bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The gsp Oncogene Disrupts Ras/ERK-Dependent Prolactin Gene Regulation in gsp Inducible Somatotroph Cell Line
Authors: Pertuit M. , Romano D. , Zeiller C. , Barlier A. , Enjalbert A. , Gerard C. 
Published: February 2011

AbstractThe MAPK ERK1/2 cascade regulates all the critical cellular functions, and in many pathological situations, these regulatory processes are perturbed. It has been clearly established that this cascade is an integrative point in the control of the pituitary functions exerted by various extracellular signals. In particular, ERK1/2 cross talk with the cAMP pathway is determinant in the control of somatolactotroph hormonal secretion exerted via neuropeptide receptors. GH-secreting adenomas are characterized by frequent cAMP pathway alterations, such as constitutive activation of the α-subunit of the heterotrimeric Gs protein (the gsp oncogene), overexpression of Gsα, and changes in the protein kinase A regulatory subunits. However, it has not yet been established exactly how these alterations result in GH-secreting adenomas or how the ERK1/2 cascade contributes to the process of GH-secreting adenoma tumorigenesis. In this study on the conditional gsp-oncogene-expressing GH4C1 cell line, expression of the gsp oncogene, which was observed in up to 40% of GH-secreting adenomas, was found to induce sustained ERK1/2 activation, which required activation of the protein kinase A and the GTPases Ras and Rap1. All these signaling components contribute to the chronic activation of the human prolactin promoter. The data obtained here show that Ras plays a crucial role in these processes: in a physiopathological context, i.e. in the presence of the gsp oncogene, it switched from being a repressor of the cAMP/ protein kinase A ERK-sensitive prolactin gene control exerted by neuropeptides to an activator of the prolactin promoter.
Bar Code Medication Administration Technology: Characterization of High-Alert Medication Triggers and Clinician Workarounds
Authors: Miller Daniel F , Fortier Christopher R , Garrison Kelli L 
Published: February 2011

BACKGROUND: Bar code medication administration (BCMA) technology is gaining acceptance for its ability to prevent medication administration errors. However, studies suggest that improper use of BCMA technology can yield unsatisfactory error prevention and introduction of new potential medication errors. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the incidence of high-alert medication BCMA triggers and alert types and discuss the type of nursing and pharmacy workarounds occurring with the use of BCMA technology and the electronic medication administration record (eMAR). METHODS: Medication scanning and override reports from January 1, 2008, through November 30, 2008, for all adult medical/surgical units were retrospectively evaluated for high-alert medication system triggers, alert types, and override reason documentation. An observational study of nursing workarounds on an adult medicine step-down unit was performed and an analysis of potential pharmacy workarounds affecting BCMA and the eMAR was also conducted. RESULTS: Seventeen percent of scanned medications triggered an error alert of which 55% were for high-alert medications. Insulin aspart, NPH insulin, hydromorphone, potassium chloride, and morphine were the top 5 high-alert medications that generated alert messages. Clinician override reasons for alerts were documented in only 23% of administrations. Observational studies assessing for nursing workarounds revealed a median of 3 clinician workarounds per administration. Specific nursing workarounds included a failure to scan medications/patient armband and scanning the bar code once the dosage has been removed from the unit-dose packaging. Analysis of pharmacy order entry process workarounds revealed the potential for missed doses, duplicate doses, and doses being scheduled at the wrong time. CONCLUSIONS: BCMA has the potential to prevent high-alert medication errors by alerting clinicians through alert messages. Nursing and pharmacy workarounds can limit the recognition of optimal safety outcomes and therefore workflow processes must be continually analyzed and restructured to yield the intended full benefits of BCMA technology.
Safety of the HPV Bivalent and Quadrivalent Vaccines during Pregnancy
Authors: Forinash Alicia B , Yancey Abigail M , Pitlick Jamie M , Myles Thomas D 
Published: February 2011

