bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On the beautiful diverse Danube? Danubian floodplain forest vegetation and flora under the influence of river eutrophication
Authors: Mölder Andreas , Schneider Erika
Published: May 2010

The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the flora and vegetation of three well‐preserved hardwood floodplain forest areas along the river Danube and to discuss whether possible differences between the floodplain forests can be linked to river eutrophication. Flora and vegetation data from three study areas located on the Upper, Middle and Lower Danube in Central and Eastern Europe were compared using univariate and multivariate statistical methods. Special attention was paid to floristic composition, plant functional types, and ecological indicator values. We found that the three studied hardwood floodplain forests appeared to be rather different regarding floristic composition and herb‐layer vegetation. Despite the high beta diversity, the distribution of the plant functional types indicated generally equal habitat conditions, which were quite stable. The diversity of herb‐layer vegetation decreased downstream, while the indicators of nutrient availability pointed to increasing nutrient supply. The factor light apparently played a minor role for herb‐layer diversity. There is a remarkable congruence between the results of our floodplain vegetation analysis and the longitudinal river eutrophication patterns as described in the literature. We conclude that the nutrient input into Danubian hardwood floodplain forests increased downstream, resulting in higher nutrient availability for plants. This promoted especially the growth of tall and competitive forbs, which outcompeted other plant species. Even if the importance of the various eutrophication patterns is difficult to quantify, our study provides evidence that anthropogenic eutrophication has a distinct effect on the flora and vegetation of Danubian hardwood floodplain forests. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Modeling Noisy Data with Differential Equations Using Observed and Expected Matrices
Authors: Deboeck Pascal R. , Boker Steven M.
Published: May 2010

Complex intraindividual variability observed in psychology may be well described using differential equations. It is difficult, however, to apply differential equation models in psychological contexts, as time series are frequently short, poorly sampled, and have large proportions of measurement and dynamic error. Furthermore, current methods for differential equation modeling usually consider data that are atypical of many psychological applications. Using embedded and observed data matrices, a statistical approach to differential equation modeling is presented. This approach appears robust to many characteristics common to psychological time series.
Emergency bedside ultrasound diagnosis of sub-massive acute pulmonary embolism: a case of the McConnell sign
Authors: Liao Michael M. , Theoret Jonathan , Dannemiller Elisa M. , Erickson Catherine , Sanz Geoffrey E. , Kendall John L.
Published: May 2010

Introduction

This is a case of a healthy 61-year-old man with acute onset of dyspnea and atrial flutter where bedside emergency ultrasound was used to identify a classic echocardiographic finding called the “McConnell sign”. The clinical presentation and this echocardiographic finding led to the presumptive diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism.

Materials and methods

This is a case report and brief review of the literature.

Conclusion

Bedside echocardiography has important diagnostic value in the evaluation of suspected acute pulmonary embolism. Findings, such as the McConnell sign are relatively quick and easy to identify at the bedside and could provide valuable information to rapidly guide management decisions when further research defines its role in emergent bedside ultrasound.
A 12-week supplementation with quercetin does not affect natural killer cell activity, granulocyte oxidative burst activity or granulocyte phagocytosis in female human subjects
Authors: Heinz Serena A. , Henson Dru A. , Nieman David C. , Austin Melanie D. , Jin Fuxia
Published: May 2010

Quercetin, a flavonoid found in fruits and vegetables, is a strong antioxidant with anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and immune-modulating properties. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of long-term quercetin supplementation on innate immune function and inflammation in human subjects. Female subjects (n120; aged 30–79 years) were recruited from the community and randomised to one of three groups, with supplements administered using double-blinded procedures: 500 mg quercetin/d (n38), 1000 mg quercetin/d (n40) or placebo (n42). Subjects ingested two soft chew supplements twice daily during the 12-week study period. Fasting blood samples were obtained pre- and post-study and were analysed for plasma quercetin, IL-6, TNF-α and leucocyte subset cell counts. Natural killer cell activity (NKCA) and lymphocyte subsets were assessed in a subset of seventy-four subjects. Granulocyte oxidative burst activity (GOBA) and phagocytosis were assessed in sixty-four subjects. Eighteen subjects had overlapping data. Quercetin supplementation at two doses compared with placebo increased plasma quercetin (interaction effect;P < 0·001) but had no significant influence on blood leucocyte subsets, plasma IL-6 or TNF-α concentration, NKCA, GOBA or phagocytosis. NKCA was inversely correlated with BMI (r− 0·25;P = 0·035) and body fat percentage (r− 0·38;P = 0·001), and positively correlated with self-reported physical fitness level (r0·24;P = 0·032). In summary, results from the present double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomised trial indicated that quercetin supplementation at 500 and 1000 mg/d for 12 weeks significantly increased plasma quercetin levels but had no influence on measures of innate immune function or inflammation in community-dwelling adult females.
A high eating frequency is associated with an overall healthy lifestyle in middle-aged men and women and reduced likelihood of general and central obesity in men
Authors: Holmbäck Isabel , Ericson Ulrika , Gullberg Bo , Wirfält Elisabet
Published: May 2010

