bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Witnesses, Spatial Practices, And a Land Dispute in Colonial Oaxaca
Authors: Yannakakis Yanna
Published: December 2008

At approximatety eight o'clock in the morning on the 22nd of June, 1719, Don Gaspar Agüero de los Reyes y San Pelayo, thealcalde mayor(Spanish magistrate) of the district of Villa Alta, Oaxaca, prepared to depart on horseback from the town square of the Zapotec pueblo of San Juan Juquila toward four disputed parcels of land. Standing with him in the square were the cabildo officers of San Juan Juquila and San Juan Tanetze, who had been engaged in a legal battle over the land for four years. Their lawyers stood with them. Juan Tirado, a district interpreter, and court witnesses (in lieu of an official notary) translated and notarized the proceedings. From his perch on the back of his horse, the alcalde mayor read the legal decision in the dispute, which the interpreter translated for the benefit of the Zapotec officials. The auxiliary judge, who rendered the decision in the case from the distance and comfort of the diocesan seat of Antequera, had ordered that the land in question should be divided equally between the two pueblos. The lawyer for the cabildo of Tanetze voiced his official protest and vowed to appeal the case to the Real Audiencia. The alcalde mayor registered the protest. Then, he addressed another group of men who had been waiting in the wings: Juan de Yllescas, Andrés Ramos, Juan Baptista, Pedro Hernandes, and Nicolas Santiago, all natives of the Zapotec pueblo of San Miguel Talea, and all of whom had testified in an earlierprobanzaon behalf of the pueblo of Juquila. Through his interpreter, the magistrate swore them in as witnesses and ordered them to guide the group to the disputed territory, identify the parcels of land and their borders, and determine where they should be divided. From this point on, the Zapotec witnesses took the lead and proceeded toward the disputed territory along the Camino Real, with their “faces pointing south.” In this manner, the legal ritual of boundary marking (amojonamiento) began.
Standardization of High-Sensitivity Immunoassays for Measurement of C-Reactive Protein; II: Two Approaches for Assessing Commutability of a Reference Material
Authors: Kimberly Mary M , Caudill Samuel P , Vesper Hubert W , Monsell Elizabeth A , Miller W Greg , Rej Robert , Rifai Nader , Dati Francesco , Myers Gary L
Published: December 2008

Background: We evaluated the commutability of a proposed reference material (PRM), with a formulation based on dilution of Certified Reference Material 470 (CRM470), for 24 high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) methods. We also investigated whether calibration by use of PRM was effective in harmonizing results.

Methods: A set of 40 native clinical samples was measured along with PRM and 3 dilutions of PRM. We used weighted least-squares polynomial regression (WLS/PR) to perform comparisons between all method combinations and to calculate normalized residuals for the PRM. The PRM was considered noncommutable if any of the normalized residuals for a method pair was >2. Correspondence analysis (CA) was used to explore the multidimensional relationships between methods and samples to evaluate if the PRM had properties similar to native clinical samples. Clinical sample results from the methods for which PRM was commutable were recalibrated based on the PRM results, and ANOVA was used to estimate the CVs before and after recalibration.

Results: After omitting data for 9 methods because of poor precision or procedural flaws, we used data from the 15 remaining methods to evaluate commutability. Using both WLS/PR and CA we found that PRM was noncommutable with 1 method. We found modest improvement in total and among-method CVs when PRM was used to harmonize the results from the 14 methods for which it was commutable.

Conclusions: A PRM with a formulation based on dilution of CRM470 was commutable with native clinical samples for 14 of 15 hsCRP methods that had acceptable precision. For those methods the use of PRM may contribute to improved harmonization of results for native clinical samples.
Activation of bovine somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos by PLCZ cRNA injection
Authors: Ross Pablo J , Rodriguez Ramon M , Iager Amy E , Beyhan Zeki , Wang Kai , Ragina Neli P , Yoon Sook-Young , Fissore Rafael A , Cibelli Jose B
Published: December 2008

The production of cloned animals by the transfer of a differentiated somatic cell into an enucleated oocyte circumvents fertilization. During fertilization, the sperm delivers a sperm-specific phospholipase C (PLCZ) that is responsible for triggering Ca2+oscillations and oocyte activation. During bovine somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), oocyte activation is artificially achieved by combined chemical treatments that induce a monotonic rise in intracellular Ca2+and inhibit either phosphorylation or protein synthesis. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that activation of bovine nuclear transfer embryos by PLCZ improves nuclear reprogramming. Injection of PLCZ cRNA into bovine SCNT units induced Ca2+oscillations similar to those observed after fertilization and supported high rates of blastocyst development similar to that seen in embryos produced by IVF. Furthermore, gene expression analysis at the eight-cell and blastocyst stages revealed a similar expression pattern for a number of genes in both groups of embryos. Lastly, levels of trimethylated lysine 27 at histone H3 in blastocysts were higher in bovine nuclear transfer embryos activated using cycloheximide and 6-dimethylaminopurine (DMAP) than in those activated using PLCZ or derived from IVF. These results demonstrate that exogenous PLCZ can be used to activate bovine SCNT-derived embryos and support the hypothesis that a fertilization-like activation response can enhance some aspects of nuclear reprogramming.
The role of SOX proteins in normal pituitary development
Authors: Alatzoglou Kyriaki S , Kelberman Daniel , Dattani Mehul T
Published: December 2008

