bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pharmacogenetics: Its Place in Medicine and Biology
Authors: Kalow Werner
Published: July 2007

A young science serves its purpose if it leads not only to new knowledge, but to new insights and concepts. This article opens with examples to illustrate some former thinking that the introduction of pharmacogenetic has overcome. Pharmacogenetic case histories from discovery to the present illustrate the interlocking of observations, technical advances, and changing concepts. There are striking biological similarities between pharmacogenetics and those inborn factors that cause resistance to infectious disease: Both represent person-to-person variations that may help the survival of populations, one when facing massive toxic exposures, the other when facing plagues and epidemics. Thus pharmacogenetics represents a biologically necessary variability of the defenses against chemical intruders, and this includes drugs. While this variability is desirable, drug toxicity occurring on the basis of this variability must be avoided. The most successful defendants against toxicity due to polymorphic (ie, high incidence) variants should be the designers of new drugs. The only defender concerned with rare variants can be the attentive clinician.
Towards Local Governance: rhetoric and reality
Authors: Wilson David
Published: July 2007

Elected local government is now but one part of a complex mosaic of organisations concerned with community governance. Local authorities 'share the turf' with a wide range of agencies (eg. health authorities, police authorities, Primary Care Groups, TECs, the employment service, action zones, partnerships), none of which is directly elected. In the same way that this journal has changed dramatically over the last ten years under Barry O'Toole's editorial regime so has the world of local government. This article charts the advent of local governance and examines some of the accompanying tensions. Has the development of a system of governance given rise to a 'democratic deficit' ? Has greater public participation resulted in more democracy? What challenges are posed by the emergence of directly elected mayors and cabinets at local level? Does the advent of greater audit and inspection powers by central government further threaten local democracy? Partnerships with both the private and with voluntary sectors are here to stay. In this context a major challenge for elected local government is to further enhance its leadership role in shaping the social, political and economic development of local communities.
The New Constitutionalism and the Impact of Spill-wer
Authors: Evans Mark
Published: July 2007

This article provides a preliminary examination of the political consequences of constitutional reform for the territorial management of the British State. Drawing on European integration theory, it argues that the constitutional reform process can best be examined through the lens of a modified neo ficnctionalist approach which allows the political scientist to: (1) study constitutional reform as a process; (2) describe what appears to be going on in the process; (3) identify factors of integration and disintegration; and, (4), predict future outcomes. It concludes that although the New Constitutionalism is likely to be plagued by factors of disintegration that will undermine territorial management and administration, these will be counterbalanced by factors of integration which will increase the radicalism of reform and the scope and intensity of change.
Evaluating the 'New Politics' : Civil Society and the National Assembly for Wales
Authors: Day Graham , Dunkerley David , Thompson Andrew
Published: July 2007

This paper focuses on an issue that underpins much of Labour's social and political reforms: civil society. Recent 'third way' treatises, from those by thinkers close to New Labour, such as Anthony Giddens, to Tony Blair's own published thoughts, declare that the regeneration of civil society is one of the primary goals of devolution and decentralisation. This paper focuses specifically on the relationship between the National Assembly for Wales and civil society in Wales, and in doing so examines the substance of the much-trumpeted 'new politics'. The overall objectives of the paper are to demonstrate why the relationship between the National Assembly and civil society in Wales is so important in formulating public and social policy and to assess how the National Assembly is building relations with civil society in Wales.
Devolution and EU Policy Making: The Territorial Challenge
Authors: Hogwood Patricia , Carter Caitriona , Bulmer Simon , Burch Martin , Scott Andrew
Published: July 2007

This paper seeks to document the impact of structural and organisational change brought about through devolution on the UK's handling of European policy, and thereby to illustrate the nature of the new multi-level governance in the devolving UK. In the context of arrangements prior to devolution, we examine distinctive features of the new constitutional and structural framework of EU policy-making; the guidelines and conventions for the multi-levelled management of policy in this area; and the impact of central versus territorial political and cultural features. Employing an historical-institutionalist approach and drawing on a series of elite interviews conducted in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Brussels, we consider the impact of distinctive features of the devolution arrangements on European policy making. These include the ad hoc nature of the devolution process; 'constitutional asymmetry'; and problems of 'policy overlap' and 'policy contagion'. We find that the ongoing process of devolution is increasing the administrative and political complexity of European policy making in ways which potentially challenge the customary UK policy co-ordination and coherence in such matters. Whereas during the initial 'constitutive' phase of the devolution process continuity of past administrative practice has prevailed, the devolved authorities in Scotland and Wales have the potential to introduce a stronger territorial input into European policy making.
Recruitment Strategies
Authors: Ghosh Piyali , Geetika
Published: July 2007

