bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improving the accuracy of the AFWA-NASA (ANSA) blended snow-cover product over the Lower Great Lakes region
Authors: Hall D. K. , Foster J. L. , Kumar S. , Chien J. Y. L. , Riggs G. A.
Published: January 2012

Abstract. The Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA) – NASA blended snow-cover product, called ANSA, utilizes Earth Observing System standard snow products from the Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for EOS (AMSR-E) to map daily snow cover and snow-water equivalent (SWE) globally. We have compared ANSA-derived SWE with SWE values calculated from snow depths reported at ~1500 National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) co-op stations in the Lower Great Lakes Basin. Compared to station data, the ANSA significantly underestimates SWE in densely-forested areas. We use two methods to remove some of the bias observed in forested areas to reduce the root-mean-square error (RMSE) between the ANSA- and station-derived SWE. First, we calculated a 5-yr mean ANSA-derived SWE for the winters of 2005–2006 through 2009–2010, and developed a 5-yr mean bias-corrected SWE map for each month. For most of the months studied during the 5-yr period, the 5-yr bias correction improved the agreement between the ANSA-derived and station-derived SWE. However, anomalous months such as when there was very little snow on the ground compared to the 5-yr mean, or months in which the snow was much greater than the 5-yr mean, showed poorer results (as expected). We also used a 7-day running mean (7DRM) bias correction method using days just prior to the day in question to correct the ANSA data. This method was more effective in reducing the RMSE between the ANSA- and co-op-derived SWE values, and in capturing the effects of anomalous snow conditions.
The Global Architectural Influences on London
Authors: Fraser Murray
Published: January 2012

London today has become ‘a laboratory and testing ground’ for neoliberal capitalism, attracting investment from the Middle East, Russia, India, the Far East and Australasia as well as the US. Murray Fraser describes the urban impact of economic globalisation in the capital, while exploring ways that it might potentially be countered. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The London Way: The Politics of London's Strategic Design
Authors: Carmona Matthew
Published: January 2012

Matthew Carmona tracks the vicissitudes of London's political engagement in urban design over the last decade. He reveals the strengths, weaknesses and remarkable similarities of the approaches of the two Mayors of London, Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Trompes L'Oeil
Authors: Devereux Mike
Published: January 2012

Mike Devereux sets out to explode the myth that London is an organic, unplanned city shaped by economic forces, and Paris is, in contrast, a planned city moulded by the state. He describes the many similarities that the two cities share and how planning ideas in fact ‘flowed between the capitals’ during the Haussmann era. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Centring on the Olympic Fringe
Authors: Tomlinson Steven
Published: January 2012

Steven Tomlinson, a senior designer at the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC), describes the challenges that exist post‐Games in fully integrating the Olympic Park into the wider city's fabric and linking surrounding neighbourhoods with the site. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Thames
Authors: MacCormac Richard
Published: January 2012

Richard MacCormac evokes the Thames' defining relationship with London, as the boundary between north and south, the primacy of the north bank having remained almost unchallenged until the 21st century with the development of Tate Modern and the rejuvenation of the south bank. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Some Key Figures in London's Regeneration
Authors: Murray Peter
Published: January 2012

A number of powerful individuals have played a significant role promoting regeneration in London. Peter Murray describes some of those who make up this important network of politicians, civil servants, planners and developers. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Where Does the City End??
Authors: Gandy Matthew
Published: January 2012

In the last few decades, the boundaries of London have become difficult to demarcate with intense urbanisation and increasing pressure on the green belt. Matthew Gandy explores the significance of the city's fringe and its ‘edge’ landscapes. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Composite proton exchange membranes from zirconium‐based solid acids and PVDF/acrylic polyelectrolyte blends
Authors: Zapata Pedro , Lee Jung‐Hyun , Meredith J. Carson
Published: January 2012

Organic–inorganic composite proton exchange membranes (PEMs) are of interest in fuel cell applications because of potential benefits in conductivity, mechanical, and transport properties that may be imparted by the inorganic component. Our previous work showed that polymeric membranes based on blends of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and cross‐linked sulfonated acrylic polyelectrolytes (PE) compare favorably against the proton conductivity and mechanical properties of commercial perfluorosulfonic acid‐based PEMs. One problem found in the previous study was that crystalline regions in homopolymers of PVDF interfered with the formation of proton conducting pathways by the PE component. In this study, we explore the ability to use proton‐conductive zirconium‐based inorganic particles to improve conductivity in such PVDF/PE membranes. Three different particles were considered, namely, zirconium oxide, zirconium hydroxide sulfate, and zirconium hydrogen phosphate. Dispersion of particles in the polymer matrix was limited, resulting in severe aggregation at particle loadings above 5 wt %. Nevertheless, a general improvement in proton conductivity was evidenced in composite membranes with 0.5 to 1 wt % particle loadings. This beneficial effect was particularly noticeable in membranes manufactured from highly crystalline PVDF homopolymers (7 to 14% increase). We propose that the surface of zirconium particles act to provide proton conducting pathways between PE regions that otherwise would become blocked due to PVDF crystallization. In addition to conductivity, composite membranes exhibited enhancement of tensile properties at identical particle loadings, especially in membranes containing more flexible PVDF:HFP copolymers, where a reinforcing stiffening effect was evident (19 to 22% elastic modulus increment). © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Lead magnesium niobate‐filled silicone dielectric elastomer with large actuated strain
Authors: Yang Dan , Zhang Liqun , Liu Haoliang , Dong Yingchao , Yu Yingchun , Tian Ming
Published: January 2012

