bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Protective effect of melatonin against gentamicin ototoxicity
Authors: Ye L-F , Tao Z-Z , Hua Q-Q , Xiao B-K , Zhou X-H , Li J , Yuan Y-L
Published: October 2008

Objective:

To research the protective effect of melatonin against gentamicin ototoxicity.

Methods:

Guinea pigs were randomly divided into four groups. The first group received intramuscular gentamicin (120 mg/kg body weight/day) for 17 days. Over the same time period, a second group simultaneously received intramuscular gentamicin (120 mg/kg body weight/day) plus (on the other side) intramuscular melatonin (0.3 ml kg body weight/day). Two groups of controls were treated for 17 days with either intramuscular melatonin or intramuscular saline. After the 17 days, each animal underwent distortion product otoacoustic emission testing (both ears). The guinea pigs were sacrificed by decapitation just after the final injection. Their cochleae were used to produce a tissue section, surface preparation and scanning electron microscope preparation.

Results:

Distortion product otoacoustic emission testing indicated gentamicin-induced hearing loss at 3, 4, 6 and 8 kHz in gentamicin-treated animals. Animals receiving melatonin co-therapy had significantly attenuated hearing loss and their cochleae showed lower rates of outer hair cell loss (comparing the same cochlear turns), compared with gentamicin-treated animals (p < 0.01).

Conclusion:

These findings confirm the occurrence of outer hair cell loss after gentamicin treatment, and the attenuation of such loss following simultaneous melatonin injection, using the method of morphological evaluation. These results suggest that melatonin protects against gentamicin ototoxicity by interfering with cytotoxic mechanisms.
Vertebral artery dissection after direct laryngoscopy: case report and literature review
Authors: Campbell-Lloyd A J M , Kanagalingam J , Bandi H , Coman S
Published: October 2008

Objective:

We report a case of vertebral artery dissection following direct laryngoscopy, and we provide an update on current knowledge regarding this condition and its relationship to movements of the neck.

Method:

A case report and review of the world literature are presented.

Results:

Vertebral artery dissection is an uncommon event leading to stroke. It has been associated with many risk factors, particularly extreme movement of the cervical spine. The pathogenesis of the condition and the true aetiological significance of neck movement are not known.

Conclusion:

To our knowledge, we present the first case of vertebral artery dissection following direct laryngoscopy. We highlight the need for caution when considering neck pain in patients after direct laryngoscopy.
Impact of isotonic and hypertonic saline solutions on mucociliary activity in various nasal pathologies: clinical study
Authors: Ural A , Oktemer T Kocak , Kizil Y , Ileri F , Uslu S
Published: October 2008

Objective:

To investigate the impact of nasal irrigation with isotonic or hypertonic sodium chloride solution on mucociliary clearance time in patients with allergic rhinitis, acute sinusitis and chronic sinusitis.

Patients and methods:

Mucociliary clearance time was measured using the saccharine clearance test on 132 adults before and after 10 days' application of intranasal isotonic or hypertonic saline. Patient numbers were as follows: controls, 45; allergic rhinitis, 21; acute sinusitis, 24; and chronic sinusitis, 42. The results before and after irrigation were compared using the Wilcoxon t-test.

Results:

Before application of saline solutions, mucociliary clearance times in the three patient treatment groups were found to be significantly delayed, compared with the control group. Irrigation with hypertonic saline restored impaired mucociliary clearance in chronic sinusitis patients (p < 0.05), while isotonic saline improved mucociliary clearance times significantly in allergic rhinitis and acute sinusitis patients (p < 0.05).

Conclusion:

Nasal irrigation with isotonic or hypertonic saline can improve mucociliary clearance time in various nasal pathologies. However, these solutions should be selectively prescribed rather than used based on anecdotal evidence. Further studies should be conducted to develop a protocol for standardised use of saline solution irrigation in various nasal pathologies.
‘The Crucible of the Malayan Nation’: The University and the Making of a New Malaya, 1938–62
Authors: STOCKWELL A. J.
Published: October 2008

Like so many features of the British Empire, policy for colonial higher education was transformed during the Second World War. In 1945 the Asquith Commission established principles for its development, and in 1948 the Carr–Saunders report recommended the immediate establishment of a university in Malaya to prepare for self-government. This institution grew at a rate that surpassed expectations, but the aspirations of its founders were challenged by lack of resources, the mixed reactions of the Malayan people and the politics of decolonisation. The role of the University of Malaya in engineering a united Malayan nation was hampered by lingering colonial attitudes and ultimately frustrated by differences between Singapore and the Federation. These differences culminated in the university's partition in January 1962. In the end it was the politics of nation-building which moulded the university rather than the other way round.
Whither Science in WTO Dispute Settlement?
Authors: HERWIG ALEXIA
Published: October 2008

This article understands risk dialectically as a decision-making resource stressing probability but as also giving rise to further uncertainties. It shows that the panel report inEC–Biotechreflects an understanding of risk as decision-making that is deterministic and leaves little room for the application of precautionary approaches and non-scientific factors. It submits that such an approach is unsuitable for novel technologies with limited background knowledge and reduces the accountability of risk regulators. A different approach is put forth, which allows members greater scope for precautionary action while preventing trade protectionism. The article concludes that law can enhance its authority and epistemic validity through scientific evidence but only if it recognizes science's epistemic and its own limitations. Law has to approach science as contested knowledge and risk regulation as political decision-making, leading – inevitably – to more indeterminate solutions to legal conflicts.
On ‘Bad Law’ and ‘Good Politics’: The Politics of the ICJ Genocide Case and Its Interpretation
Authors: RAJKOVIĆ NIKOLAS
Published: October 2008

