bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Super‐resolved time‐frequency processing of surface‐wave mechanisms contained in wideband radar ECHO
Authors: Moore J. , Ling H.
Published: July 2007

A time‐frequency super‐resolution procedure is presented for processing wideband backscattered data containing dispersive surface‐wave effects. This approach is based on repeatedly applying the ESPRIT method to a sliding window of frequency data. The raw poles returned by ESPRIT produce a more sharply resolved time‐frequency display than that of the short‐time Fourier transform. One inherent limitation of ESPRIT is that it finds a multitude of poles for a single dispersive scattering mechanism. This limitation is overcome by properly combining the raw poles corresponding to each dispersive mechanism. This pole‐combining approach recovers the true frequency behavior of each dispersive mechanism and allows a complete parameter estimation of the data to be performed. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Higher‐order infinite elements for quasi‐TEM analysis of microwave transmission lines using the finite‐element method
Authors: Pantic‐Tanner Zorica , Mittra Raj
Published: July 2007

Higher‐order infinite elements, which are compatible with ordinary finite elements, and which preserve the sparsity of the FEM equations, are derived for the quasi‐TEM analysis of open‐type microwave transmission lines. The shape of the outer boundary can be an arbitrary polygon and can be chosen to conform to the geometry of the transmission line etches. It is shown that the use of the infinite elements with higher‐order approximation of the radiation condition enhances the efficiency of the method as compared to the conventional FEM, by virtue of the reduction in the requirements for the memory and computation time. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Quasistatic analysis of slot‐coupled double‐sided microstrip lines by conformal mapping
Authors: Wan Changhua
Published: July 2007

Using a modified conformal mapping technique, analytical formulas for the quasi‐TEM parameters of slot‐coupled double‐sided microstrip (SCDSMS) lines are presented for the first time. The proposed even‐mode expressions have an accuracy of 3%, when compared with the existing finite‐element data, and are very useful in CAD applications. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Analysis and experimental demonstration of a very high isolation optoelectronic switch with p‐i‐n photodiode and GaAs mesfet transmission gate
Authors: Liu Qing Z. , MacDonald R. Ian
Published: July 2007

An optoelectronic switch with very high isolation and bandwidth from dc to microwave frequency range is demonstrated both theoretically and experimentally. The switch consists of a p‐i‐n photodiode and a GaAs MESFET in a common gate configuration as a transmission gate. An analytical expression is derived to calculate the isolation level of the switch. Measured isolation levels of 70 dB at 300 KHz and 55 dB up to 1.0 GHz were obtained for the proposed optoelectronic switch. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Coplanar waveguide semiconductor phase shifter
Authors: Lee Choon Sae , Tran James Minh
Published: July 2007

When the semiconductor substrate under the microstrip transmission lines is properly doped, a substantial phase shift of the propagating wave by an applied DC bias voltage is demonstrated. The device is inexpensive to fabricate and easy to implement, especially in monolithic structures. © 1995 John Wilet & Sons, Inc.
Some experimental investigations on aperture‐coupled microstrip antennas at TM11 mode
Authors: Paul P. , Roy J. S. , Chowdhury S. K.
Published: July 2007

Experimental investigation on the effect of shifting the position of the slot from the center of the aperture‐coupled microstrip patch antenna on input impedance, bahdwidth, and resonance frequency at TM11 mode, has been presented. This method is found to be useful for impedance matching in mobile communications, where antennas excited at higher‐order modes are preferred. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Influence of a curved dielectric multilayer passive filter on antenna performance
Authors: Chandran Sathish , Smith Peter R.
Published: July 2007

Passive filters have been used in conjunction with active antennas to provide protection and to act as an aid to electronic scanning. In this article, the filtering characteristics of a nine‐layer curved dielectric multilayer structure are studied as passive filters. These structures provide narrow‐beamwidth radiation pattern as well as low cross polarization. © 1995 John Wilq & Sons, Inc.
A novel method to determine equivalent circuits for MMIC plastic packages using electromagnetic field simulation
Authors: Uda Hisanori , Sawai Tetsuro , Harada Yasoo
Published: July 2007

A novel method was developed to determine equivalent circuits for plastic packages. The method first divides the package shapes into basic shapes including one or two lead pins, and determines the S parameters of each basic shape using an electromagnetic field simulator. Next, the equivalent circuits and parameters of each shape are determined by a successive fitting technique using a microwave circuit simulator, and these are combined to achieve the total equivalent circuit for the package. The results agree well with measured results. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
An efficient approach suitable for the analysis and design of nonuniform transmission lines
Authors: Hamade Ali H. , Kouki Ammar B. , Ghannouchi Fadhel M.
Published: July 2007

