bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Atherosclerotic Plaque Stability Is Affected by the Chemokine CXCL10 in Both Mice and Humans
Authors: Segers Dolf , Lipton Jonathan A. , Leenen Pieter J. M. , Cheng Caroline , Tempel Dennie , Pasterkamp Gerard , Moll Frans L. , de Crom Rini , Krams Rob
Published: November 2011

Background. The chemokine CXCL10 is specifically upregulated during experimental development of plaque with an unstable phenotype. In this study we evaluated the functional consequences of these findings in mice and humans.Methods and Results. InApoE-/-mice, we induced unstable plaque with using a flow-altering device around the carotid artery. From week 1 to 4, mice were injected with a neutralizing CXCL10 antibody. After 9 weeks, CXCL10 inhibition resulted in a more stable plaque phenotype: collagen increased by 58% (P=0.002), smooth muscle cell content increased 2-fold (P=0.03), while macrophage MHC class II expression decreased by 50% (P=0.005). Also, the size of necrotic cores decreased by 41% (P=0.01). In 106 human carotid endarterectomy specimens we found that increasing concentrations of CXCL10 strongly associate with an increase in atheromatous plaque phenotype (ANOVA,P=0.003), with high macrophage, low smooth muscle cell, and low collagen content.Conclusions. In the present study we showed that CXCL10 is associated with the development of vulnerable plaque in human and mice. We conclude that CXCL10 might provide a new lead towards plaque-stabilizing therapy.
ColorPhylo: A Color Code to Accurately Display Taxonomic Classifications
Authors: Lespinats Sylvain , Fertil Bernard
Published: November 2011

Color may be very useful to visualise complex data. As far as taxonomy is concerned, color may help observing various species’ characteristics in correlation with classification. However, choosing the number of subclasses to display is often a complex task: on the one hand, assigning a limited number of colors to taxa of interest hides the structure imbedded in the subtrees of the taxonomy; on the other hand, differentiating a high number of taxa by giving them specific colors, without considering the underlying taxonomy, may lead to unreadable results since relationships between displayed taxa would not be supported by the color code. In the present paper, an automatic color coding scheme is proposed to visualise the levels of taxonomic relationships displayed as overlay on any kind of data plot. To achieve this goal, a dimensionality reduction method allows displaying taxonomic “distances” onto a Euclidean two-dimensional space. The resulting map is projected onto a 2D color space (the Hue, Saturation, Brightness colorimetric space with brightness set to 1). Proximity in the taxonomic classification corresponds to proximity on the map and is therefore materialised by color proximity. As a result, each species is related to a color code showing its position in the taxonomic tree. The so called ColorPhylo displays taxonomic relationships intuitively and can be combined with any biological result. A Matlab version of ColorPhylo is available at http://sy.lespi.free.fr/ColorPhylo-homepage.html .

Meanwhile, an ad-hoc distance in case of taxonomy with unknown edge lengths is proposed.
Evolution of Antifreeze Protein Genes in the Diatom Genus Fragilariopsis: Evidence for Horizontal Gene Transfer, Gene Duplication and Episodic Diversifying Selection
Authors: Sorhannus Ulf
Published: November 2011

Hypotheses about horizontal transfer of antifreeze protein genes to ice-living diatoms were addressed using two different statistical methods available in the program Prunier. The role of diversifying selection in driving the differentiation of a set of antifreeze protein genes in the diatom genus Fragilariopsis was also investigated. Four horizontal gene transfer events were identified. Two of these took place between two major eukaryote lineages, that is from the diatom Chaetoceros neogracile to the copepod Stephos longipes and from a basidiomycete clade to a monophyletic group, consisting of the diatom species Fragilariopsis curta and Fragilariopsis cylindrus. The remaining two events included transfers from an ascomycete lineage to the proteobacterium Stigmatella aurantiaca and from the proteobacterium Polaribacter irgensii to a group composed of 4 proteobacterium species. After the Fragilariopsis lineage acquired the antifreeze protein gene from the basidiomycetes, it duplicated and went through episodic evolution, characterized by strong positive selection acting on short segments of the branches in the tree. This selection pattern suggests that the paralogs differentiated functionally over relatively short time periods. Taken together, the results obtained here indicate that the group of antifreeze protein genes considered here have a complex evolutionary history.
Cloud condensation nuclei closure study on summer arctic aerosol
Authors: Martin M. , Chang R. Y.-W. , Sierau B. , Sjogren S. , Swietlicki E. , Abbatt J. P. D. , Leck C. , Lohmann U.
Published: November 2011

