bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Overview of the Structure and Properties of Silicon‐Based Oxynitride Glasses
Authors: Becher Paul F. , Hampshire Stuart , Pomeroy Michael J. , Hoffmann Michael J. , Lance Michael J. , Satet Raphaelle L.
Published: February 2011

The silicon oxynitride glasses take advantage of nitrogen bonding to attain high elastic modulus, increased softening temperatures and viscosities, greater slow crack growth resistance, and modest gains in fracture resistance. Of the oxynitride glasses, the Si–Y–Al‐based oxynitride glasses have been most extensively studied and a degree of success has been achieved in understanding how changes in glass composition affect structural parameters and their relationship with properties. More recent studies have focused on the Si–RE–Me oxynitride glasses, where Me is primarily Al or Mg and rare earth (RE) includes most of the lanthanide series elements. These glasses possess a range of elastic, thermal, mechanical, and optical properties, which can be correlated with the strength of the RE bond in terms of the cationic field strength. However, such correlations require knowledge of not only the RE valence state but also its coordination with the anions. Herein, the current state‐of‐the‐art understanding of the properties and structural parameters of oxynitride glasses and their interrelationships are reviewed.
Edge Strength Testing of Thin Glasses
Authors: Gulati Suresh T. , Helfinstine John D.
Published: February 2011

Following a brief history of various tests for measuring edge strength, we present the theory and application of four‐point vertical bend test (VBT). The latter is similar to a standard four‐point bend test except that the specimen is turned on its edge so as to permit application of uniform tension to a majority of the edge flaws. The article cautions against lateral buckling of the VBT specimen, resulting in failure initiation from the “compression” edge, if its dimensions are not optimized. We provide guidelines for designing the width and thickness of the VBT specimen relative to its length, which obviates the onset of lateral buckling. Three simple inspections to verify the validity of VBT include the shape of load versus deflection curve, location of failure origin, and fracture pattern. Two examples, one involving edge quality of an aluminosilicate glass and the other involving factors that affect edge strength of automotive glass, help illustrate the application of VBT.
Neogenin, a “Neo” Receptor for BMP
Authors: Gough Nancy R.
Published: February 2011

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) bind the receptor neogenin to trigger pathways that inhibit BMP signaling through the transcriptional regulators Smads.
It’s a FAKt: Kinase Mediates Metastasis
Authors: Frisk Megan L.
Published: February 2011

Metastatic cancer cells lodge in lung as a result of endothelial cell kinase activity.
Two Distinct Genetic Elements Are Responsible for
erm
(TR)-Mediated Erythromycin Resistance in Tetracycline-Susceptible and Tetracycline-Resistant Strains of Streptococcus pyogenes
Authors: Brenciani Andrea , Tiberi Erika , Bacciaglia Alessandro , Petrelli Dezemona , Varaldo Pietro E. , Giovanetti Eleonora
Published: February 2011

In
Streptococcus pyogenes
, inducible erythromycin (ERY) resistance is due to posttranscriptional methylation of an adenine residue in 23S rRNA that can be encoded either by the
erm
(B) gene or by the more recently described
erm
(TR) gene. Two
erm
(TR)-carrying genetic elements, showing extensive DNA identities, have thus far been sequenced: ICE10750-RD.2 (∼49 kb) and Tn
1806
(∼54 kb), from tetracycline (TET)-susceptible strains of
S. pyogenes
and
Streptococcus pneumoniae
, respectively. However, TET resistance, commonly mediated by the
tet
(O) gene, is widespread in
erm
(TR)-positive
S. pyogenes
. In this study, 23
S. pyogenes
clinical strains with
erm
(TR)-mediated ERY resistance—3 TET susceptible and 20 TET resistant—were investigated. Two
erm
(TR)-carrying elements sharing only a short, high-identity
erm
(TR)-containing core sequence were comprehensively characterized: ICE
Sp
1108 (45,456 bp) from the TET-susceptible strain C1 and ICE
Sp
2905 (65,575 bp) from the TET-resistant strain iB21. While ICE
Sp
1108 exhibited extensive identities to ICE10750-RD.2 and Tn
1806
, ICE
Sp
2905 showed a previously unreported genetic organization resulting from the insertion of separate
erm
(TR)- and
tet
(O)-containing fragments in a scaffold of clostridial origin. Transferability by conjugation of the
erm
(TR) elements from the same strains used in this study had been demonstrated in earlier investigations. Unlike ICE10750-RD.2 and Tn
1806
, which are integrated into an
hsdM
chromosomal gene, both ICE
Sp
1108 and ICE
Sp
2905 shared the chromosomal integration site at the 3′ end of the conserved
rum
gene, which is an integration hot spot for several mobile streptococcal elements. By using PCR-mapping assays,
erm
(TR)-carrying elements closely resembling ICE
Sp
1108 and ICE
Sp
2905 were shown in the other TET-susceptible and TET-resistant test strains, respectively.
Characterization of a Novel Arginine Catabolic Mobile Element (ACME) and Staphylococcal Chromosomal Cassette
mec
Composite Island with Significant Homology to Staphylococcus epidermidis ACME Type II in Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Genotype ST22-MRSA-IV
Authors: Shore Anna C. , Rossney Angela S. , Brennan Orla M. , Kinnevey Peter M. , Humphreys Hilary , Sullivan Derek J. , Goering Richard V. , Ehricht Ralf , Monecke Stefan , Coleman David C.
Published: February 2011

