bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Statistical Methods in Risk Management by Futures Clearinghouses
Authors: Shanker Latha
Published: January 2011

Futures clearinghouses guarantee the open futures positions of their clearing members. The risk that clearinghouses face as a consequence is managed by the following five tools‐margin requirements, daily settlement, capital requirements, daily price limits and position limits. Clearing members deposit margin with the clearinghouse to support their open futures positions. Under the system of daily settlement of profits and losses, the clearinghouse transfers funds from the margin accounts of clearing members who have incurred losses to the accounts of members who have incurred profits. The margin requirement is usually set to cover the loss expected in a normal trading day. Losses of clearing members in excess of their margin are supported by requiring each member to contribute to the capital requirements of the clearinghouse. The daily price limit specifies the daily trading range for the futures price. A properly chosen price limit can reduce the margin and capital requirement below the levels required in its absence. The position limit constrains the net speculative futures position of one individual to reduce the possibility of clearinghouse failure due to default by one speculator. The optimal values for the tools of risk management depend on the statistical distribution of futures price changes. Moreover, the tools have to be carefully chosen so as to protect the clearinghouse without driving traders away from the market. Evaluation of the different systems for setting the optimal values of these tools and their effects upon the volatility and trading activity in futures markets also depends on the application of statistical tests. This article therefore reviews the statistical methodology used by previous research on risk management by futures clearinghouses.
Redesign of the Phosphate Binding Site of L‐Rhamnulose‐ 1‐Phosphate Aldolase towards a Dihydroxyacetone Dependent Aldolase
Authors: Garrabou Xavier , Joglar Jesús , Parella Teodor , Crehuet Ramon , Bujons Jordi , Clapés Pere
Published: January 2011

The aldol addition of unphosphorylated dihydroxyacetone (DHA) to aldehydes catalyzed by L‐rhamnulose‐1‐phosphate aldolase (RhuA), a dihydroxyacetone phosphate‐dependent aldolase, is reported. Moreover, a single point mutation in the phosphate binding site of the RhuA wild type, that is, substitution of aspartate for asparagine at position N29, increased by 3‐fold the ${V{{app\hfill \atop {\rm max}\hfill}}}$ of aldol addition reactions of DHA to other aldehyde acceptors rather than the natural L‐lactaldehyde. The RhuA N29D mutant modified the optimum enzyme design for the natural substrate and changed its catalytic properties making the aldolase more versatile to other aldol additions of DHA.
Identification of multiscale nature and multiple dynamics of the blast furnace system from operating data
Authors: Gao Chuanhou , Zeng Jiusun , Zhou Zhimin
Published: January 2011

Very often, there are several kinds of different scale structures, such as atomic/molecular microscale, device/boundary mesoscale and working procedure/operation unit macroscale, etc., referred in the operation of a blast furnace system. However, not enough attention has been paid to the multiscale feature of the blast furnace system by traditional analytic methods which are the average ones over a fixed scale. For this reason, the current work performs a multiscale identification and further makes a dynamical analysis on the blast furnace system from the time series sets of two important components in the blast furnace hot metal, i.e., silicon content and sulfur content, collected from a pint‐sized blast furnace. The results render a strong indication of multiscale characteristic and multiple dynamics, i.e., randomicity, chaos, and limit cycle but with different rates of contribution to the whole system, contained in the blast furnace system. Furthermore, compared with the original blast furnace system, every subscale structure has lower complexity. All of these can serve as guidelines to carry out modeling, control and optimization on complex blast furnace system from the viewpoint of multiscale in the future, and may throw more light on understanding and characterizing its complex dynamics. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2011
Experimental verification of anomalous chloride enrichment related to methane hydrate formation in deep‐sea sediments
Authors: Seol Jiwoong , Koh Dong‐Yeun , Cha Minjun , Shin Woongchul , Lee Young‐Joo , Kim Ji‐Hoon , Lee Jaehyoung , Lee Huen
Published: January 2011

Anomalous chloride concentration enrichment has been detected in marine sediments comprising methane hydrates (MHs). In this study, we designed an electric circuit system linked to the high‐pressure resistance cell in which the chloride ion concentration can be directly measured within reliable accuracy under in situ conditions of the deep‐sea floor pressure and temperature. Chloride concentration increased under a fast MH formation rate, but no noticeable concentration change was detected under a relatively low‐rate. Furthermore, we suggested that the MH formation rate must be maintained at least ∼102 mol m−2 yr−1 so as to efficiently enrich chlorides and retain the acquired chlorinity. The present experimental system dose not fully reflect the relatively minor effective variables such as vertical advections in real system, but the results seem to be sufficient for revealing chloride enrichment phenomena induced by fast MH formation rate with free methane gas. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2012
Low frequency of primary lipid screening among Medicare patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Bartels Christie M. , Kind Amy J. H. , Everett Christine , Mell Matthew , McBride Patrick , Smith Maureen
Published: January 2011

Objective

Although studies have demonstrated suboptimal preventive care in RA patients, performance of primary lipid screening (i.e., testing before cardiovascular disease [CVD], CVD risk equivalents, or hyperlipidemia is evident) has not been systematically examined. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between primary lipid screening and visits to primary care providers (PCPs) and rheumatologists among a national sample of older RA patients.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study examined a 5% Medicare sample that included 3,298 RA patients without baseline CVD, diabetes mellitus, or hyperlipidemia, who were considered eligible for primary lipid screening during the years 2004–2006. The outcome was probability of lipid screening by the relative frequency of primary care and rheumatology visits, or seeing a PCP at least once each year.