The discontent within legal ranks over the recent judgment of the International Court of Justice in Bosnia and Herzegovina v. Serbia and Montenegro can be described as nothing other than poignant. The stylized characterization voiced privately by many critics is that the judgment amounted to ‘bad law’ and ‘good politics’; that the Court's ruling had been profoundly influenced by Serbia's fragile domestic politics and hence this worked silently to constrain the Court's rationale and lawmaking. Sadly, critics opine, this political intrusion into the sanctuary of lawmaking produced a judgment that now denies the ‘universal’ deterrent which the Genocide case could have provided. This article, however, takes direct issue with axiomatic interpretations of what constitutes ‘bad law’ and ‘good politics’ in the Genocide case, and argues instead that an antithetical characterization of law with politics proves fundamentally misleading when analysing the Genocide judgment, overlooking the inherent association between law and politics in complex cases that have now become ‘bread and butter’ for international lawyers. In sum, this article will argue, the judgment should not be written off using the dichotomy of ‘bad law’ and ‘good politics’, but rather should invoke critical reflection within the academic discipline and professional practice on the problems of politics which constitute and hence unavoidably permeate cases that emerge from calamitous failures of international politics. The hardening of the fictional boundary between law and politics may provide a convenient gambit for those advocating the ascendancy of international law. However, it is argued, obfuscating the political swamp which is ‘international justice’ cannot make a juridical pasture no matter how much authoritative or ‘learned’ ink is spent; and this is perhaps the key lesson which should be discerned by legal experts from the Genocide case as a whole.
The Identity Crisis of International Criminal Law
Authors: ROBINSON DARRYL
Published: October 2008

The general narrative of international criminal law (ICL) declares that the system adheres in an exemplary manner to the fundamental principles of a liberal criminal justice system. Recent scholarship has increasingly questioned the adherence of various ICL doctrines to such principles. This article scrutinizes the discourse of ICL – the assumptions and forms of argumentation that are regarded as sound reasoning with appropriate liberal aims. This article argues that ICL, in drawing on national criminal law and international human rights law, absorbed contradictory assumptions and methods of reasoning. The article explores three modes by which the assumptions of human rights liberalism subtly undermine the criminal law liberalism to which the system aspires. These modes include interpretive approaches, substantive and structural conflation, and ideological assumptions. The identity crisis theory helps to explain how a system that strives to serve as a model for liberal criminal justice systems has come to embrace illiberal doctrines that contradict the system's fundamental principles.
THE GENUS CAMPANULA (CAMPANULACEAE) IN IRAN
Authors: Aghabeigi F. , Assadi M.
Published: October 2008

The genus Campanula L. (Campanulaceae) in Iran has been revised in preparation for the treatment in the Flora of Iran. In Iran the genus consists of five subgenera (Campanula, Megalocalyx, Roucela, Brachycodonia and Rapunculus), 10 sections (Quinqueloculares, Campanula, Sibirica, Involucrata, Cordifoliae, Rupestres, Scapiflora, Saxicolae, Dictycalyx and Rapunculus) and 44 species. Since the Flora Iranica treatment by Rechinger & Schiman-Czeika in 1965 eight additional species (Campanula crispa, C. sibirica, C. coriacea, C. hakkiarica, C. lamondiae, C. conferta, C. hermannii and C. fastigiata) have been recorded from Iran. Campanula savalanica is a synonym of C. bayerniana. A key to the species in Iran is presented and the endemic species are highlighted.
A NEW SPECIES OF ORNITHOBOEA (GESNERIACEAE) FROM VIETNAM
Authors: Middleton D. J. , Ly Ngoc Sam
Published: October 2008

A new species of Gesneriaceae, Ornithoboea emarginata D.J.Middleton & N.S.Ly, is described from Vietnam. A proposed IUCN conservation assessment is provided.
A NEW SPECIES OF FERULA (UMBELLIFERAE) FROM SOUTHERN IRAN
Authors: Ajani Y. , Ajani M.
Published: October 2008

A new species of Ferula (Umbelliferae), Ferula hezarlalehzarica Y.Ajani, from the Hezar and Lalehzar mountains (Kerman province) in the south of Iran, is described and illustrated. From field and herbarium studies it appears that the species is found only in Kerman province. Details of its morphology and mericarp anatomy are discussed and compared with its closest relatives, Ferula hindukushensis Kitam. and F. koso-poljanskyi Korovin. The new species differs from these mainly in leaf, umbel and mericarp characters. An alteration to the Ferula key in Flora Iranica is given.
TWO NEW SPECIES OF BREDIA (MELASTOMATACEAE) FROM TAIWAN
Authors: Yeh Ching-Long , Chung Shih-Wen , Hsu Tian-Chuan , Yeh Chuan-Rong
Published: October 2008

An examination of living material of Bredia (Melastomataceae) in Taiwan and a comparison with herbarium material of the genus from eastern Asia (China, Japan and Taiwan) has led to the recognition of two new species, B. dulanica C.L.Yeh, S.W.Chung & T.C.Hsu and B. laisherana C.L.Yeh & C.R.Yeh. The morphology and diagnostic characters of these two species are described and illustrated and a key to the species of Bredia in Taiwan is given.
A NEW SPECIES OF SCAPHIUM (STERCULIOIDEAE, MALVACEAE / STERCULIACEAE) FROM BORNEO
Authors: Wilkie P.
Published: October 2008