Pituitary development is a complex process that depends on the co-ordinated spatial and temporal expression of transcription factors and signalling molecules that culminates in the formation of a complex organ that secretes six hormones from five different cell types. Given the fact that all distinct hormone producing cells arise from a common ectodermal primordium, the patterning, architecture and plasticity of the gland is impressive. Among the transcription factors involved in the early steps of pituitary organogenesis are SOX2 and SOX3, members of the SOX family that are emerging as key players in many developmental processes. Studies in vitro and in vivo in transgenic animal models have helped to elucidate their expression patterns and roles in the developing hypothalamo–pituitary region. It has been demonstrated that they may be involved in pituitary development either directly, through shaping of Rathke's pouch, or indirectly affecting signalling from the diencephalon. Their role has been further underlined by the pleiotropic effects of their mutations in humans that range from isolated hormone deficiencies to panhypopituitarism and developmental abnormalities affecting many organ systems. However, the exact mechanism of action of SOX proteins, their downstream targets and their interplay within the extensive network that regulates pituitary development is still the subject of a growing number of studies. The elucidation of their role is crucial for the understanding of a number of processes that range from developmental mechanisms to disease phenotypes and tumorigenesis.
Does Tariff Liberalization Promote Trade? Latin American Countries in the Long-Run (1900-2000)
Authors: Nenci Silvia , Pietrobelli Carlo
Published: December 2008

This paper estimates the effect of trade liberalization on import performance of selected Latin American countries (which account for about 85 per cent of total Latin America imports). The novelty of this study is that it applies a long-term approach covering the whole XX century using times series and panel data analyses. The empirical exercise shows that the relationship between (lower) tariffs and import growth in Latin America cannot be taken for granted, as it often happens in the literature, and whenever it exists, it is not always quantitatively substantial. In particular, our analysis shows the existence of a long run relationship between tariffs and imports only from the second half of the XX century. It follows that trade liberalization appears effective in fostering Latin America's trade growth only when integrated within a wider process, implying a multilateral and negotiated approach to trade policy. In this sense, multilateral and regional agreements appear to have played a key role not only through tariff reduction but remarkably thanks to the creation of a rule-based system governing global trade relations, through which uncertainty was reduced and the spread of best practices promoted. This result would confirm the thesis of those who endorse the existence of a formalized trading system to guarantee tariff liberalization and foster trade growth.
Sovereign-Wealth Funds: Assuaging the Exaggerated Anguish about the New Global Financial Players
Authors: Das Dilip K.
Published: December 2008

The world of international finance is in the process of transformation. A new group of emerging market economies and members of GCC are emerging as major exporters of capital. Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs) are their instruments of interacting with the global capital markets. Although they are an instrument of enhancing liquidity and financial resource allocation in the international capital market, they have become a source of controversies and threaten an escalation in financial protectionism. SWFs are state-owned and managed and have started playing a decisive role in underpinning, sustaining, and expanding financial globalization. Popular and financial media did not begin copious discussions regarding the operations of the SWF until the last quarter of 2007, when they acquired considerable eminence due to their increasing operations. The sub-prime mortgage crisis in the US created severe credit crunch, which precipitously worsened to a crisis proportion in the third week of September 2008. This credit crunch became a window of opportunity for the SWFs. Total assets under management of the SWFs were on an increase. However, their state-ownership and lack of transparency has created considerable anxiety about their operations. The SWFs are being viewed as turning from creditors to owners.

Large and diversified portfolio investments by SWFs entail few risks for the international financial market; anxiety about them is exaggerated. Restrictions from host economies on SWFs activities would deprive the international financial markets of a cash-rich market player. Rise of financial protectionism would work as a barricade against the expanding globalization. Participation of the SWF in the international financial system can be improved by policy initiatives at three levels, namely, the SWF level, the host economy level and by the international institutions like the IMF, which needs to devise a set of best practices for the operations of the SWFs.
Crossing the Line: Direct Estimation of Cross-Border Cigarette Sales and the Effect on Tax Revenue
Authors: Chiou Lesley , Muehlegger Erich
Published: December 2008

Differences in excise taxes across jurisdictions create incentives for consumers to cross the border and to purchase in lower-tax jurisdictions. This paper introduces a discrete choice model to examine tax avoidance and state border crossing in the market for cigarettes. We exploit a rich dataset of consumer location choices and demographics to estimate a consumer's tradeoff between distance and price when choosing a location to maximize utility. Using the estimates from our location and demand models, we reconsider a recent public policy issue among states and simulate tax avoidance under alternative cigarette excise tax levels.
Gonality for stable curves and their maps with a smooth curve as their target
Authors: Ballico Edoardo
Published: December 2008

Here we study the deformation theory of some maps f: X → ℙr , r = 1, 2, where X is a nodal curve and f|T is not constant for every irreducible component T of X. For r = 1 we show that the “stratification by gonality” for any subset of
A new 122 mm electromechanical drill for deep ice-sheet coring (DISC): 2. Mechanical design
Authors: Mason William P. , Shturmakov Alexander J. , Johnson Jay A. , Haman Scott
Published: December 2008

