bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inducible clindamycin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Gupta V , Datta P , Rani H , Chander J
Published: October 2009

Background:

The resistance to antimicrobial agents among Staphylococci is an increasing problem. The resistance to macrolide can be mediated by msr A gene coding for efflux mechanism or via erm gene encoding for enzymes that confer inducible or constitutive resistance to macrolide, lincosamide and Type B streptogramin.

Aim:

The present study was aimed to find out the percentage of Staphylococcus aureus having inducible clindamycin resistance (iMLSB) in our geographic area using D-test. Also, we tried to ascertain the relationship between Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and inducible clindamycin resistance, association of these iMLSB isolates with community or nosocomial setting and treatment options for these iMLSB isolates.

Settings and Design:

A total of 200 non-duplicate Staphylococcus aureus isolates from various clinical samples from both outdoor and indoor patients were studied.

Materials and Methods:

Susceptibility to routine antimicrobial agents was carried out using Kirby Bauer method. Methicillin resistance was detected by oxacillin disc on Mueller Hinton agar (MHA) supplemented with 2% NaCl. D-test was performed on all erythromycin-resistant and clindamycin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus strains to detect inducible clindamycin resistance.

Results:

Among 200 Staphylococcus aureus strains, 50 (25%) were found to be MRSA and 36 were D-test positive. Also, MRSA isolates showed both higher inducible resistance and constitutive resistance to clindamycin as compared to Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). Out of 36 isolates of Staphylococcus aureus showing inducible clindamycin resistance, 24 were from the outpatient department and 12 were recovered from indoor patients. All isolates of Staphylococcus aureus showed 100% sensitivity to vancomycin and linezolid.

Conclusions:

Clindamycin is kept as a reserve drug and is usually advocated in severe MRSA infections depending upon the antimicrobial susceptibility results. We have reported a higher incidence of iMLSB from both community (66.67%) as well as hospital (33.33%) setup. Therefore clinical microbiology laboratory should report inducible clindamycin resistance routinely.
Amikacin-induced type 5 Bartter-like syndrome with severe hypocalcemia
Authors: Chrispal A , Boorugu H , Prabhakar AT , Moses V
Published: October 2009

Aminoglycoside-induced renal toxicity is well known and may manifest with nonoliguric renal failure or renal tubular dysfunction. Aminoglycoside-induced renal tubular dysfunction could result in diffuse damage or manifest as a Fanconi-like syndrome, Bartter-like syndrome, or distal renal tubular acidosis. We discuss a patient who developed severe renal tubular dysfunction secondary to short-term therapy with Amikacin, resulting in refractory hypokalemia, hypocalcemia, hypomagnesemia, metabolic alkalosis, and polyuria. This constellation of biochemical abnormalities mimic Type 5 Bartter's syndrome, where there is activating mutation of the calcium sensing receptor in the thick ascending loop of Henle and the distal tubule. In this case this activation of the calcium sensing receptor was triggered by amikacin. This phenomenon has been described with gentamicin though never with amikacin. Recovery of the tubular dysfunction took 15 days following cessation of the offending drug, Amikacin.
Genetic signatures of natural selection
Authors: Przeworski Molly , Bustamante Carlos D.
Published: November 2009

Molecular population genetic data carry information about the evolutionary forces that have shaped the history of the species and, in particular, about past adaptations. Here, we review how nucleotide sequence variation within and between species can be used to detect and characterize natural selection. We provide a brief description of tests of neutrality for various types of data, detail the limitations of current methods, and summarize recent theoretical advances that may be important in moving this growing field forward.
Meiosis and meiotic errors
Authors: Hultén Maj , Baker Hazel , Tankimanova Maira
Published: November 2009

Derived from the Greek word for diminution, meiosis means “to halve”. The basic purpose of meiosis is straightforward: to reduce by half the chromosome complement of a diploid cell during gametogenesis (from 46 to 23 in humans) to give rise to haploid gametes. Subsequent fusion of a haploid spermatozoan and a haploid oocyte at fertilization restores the somatic diploid chromosome number in the resulting offspring.

The process of meiosis is conserved through evolution although with marked differences between species and also between sexes. Unlike in mitosis (the division of somatic cells), where daughter cells should have the same genetic component as the parent cell from which they were derived, meiosis serves to effectively “shuffle” the genetic material in two ways, in order to generate an almost infinite genetic variety from the starting chromosomes.

The first of the mechanisms giving rise to variation in alleles is by the independent segregation of the chromosome pairs to the resulting cells; in humans this mechanism alone would give rise to 529 different genetic cell types, and is termed “random assortment”. Perhaps surprisingly, meiotic segregation errors are common in human female meiosis with a large proportion of oocytes having abnormal chromosome numbers (aneuploidy). This does not necessarily impair their fertilization capability, but results in chromosomally unbalanced embryos, which either fail to implant, abort spontaneously, cause intrauterine/perinatal death, or cause the development of liveborn children with chromosome disorders, such as Trisomy 21 Down syndrome.

