bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On the importance of synoptic classification methods with respect to environmental phenomena
Authors: Dayan Uri , Tubi Amit , Levy Ilan
Published: January 2011

One of the most important goals of synoptic climatology is to analyse the relationships between atmospheric circulation and surface environmental conditions. Since manual (subjective) classification might reflect differently environmental phenomena as compared to computer assisted (semi‐objective) classification, a comparison between both classifications was performed for the Eastern Mediterranean (EM) for 10 years. The overall frequencies of the 19 recurring synoptic types characterising the circulation regime over the EM are similar for both methods (correlation coefficient = 0.96, p‐value < 0.0001). Nevertheless, comparing the classifications on a day‐to‐day basis for the three most common types showed a large degree of disagreement between the two. For synoptic types with a deep horizontal pressure gradient both classifications yielded the highest agreement (over 50%), improving the consistency between both classifications.

Yarnal's (1993) ‘environment‐to‐circulation’ approach was tested on three surface environment processes: air pollutants, desert dust intrusions, and flash floods. Our results indicate that the weak pressure gradients associated with high ozone levels make the classification more difficult for both methods. Regarding dust outbreaks, classifications point on the importance of the cold cyclone location rather than its pressure gradient. As for flash floods, the flow pattern at the surface level is insufficient to predict atmospheric conditions prone for their occurrence, suggesting that upper air data is an essential factor for determining such highly convective events.

Finally, two new approaches to evaluate the quality of classifications are presented, demonstrated on two frequent circulation systems persisting over the EM. A qualitative approach compares the composite mean sea level pressure maps from each classification, while a quantitative approach compares the resultant winds at a central site.

This study demonstrates that comparing different synoptic classification methodologies and different environmental applications can lead to additional and valuable insights on the interaction between the environment and synoptic‐scale circulation. Copyright © 2011 Royal Meteorological Society
Supramolecular‐based dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction: A novel sample preparation technique utilizes coacervates and reverse micelles
Authors: Jafarvand Sanaz , Shemirani Farzaneh
Published: January 2011

The present study reports a novel sample enrichment method termed supramolecular‐based dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (SM‐DLLME). The SM solvent selected was made up of reversed micelles of decanoic acid dispersed in tetrahydrofuran (THF)‐water. THF plays double role, not only acts as a disperser solvent but also causes self‐assembly of decanoic acid. The contaminant used as a model was Malachite Green (MG). It was a cationic dye and was preconcentrated without any derivatization or ion‐pair formation reaction. In SM‐DLLME, the most important advantages of DLLME technique and preconcentration strategy based on the coacervation and reverse micelles have come together. Moreover, in this method, disadvantages of DLLME such as extraction capability of only hydrophobic analytes and hiring toxic and hazardous organic solvents as the extraction solvent and disadvantages of coacervation‐based extraction method such as tedious, labor‐intensive and time‐consuming stirring procedure have been avoided. Several variables affecting the microextraction efficiency were investigated and optimized. Under the optimized conditions and preconcentration of only 5.00 mL of sample, the enhancement factor was 52, limit of detection (LOD) was 4 μg/L and relative standard deviations (RSDs) for 145 and 36 μg/L of MG in textile industry wastewater were 1.8 and 3.2%, respectively (n=6).
Determination of marker residue of Olaquindox in fish tissue by ultra performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Zhang Xiaojun , Zheng Bin , Zhang Hong , Chen Xuechang , Mei Guangming
Published: January 2011

Methyl‐3‐quinoxaline‐2‐carboxylic acid (MQCA) is the last major remaining detectable metabolite of Olaquindox in animal tissue. A rapid, sensitive and specific ultra performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS) method was developed for the detection and quantification of MQCA in fish tissue using deuterated quinoxaline‐2‐carboxylic acid (d4‐QCA) as internal standard. Various parameters affecting sample preparation, LC separation and MS/MS detection were investigated, and the optimal conditions concerned were determined. Fish tissue samples were subject to hydrochloric acid hydrolysis followed by Oasis MAX solid‐phase extraction clean‐up; analysis was performed using UPLC coupled to electrospray MS/MS. The chromatographic separation was achieved in less than 5 min. The limit of detection and the limit of quantification were 0.1 and 0.25 ng/g, respectively. The average recoveries of MQCA, spiked at levels of 0.25–50.0 ng/g, were from 92.7 to 104.3%. The relative standard deviation values were <6%. The validated method was successfully applied to analyze 60 batch samples collected from the local market.
Effect of remote ischemic preconditioning on liver ischemia/reperfusion injury using a new mouse model
Authors: Abu-Amara Mahmoud , Yang Shi Yu , Quaglia Alberto , Rowley Peter , Tapuria Niteen , Seifalian Alexander M. , Fuller Barry J. , Davidson Brian R.
Published: January 2011

