bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Growth, optical and nanostructural properties of magnetron sputtered ZnO thin films deposited on polymeric substrates
Authors: Koidis C. , Logothetidis S. , Georgiou D. , Laskarakis A. , Lousinian S. , Tsiaoussis I. , Frangis N. 
Published: July 2008

AbstractZnO thin films were deposited onto flexible Poly‐Ethylene Terephthalate and Poly‐Ethylene Naphthalate substrates in an ultra‐high vacuum chamber by Pulsed DC Magnetron Sputtering. The process took place at room temperature and in argon atmosphere with fixed pressure, by applying two different power values on the target, in order to investigate their effect on the growth, optical, nanostructural and topographical properties of the films. In‐situ and real‐time Spectroscopic Ellipsometry in the 1.5–6.5 eV energy region has been employed to monitor the ZnO deposition, which revealed information about the growth mechanisms, interface phenomena and optical properties of the films. Transmission Electron Microscopy was used in order to investigate the structural characteristics of the films and to examine the film/polymer interface properties. The X‐ray Diffraction measurements revealed the changes in films structure caused by the change of the target power, nevertheless all films were preferentially grown along the (002) axis. Finally, with Atomic Force Microscopy the surface roughness of the films was defined correlated also with the target power applied. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Study of the growth and annealing conditions of SrCu2O2 (SCO) thin films deposited by injection MOCVD
Authors: Deschanvres J. L. , Millon C. , Jimenez C. , Khan A. , Roussel H. , Servet B. , Durand O. , Modreanu M. 
Published: July 2008

AbstractDivalent ions in a copper oxide matrix M2+Cu2O2 have been intensively studied for the application field of p‐type transparent conductive oxides (TCOs) in order to achieve transparent electronic devices. In this paper, we are presenting our study of the growth and annealing conditions of SrCu2O2 (SCO) thin films deposited by injection metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) apparatus. Limited work has been performed using MOCVD in spite of the high facility to prepare different ratios of precursors, large‐area deposition and high deposition rate. The precursors for this study were strontium and copper tetramethylheptadionate (TMHD) and the solvent used was meta‐xylene. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analyses have shown that the as‐deposited films in the temperature range (480–570 °C) were composed of a mixture of copper oxide (CuO) and strontium carbonate (SrCO3), which is due to the low‐temperature deposition. Post‐deposition treatment was needed to achieve the SCO compound. So, different rapid thermal annealing (RTA) conditions were studied. The RTA under Ar gas is too reductive and metallic copper is clearly visible on the surface. On the other hand, RTA under O2 partial pressure provokes the combustion of carbonate and the crystallisation of SrCu2O3 phase at temperatures above 550 °C as observed by FTIR and XRD measurements. Once this phase is obtained, a final RTA under pure Ar leads to the SCO phase at temperatures higher than 600 °C. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
ZnO/SiO2 nanocomposite thin films by sol–gel method
Authors: Musat V. , Fortunato E. , Petrescu S. , Botelho do Rego A. M. 
Published: July 2008

AbstractIn recent years ZnO/SiO2 nanocomposite thin films have attracted much attention for a wide range of device applications based on their specific optical and electrical properties. Mesoporous silica nanocomposite with controllable variation of size and shape of pores is the most challenging system for the generation of stable oxide semiconductive nanoparticles with controlled size and shape and subsequently with controlled optical and electrical properties. This paper presents the results on mesoprous ZnO/SiO2 nanocomposite thin films obtained by sol–gel method using three different ways of the sol preparation. The effect of the sol preparation on the zinc‐doping states of the thin films is discussed based on X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The crystalline structure, morphology, optical transmittance, optical band gap, electrical properties and room temperature photoreduction‐ozone reoxidation properties of these films are presented. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Schottky contacts to hydrogen doped ZnO
Authors: Schifano R. , Monakhov E. V. , Christensen J. S. , Kuznetsov A. Yu. , Svensson B. G. 
Published: July 2008

