bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of surfactant on bursting gas bubbles
Authors: Boulton-Stone Jeremy M.
Published: May 2006

A numerical technique, based on the boundary integral method, is developed to allow the modelling of unsteady free-surface flows at large Reynolds numbers in cases where the surface is contaminated by some surface-active compound. This requires the method to take account of the tangential stress condition at the interface and is achieved through a boundary-layer analysis. The constitutive relation that forms the surface stress condition is assumed to be of the Boussinesq type and allows the incorporation of surface shear and dilatational viscous forces as well as Marangoni effects due to gradients in surface tension. Sorption kinetics can be included in the model, allowing calculations for both soluble and insolube surfactants. Application of the numerical model to the problem of bursting gas bubbles at a free surface shows the greatest effect to be due to surface dilatational viscosity which drastically reduces the amount of surface compression and can slow and even prevent the information of a liquid jet. Surface tension gradients give dilatational elasticity to the surface and thus also significantly prevent surface compression. Surface shear viscosity has a smaller effect on the interface motion but results in initially increased surface concentrations due to the sweeping up of surface particles ahead of the inward-moving surface wave.
Das Verhalten von Diakonissen in der Zeit der NS-Diktatur und die Verarbeitung des Erlebten. – Eine Fallstudie auf dem Hintergrund bisheriger Forschung
Authors: Weber-Reich Traudel
Published: May 2006

Der vorliegende Beitrag ist eine Annäherung an die bislang wenig bearbeitete Thematik des Verhaltens von Schwesternschaften und der hierin Tätigen im Nationalsozialismus sowie der nachfolgenden Verarbeitung des damaligen Geschehens. Der bisherige Forschungsstand wird dargestellt. Anhand eines Fallbeispiels, das sich auf Quellenmaterial aus dem Archiv eines Diakonissenmutterhauses stützt und den Zeitraum von 1943 bis 1990 umfasst, werden wesentliche Probleme exemplarisch beschrieben. Anschließend werden Fragestellungen für die weitere Forschung formuliert und methodische Fragen diskutiert. Hierbei wird auf die besondere Bedeutung der Auswertung von Personalakten von Schwesternschaftsangehörigen verwiesen.
Zufriedenheit von Angehörigen mit der Versorgung in stationären Altenpflegeeinrichtungen. Entwicklung des Screening-Fragebogens ZUF-A-7
Authors: Kriz David , Schmidt Jürgen , Nübling Rüdiger
Published: May 2006

Ziel der Arbeit: Zur Erfassung der Versorgungszufriedenheit mit stationären Altenpflegeeinrichtungen soll ein praktikabel-ökonomisches und testtheoretisch geprüftes Screening-Instrument entwickelt werden, das mittels eines Cut-Off-Werts die Identifikation kritischer qualitätsrelevanter Situationen ermöglicht. Methoden: Auf der Grundlage von Literaturrecherchen wurde ein Fragebogen entwickelt und in zwei aufeinanderfolgenden Jahren von insgesamt 3581 Angehörigen der Bewohnerinnen und Bewohner aus 45 stationären Altenpflegeeinrichtungen beantwortet. Der Fragebogen wurde faktoren-, skalen- und itemanalytisch überprüft und verdichtet. Zur Validierung konnten demografische Variablen sowie separate Qualitätseinschätzungen herangezogen werden. Abschließend wurde eine ROC-Analyse zur Ermittlung von Sensitivität und Spezifität möglicher Cut-Off-Werte durchgeführt. Ergebnisse: Es konnte der eindimensionale, insgesamt sieben Items umfassende Angehörigen-Screening-Fragebogen ZUF-A-7 generiert werden. Die Skala ist intern konsistent (Cronbach’s Alpha) und weist die für Zufriedenheitsmaße übliche schiefe Verteilung auf. Es bestehen mittlere bis hohe Zusammenhänge zu den Qualitätseinschätzungen, aber keine inhaltsrelevanten Korrelationen zu den demografischen Variablen. Die ROC-Analyse ergibt einen kritischen Cut-Off-Wert von 21 (Spannweite = 7–28).
Discriminant and Criterion Validity of the Spanish Version of the Children's Interview for Psychiatric Syndromes - Parents' Version (P-ChIPS)
Authors: Molina Moreno Antonio M. , Zaldívar Basurto Flor , Gómez Becerra Inmaculada , Moreno San Pedro Emilio
Published: May 2006

In this study we evaluate the Spanish adaptation of discriminant and criterion validity of the Children's Interview for Psychiatric Syndromes, in its version for parents (P-ChIPS). The P-ChIPS was administered to 43 individuals from the general population (comparison group) aged from 6 to 18, and to 31 individuals from a clinical population (psychiatric group) of the same age. The prevalence rate of psychopathological disorders in the comparison group was similar to that found in other studies. Comparisons between the two groups found statistically significant differences in the percentage of diagnoses, in the percentage of diagnoses without duration, and in the deterioration or extension level of each disorder measured in the context of the home and in three contexts simultaneously (home, school, and relationship with peers). Likewise, the degree of concordance between the P-ChIPS and a clinician's diagnoses is analyzed using the κ index and percentage agreement, as well as sensitivity and specificity coefficients. In view of the preliminary results, the Spanish adaptation of P-ChIPS shows adequate discriminant and criterion validity to establish syndromes in subjects with different psychopathological characteristics.
Two newly identified sites in the ubiquitin‐like protein Atg8 are essential for autophagy
Authors: Amar Nira , Lustig Gila , Ichimura Yoshinobu , Ohsumi Yoshinori , Elazar Zvulun
Published: May 2006

