooking processes, and several classic Chinese dishes would be placed in front of them one after another within few minutes. Experiments show that the robot can meet their special needs, and the involved aid activities are easy and effective for elderly and disabled people.
The Alchemy of Occupation: Karl Loewenstein and the Legal Reconstruction of Nazi Germany, 1945–1946
Authors: Kostal R. W.
Published: February 2011

In August 1945, Karl Loewenstein began work as senior expert advisor to the Legal Division of American Military Government (AMG) in Berlin. An eminent German-born and educated political scientist and jurisprudent, Loewenstein had come to assist in the “democratization” of his homeland's Nazified law and legal institutions. It was soon obvious, however, that in its crucial first phase the American legal mission in Germany was in disarray. The development and implementation of American law reform policy was being undercut by ill-prepared leadership, poor planning, and the scarcity of learning about German laws, lawyers, and legal history. By Loewenstein's reckoning, many American officers had been “set to work on problems of which they have not the slightest idea and very little professional qualification.” Critical law reform initiatives had been based upon expedient “over-simplifications” of Nazism and its eradication. By January 1946, his initial misgivings having given way to mordant despair, Loewenstein concluded that the American program for the democratization of the German legal system was irrevocably “lost,” a “failure which stinks to high heaven.” This article sets forth the theoretical and observational bases of Loewenstein's assessment and evaluates its cogency.
The Court for Crown Cases Reserved, 1848–1908
Authors: Handler Phil
Published: February 2011

Convicted felons at the Old Bailey and on assize in nineteenth-century England had no right of appeal. They had either to submit to their fate or, if they had the means, petition the Crown for a pardon. The legal avenues for redress were limited. A writ of error would lie to a superior court for legal errors that appeared on the face of the record but by the nineteenth century this was seldom used. More significantly, it was open for the trial judge to reserve questions of law for the informal and private consideration of all the common law judges. In their illuminating studies of this practice in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, James Oldham and Randall McGowen elucidate the ways in which the judiciary used reserved cases to develop legal doctrine and to shape the operation of criminal justice. The trend toward increased formalization of procedure that they identify, culminated in 1848, when Parliament created the Court for Crown Cases Reserved (CCCR). The new court adopted the existing method of reserving cases, but was a court of record that sat and gave judgment in public. It became the highest judicial forum for the determination of questions of criminal law until 1908, when it was superseded by the Court of Criminal Appeal.
The Bench, the Bar, and Crown Cases Reserved
Authors: May Allyson N.
Published: February 2011

The three articles published in this forum address an aspect of judicial procedure which has, understandably, been shrouded in mystery. Until 1848, the process of judicial review of Crown cases remained informal and the records of that review are terse and elliptical. Teasing out their meaning and their implications for lawmaking is thus no easy task. And while the process was formalized and made public with the creation of the Court of Crown Cases Reserved (CCCR) in 1848, the activities of this court have not attracted sustained attention from legal historians. These articles are therefore to be commended for advancing our understanding of the operation of judicial review in criminal cases prior to the establishment of the Court of Criminal Appeal in the early twentieth century.