bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structure versus electron effects in the growth mode of pentacene on metal-induced Si(111)-3×3 surfaces
Authors: Teng Jing , Guo Jiandong , Wu Kehui , Wang Enge
Published: July 2008

The growth of pentacene films on different metal (Ga, Pb, Bi, Ag) induced Si(111)-(3×3)R30° surfaces is investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy. On surfaces with high atomic surface roughness, such as Ga∕Si-3, β-Pb∕Si-3, and α-Bi∕Si-3, pentacene forms an initial disordered wetting layer followed by the growth of crystalline thin films. The growth behavior is independent of the metallicity of the substrate surface in this regime. On the other hand, on surfaces with low adatom surface roughness, pentacene molecules form self-organized structures without forming a wetting layer. Moreover, the molecular orientation is critically dependent on the surface metallicity. This work reveals that the growth mode of pentacene on solid surfaces is determined by the combined effects of structural and electronic properties of the substrate.
Quantum mechanical methods applied to excitation energy transfer: A comparative analysis on excitation energies and electronic couplings
Authors: Muñoz-Losa A. , Curutchet C. , Galván I. Fdez. , Mennucci B.
Published: July 2008

We present a comparative study on the influence of the quantum mechanical (QM) method (including basis set) on the evaluation of transition energies, transition densities and dipoles, and excitation energy transfer (EET) electronic couplings for a series of chromophores (and the corresponding pairs) typically found in organic electro-optical devices and photosynthetic systems. On these systems we have applied five different QM levels of description of increasing accuracy (ZINDO, CIS, TD-DFT, CASSCF, and SAC-CI). In addition, we have tested the effects of a surrounding environment (either mimicking a solvent or a protein matrix) on excitation energies, transition dipoles, and electronic couplings through the polarizable continuum model (PCM) description. Overall, the results obtained suggest that the choice of the QM level of theory affects the electronic couplings much less than it affects excitation energies. We conclude that reasonable estimates can be obtained using moderate basis sets and inexpensive methods such as configuration interaction of single excitations or time-dependent density functional theory when appropriately coupled to realistic solvation models such as PCM.
Coherency effects in nanobeam x-ray diffraction analysis
Authors: Yan Hanfei , Kalenci Özgür , Noyan I. Cevdet , Maser Jörg
Published: July 2008

We describe the evolution of the x-ray scattering pattern which forms on an area detector when a divergent, coherent nanobeam is diffracted from a perfect or weakly deformed single crystal. We show that the scattering can be considered as virtual diffraction from an angular aperture in reciprocal space; this is analogous to pinhole diffraction in real space. We define an angular Fresnel number, YA, which allows the categorization of the nanodiffraction image into near-field, intermediate-field, and far-field regimes. We provide equations for YA in simple geometries and show that dynamical scattering artifacts are eliminated through wave interference in the far-field image; this is the only regime where direct analysis of the charge coupled device image using geometrical formulae to transform distances to diffraction angles is possible.
Improved temperature stability of CaTiO3-modified [(K0.5Na0.5)0.96Li0.04](Nb0.91Sb0.05Ta0.04)O3 lead-free piezoelectric ceramics
Authors: Wu Jiagang , Xiao Dingquan , Wang Yuanyu , Wu Wenjuan , Zhang Bin , Zhu Jianguo
Published: July 2008

The CaTiO3-modified [(K0.5Na0.5)0.96Li0.04](Nb0.91Sb0.05Ta0.04)O3 lead-free piezoelectric ceramics were prepared using normal sintering for improving the temperature stability of (K0.5Na0.5)NbO3-based ceramics. The effects of the CaTiO3 on the temperature stability and piezoelectric properties of the ceramics were systematically studied. These results show that the CaTiO3-modified [(K0.5Na0.5)0.96Li0.04](Nb0.91Sb0.05Ta0.04)O3 lead-free piezoelectric ceramics possess good temperature stability in the polymorphic phase transition below room temperature, and also exhibit high piezoelectric properties (d33=263 pC/N and kp=50%) when the ceramics were poled at an optimum poling temperature. These results indicate that the ceramic is a promising candidate material for lead-free piezoelectric ceramics.
Charge carrier induced lattice strain and stress effects on As activation in Si
Authors: Ahn Chihak , Dunham Scott T.
Published: July 2008

We studied lattice expansion coefficient due to As using density functional theory with particular attention to separating the impact of electrons and ions. Based on As deactivation mechanism under equilibrium conditions, the effect of stress on As activation is predicted. We find that biaxial stress results in minimal impact on As activation, which is consistent with experimental observations by Sugii et al. [J. Appl. Phys. 96, 261 (2004)] and Bennett et al. [J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 26, 391 (2008)].
Local versus global buckling of thin films on elastomeric substrates
Authors: Wang Shuodao , Song Jizhou , Kim Dae-Hyeong , Huang Yonggang , Rogers John A.
Published: July 2008

Local buckling can form microcorrugations in thin films on elastomeric substrates, to yield an effective type of mechanical stretchability in otherwise rigid, brittle materials, with many application possibilities. For large area films or relatively thin substrates, however, global (Euler) buckling, as opposed to local buckling, can be observed in experiments. This paper describes analytically the mechanics of local and global buckling of one-dimensional thin films or two-dimensional thin membranes on elastomeric substrates. The critical condition separating these two buckling modes is obtained analytically, and it agrees well with experiments and numerical simulations.
Eigenmode analysis of geodesic acoustic modes
Authors: Gao Zhe , Itoh K. , Sanuki H. , Dong J. Q.
Published: July 2008

