bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Heaven Down Here: Interview with Alice Rohrwacher
Authors: Ratner Megan
Published: January 2012

An interview with Italian director Alice Rohrwacher about her film Corpo celeste, about a girl's encounter with religion and the world around her, in which Rohrwacher discusses her influences, aesthetic, and the predicament of young women in contemporary Italy.
Disconnection Notices: Interview with Miranda July
Authors: Rogers Anna Backman
Published: January 2012

An interview with Miranda July, writer—director of The Future (2011) and Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005), in which she also acts. Topics include: July's surrealism, disturbing imagery, and social impact of technology.
Effects of Educational Transitions on Students' Academic Trajectory: A Life Course Perspective
Authors: Langenkamp Amy G.
Published: January 2012

In our increasingly mobile society, transitions are often made in search of opportunity, yet to the detriment of social ties to others. This study draws upon a life course perspective, focusing specifically on the timing and context of transitions, to explore how educational transitions affect students' academic trajectory with national longitudinal data. Findings suggest that students who transition to high school alone are resilient when they are more popular or involved in extracurricular activities. For students who transfer during high school, higher achieving students have lower academic outcomes than classmates who stay with the collective, while low-achieving transfer students benefit academically by changing schools. Findings provide insight into ways that resilience can occur in the midst of life transitions, and for whom, which may help alleviate risk and prevent the accumulation of disadvantage.
Regional Convergence in Low-Wage Work and Earnings, 1970–2000
Authors: Branch Enobong Hannah , Hanley Caroline
Published: January 2012

Southern and non-Southern labor markets entered the period of economic restructuring from different starting points. Industrial and occupational differences across regions were eroded by the growth of the service industry in all regions, the decline in personal services within the South, and the decline of unions and manufacturing jobs outside of the South. This analysis underscores that indicators of precarity such as unionization and part-time jobs are really at the core of understanding regional low-wage earnings convergence. Furthermore, the authors find that an interaction between the regional structure of occupational opportunities and the racial and gender makeup of workers in jobs, particularly black women, plays an important role in producing the sharp low-wage earnings growth observed in the South in the 1970s and 1980s.
Differential expression and processing of secretogranin II in relation to the status of pheochromocytoma: implications for the production of the tumoral marker EM66
Authors: Guillemot J , Thouënnon E , Guérin M , Vallet-Erdtmann V , Ravni A , Montéro-Hadjadje M , Lefebvre H , Klein M , Muresan M , Seidah N G , Anouar Y , Yon L
Published: January 2012

We have previously demonstrated that measurement of tissue concentrations of the secretogranin II (SgII or SCG2 as listed in the HUGO database)-derived peptide EM66 may help to discriminate between benign and malignant pheochromocytomas and that EM66 represents a sensitive plasma marker of pheochromocytomas. Here, we investigated the gene expression and protein production of SgII in 13 normal adrenal glands, and 35 benign and 16 malignant pheochromocytomas with the goal to examine the molecular mechanisms leading to the marked variations in the expression of EM66 in tumoral chromaffin tissue. EM66 peptide levels were 16-fold higher in benign than in malignant pheochromocytomas and had an area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of 0.95 for the distinction of benign and malignant tumors. Q-PCR experiments indicated that the SgII gene was significantly underexpressed in malignant tumors compared with benign tumors. Western blot analysis using antisera directed against SgII and SgII-derived fragments revealed lower SgII protein and SgII-processing products in malignant tumors. Western blot also showed that low p-cAMP-responsive element-binding (CREB) concentrations seemed to be associated with the malignant status. In addition, the prohormone convertase PC1 and PC2 genes and proteins were overexpressed in benign pheochromocytomas compared with malignant pheochromocytomas. Low concentrations of EM66 found in malignant tumors are associated with reduced expression and production of SgII and SgII-derived peptides that could be ascribed to a decrease in SgII gene transcription, probably linked to p-CREB down-regulation, and to lower PC levels. These findings highlight the mechanisms leading to lower concentrations of EM66 in malignant pheochromocytoma and strengthen the notion that this peptide is a suitable marker of this neuroendocrine tumor.
Diagnósticos de enfermagem de pacientes hospitalizados com doenças cardiovasculares
Authors: Pereira Juliana de Melo Vellozo , Cavalcanti Ana Carla Dantas , Santana Rosimere Ferreira , Cassiano Keila Mara , Queluci Gisella de Carvalho , Guimarães Tereza Cristina Felippe
Published: January 2012