The deep ice-sheet coring (DISC) drill consists of four major mechanical drilling subsystems and four subsystems supporting on-surface activities. The mechanical drilling subsystems are a drill sonde, a drill cable, a tower and a winch. The drill sonde is the down-hole portion of the drill system and consists of six distinct sections: (1) the cutter head, (2) the core barrel, (3) the screen section, (4) the motor/pump section, (5) the instrument section and (6) the upper sonde, which includes anti-torques and drill cable terminations. The drill cable not only provides the means of supporting the drill sonde in the borehole, but also provides conduits for electrical power and data transmission. The tower tilts to allow the drill sonde to be serviced in the horizontal position without removing it from the tower. The winch provides a means of quickly raising the sonde from the borehole and providing the fine control necessary for coring operations.
The PrairieDog: a double-barrel coring drill for ‘hand’ augering
Authors: Kyne Jay , McConnell Joe
Published: December 2008

The PrairieDog is a double-barreled ice corer designed to enable more efficient drilling – better core quality, fewer trips in and out of the borehole, easier breaks from the hole bottom, better chip collection and less energy to turn – than a simple single core barrel that accompanies most ‘hand’ ice-coring drill systems. Over several seasons, the PrairieDog has been used to drill about 50 holes to an average depth of about 20 m. It is safe to use in warm ice where a simple core-auguring barrel could easily become stuck. For a 20m hole, about five trips in and out of the borehole are saved using the PrairieDog compared with a simple auger barrel of the same core length. With fiberglass inner and outer barrels and an anti-torque section composed primarily of aluminum, the PrairieDog weighs only about 25 lb (11.3 kg).
EPICA Dome C electronic control system
Authors: Panichi S. , Querci M. , Arrighi C. , Lefebvre E. , Frascati F. , Armeni M. , Benamati G. , Augustin L. , Antonelli A. , Nucci S.
Published: December 2008

A new deep drill has been developed within the framework of the European Programme for Ice Coring in Antarctica (EPICA). Several versions of the EPICA drill exist. The version used at Dome Concordia (75˚06'1" S, 123˚23'71" E) was operated with a new electronic control system developed by the Ente per le Nuove tecnologie, l’Energia e l’Ambiente (ENEA) Research Center in Brasimone, Italy. This electronic control system was used for the first time during the 1997/98 Antarctic summer season.
A floating-station structure
Authors: Rufli Henry , Schwander Jakob
Published: December 2008

Long-term maintenance of camp constructions on snow and ice surfaces involves repeated adjustments of the vertical position of buildings due to snow accumulation or ice ablation. The principle of a low-effort vertical-adjustment station structure is presented. The basic idea is to construct a floatable spherical-shaped building that can be lifted by adding water underneath, which will then refreeze, or can be lowered by melting ice away from the base. Under cold polar conditions, the power requirement for melting the base free is approximately 100 Wm–2 and is usually available as waste heat from the electric power generator of the station.
Upper limb musculoskeletal stress markers among middle Holocene foragers of Siberia's Cis‐Baikal region
Authors: Lieverse Angela R. , Bazaliiskii Vladimir Ivanovich , Goriunova Olga Ivanovna , Weber Andrzej W.
Published: December 2008

This evaluation of musculoskeletal stress markers (MSMs) in the Cis‐Baikal focuses on upper limb activity reconstruction among the region's middle Holocene foragers, particularly as it pertains to adaptation and cultural change. The five cemetery populations investigated represent two discrete groups separated by an 800–1,000 year hiatus: the Early Neolithic (8000–7000/6800 cal. BP) Kitoi culture and the Late Neolithic/Bronze Age (6000/5800–4000 cal. BP) Isakovo‐Serovo‐Glaskovo (ISG) cultural complex. Twenty‐four upper limb MSMs are investigated not only to gain a better understanding of activity throughout the middle Holocene, but also to independently assess the relative distinctiveness of Kitoi and ISG adaptive regimes. Results reveal higher heterogeneity in overall activity levels among Early Neolithic populations—with Kitoi males exhibiting more pronounced upper limb MSMs than both contemporary females and ISG males—but relative constancy during the Late Neolithic/Bronze Age, regardless of sex or possible status. On the other hand, activity patterns seem to have varied more during the latter period, with the supinator being ranked high among the ISG, but not the Kitoi, and forearm flexors and extensors being ranked generally low only among ISG females. Upper limb rank patterning does not distinguish Early Neolithic males, suggesting that their higher MSM scores reflect differences in the degree (intensity and/or duration), rather than the type, of activity employed. Finally, for both Kitoi and ISG peoples, activity patterns—especially the consistently high‐ranked costoclavicular ligament and deltoid and pectoralis major muscles—appear to be consistent with watercraft use. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The fractal analysis of copolymerization processes
Authors: Kozlov G. V. , Shustov G. B. , Zaikov G. E.
Published: December 2008

