bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Indian Policy and Legislation: Aboriginal Identity Survival inCanada
Authors: Manzano‐Munguía Maria C.
Published: December 2011

This article examines the socio‐historical construction ofIndian policy and legislation as the processes set out to making the ‘Indian’ population legible to its rulers during the pre‐ and post‐confederation periods inUpperCanada. I aim to demonstrate howIndian policy and legislation materialised into concrete actions that attempted to assimilate, civilise, and protect the ‘Indians’ by deploying different instruments of control or governmentalities, such as the residential school and reserve system. Nonetheless, resistance and political positioning ofIndigenous people is present, and post‐confederationIndian policymaking inCanada is a much more negotiated process.
Ethnic Politics, Political Elite, and Regime Change in Nigeria
Authors: Kifordu Henry Ani
Published: December 2011

Since the 1960s, intermittent social conflicts in Nigeria appear mostly linked to ethnic groups’ differences. Considering the importance of regime change in social and political stability, this article critically analyses the historic and dynamic role of the core political executive elite in the political system's stability. The article argues that ethnic politics persist in Nigeria based on the nature of interactions between political institutions, institution‐builders, and society. It asserts a contradictory link between deep‐rooted elite interests and popular preferences in ways that undermine orientations towards democracy. The empirical focus is on the composite nature of the core political executive elite analysed through their ethnic and educational backgrounds. It is observed that, although ethnic shocks are variously motivated, the atypical shape and inequity in power and role distribution at the highest levels of executive office‐holding stand out as a salient source and target of antagonism by ethnic groups. This finding has a paradoxical implication: deep‐seated economic and political interests of the elite play a diversionary role from the real causes of ethnic conflicts in Nigeria.
Cross‐species transferability of SSR loci developed from transciptome sequencing in lodgepole pine
Authors: LESSER MARK R. , PARCHMAN THOMAS L. , BUERKLE C. ALEX
Published: December 2011

With the advent of next generation sequencing technologies, transcriptome level sequence collections are arising as prominent resources for the discovery of gene‐based molecular markers. In a previous study more than 15 000 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) in expressed sequence tag (EST) sequences resulting from 454 pyrosequencing of Pinus contorta cDNA were identified. From these we developed PCR primers for approximately 4000 candidate SSRs. Here, we tested 184 of these SSRs for successful amplification across P. contorta and eight other pine species and examined patterns of polymorphism and allelic variability for a subset of these SSRs. Cross‐species transferability was high, with high percentages of loci producing PCR products in all species tested. In addition, 50% of the loci we screened across panels of individuals from three of these species were polymorphic and allelically diverse. We examined levels of diversity in a subset of these SSRs by collecting genotypic data across several populations of Pinus ponderosa in northern Wyoming. Our results indicate the utility of mining pyrosequenced EST collections for gene‐based SSRs and provide a source of molecular markers that should bolster evolutionary genetic investigations across the genus Pinus.
Increased levels of DUSP6 phosphatase stimulate tumourigenesis in a molecularly distinct melanoma subtype
Authors: Li Weiling , Song Liang , Ritchie Ann‐Marie , Melton David W.
Published: December 2011

The mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway is important in melanoma. In this pathway, DUSP6 phosphatase negatively controls the activation of extracellular signal‐regulated (ERK) kinase. Through comparison of melanoma signalling pathways between immortal mouse melanocytes and their tumourigenic derivatives, retrieved from mouse xenografts, we identified a molecularly distinct subtype of melanoma, characterized by reduced ERK activity and increased DUSP6 expression. Overexpression of DUSP6 enhanced anchorage‐independent growth and invasive ability of immortal mouse melanocytes, suggesting that increased DUSP6 expression contributes to melanoma formation in the mouse xenografts. In contrast, reduced tumourigenicity was observed after DUSP6 overexpression in human melanoma cells. A minority of thick human primary melanomas had high DUSP6 expression and the same poor melanoma‐specific survival as the majority of thick primaries with low DUSP6 levels. We have demonstrated that DUSP6 is important in melanoma and that it plays a different role in our distinct subtype of mouse melanoma compared with that in classic human melanoma.
Usefulness of dynamic gonioscopy during systematic survey of glaucoma patient in a university hospital
Authors: ROUSSEAU A , POGORZALEK N , KASWIN G , GENDRON G , M'GARRECH M , LABETOULLE M
Published: December 2011

Purpose A narrow iridocorneal angle (ICA) is a risk factor for glaucoma progression. However, many patients treated for primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) have never been assessed with dynamic gonioscopy. In this study, we performed dynamic gonioscopy in patients referred for progressing POAG and suspicion of glaucoma (GS) to evaluate the rate of misdiagnosed narrow ICA.

Methods We retrospectively analysed the clinical data of consecutive glaucoma or GS patients referred for evaluation from November 2009 to October 2010. All patients had been previously diagnosed with open ICA. Patients were examined by a single ophthalmologist. The evaluation included detailed medical history, comprehensive ophthalmologic examination, diurnal hourly monitoring of the intraocular pressure, static automated perimetry, retinal nerve fiber layer thickness analysis, central pachymetry and dynamic gonioscopy (Possner® lens).

Results 135 patients were included. The mean age was 53.6 years (+/‐ 6.2 years). Prior to our evaluation, glaucoma and GS patients had been followed 5.2 years (+/‐ 3.4 years) with an average of 4.2 visits and 2.2 visual fields. 58 patients (43%) had never undergone gonioscopy. A narrow angle was diagnosed in 18 patients (13.3%), including 5 patients with plateau‐iris configuration confirmed by ultrasonic biomicroscopy (27.7% of narrow angles).

