bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Safety and diagnostic accuracy of neuroendoscopic biopsies: an international multicenter study
Authors: Constantini Shlomi , Mohanty Aaron , Zymberg Samuel , Cavalheiro Sergio , Mallucci Conor , Hellwig Dieter , Ersahin Yusuf , Mori Hiroshi , Mascari Carmelo , Val José Aloysio Costa , Wagner Wolfgang , Kulkarni Abhaya V. , Sgouros Spyros , Oi Shizuo
Published: April 2013

Object

Analysis of the safety and morbidity of neuroendoscopic biopsies (NEBs), as well as the reliability in obtaining an accurate diagnosis, has until now been based on studies with relatively small sample sizes. Through the cooperative efforts of several international medical centers, authors of the present study collected data on a large number of patients to obtain better insight into this issue. When possible, they compared pathology obtained through an NEB with the “gold-standard” pathology obtained in open surgery.

Methods

Thirteen randomly chosen medical centers in 9 countries collected data for patients who had undergone NEB, which were then analyzed for universal complications, bleeding, navigation technique, pathology, mismatch between biopsy results and final diagnosis, and a number of other potentially influential factors.

Results

Data for 293 patients were analyzed. Sixty percent of the patients were male, and patient ages ranged from 0.1 to 78.7 years (median age 20.4 years). The most common tumor locations were pineal (33.1%), thalamic (16.7%), tectal (13%), and hypothalamic (4.4%). Fifty percent of the tumors were larger than 20 mm, 36% were between 10 and 20 mm, and 14% were smaller than 10 mm. Intraoperative bleeding was seen in 275 patients (94%). The amount of blood was noted as mild in 75%, moderate in 13%, and severe in 6%. Infection occurred in 8 patients (3%). Death occurred in 1 patient (0.3%), which was caused by severe intraoperative bleeding. Biopsies were informative in 265 patients (90.4%). Seventy-eight patients (26.6%) had open surgery following the NEB. For these patients, the pathology results from the NEB were compared with those from the open surgery that followed. In 14 cases (17.9%) there was disagreement on the pathology. Of these cases, a meaningful mismatch, in which the erroneous NEB pathology could have led to an inappropriate management decision, occurred in 9 cases (11.5%). Most of these meaningful mismatches were lesions diagnosed as low-grade or pilocytic astrocytoma on the NEB and later proved to be high-grade astrocytoma (4 cases) and 1 case each of meningioma, cavernoma, primitive neuroectodermal tumor, neurocysticercosis, and pineocytoma.

Conclusions

In experienced hands, NEBs can be performed with low morbidity and mortality, providing meaningful pathological data for the majority of patients with a wide range of tumor types, locations, and presentations. These biopsies also offer other advantages, such as the ability to perform concomitant endoscopic third ventriculostomy and septum pellucidotomy. However, due caution must be maintained, since pathology obtained from an NEB, as with stereotactic biopsies, may be subject to sampling errors, especially when the results seem to indicate a low-grade glial tumor.
From Critic to Cheerleader: The Clarifying Example of Benny Morris' ‘Conversion’
Authors: Abdel-Nour Farid
Published: April 2013

Benny Morris attributes his ‘conversion’ to the political events of the year 2000. This article offers an explanation of his conversion that is internal to his work as a historian of the events of 1948. Through the 1990s Morris was faced with overwhelming evidence that made it difficult for him to continue to escape the fundamental insight that a Jewish state could not have been established in Palestine in 1948 without large-scale Palestinian displacement. Once he started taking this insight fully to heart he confronted a stark choice. Either he had to reject the worthiness of the Zionist dream, or he had to find a means of justifying the displacement it necessitated as a lesser evil than the evil of leaving the dream unrealised. His conversion is a coming to terms with this choice. Anyone who is interested in adopting a coherent position towards the establishment of the state of Israel and the Palestinian Nakba is confronted with a similar choice. Morris's pre and post conversion attitudes clarify the two options available to anyone who is so committed to the Zionist dream that no amount of evidence about its disastrous consequences to Palestinians can dissuade him from its worthiness.
Anxiolytic Effects of Herbal Ethanol Extract from Gynostemma pentaphyllum in Mice after Exposure to Chronic Stress
Authors: Choi Hyun , Zhao Ting , Shin Keon , Kim Seung , Hwang Bang , Lee Chong , Lee Myung
Published: April 2013

In this study, the effects of herbal ethanol extracts of Gynostemma pentaphyllum (GP-EX), on chronic electric footshock (EF) stress-induced anxiety disorders were investigated in mice, which were orally treated with GP-EX (30 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg) once a day for 14 days, followed by exposure to EF stress (2 mA, with an interval and duration of 10 s for 3 min). After the final exposure to EF stress, the elevated plus-maze and marble burying tests were performed, and the levels of dopamine and serotonin in the brain, the serum levels of corticosterone, and the expression of c-Fos in the paraventricular nuclei (PVN) were determined. Treatment with GP-EX (30 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg) significantly recovered the number of entries into open arms and time spent on open arms, which was reduced by chronic EF stress. GP-EX (30 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg) also reduced the number of marbles buried, which was increased by chronic EF stress. In addition, electric EF stress significantly decreased the levels of dopamine and serotonin in the brain, which was recovered by treatment with GP-EX (30 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg). The serum levels of corticosterone, which were markedly increased by chronic EF stress, were reduced by treatment with GP-EX (30 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg). Chronic EF stress-induced increases in c-Fos expression were also markedly reduced by GP-EX (30 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg) in the PVN. These results suggest that GP-EX shows anxiolytic functions, determined by the elevated plus-maze and marble burying tests, which are mediated by modulating the activity of dopamine and serotonin neurons as well as the expression of c-Fos in the brain, and the serum levels of corticosterone. Clinical trials of herbal GP-EX and its bioactive components need further investigation.
A GALERKIN FINITE ELEMENT METHOD TO SOLVE FRACTIONAL DIFFUSION AND FRACTIONAL DIFFUSION-WAVE EQUATIONS
Authors: Esen Alaattin , Ucar Yusuf , Yagmurlu Nuri , Tasbozan Orkun
Published: April 2013

