bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of a selective Rho‐kinase inhibitor Y‐27632 on oxidative stress parameters in acute dichlorvos poisoning in rats
Authors: Gunay N. , Kose B. , Demiryurek S. , Ocak A. R. , Erel O. , Demiryurek A. T.
Published: July 2008

This study examined the effects of Y‐27632, a selective Rho‐kinase inhibitor, on organophosphate‐induced acute toxicity in rats. Rats were randomly divided into four groups as control (corn oil), dichlorvos (30 mg kg−1 i.p.), 1 and 10 mg kg−1 Y‐27632 + dichlorvos groups. Cholinergic signs (fatigue, tremor, cyanosis, hyper‐secretion, fasciculations) were observed in all the rats in the dichlorvos group and the mortality rate was 50%. No cholinergic findings and deaths were observed in the control and Y‐27632 groups. Plasma cholinesterase activities were suppressed with dichlorvos and these reductions were attenuated with Y‐27632 pretreatment. There was a marked increase in plasma malondialdehyde level in the dichlorvos group, but Y‐27632 pretreatment abolished this elevation. Dichlorvos markedly depressed cardiac paraoxonase activity, but these changes were not markedly modified with Y‐27632. Total antioxidant capacities, total oxidant status, oxidative stress index, total free sulfhydryl groups and catalase activities in plasma and cardiac tissues were not markedly different between the groups. No significant changes were observed with cardiac myeloperoxidase activities or plasma arylesterase and ceruloplasmin activities. In conclusion, our results suggest that Rho‐kinase pathway is involved in organophosphate intoxication, and a decrease in cardiac paraoxonase activities may play a role in the pathogenesis of acute organophosphate poisoning in rats. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Palatal seam disintegration: To die or not to die? that is no longer the question
Authors: Nawshad Ali
Published: July 2008

Formation of the medial epithelial seam (MES) by palatal shelf fusion is a crucial step of palate development. Complete disintegration of the MES is the final essential phase of palatal confluency with surrounding mesenchymal cells. In general, the mechanisms of palatal seam disintegration are not overwhelmingly complex, but given the large number of interacting constituents; their complicated circuitry involving feedforward, feedback, and crosstalk; and the fact that the kinetics of interaction matter, this otherwise simple mechanism can be quite difficult to interpret. As a result of this complexity, apparently simple but highly important questions remain unanswered. One such question pertains to the fate of the palatal seam. Such questions may be answered by detailed and extensive quantitative experimentation of basic biological studies (cellular, structural) and the newest molecular biological determinants (genetic/dye cell lineage, gene activity, kinase/enzyme activity), as well as animal model (knockouts, transgenic) approaches. System biology and cellular kinetics play a crucial role in cellular MES function; omissions of such critical contributors may lead to inaccurate understanding of the fate of MES. Excellent progress has been made relevant to elucidation of the mechanism(s) of palatal seam disintegration. Current understanding of palatal seam disintegration suggests epithelial–mesenchymal transition and/or programmed cell death as two most common mechanisms of MES disintegration. In this review, I discuss those two mechanisms and the differences between them. Developmental Dynamics 237:2643–2656, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Reprogramming multipotent tumor cells with the embryonic neural crest microenvironment
Authors: Kasemeier‐Kulesa Jennifer C. , Teddy Jessica M. , Postovit Lynne‐Marie , Seftor Elisabeth A. , Seftor Richard E.B. , Hendrix Mary J.C. , Kulesa Paul M.
Published: July 2008

The embryonic microenvironment is an important source of signals that program multipotent cells to adopt a particular fate and migratory path, yet its potential to reprogram and restrict multipotent tumor cell fate and invasion is unrealized. Aggressive tumor cells share many characteristics with multipotent, invasive embryonic progenitors, contributing to the paradigm of tumor cell plasticity. In the vertebrate embryo, multiple cell types originate from a highly invasive cell population called the neural crest. The neural crest and the embryonic microenvironments they migrate through represent an excellent model system to study cell diversification during embryogenesis and phenotype determination. Recent exciting studies of tumor cells transplanted into various embryo models, including the neural crest rich chick microenvironment, have revealed the potential to control and revert the metastatic phenotype, suggesting further work may help to identify new targets for therapeutic intervention derived from a convergence of tumorigenic and embryonic signals. In this mini‐review, we summarize markers that are common to the neural crest and highly aggressive human melanoma cells. We highlight advances in our understanding of tumor cell behaviors and plasticity studied within the chick neural crest rich microenvironment. In so doing, we honor the tremendous contributions of Professor Elizabeth D. Hay toward this important interface of developmental and cancer biology. Developmental Dynamics 237:2657–2666, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Enhancer detection in zebrafish permits the identification of neuronal subtypes that express Hox4 paralogs
Authors: Punnamoottil Beena , Kikuta Hiroshi , Pezeron Guillaume , Erceg Jelena , Becker Thomas S. , Rinkwitz Silke
Published: July 2008

