bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microorganisms: Extremely Thermophilic
Authors: Gray Steven R. , Adams Michael W.W. , Kelly* Robert M.
Published: October 2009

Extremely thermophilic microorganisms (Topt≥ 70°C) are found in geographically diverse marine and terrestrial environments and represent a wide range of growth physiologies. Extreme thermophiles thrive at high temperatures and, as such, different approaches must be taken to cultivate them in laboratory settings. Genome sequences of many extreme thermophiles have been completed and offer a glimpse into the basis for their high temperature life styles. A number of biotechnological applications have been envisioned that take strategic advantage of their thermophilicity, including the production of biohydrogen and recovery of base and precious metals from ores. As genetic systems are developed and implemented for extreme thermophiles, metabolic engineering approaches will be possible to tune the unique characteristics of these microorganisms for bioprocessing uses.
Flow Cytometry
Authors: Müller Susann , Bley Thomas
Published: October 2009

Microorganisms are widely used in biotechnology and present a wide biodiversity including yeast, algae, protozoa and bacteria. Because of their high abundances, and their large variety of metabolic activities which makes them ubiquitous, microorganisms represent a key component in environmental and biotechnical studies and applications. To enhance our understanding of the heterogeneity and complexity of the microbial consortia, both in term of composition and functioning, their direct analysis must be done on a single cell level and requires a non‐invasive interrogation of the cells. The developments of analytical flow and static cytometry, together with advances in the field of fluorescent probes have enabled the measurement of a wide range of cell characteristics. The study of technical systems where microbial cells interact within an artificially engineered environment (e.g. fermentation, bio‐remediation, bio‐transformation) is important for the biotechnical industry. Accurate measurements relating to cell proliferation, viability and scatter properties of cells are essential if informed decisions about a process are to be made. In this way, products can be harvested at optimal concentrations and inducible systems can be activated at the appropriate time so that high product yields are achieved. In the review are highlighted newly developed techniques and recent advances in this field.
Cephalosporin Production by Fungal Metabolic Engineering
Authors: Rodríguez‐Sáiz Marta , Fuente Juan Luis De La , Barredo José Luis
Published: October 2009

Metabolic engineering is being used in optimization of β‐lactam production as a rational alternative to classical strain improvement programs, as well as for the construction of new biosynthetic pathways. Several examples on how metabolic engineering can be applied toAcremonium chrysogenumto enhance cephalosporin C production are described, including the overexpression ofcefEF,cefG,mecB, andcefTgenes. Additionally, an overview on the metabolic engineering of the β‐lactam biosynthetic pathways of the fungiA. chrysogenumandPenicillium chrysogenumto develop new biotechnological methods for the production of the commercially valuable cephalosporins 7‐aminocephalosporanic acid (7‐ACA) and 7‐aminodeacetoxycephalosporanic acid (7‐ADCA) is presented. Finally, recent developments on the direct evolution of the central enzyme of the cephalosporin biosynthetic pathway (deacetoxycephalosporin C synthase; DAOCS) as a key to the replacement of chemical processes to obtain 7‐ACA and 7‐ADCA are shown.
Gene Expression: Human Cells
Authors: Cacciuttolo Marco A. , Lee Gene , Chon John , Lewis John
Published: October 2009

Human cell lines are becoming increasingly attractive for the expression of proteins in both research and commercial production of human therapeutics. Most of the recent interest derives not only from the recent achievements in record levels of protein expression but also from the record of safety of using human cells as substrates to date, and also from advances in the techniques and methods used to express genes. In addition, human cells can offer a safer alternative for the production of human therapeutics; the majority of them being produced currently from nonhuman cell lines, which in some cases carry animal‐derived structures that have been shown to be harmful to humans. This article provides a succinct view of the current technology, safety, and regulatory aspects of using human cells for gene expression, including examples of industrial applications of human cell lines expressing recombinant proteins.
Protein Glycosylation: Methods for Determination
Authors: Butler Michael , Perreault Helene
Published: October 2009

Glycoproteins are produced in eukaryotes as pools of different glycoforms with varying glycan structures attached to a single invariant peptide backbone. The characteristic glycoform profile is dependent upon the glycan structures added during co‐translation and modified post‐translationally. The glycosylation process is important to ensure the full efficacy of any glycoproteins used therapeutically.

As the number of therapeutic increases there is a requirement to apply rapid analysis of glycans to glycoproteins that are produced as biopharmaceuticals for human therapy. Such methods are required as quality control to ensure that there is minimal variability between multiple batches in a bioprocess. Similarly, protocols adopted for diagnostic screening need to be rapid in order to handle multiple samples.

Full structural analysis is possible by a combination of techniques including NMR, mass spectrometry and HPLC using exoglycosidase arrays for sequential breakdown of glycan structures. However there are other techniques that allow rapid screening that do not necessarily include full structural analysis. High though‐ put techniques are available for mass spectrometry, HPLC as well as lectin arrays, FACE or capillary electrophoresis Rapid analysis using such techniques may provide profiles that are adequate at least for ensuring consistency in production.

The choice of method therefore will depend upon the degree of analytical information required.