A silicone dielectric elastomer filled with lead magnesium niobate with a maximum actuated strain of 7.4% at 45 kV/mm was fabricated by optimizing the amount of dielectric filler, amount of plasticizing agent, and crosslink density of the elastomer. The actuated strain of dielectric elastomers (DEs) is determined by both the dielectric constant and the elastic modulus. Although the dielectric constant of the silicone elastomer increased with increasing loading amount of lead magnesium niobate, actuated strain did not increase as expected because the elastic modulus increased at the same time. The elastic modulus of silicone dielectric elastomer was decreased by reducing the crosslink density or adding plasticizing agent, leading to a visible increase in actuated strain. It was also revealed that actuated strain of silicone dielectric elastomer always goes up with increasing ratio of dielectric constant to elastic modulus. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
The Most Common Mutation of KRT9, c.C487T (p.R163W), in Epidermolytic Palmoplantar Keratoderma in Two Large Chinese Pedigrees
Authors: Liu Wen‐Ting , Ke Hai‐Ping , Zhao Yan , Chen Xiao‐Ling , Lu Jia‐Jun , Du Zheng‐Fang , Yu Dan , Zhang Xian‐Ning
Published: January 2012

Epidermolytic palmoplantar keratoderma (EPPK) is generally associated with dominant‐negative mutations of the Keratin 9 gene (KRT9), and rarely with the Keratin 1 gene (KRT1). To date, a myriad of mutations has been reported with a high frequency of codon 163 mutations within the first exon of KRT9 in different populations. Notably, a distinct phenotypic heterogeneity, digital mutilation, was found recently in a 58‐year‐old female Japanese EPPK patient with p.R163W. Here, we report the most common mutation, c.C487T (p.R163W) of KRT9, in two large EPPK pedigrees from southeast China. The arginine residue in peptide position 163 remains almost constant in at least 47 intermediate filament proteins ranging from snail to human. A substitution in arginine alters both the charge and shape of the 1A rod domain and disrupts the function of the helix initiation motif of keratins, finally compromising the integrity of filaments and weakening their stability in the epidermis of palms and soles. We summarize the clinical symptoms of EPPK in Chinese and show that knuckle pads are associated with KRT9 mutations. We suggest that the frequency of p.R163W in Chinese EPPK patients (31.03%) is consistent with that in the general population (29.33%), and that codon 163 is truly a hotspot mutational site of KRT9. Anat Rec, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Handedness Inversion of Chiral Amphiphilic Molecular Assemblies Evidenced by Supramolecular Chiral Imprinting in Mesoporous Silica Assemblies
Authors: Xie Junjie , Qiu Huibin , Che Shunai
Published: January 2012

Antipodal twisted helical ribbons with lamellar bilayer structure were obtained by self‐assembly of chiral amphiphilic molecules in water and water/ethanol. The handedness inversion of the molecular arrangement in these antipodal helical ribbons was investigated by using chiroptical spectroscopy and molecular probes in their antipodal mesoporous silica assemblies synthesized through pairing interaction between the head group of the chiral amphiphilic molecules and a co‐structure‐directing agent. The supramolecular chirality is imprinted in the pore surface through the organic group of the co‐structure‐directing agent. The mirror‐image diffuse‐reflectance circular dichroism spectra of the conjugated discotic probing molecule introduced into their supramolecular chiral imprinted mesoporous silica demonstrated the origin of inverse chirality from the antipodal helical stacking of the molecules.
Inline‐Measurement of Mean Droplet Diameter and Droplet Concentration of Process Sprays
Authors: Dannigkeit Florian , Steinke Lars , Ripperger Siegfried
Published: January 2012

Zur Inline‐Kontrolle von Sprühtrocknungsprozessen wird ein Sensor auf Basis der statistischen Extinktionsmethode entwickelt, der eine mittlere Tropfengröße und die Volumenkonzentration der Tropfen bestimmt. Da hierzu nur ein Laserstrahl den Spray durchleuchten muss, kann der Sensor lanzenförmig realisiert werden. Ein Spülgasvolumenstrom durch die den Laserstrahl umgebenden Hüllrohre verhindert eine Verschmutzung der optischen Komponenten des Sensors.
Does Nebivolol Prevent Contrast‐Induced Nephropathy in Humans?
Authors: Günebakmaz Özgür , Kaya Mehmet G. , Koc Fatih , Akpek Mahmut , Kasapkara Ahmet , Inanc M. Tugrul , Yarlioglues Mikail , Calapkorur Bekir , Karadag Zakir , Oguzhan Abdurrahman
Published: January 2012

Background:

An experimental study showed that nebivolol is an effective agent in contrast‐induced nephropathy (CIN) prophylaxis.