Results

Primary lipid screening was performed in only 45% of RA patients. Overall, 65% of patients received both primary and rheumatology care, and 50% saw a rheumatologist as often as a PCP. Any primary care predicted more lipid screening than lone rheumatology care (26% [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 21–32]). As long as a PCP was involved, performance of lipid screening was similar regardless of the balance between primary and rheumatology visits (44–48% [95% CI 41–51]). Not seeing a PCP at least annually decreased screening by 22% (adjusted risk ratio 0.78 [95% CI 0.71–0.84]).

Conclusion

Primary lipid screening was performed in fewer than half of eligible RA patients, highlighting a key target for CVD risk reduction efforts. Annual visits to a PCP improved lipid screening, although performance remained poor (51%). Half of RA patients saw their rheumatologist as often or more often than they saw a PCP, illustrating the need to study optimal partnerships between PCPs and rheumatologists for screening patients for CVD risks.
High‐risk extracranial chondrosarcoma
Authors: Goda Jayant Sastri , Ferguson Peter C. , O'Sullivan Brian , Catton Charles N. , Griffin Anthony M. , Wunder Jay S. , Bell Robert S. , Kandel Rita A. , Chung Peter W.
Published: January 2011

BACKGROUND:

A study was undertaken to evaluate results of surgery and radiotherapy (RT) for high‐risk extracranial chondrosarcomas.

METHODS:

Between 1986 and 2006, 60 patients underwent surgery and RT for extracranial high‐risk chondrosarcoma. Preoperative RT (median, 50 gray [Gy]) and postoperative RT (median, 60 Gy) were used in 40% and 60% patients, respectively. Sites included pelvis/lower extremity (48%), chest wall (22%), spine/paraspinal (17%), and head and neck (13%). Overall, median tumor size was 7 cm (range, 1‐22 cm), and tumor grade was I, II, and III in 22%, 64%, and 14% of cases, respectively.

RESULTS:

Pathologically clear surgical margins (R0) were present in 50%, microscopic positive margins (R1) in 28%, and gross positive margins (R2) in 13%, half of whom had clinically detectable residual disease; surgical margin was unknown in 8%. Median follow‐up was 75 months (range, 5‐230 months). The crude local control rate was 90%. Patients with R0, R1, and R2 resections had local control of 100%, 94%, and 42%, respectively. Of the 8 cases that had R2 resection, 3 experienced uncontrolled progression, but 5 patients had stable disease with long‐term follow‐up. The 10‐year overall survival, progression‐free survival, and cause‐specific survival were 86%, 80.5%, and 89.4%, respectively. Younger age and grade III tumors were associated with worse progression‐free survival (P = .03 and .0003, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS:

Although surgery with complete resection is paramount in management of chondrosarcoma, RT is a useful adjuvant treatment and appears to offer excellent and durable local control where wide surgical resection is difficult to accomplish. Cancer 2011. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
Experience with rituximab immunotherapy as an early intervention in patients with Rai stage 0 to II chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Authors: Ferrajoli Alessandra , Keating Michael J. , O'Brien Susan , Cortes Jorge , Thomas Deborah A.
Published: January 2011

BACKGROUND:

Management of asymptomatic early stage chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) centered on expectant surveillance for active disease warranting chemotherapy. In CLL, elevated serum β‐2 microglobulin (β2M) levels were associated with more rapid disease progression and shorter survival (OS).

METHODS:

An early intervention trial was designed to assess response, time‐to‐progression (TTP), and OS after immunotherapy with standard‐dose rituximab (375 mg/m2 intravenously weekly for 8 consecutive weeks) in 34 asymptomatic untreated early stage CLL with β2M level ≥ 2 mg/dL.

RESULTS:

Long‐term follow‐up and results are reported. The overall response rate in 34 patients was 82% (9% complete [CR]), median TTP in the 28 responders was 23 months, the median time to subsequent treatment was 43 months, and the 8‐year OS rate was 74% (median follow‐up, 102 months).

CONCLUSIONS:

Early treatment with rituximab was well tolerated and safe. Further studies are needed to determine if this intervention can decrease CLL‐related morbidity and mortality. Cancer 2011. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
Breast cancer screening beliefs, recommendations and practices
Authors: Meissner Helen I. , Klabunde Carrie N. , Han Paul K. , Benard Vicki B. , Breen Nancy
Published: January 2011

BACKGROUND:

Primary care physicians (PCPs) play a key role in breast cancer screening, yet no current data exist regarding PCP practices.

METHODS:

The authors analyzed a nationally representative survey of PCPs that was fielded during September 2006 to May 2007 to investigate PCP breast cancer screening beliefs, recommendations, and practices.

