bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Survey of the theory and experimental measurements of residual stress in Pd thin film
Authors: Afshar F. , Nazarpour S. , Cirera A.
Published: November 2010

Different thicknesses of Pd thin film were deposited over SrTiO3 by electron beam physical vapor deposition. Residual stress for each thickness of Pd film was computed by applying conventional x-ray diffraction method and taking into account Poisson’s ratio and elastic module measured by Nanoindentation. We observed that Pd stress variation at 300 °C substrate temperature obeys the trend of type II metals with high adatom mobility. Several models alluded in the literature were compared to the stress variation of the Pd films. Two models, namely; Freund–Chason and Guisbiers–Van Overschelde–Wautelet were found to be in agreement with the experimental results in that for the thicknesses less than 30 nm, Guisbiers–Van Overschelde–Wautelet is dominant but for higher than 30 nm, variation in stress follows Freund–Chason model. Therefore, the thickness around 30 nm could be considered as coalescence thickness. Surprisingly, this transition thickness is the same thickness that Guisbiers–Van Overschelde–Wautelet and Freund–Chason models intersect. Negligible residual stress and high conductance of 30 nm Pd thin film reveal the importance of this transition thickness in microelectronic technology.
Ion acceleration in Ar–Xe and Ar–He plasmas. I. Electron energy distribution functions and ion composition
Authors: Biloiu Ioana A. , Scime Earl E.
Published: November 2010

Electron energy distribution functions (eedf), ion production, and ion composition are studied in Ar–Xe and Ar–He expanding helicon plasmas. It was found that under the conditions of constant total flow rate, Xe, in addition to Ar, changes the eedf from Maxwellian-like to Druyvesteyn-like with a shortening of the high energy tail at ∼15 eV. The electron temperature exponentially decreases from ∼7 eV in pure Ar plasma to ∼4 eV in pure Xe plasma. Xenon ions dominate the ion population for Xe filling fractions greater than 10%. The plasma density increases by ∼15% with increasing Xe fraction. For an Ar–He plasma, increasing the helium fraction increases the electron temperature from ∼7 eV in pure Ar plasma to ∼14 eV for a He filling fraction of 80%. The plasma density drops by more than three orders of magnitude from 1.14×1011 cm−3 to 6.5×107 cm−3. However, the inferred ion densities indicate that even at a helium fraction of 80%, argon ions significantly outnumber helium ions.
Anomalous dielectric peak in Mg and Li doped ZnO ceramics and thin films
Authors: Soukiassian A. , Tagantsev A. , Setter N.
Published: November 2010

In this manuscript we report dielectric measurements of Mg and Li doped ZnO ceramics and thin films of various compositions. We have tried to reproduce the reported ferroelectriclike behavior in doped ZnO ceramics and thin films and observed anomalous dielectric peak in our samples at temperatures similar to the reported data. However, this peak disappeared when the same samples were measured in vacuum. Our results suggest that previously reported anomalous dielectric peak in doped ZnO samples is not related to the ferroelectric phase transition and is a measurement artifact originated from the presence of water vapor in the measurement system.
Surface plasmonic controllable enhanced emission from the intrachain and interchain excitons of a conjugated polymer
Authors: Cho Kwan Hyun , Ahn Sung Il , Lee Seong Min , Choi Chung Sock , Choi Kyung Cheol
Published: November 2010

We demonstrate selectively enhanced emission by controlling the intrachain and interchain excitons of a conjugated polymer through adjusting surface plasmons. Enhanced light emission from the intrachain excitons was observed by coupling the localized surface plasmon resonance with the intrachain band of the conjugated polymer using Ag nanoparticles. Light emission from the interchain excitons was enhanced by exploiting both the increased strength of the interchain dipole due to the image dipole and the coupling between excitons and surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs). As the Ag nanostructures become complete films, light emission from the interchain excitons increased.
Specific binding and magnetic concentration of CD8+ T-lymphocytes on electrowetting-on-dielectric platform
Authors: Shah Gaurav J. , Veale Jeffrey L. , Korin Yael , Reed Elaine F. , Gritsch H. Albin , Kim Chang-Jin “CJ”
Published: November 2010

In the quest to create a low-power portable lab-on-a-chip system, we demonstrate the specific binding and concentration of human CD8+ T-lymphocytes on an electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD)-based digital microfluidic platform using antibody-conjugated magnetic beads (MB-Abs). By using a small quantity of nonionic surfactant, we enable the human cell-based assays with selective magnetic binding on the EWOD device in an air environment. High binding efficiency (∼92%) of specific cells on MB-Abs is achieved due to the intimate contact between the cells and the magnetic beads (MBs) produced by the circulating flow within the small droplet. MBs have been used and cells manipulated in the droplets actuated by EWOD before; reported here is a cell assay of a clinical protocol on the EWOD device in air environment. The present technique can be further extended to capture other types of cells by suitable surface modification on the MBs.
Nitrogen dependence of band alignment and electrical properties of HfTiON gate dielectrics metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitor
Authors: He G. , Sun Z. Q. , Liu M. , Zhang L. D.
Published: November 2010