Hypothesis:

We hypothesized that prophylactic nebivolol use had protective effects on renal function in human beings subjected to iodinated contrast agent since it has vasodilatory effect and antioxidant properties.

Methods:

The present study enrolled 120 patients scheduled for coronary angiography and ventriculography. All patients were hydrated with intravenous isotonic saline. The patients in group I received 600 mg N‐acetylcysteine every 12 hours for 4 days. The patients in group II received 5 mg nebivolol every 24 hours for 4 days. The patients in group III were only hydrated. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of CIN. The secondary endpoint was the change in serum creatinine (Cr) levels at 2 days and 5 days after the contrast exposure.

Results:

Nine (22.5%) patients in group I developed CIN, as did 8 patients (20.0%) in group II and 11 patients (27.5%) in group III (P = 0.72). Changes in mean Cr level from baseline to day 2 were not statistically significant in all groups. However, we detected a statistically significant increase in mean Cr levels at day 5 compared with baseline levels in group I and group III (from 1.42 ± 0.13 to 1.52 ± 0.26, p2 = 0.02; and from 1.43 ± 0.14 to 1.55 ± 0.30, p2 = 0.01, respectively). Although an increase was detected in mean Cr level from baseline to the 5‐day Cr level in group II, this did not reach statistical significance (from 1.40 ± 0.12 to 1.48 ± 0.23, P = 0.06).

Conclusions:

Pretreatment with nebivolol is protective against nephrotoxic effects of contrast media. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The authors have no funding, financial relationships, or conflicts of interest to disclose.
Thromboembolic Events During the Perioperative Period in Patients Undergoing Permanent Pacemaker Implantation
Authors: Chen Songwen , Liu Jing , Pan Wenzhi , Liu Shaowen , Su Yangang , Bai Jin , Wang Wei , Ge Junbo
Published: January 2012

Background:

Thromboembolism (TE) is one of the most serious complications after pacemaker implantation. It has been demonstrated that several patient characteristics and different pacing modes are related to an increased risk of TE events during long‐term follow‐up.

Hypothesis:

We propose that TE events occurring during the perioperative period of pacemaker implantation may be associated with certain clinical characteristics.

Methods:

The potential risk factors of TE events were analyzed in 406 consecutive patients who underwent pacemaker implantation.

Results:

We identified TE events in 11 patients (2.7%) within 7 days after pacemaker implantation. Four of the 11 (36.4%) patients died of complications of TE. Univariate analysis revealed that an age of >75 years (4.56 odds ratio [OR], P = 0.031), hypertension (3.59 OR, P = 0.028), diabetes (8.89 OR, P < 0.001), coronary heart disease (4.8 OR, P = 0.005), atrial fibrillation (AF) (5.68 OR, P = 0.006), persistent AF (10.36 OR, P < 0.001), and a history of stroke or transient ischemic attack (5.62 OR, P = 0.002) were associated with an increased risk of TE events. Multivariate logistic analysis showed that persistent AF (9.8 OR, P < 0.001) was independently associated with TE. The incidence of perioperative TE was not significantly different between patients with single‐ and dual‐chamber pacemakers.

Conclusions:

We found TE events during the perioperative period in patients undergoing pacemaker implantation were not uncommon. Because persistent AF during the perioperative period was the only independent risk factor for perioperative TE, appropriate anticoagulation therapy may be necessary in those patients. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

J. Liu, MD, is co‐first author. The authors have no funding, financial relationships, or conflicts of interest to disclose.
Computer simulation and mathematical models of the noncentrosomal plant cortical microtubule cytoskeleton
Authors: Eren Ezgi Can , Gautam Natarajan , Dixit Ram
Published: January 2012

There is rising interest in modeling the noncentrosomal cortical microtubule cytoskeleton of plant cells, particularly its organization into ordered arrays and the mechanisms that facilitate this organization. In this review, we discuss quantitative models of this highly complex and dynamic structure both at a cellular and molecular level. We report differences in methodologies and assumptions of different models as well as their controversial results. Our review provides insights for future studies to resolve these controversies, in addition to underlining the common results between various models. We also highlight the need to compare the results from simulation and mathematical models with quantitative data from biological experiments in order to test the validity of the models and to further improve them. It is our hope that this review will serve to provide guidelines for how to combine quantitative and experimental techniques to develop higher‐level models of the plant cytoskeleton in the future. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc
Cytotoxic Salan–Titanium(IV) Complexes: High Activity Toward a Range of Sensitive and Drug‐Resistant Cell Lines, and Mechanistic Insights
Authors: Manna Cesar M. , Braitbard Ori , Weiss Esther , Hochman Jacob , Tshuva Edit Y.
Published: January 2012

