bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Supracricoid partial laryngectomy as salvage surgery for radiation therapy failure
Authors: Deganello Alberto , Gallo Oreste , De Cesare Jano Maria , Ninu Maria Benedetta , Gitti Gianni , de' Campora Luca , Radici Marco , de' Campora Enrico
Published: June 2008

Background

The main concern in the treatment of laryngeal carcinomas is tumor control with preservation of laryngeal functions. We believe that salvage supracricoid partial laryngectomy (SPL) should be carefully considered in selected cases of radiotherapy failure, because it can offer the possibility of achieving adequate tumor control with preservation of laryngeal functions.

Methods

A series of 31 patients who underwent an SPL as salvage procedure after radiotherapy failure was reviewed.

Results

Locoregional control rate was 75%, with 60% 5‐year overall survival; no patients were lost to follow‐up, and a death‐from‐disease rate of 19.35% was recorded. Restoration of laryngeal functions was achieved in 89.29% of the patients. No statistically significant differences were found in locoregional control regarding anterior commissure involvement, elective neck dissection versus wait‐and‐see policy, pathologic positive neck disease, and restage I–II versus restage III–IV.

Conclusion

The oncologic and functional results indicate the consistency of salvage SPL, proposing this type of operation as a serious alternative to total laryngectomy in carefully selected cases. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2008
Ten‐year experience of free flaps in head and neck surgery. How necessary is a second venous anastomosis?
Authors: Ross Gary L. , Ang Erik S. W. , Lannon Declan , Addison Patrick , Golger Alex , Novak Christine B. , Lipa Joan E. , Gullane Patrick J. , Neligan Peter C.
Published: June 2008

Background

Successful free flap surgery in the head and neck is dependent on the successful anastomosis of both artery and vein. The success of all free flaps was analyzed to determine the necessity for performing 2 venous anastomoses.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed a single surgeon's 10‐year experience (August 1993–August 2003) in free flap reconstruction for malignant tumors of the head and neck. Four hundred ninety‐two free flaps were primary reconstructions that did not require a vein graft, vein loop, or cephalic turnover procedure. Three hundred forty‐five flaps had 1 venous anastomosis, and 147 flaps had 2 venous anastomoses.

Results

Overall, flap success was 468 of 492 (95.1%). Successful flap reconstruction in patients undergoing 2 venous anastomoses was 145 of 147 (98.6%) compared with 323 of 345 (93.6%) in patients undergoing 1 anastomosis (p < .05).

Conclusion

Where possible, a second venous anastomosis should be performed in head and neck free flap reconstruction. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2008
Mouse chromosome 11 harbors genetic determinants of hippocampal strain‐specific nicotinic receptor expression
Authors: Rogers Scott W. , Weis Janis J. , Ma Ying , Teuscher Cory , Gahring Lorise C.
Published: June 2008

Differences between isogenic mouse strains in cellular expression of the neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptor subunit alpha4 (nAChRα4) by the dorsal hippocampus are well known. To investigate further the genetic basis of these variations, expression of the nAChRα4 subunit was measured in congenic mouse lines derived from two strains exhibiting notable divergence in the expression of this subunit: C3H and C57BL/6. Congenic lines carrying reciprocally introgressed regions (quantitative trait loci; QTL) from chromosomes 4, 5, and 12 each retained the phenotype most closely associated with the parental strain. However, in congenic lines harboring the reciprocal transfer of a chromosome 11 QTL, a characteristic difference in the ratio of interneurons versus astrocytes expressing nAChRα4 in the CA1 region is reversed relative to the parental strain. These finding suggest that this chromosomal segment harbors genes that regulate strain distinct hippocampal morphology that is revealed by nAChRα4 expression. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A coupled vertically integrated model to describe lateral exchanges between surface and subsurface in large alluvial floodplains with a fully penetrating river
Authors: Peyrard D. , Sauvage S. , Vervier P. , Sanchez‐Perez J. M. , Quintard M.
Published: June 2008

This paper presents a vertically averaged model for studying water and solute exchanges between a large river and its adjacent alluvial aquifer. The hydraulic model couples horizontal 2D Saint Venant equations for river flow and a 2D Dupuit equation for aquifer flow. The dynamic coupling between river and aquifer is provided by continuity of fluxes and water level elevation between the two domains. Equations are solved simultaneously by linking the two hydrological system matrices in a single global matrix in order to ensure the continuity conditions between river and aquifer and to accurately model two‐way coupling between these two domains. The model is applied to a large reach (about 36 km2) of the Garonne River (south‐western France) and its floodplain, including an instrumented site in a meander. Simulated hydraulic heads are compared with experimental measurements on the Garonne River and aquifer in the floodplain. Model verification includes comparisons for one point sampling date (27 piezometers, 30 March 2000) and for hydraulic heads variations measured continuously over 5 months (5 piezometers, 1 January to 1 June 2000). The model accurately reproduces the strong hydraulic connections between the Garonne River and its aquifer, which are confirmed by the simultaneous variation of the water level in the river and in piezometers located near the river bank. The simulations also confirmed that the model is able to reproduce groundwater flow dynamics during flood events. Given these results, the hydraulic model was coupled with a solute‐transport component, based on advection‐dispersion equations, to investigate the theoretical dynamics of a conservative tracer over 5 years throughout the 36 km2 reach studied. Meanders were shown to favour exchanges between river and aquifer, and although the tracer was diluted in the river, the contamination moved downstream from the injection plots and affected both river banks. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessing factors that influence spatial variations in duff moisture
Authors: Raaflaub L. D. , Valeo C.
Published: June 2008