In the present study, numerical solutions of the fractional diffusion and fractional diffusion-wave equations where fractional derivatives are considered in the Caputo sense have been obtained by a Galerkin finite element method using quadratic B-spline base functions. For the fractional diffusion equation, the L1 discretizaton formula is applied, whereas the L2 discretizaton formula is applied for the fractional diffusion-wave equation. The error norms L 2 and L ∞ are computed to test the accuracy of the proposed method. It is shown that the present scheme is unconditionally stable by applying a stability analysis to the approximation obtained by the proposed scheme.
Value of a mobile information system to improve quality of care by community health workers
Authors: Tomlinson Mark , Rotheram-Borus Mary Jane , Doherty Tanya , Swendeman Dallas , Tsai Alexander C. , Ijumba Petrida , Le Roux Ingrid , Jackson Debra , Stewart Jackie , Friedman Andi , Colvin Mark , Chopra Mickey
Published: April 2013

Background: We will be unable to achieve sustained impact on health outcomes with community health worker (CHW)-based interventions unless we bridge the gap between small scale efficacy studies and large scale interventions. Effective strategies to support the management of CHWs are central to bridging the gap. Mobile phones are broadly available, particularly in low and middle income countries (LAMIC), where the penetration rate approaches 100%.Objectives: In this article, we describe how mobile phones and may be combined with mobile web-based technology to assist in the management of CHWs in two projects in South Africa.Methods: This article is a descriptive study, drawing lessons from two randomised controlled trials outlining how a mobile phone information system can be utilised to enhance the quality of health interventions. We organised our comprehensive management and supervision system around a previously published management framework. The system is composed of mobile phones utilised by CHWs and a web-based interface utilised by CHW supervisors. Computerised algorithms were designed with intervention and assessment protocols to aid in the real-time supervision and management of CHWs.Results: Community health workers used mobile phones to initiate intervention visits and trigger content to be delivered during the course of intervention visits. Supervisors used the web-based interface for real-time monitoring of the location, timing and content of intervention visits. Additional real-time support was provided through direct support calls in the event of crises in the field.Conclusion: Mobile phone-based information system platforms offer significant opportunities to improve CHW-delivered interventions. The extent to which these efficiency gains can be translated into realised health gains for communities is yet to be tested.
The evolution of the concepts of growth, development and other related, during the last decades
Authors: Jankiewicz Leszek S.
Published: April 2013

The evolution of such terms as growth, differentiation, development, morphogenesis etc. is discussed. It is proposed that the term (notion) development should be understood to comprise "growth", "differentiation" and even "abscission, abortion and necrosis". The term "development" is already used in such a way by some authors. The relations among the phenomena denoted by the above terms are presented in a graphic form to show that they partly overlap. The concept that growth and development represent quantitative and qualitative aspects (respectively) of plant augmentation is criticized. The newly introduced terms "development hormone" or "development regulator" seem more suitable than "growth hormone" and "growth regulator", however, these later ones are correct and may be used. The traditional term "phytohormone" and the newly introduced one "phytoregulator" seem convenient, but it must be kept in mind that such substances may transmit information both on a chemical basis as well as on a biophysical one. An example here can be auxin; a change in the wavy character of its transport may serve as information. In some cases a complex of two or more substances may play the role of a hormone, for instance ACC and ethylene, of which one is easily transportable but little active and the other is very active but exerts its action rather locally. Other combinations of activities may exist in other such pairs.
Health implications associated with exposure to farmed and wild sea turtles
Authors: Warwick Clifford , Arena Phillip C , Steedman Catrina
Published: April 2013

Summary

Exposure to sea turtles may be increasing with expanding tourism, although reports of problems arising from interaction with free-living animals appear of negligible human health and safety concern. Exposure both to wild-caught and captive-housed sea turtles, including consumption of turtle products, raises several health concerns for the public, including: microbiological (bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi), macrobiological (macroparasites), and organic and inorganic toxic contaminants (biotoxins, organochlorines and heavy metals). We conducted a review of sea turtle associated human disease and its causative agents as well as a case study of the commercial sea turtle facility known as the Cayman Turtle Farm (which receives approximately 240,000 visitors annually) including the use of water sampling and laboratory microbial analysis which identified Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Aeromonas spp., Vibrio spp. and Salmonella spp. Our assessment is that pathogens and toxic contaminants may be loosely categorized to represent the following levels of potential risk: viruses and fungi= very low, protozoan parasites = very low to low, metazoan parasites, bacteria and environmental toxic contaminants = low or moderate to high; and biotoxin contaminant= moderate to very high. Farmed turtles and their consumable products may constitute a significant reservoir of potential human pathogen and toxin contamination. Greater awareness among health-care professionals regarding both potential pathogens and toxic contaminants from sea turtles, as well as key signs and symptoms of sea turtle-related human disease, is important for the prevention and control of salient disease.
Dust ice nuclei effects on cirrus clouds
Authors: Kuebbeler M. , Lohmann U. , Hendricks J. , Kärcher B.
Published: April 2013