Geodesic acoustic modes (GAMs) are studied as plasma eigenmodes when an electrostatic potential nearly constant around a magnetic surface is applied to collisionless toroidal plasmas. Besides the standard GAM, a branch of low frequency mode and an infinite series of ion sound wavelike modes are identified. Eigenfrequencies of these modes are obtained analytically and numerically from a linear gyrokinetic model. The finite gyroradius effect is found to enhance the collisionless damping of the standard GAM, while this enhancement is not monotonic as the safety factor varies. Moreover, additional damping due to higher-harmonic resonances becomes important when the safety factor increases. The mode structure of the GAM is also discussed.
Nonlinear optical tuning of photonic crystal microcavities by near-field probe
Authors: Vignolini Silvia , Intonti Francesca , Balet Laurent , Zani Margherita , Riboli Francesco , Vinattieri Anna , Wiersma Diederik S. , Colocci Marcello , Li Lianhe , Francardi Marco , Gerardino Annamaria , Fiore Andrea , Gurioli Massimo
Published: July 2008

We report on a nonlinear way to control and tune the dielectric environment of photonic crystal microcavities exploiting the local heating induced by near-field laser excitation at different excitation powers. The temperature gradient due to the optical absorption results in an index of refraction gradient which modifies the dielectric surroundings of the cavity and shifts the optical modes. Reversible tuning can be obtained either by changing the excitation power density or by exciting in different points of the photonic crystal microcavity.
Room-temperature ferromagnetism of Zn0.97Co0.03O pressed nanocrystalline powders
Authors: Hu Jifan , Qin Hongwei , Xue Tianfeng , Cao Ensi , Li Dengtao
Published: July 2008

Zn 0.97 Co 0.03 O nanocrystalline powders were prepared by sol-gel method with a low annealing temperature of 450°C. The as-synthesized Zn0.97Co0.03O powders were paramagnetic. However, after compaction under a pressure of 94MPa, the Zn0.97Co0.03O pressed powders show a weak room-temperature ferromagnetism embedded in the paramagnetic background. The observed ferromagnetism is connected with compaction-induced defects at/near grain boundaries. Meanwhile, a room-temperature magnetoresistance ΔR∕R0 as high as −73.7% is observed in Zn0.97Co0.03O pressed powder sample.
Resolving a Conflict between APA Learning Goals and APA Ethical Principles
Authors: Corty Eric W.
Published: July 2008

Although American Psychological Association (APA) Ethical Standards make it clear that instructors cannot require students to disclose personal information in class-related activities, an APA learning goal for undergraduate psychology students is that they reflect on their experiences to develop insight into their behavior and mental processes. Thus, there is a conflict between APA learning goals and APA ethical principles. To increase awareness of this conflict and generate a discussion of ways to resolve it, I present one method of resolving it by having students convert papers that involve self-reflection into anonymous, unreadable papers before submitting them.
Preparing the New Professoriate: What Courses Should They Be Ready to Teach?
Authors: Irons Jessica G. , Buskist William
Published: July 2008

We examined job advertisements published in the September and October 2006 issues of the APA Monitor and APS Observer for courses that psychology departments requested successful applicants for assistant professor openings to teach. We found that 4 courses accounted for 45% of all courses so listed: research methods, introductory psychology, developmental psychology, and statistics. We suggest that graduate students seeking academic positions acquire experience teaching these classes, in addition to courses in their specialty area, during their teaching training. Such experience would seem likely to offer them a competitive edge in the academic job market.
An Advocacy Exercise for a Psychology and Law Course
Authors: Greene Edie
Published: July 2008

This article describes an active learning component of an advanced course in psychology and law. The assignment is to present, in the context of a mock appellate court, the best available psychological data in support of one party in a legal case. Students choose one side of a hypothetical case, locate and review the relevant scientific literature, prepare written analyses and arguments, and present those analyses to a panel of student-justices who question them about the nature of their evidence and the validity of their conclusions. Postcourse assessments showed that the exercise enhanced students' conceptual knowledge of psychology and law as well as their ability to organize and synthesize empirical data, form an argument on the basis of data, and present that argument to the public.
Sircah: a tool for the detection and visualization of alternative transcripts
Authors: Harrington Eoghan D. , Bork Peer
Published: July 2008

Summary: Sircah is a flexible tool for the detection, analysis and visualization of alternative transcripts. It takes as input gene models or spliced alignments and creates a database of alternative transcription events: alternative transcription initiation and polyadenylation, alternative 3′ and 5′ splice-site usage, skipped exons and retained introns. The results can be visualized in a variety of ways, allowing the creation of publication quality images.

Availability: The Sircah is available for download under a creative commons license along with additional documentation and a tutorial from http://www.bork.embl.de/Sircah.