Objetivo: Identificar a frequência dos diagnósticos de enfermagem e características definidoras de pacientes com doenças cardiovasculares e caracterizá-los quanto às variáveis sociodemográficas e clínicas. Método: Estudo descritivo transversal realizado com 30 pacientes hospitalizados em um hospital de grande porte. Utilizou-se instrumento próprio validado para coleta de dados, que foram analisados por 5 peritos;, havendo concordância de 50%, sofreram análise estatística descritiva e inferencial. Resultados: Foram encontradas associações significativas com fatores Presença da Insuficiência Cardíaca, do Infarto Agudo do Miocárdio, da Dor, Sexo e Idade. Os diagnósticos mais frequentes foram: Ansiedade (76,7%), Dor Aguda (70,7%), Débito Cardíaco Diminuído (56,7%), Percepção Sensorial Perturbada - Visual (53,3%), Insônia (46,7%), Intolerância à Atividade (36,7%), Disfunção Sexual (36,7%) e Eliminação Urinária Prejudicada (36,7%). Conclusão: a descrição dos diagnósticos de enfermagem contribui para a análise das respostas à doença cardiovascular, com foco no objeto de trabalho do enfermeiro, apresentando respostas à doença cardiovascular por meio de investigação holística.
Paradigm for achieving color‐reproduction accuracy in LCDs for medical imaging
Authors: Silverstein Louis D. , Hashmi Syed F. , Lang Karl , Krupinski Elizabeth A.
Published: January 2012

Abstract— A methodology and associated software modules for calibration, characterization, and profiling of color LCDs for color‐critical applications in medical imaging is described. Supporting analyses reveal very high color‐reproduction accuracy as determined by CIE DE2000 color differences for 21 0 test colors uniformly distributed in CIE Lab color space. The impact of the LCD tone‐reproduction curve on color‐reproduction accuracy is compared for two tone‐reproduction curves of special interest in medical imaging: the DICOM gray‐scale standard display function and the CIE L* standard lightness function. The initial results from a psychophysical investigation of the diagnostic performance of trained pathologists viewing “virtual” breast biopsy slides are reported and the diagnostic performance achieved with calibrated, color‐managed LCDs with uncalibrated LCDs without the benefits of color management is compared.
New blue phosphorescent iridium complexes for OLEDs
Authors: Groarke Michelle , Andresen Sven , O'Connell Jenny , Hirai Tadahiko , Weber Karl , Li Juo‐Hao , MacDonald James M. , Bown Mark , Ueno Kazunori
Published: January 2012

Abstract— A new class of ligands for complexation with Ir(III) has been developed. Tris‐homoleptic complexes derived from these ligands have been found to exhibit highly efficient blue phosphorescence with photoluminescent quantum yields in solution at room temperature of >0.9. These complexes have been applied as the emissive materials in OLEDs to give devices with efficiencies of up to 26 cd/A and an E.Q.E. of 1 7.4% at 1 mA/cm2.
Comparing modern and presettlement forest dynamics of a subboreal wilderness: Does spruce budworm enhance fire risk?
Authors: Sturtevant Brian R. , Miranda Brian R. , Shinneman Douglas J. , Gustafson Eric J. , Wolter Peter T.
Published: January 2012

Insect disturbance is often thought to increase fire risk through enhanced fuel loadings, particularly in coniferous forest ecosystems. Yet insect disturbances also affect successional pathways and landscape structure that interact with fire disturbances (and vice‐versa) over longer time scales. We applied a landscape succession and disturbance model (LANDIS‐II) to evaluate the relative strength of interactions between spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana) outbreaks and fire disturbances in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) in northern Minnesota (USA). Disturbance interactions were evaluated for two different scenarios: presettlement forests and fire regimes vs. contemporary forests and fire regimes. Forest composition under the contemporary scenario trended toward mixtures of deciduous species (primarilyBetula papyriferaandPopulusspp.) and shade‐tolerant conifers (Picea mariana,Abies balsamea,Thuja occidentalis), with disturbances dominated by a combination of budworm defoliation and high‐severity fires. The presettlement scenario retained comparatively more “big pines” (i.e.,Pinus strobus,P. resinosa) and tamarack (L. laricina), and experienced less budworm disturbance and a comparatively less‐severe fire regime. Spruce budworm disturbance decreased area burned and fire severity under both scenarios when averaged across the entire 300‐year simulations. Contrary to past research, area burned and fire severity during outbreak decades were each similar to that observed in non‐outbreak decades. Our analyses suggest budworm disturbances within forests of the BWCA have a comparatively weak effect on long‐term forest composition due to a combination of characteristics. These include strict host specificity, fine‐scaled patchiness created by defoliation damage, and advance regeneration of its primary host, balsam fir (A. balsamea) that allows its host to persist despite repeated disturbances. Understanding the nature of the three‐way interaction between budworm, fire, and composition has important ramifications for both fire mitigation strategies and ecosystem restoration initiatives. We conclude that budworm disturbance can partially mitigate long‐term future fire risk by periodically reducing live ladder fuel within the mixed forest types of the BWCA but will do little to reverse the compositional trends caused in part by reduced fire rotations.
Pharmacokinetics of Ampicillin/Sulbactam in Critically Ill Patients with Acute Kidney Injury undergoing Extended Dialysis
Authors: Lorenzen Johan M. , Broll Michael , Kaever Volkhard , Burhenne Heike , Hafer Carsten , Clajus Christian , Knitsch Wolfgang , Burkhardt Olaf , Kielstein Jan T.
Published: January 2012

Background and objectives

The fixed antibacterial combination of ampicillin and sulbactam is frequently used for various infections. Intact kidneys eliminate approximately 71% of ampicillin and 78% of sulbactam. Patients on thrice-weekly low-flux hemodialysis exhibit an ampicillin t
1/2 of 2.3 hours on and 17.4 hours off dialysis. Despite its frequent use in intensive care units, there are no available dosing recommendations for patients with AKI undergoing renal replacement therapy. The aims of this study were to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of ampicillin/sulbactam in critically ill patients with AKI undergoing extended dialysis (ED) and to establish a dosing recommendation for this treatment method.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

Twelve critically ill patients with anuric AKI being treated with ED were enrolled in a prospective, open-label, observational pharmacokinetic study. Pharmacokinetics after a single dose of ampicillin/sulbactam (2 g/1 g) was obtained in 12 patients. Multiple-dose pharmacokinetics after 4 days of twice-daily ampicillin/sulbactam (2 g/1 g) was obtained in three patients.

