bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Techniques Used in Electron Microscopy of Aluminum Alloys
Authors: Hunter M. S. , Keller F.
Published: September 2009

Techniques useful for the electron metallography of aluminum alloys are discussed, with particular reference to the aluminum oxide replica technique. The advantages of chemical polishing over conventional polishing methods are mentioned and the details of recent methods for preparing oxide-film replicas are given. A triple replica method which uses a plastic replica, an evaporated aluminum replica and an oxide film replica is described. This method, which is applicable to other alloys as well as those of aluminum, may be used to follow changes in surface structure which occur during testing.
Electron Microstructure of Steel by “Extraction Replica” Technique
Authors: Fisher R. M.
Published: September 2009

Most replica techniques used in electron metallography derive their contrast from the relief of the surface of the sample under examination. The differences in elevation on the surface result from differential attack on the various components of the microstructure by a suitable etching solution. The results achieved on structures containing very fine precipitate particles are not always completely satisfactory on account of poor resolution produced by the etchant and failure of a replica to reproduce accurately all the detail of a surface. These difficulties can be avoided by use of a new replica technique developed at this Laboratory and described at the Electron Microscope Society (1) meeting in November, 1952. In this technique the actual precipitate particles are examined rather than a replica of their surface, resulting in higher resolution and permitting identification of the precipitate by electron diffraction examination of selected regions of the replica.
A Method for Adjusting Strain-Rates to Obtain Pore Pressure Measurements in Triaxial Shear Tests
Authors: Ellis Willard , Holtz W. G.
Published: September 2009

Many triaxial shear tests are performed in the Bureau of Reclamation laboratory on partially saturated soils for embankments and partially saturated to saturated soils for foundation design purposes. The method of design used requires that the shear values obtained be based on effective stresses which exist within the shear specimens during the test, rather than stresses which are applied to the exterior of the specimens. This method, therefore, requires that accurate pore-fluid pressure measurements be made during the shear tests, so that the effective stresses can be determined. The pore pressures are usually measured through special end plates when conducting the tests for project works. In using the method, it is necessary that the rate of testing be adjusted so that equalization of pore pressures throughout the specimens are obtained. This paper presents a procedure for establishing the maximum rate of axial strain compatible with accurate pore pressure measurements. The procedure is based upon establishing a continuous relationship of the pattern between the pore pressures computed from volume changes and the pore pressures measured during the test.
Apparatus for Repeated Load Tests on Soils
Authors: Seed H. B. , Fead J. W. N.
Published: September 2009

In recent years there has been a considerable awareness among soil engineers concerned with highway and airport construction of the need for studies of the behavior of soil under repeated loading. Studies conducted by the State of California Division of Highways (1)3 for example, have shown that highway pavements may fail by fatigue as a result of the repreated reversals of stress to which they are subjected by highway traffic and that the danger of such failures occurring depends on the resilient or elastic deformation of the subgrade on which the pavement is constructed. Furthermore, the wide variations in the predictions of the various state highway departments concerning the number of load repetitions required to cause failure of the pavement of the Western Assn. State Highway Officials (WASHO) test road (2) has indicated the lack of reliable information on this aspect of soil behavior.
Plastic Limit—Comparison of Cube and Standard Thread Test Methods
Authors: Abdun-Nur Edward A.
Published: September 2009

A description is given of the cube method for determining the plastic limit of soils. The history of the development of this method and its advantages, particularly as applied to soils of low plasticity, are outlined. Data are presented comparing results by this method and by the ASTM thread method (D 424), and a correlation is developed. It is concluded that the cube method has a high degree of correlation with the ASTM thread method and may be used interchangeably with it.
Powder versus Slurry Application of Lime for Soil Stabilization
Authors: Davidson D. T. , G. Noguera , Sheeler J. B.
Published: September 2009

The use of lime in soil stabilization is rapidly gaining acceptance. Both hydrated and quicklime have proved successful. Quicklime is less expensive and more effective, but hydrated lime is easier and safer to handle in the powdered state. A possible answer to the safer use of quicklime as a soil stabilizer lies in its application in the form of a slurry.

In this paper the effectiveness of limes in slurry form when applied to silty and to clayey soils is evaluated and the results are compared with stabilization by the use of limes in powdered form.

