bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bumper spring triticale
Authors: McLeod J. G. , Randhawa H. S. , Ammar K. , Payne J. F. , Muri R. B.
Published: April 2011

McLeod, J. G., Randhawa, H. S., Ammar, K., Payne, J. F and Muri, R. B. 2011. Bumper spring triticale. Can. J. Plant Sci. 91: 351–354. Bumper spring triticale (× Triticosecale Wittmack) is well adapted to the Canadian prairies with high grain yield in each of the soil zones It has shorter straw than the check cultivars and excellent lodging resistance. Bumper matures in a similar number of days as the check cultivars. It combines large heavy seed with test weight equal to the best cultivar AC Certa. Bumper is resistant to the prevalent races of leaf and stem rust and common bunt. Its reaction to Fusarium head blight is moderately resistant.
CDC Orion kabuli chickpea
Authors: Taran Bunyamin , Bandara Manjula , Warkentin Tom , Banniza Sabine , Vandenberg Albert
Published: April 2011

Taran, B., Bandara, M., Warkentin, T., Banniza, S. and Vandenberg, A. 2011. CDC Orion kabuli chickpea. Can. J. Plant Sci. 91: 355–356. CDC Orion, a kabuli chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) cultivar, was released in 2010 by the Crop Development Centre, University of Saskatchewan for distribution to Select seed growers in western Canada through the Variety Release Program of the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers. CDC Orion has a pinnate leaf type, fair resistance to ascochyta blight (Ascochyta rabiei Pass. Lab.), late maturity, large seed size and high yield potential in the Brown and Dark Brown soil zones of the Canadian prairies.
Low Frequency Estimates for Long Range Perturbations in Divergence Form
Authors: Bouclet Jean-Marc
Published: April 2011

We prove a uniformcontrol as z → 0 for the resolvent (P−z)−1 of long range perturbations P of the Euclidean Laplacian in divergence form by combining positive commutator estimates and properties of Riesz transforms. These estimates hold in dimension d ≥ 3 when P is defined on ℝd and in dimension d ≥ 2 when P is defined outside a compact obstacle with Dirichlet boundary conditions.
Decomposition of Splitting Invariants in Split Real Groups
Authors: Kaletha Tasho
Published: April 2011

For a maximal torus in a quasi-split semi-simple simply-connected group over a local field of characteristic 0, Langlands and Shelstad constructed a cohomological invariant called the splitting invariant, which is an important component of their endoscopic transfer factors. We study this invari- ant in the case of a split real group and prove a decomposition theorem which expresses this invariant for a general torus as a product of the corresponding invariants for simple tori. We also show how this reduction formula allows for the comparison of splitting invariants between different tori in the given real group.
Convergence in Capacity
Authors: Cegrell Urban
Published: April 2011

In this note we study the convergence of sequences of Monge–Ampère measures ﹛(ddcus)n﹜, where ﹛us﹜ is a given sequence of plurisubharmonic functions, converging in capacity.
A Note on the Antipode for Algebraic Quantum Groups
Authors: Delvaux L. , Van Daele A. , Wang Shuanhong
Published: April 2011

Recently, Beattie, Bulacu ,and Torrecillas proved Radford's formula for the fourth power of the antipode for a co-Frobenius Hopf algebra.

In this note, we show that this formula can be proved for any regular multiplier Hopf algebra with integrals (algebraic quantum groups). This, of course, not only includes the case of a finite-dimensional Hopf algebra, but also that of any Hopf algebra with integrals (co-Frobenius Hopf algebras). Moreover, it turns out that the proof in this more general situation, in fact, follows in a few lines from well-known formulas obtained earlier in the theory of regular multiplier Hopf algebras with integrals.

We discuss these formulas and their importance in this theory. We also mention their generalizations, in particular to the (in a certain sense) more general theory of locally compact quantum groups. Doing so, and also because the proof of the main result itself is very short, the present note becomes largely of an expository nature.
Intravenous autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells for ischemic stroke
Authors: Savitz Sean I. , Misra Vivek , Kasam Mallik , Juneja Harrinder , Cox Charles S. , Alderman Susan , Aisiku Imo , Kar Siddhartha , Gee Adrian , Grotta James C.
Published: April 2011

Objective:

Cellular therapy is an investigational approach for stroke. Mononuclear cells (MNCs) from the bone marrow reduce neurological deficits in animal stroke models. We determined if autologous MNC infusion was feasible and safe in patients with ischemic stroke.

Methods:

We conducted an open‐label prospective study of a bone marrow harvest followed by readministration of autologous MNCs in 10 patients, 18 to 80 years old, with acute middle cerebral artery ischemic stroke. Bone marrow was aspirated from the iliac crest, and MNCs were separated at a Good Manufacturing Practices facility and administered intravenously up to a maximum of 10 million cells/kg. The harvest and infusion had to occur between 24 and 72 hours after stroke. Patients were monitored for 6 months.

Results:

Bone marrow aspiration was successfully completed in all patients. Eight received 10 million cells/kg, and 2 received ≥7 million cells/kg. There were no significant adverse events related to harvest or infusion. Two patients had infarct expansion between enrollment and harvest and underwent hemicraniectomy after cell infusion. One patient died at 40 days due to a pulmonary embolism related to the stroke. There were no study‐related severe adverse events. Median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score was 13 before harvest, 8 at 7 days, and 3 at 6 months. At 6 months, all surviving patients had shifted down by at least 1 point on the modified Rankin Scale compared to day 7. Seven of 10 patients achieved a Barthel Index ≥90.

