bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Understanding, knowledge and attitudes towards current UK driving advice in insulin treated diabetic patients
Authors: Bodansky DMS , Bodansky HJ
Published: October 2009

UK driving licences are issued and controlled by a government body, the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency). Diabetic drivers must inform the DVLA and their motor insurer about their condition. Current advice is to test the capillary blood glucose level before driving. If symptomatic hypoglycaemia occurs during driving, the driver should stop, take carbohydrate, and wait 45 minutes after euglycaemia to allow brain function to recover before driving on. Previous studies have shown that diabetic drivers are good at informing both the DVLA and their insurer, but not good at following advice regarding testing and hypoglycaemia treatment. In order to inform our current education process, this study aimed to explore why drivers do not seem to follow this advice by examining the attitudes of patients and their acceptance of current UK advice for diabetic drivers.

Fifty consecutive insulin treated drivers attending a hospital clinic were interviewed over a two‐week period. All 50 agreed to interview; there were 34 men and 16 women, the median age was 49 years (range 19–77 years), and the median diabetes duration was 16 years (one month to 46 years). A questionnaire modified from Graveling et al. to include attitudes and acceptability of current advice was used.

Median driving duration was 22 years (four months to 56 years) and annual mileage 500–50 000 miles. Thirty‐six (72%) drove to work by car and 34% (including a lorry driver and a forklift truck driver) drove as part of their job; nine subjects had no period restriction on their licence. Only 34% always carry a blood glucose testing kit with them when driving. Testing before driving was performed: always (20%), long journeys (20%), sometimes (22%), never (38%); however, only 40% admitted to being previously advised to test before each journey. After the advice about testing before driving was explained, 64% thought it was reasonable, but 52% would not accept it. After hypoglycaemia when driving, the subjects reported that they would wait a mean of 25 minutes (5–60) before driving on. Only 10% knew of waiting 45 minutes after hypoglycaemia. After the current advice was explained, 24% found it unreasonable, while 36% would not accept this stricture.

Current advice for insulin treated drivers is not widely known. Better education is required. However, when given current advice about testing before each journey and waiting 45 minutes after hypoglycaemia, many patients considered this unreasonable and unacceptable. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons.
The current state of general practicediabetes care in the West of Ireland
Authors: Evans DS , O'Connell E , O'Donnell M , Hurley L , Glacken M , Murphy AW , Dinneen SF
Published: October 2009

This study aimed to assess the care provided to patients with diabetes in general practices in the West of Ireland. A postal questionnaire was sent to all 103 general practices in County Galway. The questionnaire assessed diabetes prevalence and maintenance of a diabetes register, use of guidelines for the care of diabetes, appointments systems and the provision of specialised diabetes clinics in general practice, referrals to the hospital specialist team, and opportunities for developing diabetes care.

The response rate was 76%. Mean estimated prevalence of diabetes was 2.7% (range 0.1–9.5%). A diabetes register was maintained by 33% of practices. Diabetes care guidelines were used by 56%. Thirty‐five percent of practices had GP(s) and 33% had practice nurse(s) with a special interest in diabetes. Only 12% had a formal call/recall system with 41% having doctor or nurse initiated diabetes appointments. One in 10 practices reported running specific diabetes clinics.

There is considerable scope for development of primary care diabetes services in the West of Ireland. Priority areas include the development and maintenance of diabetes registers, workforce enhancement through staff training in diabetes care and the adoption of best practice guidelines. All of this will require additional resources and incentives for GPs. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons.
Successful treatment of diabetic autonomic diarrhoea with monthly subcutaneous lanreotide
Authors: Ulahannan TJ , Amaratunga A
Published: October 2009

A 29‐year‐old woman, with 15 years of poorly controlled type 1 diabetes and established diabetic autonomic diarrhoea, presented with worsening diarrhoea and diabetic ketoacidosis. Frequency of bowel opening was up to 40 times per 24 hours. Octreotide was started, rapidly decreasing bowel motion frequency. Due to previous intolerable side effects of rotten odour breath and flatus, she converted to once‐monthly subcutaneous lanreotide (Somatuline Autogel). Her diarrhoea remained controlled without any side effects, until her demise a year later from severe diabetic ketoacidosis.

To our knowledge this is the first published report of the successful treatment of intractable diabetic autonomic diarrhoea by once‐monthly subcutaneous lanreotide. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons.
Severe reversible chorea complicating non‐ketotic hyperglycaemia
Authors: Chikthimmah V , Hopkins C , Wai P , Soh C , Silverdale M
Published: October 2009

Movement disorders can manifest as initial presentations in a variety of metabolic and endocrine disorders. Chorea, though rare, has been documented to occur in patients with non‐ketotic hyperglycaemia and usually has a good prognosis once the causal association is recognised and the hyperglycaemia treated. We report the case of an 87‐year‐old lady who presented with chorea complicating non‐ketotic hyperglycaemia, and this was confirmed with MRI brain imaging demonstrating the classical feature of this condition. A high T1‐weighted signal in the putamen is quite characteristic of this condition. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons.
Delivery of U‐500 insulin by CSII in a patient with type 2 diabetes and extreme insulin resistance
Authors: Hundia V , Pettit A , Pope R , Egerton J
Published: October 2009

