bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
‘It's More Scary Not to Know’: A Qualitative Study Exploring the Information Needs of Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus at the Time of Diagnosis
Authors: Waldron Nicola , Brown Sue , Hewlett Sarah , Elliott Barbara , McHugh Neil , McCabe Candy
Published: October 2011

Objectives

To identify the information needs of patients newly diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus), to inform the design of a future education package.

Methods

Focus groups were conducted in seven rheumatology centres in the UK with 43 purposively selected participants. Data were subjected to thematic inductive analysis.

Results

The first major theme, ‘Impact of early information’, describes how for many individuals information was scant and, as most had little prior knowledge of lupus, the information was difficult to absorb, leaving them with feelings of fear and confusion. ‘Information received versus information sought’ (theme 2) describes how few participants felt they had received clear, consistent information. For most, information was felt to be insufficient, forcing them to seek it elsewhere, which, if unsuitable, resulted in further distress. ‘Early education needs’ (theme 3) reflects that patients would rather be informed of potential problems than remain naïve. Patients felt that receiving a comprehensive information pack as an adjunct to verbal information from their clinician would be helpful, along with rapid access to knowledgeable professionals when they were ready to ask questions about their lupus.

Conclusions

Participants stated information and support currently provided at diagnosis is inadequate for their needs. They would like detailed information, provided through a variety of formats. Crucially this should be supported by professionals and available at whatever point in the patient's journey they want to access such discussions .The challenge is for health professionals to meet these needs in the most beneficial and cost effective way. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Meyer‐Neldel rule in layered silicone‐silver nanocomposites
Authors: Yildiz A. , Iacomi F. , Cazacu M. , Amironesei A. , Rusu G.I. , Simon S.
Published: October 2011

X‐Ray diffraction and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies, applied on some silicone‐silver nanocomposites, revealed the influence of the solvent used in preparation on the morphology of the resulted materials. It has been emphasized that dimethylformamide solvent favors the formation of silver nanoparticles and their migration at the surface, while water solvent favors the formation of a homogeneous composite with small silver nanoparticles. The places occupied by Ag nanoparticles (some prevent their oxidation and others that favor the oxidation process) are dependent on the mixture used in sol‐gel technique and have influence on the nanocomposite electrical conductivity. The temperature dependence of the electrical conductivity is investigated. A linear relationship between the pre‐exponential factor (σ0) and activation energy (Ea) was observed, in the high temperature range (T > 315 K), for all the samples, indicating that the conductivity data obey Meyer‐Neldel rule. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers
Removal of hazardous by radiation‐synthesized copolymer hydrogels based on 2‐acrylamido‐2‐methylpropanesulfonic acid and 2‐dimethyaminoethyl methacrylate monomers
Authors: El‐Din Horia M. M. Nizam , Bary Elsayed M. Abdel
Published: October 2011

Superabsorbent copolymer hydrogels were prepared by gamma irradiation of aqueous solutions of 2‐acrylamido‐2‐methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS) and 2‐dimethyaminoethyl methacrylate (DEMA) monomers mixtures. The thermal stability of hydrogels was evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis. The ability to adsorb Cu2+ ions and dyes by the prepared hydrogels from aqueous solutions was investigated. The swelling study, in water, showed that the hydrogels based on pure AMPS monomer and AMPS/DEMA copolymers reached the equilibrium state after 6 h. However, the hydrogel based on pure AMPS monomer showed higher swelling than the copolymer hydrogels based on AMPS/DEMA. It was found that the copolymer hydrogels based on different compositions showed affinity to absorb Cu2+ metal ions as well as basic and acid dyes; however, this affinity was found to decrease with increasing the ratio of DEMA in the initial feeding solutions. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers
Controllable synthesis and characterization of alumina/MWNT nanocomposites
Authors: Németh Zoltán , Markó Kata , Erdőhelyi András , Forró László , Hernadi Klara
Published: October 2011

The aim of this work is to develop a controllable synthesis pathway which produces a stable alumina layer on the surface of carbon nanotubes by impregnation method. Precursor compounds such as aluminium isopropoxide and aluminium‐acetyl‐acetonate were used to cover the surface of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) under different solvent conditions. As‐prepared alumina coverages were characterized by TEM, SEM, SEM‐EDX, TG and X‐ray diffraction techniques. Results revealed that homogeneous coverage can be achieved in a controllable way.
Size‐induced structural transition in ZnO prismatic nanoparticles
Authors: Tuoc Vu Ngoc , Huan Tran Doan
Published: October 2011

We report a first‐principles study on several series of zinc oxide prismatic nanoparticles (NPs) with triangular and hexagonal cross‐section geometries and various diameters up to 2.4 nm. Structural and electronic properties of the NPs are calculated using density functional theory, focusing on the effects induced by the surfaces reconstruction and the quantum sizes of the structures. We have observed a transition from the rocksalt structure for short NPs to the wurtzite structure for long NPs. These two structures are found to correspond to two mechanisms of surface stabilization, which are also observed in short and long NPs. For short NPs, the surfaces are stabilized by merging two polar facets of each layer into one while for long NPs, an “effective charge transfer” between two outer base surfaces is the key mechanism for surface stabilization. Effects of sizes and surfaces on electronic properties of the structures, e.g., the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO)–lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) gap, are examined to support the discussion of the structural transition and the polar surface stability.
Influence of Pd‐Au/MWCNTs surface treatment on catalytic activity in the formic acid electrooxidation
Authors: Malolepszy Artur , Mazurkiewicz Marta , Mikolajczuk Anna , Stobinski Leszek , Borodzinski Andrzej , Mierzwa Boguslaw , Lesiak Beata , Zemek Josef , Jiricek Petr
Published: October 2011