AbstractHigh resistivity (≥1 kΩ cm) hydrothermally grown single crystal ZnO wafers were modified by hydrogen implantation. The implantation has been performed with multiple energies in order to form a box‐like profile with a depth of 4 μm and two different concentrations of 8 × 1017 H/cm3 and 1.5 × 1018 H/ cm3. A subsequent annealing at 200 °C for 30 min in N2 resulted in the formation of a highly conductive layer. Pd con‐ tacts deposited on the implanted side showed rectifying behaviour by up to three orders of magnitude. However by capacitance vs. voltage (C –V) technique a carrier concentration significantly lower than the one expected according to the implanted H content was measured suggesting the presence of a high density of compensating centers and/or an incomplete activation of H as a donor. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Microsynthesis and gas chromatography/electron ionization mass spectrometric and tandem mass spectrometric analysis of cyclic alkylphosphonates for verification of the Chemical Weapons Convention
Authors: Dubey Devendra K. , Pardasani Deepak , Kanaujia Pankaj K. , Tak Vijay , Gupta Hemendra K. 
Published: July 2008

AbstractWe describe the microsynthesis and gas chromatography/mass spectrometric (GC/MS) analysis of cyclic alkylphosphonates (CAPs), which are included in schedule 2B4 chemicals in the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). The reported microsynthesis is efficient in comparison with traditional synthesis. GC/MS and GC/tandem mass spectrometric (MS/MS) analysis of a variety of CAPs revealed that their fragmentations were dominated by α‐cleavages, alkene eliminations and hydrogen rearrangements. Based on the obtained mass spectra and precursor and product ion analysis of five‐, six‐ and seven‐membered cyclic alkylphosphonates, the proposed fragmentation routes rationalize most of the characteristic ions. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The impact of cardiac surgery on cognition
Authors: Bruce Kathryn , Smith Julian A. , Yelland Gregory , Robinson Stephen 
Published: July 2008

AbstractThis brief review focuses on coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and valve surgery and their post‐operative effects on cognitive domains. Despite the substantial technical advances in cardiac surgery over the past few decades, the incidence of permanent cognitive impairment remains alarmingly high: 20–70 per cent of patients exhibit cognitive impairment during the first week after surgery, with the incidence declining to 10–40 per cent after 6 weeks and remaining at this level thereafter. We find that language, concentration and motor control are most consistently reported to be affected, while memory, attention and executive function are more variably affected. Valve surgery is generally associated with a worse outcome than CABG surgery. It remains unclear whether the use of the cardio‐pulmonary bypass machine adversely affects cognitive outcome. There is an urgent need to identify the risk factors and surgical techniques that influence post‐operative cognitive impairment, yet it is difficult to reach meaningful conclusions from the present data due to a lack of concordance in experimental design and data analysis. To address this challenge, future research will need to control for confounds such as mood state, post‐operative pain, learning effects, and anaesthesia and will need to compare a wide range of cognitive domains and surgical procedures within large multi‐centre studies. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Design profiles: toward unified tool support for design patterns and UML profiles
Authors: Hammouda Imed , Ruokonen Anna , Siikarla Mika , Santos André L. , Koskimies Kai , Systä Tarja 
Published: July 2008

AbstractIn the current trend of software engineering, patterns and profiles lend themselves as two powerful complementary mechanisms for documenting and enforcing design rules. In this paper, we study how unified tool support can be achieved for patterns and profiles by interpreting them as role‐based structural descriptions and exploiting existing tool support for role modeling. The approach is realized using so‐called design profiles, which allow both validation and generation of models according to rules expressed in the patterns and profiles. A prototypical tool environment supporting the approach has been developed. The practical applicability of the approach is demonstrated by specifying design rules of the enterprise Java beans (EJB) platform and by producing an environment for designing EJB‐based applications. We also discuss possible usage scenarios in the context of this case study. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Utilizing acoustic propagation delay to design MAC protocols for underwater wireless sensor networks
Authors: Guo Peng , Jiang Tao , Zhu Guangxi , Chen Hsiao‐Hwa 
Published: July 2008