The second mechanism occurs when chromosome arms exchange homologous regions of DNA through crossing‐over, the formation of chiasmata, leading to the recombination of parental alleles. Each individual chromosome pair during meiosis can (and usually does) undergo several different recombination events at any point along their length, and the many different ways in which these can then be resolved into the resulting cells create an “endless” level of variety, such that no two oocytes or sperm from one individual are genetically identical. Chiasmata also serve a most important purpose during meiosis; that of holding homologous chromosomes together until anaphase I.

In this article, we will describe cytogenetic aspects of the process of meiosis, with special reference to the situation in human males and females. Thus, we will summarize achievements in obtaining information on meiosis by microscopic analysis of human germ cells.
Microdeletions
Authors: Crolla John A.
Published: November 2009

Microdeletions involving contiguous genes some of which have also unmasked novel mutational mechanisms have been found in association with specific clinical syndromes (The Microdeletion Syndromes). Recently, the use of genome‐wide dosage‐sensitive techniques have identified multiple deleted (and duplicated) genomic segments in patients with abnormal phenotypes as well as in clinically normal controls, thereby providing further intriguing insights into the distribution and significance of pathogenic and nonpathogenic imbalances in the human genome (seePolymorphic inversions, deletions, and duplications).
Epigenetics and imprint resetting in cloned animals
Authors: Eckardt Sigrid , Kurosaka Satoshi , McLaughlin K. John
Published: November 2009

Mammalian somatic cell cloning is extremely inefficient, with most clones failing to develop past implantation. This is presumably caused by epigenetic errors as a result of inadequate reprogramming of a somatic cell nucleus to a zygotic role. Imprinted genes have been implicated in the demise of somatic cell clones. This review discusses the pros and cons of this assumption and considers aspects of imprinted gene expression and DNA methylation in somatic cell clones. In summary, imprinted genes may be most relevant as an indicator for reprogramming but are probably not more vulnerable to reprogramming errors than nonimprinted genes. In contrast, changes in the methylation state indicate that failure of clones is often associated with abnormal methylation of individual sequences as well as the genome as a whole.
The

C
. elegans

genome
Authors: Hodgkin Jonathan
Published: November 2009

The genome of the nematode
Caenorhabditis elegans
has been completely sequenced and subjected to extensive analysis. The 100 Mb genome includes almost 20 000 protein‐coding genes and over 1000 structural and regulatory RNA genes. Unusual features of the genome and systematic approaches to its functional analysis are described and discussed.
Methods for detecting horizontal transfer of genes
Authors: Lawrence Jeffrey G.
Published: November 2009

Horizontal gene transfers are events that have no eyewitnesses; therefore, inferences regarding the nature and even existence of transfer events rely solely upon circumstantial evidence. Two general approaches have been taken to identify genes having participated in gene exchange: either examining the evolutionary history of a gene within its phylogenetic context and equating an incongruity with a transfer or examining the sequence composition of a gene within its genomic context and attributing incongruity with differential history. In both cases, discordance can arise from sources aside from gene transfer, and the degree of the discordance can provide some measure of confidence that a transfer has occurred.
Proteome knowledge bases in the context of cancer
Authors: Medjahed Djamel , Lemkin Peter A.
Published: November 2009

The available archive of sequence databases compiled from whole‐genome projects and many proteomics efforts have enabled us to develop VIRTUAL2D. It is an interactive system for the assembly of virtual protein expression maps computed on the basis of theoretical isoelectric focusing point, molecular weight, tissue specificity, and relative abundance for any set of proteins currently cataloged. Data analysis is carried out using a downloadable program called ProtPlot. This tool assists in the putative prediction of the identity and location of unknown and/or low abundance proteins in experimentally derived two‐demensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis maps.

By mining the publicly accessible Cancer Genome Anatomy Project (CGAP) database, we have developed TMAP. It is a collection of tissue‐specific protein expression maps representing different cancer histological states. Data analysis is applied to the diffential expression of gene products in pooled libraries from the normal to the altered state(s). This article describes the initial results of our survey across different tissues and explores the extent to which this comparative approach may help uncover panels of potential biomarkers of tumorigenesis that would warrant further examination in the laboratory.
Creating and hybridizing spottedDNAarrays
Authors: Yang Ivana V.
Published: November 2009

DNA microarray analysis has become the most widely used technique for the study of gene‐expression patterns on a genomic scale. Microarray analysis is a complex, multistep technique involving array fabrication, labeling, hybridization, and data analysis. This review attempts to capture some of the most significant events in the evolution of spotted microarray technology, and gives a brief overview of where the field is today.
Chromosome phylogeny
Authors: Bourque Guillaume
Published: November 2009

Recent release of several detailed whole‐genome sequences and maps has allowed the analysis of the evolutionary history of large‐scale rearrangements that have shaped the genome architecture of these modern organisms. Models and algorithms that have been developed to tackle this question are reviewed and some of the initial noteworthy findings are summarized. Limitations of the current techniques and future prospects are also presented. Finally, it is proposed that powerful new insights in this area will probably come from in‐depth analyses of evolutionary breakpoint regions.
CASP
Authors: Fidelis Krzysztof
Published: November 2009

