bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Directional Sensitivity of “First Trial” Reactions in Human Balance Control
Authors: Oude Nijhuis Lars B. , Allum John H. J. , Borm George F. , Honegger Flurin , Overeem Sebastiaan , Bloem Bastiaan R.
Published: March 2009

Support-surface movements are commonly used to examine balance control. Subjects typically receive a series of identical or randomly interspersed multidirectional balance perturbations and the atypical “first trial reaction” (evoked by the first perturbation) is often excluded from further analysis. However, this procedure may obscure vital information about neurophysiological mechanisms associated with the first perturbation and, by analogy, fully unexpected falls. We studied first trial reactions, aiming to clarify their directional impact on postural control and to characterize the underlying neurophysiological substrate. We instructed 36 subjects to maintain balance following support-surface rotations in six different directions. Perturbations in each direction were delivered in blocks, consisting of 10 serial stimuli. Full body kinematics, surface reactive forces, and electromyographic (EMG) responses were recorded. Regardless of direction, for the very first rotation, displacement of the center of mass was 15% larger compared with the ensuing nine identical rotations ( P < 0.0001). This first trial reaction immediately reemerged whenever a new perturbation direction was introduced. First trial reactions (and near-falls) were greatest for backward-directed rotations and smallest for laterally directed rotations. This directional dependence coincided with early changes in vertical head accelerations. First trial reactions in EMG responses involved larger amplitudes in general and earlier muscle response onsets in upper body muscles. These findings show that first trial reactions are associated with significantly increased postural instability, mainly due to increased response amplitudes. Although rapid habituation occurs following presentation of identical stimuli, subjects immediately become unstable again when the perturbation direction suddenly changes. Excessive responses due to a failure to combine proprioceptive and vestibular cues effectively may explain this instability seen with first trials, particularly when falling backward.
Effects of Object Compliance on Three-Digit Grasping
Authors: Winges Sara A. , Eonta Stephanie E. , Soechting John F. , Flanders Martha
Published: March 2009

Compared with rigid objects, grasping and lifting compliant objects presents additional uncertainties. For any static grasp, forces at the fingertips depend on factors including the locations of the contact points and the contact forces must be coordinated to maintain equilibrium. For compliant objects, the locations and orientations of the contact surfaces change in a force-dependent manner, thus changing the force requirements. Furthermore, every force adjustment then results in additional changes in object shape. This study characterized force and muscle activation patterns in this situation. Fingertip forces were measured as subjects grasped and lifted a 200-g object using their thumb, index, and ring fingers. A spring was sometimes placed under the index and/or ring finger contact surface. Surface electromyographic activity was recorded from ten hand muscles and one proximal arm muscle. The patterns of grip (normal) force and muscle activity were similar across conditions during the load and lift phases, but their amplitude depended on whether the contact surface was compliant. Specifically, the grip force increased smoothly during the load phase of the task under all conditions. To the contrary, the tangential contact (load) force did not increase monotonically when one or more of the contact surfaces were compliant, resulting in a decoupling of the grip and load forces.
CNTs/TiC Reinforced Titanium Matrix Nanocomposites via Powder Metallurgy and Its Microstructural and Mechanical Properties
Authors: Kondoh Katsuyoshi , Threrujirapapong Thotsaphon , Imai Hisashi , Umeda Junko , Fugetsu Bunshi
Published: March 2009

By using pure titanium powder coated with unbundled multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) via wet process, powder metallurgy (P/M) titanium matrix composite (TMC) reinforced with the CNTs was prepared by spark plasma sintering (SPS) and subsequently hot extrusion process. The microstructure and mechanical properties of P/M pure titanium and reinforced with CNTs were evaluated. The distribution of CNTs and in situ formed titanium carbide (TiC) compounds during sintering was investigated by optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with EDS analyzer. The mechanical properties of TMC were significantly improved by the additive of CNTs. For example, when employing the pure titanium composite powder coated with CNTs of 0.35 mass%, the increase of tensile strength and yield stress of the extruded TMC was 157 MPa and 169 MPa, respectively, compared to those of extruded titanium materials with no CNT additive. Fractured surfaces of tensile specimens were analyzed by SEM, and the uniform distribution of CNTs and TiC particles, being effective for the dispersion strengthening, at the surface of the TMC were obviously observed.
Monotone Generalized Nonlinear Contractions in Partially Ordered Metric Spaces
Authors: Ćirić Ljubomir , Cakić Nenad , Rajović Miloje , Ume Jeong Sheok
Published: March 2009

A concept of "Equation missing"-monotone mapping is introduced, and some fixed and common fixed point theorems for "Equation missing"-non-decreasing generalized nonlinear contractions in partially ordered complete metric spaces are proved. Presented theorems are generalizations of very recent fixed point theorems due to Agarwal et al. (2008).
Role of the Endothelium during Tumor Cell Metastasis: Is the Endothelium a Barrier or a Promoter for Cell Invasion and Metastasis?
Authors: Mierke Claudia Tanja
Published: March 2009

