bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The prevalence of dementia and depression in Taiwanese institutionalized leprosy patients, and the effectiveness evaluation of reminiscence therapy—a longitudinal, single‐blind, randomized control study
Authors: Su Tsung‐Wei , Wu Li‐Ling , Lin Ching‐Po
Published: March 2011

Objective

This study investigated the prevalence of depression and dementia in long‐term institutionalized older leprosy patients in Taiwan. We then examined the effectiveness of reminiscence group therapy on depressive symptoms and cognitive function in this population.

Methods

We recruited 129 long‐term institutionalized older leprosy patients in Taiwan and used the Geriatric Depression Scale—Short Form (GDS‐SF), the mini mental state examination (MMSE), and the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scale for outcome measurement. We then conducted a single‐blind, randomized, longitudinal quasi‐experimental analysis comparing the pre‐test and post‐test results of two equivalent groups at a 24‐week intervention interval. The intervention in the experimental group was three sessions of reminiscence group therapy per week, whereas that in the control group was weekly individual supportive interviews.

Results

The prevalence of dementia was 45.7–50.4% according to a CDR score ≥ 0.5 and an MMSE score < 25, and the prevalence of depression was 25% based on a GDS‐SF score ≥ 7. According to the Wilcoxon signed‐rank test, the GDS‐SF scores in the experimental group decreased significantly (p = 0.02) after intervention as compared with that in the control group (p = 0.22), whereas the MMSE scores in both groups remained steady.

Conclusions

The prevalence of dementia and depression in long‐term institutionalized older leprosy patients in Taiwan is high. Reminiscence group therapy has been confirmed effective on depression in this population, but its effectiveness on cognitive function requires further verification. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
White matter maturation in visual and motor areas predicts the latency of visual activation in children
Authors: Dockstader Colleen , Gaetz William , Rockel Conrad , Mabbott Donald J.
Published: March 2011

In humans, white matter maturation is important for the improvement of cognitive function and performance with age. Across studies the variables of white matter maturity and age are highly correlated; however, the unique contributions of white matter to information processing speed remain relatively unknown. We investigated the relations between the speed of the visually‐evoked P100m response and the biophysical properties of white matter in 11 healthy children performing a simple, visually‐cued finger movement. We found that: (1) the latency of the early, visually‐evoked response was related to the integrity of white matter in both visual and motor association areas and (2) white matter maturation in these areas accounted for the variations in visual processing speed, independent of age. Our study is a novel investigation of spatial‐temporal dynamics in the developing brain and provides evidence that white matter maturation accounts for age‐related decreases in the speed of visual response. Developmental models of cortical specialization should incorporate the unique role of white matter maturation in mediating changes in performance during tasks involving visual processing. Hum Brain Mapp, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Spontaneous and visually driven high‐frequency oscillations in the occipital cortex: Intracranial recording in epileptic patients
Authors: Nagasawa Tetsuro , Juhász Csaba , Rothermel Robert , Hoechstetter Karsten , Sood Sandeep , Asano Eishi
Published: March 2011

High‐frequency oscillations (HFOs) at ≥80 Hz of nonepileptic nature spontaneously emerge from human cerebral cortex. In 10 patients with extraoccipital lobe epilepsy, we compared the spectral‐spatial characteristics of HFOs spontaneously arising from the nonepileptic occipital cortex with those of HFOs driven by a visual task as well as epileptogenic HFOs arising from the extraoccipital seizure focus. We identified spontaneous HFOs at ≥80 Hz with a mean duration of 330 ms intermittently emerging from the occipital cortex during interictal slow‐wave sleep. The spectral frequency band of spontaneous occipital HFOs was similar to that of visually driven HFOs. Spontaneous occipital HFOs were spatially sparse and confined to smaller areas, whereas visually driven HFOs involved the larger areas including the more rostral sites. Neither spectral frequency band nor amplitude of spontaneous occipital HFOs significantly differed from those of epileptogenic HFOs. Spontaneous occipital HFOs were strongly locked to the phase of delta activity, but the strength of δ‐phase coupling decayed from 1 to 3 Hz. Conversely, epileptogenic extraoccipital HFOs were locked to the phase of delta activity about equally in the range from 1 to 3 Hz. The occipital cortex spontaneously generates physiological HFOs which may stand out on electrocorticography traces as prominently as pathological HFOs arising from elsewhere; this observation should be taken into consideration during presurgical evaluation. Coupling of spontaneous delta and HFOs may increase the understanding of significance of δ‐oscillations during slow‐wave sleep. Further studies are warranted to determine whether δ‐phase coupling distinguishes physiological from pathological HFOs or simply differs across anatomical locations. Hum Brain Mapp , 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The neural basis of central proprioceptive processing in older versus younger adults: An important sensory role for right putamen
Authors: Goble Daniel J. , Coxon James P. , Van Impe Annouchka , Geurts Monique , Van Hecke Wim , Sunaert Stefan , Wenderoth Nicole , Swinnen Stephan P.
Published: March 2011