CASP (Critical Assessment of protein Structure Prediction) is a community‐wide experiment in large‐scale structure prediction designed to evaluate state of the art, identify most promising techniques, and recognize problem areas where new efforts can be applied most effectively. The basic principle is that of blind prediction, where models are collected prior to the public release of structures. With participation of over 200 research groups worldwide, CASP represents a collaborative approach to solving problems in structure modeling and prediction, designed to encourage the development of new techniques and stimulate exchange of ideas.
Water Residence Time
Authors: McGuire Kevin J.
Published: November 2009

Water residence time provides a fundamental characterization to a hydrologic system and conceptually describes storage. Residence time is often used to supplement or validate hydrologic models of catchments and groundwater systems. Water residence time also has important implications for water quality because many chemical reactions in the environment are time‐dependent. In this chapter, lumped parameter modeling approaches are described to estimate water residence times using environmental tracers. Environmental tracer methods for stable isotopes (18O and2H) and radioactive isotopes (3H) of water and dissolved gas tracers (3He, CFCs, and85Kr) are introduced for residence time determination in aquifers and catchments.
Example of Use of TaqMan Real‐Time RT‐PCR to Analyze Bacterial Gene Transcript Levels: Haemophilus influenzae
Authors: Johnston Jason W.
Published: November 2009

The protocol in this unit describes the steps for gene expression analysis of Haemophilus influenzae in broth culture. Steps for hot acid phenol RNA extraction, RNA cleanup, quantitation, assessment, and preparation for TaqMan qRT‐PCR are described. The validation, setup, and analysis of TaqMan qRT‐PCR experiments are discussed. Curr. Protoc. Microbiol. 15:1D.1.1‐1D.1.13. © 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Laboratory Maintenance of Coxiella burnetii
Authors: Samuel James E. , Hendrix Laura R.
Published: November 2009

Coxiella burnetii, an obligate intracellular Gram‐negative bacterium, is the agent of Q fever, a self‐limited flu‐like illness that may also present as chronic endocarditis. The ability to persist in the environment at a low infectious dose in aerosols resulted in the classification of C. burnetii as a BSL‐3 select agent. Routine propagation of this agent is in embryonated eggs or tissue culture. Purification from host tissues includes multiple differential centrifugations to separate bacteria from host material. Infection of host cells is routinely verified microscopically by using Gimenez stain, fluorescent dyes, or immunofluorescence antibody (IFA) staining. Identification of C. burnetii DNA in host material is measured by PCR. Quantification of purified C. burnetii is accomplished through conversion of optical density to dry weight or, more precisely, by RT‐PCR to determine genome equivalents. Serum antibody titer to C. burnetii is determined by microagglutination assay or ELISA. Curr. Protoc. Microbiol. 15:6C.1.1‐6C.1.16. © 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Y‐ADR returns! CPR's young lawyers group will meet next month in NYC, and next spring in Houston
Authors: Bleemer Russ
Published: November 2009

CPR announces online evaluations of neutrals.
Preparation and Cellular Uptake of pH‐Dependent Fluorescent Single‐Wall Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Zhang Xiaoke , Meng Lingjie , Wang Xuefeng , Lu Qinghua
Published: November 2009

Fluorescent single‐wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were prepared by mixing cut SWCNTs with acridine orange (AO). The optical absorbance and fluorescence characteristics of AO–SWCNT conjugates display interesting pH‐dependent properties. Fluorescence microscopy in combination with transmission electron microscopy proves that AO–SWCNTs can enter HeLa cells and are located inside lysosomes. The endocytosis‐inhibiting tests show that the clathrin‐mediated endocytosis is a key step in the internalization process. The internalized AO–SWCNTs remain inside lysosomes for more than a week and have little effect on cell proliferation. These findings may be useful in understanding the SWCNT‐based intracellular drug delivery mechanism and help to develop new intracellular drug transporters.
Enhanced mixing of Newtonian fluids in a stirred vessel using impeller speed modulation
Authors: Yek Wei M. , Noui‐Mehidi Mohamed N. , Parthasarathy Rajarathinam , Bhattacharya Sati N. , Wu Jie , Ohmura Naoto , Nishioka Nami
Published: November 2009

This paper reports on an experimental study of mixing intensification using speed modulation of a six‐blade Rushton turbine in a stirred vessel. Mixing times were measured using a non‐intrusive technique based on direct visualisation of an acid‐base reaction in a Newtonian fluid. The impeller speed modulation was achieved by using two waveforms: a square wave and a sine wave. The amplitude was fixed between a maximum Reynolds number of Remax = 60 and minimum Reynolds numbers of Remin = 40 or 30. The wave periods were varied (10, 20, or 40 s) in order to compare the effects of unsteady stirring on mixing performance. It was observed that a square wave protocol with the shortest wave period and the larger amplitude resulted in the shortest time to destroy the observed isolated mixing regions (IMRs), which are known to exist in stirred vessels operating at low Reynolds number. However, the sine wave protocol led to a slow diffusive mechanism in which IMR structures reached an asymptotic volume and remained visible even after several hours. The results are presented and discussed using digital photographs taken at different time intervals during experimentation.
Effect of impeller clearance on liquid flow within an unbaffled vessel agitated with a forward–reverse rotating impeller
Authors: Yoshida Masanori , Wakura Yuma , Yamagiwa Kazuaki , Ohkawa Akira , Tezura Shuichi
Published: November 2009