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety of the human papillomavirus (HPV) bivalent and quadrivalent vaccines in pregnancy. DATA SOURCE: PubMed (1966-August 2010) was searched using the terms human papillomavirus, human papillomavirus vaccine, and pregnancy. References were reviewed for relevant information. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: All studies including humans that were published in English with data describing HPV vaccine administration in pregnancy were evaluated. DATA SYNTHESIS: Two combined analyses of 7 Phase 3 efficacy trials have retrospectively evaluated the safety of unintentional administration of either the bivalent (n = 1786) or quadrivalent (n = 2085) HPV vaccine during pregnancy. In addition, postmarketing pregnancy registry surveillance data (prospective, n = 787; retrospective, n = 76) for the quadrivalent HPV vaccine have been published. However, only 279 pregnancies from the studies and 90 pregnancies from the registry occurred within 30 days of receiving the vaccination. Overall, the vaccine does not appear to be associated with an increased risk of spontaneous abortion, fetal malformations, or adverse pregnancy outcomes beyond that found in the general population. Although the data are limited, neither HPV vaccine appears to be associated with an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, limitations of the data include small patient populations, minimal to no adjustments for factors known to influence pregnancy outcomes or malformations, and the majority of the available pregnancy data are from retrospective analysis of Phase 3 efficacy trials. CONCLUSIONS: Neither HPV vaccine should be routinely administered during pregnancy. If a pregnancy occurs midseries, the remaining vaccines should be given after pregnancy completion. Further studies are required to determine actual risk.
Selective inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase 4 by targeting a substrate-specific secondary binding site
Authors: Kühn-Wache Kerstin , Bär Joachim W. , Hoffmann Torsten , Wolf Raik , Rahfeld Jens-Ulrich , Demuth Hans-Ulrich 
Published: February 2011

Abstract
Dipeptidyl peptidase 4/CD26 (DP4) is a multifunctional serine protease liberating dipeptide from the N-terminus of (oligo)peptides which can modulate the activity of these peptides. The enzyme is involved in physiological processes such as blood glucose homeostasis and immune response. DP4 substrate specificity is characterized in detail using synthetic dipeptide derivatives. The specificity constant k
cat/K
m strongly depends on the amino acid in P1-position for proline, alanine, glycine and serine with 5.0×105 m
-1s-1, 1.8×104 m
-1s-1, 3.6×102 m
-1s-1, 1.1×102 m
-1s-1, respectively. By contrast, kinetic investigation of larger peptide substrates yields a different pattern. The specific activity of DP4 for neuropeptide Y (NPY) cleavage comprising a proline in P1-position is the same range as the k
cat/K
m values of NPY derivatives containing alanine or serine in P1-position with 4×105 m
-1s-1, 9.5×105 m
-1s-1 and 2.1×105 m
-1s-1, respectively. The proposed existence of an additional binding region outside the catalytic center is supported by measurements of peptide substrates with extended chain length. This ‘secondary’ binding site interaction depends on the amino acid sequence in P4′–P8′-position. Interactions with this binding site could be specifically blocked for substrates of the GRF/glucagon peptide family. By contrast, substrates not belonging to this peptide family and dipeptide derivative substrates that only bind to the catalytic center of DP4 were not inhibited. This more selective inhibition approach allows, for the first time, to distinguish between substrate families by substrate-discriminating inhibitors.
Unterstützung von Softwareanpassungen in Kleinen und Mittelständischen Unternehmen: Wege zu einer Anpassungskultur
Authors: Yetim Fahri , Dörner Christian , Pipek Volkmar 
Published: February 2011