Slurries of lime were found to be easily applied and produced unconfined compressive strengths equivalent to strengths obtained through the use of powdered lime. Quicklimes in slurries produced higher strengths than those used in powdered form. Hydrated limes—powdered or in slurries—gave about equivalent strengths. The dolomitic limes were superior to the calcitic limes. The amounts of either type of lime required for near maximum 7- and 28-day strengths were found to be economical.
Nucleonics in Analysis
Authors: Wayne Meinke W.
Published: September 2009

The purpose of this paper is to try to put nuclear methods in perspective and to give a hint of the wide possibilities for these methods. First, it should be realized that nuclear applications in most fields are analytical in nature, since by utilizing the nuclear properties of radioactive isotopes it is possible to trace or detect components of systems that otherwise could not be observed. Furthermore, any tracer experiment, whether it is performed in physics, engineering, biology, or chemistry, has as its foundation a fundamental chemical assumption which states that the tracer and the material that is being traced must be in the same chemical state.
Metals Analysis by Radioactivation
Authors: Morrison George H.
Published: September 2009

Many problems of current interest to industry are concerned with the effect of minute amounts of impurities on the chemical, electrical, metallurgical, magnetic, and other properties of various materials. With the advent of metals of ultra-high purity has come a need for methods of analysis of trace impurities considerably more sensitive than those previously available.
Experience with Neutron Activation in the Analysis of Aluminum
Authors: Lewis J. E.
Published: September 2009

Generally speaking, aluminum does not lend itself to analysis by neutron activation. The reason for this is readily apparent when one reviews a listing of the radioisotopes of aluminum and observes that aluminum-28 (half-life of 2.3 min) is the main isotopic product resulting from neutron bombardment. The relatively short half-life associated with this isotope disqualifies it from practical consideration for analytical applications unless the investigator is fortunate enough to be in close proximity to a neutron source.
Summary of Panel Discussion
Authors: Wayne Meinke W.
Published: September 2009

A panel discussion in which all speakers served as panel members concluded the symposium. During this discussion the speakers made a number of additional comments to clarify points raised in their talks and also discussed a number of questions raised from the audience. One point of clarification was made regarding the General Motors training program described in the last paper. A major objective of this program is to train General Motors supervisory personnel in the potentialities of these methods. Thus it is in a somewhat different category from the one-month isotopes handling courses that are available through the Oak Ridge Institute for Nuclear Studies and through several other national laboratories.
Shear and Torsion Testing of Wood, Plywood, and Sandwich Constructions at the U. S. Forest Products Laboratory
Authors: Youngquist W. G. , Kuenzi E. W.
Published: September 2009

The U.S. Forest Products Laboratory has maintained a continuing interest in the development of satisfactory test methods for determining shear characteristics of wood, plywood, adhesives, and more recently sandwich constructions. The anisotropic structure of wood has added to the difficulty of developing test methods that reliably evaluate the desired properties.

This paper presents a brief description of the test methods used, traces the history of some of the methods, and presents a discussion of their advantages, disadvantages, and suitability.

Discussed are the shear and torsion tests for solid wood; the plate shear, panel shear, “rolling” shear, and tubular torsion tests for plywood; the plywood glue shear, wood glue joint shear, metal lap joint and torsion test of adhesives for metals; and the shear tests for sandwich constructions and cores. An analysis of the stress conditions in the test specimens is presented for some of the tests.
Spectrochemical Analysis of High-Temperature Alloys by Spark Excitation in Argon and Nitrogen
Authors: Dilworth H. C.
Published: September 2009

Spark excitation of high-temperature alloys in atmospheres of argon, nitrogen, and ambient air were investigated. Compared to air, argon or nitrogen provide the following advantages: (1) Volatilization rates are more constant in time. (2) Background intensities are constant and independent of alloy composition. (3) Effects of metallurgical history on specimen excitation are minimized. Also, self-absorption is markedly reduced in argon. Because of these characteristics, calibration is simplified, and it is possible to analyze many different types of alloys with the same set of analytical curves. This results in a marked reduction in the number of primary standards needed for initial calibration. An effective device for shielding the spark excitation column and specimen surface with a stream of gas is described. Data are presented showing application of the method of excitation in argon and nitrogen to the analysis of a variety of high-temperature alloys.
Durability of Adhesive-Bonded Aluminum Joints Exposed to Outdoor Weathering
Authors: Scott J. A.
Published: September 2009

The effects of outdoor weathering on the strength of aluminum adhesive-bonded joints exposed for periods up to 4½ years have been determined. Three commercial epoxy resin adhesives were included in the evaluation. The results showed that improvements are needed in both adhesive formulation and surface pretreatment of aluminum to give joints which will withstand weathering for periods in excess of five years. Failure of bonds invariably occurred at or near the adhesive-adherend interface, thus showing the importance of metal surface properties on the durability of adhesive bonds. Results of both outdoor exposure and accelerated weathering tests emphasized that initial bond strength measurement is of no use in predicting the durability or service performance of a given adhesive.
Determination of Stress in Rock—A a State-of-the-Art Report
Authors: Obert Leonard
Published: September 2009

Various procedures and associated instrumentation that have been used to measure the absolute or change in strain, deformation, and stress in rock are reviewed. The merits, limitations, and undesirable features in each procedure are discussed. The results of a number of in situ investigations in various rock types are presented, together with an appraisal of the state of stress that generally exists around underground openings in various types of rock. The report is concluded with recommendations for specifying the performance and characteristics of this class of equipment.
Interlaboratory Comparison of the Potential Heat Test Method
Authors: Gross D , Natrella M G
Published: September 2009

Quantitative measurements of the total heat release by selected building materials were made during an interlaboratory study of the Potential Heat Method. Seven of the eleven participating laboratories ranked the five materials in the same order, and a single ranking change for three other laboratories would yield identical rankings. The general magnitude of within-laboratory repeatability and between-laboratory reproducibility for composite materials of generally low potential heat are indicated by statistical analysis of the results.