Activity of zebrafish hoxb4a in the developing brain was analyzed in comparison to hoxa4a and hoxd4a using unique enhancer detection transgenes. Cytoplasmic YFP revealed shape and axonal projections of neurons in animals with insertions near the Hox4 genes and provided a means for the identification of neuronal subtypes. Despite an early activity of the genes in neuroepithelial cells and later in immature postmitotic neurons, we found reporter expression in distinct neuronal subtypes in the r7–r8‐derived hindbrain. Most strikingly, hoxb4a neuronal subtypes projected through the vagus and into the pectoral fin while others formed symmetrically located fiber tracts innervating the cerebellum and the tectum, features that are partially shared by the other two paralogs. Collectively, our expression analysis indicates that hoxb4a in combination with its paralogs may play a significant role in the development of precerebellar, vagal, and pectoral fin neuronal subtypes. Developmental Dynamics 237:2195–2208, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Psychological correlates of purging disorder as compared with other eating disorders: An exploratory investigation
Authors: Fink Erin L. , Smith April R. , Gordon Kathryn H. , Holm‐Denoma Jill M. , Joiner Thomas E.
Published: July 2008

Objective:

Keel et al.3 introduced the diagnostic category of purging disorder (PD), an eating disorder characterized by recurring purging behaviors in the absence of objective binges. The current study sought to investigate psychological correlates among individuals with a lifetime diagnosis of PD as compared to those with other eating disorders, and those with no eating disorder.

Method:

The current sample included 294 ethnically diverse undergraduate women. Subjects diagnosed with different types of eating disorders [i.e., anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), binge eating disorder (BED), and purging disorder (PD)] were compared to one another, as well as to individuals with no eating disorder on a variety of indices.

Results:

Women with PD displayed similar levels of drive for thinness as women with AN and BED. Individuals with BN and BED exhibited anxiety levels significantly higher than those with PD. Those with PD displayed levels of impulsivity that were significantly higher than those of individuals with AN or BED, but significantly lower than those of individuals with BN. They also displayed similar levels of bulimic symptoms as those with AN and BED; however, analysis of item 53 on the EDI revealed that those with PD had similar levels of purging ideation as those with BN. Women with any eating disorder diagnosis were more likely to have a comorbid Axis I disorder than women in the non‐eating disorder group.

Conclusion:

Our data replicated and extended the findings of Keel et al. and gave further support to the validity and distinctiveness of PD. © 2008 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2009
Pregnancy in severe anorexia nervosa
Authors: Manzato Emilia , Zanetti Tatiana , Gualandi Malvina
Published: July 2008

Objective:

Anorexia nervosa among Arabian girls seems to be rare and pregnancy in condition of extreme underweight seems to be rare as well.

Method:

We report the case of a 19‐year‐old Arabian girl living in Italy who referred to an Eating Disorder Unit for her anorexic condition.

Results:

She arrived for a consultation when she was at her 33rd week of pregnancy at a Body Mass Index lower than 14.

Conclusion:

The present case aims to underline the need of medical and psychological attention to pregnancy in anorexia nervosa cases. © 2008 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2009
A multilevel PWM strategy suitable for high‐voltage motor direct drive systems with consideration of the adverse effect of dead time
Authors: Tadano Yugo , Urushibata Shota , Ogura Kazuya , Shigaki Akira , Nomura Masakatsu
Published: July 2008

Recently, high‐voltage motor direct drive systems have been put to practical use, and various multilevel PWM strategies have also been proposed. This paper describes a multilevel PWM strategy [our group calls it the Carrier Phase Selection Method (CPS)] that has the lowest line voltage harmonic distortion in order to prevent the degradation of high‐voltage motor winding insulations. This method takes the adverse effect of dead time into consideration, and it controls the shift direction of a carrier phase. Therefore, a favorable output waveform without instantaneous voltage surges is achieved even if the line voltage level changes. Moreover, the switching transitions across all switching devices are well‐balanced, so the utilization of inverter unit cells is equalized. This is an important factor when designing the entire system. Based on simulation and experimental results, it is shown that this CPS method is particularly effective in high‐voltage motor direct drive systems. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 165(2): 77–88, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.20474
Analysis of annotations on documents for recycling of information
Authors: Nakai Tomohiro , Kondo Nobuyuki , Kise Koichi , Matsumoto Keinosuke
Published: July 2008

In order to make collaborative business activities fruitful, it is essential to know characteristics of organizations and persons in more details and to gather information relevant to the activities. In this paper, we describe a notion of “information recycling” that actualizes these requirements by analyzing documents. The key of recycling information is to utilize annotations on documents as clues for generating user profiles and for weighting contents in the context of the activities. We also propose a method of extracting annotations on paper documents just by pressing one button with the help of techniques of camera‐based document image analysis. Experimental results demonstrate that it is fundamentally capable of acquiring annotations on paper documents on the condition that their electronic versions without annotations are available for the processing. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 165(2): 60–68, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.20516
CXCL10/CXCR3‐mediated responses promote immunity to respiratory syncytial virus infection by augmenting dendritic cell and CD8+ T cell efficacy
Authors: Lindell Dennis M. , Lane Thomas E. , Lukacs Nicholas W.
Published: July 2008