Conclusion A narrow ICA is not a rare finding among patients diagnosed with POAG or GS patients. Dynamic gonioscopy should be performed systematically for all glaucoma and glaucoma suspect patients, especially in cases of glaucoma progression despite an efficient and well conducted treatment. Lens size evolution with time requires repeated evaluations.
Effect of cataract in Fourier‐Domain OCT measurements using two Optical Coherence Tomography
Authors: GARCIA MARTIN E , SANCHO MORO E , HERRERO LATORRE R , GIL‐ARRIBAS L , IDOIPE M , FERNANDEZ‐PEREZ S , PINILLA I , PRIETO CALVO E , DE LA MATA G
Published: December 2011

Purpose To evaluate the effect of cataract in retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness measurements using Fourier‐domain (FD) Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). To test the intra‐session reproducibility of RNFL thickness measurements and the quality of images in patients before and after the cataract surgery using Cirrus and Spectralis OCT.

Methods Thirty eyes of 30 subjects (15 men and 15 women; aged from 67 to 86 years) underwent three 360° circular scans centred on the optic disc by the same experienced examiner using the Cirrus and Spectralis OCT instruments one month before and one month after cataract surgery. Differences between the two visits were analyzed. Repeatability was studied by intra‐class correlation coefficients and coefficients of variation (COV) for both visits and OCTs. The quality of images was also compared between the visits.

Results RNFL differences were detected between both visits for temporal and nasal quadrant (p<0.05). RNFL average thickness was 95.4 µm in pre‐surgery visit and 96.1 µm in post‐surgery visit with Cirrus OCT; and 99.0 µm vs 102.4 µm using Spectralis OCT. Reproducibility was good in both visits, but it achieved higher values in post‐surgery evaluation (mean COV of 5.61% in first visit vs 4.44% in second visit using Cirrus, and 5.76% vs 4.12% using Spectralis). Intra‐class correlation coefficients were higher than 0.818. The quality of images was better in post‐surgery evaluations.

Conclusion Cataract affects RNFL thickness measurements, reproducibility and the quality of images obtained by Cirrus and Spectralis OCT.
Assessment of the efficacy of Cationorm® in patients with moderate dry eye compared with Optive® and Emustil® eye drops
Authors: ARAGONA P , SPINELLA R , RANIA L , POSTORINO E , ROSZKOWSKA A , VERSURA P , PROFAZIO V , ROLANDO M
Published: December 2011

Purpose Dry eye disease (DED), the result of an insufficient tear film, is manifest by symptoms of ocular discomfort and ocular surface damage. An ideal DED therapy would regenerate each deficient tear film layer. Cationorm®, a preservative‐free cationic emulsion, augments the aqueous‐mucous and lipid layers of the tear film and reduces evaporation. The efficacy of Cationorm® was evaluated.

Methods Adults with moderate DED defined by at least 1 symptom >3 cm on a visual analog scale (VAS) and total corneal fluorescein score ≥3 and tear film break up time (BUT) <7 seconds were enrolled in a 3 month, controlled, randomized, single‐masked study. Randomization to qid treatment with Cationorm® (Novagali), Optive® (Allergan) or Emustil® (SIFI) followed a washout period. Efficacy assessments were evaluated at 1 and 3 months.

Results Of 71 patients, 8 (44%) Emustil treated patients discontinued prior to month 3. At month 1, the VAS score in Optive® and Cationorm® patients revealed a statistically significant improvement evident by month 3 for all treatments. Improvements in BUT and reduced fluorescein staining at month 3 were statistically significant for Cationorm® and Optive® but not Emustil®. While Cationorm® and Optive® significantly reduced tear film osmolarity only Cationorm® showed a statistically significant difference compared to Emustil®.

Conclusion In moderate DED patients, Cationorm® was more effective than Emustil®. Although not statistically different, overall improvements were greater in patients treated with Cationorm® than Optive®.
Time resolved autofluorescence ‐ a new diagnostic tool in ophthalmology
Authors: SCHWEITZER D
Published: December 2011

Purpose The metabolic state can be characterized by endogenous fluorophores. Excitation‐ and emission spectra as well as the decay of fluorescence intensity after pulse excitation characterize endogenous fluorophores and can be used for determination of fluorophores.

Methods Based on measurements on pure fluorophores and on isolated anatomical structures of porcine eyes, a laser scanner ophthalmoscope was developed for detection of time‐resolved auto‐fluorescence in two spectral ranges (490‐560 nm and 560 – 700 nm). The 3‐exponential fit approximates optimally the decay of fluorescence intensity.

Results Sections in OCT and in lifetime images show good correspondences between retinal pigment epithelium and the component with the shortest decay (1=60‐80 ps) and between the neuronal retina and the component with the mean decay time (2=450‐500ps). The component with the longest decay time (3= 2.5‐3 ns) is determined by the fluorescence of the crystalline lens and of connective tissue. In early AMD, arterial branch occlusion, and in diabetes, when no signs are visible for diabetic retinopathy, most significant alterations are detectable for 2 in the spectral range 490‐560 nm. Comparing histograms of 2 for healthy subjects and well controlled diabetic patients, a lack of a fluorophore with decay time of 380 ps is present in diabetes. Free NADH has such a lifetime. Furthermore, an accumulation of advanced glycation end‐products is detectable in the crystalline lens of diabetic patients.