Influence of different treatments of Pd‐Au/MWCNTs prepared by a modified polyol microwave‐assisted method on the morphology and the catalytic activity in the formic acid electrooxidation was investigated. The following standard treatments were applied to purify the metal particles surface from the carbonaceous deposits formed from ethyl glycol adsorbed on the catalyst after the preparation: 1. annealing in air at 300 °C, 2. annealing in air at 300 °C and then reduction in 5%H2/Ar at 200 °C, 3. reduction in 5%H2/Ar at 200 °C. Surprisingly, the most catalytically active sample was that without additional purification treatments. The TEM, XRD and electron spectroscopy methods were applied to characterise the catalysts. Two Pdx Au1–x phases are present in all catalysts. The treatment number 1 and 2 caused: 1. partial removing of the carbonaceous deposits from the metal surface, 2. increases metal particle sizes, 3. decreases of Pd rich phase content, 4. increases ratio of Au to Pd in the catalyst surface layer. Treatment number 4 did not change significantly the sample morphology but decreased its catalytic activity in formic acid fuel cell. It can be due oligomerization of carbon deposits during thermal treatment in reducing (H2) atmosphere (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Ferrimagnetic ZnFe2O4 thin films on SrTiO3 single crystals with highly tunable electrical conductivity
Authors: Lorenz Michael , Brandt Matthias , Mexner Katja , Brachwitz Kerstin , Ziese Michael , Esquinazi Pablo , Hochmuth Holger , Grundmann Marius
Published: October 2011

The electrical conductivity of zinc ferrite (ZFO) thin films can be tuned over 7 orders of magnitude. The conductivity is thermally induced with two activation energies around 40–55 meV and 70–130 meV. Doping of the ZFO films with 1 at% Si or Ge further increases the conductivity. The magnetic hysteresis shows coercive fields of about 0.01 T and high saturation magnetization up to 300 emu/cm3 at 300 K. The electronic Hall mobility and carrier concentration at high magnetic fields are about 0.07 cm2/V s and 1.2 × 1020 cm–3 at room temperature, respectively, which indicates a hopping dominated conductivity. The out‐of‐plane orientation of the ZFO films fabricated by pulsed laser deposition is (001) on SrTiO3(001) and (111) on SrTiO3(111).

magnified image

The resistivity of ZnFe2O4 thin films on SrTiO3 is tunable over 7 orders of magnitude by the PLD growth parameters and doping with group IV elements.

(© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Activation of p53 Signaling and Inhibition of Androgen Receptor Mediate Tanshinone IIA Induced G1 Arrest in LNCaP Prostate Cancer Cells
Authors: Won Suk‐Hyun , Lee Hyo‐Jeong , Jeong Soo‐Jin , Lü Junxuan , Kim Sung‐Hoon
Published: October 2011

Our group previously reported that tanshinone IIA induced apoptosis via a mitochondria dependent pathway in LNCaP prostate cancer cells. In the present study, the roles of androgen receptor (AR) and p53 signaling pathways were investigated in tanshinone IIA‐induced G1 arrest in LNCaP cells. Tanshinone IIA significantly inhibited the growth and proliferation of LNCaP cells by colony formation and BrdU incorporation assays, respectively. Tanshinone IIA induced cell cycle arrest at G1 phase and down‐regulated cyclin D1, CDK2 and CDK4. Furthermore, tanshinone IIA activated the phosphorylation of p53 at Ser 15 residue and its downstream p21 and p27. Additionally, tanshinone IIA suppressed the expression of AR and prostate specific antigen (PSA). Conversely, silencing p53 using its specific siRNA reversed cyclin D1 expression inhibited by tanshinone IIA. However, knockdown of AR had no effect on the p53/p21/p27 signaling pathway activated by tanshinone IIA in LNCaP cells. In AR siRNA‐transfected cells, tanshinone IIA did not cause cell cycle arrest and reduce cyclin D1, implying that AR is essential to induce G1 arrest by tanshinone IIA in LNCaP cells. Taken together, the findings suggest that tanshinone IIA induces G1 arrest via activation of p53 signaling and inhibition of AR in LNCaP cells. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Metabolite identification of artemether by data‐dependent accurate mass spectrometric analysis using an LTQ‐Orbitrap hybrid mass spectrometer in combination with the online hydrogen/deuterium exchange technique
Authors: Liu Tian , Du Fuying , Zhu Fanping , Xing Jie
Published: October 2011