People's skill sets rather than technology drive the growth and success of software organizations, where ideas and information form the basis for profit generation and wealth accumulation. This article is an attempt to establish the significance of recruitment strategies, especially in the Indian software industry. The size of an organization, among various other factors, plays an important role in determining the type and shape of a strategy, including human resource strategies. This article aims to examine the different strategies of recruitment by software organizations on the basis of size (in terms of number of employees) with the help of a survey. The findings corroborate the proposition that recruitment strategies of such organizations vary with their size and that such strategies are focussed to meet short-term requirements.
Certification of Pediatric Oncology Nurses: From Roundtable Discussion to Reality
Authors: Williams Holly Ann , McMahon Leslie Wagner , Hasenauer Beth Frederick , Pennoyer Penny , Wilson Karla
Published: July 2007

Certification for pediatric oncology nurses became a reality in 1993 when the first national certification examination was administered in Reno, NV. Some members of the Association of Pediatric Oncology Nursing initially voiced an interest in certification at a roundtable discussion held during the 1988 annual meeting. The momentum lead to the formation of a task force to initiate the certification process. The task force led to an ad hoc committee, organized to design and implement certification. Certification is now overseen by the Certification Corporation of Pediatric Oncology Nurses. The benefits of certification and a historical overview of pediatric oncology nursing certification is discussed in this article. Details of how the test was designed are offered, as well as results from the pilot study. This article concludes with data from the first examination. © 1995 by Association of Pediatric Oncology Nurses.
Family Research in Pediatric Oncology Nursing
Authors: Birenbaum Linda K.
Published: July 2007

This article reviews and critiques pediatric oncology family nursing research and suggests advancing the research basis of pediatric oncology family nursing practice. The article is organized around the conceptual issues that challenge family nurse researchers, the methods used in reviewing the literature, instrumentation that reflects conceptual issues, findings, and suggestions. Methodological issues abound in this literature and some shared findings across studies do exist: parenting is a concern of all family members; family communication problems have been identified from several perspectives; and increased stress at some points in treatment is reported by all members of the family. Coping is an area of limited agreement and adjustment is poorly articulated in this literature. Longitudinal studies, improved instrumentation, use of triangulation, and publication of more complicated data sets that include family measurement are recommended to advance the scientific basis of pediatric oncology family nursing.
A Video System to Help Children Cooperate with Motion Control for Radiation Treatment Without Sedation
Authors: Slifer Keith J.
Published: July 2007

A behavioral program for teaching children to cooperate with radiation treatment without sedation was previously published in this journal. Outcome data from using that program with 11 more children are reported here. For these children, an apparatus was developed to display video cartoons and movies during their behavioral training, radiation therapy planning, and daily treatments. Literature supporting the use of video displays to provide relaxation, distraction, and counterconditioning during medical procedures is highlighted. With behavioral training and the video display, 9 of the 11 children were able to avoid any sedation for daily treatments. A 10th child was able to avoid general anesthesia for his last 10 daily treatments. The advantages and limitations of behavioral training as an alternative to repeated sedation or anesthesia for radiation treatment are discussed. '
Bereavement Follow-up: An Opportunity to Extend Nursing Care
Authors: Ruden Bridgid M.
Published: July 2007

Families who lose a child to cancer endure pain of tremendous proportions and those who face the grieving process without support are likely to feel devastated and overwhelmed. Nurses who care for these children and families have a unique opportunity (perhaps an obligation) to continue their care of families in the form of bereavement follow-up. Bereavement follow-up from nurses provides families with empathy, validation for their feelings, respect for their child's memory, and information about further support. Nurses can be uncomfortable about extending care to bereaved families for fear of saying the wrong thing, becoming emotional, making the parent's pain somehow worse, or because of unresolved grief of their own. Forming a bereavement committee and obtaining information about the grief process are two ways to work through those fears. Our informal evaluation of one bereavement program revealed that families greatly appreciate the follow-up. Nurses participating in the program felt more assured and personally rewarded once they become more knowledgeable about bereavement and received words and letters of appreciation from families.
Conscious Sedation of Pediatric Oncology Patients for Painful Procedures: Development and Implementation of a Clinical Practice Protocol
Authors: Macpherson Catherine Fiona , Lunciblad Laurie A.
Published: July 2007

Pain during treatment procedures is often identified as the most distressing aspect of the entire cancer experience for a child with cancer. The use of conscious sedation may reduce this procedure-related pain and distress. A clinical practice protocol is necessary to maximize the efficacy and safety of conscious sedation use. In this article, the processes of developing and implementing a conscious sedation protocol for pediatric oncology patients undergoing painful procedures are presented. The protocol itself is included. A review of the literature on conscious sedation is presented, and implications for pediatric oncology nursing practice are discussed.
Virus-Specific Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes as Prophylaxis for Epstein-Barr Virus Lymphoproliferative Disease in Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant Recipients
Authors: Norville Robbie , Nance Donna , Cheshire Shannon
Published: July 2007