Atg8, a member of a novel ubiquitin‐like protein family, is an essential component of the autophagic machinery in yeast. This protein undergoes reversible conjugation to phosphatidylethanolamine through a multistep process in which cleavage of Atg8 by a specific protease is followed by ubiquitin‐like conjugation processes. Here, we identify two essential sites in Atg8, one of them involving residues Phe 77 and Phe 79 and the other, located on the opposite surface of Atg8, residues Tyr 49 and Leu 50. We show that these two sites are associated with different functions of Atg8: Phe 77 and Phe 79 seem to be part of the recognition site for Atg4, a cystein protease that acts also as a deubiquitination enzyme, whereas Tyr 49 and Leu 50 act downstream of the lipidation step. These two newly identified distinct sites that are essential for Atg8 activity provide an explanation for the many protein–protein interactions of this low‐molecular‐weight protein.
Electrostatic turbulence and transport in a simple magnetized plasma
Authors: Fasoli A. , Labit B. , McGrath M. , Müller S. H. , Plyushchev G. , Podestà M. , Poli F. M.
Published: May 2006

Gradient driven electrostatic instabilities are investigated in TORPEX [A. Fasoli, B. Labit, M. McGrath, S. H. Müller, M. Podestà, and F. M. Poli, Bull. Am. Phys. Soc. 48, 119 (2003)], a toroidal device (R=1m, a=0.2m) in which plasmas are produced by microwaves (P⩽20kW) with frf=2.45GHz, in the electron cyclotron frequency range. Typical density and temperature are ne⩽1017m−3 and Te≃5eV, respectively. The magnetic field is mainly toroidal (⩽0.1T), with a small vertical component (⩽4mT). Instabilities that can be generally identified as drift-interchange waves are observed and characterized for different levels of collisionality with neutrals. The frequency spectrum and the spatial profile of the fluctuation-induced flux are measured. An 86-tip probe is used to reconstruct the spatio-temporal evolution of density structures across the plasma cross section. The measured structures are characterized statistically, and related quantitative observables are constructed.
The quadrupole moment of the Sb nucleus from molecular microwave data and calculated relativistic electric-field gradients
Authors: Demovič Lukáš , Kellö Vladimir , Sadlej Andrzej J. , Cooke Stephen A.
Published: May 2006

The recently determined accurate values of the nuclear quadrupole coupling constant of the Sb nucleus in SbN, SbP, SbF, and SbCl and the calculated electric-field gradients at Sb in these molecules are used to obtain the nuclear quadrupole moment of Sb121 and Sb123. The calculation of the electric-field gradient has been carried out by using the infinite-order two-component relativistic method in the scalar approximation. The accompanying change of picture of the electric-field gradient operator has been accounted for by employing the shifted nucleus model of nuclear quadrupoles. The electron correlation effects are calculated at the level of the coupled cluster approximation. The present calculations give the “molecular” value of the nuclear quadrupole moment of Sb121 equal to −556±24mb which is considerably different from the old “recommended” value of −360±40mb and also differs from the recent “solid-state” result (−669±15mb). The validation of the present data is comprehensively discussed.
Energetics of the manganese oxide cluster cations MnNO+ (N=2–5): Role of oxygen in the binding of manganese atoms
Authors: Tono Kensuke , Terasaki Akira , Ohta Toshiaki , Kondow Tamotsu
Published: May 2006

The photodissociation of manganese oxide cluster cations MnNO+ (N=2–5), into MnN−1O+ (one-atom loss) and MnN−2O+ (two-atom), was investigated in the photon-energy range of 1.08–2.76eV. The bond-dissociation energies D0(MnN−1O+⋯Mn) for N=3, 4, and 5 were determined to be 1.84±0.03, 0.99±0.05, and 1.25±0.14eV, respectively, from the threshold energies for the one- and two-atom losses. As Mn2O+ did not dissociate even at the highest photon energy used, the bond dissociation energy of Mn2O+, D0(Mn+⋯MnO), was obtained from a density-functional-theory calculation to be 3.04eV. The present findings imply that the core ion Mn2O+ is bound weakly with the rest of the manganese atoms in MnNO+.
Origin of low-temperature photoluminescence from SnO2 nanowires fabricated by thermal evaporation and annealed in different ambients
Authors: Luo Suhua , Chu Paul K. , Liu Weili , Zhang Miao , Lin Chenglu
Published: May 2006

Rutile (110) tin dioxide nanowires synthesized by thermal oxidation of tin powders and having a band gap of 4.2eV were annealed in vacuum and O2 at 600°C for 1h. The photoluminescence (PL) properties of the as-grown and annealed samples were measured from 10to300K. The nanowires annealed in O2 showed weak luminescence at 393nm at temperatures below 100K, and no luminescence could be detected at temperatures higher than 100K. In contrast, the nanowires annealed in vacuum exhibited strong luminescence at 480nm at temperatures lower than 100K and at 600nm when the temperature was higher than 100K. Our PL results show that the emissions originate from the defect electronic states in the band gap formed by surface oxygen vacancies and solve the long-time controversy over the origin of the luminescence.
Interdigitated multipixel arrays for the fabrication of high-power light-emitting diodes with very low series resistances
Authors: Chakraborty Arpan , Shen L. , Masui H. , DenBaars S. P. , Mishra U. K.
Published: May 2006