The malignancy of cancer disease depends on the ability of the primary tumor to metastasize to distant organs. The process of the metastasis formation has largely been analyzed, but still main pathways regarding the extravasation step at the end of the metastasis formation process are controversially discussed. An agreement has been reached about the importance of the endothelium to promote metastasis formation either by enhancing the growth of the primary tumor or by homing (targeting) the tumor cells to blood or lymph vessels. The mechanical properties of the invading tumor cells become the focus of several studies, but the endothelial cell mechanical properties are still elusive. This paper describes the different roles of the endothelium in the process of metastasis formation and focuses on a novel role of the endothelium in promoting tumor cell invasion. It discusses how novel biophysical tools and in vivo animal models help to determine the role of the endothelium in the process of tumor cell invasion. Evidence is provided that cell mechanical properties, for example, contractile force generation of tumor cells, are involved in the process of tumor cell invasion.
Approximating Common Fixed Points of Lipschitzian Semigroup in Smooth Banach Spaces
Authors: Saeidi Shahram
Published: March 2009

Let "Equation missing" be a left amenable semigroup, let "Equation missing" be a representation of "Equation missing" as Lipschitzian mappings from a nonempty compact convex subset "Equation missing" of a smooth Banach space E into C with a uniform Lipschitzian condition, let "Equation missing" be a strongly left regular sequence of means defined on an "Equation missing"-stable subspace of "Equation missing", let "Equation missing" be a contraction on "Equation missing", and let "Equation missing" be sequences in (0, 1) such that "Equation missing", for all n. Let "Equation missing", for all "Equation missing". Then, under suitable hypotheses on the constants, we show that "Equation missing" converges strongly to some "Equation missing" in "Equation missing", the set of common fixed points of "Equation missing", which is the unique solution of the variational inequality "Equation missing", for all "Equation missing".
Reverse Analysis for Determining the Mechanical Properties of Zeolite Ferrierite Crystal
Authors: Lin J. , Niu X. Y. , Shu X. F.
Published: March 2009

In order to explore more mechanical properties of zeolite Ferrierite (FER) single crystal, a method of determining its mechanical properties—nanoindentation reverse analysis—was obtained based on the nanoindentation experiment and numerical simulations, and this will be presented in this paper. The yield stress and the characteristic work‐hardening rate were gained if its stress‐strain relation was a bilinear constitutive relation. The mechanical parameters obtained by reverse analysis have been compared with ones gained by nanoindentation finite‐element numerical simulations.
Simulation of Snow Drift and the Effects of Snow Particles on Wind
Authors: Zhang Jie , Huang Ning
Published: March 2009

Coupled equations between wind and saltating particles are presented for a stable wind blowing over an infinite plane bed and the equations are solved for a simplified particle‐bed impact process. The calculated results show that the saltating snow particles strongly affect the velocity distribution of the wind, causing a deviation from a logarithmically distributed wind velocity profile. The average height and length of saltating snow particle trajectories exponentially increase as the friction velocity increases; the ejected snow number flux and the streamwise snow transport rate also increase as the friction velocity increases.
Polymer Photovoltaic Cell Using TiO2/G‐PEDOT Nanocomplex Film as Electrode
Authors: Xie F. X. , Liang C. J. , He Z. Q. , Tao Y. L.
Published: March 2009

Using TiO2/G‐PEDOT (PEDOT/PSS doped with glycerol) nanocomplex film as a substitute for metal electrode in organic photovoltaic cell is described. Indium tin oxide (ITO) worked as cathode and TiO2/G‐PEDOT nanocomplex works as anode. The thickness of TiO2 layer in nanocomplex greatly affects the act of this nonmetallic electrode of the device. To enhance its performance, this inverted organic photovoltaic cell uses another TiO2 layer as electron selective layer contacted to ITO coated glass substrates. All films made by solution processing techniques are coated on the transparent substrate (glass) with a conducting film ITO. The efficiency of this solar cell is compared with the conventional device using Al as electrode.
Stability Results for Switched Linear Systems with Constant Discrete Delays
Authors: de la Sen M. , Ibeas A.
Published: March 2009

This paper investigates the stability properties of switched systems possessing several parameterizations (or configurations) while being subject to internal constant point delays. Some of the stability results are formulated based on Gronwall′s lemma for global exponential stability, and they are either dependent on or independent of the delay size but they depend on the switching law through the requirement of a minimum residence time. Another set of results concerned with the weaker property of global asymptotic stability is also obtained as being independent of the switching law, but still either dependent on or independent of the delay size, since they are based on the existence of a common Krasovsky‐Lyapunov functional for all the above‐mentioned configurations. Extensions to a class of polytopic systems and to a class of regular time‐varying systems are also discussed.
Amyloid Deposition in Transplanted Human Pancreatic Islets: A Conceivable Cause of Their Long‐Term Failure
Authors: Andersson Arne , Bohman Sara , Borg L. A. Håkan , Paulsson Johan F. , Schultz Sebastian W. , Westermark Gunilla T. , Westermark Per
Published: March 2009

Following the encouraging report of the Edmonton group, there was a rejuvenation of the islet transplantation field. After that, more pessimistic views spread when long‐term results of the clinical outcome were published. A progressive loss of the β‐cell function meant that almost all patients were back on insulin therapy after 5 years. More than 10 years ago, we demonstrated that amyloid deposits rapidly formed in human islets and in mouse islets transgenic for human IAPP when grafted into nude mice. It is, therefore, conceivable to consider amyloid formation as one potential candidate for the long‐term failure. The present paper reviews attempts in our laboratories to elucidate the dynamics of and mechanisms behind the formation of amyloid in transplanted islets with special emphasis on the impact of long‐term hyperglycemia.
Unsteady Stagnation‐Point Flow of a Viscoelastic Fluid in the Presence of a Magnetic Field
Authors: Labropulu F.
Published: March 2009