Interpretation:

This study suggests that a bone marrow harvest and reinfusion of autologous MNCs were safe and feasible in acute stroke patients. ANN NEUROL 2011;
Preparation and properties of poly(ether‐ester‐amide)/poly(acrylonitrile‐co‐butadiene‐co‐styrene) antistatic blends
Authors: Fu Yishu , Wang Jikui , Zhao Guang , Wang Yaoxian , Chen Shujun
Published: April 2011

A novel antistatic agent poly(ether‐ester‐amide) (PEEA) based on caprolactam, polyethylene glycol, and 6‐aminocaproic acid was successfully synthesized by melting polycondensation. The structure, thermal properties, and antistatic ability of the copolymer were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analyses, and ZC36 megohmmeter. Test results show that PEEA is a block copolymer with a melting point of 217°C and a thermal decomposition temperature of 409°C, together with a surface resistivity of 108 Ω/sq. Antistatic poly(acrylonitrile‐co‐butadiene‐co‐styrene) (ABS) materials were prepared by blending different content of PEEA to ABS resin. The antistatic performances, morphology, and mechanical properties were investigated. It is indicated that the surface resistivity of PEEA/ABS blends decrease with the increasing PEEA content, and the excellent antistatic performance is obtained when the antistatic agent is up to 10–15%. The antistatic performance is hardly influenced by water‐washing and relative humidity, and a permanent antistatic performance is available. The antistatic mechanism is investigated. The compatibility of the blends was studied by scanning electron microscopy images. The ladder distribution of antistatic agent is formed, and a rich phase of antistatic agent can be found in the surface layer. The elongations at break of the blend are improved with the increasing antistatic agent; the tensile strength and the notched impact strength kept almost the same. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011.
Gentamicin‐loaded poly(acrylic acid)‐grafted cotton fibers, part 1: Synthesis, characterization, and preliminary drug release study
Authors: Bajpai Sunil K. , Das Pratima
Published: April 2011

This study describes preparation of poly (acrylic acid)‐grafted cotton fibers and release of antibiotic drug gentamicin sulfate from them under physiological conditions. Poly(acrylic acid) has been grafted onto cellulose backbone of cotton fibers via Ce(IV)‐initiated polymerization in aqueous medium. The conditions obtained for optimum grafting were as follows: initiation time 30 min; initiation temperature 37°C; monomer concentration 27.8 mM; grafting temperature 30°C; nitric acid (catalyst) concentration 0.1M. The grafted fibers were characterized by FTIR, TGA, and SEM analysis. The antibiotic drug gentamicin sulfate (GS) was loaded into the grafted fibers by equilibration method and release was studied under physiological conditions. The kinetic release data was interpreted by first‐order kinetic model. Finally, drug‐loaded fibers showed fair antibacterial action against Escherichia coli. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Effect of kind and content of organo‐modified clay on properties of PET nanocomposites
Authors: Scaffaro R. , Botta L. , Ceraulo M. , La Mantia F. P.
Published: April 2011

In this work we report the properties of nanocomposite based on PET with two different samples of organically modified montmorillonites. In particular, we studied the effect of the filler concentration on morphology, rheology, and mechanical performance, focusing our attention on the effect of the degradation phenomena of the clay modifiers. The results indicate that at low clay level the morphology achieved is mainly intercalated. On increasing the filler level, coalescence and/or bad defragmentation phenomena induce a coarser morphology, as confirmed by XRD, SEM, and TEM observations. When a more polar organic modifier is used to modify the clay, the particle adhesion and distribution is slightly better. Conversely, at the processing temperatures adopted, this organic modifier induces a strong degradation of PET, as confirmed by melt rheology and intrinsic viscosity measurements. DSC indicates, in addition, a slight increase of crystallinity likely due to the decreased molecular weight. As regards the mechanical properties, Young's modulus is not significantly changed unless high amounts of clay (10%) are used while the elongation at break drops even at the lowest clay content. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Catalytic activity of immobilized metalloporphyrins prepared by synchronously synthesizing and immobilizing porphyrins on polymeric microspheres
Authors: Gao Baojiao , Zhao Jing , Li Yanbin
Published: April 2011