AbstractLong propagation delay is one of the most important characteristics in underwater wireless sensor networks (UWSNs) and poses a great challenge for medium access control (MAC) protocol design, especially for contention‐based MAC protocols due to intolerable delay caused by unpredictable retransmissions in UWSNs. Recently, some MAC protocols for UWSNs have been suggested in the literature, and most of them are based on random access with their capabilities to compensate propagation delay. However, two issues should still be resolved in these protocols: (a) they need to make measurements to realize duty cycle synchronization and (b) packet collisions exist, which not only reduce the throughput (thus increasing delays) but also waste energy. In this paper, we propose a novel MAC protocol explicitly designed for UWSNs, which makes the best use of the propagation delay to resolve collision problem and reduce overhead of control‐packet to save energy. The proposed MAC protocol can assure that the number of retransmissions is not more than one. To validate the analytical results, simulations have been conducted to show that the proposed MAC protocol can offer a low energy consumption while avoiding collisions in UWSNs. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dialysis Shunt‐Associated Steal Syndrome with Autogenous Hemodialyis Accesses: Proposal for a New Classification Based on Clinical Results
Authors: Thermann Florian , Wollert Ulrich , Dralle Henning , Brauckhoff Michael 
Published: July 2008

AbstractBackgroundDialysis‐associated steal syndrome (DASS) is a multifactorial complication. There are several therapeutic options, although because of the lack of research decisions for certain procedures are often made individually. The aim of this retrospective survey was to propose a new classification for DASS, including therapeutic recommendations, to make standardized procedures easier.MethodsA total of 63 patients (2001–2006) treated for DASS following autogenuous hemodialysis access (HA) were included in this survey. In 55 (87%) of these patients, surgery was performed. The courses of disease of the patients were evaluated according to clinical symptoms, HA‐specific features, and therapeutic results. Statistical evaluation was performed by SSPS software.ResultsEight patients with mild symptoms were treated successfully using conservative therapy. In 17 patients with pain during exercise or acute neurologic deficiencies, HA banding led to good results. In the case of acral lesions, however, banding was unsuccessful, although interruption of the retrograde flow was sufficient therapy in 94% of cases. Preservation of the HA was unsuccessful in all patients with extended tissue loss (n = 10). Statistical evaluation showed that tissue loss was generally associated with diabetes (p < 0.001) and peripheral arterial occlusive disease (p = 0.001).ConclusionIn addition to steal phenomenon (stage I), which can be treated conservatively, there are three stages of DASS following autogenuous HA that require surgical intervention (stage II, no acral lesions; stage III, small acral lesions; stage IV, extended acral lesions). HA banding leads to good results in stage II; in patients with stage III, interruption of the retrograde flow is indicated. However, in patients with extensive tissue loss (stage IV), closure of the HA should be considered.
Post therapeutic lower extremity rotational profiles in children with DDH
Authors: Arslan Hüseyin , Ersöz Hüseyin , Kişin Bülent , Kapukaya Ahmet , Necmioğlu Serdar 
Published: July 2008

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate post-therapeutic lower extremity rotational profiles in children with developmental dislocation of the hip (DDH), the differences between these values and those of normal children, and the relationship between these differences and clinical and radiological results. Methods In 82 lower extremities of 64 patients, the foot-progression angle was measured clinically and the transmalleolar axis angle photographically, and hip rotations and thigh–foot angle were measured both clinically and photographically. The data obtained were compared with Staheli's data for normal children. In addition, clinical and radiographic data were compared within subgroups and with Staheli's data. Student's t-test and one-way ANOVA were used for statistical evaluation. Results The medial rotation of the hip, the average clinical value was 44.66°, and the photographic value was 42.28°. Lateral rotation of the hip, the average clinical value was 38.01°, and the average photographic value was 37.29°. Thigh–foot angle, his angle was clinically 8.23° and photographically 9.68°. Angle of the transmalleolar axis, the photographic average was 21.59°. Foot-progression angle, the clinical average was 10.70°. It was determined that the lower extremity rotational profiles of children with DDH treated after walking did not differ from those of normal children, but that the internal and external hip rotations of McKay type III and IV patients were below those of normal children and of McKay type I and II patients. Conclusion Lower extremity rotational profiles in children with DDH who received appropriate treatment were the same as those for normal children.
A differential phenotypic expression of a divergent spindle mutation in interspecific Brachiaria hybrids
Authors: Felismino Mariana Ferrari , Pagliarini Maria Suely , do Valle Cacilda Borges 
Published: July 2008

