bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Successful etanercept therapy in therapy refractory acrodermatitis continua suppurativa Hallopeau
Authors: Weisshaar Elke , Diepgen Thomas L.
Published: May 2007

A 50‐year‐old patient presented with erythema, vesicles and pustules as well as interphalangeal joint pain. Acrodermatitis continua suppurativa Hallopeau was diagnosed. She was treated topically with glucocorticos‐teroids, calcitriol, calcipotriol, tacrolimus and bath‐PUVA therapy without any clear benefit. Systemic acitretin 0.75 mg/kg daily led to improvement but complete resolution could never be achieved.Because of acitretin‐induced mucosal side effects and hair loss, the dose was reduced to 20 mg/d alternating with 10 mg/d. The disease flared again. Additional therapy with etanercept 2 x 25 mg subcutaneously weekly was started. Within four weeks all symptoms resolved. The joint pain disappeared and the nail growth improved. After six months, etanercept therapy was discontinued. Two weeks later the first rebound of pustules occurred. Etanercept was restarted and the patient cleared rapidly. Etanercept therapy can be a useful therapeutic approach in refractory acrodermatitis continua suppurativa Hallopeau.
Sex, Breastfeeding, and Marital Fertility in Pretransition China
Authors: Lavely William
Published: May 2007

Coital frequency is at the heart of the debate over low marital fertility in pretransition China. This study argues that coital frequency in contemporary China is indicative of sexual behavior in an earlier era. Frequency of intercourse is low in China relative to Europe, a natural outgrowth of a traditional family system and related sexual culture only partially transformed by a century of family revolution. Customary sexual behaviors and breastfeeding practices together shaped the Chinese historical fertility regime as they did the European. As explanations for China's low marital fertility, these proximate determinants leave little scope for the operation of fecundity‐reducing malnutrition on the one hand, or deliberate fertility control on the other. The fertility regimes of other pretransition agrarian societies more closely resemble China's than Europe's, seeming to confirm a pattern of European demographic exceptionalism.
Support Characteristics Associated With the Quality of Life of People With Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities: The Perspective of Parents and Direct Support Staff
Authors: Petry Katja , Maes Bea , Vlaskamp Carla
Published: May 2007

Abstract  The authors examined which support characteristics are associated with the quality of life (QOL) of people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD). The authors invited parents and direct support staff of people with PIMD to adopt the perspective of their child or the person with PIMD for whom they care. Some 76 parents and direct support staff of people with PIMD were interviewed, and to obtain data, transcripts were analyzed in‐depth. The respondents mentioned: (1) characteristics with regard to the structure of the setting (physical environment, staff ratio, staff turnover, group size, and group composition); (2) characteristics with regard to the internal organization of the support (partnership, teamwork, interdisciplinarity, and support planning); and (3) characteristics with regard to the support staff (experience, sensitive responsiveness, commitment and motivation, physical strength, knowledge and skills, and self‐reflection). The respondents considered structural as well as operating features of the support setting to be important for the QOL of people with PIMD. The authors conclude that their main emphasis, however, was on the central role of direct support staff in supporting people with PIMD.
Carer‐Reported Contemporary Health Problems in People With Severe and Profound Intellectual Disability and Genetic Syndromes
Authors: Berg Katy , Arron Kate , Burbidge Cheryl , Moss Joanna , Oliver Chris
Published: May 2007

Abstract  Identifying health problems in people with severe and profound disabilities and genetic syndromes can be problematic, and unidentified or unmanaged health problems may adversely impact an individual’s quality of life. The authors studied carer‐reported contemporary health problems in three genetic syndromes (Angelman, Cornelia de Lange, and Cri du Chat syndromes) associated with severe and profound disabilities and investigated the association of these problems with affect. A control group of individuals with an intellectual disability of heterogeneous causes was used. A carer‐report questionnaire was used to collect the data. Health problems were classified using Tenth Revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD‐10) criteria. Negative affect was assessed using the Mood, Interest and Pleasure Questionnaire. Half of the total sample reported at least one health problem. The nature of the health problems varied across groups, with particularly high levels of diseases of the nervous system seen in Angelman syndrome and diseases of the digestive system in Cornelia de Lange syndrome. Correlational analysis across the groups revealed a positive association between negative affect and the presence of a health problem. High levels of health problems occur in this population with certain problems associating with particular syndromes. The authors concluded that these problems seem to have a negative impact on individual affect, although further research investigating this relationship is needed.
Viewpoint: Use of King's Conceptual System, Nursing Informatics, and Nursing Classification Systems for Global Communication
Authors: Killeen Mary B. , King Imogene M.
Published: May 2007

PURPOSE.  To propose a common nursing language for communication among members of the nursing community worldwide.

DATA SOURCES.  The Taxonomy of Nursing Practice, nursing informatics literature, King's Theory of Goal Attainment applied to the nursing process.

DATA SYNTHESIS.  Several milestones in nursing in the 20th century indicated the need for a universal language for nursing. The nursing process provides a method for synthesis of nursing data, information, and knowledge and is congruent with Imogene King's Theory of Goal Attainment.