RESULTS:

Most of the 1212 PCPs who participated in the survey (80%) reported that mammography for average‐risk women aged ≥ 50 years was very effective in reducing cancer mortality, and 54% reported that it was very effective for women ages 40 to 49 years. Fewer respondents reported that clinical breast examination (CBE) or breast self‐examination (BSE) was very effective, but the majority rated CBE and BSE as somewhat effective. The majority of PCPs routinely recommended mammography, CBE, and BSE to patients aged ≥ 40 years. In multivariate models, family/general practitioners (odds ratio [OR], 2.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.57‐3.17 for mammography; OR, 4.42; 95% CI, 2.60‐7.52 for CBE) and internal medicine specialists (OR, 3.21; 95% CI, 2.21‐4.66 for mammography; OR, 5.34; 95% CI, 3.21‐8.88 for CBE) were more likely to recommend an upper age limit for screening than obstetrician/gynecologists. Physicians who reported that US Preventive Services Task Force guidelines were very influential were more likely to recommend an age at which they no longer recommend mammography and CBE.

CONCLUSIONS:

To the authors' knowledge, the current study is the first national study in over 2 decades to report the breast cancer screening practices of PCPs and provides baseline data for monitoring the impact of changes in clinical practice guidelines. The current findings suggested that virtually all PCPs routinely recommend mammography, CBE, and BSE to their patients aged ≥ 40 years, although recommendations vary by primary care specialty. Cancer 2011. Published 2011 by the American Cancer Society.
Patient willingness to undergo pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic tests in early phase oncology trials
Authors: Tibes Raoul , Piper Barbara F. , Smith Jessica A. , James Raysenia L. , Benjamin Martin A. , Yim Jay H. , Ramanathan Ramesh K. , Von Hoff Daniel D. , Bay R. Curtis , Borad Mitesh J.
Published: January 2011

BACKGROUND:

Increasingly, early phase clinical trials involve pharmacodynamic (PD) and pharmacokinetic (PK) assays as well as frequent imaging studies. The authors conducted a prospective study examining patients' willingness to undergo such tests and the number of tests the patients would tolerate.

METHODS:

A prospective, correlative study was conducted using a self‐reported questionnaire to measure patients' willingness on a scale from 1 (not willing) to 10 (very willing) to undergo various procedures (eg, tumor and skin biopsies, blood tests) and imaging studies (eg, magnetic resonance imaging, echocardiogram). In addition, correlations were assessed between the number and type of tests and demographics, previous test experience, inconvenience, and insurance coverage. Sixty‐one patients (22 women and 39 men) with advanced malignancies were enrolled. Descriptive, nonparametric, and parametric inferential statistics were used.

RESULTS:

Overall willingness to undergo study‐required tests was very high. Patients were most willing to undergo urine, blood, ultrasound, x‐rays, echocardiogram, and computed tomography studies and were least willing to undergo tumor and skin biopsies and magnetic resonance imaging (all P ≤ .01). Significant inverse relations were observed between the frequency of a particular test and patient's willingness to undergo such tests. Inconvenience and prior negative experiences for more invasive tests (eg, skin biopsies) modestly affected willingness to undergo these tests again. College education, insurance coverage, and the requirement of tests for enrollment were correlated positively with willingness to undergo tests.

CONCLUSIONS:

The current findings provide the first prospectively collected data on patients' willingness to undergo PK/PD tests and imaging studies associated with early stage oncology drug trials and can serve as basis for further exploration toward the design of patient‐friendly, biomarker‐driven clinical studies in oncology. Cancer 2011. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
Performance of a standardized bronchoalveolar lavage protocol in a comprehensive cancer center
Authors: Sampsonas Fotis , Kontoyiannis Dimitrios P. , Dickey Burton F. , Evans Scott E.
Published: January 2011

BACKGROUND:

Flexible bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is performed widely for the diagnosis of pulmonary infections in patients with cancer, but there is no consensus regarding the technical parameters of the lavage procedure in this setting.

METHODS:

The authors evaluated the mechanics (instilled and recovered volumes), diagnostic yield, and safety of a standardized BAL protocol in 284 patients with cancer who underwent bronchoscopy for the evaluation of new radiologic infiltrates.

RESULTS:

Physician adherence to the BAL protocol was > 90%. The most common protocol deviations were reductions in the saline volume instilled because of actual or anticipated oxyhemoglobin desaturation during the procedure. The mean volume instilled was 121.5 ± 13.9 mL, the mean volume recovered was 68.7 ± 18.1 mL, and the mean ratio of volume instilled to that recovered was 56.7% ± 14.5%. The overall diagnostic yield of BAL was 33.8% and was higher in the nonhematologic malignancy group (42.3% vs 29.4%; P = .021). The diagnostic yield in neutropenic patients was significantly higher than in non‐neutropenic patients (41.5% vs 24.6%; P = .019). No major complications were encountered.