We report on the fabrication of high-power light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with very low series resistance by employing a mask design consisting of interdigitated multipixel arrays. The reduction in the series resistance was mainly achieved by reducing the bulk n resistance and the n-contact resistance by increasing the effective perimeter of the mesa. The small separation of the p and n contacts of the individual pixel improved lateral current spreading. The distributed array of pixels also resulted in improved thermal management, effectively rendering high continuous-wave (cw) drive current operation. Significant improvement in electrical and optical performances was observed when the mask was applied to a 400nm InGaN∕GaN violet LED wafer, compared to a standard square-shaped LED with equal active area and fabricated from the same epitaxial wafer. Series resistance of less than 1Ω was measured for 300μm devices. A peak output power of 115mW was obtained at 3.15A cw drive current for the unpackaged device.
Perceptual Space in the Dark Affected by the Intrinsic Bias of the Visual System
Authors: Ooi Teng Leng , Wu Bing , He Zijiang J
Published: May 2006

Correct judgment of egocentric/absolute distance in the intermediate distance range requires both the angular declination below the horizon and ground-surface information being represented accurately. This requirement can be met in the light environment but not in the dark, where the ground surface is invisible and hence cannot be represented accurately. We previously showed that a target in the dark is judged at the intersection of the projection line from the eye to the target that defines the angular declination below the horizon and an implicit surface. The implicit surface can be approximated as a slant surface with its far end slanted toward the frontoparallel plane. We hypothesize that the implicit slant surface reflects the intrinsic bias of the visual system and helps to define the perceptual space. Accordingly, we conducted two experiments in the dark to further elucidate the characteristics of the implicit slant surface. In the first experiment we measured the egocentric location of a dimly lit target on, or above, the ground, using the blind-walking-gesturing paradigm. Our results reveal that the judged target locations could be fitted by a line (surface), which indicates an intrinsic bias with a geographical slant of about 12.4°. In the second experiment, with an exocentric/relative-distance task, we measured the judged ratio of aspect ratio of a fluorescent L-shaped target. Using trigonometric analysis, we found that the judged ratio of aspect ratio can be accounted for by assuming that the L-shaped target was perceived on an implicit slant surface with an average geographical slant of 14.4° That the data from the two experiments with different tasks can be fitted by implicit slant surfaces suggests that the intrinsic bias has a role in determining perceived space in the dark. The possible contribution of the intrinsic bias to representing the ground surface and its impact on space perception in the light environment are also discussed.
How do Swedish paediatric clinics diagnose coeliac disease? Results of a nationwide questionnaire study
Authors: Stenhammar Lars , Högberg Lotta , Danielsson Lars , Ascher Henry , Dannaeus Anders , Hernell Olle , Ivarsson Anneli , Lindberg Eva , Lindquist Bo , Nivenius Kerstin
Published: May 2006

Background and aim: Diagnosis of coeliac disease is based on the demonstration of enteropathy in a small bowel biopsy. Correct diagnosis is of utmost importance, since the need for dietary management is life long, and inadequate treatment may lead to potentially serious complications. The Swedish Working Group for Paediatric Coeliac Disease has published guidelines for the diagnosis of childhood coeliac disease. The present questionnaire was designed in order to create the basis for revision of those guidelines. Methods: In 2004, a nationwide questionnaire concerning current diagnostic routines was sent to all 45 paediatric clinics performing small bowel biopsy. All clinics responded. Results: All clinics base their diagnosis on small bowel biopsy findings at presentation. Furthermore, in 24 (53%) of the clinics, children with suspected coeliac disease are investigated by small bowel biopsy both at presentation and follow‐up while on a gluten‐free diet. Eighteen (40%) of the clinics employ a different diagnostic routine for children under 2 y of age than for those older than 2 y. All clinics use coeliac serological testing at various stages of the diagnostic procedure.

Conclusion: All Swedish paediatric clinics perform a small bowel biopsy at presentation in children with suspected coeliac disease, and the majority of clinics perform a second biopsy when the child is on a gluten‐free diet. Serological testing is frequently used as a diagnostic aid and in the monitoring of the disease while on a gluten‐free diet.
A Mixture model with random-effects components for clustering correlated gene-expression profiles
Authors: Ng S. K. , McLachlan G. J. , Wang K. , Ben-Tovim Jones L. , Ng S.-W.
Published: May 2006

Motivation: The clustering of gene profiles across some experimental conditions of interest contributes significantly to the elucidation of unknown gene function, the validation of gene discoveries and the interpretation of biological processes. However, this clustering problem is not straightforward as the profiles of the genes are not all independently distributed and the expression levels may have been obtained from an experimental design involving replicated arrays. Ignoring the dependence between the gene profiles and the structure of the replicated data can result in important sources of variability in the experiments being overlooked in the analysis, with the consequent possibility of misleading inferences being made. We propose a random-effects model that provides a unified approach to the clustering of genes with correlated expression levels measured in a wide variety of experimental situations. Our model is an extension of the normal mixture model to account for the correlations between the gene profiles and to enable covariate information to be incorporated into the clustering process. Hence the model is applicable to longitudinal studies with or without replication, for example, time-course experiments by using time as a covariate, and to cross-sectional experiments by using categorical covariates to represent the different experimental classes.

