bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Extinction of spherulites and improvement of polyethylene properties by the use of lithium carbonate
Authors: Yamamoto Shigeru , Kawakami Chikataka , Mizuyori Yasuo 
Published: May 2004

AbstractPolyethylene (PE) consists of nonpolar molecular chains having simple structural units. Physically, this polymer is so stable and flexible that it is widely used for insulation of electric wires and power cables, as well as for fabrication of various molded products. The crystalline texture and the presence of spherulites are major factors determining the mechanical and electrical properties of polyethylene.For the purpose of improving these properties of PE, the spherulites are eliminated completely by heat mixing of PE with Li2CO3. PE processed in this manner is free of spherulites, has a uniform structure and excellent electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties, such as short treeing length, high dielectric breakdown strength, and high tearing impact strength. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 148(2): 22–38, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.10296
Substation outage rate prediction method based on lightning characteristics
Authors: Shimizu Kenji , Motoyama Hideki 
Published: May 2004

AbstractA unique method of predicting lightning outage rates for substations, taking into account statistics‐based lightning characteristics, has been developed. The proposed method features the application of a combination of two processes: a high‐accuracy lightning surge analysis applying the electromagnetic transient program (EMTP) and a statistical data analysis using a general‐purpose spreadsheet software. By employing an original tool applying the proposed prediction method, which is installed in a personal computer, an optimal lightning protection for substations can be designed. In this paper, several analysis models are proposed for lightning characteristics including lightning surge. The validity of the proposed method was confirmed by comparing the transmission line outage rates derived by the models with the outage data gained during actual observations. It was found that the predicted lightning outage rates for 500‐kV substations were relatively low, and this finding revealed that it is possible to decrease the impulse withstand voltage level (LIWV). © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 148(2): 64–75, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.10300
Ruthenium(III) Schiff's Base Complex as Novel Chloride Selective Membrane Sensor
Authors: Ganjali Mohammad Reza , Pourjavid Mohammad Reza , Rezapour Morteza , Poursaberi Tahereh , Daftari Azadeh , Salavati‐Niasari Masoud 
Published: May 2004

AbstractA novel chloride PVC‐based membrane sensor based on a ruthenium(III) Schiff's base complex, as an excellent neutral carrier, has been developed. The ruthenium complex, in combination with a ketonic plasticizer and a cationic additive led to ISEs with fundamental characteristics, such as slope sensitivity, short response times and selectivity coefficients, which were sufficient for practical applications. The sensor with composition of 30% PVC, 62% benzyl acetate, 5% ruthenium(III) Schiff's base complex and 3% hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide displays near‐Nernstian behavior in a wide concentration range (1.0×10−1–3.0×10−6 M with slope of −54.5±0.5) with a detection limit of 2.0×10−6 M (71.0 ng per mL). The response of the electrode is independent on pH in the range of 4.0–10.0 and can it be used for at least ten weeks. The proposed electrode shows a very short response time (<20 s) in whole concentration range. The sensor displays high selectivity toward chloride ions over several organic and inorganic anions. It was successfully applied for the determination of chloride in serum samples. It was also used as an indicator electrode in the potentiometric titration of chloride ions with silver nitrate solution.
Embryonic development of the oligochaeteEnchytraeus coronatus: An SEM and histological study of embryogenesis from one‐cell stage to hatching
Authors: Bergter Annette , Beck Lothar A. , Paululat Achim 
Published: May 2004

AbstractWe describe the embryonic development of the soil‐living oligochaeteEnchytraeus coronatus(Enchytraeidae, Oligochaeta, Annelida).Enchytraeus coronatusis a direct developer. It follows the typical spiral cleavage mode of development that is highly conserved among annelids and a large number of other lophotrochozoan taxa that are collectively named “Spiralia.” Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was combined with light microscopic analysis of wholemounted and sectioned embryos, differentially processed through histological stainings, to reconstruct and document cellular movements and organogenesis from early cleavage stages until hatching. With the help of these data we have established a scheme of morphologically defined stages in order to facilitate future studies on the molecular and histological level that will allow a detailed cross‐species comparison among annelids and other phyla. J. Morphol. 261:26–42, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Stages in spermatogenesis of two species of caecilians, Ichthyophis tricolor and Uraeotyphlus cf. narayani (Amphibia: Gymnophiona): Light and electron microscopic study
Authors: Smita Mathew , Oommen Oommen V. , Jancy M. George , Akbarsha M.A. 
Published: May 2004