Abstract. In order to study aerosol-cloud interactions in cirrus clouds we apply a new multiple-mode ice microphysical scheme to the general circulation model ECHAM5-HAM. The multiple-mode ice microphysical scheme allows to analyse the competition between homogeneous freezing of solution droplets, deposition nucleation of pure dust particles, immersion freezing of coated dust particles and pre-existing ice. We base the freezing efficiencies of coated and pure dust particles on most recent laboratory data. The effect of pre-existing ice, which was neglected in previous ice nucleation parameterizations, is to deplete water vapour by depositional growth and thus prevent homogeneous and heterogeneous freezing from occurring. In a first step, we extensively tested the model and validated the results against in-situ measurements from various aircraft campaigns. The results compare well with observations; properties like ice crystal size and number concentration as well as supersaturation are predicted within the observational spread. We find that heterogeneous nucleation on mineral dust particles and the consideration of pre-existing ice in the nucleation process may lead to significant effects: globally, ice crystal number and mass are reduced by 10% and 5%, whereas the ice crystals size is increased by 3%. The reductions in ice crystal number are most pronounced in the tropics and mid-latitudes on the Northern Hemisphere. While changes in the microphysical and radiative properties of cirrus clouds in the tropics are mostly driven by considering pre-existing ice, changes in the northern hemispheric mid-latitudes mainly result from heterogeneous nucleation. The so called negative Twomey-effect in cirrus clouds is represented in ECHAM5-HAM. The net change in the radiation budget is −0.94 W m−2, implying that both, heterogeneous nucleation on dust and pre-existing ice have the potential to modulate cirrus properties in climate simulations and thus should be considered in future studies.
A method to correct sampling ghosts in historic near-infrared Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) measurements
Authors: Dohe S. , Sherlock V. , Hase F. , Gisi M. , Robinson J. , Sepúlveda E. , Schneider M. , Blumenstock T.
Published: April 2013

Abstract. The Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON) has been established to provide ground-based remote sensing measurements of the column-average dry air mole fractions of key greenhouse gases. To ensure the network wide consistency, biases between Fourier Transform spectrometers at different sites have to be well controlled. In this study we investigate a fundamental correction scheme for errors in the sampling of the interferogram. This is a two-step procedure in which the laser sampling error (LSE) is quantified using a subset of suitable interferograms and then used to resample all the interferograms in the timeseries. Timeseries of measurements acquired at the TCCON sites Izaña and Lauder are used to demonstrate the method. At both sites the sampling error histories show changes in LSE due to instrument interventions. Estimated LSE are in good agreement with sampling errors inferred from lamp measurements of the ghost to parent ratio (Lauder). The LSE introduce retrieval biases which are minimised when the interferograms are resampled. The original timeseries of Xair and XCO2 at both sites show discrepancies of 0.2–0.5% due to changes in the LSE associated with instrument interventions or changes in the measurement sample rate. After resampling discrepancies are reduced to 0.1% at Lauder and 0.2% at Izaña. In the latter case, coincident changes in interferometer alignment may also contribute to the residual difference.
Implementation of a 3-D-Var system for atmospheric profiling data assimilation into the RAMS model: initial results
Authors: Federico S.
Published: April 2013

Abstract. This paper presents the current status of development of a three-dimensional variational data assimilation system. The system can be used with different numerical weather prediction models, but it is mainly designed to be coupled with the Regional Atmospheric Modelling System (RAMS). Analyses are given for the following parameters: zonal and meridional wind components, temperature, relative humidity, and geopotential height. Important features of the data assimilation system are the use of incremental formulation of the cost-function, and the use of an analysis space represented by recursive filters and eigenmodes of the vertical background error matrix. This matrix and the length-scale of the recursive filters are estimated by the National Meteorological Center (NMC) method. The data assimilation and forecasting system is applied to the real context of atmospheric profiling data assimilation, and in particular to the short-term wind prediction. The analyses are produced at 20 km horizontal resolution over central Europe and extend over the whole troposphere. Assimilated data are vertical soundings of wind, temperature, and relative humidity from radiosondes, and wind measurements of the European wind profiler network. Results show the validity of the analysis solutions because they are closer to the observations (lower RMSE) compared to the background (higher RMSE), and the differences of the RMSEs are consistent with the data assimilation settings. To quantify the impact of improved initial conditions on the short-term forecast, the analyses are used as initial conditions of a three-hours forecast of the RAMS model. In particular two sets of forecasts are produced: (a) the first uses the ECMWF analysis/forecast cycle as initial and boundary conditions; (b) the second uses the analyses produced by the 3-D-Var scheme as initial conditions, then is driven by the ECMWF forecast. The improvement is quantified by considering the horizontal components of the wind, which are measured at a-synoptic times by the European wind profiler network. The results show that the RMSE is effectively reduced at the short range (1–2 h). The results are in agreement with the set-up of the numerical experiment.
Improved Black Silicon for Photovoltaic Applications
Authors: Algasinger Michael , Paye Julie , Werner Florian , Schmidt Jan , Brandt Martin S. , Stutzmann Martin , Koynov Svetoslav
Published: April 2013