Results: We show that our random-effects model can be fitted by maximum likelihood via the EM algorithm for which the E(expectation)and M(maximization) steps can be implemented in closed form. Hence our model can be fitted deterministically without the need for time-consuming Monte Carlo approximations. The effectiveness of our model-based procedure for the clustering of correlated gene profiles is demonstrated on three real datasets, representing typical microarray experimental designs, covering time-course, repeated-measurement and cross-sectional data. In these examples, relevant clusters of the genes are obtained, which are supported by existing gene-function annotation. A synthetic dataset is considered too.

Availability: A Fortran program blue called EMMIX-WIRE (EM-based MIXture analysis WIth Random Effects) is available on request from the corresponding author.

Contact:  gjm@maths.uq.edu.au

Supplementary information:  . Colour versions of Figures 1 and 2 are available as Supplementary material on Bioinformatics online.
Hormonal regulation of mannan-binding lectin synthesis in hepatocytes
Authors: Sørensen C M , Hansen T K , Steffensen R , Jensenius J C , Thiel S
Published: May 2006

Activation of the complement system via the plasma protein mannan-binding lectin (MBL) provides a first line of defence against infections. The plasma level of MBL is, in part, determined genetically, but may also be influenced by different hormones in vivo. Here we study the hormonal regulation of MBL synthesis from the human hepatocyte cell line HuH-7. Cells were exposed to medium with growth hormone (GH), hydrocortisone, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, insulin, interleukin (IL)-6 or thyroid hormones (T3 or T4). After 3 days the concentration of MBL in the culture supernatants was determined and the amount of mRNA for MBL was measured, relative to mRNA for β2 microglobulin. GH, IL-6, T3 and T4 significantly increased MBL synthesis in a dose-dependent manner, while hydrocortisone, insulin and IGF-1 had no effect. T3 caused a fourfold increase at 1 nM of T3 (P < 0·001) and at 100 nM of T3 the production was increased more than eightfold. The effect of T4 was less potent, reaching an eightfold increase at 1 µM of T4 (P < 0·001). GH augmented the production of MBL threefold at a concentration of 100 ng/ml (P = 0·018) with no further effect up to 10 µg/ml, whereas IL-6 caused only a very weak increase in MBL production. MBL mRNA levels were stable during the first 24 h of T3 stimulation but increased significantly between 24 and 48 h. The results suggest that MBL synthesis in humans may be increased by thyroid hormone and GH, whereas it does not exhibit a classical IL-6-dependent response.
Plant nitrogen capture in pulse‐driven systems: interactions between root responses and soil processes
Authors: JAMES J. J. , RICHARDS J. H.
Published: May 2006

Soil resources are heterogeneously distributed in natural systems. In arid systems, for example, soil nitrogen (N) is often supplied in pulses. Mechanisms influencing the ability of a species to exploit N pulses through the season, however, are poorly understood despite the strong potential for temporal variation in N supply to impact growth, survival and competitive interactions in these systems.

We examined how plant physiological and soil processes interacted to influence the ability of two dominant perennial Atriplex species to capture N from pulses occurring at different times in the growing season.

15N‐labelled pulses were applied to the two Atriplex species in early and mid spring. Sequential time harvests were used to quantify changes in plant 15N content, root length, root length relative growth rate, root N inflow rates, microbial biomass 15N, soil water content and soil inorganic 15N pools. Path analysis and structural equation modelling were used to quantify the relative importance of different root parameters for plant N capture from pulses and to evaluate the degree to which these root responses interacted with soil processes to influence plant N capture.

Plant N capture was greatest when pulses coincided with high root length relative growth rates. Declining availability of total inorganic N through a pulse had a limited effect on N capture. This was partly because soil pools were removed from the soil system four times faster than soil pools, allowing sufficient supply to roots, although total inorganic N pools declined. Microbial immobilization rates did not change significantly through a pulse and did not influence plant N capture during a pulse. Instead, plant N capture during a pulse was limited by total root length and uptake capacity per unit root length, which in turn was affected by plant N demand and soil water content.

Understanding interactions between root responses, soil processes and pulse timing provides insight into mechanisms underlying competitive interactions and diversity maintenance in pulse‐driven systems.
A single‐step multiplex PCR for simultaneous detection of white spot syndrome virus and infectious hypodermal and haematopoietic necrosis virus in penaeid shrimp
Authors: Yang B , Song X‐L , Huang J , Shi C‐Y , Liu Q‐H , Liu L
Published: May 2006

White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) and infectious hypodermal and haematopoietic necrosis virus (IHHNV) are the major viral pathogens of penaeid shrimp worldwide (Lightner & Redman 1998). Litopenaeus vannamei was introduced into China from the Americas, and quickly became widely cultured. Following its introduction, both IHHNV and WSSV have become important pathogens of cultured penaeid shrimp and have had a huge impact on the culture industry in China in recent years.
Seasonal dynamics of chemokine receptors and CD62L in subjects with asymptomatic skin sensitization to birch and grass pollen
Authors: Assing K. , Bodtger U. , Poulsen L. K.
Published: May 2006

Background:  Asymptomatic skin sensitization (AS) has been shown to be a risk factor for respiratory allergic disease. CCR4, CXCR1 and CD62L have all been assigned a role in the immunopathogenesis of allergy. Memory T‐cell expression of CCR4, CXCR1 and CD62L has not hitherto been investigated in subjects with AS.