A new method of moment‐based formulation for the analysis of nonuniform transmission lines is presented. Subdomain complex basis functions are used to simulate different structures over a wide range of frequencies. The results obtained using the proposed formulation are validated by comparison to those obtained by CAD packages. Strip‐line and microstrip‐line transitions are investigated with an application to the design of a matched microstrip taper with width and dielectric height variations. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
An improved formula for calculating the capacitance of an insulated conductor
Authors: Zhou Xingling , Wang Yue , Zhou Siyong
Published: July 2007

Based on two isoperimetric inequalities, it is proposed that the capacitance of an insulated convex conductor is a function of the volume, the surface area, and the surface integral of mean curvature. Then the formula in [1] for computing the capacitance of an insulated conductor of arbitrary shape is greatly improved. Examples show excellent agreement with the existing results. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The combined effect of dispersion and damping on the scattering characteristics of faraday chiral cylindrical scatterers
Authors: Wenyan Yin
Published: July 2007

In this article the normalized co‐ and cross‐polarized radar cross sections (RCSs) of Faraday chiral cylindrical scatterers are studied. Such scatterers include one‐layer Faraday chiral cylinder and cylindrical shells, and an impedance cylinder coated with a one‐layer Faraday chiral medium. Numerical results are presented to show the combined effects of dispersion and damping of different constitutive parameters on the RCS and near‐field distribution of scatterers. It is believed that the present study provides some insight into the physical features of Faraday chiral materials. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
On the operating modes of a millimeter‐wave H‐plane partial height ferrite post waveguide circulator
Authors: Zhang D. G. , Yung Edward K. N. , Ding H. Y.
Published: July 2007

A new method for analyzing a millimeter‐wave H‐plane waveguide Y‐junction circulator with a partial height ferrite post is presented. Simple formulas are developed for determining the center frequency of the circulator and the length of the ferrite rod. The lowest mode of operation is not unique and is dependent on the length of the ferrite post. Based on the newly derived formulas, several broadband 3‐mm circulators have been designed, assembled, and tested. Good agreement between the analytically obtained performance and experimental results is observed. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Effects of package width on K‐band high‐temperature superconducting filters
Authors: Carlsson E. , Gevorgian S. , Linnér P.
Published: July 2007

The effect of substrate/package width on filter performance is demonstrated and discussed for 18‐GHz packaged filters using high‐temperature superconducting (HTS), coupled microstrip lines. The filters are made of 0.3‐μm YBa2Cu3O7 – ∂8(YBCO) on MgO substrates with copper ground planes. The HTS filter shows a minimum insertion loss (IL) of 0.9 dB, steep skirts, and very good out‐of‐band rejection (> 45 dB up to 21 GHz) at 77 K with a bandwidth of 2.8% and a 0.3‐dB ripple. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Optical implementation of shuffle interconnection using fixed regional holograms in photorefractive crystals
Authors: Wang Feng , Liu Liren , Peng Haifeng
Published: July 2007

We demonstrate a new approach to achieve optical shuffle interconnections by employing a photorefractive crystal plate in which some required holograms have been recorded and fixed in terms of holographic phase grating. The processes of beam recording, fixing, and reproduction are described, and an implementation scheme for 1D and 2D shuffle is also proposed. The results of proof‐of‐principle experiments in one and two dimensions are also presented. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Full‐wave spectral‐domain analysis of coplanar discontinuities using numerically matched loads
Authors: Pannier P. , Kadri L. , Carpentier J. F. , Huret F. , Kennis P.
Published: July 2007

This article presents a full‐wave analysis of coplanar waveguide discontinuities using a spectral‐domain approach. Based on a magnetic field integral formulation, the equivalent magnetic current distribution on the apertures is solved by a moment method. The scattering parameters are numerically measured with the help of numerically matched loads placed at each port of the discontinuities. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons. Inc.
Effects of septa dimensions on some characteristics of double L‐septa waveguides
Authors: Guha Debatosh , Saha Pradip Kumar
Published: July 2007

A rectangular waveguide with a double L‐shaped septa has recently been proposed as a broadband transmission medium. The effects of the septa dimensions on its characteristics are investigated in this article. Numerical data that would be useful for application of the DLSG have been presented. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A mixed FEM approach to stress‐constrained topology optimization
Authors: Bruggi M. , Venini P.
Published: July 2007

We present an alternative topology optimization formulation capable of handling the presence of stress constraints in a straightforward fashion. The main idea is to adopt a mixed finite‐element discretization scheme wherein not only displacements (as usual) but also stresses are the variables entering the formulation. By doing so, any stress constraint may be handled within the optimization procedure without resorting to post‐processing operation typical of displacement‐based techniques that may also cause a loss in accuracy in stress computation if no smoothing of the stress is performed. Two dual variational principles of Hellinger–Reissner type are presented in continuous and discrete form that, which included in a rather general topology optimization problem in the presence of stress constraints that is solved by the method of moving asymptotes (Int. J. Numer. Meth. Engng. 1984; 24(3):359–373). Extensive numerical simulations are performed and ongoing extensions outlined, including the optimization of elastoplastic and incompressible media. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley
& Sons, Ltd.
The lehigh valley business‐education partnership shows how to cooperate for results
Authors: Moe Alden J.
Published: July 2007

