bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Differences in the body composition and biochemistry in women grouped as normal-weight, overweight and obese according to body mass index and their relation with cardiometabolic risk
Authors: Ozenoglu Aliye , Ugurlu Serdal , Can Gunay , Sarkis Cihat , Demirel Yeltekin
Published: January 2010

Morbidity of obesity-related diseases tends to increase due to a rise in the body mass index (BMI). We aimed to investigate how the body composition and biochemical parameters change while BMI increases in adult women were categorized as so: as normal weight, overweight and obese. Our objectives are to study the effects of those changes in the development of metabolic disturbances and to find out which parameters are the most sensitive to predict cardiometabolic risks. Three hundred and twenty two records of adult women (mean age: 38.62±12.71 year) who admitted to our unit concerning about losing or preserving their weights, were analyzed in the study. All patients had undergone anthropometric measurements and body composition analyses as well as some biochemical tests. Body composition analyses were performed by means of the Bioelectrical Impedance Analyzer (BIA). Increase in BMI significantly increased the body fat, blood sugar, insulin, triglyceride and uric acid levels. BMI and circumference of the waist were significantly and negatively correlated with the ratio of body water and lean mass/fat mass. However they were positively correlated with the ratio of fat mass and basal metabolism. Furthermore, it was also found that BMI and circumference of the waist were significantly and positively correlated with level of fasting blood sugar, insulin, triglyceride, homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), uric acid and fibrinogen levels, and negatively correlated with high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level. In multiple regression analyses, circumference of waist measurements was significantly correlated with insulin, triglyseride and HDL, whereas the correlation between BMI and these parameters was not found significant. Total body fat mass (as %) showed significant correlation only with HDL-C level. It could be said that obesity which is a disorder that causes many health complications and affects the quality of life in the short and long term could be prevented or cured by keeping negative environmental conditions under control. According to our results, visceral adipose tissue (VAT) measurement was thought to be more related for metabolic and cardiovascular disorders rather than BMI. We also propose to test fasting blood glucose, insulin, triglyceride, HDL, fibrinogen, homocystein (HOM) levels along with VAT measurements to predict more truly about not only global cardiometabolic risk but also dementia in later life.
Coronary arterial bypass surgery with beating heart in a patient with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia: Usage of thrombin inhibitor (Lepirudin; r-hirudin)
Authors: Erkut Bilgehan , Becit Necip , Diler Serpil , Ceviz Munacettin
Published: January 2010

One of the most important adverse drug reactions that physicians encounter is the life-threatening prothrombotic syndrome known as heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). In patients with a history of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and coronary arterial disease, alternative anticoagulatory regimens are needed during cardiac surgery for prevention of thrombosis. Treatment options for such patients now generally include the use of alternative anticoagulants such as lepirudin, bivalirudin, argatroban or danaparoid. In this article, we present a case where heparin-induced thrombocytopenia was properly performed coronary arterial bypass grafting by using lepirudin. (This sentence is confusing)
Antimicrobial activity of Ankaferd Blood Stopper® against nosocomial bacterial pathogens
Authors: Saribas Zeynep , Sener Burcin , Haznedaroglu Ibrahim , Hascelik Gulsen , Kirazli Serafettin , Goker Hakan
Published: January 2010

The aim of this study is to investigate the in vitro antimicrobial activity of Ankaferd Blood Stopper® against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Enterococcus species, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas species, Acinetobacter species and Klebsiella species of nosocomial origin. Ankaferd inhibited growth in 72.4% to 100% of the bacteria tested, depending on the type of the isolate. As a result, it can be stated that Ankaferd inhibits the in vitro growth of nosocomial bacteria. This is a novel, important finding since severe hospital infections coexist with many hemostatic disorders, and the use of Ankaferd may increase hemostatic potential in such clinical conditions.
An assessment of the angiospermic flora of Ramgarh upazila of Khagrachhari district, Bangladesh
Authors: Islam Md. Rafiqul , Uddin Mohammad Zashim , Hassan Md. Abul
Published: January 2010

The paper focuses on the qualitative assessment of angiospermic flora of Ramgarh upazila of Khagrachhari district conducted during May 2005 to September 2006. A total of 243 species belonging to 195 genera under 75 families were recorded. Magnoliopsida is represented by 60 families, 156 genera and 192 species, whereas Liliopsida by 15 families, 39 genera and 51 species. Fabaceae is the largest family in Magnoliopsida represented by 16 species and, in Liliopsida, Poaceae is the largest family with 17 species. Keywords: Assessment; Angiospermic flora; Khagrachhari; Bangladesh. DOI: 10.3329/bjpt.v16i2.3925 Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 16(2): 115-140, 2009 (December)
Comments on the type specimens of Lindsaea andamanica (Lindsaeaceae) at Central National Herbarium (Cal), India
Authors: Basu S. K. , Ghoshal P. P. , Bandyopadhyay S. , Aziz Md N.
Published: January 2010

Not available.Keywords: Corrections; Lindsaea andamanica; Type specimens. DOI: 10.3329/bjpt.v16i2.3930 Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 16(2): 175-176, 2009 (December)
Dianella ensifolia (L.) DC. (Liliaceae) - a new angiospermic record for Bangladesh
Authors: Uddin Sarder Nasir , Hassan Md. Abul
Published: January 2010

Not available.Keywords: Dianella ensifolia; New record; Bangladesh. DOI: 10.3329/bjpt.v16i2.3932 Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 16(2): 181-184, 2009 (December)
Pseudocomplementation on the Lattice of Convex Sublattices of a Lattice
Authors: Rahman R. M. H.
Published: January 2010