For an unbaffled agitated vessel with an unsteadily forward–reverse rotating impeller whose rotation proceeds with repeated acceleration, deceleration, and stop–reverse processes, liquid flow was studied through visualisation and measurement using particle tracking velocimetry (PTV). A disk turbine impeller with six flat blades was used with varied height settings. The impeller clearance and its forward–reverse rotation cycle characterised the impeller region flow: the radially outward flow in the deceleration process for the larger clearance relative to the vessel diameter of 1/3, and the axially downward flow in the acceleration process for the smaller clearance relative to the vessel diameter of 1/8. The flow patterns within the vessel resulting from the impeller's larger and smaller clearances were outlined, respectively, by double loops and a single loop of circulation, resembling the pattern produced by unidirectionally rotating turbine‐type impellers. The discharge flow was revealed to contain a comparable level of periodic circumferential velocity component, irrespective of the impeller clearance.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Oxygenation Studies of Carboxylate‐Bridged Diiron(II) Complexes with Aromatic Substrates Tethered to Pyridine Ligands and the Formation of a Unique Trinuclear Complex
Authors: Friedle Simone , Lippard Stephen J.
Published: November 2009

In this study, diiron(II) complexes were synthesized as small molecule mimics of the reduced active sites in the hydroxylase components of bacterial multicomponent monooxygenases (BMMs). Tethered aromatic substrates were introduced in the form of 2‐phenoxypyridines, incorporating hydroxy and methoxy functionalities into windmill‐type diiron(II) compounds [Fe2(μ‐O2CArR)2(O2CArR)2(L)2] (1–4), where–O2CArR is a sterically encumbering carboxylate, 2,6‐bis(4‐fluorophenyl)‐, or 2,6‐bis(p‐tolyl)benzoate (R = 4‐FPh or Tol, respectively). The inability of 1–4 to hydroxylate the aromatic substrates was ascertained. Upon reaction with dioxygen, compounds 2 and 3 (L = 2‐(m‐MeOPhO)Py, 2‐(p‐MeOPhO)Py, respectively) decompose by a known bimolecular pathway to form mixed‐valent diiron(II,III) species at low temperature. Use of 2‐(pyridin‐2‐yloxy)phenol as the ligand L resulted in a doubly bridged diiron complex 4 and an unprecedented phenoxide‐bridged triiron(II) complex 5 under slightly modified reaction conditions. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009)
Effects of the largest daily events on total soil erosion by rainwater. An analysis of the USLE database
Authors: González‐Hidalgo J.C. , de Luis M. , Batalla R. J.
Published: November 2009

Soil erosion by water (rain and wash) is a discrete process, and there are several questions relating to this that have yet to be answered. For instance, for how long should measurements be taken in order to obtain realistic mean erosion rates, and what is the effect of the largest daily events on soil erosion, are questions still not fully answered. To make progress on these issues, detailed information is needed, but usually not available. This work has analysed the USLE database compiled by the United States Department of Agriculture. A total of 27 857 daily erosion events were examined, monitored over 310 erosion plots representing 3195 plot‐years of soil erosion measurements. Periods of measurement varied between plots, ranging from 2 years to 32 years. Data have been analysed by calculating the percentage of soil eroded by the largest to the tenth largest daily events over the entire length of the record. The percentage of soil eroded during the n‐largest events follows a power function y = x−b, where y is the percentage of soil eroded in the selected n‐largest event, and x the total of measured daily events. Results showed that the top 10% of total daily erosive events produce a mean of 50% of eroded soil. Soil erosion measured over short periods, e.g. typically less than 5 to 10 years, is compressed into a few daily events, whatever their magnitude; therefore, mean erosion rates estimated under such small time frames cannot be taken as a good descriptor of the real processes. Analysis suggests that to weight the dependence of soil erosion on the largest daily values, a minimum number of events should be considered. In general, if it is wished to reduce the effect of the largest events to less than 50% of total soil erosion, the mean number of recorded daily events should be between 75 and 100. They represent, on average, 10 years of measurements for the database used here. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Novel microstrip bandpass filter based on defected ground structure and slotline coupling techniques
Authors: Feng Wenjie , Deng Kuan , Che Wenquan , Dong Shiwei
Published: November 2009

