bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A modified technique for hepatic artery reconstruction in living donor liver transplantation
Authors: Okochi Masayuki , Ueda Kazuki , Hirose Taro , Okochi Hiromi , Watanabe Hideaki , Suzuki Yasutoshi , Kajikawa Akiyoshi
Published: March 2010

Reconstruction of the hepatic artery (HA) is challenging, because there are technical difficulties. Especially, it is difficult to repair the posterior wall. In 2006, we reported an experimental study of the posterior wall first continuous suturing combined with the interrupted suturing and we also confirmed the safety of this procedure. In this article, we report our clinical experiences using this procedure for the HA reconstruction in living‐donor liver transplantation. First, we repaired the posterior wall of the HA with continuous suturing. Then, the anterior wall is repaired with the interrupted suturing using a nylon suture with double needle. Between 2006 and 2009, we performed 13 HA reconstructions using our procedure. In all patients, the HA reconstruction was completed easily and uneventfully without oozing from the posterior wall or postoperative HA thrombosis. Our procedure has the benefits of both continuous and interrupted suturing. We believe that it is useful for reconstruction of the HA in living‐donor liver transplantation. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Microsurgery 30:541–544, 2010.
Ursolic acid, a naturally occurring triterpenoid, suppresses migration and invasion of human breast cancer cells by modulating c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase, Akt and mammalian target of rapamycin signaling
Authors: Yeh Chi‐Tai , Wu Chi‐Hao , Yen Gow‐Chin
Published: March 2010

Metastasis is one of the most important factors related to breast cancer therapeutic efficacy. Ursolic acid, a naturally occurring triterpenoid, has various anticancer activities. In this study, we first observed that ursolic acid exerted a dose‐ and time‐dependent inhibitory effect on the migration and invasion of highly metastatic breast MDAMB231 cells at non‐cytotoxic concentrations. This effect was associated with reduced activities of metalloproteinase‐2 (MMP‐2) and u‐PA, which correlated with enhanced expression of tissue inhibitor of MMP‐2 and plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1, respectively. Ursolic acid suppressed the phosphorylation of Jun N‐terminal kinase, Akt and mammalian target of rapamycin, but had no effect on the phosphorylation of ERK and p38. Ursolic acid also strongly reduced the levels of NFκB p65, c‐Jun and c‐Fos proteins in the nucleus of MDAMB231 cells. A time‐dependent inhibition of the protein levels of Rho‐like GTPases, growth factor receptor‐bound protein 2, Ras and vascular endothelial growth factor in cytosol by ursolic acid treatment was also observed. In conclusion, we demonstrated that the anti‐invasive effects of ursolic acid on MDAMB231 cells might be through the inhibition of Jun N‐terminal kinase, Akt and mammalian target of rapamycin phosphorylation and a reduction of the level of NFκB protein in the nucleus, ultimately leading to downregulation of MMP‐2 and u‐PA expression. These results suggest that ursolic acid has potential as a chemopreventive agent for metastatic breast cancer.
An estimate of the economic burden and premature deaths due to vitamin D deficiency in Canada
Authors: Grant William B. , Schwalfenberg Gerry K. , Genuis Stephen J. , Whiting Susan J.
Published: March 2010

The objective of this work is to estimate the economic burden and premature death rate in Canada attributable to low serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to many diseases and conditions in addition to bone diseases, including many types of cancer, several bacterial and viral infections, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Canadians have mean serum 25(OH)D levels averaging 67 nmol/L. The journal literature was searched for papers reporting dose–response relationships for vitamin D indices and disease outcomes. The types of studies useful in this regard include randomized controlled trials, observational, cross‐sectional, and ecological studies, and meta‐analyses. The mortality rates for 2005 were obtained from Statistics Canada. The economic burden data were obtained from Health Canada. The estimated benefits in disease reduction were based on increasing the mean serum 25(OH)D level to 105 nmol/L. It is estimated that the death rate could fall by 37 000 deaths (22 300–52 300 deaths), representing 16.1% (9.7–22.7%) of annuals deaths and the economic burden by 6.9% (3.8–10.0%) or $14.4 billion ($8.0 billion–$20.1 billion) less the cost of the program. It is recommended that Canadian health policy leaders consider measures to increase serum 25(OH)D levels for all Canadians.
Vitamin D deficiency and myocardial diseases
Authors: Pilz Stefan , Tomaschitz Andreas , Drechsler Christiane , Dekker Jacqueline M. , März Winfried
Published: March 2010

Vitamin D deficiency is common among patients with myocardial diseases because sun‐induced vitamin D production in the skin and dietary intake of vitamin D is often insufficient. Knockout mice for the vitamin D receptor develop myocardial hypertrophy and dysfunction. It has also been shown that children with rickets who suffered from severe heart failure could be successfully treated with supplementation of vitamin D plus calcium. In adults, almost all patients with heart failure exhibit reduced 25‐hydroxyvitamin D levels, which are used to classify the vitamin D status. In prospective studies, vitamin D deficiency was an independent risk factor for mortality, deaths due to heart failure and sudden cardiac death. Several vitamin D effects on the electrophysiology, contractility, and structure of the heart suggest that vitamin D deficiency might be a causal factor for myocardial diseases. Data from interventional trials, however, are rare and urgently needed to elucidate whether vitamin D supplementation is useful for the treatment of myocardial diseases. In our opinion, the current knowledge of the beneficial effects of vitamin D on myocardial and overall health strongly argue for vitamin D supplementation in all vitamin D‐deficient patients with or at high risk for myocardial diseases.
Eicosapentaenoic acid up‐regulates apelin secretion and gene expression in 3T3‐L1 adipocytes
Authors: Lorente‐Cebrián Silvia , Bustos Matilde , Marti Amelia , Martinez José Alfredo , Moreno‐Aliaga María Jesús
Published: March 2010