By a new partial ordering relation "≤" the set of convex sublattices CS(L)  of a lattice L is again a lattice. In this paper we establish some results on the pseudocomplementation of (CS(L); ≤). We show that a lattice L with 0 is dense if and only if CS(L) is dense. Then we prove that a finite distributive lattice is a Stone lattice if and only if CS(L) is Stone. We also prove that an upper continuous lattice L is a Stone lattice if and only if CS(L) is Stone.  Keywords: Upper continuous lattice; Pseudocomplemented lattice; Dense lattice; Stone lattice. © 2010 JSR Publications. ISSN: 2070-0237 (Print); 2070-0245 (Online). All rights reserved.  DOI: 10.3329/jsr.v2i1.2485                  J. Sci. Res. 2 (1), 87-90  (2010)
Effects of Some Selected Factors on Blood Glucose Level of the Diabetic Patients: Evidence from Rajshahi City of Bangladesh
Authors: Noor B. , Rahman J. A. M. S. , Hossain K.
Published: January 2010

This study presumes the existence of causal framework interlinking different predictor variables with the response variables. That is why it determines the risk and concerned factors, which affect blood sugar level of the diabetic patients either directly or indirectly or through making implied effect by the optional factors. Data have been collected from two diabetic diagnostic centers in Rajshahi City. The result implies that blood glucose level of both tablet and insulin users have positive and significant relation to systolic pressure, diastolic pressure and calorie intake. For both tablet and insulin users, body mass index (BMI) affects blood sugar most prominently through walking distance covered by the patients. The index, for instance, is found to be 69.74% and 58.82% for the tablet and insulin users, respectively. Thus controlling BMI through taking regulatory calorie intake, controlling blood pressure (both systolic and diastolic pressure) a patient could find himself or herself in the safe zone. Keywords: Diabetic mellitus; Type-I and Type-II diabetic; Blood glucose level; Systolic pressure; Diastolic pressure. © 2010 JSR Publications. ISSN: 2070-0237 (Print); 2070-0245 (Online). All rights reserved. DOI: 10.3329/jsr.v2i1.2573                  J. Sci. Res. 2 (1), 67-76 (2010)
Frequency and Abundance of Arenicolous Marine Fungi along South Indian Beaches
Authors: Nambiar G. R. , Raveendran K.
Published: January 2010

Sand buried wood materials were collected from the beaches of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry and screened for marine fungi. A total of 27 arenicolous marine fungi were encountered including 19 Ascomycetes, 1 Basidiomycete and 7 Mitosporic fungi. The present study records the maximum number of arenicolous marine fungi reported so far. Ceriosporopsis capillacea, Dryosphaera tropicalis and Savoryella appendiculata, are new record for Pondicherry, Corollospora colossa and Corollospora indica from Tamil Nadu and Corollospora gracilis from Kerala. Keywords: Arenicolous; Marine fungi; Wood samples; South India. © 2010 JSR Publications. ISSN: 2070-0237 (Print); 2070-0245 (Online). All rights reserved.  DOI: 10.3329/jsr.v2i1.2580                 J. Sci. Res. 2 (1), 138-143 (2010)
Source Characteristics of 20 MeV Tabletop Synchrotron Radiation Source
Authors: Haque M. M. , Moon A. , Miura N.
Published: January 2010

The low energy storage ring MIRRORCLE-20, operating at electron energy Eel = 20 MeV can produce a powerful infrared (IR) synchrotron radiation with wavelengths over mid-IR and far-IR regions. To clarify the applicability of this light source, its far-IR output as well as spectrum was measured. The IR emission is forced by a circular optics, named photon storage ring (PhSR), placed around the electron orbit, and is collected by a magic mirror associated with two plane mirrors in the storage ring. It is proven that the FIR intensity is boosted by the PhSR. The SR spectrum of MIRRORCLE-20 in the far-IR region is much broader and more intense than that of a typical black body light source, and therefore can be used for far infrared spectroscopy (FIRS).  Keywords: Storage ring; FIR source; 20 MeV MIRRORCLE; FIRS; FT/IR.  © 2010 JSR Publications. ISSN: 2070-0237 (Print); 2070-0245 (Online). All rights reserved. DOI: 10.3329/jsr.v2i1.2637                J. Sci. Res. 2 (1), 9-16 (2010)
In Vitro and In Vivo Antioxidant Potential of Hydromethanolic Extract of Phoenix dactylifera Fruits
Authors: Naskar S. , Islam A. , Mazumder U. K. , Saha P. , Haldar P. K. , Gupta M.
Published: January 2010

The present study was aimed at investigating the antioxidant activities of the hydromethanolic extract of Phoenix dactylifera (HEPD) fruit (Arecaceae). The antioxidant activities of extract have been evaluated by using a range of in vitro assays and in vivo hepatoprotective model. In case of in vitro studies the IC50 values were found to be 160, 1400, 1115, 1050 μg/ml in DPPH, nitric oxide, superoxide, hydroxyl radical scavenging assays, respectively. In case of in vivo studies the levels of liver enzymatic, non-enzymatic systems [serum glutamate oxalo-acetate transaminases (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminases (SGPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin, total protein, catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD)] and lipid peroxidation (LPO) were restored towards the normal value in HEPD treated carbon tetrachloride intoxicated rats. The free radical scavenging and antioxidant activities may be attributed to the presence of phenolic (pyrocatechol and gallic acid contents are 6.2 and 2.906 μg/mg, respectively), vitamin C (ascorbic acid content is 0.66 μg/mg) and flavonoid compounds (4.79 μg/mg) present in HEPD. The results obtained in the present study indicate that the Phoenix dactylifera fruit is a potential source of natural antioxidant.  Keywords: Phoenix dactylifera; Antioxidant, Flavonoid; Total phenolic content; Vitamin C. © 2010  JSR Publications. ISSN: 2070-0237 (Print); 2070-0245 (Online). All rights reserved.  DOI: 10.3329/jsr.v2i1.2643                   J. Sci. Res. 2 (1), 144-157 (2010)
A New Type of Solid State Solar Cell Based on Fe2O3, SiC and Crystal Growth Inhibitors
Authors: Ahmmad B. , Kitamura Y. , Kusumoto Y. , Yang H. , Abdulla-Al-Mamun M.
Published: January 2010