The cytotoxicities of highly efficient salan–TiIV complexes toward a range of cell lines, including drug‐resistant cells, are reported along with preliminary mechanistic insights. Five salan–TiIV complexes were investigated toward eight different human and murine cancer‐derived cell lines, including colon, ovarian, lung, cervical, pancreatic, leukemic, skin, and breast. The salan complexes are more active toward the cells analyzed than cisplatin and the known titanium compound (bzac)2Ti(OiPr)2, and no cell line resistant to the salan complexes was identified. Moreover, the salan–TiIV complexes are highly active toward both cisplatin‐sensitive (A2780) and cisplatin‐resistant (A2780CisR) human ovarian cancer cell lines. Similarly, the salan complexes are cytotoxic toward multi‐drug‐resistant (ABCB1‐expressing) mouse lymphoma cell lines HU‐1 and HU‐2. Importantly, minimal or no activity was observed toward primary murine cells (bone marrow, heart, liver, kidney, spleen, and lung), supporting selectivity for cancer cells. Additionally, the salan complexes maintain high cytotoxicity for up to 24 h following exposure to cell culture medium, whereas reference complexes (bzac)2Ti(OiPr)2 and Cp2TiCl2 rapidly lose much of their activity upon exposure to medium, within ∼1 h. The upregulation of p53 followed by cell‐cycle arrest in G1 phase is likely one mechanism of action of the salan complexes. Taken together, the results indicate that these compounds are selectively toxic to cancer cells and are able to circumvent two independent mechanisms of drug resistance, thus expanding the scope of their potential medicinal utility.
TSLP: From allergy to vaccine adjuvant
Authors: Soumelis Vassili
Published: January 2012

The field of vaccine adjuvants has been an area of active research and development because of the need to improve the generation of protective immunity to a large number of pathogens, as well as in diseases such as cancer. Adjuvants can also help induce stronger immune responses with fewer injections, and consequently improve both the feasibility and success rate of large‐scale population vaccine campaigns in developing countries. A current challenge is to identify vaccine adjuvants of various classes (cytokines, toll‐like receptor ligands, etc.) with specific immune‐modulating properties in order to tailor the immune response to certain pathological situations. In this issue, Van Roey et al. [Eur. J. Immunol. 2012. 42: 353–363] explore one of these challenges, namely to identify novel mucosal adjuvants. Van Roey et al. show that the pro‐allergic cytokine thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) promotes a strong B‐cell response with production of secretory IgA at mucosal sites. Here, we discuss the importance and limits of these findings within the broader field of vaccine adjuvants, and the potential development of TSLP as a mucosal and B‐cell adjuvant in humans.
How anxious and avoidant attachment affect romantic relationship quality differently: A meta‐analytic review
Authors: Li Tianyuan , Chan Darius K‐S.
Published: January 2012

Adult attachment has been studied as an important predictor of romantic relationship quality in many empirical studies. This meta‐analysis quantitatively summarized the associations between the two insecure adult attachment dimensions, anxiety and avoidance, and cognitive, emotional, and behavioral indicators of romantic relationship quality based on 73 previous studies with 118 independent samples of 21 602 individuals. More importantly, we examined the different effects of anxiety and avoidance on relationship quality. We also tested the potential moderating effects of gender on the strength of these associations. Meta‐analytic results confirmed that both anxiety and avoidance were detrimental to the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral aspects of relationship quality. Compared with anxiety, avoidance was more negatively associated with general satisfaction, connectedness, and general support in relationships. In contrast, anxiety was more positively associated with general conflict in relationships. The moderating effect of gender was weak. However, supplementary analyses found that the type of couple interaction measures (self‐report versus observation) significantly moderated the relations between insecure attachments and the behavioral indicators of relationship quality. Our results integrate and extend previous findings about the dynamics of adult attachment and romantic relationship quality. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Efficiencies and emissions of a 192 kWel Otto engine CHP‐unit running on biogas at the research station “Unterer Lindenhof”
Authors: Thomas Bernd , Wyndorps Agnes
Published: January 2012

An Otto engine CHP‐unit running on biogas has been under investigation for more than two years. Within this time data regarding temperatures, energy flows, biogas composition, emissions etc. were collected, and this paper presents some of the results. In detail, electric and thermal output are discussed for one full year. From these data the monthly electric availability of the unit can be calculated, which ranges from 84.0 to 96.4%. In addition, the utilization of the heat produced by the CHP‐unit during one year is displayed. It was found that 18.2% of the heat was needed for heating purposes within the biogas plant, and 64.5% of the heat could be supplied to the district heating system. Hence, 17.3% of the useful heat had to be released to the ambient air by an additional cooler. Regarding emissions, a strong impact of the excess air ratio on emissions of NOX has been observed. Moreover, the effect on electric efficiency is outlined in this paper. As known from theory, the experimental results revealed that an increase in the excess air ratio helps to lower NOX‐emissions, while electric efficiency is reduced by this means.
Lentiviral vector followed by protein immunisation breaks tolerance against the self‐antigen Her1 and results in lung cancer immunotherapy
Authors: Alpizar Yeranddy Aguiar , Karwacz Katarzyna , Arce Frederick , Rivera Arianna Yglesias , Fernández Luis Enrique , Collins Mary K. , Ramírez Belinda Sánchez
Published: January 2012

Background

Lung cancer remains a leading cause of cancer mortality, and so the aim of the present study was to develop a therapeutic vaccine protocol.

Methods

We constructed a lentiviral vector (LV) expressing the extracellular domain (ECD) of murine Her1, an antigen associated with poor prognosis in lung cancer.