Ischemic preconditioning of remote organs (RIPC) reduces liver ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury in the rabbit and rat. Mice are the only species available with a large number of transgenic strains. This study describes development and validation of a mouse model of hindlimb RIPC that attenuates liver IR injury. Mice were allocated to 4 groups: (1) Sham surgery; (2) RIPC: 6 cycles of 4 × 4 minutes ischemia/reperfusion of hindlimb; (3) IR: 40 minutes lobar (70%) hepatic ischemia and 2 hours reperfusion; (4) RIPC+IR: RIPC followed by IR group procedures. Plasma liver aminotransferases and hepatic histopathological and transmission electron microscopy studies were performed at the end of the experiment. Hepatic microcirculatory blood flow was measured throughout the experiment. Postoperative complications and animal survival were evaluated. Hindlimb RIPC using a tourniquet resulted in limb paralysis. Hindlimb RIPC using direct clamping of the femoral vessels showed no side effects. Compared to liver IR alone, RIPC+IR reduced plasma aminotransferases (P < 0.05) and histopathological and ultrastructural features of injury. Hepatic microcirculatory blood flow was preserved in the RIPC+IR compared to IR group (P < 0.05). There was no mortality in any of the groups. By demonstrating a consistent improvement in these features of liver IR injury with antecedent hindlimb RIPC and by minimizing experimental confounding variables, we validated this mouse model. In conclusion, we describe a validated mouse model of hindlimb RIPC that reduces liver IR injury. With the availability of transgenic mice strains, this model should prove useful in unraveling the mechanisms of protection of hindlimb RIPC. Liver Transpl 17:70-82, 2011. © 2011 AASLD.
Synthesis and Characterization of Semicrystalline Polyethylene‐graft‐Poly(acrylic acid) Copolymers
Authors: Schneider Yanika , McVerry Brian T. , Bazan Guillermo C.
Published: January 2011

Hydrophilic polyolefin materials were prepared by grafting tBA from PE macroinitiators bearing functionalized norbornene units capable of initiating an ATRP. This method produced semicrystalline graft copolymers (PE‐graft‐PtBA) with narrow molecular weight distributions (1.2–1.4) and tunable tBA content (2–21 mol‐%). Incorporation of tBA resulted in a decrease in crystallinity, but little change in the melting point of the products. Subsequently, the tBA moieties were converted into acrylic acid units through chemical and thermal means to generate PE‐graft‐PAA copolymers. The increased hydrophilicity of the resulting materials was verified by ATR‐IR, solid‐state 13C NMR spectroscopy, contact angle measurements, and TGA.

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Pharmacokinetics of α‐mangostin in rats after intravenous and oral application
Authors: Li Li , Brunner Isabelle , Han Ah‐Reum , Hamburger Matthias , Kinghorn Alan Douglas , Frye Reginald , Butterweck Veronika
Published: January 2011

Scope: The xanthone α‐mangostin is one of the major bioactive secondary metabolites in Garcinia mangostana. Until now, in vivo studies on the absorption, bioavailability, disposition, and metabolism of α‐mangostin are limited.

Methods and results: In the present study, an LC‐MS/MS assay has been established for the determination of α‐mangostin in rat plasma. The validated method was used successfully to support pharmacokinetic studies in rats after intravenous (i.v.) and oral administration. Both non‐compartmental and compartmental analyses were performed, where the two‐compartment body model had a good fit with the i.v. data. Following i.v. administration, the disposition of α‐mangostin in rat plasma was biphasic, subdivided into a fast distribution and a slow elimination phase. The half‐life of the distribution phase was 3 min, and that of the terminal elimination phase 3.5 h, indicating a high tissue binding. However, for oral administration, the bioavailability was so low that it was not possible to obtain a full concentration–time profile.

Conclusion: Although pure α‐mangostin has shown a variety of pharmacological activities in in vitro assays at present it is uncertain if the same magnitude of effects will be achieved in vivo when its low bioavailability is considered.
Extrinsic and intrinsic control of germ cell proliferation in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Waters Katherine A. , Reinke Valerie
Published: January 2011

The germ cells of Caenorhabditis elegans serve as a useful model to study the balance between proliferation and differentiation within the context of development and changing environmental signals experienced by the animal. Germ cells adjacent to a stem cell niche in the distal region of the gonad retain the capacity to divide during adulthood, making them unique from other cells in the organism. We will highlight recent advances in our understanding of mechanisms that control proliferation, as well as the signaling pathways involved in promoting mitosis at the expense of differentiation. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 78:151–160, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Sacral neurophysiologic study in patients with chronic spinal cord injury
Authors: Podnar Simon
Published: January 2011

Aims

Neurophysiologic testing of the sacral reflex has demonstrated utility in the diagnosis of sacral lower motor neuron lesions. The aim of the present study was to also apply this test to patients with upper motor neuron lesions.

Methods

A group of 16 male patients with chronic suprasacral spinal cord lesions was prospectively recruited. In addition to history and clinical neurologic examination (including anal sphincter tone, saddle sensation, and penilo‐cavernosus reflex testing), sacral neurophysiologic studies were performed. Neurophysiologic testing included quantitative electromyography of the external anal sphincter (motor unit potential (MUP) count during relaxation and MUP analysis), and neurophysiologic measurement of the penilo‐cavernosus reflex (elicitation threshold and latency) on electrical stimulation. The findings were compared to data obtained in the control group of 26 men.

