bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Testing facility for experimental evaluation of non‐structural components under full‐scale floor motions
Authors: Mosqueda Gilberto , Retamales Rodrigo , Filiatrault Andre , Reinhorn Andrei 
Published: May 2009

AbstractThe seismic vulnerability of non‐structural components and equipment with their expensive recovery and/or replacement costs has been demonstrated during past earthquakes. With the exception of the nuclear industry, the limited data collected from past earthquakes are not sufficient to completely characterize the seismic behaviour of non‐structural components and to develop effective mitigation measures. To address these limitations, the University at Buffalo has commissioned a dedicated non‐structural component simulator (University at Buffalo non‐structural component simulator (UB‐NCS)) composed of a two‐level testing frame capable of simultaneously subjecting both displacement and acceleration‐sensitive non‐structural components to realistic full‐scale floor motions expected within multi‐storey buildings. Current codes now require seismic qualification of important non‐structural components, and protocols for experimental qualification have been developed considering existing laboratory limitations. The new testing capabilities provided by the UB‐NCS are described to demonstrate the improved and more realistic qualification procedures that can be achieved. Results are presented from a test on two parallel partition walls aimed to verify the capabilities of the UB‐NCS. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An evaluation of energy response and cumulative plastic rotation demand in steel moment‐resisting frames through dynamic/static pushover analyses
Authors: Akbas Bülent , Tugsal Ülgen Mert , Kara F. İlknur 
Published: May 2009

AbstractIn the energy‐based design approach, the seismic design is performed through the balancing of the energy input and the energy dissipation of the structure. The energy dissipation is represented by the hysteretic energy dissipation capacity defined as the total area enclosed in the force–deformation curves under cyclic loading. Thus, the energy‐based design approach considers the cumulative effect of the seismic loading of the structure. The cumulative damage in the structural members can be expressed in terms of cumulative plastic rotation (CPR). The CPR capacity plays an important role in determining the hysteretic energy dissipation capacity of a steel moment connection. This study investigated the energy response and the CPR capacity and demand through dynamic pushover analyses on steel moment‐resisting frames. The results were compared with the ones obtained from the pushover analysis. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
One‐dimensional finite element solution for non‐uniform tall building structures and loading
Authors: Savassi Walter , Mancini Eddie 
Published: May 2009

AbstractBy using a one‐dimensional finite element numerical version based on the continuous medium technique, plane panels of variable geometry and loading are considered, in order to emphasize the capacity of a corresponding very simple computer code. Twin shear walls linked by lintel beams, with walls of lower storeys having bigger cross‐section than the next upper floors, are considered under variable horizontal wind loading through the building height. Afterwards, in that same panel, stronger discrete lintel beam is subsequently placed at each floor position. Results may show where is the optimum level to place those reinforcements in order to get, for example, the smaller top horizontal deflection. The second example considers the case of shear wall curtailment, in the frame shear wall association by pinned bars. Due to the individual behaviour of a single shear wall and of a single frame, it is possible (and real construction may permit that) to construct the wall up to a certain level, smaller than the building height, without having any significant change in the panel top displacement. By using the particular continuous medium finite element computer code, developed by the first author, it is possible to analyse several modelled structures, each having the curtailed wall at subsequent levels, from base to top, and to build an ‘influence line’ to find out the optimum curtailment level. Comparisons with the matrix discrete method and with analytical solutions were considered. Reference to free vibration solutions for such structures was also made. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fluorine‐containing nanoemulsions for MRI cell tracking
Authors: Janjic Jelena M. , Ahrens Eric T. 
Published: May 2009

AbstractIn this article we review the chemistry and nanoemulsion formulation of perfluorocarbons used for in vivo 19F MRI cell tracking. In this application, cells of interest are labeled in culture using a perfluorocarbon nanoemulsion. Labeled cells are introduced into a subject and tracked using 19F MRI or NMR spectroscopy. In the same imaging session, a high‐resolution, conventional (1H) image can be used to place the 19F‐labeled cells into anatomical context. Perfluorocarbon‐based 19F cell tracking is a useful technology because of the high specificity for labeled cells, ability to quantify cell accumulations, and biocompatibility. This technology can be widely applied to studies of inflammation, cellular regenerative medicine, and immunotherapy. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.This article is categorized under:

Diagnostic Tools > In Vivo Nanodiagnostics and Imaging
Nanofibrous composites for tissue engineering applications
Authors: McCullen Seth D. , Ramaswamy Sangeetha , Clarke Laura I. , Gorga Russell E. 
Published: May 2009

AbstractDevelopment of artificial matrices for tissue engineering is a crucial area of research in the field of regenerative medicine. Successful tissue scaffolds, in analogy with the natural mammalian extracellular matrix (ECM), are multi‐component, fibrous, and on the nanoscale. In addition, to this key morphology, artificial scaffolds must have mechanical, chemical, surface, and electrical properties that match the ECM or basement membrane of the specific tissue desired. In particular, these material properties may vary significantly for the four primary tissues in the body: nerve, muscle, epithelial, and connective. In order to address this complex array of attributes with a polymeric material, a nanocomposite approach, employing a blend of materials, addition of a particle to enhance particular properties, or a surface treatment, is likely to be required. In this review, we examine nanocomposite approaches to address these diverse needs as a function of tissue type. The review is intended as a bridge between material scientists and biomedical researchers to give basic background information on tissue biology to the former, and on material processing approaches to the latter, in a general manner, and specifically review fibrous nanocomposite materials that have previously been used for cell studies, either in vivo or in vitro. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.This article is categorized under:

Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanotechnology in Tissue Repair and Replacement
Characterization of Cross‐Linked Lipase Aggregates
Authors: Prabhavathi Devi B. L. A. , Guo Zheng , Xu Xuebing 
Published: May 2009

AbstractCommercially available microbial lipases from different sources were immobilized as cross‐linked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs) using different precipitants and glutaraldehyde as cross‐linkers. These CLEAs were assayed based on esterification between lauric acid and n‐propanol in solvent‐free systems. Precipitants were found to have a profound influence on both specific activities and total activity recovery of CLEAs, as exemplified by Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB). Among the CLEAs of CALB studied, those obtained using PEG600, ammonium sulfate, PEG200 and acetone as precipitants were observed to attain over 200% total activity recovery in comparison with acetone powder directly precipitated from the liquid solution by acetone. PEG200 precipitated CLEA gave the best specific activity (139% relative to acetone powder). The results of kinetic studies showed that Vmax/Km does not significantly change upon CLEA formation. This work presents a characterization of CLEAs based on an esterification activity assay, which is useful for exploring the synthetic application potential of CLEA technology with favorable perspectives.
Relationship between thallus size and apothecium density in two alpine umbilicate lichens
Authors: SHIMIZU Akira , KUBO Takuya 
Published: May 2009

AbstractThe relationship between thallus size and apothecium density was studied in two umbilicate lichens,Umbilicaria cylindricaandLasallia pensylvanica, growing in alpine rock surface environments. Samples of the two lichens were collected from the Daisetsuzan National Park, northern Japan.Umbilicaria cylindricaproduced many smaller apothecia, whereasL. pensylvanicahad larger but fewer apothecia. To explain the differences in reproductive efforts between these two species, we analyzed the lichen data using a hierarchical Bayesian model in which the density of apothecia for each species was predicted by the thallus area and the sky openness index (SOI). The Bayesian model including unobservable effects, i.e. the random effects of individual lichens and rock faces, predicted that the apothecium density for both species increased as the thallus area increased. The estimated coefficient of thallus area to apothecium density forU. cylindricawas larger than that forL. pensylvanica. We also detected a probable positive relationship between SOI and apothecium density forU. cylindrica, whereas none was detected forL. pensylvanica.
Molecular data show thatBryoria fremontiiandB. tortuosa(Parmeliaceae) are conspecific
Authors: VELMALA Saara , MYLLYS Leena , HALONEN Pekka , GOWARD Trevor , AHTI Teuvo 
Published: May 2009

