bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kingella kingae spondylodiscitis in young children: toward a new approach for bacteriological investigations? A preliminary report
Authors: Ceroni Dimitri , Cherkaoui Abdessalam , Kaelin André , Schrenzel Jacques
Published: January 2010

As the result of improved bacteriological techniques, Kingella kingae is a slow-growing Gram-negative coccobacillus that is emerging as an important cause of spondylodiscitis in children younger than 3 years of age. The high pharyngeal carrier rates of this slow-growing Gram-negative coccobacillus combined with the low incidence of identified K. kingae infections is possibly explained by a low virulence of this bacterium. The use of specific real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on blood samples and throat swabs opens new prospects in the bacteriological investigations of young children suspected to have spondylodiscitis, an approach that could prevent, in the future, unnecessary invasive interventions.
Measurement of Carotid Stenosis on Computed Tomographic Angiography: Reliability Depends on Postprocessing Technique
Authors: Howard Peter , Bartlett Eric S. , Symons Sean P. , Fox Allan J. , Aviv R.I.
Published: January 2010

Purpose

We previously demonstrated the validity of axial source (AxS) image quantification of computed tomographic angiography (CTA) visualized carotid stenosis. There is concern that AxS images may not accurately measure stenosis in patients with obliquely orientated stenosis and that measurements on axial oblique (AxO) multiplanar reformats (MPR), maximum intensity projections (MIP) images, or Doppler ultrasound (DUS) are superior. We tested the performance of AxS images against AxO MPRs, MIPs, and DUS techniques for stenosis quantification.

Methods

A total of 120 consecutive patients with CTA and DUS detected carotid disease were enrolled; carotids with occlusion, near occlusion, or stenosis <40% were excluded. Proximal and distal carotid diameters and North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial (NASCET) style ratios were measured independently by 2 neuroradiologists on AxS, AxO, and MIP images on separate occasions in a blinded protocol. Intra- and interobserver agreements were determined for all measurements. The performance of different image types to identify ≥70% stenosis was assessed against a NASCET-style reference standard.

Results

Intra- and interobserver reliabilities for stenosis measurements were higher for both AxS (interclass correlation coefficients [ICC], 0.87–0.93 and 0.84–0.89) and AxO images (ICCs, 0.82–0.89 and 0.86–0.92) than for MIPs (ICCs, 0.66–0.86 and 0.79–0.82), respectively. Intra- and interobserver agreements on the NASCET ratio tended to be lower than proximal stenosis measurements. AxS and AxO image proximal stenosis measurements most accurately distinguished patients with ≥70% stenosis (0.90), followed by DUS (0.83) and MIP images (0.76).

Conclusions

A single AxS image stenosis measurement was highly reproducible and accurate in the estimation of carotid stenosis, which precluded the need for AxO MPRs.
Extracardiac Findings in Cardiac Computed Tomographic Angiography in Patients at Low to Intermediate Risk for Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Venkatesh Vikram , You John J. , Landry David J. , Ellins Mary Lou , Sheth Tej
Published: January 2010

Purpose

To evaluate the prevalence, clinical significance, interobserver agreement, and follow-up of extracardiac findings on coronary computed tomographic angiography (CTA).

Methods

A prospectively recruited cohort of 80 patients at low to intermediate risk of having coronary artery disease underwent CTA with field of view imaging from lung apices to upper abdomen. Two staff radiologists read each scan independently. Scans read by reader no. 1 were read as part of routine clinical practice, and the findings were subsequently reclassified to potentially significant, as defined by requiring clinical or radiologic follow-up, and insignificant by a separate observer, whereas reader no. 2 retrospectively read and autonomously classified the findings as potentially significant or insignificant.

Results

Reader no. 1 found 7 potentially significant findings in 7 patients and 33 insignificant findings in 29 patients. Reader no. 2 found 10 potentially significant findings in 10 patients and 59 insignificant findings in 42 patients. Inter-rater agreement was moderate (kappa = 0.49; 95% confidence interval, 0.31–0.67) for the presence vs the absence of extracardiac findings and moderate (kappa = 0.52; 95% confidence interval, 0.15–0.89) for the presence of potentially significant extracardiac findings. The most common potentially significant finding was possibly malignant lung nodule ( n = 6 [reader 1], 4 [reader 2]). Four patients with potentially significant findings received follow-up imaging, and 1 patient underwent biopsy, which was complicated by pneumothorax. No diagnoses of malignancy were made.

Conclusions

Extracardiac findings are frequent and moderately reproducible, however, in this study, not associated with clinical benefit. Large prospective studies are required to establish whether reporting of extracardiac findings is associated with improved patient outcomes.
Dynamic Airway Evaluation with Volume CT: Initial Experience
Authors: Wagnetz Ute , Roberts Heidi C. , Chung Taebong , Patsios Demetris , Chapman Kenneth R. , Paul Narinder S.
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to prospectively establish the use of a novel multidetector computed tomography unit (MDCT) with 320 × 0.5 detector rows for the evaluation of tracheomalacia by using a dynamic expiratory low-dose technique.

