bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Implementation of an Emergency Medical Card and a Continuity of Care
Authors: Rowan B. , Narus S. , Smith M. , Hastings T. , Poynton M. , Nebeker J. , Hales J. , Evans R. S. , Olola C. H. O.
Published: November 2009

Objectives: To describe the design and implementation procedures for an emergency medical card (EMC) and a continuity of care (CoC) report using the continuity of care record (CCR) standard. We also describe studies to evaluate the effectiveness of these documents in Co C.

Methods: We convened weekly planning, design, development, implementation, and evaluation meetings, involving 25 outpatient clinics at Intermountain Healthcare. The CCR standard schema and documentation from American Society for Testing and Materials were used to develop the data model. An outside consultant provided further advice on committee-approved designs. We then developed a functional design document for the CCR application implementation. Healthcare professionals (medical doctors and physician assistants) and fourth-year medical students will simulate the will simulate the EMC and CoC report use and assess their usefulness in Co C. The reviewers will review three randomly selected patient cases, using patient information in the electronic medical record, EMC and CoC report. A structured questionnaire with Likert scale will assess the reviewers’ perceptions of the documents’ usefulness in medical decision making. Other studies will compare patient- and HCP-entered data to evaluate the effect of patient-entered data on the quality of HCP-entered data and assess user-satisfaction with the documents’ usefulness in Co C.

Results: An automated CCR application compliant with the CCR standard was developed and integrated in an already implemented patient portal at the Intermountain Healthcare clinics. Patients use the application to view, add, modify their information and use the data plus EMR data to create EMC and CoC report.

Conclusions: The CCR standard can be used to implement an application to enable patients to not only view but add or modify personal health records, and create, print and share paper EMC and CoC report with HCPs. The documents can be created using HCP-maintained EMR data, in addition to patient-entered data as is currently the norm.
Comparing a Japanese and a German Hospital Information System
Authors: Ißler L. , Winter A. , Takabayashi K. , Jahn F.
Published: November 2009

Objectives: To examine the architectural differences and similarities of a Japanese and German hospital information system (HIS) in a case study. This cross-cultural comparison, which focuses on structural quality characteristics, offers the chance to get new insights into different HIS architectures, which possibly cannot be obtained by inner-country comparisons.

Methods: A reference model for the domain layer of hospital information systems containing the typical enterprise functions of a hospital provides the basis of comparison for the two different hospital information systems. 3LGM2 models, which describe the two HISs and which are based on that reference model, are used to assess several structural quality criteria. Four of these criteria are introduced in detail.

Results: The two examined HISs are different in terms of the four structural quality criteria examined. Whereas the centralized architecture of the hospital information system at Chiba University Hospital causes only few functional redundancies and leads to a low implementation of communication standards, the hospital information system at the University Hospital of Leipzig, having a decentralized architecture, exhibits more functional redundancies and a higher use of communication standards.

Conclusions: Using a model-based comparison, it was possible to detect remarkable differences between the observed hospital information systems of completely different cultural areas. However, the usability of 3LGM2 models for comparisons has to be improved in order to apply key figures and to assess or benchmark the structural quality of health information systems architectures more thoroughly.
Alert System for Inappropriate Prescriptions Relating to Patients’ Clinical Condition
Authors: Yamaguchi T. , Hasegawa H. , Yoshihara K. , Zhang Q. , Mineno T. , Takeda H. , Matsumura Y.
Published: November 2009

Objectives: Because information of contraindication and careful indication of medication is vast, there have been numerous cases of prescribing medication inappropriately. Our goal is to have a clinical decision support system (CDSS) combined with a computerized physician order entry (CPOE) to aid physicians in prescribing medication appropriately. In this study we developed an alert system for evaluating renal function and checking doses of medication according to the patient’s renal function. In addition, we developed functions of extracting target problems from the raw data and verifying if contraindicated medication has being prescribed.

Methods: This system scrutinizes data handled in the CPOE system. It picks up the data needed to ascertain problems and the data of medication entered from the order entry system. First we made an alert system for renal dysfunction. Creatinine clearance (Ccr) of a patient was calculated by the estimate equation of Cockcroft and Gault. If a patient data fulfills the condition of impaired renal function, the alert message is sent to the database. The alert system also checks the dosage of each medication according to a patient’s renal function. When the dosage is over-prescribed, an alert is sent. Next, we made an alert system targeting contraindication for liver diseases, renal diseases and diabetes mellitus. The criteria of these problems were set in the knowledge base. If a patient’s data meets the criteria, that fact is stored in the problem database. The system also keeps a prescription check master and checks whether the patient has a problem which is a contraindication of the prescribed medication. If a problem exists, an alert is sent to the alert message database. The alert-presenting module is a web system. After accepting patients’ ID indicated by a user, the system searches the alerts concerning the patients from the database and constructs pages presenting the alert message.

Results: We compared the period during which the contraindicated medication was prescribed before and after the alert system was put into operation. Of the patients with renal dysfunction who were prescribed the contraindicated medication, 24% had their medication discontinued before the alert system was put into operation. In contrast, the rate significantly increased to 54% after the alert system began to function.