Results

A single LV injection, followed by two Her1 protein boosts, was effective in reducing the metastatic burden of Lewis lung carcinoma in mice. The Her1 LV immunisation generated CD8+ T cells that recognised Her1 ECD presented by dendritic cells, and that also homed to Her1‐expressing tumours. Protein boosting further increased the CD8+ T cell response and generated anti‐Her1 antibodies; in the antibody response, Her1 LV priming increased Th1‐dependent immunoglobulin G2c production.

Conclusions

The ability of this vaccine protocol to break both T cell and B cell tolerance to a self‐antigen likely explains its effectiveness. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Lower limb lymphedema treated with lymphatico‐venous anastomosis based on pre‐ and intraoperative icg lymphography and non‐contact vein visualization: A case report
Authors: Mihara Makoto , Hara Hisako , Narushima Mitsunaga , Hayashi Yohei , Yamamoto Takumi , Oshima Azusa , Kikuchi Kazuki , Murai Noriyuki , Koshima Isao
Published: January 2012

Lymphatico‐venous anastomosis (LVA) is used to resolve lymph retention in lymphedema. However, the postoperative outcome of lower limb lymphedema is poorer than that for upper limb lymphedema, because of the location lower than the heart level. Improvement of the therapeutic outcome requires application of as many anastomoses as possible in a limited operation time, particularly since there is a positive correlation between the number of anastomoses and the therapeutic effect of LVA. In this case, we described a method to increase the efficiency of lymphatico‐venous anastomosis for bilateral severe lower limb lymphedema through efficient identification of lymph vessels and veins suitable for anastomosis using indocyanine green (ICG) contrast imaging and AccuVein, a noncontact vein visualization system, respectively. Ten LVAs were succeeded at seven incisions, and the operation time was 3 hours and 5 minutes. Accuvein can be used for identification of subcutaneous venules with a diameter of about 0.5–1.0 mm. We used this approach in surgery for a case of bilateral lower limb lymphedema, with a resultant improvement in the surgical outcome. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsurgery, 2012.
Rho‐inhibition by local application of c3‐toxin for enhancement of axonal sprouting in a rat end‐to‐side nerve repair model
Authors: Penna V. , Bjoern Stark G. , Leibig N. , Boyle V. , Sakalidou M.
Published: January 2012

Introduction: The aim of the presented study was to investigate nerve regeneration after application of C3‐Toxin, a Rho‐GTPase inhibitor and to correlate morphometry, neurophysiology, and function in an end‐to‐side peroneal/tibial nerve repair model of the rat. Materials and methods: Twenty rats with a peroneal to tibial end‐to‐side neurorrhaphy were divided into two groups: 1) control group, 2) C3 fusion toxin group with intrafascicular application of 1 μg/100 μl C3 fusion toxin. Survival time was 8 weeks. Nerve conduction velocities and motor function were analyzed and histomorphological evaluation consisting of measurement of intraneural collagen level, axon count, total nerve area, myelination index, and N‐ratio followed. Results: Evaluation of motor function and nerve conduction did not show any statistical differences. Histological analysis revealed higher axon count, thicker myelin sheaths, and higher myelination index in the C3 fusion toxin group (P < 0.001). Comparison of N‐ratio and intraneural collagen level were without statistical significance. Conclusion: The current study shows that application of C3 fusion toxin leads to higher myelination and increases axonal sprouting. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsurgery, 2012.
A reusable perforator‐preserving gluteal artery‐based rotation fasciocutaneous flap for pressure sore reconstruction
Authors: Lin Pao‐Yuan , Kuo Yur‐Ren , Tsai Yun‐Ta
Published: January 2012

Background: Perforator‐based fasciocutaneous flaps for reconstructing pressure sores can achieve good functional results with acceptable donor site complications in the short‐term. Recurrence is a difficult issue and a major concern in plastic surgery. In this study, we introduce a reusable perforator‐preserving gluteal artery‐based rotation flap for reconstruction of pressure sores, which can be also elevated from the same incision to accommodate pressure sore recurrence. Methods: The study included 23 men and 13 women with a mean age of 59.3 (range 24–89) years. There were 24 sacral ulcers, 11 ischial ulcers, and one trochanteric ulcer. The defects ranged in size from 4 × 3 to 12 × 10 cm2. Thirty‐six consecutive pressure sore patients underwent gluteal artery‐based rotation flap reconstruction. An inferior gluteal artery‐based rotation fasciocutaneous flap was raised, and the superior gluteal artery perforator was preserved in sacral sores; alternatively, a superior gluteal artery‐based rotation fasciocutaneous flap was elevated, and the inferior gluteal artery perforator was identified and dissected in ischial ulcers. Results: The mean follow‐up was 20.8 (range 0–30) months in this study. Complications included four cases of tip necrosis, three wound dehiscences, two recurrences reusing the same flap for pressure sore reconstruction, one seroma, and one patient who died on the fourth postoperative day. The complication rate was 20.8% for sacral ulcers, 54.5% for ischial wounds, and none for trochanteric ulcer. After secondary repair and reconstruction of the compromised wounds, all of the wounds healed uneventfully. Conclusions: The perforator‐preserving gluteal artery‐based rotation fasciocutaneous flap is a reliable, reusable flap that provides rich vascularity facilitating wound healing and accommodating the difficulties of pressure sore reconstruction. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsurgery, 2012.
Subcutaneous placement of a free jejunum and pedicled colon segment to create a diversionary conduit for total esophageal reconstruction
Authors: Özkan Ömer , Özkan Özlenen , Bektas Gamze , Cinpolat Ani , Erdogan Okan , Sanli Suat , Yilmaz Murat
Published: January 2012