CONCLUSIONS:

In summary, the diagnostic performance of a standardized BAL protocol was comparable to that of nonprotocolized BAL reported in the literature with few complications. Adherence to a standardized BAL protocol may improve clinical and laboratory comparisons between studies, potentially facilitating research into the diagnosis and management of pneumonia in patients with cancer. Cancer 2011. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
Precession Electron Diffraction – a versatile tool for the characterization of Phase Change Materials
Authors: Schürmann U. , Duppel V. , Buller S. , Bensch W. , Kienle L.
Published: January 2011

Precession Electron Diffraction (PED) has become a versatile tool of Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) for enhancing its nanoscale characterization abilities. In this contribution the advantages of PED are demonstrated on bulk samples of Phase Change Materials (PCM) with the nominal compositions Ge8Sb2Te11 and Ge8Bi2Te11. PED was applied in combination with High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) to determine such homologous structures based on variable sequences of layered building units. The efficiency of PED can be shown by the identification of ordering which is not evident from the projection of the structure in HRTEM or by use of Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED). Simulations support the ability of PED for recording 3D structural information. The PED patterns of the PCM can be assigned to superstructures which exhibit specific distances between adjacent Te‐Te double layers. PED was also performed to analyze the structural changes after massive irradiation of PCM crystals. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Lignin Solubilization and Aqueous Phase Reforming for the Production of Aromatic Chemicals and Hydrogen
Authors: Zakzeski Joseph , Weckhuysen Bert M.
Published: January 2011

The solubilization and aqueous phase reforming of lignin, including kraft, soda, and alcell lignin along with sugarcane bagasse, at low temperatures (T≤498 K) and pressures (P≤29 bar) is reported for the first time for the production of aromatic chemicals and hydrogen. Analysis of lignin model compounds and the distribution of products obtained during the lignin aqueous phase reforming revealed that lignin was depolymerized through disruption of the abundant βO4 linkages and, to a lesser extent, the 55’ carbon‐carbon linkages to form monomeric aromatic compounds. The alkyl chains contained on these monomeric compounds were readily reformed to produce hydrogen and simple aromatic platform chemicals, particularly guaiacol and syringol, with the distribution of each depending on the lignin source. The methoxy groups present on the aromatic rings were subject to hydrolysis to form methanol, which was also readily reformed to produce hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The composition of the isolated yields of monomeric aromatic compounds and overall lignin conversion based on these isolated yields varied from 10–15 % depending on the lignin sample, with the balance consisting of gaseous products and residual solid material. Furthermore, we introduce the use of a high‐pressure autoclave with optical windows and an autoclave with ATR‐IR sentinel for on‐line in situ spectroscopic monitoring of biomass conversion processes, which provides direct insight into, for example, the solubilization process and aqueous phase reforming reaction of lignin.
Improved Niobate Nanoscroll Photocatalysts for Partial Water Splitting
Authors: Townsend Troy K. , Sabio Erwin M. , Browning Nigel D. , Osterloh Frank E.
Published: January 2011

Layered K4Nb6O17 is a known UV‐light‐driven photocatalyst for overall water splitting, with a band gap of 3.5 eV. Following ion exchange and exfoliation with tetrabutylammonium hydroxide, the layered material separates into nanosheets that coil into 1.0±0.5 μm long and 10±5 nm wide nanoscrolls to reduce their surface energy. Pt and IrOx (x=1.5–2) nanoparticles were photochemically deposited onto the surface of the nanoscrolls to produce two‐ and three‐component photocatalysts. Under UV irradiation, the nanostructures produced H2 from pure water and aqueous methanol, with turnover numbers ranging from 2.3 and 18.5 over a 5 h period. The activity of the catalysts for H2 evolution can be directly correlated with the varying overpotentials for water reduction (210–325 mV). From water, no oxygen is evolved. Instead, the formation of surface‐bound peroxides in a 1:1 stoichiometry with H2 is observed. Slow photochemical oxygen evolution can be achieved with the sacrificial electron acceptor AgNO3, and under an electrochemical bias. The electrochemical water oxidation overpotentials are ca. 600 mV across the series of scrolls. From the photo onset potential the conduction band edge for the unmodified scrolls is estimated as −0.75 V at pH 7. Deposition of a co‐catalyst is found to depress this value by 58 mV (IrOx), 148 mV (Pt/IrOx), and 242 mV (Pt). However, because water oxidation remains rate‐limiting, this does not affect the overall performance of the catalysts.
Noncanonical notch function in motor axon guidance is mediated by Rac GTPase and the GEF1 domain of trio
Authors: Song Jeong K. , Giniger Edward
Published: January 2011

The receptor Notch interacts with the Abl tyrosine kinase signaling pathway to control axon growth and guidance in Drosophila motor neurons. In part, this is mediated by binding to Trio, a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for Rho GTPases. We show here that one of the two GEF domains of Trio, the Rac‐specific GEF1, is essential for Trio‐dependent motor axon guidance and for the genetic suppression of Notch function in motor axon patterning, but the Rho‐specific GEF2 domain is not. Consistent with this, we show that Rac, and not Rho1 or Cdc42, interacts genetically with Notch in a manner indistinguishable from that of bona fide Abl signaling components. We infer, therefore, that Rac is a key component of Abl signaling in Drosophila motor axons, and specifically that it is the crucial Rho GTPase in “noncanonical” Notch/Abl signaling. Developmental Dynamics 240:324–332, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Vertebrate intestinal endoderm development
Authors: Spence Jason R. , Lauf Ryan , Shroyer Noah F.
Published: January 2011

