bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Monitoring and evaluation, stakeholder engagement and implementation of service-learning projects within public secondary schools, Homabay County, Kenya
Authors: Okumu Alloice Salex , Abuya Isaac Odhiambo
Published: May 2024

Service learning, an innovative learning technique that guarantees all learners are prepared for the labor market, has been trialed. Such a project needs continuous process monitoring and assessment, which has not occurred. The research has not only revealed the amount of transformation, the rates, the outcomes, and the problems faced by such a program. This study was taken purposefully to look at the influence of monitoring and evaluation, stakeholder involvement, and the implementation of service-learning pilot projects in public secondary schools in Homa Bay, Kenya. The guiding objectives was to investigate the influence of context, input, process and product monitoring on implementation of service-learning pilot projects; to determine the extent to which stakeholder participation moderates the link between monitoring and evaluation and the execution of service-learning pilot projects. The study employed an Ex post facto design, targeted a population of 17, 113, including: Board of managers, PTA, teachers, school administrators and learners within the secondary schools. Through the use of the CIPP model, a stratified random sampling technique with a sample size of 376 of the total population was reached. Semi-structured questionnaires and KII were used to collect primary data. The descriptive statistics and thematic analyses were done and the findings showed that the CIIP Model was found to influence implementation of service learning pilot projects. Where the context (ρ = 0. 266 < 1); Input monitoring (ρ = 1.196 > 1), while process and product evaluation were (ρ= 0.295 < 1) and (ρ= 9.621 > 1). Stakeholders engagement contributed immensely towards implementation, (p 0.00<0.05). In conclusion, CIPP model is application in monitoring and evaluation during project implementation. This study recommends integration of CIIP model in the project implementation.
Cuaderno n.º 2. Mens iura fundamentalia: la neurotecnología ante la Constitución
Authors: Reche Tello Nuria
Published: May 2024

La monografía analiza cómo el desarrollo de la neurotecnología se extenderá, a lo largo de los próximos años, en múltiples sectores de la sociedad, así como su impacto en el ordenamiento jurídico y en los derechos fundamentales de la ciudadanía. Una cuestión que exigirá una respuesta jurídica a la altura de su relevancia y que, en opinión de la autora, deberá incardinarse en el máximo nivel garantista de nuestro derecho, la Constitución. Y es que, si bien son innegables sus beneficios para las personas con enfermedades neurológicas o limitaciones funcionales, también lo son las importantes amenazas para los derechos si no se establecen límites claros por medio de la regulación. De ahí que se haya iniciado un proceso normativo multinivel liderado por Chile en 2021 con la reforma de su Constitución, y que la doctrina, paralelamente, haya ido formulando propuestas de «neuroderechos» con el fin de tutelar debidamente nuestro mundo interior, cada vez más vulnerable. El libro, tras exponer el estado de la cuestión, pretende promover el debate público sobre la manera de afrontar estos retos en los próximos años, ya sea mediante la creación de nuevos derechos o la reconceptualización de los clásicos, así como la técnica reguladora que pueda resultar más idónea. Con ello se pretende incorporar al derecho, y particularmente al derecho constitucional, a una discusión dominada hasta el momento por la neurociencia.
Spontaneous human CD8 T cell and EAE-inducible human CD4/CD8 T cell lesions in the brain and spinal cord of HLA-DRB1*15-positive MS PBMC humanized mice
Authors: Papazian Irini , Kourouvani Maria , Dagkonaki Anastasia , Gouzouasis Vasileios , Dimitrakopoulou Lila , Markoglou Nikolaos , Badounas Fotis , Tselios Theodore , Anagnostouli Maria , Probert Lesley
Published: May 2024

Autoimmune diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) such as multiple sclerosis (MS) are only partially represented in current experimental models and the development of humanized immune mice is crucial for better understanding of immunopathogenesis and testing of therapeutics. We describe a humanized mouse model with several key features of MS. Severely immunodeficient B2m-NOG mice were transplanted with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from HLA-DRB1-typed MS and healthy (HI) donors and showed rapid engraftment by human T and B lymphocytes. Mice that received cells from MS patients with recent/ongoing Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) reactivation, determined by the presence of plasma anti-EBV antibodies, showed high B cell engraftment capacity. Both HLA-DRB1*15 (DR15) MS and DR15 HI mice, not HLA-DRB1*13 (DR13) MS mice, developed human T cell infiltration of CNS borders and parenchyma. DR15 MS mice uniquely developed inflammatory lesions in brain and spinal cord grey matter, with spontaneous, hCD8 T cell lesions in non-immunized mice, and mixed hCD8/hCD4 T cell lesions in EAE immunized mice, with variation in localization and severity between different patient donors. Main limitations with this model for further development are poor monocyte engraftment and lack of demyelination, lymph node organization and IgG responses. These results show that PBMC humanized mice represent promising research tools for investigating MS immunopathology in a patient-specific approach.
PPI-hotspotID for detecting protein–protein interaction hot spots from the free protein structure
Authors: Chen Yao Chi , Sargsyan Karen , Wright Jon D , Chen Yu-Hsien , Huang Yi-Shuian , Lim Carmay
Published: May 2024