Results are reported on the effect of the amount of combustion promoter used and on differences in the first and second phase values. A discussion is presented on the effects of material sampling and on certain features of the experimental procedure which require special care. A tentative test method standard, containing complete details of the test procedure, is included as an appendix.
Filtering—From the Moon to the Mines
Authors: Marsh W. J.
Published: September 2009

The rapid advances in the level of hydraulic power utilized in underground mining equipment has not found necessary filtering and maintenance techniques keeping pace.

This paper describes methods employed to assure full flow filtration, incorporating a rather drastic departure from tradition in choice of filter opening to optimize life of component. Additionally, problems of adverse environment and fluid handling are described.
Dazzling Estrangement: Modernism, Queer Ekphrasis, and the Spatial Form ofNightwood
Authors: Glavey Brian
Published: September 2009

The reputation of Djuna Barnes'sNightwoodas a work of “marginal” modernism is complicated by its affinities with the aesthetics of high modernism, a fact signaled by its role as the inspiration of Joseph Frank's theory of spatial form. At once emblematic and eccentric, the novel is devoted to both recognition and obscurity.Nightwoodenacts this paradox through a strategy of queer ekphrasis that aestheticizes moments of loss, giving aesthetic form to experiences of stigma in order to “dazzle” them. Attending to Barnes's spatial form will forward debates about modernism and queer theory, suggesting a more useful vocabulary for both: an account of the aesthetic that is neither wholly subversive nor wholly conservative and a nuanced account of queerness that does not subscribe to either total negation or total affirmation.
“Spectacles in Color”: The Primitive Drag of Langston Hughes
Authors: See Sam
Published: September 2009

The chapter “Spectacles in Color” in Langston Hughes's first autobiography,The Big Sea(1940), envisions modernist Harlem culture as a drag performance and offers a useful rubric for understanding Hughes'sThe Weary Blues(1926), a lyric history of that culture whose poems characteristically cross gender, sexual, racial, and even formal lines.The Weary Bluesemploys a low-down, or nature-based, and down-low, or queer, aesthetic of racial and gender crossing that I term “primitive drag,” an aesthetic that ironically coincides with the stereotypes of African Americans and queers that were propagated by early-twentieth-century sexological science and degeneration theory: namely, that blacks and queers were unnatural and degenerate because they, unlike whites and heterosexuals, exhibited alackof racial and gender differentiation. Disidentifying with those stereotypes, the primitive drag inThe Weary Bluesdepicts queer feeling as natural and nature as queer, thus offering a productive paradox for rethinking literary histories of modernism and theories of sexuality by the rather Darwinian notion that “the nature of the universe,” as Hughes calls it, is always subject to change, or queering.
Get Up, Stand Up: Teaching Civil Disobedience in the Literature Classroom
Authors: Miles Kathryn
Published: September 2009

In his presidential address at the 1970 MLA convention, Maynard Mack sounded a warning bell concerning activism and the future of literary studies. Faced with a seemingly endless conflict in Vietnam and a national student body growing polarized in its response to this war, higher education, including language-based pedagogy, was in crisis. Of particular concern to Mack was a growing generational disconnect over the role of activism in the literature classroom. He cited a landmark study in which nearly two-thirds of all professors over the age of thirty maintained that any foray into politics should be avoided, if not altogether prohibited, in formal course work. The younger generation disagreed: two-thirds of them, in fact, felt a moral and pedagogical obligation to use colleges and universities as loci for social change. This ideological divide, Mack predicted, would soon create “a crisis of authority in the offing beside which all current manifestations would look pale” (365).
Formative Literary Visions and Prewar Politics
Authors: Camus Albert , Amado Jorge , Durand Alain-Philippe , Schoolcraft Ralph
Published: September 2009

During the launching of the university of São paulo, The 1930s added another distinguished chapter to the storied history of Franco-Brazilian intellectual and artistic collaborations. Starting in 1934 several promising French scholars began teaching at this new academic institution. Among the most prestigious were the cultural anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss, the historian Fernand Braudel, the geographer Pierre Monbeig, the classicist Michel Berveiller, and the Portuguese-literatures specialist Pierre Hourcade (Riedinger 443).
Important residue (G46) in erythroid spectrin tetramer formation
Authors: Kang Jianxia , Song Yuanli , Sevinc Akin , Fung Leslie
Published: September 2009