Abstract. We present an aerosol – cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) closure study on summer high Arctic aerosol based on measurements that were carried out in 2008 during the Arctic Summer Cloud Ocean Study (ASCOS) on board the Swedish ice breaker Oden. The data presented here were collected during a three-week time period in the pack ice (>85° N) when the icebreaker Oden was moored to an ice floe and drifted passively during the most biological active period into autumn freeze up conditions. CCN number concentrations were obtained using two CCN counters measuring at different supersaturations. The directly measured CCN number concentration was then compared with a CCN number concentration calculated using both bulk aerosol mass composition data from an aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) and aerosol number size distributions obtained from a differential mobility particle sizer, assuming κ-Köhler theory, surface tension of water and an internally mixed aerosol. The last assumption was supported by measurements made with a hygroscopic tandem differential mobility analyzer (HTDMA) for particles >70 nm. For the two highest measured supersaturations, 0.73 and 0.41%, closure could not be achieved with the investigated settings concerning hygroscopicity and density. The calculated CCN number concentration was always higher than the measured one for those two supersaturations. This might be caused by a relative larger insoluble organic mass fraction of the smaller particles that activate at these supersaturations, which are thus less good CCN than the larger particles. On average, 36% of the mass measured with the AMS was organic mass. At 0.20, 0.15 and 0.10% supersaturation, closure could be achieved with different combinations of hygroscopic parameters and densities within the uncertainty range of the fit. The best agreement of the calculated CCN number concentration with the observed one was achieved when the organic fraction of the aerosol was treated as nearly water insoluble (κorg=0.02), leading to a mean total κ, κtot, of 0.33 ± 0.13. However, several settings led to closure and κorg=0.2 is found to be an upper limit at 0.1% supersaturation. κorg≤0.2 leads to a κtot range of 0.33 ± 013 to 0.50 ± 0.11. Thus, the organic material ranges from being sparingly soluble to effectively insoluble. These results suggest that an increase in organic mass fraction in particles of a certain size would lead to a suppression of the Arctic CCN activity.
Two-signed feedback of cross-isthmus moisture transport on glacial overturning controlled by the Atlantic warm pool
Authors: de Boer H. J. , Roche D. M. , Renssen H. , Dekker S. C.
Published: November 2011

Abstract. This paper studies the control of the Atlantic Warm Pool (AWP) on atmospheric moisture transport across the Central American isthmus as a potential feedback on rapid glacial climate fluctuations. Defined as a region of the Atlantic with surface temperatures above 28.5 °C, the modern AWP expands from the tropical Northwest Atlantic up to the Gulf of Mexico during boreal summer. Due to enhanced deep convection over these warm waters, changes in AWP area cause inverse changes in the strength of the Caribbean low level jet. This low level jet drives atmospheric moisture transport from the Atlantic across the Central American isthmus towards the Pacific. Changes in cross-isthmus moisture transport, potentially related to the AWP, may therefore have affected North Atlantic salinity and the partly density driven Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) during the glacial. Based on available proxy evidence we hypothesize that the AWP evolved independent of extratropical North Atlantic temperatures during most of the last glacial, except during periods of AMOC collapse when intense extratropical North Atlantic cooling may have limited eastward AWP expansion. We investigate the implications of this hypothesis for cross-isthmus moisture transport by simulating the coupled ocean-atmosphere response to AMOC collapse and the atmospheric sensitivity to additional variations in AWP area. Our simulations suggest that a decrease in AWP area may increase cross-isthmus moisture transport, whereas extratropical North Atlantic cooling beside a persistent AWP may decrease cross-isthmus moisture transport. Interpretation of these effects throughout an idealized Bond Cycle suggests a positive feedback of reduced cross-isthmus moisture transport in response to Greenland cooling prior to AMOC collapse. During AMOC collapse, when AWP expansion is proposed to have been inhibited, this positive feedback turns negative as enhanced cross-isthmus moisture transport may help AMOC recovery. Supported by reconstructed sea surface salinity changes, we propose that the AWP may have played a key role in the glacial climate by acting as a gatekeeper to regulate moisture transport across the Central American isthmus.
Regional-scale identification of groundwater-surface water interaction using hydrochemistry and multivariate statistical methods, Wairarapa Valley, New Zealand
Authors: Guggenmos M. R. , Daughney C. J. , Jackson B. M. , Morgenstern U.
Published: November 2011

Abstract. Identifying areas of interaction between groundwater and surface water is crucial for effective environmental management, because this interaction is known to influence water quantity and quality. This paper applies hydrochemistry and multivariate statistics to identify locations and mechanisms of groundwater-surface water interaction in the pastorally dominated Wairarapa Valley, New Zealand. Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) and Principal Components Analysis (PCA) were conducted using site-specific median values of Ca, Mg, Na, K, HCO3, Cl, SO4 and electrical conductivity from 22 surface water sites and 246 groundwater sites. Surface water and groundwater monitoring sites were grouped together in three of the seven clusters identified by HCA, with the inference made that similarities in hydrochemistry indicate groundwater-surface water interaction. PCA indicated that the clusters were largely differentiated by total dissolved solids concentration, redox condition and ratio of major ions. Shallow aerobic groundwaters, located in close proximity to losing reaches of rivers, were grouped with similar Ca-HCO3 type surface waters, indicating potential recharge to aquifers from these river systems. Groundwaters that displayed a rainfall-recharged chemical signature with higher Na relative to Ca, higher Cl relative to HCO3 and an accumulation of NO3 were grouped with neighbouring surface waters, suggesting the provision of groundwater base flow to these river systems and the transfer of this chemical signature from underlying aquifers. The hydrochemical techniques used in this study did not reveal groundwater-surface water interaction in some parts of the study area, specifically where deep anoxic groundwaters, high in total dissolved solids with a distinct Na-Cl signature, showed no apparent link to surface water. The drivers of hydrochemistry inferred from HCA and PCA are consistent with previous measurements of 18O, water age and excess air. Overall, this study has shown that multivariate statistics can be used as a rapid method to identify groundwater-surface water interaction at a regional scale using existing hydrochemical datasets.
Ammonium Trifluoroacetate-Mediated Synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones
Authors: Raju Chandran , Uma R. , Madhaiyan Kalaipriya , Sridhar Radhakrishnan , Ramakrishna Seeram
Published: November 2011

