bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Au‐assisted growth of InAs nanowires on GaAs(111)B, GaAs(100), InP(111)B, InP(100) by MOVPE
Authors: Murakami S. , Funayama H. , Shimomura K. , Waho T.
Published: March 2013

Au‐assisted growth of InAs NWs by MOVPE growth was investigated. We will discuss the NWs characteristics on GaAs and InP substrate with (111)B and (100) orientation, and on the V/III ratio during the growth. We have observed the growth direction of NWs on each substrates and confirmed that the surface diffusion have relation to the diameter of NWs. In the GaAs (111)B substrate, the diameter and length of NWs were depended on the local density of NWs. Furthermore, the tapered NWs were decreased by lowering the V/III ratio. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Robotic hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery: lessons learned and predictors for conversion
Authors: Hanna Erin M. , Rozario Nigel , Rupp Christopher , Sindram David , Iannitti David A. , Martinie John B.
Published: March 2013

Background

The use of surgical robots has slowly gained an increasing presence in the realm of hepatobiliary and pancreatic (HPB) surgery. With additional experience, anecdotal evidence has been useful in guiding patient selection for complex robotic procedures. In the following analysis, we reviewed our case series and looked for predictors of conversion in robotic HPB surgery.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent robotic HPB procedures by a single surgeon at two institutions during March 2006–June 2012. Patient demographics, operative data, procedure type and conversion information were recorded. Trends were analysed for indications for conversion. A subset analysis of robotic‐assisted laparoscopic distal pancreatomy was performed and compared with laparoscopic and open distal pancreatectomy during the same time period by the same surgeon.

Results

During this time period, 77 patients underwent robotic hepatobiliary and pancreatic procedures. All procedures were performed by a single surgeon (J.M.) and included 38 males (49%) and 39 females (51%). Median age was 59 and the majority of patients were ASA class III. There were 24 conversions, which decreased in frequency from 2009 (7) to 2011 (3). Reasons for conversion included significant obesity and technical difficulty. Patients with conversions had more intraoperative blood loss (966 vs 176 ml), more frequently received transfusion (29% vs 2%) and were more likely to have postoperative intensive care. Overall length of stay was longer following conversion (8.3 vs 5.6 days).

Conclusions

Robotic‐assisted hepatobiliary and pancreatic procedures are often extremely complex, with a significant learning curve. Recognizing factors that prohibit successful completion of a robotic‐assisted surgical procedure is key for patient safety. Careful patient selection in the appropriate settings facilitates the maximal benefit of robotic‐assisted complex HPB surgery. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nanoporous membranes by cooperative self‐assembly of functionalized SEBS and titania
Authors: Kausar Ayesha , Zulfiqar Sonia , Sarwar Muhammad Ilyas
Published: March 2013

Sol–gel chemistry was adeptly exploited to fabricate nanoporous membranes by cooperative self‐assembly of modified triblock copolymer (SEBS‐NH2) and titania network. Reinforcement of the matrix was achieved by hydrolytic condensation of tetraisopropoxytitanate without/with compatiblizing agent (3‐glycidyloxypropyl triethoxysilane), yielding two hybrid systems. Incorporation of different proportions of TiO2 provoked well‐built variations in morphology of compatiblized SEBS‐NH2/TiO2 nanocomposites. At low titania loading, spherical nanoparticles were found well‐dispersed in regimented triblock domains while addition of higher amounts of TiO2 generated nanoporous membranes by mutual self‐assembling of matrix and the reinforcement. Relative improvement of tensile and thermal properties over uncompatiblized nanocomposites was observed owing to enhanced interfacial interactions. Eventually, a combination of the two phases (17.5 wt. % titania in SEBS‐NH2) demonstrated ample mechanical reinforcement, thermal and morphological profiles, ensuing robust self‐assembled nanostructures. Forthcoming prospects are envisioned as well. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Post‐earthquake fire resistance of CFRP strengthened reinforced concrete structures
Authors: Behnam Behrouz , Ronagh Hamid R.
Published: March 2013

Post‐earthquake fire (PEF) presents a high risk to buildings that have been partially damaged in a prior earthquake, particularly in urban areas. As most standards and criteria ignore the possibility of fire after earthquake, buildings are not adequately designed for that possibility, and thus, PEF is a high‐risk load needed to be scrutinized further, codified and become part of a routine design. An investigation based on sequential analysis inspired by FEMA356 is performed here on two RC frames, of three and five stories, at the Life Safety performance level and designed to the ACI 318‐08 code, after they have been subjected to a spectral peak ground acceleration of 0.35 g. A fire analysis of the weakened structures follows, from which the time it takes for the damaged structures to collapse is determined. As a point of reference, the fire resistance is also determined for undamaged structures and before the occurrence of earthquake. The results show that structures previously damaged by the earthquake and exposed to PEF are considerably more vulnerable than those that have not been damaged previously. A method using carbon fiber‐reinforced polymer as a means of relocation of plastic hinges away from the column faces towards the beams is introduced as a function of the time required for fire extinguishment or evacuation. This is carried out to increase the structural load‐carrying capacity, thus reducing the potential damage for the anticipated earthquake and thereby improve the PEF resistance. The results show a considerable improvement in the PEF resistance of the frames. While the investigation and the proposition relate to a certain class of structures (ordinary buildings, intermediate RC structures, three and five stories) and the results can therefore be applied only to the cases investigated, it is hoped that this study paves the way for further research into this very important phenomenon and leads to an eventual revision of codes. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Effects of Explicit Instruction on the Reading Performance of Adolescent English Language Learners With Intellectual Disabilities
Authors: Reed Deborah K.
Published: March 2013