Many people in business and education bemoan the quality of the U.S. education system and the lack of skills among entry‐level workers. But in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley, local businesspeople and educators have joined forces to examine the quality of education in their area and to improve young workers' skills. Through a unique partnership, they have created a climate in which business, education, and society at large stand to win. This article details the history of the partnership and its achievements to date, and offers recommendations for organizations that would like to form a similar collaboration.
Time management can boost white‐collar productivity
Authors: Singhvi Suren S.
Published: July 2007

Organizations of all sizes around the globe are looking for ways to improve white‐collar productivity. By employing a simple time management technique, individuals can spur their productivity and organizations can pinpoint downsizing options. Is time sharing for everyone? The case study presented here can help you decide.
Using TQM to steer a new policy course at the USDA forest service
Authors: DeLaney Bill
Published: July 2007

Many organizations look to total qualify management to improve a specific product or process. But, as the nation's Forest Service has discovered, TQM principles can also be used to help an organization determine its purpose, even in turbulent times.
Problem‐solving bargaining and work redesign: Magma Copper's labor‐management partnership
Authors: Bohlander George W. , Campbell Marshall H.
Published: July 2007

Faced with high operating costs and confrontational labor relations, Magma Copper Company and its unions embarked on a labor‐management partnership unique to the mining industry. This article explains this innovative partnership, including its implementation, key provisions of the problem‐solving labor agreement, and the structure of work redesign teams, and offers important lessons for organizations considering the start‐up of a cooperative labor‐management program.
Georgia‐pacific uses teamwork for continuous improvement
Authors: Angelillo Donna‐Marie , Mapes Rick
Published: July 2007

In 1988, managers at Georgia‐Pacific decided to initiate a quality program based on Deming's principles, which would require significant employee involvement. This is an account of how teamwork became an integral part of the organizational environment at one of the thirty‐nine Georgia‐Pacific plants involved in the program, a corrugated container manufacturing operation in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Is a cost of quality system for you?
Authors: Corradi Peter R.
Published: July 2007

The costs that an organization incurs in producing a product or service can be likened to an iceberg. Some quality costs and expenditures are obvious—like the tip of the iceberg—but many quality costs and expenditures are hidden away like the 90 percent of the iceberg below the surface. These quality costs are sometimes referred to as the “cost of doing business” when, in reality, they are the costs of doing things wrong: The accounting department can measure the dollars into and out of an operation or an organization, but many activities within the operation consume such resources as money, material, labor, and utilities without a definitive control process.

One of the leaders in the practice of gathering and using data to improve products and services is an organization's quality group. Because this group interacts with all other departments in the organization to assure quality, it has the unique ability to guide the organization toward the use of the “cost of quality” system to help it optimize profits while meeting its obligations to the communities in which it operates. Developed with the assistance of the controller group, this system can be used to identify costs that affect the quality of the products and services that the organization provides, thus improving the quality and profitability of the organization.
The road to quality traveled by the TVA's environmental research center
Authors: Mitchell Robert D. , Radel Robert J. , Hunter Suzanne R.
Published: July 2007

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), including its Environmental Research Center (ERC), began the journey to total quality management in the first quarter of 1991. Like many other organizations, it had to learn several lessons along the way. In some ways, the TVA/ERC experience is unique in that the implementation of quality principles at ERC differed from that of corporate TVA. This article describes how ERC implemented total quality in a research and development atmosphere.
The dark side of flexible production
Authors: Harrison Bennett
Published: July 2007

Adaptability, flexibility, and speed to market are among the terms that business leaders are using to describe their efforts to improve organizational quality and productivity. But as this excerpt from Lean and Mean shows, flexibility can come at a very dear price.
Modern management and technology complement traditional craftsmanship at henredon furniture
Authors: Lemon J. Michael
Published: July 2007

The cottage industry associated with furniture manufacture is a thing of the past. Today's furniture giants like Masco Home Furnishings, with its $1.7 billion in annual sales, have transformed a sleepy industry into a formidable manufacturing weapon.