CONCLUSIONS.  The authors advocate for a common nursing language (nursing classification and terminology systems) that would unify nurses worldwide. Supported by nursing theory and technology, global communication would be enhanced for nurses and the interdisciplinary teams of which they are a part.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE.  Use of Imogene King's Conceptual System and Theory of Goal Attainment and the nursing specialty of Nursing Informatics are examples of nursing theory and technology to frame global communication.
Effect of Milling and Preparation Method on the Physical Properties and Quality of Moin‐Moin (Steamed Paste)
Authors: Jarrard M. , Hung Y.‐C. , McWatters K. , Phillips R.D.
Published: May 2007

ABSTRACT:  Moin‐moin is steamed cowpea paste native to Nigeria. This product is classified as a protein/starch gel with the dominate portion of the gel network consisting of cowpea starch. Moin‐moin was prepared from starting materials (cowpea meal and cowpea flour) and compared to moin‐moin prepared from dry, whole, undecorticated cowpea seeds. Texture profile measurements showed that moin‐moin made from cowpea flour (small particle size) formed a firmer structure when compared to moin‐moin made from either cowpea meal or whole, dry cowpea seeds. Starting materials with smaller particle sizes and longer cooking times produced stickier moin‐moin. The cowpea solids to water ratio was shown to affect the firmness of moin‐moin, where a 3.75:1 ratio of solids to water produced a firmer product than other concentrations. Generally, color was unaffected across treatment regimens as identified by an expert sensory panel, although instrumental color measurements showed significant differences for hue angle and chroma. This study demonstrated that the particle size of this food ingredient contributes significantly to its functionality in food formulations.
Evaluation of Various Ammonia Assays for Testing of Contaminated Muscle Food Products
Authors: Hijaz Faraj , Smith J. Scott , Kastner Curtis L.
Published: May 2007

ABSTRACT:  The indophenol method, ammonia ion selective electrode (ISE), Reflectoquant® test strips, and salicylate methods were evaluated to determine those that can be used for in‐plant rapid testing of meat contaminated by ammonia refrigerant leaks. Ground eye of round beef samples were spiked with 25, 50, 100, or 200 ppm ammonia as (N) and the amounts recovered were corrected for typical background levels. The recovery of ammonia from spiked meat filtrates by ISE ranged from 98.3% to 100%± 2%, and the recovery of ammonia from spiked meat samples by ISE‐perchloric acid method ranged from 90% to 110%± 8%. The measurement of ammonia in spiked meat samples by the Reflectoquant test strips ranged from 77.4% to 96.9%, but the standard deviation was higher than 14%. The recovery using the salicylate methods was less than 63% when meat samples were spiked with 25 or 50 ppm ammonia. Both indophenol and ammonia ISE are precise, give excellent recovery, and can be used for testing ammonia contamination in meat. Ammonia background levels of various commercial meat products was determined using the ammonia ISE and ranged from 87 to 166 ppm.
Folates in Asian Noodles: I. Microbiological Analysis and the Use of Enzyme Treatments
Authors: Bui Lan T. T. , Small Darryl M.
Published: May 2007

ABSTRACT:  Asian noodles are a major end use of common wheat flour globally. A microbiological assay protocol for the folate contents of flour and Asian noodles has been developed. Different approaches were compared for enzymatic extraction and deconjugation of folate following the establishment of optimum inoculum concentration for analysis. The folate results obtained varied when samples were subjected to different preparation and extraction procedures. The use of trienzyme treatments gave significantly higher content values. The pH and specific conditions of enzyme treatment also influenced the results. In applying well‐established methods for folate analysis, it is essential to consider extraction procedures effective for the specific food products being analyzed. A suitable, validated method was developed and is recommended for use in further studies of fortification of wheat flour for Asian noodle processing.
Thermoelastic Fields of a Functionally Graded Coated Inhomogeneity With Sliding/Perfect Interfaces
Authors: Hatami-Marbini Hamed , Shodja Hossein M.
Published: May 2007

The determination of the thermo-mechanical stress field in and around a spherical/cylindrical inhomogeneity surrounded by a functionally graded (FG) coating, which in turn is embedded in an infinite medium, is of interest. The present work, in the frame work of Boussinesq/Papkovich-Neuber displacement potentials method, discovers the potential functions by which not only the relevant boundary value problems (BVPs) in the literature, but also the more complex problem of the coated inhomogeneities with FG coating and sliding interfaces can be treated in a unified manner. The thermo-elastic fields pertinent to the inhomogeneities with multiple homogeneous coatings and various combinations of perfect/sliding interfaces can be computed exactly. Moreover, when the coatings are inhomogeneous, as long as the spatial variation of the thermo-elastic properties of the transition layer is describable by a piecewise continuous function with a finite number of jumps, an accurate solution can be obtained. The influence of interface conditions, stiffness of the core, spatial distributions of thermal expansion coefficient and shear modulus of FG coating, and loading condition on the stress field will be examined.
A Variational Principle Governing the Generating Function for Conformations of Flexible Molecules
Authors: Freund L. B.
Published: May 2007