Recent studies have shown the ability of apelin to restore glucose tolerance in obese and insulin‐resistant mice. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) is a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) from the omega‐3 family that has many beneficial effects in obesity‐linked disorders. The aim of this study was to examine in vitro the effects of EPA on apelin secretion and gene expression in mature 3T3‐L1 adipocytes. Treatment with EPA (100 and 200 μM) significantly increased basal (p<0.01) and insulin‐stimulated (p<0.001) apelin secretion and gene expression in adipocytes. EPA also stimulated Akt phosphorylation, a down‐stream target of phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3K), in 3T3‐L1 adipocytes. Moreover, treatment with the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 completely blocked EPA‐stimulatory action on apelin mRNA gene expression (p<0.001), but not modified the stimulatory effect of EPA on basal apelin secretion. Furthermore, the stimulatory effect of EPA on basal apelin release was also observed in the presence of Actinomycin D and Cycloheximide, suggesting that EPA might also regulate apelin secretion by via post‐transcriptional mechanisms. These findings suggest that the mechanisms mediating EPA‐induced apelin synthesis and/or secretion are complex, involving steps that are PI3K dependent and steps that are PI3K independent.
Age‐ and sex‐related differences in muscle phosphocreatine and oxygenation kinetics during high‐intensity exercise in adolescents and adults
Authors: Willcocks Rebecca J. , Williams Craig A. , Barker Alan R. , Fulford Jon , Armstrong Neil
Published: March 2010

The aim of this investigation was to examine the adaptation of the muscle phosphates (e.g. phosphocreatine (PCr) and ADP) implicated in regulating oxidative phosphorylation, and oxygenation at the onset of high intensity exercise in children and adults. The hypotheses were threefold: primary PCr kinetics would be faster in children than adults; the amplitude of the PCr slow component would be attenuated in children; and the amplitude of the deoxyhaemoglobin/myoglobin (HHb) slow component would be reduced in children. Eleven children (5 girls, 6 boys, 13 ± 1 years) and 11 adults (5 women, 6 men, 24 ± 4 years) completed two to four constant work rate exercise tests within a 1.5 T MR scanner. Quadriceps muscle energetics during high intensity exercise were monitored using 31P‐MRS. Muscle oxygenation was monitored using near‐infrared spectroscopy. The time constant for the PCr response was not significantly different in boys (31 ± 10 s), girls (31 ± 10 s), men (44 ± 20 s) or women (29 ± 14 s, main effects: age, p = 0.37, sex, p = 0.25). The amplitude of the PCr slow component relative to end‐exercise PCr was not significantly different between children (23 ± 23%) and adults (17 ± 13%, p = 0.47). End‐exercise [PCr] was significantly lower, and [ADP] higher, in females (18 ± 4 mM and 53 ± 16 µM) than males (23 ± 4 mM, p = 0.02 and 37 ± 11 µM, p = 0.02), but did not differ with age ([PCr]: p = 0.96, [ADP]: p = 0.72). The mean response time for muscle tissue deoxygenation was significantly faster in children (22 ± 4 s) than adults (27 ± 7 s, p = 0.01). The results of this study show that the control of oxidative metabolism at the onset of high intensity exercise is adult‐like in 13‐year‐old children, but that matching of oxygen delivery to extraction is more precise in adults. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hybrid finite element/volume method for shallow water equations
Authors: Aliabadi Shahrouz , Akbar Muhammad , Patel Reena
Published: March 2010

A hybrid numerical scheme based on finite element and finite volume methods is developed to solve shallow water equations. In the recent past, we introduced a series of hybrid methods to solve incompressible low and high Reynolds number flows for single and two‐fluid flow problems. The present work extends the application of hybrid method to shallow water equations. In our hybrid shallow water flow solver, we write the governing equations in non‐conservation form and solve the non‐linear wave equation using finite element method with linear interpolation functions in space. On the other hand, the momentum equation is solved with highly accurate cell‐center finite volume method. Our hybrid numerical scheme is truly a segregated method with primitive variables stored and solved at both node and element centers. To enhance the stability of the hybrid method around discontinuities, we introduce a new shock capturing which will act only around sharp interfaces without sacrificing the accuracy elsewhere. Matrix‐free GMRES iterative solvers are used to solve both the wave and momentum equations in finite element and finite volume schemes. Several test problems are presented to demonstrate the robustness and applicability of the numerical method. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Copolymerization of diglycidylether of bisphenol A and bicyclic bis(γ‐lactone)s using rare earth metal triflates as initiators studied with infrared spectroscopy
Authors: Arasa Mercé , Ramis Xavier , Salla Josep Maria , Mantecón Ana , Serra Angels
Published: March 2010