Zusammenfassung
Moderne Softwaresysteme sollten in erheblichem Umfang auch während der Benutzung noch an neue oder geänderte Anwendungspraktiken angepasst werden können. Neben der notwendigen technischen Flexibilität von Softwaresystemen und dem Vorhalten der notwendigen Anpassungsinterfaces ist die Etablierung einer ”Anpassungskultur“ ein wesentliches Merkmal einer erfolgreichen Anpassungsunterstützung. Dieser Beitrag präsentiert die Ergebnisse einer qualitativen empirischen Studie in fünf kleinen- und mittelständischen Unternehmen. Die Studie hatte das Ziel, die Effekte verschiedener Anpassungswerkzeuge und ihren Beitrag zur Etablierung einer ”Anpassungskultur“ zu verstehen. Die Interpretation der Ergebnisse aus der Perspektive der Technologie-Akzeptanzforschung liefert einige Hinweise darauf, welche Maßnahmen in der Praxis in Unternehmen getroffen werden müssen, um die Akzeptanz und Übernahme von innovativen Technologien zu erleichtern bzw. zu fördern. Die meisten Befragten gaben fehlende Zeit und mangelndes Wissens als Barrieren für die Nutzung von Anpassungsunterstützungstools an.
Combinatorial Methods for Investigations in Polymer Materials Science
Authors: Carson Meredith J. , Karim Alamgir , Amis Eric J. 
Published: February 2011

AbstractWe review recent advances in the development of combinatorial methods for polymer characterization. Applied to materials research, combinatorial methodologies allow efficient testing of structure–property hypotheses (fundamental characterization) as well as accelerated development of new materials (materials discovery). Recent advances in library preparation and high-throughput screening have extended combinatorial methods to a wide variety of phenomena encountered in polymer processing. We first present techniques for preparing continuous-gradient polymer “libraries” with controlled variations in temperature, composition, thickness, and substrate surface energy. These libraries are then used to characterize fundamental properties such as polymer-blend phase behavior, thin-film dewetting, block-copolymer order–disorder transitions, and cell interactions with surfaces of biocompatible polymers.
Optical-Fiber Sensors: An Overview
Authors: Webb D. J. 
Published: February 2011

AbstractThis article provides an overview of the field of optical-fiber sensing, including a brief introduction to the properties of optical fibers that make them suitable for material characterization and monitoring. Some of the recent developments in the field are described, with an emphasis on Bragg grating sensors, multiplexed systems, and chemical sensing, as well as the new field of microstructured fiber.
Optical-Fiber Sensors for the Detection of Acoustic Emission
Authors: Spillman William B. , Claus Richard O. 
Published: February 2011

AbstractAcoustic emission (AE) is used as a means to anticipate the mechanical failure of critical materials and structures by detecting the release of energy caused by material rearrangement at the microlevel. Optical-fiber sensors have potential advantages over conventional tuned piezoelectric transducers and signal-processing methods for the detection of such types of ultrasonic acoustic wave events. A number of fiber Bragg grating techniques are presented, which in particular offer the potential to provide the high-speed signal processing and ability to multiplex numbers of AE sensors necessary to detect, quantify, and locate AE sources and thereby determine material properties and damage.
Applications of Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors in the Composite Industry
Authors: Ferdinand Pierre , Magne Sylvain , Dewynter-Marty Véronique , Rougeault Stéphane , Maurin Laurent 
Published: February 2011

AbstractOptical-fiber sensors based on fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) provide accurate, nonintrusive, and reliable remote measurements of temperature, strain, and pressure, and they are immune to electromagnetic interference. FBGs are extensively used in telecommunications, and their manufacture is now cost-effective. As sensors, FBGs find many industrial applications in composite structures used in the civil engineering, aeronautics, train transportation, space, and naval sectors. Tiny FBG sensors embedded in a composite material can provide in situ information about polymer curing (strain, temperature, refractive index) in an elegant and nonintrusive way. Great improvements in composite manufacturing processes such as resin transfer molding (RTM) and resin film infusion (RFI) have been obtained through the use of these sensors. They can also be used in monitoring the “health” of a composite structure and in impact detection to evaluate, for example, the airworthiness of aircraft. Finally, FBGs may be used in instrumentation as composite extensometers or strain rosettes, primarily in civil engineering applications.
Mechanical Properties in Small Dimensions
Authors: Vinci Richard P. , Baker Shefford P. 
Published: February 2011