Epstein-Barr virus lymphoproliferative disease (EBV LPD) is a well-recognized, life-threatening complication of bone marrow transplantation (BMT). The incidence of EBV LPD is increasing as more transplants are performed from mismatched and unrelated donors. Significant strides have been made in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of EBV LPD in marrow transplant recipients. Immunovirological assays can provide early identification of patients at risk for developing EBV LPD. Prophylaxis and treatment by the adoptive transfer of EBV-specific T cells and the subsequent long-term restoration of immunity against EBV-associated lymphoproliferation have provided positive outcomes in the management of this uniformly fatal complication of BMT. The purpose of this article is to provide a review of EBV LPD and to present a newly developed strategy for EBV LPD prophylaxis in pediatric BMT recipients.
Engineering Feasibility of Induced Strain Actuators for Rotor Blade Active Vibration Control
Authors: Giurgiutiu Victor , Chaudhry Zaffir , Rogers Craig A.
Published: July 2007

Rotor blade vibration reduction based on Higher Harmonic Control—Individual Blade Control (HHC-IBC) principles is presented as a possible area of application of Induced Strain Actuation (ISA). Recent theoretical and experimental work on achieving HHC-IBC through conventional and ISA means is reviewed. Though the force-displacement and power-energy estimates vary significantly, some common-base values are identified. Hence, a bench-mark specification for a tentative HHC-IBC device based on the aerodynamic servo-flap principle operated through ISA means is developed. Values for the invariant quantities of energy, power and force-displacement product are identified, along with actual displacement and force values of practical interest. The implementation feasibility of this specification into an actual ISA device is then discussed. It is shown that direct actuation is not feasible due to the large required length of the ISA device, resulting in excessive compressibility effects (displacement loss and parasitic strain energy). Indirect actuation through a displacement amplifier was found to be more feasible, since it allows for matching of internal and external stiffness. A closed form formula was developed for finding the optimal amplification gain for each required value of the closed-loop amplification ratio. Preliminary studies based on force, stroke, energy and output power requirements show that available ISA stacks coupled with an optimally designed displacement amplifier might meet the bench-mark specifications.
A Comparison of Shaped Piezoelectric Actuators for Divergence Control
Authors: Ball Jeffrey K. , Jones James D.
Published: July 2007

The characteristics and effectiveness of shaped piezo-actuators for use in controlling the divergence of a simplified forward swept wing model are analytically investigated. The forward swept wing is modeled as a simplified cantilever beam with surface mounted piezo-actuators on the upper surface of the beam. A constant electric field is applied to the actuator inducing a constant external force on the wing, and the effects of actuator location, size, thickness, and shape are evaluated using the principle of virtual work by maximizing the modal amplitude of the first bending mode. For control purposes, strain at the wing root is used as an error signal to minimize the beam deflection. Results suggest that the optimum actuator size should span the entire wing. The required actuator thickness for divergence control decreases with increasing airspeed due to the effectiveness softening of the wing in the presence of air loads. A uniform rectangular actuator is more effective for controlling divergence; however, a linearly shaped actutor is more efficient from the standpoint of control effectiveness per actuator weight. Application is currently limited by the large thicknesses and applied voltages required by the actuators to achieve effective divergence control. However, this investigation suggests that, because of the softening of the wing near divergence, only a small control effort is required to deform the wing thus allowing the airstream to act as the power source for control actuation.
Influence of Piezo-Actuator Thickness on the Active Vibration Control of a Cantilever Beam
Authors: Sung Jin Kim  , Jones James D.
Published: July 2007

The effect of piezo-actuator thickness on the active vibration control of a cantilever beam is investigated. The vibration field of the beam is theoretically estimated using the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory. Based on a static analysis, it is shown that there exists an optimal piezo-actuator thickness which maximizes the static beam deflection. Results indicate that the optimal thickness is a strong function of the Young's modulus ratio of the actuator/beam configuration, becoming thinner with stiffer piezo-actuators. For comparison, strategies for choosing piezo-actuator thickness based on a dynamic analysis are also investigated. Results suggest that the thickness choice for near-resonance excitation is similarly determined with the static analysis assuming structural damping. It is shown that lighter and stiffer piezo-actuators generally perform better. It is also shown that there exists a piezo-actuator thickness which maximizes the beam deflection for off resonance excitation with single-sided piezo-actuator configuration, which becomes thinner with stiffer and heavier piezo-actuators. In contrast, for double-sided piezo-actuator configuration, it is shown that the beam vibration response increases asymptotically to a limiting value as the piezo-actuator thickness approaches infinity. Parts of the theoretical results are verified with experiments.
A Self-Sensing Piezolaminated Actuator Model for Shells Using a First Order Shear Deformation Theory
Authors: Miller Scott E. , Abramovich Haim
Published: July 2007