The results obtained in the present article show that the fractal analysis and irreversible aggregation models application allow to obtain a clear physical picture of copolycondensation process and estimate its quantitative characteristics. The basic characteristic, controlling this process, is fractal dimension Df of macromolecular coil in solution. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009
Transport properties of some cationic amphiphilic polysaccharides: Effects of the side‐chain length and solvent polarity
Authors: Ghimici Luminita , Nichifor Marieta
Published: December 2008

The transport properties of polyelectrolytes with N‐alkyl‐N,N‐dimethyl‐N‐(2‐hydroxypropyl)ammonium chloride pendent groups (alkyl = octyl, dodecyl, or cetyl) randomly distributed along a polysaccharide backbone (dextran) in solutions were studied with viscometry and conductometry. This investigation mainly considered the influence of the side‐chain length and the solvent polarity on the polyelectrolyte behavior in salt‐free aqueous solutions. The viscometric data indicated that all the copolymers exhibited polyelectrolyte behavior, and they were plotted in terms of the Rao equation. The viscosity of the polycation with dodecyl as alkyl substituent was also measured in solvent mixtures of water and methanol. The conductometric behavior of these cationic polysaccharides was found to be influenced by the alkyl side‐chain length and the solvent polarity. A nonlinear dependence of the equivalent conductivity on the dielectric constant of the solvent was observed. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009
Polyurethane‐modified epoxy resin: Solventless preparation and properties
Authors: Ong S. , Ismail J. , Bakar M. Abu , Rahman I. A. , Sipaut C. S. , Chee C. K.
Published: December 2008

A polyurethane‐modified epoxy resin system with potential as an underfill material in electronic packaging and its preparation procedure were studied. The procedure enabled the practical incorporation of an aliphatic polyurethane precursor, synthesized from poly(ethylene glycol) and hexamethylene diisocyanate without a solvent, as a precrosslinking agent into a conventional epoxy resin. With a stoichiometric quantity of the polyurethane precursor added to the epoxy (ca. 5 phr), the polyurethane‐modified epoxy resin, mixed with methylene dianiline, exhibited a 36% reduction in the contact angle with the epoxy–amine surface, a 31% reduction in the cure onset temperature versus the control epoxy system, and a viscosity within the processable range. The resultant amine‐cured thermosets, meanwhile, exhibited enhanced thermal stability, flexural strength, storage modulus, and adhesion strength at the expense of a 5% increase in the coefficient of thermal expansion. Exceeding the stoichiometric quantity of the polyurethane precursor, however, reduced the thermal stability and modulus but further increased the coefficient of thermal expansion. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009
Effects of retinoic acid onDominant hemimeliaexpression in mice
Authors: Owen Mary H. , Ryan Louise M. , Holmes Lewis B.
Published: December 2008

BACKGROUND:Dominant hemimelia (Dh)is an autosomal dominant mutation that arose spontaneously in mice.Dhanimals are asplenic and they exhibit asymmetric hindlimb defects in association with reduced numbers of lumbar vertebrae. These defects suggest thatDhacts early in embryonic development to affect patterning of the anterior‐posterior (A‐P) and left‐right axes. This study was undertaken to determine whether retinoic acid (RA), which is involved in A‐P patterning and coordination of bilaterally synchronized somitogenesis, affects phenotypic expression of theDhgene.METHODS:Thirty‐four pregnant females were given, by oral intubation, a single dose of 50 or 75 mg all‐trans RA per kilogram body weight at GD 9, 10, or 11. The pregnant females were then euthanized at GD 18 and fetuses removed by cesarean section. A total of 326 fetuses were identified by phenotype and linked DNA and their skeletons were analyzed.RESULTS:There was a differential effect of RA on the axial skeleton and hindlimb ofDh/+ mice as compared to their wild‐type littermates. Dose‐ and stage‐specific effects on sternebrae and vertebrae were observed.CONCLUSIONS:The effects of RA dosing on numbers of sternebrae and vertebrae suggest thatDhembryos have a primary defect in retinoid‐mediated A‐P patterning. Dosing with RA may produce the observed effects on phenotypic expression ofDh/+ by indirectly or directly modifying an already existing alteredHoxexpression pattern. As the relationship between axial patterning and the asymmetric limb is unknown,Dhis an important model for studying this relationship. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Minimisation of end‐to‐end delay in reconfigurable WDM networks using genetic algorithms
Authors: Durán Barroso Ramón J. , de Miguel Ignacio , Merayo Noemí , Fernández Patricia , M. Lorenzo Rubén , Abril Evaristo J.
Published: December 2008

A new genetic algorithm (GA) is proposed to design logical topologies for wavelength‐routed optical networks (WRONs) with the objective of minimising the end‐to‐end delay. Two versions of the algorithm, called D‐GALD (Delay‐optimised Genetic Algorithm for Logical topology Design), have been developed. The first one minimises the average end‐to‐end delay of the packets transported by the network, while the second one minimises the average delay of the most delayed traffic flow. By means of a simulation study, we show that the logical topologies designed by D‐GALD support more than 50 per cent higher traffic load—without causing network instability—than those ones designed by other heuristics. Moreover, the utilisation of D‐GALD leads to reductions of up to 15 per cent in the average end‐to‐end delay and around 30 per cent in the average end‐to‐end delay of the most delayed traffic flow. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Achievable rates of DSL with crosstalk cancellation
Authors: Filho D. Zanatta , Lopes R. R. , Ferrari R. , Loiola M. B. , Suyama R. , Simões G. C. C. P. , Dortschy B.
Published: December 2008