A subset of patients with type 2 diabetes have a more extreme form of insulin resistance. Such patients require in excess of 200 units/day of insulin. The large volume of insulin required can cause problems with absorption and is often painful, affecting patient concordance. These patients often have poor glycaemic control. U‐500 insulin in equivalent doses delivers one‐fifth of the volume of regular U‐100 insulin and can potentially improve glycaemic control. Use of insulin pumps allows continuous infusion of U‐500 insulin resulting in better absorption and ability to deliver larger volumes over a 24‐hour period. There are a few case reports of U‐500 insulin delivered via pump, which have shown improvement in glycaemic control and patients' quality of life.

We present a case of extreme insulin resistance in a female patient whose glycaemic control improved remarkably using insulin pump. She also reported subjective improvement in her quality of life. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons.
Versatile substrate protein recognition mechanism of the eukaryotic chaperonin CCT
Authors: Jayasinghe Manori , Tewmey Cody , Stan George
Published: October 2009

Group II chaperonins, found in eukaryotic and archaeal organisms, recognize substrate proteins through diverse mechanisms that involve either hydrophobic‐ or electrostatic‐dominated interactions. This action is distinct from the universal substrate recognition mechanism of group I chaperonins, which bind a wide spectrum of non‐native proteins primarily through hydrophobic interactions. We use computational approaches to pinpoint the substrate protein binding sites of the γ‐subunit of the eukaryotic chaperonin CCT and to identify its interactions with the stringent substrate β‐tubulin. Protein–protein docking methods reveal intrinsic binding sites of CCT comprising a helical (HL) region, homologous to the GroEL‐binding site, and the helical protrusion (HP) region. We performed molecular dynamics simulations of the solvated CCTγ apical domain, β‐tubulin peptide‐CCTγ complexes, and isolated β‐tubulin peptides. We find that tubulin binds to CCTγ through an extensive interface that spans both the HL region and the HP region. HL interactions involve both hydrophobic and electrostatic contacts, while binding to the HP region is stabilized almost exclusively by a salt bridge network. On the basis of additional simulations of a β‐tubulin‐CCTγ complex that involves a reduced interface, centered onto the HP region, we conclude that this salt bridge network is the minimal stabilizing interaction required. Strong conservation of the charged amino acids that participate in the salt bridge network, Arg306 and Glu271, indicates a general mechanism across the nonidentical CCT subunits and group II chaperonins. Proteins 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A model reference robust control with unknown high‐frequency gain sign
Authors: Xu Jiang , Yan Lin , Peng Cheng
Published: October 2009

In this paper, we discuss the model reference robust control (MRRC) for plants with unknown high‐frequency gain sign. Based on an appropriate monitoring function, a switching scheme is proposed so that after a finite number of switching, for plants with relative degree one, the tracking error converges to zero exponentially, while for plants with relative degree greater than one, it converges exponentially to a residual set that can be made arbitrarily small by properly choosing some design parameters. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A comparative study on a novel model‐based PID tuning and control mechanism for nonlinear systems
Authors: Iplikci S.
Published: October 2009

This work presents a novel predictive model‐based proportional integral derivative (PID) tuning and control approach for unknown nonlinear systems. For this purpose, an NARX model of the plant to be controlled is obtained and then it used for both PID tuning and correction of the control action. In this study, for comparison, neural networks (NNs) and support vector machines (SVMs) have been used for modeling. The proposed structure has been tested on two highly nonlinear systems via simulations by comparing control and convergence performances of SVM‐ and NN‐Based PID controllers. The simulation results have shown that when used in the proposed scheme, both NN and SVM approaches provide rapid parameter convergence and considerably high control performance by yielding very small transient‐ and steady‐state tracking errors. Moreover, they can maintain their control performances under noisy conditions, while convergence properties are deteriorated to some extent due to the measurement noises. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Flexible, Transparent, Conducting Films of Randomly Stacked Graphene from Surfactant‐Stabilized, Oxide‐Free Graphene Dispersions
Authors: De Sukanta , King Paul J. , Lotya Mustafa , O'Neill Arlene , Doherty Evelyn M. , Hernandez Yenny , Duesberg Georg S. , Coleman Jonathan N.
Published: October 2009

Graphite is exfoliated in water to give dispersions of mono‐ and few‐layer graphene stabilized by surfactant. These dispersions can be used to form thin, disordered films of randomly stacked, oxide‐free, few‐layer graphenes. These films are transparent with a direct current conductivity of up to 1.5 × 104 S m−1. The conductivity is stable under flexing for at least 2000 cycles. The electrical properties are limited by disorder and aggregation suggesting future routes for improvement.
Lnk Deletion Reinforces the Function of Bone Marrow Progenitors in Promoting Neovascularization and Astrogliosis Following Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Kamei Naosuke , Kwon Sang-Mo , Alev Cantas , Ishikawa Masakazu , Yokoyama Ayumi , Nakanishi Kazuyoshi , Yamada Kiyotaka , Horii Miki , Nishimura Hiromi , Takaki Satoshi , Kawamoto Atsuhiko , Ii Masaaki , Akimaru Hiroshi , Tanaka Nobuhiro , Nishikawa Shin-Ichi , Ochi Mitsuo , Asahara Takayuki
Published: October 2009