The morphology and the electronic properties of monocrystalline Si (c‐Si) with a nano‐textured “black” surface, obtained by a metal‐catalyzed wet etching process, and the improvement by an additional chemical treatment are examined with regard to solar cell applications. Photoluminescence and optical reflectivity measurements show the presence of a nano‐porous Si (np‐Si) phase in the as‐prepared nano‐texture. It is found that an additional wet chemical treatment with the standard clean 1 of the common RCA cleaning process removes the np‐Si fraction and significantly alters the surface of the nano‐structure. Cross‐sectional scanning electron microscopy images reveal a pronounced reduction of the surface area, to values of only 3–6 times that of a planar surface. Electron spin resonance measurements were performed to investigate the type and quantity of defects induced by the nano‐texturing process. The optimized nano‐texture exhibits a Si dangling bond density comparable to planar c‐Si wafers. Electrically detected magnetic resonance spectra reveal an additional paramagnetic defect present in the nano‐textured Si, linked to a hydrogen‐ or oxygen‐related double donor. In addition, initial results on the passivation of surface defects via atomic layer deposition of Al2O3 are presented. Photoconductance decay measurements of passivated samples show a tenfold increase of the effective lifetime for nano‐textures which have received the additional etching treatment. The improved electronic quality of the nano‐textured surface makes it an interesting candidate for application as an anti‐reflection surface in solar cells.
Design of semiconductor ternary quantum dots with optimal optoelectronic function
Authors: Maroudas Dimitrios , Han Xu , Pandey Sumeet C.
Published: April 2013

The function of nanometer‐size quantum dots (QDs) of ternary compound semiconductors, such as InxGa1−xAs and ZnSe1−xTex, used in the fabrication of optoelectronic and photovoltaic devices can be optimized by precise tuning of their electronic band gap through control of the QD composition (x) and diameter. Results on compositional distributions in ternary QDs and how they affect the QDs' electronic band gap are reported. A hierarchical modeling approach is followed that combines first‐principles density functional theory calculations and classical Monte Carlo simulations with a continuum model of species transport in spherical nanocrystals. In certain cases, the model predicts the formation of core/shell‐like structures with shell regions rich in the surface segregating species. A systematic parametric analysis generates a database of transport properties, which can be used to design post‐growth thermal annealing processes that enable the development of thermodynamically stable QDs with optimal electronic properties grown through simple one‐step colloidal synthesis techniques. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 59: 3223–3236, 2013
Bayesian inference and joint probability analysis for batch process monitoring
Authors: Ge Zhiqiang , Song Zhihuan
Published: April 2013

A new probabilistic monitoring method for batch processes that have multiple operating conditions is described. Particularly, for multiphase batch processes, a phase‐based Bayesian inference strategy is introduced, which can efficiently combine the information of multiple operation modes together into a single model in each specific phase. Therefore, without any process knowledge, local monitoring results in different operation modes can be automatically integrated. Besides, the information of the operation mode can be obtained through joint probability analysis under the Bayesian monitoring framework. Potential extensions of the proposed method for fault diagnosis and identification are also discussed. A benchmark case study on the penicillin fermentation process is given to evaluate the feasibility and efficiency of the proposed method. It is demonstrated that the monitoring performance and the process comprehension have both been improved. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 59: 3702–3713, 2013
Analyzing excess mortality from cancer among individuals with mental illness
Authors: Musuuza Jackson S. , Sherman Marion E. , Knudsen Kraig J. , Sweeney Helen Anne , Tyler Carl V. , Koroukian Siran M.
Published: April 2013

BACKGROUND

The objective was to compare patterns of site‐specific cancer mortality in a population of individuals with and without mental illness.

METHODS

This was a cross‐sectional, population‐based study using a linked data set comprised of death certificate data for the state of Ohio for the years 2004‐2007 and data from the publicly funded mental health system in Ohio. Decedents with mental illness were those identified concomitantly in both data sets. We used age‐adjusted standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) in race‐ and sex‐specific person‐year strata to estimate excess deaths for each of the anatomic cancer sites.

RESULTS

Overall, there was excess mortality from cancer associated with having mental illness in all the race/sex strata: SMR, 2.16 (95% CI, 1.85‐2.50) for black men; 2.63 (2.31‐2.98) for black women; 3.89 (3.61‐4.19) for nonblack men; and 3.34 (3.13‐3.57) for nonblack women. In all the race/sex strata except for black women, the highest SMR was observed for laryngeal cancer, 3.94 (1.45‐8.75) in black men and 6.51 (3.86‐10.35) and 6.87 (3.01‐13.60) in nonblack men and women, respectively. The next highest SMRs were noted for hepatobiliary cancer and cancer of the urinary tract in all race/sex strata, except for black men.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with the general population in Ohio, individuals with mental illness experienced excess mortality from most cancers, possibly explained by a higher prevalence of smoking, substance abuse, and chronic hepatitis B or C infections in individuals with mental illness. Excess mortality could also reflect late‐stage diagnosis and receipt of inadequate treatment. Cancer 2013;119:2469‐2476. © 2013 American Cancer Society.
Non‐linear feeding functional responses in the Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) predict immediate negative impact of wetland degradation on this flagship species
Authors: Deville Anne‐Sophie , Grémillet David , Gauthier‐Clerc Michel , Guillemain Matthieu , Von Houwald Friederike , Gardelli Bruno , Béchet Arnaud
Published: April 2013