This article focuses on one small portion of the Masco Home Furnishings empire. The transformation taking place at the Henredon Furniture Industries frame plant is indicative of what can happen when modern management techniques are coupled with an aggressive use of technology and world‐class manufacturing principles.
Kimray meets the manufacturing challenge by building character—and following biblical precepts
Authors: McAtee Lawrence F.
Published: July 2007

Each day, manufacturing companies are confronted with numerous challenges requiring change and improvement. Speed, productivity, and accuracy are three common issues that must be successfully addressed. In an effort to improve its warehouse operations, Kimray, Inc., found that people with excellent character, using streamlined processes and the latest in technology, are the secret to success.
Team competition spurs continuous improvement at motorola
Authors: Carroll Bob , Tomas Sam
Published: July 2007

In its quest for quality, Motorola has encouraged employees to cooperate and share ideas for improvement as part of formal yet voluntary teams. But the company has found that some friendly competition can boost team performance. Taking the teamwork concept a step further, the company promotes participation in a worldwide Total Customer Satisfaction team competition that recognizes teams that have achieved excellence in goal setting and problem solving. The competition renews emphasis on the participative process at all levels of the corporation, reaffirming the environment of continuous improvement and demonstrating the power of focused team efforts.
The role of nonverbal communications in quality improvement
Authors: Martin Stephanie
Published: July 2007

From the time you were born you recognized nonverbal communications, even before you learned to speak. The pleasant tone of a voice or the smile on mother's face meant your world was okay. Nonverbal language is such apart of our everyday communications that we seldom take notice of it. But it is in our long‐term business interest to do so. Within the next ten years, over 90 percent of all firms will be adopting practices such as people empowerment, focus teams, and flattened organizations. Effective communication is the key to making these processes work. As leaders in these present and future organizations, we must develop all our communication skills.
The pros and cons of participating in a quality award program
Authors: Halachmi Arie
Published: July 2007

Organizations that implement quality‐improvement programs often look to quality award programs for guidance on the implementation of their effort and feedback on its success. But how do they decide which prize they should pursue? And more important, does entering a quality award contest make good business sense? This article discusses the potential benefits and possible costs of participating in a quality award program and outlines the factors that managers should consider before doing so.
Navigating organizational waters with hoshin planning
Authors: Bechtell Michele L.
Published: July 2007

“Navigation is the science of determining the position of a ship, aircraft, or guided missile, and charting a course for guiding the craft safely and expeditiously from one point to another,” according to the Encarta Encyclopedia's definition. And so it is with organizations—or, rather, it should be. For the basic yet crucial concepts of navigation are often missing from the corporate lexicon. But with hoshin management—a technique that links daily business activities with strategic objectives—that is changing. A number of world‐class organizations, such as Hewlett‐Packard, Intel, Milliken, Texas Instruments, Zytec, and Procter & Gamble, are using this relatively new management system to steer their organizations toward success.
The 100% satisfaction guarantee: Ensuring quality at Hampton Inn
Authors: Sowder Jules
Published: July 2007

For many companies, improving quality standards and keeping customers satisfied are key concerns in maintaining a competitive position in the marketplace. But these intangible goals often can be difficult to achieve in practice. For the Hampton Inn hotel chain, the solution has come in the form of an innovative customer satisfaction guarantee, which not only helps the company ensure quality and satisfaction on an ongoing basis, but also makes definite contributions to the bottom line.
“Winning Together” at AlliedSignal
Authors: Mathis Kathleen , Berman Steven
Published: July 2007

The most successful organizations know that if they are to remain industry leaders, they must continually look for ways to motivate employees to streamline processes and eliminate inefficiencies. Through a program called Winning Together, which links goal‐setting, communications, and rewards, the plants of AlliedSignal's Engineered Materials businesses are making problem solving every employee's priority. By explaining measures of business success and sharing performance data with employees, the program enables employees to make informed decisions to improve production processes. In the end, the employees and their facility—and ultimately their customers and the overall organization—come out winners.
Aligning quality improvement with strategic goals at ANA hotel San Francisco
Authors: Allison Jack Harl , Byron Mary Ann
Published: July 2007

In the past, premier hotels could ensure capacity bookings, and, thus, stay ahead of the competition merely by offering plush accommodations. In the 1990s, however, the hospitality industry is finding that more and more customers decide where they want to stay based on quality issues and even subjective relationships. To deliver the satisfaction and value demanded by customers while meeting its profitability goals, ANA Hotel San Francisco implemented a quality improvement training program that carefully balances the customer's point of view with the hotel's strategic planning needs.
Business process reengineering in the public sector: Trying to get another frog to fly?
Authors: Halachmi Arie
Published: July 2007

Can business process reegineering (BPR) be successfully used to improve performance at public‐sector agencies? This article explores the need to fully understand BPR before attempting to implement it in the public sector and discusses some of the differences in reengineering in the public and private sectors. When all is said and done, the success of a reengineering effort may depend on the capacity of the organization for BPR before it undertakes it.
Assessing the impact of training programs on the bottom line
Authors: Benabou Charles
Published: July 2007

What concrete effects do training programs have on organizational performance? Is it even possible to make such an assessment? According to a study of the impact of various training programs on the business and financial results at 50 Canadian organizations, improvement in organizational performance is directly linked to training activities that yielded significant benefit‐to‐cost ratios.
The evolution of a world‐class factory at harris farinon
Authors: Carlberg Douglas F.
Published: July 2007