This study sought to determine the effects of explicit phonics instruction and sight word instruction on the letter‐sound identification and word reading of 13‐ to 15‐year‐old English language learners in the eighth grade who were identified as having intellectual disabilities (ID). Using a randomized single‐subject design, four Hispanic students with mild ID who were native Spanish speakers and receiving free or reduced‐price lunch were assigned to receive either phonics or sight word instruction. Both treatments were taught explicitly to the pair of students in the condition and included scaffolding and multiple practice opportunities. Sessions took place every other day for 20 minutes over 8 weeks, totaling 400 minutes of intervention. All students demonstrated increased rates of improvement in identifying letter‐sounds and untaught words on the Basic Phonics Skills Test III. Although students in the sight word condition were not explicitly taught letter‐sound correspondences, they correctly identified the sounds of all 26 letters by posttest. All students progressed in their ability to read untaught words of increasing complexity. Results suggest that adolescents with mild cognitive impairments attending schools taught in a nonnative language can still profit from explicit instruction in foundational reading skills.
Microstructure and Phase Constitution Near the Interface of Explosively Welded Aluminum/Copper Plates
Authors: Paul Henryk , Lityńska-Dobrzyńska Lidia , Prażmowski Mariusz
Published: March 2013

The microstructure changes and the phase constitution within the layers close to the bonding interface strongly influence the properties of bimetallic strips. In this work, the layers near the interface of explosively welded aluminum and copper plates were investigated by means of microscopic observations, mostly with the use of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) equipped with energy dispersive spectrometry (EDX). The study was focused on the identification of the intermetallic phases, the possible interdiffusion between the copper and the aluminum, and the changes in the dislocation structure of the parent plates. In macro-/mesoscale, the interfaces were outlined by a characteristic sharp transition indicating that there was no mechanical mixing between the welded metals in the solid state. In micro-/nanoscale, the layers adhering to the interface show typical deformed microstructure features, i.e., structure refinement, elongated dislocation cells, slip bands, and microtwins (in copper plate). The internal microstructure of the intermetallic inclusion is composed mostly of dendrites. The electron diffractions and TEM/EDX chemical composition measurements revealed three crystalline equilibrium phases of the γ-Al4Cu9, η-AlCu, and Θ-Al2Cu type (the last one was dominant). However, most of the observed phases of the general Cu
m
Al
n
type (also crystalline) do not appear in the equilibrium Al-Cu phase diagram. Inside the intermetallic inclusions, no significant regularity in the phase distribution with respect to the parent sheets was observed. Therefore, it was concluded that the processes occurring in the melt determined their local chemical composition.
Prognosis and determinants of pregnancy outcome among patients with post‐hepatitis liver cirrhosis
Authors: Rasheed Salah M. , Abdel Monem Allam M. , Abd Ellah Ahmed H. , Abdel Fattah Mahmoud S.
Published: March 2013

Objective

To evaluate maternal, fetal, and neonatal outcomes and their associated risk factors among pregnant women with liver cirrhosis (LC).

Methods

A prospective cohort study was conducted at Sohag University Hospital, Egypt, between May 1, 2009, and April 1, 2012. Participants included 129 pregnant women with LC (study group), 647 pregnant women without LC (control group 1), and 853 non‐pregnant women with LC (control group 2). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed.

Results

Maternal, fetal, and neonatal complication rates were significantly higher in the study group than in control group 1 (P = 0.001 for all complications). The rate of hepatic decompensation (HD) was higher in the study group than in control group 2 (63.6% vs 13.6%; P = 0.001). Maternal mortality was higher in the study group (7.8%) than in either control group 1 (0.2%) or control group 2 (2.5%; P = 0.001). Variceal bleeding during vaginal delivery was the most frequent cause of maternal mortality. Vaginal delivery and increasing gestational age were the key variables affecting the rate of HD (P = 0.001 for both).

Conclusion

The presence of LC during pregnancy was associated with high rates of maternal and neonatal complications. Increasing gestational age and vaginal delivery were the most important risk factors for HD.
Neuromuscular Junction Disorders
Authors: Liang Chiawen Lucy , Han Steve
Published: March 2013

Disorders of the neuromuscular junction, such as myasthenia gravis and Lambert‐Eaton myasthenic syndrome, constitute an important and treatable class of diseases. Both disorders are typically caused by an immunologically mediated attack on discrete components of the neuromuscular junction, compromise the efficacy of neurotransmitter transmission, and produce clinically distinct syndromes of fatigable muscle weakness. Although the history, clinical examination, and routine antibody testing can be diagnostic in many cases, specialized neurophysiological tests, such as repetitive nerve stimulation and single‐fiber electromyography, are essential tools in the diagnostic evaluation of patients with more complicated or atypical conditions. In this review, we introduce primary disorders of the neuromuscular junction, and discuss the salient clinical and laboratory workup appropriate for recognizing these disorders, and the typical findings seen on electrodiagnostic testing with repetitive nerve stimulation and single‐fiber electromyography.
Social Problem Solving and Aggression: The Role of Depression
Authors: Özdemir Yalçın , Kuzucu Yaşar , Koruklu Nermin
Published: March 2013