Patterns and spatial variations in the moisture of the decomposing organic matter on the forest floor (the duff) of a montane forest were analysed in an effort to determine the primary factors shaping these patterns. Above and below canopy meteorological conditions were monitored to determine the influence of canopy cover on duff moisture. The spatial and temporal distributions of duff moisture were assessed through daily duff moisture measurements collected at regular intervals in ten 10 × 10 m plots representing a variety of canopy types and densities. Meteorological conditions ranged from very wet to very dry and resulted in duff moisture variations that were more pronounced during wet periods than in extended periods of drying. Investigations on the influence of canopy type, tree density, and tree proximity on duff moisture patterns indicated that canopy type and tree proximity are the most important factors affecting duff moisture. Interception seems to be the primary controller of duff moisture patterns with an influence at the centimetre scale. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
C‐reactive protein and colorectal cancer risk: A systematic review of prospective studies
Authors: Tsilidis Konstantinos K. , Branchini Casey , Guallar Eliseo , Helzlsouer Kathy J. , Erlinger Thomas P. , Platz Elizabeth A.
Published: June 2008

C‐reactive protein is a sensitive but nonspecific systemic marker of inflammation. Several prospective studies have investigated the association of prediagnostic circulating C‐reactive protein concentrations with the development of colorectal cancer, but the results have been inconsistent. We performed a systematic review of prospective studies of the association between prediagnostic measurements of circulating high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein and development of invasive colorectal cancer. Authors of original studies were contacted to acquire uniform data. We combined relative risks (RR) for colorectal cancer associated with a one unit change in natural logarithm‐transformed high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein using inverse variance weighted random effects models. We identified eight eligible studies, which included 1,159 colorectal cancer cases and 37,986 controls. The summary RR per one unit change in natural log‐transformed high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein was 1.12 (95% confidence intervals [CI], 1.01–1.25) for colorectal cancer, 1.13 (95% CI, 1.00–1.27) for colon cancer, and 1.06 (95% CI, 0.86–1.30) for rectal cancer. The association was stronger in men (RR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.04–1.34) compared to women (RR, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.93–1.27) but this difference was sensitive to the findings from a single study. Prediagnostic high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein concentrations were weakly associated with an increased risk for colorectal cancer. More work is needed to understand the extent to which circulating high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein or other blood inflammatory markers are related to colonic inflammation. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Long‐term mortality from pleural and peritoneal cancer after exposure to asbestos: Possible role of asbestos clearance
Authors: Barone‐Adesi Francesco , Ferrante Daniela , Bertolotti Marinella , Todesco Annalisa , Mirabelli Dario , Terracini Benedetto , Magnani Corrado
Published: June 2008

Models based on the multistage theory of carcinogenesis predict that the rate of mesothelioma increases monotonically as a function of time since first exposure (TSFE) to asbestos. Predictions of long‐term mortality (TSFE ≥ 40 years) are, however, still untested, because of the limited follow‐up of most epidemiological studies. Some authors have suggested that the increase in mesothelioma rate with TSFE might be attenuated by clearance of asbestos from the lungs. We estimated mortality time trends from pleural and peritoneal cancer in a cohort of 3,443 asbestos‐cement workers, followed for more than 50 years. The functional relation between mesothelioma rate and TSFE was evaluated with various regression models. The role of asbestos clearance was explored using the traditional mesothelioma multistage model, generalized to include a term representing elimination over time. We observed 139 deaths from pleural and 56 from peritoneal cancer during the period 1950–2003. The rate of pleural cancer increased during the first 40 years of TSFE and reached a plateau thereafter. In contrast, the rate of peritoneal cancer increased monotonically with TSFE. The model allowing for asbestos elimination fitted the data better than the traditional model for pleural (p = 0.02) but not for peritoneal cancer (p = 0.22). The risk for pleural cancer, rather than showing an indefinite increase, might reach a plateau when a sufficiently long time has elapsed since exposure. The different trends for pleural and peritoneal cancer might be related to clearance of the asbestos from the workers' lungs. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Application of MDGRAPE‐3, a special purpose board for molecular dynamics simulations, to periodic biomolecular systems
Authors: Kikugawa Gota , Apostolov Rossen , Kamiya Narutoshi , Taiji Makoto , Himeno Ryutaro , Nakamura Haruki , Yonezawa Yasushige
Published: June 2008