Accurate knowledge of the functional response of predators to prey density is essential for understanding food web dynamics, to parameterize mechanistic models of animal responses to environmental change, and for designing appropriate conservation measures. Greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus roseus), a flagship species of Mediterranean wetlands, primarily feed on Artemias (Artemia spp.) in commercial salt pans, an industry which may collapse for economic reasons. Flamingos also feed on alternative prey such as Chironomid larvae (e.g., Chironomid spp.) and rice seeds (Oryza sativa). However, the profitability of these food items for flamingos remains unknown. We determined the functional responses of flamingos feeding on Artemias, Chironomids, or rice. Experiments were conducted on 11 captive flamingos. For each food item, we offered different ranges of food densities, up to 13 times natural abundance. Video footage allowed estimating intake rates. Contrary to theoretical predictions for filter feeders, intake rates did not increase linearly with increasing food density (type I). Intake rates rather increased asymptotically with increasing food density (type II) or followed a sigmoid shape (type III). Hence, flamingos were not able to ingest food in direct proportion to their abundance, possibly because of unique bill structure resulting in limited filtering capabilities. Overall, flamingos foraged more efficiently on Artemias. When feeding on Chironomids, birds had lower instantaneous rates of food discovery and required more time to extract food from the sediment and ingest it, than when filtering Artemias from the water column. However, feeding on rice was energetically more profitable for flamingos than feeding on Artemias or Chironomids, explaining their attraction for rice fields. Crucially, we found that food densities required for flamingos to reach asymptotic intake rates are rarely met under natural conditions. This allows us to predict an immediate negative effect of any decrease in prey density upon flamingo foraging performance.
Alkylruthenium Complexes Containing Polypyridyl Ligands: Synthesis, Characterization, and Immobilization on Silica
Authors: Huang Enrique Kwan , Cheung Wai‐Man , Chan Ka‐Wang , Lam Frank Leung‐Yuk , Hu Xijun , Zhang Qian‐Feng , Williams Ian D. , Leung Wa‐Hung
Published: April 2013

The treatment of [Ru(CO)2Cl2]x with 4,4′,4″‐tri‐tert‐butyl‐2,2′:6′,6″‐terpyridyl (tbtpy) in tetrahydrofuran at reflux afforded trans‐[Ru(tbtpy)Cl2(CO)] (1). The alkylation of complex 1 with excess Me3SiCH2MgCl afforded a mixture of trans‐[Ru(tbtpy)(CH2SiMe3)2(CO)] (2) and trans‐[Ru(tbtpy)(CH2SiMe3)Cl(CO)] (3), whereas complex 3 could be obtained in good yield by the alkylation of complex 1 with 1 equiv. of Me3SiCH2MgCl. On the other hand, the alkylation of 1 with MeLi and PhCH2MgBr afforded the monoalkyl complexes [Ru(tbtpy)(Me)Cl(CO)] (4) and [Ru(tbtpy)(CH2Ph)Cl0.5Br0.5(CO)] (5), respectively. The crystal structure of complex 5 was determined. Complex 2 and the previously prepared mer‐[Ru(dtbpy)(CH2SiMe3)3(NO)] (dtbpy = 4,4′‐di‐tert‐butyl‐2,2′‐bipyridyl) were immobilized on SBA‐15 by treating the Ru complexes with SBA‐15 in benzene at room temperature. 1H NMR spectroscopy indicated that the reaction of complex 2 and [Ru(dtbpy)(CH2SiMe3)3(NO)] with SBA‐15 in C6D6 resulted in the formation of approximately 1 equiv. of SiMe4, which suggests the grafted species are possibly (≡SiO)Ru(tbtpy)(CH2SiMe3)(CO) and (≡SiO)Ru(dtbpy)(CH2SiMe3)2(NO), respectively. The Ru‐grafted SBA‐15 materials were characterized by IR, reflectance UV/Vis, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy as well as transmission electronic microscopy, and their catalytic performance in the oxidation of benzyl alcohol with tert‐butyl hydroperoxide was examined.
Electrothermal model of monolithic TOPSwitch regulators
Authors: Górecki Krzysztof
Published: April 2013

In the paper, an electrothermal compact model of monolithic switching‐mode voltage regulators belonging to the TOPSwitch family is proposed. The description of this model and some results of the experimental verification of its correctness on the example of the regulator TOP222Y are presented. The proposed model can be used to calculate the terminal voltages and currents of the investigated device and the internal temperature of this regulator, too. The satisfying agreement between the calculated and measured characteristics of the switching‐mode power supply including the considered integrated circuit was reached. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
E2‐binding surface on Uba3 β‐grasp domain undergoes a conformational transition
Authors: Elgin E. Sonay , Sökmen Nazlı , Peterson Francis C. , Volkman Brian F. , Dağ Çağdaş , Haas Arthur L.
Published: April 2013