Results

Clinical elicitability of the penilo‐cavernosus reflex was increased, and the neurophysiologically measured reflex threshold reduced in patients (<0.02). No significant differences were found in clinical assessment of anal sphincter tone, MUP count, reflex latency, and quantitative MUP analysis. The diagnostic sensitivity of individual parameters was low (≤25%).

Conclusions

In patients with chronic spinal cord injury, increased elicitability of the penilo‐cavernosus reflex was found. However, none of the assessed neurophysiologic parameters was found to assist in the diagnosis of the sacral upper motor neuron lesion in individual patients. The shortened sacral reflex latency found in individual patients is therefore not a consequence of a suprasegmental lesion, but rather of the low position of the conus medullaris (e.g., in tethered cord syndrome). 30:587–592, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Falls risk reduction and treatment of overactive bladder symptoms with antimuscarinic agents: A scoping review
Authors: Hunter Kathleen F. , Wagg Adrian , Kerridge Teresa , Chick Hope , Chambers Thane
Published: January 2011

Aims

Overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms are associated with falls and fractures in older adults and treatment with antimuscarinic agents may decrease this falls risk. Bladder‐specific antimuscarinic agents may also adversely affect falls risk because of drug‐related cognitive impairment. Thus, a tension between effective treatment, falls risk reduction, and increased falls risk is created. We conducted a scoping review to determine whether sufficient studies exist to warrant a full systematic review of falls risk reduction through treatment of OAB and to identify gaps in current research.

Methods

Using an iterative scoping approach, a search of electronic databases was undertaken using key terms. Studies in any setting of older adults who had fallen or were at risk for falls and were provided pharmacological treatment of OAB to reduce of falls or falls risk were sought. Relevant articles were identified, reviewed, and used to map research activity regarding the pharmacological treatment of OAB in older adults and its relationship to falls and falls risk reduction.

Results

Only one study met our initial inclusion criteria. Six additional studies were useful in identification research gaps, particularly in terms of outcome measures.

Conclusions

Insufficient evidence exists to recommend antimuscarinic treatment as a strategy for falls reduction, and the contribution of such agents to increased falls risk is unclear. Future studies of antimuscarinic agents for OAB must include measures of falls and falls risk and cognitive effects. 30:490–494, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effects of graphite filler loading and heat treatment temperature on the properties of phenolic resin based carbon–carbon composites
Authors: Ravikumar N.L. , Kar Kamal K. , Sathiyamoorthy Dakshinamoorthy
Published: January 2011

Carbon/carbon composites (C/Cs) were prepared through polymer pyrolysis using PAN based carbon fabric (Panex(R) 35) and resol type phenolic resin having 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 wt% of graphite fillers. These precursor composites were heat treated at 600, 900, and 1200°C. The effects of filler loading on the precursor composites and their C/Cs were investigated through density, microstructure, and mechanical properties. Since, the precursor composites were prepared under similar processing conditions and technique, at any particular filler loading when the heat treatment temperature increases, the bulk density of the samples decreases. The filler addition accelerates the formation of the carbon basal planes in the matrix supported by X‐ray diffraction studies. The properties such as tensile strength and strain decrease continuously mainly due to change in the matrix structure and decrease of density, whereas, the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and interlaminar fracture toughness (ILFT) increase mainly because of improvement in the modulus of matrix. At any particular heat treatment temperature, depending on the filler content and matrix type, the density, tensile properties, ILSS, and ILFT of the samples show different trends. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers
Comparison of the morphology and mechanical properties of unmodified and surface‐modified nanosized calcium carbonate in a polypropylene matrix
Authors: Eteläaho P. , Haveri S. , Järvelä P.
Published: January 2011

Polypropylene‐(PP)‐based nanocomposites with unmodified and surface‐modified nanosized calcium carbonate (CaCO3) were melt‐compounded to 3, 6, and 9 wt% filler contents. The nanofillers comprised two commercial grades from Mineral Technologies and one noncommercial pilot grade, and they differed in their particle size and/or surface modification. The fillers' dispersion and particle size and their adhesion to the matrix were examined by scanning electron microscopy. In addition, nanocomposite mechanical properties were determined and then compared with the properties of neat matrix material. Thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry were performed to determine the stearic acid content in the surface‐modified fillers and their thermal stability. Microscopic examination revealed that the commercial grades dispersed better in and adhered more strongly to the matrix than the pilot grade. Thermal analysis showed that the commercial grade contained less stearic acid and was thermally more stable. Better dispersion, smaller particle size distribution, and less stearic acid seemed to result in balanced mechanical performance. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers
Compression behavior of woven glass/epoxy specimens using a new end‐loaded hybrid specimen
Authors: Neves V.V. , de Morais A.B. , Pereira A.B. , Faria R.D.
Published: January 2011