AbstractSeveral mutations are known to alter the normal progression of meiosis and can be correlated with defects in microtubule distribution. The dv mutation affects the spindle organization and chromosomes do not converge into focused poles. Two Brachiaria hybrids presented the phenotypic expressions of dv mutation but exhibited many more details in the second division. Bivalents were distantly positioned and spread over a large metaphase plate and failed to converge into focused poles. Depending on the distance of chromosomes at the poles, telophase I nuclei were elongated or the chromosomes were grouped into various micronuclei of different sizes in each cell. The first cytokinesis occurred. However, when there were micronuclei, a second cytokinesis immediately took place dividing the prophase II meiocytes into three or four cells. In each meiocyte, meiosis progressed to the second division. Slightly elongated nuclei or micronuclei were recorded in telophase II. After a third cytokinesis, hexads or octads were formed. Pollen grains of different sizes were generated. One of these hybrids presented a higher frequency of abnormal cells than when previously analyzed. The fate of these hybrids as genitors or as candidates for cultivars in the Brachiaria breeding program is discussed.
Puerarin protects PC12 cells against β‐amyloid‐induced cell injury
Authors: Zhang Hai‐Ying , Liu Yi‐Heng , Wang Hong‐Quan , Xu Jie‐Hua , Hu Hai‐Tao 
Published: July 2008

Abstractβ‐Amyloid protein (Aβ), a major protein component of brain senile plaques in Alzheimer's disease, is known to be directly responsible for the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and induction of apoptosis. In this study, the protective effect of puerarin, an isoflavone purified from the radix of the Chinese herb Pueraria lobata, on Aβ‐induced rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cultures was investigated. Although exposure of PC12 cells to 50 μM Aβ25–35 caused significant viability loss and apoptotic rate increase, pretreatment of the cells with puerarin for 24 h reduced the viability loss and apoptotic rate. Puerarin (1 μM) significantly inhibited Aβ25–35‐induced apoptosis of PC12 cells. Preincubation of the cell with puerarin also restored the ROS and mitochondrial membrane potential levels that had been altered as a result of Aβ25–35 treatment. Puerarin was also found to increase the Bcl‐2/Bax ratio and reduce caspase‐3 activation. These results suggest that puerarin could attenuate Aβ25–35‐induced PC12 cell injure and apoptosis and could also promote the survival of PC12 cells. Therefore, puerarin may act as an intracellular ROS scavenger, and its antioxidant properties may protect against Aβ25–35‐induced cell injury.
Somatization and psychological distress among women with vulvar vestibulitis syndrome
Authors: Zolnoun Denniz , Park Eliza M. , Moore Charity G. , Liebert Cara A. , Tu Frank F. , As‐Sanie Sawson 
Published: July 2008

AbstractObjectiveTo investigate the distribution of psychological characteristics and pain reporting among women with vulvar vestibulitis syndrome (VVS).MethodsIn this exploratory study, 109 women with VVS completed a battery of questionnaires to assess pain with intercourse and psychological characteristics (e.g. somatization, anxiety, distress). The distribution of these characteristics was compared, first with a conventional binary classification schema (primary and secondary) and subsequently with a 3‐category schema (primary, latent primary, secondary).ResultsSeverity of pain with intercourse did not differ among the subgroups using either classification schema. Women with primary VVS consistently showed higher levels of somatization, anxiety, and distress compared with those with secondary VVS. Using a 3‐tiered classification system, we found no difference between latent primary diagnosis and the other 2 groups (primary and secondary).ConclusionThis study highlights the critical need for research on subtype definition and the role of psychological factors in VVS.
Duration of bladder catheterization after surgery for obstetric fistula
Authors: Nardos Rahel , Browning Andrew , Member Birhanu 
Published: July 2008