Conclusion: We developed an alert system for inappropriate prescriptions for each patient’s clinical condition. The alerts generated by this system were effective for discontinuing contraindicated medication.
Morphologic Characteristic of Coronary Artery Disease, with Emphasis on Thromboses, in Patients Younger Than 40 Years of Age
Authors: Tavora Fabio , Li Ling , Ripple Mary , Fowler David , Burke Allen
Published: November 2009

There are few pathologic descriptions of fatal coronary artery disease in the young. The morphologic characteristics of sudden coronary deaths in 47 hearts from patients younger than 40 years were studied. Numbers of plaques with necrotic cores were quantitated in each heart. Compared to 194 sudden coronary deaths >40 years, heart weight was lower, acute plaque erosions more frequent, and extent of disease less in the 40 years group. Plaque burden was less in hearts with erosions, and healed infarcts more common in hearts with stable plaque. The numbers of fibroatheromas increased with age until the 6th decade () as well as the proportion of total plaques that were atheromatous. Plaques in younger patients have fewer lipid-rich cores. Most thrombi show areas of organization, with layering frequent in erosions, suggesting a possible method of plaque enlargement in the absence of necrotic core formation.
Drinking Water and Public Health Protection
Authors: Okun Daniel A.
Published: November 2009

The provision of drinking water for communities is an urban utility, but a utility with a difference. As with other urban utilities, such as electricity and gas, water for household use is a necessity that cannot readily be obtained by urban householders for themselves. The difference is that, while water may satisfy many household needs, including drinking, it has the potential of spreading disease, often without the knowledge of the consumer. As a result, water supplies have become subject to regulations for assuring adequate quality, regulations that are not faced by other municipal public utilities.

Beginning with the water supply for Rome some 2000 years ago, the responsibility for water supply and its quality rested with the community. During the nineteenth century, with the beginning of the industrial era and the rapid growth of cities, public water supplies began to be provided by private entrepreneurs who sought profit in providing an essential service, frequently in competition with others. In the interest of getting a larger share of the market, they might provide a water of better quality than a competitor.
Self‐Purification Capacity of Natural Waters
Authors: Jjemba Patrick K.
Published: November 2009

A majority of the world's population is constantly challenged by a lack of proper sanitary conditions. In developing countries, poor sewage disposal infrastructure, displacement of populations by wars and famine, a lack of the knowledge about the hidden dangers posed by excreted wastes to human health, or a blatant adherence to cultural practices that de‐emphasize the proper disposal of human excreta still prevail. On the other hand, it is common to find homesteads, villages, and small towns that are dependent on wells that are within the same vicinity of on‐site pit latrines or their modification for their water supply. The resultant contamination to both groundwater and surface water in such settings directly affects many people worldwide. Groundwater contamination is also of interest for the developed and the newly industrialized countries as a sizeable proportion of the population in those countries use on‐site septic tanks, some of which leak fecal material into the groundwater. To that effect, approximately 40% of the U.S. population uses groundwater for their domestic needs, whereas approximately 98% of the drinking water in Denmark is obtained from groundwater. Groundwater is not typically treated prior to domestic use; the consumers rely almost entirely on the water's ability to purify itself prior to reaching the point of consumption. Likewise, the fecal material can, if deposited on the surface, or in instances of flooding, become part of the runoff into waterways. Furthermore, in a number of places on the globe, rivers are the principle disposal pathways for waste materials making the interest in the processes that facilitate the self‐purification process of natural water applicable to both groundwater and surface water.
Differential Staining of Bacteria: Endospore Stain
Authors: Reynolds Jackie , Moyes Rita , Breakwell Donald P.
Published: November 2009

Endospore production is a very important characteristic of some bacteria, allowing them to resist adverse environmental conditions such as desiccation, chemical exposure, extreme heat, radiation, etc. The identification of endospores is also very important for the clinical microbiologist who is analyzing a patient's body fluid or tissue—there are not that many spore‐forming genera. In fact, there are two major pathogenic spore‐forming genera, Bacillus and Clostridium, together causing a number of lethal diseases—botulism, gangrene, tetanus, and anthrax, to name a few. Curr. Protoc. Microbiol. 15:A.3J.1‐A.3J.5. © 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
It's effective and somewhat deceptive: The Competitive/Problem‐Solving style
Authors: Craver Charles B.
Published: November 2009

We know that a combination of personality and circumstantial factors affects how people handle a negotiation. Now, Charles B. Craver, of Washington, D.C., explains how the iconic Cooperative/Problem Solving style has been giving way to a new definition of high effectiveness: negotiators who are ready to solve problems, but also are competitive.
Properties of parameter‐dependent open‐loop MPC for uncertain systems with polytopic description
Authors: Ding Baocang
Published: November 2009