Contact:  bork@embl.de
Mathematics motivation and achievement as predictors of high school students' guessing and help‐seeking with instructional software
Authors: Beal C.R. , Qu L. , Lee H.
Published: July 2008

The study was conducted to investigate the relation of adolescent students' mathematics motivation and achievement to their appropriate help‐seeking and inappropriate guessing behaviour while using instructional software. High school students (n = 90) completed brief assessments of mathematics motivation and then worked with software for geometry instruction. Students' actions with the software were machine‐classified to identify instances of appropriate help‐seeking and inappropriate guessing. Mathematics teachers provided information about students' achievement (high, average or at risk of failing math class). Results indicated that students with low math self‐concept were most likely to engage in inappropriate guessing behaviour. Students with low math achievement were most likely to engage in appropriate help‐seeking while working with the software.
Expression of hepatitis B virus nuclear core antigen in young cirrhotic patients is associated with an unfavourable long‐term outcome
Authors: Yeh C.‐T. , Tang J.‐H. , Hsu C.‐W. , Chen Y.‐C. , Chang M.‐L. , Lin C.‐Y.
Published: July 2008

Summary.  The aim of this case control study was to investigate the clinical significance of hepatitis B virus nuclear core antigen (HBcAg) in young cirrhotic patients. Fifteen cirrhotic patients with nuclear HBcAg in the liver biopsies were included. Their clinicopathological parameters as well as the core gene sequences were compared with those of a sex‐ and age‐matched (1 to 2) control group. The mean follow‐up periods were 124 ± 80 and 102 ± 43 months, respectively. Expression of nuclear HBcAg in cirrhotic liver was significantly associated with higher aspartate aminotransferase levels (P = 0.001), alanine aminotransferase levels (P < 0.001), and alpha‐fetoprotein levels (P = 0.002), as well as a shorter duration to develop hepatocellular carcinoma or liver decompensation (Kaplan–Meier method, P = 0.044). Sequence analysis revealed mutations on the nuclear localization signal (NLS) of core protein in five cirrhotic patients with nuclear HBcAg (Q171K in four and Q179K in one patients). Site‐directed mutagenesis experiments demonstrated that both the Q171K and Q179K mutation enhanced nuclear localization of the core protein. In conclusion, expression of nuclear HBcAg in young cirrhotic patients was associated with more severe hepatitis activities as well as an unfavourable long‐term outcome. Mutations on the NLS of core protein were selected in some patients with nuclear HBcAg.
Molecular evidence of a peripatric origin for two sympatric species of field crickets (Gryllus rubens and G. texensis) revealed from coalescent simulations and population genetic tests
Authors: GRAY DAVID A. , HUANG HUATENG , KNOWLES L. LACEY
Published: July 2008

Species pairs that differ primarily in characters involved in mating interactions and are largely sympatric raise intriguing questions about the mode of speciation. When species divergence is relatively recent, the footprint of the demographic history during speciation might be preserved and used to reconstruct the biogeography of species divergence. In this study, patterns of genetic variation were examined throughout the geographical range of two cryptic sister taxa of field crickets, Gryllus texensis and G. rubens; mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) was sequenced in 365 individuals sampled from 48 localities. Despite significant molecular divergence between the species, they were not reciprocally monophyletic. We devised several analyses to statistically explore what historical processes might have given rise to this genealogical structure. The analyses indicated that the biogeographical pattern of genetic variation does not support a model of recent gene flow between species. Instead, coalescent simulations suggested that the genealogical structure within G. texensis, namely a deep split between two geographically overlapping clades, reflects historical substructure within G. texensis. Additional tests that consider the concentration of G. rubens haplotypes in one of the two G. texensis genetic clusters suggest a model of speciation in which G. rubens was derived from one lineage of a geographically subdivided ancestor. These results indicate that, despite the contemporary sympatry of G. texensis and G. rubens, the data are indicative of an peripatric origin in which G. rubens was derived from one of the two historical partitions in the species currently recognized as G. texensis. This proposed model of species divergence suggests how the interplay of geography and selection may give rise to new species, although this requires testing with multilocus data. Specifically, the model highlights how that geographical partitioning of ancestral variation in the past may augment the selectively driven divergence of characters involved in the reproductive isolation of the species today.
Early leaf senescence is associated with an altered cellular redox balance in Arabidopsis cpr5/old1 mutants
Authors: Jing H.‐C. , Hebeler R. , Oeljeklaus S. , Sitek B. , Stühler K. , Meyer H. E. , Sturre M. J. G. , Hille J. , Warscheid B. , Dijkwel P. P.
Published: July 2008

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are the inevitable by‐products of essential cellular metabolic and physiological activities. Plants have developed sophisticated gene networks of ROS generation and scavenging systems. However, ROS regulation is still poorly understood. Here, we report that mutations in the Arabidopsis CPR5/OLD1 gene may cause early senescence through deregulation of the cellular redox balance. Genetic analysis showed that blocking stress‐related hormonal signalling pathways, such as ethylene, salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, abscisic acid and sugar, did not affect premature cell death and leaf senescence. We took a bioinformatics approach and analysed publicly available transcriptome data of presymptomatic cpr5/old1 mutants. The results demonstrate that many genes in the ROS gene network show at least fivefold increases in transcripts in comparison with those of wild‐type plants, suggesting that presymptomatic cpr5/old1 mutants are in a state of high‐cellular oxidative stress. This was further confirmed by a comparative, relative quantitative proteomics study of Arabidopsis wild‐type and cpr5/old1 mutant plants, which demonstrated that several Phi family members of glutathione s‐transferases significantly increased in abundance. In summary, our genetic, transcriptomic and relative quantitative proteomics analyses indicate that CPR5 plays a central role in regulating redox balance in Arabidopsis.
Molecular characterization, expression and association analysis of the porcine CMYA4 gene with carcass traits
Authors: Xu X.L. , Li K. , Peng Z.Z. , Zhao S.H. , Yu M. , Fan B. , Zhu M.J. , Xu S.P. , Du Y.Q. , Liu B.
Published: July 2008