A composite piezolaminated shallow thin shell theory has been developed in which the individual laminae are capable of electromechanical transduction. Utilizing a first order shear deformation approximation and assuming that an electrical field may be applied only across the thickness of a given lamina, the resulting shell theory shows that piezolaminae are capable of exciting and sensing bending, torsion, inplane shearing, and inplane stretching. Piezolaminae are shown to be incapable of exciting and sensing transverse shear unless a three-dimensional electrical field is applied. Inplane shearing and torsion transduction only becomes possible when the dominant rolling axis of a given piezolamina is skewed such as not to coincide with a principal geometric axis. Constitutive relationships are derived which describe how each piezolamina may function simultaneously as both a sensor and an actuator. Two-dimensional piezoelectric field functions are introduced which describe how nonuniformly distributed electromechanical transduction will affect the nature of the applied excitation and acquired measurement. The equations of motion are also given for a shell in which transverse shear deformation is neglected according to Love's first approximation.
Identifying Delamination in Composite Beams Using Built-In Piezoelectrics
Authors: Keilers Charles H. , Chang Fu-Kuo
Published: July 2007

An investigation was performed on using piezoelectrics built into laminated composite structures to detect a delamination and estimate its size and location. Previously, a structural model was developed for predicting the output voltages from the sensors when a delaminated beam was excited by the actuators. In this sequel, a delamination identification method is presented which consists of the structural model, a response comparator and a damage selector. When damage is suspected, the structural model is run repeatedly to predict the changes in response due to different possible delaminations. During these runs, delamination sizes and locations are selected randomly by the damage selector, which is based on an approach similar to the "simulated annealing algorithm" that improves agreement between the measured and calculated responses. In the response comparator, the agreement is quantified by using a weighted quadratic objective function. When the objective function is minimized, the responses agree, and the assumed damage is also a best estimate for the actual delamination dimensions. The method has been tested using responses measured in the laboratory and has successfully identified artificially implanted beam delaminations.
Nonlinear Constitutive Relations for Magnetostrictive Materials with Applications to 1-D Problems
Authors: Carman Greg P. , Mitrovic Milan
Published: July 2007

In this paper, we present a nonlinear constitutive relation for magnetostrictive materials that includes nonlinear coupling effects arising between temperature/preload and magnetic field strengths. The relations are derived from thermodynamic principles using Gibbs free energy expanded in a Taylor series with only the pertinent constants included as determined from experimental evidence present in existing literature. By assuming that the magnetostrictive material is operated in a biased magnetic field and perturbing this field with a small value, relations between the nonlinear material constants and linear coefficients present in existing literature are derived. The accuracy of the nonlinear constitutive relation is evaluated by comparing experimental results obtained on a Terfenol-D rod operating under both magnetic field and stress biases with theoretical values. Results indicate that the model adequately predicts the nonlinear strain/field relations in specific regimes. The nonlinear constitutive relations are also integrated into a 1-dimensional nonlinear finite element model for studying structural components. The coupled magneto elasticity problem is derived using a weighted residual method along with a Newton-Raphson iteration technique. Results of the analytical model indicate that linear approaches are inappropriate for modeling the response of this material in a structure.
Electrorheological Material Based Adaptive Beams Subjected to Various Boundary Conditions
Authors: Yalcintas Melek , Coulter John P.
Published: July 2007

The semi-active vibration control capabilities of Electrorheological (ER) material based adaptive beams were investigated in this study. The adaptive nature of such ER beams was achieved by controlling the pre-yield rheology of the ER material in response to varying applied electric field levels. The cross-sectional configuration of the beams considered was based on sandwiching the ER material between elastic face plates. A dynamic model of the beam structure based on thin plate theory was developed. The resulting dynamic model was able to predict the structural vibration characteristics of the ER adaptive beam. The information determined included natural frequencies, loss factors, and transverse vibration responses at any location on the beam surface. These vibration characteristics were determined as functions of excitation frequency and applied electric field level. Also the beam model was developed for generalized boundary conditions. The boundary conditions considered in this study were: clamped-clamped, clamped-free, clamped-simply supported and simply supported. Variations in the natural frequencies, loss factors, and transverse vibration response of the adaptive structure were analyzed for the listed boundary conditions. Additionally, effects of variations of the damping layer thickness of the adaptive beam on the structural loss factor was studied. Results were compared for the boundary conditions studied, and considerable variations in beam vibration responses were observed. As a result, the semi-active control capabilities of ER material based adaptive beams were theoretically illustrated.
Finite Element Formulation of a Sandwich Beam with Embedded Electro-Rheological Fluids
Authors: Lee Chunking
Published: July 2007

In this study, the amplitude-dependent dynamic characteristics of the ER sandwich beam was investigated. The nonlinear constitutive relation of the ER fluid in quasi-static shear was modeled by an exponential function. With the assumed quasi-static model, the hysteresis loop of ER fluid subjected to oscillatory shear strain was constructed. Thereby, the linearized complex moduli of the fluid at different amplitude of strain were derived by an energy approach. With this derived complex moduli, a linear finite element formulation of the sandwich beam structure based on Hamilton's principle was presented first. Then, an iterative process was presented to take the material nonlinearity of the ER fluid into account. The numerical examples of the sandwich beams in different boundary conditions demonstrated that the present modeling predicted qualitatively the changes of resonant frequencies and damping factors with respect to the amplitude of excitation as observed in the literature.
Low Temperature Thermal Conductivity, Heat Capacity, and Heat Generation of PZT
Authors: Yarlagadda Shridhar , Chan Moses H.W. , Lee Hyun , Lesieutre George A. , Jensen David W. , Messer R. Scott
Published: July 2007

The thermal conductivity, heat capacity and heat generation properties of two poled piezoceramic materials, a "soft" PZT-5H and a "hard" PZT-4S, were measured over the temperature range from 20 K to above 150 K. A single sample was used for each test type.