The effect of nitrogen incorporation on the band alignment and electrical properties of HfTiO gate dielectric complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitors has been investigated by spectroscopy ellipsometry, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electrical measurements. Reduction in optical band gap and band offsets has been detected. However, improved electrical properties have been achieved from HfTiON gate dielectric MOS capacitors attributed to the nitrogen-induced reduction in oxygen-related traps and the improved interface quality. Although there is a nitrogen-induced reduction in band gap and band offset, the sufficient barrier heights still makes HfTiON a promising high-k gate dielectric candidate for proposed near-future complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor applications.
Atomistic spin model simulation of magnetic reversal modes near the Curie point
Authors: Barker J. , Evans R. F. L. , Chantrell R. W. , Hinzke D. , Nowak U.
Published: November 2010

The so-called linear reversal mode is demonstrated in spin model simulations of the high anisotropy material L10 FePt. Reversal of the magnetization is found to readily occur in the linear regime despite an energy barrier (KV/kBT) that would conventionally ensure stability on this timescale. The timescale for the reversal is also established with a comparison to the Landau–Lifshitz–Bloch equation showing good agreement.
Current-voltage characteristics of organic photovoltaic cells following deposition of cathode electrode
Authors: Saeki Hiroyuki , Hirohara Kazuto , Koshiba Yasuko , Horie Satoshi , Misaki Masahiro , Takeshita Kimiya , Ishida Kenji , Ueda Yasukiyo
Published: November 2010

The current-voltage characteristics of benzoporphine-fullerene solar cells were measured subsequent to the deposition of Al as a cathode material. Even in vacuum, a shift in the open circuit voltage was observed at 20 min after Al deposition. Moreover, the displacement of inert gases (N2 or Ar) in the evaporation chamber enhanced the photovoltaic parameters. The power conversion efficiency was increased by 24% over the initial characteristics (from 1.04% to 1.29%), which indicates that the structure of the organic-metal interface changed rapidly after Al deposition, even if the process was performed in an air-free glovebox.
Pelvic examination leads to changed clinical management in very few women diagnosed with asymptomatic chlamydia infection
Authors: Lee Yi Man , Samaranayake Anil , Fairley Christopher K. , Chen Marcus Y. , MacFarlane Fiona , Bradshaw Catriona S. , Hocking Jane S.
Published: November 2010

The present study aimed to determine whether pelvic examinations change clinical management of women with asymptomatic chlamydia infection. Records for women with asymptomatic chlamydia who underwent a pelvic examination at a sexual health clinic in Melbourne, Australia (January 2006 to June 2007) were analysed retrospectively. Of 91 cases, 31 (34%) warranted examination; one woman (1%; 95% confidence interval: 0.5%, 6.4%) had muco-purulent cervicitis and mild tenderness, and was treated for possible pelvic inflammatory disease. These data suggest that a pelvic examination will lead to changes in treatment for very few women diagnosed with asymptomatic chlamydia infection.
Individual, familial and extra-familial factors associated with premarital sex among Bangladeshi male adolescents
Authors: Li Nan , Boulay Marc
Published: November 2010

Background: A national survey found that more than one-tenth of unmarried Bangladeshi adolescents were sexually experienced and much of this experience involves high-risk behaviours such as unprotected sexual intercourse with commercial sex workers. However, very few studies have explored the factors that contribute to premarital sex among Bangladeshi adolescents. Methods: Data are from the 2004 Adolescent Reproductive Health Communication Midline Survey, a national survey in Bangladesh. Multivariate statistical methods were applied to identify risk and protective factors for premarital sex among Bangladeshi male adolescents. Results: Among 1048 unmarried males between ages of 15 and 19 years, 12.8% reported ever having had sex. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that, in terms of the self system, having plans to study in the future were associated with a lower risk of engaging in premarital sex (odds ratio (OR) = 0.38; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.25–0.59) while knowledge of reproductive health and life skills did not have a strong influence. Strong influences of both familial and extra-familial system were observed. Respect for parents’ values and beliefs about sex was associated with decreased odds of premarital sex (OR = 0.39; 95% CI = 0.26–0.59). ‘Ever talked with friends about sex-related issues’ was associated with threefold increased odds and an increase in peer influence score was associated with increased odds of premarital sex. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that premarital sex among Bangladeshi male adolescents was influenced by numerous factors, and they should be taken into account in programs aiming to delay the age of sexual debut.
Computer-assisted survey of attitudes to HIV and sexually transmissible infection partner notification in HIV-positive men who have sex with men
Authors: Woodward Clare L. N. , Roedling Sherie , Edwards Simon G. , Armstrong Alice , Richens John
Published: November 2010

Background: HIV infection continues to rise in men who have sex with men (MSM) in the UK. Of concern are the high rates of sexually transmissible infections (STI) among HIV-positive MSM, as this is associated with onward HIV transmission. Conventional partner notification (PN) may be limited in this group by the presence of multiple non-contactable partners and the fear of breach of HIV status. Methods: We explored attitudes to PN in HIV-positive MSM having an STI screen using a computer-assisted self interview. Results and Conclusion: Our study shows HIV+ MSM, rate conventional methods of PN highly (median rating 8/10) but are also supportive of new approaches to PN particularly anonymous email when linked to website information. They would also be open to targeted interventions such as peer recruitment.
The imperative of intentional visual perception as a pragmatic marker
Authors: Van Olmen Daniël
Published: November 2010

This article is a synchronic study of the imperatives of intentional visual perception as pragmatic markers in English and Dutch. It examines the frequency of ‘look’ and kijk in spoken language, the types of text in which they occur and, above all, the way in which they are used. On the basis of cross-linguistic data from Romance, the article explores the development of the various uses of the imperative of intentional visual perception. It also addresses the question whether this development is a case of grammaticalization or not.
A hybrid approach to extract protein–protein interactions
Authors: Bui Quoc-Chinh , Katrenko Sophia , Sloot Peter M. A.
Published: November 2010

Motivation: Protein–protein interactions (PPIs) play an important role in understanding biological processes. Although recent research in text mining has achieved a significant progress in automatic PPI extraction from literature, performance of existing systems still needs to be improved.