A new type of solid state solar cell is produced by using Fe2O3 (working electrode) and SiC as a hole collector (counter electrode). Two molten salts, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (EMICl) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium iodide (BMII) were used as crystal growth inhibitors with a SiC film. It was found that BMII shows about 10 times higher efficiency compared to an EMICI-based SiC film solar cell.  Keywords: Fe2O3; SiC; Solid state solar cell; Molten salt. © 2009 JSR Publications. ISSN: 2070-0237 (Print); 2070-0245 (Online). All rights reserved.DOI: 10.3329/jsr.v2i1.2660            J. Sci. Res. 2 (1), 1-8 (2009)
Prediction of Corrosion Inhibitor Efficiency of Some Aromatic Hydrazides and Schiff Bases Compounds by Using Artificial Neural Network
Authors: Al-Hazam Hanan A.
Published: January 2010

Artificial neural networks are used for evaluating the corrosion inhibitor efficiency of some aromatic hydrazides and Schiff bases compounds. The nodes of neural network input layer represent the quantum parameters, total negative charge (TNC) on molecule, energy of highest occupied molecular orbital (E Homo), energy of lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (E Lomo), dipole moment (μ), total energy (TE), molecular volume (V), dipolar-polarizability factor (Π) and inhibitor  concentration (C). The neural network output is the corrosion inhibitor efficiency (E) for the mentioned compounds. The training and testing of the developed network are based on a database of 31 published experimental tests obtained by weight loss. The neural network predictions for corrosion inhibitor efficiency are more reliable than prediction using other conventional theoretical methods such as AM1, PM3, Mindo, and Mindo-3. Key words: Neural network; Corrosion inhibitor efficiency. © 2010 JSR Publications. ISSN: 2070-0237 (Print); 2070-0245 (Online). All rights reservedDOI: 10.3329/jsr.v2i1.2757                 J. Sci. Res. 2 (1), 108-113  (2010)
An EOQ Model for Varying Items with Weibull Distribution Deterioration and Price-dependent Demand
Authors: Begum R. , Sahoo R. R. , Sahu S. K. , Mishra M.
Published: January 2010

In this paper, we have developed an instantaneous replenishment policy for deteriorating items with price-dependent demand. The demand and deterioration rates are continuous and differentiable function of price and time respectively. A variable proportion of the items will deteriorate per time, where shortages are permissible and completely backordered. We have developed a policy with price-dependent demand under profit maximization. The net profit per unit time is a concave function. Further, it is illustrated with the help of a numerical example. Keywords: Price-dependent; Weibull distribution; Varying rate of deterioration. © 2010 JSR Publications. ISSN: 2070-0237 (Print); 2070-0245 (Online). All rights reserved. DOI: 10.3329/jsr.v2i1.2764                 J. Sci. Res. 2 (1), 24-36 (2010)
Antidiabetic Effects of the Different Fractions of Ethanolic Extracts of Ocimum sanctum in Normal and Alloxan Induced Diabetic Rats
Authors: Khan M. R. I. , Islam M. A. , Hossain M. S. , Asadujjaman M. , Wahed M. I. I. , Rahman B. M. , Anisuzzaman A. S. M. , Shaheen S. M. , Ahmed M.
Published: January 2010

The antidiabetic effects of Ethyl acetate (Et-Ac), Petroleum-ether (Pet-ether), and Chloroform fractions from ethanolic extract of the leaves of Ocimum sanctum were investigated in normal and alloxan induced diabetic rats (AIDRs). The effect of these fractions (200 mg/kg body weight i.p) on fasting blood glucose (FBG), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminases, serum glutamate pyruvate transaminases (SGOT, SGPT) level, and liver glycogen content were investigated in AIDRs and found significant effects. The most significant reduction of FBG level of around 80.19% was observed for Et-Ac fraction in AIDRs. A significant reduction (p< 0.01) in serum TC and TG level of 54.49% and 79.78% respectively was also found for Et-Ac fraction of O. sanctum. The hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activities were comparable to metformin HCl (150 mg/kg). In severely diabetic rats, liver glycogen content was decreased by 50.60%. Administration of these fractions to the AIDRs resulted in the significant elevation of liver glycogen content. In diabetic rats, SGOT and SGPT levels were significantly elevated that were further reduced after intraperitoneal administration of these fractions. These results indicate that different fractions of O. sanctum have favorable effects in bringing down the severity of diabetes together with hepatoprotectivity. Keywords: Fasting blood glucose; Hypolipidemic; Serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminases; Serum glutamate pyruvate transaminases; Hepatoprotectivity. © 2010 JSR Publications. ISSN: 2070-0237 (Print); 2070-0245 (Online). All rights reserved. DOI: 10.3329/jsr.v2i1.2769                 J. Sci. Res. 2 (1), 158-168 (2010)
Sometimes Pooled Testimation in the Inverse Gaussian Model for measure of Dispersion
Authors: Prakash G. , Singh D. C.
Published: January 2010