This paper investigates the parameter‐dependent open‐loop model predictive control (PDOLMPC) scheme for systems with a polytopic uncertainty description. PDOLMPC parameterizes the infinite horizon control moves into a number of free control moves followed by a single state feedback law. The free control moves (excluding the first one) are parameter dependent and constructed upon all of the extreme realizations of the uncertainty before the switching horizon N. Our primary contribution is to point out that this PDOLMPC is a relaxed version of the feedback MPC. Thus, some properties of nominal MPC, such as enhancement of optimality and enlargement of region of attraction by increasing the switching horizon, can be inherited in PDOLMPC. These properties are theoretically important for robust MPC and a simulation example is given for demonstration. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley and Sons Asia Pte Ltd and Chinese Automatic Control Society
A new tracking controller for discrete‐time SISO non minimum phase systems
Authors: Ruzbehani Mohsen
Published: November 2009

A new tracking controller for discrete‐time Single Input Single Output (SISO) non‐minimum phase (NMP) systems is presented. In the proposed method, after cancelation of poles and cancelable zeros of the system, the controller adds some NMP zeros to compensate the effect of NMP zero (zeros) of the system. As a result, the phase of the overall transfer function will be almost linear and its magnitude approaches unity for all frequencies. The method can be applied even to the systems with complex conjugate NMP zeros. As well, it is applicable to the systems for which the conventional methods cannot properly be used. Furthermore, a generalization of method to continuous‐time systems is another given result. Several examples are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the method. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley and Sons Asia Pte Ltd and Chinese Automatic Control Society
Capturing of cell culture‐derived modified Vaccinia Ankara virus by ion exchange and pseudo‐affinity membrane adsorbers
Authors: Wolff Michael W. , Siewert Corina , Lehmann Sylvia , Hansen Sara Post , Djurup Rene , Faber Rene , Reichl Udo
Published: November 2009

Smallpox is an acute, highly infectious viral disease unique to humans, and responsible for an estimated 300–500 million deaths in the 20th century. Following successful vaccination campaigns through the 19th and 20th centuries, smallpox was declared eradicated by the World Health Organization in 1980. However, the threat of using smallpox as a biological weapon prompted efforts of some governments to produce smallpox vaccines for emergency preparedness. An additional aspect for the interest in smallpox virus is its potential use as a platform technology for vector vaccines. In particular, the latter requires a high safety level for routine applications. IMVAMUNE®, a third generation smallpox vaccine based on the attenuated Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) virus, demonstrates superior safety compared to earlier generations and represents therefore an interesting choice as viral vector. Current downstream production processes of Vaccinia virus and MVA are mainly based on labor‐intensive centrifugation and filtration methods, requiring expensive nuclease treatment in order to achieve sufficient low host‐cell DNA levels for human vaccines. This study compares different ion exchange and pseudo‐affinity membrane adsorbers (MA) to capture chicken embryo fibroblast cell‐derived MVA‐BN® after cell homogenization and clarification. In parallel, the overall performance of classical bead‐based resin chromatography (Cellufine® sulfate and Toyopearl® AF‐Heparin) was investigated. The two tested pseudo‐affinity MA (i.e., sulfated cellulose and heparin) were superior over the applied ion exchange MA in terms of virus yield and contaminant depletion. Furthermore, studies confirmed an expected increase in productivity resulting from the increased volume throughput of MA compared to classical bead‐based column chromatography methods. Overall virus recovery was ∼60% for both pseudo‐affinity MA and the Cellufine® sulfate resin. Depletion of total protein ranged between 86% and 102% for all tested matrices. Remaining dsDNA in the product fraction varied between 24% and 7% for the pseudo‐affinity chromatography materials. Cellufine® sulfate and the reinforced sulfated cellulose MA achieved the lowest dsDNA product contamination. Finally, by a combination of pseudo‐affinity with anion exchange MA a further reduction of host‐cell DNA was achieved. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2010. 105: 761–769. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Non‐local implicit gradient damage models with low‐order finite elements
Authors: Bui Q. V. , Lani F.
Published: November 2009

Driven by non‐local strains, which are approximated at least by a linear function, the damage evolution continuously varies, whereas the distribution of local strains remains constant, and this mismatch leads to stress oscillations within a low‐order finite element. Through the enforcement of constant damage via an appropriate average of the non‐local strains that drive damage, the latter becomes discontinuous across inter‐elements. The consistency of the finite element formulation can be retrieved, and it hence enables a significant reduction of the occurrence of stress oscillations, whereas the convergence rate of the finite element formulation is still preserved. Numerical examples with 1D and 2D typical examples show the efficiency and the performance of the proposed approach. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hydrido‐Osmium(II), ‐Osmium(IV) and‐Osmium(VI) Complexes with Functionalized Phosphanes as Ligands
Authors: Richter Birgit , Werner Helmut
Published: November 2009