Results: In this study, we propose a novel algorithm for extracting PPIs from literature which consists of two phases. First, we automatically categorize the data into subsets based on its semantic properties and extract candidate PPI pairs from these subsets. Second, we apply support vector machines (SVMs) to classify candidate PPI pairs using features specific for each subset. We obtain promising results on five benchmark datasets: AIMed, BioInfer, HPRD50, IEPA and LLL with F-scores ranging from 60% to 84%, which are comparable with the state-of-the-art PPI extraction systems. Furthermore, our system achieves the best performance on cross-corpora evaluation and comparative performance in terms of computational efficiency.

Availability: The source code and scripts used in this article are available for academic use at http://staff.science.uva.nl/~bui/PPIs.zip

Contact:  bqchinh@gmail.com
HA1077, a Rho kinase inhibitor, suppresses glioma‐induced angiogenesis by targeting the Rho‐ROCK and the mitogen‐activated protein kinase kinase/extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (MEK/ERK) signal pathways
Authors: Nakabayashi Hiromichi , Shimizu Keiji
Published: November 2010

Malignant gliomas are characterized by high invasive potential and strong angiogenic ability. Constitutive activation of Rho and its downstream target Rho‐kinase are crucial for tumor progression. We investigated the effect of the Rho‐kinase inhibitor HA1077 on tumor‐induced angiogenesis of malignant glioma cells and explored the molecular mechanisms underlying the effect of HA1077. Here, we demonstrated that HA1077 suppressed tube formation of endothelial cells in human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC)–glioma cell co‐culture assay. Western blot, RT‐PCR, ELISA and zymography demonstrated that HA1077 suppressed gene and protein expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‐2 and MMP‐9 in glioma cells. Furthermore, HA1077 attenuated the phosphorylation of extracellular signal‐regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) and the DNA binding activity of activator protein‐1, a key downstream transcriptional factor of ERK1/2. HA1077 also suppressed the migration of HUVECin vitro. Thus, it is suggested that the anti‐angiogenic effect of HA1077 may be due to the combination of ROCK inhibition and mitogen‐activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)/ERK pathway inhibition. Moreover, anin vivointracerebral human glioma cell xenograft mouse model demonstrated that HA1077 suppressed neovascularity and tumor growth. The results of the present study suggest that HA1077 has a therapeutic potential as an anti‐angiogenic agent against malignant gliomas. (Cancer Sci2011; 102: 393–399)
Time of day influences cytokine and clock gene response to immune stimulation in equine whole blood
Authors: McGlynn O. F. , Browne J. A. , Blake C. M. , Murphy B. A.
Published: November 2010

The immune system demonstrates regularly recurring rhythmic variation that has important medical and veterinary clinical implications. Emerging evidence supports the existence of a bidirectional immune–circadian relationship during homeostatic challenge. In peripheral blood, circadian rhythmicity manifests in terms of clock gene expression, circulating levels and function of leucocyte cell populations and cytokine production. The involvement of interleukin 6 (IL6) in the transition from innate to acquired immunity is known, and inflammatory mediators can, in turn, phase shift peripheral molecular clocks. This study provides an initial investigation of diurnal variation in circadian clock and immune mediator response to antigenic challenge in the horse. Blood samples were collected at 4‐h intervals at circadian times (CT) 0, 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 from healthy Thoroughbred fillies maintained under winter photoperiod. Heparinized blood was cultured at 37 °C for 6 h with or without lipolysaccharide (LPS) (1 μg/ml). Cells were harvested by the addition of PAXgene™ RNA stabilizer solution to immediately preserve the RNA profile. Analyses of Taqman qPCR expression data reveal a significant CT X LPS interaction for the canonical clock genes PER2, CRY1, ARNTL, NR1D2 (P < 0.001, P < 0.05, P < 0.05, P < 0.01 respectively) and the immunomodulatory cytokine IL6 (P < 0.0001). LPS upregulated IL1B levels (P < 0.01), but there was no effect of CT. These results confirm that peripheral blood differentially responds to antigenic challenge over the 24‐h cycle, impacting on our understanding of the pathophysiology of inflammatory responses. Further research in this area should provide valuable information regarding the optimum time for drug delivery and vaccination.
Comparative human–horse sequence analysis of theCYP3Asubfamily gene cluster
Authors: Schmitz A. , Demmel S. , Peters L. M. , Leeb T. , Mevissen M. , Haase B.
Published: November 2010

Cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYP450s) represent a superfamily of haem–thiolate proteins. CYP450s are most abundant in the liver, a major site of drug metabolism, and play key roles in the metabolism of a variety of substrates, including drugs and environmental contaminants. Interaction of two or more different drugs with the same enzyme can account for adverse effects and failure of therapy. Human CYP3A4 metabolizes about 50% of all known drugs, but little is known about the orthologous CYP450s in horses. We report here the genomic organization of the equineCYP3Agene cluster as well as a comparative analysis with the humanCYP3Agene cluster. The equineCYP450genes of the3Afamily are located on ECA 13 between 6.97–7.53 Mb, in a region syntenic to HSA 7 99.05–99.35 Mb. Seven potential, closely linked equineCYP3Agenes were found, in contrast to only four genes in the human genome. RNA was isolated from an equine liver sample, and the approximately 1.5‐ kb coding sequence of sixCYP3Agenes could be amplified by RT‐PCR. Sequencing of the RT‐PCR products revealed numerous hitherto unknown single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in these sixCYP3Agenes, and one 6‐ bp deletion compared to the reference sequence (EquCab2.0). The presence of the variants was confirmed in a sample of genomic DNA from the same horse. In conclusion, orthologous genes for theCYP3Afamily exist in horses, but their number differs from those of the humanCYP3Agene family.CYP450genes of the same family show high homology within and between mammalian species, but can be highly polymorphic.
Genomic structure, polymorphism and expression of ACCN1 and ACCN3 genes in the horse
Authors: Mata X. , Ducasse A. , Vaiman A. , Diribarne M. , Fraud A.‐S. , Guérin G.
Published: November 2010

A category of cation gate proteins was shown to be present in sensory neurons and act as receptors of protons present in tissues such as muscles. The Amiloride‐sensitive Cation Channel, Neuronal (ACCN) gene family is known to play a role in the transmission of pain through specialized pH sensitive neurons. Muscles from horses submitted to strenuous exercises produce lactic acid, which may induce variable pain through ACCN differential properties. The sequences of the equine cDNAs were determined to be 2.6 kb in length with an open reading frame of 1539 bp for ACCN1 and 2.1 kb in length with an open reading frame of 1602 bp for ACCN3. The ACCN1 gene is 990 kb long and contains 10 exons, and the ACCN3 gene is 4.2 kb long and contains 11 exons. The equine ACCN1 and ACCN3 genes have an ubiquitous expression but ACCN1 is more highly expressed in the spinal cord. We identified one alternative ACCN3 splicing variant present in various equine tissues. These mRNA variants may encode two different protein isoforms 533 and 509 amino acids long. Ten single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected for ACCN1; five in the coding and five in the non‐coding region, with no amino acid change, while the three SNPs identified in the coding region of the ACCN3 gene introduce amino acid changes. The equine in silico promoter sequence reveals a structure similar to those of other mammalian species, especially for the ACCN1 gene.
Characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus colonization in patients with atopic dermatitis in Sri Lanka
Authors: Gomes P. L. R. , Malavige G. N. , Fernando N. , Mahendra M. H. R. , Kamaladasa S. D. , Seneviratne J. K. K. , Karunatilaka D. H. , Ogg G. S.
Published: November 2010

Background. Colonization of the skin of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) by Staphylococcus aureus (SA) is associated with more severe disease.

Aim. To determine the association of SA colonization patterns and densities in lesional and nonlesional skin in patients with varying severities of AD, and to determine the antibiotic sensitivity patterns of SA isolates from Sri Lanka.

Methods. Skin and nasal swabs collected from 100 patients with AD and 120 controls were used to investigate the presence of SA. Severity of AD was graded using the Nottingham Eczema Severity Score. Colony counts were obtained for skin samples, and antibiotic sensitivity testing was performed in cases positive for SA.

Results. Skin colonization was seen in 57 patients (57%) but in only 10 controls (8%). Lesional skin of most patients (52/57; 91%) had SA densities of > 300 colony-forming units/cm2. Colonization rates with SA significantly increased with increasing age (Spearman correlation coefficient R = 0.9, P < 0.05) and increasing duration of lesions in patients with AD (Spearman R = 0.87, P < 0.05). Isolates from eight patients (13.5%) were found to be methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Only 6 isolates (10%) were susceptible to penicillin and 22 (37%) to erythromycin, while 28 (47%) isolates had erythromycin-induced resistance to clindamycin.

Conclusions. SA colonization rates were significantly associated with increasing age and severity of AD, and particularly with duration of lesions. Patients with severe disease were also more likely to be colonized with SA strains resistant to conventional antibiotics.
Curcumin induces maturation-arrested dendritic cells that expand regulatory T cellsin vitroandin vivo
Authors: Rogers N M , Kireta S , Coates P T H
Published: November 2010