A simple and economic synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones using ammonium trifluoroacetate as catalyst and as solid support is accomplished. Easy workup procedure for the synthesis of title compounds is well arrived at and is well documented.
Comparison of Frequency Features of Pulse Echoes from Different Reflectors
Authors: Rinkevich Anatoly B. , Nemytova Olga V. , Perov Dmitry V.
Published: November 2011

The analysis of interaction of ultrasonic pulses with different reflectors which are located in elastic media is carried out. A parameter which allows estimating the form of reflector is instantaneous frequency of pulse-echo. This parameter is an unsteady pulse echo characteristic. Instantaneous frequency determination algorithm is to use wavelet transformation which has increased noise immunity. It is shown that the instantaneous frequency value for a pulse echo is often shifted from a rated frequency of piezoelectric transducer. Difference between the frequencies extensively depends on the reflector form.
Planning for Multiple Preferences versus Planning with No Preference
Authors: Bryce Daniel
Published: November 2011

Many planning applications must address conflicting plan objectives, such as cost, duration, and resource consumption, and decision makers want to know the possible tradeoffs. Traditionally, such problems are solved by invoking a single-objective algorithm (such as A*) on multiple, alternative preferences of the objectives to identify nondominated plans. The less-popular alternative is to delay such reasoning and directly optimize multiple plan objectives with a search algorithm like multiobjective A* (MOA*). The relative performance of these two approaches hinges upon the number of -values computed for individual search nodes. A* may revisit a node several times and compute a different -value each time. MOA* visits each node once and may compute some number of -values (each estimating the value of a different nondominated solution constructed from the node). While A* does not share -values between searches for different solutions, MOA* can sometimes find multiple solutions while computing a single -value per node. The results of extensive empirical comparison show that (i) the performance of multiple invocations of a single-objective A* versus a single invocation of MOA* is often worse in time and quality and (ii) that techniques for balancing per node cost and exploration are promising.
STRESS STATE AROUND CYLINDRICAL CAVITIES IN ISOTROPIC MEDIUM
Authors: Lukić Dragan , Prokić Aleksandar , Brčić Stanko
Published: November 2011

The present paper is dealing with the investigation of the stress field around the infinitely long cylindrical cavity, of circular cross section, contained in elastic continuum. Investigation is based upon the determination of the stress function that satisfies the biharmonic equation, for the given boundary conditions and for rotationaly symmetrical loading. The solution of the partial differential equation of the problem is given in the form of infinite series of Bessel functions. The particular contribution of the present paper to already existing investigations of the considered problem is the introduction and definition of the new functions representing the loading, which is treated as the corresponding stress boundary conditions. As the verification and illustration of obtained analytical solutions, the paper also contains numerical example.
Water use in the tropics and subtropics and human health
Authors: Rodrigues Manoel Gonçalves , Almeida Josimar Ribeiro de , Bahé Jackeline Maria Cardoso de França
Published: November 2011

The main purpose of this paper is to analyze the environmental degradation and its effects in the human health particularly related to the use of water of the tropics and subtropics areas on Earth. In this conception towards a healthy society a continuous investing in basic and environmental sanitation is very important and simultaneously less expensive than dealing with illnesses. In order to improve a better and friendly society linked to Sustainable Development with a good population life quality will need to point out a series of services to the community such as treated water supply, collection and disposal of sewers and solid residues. The public politics that efficiently provide investments of financial resources in sanitation, preventively collective health, must be a strategy to achieve the human being quality of living in the XXI century.
Voluntary Consent in Correctional Settings: Do Offenders Feel Coerced to Participate in Research?
Authors: Edens John F. , Epstein Monica , Stiles Paul G. , Poythress Norman G.
Published: November 2011

A major ethical concern in research with criminal offenders is the potential for abuse due to coercive influences that may adversely affect offenders' capacity to give voluntary consent to participate in research conducted in correctional settings. Despite this concern, to date there have been almost no systematic scientific investigations of the extent to which offenders themselves perceive that coercion occurs in these settings or that it is likely to influence their decisions about research participation. In a sample of over 600 ethnically diverse men and women recruited from various prisons and community corrections facilities in Texas and Florida, we used a vignette‐based survey concerning a hypothetical research project to measure and compare offenders' global perceptions of coercive processes, as well as the differential salience and perceived coercive influence of specific factors (e.g., coercion by other inmates, inducements from staff). Somewhat surprisingly, across multiple outcome measures our participants on average reported relatively little in the way of significant coercive influences on their capacity to make voluntary decisions concerning research participation. Implications and directions for future research on coercive influences in offender research are discussed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of EDTA concentration on the physical and optical properties of Cds thin films
Authors: Prem kumar T. , Sankaranarayanan K.
Published: November 2011

