bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Mathematical model of static platelet adhesion on a solid surface
Authors: Vasin Sergei L. , Titushkin Igor A. , Sevastianov Viktor I. 
Published: October 2003

AbstractThe scheme of platelet/surface interaction and a kinetic model of platelet adhesion on a solid surface are suggested. The elaborated approach takes into account the platelet activation by the surface and accumulation of free activated cells in the bulk of the liquid phase. This effect has an especially important role in static experimental conditions. The suggested model explains three types of adhesion kinetic curves, obtained in experiments in vitro: sigmoid curves with or without saturation and an exponential curve with saturation. According to the model, the curve shape is determined by material surface properties, platelet functionality, and experimental conditions of the platelet/surface interaction. The data of static platelet adhesion from platelet rich plasma on glass, siliconized glass, hexadecyltrichlorosilane monolayers, and low‐density polyethylene are described mathematically with the proposed model. Numerical parameters are calculated from approximation of experimental data by the model. These parameters allow quantitative characterization of platelet interaction with the material surface. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 67A: 582–590, 2003
Examination of membrane rupture as a mechanism for mammalian cell detachment from fibronectin‐coated biomaterials
Authors: Goldstein Aaron S. , DiMilla Paul A. 
Published: October 2003

AbstractSynthetic biomaterials intended for the reconstruction of tissues and organs must be capable of sustaining adhesive contact with adjacent cells and tissues under mechanical and hydrodynamic stresses. To facilitate this adhesion, extracellular matrix proteins or peptide sequences are frequently immobilized to the biomaterial interface. These ligands enhance cell attachment by raising the number of cell receptor/ligand interactions, but consequently they may alter the mechanism of cell detachment. In particular, as the cell membrane is more strongly immobilized to the substratum, the tendency for cell detachment to involve membrane rupture may increase. To test this hypothesis, cells were fluorescent stained with a membrane dye, allowed to attach to fibronectin‐coated model substrates for 30 min, and then subjected to a spatially dependent range of shear stress for 5 min (28–220 dyn/cm2) using a radial‐flow chamber. Phase‐contrast and fluorescent images were analyzed to determine the probability for cell detachment and the area of fluorescent debris left by detaching cells as a function of fibronectin concentration, magnitude of shear stress, and time. It was found at all concentrations of fibronectin that the majority of detaching cells left membrane fragments, the mean size of these fragments was independent of shear stress, and the shape independent of the direction of flow. However, mean fragment area increased with concentration of fibronectin and decreased with duration of shearing flow. We postulate that the area of debris reflects the extent of cell attachment prior to the application of shear and that adhesive complexes can disassemble at the onset of flow. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 67A: 658–666, 2003
Ca/P ratio effects on the degradation of hydroxyapatite in vitro
Authors: Wang Haibo , Lee Jong‐Kook , Moursi Amr , Lannutti John J. 
Published: October 2003

AbstractPhase purity is a well‐recognized but not well‐understood variable affecting the biological integration of hydroxyapatite (HA)‐based biomaterials. Minor amounts of specific, relevant impurities—calcium oxide (CaO) and tricalcium phosphate (TCP)—may often be present either as deliberate additions or as a result of decomposition during sintering. We investigated the influence of these two impurities in terms of their effects on surface morphology, weight loss/gain, and microstructural‐level degradation. Phase purity variations were deliberately introduced into an otherwise‐standardized HA matrix—the parent HA grain size and bulk density were relatively constant—produced using identical fabrication conditions. Stability varied markedly during exposure to mildly acidic, neutral, and pH 7.4 phosphate‐buffered saline. Equivalent molar variations in the Ca/P ratio (1.62 vs 1.72) on either side of the stoichiometric ratio produce relatively small volumetric amounts of CaO (1.6 vol%) versus TCP (27 vol%) in HA. However, the relatively small amounts of CaO render the bulk more susceptible to degradation and more likely to have negative effects on a biological milieu. Interestingly, the presence of CaO is also a potent nucleating agent for the precipitation of new surface phases and detectable weight gain. The TCP‐containing ceramic, in contrast, paradoxically exhibited slightly greater resistance to degradation than HA. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 67A: 599–608, 2003
4‐*GDDs(3n) and generalized Steiner systems GS(2, 4, v, 3)
Authors: Ge G. , Wu D. 
Published: October 2003