Methods

Six adult patients (5 men, 1 woman; mean age, 53.7 years [37–70 years]) referred for a clinical suspicion of tracheomalacia were studied on a 320-row MDCT unit by using the following parameters: 120 kVp, 40–50 mA, 0.5-second gantry rotation, and z-axis coverage of 160 mm sufficient to cover the thoracic trachea to the proximal bronchi. Image acquisition occurred during a forceful exhalation. The image data set was subject to the following analyses: cross-sectional area of airway lumen at 4 predefined locations (thoracic inlet, aortic arch, carina, and bronchus intermedius) and measurement of airway volume.

Results

All 6 patients had evidence of tracheomalacia, the proximal trachea collapsed at a later phase of expiration (3–4 seconds) than the distal trachea (2–3 seconds). The most common region of airway collapse occurred at the level of the aortic arch (5/6 [83%]), Three patients (50%) had diffuse segmental luminal narrowing that involved the tracheobronchial tree. The radiation dose (estimated dose length product, computed tomography console) measured 293.9 mGy in 1 subject and 483.5 mGy in 5 patients.

Conclusions

Four-dimensional true isophasic and isovolumetric imaging of the central airways by using 320-row MDCT is a viable technique for the diagnosis of tracheomalacia; it provides a comprehensive assessment of airways dynamic.
Effects of soy diet on inflammation‐induced primary and secondary hyperalgesia in rat⋆
Authors: Borzan Jasenka , Tall Jill M. , Zhao Chengshui , Meyer Richard A. , Raja Srinivasa N.
Published: January 2010

Soy consumption is said to prevent or treat atherosclerosis, cancer, pain, and memory deficits, but experimental and clinical evidence to support these claims are lacking. We used in vivo models of inflammation to determine whether a soy diet reduces primary or secondary hyperalgesia. In all three experiments, rats were fed either a soy‐ or casein‐based diet for at least 2 weeks before induction of inflammation and for the duration of experiments. Mechanical and heat paw withdrawal thresholds and edema were measured before and several times after induction of inflammation. Primary hyperalgesia was assessed in two models: unilateral intraplantar injection with 0.1 ml of 25% complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) or 0.1 ml of 1% carrageenan. Unilateral injection of the intra‐articular knee space with 25% CFA (0.1 ml) was used to determine the effects of soy in a model of secondary hyperalgesia. Following intraplantar injection of CFA, soy‐fed animals exhibited significantly less paw edema, mechanical allodynia, and heat hyperalgesia compared to casein‐fed animals. In the carrageenan model of paw inflammation, soy‐fed animals were also less allodynic to mechanical stimuli, than were casein‐fed animals, but showed no diet based differences in paw edema or heat hyperalgesia. Soy diet did not affect any of the outcome measures after the intra‐articular injection of CFA. Our results suggest that a soy diet significantly decreases aspects of inflammation‐induced primary, but not secondary, hyperalgesia in rats.
Anchoring unbound
Authors: Epley Nicholas , Gilovich Thomas
Published: January 2010

An attitudes and persuasion perspective can broaden our understanding of anchoring by highlighting sources of variability in anchoring effects that have been largely overlooked. As the target article suggests, research guided by this perspective can help identify (1) different types of anchors that exert their influence through different underlying mechanisms, 2) important social psychological moderators of anchoring effects, and 3) sources of variability in the consequences of anchoring for judgment and choice. In this commentary, we take an even broader perspective on the types of anchors that are likely to influence judgment, suggesting four potentially distinct types—intuitive approximations, best/worst case scenarios, environmental suggestions, and magnitude priming. We conclude by discussing how an attitudes and persuasion perspective on anchoring may provide novel insights into the moderators and consequences of anchoring effects in everyday life.
Chronische Erkrankungen – Epidemiologische Entwicklung und die Bedeutung für die Öffentliche Gesundheit
Authors: Scheidt-Nave Christa
Published: January 2010

Einleitung

Auch heute sind akute, lebensbedrohliche Infektionserkrankungen nach wie vor eine große Gefahr für die öffentliche Gesundheit. Dennoch dominieren chronische Erkrankungen, die mittlerweile sowohl übertragbare als auch nicht-übertragbare Gesundheitsprobleme einschließen, inzwischen in weiten Teilen der Welt die Todesursachenstatistik und haben erhebliche sozioökonomische Folgen durch verlorene Lebensjahre, Arbeitsunfähigkeit, krankheitsbedingte Fehlzeiten und Pflegebedürftigkeit.
Zusammenhang von gesundheitsbezogener Lebensqualität und Multimorbidität bei älteren Personen
Authors: Hodek Jan-Marc , Greiner Wolfgang
Published: January 2010

Einleitung

Die veränderte Morbiditätssituation westlicher Industrienationen führt zu neuen Anforderungen an die Gesundheitsversorgung. Im Gegensatz zur vollständigen Heilung stehen deshalb zunehmend die Linderung von Beschwerden und damit die Sicherstellung der Lebensqualität im Zentrum der Bemühungen. Es gilt zu untersuchen, inwiefern die Anzahl (chronischer) Erkrankungen sowie deren Kombination bzw. synergetisches Zusammenwirken Auswirkungen auf die Lebensqualität eines Patienten haben.
Auswirkungen des Morbi-RSA auf Kassenhandeln
Authors: Göpffarth Dirk
Published: January 2010