A novel microstrip bandpass filter integrating the defected ground structure and slotline coupling technique is presented in this letter. A slotline resonator with a length of three‐quarter wavelength at central frequency is etched on the ground, while a pair of radial stubs is centrally introduced. Two microstrip open stubs are then placed above the slotline resonator, saying, on the top plane of the dielectric substrate. By properly adjusting the lengths of the microstrip stubs, a wideband passband filter is thus implemented using coupling between 50‐Ω microstrip (on the top plane) and the slotline (on the bottom). A prototype is fabricated to validate the proposed design strategies. The experiments and simulations both indicate good performances. The measured fractional bandwidth of prototype is about 89%, the return loss is less than –15 dB in the whole passband. In addition, the measured rejection bandwidth at –25 dB is even higher up to 10 GHz, thus, demonstrating a very good harmonic suppression ability. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52: 4–6, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24816
A novel compact J‐admittance inverter‐coupled microstrip bandpass filter using arrowhead‐shape as defected ground structure
Authors: Boutejdar Ahmed , Amari Smain , Omar Abass
Published: November 2009

This letter reports a new design of compact end‐coupled microstrip bandpass filter with two arrowhead slots as defected ground structure (DGS) in the ground plane [Boutejdar etal., IEEE AP‐SSymp (2005); Ahn, IEEE Trans Microwave Theory Tech 27 (1979), 44–50; Won etal., IEEE Trans Microwave Theory Tech 49 (2001), 86–93]. These slots replaced two λ/2‐microstrip resonators. Both feeds are indirectly coupled with the resonator on top layer by means of a J12 ‐admittance inverter (gap g). This method gives an advantage of size reduction over the conventional design by more than 50%, this structure allows for a convenient method to control the center‐frequency and high suppression of harmonics. From 6 to 14 GHz, the investigated DGS‐BPF has a rejection level better than 20 dB. According to design and measurement results, a good agreement between simulated and measured results is achieved. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52: 34–38, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24817
Design of an on‐glass vehicle antenna using a multiloop structure
Authors: Ahn Seungbeom , Park Seulgi , Noh Yongho , Park Dongwook , Choo Hosung
Published: November 2009

We propose a novel on‐glass antenna with a multiloop structure for FM radio reception in a recreational vehicle (RV). The proposed antenna consists of multiple loops that are printed on a quarter glass with copper striplines. In spite of its simple planar structure, the antenna provides a broad matching bandwidth and a high vertical radiation gain. Antenna performances such as the return loss and boresight gain were measured after the antenna was installed in a commercial RV. The proposed on‐glass antenna exhibits an average gain of about −9.5 dBi with a deviation of <4 dB compared with the gain of a conventional λ/4 roof‐mounted monopole. Transparency of the antenna body was also improved by adjusting the stripline widths based on the induced current distribution. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52: 107–110, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24836
Very small size printed monopole with embedded chip inductor for 2.4/5.2/5.8 GHz WLAN laptop computer antenna
Authors: Kang Ting‐Wei , Wong Kin‐Lu
Published: November 2009

A very small size planar two‐strip monopole printed on a thin (0.4 mm) FR4 substrate for 2.4/5.2/5.8 GHz triple‐band WLAN operation in the laptop computer is presented. With the aid of an embedded chip inductor of 5.6 nH in the longer strip of the printed monopole, a much reduced strip length for obtaining the resonant mode at about 2.4 GHz is obtained, thereby leading to a much reduced size of the antenna for the desired WLAN operation. When the antenna is mounted along the top edge of the display ground, it shows a height of 9 mm and a length of 6 mm only, which is about the smallest among the triple‐band WLAN laptop computer antennas that have been reported. Details of the proposed antenna are described. Results of the fabricated prototype, including the user's hand effects on the antenna performances, are presented. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52: 171–177, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24843
X‐band high‐power amplifier with a magnetically coupled power‐combiner
Authors: Lee Kyung‐Ai , Park Changkun , Chun Jong‐Hoon , Hong Songcheol
Published: November 2009

In this article, a high‐power amplifier for X‐band application is studied, which consists of a two‐stage amplifier with magnetically coupled power‐combiners and dividers. These are based on transmission line transformers, which has lower loss characteristics than spiral‐type transformers at the frequencies. The proposed amplifier utilizes the voltage‐combining concept with the transformers and differential amplifiers. The size of the amplifier is also minimized by using the virtual grounds of the differential structure. The saturated output power of the power amplifier is 38.1 dBm (6.45 W), and the gain is 17 dB at 10 GHz. The area of the chip is 2.56 mm × 3.13 mm and the power density of the amplifier is 806 mW/mm2. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52: 110–113, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24851
Gain‐assisted metamaterial embedded with gain elements
Authors: Jiang Tao , Peng Liang , Huangfu Jiangtao , Wang Zhiyu , Luo Yu , Chen Hongsheng , Ran Lixin
Published: November 2009

In this letter, an active metamaterial sample embedded with miniature monolithic microwave amplifiers is designed, experimentally realized, and measured. Experiments show that by proper design and direct current (DC) bias, the metamaterial sample provides almost linear amplification to an electromagnetic incidence, which can be used to compensate the loss inherent in traditional passive metamaterial and magnify the signal entered the metamaterial. This property would have important potentials in promoting the further researches of metamaterial‐based applications. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52: 92–95, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24871
A novel monopole antenna with a self‐similar slot for wideband applications
Authors: Song Kun , Yin Ying‐Zeng , Zhang Li
Published: November 2009

