bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design challenges in multi‐channel digital markets
Authors: Bayler Michael , Stoughton David
Published: September 2010

Designers take note! PCs and traditional Internet sites are becoming an ever‐smaller part of the digital communications picture. Growing—especially in non‐US markets—are all manner of alternative online appliances. In this environment—where screen size, customer expectations, and time constraints are very different from that found in PC formats—Michael Bayler and David Stoughton present an array of design and brand‐building opportunities.
What we've learned so far: Research insights into Web design
Authors: Young Scott
Published: September 2010

The universal goal is to create Internet sites that are accessible and useful. To this end, Scott Young shares his list of research‐based insights on such topics as designing an effective home page, understanding what attracts visitors to a site, enticing visitors to stay longer, developing easier ways to find information, and promoting visitor registration.
Building a better birdcage, and other tales
Authors: Walter Glen
Published: September 2010

This is a tale about innovation here on earth, about ordinary people, and about the things we use everyday. With the collaboration of a few very talented people and a willingness to “keep it loose, creative, and chaotic long enough to let the sparks fly,” Glen Walter transforms the things we take for granted—birdcages, leashes, and litter boxes, for instance—into the things we value. And he just keeps on doing it. Read on to find out how.
Using research to foster and predict successful innovation: The Resolve office system
Authors: Deasy Dorothy , Flannery Peter , Rhea Darrel
Published: September 2010

This was to be a very different kind of office system—facilitating technology and information display, mobility and critical thinking, control and comfort. The question was how to exploit traditional research to generate revolutionary design. Dorothy Deasy, Peter Flannery, and Darrel Rhea describe the odyssey of how it all happened, and why they interpreted skepticism as a sign that things were moving in the right direction.
The role of consumer research in the brand design process
Authors: Recker John , Kathman Jerry
Published: September 2010

The graphic expression of brand can strengthen recognition and the value consumers place on products. John Recker and Jerry Kathman explain how carefully structured qualitative research can be used to improve the impact of brand graphics. Their work with Hallmark, IBM, and Pampers provides a profile of their techniques, the designs they inspire, and the marketplace outcomes that follow their efforts.
The Cat Rental Store: Leveraging the global recognition of the Cat brand
Authors: Briggs Bonnie , Dorjath Jill
Published: September 2010

When a global company moves into a new business, questions about brand should be a priority. Should the new operation share or break away from the existing brand? How should the brand be implemented in different international locations? What is the best way to work with dealers to adopt the brand strategy? Offering answers and insights, Bonnie Briggs and Jill Dorjath assess Caterpillar's experience related to these and other dilemmas.
Designing automobiles for global value: Ten market trends
Authors: Lockwood Tom
Published: September 2010

Identifying pathways essential to remaining competitive in the automobile industry, Tom Lockwood discusses cross‐disciplinary design teams, fast and precise communication among divisions and with suppliers, consolidation and the sharing of platforms and technology, and designing with virtual rather than time‐consuming clay models. Lockwood notes, however, that all is for naught without distinctive branding and evocative styling.
Branding in the last of the unsaturated markets
Authors: Malhotra Sanjeev , Mangrulkar Seema
Published: September 2010

All agree: In the decades ahead, the number of consumers will grow most dramatically in countries such as India and China. In these markets, however, building brand awareness and brand loyalty requires very different strategies from those used in the West. Working with many international clients, Sanjeev Malhotra and Seema Mangrulkar have put together a list of “do's” and “don'ts” for making the most of these potential opportunities.
“Face of the Brand”: A design methodology with global potential
Authors: Blumenthal Dannielle
Published: September 2010

To cope with the multiplicity of world markets, Dannielle Blumenthal presents a strategy known as “face of the brand.” In this approach, brand is less about a uniform message and logo and more about a distinctive competitive position expressed through a palette of images, colors, shapes, and language that can— without losing its global impact—be designed and adapted to suit the nuances of individual cultures and consumer preferences.
Wise counsel: A trinity of perspectives on the business value of design
Authors: Gierke Martin , Hansen James G. , Turner Raymond
Published: September 2010

Martin Gierke, James G. Hansen, and Raymond Turner are voices of experience, with distinctive backgrounds and insights. On the other hand, three similar themes can be found in the message each offers: design is a thoughtful, rational process; design should be integral to an organization's business strategy; and, in shaping positive perceptions and building customer loyalty, design contributes to the bottom line.
One voice, one force: Identity at the USAF
Authors: Cooke Kenneth R.
Published: September 2010

In 1947, the US Air Force was established as an independent branch of the American armed forces. By 1999, it had more than one million members divided among nine specialized commands, each with its own mission and esprit de corps. Looking to encompass this diversity with a single identity, the USAF engaged Kenneth Cooke and his colleagues and discovered that design—through a new symbol, a new slogan, and new advertising—could help instill unity, organizational pride, and a strong public image.
Lessons from the trenches: Insights from design management seminars
Authors: Phillips Peter L.
Published: September 2010

Reflecting on his career as a design manager and on three years of teaching corporate design management seminars, Peter Phillips articulates four insights he believes build rewarding design‐business partnerships: value design as an asset that leverages corporate strategy; pinpoint the specific contributions of design to business objectives; nurture relationships rather than complete individual projects; and work “with” rather than “for” constituents.
Is your package shelf‐evident?
Authors: Selame Ted , Koukos Penny
Published: September 2010