Conclusion Fluorescence lifetime enables functional metabolic diagnostics at cellular level.
Effect of subtenon injection of natural leucocytic interferon‐α for treatment of age‐related choroidal neovascularization
Authors: CELLINI M , STROBBE E , BALDUCCI N , CAMPOS E
Published: December 2011

Purpose To evaluate the effect of subtenon injection of natural leucocytic interferon‐α (IFN‐α) on visual acuity (VA), macular thickness (MT) and membrane size in patients affected by type II age‐related choroidal neovascularization (CNV) refractory to intravitreal injection of bevacizumab

Methods 20 patients (male:female=8:12; mean age: 77.7±6.6) were evaluated, including best‐corrected visual acuity (BCVA), fluorescein angiography, indocianin angiography and SD‐OCT, preoperatively and after 1 month and 4 months following the last injection. Patients received a parabulbar subtenonian injection of IFN‐α (1x106 UL/ml, Alfaferone, AlfaWassermann) 3 times a week for 4 consecutive weeks.

Results BCVA, expressed in LogMAR, significantly improved after the first month (0.88±0.49vs0.65±0.52; p<0,001), and was stable at the third visit (0.60±0.52 p<0,001). SD‐OCT showed a significant reduction in MT (485.05µm ±129.5 vs 391.00µm ±125.47; p<0.001). After 4 months, MT was slightly increased, but it was still significantly lower than the baseline (405.20µm±151.03 p=0,04). Fluorangiographic images showed a significant reduction in membrane size (1.79 mmq ±1.26 vs 1.18 mmq ±1.10 p=0.003) and the result was stable at the follow up visit (1.01 mmq ±1.17 p=0.002). No adverse advents were recorded.

Conclusion IFN‐α, with its immunomodulatory, antiproliferative and antiangiogenic actions, was effective in improving VA and reducing MT and membrane size.Randomized controlled studies will be useful to illustrate the effect of parabulbar IFN‐α alone or in combination with other intravitreal therapy for the treatment of CNV.
The Sanger Mouse Genetics Programme: High Throughput Characterisation of Knockout Mice
Authors: GARDIN A , WHITE J
Published: December 2011

Purpose The Sanger Mouse Genetics Project (MGP) is committed to making a significant contribution to the functional annotation of the mammalian genome by generating, characterising and archiving in the order of 200 lines of knockout mice per year, including 125 lines which have been processed as part of the EUMODIC consortium. Phenotypic data on a spectrum of disease conditions are obtained for each mouse line without the need for any prior assumptions about function by performing a standardised battery of phenotyping screens. The data generated will help to further the understanding of the interplay of genes and disease and provide an insight into the various underlying biological pathways. All phenotyping data and biological resources generated by the project are openly available to the scientific community.

Methods Eye morphology is routinely assessed using a standard parameter assessment list in conjunction with the Slit Lamp and Ophthalmoscope and images are collected when abnormalities are identified. Expression profiling via the lacZ reporter gene is performed for each mutant line in adults and at E14.5. We collaborate with University of Iowa who are performing a pathology review of H&E stained paraffin sections and also sectioning of lacZ positive eyes.

Results To date, the eye screen has been completed on over 310 mutant lines. Here we report examples of novel eye‐related abnormalities identified by the eye morphology, embryonic lethality and/or expression screens performed by the Sanger MGP. We will present how to identify a potentially interesting mouse mutant on our database and discuss the impact our knockout mouse models might have on your research.
Colour vision in adult amblyopia
Authors: BLACK JM , LUN V , PHILLIPS G , THOMPSON B
Published: December 2011

Purpose Amblyopia is a disorder of visual processing. There is evidence that the parvocellular pathway, which prefers chromatic stimuli, is selectively damaged in amblyopia. Consistent with this hypothesis, previous studies have demonstrated that patients with amblyopia show poorer performance on colour vision tests.

Methods Ten adult amblyopic subjects (3 strabismic, 5 anisometropic and 3 mixed) were tested using the Farnsworth Munsell 100 Hue (FM100Hue)colour vision test. In separate testing sessions, positive spherical lenses were used to induce blur in the fellow eye (FFE)to match the near acuity of the amblyopic eye (AME). The test (all boxes)was performed under five conditions(randomised): AME,FFE,binocularly (BIN),FFE with blur and BIN with the FFE blurred. Age matched controls were included to assess the effect of defocus in normal subjects, with blur placed in front of the non‐dominant eye to induce mild, moderate or severe blur.

Results Amblyopic participants performed well in the FM100Hue test, with scores falling within normal age means in 9/11 subjects (in the AME). Strabismic amblyopes had a more pronounced deficit in error scores. Across all amblyopic subjects, performance was significantly beter under BIN conditions (p=0.023). Induced blur in controls only affected error scores under the severe blur condition, and had litle effect in amblyopic participants.