The purpose of the present study was to examine direct and indirect relations among social problem-solving, depression, and aggression, as well as the mediating role of depression in the link between social problem-solving and aggression among Turkish youth. Data for the present study were collected from 413 adolescents. The participants’ age ranged from 14 to 17 with a mean of 15.74 years (SD= .97). Results indicated that social problem-solving was significantly and negatively associated with both depression and aggression. Also, depression significantly and positively associated with aggression and depression appears to act as a mediator in the relationship between social problem-solving and aggression. Findings suggest that social problem-solving and depression are important factors in understanding aggression among Turkish youth.
Reproductive biology of the black goby, Gobius niger (Teleostei: Gobiidae), in the Gulf of Gabès (Tunisia, Central Mediterranean)
Authors: Hajji Ferid , Ouannes-Ghorbel Amira , Ghorbel Mohamed , Jarboui Othman
Published: March 2013

The black goby Gobius niger (Linnaeus, 1758) (Gobiidae) is one of the most common gobies in southern Tunisian waters. This study provides the first detailed information on the reproductive biology of the G. niger in these areas. Samples of G. niger were collected by trawl from the Gulf of Gabès (Tunisia) between February 2009 and January 2010. A total of 1055 specimens were examined, ranging from 6.4 to 15.7 cm total length. The sex-ratio was in favour of males, especially in larger size-classes. The macroscopic analysis of the gonads and the progression of the monthly values of the gonadosomatic index (GSI) indicated that the reproductive season extended from March to June, with GSI peaking in May, and that spawning occurred from April to June. The utilization of lipid reserves, stored predominantly in the liver as well as in muscles, was important during the reproduction season. Monthly changes of the seminal vesicle somatic index showed that during the pre-spawning period they had a proliferation phase, followed by a regressive phase during the post-spawning period. Total fecundity of mature females ranged from 4280 to 14000 eggs per fish, showing a significant increase with size, with an average of 8522 ± 689 eggs per fish. The total length at 50% maturity was 10.13 ± 0.3 cm and 9.69 ± 0.18 cm for males and females, respectively.
Seasonal changes of motile polychaetes in the fouling assemblage developed on test panels submerged on a tropical coast
Authors: Satheesh S. , Wesley S.G.
Published: March 2013

The diversity and distribution of polychaete species under the families Nereididae, Syllidae and Eunicidae in sub-tidal fouling assemblage was studied by submerging wood as test substratum. Wooden panels were fitted onto a raft and submerged in Kudankulam coastal waters (south east coast of India) in pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon seasons from May 2003 to July 2005. Panels (in replicate) were retrieved from the raft at 15-day intervals. A total of 24 polychaete species belonging to the three families were identified from the test panels.Perinereis cultrifera,Platynereis dumerilii,Syllis variegata,Syllis truncata, andEunice australiswere the dominant species observed on the test panels. The abundance of major polychaete group was varied considerably between the panel series submerged in May 2003 (post-monsoon), November 2003 (monsoon) and July 2004 (pre-monsoon). The major difference in the polychaete community structure was the low abundance of both nereidids on pre-monsoon season panels and the eunicids on monsoon and post-monsoon season panels.
Reduced directed forgetting for negative words suggests schizophrenia-related disinhibition of emotional cues
Authors: Patrick R. E. , Christensen B. K.
Published: March 2013

Background

Several psychological and neurobiological models imply that patients with schizophrenia (SCZ) are more inclined to utilize emotional cues as response determinants to the detriment of more task-appropriate cognitive or contextual cues. However, there is a lack of behavioural data from human clinical studies to support this assertion. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the performance of persons with SCZ using tasks designed to index the resolution between competing emotional and cognitive determinants of goal-directed behaviour.

Method

The current study employed a list-method, emotional directed-forgetting (DF) paradigm designed to invoke inhibitory mechanisms necessary to override emotional memory enhancement for successful task completion. Four psycholinguistically matched lists were constructed that were comprised of five negative, five positive, and five neutral words.

Results

Compared with healthy controls, individuals with SCZ showed a reduced DF effect overall. When broken down according to valence, this effect was only observed for negative words, which, in turn, resulted from reduced forgetting of list 1 words following the forget cue.