Several of the methods described in this chapter may be acceptable as providing glycan profiles but may not provide unambiguous structural assignments.

The analysis of glycosylation patters are important to ensure consistency during a biopharmaceutical production process. Here we present the basis for analysis by several techniques that might be suitable during bioprocessing.
Good Manufacturing Practice (
GMP
) and Good Industrial Large Scale Practice (
GLSP
)
Authors: Junker Beth H.
Published: October 2009

Key aspects of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Good Industrial Large Scale Practice are presented an discussed. Major areas included are facility regulatory guidelines, facility performance validation, and investigations of nonconformances and deviations. Areas covered span from process scale equipment, laboratory equipment, utilities and computer systems. Specific emphasis has been placed on steam‐in‐place and clean‐in‐place, and autoclave load patterns. Current best practices in each of these areas are presented, including concepts for design, operation, effectiveness studies, and methods to reduce failures. An extensive bibliography coupled with data from an actual operating pilot plant give this chapter a strong applied foundation.
Hostility‐ and gender‐related differences in oscillatory responses to emotional facial expressions
Authors: Knyazev Gennady G. , Bocharov Andrey V. , Slobodskoj‐Plusnin Jaroslav Yu.
Published: October 2009

Hostility is associated with biases in the perception of emotional facial expressions, such that ambiguous or neutral expressions tend to be perceived as threatening or angry. In this study, the effects of hostility and gender on the perception of angry, neutral, and happy faces and on the oscillatory dynamics of cortical responses elicited by these presentations were investigated using time–frequency decomposition by means of wavelet transforms. Feelings of hostility predisposed subjects to perceive happy and neutral faces as less friendly. This effect was more pronounced in women. In hostile subjects, presentation of emotional facial expressions also evoked stronger posterior synchronization in the theta and diminished desynchronization in the alpha band. This may signify a prevalence of emotional responding over cognitive processing. These effects were also more pronounced in females. Hostile females, but not hostile males, additionally showed a widespread synchronization in the alpha band. This synchronization is tentatively explained as a manifestation of inhibitory control which is present in aggressive females, but not in aggressive males. Aggr. Behav. 35:502–513, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Relevance of perceived childhood neglect, 5‐HTT gene variants and hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal axis dysregulation to substance abuse susceptibility
Authors: Gerra G. , Zaimovic A. , Castaldini L. , Garofano L. , Manfredini M. , Somaini L. , Leonardi C. , Gerra M.L. , Donnini C.
Published: October 2009

The hypotheses of (1) gene × environment interaction in the susceptibility to experiment with drugs and (2) hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis involvement in mediating the effects of early adverse experiences and gene variants affecting serotonin function on substance abuse vulnerability were tested by investigating in 187 healthy adolescents the possible relevance of 5‐HTT “S” polymorphism, childhood parental neglect reported retrospectively and HPA axis function to the susceptibility to experiment with illicit drugs. Higher frequency of the 5‐HTT SS genotype seems to be associated with an increased susceptibility to use illegal psychotropic drugs among the adolescents. At the same time, reduced maternal care perception was found to represent a key intermediate factor of the association between SS polymorphism and drug use, suggesting that genetic factors and parental behavior concur to drug use susceptibility. Our results also confirm the relationship between basal plasma levels of cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) on the one hand, and retrospective measures of neglect during childhood: the higher the mother and father neglect CECA‐Q scores, the higher the plasma levels of the two HPA hormones. Such positive relationship has been proved to be particularly effective and important when associated to the S‐allele, both in homozygote and heterozygote individuals. However, when tested together with genotype and parental neglect, the effect of HPA hormones such as cortisol and ACTH was not found to improve significantly the explanatory power of the risk model. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Revisiting the g‐index: The average number of citations in the g‐core
Authors: Schreiber Michael
Published: October 2009

The g‐index is discussed in terms of the average number of citations of the publications in the g‐core, showing that it combines features of the h‐index and the A‐index in one number. For a visualization, data of 8 famous physicists are presented and analyzed. In comparison with the h‐index, the g‐index increases between 67% and 144%, on average by a factor of 2.
Unified linear subspace approach to semantic analysis
Authors: Li Dandan , Kwong Chung‐Ping , Lee Dik Lun
Published: October 2009

The Basic Vector Space Model (BVSM) is well known in information retrieval. Unfortunately, its retrieval effectiveness is limited because it is based on literal term matching. The Generalized Vector Space Model (GVSM) and Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) are two prominent semantic retrieval methods, both of which assume there is some underlying latent semantic structure in a dataset that can be used to improve retrieval performance. However, while this structure may be derived from both the term space and the document space, GVSM exploits only the former and LSI the latter. In this article, the latent semantic structure of a dataset is examined from a dual perspective; namely, we consider the term space and the document space simultaneously. This new viewpoint has a natural connection to the notion of kernels. Specifically, a unified kernel function can be derived for a class of vector space models. The dual perspective provides a deeper understanding of the semantic space and makes transparent the geometrical meaning of the unified kernel function. New semantic analysis methods based on the unified kernel function are developed, which combine the advantages of LSI and GVSM. We also prove that the new methods are stable because although the selected rank of the truncated Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) is far from the optimum, the retrieval performance will not be degraded significantly. Experiments performed on standard test collections show that our methods are promising.
Problems of citation analysis: A study of uncited and seldom‐cited influences
Authors: MacRoberts M.H. , MacRoberts B.R.
Published: October 2009