The arginine catabolic mobile element (ACME) is prevalent among methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) isolates of sequence type 8 (ST8) and staphylococcal chromosomal cassette
mec
(SCC
mec
) type IVa (USA300) (ST8-MRSA-IVa isolates), and evidence suggests that ACME enhances the ability of ST8-MRSA-IVa to grow and survive on its host. ACME has been identified in a small number of isolates belonging to other MRSA clones but is widespread among coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS). This study reports the first description of ACME in two distinct strains of the pandemic ST22-MRSA-IV clone. A total of 238 MRSA isolates recovered in Ireland between 1971 and 2008 were investigated for ACME using a DNA microarray. Twenty-three isolates (9.7%) were ACME positive, and all were either MRSA genotype ST8-MRSA-IVa (7/23, 30%) or MRSA genotype ST22-MRSA-IV (16/23, 70%). Whole-genome sequencing and comprehensive molecular characterization revealed the presence of a novel 46-kb ACME and staphylococcal chromosomal cassette
mec
(SCC
mec
) composite island (ACME/SCC
mec
-CI) in ST22-MRSA-IVh isolates (
n
= 15). This ACME/SCC
mec
-CI consists of a 12-kb DNA region previously identified in ACME type II in
S. epidermidis
ATCC 12228, a truncated copy of the J1 region of SCC
mec
type I, and a complete SCC
mec
type IVh element. The composite island has a novel genetic organization, with ACME located within
orfX
and SCC
mec
located downstream of ACME. One PVL locus-positive ST22-MRSA-IVa isolate carried ACME located downstream of SCC
mec
type IVa, as previously described in ST8-MRSA-IVa. These results suggest that ACME has been acquired by ST22-MRSA-IV on two independent occasions. At least one of these instances may have involved horizontal transfer and recombination events between MRSA and CoNS. The presence of ACME may enhance dissemination of ST22-MRSA-IV, an already successful MRSA clone.
Multicenter Study in Taiwan of the
In Vitro
Activities of Nemonoxacin, Tigecycline, Doripenem, and Other Antimicrobial Agents against Clinical Isolates of Various Nocardia Species
Authors: Lai Chih-Cheng , Liu Wei-Lun , Ko Wen-Chien , Chen Yen-Hsu , Tan Hon-Ren , Huang Yu-Tsung , Hsueh Po-Ren
Published: February 2011

The aim of this study was to assess the
in vitro
activities of nemonoxacin (a novel nonfluorinated quinolone), doripenem, tigecycline, and 16 other antimicrobial agents against
Nocardia
species. The MICs of the 19 agents against 151 clinical isolates of
Nocardia
species were determined by the broth microdilution method. The isolates were identified to the species level using 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. The results showed that
N. brasiliensis
(
n
= 60; 40%) was the most common species, followed by
N. cyriacigeorgica
(
n
= 24; 16%),
N. farcinica
(
n
= 12; 8%),
N. beijingensis
(
n
= 9),
N. otitidiscaviarum
(
n
= 8),
N. nova
(
n
= 8),
N. asiatica
(
n
= 7),
N. puris
(
n
= 6),
N. flavorosea
(
n
= 5),
N. abscessus
(
n
= 3),
N. carnea
(2), and one each of
N. alba
,
N. asteroides
complex,
N. rhamnosiphila
,
N. elegans
,
N. jinanensis
,
N. takedensis
, and
N. transvalensis
. The MIC
90
s of the tested quinolones against the
N. brasiliensis
isolates were in the order nemonoxacin = gemifloxacin < moxifloxacin < levofloxacin = ciprofloxacin, and the MIC
90
s of the tested carbapenems were in the order doripenem = meropenem < ertapenem < imipenem. Tigecycline had a lower MIC
90
(1 μg/ml) than linezolid (8 μg/ml). The MIC
90
s of the tested quinolones against
N. cyriacigeorgica
isolates were in the order nemonoxacin < gemifloxacin < moxifloxacin < levofloxacin < ciprofloxacin, and the MIC
90
s of the tested carbapenems were in the order imipenem < doripenem = meropenem < ertapenem. Nemonoxacin had the lowest MIC
90
values among the tested quinolones against the other 17
Nocardia
isolates. Among the four tested carbapenems, imipenem had the lowest MIC
90
s. All of the clinical isolates of
N. beijingensis
,
N. otitidiscaviarum
,
N. nova
, and
N. puris
and more than half of the
N. brasiliensis
and
N. cyriacigeorgica
isolates were resistant to at least one antimicrobial agent. The results of this
in vitro
study suggest that nemonoxacin, linezolid, and tigecycline are promising treatment options for nocardiosis. Further investigation of their clinical role is warranted.
Ultrasound and Doppler-guided mini-surgery to treat midportion Achilles tendinosis: results of a large material and a randomised study comparing two scraping techniques
Authors: Alfredson Håkan
Published: February 2011

Background

Treatment based on ultrasound (US) and colour Doppler (CD) findings in midportion Achilles tendinosis has shown promising results. In a randomised study on a small patient material, similar short-term clinical results were demonstrated with surgery outside the tendon and sclerosing polidocanol injections, but surgical treatment led to a faster return to activity.

Objective

To evaluate the clinical results of US and CD-guided mini-surgery (scraping) outside the ventral tendon in a larger patient material and, in a randomised study, compare two different techniques for surgical scraping.

Material and methods

103 patients (66 men, 37 women), mean age 43 years (range 24–77), with midportion tendinosis in 125 Achilles tendons were included. Patients from a large group (88 tendons), and a randomised study (37 tendons), were in local anaesthesia treated with a US and CD-guided new surgical approach outside the ventral tendon. All patients in the large group, and one arm of the randomised study, were treated open with a scalpel, while the other arm of the randomised study were treated percutaneously. Pain during Achilles tendon loading activity (Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)), and satisfaction with treatment, were evaluated.

Results

Before surgery, the mean VAS was 73. After surgery (follow-up mean 18 months, range 6–33), the mean VAS was 3 in 111 tendons (89%) from satisfied patients back in full Achilles tendon loading activity. In the randomised study, there were no significant differences in the results between open treatment with a scalpel and percutaneous treatment with a needle.