In this report, we describe a case of difficult esophageal reconstruction with a pedicled colon segment interposition and a free jejunal flap. Laryngectomy and bilateral neck dissection for larynx carcinoma had been attempted in a 59‐year‐old patient 6 years previously. The patient then received radiotherapy. One year later, large resection was performed due to recurrence of the tumor. Since then the patient had been fed through a gastrostomy tube. Previous attempts at esophageal reconstruction in other institutions were unsuccessful. We reconstructed the total esophagus with subcutaneously tunneled pedicled colon segment interposition and a free jejunal flap using the diversionary loop technique to divert the passage of the foot from the pharynx to the new inlet at the buccogingival sulcus, thus keeping the native esophagus untouched. Following a postoperative training period, the patient learned to swallow successfully and smoothly via the new inlet. The patency of the newly reconstructed esophagus was corroborated by radiological imaging. In summary, although the technique requires complex surgical procedures, it is effective and may be considered as an alternative and reliable option in selected cases. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsurgery, 2012.
A planar circular disc monopole antenna with improved bandwidth
Authors: Sun Xu‐Bao , Cao Mao‐Yong , Guo Yin‐Jing , Hao Jian‐Jun
Published: January 2012

A planar circular disc monopole antenna with a broad bandwidth is presented, which is composed of a circular disc monopole patch and a rectangular ground plane, both printed on the two sides of a substrate respectively, and fed by a trapeziform microstrip feed line.The antenna has a wide bandwidth ranging from 1.89 to 19.26 GHz for return loss < −10 dB, and exhibits a nearly omnidirectional radiation pattern. In this article, details of the proposed antenna design approach and measured results are presented and discussed. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54:593–595, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.26595
Reconfigurable microstrip patch antenna for WLAN software defined radio applications
Authors: Tekin Ibrahim , Knox Michael
Published: January 2012

A reconfigurable microstrip patch antenna with radiofrequency (RF) pin diode switches is implemented for dual band of 2.4 and 5.6 GHz WLAN software defined radio (SDR) applications.For the dual band SDR system, the use of a single antenna with a wide bandwidth to cover both of the bands can be limiting for low power level signal applications due to wideband noise as well as changing radiation pattern at different frequencies. A reconfigurable nested microstrip patch antenna is designed on a Rogers 5880 RT/DUROID substrate which is fed by a coaxial probe from the back side of the grounded substrate. RF switching circuitry involves four RF pin diodes at each side of the inner patch. The dual bands of 2.4 and 5.6 GHz frequency operation can be simply obtained by switching the PIN diodes on and off. The antenna is well matched and achieves ∼7 dBi gain at both frequency bands. Simulation and measurement results show that the nested patch antenna is suitable for dual band WLAN SDR applications. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54:644–649, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.26602
Performance enhancement for a broadband spiral antenna using a frequency‐selective surface and added backing cavity
Authors: Chiu Cheng‐Nan , Tseng Chien‐Cheng
Published: January 2012

This article newly proposes to embed a frequency‐selective surface (FSS) in a backing cavity to reduce the back‐lobe level and depolarization deficiency of a broadband spiral antenna.For demonstration, a single‐arm rectangular spiral antenna backed by an FSS‐added cavity was created and studied. The cavity‐backed antenna has an enhanced main beam and an extremely low back lobe, in contrast with the original spiral antenna without cavity. In addition, the antenna backed by the FSS‐added cavity shows better performance, especially in the depolarization reduction and main‐beam enhancement, compared with the spiral antenna backed only by the cavity having no FSS. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54:715–718, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.26613
Directivity enhancement of fabry‐perot antenna by using a stepped‐dielectric slab superstrate
Authors: Li Yanfei , Mittra Raj , Zeng Binghao , Lu Guizhen , Li Zengrui , Liu Jianbo , Chen Cheng‐Wei , Chang Dau‐Chyrh
Published: January 2012

A Fabry‐Perot resonator excited by a microstrip patch antenna that has a superstrate with a stepped dielectric constant is designed to operate at 5.8 GHz. The antenna is fabricated and is shown to provide enhanced directivity over that achievable using uniform dielectric slabs, with either εr = 4.4 or εr = 10.2 as superstrates. The measured maximum gain of the patch antenna with a step‐index dielectric constant superstrate with a dimension of 2λ0 × 2λ0 was found to be 13.44 dBi, whereas the corresponding values for the uniform dielectric superstrate are 11.25 (εr = 4.4) and 12.44 dBi (εr = 10.2). As shown in this article, the aperture efficiency of the step‐index dielectric is also higher than those of the other two. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54:711–715, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.26614
Extension of the maliuzhinets solution for the resistive half‐plane
Authors: Umul Yusuf Ziya
Published: January 2012

