bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Computer simulation to expand emission area and decrease electron beam width for cold cathode of triode‐type FEDs
Authors: Muroi Tetsuhiko , Ushirozawa Mizumoto , Yamamoto Toshihiro , Sato Fumio
Published: March 2005

To decrease the electron beam width and expand the emission area of a triode‐type FED using GNF, a cold cathode structure is studied by simulation. In the simulation, not only the electron beam width but also the emission current are evaluated by means of the electric field emission characteristics of a GNF cold cathode emitter. If the surface shape of the cold cathode emitter is assumed hemispherical, the electron emission from the center of the cold cathode emitter is found to increase as the center height of the emitter is increased when the separation between the gate and the cathode is 3 µm and the gate hole diameter is 10 µm. If the anode current obtained from one cold cathode is 0.1 µA for a gate‐to‐cathode separation of 3 µm, the electron beam width increases as the center height of the cold cathode emitter is increased when the gate hole diameter is 10 or 20 µm. On the other hand, the electron beam width is almost constant if the gate hold diameter is 3 or 5 µm. As the gate hole diameter is reduced, the electron beam width is reduced. If the gate hole diameter is 3 µm, the electron beam width can be made less than 100 µm regardless of the height of the center of the cold cathode emitter. Further, when the emission area is studied for a gate hole diameter of 3 µm, the emission area reaches a maximum when the center height of the cold cathode emitter is identical to the cathode electrode. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 2, 88(4): 28–36, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecjb.20119
Glycoform characterization of intact erythropoietin by capillary electrophoresis‐electrospray‐time of flight‐mass spectrometry
Authors: Neusüß Christian , Demelbauer Uwe , Pelzing Matthias
Published: March 2005

Glycosylated proteins often show a large variation in their glycosylation pattern, complicating their structural characterization. In this paper, we present a method for the accurate mass determination of intact isomeric glycoproteins based on capillary electrophoresis‐electrospray‐time of flight‐mass spectrometry. Human recombinant erythropoietin has been chosen as a showcase. The approach enables the on‐line removal of nonglycosylated proteins, salts, and neutral and negatively charged species. More important, different glycosylation forms are separated both on the base of differences in the number of negatively charged sialic acid residues and the size of the glycans. Thus, 44 glycoforms and in total about 135 isoforms of recombinant human erythropoietin, taking also acetylation into account, could be distinguished for the reference material from the European Pharmacopeia. Distinct glycosylation differences for samples from different suppliers are clearly observed. Based on the accurate mass an overall composition of each single isoform is proposed, perfectly in agreement with data on glycan and glycopeptide analysis. This method is an ideal complement to the established techniques for glycopeptide and glycan analysis, not differentiating branching or linkage isoforms, but leading to an overall composition of the glycoprotein. The presented strategy is expected to improve significantly the ability to characterize and quantify isomeric glycoforms for a large variety of glycoproteins.
Broadband ridged‐waveguide slot‐antenna array fed by a back‐to‐back ridged waveguide
Authors: Wang Wei , Zhong Shun‐Shi , Qi Mei‐Qing , Liang Xian‐Ling
Published: March 2005

A symmetric rectangular single‐ridged waveguide (SRSRW) longitudinal‐slot antenna array fed by four‐way SRSRW power divider is presented. The measured results are compared with the calculated ones, showing good agreement. The array has a compact transverse dimension and achieves a wide bandwidth. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 45: 102–104, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20736
Radiation characteristics improvement in waveguide‐fed slot antenna with a high‐impedance ground plane (HIGP)
Authors: Zhang Guohua , Yuan Naichang
Published: March 2005

High‐impedance surface (HIS) is a kind of electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) structure utilized as a ground plane for a waveguide‐fed slot antenna in order to improve its radiation characteristics. As compared to a solid metal ground plane, the results suggest that a high‐impedance ground plane (HIGP) can significantly improve the pattern of the slot antenna. The ripples in the E‐plane pattern of the slot antenna with a metal ground plane are found to vanish, the back lobes are reduced, and the antenna gain is increased. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 45: 176–179, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20762
Anatomical and functional brain imaging using high‐resolution echo‐planar spectroscopic imaging at 1.5 Tesla
Authors: Du Weiliang , Karczmar Gregory S. , Uftring Stephen J. , Du Yiping P.
Published: March 2005

High‐resolution echo‐planar spectroscopic imaging (EPSI) of water resonance (i.e. without water suppression) is proposed for anatomic and functional imaging of the human brain at 1.5 T. Water spectra with a resolution of 2.6 Hz and a bandwidth of 333 Hz were obtained in small voxels (1.7 × 1.7 × 3 mm3) across a single slice. Although water spectra appeared Lorentzian in most of the voxels in the brain, non‐Lorentzian broadening of the water resonance was observed in voxels containing blood vessels. In functional experiments with a motor task, robust activation in motor cortices was observed in high‐resolution T maps generated from the EPSI data. Shift of the water resonance frequency occurred during neuronal activation in motor cortices. The activation areas appeared to be more localized after excluding the voxels in which the lineshape of the water resonance had elevated T and became more non‐Lorentzian during the motor task. These preliminary results suggest that high‐resolution EPSI is a promising tool to study susceptibility‐related effects, such as BOLD contrast, for improved anatomical and functional imaging of the brain. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Structural correlations in comb heteropolymers in good and backbone‐selective solvents
Authors: Sliozberg Yelena , Abrams Cameron F.
Published: March 2005