A novel route to immobilize metalloporphyrins on polymeric supports was put forward, and it is the way to synchronously synthesize and immobilize porphyrins on polymeric microspheres, followed by metal salt coordination reaction. Copolymeric microspheres (GMA/MMA) of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) were prepared, and then via the ring‐opening reaction of the epoxy groups on GMA/MMA microspheres, parahydroxybenzaldehyde (HBA) was bond onto the microspheres, obtaining the modified microspheres HBA‐GMA/MMA. Subsequently, the Adler reaction between solid‐liquid phases was carried out with HBA‐GMA/MMA microspheres and pyrrole as well as benzaldehyde derivate in a solution as coreactants. As a result, it was successfully realized to synchronously synthesize and immobilize porphyrin on the surfaces of GMA/MMA microspheres, resulting in three porphyrin‐immobilized microspheres, PP‐GMA/MMA (PP: phenyl porphyrin), CPP‐GMA/MMA (CPP: 4‐chlorophenyl porphyrin) and NPP‐GMA/MMA (NPP: 4‐nitrophenyl porphyrin). Further, the coordination reaction of these immobilized porphyrins with cobalt salt was conducted, obtaining three supported cobalt porphyrin catalysts, CoPP‐GMA/MMA, CoCPP‐GMA/MMA and CoNPP‐GMA/MMA. The catalytic properties of these supported mettaloporphyrin catalysts were examined in the catalytic oxidation of ethylbenzene to acetophenone by dioxygen. The experimental results indicate: (1) the prepared three solid catalysts are effective in the catalytic oxidation of ethylbenzene to acetophenone by dioxygen; (2) for these polymer‐supported metalloporphyrin catalysts, some factors, such as the substitute species on phenyl ring in the macrocycle, the immobilization density of metalloporphyrin and the added amount of the catalyst in the reaction system, affect the catalytic activity greatly; (3) the prepared supported metalloporphyrin catalysts have fine recycle and reuse property. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Crystallization behavior and mechanical properties of polypropylene random copolymer/poly(ethylene‐octene) blends
Authors: Tang Weihua , Tang Jian , Yuan Huilin , Jin Riguang
Published: April 2011

New polymer blends of polypropylene random copolymer (PP‐R) and poly(ethylene‐octene) (POE) were prepared by melt‐blending process using a corotating twin‐screw extruder. The POE content was varied up to 35%. The toughening efficiency of POE for PP‐R was evaluated by the mechanical properties of the resulted PP‐R/POE blends. The crystallization behavior and morphology of the blends were also studied. Results show that POE acts as nucleation agent to induce the crystallization of PP‐R matrix at higher crystallization temperature. Super‐toughened PP‐R/POE blends (Izod impact strength more than 500 J/m) can be readily achieved with only 10 wt % of POE. The high toughness of PP‐R/POE is attributed to cavitation and shear yielding of matrix PP‐R, as revealed by the morphology studies. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Patterns of pharmacotherapy and health care utilization and costs prior to total hip or total knee replacement in patients with osteoarthritis
Authors: Berger Ariel , Bozic Kevin , Stacey Brett , Edelsberg John , Sadosky Alesia , Oster Gerry
Published: April 2011

Objective

To examine patterns of pharmacotherapy and health care utilization and costs prior to total knee replacement (TKR) or total hip replacement (THR) in patients with osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods

Using a large US health insurance claims database, we identified all patients with OA who were ages ≥40 years and had undergone TKR or THR between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2007. Patients with <2 years of complete data prior to TKR or THR were excluded, as were those with evidence of other conditions for which TKR or THR may be performed (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis). We then examined patterns of health care utilization and costs over the 2‐year period preceding surgery.

Results

A total of 16,527 patients met all study entry criteria. Their mean ± SD age was 56.6 ± 6.1 years, and 56% of them were women. In the 2 years preceding surgery, 55% of patients received prescription nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, 58% received opioids, and 50% received injections of corticosteroids. The numbers of patients receiving these drugs increased steadily during the presurgery period. The mean ± SD total health care costs in the 2 years preceding surgery were $19,466 ± 29,869, of which outpatient care, inpatient care, and pharmacotherapy represented 45%, 20%, and 20%, respectively. Costs increased from $2,094 in the eighth calendar quarter prior to surgery to $3,100 in the final quarter.

Conclusion

Patients with OA who undergo THR or TKR have relatively high levels of use of pain‐related pharmacotherapy and high total health care costs in the 2‐year period preceding surgery. Levels of utilization and cost increase as the date of surgery approaches.
Tumor necrosis factor–interleukin‐17 interplay induces S100A8, interleukin‐1β, and matrix metalloproteinases, and drives irreversible cartilage destruction in murine arthritis: Rationale for combination treatment during arthritis
Authors: Koenders Marije I. , Marijnissen Renoud J. , Devesa Isabel , Lubberts Erik , Joosten Leo A. B. , Roth Johannes , van Lent Peter L. E. M. , van de Loo Fons A. , van den Berg Wim B.
Published: April 2011

Objective

To examine whether synovial interleukin‐17 (IL‐17) expression promotes tumor necrosis factor (TNF)–induced joint pathologic processes in vivo, and to analyze the surplus ameliorative value of neutralizing IL‐17 in addition to TNF during collagen‐induced arthritis (CIA).

Methods

Adenoviral vectors were used to induce overexpression of IL‐17 and/or TNF in murine knee joints. In addition, mice with CIA were treated, at different stages of arthritis, with soluble IL‐17 receptor (sIL‐17R), TNF binding protein (TNFBP), or the combination.

Results

Overexpression of IL‐17 and TNF resulted in joint inflammation and bone erosion in murine knees. Interestingly, IL‐17 strikingly enhanced both the joint‐inflammatory and joint‐destructive capacity of TNF. Further analysis revealed a strongly enhanced up‐regulation of S100A8, IL‐1β, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) messenger RNA, only when both TNF and IL‐17 were present. Moreover, the increase in irreversible cartilage destruction was not merely the result of enhanced inflammation, but also was associated with a direct synergistic effect of these cytokines in the joint. S100A9 deficiency in mice protected against IL‐17/TNF–induced expression of cartilage NITEGE neoepitopes. During established arthritis, the combination of sIL‐17R and TNFBP was more effective than the anticytokine treatments alone, and significantly inhibited further joint inflammation and cartilage destruction.