Crosstalk is one of the main limiting factors in the data rates achievable by digital subscriber line (DSL) systems, and several algorithms have been proposed to mitigate this impairment. In this paper, we compare the achievable rates of binders under different crosstalk‐mitigating techniques. When computing these rates, we also compare two different power constraints: either on the total power in the binder or on the power in each twisted wire pair. We will see that, for the scenarios considered in this paper, the fact that the signals are jointly processed in one or both ends of the DSL link leads to roughly the same performance, which can be far superior to that of systems with no cooperation between the users. Both power constraints also lead to similar achievable rates. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Diffusion and Monod kinetics to determine in vivo human corneal oxygen‐consumption rate during soft contact‐lens wear
Authors: Chhabra Mahendra , Prausnitz John M. , Radke C. J.
Published: December 2008

The rate of oxygen consumption is an important parameter to assess the physiology of the human cornea. Metabolism of oxygen in the cornea is influenced by contact‐lens‐induced hypoxia, diseases such as diabetes, surgery, and drug treatment. Therefore, estimation of in vivo corneal oxygen‐consumption rate is essential for gauging adequate oxygen supply to the cornea. Phosphorescence quenching of a dye coated on the posterior of a soft contact lens provides a powerful technique to measure tear‐film oxygen tension (Harvitt and Bonanno, Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 1996;37:1026–1036; Bonanno et al., Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2002;43:371–376). Unfortunately, previous work in establishing oxygen‐consumption kinetics from transient postlens tear‐film oxygen tensions relies on the simplistic assumption of a constant corneal‐consumption rate. A more realistic model of corneal metabolism is needed to obtain reliable oxygen‐consumption kinetics. Here, physiologically relevant nonlinear Monod kinetics is adopted for describing the local oxygen‐consumption rate, thus avoiding aphysical negative oxygen tensions in the cornea. We incorporate Monod kinetics in an unsteady‐state reactive‐diffusion model for the cornea contact‐lens system to determine tear‐film oxygen tension as a function of time when changing from closed‐eye to open‐eye condition. The model was fit to available experimental data of in vivo human postlens tear‐film oxygen tension to determine the corneal oxygen‐consumption rate. Reliance on corneal oxygen diffusivity and solubility data obtained from rabbits is no longer requisite. Excellent agreement is obtained between the proposed model and experiment. We calculate the spatial‐averaged in vivo human maximum corneal oxygen‐consumption rate as Q = 1.05 × 10−4 mL/(cm3 s). The calculated Monod constant is Km = 2.2 mmHg. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2009
The return period of wind storms over Europe
Authors: Della‐Marta Paul M. , Mathis Hubert , Frei Christoph , Liniger Mark A. , Kleinn Jan , Appenzeller Christof
Published: December 2008

Accurate assessment of the magnitude and frequency of extreme wind speed is of fundamental importance for many safety, engineering and reinsurance applications. We utilize the spatial and temporal consistency of the European Centre for Medium Range Forecasts ERA‐40 reanalysis data to determine the frequency of extreme winds associated with wind storms over the eastern North Atlantic and Europe. Two parameters are investigated: 10‐m wind gust and 10‐m wind speed. The analysis follows two different view‐points: In a spatially distributed view, wind‐storm statistics are determined individually at each grid‐point. In an integral, more generalized view, the wind‐storm statistics are determined from extreme wind indices (EWI) that summarize storm magnitude and spatial extent. We apply classical peak over threshold (POT) extreme value analysis techniques (EVA) to the EWI and grid‐point wind data. As a reference, a catalogue of the 200 most prominent European storms has been compiled based on available literature. The EWI‐based return periods (RP) estimates of catalogue wind storms range from approximately 0.1 to 300 years, whereas grid‐point‐based RP estimates range from 0.1 to 500+ years. EWIs sensitive to the absolute magnitude of wind speed rank the RP of wind storms in the 1989/1990 and 1999/2000 extended winter season similarly to the RP derived from the distributed approach. The RP estimates derived from EWIs are generally higher when calculated using only land grid‐points compared to RPs derived using whole domain. Both the uncertainties in EWIs and grid‐point‐based RPs show a greater dependence on the wind parameter used than on the uncertainty associated with the EVA for RPs less than 10 years, whereas for RPs greater than 10 years the effect of the different datasets is lower. The EWIs share up to approximately 50% of the variability of the local grid‐point RPs. Copyright © 2008 Royal Meteorological Society
Mitochondrial DNA haplogroups J and K are not protective for Parkinson's disease in the Australian community
Authors: Mehta Prachi , Mellick George D. , Rowe Dominic B. , Halliday Glenda M. , Jones Michael M. , Manwaring Neil , Vandebona Himesha , Silburn Peter A. , Wang Jie Jin , Mitchell Paul , Sue Carolyn M.
Published: December 2008