CMYA4 (cardiomyopathy‐associated 4) gene plays an important role in thick filament assembly. In this study, we obtained the mRNA sequence including the full coding sequence and the partial 5′ untranslated region of the porcine CMYA4 gene by using the rapid amplification of cDNA ends and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) and the sequence was deposited in the GenBank nucleotide database (DQ_286571). The human (NM_173167) and mouse (NM_178680) homologues have a 91% and 87% identity with the porcine CMYA4 gene, respectively. The sequence contains an open reading frame encoding 930 amino acid residues, and the amino terminus of the predicted CMYA4 protein contains three tandem repeats belonging to the tetratricopeptide repeat family. Semi‐quantitative RT‐PCR results showed that the porcine CMYA4 gene is expressed exclusively in striated muscle tissue. An A558G single nucleotide polymorphism in the CMYA4 intron 15 detected as an MspI PCR–restriction fragment length polymorphism showed allele frequency differences among 225 unrelated pigs from six breeds. Association of the genotypes with growth and carcass traits showed that different genotypes of the CMYA4 gene were significantly associated with the backfat thickness of the area between sixth and seventh ribs (p < 0.05) and backfat thickness at the shoulder (p < 0.05).
The economic analyses of the UK prospective diabetes study
Authors: Gray A. M. , Clarke P.
Published: July 2008

An economic analysis was not initially included in the study design of the UK Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS). However, data were collected throughout the study on hospital drugs and medications used and these were supplemented near the end of the study by cross‐sectional surveys of non‐inpatient healthcare use and quality of life.

Evaluations of tight vs. less tight blood pressure control, intensive vs. less conventional blood glucose control and metformin showed that each was highly cost‐effective and that all could be provided at modest total cost. Further analyses showed that amputations and stroke had particularly severe consequences for quality of life, and that amputations and non‐fatal MI had high cost consequences. Finally, patient‐level data were used to construct a diabetes outcomes model, which estimates the probability of longer‐term complications from patient‐specific risk factors and can be used in populations at different stages of diabetes progression.

The economic analyses arising from the UKPDS have provided new evidence to clinicians, policymakers and researchers on the consequences of diabetes and the cost‐effectiveness of interventions, thereby assisting the development of treatment guidelines and improved standards of care. The analyses also illustrated a number of methodological innovations. Finally, the UKPDS Outcomes Model is gaining widespread acceptance as a validated tool for long‐term economic and clinical prediction in diabetes.
Glucose control in the UKPDS: what did we learn?
Authors: Gale E. A. M.
Published: July 2008

The UK Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) set out to establish whether improved glucose control could alleviate the macrovascular and microvascular complications of diabetes and to compare the relative merits of diet, oral glucose‐lowering agents or insulin in achieving this objective. The study broke many of the rules of trial design, not least by constant addition of further interventions and analyses, but this flexibility would, paradoxically, prove to be one of its greatest strengths. The UKPDS taught us that glucose control must be tackled aggressively in Type 2 diabetes. It taught us that treatment must be escalated in parallel with the evolution of pancreatic B‐cell failure. It also taught us that glucose control is not enough: the central objective of therapy is to reduce vascular risk by any means available. This commentary looks back along the winding road that led to these conclusions.
3. Validation of a Diary Measure of Children's Physical Activities
Authors: Hofferth Sandra L. , Welk Gregory J. , Treuth Margarita S. , Randolph Suzanne M. , Curtin Sally C. , Valliant Richard
Published: July 2008

This study compares levels of physical activity of 9–14-year-old children from a self-reported time diary with those measured using an accelerometer. Children (N=92) wore an accelerometer for one weekend day and completed a 24-hour time diary for that day. The time children spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity from time diaries was moderately highly correlated with the measured results. Self-reported and objective measures of in tensity were correlated, but the correlation varied substantially by activity and characteristics of the family. This study provides empirical evidence to support the validity of time-diary estimates when accelerometer data are not available.
THE EFFECT OF TRANSPORTATION SUBSIDIES ON URBAN SPRAWL*
Authors: Su Qing , DeSalvo Joseph S.
Published: July 2008

ABSTRACT This paper provides theoretical and empirical analyses of the effect of transportation subsidies on urban sprawl in a two‐mode urban spatial model. Comparative static analysis shows, among other things, that the urban area contracts with a public transit subsidy but expands with an auto subsidy. The paper provides the first empirical test of these hypotheses and finds that the spatial size of the urbanized area shrinks with an increase in transit subsidies but increases at a decreasing rate with auto subsidies.
A response to the debates between Hutchings and Taylor and Jia on the Global Standards in China
Authors: Cheng Sheng‐Li
Published: July 2008