Reaction of five‐coordinate [OsHCl(CO)(PiPr3)2] (1) with the chelating phosphane iPr2PCH2CO2Me gave six‐coordinate [OsHCl(CO)(PiPr3){κ2(P,O)‐iPr2PCH2C(=O)OMe}] (2), which upon treatment with CO and O2 afforded the 1:1 adducts [OsHCl(CO)(L)(PiPr3){κ(P)‐iPr2PCH2CO2Me}] (3, 4) by partial opening of the chelate ring. The vinyl complex [OsCl(CH=CHPh)(CO)(PiPr3){κ2(P,O)‐iPr2PCH2C(=O)OMe}] (5) was obtained from 2 and PhC≡CH by insertion of the alkyne into the Os–H bond. Reaction of 2 with sodium acetate led to metathesis of the anionic ligands and formation of [OsH(η2‐O2CCH3)(CO)(PiPr3){κ(P)‐iPr2PCH2CO2Me}] (6). Osmium(VI) compounds [OsH6(PiPr2R)2] with R = CH2CH2OMe (12), CH2CO2Me (13) and CH2CO2Et (14), and [OsH6(PiPr3){κ(P)‐iPr2PCH2CH2NMe2}] (16) were prepared from osmium(IV) precursors and shown to rapidly react with O2 and primary alcohols. Exploratory studies revealed that the catalytic activity of the hexahydrido complexes in the hydrogen transfer reaction from 2‐propanol to cyclohexanone and acetophenone depends on the type of the functionalized phosphane and is best for R = CH2CH2OMe. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009)
Aberrant methylation of DNA mismatch repair genes in elderly patients with sporadic gastric carcinoma: A comparison with younger patients
Authors: Kim Ho Gun , Lee Soon , Kim Dong Yi , Ryu Seong Yeob , Joo Jae Kyun , Kim Jung Chul , Lee Kyung Hwa , Lee Jae Hyuk
Published: November 2009

Background

Hypermethylation of promoters that regulate the expression of DNA repair genes is associated with gastric carcinoma (GC). Little is known regarding the association between age of disease onset and differences in molecular profiles.

Methods

The two study groups consisted of 100 elderly patients and 100 younger patients. The aberrant DNA methylation patterns of four mismatch repair genes, hMLH1, hMSH2, hMSH3, and MGMT, were compared by bisulfite modification and methylation‐specific PCR (MSP).

Results

The methylation frequencies for hMLH1 and hMSH3 were significantly higher for the elderly than for the younger GC patients (P < 0.001 and P = 0.031, respectively). A significant correlation was observed between aberrant hMLH1, hMSH3, and MGMT methylation and the loss of hMLH1, hMSH3, and MGMT protein expression (P < 0.001, P = 0.002, and P = 0.001, respectively). The prevalence of aberrant hMLH1 and hMSH3 methylation increased significantly with age.

Conclusion

These results suggest that the methylation of hMLH1 and hMSH3 is age related and thus may play an important role in gastric carcinogenesis in the elderly. Screening for hMLH1 and hMSH3 methylation may have clinical significance for the evaluation of elderly patients with GC. J. Surg. Oncol. 2010;101:28–35. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Erratum: Hybrid approach for efficient calculation of the parallel‐plate impedance of lossy power/ground planes
Authors: Rimolo‐Donadio Renato , Brüns Heinz‐D. , Schuster Christian
Published: November 2009

Originally published Microwave Opt Technol Lett 51: 2051–2056, 2009
. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52: 247, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24814
Compact bandpass filter with spurious passband suppression using defected ground structure
Authors: Fan Fangfang , Yan Zehong
Published: November 2009

In this article, a novel and compact hairpin bandpass filter (BPF) using defected ground structure (DGS) is discussed. By placing a novel cascaded z‐slot DGS at the location of the input and output port, the first spurious passband can be rejected. The elaborate analysis of the z‐slot DGS has been given. The equivalent circuit of the z‐slot and how the dimension affects the frequency response are presented. In addition, as the DGS is etched on the backside of the substrate, no extra aera is added to the final layout. The experimental results demonstrate that this filter has low insertion loss, small size, and with a rejection level of more than 35 dB for the first spurious passband. The measured results of the proposed BPFs are in good agreement with the simulated ones. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52: 17–20, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24819
Spiral slot antenna fed by coplanar waveguide using magnetic phase difference
Authors: Park Sungwu , Kim Nam , Rhee Seungyeop , Lee Seungwoo
Published: November 2009

A new type of spiral slot antennas, using the magnetic flow in the slots for broadband and circular polarizations fed by a coplanar waveguide, is presented in this letter. Two spiral slots are operated as separate radiators. To reduce the magnetic cancellation between the two feeding lines, two spiral slots are fed by sources which are about 180° out‐of‐phase with each other so that this antenna does not need a balun circuit. The operating frequency range is enlarged by optimizing various parameters. As a result of measurement, the bandwidth of the proposed antenna is 2.7–12 GHz below the return loss of −10 dB, and the 3 dB bandwidth of the axial ratio is in the ranges 4.2–4.7 GHz and 5.9–6.8 GHz. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52: 28–30, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24821
An experimental investigation of multisoliton generation using an erbium‐doped fiber amplifier and a fiber optic ring resonator
Authors: Ali J. , Yupapin P. P.
Published: November 2009