Scaphium parviflorum P.Wilkie sp. nov. (Sterculioideae, Malvaceae/Sterculiaceae) is described and illustrated. The flowers are intermediate between the tubular flowers of Scaphium macropodum and the deeply lobed ones of Scaphium affine. However, Scaphium parviflorum differs from these species by its smooth to fissured or dippled and brown to grey-brown bark, small narrowly ovate to narrowly elliptic leaves and the presence of sparse minute flattened stellate hairs (resembling scales) on the midrib of the lower surface of the lamina.
CBT for People with Intellectual Disabilities: Emerging Evidence, Cognitive Ability and IQ Effects
Authors: Taylor John L. , Lindsay William R. , Willner Paul
Published: October 2008

Historically people with intellectual disabilities have not been offered or received cognitive behavioural interventions that have been shown to be effective for mental health and emotional problems experienced by those without such disabilities. This is despite many people with intellectual disabilities having life experiences that potentially result in them having an increased risk to such problems. This paper discusses whether such therapeutic disdain is justified based on the evidence that is available and emerging concerning the application of cognitive behavioural interventions for this population. Issues concerning access to services, the ability of people with intellectual disabilities to engage in and benefit from the cognitive components of CBT, and the effect of cognitive abilities and IQ level on treatment effectiveness are explored in relation to this question.
CAN THE U.S. MONETARY POLICY FALL (AGAIN) IN AN EXPECTATION TRAP?
Authors: Armenter Roc , Bodenstein Martin
Published: October 2008

We propose a model to study monetary policy under discretion. We focus on Markov perfect equilibria, ruling out trigger strategies. The model is simple enough that the determinants of monetary policy under discretion are clear. We also find that for all parameterizations with an equilibrium inflation rate around 2%, there is a second equilibrium with an inflation rate just above 10%. Thus the model can simultaneously account for the low- and high-inflation episodes in the U.S. experience.
Sediment dispersal in the northwestern Adriatic Sea
Authors: Harris Courtney K. , Sherwood Christopher R. , Signell Richard P. , Bever Aaron J. , Warner John C.
Published: October 2008

Sediment dispersal in the Adriatic Sea was evaluated using coupled three‐dimensional circulation and sediment transport models, representing conditions from autumn 2002 through spring 2003. The calculations accounted for fluvial sources, resuspension by waves and currents, and suspended transport. Sediment fluxes peaked during southwestward Bora wind conditions that produced energetic waves and strengthened the Western Adriatic Coastal Current. Transport along the western Adriatic continental shelf was nearly always to the south, except during brief periods when northward Sirocco winds reduced the coastal current. Much of the modeled fluvial sediment deposition was near river mouths, such as the Po subaqueous delta. Nearly all Po sediment remained in the northern Adriatic. Material from rivers that drain the Apennine Mountains traveled farther before deposition than Po sediment, because it was modeled with a lower settling velocity. Fluvial sediment delivered to areas with high average bed shear stress was more highly dispersed than material delivered to more quiescent areas. Modeled depositional patterns were similar to observed patterns that have developed over longer timescales. Specifically, modeled Po sediment accumulation was thickest near the river mouth with a very thin deposit extending to the northeast, consistent with patterns of modern sediment texture in the northern Adriatic. Sediment resuspended from the bed and delivered by Apennine Rivers was preferentially deposited on the northern side of the Gargano Peninsula, in the location of thick Holocene accumulation. Deposition here was highest during Bora winds when convergences in current velocities and off‐shelf flux enhanced delivery of material to the midshelf.
Sand banks of finite amplitude
Authors: Tambroni N. , Blondeaux P.
Published: October 2008

The process which leads to the appearance of sand banks in shallow seas is investigated by studying the growth of small‐amplitude perturbations of the sea bottom, forced by oscillatory tidal currents. Since the analysis of field data carried out by Dyer and Huntley (1999) suggests that sand banks are likely to occur where the tidal ellipse is circular or characterized by a low ellipticity, attention is focused on small values of , where e is the ratio between minor and major axes of the tidal ellipse. The linear analysis, which considers perturbations of small (strictly infinitesimal) amplitude, shows the existence of a critical value rC of the Keulegan‐Carpenter number r of the tide (r = U0*/(h0*ω*), U0* and ω* being the amplitude and angular frequency of the velocity oscillations induced by the tide propagation and h0* being the averaged water depth) such that for r smaller than rC the flat bottom configuration is stable, while for r larger than rC the sand banks start to appear. Close to the critical condition, the wavelength of the most unstable mode turns out to be finite. Then a weakly nonlinear analysis is developed which allows the evaluation of the equilibrium amplitude of the bottom forms when the parameter r is close to its critical value. The configuration of the sea bottom, when the bottom forms attain their equilibrium, is characterized by the presence of long ridges, almost parallel to the main axis of the tidal ellipse, with crest‐to‐crest distances similar to those observed during field surveys. The crests of the bottom forms turn out to be flat, and the extensive shallow waters at the crests are compensated by deep troughs between the ridges.
Measurement of the connectivity of runoff source areas as determined by vegetation pattern and topography: A tool for assessing potential water and soil losses in drylands
Authors: Mayor Ángeles G. , Bautista Susana , Small Eric E. , Dixon Mike , Bellot Juan
Published: October 2008