Experimental detection of residues critical for protein–protein interactions (PPI) is a time-consuming, costly, and labor-intensive process. Hence, high-throughput PPI-hot spot prediction methods have been developed, but they have been validated using relatively small datasets, which may compromise their predictive reliability. Here, we introduce PPI-hotspotID, a novel method for identifying PPI-hot spots using the free protein structure, and validated it on the largest collection of experimentally confirmed PPI-hot spots to date. We explored the possibility of detecting PPI-hot spots using (i) FTMap in the PPI mode, which identifies hot spots on protein–protein interfaces from the free protein structure, and (ii) the interface residues predicted by AlphaFold-Multimer. PPI-hotspotID yielded better performance than FTMap and SPOTONE, a webserver for predicting PPI-hot spots given the protein sequence. When combined with the AlphaFold-Multimer-predicted interface residues, PPI-hotspotID yielded better performance than either method alone. Furthermore, we experimentally verified several PPI-hotspotID-predicted PPI-hot spots of eukaryotic elongation factor 2. Notably, PPI-hotspotID can reveal PPI-hot spots not obvious from complex structures, including those in indirect contact with binding partners. PPI-hotspotID serves as a valuable tool for understanding PPI mechanisms and aiding drug design. It is available as a web server (https://ppihotspotid.limlab.dnsalias.org/) and open-source code (https://github.com/wrigjz/ppihotspotid/).
Effects of self-care intervention using a mobile instant messenger on hemodialysis patient’s knowledge, self-efficacy, self-care behavior and physiological index
Authors: Shin Yu Kyung , Kim Mi Young
Published: May 2024

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of self-care intervention using a mobile instant messenger on hemodialysis patient`s knowledge, self-efficacy, self-care behavior and physiological indices. Methods: A non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used. The participants consisted of 38 patients who had a regular hemodialysis of Seoul National University Hospital. They were assigned to one of two groups; an experimental group (n = 19) that had self-care intervention for 8 weeks and a control groups (n = 19) that had routine hemodialysis treatment. The data collection was conducted from September 5, 2022 to October 29, 2022. The date were analyzed by Chi-square test, Independent t-test, and Fisher`s exact test using SPSS Win 29 program.Results: There was a significant difference in self-efficacy (t = 3.42, p = .002) between experimental and control groups. There was no significant differences between the two groups in knowledge (t = 0.80, p = .428), self-care behavior (t = 0.09, p = .929), potassium (t = -0.82 p = .416), phosphorus (t = -0.03, p = .974), weight gain (t = 0.16, p = .867).Conclusion: Based on above results, it was verified that self-care intervention in this study was an effective indicator in improving the self-efficacy. There is a requirement to formulate comprehensive interventions capable of enhancing various indicators.
An adversarial example attack method based on predicted bounding box adaptive deformation in optical remote sensing images
Authors: Dai Leyu , Wang Jindong , Yang Bo , Chen Fan , Zhang Hengwei
Published: May 2024

Existing global adversarial attacks are not applicable to real-time optical remote sensing object detectors based on the YOLO series of deep neural networks, which makes it difficult to improve the adversarial robustness of single-stage detectors. The existing methods do not work well enough in optical remote sensing images, which may be due to the mechanism of adversarial perturbations is not suitable. Therefore, an adaptive deformation method (ADM) was proposed to fool the detector into generating wrong predicted bounding boxes. Building upon this, we introduce the Adaptive Deformation Method Iterative Fast Gradient Sign Method (ADM-I-FGSM) and Adaptive Deformation Mechanism Projected Gradient Descent (ADM-PGD) against YOLOv4 and YOLOv5. ADM method can obtain the deformation trend values based on the length-to-width ratio of the prediction box, and the adversarial perturbation trend generated based on these trend values has better adversarial effect. Through experiments, we validate that our approach exhibits a higher adversarial success rate compared to the state-of-the-art methods. We anticipate that our unveiled attack scheme will aid in the evaluation of adversarial resilience of these models.
The Effect of Dynamic Problem-Solving Learning Strategy on Students' Critical Thinking Skills
Authors: Haris Abdul , Jasruddin  , Bundu Patta , Mustafa  , Ali Sidin
Published: May 2024

This study aims to examine the effect of dynamic problem-solving learning strategies on students' critical thinking skills. This research employed a quantitative approach with a true experimental design in the form of a posttest-only control group design. The population of this study was drawn from all first-year undergraduate students in the academic year 2022/2023 of the Physics department in the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at Universitas Negeri Makassar. The sample was determined using simple random sampling, resulting in 25 students in the experimental group and 27 students in the control group. Based on the data analysis, it was found that the implementation of dynamic problem-solving learning strategies was well-executed and highly rated in terms of management, according to expert judgement. Meanwhile, the analysis results of the critical thinking skills of students in the experimental group were 80.10 in average and 59.81 in the control group. The analysis of the impact of physics learning strategies on students' critical thinking skills yielded a value of 0.00, which is smaller than 0.05. Therefore, it can be concluded that dynamic problem-solving learning strategies have a significant impact on students' critical thinking skills.
Monthly Variations of Dinoflagellates in Relation to the Water Parameters Along Purnagad Estuary, Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India
Authors: Mestry C M , Adsul A D , Pawase A S , Sawant M S , Pawar R A , Ghode G S
Published: May 2024