Conclusions

These results indicate that individuals with SCZ were less able to engage strategic inhibitory mechanisms for the purpose of overriding recall of negative stimuli when tasks demand call for such action. Thus, our data support the theoretical assertion that SCZ patients have difficulty utilizing cognitive or contextual cues as determinants of goal-directed behaviour in the face of countermanding emotional cues.
Phenological response of tropical plants to regional climate change in Xishuangbanna, south-western China
Authors: Zhao Junbin , Zhang Yiping , Song Fuqiang , Xu Zaifu , Xiao Laiyun
Published: March 2013

The phenology of temperate plants is vulnerable to climate change. Yet, the phenological responses of tropical plants to climate change are still unclear. In this study, temporal trends (1973–1999) of four phenological events (budburst, growing season, flowering and flowering duration) were studied among 21 plant species in Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (south-western China). Fourteen species (67%) showed significant phenological trends during the study period. Seven species (33%) presented delaying trends in budburst (average 1.4 d y−1) and such trend was more likely to be presented in those that started budburst earlier in the dry season. Four species (19%) showed trends of extension in growing season (average of 3.5 d y−1). These vegetative events appeared to be mainly influenced by increasing temperature. Rainfall showed little effects directly, however, the effects of temperature seemed to largely depend on the moisture condition. Flowering duration of five species (24%) was shortened by average 2.1 d y−1 which was most likely to be the result of the decline in sunshine duration during the rainy season. Our results suggest that the phenology of tropical plants has changed significantly in response to the regional climate change but these reactions are somewhat different from those of temperate plants.
Avian frugivory inMiconia(Melastomataceae): contrasting fruiting times promote habitat complementarity between savanna and palm swamp
Authors: Maruyama Pietro K. , Borges Mariana R. , Silva Paulo A. , Burns Kevin C. , Melo Celine
Published: March 2013

Species ofMiconiaare considered keystone plant resources for frugivorous birds in Neotropical forests, but for other ecosystems little of their ecological role is known. The fruiting phenology and the composition of frugivores of fourMiconiaspecies in savanna and palm swamp from the Brazilian Neotropical savanna were studied in three sites from November 2005 to May 2011. The hypothesis tested was that plants from different habitats share their frugivores and consequently promote links between habitats. Through focal plant observations (30–50 h per species in each site), 668 visits by 47 species of birds were recorded and plants from different habitats shared most of the frugivores (49–97%). The fruiting ofMiconia chamissoisin the palm swamp during the period of fruit scarcity (dry season) was accompanied by an enhancement in the frugivore bird richness and abundance in this habitat, providing indirect evidence of resource tracking. Bird species which primarily dwell in savanna recorded consuming fruits in palm swamps during the resource-scarce season is taken as evidence of landscape supplementation.Miconiaassemblage studied here seems to promote a link between two adjacent habitats in the Neotropical savanna from Central Brazil, a link which is likely to be common in this naturally patchy ecosystem.
Experimental infection of dogs with H3N2 canine influenza virus from China
Authors: ZENG X. J. , LIN Y. , ZHAO Y. B. , LU C. P. , LIU Y. J.
Published: March 2013

Canine influenza virus (CIV) is an emerging pathogen that causes acute respiratory disease in dogs. The aim of this study was to investigate the pathogenicity of A/canine/Jiangsu/06/2010 (H3N2) virus isolated in China. Nine dogs were inoculated intranasally with 107·95 of 50% egg infectious dose (EID50) of the virus. The onset of clinical signs and virus shedding was observed on day 1 post-infection (p.i.). The peak clinical score occurred between days 4 and 6 p.i. The experimentally infected dogs were found to shed virus not only via the respiratory tract but also via the digestive tract. Viral RNA could be detected in multiple organs including the trachea, lung, liver, spleen, kidney, brain and duodenum. All the sampled organs from infected dogs showed significant lesions and viral antigen staining. The results differed from those reporting using previous CIV strains; the Chinese isolate could induce extrapulmonary infection and cause extensive lesions in dogs.
Zoonoses in South-East Asia: a regional burden, a global threat
Authors: Bordier Marion , Roger François
Published: March 2013

Zoonoses are an issue of growing interest in South-East Asia, where environmental factors and socio-economic context favor the endemization of well-known diseases and the emergence of new pathogens at the human–wildlife interface. However, the health status of the region with respect to many zoonotic diseases remains poorly defined, despite the high overall burden of zoonoses on the countries of the area, and the global risk of new biological threats in the region. The first objective of this paper was to provide an update of data on the zoonoses commonly described by the scientific community and reported by governmental institutions and international organizations in continental South-East Asia. The analysis of the available data led to the identification of some trends in the evolution of the diseases, as well as some gaps in knowledge and in the current surveillance and control networks. In light of these findings, we discuss measures for effectively addressing zoonotic disease issues in South-East Asia, such as the allocation of funds for research and for surveillance and control programs, and a multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary approach at various levels.
Managing and Using Elements of Legal Information in Legal Practice
Authors: Zheng Li
Published: March 2013

Legal information management is crucial for Chinese Lawyers who practice law in non-litigation and litigation legal areas. Li Zheng, Attorney at Law from PRC, provides a brief overview of the legal procedure, at a practical level, from the point of view of a Chinese lawyer.
An Institutional Repository for Undergraduate Students: a Case Study at St. Stephen's College, University of Delhi (India)
Authors: Bhardwaj Raj Kumar , Kaushik Shikha
Published: March 2013