The connectivity of runoff sources is considered one of the main factors controlling the hydrology of sparsely vegetated landscapes. However, the empirical demonstration of this role is very limited, partly because of the scarcity of suitable connectivity metrics. In this work, we derived and tested a spatial metric, Flowlength, for quantifying the connectivity of runoff source areas considering both vegetation pattern and topography. Flowlength is calculated as the average of the runoff pathway lengths from all the cells in a raster‐based map of the target site. We evaluated the relationships between the connectivity of runoff sources, measured with Flowlength, and the runoff and sediment yields from six plots and three catchments in semiarid southeast Spain. Flowlength distinguished varying degrees of connectivity between differing vegetation patterns with similar vegetation cover. The connectivity increased with the grain size of the bare areas and was positively related to plot runoff and sediment yields. Flowlength also correctly ranked the three catchments according to total runoff yielded during the study period. The inclusion of microtopographic information in the quantification of Flowlength improved the relationships between the pattern of runoff sources and the measured fluxes, highlighting the importance of topographic features in the connectivity of surface flows. In general, the microtopography had a net decreasing effect on the connectivity, which was mainly attributed to an increase in the amount of runoff sink areas caused by the sediment terracettes developed upslope of plants. Our results confirm that the connectivity of runoff sources is a key factor controlling runoff and erosion in semiarid lands and support the potential of Flowlength as a surrogate for the hydrological functioning of ecosystems with patchy vegetation.
Natural CD4+ T‐cell responses against Trypanosoma cruzi KMP‐11 protein in chronic chagasic patients
Authors: Cuellar Adriana , Rojas Francia , Bolaños Natalia , Diez Hugo , del Carmen Thomas María , Rosas Fernando , Velasco Victor , López Manuel Carlos , González John Mario , Puerta Concepción
Published: October 2008

Trypanosoma cruzi kinetoplastid membrane protein‐11 (KMP‐11) is able to induce protective immunity in mice. In humans, T‐cell immunity during Chagas disease has been documented using parasite antigens allowing the identification of specific CD8+ T cells. However, little is known about the CD4+ T‐cell response during the evolution of the disease. In this paper, the induction of a natural CD4+ T‐cell response against the KMP‐11 protein in T. cruzi infected humans was studied to assess whether this parasite‐derived protein could be processed, presented and detected as a major histocompatibility complex class II restricted epitope. The results show that helper T cells from 5 out of 13 chagasic patients specifically produced interferon‐γ after exposure to the KMP‐11 antigen, whereas healthy donors and non‐chagasic cardiopathic patients did not respond. This is the first description of T. cruzi KMP‐11 protein recognition by CD4+ T cells in chronic chagasic patients.
A BAR domain-mediated autoinhibitory mechanism for RhoGAPs of the GRAF family
Authors: Eberth Alexander , Lundmark Richard , Gremer Lothar , Dvorsky Radovan , Koessmeier Katja T. , McMahon Harvey T. , Ahmadian Mohammad Reza
Published: October 2008

The BAR (Bin/amphiphysin/Rvs) domain defines an emerging superfamily of proteins implicated in fundamental biological processes by sensing and inducing membrane curvature. We identified a novel autoregulatory function for the BAR domain of two related GAPs' (GTPase-activating proteins) of the GRAF (GTPase regulator associated with focal adhesion kinase) subfamily. We demonstrate that the N-terminal fragment of these GAPs including the BAR domain interacts directly with the GAP domain and inhibits its activity. Analysis of various BAR and GAP domains revealed that the BAR domain-mediated inhibition of these GAPs' function is highly specific. These GAPs, in their autoinhibited state, are able to bind and tubulate liposomes in vitro, and to generate lipid tubules in cells. Taken together, we identified BAR domains as cis-acting inhibitory elements that very likely mask the active sites of the GAP domains and thus prevent down-regulation of Rho proteins. Most remarkably, these BAR proteins represent a dual-site system with separate membrane-tubulation and GAP-inhibitory functions that operate simultaneously.
Comparative analysis of CAX2-like cation transporters indicates functional and regulatory diversity
Authors: Edmond Clare , Shigaki Toshiro , Ewert Sophie , Nelson Matthew D. , Connorton James M. , Chalova Vesela , Noordally Zeenat , Pittman Jon K.
Published: October 2008

Internal compartmentalization of metals is an important metal tolerance mechanism in many organisms. In plants and fungi, sequestration into the vacuole is a major detoxification mechanism for metals. Cation transport into the vacuole can be mediated by CAX (cation exchanger) transporters. The Arabidopsis thaliana AtCAX2 transporter was shown previously to transport Ca2+, Cd2+ and Mn2+. To assess the conservation of the functional and regulatory characteristics of CAX2-like transporters in higher plants, we have characterized AtCAX2 orthologues from Arabidopsis (AtCAX5), tomato (LeCAX2) and barley (HvCAX2). Substrate specificity and regulatory activity were assessed using a yeast heterologous-expression assay. Each CAX could transport Ca2+ and Mn2+ into the yeast vacuole, but they each had different cation transport kinetics. Most notably, there was variation in the regulation of the transporters. As found with AtCAX2 previously, only expression of an N-terminally truncated form of AtCAX5 in yeast was able to mediate Ca2+ and Mn2+ transport, indicating that activity may be controlled by an autoregulatory region at the N-terminus. In contrast, either full-length or truncated LeCAX2 could efficiently transport Ca2+, although Mn2+ transport was controlled by the N-terminus. HvCAX2 did not appear to possess an N-terminal regulatory domain. Expression of AtCAX2 was not significantly modulated by metal stress; however, AtCAX5 and HvCAX2 were transcriptionally up-regulated by high Mn2+ treatment, and by Ca2+ and Na+ stress respectively. It is therefore apparent that, despite the high sequence identity between plant CAX2 orthologues, there is significant diversity in their functional characteristics, particularly with regard to regulatory mechanisms.
hVps15, but not Ca2+/CaM, is required for the activity and regulation of hVps34 in mammalian cells
Authors: Yan Ying , Flinn Rory J. , Wu Haiyan , Schnur Rachel S. , Backer Jonathan M.
Published: October 2008