Spectrin tetramerization is important for the erythrocyte to maintain its unique shape, elasticity and deformability. We used recombinant model proteins to show the importance of one residue (G46) in the erythroid α-spectrin junction region that affects spectrin tetramer formation. The G46 residue in the erythroid spectrin N-terminal junction region is the only residue that differs from that in non-erythroid spectrin. The corresponding residue is R37. We believe that this difference may be, at least in part, responsible for the 15-fold difference in the equilibrium constants of erythroid and non-erythroid tetramer formation. In this study, we replaced the Gly residue with Ala, Arg or Glu residues in an erythroid α-spectrin model protein to give G46A, G46R or G46E, respectively. We found that their association affinities with a β-spectrin model protein were quite different from each other. G46R exhibited a 10-fold increase and G46E exhibited a 16-fold decrease, whereas G46A showed little difference, when compared with the wild type. The thermal and urea denaturation experiments showed insignificant structural change in G46R. Thus, the differences in affinity were due to differences in local, specific interactions, rather than conformational differences in these variants. An intra-helical salt bridge in G46R may stabilize the partial domain single helix in α-spectrin, Helix C’, to allow a more stable helical bundling in the αβ complex in spectrin tetramers. These results not only showed the importance of residue G46 in erythroid α-spectrin, but also provided insights toward the differences in association affinity between erythroid and non-erythroid spectrin to form spectrin tetramers.
Hydrogeologic assessment and groundwater reserve evaluation in northwestern parts of Dun valley aquifers of Chitwan, inner Terai
Authors: Neupane Rajendra , Shrestha Suresh Das
Published: September 2009

The Chitwan Valley is one of the largest Dun Valleys in the Himalayan foothills of Nepal. Dun gravels perhaps deposited in the late Pleistocene to very early Holocene about 22,000-7000 yr. B.P. Chitwan Dun Valley is underlain by Dun fan gravels or Dun gravels which form unconfined to semiconfined or leaky confined aquifers. The study area, situated in the NW part of the valley occupies an area of 70.8 km2.The hydrogeological situation in the study area is inferred from drilling data of Ground Water Resources Development Board (GWRDB), Agriculture Development Project Janakpur (ADPJ) and several private drilling companies .The Chitwan Dun Valley constitutes a closed groundwater system in the Siwalik Zone of Nepal Himalaya. The study area reveals the existence of two definite groundwater sub-basin each having its own hydraulic system and is a part of single large regional groundwater basin. Annual potential evapotranspiration (PET) calculated at Rampur (station no 0902) for five-year period (1990-1995) is 1.68 mm/day. Annual precipitation data recorded at Rampur is 2214 mm. Area of recharge is 70.8 km2 and estimation of total groundwater storage(reserve) is 87.31 MCM per year, and dynamic reserve or annual potential recharge is estimated as 48.60 MCM per year.   doi: 10.3126/bdg.v12i0.2249 Bulletin of the Department of Geology, Vol. 12, 2009, pp. 43-54
Identity and authenticity in the filk community
Authors: Tatum Melissa L.
Published: September 2009

As a result of several studies examining the relationship between identity and music subcultures, sociologists have developed a framework for analyzing those relationships. I apply this framework to the filk community, using the question "Is wizard rock filk?" as a vehicle for exploring slippery questions: What is filk? What is the filk community? What does it mean to be a filker? Part of the difficulty with defining these terms rests with the fact that people approach filk in different ways; it can be one of many activities at a convention, a genre of music, a subculture, or some or all of these. Although both wizard rock and filk are musical movements within fandom, I conclude that the answer to the question "Is wizard rock filk?" depends on the context of who is answering the question and what perspective that person holds with respect to the filk community. This dependence on perspectives is particularly important in the filk community and has repercussions for the larger fan community because one of the hallmarks of these fan communities is a tolerance of differing perspectives.
Interview with Verb Noire
Authors: Bradford K. Tempest
Published: September 2009

Interview with Verb Noire, conducted by K. Tempest Bradford.
Hunt for Gollum: Tracking issues of fandom cultures
Authors: Reid Robin Anne
Published: September 2009

The fan-produced film The Hunt for Gollum (Independent Online Cinema, 2009) was released May 3, 2009, for free viewing on the Internet, garnering much interest from The Lord of the Rings fan communities and fan reviewers. Reviews of the film—whether in major science fiction fan communities, on the film's page in the Internet Movie Database, or in individual blogs and LiveJournals—have been positive to glowing. The consensus seems to be that the film is atypical of fan productions because of its professional production values. What the reviewers fail to consider are circumstances of production and reception that relate to gender differences in fan and mainstream culture. To address this lack, I first discuss the film as a fan production, then question how choices made by the creators regarding media and genre and the critical reception can be situated in the broader context of gender.
future of academic writing?
Authors: Santo Avi
Published: September 2009

Contemporary academic debates about online publishing raise important questions about the future of scholarly writing practices as more academics begin to explore the multinodal and participatory digital environment, seeking not only to study it but also to engage in the praxis and community building it makes possible. Through exploring why media studies scholars might choose to participate in online endeavors like In Media Res, I want to show how digital interactive technologies might enable a rethinking of the forms and functions of scholarly writing.
New Nanomaterials for Protecting and Consolidating Stone
Authors: Mosquera Maria J. , de los Santos Desireé M. , Rivas Teresa , Sanmartín Patricia , Silva Benita
Published: September 2009