AbstractBryoria fremontiiandB. tortuosaare the only species in the lichenized ascomycete genusBryoriaknown to contain the pulvinic acid derivative vulpinic acid. InB. fremontiithis yellow pigment is restricted to the soralia and apothecia, while inB. tortuosait can occur throughout the thallus. The actual amount of vulpinic acid produced byB. tortuosais rather variable, however, with intermediate specimens bearing both white and yellow pseudocyphellae. We studied the relationship between the two species with parsimony analysis using four DNA regions: 1) the internal transcribed spacers of the nuclear rDNA including the 5.8S region (ITS), 2) partial sequences from the intergenic spacer of the nuclear rDNA (IGS), 3) partial sequences from the small subunit of the mitochondrial rDNA (mtSSU), and 4) partial sequences from the protein-coding glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene (GAPDH). Our phylogenetic analysis revealed thatB. fremontiiandB. tortuosamust be regarded as conspecific, but allowing for some genetic differentiation between European and North American populations.Bryoria tortuosais therefore synonymized withB. fremontii.
A new, Asian species in the Parmeliella mariana complex (Pannariaceae)
Authors: JØRGENSEN Per M. 
Published: May 2009

AbstractParmeliella zeylanica is described as a new species in the P. mariana group, although it differs from all known species in the group by not having radiating marginal lobes resting on a distinct mat of rhizohyphae. It is as yet known only from the highlands of Sri Lanka. The new combination Parmeliella leiostroma (Nyl.) P. M. Jørg. is made for a closely related species from the same region, and it is shown that Parmeliella endomilta var. achromatica Makhija & Adawara falls within the variation of Parmeliella mariana (Fr.) P. M.Jørg. & D. J. Galloway, and is not closely related to P. endomilta.
A new species ofMelanotopelia(Graphidaceae) from Africa
Authors: SÉRUSIAUX Emmanuël , BRAND A. Maarten , FISCHER Eberhard , KILLMANN Dorothee , van den BOOM Pieter P. G. , ERTZ Damien 
Published: May 2009

AbstractMelanotopelia africanais described as new to science from Rwanda (continental Africa) and La Réunion (Mascarenes archipelago).Topeliopsis muscigenais here reported for the first time from La Réunion.
Robot navigation: implications from search strategies in exploring crayfish
Authors: Heußlein Edith , Patullo Blair W. , Macmillan David L. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYBiomimetic applications play an important role in informing the field of robotics. One aspect is navigation – a skill automobile robots require to perform useful tasks. A sub-area of this is search strategies, e.g. for search and rescue, demining, exploring surfaces of other planets or as a default strategy when other navigation mechanisms fail. Despite that, only a few approaches have been made to transfer biological knowledge of search mechanisms on surfaces along the ground into biomimetic applications. To provide insight for robot navigation strategies, this study describes the paths a crayfish used to explore terrain. We tracked movement when different sets of sensory input were available. We then tested this algorithm with a computer model crayfish and concluded that the movement of C. destructor has a specialised walking strategy that could provide a suitable baseline algorithm for autonomous mobile robots during navigation.
Writing in Cameroon pidgin English: begging the question
Authors: Sala Bonaventure M. 
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACTCameroon Pidgin English (CPE) is increasingly becoming an important language in the country, judging from its use in the media (both private and public), in literary texts, the Bible and other religious materials. The soaring of writing in CPE has been hailed by many as a positive signal for the spread and survival of the language, but this begs the question of how it should be written. Formal statements made so far on how CPE should be written are divergent (see Todd, 1986; Mbangwana, 1983; Ayafor, 1996 and Schr¨der, 2003) and in practice the present situation of CPE writing is marred by inconsistency, where the English- and the phonetically-based options compete (see Schneider, 1960 and Awah, 1981). For a full-blown literature (which standardises a language in many respects) to flourish, there is need for an agreed writing system that can make its literature better accessible to the public. We need to know what makes the one option superior to the other and why. Showcasing the literature in CPE as guarantee of viability, as Ayafor (2005) does, is not helpful if we do not pause to ask ourselves how it is, and should be, written. The purpose of this paper is to assess the controversies involved in talking about and conceiving a writing system for CPE. It is also to propose a writing system for CPE, based on linguistic and extra-linguistic parameters.
Maltese English and the nativization phase of the dynamic model
Authors: Thusat Joshua , Anderson Emily , Davis Shante , Ferris Mike , Javed Amber , Laughlin Angela , McFarland Christopher , Sangsiri Raknakwan , Sinclair Judith , Vastalo Victoria , Whelan Win , Wrubel Jessica 
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACTResearch on new varieties of English often reflects specific lexical shifts between a standard variety of English and an outer or expanding variety of English. Studies conducted on Nigerian English, Indian English, Malaysian English, etc., list examples of morphological, syntactical, and lexical nativization without mentioning the evolutionary progression of a post colonial English (PCE). Edgar Schneider (2007) posits a Dynamic Model for plotting the timeline of any post colonial variety of English (PCE). The model reveals five fundamental evolutionary phases to any new English: foundation, exonormative stabilization, nativization, endonormative stabilization, and differentiation. At each phase, the structure of the settler strand (STL) and the indigenous strand (IDG) of English is affected at four different linguistic levels: history/politics, identity construction, sociolinguistics, and linguistic developments. In each phase, researchers of a PCE must find specific instances of development that correspond to the correct phase of evolution. In an attempt to assess the universal applicability of Schneider's (2007) Dynamic Model, this study seeks to use the country of Malta as an example of a new post colonial English residing primarily in phase three: nativization.
In pursuit of linguistic gold: mothering in a globalised world
Authors: Chew Phyllis Ghim-Lian 
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACTA follow-up of Jin-Kyu Park's contribution in ET97 on ‘English Fever’ in South Korea, by examining one of the consequences in Singapore – the destination for thousands of ‘study mothers’ who migrate from South Korea and China to help their young children acquire ‘linguistic capital’ by learning English.This paper focuses on the existence of around 7000 Chinese (PRC) and 5000 Korean study mothers in 2007 in the Republic of Singapore (Toh, 2008). Known in their respective home countries as ‘wild goose mothers’ (kirogi omma) and ‘study mothers’ (pei du mama), these mothers leave their husbands behind while they accompany their children, some as young as 7 years, to a foreign country in the pursuit of linguistic gold. ‘We have good science and maths at home but we need the English to make it work.’
Partial regularity of strong local minimizers of quasiconvex integrals with (p, q)-growth
Authors: Schemm Sabine , Schmidt Thomas 
Published: May 2009