AbstractGeneralized Steiner systems GS(2, k, v, g) were first introduced by Etzion and used to construct optimal constant weight codes over an alphabet of size g + 1 with minimum Hamming distance 2k − 3, in which each codeword has length v and weight k. As to the existence of a GS(2, k, v, g), a lot of work has been done for k = 3, while not so much is known for k = 4. The notion k‐*GDD was first introduced and used to construct GS(2, 3, v, 6). In this paper, singular indirect product (SIP) construction for GDDs is modified to construct GS(2, 4, v, g) via 4‐*GDDs. Furthermore, it is proved that the necessary conditions for the existence of a 4‐*GDD(3n), namely, n ≡ 0, 1 (mod 4) and n ≥ 8 are also sufficient. The known results on the existence of a GS(2, 4, v, 3) are then extended. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 11: 381–393, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jcd.10047
A Kiosk WWW browser for digital museums
Authors: Shigesada Yukihiko , Koshizuka Noboru , Sakamura Ken 
Published: October 2003

AbstractOne of the recent general tendencies in the museums is a display explanation method in which the explanation is constructed as digital content on the WWW, and the visitor views the content through a public terminal called a “kiosk terminal” installed at the display site. However, when existing WWW browsers are used in kiosk terminals and are operated by diverse users, various inconveniences result, since the user interface is designed for the individual user. We therefore constructed a new type of browser called BKB (BTRON Kiosk Browser), which has the function of presenting WWW content through a user interface suited to the kiosk terminal. This paper first surveys the technical issues of providing WWW content through the BKB user interface. Then, user interface techniques for BKB are proposed in order to solve the problems. Implementation techniques for the functions proposed by us are described. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 34(13): 59–70, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/scj.10303
A method of discrimination and scoring of aspirated and unaspirated sounds for Chinese spoken language learning system
Authors: Tian Jiapeng , Miwa Jouji 
Published: October 2003

AbstractTo support the construction of a Chinese spoken language self‐instruction system, we propose a discrimination method that uses the dynamic low‐pass power (DLP) as the feature quantity for automatic discrimination between aspirated and unaspirated sounds, which is an important problem in Chinese pronunciation education. We also propose a scoring method based on the a posteriori probability of the feature quantity. In an open experiment in which the speech data of five Chinese native speakers other than the training speaker were discriminated, the results show that a discrimination rate of 95.4% was obtained for aspirated sounds and 97.5% for unaspirated sounds. For the speech data of six Japanese learners, an average coincidence rate of 95.2% between the perception result and the system discrimination result was achieved. We have also performed the scoring of the pronunciation by the learner and evaluated its quality, demonstrating the possibility of constructing a real system. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 34(14): 44–53, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/scj.10368
A multilayer neural network with pulse position modulation
Authors: Hikawa Hiroomi 
Published: October 2003

AbstractThe problem of the pulse mode neural network is that the synapse weight is bounded between +1 and −1. In order to enhance the weight range, this paper proposes a new weighting method that is a combination of pulse density modulation and pulse position modulation (PPM). The feasibility of the proposed method is verified by experimental MNN with on‐chip learning. A modified back‐propagation algorithm is used for the on‐chip learning. The experimental results show that the proposed MNN architecture has the ability to handle high‐resolution classifying problems and good on‐chip learning capability. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 34(13): 36–46, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/scj.10474
Robust line fitting using LMedS clustering
Authors: Inui Kentaro , Kaneko Shun'ichi , Igarashi Satoru 
Published: October 2003