In the world of business, the only constant is change. This dynamic can be overwhelming and exhausting, or it can be the basis for renewal and rewarding, exciting adventures. This article describes a manufacturing operation that tackled the challenges of an ever‐changing environment by reinventing itself emphasizing the growth of its people. As a result, it has evolved into an award‐winning, world‐class facility.
How united and boeing worked together to design and build the 777 airplane
Authors: McKinzie Gordon A.
Published: July 2007

When United Airlines signed up as the launch customer for the new 777 airplane in 1990, it recalled some baggage associated with over 70 years of working with The Boeing Company in which expectations often fell short because communications did not always connect in the right place or at the proper time. This article describes the background against which Boeing and United crafted a unique "Working Together" agreement that took the manufacturer and customer back to achieving mutual objectives in building "a truly great airplane," and provides some strategic insights that point to new directions that can be implemented in supplier‐customer relationships.
Using future search conferences to achieve the APHIS vision
Authors: Stone Dan
Published: July 2007

In l993, APHIS, a branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, was faced with an extraordinary range of demands for change‐some from within the organization, some from the federal Administration, and some from the world at Urge. To focus its change efforts, the agency created an overarching vision and change agenda using a high‐involvement strategy known as the „future search conference.”︁ Through this strategy, all levels of the organization, as well as external stakeholders, can understand and align their actions with proposed changes. As a result, fundamental change is occurring in the organization's mission, processes, technologies, structures, and behaviors.
Synchronized team thinking: The secret to continuous improuement at lucent technologies
Authors: Schulte Tom
Published: July 2007

The future of any business lies in its ability do better—and then to do better than that. Such ongoing improvement can result only when everyone in the organization works together in a synchronized fashion to create a promising future. And that kind of dynamic teamwork requires discipline. This article details the disciplined outlook that Lucent Technologies uses to keep employees and managers focused on the ever‐successful yet basic tools of organizational teamwork.
Championing and managing diversity at Ortho Biotech Inc.
Authors: Zintz Andrea C.
Published: July 2007

When organizations engage in major change efforts, the process is often fraught with pitfalls, such as reactive leadership or an organizational culture that limits progress. This article details a transformational change effort that addressed a major shift in Ortho Biotech's culture. In championing the diversity of its workforce and customers, company leaders challenged the values, attitudes, and habits of everyone from the top of the organization to the bottom.
DCMC long Island: Striving to BE a qualiyt improvement protoype for all federal organizations
Authors: Harrow Stuart
Published: July 2007

The Defense Contract Management Command (DCMC) Long Island, which administers nearly $10 billion worth of contracts for various federal agencies, has embarked on an aggressive program to introduce quality management. Using performance measurement and Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award criteria for self‐assessment, the facility has greatly enhanced customer responsiveness and satisfaction and realized average annual cost savings of twice its $20 million operations budget.
There shops, three strategies: Using MRP‐II, JIT, and TOC in remanufacturing cells
Authors: Fargher John S. W.
Published: July 2007

Most articles on remanufacturing strategy tend to focus on the overall remanufacturing environment, neglecting the measurement and cost aspects of productivity and quality improvement. Here the author discusses how one organization used a variety of manufacturing strategies in three different remanufacturing shops. He also details how to use simulation models and activity‐based costing techniques to ensure that any strategies employed ultimately yield desirable outcomes.
First Chicago employees give retail banking a “workout”
Authors: Tucci Rick
Published: July 2007

Disillusioned with the lack of speed and results of some total quality management programs, many U.S. firms are looking for a better alternative to quality improvement. In 1996, First Chicago NBD implemented Workout, a new approach to continuous improvement and employee involvement. The results were fast and astonishing: In one year, branch staff achieved a 33‐percent increase in customer satisfaction and exceeded sales goals by more than 79 percent over the previous year. This is their story.
Establishing customer‐focused transaction standards at prudentil
Authors: Kohnke Luane
Published: July 2007

Do your customers want to do business with you? How easy is it for them to complete a simple transaction? Putting customers' interests first and viewing what is best for the customer and the company form the foundation for decision‐making at Prudential Insurance Company. By driving customer‐focused improvements, Prudential is creating best‐in‐class operating standards. This article explains how Prudential's Marketing Performance and Information unit incorporates customer research and financial analysis to create operational transaction standards designed to consistently satisfy customers.
Transforming human resources: Maximizing value while increasing productivity
Authors: Anderson Merrill C.
Published: July 2007

Throughout North America, human resource functions are being challenged by their internal business customers to better meet customer needs while lowering costs. This article shows how a human resources function can be redesigned to maximize value for business customers while increasing productivity. Offering vital lessons for improvement, it also calls on human resources professionals to create an exciting future for the HR function.
The knowledge management paradox
Authors: Hallett Ian , Stephens David
Published: July 2007