Conclusions

US and CD-guided scraping show good short-term results in midportion Achilles tendinosis.
Chronology of transpression, magmatism, and sedimentation in the Thompson Nickel Belt (Manitoba, Canada) and timing of Trans-Hudson Orogen – Superior Province collisionThis article is one of a series of papers published in this Special Issue on the theme of Geochronology in honour of Tom Krogh.
Authors: Machado Nuno , Gapais Denis , Potrel Alain , Gauthier Gilles , Hallot Erwan
Published: February 2011

The Thompson Nickel Belt marks the boundary between the Archean Superior Province and the Trans-Hudson Orogen in Canada. It comprises Archean gneisses, and Paleoproterozoic rocks with metasediments and metavolcanites (Ospwagan Group) and intrusions. The gneisses are frequently migmatitic and host numerous pegmatites. The western belt boundary is a fault contact with the Kisseynew Domain of the Reindeer Zone. In the south, the transition zone between the belt and the Kisseynew Domain comprises granitoids and a detrital sequence (Grass River Group), part of which grades into turbidites in the Kisseynew Domain. The eastern belt boundary is a diffuse zone where the Archean east–west (E–W) structural trend changes into the north-northeast (NNE) trend of the belt. This paper presents U–Pb ages for granitoids and 207Pb/206Pb detrital zircon ages from the Ospwagan and Grass River groups. Ages and a comparison of events in the belt and in the eastern Reindeer Zone have major implications. The change from stable platform deposits to syn-tectonic filling and emplacement of mafic intrusions in the Ospwagan Group are attributed to the convergence between the Reindeer Zone and the Superior Province at 1891–1885 Ma. At ca. 1850 Ma, continuing convergence led to drowning of marginal basins of the Superior craton and to the development of a transpressive regime in the belt, the onset of which could be as old as ca. 1885 Ma. Metamorphic ages of 1818–1785 record closure of the Kisseynew basin and crustal thickening. Collision of the new continental block with the Superior Province was accommodated by transpression until 1750–1720 Ma.
Magmatic and tectonic emplacement of the Pukaskwa batholith, Superior Province, Ontario, CanadaThis article is one of a series of papers published in this Special Issue on the theme of Geochronology in honour of Tom Krogh.
Authors: Beakhouse Gary P. , Lin Shoufa , Kamo Sandra L.
Published: February 2011

The Neoarchean Pukaskwa batholith consists of pre-, syn-, and post-tectonic phases emplaced over an interval of 50 million years. Pre-tectonic phases are broadly synvolcanic and have a high-Al tonalite–trondhjemite–granodiorite (TTG) affinity interpreted to reflect derivation by partial melting of basaltic crust at lower crustal or upper mantle depths. Minor syn-tectonic phases slightly post-date volcanism and have geochemical characteristics suggesting some involvement or interaction with an ultramafic (mantle) source component. Magmatic emplacement of pre- and syn-tectonic phases occurred in the midcrust at paleopressures of 550–600 MPa and these components of the batholith are thought to be representative of the midcrust underlying greenstone belts during their development. Subsequent to emplacement of the syntectonic phases, and likely at approximately 2680 Ma, the Pukaskwa batholith was uplifted as a structural dome relative to flanking greenstone belts synchronously with ongoing regional sinistral transpressive deformation. The driving force for vertical tectonism is interpreted to be density inversion (Rayleigh–Taylor-type instabilities) involving denser greenstone belts and underlying felsic plutonic crust. The trigger for initiation of this process is interpreted to be an abrupt change in the rheology of the midcrust attributed to introduction of heat from the mantle attendant with slab breakoff or lithospheric delamination following the cessation of subduction. This process also led to partial melting of the intermediate to felsic midcrust generating post-tectonic granitic phases at approximately 2667 Ma. We propose that late density inversion-driven vertical tectonics is an inevitable consequence of horizontal (plate) tectonic processes associated with greenstone belt development within the Superior Province.
U–Pb geochronology in Liverpool Land and Canning Land, East Greenland — the complex record of a polyphase Caledonian orogenyThis article is one of a series of papers published in this Special Issue on the theme ofGeochronologyin honour of Tom Krogh.
Authors: Corfu Fernando , Hartz Ebbe H.
Published: February 2011

The Liverpool Land – Canning Land region in East Greenland is the central-most basement high in the northeast Atlantic Caledonides. It contains a variety of rocks derived from the whole section of the Caledonian crust, permitting correlations and comparisons of tectonomagmatic events at all crustal levels. Here, we present U–Pb thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) data combined with field studies suggesting that the region can be divided into distinct tectonostratigraphic domains: (1) The Southern Liverpool Land eclogite terrane with garnet-peridotite and eclogite lenses, the product of a polyorogenic history with a latest-Paleoproterozic and Mesoproterozoic origin, eclogitization at 398 Ma and migmatization at 387 Ma. (2) The migmatitic Mariager Fjord Dome in central Liverpool Land with gneisses that formed leucosome at 409 Ma. Both areas are separated by high-strain zones from (3) the overlying Hurry Inlet plutonic terrane, which consists of metasedimentary rocks first intruded by granodiorite to granite at ca. 440–430 Ma, and, after local deformation, by a major 426–424 Ma granitic to monzonitic suite. (4) Structurally higher, and probably above another high-strain zone, low-grade Neoproterozoic to Cambrian sediments are intruded, by syn-contractional 427 Ma leucogranite. All these units are unconformably overlain by Devonian and younger deposits. Collectively our data document a distinct variation in time for Caledonian magmatism and metamorphism in the various tectonostratigraphic domains, implying that the diverse terranes were juxtaposed after magmatism, and that the gneiss domes of Liverpool Land have a different origin than other nappes of the East Greenland Caledonides.
Evolution of early crust in chondritic or non-chondritic Earth inferred from U–Pb and Lu–Hf data for chemically abraded zircon from the Itsaq Gneiss Complex, West GreenlandThis article is one of a series of papers published in this Special Issue on the theme of Geochronology in honour of Tom Krogh.
Authors: Amelin Yuri , Kamo Sandra L. , Lee Der-Chuen
Published: February 2011