The role of eating frequency in obesity development is debated. Therefore, we investigated the association between eating frequency, BMI and waist circumference (WC), as well as how eating frequency is related to diet composition and lifestyle factors. A subsample (aged 47–68 years) of men (n1355) and women (n1654) from the Malmö Diet and Cancer cohort was used for the present cross-sectional study. The daily eating frequency was calculated based on the number of self-reported eating occasions during an ordinary day. Regression analysis and ANOVA examined the associations between eating frequency, BMI and WC, while adjusting for potential confounders. The energy percentage (E%) from carbohydrates as well as relative fibre intake (g/MJ) increased with higher eating frequency; while E% from fat, protein and alcohol decreased. A low daily eating frequency was associated with smoking, higher alcohol consumption, and lower leisure-time physical activity. Eating three or fewer meals per d was also associated with increased likelihood of general and central obesity in men when adjusting for total energy intake, lifestyle and dietary factors. However, results did not reach statistical significance among women. The present study suggests that a high daily eating frequency is associated with a healthy lifestyle and dietary pattern in both men and women, and a reduced likelihood of general and central obesity in men. There is a need for prospective studies investigating the association between eating frequency, diet and body composition.
The Role of the Electoral System in Turkish Politics
Authors: Hale William
Published: May 2010

Over the last twenty years there have been several interesting attempts by scholars working both in Turkey and elsewhere to offer a critical examination of the workings of the competitive party system in Turkey, and to relate changes in the parliamentary arena to the tensions created in a rapidly developing society. This emphasis on the social and economic background to political change has tended to turn attention away from the constitutional and legal arrangements on which the proper functioning of parliamentary democracy also depends. What follows tries to assess the impact of one of these factors — the electoral system — on Turkish political development since 1950. It closes with some suggestions about the possible effects on Turkish politics of some hitherto untried systems of election.
The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and the arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) are definitive hosts ofSarcocystis alcesandSarcocystis hjortifrom moose (Alces alces)
Authors: DAHLGREN STINA S. , GJERDE BJØRN
Published: May 2010

The aim of this study was to determine whether foxes might act as definitive hosts ofSarcocystis alcesin moose. In 2 experiments, 6 silver foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and 6 blue foxes (Vulpes lagopus) were fed muscle tissue from moose containing numerous sarcocysts ofS. alces, and euthanased 7–28 days post-infection (p.i.). Intestinal mucosal scrapings and faecal samples were screened microscopically forSarcocystisoocysts/sporocysts, which were identified to species by means of species-specific primers and sequence analysis targeting the ssu rRNA gene. All foxes in both experiments became infected withSarcocystis; the oocysts were fully sporulated by 14 days p.i., containing sporocysts measuring 14–15×10 μm. Molecular identification revealed that the oocysts/sporocysts belonged to 2 species,S. alcesandSarcocystis hjorti, although sarcocysts ofS. hjortiwere only identified in moose subsequent to the infection of foxes. In the first experiment, all 8 foxes also became infected with aHammondiasp. derived from moose, shedding unsporulated, subspherical oocysts, measuring 10–12 μm in diameter, from 6–7 days p.i. onwards. The study proved that canids (the red fox and arctic fox) are definitive hosts forS. alcesandS. hjorti, as had been inferred from the phylogenetic position of these species.
Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniaesurface polysaccharides: their role in diagnosis and immunogenicity
Authors: Dubreuil J. Daniel , Jacques Mario , Mittal Khyali R. , Gottschalk Marcelo
Published: May 2010

Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniaeis an important pig pathogen that is responsible for swine pleuropneumonia, a highly contagious respiratory infection. Knowledge of the importance, composition and structural determination of the major antigens involved in virulence provides crucial information that could lead to the development of a rationale for the production of specific serodiagnostic tools as well as vaccine development. Thus, efforts have been devoted to study mainlyA. pleuropneumoniaevirulence determinants with special emphasis on the Apx toxins (forA. pleuropneumoniaeRTX toxins). In comparison, little attention has been given to the surface polysaccharides, which include capsular polysaccharides (CPS) and cell-wall lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Here, we review current knowledge on CPS and LPS ofA. pleuropneumoniaeused as diagnostic tools to monitor the infection and as immunogens for inclusion in vaccine preparations for animal protection.
Swiss Armed Forces Militia System
Authors: Stadelmann Claudia
Published: May 2010

This study examines the effects of transformational leadership on subordinates’ extra effort in the unique case of the Swiss Armed Forces’ militia system. The transformational leadership style of 201 superiors who were perceived as outstanding was examined in a first study using the German version of the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ-5X). Relationships of transformational leadership with subordinates’ extra effort were found to be differentially moderated by “command structure” depending on whether the subordinates were militia personnel or military professionals. For military professionals, all components of transformational leadership on the part of lower-ranking superiors had a positive effect on subordinates’ extra effort. For militia personnel, only the interaction between “command structure” and idealized influence increased subordinates’ extra effort. A second study of 51 platoon leaders supported the augmentation effect postulated by transformational leadership theory.
The Role of Core Self-Evaluations in Predicting Performance Appraisal Reactions
Authors: Kamer Barbara , Annen Hubert
Published: May 2010