This paper suggests sometimes pool estimators for the measure of dispersion in the inverse Gaussian distribution and their properties are studied in terms of the relative bias and relative efficiency under two different loss functions.  Keywords: Sometimes pool estimator; Level of significance; Relative bias; Relative efficiency; Effective interval. © 2010 JSR Publications. ISSN: 2070-0237 (Print); 2070-0245 (Online). All rights reserved. DOI: 10.3329/jsr.v2i1.2809                 J. Sci. Res. 2 (1), 77-86 (2010)
A Clinical Decision Support Framework for Incremental Polyps Classification in Virtual Colonoscopy
Authors: Awad Mariette , Motai Yuichi , Näppi Janne , Yoshida Hiroyuki
Published: January 2010

We present in this paper a novel dynamic learning method for classifying polyp candidate detections in Computed Tomographic Colonography (CTC) using an adaptation of the Least Square Support Vector Machine (LS-SVM). The proposed technique, called Weighted Proximal Support Vector Machines (WP-SVM), extends the offline capabilities of the SVM scheme to address practical CTC applications. Incremental data are incorporated in the WP-SVM as a weighted vector space, and the only storage requirements are the hyperplane parameters. WP-SVM performance evaluation based on 169 clinical CTC cases using a 3D computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) scheme for feature reduction comparable favorably with previously published CTC CAD studies that have however involved only binary and offline classification schemes. The experimental results obtained from iteratively applying WP-SVM to improve detection sensitivity demonstrate its viability for incremental learning, thereby motivating further follow on research to address a wider range of true positive subclasses such as pedunculated, sessile, and flat polyps, and over a wider range of false positive subclasses such as folds, stool, and tagged materials.
Challenging the “Inoffensiveness” of Regular Cannabis Use by Its Associations with Other Current Risky Substance Use—A Census of 20-Year-Old Swiss Men
Authors: Gmel Gerhard , Gaume Jacques , Willi Carole , Michaud Pierre-André , Cornuz Jacques , Daeppen Jean-Bernard
Published: January 2010

3,537 men enrolling in 2007 for mandatory army recruitment procedures were assessed for the co-occurrence of risky licit substance use among risky cannabis users. Risky cannabis use was defined as at least twice weekly; risky alcohol use as 6+ drinks more than once/monthly, or more than 20 drinks per week; and risky tobacco use as daily smoking. Ninety-five percent of all risky cannabis users reported other risky use. They began using cannabis earlier than did non-risky users, but age of onset was unrelated to other risky substance use. A pressing public health issue among cannabis users stems from risky licit substance use warranting preventive efforts within this age group.
Syntheses and a Solid State Structure of a Dinuclear Molybdenum(V) Complex with Pyridine
Authors: Modec Barbara , Zubieta Jon
Published: January 2010

A mononuclear complex [MoOCl4(H2O)]− readily forms a metal−metal bonded {Mo2O4}2+ core. A high content of pyridine in the reaction mixture prevents further aggregation of dinuclear cores into larger clusters and a neutral, dinuclear complex with the [Mo2O4Cl2(Py)4] composition is isolated as a product. Solid state structures of two compounds containing this complex, [Mo2O4Cl2(Py)4]·2.25Py (1) and [Mo2O4Cl2(Py)4]·1.5PyHCl (2), were investigated by X-ray crystallography.
Iron Complexation to Oxygen Rich Marine Natural Products: A Computational Study
Authors: Manning Thomas J. , Williams Jimmy , Jarrard Joey , Gorman Teresa
Published: January 2010

The natural products kahalalide F, halichondrin B, and discodermolide are relatively large structures that were originally harvested from marine organisms. They are oxygen rich structures that, to varying degrees, should have the ability to bind iron (II or III) by Fe-O and/or Fe-N bonds. In this semi empirical study, the binding of these natural products to iron (II) is studied and the aqueous stability factor (ASF) is used to determine which bonding configuration is most stable. The energy, the complex charge (+1), the average Fe-O (or Fe-N) bond distances and the dipole moments are used to calculate the ASF. The ASF provides insight to which complex will be the most stable and water soluble, important for a medicinal application. The ability of a molecule with a more than six oxygen and/or nitrogen atoms to bind iron (hexavalent, octahedral) by shifting which six atoms (O/N) are bound to the iron qualifies it as a polarity adaptive molecule.
The Anti-HIV Actions of 7- and 10-Substituted Camptothecins
Authors: Li Yu-Ye , Chen Shi-Wu , Yang Liu-Meng , Wang Rui-Rui , Pang Wei , Zheng Yong-Tang
Published: January 2010