In a previous article for LIM, Raj Kumar Bhardwaj wrote about online legal information services and their uses at the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi.1 This new article looks at Institutional Repositories (IRs) which in the academic world, help to re-define the production, dissemination and the use of the intellectual output from an institution. A project to develop an IR offers numerous opportunities to become engaged with information and scholarly material beyond the nature of traditional library services. In this paper, Raj Kumar Bhardwaj and Shikha Kaushik jointly discuss some of the issues, experiences and theories around the institutional repository that has been developed at St Stephen's College.
Labor in the Global South: Transnational Turmoil, Latin American Lessons
Authors: Tilly Chris
Published: March 2013

Mark S. Anner opens Solidarity Transformed by referencing two wrenching changes that have transformed the world for workers: neoliberalism—the scaling back of welfare states, industrial policies, and labor protections—and globalization. He questions how these shifts have affected workers and how worker organizations in diverse settings have responded.
Response to Maria Popova's review of Building the Judiciary: Law, Courts, and the Politics of Institutional Development
Authors: Crowe Justin
Published: March 2013

I thank Maria Popova for her generous, thoughtful, and constructive review of my book and am delighted to hear that despite my exclusively American focus, she finds much of import in my work for scholars of comparative judicial politics. In fact, her breakdown of the potentially generalizable theoretical insights to be drawn from my book was as edifying as it was gratifying. Needless to say, had I been aware of the ways in which some of the empirical phenomena I seek to explain in the American case have since been effectively replicated in, or speak to the circumstances of, other polities, I would have made a deliberate attempt to highlight that fact.
New Deal Liberalism and Racial Liberalism in the Mass Public, 1937–1968
Authors: Schickler Eric
Published: March 2013

Few transformations have been as important in American politics as the incorporation of African Americans into the Democratic Party over the course of the 1930s–60s and the Republican Party's growing association with more conservative positions on race-related policies. This paper traces the relationship between New Deal economic liberalism and racial liberalism in the mass public. A key finding is that by about 1940, economically-liberal northern white Democratic voters were substantially more pro-civil rights than were economically-conservative northern Republican voters. While partisanship and civil rights views were unrelated among southern whites, economic conservatives were more racially conservative than their economically liberal counterparts, even in the south. These findings suggest that there was a connection between attitudes towards the economic programs of the New Deal and racial liberalism early on, well before national party elites took distinct positions on civil rights. Along with grassroots pressure from African American voters who increasingly voted Democratic in the 1930s–40s, this change among white voters likely contributed to northern Democratic politicians' gradual embrace of civil rights liberalism and Republican politicians' interest in forging a coalition with conservative white southerners. In attempting to explain these linkages, I argue that the ideological meaning of New Deal liberalism sharpened in the late 1930s due to changes in the groups identified with Roosevelt's program and due to the controversies embroiling New Dealers in 1937–38.
International Political Economy, Global Financial Orders and the 2008 Financial Crisis
Authors: Drezner Daniel W. , McNamara Kathleen R.
Published: March 2013

The 2008 financial crisis triggered the most severe global economic downturn since the Great Depression. The crisis has provoked soul-searching among economists, yet international political economy (IPE) scholars have been relatively sanguine. We argue that IPE has strayed too far away from studying the geopolitical and systemic causes and consequences of the global economy. IPE must explain the generation and transformation ofglobal financial orders.Both the distribution of political power and the content of economic ideas will shape any emergent global financial order. A Kuhnianlife-cycle frameworkof global financial orders permits a systemic approach to global finance that integrates the study of power and social logics into our understanding of markets.
Rethinking the life sciences
Authors: Swierstra Tsjalling , Vermeulen Niki , Braeckman Johan , van Driel Roel
Published: March 2013

The life sciences are at loggerheads with society and neither much trusts the other. To unleash the full potential of molecular life science, a new contract with society and more organized ways of doing research are needed.
Tyrosinase as a multifunctional reporter gene for Photoacoustic/MRI/PET triple modality molecular imaging
Authors: Qin Chunxia , Cheng Kai , Chen Kai , Hu Xiang , Liu Yang , Lan Xiaoli , Zhang Yongxue , Liu Hongguang , Xu Yingding , Bu Lihong , Su Xinhui , Zhu Xiaohua , Meng Shuxian , Cheng Zhen
Published: March 2013

Development of reporter genes for multimodality molecular imaging is highly important. In contrast to the conventional strategies which have focused on fusing several reporter genes together to serve as multimodal reporters, human tyrosinase (TYR) – the key enzyme in melanin production – was evaluated in this study as a stand-alone reporter gene for in vitro and in vivo photoacoustic imaging (PAI), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET). Human breast cancer cells MCF-7 transfected with a plasmid that encodes TYR (named as MCF-7-TYR) and non-transfected MCF-7 cells were used as positive and negative controls, respectively. Melanin targeted N-(2-(diethylamino)ethyl)-18F-5-fluoropicolinamide was used as a PET reporter probe. In vivo PAI/MRI/PET imaging studies showed that MCF-7-TYR tumors achieved significant higher signals and tumor-to-background contrasts than those of MCF-7 tumor. Our study demonstrates that TYR gene can be utilized as a multifunctional reporter gene for PAI/MRI/PET both in vitro and in vivo.
Psychiatric pharmacogenomics predicts health resource utilization of outpatients with anxiety and depression
Authors: Winner J , Allen J D , Anthony Altar C , Spahic-Mihajlovic A
Published: March 2013