Dendritic cells (DC) and regulatory T cells (Tregs) are vital to the development of transplant tolerance. Curcumin is a novel biological agent extracted from Curcuma longa (turmeric), with anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activity mediated via nuclear factor (NF)-κB inhibition. We investigated the immunomodulatory effects of curcumin on human monocyte-derived and murine DC. Human monocyte-derived DC (hu-Mo-DC) were generated in the presence (CurcDC) or absence (matDC) of 25 µM curcumin, and matured using lipopolysaccharide (1 µg/ml). DC phenotype and allostimulatory capacity was assessed. CD11c+ DC were isolated from C57BL/6 mice, pretreated with curcumin and injected into BALB/c mice, followed by evaluation of in vivo T cell populations and alloproliferative response. Curcumin induced DC differentiation towards maturation-arrest. CurcDC demonstrated minimal CD83 expression (<2%), down-regulation of CD80 and CD86 (50% and 30%, respectively) and reduction (10%) in both major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II and CD40 expression compared to matDC. CurcDC also displayed decreased RelB and interleukin (IL)-12 mRNA and protein expression. Functionally, CurcDC allostimulatory capacity was decreased by up to 60% (P < 0·001) and intracellular interferon (IFN-γ) expression in the responding T cell population were reduced by 50% (P < 0·05). T cell hyporesponsiveness was due to generation of CD4+CD25hiCD127loforkhead box P3 (FoxP3)+ Tregs that exerted suppressive functions on naïve syngeneic T cells, although the effect was not antigen-specific. In mice, in vivo infusion of allogeneic CurcDC promoted development of FoxP3+ Tregs and reduced subsequent alloproliferative capacity. Curcumin arrests maturation of DC and induces a tolerogenic phenotype that subsequently promotes functional FoxP3+ Tregsin vitro and in vivo.
Sequence stratigraphic interpretation of a Pennsylvanian (Upper Carboniferous) coal from the central Appalachian Basin, USA
Authors: JERRETT RHODRI M. , FLINT STEPHEN S. , DAVIES ROY C. , HODGSON DAVID M.
Published: November 2010

Peat mires retain a sensitive record of water‐table (base‐level) fluctuations throughout their accumulation. On this basis, coals provide one of the best opportunities to interpret high‐resolution base‐level change in ancient non‐marine deposits. The petrographic composition of 275 samples collected from 11 localities along a 100 km south‐west to north‐east transect across the regionally extensive (>37 000 km2) Pennsylvanian (Upper Carboniferous) Fire Clay coal of the Central Appalachian Basin, USA was analysed to determine its internal stratigraphy. The coal is positioned within the late lowstand/early transgressive systems tract of a fourth‐order depositional sequence. The results of the petrographic analyses reveal a cyclicity in the composition of the Fire Clay coal, which defines six units that are correlated over more than 100 km. Each coal cycle is characterized by a gradual upward transition from vitrinite‐dominated to inertinite‐dominated coal, which represents a ‘drying‐up’ succession. Increased concentrations of resistant peat components at the top of the drying‐up successions indicate reduced peat accumulation rates associated with slowing rate of water‐table rise, and may represent a residue of peat remaining from a phase of exposure and erosion resulting from a falling water table. These drying‐up successions are bound by surfaces that display an abrupt coal facies shift from inertinite‐rich to vitrinite‐rich coal, representing a rapid water‐table rise. Each cycle represents markedly different mire conditions with different aerial distributions, which supports the notion of temporal disconnection between each unit of coal, and suggests that considerable time may be ‘locked‐up’ in unit bounding exposure surfaces. Recognition that the rate of peat accumulation in a mire may vary considerably through time, has important implications for studies which assume that peat and coal successions provide continuous and time‐invariant records of base‐level fluctuations or palaeoecological change.
Build‐up and depositional dynamics of an arc front volcaniclastic complex: the Miocene Tepoztlán Formation (Transmexican Volcanic Belt, Central Mexico)
Authors: LENHARDT NILS , HORNUNG JENS , HINDERER MATTHIAS , BÖHNEL HARALD , TORRES‐ALVARADO IGNACIO S. , TRAUTH NICO
Published: November 2010

Volcanic terrains such as magmatic arcs are thought to display the most complex surface environments on Earth. Ancient volcaniclastics are notoriously difficult to interpret as they describe the interplay between a single or several volcanoes and the environment. The Early Miocene Tepoztlán Formation at the southern edge of the Transmexican Volcanic Belt belongs to the few remnants of this ancestral magmatic arc, and therefore is thought to represent an example of the initial phase of evolution of the Transmexican Volcanic Belt. Based on geological mapping, detailed logging of lithostratigraphic sections, palaeocurrent data of sedimentary features and anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility, mapping of two‐dimensional panels from outcrop to field scale, and geochronological data in an area of ca 1000 km2, three periods in the evolution of the Tepoztlán Formation were distinguished, which lasted around 4 Myr and are representative of a volcanic cycle (edifice growth phases followed by collapse) in a magmatic arc setting. The volcaniclastic sediments accumulated in proximal to medial distances on partly coalescing aprons, similar to volcanic ring plains, around at least three different stratovolcanoes. These volcanoes resulted from various eruptions separated by repose periods. During the first phase of the evolution of the Tepoztlán Formation (22·8 to 22·2 Ma), deposition was dominated by fluvial sediments in a braided river setting. Pyroclastic material from small, andesitic–dacitic composite volcanoes in the near vicinity was mostly eroded and reworked by fluvial processes, resulting in sediments ranging from cross‐bedded sand to an aggradational series of river gravels. The second phase (22·2 to 21·3 Ma) was characterized by periods of strong volcanic activity, resulting in voluminous accumulations of lava and tuff, which temporarily overloaded and buried the original fluvial system with its detritus. Continuous build‐up of at least three major volcanic centres further accentuated the topography and, in the third phase (21·3 to 18·8 Ma), mass flow processes, represented by an increase of debris flow deposits, became dominant, marking a period of edifice destruction and flank failures.
A national clinical scenario‐based survey of clinicians' attitudes towards fresh frozen plasma transfusion for critically ill patients
Authors: Watson D. M. , Stanworth S. J. , Wyncoll D. , McAuley D. F. , Perkins G. D. , Young D. , Biggin K. J. , Walsh T. S.
Published: November 2010

Background: It is known that 20–30% of fresh frozen plasma (FFP) is used in intensive care units (ICUs), but little is known about variations in decision making between clinicians in relation to coagulopathy management. Our aim was to describe ICU clinicians' beliefs and practice in relation to FFP treatment of non‐bleeding coagulopathic critically ill patients.