Camptothecin (CPT), a traditional anti-tumor drug, has been shown to possess anti-HIV-1 activity. To increase the antiviral potency, the anti-HIV activities of two CPT derivatives, 10-hydroxy-CPT and 7-hydroxymethyl-CPT, were evaluated in vitro. The therapy index (TI) of CPT, 10-hydroxy-CPT and 7-hydroxymethyl-CPT against HIV-1IIIB in C8166 were 24.2, 4.2 and 198.1, and against clinical isolated strain HIV-1KM018 in PBMC were 10.3, 3.5 and 66.0, respectively. While the TI of CPT, 10-hydroxy-CPT and 7-hydroxymethyl-CPT against HIV-2CBL-20 were 34.5, 10.7 and 317.0, respectively, and the TI of the three compounds against HIV-2ROD showed the similar values. However, when the antiviral mechanisms were considered, we found there was no inhibition of 7-hydroxymethyl-CPT on viral cell-to-cell transmission, and was no inhibition on reverse transcriptase, protease or integrase in cell-free systems. 7-Hydroxymethyl-CPT showed no selective killing of chronically infected cells after 3 days of incubation. In conclusion, 7-hydroxymethyl-CPT showed more potent anti-HIV activity, while 10-hydroxy-CPT had less efficient activity, compared with the parent CPT. Though the antiviral mechanisms remain to be further elucidated; the modification of -OH residues at C-7 of CPT could enhance the antiviral activity, while of -OH residues at C-10 of CPT had decreased the antiviral activity, which provides the preliminary modification strategy for anti-viral activities enhancement of this compound.
Thioacetyl-Terminated Ferrocene-Anthraquinone Conjugates: Synthesis, Photo- and Electrochemical Properties Triggered by Protonation-Induced Intramolecular Electron Transfer
Authors: Zhang Wen-Wei , Kondo Mio , Fujita Takako , Namiki Kosuke , Murata Masaki , Nishihara Hiroshi
Published: January 2010

Two thioacetyl-terminated ferrocene-anthraquinone donor-acceptor molecules with different π-electron conjugative units have been synthesized via a series of Stille and Sonagashira reactions. Their photochemical and electrochemical properties before and after addition of an organic acid are investigated, indicating that these complexes are sensitive to external perturbation of protonation, leading the structural change to an expansion of π-conjugated system by cyclocondensation reaction and promoting intramolecular electron transfer from donor to acceptor. They would be good candidates for studies of novel SAMs, and the properties triggered by protonation-induced intramolecular electron transfer will make the SAMs be useful in designing new functional molecular devices.
Immunoassay Development for the Class-Specific Assay for Types I and II Pyrethroid Insecticides in Water Samples
Authors: Zhang Qi , Zhang Wen , Wang Xiuping , Li Peiwu
Published: January 2010

Five generic haptens of pyrethoid insecticides, which were classified as three types, were designed and synthesized: the first (hapten 1) is for type I pyrethroids without a cyano group, the second (hapten 2 and XQ) for type II pyrethroids with a cyano group, and the third (hapten 4 and 5) for both types of pyrethroids with loss of the ester group. The hapten structures were confirmed by MS and 1H-NMR. Hapten 1 and 2 were conjugated with BSA respectively and haptens 1-5 were conjugated with OVA. Four polyclonal antisera were raised against BSA conjugates including a mixture conjugate, and twenty antibody/coating conjugate combinations were selected for studies of assay sensitivity and specificity for pyrethroids. The study revealed the best combination, which showed equal high sensitivities (I50 is around 0.02 μg mL-1) to both types of pyrethroids. The immunity results suggest that, with a mixture conjugates, a polyclonal antibody against a group of insecticides can be prepared for multi-residue assays.
Investigation of Formulation and Process of Lyophilised Orally Disintegrating Tablet (ODT) Using Novel Amino Acid Combination
Authors: AlHusban Farhan , ElShaer Amr  M. , Kansara Jiteen  H. , Smith Alan  M. , Grover Liam  M. , Perrie Yvonne , Mohammed Afzal  R.
Published: January 2010

Lyophilised orally disintegrating tablets (ODTs) have achieved a great success in overcoming dysphagia associated with conventional solid dosage forms. However, the extensive use of saccharides within the formulation limits their use in treatment of chronic illnesses. The current study demonstrates the feasibility of using combination of proline and serine to formulate zero sacharide ODTs and investigates the effect of freezing protocol on sublimation rate and tablets characteristics. The results showed that inclusion of proline and serine improved ODT properties when compared to individual counterparts. Additionally, annealing the ODTs facilitated the sublimation process and shortened the disintegration time.
Use of Soil Moisture Variability in Artificial Neural Network Retrieval of Soil Moisture
Authors: Chai Soo-See , Walker Jeffrey  P. , Makarynskyy Oleg , Kuhn Michael , Veenendaal Bert , West Geoff
Published: January 2010

Passive microwave remote sensing is one of the most promising techniques for soil moisture retrieval. However, the inversion of soil moisture from brightness temperature observations is not straightforward, as it is influenced by numerous factors such as surface roughness, vegetation cover, and soil texture. Moreover, the relationship between brightness temperature, soil moisture and the factors mentioned above is highly non-linear and ill-posed. Consequently, Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) have been used to retrieve soil moisture from microwave data, but with limited success when dealing with data different to that from the training period. In this study, an ANN is tested for its ability to predict soil moisture at 1 km resolution on different dates following training at the same site for a specific date. A novel approach that utilizes information on the variability of soil moisture, in terms of its mean and standard deviation for a (sub) region of spatial dimension up to 40 km, is used to improve the current retrieval accuracy of the ANN method. A comparison between the ANN with and without the use of the variability information showed that this enhancement enables the ANN to achieve an average Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of around 5.1% v/v when using the variability information, as compared to around 7.5% v/v without it. The accuracy of the soil moisture retrieval was further improved by the division of the target site into smaller regions down to 4 km in size, with the spatial variability of soil moisture calculated from within the smaller region used in the ANN. With the combination of an ANN architecture of a single hidden layer of 20 neurons and the dual-polarized brightness temperatures as input, the proposed use of variability and sub-region methodology achieves an average retrieval accuracy of 3.7% v/v. Although this accuracy is not the lowest as comparing to the research in this field, the main contribution is the ability of ANN in solving the problem of predicting “out-of-range” soil moisture values. However, the applicability of this method is highly dependent on the accuracy of the mean and standard deviation values within the sub-region, potentially limiting its routine application.
Improving the Response of Accelerometers for Automotive Applications by Using LMS Adaptive Filters
Authors: Hernandez Wilmar , De Vicente Jesús , Sergiyenko Oleg , Fernández Eduardo
Published: January 2010