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of coarse‐grained regular comb heteropolymers have been performed to explore structural correlations at equilibrium in a nonselective solvent and during the transition from coil to micelle in a backbone‐selective solvent. We primarily consider the static structure factor measured directly from the simulations. In the good solvent, we consider cases ranging from short to long side chains, with respect to the spacer length. Reasonable agreement with a previously published theoretical structure factor is observed for a limited subset of the comb architectures in a small wavevector range. When the side chains are much longer than the spacers, the side‐chain structure factor approaches that of starlike polymers. Additionally, plateau values of the structure factor scale with the side‐chain length to the power of 0.736 when the side chains are shorter than the spacers. The transition from an open coil to a collapsed micelle is examined in MD simulations with explicit‐solvent particles. Upon a sudden quench the from nonselective solvent to the backbone‐selective solvent, the coil‐to‐micelle transition occurs via a side‐chain clusterization mechanism. The time‐dependent structure factors measured during the collapse process have plateau values that scale with the average cluster size to the power of 0.9. The origin of these two scaling exponents is still unknown. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 983‐993, 2005
QSARs for Endocrine Disruption Priority Setting Database 2: The Integrated 4‐Phase Model
Authors: Walker John D. , Fang Hong , Perkins Roger , Tong Weida
Published: March 2005

Version 2 of the Endocrine Disruption Priority Setting Database (EDPSD2) is a decision support tool developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. EDPSD2 is organized into 4 categories (exposure‐related, effects‐related, combined exposure‐and effects‐related and specially‐targeted priorities) that are supported by several compartments and information sources. The effects‐related category includes a Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship compartment that is supported by two models for predicting estrogen receptor binding affinities of chemicals in EDPSD2. This paper describes the categories and compartments of EDPSD2 and the use of the Integrated 4‐Phase model to predict the estrogen receptor binding affinities of chemicals in EDPSD2.
Requirements and Solution Approaches for Software Architectures Supporting High‐Throughput Experimentation
Authors: Saupe Michael , Födisch Ringo , Sundermann Andreas , Schunk Stephan Andreas , Finger Kurt‐Erich
Published: March 2005

The main objective of High‐Throughput Experimentation (HTE) in catalysis and materials discovery, as well as in other areas, is to increase the total experiment count for a given time interval either by speeding up individual experiments and/or by running experiments in parallel. Typically, such screening experiments involve the preparation of sample libraries consisting of a large number of diverse materials together with the extensive variation of conditions during performance tests within a wide parameter space. As an important difference, when compared to molecular high‐throughput screening, materials science does not always deal with uniquely defined entities. Every parameter during preparation and testing may be a factor crucial for the performance of the material. As a consequence, all experimental parameters should be controlled or at least recorded to be able to identify important correlations. The prime goal of the HTE cycle lies in speeding up the whole discovery and optimization process, but minimizing the costs and human efforts needed in the experimental workflow. In short, an increase in productivity will always result in a faster knowledge gain and therefore be a competitive advantage. This goal is only to be achieved by utilizing software tools at every single stage of the HTE process. In addition, the software platform has to provide an interface for data‐mining/feature‐extraction tools to gain insights required for discovering new useful materials. The software requirements in the HTE area can be classified according to the following aspects: “support and tracking of material preparation (workflow management)”, “planning and setting up experiments/performance tests”, “process automation and control of hardware devices”, “data logging and post‐processing”, “data storage, management and analysis”. Herein we present a modular approach to an HTE software platform. Instead of a monolithic master system, small tools with a limited set of tasks are interconnected using standardized, self‐descriptive data structures. This approach is highly flexible with respect to the rapidly changing needs of the chemists: Since the modules are isolated and inter‐module communication is standardized, new components (e.g., new devices) can be integrated into the process without any side effects.
Virtual Screening and QSAR Formulations for Crystal Chemistry
Authors: Suh Changwon , Rajan Krishna
Published: March 2005

In this paper, we demonstrate how partial least squares multivariate analysis can be used to develop a Quantitative Structure–Activity Relationship (QSAR). The analysis is applied to the prediction of bulk modulus based on a combinatorial analysis of crystal‐chemistry descriptors used in ab‐initio calculations. The value of developing these QSAR formulations based on theoretical calculations is discussed in the context of its value as a screening tool for “virtual” compounds and chemistry.
Present state of rivers and streams in Japan
Authors: Yoshimura Chihiro , Omura Tatsuo , Furumai Hiroaki , Tockner Klement
Published: March 2005

The Japanese Archipelago (land area: 377 880 km2) extends over a distance of c. 2000 km, with a maximum width of 300 km. Geologically, it is a young and tectonically very active area. Japan is a mountainous, wet and forested country, with its people concentrated in densely populated urban areas along the coast and on alluvial plains. Rivers are short (max. length: 370 km), steep, and exhibit flashy flow regimes. The river regime coefficient ranges from 200 to 400, which is up to an order‐of‐magnitude higher than that of most continental rivers. Japan has a rich freshwater fauna and flora with a high proportion of endemic species. A distinct latitudinal gradient (subarctic to subtropical climate) in combination with the radial character of the river network results in high spatial differentiation of the freshwater fauna.