Results

The mean dialyzer clearance for ampicillin/sulbactam was 80.1±7.7/83.3±12.1 ml/min. The t
1/2 of ampicillin and sulbactam in patients with AKI undergoing ED were 2.8±0.8 hours and 3.5±1.5 hours, respectively. There was no significant accumulation using a twice-daily dosage of 2 g/1 g ampicillin/sulbactam.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that in patients treated with ED using a high-flux dialyzer (polysulphone, 1.3 m2; blood and dialysate flow, 160 ml/min; treatment time, 480 minutes), a twice-daily dosing schedule of at least 2 g/1 g ampicillin/sulbactam, with one dose given after ED, should be used to avoid underdosing.
Obesity and Mortality Risk among Younger Dialysis Patients
Authors: Hoogeveen Ellen K. , Halbesma Nynke , Rothman Kenneth J. , Stijnen Theo , van Dijk Sandra , Dekker Friedo W. , Boeschoten Elisabeth W. , de Mutsert Renée
Published: January 2012

Background and objectives

Many studies show that obesity in dialysis patients is not strongly associated with mortality but not whether this modest association is constant over age. This study investigated the extent to which the relation of body mass index (BMI) and mortality differs between younger and older dialysis patients.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

Adult dialysis patients were prospectively followed from their first dialysis treatment for 7 years or until death or transplantation. Patients were stratified by age (<65 or ≥65 years) and baseline BMI (<20, 20–24 [reference], 25–29, and ≥30 kg/m2).

Results

The study sample included 984 patients younger than 65 years and 765 patients 65 years or older; cumulative survival proportions at end of follow-up were 50% and 16%. Age-standardized mortality rate was 1.7 times higher in obese younger patients than those with normal BMI, corresponding to an excess rate of 5.2 deaths/100 patient-years. Mortality rates were almost equal between obese older patients and those with normal BMI. Excess rates of younger and older patients with low compared with normal BMI were 8.7 and 1.1 deaths/100 patient-years. After adjustment for age, sex, smoking, comorbidity, and treatment modality, hazard ratios by increasing BMI were 2.00, 1, 0.95, and 1.57 for younger patients and 1.07, 1, 0.88, and 0.91 for older patients, implying that obesity is a 1.7-fold (95% confidence interval, 1.1- to 2.9-fold) stronger risk factor in younger than older patients.

Conclusions

In contrast to older dialysis patients, younger patients with low or very high BMI had a substantially elevated risk for death.
Productivity of lakes varying in water mass dynamics
Authors: Grochowska Jolanta , Wiśniewski Grzegorz , Tandyrak Renata
Published: January 2012

Productivity of lakes varying in water mass dynamics

The aim of the study was to reveal differences in the productivity of lakes varying distinctively in water mass dynamics, as shown by the examples of Lakes Track, Miodówko and Szeląg Wielki situated in the Olsztyńskie Lake District. The selected lakes are also characteristic for a high content of nutrients. The analysis of the obtained results has revealed that in the peak of the summer stagnation the productivity was the highest in the polymictic Lake Track. The content of chlorophyll a, which is a measure of primary production, in the Track waters reached the value of 123 mg m-3 whereas the water transparency measured as the visibility of a Secchi disc was below 0.6 m. The lowest primary production in the summer was observed in the bradymictic Lake Miodówko. The transparency of water in this lake was nearly 3 m while the content of chlorophyll a merely 1.7 mg m-3. Lake Szeląg Wielki, featuring the characteristics of a eumictic reservoir, in the peak of the summer period was noted for the average values of the analysed parameters (1.2 m water transparency, 40.3 mg m-3 chlorophyll a).
Natural and anthropogenic influences on ice formation on various water bodies of the Silesian Upland (southern Poland)
Authors: Solarski Maksymilian , Pradela Alicja , Rzętała Mariusz
Published: January 2012

Natural and anthropogenic influences on ice formation on various water bodies of the Silesian Upland (southern Poland)

The aim of the study was to identify patterns of ice-related phenomena on 39 selected anthropogenic water bodies in the Silesian Upland in southern Poland. The core research was conducted in the winter season of 2009/2010, between December and March. Field measurements and observations were conducted every two days during the freezing and thawing phases and every four days at the time of continuous ice cover. Data were interpolated to cover days without observations. Differences in the ice cover phenology on these water bodies were caused by natural conditions (morphometric and hydro-meteorological) and human activity (thermal pollution). Two principal groups of anthropogenic water bodies were identified in terms of the ice phenomena: lakes and ponds with a natural or quasi-natural pattern of ice phenomena and water bodies featuring various degrees of human impact. The thickness of the ice-cover was found to vary, which was a source of great danger to the users of the water bodies in the winter season.
Digital in-line holography with a spatially partially coherent beam
Authors: Coëtmellec S. , Remacha C. , Brunel M. , Lebrun D. , Janssen A. J. E. M.
Published: January 2012