The induction of inflammatory cytokines during respiratory viral infections contributes to both disease pathogenesis and resolution. The present studies investigated the role of the chemokine CXCL10 and its specific receptor, CXCR3, in the host response to pulmonary respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. Antibody‐mediated neutralization of CXCL10 resulted in a significant increase in disease pathogenesis, including airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), mucus gene expression, and impaired viral clearance. When the pulmonary cytokine levels were examined, only type I IFN and IL‐12p70 were significantly reduced. These latter observations were reflected in reduced dendritic cell (DC) numbers and DC maturation in the lungs of RSV‐infected mice treated with anti‐CXCL10. Neutralization of the only known receptor for CXCL10, CXCR3, resulted in similar increases in pathogenic responses. When bone marrow‐derived DC were incubated with CXCL10 and RSV, an up‐regulation of type I IFN was observed. In addition, T lymphocytes were also examined and a significant decrease in the number of RSV M2 peptide‐specific CD8+ T cells was identified. These findings highlight a previously unappreciated role for the CXCL10:CXCR3 signaling axis in RSV‐infected animals by recruiting virus‐specific T cells into the lung and promoting viral clearance.
CC chemokine receptor 4 modulates Toll‐like receptor 9‐mediated innate immunity and signaling
Authors: Ishii Makoto , Hogaboam Cory M. , Joshi Amrita , Ito Toshihiro , Fong Daniel J. , Kunkel Steven L.
Published: July 2008

The present study addressed the modulatory role of CC chemokine receptor 4 (CCR4) in Toll‐like receptor (TLR) 9‐mediated innate immunity and explored the underlying molecular mechanisms. Our results demonstrated that CCR4‐deficient mice were resistant to both septic peritonitis induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) and CpG DNA/D‐galactosamine‐induced shock. In bone marrow‐derived macrophages (BMMΦ) from CLP‐treated CCR4‐deficient mice, TLR9‐mediated pathways of MAPK/AP‐1, PI3K/Akt, and IκB kinase (IKK)/NF‐κB were impaired compared to wild‐type (WT) cells. While TLR9 expression was not altered, the intensity of internalized CpG DNA was increased in CCR4‐deficient macrophages when compared to WT macrophages. Pharmacological inhibitor studies revealed that impaired activation of JNK, PI3K/Akt, and/or IKK/NF‐κB could be responsible for decreased proinflammatory cytokine expression in CCR4‐deficient macrophages. Interestingly, the CCR4‐deficient BMMΦ exhibited an alternatively activated (M2) phenotype and the impaired TLR9‐mediated signal transduction responses in CCR4‐deficient cells were similar to the signaling responses observed in WT BMMΦ skewed to an alternatively activated phenotype. These results indicate that macrophages deficient in CCR4 impart a regulatory influence on TLR9‐mediated innate immunity.
Diversity of Antimicrobial Pyrenophorol Derivatives from an Endophytic Fungus, Phoma sp.
Authors: Zhang Wen , Krohn Karsten , Egold Hans , Draeger Siegfried , Schulz Barbara
Published: July 2008

Pyrenophorol (1) and (–)‐dihydropyrenophorin (3), two known macrodiolides, were isolated together with four new analogues (2, 4–6) and three ring‐opened derivatives (7–9) from Phoma sp., an endophytic fungus isolated from Lycium intricatum from Gomera. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by detailed spectroscopic analysis, comparison with reported data, and chemical interconversion. The absolute configurations were determined by chemical correlations and a modified Mosher's method. The diversity of these seven newly discovered metabolites not only extends the pyrenophorol macrocyclic family, but also gives insight into the biosynthetic interconnections, in particular by isolation of the open‐chain precursors. Preliminary studies showed antimicrobial activity of these compounds against the fungus Microbotryum violaceum, the alga Chlorellafusca, and the bacteria Escherichia coli and Bacillus megaterium.(© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008)
Doing gender differently—The interplay of strength of gender identification and content of gender identity in predicting women's endorsement of sexist beliefs
Authors: Becker Julia C. , Wagner Ulrich
Published: July 2008

To explain differences in women's endorsement of sexist beliefs, we introduce the gender identity model (GIM). Based on social identity theory (SIT) and social role theory (SRT), we combine strength of gender identification and identity content and propose that different types of gender identity can be distinguished, which are predicted to relate to different levels of women's endorsement of sexist beliefs and engagement in collective action. Results of a correlational study and two experiments support the assumptions of the model: women reject Benevolent (BS), Hostile (HS), and Modern Sexisms (MS) and participate in collective action in particular when they are highly identified with the category women and have, at the same time, internalized progressive identity contents. In contrast, gender role preference has weaker or no effects on sexist beliefs and collective action when women are low identified with their gender in‐group. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fitting in with the flock: Social attractiveness as a mechanism for well‐being in religious groups
Authors: Hayward R. David , Elliott Marta
Published: July 2008