Zircon grains in rocks collected from the Itsaq Gneiss Complex, southwest Greenland, were analyzed for U–Pb and Lu–Hf in the same grain using isotope dilution – thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) and multicollector – inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry (MC–ICP–MS). Grains were pretreated using chemical abrasion or air abrasion to assure that only zircon material unaffected by the migration of parent and daughter elements was analyzed. The data are consistent with derivation of all studied rocks from a single enriched mantle source or mafic crustal protolith with 176Lu/177Hf of 0.022 ± 0.003 that was repeatedly melted and produced tonalitic magmas. The assessment of the primary mantle source from which this mafic protolith was derived, at or before 3.85 Ga, greatly depends on the assumed composition of the bulk silicate Earth. Using the currently accepted Lu–Hf bulk Earth parameters based on the analysis of chondrites yields εHf(T) of 0 to +1 for the 3.80–3.86 Ga rocks, suggesting that the protolith was derived from mantle that underwent moderate depletion shortly before 3.9 Ga. However, using alternative models of the bulk silicate Earth composition, i.e., that account for the possible irradiation-induced accelerated decay of 176Lu in the early Solar System, and (or) loss of the products of early planetesimal or planetary differentiation, can lead to widely variable interpretations of the enrichment or depletion history of the mantle source of the Itsaq protolith.
Wind Resuspension of Sediments in a Prairie Lake
Authors: Carper Glenn L. , Bachmann Roger W.
Published: February 2011

We measured levels of inorganic suspended solids in Little Wall Lake, Iowa, and concluded that sediment resuspension occurred when wind velocities exceeded critical velocities as calculated from wave theory. The percentages of the lake bed subject to resuspension for winds of given velocities were calculated, as were the percentages of time that winds of such velocities could be expected. We concluded that only a small percentage of the lake bed is subject to resuspension most of the time. The techniques to calculate wind effects and to summarize the data on frequency of wind mixing used in this study should be generally applicable to problems of sediment resuspension in other shallow lakes.
Influence of Reservoir Transit on Riverine Algal Transport and Abundance
Authors: Søballe D. M. , Bachmann R. W.
Published: February 2011

The Des Moines River lost 65–75% of its algal standing crop (chlorophyll a) in passing through each of two impoundments (mean retention times 11 and 16 d), and chlorophyll concentrations within both impoundments were 50–90% below the predictions of empirical chlorophyll–nutrient models. Sedimentation of river-borne algae and light limitation within the impoundments were identified as major loss processes. A reduction in algal size from upstream to downstream in one reservoir paralleled the loss of algal biomass. Algal losses in each impoundment increased with both increasing retention time and water temperature so that chlorophyll concentration below the dams was uncoupled from the temperature and flow dependence seen in river reaches not influenced by impoundments. The reduction in riverine algal transport associated with reservoir transit was cumulative over the two-reservoir series; this reduction can be interpreted as a "reset" to river headwater conditions.
Methodology for seismic risk assessment for tubular steel wind turbine towers: application to Canadian seismic environment
Authors: Nuta Elena , Christopoulos Constantin , Packer Jeffrey A.
Published: February 2011

The seismic response of tubular steel wind turbine towers is of significant concern as they are increasingly being installed in seismic areas and design codes do not clearly address this aspect of design. The seismic hazard is hence assessed for the Canadian seismic environment using implicit finite element analysis and incremental dynamic analysis of a 1.65 MW wind turbine tower. Its behaviour under seismic excitation is evaluated, damage states are defined, and a framework is developed for determining the probability of damage of the tower at varying seismic hazard levels. Results of the implementation of this framework in two Canadian locations are presented herein, where the risk was found to be low for the seismic hazard level prescribed for buildings. However, the design of wind turbine towers is subject to change, and the design spectrum is highly uncertain. Thus, a methodology is outlined to thoroughly investigate the probability of reaching predetermined damage states under any seismic loading conditions for future considerations.
Sequence analysis ofrpoBandrpoDgene fragments reveals the phylogenetic diversity of actinobacteria of genus Frankia
Authors: Bernèche-D'Amours Audrey , Ghinet Mariana Gabriela , Beaudin Julie , Brzezinski Ryszard , Roy Sébastien
Published: February 2011

Partial rpoD, rpoB, and 16S rRNA gene sequences were obtained from databases and (or) amplified from 12 strains of Frankia . These strains belonged to either Cluster 1 (Alnus-, Myrica-, Comptonia-, and Casuarina-infective strains) or Cluster 3 (Elaeagnus-infective strain). An rpoD gene-based PCR approach was designed to allow the detection of frankiae in complex samples. Additionally, partial gene sequences obtained using 2 rpoB gene primer sets (named rpoB-1 and rpoB-2) were used to generate phylogenetic eurograms to find a molecular tool able to assess biodiversity among Frankia strains. The rpoB-2 primer set allowed separation of closely related strains and groupings representative of host plant compatibility groups. One exception to this was for strains ACN10a and ACN14a, isolated from the same geographical location. Results obtained showed that rpoB-2 is a tool of great interest to evaluate relatedness of Frankia strains, and assess biodiversity in this genus. Additionally, since rpoB-2 phylogenetic profiles of the Frankia strains studied reflected the species of host plants they were isolated from, the study of rpoB (a house-keeping gene) shows promise for future ecological studies on these symbioses.
Antimicrobial actions of α-mangostin against oral streptococci
Authors: Nguyen Phuong T. M. , Marquis Robert E.
Published: February 2011

