bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Online Qualitätssicherung an Laserverbindungen in der Automobilindustrie
Authors: Jäckel Torsten
Published: February 2007

Seit dem Jahr 2000 setzt die Volkswagen AG im großen Umfang, lasergestützte Verbindungstechniken im Karosseriebau ein. Die Steigerung der Schweiß‐ und Lötverbindungen nahm mit dem Polo, über den Touran, den Golf und dem aktuellen Passat deutlich zu. Im aktuellen Golf sind rund 50 m Laserschweißnaht zu finden. Die Schweißnähte sind alle als Überlappverbindung ausgelegt. Trotz des weiten Parameterfensters und der Sicherheit der Schweißprozesse, ist eine kontinuierliche Kontrolle der Verbindungsqualität nötig. Am Markt sind Systeme erhältlich, die die Prozesse automatisch überwachen und im Fehlerfall eingreifen können. Trotzdem sind in der Fertigung nur wenige dieser Systeme im Einsatz, da hier das Angebot der Qualitätssensoren, die tatsächlichen Bedürfnisse der Automobilhersteller noch nicht befriedigt.
Morphology, Thermal Stability, and Mechanical Behavior of [Poly(propylene)‐grafted Maleic Anhydride]‐Layered Expanded Graphite Oxide Composites
Authors: Cerezo Frances T. , Preston Christopher M. L. , Shanks Robert A.
Published: February 2007

PP‐g‐MA‐layered EGO composites were prepared directly by solution blending. Two types of PP‐g‐MA/EGO composites were prepared using different mixing methods: distributive and dispersive. In this study, the effects of the mixing method of EGO on the crystalline structure and thermo‐mechanical properties of PP‐g‐MA/EGO composites are reported. WAXD exhibited a shift in 2θ of the monoclinic (α) phase of PP‐g‐MA and (002) EGO peaks for PP‐g‐MA/EGO layered composites, which indicated a modification of the crystalline structure of PP‐g‐MA in the layered composites. DSC exhibited a single characteristic melting peak of monoclinic (α) crystalline phase PP‐g‐MA. The incorporation of EGO increased Tc indicating that the EGO acted as a nucleating agent for PP‐g‐MA. The crystallinity of the PP‐g‐MA/EGO composites was found to be dependent on the mixing method. Thermogravimetry demonstrated that PP‐g‐MA in the presence of EGO has higher degradation temperature, suggesting that the graphite particles acted as a thermal barrier material for PP‐g‐MA. DMA indicated that incorporation of EGO into PP‐g‐MA increased the storage modulus, due to the hydrogen bonding between EGO and MA of PP‐g‐MA.

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Temperature and pH‐Sensitive Swelling Behavior of Binary DMAEMA/4VP Grafts on Poly(propylene) Films
Authors: Burillo Guillermina , Bucio Emilio , Arenas Ever , Lopez Gabriel P.
Published: February 2007

Poly(N,N‐dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) is a polymer or hydrogel that is both thermosensitive and pH sensitive, with a low critical solution temperature (LCST) around 38 °C and a pH critical point of 2.5. Poly(4‐vinylpyridine) (P4VP) shows pH sensitivity with a critical point of 5.1. Grafting of stimuli‐sensitive polymers onto mechanically durable poly(propylene) (PP) substrates was used in this study. We have focused on the influence of temperature and pH on the response of binary graft films produced by gamma irradiation in one and two steps. An LCST‐type hydration transition in the grafts was observed by measuring swelling of the films and water contact angle at different temperatures and pH. An upper critical solution temperature (UCST)‐type behavior was also observed by swelling PP‐g‐DMAEMA and DMAEMA/4VP binary grafting onto PP films at pH 2.2.

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Ultraviolet radiation stimulates expression of Snail family transcription factors in keratinocytes
Authors: Hudson Laurie G. , Choi Changsun , Newkirk Kimberly M. , Parkhani Jaipriya , Cooper Karen L. , Lu Ping , Kusewitt Donna F.
Published: February 2007

The related zinc finger transcription factors Slug and Snail modulate epithelial mesenchymal transformation (EMT), the conversion of sessile epithelial cells into migratory fibroblast‐like cells. EMT occurs during development, wound healing, and tumor progression. Growth factors, acting through mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades, regulate expression of Slug and Snail. Expression of Snail family transcription factors appears to be elevated in UVR‐induced murine squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). We report here that ultraviolet radiation (UVR), which activates MAPK cascades, also stimulates Snail and Slug expression in epidermal keratinocytes. UVR exposure transiently elevated Slug and Snail mRNA expression in human keratinocytes in vitro and mouse epidermis in vivo. This induction was mediated, at least in part, through the ERK and p38 MAPK cascades, as pharmacological inhibition of these cascades partially or completely blocked Slug and Snail induction by UVR. On the other hand, UVR induction of Slug and Snail was enhanced by inhibition of JNK. Slug appears to play a functional role in the acute response of keratinocytes to UVR, as UVR induction of keratin 6 in the epidermis of Slug knockout mice was markedly delayed compared to wild‐type mice. Slug and Snail are known to regulate molecules important in the cytoskeleton, intercellular adhesion, cell motility, and apoptosis, thus it seems probable that transiently or persistently elevated expression of these factors fosters the progression of UVR‐induced SCC. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Epidermal hyperplasia and oral carcinoma in mice overexpressing the transcription factor ATF3 in basal epithelial cells
Authors: Wang Aijin , Arantes Stacey , Conti Claudio , McArthur Mark , Aldaz C. Marcelo , MacLeod Michael C.
Published: February 2007