We propose in this paper an analytical solution to the problem of scalar diffraction of a partially coherent beam by an opaque disk. This analytical solution is applied in digital in-line holography of particles. We demonstrate that the reconstruction by means of fractional Fourier transformation is still possible when a spatially partially coherent beam is used. Numerical simulations and experiments have been carried out.
Density and distribution of a colonizing front of the American black bear Ursus americanus
Authors: Frary Vincent J. , Duchamp Joseph , Maehr David S. , Larkin Jeffery L.
Published: January 2012

Effective management of small expanding populations is aided by the availability of reliable estimates of distribution, as well as by demographic characteristics such as population density, genetic diversity and sex ratio. The range of the black bear Ursus americanus in the southeastern United States is expanding to include areas from which it has been extirpated for more than a century. Lack of baseline demographic data in recently reoccupied areas leaves little information on which to base emerging management needs. We estimated the current extent of expansion at the colonizing front of a black bear population in the central Appalachian Mountains and identified landscape‐scale habitat characteristics affecting the expansion. In 2007, we genotyped hair samples collected throughout a 8,205‐km2area at six microsatellite loci to identify individual black bears and estimate genetic diversity. We used capture‐recapture and occupancy analyses to estimate density and distribution of black bears in our study area. Our results suggest that black bears were not uniformly distributed, but were localized to high elevations and protected public conservation lands. Limited availability of high elevations to the west, north and northeast of our study area may limit further expansion. Despite a limited distribution and low estimated population density (7.51 bears/100 km2), genetic diversity at genotyped loci was high (mean Ho= 0.81). Until the population grows further, the small number of individuals in the region may be sensitive to management practices that result in mortalities, especially to females. Our research exemplifies the utility of remote genetic sampling to estimate population demographics of wide‐ranging mammals throughout a large study area, particularly where private land ownership hinders intensive study.
Effects of density dependence on diet composition of North American elk Cervus elaphus and mule deer Odocoileus hemionus: an experimental manipulation
Authors: Stewart Kelley M. , Bowyer R. Terry , Dick Brian L. , Kie John G.
Published: January 2012

We examined interactions related to resource partitioning and competition with density‐dependent processes among mule deer Odocoileus hemionus and North American elk Cervus elaphus at two different population densities of elk. We used an experimental approach to examine changes in diet diversity, selection of diets, dietary importance, niche breadth and overlap among sympatric species of large herbivores with changes in population density of one species. We hypothesized that diets of both species would change with changing population density and dietary niche would be expanded to include forages of lower quality in the areas with increased competition for resources. We used microhistological analysis corrected for differential digestibility of forages to estimate diets of mule deer and elk from faeces in two study areas with high and low population densities of elk. For both mule deer and elk, dietary niche was expanded in the high‐density area compared with the low‐density area, and included forages of lower quality and palatability. Our results indicate that negative feedbacks associated with density‐dependent processes interact with competitive interactions among sympatric species of large herbivores.
Season length influences breeding range dynamics of trumpeter swans Cygnus buccinator
Authors: Schmidt Joshua H. , Lindberg Mark S. , Johnson Devin S. , Verbyla David L.
Published: January 2012

The breeding range of large‐bodied waterfowl nesting in the northern boreal forest is likely influenced by breeding season length. This may be particularly true for the largest species of North American waterfowl, the trumpeter swan Cygnus buccinator, due to the extended time period necessary to raise young to fledging. This species recently recovered from near‐extinction in the early 1900s to reoccupy historic breeding areas throughout the boreal forest in Alaska, although recolonization patterns may have been influenced by variation in season length over the same time period. This may have resulted in range expansion into areas that were historically unavailable due to an ice‐free period insufficient for successful reproduction. We used hierarchical occupancy models to analyze trumpeter swan survey data collected over the entire breeding range in Alaska during 1968‐2005. We fit models containing combinations of recolonization parameters, trend and latitude, and season length to these data to determine whether these variables explained the variation in occupancy across our survey area. Support for season length parameters would provide evidence that the recolonization process was partially related to the length of the breeding season. We expected that occupancy probability would increase range‐wide due to overall population growth, while occupancy would be greatest at mid‐latitudes, near the center of the species range. Because this population was recovering, we also expected that expansion would proceed outward from the range center. Our results indicated that habitat occupancy was positively related to season length, partially explaining the recently observed northward range expansion. Our results suggest that increases in annual temperatures due to climate warming would likely be associated with further range expansion in trumpeter swans and may have implications for other wetland obligates. Changes in species distributions will likely increase competition for breeding areas with potential negative effects on species not limited by season length. This may already be occurring in Alaska where the breeding distribution of trumpeter swans has begun to overlap with that of tundra swans Cygnus columbianus.
Invasion of eastern Greenland by the high arctic wolf Canis lupus arctos
Authors: Marquard‐Petersen Ulf
Published: January 2012