Our sense of body position and movement independent of vision (i.e., proprioception) relies on muscle spindle feedback and is vital for performing motor acts. In this study, we first sought to elucidate age‐related differences in the central processing of proprioceptive information by stimulating foot muscle spindles and by measuring neural activation with functional magnetic resonance imaging. We found that healthy older adults activated a similar, distributed network of primary somatosensory and secondary‐associative cortical brain regions as young individuals during the vibration‐induced muscle spindle stimulation. A significant decrease in neural activity was also found in a cluster of right putamen voxels for the older age group when compared with the younger age group. Given these differences, we performed two additional analyses within each group that quantified the degree to which age‐dependent activity was related to (1) brain structure and (2) a behavioral measure of proprioceptive ability. Using diffusion tensor imaging, older (but not younger) adults with higher mean fractional anisotropy were found to have increased right putamen neural activity. Age‐dependent right putamen activity seen during tendon vibration was also correlated with a behavioral test of proprioceptive ability measuring ankle joint position sense in both young and old age groups. Partial correlation tests determined that the relationship between elderly joint position sense and neural activity in right putamen was mediated by brain structure, but not vice versa. These results suggest that structural differences within the right putamen are related to reduced activation in the elderly and potentially serve as biomarker of proprioceptive sensibility in older adults. Hum Brain Mapp, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Rendezvous with the world: Missouri Southern State University's themed semesters
Authors: Stebbins Chad
Published: March 2011

A regional university selects a different country to emphasize each fall semester to provide every student with a global experience.
Helping the international student understand the American university
Authors: Chang Mary
Published: March 2011

Intensive English programs provide many opportunities for international students to connect with American students and other international students, as well as to feel part of a global community.
A collaborative approach to college and university student health and wellness
Authors: Fullerton Darren S.
Published: March 2011

Combining university health centers and campus recreation and wellness centers into one facility is a new trend in collaborative facility design.
How soil moisture mediates the influence of transpiration on streamflow at hourly to interannual scales in a forested catchment
Authors: Moore G. W. , Jones J. A. , Bond B. J.
Published: March 2011

The water balance equation dictates that streamflow may be reduced by transpiration. Yet temporal disequilibrium weakens the relationship between transpiration and streamflow in many cases where inputs and outputs are unbalanced. We address two critical knowledge barriers in ecohydrology with respect to time, scale dependence and lags. Study objectives were to correlate components of the water balance equation at hourly to annual scales, quantify time lags, and simplify critical components of the water budget during wet and dry conditions. We tested interrelationships among precipitation, vapour pressure deficit, transpiration, soil moisture, and streamflow within the confines of a 60‐hectare forested watershed in the western Cascades of Oregon. The Pacific Northwest is an ideal location to compare wet and dry seasons because of its Mediterranean climate. Soil moisture explained more than 80% of the variation in streamflow at all temporal scales investigated. Streamflow was most strongly coupled to soil moisture in the wet season because of gravitational drainage patterns; strong coupling of transpiration to vapour pressure deficit was dominant in the dry season and driven by low humidity. We observed progressively longer hourly time lags between soil moisture and streamflow in the dry season, which relates to an increasing soil moisture deficit that took an average of 48 days to refill after the onset of winter rains. We propose that transpiration drives seasonal patterns in soil moisture that relate to patterns in streamflow only after long time lags. In other words, soil moisture mediates the influence of transpiration on streamflow. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Performance evaluation of interpolation methods for incorporating rain gauge measurements into NEXRAD precipitation data: a case study in the Upper Guadalupe River Basin
Authors: Xie Hongjie , Zhang Xuesong , Yu Beibei , Sharif Hatim
Published: March 2011