The thermal cationic curing of mixtures, in various proportions, of diglycidylether of bisphenol A with two substituted condensed bis(γ‐lactone)s initiated using scandium, ytterbium and lanthanum triflates or a conventional boron trifluoride monoethylamine (BF3·MEA) initiator was investigated. The evolution of the various reactive groups was followed by means of attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The formation of mono‐spiroorthoesters (monoSOE)s and bis‐spiroorthoesters (bisSOE)s is discussed. The polymerization of bisSOE structures led to the formation of ether–ester–ketone repeat units, which implied the cationic polymerization took place by a tandem reaction. The use of scandium triflate as an initiator led to the highest chemical incorporation of lactone in the network. Moreover, this initiator was the most active, incorporating a higher proportion of lactone in a shorter time. In contrast, the conventional BF3·MEA initiator incorporated the lowest proportion of bislactone in the cured material. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry
Glycoprotein production for structure analysis with stable, glycosylation mutant CHO cell lines established by fluorescence‐activated cell sorting
Authors: Wilke Sonja , Krausze Joern , Gossen Manfred , Groebe Lothar , Jäger Volker , Gherardi Ermanno , van den Heuvel Joop , Büssow Konrad
Published: March 2010

Stable mammalian cell lines are excellent tools for the expression of secreted and membrane glycoproteins. However, structural analysis of these molecules is generally hampered by the complexity of N‐linked carbohydrate side chains. Cell lines with mutations are available that result in shorter and more homogenous carbohydrate chains. Here, we use preparative fluorescence‐activated cell sorting (FACS) and site‐specific gene excision to establish high‐yield glycoprotein expression for structural studies with stable clones derived from the well‐established Lec3.2.8.1 glycosylation mutant of the Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line. We exemplify the strategy by describing novel clones expressing single‐chain hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF, a secreted glycoprotein) and a domain of lysosome‐associated membrane protein 3 (LAMP3d). In both cases, stable GFP‐expressing cell lines were established by transfection with a genetic construct including a GFP marker and two rounds of cell sorting after 1 and 2 weeks. The GFP marker was subsequently removed by heterologous expression of Flp recombinase. Production of HGF/SF and LAMP3d was stable over several months. 1.2 mg HGF/SF and 0.9 mg LAMP3d were purified per litre of culture, respectively. Homogenous glycoprotein preparations were amenable to enzymatic deglycosylation under native conditions. Purified and deglycosylated LAMP3d protein was readily crystallized. The combination of FACS and gene excision described here constitutes a robust and fast procedure for maximizing the yield of glycoproteins for structural analysis from glycosylation mutant cell lines.
Low‐temperature transmission electron microscopy study of superconducting Nb3Sn
Authors: Schierning G. , Theissmann R. , Acet M. , Hoelzel M. , Gruendmayer J. , Zweck J.
Published: March 2010

By low‐temperature transmission electron microscopy we have found nanodomains in a polycrystalline Nb3Sn sample. We interpret that these nanodomains form due to a tetragonal distortion. Because twinning seems to be a prominent feature of the real structure of many high Tc superconductors, possible interactions between a twinned structure and superconductivity are briefly discussed.
Recent advances and challenges for successful p‐type control of InN films with Mg acceptor doping by molecular beam epitaxy
Authors: Yoshikawa Akihiko , Wang Xinqiang , Ishitani Yoshihiro , Uedono Akira
Published: March 2010

InN is still the least studied material among III‐nitrides and there are several problems to be overcome for better understanding of its material properties and also its material control for device application. In particular, successful p‐type doping is a quite important issue but quite difficult in InN. In this article, we present a study on the latest advances in material control paying special attention to the p‐type doping of InN films using Mg‐acceptors by MBE, the demonstration of successful p‐type control and p‐type conduction, and their electrical and optical properties as well. Furthermore, as a prerequisite of successful p‐type doping of InN, epitaxy behaviors of InN on GaN and effects of threading dislocations on high‐purity undoped InN epilayers grown on GaN template are also discussed.
FPGA‐based LAPS device for the flexible design of sensing sites on functional interfaces
Authors: Wagner Torsten , Werner Carl Frederik , Miyamoto Ko‐ichiro , Ackermann Hans‐Josef , Yoshinobu Tatsuo , Schöning Michael J.
Published: March 2010

The development of new interfaces for (bio‐)chemical sensors requires comprehensive analyses and testing. The light‐addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS) can be used as a platform to investigate the sensitivity of a newly developed interface towards (bio‐)chemical agents. LAPS measurements are spatially resolved by utilisation of focused light beams to define individual measurement spots. In this work, a new digitally modulated LAPS set‐up based on an FPGA design will be introduced to increase the number of measurement spots, to shorten the measurement time and to improve the measurement accuracy.
Deposition of functionalized gold nanoparticles onto modified silicon substrates
Authors: Riskin A. , De Dobbelaere C. , Elen K. , D'Haen J. , Van den Rul H. , Mullens J. , Hardy A. , Van Bael M. K.
Published: March 2010