The high arctic wolf Canis lupus arctos was exterminated from eastern Greenland during the 1930s by commercial hunters and was considered absent for 40 years. In this study, I examined the recolonisation of east Greenland by wolves from north Greenland through an invasion that began in 1979. The invasion successfully led to the establishment of a new population, because a wolf pair arrived into the core historical wolf range followed by one or two wolves during the next four years. Weight of evidence suggested that the invaders arrived into east Greenland through unintentional, human‐mediated jump dispersal. I present two cases of long‐distance dispersals by lone wolves following military sled patrols in northern Greenland. Wolves had likely failed to establish a viable population in east Greenland for 40 years for the following reasons: 1) a low propagule pressure, 2) invasions were high risk, occurring through vast areas of the lowest, large ungulate prey biomass reported for wolves in North America, and 3) only singletons made it into eastern Greenland.
Information Theory and Multivariate Techniques for Analyzing DNA Sequence Data: An Example from Tomato Genes
Authors: Joshi Bal K , Panthee Dilip R
Published: January 2012

DNA and amino acid sequences are alphabetic symbols having no underlying metric. Use of information theory is one of the solutions for sequence metric problems. The reflection of DNA sequence complexity in phenotype stability might be useful for crop improvement. Shannon-Weaver index (Shannon Entropy, H') and mutual information (MI) index were estimated from DNA sequences of 22 genes, consisted of two gene families of tomato, namely disease resistance and fruit quality. Main objective was use of information theory and multivariate techniques to understand diversity among genes and relate the sequence complexity with phenotypes. The normalized H' value ranged from 0.429 to 0.461. The highest diversity was observed in the gene Crtr-B (beta carotene hydroxylase). Two principal components which accounted for 36.65% variation placed these genes into four groups. Groupings of these genes by both principal component and cluster analyses showed clearly the similarity at phenotypes levels within cluster. Sequences similarity among genes was observed within a family. Diversity assessment of genes applying information theory should link to understand the sequences complexity with respect to gene stability for example stability of resistance gene.Key words: Diversity analysis; DNA sequences; principal component analysis; tomato genesNepal Journal of Biotechnology, 2011, Vol. 1, No. 1 pp.1-9
Primary telangiectatic osteosarcoma of the cervical spine
Authors: Turel Mazda K. , Joseph Vivek , Singh Vandita , Moses Vinu , Rajshekhar Vedantam
Published: January 2012

Telangiectatic osteosarcoma (TOS) is one of the 8 subtypes of osteosarcoma that infrequently affects the spine. The radiopathological features of TOS overlap with those of more benign entities, most commonly the aneurysmal bone cyst), and therefore is a significant diagnostic challenge. It is a rare but well-described entity in the thoracolumbar and sacral spine, and to the authors' knowledge has not been previously reported in the cervical spine.

The authors report the case of a 15-year-old boy who presented with a 6-month history of neck pain and torticollis. He underwent preoperative glue embolization followed by a staged subtotal C-5 spondylectomy and posterior fusion for a C-5 vertebral body lytic expansile lesion. Histopathological examination showed the lesion to be TOS. The surgery was followed by adjuvant radiation and chemotherapy with a favorable outcome at the 1-year follow-up. This report reiterates that TOS is an important differential diagnosis for aneurysmal bone cyst and giant-cell tumor of the spine, as its biological behavior and clinical outcome differ from those of these more benign lesions, which it mimics.
An Efficient and Recyclable Ligand-Free PEG1000-DIL/Toluene Temperature-Dependent Biphasic System for Palladium Catalysed Heck Reactions
Authors: Liu Xiang , Yao Kai , Hu Yu-Lin , Lu Ming
Published: January 2012

The Heck reaction of aryl halides with terminal olefins was successfully performed by using Pd (OAc)2 as the catalyst in a ligand-free PEG1000-DIL (PEG1000-based dicationic ionic liquid)/toluene system exhibiting temperature-dependent biphasic behavior. In addition, the isolation of the products is readily performed by a simply decantation, and the catalytic system can be recycled and reused without loss of catalytic activity.
Alboatisin A, A New Diterpenoid from Euphorbia Fischeriana
Authors: Yang Libin , Liu Shaojing , Zhang Bo , Suo Yourui
Published: January 2012

A new diterpenoid, 18-hydroxy-14,15-dihydroxy-7-oxo-ent-atis-16-ene, and another kown diterpenoid, ent-atis-16(17)-ene-3,14-dione, were isolated from the roots of Euphorbia fischeriana. The structures of those compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods and literatura data.
Catalyst-Free Amination of 2-Chloronicotinic Acid in Water under Microwave Irradiation
Authors: Li Zheng-hua , Xia Zhi-ning , Chen Gang
Published: January 2012

A simple, efficient and environmental friendly method for the synthesis of 2-arylaminonicotinic acids derivatives by reacting 2-chloronicotinic acid with anilines with potassium carbonate as the base and water as the media under microwave irradiation is described. The synthesis of 2-arylaminonicotinic acids is important because they are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Oxidation of Benzylic Azides Catalysed by Iron(III) Chloride with Hydrogen Peroxide as Oxidant
Authors: Zhang Hong-Ping , Dai You-Zhi , Tao Li-Ming
Published: January 2012