The endoderm gives rise to the lining of the esophagus, stomach and intestines, as well as associated organs. To generate a functional intestine, a series of highly orchestrated developmental processes must occur. In this review, we attempt to cover major events during intestinal development from gastrulation to birth, including endoderm formation, gut tube growth and patterning, intestinal morphogenesis, epithelial reorganization, villus emergence, as well as proliferation and cytodifferentiation. Our discussion includes morphological and anatomical changes during intestinal development as well as molecular mechanisms regulating these processes. Developmental Dynamics 240:501–520, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Tracking control for industrial robot using notch filtering system with little phase error
Authors: Kataoka Hisashi , Miyazaki Toshimasa , Ohishi Kiyoshi , Katsura Seiichiro , Tungpataratanawong Somsawas
Published: January 2011

This paper proposes a new method for generation of a position reference that has both vibration suppression performance and fast tracking performance for industrial robots. It is important for industrial robots to drive at high speed and with high accuracy. In such cases, vibration is generated. Conventionally, the notch filter is used in order to reduce vibration. It is able to eliminate the natural frequency component, but a reference phase error is generated. The reference phase error causes locus error in the robot. Therefore, the accuracy of the robot is degraded by using a notch filter. The proposed method overcomes this problem by using the compensation gain. The proposed compensation gain is used in order to calculate the reference phase error. Compensation of the reference phase error is attained by feedforward input. Numerical and the experimental results confirm that the proposed method is valid for reducing vibration phenomena and that it decreases the phase error. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 175(1): 53–63, 2011; Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.20931
Daily integrated generation scheduling for thermal, pumped‐storage, and cascaded hydro units and purchasing power considering network constraints
Authors: Sawa Toshiyuki , Sato Yasuo , Tsurugai Mitsuo , Onishi Tsukasa
Published: January 2011

We have developed an innovative power generation scheduling method using quadratic programming (QP). The advantage of using our method is that it simultaneously solves unit commitment and economic load dispatch. We relax the binary variables of the unit state into continuous variables to apply QP to this problem. We also add a penalty term to converge the value of those variables to 0 or 1 to the objective function: the sum of the fuel costs and the start‐up costs. This penalty term depends on the per‐unit fuel cost. The possibility of its variable converging to zero increases as the cost increases. This method was applied to a test system of daily generation scheduling that consisted of 29 thermal units, two pumped‐storage units, four cascaded hydro units, and one transmission. The schedule satisfied all constraints, that is, load‐power balance, operation reserve, power flow, minimum up/down‐times, and fuel consumption. This result shows that the proposed method is effective. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 175(1): 25–34, 2011; Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.21014
Carbohydrate–Porphyrin Conjugates with Two‐Photon Absorption Properties as Potential Photosensitizing Agents for Photodynamic Therapy
Authors: Achelle Sylvain , Couleaud Pierre , Baldeck Patrice , Teulade‐Fichou Marie‐Paule , Maillard Philippe
Published: January 2011

We report the synthesis of a series of conjugated zinc porphyrin oligomers designed as photodynamic therapy agents. These compounds exhibit exceptionally high two‐photon absorption cross‐sections, redshifted linear absorption spectra, and high singlet oxygen quantum yields, making them ideal for one‐photon‐ and two‐photon‐excited photodynamic therapy. These products are substituted by three α‐mannose units on each chromophore with the aim to target tumor cells with over‐expressing lectin‐type membrane receptors.
A new indicator of elastic spectral shape for the reliable selection of ground motion records
Authors: Mousavi Mehdi , Ghafory‐Ashtiany Mohsen , Azarbakht Alireza
Published: January 2011

How to select a limited number of ground motion records (GMRs) is an important challenge for the non‐linear analysis of structures. Since epsilon (εSa) is an indicator of spectral shape, which has a significant correlation with the non‐linear response of a structure, the selection of GMRs based on the hazard‐related target εSa is a reasonable approach. In this paper, an alternative indicator of spectral shape is proposed, which results in a more reliable prediction of the non‐linear response for the structures with the natural period of 0.25 to 3.0 s. This new parameter, named eta (η), is a linear combination of εSa and the peak ground velocity epsilon (εPGV). It is shown that η, as a non‐linear response predictor, is remarkably more efficient than the well‐known and convenient parameter εSa. The influence of η‐filtration in the collapse analysis of an eight‐story reinforced concrete structure with special moment‐resisting frames was studied. Statistical analysis of the results confirmed that the difference between ε‐filtration and η‐filtration can be very significant at some hazard levels. In the case of this structure, the resulting annual frequency of collapse was found to be lower in the case of η‐based record selection, in comparison with the ε‐based record‐selection approach. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Factors associated with pharyngoesophageal stricture in patients treated with concurrent chemotherapy and radiation therapy for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Best Simon R. , Ha Patrick K. , Blanco Ray G. , Saunders John R. , Zinreich Eva S. , Levine Marshall A. , Pai Sara I. , Walker Melissa , Trachta Jaclyn , Ulmer Karen , Murakami Peter , Thompson Richard , Califano Joseph A. , Messing Barbara P.
Published: January 2011