Lnk is an intracellular adaptor protein reported as a negative regulator of proliferation in c-Kit positive, Sca-1 positive, lineage marker-negative (KSL) bone marrow cells. The KSL fraction in mouse bone marrow is believed to represent a population of hematopoietic and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). We report here that, in vitro, Lnk−/− KSL cells form more EPC colonies than Lnk+/+ KSL cells and show higher expression levels of endothelial marker genes, including CD105, CD144, Tie-1, and Tie2, than their wild-type counterparts. In vivo, the administration of Lnk+/+ KSL cells to a mouse spinal cord injury model promoted angiogenesis, astrogliosis, axon growth, and functional recovery following injury, with Lnk−/− KSL being significantly more effective in inducing and promoting these regenerative events. At day 3 following injury, large vessels could be observed in spinal cords treated with KSL cells, and reactive astrocytes were found to have migrated along these large vessels. We could further show that the enhancement of astrogliosis appears to be caused in conjunction with the acceleration of angiogenesis. These findings suggest that Lnk deletion reinforces the commitment of KSL cells to EPCs, promoting subsequent repair of injured spinal cord through the acceleration of angiogenesis and astrogliosis.
Question Classification for Chinese Cuisine Question Answering System
Authors: Xia Ling , Teng Zhi , Ren Fuji
Published: October 2009

This paper presents an integrated method on question classification for Chinese cuisine question answering (QA) system. First, we exploit the domain knowledge to enrich question preprocessing, then classification features are extracted by means of domain attributes and the rule‐based classifier is constructed. Support vector machine (SVM) classifier is used for secondary classification to the questions which cannot be matched with rules. A prototype system based on the proposed method has been constructed and an experiment on 453 natural language questions collected from Internet has been carried out. It achieved an accuracy of 96.22%. Result shows that a small number of linguistically motivated domain features can efficiently classify questions of Chinese cuisine QA system. Copyright © 2009 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Extraction of Stimulus‐Selective Intrinsic Optical Signals From the Cat Visual Cortex
Authors: Nagai Midori , Wang Gang
Published: October 2009

Optical imaging based on intrinsic optical signals has been widely utilized in studies on the functional organization of various areas of the brain. Because of the small size of the optical signals and the large amount of background noise that is present, it is critical to be able to separate the stimulus‐driven optical change from the background. In this study, we propose a novel method and apply it to the analysis of the orientation preference structure in cat area 17. The three criteria used to determine the activation included the amplitude of the optical change in the optical intensity, the statistical significance level of the change, and the temporal relationship between the optical change and the visual stimulation. In the activated region extracted by the new method, 82.4 ± 8.2% of the cells were electrophysiologically responsive to the stimuli that evoked the optical change. This was significantly higher than the 46.4 ± 7.1% value obtained when the activation region was extracted by the most widely used method, i.e. a differential map between two complementary stimuli, such as orthogonal orientations. Our newly proposed method provides a robust and an effective way to reduce manual operations used in the signal extraction process. Copyright © 2009 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Development of an Artificial Lipid‐Based Membrane Sensor with High Selectivity and Sensitivity to the Bitterness of Drugs and with High Correlation with Sensory Score
Authors: Kobayashi Yoshikazu , Hamada Hikari , Yamaguchi Yasuhiro , Ikezaki Hidekazu , Toko Kiyoshi
Published: October 2009

This paper reports the development of membrane sensors based on an artificial lipid and plasticizers with high selectivity and sensitivity to drug bitterness by using bis(1‐butylpentyl) adipate (BBPA), bis(2‐ethylhexyl) sebacate (BEHS), phosphoric acid tris(2‐ethylhexyl) ester (PTEH), and tributyl o‐acetylcitrate (TBAC) as a plasticizer and phosphoric acid di‐n‐decyl ester (PADE) as an artificial lipid to optimize surface hydrophobicity of the sensors. In addition, a sensor with highly correlated bitterness sensory score was developed by blending BBPA and TBAC to detect the bitterness suppression effect of sucrose, and other bitter‐masking materials. Therefore, this sensor can be used to evaluate the bitterness of various drug formulations with high accuracy. Copyright © 2009 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Analysis of Snapback Phenomena in VDMOS Transistor having the High Second Breakdown Current: A High ESD Mechanism Analysis
Authors: Hatasako Kenichi , Yamamoto Fumitoshi , Uenishi Akio , Kuroi Takashi , Maegawa Shigeto
Published: October 2009