Although performance appraisal reactions have garnered substantial attention in recent years, research has rarely considered the role of individual differences regarding feedback responses. The findings from a sample of 250 military cadres revealed that higher core self-evaluations were positively associated with both higher satisfaction and goal commitment following the performance appraisal discussion. As expected, the opportunity to voice opinion during the appraisal discussion mediated a portion of the hypothesized relationship, suggesting that individuals with high core self-evaluations were more satisfied and motivated because they were more likely to experience having a voice during the appraisal process. Further, contrary to our hypothesis, the results revealed that core self-evaluations also moderated the relationship between voice and goal commitment in that individuals with low self-evaluations were more affected by their perceived voice than were people with high self-evaluations.
Sensitivity study of forecasted aftershock seismicity based on Coulomb stress calculation and rate‐ and state‐dependent frictional response
Authors: Cocco M. , Hainzl S. , Catalli F. , Enescu B. , Lombardi A. M. , Woessner J.
Published: May 2010

We use the Dieterich (1994) physics‐based approach to simulate the spatiotemporal evolution of seismicity caused by stress changes applied to an infinite population of nucleating patches modeled through a rate‐ and state‐dependent friction law. According to this model, seismicity rate changes depend on the amplitude of stress perturbation, the physical constitutive properties of faults (represented by the parameter Aσ), the stressing rate, and the background seismicity rate of the study area. In order to apply this model in a predictive manner, we need to understand the impact of physical model parameters and the correlations between them. First, we discuss different definitions of the reference seismicity rate and show their impact on the computed rate of earthquake production for the 1992 Landers earthquake sequence as a case study. Furthermore, we demonstrate that all model parameters are strongly correlated for physical and statistical reasons. We discuss this correlation, emphasizing that the estimations of the background seismicity rate, stressing rate, and Aσ are strongly correlated to reproduce the observed aftershock productivity. Our analytically derived relation demonstrates the impact of these model parameters on the Omori‐like aftershock decay: the c value and the productivity of the Omori law, implying a p value smaller than or equal to 1. Finally, we discuss an optimal strategy to constrain model parameters for near‐real‐time forecasts.
Geophysical limitations on the erosion history within Arabia Terra
Authors: Evans A. J. , Andrews‐Hanna J. C. , Zuber M. T.
Published: May 2010

The Arabia Terra region, an area of ∼1 × 107 km2 lying south of the hemispheric dichotomy boundary and centered at (25E, 5N), is a unique physiographic province with topography and crustal thickness intermediate between those of the southern highlands and northern lowlands. Previous workers have identified numerous morphological indicators suggestive of erosion. Using altimetry data returned by the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) on the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) along with gravity data from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), we place geophysical constraints on the amount of erosion permitted within Arabia Terra. Admittance estimates using a multitaper, spatiospectral localization approach provide a best fit to the observations through degree 50 at an elastic lithosphere thickness of 15 km. The elevation difference between Arabia Terra and the highlands would require as much as 5 km of erosion in certain areas to yield the current topography, neglecting the effects of subsequent flexure. However, incorporating flexural rebound requires substantially more erosion, up to 25 km, in order to reproduce the elevation and crustal thickness deficit of Arabia Terra. Such a large amount of erosion would result in exterior flexural uplift surpassing 1 km and gravity anomalies exceeding observations by ∼60 mGal. Consequently, it is unlikely that Arabia Terra was formed from surface erosion alone. We determine that no more than 3 × 107 km3 of material could have been removed from Arabia Terra, while 1.7 × 108 km3 of erosion is required to explain the observed crustal thickness.
A short exploration of structural noise
Authors: Doherty John , Welter David
Published: May 2010

“Structural noise” is a term often used to describe model‐to‐measurement misfit that cannot be ascribed to measurement noise and therefore must be ascribed to the imperfect nature of a numerical model as a simulator of reality. As such, it is often the dominant contributor to model‐to‐measurement misfit. As the name “structural noise” implies, this type of misfit is often treated as an additive term to measurement noise when assessing model parameter and predictive uncertainty. This paper inquires into the nature of defect‐induced model‐to‐measurement misfit and provides a conceptual basis for accommodating it. It is shown that inasmuch as defect‐induced model‐to‐measurement misfit can be characterized as “noise,” this noise is likely to show a high degree of spatial and temporal correlation; furthermore, its covariance matrix may approach singularity. However, the deleterious impact of structural noise on the model calibration process may be mitigated in a variety of ways. These include adoption of a highly parameterized approach to model construction and calibration (including the strategic use of compensatory parameters where appropriate), processing of observations and their model‐generated counterparts in ways that are able to filter out structural noise prior to fitting one to the other, and/or through implementation of a weighting strategy that gives prominence to observations that most resemble predictions required of a model.
Room temperature ferroelectric and magnetic properties of (Co, Li) coimplanted ZnO films
Authors: Li M. , Zou C. W. , Wang G. F. , Wang H. J. , Yin M. L. , Liu C. S. , Guo L. P. , Fu D. J. , Kang T. W.
Published: May 2010