In this paper, the least-mean-squares (LMS) algorithm was used to eliminate noise corrupting the important information coming from a piezoresisitive accelerometer for automotive applications. This kind of accelerometer is designed to be easily mounted in hard to reach places on vehicles under test, and they usually feature ranges from 50 to 2,000 g (where is the gravitational acceleration, 9.81 m/s2) and frequency responses to 3,000 Hz or higher, with DC response, durable cables, reliable performance and relatively low cost. However, here we show that the response of the sensor under test had a lot of noise and we carried out the signal processing stage by using both conventional and optimal adaptive filtering. Usually, designers have to build their specific analog and digital signal processing circuits, and this fact increases considerably the cost of the entire sensor system and the results are not always satisfactory, because the relevant signal is sometimes buried in a broad-band noise background where the unwanted information and the relevant signal sometimes share a very similar frequency band. Thus, in order to deal with this problem, here we used the LMS adaptive filtering algorithm and compare it with others based on the kind of filters that are typically used for automotive applications. The experimental results are satisfactory.
An Evolution Based Biosensor Receptor DNA Sequence Generation Algorithm
Authors: Kim Eungyeong , Lee Malrey , Gatton Thomas  M. , Lee Jaewan , Zang Yupeng
Published: January 2010

A biosensor is composed of a bioreceptor, an associated recognition molecule, and a signal transducer that can selectively detect target substances for analysis. DNA based biosensors utilize receptor molecules that allow hybridization with the target analyte. However, most DNA biosensor research uses oligonucleotides as the target analytes and does not address the potential problems of real samples. The identification of recognition molecules suitable for real target analyte samples is an important step towards further development of DNA biosensors. This study examines the characteristics of DNA used as bioreceptors and proposes a hybrid evolution-based DNA sequence generating algorithm, based on DNA computing, to identify suitable DNA bioreceptor recognition molecules for stable hybridization with real target substances. The Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) approach is applied in the proposed algorithm to evaluate the safety and fitness of the generated DNA sequences. This approach improves efficiency and stability for enhanced and variable-length DNA sequence generation and allows extension to generation of variable-length DNA sequences with diverse receptor recognition requirements.
Disinhibition, Self-Neglect, and Cognitive Deficits: Clarifying the Diagnosis
Authors: Harris Alexander Z. , Francois Dimitry , Mahgoub Nahla
Published: January 2010

Mrs. A, a 72-year-old woman without prior psychiatric history, was brought to the hospital after she threatened to commit suicide, which was shortly after her son moved her from her apartment to an assisted-living facility. The patient expressed great unhappiness with her new living situation, complaining that she was the youngest person there and the facility lacked activities appropriate for her age, including “exercise and disco dancing.”
Physical and Medical Dimensions of Borderline Personality Disorder and the Effect of Treatment
Authors: Gabbard Glen O. , Ball Valdesha L.
Published: January 2010

For many years, psychiatrists tended to view personality disorders as “psychological disorders” that were fundamentally different from “biological disorders,” such as schizophrenia or bipolar illness.<a href="EditorPage.aspx?da=core&id=%7bA932AC25-CB6C-41F0-887A-1F74731AC343%7d&ed=FIELD17595849&vs&la=en&fld=%7b0B37FA8E-B2A6-4AE9-8E4F-53651D5CB226%7d&so=%2fsitecore%2fsystem%2fsettings%2fhtml+editor+profiles%2frich+text+healio&di=0&hdl=H17595923&us=sitecore%5cadmin&mo&pe=0#x00485718-20091123-01-bibr1">1 In an era in which genetic and neuroimaging studies have enhanced our knowledge of the etiology and pathogenesis of Axis II conditions, psychiatry has evolved to a point where we now know that there are complex interactions between genes and environment, biology and psychology, and “mind” and “brain” that must be taken into account if we are to fully understand these disorders.
The Effect of Psychiatric Illness on Medical Outcomes
Authors: Beach Ronald , Bayer Gregory A. , Hart Brett
Published: January 2010

Healthcare costs have increased significantly in the United States over the past 4 decades, essentially tripling every 20 years.<a href="EditorPage.aspx?da=core&id=%7bA932AC25-CB6C-41F0-887A-1F74731AC343%7d&ed=FIELD17595849&vs&la=en&fld=%7b0B37FA8E-B2A6-4AE9-8E4F-53651D5CB226%7d&so=%2fsitecore%2fsystem%2fsettings%2fhtml+editor+profiles%2frich+text+healio&di=0&hdl=H17595923&us=sitecore%5cadmin&mo&pe=0#x00485718-20091125-01-bibr1">1 Although the rate of growth in healthcare spending decreased in the 1990s with the onset of managed care, the rate of increase again accelerated during the past 12 years,<a href="EditorPage.aspx?da=core&id=%7bA932AC25-CB6C-41F0-887A-1F74731AC343%7d&ed=FIELD17595849&vs&la=en&fld=%7b0B37FA8E-B2A6-4AE9-8E4F-53651D5CB226%7d&so=%2fsitecore%2fsystem%2fsettings%2fhtml+editor+profiles%2frich+text+healio&di=0&hdl=H17595923&us=sitecore%5cadmin&mo&pe=0#x00485718-20091125-01-bibr2">2 at least in part, fueled by the costs of providing treatment to uninsured patients. Healthcare costs accounted for 16.2% of the gross domestic product (GDP) and exceeded $2.2 trillion dollars in 2007.
Implementing Evidence-Based Practice in Taiwanese Nursing Homes: Attitudes and Perceived Barriers and Facilitators
Authors: Chang Hui Chen , Russell Cherry , Jones Mairwen K.
Published: January 2010