To determine influences on the production of a scientific article, the content of the article must be studied. We examined articles in biogeography and found that most of the influence is not cited, specific types of articles that are influential are cited while other types of that also are influential are not cited, and work that is “uncited” and “seldom cited” is used extensively. As a result, evaluative citation analysis should take uncited work into account.
Zur Diskussion des Böenreaktionsfaktors G nach DIN 1055‐4:2005
Authors: Hertle Robert
Published: October 2009

Mit Einführung der DIN 1055‐4:2005 fand ein Paradigmenwechsel bei der Beschreibung der Windlasten statt. Das bisherige, deterministische Konzept zur Definition der Windeinwirkung wurde verlassen und durch ein auf stochastischen Überlegungen fußendes ersetzt. Für Konstruktionen und Bauwerke, die nicht schwingungsanfällig unter böigen Windeinwirkungen sind, ergeben sich daraus keine nennenswerten Änderungen bei der rechnerischen Untersuchung. Für die Analyse von schwingungsanfälligen Konstruktionen hat diese Neukonzeption tiefgreifende Konsequenzen. Die bekannte und einfach zu handhabende Ermittlung des Böenreaktionsfaktors auf Grundlage der Normen der achtziger und neunziger Jahre des vergangenen Jahrhunderts wurde durch ein komplexes, unübersichtliches und mit einfachen Ingenieurmethoden nicht mehr zu überprüfendes Berechnungsschema abgelöst. In diesem Beitrag wird dieses Schema diskutiert, und es wird ein einfaches Näherungsverfahren zur Ermittlung der Böenreaktion einer Konstruktion vorgeschlagen, welches, insbesondere vor dem Hintergrund der sonstigen Unschärfen und Unsicherheiten einer Berechnung, ausreichende Genauigkeit zeigt.

On the discussion of the gust reaction factor acc. DIN 1055‐4:2005.

With the introduction of DIN 1055‐4:2005 a change of paradigm concerning the description of wind loads took place. The previous concept, based on a deterministic view, was replaced by an approach using stochastic considerations. For constructions and buildings deemed to be not susceptible to gust action, no significant changes within the structural analysis arise. Enormous consequences, on the other hand, have to be faced when analyzing structures susceptible to gust action. The well known and easy to handle method for calculating the gust reaction factor using the standards of the 80th and 90th of the last century, was redeemed by a complex, partly confused calculation scheme which is not checkable with usual engineering tools. In the following paper this calculation scheme is discussed. Following to this discussion, a simplified method for calculating the gust reaction factor is presented. The accuracy of this method lies, having the usual uncertainties and deficits of structural analyses in mind, in an acceptable range.
Stiftförmige Verbindungsmittel des Holzbaus im Normenvergleich
Authors: Bernhard Markus , Mayr Norbert , Schrader Felix
Published: October 2009

Bei der Bemessung stiftförmiger Verbindungsmittel des Holzbaus gab es im Zuge der Umstellung auf eine neue Normengeneration einen Paradigmenwechsel. Für das einzelne Verbindungsmittel muss eine ganze Reihe von Nachweisen auf der Grundlage einer deutlich verfeinerten Versagenstheorie geführt werden. Zudem wird das Zusammenwirken mehrerer Verbindungsmittel an einem Knotenpunkt mit wesentlich größeren Reduktionsfaktoren belegt, als dies bisher der Fall war.

Dowel type fasteners for timber construction in comparison of design codes.

The change to new design codes for timber constructions led to a paradigm shift in the dimensioning of dowel type fasteners. For the single fastener a series of regulations have to be obeyed on a basis of a much more detailed theory of failure. In addition to this the interaction of fasteners in a joint is backed with much higher reduction factors than before.
In vitro–in vivo correlation of modified release dosage form of lamotrigine
Authors: Shah Hiten J. , Subbaiah Gunta , Patel Dasharath M. , Patel Chhagan N.
Published: October 2009

The plasma concentration profile of lamotrigine was predicted from the dissolution test data of the modified release 100 mg lamotrigine tablet by applying the in vitro–in vivo correlation (IVIVC). Three different release formulations (L‐1, L‐2 and L‐3) and its profiles of in vitro data were generated in different dissolution media. Pharmacokinetics evaluation of these formulations was carried out in 12 healthy volunteers. In vitro–in vivo correlation was established from the generated dissolution and bioavailability data. A good correlation between the percentages dissolved vs absorbed (r2>0.989) was obtained using level A correlation. Evaluation of the internal predictability of level A correlation was calculated in terms of percent prediction error, which was found to be below 15%. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sampling methods for NMR‐based metabolomics of Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Wu Xiao‐He , Yu Hai‐Long , Ba Zhao‐Yong , Chen Jing‐Yu , Sun Hong‐Gang , Han Bei‐Zhong
Published: October 2009