Water samples were collected from Purnagad estuary, southwest coast of India. The monthly surface water sampling was carried out during high tide to find out the variations in physicochemical parameters and distribution of dinoflagellates. Samples were collected for one year period during 2022–2023. Dinoflagellates and water quality parameters were investigated to changes of dinoflagellates community. Variation in atmospheric temperature 21.9 - 37.2 0C, water temperatures varied from 25.4 - 37 0C, salinity varied from 0-37.6 psu, pH ranges between 7-8.8, dissolved oxygen 3.2-10.8 mgl-1, nitrate varied from 0.1747 - 0.1796 mgl-1, nitrite concentration varied from 0.0076 - 0.0228 mgl-1, phosphate values varied from 0.1038 mgl-1 to 0.3899 mgl-1, Silicate was varied from 0.0050 - 0.6031 mgl-1. A quantitative approach was employed, involving the collection of quantitative data through field sampling and laboratory analysis. During the study 22 species of dinoflagellates were encountered among which Ceratium fusus was dominant. Relatively high density and diversity of dinoflagellates were discovered in May as compared to the other months. Temperature showed a positive correlation with the dinoflagellate community showing its importance in dinoflagellate growth.
Soil Fertility Mapping Using GIS in Sirur Sub-Watershed of Kundagol Taluk of Dharwad District, Karnataka, India
Authors: Suhani  , Kuligod V. B. , Hebbara M , Doddamani M. B. , Ashoka P.
Published: May 2024

Aims: To identify available nutrient constraints in soils and to generate soil fertility maps using remote sensing and GIS of Sirur sub-watershed in northern dry zone of Karnataka.
Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in the Sirur sub-watershed (4D5B5j) located in Kundagol taluk of Dharwad district, Karnataka during 2022-24.
Methodology: Soil samples (601) from Sirur sub-watershed in northern dry zone of Karnataka were drawn at 320 m x 320 m grid interval and assessed for fertility parameters. Analytical data was interpreted and statistical parameters like range, mean, standard deviation and coefficient of variation were calculated for each parameter. Soil fertility maps were prepared for each parameter using interpolation technique.
Results: Soils were neutral to alkaline in reaction and non-saline. Soil organic carbon content was low to medium. Available nitrogen and phosphorus were low to medium, available potassium was high and sulphur was medium to high. Regarding available micronutrients, iron, copper and manganese were sufficient in the soils whereas Zn was deficient in about half of the sub-watershed area and B content was medium to high.
Conclusion: The major constraints in sub-watershed are low content of OC, poor status of available N, P2O5 and Zn indicating their immediate attention for sustained crop production.
My Privileged Assumptions
Authors: Lundberg Carol
Published: April 2011

Carol Lundberg reminds us that it is important to be attuned to the sometimes complicated lives students bring with them to the classroom.
Nanostructured Polymer Brushes by UV‐Assisted Imprint Lithography and Surface‐Initiated Polymerization for Biological Functions
Authors: Benetti Edmondo M. , Acikgoz Canet , Sui Xiaofeng , Vratzov Boris , Hempenius Mark A. , Huskens Jurriaan , Vancso G. Julius
Published: April 2011

Functional polymer brush nanostructures are obtained by combining step‐and‐flash imprint lithography (SFIL) with controlled, surface‐initiated polymerization (CSIP). Patterning is achieved at length scales such that the smallest elements have dimensions in the sub‐100 nm range. The patterns exhibit different shapes, including lines and pillars, over large surface areas. The platforms obtained are used to selectively immobilize functional biomacromolecules. Acrylate‐based polymer resist films patterned by SFIL are first used for the selective immobilization of ATRP silane‐based initiators, which are coupled to unprotected domains of silicon substrates. These selectively deposited initiators are then utilized in the controlled radical SIP of poly(ethylene glycol)methacrylates (PEGMA). Nanostructured brush surfaces are then obtained by removal of the resist material. The areas previously protected by the SFIL resist are passivated by inert, PEG‐based silane monolayers following resist removal. PEGMA brush nanostructures are finally functionalized with biotin units in order to provide selective attachment points for streptavidin proteins. Atomic force microscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy confirm the successful immobilization of streptavidin molecules on the polymer grafts. Finally, it is demontrated that this fabrication method allows the immobilization of a few tens of protein chains attached selectively to brush nanostructures, which are surrounded by nonfouling PEG‐functionalized areas.
Temperature‐Switchable Assembly of Supramolecular Virus–Polymer Complexes
Authors: Kostiainen Mauri A. , Pietsch Christian , Hoogenboom Richard , Nolte Roeland J. M. , Cornelissen Jeroen J. L. M.
Published: April 2011

Here a method is presented for the temperature‐switchable assembly of viral particles into large hierarchical complexes. Dual‐functional diblock copolymers consisting of poly(diethyleneglycol methyl ether methacry­late) (poly(DEGMA)) and poly((2‐dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (poly(DMAEMA)) blocks self‐assemble electrostatically with cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV) particles into micrometer‐sized objects as a function of temperature. The poly(DMAEMA) block carries a positive charge, which can interact electrostatically with the negatively charged outer surface of the CCMV capsid. When the solution temperature is increased above 40 °C, to cross the cloud point temperature (Tcp) of the DEGMA block, the polymer chains collapse on the surface of the virus particle, which makes them partially hydrophobic, and consequently causes the formation of large hierarchical assemblies. Disassembly of the virus–polymer complexes can be induced by reducing the solution temperature below the Tcp, which allows the poly(DEGMA) blocks to rehydrate and free virus particles to be released. The assembly process is fully reversible and can sustain several heating–cooling cycles. Importantly, this method relies on reversible supramolecular interactions and therefore avoids the irreversible covalent modification of the particle surface. This study illustrates the potential of temperature‐responsive polymers for controlled binding and releasing of virus particles.
Calcite Prisms from Mollusk Shells (Atrina Rigida): Swiss‐cheese‐like Organic–Inorganic Single‐crystal Composites
Authors: Li Hanying , Xin Huolin L. , Kunitake Miki E. , Keene Ellen C. , Muller David A. , Estroff Lara A.
Published: April 2011