AbstractThe sequential changes during spermatogenesis in the testis of two species of caecilians, Ichthyophis tricolor (Ichthyophiidae) and Uraeotyphlus cf. narayani (Uraeotyphliidae), of Western Ghats of Kerala, India, were traced using both histological techniques and transmission electron microscopy. The cell nests were assigned to stages in spermatogenesis based on the classification of van Oordt (1956, Thesis, Utrecht University). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first identification and ultrastructural description of stages in spermatogenesis in caecilians. The article illustrates not only the stages, but also the cell divisions, mitotic and meiotic, as specified. The observations indicate that, although caecilians have undergone considerable modifications in morphology and anatomy, including reproductive anatomy, in the context of a subterranean and concealed life, they appear to have conserved the typical amphibian pattern of spermatogenesis for the events of development of spermatids. J. Morphol. 261:92–104, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Searching for nitrile hydratase using the Consensus‐Degenerate Hybrid Oligonucleotide Primers strategy
Authors: Lopes Lourenço Pedro Miguel , Almeida Tânia , Mendonça Diogo , Simões Fernanda , Novo Carlos 
Published: May 2004

AbstractConsensus‐Degenerate Oligonucleotide Hybrid Primers (CODEHOP) were designed by using the WWW‐implemented strategy, based on multiple alignments of nitrile hydratase (NHase) α subunit, available from EMBL database. These primers were successfully tested with known NHase‐producing bacterial strains such as Agrobacterium tumefaciens DSM 9674, Rhodococcus erythropolis DSM 9675, R. erythropolis 9685 and R. erythropolis 11397 and also allowed amplification from organisms not previously referenced (Variovorax sp. DSM 11402 and Agrobacterium sp. DSM 11401). Hybrid primer utilisation was evaluated by analysing the incorporated sequences in cloned PCR fragments. Several primers from the oligonucleotide pool seemed to participate in the amplification of the correct fragment.  Common garden soil was used as a source for both acetonitrile culture enrichment screening and direct DNA extraction. A R. erythropolis strain (CCMI 1005) was isolated by culture enrichment and allowed the PCR amplification of a DNA sequence (AJ548493) identical to the NHase coding sequences commonly described for that species, while the direct use of soil DNA as template led to the CODEHOP detection of two putative NHase coding sequences (AJ548498 and AJ548499), which were significantly different from any other known sequence. The phylogenetic relationship between all sequences obtained and the published NHase coding sequences was assessed by neighbour‐joining analysis.The results demonstrate the use of consensus‐degenerate primers in NHase detection from organisms known to express it and in the screening for new NHase family members. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Isolation, characterization and beneficial effects of rice associated plant growth promoting bacteria from Zanzibar soils
Authors: Yasmin Sumera , Rahman Bakar M. Abdul , Malik Kausar A. , Hafeez Fauzia Y. 
Published: May 2004