Simultaneous room temperature ferroelectricity and magnetism was observed in (Co, Li) coimplanted ZnO films. The implantation were conducted for Li and Co at energies of 50 and 400 keV, respectively, to doses of 1×1016 and 5×1016 cm−2. Remnant dipole polarization of 10.2 μC/cm2 and coercive electric field of 24.8 kV/cm were recorded for coimplanted ZnO films annealed at 700 °C. The implanted samples annealed at 700 °C also exhibited a saturation magnetization over 11.4×10−5 emu and coercive magnetic field of 67 Oe. The ferroelectricity is interpreted by the ionic radius difference between the dopants and host cations, and the magnetism is explained by bound magnetic polarons mediated by electrons and defects.
Electronic structure of Cu-doped ZnO thin films by x-ray absorption, magnetic circular dichroism, and resonant inelastic x-ray scattering
Authors: Thakur P. , Bisogni V. , Cezar J. C. , Brookes N. B. , Ghiringhelli G. , Gautam S. , Chae K. H. , Subramanian M. , Jayavel R. , Asokan K.
Published: May 2010

The electronic structure of Cu-doped ZnO thin films, synthesized with a nominal composition of Zn1−xCuxO (x=0.03, 0.05, 0.07, and 0.10) by using spray pyrolysis method, has been investigated using near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) experiments at the O K- and the Cu L3,2-edges and resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) measurements at Cu L3,2 edge. The Zn1−xCuxO thin films showed single phase wurtzite-hexagonal like crystal structure and ferromagnetic behavior at room temperature (RT). The intensity of the pre-edge spectral feature at the O K-edge increases with the Cu concentration, which clearly reveals that there is strong hybridization of O 2p–Cu 3d orbitals in the ZnO matrix. Spectral features of the Cu L3,2-edge NEXAFS exhibit multiple absorption peaks and appreciable x-ray magnetic circular dichroism signal that persists even at RT. These results demonstrate that Cu is in mixed valence state of Cu2+,3+/Cu1+, substituting at the Zn site and Cu2+/3+ ions are magnetically polarized. RIXS experiments at Cu L3 edge show strong d-d excitations due to localized nature of Cu ions in the ZnO matrix.
Temperature dependence of magnetization reversal processes in exchange-spring magnets
Authors: Gu J. Y. , Burgess Jesse , You Chun-Yeol
Published: May 2010

We investigated the temperature dependence of magnetization reversal processes of exchange-spring magnet, hard/soft ferromagnetic heterostructures. In most previous works, the thicknesses of the soft and hard layers were used as the main control parameters to investigate the reversal mechanism of the exchange-spring magnet. In our work, the anisotropy energy of the hard layer changes as a function of temperature, while the change in the magnetic properties of the soft layer is negligible in the temperature regime in which we are interested (between 10 and 300 K). The magnetic hysteresis loops of SmFe/Py(=Ni80Fe20) and SmCo/Py exchange-spring magnets were measured at various temperatures. Magnetic reversal behaviors of SmFe/Py and SmCo/Py were explained using the parameters extracted from the single layer measurements, SmFe or SmCo films, and the existing theory, where the reversal mechanism is controlled by the thicknesses. With a proper conversion of the temperature dependent anisotropy energy to the scaled thickness scheme, the reversal mechanisms of SmFe/Py and SmCo/Py could be explained with a simple model theory for a wide range of temperatures.
Extremal asymmetric universal cloning machines
Authors: Jiang Mingming , Yu Sixia
Published: May 2010

The trade-offs among various output fidelities of asymmetric universal cloning machines are investigated. First we find out all the attainable optimal output fidelities for the 1 to 3 asymmetric universal cloning machine and it turns out that there are two kinds of extremal machines which have to cooperate in order to achieve some of the optimal output fidelities. Second we construct a family of extremal cloning machines that includes the universal symmetric cloning machine as well as an asymmetric 1 to 1+N cloning machine for qudits with two different output fidelities such that the optimal trade-off between the measurement disturbance and state estimation is attained in the limit of infinite N.
Structural, dielectric, and magnetic properties of La0.8Bi0.2Fe1−xMnxO3 (0.0≤x≤0.4) multiferroics
Authors: Anjum G. , Kumar Ravi , Mollah S. , Shukla D. K. , Kumar Shalendra , Lee C. G.
Published: May 2010