The increasing prevalence of dental caries is making it more of a major world health problem. Caries is the direct result of acid production by cariogenic oral bacteria, especially Streptococcus mutans . New and better antimicrobial agents active against cariogenic bacteria are badly needed, especially natural agents derived directly from plants. We have evaluated the inhibitory actions of α-mangostin, a xanthone purified from ethanolic extracts of the tropical plant Garcinia mangostana L., by repeated silica gel chromatography. α-Mangostin was found to be a potent inhibitor of acid production by S. mutans UA159, active against membrane enzymes, including the F(H+)-ATPase and the phosphoenolpyruvate – sugar phosphotransferase system. α-Mangostin also inhibited the glycolytic enzymes aldolase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and lactic dehydrogenase. Glycolysis by intact cells in suspensions or biofilms was inhibited by α-mangostin at concentrations of 12 and 120 µmol·L–1, respectively, in a pH-dependent manner, with greater potency at lower pH values. Other targets for inhibition by α-mangostin included (i) malolactic fermentation, involved in alkali production from malate, and (ii) NADH oxidase, the major respiratory enzyme for S. mutans. The overall conclusion is that α-mangostin is a multitarget inhibitor of mutans streptococci and may be useful as an anticaries agent.
Mucosal and systemic immune responses of mice to tetanus toxoid coadministered nasally with AFCo1
Authors: Romeu Belkis , González Elyzabeth , del Campo Judith , Acevedo Reynaldo , Zayas Caridad , Valdés Yolanda , Cabrera Osmir , Cuello Maribel , Balboa Julio , Lastre Miriam , Pérez Oliver
Published: February 2011

Mucosal immune responses are an early and important line of defense against pathogens. The current understanding of the mucosal immune system allows us to consider the use of nasal immunization for induction of antigen-specific immune responses at the mucosal surface and the systemic compartment. Mucosal adjuvants are key for developing novel mucosal vaccines and represent 1 approach to improving mucosal and systemic immunity. However, few mucosal vaccine adjuvants are currently approved for human use. Neisseria meningitidis B proteoliposome-derived cochleate (AFCo1 — Adjuvant Finlay Cochleate 1) has been demonstrated to be a potent mucosal adjuvant. The present work demonstrates that intranasal immunization of 3 doses of tetanus toxoid (TT) coadministered with AFCo1 in mice promotes high systemic and mucosal responses. The anti-TT IgG serum titers and the mucosal anti-TT IgA in saliva and vaginal wash were significantly higher than TT alone. The analysis of antibody subclasses showed that intranasal administration of AFCo1 + TT induced not only IgG1 but also IgG2a anti-TT antibodies at levels comparable to those obtained with TT vaccine (vax-TET). These data support the fact that AFCo1 is a potent mucosal adjuvant in nasal immunization to a coadministered protein antigen.
Isolation and characterization of a hydrogen- and ethanol-producing Clostridium sp. strain URNW
Authors: Ramachandran Umesh , Wrana Nathan , Cicek Nazim , Sparling Richard , Levin David B.
Published: February 2011

Identification, characterization, and end-product synthesis patterns were analyzed in a newly identified mesophilic, anaerobic Clostridium sp. strain URNW, capable of producing hydrogen (H2) and ethanol. Metabolic profiling was used to characterize putative end-product synthesis pathways of the Clostridium sp. strain URNW, which was found to grow on cellobiose; on hexose sugars, such as glucose, sucrose, and mannose; and on sugar alcohols, like mannitol and sorbitol. When grown in batch cultures on 2 g cellobiose·L–1, Clostridium sp. strain URNW showed a cell generation time of 1.5 h, and the major end-products were H2, formate, carbon dioxide (CO2), lactate, butyrate, acetate, pyruvate, and ethanol. The total volumetric H2production was 14.2 mmol·(L culture)–1and the total production of ethanol was 0.4 mmol·(L culture)–1. The maximum yield of H2was 1.3 mol·(mol glucose equivalent)–1at a carbon recovery of 94%. The specific production rates of H2, CO2, and ethanol were 0.45, 0.13, and 0.003 mol·h–1·(g dry cell mass)–1, respectively. BLAST analyses of 16S rDNA and chaperonin 60 (cpn60) sequences from Clostridium sp. strain URNW revealed a 98% nucleotide sequence identity with the 16S rDNA and cpn60 sequences from Clostridium intestinale ATCC 49213. Phylogenetic analyses placed Clostridium sp. strain URNW within the butyrate-synthesizing clostridia.
N/V-LIMIT FOR LANGEVIN DYNAMICS IN CONTINUUM
Authors: CONRAD FLORIAN , GROTHAUS MARTIN
Published: February 2011

We construct an infinite particle/infinite volume Langevin dynamics on the space of simple configurations in ℝd having velocities as marks. The construction is done via a limiting procedure using N-particle dynamics in cubes (-λ, λ]d with periodic boundary condition. A main step to this result is to derive an (improved) Ruelle bound for the canonical correlation functions of N-particle systems in (-λ, λ]d with periodic boundary condition. After proving tightness of the laws of the finite particle dynamics, the identification of accumulation points as martingale solutions of the Langevin equation is based on a general study of properties of measures on configuration space fulfilling a uniform Ruelle bound (and their weak limits). Additionally, we prove that the initial/invariant distribution of the constructed dynamics is a tempered grand canonical Gibbs measure. All proofs work for a wide class of repulsive interaction potentials ϕ (including, e.g., the Lennard–Jones potential) and all temperatures, densities and dimensions d ≥ 1.
GRADED LIE ALGEBRA AND THE SU(3)L⊗U(1)N GAUGE MODEL
Authors: BOUSSAHEL M. , MEBARKI N.
Published: February 2011