Remodeling a package brings in new customers. Remodeling a package in the context of a broader branding program lifts sales, enhances consumer awareness, promotes loyalty, and increases the ability to sell related products. Ted Selame and Penny Koukos examine the package design/brand relationship, reinforcing the principles they distill with an array of case studies.
Toward meaningful brand experiences
Authors: Norton David W.
Published: September 2010

Reflecting on the past 20 years, David Norton discovers a fascinating evolution. In the '80s, increased consumption paralleled the focus on brands and branding. We were what we bought. The cost, however, was a decline in cultural wealth. In the '90s, brands became experiences rather than objects. Today, seeking to renew cultural capital, the challenge is to go one step further, to create brand experiences that add value and meaning to life.
Transforming the brand narrative: The global redesign of Pantene Pro‐V
Authors: Kokenge Emily , Grubow Liz
Published: September 2010

As a product, Pantene Pro‐V is a blockbuster—the planet's best‐selling shampoo, with annual sales topping one billion dollars. After a decade of envious growth, however, the line had become dated and somewhat confusing. In this story, Emily Kokenge and Liz Grubow tell how the brand has been revitalized with new graphics, packaging, and advertising based on a strategy that blends local marketing and sales tactics with a compelling global presence.
A tool for managing brand assets
Authors: Bedford Chris
Published: September 2010

A Canadian telecommunications company with 26,000 employees who had come from numerous divisions and corporate acquisitions, TELUS determined that the best way to promote and manage its brand internally was to do it online. With a user‐friendly, content‐rich format and leadership from a team of brand stewards, the heavily used site has not only strengthened and unified the TELUS identity but also saved money.
What's next? A preliminary résumé of the past decade of digitalized communications
Authors: Hesse Christine , Hesse Klaus
Published: September 2010

Peering into the future, Christine and Klaus Hesse see a challenge. Distinctions between supplier and user, medium and media are disappearing. The segmentation of markets is ever growing. The pace in cycles of information and meaning is speeding up, and experience is coming to be more valuable than the word.
Cross‐channel pollination
Authors: Birdsall Connie , Murphy Brendán
Published: September 2010

Intriguingly, Connie Birdsall and Brendán Murphy have discovered that as communications go digital, the outcome has been greater similarity—rather than greater diversity—among media. Addressing this phenomenon, they discuss the evolution of this cross‐channel pollination and outline principles to guide the development of effective communications in this Digital Age.
Design Optimization of Vena Cava Filters: An Application to Dual Filtration Devices
Authors: Singer Michael A. , Wang Stephen L. , Diachin Darin P.
Published: September 2010

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a significant medical problem that results in over 300,000 fatalities per year. A common preventative treatment for PE is the insertion of a metallic filter into the inferior vena cava that traps thrombi before they reach the lungs. The goal of this work is to use methods of mathematical modeling and design optimization to determine the configuration of trapped thrombi that minimizes the hemodynamic disruption. The resulting configuration has implications for constructing an optimally designed vena cava filter. Computational fluid dynamics is coupled with a nonlinear optimization algorithm to determine the optimal configuration of a trapped model thrombus in the inferior vena cava. The location and shape of the thrombus are parametrized, and an objective function, based on wall shear stresses, determines the worthiness of a given configuration. The methods are fully automated and demonstrate the capabilities of a design optimization framework that is broadly applicable. Changes to thrombus location and shape alter the velocity contours and wall shear stress profiles significantly. For vena cava filters that trap two thrombi simultaneously, the undesirable flow dynamics past one thrombus can be mitigated by leveraging the flow past the other thrombus. Streamlining the shape of the thrombus trapped along the cava wall reduces the disruption to the flow but increases the area exposed to low wall shear stress. Computer-based design optimization is a useful tool for developing vena cava filters. Characterizing and parametrizing the design requirements and constraints is essential for constructing devices that address clinical complications. In addition, formulating a well-defined objective function that quantifies clinical risks and benefits is needed for designing devices that are clinically viable.
The Effect of Implantation Orientation of a Bileaflet Mechanical Heart Valve on Kinematics and Hemodynamics in an Anatomic Aorta
Authors: Borazjani Iman , Sotiropoulos Fotis
Published: September 2010

We carry out three-dimensional high-resolution numerical simulations of a bileaflet mechanical heart valve under physiologic pulsatile flow conditions implanted at different orientations in an anatomic aorta obtained from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of a volunteer. We use the extensively validated for heart valve flow curvilinear-immersed boundary (CURVIB) fluid-structure interaction (FSI) solver in which the empty aorta is discretized with a curvilinear, aorta-conforming grid while the valve is handled as an immersed boundary. The motion of the valve leaflets are calculated through a strongly coupled FSI algorithm implemented in conjunction with the Aitken convergence acceleration technique. We perform simulations for three valve orientations, which differ from each other by 45 deg and compare the results in terms of leaflet motion and flow field. We show that the valve implanted symmetrically relative to the symmetry plane of the ascending aorta curvature exhibits the smallest overall asymmetry in the motion of its two leaflets and lowest rebound during closure. Consequently, we hypothesize that this orientation is beneficial to reduce the chance of intermittent regurgitation. Furthermore, we find that the valve orientation does not significantly affect the shear stress distribution in the aortic lumen, which is in agreement with previous studies.
Vacuum-calibration apparatus with pressure down to 10−10 Pa
Authors: Li Detian , Guo Meiru , Cheng Yongjun , Feng Yan , Zhang Dixin
Published: September 2010