Polycrystalline multiferroic La0.8Bi0.2Fe1−xMnxO3 (0.0≤x≤0.4) samples were synthesized by the conventional solid state reaction method. Reitveld refinement of the x-ray diffraction patterns confirms the single phase character of all the compositions with orthorhombic structure having space group Pnma (No. 62). Dielectric properties of the samples at temperatures 200–475 K and frequencies 500 kHz–1 MHz authenticate the stabilization of ferroelectric phase with Mn substitution. Dielectric responses of these multiferroics have been analyzed carefully, in the light of “universal dielectric response” model. While cooling from room temperature to 20 K, systematic shifts in magnetization hysteresis loops indicate the presence of exchange bias (EB) phenomenon in the system. Magnetic behavior of these samples has been briefly discussed on the basis of “EB” model for granular systems. Temperature and magnetic field dependent magnetization data demonstrate enhanced magnetization due to the Mn substitution. Magnetocapacitance measurement reveals the magnetoelectric coupling for wide range of temperature (180–280 K) and decrease in dielectric loss at high magnetic field (3 T).
Plasma production by means of discharge in a spherical cavity
Authors: Antsiferov P. S. , Dorokhin L. A. , Koshelev K. N.
Published: May 2010

The work is devoted to the study of plasma, appearing as a result of cumulation of shock wave with form close to spherical. The shock wave was obtained by triggering of fast discharge (dI/dt about 1012 A/s) on inner surface of cavity, made from insulator. Spherical cavity with radius 4.5 mm was filled with Ar at 80 Pa. Inductive storage with semiconductive opening switch was used as a current driver. Spherical plasma with diameter about 1 mm, emitting in vacuum ultraviolet (vuv), was detected by means of pinhole measurements with time gated microchannel plate camera, starting about 50 ns from the beginning of the discharge. vuv spectra have shown the presence spectral lines of ArV–ArVIII ions, which gives the estimation of electron temperature as 30 eV. The plasma ball reveals no instabilities, keeps its characteristics and emits vuv radiation during 300 ns. After 600 ns from the beginning of the discharge plasma emits a flux of electrons with energies about 1 keV with temporal structure about 100 ns.
Growth evolution of laser-ablated Sr2FeMoO6 nanostructured films: Effects of substrate-induced strain on the surface morphology and film quality
Authors: Jalili H. , Heinig N. F. , Leung K. T.
Published: May 2010

Pulsed laser deposition was used to grow Sr2FeMoO6 films of different thicknesses on MgO(100), SrTiO3(100), and LaAlO3(100) with respective lattice mismatches of +6.2%, −1.2%, and −4.3%. Surface roughness and morphology, and film crystal quality and epitaxy were determined by atomic force microscopy and x-ray diffraction, respectively. Two-dimensional layer-by-layer growth was evident for the Sr2FeMoO6 grown on MgO and SrTiO3 with the film becoming smoother with increasing thickness. The Sr2FeMoO6 films had more nucleation sites on MgO than SrTiO3. On LaAlO3, however, three-dimensional progressive growth of flakelike Sr2FeMoO6 nanostructures was observed for all film thicknesses. High-resolution x-ray diffraction measurements indicated that the Sr2FeMoO6 films are near-epitaxial and c-axis oriented on all the substrates. Reciprocal space maps further revealed that Sr2FeMoO6 grows on MgO with relatively constant lattice parameters with increasing film thickness. For films thicker than 120 nm, the formation of a second phase was observed on SrTiO3 and LaAlO3 but not on MgO, suggesting that the formation of a second phase provides an effective strain relief in the former. These results suggested a different growth mechanism for the Sr2FeMoO6 films on MgO compared to the SrTiO3 and LaAlO3 substrates.
Growth of embryonic dust particles in a complex plasma
Authors: Sodha Mahendra Singh , Misra Shikha , Mishra S. K. , Srivastava Sweta
Published: May 2010

A model describing the growth of embryonic dust grains on account of accretion of neutral atoms and positively charged ionic species in a complex plasma has been developed. In deference to the recent emphasis on the character of the openness in complex plasma, the investigation is based on the balance of the number density and energy of electrons, ions, and neutral particles as well as the energy balance of the dust particles and the charge neutrality condition. To discuss the kinetics of the growth of the size of dust the processes of accretion of electrons, ions, and neutral species on the dust particles, the ionization of neutral atoms, and recombination of electrons and ions, and the elastic collisions between the constituent species of the dusty plasma have been considered; the energy exchange associated with these processes has also been taken into account. The dependence of the growth of dust particles and other relevant parameters on number density of embryonic dust grains has, in particular, been explored.
Combined system of fluorescence diffuse optical tomography and microcomputed tomography for small animal imaging
Authors: Yang Xiaoquan , Gong Hui , Quan Guotao , Deng Yong , Luo Qingming
Published: May 2010