The unsteady two‐dimensional stagnation point flow of the Walters B′ fluid
impinging on an infinite plate in the presence of a transverse magnetic field is examined and
solutions are obtained. It is assumed that the infinite plate at y = 0 is making harmonic oscillations in its own plane. A finite difference technique is employed and solutions for small and large frequencies of the oscillations are obtained for various values of the Hartmann′s number and the Weissenberg number.
A Unified Approach for Predicting Long- and Short-Term Capability Indices with Dependence on Manufacturing Target Bias
Authors: Satyala Nikhil T. , Pieper R. J.
Published: March 2009

It is shown that the exact solution for the capability index (CPI) for Gaussian-distributed process with target bias can be expressed in terms of an unbiased CPI and a normalized target bias. The principal advantage of this specific formulation is that it facilitates evaluation of the degradation of the capability of the process due to bias between process mean and the process target. It is shown how this formalism, initially developed for the short-term process, is readily extended to long-term process for which the distribution is Gaussian. Readily isolated in the latter case are the two long-term CPI degrading effects, namely, process instability and target bias. Sufficient conditions to guarantee that long-term processes are distributed as Gaussian are discussed. Within the context of these assumed conditions, a new paradigm for a long-term locator ‘‘k’’ is proposed. For a three sigma process the results indicate that the exact CPI model is a less pessimistic predictor than both of the industry CPI models tested.
Differentiable Solutions of Equations Involving Iterated Functional Series
Authors: Song Wei
Published: March 2009

The nonmonotonic differentiable solutions of equations
involving iterated functional series are investigated. Conditions for the existence,
uniqueness, and stability of such solutions are given. These extend earlier results due to Murugan and Subrahmanyam.
Passenger Lymphocyte Syndrome and Liver Transplantation
Authors: Audet Maxime , Panaro Fabrizio , Piardi Tullio , Huang Ping , Cag Murat , Cinqualbre Jacques , Wolf Philippe
Published: March 2009

The authors reviewed the passenger lymphocyte syndrome (PLS) that has appeared after transplantation. The definition, mechanism, serological, clinical features, and treatment for PLS after solid organ transplantation, especially liver transplantation, are described. The PLS refers to the clinical phenomenon of alloimmune hemolysis resulting from the adoptive transfer of viable lymphocytes from donor during solid organ or hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Sometimes, it is very severe and may cause “unexplained” hemolysis during the postoperative period. The authors reviewed literature about the PLS in liver transplantation.
Combination Therapy of PPARγ Ligands and Inhibitors of Arachidonic Acid in Lung Cancer
Authors: Tauler Jordi , Mulshine James L.
Published: March 2009

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States and five‐year survival remains low. Numerous studies have shown that chronic inflammation may lead to progression of carcinogenesis. As a result of inflammatory stimulation, arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism produces proliferation mediators through complex and dynamic interactions of the products of the LOX/COX enzymes. One important mediator in the activation of the AA pathways is the nuclear protein PPARγ. Targeting LOX/COX enzymes and inducing activation of PPARγ have resulted in significant reduction of cell growth in lung cancer cell lines. However, specific COX‐inhibitors have been correlated with an increased cardiovascular risk. Clinical applications are still being explored with a novel generation of dual LOX/COX inhibitors. PPARγ activation through synthetic ligands (TZDs) has revealed a great mechanistic complexity since effects are produced through PPARγ‐dependent and ‐independent mechanisms. Furthermore, PPARγ could also be involved in regulation of COX‐2. Overexpression of PPARγ has reported to play a role in control of invasion and differentiation. Exploring the function of PPARγ, in this new context, may provide a better mechanistic model of its role in cancer and give an opportunity to design a more efficient therapeutic approach in combination with LOX/COX inhibitors.
Growth and Magnetic Properties of Polycrystalline Self‐Assembled Bifurcated Co Nanowires
Authors: Silverberg Jesse , Friedman Adam L. , Menon Latika
Published: March 2009

We use anodization of aluminum foil with variable applied anodization voltage to create an alumina template with bifurcated porous structures. The template is then used to electrodeposit Co, fabricating unique bifurcated Co nanowires. In order to better understand the crystal structure of our new material, we then report magnetic properties of these self‐assembled bifurcated Co nanowires. Magnetic measurements of the bifurcated wires are studied as functions of branch/stem ratios, wire length, and temperature. The results are compared with those of straight Co nanowires of similar dimensions and thin film Co samples to find that a different crystal lattice structure prevails in the stems than in the branches of the wires.
Scatter and Blurring Compensation in Inhomogeneous Media Using a Postprocessing Method
Authors: Yan Yan , Zeng Gengsheng L.
Published: March 2009

An efficient postprocessing method to compensate for the scattering and blurring effects in inhomogeneous medium in SPECT is proposed. A two‐dimensional point spread function (2D‐PSF) was estimated in the image domain to model the combination of these two physical effects. This 2D‐PSF in the inhomogeneous medium is fitted with an asymmetric Gaussian function based on Monte Carlo simulation results. An efficient further blurring and deconvolution method was used to restore images from the spatially variant 2D‐PSF kernel. The compensation is performed using a computer‐simulated NCAT phantom and a flanged Jaszczak experimental phantom. The preliminary results demonstrate an improvement in image quality and quantity accuracy with increased image contrast (25% increase compared to uncompensated image) and decreased error (40% decrease compared to uncompensated image). This method also offers an alternative to compensate for scatter and blurring in a more time efficient manner compared to the popular iterative methods. The execution time for this efficient postprocessing method is only a few minutes, which is within the clinically acceptable range.
Peroxisome Proliferator‐Activated Receptors in Diabetic Nephropathy
Authors: Kume Shinji , Uzu Takashi , Isshiki Keiji , Koya Daisuke
Published: March 2009