To select an appropriate sampling method for comparison of metabolite profiles between planktonic and biofilm Staphylococcus aureus using NMR techniques, we evaluated three methods: quenching‐centrifugation (QC), filtration‐quenching (FQ) and filtration‐quenching‐lyophilization (FQL). We found differences in metabolite loss, yield, reproducibility and metabolite profile. QC caused severe metabolite leakage and possible decomposition of nucleotides. FQ achieved high yields and reproducibility, although it had the disadvantages of long filtration and rinse times before quenching. FQL resulted in a loss of a few metabolites and a lower yield due to lyophilization. Although the biomarkers discovered by each method were nearly the same and seemed insensitive to technical variances, we conclude that FQ is the most appropriate sampling method because of its high yield and reproducibility.
In vitro liver model using microfabricated scaffolds in a modular bioreactor
Authors: Vinci Bruna , Cavallone Daniela , Vozzi Giovanni , Mazzei Daniele , Domenici Claudio , Brunetto Maurizia , Ahluwalia Arti
Published: October 2009

Hepatocyte function on 3‐D microfabricated polymer scaffolds realised with the pressure‐activated microsyringe was tested under static and dynamic conditions. The dynamic cell culture was obtained using the multicompartment modular bioreactor system. Hepatocyte cell density, glucose consumption, and albumin secretion rate were measured daily over a week. Cells seeded on scaffolds showed an increase in cell density compared with monolayer controls. Moreover, in dynamic culture, cell metabolic function increased three times in comparison with static monolayer cultures. These results suggest that cell density and cell‐cell interactions are mediated by the architecture of the substrate, while the endogenous biochemical functions are regulated by a sustainable supply of nutrients and interstitial‐like flow. Thus, a combination of 3‐D scaffolds and dynamic flow conditions are both important for the development of a hepatic tissue model for applications in drug testing and regenerative medicine.
Rabies virus glycoprotein expression in Drosophila S2 cells: Influence of re‐selection on protein expression
Authors: dos Santos Alexandra Souza , Lemos Marcos Alexandre Nobre , Pereira Carlos Augusto , Jorge Soraia Attie Calil
Published: October 2009

The aim of this study was to achieve expression of recombinant rabies virus glycoprotein (rRVGP) in Drosophila S2 cells. For this, a cDNA coding for the selection hygromycin antibiotic and the cDNA encoding the RVGP protein under the control of the constitutive actin promoter (Ac) were cloned in an expression plasmid, which was transfected into S2 cells. S2 cell populations (S2AcRVGPHy) showed rRVGP expression in cell lysates, attaining concentrations up to 1.5 μg/107 cells (705 μg/L). Of the transfected cells, 20% were shown to express the rRVGP. Cell subpopulations selected by limiting dilution expressed higher rRVGP yields and 90% of the cells were shown to express the rRVGP. Cell populations re‐selected by addition of hygromycin were shown to express 10 times higher rRVGP yields. The data presented here show that Drosophila S2 cells can be efficiently transfected with an expression/selection plasmid for rRVGP expression, allowing its synthesis with a high degree of physical and biological integrity. The importance of subpopulation selection was indicated by the increasing rRVGP yields during these procedures.
Bone tissue engineering: A review in bone biomimetics and drug delivery strategies
Authors: Porter Joshua R. , Ruckh Timothy T. , Popat Ketul C.
Published: October 2009

Critical‐sized defects in bone, whether induced by primary tumor resection, trauma, or selective surgery have in many cases presented insurmountable challenges to the current gold standard treatment for bone repair. The primary purpose of a tissue‐engineered scaffold is to use engineering principles to incite and promote the natural healing process of bone which does not occur in critical‐sized defects. A synthetic bone scaffold must be biocompatible, biodegradable to allow native tissue integration, and mimic the multidimensional hierarchical structure of native bone. In addition to being physically and chemically biomimetic, an ideal scaffold is capable of eluting bioactive molecules (e.g., BMPs, TGF‐βs, etc., to accelerate extracellular matrix production and tissue integration) or drugs (e.g., antibiotics, cisplatin, etc., to prevent undesired biological response such as sepsis or cancer recurrence) in a temporally and spatially controlled manner. Various biomaterials including ceramics, metals, polymers, and composites have been investigated for their potential as bone scaffold materials. However, due to their tunable physiochemical properties, biocompatibility, and controllable biodegradability, polymers have emerged as the principal material in bone tissue engineering. This article briefly reviews the physiological and anatomical characteristics of native bone, describes key technologies in mimicking the physical and chemical environment of bone using synthetic materials, and provides an overview of local drug delivery as it pertains to bone tissue engineering is included. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2009
Girls and boys as victims: social workers' approaches to children exposed to violence
Authors: Eriksson Maria
Published: October 2009

This article explores what notions of the child, victim, girlhood and boyhood may mean for social workers' approaches to children ‘witnessing’ or being exposed to violence. The discussion draws on qualitative interviews with children who have participated in social services' investigations regulated by Swedish family law. The analytical framework combines a care perspective focused on the vulnerable position of children exposed to violence, and a rights/participation perspective focusing on children's agency and rights to participation. Drawing on children's narratives, it is shown how social workers create at least four different victim positions for children in the investigation process: protected victim, invisible victim, unprotected victim and victim with participation. Thereafter, it is discussed how child positions and social work approaches may be linked to a wider cultural context, in particular notions of ‘ideal’ victims, age and gender. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The EssenCES measure of social climate: A preliminary validation and normative data in UK high secure hospital settings
Authors: Howells Kevin , Tonkin Matthew , Milburn Christine , Lewis Jessica , Draycot Simon , Cordwell John , Price Miranda , Davies Steffan , Schalast Norbert
Published: October 2009

Background The social climate of forensic units is important but little investigated, in part because of the unavailability of a clinically practical and statistically sound measure.