Conclusion This study has shown that amblyopes perform well in this commonly performed colour vision test, and demonstrated improved test performance under binocular conditions. The low spatial frequency of the stimuli may allow for extensive pooling of chromatic information therefore allowing performance of this test to be robust to a parvocellular dysfunction.
Gastric adenocarcinoma with choriocarcinomatous and hepatoid differentiation
Authors: Wook Hwang Seong , Jae Lee Sun , Eun Park Po , Seon Kim Mee , Bae Han‐Ik
Published: December 2011

We report a patient with gastric adenocarcinoma with choriocarcinomatous and hepatoid differentiation. A 67‐year‐old man visited our hospital for further evaluations due to gastric adenocarcinoma. The gastric cancer was located in the prepyloric area and appeared to be a protruding mass with an infiltrative growth pattern. Initial pancreatic and postoperative hepatic and pulmonary metastases were detected radiologically. Microscopically, choriocarcinomatous and hepatoid differentiation was observed with a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma. The choriocarcinomatous components were positive for β‐hCG and the hepatoid components were positive for α‐fetoprotein (AFP). These uncommon pathological patterns are supposed to arise from the retrodifferentiation pathway of primary gastric adenocarcinoma. The preoperative laboratory data revealed elevated serum AFP (773.4 ng/mL) and carcinoembryonic antigen (62.2 ng/mL), whereas other tests were unremarkable. The prognosis of gastric adenocarcinoma with choriocarcinomatous and hepatoid differentiation is very poor; our patient died 4 months after the operation.
POVERTY, NUTRITION, AND A CULTURAL MODEL OF MANAGING HIV/AIDS AMONG WOMEN IN NAIROBI, KENYA
Authors: Copeland Toni J.
Published: December 2011

Cognitive anthropological methods are used to explore a shared cultural model of self‐managing HIV/AIDS among poor HIV‐positive women who are not receiving biomedical treatment in Nairobi, Kenya. This model includes basic needs and eating a balanced diet to maintain health. Women know the importance of a balanced diet and rate this as the most important for staying healthy. Their competence in the model is compared to length of time they have lived in Nairobi, level of NGO involvement, and how long they have known their HIV status. Kenya is an ideal place to investigate social and cultural factors that affect the health of HIV‐positive women because of the ethnic diversity, high rates of unemployment and poverty, HIV/AIDS prevalence, gender inequalities, and rural‐to‐urban migration. HIV‐positive women in Nairobi face many problems, especially in managing their illness in the absence of biomedical treatment. Many have migrated to the city from rural areas. As they adjust to changes, they may be unable to access resources, including those that help with basic needs. This article focuses on understanding how women in sub‐Saharan Africa manage their illness in these extremely marginal conditions from a biocultural perspective and provides a description of this model.
CYCLES OF POVERTY, FOOD INSECURITY, AND PSYCHOSOCIAL STRESS AMONG AIDS CARE VOLUNTEERS IN URBAN ETHIOPIA
Authors: Maes Kenneth , Shifferaw Selamawit
Published: December 2011

With the rollout of AIDS therapies, volunteer AIDS care has been promoted across Africa under the assumption that volunteerism is economically imperative in settings of health professional and resource scarcity. As low‐income volunteers have become a major part of HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment workforces, it is imperative to question how poverty impacts their well‐being. This chapter presents epidemiologic data collected during the 2008 food crisis from a sample of 110 AIDS care volunteers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as well as narratives offered by HIV‐positive volunteers, highlighting a widely overlooked way in which food insecurity and mental distress impact efforts to treat AIDS in sub‐Saharan Africa. Food insecurity and elevated common mental disorder (CMD) symptom loads were common and tightly linked among the volunteers in the sample. Volunteers who were HIV‐positive (17 percent) fared slightly worse in terms of food insecurity and psychosocial well‐being. However, positive HIV serostatus was not associated with CMD in multivariate analyses accounting for food insecurity. Narratives illustrate how being HIV‐positive shaped experiences of psychosocial stress, which involved unemployment and lack of prospects for marital relationships or strife within them. Our focus demonstrates the potential for mixing ethnographic and epidemiological methods to inform policy questions regarding poverty‐reduction through compensation for volunteers’ valuable labor, as well as AIDS care program sustainability.
LIVELIHOOD DEMANDS AND THE SPREAD OF AIDS: THE CASE OF MALAWI
Authors: Njalayawo Mtika Mike
Published: December 2011

I argue in this article that one of the factors in the spread of HIV/AIDS in Malawi is that young adults who are sexually most active, at their peak in desiring to improve their economic status, and culturally responsible for meeting family needs, engage in migrant work that involves circular migration to and from workplaces. With spouses left behind, if married, the young adult males fulfill their sexual desires by engaging in multipartner sexual relations with whatever partners they find in their travels. HIV/AIDS, coming into such a social landscape in the 1980s, only found a social environment conducive to the spreading of the disease. To address the matter, we need to promote what I have termed community entrepreneurship in home communities of these young adults. Community entrepreneurship will, over the long run, reduce the young adults’ involvement in circular migration. Promoting community entrepreneurship demands developing human capital, social capital, and organizational capital in rural Malawi.
THE DOUBLE THREAT Of HIV/AIDS AND DROUGHT ON RURAL HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY IN SOUTHEASTERN ZIMBABWE
Authors: Mazzeo John
Published: December 2011