For most people, religion is practiced and experienced within a social group of believers who interact regularly. Yet the role of social psychological intergroup processes has largely been ignored with respect to religious phenomena. The present study explores social attraction as a mechanism by which religious groups affect the psychological well‐being of their members. Data were taken from a large survey of the members of 411 religious congregations in the United States. Linear mixed modeling analyses were conducted predicting two aspects of well‐being in the religious context from a range of variables at the levels of the individual, of the group, and of individual–group fit. Fit measures between individual characteristics and norms within congregations were found to be significant predictors of well‐being for a variety of measures across domains of demographics, religious beliefs, religious behavior, and group integration. These results support the view that the intragroup process of social attraction is a mechanism by which people obtain some benefits from belonging to religious groups. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Efficient computation of mean drag for the subcritical flow past a circular cylinder using general Galerkin G2
Authors: Hoffman J.
Published: July 2008

General Galerkin (G2) is a new computational method for turbulent flow, where a stabilized Galerkin finite element method is used to compute approximate weak solutions to the Navier–Stokes equations directly, without any filtering of the equations as in a standard approach to turbulence simulation, such as large eddy simulation, and thus no Reynolds stresses are introduced, which need modelling. In this paper, G2 is used to compute the drag coefficient cD for the flow past a circular cylinder at Reynolds number Re=3900, for which the flow is turbulent. It is found that it is possible to approximate cD to an accuracy of a few percent, corresponding to the accuracy in experimental results for this problem, using less than 105 mesh points, which makes the simulations possible using a standard PC. The mesh is adaptively refined until a stopping criterion is reached with respect to the error in a chosen output of interest, which in this paper is cD. Both the stopping criterion and the mesh‐refinement strategy are based on a posteriori error estimates, in the form of a space–time integral of residuals times derivatives of the solution of a dual problem, linearized at the approximate solution, and with data coupling to the output of interest. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A practical implementation of high‐order RKDG models for the 1D open‐channel flow equations
Authors: Kesserwani Georges , Mosé Robert , Vazquez José , Ghenaim Abdellah
Published: July 2008

This paper comprises an implementation of a fourth‐order Runge–Kutta discontinuous Galerkin (RKDG4) scheme for computing the open‐channel flow equations. The main features of the proposed methodology are simplicity and easiness in the implementation, which may be of possible interest to water resources numerical modellers. A version of the RKDG4 is blended with the Roe Riemann solver, an adaptive high‐order slope limiting procedure, and high‐order source terms approximations. A comparison of the performance of the proposed method with lower‐order RKDG models is performed showing a benefit of considering the RKDG4 model. The scheme is applied to computerize the Saint Venant system by considering benchmark tests that have exact solutions. Finally, numerical results are illustrated discussing the performance of the proposed high‐order model. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Do microfinance programs help families insure consumption against illness?
Authors: Gertler Paul , Levine David I. , Moretti Enrico
Published: July 2008

Families in developing countries face enormous financial risks from major illness both in terms of the cost of medical care and the loss in income associated with reduced labor supply and productivity. We test whether access to microfinancial savings and lending institutions helps Indonesian families smooth consumption after declines in adult health. In general, results support the importance of these institutions in helping families to self‐insure consumption against health shocks. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Field evaluation of ultrasonic flowmeters for measuring water discharge in irrigation canals
Authors: Lozano David , Mateos Luciano
Published: July 2008

Measuring water flow is essential for sound irrigation management. New commercial flowmeters based on acoustic technology have become popular for measuring water discharge in open channels of irrigation schemes in Spain and various other countries. There are two main types of acoustic flowmeter: transit‐time and Doppler. We tested a commercial instrument of each type (a Risonic 2000 and an Argonaut‐SW, respectively) in the field throughout an entire irrigation season. The instruments were installed in rectangular cross‐sections of one of the secondary canals in the B‐XII irrigation scheme, Spain. The discharges tested varied from 0.1 to 4 m3 s−1. To obtain reference data, we used a propeller current meter to measure the flow velocity across the test canal sections. Both the Risonic 2000 and Argonaut‐SW instruments provided measurements that were highly consistent with those obtained from the propeller meter. The Argonaut‐SW, mounted at the bottom of the canal, had to be reinstalled twice during the irrigation season since it was displaced by debris dragged by the flowing water. The Risonic 2000, mounted on the canal walls, operated without interruption during the entire season. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hypoxia‐induced modifications in plasma membranes and lipid microdomains in A549 cells and primary human alveolar cells
Authors: Botto Laura , Beretta Egidio , Bulbarelli Alessandra , Rivolta Ilaria , Lettiero Barbara , Leone Biagio Eugenio , Miserocchi Giuseppe , Palestini Paola
Published: July 2008