The covalent attachment of ubiquitin (Ub) and ubiquitin‐like (Ubl) proteins to various eukaryotic targets plays critical roles in regulating numerous cellular processes. E1‐activating enzymes are critical, because they catalyze activation of their cognate Ub/Ubl protein and are responsible for its transfer to the correct E2‐conjugating enzyme(s). The activating enzyme for neural‐precursor‐cell‐expressed developmentally downregulated 8 (NEDD8) is a heterodimer composed of APPBP1 and Uba3 subunits. The carboxyl terminal ubiquitin‐like β‐grasp domain of human Uba3 (Uba3‐βGD) has been suggested as a key E2‐binding site defining E2 specificity. In crystal structures of free E1 and the NEDD8‐E1 complex, the E2‐binding surface on the domain was missing from the electron density. However, when complexed with various E2s, this missing segment adopts a kinked α‐helix. Here, we demonstrate that Uba3‐βGD is an independently folded domain in solution and that residues involved in E2 binding are absent from the NMR spectrum, indicating that the E2‐binding surface on Uba3‐βGD interconverts between multiple conformations, analogous to a similar conformational transition observed in the E2‐binding surface of SUMO E1. These results suggest that access to multiple conformational substates is an important feature of the E1–E2 interaction. Proteins 2012;. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Quasi‐harmonic fluctuations of two bound peptides
Authors: Gur Mert , Erman Burak
Published: April 2013

Binding of two short peptides of sequences ASN‐ASP‐MET‐PHE‐ARG‐LEU and LEU‐LEU‐PHE‐MET‐GLN‐HIS and their bound complex structures is studied. Molecular dynamic simulations of the three structures around their respective minimum energy conformations are performed and a quasi‐harmonic analysis is performed over the trajectories generated. The fluctuation correlation matrix is constructed for all Cα‐atoms of the peptides for the full trajectory. The spring constant matrix between peptide Cα‐atoms is obtained from the correlation matrix. Statistical thermodynamics of fluctuations, the energies, entropies, and the free energies of binding are discussed in terms of the quasi‐harmonic model. Sites contributing to the stability of the system and presenting high affinity for binding are determined. Contribution of hydrophobic forces to binding is discussed. Quasi‐harmonic approximation identifies the essential subspace of motions, the important interactions, and binding sites, gives the energetic contribution of each individual interaction, and filters out noise observed in molecular dynamics owing to uncorrelated motions. Comparison of the molecular dynamics results with those of the quasi‐harmonic model shows the importance of entropy change, resulting from water molecules being liberated from the surfaces of the two peptides upon binding. Proteins 2012; © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Planar Segment Based Three‐dimensional Point Cloud Registration in Outdoor Environments
Authors: Xiao Junhao , Adler Benjamin , Zhang Jianwei , Zhang Houxiang
Published: April 2013

We present an odometry‐free three‐dimensional (3D) point cloud registration strategy for outdoor environments based on area attributed planar patches. The approach is split into three steps. The first step is to segment each point cloud into planar segments, utilizing a cached‐octree region growing algorithm, which does not require the 2.5D image‐like structure of organized point clouds. The second step is to calculate the area of each segment based on small local faces inspired by the idea of surface integrals. The third step is to find segment correspondences between overlapping point clouds using a search algorithm, and compute the transformation from determined correspondences. The transformation is searched globally so as to maximize a spherical correlation‐like metric by enumerating solutions derived from potential segment correspondences. The novelty of this step is that only the area and plane parameters of each segment are employed, and no prior pose estimation from other sensors is required. Four datasets have been used to evaluate the proposed approach, three of which are publicly available and one that stems from our custom‐built platform. Based on these datasets, the following evaluations have been done: segmentation speed benchmarking, segment area calculation accuracy and speed benchmarking, processing data acquired by scanners with different fields of view, comparison with the iterative closest point algorithm, robustness with respect to occlusions and partial observations, and registration accuracy compared to ground truth. Experimental results confirm that the approach offers an alternative to state‐of‐the‐art algorithms in plane‐rich environments.
Shedding light on new Wess-Zumino couplings with their corrections to all orders in alpha-prime
Authors: Hatefi Ehsan
Published: April 2013

Abstract

Motivated by arXiv:1203.5553, we continue to match super string amplitudes with their own effective field theory. We carry out within full details the computations of the complete form of the amplitude of one closed string Ramond-Ramond field and three SYM vertex operators, namely one gauge field and two scalar fields in type IIB(A) super string theories. Making use of the recent two gauge and two scalar couplings to all orders of α′, we produce all the infinite gauge poles for p = n case (with n as RR field strength’s rank and p as the dimension of a D
p
-brane). Proceeding with direct and full S-Matrix calculations, we are able to produce even all the infinite gauge poles in u-channel for p − 2 = n case in field theory as well. New couplings for p − 2 = n case with their all order α′ corrections are discovered. In addition, we explain how to find out all the infinite scalar poles of this amplitude in s, t-channels and produce them for p + 2 = n case. By comparing all of the contact terms of this amplitude, we obtain several new couplings with their higher derivative corrections for p + 2 = n, p = n cases. These new couplings are neither inside Myers’terms nor within pull-back/Taylor expansions. Finally we comment on some related issues.
Persons and Mysterianism
Authors: BENBAJI HAGIT
Published: April 2013