This chapter provides a case study of how Zimbabwe's HIV/AIDS epidemic has contributed to shaping its ongoing food security crisis. It explores the combined impact of HIV/AIDS and drought on the food security of rural households. Fieldwork conducted in the semi‐arid, southeastern region of Zimbabwe relied on a combination of ethnographic and survey‐based methods. The analysis examines the implications of a double‐threat from drought and HIV/AIDS by comparing data from a severe drought year in 2005 with a nondrought year in 2004. It explores household food insecurity as a product of a complex strategy for accessing food that depends on a household's resource base, its ability to exploit opportunities in the marketplace, and channel resources through its social network. The findings suggest that the combination of drought and HIV/AIDS intensifies immediate and long‐term food security. However, the differences in food security attributed to HIV/AIDS are sometimes blurred by an ongoing economic crisis that has made survival difficult in general. This article contributes to studies about HIV/AIDS and livelihoods in rural Zimbabwe and has relevance for understanding of how other HIV/AIDS epidemics can erode household food security in drought prone areas.
CONTESTED STRATEGIES FOR DEFINING AND CONFRONTING FOOD INSECURITY AND HIV/AIDS IN ZAMBIA: REJECTION OF GM FOOD AID DURING THE 2002–03 FOOD CRISIS
Authors: Brenton Barrett P.
Published: December 2011

The impact of HIV/AIDS on food assistance needs in sub‐Saharan Africa has created what may or may not be seen as a new emergent variant of famine. This chapter provides a case study from Zambia that reveals contested strategies for both defining and confronting food insecurity and HIV/AIDS. Coordinated responses to the expanding HIV/AIDS health and nutrition crisis must be understood in light of the Zambia's resistance to genetically modified (GM) food aid during the 2002–03 food crisis. Overall the chapter will emphasize lessons learned and highlight best practices for enhancing food security in the face of HIV/AIDS.
FOOD, HEALTH, DEVELOPMENT, AND HIV/AIDS IN A REMOTE AREA OF SOUTHERN AFRICA
Authors: Hitchcock Robert K. , Babchuk Wayne A.
Published: December 2011

This article will address the relationships among development, nutritional well‐being, and HIV/AIDS in a remote area of southern Africa: the northwestern Kalahari Desert region of the Republic of Botswana and the adjacent Nyae Nyae region of northeastern Namibia. According to the United Nations AIDS Program (UNAIDS) and other organizations, Botswana and Namibia have some of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the world. Until relatively recently, however, the HIV/AIDS rates in remote areas of these two countries were lower than the national averages. A major question addressed in this article is why this might be the case. Major transformations have occurred in southern Africa with globalization, economic development, political shifts, migration, and environmental change. While development programs in Botswana and Namibia have had some positive effects in remote areas in terms of increasing access to social and physical infrastructure and, in some cases, to employment and income generating opportunities, the livelihoods and health statuses of some of the people in these areas have declined. This article explores some of the factors that may have contributed to these changes.
“AIDS IS IN THE FOOD”: ZIMBABWEANS’ ASSOCIATION BETWEEN NUTRITION AND HIV/AIDS AND THEIR POTENTIAL FOR ADDRESSING FOOD INSECURITY AND HIV/AIDS
Authors: Rödlach Alexander
Published: December 2011

This article discusses the shift in Zimbabwe from the traditionally broad and diversified diet, consisting of a variety of wild plants and animals, to the current diet, based on a few cash crops. The narrowing of the food base is not only problematic in terms of nutrition but has been increasing vulnerability to weather‐related food shortages. Zimbabweans are aware of these risks and conclude that the lack of sufficient and healthy nutrition triggers the development of full‐blown AIDS in the bodies of HIV positive individuals. In other words, HIV/AIDS is a result of food shortages, at least to some extent. Such views are encouraged by media reports arguing that AIDS is not triggered by HIV but by malnourishment. Food shortages are, according to informants, aggravated by the desperate political situation in the country. The extent of the AIDS epidemic is explained through the political context in which food shortages occur. This article also highlights the importance of integrating cultural understandings of food and nutrition into programs aiming at raising awareness of the AIDS epidemic, preventing new HIV infections, and improving care for those suffering of the disease.
Intermediate Temperature Fuel Cell and Oxygen Reduction Studies With Carbon-Supported Platinum Alloy Catalysts in Phosphoric Acid Based Systems
Authors: Mamlouk Mohamed , Jang Jong Hyun , Scott Keith
Published: December 2011

The oxygen reduction activities of platinum and platinum alloy catalysts were evaluated at temperatures up to 150  °C in phosphoric acid solution. The oxygen reduction currents and open circuit potentials were measured using chronoamperometry with double potential steps to eliminate the effects of double layer charging currents and metal deactivationcould be eliminated effectively. Based on the mass activity at 0.7 V versus Ag/AgCl, the commercial PtNi catalyst showed higher performances than commercial Pt catalyst at 150 °C. The commercial PtCo catalyst showed high activities at 90 °C and 120 °C. Intermediate temperature fuel cells based on phosphoric acid doped polybenzimidazole membranes were tested with the alloy cathode catalysts. In the case of Pt–Fe alloy an enhanced performance was achieved in comparison to that with Pt carbon catalysts.
Design of Revolute Joints for In-Mold Assembly Using Insert Molding
Authors: Ananthanarayanan Arvind , Ehrlich Leicester , Desai Jaydev P. , Gupta Satyandra K.
Published: December 2011