We evaluated the response to mild hypoxia exposure of A549 alveolar human cells and of a continuous alveolar cell line from human excised lungs (A30) exposed to 5% O2 for 5 and 24 h. No signs of increased peroxidation and of early apoptosis were detected. After 24 h of hypoxia total cell proteins/DNA ratio decreased significantly by about 20%. Similarly, we found a decrease in membrane phospholipid and cholesterol content. The membrane fluidity assessed by fluorescence anisotropy measurements was unchanged. We also prepared the detergent resistant membrane fraction (DRM) to analyze the distribution of the two types of lipid microdomains, caveolae and lipid rafts. The DRM content of Cav‐1, marker of caveolae, was decreased, while CD55, marker of lipid rafts, increased in both cell lines. Total content of these markers in the membranes was unchanged indicating remodelling of their distribution between detergent‐resistant and detergent‐soluble fraction of the cellular membrane. The changes in protein markers distribution did not imply changes in the corresponding mRNA, except in the case of Cav‐1 for A30 line. In the latter case we found a parallel decrease in Cav‐1 and in the corresponding mRNA. We conclude that an exposure to a mild degree of hypoxia triggers a significant remodelling of the lipid microdomains expression, confirming that they are highly dynamic structures providing a prompt signalling platform to changes of the pericellular microenvironment. J. Cell. Biochem. 105: 503–513, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Photoionization studies on various quinones by an infrared laser desorption/tunable VUV photoionization TOF mass spectrometry
Authors: Pan Yang , Zhang Lidong , Zhang Taichang , Guo Huijun , Hong Xin , Qi Fei
Published: July 2008

Photoionization and dissociative photoionization characters of six quinones, including 1,2‐naphthoquinone (1,2‐NQ), 1,4‐naphthoquinone (1,4‐NQ), 9,10‐phenanthroquinone (PQ), 9,10‐anthraquinone (AQ), benz[a]‐ anthracene‐7,12‐dione (BAD) and 1,2‐acenaphthylenedione (AND) have been studied with an infrared laser desorption/tunable synchrotron vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photoionization mass spectrometry (IR LD/VUV PIMS) technique. Mass spectra of these compounds are obtained at different VUV photon energies. Consecutive losses of two carbon monoxide (CO) groups are found to be the main fragmentation pathways for all the quinones. Detailed dissociation processes are discussed with the help of ab initio B3LYP calculations. Ionization energies (IEs) of these quinones and appearance energies (AEs) of major fragments are obtained by measuring the photoionization efficiency (PIE) spectra. The experimental results are in good agreement with the theoretical data. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Potato glycoalkaloids: formation and strategies for mitigation
Authors: Nema Prabhat K , Ramayya Nidhi , Duncan Eric , Niranjan Keshavan
Published: July 2008

With the increasing production and consumption of potato and its products, glycoalkaloid (GA) formation and toxicity are likely to become an important focus for food safety researchers and public health agencies. Not only the presence of GA, particularly in the form of α‐solanine and α‐chaconine, but also the changes occurring as a result of various post‐harvest handling practices and storage, are critical issues influencing the quality of stored potatoes. Studies on various factors (pre‐harvest, during harvest and post‐harvest) affecting GA have been carried out from time to time, but it is difficult to compare the results of one study with another due to wide variation in the parameters chosen. This review aims to develop a clear understanding of these issues. Published information on the types of GA, their effects on health, their typical concentrations in potatoes, their formation mechanisms, and how their levels can be controlled by following appropriate post harvest practices and storage regimes are critically analysed. The levels of GA in potato can be controlled effectively by adopting appropriate post‐harvest practices. Further studies are necessary, however, to investigate best practices, which either check completely or retard substantially their formation. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
Nutrient digestibility, performance and carcass traits of growing–finishing pigs fed diets containing graded levels of dehydrated lucerne meal
Authors: Thacker Philip A , Haq Inam
Published: July 2008

BACKGROUND: Plant breeders have attempted to improve the nutritonal value of lucerne (alfalfa) by selecting for higher protein and lower fibre concentrations. Although targeted at ruminants, such changes could also improve the nutritional value of lucerne for monogastrics. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of graded levels of dehydrated lucerne meal on nutrient digestibility, performance and carcass traits of swine.

RESULTS: The digestibility of dry matter, protein and energy declined linearly (P < 0.05) as the level of lucerne meal in the diet increased. Including lucerne meal at levels greater than 75 g kg−1 was detrimental to the growth rate of pigs during the growing period. During the finishing period, inclusion of lucerne meal at 75 and 150 g kg−1 resulted in improvements in weight gain and feed intake. Carcass traits were generally unaffected by lucerne inclusion.

CONCLUSION: Lucerne meal may have greater potential for inclusion in diets fed to growing–finishing pigs than previously realized. To maximize pig performance, lucerne meal should be limited to less than 75 g kg−1 diet during the growing period, while it is possible to go as high as 150 g kg−1 diet during the finishing period without detrimental effects on performance. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
Multiple exciton generation in semiconductor nanocrystals: Toward efficient solar energy conversion
Authors: Beard M.C. , Ellingson R.J.
Published: July 2008

Within the range of photon energies illuminating the Earth's surface, absorption of a photon by a conventional photovoltaic semiconductor device results in the production of a single electron‐hole pair; energy of a photon in excess of the semiconductor's bandgap is efficiently converted to heat through interactions between the electron and hole with the crystal lattice. Recently, colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals and nanocrystal films have been shown to exhibit efficient multiple electron‐hole pair generation from a single photon with energy greater than twice the effective band gap. This multiple carrier pair process, referred to as multiple exciton generation (MEG), represents one route to reducing the thermal loss in semiconductor solar cells and may lead to the development of low cost, high efficiency solar energy devices. We review the current experimental and theoretical understanding of MEG, and provide views to the near‐term future for both fundamental research and the development of working devices which exploit MEG.
Norm estimates for functions of two operators on tensor products of Hilbert spaces
Authors: Gil' M. I.
Published: July 2008