The generation of a random walk path under the action of an external potential field has been of interest for decades. The motivation derives largely from the prospect of incorporating the nonlocal excluded volume effect through such a potential in characterizing the statistical behavior of a long flexible polymer molecule. In working toward a continuum mean-field model, a central feature is a partial differential equation incorporating the influence of the potential and governing the generating function for the dependence of end to end separation distance of the molecule on its pathlength. The purpose here is to describe an approach in which the differential equation is recast as a global minimization of a functional. The variational approach is illustrated by an application to familiar configurations, the first of which is a molecule attached at one end to a noninteracting plane barrier in the presence of a uniform potential field. As a second illustration, the generating function is sought for a free molecule for the case in which conformations must be consistent with the excluded volume condition. This is accomplished by adapting a local form of the Flory approach to the phenomenon and extracting estimates of the expected end to end separation distance, the entropy and other statistical features of behavior. By means of the variational principle, the problem is recast into a form that admits a direct, noniterative analysis of conformations within the context of the self-consistent field theory.
Field and laboratory performance of bridge columns repaired with wrapped glass-fibre-reinforced-polymer sheets
Authors: Sheikh Shamim A
Published: May 2007

Several bridge columns, in which concrete was delaminated as a result of steel corrosion, were repaired in the mid 1990s. Different types of grout, including one based on expansive cement, were used to rebuild the damaged columns to their original shape; the columns were then wrapped with glass-fibre-reinforced polymers (GFRPs). The associated lab study indicated that the observed damage caused a reduction of about 20% in the axial-load-carrying capacity of the columns and much larger reductions in ductility and energy-dissipating capacity. The experimental results also showed that the strength and ductility of the columns could be recovered by repairing them with GFRP. Long-term monitoring of three columns repaired in the field using GFRP has indicated their excellent performance. No deterioration has been observed in the fibre-reinforced polymer or in the columns in more than 10 years. Monitoring has also shown a reduction in the rate and associated risk of corrosion over time; thus, this is a more durable retrofitting technique than traditional ones, such as steel jacketing.Key words: concrete, columns, corrosion, cyclic loading, ductility, expansive cement, glass-fibre-reinforced polymers, monitoring, repair, strength.
Cyclic performance of existing moment connections in steel retrofitted with a reduced beam section and bottom flange reinforcements
Authors: Oh Sang-Hoon , Kim Young-Ju , Moon Tae-Sup
Published: May 2007

This study investigated the effectiveness of retrofit methods in improving the deformation capacity of existing moment connections in composite beams. Nonlinear finite element analysis was also performed to identify the cause of the connection failure prior to testing. Tests included one conventional specimen and four retrofit specimens. Three retrofit methods were introduced: a reduced beam section (RBS) only, an RBS with bottom flange reinforcement (RBR), and an RBS-shaped bottom flange reinforcement (RSR). A composite beam performs differently than a bare steel shape because the concrete compression flange greatly increases the tensile demands on an unreinforced bottom flange. Therefore, these retrofit methods were applied only to the bottom flanges of the beam. Quasi-static loading tests were performed. The main conclusions were as follows: (i) the deformation capacity of the existing moment connections in composite beams is not sufficiently improved by RBS alone; and (ii) both the RBR and RSR details move the plastic hinge away from the face of the column and reduce stress levels in the vicinity of the beam bottom flanges, sufficiently improving the deformation capacity.Key words: composite construction, seismic performance, reduced beam section (RBS), flange reinforcement, ductility, deformation capacity.
Distributed Brillouin sensor for structural health monitoring
Authors: Ravet Fabien , Zou Lufan , Bao Xiaoyi , Ozbakkaloglu Togay , Saatcioglu Murat , Zhou Joe
Published: May 2007

The distributed Brillouin sensor (DBS) was used to monitor the structural changes in a steel pipe and a composite column subjected to heavy loads. The column was made of concrete reinforced with fibre-reinforced-polymer (FRP) rods and sheets. The test reproduced earthquake-like conditions. The pipe had a length of 2.58 m and diameter of 0.75 m. The DBS measured the strain distribution in both the concrete column and the pipe under various loads. The DBS provided detailed information on the structure's health at the local and global level, before any deformation, cracks, or buckling was visible. This work demonstrates that the DBS is capable of extracting critical information useful to engineers: the engineer's experience and judgement, in conjunction with appropriate data-processing methods, make it possible to anticipate structural failures. The DBS is a promising tool for structural health monitoring.Key words: structural health monitoring, distributed Brillouin sensor, concrete structure, pipeline buckling, strain measurement.
Field study of glass-fibre-reinforced polymer durability in concrete
Authors: Mufti A A , Onofrei M , Benmokrane B , Banthia N , Boulfiza M , Newhook J P , Bakht B , Tadros G S , Brett P
Published: May 2007

The Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code (CHBDC) does not permit the use of glass-fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) for primary reinforcement or prestressing tendons in concrete components. The restriction on the use of GFRP in concrete was based on published laboratory studies indicating that GFRP is not stable in the alkaline environment of concrete. In 2004, ISIS Canada sponsored an extensive study of the durability of GFRP in concrete by removing cores from GFRP-reinforced concrete components of five 5- to 8-year-old structures from across Canada. Three teams working independently at several Canadian universities used a variety of analytical methods to (i) investigate whether the GFRP in concrete field structures had been attacked by alkalis and (ii) compare the composition of GFRP removed from in-service structures with the composition of control specimens that were saved from the projects and not exposed to the concrete environment. The analytical results have confirmed that the GFRP in concrete did not suffer any damage during the 5–8 years of exposure. As a result of this study, the CHBDC in its forthcoming (second) edition has permitted the use of GFRP for both primary reinforcement and prestressing tendons in concrete components, provided the maximum stress level in GFRP at the serviceability limit state is kept at or below 25% of its ultimate strength. It was also found that, contrary to some claims, concrete over GFRP bars does not crack even if the depth of cover is as thin as 28 mm.Key words: alkali attack, barrier wall, crack, deck slab, depth of cover, fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP), glass-fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP).
Élaboration et étude d'un mortier composite à matrice minérale et fibres cellulosiques : application à l'isolation thermique en bâtiment
Authors: Bentchikou Mohamed , Hanini Salah , Silhadi Kamel , Guidoum Amor
Published: May 2007