We have successfully generated the mutisoliton pulses using a Gaussian pulse in a fiber optic ring resonator incorporating an erbium‐doped fiber (EDF) and a semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs). The multisoliton memory time within the system is also measured. Initially, the Gaussian input pulse is pumped and amplified through the EDF and the SOAs, respectively. The suitable experimental values, such as drive current, coupling power, and the fiber ring radius, are arranged to generate the multisoliton pulses. In application, the wider multisoliton band can be generated by adjusting the suitable system parameters. Results obtained have shown that the multisoliton with a free spectrum range and spectrum width of 2.4 and 0.96 nm is achieved. The memory time and the maximum soliton output of 15 min and of 5.94 dBm, respectively, are noted. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52: 70–72, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop. 24834
Comments on a new formulation and solution method of electromagnetic scattering from arbitrary shaped dielectric objects
Authors: Çayören Mehmet , Yapar Ali , Akduman İbrahim
Published: November 2009

In a recent article by Tezel (Microwave and Optical Technology Letters 50 (2008), 2768–2772), it is claimed that a new formulation and a solution method for the electromagnetic scattering problems related to cylindrical dielectric objects of arbitrary shape is presented. The author makes basic mathematical mistakes in the formulation and as a result we have serious doubts about the correctness of the presented numerical results. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52: 246, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24870
A low‐power CMOS dual‐band RF receiver for IEEE 802.15.4‐based sensor node applications
Authors: Nguyen Trung‐Kien , Kang Hoyong , Kim Nae‐Soo , Pyo Cheol‐Sig
Published: November 2009

This article presents the design and experimental results of a low‐power dual‐band RF receiver front‐end including a dual‐band low‐noise amplifier (LNA) and a downconversion mixer based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard for sensor node applications. A dual‐band LNA with two inputs is tuned to two resonant frequencies by controlling the voltage on a switched MOS. The implemented RF receiver front‐end achieves a maximum voltage conversion gain of 31 and 21 dB, a noise figure of 6 and 9 dB at the 868/915 MHz and 2.45 GHz bands, respectively. The RF receiver front‐end dissipates a total of 3 mA (including I/Q mixers) under a supply voltage of 1.8 V at both operation bands. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52: 163–166, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24876
Ant colony based hybrid approach for optimal compromise sum‐difference patterns synthesis
Authors: Rocca P. , Manica L. , Massa A.
Published: November 2009

Dealing with the synthesis of monopulse array antennas, many stochastic optimization algorithms have been used for the solution of the so‐called optimal compromise problem between sum and difference patterns when sub‐arrayed feed networks are considered. More recently, hybrid approaches, exploiting the convexity of the functional with respect to a sub‐set of the unknowns (i.e., the sub‐array excitation coefficients) have demonstrated their effectiveness. In this letter, an hybrid approach based on the ant colony optimization (ACO) is proposed. At the first step, the ACO is used to define the sub‐array membership of the array elements, while, at the second step, the sub‐array weights are computed by solving a convex programming problem. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52: 128–132, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24882
A compact low‐pass filter with double‐step impedance shunt stub and defected ground structure for wideband rejection
Authors: Lee Jae‐Kwan , Lee Dong‐Hyo , Kim Young‐Sik
Published: November 2009

In this letter, a compact low‐pass filter (LPF) with wideband rejection using double‐step impedance shunt stub (SISS) and barbell‐type defected ground structure (DGS) is presented. This proposed LPF has similar characteristics in bandwidth, but good wideband rejection and cutoff sharpness compared with the same size conventional LPF, using SISS and conventional DGS. The size reduction of the proposed LPF is about 23% more than the conventional one. Good agreements are achieved between the simulated and measured results. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52: 132–134, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24883
A Cartesian‐grid collocation technique with integrated radial basis functions for mixed boundary value problems
Authors: Le Phong B. H. , Mai‐Duy Nam , Tran‐Cong Thanh , Baker Graham
Published: November 2009

In this paper, high‐order systems are reformulated as first‐order systems, which are then numerically solved by a collocation method. The collocation method is based on Cartesian discretization with 1D‐integrated radial basis function networks (1D‐IRBFN) (Numer. Meth. Partial Differential Equations 2007; 23:1192–1210). The present method is enhanced by a new boundary interpolation technique based on 1D‐IRBFN, which is introduced to obtain variable approximation at irregular points in irregular domains. The proposed method is well suited to problems with mixed boundary conditions on both regular and irregular domains. The main results obtained are (a) the boundary conditions for the reformulated problem are of Dirichlet type only; (b) the integrated RBFN approximation avoids the well‐known reduction of convergence rate associated with differential formulations; (c) the primary variable (e.g. displacement, temperature) and the dual variable (e.g. stress, temperature gradient) have similar convergence order; (d) the volumetric locking effects associated with incompressible materials in solid mechanics are alleviated. Numerical experiments show that the proposed method achieves very good accuracy and high convergence rates. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The role of interfacial compatibilization upon the microstructure and electrical conductivity threshold in polypropylene/expanded graphite nanocomposites
Authors: Mirzazadeh Hossein , Katbab Ali A. , Hrymak Andrew N.
Published: November 2009