Einleitung

Zeitgleich mit der Einführung des Gesundheitsfonds wurde der Risikostrukturausgleich (RSA) in der Gesetzlichen Krankenversicherung (GKV) zum morbiditätsorientierten RSA weiterentwickelt. Der Gesetzgeber hat damit das Ziel verfolgt, den Solidarausgleich in der GKV zu unterstützen und den Krankenkassen Anreize zur Versorgung chronisch Kranker zu geben. Allerdings wurde der Morbi-RSA auf 80 Krankheiten beschränkt. Es stellt sich die Frage, ob die Ziele erreicht werden und wie die Beschränkung des berücksichtigten Krankheitsspektrums wirkt.
Verbreitung und Strategien zur Bekämpfung chronischer Krankheiten im internationalen Vergleich
Authors: Zander Britta , Busse Reinhard
Published: January 2010

Einleitung

Chronische Krankheiten stellen für die Gesundheitssysteme vieler Länder eine ernstzunehmende Belastung dar und zählen zu den größten Herausforderungen für die kommenden Jahre. Allein Herz-Kreislauf-Erkrankungen sind für mehr als die Hälfte aller Todesfälle in der Europäischen Region verantwortlich und verursachen den höchsten Anteil an der Krankheitslast (23%), gefolgt von psychischen Gesundheitsproblemen (20%) und Krebs (11%).
Körperliche Aktivität bei multimorbiden Patienten
Authors: Hinrichs Timo , Trampisch Ulrike
Published: January 2010

Einleitung

Große Teile insbesondere der älteren Bevölkerung leiden an Multimorbidität. In der Therapie zahlreicher Erkrankungen spielt körperliche Aktivität eine anerkannte Rolle. Eine wesentliche Aufgabe in der Vermittlung körperlicher Aktivität an multimorbide Patienten kommt dem Hausarzt zu. Zur Gestaltung und Umsetzung von Aktivitätsprogrammen auf Grundlage einer umfassenden Gesundheitsbeurteilung bedarf es allerdings der engen Kooperation mit spezialisierten Berufsgruppen.
Medikamentenmanagement aus Sicht chronisch Erkrankter – Forschungsbedarfe und -trends
Authors: Haslbeck Jörg
Published: January 2010

Einleitung

Medikamente sind für die Versorgung chronisch Erkrankter von hoher Relevanz und steigende Arzneimittelausgaben in der Gesetzlichen Krankenversicherung ein ,Dauerthema‘. Im Zuge emanzipatorischer Ansätze im Gesundheitswesen wächst auch das Interesse am ‘patient view’ und an (Alltags-) Problemen der Erkrankten beim Medikamentenmanagement. Der Beitrag zeigt Forschungstrends und zentrale Diskurslinien in Publikationen zu dieser Thematik auf.
Gefitinib as First‐line Therapy for Advanced or Metastatic Non‐small Cell Lung Cancer Patients in Southern Taiwan
Authors: Yang Cheng‐Ta , Hung Jen‐Yu , Lai Chun‐Liang , Hung Hsin‐Chia , Lai Yung‐Fa , Lin Meng‐Chih , Shieh Jiunn‐Min , Huang Ming‐Shyang
Published: January 2010

Gefitinib, a selective epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is effective in treating patients with non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after unsuccessful chemotherapy. However, survival outcomes and predictors for its effectiveness in chemotherapy‐naive NSCLC patients are still not clear. The goal of this study was to investigate the response and survival rates and identify the predictive factors for patients with advanced or metastatic disease receiving gefitinib as first‐line therapy. We retrospectively analyzed the response and survival rates of patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC who had received gefitinib as first‐line therapy across six medical institutes in Southern Taiwan between May 2004 and April 2006. The relationship between the response and survival rates to the known predictive factors for gefitinib response and survival was also investigated. A total of 97 patients (65 females and 32 males) were enrolled in this study. Seventy‐four patients (76%) had never smoked. Eighty‐eight patients (91%) had adenocarcinoma or bronchioloalveolar cell carcinoma. The objective response rate was 56% and the disease control rate (partial response plus stable disease) was 76%. Only poor performance status (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score, 3–4) was statistically significantly associated with overall response in this study. The 1‐year survival rate was 77%. We suggest that first‐line gefitinib monotherapy is promising in some subgroups of Asian patients with NSCLC. Further randomized controlled studies are needed to validate the effectiveness of first‐line gefitinib therapy.
Lower Plasma Neuropeptide Y Level in Patients With Atypical Febrile Convulsions
Authors: Lin Lung‐Chang , Lee Wei‐Te , Chen I‐Ju , Yang Rei‐Cheng
Published: January 2010

Febrile convulsion (FC) is the most common neurological disease in children. Cases with seizures that persist for more than 15 minutes or recurrent seizures within the same febrile illness are considered to be atypical and may have a different prognosis. Neuropeptide Y (NPY), an endogenous anticonvulsant that is widely distributed throughout the central nervous system, including the hippocampus, is known to prevent seizures by increasing the seizure threshold. Based on our previously finding that patients with atypical FC have lower concentrations of NPY, we hypothesized that the concentration of NPY may play a role in the development of atypical FC. To investigate this hypothesis, we used a radioimmunoassay to measure the plasma NPY concentration of 60 children with FC (typical FC, n = 46; atypical FC, n = 14) and 56 age‐matched controls. The atypical FC group had significantly lower concentrations of NPY than children with typical FC and controls (66.47 ± 19.11 pmol/L vs. 88.68 ± 28.50 pmol/L and 86.82 ± 22.66 pmol/L, respectively). Very low NPY levels were found in two patients; one patient (NPY level: 44.75 pmol/L) experienced prolonged seizures lasting for up to 1 hour and the other had recurrent seizures (three seizures) during the same febrile illness (NPY level: 33.53 pmol/L). These results suggest that patients with inadequate NPY inhibitory activity are more susceptible to atypical FC.
Correlations Between Quality of Life and Psychological Factors in Patients With Chronic Neck Pain
Authors: Lin Rong‐Fong , Chang Jyh‐Jong , Lu Yen‐Mou , Huang Mao‐Hsiung , Lue Yi‐Jing
Published: January 2010