Creating highly articulated miniature structures requires assembling a large number of small parts. This is a very challenging task and increases cost of mechanical assemblies. Insert molding presents the possibility of creating a highly articulated structure in a single molding step. This can be accomplished by placing multiple metallic bearings in the mold and injecting plastic on top of them. In theory, this idea can generate a multi degree of freedom structures in just one processing step without requiring any post molding assembly operations. However, the polymer material has a tendency to shrink on top of the metal bearings and hence jam the joints. Hence, until now insert molding has not been used to create articulated structures. This paper presents a theoretical model for estimating the extent of joint jamming that occurs due to the shrinkage of the polymer on top of the metal bearings. The level of joint jamming is seen as the effective torque needed to overcome the friction in the revolute joints formed by insert molding. We then use this model to select the optimum design parameters which can be used to fabricate functional, highly articulating assemblies while meeting manufacturing constraints. Our analysis shows that the strength of weld-lines formed during the in-mold assembly process play a significant role in determining the minimum joint dimensions necessary for fabricating functional revolute joints. We have used the models and methods described in this paper to successfully fabricate the structure for a minimally invasive medical robot prototype with potential applications in neurosurgery. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of building an articulated structure with multiple degrees of freedom using insert molding.
An Innovative Shearing Process for AHSS Edge Stretchability Improvements
Authors: Shih Hua-Chu , Shi Ming F.
Published: December 2011

A beveled shear hole piercing process has recently been developed for advanced high strength steel (AHSS). The preliminary results have shown the new process is able to improve the quality of the sheared edge and the edge stretchability of AHSS. The goal of the current study is to optimize the beveled shearing process and identify the optimal shearing conditions for AHSS. Four different advanced high strength steels, including DP600, DP780, TRIP780, and DP980 with various thicknesses together with a conventional high strength steel, HSLA50, are selected in this study. The hole expansion test is used to evaluate the effect of shear edge conditions on the edge stretchability. The results show that an optimal selection of the die clearance and the shearing angle results in a less damaged edge, which significantly delays edge fracture in the forming process and increases the edge stretchability for AHSS. To further validate the advantages of the beveled shearing process in improving the shear edge quality of AHSS, a straight edge shearing device with the capability of adjusting the shearing variables (rake angles and die clearance) with respect to different sheet thicknesses was also developed and built. The edge stretchability of the straight edge sheared specimen was then evaluated using the sheared edge tension test. A similar trend to the beveled shear hole piercing process of AHSS is observed, and a significant improvement in the edge stretchability is also obtained with optimal shearing conditions.
Viscoelastic properties measurements of thin polymer films from reflow of nanoimprinted patterns
Authors: Rognin Etienne , Landis Stefan , Davoust Laurent
Published: December 2011

The authors describe in this paper a fast and cost-effective method to measure the viscoelastic properties of a thin polymer film from the reflow of nanoimprinted patterns. The material is spin-coated onto a silicon substrate and specially designed nanopatterns are imprinted on the film using thermal nanoimprint. A first measurement of the imprinted profile is done by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The film is then heated at a definite temperature above the glass transition temperature during a definite time. The film is rapidly cooled down and the reflowed profile is again measured by AFM. Spectral densities of the profiles are computed using standard Fourier transform algorithms, and the viscoelastic properties are computed as fitting parameters of an evolution model for the spectral density of the topology. The originality of our method is based on the accurate spatial description of the imprint rather than on its temporal decay. Using our approach, we measured the viscoelastic properties of a 205 nm-thick polystyrene (molecular weight 130 kg/mol) film, assuming a single relaxation time Maxwell model.
Atomic layer deposition of ZnO/Al2O3/ZrO2 nanolaminates for improved thermal and wear resistance in carbon-carbon composites
Authors: Mohseni H. , Scharf T. W.
Published: December 2011

Carbon-carbon composites (CCCs) are well recognized structural materials which are generally known for their high strength and thermal conductivity, low density, and open cell structure. They have attracted great interest for aerospace applications, such as bushings used in jet engines, and potentially in future hypersonic aircraft wing structures, which function in an oxidizing environment. The enhancement in thermal (oxidation) and wear resistance of CCCs is desirable since carbon-based materials start to oxidize around 400 °C and uncoated bushings are susceptible to wear. To this end, thermodynamically stable protective oxide nanolaminates (ZnO/Al2O3/ZrO2) have been deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) to infiltrate porous CCCs and graphite foams in order to improve their thermal stability and sliding wear resistance. It was determined with x-ray tomography imaging and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy mapping that ALD ZnO/Al2O3/ZrO2 nanolaminates and baseline ZrO2 coatings exhibited pore-filling down to ∼55 μm and 1.5 mm in the porous CCCs and graphite foam, respectively. Furthermore, x-ray diffraction and high resolution transmission electron microscopy determined that the {0002}-textured nanocrystalline ZnO (wurtzite), amorphous Al2O3, and {101}-textured tetragonal ZrO2 nanolaminates exhibited excellent coating conformality and uniformity inside the pores. A significant reduction in the sliding wear factor (2.3 × 10−5 to 4.8 × 10−6 mm3/Nm) and friction coefficient (0.22 to 0.15) was observed with the ALD ZnO/Al2O3/ZrO2 nanolaminate in comparison to uncoated CCCs. The mechanism for improved tribological properties was attributed to intrafilm shear (slip) of partial dislocations along the ZnO {0002} basal stacking faults by a dislocation glide process.
Nanofabrication of doped, complex oxides
Authors: Waller Gordon H. , Stein Aaron , Abiade Jeremiah T.
Published: December 2011