AbstractThe authors propose a robust clustering method based on the Least Median of Squares principle. This is a general‐purpose method, and is efficient for finding a majority structure using dictionary sorting and a smallest square region enclosing for a set of data points. In addition, the authors propose a robust line fitting algorithm using this method. The fitting problem is solved through a dual transform of a pair of points selected from data space to a parameter space, and then clustering the mapped points. Moreover, a function to identify outliers based on the size of the square region converging in the parameter space is defined, and is used to distinguish between normal values and outliers. The proposed method enables robust line fitting for data points found in images or in files. The resulting line statistically satisfies the least median condition. Furthermore, line fitting to groups of points with a high outlier percentage is also possible. Here, outliers and normal values are removed in sequence. The validity of the proposed method has been shown based on the results of simulation experiments. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 34(14): 92–100, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/scj.1225
Bacterial lipopolysaccharide modulates Protein Kinase C signalling in Lymnaea stagnalis haemocytes
Authors: Walker Anthony J. , Plows Louise D. 
Published: October 2003

AbstractOur knowledge of cell signalling pathways in the molluscan immune system and their response to immunological challenge is currently poor. The present study focused on the Protein Kinase C (PKC) pathway in the immune cells (haemocytes) of Lymnaea stagnalis and its response following exposure to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Western blotting of haemocyte proteins with either anti‐PKC (pan) or anti‐phospho‐PKC (Ser 660) antibodies revealed the presence of two PKC‐like immuno‐reactive proteins of approximately 76 and 85 kDa. Challenge of haemocytes with LPS transiently increased the phosphorylation of the 85 kDa isoform, with a 2.2‐fold increase in phosphorylation levels at 5 min and a return to basal levels after 20 min. This LPS‐mediated response was blocked following treatment of haemocytes with GF109203X. PKC activities measured in anti‐phospho‐PKC immunocomplexes following haemocyte treatment with LPS and GF109203X correlated well with the observed PKC phosphorylation levels. These data show for the first time that the activity of the PKC pathway in molluscan immune cells is modulated by LPS, as it is in mammals, and suggest that cell signalling in the innate immune response may have been conserved through evolution.
Improved regional left ventricular function after successful satellite cell grafting in rabbits with myocardial infarction
Authors: Blatt Alex , Robinson Dror , Cotter Gad , Efrati Shai , Simantov Yariv , Bar Ilan , Kaluski Edo , Krakover Ricardo , Sidenko Stanislav , Evron Zoharia , Lipa Lidia , Posternak Natalia , Nevo Zvi , Vered Zvi 
Published: October 2003

AbstractObjective:To evaluate whether satellite cells injected into infarct areas in rabbits remain viable during 6 weeks follow‐up and can improve cardiac function as assessed by echocardiography.Methods:Myocardial infarction was induced in 16 New Zealand white rabbits, by ligation of the marginalis sinistra artery. Tissue from gluteus muscle biopsies was dissected into small pieces and cultured. Within 2–3 weeks the cells were expanded by 2–3 orders of magnitude and were fluorescent labeled. Single cell pellets for resuspension at >106/1 ml were directly injected into the infarct areas in 8 rabbits. In 8 additional rabbits, 1 ml saline was injected (control). Regional left ventricular function was assessed weekly by 2‐D echocardiography until animals were sacrificed. Analysis was performed blind and independently by two experienced echocardiographers, based on the American Society of Echocardiography scheme.Results and discussion:Six treated and five control rabbits completed the study. One week after the artery occlusion, left ventricular function scoring did not differ between groups, mean 8.7±1.6 vs 8.3±1.9 (P=0.74). At 6 weeks post‐injection, echocardiographic score was significantly better in the treated group, mean 2.6±0.9 vs 6.9±2.1 (P=0.002). The treated group showed significant gradual segmental improvement between the first week up to week 6. After sacrifice, macro and microscopic transmural areas showed typical changes of myocardial infarction. Histochemical staining identified viable grafted cells in high density 6 weeks post‐transplantation in all grafted hearts.Conclusion:Autologous satellite cells (skeletal myofiber), can be successfully grafted into rabbit hearts following myocardial infarction and may induce improved regional left ventricular function.
Instruments to measure acceptability of information and acquisition of knowledge in patients with heart failure
Authors: Gwadry‐Sridhar Femida , Guyatt Gordon H. , Arnold J. Malcolm O. , Massel David , Brown Jim , Nadeau Lorraine , Lawrence Sharon 
Published: October 2003