The purpose of this study was to investigate health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) and associated factors in patients with chronic neck pain (CNP). The HRQOL of patients with CNP was assessed by the Short Form‐36 questionnaire in this cross‐sectional study. To evaluate the psychological factors related to HRQOL, the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, Chinese Health Questionnaire, and Beck Anxiety Inventory were used. The scores for the eight subscales of Short Form‐36 were all lower than the Taiwanese age‐matched normative values (p < 0.001). The two most strongly affected subscales were the role–physical subscale and the bodily pain sub‐scale; both scores were below half the score of the age‐/sex‐matched normative values. The physical components summary score, a summary measure, was moderately correlated with age (ρ = −0.43), education level (ρ = 0.37) and Beck Anxiety Inventory score (ρ = −0.36). The mental components summary score was moderately to highly correlated with the Chinese Health Questionnaire score (ρ = −0.72), the neuroticism domain of Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (ρ = −0.52) and Beck Anxiety Inventory score (ρ = −0.41). The HRQOL of patients with CNP was worse than that of normal subjects across all domains. Furthermore, patients with a neurotic personality, minor psychiatric morbidity and higher anxiety status showed poor mental health, as measured by the Short Form‐36. We found that patients with CNP had multiple physical and mental health problems in terms of. The mental health of patients with CNP was strongly associated with various psychological factors. Comprehensive assessment of the physical and mental functioning of patients with CNP can improve the management and care of these patients.
Quantitative Assessment of Image Quality in 64‐slice‐computed Tomography of Coronary Arteries in Subjects Undergoing Screening for Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Yang Li‐Hwa , Wu Ding‐Kwo , Chen Chiao‐Yun , Liu Gin‐Chung , Hsieh Tsyh‐Jyi , Jaw Twei‐Shiun , Huang Shu‐Yuan , Lin Chien‐Chung , Hsu Jui‐Sheng
Published: January 2010

Accurate and consistent visualization of the entire coronary system with high‐grade imaging quality is crucial for routine applications of multi‐detector‐computed tomography (MDCT) coronary angiography. To determine the imaging quality of 64‐slice‐MDCT coronary angiography, we respectively explored the quantitative parameters of imaging quality in 105 consecutive subjects (71 men, 34 women; aged 58.66 ± 10.62 years) who underwent 64‐slice‐MDCT coronary angiography to screen for coronary disease. The interobserver agreement for semi‐quantitative image quality, visible length, signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) and contrast‐to‐noise ratio (CNR) of the coronary arteries was good. The SNR and CNR of the proximal segments of the coronary arteries were superior to that of the distal segments of coronary arteries (p < 0.001). The visible length of the stenosed right coronary artery was significantly shorter than that of the non‐stenosed right coronary artery (p = 0.03). The SNR and CNR of the stenosed and non‐stenosed coronary arteries revealed no significant difference (p > 0.05). Body weight and body mass index were inversely related to the SNR and CNR of the aorta (p < 0.001). In conclusion, 64‐slice‐MDCT coronary angiography can provide excellent imaging quality of coronary arteries in subjects undergoing screening for coronary disease, although the SNR and CNR were relatively low at the distal segments of coronary arteries.
Congenital Seminal Vesicle Cyst Associated with Ipsilateral Renal Agenesis Mimicking Bladder Outlet Obstruction: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Kao Chien‐Chang , Wu Ching‐Jiunn , Sun Guang‐Huan , Yu Dah‐Shyong , Chen Hong‐I , Chang Sun‐Yran , Ma Cheng‐Ping , Cha Tai‐Lung
Published: January 2010

Seminal vesicle cysts combined with genitourinary anomalies are uncommon. We present a 43‐year‐old married man who suffered from difficulty in urination and irritating voiding symptoms for 3 years. The symptoms worsened in the last 6 months. Digital rectal examination revealed a palpable large soft mass behind the prostate. Diagnostic imaging showed a left seminal vesicle cyst with an intravesical protrusion. The ipsilateral kidney and ureter were absent. Transrectal aspiration of the cyst was performed, which improved the clinical genitourinary symptoms. The maximal and mean urinary flow rates increased from 18 to 37 mL/s and from 6 to 16 mL/s, respectively.
Medical Treatment of a Salmonella‐infected Left Ventricular Pseudoaneurysm: A Case Report
Authors: Yu Teng‐Hung , Hung Wei‐Chin , Chiu Cheng‐An , Wang Chao‐Ping
Published: January 2010