Artemether (ARM), the O‐methyl ether prodrug of dihydroartemisinin (DHA), is a first‐line antimalarial drug used in areas of multi‐drug resistance. Artemisinin drugs can be metabolized extensively in vivo and this seems related to their autoinduction pharmacokinetics. In the present study, the metabolite identification of ARM was performed by the generic data‐dependent accurate mass spectrometric analysis, using high‐resolution (HR) liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC/ESI‐MS) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) LTQ‐Orbitrap hybrid mass spectrometer in conjunction with online hydrogen (H)/deuterium (D) exchange for rapid structural characterization. The LC separation was improved allowing the separation of ARM parent drugs and their metabolites from their diastereomers. A total of 77 phase I metabolites of ARM were identified in rat liver microsomal incubates and rat urine, including dihydroartemisinin and artemisinin. In rat bile, 12 phase II metabolites were found. Accurate mass data were obtained in both full scan and HR‐MS/MS mode to support assignments of metabolite structures. Online H/D exchange LC/HR‐ESI‐MS experiments provided additional evidence in differentiating dihydroxylated deoxy‐ARM from mono‐hydroxylated ARM. The results showed the main phase I metabolites of artemether are hydroxylated, dehydro, demethylated and deoxy products, and they will undergo subsequent phase II glucuronidation processes. Most metabolites were reported for the first time. This study also demonstrated the effectiveness of high‐resolution mass spectrometry in combination with an online H/D exchange LC/HR‐MSn technique in rapid identification of drug metabolites. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Age estimation of museum wool textiles from Ovis aries using deamidation rates utilizing matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry
Authors: Araki Naoko , Moini Mehdi
Published: October 2011

Cultural heritage contains a large number of precious proteinaceous specimens, such as wool and silk textiles, leather objects, paper, paint, coatings, binders (and associated adhesives), etc. To minimize the degradation of and to preserve these artifacts, it is desirable to understand the fundamental factors that cause their degradation, to identify the deterioration markers that determine their degradation stage and their age, and to use technologies that can provide this information rapidly while consuming a minimal amount of sample. There are several forces that cause protein degradation, including amino acid racemization, protein deamidation, and protein truncation. The purpose of this paper is to study protein deamidation using matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI‐MS) for high‐throughput dating of museums wool specimens. For proof of concept, several well‐dated sheep's wool textiles from museum collections were analyzed. For wool samples aged from the present to ~400 years ago, the deamidation of two asparagine‐containing peptides obtained from the tryptic digest of sheep wool were found to behave linearly in time, indicating that they could act as a potential biomarker of aging for wool samples. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mass spectra of 3,3‐difluoro‐1‐halo‐2‐arylcyclopropenes
Authors: Ding Mei‐Fang , Lin Shaw‐Tao , Hong Chung‐Hong
Published: October 2011

The electron ionization (EI) mass spectra of a series of 3,3‐difluoro‐1‐halo‐2‐arylcyclo‐ propenes (1, 2) give the fragments [M–X]+ (X: Br, Cl) as the base peaks. A comparison of tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) profiles of the m/z 151 ions recorded from compounds 1 and 2 and 3‐bromo‐3,3‐difluoro‐1‐phenylcyclopropyne (5), 1,1,2,2‐tetrafluoro‐3‐phenyl‐ cyclopropane (6), 1,1,2,2‐tetrafluoroindane (7), and 2,3,3‐trifluoroindene (8) suggested that the structure of the derived [M–X]+ fragment ion is more likely that of a substituted cyclopropenium ion. The results from calculations using the density functional theory (DFT) method support this MS/MS analysis. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hybrid Au–CdSe and Ag–CdSe Nanoflowers and Core–Shell Nanocrystals via One‐Pot Heterogeneous Nucleation and Growth
Authors: AbouZeid Khaled M. , Mohamed Mona B. , El‐Shall M. Samy
Published: October 2011

A general approach, based on heterogeneous nucleation and growth of CdSe nanostructures on Au or Ag nanocrystals, for the synthesis of Au–CdSe and Ag–CdSe hybrid nanostructures is developed. The new approach provides a versatile one‐pot route for the synthesis of hybrid nanoflowers consisting of a gold or silver core and multipod CdSe rods or an intact CdSe shell with controlled thickness, depending on the nucleation and growth parameters. At lower growth temperatures such as 150 °C, the CdSe clusters are adsorbed on the surface of the metal cores in their surface defects, then multiple arms and branches form, resulting in nanoflower‐shaped hybrid structures. Increasing the size of the metal core through the choice of the reducing and capping agents results in an improvement of the interface between the metal and CdSe domains, producing core–shell structures. The growth temperature appears to be the most important factor determining the nature of the interface between the metal and CdSe domains. At relatively high temperatures such as 300 °C, the formation of large, faceted Au cores creates preferential growth sites for the CdSe nanocrystalline shell, thus resulting in well‐defined Au–CdSe core–shell structures with large interfaces between the Au and CdSe domains. The present approach is expected to foster systematic studies of the electronic structures and optical properties of the metal–semiconductor hybrid materials for potential applications in photovoltaic and nanoelectronic devices.
Designing future‐context‐aware dynamic applications with structured context prediction
Authors: Zaplata Sonja , Meiners Matthias , Lamersdorf Winfried
Published: October 2011

Middleware support for advanced pervasive applications includes dealing with heterogeneous systems and dynamic changes of execution environments. If applications are context aware, they are able to detect such changes at runtime and react to them accordingly. Furthermore, they can also proactively adapt to upcoming situations by making accurate assumptions about future contexts. However, the design of reusable middleware support for such future‐context‐aware applications is still challenging as a supporting prediction system has to be generic, but at the same time has to provide potential for high accuracy and efficiency.