The sol-gel process has been found to be successful in applications for the conservation and restoration of stone. However, a well-known drawback of the materials obtained by this process is their tendency to crack during drying inside the pores of the treated stone. In this article, we present an overview of our current research centred on producing crack-free sol-gel materials for consolidating and protecting building stone. A novel synthesis, in which a surfactant acts as a template to make the pore size of the gel network coarser and more uniform, is shown to provide an effective alternative for preventing the cracking of consolidants. We also highlight an alternative pathway, in which we add an organic component to the silica precursor in the presence of the surfactant. The hybrid organic-inorganic gel prepared in our laboratory provides excellent waterproofing to the stones under study.
Lasers in the Analysis of Cultural Heritage Materials
Authors: Anglos Demetrios , Georgiou Savas , Fotakis Costas
Published: September 2009

This article reviews laser-based analytical techniques, which find applications in the field of cultural heritage diagnostics, providing information about the chemical composition of materials, at the atomic or molecular level. Lasers are intense sources of light featuring unique characteristics that have been exploited in order to enhance the performance of certain spectroscopic techniques such as Raman or fluorescence spectroscopy, or even produce new schemes of analysis, including, for instance, non-linear or remote sensing spectroscopy as well as laser ablative sampling and excitation. In parallel, with advances in laser and detector technology, compact, mobile instrumentation is becoming available that permits broader use of such laser-based techniques for analysis of materials in works of art and archaeological findings.
Mutagenesis
Authors: Lynch Anthony
Published: September 2009

There is overwhelming evidence that inherited mutational changes in humans are responsible for a significant proportion of genetically determined diseases and congenital (heritable) malformations. In addition, the accumulation of somatic cell mutations is known to be implicated in cancer, and to some extent in other multifactorial diseases, for example heart disease. Thus the integrity of human DNA is essential for the future of the species and the health of its individuals. DNA damage may be induced by errors in DNA replication/repair, exposure to endogenous mutagens (such as reactive oxygen species) or by environmental factors. Novel chemicals/consumer products/drugs represent an additional potential source of damage to DNA, and so appropriate testing is required to minimise the risk of genotoxicity. The discipline of genetic toxicology as applied to chemicals/consumer product/drug development exists to achieve this aim. An additional role of genetic toxicology is the assessment of the relative risk arising from exposure to carcinogens, particularly those which are DNA reactive. The aims of this chapter are to provide an overview of the organization of the genetic material, DNA, and describe the mechanisms by which mutations arise in DNA (mutagenicity) and the links between mutations and the role they play in hereditary diseases and cancer; and also other multifactorial diseases and ageing. The chapter goes on to describe the discipline of genetic toxicology, its history and the development of assays for the measurement of mutations in model organisms. It culminates in a description of the standard regulatory battery ofin vitroandin vivotests used to assess the potential genotoxic liability of a novel test agent, plus additional supplementary tests that can be used to investigate further the underlying biological mechanisms resulting in genotoxicity. The chapter continues with a discussion on data interpretation and current concepts of risk assessment in genetic toxicology, and concludes with an outline of the challenges faced by genetic toxicology in the new millennium, and describes developments within the discipline to meet these challenges.
Simplification and application of single fiber fragmentation test on silylated polyester–glass fiber composites
Authors: Taslica Banu , Kusefoglu Selim
Published: September 2009

Single fiber fragmentation test (SFFT) was used to investigate the interfacial adhesion in glass fiber‐unsaturated polyester composites. A simplified approach was developed for SFFT based on determination of the maximum number of fragments on the fiber at the end of the test. This approach does not involve length measurements and shortens the experiment time to a few minutes. By using a digital camera attached to the microscope, photographs of the coupon were taken during the test, and the number of fragments within the gauge length were counted later. This method allows quick, quantitative comparison of different fibers and matrices. The test samples were prepared by using commercial polyester resin and E‐glass fibers having different commercial sizings. SFFT results were in excellent agreement with the macromechanical test done on samples prepared with the same glass fiber and same polyester. The crack modes and debonding phenomena were examined from the microscopic images. Atomic force microscopic (AFM) images of the fiber were examined to get detailed topographic information about fiber surfaces. To improve interfacial adhesion, commercial unsaturated polyester was reacted with 3‐aminopropyltriethoxy silane via Michael Addition reaction on the maleate double bonds of the polyester. The resulting silylated polyester was characterized by H1 NMR spectroscopy. The results of SFFT showed that the maximum numbers of fragments increased 23% on using silylated polyester. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010
Perineal groove: A rare congenital abnormality of failure of fusion of the perineal raphe and discussion of its embryological origin
Authors: Sekaran Prabhu , Shawis Rang
Published: September 2009