MtDNA haplogroups J and K have been associated with a decreased risk of developing Parkinson's disease (PD). To confirm this finding, we compared the distribution of mtDNA haplogroups J and K in a large sample of Australian patients with PD (n = 890) to population‐based controls (n = 3,491). We assigned subjects to haplogroups J or K using standard PCR/RFLP techniques. Of the 890 subjects with PD, 10.6% were haplogroup J (95% CI 8.6–12.8, n = 94) and 7.1% were haplogroup K (95% CI 5.5–8.9, n = 63). In our controls, 10.2% belonged to haplogroup J (95% CI 9.2–11.2, n = 356), and 7.8% were in haplogroup K (95% CI 6.9–8.7, n = 272). There was no significant difference in the prevalence of mtDNA haplogroup J or K in PD patients compared to population‐based controls. Our findings indicate that mtDNA haplogroups J and K are not associated with a lower risk of PD. © 2008 Movement Disorder Society
Utility of trapezius EMG for diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Sonoo Masahiro , Kuwabara Satoshi , Shimizu Toshio , Komori Tetsuo , Hirashima Fumiko , Inaba Akira , Hatanaka Yuki , Misawa Sonoko , Kugio Yumiko ,   The Tokyo Metropolitan Neuromuscular Electrodiagnosis Study Group
Published: December 2008

Needle electromyography (EMG) of the tongue is traditionally used as a key to the diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), although relaxation of the tongue is often difficult to achieve. Recently, frequent abnormalities in the EMGs of the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) and upper trapezius muscles in ALS have been reported. To elucidate the diagnostic utility of these muscles we performed a multicenter prospective study to examine EMGs of the tongue (genioglossus), SCM, and trapezius in 104 ALS or suspected ALS patients. We also examined EMGs of the SCM and trapezius in 32 cervical spondylosis (CS) patients. We mainly evaluated fibrillation potentials/positive sharp waves (Fib/PSWs) and fasciculation potentials. Complete relaxation was achieved in 85% of ALS patients in the trapezius, but in only 6% of patients in the tongue. Fib/PSWs were observed in 8%, 13%, and 45% of ALS patients in the tongue, SCM, and trapezius, respectively, whereas fasciculation potentials were observed in 1%, 7%, and 39%, respectively. Abnormal spontaneous activity of any type was found in 9%, 17%, and 63% of patients, respectively. The high frequency of abnormal spontaneous activity in the trapezius was similar among the different diagnostic categories, and even 72% of clinically suspected ALS (progressive muscular atrophy) patients showed them in their trapezius. We did not observe Fib/PSWs or fasciculation potentials in any of our CS patients, thus these findings have excellent specificity. Tongue EMG added little utility over the clinical sign of tongue atrophy. Abnormal spontaneous activity in the trapezius would be more useful for the early diagnosis of ALS. Muscle Nerve 39: 63–70, 2009
Accelerating adaptive trade‐off model using shrinking space technique for constrained evolutionary optimization
Authors: Wang Yong , Cai Zixing , Zhou Yuren
Published: December 2008

Adaptive trade‐off model (ATM) is a constraint‐handling mechanism proposed recently. The main advantages of this model are its simplicity and adaptation. Moreover, it can be easily embedded into evolutionary algorithms for solving constrained optimization problems. This paper proposes a novel method for constrained optimization, which aims at accelerating the ATM using shrinking space technique. Eighteen benchmark test functions and five engineering design problems are used to test the performance of the method proposed. Experimental results suggest that combining the ATM with the shrinking space technique is very beneficial. The method proposed can promptly converge to competitive results without loss of the quality and the precision of the final results. Performance comparisons with some other state‐of‐the‐art approaches from the literature are also presented. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Rigid plastic model of incremental sheet deformation using second‐order cone programming
Authors: Raithatha A. , Duncan S. R.
Published: December 2008

This paper describes a method for numerically modelling the incremental plastic deformation of shells and applies the method to incremental sheet forming (ISF). An upper bound finite element shell model is developed based on sequential limit analysis under the rigid plastic assumption, which is solved by manipulating the problem into the form of a second‐order cone program (SOCP). Initially, the static upper bound plate problem is investigated and the results are compared with the existing literature. The approach is then extended to a shell formulation using a linearized form of the Ilyushin yield condition and two methods for treating the Ilyushin condition are presented. The model is solved efficiently using SOCP software. The resulting model shows good geometric agreement when validated against an elasto‐plastic model produced using existing commercial software and with measurements from a real product produced using ISF. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sleep patterns and psychological distress in women living in an inner city
Authors: Caldwell Barbara A. , Redeker Nancy S.
Published: December 2008