We describe the application of a special purpose board for molecular dynamics simulations, named MDGRAPE‐3, to the problem of simulating periodic bio‐molecular systems. MDGRAPE‐3 is the latest board in a series of hardware accelerators designed to calculate the nonbonding long‐range interactions much more rapidly than normal processors. So far, MDGRAPEs were mainly applied to isolated systems, where very many nonbonded interactions were calculated without any distance cutoff. However, in order to regulate the density and pressure during simulations of membrane embedded protein systems, one has to evaluate interactions under periodic boundary conditions. For this purpose, we implemented the Particle–Mesh Ewald (PME) method, and its approximation with distance cutoffs and charge neutrality as proposed by Wolf et al., using MDGRAPE‐3. When the two methods were applied to simulations of two periodic biomolecular systems, a single MDGRAPE‐3 achieved 30–40 times faster computation times than a single conventional processor did in the both cases. Both methods are shown to have the same molecular structures and dynamics of the systems. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 2009
Standard maximum isometric voluntary contraction tests for normalizing shoulder muscle EMG
Authors: Boettcher Craig E. , Ginn Karen A. , Cathers Ian
Published: June 2008

A comparison of electromyographic (EMG) activity of muscles between and within subjects, and during separate occasions of testing, requires normalization. The most common way for generating the reference level used for normalizing shoulder EMG data is with a maximum isometric voluntary contraction (MVIC). The purpose of this study was to develop a parsimonious set of standardized tests that generate an MVIC in all the major muscle groups of the shoulder. Twelve muscles of the dominant shoulder of 15 subjects were examined using a combination of surface and intramuscular electrodes during 15 tests. The results indicated that many tests maximally activated more than one muscle simultaneously. Four tests were identified as being sufficient for generating an MVIC in the 12 muscles examined and are recommended as the standard set for normalizing shoulder muscle EMG: abduction 90° with internal rotation (“empty can”), internal rotation in 90° abduction (“internal rotation 90°”), flexion at 125° with scapula resistance (“flexion 125°”), and horizontal adduction at 90° flexion (“palm press”). The use of these shoulder normalization tests will make comparisons between shoulder EMG studies more reliable. © 2008 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res
Can suture repair of ACL transection restore normal anteroposterior laxity of the knee? An ex vivo study
Authors: Fleming Braden C. , Carey James L. , Spindler Kurt P. , Murray Martha M.
Published: June 2008

Recent work has suggested the transected anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) can heal and support reasonable loads if repaired with sutures and a bioactive scaffold; however, use of a traditional suture configuration results in knees with increased anterior–posterior (AP) laxity. The objective was to determine whether one of five different suture repair constructs when performed at two different joint positions would restore normal AP knee laxity. AP laxity of the porcine knee at 60° of flexion was evaluated for five suture repair techniques. Femoral fixation for all repair techniques utilized a suture anchor. Primary repair was to either the tibial stump, one of three bony locations in the ACL footprint, or a hybrid bony fixation. All five repairs were tied with the knee in first 30° and then 60° of flexion for a total of 10 repair constructs. Suture repair to bony fixation points within the anterior half of the normal ACL footprint resulted in knee laxity values within 0.5 mm of the ACL‐intact joint when the sutures were tied with the knee at 60° flexion. Suture repair to the tibial stump, or with the knee at 30° of flexion, did not restore normal AP laxity of the knee. Three specific suture repair techniques for the transected porcine ACL restored the normal AP laxity of the knee at the time of surgery. Additional studies defining the changes in laxity with cyclic loading and in vivo healing are indicated. © 2008 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 26:1500–1505, 2008
Recruitment of Endogenous Stem Cells for Tissue Repair
Authors: Zhao Jing , Zhang Ning , Prestwich Glenn D. , Wen Xuejun
Published: June 2008

The traditional concept of stem cell therapy envisions the isolation of stem cells from patients, propagation and differentiation in vitro, and subsequent re‐injection of autologous cells into the patient. There are many problems associated with this paradigm, particularly during the in vitro manipulation process and the delivery and local retention of re‐injected cells. An alternative paradigm that could be easier, safer, and more efficient, would involve attracting endogenous stem cells and precursor cells to the defect site for new tissue regeneration. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), a pleiotropic cytokine of mesenchymal origin, exerts a strong chemoattractive effect on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and neural stem cells (NSCs), and induces migration of MSCs in vitro. However, HGF undergoes rapid proteolysis in vivo, which results in a very short lifetime of the bioactive cytokine. To maintain the therapeutic level of HGF at the defect site necessary for endogenous stem cell recruitment, sustained, long‐term, and localized delivery of HGF is required. Thiol‐modified glycosaminoglycans hyaluronan (HA) and heparin (HP), combined with modified gelatin (Gtn), have been crosslinked with poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) to afford semisynthetic ECM‐like (sECM) hydrogels that can both provide controlled growth factor release and permit cell infiltration and proliferation. Herein we compare the use of different sECM compositions for controlled release of HGF and concomitant recruitment of human bone marrow MSCs into the scaffold in vitro.