High spatial and temporal resolution of precipitation data is critical input for hydrological budget estimation and flash flood modelling. This study evaluated four methods [Bias Adjustment (BA), Simple Kriging with varying Local Means (SKlm), Kriging with External Drift (KED), and Regression Kriging (RK)] for their performances in incorporating gauge rainfall measurements into Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) multi‐sensor precipitation estimator (MPE; hourly and 4 × 4 km2). Measurements from a network of 50 gauges at the Upper Guadalupe River Basin, central Texas and MPE data for the year 2004 were used in the study. We used three evaluation coefficients percentage bias (PB), coefficient of determination (R2), and Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) to examine the performance of the four methods for preserving regional‐ and local‐scale characteristics of observed precipitation data. The results show that the two Kriging‐based methods (SKlm and RK) are in general better than BA and KED and that the PB and NSE criteria are better than theR2criterion in assessing the performance of the four methods. It is also worth noting that the performance of one method at regional scale may be different from its performance at local scale. Critical evaluation of the performance of different methods at local or regional scale should be conducted according to the different purposes. The results obtained in this study are expected to contribute to the development of more accurate spatial rainfall products for hydrologic budget and flash flood modelling. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessment of climate change impacts on the hydrology of the Peruvian Amazon–Andes basin
Authors: Lavado Casimiro Waldo Sven , Labat David , Guyot Jean Loup , Ardoin‐Bardin Sandra
Published: March 2011

In this article, we propose an investigation of the modifications of the hydrological response of two Peruvian Amazonas–Andes basins in relationship with the modifications of the precipitation and evapotranspiration rates inferred by the IPCC. These two basins integrate around 10% of the total area of the Amazonian basin. These estimations are based on the application of two monthly hydrological models, GR2M and MWB3, and the climatic projections come from BCM2, CSMK3 and MIHR models for A1B and B1 emission scenarios (SCE A1B and SCE B1). Projections are approximated by two simple scenarios (anomalies and horizon) and annual rainfall rates, evapotranspiration rates and discharge were estimated for the 2020s (2008–2040), 2050s (2041–2070) and 2080s (2071–2099). Annual discharge shows increasing trend over Requena basin (Ucayali river), Puerto Inca basin (Pachitea river), Tambo basin (Tambo river) and Mejorada basin (Mantaro river) while discharge shows decreasing trend over the Chazuta basin (Huallaga river), the Maldonadillo basin (Urubamba river) and the Pisac basin (Vilcanota river). Monthly discharge at the outlet of Puerto Inca, Tambo and Mejorada basins shows increasing trends for all seasons. Trends to decrease are estimated in autumn discharge over the Requena basin and spring discharge over Pisac basin as well as summer and autumn discharges over both the Chazuta and the Maldonadillo basins. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Preparation and evaluation of parathyroid hormone incorporated CaP coating via a biomimetic method
Authors: Yu Xiaohua , Wei Mei
Published: March 2011