Psychological distress, including symptoms of anxiety, depression, and psychological trauma, is common in women living in inner cities and can be associated with disturbed sleep. The purposes of the study of 115 women were to examine: (a) objective and subjective sleep patterns; (b) extent of psychological distress; and (c) the relationship between objective and subjective sleep patterns and psychological distress. Wrist actigraphs were worn. High levels of life stress, sleep pattern disturbance, and psychological distress were common. Self‐reported sleep patterns, but not objective sleep pattern variables, explained 12.5% to 44% of the variance in psychological distress, suggesting the importance of screening for sleep and psychological distress. These findings suggest that interventions focusing on sleep or psychological distress may reduce symptoms. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 32:177–190, 2009
Effect of a creative‐bonding intervention on Taiwanese nursing students' self‐transcendence and attitudes toward elders
Authors: Chen Shiue , Walsh Sandra M.
Published: December 2008

Nursing students worldwide have little interest in caring for a growing elder population. The purpose of this study, based on self‐transcendence theory, was to test the effectiveness of a creative‐bonding intervention (CBI) to promote self‐transcendence and positive attitudes towards elders in Taiwanese nursing students. A quasi‐experimental design was used to compare a CBI group (n = 100) with a friendly visit (FV) control group (n = 94). ANCOVA results indicated that after the intervention, the CBI group had significantly more positive attitudes towards elders than the FV group. Nursing school faculty may want to promote art‐making activities between students and elders to foster students' interest in elder care. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 32:204–216, 2009
Late relapsing Wilms tumor with rhabdomyomatous differentiation
Authors: Pinarli Faruk Güçlü , Oğuz Aynur , Karadeniz Ceyda , Poyraz Aylar , Konuş Öznur , Çıtak Çağlar
Published: December 2008

The authors report a patient with abdominally relapsed Wilms tumor with rhabdomyomatous differentiation leading to renal failure and death 9 years after the initial diagnosis. The patient was treated with intensive chemotherapy because of inoperable tumor but no response was obtained. The prognosis of children with Wilms tumor relapsed in abdomen and in previously irradiated fields is poor and intensive chemotherapy protocols for differentiated tumors after chemotherapy will increase the risk of complications without obvious benefit. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2009;52:675–677. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Influence of the rigid spacer to macrocyclization of poly(thialactones): synthesis and computational analysis
Authors: Vujasinović Ines , Mlinarić‐Majerski Kata , Bertoša Branimir , Tomić Sanja
Published: December 2008

Formation of macrocyclic lactones 8‐19 by ring‐opening condensation of corresponding stannathianes 1‐4 with diacyl dichlorides 5‐7 was studied experimentally and theoretically. The cyclization reactions afforded mixtures of corresponding monomers (M), dimers (D), and trimers (T). In order to rationalize the influence of type and size of the spacer on the products ratio in the M‐D‐T mixtures we performed a force field based molecular modeling study. Monte Carlo conformational search was conducted and lowest energy conformations in chloroform were determined. Results of the molecular modeling in combination with the assumed kinetic parameters enabled better understanding of the experimentally obtained composition of the M‐D‐T‐mixtures. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Investigation of ABn (n = 2, 4) type hyperbranched polymerization with cyclization and steric factors: Influences of monomer concentration, reactivity, and substitution effect
Authors: Wang Long , He Xuehao
Published: December 2008

The 3D bond fluctuation lattice model is extendedly developed to explore ABn (n = 2, 4) type hyperbranched polymerizations with the considerations of intramolecular rings, steric factors, diffusion of molecules, and polymer chain relaxation. In the case of zero activation energy, number‐ and weight‐average degrees of polymerization and polydispersity index (PI) increase with the rise of monomer concentration and their maximal values are finite. The average fraction of branching point (FB), initially elevates with the increase of monomer concentration and then decreases at high concentration at full conversion of A groups. In the case of nonzero activation energy, the PI increases slowly with the decrease of reaction activity, but the average FB keeps nearly unchanging. The influence of substitution effect on PI and FB are also confirmed in simulation. The simulation results show excellent agreement with experimental data and are helpful to make great progress in prediction for ABn type hyperbranched polymerizations. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 523–533, 2009
N‐methylpicolinium derivatives as the coinitiators in photoinitiating systems for vinyl monomers polymerization
Authors: Kabatc Janina , Pączkowski Jerzy
Published: December 2008

Five N‐methylpicolinium derivatives were investigated to test their abilities to function as second coinitiators in free radical photopolymerization initiated by N,N′‐diethylcarbocyanine—n‐butyltriphenylborate photoredox pair (P19B2). As it is shown by the kinetic data, an addition of picolinium derivatives into P19B2 photoinitiating system visibly increases the efficiency of photoinitiation. The results suggest that the rates of photoinitiation depend on the rate of the picolyl radicals formation. The redox potentials of tested N‐methylpicolinium derivatives were measured and the calculation of free energy change for the possible electron transfer reactions between all components of the system (both stable and transient individuals) was performed. The results suggest that cyanine dyes are able to start a specific chain of an electron transfer reactions involving different coinitiators (borate salt and N‐alkylpicolinium derivatives), giving as a result one photon—two‐radicals photochemical response. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 576–588, 2009
Larvicidal and oviposition‐altering activity of monoterpenoids, trans‐anithole and rosemary oil to the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae)
Authors: Waliwitiya Ranil , Kennedy Christopher J , Lowenberger Carl A
Published: December 2008

BACKGROUND: Aedes aegypti L. is the major vector of dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever. In an effort to find effective tools for control programs to reduce mosquito populations, the authors assessed the acute toxicities of 14 monoterpenoids, trans‐anithole and the essential oil of rosemary against different larval stages of Ae. aegypti. The potential for piperonyl butoxide (PBO) to act as a synergist for these compounds to increase larvicidal activity was also examined, and the oviposition response of gravid Ae. aegypti females to substrates containing these compounds was evaluated in behavioral bioassays.