We consider strictly quasiconvex integralsin the multi-dimensional calculus of variations. For the C2-integrand f : ℝNn → ℝ we impose (p, q)-growth conditionswith γ, Γ > 0 and 1 < p ≤ q < min {p + 1/n, p(2n − 1)/(2n − 2)}. Under these assumptions we prove partial C1, αloc-regularity for strong local minimizers of F and the associated relaxed functional F.
Genetic modification of flux for flux prediction of mutants
Authors: Zhao Quanyu , Kurata Hiroyuki 
Published: May 2009

Abstract
Motivation: Gene deletion and overexpression are critical technologies for designing or improving the metabolic flux distribution of microbes. Some algorithms including flux balance analysis (FBA) and minimization of metabolic adjustment (MOMA) predict a flux distribution from a stoichiometric matrix in the mutants in which some metabolic genes are deleted or non-functional, but there are few algorithms that predict how a broad range of genetic modifications, such as over- and underexpression of metabolic genes, alters the phenotypes of the mutants at the metabolic flux level.
Results: To overcome such existing limitations, we develop a novel algorithm that predicts the flux distribution of the mutants with a broad range of genetic modification, based on elementary mode analysis. It is denoted as genetic modification of flux (GMF), which couples two algorithms that we have developed: modified control effective flux (mCEF) and enzyme control flux (ECF). mCEF is proposed based on CEF to estimate the gene expression patterns in genetically modified mutants in terms of specific biological functions. GMF is demonstrated to predict the flux distribution of not only gene deletion mutants, but also the mutants with underexpressed and overexpressed genes in Escherichia coli and Corynebacterium glutamicum. This achieves breakthrough in the a priori flux prediction of a broad range of genetically modified mutants.
Contact: kurata@bio.kyutech.ac.jp
Supplementary information: Supplementary file and programs are available at Bioinformatics online or http://www.cadlive.jp.
NTAP: for NimbleGen tiling array ChIP-chip data analysis
Authors: He Kun , Li Xueyong , Zhou Junli , Deng Xing-Wang , Zhao Hongyu , Luo Jingchu 
Published: May 2009