Analytic operator valued functions of two operators on tensor products of Hilbert spaces are considered. A precise norm estimate is established. Applications to operator differential equations are also discussed. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
A Hardy inequality in a twisted Dirichlet–Neumann waveguide
Authors: Kovařík H. , Krejčiřík D.
Published: July 2008

We consider the Laplacian in a straight strip, subject to a combination of Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions. We show that a switch of the respective boundary conditions leads to a Hardy inequality for the Laplacian. As a byproduct of our method, we obtain a simple proof of a theorem of Dittrich and Kříž [5]. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Square Lamellar Structure Having Phase‐Separated Microdomain in H‐Shaped Block Copolymer Thin Film
Authors: Wei Yuhan , Huang Weihuan , Li Binyao , Han Yanchun , Pan Caiyuan
Published: July 2008

The morphology of a H‐shaped block copolymer (poly(ethylene glycol) backbone and polystyrene branches (PS)2PEG(PS)2) in a thin film has been investigated. A peculiar square lamella that has a phase‐separated microdomain at its surface is obtained after spin coating. The experimental temperature plays a critical role in the lamellar formation. The copolymer first self‐assembles into square lamellar micelles with an incomplete crystalline core due to the crystallizability of PEG. In the subsequent process of solvent evaporation, phase separation between PS and non‐crystalline PEG attached at the chain‐folded PEG surface takes place, which results in phase‐separated microdomains being formed at the lamellar surface.

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Z, E‐Isomerization mechanism for N‐arylthio‐1,4‐benzoquinonimines: DNMR and DFT investigations
Authors: Pirozhenko V. V. , Rozhenko A. B. , Avdeenko A. P. , Konovalova S. A. , Santalova A. A.
Published: July 2008

Z, E‐Isomerization has been investigated for the series of the N‐arylthio‐1,4‐benzoquinonimines using a line shape analysis in the 1H NMR spectra. Thermodynamic parameters and substituent effects have been analyzed for the isomerization process. It has been shown based on the DFT (B3LYP) calculations that the dynamic transformation for N‐arylthio‐1,4‐benzoquinonimines should be considered as a combination of the two different processes, a rotation about the NS bond and an inversion at nitrogen via the transition state with the linear C NS moiety. The free energies of activation for the isomerization (ΔG298 K) measured experimentally depend on the substitution in the quinonimine moiety and phenyl ring and can be referred either to the inversion of the nitrogen atom or to the hindered rotation about the NS bond. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesis and characterization of mono‐ and di‐methoxy substituted acrylate polymers containing photocrosslinkable pendant chalcone moiety
Authors: Tamilvanan M. , Pandurangan A. , Subramanian K. , Reddy B. S. R.
Published: July 2008

Two acrylate monomers – 4‐(2′‐methoxycinnamoyl)phenyl acrylate, and 4‐(2′,5′‐dimethoxycinnamoyl)phenyl acrylate – comprising photocrosslinkable pendant chalcone moiety and a free radical polymerizable group were synthesized. The monomers were polymerized in the presence of ethyl methyl ketone at 70°C using benzoyl peroxide as the initiator. The polymers were characterized by UV, FT‐IR, 1H‐NMR, and 13C‐NMR spectra. The weight and number average molecular weights of the polymers were determined by gel permeation chromatography. The thermal stability of the polymers was studied by TGA under a nitrogen atmosphere. Glass transition temperatures of the polymers were studied by differential scanning calorimetry. The photoreactivity of the polymers was investigated for potential applications as photoresists in solution using various solvents. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Temperature and shear dependencies of rheology of poly(acrylonitrile‐co‐itaconic acid) dope in DMF
Authors: Devasia Renjith , Nair C. P. Reghunadhan , Ninan K. N.
Published: July 2008

Poly(acrylonitrile‐co‐itaconic acid) (poly(AN‐co‐IA)) precursor required for carbon fiber production is made into a dope and spun into fibers using a suitable spinning technique. The viscosity of the resin dope is decided by the polymer concentration, polymer molecular weight, temperature, and shear force. The shear rheology of concentrated poly(AN‐co‐IA) polymer solutions in N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF), in the $\overline M_{\rm v} $ range of 1 × 105–1 × 106 g mol−1, has been investigated in the shear rate (γ′) range of 1 × 101–5 × 104 min−1. The zero shear viscosity (η0) has been evaluated at different temperatures. The temperature dependence of zero shear viscosity conformed to the Arrhenius–Frenkel–Eyring model. The free energy of activation of viscous flow (ΔGV) values were in the range 5–32 kJ mol−1 and this value increased with increase in polymer concentration and molecular weight. A master equation for the ΔGV value of the polymer solution of any $\overline M_{\rm v} $ and concentration (c) is suggested. The power law $(\tau \, = \,k\gamma ^n )$ fitted well for the shear dependency of viscosity of these polymer solutions. The pseudoplasticity index (n) diminished with increase in polymer concentration and molecular weight. An empirical relation between viscosity (η) and $\overline M_{\rm v} $ was found to exist at constant shear rate, concentration and temperature. For each $\overline M _{\rm v} $, the equation relating n, c, and T was established. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Side reactions in the synthesis of triblock copolymers of nylon‐6 with telechelic oligomers
Authors: Gancheva Valeria , Petrov Petar , Vladimirov Nikolai , Velichkova Rumiana , Mateva Roza
Published: July 2008