A classical gauge model based on the Lie group SU (3)L⊗ U (1)N with exotic quarks is reformulated within the formalism of nonassociative geometry associated with an L cycle. The N charges of the fermionic particles and the related parameter constraints are algebraic consequences and are uniquely determined. Moreover, the number of scalar particles is dictated by the nonassociativity of the geometry. As a byproduct of this formalism, the Weinberg angle θw, scalar, charged and neutral gauge boson masses, as well as the mixing angles, are derived. Furthermore, various expressions for the vector and axial couplings of the quarks and leptons with the neutral gauge bosons and lower bounds of the very heavy gauge bosons are obtained.
GENERALIZED SYNCHRONIZATION OF CHAOS IN RCL-SHUNTED JOSEPHSON JUNCTIONS BY UNIDIRECTIONALLY COUPLING
Authors: FENG YU-LING , ZHANG XI-HE , JIANG ZHI-GANG , SHEN KE
Published: February 2011

This paper investigates chaotic synchronization in the generalized sense in two resistive-capacitive-inductive-shunted (RCL-shunted) Josephson junctions (RCLSJJs) by using the means of unidirectionally coupling. The numerical simulations confirm that the generalized synchronization of chaos in these two systems can be achieved with a suitable coupling intensity when the maximum condition Lyapunov exponent (MCLE) is negative. Also, the auxiliary system approach is used to detect the existence of the generalized synchronization.
DONOR AND ACCEPTOR STATES IN GaAs-(Ga, Al)As QUANTUM DOTS: EFFECTS OF HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE AND AN INTENSE LASER
Authors: MIGUEZ A. , FRANCO R. , SILVA-VALENCIA J.
Published: February 2011

We calculated the binding energies of shallow donors and acceptors in a spherical GaAs - Ga 1-x Al x As quantum dot under the combined effect of isotropic hydrostatic pressure and an intense laser. We used a variational approach within the effective mass approximation. The binding energy was computed as a function of hydrostatic pressure, dot sizes and laser field amplitude. The results showed that the impurity binding energy increases with pressure and decreases with the laser field amplitude when other parameters are fixed. We also found that the pressure effects are more dramatic for donor than acceptor impurities, especially for quantum dots with small radii.
社會工作的「社會」涵義：重拾社會工作中的社會本質
Authors: 甘 炳光
Published: February 2011

本文旨在檢視爲何社會工作被稱爲社會工作，以及甚麽是社會工作中的「社會」涵義。回顧社會工作的發展，社會工作實務愈來愈走向個人輔導及治療模式的發展，而漸漸忘記了或忽略了關注社會改變、社會改革及社會公義的目標。本文嘗試討論若社會工作只強調個人轉變及個人治療，是否應該還被稱爲社會工作？社會工作理應也強調其「社會」本質及目標。社會工作專業應該重拾「社會」目標，重新理解及關注社會工作的真正「社會」涵義。本文首先討論社會工作邁向個人導向與治療化的趨勢及其原因，然後提出將社工專業回歸「社會」本質的重要，更列出社工所要包含的六點「社會」涵義或元素。最後建議在社工專業實踐、社工專業發展及社工教育中如何推動重新認識社會工作的「社會」本質及實踐其社會目標。

This article examines why social work is called by its name and what the "social" of social work is. The review of the development of social work has found that social work practice has put more emphasis on individual treatment and clinical therapies, and has increasingly neglected the aim of advancing social change, social reform and social justice. This article aims to discuss if social work only focuses on individual change and treatment, should it be still called by this name? Social work should also focus on its social goals. The social work profession needs to revive its social goals and identify the meaning of its social nature. This article begins with discussing the trend of therapeutisation of social work and the reasons behind, then examines the importance of realigning the profession with its social nature and identifies the six social dimensions of social work. It suggests how to promote the understanding of the social of social work and the achievement of its social goals with regard to the aspects of social work practice, the development of the social work profession and social work education.
SYMMETRY AND QUANTUM TRANSPORT ON NETWORKS
Authors: SALIMI S. , RADGOHAR R. , SOLTANZADEH M. M.
Published: February 2011

We study the classical and quantum transport processes on some finite networks and model them by continuous-time random walks (CTRW) and continuous-time quantum walks (CTQW), respectively. We calculate the classical and quantum transition probabilities between two nodes of the network. We numerically show that there is a high probability to find the walker at the initial node for CTQWs on the underlying networks due to the interference phenomenon, even for long times. To get global information (independent of the starting node) about the transport efficiency, we average the return probability over all nodes of the network. We apply the decay rate and the asymptotic value of the average of the return probability to evaluate the transport efficiency. Our numerical results prove that the existence of the symmetry in the underlying networks makes quantum transport less efficient than the classical one. In addition, we find that the increasing of the symmetry of these networks decreases the efficiency of quantum transport on them.
Reductive dechlorination of DDT electrocatalyzed by synthetic cobalt porphyrins in N,N′-dimethylformamide
Authors: Zhu Weihua , Fang Yuanyuan , Shen Wei , Lu Guifen , Zhang Ying , Ou Zhongping , Kadish Karl M.
Published: February 2011

Two cobalt porphyrins, (OEP) CoII and (TPP) CoII , where OEP and TPP are the dianions of octaethylporphyrin and tetraphenylporphyrin, respectively, were examined as electrocatalysts for the reductive dechlorination of DDT (1,1-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-2,2,2-trichloroethane) in N,N′-dimethylformamide (DMF) containing 0.1 M tetra-n-butylammonium perchlorate (TBAP). No reaction is observed between DDT and the porphyrin in its Co(II) oxidation state but this is not the case for the reduced Co(I) forms of the porphyrins which electrocatalyze the dechlorination of DDT, giving initially DDD (1,1-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-2,2-dichloroethane), DDE (1,1-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-2, 2-dichloroethylene) and DDMU (1,1-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-2-chloroethylene) as determined by GC-MS analysis of the reaction products. A further dechlorination product, DDOH (2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethanol), is also formed on longer timescales when using (TPP)Co as the electroreduction catalyst. The effect of porphyrin structure and reaction time on the dechlorination products was examined by GC-MS, cyclic voltammetry, controlled potential electrolysis and UV-visible spectroelectrochemistry and a mechanism for the reductive dechlorination is proposed.
OUTSOURCING OF NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND THE OPENING OF INNOVATION IN MATURE INDUSTRIES: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF FIAT DURING CRISIS AND RECOVERY
Authors: CIRAVEGNA LUCIANO , MAIELLI GIULIANO
Published: February 2011