While water quality has improved remarkably during the past decades, Japanese rivers are still heavily impacted by canalization, loss of most dynamic flood plains, flow regulation, invasion by exotic species, and intensive urbanization. Currently 49% of the entire human population concentrates on 14% of the land, and the annual flood damage is the highest worldwide. As a consequence, major recent restoration initiatives aim to protect people and property against floods as well as simultaneously improving the ecological integrity of river ecosystems. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The impact of European settlement on Bolin Billabong, a Yarra River floodplain lake, Melbourne, Australia
Authors: Leahy Paul J. , Tibby John , Kershaw A. Peter , Heijnis Henk , Kershaw John S.
Published: March 2005

Bolin Billabong is a shallow, eutrophic and turbid oxbow lake located on the lower Yarra River floodplain, in suburban Melbourne (Victoria, Australia). A combination of radiometric dating, historical data, fossil markers and mineral magnetics has been used to develop a sediment chronology for the billabong that extends from about AD 1120 to the present. Fossil pollen and diatoms have been used to provide a high‐resolution record of vegetation and aquatic ecosystem change through this period, with the aim of developing a better understanding of human disturbance in floodplain lakes. Specifically we aim to investigate the development and trajectory of eutrophic and turbid conditions that exist in the lake at present.

The pre‐European contact diatom assemblage at Bolin Billabong is dominated by a planktonic taxon, Cyclotella stelligera, and had very low diversity, with little evidence of species turnover. This suggests that the billabong had low nutrient concentrations and contrasts with the generally accepted notion of billabongs as naturally diverse, productive and variable systems.

The initial period of European occupation was characterized by catchment disturbance with high levels of erosion and sedimentation. Sedimentation rates in the post‐European contact period appear to be 30 times higher than prior to European settlement. Evidence suggests that the Yarra River was not naturally turbid. Changes to the diatom assemblage, reflective of water quality perturbation following European contact, were dramatic and unprecedented. Following an initially high sedimentation rate in the post‐European contact period, the sedimentation rate gradually slowed towards the present day. The increase in nutrients available to the diatom assemblage appears to have been moderate from European contact (c. AD 1840) to until around AD 1920, then more pronounced from this point onwards. Recent changes in the diatom assemblage at Bolin Billabong appear moderate compared with other regulated river floodplain sites studied in southeastern Australia. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Natural variability in the distribution, loading and induced scour of large wood in sand‐bed forest streams
Authors: Webb Ashley A. , Erskine Wayne D.
Published: March 2005

Characteristics of large wood and its influence on bed scour and pool formation have been investigated in four sand‐bed forest streams in southeastern Australia. Sites included high‐energy bedrock‐confined streams near Sydney and medium to low energy partially terrace‐confined streams on the south coast of NSW and in East Gippsland, Victoria. Total large wood loadings were inversely correlated with bankfull specific stream power. At the two lower energy sites, up to 18% of the total large wood volume comprised Tristaniopsis laurina trees living within the channel. At all sites, the majority of large wood pieces were small in length and diameter. However, the overall large wood volume was dominated by larger pieces. At the two lower energy sites less than 3% of large wood pieces formed part of debris dams, the majority occurring as individual logs. Debris dams were absent from the higher energy sites. The length of channel classified as pool habitat and the amount of head loss over log‐steps were positively correlated with large wood loading. A greater proportion of large wood pieces was aligned parallel to the flow at the higher energy sites. Such characteristics significantly influenced the type and extent of pools present. Longitudinal, bedrock and boulder scour pools were dominant at the bedrock‐confined sites, while transverse scour pools, log‐step pools and debris dam pools were dominant at the less laterally confined sites. The log‐affected pools were significantly smaller, in terms of length and maximum depth, at three of the study sites, than the non‐log‐affected pools. However, this study indicates that reintroduction of large wood into sand‐bed streams will increase bed scour, pool formation and hydraulic diversity. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Accessing limnological change and variability using fossil diatom assemblages, south‐east Australia
Authors: Gell P. , Tibby J. , Fluin J. , Leahy P. , Reid M. , Adamson K. , Bulpin S. , MacGregor A. , Wallbrink P. , Hancock G. , Walsh B.
Published: March 2005

Floodplain wetlands accumulate river‐borne sediments that include mixed assemblages of allochthonous and autochthonous diatoms as fossils. These assemblages have been used in river floodplain wetlands and reservoirs to quantitatively reconstruct salinity, pH and nutrients and to qualitatively infer connectivity and turbidity over periods spanning decades to millennia. High sedimentation rates in some sites have permitted sub‐annual temporal resolution; however, annual to decadal resolution is more usual. The establishment of chronologies for these sequences is often difficult owing to the substantial input of fluvially borne210Pb, the high spatial variability in the earliest detection of exotic pollen markers and the inaccuracy of radiocarbon approaches in dating sediments younger than 500 years. Other complexities arise from the difficulty of differentiating the influence of co‐variables in accord with the river continuum concept and identifying shifts driven by hydroseral influences independent of changes to the fluvial system. Caution is also needed in inferring lotic change from a record accumulating in lentic systems.