Attempts have been made to evaluate the effect of interface and degree of interfacial interaction upon electrical conductivity threshold in polypropylene/expanded graphite (PP/EG) nanocomposites, and dispersion state of graphite nanosheets. For this purpose, maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (PPgMA) and maleic anhydride grafted EPDM (EPDMgMA) were used as compatibilizer. Nanocomposite samples containing 1–5 vol% of EG were prepared by melt mixing method using laboratory scale internal mixer. Characterization was carried out by using X‐ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), thermo‐gravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and rheo‐mechanical spectroscopy (RMS). The conductivity measurements were carried out by using four point probe method according to ASTM D991. Results showed that the conductivity threshold is controlled by the extent of interfacial interaction between PP and EG. So, better conductivity was obtained using PPgMA as compatibilizer which causes higher level of interaction between PP and EG, and therefore better dispersion of the EG nanolayers in the polymer matrix. On the other hand, high levels of compatibilizers, especially EPDMgMA, caused formation of separated aggregates of EG shelled with the compatibilizer, which results in the reduction of conductivity of the nanocomposites. This finding has been verified by SEM, RMS, and conductivity measurements. Effects of EG nanolayers on crystalline structure and thermal decomposition temperature of the nanocomposites have also been investigated by DSC and TGA, respectively. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Processing of continuous poly(amide‐imide) nanofibers by electrospinning
Authors: Lee Seung Hwan , Kim Seong Yun , Youn Jae Ryoun , Seong Dong Gi , Jee Seung Yong , Choi Jin Il , Lee Jae Rock
Published: November 2009

Continuous poly(amide‐imide) nanofibers were fabricated using a novel electrospinning method with rotating and re‐collecting cylindrical collectors. The nanofilaments were modified using various post‐treatments, i.e. glycerol treatment and thermal imidization under tension, for possible application as high‐performance reinforcements. Morphological and mechanical properties of continuous poly(amide‐imide) nanofibers prepared by the electrospinning process and various post‐treatments were measured. Severe adhesion between individual nanofibers within fiber bundles was inhibited through surface treatment of the electrospun nanofiber bundles by spraying with glycerol. The morphological and mechanical properties of the continuous poly(amide‐imide) nanofibers and thermal stability were improved using thermal imidization at high temperature under tension. The morphological and mechanical properties of the continuous electrospun nanofibers were improved significantly by post‐treatments after electrospinning because uniform and complete thermal imidization occurred through the core region of the nanofibers. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry
Longitudinal trends in river functioning: Patterns of nutrient and carbon processing in three Australian rivers
Authors: Hadwen Wade L. , Fellows Christine S. , Westhorpe Douglas P. , Rees Gavin N. , Mitrovic Simon M. , Taylor Brett , Baldwin Darren S. , Silvester Ewen , Croome Roger
Published: November 2009

Understanding longitudinal trends in the processing of carbon in rivers represents a much conceptualised, but infrequently tested, issue in aquatic ecology. In this study, we conducted concurrent longitudinal examinations of three very different rivers in eastern Australia to determine whether general principles in river functioning exist across broad geographic and hydrologic scales. Specifically, we examined trends in ambient basic water chemistry, nutrient concentrations, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), extracellular enzymes and food web structure and functioning and conducted bioassays to examine the degree to which DOC and nutrients limit heterotrophic bacterial respiration. These parameters revealed striking similarities across all sites. For metazoan communities, stable isotope analysis showed that algal carbon was the dominant basal resource utilised by consumers in all three rivers, suggesting that in‐stream primary producers strongly underpin trophic pathways regardless of the position within a catchment or catchment condition. Analyses of extracellular enzymes revealed that microbial communities are actively utilising DOC at all sites. In fact, heterotrophic microbial respiration was strongly limited by DOC at all sites, with nutrient additions resulting in only relatively minor increases in respiration. Ultimately, this study demonstrates that DOC and algal carbon are critically important drivers of ecosystem processes in Australian riverine ecosystems. Furthermore, across all of our sites and rivers, ambient nutrient concentrations did not influence carbon processing. The consistent longitudinal trends in river function identified in this study provide useful insights for catchment managers and modellers with respect to identifiying key principles that underpin ecosystem functioning in Australian rivers. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Computational approaches for the genetic and phenotypic characterization of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae wine yeast collection
Authors: Franco‐Duarte R. , Umek L. , Zupan B. , Schuller D.
Published: November 2009