This paper proposes a concept for the development of future‐context‐aware applications on the basis of the novel approach of structured context prediction. As a framework, this approach allows for integrating domain‐specific knowledge and facilitates application, combination, and implementation of suitable prediction methods. In addition, specific runtime mechanisms for distribution of knowledge and adaptation of prediction tasks are proposed, which enable useful context predictions even for dynamic applications. The overall development process as well as practical experiments with the prototype framework is illustrated by two use case scenarios—demonstrating that both high accuracy and efficiency of future context predictions are achievable and even ad hoc context predictions can be supported this way. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Chemometric analysis of EDXRF measurements from fossil bone
Authors: Thomas Daniel B. , Chinsamy Anusuya
Published: October 2011

Bone chemistry is an important source of biological and environmental information. Elemental compositions of archaeological and fossil bone have granted insight into the diets of ancient humans and other animals, as well as informing about the burial conditions of bone. Chemical studies of ancient bone can be performed non‐destructively with portable energy‐dispersive X‐ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometers, which is particularly advantageous for on‐site analyses of museum specimens. Portable EDXRF instruments carry some analytical disadvantages, however, which may result in reduced precision or accuracy. Analytical shortfalls may be overcome by analysing inter‐sample trends in EDXRF spectral data instead of reported concentration measurements. We investigated the utility of statistically treating handheld EDXRF spectra from fossil bone and teeth, specifically the normalisation and mean centering of spectral data before principal component analysis. Fossil bone and tooth specimens were sourced from two Pleistocene localities in the Western Cape of South Africa, Swartklip 1 and Elandsfontein Main. Samples from the two localities could be distinguished using principal component score values, and coefficient loadings allowed chemical interpretation of the score clusters. Swartklip 1 samples were associated with elevated concentrations of Ca, indicating an additional Ca‐bearing mineral (i.e. calcite), whereas Elandsfontein Main samples were associated with elevated Fe and Sr concentrations. Fossil bone chemistry could be related to groundwater percolation through the sedimentary matrices of each locality. The methodology behind the case study presented here could readily be applied elsewhere and would be particularly useful to handheld EDXRF studies of museum specimens. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An ontological gazetteer and its application for place name disambiguation in text
Authors: Machado Ivre Marjorie R. , de Alencar Rafael Odon , Campos Roberto de Oliveira , Davis Clodoveu A.
Published: October 2011

The volume of spatial information on the Web grows daily, both in the form of online maps and as references to places embedded in documents and pages. Considering the spatial information needs of users, it is often necessary to recognize, within a document’s text, the places to which it refers. This article presents a next-generation gazetteer, a toponymic dictionary which expands from the traditional cataloguing of place names and includes geographic elements such as spatial relationships, concepts and terms related to places. As such, we call it an OntoGazetteer, i.e., a gazetteer which also records semantic connections among places. The ontological gazetteer provides factual and semantic support to solving several common problems in geographic information retrieval. This paper presents the OntoGazetteer and demonstrates its applicability to a place name disambiguation problem. Along with other problem solutions to which the OntoGazetteer can contribute, we present a case study on recognizing and disambiguating place names within news sources.
Association of milk protein genes with fertilization rate and early embryonic development in Holstein dairy cattle
Authors: Peñagaricano Francisco , Khatib Hasan
Published: October 2011

Concomitant with intensive selection for increased milk yield, reproductive performance of dairy cows has declined in the last decades, in part due to an unfavourable genetic relationship between these traits. Given that the six main milk protein genes (i.e. whey proteins and caseins) are directly involved in milk production and hence have been a target of the strong selection aimed at improving milk yield in dairy cattle, we hypothesized that these genes could show selection footprints associated with fertility traits. In this study, we used an in-vitro fertilization (IVF) system to test genetic association between 66 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the four caseins (αS1-casein, αS2-casein, β-casein and κ-casein) and the two whey protein genes (α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin) with fertilization rate and early embryonic development in the Holstein breed. A total of 6893 in-vitro fertilizations were performed and a total of 4661 IVF embryos were produced using oocytes from 399 ovaries and semen samples from 12 bulls. Associations between SNPs and fertility traits were analysed using a mixed linear model with genotype as fixed effect and ovary and bull as random effects. A multiple testing correction approach was used to account for the correlation between SNPs due to linkage disequilibrium. After correction, polymorphisms in theLALBAandLGBgenes showed significant associations with fertilization success and blastocyst rate. No significant associations were detected between SNPs located in the casein region and IVF fertility traits. Although the molecular mechanisms underlying the association between whey protein genes and fertility have not yet been characterized, this study provides the first evidence of association between these genes and fertility traits. Furthermore, these results could shed light on the antagonistic relationship that exists between milk yield and fertility in dairy cattle.
Construction of graphic symbol sequences by preschool-aged children: Learning, training, and maintenance
Authors: POUPART ANNICK , TRUDEAU NATACHA , SUTTON ANN
Published: October 2011

The use of augmentative and alternative communication systems based on graphic symbols requires children to learn to combine symbols to convey utterances. The current study investigated how children without disabilities aged 4 to 6 years (n = 74) performed on a simple sentence (subject–verb and subject–verb–object) transposition task (i.e., spoken model into graphic symbol sequence). Scores were obtained on initial testing, after training, and 1 month later. Error patterns were examined. Four-year-olds obtained significantly lower initial scores and were the only ones showing training effects and lower performance a month later. The distribution of error types was similar across age groups. These results suggest that the age of 4 may represent an important stage in the use of graphic symbol communication.
Anaemia is a predictor of early death or cardiac transplantation in children with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy
Authors: Kammache Issam , Parrinello Giovanni , Marini Davide , Bonnet Damien , Agnoletti Gabriella
Published: October 2011

Introduction

The aim of our study was to establish the prevalence and the prognostic value of haematological abnormalities in children with cardiac failure.