Nevertheless, substantial increases in salinity (lower Snowy, lower and middle Murray), pH (mid‐Goulburn), turbidity (upper and lower Murray and Yarra), nutrients (lower Murray and Yarra), and sedimentation rate (widespread), as well as clear shifts in trophic structure (upper Murray), have been documented for the post‐European period from regulated river wetlands across southeast Australia. A site in the lower Murray records river connectivity and water quality changes consistent with the regional Holocene climate record. Reductions in effective precipitation documented in closed lake systems are not evident in riverine plain wetlands, possibly owing to their relative complexity. The refinement of chronologies and data‐bases will allow the determination of the pre‐impact nature and variability of sites, the rates of limnological change and biological responses and the feasibility of rehabilitation targets. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of flow regulation on carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) recruitment in the Murray–Darling Basin, Australia
Authors: Driver P. D. , Harris J. H. , Closs G. P. , Koen T. B.
Published: March 2005

Carp biomass density and the numbers of ‘sub‐adult’ (juvenile, plus young‐of‐the‐year) carp were used to indicate net recruitment (hereafter ‘recruitment’) to carp populations in ‘regulated’ and ‘unregulated’ lowland rivers (< 300 m altitude) and ‘slope’ rivers (300–700 m) of the Murray–Darling Basin, southeastern Australia. Most recruitment occurred at lower‐altitude reaches, during October–March (water temperature 95% confidence limits=16–32°C). Temporal changes in distribution of juvenile carp and sub‐adult carp, and high biomass density and slightly larger carp sizes in slope populations, indicated that slope sites were ‘sinks’ for downstream ‘source’ populations. The distribution of sub‐adult carp also suggested that recruitment differed between regulated and unregulated lowland sites, and unregulated sites had proportionately more sub‐adult carp in the total catch. We suggest that while floods might have enhanced recruitment in unregulated rivers, flow regulation provides long‐term refuge from mortality associated with high flows. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Native American student retention in U.S. postsecondary education
Authors: Larimore (Comanche) James A. , McClellan George S.
Published: March 2005

This chapter surveys the literature on Native American student retention, framing the discussion in the context of the broader body of literature on retention.
Voices from within: Native American faculty and staff on campus
Authors: Tippeconnic Fox (Comanche) Mary Jo
Published: March 2005

What is the role of Native American faculty and staff in majority institutions with relation to Native American students? This chapter provides recommendations for student affairs professionals and further research.
Native American identity
Authors: Horse (Kiowa) Perry G.
Published: March 2005

Many issues and elements—including ethnic nomenclature, racial attitudes, and the legal and political status of American Indian nations and Indian people—influence Native American identity.
New data on the use of lithium, divalproate, and lamotrigine in rapid cycling bipolar disorder
Authors: Calabrese JR , Rapport DJ , Youngstrom EA , Jackson K. , Bilali S. , Findling RL
Published: March 2005

The rapid cycling variant of bipolar disorder is defined as the occurrence of four periods of either manic or depressive illness within 12 months. Patients suffering from this variant of bipolar disorder have an unmet need for effective treatment. This review examines two major studies in an attempt to update understanding of the current therapies available to treat rapid cycling patients. The first trial compares lamotrigine versus placebo in 182 patients studied for 6 months. The second is a recently completed, 20-month trial comparing divalproate and lithium in 60 patients. Both trials had a double-blind, randomized parallel-group design. The data from the latter study indicate that there are no large differences in efficacy between lithium and divalproate in the long-term treatment of rapid cycling bipolar disorder. In addition, lamotrigine has the potential to complement the spectrum of lithium and divalproate through its greater efficacy for depressive symptoms.
The cyanobacterium Gloeobacter violaceus PCC 7421 uses bacterial‐type phytoene desaturase in carotenoid biosynthesis
Authors: Tsuchiya Tohru , Takaichi Shinichi , Misawa Norihiko , Maoka Takashi , Miyashita Hideaki , Mimuro Mamoru
Published: March 2005

Carotenoid composition and its biosynthetic pathway in the cyanobacterium Gloeobacter violaceus PCC 7421 were investigated. β‐Carotene and (2S,2′S)‐oscillol 2,2′‐di(α‐l‐fucoside), and echinenone were major and minor carotenoids, respectively. We identified two unique genes for carotenoid biosynthesis using in vivo functional complementation experiments. In Gloeobacter, a bacterial‐type phytoene desaturase (CrtI), rather than plant‐type desaturases (CrtP and CrtQ), produced lycopene. This is the first demonstration of an oxygenic photosynthetic organism utilizing bacterial‐type phytoene desaturase. We also revealed that echinenone synthesis is catalyzed by CrtW rather than CrtO. These findings indicated that Gloeobacter retains ancestral properties of carotenoid biosynthesis.
Expression of tau reduces secretion of Aβ without altering the amyloid precursor protein content in CHOsw cells
Authors: Zhao Zhong , Ksiezak-Reding Hanna , Wang Jun , Pasinetti Giulio Maria
Published: March 2005