The mammalian Class III PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase), hVps34 [mammalian Vps (vacuolar protein sorting) 34 homologue], is an important regulator of vesicular trafficking, autophagy and nutrient sensing. In yeast, Vps34 is associated with a putative serine/threonine protein kinase, Vps15, which is required for Vps34p activity. The mammalian homologue of Vps15p, hVps15 (formerly called p150), also binds to hVps34, but its role in hVps34 signalling has not been evaluated. In the present study we have therefore compared the activity and regulation of hVps34 expressed without or with hVps15. We find that hVps34 has low specific activity when expressed alone; co-expression with hVps15 leads to a marked increase in activity. Notably, beclin-1/UVRAG (UV radiation resistance-associated gene) activation of hVps34 requires co-expression with hVps15; this may be explained by the observation that beclin-1/UVRAG expression increases hVps34/hVps15 binding. Regulation of hVps34 activity by nutrients also requires co-expression with hVps15. Finally, given a recent report that hVps34 activity requires Ca2+/CaM (calmodulin), we considered whether hVps15 might be involved in this regulation. Although hVps34 does bind CaM, we find its activity is not affected by treatment of cells with BAPTA/AM [1,2-bis-(o-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N′,N′-tetra-acetic acid tetrakis(acetoxymethyl ester)] or W7. Removal of CaM by EDTA or EGTA washes has no effect on hVps34 activity, and hVps34 activity in vitro is unaffected by Ca2+ chelation. The results of the present study show that, in mammalian cells, hVps34 activity is regulated through its interactions with hVps15, but is independent of Ca2+/CaM.
Differential Diagnosis of Paradoxical Vocal Fold Movement
Authors: Koufman Jamie A. , Block Christie
Published: October 2008

Purpose

To present the differential diagnosis of paradoxical vocal fold movement (PVFM) and its distinguishing features.

Methods

The authors provide an overview of PVFM by drawing from 30 years of clinical and research experience, and relating that experience to literature in this area.

Conclusion

PVFM is characterized by inappropriate adduction of the vocal folds during inspiration. PVFM is an uncommon and sometimes confusing cause of airway obstruction. The resultant obstruction may be intermittent or continuous, mild or severe. Most patients with PVFM have a specific etiology—inflammatory, neurological, neoplastic, iatrogenic, or psychological—that influences type of treatment and outcome.
Expository Discourse in Adolescents With Language Impairments: Examining Syntactic Development
Authors: Nippold Marilyn A. , Mansfield Tracy C. , Billow Jesse L. , Tomblin J. Bruce
Published: October 2008

Purpose

This study examined syntactic development in a large cohort of adolescents. At kindergarten, each participant had been identified as having specific language impairment (SLI), nonspecific language impairment (NLI), or typical language development (TLD).

Method

The participants (
n
= 444) had a mean age of 13;11 (years;months; range = 12;10–15;5). Language samples were elicited in 2 genres, conversational and expository, and analyzed for mean length of T-unit and subordinate clause production.

Results

Mean length of T-unit and the use of nominal, relative, and adverbial clauses were greater during the expository task than the conversational task for all groups. Thus, even the SLI and NLI groups produced longer sentences containing greater amounts of subordination when speaking in the expository genre than in the conversational genre. No group differences were revealed by the conversational task. However, on the expository task, the TLD group outperformed both the SLI and NLI groups on mean length of T-unit, and the TLD group outperformed the NLI group on relative clause use.

Conclusions

Speech-language pathologists may wish to employ expository discourse tasks rather than conversational tasks to examine syntactic development in adolescents.
The partitioning and site preference of rhenium or ruthenium in model nickel-based superalloys: An atom-probe tomographic and first-principles study
Authors: Zhou Yang , Mao Zugang , Booth-Morrison Christopher , Seidman David N.
Published: October 2008

The partitioning behavior and sublattice site preference of Re or Ru in the Ni3Al (L12) γ′- precipitates of model Ni–Al–Cr alloys are investigated by atom-probe tomography (APT) and first-principles calculations. Rhenium and Ru are experimentally observed to partition to the γ(fcc)-phase, which is consistent with the smaller values of the γ-matrix Re and Ru substitutional formation energies determined by first-principles calculations. APT measurements of the γ′-precipitate composition indicate that Re and Ru occupy the Al sublattice sites of the Ni3Al (L12) phase. The preferential site substitution of Re and Ru at Al sublattice sites is confirmed by first-principles calculations.
Asymmetric magnetization reversal in a single exchange-biased micro bar
Authors: Gredig T. , Tondra M.
Published: October 2008