ATF3 is a highly conserved eukaryotic transcription factor that is ubiquitously upregulated transcriptionally during cellular responses to a variety of stresses, in particular DNA damage. However, the role of ATF3 in the DNA damage response is unclear. Transgenic mice that overexpress human ATF3 in basal epithelial cells under the control of the bovine keratin 5 (K5) promoter were constructed and characterized for epidermal alterations. Strong, nuclear expression of the exogenous ATF3 protein was seen in basal cells of the epidermis, hair follicles, and oral mucosa. Hyperplastic changes in the K5‐expressing, outer root sheath (ORS) cells of the hair follicle were observed in young mice, resulting in multiple layers of ORS cells in the mature follicle and large aberrantly shaped follicles. Mild hyperplasia of the interfollicular epidermis was also noted, increasing with age. However, no epidermal tumors were identified in BK5.ATF3 mice observed for 16 mo. At 16 mo of age, most transgenic mice exhibited multi‐focal areas of hyperplasia and dysplasia in the oral mucosa, with cellular atypia and underlying acute inflammatory changes. Neoplastic lesions were also seen in the oral cavity of BK5.ATF3 mice, including oral squamous cell carcinoma (60% incidence) and basal cell tumors with follicular differentiation (70% incidence), but not in non‐transgenic FVB/N littermates. Heterogeneous nuclear expression (or stabilization) of p53 protein was seen in some oral dysplasias, with a patchy distribution primarily in the least differentiated layers of the lesions. This represents the first indication that ATF3 may have oncogenic properties in epithelial cells. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Aneuploidy of chromosome Y in prostate tumors and seminal vesicles: A possible sign of aging rather than an indicator of carcinogenesis?
Authors: Nadal Marga , Pera Guillem , Pujadas Jaume , Abril Jesús , González Laura , Aguiló Fernando , Condom Enric , Gómez‐Zaera Montserrat , Nunes Virginia
Published: February 2007

Chromosome Y aneuploidies have been reported as one of the recurrent cytogenetic findings in prostate cancer (PCa) and many other solid and hematological tumors. We have studied this aneuploidy in 28 patients with PCa undergoing radical prostatectomy, one patient with benign hyperplasia (BPH) and four organ donors. A total of 72 samples have been studied: 17 tumors, 25 nontumor prostate tissues, 1 BPH, 21 seminal vesicles samples obtained along with the prostate when patients underwent radical prostatectomy and prostate tissues and seminal vesicles from four organ donors. We have also studied the aneuploidy of chromosome Y in peripheral blood from four of the patients and in seminal vesicles of 11 individuals with bladder cancer (BC). The study has been performed by Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in uncultured cells. Our results indicate that complete loss of chromosome Y is found in almost all the seminal vesicles both from patients with PCa and patients with BC (samples obtained from the tissue bank), and is more frequent in prostate tumors than in nontumor samples. The percentages of chromosome Y loss in the tissues analyzed are significatively higher than expected in lymphocytes considering the patient's age as reported in the literature. The high percentage of chromosome Y loss found in the nonmalignant seminal vesicles of these patients may be an indicator of an ageing process rather than a primary cytogenetic alteration in the carcinogenesis of the prostate. However, a contribution of this loss to chromosomal instability and therefore, to the multistep tumorigenic process, cannot be discarded. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Computational analysis of martensitic thin films using subdivision surfaces
Authors: Dondl Patrick W. , Shen Ching‐Ping , Bhattacharya Kaushik
Published: February 2007

This paper studies numerically the deformation of thin films made of materials undergoing martensitic phase transformations by using subdivision surfaces. These thin films have received interest as potential microactuators, and specifically a tent‐like configuration has recently been proposed. In order to model martensitic materials we use a multi‐well strain energy combined with an interfacial energy penalizing strain gradients. The study of such configurations requires adequate resolution of inhomogeneous in‐plane stretch, out‐of‐plane deformation and transition regions across which the deformation gradient changes sharply. This paper demonstrates that subdivision surfaces provide an attractive tool in the numerical study of such configurations, and also provides insights into the tent‐like deformations. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hybrid pseudospectral–finite difference method for solving a 3D heat conduction equation in a submicroscale thin film
Authors: Momeni‐Masuleh S.H. , Malek A.
Published: February 2007

This research aims to develop a time‐dependent pseudospectral‐finite difference scheme for solving a 3D dual‐phase‐lagging heat transport equation in a submicroscale thin film. The scheme uses periodic pseudospectral discretization in space and a fully second‐order finite difference discretization in time. The three consecutive time steps model is then solved explicitly, by using a preconditioned conjugate gradient method. The scheme is illustrated by an example which is used to investigate the heat transfer in a gold submicroscale thin film. Comparisons are made with available literature. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq, 2007
Finite volume method based on stabilized finite elements for the nonstationary Navier–Stokes problem
Authors: He Guoliang , He Yinnian , Feng Xinlong
Published: February 2007