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Oxidation and alkali sulfate‐induced corrosion of aluminide diffusion coating with and without platinum
Authors: Knutsson P. A. , Stiller K.
Published: June 2008

A platinum‐free (MDC210) and a platinum‐rich (MDC150L) aluminide diffusion coating applied to a CMSX4 single crystal Ni‐based superalloy were investigated after exposure to sulfate‐induced corrosion and oxidation at 900 °C for a total of 100 h. Weight changes, microstructural, and microchemical analyses of the products were performed by the means of gravimetry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X‐ray (EDX), and X‐ray diffraction (XRD). Platinum was found to have a beneficial effect on both the oxidation and corrosion resistance of the coating. In both cases the scale was thicker on the platinum‐free coating. However, the difference in the extent of oxidation of the two coatings was small.
The influence of bond coat surface roughness on chemical failure and delamination in TBC systems
Authors: Taylor M. P. , Pragnell W. M. , Evans H. E.
Published: June 2008

Localised loss of aluminium from the bond coat within thermal barrier coating (TBC) systems is a critical factor determining the lifetime of these coatings. In this paper, it will be demonstrated that electroplated MCrAlY bond coats with asperities of high aspect ratios can experience premature chemical failure during isothermal exposures at 1100 °C in air. This can result in the rapid conversion of the asperity into Co‐ and Cr‐rich oxides. The enhanced aluminium depletion within these asperities, which leads to chemical failure, is a consequence of their increased surface area coupled with a limited physical access to the reservoir of aluminium in the bulk of the bond coat. This process has been demonstrated using the 2‐D finite‐difference model ODIN which predicts a depletion to less than 1 at% aluminium within a typical asperity after 1 h exposure at 1100 °C. The results also show that the aluminium content of the bulk of the bond coat is sufficient to enable the formation of a continuous protective alumina underneath these regions, as observed experimentally. It is suggested that the volume increase associated with the conversion of the bond coat asperities into breakaway oxide results in out‐of‐plane tensile stress development at the oxidation temperature. These stresses are anticipated to be at a maximum between the oxide asperities and are thought to nucleate small, sub‐critical cracks at these locations at temperature. Further delamination will occur during cooling both by the extension of these cracks and by the growth of crack‐like defects within the porous breakaway oxides.
Do motor and nonmotor symptoms in PD patients predict caregiver strain and depression?
Authors: Carter Julie H. , Stewart Barbara J. , Lyons Karen S. , Archbold Patricia G.
Published: June 2008

Our objective was to understand the impact of motor and nonmotor symptoms of patients with early and middle stage Parkinson's disease (PD) on their spouses' caregiver strain and depression. A sample of 219 spouse caregivers of PD patients participating in a clinical trial was evaluated for six dimensions of caregiver strain and depression using the Family Care Inventory. Motor and nonmotor (i.e., psychological) clinical symptoms collected from PD patients as part of the clinical trial protocol were used as predictors. Seven hierarchical regression analyses were used to determine the contribution of the motor and nonmotor clinical symptoms in explaining variation in each of the seven caregiver‐dependent variables. Clinical symptoms explained 9–16% of the variance in caregiver strain and 10% of depression. Motor symptoms explained 0–6% of the variance and nonmotor psychological symptoms explained 7–13% of the variance in caregiver strain. Comparing our findings with literature that is deemed clinically relevant for patient symptoms that predict caregiver strain, we concluded that PD patient symptoms are important predictors of caregiver strain and depression. Patient nonmotor psychological symptoms have a much greater impact on caregiver strain and depression than patient motor symptoms. © 2008 Movement Disorder Society
Driving assessment in Parkinson's disease—A novel predictor of performance?
Authors: Cordell Richard , Lee Hoe C. , Granger Andrew , Vieira Barry , Lee Andy H.
Published: June 2008

Clinical symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) can make driving hazardous. The removal of the privilege to drive reduces independence; nevertheless, to protect public safety, medical practitioners require reliable screening tools to decide whether a PD driver should be on the road. The aims of this study were to examine whether clinical measures for PD patients and information provided by carers can be employed to predict impairment in driving performance. Fifty three idiopathic PD subjects and 129 age‐matched controls were assessed on open roads. Prior to the driving assessment, participants were examined by a geriatrician. Various clinical measures of PD were recorded, and their carers filled out a questionnaire assessing driving ability of the patient. The driving performance of the participants declined with age (r = 0.89, P < 0.001). Drivers with PD were significantly less competent drivers than controls. The commonest errors committed on the road were indecisiveness in T‐junctions and reduced usage of rear view and side mirrors. Only two of the clinical measures of PD patients showed links to driving performance. Information provided by carers was significantly related to driving performance of PD patients (F(4,48) = 3.87, P‐value < 0.01, R2 = 0.557). PD drivers were less competent drivers than the age‐matched control group; moreover, standard clinical measures of PD have little value in predicting their driving performance. Carers can provide valuable information to doctors in identifying unsafe PD drivers. © 2008 Movement Disorder Society
Free vibrations of simply supported double plate on two models of elastic soils
Authors: De Rosa M. A. , Lippiello M.
Published: June 2008