Conclusion

Local synovial IL‐17 expression enhances the role of TNF in joint destruction. Synergy between TNF and IL‐17 in vivo results in striking exaggeration of cartilage erosion, in parallel with a synergistic up‐regulation of S100A8, IL‐1β, and erosive MMPs. Moreover, neutralizing IL‐17 in addition to TNF further improves protection against joint damage and is still effective during late‐stage CIA. Therefore, compared with anti‐TNF alone, combination blocking of TNF and IL‐17 may have additional therapeutic value for the treatment of destructive arthritis.
In the name of democracy: Disobedience and value‐oriented citizenship
Authors: Passini Stefano , Morselli Davide
Published: April 2011

Recently, some scholars have highlighted a paradoxical phenomenon existing in democratic systems: Those people who show the greatest support for democracy are also those most willing to protest against the authority and to question it. However, if we consider the tasks of contemporary democratic citizenship in a social‐psychological perspective, this apparent paradox becomes understandable. Obedience to authority may ensure the continuity of social and group life, but disobedience may be crucial in stopping the authority relationship from degenerating into an authoritarian one. Following Kelman and Hamilton's analysis of legitimacy dynamics, we consider how actions of disobedience may serve the defence of democracy. In particular, by considering the different ways in which people relate to the political system, the relevance of so‐called value‐oriented citizens in supporting democracy will be considered. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Healthcare professionals' representations of ‘patient and public involvement’ and creation of ‘public participant’ identities: Implications for the development of inclusive and bottom‐up community participation initiatives
Authors: Renedo Alicia , Marston Cicely
Published: April 2011

Community participation is widely thought to be important in the improvement of healthcare delivery and in health equity. Yet there is little agreement about what ‘participation’ means in practice, or when it might be necessary. Drawing on the case of healthcare delivery in the UK, we examine key socio‐psychological elements at the heart of community engagement with participatory processes. We explore the link between public participant identities and social representations of patient and public involvement (PPI) among healthcare professionals, and examine the role they play in supporting or undermining inclusive and bottom‐up forms of PPI. The study is ethnographic, using in‐depth interviews with public participants and healthcare professionals involved in PPI, and observation of PPI activities in London. We show that it is crucial to take account of more than individual participants' capacities in order to understand and improve PPI. Professionals' talk about PPI contains contradictory discourses about participant identity. These contradictions are reflected in involvees' self‐understanding and experience as public participants, constraining their subjectivities and forms of knowledge, and crystallizing in their participatory practices. Involvees must negotiate professionals' negative discourses to develop self‐images that reflect their own interests and projects, and that empower them to produce an effect in the public sphere. These processes can hinder successful participation even where there is an institutional infrastructure to promote civic engagement with healthcare. Understanding how involvees construct their own identities through engagement with professional discourses will help develop processes that are positive and enabling rather than negative and limiting. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Psychological citizenship and national identity
Authors: Sindic Denis
Published: April 2011

In this paper, I raise the question of whether psychological citizenship (i.e. the subjective sense of being a citizen) is necessarily intertwined with a sense of national identity in our contemporary world. First, I argue that psychological citizenship is always dependent upon a sense of shared identity with the community (be it national or other), and I explore some of the reasons why this is the case. Second, I argue that such sense of shared identity can nevertheless sometimes remain implicit so that in order to assess its impact one may need to look beyond people's explicit statements of identification. Third, I turn to the more specific question of national identity and argue that such identity presents particular characteristics that make it consonant with the notion of citizenship (and thus able to sustain a subjective sense of citizenship) in ways that other identities might not always be. Finally, I compare a psychological citizenship based on national identity to one which would be based on a ‘global’ or ‘cosmopolitan’ identity. I argue that, whilst the former constitutes a pervasive social psychological reality, doubts can be raised as to whether this is the case for the latter, and thus as to whether it can form a credible alternative to national identity as the psychological substrate of citizenship. I conclude with some reflections concerning what different approaches of social psychology can bring to the study of the psychological aspects of citizenship. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Inhibition of miR‐214 expression represses proliferation and differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts
Authors: Feng Yang , Cao Jian‐Hua , Li Xin‐Yun , Zhao Shu‐Hong
Published: April 2011

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non‐coding RNAs that participate in diverse biological processes including skeletal muscle development. MiR‐214 is an miRNA that is differentially expressed in porcine embryonic muscle and adult skeletal muscle, suggesting that miR‐214 may be related to embryonic myogenesis. In this study, the myoblast cell line C2C12 was used for functional analysis of miR‐214 in vitro. The results showed that miR‐214 was expressed both in myoblasts and in myotubes and was upregulated during differentiation. After treatment with an miR‐214 inhibitor and culturing in differentiation medium, myoblast differentiation was repressed, as indicated by the significant downregulation of expression of the myogenic markers myogenin and myosin heavy chain (MyHC). Interestingly, myoblast proliferation was also repressed when cells were transfected with an miR‐214 inhibitor and cultured in growth medium by real‐time proliferation assay and cell cycle analysis. Our results showed that miR‐214 regulates both proliferation and differentiation of myoblasts depending on the conditions. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of iodide on the coupling between ATP hydrolysis and motile activity in axonemal dynein
Authors: Nakano Izumi , Fujiwara Rin , Wada Mikiyo , Shingyoji Chikako
Published: April 2011