AbstractThis study was undertaken to isolate and characterize plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) occurring in four soils of Zanzibar, Tanzania as well as to evaluate their potential use as biofertilizers for rice. A total of 12 PGPB strains were isolated from rice and studied for growth characteristics, carbon/nitrogen source utilization patterns using QTS‐24 kits, phosphate solubilization, indole acetic acid (IAA) production, antibiotic resistance patterns and growth at different pH, temperature and salt concentrations. All the isolates were motile and gram negative except Z3‐4. Acetylene reduction activity was detected in all isolates ranging from 5.9–76.4 nmole C2H2 reduced/h × mg protein while 9 isolates produced IAA ranged from 20–90.8 mg/l. Most of the isolates showed resistance against different environmental stresses like 10–40 °C temperature, 0.2–1 M salt concentration and 4–8.5 pH range. Only one isolate Z2‐7 formed clear zones on Pikovskaia's medium showing its ability to solubilize phosphates. Z3‐2 was used to develop fluorescent antibodies to check the cross reactivity of the isolates. Inoculation of these bacterial isolates resulted in higher plant biomass, root area, and total N and P contents on Tanzanian rice variety BKN PRAT3036B under controlled conditions. Bacillus sp. Z3‐4 and Azospirillum sp. Z3‐1 are effective strains and, after further testing under field conditions, can be used for inoculum production of rice in Tanzania. The plant growth promoting effects of these PGPRs suggest that these can be exploited to improve crop productivity of rice in Tanzania. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Role of peg formation in clamp cell fusion of homobasidiomycete fungi
Authors: Badalyan Suzanna M. , Polak Eline , Hermann René , Aebi Markus , Kües Ursula 
Published: May 2004

AbstractIn most filamentous basidiomycetes, clamp cells are found at the septa of dikaryotic mycelia. Clamp cell formation starts at hyphal tip cells with the development of a lateral bulge at a position slightly apical to the future septum. Relative to the growth direction of the hypha, the protrusion expands backwards into a hook‐like structure. Next, the two genetically different haploid nuclei within the hyphal tip cell divide. A septum appears between clamp cell and hyphal tip cell, thereby trapping one nucleus within the clamp cell. Another septum is laid within the hypha, separating a nucleus of the other type in the newly generated subapical hyphal cell from the two different nuclei kept together in the new apical hyphal cell. Through fusion of clamp and subapical cell, the two solitary nuclei become united within the subapical hyphal compartment. In 1933, Buller described subapical formation of a peg to which the clamp cell fuses as an additional, subsequently neglected step in this series of events. In this study, we represent evidence for subapical peg formation and its role in clamp cell fusion. Our observations potentially indicate a B mating type regulated extracellular communication between clamp and subapical hyphal cell. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Quality evaluation of broom honey (Spartocytisus supranubius L) produced in Tenerife (The Canary Islands)
Authors: Serra Bonvehí J , Bentabol Manzanares A , Santos Vilar JM 
Published: May 2004

AbstractThe qualities of 24 samples of broom (Spartocytisus supranubius L) honey from Mount Teide National Park (Tenerife) were evaluated. A total of 33 pollen types was identified. The study demonstrated the predominance of Spartocytisus supranubius, and minor incidence of Echium wildpretii, Descurainia bourgaeana, Erysimum scoparium and Pteocephalus lasiospermus, which are major edemic plants of this zone. The low electrical conductivity was typical of pale honeys. Most samples showed a proper maturity indicated by the low water content. Since the hydroxymethylfurfural content was also low, good freshness was indicated. The free acidity (below 16.8 meq kg−1) indicated the absence of undesirable fermentation, and the mean pH (around 3.89) is usual for this kind of honey. The fructose/glucose ratio was 1.29 ± 0.07 and sucrose content averaged 9.9 ± 9.3 g kg−1, with significance presence of erlose (24.4 ± 16.8 g kg−1). Among the 12 organic acids detected, gluconic, isobutyric and butyric acids were identified in the majority of samples at high concentrations. Malic acid which was also present can be used as an marker for the differentiation of broom honey. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry
Effect of porosity on rehydration of dry food particulates
Authors: Marabi Alejandro , Saguy I Sam 
Published: May 2004

AbstractRehydration of food particulates is a complex phenomenon affected by numerous factors that typically include pre‐drying treatments, mode of dehydration, structure, composition and medium viscosity. Freeze drying (FD), air drying (AD) and their combinations, were utilized to produce an array of porosities, ranging from very high to very low values for FD and AD carrots, respectively. Bulk porosity correlated significantly with open, but not with closed, porosity. Bulk and open porosities decreased with AD time. Scanning electron micrographs of the FD samples verified their organized and more open structure in comparison with the AD carrots. Rehydration ratio increased with bulk and open porosity, and was not affected by the closed porosity. The effective moisture diffusivity, derived from fitting the normalized Weibull distribution, increased with bulk and open porosity and was about two orders of magnitude higher for the FD, than for the AD, carrots. The Weibull shape parameter, β, was inversely related to porosity. Its values indicated that water uptake of only the AD carrots followed a Fickian diffusion. A critical porosity value above which water mechanism changed from a Fickian diffusion to imbibition into a porous medium is suggested. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry
Superhydrophobic PTFE Surfaces by Extension
Authors: Zhang Jilin , Li Jian , Han Yanchun 
Published: May 2004