We developed a dual-modality system that combines fluorescence diffuse optical tomography (fDOT) and flat panel detector-based microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) to simultaneously reveal molecular and structural information in small animals. In fDOT, a 748 nm diode laser was used as an excitation source, while a cooled charge coupled device camera was adopted to collect transmission fluorescence. In micro-CT, a flat panel detector based on amorphous silicon, with active area of 13×13 cm2, and a microfocus x-ray tube were used. The fDOT system was mounted orthogonally to the micro-CT and the projection images were acquired without rotation of the sample, which is different from the method used for micro-CT alone. Both the finite element method and the algebraic reconstruction technique were used to reconstruct images from the fDOT. Phantom data showed that the resolution of the fDOT system was about 3 mm at an imaging depth of 7 mm. Quantitative error was no more than 5% and imaging sensitivity for 1,1′-dioctadecyl-3,3,3′,3′-etramethylindotricarbocyanine iodide bis-oleate (DiR-BOA) was estimated to be higher than 100 nM at a depth of 7 mm. Calculations of the phantom’s center of mass showed that the location accuracy of fDOT was about 0.7 mm. We applied a Feldkamp algorithm to reconstruct the micro-CT image. By measuring the presampled modulation transfer function with a 30 μm tungsten thread, we estimated that the micro-CT has a resolution of 5 mm−1 when the field of view was 6.5 cm. Our results indicate the uniformity of the transaxial micro-CT image and the contrast-to-noise ratio was measured as 1.95 for a radiation dose of 1 cGy. A non-image-based method was employed for merging images from the two imaging modalities. A nude mouse with DiR-BOA, imaged ex vivo, was used to validate the feasibility of the dual-modality system.
Obliquely propagating solitary kinetic Alfven wave in a collisional dusty plasma
Authors: Woo M. H. , Ryu C.-M. , Choi C.-R.
Published: May 2010

An obliquely propagating solitary kinetic Alfven wave in a low beta dusty plasma (β⪡me/mi) is studied by considering the ion motion along the magnetic field and the collisional effect of electrons. The existence condition for a solitary wave for a collisionless dusty plasma is re-examined. It is found that there is an upper limit of the possible Alfvenic Mach velocity, imposed by dust particles. The Mach number lies between lz and lz/Nd, where lz is the directional cosine and Nd is the dust particle charge density. In the collisional case, the same upper limit of the Mach velocity is found, and the solitary wave turns into an oscillating double layer. The damping scale and the size of the oscillation structure increase with increasing dust particle charge density. The damping scale and the size of the oscillation structure are estimated by using the virial theorem.
Note: Simple hysteresis parameter inspector for camera module with liquid lens
Authors: Chen Po-Jui , Liao Tai-Shan , Hwang Chi-Hung
Published: May 2010

A method to inspect hysteresis parameter is presented in this article. The hysteresis of whole camera module with liquid lens can be measured rather than a single lens merely. Because the variation in focal length influences image quality, we propose utilizing the sharpness of images which is captured from camera module for hysteresis evaluation. Experiments reveal that the profile of sharpness hysteresis corresponds to the characteristic of contact angle of liquid lens. Therefore, it can infer that the hysteresis of camera module is induced by the contact angle of liquid lens. An inspection process takes only 20 s to complete. Thus comparing with other instruments, this inspection method is more suitable to integrate into the mass production lines for online quality assurance.
Note: Printed circuit board based electrically triggered compact rail gap switch
Authors: Saxena A. K. , Kaushik T. C. , Goswami M. P. , Gupta Satish C.
Published: May 2010

An electrically triggered rail gap switch has been designed over a commercially available copper clad fiberglass sheet commonly used in making printed circuit boards for applications requiring compact design and direct integration to parallel plate transmission lines. Switch performance has been investigated in terms of its inductance, jitter, and gap closing time. With an electrode separation of 9.0 mm, it has been found to have an inductance of 6 nH, gap closing time of 5 ns, and jitter of about 4–10 ns measured at 95% of self-breakdown voltage. An application of this switch has been demonstrated as an electrically exploding foil accelerator developed over the same board and velocities up to 1.6 km/s have been achieved on Kapton flyers with diameter of 3.0 mm and thickness of 125 μm using a compact 1 μF capacitor bank.
Imaging dielectric relaxation in nanostructured polymers by frequency modulation electrostatic force microscopy
Authors: Riedel C. , Sweeney R. , Israeloff N. E. , Arinero R. , Schwartz G. A. , Alegria A. , Tordjeman Ph. , Colmenero J.
Published: May 2010

We have developed a method for imaging the temperature-frequency dependence of the dynamics of nanostructured polymer films with spatial resolution. This method provides images with dielectric compositional contrast well decoupled from topography. Using frequency-modulation electrostatic-force-microscopy, we probe the local frequency-dependent (0.1–100 Hz) dielectric response through measurement of the amplitude and phase of the force gradient in response to an oscillating applied electric field. When the phase is imaged at fixed frequency, it reveals the spatial variation in dielectric losses, i.e., the spatial variation in molecular/dipolar dynamics, with 40 nm lateral resolution. This is demonstrated by using as a model system; a phase separated polystyrene/polyvinyl-acetate (PVAc) blend. We show that nanoscale dynamic domains of PVAc are clearly identifiable in phase images as those which light-up in a band of temperature, reflecting the variations in the molecular/dipolar dynamics approaching the glass transition temperature of PVAc.
Flexible room-temperature NO2 gas sensors based on carbon nanotubes/reduced graphene hybrid films
Authors: Jeong Hu Young , Lee Dae-Sik , Choi Hong Kyw , Lee Duck Hyun , Kim Ji-Eun , Lee Jeong Yong , Lee Won Jong , Kim Sang Ouk , Choi Sung-Yool
Published: May 2010