A new compression specimen was applied to woven glass/epoxy laminates. The specimen consists of epoxy layers cast on the sides of the laminate to prevent buckling. Thin‐sheet aluminum ends enable alignment and avoid crushing under end loading, which does not require any special fixture. The compression stress–strain behavior of the laminate was obtained from the specimens by discounting the previously measured stress–strain curve of the epoxy backings. Despite the higher scatter in compression tests, the average modulus was practically identical to the tensile modulus. Moreover, failure occurred away from the ends in nearly all of the specimens tested. The average compressive strength was 84% of the tensile strength and consistent with the flexural strength measured in four‐point bending tests. The present compression specimen could, therefore, become an interesting alternative to the more elaborate standard test methods available. Nevertheless, this new compression testing approach needs further evaluation involving application to other materials. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers
Prenatal diagnosis of abnormal cardinal systemic venous return without other heart defects: a case series
Authors: Barrea Catherine , Ovaert Caroline , Moniotte Stéphane , Biard Jean‐Marc , Steenhaut Patricia , Bernard Pierre
Published: January 2011

Objectives

To describe fetal spectrum and echocardiographic characteristics of anomalous systemic venous return (ASVR, cardinal veins) without other structural heart defects (isolated ASVR), evaluate associated extracardiac and genetic anomalies and review neonatal outcome.

Methods

From 2003 to 2009, 369 consecutive fetuses were diagnosed with cardiac malformation, including 27 cases with an isolated ASVR. The following variables were collected: type of ASVR, extracardiac anomalies, karyotype and short‐term outcome.

Results

The most common forms of ASVR were persistent left superior vena cava (SVC) (n = 15) and interrupted inferior vena cava (IVC) (n = 6). The other ASVR types were a persistent left SVC without a right SVC (n = 4), bilateral agenesis of the SVC with cephalic venous drainage toward the IVC through the azygos system (n = 1) and total ASVR to the coronary sinus (n = 1). Genetic disorders were confirmed in five cases, all with a persistent left SVC, with extracardiac anomalies present in four of them. Ten other patients had extracardiac anomalies detected prenatally or postnatally. When available, ASVR diagnosis was confirmed postnatally in all cases.

Conclusion

Isolated ASVRs can be accurately diagnosed prenatally and are frequently associated with extracardiac and genetic anomalies. A detailed morphological ultrasound and fetal karyotype should be suggested. Neonatal outcome was mainly related to the associated anomalies. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesis of poly(2‐furyloxirane) with high molecular weight and improved regioregularity using macrocyclic ether as a cocatalyst to potassium tert‐butoxide
Authors: Su Riting , Qin Yusheng , Qiao Lijun , Li Ji , Zhao Xiaojiang , Wang Pixin , Wang Xianhong , Wang Fosong
Published: January 2011

2‐Furyloxirane (FO), a monomer usually obtained from a nonpetroleum route, was prepared from the epoxidation reaction of furfural and trimethylsulfonium chloride. About 200–300 g FO can be obtained in each preparation process. Although anionic polymerization of FO generally gives low‐ molecular‐weight polymers even after long periods of polymerization, the reaction was greatly improved when macrocyclic ether was used as a cocatalyst to potassium tert‐butoxide. When 18‐crown‐6 was used as a cocatalyst, poly(2‐furyloxirane) (PFO) with a number‐average molecular weight (Mn) of 41.5 kg/mol and a polydispersity index of 1.3 was obtained at 94% yield after polymerization at 40 °C for 72 h. The PFO obtained contained a 61.7% head‐to‐tail (H‐T) structure in the absence of the macrocyclic ether, and it reached 70.6% when cryptand[2,2,2] was used as a cocatalyst. PFO with higher regioregular structures showed improved thermal properties. For PFO with Mn of around 20.0 kg/mol, its glass transition temperature (Tg) increased from −3 to 6 °C when the H‐T content was increased from 61.7 to 70.6%. Raising the Mn of PFO also raised Tg. For PFO with 68.9% H‐T structure, its Tg could reach 7 °C when Mn was increased to 40 kg/mol. This study shows two effective ways to improve the thermal and mechanical performances of the polymer. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011
Structure and X‐ray spectrum of crystalline poly(3‐hexylthiophene) from DFT‐van der Waals calculations
Authors: Colle Renato , Grosso Giuseppe , Ronzani Alberto , Zicovich‐Wilson Claudio M.
Published: January 2011

The minimum‐energy geometrical structure of the regioregular head‐to‐tail poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (rr‐HT‐P3HT) polymer has been addressed by means of density functional theory (DFT) calculations which include long‐range (van der Waals) interactions. The problem of the P3HT structure has been debated in the literature in the last decades mainly for what concerns the arrangement of the alkyl side chains of the polymer and the type and content of the crystalline primitive cell. The main result of our calculations is that the energetically favored structure of the crystalline polymer at T = 0 K corresponds to polythiophene chains with slightly (∼16°) non co‐planar rings and a fishbone arrangement of tilted alkyl side chains with complex internal structure. The alkyl side chains are negligibly interdigitated with those of the adjacent polymer layers; moreover the five terminal carbon atoms of each alkyl side chain are co‐planar in all‐trans staggered conformation. The optimized geometrical structure obtained for the rr‐HT‐P3HT polymer is in agreement with measured X‐ray spectra of high molecular weight P3HT crystalline samples, and confirms that two non‐equivalent polymer chains, mutually shifted along the backbone axis, are contained in an orthorhombic primitive cell.
Ga co‐doping in Cz‐grown silicon ingots to overcome limitations of B and P compensated silicon feedstock for PV applications
Authors: Forster Maxime , Fourmond Erwann , Einhaus Roland , Lauvray Hubert , Kraiem Jed , Lemiti Mustapha
Published: January 2011