A simple and general method for the oxidation of benzylic azides to aldehydes using the inexpensive and environmentally benign iron (III) chloride as catalyst with 30% aqueous H2O2 as oxidant is described. Broad substrate scope and high tolerance against several functional groups make the process synthetically useful.
Microwave-Enhanced Catalyst-Free Aminolysis of Epoxides with Anilines in Aqueous Phase: Efficient Synthesis of β-amino Secondary Alcohols
Authors: Du Zhengyin , Zhang Wenwen , Zhang Yuanmin , Wei Xiaohong
Published: January 2012

β-Amino secondary alcohols were formed by aminolysis of epichlorohydrin and styrene oxide with aromatic amines using aqueous ethanol (1:1) as the solvent in conjunction with microwave irradiation without a catalyst. The methodology is fast, efficient, highly regioselective, chemoselective and environmentally benign.
The Moral Impact of Synthesising Living Organisms: Biocentric Views on Synthetic Biology
Authors: Deplazes-Zemp Anna
Published: January 2012

This essay examines how biocentric positions assess the aims and planned products of synthetic biology. In this emerging field, scientists and engineers aim at designing and producing new life forms by various procedures. In this paper I explore whether, for biocentrists, 1) synthetic organisms have moral standing and, 2) the process of synthesising living organisms has moral implications. Because naturalness plays a role in some biocentric theories, synthetic biology – at first sight – seems to challenge the idea that all living organisms have moral standing. However, according to the interpretations that I offer, the biocentric positions discussed here would also assign moral standing to synthetic organisms. That living organisms have moral standing does not necessarily imply that it is morally problematic to synthesise them. However, different lines of biocentric argumentation suggest that in designing and synthesising living organisms, the moral standing of the product needs to be taken into account. This means among other things, that according to biocentrists, such procedures may lead to special responsibilities or require certain attitudes from scientists towards their products.
Biocentrism and Artificial Life
Authors: Attfield Robin
Published: January 2012

Biocentrism maintains that all living creatures have moral standing, but need not claim that all have equal moral significance. This moral standing extends to organisms generated through human interventions, whether by conventional breeding, genetic engineering, or synthetic biology. Our responsibilities with regard to future generations seem relevant to non-human species as well as future human generations and their quality of life. Likewise the Precautionary Principle appears to raise objections to the generation of serious or irreversible changes to the quality of life of non-human species. Objections to the application of all this to new life-forms produced by synthetic biology are considered and addressed from a biocentric perspective. The bearing of biocentrism on religions is also considered, together with contrasting views about science, religion and the creation of life.
Triple Anti Platelet Therapy- Why and When?
Authors: Majumder AAS
Published: January 2012

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/cardio.v4i1.9381Cardiovasc. J. 2011; 4(1): 1-2
Aortic Valve Replacement by Pulmonary Autogrbft: Technical Advances and Follow-up
Authors: Aftabuddin M , Khan OS , Rama AA , Acar C , Pavee A , Grandjbakhch I
Published: January 2012

Background: Autograft is the best choice of graft material in every place especially in cardiac surgery to avoid all type of anti-coagulant related hazard, immunological reactions and considering cost involvement. Study was designed on the basis of above facts. Methods: All patients underwent surgery with standard Cardiopulmonary By-pass under moderate hypothermia using median stemotomy incision. Aortic valve was excised and the right and left coronary buttons were fashioned. Also the pulmonary root was excised. A running suture technique was used to insert the autograft in to the aortic annulus. A pulmonary homograft made by pericardium with three pulmonary valves of appropriate size (22-29 mm) was then inserted. Results: Between July 2001 to July 2002, 30 patients underwent the modified Ross Procedure at La- Pitie Salpitriere Hospital, Paris, France. Out of 30 patients 16 were male and 14 were female with the mean age of 29 years. Indication of operation was aortic stenosis in 6 cases, aortic insufficiency in 9 cases and mixed aortic valve lesion in 15 cases. The mean intra operative cross clamp time was 120 minutes (range: 70-170 minutes), mean cardiopulmonary bypass time was 150 minutes (range: 110- 195 minutes). Postoperativee chocardiogramsr evealed no significant pulmonary or aortic valvular dysfunction. Three patients, early in the series required reopening for post operative bleeding. Overall a mean of 2.5 units of bloods (0-10) were transfused per patient. Atrial fibrillation occurred in 2 patients which wsre managed accordingly. Among 30 patients, there was one perioperative death (3%), one patient was lost to follow-up and one patient refused to late post operative echocardiography. Twenty four caseso ut of the twenty seven patients available for functional follow-up were in NYHA class I, 2 patients in NYHA class II and one patient in NYHA class III. Conclusions: Pulmonary autografts in aortic position give good short-term result but for its long {erm effrcacy and safety needs more study. Keywords- Aortic valve; Pulmonary Autograft; Ross procedure. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/cardio.v4i1.9391 Cardiovasc. J. 2011; 4(1): 58-60
Isolated Interrupted Aortic Arch- A Complex Congenital heart disease
Authors: Shariar A , Huq MA , Zakia NU , Salim M , Islam SA
Published: January 2012