The vacuum-calibration apparatus is mainly composed of the extreme high-vacuum (XHV) system, ultrahigh vacuum system, and separated-flow system. The ultimate pressure of 7.9×10−10 Pa was obtained in the XHV calibration chamber by combining the magnetically levitated turbomolecular pump and nonevaporable getter pump (NEGP). The separated-flow method was used to extend the lower limit of vacuum-gauge calibration to 10−10 Pa. The uncertainty at lower limit was reduced when taking inert gases as test gases because NEGP has no pumping speed for inert gases. For this apparatus, the combined standard uncertainties were estimated to range from 1.5% at 10−4 Pa to 3.5% at 10−10 Pa.
Methods for measurement of electron emission yield under low energy electron-irradiation by collector method and Kelvin probe method
Authors: Tondu Thomas , Belhaj Mohamed , Inguimbert Virginie
Published: September 2010

Secondary electron emission yield of gold under electron impact at normal incidence below 50 eV was investigated by the classical collector method and by the Kelvin probe method. The authors show that biasing a collector to ensure secondary electron collection while keeping the target grounded can lead to primary electron beam perturbations. Thus reliable secondary electron emission yield at low primary electron energy cannot be obtained with a biased collector. The authors present two collector-free methods based on current measurement and on electron pulse surface potential buildup (Kelvin probe method). These methods are consistent, but at very low energy, measurements become sensitive to the earth magnetic field (below 10 eV). For gold, the authors can extrapolate total emission yield at 0 eV to 0.5, while a total electron emission yield of 1 is obtained at 40±1 eV.
Signal enhancement strategies for angular profile measurements of gas injected in ultrahigh vacuum
Authors: Isnard Laurent , Arès Richard
Published: September 2010

With current trends in physical chemistry and various ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) based fabrication techniques, such as thin film deposition and epitaxy, there is a growing need to develop a precise and reliable simulation platform to predict the angular distribution of gas molecules injected in vacuum through a nozzle of a given geometry. Such models need to be validated through a systematic experimental study that clearly isolates the contributions of each parameter. For this purpose, a test platform dedicated to the measurement of the molecular beam angular profiles produced by a nozzle in UHV has been designed and built. Its main features are discussed, especially regarding its ability to produce precise and reproducible data. In order to reduce the contribution from the molecules scattered by the chamber walls to the measured flux densities and thus achieve a better signal-to-background ratio, several strategies are considered and evaluated. In particular, an innovative approach based on a direction selection tube is presented with a quantitative evaluation of its effect on the measurements. Finally a rule of thumb is proposed for the choice of the tube’s dimensions allowing a maximum background reduction while keeping the impact on the signal as small as desired.
Relaxation of the electrical properties of vacuum-deposited a-Se1−xAsx photoconductive films: Charge-carrier lifetimes and drift mobilities
Authors: Allen Chris , Belev George , Johanson Robert , Kasap Safa
Published: September 2010

The authors have examined the relaxation of the electrical properties of vacuum-deposited x-ray photoconductor-type a-Se1−xAsx (x=0%–0.5%) films in terms of the time evaluation of the deep trapping time τ, i.e., carrier lifetime, and the drift mobility μ from the time the samples were brought to 23 °C after they had been annealed at 55 °C (above the glass-transition temperature Tg) for 30 min. The changes in the lifetime and drift mobility arise from structural-relaxation processes and have been modeled using a stretched exponential-relaxation process, i.e., τ=τ∞+(τo−τ∞)exp[−(t/τsr)β], where τ∞ is the lifetime when the sample is fully relaxed (the final “equilibrium” value), τo is the initial lifetime, τsr is the characteristic structural-relaxation time that controls the relaxation of the observed property, and β is the stretching factor. The authors have examined the relaxation of τ and μ as a function of composition. Within experimental errors, the structural-relaxation time associated with electron and hole lifetimes were the same, indicating that the same structural changes must be influencing both electron and hole deep traps. τsr was 7–8 h for pure a-Se and increased linearly with the As content to about 40 h for a-Se:0.5%As. The stretching factor β was in the range 0.6–0.7 for all the samples. The relaxation of the electron-drift mobility could also be fitted to a stretched exponential as well, using the same structural-relaxation time as for the relaxation of the electron lifetime. The increase in the carrier range (μτ) was used to estimate the ratio of the final to initial hole and electron deep-trap concentrations. This ratio was about 0.5 for both hole and electron deep traps for the present conditions that involved equilibration at 55 °C (above Tg) and relaxation at 23 °C. The significant increase in the carrier range during structural-relaxation leads to marked improvements in the performance of a-Se based x-ray detectors from the instant they are manufactured. As a corollary, one can conclude that the electrical properties of a-Se photoconductors will always relax toward their equilibrium values, reaching stable (relaxed) equilibriumlike values within a few days at room temperature in the worst case.
Interfacial organic layers: Tailored surface chemistry for nucleation and growth
Authors: Hughes Kevin J. , Engstrom James R.
Published: September 2010