During the 1990s mature industries, such as car manufacturing, restructured their production and innovation processes, changing from vertical integration to high outsourcing. Open innovation is antithetic to vertical integration. Analyzing whether this restructuring influenced the emergence of open innovation is an important step towards improving our understanding of open innovation (Chesbrough and Crowther, 2006).

During the 1990s, Fiat, one the largest European car producers, increased the extent to which it involved external firms in new product development (NPD). Unlike its competitors, Fiat outsourced the NPD of core products, resembling the opening of innovation that "radical innovators" implement in high technology industry (Laursen and Salter, 2006, 137). However, it failed to transition towards open innovation because its "opening" to external firms also entailed downsizing in-house NPD divisions, which caused a "hollowing out" of its knowledge (Becker and Zirpoli, 2003). The products developed through this system did not perform well. After a dramatic decline in market shares, Fiat changed its NPD system: it reduced outsourcing of NPD, whilst opening it to customers for the first time. This contributed to the development of highly successful models, which fuelled Fiat's recovery after 2004.

The paper explains the Fiat case by looking at the drivers of its organizational changes from a historical perspective. It argues that Fiat's cost-cutting routines, developed because of its intangible specialization in small vehicles, explain why it opened NPD to suppliers but failed to adopt open innovation. The case study is relevant for the study of open innovation because it provides evidence of the relationships between outsourcing and open of innovation in a mature industry that went through a profound process of restructuring during the 1990s.
ARMENDARIZ AND QUASI-ARMENDARIZ SEMIRINGS AND PS SEMIRINGS
Authors: Gupta Vishnu , Kumar Pramod
Published: February 2011

In this paper we extend some results of ([2], [11], [12], [13], [15]) for non commutative semirings with identity 1 ≠ 0. We prove the following theorems: (1) Let R be a CN-semiring such that 0 is a P-primary ideal of R and P2 = 0. Then R is a quasi-Armendariz semiring. (2) Let R be a semiring, M an [R, R]-bisemimodule and R′ = R ⊕ M, the trivial extension of R by M. If R is a prime semiring, then R′ is a quasi-Armendariz (resp. p.s. quasi-Armendariz) semiring if and only if M is a quasi-Armendariz (resp. p.s. quasi-Armendariz) [R, R]-bisemimodule in the sense that for f ∈ R[x] ( resp . R⟦x⟧), g ∈ M[x] ( resp . M⟦x⟧) such that fRg = 0 implies that aiRbj = 0; and gRf = 0 implies that bjRai = 0 for each coefficient ai of f and bj of g.
ON SOME PROPERTIES OF ULTRA WEAKLY CONTINUOUS MULTI FUNCTIONS
Authors: Rajeswari R. Raja
Published: February 2011

The aim of this present note, is to study some vital properties of upper and lower weakly continuity of ultra multifunctions in bitopological spaces.
L-ALMOST DISTRIBUTIVE LATTICES
Authors: Rao G. C. , Assaye Berhanu , Prasad R.
Published: February 2011

In this paper, we introduce the concept of an L-Almost Distributive Lattice (L-ADL) as a generalization of an L-algebra in the class of ADLs. We characterize an L-ADL in terms of the set of all its principal ideals. We also give a number of equivalent conditions for an L-ADL to become an L-algebra.
Extremely High Surface Area Metallurgical-Grade Porous Silicon Powder Prepared by Metal-Assisted Etching
Authors: Loni A. , Barwick D. , Batchelor L. , Tunbridge J. , Han Y. , Li Z. Y. , Canham L. T.
Published: February 2011

Metallurgical-grade silicon powder (10 m2/g surface area) has been porosified using a metal-assisted chemical etch process based on hydrofluoric acid-ferric chloride chemistry. By controlling the reagent concentrations and ratios, the degree of porosification has been varied. Initiating the reaction at temperatures below 0°C, typically between −15°C and −25°C, yields etched powders with spectacularly increased surface area and pore volume (porosity). The reduced temperature, and its subsequent control, favors pore nucleation and propagation while minimizing bulk chemical etching. Using this process, mesoporous powders with surface areas up to 480 m2/g and pore volumes up to 0.52 ml/g have proved easily achievable at the 10 g batch level.
Integrated Full-Bit Shift Register by Low-Temperature Amorphous Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide Thin-Film Transistors
Authors: Jamshidi-Roudbari Abbas , Khan Shahrukh A. , Hatalis Miltiadis K.
Published: February 2011

We have successfully fabricated a full-bit shift register with low temperature amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a-IGZO) technology. Bottom-gate, staggered a-IGZO thin film transistors (TFTs) are fabricated with radio frequency-sputtered IGZO thin films with plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition deposited SiO2 as a gate dielectric and sputtered Mo as source, drain, and gate electrodes. The a-IGZO TFTs provide a good scalability and present field effect mobility in the range of 9–11 cm2/Vs. Integrated a-IGZO full-bit shift register consists of only 12 transistors per stage and operates at rail to rail voltage of about 18V. Stable full-bit shifting operation at a maximum operating frequency of about 25 kHz is confirmed.
Electrochemical Fabrication of Anodic Aluminum Oxide Films with Encapsulated Silver Nanoparticles as Plasmonic Photoconductors
Authors: Lau Ben-Chao , Liu Chih-Yi , Lin Hsing-Ying , Huang Chen-Han , Chui Hsiang-Chen , Tzeng Yonhua
Published: February 2011