Aims To provide preliminary psychometric and normative data for the English version of the Essen Climate Evaluation Schema (EssenCES) in UK high‐security hospital settings.

Method A total of 324 staff and patients from three high‐security hospital services completed the EssenCES, and a subgroup completed a range of other questionnaires related to therapeutic milieu and working environment (GMI, WAAM, WES‐10).

Results The original three‐factor structure and satisfactory internal consistency were retained. The pattern of correlations between the EssenCES scales and other climate‐related variables support the construct validity of the EssenCES measure, with the exception of the Patient Cohesion subscale.

Conclusions Although preliminary, these data suggest that the English version of EssenCES may be a valid tool for assessing the social climate of high secure hospital settings in the UK, but a larger research study is required, covering a wider range of psychiatric disorders, types of service and levels of security. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Glutaminase Production using Zygosaccharomyces rouxii NRRL‐Y 2547: Effect of Aeration, Agitation Regimes and Feeding Strategies
Authors: Iyer P. V. , Singhal R. S.
Published: October 2009

Systematic investigations on the effect of varying dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations and agitation profiles on glutaminase yield from Zygosaccharomyces rouxii NRRL Y‐2547 were conducted in a batch stirred tank reactor. The agitation rate was varied in the range of 100–400 rpm, while the DO values studied were 20, 40 and 60 %, respectively. Furthermore, a stepwise reduction in DO was investigated wherein the DO concentration was decreased from 40 % for the first 12 h to 20 % for the following 24 h, and finally decreased to 5 % DO up to 54 h (end of batch period). The maximum enzyme yield in all cases was observed after 48 h at 37 °C. An agitation rate of 200 rpm and a three‐stage DO maintenance strategy (40‐20‐5 % DO) gave maximum glutaminase productivity. Yeast extract and glucose feeding increased the enzyme production from 370.75 ± 4.97 units/L to 437.14 ± 4.44 and 417.99 ± 5.82 units/L, respectively.
Heterogeneous Catalyzed Pyridine Synthesis using Montmorillionite and Nanoparticle‐Impregnated Alumina in a Continuous Micro Flow System
Authors: Abahmane L. , Knauer A. , Ritter U. , Köhler J. M. , Groß G. A.
Published: October 2009

The synthesis of pyridine derivatives was investigated using a combined micro flow‐through system. Therefore, two different heterogeneous catalyst assemblies were used subsequently under different temperature conditions. The investigated pyridine synthesis method includes three reaction steps: at first, an enamine has to be formed by a condensation reaction of methyl ketone and propargylamine. Secondly, a pericyclic reaction of the enamine is needed to form dihydropyridine derivatives. Finally, the dihydropyrimidines received have to be oxidized to yield the desired pyridine derivative. The propargylamine used tends towards side reactions even if activating catalysts are present at elevated temperatures. To reach high yields for the overall process, each reaction step demands for a specific catalyst and suited reaction conditions. Hence, the reaction sequence was separated into two consecutive steps. For the initial condensation reaction, montmorillionite was investigated as heterogeneous catalyst. For the subsequent reaction steps, different types of nanoparticles impregnated on alumina were investigated as oxidation catalyst, using air as oxidation agent. Here, the results and optimized process conditions for the conversion of aliphatic and aromatic methyl ketones are presented. As a result, the separation of the reaction steps by application of the two‐step microreactor system leads to a significant improvement of the process performance. The reaction time was reduced significantly to about 20 minutes without reduction of the product turnover in several cases.
Electromagnetic Interference of Communication Devices on ECG Machines
Authors: Baranchuk Adrian , Kang Jaskaran , Shaw Cathy , Campbell Debra , Ribas Sebastian , Hopman Wilma M. , Alanazi Haitham , Redfearn Damian P. , Simpson Christopher S.
Published: October 2009

Background

Use of communication devices in the hospital environment remains controversial. Electromagnetic interference (EMI) can affect different medical devices. Potential sources for EMI on ECG machines were systematically tested.

Hypothesis

Communication devices produce EMI on ECG machines. EMI impairs ECG interpretation.

Methods

The communication devices tested were: a global system for mobile communication (GSM) receiver, a code division multiple access (CDMA) receiver, an analog phone, a wireless local area network, and an alpha‐numeric pager. EMI was tested on 3 ECG machines: MAC 5000, MAC 1200, and ELI 100. The devices were tested at 2 and 1 meter, 50, 25, and 0 cm from the acquisition module. The ECGs were presented to a heterogeneous group of clinical providers, (medical students, residents, nurses, industry representatives from cardiac devices companies, and attending cardiologists) to evaluate the impact of EMI on ECG interpretation skills.