Dynein transduces the chemical energy of ATP hydrolysis into mechanical work through conformational changes. To identify the factors governing the coupling between the ATPase activity and the motile activity of the dynein molecule, we examined the effects of potassium iodide, which can unfold protein tertiary structures, on dynein activity in reactivated sea urchin sperm flagella. The presence of low concentrations of KI (0.05–0.1 M) in the reactivating solution did not influence the stable beating of demembranated flagella at 0.02–1 mM ATP, when the total concentration of potassium was kept at 0.15 M by adding K‐acetate. However, double‐reciprocal plots of ATP concentration and beat frequency showed a mixed type of inhibition by KI, indicating the possibility that KI inhibits the ATP hydrolysis and decreases the maximum sliding velocity. The ATPase activity of 21S dynein with or without microtubules did not decrease with the KI concentration. In the elastase‐treated axonemes, KI decreased the velocity of sliding disintegration, while it increased the frequency of occurrence of axonemes showing no sliding. This may be related to some defect in the coordination of dynein activities. On 21S dynein adsorbed on a glass surface, however, the velocity of microtubule sliding was increased by KI, while KI lowered the dynein‐microtubule affinity. The velocity further increased under lower salt conditions enhancing the dynein‐microtubule interactions. The results suggest the importance of organized regulation of the dynamic states of dynein‐microtubule interactions through the stalk for the coupling between the ATPase activity and the motile activity of dynein in beating flagella. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Use of tailored higher modes of a birdcage to design a simple double‐tuned proton/phosphorus coil for human calf muscle studies at 7 T
Authors: Webb A.G. , Smith N.B. , Aussenhofer S. , Kan H.E.
Published: April 2011

A large number of designs exist for double‐ or multiple‐tuned radiofrequency (RF) coils, based largely upon the use of trap circuits (either bandstop or bandpass) or two circuits with significant mutual inductive coupling. An alternative approach is to use an RF coil, which intrinsically has several resonant modes. As is well‐known, the homogeneity of the N/2 resonant modes of an N leg birdcage decreases significantly with N. However, here we show that at high field (7 T) driving even a very high mode produces sufficient signal throughout the calf muscle to allow anatomical proton imaging, Dixon‐based fat/water separation and localized B0 shimming for 31P MR spectroscopy. The full sensitivity of the 31P coil is maintained which is important for applications in muscle diseases such as muscular dystrophies, where fat infiltration leads to significant reduction in muscle tissue. In addition to showing 1H and 31P data sets from several volunteers, empirical formulae for estimating the frequencies of higher birdcage modes are derived, and electromagnetic simulations of coil performance presented. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Concepts Magn Reson Part B (Magn Reson Engineering) 39B: 89–97, 2011
Dataflow detection and applications to workflow scheduling
Authors: Wang Yang , Lu Paul
Published: April 2011

In high‐performance computing (HPC)textitworkloads (i.e. the set of computations to be completed), the same computational workflow of jobs (e.g. a Pipeline, a Fork&Join, or a Lattice graph) may be applied to different input files and parameters. Each of these workflow instances has the same workflow shape, but accesses (possibly) separate input, intermediate, and output files. Therefore, the selective isolation of each workflow instance can be important for maximizing scheduling flexibility and performance. However, in practice, realizing this benefit is not obvious due to a variety of problems and constraints. For example, the unmediated interaction of different workflow instances can lead to a problem of filename conflicts between concurrent workflow instances overwriting common files, which, for a control‐flow driven batch scheduler, may result in either unsafe computation of the multiple instances in the same sub‐directory or storage overheads when multiple directories are used. We propose a novel approach of selectively coupling and integrating job schedulers and file systems, known as a Workflow‐aware File System (WaFS), with two major benefits. First, separate namespaces can be constructed on a per‐instance basis to maximize the concurrency of workflow instances, despite filename conflicts, while minimizing storage overhead. Second, exploiting inferred dataflow information, trade‐offs can be made between makespan and storage overhead while maintaining correctness. Through a simulation‐based study, we have shown the potential benefits of WaFS to job concurrency and we have characterized the trade‐offs that can be made between storage overhead and performance. New scheduling policies, Versioned Namespace (VNS), Overwrite‐Safe Concurrency (OSC) and hybrids, are made possible by WaFS, with different advantages and disadvantages. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comparing the implementation of two‐dimensional numerical quadrature on GPU, FPGA and ClearSpeed systems to study electron scattering by atoms
Authors: Gillan C. J. , Steinke T. , Bock J. , Borchert S. , Spence I. , Scott N. S.
Published: April 2011

The use of accelerators, with compute architectures different and distinct from the CPU, has become a new research frontier in high‐performance computing over the past five years. This paper is a case study on how the instruction‐level parallelism offered by three accelerator technologies, FPGA, GPU and ClearSpeed, can be exploited in atomic physics. The algorithm studied is the evaluation of two electron integrals, using direct numerical quadrature, a task that arises in the study of intermediate energy electron scattering by hydrogen atoms. The results of our ‘productivity’ study show that while each accelerator is viable, there are considerable differences in the implementation strategies that must be followed on each. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
3‐butyl‐6‐fluoro‐1(3H)‐isobenzofuranone (6‐F‐NBP), a derivative of dl‐n‐butylphthalide, inhibits glutamate‐induced cytotoxicity in PC12 cells
Authors: Zhao Na , Ji Meng‐Xue , Xu Ling , Ji Bian‐Sheng
Published: April 2011