This article is in response to Hutchings and Taylor's, and Jia's, debate on the Global Standards for social work education and training and the development of social work in China. It is argued in the article that: (i) we should examine the Global Standards and their applicability to China from a dialectical and historical perspective, and not deny the relevance of the application of the Global Standards to China solely from the point of view of ‘Western social work standards’, nor to accept uncritically the applicability of the Global Standards to China; and (ii) with this perspective, neither Western scholars nor Chinese scholars are more suitable than the other for judging whether or not the Global Standards are applicable to China. The most important factor in making this judgement is the presence of an adequate and unprejudiced discussion and communication between and among Chinese and Western scholars.
Mining for Conflict and Staking Claims: Contested Illness at the Tar Creek Superfund Site
Authors: Shriver Thomas E. , Cable Sherry , Kennedy Dennis
Published: July 2008

Drawing from extensive fieldwork and document analysis, we examine environmental illness claims in Oklahoma's Tar Creek basin, one of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) premier Superfund sites. Our findings indicate that contested illness in the Tar Creek Superfund site differed from typical cases in that the links between high lead exposures and permanent neurological damage were thoroughly and unequivocally documented. But, despite the certainty of these linkages, residents remained embroiled in controversy and they encountered obstacles in obtaining diagnoses, treatment, and compensation. The resultant environmental dispute took two forms: conflict between residents and EPA officials over the adequacy of the agency's remediation project and conflict among residents over ultimate responsibility for children's lead exposures and consequent learning disabilities.
Bilateral Painful Idiopathic Ophthalmoplegia: A Case Report
Authors: Nieri Andrea , Bazan Rodrigo , Almeida Leila , Rocha Fernando C. , Raffin César N. , Bigal Marcelo E. , Schelp Arthur O.
Published: July 2008

Around 3% of the individuals with painful ophthalmoplegia have bilateral complaints. In the vast majority of these cases, appropriate investigation demonstrates a secondary etiology, and we are not aware of idiopathic cases reported. Herein we report a case of bilateral ophthalmoplegia where extensive investigation did not suggest a secondary cause.
Two Cases of Lesions in Brainstem in Multiple Sclerosis and Refractory Migraine
Authors: Fragoso Yara Dadalti , Brooks Joseph Bruno Bidin
Published: July 2008

We report on 2 cases of multiple sclerosis in patients with refractory migraine as one of the initial manifestations of the disease. In both cases, the magnetic resonance image showed lesions in the brainstem that could be implicated in the genesis of such migraine attacks.
Dihydroergotamine for Early and Late Treatment of Migraine With Cutaneous Allodynia: An Open‐Label Pilot Trial
Authors: Silberstein Stephen D. , Young William B. , Hopkins Mary M. , Gebeline‐Myers Cheryl , Bradley Kathleen C.
Published: July 2008

Objective.—To explore whether dihydroergotamine (D.H.E. 45®) is equally effective and safe for migraine with allodynia, when administered either early or late in an attack.

Background.—Central sensitization may account for the extracranial tenderness and cutaneous allodynia that can occur with migraine. Once allodynia is established, triptans are less effective. Dihydroergotamine is often effective for patients whose refractory headaches have failed prior triptan therapy.

Methods.—In this single‐center, open‐label pilot trial, patients with episodic migraine associated with cutaneous allodynia were treated on 2 occasions with dihydroergotamine 1.0 mg intramuscularly. One attack was treated within 2 hours (early) and a second attack at 4 hours (late) after the onset of throbbing pain. Headache pain and any associated symptoms, subjective cutaneous allodynia, and mechanical (brush) allodynia were assessed. All data were analyzed using the Fisher's exact test.

Results.—Thirteen patients met the entry criteria; however, data from only 9 patients, those who completed treatment for 2 migraine attacks, were used to evaluate the efficacy and safety of dihydroergotamine. Whether they took dihydroergotamine early or late in the attack, most patients (>55%) had headache relief within 2 hours, and at least 44% of patients achieved headache‐free status by 8 hours postdose. Subjective cutaneous allodynia started to decline after 30 minutes postdose in the early treated group and after 120 minutes postdose in the late‐treated group. Brush allodynia began to decline after 15 minutes postdose in the early treated group and after 90 minutes postdose in the late‐treated group. Six of 9 patients (67%) reported at least 1 adverse event.

Conclusions.—The results of this pilot trial provide proof of concept for the headache‐relief benefit of dihydroergotamine in patients with migraine headache and allodynia. A large, placebo‐controlled trial of dihydroergotamine in allodynic patients is warranted.
Automated egg‐collecting and pupa‐separator system for medfly mass‐rearing facilities
Authors: Morávek Ivan , Kozánek Milan , Vidlička L’ubomír , Krumpálová Zuzana , Eyles David K.
Published: July 2008

The new automated egg‐collecting system and pupa‐separator device described here substantially reduces labour during medfly [Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae)] mass production. The egg‐collecting system gathers eggs dropping from the cage's oviposition net into a continuous stream of water, after which they accumulate in an egg‐collecting sieve. The system provides an optimal environment for eggs, keeping them in a slow stream of well‐oxygenated water. A pupa separator was designed to enable the separation of pupae from the pupation medium by sucking off the medium through a slowly moving sieving belt. The smaller particles of pupation medium are removed by a vacuum cleaner located under the circular sieving belt, and the pupae are collected in a collecting box. Quality control tests of the eggs collected and pupae separated have shown that neither system has a negative effect on the quality of the eggs or the pupae.
An Apology for Antony. Morality and Pathos in Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra
Authors: Kluge Sofie
Published: July 2008

Taking off from a consideration of Antony and Cleopatra’s intermingling of pathetic and moral tragedy, the analysis proposed in the present essay demonstrates how the play’s peculiar combination of morality and pathos results in a dialectical critique of both concepts of the tragic. Shakespeare didn’t write a straight‐forward pathetic tragedy, in fact Antony and Cleopatra questions this very phenomenon from the perspective of the tragicomic Christian theatrum mundi. At the same time, however, the play inverts not only moral tragedy, but also the moral design – the ‘exemplary’ story of the great Mark Antony’s downfall through moral corruption – that Shakespeare inherited from Roman historiography through Plutarch’s Life of Antony, medieval historiography, and Renaissance emblematics.