AbstractSummary: A rather simple but yet effective way to achieve a superhydrophobic film by extending a Teflon film is proposed. The water‐contact angle can be increased from 118 to 165° by extending to ca. 190%. The fibrous crystals and the increasing distance between the fibrous crystals are believed responsible for the high water‐contact angle. It indicates that the density of the aligned microstructures is very important for the superhydrophobicity.Water‐contact angle and the corresponding shapes of water droplets as a function of extension ratio of Teflon tape.imageWater‐contact angle and the corresponding shapes of water droplets as a function of extension ratio of Teflon tape.
Severe multivalvular heart disease: A new complication of the ergot derivative dopamine agonists
Authors: Horvath Judit , Fross Robin D. , Kleiner‐Fisman Galit , Lerch René , Stalder Hans , Liaudat Suzanne , Raskoff William J. , Flachsbart Keith D. , Rakowski Harry , Pache Jean‐Claude , Burkhard Pierre R. , Lang Anthony E. 
Published: May 2004

AbstractWe report on 4 new cases of valvular heart disease in Parkinson's disease patients treated with the ergot derivative dopamine agonists pergolide and cabergoline. Noninflammatory fibrotic degeneration of cardiac valves has been reported to occur in patients with carcinoid syndrome and to occasionally complicate therapies with the anti‐migraine ergot alkaloid ergotamine and methysergide and with the appetite suppressants fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine. In these cases, the pathogenesis is suspected to involve serotonin‐mediated abnormal fibrogenesis by means of the 5‐HT2B receptors, which are expressed in the fibroblasts of heart valves. Based on strikingly similar echocardiographic and histopathological features, we strongly suspect that ergot‐derived dopamine agonists may cause a valvular heart disease nearly identical to that seen in those conditions. These cases add to a rapidly growing and worrying list of similar published reports, suggesting that we may well be facing a novel, yet unrecognized, complication of this class of agents, which are widely used not only in Parkinson's disease but also in restless legs syndrome and various common endocrine dysfunctions. Therefore, until more is known about the true prevalence of this side effect, we propose that an assessment of cardiac function be performed before and in the course of a long‐term therapy with ergot derivative dopamine agonists. © 2004 Movement Disorder Society
Impact of the delay ripple of cascaded gratings on dispersion compensation of long‐haul fiber transmission systems
Authors: Ning Tigang , Zheng Kai , Dong Xiaowei , Pei Li , Liu Yan , Tan Zhongwei , Jian Shuisheng 
Published: May 2004

AbstractDelay ripples of chirped‐fiber Bragg grating (CFBG), which can compensate 200‐km‐long fiber's dispersion, is detailedly analyzed. A numerical simulation of the delay ripple of cascaded gratings is done using Schrödinger's equation and is compared with an experiment using a 1000‐km transmission system over G.652 fiber by five groups of CFBGs for dispersion compensation. The research shows that the system degradation depends on the delay‐ripple period, which is 0.01–0.1 nm, and its amplitude. Fluctuation of the power penalty, which depends on the CFBG's ripple period when the source wavelength is changed ±20 GHz around the CFBG's center wavelength, is experimentally studied. The theoretical results agree well with the experimental results. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 42: 100–102, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20220
Dramatic spectral narrowing and broadband tuning from a self‐injection‐seeded diode laser
Authors: Rafailov E. U. , Avrutin E. A. , Sibbett W. 
Published: May 2004