Background

The purpose of this study was to elucidate factors associated with pharyngoesophageal strictures after treatment for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

Methods

We conducted a retrospective review of patients receiving cisplatin and 5‐fluorouracil chemotherapy combined with concurrent hyperfractionated radiation therapy for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Results

Strictures developed in 13 of 67 patients (19%). Strictures were associated with tumor location (tonsil vs base of tongue; p = .03), neck dissection after completion of therapy (p = .03), and the duration of treatment‐induced mucositis (weeks with mucositis grade ≥2; National Cancer Institute (NCI) Common Toxicity Criteria; p < .001). Age, sex, race, tumor stage, nodal stage, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage, human papillomavirus (HPV) status, smoking, radiation dose, maximum severity of mucositis, amifostine use, and pretreatment swallow dysfunction were not significantly associated with stricture. In multivariate analysis, only duration of mucositis, after controlling for age, sex, and tumor location, remained highly significant (p < .01).

Conclusion

The duration of treatment‐related mucositis is an independent risk factor for stricture formation in patients with oropharyngeal SCC treated with concurrent chemotherapy and radiation therapy. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2011
Effects of Cissus quadrangularis on the proliferation, differentiation and matrix mineralization of human osteoblast like SaOS‐2 cells
Authors: Muthusami Sridhar , Senthilkumar Krishnamoorthy , Vignesh Chandragandan , Ilangovan Ramachandran , Stanley Jone , Selvamurugan Nagarajan , Srinivasan Narasimhan
Published: January 2011

Osteoporosis is a public health problem which is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The repair of bone defect is still a big challenge for orthopedic surgeons. Traditional use of Cissus quadrangularis (C. quadrangularis) in the treatment of bone disorders has been documented. The present study was employed to delineate the effects of ethanolic extract of C. quadrangularis on the proliferation, differentiation and matrix mineralization of human osteoblast like SaOS‐2 cells. Lactate dehydrogenase assayed in the conditioned medium of control and C. quadrangularis treated cells did not differ significantly indicating that ethanolic extract of C. quadrangularis is nontoxic to osteoblastic cells. [3H] Thymidine incorporation assay revealed that C. quadrangularis treatment has increased the DNA synthesis of human osteoblastic SaOS‐2 cells indicating increased proliferation of these cells. The data on alizarin red and ALP staining revealed increased matrix mineralization of human osteoblast like SaOS‐2 cells. The study also revealed that the anabolic actions of ethanolic extract of C. quadrangularis in human osteoblast like cells are mediated through increased mRNA and protein expression of Runx2, a key transcription factor involved in the regulation of bone matrix proteins. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis revealed increased transcriptional activity of Runx2 on the promoter of osteocalcin after C. quadrangularis treatment. These results indicate positive regulation of C. quadrangularis on the proliferation, differentiation, and matrix mineralization of human osteoblast like SaOS‐2 cells. J. Cell. Biochem. 112: 1035–1045, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effects of p‐CREB‐1 on transforming growth factor‐β3 auto‐regulation in hepatic stellate cells
Authors: Deng Liang , Li Ying , Huang Jin ming , Zhou Guan yu , Qian Wei , Xu Ke shu
Published: January 2011

Previous studies have demonstrated that transforming growth factor‐β3 (TGF‐β3) protected liver against fibrosis in vivo and vitro, but its regulation is poorly understood. In addition, the cAMP‐responsive element (CRE) in TGF‐β3 promoter is recognized as an important regulatory site for TGF‐β3 auto‐regulation. Thus, we hypothesize that transcription factor CRE‐binding protein‐1 (CREB‐1) regulates the auto‐induction of TGF‐β3 in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). We used exogenous TGF‐β3 to activate the signal pathway of TGF‐β3 auto‐regulation in HSCs, results indicated that exogenous TGF‐β3 could up‐regulate the protein and mRNA expressions of TGF‐β3, and provoke the phosphorylation of CREB‐1 on Ser‐133, besides, it could induce the DNA binding activity of p‐CREB‐1 and activate TGF‐β3 promoter as well. Additionally, we used pGenesil‐1.1‐shRNA‐CREB‐1 and pRSV‐CREB‐1 expression vector to silence and up‐regulate CREB‐1 gene expression respectively, and the results indicated that inhibition of CREB‐1 suppressed exogenous TGF‐β3 stimulation of TGF‐β3 mRNA and protein expressions in HSCs, whereas up‐regulation of CREB‐1 induced this stimulation. Our results indicate that exogenous TGF‐β3 up‐regulates the activity of TGF‐β3 promoter by activating CREB‐1, then induces the mRNA and protein expressions of TGF‐β3. Especially, p‐CREB‐1 is a critical transcription factor in mediating TGF‐β3 auto‐induction. J. Cell. Biochem. 112: 1046–1054, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Transnational Islam, immigrant NGOs and poverty alleviation: The case of the IGMG
Authors: Ozkan Mehmet
Published: January 2011