The asymmetric magnetization reversal is studied in a single exchange-biased microbar of 1.5×13μm2 with anisotropic magnetoresistance and magnetic force microscopy. The asymmetric hysteresis loop of CoFe∕CrMnPt shows a repeatable rotation process, followed by an irreversible nucleation process that is marked by jumps in the magnetoresistance. The induced unidirectional anisotropy enhances the rotation process in one branch of the hysteresis loop, followed by a sped up nucleation process. Imprinted ferromagnetic domain patterns left behind by the antiferromagnet are observed after the nucleation process occurred but before complete saturation is reached.
Iron nanoparticle driven spin-valve behavior in aligned carbon nanotube arrays
Authors: Bergeson J. D. , Etzkorn S. J. , Murphey M. B. , Qu L. , Yang J. , Dai L. , Epstein A. J.
Published: October 2008

We report the operation of spin-valve structures formed from arrays of aligned carbon nanotubes. The devices require only one deposited ferromagnetic layer with the embedded iron catalyst nanoparticle serving as the other magnetic electrode. A peak in the resistance occurs clearly as a result of the reversal of the magnetization of the electrodes. Device magnetoresistance ratios reach 25%, yielding an estimate of the spin scattering length of 9μm at low temperature.
Phase diagram of a model of nanoparticles in electrolyte solutions
Authors: Li Xiaofei , Lettieri S. , Wentzel N. , Gunton J. D.
Published: October 2008

We obtain accurate fluid-fluid coexistence curves for a recent simple model of interacting nanoparticles that includes the effects of ion-dispersion forces. It has been proposed that these ion-dispersion forces provide at least a partial explanation for the Hofmeister effect [M. Boström et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 168103 (2001)]. We study a model of aluminum oxide nanoparticle [Deniz et al., Colloids Surf. A 319, 98 (2008)] for three different electrolyte solutions with added salt type being sodium chloride, sodium iodide, and a nonpolarizable salt. We observe that the fluid-fluid coexistence curves depend substantially on the identity of added salt; this provides an efficient way of tuning the phase behavior of nanoparticles. The methods we employ include finite-size scaling (FSS), multicanonical histogram reweighting, and Gibbs ensemble methods. We show that, as expected, all three cases belong to the Ising universality class. The scaling fields and critical point parameters are obtained in the thermodynamic limit of infinite system size by extrapolation of our FSS results.
Acoustic analysis and fabrication of microelectromechanical system capacitive microphones
Authors: Her Hong-Ching , Wu Tsung-Lin , Huang Jin H.
Published: October 2008

This paper presents a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) capacitive microphone fabricated by using a combination of surface and bulk micromachining techniques equipped with favorable integrated complementary metal-oxide semiconductor capability. Through the proposed equivalent circuit model for the packaged microphone, optimal diaphragm diameter, diaphragm thickness, backplate height, air gap, front chamber volume, back chamber height, and acoustic hole fraction have been determined by analyzing and simulating the capacitive microphone. Consequently, this design model can optimize choice of materials, microphone size, and microphone performance. All parameters for the analysis have been experimentally measured for the microphone. To verify our analysis, the microphone sensitivity has been experimentally measured by pulse electroacoustics with the software SOUND CHECK in an anechoic box. The simulation and experimental results for sensitivity of the microphone follow each other within a range of 2 dB. Moreover, the measured specifications indicate that the packaged microphone has notably high sensitivity (−42±3 dB V/Pa at 1 kHz), low power consumption (<250 μA), high S/N ratio (>55), and low distortion (<0.5%).
The influence of surface mechanics on diffusion induced stresses within spherical nanoparticles
Authors: Cheng Yang-Tse , Verbrugge Mark W.
Published: October 2008

We examine the effects of surface tension and surface modulus on diffusion-induced stresses within spherical nanoparticles. We show that both the magnitude and distribution of stresses can be significantly affected by surface mechanics if the particle diameter is in the nanometer range. In particular, a tensile state of stress may be significantly reduced in magnitude or even be reverted to a state of compressive stress with decreasing particle radius. This reduction in tensile stress may be responsible for the observed resilience to fracture and decrepitation of nanoparticles used in various industrial applications.
The anisotropic band structure of layered In4Se3(001)
Authors: Losovyj Ya. B. , Makinistian L. , Albanesi E. A. , Petukhov A. G. , Liu Jing , Galiy P. , Dveriy O. R. , Dowben P. A.
Published: October 2008

There is discernable and significant band dispersion along both high symmetry directions for cleaved ordered surfaces of the layered In4Se3(001). The extent of dispersion of approximately 1 eV is observed along the surface chain rows, and about 0.5 eV perpendicular to the surface “furrows,” consistent with theoretical expectations. A possible surface state exists at the surface Brillouin zone edge, in the direction perpendicular to the chains, in a gap of the projected bulk band structure. Excluding the possible surface state, the experimental hole mass is 5.5 times greater along the chains than perpendicular to the chains, but the dispersion is easier to discern.
Frequency analysis of the molecular vibrations of HCP
Authors: Safi Z. S. , Losada J. C. , Benito R. M. , Borondo F.
Published: October 2008

Relevant aspects of the phase space structure corresponding to the vibrational dynamics of a two-dimensional model of the HCP molecule are studied in detail using a frequency analysis method. By performing this analysis locally for reduced periods of time, the underlying chaotic structure and the main resonances have been determined.
Cross-section measurements of the N14(α,p)O17 and N14(α,α)N14 reactions between 3.5 and 6 MeV
Authors: Terwagne G. , Genard G. , Yedji M. , Ross G. G.
Published: October 2008