Diabetic nephropathy is a leading cause of end‐stage renal disease, which is increasing in incidence worldwide, despite intensive treatment approaches such as glycemic and blood pressure control in patients with diabetes mellitus. New therapeutic strategies are needed to prevent the onset of diabetic nephropathy. Peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptors (PPARs) are ligand‐activated nuclear transcription factors that play important roles in lipid and glucose homeostases. These agents might prevent the progression of diabetic nephropathy, since PPAR agonists improve dyslipidemia and insulin resistance. Furthermore, data from murine models suggest that PPAR agonists also have independent renoprotective effects by suppressing inflammation, oxidative stress, lipotoxicity, and activation of the renin‐angiotensin system. This review summarizes data from clinical and experimental studies regarding the relationship between PPARs and diabetic nephropathy. The therapeutic potential of PPAR agonists in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy is also discussed.
A Theory of Besov and Triebel‐Lizorkin Spaces on Metric Measure Spaces Modeled on Carnot‐Carathéodory Spaces
Authors: Han Yongsheng , Müller Detlef , Yang Dachun
Published: March 2009

We work on RD‐spaces 𝒳, namely, spaces of homogeneous type in the
sense of Coifman and Weiss with the additional property that a reverse doubling property holds in 𝒳. An important example is the Carnot‐Carathéodory
space with doubling measure. By constructing an approximation of the identity with bounded support of Coifman type, we develop a theory of Besov
and Triebel‐Lizorkin spaces on the underlying spaces. In particular, this
includes a theory of Hardy spaces Hp(𝒳) and local Hardy spaces hp(𝒳) on RD‐spaces, which appears to be new in this setting. Among other things, we
give frame characterization of these function spaces, study interpolation of
such spaces by the real method, and determine their dual spaces when p ≥ 1.
The relations among homogeneous Besov spaces and Triebel‐Lizorkin spaces,
inhomogeneous Besov spaces and Triebel‐Lizorkin spaces, Hardy spaces, and
BMO are also presented. Moreover, we prove boundedness results on these
Besov and Triebel‐Lizorkin spaces for classes of singular integral operators,
which include non‐isotropic smoothing operators of order zero in the sense of
Nagel and Stein that appear in estimates for solutions of the Kohn‐Laplacian
on certain classes of model domains in ℂN. Our theory applies in a wide
range of settings.
Electrode Properties of Mn2O3 Nanospheres Synthesized by Combined Sonochemical/Solvothermal Method for Use in Electrochemical Capacitors
Authors: Nathan Teressa , Cloke Michael , Prabaharan S. R. S.
Published: March 2009

We report here an efficient single step combined sonochemical and solvothermal synthesis process to obtain bulk quantities of nanospherical particles of cubic Mn2O3 and characterized its pseudocapacitive characteristics in relevance to electrochemical capacitors for the first time. It has been found that quantitative determination of specific capacitance yielded a value of capacitance of ∼100 Fg−1 within 0–0.4 V (versus SCE) potential range in a 6 M KOH alkaline electrolyte. The as‐prepared nanopowders after being subjected to heat treatment at 400 ∘C were characterized by using XRD which shows a typical cubic single‐phase structure (space group Ia-3), the broad crystalline peaks indicating the presence of explicit nanostructure. Electron microscopic studies (FE‐SEM and TEM) revealed that the synthesized powders exhibit nanospherical morphology with uniform sphere‐like grains of ∼10–15 nm range. Two heat‐treated samples were studied in the context of crystallinity versus electrochemical capacitance using rate‐dependent cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in a three‐electrode system. The excellent well‐refined redox behavior corroborates with EIS measurements. The presence of near symmetric redox couple observed in CV has been attributed to pronounced one‐electron‐transfer process owing to the presence of facile Mn redox centers facilitating the reversible one‐electron transfer that accounts for its pseudocapacitance.
An SIMD Programmable Vision Chip with High-Speed Focal Plane Image Processing
Authors: Ginhac Dominique , Dubois Jérôme , Paindavoine Michel , Heyrman Barthélémy
Published: March 2009

A high-speed analog VLSI image acquisition and low-level image processing system are presented. The architecture of the chip is based on a dynamically reconfigurable SIMD processor array. The chip features a massively parallel architecture enabling the computation of programmable mask-based image processing in each pixel. Extraction of spatial gradients and convolutions such as Sobel operators are implemented on the circuit. Each pixel includes a photodiode, an amplifier, two storage capacitors, and an analog arithmetic unit based on a four-quadrant multiplier architecture. A "Equation missing" pixel proof-of-concept chip was fabricated in a 0.35 "Equation missing"m standard CMOS process, with a pixel size of 35 "Equation missing"m "Equation missing" 35 "Equation missing"m. A dedicated embedded platform including FPGA and ADCs has also been designed to evaluate the vision chip. The chip can capture raw images up to 10 000 frames per second and runs low-level image processing at a framerate of 2 000 to 5 000 frames per second.
Effect of Low pH on Carbohydrate Production by a Marine Planktonic Diatom (Chaetoceros muelleri)
Authors: Thornton Daniel C. O.
Published: March 2009