This paper presents an experimental study of the effect of adding recycled cellulose fibres on physical, thermal, and mechanical properties of lightweight concrete composites. Results show an important decrease of density and thermal conductivity with an increase of fibre content. Compression and flexural strength decreased with fibre content, but remained within the standard range for hollow non-load-bearing concrete masonry (ASTM C109/C 109-95) for the maximum fibre content (15%).Key words: mortar composite, mineral matrix, cellulose fibre, thermal conductivity, mechanical strengths.
The genetic diversity of rhizobia associated withDalea purpureaVent. in fragmented grasslands of west-central Minnesota
Authors: Mártir M.C. , Tlusty B. , van Berkum P. , Graham P.H.
Published: May 2007

The increase in human population and the spread of agriculture over the past 150 years have transformed the landscape in west-central Minnesota into a mosaic of agricultural fields and urban land, leaving only remnants of the once dominant prairie ecosystem. Limited natural habitat in this fragmented landscape threatens the diversity and abundance of native legumes and could impact the size and function of associated belowground microbial populations. In this study, BOXA1R PCR and 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses were used to assess the genetic diversity of rhizobia associated with Dalea purpurea (Vent.) in nine prairie remnants ranging in size from 0.04 to 3.5 ha. The variation in soil properties was also determined. While 53 different genotypes of rhizobia were identified, four of these accounted for 84% of the 1029 rhizobia characterized using BOXA1R PCR. Representatives from three of the four dominant genotypes had a 16S rRNA gene sequence similar to that of Rhizobium gallicum , with two of these genotypes recovered at all sites. The fourth genotype was similar to that of Rhizobium etli and occurred with frequency at only two sites. Rhizobium genotype richness and site area were positively correlated. The implications of these results are discussed.
Assessment of the genetic diversity ofFrankiamicrosymbionts ofElaeagnus angustifoliaL. plants growing in a Tunisian date-palm oasis by analysis of PCR amplifiednifD-Kintergenic spacer
Authors: Gtari Maher , Daffonchio Daniele , Boudabous Abdellatif
Published: May 2007

Diversity of Frankia microsymbionts of non-native Elaeagnus angustifolia L. plants spontaneously growing in a Tunisian desertic retreat area, the date-palm oasis of Tozeur, was investigated by polymerase chain reaction – restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR–RFLP) and PCR-sequencing techniques targeting the nifD-K intergenic spacer. Three PCR–RFLP haplotypes (I, II, and III) were detected among collected nodules. Haplotype I was detected at all five sampling sites and dominated the other haplotypes present at these sites. This haplotype was also exhibited by strain BMG5.10, which was isolated by a plant-capturing assay in 1998 from soil collected in the same locality, qualifying it to be the most competitive haplotype in the edapho-climatic condition of the studied desertic date-palm oasis. nifD-K sequences of the three haplotypes formed a closely related phylogenetic subgroup. These results suggest that Frankia variability is constrained by severe edapho-climatic conditions of retreated desert in Tunisian area.
Temporal expression ofMycobacterium smegmatisrespiratory terminal oxidases
Authors: Megehee James A. , Lundrigan Michael D.
Published: May 2007

Terminal oxidases provide the final step in aerobic respiration by reducing oxygen. The mycobacteria possess two terminal oxidases: a cytochrome c aa3type and a quinol bd type. We previously isolated a bd-type oxidase knockout mutant of Mycobacterium smegmatis that allowed for functional analysis of the aa3type without the contribution of bd-type activity. Growth of M. smegmatis LR222 and JAM1 (LR222bd::kan) was monitored and the cytochrome content at different time points examined. No difference in aerobic growth was observed between M. smegmatis LR222 and JAM1. Membranes were obtained from these cultures and the oxidase concentrations were calculated from their spectrum. Although the mutant was producing only one oxidase type, this oxidase did not reach wild-type levels of expression, suggesting an additional mechanism for energizing the membrane. Moreover, the concentration of both oxidases in the wild-type strain dropped when cultures entered stationary phase, which was not the case for the aa3-type oxidase of the mutant strain. This oxidase remained at a constant concentration post mid-log phase. RNase protection assays also demonstrated late growth phase dependent message expression of the bd oxidase and that the subunits I and II genes were cotranscribed as an operon.
Culture ofHelicobacter pylorifrom stool samples in children
Authors: Falsafi Tahereh , Valizadeh Nargess , Najafi Mehri , Ehsani Azadeh , Khani Afsaneh , Landarani Zahra , Falahi Zahra
Published: May 2007