Insoluble deposits of tau and amyloid precursor protein (APP) peptides Aβ characterize Alzheimer's disease. We studied the role of tau in the metabolism of APP in cells stably expressing APP Swedish mutation (CHOsw). Transient expression of tau in CHOsw cells caused morphological changes, bundling of microtubules and perinuclear aggregation of Golgi‐derived vesicles. It also reduced the secretion of Aβ1–40 and Aβ1–42 without altering the APP steady state levels. This was accompanied by a reduction in the γ‐secretase and an increase in the insulin degrading enzyme activities. Our results suggest that tau may play an inhibitory role in the amyloidogenic activity of APP.
Do explicit criteria help in selecting indicators for ecosystem-based fisheries management?
Authors: Rochet Marie-Joëlle , Rice Jake C.
Published: March 2005

An evaluation framework developed to help select an appropriate suite of indicators to support an ecosystem approach to fisheries management was tested experimentally by asking independent experts to weight the selection criteria provided and to score indicators against those criteria in several ecological settings. The steps in selecting indicators proved to be prone to subjectivity and value judgement, and differences in scores between experts were the main factor contributing to variability in evaluation results. Having to justify scores in a written document did not improve consistency among the experts. The framework, however, did enhance transparency by explicitly stating each issue to be addressed in the selection process, and by giving experts or stakeholders the opportunity to present their values explicitly. For example, using a longer list of simpler selection criteria appeared to provide less controversial results than a shorter list of more complex ones.
Protective Preconditioning by Transient Global Ischemia in the Rat: Components of Delayed Injury Progression and Lasting Protection Distinguished by Comparisons of Depolarization Thresholds for Cell Loss at Long Survival Times
Authors: Ueda Masayuki , Thaddeus S Nowak
Published: March 2005

Robust ischemic preconditioning has been shown in rodent brain, but there are concerns regarding the persistence of neuron protection. This issue was examined in rat hippocampus following 4-vessel occlusion (4-VO) ischemia, using DC shifts characteristic of ischemic depolarization to reproducibly define insult severity. Preconditioning ischemia producing 2 to 3.5 mins depolarization was followed at intervals of 2, 5, or 7 days by test insults of varied duration, after which CA1 counts were obtained at 1, 2, 4, or 12 weeks. Neuron loss in naive animals increased with depolarization time longer than 4 mins regardless of postischemic survival interval. Preconditioning 2, 5, or 7 days before test insults prolonged the injury threshold evaluated at 1 week survival to 15, 9, or 6 mins, respectively, showing robust protection and a rapid decay of the protected state. However, by 2 weeks survival after preconditioning at a 2-day interval, the injury threshold dramatically regressed from 15 to 9 mins. Thereafter protection remained relatively stable through 1 month, but slight progression of neuron injury was evident at 3 months. Inflammatory responses were seen in both naive and preconditioned hippocampi throughout this interval, appropriate to the extent of neuron injury. These studies show distinct components of transient and lasting protection after ischemic preconditioning. Finally, it was found that ischemic depolarization was delayed by approximately 1 min in optimally preconditioned rat hippocampus, in contrast to previous results in the gerbil, identifying one specific mechanism by which insult severity is reduced in this model.
Simple correction to the classical theory of homogeneous nucleation
Authors: Nadykto Alexey B. , Yu Fangqun
Published: March 2005

Formation of the new disperse phase via homogeneous nucleation plays a fundamental role wherever the first-order phase transitions occur. Inconsistent temperature dependence of the nucleation rates and poor agreement of theoretical critical supersaturations with experimental data for a number of substances are fundamental problems of the classical nucleation theory (CNT). Here we show that these problems can be solved with a simple empirical correction to CNT. Despite its simplicity, the corrected CNT (CCNT) accurately predicts temperature dependences and absolute values of the critical supersaturations for both organic and inorganic substances with widely varying properties at different ambient conditions and it works surprisingly well in a wide size range down to few molecules. The difference in predictions of CCNT and other versions of the classical nucleation theory commonly used in analyzing experimental data is discussed. It has been found that CCNT consistently gives better agreement with experimental data than other versions of classical nucleation theory.
On the band structure lineup at interfaces of SiO2, Si3N4, and high-κ dielectrics
Authors: Mönch Winfried
Published: March 2005

The interface-induced gap states (IFIGS) are the fundamental mechanism which determines the band structure lineup at semiconductor interfaces. The valence-band offsets of semiconductor heterostructures and the barrier heights of Schottky contacts are given by the branch-point energies of the IFIGS of the semiconductors and respective electric-dipole terms. The branch-point energies of SiO2, Si3N4, and of the high-κ dielectrics Al2O3, HfO2, and ZrO2 are determined as 3.99±0.10, 1.93±0.14, 3.23±0.42, 2.62±0.18, and ≈3.2eV, respectively, from experimental valence-band offsets of heterostructures of these insulators.
Anisotropic Mg incorporation in GaN growth on nonplanar templates
Authors: Ren Dawei , Dapkus P. Daniel
Published: March 2005