Rising carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations in the atmosphere due to human activity are causing the surface ocean to become more acidic. Diatoms play a pivotal role in biogeochemical cycling and ecosystem function in the ocean. pH affected the quantum efficiency of photosystem II and carbohydrate metabolism in a planktonic diatom (Chaetoceros muelleri), representative of a widely distributed genus. In batch cultures grown at low pH, the proportion of total carbohydrate stored within the cells decreased and more dissolved carbohydrates were exuded from the cells into the surrounding medium. Changes in productivity and the way in which diatoms allocate carbon into carbohydrates may affect ecosystem function and the efficiency of the biological carbon pump in a low pH ocean.
Solvent-Free Microwave Synthesis of Aryloxypropanolamines by Ring Opening of Aryloxy Epoxides
Authors: Kureshy Rukhsana I. , Ahmad Irshad , Pathak Kavita , Khan N. H. , Abdi Sayed H. R. , Bajaj H. C. , Suresh Eringathodi
Published: March 2009

The ring opening reaction of aryloxyepoxides with isopropylamine under solvent-free microwave irradiation produced therapeutically useful -blockers-aryloxypropanolamines in excellent yield (up to 98%) in 10 minutes which is considerably less than the time taken in classical heating ( hours).
Breeding Terrains with Genetic Terrain Programming: The Evolution of Terrain Generators
Authors: Frade Miguel , Fernandez de Vega F. , Cotta Carlos
Published: March 2009

Although a number of terrain generation techniques have been proposed during the last few years, all of them have some key constraints. Modelling techniques depend highly upon designer′s skills, time, and effort to obtain acceptable results, and cannot be used to automatically generate terrains. The simpler methods allow only a narrow variety of terrain types and offer little control on the outcome terrain. The Genetic Terrain Programming technique, based on evolutionary design with Genetic Programming, allows designers to evolve terrains according to their aesthetic feelings or desired features. This technique evolves Terrain Programmes (TPs) that are capable of generating a family of terrains—different terrains that consistently present the same morphological characteristics. This paper presents a study about the persistence of morphological characteristics of terrains generated with different resolutions by a given TP. Results show that it is possible to use low resolutions during the evolutionary phase without compromising the outcome, and that terrain macrofeatures are scale invariant.
The Finite‐Dimensional Uniform Attractors for the Nonautonomous g‐Navier‐Stokes Equations
Authors: Wu Delin
Published: March 2009

We consider the uniform attractors for the two dimensional nonautonomous g‐Navier‐Stokes equations in bounded domain Ω. Assuming , we establish the existence of the uniform attractor in L2(Ω) and D(A1/2). The fractal dimension is estimated for the
kernel sections of the uniform attractors obtained.
Best Proximity Point Theorems for p-Cyclic Meir-Keeler Contractions
Authors: Karpagam S. , Agrawal Sushama
Published: March 2009

We consider a contraction map "Equation missing" of the Meir-Keeler type on the union of p subsets "Equation missing", "Equation missing", of a metric space ("Equation missing") to itself. We give sufficient conditions for the existence and convergence of a best proximity point for such a map.
Anxiolytic and Anticonvulsant Effects on Mice of Flavonoids, Linalool, andα‐Tocopherol Presents in the Extract of Leaves ofCissus sicyoidesL. (Vitaceae)
Authors: Almeida Edvaldo Rodrigues de , Rafael Krissia Rayane de Oliveira , Couto Geraldo Bosco Lindoso , Ishigami Ana Beatriz Matos
Published: March 2009

The aim of the present study is to demonstrate the anxiolytic and anticonvulsant effects of a hydroalcoholic extract obtained from the aerial parts ofCissus sicyoidesL. (CS) (Vitaceae) on male and female mice using several behavioral assays. Groups of males and females treated via intraperitoneal (IP) with doses of 300, 600, and 1000 mg/kg of the extract showed significant action in the elevated plus‐maze (EPM), time spent in the open arms, and number of entries in the open arms. The board‐hole test also showed a significant increase in the time spent in head‐dipping and in marble‐burying test of the number of marbles buried. The same treatment increased the duration of sleeping time induced by sodium pentobarbital and also showed a significant increase in protection against pentylenotetrazole‐induced convulsions. These results indicate an anxiolytic and anticonvulsant‐like action fromC. sicyoidesL. extract on mice, probably due to the action of flavonoid(s), Linalool, andα‐tocopherol present in theC. sicyoidesleaves.
Monitoring of Diamond Mill Wear in Time Domain during Stone Cutting Using Cutting Force Measurements
Authors: Polini W. , Turchetta S.
Published: March 2009

The main focus of this study is to verify the possibility to monitor diamond mill wear by measuring the cutting force during stone machining. An ornamental stone was machined on an NC machining centre, retrofitted with a 3-axis dynamometer and data acquisition systems, to investigate the effects of variations in machining parameters. The sensor data include cutting force measurements, further divided into measurable components, such as x, y, and z. Those components were analysed to determine the sensory features that best correlate with diamond mill wear. Tool wear and machining parameters appeared significantly influencing cutting force signals. This suggests that even under the varying cutting conditions involving different values of process parameters, the identified cutting force feature can be used for the reliable and accurate control of diamond mill wear during stone cutting operations.
Exploring Partnerships between Local Communities and Timber Companies: An Experiment Using the Role-Playing Games Approach
Authors: Purnomo Herry , Guizol Philippe , Mendoza Guillermo A.
Published: March 2009