In this paper, we investigate gallium co‐doping during CZ crystallization of boron and phosphorus compensated Si. It is shown that the addition of gallium yields a fully p‐type ingot with high resistivity despite high B and P contents in the silicon. Segregation of doping impurities is consistent with theory. Minority carrier lifetime and majority carrier mobility measurements indicate that this material is suitable for the realization of solar cells with comparable efficiencies to standard material. Significant light‐induced degradation of minority carrier lifetime is however revealed to occur in this material. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Enhanced iron gettering by short, optimized low‐temperature annealing after phosphorus emitter diffusion for industrial silicon solar cell processing
Authors: Hofstetter Jasmin , Lelièvre Jean‐François , Fenning David P. , Bertoni Mariana I. , Buonassisi Tonio , Luque Antonio , del Cañizo Carlos
Published: January 2011

The introduction of a low‐temperature (LT) tail after P emitter diffusion was shown to lead to considerable improvements in electron lifetime and solar cell performance by different researchers. So far, the drawback of the investigated extended gettering treatments has been the lack of knowledge about optimum annealing times and temperatures and the important increase in processing time. In this manuscript, we calculate optimum annealing temperatures of Fe‐contaminated Si wafers for different annealing durations.

Subsequently, it is shown theoretically and experimentally that a relatively short LT tail of 15 min can lead to a significant reduction of interstitial Fe and an increase in electron lifetime. Finally, we calculate the potential improvement of solar cell efficiency when such a short‐tail extended P diffusion gettering is included in an industrial fabrication process. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Decoupling of a strained 3C‐SiC(111) thin film on silicon by He+ and O+ ion implantation
Authors: Häberlen Maik , Murphy Brian , Stritzker Bernd , Lindner Jörg K. N.
Published: January 2011

This paper reports the successful reduction of tensile strain in a thin ion‐beam‐synthesized 3C‐SiC(111) layer on silicon. Significant relaxation is achieved by creating a near‐interface defect structure containing nanometric voids and dislocation loops by the implantation of He ions and subsequent thermal annealing. The structural features of this defect microstructure are investigated by transmission electron microscopy. High‐resolution X‐ray diffraction in a parallel beam configuration is used to quantify the strain state of the top SiC layer. Further annealing experiments were carried out in order to emulate typical process conditions for the growth of wide‐band‐gap semiconductors like, for example GaN. It is found that prolonged annealing at elevated temperatures leads to coarsening of the voids and to a much less efficient strain reduction. We show that this issue can be resolved by the co‐implantation of oxygen to form highly thermally stable cavity/extended defect structures. The technique presented here may be useful for a variety of other thermally mismatched bulk/thin film couples as well (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Investigation of current‐voltage characteristics of p‐type silicon during electrochemical anodization and application to doping profiling
Authors: Gharbi Ahmed , Remaki Boudjemaa , Halimaoui Aomar , Bensahel Daniel , Souifi Abdelkader
Published: January 2011

The analysis of anodic current‐potential I‐V characteristics of p‐type silicon in concentrated hydrofluoric acid solution shows that the mechanism at the origin of porous silicon PS formation is determined by the charge exchange at the silicon surface over a Schottky barrier formed at the interface through a thermionic emission process. In addition, a negative potential shift in the I‐V characteristics is observed with increasing doping concentration which can explain the selective formation of PS towards the doping level of silicon. In fact, when a silicon wafer of different regions of doping concentration is anodized at a fixed current or potential, the dissolution current will be more important in regions of higher doping level and PS formation can only take place there. The property of selectivity is used in this work in order to determine the p‐type doping impurity profiles. During anodization under galvanostatic conditions of a specific test sample presenting dopant concentration variations, it is shown that the measured anodization potential varies according to silicon doping concentration. Consequently, by converting potential values to dopant concentration, and the electrolysis time to a depth scale, a doping impurity profile can be extracted. The profile using this technique appears to be in a good agreement with the secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) analysis. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Stoichiometry of silicon‐rich dielectrics for silicon nanocluster formation
Authors: Barreto Jorge , Morales Alfredo , Perálvarez Mariano , Garrido Blas , Domínguez Carlos
Published: January 2011