Interrupted Aortic Arch (lAA) is the absence or discontinuation of a portion of the aortic arch. There are three types of Interrupted Aortic Arch,and they are classified according to the site of the interruption. lsolated IAA appears commonly in type B lAA,where the interruption occurs between the left carotid artery and the left subclavian artery.In such case there is no associated cardiac anomaly and the patient may not exhibit lethal form of presentation unless there is duct dependent circulation or ventricular septal defect. lsolated interrupted arch is relatively rare congenital anomaly and very few cases were reported in literature so far. Keywords: lnterrupted aortic arch; Complex congenital heart disease. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/cardio.v4i1.9400 Cardiovasc. J. 2011; 4(1): 102-104
Non-Coding RNAs in Retinal Development
Authors: Maiorano Nicola A. , Hindges Robert
Published: January 2012

Retinal development is dependent on an accurately functioning network of transcriptional and translational regulators. Among the diverse classes of molecules involved, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play a significant role. Members of this family are present in the cell as transcripts, but are not translated into proteins. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small ncRNAs that act as post-transcriptional regulators. During the last decade, they have been implicated in a variety of biological processes, including the development of the nervous system. On the other hand, long-ncRNAs (lncRNAs) represent a different class of ncRNAs that act mainly through processes involving chromatin remodeling and epigenetic mechanisms. The visual system is a prominent model to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying neurogenesis or circuit formation and function, including the differentiation of retinal progenitor cells to generate the seven principal cell classes in the retina, pathfinding decisions of retinal ganglion cell axons in order to establish the correct connectivity from the eye to the brain proper, and activity-dependent mechanisms for the functionality of visual circuits. Recent findings have associated ncRNAs in several of these processes and uncovered a new level of complexity for the existing regulatory mechanisms. This review summarizes and highlights the impact of ncRNAs during the development of the vertebrate visual system, with a specific focus on the role of miRNAs and a synopsis regarding recent findings on lncRNAs in the retina.
Advances in Retinal Tissue Engineering
Authors: Trese Matthew , Regatieri Caio V. , Young Michael J.
Published: January 2012

Retinal degenerations cause permanent visual loss and affect millions world-wide. Current treatment strategies, such as gene therapy and anti-angiogenic drugs, merely delay disease progression. Research is underway which aims to regenerate the diseased retina by transplanting a variety of cell types, including embryonic stem cells, fetal cells, progenitor cells and induced pluripotent stem cells. Initial retinal transplantation studies injected stem and progenitor cells into the vitreous or subretinal space with the hope that these donor cells would migrate to the site of retinal degeneration, integrate within the host retina and restore functional vision. Despite promising outcomes, these studies showed that the bolus injection technique gave rise to poorly localized tissue grafts. Subsequently, retinal tissue engineers have drawn upon the success of bone, cartilage and vasculature tissue engineering by employing a polymeric tissue engineering approach. This review will describe the evolution of retinal tissue engineering to date, with particular emphasis on the types of polymers that have routinely been used in recent investigations. Further, this review will show that the field of retinal tissue engineering will require new types of materials and fabrication techniques that optimize the survival, differentiation and delivery of retinal transplant cells.
Extraction of Objects from Terrestrial Laser Scans by Integrating Geometry Image and Intensity Data with Demonstration on Trees
Authors: Barnea Shahar , Filin Sagi
Published: January 2012

Terrestrial laser scanning is becoming a standard for 3D modeling of complex scenes. Results of the scan contain detailed geometric information about the scene; however, the lack of semantic details still constitutes a gap in ensuring this data is usable for mapping. This paper proposes a framework for recognition of objects in laser scans; aiming to utilize all the available information, range, intensity and color information integrated into the extraction framework. Instead of using the 3D point cloud, which is complex to process since it lacks an inherent neighborhood structure, we propose a polar representation which facilitates low-level image processing tasks, e.g., segmentation and texture modeling. Using attributes of each segment, a feature space analysis is used to classify segments into objects. This process is followed by a fine-tuning stage based on graph-cut algorithm, which considers the 3D nature of the data. The proposed algorithm is demonstrated on tree extraction and tested on scans containing complex objects in addition to trees. Results show a very high detection level and thereby the feasibility of the proposed framework.
Beyond Range: Innovating Fluorescence Microscopy
Authors: Esposito Alessandro
Published: January 2012

Time-of-Flight (ToF) technologies are developed mainly for range estimations in industrial applications or consumer products. Recently, it was realized that ToF sensors could also be used for the detection of fluorescence and of the minute changes in the nanosecond-lived electronic states of fluorescent molecules. This capability can be exploited to report on the biochemical processes occurring within living organisms. ToF technologies, therefore, provide new opportunities in molecular and cell biology, diagnostics, and drug discovery. In this short communication, the convergence of the engineering and biomedical communities onto ToF technologies and its potential impact on basic, applied and translational sciences are discussed.
Detecting Climate Effects on Vegetation in Northern Mixed Prairie Using NOAA AVHRR 1-km Time-Series NDVI Data
Authors: Li Zhaoqin , Guo Xulin
Published: January 2012