Cooperation among stakeholders is widely accepted as an effective management strategy. This paper describes an experimental study that explores this cooperation using role-playing games, which is formulated within a multiagent simulation framework. This framework enables participants to take active roles in mimicking the collaborative decision environment and the behaviors and attitudes of the different stakeholders. The paper examines a forest plantation company in South Sumatra, Indonesia, which has cooperated with local communities since 2000. The experimental pilot study described in this paper explored the role of communication in partnership relationships between the company and the local communities living within and around the surroundings of the company's plantation. These partnerships were explored and analyzed using the gaming approach involving university students taking the role of forest stakeholders, from both the timber company and the local communities. Lessons learned from the game provided the rationale for the establishment of a communication institution called “Forum Sebahu Sejalan.” This formal forum was constituted after a facilitated ex-postinteraction between representatives from the timber company and local communities. Results and observations drawn from the interactions show the potentials of the RPG approach and the formal forum in crafting resilient partnerships among stakeholders.
Energy Detection of Multilevel PAM Signals with Systematic Threshold Mismatch
Authors: Anttonen Antti , Kotelba Adrian , Mämmelä Aarne
Published: March 2009

We address a symbol decision problem with spectrally efficient energy detected multilevel pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) signals. First, we analytically quantify the relationship between a systematic threshold mismatch and the required increase of the average signal‐to‐noise ratio to preserve a desired symbol error rate. For the case in which such an increase is not tolerable, we present a novel near‐optimal multilevel threshold selection scheme, which is accurate for a wide range of system parameters.
Effects of Particle Size and Type of Alumina on the Morphology and Photoluminescence Properties of Sr4Al14O25:Eu2+/Dy3+ Phosphor
Authors: Luitel Hom Nath , Watari Takanori , Torikai Toshio , Yada Mitsunori
Published: March 2009

Sr4Al14O25:Eu2+/Dy3+ phosphor with high luminescence intensity and long afterglow duration was synthesized using 1.0 μm (α), 0.1 μm (α), and 0.05 μm (γ) particle sizes of Al2O3. SEM observation results showed that spike‐like thin particles were formed when 0.05 μm γ‐Al2O3 was used as raw material. Hexagonal thick particles were observed when 0.1 μm α‐Al2O3 was used. But irregular, thin particles were observed while using 1 μm α‐Al2O3. Photoluminescence measurements showed that both the initial intensity and the long persistency were much higher for the phosphor prepared using γ‐Al2O3 of 0.05 μm particle size.
Identification of IbeR as a Stationary‐Phase Regulator in Meningitic Escherichia coli K1 that Carries a Loss‐of‐Function Mutation in rpoS
Authors: Chi Feng , Wang Ying , Gallaher Timothy K. , Wu Chun-Hua , Jong Ambrose , Huang Sheng-He
Published: March 2009

IbeR is a regulator present in meningitic Escherichia coli strain E44 that carries a loss‐of‐function mutation in the stationary‐phase (SP) regulatory gene rpoS. In order to determine whether IbeR is an SP regulator in E44, two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis and LC‐MS were used to compare the proteomes of a noninvasive ibeR deletion mutant BR2 and its parent strain E44 in the SP. Four up‐regulated (TufB, GapA, OmpA, AhpC) and three down‐regulated (LpdA, TnaA, OpmC) proteins in BR2 were identified when compared to E44. All these proteins contribute to energy metabolism or stress resistance, which is related to SP regulation. One of the down‐regulated proteins, tryptophanase (TnaA), which is regulated by RpoS in other E. coli strains, is associated with SP regulation via production of a signal molecule indole. Our studies demonstrated that TnaA was required for E44 invasion, and that indole was able to restore the noninvasive phenotype of the tnaA mutant. The production of indole was significantly reduced in BR2, indicating that ibeR is required for the indole production via tnaA. Survival studies under different stress conditions indicated that IbeR contributed to bacteria stress resistance in the SP. Taken together, IbeR is a novel regulator contributing to the SP regulation.
Messenger RNA Turnover Processes inEscherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Emerging Studies inStaphylococcus aureus
Authors: Anderson Kelsi L. , Dunman Paul M.
Published: March 2009

The regulation of mRNA turnover is a recently appreciated phenomenon by which bacteria modulate gene expression. This review outlines the mechanisms by which three major classes of bacterialtrans-acting factors, ribonucleases (RNases), RNA binding proteins, and small noncoding RNAs (sRNA), regulate the transcript stability and protein production of target genes. Because the mechanisms of RNA decay and maturation are best characterized inEscherichia coli, the majority of this review will focus on how these factors modulate mRNA stability in this organism. However, we also address the effects of RNases, RNA binding proteins, sRNAs on mRNA turnover, and gene expression inBacillus subtilis, which has served as a model for studying RNA processing in gram-positive organisms. We conclude by discussing emerging studies on the role modulating mRNA stability has on gene expression in the important human pathogenStaphylococcus aureus.
The Mechanism of Budding of Retroviruses from Cell Membranes
Authors: Pincetic Andrew , Leis Jonathan
Published: March 2009