The interfaces between inorganic and organic materials are important to a wide variety of technologies. A significant challenge concerns the formation of these interfaces when the inorganic layer must be grown on a pre-existing organic layer. In this review the authors focus on fundamental aspects of inorganic-organic interface formation using transition metal coordination complexes and atomic layer deposition. First, the authors discuss aspects of the synthesis and characterization of ultrathin interfacial organic layers, formed mostly on SiO2 and possessing a variety of functional groups, including layers with a branched microstructure. The authors go on to discuss the reactions of transition metal coordination complexes with these layers. A number of factors control the uptake of the transition metal complex and the composition of the adsorbed species that are formed. These include the identity, density, and dimensionality or spatial distribution of the functional groups. At room temperature, adsorption on layers that lack functional groups results in the penetration of the organic layer by the transition metal complex and the reaction with residual OH at the organic/SiO2 interface. Adsorption on layers with a mostly two-dimensional arrangement of reactive functional groups results in the formation of molecular “bipods,” where the surface bound functional groups react with the complex via two ligand exchange reactions. In contrast, for layers that possess a high density of functional groups arranged three dimensionally, the transition metal complex can be virtually stripped of its ligands. Atomic layer deposition on interfacial organic layers also depends strongly on the density and accessibility of reactive functional groups. On surfaces that possess a high density of functional groups, deployed two dimensionally, growth via atomic layer deposition is initially weakly attenuated, mostly uniform and smooth, and eventually evolves to growth characteristic of unmodified SiO2. Growth on layers that lack sufficient densities of functional groups is initially strongly attenuated, in contrast, and the resulting films are rough, severely islanded and three dimensional. As a consequence, there is a correlation between the strength of the initial attenuation in the rate of growth and the thin film morphology. Correlations between the initial uptake of the transition metal complex by the organic layer and the initial rate of thin film growth are less direct, however, as the composition and structure of the chemisorbed species must also be considered.
Heavy Fermions and Quantum Phase Transitions
Authors: Si Qimiao , Steglich Frank
Published: September 2010

From Simplicity to Complexity

The relatively simple properties of isolated electrons become rich and complex when the particle-particle interactions are strong enough to form a correlated system. Emergence of complex behavior from relatively simple subunits is an intensely studied topic in condensed-matter physics and applies to many systems in superconductivity and magnetism.
Si and Steglich
(p.
1161
) review the physics of heavy fermion intermetallic compounds. These make ideal materials for study because they can exhibit metallic, magnetic, and superconducting behavior showing novel quantum phases and unconventional quantum criticality.
Chlorine Isotope Fractionation in the Stratosphere
Authors: Laube J. C. , Kaiser J. , Sturges W. T. , Bönisch H. , Engel A.
Published: September 2010

Isotope fractionation in a common refrigerant may provide insights into the mechanism of stratospheric ozone depletion.
Identification of Potential Diagnostic Markers among
Burkholderia cenocepacia
and
B. multivorans
Supernatants
Authors: Mott Tiffany , Soler Michael , Grigsby Sierrah , Medley Ronald , Whitlock Gregory C.
Published: September 2010

Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) are susceptible to chronic respiratory infections with a number of bacterial pathogens. Among them, the
Burkholderia cepacia
complex (Bcc) bacteria, consisting of nine related species, have emerged as problematic CF pathogens due to their antibiotic resistance, incidence of nosocomial infection, and person-to-person transmission. Bcc organisms present the clinical microbiologist with a diagnostic dilemma due to the lack of phenotypic biochemical or growth-related characterization tests that reliably distinguish among these organisms. The complex taxonomy of the Bcc species colonizing the CF respiratory tract makes accurate identification problematic. Despite the clinical implications of Bcc identification, a clinical laboratory differentiation of species within the Bcc is lacking. Additionally, no commercial assays are available to further identify the Bcc species. In the current study, secretory proteins present in the cultured supernatants of
Burkholderia cenocepacia
and
Burkholderia multivorans
were analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE), followed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). To assess differential expression, protein spots of
B. cenocepacia
and
B. multivorans
that were unique or displayed different intensities were chosen for MALDI-TOF MS analysis. In total, 341 protein spots were detected, of which 23 were unique to each species, demonstrating that potential diagnostic candidates between these two members of the Bcc exist.
Efficient Differentiation ofMycobacterium aviumComplex Species and Subspecies by Use of Five-Target Multiplex PCR
Authors: Shin Sung Jae , Lee Byung Soo , Koh Won-Jung , Manning Elizabeth J. B. , Anklam Kelly , Sreevatsan Srinand , Lambrecht Randall S. , Collins Michael T.
Published: September 2010