Application of ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) in the chemical bath solution to enhance the physical and optical properties of chemical bath deposited CdS film was realised. The observed beneficial effect on the crystallisation of CdS crystallites in the bath solution followed by deposition on glass substrates reduces the amorphousity and enhances the crystallinity of the film. The optical transparency of the film attains a maximum of 80% over the wavelength range of 650–1100 nm for the film deposited from EDTA‐added solution having the concentration of 0.006 mol/L. Also, the observed intensity of the characteristic photoluminescence emission was found to be dependent on the concentration of EDTA in the bath solution. © 2011 Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering
Examination of CD26/DPPIV, p53, and PTEN expression in thyroid follicular adenoma
Authors: Miyake Yasuyuki , Aratake Yatsuki , Sakaguchi Takuya , Kiyoya Kazuaki , Kuribayashi Tadanobu , Marutsuka Kousuke , Ohno Eiji
Published: November 2011

Tumor cytology has proven to be inadequate for precise diagnosis of thyroid follicular adenoma. This suggests the need for a molecular approach for its diagnosis.

Expression of CD26/DPPIV (dipeptidyl peptidas IV), p53, and PTEN was analyzed in smears or sections obtained from 19 patients with histologically proven thyroid follicular adenoma. Papanicolaou staining, CD26/DPPIV activity staining, and HE staining were performed and the specimens were observed morphologically. Immunohistochemical analysis using antibodies against p53 and PTEN was performed. Genetic mutation of PTEN exons was performed using the laser capture microdissection method.

The nuclear area of the CD26/DPPIV‐positive cells was significantly larger than that of the CD26/DPPIV‐negative cells. p53 expression was not observed any specimen. PTEN expression was observed in 18 of 19 cases. DNA sequence analysis did not reveal mutations in exons 5–9 of PTEN in the immunohistochemically PTEN‐negative case.

In accordance with our previous reports, we found that observation of concomitant CD26‐positive and PTEN‐negative status in cases of follicular adenoma suggests a state close to follicular carcinoma or progression to cancer, thus warranting careful follow‐up. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Synthesis, characterization, and application of tamarind nitrilotriacetic acid resin in removal of heavy metal ions from industrial effluent
Authors: Singh A.V. , Singh Rakesh
Published: November 2011

A new tamarind‐based resin containing nitrilotriacetic acid group was synthesized. The nitrilotriacetic acid group has been incorporated onto tamarind by a modified Porath's method of functionalization of polysaccharides. Tamarind nitrilotriacetic acid (TNTAA) resin can selectively separate heavy metal ions from industrial effluent. The TNTAA resin was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The distribution coefficient (Kd) of metal ions at different pH was studied using batch equilibration method. The effects of pH, treatment time, and adsorbent dose, on the removal of metal ions from industrial effluent were investigated. The resin is amenable for continuous process and can be regenerated several times. The adsorption of different metal ions on TNTAA resin follows the order: Fe (II) > Zn (II) > Cu (II) > Cd (II) > Pb (II). © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 32: 103–108, 2013.
Fractional anisotropy‐weighted front evolution algorithm for white matter tractography based on diffusion tensor imaging data
Authors: Darki Fahimeh , Oghabian Mohammad Ali , Ahmadian Alireza , Zadeh Hamid Soltanian , Zarei Mojtaba
Published: November 2011

Tractography is one of the most important applications of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) which noninvasively reconstructs 3D trajectories of the white matter tracts. Because of the intravoxel orientation heterogeneity of DTI data, some of tractography algorithms are unable to follow the correct pathways after the crossing and branching regions. Front propagation techniques are efficient methods in tracking the crossing fibers. A key parameter influencing the performance of these algorithms is the cost function which is mainly based on the colinearity of tensors' eigenvectors. The effect of the eigenvalues on the anisotropy strength of tensor has not been previously addressed in the definition of the speed function. In this article, a new speed function, based on the effect of diffusion anisotropy and the colinearity of eigenvectors is proposed. The performance of the suggested method on fiber tracking and crossing fiber detection has been evaluated using synthetic datasets, and the feasibility of the proposed method was shown by fiber tracking implemented on real DTI data. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 21, 307–314, 2011
New fMRI analysis method for multiple stimuli using reference estimation
Authors: Kim Eunwoo , Han Yeji , Park Hyunwook
Published: November 2011

The stimulation paradigms of a functional MRI (fMRI) usually consist of one or more stimulations and a resting state in the block‐based and event‐related designs. To localize the activation areas in the human brain, each voxel is statistically analyzed using the fMRI data measured with the stimulation. The conventional method can be inefficient for experiments with multiple stimuli because of measuring the resting‐state signals repeatedly, causing redundancy in the scanning process. Although the phase mapping method can be applied to reduce the redundant resting‐state measurements, there are still limitations in the detection of regions activated by multiple stimuli and the periodic sequence of the multiple stimuli. In this article, a new fMRI data analysis method is presented that enables the detection of functional activations without the resting‐state images. This method estimates the reference signal from the signals acquired during multiple stimuli, and a random sequence and various durations of the multiple stimuli can be applied. Therefore, it can be used in the event‐related design as well as the block‐based design. The results of simulation and fMRI experiments show that the proposed method can correctly detect the activation regions of multiple stimuli, even for overlap regions, and can reduce the imaging time by skipping the resting‐state imaging. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 21, 315–322, 2011
New splitting algorithms for geometric transformations of digital images and their error analysis
Authors: Li Zi‐Cai , Chiang John Y. , Suen C. Y.
Published: November 2011