Complex oxides have many promising attributes, including wide band gaps for high temperature semiconductors, ion conducting electrolytes in fuel cells, ferroelectricity and ferromagnetism. Bulk and thin film oxides can be readily manufactured and tested however these physically hard and chemically inert materials cannot be nanofabricated by direct application of conventional methods. In order to study these materials at the nanoscale there must first be a simple and effective means to achieve the desired structures. Here we discuss the use of pulsed laser deposition at room temperature onto electron beam lithography defined templates of poly methyl methacrylate photoresist. Following a resist liftoff in organic solvents, a heat treatment was used to crystallize the nanostructures. The morphology of these structures was studied using scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Crystallinity and composition as determined by x ray diffraction and photo-electron spectroscopy respectively is reported for thin film analogues of the nanostructured oxide. The oxide studied in this report is Nb doped SrTiO3, which has been investigated for use as a high temperature thermoelectric material; however the approach used is not materials-dependent.
In-situ real-time ellipsometric investigations during the atomic layer deposition of ruthenium: A process development from [(ethylcyclopentadienyl)(pyrrolyl)ruthenium] and molecular oxygen
Authors: Knaut Martin , Junige Marcel , Albert Matthias , Bartha Johann W.
Published: December 2011

In this work, a process for the thermal activated atomic layer deposition (ALD) of ruthenium from the organometallic heteroleptic precursor [(ethylcyclopentadienyl)(pyrrolyl)ruthenium] with molecular oxygen was developed and characterized. Silicon substrates were precleaned in hydrofluoric acid and preheated to a specific temperature before coating with ruthenium. The corresponding cycle-by-cycle growth was monitored throughout the entire ALD process time, utilizing an in-situ real-time spectroscopic ellipsometer. Transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy were applied at a reference sample to generate an appropriate optical model for the translation of the ellipsometric spectra into Ru film thicknesses. Given a representative set of process parameters the cycle-by-cycle growth was studied in detail, obtaining information about incubation, nucleation, linear growth and delamination. In order to determine the ALD characteristic dependencies, the following process parameters were varied while applying ellipsometry during the linear film growth regime on as-deposited ruthenium film surfaces; thus excluding effects from the initial foreign substrate material: both reactant doses and purging times, the substrate temperature and the total pressure. During the respective film growth experiments, one process parameter-setting was changed each 15 ALD cycles, which enabled a fast and extensive process development.
Teaching Creative Science Thinking
Authors: DeHaan Robert L.
Published: December 2011

Students' creative insights can be nurtured by promoting peer-peer learning and increasing associative thinking.
Autophagy-Dependent Anticancer Immune Responses Induced by Chemotherapeutic Agents in Mice
Authors: Michaud Mickaël , Martins Isabelle , Sukkurwala Abdul Qader , Adjemian Sandy , Ma Yuting , Pellegatti Patrizia , Shen Shensi , Kepp Oliver , Scoazec Marie , Mignot Grégoire , Rello-Varona Santiago , Tailler Maximilien , Menger Laurie , Vacchelli Erika , Galluzzi Lorenzo , Ghiringhelli François , di Virgilio Francesco , Zitvogel Laurence , Kroemer Guido
Published: December 2011

The release of adenosine triphosphate through autophagy can promote antitumor immune responses.
A Natural Deletion of the
HoxC
Cluster in Elasmobranch Fishes
Authors: King Benjamin L. , Gillis J. Andrew , Carlisle Heather R. , Dahn Randall D.
Published: December 2011

Sequence analysis shows that sharks and batoids lack one of four
Hox
gene clusters once thought necessary for development.
A World Awash with Nitrogen
Authors: Elser James J.
Published: December 2011

Human disruption of the nitrogen cycle has left signs across the Northern Hemisphere since about 1895 C.E.
Can Ignorance Promote Democracy?
Authors: West Jevin D. , Bergstrom Carl T.
Published: December 2011

When a group needs to reach a consensus decision, uninformed members can help to reduce the influence of a manipulative minority.
Sensible Balance
Authors: Ernst Udo , Pawelzik Klaus
Published: December 2011

The activities of cortical neurons are controlled through the plasticity of inhibitory synapses.
Darwinian Medicine's Drawn-Out Dawn
Authors: Pennisi Elizabeth
Published: December 2011

The medical community is recognizing evolutionary medicine's potential for providing a holistic framework for their increasingly specialized field, but proponents say there is still a long way to go.
Comparison of HIV-1 RNA Measurements Obtained by Using Plasma and Dried Blood Spots in the Automated Abbott Real-Time Viral Load Assay
Authors: Arredondo Miguel , Garrido Carolina , Parkin Neil , Zahonero Natalia , Bertagnolio Silvia , Soriano Vincent , de Mendoza Carmen
Published: December 2011

Dried blood spots (DBS) may be a promising alternative specimen type to plasma for measuring the viral load (VL) in HIV-infected individuals in resource-limited settings. However, characterization of assay performance using DBS is incomplete. In this prospective study, the VL was measured in parallel using plasma and DBS specimens collected at the same time from 157 HIV-1-infected individuals. DBS were prepared by dispensing 50 μl of blood onto filter paper cards and were stored desiccated at −20°C. Nucleic acid extraction from plasma and DBS was performed automatically using the Abbott m2000sp instrument, and the VL was measured using the RealTime HIV-1 VL assay, which has a lower limit of detection of 40 HIV RNA copies/ml. The correlation between plasma and DBS results was good (R= 0.91;P< 0.001). The mean difference in the VL (DBS minus plasma) was 0.35 log copies (standard deviation [SD], 0.47 log copies). A total of 40 (26%) paired specimens had a difference of >0.5 log copy, and in 12 (7.8%) it was >1 log copy. the VL from DBS was measurable in 95.7% of specimens with a plasma VL of >2.74 log copies (550 HIV RNA copies/ml). In summary, the VL can reliably be measured using DBS with the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 assay. The estimated lower limit of detection of this automated methodology on DBS is 550 copies/ml, a threshold that may be acceptable for periodic VL monitoring in patients on antiretroviral therapy in resource-limited settings, where early detection of virologic treatment failure is often problematic.
Evaluation of a Recombinant Antigen-Based Enzyme Immunoassay for the Diagnosis of Noninvasive Aspergillosis
Authors: Guitard J. , Sendid B. , Thorez S. , Gits M. , Hennequin C.
Published: December 2011