Grasslands hold varied grazing capacity, provide multiple habitats for diverse wildlife, and are a key component of carbon stock. Research has indicated that grasslands are experiencing effects related to recent climate trends. Understanding how grasslands respond to climate variation thus is essential. However, it is difficult to separate the effects of climate variation from grazing. This study aims to document vegetation condition under climate variation in Grasslands National Park (GNP) of Canada, a grassland ecosystem without grazing for over 20 years, using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data to establish vegetation baselines. The main findings are (1) precipitation has more effects than temperature on vegetation; (2) the growing season of vegetation had an expanding trend indicated by earlier green-up and later senescence; (3) phenologically-tuned annual NDVI had an increasing trend from 1985 to 2007; and (4) the baselines of annual NDVI range from 0.13 to 0.32, and only the NDVI in 1999 is beyond the upper bound of the baseline. Our results indicate that vegetation phenology and condition have slightly changed in GNP since 1985, although vegetation condition in most years was still within the baselines.
Intergenerational Justice: How Reasonable Man Discounts Climate Damage
Authors: Davidson Marc D.
Published: January 2012

Moral philosophers and economists have evaluated the intergenerational problem of climate change by applying the whole gamut of theories on distributive justice. In this article, however, it is argued that intergenerational justice cannot imply the application of moral ideal theories to future generations. The formal principle of equality simply requires us to treat like cases as like. If intergenerational justice is to have any meaning, it would require future generations to receive the same treatment under the law and the same treatment from the authorities, as far as cases are like. In the context of climate change, the reasonable man standard from tort law is of particular relevance. There is no justification to handle pollution across generational boundaries according to norms which differ from the (international) laws for handling pollution across national borders. It is argued that this implies, for example, that a zero social rate of time preference should be used in cost-benefit analysis of climate policy: climate damage experienced by future generations should be discounted neither for their higher expected wealth, nor purely for their being remote.
Blunt Thoracic Injury in Older Adults: Application of Haddon’s Phase-Factor Matrix Model
Authors: Hawk Mark , Cataldo Janine , Puntillo Kathleen , Miaskowski Christine
Published: January 2012

Blunt thoracic injury (BTI) in older adults can lead to grave illness, permanent disability, and even death. Using Haddon’s phase-factor matrix model, this article examines the phenomenon of BTI in older adults. Preventive, diagnostic, and treatment interventions are discussed from the perspective of the pre-event, event, and post-event phases. Relevant physiological and pathophysiological changes regarding senescence and injury are reviewed, as are the common mechanisms of blunt trauma and anatomic injury patterns seen in older adults. Considerations for clinical interventions and future research are also presented.
Natural Characteristics Analysis of Frame of 1780 Tandem Rolling Mill
Authors: Zhang De Chen , Sun Yan Ping
Published: January 2012

According to the vibration happened in rolling process of 1780 tandem rolling mill. Finite element method and structural dynamic method were used to analysis in this paper. The natural frequencies of the rack were calculated. The comparision between two methods were done. It was helpful for designing and reducing vibration of the rolling process.
The Optimal Design of Trench Field Rings for High Breakdown Voltage
Authors: Kang Ey Goo , Hong Sung Young , Ahn Byoung Sub
Published: January 2012

The trench field ring for breakdown voltage of power devices is proposed. The new ring can improve 10% efficiency comparing with conventional field ring. Five parameters of trench field ring for design of trench field ring are analyzed and 2-D devices simulation and process simulations are carried out. The number of field ring, juction depth, distance of field rings, trench width, doping profiled are discussed. The proposed trench field ring was better for higher voltage more than 1000V.
Application of P1-Nonconforming Element for Shell Structure of Incompressible Materiel
Authors: Chen Lei , Jang Gang Won , Chung Tae Jin , Baek Tae Hyun
Published: January 2012

This research focused on solving volumetric locking problem of shell structure of incompressible material. Degenerated solid-shell elements are widely applied on curved structure. But, volumetric locking will take place when the structure is made of incompressible material, such as rubber. Due to Poisson’s locking free property of P1-nonconforming element, it is employed to solve volumetric locking problem of shell structure. Furthermore, the study on shell structure is extended to topology optimization design. To verify the volumetric locking free of P1-nonconforming element on shell structure of incompressible material, some structures are studied by different elements. Comparing with the utilization of high order elements to solve volumetric locking problems, P1-nonconforming elements can save calculation time and reduce the numerical cost.
Semi-Active Control of Vehicle Seat Suspension System with Magnetorheological Damper
Authors: Xing Hai Jun , Yang Shao Pu , Shen Yong Jun
Published: January 2012

This research aims at the vibration control of vehicle seat suspension system. A three degree of freedom quarter vehicle model is used for semi-active control system in which a magnetorheological damper (MRD) is installed at the position between the vehicle body and the seat. A fully active linear quadratic regulator (LQR) control strategy is used to determine the optimized control force which is then matched by MRD to compute the semi-active control result. Computation result proves that semi-active control with MRD can alleviate the vehicle seat acceleration to improve ride comfort.