Retroviruses have evolved a mechanism for the release of particles from the cell membrane that appropriates cellular protein complexes, referred to as ESCRT-I, -II, -III, normally involved in the biogenesis of multivesicular bodies. Three different classes of late assembly (L) domains encoded in Gag, with core sequences of PPXY, PTAP, and YPXL, recruit different components of the ESCRT machinery to form a budding complex for virus release. Here, we highlight recent progress in identifying the role of different ESCRT complexes in facilitating budding, ubiquitination, and membrane targeting of avian sarcoma and leukosis virus (ASLV) and human immunodeficiency virus, type 1 (HIV-1). These findings show that retroviruses may adopt parallel budding pathways by recruiting different host factors from common cellular machinery for particle release.
Association between Infant Feeding and Early Postpartum Infant Body Composition: A Pilot Prospective Study
Authors: Anderson Alex Kojo
Published: March 2009

Research studies have produced conflicting results of the impact of breastfeeding on overweight/obesity. This study evaluated the impact of infant feeding on infant body composition. There were two groups of mother-infant pairs (exclusive breastfeeding [EBF;n=27] and mixed feeding [MF;n=13]) in this study. At baseline, participants were similar in their demographic characteristics except prepregnancy weight, where MF mothers tended to be heavier than their EBF counterparts (67.3 kg versus 59.9 kg;P=.034). Infant birth weight was slightly higher among the MF group than their EBF counterparts (3.5 kg versus 3.4 kg), although the differences were not statistically significant. At 3 months postpartum, mean infant FMI (4.1 kg/m2versus 3.8 kg/m2) and percent body fat (24.4% versus 23.1%) were slightly higher among EBF infants than MF infants. In terms of growth velocity, EBF infants gained weight faster than their MF counterparts, although the differences were not statistically significant. The findings from this study suggest that EBF may promote faster weight gain and increase in both fat mass index (FMI) and percent body fat in the early postpartum period in addition to the numerous health benefits enjoyed by the infant and the mother who exclusively breastfeeds her newborn.
The Integrated Density of States for an InteractingMultiparticle Homogeneous Model and Applications to the Anderson Model
Authors: Klopp Frédéric , Zenk Heribert
Published: March 2009

For a system of n interacting particles moving in the
background of a “homogeneous” potential, we show that if the
single particle Hamiltonian admits a density of states, so does the interacting n‐particle Hamiltonian. Moreover, this integrated density of states
coincides with that of the free particle Hamiltonian. For the
interacting n‐particle Anderson model, we prove regularity
properties of the integrated density of states by establishing a
Wegner estimate.
The PPARδ Ligand GW501516 Reduces Growth but Not Apoptosis in Mouse Inner Medullary Collecting Duct Cells
Authors: Clark Jordan , Nasrallah Rania , Hébert Richard L.
Published: March 2009

The collecting duct (CD) expresses considerable amounts of PPARδ. While its role is unknown in the CD, in other renal cells it has been shown to regulate both growth and apoptosis. We thus hypothesized that PPARδ reduces apoptotic responses and stimulates cell
growth in the mouse CD, and examined the effect of GW501516, a synthetic PPARδ ligand, on these responses in mouse IMCD‐K2 cells. High doses of GW501516 decreased both DNA and protein synthesis in these cells by 80%, but had no overall effect on cell viability. Although anisomycin treatment resulted in an increase of caspase‐3 levels of about 2.59‐fold of control, GW501516 did not affect anisomycin‐induced changes in active caspase‐3 levels. These results show that a
PPARδ ligand inhibits growth but does not affect anisomycin‐apoptosis in a mouse IMCD cell line. This could have therapeutic implications for renal diseases associated with increased CD growth responses.
Drop Distribution Determination in a Liquid-Liquid Dispersion by Image Processing
Authors: Brás Luís M. R. , Gomes Elsa F. , Ribeiro Margarida M. M. , Guimarães M. M. L.
Published: March 2009

This paper presents the implementation of an algorithm for automatic identification of drops with different sizes in monochromatic digitized frames of a liquid-liquid chemical process. These image frames were obtained at our Laboratory, using a nonintrusive process, with a digital video camera, a microscope, and an illumination setup from a dispersion of toluene in water within a transparent mixing vessel. In this implementation, we propose a two-phase approach, using a Hough transform that automatically identifies drops in images of the chemical process. This work is a promising starting point for the possibility of performing an automatic drop classification with good results. Our algorithm for the analysis and interpretation of digitized images will be used for the calculation of particle size and shape distributions for modelling liquid-liquid systems.
Age-Dependent Cancer Risk Is Not Different in betweenMSH2andMLH1Mutation Carriers
Authors: Olschwang Sylviane , Yu Kai , Lasset Christine , Baert-Desurmont Stéphanie , Buisine Marie-Pierre , Wang Qing , Hutter Pierre , Rouleau Etienne , Caron Olivier , Bourdon Violaine , Thomas Gilles
Published: March 2009