It is widely recognized that glutamate (Glu)‐induced cytotoxicity, intracellular calcium overload and the excessive free radical production are key events in the development and progression of ischemic brain injury. dl‐3‐n‐butylphthalide (NBP), an anti‐ischemic agent, has therapeutic effects in animal models of vascular dementia. The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effect of 3‐butyl‐6‐fluoro‐1(3H)‐isobenzofuranone (6‐F‐NBP), a derivative of NBP on Glu‐induced cytotoxicity in rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells, and to compare this action with NBP. The results showed that after 24‐h incubation with Glu (5 mM), cell viability and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were decreased. In contrast, the content of reactive oxygen species (ROS), activity of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), and apoptosis rate, as well as intracellular accumulation of [Ca2+]i, were increased, 6‐F‐NBP inhibited the damage induced by Glu in a dose‐dependent manner and exerted a more potent effect than NBP, indicating that 6‐F‐NBP exhibited a protective effect against Glu‐induced cytotoxicity in cultured PC12 cells. Drug Dev Res 73: 11–17, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Electrical characteristics of La0.5Sr0.5CoO3 as a cathode
Authors: Ichibakase Tsuyoshi
Published: April 2011

La0.5Sr0.5CoO3 was employed as a cathode for the first time when a plasma display panel was used on a handheld personal computer. It has favorable sputtering resistance characteristics and stable discharge characteristics in gases. In this report, the electrical characteristics of La0.5Sr0.5CoO3 are investigated through an analysis of a DC plasma panel fabricated as a prototype. The dimensions of the test plasma panel were measured exactly by an end‐measuring machine, and its electrical properties were estimated. In the analysis of the DC plasma panel, LaB6 and metallic Ni cathodes were investigated in the same way, and a comparative analysis was carried out. In the analysis of a sputtering experiment conducted in an AC sputtering apparatus, the sputter rate of La0.5Sr0.5CoO3 was greater than that of LaB6, and the sputter rate of La0.5Sr0.5CoO3 used as a cathode was smaller than that of other materials. La0.5Sr0.5CoO3 has a greater secondary‐emission coefficient γ than LaB6 or metallic Ni. It is inferred that the greater secondary‐emission coefficient γ of La0.5Sr0.5CoO3 reduces the sputter rate when it is used as a cathode. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn, 94(5): 55–62, 2011; Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/ecj.10175
Deposition rate and movement effect of paraffin‐based EBID
Authors: Kai Satoshi , Takahashi Koji , Norsyazwan Hilmi , Ikuta Tatsuya , Nishiyama Takashi , Nagayama Kunihito
Published: April 2011

Electron‐beam‐induced deposition (EBID) is a simple and versatile technique of processing materials for three‐dimensional nanoscale structures. A variety of precursor molecules can be used to build a localized solid deposition by the exposure of a substrate to an electron beam. This paper reports nano carbon deposition using solid n‐tetracosane as a precursor, because this paraffin‐based EBID can be introduced into existing scanning electron microscope (SEM) systems without difficulty. The paraffin is prepared on an aluminum film and operated by a manipulator in the SEM. The effects of the accelerating voltage, beam current, magnification, distance from the paraffin to the exposure point, the amount of paraffin, and the working distance are measured and discussed. It is found that the electron‐beam‐induced etching and the beam diameter are sometimes the dominant factors influencing the deposition rate, and that the thickness of the paraffin also affects the deposition distribution. Electron‐beam bending, which is a critical factor causing degradation of nanofabrication, is treated carefully in order to understand the declination of carbon pillars. The obtained carbon pillar configurations suggest that electrically charged paraffin produced during preliminary irradiation of the electron beam causes a Coulomb force and results in the movement effect of deposition. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn, 94(5): 39–46, 2011; Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/ecj.10192
Study on model for predicting the intra‐individual difference in left prefrontal pole electroencephalogram variability and its evaluation
Authors: Ito Shin‐Ichi , Mitsukura Yasue , Fukumi Minoru
Published: April 2011

This paper introduces a novel statistical model for estimating the intraindividual difference in left prefrontal cortex electroencephalogram (EEG) activity, and a method for evaluating the proposed model. It is known that EEGs contain individual characteristics. However, extraction of these individual characteristics has not been reported. The analyzed frequency components of an EEG can be subdivided into components that contain a significant number of features, and components that do not contain such features. From the viewpoint of these feature differences, we propose a model for extracting the features of an EEG. The model assumes a latent structure and employs factor analysis, treating the model error as personal error. We consider the first factor loading, which is calculated by eigenvalue decomposition, as the EEG feature. Furthermore, we use a k‐nearest neighbor (kNN) algorithm for evaluating the proposed model and the extracted EEG features. In general, the distance metric used is the Euclidean distance. It is possible that the distance metric used depends on the characteristics of the extracted EEG features and on the subject. Therefore, depending on the subject, we use one of three distance metrics: the Euclidean distance, the cosine distance, or the coefficient of correlation. Finally, in order to show the effectiveness of the proposed model, we present the results of an experiment using real EEG data. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn, 94(5): 9–16, 2011; Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/ecj.10326
Improving furnace and boiler cost‐effectiveness and CO2 emission by adjusting excess air
Authors: Lee Chien‐Li , Jou Chih‐Ju G.
Published: April 2011