The thermal conductivity (in the poling direction) of PZT-5H increased from 0.010 W/m-K at 15 K to 0.14 W/m-K at 300 K. The thermal conductivity of PZT-4S was generally higher, increasing from 0.018 to 0.34 W/m-K over the same temperature range.

The heat capacity of PZT-5H increased from 23.3 J/kg-K at 23 K to 348 J/kg-K at 153 K, while the heat capacity of PZT-4S increased from 42.6 to 159 J/kg-K over the same range.

Heat generation varied with drive amplitude and frequency as well as temperature, and is presented as an effective dielectric loss property. The dielectric loss for PZT-5H at 100 Hz varied from 4.15 (20 K) to 23.1 (150 K), and at 2000 Hz from 9.8 (20K) to 26.5 (150 K). As expected, the dielectric loss for the "hard" PZT-4S was lower, and varied at 100 Hz from 2.86 (25 K) to 16.2 (150 K), and at 2000 Hz from 6.47 (25 K) to 20.2 (150 K).

A "transition" type behavior between 50 K and 80 K was observed for both materials.
A Simple Finite Element Formulation for a Laminated Composite Plate with Piezoelectric Layers
Authors: Suleman A. , Venkayya V.B.
Published: July 2007

A simple finite element formulation for a composite plate with laminated piezoelectric layers is presented. Classical laminate theory with electromechanical induced actuation and variational principles are used to formulate the equations of motion for a Mindlin plate element based upon uniformly reduced numerical integration and hourglass stabilization. The equations of motion are discretized with four-node, 24 degree of freedom quadrilateral shell elements with one electrical degree of freedom per piezoelectric layer. Performance of the finite element formulation developed here has been tested and compared to the experimental and analytical results documented in literature.
Path Dependence of Shape Memory Alloys during Cyclic Loading
Authors: Jesse Lim T. , McDowell David L.
Published: July 2007

It has long been recognized that Ni-Ti shape memory alloys (SMAs) behave pseudo-elastically above the austenite finish temperature (Af) with a nearly perfectly plastic character during the initial cycles of transformation. Under conditions of cyclic loading with a maximum strain ∈max, the critical stress to initiate stress-induced martensitic (SIM) transformation decreases, the strain-hardening rate increases, residual strain accumulates and the hysteresis energy progressively decreases over many cycles of loading. Hence the hysteresis energy available for dissipation gradually decreases during cycling. Recent work (Miyazaki et al., 1981, 1986; Contardo and Guenin, 1990; Filip and Mazanec, 1994) has shown that dislocations are generated in the alloy during the phase transformation to accommodate formation of SIM, giving rise to the change of hysteresis behavior of the SMA. Upon loading the SMA to a strain level higher than ∈ max, the alloy behaves almost identical to the "virgin material". Likewise, it has been shown (Huo and Muller, 1993) that the stress at which either the forward or reverse transformation occurs, even in the absence of significant matrix dislocation effects, depends upon the strain level (transformation level) prior to the last unloading event. This behavior is attributed to the distribution and configuration of austenite-martensite interfaces which evolve during the transformation and requires additional internal state variable(s) beyond the mass fraction of martensite for description. These path dependent mechanisms are expected to invalidate current internal state variable models which assume that the free energy depends only on strain, temperature and martensite mass fraction. In this paper, some modelling features are discussed to address the effects of dislocation arrays generated in the parent phase as well as the distribution of transformation product/interfaces. Several uniaxial experiments are reported on Ni-Ti to highlight the path dependence of the cyclic deformation behavior and progressive decrease of dissipated energy. Implications for multiaxial loading behavior are also discussed.
A Three-Dimensional Phase Transformation Model for Shape Memory Alloys
Authors: Barrett David John , Sullivan Brian J.
Published: July 2007

Shape memory alloys have been used almost exclusively in components subjected to simple loadings such as uniaxial tension, pure bending or torsion. As part of the development of smart structures and adaptive components, shape memory alloys must be designed to function in complex, multi-dimensional stress states. In order for these materials to participate as active elements in smart structural designs, the alloys must undergo a phase transformation, during which their properties change. For one-dimensional stress states, data generated in simple stress-strain-temperature tests is sufficient to define the onset and completion of a phase transformation. When multi-dimensional stress states are encountered, data from more complicated tests will be needed to define the transformation. In this paper, a model for multi-dimensional phase transformation criteria is introduced and discussed, and tests for defining the boundaries of the initiation and completion of phase transformation surfaces are proposed.
Effect of Dielectric Constant of the Liquid Phase of Electrorheological Fluids
Authors: Rejón L. , Ponce M.A. , De La Luz C. , Nava R. , Castano V.M.
Published: July 2007