RESULTS: Pulegone, thymol, eugenol, trans‐anithole, rosemary oil and citronellal showed high larvicidal activity against all larval stages of Ae. aegypti (LC50 values 10.3–40.8 mg L−1). The addition of PBO significantly increased the larvicidal activity of all test compounds (3–250‐fold). Eugenol, citronellal, thymol, pulegone, rosemary oil and cymene showed oviposition deterrent and/or repellent activities, while the presence of borneol, camphor and β‐pinene increased the number of eggs laid in test containers.

CONCLUSIONS: This study quantified the lethal and sublethal effects of several phytochemical compounds against all larval stages of Aedes aegypti, providing information that ultimately may have potential in mosquito control programs through acute toxicity and/or the ability to alter reproductive behaviors. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
An integrated pneumatic tactile feedback actuator array for robotic surgery
Authors: Franco Miguel L. , King Chih‐Hung , Culjat Martin O. , Lewis Catherine E. , Bisley James W. , Holmes E. Carmack , Grundfest Warren S. , Dutson Erik P.
Published: December 2008

Background

A pneumatically controlled balloon actuator array has been developed to provide tactile feedback to the fingers during robotic surgery.

Methods

The actuator and pneumatics were integrated onto a robotic surgical system. Potential interference of the inactive system was evaluated using a timed robotic peg transfer task. System performance was evaluated by measuring human perception of the thumb and index finger.

Results

No significant difference was found between performance with and without the inactive mounted actuator blocks. Subjects were able to determine inflation location with > 95% accuracy and five discrete inflation levels with both the index finger and thumb with accuracies of 94% and 92%. Temporal tests revealed that an 80 ms temporal separation was sufficient to detect balloon stimuli with high accuracy.

Conclusions

The mounted balloon actuators successfully transmitted tactile information to the index finger and thumb, while not hindering performance of robotic surgical movements. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Microbicides: an emerging science of HIV‐1 prevention in women—15th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, Boston, USA, 3–6 February 2008
Authors: Saïdi Héla
Published: December 2008

Women account for almost 60% of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV‐1) infections in Sub‐Saharan Africa. HIV‐1 prevention tools such as condoms, abstinence and monogamy are not always feasible options for women due to various socio‐economic and cultural factors. Microbicides are anti‐microbial medications formulated for topical administration to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV‐1 and other pathogens. Ideally, they will afford bidirectional protection to both men and women who are engaged in vaginal or anal sex. Since the use of condom is often difficult or impossible, this multifunctional role of microbicides will be crucial in the fight against AIDS. The 15th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) was recently held in Boston, USA, where one of the most interesting subject area discussed by researchers from all around the world was the latest developments and understandings in microbicide‐related basic science and pre‐clinical product development as well as in product manufacturing and formulation that address the issue of user adherence. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Stability analysis of the drive‐train of a wind turbine with quadratic torque control
Authors: Wang Chen , Weiss George
Published: December 2008

This paper investigates the stability of a variable‐speed wind turbine operating under low to medium wind speed. The turbine is controlled to capture as much wind energy as possible. We concentrate on the mechanical level of the turbine system, more precisely on the drive‐train with the standard quadratic generator torque controller. We consider both the one‐mass and the two‐mass models for the drive‐train, with the inputs being the deviation of the active torque from an arbitrary positive nominal value and the tracking error of the generator torque. We show that the turbine system is input‐to‐state stable for the one‐mass model and integral input‐to‐state stable for the two‐mass model. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Upregulation of S100 calcium‐binding protein A9 is required for induction of smooth muscle cell proliferation by a periodontal pathogen
Authors: Inaba Hiroaki , Hokamura Kazuya , Nakano Kazuhiko , Nomura Ryota , Katayama Kazufumi , Nakajima Atsushi , Yoshioka Hideo , Taniguchi Kazuhiro , Kamisaki Yoshinori , Ooshima Takashi , Umemura Kazuo , Murad Ferid , Wada Koichiro , Amano Atsuo
Published: December 2008

We investigated the effect of a periodontal pathogen, Porphyromonas gingivalis, on human aortic smooth muscle cell (hAOSMC) proliferation as mechanisms of atherosclerosis. Cultured hAOSMCs exposed to the supernatant of plasma incubated with P. gingivalis showed a marked transformation from a contractile to proliferative phenotype, resulting in enhancement of cell growth. DNA microarray analysis revealed a P. gingivalis‐dependent upregulation of S100A9 in hAOSMCs. Small interference‐RNA for S100A9 dramatically attenuated the effect of P. gingivalis on transformation and proliferation of hAOSMCs. Our data suggested that upregulation of S100A9 mediated by P. gingivalis is an important event in the development of aortic intimal hyperplasia.