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is a potent bone growth stimulator used for osteoporosis treatment. However, the inconvenience of daily administration and side effect of systemic exposure severely limit its use in clinical applications. Local, controlled delivery is a promising approach which can maintain therapeutic concentration locally for a long period. In this study, PTH was incorporated into a biomimetic calcium phosphate (CaP) coating via a coprecipitation process in a modified simulated body fluid (m‐SBF). It was found that PTH was successfully incorporated into biomimetic CaP coating on titanium surface with a high incorporation efficiency. The incorporation of PTH into coatings had significantly changed the coating morphology, but the composition of the coating remained unchanged. Localized release of PTH had occurred in vitro, and was accompanied with partial dissolution of CaP coatings. Cell culture study demonstrated that the PTH released from CaP coatings fully retained its bioactivity. It had improved substantially MC3T3‐E1 cell proliferation but slightly delayed the expression of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) of the cells. In summary, our results have shown that CaP coatings incorporated with PTH may be a promising approach for osteoporosis and other bone‐related disease treatment in the future. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2011.
First investigation of spider silk as a braided microsurgical suture
Authors: Kuhbier Joern W. , Reimers Kerstin , Kasper Cornelia , Allmeling Christina , Hillmer Anja , Menger Björn , Vogt Peter M. , Radtke Christine
Published: March 2011

Inhibition of axonal outgrowth accompanied by neuroma formation appears in microsurgical nerve repair as reaction to common microsuture materials like silk, nylon, or polyglycolic acid. In contrast, recent findings revealed advantages of spider silk fibers in guiding Schwann cells in nerve regeneration. Here, we asked if we could braid microsutures from native spider silk fibers. Microsutures braided of native spider dragline silk were manufactured, containing either 2 × 15 or 3 × 10 single fibres strands. Morphologic appearance was studied and tensile strength and stress‐strain ratio (SSR) were calculated. The constructed spider silk sutures showed a median thickness of 25 μm, matching the USP definition of 10‐0. Maximum load and tensile strength for both spider silk microsutures were significantly more than 2‐fold higher than for nylon suture; SSR was 1.5‐fold higher. All values except elasticity were higher in 3 × 10 strand sutures compared to 2 × 15 strand sutures, but not significantly. In this pilot study, we demonstrate the successful manufacture of microsutures from spider silk. With regards to the mechanical properties, these sutures were superior to nylon sutures. As spider silk displays high biocompatibility in nerve regeneration, its usage in microsurgical nerve repair should be considered. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2011.
Polymers and drugs suitable for the development of a drug delivery drainage system in glaucoma surgery
Authors: Löbler Marian , Sternberg Katrin , Stachs Oliver , Allemann Reto , Grabow Niels , Roock Anne , Kreiner Christine F. , Streufert Detlef , Neffe Axel T. , Hanh Bui Duc , Lendlein Andreas , Schmitz Klaus‐Peter , Guthoff Rudolf
Published: March 2011

Implantation of a glaucoma drainage system is an appropriate therapeutic intervention in some glaucoma patients. However, one drawback with this approach is the fibrotic tissue response to the implant material, leading to reduced flow of aqueous liquid or complete blockage of the drainage system. As a basis for developing an aqueous shunt we report here investigations with poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) (P(3HB)) and poly(4‐hydroxybutyrate) (P(4HB)) as polymer matrices and with paclitaxel (PTX) and triamcinolone acetonide (TA) as drugs that might, in combination, delay or prevent the process of fibrosis by reducing fibroblast activity. P(3HB) and P(4HB) were fabricated into test prototypes with 500 μm outer and 200 μm inner diameter and ∼1 cm length. The antiproliferative agent PTX and the anti‐inflammatory agent TA were incorporated into the polymer matrices and were released by diffusion. In vitro cell assays demonstrated that the polymers have the potential to reduce fibroblast viability, while TA showed differential inhibition of Tenon fibroblasts, but not cornea keratocytes. Implantation of polymer disks and prototype devices into rabbit eyes confirmed the good biocompatibility of the materials. The combined use of a poly(hydroxybutyrate) polymer with PTX or TA has the potential to reduce the fibrosis associated with conventional glaucoma drainage systems. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2011.
Optimization of electrical stimulation parameters for enhanced cell proliferation on biomaterial surfaces
Authors: Dubey Ashutosh Kumar , Gupta Shourya Dutta , Basu Bikramjit
Published: March 2011