For digital images and patterns under the nonlinear geometric transformation, T: (ξ, η) → (x, y), this study develops the splitting algorithms (i.e., the pixel‐division algorithms) that divide a 2D pixel into N × N subpixels, where N is a positive integer chosen as N = 2
k(k ≥ 0) in practical computations. When the true intensity values of pixels are known, this method makes it easy to compute the true intensity errors. As true intensity values are often unknown, the proposed approaches can compute the sequential intensity errors based on the differences between the two approximate intensity values at N and N/2. This article proposes the new splitting–shooting method, new splitting integrating method, and their combination. These methods approximate results show that the true errors of pixel intensity are O(H), where H is the pixel size. Note that the algorithms in this article do not produce any sequential errors as N ≥ N0, where N0 (≥2) is an integer independent of N and H. This is a distinctive feature compared to our previous papers on this subject. The other distinct feature of this article is that the true error bound O(H) is well suited to images with all kinds of discontinuous intensity, including scattered pixels. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 21, 323–335, 2011
Application of morphological connected openings and levelings on magnetic resonance images of the brain
Authors: Mendiola‐Santibañez Jorge D. , Terol‐Villalobos Iván R. , Jiménez‐Sánchez Angélica R. , Gallegos‐Duarte Martín , Rodriguez‐Resendiz Juvenal , Santillan Israel
Published: November 2011

In this article, several advanced connected transformations from mathematical morphology for computational neuroanatomy applications are developed. In particular, brain is separated from the skull in MRI T1 using morphological connected openings. The use of connected transformations allow the preservation of regions, without introduce new information. As a result, the segmented brains preserve by complete information of the original images being more reliable for the specialist who deals with information such as white and gray matter. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J ImagingSyst Technol, 21, 336–348, 2011
Serum cytokine levels in patients with chronic hepatitis B according to lamivudine therapy
Authors: Park Younhee , Park Yongjung , Han Kwang‐Hyub , Kim Hyon‐Suk
Published: November 2011

Background: Cytokines are known to play critical roles in the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). However, the relationship between cytokines and treatment responses to drugs for CHB is not clearly defined yet. We measured the serum cytokine levels of interleukin (IL)‐1α, IL‐1β, IL‐2, IL‐4, IL‐6, IL‐8, IL‐10, vascular endothelial growth factor, interferon‐γ, tumor necrosis factor‐ (TNF‐α), macrophage/monocyte chemotactic protein 1, and epidermal growth factor to elucidate the cytokine expression pattern according to the patients' responses to lamivudine. Methods: Fifty‐eight specimens from 27 CHB patients and 98 specimens from healthy individuals were tested for 12 kinds of cytokines. The patients were grouped as: before treatment, ongoing treatment, duringmaintaining remission, and patients with viral breakthrough owing to resistance against lamivudine. The Evidence Investigator (Randox, Antrim, UK), a protein chip analyzer, was used to quantify serum cytokines. Results: Among 12 cytokines, IL‐6, IL‐8, IL‐10, and TNF‐α were significantly elevated in patients with resistance against lamivudine compared with patients maintaining response. IL‐8, IL‐10, and TNF‐α levels also weak to moderate correlated with ALT and HBV‐DNA concentrations. Conclusions: Serum cytokine levels would reflect the pathological differences of the individual treatment phases and may become useful indices in monitoring the treatment response of CHB. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 25:414–421, 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Influences of the El Niño Southern Oscillation and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation on the timing of the North American spring
Authors: McCabe Gregory J. , Ault Toby R. , Cook Benjamin I. , Betancourt Julio L. , Schwartz Mark D.
Published: November 2011

Detrended, modelled first leaf dates for 856 sites across North America for the period 1900–2008 are used to examine how the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) separately and together might influence the timing of spring. Although spring (mean March through April) ENSO and PDO signals are apparent in first leaf dates, the signals are not statistically significant (at a 95% confidence level (p < 0.05)) for most sites. The most significant ENSO/PDO signal in first leaf dates occurs for El Niño and positive PDO conditions. An analysis of the spatial distributions of first leaf dates for separate and combined ENSO/PDO conditions features a northwest–southeast dipole that is significantly (at p < 0.05) different than the distributions for neutral conditions. The nature of the teleconnection between Pacific SST's and first leaf dates is evident in comparable composites for detrended sea level pressure (SLP) in the spring months. During positive ENSO/PDO, there is an anomalous flow of warm air from the southwestern US into the northwestern US and an anomalous northeasterly flow of cold air from polar regions into the eastern and southeastern US. These flow patterns are reversed during negative ENSO/PDO. Although the magnitudes of first leaf date departures are not necessarily significantly related to ENSO and PDO, the spatial patterns of departures are significantly related to ENSO and PDO. These significant relations and the long‐lived persistence of SSTs provide a potential tool for forecasting the tendencies for first leaf dates to be early or late. Copyright © 2011 Royal Meteorological Society
VEGF expression in residual tumor cells in orbital retinoblastoma (IRSS stage III) treated with NACT: A prospective study
Authors: Radhakrishnan Venkatraman , Kashyap Seema , Singh Lata , Bakhshi Sameer
Published: November 2011