Methods: Two patient‐based scenarios were developed and sent to 2700 members of two UK intensive care professional societies. Scenario 1 was a non‐bleeding septic patient with coagulopathy; scenario 2 was a non‐bleeding critically ill patient with hepatic cirrhosis and coagulopathy. Responses were sought in relation to FFP prophylaxis, and prior to central venous cannulation. A supplementary question asked clinicians' view of prophylaxis in relation to other ICU procedures.

Results: Two‐thousand‐and‐seven‐hundred clinicians were surveyed from whom 601 responses were received (22·3% response rate). For scenario 1 52% of respondents stated that they would never routinely administer prophylactic FFP, but this decreased to 9% when central venous cannulation was planned (P < 0·01). There was wide variation in the ‘trigger’ INR (international normalised ratio) value used prior to central vein cannulation, the most common range being 2·0–2·4. For scenario 2, responses were very similar. More than 80% of clinicians stated that they would routinely treat coagulopathy prior to lumbar puncture, epidural catheterisation, intracranial pressure monitoring and tracheostomy; and 54% prior to chest drain insertion.

Conclusion: Our survey demonstrated a wide range of responses consistent with important variations in clinical practice and substantial clinical uncertainty in relation to FFP treatment for non‐bleeding ICU patients.
Determination of burnout levels of nurses working in stem cell transplantation units in Turkey
Authors: Akkuş Yeliz , Karacan Yasemin , Göker Hakan , Aksu Salih
Published: November 2010

Although burnout has been researched widely with regard to nurses working in different settings, until now it has not been investigated among stem cell transplantation unit nurses. This study's aim was to determine the burnout level of 57 nurses who were working in stem cell transplantation units in Turkey. The research instruments that were used included a form of demographic characteristics and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. For all the hematopoietic stem cell transplantation nurses, the mean subscale scores for emotional exhaustion were the highest, followed by personal accomplishment and then depersonalization. The burnout level rose with increasing age and duration on the job. Interventions to reduce burnout are needed at both the administrative and organizational levels. In addition, it is essential to address and prevent the problems that are related to burnout, especially among nurses who work in the same unit for a long time.
Penetrating thoraco‐abdominal injuries: the Auckland City Hospital experience
Authors: Bhagvan Savitha , Ng Alexander , Civil Ian
Published: November 2010

Background:  Penetrating injuries to the thoraco‐abdominal region are rare in New Zealand. Most are low velocity wounds and are managed by general surgeons. However, injuries to major vascular structures and the heart are best managed by a multidisciplinary approach.

Methods:  In Auckland, the cardiothoracic service was located at a different site to Auckland City Hospital (ACH) prior to December 2003. In December 2003, the cardiothoracic unit relocated to ACH. To determine what changes in practice eventuated from having an on‐site cardiothoracic service, we reviewed all patients who had thoraco‐abdominal injuries between 1998 and 2003 and subsequently.

Results:  There were 60 patients with thoraco‐abdominal penetrating injury between December 1998 and December 2003 (Group A), and 42 patients between December 2003 and September 2008 (Group B). Twelve patients in Group A and 13 patients in Group B underwent thoracotomy. Twenty‐two patients in Group A and 27 patients in Group B required operations other than thoracotomy for their injuries. There was a trend of increasing involvement of cardiothoracic surgeons post‐2003, in those patients undergoing thoracotomy, but not in the non‐thoracotomy patients. There were six re‐explorations in thoracotomy patients in the pre‐2003 era: done for bleeding (3), air leak following lung resection (1) and missed cardiac injuries (2), but none in post‐2003 period. There was one death in Group A but none in Group B.

Conclusions:  Our study demonstrates that a properly trained general surgeon can make appropriate decisions and perform life‐saving surgery in thoraco‐abdominal stab wounds. However, the on‐site availability of cardiothoracic surgeons leads to surgery with fewer complications.
Clinicopathological analysis and prognostic significance of peritoneal cytology in Chinese patients with advanced gastric cancer
Authors: Jiang Cheng‐Gang , Xu Yan , Wang Zhen‐Ning , Sun Zhe , Liu Fu‐Nan , Yu Miao , Xu Hui‐Mian
Published: November 2010

Background:  The influence of peritoneal cytology on survival of patients with gastric cancer has not been consistent. This study was to identify risk factors for positive peritoneal cytology and to evaluate the predictive value of positive cytology among Chinese patients with advanced gastric cancer.

Methods:  The study included 139 patients with gastric cancer macroscopically invading the serosa, who underwent gastrectomy and intra‐operative peritoneal cytological examination. In these patients, the relationship between cytological positivity and various clinicopathological features was analysed, and survival analysis was performed to identify independent prognostic factors of significance.