In this article, a printed flame‐shaped monopole antenna with a self‐similar slot for wideband application has been presented and investigated. The wideband characteristic is easily achieved by inserting a self‐similar slot in the flame‐shaped radiator. The effect of the slot is investigated. We discover that the slot can be effectively used for bandwidth enhancement, while the position of the slot has a negligible effect on the performance of the proposed antenna. Experimental results show that the proposed antenna obtains a bandwidth from 2.65 to over 12 GHz with VSWR < 2. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52: 95–97, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24873
An eight‐phase divide‐by‐4 SiGe HBT ring‐oscillator‐based injection‐locked frequency divider
Authors: Wu Yuan‐Kai , Huang Jhin‐Fang , Chang Chia‐Wei , Jang Sheng‐Lyang
Published: November 2009

This article presents an eight‐phase divide‐by‐4 silicon–germanium (SiGe) heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) injection‐locked frequency divider (ILFD). The ILFD is based on a four‐stage ring oscillator and was fabricated in the 0.35 μm SiGe 3P3M BiCMOS technology. The divide‐by‐4 function is performed by injecting a signal to the base of the tail HBT. At the supply voltage Vdd of 1.3 V and at the incident power of 0 dBm, the locking range is about 2.55 GHz from the incident frequency 12.7 to 15.25 GHz. The die area is 0.54 × 0.54 mm2. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52: 201–204, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24887
Design of a microstrip dual‐band filter with modified short‐circuit quarter‐wavelength resonators
Authors: Tang Ching‐Wen , Shen Che‐Wei
Published: November 2009

A dual‐band microstrip bandpass filter is proposed. With the assistance of modified short‐circuit quarter‐wavelength resonators, the dual‐band bandpass filter can be developed. Theoretical analysis and design procedures are provided; the prototypical bandpass filter with dual passbands is fabricated and measured as well. Well‐matched simulated results and experimental data validate the proposed filter. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52: 236–239, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24889
Synthesis and characterization of asymmetric polyethersulfone membranes: effects of concentration and polarity of nonsolvent additives on morphology and performance of the membranes
Authors: Amirilargani Mohammad , Mohammadi Toraj
Published: November 2009

In this study, effects of methanol, ethanol and 1‐propanol as variable nonsolvent additives (NSAs) on the morphology and performance of flat sheet asymmetric polyethersulfone (PES) membranes were investigated. The membranes were prepared from PES/Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)/N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (NMP) system via phase inversion. The obtained results indicate that with the addition of NSAs to the casting solution, the membrane morphology changes slowly from macrovoids to an asymmetric structure with finger‐like pores. By increasing the NSAs concentrations in the casting solution and decreasing their polarities, the membrane structure changes from finger‐like pores to sponge. The AFM and SEM images reveal that addition of NSA to the casting solution decreases the pore size of the prepared membranes and reduces the pure water flux and BSA solution flux, while increasing the protein rejection. Surface analysis of the membranes showed that mean pore size and surface porosity of the prepared membranes with NSAs in the casting solution are smaller compared with those of the membrane prepared with no NSA. Pure water flux and BSA solution flux through the membranes decrease and BSA rejection increases with increase in the concentration of NSAs and decrease in their polarity. Finally, it can be concluded that the Tg values of the PES membranes increase by addition of NSAs to the casting solution. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Long‐chain branched ROMP polymers
Authors: Hilf Stefan , Wurm Frederik , Kilbinger Andreas F. M.
Published: November 2009

This article describes the construction of branched ROMP‐polymer architectures via polycondensation of ABn‐type macromonomers. For this convergent strategy, a polymer was synthesized that carries several hydroxyl‐groups along the polymer chain and one carboxylic acid group at the chain end. An esterification reaction between these functional groups yielded long‐chain branched polymers. The polymers were analyzed by NMR and SEC to monitor the condensation reaction. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2009
Knowledge about HIV infection and acceptability of HIV testing among women delivered in Podkarpackie Province, Poland
Authors: Raba Grzegorz , Skret‐Magierlo Joanna , Skret Andrzej
Published: November 2009

Objective

To assess the knowledge of pregnant Polish women regarding the risk of perinatal HIV transmission, the ways to reduce this risk, and the importance of HIV testing in pregnancy, as well as their willingness to be tested for HIV.

Methods

A multicenter survey was conducted with 2123 pregnant women from Podkarpackie Province using a 4‐part questionnaire.

Results

Only 15.4% of the women, mainly those with higher education, correctly assessed the risk of perinatal HIV transmission; 61.9% showed adequate knowledge of perinatal HIV transmission, mainly older, well‐educated, multiparas residing in towns; and 81.1% declared a willingness to undergo HIV testing, mainly well‐educated primigravidas in the 26 to 30 years age group residing in towns.