A finite volume method based on stabilized finite element for the two‐dimensional nonstationary Navier–Stokes equations is investigated in this work. As in stabilized finite element method, macroelement condition is introduced for constructing the local stabilized formulation of the nonstationary Navier–Stokes equations. Moreover, for P1 − P0 element, the H1 error estimate of optimal order for finite volume solution (uh,ph) is analyzed. And, a uniform H1 error estimate of optimal order for finite volume solution (uh, ph) is also obtained if the uniqueness condition is satisfied. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq, 2007
Arrested Reactive Milling Synthesis and Characterization of Sodium‐Nitrate Based Reactive Composites
Authors: Umbrajkar Swati , Trunov Mikhaylo A. , Schoenitz Mirko , Dreizin Edward L. , Broad Russell
Published: February 2007

Arrested reactive milling was used to synthesize three composite powders using sodium nitrate as an oxidizer, and magnesium, aluminum, and mechanically alloyed aluminum‐magnesium (Al0.5Mg0.5) as respective fuels. Both magnesium and aluminum powders formed flakes with varying thickness from hundreds of nm to several μm sandwiched between sodium nitrate particles. Three‐dimensional composite and nanocomposite particles were formed with AlMg mechanically alloyed powder. No change in the crystallinity of any components was observed from X‐ray diffraction patterns of the composite materials. Materials were characterized using differential thermal analysis (DTA) and simultaneous thermogravimetry (TG), carried out in argon. In composite materials, the decomposition of sodium nitrate starts at lower temperatures than for pure sodium nitrate. Weight loss is observed to start at relatively low temperatures. The most significant exothermic events occur at substantially higher temperatures, and therefore in a material that may have been significantly altered from its initial state. The results of thermal analysis indicate that the composite with mechanically alloyed AlMg powder is most stable at low temperatures. Ignition of the prepared composites was studied using a thin layer of powder coated on an electrically heated filament. These experiments showed that the composite with mechanically alloyed AlMg powder ignites at lowest temperatures and thus is expected to have the shortest ignition delays in practical applications. The emission spectra of the prepared composites burning in air are presented.
High Energy Propellants for Advanced Gun Ammunition Based on RDX, GAP and TAGN Compositions
Authors: Damse Ramdas S. , Singh Amarjit , Singh Harihar
Published: February 2007

A number of gun propellant compositions based on RDX, GAP, TAGN and combinations thereof were formulated and studied with the aim to select the suitable composition for advanced gun ammunition in respect of processability and ballistic performance. Theoretical thermochemical properties of the compositions were computed using a ‘THERM’ programme and the ballistic performance was evaluated on the basis of closed vessel tests. In addition, sensitivity, thermal characterization, thermal stability and mechanical properties of the compositions were also determined for assessing the suitability for application. A composition containing 28% NC, 45% RDX, 20% TAGN, 6% GAP, 0.7% carbamite and 0.3% resorcinol was found to provide higher level of force constant at relatively lower flame temperature, reasonably good burning rate characteristics and mechanical properties.
A Detonation Model of High/Low Velocity Detonation
Authors: Hu Shaoming , Li Chenfang , Ma Yunhua , Cui Junmin
Published: February 2007

A new detonation model that can simulate both high and low velocity detonations is established using the least action principle. The least action principle is valid for mechanics and thermodynamics associated with a detonation process. Therefore, the least action principle is valid in detonation science. In this model, thermodynamic equilibrium state is taken as the known final point of the detonation process. Thermodynamic potentials are analogous to mechanical ones, and the Lagrangian function in the detonation process is L=T−V. Under certain assumptions, the variation calculus of the Lagrangian function gives two solutions: the first one is a constant temperature solution, and the second one is the solution of an ordinary differential equation. A special solution of the ordinary differential equation is given.
Local motions in a benchmark of allosteric proteins
Authors: Daily Michael D. , Gray Jeffrey J.
Published: February 2007

Allosteric proteins have been studied extensively in the last 40 years, but so far, no systematic analysis of conformational changes between allosteric structures has been carried out. Here, we compile a set of 51 pairs of known inactive and active allosteric protein structures from the Protein Data Bank. We calculate local conformational differences between the two structures of each protein using simple metrics, such as backbone and side‐chain Cartesian displacement, and torsion angle change and rearrangement in residue–residue contacts. Thresholds for each metric arise from distributions of motions in two control sets of pairs of protein structures in the same biochemical state. Statistical analysis of motions in allosteric proteins quantifies the magnitude of allosteric effects and reveals simple structural principles about allostery. For example, allosteric proteins exhibit substantial conformational changes comprising about 20% of the residues. In addition, motions in allosteric proteins show strong bias toward weakly constrained regions such as loops and the protein surface. Correlation functions show that motions communicate through protein structures over distances averaging 10–20 residues in sequence space and 10–20 Å in Cartesian space. Comparison of motions in the allosteric set and a set of 21 nonallosteric ligand‐binding proteins shows that nonallosteric proteins also exhibit bias of motion toward weakly constrained regions and local correlation of motion. However, allosteric proteins exhibit twice as much percent motion on average as nonallosteric proteins with ligand‐induced motion. These observations may guide efforts to design flexibility and allostery into proteins. Proteins 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Phylogenetic analysis of haloalkane dehalogenases
Authors: Chovancová Eva , Kosinski Jan , Bujnicki Janusz M. , Damborský Jiří
Published: February 2007