Biogenic single‐crystal composites, such as sea urchin spines and calcitic prisms from mollusk shells, contain organic macromolecules inside of inorganic single‐crystal matrices. The nanoscale internal structure of these materials, however, is poorly understood, especially how the biomacromolecules are distributed within the crystals without significantly disrupting the crystalline lattice. Here, annular dark‐field scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron tomography reveal, in three dimensions, how biomacromolecules are distributed within the calcitic prisms from Atrina rigida shells. Disk‐like nanopatches, whose scattering intensity is consistent with organic inclusions, are observed to be anisotropically arranged within a continuous, single‐crystalline calcite matrix. These nanopatches are preferentially aligned with the (000l) planes of calcite. Along the crystallographic c‐axis, there are alternating organic‐rich and ‐poor regions on a length scale of tens of nanometers, while, in the ab plane, the distribution of nanopatches is more random and uniform. The structural features elucidated in this work have relevance to understanding the structure–property relationships and formation mechanisms of biominerals, as well as to the development of bio‐inspired strategies to extrinsically tune the properties of single‐crystals.
Peptides for the Biofunctionalization of Silicon for Use in Optical Sensing with Porous Silicon Microcavities
Authors: Estephan Elias , Saab Marie‐Belle , Agarwal Vivechana , Cuisinier Frédéric J. G. , Larroque Christian , Gergely Csilla
Published: April 2011

Addressing the surface chemistry of silicon is of fundamental scientific and technical significance due to the wide use of this material in electronics and optics. A novel method of functionalizing silicon (Si) via short peptides with binding specificity for Si is presented. The peptide presenting the highest affinity for Si is identified via phage display technology, and the 12‐mer LLADTTHHRPWT and SPGLSLVSHMQT peptides were found to be specific for the n+‐Si and p+‐Si surfaces, respectively. In our sensing application, the obtained peptides are used as functionalizing linkers to allow porous silicon microcavities to bind biotin and then capture streptavidin. Molecular detection is monitored via reflectometric interference spectra as shifts in the resonance peaks of the cavity structure. An improved streptavidin sensing (21 times lower detection limit) with peptide‐functionalized porous silicon microcavities is demonstrated, compared to sensing performed with devices functionalized with the commonly used silanization method, suggesting that the modification of Si via Si‐specific peptides provides better interface layers for molecular detection. High‐resolution atomic force microscopy images corroborate this result and reveal the formation of ordered nanometer‐sized molecular layers when peptide‐route functionalization is performed.
Novel 2,2,6,6‐Tetramethylpiperidine 1‐Oxyl–Iodobenzene Hybrid Catalyst for Oxidation of Primary Alcohols to Carboxylic Acids
Authors: Yakura Takayuki , Ozono Ayaka
Published: April 2011

Novel bifunctional hybrid‐type catalysts bearing 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidine‐1‐oxyl (TEMPO) and iodobenzene moieties (1a and 1b) were developed and used for the environmentally benign oxidation of primary alcohols to carboxylic acids. Reaction of primary alcohols 2 with a catalytic amount of 1 in the presence of peracetic acid as a co‐oxidant under mild conditions gave the corresponding carboxylic acids 3 in excellent yields.
Graphene Based Materials: Enhancing Solar Energy Harvesting
Authors: Guo Chun Xian , Guai Guan Hong , Li Chang Ming
Published: April 2011

Due to excellent electronic and optical properties as well as tunable work functions, graphene and graphene‐based materials are highly attractive for applications in enhancement of harvesting solar energy. In particular, they can be used as electron and hole transport materials, buffer layers, and window or/and counter electrodes in solar cells. This research news surveys very recent advances in this emerging field, with emphasis on fundamental understanding of their performance enhancement mechanisms for photovoltaic devices, and discusses future challenges.
Skeletal muscle pathology in Costello and cardio‐facio‐cutaneous syndromes: Developmental consequences of germline Ras/MAPK activation on myogenesis
Authors: Tidyman William E. , Lee Han S. , Rauen Katherine A.
Published: April 2011

Cardio‐facio‐cutaneous syndrome (CFC) and Costello syndrome (CS) are two of the more rare RASopathies caused by altered signal transduction of the Ras/mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. All of the RASopathies exhibit some degree of hypotonia, but CS and CFC are more severe. To determine if individuals with CS and CFC have an underlying skeletal myopathy, we systematically evaluated skeletal muscle pathology in both conditions. We reviewed pathology reports from six individuals who had undergone a skeletal muscle biopsy, and we reviewed histology slides on two cases with CS and one case with CFC. All patients in the cohort had histopathologic findings, and two consistent abnormalities were identified. The first was the presence of abnormal muscle fiber size and variability, and the second was the presence of type 2 fiber predominance. Given the degree of hypotonia typically present in these patients, the overall architecture of the muscle was relatively normal, without showing indications of severe structural histopathology or metabolic abnormalities. Because the Ras/MAPK pathway is vital for skeletal myogenesis, we evaluated the effects of CS and CFC mutations on myogenesis using C2C12 myoblasts. All CS/CFC mutations inhibited myoblast differentiation as indicated by fewer myosin heavy chain expressing cells and a decrease in the number of myotubes as compared to controls. These findings indicate that CS and CFC may have a true myopathy related to an inherent dysregulation of skeletal myogenesis, which further expands our understanding of the consequences of germline Ras/MAPK mutations. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Social behavior, foraging strategies, and fecal glucocorticoids in female blue monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis): potential fitness benefits of high rank in a forest guenon
Authors: Foerster Steffen , Cords Marina , Monfort Steven L.
Published: April 2011