Infections caused by theMycobacterium aviumcomplex (MAC) are on the rise in both human and veterinary medicine. A means of effectively discriminating among closely related yet pathogenetically diverse members of the MAC would enable better diagnosis and treatment as well as further our understanding of the epidemiology of these pathogens. In this study, a five-target multiplex PCR designed to discriminate MAC organisms isolated from liquid culture media was developed. This MAC multiplex was designed to amplify a 16S rRNA gene target common to allMycobacteriumspecies, a chromosomal target called DT1 that is unique toM. aviumsubsp.aviumserotypes 2 and 3, toM. aviumsubsp.silvaticum, and toM. intracellulare, and three insertion sequences, IS900, IS901, and IS1311.The pattern of amplification results allowed determination of whether isolates were mycobacteria, whether they were members of the MAC, and whether they belonged to one of three major MAC subspecies,M. aviumsubsp.paratuberculosis,M. aviumsubsp.avium, andM. aviumsubsp.hominissuis. Analytical sensitivity was 10 fg ofM. aviumsubsp.paratuberculosisgenomic DNA, 5 to 10 fg ofM. aviumsubsp.aviumgenomic DNA, and 2 to 5 fg of DNA from other mycobacterial species. Identification accuracy of the MAC multiplex was evaluated by testing 53 bacterial reference strains consisting of 28 different mycobacterial species and 12 nonmycobacterial species. Identification accuracy in a clinical setting was evaluated for 223 clinical MAC isolates independently identified by other methods. Isolate identification agreement between the MAC multiplex and these comparison assays was 100%. The novel MAC multiplex is a rapid, reliable, and simple assay for discrimination of MAC species and subspecies in liquid culture media.
Chronic Shedders as Reservoir for Nosocomial Transmission of Norovirus
Authors: Sukhrie Faizel H. A. , Siebenga J. Joukje , Beersma Matthias F. C. , Koopmans Marion
Published: September 2010

Norovirus (NoV) infection in immunocompromised patients may lead to prolonged norovirus shedding. Here, we demonstrate the involvement of three chronic shedders in hospital outbreaks. Combined epidemiological and molecular evidence suggests that in one case, NoV transmission occurred at least 17 days after the first diagnosis.
Immunization with Plant-Expressed Hemagglutinin Protects Chickens from Lethal Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus H5N1 Challenge Infection
Authors: Kalthoff Donata , Giritch Anatoli , Geisler Katharina , Bettmann Ulrike , Klimyuk Victor , Hehnen Hans-Robert , Gleba Yuri , Beer Martin
Published: September 2010

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is a striking disease in susceptible poultry, which leads to severe economic losses. Inactivated vaccines are the most widely used vaccines in avian influenza virus (AIV) vaccination programs. However, these vaccines interfere with the serological detection of wild-type AIV infections in immunized populations. The use of vaccines that allow differentiation between infected and vaccinated animals (DIVA strategy) would stop current stamping-out policies. Therefore, novel vaccination strategies are needed to allow improved protection of animals and humans against HPAI virus (HPAIV) infection. The presented study analyzed for the first time the immunogenic capacity of plant-expressed full-length hemagglutinin (rHA0) of HPAIV H5N1 in several vaccine formulations within the highly relevant host species chicken. We were able to express plant-expressed rHA0 at high levels and could show that, when administered with potent adjuvants, it is highly immunogenic and can fully protect chicken against lethal challenge infection. Real-time reverse transcription (RT)-PCR and serological tests demonstrated only marginally increased virus replication in animals vaccinated with plant-derived rHA0 compared to animals immunized with an inactivated reference vaccine. In addition, the use of plant-expressed rHA0 also allowed an easy serological differentiation of vaccinated from AIV-infected animals based on antibodies against the influenza virus NP protein.
A Live Attenuated H7N7 Candidate Vaccine Virus Induces Neutralizing Antibody That Confers Protection from Challenge in Mice, Ferrets, and Monkeys
Authors: Min Ji-Young , Vogel Leatrice , Matsuoka Yumiko , Lu Bin , Swayne David , Jin Hong , Kemble George , Subbarao Kanta
Published: September 2010

A live attenuated H7N7 candidate vaccine virus was generated by reverse genetics using the modified hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) genes of highly pathogenic (HP) A/Netherlands/219/03 (NL/03) (H7N7) wild-type (wt) virus and the six internal protein genes of the cold-adapted (ca) A/Ann Arbor/6/60ca(AAca) (H2N2) virus. The reassortant H7N7 NL/03cavaccine virus was temperature sensitive and attenuated in mice, ferrets, and African green monkeys (AGMs). Intranasal (i.n.) administration of a single dose of the H7N7 NL/03cavaccine virus fully protected mice from lethal challenge with homologous and heterologous H7 viruses from Eurasian and North American lineages. Two doses of the H7N7 NL/03cavaccine induced neutralizing antibodies in serum and provided complete protection from pulmonary replication of homologous and heterologous wild-type H7 challenge viruses in mice and ferrets. One dose of the H7N7 NL/03cavaccine elicited an antibody response in one of three AGMs that was completely protected from pulmonary replication of the homologous wild-type H7 challenge virus. The contribution of CD8+and/or CD4+T cells to the vaccine-induced protection of mice was evaluated by T-cell depletion; T lymphocytes were not essential for the vaccine-induced protection from lethal challenge with H7wtviruses. Additionally, passively transferred neutralizing antibody induced by the H7N7 NL/03cavirus protected mice from lethality following challenge with H7wtviruses. The safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of the H7N7 NL/03cavaccine virus in mice, ferrets, and AGMs support the evaluation of this vaccine virus in phase I clinical trials.
AN ALGEBRAIC CHARACTERIZATION OF SIMPLE CLOSED CURVES ON SURFACES WITH BOUNDARY
Authors: CHAS MOIRA , KRONGOLD FABIANA
Published: September 2010

We prove that a conjugacy class in the fundamental group of a surface with boundary is represented by a power of a simple curve if and only if the Goldman bracket of two different powers of this class, one of them larger than two, is zero.