We evaluated two protocols for isolation of Helicobacter pylori in stool from biopsied and nonbiopsied children. Twenty-three child patients whose presumptive positivity or negativity was diagnosed by endoscopy and a rapid urease test at site were used to compare biopsy-based tests with stool-based tests (H. pylori stool antigen test and stool culture). Their gastric activity and bacterial density were graded by the updated Sydney system. Biopsy and stool specimens were cultured on Campy-blood and Belo horizonte agar plates after enrichment in selective Campy-Thio medium. To compare two stool culture protocols, stools from 20 nonbiopsied children were tested by the HpSA test and cultured either as above or after treatment with cholestyramine. Grown colonies were screened by Gram staining, slide agglutination using anti-H. pylori monoclonal IgG; positive isolates were tested by biochemical tests and polymerase chain reaction for H. pylori-specific ureA gene. Coccoid H. pylori was isolated in stool samples from the biopsied patients whose bacterial density was two to four in histology. Their oxidase was slightly positive but became positive after two subcultures, while additional biochemical tests confirmed the isolation of H. pylori. Similar coccoid but oxidase positive H. pylori was isolated from three nonbiopsied children with the protocol of cholestyramine treatment only. The density of bacteria in the stomach may influence the recovery of H. pylori from stool; inactivation of bile with cholestyramine improves the yield in culture and favors isolation of an enhanced metabolic form of bacteria.
Optimization of 6-carboxy-X-rhodamine concentration for real-time polymerase chain reaction using molecular beacon chemistry
Authors: Wang Gehua , Becker Erin , Mesa Christine
Published: May 2007

The optimal 6-carboxy-X-rhodamine (ROX) concentration, which is used as a passive reference dye for real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with molecular beacon chemistry, was determined with the Mx4000™ Multiplex Quantitative PCR System. Additionally, the effects of changing ROX concentrations on PCR reproducibility, Ct values, and efficiency were investigated with this system by using the PCR data obtained from amplification of the Escherichia coli shiga toxin 2 (stx2) gene and the Campylobacter jejuni luxS gene. This study indicated that different ROX concentrations influence many aspects of the real-time PCR reaction. ROX concentration variation could have consequences in the analysis of quantitative data and may lead to erroneous results. This study further indicated that the optimal ROX concentration is 60 nmol/L for real-time PCR, using molecular beacon chemistry for PCR assay of luxS and stx2 genes.
In situ evidence for microdomains in the polymer matrix of bacterial microcolonies
Authors: Lawrence J.R. , Swerhone G.D.W. , Kuhlicke U. , Neu T.R.
Published: May 2007

Confocal laser scanning microscopy and fluorescent lectin-binding analyses (FLBA) were used to study the form, arrangement, and composition of exopolymeric substances (EPS) surrounding naturally occurring microcolonies in biofilms. FLBA, using multiple lectin staining and multichannel imaging, indicated that the EPS of many microcolonies exhibit distinct multiple binding regions. A common pattern in the microcolonies is a three zone arrangement with cell-associated, intercellular, and an outer layer of EPS covering the exterior of the colony. Differential binding of lectins suggests that there are differences in the glycoconjugate composition or their arrangement in the EPS of microcolonies. The combination of FLBA with fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) indicates that the colonies consist of the major groups, α- and β-Proteobacteria. It is suggested that the EPS arrangement observed provides a physical structuring mechanism that can segregate extracellular activities at the microscale.
QUANTUM INTEGRABLE SYSTEMS OF THE GROUP U(1,3)
Authors: SEZGIN M. , ÖZER MARTI Z.
Published: May 2007

Quantum integrable systems related with group U(1,3) are considered. The explicit expressions of waves functions, Harish–Chandra c-functions and S-matrices are given.
NON-BIRATIONAL CALABI–YAU THREEFOLDS THAT ARE DERIVED EQUIVALENT
Authors: CĂLDĂRARU ANDREI
Published: May 2007

We argue that the existence of genus one fibrations with multisections of high degree on certain Calabi–Yau threefolds implies the existence of pairs of such varieties that are not birational, but are derived equivalent. It also (likely) implies the existence of non-birational counterexamples to the Torelli problem for Calabi–Yau threefolds.
EXAMPLES OF A NON-VANISHING CONJECTURE OF KAWAMATA
Authors: CHANG YU-LIN
Published: May 2007

Let M be a compact complex manifold with a positive holomorphic line bundle L, and K be its canonical line bundle. We give some sufficient conditions for the non-vanishing of H0(M, K + L). We also show that the criterion can be applied to interesting classes of examples including all compact locally hermitian symmetric spaces of non-compact type, Mostow–Siu [10] surfaces, Kähler threefolds given by Deraux [3] and examples of Zheng [17].
THE FUNDAMENTAL GROUP OF THE GALOIS COVER OF HIRZEBRUCH SURFACE F1(2, 2)
Authors: AMRAM MEIRAV , TEICHER MINA , VISHNE UZI
Published: May 2007