Although maintaining a high‐level capacity to share knowledge increases the cost of doing business, investing in knowledge management is widely touted as critical to improving organizational performance in a global business environment. But if organizations neglect to refine their performance measurement systems to consider the impact of knowledge transfer on employees, they will find their investment negated and the benefits of knowledge management vastly diluted. With the proper planning, however, this knowledge management paradox can be avoided. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Comparative glycoproteomics based on lectins affinity capture ofN‐linked glycoproteins from human Chang liver cells and MHCC97‐H cells
Authors: Xu Zhibin , Zhou Xinwen , Lu Haojie , Wu Nan , Zhao Hongbo , Zhang Lineng , Zhang Wen , Liang Yu Long , Wang Liying , Liu Yinkun , Yang Pengyuan , Zha Xiliang
Published: July 2007

We present here an effective technique for the large‐scale separation and identification ofN‐linked glycoproteins from Chang liver cells, the human normal liver cells. To enrichN‐linked glycoproteins from the whole cells, a procedure containing the lysis of human liver cells, the solubilization of total proteins, lectin affinity chromatography including Concanavalin A and wheat germ agglutinin was established. Furthermore, capturedN‐linked glycoproteins were separated by 2‐DE, and identified by MS and database searching. Finally, we found 63 N‐glycoproteins in Chang liver cells. In addition, using the above method, we identified 7 remarkably up‐regulated glycoproteins from MHCC97‐H cells, highly metastatic liver cancer cells, compared to Chang liver cells. These up‐regulated glycoproteins were associated with liver cancer and might be used as biomarkers for tumor diagnosis. Results showed that we established a high‐throughput proteomic analysis for separatingN‐linked glycoproteins from human liver cells. This strategy greatly improved the glycoprotein analysis method associated with proteome‐wide glycosylation changes related to liver cancer. Our work was part of the HUPO Human Liver Proteome Project (HLPP) studies and was supported by CHINA HUPO.
Cell–cell communication in sourdough lactic acid bacteria: A proteomic study in Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis CB1
Authors: Di Cagno Raffaella , De Angelis Maria , Limitone Antonio , Minervini Fabio , Simonetti Maria Carmela , Buchin Solange , Gobbetti Marco
Published: July 2007

The mechanisms of cell–cell communication in Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis CB1 were studied. The highest number of dead/damaged cells of L. sanfranciscensis CB1 was found in cocultures with Lactobacillus plantarum DC400 or Lactobacillus brevis CR13 when the late stationary phase of growth (18 h) was reached. 2‐DE analysis was carried out. Almost the same proteins were induced in all three cocultures at the mid‐exponential phase of growth (7 h). The number of induced proteins markedly increased at 18 h, especially when L. sanfranciscensis CB1 was cocultured with L. plantarum DC400 or L. brevis CR13. Nineteen overexpressed proteins were identified. These proteins had a central role in stress response mechanisms and LuxS‐mediated signalling was involved in the regulation of most of them. The luxS and metF genes were partially sequenced in L. sanfranciscensis CB1. RT‐PCR showed that the expression of luxS gene decreased from 7 to 12 h. It was highest in cocultures with L. plantarum DC400 and L. brevis CR13. 2(3H)dihydrofuranone‐5ethyl and 2(3H)dihydrofuranone‐5pentyl were identified as presumptive signalling molecules when L. sanfranciscensis CB1 was cocultured with L. brevis CR13 and, especially, L. plantarum DC400. The synthesis of other volatile compounds and peptidase activities were also influenced by the type of microbial cocultures.
Psychological distress in long‐term survivors of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Rusiewicz Anna , DuHamel Katherine N. , Burkhalter Jack , Ostroff Jamie , Winkel Gary , Scigliano Eileen , Papadopoulos Esperanza , Moskowitz Craig , Redd William
Published: July 2007

The prevalence of psychological distress is higher in cancers with poorer prognoses and speculated as higher in those receiving more aversive treatments. Since hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is one of the most taxing cancer treatments to endure and is therefore likely to have more long‐term sequelae, this study examined psychological distress symptoms in long‐term HSCT survivors who were at least 1 year post‐transplant. Participants in this cross‐sectional study were recruited from urban medical centers as part of a larger study of HSCT survivors. The sample comprised 236 adults who were on average 3.4 years since transplant. Psychological distress was measured by a commonly used self‐report questionnaire, the Brief Symptom Inventory.