Silicon photonics has been bred by several techniques including Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) and ion implantation amongst others in order to synthesize silicon nanoclusters with CMOS‐compatible technologies. Most of these techniques end up relying on the formation of nanoclusters through the diffusion and segregation of silicon atoms in a silicon‐rich dielectric matrix. In this work we present a parallel analysis on silicon rich dielectric layers obtained by different methods. X‐Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, ellipsometry and photoluminescence are used to characterize Low Pressure CVD and Plasma Enhanced CVD samples in the same theoretical silicon excess range. The analysis shows that independently on the obtaining method the initial concentration of silicon excess can be used to estimate some properties. The actual binding of the atoms can change as well regardless of their initial quantity. However secondary parameters such as the obtaining temperature and the nitrogen concentration in the layer have to be taken into account. Therefore, experimental parameters such as the flow ratio between reactant gases or the refractive index prove to be insufficient if samples obtained by different methods are compared. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Economies and diseconomies of scale in software development
Authors: Comstock Craig , Jiang Zhizhong , Davies Jim
Published: January 2011

Economies and diseconomies of scale—gains and losses in productivity arising from increases in project size—are of considerable, practical importance in software engineering. However, there is no consensus as to whether, in general, economies or diseconomies exist with respect to project size; neither is there any consensus on the relationship among project size, team size, and overall productivity. Using evidence from a large database of projects, this paper derives a simple parametric model for estimating development effort in terms of size and productivity factors. The model is compared with popular estimation models—the Putnam model and COCOMO II—and a possible explanation is provided for the lack of consensus. By considering also the value of the software produced, the model provides a basis for the calculation of the optimal team size for a given task, with respect to the anticipated net benefit from the development activity. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Model checking timed properties of healthcare processes
Authors: Miller Keith , MacCaull Wendy
Published: January 2011

Healthcare workflows (careflows) involve complex, distributive processes with a high degree of variability. There are ubiquitous communication and enormous data and knowledge management requirements and the processes involve complex timing requirements, and are safety critical. Designing these processes and managing their performance is difficult and error‐prone. Using verification techniques such as model checking, which are mathematical methods of proving correctness, we can reduce errors by ensuring that process designs satisfy their specifications. We describe a prototype next generation multithreaded model checker to reason about processes in careflows, sensitive to patient preferences and the goals of the careteam using a timed temporal logic extended with modalities of beliefs, desires, and intentions. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Oxidative damage and OGG1 expression induced by a combined effect of titanium dioxide nanoparticles and lead acetate in human hepatocytes
Authors: Du Hairong , Zhu Xiaoling , Fan Chuangang , Xu Song , Wang Youjie , Zhou Yikai
Published: January 2011

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a widely used nanomaterial that can cause biological damage through oxidative stress. At low concentrations, TiO2can interact with lead acetate (PbAc) to produce different toxic responses, compared with TiO2or PbAc alone. In this study, we utilized the following as indicators of toxic responses in human embryo hepatocytes (L02): reactive oxygen species (ROS), reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and the DNA adducts 8‐hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8‐OHdG) and 8‐oxoguanine DNA glycosylase homolog 1 (OGG1). These were used to evaluate the oxidative stress of TiO2(at 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, and 10 μg mL−1) mixed with PbAc (1 μg mL−1) on L02 cells without photoactivation. Compared with the negative control (1‰ dimethyl sulfoxide), TiO2mixed with PbAc induced increased release of ROS (at 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 μg mL−1TiO2), intracellular SOD activity (at 0.1 and 0.01 μg mL−1TiO2), GSH levels (at 0.01–1 μg mL−1TiO2), 8‐OHdG levels (at 1 and 10 μg mL−1TiO2), OGG1 expression (at 0.001–1 μg mL−1TiO2), and cytotoxicity (at 0.1, 1, and 10 μg mL−1TiO2) in L02 cells. There were no significant changes in ROS, GSH, SOD, 8‐OHdG, or OGG1 levels when L02 cells were treated with TiO2alone or PbAc alone. These findings indicate that TiO2and PbAc in combination induce cytotoxicity and oxidative stress in L02 cells in the absence of photoactivation. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol, 2012.
Medical assessment in the psychiatric emergency service
Authors: Allen Michael H. , Currier Glenn W.
Published: January 2011

This chapter examines the frequency and consequences of medical morbidity in psychiatric presentations and reviews the factors that should influence policy decisions surrounding “medical clearance” in PES settings.
Psychological trauma and the psychiatric emergency service
Authors: Briere John
Published: January 2011

Trauma is a frequent precipitant to PES presentation. This chapter reviews the epidemiology, mental health findings, and approach to treatment for a variety of trauma‐related syndromes.
Sources of variability in estimates of the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease in the United States
Authors: Wilson Robert S. , Weir David R. , Leurgans Sue E. , Evans Denis A. , Hebert Liesi E. , Langa Kenneth M. , Plassman Brenda L. , Small Brent J. , Bennett David A.
Published: January 2011

Background

The prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the United States was estimated at 2.3 million in 2002 by the Aging, Demographics, and Memory Study (ADAMS), which is almost 50% less than the estimate of 4.5 million in 2000 derived from the Chicago Health and Aging Project.

Methods

We considered how differences in diagnostic criteria may have contributed to these differences in AD prevalence.