This paper is the second in a series of papers concerning Hirzebruch surfaces. In the first paper in this series, the fundamental group of Galois covers of Hirzebruch surfaces Fk(a, b), where a, b are relatively prime, was shown to be trivial. For the general case, the conjecture stated that the fundamental group is [Formula: see text] where c = gcd (a, b) and n = 2ab + kb2. In this paper, we degenerate the Hirzebruch surface F1(2, 2), compute the braid monodromy factorization of the branch curve in ℂ2, and verify that, in this case, the conjecture holds: the fundamental group of the Galois cover of F1(2, 2) with respect to a generic projection is isomorphic to [Formula: see text].
QUANTUM SECRET SHARING IN DRIVEN CAVITY QED
Authors: SHAN CHUAN-JIA , MAN ZHONG-XIAO , XIA YUN-JIE , LIU TANG-KUN
Published: May 2007

We propose a protocol for implementing quantum secret sharing via EPR states in driven cavity QED. Both of the two receivers can read out the sender's secret if they cooperate. The protocol does not require the joint Bell-state measurement needed in the previous schemes. In the protocol the cavity is only virtually excited and thus the requirement on the quality factor of the cavity is greatly loosened.
GROUP THEORETICAL APPROACH TO QUANTUM ENTANGLEMENT AND TOMOGRAPHY WITH WAVELET TRANSFORM IN BANACH SPACES
Authors: REZAEE M. , JAFARIZADEH M. A. , MIRZAEE M.
Published: May 2007

The intimate connection between the Banach space wavelet reconstruction method for each unitary representation of a given group and some of well-known quantum tomographies, such as tomography of rotation group, spinor tomography and tomography of unitary group, is established. Also both the atomic decomposition and Banach frame nature of these quantum tomographic examples are revealed in detail. Finally, we consider separability criteria for any state with group theoretical wavelet transform on Banach spaces.
Change in Stroke Incidence from a Population-Based Intervention Trial in Three Urban Communities in China
Authors: Wang Wen-zhi , Jiang Bin , Wu Sheng-ping , Hong Zhen , Yang Qi-dong , Sander J.W. , Du Xiao-li , Bao Qiu-jiu
Published: May 2007

Stroke has been the main cause of death in most urban residents in China since the 1990s. A community-based intervention trial carried out in China aimed to reduce the incidence and mortality of stroke. In 1991, two well-matched communities each with approximately 50,000 people were selected as intervention or control communities in the urban areas of Beijing, Shanghai and Changsha. Regular health education and health promotion activities were carried out between 1991 and 2000 in the intervention communities but no special action was taken in the control communities. Both fatal and nonfatal stroke cases were meticulously registered during the study in the two communities to assess the effect of long-term intervention. The trend in stroke incidence and the effect of intervention on stroke incidence were analyzed using a Poisson regression model adjusted for age, sex, year and city. Between 1991 and 2000, 2,273 first-ever stroke cases were registered in the intervention communities and 3,015 in the control communities. Geographic variation and changes in the incidence of stroke and its subtypes were found among these 3 cities. Through 10 years of intervention, incidence risks of all, ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes decreased by 11.4% (relative risk 0.8959; 95% confidence interval, CI, 0.8483–0.9460; p < 0.0001), 13.2% (relative risk 0.8676; 95% CI 0.8054–0.9345; p = 0.0002) and 7.2% (relative risk 0.9283; 95% CI 0.8517–1.0117; p = 0.0899), respectively, in the intervention compared with control communities. Accordingly, comprehensive community-based intervention measures could effectively reduce the incidence of stroke in the population.
Grammatical Processing without Semantics? An Event-related Brain Potential Study of Preschoolers using Jabberwocky Sentences
Authors: Silva-Pereyra Juan , Conboy Barbara T. , Klarman Lindsay , Kuhl Patricia K.
Published: May 2007

Behavioral studies have demonstrated that children develop a nearly adult-like grammar between 36 and 42 months, but few studies have addressed how the child's brain processes semantic versus syntactic information. In previous research, Silva-Pereyra and colleagues showed that distinct event-related potentials (ERPs) are elicited by semantic and syntactic violations in sentences in children as young as 30, 36, and 48 months, following the patterns displayed by adults. In the current study, we examined ERPs to syntactic phrase structure violations in real and jabberwocky sentences in 36-month-old children. Jabberwocky sentences are sentences in which content (open-class) words are replaced by pseudowords while function (closed-class) words are retained. Results showed that syntactically anomalous real sentences elicited two positive ERP effects: left-distributed effects from 500 to 750 msec and 1050 to 1300 msec, whereas syntactically anomalous jabberwocky sentences elicited two negative ERP effects: a left-distributed effect from 750 to 900 msec and a later broadly distributed effect from 950 to 1150 msec. The results indicate that when preschoolers process real English sentences, ERPs resembling the positive effects previously reported for adults are noted, although at longer latencies and with broader scalp distributions. However, when preschoolers process jabberwocky sentences with altered lexical-semantic content, a negative-going ERP component similar to one typically associated with the extraction of meaning is noted.
When “3” is a Jerk and “E” is a King: Personifying Inanimate Objects in Synesthesia
Authors: Smilek Daniel , Malcolmson Kelly A. , Carriere Jonathan S. A. , Eller Meghan , Kwan Donna , Reynolds Michael
Published: May 2007