Clinically elevated psychological distress caseness was present in 43% of long‐term HSCT survivors. Elevations were highest on clinical subscales of obsessive‐compulsiveness, somatization, and psychoticism. However, item‐level analyses revealed that the content of the most frequently reported symptoms included trouble with memory and feelings of loneliness. Results of this study suggest that HSCT survivors may experience memory and existential concerns and that such symptoms may not represent psychiatric sequelae. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the trachea
Authors: Sivanandan Sindhu , Lodha Rakesh , Agarwala Sandeep , Sharma MC , Kabra Sushil K
Published: July 2007

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the trachea is a rare benign tumor in children. We describe a 9‐year‐old girl who presented with recurrent episodes of wheeze and severe respiratory distress requiring mechanical ventilation. She had recurrent collapses of the right lung and a chest CT and bronchoscopy confirmed the presence of an obstructing mass lesion at the carina. The lesion, 1.5 cm × 1.5 cm in size, was debulked by rigid bronchoscopy and histopathology revealed features of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor. A repeat bronchoscopy at 1 month of follow up did not reveal any residual lesion. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2007; 42:847–850. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Library of local descriptors models the core of proteins accurately
Authors: Drabikowski Michał , Nowakowski Szymon , Tiuryn Jerzy
Published: July 2007

In this article, we present a novel approach to describing proteins based on multifragment structure motifs called local descriptors. We collect structurally similar descriptors in groups to construct a compact library of groups of descriptors. To demonstrate its feasibility for a wide spectrum of applications, ranging from structure comparison and analysis to structure prediction, it is critical to show the ability of groups from our library to reproduce proteins accurately. We show that this library describes all local 3D structure patterns occurring in the core of proteins and present an algorithm for reconstruction of accurate global 3D structures. Moreover, we show that the sequence of motifs used in such a construction correlates significantly with the amino acid sequence of the considered protein. Finally, we present how our library may be successfully used for predicting protein sequence based on the structure. Proteins 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A simple reference state makes a significant improvement in near‐native selections from structurally refined docking decoys
Authors: Liang Shide , Liu Song , Zhang Chi , Zhou Yaoqi
Published: July 2007

Near‐native selections from docking decoys have proved challenging especially when unbound proteins are used in the molecular docking. One reason is that significant atomic clashes in docking decoys lead to poor predictions of binding affinities of near native decoys. Atomic clashes can be removed by structural refinement through energy minimization. Such an energy minimization, however, will lead to an unrealistic bias toward docked structures with large interfaces. Here, we extend an empirical energy function developed for protein design to protein–protein docking selection by introducing a simple reference state that removes the unrealistic dependence of binding affinity of docking decoys on the buried solvent accessible surface area of interface. The energy function called EMPIRE (EMpirical Protein‐InteRaction Energy), when coupled with a refinement strategy, is found to provide a significantly improved success rate in near native selections when applied to RosettaDock and refined ZDOCK docking decoys. Our work underlines the importance of removing nonspecific interactions from specific ones in near native selections from docking decoys. Proteins 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Benchmarking template selection and model quality assessment for high‐resolution comparative modeling
Authors: Sadowski M. I. , Jones D. T.
Published: July 2007

Comparative modeling is presently the most accurate method of protein structure prediction. Previous experiments have shown the selection of the correct template to be of paramount importance to the quality of the final model. We have derived a set of 732 targets for which a choice of ten or more templates exist with 30–80% sequence identity and used this set to compare a number of possible methods for template selection: BLAST, PSI‐BLAST, profile–profile alignment, HHpred HMM–HMM comparison, global sequence alignment, and the use of a model quality assessment program (MQAP). In addition, we have investigated the question of whether any structurally defined subset of the sequence could be used to predict template quality better than overall sequence similarity. We find that template selection by BLAST is sufficient in 75% of cases but that there are examples in which improvement (global RMSD 0.5 Å or more) could be made. No significant improvement is found for any of the more sophisticated sequence‐based methods of template selection at high sequence identities. A subset of 118 targets extending to the lowest levels of sequence similarity was examined and the HHpred and MQAP methods were found to improve ranking when available templates had 35–40% maximum sequence identity. Structurally defined subsets in general are found to be less discriminative than overall sequence similarity, with the coil residue subset performing equivalently to sequence similarity. Finally, we demonstrate that if models are built and model quality is assessed in combination with the sequence‐template sequence similarity that a extra 7% of “best” models can be found. Proteins 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A molecular dynamics study comparing a wild‐type with a multiple drug resistant HIV protease: Differences in flap and aspartate 25 cavity dimensions
Authors: Seibold Steve A. , Cukier Robert I.
Published: July 2007

HIV proteases can develop resistance to therapeutic drugs by mutating specific residues, but still maintain activity with their natural substrates. To gain insight into why mutations confer such resistance, long (∼70 ns) Molecular Dynamics simulations in explicit solvent were performed on a multiple drug resistant (MDR) mutant (with Asn25 in the crystal structure mutated in silico back to the catalytically active Asp25) and a wild type (WT) protease. HIV proteases are homodimers, with characteristic flap tips whose conformations and dynamics are known to be important influences of ligand binding to the aspartates that form the catalytic center. The WT protease undergoes a transition between 25 and 35 ns that is absent in the MDR protease. The origin of this distinction is investigated using principal component analysis, and is related to differences in motion mainly in the flap region of each monomer. Trajectory analysis suggests that the WT transition arises from a concerted motion of the flap tip distances to their catalytic aspartate residues, and the distance between the two flap tips. These distances form a triangle that in the WT expands the active site from an initial (semi‐open) form to an open form, in a correlated manner. In contrast, the MDR protease remains in a more closed configuration, with uncorrelated fluctuations in the distances defining the triangle. This contrasting behavior suggests that the MDR mutant achieves its resistance to drugs by making its active site less accessible to inhibitors. The migration of water to the active site aspartates is monitored. Water molecules move in and out of the active site and individual waters hydrogen bond to both aspartate carboxylate oxygens, with residence times in the ns time regime. Proteins 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
EPR Parameters and Temperature Effects of Gd3+ in ScVO4
Authors: Urban W.
Published: July 2007