Reducing the input excess air or airflow rate to a furnace or boiler will result in decreasing transmission rate of the thermal flow from the radiation zone to the convection heating surface zone in the furnace. Results of the plant‐scale test presented in this article show that if the furnace is operated at 3.6 × 107 kcal/h of combustion capacity, decreasing the residual O2 concentration in the furnace flue gas from 4% to 2.5% will save 9.3 × 103 m3 of natural gas consumption, and 2.1 × 104 tons of CO2 emission annually. For the boiler tested in the study, 1.8 × 105 m3 of natural gas consumption and 3.9 × 105 tons of CO2 emission will be reduced annually if it is operated with 90 ton/h steam yield. Hence, controlling the input excess air (or oxygen) as an important operating alternative to enhance thermal efficiency, and alleviate environmental impact of a heater furnace and boiler has been confirmed in this research. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 2012
Do medically unexplained somatic symptoms predict depression in older Chinese?
Authors: Yu Doris S.F. , Lee Diana T.F.
Published: April 2011

Objective

To identify the pattern of somatic presentation of depression among older Chinese by examining the association between medically unexplained somatic symptoms and depression.

Subjects

The population comprised 1433 Chinese 65 years or older recruited from 11 older community centres distributed across the three main territory regions of Hong Kong.

Method

Data were collected between January and December 2008, with a response rate of 72.3%. Data on socio‐demographic background, medical profile and somatic symptoms were collected. The Mental Health Inventory (five‐item) was used for depression screening. Medically unexplained somatic symptoms were defined as those not explained by any known medical pathology.

Results

The prevalence of depression among older Chinese was 16.5%. They reported more frequently than did the non‐depressed six medically unexplained somatic symptoms. After being adjusted for age, living arrangements, social support, financial strain, major stressful life events and chronic illness, depression was found to be significantly associated with all medically unexplained somatic symptoms (odds ratio: 1.667–2.268). Indeed, depressed older people were more likely to have multiple symptoms than were the non‐depressed, the odds ratio increasing from 2.64 (95%CI: 1.884–3.717) for two co‐existing symptoms to 4.521 (95%CI: 1.872–10.917) for six symptoms.

Conclusion

Older Chinese with depression were more likely to have multiple medically unexplained somatic symptoms, particularly fatigue, insomnia, loss of appetite and gastro‐intestinal problems. Health care professionals need to be aware of this pattern of somatization and take active steps to rule out any underlying psychological etiology. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessment and treatment of behavior problems in dementia in nursing home residents: a comparison of the approaches of physicians, psychologists, and nurse practitioners
Authors: Cohen‐Mansfield Jiska , Jensen Barbara , Resnick Barbara , Norris Margaret
Published: April 2011

Objective

To compare physicians (MDs), psychologists (PhDs), and nurse practitioners (NPs) regarding their approach to dementia‐associated behavior problems in nursing home residents.

Methods

A web‐based questionnaire solicited information about symptoms, assessment methods, suspected etiologies, and interventions with respect to the last resident treated for dementia‐associated behavior problems.

Results

Responses were obtained from 108 MDs, 38 PhDs, and 100 NPs. All groups relied similarly on information from the nursing staff, speaking with nursing assistants, and care team meetings in assessment; NPs were more likely to consult with family members. A standard assessment instrument was used most frequently by PhDs (50%), but this generally assessed cognitive status rather than problem behaviors. PhDs most frequently noted depression in residents. Groups were similar in attributing the behavioral symptoms to dementia and to underlying medical conditions, but PhDs were more likely to indicate depression, loneliness/boredom, staff‐resident communication, and insufficient activities as etiologies. Use of pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions of MDs and NPs were similar. PhDs reported least satisfaction with treatment.

Conclusion

Awareness of similarities and differences in the approaches of different health professionals can facilitate interdisciplinary interaction in providing care for dementia‐associated behavior problems in nursing home residents. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesis, isolation, and isomerization of two stereoisomers of 2,3,7,8‐tetramethyl‐5,10‐di(p‐tolyl)‐5,10‐dihydrostibanthrene
Authors: Uchiyama Yosuke
Published: April 2011

Two stereoisomers, trans form 1a and cis form 1b, of 2,3,7,8‐tetramethyl‐5,10‐di(p‐tolyl)‐5,10‐dihydrostibanthrene (1) were successfully synthesized. Both of 1a and 1b were characterized by X‐ray crystallographic analysis, which revealed the orientations of two p‐tolyl groups at the 5,10‐positions, the configurations at the antimony and the conformation of the central tricyclic system. DFT calculations [B3LYP/6‐31G(d) for C and H, LANL2DZ for Sb] of 5,10‐diphenyl‐5,10‐dihydrostibanthrene (3) were performed to give three optimized structures trans 3a, cis_exo 3b′, and cis_endo 3b′′, in the ground states, 3a being the most stable. The trans–cis isomerization of 1 was observed in 1‐chloronaphthalene at above ca. 200°C and was revealed to occur via vertex inversion at the antimony, because the energy barrier of the configurational isomerization was estimated to have high inversion barrier by kinetics and the isomerization showed no solvent effect. On the other hand, the trans–trans and the cis_exo–cis_endo isomerization of 1 were not observed even at −102°C in a CD2Cl2 solution, indicating that the conformational isomerization has quite low energy barriers and proceeds via skeletal inversion of the tricyclic system. The energy barrier of the conformational isomerization was estimated to be much lower than that of the configurational exchange by DFT calculations of searching for transition state using the synchronous transit‐guided quasi‐Newton (STQN) method. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 22:377–387, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/hc.20693
Syntheses, structures, and complexation of cis‐ and trans‐cycloheptane‐1,2‐diyl‐fused crown thioethers ([12]ansS4)
Authors: Ishii Akihiko , Asami Sohei , Fujiwara Yoko , Ono Aya , Nakata Norio
Published: April 2011