We present a flexible room temperature NO2 gas sensor consisting of vertical carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/reduced graphene hybrid film supported by a polyimide substrate. The reduced graphene film alone showed a negligible sensor response, exhibiting abnormal N–P transitions during the initial NO2 injection. A hybrid film, formed by the growth of a vertically aligned CNT array (with CNTs 20 μm in length) on the reduced graphene film surface, exhibited remarkably enhanced sensitivities with weak N–P transitions. The increase in sensitivity was mainly attributed to the high sensitivity of the CNT arrays. The outstanding flexibility of the reduced graphene films ensured stable sensing performances in devices submitted to extreme bending stress.
Effect of correlation of local fluctuations on exciton coherence
Authors: Chen Xin , Silbey Robert J.
Published: May 2010

Recent experimental studies have shown both oscillations of exciton populations and long lasting coherence in multichromophoric systems such as photosynthetic light harvesting systems and conjugated polymers. It has been suggested that this quantum effect is due to correlations of the fluctuations of site energies among the closely packed chromophores in the protein environment. In addition to these, there is the strong possibility of correlations between site energies and transfer matrix elements. In order to understand the role of such correlations we generalize the Haken–Strobl–Reineker (HSR) model to include the energetic correlations and the site diagonal-off-diagonal correlations in a systematic way. The extended HSR model in the exciton basis is also constructed and allows us to study the dynamics of the exciton populations and coherences. With the extended model, we can provide insight into how these correlations affect the evolution of the populations and coherences of excitons by comparing to the original HSR model with uncorrelated fluctuating environments.
Nanoscale imaging and control of resistance switching in VO2 at room temperature
Authors: Kim Jeehoon , Ko Changhyun , Frenzel Alex , Ramanathan Shriram , Hoffman Jennifer E.
Published: May 2010

We demonstrate controlled local phase switching of a VO2 film using a biased conducting atomic force microscope tip. After application of an initial, higher “training” voltage, the resistance transition is hysteretic with IV loops converging upon repeated voltage sweep. The threshold Vset to initiate the insulator-to-metal transition is on order ∼5 V at room temperature, and increases at low temperature. We image large variations in Vset from grain to grain. Our imaging technique opens up the possibility for an understanding of the microscopic mechanism of phase transition in VO2 as well as its potential relevance to solid state devices.
Growth direction determination of a single RuO2 nanowire by polarized Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Kim Myung Hwa , Baik Jeong Min , Lee Seung Joon , Shin Hae-Young , Lee Jaeyeon , Yoon Seokhyun , Stucky Galen D. , Moskovits Martin , Wodtke Alec M.
Published: May 2010

The dependence of band intensities in the Raman spectrum of individual single-crystal ruthenium dioxide (RuO2) nanowires on the angle between the plane of polarization of the exciting (and collected) light and the long axis of the nanowire, is shown to be a simple, complementary technique to high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) for determining nanowire growth direction. We show that excellent agreement exists between what is observed and what is predicted for the polarization angle dependence of the intensities of the nanowires’ Eg (525 cm−1) and the B2g (714 cm−1) Raman bands, only by assuming that the nanowires grow along the (001) crystallographic direction, as confirmed by HRTEM.
Defect-enhanced ferromagnetism in Gd- and Si-coimplanted GaN
Authors: Davies R. P. , Gila B. P. , Abernathy C. R. , Pearton S. J. , Stanton C. J.
Published: May 2010

GaN grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition was coimplanted with Gd+ ions with energy of 155 keV and dose of 2.75×1010 cm−2 and Si4+ ions with energies of 5 and 40 keV and corresponding doses of 8×1011 and 3.6×1012 cm−2. The implanted samples were not annealed before characterization. X-ray diffraction measurements revealed that the implanted GaN exhibited no secondary phase formation or clustering effects attributable to Gd. Superconducting quantum interference device magnetometer measurements indicated that Gd- and Si-coimplanted GaN exhibited about a 400% higher magnetic moment than a Gd-implanted GaN thin film. This emphasizes the role of defects in producing large saturation magnetization in Gd-doped GaN. Both types of films displayed ferromagnetic ordering and Curie temperatures above room temperature. The higher magnetic moment was displayed when the magnetic field was applied perpendicular to the sample surface (parallel to the c-axis of the sample), suggesting the polarization field in wurtzite GaN plays a crucial role.
The Performativity of Urban Citizenship
Authors: Pine Adam M
Published: May 2010

In this analysis I examine how Dominican grocery-store owners ( bodegueros) in Philadelphia gain the ability to operate corner stores in predominantly African American and Puerto Rican neighborhoods where they are often considered to be outsiders. A central element of the survival strategy of the grocers is to bend over backwards in order to serve their clients and ‘perform’ to the expectations of community residents. These actions disrupt discrete notions of community ‘outsider’ and ‘insider’ and suggest that urban citizenship is not a static positionality based solely on contestations with the state but, rather, an identity created by the interactions between the heterogenous elements of the modern city. I use the experience of the grocers to argue that our understanding of insurgent forms of citizenship must be attuned to this fluid definition of citizenship—one in which the relationships between different members of the polity is crucial.
Optimising Economic, Environmental, and Social Objectives: A Goal-Programming Approach in the Food Sector
Authors: Oglethorpe David
Published: May 2010