Electrorheological Fluids were prepared by using small (approximately 63 μ) silica particles and fluids with very different dielectric constants (∈). The results of the rheological characterization of the above Electrorheological Fluids show dramatic changes depending on the relative polarity of the particle and liquid phases of the particular ERF. These results are discussed under the light of the various theoretical mechanisms proposed in the literature for Electrorheological Fluids.
Intelligent Ceramic Materials for Chemical Sensors
Authors: Traversa Enrico
Published: July 2007

Recently, the search for novel functions has received increasing attention in the field of materials. The development of materials with intelligent functions is a key point for the development of novel technologies. One class of materials which has outstanding possibilities for application as intelligent materials is electroceramics, and one of the most appealing uses of functional ceramics is in the chemical sensor field. The materials conventionally used in this field show many problems, such as insufficient gas selectivity, inability to detect very low gas concentrations, and changes in sensing properties caused by surface contamination. In order to overcome these problems, one possible solution is the design of materials with novel detection mechanisms. In this paper, examples of intelligent ceramic materials for humidity and gas sensors are reported, i.e., multifunctional La2CuO4/ZnO p-n heterocontacts, Au/ZnO Schottky barriers, and sol-gel processed thin films of TiO2 with 10 at% of K. The intelligent materials functions of these systems are based on the multiphase interaction of materials having different properties, such as p-type/n-type semiconductors, metal/ceramic and conductor/insulator.
Passive and Active Tagging of Glass-Fiber Polymeric Composites for In-Process and In-Field Non-Destructive Evaluation
Authors: Giurgiutiu Victor , Zao Chen  , Lalande Frederic , Rogers Craig A. , Quattrone Robert , Berman Justin
Published: July 2007

Conventional non-destructive evaluation (NDE) methods are not very effective in monitoring the material conditions of advanced composite and adhesive joints. A technology that has been proposed to enhance the inspectability of advanced composites is the particle tagging technique. Two theoretical models were recently proposed to characterize the dynamic behavior of ferromagnetic and magnetostrictive tagging particles. These theoretical models concerning the development of an active tagging technique with embedded ferromagnetic and magnetostrictive particles and magnetic excitation are now experimentally verified. The experimental results of the active particle tagging shows a variation in the dynamic response of the specimens when defects and/or damage are present. The sensory signature from a tagged polymer is extracted as a result of the interaction between the embedded particles and their host matrix. A study of various types of composites and tagging particles for passive and active tagging was performed. Experimental validation of concepts for tagging of structural materials for on-site inspection prior to installation have also been explored. The on-site particle tagging inspection has been verified on laboratory specimens obtained from industry and was shown to be very efficient.
TIG Welding and Shape Memory Effect of TiNi Shape Memory Alloy
Authors: Ikai A. , Kimura K. , Tobushi H.
Published: July 2007

In the present study, with respect to TIG welding for a TiNi shape-memory alloy wire and sheet, the optimum welding schedule was decided based on the breaking load of the weld and its standard deviation. By performing the cyclic loading-unloading and heating-cooling tests in the neighborhood of the weld, the shape memory effect was investigated. In order to investigate the shape memory effect in detail, the tensile properties of the weld metal and heat-affected zone were discussed. Based on the results, the deformation behavior of the neighborhood of the weld and the shape memory effect under cyclic deformation were clarified. Moreover, wires of different transformation temperatures were welded, and the shape properties were investigated.
Typical Section Problems for Structural Control Applications
Authors: Jacques Robert N. , Miller David W. , De Luis Javier
Published: July 2007

Two low order problems are studied which capture some of the important fundamental physics associated with the control of structures. The order of the problems is kept low to allow the derivation of a closed-form solution. This identifies the dependency of the solution on the basic parameters of the problem. These two problems derive the optimal H2 and H ∞control for a spring/mass system described by a second order, ordinary differential equation. The H2 solution is compared with the closed-form H2 solution to the optimal regulator for an infinite rod and beam whose behaviors are described by second order, partial differential equations. This comparison identifies the analogies between the typical section problem and a simple structural control problem. The optimal control solutions for the H2 and H∞ problems are expanded upon by optimizing passive parameters. This reduces total closed-loop cost and is analogous to a control/structure optimization problem. It is found that certain levels of finite passive damping and stiffness are desirable even if they are available at no cost in the H2 problem, and that additional stiffness (any amount) and damping (up to ζ = 1/√2) enhances performance in the H∞problem. It is shown that while the structure and control must be designed simultaneously to optimize an H2 performance metric, sequential design will work in some cases which use an H∞ performance metric. These simple problems reveal important properties of more complex structural control problems.
Mismatch Repair Genes hMLH1 and hMSH2 May Not Play an Essential Role in Breast Carcinogenesis
Authors: Khilko Natalya , Bourne Patricia , Qi Yang  , Ping Tang
Published: July 2007