To date, there is a paucity of research investigating nurses' perceptions of evidence-based practice (EBP) in nursing homes, especially in non-Western countries. This descriptive, quantitative study investigated attitudes toward and perceived barriers and facilitators to research utilization among 89 Taiwanese RNs. The majority of nurses expressed positive attitudes toward research and EBP. The most frequently cited barriers were related to insufficient authority to change practice, difficulty understanding statistical analyses, and a perceived isolation from knowledgeable colleagues with whom to discuss the research. EBP facilitators included improved access to computers and Internet facilities in the workplace, more effective research training, and collaboration with academic nurses. These findings are similar to those from research conducted in Western countries and indicate that further education and training in research for nurses working in nursing homes would be beneficial.
Glycemic Control: Among Older Adult Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Recipients
Authors: Hammer Marilyn J. , Motzer Sandra Adams , Voss Joachim G. , Berry Donna L.
Published: January 2010

Adults age 55 and older with hematological malignancies who require hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) for survival are at risk for a number of nonmalignancy-related, potentially life-threatening outcomes, often due to suboptimal immune function. Evidence is emerging regarding how abnormal glycemic levels—newly termed
malglycemia
—impair cells of the immune system. Further, older adult HCT recipients appear highly susceptible to malglycemic states, particularly hyperglycemia, due to treatment regimens, nutritional imbalances, states of immobility, and stress, all coupled with the natural aging process. Patients with preexisting diabetes may be at further risk for malglycemic states. The growing number of older adults receiving HCT will substantially increase the likelihood nurses will have to provide care to HCT survivors. Therefore, it is important nurses in all practice settings have an understanding of the short- and long-term effects of glycemic status on immune function.
Liesegang Rings in Xanthogranulomatous Pyelonephritis: A Case Report
Authors: Pegas Karla Laís , Edelweiss Maria Isabel , Cambruzzi Eduardo , Zettler Cláudio Galleano
Published: January 2010

Liesegang rings are concentric noncellular lamellar structures, rarely seen in vivo, occurring as a consequence of the accumulation of insoluble products in a colloidal matrix. These characteristic structures are a rare phenomenon usually found in association with cystic or inflammatory lesions and may be mistaken for parasites. The authors examined Liesegang rings from an inflammatory kidney lesion identified previously as a tumoral lesion on computerized tomography. On microscopic evaluation, Liesegang rings can be mistaken for eggs and larvae of parasites, psammoma bodies and calcification. Special stains like PAS, Grocott, von Kossa and Masson's trichrome facilitate the diagnosis.
Dynamic Adhesive Contact of a Membrane
Authors: Menike R. S. R. , Kuttler K. L. , Shillor Meir
Published: January 2010

This work presents a dynamic model for adhesive contact between a stretched viscoelastic membrane and a reactive obstacle that lies beneath it. The adhesion is described by a bonding ﬁeld, and the model allows for failure, that is complete debonding in ﬁnite time. It is two-dimensional, but retains the essential mathematical structure of the full three-dimensional model. It is set as a hyperbolic equation for the vibrations of the membrane coupled with a nonlinear ordinary differential equation for the evolution of the bonding ﬁeld. Existence and uniqueness of regular solutions are established in the case of positive viscosity, and in the case of no viscosity, existence of weak solutions is obtained, while the uniqueness of the solutions remains unresolved.
Entire Extremal Solutions for Elliptic Inclusions of Clarke’s Gradient Type
Authors: Winkert Patrick
Published: January 2010

We consider multivalued quasilinear elliptic problems of hemivariational type in all of

ℝ^N

given by

−∆_pu + ∂j(·, u) \ni 0 \quad \text{in } \mathcal D',

and show the existence of entire extremal solutions by applying the method of sub- and supersolutions without imposing any condition at inﬁnity. Due to the unboundedness of the domain, standard variational methods cannot be applied. The novelty of our approach is on the one hand to obtain entire solutions and on the other hand that Clarke’s generalized gradient need only satisﬁes a natural growth condition. In the last section conditions are provided that ensure the existence of nontrivial positive solutions.
Uniqueness of the First Eigenfunction for Fully Nonlinear Equations: the Radial Case
Authors: Birindelli Isabeau , Demengel F.
Published: January 2010

The concept of eigenvalue has recently been extended to a large class of fully-nonlinear operators, here for fully-nonlinear operators in non divergence form that present singularities and degeneracies similar to the
p
-Laplacian we prove that in the radial case the eigenfunction is simple.
Some Comparison Theorems on Eigenvalues for One Dimensional Schrödinger Operators with Applications
Authors: Chu Chie-Ping
Published: January 2010

For one dimensional Schrödinger operators, in terms of local behavior of the potential, we give some comparison theorems for their eigenvalues. As an application, some monotone properties of the first eigenvalue of stepfunction potentials are given.
A Computer‐Based Simulation for Teaching Heat Transfer across a Woody Stem
Authors: Maixner Michael R. , Noyd Robert K. , Krueger Jerome A.
Published: January 2010