The parameters of the corresponding spin‐Hamiltonian for Gd3+ in ScVO4 are determined from variable‐frequency EPR. Formulae to evaluate the results of the frequency variation method are given. The influence of temperature on the zero‐field resonances is measured directly. The data obtained for ScVO4 are compared with known results for other zircon structure compounds.
Sensitivity of Reflectance of Nearly Free Electron Metals to Broadening of Interband Transitions
Authors: Wooten F. , Pajanne E. , Bergersen B.
Published: July 2007

An analytic expression for the dielectric function of a model free‐electron‐like metal has been used to study the sensitivity of reflectance to broadening of interband transitions. The calculations suggest that measurements of optical properties of free‐electron‐like metals have not yet been made with sufficient accuracy to permit inferences regarding the magnitude of many body interactions.
Low Energy Auger Emission from Lithium Fluoride
Authors: Gallon T. E. , Matthew J. A. D.
Published: July 2007

Several low energy Auger transitions have been detected in lithium fluoride. These all have energies below 50 eV and cannot be indexed in terms of transitions involving the electronic levels of fluorine ions alone. A model is proposed to explain the experimental results in terms of an ionisation of a lithium 1s level giving rise to Auger emission involving one or two neighbouring fluorine ions. This leads to two groups of Auger lines with energies in broad agreement with some of the observed lines. However, the higher energy transitions may be characteristic of colour centre states produced by surface damage.
Cyclotron Resonance in Pb1−xSnxTe
Authors: Ellis B. , Moss T. S.
Published: July 2007

Infra‐red cyclotron resonance has been used to obtain the transverse effective mass of holes in Pb0.82Sn0.18Te, using fields approaching 105 G the value obtained being m = 0.0144 m0 at 4.2 °K. Combined with interband magneto‐absorption results this gives essentially the same value for the conduction band mass.
Dislocation and Crowdion Plasticity of Corundum at Room Temperature
Authors: Rozhanskii V. N. , Nazarova M. P. , Svetlov I. L. , Kalashnikova L. K.
Published: July 2007

During concentrated load deformation of corundum basal plates at room temperature dislocations are formed near the impression in (0001), {1120}, and {1211} planes. However, these dislocations near the impression are not numerous. Thus the formation of an impression of the indenter cannot be ensured by such dislocations. In this case, according to Indenbom's hypothesis

Reported at the Conference on Deformation Strengthening of Crystals, held in Kharkov, October 13 to 16, 1969.

, the substance from under the indenter can be outflowed by dynamic crowdions. The deformation of a crystal is essentially accomplished at the expense of origination of dynamic crowdions running in the 〈1100〉 directions in which oxygen ions are close packed. As a result this region of the crystal is enriched by interstitial oxygen ions. During heating of the crystal a coagulation of interstitial ions takes place and a great number of dipoles and loops appears around the impression in (0001) and {1100} planes. The Burgers vector of the loops is \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ b = \frac{a}{3}\left\langle {1\bar 10\frac{c}{a}} \right\rangle $\end{document}.
A Pseudopotential Approach for the Green's Function of Electrons in Amorphous Solids
Authors: Kramer B.
Published: July 2007

An approximative expression for the averaged Green's function of an amorphous structure with short‐range order is presented. The main assumptions incorporated are that the atomic potential can be represented by a model potential as used in pseudopotential calculations of electronic properties of crystals, and that the amorphous structure can be described by a product of two‐particle correlation functions. A complex energy function is introduced which describes the main features of the averaged Green's function. It can be calculated by solving a modified pseudopotential equation. Using the complex energy spectrum the density of states is calculated as a “lifetime” broadened crystalline density of states.
A Statistical Theory of Solid Solution Hardening
Authors: Labusch R.
Published: July 2007

The critical shear stress τc to move a dislocation through a random array of obstacles in the glide plane is calculated using a statistical theory. The result is an expression for τc in terms of the obstacle concentration, the line tension of the dislocation, and of the interaction force between the dislocation and a single obstacle. Fleischer's solution of the same problem is not reproduced by the statistical theory. Quantitatively the two results are not very different, but our new result is supported by some recent experimental evidence. Furthermore the theory provides a definite prescription how to combine the concentrations and interaction forces of obstacles of different kinds in the expression for τc.