We present a case where a baby girl was born with failure of fusion of the perineal raphe. To our knowledge, there has been limited reports of this form of congenital abnormality in the literature and is referred to as “perineal groove.” The incidence of perineal groove is unclear but it is considered to be rare. This case reviews the embryological origin of this congenital abnormality. Clin. Anat. 22:823–825, 2009.© 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The pattern of the thoracic splanchnic nerves as they pass through the diaphragm
Authors: Gest T.R. , Hildebrandt S.
Published: September 2009

The formation and structure of the greater, lesser, and least thoracic splanchnic nerves is highly variable in their intrathoracic as well as their subdiaphragmatic portion. Splanchnicectomies for pain control of otherwise intractable upper abdominal pain and other surgical procedures are dependent on the detailed knowledge of the anatomy of these nerves and their variations. Many commonly used anatomical illustrations depict the passage of the thoracic splanchnic nerves through the diaphragm uniformly as three nerves penetrating the crura in three separate locations along a rough superoinferior line. As this pattern does not correspond with our own sporadic observations, we performed a series of dissections to study the exact anatomy of this area. Dissections of 24 donors revealed that the most common pattern of diaphragmatic passage of these three nerves is through a single location in each crus. From this crural passageway, the three nerves then diverge to reach their targets, with the greater thoracic splanchnic nerve bending anteriorly at nearly 90° to enter the posterolateral edge of the celiac ganglion. Modern anatomical illustrations should depict these most common patterns of the subdiaphragmatic portion of the thoracic splanchnic nerves and mention the great variability of their formation and structure. Clin. Anat. 22:809–814, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Catalytic Technology for Carbon Dioxide Reforming of Methane to Synthesis Gas
Authors: Fan Mun‐Sing , Abdullah Ahmad Zuhairi , Bhatia Subhash
Published: September 2009

The mitigation and utilization of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, are among the most important challenges in the area of energy research. Dry reforming of CH4 (DRM), which uses both CO2 and CH4 as reactants, is a potential method to utilize the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Natural gas containing high concentrations of CO2 and CH4 could therefore be utilized for hydrogen and synthesis gas (syngas) production in the near future, without need for the removal of CO2 from the source gas. Thus, the DRM reaction is a suitable process to convert CH4 and CO2 to syngas, which is a raw material for liquid fuel production, through the Fischer–Tropsch process. Herein, the development of CO2 reforming for syngas production is reviewed, covering process chemistry, catalyst development, and process technologies as well as the potential future direction for this process.
From Macro Batch to Micro‐conti Manufacturing: A New Eco‐Friendly Production Process for Writing Ink Employing Micro‐process Engineering
Authors: Grundemann L. , Fischer N. , Scholl S.
Published: September 2009

A method is proposed for the transfer from a batch production process for writing ink to continuous manufacturing by employing micro‐process engineering. Special challenges arise from handling reactant streams with solids, high viscosities and flow ratios, which differ significantly from unity. Four different types of micromixers are tested by optimizing mixing effectiveness versus operational robustness. For the best suited mixer, a 48 h continuous production run is performed producing ink within specification at all times. A significant reduction of the plant hold‐up is achieved for the conti manufacturing plant in comparison with the batch process. Initial cleaning experiments suggest that the specific wastewater production may be reduced by a factor of 1000 through micro‐conti manufacturing.
Efficient framework for automated classification of subcellular patterns in budding yeast
Authors: Huh Seungil , Lee Donghun , Murphy Robert F.
Published: September 2009

Fluorescent‐tagging and digital imaging are widely used to determine the subcellular location of proteins. An extensive publicly available collection of images for most proteins expressed in the yeast S. cerevisae has provided both an important source of information on protein location but also a testbed for methods designed to automate the assignment of locations to unknown proteins. The first system for automated classification of subcellular patterns in these yeast images utilized a computationally expensive method for segmentation of images into individual cells and achieved an overall accuracy of 81%. The goal of the present study was to improve on both the computational efficiency and accuracy of this task. Numerical features derived from applying Gabor filters to small image patches were implemented so that patterns could be classified without segmentation into single cells. When tested on 20 classes of images visually classified as showing a single subcellular pattern, an overall accuracy of 87.8% was achieved, with 2330 images out of 2655 images in the UCSF dataset being correctly classified. On the 4 largest classes of these images, 95.3% accuracy was achieved. The improvement over the previous approach is not only in classification accuracy but also in computational efficiency, with the new approach taking about 1 h on a desktop computer to complete all steps required to perform a 6‐fold cross validation on all images. © 2009 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
Bi1.4Er0.6O3‐(La0.74Bi0.10Sr0.16) MnO3‐δ Cathodes Fabricated By Ion‐impregnating Method For IT‐SOFCs
Authors: Li J. , Wang S. , Liu R. , Wen T. , Wen Z.
Published: September 2009