To assist student understanding of heat transfer through woody stems, we developed an instructional package that included an Excel‐based, one‐dimensional simulation model and a companion instructional worksheet. Guiding undergraduate botany students to applying principles of thermodynamics to plants in nature is fraught with two main obstacles: (1) students have a limited knowledge of heat transfer fundamentals, and (2) the highly complex and cognitively demanding analysis of the plant thermal environment. To provide the necessary background, reduce the complexity, and allow students to process information in a step‐wise fashion, the computer simulation permits students to vary heat transfer properties for the bark and xylem, along with lateral stem dimensions, to visualize the resulting diurnal transient radial temperature distribution throughout the stem. Additionally, the maximum cambial temperature excursion could be visualized, along with the phase difference between the cambial temperature and the outer bark temperature at any time. A paper‐based instructional worksheet guides students through a series of questions and leads them through the learning process. They acquire basic concepts of heat transfer and apply their observations to ecophysiological conditions such as heat stress on saplings, the insulative value of bark, and the impact of fire on the cambium. Anecdotal evidence indicated that the computer simulation proved to be a valuable tool for students because it reinforced woody stem structure and placed it into context of a tree's physiological response to temperature.
The T Assessment Tool: A Simple Metric for Assessing Multidisciplinary Graduate Education
Authors: August P. V. , Swift J.M. , Kellogg D. Q. , Page G. , Nelson P. , Opaluch J. , Cobb J. S. , Foster C. , Gold A.J.
Published: January 2010

Although there is considerable activity in developing assessment protocols for undergraduate learning, there are few established models for assessment of student progress in multidisciplinary doctoral‐level graduate education. To resolve this impediment in tracking graduate student development, we created a simple assessment tool based on the concept of T competency that allows graduate students to articulate explicit learning goals in disciplinary and multidisciplinary research. Our instrument allows quantitative measurement of a student's self‐perception of his/her knowledge and interest in multidisciplinary inquiry. We use our T assessment tool to measure graduate student progress in an NSF IGERT‐funded graduate program in coastal ecosystem management. The T model provides us a nomenclature to articulate learning goals, a quantitative means to evaluate current and future learning targets and progress in reaching those targets, and gives us another measure of assessing overall graduate program effectiveness. Our T tool is an instrument that should have considerable utility in measuring knowledge and interest in multidisciplinary research across a range of disciplines and graduate programs.
A New Way to Improve Glass‐Forming Ability by Controlling the Preparation Conditions of Bulk Metallic Glass
Authors: Mao Jie , Zhang Hai‐Feng , Fu Hua‐Meng , Wang Ai‐Min , Li Hong , Hu Zhuang‐Qi
Published: January 2010

The effects of mold preheating temperature on the glass‐forming ability of Zr64.9Al7.9Ni10.7Cu16.5 and Zr47Cu37.5Ag7.5Al8 alloys are investigated using traditional copper mold casting. It is found that there exists an optimum mold temperature for glass‐forming alloy systems. For the two Zr‐based alloy systems studied the optimum mold temperature is 353 K. This is explained from the perspectives of heat transfer efficiency and the wettability between liquid alloy and copper mold.
Novel TRIP‐Steel/Mg‐PSZ Composite–Open Cell Foam Structures for Energy Absorption
Authors: Aneziris Christos G. , Berek Harry , Hasterok Manuel , Biermann Horst , Wolf Stefan , Krüger Lutz
Published: January 2010

Porous materials have received extensive attention for energy absorption in the last years. In terms of this study austenitic TRIP‐steel/Mg‐PSZ composite–open cell foam structures are formed based on replicas using open‐celled polyurethane foam as a skeleton with and without a supporting dense face (jacket) coating. Their compression strength as well as their specific energy absorption SEA has been registered as a function of the compressive strain. The zirconia addition has reinforced the composite material with the face coating up to a compressive strain of 50%. The stress‐induced martensitic transformation of partially stabilized zirconia phases has been investigated as a function of the compressive strain by EBSD. The zirconia phase transformation is triggered already at low compressive strains below 2%.
Functionalized Self‐Assembled InAs/GaAs Quantum‐Dot Structures Hybridized with Organic Molecules
Authors: Chen Miaoxiang , Kobashi Kazufumi , Chen Bo , Lu Meng , Tour James M.
Published: January 2010

Low‐dimensional III–V semiconductors have many advantages over other semiconductors; however, they are not particularly stable under physiological conditions. Hybridizing biocompatible organic molecules with advanced optical and electronic semiconductor devices based on quantum dots (QDs) and quantum wires could provide an efficient solution to realize stress‐free and nontoxic interfaces to attach larger functional biomolecules. Monitoring the modifications of the optical properties of the hybrid molecule–QD systems by grafting various types of air‐stable diazonium salts onto the QD structures surfaces provides a direct approach to prove the above concepts. The InAs/GaAs QD structures used in this work consist of a layer of surface InAs QDs and a layer of buried InAs QDs embedded in a wider‐bandgap GaAs matrix. An enhancement in photoluminescence intensity by a factor of 3.3 from the buried QDs is achieved owing to the efficient elimination of the dangling bonds on the surface of the structures and to the decrease in non‐radiative recombination caused by their surface states. Furthermore, a narrow photoluminescence band peaking at 1620 nm with a linewidth of 49 meV corresponding to the eigenstates interband transition of the surface InAs QDs is for the first time clearly observed at room temperature, which is something that has rarely been achieved without the use of such engineered surfaces. The experimental results demonstrate that the hybrid molecule–QD systems possess a high stability, and both the surface and buried QDs are very sensitive to changes in their surficial conditions, indicating that they are excellent candidates as basic sensing elements for novel biosensor applications.