In this paper the free vibrations of simply supported rectangular plates, resting on two different models of soils, are considered. The first model called Hetényi, by the name of the deviser, assumes a continuous plate, embedded in a Winkler‐type soil to realize the foundation partial continuity. The upper plate rests on a multiple layer characterized by a Winkler‐type soil, a continuous plate and another Winkler‐type soil in sequence. The two Winkler‐type soils have different modules. In the second model, the plate will be embedded in two layers of soils, whose behavior is similar to that of the Pasternak–Kerr‐type soil. The two models have been already used for the study of the double beam system. The free motions, in both cases, are described by a homogeneous set of partial differential equations, based on Kirchhoff–Love theory. Next, the homogeneous equations of motion are solved by using the classical Navier method. The free frequencies and associated vibration mode shapes of double plate system are found and numerical examples are illustrated to compare the two models. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Scheduling and due‐date quotation in a make‐to‐order supply chain
Authors: Kaminsky Philip , Kaya Onur
Published: June 2008

We consider a manufacturer, served by a single supplier, who has to quote due dates to arriving customers in a make‐to‐order production environment. The manufacturer is penalized for long lead times and for missing due dates. To meet due dates, the manufacturer has to obtain components from a supplier. We model this manufacturer and supplier as a two‐machine flow shop, consider several variations of this problem, and design effective due‐date quotation and scheduling algorithms for centralized and decentralized versions of the model. We perform extensive computational testing to assess the effectiveness of our algorithms and to compare the centralized and decentralized models to quantify the value of centralized control in a make‐to‐order supply chain. Since complete information exchange and centralized control is not always practical or cost‐effective, we explore the value of partial information exchange for this system. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2008
Optimal control for linear system using genetic programming
Authors: Kumar A. Vincent Antony , Balasubramaniam P.
Published: June 2008

In this paper, optimal control for a linear system with quadratic performance is obtained using genetic programming (GP). The goal is to find the optimal control with reduced calculus effort using non‐traditional methods. The obtained GP solution is compared with the traditional Runge–Kutta method. To obtain optimal control, the solution of matrix Riccati differential equation is computed based on grammatical evolution. The accuracy of the solution of the GP approach to the problem is qualitatively better than traditional methods. An illustrative numerical example is presented for the proposed method. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Identification and distribution of thioredoxin‐like 2 as the antigen for the monoclonal antibody MC3 specific to colorectal cancer
Authors: Lu Yuanyuan , Wang Xin , Liu Zhenxiong , Jin Bin , Chu Dake , Zhai Huihong , Zhang Faming , Li Kai , Ren Gui , Miranda‐Vizuete Antonio , Guo Xuegang , Fan Daiming
Published: June 2008

MC3 is a colorectal cancer (CRC)‐specific mAb previously prepared in our laboratory that can detect CRC with high sensitivity and specificity. However, the target antigen for MC3 had not been identified due to technological limitations. In the present study, immunocytochemistry and immunohistochemistry revealed the expression patterns of MC3 antigen (MC3‐Ag) in colon cancer cell lines and CRC tissues. Western blotting analysis showed that the MC3 antibody reproducibly recognized two ∼30 kDa proteins in the total cell lysates of human colon carcinoma cell lines SW480 and HT‐29. Using a proteomic approach, we identified two MC3 immunoreactive spots as two isoforms of thioredoxin‐like 2 (Txl‐2) protein. Further paired immunostaining showed that Txl‐2 had the same expression profile as probed by the MC3 antibody. Western blotting also showed that both antibodies could detect the same two bands, further verifying that Txl‐2 is the antigen of MC3 antibody. Additionally, tissue arrays revealed the expression patterns of Txl‐2 in various normal and cancer tissues. Further analysis showed that Txl‐2 mRNA was elevated in 18 cases of CRC tissues compared to paracancerous tissues and adjacent normal tissues.
The rat sperm proteome characterized via IPG strip prefractionation and LC‐MS/MS identification
Authors: Baker Mark A. , Hetherington Louise , Reeves Gabi , Müller Jörg , Aitken R. John
Published: June 2008

Proteomics represents a powerful tool for the analysis of mammalian spermatozoa, since these terminally differentiated cells are transcriptionally inactive and exhibit a limited dynamic range of protein expression. Here we report the identification of 5123 peptides, leading to 829 unambiguous and 2215 redundant gene products found to be present within rat spermatozoa derived from the cauda epididymis. Bioinformatics demonstrated that 60 proteins appeared to be specifically expressed in the genitourinary tract, including pyruvate dehydrogenase 1, ropporin, testis‐specific serine kinase 4, testis‐specific transporter, and retinol dehydrogenase 14. We also identified eight members of the ADAM family, seven of which have previously been detected in spermatozoa (ADAM2, ‐3, ‐4, ‐5, ‐6, ‐7, and ‐30) while ADAM34 has been identified in the sperm proteome for the first time. Approximately 21 gene products were found to possess isomerase activity including peptidylprolyl cis/trans isomerases that are known to be involved in germ cell differentiation and protein disulfide isomerases that have been implicated in sperm–oocyte fusion. Furthermore, 51 gene products clustered into ion‐transporter activity. This inventory of gene products, the first ever 2‐D LC‐MS/MS analysis of rat spermatozoa, will be invaluable in directing future research into the molecular mechanisms that drive these highly specialized cells.
A Review of Recent Electrical Resistance Tomography (ERT) Applications for Wet Particulate Processing
Authors: Stanley Steven J. , Bolton Gary T.
Published: June 2008