In contrast to the recent critical negligence of the moral aspect of the play, as well as the overemphasis on this aspect in early criticism of the play, the analysis proposed emphazises the dialectic of moralism and pathos in Shakespeare’s play. The fundamental ambiguity permeating Shakespeare’s characterization of Antony as a tragic hero is not only seen to affect the understanding of this particular play, but also, by implication, to question the notion of Shakespeare as a modern dramatist and the view of Renaissance drama as an unequivocal break with the medieval dramatic heritage.
The role of group bulkiness in the catalytic activity of psychrophile cold‐active protein tyrosine phosphatase
Authors: Tsuruta Hiroki , Mikami Bunzo , Yamamoto Chiaki , Yamagata Hiroshi
Published: July 2008

The cold‐active protein tyrosine phosphatase found in psychrophilic Shewanella species exhibits high catalytic efficiency at low temperatures as well as low thermostability, both of which are characteristics shared by many cold‐active enzymes. The structure of cold‐active protein tyrosine phosphatase is notable for the presence of three hydrophobic sites (termed the CA, Zn‐1 and Zn‐2 sites) behind the loop structures comprising the catalytic region. To identify the structural components responsible for specific enzyme characteristics, we determined the structure of wild‐type cold‐active protein tyrosine phosphatase at high resolution (1.1 Å) and measured the catalytic efficiencies of enzymes containing mutations in the three hydrophobic sites. The bulkiness of the amino acid side chains in the core region of the Zn‐1 site strongly affects the thermostability and the catalytic efficiency at low temperatures. The mutant enzyme I115M possessed a higher kcat at low temperatures. Elucidation of the crystal structure of I115M at a resolution of 1.5 Å revealed that the loop structures involved in retaining the nucleophilic group and the acid catalyst are more flexible than in the wild‐type enzyme.
Toxic Effects of Iterative Intraperitoneal Administration of Zinc Gluconate in Rats
Authors: Andriollo‐Sanchez Maud , Claeyssen Richard , Arnaud Josiane , Touvard Laurence , Denis Josiane , Chancerelle Yves , Roussel Anne‐Marie , Agay Diane
Published: July 2008

Abstract:  Although zinc is an essential trace element involved in many physiological functions, toxicological data concerning acute exposure are scarce. The aim of our study was to determine the maximal iterative dose of zinc that can be administrated in rats without any adverse effect. Saline (control group) or zinc gluconate at 1, 2 or 4 mg/kg were intraperitoneally injected in animals daily during 7 days. The tolerance of zinc treatments was evaluated by the observation of clinical symptoms, haematological parameters and biochemistry, in relation to the zinc and copper levels in blood, liver, pancreas and faeces. We found no serious adverse effect within 1 week in rats injected intraperitoneally with 1 or 2 mg/kg/day of zinc gluconate, which tends to indicate that those doses could be useful in future therapeutic research. In contrast, the therapeutic treatment of adult rats with repeated intraperitoneal injections of a 4 mg/kg/day zinc dose should be cancelled, due to the occurrence of clinical adverse effects within a few days, as intraperitoneal local intolerance or major growth underdevelopment.
Chloramphenicol‐Induced Oxidative Stress in Human Neutrophils
Authors: Páez Paulina L. , Becerra María C. , Albesa Inés
Published: July 2008

Abstract:  The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro effect of chloramphenicol in order to determine its potential toxic effects on human neutrophils, by using assays of reactive oxygen species (ROS) determination, nitrite measurement and antioxidant systems. Chloramphenicol enabled the oxidative stress response of neutrophils and increased the ROS production at 2, 4, 8 and 16 µg/ml, while ROS generation decreased at high concentrations (32 µg/ml). The nitroblue tetrazolium assay shows that neutrophils incubated with chloramphenicol increased the intracellular ROS, with the extracellular production rising with a corresponding increase in antibiotic concentration. Enzymatic activities – superoxide dismutase, catalase and diaphorase enzymes – increased after chloramphenicol treatment, while the glutathione level decreased in neutrophils incubated with antibiotic. The results obtained in the present work suggest that the study of susceptibility to oxidative stress in neutrophils before chloramphenicol treatment could be adequate for in vitro toxicity screening.
Observation time to first detection of double neutron star mergers by gravitational wave observatories
Authors: Coward D. M.
Published: July 2008