Results

EMI was detected on the MAC 5000 ECG machine when activated GSM, CDMA, and analog phones were placed on top of the acquisition module. No EMI was seen on the other ECG machines or when phones were at a longer distance or deactivated. EMI was incorrectly diagnosed in 18% of the cases. EMI was confused most frequently with atrial fibrillation or flutter (52%), ventricular arrhythmias (22%), and pacemaker dysfunction (26%). Medical students (p < 0.003) and non‐cardiology residents (p = 0.05) demonstrated significantly worse performance on EMI interpretation.

Conclusions

Digital and analog phones produce EMI on modern ECG machines when activated in direct contact to the acquisition module. EMI impairs ECG interpretation. Copyright © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Psychosocial interventions in breast cancer
Authors: Kaufmann Peter G.
Published: October 2009

A broad literature supports the importance of lifestyle, stress, and other psychosocial variables as independent risk factors for cancer and other diseases. To alleviate their effects, progress can be made through well‐designed clinical trials.
Prognostic significance of lymph node invasion in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Lughezzani Giovanni , Capitanio Umberto , Jeldres Claudio , Isbarn Hendrik , Shariat Shahrokh F. , Arjane Philippe , Widmer Hugues , Perrotte Paul , Montorsi Francesco , Karakiewicz Pierre I.
Published: October 2009

BACKGROUND:

Virtually all staging schemes aimed at predicting the prognosis of surgically treated patients diagnosed with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (MRCC) omit the use of lymph node stage. In the current study, the authors tested the prognostic significance of lymph node stage in patients with MRCC within a population‐based cohort of patients treated with cytoreductive nephrectomy to assess whether the inclusion of lymph node stage could improve the accuracy of cancer‐specific mortality predictions.

METHODS:

Within the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database, the authors identified 1153 patients who were treated with cytoreductive nephrectomy for MRCC, with (negative lymph nodes [N0] vs positive lymph nodes [N1‐2]) or without (unknown lymph node stage [Nx]) lymphadenectomy. Of 797 patients treated with lymphadenectomy, 42.9% were found to have lymph node metastases. Kaplan‐Meier plots and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses tested the statistical significance and the independent predictor status of lymph node stage, Fuhrman grade, tumor size, year of surgery, race, sex, and age in patients who underwent lymphadenectomy at the time of cytoreductive nephrectomy.

RESULTS:

At 3 years after cytoreductive nephrectomy, the cancer‐specific mortality‐free rates of N1‐2 versus N0 versus Nx patients were 14.4% versus 34.7% versus 34.0%, respectively. Lymph node stage represented the most informative variable and achieved independent predictor status in all multivariate models (P < .001). Consideration of lymph node stage added 3.2% accuracy to other predictors of cancer‐specific mortality.

CONCLUSIONS:

The findings of the current study indicate that lymph node stage should be considered in prognostic models. The TNM staging of MRCC patients also should rely on the stage of locoregional lymph nodes, because the 3‐year cancer‐specific mortality rates of lymph node‐negative and lymph node‐positive MRCC patients differ by as much as 20%. Cancer 2009. © 2009 American Cancer Society.
Analysis of harmonic electromagnetic field using element‐free Galerkin method
Authors: Yang E. H. , Wang S. G. , Mo J. Q. , Liang Q. H. , Xu W.
Published: October 2009

By means of the vector weight function and the weighted residual method, the detailed implementation of the numerical model in a harmonic electromagnetic problem, which is formulated with the A‐ϕ‐A method, is completed by applying the element‐free Galerkin method (EFGM) in the cylindrical coordinates. Moreover, the impositions of the essential boundary conditions and the interface conditions (ICs) are also discussed. Furthermore, an axisymmetric longitudinal flux induction heating problem is applied to validate the effectiveness of the EFGM for the electromagnetic problem. The computational results agree well with those of the finite element method (FEM). It proves that the numerical model of the harmonic electromagnetic problem is correct. In addition, the appropriate value of the penalty coefficient for the electromagnetic field ICs is given. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hydrogen Storage Mediated by Pd and Pt Nanoparticles
Authors: Yamauchi Miho , Kobayashi Hirokazu , Kitagawa Hiroshi
Published: October 2009

The hydrogen storage properties of metal nanoparticles change with particle size. For example, in a palladium–hydrogen system, the hydrogen solubility and equilibrium pressure for the formation of palladium hydride decrease with a decrease in the particle size, whereas hydrogen solubility in nanoparticles of platinum, in which hydrogen cannot be stored in the bulk state, increases. Systematic studies of hydrogen storage in Pd and Pt nanoparticles have clarified the origins of these nanosize effects. We found a novel hydrogen absorption site in the hetero‐interface that forms between the Pd core and Pt shell of the Pd/Pt core/shell‐type bimetallic nanoparticles. It is proposed that the potential formed in the hetero‐interface stabilizes hydrogen atoms rather than interstitials in the Pd core and Pt shells. These results suggest that metal nanoparticles a few nanometers in size can act as a new type of hydrogen storage medium. Based on knowledge of the nanosize effects, we discuss how hydrogen storage media can be designed for improvement of the conditions of hydrogen storage.
An Excursion from Normal to Inverted CC Bonds Shows a Clear Demarcation between Covalent and Charge‐Shift CC Bonds
Authors: Shaik Sason , Chen Zhenhua , Wu Wei , Stanger Amnon , Danovich David , Hiberty Philippe C.
Published: October 2009