Breast carcinoma is one of the most common malignancies in women, and its carcinogenesis is still unknown. The role of microsatellite instability (MSI) in breast carcinogenesis has been inconsistent in the literature. Here we studied the expression of 2 mismatch repair genes, hMLH1 and hMSH2, in 211 cases of intraductal (DCIS; 90 cases) and invasive ductal carcinoma (121 cases) of the breast by immunohistochemical analysis; and evaluated its relationship with cytokeratin (CK) subtypes, along with expression of ER-α (138 cases positive, 73 cases negative); PR (118 cases positive, 93 cases negative), and HER-2/neu (47 cases positive, 164 cases negative); and clinical features such as patient age (157 cases > 50 years, 54 cases < 50 years), tumor size (31 cases of IDC > 2 cm, 90 cases of IDC < 2 cm), tumor grade (87 cases high nuclear grade, 124 case non-high grade), and lymph node metastasis (38 cases of IDC positive, 74 cases of IDC negative, 9 cases of IDC with no available data on lymph node status). For CK subtypes, 167 cases were classified as luminal subtype (expressing CK8 and/or CK18, negative for CK5/6, CK14, and CK17) and 44 cases were classified as nonluminal (most of them belonged to basal/stem subtype, expressing CK5/6, and/or CK14, and/or CK17). No typical or atypical medullary carcinoma was included in this study. Our results showed that no loss of nuclear expression of either hMLH1 or hMSH2 was identified in any of the 211 cases of DCIS or IDC regardless of the various pathological and clinical factors, suggesting that hMLH1 or hMSH2 may not play an essential role in the majority of cases of the breast carcinoma.
Aberrant Methylation of Multiple Genes in Gastric Carcinomas
Authors: Zhao Ying-Fang , Zhang Yun-Gang , Tian Xin-Xia , Juan Du  , Jie Zheng
Published: July 2007

In this study, we examined aberrant methylation of the E-cadherin, estrogen receptor, RB1 , p16, p15, p14, and MGMT genes by the methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction method in 101 gastric carcinomas. Hypermethylation was detected in E-cadherin, estrogen receptor, RB1, p16, p14, p15, and MGMT at the rates of 27.7%, 44.6%, 44.6%, 30.7%, 19.2%, 7.7%, and 6.9%, respectively. A total of 82.2% cases had methylation in at least 1 of these genes, and 44.6% had methylation in 2 or more of these genes. Methylation of RB1 was associated with absence of lymph node metastasis. Methylation of estrogen receptor was associated with age and tumor location. Methylation of E-cadherin coincided with methylation of p16 or estrogen receptor. Moreover, loss of p16 protein was strongly associated with its gene methylation. This study indicates that aberrant methylation of multiple genes is involved in gastric carcinogenesis.
The Relationship of Langerhans Cells to Melanocytes and Schwann Cells in Mature Cystic Teratomas of the Ovary
Authors: Muretto Pietro
Published: July 2007

Mature cystic teratomas have been widely studied relative to their tissue components derived from all 3 embryonic layers, and immunohistochemical methods have demonstrated a variety of neurohormonal polypeptides. To our knowledge, Langerhans cells (LCs), which are a peculiar component of epidermis, have not been reported in ovarian teratomas. The origin of these cells is still a matter of debate, ranging from bone marrow stem cells to neural elements. Thirty mature teratomas of the ovary were studied by immunohistochemistry using CD1 (specific against dendritic LCs), S100 protein (against LCs and melanocytes), and melan-A and HMB45 (against melanocytes). Furthermore, antibodies for identifying subsets of lymphocytes and monocytes (CD3, CD4, CD8 , CD20, and CD68) were used. Histologic examination showed teratomas with the presence of all 3 embryonic layers in variable proportions in 23 cases, while 7 teratomas were composed only of epidermis without appendages or other tissues. Immunohistochemistry identified LCs among the suprabasal layers of epidermis in the same sites at which melanocytes were seen in the basal layer. CD1-positive LCs sometimes appeared to cross the basal membrane and penetrate the subepidermal tissue (related to their known migratory ability), and they were associated there with T-cell line lymphocytes (CD3 positive). These findings were commonly observed in teratomas that included all 3 embryonic layers and neural tissues. Notably, LCs and melanocytes were undetectable in the 7 teratomas composed of epidermis only. Our observations of LCs in ovarian teratomas led us to consider these cells to be derived from neural cells, possibly related to Schwann cells, in accord with the original description by Langerhans. In fact, LCs are always associated with melanocytes, which are universally considered to be derived from the neural crest, as are Schwann cells and peripheral nerves. Finally, we propose that LCs may be part of a cytoimmunologic system related to the T-cell compartment, with a stem cell derived from the neural crest.
A Hypervascular Pseudotumor in the Liver With Angiodysplasia in the Center of the Lesion: A New Entity or a Variant of Focal Nodular Hyperplasia?
Authors: Morise Zenichi , Urano Makoto , Sugioka Atsushi , Mizoguchi Yoshikazu , Kato Ryoichi , Hoshimoto Sojun , Kato Takazumi , Ikeda Masahiro , Kuroda Makoto
Published: July 2007