Methods:  We investigated seasonal CD4 memory T‐cell expression of the chemokine receptors CCR4, CXCR1 as well as L‐selectin (CD62L) in fresh cultures derived from symptomatic atopics (SAs), subjects with AS and healthy controls (HCs). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from all three groups were isolated during birch and grass pollination as well as in the following winter. CD4 memory T‐cell expression of CCR4, CXCR1 and CD62L was determined by flow‐cytometry.

Results:  During spring and summer, a significantly increased proportion of memory T cells expressed CCR4, CXCR1 and CD62L in SAs when compared with subjects with AS and HCs. Only SAs exhibited seasonal fluctuations in numbers of CCR4, CXCR1 and CD62L positive memory T cells.

Conclusion:  Although clearly IgE sensitized, subjects with AS have significant diminished numbers of CCR4, CXCR1 and CD62L positive memory T cells, during pollination, when compared with SAs. In contrast to SAs, cultures derived from subjects with AS did not display seasonal variation. Our findings explain the lack of clinical symptoms, during pollination, in subjects with AS.
Oral health promotion among older persons and their care providers in a nursing home facility
Authors: Reed Rebecca , Broder Hillary L. , Jenkins George , Spivack Evan , Janal Malvin N.
Published: May 2006

Objectives:  To assess oral health status and oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL) of residents in an extended care facility and to assess the care providers’ oral health attitudes and knowledge.

Methods:  Participants included 137 residents (58.1% female, age range 32–94 years, 91% African–American) and 22 care providers. Residents received an oral examination and completed the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP‐14), an OHRQoL questionnaire. Care providers completed an oral health knowledge (OHK) questionnaire before and after the on‐site geriatric oral health education and training programme.

Results:  Oral examinations showed that 58% of the residents had extensive oral health needs. On the OHIP‐14, the mean severity was 9.2 (SD = 12.0), extent (number of items rated as ‘fairly often’ or ‘often’) was 1.2 (SD = 2.6) and prevalence (participants rating at least one item at least ‘fairly often’) was 37.8%. Most prevalent negative impact items were about ‘oral pain’, ‘appearance’ and ‘self‐consciousness’. Regarding OHK, caregivers’ knowledge improved following instruction from 65% correct on the pre‐test to 90% correct on the post‐test (p < 0.05). Subsequent to the eight in‐service workshops, providers reported that physical limitations, fear of getting bitten and time constraints were barriers to providing oral hygiene to their residents.

Conclusion:  Examination data showed a high level of dental needs among the majority of residents, accompanied by significantly reduced OHRQoL. Although care providers’ OHK improved following the geriatric service programme, they reported specific barriers regarding their provision of oral hygiene care to the residents.
The carbonic anhydrase inhibitors methazolamide and acetazolamide have different effects on the hypoxic ventilatory response in the anaesthetized cat
Authors: Teppema Luc J. , Bijl Hans , Gourabi Babak Mousavi , Dahan Albert
Published: May 2006

We compared the effects of the carbonic anhydrase inhibitors methazolamide and acetazolamide (3 mg kg−1, i.v.) on the steady‐state hypoxic ventilatory response in 10 anaesthetized cats. In five additional animals, we studied the effect of 3 and 33 mg kg−1 methazolamide. The steady‐state hypoxic ventilatory response was described by the exponential function:

urn:x-wiley:00223751:media:TJP1575:TJP_1575_m1

where is the inspired ventilation,G is hypoxic sensitivity, D is the shape factor and A is hyperoxic ventilation. In the first group of 10 animals, methazolamide did not change parameters G and D, while A increased from 0.86 ± 0.33 to 1.30 ± 0.40 l min−1 (mean ±s.d., P= 0.003). However, the subsequent administration of acetazolamide reduced G by 44% (control, 1.93 ± 1.32; acetazolamide, 1.09 ± 0.92 l min−1, P= 0.003), while A did not show a further change. Acetazolamide tended to reduce D (control, 0.20 ± 0.07; acetazolamide, 0.14 ± 0.06 kPa−1, P= 0.023). In the second group of five animals, neither low‐ nor high‐dose methazolamide changed parameters G, D and A. The observation that even high‐dose methazolamide, causing full inhibition of carbonic anhydrase in all body tissues, did not reduce the hypoxic ventilatory response is reminiscent of previous findings by others showing no change in magnitude of the hypoxic response of the in vitro carotid body by this agent. This suggests that normal carbonic anhydrase activity is not necessary for a normal hypoxic ventilatory response to occur. The mechanism by which acetazolamide reduces the hypoxic ventilatory response needs further study.
PRESENTATIONS OF WESS–ZUMINO–WITTEN FUSION RINGS
Authors: BOUWKNEGT PETER , RIDOUT DAVID
Published: May 2006

The fusion rings of the Wess–Zumino–Witten models are re-examined. Attention is drawn to the difference between fusion rings over ℤ (which are often of greater importance in applications) and fusion algebras over ℂ. Complete proofs are given by characterizing the fusion algebras (over ℂ) of the SU (r+1) and Sp (2r) models in terms of the fusion potentials, and it is shown that the analagous potentials cannot describe the fusion algebras of the other models. This explains why no other representation-theoretic fusion potentials have been found.