Socioecological theory predicts that aggressive feeding competition is associated with linear dominance hierarchies and reproductive advantages for high‐ranking females. Female blue monkeys contest fruits and have a linear dominance hierarchy, yet previous research has shown no evidence that high‐ranking females benefit from greater feeding success or fertility. Here, we assess whether individuals differ in fecal glucocorticoid (fGC) excretion and examine proximate determinants of such differences to infer potential fitness correlates of rank, using data collected from two study groups in the Kakamega Forest, Kenya. We found that higher ranking females had preferential access to fruits in both groups, although the behavioral mechanisms leading to this effect varied between groups. Despite a consistent rank difference in feeding on fruits, an overall rank effect on fGCs emerged in only one group; females of this group spent comparatively more time feeding on fruits, fruits accounted for a greater proportion of the diet, and females engaged in more frequent food‐related agonism. In addition, more females in this group were lactating during a period of low fruit availability, when rank effects on fGCs were particularly strong. Regardless of fruit availability, among lactating females of both groups higher rank was associated with lower fGC levels, indicating lower energetic stress in higher ranking females when energy demands were particularly high. Individual rates of agonism, a potential psychological stressor, were unrelated to fGCs at all times. After we accounted for rates of agonism and feeding on fruits, females of one group who groomed others more had lower fGCs, suggesting that variable social coping behavior can contribute to fGC variation in some groups. This study provides the first empirical evidence that high‐ranking female blue monkeys may obtain fitness benefits from their social status, by gaining priority of access to fruits during critical times in the reproductive cycle. Am. J. Primatol. 73:870–882, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Lateral frontal sinus access in endoscopic skull‐base surgery
Authors: Timperley Daniel G. , Banks Catherine , Robinson Daniel , Roth Jason , Sacks Raymond , Harvey Richard J.
Published: April 2011

Background

The modified endoscopic Lothrop (MELP) or Draf III procedure can provide extended endoscopic access to the frontal sinus. The ability to access the entire frontal sinus entirely endoscopically is often debated and there is little published data to predict access based on tumor location.

Methods

MELP was performed in 10 cadaver heads. Access was defined as the ability to contact the bone under vision with the head of a 70‐degree diamond burr. Access was assessed in 3 areas: the orbital roof and the anterior and posterior walls of the frontal sinus. Endpoints were defined in millimeters from medial orbit and lateral quartile zones.

Results

Complete lateral access was excellent anterior and posterior in 95% of sinuses (mean 15.5 ± 7.8 mm and 15.4 ± 7.7 mm, respectively). Access to the orbital roof was limited (10.3 ± 4.6 mm; p = 0.01 comparing anterior and posterior). For sinuses pneumatized beyond the midorbital point, only 10% of lateral orbital roofs were contacted. Orbital roof access correlated with the anteroposterior (AP) distance between the olfactory fossa and outer periosteum of the frontal beak (r = 0.6, p < 0.01).

Conclusion

Lateral endoscopic access to the walls of the frontal sinus is excellent except for the sinus floor. Access to the orbital roof is reliable in the medial quarter only and minimal lateral to the midorbital point. The ability to predict the areas accessible by the endoscopic approach and those areas that might require ancillary approaches is important for both surgical planning and patient expectations. © 2011 ARS‐AAOA, LLC.
Figure‐Eight‐Strukturen, Möbius‐Bänder und mehr: Konformation und Aromatizität von Porphyrinoiden
Authors: Stępień Marcin , Sprutta Natasza , Latos‐Grażyński Lechosław
Published: April 2011

Der aromatische Charakter von Porphyrinen, der signifikante chemische und biologische Auswirkungen hat, kann durch gezielte Modifikationen des Stammringsystems beträchtlich verändert werden. Zusätzliche Untereinheiten expandieren den Makrocyclus und erhöhen seine Ringkrümmung, was zu einer höheren Winkelspannung führt. Diese Winkelspannung kann der Ring durch eine Reihe von Konformationsänderungen wieder abbauen, insbesondere durch Invertieren von Untereinheiten und Verdrillen (twisting) der π‐Oberfläche. Letzterer Effekt bietet einen Zugang zu Möbius‐aromatischen Molekülen, deren Eigenschaften, gleichwohl vor über 40 Jahren vorausgesagt, unter theoretischen Aspekten von großer Bedeutung sind. Häufig gehen Konformationsprozesse in den Porphyrinanaloga mit anderen chemischen Phänomenen einher, sodass sie für den Aufbau von molekularen Funktionseinheiten verwendet werden können. In diesem Aufsatz wird die Strukturchemie der Porphyrinoide im Zusammenhang mit ihrer Konformationsdynamik und elektronischen π‐Konjugation diskutiert.
Aufkonvertierende lumineszierende Nanopartikel als Nanothermometer
Authors: Fischer Lorenz H. , Harms Gregory S. , Wolfbeis Otto S.
Published: April 2011