We report a case study of an individual (TE) for whom inanimate objects, such as letters, numbers, simple shapes, and even furniture, are experienced as having rich and detailed personalities. TE reports that her object-personality pairings are stable over time, occur independent of her intentions, and have been there for as long as she can remember. In these respects, her experiences are indicative of synesthesia. Here we show that TE's object-personality pairings are very consistent across test-retest, even for novel objects. A qualitative analysis of TE's personality descriptions revealed that her personifications are extremely detailed and multi-dimensional, and that her personifications of familiar and novel objects differ in specific ways. We also found that TE's eye movements can be biased by the emotional associations she has with letters and numbers. These findings demonstrate that synesthesia can involve complex semantic personifications, which can influence visual attention. Finally, we propose a neural model of normal personification and the unusual personifications that accompany object-personality synesthesia.
Role of the Indian Ocean in the Biennial Transition of the Indian Summer Monsoon
Authors: Wu Renguang , Kirtman Ben P.
Published: May 2007

The biennial variability is a large component of year-to-year variations in the Indian summer monsoon (ISM). Previous studies have shown that El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) plays an important role in the biennial variability of the ISM. The present study investigates the role of the Indian Ocean in the biennial transition of the ISM when the Pacific ENSO is absent. The influence of the Indian and Pacific Oceans on the biennial transition between the ISM and the Australian summer monsoon (ASM) is also examined. Controlled numerical experiments with a coupled general circulation model (CGCM) are used to address the above two issues.

The CGCM captures the in-phase ISM to ASM transition (i.e., a wet ISM followed by a wet ASM or a dry ISM followed by a dry ASM) and the out-of-phase ASM to ISM transition (i.e., a wet ASM followed by a dry ISM or a dry ASM followed by a wet ISM). These transitions are more frequent than the out-of-phase ISM to ASM transition and the in-phase ASM to ISM transition in the coupled model, consistent with observations. The results of controlled coupled model experiments indicate that both the Indian and Pacific Ocean air–sea coupling are important for properly simulating the biennial transition between the ISM and ASM in the CGCM.

The biennial transition of the ISM can occur through local air–sea interactions in the north Indian Ocean when the Pacific ENSO is suppressed. The local sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies induce the Indian monsoon transition through low-level moisture convergence. Surface evaporation anomalies, which are largely controlled by surface wind speed changes, play an important role for SST changes. Different from local air–sea interaction mechanisms proposed in previous studies, the atmospheric feedback is not strong enough to reverse the SST anomalies immediately at the end of the monsoon season. Instead, the reversal of the SST anomalies is accomplished in the spring of the following year, which in turn leads to the Indian monsoon transition.
Evaluation of Different Methods to Assess Model Projections of the Future Evolution of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation
Authors: Schneider Birgit , Latif M. , Schmittner Andreas
Published: May 2007

Climate models predict a gradual weakening of the North Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC) during the twenty-first century due to increasing levels of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. Using an ensemble of 16 different coupled climate models performed for the Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the evolution of the MOC during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries is analyzed by combining model simulations for the IPCC scenarios Twentieth-Century Climate in Coupled Models (20C3M) and Special Report on Emission Scenarios, A1B (SRESA1B). Earlier findings are confirmed that even for the same forcing scenario the model response is spread over a large range. However, no model predicts abrupt changes or a total collapse of the MOC. To reduce the uncertainty of the projections, different weighting procedures are applied to obtain “best estimates” of the future MOC evolution, considering the skill of each model to represent present day hydrographic fields of temperature, salinity, and pycnocline depth as well as observation-based mass transport estimates. Using different methods of weighting the various models together, all produce estimates that the MOC will weaken by 25%–30% from present day values by the year 2100; however, absolute values of the MOC and the degree of reduction differ among the weighting methods.
Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Variant III Status Defines Clinically Distinct Subtypes of Glioblastoma
Authors: Pelloski Christopher E. , Ballman Karla V. , Furth Alfred F. , Zhang Li , Lin E. , Sulman Erik P. , Bhat Krishna , McDonald J. Matthew , Yung W.K. Alfred , Colman Howard , Woo Shiao Y. , Heimberger Amy B. , Suki Dima , Prados Michael D. , Chang Susan M. , Barker Fred G. , Buckner Jan C. , James C. David , Aldape Kenneth
Published: May 2007

Purpose

The clinical significance of epidermal growth factor receptor variant III (EGFRvIII) expression in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and its relationship with other key molecular markers are not clear. We sought to evaluate the clinical significance of GBM subtypes as defined by EGFRvIII status.

Patients and Methods

The expression of EGFRvIII was assessed by immunohistochemistry in 649 patients with newly diagnosed GBM. These data were then examined in conjunction with the expression of phospho-intermediates (in a subset of these patients) of downstream AKT and Ras pathways and YKL-40 as well as with known clinical risk factors, including the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group's recursive partitioning analysis (RTOG-RPA) class.

Results

The RTOG-RPA class was highly predictive of survival in EGFRvIII-negative patients but much less predictive in EGFRvIII-positive patients. These findings were seen in both an initial test set (n = 268) and a larger validation set (n = 381). Similarly, activation of the AKT/MAPK pathways and YKL-40 positivity were predictive of poor outcome in EGFRvIII-negative patients but not in EGFRvIII-positive patients. Pair-wise combinations of markers identified EGFRvIII and YKL-40 as prognostically important. In particular, outcome in patients with EGFRvIII-negative/YKL-40–negative tumors was significantly better than the outcome in patients with the other three combinations of these two markers.