Conclusion

These pregnant women from Poland, where prenatal HIV testing is rarely done, showed a limited knowledge of perinatal HIV transmission but a high willingness to undergo HIV testing.
Effect of the “cough technique” on cryotherapy freezing temperature
Authors: Winkler Jennifer L. , Singleton Jered , Loesel Charlie , Janmohamed Amynah , Jeronimo Jose
Published: November 2009

Objective

To assess the impact of the cough technique on the tip temperature reached in a cryotherapy device commonly used to treat precancerous cervical lesions.

Methods

During February to March 2009, bench testing was conducted in Peru on 3 Wallach LL100 cryotherapy units using locally obtained carbon dioxide as the refrigerant. The temperature at the cryo tip was measured continuously with a thermocouple. Mean temperatures recorded with and without the cough technique were compared across the 3 cryotherapy devices.

Results

Higher mean temperatures were observed with the cough technique (− 21.7 °C [95% CI, − 23.0 to − 20.4]; − 22.0 °C [95% CI, − 24.2 to − 19.7]; − 29.4 °C [95% CI, − 30.3 to − 28.6]) compared with mean temperatures observed with the standard procedure (− 38.6 °C [95% CI, − 44.8 to − 32.4]; − 36.0 °C [95% CI, − 43.5 to − 28.5]; − 41.4 °C [95% CI, − 49.8 to − 33.0]). No test performed with the cough technique reached a temperature below − 33 °C.

Conclusion

Higher temperatures were observed when the cough technique was used. Caution should be exercised by practitioners who use this procedure when performing cryotherapy because the temperatures obtained may not be sufficient to destroy precancerous tissue.
Cold War Ground Zero: Medicine, Psyops and the Bomb
Authors: HALLIWELL MARTIN
Published: November 2009

This essay takes a history-of-ideas approach to place American medicine and psychiatry within the context of the Cold War. Rather than focus on physical science and technology (as is often the case in studies of science and the Cold War), the essay shifts attention to the human sciences in order to consider the ways in which medical and psychiatric research was caught up in concerns over national defence. Various arguments have proposed that US research involving human subjects between the late 1940s and the mid-1960s contravened the Nuremberg Code, which was established in 1948 to formalize the ethical boundaries of medical research and prevent any repeat of the human experimentation widely practised in Nazi concentration camps. The essay focusses, particularly, on two phases of the Cold War: the medical and genetic testing linked to the dropping of the atom bomb in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the psychological tests (often referred to as “psyops”) beginning in the World War II years but developing rapidly during the Korean War. The aim of the essay is to link a phenomenological approach to the Cold War – in which the figures of the “zero” and “cipher” frequently arose – with a discussion of the interrelationship between US national defence issues and American medical research.
Serotype distribution and antibiotic susceptibility of group B streptococci in pregnant women
Authors: DHANOA A. , KARUNAKARAN R. , PUTHUCHEARY S. D.
Published: November 2009

Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a leading cause of neonatal sepsis and is usually acquired via the woman's birth canal. GBS serotypes isolated from 200 pregnant women were determined. Serotypes V (19%) and VI (17%) were the most frequent followed by serotypes III (12%), Ia (11·5%) and IV (10%); 17% of the strains were non-typable. All isolates were susceptible to penicillin, 96% to erythromycin and 97·5% to clindamycin. The emergence of new GBS serotypes has important implications for vaccine prevention strategies.
Contemporary relevance and community engagement
Authors: Nelson Margaret C.
Published: November 2009

Is archaeology useful? Shannon Dawdy suggests that in the application of our knowledge to contemporary issues we find the utility in archaeological work. While I believe there are many ways archaeology is ‘useful’ beyond this application, I will pull that thread, illustrating the applications of archaeology to contemporary issues at the interface of society and environment. I then examine a few of Dawdy's concerns about the failings of archaeology.
The ‘anthropologization’ of archaeological heritage
Authors: Kolen Jan
Published: November 2009

With the growing impact of postprocessual orientations, archaeologists have become increasingly aware that the production of values resides in all aspects of archaeological research. This awareness has also paved the way for a more encompassing concept of archaeological heritage, which of course not only includes the management of material traces but also the transmission of values through archaeological practice, method and theory. Many archaeologists and heritage managers now propagate the belief that reflecting on value production will better equip archaeology for ethical concerns or that it will improve its engagement with society, and that adopting anthropological perspectives and key notions may help to achieve this goal. This contribution explores the opposite proposition: that an anthropologically informed reflexive attitude is important to understand present-day heritage practices, but in most cases it is desirable for archaeologists to tell stories about the past, not about themselves, in order to be really engaged with public and ethical issues. Arguments for this proposition can be derived from the discipline's specific articulation of discovery, difference and time depth (including the ‘long term’), which traditionally shape archaeological research and narrative to a high degree, not only within academic discourse but also in a wider social setting.
Gastro-Highlights 2009
Authors: Rogler  , Wirth  , Bauerfeind  , Müllhaupt  , Rösch  , Schöfl  , Schwizer  , Fried
Published: November 2009