The business-decision environment is increasingly complicated by the emergence of competing economic, environmental, and social goals, a notion typified by the current pressures of global economic instability and climate-change targets. Trade-offs are often unclear and contributions by different actors and stakeholders in the supply chain may be unequal but, due to the interdependencies between businesses and stakeholders in relation to total environmental or social impact, a whole chain, simultaneous, and strategic approach is required. After a review of relevant literature and the identification of knowledge gaps, the author introduces and illustrates the use of goal programming as a technique that could facilitate this approach and uses real case evidence for alternative food supply chain strategies, at local, regional, and national levels. It is shown that the method can simplify a complex simultaneous decision situation into a useful and constructive decision and planning framework. Results show how a priori beliefs may be challenged and how operational and resource efficiency could be improved through the use of such a model, which enables a broad stakeholder appreciation and the opportunity to explore and test new environmental or social challenges.
Links between Ill Health and Regional Economic Performance: Evidence from Swedish Longitudinal Data
Authors: Malmberg Bo , Andersson Eva , Subramanian S V
Published: May 2010

While poor health has been associated with economic outcomes at the national level, its effect on economic outcomes at the individual and local level remains less well known. Using nationally representative longitudinal data from Sweden, we examined the extent to which an individual's poor health leads to poor economic outcomes for that individual. In order to understand the effects of poor health at a regional level, we also examined the spillover effects of the individual's poor health on the economic outcomes of the people linked to the individual. We report an association between an individual's poor health and both that individual's subsequent adverse economic outcomes and adverse economic outcomes of the individual's network. Our study highlights the importance of the association between health and economic well-being as well as potential adverse spillover effects of poor health on local economies.
Living in ‘Multiple Spaces’: Extending Our Socioeconomic Environment through Virtual Worlds
Authors: Li Feng , Papagiannidis Savvas , Bourlakis Michael
Published: May 2010

The rapid development of massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) is creating new virtual worlds that significantly extend our socioeconomic environment. Increasingly, organisations and individuals have to live in multiple spaces incorporating physical, electronic, and virtual spaces, which are creating numerous new business and social opportunities and challenges. Today, MMORPGs—both virtual social worlds and online fantasy games—have evolved far beyond mere online computer games. From a business perspective, the new environment challenges existing management theories, creating new opportunities for businesses and entrepreneurs and calling for the development of new management theories and new research methods. From a social perspective, the virtual world represents the frontier of social computing, with profound implications for policy and our society at large. This paper will explore the concept of ‘multiple spaces’, examine the interplays and connections among the different spaces, and discuss their business and social implications. New themes for future research will also be highlighted.
A parallel algorithm to compute chemical organizations in biological networks
Authors: Centler Florian , Kaleta Christoph , Speroni di Fenizio Pietro , Dittrich Peter
Published: May 2010

Summary: Analysing genome-scale in silico models with stoichiometry-based methods is computationally demanding. The current algorithms to compute chemical organizations in chemical reaction networks are limited to small-scale networks, prohibiting a thorough analysis of large models. Here, we introduce a parallelized version of the constructive algorithm to determine chemical organizations. The algorithm is implemented in the Standard C programming language and parallelized using the message passing interface (MPI) protocol. The resulting code can be executed on computer clusters making use of an arbitrary number of processors. The algorithm is parallelized in an embarrassing parallel manner, providing good scalability.

Availability: An implementation of the algorithm including source code can be obtained from http://www.minet.uni-jena.de/csb/prj/ot/tools

Contact:  florian.centler@ufz.de
GPCR-OKB: the G Protein Coupled Receptor Oligomer Knowledge Base
Authors: Khelashvili George , Dorff Kevin , Shan Jufang , Camacho-Artacho Marta , Skrabanek Lucy , Vroling Bas , Bouvier Michel , Devi Lakshmi A. , George Susan R. , Javitch Jonathan A. , Lohse Martin J. , Milligan Graeme , Neubig Richard R. , Palczewski Krzysztof , Parmentier Marc , Pin Jean-Philippe , Vriend Gerrit , Campagne Fabien , Filizola Marta
Published: May 2010

Summary: Rapid expansion of available data about G Protein Coupled Receptor (GPCR) dimers/oligomers over the past few years requires an effective system to organize this information electronically. Based on an ontology derived from a community dialog involving colleagues using experimental and computational methodologies, we developed the GPCR-Oligomerization Knowledge Base (GPCR-OKB). GPCR-OKB is a system that supports browsing and searching for GPCR oligomer data. Such data were manually derived from the literature. While focused on GPCR oligomers, GPCR-OKB is seamlessly connected to GPCRDB, facilitating the correlation of information about GPCR protomers and oligomers.

Availability and Implementation: The GPCR-OKB web application is freely available at http://www.gpcr-okb.org

Contact:  marta.filizola@mssm.edu

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.