Patients and methods

A series of 218 consecutive children with a first diagnosis of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy were retrospectively examined. Haematological evaluation was performed at first diagnosis. Death or cardiac transplantation was the main outcome measure.

Results

The median age was 0.6 years, ranging from 1 day to 15.8 years and median follow-up was 2.65 years, ranging from 0 to 17.2 years. After a median interval of 0.2 years, ranging from 0 to 8.7 years, 56 patients died and 25 were transplanted. Event-free survival at 1 and 5 years was 68% (95% confidence interval, 63–75%) and 62% (95% confidence interval, 56–69%). Blood levels of haemoglobin less than 10 grams per decilitre, urea over 8 millimoles per litre, and C-reactive protein over 10 milligrams per litre were found in 24%, 20%, and 24% of patients, respectively. The log-rank test showed that haemoglobin (p = 0.000) and C-reactive protein (p = 0.021) were predictors of death or transplantation. In the multivariate Cox model, haemoglobin (hazard ratio = 0.735; confidence interval = 0.636–0.849; p = 0.000) and urea (hazard ratio = 1.083; confidence interval = 1:002–1:171; p = 0.045) were predictive of poor outcome. Cubic spline functions showed that the positive role of haemoglobin on survival was linear for values less than 12 grams per decilitre and null for values more than 12 grams per decilitre. Adaptive index models for risk stratification and Classification and Regression Tree analysis allowed to identify the cut-off values for haemoglobin (less than 10.2 grams per decilitre) and urea (more than 8.8 millimoles per litre), as well as to derive a predictor model.

Conclusions

In children with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, anaemia is the strongest independent prognostic factor of early death or transplantation.
Emergency Cricothyrotomy in Confined Space Airway Emergencies: A Comparison
Authors: Givens Gregory C. , Shelton Stephen L. , Brown Eric A.
Published: October 2011

Introduction: In confined-space airway emergencies, prehospital personnel may need to perform cricothyrotomy when conventional airway techniques cannot be utilized or have failed. This study is a prospective, cross-over, randomized controlled trial that compares two widely-known techniques using two commercially available kits.

Methods: Twenty residents at Palmetto Health Richland Department of Emergency Medicine participated in the study. Their performance was assessed using the time required to placement and correctness of placement for each device. The residents performed the procedures on an Air-Man™ manikin that had been situated in a confined space. The residents also indicated which kit they would prefer in a confined-space, emergency airway situation.

Results: All of the devices were placed in the airway. The mean time to placement for the Melker™ and Quicktrach™ kits was 108.5 seconds and 23.9 seconds, respectively. This yielded a mean difference of 84.5 seconds, which provided a t-statistic of 8.88 (p < 0.0001). There was no evidence of a carry-over effect (p = 0.292) or a period effect (p = 0.973). All residents preferred using the Quicktrach™ kit.

Conclusions: Use of the Quicktrach™ kit resulted in the fastest time to placement, was placed correctly in the airway, and was preferred by each of the residents. Its small, simple, and sturdy design, with few parts and easy manipulation, allow the Quicktrach™ to be a valuable option in prehospital situations involving confined spaces. The Melker™ kit, with its many parts, and need for greater manipulation, is not as easily utilized or preferred in a confined space scenario.
Psychotherapie von Patienten mit Borderline Persönlichkeitsstörung und Abhängigkeitserkrankung
Authors: Daig Isolde , Bermpohl Felix , Kienast Thorsten
Published: October 2011

Hintergrund: Viele Patienten mit einer Borderline Persönlichkeitsstörung (BPS) haben zudem eine Abhängigkeitserkrankung. Die psychotherapeutische Behandlung von Patienten mit Persönlichkeitsstörung und einer komorbid bestehenden Abhängigkeitserkrankung ist eine Herausforderung für das behandelnde Team. Sie erfordert ein integriertes Vorgehen, das zeitgleich die Therapie beider Störungen gewährleistet. Methodik: Eine systematische Literaturrecherche wurde bei den Datenbanken PubMed, PsychINFO, PsycArticles und Medline durchgeführt. Zusätzliche Artikel wurden über Referenzen in Reviews und empirische Studien hinzugezogen. Ergebnisse: Obwohl viele Studien die Wirksamkeit von Psychotherapie bei Persönlichkeitsstörungen belegt haben, gibt es nur wenige Studien, bei denen die Interferenz durch eine komorbide Suchterkrankung mit in der Untersuchung berücksichtigt worden ist. Die Literaturrecherche ergab 8 klinische Effektivitätsstudien zur Psychotherapie von BPS mit komorbider Abhängigkeitserkrankung. Bisher stehen für die Behandlung dieser Komorbidität zwei evaluierte integrierte Therapieverfahren zur Verfügung: die Dual-Fokus-Schema-Therapie und die Dialektisch-Behaviorale-Therapie-Sucht. Schlussfolgerungen: Beide Therapieformen scheinen effektiv bei der Reduzierung des Substanzmissbrauchs und der psychopathologischen Symptome der BPS zu sein. Es besteht keine nachgewiesene Überlegenheit eines der beiden Therapieverfahren. Der Vorteil der DBT-S liegt in stringenten Therapeutentrainings und einer guten Vermittelbarkeit des Konzepts sowohl für das Team als auch für die Patienten. Es bedarf allerdings weiterer Studien zur Überprüfung der Effektivität.
A dual‐band near‐field focused reflectarray antenna for RFID applications at 0.9 and 2.4 GHz
Authors: Chou Hsi‐Tseng , Hsueh Pai‐Han , Hung Tso‐Ming , Kuo Li‐Ruei , Chou Hsi‐Hsir
Published: October 2011