What is the nature of the CC bond? Valence bond and electron density computations of 16 CC bonds show two families of bonds that flesh out as a phase diagram. One family, involving ethane, cyclopropane and so forth, is typified by covalent CC bonding wherein covalent spin‐pairing accounts for most of the bond energy. The second family includes the inverted bridgehead bonds of small propellanes, where the bond is neither covalent nor ionic, but owes its existence to the resonance stabilization between the respective structures; hence a charge‐shift (CS) bond. The dual family also emerges from calculated and experimental electron density properties. Covalent CC bonds are characterized by negative Laplacians of the density, whereas CS‐bonds display small or positive Laplacians. The positive Laplacian defines a region suffering from neighbouring repulsive interactions, which is precisely the case in the inverted bonding region. Such regions are rich in kinetic energy, and indeed the energy‐density analysis reveals that CS‐bonds are richer in kinetic energy than the covalent CC bonds. The large covalent–ionic resonance energy is precisely the mechanism that lowers the kinetic energy in the bonding region and restores equilibrium bonding. Thus, different degrees of repulsive strain create two bonding families of the same chemical bond made from a single atomic constituent. It is further shown that the idea of repulsive strain is portable and can predict the properties of propellanes of various sizes and different wing substituents. Experimentally (M. Messerschmidt, S. Scheins, L. Bruberth, M. Patzel, G. Szeimies, C. Paulman, P. Luger,Angew. Chem.2005,117, 3993–3997;Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.2005,44, 3925–3928), the CC bond families are beautifully represented in [1.1.1]propellane, where the inverted CC is a CS‐bond, while the wings are made from covalent CC bonds. What other manifestations can we expect from CS‐bonds? Answers from experiment have the potential of recharting the mental map of chemical bonding.
Performance evaluation for sustainable business: a profitability and marketability framework
Authors: Lo Shih‐Fang
Published: October 2009

Corporate sustainability is defined as the integration of financial benefit, environmental protection, and social responsibility into business operations and management. However, there is little evidence depicting the relationship between corporate sustainability and operating performance, and it is also doubtful whether investors in the stock market value corporate sustainable strategies. This study therefore seeks to evaluate the performance of sustainable firms through the perspectives of exploring realistic issues as well as providing supporting evidence. A two‐stage performance evaluation is adopted to evaluate the sustainable firms' profitability and marketability efficiency in comparison with other firms. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
Dynamic pricing for load‐balancing in user‐centric joint call admission control of next‐generation wireless networks
Authors: Falowo Olabisi E. , Zeadally Sherali , Chan H. Anthony
Published: October 2009

Next‐generation wireless networks (NGWN) will be heterogeneous, comprising of a number of radio access technologies (RATs) co‐existing in the same geographical area. In NGWN, joint call admission control (JCAC) algorithms are required to select the most appropriate RAT for each incoming call. It is envisaged that these JCAC algorithms will be user‐centric (i.e. will consider users' preferences in making RAT selection decisions) in order to enhance user satisfaction. However, user‐centric JCAC algorithms can lead to highly unbalanced traffic load among the available RATs in NGWN because users act independently, and most of them may prefer to be connected through a particular RAT. Highly unbalanced traffic load in NGWN will result in high overall call blocking/dropping probability and poor radio result utilization. To address this problem, we propose dynamic pricing for balancing traffic load among available RATs in heterogeneous wireless networks where users' preferences are considered in making RAT selection decisions. By dynamically adjusting the service price in each of the available RATs, the proposed user‐centric JCAC scheme evens out the unbalanced traffic load caused by independent users' preferences. The JCAC scheme uses fuzzy multiple attribute decision‐making (MADM) technique to select the most appropriate RAT for each incoming call. We develop a Markov model to evaluate the overall call blocking/dropping probability and percentage load in each RAT in heterogeneous wireless networks. Performance of the proposed JCAC scheme is compared with that of a scheme that does not use dynamic pricing. Simulation results are given to show the effectiveness of the proposed JCAC scheme. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Energy‐efficient network selection with mobility pattern awareness in an integrated WiMAX and WiFi network
Authors: Yang Wen‐Hsin , Wang You‐Chiun , Tseng Yu‐Chee , Lin Bao‐Shuh P.
Published: October 2009