Aufkonvertierende lumineszierende Materialien sind in der Lage, nah‐infrarotes Licht zu absorbieren und in kürzerwellige Lumineszenz umzuwandeln. Die Effizienz dieses bemerkenswerten Effekts ist stark temperaturabhängig, was die Temperaturmessung mit einer Ortsauflösung im Nanometerbereich ermöglicht. Alle bisher bekannten Aufkonvertierungs‐Materialien zeigen mehrere (meistens zwei) schmale Emissionsbanden, jede mit einer eigenen Temperaturabhängigkeit. Das Verhältnis der Intensitäten zweier dieser Banden ist ein selbstreferenziertes Signal zur optischen Temperaturmessung, beispielsweise in Zellen.
Structural studies of diethyltin(IV) derivatives and their biological aspects as potential antitumor agents against Agrobacterium tumefacien cells
Authors: Hussain Mukhtiar , Zia‐ur‐Rehman  , Hanif Muhammad , Altaf Muhammad , Aziz‐ur‐Rehman  , Ali Saqib , Cavell Kingsley J.
Published: April 2011

A series of new diethyltin(IV) derivatives of substituted phenyl acrylates have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, multinuclear NMR (1H, 13C, 19F and 119Sn) and X‐ray single crystal analysis. X‐ray single crystal diffraction study of complex 8 has shown the formation of secondary O···Sn, F···H and H···O intermolecular interactions. These complexes proved to be good antitumor agents. The antitumor properties are presumably due to the intercalative mode of interaction of these complexes with the tumor cells' DNA. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Lookup table control method for vibration suppression of a flexible manipulator with optimization of the minimum settling time and energy consumption
Authors: Phan Van Phuoc , Goo Nam Seo , Yoon Kwang‐Joon , Hwang Do‐Soon
Published: April 2011

Active vibration suppression of flexible manipulators is important in many engineering applications, such as robot manipulators and high‐speed flexible mechanisms. The demand for a short settling time and low energy consumption of vibration suppression requires consideration of optimal control. Under a wide range of operating conditions, however, the fixed optimal parameters determined for a control algorithm might not produce the best performance. Therefore, to enhance performance, this paper suggests a lookup table control method for a flexible manipulator. This method can tune itself to the optimal parameters on the basis of initial maximum responses to the controlled system. In this study, a multi‐objective genetic algorithm is used to search for optimal parameters with regard to positive position feedback to the control algorithm. In turn, with the optimal parameters, the multi‐objective functions of the settling time and energy consumption during the vibration control of a flexible manipulator can be minimized. The simulation and experimental results both indicate that the energy consumption can be reduced significantly if the settling time is slightly increased.

Copyright © 2011 John Wiley and Sons Asia Pte Ltd and Chinese Automatic Control Society
Microbial electricity generation via microfluidic flow control
Authors: Li Zhiqiang , Zhang Ying , LeDuc Philip R. , Gregory Kelvin B.
Published: April 2011

Next generation battery technology is rapidly evolving to meet the demand for higher power densities and smaller footprints through novel catalysts and battery architecture. We present a µ‐scale, biological fuel cell which utilizes microbial electricity generation enabled by microfluidic flow control to produce power. The new fuel cell, the smallest of its kind, with a total volume of 0.3 µL, produces scalable and controllable electrical energy from organic matter which is sustained through microbial respiration and laminar flow separation of the electrolytes. Electrical currents are dependent on specific biofilm formation on the anode, the concentration of electron donor, and a diffusion‐limited flow regime. A maximum current density of 18.40 ± 3.48 mA m−2 (92 ± 17 A m−3) was produced by Geobacter sulfurreducens, and 25.42 mA m−2 (127 A m−3) by Shewanella oneidensis. The µ‐scale biological fuel cell introduces the necessary small size and fuel flexibility for applications in vivo and in situ sensors which may be remotely deployed and self‐powered. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2011;108:2061–2069. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Application of magnetic particle tracking velocimetry to quadrupole magnetic sorting of porcine pancreatic islets
Authors: Sajja Venkata Sunil Kumar , Hanley Thomas R. , Gapsis Helen , Guernsey Byron , Kennedy David J. , Taylor Michael J. , Papas Klearchos K. , Todd Paul W.
Published: April 2011

Magnetic isolation is a promising method for separating and concentrating pancreatic islets of Langerhans for transplantation in Type 1 diabetes patients. We are developing a continuous magnetic islet sorter to overcome the restrictions of current purification methods that result in limited yield and viability. In Quadrupole Magnetic Sorting (QMS) islets are magnetized by infusing superparamagnetic microbeads into islets' vasculature via arteries that serve the pancreas. The performance of the islet sorter depends on the resulting speed of the islets in an applied magnetic field, a property known as magnetophoretic mobility. Essential to the design and successful operation of the QMS is a method to measure the magnetophoretic mobilities of magnetically infused islets. We have adapted a Magnetic Particle Tracking Velocimeter (MPTV) to measure the magnetophoretic mobility of particles up to 1,000 µm in diameter. Velocity measurements are performed in a well‐characterized uniform magnetic energy gradient using video imaging followed by analysis of the video images with a computer algorithm that produces a histogram of absolute mobilities. MPTV was validated using magnetic agarose beads serving as islet surrogates and subjecting them to QMS. Mobility distributions of labeled porcine islets indicated that magnetized islets have sufficient mobility to be captured by the proposed sorting method, with this result confirmed in test isolations of magnetized islets. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2011;108:2107–2117. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Microbial production of homogeneously layered cellulose pellicles in a membrane bioreactor
Authors: Hofinger M. , Bertholdt G. , Weuster‐Botz D.
Published: April 2011