From the point of view of biocompatibility of bone analog materials, cell–material interaction is of fundamental importance. In this article, we report the effect of pulse electric field stimulation on cell–material interaction by analyzing cellular functionality and viability. An in‐house fabricated pulse electric field setup was used for the application of electric field during cell culture experiments. To optimize voltage/electric field, the first set of exploratory experiments was conducted with varying field strength at fixed frequency, and subsequently, the frequency of the electrical stimulation was varied to study its influence on the proliferation of L929 mouse fibroblast cells on gelatin‐coated control disc. Subsequently, L929 cells were cultured on hydroxyapatite (HA) and HA‐40 wt % BaTiO3 composite. Cell‐cultured samples were analyzed qualitatively as well as quantitatively using fluorescence microscope and scanning electron microscope. It has been demonstrated that due to the application of electric field during the cell culture experiment, the cell proliferation and the cell spreading on the surface of the biomaterials were enhanced within a narrow window of voltage/frequency of electrical stimulation. At lower field intensities, the energy density is quite low and increases parabolically with field strength. There is no significant increase in the temperature (ΔT ∼ 10−5 K) of the medium due to the application of short duration pulse electric field. This led us to believe that electric field with appropriate strength and duration can enhance the cell–material interaction. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2011.
On the hyperthermostability of lipolytic enzymes from Thermus aquaticus YT‐1: exploring their application to polymer degradation
Authors: López Elena , Alonso Beatriz , Deive Francisco J. , Sanromán M. Ángeles , Longo María A.
Published: March 2011

BACKGROUND: The investigation of enzymes from extremophilic microorganisms has generated great scientific interest in recent decades owing to their ability to operate in harsh conditions. Since lipolytic enzymes are one of the three groups most commercially demanded, the study of novel thermostable lipolytic enzymes is of much interest.

RESULTS: Lipolytic enzymes produced by Thermus aquaticus YT1 have been investigated. Very interesting properties against thermal inactivation, with a half‐life time of 1 h at 95 °C were found. The use of compounds such as polyols is a strategy used to further improve the thermostability of these enzymes, and the modelling of the deactivation process with a series‐type equation, allows one to quantitatively ascertain the free energy of deactivation. Finally, the application to dibutyl adipate hydrolysis was investigated, as an indicator of the potential usefulness of the enzymes in polymer biodegradation.

CONCLUSION: The crude lipolytic enzymes possess outstanding properties of thermostability (high lipolytic activity after 12 days at 80 °C, and a half‐life time of 1 h at 95 °C), and they can be significantly improved by adding polyols (addition of glycerol entailed activity losses of just 3% after 1 h at 95 °C). These enzymes are able to catalyze ester cleavage, showing a zero‐order kinetics. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
Photocatalytic decomposition of gaseous HCHO over a titanium dioxide film formed on a hydrophobic PET sheet
Authors: Shiraishi Fumihide , Kamikariya Naoya , Shibata Yuichiro
Published: March 2011

BACKGROUND: The authors (Chem Eng J 148, 234 (2009)) previously demonstrated the excellent performance of a photocatalytic reactor with a parallel array of nine light sources. To enhance the possibility of practical application of this reactor, the present work explores the use of a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) sheet as a new cheap material to support TiO2, as an alternative to glass tubes. A method of coating the hydrophobic PET sheet with a TiO2 film using an aqueous coating solution is investigated and the performance of the TiO2‐PET sheet prepared evaluated.

RESULTS: The affinity of the coating solution for the PET sheet is greatly enhanced by addition of 0.01% (w/w) nonionic surfactant (polyoxyethylene lauryl ether). A relatively uniform thin TiO2 film is formed on the entire surface of the PET sheet by applying the coating solution to the PET sheet and drying it at 100 °C. Decomposition experiments of gaseous HCHO indicate that the photocatalytic activity, although initially low, is increased with repeated use. This is because surfactant molecules added interfere initially with the decomposition of HCHO. After their decomposition, the TiO2–PET sheet decomposes HCHO at almost the same rate as does the TiO2–glass tube.