Antidepressants are among the most widely prescribed medications, yet only 35–45% of patients achieve remission following an initial antidepressant trial. The financial burden of treatment failures in direct treatment costs, disability claims, decreased productivity, and missed work may, in part, derive from a mismatch between optimal and actual prescribed medications. The present 1 year blinded and retrospective study evaluated eight direct or indirect health care utilization measures for 96 patients with a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of depressive or anxiety disorder. The eight measures were evaluated in relation to an interpretive pharmacogenomic test and reporting system, designed to predict antidepressant responses based on DNA variations in cytochrome P450 genes (CYP2D6, CYP2C19, CYP2C9 and CYP1A2), the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) and the serotonin 2A receptor gene (5HTR2A). All subjects had been prescribed at least one of 26 commonly prescribed antidepressant or antipsychotic medications. Subjects whose medication regimen included a medication identified by the gene-based interpretive report as most problematic for that patient and are in the ‘red bin’ (medication status of ‘use with caution and frequent monitoring’), had 69% more total health care visits, 67% more general medical visits, greater than three-fold more medical absence days, and greater than four-fold more disability claims than subjects taking drugs categorized by the report as in the green bin (‘use as directed’) or yellow bin (‘use with caution’). There were no correlations between the number of medications taken and any of the eight healthcare utilization measures. These results demonstrate that retrospective psychiatric pharmacogenomic testing can identify past inappropriate medication selection, which led to increased healthcare utilization and cost.
Low CD34+ cells, high neutrophils and the metabolic syndrome are associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism
Authors: Rattazzi Marcello , Villalta Sabina , Galliazzo Silvia , Del Pup Laura , Sponchiado Alessandra , Faggin Elisabetta , Bertacco Elisa , Buso Roberta , Seganfreddo Elena , Pagliara Valeria , Callegari Elena , Puato Massimo , Caberlotto Livio , Scannapieco Gianluigi , Fadini Gian Paolo , Pauletto Paolo
Published: March 2013

The relationship between MetS (metabolic syndrome), levels of circulating progenitor/immune cells and the risk of VTE (venous thromboembolism) has not yet been investigated. We studied 240 patients with previous VTE and 240 controls. The presence of MetS was identified according to NCEP ATP III guidelines and flow cytometry was used to quantify circulating CD34+ cells. VTE patients showed higher BMI (body mass index), waist circumference, triacylglycerol (triglyceride) levels, blood glucose, hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) and lower HDL-C (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) levels. The prevalence of MetS was significantly higher in VTE (38.3%) than in control individuals (21.3%) with an adjusted OR (odds ratio) for VTE of 1.96 (P=0.002). VTE patients had higher circulating neutrophils (P<0.0001), while the CD34+ cell count was significantly lower among patients with unprovoked VTE compared with both provoked VTE (P=0.004) and controls (P=0.003). Subjects were also grouped according to the presence/absence of MetS (MetS+ or MetS−) and the level (high/low) of both CD34+ cells and neutrophils. Very high adjusted ORs for VTE were observed among neutrophils_high/MetS+ (OR, 3.58; P<0.0001) and CD34+_low/MetS+ (OR, 3.98; P<0.0001) subjects as compared with the neutrophils_low/MetS− and CD34+_high/MetS− groups respectively. In conclusion, low CD34+ blood cell count and high circulating neutrophils interplay with MetS in raising the risk for venous thromboembolic events.
Multiscale considerations in direct numerical simulations of multiphase flows
Authors: Tryggvason Gretar , Dabiri Sadegh , Aboulhasanzadeh Bahman , Lu Jiacai
Published: March 2013

Direct Numerical Simulations of multiphase flows have progressed rapidly over the last decade and it is now possible to simulate, for example, the motion of hundreds of deformable bubbles in turbulent flows. The availability of results from such simulations should help advance the development of new and improved closure relations and models of the average or large-scale flows. We review recent results for bubbly flow in vertical channels, discuss the difference between upflow and downflow and the effect of the bubble deformability and how the resulting insight allowed us to produce a simple description of the large scale flow, for certain flow conditions. We then discuss the need for the development of numerical methods for more complex situations, such as where the flow creates spontaneous thin films and threads, or where additional physical processes take place at a rate that is very different from the fluid flow. Recent work on capturing localized small-scale processes using embedded analytical models, focusing on the mass transfer from bubbles in liquids with low mass diffusivity, suggests one approach. We conclude by discussing immediate needs for progress on the theoretical framework for describing the large-scale motion of multiphase flows and the need for multiscale methods to capture physical processes taking place at diverse length and time scales.
Ground and excited states of vanadium hydroxide isomers and their cations, VOH0,+ and HVO0,+
Authors: Miliordos Evangelos , Harrison James F. , Hunt Katharine L. C.
Published: March 2013