In this report, an existing phase transfer method for the synthesis of alkylamine‐ or alkanethiol‐functionalized gold nanoparticles (NPs) is investigated. A parameter study shows that the concentration of the gold salt used is important for the stability of the resulting sol, but has little effect on the final average particle size or the size distribution. By adding dodecanethiol before the reduction, the formation of NPs was inhibited, providing evidence for the autocatalytic pathway for the formation of metallic NPs in wet chemical synthesis proposed in the literature. The resulting functionalized gold NPs are deposited onto Si–OH, octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) or 3‐mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane modified SiO2/Si substrates. scanning electron microscope (SEM) is used to analyze the ordering behavior and surface coverage of the NPs and it is shown that the difference in affinity for the substrate has a profound effect on the deposition behavior. The functionalization of the substrates and of the NPs is confirmed by grazing angle attenuated total reflectance fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (GATR‐FTIR).
A hierarchical modeling approach to accelerated degradation testing data analysis: A case study
Authors: Pan Rong , Crispin Taeho
Published: March 2010

In this case study, we investigate the degradation process of light‐emitting diodes (LEDs), which is used as a light source in DNA sequencing machines. Accelerated degradation tests are applied by varying temperature and forward current, and the light outputs are measured by a computerized measuring system. A degradation path model, which connects to the LED function recommended in Mitsuo (1991), is used in describing the degradation process. We consider variations in both measurement errors and degradation paths among individual test units. It is demonstrated that the hierarchical modeling approach is flexible and powerful in modeling a complex degradation process with nonlinear function and random coefficient. After fitting the model by maximum likelihood estimation, the failure time distribution can be obtained by simulation. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Silver nanostructures via cementation on copper: a comparison between experimental data and statistical design model
Authors: Ahmed E. S. , Fouad O. A. , El‐Midany A. A. , El‐Sabbagh E. A. , Abd El‐Rahman A. , Ibrahim I. A.
Published: March 2010

Silver nanostructures have been precipitated successfully from acidic solutions of silver ions via cementation on copper sheets. The experimental parameters that have been studied are time, temperature of reaction, pH and initial silver ion concentration. XRD analysis showed that precipitated silver particles werecomposed mainly of metallic silver. No other phases such as silver oxide, sulfide or sulfate could be detected. SEM investigations confirmed that silver nanostructures were deposited mainly in the form of nanoparticles, dendrites or nanorods as the parameters varied. The average silver nanoparticle size that could be obtained by optimizing the experimental conditions of cementation process was about 60 nm. This value was in agreement with that obtained from application of factorial design under the same conditions. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ancient surfaces in thought and reality
Authors: Paparazzo Ernesto
Published: March 2010

This article discusses the issue of surfaces, as seen under the different standpoints of archaeometric surface science studies and ancient philosophy. Previous XPS and scanning Auger microscopy (SAM) archaeometric studies which were conducted to analyse the microchemical composition of ancient metals are reviewed and shown that a careful consultation of relevant ancient sources can greatly assist in achieving both a correct interpretation of the experimental results and an assessment of their archaeological import. Then other ancient sources in which surfaces are the subject of speculation in Greek philosophy, focusing particularly on the views of surfaces enterained by Plato, Aristotle and the Stoic philosopher Posidonius are reviewed. It is concluded by arguing that under both the scientific–archaeometric and the philosophical standpoints, surfaces should be considered an important aspect of our cultural heritage. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The effect of insulator layer thickness on the main electrical parameters in (Ni/Au)/AlxGa1−xN/AlN/GaN heterostructures
Authors: Altındal Şemsettin , Şafak Yasemin , Taşçıoğlu İlke , Özbay Ekmel
Published: March 2010

(Ni/Au)AlxGa1−xN/AlN/GaN(x = 0.22) heterostructures with and without a passivation layer of the SiNx were fabricated in order to see the effect of the insulator layer on the main electrical parameters such as zero‐bias barrier height (BH) (ΦB0), ideality factor (n), series resistance (Rs) of the structure, and the interface state density (Nss). Some of these parameters were determined from both I–V and admittance (C–V and G/ω–V) measurements at room temperature and at 1 MHz and were compared. The experimental results show that the value of Nss in a Schottky contact without passivation is nearly 1 order of magnitude larger than that in a Schottky contact with SiNx passivation layers. Also, the values of Rs increase with the increasing thickness of the passivation layer. In the forward bias region, the negative values of capacitance are an attractive result of this study. This negative capacitance disappears in presence of the passivation layer. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Preparation of exfoliated clay/polymer nanocomposites via organosilane grafting and in situ ATRP of glycidyl methacrylate
Authors: Djouani Fatma , Herbst Frederic , Chehimi Mohamed M. , Benzarti Karim
Published: March 2010

Clay/polymer nanocomposites, of the type montmorillonite/poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (MMT/PGMA), were synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). MMT was amino‐silanized and then reacted with 2‐bromoisobutyryl bromide (BIB) to provide NH‐C(‐C(CH3)2Br groups attached to the clay. The latter (MMT‐SiBr) served as macroinitiator for the in situ ATRP of GMA. The resulting MMT/PGMA nanocomposites were found to be highly exfoliated, as judged by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and XPS analyses suggest that the nanocomposites have PGMA‐rich bulk and surface. Indeed, the mass loading of PGMA reached 65 wt. % while XPS spectra, particularly the high‐resolution C1s region, resemble those of pure PGMA.