We proposed the balanced vertical double ‐ diffused MOS (B‐VDMOS) transistor. The B‐VDMOS transistor is not destroyed by avalanche breakdown and acquires the high second breakdown current. Owing to the high second breakdown current, the B‐VDMOS transistor has high electrostatic discharge (ESD) robustness. This paper presents the mechanism of the snapback phenomena and clarifies the cause that the B‐VDMOS transistor has the high second breakdown current. We find the cause that current does not become concentrated even after avalanche breakdown in the B‐VDMOS transistor. Copyright © 2009 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Three‐Stage Method for Selecting Informative Genes for Cancer Classification
Authors: Mohamad Mohd Saberi , Omatu Sigeru , Deris Safaai , Yoshioka Michifumi
Published: October 2009

Gene expression data produced by microarray machines are useful for cancer classification. However, the process of gene selection for the classification faces a major problem because of the properties of the data such as the small number of samples compared with the huge number of genes (high‐dimensional data), irrelevant genes, and noisy data. Hence, this paper proposes a three‐stage method to select a small subset of informative genes which is most relevant for the cancer classification. It has three stages: (i) pre‐selecting genes using a filter method to produce a subset of genes; (ii) optimizing the gene subset using a multi‐objective hybrid method to yield near‐optimal subsets of genes; (iii) analyzing the frequency of appearance of each gene in the different near‐optimal gene subsets to produce a small (final) subset of informative genes. Five gene expression data sets are used to test the effectiveness of the proposed method. Experimental results show that the performance of the proposed method is superior to other experimental methods and related previous works. A list of informative genes in the final gene subset is also presented for biological usage. Copyright © 2009 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Particle Swarm Optimization Based Global Descent Method
Authors: Qian Chen , Yasuda Keiichiro
Published: October 2009

This letter proposes a new global descent method based on not only the concept of a conventional descent method in mathematical programming but also the concept of search direction in particle swarm optimization (PSO) in metaheuristics. The proposed method, called particle swarm optimization based global descent method (PSOGDM), consists of two main procedures; (i) determination of search direction and (ii) global optimization for given search direction. Although the search direction that has three parameters is decided based on the concept of PSO, the proposed PSOGDM is a single‐point search different from PSO. Global optimization for a given search direction is performed by PSO. The search capability of the proposed PSOGDM is examined based on the results of numerical experiments using five typical benchmark problems. Copyright © 2009 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Ensemble Stimulation of Embryoid Bodies using Substrate‐Embedded Electrodes
Authors: Takayama Yuzo , Moriguchi Hiroyuki , Saito Atushi , Kotani Kiyoshi , Jimbo Yasuhiko
Published: October 2009

Precise control of differentiation processes of pluripotent stem cells is essential for regeneration medicine, and electrical stimulation is one of the promising techniques, particularly for the regulation of neuronal regeneration. In the present study, we developed substrates with embedded electrodes, which allowed ensemble electrical stimulation of embryoid bodies (EBs). Microcavity‐array patterns were fabricated on substrates with embedded electrodes. Uniform‐size EBs of P19 cells were prepared, inserted one by one in each microcavity, and electrical stimulation was applied through substrate electrodes. Stimulus‐induced intracellular calcium transients were successfully monitored by fluorescence imaging. The results suggested that this method would be useful for applying precisely controlled electrical stimulation to a large number of EBs of stem cells. Copyright © 2009 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Power Distribution Protection System Design with Momentary Interruption Consideration
Authors: Wattanasophon Sirichai , Eua‐arporn Bundhit
Published: October 2009

An objective of protection system design is to support the system to serve its customers with highly reliable and low‐cost power supply. In this paper, a radial distribution protection system design is formulated as a binary integer programming problem to identify number, types, and locations of the protective devices in order to optimize system total cost. The formulated problem takes into account not only the reliability of system components' but also the cost of utility investment and customer interruption, which comprises permanent and momentary interruption. The proposed method has been tested with an actual system with satisfactory results, from which it clearly shows the necessity of the inclusion of the customer interruption cost into the design problem. Copyright © 2009 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Crosstalk Simulation for Parallel Microstrip Lines with a Nonlinear Capacitive Load Using the Dynamic C‐V Characteristic
Authors: Watanabe Takemi , Matsumoto Fujihiko , Miyazawa Toshio , Noguchi Yasuaki
Published: October 2009

Crosstalk analysis is getting more important for avoiding malfunction of circuits. In this paper, crosstalk analysis of parallel microstrip lines with a nonlinear capacitive load is described. A characteristic of the nonlinear capacitive load is changed by a rapidly change of an applied voltage of the load. The change of the characteristic induces a complicated reflected wave that causes complicated crosstalk. To simulate such crosstalk precisely, the dynamic C‐V characteristic can be used. However, if the dynamic C‐V characteristic is complicated, it takes a long time to simulate the crosstalk by using a conventional method. Thus, a simulation method using a recurrence formula is introduced. The recurrence formula is derived from a function of the dynamic C‐V characteristic simply. The calculated results computed by using the introduced method agree with the measured crosstalk and the introduced method is superior in computation time to the conventional method. It is confirmed that the introduced method is effective in crosstalk simulation. Copyright © 2009 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Stability Analysis of Cascaded DC–DC Power Electronic System
Authors: Mummadi Veerachary , Singamaneni Bala Sudhakar
Published: October 2009