Haloalkane dehalogenases (HLDs) are enzymes that catalyze the cleavage of carbon–halogen bonds by a hydrolytic mechanism. Although comparative biochemical analyses have been published, no classification system has been proposed for HLDs, to date, that reconciles their phylogenetic and functional relationships. In the study presented here, we have analyzed all sequences and structures of genuine HLDs and their homologs detectable by database searches. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the HLD family can be divided into three subfamilies denoted HLD‐I, HLD‐II, and HLD‐III, of which HLD‐I and HLD‐III are predicted to be sister‐groups. A mismatch between the HLD protein tree and the tree of species, as well as the presence of more than one HLD gene in a few genomes, suggest that horizontal gene transfers, and perhaps also multiple gene duplications and losses have been involved in the evolution of this family. Most of the biochemically characterized HLDs are found in the HLD‐II subfamily. The dehalogenating activity of two members of the newly identified HLD‐III subfamily has only recently been confirmed, in a study motivated by this phylogenetic analysis. A novel type of the catalytic pentad (Asp‐His‐Asp+Asn‐Trp) was predicted for members of the HLD‐III subfamily. Calculation of the evolutionary rates and lineage‐specific innovations revealed a common conserved core as well as a set of residues that characterizes each HLD subfamily. The N‐terminal part of the cap domain is one of the most variable regions within the whole family as well as within individual subfamilies, and serves as a preferential site for the location of relatively long insertions. The highest variability of discrete sites was observed among residues that are structural components of the access channels. Mutations at these sites modify the anatomy of the channels, which are important for the exchange of ligands between the buried active site and the bulk solvent, thus creating a structural basis for the molecular evolution of new substrate specificities. Our analysis sheds light on the evolutionary history of HLDs and provides a structural framework for designing enzymes with new specificities. Proteins 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
COMBINE analysis of the specificity of binding of Ras proteins to their effectors
Authors: Tomić Sanja , Bertoša Branimir , Wang Ting , Wade Rebecca C.
Published: February 2007

The small guanosine triphosphate (GTP)‐binding proteins of the Ras family are involved in many cellular pathways leading to cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis. Understanding the interaction of Ras with other proteins is of importance not only for studying signalling mechanisms but also, because of their medical relevance as targets, for anticancer therapy. To study their selectivity and specificity, which are essential to their signal transfer function, we performed COMparative BINding Energy (COMBINE) analysis for 122 different wild‐type and mutant complexes between the Ras proteins, Ras and Rap, and their effectors, Raf and RalGDS. The COMBINE models highlighted the amino acid residues responsible for subtle differences in binding of the same effector to the two different Ras proteins, as well as more significant differences in the binding of the two different effectors (RalGDS and Raf) to Ras. The study revealed that E37, D38, and D57 in Ras are nonspecific hot spots at its effector interface, important for stabilization of both the RalGDS–Ras and Raf–Ras complexes. The electrostatic interaction between a GTP analogue and the effector, either Raf or RalGDS, also stabilizes these complexes. The Raf–Ras complexes are specifically stabilized by S39, Y40, and D54, and RalGDS–Ras complexes by E31 and D33. Binding of a small molecule in the vicinity of one of these groups of amino acid residues could increase discrimination between the Raf–Ras and RalGDS–Ras complexes. Despite the different size of the RalGDS–Ras and Raf–Ras complexes, we succeeded in building COMBINE models for one type of complex that were also predictive for the other type of protein complex. Further, using system‐specific models trained with only five complexes selected according to the results of principal component analysis, we were able to predict binding affinities for the other mutants of the particular Ras‐effector complex. As the COMBINE analysis method is able to explicitly reveal the amino acid residues that have most influence on binding affinity, it is a valuable aid for protein design. Proteins 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effects of telephone counselling on mortality and adherence
Authors: Holland Richard , Rechel Boika , Wright David
Published: February 2007

A randomised controlled trial published in a peer‐reviewed journal is considered to be the ‘gold standard’ of information about the effectiveness of a treatment; however, critical appraisal of trials is required in order to judge the value and implications of the results. Here, the authors present their appraisal of a study that investigated the effects of telephone calls from a pharmacist on mortality in patients taking five or more drugs.

Wu JY, Leung WY, Chang S, et al. Effectiveness of telephone counselling by a pharmacist in reducing mortality in patients receiving polypharmacy: randomised controlled trial. BMJ 2006;333(7567):522. Copyright © 2006 Wiley Interface Ltd
Laser assisted densification of surface porosity in structural alumina ceramic
Authors: Harimkar S. , Dahotre N. B.
Published: February 2007

Alumina ceramics are extensively used in structural components due to excellent thermal and mechanical properties. The effective utilization of alumina ceramic in these applications necessitates the minimization of inherent processing defects such as porosity. Laser processing can be effectively used for densification of the surface porosity of these ceramics especially desirable for the applications where ceramics are exposed to high temperatures and aggressive environments. The present study discusses the influence of laser processing fluence on the surface porosity of the alumina ceramic irradiated with a continuous wave Nd:YAG laser beam. A detailed scanning electron microscopy characterization was carried out to indicate the mechanism of densification of porosity during laser irradiation based on development of solidification microstructures. Finally, a fractal geometry based approach was introduced to characterize the surface microstructures such that useful correlation can be developed for the prediction of surface porosity directly from the fractal dimensions. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Nitride‐based heterostructures grown by MOCVD for near‐ and mid‐infrared intersubband transitions
Authors: Mosca M. , Nicolay S. , Feltin E. , Carlin J.‐F. , Butté R. , Ilegems M. , Grandjean N. , Tchernycheva M. , Nevou L. , Julien F. H.
Published: February 2007