Instead, explicit generators are then constructed for general WZW fusion rings (over ℤ). The Jacobi–Trudy identity and its Sp (2r) analogue are used to derive the known fusion potentials. This formalism is then extended to the WZW models over the spin groups of odd rank, and explicit presentations of the corresponding fusion rings are given. The analogues of the Jacobi–Trudy identity for the spinor representations (for all ranks) are derived for this purpose, and may be of independent interest.
ELECTROWEAK MEASUREMENTS
Authors: DIACONU CRISTINEL
Published: May 2006

The measurements of electroweak sector of the Standard Model are presented, including most recent results from LEP, Tevatron and HERA colliders. The robustness of the Standard Model is illustrated with the precision measurements, the electroweak fits and the comparisons to the results obtained from low energy experiments. The status of the measurements of the W boson properties and rare production processes involving weak bosons at colliders is examined, together with the measurements of the electroweak parameters in ep collisions.
QUARK MIXING AND CP VIOLATION — THE CKM MATRIX
Authors: NIERSTE ULRICH
Published: May 2006

I summarize the theoretical progress in the determination of the CKM elements since Lepton-Photon 2003 and present the status of the elements and parameters of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) matrix. One finds |Vus| = 0.2227 ± 0.0017 from K and τ decays and |Vcb| = (41.6 ± 0.5) · 10-3 from inclusive semileptonic B decays. The unitarity triangle can now be determined from tree-level quantities alone and the result agrees well with the global fit including flavour-changing neutral current (FCNC) processes, which are sensitive to new physics. From the global fit one finds the three CKM angles θ12 = 12.9° ± 0.1°, θ23 = 2.38° ± 0.03° and θ13 = 0.223° ± 0.007° in the standard PDG convention. The CP phase equals [Formula: see text] at 1σ CL and [Formula: see text] at 2σ CL. A major progress are first results from fully unquenched lattice QCD computations for the hadronic quantities entering the UT fit. I further present the calculation of three-loop QCD corrections to the charm contribution in [Formula: see text] decays, which removes the last relevant theoretical uncertainty from the [Formula: see text] system. Finally I discuss mixing-induced CP asymmetries in [Formula: see text] penguin decays, whose naive average is below its Standard Model value by 3σ.
Glucose metabolism during lactation in a fasting animal, the northern elephant seal
Authors: Champagne Cory D. , Houser Dorian S. , Crocker Daniel E.
Published: May 2006

Fasting is associated with a series of physiological responses that protect body tissues from degradation by efficiently using expendable energy reserves while sparing protein. Lactation requires the mobilization of maternal nutrients for milk synthesis. The rare life history trait of fasting simultaneous with lactation results in the conflicting demands of provisioning offspring while meeting maternal metabolic costs and preserving maternal tissues for her own survival and future reproduction. Certain tissues continue to require glucose for operation during fasting and might constrain tissue mobilization for lactogenesis due to a need for gluconeogenic substrates. This study investigated glucose flux, glucose cycle activity, and the influence of regulatory hormones in fasting lactating northern elephant seals. Measurements were taken early (5 days) and late (21 days) during the lactation period and, as a nonlactating comparison, after the completion of molting. Glucose cycle activity was highly variable in all study groups and did not change over lactation ( P > 0.3), whereas endogenous glucose production decreased during lactation ( t = −3.41, P = 0.008). Insulin and insulin-to-glucagon molar ratio decreased across lactation ( t = 6.48, 4.28; P = 0.0001, 0.002), while plasma cortisol level increased ( t = 4.15, P = 0.002). There were no relationships between glucose production and hormone levels. The glucose production values measured exceeded that predicted from available gluconeogenic substrate, indicating substantial glucose recycling in this species.
Modeling Neurodegenerative Diseases in vivo Review
Authors: von Bohlen und Halbach O.
Published: May 2006

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the major neurodegenerative disorders. The etiology of this disease is likely due to combinations of environmental and genetic factors. Symptomatic hallmarks of PD are tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity and postural instability. On the morphological and anatomical level, PD is characterized by massive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta, leading to a severe loss of striatal dopaminergic fibers and to a massive reduction of dopamine levels in the striatum. In addition, PD is characterized by the appearance of Lewy bodies within the surviving dopaminergic neurons. Animal models of PD allow getting insight into the mechanisms of several symptoms of PD thereby providing indispensable tools for basic and applied research. The biochemical and cellular changes that occur following administration of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) in rodents or monkeys are remarkably similar to those seen in idiopathic PD. In this review, the main characteristics of experimental models of PD induced by the neurotoxic compound MPTP are reviewed.
Expression of mRNAs Encoding Receptors That Mediate Stress Signals in Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Neurons of the Mouse
Authors: Jasoni Christine L. , Todman Martin G. , Han Seong-Kyu , Herbison Allan E.
Published: May 2006