Stability analysis of the cascaded dc‐dc power electronic system is analyzed in this paper. For demonstration boost converter supplying, the hybrid switched capacitor converter considered as an example. The boost converter is acting as the bus converter, 42 V bus, while the switched capacitor converter is serving as the point of load converter. The two converters are provided with voltage‐mode and peak current‐mode controllers, respectively. Converter state‐space, two‐port network models are developed and then stability of the cascaded system has been analyzed. Cascaded system interaction effects, (i) source converter power handling capability with switching load and (ii) load converter interfacing capability with bus converter, are analyzed. Simulation and experimental results are provided for verification purpose. Copyright © 2009 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
On Verification and Parameter Design in Hybrid Automaton Using Invariant
Authors: Wang LiLi , Zanma Tadanao , Ishida Muneaki
Published: October 2009

Invariants for hybrid automata are determined from predicates that are constant for every reachable state in the automata. These invariants can be used to verify a given specification by exploiting their characteristics. In this paper, a switched system driven by discrete inputs is used as an example of a hybrid dynamical system. For the system, we propose a verification method for a given specification based on the concept of invariants and a design policy of parameters with which the given specification is satisfied. Some numerical and experimental results are provided to show the validity of the proposed method. Copyright © 2009 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Synthesis of Carbon Nanotubes on Fly Ashes by Chemical Vapor Deposition Processing
Authors: Yasui Akihiro , Kamiya Yasuhiro , Sugiyama Shota , Ono Shingo , Noda Hidetomo , Ichikawa Yo
Published: October 2009

Fly ashes are the waste product following the combustion of coal. Disposal of fly ashes is a serious environmental problem; therefore, finding a new utilization of fly ashes is highly demanded. Carbon nano‐structures have been widely studied as key materials in a wide range of applications, including sensing, saturable absorber, and so on, because of its optical and electromagnetic absorption property. Adding the property of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to fly ashes expands applications of fly ashes. In this paper, we present the fabrication of multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on fly ashes by thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, which result in simple, low‐cost, large‐amount production of MWCNTs. Copyright © 2009 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Application of Thermal Analysis for Clarification of Degradation Characteristics of Silicone Rubber Exposed to Partial Arc Discharge
Authors: Haji Kenichi , Hirano Kimitaka , Sakoda Tatsuya , Otsubo Masahisa
Published: October 2009

To investigate the temperature distribution on the surface of a silicone rubber exposed to partial arc discharges, numerical analyses on thermal characteristics were carried out. The preliminary calculations indicated that there was no dependence of mesh and time step. The temperature on the specimen surface became high in the middle of the discharge gap while those at points of contact between an arc discharge and tips of glass‐filter paper used as electrodes became low. The thermal diffusion from the points of contact between the arc discharge and the tips of glass‐filter paper into electrolyte electrodes caused the temperature decrease at such points. Copyright © 2009 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Non‐invasive fetal lung assessment using diffusion‐weighted imaging
Authors: Lee W. , Krisko A. , Shetty A. , Yeo L. , Hassan S. S. , Gotsch F. , Mody S. , Gonçalves L. F. , Romero R.
Published: October 2009

Objectives

The main goal was to develop a reproducible method for estimating the diffusion of water in human fetal lung tissue using diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI). A secondary objective was to determine the relationship of the apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) in the fetal lung to menstrual age and total lung volume.

Methods

Normal pregnant volunteers were scanned on a 1.5‐Tesla (T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. The MRI system was equipped with 40‐mT/m gradients (slew rate 200 T/m/s, rise time 0.2 ms). A six‐channel body array coil was used for signal reception. Single‐shot DWI utilized TE/TR 125/3400 ms, slice thickness 4 mm, field of view 280 mm × 280 mm, interslice gap 0.8 mm and a matrix of 128 × 128. The voxel size was 2.5 mm × 2.5 mm × 4.0 mm. Two b‐values (0 and 1000) were chosen along three orthogonal directions. ADC maps were created using assigned b‐values. Simple linear regression was performed with Pearson correlation coefficient. Interexaminer and intraexaminer bias, and 95% limits of agreement (LOA) were determined using Bland–Altman plots.

Results

Forty‐seven scans were performed at a mean ± SD of 29.2 ± 4.5 weeks. The median coefficient of variation for ADC was 5.6% (interquartile range, 4.0–8.1%). No differences in ADC values were found between right and left lungs. Normally distributed ADC measurements were not significantly correlated with either total lung volume (r2 = 0.0001, P = 0.94) or menstrual age (r2 = 0.003, P = 0.70). The mean ADC value was 1.75 (95% CI, 1.63–1.86). Mean ± SD intraexaminer bias was −0.15 ± 2.3 (95% LOA, −4.7 to + 4.4) and interexaminer bias was 2.2 ± 3.5 (95% LOA, −4.7 to + 9.1).