We prospectively evaluated vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression by immunohistochemistry in 22 consecutive IRSS stage III retinoblastoma patients who underwent enucleation after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). Positive VEGF expression was observed in 6/22 (27.3%) patients. VEGF expression was associated with local progression on MRI prior to enucleation (P = 0.004), pathological scleral (P = 0.023), and extra‐scleral tumor extension (P = 0.009). EFS for VEGF positive and negative patients was 0% and 56.25%, respectively (P = 0.0002). OS for VEGF positive patients was 33.33% and 54.69% for VEGF negative patients (P = 0.207). Thus, VEGF in residual tumor cells post‐NACT may represent poor response to NACT, potential for local invasion, and inferior outcome. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2012;59:567–569. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Rheological properties and irreversible dispersion changes in carbon nanotube/epoxy systems
Authors: Schulz Sonja Carolin , Schlutter Jana , Buschhorn Samuel T. , Schulte Karl , Bauhofer Wolfgang
Published: November 2011

We report on the rheological properties of semidilute carbon nanotube (CNT)/epoxy suspensions with varying filler content prepared with different dispersion methods. We show that dispersion techniques can be distinguished by means of the rheological response. It was found that the suspensions undergo a lasting dispersion changes during the first shear sweep measurement. Shear‐induced changes within the suspension can also be visualized optically. Our results demonstrate that the rheological properties are strongly influenced by the measurement procedure, which has to be known in order to guarantee reproducible and comparable results. Finally, it does not seem possible to completely reset the sample history by shear treatment. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2011. ©2011 Society of Plastics Engineers
Visual observation and numerical studies of N2 vs. CO2 foaming behavior in core‐back foam injection molding
Authors: Ishikawa Takeshi , Taki Kentaro , Ohshima Masahiro
Published: November 2011

We investigated, by visual observation and numerical calculations, the foaming behavior of polypropylene within a foam injection mold cavity with the environmentally benign physical blowing agents nitrogen (N2) and carbon dioxide (CO2). An 85‐ton core‐back injection‐molding machine with temperature and pressure monitoring systems as well as a high‐pressure view cell was used for the investigation. The experiments showed a prominent difference in bubble nucleation and growth between N2 and CO2 injection foaming. Even when the weight concentration of N2 dissolved in polymer was one‐third that of CO2, N2 injection foaming provided a bubble number density that was 30 times larger and a bubble size that was one‐third smaller compared to CO2 injection foaming. Classical bubble nucleation and growth models developed for batch foaming were employed to analyze these experimental results. The models reasonably explained the differences in injection foaming behavior between N2 and CO2. It was clearly demonstrated by both experiments and numerical calculations that N2 provides a higher number of bubbles with a smaller bubble size in foam injection molding compared to CO2 as a result of the lower solubility of N2 in the polymer and the larger degree of super‐saturation. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2011. ©2011 Society of Plastics Engineers
Mechanism of surface proton transfer doping in pentacene based organic thin‐film transistors
Authors: Ausserlechner Simon J. , Gruber Manfred , Hetzel Reinhold , Flesch Heinz‐Georg , Ladinig Lukas , Hauser Lucas , Haase Anja , Buchner Michael , Resel Roland , Schürrer Ferdinand , Stadlober Barbara , Trimmel Gregor , Zojer Karin , Zojer Egbert
Published: November 2011

A number of studies show that chemical modification of the semiconductor–dielectric interface can be used to control the threshold voltage (Vth) of organic thin film transistors (OTFTs). A promising chemical functionality to achieve that are acidic groups, which – at the semiconductor–dielectric interface – have been used to realize chemically responsive OTFTs and easy to fabricate inverter structures. Especially for pentacene based OTFTs, the underlying chemical and physical mechanisms behind the acid‐induced Vth shifts are not yet fully understood. Their clarification is the topic of the present paper. To distinguish between space‐charge and dipole‐induced effects, we study the impact of the thickness of the gate oxide on the device characteristics achieving maximum Vth‐shifts around 100 V. To elucidate the role of the acid, we compare the doping of pentacene by acidic interfacial layers with the impact of hydrochloric acid vapour and investigate the consequences of exposing devices to ammonia. Complementary experiments using 6,13‐bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)pentacene (TIPS‐pentacene) as active layer hint toward the central (6 and 13) carbon atoms being subject to the electrophilic attack by the acidic protons. They also prove that the observed Vth shifts in pentacene devices are indeed a consequence of the interaction between the acidic groups and the active material. The experimental device characterization is supported by drift‐diffusion based device modelling, by quantum chemically simulations, as well as by contact angle, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X‐ray reflectivity (XRR). The combination of the obtained results leads us to suggest proton transfer doping at the semiconductor–dielectric interface as the process responsible for the observed shift of Vth.
δ18O values of Sus scrofa blood water and bone phosphate; a marked discrepancy between domestic and wild specimens
Authors: Longinelli Antonio , Selmo Enrico
Published: November 2011