This paper presents a dual‐band reflectarray antenna which operates at 0.915 and 2.4 GHz to radiate electromagnetic fields focused in the near‐zone of array aperture. The design uses two stacked feed antennas operated at 0.915 and 2.4 GHz, respectively, so that the currently available RFID systems in the market can be simultaneously used in an independent fashion. Numerical investigations on the radiation characteristics of this reflectarray, as well as an experimental validation, are presented to demonstrate its feasibility.
Insider Perspectives or Stealing the Words out of Women's Mouths: Interpretation in the Research Process
Authors: Reay Diane
Published: October 2011

This article examines the ways in which social class differences between the researcher and female respondents affect data analysis. I elaborate the ways in which my class background, just as much as my gender, affects all stages of the research process from theoretical starting points to conclusions. The influences of reflexivity, power and ‘truth’ on the interpretative process are developed by drawing on fieldnotes and interviews from an ethnographic study of women's involvement in their children's primary schooling. Complexities of social class are explored both in relation to myself as the researcher and to how the women saw themselves. I argue that there is a thin dividing line between the understandings which similar experiences of respondents bring to the research process and the element of exploitation implicit in mixing up one's own personal history with those of women whose experience of the same class is very different. Identification can result in a denial of the power feminist researchers exercise in the selection and interpretation of data. However, researchers are similarly powerful in relation to women from very different class backgrounds to their own, and I attempt to draw out problematic issues around power and ‘truth’ in relation to the middle-class women whom I interviewed. I conclude by reiterating that, from where I am socially positioned, certain aspects of the data are much more prominent than others and as a consequence interpretation remains an imperfect and incomplete process.
Revolutionary Spaces: Photographs of Working-class Women by Esther Bubley 1940–1943
Authors: Ellis Jacqueline
Published: October 2011

This article had several purposes. First, I wanted to highlight the work of Esther Bubley, an American photographer whose documentary work for the Farm Security Administration and the Office of War Information in the early 1940s is largely unknown. Second, I wanted to show how her images complicated and undermined the traditional themes of Depression era photography in the United States, Third, by looking at her images of women, my intention was to reveal how she worked against depictions of femininity during the Depression, and in confrontation with one-dimensional portrayals of women as America entered the Second World Wan In conclusion, I contend that Bubley's images were fundamentally portrayals of working-class femininity represented as being an individual – rather than a symbolic – experience. Most specifically in the images I have examined, Bubley deconstructs an ideological image of female working-class identity which was central to documentary photography in 1930s America. For example, unlike in photographs by Dorothea Lange, Bubley did not portray working-class women as metaphoric sites of passive endurance which would eventually lead to the rejuvenation of American nationalism. Rather, she showed working-class women to be potentially subversive in the ways they defined themselves against the legacy of 1930s photography and in opposition to the ideological impositions of wartime propaganda. As a result, Bubley's images of working-class women waiting in bars for lonely soldiers, or looking for a future beyond the confines of their boarding house existences while remaining outside the middle-class boundaries defined by capitalist consumerism, set out a pictorial foundation for working-class female identity which exists beyond the context in which the photographs were taken. Consequently, Bubley's work highlights individual self-identity, personal empowerment and self-conscious desire in working-class women which was – and still is – confined and repressed by economic disadvantage and systematic marginalization from an American society defined from a middle-class point of view.
Slit shaped microwave induced atmospheric pressure plasma based on a parallel plate transmission line resonator
Authors: Kang S K , Seo Y S , Lee H Wk , Aman-ur-Rehman  , Kim G C , Lee J K
Published: October 2011

A new type of microwave-excited atmospheric pressure plasma source, based on the principle of parallel plate transmission line resonator, is developed for the treatment of large areas in biomedical applications such as skin treatment and wound healing. A stable plasma of 20 mm width is sustained by a small microwave power source operated at a frequency of 700 MHz and a gas flow rate of 0.9 slm. Plasma impedance and plasma density of this plasma source are estimated by fitting the calculated reflection coefficient to the measured one. The estimated plasma impedance shows a decreasing trend while estimated plasma density shows an increasing trend with the increase in the input power. Plasma uniformity is confirmed by temperature and optical emission distribution measurements. Plasma temperature is sustained at less than 40 °C and abundant amounts of reactive species, which are important agents for bacteria inactivation, are detected over the entire plasma region. Large area treatment ability of this newly developed device is verified through bacteria inactivation experiment using E. coli. Sterilization experiment shows a large bacterial killing mark of 25 mm for a plasma treatment time of 10 s.
Applications of wavelet analysis to study growth characteristics of x-ray multilayer mirrors
Authors: Jiang H , Michette A G , Pfauntsch S J , Wang Z S , Li D H
Published: October 2011