cis‐ and trans‐Cycloheptane‐1,2‐diyl‐fused crown thioethers ([12]ansS4), 2,3‐cis‐ and 2,3‐trans‐cycloheptano‐1,4,7,10‐tetrathiacyclododecanes (cis‐2 and (±)‐trans‐2), were synthesized from newly prepared cis‐ and trans‐cycloheptane‐1,2‐ditiols, respectively. X‐ray diffraction analyses on cis‐2 and (–)‐trans‐2, which was obtained by optical resolution of (±)‐trans‐2 with a chiral column, showed that in cis‐2 the S‐C‐C‐S part fused with the cis‐cycloheptane‐1,2‐diyl adopted a gauche orientation and that in (–)‐trans‐2 all S‐C‐C‐S parts took anti‐conformations. A competitive complexation experiment of cis‐2 and (±)‐trans‐2 with AgOTf revealed that cis‐2 was more favorable than (±)‐trans‐2 for the complexation. The structure of [Ag(cis‐2)]NO3 was analyzed by X‐ray crystallography. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 22:388–396, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/hc.20695
Smoking adversely affects survival in acute myeloid leukemia patients
Authors: Varadarajan Ramya , Licht Andrea S. , Hyland Andrew J. , Ford Laurie A. , Sait Sheila N.J. , Block Annemarie W. , Barcos Maurice , Baer Maria R. , Wang Eunice S. , Wetzler Meir
Published: April 2011

Smoking adversely affects hematopoietic stem cell transplantation outcome. We asked whether smoking affected outcome of newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients treated with chemotherapy. Data were collected on 280 AML patients treated with high‐dose cytarabine and idarubicin‐containing regimens at Roswell Park Cancer Institute who had smoking status data at diagnosis. Patients' gender, age, AML presentation (de novo vs. secondary), white blood cell (WBC) count at diagnosis, karyotype and smoking status (never vs. ever) were analyzed. Among the 161 males and 119 females with a median follow‐up of 12.9 months, 101 (36.1%) had never smoked and 179 (63.9%) were ever smokers. The proportion of patients between never and ever smokers was similar to respect to age, AML presentation, WBC count at diagnosis or karyotype based on univariate analysis of these categorical variables. Never smokers had a significantly longer overall survival (OS) (60.32 months) compared to ever smokers (30.89; p = 0.005). In multivariate analysis incorporating gender, age, AML presentation, WBC count, karyotype and smoking status as covariates, age, karyotype and smoking status retained prognostic value for OS. In summary, cigarette smoking has a deleterious effect on OS in AML.
Expression of Concern: A small molecule, LLL12 inhibits constitutive STAT3 and IL‐6‐induced STAT3 signaling and exhibits potent growth suppressive activity in human multiple myeloma cells
Authors: Lin Li , Benson Don M. , DeAngelis Stephanie , Bakan Courtney E. , Li Pui‐Kai , Li Chenglong , Lin Jiayuh
Published: April 2011

We characterized the effects of a newly developed signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3) inhibitor, LLL12 in multiple myeloma (MM) cells. LLL12 specifically inhibited STAT3 phosphorylation, nuclear localization, DNA binding activity, down‐regulated STAT3 downstream genes, and induced apoptosis in MM cells. Importantly, LLL12 significantly inhibited STAT3 phosphorylation, induced apoptosis in primary MM cells which came from patients that were clinically resistant to lenalidomide and bortezomib. LLL12 is a potent inhibitor of cell proliferation with IC50 values ranging between 0.26 and 1.96 μM in MM and primary MM cells. LLL12 also inhibited STAT3 phosphorylation induced by interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and interferon‐α but not STAT1, STAT2, STAT4 and STAT6 phosphorylation induced by interferon‐α, interferon‐γ and IL‐4 indicating the selectivity of LLL12 for STAT3. The selectively of LLL12 on STAT3 was further demonstrated on 21 protein kinases, which LLL12 had IC50 values ≥73.92 μM. In addition, the pretreatment of LLL12 blocked the promotion of the cell proliferation and resistance to lenalidomide by IL‐6. Furthermore, LLL12 significantly blocked tumor growth of MM cells in mouse model. Our results indicate that LLL12 blocks constitutive STAT3 and IL‐6 induced STAT3 signaling and may be a potential therapeutic agent for MM.
Beyond math skills: Measuring quantitative reasoning in context
Authors: Grawe Nathan D.
Published: April 2011

This chapter describes recent attempts to measure context‐rich application of quantitative reasoning. Initial evidence suggests that teaching to explicitly stated learning goals—whether in the context of a limited cluster of courses or in offerings across the curriculum—can shape student aptitude.
Assessing intercultural competence
Authors: Deardorff Darla K.
Published: April 2011

Intercultural competence and related global learning outcomes are increasingly becoming a priority for postsecondary institutions to assess. This chapter discusses the complexities of assessing this outcome.