AbstractThis brief article describes the content of the January 2002 issue of MRS Bulletin focusing on Mechanical Properties in Small Dimensions. Articles discuss the current understanding ofstressevolution during thin-film growth, elastic and anelastic behavior, dislocation-mediated plasticity, creep deformation, and fracture. Emphasis is placed on explaining the mechanisms that underlie thewell-known fact that length scale can play a significant role in mechanical behavior.
Self-Amplifying Semiconducting Polymers for Chemical Sensors
Authors: Swager Timothy M. , Wosnick Jordan H. 
Published: February 2011

AbstractThe ability of excited states (excitons) to migrate rapidly and efficiently through conjugated polymers makes these materials ideal for use in sensors based on fluorescence quenching or amplification of fluorescence signals. The structural features we are able to introduce into these polymers have allowed us both to design highly sensitive fluorescent sensors for specific analytes, such as the explosive trinitrotoluene (TNT), and to create assemblies that control energy transfer along a predetermined path. The principles involved have broad utility in the design of sensory materials as well as of electronic devices and display components based on electronic polymers.
Physical Origins of Intrinsic Stresses in Volmer–Weber Thin Films
Authors: Floro Jerrold A. , Chason Eric , Cammarata Robert C. , Srolovitz David J. 
Published: February 2011

AbstractAs-deposited thin films grown by vapor deposition often exhibit large intrinsic stresses that can lead to film failure. While this is an “old” materials problem, our understanding has only recently begun to evolve in a more sophisticated fashion. Sensitive real-time measurements of stress evolution during thin-film deposition reveal a generic compressive–tensile–compressive behavior that correlates with island nucleation and growth, island coalescence, and postcoalescence film growth. In this article, we review the fundamental mechanisms that can generate stresses during the growth of Volmer–Weber thin films. Compressive stresses in both discontinuous and continuous films are generated by surface-stress effects. Tensile stresses are created during island coalescence and grain growth. Compressive stresses can also result from the flux-driven incorporation of excess atoms within grain boundaries. While significant progress has been made in this field recently, further modeling and experimentation are needed to quantitatively sort out the importance of the different mechanisms to the overall behavior.
Elastic and Anelastic Behavior of Materials in Small Dimensions
Authors: Baker Shefford P. , Vinci Richard P. , Arias Tomás 
Published: February 2011

AbstractUnder certain circumstances, decreasing the dimensions of a material may lead to elastic or anelastic properties that diverge from bulk behavior. A distinction is made between elastic deformation, for which bond rearrangements are not required, and anelastic behavior, which involves reversible deformation due to defect motion. Elastic deformation (due to bond stretching) remains structure-insensitive down to near-atomic length scales, and only small deviations are expected (of the order of 10%). More significant deviations can be observed in special cases, which are described in the article. However, elastic moduli that are much lower than expected are sometimes seen, even in careful experiments. It now appears that this behavior may be explainable by time-dependent anelastic relaxation mechanisms. In contrast to purely elastic behavior, anelastic behavior is very sensitive to microstructure and is found to be common and often significant when things become small.
Quantum-Dot Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers
Authors: Bimberg D. , Ledentsov N.N. , Lott J.A. 
Published: February 2011

AbstractGaAs-based continuous-wave quantum-dot vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) operating at 1.3 μm at 20°C with output power of 1.2 mW have been realized. Threshold currents approach 1–1.5 mA for 8-μm oxide apertures. Operating voltages are ∼2 V. Long operation lifetimes in excess of 5000 h at 50°C without degradation have been achieved. This article describes these breakthroughs, which are based on our development of complex self-organized growth technologies for defect-free stacked quantum dots.
Nanoscale Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Sides Charles R. , Li Naichao , Patrissi Charles J. , Scrosati Bruno , Martin Charles R. 
Published: February 2011