δ18O analyses of water in the blood of domestic and wild pigs indicated that large isotopic differences exist between domestic and wild specimens of the same species (Sus scrofa) living in the same area. Similar isotopic differences are found between the δ18O(PO43–) values of bones from the two groups of animals. When δ18O values obtained from recent wild boar bones are introduced in the equation of the isotopic scale determined for domestic pigs, totally unreliable δ18O values of local meteoric water are obtained. The δ18O(PO43–) values measured in three groups of modern wild boar specimens allow the calculation of a first approximate equation which is quite different from that of domestic pigs. This isotopic scale should be accurately re‐calibrated for wild animals. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An algorithm for identifying multiply modified endogenous proteins using both full‐scan and high‐resolution tandem mass spectrometric data
Authors: Mazur Matthew T. , Fyhr Ray
Published: November 2011

Mass spectrometry based proteomic experiments have advanced considerably over the past decade with high‐resolution and mass accuracy tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) capabilities now allowing routine interrogation of large peptides and proteins. Often a major bottleneck to 'top‐down' proteomics, however, is the ability to identify and characterize the complex peptides or proteins based on the acquired high‐resolution MS/MS spectra. For biological samples containing proteins with multiple unpredicted processing events, unsupervised identifications can be particularly challenging. Described here is a newly created search algorithm (MAR) designed for the identification of experimentally detected peptides or proteins. This algorithm relies only on predefined list of 'differential' modifications (e.g. phosphorylation) and a FASTA‐formatted protein database, and is not constrained to full‐length proteins for identification. The algorithm is further powered by the ability to leverage identified mass differences between chromatographically separated ions within full‐scan MS spectra to automatically generate a list of likely 'differential' modifications to be searched. The utility of the algorithm is demonstrated with the identification of 54 unique polypeptides from human apolipoprotein enriched from the high‐density lipoprotein particle (HDL), and searching time benchmarks demonstrate scalability (12 high‐resolution MS/MS scans searched per minute with modifications considered). This parallelizable algorithm provides an additional solution for converting high‐quality MS/MS data of multiply processed proteins into reliable identifications. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Can collision‐induced negative‐ion fragmentations of [M–H]– anions be used to identify phosphorylation sites in peptides?
Authors: Tran T. T. Nha , Wang Tianfang , Hack Sandra , Hoffmann Peter , Bowie John H.
Published: November 2011

A joint experimental and theoretical investigation of the fragmentation behaviour of energised [M–H]– anions from selected phosphorylated peptides has confirmed some of the most complex rearrangement processes yet to be reported for peptide negative ions. In particular:

pSer and pThr (like pTyr) may transfer phosphate groups to C‐terminal carboxyl anions and to the carboxyl anion side chains of Asp and Glu, and characteristic nucleophilic/cleavage reactions accompany or follow these rearrangements.

pTyr may transfer phosphate to the side chains of Ser and Thr. The reverse reaction, namely transfer of a phosphate group from pSer or pThr to Tyr, is energetically unfavourable in comparison.

pSer can transfer phosphate to a non‐phosphorylated Ser. The non‐rearranged [M–H]– species yields more abundant product anions than its rearranged counterpart.

If a peptide containing any or all of Ser, Thr and Tyr is not completely phosphorylated, negative‐ion cleavages can determine the number of phosphated residues, and normally the positions of Ser, Thr and Tyr, but not which specific residues are phosphorylated. This is in accord with comments made earlier by Lehmann and coworkers. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesis, Structures, Fluorescence Properties, and Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) Analysis of Two Metal [EuIII, CoII] Coordination Polymers Containing 1, 3‐Benzenedicarboxylate and 2‐(4‐methoxyphenyl)‐1H‐imidazo[4, 5‐f][1, 10]phenanthroline Ligands
Authors: Wang Lei , Jun Zhao , Ni Liang , Yao Jia
Published: November 2011

Two new metal‐organic coordination polymers[Eu(m‐BDC)1.5(MOPIP)·1/2H2O]n (1) and [Co(m‐BDC)(MOPIP)2·2H2O]n (2) [m‐H2BDC = benzene‐1, 3‐dicarboxylic acid, MOPIP = 2‐(4‐methoxyphenyl)‐1H‐imidazo[4, 5‐f]1,10phenanthroline] were hydrothermally synthesized and structurally characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. The coordination polymers crystallize in monoclinic space group P21/m for 1 (2: P21/n), with a = 9.779(2), b = 18.242(4), c = 17.146(3) Å, β = 106.41(3)° for 1, and with a = 8.2153(16), b = 27.974(6), c = 17.974(4) Å, β = 100.40(3)° for 2. The crystal structure of complex 1 is a zipper‐like chain of octacoordinate Eu3+ ions, in which Eu3+ ions are bridged in two coordination modes by m‐BDC2+ ligands and decorated by MOPIP ligands. The molecular structure of complex 2 consists of a hexacoordinte Co2+ atom, which generates a slightly distorted octahedral arrangement, and assembles into three‐dimensional supramolecular nets by π···π stacking interactions. Additionally, these two compounds show strong fluorescence in the solid state at room temperature. Natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis is performed by using the NBO method built in Gaussian 03 Program. The calculation results show a weak covalent interaction between the coordinated atoms and metal ions.
The New High‐Pressure Sodium Tetraborate HP‐Na2B4O7
Authors: Neumair Stephanie C. , Sohr Gerhard , Vanicek Stefan , Wurst Klaus , Kaindl Reinhard , Huppertz Hubert
Published: November 2011