Antibody detection is a key diagnostic tool for noninvasive aspergillosis (NIA) such as allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and chronic pulmonary aspergillosis. Specific immunoprecipitin detection (IPD) is considered as the reference but lacks standardization and is time-consuming. To evaluate the performance of a new anti-
Aspergillus fumigatus
IgG enzyme immunoassay (EIA) kit using a recombinant
A. fumigatus
antigen (Bio-Rad), a retrospective study was performed on 551 sera collected from patients with a definite diagnosis of NIA (group 1;
n
= 64), bronchial
Aspergillus
colonization (group 2;
n
= 26), and probable aerial
Aspergillus
contamination (group 3;
n
= 44); from patients suspected of NIA with negative serological and mycological investigations (group 4;
n
= 49); and from a group of 222 patients not suspected of NIA (group 5). The EIA exhibited excellent reproducibility with coefficients of variation below 10%. Agreement with IPD was calculated between 62.5 and 84.4% according to the group of patients with Cohen's kappa coefficient at 0.6196 ± 0.077. Taking as reference a composite status including clinical, radiological, mycological, and serological data, sensitivity (group 1) and specificity (other groups) were calculated between 90.2 and 93.8% and 54.3 and 100%, respectively. Lower specificity was observed for patients with
Aspergillus
colonization. However, Yule
Q
coefficients estimating the correlation between EIA result and the definite diagnosis of NIA were calculated between 0.97 and 0.98. The method is a highly useful screening tool for the diagnosis of NIA, reducing the need for confirmatory IPD tests.
Molecular Characteristics of Rifampin- and Isoniazid-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis Strains Isolated in Vietnam
Authors: Minh Nghiem Ngoc , Van Bac Nguyen , Son Nguyen Thai , Lien Vu Thi Kim , Ha Chu Hoang , Cuong Nguyen Huu , Mai Cung Thi Ngoc , Le Thanh Hoa
Published: December 2011

Molecular characterization of the drug resistance of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
strains with different origins can generate information that is useful for developing molecular methods. These methods are widely applicable for rapid detection of drug resistance. A total of 166 rifampin (RIF)- and/or isoniazid (INH)-resistant strains of
M. tuberculosis
have been isolated from different parts of Vietnam; they were screened for mutations associated with resistance to these drugs by sequence analysis investigating genetic mutations associated with RIF and INH resistance. Seventeen different mutations were identified in 74 RIF-resistant strains, 56 of which (approximately 76%) had mutations in the so-called 81-bp “hot-spot” region of the
rpoB
gene. The most common point mutations were in codons 531 (37.8%), 526 (23%), and 516 (9.46%) of the
rpoB
gene. Mutations were not found in three strains (4.05%). In the case of INH resistance, five different mutations in the
katG
genes of 82 resistant strains were detected, among which the nucleotide substitution at codon 315 (76.83%) is the most common mutation. This study provided the first molecular characterization of INH and RIF resistance of
M. tuberculosis
strains from Vietnam, and detection of the
katG
and
rpoB
mutations of the INH and RIF-resistant strains should be useful for rapid detection of the INH- and RIF-resistant strains by molecular tests.
Real-Time PCR and High-Resolution Melt Analysis for Rapid Detection of Mycobacterium leprae Drug Resistance Mutations and Strain Types
Authors: Li Wei , Matsuoka Masanori , Kai Masanori , Thapa Pratibha , Khadge Saraswoti , Hagge Deanna A. , Brennan Patrick J. , Vissa Varalakshmi
Published: December 2011

Drug resistance surveillance and strain typing ofMycobacterium lepraeare necessary to investigate ongoing transmission of leprosy in regions of endemicity. To enable wider implementation of these molecular analyses, novel real-time PCR–high-resolution melt (RT-PCR-HRM) assays without allele-specific primers or probes and post-PCR sample handling were developed. For the detection of mutations within drug resistance-determining regions (DRDRs) offolP1,rpoB, andgyrA, targets for dapsone, rifampin, and fluoroquinolones, real-time PCR-HRM assays were developed. Wild-type and drug-resistant mouse footpad-derived strains that included threefolP1, tworpoB, and onegyrAmutation types in a reference panel were tested. RT-PCR-HRM correctly distinguished the wild type from the mutant strains. In addition, RT-PCR-HRM analyses aided in recognizing samples with mixed or minor alleles and also a mislabeled sample. When tested in 121 sequence-characterized clinical strains, HRM identified all thefolP1mutants representing two mutation types, including one not within the reference panel. The false positives (<5%) could be attributed to low DNA concentration or PCR inhibition. A second set of RT-PCR-HRM assays for identification of three previously reported single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that have been used for strain typing were developed and validated in 22 reference and 25 clinical strains. Real-time PCR-HRM is a sensitive, simple, rapid, and high-throughput tool for routine screening known DRDR mutants in new and relapsed cases, SNP typing, and detection of minor mutant alleles in the wild-type background at lower costs than current methods and with the potential for quality control in leprosy investigations.