The aim of this paper is to argue against the widely held view that our concept of person is purely mental. Utilizing an Anscombian scenario, in which reports on one’s own actions are made on the basis of observation, I argue that such “pilots in their ships,” as it were, cannot self-ascribe bodily properties. The mere fact that we feel in our bodies unlike pilots in their ships cannot generate the intuition that we are bodily: as long as we conceive ourselves as purely mental, the fact that we are bodily beings remains an inexplicable mystery.
Mysticism in Bootle: Victorian Supernaturalism as an Historical Problem
Authors: HEIMANN MARY
Published: April 2013

This article presents the case of a Victorian schoolteacher who claimed mystical experiences, including ecstasy, the stigmata and mystical espousals. Rather than attempt retrospectively either to prove or disprove these claims, the author seeks to discover where contemporaries drew the line between the natural and supernatural. Reactions shown to the schoolteacher in the 1870s and 1880s by priests, teachers, religious and doctors suggest that clear-cut oppositions between the rationalist and credulous were uncharacteristic of the time. The more common position was to find both atheism and internally consistent Christian theology inadequate and to prefer an idiosyncratic blend of the two.
John Cotton Reconsidered: Law and Grace in Two Worlds
Authors: PARNHAM DAVID
Published: April 2013

Scholarly accounts of John Cotton's pre-migration divinity focus upon its legalism. Cotton's Old-World voice speaks with the law-mindedness of the ‘precisianist’ and the ‘experimental predestinarian’. Cotton, moreover, is said to have made a ‘radical change’ when, in Massachusetts, he renounced the law's ‘power’. Legalist therein becomes solifidian. Such a view fails to account for the very particular nature of Cotton's Old-World evocations of the moral law. Cotton was a diffident legalist in old Boston. A flirtation with the covenant of works momentarily roused the power of the moral law, but this was atypical of Cotton's English divinity. It was in Massachusetts that Cotton made bold pastoral use of the law's power. And, with this, he coupled a theological revision that cut through the roots of Old-World piety: placing unusual stress on the passivity of faith, he rejected the ‘evidentiary’ value of the Puritan holy walk.
Characterization of the effects of metformin on porcine oocyte meiosis and on AMP-activated protein kinase activation in oocytes and cumulus cells
Authors: Bilodeau-Goeseels Sylvie , Magyara Nora , Collignon Coralie
Published: April 2013

The adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activators 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide 1-β-d-ribofuranoside (AICAR) and metformin (MET) inhibit resumption of meiosis in porcine cumulus-enclosed oocytes. The objective of this study was to characterize the inhibitory effect of MET on porcine oocyte meiosis by: (1) determining the effects of an AMPK inhibitor and of inhibitors of signalling pathways involved in MET-induced AMPK activation in other cell types on MET-mediated meiotic arrest in porcine cumulus-enclosed oocytes; (2) determining whether MET and AICAR treatments lead to increased activation of porcine oocyte and/or cumulus cell AMPK as measured by phosphorylation of its substrate acetyl-CoA carboxylase; and (3) determining the effects of inhibition of the AMPK kinase, Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase (CaMKK), and Ca2+ chelation on oocyte meiotic maturation and AMPK activation in porcine oocytes and cumulus cells. The AMPK inhibitor compound C (CC; 1 μM) did not reverse the inhibitory effect of AICAR (1 mM) and MET (2 mM) on porcine oocyte meiosis. Additionally, CC had a significant inhibitory effect on its own. eNOS, c-Src and PI-3 kinase pathway inhibitors did not reverse the effect of metformin on porcine oocyte meiosis. The level of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) phosphorylation in oocytes and cumulus cells did not change in response to culture in the presence of MET, AICAR, CC, the CaMKK inhibitor STO-609 or the Ca2+ chelator BAPTA-AM for 3 h, but STO-609 increased the percentage of porcine cumulus-enclosed oocytes (CEO) that remained at the germinal vesicle (GV) stage after 24 h of culture. These results indicate that the inhibitory effect of MET and AICAR on porcine oocyte meiosis was probably not mediated through activation of AMPK.
Stress und Studienzufriedenheit bei Bachelor- und Diplom-Psychologiestudierenden im Vergleich
Authors: Sieverding Monika , Schmidt Laura I. , Obergfell Julia , Scheiter Fabian
Published: April 2013

In unserer Studie wandten wir das Demand-Control-Modell auf die Studiensituation von Psychologiestudierenden im Bachelor-/Diplomstudium an. An der 2009 bis 2010 durchgeführten Erhebung nahmen insgesamt 405 Studierende verschiedener Psychologischer Institute teil. Es zeigte sich, dass nach Kontrolle von Alter und Fachsemester der in vielen Studierendensurveys erfasste Studienaufwand (in Stunden pro Woche) nur einen geringen Beitrag zur Erklärung von Stress und Studienzufriedenheit leistete, während die Dimensionen des Demand-Control-Modells die Unterschiede in Stress und Studienzufriedenheit zwischen Bachelor- und Diplomstudierenden mediierten. Regressionsanalysen identifizierten hohe Anforderungen als Hauptprädiktor für Stress im Studium und hohe Anforderungen und geringe Entscheidungsfreiräume als relevante Prädiktoren für eine geringe Studienzufriedenheit. Die Ergebnisse verweisen auf konkrete Ansatzpunkte für mögliche Verbesserungen des Bachelorstudiums.
On the problem of nonlinear coupled electromagnetic transverse-electric–transverse magnetic wave propagation
Authors: Valovik Dmitry V.
Published: April 2013