Microbial cellulose (MC) is being investigated for various applications in the field of biomedical engineering. Gluconacetobacter xylinus is able to produce pure cellulose in the form of a hydrogel (“pellicle”). The pellicle consists of a defined tridimensional structure that is sensitive to mechanical stress during the process of formation. The bacteria, however, are obligate aerobic and need to be supplied with oxygen. These two objectives are often conflicting. A lab‐scale membrane bioreactor prototype was developed which is able to efficiently produce a MC pellicle with a homogeneous layered structure. A hydrophilic microfiltration polyethersulfone membrane separates the bacteria from the cultivation medium. This setup allows the free convective exchange of the cultivation medium, while providing mechanical support for the continuous formation of the MC layer. Thickness of the MC layer was measured online by a laser triangulation sensor. One hundred and twenty five gram cellulose dry weight/m2 membrane surface were produced within a process time of 330 h. Membrane bioreactors may be used to produce homogenous MC layers in a variety of shapes suitable for biomedical applications. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2011;108:2237–2240. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A flexible bioreactor system for constructing in vitro tissue and organ models
Authors: Vozzi Federico , Mazzei Daniele , Vinci Bruna , Vozzi Giovanni , Sbrana Tommaso , Ricotti Leonardo , Forgione Nicola , Ahluwalia Arti
Published: April 2011

To develop in vitro models of cells, tissues and organs we have designed and realized a series of cell culture chambers. Each chamber is purpose designed to simulate a particular feature of the in vivo environment. The bioreactor system is user friendly, and the chambers are easy to produce, sterilize and assemble. In addition they can be connected together to simulate inter‐organ or tissue cross‐talk. Here we discuss the design philosophy of the bioreactor system and then describe its construction. Preliminary results of validation tests obtained with hepatocytes and endothelial cells are also reported. The results show that endothelial cells are extremely sensitive to small levels of shear stress and that the presence of heterotypic signals from endothelial cells enhances the endogenous metabolic function of hepatocytes. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2011;108:2129–2140. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Consistent manufacturing and quality control of a highly complex recombinant polyclonal antibody product for human therapeutic use
Authors: Frandsen Torben P. , Næsted Henrik , Rasmussen Søren K. , Hauptig Peter , Wiberg Finn C. , Rasmussen Lone Kjær , Jensen Anne Marie Valentin , Persson Pia , Wikén Margareta , Engström Anders , Jiang Yun , Thorpe Susan J. , Förberg Cecilia , Tolstrup Anne B.
Published: April 2011

The beneficial effect of antibody therapy in human disease has become well established mainly for the treatment of cancer and immunological disorders. The inherent monospecificity of mAbs present limitations to mAb therapy which have become apparent notably in addressing complex entities like infectious agents or heterogenic endogenous targets. For such indications mixtures of antibodies comprising a combination of specificities would convey more potent biological effect which could translate into therapeutic efficacy. Recombinant polyclonal antibodies (rpAb) consisting of a defined number of well‐characterized mAbs constitute a new class of target specific antibody therapy. We have developed a cost‐efficient cell banking and single‐batch manufacturing concept for the production of such products and demonstrate that a complex pAb composition, rozrolimupab, comprising 25 individual antibodies can be manufactured in a highly consistent manner in a scaled‐up manufacturing process. We present a strategy for the release and characterization of antibody mixtures which constitute a complete series of chemistry, manufacturing, and control (CMC) analytical methods to address identity, purity, quantity, potency, and general characteristics. Finally we document selected quality attributes of rozrolimupab based on a battery of assays at the genetic‐, protein‐, and functional level and demonstrate that the manufactured rozrolimupab batches are highly pure and very uniform in their composition. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2011;108:2171–2181. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Interactive sign language synthesis based on adaptive display resolution visibility for ubiquitous devices
Authors: Pan Jun , Wang Jian‐min , Cao Shun‐ting , Luo Xiao‐nan
Published: April 2011

This paper presents a novel framework that synthesize Chinese sign language (CSL) animation on ubiquitous platform‐independent devices with consideration of the self‐adaptive rendering capability of the device display screen. The display resolution visibility (DRV) factor is introduced here as the measurement of the system's adaptability. Both the 3D virtual human model and sign animation scripts are simplified according to the DRV Factor of the ubiquitous device. Consequently, a real‐time transmission scheme is proposed for sign language animation over a heterogeneous network. Simulations results show that these innovations significantly reduce the transmission bandwidth and work very well on the ubiquitous devices. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
UEGM: uncertain emotion generator under multi‐stimulus
Authors: Xiang Nan , Zhao Haiying , Zhou Xiaojian , Xu Mingliang , El Rhalibi Abdennour , Wu Yu
Published: April 2011

In this paper, we introduce a novel particle filtering architecture to simulate uncertain emotion generation under multi‐stimulus, to enrich emotions for virtual characters. Particles are exploited to predict emotions by sampling possible natural emotional reactions from individuals' memories and common reactions, and the prediction is subsequently adjusted through likelihood function constructed through appraisals of the cognitive component. Thus this generation process combines the natural reactions and cognitive results of individuals' into a unified architecture. Furthermore, the expression of emotion as a communicative act is implemented by setting moral standards that an individual must obey, no matter what his or her real emotional reaction is to the stimulus. This generation and expression process is implemented with our uncertain emotion generator under multi‐stimulus system (UEGM). Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Predicting missing markers in human motion capture using l1‐sparse representation
Authors: Xiao Jun , Feng Yinfu , Hu Wenyuan
Published: April 2011