Two dimensional photoconductors based on anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) films with 80 nm pore size and 100 nm inter-pore spacing encapsulated with silver nanoparticles have been electrochemically fabricated. A 405 nm laser was used to illuminate the encapsulated silver nanoparticles through a transparent AAO barrier layer to induce photocurrent proportional to the laser power and applied voltage between two electrodes. The photoconductivity is attributed to plasmonic coupling among neighboring silver nanoparticles. The AAO barrier layer provides protection to encapsulated silver nanoparticles against possible degradation by the ambient environments and makes the device useful for biomedical sensors and electro-optical applications.
Upregulation of P-glycoprotein by probiotics in intestinal epithelial cells and in the dextran sulfate sodium model of colitis in mice
Authors: Saksena Seema , Goyal Sonia , Raheja Geetu , Singh Varsha , Akhtar Maria , Nazir Talat M. , Alrefai Waddah A. , Gill Ravinder K. , Dudeja Pradeep K.
Published: February 2011

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) mediates efflux of xenobiotics and bacterial toxins from the intestinal mucosa into the lumen. Dysregulation of P-gp has been implicated in inflammatory bowel disease. Certain probiotics have been shown to be effective in treating inflammatory bowel disease. However, direct effects of probiotics on P-gp are not known. Current studies examined the effects of Lactobacilli on P-gp function and expression in intestinal epithelial cells. Caco-2 monolayers and a mouse model of dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis were utilized. P-gp activity was measured as verapamil-sensitive [3H]digoxin transepithelial flux. Multidrug resistant 1 (MDR1)/P-gp expression was measured by real-time quantitative PCR and immunoblotting. Culture supernatant (CS; 1:10 or 1:50, 24 h) of Lactobacillus acidophilus or Lactobacillus rhamnosus treatment of differentiated Caco-2 monolayers (21 days postplating) increased (∼3-fold) MDR1/P-gp mRNA and protein levels. L. acidophilus or L. rhamnosus CS stimulated P-gp activity (∼2-fold, P < 0.05) via phosphoinositide 3-kinase and ERK1/2 MAPK pathways. In mice, L. acidophilus or L. rhamnosus treatment (3 × 109colony-forming units) increased mdr1a/P-gp mRNA and protein expression in the ileum and colon (2- to 3-fold). In the dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis model (3% DSS in drinking water for 7 days), the degree of colitis as judged by histological damage and myeloperoxidase activity was reduced by L. acidophilus. L. acidophilus treatment to DSS-treated mice blocked the reduced expression of mdr1a/P-gp mRNA and protein in the distal colon. These findings suggest that Lactobacilli or their soluble factors stimulate P-gp expression and function under normal and inflammatory conditions. These data provide insights into a novel mechanism involving P-gp upregulation in beneficial effects of probiotics in intestinal inflammatory disorders.
HIF signaling and overall gene expression changes during hypoxia and prolonged exercise differ considerably
Authors: Kopp Renate , Köblitz Louise , Egg Margit , Pelster Bernd
Published: February 2011

Exercise as well as hypoxia cause an increase in angiogenesis, changes in mitochondrial density and alterations in metabolism, but it is still under debate whether the hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) is active during both situations. In this study gene expression analysis of zebrafish larvae that were raised under normoxic, hypoxic, or training conditions were compared, using microarray analysis, quantitative real-time PCR and protein data. Although HIF expression is posttranslationally regulated, mRNA expression levels of all three isoforms ( HIF-1α, HIF-2α, and HIF-3α) differed in each of the experimental groups, but the changes observed in hypoxic animals were much smaller than in trained larvae. Prominent changes were seen for Hif-2α expression, which significantly increased after the first day of exercise and then decreased down to values significantly below control values. HIF-3α mRNA expression in turn increased significantly, and at the end of the training period (9–15 days postfertilization) it was elevated three times. At the protein level a transient increase in HIF-1α was observed in hypoxic larvae, whereas in the exercise group the amount of HIF-1α protein even decreased below the level of control animals. The analyzed transcriptome was more affected in hypoxic zebrafish larvae, and hardly any genes were similarly altered by both treatments. These results clearly showed that HIF proteins played different roles in trained and hypoxic zebrafish larvae and that the exercise-induced transition to a more aerobic phenotype was not achieved by persistent activation of the hypoxic signaling pathway.
Synthesis, Molecular Modeling, and Biological Evaluation of Novel Tetrahydro-β-Carboline Hydantoin and Tetrahydro-β-Carboline Thiohydantoin Derivatives as Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors
Authors: Abadi Ashraf H. , Lehmann Jochen , Piazza Gary A. , Abdel-Halim Mohammad , Ali Mohamed S. M.
Published: February 2011

Two series of fused tetrahydro-β-carboline hydantoin and tetrahydro-β-carboline thiohydantoin derivatives with a pendant 2,4-dimethoxyphenyl at position 5 were synthesized, and chiral carbons at positions 5 and 11a swing from R,R to R,S, S,R, and S,S. The prepared analogues were evaluated for their capacity to inhibit phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) isozyme. The R absolute configuration of C-5 in the β-carboline hydantoin derivatives was found to be essential for the PDE5 inhibition. Chiral carbon derived from amino acid even if of the S configuration (L-tryptophan) may lead to equiactive or more active isomers than those derived from amino acid with the R configuration (D-tryptophan). This expands the horizon from which efficient PDE5 inhibitors can be derived and may offer an economic advantage. The thiohydantoin derivatives were less active than their hydantoin congeners.