To provide wireless Internet access, WiFi networks have been deployed in many regions such as buildings and campuses. However, WiFi networks are still insufficient to support ubiquitous wireless service due to their narrow coverage. One possibility to resolve this deficiency is to integrate WiFi networks with the wide‐range WiMAX networks. Under such an integrated WiMAX and WiFi network, how to conduct energy‐efficient handovers is a critical issue. In this paper, we propose a handover scheme with geographic mobility awareness (HGMA), which considers the historical handover patterns of mobile devices. HGMA can conserve the energy of handovering devices from three aspects. First, it prevents mobile devices from triggering unnecessary handovers according to their received signal strength and moving speeds. Second, it contains a handover candidate selection method for mobile devices to intelligently select a subset of WiFi access points or WiMAX relay stations to be scanned. Therefore, mobile devices can reduce their network scanning and thus save their energy. Third, HGMA prefers mobile devices staying in their original WiMAX or WiFi networks. This can prevent mobile devices from consuming too much energy on interface switching. In addition, HGMA prefers the low‐tier WiFi network over the WiMAX network and guarantees the bandwidth requirements of handovering devices. Simulation results show that HGMA can save about 59– 80% of energy consumption of a handover operation, make mobile devices to associate with WiFi networks with 16–62% more probabilities, and increase about 20–61% of QoS satisfaction ratio to handovering devices. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Syntheses, Crystal Structures, and Spectroscopic Studies of Aromatic Ester Derivatives of Hexamolybdate
Authors: Li Qiang , Yin Panchao , Shi Lu , Wei Yongge
Published: October 2009

Two new hybrids of local anesthetic analogs and polyoxometalates {(Bu4N)2[Mo6O18NC6H4COOCH3] (1) and (Bu4N)2[Mo6O18NC6H4COOC2H5] (2)} have been prepared in high purity and moderate yields using the easy reaction route of [α‐Mo8O26]4– with corresponding aromatic amine hydrochlorides in the presence of a N,N′‐dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC), and have been characterized by 1H NMR, IR, UV/Vis, ESI‐MS, and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction study. Compound 1 crystallizes in the triclinic space group P$\bar {1}$ with dimer structure, while Compound 2 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/n with dimer and chain structure. These two hybrids have the typical Mo≡N triple bond that links a phenylimido group in local anesthetic analogs to the Mo atom of a hexamolybdate cluster. Because the formed Mo≡N bond is not stable in basic solution, this property is useful and could be developed as a novel controlled‐release technology for drug delivery.(© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009)
Lanthanide Complexes for Nonlinear Optics: From Fundamental Aspects to Applications (Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 29‐30/2009)
Authors: Andraud Chantal , Maury Olivier
Published: October 2009

The cover picture shows two of the most striking results of the use of lanthanide complexes for nonlinear optical applications: (i) the design of lanthanide‐based bioprobes for two‐photon scanning microscopy and (ii) the direct contribution of f electrons to the quadratic hyperpolarisability. In their Microreview on p. 4357ff, C. Andraud and O. Maury propose an exhaustive description of the state‐of‐the‐art of this emerging but also challenging field of research.
On the inferential epistemics of trait centrality in impression formation
Authors: Orehek Edward , Dechesne Mark , Fishbach Ayelet , Kruglanski Arie W. , Chun Woo Young
Published: October 2009

We provide a novel, inferential, account of the trait centrality phenomenon. We suggest that a trait possesses the property of “centrality” to the extent that it is subjectively deemed to imply other traits. Five studies explore four central elements of this view. First, trait relations can be stored as unidirectional rules (“if X then Y” but not necessarily “if Y then X”). Second, the strength of individuals' lay inference rules determines the effect of traits on impressions. Third, situationally manipulating the strength of lay inference rules influences the impact of traits on impressions. Fourth, the impact of an inference rule is reduced when it is difficult to discern the inference rule and when processing resources are limited. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A novel reactive power planning method based on improved particle swarm optimization with static voltage stability
Authors: Hong‐Zhong Li , Hao‐Zhong Cheng , Zheng Yan
Published: October 2009

A reactive power planning method based on improved particle swarm optimization (IPSO) is presented. This method can improve the quality of initial particles and eliminate the boundary oscillation in traditional particle swarm optimization. The voltage stability margin index (VSI) is used to rank the load buses. Then reactive power compensators are installed on the buses with weak voltage stability. The maximization of voltage stability margin is included in the objective function of reactive power planning to improve system voltage stability. Its application in IEEE 30‐bus system illustrates that the real power loss is depressed with voltage stability margins increased simultaneously. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Improved OFDMA uplink transmissionviacooperative relaying in the presence of frequency offsets—Part I: Ergodic information rate analysis
Authors: Zhang Zhongshan , Tellambura Chintha , Schober Robert
Published: October 2009

In this two‐part paper, we evaluate ergodic and outage information rates in an orthogonal frequency‐division multiple access (OFDMA) uplink with amplify‐and‐forward (AF) and decode‐and‐forward (DF) relays in the presence of frequency offsets. Each node plays the roles of the source node and the relay, simultaneously, but on different subcarriers. In Part I, the ergodic information rate is derived, and in Part II, the outage information rate of the considered scheme is derived. For a given frequency offset, unlike that of the AF mode, the DF ergodic information rate does not monotonically increase with α (the ratio between the power allocated to the source node and the total transmit power), and 0 < α < 1 can be optimised to maximise the ergodic information rate. Numerical results show that AF cooperation does not outperform the conventional transmission (without relaying) with regard to ergodic information rate. In contrast, with DF relaying, performance gains are possible. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.