Here, we present a case of Salmonella infection in a post‐myocardial infarction patient with a left ventricular aneurysm and mural thrombus. This is a rare case that was successfully treated with medicinal therapy alone. Our experience with this case documents the early spontaneous drainage of the myocardial abscess by 8 weeks of antibiotic therapy under serial two‐ and three‐dimensional echocardiography to monitor the clinical outcomes and guide the decision‐making process. This approach may be a viable alternative for intolerant, high‐risk surgical aneurysmectomy patients.
Colonic Metastasis From a Primary Adenocarcinoma of the Lung Presenting with Acute Abdominal Pain: A Case Report
Authors: Weng Ming‐Wei , Wang Hong‐Chung , Chiou Jen‐Chih , Lin Shong‐Ling , Lai Ruay‐Sheng
Published: January 2010

Colonic metastasis from lung cancer is rare and generally asymptomatic. Here, we report a case with lung adenocarcinoma that presented with acute abdominal pain due to intestinal obstruction caused by the metastatic colon tumor. The patient underwent emergency colonoscopy and the pathologic report was adenocarcinoma, which was the same as that for a bronchoscopic biopsy from a large lung mass. Immunohistochemistry was positive for thyroid transcription factor‐1 and cytokeratin 7, and negative for cytokeratin 20 and caudal‐related homeobox transcription factor 2 on both lung biopsy and colon surgical specimens. Accordingly, we used immunohisto‐chemistry for thyroid transcription factor‐1, cytokeratin 7, cytokeratin 20 and caudal‐related homeobox transcription factor‐2 to diagnose primary adenocarcinoma of the lung with colonic metastasis.
Co‐existence of Posttraumatic Empyema Thoracis and Lung Abscess in a Child After Blunt Chest Trauma: A Case Report
Authors: Kuo Chang‐Hung , Chen I‐Chen , Lin Shih‐Shiung , Shih Ming‐Chen Paul , Wu Jiunn‐Ren , Dai Zen‐Kong , Chao Mei‐Chyn
Published: January 2010

Posttraumatic empyema is a rare complication of trauma with an incidence of 1.6–2.4% in trauma patients. However, it is rarely reported in children. We report the case of a 15‐year‐old boy who was involved in a traffic accident and diagnosed with a pulmonary contusion at a local hospital. Fourteen days after the accident, posttraumatic empyema thoracis and lung abscess developed with clinical presentations of fever, productive cough and right chest pain. He was successfully treated with computed tomography‐guided catheter drainage and intravenous cefotaxime. We emphasize that posttraumatic empyema thoracis and lung abscess are very rare in children, and careful follow‐up for posttraumatic lung contusion is essential. Image‐guided catheter drainage can be an adjunctive tool for treating selected patients, although most complicated cases of post‐traumatic empyema thoracis require decortication therapy.
Longitudinal associations between post-traumatic distress and depressive symptoms following a traumatic event: a test of three models
Authors: Schindel-Allon I. , Aderka I. M. , Shahar G. , Stein M. , Gilboa-Schechtman E.
Published: January 2010

Background

Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression are highly co-morbid following a traumatic event. Nevertheless, decisive evidence regarding the direction of the relationship between these clinical entities is missing.

Method

The aim of the present study was to examine the nature of this relationship by comparing a synchronous change model (PTSD and depression are time synchronous, possibly stemming from a third common factor) with a demoralization model (i.e. PTSD symptoms causing depression) and a depressogenic model (i.e. depressive symptoms causing PTSD symptoms). Israeli adult victims of single-event traumas (n=156) were assessed on measures of PTSD and depression at 2, 4 and 12 weeks post-event.

Results

A cross-lagged structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis provided results consistent with the synchronous change model and the depressogenic model.

Conclusions

Depressive symptoms may play an important role in the development of post-traumatic symptoms.
Bird species richness and diversity at montane Important Bird Area (IBA) sites in south-eastern Nigeria
Authors: MANU SHIIWUA , SUNDAY IMONG INAOYOM , CRESSWELL WILL
Published: January 2010

The mountains of south-eastern Nigeria are a western extension of the Cameroon mountain range, which is classified as an endemic bird area (EBA). Unlike its eastern extension in Cameroon, most of the ornithological surveys in the western extension of the Cameroon highlands in Nigeria have produced only limited checklists and inventories. There is a clear need for quantitative baseline data so that conservation problems can be identified. Twenty line transects covering a total transect length of 28.8 km were used to survey five sites (Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, Oban Division and Okwangwo Division of Cross River National Park, Sankwala Mountains and Mbe Mountains) in the westernmost extension of the Cameroon Mountains EBA in south-eastern Nigeria. Vegetation measurements were taken to control for the potential confounding effect of variation in vegetation density and structure on detectability of birds between sites. The 193 bird species recorded in Afi, 158 in Sankwala, 124 in Oban, 100 in Mbe and 73 in Okwangwo Division included most of the Cameroon highlands restricted range species. The results show that the mountains of south-eastern Nigeria are important parts of the Cameroon EBA, particularly Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary. However these sites are threatened by fire and livestock grazing on the hilltops, shifting agriculture on the hillsides and lowlands, and logging for timber in some parts, as well as wildlife hunting for bushmeat.
A first survey of the global population size and distribution of the Scottish Crossbill Loxia scotica
Authors: SUMMERS RON W. , BUCKLAND STEPHEN T.
Published: January 2010