Electrical Resistance Tomography (ERT) provides the capability to measure the conductivity distribution within a given process plant delivering time evolving multi‐dimensional information which often enhances fundamental process understanding whilst improving the design and operation of the process equipment. This paper reviews previous work undertaken using ERT for applications associated to wet particulate processing. The review is split into three sections including multi‐phase flow, solid‐liquid suspensions and reactive particulate processing. Typical results from a number of examples from both, research and industrial environments are presented.
Impact of land‐surface roughness on surface winds during hurricane landfall
Authors: Zhu Ping
Published: June 2008

This study investigates the impact of land‐surface roughness on surface winds during hurricane Wilma's landfall using high‐resolution simulations by the Weather Research and Forecasting model. Based on idealized experiments with enhanced land‐surface roughness, it is found that the overall storm intensity decreases with increase in land‐surface roughness during landfall. However, there is no apparent trend in reducing the maximum gusting winds when land‐surface roughness was increased. This result suggests that hurricane wind damage may not be assessed properly based solely on the overall storm intensity. The localized damaging winds are intimately involved with the hurricane boundary‐layer secondary circulations. When the downdraughts of the circulations are in phase with the strong hurricane momentum aloft, they can effectively transport momentum downward to result in localized damaging winds. Larger land‐surface roughness can strengthen boundary‐layer secondary circulations by creating stronger local convergence, and thus stronger downdraughts and localized damaging winds despite a weak storm intensity. Copyright © 2008 Royal Meteorological Society
State space sampling of feasible motions for high‐performance mobile robot navigation in complex environments
Authors: Howard Thomas M. , Green Colin J. , Kelly Alonzo , Ferguson Dave
Published: June 2008

Sampling in the space of controls or actions is a well‐established method for ensuring feasible local motion plans. However, as mobile robots advance in performance and competence in complex environments, this classical motion‐planning technique ceases to be effective. When environmental constraints severely limit the space of acceptable motions or when global motion planning expresses strong preferences, a state space sampling strategy is more effective. Although this has been evident for some time, the practical question is how to achieve it while also satisfying the severe constraints of vehicle dynamic feasibility. The paper presents an effective algorithm for state space sampling utilizing a model‐based trajectory generation approach. This method enables high‐speed navigation in highly constrained and/or partially known environments such as trails, roadways, and dense off‐road obstacle fields. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Robust vision‐based underwater homing using self‐similar landmarks
Authors: Negre Amaury , Pradalier Cedric , Dunbabin Matthew
Published: June 2008

Next‐generation autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) will be required to robustly identify underwater targets for tasks such as inspection, localization, and docking. Given their often unstructured operating environments, vision offers enormous potential in underwater navigation over more traditional methods; however, reliable target segmentation often plagues these systems. This paper addresses robust vision‐based target recognition by presenting a novel scale and rotationally invariant target design and recognition routine based on self‐similar landmarks that enables robust target pose estimation with respect to a single camera. These algorithms are applied to an AUV with controllers developed for vision‐based docking with the target. Experimental results show that the system performs exceptionally on limited processing power and demonstrates how the combined vision and controller system enables robust target identification and docking in a variety of operating conditions. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Ecotoxicity of selected nano‐materials to aquatic organisms
Authors: Blaise C. , Gagné F. , Férard J.F. , Eullaffroy P.
Published: June 2008

Present knowledge concerning the ecotoxic effects of nano‐materials is very limited and merits to be documented more fully. For this purpose, we appraised the toxicity of nine metallic nano‐powders (copper zinc iron oxide, nickel zinc iron oxide, yttrium iron oxide, titanium dioxide, strontium ferrite, indium tin oxide, samarium oxide, erbium oxide, and holmium oxide) and of two organic nano‐ powders (fullerene‐C60 and single‐walled carbon nanotube or SWCNT). After a simple process where nano‐powders (NPs) were prepared in aqueous solution and filtered, they were then bioassayed across several taxonomic groups including decomposers (bacteria), primary producers (micro‐algae), as well as primary and secondary consumers (micro‐invertebrates and fish). Toxicity data generated on the 11 NPs reflected a wide spectrum of sensitivity that was biological level‐, test‐, and endpoint‐specific. With all acute and chronic tests confounded for these 11 NPs, toxicity responses spanned over three orders of magnitude: >463 mg/L (24 h LC50 of the invertebrate Thamnoplatyurus platyurus for fullerene‐C60) ÷ 0.3 mg/L (96 h EC50 of the invertebrate Hydra attenuata for indium tin oxide), that is a ratio of 1543. On the basis of the MARA (Microbial Array for Risk Assessment) assay toxic fingerprint concept, it is intimated that NPs may have different modes of toxic action. When mixed in a 1:1 ratio with a certified reference material (CRM) sediment, two solid phase assays and an elutriate assay, respectively, showed that five NPs (copper zinc iron oxide, samarium oxide, erbium oxide, holmium oxide, and SWCNT) were able to increase both CRM sediment toxicity and its elutriate toxicity. This initial investigation suggests that chemicals emerging from nanotechnology may pose a risk to aquatic life in water column and sediment compartments and that further studies on their adverse effects are to be encouraged. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol, 2008.
Mechanisms of copper toxicity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae determined by microarray analysis
Authors: Yasokawa Daisuke , Murata Satomi , Kitagawa Emiko , Iwahashi Yumiko , Nakagawa Ryoji , Hashido Tazusa , Iwahashi Hitoshi
Published: June 2008