Bi1.4Er0.6O3‐(La0.74Bi0.10Sr0.16)MnO3‐δ (ESB‐LBSM) composite cathodes were fabricated by impregnating the ionic conducting ESB matrix with the LBSM electronic conducting materials. The ion‐impregnated ESB‐LBSM cathodes were beneficial for the O2 reduction reactions, and the performance of these cathodes was investigated at temperatures below 700 °C by AC impedance spectroscopy and the results indicated that the ion‐impregnated ESB‐LBSM system had an excellent performance. At 700 °C, the lowest cathode polarisation resistance (Rp) was only 0.07 Ω cm2 for the ion‐impregnated ESB‐LBSM system. For the performance testing of single cells, the maximum power density was 1.0 W cm–2 at 700 °C for a cell with the ESB‐LBSM cathode. The results demonstrated that the unique combination of the ESB ionic conducting matrix with electronic conducting LBSM materials was a valid method to improve the cathode performance, and the ion‐impregnated ESB‐LBSM was a promising composite cathode material for the intermediate‐temperature solid oxide fuel cells.
Synthesis of novel chiral Schiff bases and their application in asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of prochiral ketones
Authors: Zhou Zhongqiang , Bian Yongjun
Published: September 2009

Novel chiral Schiff bases were synthesized from (+)‐camphor, and their application to asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of prochiral ketones is described. The asymmetric transfer hydrogenation reaction could afford excellent conversion rates (up to 97.3%) and up to 27.3% enantiomeric excess. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 19:682–687, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/hc.20494
Mobilization effects of G‐CSF, GM‐CSF, and darbepoetin‐α for allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation
Authors: Kim Shi Nae , Moon Joon Ho , Kim Jong Gwang , Chae Yee Soo , Cho Yoon Young , Lee Soo Jung , Kim Yun Jeong , Lee Yoo Jin , Suh Jang Soo , Lee Kun Soo , Sohn Sang Kyun
Published: September 2009

The effects of GM‐/G‐CSF and darbepoetin‐α on stem cell mobilization were investigated. From February 2005 to March 2007, 30 allogeneic sibling donors were randomly assigned to a G‐CSF group (5 μg/kg/day for 5–7 days) or triple group (GM‐CSF 10 μg/kg/day on 1st and 2nd day, G‐CSF 5 μg/kg/day for 5–7 days, and darbepoetin‐α 40 mg on 1st day). The MNCs and CD34+ cells were not different between the two groups, although the doses (×108/kg of recipient body weight) of CD3+ cells (3.64 ± 1.75 vs. 2.63 ± 1.36, P = 0.089) and CD8+ cells (1.07 ± 0.53 vs. 0.60 ± 0.30, P = 0.006) were lower in the triple group. The engraftments, frequency of RBC transfusions, and hemoglobin recovery were not different between the two groups. The cumulative incidence of overall and Grades II–IV aGVHD was 64.3% vs. 61.1% and 25.9% vs. 27.1% in the G‐CSF and triple regimen group, respectively, whereas the cumulative incidence of cGVHD was 20.8 ± 1.3% and 24.4 ± 1.7%, respectively. In conclusion, the triple regimen did not seem to be superior to G‐CSF alone in terms of the CD34+ cell dose, hemoglobin recovery, and GVHD. However, the CD8+ cell count was significantly lower in the triple regimen group. The role of a lower CD8+ cell count in the graft may need to be elucidated in the future. J. Clin. Apheresis, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Histological and ultrastructural characterization of the alimentary system of solifuges (Arachnida, Solifugae)
Authors: Klann A.E. , Alberti G.
Published: September 2009

Solifuges are voracious and fast predators. Once having captured a prey item, mostly small arthropods or even small vertebrates, they start feeding on their prey by constant chewing movements with their huge chelicerae. At the same time, they squeeze out the soft tissue that passes the anterior lattice‐like part of the mouthparts. The digestion of the food takes place in the midgut, which is anatomically highly complex. It consists of the midgut tube from which numerous prosomal and opisthosomal diverticula and tubular lateral branches arise. The dimorphic epithelium of the midgut tube and the diverticula is constituted of digestive and secretory cells. The digestive cells are characterized by an apical tubulus system and contain nutritional vacuoles, lipids, spherites, and glycogen. Secretory cells contain a huge amount of rough endoplasmic reticulum and secretory vacuoles. The lateral branches are ultrastructurally similar to Malpighian tubules and are likely involved in excretion. In contrast to the midgut, the epithelium of the hindgut consists of only one type of cell overlain by a thin cuticle. Digested residuals are stored in the hindgut until defecation. J. Morphol., 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Surface‐activated chemical ionization and cation exchange chromatography for the analysis of enterotoxin A
Authors: Cristoni Simone , Zingaro Lorenzo , Canton Cristina , Cremonesi Paola , Castiglioni Bianca , Morandi Stefano , Brasca Milena , Luzzana Massimo , Battaglia Cristina
Published: September 2009