The new polymorph of sodium tetraborate HP‐Na2B4O7 was synthesized under high‐pressure / high‐temperature conditions of 6 GPa and 1000 °C in a multianvil apparatus with a Walker‐type module. HP‐Na2B4O7 crystallizes with nine formula units per cell in the trigonal chiral space groups P3221 or P3121. The parameters are a = 765.5(2), c = 2142.3(4) pm, V = 1.0872(3) nm3, R1 = 0.0581, and wR2 = 0.0809 (all data). The crystal structure of HP‐Na2B4O7 is built up from interconnected “sechser” rings of alternating corner‐sharing BO3 and BO4 groups.
From Counter-Canon to Hypercanon in a Postcanonical Age: Eileen Chang as Text and Myth
Authors: Yingjin ZHANG
Published: November 2011

This article revisits the history of canon formation in modern Chinese literary study and explores the complexities and quandaries of literary historiography as evidenced in the case of Eileen Chang (Zhang Ailing 张爱玲). Chang’s change of fortune from counter-canon to hypercanon addresses not simply the aesthetic imperatives of textual production and critical evaluation, but also the contingencies and vicissitudes of literary criticism and the periodic self-refashioning of critical concepts and values. Simultaneously operating as text and myth, the spectacular “Eileen Chang phenomenon” compels us to confront the intertwined issues of canon, discipline, and pedagogy.
Wettability of Aqueous Solutions of Eco‐Friendly Surfactants (Ethoxylated Alcohols and Polyoxyethylene Glycerin Esters)
Authors: Jurado Encarnación , Vicaria José M. , García‐Martín Juan F. , García‐Román Miguel
Published: November 2011

Wettability of aqueous solutions of ethoxylated alcohols (EA), polyoxyethylene glycerin esters (PGE) and mixtures of them have been studied. For the EA assayed, the best wettability is reached when the EA have the lowest alkyl chain length and the lowest number of ethylene oxide units in the molecule. The best wettability for the PGE assayed is reached when the number of ethylene oxide units in the molecule is lowest. Aqueous solutions of these mixtures show a wetting power between those of the pure surfactants. The wettability of PGE can be improved by adding EA with a low alkyl chain length and a low number of ethylene oxide units. An exception and synergistic effect has been detected for aqueous solutions of EA (with alkyl chain length 12–14, number of ethylene oxide units 11) and PGE (with a number of ethylene oxide units equal to 2). These mixtures have better wettability than the surfactants separately, so that it might be advantageous to use both surfactants together.
Assessing the temporal reliability of rhythm metrics
Authors: Knight Rachael-Anne
Published: November 2011

Despite the current popularity of rhythm metrics, there has been relatively little work aimed at establishing their validity or reliability, important characteristics of any empirical measure. The current paper focuses on the stability, or temporal reliability, of rhythm metrics by establishing if they give consistent results for the same speakers, in the same task, on successive occasions. Four speakers of Southern British English were recorded reading ‘The North Wind and the Sun’ (NWS) passage on three consecutive days. Results indicated that some measures correlate more highly across time than others, and the choice of a measure that is both reliable and valid is discussed. It is suggested that the metric that best fits these criteria is formulated in terms of the proportion of vowels within an utterance (%V).
XIV. Notes on Sculptures in Lincoln Minster: The Judgment Porch and the Angel Choir
Authors: Lethaby W. R.
Published: November 2011

Three chief subjects are dealt with in the sculptures of medieval portals: Christ in Judgment, the Virgin Enthroned with the Infant Christ, and the Coronation of the Virgin. Of these the first is the most important.
XIX.–Excavations at Caerwent, Monmouthshire, on the Site of the Romano-British City of Venta Silurum, in the year 1906.
Authors: Ashby T.
Published: November 2011

The excavations of 1906 occupied a comparatively short period, from the middle of July until the end of September, and were carried on entirely upon land belonging to Viscount Tredegar, F.S.A., President of the Oaerwent Excavation Fund Committee. The first portion of the time was spent in the exploration of a building to the nortli of the amphitheatre (Block Kn) and of the mound within and parallel to the north city wall. In Block Kn no discoveries of any special interest were made, and its plan may best be published when the examination of this portion of the mound is completed, which will probably be during the present summer.
I.—Recent Discoveries of Medieval Remains in London
Authors: Norman Philip
Published: November 2011

In September 1910 I heard that houses had been pulled down on the north side of Merchant Taylors’ Hall, and that various interesting discoveries had been made. Mr. Reader and I went there together, and an elevation and plan drawn by him of Roman remains then found are given in Archaeologia, vol. lxiii. They record the position of a Roman floor near the hall resting on gravel about 17 ft. 6 in. below the present ground level.