A survey of Scottish Crossbills Loxia scotica was carried out in 3,506 km2 of conifer woodland in northern Scotland during January to April 2008 to provide the first estimate of the global population size for this endemic bird. Population estimates were also made for Common Crossbills L. curvirostra and Parrot Crossbills L. pytyopsittacus within this range. Crossbills were lured to systematically selected survey points for counting, sexing and recording their calls for later call-type (species) identification from sonograms. Crossbills were located at 451 of the 852 survey points, and adequate tape-recordings made at 387 of these. The Scottish Crossbill had a disjunct distribution, occurring largely within the eastern part of the study area, but also in the northwest. Common Crossbills had a mainly westerly distribution. The population size of post-juvenile Scottish Crossbills was estimated as 13,600 (95% C.I. 8,130–22,700), which will approximate to 6,800 (4,065–11,350) pairs. Common Crossbills were more abundant within this range (27,100, 95% C.I. 14,700–38,400) and Parrot Crossbills rare (about 100). The sex ratio was not significantly different from parity for Scottish Crossbills. The modal number at survey points was two but numbers were larger in January than later in the survey. The numbers and distribution of all crossbill species are likely to vary between years, depending upon the size of the cone crops of the different conifers: all were coning in 2008. Common Crossbill and Parrot Crossbill numbers will also be affected by irruptions from continental Europe. A monitoring scheme is required to detect any population trend, and further work on their habitat requirement (e.g. conifer selection at different seasons) is needed to inform habitat management of native and planted conifer forests to ensure a secure future for this endemic bird.
A Novel Heating Technology for Ultra-High Resolution Imaging in Electron Microscopes
Authors: Allard Lawrence F , Bigelow Wilbur C , Bradley Steven A , Liu Jingyue(Jimmy)
Published: January 2010

Capabilities for in-situ studies of materials at elevated temperatures and under gaseous environments have received increasing attention in recent years [1]. With the advent of electron microscopes that provide routine imaging at the atomic level (e.g. aberration-corrected TEM and STEM instruments), it is of particular interest to be able to record images at high temperatures while retaining the inherent resolution of the microscope; that is, the resolution is not limited by drift in the heating holder or other instabilities associated with its operation. A number of commercial and experimental heating devices have been used over the years; some holders are designed with miniature furnaces that heat entire grids [2], while a more recent development used a tiny spiral filament coated with a carbon film as the heater element [3]. These devices, while very useful for some applications (particularly in “environmental microscopes” that employ differential pumping to allow gases at some elevated pressure to be injected around the specimen), are invariably not as stable as might be desired for sub-Ångström imaging experiments. They are also limited by the speed at which the sample can be heated to temperature for stable operation. In collaboration with Protochips Inc. (Raleigh, NC), our laboratory is developing a novel new technology for in-situ heating experiments that overcomes a number of performance problems associated with standard heating stage technologies [4].
Interface Stabilized Nanoscale Quasi-Liquid Films
Authors: Luo Jian , Dillon Shen J , Harmer Martin P
Published: January 2010

A unique class of impurity-based quasi-liquid films has been widely observed at free surfaces, grain boundaries (GBs), and hetero-phase interfaces in ceramic and metallic materials (Figure 1). These nanometer-thick interfacial films can be alternatively understood to be: (a) quasi-liquid layers that adopt an “equilibrium” thickness in response to a balance of attractive and repulsive interfacial forces (in a high-temperature colloidal theory) or (b) multilayer adsorbates with thickness and average composition set by bulk dopant activities [1–2]. In several model binary systems, such quasi-liquid, interfacial films are found to be thermodynamically stable well below the bulk solidus lines, provoking analogies to the simpler interfacial phenomena of premelting in unary systems [3] and prewetting in binary de-mixed liquids [4]. These interfacial films exhibit structures and compositions that are neither observed nor stable as bulk phases, as well as transport, mechanical, and physical properties that are markedly different from bulk phases.
Photoactivation in Fluorescence Microscopy
Authors: Piston David W , Kremers Gert-Jan , Benninger Richard KP , Davidson Michael W
Published: January 2010

The use of photoactive compounds in microscopy has a long history. Caged compounds have been used for almost forty years, not only to elicit chemical reactions in cells, but also to mark specific cells or regions within cells by photoactivation of fluorescence. During the last seven years, the advent of photoactivatable GFP (PA-GFP) and its successors has opened up a myriad of new applications. All of this work has, of course, been greatly facilitated in live cells through the possibility of genetic labeling that is given by the fluorescent proteins. However, even as more photo-activatable and photo-switchable proteins are discovered, they are still limited in terms of wavelength ranges and photophysical properties. Thus, there has been a resurgence of interest in small organic photoactive molecules for cell biology experiments. In this short introductory overview, we will present the basic concepts of photoactivation and discuss many of the strengths and limitations of various approaches. We will also provide a general description of the kinds of applications for which these probes can be used.
Coal mining regulations
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: January 2010

The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) announced on 18 November measures to strengthen the oversight of state surface coal mining programs and to promulgate federal regulations to protect streams affected by surface coal mining operations. DOI's Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is publishing an advance notice of a proposed rule about protecting streams from adverse impacts of surface coal mining operations. A rule issued by the Bush administration in December 2008 allows coal mine operators to place excess excavated materials into streams if they can show it is not reasonably possible to avoid doing so. “We are moving as quickly as possible under the law to gather public input for a new rule, based on sound science, that will govern how companies handle fill removed from mountaintop coal seams,” according to Wilma Lewis, assistant secretary for Land and Minerals Management at DOI.
Note: Aligned deposition and modal characterization of micron and submicron poly(methyl methacyrlate) fiber cantilevers
Authors: Nain Amrinder S. , Filiz Sinan , Burak Ozdoganlar O. , Sitti Metin , Amon Cristina
Published: January 2010