Neurons that synthesize and secrete gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) represent the neural control point for fertility modulation in vertebrates. As such GnRH neurons are ideally situated to integrate stress responses on reproduction. By isolating individual GnRH neurons from acute brain slices of adult female GnRH-EGFP transgenic mice and using microarray analyses, we have identified a range of transcripts encoding receptors known to be involved in stress responses in GnRH neurons. Prominent among these were receptors for corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), vasopressin, interleukins, prostaglandins, tumor necrosis factor alpha and other inflammatory mediators. We selected 4 of these targets [interleukin 1 receptor accessory protein (IL-1Racc), prostaglandin E2 receptor subtype EP2 (PGER2), CRH receptor type 1 (CRH-R1), and arginine-vasopressin receptor type 1b (AVP-R1b)] for validation using single-cell RT-PCR from individual GnRH neurons. In total, 54% of GnRH neurons (n = 26) were found to express at least 1 of these transcripts. The IL-1Racc, PGER2 and CRH-R1 mRNAs were each detected in approximately 25% of the GnRH neurons tested, but no evidence was found for AVP-R1b transcripts. Overlap was found between the expression of CRH-R1 and PGER2, and IL-1Racc and PGER2 in individual GnRH neurons. Dual immunofluorescence experiments confirmed the expression of CRH-R1/2 in a subpopulation (∼30%) of GnRH neurons. These observations indicate that a variety of different stressors and stress pathways have the capacity to have an impact directly upon a subpopulation of GnRH neurons to influence the reproductive axis.
Effects of Fractalkine Receptor Variants on Common Carotid Artery Intima-Media Thickness
Authors: Norata Giuseppe D. , Garlaschelli Katia , Ongari Manuele , Raselli Sara , Grigore Liliana , Catapano Alberico L.
Published: May 2006

Background and Purpose—

Fractalkine receptor (CX3CR1) plays a key role during atherogenesis. CX3CR1 has 2 common coding polymorphisms, namely V249I and T280M, that have been associated with interindividual differences in susceptibility to atherosclerosis. In the present study, we investigated the possible association between CX3CR1variants and intima-media thickness (IMT).

Methods—

We genotyped 1256 samples from the Progression of Lesions in the Intima of the Carotid (PLIC) study (a prospective population-based study) for the presence of the V249 and the M280 variants of CX3CR1.

Results—

Significantly reduced IMT was observed in subjects with the MM280 genotype (0.57±0.12 mm) compared with subjects with the TT (0.65±0.14 mm) or the TM (0.65±0.13 mm) genotype. No difference in IMT was observed within carrier of the II249, VI249, or VV249 genotype. Subjects with combined genotype VI249/MM280 and II249/MM280 showed a reduced IMT.

Conclusions—

The presence of the M280 polymorphism of the fractalkine receptor is associated with a decreased common carotid artery IMT, whereas the presence of the I249 polymorphism does not play a major role on the progression of carotid atherosclerosis.
Nonpulsatile Cerebral Perfusion in Patient With Acute Neurological Deficits
Authors: Sik Kim Yo , Chernyshev Oleg Y. , Alexandrov Andrei V.
Published: May 2006

Background and Purpose—

An extremely low pulsatile cerebral perfusion can result in a massive cerebral infarction and poor outcome. We report a patient who had complete recovery from initial neurological deficits in spite of nonpulsatile perfusion in the middle cerebral artery.

Methods—

We used carotid duplex and transcranial Doppler to evaluate cerebral hemodynamics and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) to score the neurological deficits.

Results—

A 62-year-old man had a sudden chest pain and right hemispheric symptoms with NIHSS score of 18 on arrival. Carotid duplex showed no blood flow in the right common carotid artery. Transcranial Doppler showed a nonpulsatile waveform with slow antegrade flow in right middle cerebral artery. Chest CT angiography revealed type A aortic dissection. After surgical repair for the aortic dissection with brain retroperfusion, the patient had dramatic recovery from the initial neurological deficit, and normal pulsatile cerebral perfusion in the right carotid territory.

Conclusions—

Nonpulsatile cerebral perfusion points to a proximal source of arterial flow obstruction that may necessitate interventional treatment or surgery in order to restore brain perfusion and potentially reverse impending stroke.
Piezoelectric Control of Edge Debonding in Beams Strengthened with Composite Materials: Part I – Analytical Modeling
Authors: Rabinovitch Oded
Published: May 2006

The use of piezoelectric materials for the control of the edge stresses and the edge debonding failure in reinforced concrete beams strengthened with externally bonded composite materials is analytically investigated. A mathematical model that incorporates layers of piezoelectric active materials embedded or surfacemounted on the composite strengthening strip is developed. The model is derived using the electromechanical analog for the variational principle of virtual work along with the compatibility conditions, the piezoelectric constitutive laws, and the closed form solutions for the stresses and displacements in the adhesive. The response of a full-scale strengthened beam to mechanical loads and to different schemes of piezoelectric actuation is investigated in terms of the localized stresses near the edge of the bonded composite strip. The results show that in spite of their limited size and actuation capabilities, the piezoelectric actuators can induce shear and vertical normal stresses that are of similar magnitude but opposite sign to the stresses induced by the mechanical load. Thus, it contributes to the prevention of the debonding failure that characterizes the response of the strengthened beam. The original contribution of the study is in addressing the challenge of using piezoelectric smart and active materials in full-scale civil engineering structures, in developing the methodologies and the tools for the quantitative evaluation of the response of such advanced structural member, and in presenting a potential solution to the edge-debonding problem.
Military Community Integration and Its Effect on Well-Being and Retention
Authors: Burrell Lolita , Durand Doris Briley , Fortado Jennifer
Published: May 2006

This study examined psychosocial issues within Army families and the contribution of support networks to spouses' well-being and to their desire that their soldiers remain in the Army. Data from a self-administered questionnaire were analyzed for 137 spouses from the active duty component, 410 from the National Guard, and 174 from the reserve. Differences among the three groups were found with regard to both the composition of their social support networks as well as their use of such networks. Use of support was associated with well-being, but not with retention.
Chinese Civil-Military Relations
Authors: Lee Dongmin
Published: May 2006