The effect of the heavy metal copper on the expression of a wide spectrum of genes was analyzed by using a DNA microarray. The gene expression profile of baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae grown in a medium containing a sublethal concentration of cupric sulfate was compared with that of yeast grown in a normal medium. Among ∼6000 yeast ORFs, 143 ORFs were induced more than twofold to resist copper toxicity after exposure to copper. Copper metallothionein CUP1‐1 and CUP1‐2 were induced more than 20‐fold. Some genes related to sulfur metabolism and oxidative stress response were also up‐regulated. This DNA microarray analysis identified several molecular targets of copper toxicity. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol, 2008.
Fractionation of sunflower seed proteins
Authors: Baudet J. , Mossé J.
Published: June 2008

Fractionation of sunflower seed salt‐soluble proteins, which amount to nearly 80% of the total seed nitrogen, has been performed by a method we proposed in 1970 and which was confirmed by several others. Three varieties of seeds have been investigated: ‘Armavirec,’ ‘Peredovik’, and a pure strain. The occurrence of three groups of proteic fractions was confirmed. Their proportions, which fluctuate with varieties, are roughly: 20% for “light” (low molecular weight) albumins, 5–10% for “heavy albumins,” and 70–80% for globulins. The first group was isolated by Sephadex G‐50 chromatography from the other two, which were separated by dialysis. A second chromatography of these three groups on Sephadex G‐200 has been realized (with preliminarily calibrated columns for molecular weight evaluations). “Light” albumins appear as a rather homogeneous constituent with a molecular weight of 14,000 and an aminoacid composition showing high amounts of methionine, cystine, arginine and glutamine. “Heavy” albumins, which are still mixed with globulin fractions after dialysis, have a molecular weight of 48,000 and a very different aminoacid composition with a high level of lysine. Globulins are composed of at least four different fractions, two of which (M=12,000 and M=25,000) are presumably subunits of the other two and have significantly different aminoacid compositions.
Physical and chemical properties of soybean proteins
Authors: Wolf W. J.
Published: June 2008

Recent physical and chemical studies are reviewed for Bowman‐Birk and Kunitz trypsin inhibitors, agglutinin, and 7S and 11S globulins of soybeans. Differences between gelation properties of crude 7S and 11S globulin fractions are also discussed.
The performic acid oxidation of linoleic acid
Authors: Olson Edwin S.
Published: June 2008

Abstract and Summary

The performic acid oxidation of linoleic acid has been shown to form 9,12‐dihydroxy‐trans‐10,11‐methylene‐heptadecanoic acid (I) after hydrolysis of the formate ester. A sequence of reactions led to the identification of dimethyl‐trans‐1,2‐cyclopropanedicarboxylate by gas liquid chromatography. Spectroscopic evidence is presented for thetrans geometry in I. Failure of the monoepoxide of linoleic acid to give the formate ester of I suggests the alternative that a homoallylic carbonium ion is formed directly upon attack of the peroxide reagent.
Volatile components from triolein heated in air
Authors: Selke E. , Rohwedder W. K. , Dutton H. J.
Published: June 2008

Abstract and Summary

In a continuing study to identify volatile odor constituents and their precursors from heated soybean oil, the following model triglycerides were heated to 192 C in air for 10 min: (a) pure triolein, (b) a mixture of triolein (25%)‐tristearin, and (c) a randomly esterified triglyceride composed of oleic (25%) and stearic acids. Each model system produced the same major compounds which were identified as heptane, octane, heptanal, octanal, nonanal, 2‐decenal, and 2‐undecenal. These seven compounds apparently are unique to the oxidation of the oleate fattyy acid in each triglyceride sample. Minor volatile compounds from oxidized triolein included saturated and unsaturated aldehydes andn‐hydrocarbons and saturated primary alcohols, methyl ketones, gamma lactones, and monobasic acids. Incorporation of stearic acid in the triglycerides noticeably increased the amounts of saturated minor compounds and the range of their carbon chain lengths. Decomposition products characteristic of the oxidation of stearate were apparent among decomposition products associated with the oxidation of oleate.
Mutation testing in UTP
Authors: Aichernig Bernhard K. , Jifeng He
Published: June 2008

This paper presents a theory of testing that integrates into Hoare and He’s Unifying Theory of Programming (UTP). We give test cases a denotational semantics by viewing them as specification predicates. This reformulation of test cases allows for relating test cases via refinement to specifications and programs. Having such a refinement order that integrates test cases, we develop a testing theory for fault-based testing.