Abstract
Summary:NTAP is designed to analyze ChIP-chip data generated by the NimbleGen tiling array platform and to accomplish various pattern recognition tasks that are useful especially for epigenetic studies. The modular design of NTAP makes the data processing highly customizable. Users can either use NTAP to perform the full process of NimbleGen tiling array data analysis, or choose post-processing modules in NTAP to analyze pre-processed epigenetic data generated by other platforms. The output of NTAP can be saved in standard GFF format files and visualized in GBrowse.
Availability and Implementation:The source code of NTAP is freely available at http://ntap.cbi.pku.edu.cn/. It is implemented in Perl and R and can be used on Linux, Mac and Windows platforms.
Contact: ntap@mail.cbi.pku.edu.cn; luojc@pku.edu.cn; hekun78@gmail.com
Clinical trial: extended treatment duration of peginterferon‐alpha2b plus ribavirin for 72 and 96 weeks in hepatitis C genotype 1‐infected late responders
Authors: NAGAKI M. , SHIMIZU M. , SUGIHARA J. I. , TOMITA E. , SANO C. , NAIKI T. , KIMURA K. , AMANO K. , SAKAI T. , NINOMIYA M. , KOJIMA T. , KATSUMURA N. , FUJIMOTO M. , MORIWAKI H. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryBackground  The benefits of prolonging peginterferon and ribavirin after 48 weeks of treatment to maximize sustained virological responses (SVR) in hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1‐infected patients remain to be understood.Aim  To investigate whether extended treatment longer than 72 weeks may be superior to 72‐week treatment.Methods  A total of 120 treatment‐naïve or retreated patients with HCV genotype 1 were treated with peginterferon‐alpha‐2b (1.5 μg/kg/week) plus weight‐based ribavirin. We had 34 late responders, in whom HCV RNA first became undetectable at week 12–48, and randomized them into three groups receiving standard‐dose peginterferon‐alpha‐2b plus low‐dose ribavirin (200 mg/day) for extended 24 weeks (group A), receiving low‐dose peginterferon‐alpha‐2b (0.75 μg/kg/week) plus low‐dose ribavirin for extended 48 weeks (group B) or no extended treatment (group C), and evaluated the outcome according to their virological response.Results  Multivariate analysis showed that the treatment for 96 weeks was identified as a significant, independent factor associated with SVR in HCV genotype 1‐infected late responders in comparison with group A [odds ratio (OR), 10.002; P = 0.080] and group C (OR, 17.748; P = 0.025).Conclusion  Extending the treatment duration from 48 weeks to 96 weeks improves SVR rates in genotype 1‐infected patients with late virological response to peginterferon‐alpha‐2b and ribavirin.
Endoscopic band ligation could decrease recurrent bleeding in Mallory–Weiss syndrome as compared to haemostasis by hemoclips plus epinephrine
Authors: LECLEIRE S. , ANTONIETTI M. , IWANICKI‐CARON I. , DUCLOS A. , RAMIREZ S. , BEN‐SOUSSAN E. , HERVÉ S. , DUCROTTÉ P. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryBackground  Mallory–Weiss syndrome (MWS) with active bleeding at endoscopy may require endoscopic haemostasis the modalities of which are not well‐defined.Aim  To compare the efficacy of endoscopic band ligation vs. hemoclip plus epinephrine (adrenaline) in bleeding MWS.Methods  From 2001 to 2008, 218 consecutive patients with a MWS at endoscopy were hospitalized in our Gastrointestinal Bleeding Unit. In 56 patients (26%), an endoscopic haemostasis was required because of active bleeding. Band ligation was performed in 29 patients (Banding group), while hemoclip application plus epinephrine injection was performed in 27 patients (H&E group). Treatment efficacy and early recurrent bleeding were retrospectively compared between the two groups.Results  Primary endoscopic haemostasis was achieved in all patients. Recurrent bleeding occurred in 0% in Banding group vs. 18% in H&E group (P = 0.02). The use of hemoclips plus epinephrine (OR = 3; 95% CI = 1.15–15.8) and active bleeding at endoscopy (OR = 1.9; 95% CI = 1.04–5.2) were independent predictive factors of early recurrent bleeding.Conclusions  Haemostasis by hemoclips plus epinephrine was an independent predictive factor of rebleeding. This result suggests that band ligation could be the first choice endoscopic treatment for bleeding MWS, but requires further prospective assessment.