AbstractBackground:Patients with heart failure suffer from poor health outcomes and require combinations of medications to treat their disease. Providing patients with knowledge through education is one mechanism to help them improve compliance with complicated treatment regimens.Methods:We developed and tested two instruments. The first instrument, which we call the measure of educational material acceptability (EMA), was designed to help us differentiate between written educational materials according to patients’ subjective responses. The second instrument, the knowledge acquisition questionnaire (KAQ), which measures knowledge gained, was designed to determine whether patients understand the rationale and mechanics of their heart failure management. We explored the measurement properties of both instruments.Results:The internal consistency of the EMA was 0.79 (Cronbach's alpha). The internal consistency of the KAQ was 0.61 and its responsiveness, measured using change scores of knowledge before and after an educational intervention, was 0.75.Conclusions:We have developed instruments that measure acceptability and knowledge acquisition, and that clinicians and investigators involved in heart failure programs may find useful in developing educational material and measuring the impact of their interventions on patients’ knowledge.
Congestive heart failure with preserved left ventricular systolic function after acute myocardial infarction: clinical and prognostic implications
Authors: Møller Jacob Eifer , Brendorp Bente , Ottesen Michael , Køber Lars , Egstrup Kenneth , Poulsen Steen Hvitfelt , Torp‐Pedersen Christian 
Published: October 2003

AbstractAims:To characterise the prevalence, in‐hospital complications, management, and long‐term outcome of patients with congestive heart failure but preserved left ventricular systolic function after acute myocardial infarction.Methods:3166 consecutive patients screened for entry in the Bucindolol Evaluation in Acute Myocardial Infarction Trial with definite acute myocardial infarction and echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular systolic function were included between 1998 and 1999 in this prospective observational study. Main outcome measures were occurrences of in‐hospital complications and all cause mortality.Results:Congestive heart failure was seen during hospitalisation in 1464 patients (46%), 717 patients had preserved left ventricular systolic function (wall motion index ≥1.3 corresponding to ejection fraction ≥0.40), and 732 patients had systolic dysfunction (wall motion index <1.3). One year mortality in patients with no heart failure, heart failure with preserved systolic function, and heart failure with systolic dysfunction were 6, 22 and 35%, P<0.0001. Unadjusted risk of death from all causes associated with heart failure and preserved systolic function was 3.3 (95% CI 2.8–4.0), and after adjustment for baseline characteristics and left ventricular systolic function in multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis the risk was 2.1 (95% CI 1.7–2.6), P<0.0001.Conclusions:Congestive heart failure is frequently present in patients with preserved left ventricular systolic function, and is associated with increased risk of in‐hospital complications and death following acute myocardial infarction.
Application of non-parametric bootstrap methods to estimate confidence intervals for QTL location in a beef cattle QTL experimental population
Authors: KIM JONGJOO , DAVIS SCOTT K. , TAYLOR JEREMY F. 
Published: October 2003

Empirical confidence intervals (CIs) for the estimated quantitative trait locus (QTL) location from selective and non-selective non-parametric bootstrap resampling methods were compared for a genome scan involving an Angus×Brahman reciprocal fullsib backcross population. Genetic maps, based on 357 microsatellite markers, were constructed for 29 chromosomes using CRI-MAP V2.4. Twelve growth, carcass composition and beef quality traits (n = 527–602) were analysed to detect QTLs utilizing (composite) interval mapping approaches. CIs were investigated for 28 likelihood ratio test statistic (LRT) profiles for the one QTL per chromosome model. The CIs from the non-selective bootstrap method were largest (87·7 cM average or 79·2% coverage of test chromosomes). The Selective II procedure produced the smallest CI size (42·3 cM average). However, CI sizes from the Selective II procedure were more variable than those produced by the two LOD drop method. CI ranges from the Selective II procedure were also asymmetrical (relative to the most likely QTL position) due to the bias caused by the tendency for the estimated QTL position to be at a marker position in the bootstrap samples and due to monotonicity and asymmetry of the LRT curve in the original sample.
POPULAR POLITICS IN IRELAND AND THE ACT OF UNION
Authors: Kelly James 
Published: October 2003