The main theorem actually counts self-intersection number of a primitive class by counting the number of terms of the Goldman bracket of two distinct powers, one of them larger than two.
A near-linear-time algorithm for computing replacement paths in planar directed graphs
Authors: Emek Yuval , Peleg David , Roditty Liam
Published: September 2010

Let (
G
= (
V(G)
,
E(G)
)) be a directed graph with nonnegative edge lengths and let
P
be a shortest path from
s
to
t
in
G
. In the
replacement paths
problem we are required to compute for every edge
e
in
P
, the length of a shortest path from
s
to
t
that avoids
e
. The fastest known algorithm for solving the problem in weighted directed graphs is the trivial one: each edge in
P
is removed from the graph in its turn and the distance from
s
to
t
in the modified graph is computed. The running time of this algorithm is
O
(
m n
+
n
2
log
n
), where
n
= |
V(G)
| and
m
= |
E(G)
|.

The replacement paths problem is strongly motivated by two different applications. First, the fastest algorithm to compute the
k simple shortest paths
from
s
to
t
in directed graphs [Yen 1971; Lawler 1972] repeatedly computes the replacement paths from
s
to
t
. Its running time is
O
(
kn
(
m
+
n
log
n
)). Second, the computation of
Vickrey pricing
of edges in distributed networks can be reduced to the replacement paths problem. An open question raised by Nisan and Ronen [2001] asks whether it is possible to compute the Vickrey pricing faster than the trivial algorithm described in the previous paragraph.

In this article we present a near-linear time algorithm for computing replacement paths in weighted
planar
directed graphs. In particular, the algorithm computes the lengths of the replacement paths in
O
(
n
log
3
n
) time (recall that in planar graphs
m
=
O
(
n
)). This result immediately improves the running time of the two applications mentioned before by almost a linear factor. Our algorithm is obtained by combining several new ideas with a data structure of Klein [2005] that supports multisource shortest paths queries in planar directed graphs in logarithmic time.

Our algorithm can be adapted to address the variant of the problem in which one is interested in the replacement path itself (rather than the length of the path). In that case the algorithm is executed in a preprocessing stage constructing a data structure that supports replacement path queries in time Õ (
h
), where
h
is the number of hops in the replacement path. In addition, we can handle the variant in which vertices should be avoided instead of edges.
Shank2 redistributes with NaPilla during regulated endocytosis
Authors: Dobrinskikh Evgenia , Giral Hector , Caldas Yupanqui A. , Levi Moshe , Doctor R. Brian
Published: September 2010

Serum phosphate levels are acutely impacted by the abundance of sodium-phosphate cotransporter IIa (NaPiIIa) in the apical membrane of renal proximal tubule cells. PSD-95/Disks Large/Zonula Occludens (PDZ) domain-containing proteins bind NaPiIIa and likely contribute to the delivery, retention, recovery, and trafficking of NaPiIIa. Shank2 is a distinctive PDZ domain protein that binds NaPiIIa. Its role in regulating NaPiIIa activity, distribution, and abundance is unknown. In the present in vivo study, rats were maintained on a low-phosphate diet, and then plasma phosphate levels were acutely elevated by high-phosphate feeding to induce the recovery, endocytosis, and degradation of NaPiIIa. Western blot analysis of renal cortical tissue from rats given high-phosphate feed showed NaPiIIa and Shank2 underwent degradation. Quantitative immunofluorescence analyses, including microvillar versus intracellular intensity ratios and intensity correlation quotients, showed that Shank2 redistributed with NaPiIIa during the time course of NaPiIIa endocytosis. Furthermore, NaPiIIa and Shank2 trafficked through distinct endosomal compartments (clathrin, early endosomes, lysosomes) with the same temporal pattern. These in vivo findings indicate that Shank2 is positioned to coordinate the regulated endocytic retrieval and downregulation of NaPiIIa in rat renal proximal tubule cells.
Rostral ventrolateral medullary but not medullary lateral tegmental field neurons mediate sympatho-sympathetic reflexes in cats
Authors: Barman Susan M. , Orer Hakan S.
Published: September 2010

This study was designed to build on past work from this laboratory by testing the hypothesis that medullary lateral tegmental field (LTF) neurons play a critical role in mediating sympathoexcitatory responses to activation of sympathetic afferent fibers. We studied the effects of microinjection of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) or non-NMDA receptor antagonists or muscimol bilaterally into the LTF on the area under the curve of the computer-averaged sympathoexcitatory potential in the right inferior cardiac nerve elicited by short trains of stimuli applied to afferent fibers in the left inferior cardiac or left splanchnic nerve (CN, SN) of baroreceptor-denervated and vagotomized cats anesthetized with a mixture of diallylbarbiturate and urethane. In contrast to our hypothesis, sympathoexcitatory responses to stimulation of CN ( n = 5–7) or SN ( n = 4–7) afferent fibers were not significantly affected by these procedures. We then determined whether the rostral and caudal ventrolateral medulla (RVLM, CVLM) and nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) were involved in mediating these reflexes. Blockade of non-NMDA, but not NMDA, receptors in the RVLM significantly reduced the area under the curve of the sympathoexcitatory responses to electrical stimulation of either CN ( P = 0.0110; n = 6) or SN ( P = 0.0131; n = 5) afferent fibers. Neither blockade of excitatory amino acid receptors nor chemical inactivation of CVLM or NTS significantly affected the responses. These data show that activation of non-NMDA receptors in the RVLM is a critical step in mediating the sympatho-sympathetic reflex.
Segmental Oscillators in Axial Motor Circuits of the Salamander: Distribution and Bursting Mechanisms
Authors: Ryczko Dimitri , Charrier Vanessa , Ijspeert Auke , Cabelguen Jean-Marie
Published: September 2010