Transmission electron microscopy images and hard x-ray reflectivity curves are used to obtain information on the growth characteristics of x-ray multilayer mirrors. A multi-resolution approach based on wavelet analysis is used to decompose the interface profiles obtained from transmission electron microscopy images into a number of different spatial frequency ranges. The replication factor (vertical) and the characteristic length (lateral) of the interfacial roughness are determined in these spatial frequency ranges. By changing the upper or lower limits of the wavelet transform of the x-ray reflectivity curves, the structure uniformity (lateral) and evolution of the surface damage (vertical) are determined. These results are significant for the study of the growth characteristics of ultrathin x-ray multilayer mirrors and enable more effective methods to determine their imperfections.
Parameter dependence of conic angle of nanofibres during electrospinning
Authors: Zhou Zhengping , Wu Xiang-Fa , Gao Xueqin , Jiang Long , Zhao Yong , Fong Hao
Published: October 2011

This paper reports the dependence of conic angle of nanofibres on the processing and material parameters during electrospinning. Solutions of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) in dimethylformamide (DMF) with varied PAN concentrations were studied as the model systems, and they were electrospun into nanofibres at different high direct current (dc) voltages, flow rates and needle diameters. The dynamic and transient shear viscosities of the PAN/DMF solutions were characterized by a parallel-plate rheometer at varied shear rates. Rheological measurements showed that the PAN/DMF solutions behaved as Newtonian fluids at relatively low to medium shear rates, while the solutions with high PAN concentrations of 18 and 20 wt% exhibited a significant shear-thinning behaviour at high shear rates, especially in the case of transient shear mode. Experimental results indicated that at the electrostatic field of ∼80 kV m−1 and needle inner diameter of 0.48 mm (22 gauge), the conic angle of the nanofibre envelope decreased from ∼160° to ∼75° with an increase in PAN concentration from 12 to 20 wt%; at the PAN concentration of 16 wt%, the conic angle increased nonlinearly from ∼40° to ∼160° with an increase in electric field from 50 to 140 kV m−1. In addition, experimental results showed that the needle inner diameter also noticeably influenced the conic angle. This study provided the experimental evidence useful for understanding the scaling properties of electrohydrodynamic jet motion for controllable electrospinning and process modelling.
Experimental determination of temperature threshold for melt surface deformation during laser interaction on iron at atmospheric pressure
Authors: Hirano Koji , Fabbro Remy , Muller Maryse
Published: October 2011

Recoil pressure is the principal driving force of molten metal in laser processing in the intensity range 10−1–102 MW cm−2. It is thus essential to estimate the recoil pressure in order to describe physical processes or to carry out numerical simulations. However, there exists no quantitative estimation of the recoil pressure near the boiling temperature (T
v), which is particularly important in the welding process. In this study we experimentally investigated the recoil pressure of pure iron around T
v. The main interest was to determine the threshold surface temperature to start deformation of melt surface. Using camera-based temperature measurement with accurate evaluation of emissivity from experiment, it was shown that the surface temperature has to reach T
v to initiate the melt surface deformation. This result provides the first experimental evidence for the frequently used assumption that a deep keyhole welding requires surface temperature over T
v. It is indicated also that, in normal gas-assisted laser cutting process, the recoil pressure hardly contributes to material ejection when the surface temperature is lower than T
v, as opposed to the commonly believed presumption.
RPTPμ tyrosine phosphatase promotes adipogenic differentiation via modulation of p120 catenin phosphorylation
Authors: Kim Won Kon , Jung Hyeyun , Kim Eun Young , Kim Do Hyung , Cho Yee Sook , Park Byoung Chul , Park Sung Goo , Ko Yong , Bae Kwang-Hee , Lee Sang Chul
Published: October 2011

Adipocyte differentiation can be regulated by the combined activity of protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) and protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs). In particular, PTPs act as key regulators in differentiation-associated signaling pathways. We recently found that receptor-type PTPμ (RPTPμ) expression is markedly increased during the adipogenic differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and mesenchymal stem cells. Here, we investigate the functional roles of RPTPμ and the mechanism of its involvement in the regulation of signal transduction during adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 cells. Depletion of endogenous RPTPμ by RNA interference significantly inhibited adipogenic differentiation, whereas RPTPμ overexpression led to an increase in adipogenic differentiation. Ectopic expression of p120 catenin suppressed adipocyte differentiation, and the decrease in adipogenesis by p120 catenin was recovered by introducing RPTPμ. Moreover, RPTPμ induced a decrease in the cytoplasmic p120 catenin expression by reducing its tyrosine phosphorylation level, consequently leading to enhanced translocation of Glut-4 to the plasma membrane. On the basis of these results, we propose that RPTPμ acts as a positive regulator of adipogenesis by modulating the cytoplasmic p120 catenin level. Our data conclusively demonstrate that differentiation into adipocytes is controlled by RPTPμ, supporting the utility of RPTPμ and p120 catenin as novel target proteins for the treatment of obesity.
c-Fos activates and physically interacts with specific enzymes of the pathway of synthesis of polyphosphoinositides
Authors: Alfonso Pecchio Adolfo R. , Cardozo Gizzi Andrés M. , Renner Marianne L. , Molina-Calavita María , Caputto Beatriz L.
Published: October 2011