Employing correlation consistent basis sets of quadruple-zeta quality and applying both multireference configuration interaction and single-reference coupled cluster methodologies, we studied the electronic and geometrical structure of the [V,O,H]0,+ species. The electronic structure of HVO0,+ is explained by considering a hydrogen atom approaching VO0,+, while VOH0,+ molecules are viewed in terms of the interaction of V+,2+ with OH−. The potential energy curves for H–VO0,+ and V0,+–OH have been constructed as functions of the distance between the interacting subunits, and the potential energy curves have also been determined as functions of the H–V–O angle. For the stationary points that we have located, we report energies, geometries, harmonic frequencies, and dipole moments. We find that the most stable bent HVO0,+ structure is lower in energy than any of the linear HVO0,+ structures. Similarly, the most stable state of bent VOH is lower in energy than the linear structures, but linear VOH+ is lower in energy than bent VOH+. The global minimum on the potential energy surface for the neutral species is the \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$\tilde{X}^3$\end{document}X̃3A″ state of bent HVO, although the \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$\tilde{X}^5$\end{document}X̃5A″ state of bent VOH is less than 5 kcal/mol higher in energy. The global minimum on the potential surface for the cation is the \documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\begin{document}$\tilde{X}^4\Sigma ^-$\end{document}X̃4Σ− state of linear VOH+, with bent VOH+ and bent HVO+ both more than 10 kcal/mol higher in energy. For the neutral species, the bent geometries exhibit significantly higher dipole moments than the linear structures.
Solvation thermodynamics and heat capacity of polar and charged solutes in water
Authors: Sedlmeier Felix , Netz Roland R.
Published: March 2013

The solvation thermodynamics and in particular the solvation heat capacity of polar and charged solutes in water is studied using atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. As ionic solutes we consider a F− and a Na+ ion, as an example for a polar molecule with vanishing net charge we take a SPC/E water molecule. The partial charges of all three solutes are varied in a wide range by a scaling factor. Using a recently introduced method for the accurate determination of the solvation free energy of polar solutes, we determine the free energy, entropy, enthalpy, and heat capacity of the three different solutes as a function of temperature and partial solute charge. We find that the sum of the solvation heat capacities of the Na+ and F− ions is negative, in agreement with experimental observations, but our results uncover a pronounced difference in the heat capacity between positively and negatively charged groups. While the solvation heat capacity ΔCp stays positive and even increases slightly upon charging the Na+ ion, it decreases upon charging the F− ion and becomes negative beyond an ion charge of q = −0.3e. On the other hand, the heat capacity of the overall charge-neutral polar solute derived from a SPC/E water molecule is positive for all charge scaling factors considered by us. This means that the heat capacity of a wide class of polar solutes with vanishing net charge is positive. The common ascription of negative heat capacities to polar chemical groups might arise from the neglect of non-additive interaction effects between polar and apolar groups. The reason behind this non-additivity is suggested to be related to the second solvation shell that significantly affects the solvation thermodynamics and due to its large spatial extent induces quite long-ranged interactions between solvated molecular parts and groups.
Electric double layer force between charged surfaces: Effect of solvent polarization
Authors: Prasanna Misra Rahul , Das Siddhartha , Mitra Sushanta K.
Published: March 2013

In this paper, we develop a theory to delineate the consequences of finite solvent polarization in electric double layer interaction or the osmotic pressure between two similar or oppositely charged surfaces. We use previously published Langevin-Bikerman equations to calculate this electric double layer interaction force or the osmotic pressure between the charged surfaces. The osmotic pressure between oppositely charged surfaces is found to be much larger than that between similarly charged surfaces, and for either case, the influence of solvent polarization ensures a larger pressure than that predicted by the Poisson-Boltzmann (PB) model. We derive distinct scaling relationships to explain the increase of the pressure as a function of the separation between the surfaces, the solvent polarizability, and the number density of water molecules. Most importantly, we demonstrate that our theory can successfully reproduce the experimental results of interaction force between similar and oppositely charged surfaces, by accounting for the large under-prediction made by the corresponding PB model.
Understanding cross-polarization (CP) NMR experiments through dipolar truncation
Authors: Pandey Manoj Kumar , Qadri Zeba , Ramachandran Ramesh
Published: March 2013

A theoretical model based on the phenomenon of dipolar truncation is proposed to explain the nuances of polarization transfer from abundant to less-abundant nuclei in cross-polarization (CP) NMR experiments. Specifically, the transfer of polarization from protons to carbons (in solids) in strongly coupled systems is described in terms of effective Hamiltonians based on dipolar truncation. Through suitable model spin systems, the important role of dipolar truncation in the propagation of spin polarization in CP experiments is outlined. We believe that the analytic theory presented herein provides a convenient framework for modeling polarization transfer in strongly coupled systems.
Effect of size polydispersity on the crystal-fluid and crystal-glass transition in hard-core repulsive Yukawa systems
Authors: van der Linden Marjolein N. , van Blaaderen Alfons , Dijkstra Marjolein
Published: March 2013