The cross-section of the N14(α,p0)O17 reaction at angles of 90°, 135°, and 165° was measured for incident energies between 3.5 and 6.0 MeV simultaneously with the cross-section of the N14(α,α)N14 reaction at 165°. Interference between these two reactions at the angle of 165° and around 3.9 MeV was taken into account. The technique used is very powerful, thanks to the Ta450 nm/C target being implanted with a high dose of nitrogen. The N14(α,p0)O17 reaction exhibits some resonances allowing traces of nitrogen to be quantified. This reaction also offers an alternative to the N14(d,α)C12 and N14(H3e,p)O16 nuclear reactions for profiling nitrogen in the first few microns below the surface. Moreover, by using α-particles, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy can be performed simultaneously with a good mass resolution to depth profile high Z elements in the sample. The sensitivity of these reactions (0.1%) has been tested by measuring the nitrogen traces in a titanium oxide film deposited on silicon. Depth profiling of nitrogen in a TiN layer on a silicon substrate was also performed. In addition, we publish for the first time some cross-sections values for the N14(α,p1)O17 reaction at 90° and 165°; this measurement is a challenging task.
Identifying atomic geometry and electronic structure of (2×3)-Sr/Si(100) surface and its initial oxidation
Authors: Du Wenhan , Wang Bing , Xu Lei , Hu Zhenpeng , Cui Xuefeng , Pan B. C. , Yang Jinlong , Hou J. G.
Published: October 2008

We present a joint experimental and theoretical study on the geometric and electronic states and the initial oxidation of the (2×3)-Sr/Si(100) surface. With scanning tunneling microscopy/scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STM/STS) measurements combined with ab initio calculations, the atomic geometry and the electronic states of the (2×3)-Sr/Si(100) surface are identified. The dimerization of the Si atoms in the single atom row based on a (1×3) Si substrate model plays a critical role in stabilization of the surface structure and in determining the electronic properties. At the very initial oxidation of the surface, four features corresponding to the primary adsorption and oxidation sites are determined. Three of them are corresponding to the most favored oxidation sites with single oxygen molecules, whose local density of states gives semiconducting behavior. One is corresponding to the oxidation site with two oxygen molecules, whose local density of states gives metallic behavior. These features all exhibit dark spots with different shapes in the occupied state images but display either dark spots or bright protrusions depending on the different oxidation sites in the empty state images. Compared with the theoretical calculations, the plausible adsorption and oxidation models are proposed.
Dehydrogenation of benzene on Pt(111) surface
Authors: Gao W. , Zheng W. T. , Jiang Q.
Published: October 2008

The dehydrogenation of benzene on Pt(111) surface is studied by ab initio density functional theory. The minimum energy pathways for benzene dehydrogenation are found with the nudge elastic band method including several factors of the associated barriers, reactive energies, intermediates, and transient states. The results show that there are two possible parallel minimum energy pathways on the Pt(111) surface. Moreover, the tilting angle of the H atom in benzene can be taken as an index for the actual barrier of dehydrogenation. In addition, the properties of dehydrogenation radicals on the Pt(111) surface are explored through their adsorption energy, adsorption geometry, and electronic structure on the surface. The vibrational frequencies of the dehydrogenation radicals derived from the calculations are in agreement with literature data.
Ferromagnetic mechanism in Ni-doped anatase TiO2
Authors: Chen Jun , Lu Guang-Hong , Cao Honghong , Wang Tianmin , Xu Yun
Published: October 2008

The ferromagnetism in Ni-doped anatase TiO2 is studied by a series of supercell density functional calculations. Our results show that O vacancy (VO) plays a key role of ferromagnetism in Ni-doped TiO2, and the magnetic origin is of Ni3+ ion. In the stoichiometric configuration of 2 Ni with one VO, the system shows the ferromagnetic insulating ground state. A vacancy-mediated direct-exchange mechanism is proposed and it reasonably interprets the ferromagnetism in such structure without using the concept of charge carriers.
Photoluminescence from Si nanocrystals exposed to a hydrogen plasma
Authors: Jung Yoon-Jin , Yoon Jong-Hwan , Elliman R. G. , Wilkinson A. R.
Published: October 2008

Si nanocrystals embedded in SiO2 films were exposed to an atomic H plasma at different temperatures. Photoluminescence intensity from the nanocrystals increases with increasing exposure time, followed by saturation that depends on the exposure temperature. The saturation level depends on the final exposure temperature and shows no dependence on the thermal history of exposure. This behavior is shown to be consistent with a model in which the steady-state passivation level is determined by a balance between defect passivation and depassivation by H, with the activation energy for the passivation reaction being larger than that for the depassivation reaction.
Shock-induced bct-bcc transition and melting of tin identified by sound velocity measurements
Authors: Hu Jianbo , Zhou Xianming , Dai Chengda , Tan Hua , Li Jiabo
Published: October 2008