Intersubband (ISB) optical absorption in different nitride‐based heterostructures grown by metal‐organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) is reported. The role of indium in AlInN/GaN multi‐quantum wells (MQWs) is investigated. At high concentration (15%) AlInN is quasi lattice‐matched to GaN and no cracks appear in the structure. At very low indium concentration (∼2%) the material quality is improved without decreasing the ISB transition wavelength with respect to the case of indium‐free structures. Different mechanisms of strain relaxation in pure and 2% indium‐doped AlN/GaN MQW structures are also investigated. ISB transition wavelengths of 2 μm for AlN/GaN MQWs, and 3 μm for AlInN/GaN MQWs with 15% of In are achieved. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
A fragmentation study of isoflavones in negative electrospray ionization by MSn ion trap mass spectrometry and triple quadrupole mass spectrometry
Authors: Kang Jinguo , Hick Larry A. , Price William E.
Published: February 2007

This study has elucidated the fragmentation pathway for deprotonated isoflavones in electrospray ionization using MSn ion trap mass spectrometry and triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. Genistein‐d4 and daidzein‐d3 were used as references for the clarification of fragment structures. To confirm the relationship between precursor and product ions, some fragments were traced from MS2 to MS5. The previous literature for the structurally related flavones and flavanones located the loss of ketene (C2H2O) to ring C, whereas the present fragmentation study for isoflavones has shown that the loss of ketene occurs at ring A. In the further fragmentation of the [MHCH3]−. radical anion of methoxylated isoflavones, loss of a hydrogen atom was commonly found. [MHCH3COB‐ring]− is a characteristic fragment ion of glycitein and can be used to differentiate glycitein from its isomers. Neutral losses of CO and CO2 were prominent in the fragmentation of deprotonated anions in ion trap mass spectrometry, whereas recyclization cleavage accounted for a very small proportion. In comparison with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry, ion trap MSn mass spectrometry has the advantage of better elucidation of the relationship between precursor and product ions. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Surfactant‐mediated matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry of small molecules
Authors: Grant David C. , Helleur Robert J.
Published: February 2007

A variety of surfactants have been tested as matrix‐ion suppressors for the analysis of small molecules by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of flight mass spectrometry. Their addition to the common matrix α‐cyano‐4‐hydroxycinnamic acid (CHCA) greatly reduces the presence of matrix‐related ions when added at the appropriate mole ratio of CHCA/surfactant, while still allowing the analyte signal to be observed. A range of cationic quaternary ammonium surfactants, as well as a neutral and anionic surfactant, was tested for the analysis of phenolics, phenolic acids, peptides and caffeine. It was found that the cationic surfactants, particularly cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), were suitable for the analysis of acidic analytes. The anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate, showed promise for peptide analysis. For trialanine, the detection limit was observed to be in the 100 femtomole range. The final matrix/surfactant mole ratio was a critical parameter for matrix ion suppression and resulting intensity of analyte signal. It was also found that the mass resolution of analytes was improved by 25–75%. Depth profiling of sample spots, by varying the number of laser shots, revealed that the surfactants tend to migrate toward the top of the droplet during crystallization, and that it is likely that the analyte is also enriched in this surface region. Here, higher analyte/surfactant concentration would reduce matrix‐matrix interactions (known to be a source of matrix‐derived ions). Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Toxicity of copper in butterfish (Poronotus triacanthus): Tissues accumulation and ultrastructural changes
Authors: Jiraungkoorskul Wannee , Sahaphong Somphong , Kangwanrangsan Niwat
Published: February 2007

The present study investigated the accumulation of copper in various tissues and ultrastructural alterations in butterfish, Poronotus triacanthus. In acute toxicity test, butterfish were exposed to 250 μg/L copper for 24 h. In subacute toxicity test, fish were exposed to 25 μg/L copper for 7 days and then returned to normal water for 48 h. The levels of copper accumulation in the tissues were determined by using an atomic absorption spectrometer. After the 7 day exposure, the highest level of copper was found in the liver, followed by kidney, gills, and muscle tissues (3.64, 0.62, 0.59, and 0.34 μg/L, respectively). The recovery group has shown some reduction in copper level in these tissues when compared with those of the 7 day exposure group (3.09, 0.34, 0.30, and 0.27 μg/L, respectively). In gills, the major changes such as filament cell proliferation, increase in intercellular spaces, epithelial lifting, and thickening of the filament and lamellar epithelium were observed. In liver, the major changes such as swollen mitochondria, fragmented in rough endoplasmic reticulum, increases in number and size of lysosomes and lipid droplets. Infiltration of leukocytes, increasing hepatocyte size with pyknotic nuclei, and presence of vacuoles were also observed. In kidney, the changes included alterations of the first proximal tubules, as well as vacuolization of the cytoplasm, proliferation of lysosomes and mitochondria, dilation of endoplasmic reticulum, and finally, cell necrosis. The transmission electron microscopic analysis revealed that the 7 day exposure group had more severe effect in tissue alterations than the 24 h exposure group. Tissue regeneration was also observed in the 48 h recovery group. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 22: 92–100, 2007.
Photodynamic therapy against cyanobacteria
Authors: Drábková M. , Maršálek B. , Admiraal W.
Published: February 2007