Fault-based testing uses test data designed to demonstrate the absence of a set of pre-specified faults. A well-known fault-based technique is mutation testing. In mutation testing, first, faults are injected into a program by altering (mutating) its source code. Then, test cases that can detect these errors are designed. The assumption is that other faults will be caught, too. In this paper, we apply the mutation technique to both, specifications and programs.

Using our theory of testing, two new test case generation laws for detecting injected (anticipated) faults are presented: one is based on the semantic level of UTP design predicates, the other on the algebraic properties of a small programming language.
Simulated annual carbon fluxes of grassland ecosystems in extremely arid conditions
Authors: Zhang Na , Zhao Ying‐Shi , Yu Gui‐Rui
Published: June 2008

In order to understand how changes in climate and land cover affect carbon cycles and structure and function of regional grassland ecosystems, we developed a grassland landscape productivity model, proposed an approach that combined both process‐based modeling and spatial analysis with field measurements, and provided an example of semiarid region in Inner Mongolia, China, in extremely arid conditions. The modeled monthly mean and total net primary productivity, and monthly and annual mean respiration rates for Leymus chinensis steppes during the growing seasons in 2002 were mostly within the normal varying ranges of measured values, or similar to the field measurements, conducted in the similarly arid conditions. And the modeled total net ecosystem productivity (NEP) for L. chinensis steppes and Stipa grandis steppes were both between the lower and the higher measurements or within modeled multi‐annual data by the other model. The modeled total NEP was 1.91 g C/m2/year over the entire study region. It indicated that if human disturbances were not considered, carbon budget over the entire study region during the growing seasons was nearly in balance or weak carbon sink even under extremely arid conditions. However, the modeled NEP spatially greatly varied not only over the entire study region (−48.28–52.09 g C/m2/year), but also among different land cover types. The modeled results also showed that there were obvious seasonal variations in carbon fluxes, mainly caused by leaf area index; and annual precipitation was the major limiting factor for the obvious spatial patterns of carbon fluxes from the east to the west. The modeled results also revealed the influence of extreme drought on carbon fluxes. The study provides an effective approach to derive useful information about carbon fluxes for different land cover types, and thus can instruct regional land‐use planning and resource management based on carbon storage conditions.
Europe's Last Dictatorship
Authors: Liabedzka Anatoly
Published: June 2008

Belarus remains the last authoritarian state in Europe. Fundamental rights and civil liberties are denied by the surviving anachronistic Soviet-style regime, drifting away from the European democratic model. This article describes today's Belarus, portraying the new brand of Soviet dictatorship represented by Lukashenka's Belarus (‘lukashism’), whose main features are fear, complete economic dependence of the population on the authorities and financial support from Russia. Since Belarus is in a strategically crucial position for the transit of energy sources to Western Europe, it is of utmost interest to European states to promote stability and democracy in the country. Accordingly, Europe (together with the US) has a key role in helping the Belarusian opposition open a dialogue for a democratic transition while preserving Belarus from the risk of unification with Russia, which could be the outcome of Lukashenka's last-ditch attempt to defend his neo-Soviet power.
The Management of Information in Development Projects: A Proposed Model for Enhancing Community Participation in Democracy and Policy Making in Africa
Authors: Bester Coetzee
Published: June 2008

Politicians in their role as information managers and developers could play an important role in leading communities via agreed expectations towards achievable results, thus becoming real leaders for sustainable democracy. The first section of this article focuses on the need for development in Africa and the specific challenges faced by development operations as the foundation for sustainable democracy in Africa. It describes the need for a holistic and integrated information management model as part of the project management body of knowledge aimed at managing the information flow between communities and development teams. It is argued that information, and access to information, is crucial to development projects and can therefore be seen as a critical success factor in any development project, particularly towards sustainable democracy. The second section describes the three information areas of the holistic and integrated information management model. In the final section we suggest roles and actions for information managers to facilitate information processes integral to the model. These processes seek to create a developing information community that aligns itself with the development project and supports and sustains it.
Assessing the quality of walking in adults with chronic pain: The development and preliminary psychometric evaluation of the Bath Assessment of Walking Inventory
Authors: Clarke Jane E. , Eccleston Christopher
Published: June 2008

Walking is fundamental to many activities that are detrimentally affected by chronic pain. When in pain, people adapt how they walk. This article reports the development of an observational rating scale for the assessment of the quality of walking in adults with chronic pain called the Bath Assessment of Walking Inventory. The BAWI was designed explicitly for clinical and research use. A review of the literature on movement assessment, and a professional focus group, yielded 36 items capturing specific characteristics of walking that were organised into 11 domains. Investigation into the psychometric properties reduced the final measure to 23 items in 8 domains that demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach 0.71) and adequate intra (Kappa 0.61–0.98) and inter‐rater reliability (Kappa 0.61–0.98). Validity was established in comparison with well‐used measures of functioning. Further independent study is required to develop this instrument. A robust measure of walking will enable accurate clinical assessment, and the investigation of psychosocial and biomechanical influences on walking quality, and of the communicative function of pain related movement.