The rhythmic and coordinated activation of axial muscles that underlie trunk movements during locomotion are generated by specialized networks in the spinal cord. The operation of these networks has been extensively investigated in limbless swimming vertebrates. But little is known about the architecture and functioning of the axial locomotor networks in limbed vertebrates. We investigated the rhythm-generating capacity of the axial segmental networks in the salamander ( Pleurodeles waltlii). We recorded ventral root activity from hemisegments and segments that were surgically isolated from the mid-trunk cord and chemically activated with bath-applied N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA). We provide evidence that the rhythmogenic capacity of the axial network is distributed along the mid-trunk spinal cord without an excitability gradient. We demonstrate that the burst generation in a hemisegment depends on glutamatergic excitatory interactions. Reciprocal glycinergic inhibition between opposite hemisegments ensures left-right alternation and lowers the rhythm frequency in segments. Our results further suggest that persistent sodium current contributes to the rhythmic regenerating process both in hemisegments and segments. Burst termination in hemisegments is not achieved through the activation of apamine-sensitive Ca2+-activated K+ channels and burst termination in segments relies on crossed glycinergic inhibition. Together our results indicate that the basic design of the salamander axial network is similar to most of axial networks investigated in other vertebrates, albeit with some significant differences in the cellular mechanism that underlies segmental bursting. This finding supports the view of a phylogenetic conservation of basic building blocks of the axial locomotor network among the vertebrates.
A New General Iterative Method for a Finite Family of Nonexpansive Mappings in Hilbert Spaces
Authors: Singthong Urailuk , Suantai Suthep
Published: September 2010

We introduce a new general iterative method by using the "Equation missing"-mapping for finding a common fixed point of a finite family of nonexpansive mappings in the framework of Hilbert spaces. A strong convergence theorem of the purposed iterative method is established under some certain control conditions. Our results improve and extend the results announced by many others.
A Note on the Modified q‐Bernstein Polynomials
Authors: Kim Taekyun , Jang Lee-Chae , Yi Heungsu
Published: September 2010

We propose the modified q‐Bernstein polynomials of degree n which are different q‐Bernstein polynomials of Phillips (1997). From these modified q‐Bernstein polynomials of degree n, we derive some recurrence formulae for the modified q‐Bernstein polynomials.
Dynamic Properties of Coupled Maps
Authors: Zhang Chunrui , Zheng Huifeng
Published: September 2010

Dynamic properties are investigated in the coupled system of three maps with symmetric nearest neighbor coupling and periodic boundary conditions. The dynamics of the system is controlled by certain coupling parameters. We show that, for
some values of the parameters, the system exhibits nontrivial collective behavior, such as multiple bifurcations, and chaos. We give computer simulations to support the theoretical predictions.
Biological Evaluation of Polyherbal Ayurvedic Cardiotonic Preparation “Mahamrutyunjaya rasa”
Authors: Rai Pallavi D. , Rajput Sadhana J.
Published: September 2010

Mahamrutyunjaya rasa (MHR), an Ayurvedic formulation, used as cardiotonic, contains potentially toxic compounds like aconitine, which are detoxified during preparation using traditional methods. Comparative toxicological evaluation of laboratory prepared formulation (F1) and two marketed formulations (F2 and F3) were performed based on their effects on viability of H9c2 cells and after single oral dose administration in mice. Cardioprotective effect of formulations at 25 and 50 mg/kg doses were studied in isoproterenol‐ (ISO‐) induced myocardial infarcted rats. F1 and F2 did not affect the cell viability, while F3 decreased the cell viability in concentration and time‐dependent manner. Rats administered with ISO showed significant increase in the serum levels of glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, alkaline phosphotase, creatinine kinase isoenzymes, lactate dehydrogenase, and uric acid, while F1 and F2 treatment showed significant reduction in the same. F3 showed further increase in the serum levels of enzymes and uric acid in ISO‐challenged rats. High pressure liquid chromatographic analysis of formulations showed higher concentration of aconitine in F3. Study shows that F1 and F2 possess cardioprotective property with higher safety, while formulation F3 cannot be used as cardioprotective due to its cytotoxic effects. Thus, proper quality assessment methods are required during preparation of traditional formulations.
Pan-histone deacetylase inhibitor panobinostat depletes CXCR4 levels and signaling and exerts synergistic antimyeloid activity in combination with CXCR4 antagonists
Authors: Mandawat Aditya , Fiskus Warren , Buckley Kathleen M. , Robbins Kelly , Rao Rekha , Balusu Ramesh , Navenot Jean-Marc , Wang Zi-Xuan , Ustun Celalettin , Chong Daniel G. , Atadja Peter , Fujii Nobutaka , Peiper Stephen C. , Bhalla Kapil
Published: September 2010