This study explores the use of photosensitizers and reactive oxygen species (ROS) to limit growth of cyanobacteria. We chose 12 phthalocyanines, tetraphenol porphyrine, and methylene blue as compounds producing singlet oxygen. Hydrogen peroxide was chosen as another source of ROS. These compounds were tested using algal toxicity tests in microplates on three cultures of green algae (Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, Scenedesmus quadricauda, and Chlorella kessleri) and on three cultures of cyanobacteria (Synechococcus nidulans, Microcystis incerta, and Anabaena sp.). Results indicate that photosensitizers and singlet oxygen could be highly toxic for some selected phytoplankton species. Green alga Scenedesmus quadricauda was highly sensitive (EC50 = 0.07 mg/L) to compounds producing singlet oxygen, although it was not sensitive to hydrogen peroxide, which was about 10 times more toxic for cyanobacteria. We conclude that the compounds producing hydroxyl radical species seems to be more promising to treat cyanobacterial blooms than the compounds producing the singlet oxygen. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 22: 112–115, 2007.
Equations of motion for a rotor blade, including gravity, pitch action and rotor speed variations
Authors: Kallesøe B. S.
Published: February 2007

This paper extends Hodges–Dowell's partial differential equations of blade motion, by including the effects from gravity, pitch action and varying rotor speed. New equations describing the pitch action and rotor speeds are also derived. The physical interpretation of the individual terms in the equations is discussed. The partial differential equations of motion are approximated by ordinary differential equations of motion using an assumed mode method. The ordinary differential equations are used to simulate a sudden pitch change of a rotating blade. This work is a part of a project on pitch blade interaction, and the model will be extended to include an aerodynamic model and be used for analysis of basic properties of pitch blade interaction. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of forest‐floor avalanche disturbance on the structure and dynamics of a subalpine forest near the forest limit on Mt. Fuji
Authors: Tanaka Atsushi , Yamamura Yasuo , Nakano Takashi
Published: February 2007

In subalpine forests near the forest limit on Mt. Fuji in central Japan, slush avalanches occasionally destroy forest‐floor vegetation through an influx of volcanic gravel from bare upper sites. The vegetation structure of Larix kaempferi–Abies veitchii forests near and distant from avalanche paths was investigated to determine the effects of forest‐floor disturbance on successional processes. The Larix population in a forest near an avalanche path, where there had been signs of forest‐floor disturbance by avalanches, had a discontinuous age structure with three age groups, indicating that Larix seedlings established under the Larix canopy after the forest‐floor disturbance. In contrast, the Larix population in a forest distant from avalanche paths, where there had been no forest‐floor disturbance, had a continuous age structure, with no plants younger than the 90‐year‐old trees, indicating that this population had established on bare ground over a long period. These data suggest that the primary requirement for the regeneration of L. kaempferi on the forest floor is a mineral substrate. Conversely, A. veitchii had a continuous age structure in both forests. However, forest‐floor disturbances by avalanche(s) may exclude A. veitchii from the forest because A. veitchii is very sensitive to scoria deposition. In conclusion, forest‐floor disturbance by avalanche(s) provides L. kaempferi with an opportunity to establish on the forest floor, resulting in the maintenance of Larix forests alongside avalanche paths in the upper subalpine area on Mt. Fuji.
Mesenchymal cells from human amniotic fluid survive and migrate after transplantation into adult rat brain
Authors: Cipriani Sabrina , Bonini Daniela , Marchina Eleonora , Balgkouranidou Ioanna , Caimi Luigi , Zucconi Gigliola Grassi , Barlati Sergio
Published: February 2007

Amniotic fluid has been recently suggested as an alternative source of mesenchymal stem cells. However, the fate of amniotic fluid‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (AF‐MSCs) after in vivo transplantation has yet to be determined. In the present study we explored whether human AF‐MSCs could survive and migrate following transplantation into the striatum of normal and ischemic rat. We found that the grafted cells could survive and migrate towards multiple brain regions in the normal animals, while they moved towards the injured region in the ischemic rat. Double‐immunostaining analyses showed that the implanted human AF‐MSCs express markers for immature neurons (Doublecortin) at 10 days, and for astrocytes (GFAP) at 10, 30 and 90 after transplantation. This study provides the first evidence that human amniotic fluid contains cells having the potential to survive and integrate into adult rat brain tissue and, therefore, to function as effective stem cells for therapeutic strategies.
Modulatory effects of luteolin on osteoblastic function and inflammatory mediators in osteoblastic MC3T3‐E1 cells
Authors: Choi Eun‐Mi
Published: February 2007

The effects of luteolin on the function of osteoblastic MC3T3‐E1 cells and the production of local factors in osteoblasts were investigated. Luteolin (1 μM) caused a significant elevation of collagen content, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and osteocalcin secretion in the cells (P< 0.05). The effect of luteolin in increasing collagen content and ALP activity was completely prevented by the presence of 10−6M cycloheximide and 10−6M tamoxifen, suggesting that luteolin's effect results from a newly synthesized protein component and might be partly involved in estrogen action. We then examined the effect of luteolin on the 3‐morpholinosydnonimine (SIN‐1)‐induced production of oxidative stress markers [nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglan E2(PGE2)] and cytokines [tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) and interleukin‐6 (IL‐6)] in osteoblasts. Luteolin (1 and 10 μM) decreased the SIN‐1‐induced production of NO, PGE2, TNF‐α, and IL‐6 in osteoblasts. These results suggest that inflammatory mediators can be regulated by luteolin stimulating osteoblastic function.
Teaching and learning English in Uzbekistan
Authors: Hasanova Dilbarhon
Published: February 2007