The oncoprotein c-Fos is a well-recognized AP-1 transcription factor. In addition, this protein associates with the endoplasmic reticulum and activates the synthesis of phospholipids. However, the mechanism by which c-Fos stimulates the synthesis of phospholipids in general and the specific lipid pathways activated are unknown. Here we show that induction of quiescent cells to reenter growth promotes an increase in the labeling of polyphosphoinositides that depends on the expression of c-Fos. We also investigated whether stimulation by c-Fos of the synthesis of phosphatidylinositol and its phosphorylated derivatives depends on the activation of enzymes of the phosphatidylinositolphosphate biosynthetic pathway. We found that c-Fos activates CDP-diacylglycerol synthase and phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) 4-kinase II α in vitro, whereas no activation of phosphatidylinositol synthase or of PtdIns 4-kinase II β was observed. Both coimmunoprecipitation and fluorescence resonance energy transfer experiments consistently showed a physical interaction between the N-terminal domain of c-Fos and the enzymes it activates.
Induction of Ran GTP drives ciliogenesis
Authors: Fan Shuling , Whiteman Eileen L. , Hurd Toby W. , McIntyre Jeremy C. , Dishinger John F. , Liu Chia Jen , Martens Jeffrey R. , Verhey Kristen J. , Sajjan Uma , Margolis Ben
Published: October 2011

The small GTPase Ran and the importin proteins regulate nucleocytoplasmic transport. New evidence suggests that Ran GTP and the importins are also involved in conveying proteins into cilia. In this study, we find that Ran GTP accumulation at the basal bodies is coordinated with the initiation of ciliogenesis. The Ran-binding protein 1 (RanBP1), which indirectly accelerates Ran GTP → Ran GDP hydrolysis and promotes the dissociation of the Ran/importin complex, also localizes to basal bodies and cilia. To confirm the crucial link between Ran GTP and ciliogenesis, we manipulated the levels of RanBP1 and determined the effects on Ran GTP and primary cilia formation. We discovered that RanBP1 knockdown results in an increased concentration of Ran GTP at basal bodies, leading to ciliogenesis. In contrast, overexpression of RanBP1 antagonizes primary cilia formation. Furthermore, we demonstrate that RanBP1 knockdown disrupts the proper localization of KIF17, a kinesin-2 motor, at the distal tips of primary cilia in Madin–Darby canine kidney cells. Our studies illuminate a new function for Ran GTP in stimulating cilia formation and reinforce the notion that Ran GTP and the importins play key roles in ciliogenesis and ciliary protein transport.
Defining pheromone-receptor signaling inCandida albicansand related asexualCandidaspecies
Authors: Lin Ching-Hsuan , Choi Anthony , Bennett Richard J.
Published: October 2011

Candida albicans is an important human fungal pathogen in which sexual reproduction is under the control of the novel white–opaque switch. Opaque cells are the mating-competent form, whereas white cells do not mate but can still respond to pheromones, resulting in biofilm formation. In this study, we first define the domains of the α-pheromone receptor Ste2 that are necessary for signaling in both white and opaque forms. Both cell states require the IC loop 3 (IC3) and the C-terminal tail of Ste2 for the cellular response, whereas the first IC loop (IC1) of Ste2 is dispensable for signaling. To also address pheromone-receptor interactions in related species, including apparently asexual Candida species, Ste2 orthologues were heterologously expressed in Candida albicans. Ste2 receptors from multiple Candida clade species were functional when expressed in C. albicans, whereas the Ste2 receptor of Candida lusitaniae was nonfunctional. Significantly, however, expression of a chimeric C. lusitaniae Ste2 receptor containing the C-terminal tail of Ste2 from C. albicans generated a productive response to C. lusitaniae pheromone. This system has allowed us to characterize pheromones from multiple Candida species and indicates that functional pheromone-receptor couples exist in fungal species that have yet to be shown to undergo sexual mating.
Diversity-dependence brings molecular phylogenies closer to agreement with the fossil record
Authors: Etienne Rampal S. , Haegeman Bart , Stadler Tanja , Aze Tracy , Pearson Paul N. , Purvis Andy , Phillimore Albert B.
Published: October 2011

The branching times of molecular phylogenies allow us to infer speciation and extinction dynamics even when fossils are absent. Troublingly, phylogenetic approaches usually return estimates of zero extinction, conflicting with fossil evidence. Phylogenies and fossils do agree, however, that there are often limits to diversity. Here, we present a general approach to evaluate the likelihood of a phylogeny under a model that accommodates diversity-dependence and extinction. We find, by likelihood maximization, that extinction is estimated most precisely if the rate of increase in the number of lineages in the phylogeny saturates towards the present or first decreases and then increases. We demonstrate the utility and limits of our approach by applying it to the phylogenies for two cases where a fossil record exists (Cetacea and Cenozoic macroperforate planktonic foraminifera) and to three radiations lacking fossil evidence (
Dendroica
,
Plethodon
and
Heliconius
). We propose that the diversity-dependence model with extinction be used as the standard model for macro-evolutionary dynamics because of its biological realism and flexibility.