The solution, put forward by Maliuzhinets for the impedance half‐plane, is extended for the diffraction problem of plane waves by a resistive half‐plane. With this aim, the Wiener‐Hopf solution of the same problem is taken into account. The resultant diffracted field expression is compared with the Wiener‐Hopf solution of the problem numerically. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54:777–780, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.26626
Optimal placement of mobile antenna in an urban area using evolutionary multiobjective optimization
Authors: Narayanan Lakshminarasimman , Subramanian Baskar , Arokiaswami Alphones , Iruthayarajan M. Willjuice
Published: January 2012

The optimized placements of mobile antennas (MA) in an existing high traffic urban area are identified using evolutionary multiobjective optimization algorithms (EMOA). The design parameters such as (x, y) coordinates, transmitting power, height, and tilt are considered. The objectives are coverage and cost where as the inequality constraints are handover, traffic demand, and overlap. Modified NSGA‐II (MNSGA‐II) is preferred to improve the non dominated solutions. A detailed study is performed about physical and geometrical structure of propagation environment. Four different case studies are performed. The simulation results reveal that Hata–Okumura path loss model is more suited. MNSGA‐II is able to determine optimal MA parameters for multiobjective case studies. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54:737–743, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.26627
1‐D uniform and chirped electromagnetic bandgap structures in substrate integrated waveguides at 60 GHz
Authors: Schwartz J. D. , Zhuge Q. , Azaña J. , Plant D.V.
Published: January 2012

This article presents the demonstration of 1‐D uniform and chirped electromagnetic bandgap structures in substrate integrated waveguides operating at 60 GHz achieved through modulation of the waveguide sidewalls. Numerical and experimental measurements are presented and discussed. In the chirped case, a structure having a dispersive group delay slope of approximately 0.15 ns/GHz over an operating bandwidth of 5 GHz is achieved, although some group delay ripple appears in measurement which affects the realized linearity of the device. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54:735–737, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.26628
Direct extraction technique of π‐topology small‐signal equivalent circuit model for Si/SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistor
Authors: Taher H.
Published: January 2012

A developed direct extraction technique of small‐signal π‐topology Small signal equivalent circuit model for Si/SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistor is presented.The intrinsic model parameters are analytically extracted. The extraction procedure is performed using new set of exact equations that do not need numerical fitting, special polarization of the device or any kind of post processing. Flat frequency response of the extracted parameters is obtained. Excellent agreement is noticed between S‐parameters measurements and its simulated counterpart using the extracted model in the frequency range from 40 MHz to 20 GHz at different bias conditions. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54:584–589, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.26635
A study on isolation enhancement of MIMO antenna using differential ground path
Authors: Lee Won‐Jong , Yoon Cheol , Kim Sang‐Uk , Park Hyo‐Dal
Published: January 2012

This article presents the characteristics of the enhanced isolation antenna realized for EGSM/DCS systems.The proposed antenna consists of the two radiation planar inverted F antennas are orthogonally arranged. The operating frequency of the two radiators is designed to be equal and enhanced isolation of −18 ∼ −21 dB is achieved. A high isolation is obtained by adding additional ground path of the antenna. The multiple‐input multiple‐output structure gives high gain and low correlation (< 0.2). Details of the proposed antenna are described and experimental results of constructed prototype also are presented. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54:802–805, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.26637
Effects of the biasing voltage of modulator on the phase noise of opto‐electronic oscillator
Authors: Hong Jun , Yang Chun
Published: January 2012

Low biasing technique has been used recently to reduce the relative intensity noise of the microwave optical fiber links.In this article, the possibility of reducing the phase noise of opto‐electronic oscillator (OEO) by using low‐biased optical fiber link is verified. Theoretical and experimental results show that the single sideband (SSB) phase noise of OEO can be reduced at the maximum by 2.8 dB in low‐biased microwave optical fiber links when compared with conventional quadrature‐biased links. The optimal biasing angle corresponding to the minimum SSB phase noise increases with the intensity of the optical power into modulator. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54:689–692, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.26642
Silicon electrooptic ring modulator fabricated by a standard complementary metal oxide semiconductor process
Authors: Kim Woo‐Ju , Lee Hak‐Soon , Kim Gun‐Duk , Lee Sang‐Shin , Lee Wan‐Gyu
Published: January 2012

An electrooptic (EO) modulator incorporating silicon ring resonators has been proposed and demonstrated using a standard complementary metal oxide semiconductor silicon‐on‐insulator technology.It consists of a bus‐coupled ring resonator integrated with a p–i–n junction, involving a grating coupler attached to either end of the bus for light coupling. The EO modulation is accomplished by shifting the band‐stop resonance of the ring via the plasma dispersion effect, which is triggered via the p–i–n junction. The fabricated device was characterized in terms of its guided mode, spectral response, and EO modulation. The resonator functioned as a periodic band‐stop filter with a Q factor of ∼25,700 at ∼1544 nm; its resonance was displaced with a rate of 0.3 pm/μA. Thus, we have achieved an affordable modulation of more than 10‐dB extinction for an applied current of 85 μA. Finally, a high‐speed digital signal beyond 300 Mbps was successfully transmitted through the device to attain a decent eye pattern. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54:789–794, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.26650
Investigation of the arbitrary waveform semiconductor laser as seed light source for high energy laser
Authors: Wang Hongyun , Da Zhengshang , Liu Baiyu , Liu Hui
Published: January 2012