Results

We identified several important differences in diagnostic criteria that may have contributed to the differing estimates of AD prevalence. Two factors were especially noteworthy. First, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders III‐R and IV criteria of functional limitation documented by an informant used in ADAMS effectively concentrated the diagnosis of dementia toward a relatively higher level of cognitive impairment. ADAMS separately identified a category of cognitive impairment not dementia and within that group there were a substantial number of cases with “prodromal” AD (a maximum of 1.95 million with upweighting). Second, a substantial proportion of dementia in ADAMS was attributed to either vascular disease (representing a maximum of 0.59 million with upweighting) or undetermined etiology (a maximum of 0.34 million), whereas most dementia, including mixed dementia, was attributed to AD in the Chicago Health and Aging Project.

Conclusion

The diagnosis of AD in population studies is a complex process. When a diagnosis of AD excludes persons meeting criteria for vascular dementia, when not all persons with dementia are assigned an etiology, and when a diagnosis of dementia requires an informant report of functional limitations, the prevalence is substantially lower and the diagnosed cases most likely have a relatively higher level of impairment.
A European perspective on population studies of dementia
Authors: Brayne Carol , Stephan Blossom C.M. , Matthews Fiona E.
Published: January 2011

The change in the world's age demographics and the predicted rise in the incidence of age‐related diseases, including dementia, is a source of major public health concern. Major research effort in both the United States and Europe has been targeted toward understanding the pathogenesis and epidemiology of dementia. This article presents a general overview of the history of dementia research in Europe and how it compares with that in the United States. The review highlights the common issues which both U.S. and European researchers have identified and attempted to tackle. To maximize information gained from studies across the world, better harmonization of methodology is needed, as informed from current research practice.
Photography and the Religious Encounter: Ambiguity and Aesthetics in Missionary Representations of the Luba of South East Belgian Congo
Authors: Maxwell David
Published: January 2011

William F. P. Burton's career straddled several worlds that seemed at odds with each other. As a first-generation Pentecostal he pioneered, with James Salter, the Congo Evangelistic Mission (CEM) at Mwanza, Belgian Congo in 1915. The CEM became a paradigm for future Pentecostal Faith Mission work in Africa, thanks to Burton's propagandist writings that were published in at least thirty European and North American missionary periodicals. His extensive publications, some twenty-eight books, excluding tracts and articles in mission journals, reveal that the CEM was a missionary movement animated by a relentless proselytism, divine healing, exorcism, and the destruction of so-called “fetishes.” The CEM's Christocentric message required the new believer to make a public confession of sin and reject practices relating to ancestor religion, possession cults, divination, and witchcraft. It was a deeply iconoclastic form of Protestantism that maintained a strong distinction between an “advanced” Christian religion, mediated by the Bible, and an idolatrous primitive pagan religion. Burton's Pentecostalism had many of its own primitive urges, harkening back to an age where miraculous signs and wonders were the stuff of daily life, dreams and visions constituted normative authority, and the Bible was immune to higher criticism. But his vision also embraced social modernization and he preached the virtues of schooling and western styles of clothing, architecture, and agriculture. It was this combination of primitive and pragmatic tendencies that shaped the CEM's tense relations with the Belgian colonial state.
The Camera and the House: The Semiotics of New Guinea “Treehouses” in Global Visual Culture
Authors: Stasch Rupert
Published: January 2011

One of the most frequently encountered representations of West Papuan people internationally today is a photographic or video image of a Korowai or Kombai treehouse (Figure 1). Circulation of these images first exploded in the mid-1990s. In 1994, anArts & Entertainment Channelfilm about Korowai was broadcast in the United States under the titleTreehouse People: Cannibal Justice, and in 1996National Geographicpublished a photo essay titled “Irian Jaya's People of the Trees.” Korowai and Kombai treehouses have since been depicted in dozens of magazine and newspaper articles and twenty television productions, made by media professionals from the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Austria, Sweden, Finland, Japan, Australia, Switzerland, Italy, Croatia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Vietnam, and recently West Papua itself. Some representations have had mass global distribution through programming partnerships and satellite transmission agreements, and international editions of major magazines. Recently, several reality television programs have been produced about white travelers' stays in treehouses with Korowai or Kombai hosts. These include an episode ofTribebroadcast on BBC and Discovery in 2005, the six episodes ofLiving with the Kombai Tribeshown on Travel Channel and Discovery International in 2007, and an episode ofRendez-Vous En Terre Inconnuetelevised to much acclaim on France 2 in 2009. Treehouses were widely seen by Australian audiences in 2006 in theSixty Minutessegment “The Last Cannibals,” and during a subsequent media firestorm that surrounded a rival show's unsuccessful effort to film their anchor accompanying a supposedly endangered Korowai orphan boy to a safer life in town. In 2009, a BBC film crew filmed Korowai house construction for the forthcoming blockbuster seriesHuman Planet, and in 2010National Geographicbegan researching a possible second story on Korowai treehouses. In late June and early July 2010, photos of Korowai treehouses were published by newspapers in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Paraguay, Spain, Romania, Hungary, Turkey, Finland, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and other countries, to illustrate stories reporting the Indonesian census bureau's announcement that it had counted Korowai thoroughly for the first time (e.g., Andrade 2010; most stories drew their content from Agence France-Presse). In August 2010, production began for a feature-length Indonesian film about physical and romantic travails of Javanese protagonists who sojourn with Korowai in their jungle home; no filming is being carried out in the Korowai area or with Korowai actors, but treehouses figure prominently in the film's early written and visual publicity.
“The Abandoned Lower Class of Females”: Class, Gender, and Penal Discipline in Barbados, 1875–1929
Authors: Green Cecilia A.
Published: January 2011