Coupled electromagnetic TE and TM wave propagation in a nonlinear plane layer is considered. Nonlinearity inside the layer is described by Kerr law. Physical problem is reduced to a nonlinear two-parameter eigenvalue problem for a system of (nonlinear) ordinary differential equations. It is proved that TE and TM waves that form (nonlinear) coupled TE-TM wave can propagate at different frequencies ωE and ωM, respectively. These frequencies can be chosen independently. Existence of coupled surface TE and TM waves is proved. Intervals of localization of coupled eigenvalues are found.
Coupled electromagnetic transverse-electric–transverse magnetic wave propagation in a cylindrical waveguide with Kerr nonlinearity
Authors: Smirnov Yury G. , Valovik Dmitry V.
Published: April 2013

Nonlinear coupled electromagnetic TE-TM wave propagation in a cylindrical nonlinear dielectric waveguide with circular cross section is considered. Nonlinearity inside the waveguide is described by Kerr law. Physical problem is reduced to a nonlinear two-parameter eigenvalue problem for a system of (nonlinear) ordinary differential equations. It is proved that TE and TM waves that form (nonlinear) coupled TE-TM wave can propagate at different frequencies ωE and ωM, respectively. It is shown that nonlinear coupled TE-TM wave propagates at different frequencies ωE, ωM and with different propagation constants γE, γM in the waveguide. Frequencies ωE, ωM can be chosen independently. Existence of coupled surface TE-TM waves is proved. Intervals of localization of coupled eigenvalues (γE, γM) are found.
Effects of lattice deformation on magnetic properties of electron-doped La0.8Hf0.2MnO3 thin films
Authors: Wu Z. P. , Jiang Y. C. , Gao J.
Published: April 2013

The lattice deformation effects on electric and magnetic properties of electron-doped La0.8Hf0.2MnO3 (LHMO) thin films have been systematically investigated. LHMO films with various thicknesses (15 nm, 40 nm, and 80 nm) were grown on (001) SrTiO3 and (001) LaAlO3 substrates, which induces in-plane tensile and compressive biaxial stress, respectively. The metal-insulator phase transition temperature (TP) and magnetoresistance (MR) effect show a strong dependence on film thickness. TP increases with a decrease in thickness and is enhanced as the lattice strain rises, regardless of whether it is tensile or compressive. The maximum MR ratio is suppressed by reduction of the film thickness. These anomalous phenomena may be attributed to the competition between the strain induced modification of the Mn-O bond length and the eg orbital stability.
Impedance characterization of AlGaN/GaN Schottky diodes with metal contacts
Authors: Donahue M. , Lübbers B. , Kittler M. , Mai P. , Schober A.
Published: April 2013

To obtain detailed information on structural and electrical properties of AlGaN/GaN Schottky diodes and to determine an appropriate equivalent circuit, impedance spectroscopy and impedance voltage profiling are employed over a frequency range of 1 MHz–1 Hz. In contrast to the commonly assumed parallel connection of capacitive and resistive elements, an equivalent circuit is derived from impedance spectra which utilizes the constant phase element and accounts for frequency dispersion and trap states. The trap density is estimated and is in good agreement with the literature values. The resulting reduced equivalent circuit consists of a capacitor and resistor connected in series.
Growth and development.
Authors: Funt R. C.
Published: April 2013

This chapter focuses on the root, cane and fruit morphology, physiology and growth and development of raspberries. The impact of various climatic factors on the physiology of raspberries are discussed and the medicinal uses and health benefits derived from raspberries are pointed out.
Climatic requirements.
Authors: Hall H. K. , Sobey T.
Published: April 2013

This chapter focuses on the beneficial and harmful effects of various climatic factors on the ability of raspberries to progress through the phenological stages of growth from juvenility to senescence. The importance of a temperate climate for almost all raspberry cultivars is discussed and the chilling requirements for seed germination and floricane bud break are highlighted.
Postharvest physiology and storage of raspberries.
Authors: Perkins-Veazie P.
Published: April 2013

This chapter focuses on the proper raspberry cultivar selection for the desired market. The importance of the production environment in determining labour and cooling needs for fresh markets is discussed. The benefits of harvesting fresh berries gently by hand into the appropriate container, rapid cooling to slow softening and colour change and cold temperature storage through the shipping and marketing steps are also highlighted.
Visualization of the Anticaging Effect of Ronozyme WX Xylanase on Wheat Substrates
Authors: Le Duy Michael , Fojan Peter , Azem Elisabeth , Pettersson Dan , Pedersen Ninfa Rangel
Published: April 2013

A fluorescence microscope was used for visualization of the anticaging effect of a commercial xylanase on milled wheat, microtome cuts of wheat grains, and digesta samples obtained from piglets 1 or 4 h after feeding a wheat‐based diet (wheat 490 g/kg of diet, barley 100 g/kg of diet, and oats 100 g/kg of diet). Both starchy endosperm and aleurone cell walls were shown to be broken down by Ronozyme WX commercial xylanase. Data obtained by fluorescence microscopy was supplemented with measurements of starch and xylose released as a result of degradation of nonstarch polysaccharides by the xylanase. The results visualize and provide evidence that Ronozyme WX commercial xylanase can overcome the so‐called cage effect. This release of nutrients from their encapsulation in cereal cell wall structures has positive impact on nutrient digestibility and partially explains the positive effect of xylanase supplementation on livestock performance.