BACKGROUND: The polymerization of hexanelactam (HL) is complicated by numerous side reactions: chain transfer to monomer, termination of the polymer chain, exchange as transamidation and formation of β‐ketoimides and β‐ketoamides. The generation of by‐products and their effect on the anionic polymerization of HL in the bulk in the presence of functionalized tetrahydrofuran oligomers as polymeric activators (PACs) were investigated.

RESULTS: In order to consider how side reactions influence the process of HL polymerization, qualitative and quantitative determination of the by‐products obtained and their exhaustion were carried out. An investigation of the polymerization kinetics and the formation of low molecular weight by‐products through the polymerization was performed. The products are further involved in the polymerization process and consumed until an equilibrium level is reached. The mechanism of their generation is discussed. These processes were followed during the first polymerization stage by means of gel permeation chromatography. A mechanism of by‐product formation and consumption is proposed.

CONCLUSION: The investigation of the polymerization kinetics and the formation of low molecular weight by‐products through the polymerization has shown that the side reaction yields oligomeric HL‐based products. The products are further involved in the polymerization process and consumed until an equilibrium level is reached. The equilibrium values depend on the HL/PACs ratio. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
Structural and magnetic characterization of Fe/Cr/Fe tri‐layers and Fe/Cr multilayers after swift Au ion irradiation
Authors: Kąc M. , Dézsi I. , Toulemonde M. , Kruk R. , Polit A. , Zabila Y. , Fetzer Cs. , Szűcs I. , Mitura‐Nowak M. , Tokman V. , Żukrowski J. , Marszałek M.
Published: July 2008

Fe/Cr/Fe trilayers and Fe/Cr multilayers were irradiated by 163 MeV Au ions with fluence of 1 × 1011 ions/cm2 to 50 × 1011 ions/cm2. The structural properties of Fe/Cr interfaces were observed using Conversion Electron Mössbauer Spectroscopy (CEMS) and X‐ray reflectivity (XRR). The magnetic exchange coupling between Fe layers through Cr spacer in trilayers and multilayers was determined from hysteresis loops measured with SQUID magnetometer. The different behavior of Fe/Cr/Fe trilayers and Fe/Cr multilayers was observed after Au ions irradiation. In Fe/Cr multilayers a decrease of the average value of hyperfine magnetic field with increasing Au ions fluence was observed, indicating an increase of the inter‐ increase of the interfacial roughness. In Fe/Cr/Fe trilayers the non‐monotonic behavior of average value of hyperfine magnetic field versus ion fluence was observed suggesting the smoothing of the interfaces at small fluences and roughening at higher ones. The smoothening of interfaces was confirmed by XRR spectra. In multilayers the magnetic properties changed in a similar way as the structural properties and continuous decay of antiferromagnetic coupling as a function of fluence was observed. In trilayers at the low fluences the antiferromagnetic coupling was not sensitive on irradiation, while at large fluences the decrease of antiferromagnetic coupling fraction was seen. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Crystalline ZnO/SrTiO3 transparent field effect transistor
Authors: Bellingeri E. , Pallecchi I. , Pellegrino L. , Canu G. , Biasotti M. , Vignolo M. , Siri A. S. , Marré D.
Published: July 2008

We fabricated field effect transistors which are transparent at visible wavelength, by realizing epitaxial ZnO/SrTiO3 heterostructures. High crystalline quality ZnO layers were grown by pulsed laser deposition on 110 oriented strontium titanate single crystals. By conventional photolithographic techniques we realized micrometric sized devices in both bottom‐gate stacked layers geometry and planar side‐gate configuration. Our transistors show 80% light transmittance, on/off ratios up to 106 and field effect mobilities up to 30 cm2/Vs at 77 K. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Amorphous oxide TFT and their applications in electrophoretic displays
Authors: Ito Manabu , Kon Masato , Miyazaki Chihiro , Ikeda Noriaki , Ishizaki Mamoru , Matsubara Ryohei , Ugajin Yoshiko , Sekine Norimasa
Published: July 2008