Polymeric micro-/nanofibers are finding increasing use as sensors for novel applications. Here, we demonstrate the ability to deposit an array of poly(methyl methacyrlate) fibers with micron and submicron diameters in aligned configurations on customized piezoelectric shakers. Using lateral motion of an atomic force microscope tip, fibers are broken to obtain fiber cantilevers of high aspect ratio (length/diameter>20). The resonant frequencies of fabricated microfiber cantilevers are experimentally measured using a laser Doppler vibrometer. An average Young’s modulus of 3.5 GPa and quality factor of 20 were estimated from the experimentally obtained frequency responses.
State resolved measurements of a C1H2 removal confirm predictions of the gateway model for electronic quenching
Authors: Gannon K. L. , Blitz M. A. , Kovács T. , Pilling M. J. , Seakins P. W.
Published: January 2010

Collisional quenching of electronically excited states by inert gases is a fundamental physical process. For reactive excited species such as singlet methylene, C1H2, the competition between relaxation and reaction has important implications in practical systems such as combustion. The gateway model has previously been applied to the relaxation of C1H2 by inert gases [U. Bley and F. Temps, J. Chem. Phys. 98, 1058 (1993)]. In this model, gateway states with mixed singlet and triplet character allow conversion between the two electronic states. The gateway model makes very specific predictions about the relative relaxation rates of ortho and para quantum states of methylene at low temperatures; relaxation from para gateway states leads to faster deactivation independent of the nature of the collision partner. Experimental data are reported here which for the first time confirm these predictions at low temperatures for helium. However, it was found that in contrast with the model predictions, the magnitude of the effect decreases with increasing size of the collision partner. It is proposed that the attractive potential energy surface for larger colliders allows alternative gateway states to contribute to relaxation removing the dominance of the para gateway states.
A wireless interrogation system exploiting narrowband acoustic resonator for remote physical quantity measurement
Authors: Friedt J.-M , Droit C. , Martin G. , Ballandras S.
Published: January 2010

Monitoring physical quantities using acoustic wave devices can be advantageously achieved using the wave characteristic dependence to various parametric perturbations (temperature, stress, and pressure). Surface acoustic wave (SAW) resonators are particularly well suited to such applications as their resonance frequency is directly influenced by these perturbations, modifying both the phase velocity and resonance conditions. Moreover, the intrinsic radio frequency (rf) nature of these devices makes them ideal for wireless applications, mainly exploiting antennas reciprocity and piezoelectric reversibility. In this paper, we present a wireless SAW sensor interrogation unit operating in the 434 MHz centered ISM band—selected as a tradeoff between antenna dimensions and electromagnetic wave penetration in dielectric media—based on the principles of a frequency sweep network analyzer. We particularly focus on the compliance with the ISM standard which reveals complicated by the need for switching from emission to reception modes similarly to radar operation. In this matter, we propose a fully digital rf synthesis chain to develop various interrogation strategies to overcome the corresponding difficulties and comply with the above-mentioned standard. We finally assess the reader interrogation range, accuracy, and dynamics.
Random telegraph noise of junction leakage current in submicron devices
Authors: Mori Yuki , Takeda Kenichi , Yamada Ren-ichi
Published: January 2010

A random telegraph noise in submicron metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) has been found, and the noise fluctuation is examined in detail to clarify the mechanism causing it. This fluctuation, named variable junction leakage (VJL), was observed in the leakage current that occurred at a p-n junction in MOSFETs. We measured the temperature and bias dependences of the VJL in detail, and measured some VJLs in samples fabricated with different process conditions. We found that the activation energy of the fluctuation amplitude in VJL varied from 0.3to0.7eV among the samples and that the fluctuation amplitude of VJL increased as the electric field increased at a junction in a MOSFET. These results support the model that regards VJL as the dynamic fluctuation in Shockley–Read–Hall current or trap-assisted-tunneling current. We suggest the possibility that the origin of VJL is a fluctuation in the trap energy level or capture cross section of a defect. These results provide fresh insight into defects in silicon.
Improved electrical transport in Al-doped zinc oxide by thermal treatment
Authors: Ruske F. , Roczen M. , Lee K. , Wimmer M. , Gall S. , Hüpkes J. , Hrunski D. , Rech B.
Published: January 2010

A postdeposition thermal treatment has been applied to sputtered Al-doped zinc oxide films and shown to strongly decrease the resistivity of the films. While high temperature annealing usually leads to deterioration of electrical transport properties, a silicon capping layer successfully prevented the degradation of carrier concentration during the annealing step. The effect of annealing time and temperature has been studied in detail. A mobility increase from values of around 40 cm2/Vs up to 67 cm2/Vs, resulting in a resistivity of 1.4×10−4 Ω cm has been obtained for annealing at temperatures of 650 °C. The high mobility increase is most likely obtained by reduced grain boundary scattering. Changes in carrier concentration in the films caused by the thermal treatment are the result of two competing processes. For short annealing procedures we observed an increase in carrier concentration that we attribute to hydrogen diffusing into the zinc oxide film from a silicon nitride barrier layer between the zinc oxide and the glass substrate and the silicon capping layer on top of the zinc oxide. Both are hydrogen-rich if deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. For longer annealing times a decrease in carrier concentration can occur if a thin capping layer is used. This can be explained by the deteriorating effect of oxygen during thermal treatments which is well known from annealing of uncapped zinc oxide films. The reduction in carrier concentration can be prevented by the use of capping layers with thicknesses of 40 nm or more.
Enhancement of light emission from silicon nanocrystals by post-O2-annealing process
Authors: Park Byoung Youl , Lee Sol , Park Kyoungwan , Bae Chang Hyun , Park Seung Min
Published: January 2010