We constrain the uncertainty in waiting times for detecting the first double neutron star (DNS) mergers by gravitational wave observatories. By accounting for the Poisson fluctuations in the rate density of DNS mergers and galaxy space density inhomogeneity in the local Universe, we define a detection ‘zone’ as a region in a parameter space constrained by the DNS merger rate and two Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) operation parameters: an observation horizon distance and a science run duration. Assuming a mean rate of about 80 DNS mergers per Milky Way galaxy Myr−1, we find a 1/20 chance of observing a merger by an enhanced LIGO in only 1 yr of observation. The minimum waiting time and temporal zone width for an advanced LIGO sensitivity are much shorter and imply that there is a 95 per cent probability of detecting a DNS merger in less than 60 d and a 1/20 chance of a first detection in about 1 d. At the 5 per cent probability threshold for a first detection, we find that the effect of galaxy clusters on detection is smoothed out and may only influence detection rates after 5–10 yr observation time.
Endoscopic ultrasound: Moving from diagnostics to therapeutics
Authors: ANG Tiing Leong
Published: July 2008

Endoscopic ultrasound was initially introduced in the 1980s as a diagnostic modality using echoendoscopes with radial scanning that permitted reconstruction of cross‐sectional images similar to computed tomography. The close proximity of the ultrasound transducer to the gastrointestinal wall and retroperitoneal structures allowed a detailed examination that is not possible with cross‐sectional imaging such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. It proved to be highly accurate and useful in the staging of gastrointestinal malignancies, as well as in characterizing the nature of subepithelial lesions and disorders of the pancreaticobiliary system. The introduction of linear echoendoscopes facilitated fine needle aspiration because, with linear scanning, it was able to trace the path of the tip of the needle during the puncture process. In addition to being very useful for tissue acquisition for diagnostic purposes, the principles behind endoscopic ultrasound‐guided fine needle aspiration paved the way for the development of therapeutic endoscopic ultrasound. Substances could now be delivered by endoscopic ultrasound into targeted areas, an example being an endoscopic ultrasound‐guided celiac plexus block and neurolysis. In addition, the endoscopic ultrasound‐guided puncture of fluid collections, abscesses and obstructed biliary and pancreatic ductal systems facilitated the passage of guidewires, thus allowing therapeutic drainage procedures to be performed using the Seldinger technique. This review summarizes the diagnostic capability of endoscopic ultrasound and then moves on to elaborate in detail its therapeutic capability and potential.
Isolation and characterization of novel microsatellites from the critically endangered hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
Authors: MIRO‐HERRANS AIDA T. , VELEZ‐ZUAZO XIMENA , ACEVEDO JENNY P. , MCMILLAN W. OWEN
Published: July 2008

We isolated and characterized 12 microsatellite loci from the hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata). The loci exhibited a variable number of alleles that ranged from three to 14 with an average observed heterozygosity of 0.70 (SD 0.18) across 40 hawksbill turtles from the Caribbean. The polymorphism exhibited individually and in combination makes them suitable for fine‐scale genetic studies. In particular, the low probability of identity and high paternity exclusion of these markers makes them highly useful for parentage and relatedness studies. These new markers greatly increase the power of genetic studies directed towards the conservation of this endangered species.
Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci in Epidendrum puniceoluteum, an endemic orchid from the Atlantic Rainforest
Authors: PINHEIRO F. , SANTOS M. O. , PALMA‐SILVA C. , BARROS F. , MEYER D. , SALATINO A. , SOUZA A. P. , COZZOLINO S.
Published: July 2008

Epidendrum puniceoluteum is an endemic orchid of Atlantic Rainforest, restricted to few populations only due to the destruction and fragmentation of its native habitat. Here, we report on the development of 10 microsatellite markers isolated from this orchid species. Genetic variability was characterized in two distant populations from Brazil coast. The number of alleles observed for each locus ranged from two to 12 and with an average of 6.4 alleles per locus. These microsatellites should be valuable tools for studying both fine‐scale genetic structure of scattered E. puniceoluteum population and patterns will be useful genetic markers for other closely related taxa.
Identification and characterization of nuclear microsatellite loci in the aquatic moss Platyhypnidium riparioides (Brachytheciaceae)
Authors: HUTSEMÉKERS V. , RISTERUCCI A. M. , RICCA M. , BOLES S. , HARDY O. J. , SHAW A. J. , VANDERPOORTEN A.
Published: July 2008

Eight microsatellite loci from the aquatic moss Platyhypnidium riparioides were identified using the method of microsatellite‐enriched libraries. Polymorphism was assessed in a sample of four populations of 20 individuals each from four streams of the Meuse hydrographic basin in southern Belgium. The markers amplified three to seven alleles per locus. Comparison of observed and expected heterozygosities as well as F‐statistics (FST = 0.62) reveals a significant genetic differentiation among populations. These markers will be useful for further investigation of population genetic structure and diversity at different nested spatial scales.
QUINTESSENCE: A MINI-REVIEW
Authors: MARTIN JÉRÔME
Published: July 2008

Models where the accelerated expansion of our Universe is caused by a quintessence scalar field are reviewed. In the framework of high energy physics, the physical nature of this field is discussed and its interaction with ordinary matter is studied and explicitly calculated. It is shown that this coupling is generically too strong to be compatible with local tests of gravity. A possible way out, the chameleon effect, is also briefly investigated.
OBSERVATION OF THE GZK CUTOFF BY THE HIRes EXPERIMENT AND THE PIERRE AUGER OBSERVATORY
Authors: SOKOLSKY PIERRE
Published: July 2008