Only A couple of decades ago, few could imagine that one of the most powerful countries in the world – the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) – would collapse, and Russian – the most prestigious and predominant language of the Soviet people – would be overtaken by English, the language once considered ‘the language of Western imperialism’ (Dushku, 1998:372). Today, because of both its unique international role and the fall of the Iron Curtain, English has become the most popular foreign language taught in schools and other educational institutions in former Soviet republics. The present paper will focus on the teaching and learning of English in Uzbekistan – a Soviet republic until 1990. In addition, issues related to foreign-language curriculum innovations, to teacher training, and to teaching resources will be discussed.
English at work in Berlin
Authors: Erling Elizabeth J. , Walton Alan
Published: February 2007

A report on a survey of seven multinational companies in Germany. Since the 1990s, there has been a dramatic change in the structure of many large European companies. While previously many were ‘particularly solidly established in their countries of origin’ (Truchot 2002:14), they have now become multinational and are less identifiable with a particular country. A case in point is DaimlerChrysler, formed in 1998 through the merger of Daimler-Benz (a German manufacturer of motor vehicles) and the Chrysler Corporation (a US automobile manufacturer). A side effect of the rise of such corporations has been that English has become a key language of international business. This has certainly been true for DaimlerChysler, which has given English official status in the company
Anglicizing Italian
Authors: Gani Martin
Published: February 2007

Italians' zeal for lacing their language with English words is well-known and on-going. Both everyday conversation and the mass media make widespread use of English terms and expressions, but their unphonetic spelling and pronunciation – full of insidious traps round every syllable – can create misunderstanding, confusion, and much humour, because Italians often tend to pronounce these international imports as they are written, much as they do in their mother tongue: either that, or they over-generalize the rules they they've learnt. A TV programme may be interrupted to announce a news flash that however comes out meatier, as ‘news flesh’. When giving business news, the phrase fiscal drag (whatever that may mean) becomes a truly obfuscating ‘fiscal drug’. And fashion news informs us of an exclusive ‘pullover’ by Missoni, whose stress shift unfortunately turns it into an order (from policeman to motorist): ‘pull over’.
The nature and significance of English as a global language
Authors: Davidson Keith
Published: February 2007

THE DEMOGRAPHICS of the English language are well known, and the following approximations are based on figures, always provisional, projected by Crystal, Graddol, and McArthur. Anglophones (to use a broader term than ‘native’ or ‘mother tongue’ speakers of English – terms which in any case pose problems) make up some 12% of the global population. Speakers of English in the UK constitute about 16% of the 380 or so million Anglophones worldwide. In the UK, some 2% of the population speaks English as a second language, and perhaps only 15% regularly speaks a southern British form of standard English. Only a small minority of these have a form of Received Pronunciation (RP) as their normal accent, even though RP is predicated as the basis of ‘phonics’ in initial literacy, and is assumed to be the default accent in the second-language teaching of British English, in the UK and elsewhere (with however the notable exception of North America).
No such things as nouns
Authors: Bulley Michael
Published: February 2007

Is grammar real or it it just a concept? The following is the opening sentence of the abstract of an article in the Journal of Linguistics, of November 2005: ‘This article argues that of English adjective–noun constructions involving associative adjectives (‘associative AdjNs’), some originate in the lexicon and others in the syntax.’ There has been for many years a divide in what is meant by grammar. For the general public (and in most of the ET articles that deal with it), grammar is understood to refer to a set of abstract terms for defining the forms of words and how they are related in sentences. For some people, however, particularly some linguistics professionals in universities, it is something real to be discovered, and grammatical terms are the means of explaining it. The quotation above is an example of the latter use. If you were unfamiliar with this approach, you might initially take the word lexicon here to mean (as the entries in dictionaries indicate) a list of the words in a language, but then might wonder how a phrase can be said, as here, to ‘originate’ in the lexicon (and whether you can really use the phrase ‘the syntax’ like that).
A pair of non-homeomorphic product measures on the Cantor set
Authors: AUSTIN TIM D.
Published: February 2007

For r ∈ [0, 1] let μr be the Bernoulli measure on the Cantor set given as the infinite power of the measure on {0, 1} with weights r and 1 − r. For r, s ∈ [0, 1] it is known that the measure μr is continuously reducible to μs (that is, there is a continuous map sending μr to μs) if and only if s can be written as a certain kind of polynomial in r; in this case s is said to be binomially reducible to r. In this paper we answer in the negative the following question posed by Mauldin:

Is it true that the product measures μrand μsare homeomorphic if and only if each is a continuous image of the other, or, equivalently, each of the numbersrandsis binomially reducible to the other?
Automatically closed prime ideals
Authors: LAWSON PAUL
Published: February 2007

Let A be a Banach algebra, and let {xλ:λ ∈ Λ} be a collection of central elements of A. We show that the ideal

is closed whenever it is prime. In particular, this shows that prime ideals generated by finitely many central elements of a Banach algebra are automatically closed.
Autismus und Pflege. Die Gestützte Kommunikation: Bedeutung und Anwendung in der Pflege von autistischen Menschen mit schweren Handlungs- und Kommunikationsstörungen
Authors: Beste Liliane
Published: February 2007