Results:  Thirty‐eight (27.3%) of 139 patients had positive peritoneal cytology. Although tumour size, lymphovascular invasion, depth of tumour invasion, lymph node metastasis and peritoneal metastasis were correlated with positive cytology, multivariate analysis revealed the depth of tumour invasion and peritoneal metastasis as the independent features affecting the cytology. Patients with a positive cytology result were confirmed to have a greater risk for recurrence in the pattern of peritoneal carcinomatosis and a significant inferior prognosis. Multivariate analysis indicated that positive peritoneal cytology was an independent prognostic factor among the curatively resected patients with advanced gastric cancer and was the prognostic factor most predictive of death for these patients (risk ratio = 2.74).

Conclusions:  Positive peritoneal cytology correlated with advanced features of gastric cancer. It is an independent poor prognostic factor, and it may serve as a guide for adjuvant therapeutic options to improve the survival of gastric cancer.
Modification and validation of the Revised Diabetes Knowledge Scale
Authors: Collins G. S. , Mughal S. , Barnett A. H. , Fitzgerald J. , Lloyd C. E.
Published: November 2010

Diabet. Med. 28, 306–310 (2011)

Objectives  To develop a simplified true/false response format of the Revised Diabetes Knowledge Scale and assess scaling assumptions, reliability and validity of the binary response format (the Simplified Diabetes Knowledge Scale) and compare with a multiple‐choice version.

Methods  Ninety‐nine respondents attending an outpatient clinic completed the multiple‐choice version of the Revised Diabetes Knowledge Scale and the simplified version of the Revised Diabetes Knowledge Scale. The response patterns and psychometric properties of both questionnaires were assessed in order to test the construct validity of the simplified version.

Results  The mean age of the respondents was 57 years (range 21–83 years) and 64% were men. Respondents attained an average score of 65% on the Simplified Diabetes Knowledge Scale, compared with 62% on the Revised Diabetes Knowledge Scale. Overall, the Simplified Diabetes Knowledge Scale appeared to be somewhat easier to complete compared with the Revised Diabetes Knowledge Scale, as indicated by the number of missing responses.

Conclusions  The Simplified Diabetes Knowledge Scale provides researchers with a brief and simple diabetes knowledge questionnaire with favourable psychometric properties. The scale may require further updating to include other items relevant to diabetes education. This simplified version will now undergo translation and validation for use among minority ethnic groups resident in the UK.
An empirical examination of the editorial review processes of accounting journals
Authors: Adler Ralph , Liyanarachchi Gregory
Published: November 2010

This study examines the editorial review processes of a broad set of widely circulated and read English‐language academic accounting journals. It reports findings for individual journals, as well as clusters of journals that have been categorised by the geographical region of their editorial offices and functional specialty. A survey‐based study was used. Authors who had papers accepted at one of the 38 accounting journals during the period 2004–2005 were asked to comment on their experiences with the editorial review process. The authors were also separately asked to comment on the editorial review process of a journal in which they received their most recent manuscript rejection. While the average author experience with the editorial review process was perceived as slightly favourable, significant differences were observed between journals, journal specialty (e.g. accounting and finance, management accounting, etc.), location of editorial review offices and accepted versus rejected manuscript experiences. These more granular findings reveal that some journals, and clusters of journals, were perceived to stand out from the rest.
AN EMPIRICAL LIKELIHOOD APPROACH FOR NON‐GAUSSIAN VECTOR STATIONARY PROCESSES AND ITS APPLICATION TO MINIMUM CONTRAST ESTIMATION
Authors: Ogata Hiroaki , Taniguchi Masanobu
Published: November 2010

We develop the empirical likelihood approach for a class of vector‐valued, not necessarily Gaussian, stationary processes with unknown parameters. In time series analysis, it is known that the Whittle likelihood is one of the most fundamental tools with which to obtain a good estimator of unknown parameters, and that the score functions are asymptotically normal. Motivated by the Whittle likelihood, we apply the empirical likelihood approach to its derivative with respect to unknown parameters. We also consider the empirical likelihood approach to minimum contrast estimation based on a spectral disparity measure, and apply the approach to the derivative of the spectral disparity.

This paper provides rigorous proofs on the convergence of our two empirical likelihood ratio statistics to sums of gamma distributions. Because the fitted spectral model may be different from the true spectral structure, the results enable us to construct confidence regions for various important time series parameters without assuming specified spectral structures and the Gaussianity of the process.
A relationship‐aware methodology for context‐aware service selection
Authors: Kwon Ohbyung , Lee Namyeon
Published: November 2010

Abstract: A future smart space will include many intelligent objects that can operate using ubiquitous computing technology. These intelligent objects should provide personalized, ad hoc application services by automatically recognizing relationships with users. To do so, there should be a method of establishing awareness of the relationship between a user and an object. However, while several recent approaches have suggested simple tools to improve the relationships themselves, very few methods are proposed for recognizing those relationships. Hence, this paper proposes a methodology for reasoning the relationship context between a user and an object. To do so, the Case‐Based Reasoning method is adopted and amended. We also implement a prototype system and analyse significance via a laboratory experiment to demonstrate the feasibility of the ideas proposed in this paper.
Partial ordering of information granulations: a further investigation
Authors: Qian Yuhua , Dang Chuangyin , Liang Jiye , Wu Weizhi
Published: November 2010