Missing marker problem is very common in human motion capture. In contrast to most current methods which handle this problem based on trying to learn a reliable predictor from the observations, we consider it from the perspective of sparse representation and propose a novel method which is named l1‐sparse representation of missing markers prediction (L1‐SRMMP). We assume that the incomplete pose can be represented by a linear combination of a few poses from the training set and the representation is sparse. Therefore, we cast the predicting missing markers as finding a sparse representation of the observable data of the incomplete pose, and then we use it to predict the missing data. In order to get a sparse representation, we employ l1‐norm in our objective function. Moreover, we propose presentation coefficient weighted update (PCWU) algorithm to mitigate the limited capacity problem of the training set. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of our method to predict the missing markers in human motion capture. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fascin, an actin‐bundling protein, promotes breast cancer progression in vitro
Authors: Xing Peng , Li Ji‐guang , Jin Feng , Zhao Ting‐ting , Liu Qun , Dong Hui‐ting , Wei Xiao‐lin
Published: April 2011

Fascin, an actin‐cross‐linking protein, is up‐regulated in breast cancer and correlates with a more aggressive disease. This study was conducted to elucidate the effects of manipulating fascin in breast cancer cells on the metastasis‐associated events, including proliferation, adhesion, invasion, epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and enrichment of a CD44+/CD24− subpopulation that show some stem/progenitor cell properties. Western blot analysis of a panel of breast cancer cell lines revealed high expression of fascin in MDA‐MB‐435 and MDA‐MB‐231 cells but revealed no or low expression in MDA‐MB‐453, Her‐18 and T47D. Gain‐of‐function and loss‐of‐function studies in breast cancer cells demonstrated that forced expression of fascin promoted cell proliferation assessed by the MTT assay, decreased cellular adhesion to fibronectin and potentiated the invasive capacity in the Transwell chamber invasion assay. Conversely, down‐regulation of fascin via small interfering RNA increased cell adhesion and facilitated cell proliferation and invasion. In addition, fascin participated in the EMT and modulated the proportion of the CD44+/CD24− subpopulation in breast cancer cells. In conclusion, our data highlight an important role for fascin in breast cancer progression in vitro through orchestrating a variety of cellular events associated with metastasis, and thus, targeting this gene might have therapeutic implications. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
LASER endovascular atherectomy with secondary stenting of technically challenging calcified celiac trunk stenosis
Authors: Yaqub Yasir , Suarez Jose , Jenkins Leigh Ann
Published: April 2011

Endovascular therapy for chronic mesenteric ischemia is a proven, feasible alternative approach to open surgical repair with significantly lower morbidity and mortality. A clinical dilemma is encountered when technically challenging lesions are encountered during the procedure. We present here an 86 year‐old woman who had intractable abdominal pain with postprandial exacerbation. The patient had successful endovascular light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation atherectomy of a highly calcified celiac truck, showing the feasibility of this technique. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
ChemInform Abstract: A New Phase in the Binary Iron Nitrogen System? — The Prediction of Iron Pernitride, FeN2.
Authors: Wessel Michael , Dronskowski Richard
Published: April 2011

The existence of FeN2 is predicted by DFT calculations.
ChemInform Abstract: Contribution to the Investigation of Ternary Lu—Ni—Sn System.
Authors: Romaka V. V. , Romaka L.
Published: April 2011

The phase equilibria in the title system are characterized at 770 and 670 K by XRD and metallographic analyses.
ChemInform Abstract: Fast Fabrication of Co3O4 and CuO/BiVO4 Composite Photocatalysts with High Crystallinity and Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity via Ultrasound Irradiation.
Authors: Yu Changlin , Yang Kai , Yu Jimmy C. , Cao Fangfang , Li Xin , Zhou Xiaochun
Published: April 2011

Co3O4/BiVO4 and CuO/BiVO4 composite photocatalysts are prepared by intense ultrasound irradiation of aqueous solutions containing Bi(NO3)3, NH4VO3, Cu(OAc)2 or Co(OAc)2, nonionic surfactant P123, EtOH, HNO3, and NaOH.
ChemInform Abstract: Electrochemical Allylation Reactions of Simple Imines in Aqueous Solution Mediated by Nanoscale Zinc Architectures.
Authors: Huang Jing‐Mei , Wang Xu‐Xiao , Dong Yi
Published: April 2011

Deposited zinc(0) powder with nanoscale hierarchitectures play an important role in the electrochemical reaction of imines with allylic bromides, benzyl bromides, and alkyl iodides in aqueous solution.
ChemInform Abstract: Palladium‐Catalyzed Allylic Substitution Assisted by 1,3,2‐Diazaphospholidine Derivatives of (R,R)‐N‐Naphthyltartarimide.
Authors: Gavrilov K. N. , Rastorguev E. A. , Zheglov S. V. , Groshkin N. N. , Boyko V. E. , Safronov A. S. , Petrovskii P. V. , Davankov V. A.
Published: April 2011

Novel P,P‐bidentate diamidophosphite ligands (I) are synthesized and applied to Pd‐catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitutions with amines or dimethyl malonate.