In the literature of economic development and civil society, extensive research has been done on the role of western NGOs in fighting poverty; however, there is hardly any study on the role of the NGOs originating from Muslim nations on this issue. There is even a complete silence when it comes to expatriate Muslim NGOs that are functional in the West. This paper aims to fill this gap by studying a Muslim immigrant NGO, Islamische Gemeinschaft Milli Görüş (IGMG), with a focus on its Kurban (meat distribution) projects in more than 70 countries between 2004 and 2009. It argues that a strong transnationalism tendency exists in the expatriate Turkish community living in Germany. The Kurban projects have both the characteristics of this transnational leaning and play an important role in strengthening their own identity in Germany. Through such projects, immigrants not only get first hand information about the situation of Muslims in other countries but also feel part of transnational Islamic community, ummah. Such activities create awareness about poverty among Muslim immigrants and directly contribute to poverty alleviation by aid, investment and projects. From a broader perspective, this study argues that such projects reinforce their identity as immigrants internally/domestically by highlighting the transnational role of Islam and challenges the argument that immigrants are only consumers rather than active contributors to the poverty alleviation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The submandibular musculature of phyllomedusinae (Anura: Hylidae): A reappraisal
Authors: Faivovich J. , Baêta D. , Candioti F. Vera , Haddad C.F.B. , Tyler M.J.
Published: January 2011

The submandibular musculature of 37 species of the five currently recognized genera of the subfamily Phyllomedusinae (Anura: Hylidae) is described; observations are made on the variation and ontogeny of these muscles. Supplementary apical elements of the m. intermandibularis occur in all phyllomedusines studied, in addition to the supplementary posterolateral elements previously reported. Our observations are discussed in the context of 1) the proposed homology between supplementary apical and posterolateral elements; 2) the homology with the apical elements reported for Pelodryadinae (sister taxon of Phyllomedusinae); and 3) the implications for our understanding of the relationships between Phyllomedusinae and Pelodryadinae. Anatomical differences between the apical and posterolateral elements and their co‐occurrence in phyllomedusines indicate that these supplementary elements are not homologous. Despite differences between phyllomedusines and pelodryadines in the adhesion of supplementary fibers to the principal element of the m. intermandibularis and the occurrence of a broad aponeurosis or a medial raphe, the extensive morphological and developmental resemblances of the apical elements indicate that these structures are homologous, and that the presence of apical elements is a synapomorphy of Phyllomedusinae + Pelodryadinae. J. Morphol., 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Diabetes mellitus alters the mechanical properties of the native tendon in an experimental rat model
Authors: Fox Alice J. S. , Bedi Asheesh , Deng Xiang‐Hua , Ying Liang , Harris Paul E. , Warren Russell F. , Rodeo Scott A.
Published: January 2011

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the diabetic phenotype on the mechanical properties of the native patellar tendon and its enthesis. Diabetes was induced via intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin in Lewis rats. Control (n = 18) and diabetic animals (n = 20) were killed at 12 and 19 days for analysis. Statistical comparisons were performed using Student's t‐tests and a two‐tailed Fisher test with significance set at p < 0.05. Pre‐ and post‐injection intraperitoneal glucose tolerance tests demonstrated significant impairment of glycemic control in the diabetic compared to control animals (p = 0.001). Mean serum hemoglobin A1c levels at 19 days was 10.6 ± 2.7% and 6.0 ± 1.0% for the diabetic and control groups, respectively (p = 0.0001). Fifteen of sixteen diabetic animals demonstrated intrasubstance failure of the patellar tendon, while only 7 of 14 control specimens failed within the tendon substance. The Young's modulus of the diabetic tendon was significantly lower than control specimens by 19 days post‐induction (161 ± 10 N m−2 compared to 200 ± 46 N m−2, respectively) (p = 0.02). The metabolic condition of poorly controlled diabetes negatively affects the mechanical properties of the native patellar tendon. These altered structural properties may predispose diabetic patients to a greater risk of tendinopathy and/or traumatic rupture. © 2011 Orthopaedic Research Society Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 29:880–885
Structural profile of ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene in acetabular cups worn on hip simulators characterized by confocal Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Puppulin Leonardo , Kumakura Tsuyoshi , Yamamoto Kengo , Pezzotti Giuseppe
Published: January 2011

We applied a Raman confocal spectroscopic technique to quantitatively assess the structural features of two kinds of acetabular cups made of ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene. We wanted to know whether polyethylene cups belonging to different generations, and thus manufactured by different procedures, possess different molecular structures and how those differences affected their wear resistance. Emphasis was placed on oxidation profiles developed along the cross‐sectional depth of the cups in the main wear zone developed during testing in a hip simulator. The micrometric lateral resolution of the laser beam, focused at surface or sub‐surface sectional planes, enabled the visualization of highly resolved microstructural property profiles, including crystalline and amorphous phase fractions. Oxidation profiles retrieved from polyethylene cups belonging to different generations greatly differed after wear testing. The highly cross‐linked polyethylene showed a lower degree of crystallinity and oxidation at an appreciably slower rate as compared to that belonging to an earlier generation. © 2011 Orthopaedic Research Society Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 29:893–899
APCI/APPI for synthetic polymer analysis
Authors: Terrier P. , Desmazières B. , Tortajada J. , Buchmann W.
Published: January 2011