AbstractTemplate synthesis is a versatile nanomaterial fabrication method used to make monodisperse nanoparticles of a variety of materials including metals, semiconductors, carbons, and polymers. We have used the template method to prepare nanostructured lithium-ion battery electrodes in which nanofibers or nanotubes of the electrode material protrude from an underlying current-collector surface like the bristles of a brush. Nanostructured electrodes of this type composed of carbon, LiMn2O4, V2O5, tin, TiO2, and TiS2have been prepared. In all cases, the nanostructured electrode showed dramatically improved rate capabilities relative to thin-film control electrodes composed of the same material. The rate capabilities are improved because the distance that Li+must diffuse in the solid state (the current- and power-limiting step in Li-ion battery electrodes) is significantly smaller in the nanostructured electrode. For example, in a nanofiber-based electrode, the distance that Li+must diffuse is restricted to the radius of the fiber, which may be as small as 50 nm. Recent developments in template-prepared nanostructured electrodes are reviewed.
Metallic Hydrides I: Hydrogen Storage and Other Gas-Phase Applications
Authors: Bowman Robert C. , Fultz Brent 
Published: February 2011

AbstractA brief survey is given of the various classes of metal alloys and compounds that are suitable for hydrogen-storage and energy-conversion applications. Comparisons are made of relevant properties including hydrogen absorption and desorption pressures, total and reversible hydrogen-storage capacity, reaction-rate kinetics, initial activation requirements, susceptibility to contamination, and durability during long-term thermal cycling. Selected applications are hydrogen storage as a fuel, gas separation and purification, thermal switches, and sorption cryocoolers.
Nanotopography Issues in Shallow Trench Isolation CMP
Authors: Boning Duane , Lee Brian 
Published: February 2011

AbstractAs advancing technologies increase the demand for planarity in integrated circuits, nanotopography has emerged as an important concern in shallow trench isolation (STI) on wafers polished by means of chemical–mechanical planarization (CMP). Previous work has shown that nanotopography—small surface-height variations of 10–100 nm in amplitude extending across millimeter-scale lateral distances on virgin wafers—can result in CMP-induced localized thinning of surface films such as the oxides or nitrides used in STI. A contact-wear CMP model can be employed to produce maps of regions on a given starting wafer that are prone to particular STI failures, such as the lack of complete clearing of the oxide in low spots and excessive erosion of nitride layers in high spots on the wafer. Stiffer CMP pads result in increased nitride thinning. A chip-scale pattern-dependent CMP simulation shows that substantial additional dishing and erosion occur because of the overpolishing time required due to nanotopography. Projections indicate that nanotopography height specifications will likely need to decrease in order to scale with smaller feature sizes in future IC technologies.
Passive-Matrix Polymer Light-Emitting Displays
Authors: Haskal Eliav I. , Büchel Michael , Duineveld Paul C. , Sempel Aad , Weijer Peter van de 
Published: February 2011

AbstractOrganic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) have attracted considerable interest in the last five years and are now viewed as an important competitor with liquid crystals for a wide variety of display applications. Current research focuses on the use of small-molecule and polymer materials to make organic electroluminescent displays with both passive-and active-matrix technologies. This article will discuss work on the device architecture for a polymer passive-matrix display application, the stability of polymer light-emitting displays, and the use of ink-jet printing for high-resolution patterning of red, green, and blue light-emitting polymers.
Reflective Liquid-Crystal Displays
Authors: Uchida Tatsuo , Ishinabe Takahiro 
Published: February 2011

AbstractReflective full-color liquid-crystal displays (LCDs) are attracting a great deal of interest as portable information systems because of their extremely low power consumption and light weight; also, the color does not wash out in outdoor use. In this article, reflective LCDs are classified into three types. Among them, the diffusing-reflector type and the front-diffusing film type are suitable for high-quality active-matrix displays. Diffusing-reflector LCDs have the advantage of uniform reflectance at the desired viewing angle due to the design of the surface microstructure of the reflector. Front-diffusing film LCDs using metallic mirrors and an optimally designed light-controlling film enable high contrast in a wide viewing-angle range and uniform reflectance with no blurring. Thus, both types have a high potential for achieving excellent color quality comparable to printed paper. In the near future, these reflective LCDs will likely be applied not only to portable systems, but also to high-performance wireless monitor displays and various other information systems.