AbstractTHE most striking features of the popular political response in Ireland to the attempts between mid-1798 and mid-1800 to bring about the legislative union of Britain and Ireland are its comparative uneventfulness and traditional character. On first encounter, this observation may appear provocative since it is still commonly perceived, the work of G.C. Bolton notwithstanding, that the Act of Union was imposed upon a reluctant parliament and an antipathetic people. Moreover, it does not sit easily with what we know of popular anti-unionism in eighteenth-century Ireland, the most celebrated manifestation of which was the anti-union riot of 3 December 1759 when the Dublin mob invaded both houses of parliament and assaulted a number of leading officeholders arising out of a rumour that a legislative union was intended. Arising out of such manifestations of popular attachment to a domestic Irish parliament, and the high level of political, social and criminal violence during the 1790s, it is hardly surprising that leading figures in the Irish administration anticipated that serious public disorder would be a feature of the opposition to a union in 1798–1800. In point of fact, the decisive defeat of the 1798 rebellion and the strenuous efforts of United Irish leaders to minimise the extent of their revolutionary involvement thereafter ensured that there was no overt popular resistance from a quarter which, during the 1790s, treated every reference to a union with disdain.
Reports and Surveys
Authors: Rudall B. H. 
Published: October 2003

ADVANCED NEURO-ROBOTICS1. ‘Robo Rat' projectUnited States scientists from SUNY Downstate Medical Centre have reported on a Robo Rat project that they have initiated. In a research paper published in Nature (May, 2002) they describe some of their remarkable results. It may soon be possible, we are told, that because of their researches, a remote-controlled living ‘Robo Rat' could be involved in numerous and varied applications. Their work is a spin-off from research to give paralysed people the ability to move and feel artificial limbs. The report of the project presents their findings and described how five rats carrying a special backpack, which contained a battery, radio receiver and brain stimulator, were controlled by a human operator sitting up to 500 yards away. The human operator was able to make them weave in and out of obstacles and navigated them over a course. Instead of using the traditional methods ofanimal training which associated behaviour with rewards, the researchers directly stimulated the parts of the animals' brains that responded to the movements of their whiskers and to receiving rewards of food. Electrical signals were sent to parts of the brain and provided a virtual contact to the animal's whiskers, showing them which way the operator wished them to go. In their research paper it is shown how by stimulaling these ‘whisker centres' the rats could be steered and by stimulating the brain's reward centre, they could reinforce the correct behaviour.
Introduction to Low Cost/Cost Effective Automation
Authors: Erbe H.-H. 
Published: October 2003

I. INTRODUCTIONThe contributions to this issue aim to provide robotics and, in general, the automatic control community with results of research and applications focused on the cost-effectiveness of automation systems.Low Cost Automation or Cost Effective Automation promotes cost oriented reference architectures and development approaches that properly integrate human skill and technical solutions, includes decentralized process control strategies, addresses automation integrated with information
processing, as well as automation of non-sophisticated and easily handled operations for production maintenance.Low Cost Automation is not an oxymoron like military intelligence or jumbo shrimps. It opposes the rising cost of sophisticated automation and propagates the use of innovative
and intelligent solutions at an affordable cost. The concept can be regarded as a collection of methodologies aiming at exploiting tolerance of imprecision or uncertainties to achieve tractability, robustness and, in the end, low cost solutions. Mathematically, elegant designs of automation systems are often not feasible because of neglecting real world problems, i.e. they are failure-prone and therefore often very expensive for their users.Low Cost Automation does not mean basic or poor performance control. The design of automation systems considers their life cycle with respect to their costs. For example, machine vision, despite in some cases costly components, properly applied can reduce the overall cost. It is used to guide field robots, identifying and assembling parts, and to sort out agricultural products.