Lynch syndrome is mostly characterized by early-onset colorectal and endometrial adenocarcinomas. Over 90% of the causal mutations occur in two mismatch repair genes,MSH2andMLH1. The aim of this study was to evaluate the age-dependent cancer risk inMSH2orMLH1mutation carriers from data of DNA diagnostic laboratories. To avoid overestimation, evaluation was based on the age-dependent proportion of mutation carriers in asymptomatic first-degree relatives of identified mutation carriers. Data from 859 such eligible relatives were collected from 8 centers; 387 were found to have inherited the mutation from their relatives. Age-dependent risks were calculated either using a nonparametric approach for four discrete age groups or assuming a modified Weibull distribution for the dependence of risk on age. Cancer risk was estimated starting at 28 (25–32 0.68 confidence interval) and to reach near 0.70 at 70 years. The risks were very similar forMSH2andMLH1mutation carriers. Although not statistically significant, the risk in males appeared to precede that for females by ten years. This difference needs to be investigated on a larger dataset. If confirmed, this would indicate that the onset of the colonoscopic surveillance may be different in male and female mutation carriers.
Mobility of Iron-Cyanide Complexes in a Humic Topsoil under Varying Redox Conditions
Authors: Rennert Thilo , Mansfeldt Tim
Published: March 2009

The potentially toxic Fe-CN complexes ferricyanide,[FeIII(CN)6]3−, and ferrocyanide,[FeII(CN)6]4−, undergo a variety of redox processes in soil, which affect their mobility. We carried out microcosm experiments with suspensions of a humic topsoil (pH 5.3;Corg107 gkg-1) to which we added ferricyanide (20 mgl-1). We varied the redox potential (EH) from −280 to 580 mV by usingO2,N2and glucose. The decrease ofEHled to decreasing concentrations of Fe-CN complexes and partial reductive dissolution of (hydrous) Fe and Mn oxides. The dynamics of aqueous Fe-CN concentrations was characterized by decreasing concentrations when the pH rose and theEHdropped. We attribute these dependencies to adsorption on organic surfaces, for which such a pH/EHbehavior has been shown previously. Adsorption was reversible, because when the pH andEHchanged into the opposite direction, desorption occurred. This study demonstrates the possible impact of soil organic matter on the fate of Fe-CN complexes in soil.
Comparative Study of 5-Day and 10-Day Cefditoren Pivoxil Treatments for Recurrent Group Aβ-HemolyticStreptococcus pharyngitisin Children
Authors: Kikuta Hideaki , Shibata Mutsuo , Nakata Shuji , Yamanaka Tatsuru , Sakata Hiroshi , Akizawa Kouji , Kobayashi Kunihiko
Published: March 2009

Efficacy of short-course therapy with cephalosporins for treatment of group Aβ-hemolytic streptococcus (GABHS) pharyngitis is still controversial. Subjects were 226 children with a history of at least one episode of GABHS pharyngitis. Recurrence within the follow-up period (3 weeks after initiation of therapy) occurred in 7 of the 77 children in the 5-day treatment group and in 1 of the 149 children in the 10-day treatment group; the incidence of recurrence being significantly higher in the 5-day treatment group. Bacteriologic treatment failure (GABHS isolation without overt pharyngitis) at follow-up culture was observed in 7 of the 77 children in the 5-day treatment group and 17 of the 149 children in the 10-day treatment group. There was no statistical difference between the two groups. A 5-day course of oral cephalosporins is not always recommended for treatment of GABHS pharyngitis in children who have repeated episodes of pharyngitis.
Thirty-Day Outcomes for Carotid Artery Stenting in 6320 Patients From 2 Prospective, Multicenter, High-Surgical-Risk Registries
Authors: Gray William A. , Chaturvedi Seemant , Verta Patrick
Published: March 2009

Background—

The American Heart Association has established guidelines for acceptable 30-day death and stroke rates for patients with severe carotid disease undergoing standard-risk carotid endarterectomy: <3% for asymptomatic lesions and <6% for symptomatic lesions. To date, carotid artery stenting has not demonstrated these outcomes in multicenter, prospective assessments of high-surgical-risk patients.

Methods and Results—

Data from 2 prospective, multicenter (280 US sites, 672 operators), postmarket surveillance studies in high-surgical-risk patients were analyzed: 2145 patients from the Emboshield and Xact Post Approval Carotid Stent Trial (EX) and 4175 patients from the Carotid ACCULINK/ACCUNET Post Approval Trial to Uncover Rare Events (C2). Both studies had pre- and postprocedure neurological evaluation and independent adjudication of neurological events. The overall 30-day death and stroke rate was 4.1% (95% CI, 3.3% to 5.0%) for EX and 3.4% (95% CI, 2.9% to 4.0%) for C2. In the population comparable with American Heart Association guidelines (<80 years), the combined 30-day death and stroke rate was 5.3% (95% CI, 3.6% to 7.4%) for symptomatic patients and 2.9% (95% CI, 2.4% to 3.4%) for asymptomatic patients, independent of unfavorable risk factors (anatomic or physiologic); in patients ≥80 years, this rate was 10.5% (95% CI, 6.3% to 16.0%) and 4.4% (95% CI, 3.3% to 5.7%), respectively. In subjects with anatomic features unfavorable for surgery, the 30-day death and stroke rates were 1.7% (95% CI, 0.0% to 8.9%) and 2.7% (95% CI, 1.3% to 4.9%) for symptomatic and asymptomatic cohorts, respectively, independent of age.

Conclusions—

Outcomes for carotid artery stenting in nonoctogenarian high-surgical-risk patients have improved since the pivotal Food and Drug Administration approval trials, and have achieved American Heart Association standards in both symptomatic and asymptomatic lesions.