Within this study, we have used a set of computational techniques to relate the genotypes and phenotypes of natural populations of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, using allelic information from 11 microsatellite loci and results from 24 phenotypic tests. A group of 103 strains was obtained from a larger S. cerevisiae winemaking strain collection by clustering with self‐organizing maps. These strains were further characterized regarding their allelic combinations for 11 microsatellites and analysed in phenotypic screens that included taxonomic criteria (carbon and nitrogen assimilation tests, growth at different temperatures) and tests with biotechnological relevance (ethanol resistance, H2S or aromatic precursors formation). Phenotypic variability was rather high and each strain showed a unique phenotypic profile. The results, expressed as optical density (A640) after 22 h of growth, were in agreement with taxonomic data, although with some exceptions, since few strains were capable of consuming arabinose and ribose to a small extent. Based on microsatellite allelic information, naïve Bayesian classifier correctly assigned (AUC = 0.81, p < 10−8) most of the strains to the vineyard from where they were isolated, despite their close location (50–100 km). We also identified subgroups of strains with similar values of a phenotypic feature and microsatellite allelic pattern (AUC > 0.75). Subgroups were found for strains with low ethanol resistance, growth at 30 °C and growth in media containing galactose, raffinose or urea. The results demonstrate that computational approaches can be used to establish genotype–phenotype relations and to make predictions about a strain's biotechnological potential. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Deposition of Size-Selected Cu Nanoparticles by Inert Gas Condensation
Authors: Gracia-Pinilla M , Martínez E , Vidaurri G Silva , Pérez-Tijerina E
Published: November 2009

Nanometer size-selected Cu clusters in the size range of 1–5 nm have been produced by a plasma-gas-condensation-type cluster deposition apparatus, which combines a grow-discharge sputtering with an inert gas condensation technique. With this method, by controlling the experimental conditions, it was possible to produce nanoparticles with a strict control in size. The structure and size of Cu nanoparticles were determined by mass spectroscopy and confirmed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron transmission microscopy (STEM) measurements. In order to preserve the structural and morphological properties, the energy of cluster impact was controlled; the energy of acceleration of the nanoparticles was in near values at 0.1 ev/atom for being in soft landing regime. From SEM measurements developed in STEM-HAADF mode, we found that nanoparticles are near sized to those values fixed experimentally also confirmed by AFM observations. The results are relevant, since it demonstrates that proper optimization of operation conditions can lead to desired cluster sizes as well as desired cluster size distributions. It was also demonstrated the efficiency of the method to obtain size-selected Cu clusters films, as a random stacking of nanometer-size crystallites assembly. The deposition of size-selected metal clusters represents a novel method of preparing Cu nanostructures, with high potential in optical and catalytic applications.
Characterisation of Phenolic Compounds in Oils Produced from Frosted Olives
Authors: Guillaume Claudia , Ravetti Leandro , Gwyn Sonja
Published: November 2009

Frost is one of the most important weather related hazards for the Australian olive industry and it has caused significant economic losses during the last decade. Its impact on oil quality was significant in 2006 with more than 20% of Australian oil of that year being affected to some degree. Early frosts will normally affect the fruit leading to significant changes in the chemical and organoleptic characteristics of the oils. The aim of this work was to study the effect of freeze damage on the phenolic composition and quality parameters of oils from three different varieties: Frantoio, Barnea and Picual. Quality chemical parameters showed significant differences in oils produced from fruit that was frozen for 2 and 4 weeks. Those chemical parameters were not significantly different in the oil produced from fruit immediately after being frosted. Nonetheless, the sensorial profile and the polyphenols showed significant changes even with oils produced within a short time after the freezing event. Those changes became more evident with the oils produced at increasing time from the moment of fruit freezing.
Premenstrual syndrome as reported by Brazilian women
Authors: Petta Carlos A. , Osis Maria J. Duarte , de Pádua Karla S. , Bahamondes Luis , Makuch María Y.
Published: November 2009

Objective

To describe the perspectives and attitudes of Brazilian women toward premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

Methods

An exploratory study was conducted in 6 major cities: 1 in each geographic region of Brazil and 1 in the Federal District. Participants were women aged 18–40 years who consulted at public healthcare services or who were members of staff/faculty at university.

Results

Of 1053 women, 96.1% had heard of PMS; 65.4% considered that all or almost all women experienced the condition; 87.5% stated that symptoms occurred prior to menstruation; and 60.3% thought that they had PMS at the time of the interview. The emotional and physical symptoms most frequently mentioned were nervousness/anxiety (76.4%); mood swings/crying (55.7%); pain, swelling, and tenderness of the breasts (37.3%); and cramps (45.4%).

Conclusion

Premenstrual syndrome was reported by a large number of Brazilian women; actions need to be taken to provide more effectively the specific information required by both lay people and healthcare professionals.
Variations in the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene indicate northward expanding populations ofCulicoides imicolain Spain
Authors: Calvo J.H. , Calvete C. , Martinez-Royo A. , Estrada R. , Miranda M.A. , Borras D. , Sarto I Monteys V. , Pages N. , Delgado J.A. , Collantes F. , Lucientes J.
Published: November 2009