A unique case of hypervascular pseudotumor in the liver consisting of central angiodysplasia surrounded by atrophic liver tissue is described. A 45-year-old woman was referred for the incidentally found hepatic lesion. Computed tomography with contrast showed strong enhancement of the lesion in the arterial phase, and the effect persisted to the parenchymal phase. Doppler ultrasonography showed winding dilated blood flows into the lesion. Because the pathological examination of the biopsy specimen showed the possibility of a well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma, she underwent surgery. Final pathological findings showed that the lesion demonstrated atrophic change of the liver tissue with a cluster of abnormal vessels of various sizes in the center. Although there was no primary liver disease, multiple liver metastases from laryngeal carcinoma were found coincidentally. The present lesion could represent a new entity or a variant (or an unknown stage of development) of focal nodular hyperplasia.
Parachordoma of the Gastric Serosa: Report of a Myxoid Mimicry in an Unusual Location
Authors: Spivach Arrigo , Zanconati Fabrizio , Tirabosco Roberto , Falconieri Giovanni
Published: July 2007

The authors report a case of an incidentally discovered myxoid stromal tumor occurring in the outer wall of the stomach of a 65-year-old woman. The tumor was phenotypically consistent with parachordoma (or myoepithelioma), showing a chordoid microscopic appearance of tumor cells loosely arranged within a myxoid or hyaline background. Immunoreactivity for high-molecular-weight keratins, S100 protein, and vimentin was detected. In this report, the authors address the differential diagnosis of parachordoma and the unusual location of this neoplasm.
Mefenamic Acid in Prevention of Premature Labour
Authors: Mital Premlata , Garg S. , Khuteta R.P. , Khuteta S. , Mital Pradeep
Published: July 2007

Women at risk of premature delivery were divided randomly into 2 groups of 80 each. Mefenamic acid 500mg 3 times a day or a placebo was given in a double blind fashion. Preterm delivery occurred in 15% of the treated group and 40% of the control group (p < 0.005). The mean birth weight in the test group was higher as compared to the controls. There were no cases of foetal malformations in either of the groups. The results support the use of Mefenamic acid in preventing premature labour.
Enforcement of Tobacco Purchase, Use, and Possession Laws in Four Kentucky Communities
Authors: Hahn Ellen J. , Riker Carol , Butler Karen M. , Cavendish Sarah , Lewis Paul , Army U.S. , Greathouse Maggio Lisa W. , Nunley Veronica
Published: July 2007

This case study examined the implementation and enforcement of the purchase, use, and possession (PUP) laws for tobacco in four Kentucky communities. Purposive and snowball sampling were used to identify 44 adult key informants. Qualitative, semistructured phone interviews assessed knowledge about PUP laws, enforcement, effects of the laws on teen tobacco use, and perceptions about the laws. Seven themes were identified: enforcement not a priority, unaware of enforcement authority, spotty enforcement, other sources of tobacco, minimum penalties, confusion about compliance checks, and schools as de facto enforcers. One community went beyond the statutory requirements of the law and created more stringent penalties for violating the use and possession law, and it also had low illegal sales rates. These laws may be more effective if they are enforced strictly with a meaningful penalty and a clear enforcement strategy.
Helicobacter pylori infection and chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura: long-term results of bacterium eradication and association with bacterium virulence profiles
Authors: Emilia Giovanni , Luppi Mario , Zucchini Patrizia , Morselli Monica , Potenza Leonardo , Forghieri Fabio , Volzone Francesco , Jovic Gordana , Leonardi Giovanna , Donelli Amedea , Torelli Giuseppe
Published: July 2007

Eradication of Helicobacter pylori may lead to improvement of chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), although its efficacy over time is uncertain. We report the results of H pylori screening and eradication in 75 consecutive adult patients with ITP. We also used molecular methods to investigate lymphocyte clonality and H pylori genotypes in the gastric biopsies from 10 H pylori–positive patients with ITP and 19 H pylori–positive patients without ITP with chronic gastritis. Active H pylori infection was documented in 38 (51%) patients and successfully eradicated in 34 (89%) patients. After a median follow-up of 60 months, a persistent platelet response in 23 (68%) of patients with eradicated infection was observed; 1 relapse occurred. No differences in mucosal B- or T-cell clonalities were observed between patients with ITP and control participants. Of note, the frequency of the H pylori cagA gene (P = .02) and the frequency of concomitant H pylori cagA, vacAs1, and iceA genes (triple-positive strains; P = .015) resulted statistically higher in patients with ITP than in control participants. All asymptomatic H pylori–positive patients with ITP were suffering from chronic gastritis. Our data suggest a sustained platelet recovery in a proportion of patients with ITP by H pylori eradication alone. Overrepresentation of specific H pylori genotypes in ITP suggests a possible role for bacterium-related factors in the disease pathogenesis.