These clay/PGMA nanocomposites are suitable as nanofillers for epoxy adhesives, since PGMA chains are both compatible with epoxy resins and reactive towards crosslinkers via the pendant glycidyl groups from PGMA grafts. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Chemical analysis of a sulfur‐treated InSb(111)A surface by XPS
Authors: Lebedev Mikhail V. , Shimomura Masaru , Fukuda Yasuo
Published: March 2010

Chemistry of an InSb(111)A surface treated with ammonium sulfide solution followed by annealing at various temperatures has been studied by x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It is found that indium sulfide is formed and the intensity ratio of indium sulfide to indium antimonide on the as‐treated surface is almost unity at the detection angles of the normal (0° ) and 80° off the normal to the surface. Upon annealing the sample at 250 °C, the ratio significantly increased and slightly decreased at 80° and 0° , respectively. It decreased upon further annealing and finally indium sulfide disappeared at 390 °C, where the 2 × 2 low energy electron diffraction (LEED) patters were observed. The SbS/O component is detected for the as‐treated surface and it disappeared upon annealing at 250 °C. Three components of sulfur are found: the main one at 161.6 eV, and the other weak ones at 163.1 and 160.2 eV. The 161.6‐ and 163.1‐eV peaks can be ascribed to sulfur bonded to indium and antimony, respectively. The latter component disappeared upon annealing at 250 °C. The behavior of the sulfides upon annealing the sample at various temperatures is discussed in terms of dissociation of SbS and diffusion of sulfur in the surface region. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
XPS investigations of valence changes during cycling of LiCrMnO4‐based cathodes in Li‐ion batteries
Authors: Oswald S. , Nikolowski K. , Ehrenberg H.
Published: March 2010

Li‐ion batteries have to be improved for high‐performance applications especially for automotive application. One aim is the search for new electrode materials with superior properties and their detailed characterization. We used ‘quasi in situ’ X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to investigate electrode material of the spinel‐type LiCrMnO4 for the cathode during electrochemical cycling. It was found that during charging (de‐intercalation of Li from the cathode) chromium is converted from Cr3+ to Cr6+, whereas manganese changes from Mn4+ to Mn3+. Especially when charging to the maximum capacity (at about 5.2 V), this conversion seems to be partially irreversible. The chemical and structural changes connected with this conversion are the possible reason for the irreversible capacity loss at such high charging voltages, which is confirmed by the analysis of the electrode material after 100 charging/discharging cycles. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Phase explosion in tungsten target under interaction with Nd:YAG laser tripled in frequency
Authors: Yahiaoui K. , Kerdja T. , Malek S.
Published: March 2010

In this work, we report on the ablation of a tungsten target with a nanosecond Nd:YAG laser of high intensity, ranging from 2 × 108 to 1011 W/cm2, at 355 nm wavelength. We use a microbalance device and SEM to analyze the phase explosion mechanism. The microbalance was placed in front of the target where the maximum ejection of matter took place. The results obtained showed two kinds of ablation process: normal surface evaporation at low laser intensity (below 1010 W/cm2) followed by explosive boiling (also called phase explosion) at a threshold laser intensity of 6 × 1010 W/cm2. The analysis of the surface crater formed by 1, 5 and 10 laser shots on the target at high laser intensity by SEM showed that the morphology of the crater consists of pores and cavities which are due to bubble nucleation when the critical temperature of tungsten is reached. These bubbles are the characteristic of phase explosion transformation. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Surface modification of 2017‐T4 aluminium alloy by high power diode laser melting
Authors: Arias J. , Benedetti A. , Cabeza M. , Castro G. , Feijoo I. , Merino P. , Nóvoa X. R.
Published: March 2010

Laser surface melting (LSM) using a high power diode laser was used to modify the surface of AA 2017‐T4 alloy. The first part of this work concerns the applicability of diode laser to surface melting of the AA2017‐T4 alloy. Irradiation conditions were varied to investigate the effect of process parameters on the treated surface. The results show that the application of diode laser makes treating the surface of this alloy possible. Microstructural characterisation of the bulk material and the remelted surface layer was performed using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction. The combination of the three techniques allows the identification of the intermetallic compounds—down to nanometre size—in the surface layer. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Influence of electron‐beam treatment of TiO2/Ti on properties of deposited Pt films
Authors: Kim Kwang‐Dae , Tai Wei Sheng , Kim Young Dok , Lee Byung Cheol , Yang Ki Ho , Park Ji Hyun
Published: March 2010

Synchrotron‐radiation‐based photoemission spectroscopy was used to examine the changes in the TiO2surface structures as a result of high‐energy e‐beam exposure (under atmospheric pressure). The influence of the e‐beam pre‐treatment on the surface structure of post‐deposited Pt on TiO2and the CO oxidation activity of the Pt films were also investigated. Different types of defect sites (oxygen vacancies, OH‐groups) on TiO2created under different e‐beam exposure conditions are suggested to either enhance or reduce the metal–support interface reaction, which influences structure and the catalytic activity of post‐deposited Pt films. High‐energy e‐beam under atmospheric pressure can be used for the modification of metal–support interactions, which can improve activity of a catalyst. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessing risk prediction models in case–control studies using semiparametric and nonparametric methods
Authors: Huang Ying , Pepe Margaret Sullivan
Published: March 2010