Modern mass spectrometry of synthetic polymers involves soft ionization techniques. Whereas matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) and electrospray (ESI) are employed routinely, atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) and more recently atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) are used to a lesser extent. However, these latter ionization methods coupled to liquid‐phase separation techniques create new opportunities for the characterization of polymers, especially for low molecular weight compounds or for the polymers that are poorly ionizable by the usual methods. After a part devoted to the description of classical MS methods employed for polymer analysis (MALDI, ESI, and their use with chromatography), APCI and APPI techniques will be described, discussed, and selected examples will present the interest of these ionization sources (or interfaces for LC/MS) in the field of polymer analysis. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., Mass Spec Rev 30:854–874, 2011
Agglomerative connectivity constrained clustering for image segmentation
Authors: Li Jia
Published: January 2011

We consider the problem of clustering under the constraint that data points in the same cluster are connected according to a pre‐existed graph. This constraint can be efficiently addressed by an agglomerative clustering approach, which we exploit to construct a new fully automatic segmentation algorithm for color photographs. For image segmentation, if the pixel grid with eight neighbor connectivity is imposed as the graph, each group of pixels generated by this clustering method is ensured to be a geometrically connected region in the image, a desirable trait for many subsequent operations. To achieve scalability for images with large sizes, the segmentation algorithm combines the top‐downk‐means clustering with the bottom‐up agglomerative clustering method. We also find that it is advantageous to conduct clustering at multiple stages through which the similarity measure is adjusted. Experimental results with comparison to other widely used and state‐of‐the‐art segmentation methods show that the new algorithm achieves higher accuracy at much faster speed. A software package is provided for public access. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Statistical Analysis and Data Mining 4: 84–99 2011
Exploring the complexity of tree thinking expertise in an undergraduate systematics course
Authors: Halverson Kristy L. , Pires Chris J. , Abell Sandra K.
Published: January 2011

Student understanding of biological representations has not been well studied. Yet, we know that to be efficient problem solvers in evolutionary biology and systematics, college students must develop expertise in thinking with a particular type of representation, phylogenetic trees. The purpose of this study was to understand how undergraduates make sense of phylogenetic representations presented in a plant systematics course designed to promote student tree thinking expertise. The primary data sources were two‐tiered pre/posttests and interviews with key informants. Using observations and document analysis as supporting data, we identified multiple misconceptions within students' knowledge of systematics not previously identified in the literature. Relying upon these misconceptions, students developed alternative types of reasoning that interfered with interpreting and using trees. We constructed a classification of student reasoning and identified a suite of varying levels of approaches that went beyond misreading the topology of phylogenetic trees to include the persistent use of nonevolutionary reasoning to address phylogenetic problems. We categorized student reasoning as extraneous, ecological, morphological, branch influenced, tree shape influenced, node influenced, limited phylogenetic, and phylogenetic. By better understanding our students reasoning by qualitative assessments, these findings have implications for curriculum, instruction, and assessment strategies. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed 95:794–823, 2011
Formation of Peelable Rough Gold Patterns on an Ionic Liquid Template
Authors: Ohzono Takuya , Monobe Hirosato , Fukuda Nobuko , Fujiwara Masahiro , Shimizu Yo
Published: January 2011

The ability to control metal patterns at the micro‐ and nanoscales, along with the development of a simple fabrication method, is important to many applications in the fields of materials science, biological sensing, electronics, and photonics. Herein, a simple approach to fabricating gold micropatterns with controlled roughness is reported. In this approach, gold is evaporated onto a striped liquid micropattern formed on self‐organized microwrinkles. Gold nanoribbons with higher roughness form on the liquid part of the substrate because the deposited gold atoms can diffuse, grow, and aggregate at the liquid–air interface, whereas flat gold films form on the solid part. The rough gold nanoribbons formed on the liquid can then be peeled off through contact with water. The extinction spectrum of the rough gold nanoribbons suggests characteristic surface‐plasmon absorption. This shows the possibility of using rough gold nanoribbons with controlled shape in plasmonic technology.
Isolating bugs in multithreaded programs using execution suppression
Authors: Jeffrey Dennis , Wang Yan , Tian Chen , Gupta Rajiv
Published: January 2011

Memory‐related program failures in multithreaded programs can be caused by a variety of bugs. Concurrency bugs can occur due to unexpected or incorrect thread interleavings during execution. Other kinds of memory bugs, such as buffer overflows and uninitialized reads, may also occur in multithreaded as well as single‐threaded programs. Most prior techniques for isolating these bugs are specialized, addressing only one type of concurrency bug or certain types of other memory bugs. The memory corruption caused by these bugs can also undergo significant propagation during program execution. When a program failure finally occurs due to memory corruption, the true root cause of the failure may be effectively concealed as significant portions of memory may have become corrupted. We propose a general framework that can isolate the root cause of any failure in a multithreaded program that involves memory corruption and reveals at least a subset of this memory corruption. This includes three important types of concurrency bugs—data races, atomicity violations, and order violations—as well as other kinds of memory bugs. To account for propagation of memory corruption, our approach uses a dynamic technique called ‘execution suppression’ that iteratively reveals memory corruption in a failing execution to isolate the true root cause of the failure. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.