Between 1873 and 1917, the numbers of Barbadian women committed to penal custody on an annual basis surpassed those of men. While women's per capita imprisonment rate was still somewhat below that of men for most of these years, given the wide margins by which women outnumbered men in the population and the labor force, these proportions were nevertheless unprecedented, not only in the British Caribbean but also in other parts of the world. Available figures for Jamaica and Trinidad over sections of the period hover around an 18–20 percent female proportion rate, while in Barbados the rate usually exceeded 50 percent.
Sex differences and developmental stability in genetic and environmental influences on psychoactive substance consumption from early adolescence to young adulthood
Authors: Baker J. H. , Maes H. H. , Larsson H. , Lichtenstein P. , Kendler K. S.
Published: January 2011

Background

Genetic and environmental factors are important in the etiology of substance use. However, little is known about the stability of these factors across development. We aimed to answer three crucial questions about this etiology that have never been addressed in a single study: (1) Is there a general vulnerability to substance consumption from early adolescence to young adulthood? (2) If so, do the genetic and environmental influences on this vulnerability change across development? (3) Do these developmental processes differ in males and females?

Method

Subjects included 1480 twin pairs from the Swedish Twin Study of Child and Adolescent Development who have been followed since 1994. Prospective, self-reported regular smoking, alcohol intoxication and illicit drug use were assessed at ages 13–14, 16–17 and 19–20 years. Structural modeling was performed with the program Mx.

Results

An underlying common factor accounted for the association between smoking, alcohol and illicit drug consumption for the three age groups. Common genetic and shared environmental effects showed substantial continuity. In general, as participants aged, the influence of the shared environment decreased, and genetic effects became more substance specific in their effect.

Conclusions

The current report answers three important questions in the etiology of substance use. The genetic and environmental risk for substance consumption is partly mediated through a common factor and is partly substance specific. Developmentally, evidence was strongest for stability of common genetic effects, with less evidence for genetic innovation. These processes seem to be the same in males and females.
Ann K.S. Lambton (1912–2008) and Persian Studies
Authors: MORGAN DAVID O.
Published: January 2011

The last occasion on which I addressed the Society, in 2000, was, like today's, a memorial lecture: to honour the memory of Professor Charles Beckingham. I spoke then about a subject that combined Professor Beckingham's interests with my own: Ibn Battuta and the Mongols. As it happens, I have already done something similar for Professor Lambton: a 90th birthday lecture to the British Institute of Persian Studies, in 2002, when my subject was a reappraisal of the Mongol period in Iran. This was given in the presence of the honorand: a slightly daunting experience; and those who knew her will not be surprised to learn that she was by no means uncritical, if not necessarily of what I said, then certainly of my delivery of it. So I decided that today I would talk about Professor Lambton herself, and attempt to discuss and evaluate her contribution to the field of study which she adorned for so long.
The Legend of ʿAbdallāh ibn Sabaʾ and the Date ofUmm al-Kitāb
Authors: ANTHONY SEAN W.
Published: January 2011

ʿAbdallāh ibn Sabaʾ is a figure generally regarded as Islam's first heretic by Sunnī scholars and also vilified by Shīʿī scholars. In this article an anonymous, esoteric work known as Umm al-Kitāb is examined as it contains an exceptional narrative that adopts a strikingly sympathetic approach to Ibn Sabaʾ. It is also argued that the work's unique take on the Ibn Sabaʾ legend sheds considerable light on the date and elusive provenance of this early Shīʿī text.
Illustrations of Human Effigies in Tibetan Ritual Texts: With Remarks on Specific Anatomical Figures and Their Possible Iconographic Source
Authors: CUEVAS BRYAN J.
Published: January 2011

The ritual use of objects and images designed to serve as effigies or surrogates of specific persons, animals or spirits is more or less universal across cultures and time. In Tibet, recent archaeological evidence attests to the use of illustrated effigies possibly dating from the eleventh century. Other early Tibetan images include anthropomorphic figures inscribed on animal skulls. The practical use of effigies in Tibetan ritual, both Buddhist and Bon-po, was almost certainly derived from much older Indian practices transmitted to Tibet. In this article illustrated effigies, their iconography and ritual use are discussed and the article concludes with the translation and transliteration of a short work by the fifteenth-century treasure revealer (gter-ston) and patron saint of Bhutan Padma-gling-pa (1450–1521), which gives instructions on how to draw a liṅga for a ritual of defence against human adversaries.