Conclusion

Established prognostic factors in GBM were not predictive of outcome in the EGFRvIII-positive subset, although this requires confirmation in independent data sets. GBMs negative for both EGFRvIII and YKL-40 show less aggressive behavior.
Quality of Life in Head and Neck Cancer Patients After Treatment With High-Dose Radiotherapy Alone or in Combination With Cetuximab
Authors: Curran Desmond , Giralt Jordi , Harari Paul M. , Ang K. Kian , Cohen Roger B. , Kies Merrill S. , Jassem Jacek , Baselga José , Rowinsky Eric K. , Amellal Nadia , Comte Sylvie , Bonner James A.
Published: May 2007

Purpose

In this randomized, phase III study, quality of life (QoL) was assessed in patients with locoregionally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) after high-dose radiotherapy alone or in combination with cetuximab.

Patients and Methods

Patients with stage III or IV nonmetastatic and measurable squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx, hypopharynx, or larynx were eligible. QoL was assessed using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) and EORTC QLQ Head and Neck Cancer–Specific Module at baseline, week 4, and at months 4, 8, and 12 postbaseline.

Results

In this study, one of the largest conducted in a population of patients with locoregionally advanced SCCHN, 424 patients received radiotherapy alone (213 patients) or radiotherapy plus cetuximab (211 patients). Radiotherapy/cetuximab significantly improved locoregional control (P = .005) and overall survival (P = .03) compared with radiotherapy alone, without significantly increasing radiotherapy-associated adverse events. The current analysis focused on the impact of cetuximab on the QoL. Compliance with completion of QoL questionnaires was high in both arms. QoL worsened during treatment and improved after cessation of treatment, reaching baseline levels at 12 months. There were no significant differences in QoL scores between the treatment arms. This was particularly notable for global health status/QoL, social functioning, social eating, and social contact. Pretreatment global health status/QoL was identified as a significant prognostic variable in these patients.

Conclusion

The addition of cetuximab to radiotherapy significantly improved locoregional control and increased overall survival without adversely affecting QoL.
Ghost Effects
Authors: Rotman Brian
Published: May 2007

brian rotman is a Humanities Distinguished Professor at the Ohio State University in the Department of Comparative Studies. His writings include numerous pieces in the Guardian, the Times Literary Supplement, and the London Review of Books, a number of stage plays, five published books, among which are Signifying Nothing: the Semiotics of Zero and Ad Infinitum... the Ghost in Turing's Machine, both from Stanford University Press, and a forthcoming book Becoming beside Ourselves: The Alphabet, Ghosts, and Distributed Human Being to be published by Duke University Press.
Non-classical export of epimorphin and its adhesion to αv-integrin in regulation of epithelial morphogenesis
Authors: Hirai Yohei , Nelson Celeste M. , Yamazaki Kyoko , Takebe Kyoko , Przybylo Jennifer , Madden Benjamin , Radisky Derek C.
Published: May 2007

Epimorphin (also known as syntaxin 2) acts as an epithelial morphogen when secreted by stromal cells of the mammary gland, lung, liver, colon, pancreas and other tissues, but the same molecule functions within the cell to mediate membrane fusion. How this molecule, which lacks a signal sequence and contains a transmembrane domain at the C-terminus, translocates across the plasma membrane and is secreted to become a morphogen, and how it initiates morphogenic events is not clear. Here, we show that epimorphin is secreted through a non-classical mechanism, similar to that previously described for secretion of the leaderless protein FGF1, and we identify the key molecular elements responsible for translocation and secretion from the cell. We also show that secreted epimorphin binds to αv-integrin-containing receptors on target epithelial cells, leading to activation of specific downstream signaling pathways and induction of epithelial morphogenesis. These findings provide key insight into how epimorphin functions as an epithelial morphogen.
Clostridium difficile-associated typhlitis in specific pathogen free guineapigs in the absence of antimicrobial treatment
Authors: Boot R. , Angulo A. F. , Walvoort H. C.
Published: May 2007

Clostridium difficile (toxin) associated typhlitis was diagnosed in untreated barrier-maintained specific pathogen free guineapigs. It resembled the pathological lesions of antibiotic induced enterocolitis. The possible role of limited colonization resistance to C. difficile provided by mouse enteric microflora in the pathogenesis of the disease is discussed.
LP Rounding Approximation Algorithms for Stochastic Network Design
Authors: Gupta Anupam , Ravi R. , Sinha Amitabh
Published: May 2007

We study the Steiner tree problem and the single-cable single-sink network design problem under a two-stage stochastic model with recourse and finitely many scenarios. In these models, some edges are purchased in a first stage when only probabilistic information about the second stage is available. In the second stage, one of a finite number of specified scenarios is realized, which results in the set of terminals becoming known and the opportunity to purchase additional edges (under an inflated cost function) to augment the first-stage solution. We provide constant factor approximation algorithms for these problems by rounding the linear relaxation of IP formulations of the problems. Our algorithms involve solving the linear relaxation first, followed by a primal-dual routine that is guided by the LP solution. We also show that because our bounds are local (the cost of each component is bounded by its cost in the LP solution), we are able to obtain bounds that guard against a form of downside risk.