The predictiveness curve is a graphical tool that characterizes the population distribution of Risk(Y)=P(D=1|Y), where D denotes a binary outcome such as occurrence of an event within a specified time period and Y denotes predictors. A wider distribution of Risk(Y) indicates better performance of a risk model in the sense that making treatment recommendations is easier for more subjects. Decisions are more straightforward when a subject's risk is deemed to be high or low. Methods have been developed to estimate predictiveness curves from cohort studies. However, early phase studies to evaluate novel risk prediction markers typically employ case–control designs. Here, we present semiparametric and nonparametric methods for evaluating a continuous risk prediction marker that accommodates case–control data. Small sample properties are investigated through simulation studies. The semiparametric methods are substantially more efficient than their nonparametric counterparts under a correctly specified model. We generalize them to settings where multiple prediction markers are involved. Applications to prostate cancer risk prediction markers illustrate methods for comparing the risk prediction capacities of markers and for evaluating the increment in performance gained by adding a marker to a baseline risk model. We propose a modified Hosmer–Lemeshow test for case–control study data to assess calibration of the risk model that is a natural complement to this graphical tool. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cannabinoid effects on CB1 receptor density in the adolescent brain: An autoradiographic study using the synthetic cannabinoid HU210
Authors: Dalton Victoria S. , Zavitsanou Katerina
Published: March 2010

The short‐ and long‐term behavioral effects of cannabinoids differ in adolescent and adult rodents. Few studies though have examined the underlying neurochemical changes that occur in the brain following adolescent cannabinoid exposure. In this study, we examined the effect of treatment with the synthetic cannabinoid, HU210, on CB1 receptor density in the brain and on body weight in adolescent male rats. Rats were treated daily with 25, 50, or 100 μg/kg HU210 for 4 or 14 days, or received a single dose of 100 μg/kg HU210 and sacrificed 24 h later. Receptor density was investigated using in vitro autoradiography with the CB1 receptor ligand [3H] CP55,940. In contrast to adult animals treated under the same paradigm in a previous study, adolescents continued on average, to gain weight over the course of the study. Weight gain was slowest in the 100 μg/kg group and improved dose dependently with controls gaining the most weight. Following the acute dose of HU210, a trend for a reduction in [3H] CP55,940 binding and a significant effect of treatment was observed. Statistically significant, dose‐dependent, region‐specific decreases in binding were observed in all brain regions examined following 4 and 14 days treatment. The pattern of CB1 receptor downregulation was similar to that observed in adults treated with cannabinoids in previous studies; however, its magnitude was smaller in adolescents. This reduced compensatory response may contribute to some acute behavioral effects, the pharmacological cross‐tolerance and the long‐lasting, adverse psychological consequences of cannabinoid exposure during adolescence. Synapse 64:845–854, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Novel methods of treating early prostate cancer: cryotherapy and high‐intensity focused ultrasound
Authors: Moore Caroline M. , Ahmed Hashim U. , Emberton Mark
Published: March 2010

The authors discuss cryotherapy, high‐intensity focused ultrasound and focal therapy – new techniques that aim to maximise the effect of cancer treatment while avoiding the side‐effects of urinary and sexual dysfunction. Copyright © 2010 Wiley Interface Ltd
Output power dispatch control for a wind farm in a small power system
Authors: Uehara Akie , Senjyu Tomonobu , Kaneko Toshiaki , Yona Atsushi , Muhando Endusa Billy , Urasaki Naomitsu , Kim Chul‐Hwan
Published: March 2010

Nowadays, a wind turbine generator (WTG) is required to provide control capabilities as the output power of WTG fluctuates. Under this scenario, this paper proposes an output power control method of a wind farm (WF) connected to a small power system using pitch angle control. In this control approach, the WF output power control is achieved by two control levels: central and local. In the central control, the WF output power command is determined by considering the frequency deviations and wind speeds using a fuzzy function. Then, the local output power commands for each of the WTGs are based on the proposed dispatch control. In the proposed dispatch control, the output commands of each WTG are determined by considering wind conditions for each of the WTGs. The simulation results by using an actual detailed model for the wind power system show the effectiveness of the proposed method. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Active current control in wind power plants during grid faults
Authors: Martínez Jorge , Kjær Philip C. , Rodriguez Pedro , Teodorescu Remus
Published: March 2010

Modern wind power plants are required and designed to ride through faults in electrical networks, subject to fault clearing. Wind turbine fault current contribution is required from most countries with a high amount of wind power penetration. In order to comply with such grid code requirements, wind turbines usually have solutions that enable the turbines to control the generation of reactive power during faults. This paper addresses the importance of using an optimal injection of active current during faults in order to fulfil these grid codes. This is of relevant importance for severe faults, causing low voltages at the point of common coupling. As a consequence, a new wind turbine current controller for operation during faults is proposed. It is shown that to achieve the maximum transfer of reactive current at the point of common coupling, a strategy for optimal setting of the active current is needed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A versatile Monte Carlo package for computation of efficiencies of Si(Li), SDD and Ge detectors
Authors: Taylor S. M. , Andrushenko S. M. , O'Meara J. M. , Campbell J. L.
Published: March 2010