Anisotropic Mg incorporation has been observed in the growth of p-type GaN on nonplanar GaN templates. As shown by cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy and cathodoluminescence spectroscopy, Mg-doped GaN grown on (0001) mesa tops is observed to have higher Mg concentration than the counterpart layers grown on {112¯2} sidewalls. The origin of this anisotropic Mg incorporation is believed to be associated with local surface structure on the different surface facets. More importantly, this unique structure of Mg-doped GaN provides a natural lateral current confinement that paves a promising path to fabrication of InGaN∕GaN buried heterostructure lasers on these nonplanar templates.
Solid-state dewetting for ordered arrays of crystallographically oriented metal particles
Authors: Giermann Amanda L. , Thompson Carl V.
Published: March 2005

We demonstrate that topographically modified substrates can be used as templates to control solid-state dewetting of thin films by creating a periodic variation in the initial curvature of the film. The dewetting of gold films on oxidized silicon surfaces patterned with arrays of inverted pyramid shaped pits is investigated. For specific ranges of relative film thickness and topographic dimension, dewetting results in arrays of submicrometer-scale particles with uniform periodic spacing and nearly uniform size and crystallographic orientation.
Simultaneous resistance and capacitance cartography by conducting probe atomic force microscopy in contact mode
Authors: Houzé Frédéric , Chrétien Pascal , Schneegans Olivier , Meyer René , Boyer Lionel
Published: March 2005

A promising technique derived from conducting probe atomic force microscopy is presented. It gives the local resistance and capacitance cartographies of a surface simultaneously with the classical height image. Preliminary investigations on a contaminated gold sample illustrate that it is possible to obtain contrasted triple images. Six decades of capacitance values can be reached, from 10−16 to 10−10F, with resistance measurements ranging over ten decades. Great care was taken to verify the accuracy of the absolute capacitance values. For this purpose, specific calibration samples of well-defined geometry were elaborated and carefully tested, and the experimental results were compared with finite elements calculations.
Neutral sphingomyelinase 2 (
smpd3
) in the control of postnatal growth and development
Authors: Stoffel Wilhelm , Jenke Britta , Blöck Barbara , Zumbansen Markus , Koebke Jürgen
Published: March 2005

Neutral sphingomyelinases sphingomyelin phosphodiesterase (SMPD)2 and -3 hydrolyze sphingomyelin to phosphocholine and ceramide.
smpd2
is expressed ubiquitously, and
smpd3
is expressed predominantly in neurons of the CNS. Their activation and the functions of the released ceramides have been associated with signaling pathways in cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis. However, these cellular responses remain poorly understood. Here we describe the generation and characterization of the
smpd3

–
/
–

and
smpd2

–
/
–

smpd3

–
/
–

double mutant mouse, which proved to be devoid of neutral sphingomyelinase activity. SMPD3 plays a pivotal role in the control of late embryonic and postnatal development: the
smpd3
-null mouse develops a novel form of dwarfism and delayed puberty as part of a hypothalamus-induced combined pituitary hormone deficiency. Our studies suggest that SMPD3 is segregated into detergent-resistant subdomains of Golgi membranes of hypothalamic neurosecretory neurons, where its transient activation modifies the lipid bilayer, an essential step in the Golgi secretory pathway. The
smpd3

–
/
–

mouse might mimic a form of human combined pituitary hormone deficiency.
The RNA-binding protein HuD regulates neuronal cell identity and maturation
Authors: Akamatsu Wado , Fujihara Hiroaki , Mitsuhashi Takayuki , Yano Masato , Shibata Shinsuke , Hayakawa Yoshika , Okano Hirotaka James , Sakakibara Shin-ichi , Takano Hiroshi , Takano Toshiya , Takahashi Takao , Noda Tetsuo , Okano Hideyuki
Published: March 2005

Neural Hu proteins (HuB/C/D) are RNA-binding proteins that have been shown to induce neuronal differentiation activity when overexpressed in immature neural progenitor cells or undifferentiated neuronal tumors. Newly generated
HuD-
deficient mice exhibited a transient impaired-cranial-nerve-development phenotype at an early embryonic stage. Adult
HuD
-deficient mice exhibited an abnormal hind-limb reflex and poor rotarod performance. Analysis of neurosphere formation revealed that the number and self-renewal capacity of the neural stem/progenitor cells were increased in
HuD
-deficient mice.
HuD
-deficient primary neurospheres also generated a smaller number of neurons. Cohort analysis of the cellular proliferative activity by using BrdUrd and iododeoxuridine labeling revealed that the number of differentiating quiescent cells in the embryonic cerebral wall was decreased. Long-term administration of BrdUrd revealed that the number of slowly dividing stem cells in the adult subventricular zone was increased in the
HuD
-deficient mice. Taken together, the results suggest that HuD is required at multiple points during neuronal development, including negative regulation of proliferative activity and neuronal cell-fate acquisition of neural stem/progenitor cells.
The Privatization of Wine Sales in Quebec in 1978 and 1983 to 1984
Authors: Trolldal Björn
Published: March 2005

Background:

In 1978, grocery stores in Quebec were allowed to sell domestically produced wine along with wine that was imported and bottled by the Liquor Board in Quebec. This right was extended in 1983 to include imported wine that was bottled by privately owned manufacturers in Quebec. Larger grocery store chains were also allowed to sell wine in 1984. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of these policy changes on alcohol sales, primarily on sales of wine and total sales but also on sales of spirits and beer.