Culicoides imicolais the main vector for bluetongue (BT) and African horse sickness (AHS) viruses in the Mediterranean basin and in southern Europe. In this study, we analysed partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene to characterize and confirm population expansion ofCulicoides imicolaacross Spain. The data were analysed at two hierarchical levels to test the relationship betweenC. imicolahaplotypes in Spain (n=215 from 58 different locations) and worldwide (n=277). We found nineteen different haplotypes within the Spanish population, including 11 new haplotypes. No matrilineal subdivision was found within the Spanish population, while western and eastern MediterraneanC. imicolapopulations were very structured. These findings were further supported by median networks and mismatch haplotype distributions. Median networks demonstrated that the haplotypes we observed in the western Mediterranean region were closely related with one another, creating a clear star-like phylogeny separated only by a single mutation from eastern haplotypes. The two, genetically distinct, sources ofC. imicolain the Mediterranean basin, thus, were confirmed. This type of star-like population structure centred around the most frequent haplotype is best explained by rapid expansion. Furthermore, the proposed northern expansion was also supported by the statistically negative Tajima's D and Fu's Fs values, as well as predicted mismatch distributions of sudden and spatially expanding populations. Our results thus indicated thatC. imicolapopulation expansion was a rapid and recent phenomenon.
Parents' use of conventional and unconventional labels in conversations with their preschoolers
Authors: HENDERSON ANNETTE M. E. , SABBAGH MARK A.
Published: November 2009

Parents' use of conventional versus unconventional labels with their two- (n=12), three- (n=12) and four-year-old children (n=12) was assessed as they talked about objects that were either known or unknown to them. For known objects, parents provided typical conventional labels casually during the conversation. For unknown objects, parents were less likely to use typical nouns as labels and marked their labels with additional information suggesting that the labels might be unconventional. Parents marked potentially unconventional labels by providing explicit statements of ignorance and paralinguistic cues of uncertainty. These patterns were strongest when the unknown objects were manufactured as opposed to homemade, possibly because manufactured objects are supposed to have conventional names that parents were unable to provide. Parents' marking of unconventional labels may help children recognize when new word forms should be treated with caution and guide their learning accordingly.
Back to the futurist. Response to Dawdy
Authors: McDavid Carol
Published: November 2009

First I will offer a view of public archaeology which differs from Dawdy's perspective. Then I will respond briefly to one of her specific questions. Finally, I will comment on her suggestion for a futurist archaeology.
How can archaeologists usefully contribute to public policy considerations?
Authors: Sabloff Jeremy A.
Published: November 2009

I would like to focus my brief remarks on Shannon Dawdy's very important third question, ‘can archaeology save the world?’ But to show my biases up front, I would rephrase it to read, ‘how can archaeologists usefully contribute to public policy considerations on the future of this planet?’, or perhaps just modify her question to say, ‘how can archaeologists help save the world?’ As one looks at recent books such as Newman, Beatley and Boyer's Resilient cities. Responding to peak oil and climate change (2009), Richard Heinberg's The party's over. Oil, war and the fate of industrial societies (2005), or Howard and Elisabeth Odum's A prosperous way down (2001) or key articles such as ‘Ecology in times of scarcity’ by John Day et al. (2009) or ‘Tracking the ecological overshoot of the human economy’ by Mathis Wackernagel et al. (2002), it seems clear to me that archaeologists could readily amplify the important arguments mounted by these authors and play a useful role in helping planners confront looming global cultural–ecological issues. It is not that these writers are unaware of archaeology and its potential contributions – Heinberg (2005, 34–38), for example, looks quite favorably on the work of Joseph Tainter – but that archaeological research could be more thoroughly and productively utilized.
Real‐time forecasting following a damaging earthquake
Authors: Marzocchi Warner , Lombardi Anna Maria
Published: November 2009

We describe the results of a prospective, real‐time earthquake forecast experiment made during a seismic emergency. AMw6.3 earthquake struck the city of L'Aquila, Italy on April 6, 2009, causing hundreds of deaths and vast damage. Immediately following this event, we began producing daily earthquake forecasts for the region, and we provided these forecasts to Civil Protection – the agency responsible for managing the emergency. The forecasts are based on a stochastic model that combines the Gutenberg‐Richter distribution of earthquake magnitudes and power‐law decay in space and time of triggered earthquakes. The results from the first month following the L'Aquila earthquake exhibit a good fit between forecasts and observations, indicating that accurate earthquake forecasting is now a realistic goal. Our experience with this experiment demonstrates an urgent need for a connection between probabilistic forecasts and decision‐making in order to establish – before crises – quantitative and transparent protocols for decision support.
Clopidogrel application: beyond coronary artery disease
Authors: Zeng Chunyu
Published: November 2009

Dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel, a P2Y12 antagonist, is a cornerstone for treatment of patients with stroke, peripheral arterial disease and acute coronary artery disease, followed with or without percutaneous coronary intervention. In the present issue of Clinical Science, Giachini and co-workers found that clopidogrel could normalize the increased phenylephrine-induced vascular contraction and the impaired acetylcholine-induced vasodilation in mesenteric arteries from AngII (angiotensin II)-infused Sprague–Dawley rats. This might develop a new area for clopidogrel application; however, whether clopidogrel can improve arterial function in patients with hypertension or diabetes, or if clopidogrel outweighs the beneficial effect of aspirin in those patients, remains an open field for future inquiry.