Surface‐activated chemical ionization (SACI) has been widely used in recent years for the analysis of different compounds (e.g. peptides, street drugs, amino acids). The main benefits of this technology are its high sensitivity and its effectiveness under different chromatographic conditions [i.e. ion exchange chromatography and reversed‐phase (RP) chromatography]. Here we used SACI in conjunction with quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry to analyze enterotoxin A, which is produced by Staphylococcus aureus, in milk matrix using both RP and ion exchange chromatographies. SACI had increased sensitivity as compared with electrospray ionization. Moreover, the higher quantitation efficiency of this technique, mainly in terms of limit of detection (0.01 ng/ml), limit of quantitation (0.05 ng/ml), linearity range (0.05–50 ng/ml), matrix effect, accuracy (intraday and interday accuracy errors were 9.2% and 10.3%, respectively) and precision (intraday and interday precision errors were 5.3% and 12.8%, respectively), is shown and discussed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Transition metals as electron traps. II. Structures, energetics and electron transfer dissociations of ternary Co, Ni and Zn–peptide complexes in the gas phase
Authors: Tureček František , Holm Anne I. S. , Panja Subhasis , Nielsen Steen Brønsted , Hvelplund Preben
Published: September 2009

Transition metal cations Co2+, Ni2+ and Zn2+ form 1 : 1 : 1 ternary complexes with 2,2′‐bipyridine (bpy) and peptides in aqueous methanol solutions that have been studied for tripeptides GGG and GGL. Electrospray ionization of these solutions produced singly charged [Metal(bpy)(peptide − H)]+ and doubly charged [Metal(bpy)(peptide)]2+ ions (Metal = metal ion) that underwent charge reduction by glancing collisions with Cs atoms at 50 and 100 keV collision energies. Electron transfer to [Metal(bpy)(peptide)]2+ ions was less than 4.2 eV exoergic and formed abundant fractions of non‐dissociated charge‐reduced intermediates. Charge‐reduced [Metal(bpy)(peptide)]+ ions dissociated by the loss of a hydrogen atom, ammonia, water and ligands that depended on the metal ion. The Ni and Co complexes mainly dissociated by the elimination of ammonia, water, and the peptide ligand. The Zn complex dissociated by the elimination of ammonia and bpy. A sequence‐specific fragment was observed only for the Co complex. Electron transfer to [Metal(bpy)(peptide − H)]+ was 0.6–1.6 eV exoergic and formed intermediate radicals that were detected as stable anions after a second electron transfer from Cs. [Metal(bpy)(peptide − H)] neutrals and their anions dissociated by the loss of bpy and peptide ligands with branching ratios that depended on the metal ion. Optimized structures for several spin states, electron transfer and dissociation energies were addressed by combined density functional theory and Møller–Plesset perturbational calculations to aid interpretation of experimental data. The experimentally observed ligand loss and backbone cleavage in charge‐reduced [Metal(bpy)(peptide)]+ complexes correlated with the dissociation energies at the present level of theory. The ligand loss in +CR− spectra showed overlap of dissociations in charge‐reduced [Metal(bpy)(peptide − H)] complexes and their anionic counterparts which complicated spectra interpretation and correlation with calculated dissociation energies. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of the flavonoid casticin from Brazilian Croton betulaster in cerebral cortical progenitors in vitro: Direct and indirect action through astrocytes
Authors: de Sampaio e Spohr Tânia Cristina Leite , Stipursky Joice , Sasaki Adriana Campos , Barbosa Pedro Rocha , Martins Vanessa , Benjamim Cláudia Farias , Roque Nidia Franca , Costa Sílvia Lima , Gomes Flávia Carvalho Alcantara
Published: September 2009

Neurodegenerative diseases are a major constraint on the social and economic development of many countries. Evidence has suggested that phytochemicals have an impact on brain pathology; however, both their mechanisms of action and their cell targets are incompletely known. Here, we investigated the effects of the flavonoid casticin, extracted from Croton betulaster, a common plant in the state of Bahia in Brazil, on rat cerebral cortex neurons in vitro. Treatment of neural progenitors with 10 μM casticin increased the neuronal population positive for the neuronal marker β‐tubulin III and the neuronal transcriptional factor Tbr2 by approximately 20%. This event was followed by a 50% decrease in neuronal death. Pools of astrocyte (GFAP and S100β), neural (nestin), and oligodendrocyte (Olig2 and NG2) progenitors were not affected by casticin. Neither neuronal commitment nor proliferation of progenitors was affected by casticin, suggesting a neuroprotective effect of this compound. Culture of neural progenitors on casticin‐treated astrocyte monolayers increased the neuronal population by 40%. This effect was reproduced by conditioned medium derived from casticin‐treated astrocytes, suggesting the involvement of a soluble factor. ELISA assays of the conditioned medium revealed a 20% increase in interleukin‐6 level in response to casticin. In contrast to the direct effect, neuronal death was unaffected, but a 52% decrease in the death of nestin‐positive progenitors was observed. Together our data suggest that casticin influences the neuronal population by two mechanisms: 1) directly, by decreasing neuronal death, and 2) indirectly, via astrocytes, by modulating the pool of neuronal progenitors. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.