Methods:

Interrupted time‐series analysis (ARIMA) with a quasi‐experimental control area design was used. Canada, with the exception of the province of Quebec, was the control area. All time series were differenced to remove long‐term trends. Possible permanent effects of the policy changes on alcohol sales were measured by means of intervention variables. Alcohol sales, in liters of pure alcohol per inhabitant aged 15 and above, were used as the dependent variable. Alcohol prices and the inhabitants’ disposable income were used as control variables.

Results:

Contrary to earlier studies regarding these policy changes in Quebec, the results presented in this study showed a significant and permanent effect of the policy change in 1978. The sale of wine increased by 10%, but the effect was not so large as to affect total sales. Sales of spirits and beer were not significantly affected. In 1983 to 1984, no immediate significant increase in sales of wine was found.

Conclusions:

The estimated effect of the policy change in 1978 was modest compared with results presented in most earlier studies regarding the privatization of wine sales in other jurisdictions. One explanation could be that the policy change in Quebec was valid only for a limited number of wines, which accounted for only a fraction of the total alcohol sales market.
Calculation of magnetization characteristic of a squirrel cage machine using edge element method
Authors: Demenko Andrzej , Nowak Lech , Pietrowski Wojciech
Published: March 2005

This paper presents the finite element method for the calculation of open‐circuit characteristic of a squirrel cage machine with saturated core. The flux linkage with the stator winding and the winding inductances have been calculated using the edge element method. The calculations show that the equivalent inductance of a balanced three‐phase no‐loaded induction machine with saturated core may be defined like a quadrature‐axis inductance in synchronous machine. The algorithm of this inductance calculation has been proposed. The equivalent inductances have been used in the calculation of electromotive force. The results obtained from numerical calculations have been compared with the measured results.
Contact endoscopy during cholecystectomy: A new technique for staging laparoscopy in gallbladder cancers
Authors: Matsuda Masamichi , Watanabe Goro , Hashimoto Masaji
Published: March 2005

Background and study aims: Contact endoscopy is a technique allowing detailed magnified imaging of living epithelium, used extensively to assess tissues of gynecological and laryngeal origan. We used this technique during cholecystectomy to investigate its potential value for staging laparoscopy in gallbladder cancer.

Patients and methods: Eight patients with gallbladder cancer, four with mucosal hyperplasia, two with benign polyps and nine with gallstones were evaluated. During surgery, the lens of the contact endoscope (8715AA, 5.5 mm in diameter with a 0° angle) was placed in contact with the serosa of the gallbladder and observations were performed at magnifications of 60 × and 150 ×.

Results: Enlarged color images of the subserosal layer of the gallbladder were obtained. In normal mucosa, a fine vascular network with flowing erythrocytes was observed in the subserosal layer. Subserosal fat appeared as tortoiseshell‐like markings, shown histologically to be clumps of fat cells surrounded by fine fibrous tissue. A gap between the deep vessels and the superficial vessels in the subserosal fat was also observed. The same findings were detected in gallbladder cancer patients where invasion was limited to the muscular layer. However, in patients with advanced gallbladder cancer, with invasion beyond the muscular layer, both the vessel gap and the fat tissue markings were absent. There was also encasement of the vessels and decreased intravascular flow of erythrocytes.

Conclusions: The contact endoscope can be useful in differentiating between early and advanced gallbladder cancer and has some potential for use in staging laparoscopy for gallbladder cancer.
Role of primary visual cortex in the binocular integration of plaid motion perception
Authors: Saint‐Amour Dave , Walsh Vincent , Guillemot Jean‐Paul , Lassonde Maryse , Lepore Franco
Published: March 2005

This study assessed the early mechanisms underlying perception of plaid motion. Thus, two superimposed gratings drifting in a rightward direction composed plaid stimuli whose global motion direction was perceived as the vector sum of the two components. The first experiment was aimed at comparing the perception of plaid motion when both components were presented to both eyes (dioptic) or separately to each eye (dichoptic). When components of the patterns had identical spatial frequencies, coherent motion was correctly perceived under dioptic and dichoptic viewing condition. However, the perceived direction deviated from the predicted direction when spatial frequency differences were introduced between components in both conditions. The results suggest that motion integration follows similar rules for dioptic and dichoptic plaids even though performance under dichoptic viewing did not reach dioptic levels. In the second experiment, the role of early cortical areas in the processing of both plaids was examined. As convergence of monocular inputs is needed for dichoptic perception, we tested the hypothesis that primary visual cortex (V1) is required for dichoptic plaid processing by delivering repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation to this area. Ten minutes of magnetic stimulation disrupted subsequent dichoptic perception for approximately 15 min, whereas no significant changes were observed for dioptic plaid perception. Taken together, these findings suggest that V1 is not crucial for the processing of dioptic plaids but it is necessary for the binocular integration underlying dichoptic plaid motion perception.
Pineal circadian clocks gate arylalkylamine N‐acetyltransferase gene expression in the mouse pineal gland
Authors: Fukuhara Chiaki , Yamazaki Shin , Liang Jian
Published: March 2005