The promulgation of the Divestiture Act of 1998 that banned all the commercial activities of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) raises two questions: what does this development say about China’s civil-military relations, and what explains the Chinese military’s agreement to divest itself of its enterprises? This article contends that neither the symbiotic model nor Huntingtonian objective control explains the outcome. What has happened in China can be characterized as strategic subjective control, a mechanism that has two distinctive features. First, Chinese civil-military relations are unique in that the civilian leaders have promoted military professionalism by retaining the means of subjective civilian control. Second, the kind of subjective mechanism at work in China has evolved from charismatic to institutional subjective control. Both the initial development of the commercial activities of the PLA and the divestiture are best explained in terms of the grand-national strategy and economic reform.
Damage Tolerance of Stiffened Composite Panels with Cutouts
Authors: Elaldi Faruk , Alecakir Sezgin
Published: May 2006

In this study, the effects of the cutout and the lay-up configuration on the buckling behavior and the damage tolerance of the stiffened carbon/epoxy panels manufactured by the resin transfer molding (RTM) are evaluated. The samples are manufactured using the RTM technique. The tensile test specimens are also prepared similarly to characterize the behavior of the material. Finite element analysis (FEA) of the panel samples is carried out and the comparisons are made among the results. The effects of the cutout and the lay-up configuration on the results are discussed.
"I really should've gone to the doctor": older adults and family caregivers describe their experiences with community-acquired pneumonia
Authors: Kelly Caralyn , Krueger Paul , Lohfeld Lynne , Loeb Mark , Edward H Gayle
Published: May 2006

Background

Responding to acute illness symptoms can often be challenging for older adults. The primary objective of this study was to describe how community-dwelling older adults and their family members responded to symptoms of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).

Methods

A qualitative study that used face-to-face semi-structured interviews to collect data from a purposeful sample of seniors aged 60+ and their family members living in a mid-sized Canadian city. Data analysis began with descriptive and interpretive coding, then advanced as the research team repeatedly compared emerging thematic categories to the raw data. Searches for disconfirming evidence and member checking through focus groups provided additional data and helped ensure rigour.

Results

Community-acquired pneumonia symptoms varied greatly among older adults, making decisions to seek care difficult for them and their family members. Both groups took varying amounts of time as they attempted to sort out what was wrong and then determine how best to respond. Even after they concluded something was wrong, older adults with confirmed pneumonia continued to wait for days, to over a week, before seeking medical care. Participants provided diverse reasons for this delay, including fear, social obligations (work, family, leisure), and accessibility barriers (time, place, systemic). Several older adults and family members regretted their delays in seeking help.

Conclusion

Treatment-seeking delay is a variable, multi-phased decision-making process that incorporates symptom assessment plus psychosocial and situational factors. Public health and health care professionals need to educate older adults about the potential causes and consequences of unnecessary waits. Such efforts may reduce the severity of community-acquired pneumonia upon presentation at clinics and hospitals, and that, in turn, could potentially improve health outcomes.
Inferring transcriptional modules from ChIP-chip, motif and microarray data
Authors: Lemmens Karen , Dhollander Thomas , De Bie Tijl , Monsieurs Pieter , Engelen Kristof , Smets Bart , Winderickx Joris , De Moor Bart , Marchal Kathleen
Published: May 2006

'ReMoDiscovery' is an intuitive algorithm to correlate regulatory programs with regulators and corresponding motifs to a set of co-expressed genes. It exploits in a concurrent way three independent data sources: ChIP-chip data, motif information and gene expression profiles. When compared to published module discovery algorithms, ReMoDiscovery is fast and easily tunable. We evaluated our method on yeast data, where it was shown to generate biologically meaningful findings and allowed the prediction of potential novel roles of transcriptional regulators.
Galvanostatic Transient Studies on Copper Coordination Polymer under Hydrogen Absorption
Authors: Fujishima Musashi , Enyo Michio , Kanda Seiichi , Ikeda Ryuichi , Kitagawa Hiroshi
Published: May 2006

Hydrogen electrode reaction (HER) was investigated for a copper coordination polymer, catena-μ-N,N′-bis(hydroxyethyl)dithiooxamidatocopper(II) (CuCP) by galvanostatic transient measurements using a palladium cathode. Individual steps in the Volmer–Tafel reaction were successfully observed for the colloidal CuCP in alkaline solution under hydrogen absorption. The Volmer step was found to be promoted with CuCP and its hydrogen-absorbed polymer (CuCPH) from shorter decay times in transient curves and smaller overpotentials in Tafel plots. In contrast, the inhibition of the Tafel step was observed, which is due to the larger overpotentials. Difference in reducibility between the polymers and plausible reduction mechanisms is discussed.
The British Elections of December, 1923
Authors: Morgan William Thomas
Published: May 2006

Not only were the results of the British national election of last December momentous for the British people themselves, but it may be doubted whether any other election in the country's history ever excited as much interest in foreign lands. The United States was much concerned at the possibility of Great Britain erecting a tariff wall around not only the British Isles but the British Empire as well. The dominions were vitally interested. The whole of Europe awaited with increasing anxiety the decision of the British electorate, as upon it depended to some degree, at any rate, the next step of the British government in the settlement of the all-important problem of reparations upon which the reconstruction of Europe depended.