A direct reverse-impact configuration together with the velocity interferometer system for any reflector was utilized to accurately measure longitudinal and bulk sound velocities of tin under shock compression. Shock-induced bct-bcc transition and melting of tin were identified based on the discontinuity of the longitudinal sound velocity against shock pressure, which were not previously revealed by Hugoniot and wave profile measurements. The transition pressures for bct to bcc phase and bcc to liquid phase were constrained to be ∼34±2 and ∼39±2 GPa, respectively. The shear modulus and yield strength at loaded shock stresses were extracted from the measured sound velocities. A tentative phase diagram of tin was constructed by available experimental data and thermodynamic calculations, which was consistent with results from diamond anvil cell experiments and inconsistent with those from shock temperature measurements and molecular dynamic simulations.
Instabilities and Taylor dispersion in isothermal binary thin fluid films
Authors: Borden Z. , Grandjean H. , Hosoi A. E. , Kondic L. , Tilley B. S.
Published: October 2008

Experiments with glycerol-water thin films flowing down an inclined plane reveal a localized instability that is primarily three dimensional. These transient structures, referred to as “dimples,” appear initially as nearly isotropic depressions on the interface. A linear stability analysis of a binary mixture model in which barodiffusive effects dominate over thermophoresis (i.e., the Soret effect) reveals unstable modes when the components of the mixture have different bulk densities and surface tensions. This instability occurs when Fickian diffusion and Taylor dispersion effects are small, and is driven by solutalcapillary stresses arising from gradients in concentration of one component, across the depth of the film. Qualitative comparison between the experiments and the linear stability results over a wide range of parameters is presented.
Evidence of magnetodielectric coupling in multiferroic Pb(Fe0.5Nb0.5)O3 ceramics from ferroelectric measurements and electron paramagnetic resonance
Authors: Font Reynaldo , Alvarez Guillermo , Raymond Oscar , Portelles Jorge , Siqueiros Jesús M.
Published: October 2008

Magnetodielectric coupling effects of single phase multiferroic Pb(Fe0.5Nb0.5)O3 ceramics have been studied using standard ferroelectric measurements and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). Changes in the electrical polarization behavior were observed in the paramagnetic to weakly magnetized antiferromagnetic transition near 103 K associated with a rhombohedral to monoclinic symmetry reduction. The analysis of changes in the EPR spectral parameters confirms the transition from paramagnetic to weakly magnetized antiferromagnetic and reveals noticeable anomalies in the high temperature region near the ferroelectric-paraelectric transition (383 K), which are correlated with the tetragonal-to-cubic symmetry change and the characteristic diffuse phase transition of this material.
Ti 3 SiC 2 material: An application for electromagnetic interference shielding
Authors: Shi Suilin , Zhang Lingzhen , Li Junshou
Published: October 2008

Ti 3 SiC 2 was prepared by hot-pressing sintering. The dielectric permittivity and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness (SE) are measured for the Ti3SiC2 material and pure titanium (Ti) metal in the frequency range of 8.2–18 GHz (X-band and Ku-band). The results show that Ti3SiC2 material exhibits high complex permittivities at the measured frequencies. Compared to the EMI-SE achieved by pure Ti metal, an EMI-SE value as high as 35–54 dB has been achieved in the X-band and Ku-band frequencies for Ti3SiC2 material, which suggests that it should be an effective EMI shielding material for structural applications.
Asymmetric energy potential of pinned domain walls at constrictions
Authors: Warnicke Peter
Published: October 2008

The pinning properties of magnetic vortex domain walls were experimentally investigated in patterned nanowires with artificial constrictions. Domain walls were nucleated and depinned by applied magnetic fields and observed with magnetic force microscopy. It was found that the pinning strength is dependent on the chirality of the vortex wall. Micromagnetic simulations confirm these results and reveal the energy potential of the pinned domain wall, including the width of the pinning site.
A physical model for the rapid degradation of semiconductor laser diodes
Authors: Martín-Martín A. , Avella M. , Iñiguez M. P. , Jiménez J. , Oudart M. , Nagle J.
Published: October 2008

The degradation of AlGaAs based high power laser bars (808 nm) is modeled in terms of the thermal stress gradient induced by the overheating produced at a facet defect by self-absorption and nonradiative recombination. Using a thermomechanical model, the local heating at the defect is shown to induce local stress above the yield strength necessary for plastic deformation. Cathodoluminescence images of the facets show the formation of large facet defects. The role of the packaging stress is also elucidated. The power density dissipation and the local temperature necessary to achieve the plastic deformation are in good agreement with the experimental values reported for laser degradation.
Simultaneous observation of single- and two-photon excitation photoluminescence on optically quenched wide-gap semiconductor crystals
Authors: Noor A. S. M. , Torizawa M. , Miyakawa A. , Kawata Y.
Published: October 2008

Simultaneous detection of a quenched wide-gap semiconductor crystal is observed using single- and two-photon excitation photoluminescence. The quenching process involved two-photon excitation method induced defects to the crystal. It was found that the quenched area, photoluminescence at the bandgap wavelength is detected using single-photon excitation while no photoluminescence is observed from two-photon excitation. This is due to the damage occurred to the transition states of the two-photon excitation. The dependency of respective excitation methods with photoluminescence was elaborated to confirm the single- and two-photon excitation photoluminescence methods.
All-optical steering of soliton waveguides in dye-doped liquid crystals
Authors: Piccardi A. , Assanto G. , Lucchetti L. , Simoni F.
Published: October 2008

Soliton induced waveguides can be all-optically readdressed in planar cells by modifying the molecular anchoring with an external light source. Using an elliptically shaped control beam we demonstrate refraction and total internal reflection of spatial solitons in dye-doped nematic liquid crystals.