Applications of amorphous oxide TFTs to electrophoretic display have been demonstrated. First, we focus attention on the low process temperature of amorphous In–Ga–Zn–O (a‐IGZO) TFT and successfully fabricated a‐IGZO TFT array onto poly‐ethylene‐naphthalate (PEN) films at room temperature. Subsequently, an a‐IGZO TFT array was combined with electrophoretic display and we have successfully driven a flexible electrophoretic display by a‐IGZO TFT. The image of the flexible display was not affected by bending. Secondly, taking advantage of the transparency of oxide TFT, we propose a novel display structure for electronic paper. In our display structure, an oxide TFT array is fabricated directly onto a color filter array, which facilitates good alignment of the color filter and the TFT array. This TFT and color filter array were laminated with electrophoretic frontplane and positioned at the viewing side of the display. In this structure, the electrophoretic display is driven from the viewing side of the display, which we call the “Front Drive” structure. We have successfully displayed QVGA 4 inch color electronic paper by the “Front Drive” structure. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Role of the oxygen partial pressure on the properties of undoped tin oxide films deposited at low temperature
Authors: Parreira P. , Valente J. , Lavareda G. , Nunes de Carvalho C. , Ramos A. R. , Alves E. , Brogueira P. , Amaral A.
Published: July 2008

The aim of this work is to determine the influence of the oxygen partial pressure on the optical, electrical and structural properties of transparent and conductive undoped tin oxide (SnOx) thin films. These films were deposited by radio frequency plasma enhanced reactive thermal evaporation (rf‐PERTE) of tin in the presence of oxygen at low substrate temperatures (140 °C). Electrical properties obtained in such thin films show dependence with the oxygen partial pressure. When pressure ranges from 1.5 × 10–2 to 6.0 × 10–2 Pa, resistivity varies between 3.3 × 10–1 Ω cm and 2.6 × 10–1 Ω cm, respectively. The lowest resistivity value obtained was 2.0 × 10–2 Ω cm for films deposited at an oxygen partial pressure of about 3.0 × 10–2 Pa. All samples present a reasonably good visible transmittance value between 75–85%. Topography of the samples obtained by AFM show a relative uniform and flat surface with mean square roughness (RMS) of the order of 1.1 nm. RBS measurements show that the highest conductivity is obtained for SnOx films with an O/Sn ratio of about 2.51. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Influence of Cd/S ratio on photocatalytic activity of high‐vacuum‐annealed CdS–TiO2 thin film
Authors: Biswas S. , Hossain M. F. , Takahashi T. , Kubota Y. , Fujishima A.
Published: July 2008

CdS–TiO2 thin film heterojunctions were prepared on glass substrates with various Cd/S ratios to optimize the photocatalytic efficiency in UV–visible light irradiation. The CdS underlayer was prepared by the chemical bath deposition technique and subsequently annealed in high vacuum of 5 × 10–5 Pa at 400 °C. The effect of vacuum annealing of the CdS layer on optical and photocatalytic properties of the CdS–TiO2 thin film was also studied. The photocatalytic activity, evaluated by the measurement of the decomposition of methanol in the gas phase under UV–visible light irradiation, shows higher efficiency for a vacuum‐annealed CdS underlayer deposited with Cd/S ratio ≈1:4. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Characterization of pseudo‐single‐nucleus lateral crystallization method for silicon thin film
Authors: Endo T. , Katou T. , Shimoto S. , Ohno T. , Taniguchi Y. , Azuma K. , Matsumura M.
Published: July 2008

Based on the phase‐modulated excimer laser annealing method, an advanced crystallization technology called the “pseudo‐single‐nucleus lateral crystallization method” has been reported recently. Arrays of large rectangular Si grains of almost 6 μm × 5 μm in size were successfully grown by the new method with a sufficiently wide process window. The characterization of crystallized film was investigated by electron backscattering pattern (EBSP) method, Raman spectra and AFM, and it was confirmed that the two‐dimensionally large Si grain had a good crystallinity. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Lasers solutions for wafer and thin‐film annealing
Authors: Paetzel Rainer , Turk Brandon , Brune Jan , Govorkov Sergei , Simon Frank
Published: July 2008

The application of lasers for the annealing of wafer‐based and thin‐film microelectronic devices is steadily increasing. Excellent control of material characteristics (for example, dopant activation profile) can be achieved through proper selection of laser parameters, such as wavelength, pulse duration and fluence. In this paper, we present recent results achieved with our industrial lasers and tailored optical systems used for annealing and activation. Such systems include Excimer Lasers, q‐switched DPSS Lasers and our unique high‐power CW laser system that delivers scalable output power of multiple hundreds of Watts in the visible wavelength range. One focus is the formation of ultra‐shallow Source/Drain junctions for CMOS nodes below 90 nm. We will present results from Excimer Laser Annealing (ELA) that show high dopant activation, exact control over the junction depth and efficient implant damage removal. Another application is power MOSFET, where a laser source is utilized for dopant activation and damage healing over micron depths. The choice of wavelength (i.e. green) with adequate interaction time leads to an optimized activation profile. The use of single laser pulses, pulse trains or continuous irradiation leads to the preferred annealing result. Crystallization of thin films is another large domain for laser annealing equipment. We will present selected results from silicon thin‐film annealing, which is commonly used in the Flat Panel Display industry. The applicability of these technologies beyond displays into electronics and photo‐voltaic applications is also shown. In addition, descriptions are provided of experimental results and simulations of laser sources and optical systems that enable variation of the temperature profile within the irradiated materials and offer the scalability and maturity as demanded by the semiconductor industry. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)