This study investigated the effects of the post-O2-annealing process on light emission from silicon nanocrystals. Using pulsed laser ablation in an O2-filled atmosphere, the SiOx (x<2) thin layers were synthesized prior to O2-annealing. We observed a strong photoluminescence from the silicon nanocrystals embedded in the annealed layers at 500 °C, which depended on the post-O2-annealing time. We also found that the interface property between the silicon nanocrystal and stoichiometric SiO2 matrix is critical for efficient light emission. The electroluminescence spectra in the visible range were obtained above the on-current density of 0.7 A/cm2 under several forward-bias voltages. The blueshift in the electroluminescence was attributed to the band-filling effect under high current injection mode. The external emission efficiency was estimated to be about 0.3% by using the band-filling model.
Interface-induced gap states and band-structure lineup at TiO2 heterostructures and Schottky contacts
Authors: Mönch Winfried
Published: January 2010

The band-structure lineup at semiconductor interfaces is explained by the continuum of the intrinsic interface-induced gap states (IFIGS) which derive from the complex band structures of the semiconductors. Hence, the valence-band offsets of semiconductor heterostructures and the barrier heights of metal-semiconductor or Schottky contacts are composed of a zero-charge transfer and an electrostatic-dipole term, which are determined by the IFIGS’s branch-point energies and the electronegativity difference of the two materials in contact, respectively. The analysis of experimental valence-band offsets at TiO2 heterostructures yields the p-type branch-point energy of TiO2 as 2.34±0.41 eV. This empirical value also explains the experimental valence-band offsets of TiO2/Si double heterostructures with SiO2, Al2O3, and Si3N4 interlayers and of metal-TiO2 Schottky contacts. The experimental valence-band offsets of Si3N4 heterostructures yield the p-type branch-point energy of this insulator as 1.53±0.11 eV.
Ti/Al/Ni/Au Ohmic contacts for AlInN/AlN/GaN-based heterojunction field-effect transistors
Authors: Zhou Lin , Leach Jacob H. , Ni Xianfeng , Morkoç Hadis , Smith David J.
Published: January 2010

The microstructure of AuNiAlTi/Al0.84In0.16N/AlN/GaN Ohmic contacts annealed from 700 to 900 °C has been determined using transmission electron microscopy and associated analytical techniques. Intermixing and phase separation of the metal contact layers was observed to degrade the surface roughness. An optimal contact performance was obtained for contacts annealed at 800 °C and was attributed to the formation of TiN contact inclusions that had penetrated through the AlInN layers into the GaN layers underneath. These TiN contact inclusions had an inverted mushroom shape with a density of ∼108 cm−2, and they were invariably located at the positions of mixed-type threading dislocations. These inclusion defects would act as a conduction path between the metal contacts and the two-dimensional electron gas of heterojunction field-effect transistor devices. The AlInN layer remained intact in dislocation-free areas of all samples.
Nonvolatile memory characteristics of atomic layer deposited Ru nanocrystals with a SiO2/Al2O3 bilayered tunnel barrier
Authors: Lee Do-Joong , Yim Sung-Soo , Kim Ki-Su , Kim Soo-Hyun , Kim Ki-Bum
Published: January 2010

This paper reports a formation process and electrical properties of a nonvolatile memory structure with atomic layer deposited Ru nanocrystals and a SiO2/Al2O3 bilayered tunnel barrier. Al2O3 tunnel barrier/Ru nanocrystals/Al2O3 blocking barrier were deposited sequentially on a SiO2 2 nm/Si substrate by an in situ atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. Ru nanocrystals grown on the Al2O3 surface for 80 ALD cycles had a spatial density of 2.4×1012 cm−2 and an average diameter of 2.6 nm (38% standard deviation in the diameter). Charging/discharging behavior of the Ru nanocrystals embedded in the metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitor structure was examined by programming/erase operations and comprehended in terms of asymmetric barrier height of the bilayered tunnel barrier. The memory structure showed charge retention of 91% and 85% after 105 s at room temperature and at 85 °C, respectively.
Investigation of terbium scandate as an alternative gate dielectric in fully depleted transistors
Authors: Roeckerath M. , Lopes J. M. J. , Özben E. Durğun , Urban C. , Schubert J. , Mantl S. , Jia Y. , Schlom D. G.
Published: January 2010

Terbium scandate thin films were deposited by e-gun evaporation on (100) silicon substrates. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and x-ray diffraction studies revealed homogeneous chemical compositions of the films. A dielectric constant of 26 and CV-curves with small hystereses were measured as well as low leakage current densities of <1 nA/cm2. Fully depleted n-type field-effect transistors on thin silicon-on-insulator substrates with terbium scandate gate dielectrics were fabricated with a gate-last process. The devices show inverse subthreshold slopes of 80 mV/dec and a carrier mobility for electrons of 225 cm2/V∙s was extracted.