Currently, most detector efficiency calculations for X‐ray detectors assume that the source is a point source on the axis of symmetry of the detector, but this is not always accurate. We have devised a Monte Carlo program to simulate photon transport in Si(Li), SDD and planar Ge detectors that natively handles finite, tilted and off‐axis sources. Although electron transport is not handled at this stage, photon transport is completely handled, including absorption from filters and multiple scattering in the detector crystal. The K escape peak is handled for both silicon and germanium detectors, and the L escape peak is also handled for germanium detectors. Our efficiency results compare very well with previous work when idealized systems are simulated, and the effect of a non‐idealized system is presented. Escape peak intensity ratios are given for both silicon detectors (K peak only) and germanium detectors (K and L peaks), and the results for the K escape peaks agree well with previous work. Results are presented for a recent annular detector system, which is a good example of systems that are poorly handled under previous efficiency calculations. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Heavy metal analysis around Iskenderun Bay in Turkey
Authors: Cevik U. , Koz B. , Makarovska Y.
Published: March 2010

The heavy metal analysis around Iskenderun Bay in Turkey was carried out using mosses, soils, mussels, and sediments. This region is one of the most industrial areas of Turkey, including iron–steel plants, beverage, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) plants, and oil transfer docks. Energy dispersive X‐ray fluorescence spectrometry (Epsilon 5, PANalytical, Almelo, The Netherlands) was used to analyze all samples. V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, and Pb elements were observed in all samples studied. Although Ce was detected in some mosses and soils, Sn was detected only in some moss samples. Pb concentrations in the moss samples are higher than the soil, the mussel, and the sediment samples. This can be attributed to the mosses that absorb heavy metals such as Pb easily from the air. As the aim of this study was to analyze heavy metals, the evaluation of these elements with their potential hazards for ecology and humans is briefly discussed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Adrenal Injury Following Blunt Abdominal Trauma
Authors: Lee Yong Sang , Jeong Jong Ju , Nam Kee‐Hyun , Chung Woong Youn , Chang Hang‐Seok , Park Cheong Soo
Published: March 2010

Background

Adrenal injury secondary to abdominal trauma is quite rare because the adrenal gland is located deep in the retroperitoneum and is well cushioned by surrounding soft tissues. This report presents our experiences of managing patients with adrenal injury following abdominal blunt trauma.

Methods

The medical records of 11 patients who had been treated for adrenal gland injury between January 1998 and June 2009 were retrospectively reviewed.

Results

Of the 11 patients, nine were male and two were female and the mean age was 31.5 years. The causes of trauma were motor vehicle accident (8 cases) and fall (3 cases). The majority of injuries occurred on the right side (8 cases), two were on the left side, and one patient had bilateral injury. Three cases presented as isolated adrenal gland injuries, and eight were combined with other internal organ injuries. The most common coinjured organ was the liver, followed by the kidney. The most useful diagnostic modality was computed tomography (CT). Ten cases were treated successfully using conservative management, while one required a left partial adrenalectomy and splenectomy due to active bleeding.

Conclusions

Adrenal injury due to blunt abdominal trauma is extremely rare. The majority of cases can be diagnosed using CT. Most cases involve the right side and can be treated successfully using conservative management. Surgery is required only in cases of active bleeding.
Selenium-enriched milk proteins and selenium yeast affect selenoprotein activity and expression differently in mouse colon
Authors: Hu Ying , McIntosh Graeme H. , Le Leu Richard K. , Young Graeme P.
Published: March 2010

Certain forms of dietary Se may have an advantage in improving Se status and reducing cancer risk. The present study compared the effects of an Se-enriched milk protein product (dairy-Se) with an Se yeast (yeast-Se) on selenoprotein activity and expression in the mouse colon. Mice were fed four diets for 4 weeks: a control milk protein diet (Se at 0·068 parts per million (ppm)), dairy-Se diets with Se at 0·5 and 1 ppm, and a yeast-Se diet with Se at 1 ppm. Cytosolic glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPx-1) activity, mRNA of selenoprotein P (SeP),GPx-1, gastrointestinal glutathione peroxidase-2 (GPx-2) and thioredoxin reductase-1 (TrxR-1) were examined in the mouse colon. Dairy-Se diets did not significantly affectGPx-1mRNA and GPx-1 activity but produced a dose-dependent increase inSePandGPx-2mRNA, with a significantly higher level achieved at 1 ppm Se (P < 0·05). Yeast-Se at 1 ppm significantly increasedGPx-1mRNA and GPx-1 activity (P < 0·01) but notGPx-2mRNA. Neither Se supplement had any effect onTrxR-1. The present study indicates that selenoprotein levels in the mouse colon are regulated differently depending on the Se supplement. As we have previously shown that dairy-Se at 1 ppm was protective against colorectal cancer (CRC) in an azoxymethane-induced CRC mouse model, this up-regulation of colonicGPx-2andSePwith Se supplementation may be crucial to its chemopreventive action.
ESTIMATION OF SOME EXPONENTIAL SUM BY MEANS OF q-DEGREE
Authors: GILLOT VALÉRIE , LANGEVIN PHILIPPE
Published: March 2010