Stromal cell derived factor-1 (SDF-1 or CXCL12) and its receptor CXCR4 are involved in the directional homing to the bone marrow niches and in peripheral mobilization of normal and transformed hematopoietic stem and myeloid progenitor cells. Elevated CXCR4 expression confers poor prognosis, whereas inhibition of CXCR4 signaling overcomes stroma-mediated chemoresistance in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Here, we demonstrate that treatment with the pan-histone deacetylase inhibitor panobinostat (PS) depleted the mRNA and protein levels of CXCR4 in the cultured and primary AML cells. PS-induced acetylation of the heat shock protein (hsp) 90 reduced the chaperone association between CXCR4 and hsp90, directing CXCR4 to degradation by the 20S proteasome. PS treatment also depleted G protein–coupled receptor kinase 3, as well as attenuated the phosphorylation of AKT and ERK1/2 in AML cells, which was not affected by cotreatment with CXCL12. Compared with each agent alone, cotreatment with PS and CXCR4 antagonist AMD3100 or FC-131 synergistically induced apoptosis of cultured and primary AML cells. PS and FC-131 exerted more lethal effects on primary AML versus normal CD34+ bone marrow progenitor cells. These findings support the rationale to test the in vivo efficacy of PS in enhancing the lethal effects of CXCR4 antagonists against AML cells.
p21Waf1 expression is regulated by nuclear intermediate filament vimentin in neuroblastoma
Authors: Mergui Xénia , Puiffe Marie-Line , Valteau-Couanet Dominique , Lipinski Marc , Bénard Jean , Amor-Guéret Mounira
Published: September 2010

Background

Human neuroblastoma (NB) cell lines may present with either one of the so-called S-and N-subtypes. We have previously reported a strong correlation between protein expression levels of vimentin, an S-subtype marker, and the p21Waf1 cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor. We here investigated whether this correlation extend to the mRNA level in NB cell lines as well as in patients' tumors. We also further explored the relationship between expression of vimentin and p21, by asking whether vimentin could regulate p21 expression.

Methods

Vimentin and p21 mRNA levels in NB cell lines as well as in patients' tumors (n = 77) were quantified using Q-PCR. Q-PCR data obtained from tumors of high risk NB patients (n = 40) were analyzed in relation with the overall survival using the Log-rank Kaplan-Meier estimation. siRNA-mediated depletion or overexpression of vimentin in highly or low expressing vimentin cell lines, respectively, followed by protein expression and promoter activation assays were used to assess the role of vimentin in modulating p21 expression.

Results

We extend the significant correlation between vimentin and p21 expression to the mRNA level in NB cell lines as well as in patients' tumors. Overall survival analysis from Q-PCR data obtained from tumors of high risk patients suggests that lower levels of p21 expression could be associated with a poorer outcome. Our data additionally indicate that the correlation observed between p21 and vimentin expression levels results from p21 transcriptional activity being regulated by vimentin. Indeed, downregulating vimentin resulted in a significant decrease in p21 mRNA and protein expression as well as in p21 promoter activity. Conversely, overexpressing vimentin triggered an increase in p21 promoter activity in cells with a nuclear expression of vimentin.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that p21 mRNA tumor expression level could represent a refined prognostic factor for high risk NB patients. Our data also show that vimentin regulates p21 transcription; this is the first demonstration of a gene regulating function for this type III-intermediate filament.
Peroxisomal Localization of the Proopiomelanocortin-Derived Peptides β-Lipotropin and β-Endorphin
Authors: Höftberger Romana , Kunze Markus , Voigtländer Till , Unterberger Ursula , Regelsberger Günther , Bauer Jan , Aboul-Enein Fahmy , Garzuly Ferenc , Forss-Petter Sonja , Bernheimer Hanno , Berger Johannes , Budka Herbert
Published: September 2010

The peptide hormones ACTH, MSHs, β-lipotropin (β-LPH), and β-endorphin are all derived from the precursor molecule proopiomelanocortin (POMC). Using confocal laser microscopy and immunoelectron microscopy in human pituitary gland, we demonstrate a peroxisomal localization of β-endorphin and β-LPH in cells expressing the peroxisomal ATP-binding cassette-transporter adrenoleukodystrophy protein (ALDP). The peroxisomal localization of β-LPH and β-endorphin was not restricted to the pituitary gland but was additionally found in other human tissues that express high levels of ALDP, such as dorsal root ganglia, adrenal cortex, distal tubules of kidney, and skin. In contrast to the peptide hormones β-LPH and β-endorphin, which are derived from the C terminus of POMC, the N-terminal peptides ACTH, α-MSH, and γ-MSH were never detected in peroxisomes. This novel peroxisomal localization of β-endorphin and β-LPH in ALDP-positive cells was confirmed by costaining with ALDP and the peroxisomal marker catalase. Moreover, peroxisomal sorting of β-LPH could be modeled in HeLa cells by ectopic expression of a POMC variant, modified to allow cleavage and release of β-LPH within the secretory pathway. Although β-LPH and β-endorphin were only associated with peroxisomes in cells that normally express ALDP, the transporter activity of ALDP is not necessary for the peroxisomal localization, as demonstrated in tissues of X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy patients lacking functional ALDP. It remains to be elucidated whether and how the peroxisomal localization of POMC-derived hormones has a role in the endocrine dysfunction of peroxisomal disease.