AbstractObjectiveTo compare the surgical outcome at discharge and at 6‐months follow up in patients who underwent repair of obstetric fistulae with postoperative bladder catheterization for 10, 12, or 14 days.MethodsA retrospective study of 212 obstetric fistula patients who underwent repair with postoperative bladder catheterization for 10 days (group 1), 12 days (group 2), and 14 days (group 3) at the Bahir Dar Hamlin Fistula Center in Ethiopia. Fistulas were classified according to Goh's system.ResultsThere were 68 women (32%) in group 1, 62 women (29%) in group 2, and 82 women (39%) in group 3. There was a significant difference in the extent of urethral involvement, fistula size, and degree of vaginal scarring among the 3 groups, with the more extensively damaged patients catheterized for longer. Breakdown of repair was seen in 1.5% of patients in group 1, none in group 2, and 2% in group 3 (P = 0.47).ConclusionPostoperative catheterization for 10 days may be sufficient for management of less complicated obstetric vesicovaginal fistulae.
Calcium plus vitamin D supplementation and fat mass loss in female very low-calcium consumers: potential link with a calcium-specific appetite control
Authors: Major Geneviève C. , Alarie Francine P. , Doré Jean , Tremblay Angelo 
Published: July 2008

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted to compare the effect of a 15-week weight-reducing programme ( − 2900 kJ/d) coupled with a calcium plus vitamin D (calcium+D) supplementation (600 mg elemental calcium and 5 μg vitamin D, consumed twice a day) or with a placebo, on body fat and on spontaneous energy/macronutrient intake. Sixty-three overweight or obese women (mean age 43 years, mean BMI 32 kg/m2) reporting a daily calcium intake < 800 mg participated in present study. Anthropometric variables, resting energy expenditure and spontaneous energy intake were measured before and after the 15-week programme. The calcium+D supplementation induced no statistically significant increase in fat mass loss in response to the programme. However, when analyses were limited to very low-calcium consumers only (initial calcium intake ≤ 600 mg/d,n7 for calcium+D,n6 for placebo), a significant decrease in body weight and fat mass (P < 0·01) and in spontaneous dietary lipid intake (P < 0·05) was observed in the calcium+D but not in the placebo group. In very low-calcium consumers, change in fat mass was positively correlated with change in lipid intake. During the weight-reducing programme, a calcium+D supplementation was necessary in female overweight/obese very low-calcium consumers to reach significant fat mass loss that seemed to be partly explained by a decrease in lipid intake. We propose that this change in lipid intake could be influenced by a calcium-specific appetite control.
Inheritance of Cry1F resistance in laboratory-selected European corn borer and its survival on transgenic corn expressing the Cry1F toxin
Authors: Pereira E.J.G. , Storer N.P. , Siegfried B.D. 
Published: July 2008

AbstractA major assumption of the high-dose/refuge strategy proposed for insect resistance management strategies for transgenic crop plants that express toxins fromBacillus thuringiensisis that resistance traits that evolve in pest species will be recessive. The inheritance of Cry1F resistance and larval survival on commercially available Cry1F corn hybrids were determined in a laboratory-selected strain of European corn borer,Ostrinia nubilalis(Hübner), displaying more than 3000-fold resistance to Cry1F. Concentration-response bioassays of reciprocal parental crosses indicated that the resistance is autosomal and recessive. Bioassays of the backcross of the F1generation with the selected strain were consistent with the hypothesis that a single locus, or a set of tightly linked loci, is responsible for the resistance. Greenhouse experiments with Cry1F-expressing corn hybrids indicated that some resistant larvae survived the high dose of toxin delivered by Cry1F-expressing plants although F1progeny of susceptible by resistant crosses had fitness close to zero. These results provide the first direct evidence that the high dose/refuge strategy currently in place to manage resistance in Cry1F-expressing corn is appropriate.