Der folgende Beitrag sucht nach evidenzbasierten Pflegemaßnahmen bei schweren Handlungs- und Kommunikationsstörungen, wenn das Störungsbild den Kriterien für Autismus entspricht. Anhand von Beispielen werden die Auswirkungen der Beeinträchtigungen auf den Alltag beschrieben. Es ist offensichtlich, dass die Bezugspersonen der Betroffenen beständig eine sehr anspruchsvolle Pflege leisten müssen, wenn sie den Alltag bewältigen und das Zusammenleben menschlich und sinnvoll gestalten wollen. Vor dem Hintergrund dieser Ist-Situation stellte sich die Frage, wie professionelle Pflege autistische Personen versorgt, die sowohl apraktisch als auch aphasisch sind. Zur Verdeutlichung der autistischen Problematik werden die zentralen Merkmale der Störung anhand des ICD-Schlüssels beschrieben und entsprechende therapeutische Interventionen vorgestellt. Doch weder Autismustherapien noch eine Literaturrecherche nach pflegerischen Konzepten für apraktische und aphasische Menschen konnte die oben formulierte Frage beantworten. Daher untersucht die Verfasserin die Relevanz des pädagogischen Konzeptes der Gestützten Kommunikation für die Pflege. Die weit verbreitete, aber wissenschaftlich umstrittene Methode wird eingesetzt bei apraktischen autistischen Menschen, die nicht sprechen und sich nicht mimisch oder gestisch verständigen können. Praktische Alltagsbeispiele geben einen ersten Eindruck der Anwendung Gestützter Kommunikation. Anschliessend werden die historische Entwicklung, die Zielgruppe und Kernelemente der Methode dargestellt, bei der kommunikative Assessmentverfahren den Ausgangspunkt für eine gezielte körperliche, verbale und emotionale Unterstützung der Betroffenen bilden. Die Darstellung des Konzeptes endet mit der Diskussion bezüglich der Validität der Methode. Um das Wesen apraktischer Störungen besser zu verstehen und darauf aufbauend die Validität Gestützter Kommunikation angemessener einschätzen zu können, wird die Methode mit entsprechenden Erkenntnissen der Medizin und Physiotherapie in Beziehung gesetzt. Basale Stimulation und das Affolter-Konzept ähneln der Gestützten Kommunikation. Sie fokussieren ähnliche Zielgruppen und arbeiten ebenfalls mit Berührung; deshalb werden die Unterschiede und Gleichheiten diskutiert. Abschließend wird die mögliche Anwendung Gestützter Kommunikation in der Pflege im Kontext der vorangehenden Untersuchungen vorgestellt. Die «Handlungsorientierte Pflege» nach Wittneben bildet den Rahmen für die exemplarische Entwicklung eines pflegerischen Assessments und die Beschreibung pflegerischer Maßnamen für autistische Menschen mit schweren Handlungs- und Kommunikationsstörungen. Eine Darstellung relevanter Evaluationskriterien erlaubt den Pflegenden die Einschätzung der Wirksamkeit ihrer Pflege und gibt somit Anhaltspunkte, ob die praktizierte Pflege den Betroffenen tatsächlich hilft.
Analyse teamspezifischer Belastungssituationen und Entwicklung angepasster Interventionen: ein Aktionsforschungsprojekt mit Pflegenden
Authors: Rabenschlag Franziska , Shaha Maya
Published: February 2007

Das Forschungs- und Dienstleistungszentrum der Hochschule für Gesundheit in Freiburg (CH) entwickelte in Zusammenarbeit mit einem Bezirksspital des Kantons ein Projekt, das sich mit der Belastung von Pflegenden in schwierigen Situationen auseinandersetzte. Aus diesem Grund wurde auf der medizinischen Abteilung des Spitals der Ist-Zustand der Belastung bei den Pflegenden (n = 12) teamspezifisch mit Gruppeninterviews erfasst und computergestützt ausgewertet. Die Resultate (14 Kodefamilien, gebildet aus 114 Kodes) zeigten, dass zwar unterstützende Teamstrukturen bereits vorhanden waren, beispielsweise eine im Stationszimmer hängende Tafel als Möglichkeit, der Abteilungsleitung ein Feedback zu geben. Verschiedene Pflegesituationen, z.B. solche mit psychiatrischen oder verwirrten Patienten oder die Zusammenarbeit mit Angehörigen, stellten sich jedoch als belastend und schwierig heraus. Im Aktionsforschungsprojekt wurden – basierend auf den Resultaten der Interviews – Interventionen abgeleitet und in Zusammenarbeit mit den Pflegenden der Abteilung umgesetzt. An drei Interventionssitzungen wurden dabei die Themen belastende Patientensituationen, Arbeitsorganisation, Qualitätssicherung und Pflegeverständnis behandelt. Die Wirksamkeit der Interventionen wurde mündlich evaluiert. Die teamspezifische Bearbeitung, in der theoretisches, evidenzbasiertes Wissen und gleichzeitig eigene Erfahrungen reflektiert wurden, zeigte sich demnach als erfolgreich. Sie wurde von den beteiligten Pflegenden als hilfreich und veränderungskompatibel bezeichnet.