A pulse semiconductor laser modulated by arbitrary shaping electrical waveform is produced and the generated optical pulse can be taken as the seed resource for high‐power laser facilities.Based on ultrawide band microwave device and microstrip line transmission delay application, an all‐solid‐state circuit for generating arbitrary modulation pulse to modulate the semiconductor laser is fabricated. For improving the semiconductor laser power, the output laser pulse is sent into erbium‐doped fiber master oscillator power amplifier architecture for amplification. In the experiment, the output laser pulse can be arbitrarily adjusted at 1547.9 nm center wavelength, less than 10 ns duration, lower than 100 kHz repetition rate, and 330 ps time domain adjustment. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54:751–755, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.26652
Improved dual band FSS performance with fractal elements
Authors: Wu T. K.
Published: January 2012

A lightweight and single layer frequency selective surface (FSS) with fractal elements are demonstrated to exhibit significantly improved resonant frequency stability characteristics with varying incident angles and polarizations. It is superior to the other FSS elements in the future applications of multiband space communication and advanced radar antenna systems. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54:833–835, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.26659
High selectivity quadruple‐mode broadband bandpass filter with source‐load coupling
Authors: Zhou Liang , Liu Shao‐bin , Guo Ya‐nan , Kong Xiang‐kun , Zhang Hai‐feng
Published: January 2012

In this letter, a high selectivity quadruple‐mode broadband bandpass filter with source‐load coupling is proposed using two different sizes short stub loaded stepped‐impedance resonators (SIRs). Two SIRs can generate four operating modes, which can be approximately adjusted individually. Owing to the special designs of the filter, the coupling of two resonators is weak. In each resonator, the even‐mode frequency can be flexibly controlled by changing the length of the short stub in central plane, whereas the odd‐mode one remains stationary. Because of the source‐load coupling, two transmission zeros are close to the cut‐off frequencies of the passband, which leads to high selectivity. Simulated results show that central frequency is 2.27 GHz with 3‐dB fractional bandwidth of 22.9%. The measured and simulated results are well complied with each other. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54:617–620, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.26668
Aperture stacked microstrip equal/unequal power divider
Authors: Mitu S. S. I. , Taiwo S.L. , Sharawi M.
Published: January 2012

An aperture stacked in‐phase power divider is designed, where unequal 7:1 power division can be achieved without any difficulty in microstrip realization. The simulated and experimental results of equal and unequal power split are presented to demonstrate low insertion loss, high isolation between the output ports and large impedance bandwidth. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54:784–785, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.26669
An approach to temperature‐insensitive band gap – The InGaGdN case
Authors: Emura Shuichi , Mohd‐Tawil Siti‐Nooraya , Krishnamurthy Daivasigamani , Asahi Hajime
Published: January 2012

Quaternary alloys InGaGdN with In content of 23% and 14% (Gd ≈ 1% in both) are successfully grown with a sufficient quality to investigate the temperature behavior of photoluminescence (PL). A temperature‐independent peak position is found for the sample with In content of 23%, while the sample with In content of 14% shows a weak temperature dependence. A theoretical model to explain the temperature dependence of the band gap of semiconductors is developed, where the inter‐band mixing and the inner stress caused by the difference of the thermal expansion among the component alloys are taken into account.
Transvaginal ultrasound predicts delayed response to chemotherapy and drug resistance in Stage I low‐risk trophoblastic neoplasia
Authors: Cavoretto P. , Gentile C. , MangilI G. , Garavaglia E. , Valsecchi L. , Spagnolo D. , MONTOLI S. , Candiani M.
Published: January 2012

Objectives

Methotrexate (MTX) resistance is defined on the basis of the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) curve. The aim of this study was to identify low‐risk non‐metastatic patients with gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) who can achieve resolution by continuing MTX treatment despite a transient hCG plateau.

Methods

Before starting chemotherapy, 24 patients with FIGO Stage I GTN underwent transvaginal ultrasonography with power Doppler in order to identify myometrial lesions (areas of increased echogenicity and increased power Doppler signal). Ultrasound response to chemotherapy was defined when myometrial lesions decreased in echogenicity, Doppler signal or size. When ultrasound response occurred, despite chemoresistance defined by hCG values, MTX treatment was continued.

Results

MTX was continued in three out of seven chemoresistant patients because ultrasound suggested response to MTX. All three of these patients achieved a complete response, thus nearly halving the MTX‐resistance rate.

Conclusion

Among patients who are candidates for second‐line treatment on the basis of hCG, ultrasound may identify those in whom further MTX administration can induce a delayed complete response. Copyright © 2012 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.