The notion of information systems provides a convenient tool for knowledge representation of objects in terms of their attribute values, while partial ordering is usually used to research the rough monotonicity of an uncertainty measure in information systems. In this paper, we first reveal the limitations of existing partial orderings to describe information granulations in information systems with several illustrative examples. Then, a generalized partial ordering with a set‐size nature is proposed to overcome their shortcoming and some of its important properties are derived. Finally, we prove that several existing information granulations all satisfy the granulation monotonicity induced by the proposed partial ordering. The presented partial ordering appears to be well suited to characterize the nature of information granulations in an information system. These results will be very helpful for studying granular computing and uncertainty in information systems.
Cold pre‐conditioning neuroprotection depends on TNF‐α and is enhanced by blockade of interleukin‐11
Authors: Mitchell Heidi M. , White David M. , Domowicz Miriam S. , Kraig Richard P.
Published: November 2010

J. Neurochem. (2011) 117, 187–196.

Cold pre‐conditioning reduces subsequent brain injury in small animals but the underlying mechanisms remain undefined. As hypothermia triggers systemic macrophage tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α) production and other neural pre‐conditioning stimuli depend on this cytokine, we reasoned that microglia and TNF‐α would be similarly involved with cold pre‐conditioning neuroprotection. Also, as slice cultures closely approximate their in vivo counterpart and include quiescent microglia, we used rat hippocampal slice cultures to confirm this hypothesis. Furthermore, inflammatory cytokine gene screening with subsequent PCR and immunostaining confirmation of targeted mRNA and related protein changes showed that cold pre‐conditioning triggered a significant rise in TNF‐α that localized to microglia and a significant rise in interleukin (IL)‐11 that localized mainly to hippocampal pyramidal neurons and, more rarely, astrocytes. Importantly, co‐stimulation with cold and IL‐11, an anti‐inflammatory cytokine that inhibits TNF‐α expression, abrogated the otherwise evident protection. Instead, cold pre‐conditioning coupled with blockade of IL‐11 signaling further enhanced neuroprotection from that seen with cold pre‐conditioning alone. Thus, physiological activation of brain pro‐inflammatory cytokine signaling, and its amplification by inhibition of coincident anti‐inflammatory cytokine signaling, may be opportune targets for the development of novel therapeutics that can mimic the protection seen in cold pre‐conditioning.
Seasonal decline in provisioning effort and nestling mass of Blue Tits Cyanistes caeruleus: experimental support for the parent quality hypothesis
Authors: GARCÍA‐NAVAS VICENTE , SANZ JUAN JOSÉ
Published: November 2010

A common feature of many birds breeding in seasonal environments is that fitness‐related parameters such as nestling mass or survival decline as the breeding season progresses. Consequently, there is a tendency for early breeders to have better reproductive performance than individuals breeding later in the season. This variation could be caused by factors associated with the date of laying, such as changing environmental conditions (date hypothesis), or by differences in parental quality between early and late breeders (parent quality hypothesis). To evaluate the relative importance of both hypotheses, we manipulated hatch dates of Blue Tits Cyanistes caeruleus by exchanging clutches with different incubation stages and assessed the impact on nestling mass, nestling diet and provisioning rates. Mean nestling mass declined significantly over the season. This was the combined result of differences in parental quality, which dominated in the early part of the season, and the influence of hatching date (date effect per se), which prevailed later in the season. Nestling diet composition was apparently uninfluenced by the manipulation, suggesting that deteriorating food supplies are the primary reason for the seasonal variation in the nestling diet. Counter to the date hypothesis, delayed parents did not feed their young less than control pairs did, but in fact exhibited higher provisioning rates. Our results suggest that in this population, parental quality seems to constrain post‐hatching reproductive performance and such intrinsic limitations may help to explain why certain individuals breed later.
Using OR to adapt supply chain management best practices to humanitarian logistics
Authors: Van Wassenhove Luk N. , Pedraza Martinez Alfonso J.
Published: November 2010

The demand for humanitarian aid is extraordinarily large and it is increasing. In contrast, the funding for humanitarian operations does not seem to be increasing at the same rate. Humanitarian logistics has the challenge of allocating scarce resources to complex operations in an efficient way. After acquiring sufficient contextual knowledge, academics can use operations research (OR) to adapt successful supply chain management best practices to humanitarian logistics. We present two cases of OR applications to field vehicle fleet management in humanitarian operations. Our research shows that by using OR to adapt supply chain best practices to humanitarian logistics, significant improvements can be achieved.
Will seizure control improve by switching from the modified Atkins diet to the traditional ketogenic diet?
Authors: Kossoff Eric H. , Bosarge Jennifer L. , Miranda Maria J. , Wiemer‐Kruel Adelheid , Kang Hoon Chul , Kim Heung Dong
Published: November 2010

It has been reported that children can maintain seizure control when the ketogenic diet (KD) is transitioned to the less‐restrictive modified Atkins diet (MAD). What is unknown, however, is the likelihood of additional seizure control from a switch from the MAD to the KD. Retrospective information was obtained from 27 patients who made this dietary change from four different institutions. Ten (37%) patients had ≥10% additional seizure reduction with the KD over the MAD, of which five became seizure‐free. The five children who did not improve on the MAD failed to improve when transitioned to the KD. A higher incidence of improvement with the KD occurred for those with myoclonic–astatic epilepsy (70% vs. 12% for all other etiologies, p = 0.004), including all who became seizure‐free. These results suggest that the KD probably represents a “higher dose” of dietary therapy than the MAD, which may particularly benefit those with myoclonic–astatic epilepsy.