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that ADC measurements of the fetal lung are reproducible between blinded examiners and are independent of menstrual age, as well as lung volume. Copyright © 2009 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Photostabilizing effect of some thermal stabilizers for poly(vinyl chloride) in the presence of filler
Authors: Braun D. , Rabie S.T.
Published: October 2009

The commercial stabilizers Ca‐Zn stearate and dibutyltin‐S,S′‐di(isooctyl thioglycolate) have been investigated as photostabilizers for rigid poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) in the presence of two types of CaCO3 as filler (natural and modified). The results reveal the costabilizing efficiency of CaCO3, especially the natural type, when it is used in concentrations of 1–30% by weight. The stabilizing efficiency of CaCO3 is indicated by the longer induction period and the lower rate of dehydrochlorination. The stabilizing effect of CaCO3 may be attributed because of its opacity and action as a screening agent by reflecting ultraviolet light, thereby hindering the penetration of the light into the polymer matrix. In addition, CaCO3 has the ability to absorb the HCl evolved during processing. The slight difference in the stabilizing effect of natural CaCO3 compared to that of the modified one can be attributed to the modification process, that may decrease the number of active sites on the surface of CaCO3, that in turn are responsible for the absorption of the evolved HCl. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 2009. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers
Improvement of processing parameters by using processing aids during the linear low‐density polyethylene film blowing process
Authors: Fatehi Abbas , Sanjani Naser Sharifi
Published: October 2009

Polymer processing aids are used to improve processing properties in the polyethylene industry. These materials improve not only the physical and mechanical properties of the final products but also their processing properties. This paper studies some of the processing variables such as die pressure, melt temperature, masterbatch activity, and die gap by examining the functions of polymer processing aids and, last but not least, the effects on the film blowing process of two‐component processing aids containing a perfluorinated additive and polyoxyethylene. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 2010. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers
Channel‐switching and power control mechanisms for improving network connectivity in wireless mesh networks
Authors: Chang Chih‐Yung , Lee Shih‐Chieh , Chen Yu‐Chieh
Published: October 2009

A Wireless Mesh Network (WMN) consists of fixed wireless routers, each of which provides service for mobile clients within its coverage area and inter‐connects mesh routers to form a connected mesh backbone. Wireless mesh routers are assigned with a channel or a code to prevent collisions in transmission. With a power control mechanism, each router could be assigned with a power level to control connectivity, interference, spectrum spatial reuse, and topology. Assigning high transmitting power level to a router can enhance the network connectivity but may increase the number of neighbors and worsen the collision problem. How to assign an appropriate power level to each router to improve the network connectivity with a constraint of limited channels is one of the most important issues in WMNs. Given a network topology and a set of channels that has been assigned to mesh routers, the proposed channel‐switching mechanism further reassigns each router with a power level and switches channels of routers to optimize both power efficiency and connectivity. A matrix‐based presentation and operations are proposed to respectively identify and resolve the channel switching problems. Simulation study reveals that the proposed mechanisms increase network throughput and provides a variety of route selection, and thus improves the performance of a given WMN. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Investigation of the Thermoelectric Properties of the Series TiCo1–xNixSnxSb1–x
Authors: Barth Joachim , Schoop M. , Gloskovskii Andrei , Shkabko Andrey , Weidenkaff Anke , Felser Claudia
Published: October 2009

The effect of the simultaneous substitution of cobalt by nickel and antimony by tin in the solid solution TiCo1–xNixSnxSb1–x was systematically investigated. The number of valence electrons does not change by this substitution and therefore the resistivity stays semimetallic or semiconducting. The series were synthesized by arcmelting and the thermoelectric properties were determined. It was found out that the substitution of cobalt and antimony by nickel and tin reduces the thermal conductivity to 2 W·m–1·K–1 at 400 K. The reduction is caused by titanium rich prolate micro structures that were found by energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy investigations. The Seebeck coefficient and the resistivity increase with increasing amounts of cobalt and antimony. The highest Power factor was found for the composition TiCo0.8Ni0.2Sn0.8Sb0.2 at 900 K with the value of 9.2 μW·cm–1·K–1.
Synthesis, Structure, and Cyclic Voltammetric Property of Metal String Complex [Ni3(dpa)4(ClO4)(Cl)]·CH2Cl2
Authors: Miao Xiao‐He , Zhu Long‐Guan
Published: October 2009

The metal string complex [Ni3(dpa)4(ClO4)(Cl)]·CH2Cl2 (1) [dpa = bis(2‐pyridyl)amine] with different axial ligands was synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, UV/Vis, and fluorescence spectroscopy and TG analysis. The molecular structure was determined by single‐crystal X‐ray analysis and its electrochemical properties were investigated. This metal string complex is the first example with different axial ligands, and in its structure a different structural packing relative to the metal string complex [Ni3(dpa)4(Cl)2] (2) with two axial chloride ligands is generated. The intense C–H···π interactions observed for 1 provide additional stability. The axial mono‐substitution of Cl– by ClO4– in 1 relative to 2 results in one obviously short Ni–Ni distance and a higher stability towards oxidation.
Isolated Diaphyseal Fractures of the Radius in Skeletally Immature Patients
Authors: Guitton Thierry G. , Dijk Niek C. Van , Raaymakers Ernst L. , Ring David
Published: October 2009