AbstractWe demonstrate spectral narrowing with broadband tuning from a picosecond self‐injection‐seeded gain‐switched diode laser. A narrowband spectral output was continuously tunable over a range of 44 nm from 1.538 to 1.582 μm. We also observe a gain‐switched hybrid‐operation regime with elements of mode‐locking. Our numerical simulations exhibit good agreement with the experimental results. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 42: 150–152, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20235
A patch antenna with a wide horizontal radiation pattern for WLAN access point
Authors: Su Saou‐Wen , Wu Chih‐Hsien , Wong Kin‐Lu , Tang Chia‐Lun 
Published: May 2004

AbstractA patch antenna with an inverted‐V ground plane capable of achieving a wide horizontal radiation pattern for a WLAN access point in the 2.4‐GHz band is presented. The inverted‐V ground plane comprises a narrow central ground portion for setting the 50Ω SMA connector for the patch antenna and two bent ground portions to control the broadening of the antenna's horizontal radiation pattern. By selecting the proper dimensions, the proposed antenna can have a wide horizontal radiation pattern of about 170° (3‐dB beamwidth) with vertical polarization, which is very suitable for WLAN access‐point applications where uniform radiation in one direction or one half‐space is required. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 42: 161–164, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20239
Evaluation of directivity and gain for time‐modulated linear antenna arrays
Authors: Yang Shiwen , Gan Yeow Beng , Tan Peng Kiang 
Published: May 2004

AbstractIn this paper, the directivity and gain of several types of time‐modulated linear antenna arrays are obtained. Three types of array elements are considered: arrays with isotropic elements, parallel short dipoles, and collinear short dipoles. Curves of directivity as functions of inter‐element spacing and sidelobe levels (SLLs) are presented. A comparison between the computed and measured gains of a time‐modulated printed dipole linear array shows reasonable agreement. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 42: 167–171, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20241
A simple method for estimating the splice loss of photonic‐crystal fiber/single‐mode fiber
Authors: Ju J. , Jin W. , Hoo Y. L. , Demokan M. S. 
Published: May 2004

AbstractA simple formula for calculating the mode‐field diameter of large‐mode‐area endlessly single‐mode photonic‐crystal fiber (PCF) is obtained and used to estimate the splice loss of PCF/single‐mode fiber. The accuracy of splice‐loss estimation is less than 0.2 dB. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 42: 171–173, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20242
A comparative study of prenatal ultrasound findings and post‐mortem examination in a tertiary referral centre
Authors: Johns Nina , Al‐Salti Wasim , Cox Phillip , Kilby Mark D. 
Published: May 2004

AbstractThis retrospective study compares the findings of prenatal ultrasound, performed in a tertiary fetal medicine centre, with the results of post‐mortem examination in pregnancies complicated by suspected fetal abnormality that results in fetal loss. The study was carried out over a year at a teaching hospital, Fetal Medicine Centre and Regional Centre for Perinatal Pathology.Results were directly compared and the level of agreement between the ultrasound and post‐mortem findings described. These were classified as having complete agreement; major agreement or major disagreement. The group of cases with major agreement between findings was further divided into those with significant, or minor, additional findings at post‐mortem examination.Over the 12‐month period, 153 ultrasound cases were identified, of which 47 were also examined by autopsy and were thus suitable for comparison in this study (30.7%). Complete agreement between ultrasound and post‐mortem findings was found in 22 cases (46.8%). In 24 cases (51.1%), major agreement between ultrasound and post‐mortem findings was seen. Of these, 11 had minor additional findings at post‐mortem examination and 13 were found to have significant additional findings at post‐mortem (27.7%), adding to the eventual diagnosis. In 12.8% of cases, post‐mortem examination provided a definitive diagnosis. Only in one case was there complete discordance in the findings of the ultrasound examination and the autopsy (2.1%).No major disagreement between ultrasound and post‐mortem findings was seen in 98% of cases.This study confirms the accuracy of prenatal ultrasound diagnosis in specialist centres, whilst emphasising the continuing importance of post‐mortem examination in cases of fetal malformation to refine and, in some cases, define the diagnosis. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.