In this paper, we improve results of Gillot, Kumar and Moreno to estimate some exponential sums by means of q-degrees. The method consists in applying suitable elementary transformations to see an exponential sum over a finite field as an exponential sum over a product of subfields in order to apply Deligne bound. In particular, we obtain new results on the spectral amplitude of some monomials.
EIGENVALUES OF POSITIVE INTEGRAL OPERATORS WITH LAPLACE TRANSFORM-TYPE KERNELS
Authors: SOYKAN YÜKSEL , LITTLE GRAHAM
Published: March 2010

The aim of this paper is to prove a theorem concerning asymptotic estimates of eigenvalues of certain positive integral operators with Laplace transform-type kernels.
ON BADLY APPROXIMABLE COMPLEX NUMBERS
Authors: ESDAHL-SCHOU R. , KRISTENSEN S.
Published: March 2010

We show that the set of complex numbers which are badly approximable by ratios of elements of the ring of integers in $\(\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{-D})\)$, where D ∈ {1, 2, 3, 7, 11, 19, 43, 67, 163} has maximal Hausdorff dimension. In addition, the intersection of these sets is shown to have maximal dimension. The results remain true when the sets in question are intersected with a suitably regular fractal set.
A Mighty Power against the Cost of Living: Canadian Housewives Organize in the 1930s
Authors: Guard Julie
Published: March 2010

Consumer activists organizing in the 1930s against rising milk prices demonstrated the power of a strong grassroots movement to enlarge prevailing understandings of the political and to wring responses from an unwilling state. Their maternalism, combined with milk's emotional, social, and political meanings, attracted broad popular support and deflected criticism from the dairy industry, hostile public officials, and anticommunists. Their campaign for affordable milk became a synecdoche for broader demands that the state restrain business in the interests of consumers and protect ordinary people from the harsh injustices of the Depression. After winning immediate concessions, the Toronto Housewives Association failed to achieve their long-term goals, but their impact was nonetheless significant. Their campaign fueled and informed public debates about the political economy of food and government's responsibilities to protect citizens, pushing socialist policies onto the political agenda under the cover of maternalism. Participation in Housewives' campaigns transformed powerless victims into effective political actors. Housewife-activists challenged prevailing notions of normative feminine behavior, creating social space for ordinary women acting within their domestic roles to engage in direct political action.
The Politics of the Small Purse: The Mobilization of Housewives in Interwar Australia
Authors: Smart Judith
Published: March 2010

The Housewives' Associations were the largest women's organizations in Australia during the interwar years and were the first consumer-watch agencies. This article examines the gendered economic identity they cultivated in successfully mobilizing women under the banner of free-market economics against the protectionism of the mainstream political parties and the labor movement. In challenging the dominant economic discourse, they asserted the claims of consumption to the same status and recognition in the functioning of the economic system as the overwhelmingly masculine forces of capital and labor. In the process, they also threw into question the relevance of class as a basis for women's political activism.
Women as Paid Organizers and Propagandists for the British Labour Party Between the Wars
Authors: Hannam June
Published: March 2010

This article contributes to recent debates about the complicated ways in which women involved in the interwar British Labour Party negotiated their political identities through an examination of the activities and aims of a neglected group, the paid women organizers. It suggests that although they accepted the importance of women's work within the home, the organizers did not see women's lives as confined by domesticity. Instead, they argued that women in the home had the potential for collective political action. The article looks at the campaign for pit head baths to highlight the attempt by the organizers to develop a politics around issues such as dirt that concerned women in their daily lives. It was difficult to persuade the Labour Party to take these questions seriously, and the organizers experienced constraints as well as opportunities that came from their paid role, but it is argued here that they did carve a career that was woman-focused and sought to give women in the home a voice.
Frank Tannenbaum Reconsidered: Introduction
Authors: Winn Peter
Published: March 2010

Frank Tannenbaum (1893–1969) was a man of many parts. He was brought up by immigrant parents on a New England farm, which may explain his sympathy for small farmers. At the same time, however, he embraced the cause of urban workers and became a Wobbly and an anarcho-syndicalist theorist. In fact, Tannenbaum first made a name for himself as an advocate for the unemployed, the homeless, and the imprisoned—the latter after being jailed for his role organizing those at the bottom of United States urban society. Yet he also studied with John Dewey at Columbia University and got a doctorate at the Brookings Institution with a thesis on the Mexican agrarian reform, inaugurating three decades of engagement with the Mexican Revolution. During this time Tannenbaum became the friend and adviser of ministers and presidents.
From Slaves to Citizens? Tannenbaum and the Debates on Slavery, Emancipation, and Race Relations in Latin America
Authors: de la Fuente Alejandro
Published: March 2010

Why isSlave and Citizen, Frank Tannenbaum's influential comparative book on slavery and race relations, still referenced by modern scholars? How is it that a book that is frequently described as flawed continues to inform contemporary scholarship on race and slavery? This article seeks to answer these questions by reconstructing some of the scholarly debates sparked bySlave and Citizen. Specifically, the article discusses how some of the central premises of Tannenbaum's approach continue to inform the work of current scholars. Three of these premises are discussed in some detail: first, that “Anglo” and “Latin” America constituted two separate entities; second, that race relations in each area were fundamentally different; and third, that differences in modern race relations could only be explained by their divergent “slave systems.”