In mammals it has been thought that the circadian clock localizes only in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus. Recent studies have revealed that certain brain regions and peripheral tissues may also have intrinsic circadian clocks. However, the roles played by ‘peripheral circadian clocks’ have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated their function using mouse pineal glands, and found that expression of the arylalkylamine N‐acetyltransferase (Aa‐Nat, EC 2.3.1.87, the rate‐limiting enzyme of melatonin synthesis) gene after adrenergic receptor stimulation depended on the time of day even in vitro (gating). Phase‐dependent Aa‐Nat responses were observed in both melatonin‐proficient and melatonin‐deficient mouse pineal glands. Phosphodiesterases are unlikely to suppress Aa‐Nat induction because a phosphodiesterase inhibitor itself had no effect on the mRNA levels. Puromycin was ineffective in inducing Aa‐Nat mRNA levels in either the presence or absence of isoproterenol, suggesting that newly synthesized proteins may not be necessary to gate the Aa‐Nat responses. We also discovered circadian dependence of the expression of Period1‐luminescence in Period1–luciferase transgenic mouse pineal glands: circadian clocks may be functional in culture. Aa‐Nat mRNA levels showed no significant circadian rhythms in the absence of isoproterenol, thus suggesting that Aa‐Nat mRNA levels are induced by adrenergic mechanisms, not by a pineal circadian clock. Our results suggest that the pineal circadian clock may determine timing when Aa‐Nat gene expression can respond to inputs from the master circadian clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, e.g. adrenergic stimulation.
Molecular profiles of mRNA levels in laser capture microdissected murine hippocampal regions differentially responsive to TMT‐induced cell death
Authors: Lefebvre d'Hellencourt Christian , Harry G. Jean
Published: March 2005

Using a chemical‐induced model of dentate granule (DG) cell death, cDNA microarray analysis was used to identify gene profiles from the laser‐captured microdissected (LCM) hippocampal DG cell region versus the CA pyramidal cell layer (CA) from 21‐day‐old male CD1 mice injected with trimethyltin hydroxide (TMT; 3.0 mg/kg, i.p.). At 6 h post‐TMT, lectin + microglia displaying a reactive morphology were in contact with active caspase 3+ neurons. By 18 h, amoeboid microglia and signs of phagocytosis, and a mild astrocytic response were present in the DG. There was no evidence of IgG extravasation in the hippocampus, or cell death and glial reactivity in the CA. Atlas 1.2K Clontech array detected 115 genes changed in the hippocampus with TMT and included genes associated with immediate‐early responses, calcium homeostasis, cellular signaling, cell cycle, immunomodulation and DNA repair. Early responses localized to LCM DG samples consisted of elevations in inflammatory factors such as tumor necrosis factor‐α and receptors, as well as MIP1α, CD14, CD18, and a decrease in factors associated with calcium buffering. By 18 h, in the DG, changes occurred in transcripts associated with apoptosis, cell adhesion, DNA repair, cell proliferation and growth. In the CA, a differential level of elevation was seen in CD86 antigen, zinc finger protein 38 and DNA damage inducible transcript 3. A significant number of genes was decreased at these early time points in both hippocampal regions.
Effect of Implanon on insulin resistance in women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Authors: MEYER Caroline , TALBOT Mackenzie , TEEDE Helena
Published: March 2005

The majority of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have insulin resistance (IR) and have a high risk of developing diabetes. In this retrospective study of women with PCOS, Implanon use was associated with increased insulin resistance, as evidenced by a deterioration in the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) assessment of insulin resistance, and increased fasting insulin levels. Implanon might increase the risk of diabetes and potentially cardiovascular disease in this already high‐risk group. Further research is required to establish the ideal contraceptive preparation in PCOS.
Posterior sling (infracoccygeal sacropexy): An alternative procedure for vaginal vault prolapse
Authors: SIVASLIOGLU Ahmet Akin , GELISEN Orhan , DOLEN Ismail , DEDE Hulya , DILBAZ Serdar , HABERAL Ali
Published: March 2005

This study of 30 patients evaluated the effectiveness and safety of the posterior sling (infracoccygeal sacropexy) in the surgical treatment of vaginal vault prolapse. The patients were reevaluated 3 months, 6 months and yearly postoperatively. Coexisting preoperative symptoms of pelvic pain, urgency, nocturia and ‘obstructed’ micturition feeling were followed‐up. There was remarkable improvement in vault prolapse and in coexisting symptoms.
INFORMATION ASYMMETRY AND WEALTH EFFECT OF CANADIAN CORPORATE ACQUISITIONS
Authors: Calvet A. L. , Lefoll J.
Published: March 2005

This study reports evidence on the wealth effects of bidders and targets involved in Canadian corporate acquisitions. It then examines whether wealth changes at the announcement time are consistent with the hypothesis that the payment method is a surrogate signal for bidder management's beliefs regarding the value of its firm. The findings support the value‐maximizing hypothesis and indicate a stronger performance for both bidders and targets in cash takeovers than in acquisitions involving an exchange of securities—in accordance with the existence of asymmetric information and the tax effect resulting from the payment method.