Diaphyseal radius fractures without associated ulna fracture or radioulnar dislocation (isolated fracture of the radius) are recognized in adults but are rarely described in skeletally immature patients. A search of our database (1974–2002) identified 17 pediatric patients that had an isolated fracture of the radius. Among the 13 patients with at least 1 year follow-up, ten were treated with manipulative reduction and immobilization in an above elbow cast and three had initial operative treatment with plate and screw fixation. These 13 patients were evaluated for an average of 18 months (range, 12 to 45 months) after injury using the system of Price and colleagues. The incidence of isolated diaphyseal radius fractures in skeletally immature patients was 0.56 per year in our database and represented 27% of the 63 patients with a diaphyseal forearm fracture. All 13 patients, with at least 1 year follow-up, regained full elbow flexion and extension and full forearm rotation. According to the classification system of Price, all 13 patients (100%) had an excellent result. As in adults, isolated radius fractures seem to occur in children more frequently than previously appreciated. Treatment of isolated radius fractures in skeletally immature patients has a low complication rate, and excellent functional outcomes are the rule.
Perceived mattering to parents and friends for university students: A longitudinal study☆
Authors: Marshall Sheila K. , Liu Yan , Wu Amery , Berzonsky Michael , Adams Gerald R.
Published: October 2009

A multiple indicators multilevel (MIML) latent growth model was used to examine university students' (N = 484) perceived mattering to mother, father, and friends over a three year period. The model was used to examine whether repeated measurements of perceived mattering remained invariant across time for all three referents, what the developmental trajectories looked like, and if the growth trajectories varied between gender groups and living arrangements. Temporal measurement invariance held for all three referents. Growth trajectories showed a significant declining slope for perceived mattering to mother only. Women perceived themselves as mattering to parents and friends more than men. Living arrangements were associated with mattering to friends but not mattering to parents.
Intact intracellular tail is critical for proper functioning of the tumor‐associated, hypoxia‐regulated carbonic anhydrase IX
Authors: Hulikova Alzbeta , Zatovicova Miriam , Svastova Eliska , Ditte Peter , Brasseur Robert , Kettmann Richard , Supuran Claudiu T. , Kopacek Juraj , Pastorek Jaromir , Pastorekova Silvia
Published: October 2009

MINT‐7293982: E‐cadherin (uniprotkb:Q95LE0) and CA IX (genbank_protein_gi:223556027) colocalize (MI:0403) by fluorescence microscopy (MI:0416)
Binding of epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate to transthyretin modulates its amyloidogenicity
Authors: Ferreira Nelson , Cardoso Isabel , Domingues Maria Rosário , Vitorino Rui , Bastos Margarida , Bai Guangyue , Saraiva Maria João , Almeida Maria Rosário
Published: October 2009

MINT‐7294529: TTR (uniprotkb:P02766) and TTR (uniprotkb:P02766) bind (MI:0407) by comigration in non‐denaturing gel electrophoresis (MI:0404)
Structure and function of mitochondrial carriers – Role of the transmembrane helix P and G residues in the gating and transport mechanism
Authors: Palmieri Ferdinando , Pierri Ciro Leonardo
Published: October 2009

To date, 22 mitochondrial carrier subfamilies have been functionally identified based on substrate specificity. Structural, functional and bioinformatics studies have pointed to the existence in the mitochondrial carrier superfamily of a substrate‐binding site in the internal carrier cavity, of two salt‐bridge networks or gates that close the cavity alternatively on the matrix or the cytosolic side of the membrane, and of conserved prolines and glycines in the transmembrane α‐helices. The significance of these properties in the structural changes occurring during the catalytic substrate translocation cycle are discussed within the context of a transport mechanism model. Most experimentally produced and disease‐causing missense mutations concern carrier regions corresponding to the substrate‐binding site, the two gates and the conserved prolines and glycines.
Two variants of the Russian radical right: Imperial and social nationalism
Authors: Beichelt Timm
Published: October 2009

The text combines three lines of discussion. First, on the empirical level two Russian political parties e the CPRF and the LDPR e are characterized with regard to their specific profiles of right-wing radicalism. Second, these profiles are attributed to specific variations of the interpretation of the Russian past. Third, the empirical findings are traced for insights into the Leninist legacy concept. The main hypothesis on the empirical level is that Russian ultranationalist actors refer to different currents of a common national imagination in order to combine nationalist ideological elements with other programmatic features. On the conceptual level, the legacy concept is able to render systematic insights not into the history of a given state but into varying interpretations of what can be seen as ‘usable pasts’ from the perspective of various intellectual entrepreneurs.
EDITOR'S NOTE
Authors: Tucker Judith E.
Published: October 2009

With this issue, I say a bittersweet goodbye to my life as IJMES editor. It has been a privilege to serve the Middle East studies community and to enjoy a front-row seat on the accomplishments and dynamism of our field. IJMES has long been an inclusive journal; scholars of different disciplines, origins, ranks, and theoretical persuasions submit their work. I have enjoyed reading it all and have been much encouraged by the originality, erudition, and overall quality of scholarship in our field. At a time when information, analysis, and understanding of the Middle East have been in short supply in many dimensions of public discourse, most scholars in our field have not wavered in their commitment to the high standards and intellectual honesty that must inform scholarly endeavors if they are to merit the name.
Unspoken Dreams
Authors: Morrison Heidi
Published: October 2009