Zusammenfassung der Referate anlässlich des gastroenterologischen Symposiums am Universitätsspital Zürich vom 20. Juni 2009 unter der Leitung von Professor Michael Fried.
Gewalt im Strafvollzug: Prävalenz, Erscheinungsformen und Risikofaktoren
Authors: Endrass  , Urbaniok  , Gerth  , Rossegger
Published: November 2009

Beim Vergleich verschiedener Studien über Gewalt im Strafvollzug ist zu berücksichtigen, dass sich Vollzugsinstitutionen stark voneinander unterscheiden. Studien aus der Schweiz ergaben, dass etwa jeder vierte Insasse mindestens einmal während der Haft mit Gewalt auffällt. Dabei haben die Gewalthandlungen unterschiedliche Erscheinungsformen. Die spezifische Charakterisierung der Gewalt nach Art, Ziel, Auswirkung und Auslöser ist darum wichtig. Bestehende Instrumente zur Kriminalprognose eignen sich nicht zur Schätzung des Risikos gewalttätiger Handlungen im Strafvollzug, weshalb die Entwicklung spezifischer Modelle für diese Fragestellung notwendig ist. In internationalen Studien wurden diverse Risikomerkmale identifiziert. Auf Schweizer Verhältnisse lassen sich diese jedoch aufgrund der erwähnten Institutionsunterschiede nur teilweise übertragen.
How well can satellite data characterize the water cycle of the Madden‐Julian Oscillation?
Authors: Waliser Duane E. , Tian Baijun , Xie Xiaosu , Liu W. Timothy , Schwartz Michael J. , Fetzer Eric J.
Published: November 2009

Most characterizations of the Madden‐Julian Oscillation (MJO) have focused on its convection and circulation features, ocean interactions, and weather and climate impacts. The water cycle of the MJO has yet to be examined or quantified despite it offering an additional constraint on model representations of the MJO, which are still woefully poor. Recent satellite products now make it possible to characterize the MJO water cycle from observations. These include water vapor profiles, column water vapor, cloud ice profiles, total cloud liquid, rainfall, surface evaporation and column moisture convergence. From these, we quantify the water budget for disturbed and suppressed phases of the MJO. The column‐integrated results indicate that precipitation is nearly balanced with moisture convergence, with variations in surface evaporation being an order of magnitude smaller. However, residuals in the column‐integrated budget are relatively large, indicating the need for improved satellite retrievals and/or the necessity of using model‐based assimilation products.
Bio‐physical feedbacks in the Arctic Ocean using an Earth system model
Authors: Lengaigne Matthieu , Madec Gurvan , Bopp Laurent , Menkes Christophe , Aumont Olivier , Cadule Patricia
Published: November 2009

An Earth System model with an oceanic biogeochemical component is shown to reproduce accurately the seasonal course of sea‐ice and chlorophyll distribution in the Arctic region. It is argued that the phytoplankton blooms that occur concomitantly with the ice retreat along the Arctic coastal shelves in spring and summer strongly impact the Arctic climate and improve the sea‐ice distribution in the model. Indeed, these blooms modify the vertical distribution of radiant heating and trap the penetrating solar heat flux at the surface in these regions. The resulting surface warming triggers a reduction of sea‐ice thickness and concentration. This reduction increases the solar energy penetrating into the ocean, therefore providing a positive feedback that further amplifies the direct biological warming. The increased melting, precipitation and runoff related to these bio‐physical feedbacks freshen the Arctic Ocean and the Greenland Sea, provoking a slight slowdown of the overturning circulation.
The Chronic Effects of Whey Proteins on Blood Pressure, Vascular Function, and Inflammatory Markers in Overweight Individuals
Authors: Pal Sebely , Ellis Vanessa
Published: November 2009

Limited evidence suggests that dairy whey protein may be the major dairy component that is responsible for health benefits currently associated with increased dairy consumption. Whey proteins may reduce blood pressure and improve cardiovascular health. This study evaluated the effects of whey protein supplementation on blood pressure, vascular function and inflammatory markers compared to casein and glucose (control) supplementation in overweight/obese individuals. The subjects were randomized to either whey protein, casein or glucose supplementation for 12 weeks according to a parallel design. In all, 70 men and women with a mean (±s.e.m.) BMI (kg/m2) of 31.3 ± 0.8 completed the study. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) decreased significantly at week 6 compared to baseline in the whey and casein groups, (P = 0.028 and P = 0.020, respectively) and at week 12 (P = 0.020, and P = 0.017, respectively). Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) decreased significantly compared to baseline in the whey and casein groups (P = 0.038 and P = 0.042, respectively) at week 12. DBP decreased significantly in the whey and casein groups (P = 0.025, P = 0.038, respectively) at week 12 compared to the control group. Augmentation index (AI) was significantly lower from baseline at 12 weeks (P = 0.021) in the whey group. AI decreased significantly in the whey group at 12 weeks compared to control (P = 0.006) and casein (P = 0.006). There were no significant changes in inflammatory markers within or between groups. This study demonstrated that supplementation with whey protein improves blood pressure and vascular function in overweight and obese individuals.