We investigated the effect of size polydispersity on the crystal-fluid transition in hard-core repulsive Yukawa systems by means of Monte Carlo simulations for several state points in the Yukawa parameter space. Size polydispersity was introduced in the system only with respect to the hard particle cores; particles with different diameters had the same surface potential ψ0, but the charge per particle was not varied with packing fraction or distance. We observed a shift to higher packing fraction of the crystal-fluid transition of bulk crystals with a fixed log-normal size distribution upon increasing the polydispersity, which was more pronounced for weakly charged particles (ψ0 ≈ 23 mV) compared to more highly charged particles (ψ0 ≈ 46 mV), and also more pronounced for larger Debye screening length. At high polydispersities (⩾0.13) parts of the more highly charged systems that were initially crystalline became amorphous. The amorphous parts had a higher polydispersity than the crystalline parts, indicating the presence of a terminal polydispersity beyond which the homogeneous crystal phase was no longer stable.
The low-frequency alternative-current magnetic susceptibility and electrical properties of Si(100)/Fe40Pd40B20(X Å)/ZnO(500 Å) and Si(100)/ZnO(500 Å)/Fe40Pd40B20(Y Å) systems
Authors: Chen Yuan-Tsung , Xie S. M. , Jheng H. Y.
Published: March 2013

The two deposition conditions are (a) Si(100)/Fe40Pd40B20(X Å)/ZnO (500 Å) and (b) Si(100)/ZnO(500 Å)/Fe40Pd40B20(Y Å), where X and Y are 25 Å, 50 Å, 75 Å, and 100 Å. The sputtering sequence and the thickness of the FePdB film were varied to examine their effects on the low-frequency alternative-current magnetic susceptibility (χac), maximum phase angle (θmax), maximum χac with corresponding optimal resonance frequency (fres), and electrical resistivity (ρ). Experimental results show that ZnO(500 Å)/Fe40Pd40B20(Y Å) is superior to Fe40Pd40B20(X Å)/ZnO(500 Å) because the ZnO(002) texture at the bottom can improve the magneto nanocrystalline anisotropy of Fe40Pd40B20, improving its magnetic properties. In particular, a comparison of high-resolution cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy observations of Fe40Pd40B20(100 Å)/ZnO(500 Å) and ZnO(500 Å)/Fe40Pd40B20(100 Å) demonstrates that the ZnO(002) texture induces a magneto nanocrystalline anisotropy in the nanocrystalline FePdB layer of ZnO(500 Å)/Fe40Pd40B20(100 Å), yielding a highest χac of approximately 2.8 with an fres of 1000 Hz and an θmax of 169°. Additionally, the ρ is reduced as the FePdB thickness increases, because grain boundaries and the surface of thin films scatter the electrons, so thinner films have a greater resistance. The ρ of ZnO(500 Å)/Fe40Pd40B20(Y Å) is lower than that of Fe40Pd40B20(X Å)/ZnO(500 Å) because stronger ZnO crystallization and nanocrystalline FePdB improve the scattering of electrons by the surface of the films.
Multi-bit binary decoder based on Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction
Authors: Sun Ming-Zhu , Zhao Xin
Published: March 2013

It is known that Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction can be applied to chemical computation, e.g., image processing, computational geometry, logical computation, and so on. In the field of logical computation, some basic logic gates and basic combinational logic circuits, such as adder, counter, memory cell, have already been implemented in simulations or in chemical experiments. In this paper, we focus on another important combinational logic circuit, binary decoder. Integrating AND gate and NOT gate, we first design and implement a one-bit binary decoder through numerical simulation. Then we show that one-bit decoder can be extended to design two-bit, three-bit, or even higher bit binary decoders by a cascade method. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of these devices. The chemical realization of decoders can guide the construction of more sophisticated functions based on BZ reaction; meanwhile, the cascade method can facilitate the design of other combinational logic circuits.
Impact of isovalent doping on the trapping of vacancy and interstitial related defects in Si
Authors: Sgourou E. N. , Timerkaeva D. , Londos C. A. , Aliprantis D. , Chroneos A. , Caliste D. , Pochet P.
Published: March 2013

We investigate the impact of isovalent (in particular lead (Pb)) doping on the production and thermal stability of the vacancy-related (VO) and the interstitial-related (CiOi and CiCs) pairs in 2 MeV electron irradiated Si samples. We compare the Cz-Si samples with high and low carbon concentration, as well as with Pb-C and Ge-C codoped samples. Using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), we first determine that under the examined conditions the production of VO decreases with the increase of the covalent radius of the prevalent dopant. Moreover, the production of the VO, CiOi, and CiCs pairs is quite suppressed in Pb-doped Si. In addition, we conclude to an enhanced trapping of both Ci and Cs by Pb impurity under irradiation. The results are further discussed in view of density functional theory calculations. The relative thermodynamic stability of carbon and interstitial related complexes was estimated through the calculations of binding energies of possible defect pairs. This allows to investigate the preferred trapping of vacancies in Pb-doped samples and interstitials in the Ge-doped samples. The different behavior is revealed by considering the analysis of the ratio of vacancy-related to interstitial-related clusters derived from the FTIR measurements. The presence of PbV complexes is confirmed due to the mentioned analysis.
Dember type voltage and nonlinear series resistance of the optical confinement layer of a high-power diode laser
Authors: Avrutin E. A. , Ryvkin B. S.
Published: March 2013

An analytical model is developed for the carrier density distribution and the associated Dember type electric field/voltage in the waveguide layer of a high-power semiconductor laser for arbitrary levels of doping and injection. Nonlinear resistance of the waveguide layer is analysed; it is shown that at a very high injection level, doping the waveguide layer leads to almost negligible decrease in its effective resistance.