Results from the High Resolution Fly's Eye (HiRes) experiment and the Pierre Auger Observatory (PAO) on the observation of the Greissen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin cutoff in the cosmic ray spectrum are presented. Both experiments observe a cutoff consistent with the GZK predictions with a five and six sigma significance respectively. The nature of the cosmic ray composition near the GZK cutoff is discussed as well as the recent claim of a correlation of the highest energy cosmic rays with AGNs in the Southern sky.
DARK ENERGY AND THE COSMOLOGICAL CONSTANT PARADOX
Authors: ZEE A.
Published: July 2008

I give a brief and idiosyncratic overview of the cosmological constant paradox.
COSMOLOGICAL EVOLUTION OF NEW-AGEGRAPHIC DARK ENERGY MODEL
Authors: LEE H. W. , KIM K. Y. , MYUNG Y. S.
Published: July 2008

We investigate the cosmological evolution of the new-agegraphic dark energy model which was recently proposed to explain the dark energy-dominated universe. For this purpose, we derived differential equations for density parameters and solved them numerically. We found that there exist a critical value for undetermined parameter of new-agegraphic density to obtain a stable and accessible evolution in the far past. Furthermore, this parameter seems to be fixed as the critical value for consistence.
ALTERNATIVE UNIFIED VIEWS ON DARK MATTER AND DARK ENERGY
Authors: MATHEWS GRANT J. , ICHIKI K. , KAJINO T. , LAN N. Q. , ZHAO X.
Published: July 2008

The simple fact that the present closure contributions in dark matter and dark energy are nearly equal begs the question as to whether they could be different aspects of the same physical phenomenon. Here, we review constraints several postulates as to how this coincidence could be achieved. These include: 1) The possibility that the dark matter decays producing a bulk viscosity in the cosmic fluid; 2) cosmic acceleration produced by the inflow of dark matter from a bulk dimension in brane-world cosmology; and 3) The possibility of relativistic corrections to the Friedmann equation from the presence of local inhomogeneities. Constraints and observational tests of each of these cosmologies are proposed.
NEUTRINO PRODUCTION IN EXTREME CONDITIONS
Authors: LEE HYUN KYU , YOON YONGSUNG
Published: July 2008

We discuss the observational effects of the direct coupling of neutrino magnetic moment with electromagnetic field through Pauli interaction in extreme conditions. We calculate the neutrino pair creation rate from the instability of the strong magnetic field possibly in the vicinity of astrophysical compact objects and the enhancement of neutrino production rates in the high energy collider experiments as well as in the high energy cosmic ray experiments.
THERMAL LEPTOGENESIS IN SO(10) GUT
Authors: JI XIANGDONG
Published: July 2008

I discuss the possibility of generating the observed baryon number in the universe through the lepton-number violating processes in a class of SO(10) grand unification theories. The key ingredient is the CP violating decay of the heavy right-handed neutrinos out of thermal equilibrium.
PHASE-SPACE CONSTRAINTS ON NEUTRINO LUMINOSITIES
Authors: SIVARAM C. , ARUN KENATH , SAMARTHA C. A.
Published: July 2008

While the importance of phase space constraints for gravitational clustering of neutrinos (which are fermions) is well recognized, the explicit use of such constraints to limit neutrino emission from ultra energetic sources has not been stressed. Special and general relativistic phase space constraints are shown to limit neutrino luminosities in compact sources in various situations.
COSMIC COVARIANCE AND THE LOW QUADRUPOLE ANISOTROPY IN THE WMAP DATA
Authors: CHIANG LUNG-YIH , NASELSKY PAVEL D. , COLES PETER
Published: July 2008

Low quadrupole power in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature anisotropies has been a puzzle since WMAP data release. In this talk I will demonstrate that the minimum variance optimization (MVO), a methodology used by many authors including the WMAP science team to separate the CMB from foreground contamination, serves not only to extract the CMB, but to subtract the “cosmic covariance”, an intrinsic correlation between the CMB and the foregrounds. Such subtraction induces low variance in the signal via MVO, which in turn propagates into the multipoles, causing a quadrupole deficit with more than 90% CL. As we do not know the CMB and the foregrounds a priori, and their correlation is subtracted by the MVO in any case, there is therefore an unknown error in the quadrupole power even before the cosmic variance interpretation. We combine the MVO and Monte Carlo simulations, assuming CMB is a Gaussian random field, and the estimated quadrupole power falls in [308.13, 401.97] μ K 2 (at 1 − σ level).
NONCOMMUTATIVE INFLATION AND NON-GAUSSIANITY
Authors: CHEN BIN
Published: July 2008

We investigate the physical implications of the noncommutative geometry in inflationary scenario. Firstly we study the noncommutative inflation with a time-dependent noncommutativity between space and time and find that the scalar perturbation power spectrum depends sensitively on the time varying of the spacetime noncommutativity. Secondly, we discuss the spatially noncommutative effect on the non-Gaussianities of primordial cosmological perturbation. In the lowest order of noncommutativity and slow-roll parameter, we find that in the models with small speed of sound the noncommutative modifications could be observable if assuming a relatively low string scale. It turns out that the corrections are sensitive to the speed of sound and the choice of string length scale, and the shapes of the corrected non-Gaussianities are distinct from that of ordinary ones.