During the period from 1900 to 1950, the production and deployment of photographic images of the Egyptian child by Egyptian adults played a role in nationalism, a role as yet unstudied by historians of Egypt or of photography. The studio portrait selected here represents the commonly produced genre of photographs that showed Egyptian children as technologically capable and possessing Western symbols of progress. This picture of two girls and one boy surrounding an adult man's bike—whose wheels are larger than the smallest child and on whose seat seems to be placed the decorative vase of flowers in the backdrop—suggests that the children are present in the living room not to ride the bike but rather to show off their possession of a modern means of transportation (and perhaps to learn about it from the books resting on the bike's rear rack).
Money for Nothing? Offsets in the U.S.–Middle East Defense Trade
Authors: Marshall Shana
Published: October 2009

In December 2008, the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) released its thirteenth annual report on offsets in the U.S. defense trade. This chart displays numbers for the BIS category Middle East/Africa, taken from these reports beginning in 1993. Offsets are a variety of industrial and commercial incentives that defense firms provide to foreign governments to facilitate purchases, from coproduction of particular weapons systems to overseas investment. They have become such big business in the Middle East that a system has evolved to allow defense contractors to bank and trade offset credits like any other investment. Unlike ordinary investments, however, offsets represent transfers of substantial resources to authoritarian governments under conditions of near total unaccountability. Because offsets are usually a percentage of the overall contract value, regimes that spend more on weapons get more in offsets.
THE CONSTITUTION OF MEDINA: A SOCIOLEGAL INTERPRETATION OF MUHAMMAD'S ACTS OF FOUNDATION OF THEUMMA
Authors: Arjomand Saïd Amir
Published: October 2009

One of the oldest extant documents in Islamic history records a set of deeds executed by Muhammad after his migration (hijra) in 622 from Mecca to Yathrib, subsequently known as “the City [madīna] of the Prophet.” Marking the beginning of the Islamic era, the document comprising the deeds has been the subject of well over a century of modern scholarship and is commonly called the “Constitution of Medina”—with some justification, although the first modern scholar who studied it at the end of the 19th century, Julius Wellhausen, more accurately described it as the “municipal charter” (Gemeindeordnung) of Medina. In 1889, Wellhausen highlighted the text's antiquity, which has been acknowledged by even the most skeptical of contemporary “source-critical” scholars, Patricia Crone, who thinks that, in Ibn Ishaq'sSira, “it sticks out like a piece of solid rock in an accumulation of rubble.”
LIMITS OF “AUTHORITARIAN UPGRADING” IN SYRIA: PRIVATE WELFARE, ISLAMIC CHARITIES, AND THE RISE OF THE ZAYD MOVEMENT
Authors: Pierret Thomas , Selvik Kjetil
Published: October 2009

Shaykh Naʿim al-ʿArqsusi is one of Damascus's most popular Muslim scholars. A leading figure of a local Islamic movement called Jamaʿat Zayd (Zayd's Group), he is widely praised for his knowledge, modesty, and asceticism. Every week, this frail, short-bearded fifty-six-year-old attracts several thousand people to the huge concrete al-Iman mosque next to Baʿth party headquarters in the middle-class neighborhood of al-Mezraʿa.
FROM DIFĀʿ AL-NISĀʾ TO MASʾALAT AL-NISĀʾ IN GREATER SYRIA: READERS AND WRITERS DEBATE WOMEN AND THEIR RIGHTS, 1858–1900
Authors: Zachs Fruma , Halevi Sharon
Published: October 2009

In this article we present a threefold argument—chronological, geographical, and sociocultural—in order to demonstrate that interest in the woman question and the lively and at times charged debate that it stimulated began in Greater Syria in the earlynahḍa(awakening) period and persisted throughout, drawing into its orbit leading intellectuals as well as members of the general public and permeating even peripheral areas of Greater Syria. We do so by examining the public reflection of this debate in the earlynahḍapress, mainly privately published Beirut journals and newspapers.
A READING OF THE TURKISH NOVEL: THREE WAYS OF CONSTITUTING THE “TURKISH MODERN”
Authors: Ertuğrul Kürşad
Published: October 2009

This study gives voice to three ways of becoming modern in the Turkish experience through a reading of the novels of Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar, Oğuz Atay, and Orhan Pamuk. The first possibility, represented by the works of Tanpınar, is more conservative and defensive, concerned with preserving what is considered authentic culture. Anti-individualistic, it nonetheless attempts to appropriate Western culture and the change generated by its impact within “the traditional essence.” The second possibility, represented by the works of Atay, is open ended: it reaches beyond the limitations of the Turkish social-historical domain to create a new individual (and implicitly social) existence while remaining critical of Western “individuality.” The last possibility, represented by the works of Pamuk, expresses the dominant concept of “modernization” in Turkey, which equates modernization with Westernization. Individualization comes to mean replication of “Western individuality.”