CONCLUSION: The photocatalytic reactor with a parallel array of nine light sources can utilize a PET sheet as TiO2 support with a reduction in material cost. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
Meniscectomy causes significant in vivo kinematic changes and mechanically induced focal chondral lesions in a sheep model
Authors: Beveridge Jillian E. , Shrive Nigel G. , Frank Cyril B.
Published: March 2011

Significant meniscal loss with progression to osteoarthritis is common in humans. In vitro work suggests that meniscectomy causes increased joint contact stress, but what other alterations in dynamic joint actions actually occur remains unknown. In a sheep model, we tested the hypothesis that complete lateral meniscectomy increases joint abduction, shifting the in vivo locations of tibiofemoral contact to regions that qualitatively correspond to locations of chondral damage. Nine sheep underwent unilateral arthrotomy (n = 4) or arthrotomy plus complete lateral meniscectomy (n = 5). Kinematics were collected prior to surgery and serially up to 20 weeks post‐surgery. Gross cartilage damage was mapped in each joint, graded using a published scoring scheme used in goats, and compared to the locations of minimum tibiofemoral distance. Over the 20 weeks, meniscectomy caused increased stifle abduction and medial tibial translation, shifting the points of minimum tibiofemoral distance 7.5 ± 2.1 mm laterally and 3.3 ± 1.1 mm anteriorly (mean ± SEM), which corresponded to the locations of focal chondral damage. Locations of new tibiofemoral contact in the meniscectomized compartment qualitatively correspond to subject‐specific locations of early chondral damage in an ovine model. © 2011 Orthopaedic Research Society Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 29: 1397–1405, 2011
Effects of antithrombotic drugs fondaparinux and tinzaparin on in vitro proliferation and osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation of bone‐derived mesenchymal stem cells
Authors: Papathanasopoulos Argiris , Kouroupis Dimitrios , Henshaw Karen , McGonagle Dennis , Jones Elena A. , Giannoudis Peter V.
Published: March 2011

An unexpected side effect of some classes of anticoagulants has been osteoporosis which may be, at least in part, related to deranged mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) function. The aim of the present study was to compare the effect of fondaparinux (FDP), a novel antithrombotic with a traditional widely used low molecular weight heparin, tinzaparin (TZP) on MSC proliferation and differentiation. MSCs were isolated from trabecular bone of 14 trauma patients by a collagenase‐based digestion procedure and expanded in standard conditions until passage 3. Proliferation and differentiation of MSCs to chondrocytes and osteoblasts was assessed with or without the addition of FDP and TZP using standard in vitro assays and a broad range of drug concentrations. Flow cytometry was used for MSC phenotyping. In the age studied group (17–74 years old) the MSC frequency in collagenase‐released fractions was 641/106 cells (range 110–2,158) and their growth characteristics were ∼4 days/population doubling. Cultures had a standard MSC phenotype (CD73+, CD105+, CD146+, CD106+, and CD166+). Cell proliferation was assessed by both colony‐forming unit‐fibroblast (CFU‐F) and colorimetric tetrazolium salt XTT assays. In both assays, MSC proliferation was inhibited by the addition of TZP, particularly at high concentrations. In contrast, FDP had no effect on MSC proliferation. Osteogenic differentiation and chondrogenic differentiation were not affected by the addition of either TZP or FDP. Whilst MSC proliferation, but not differentiation, is negatively affected by TZP, there was no evidence for adverse effects of FDP in this in vitro model system which argues well for its use in the orthopedic setting. © 2011 Orthopaedic Research Society Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 29: 1327–1335, 2011
Purification, cloning, expression and immunological analysis of Scylla serrata arginine kinase, the crab allergen
Authors: Shen Yuan , Cao Min‐Jie , Cai Qiu‐Feng , Su Wen‐Jin , Yu Hui‐Lin , Ruan Wei‐Wei , Liu Guang‐Ming
Published: March 2011

BACKGROUND: Although crustaceans have been reported to be one of the most common causes of IgE‐mediated allergic reactions, there are no reports about the characterization and identification of arginine kinase (AK) from the mud crab (Scylla serrata) as allergen. In the present study, the purification, molecular cloning, expression and immunological analyses of the IgE allergen AK from the mud crab were investigated.

RESULTS: The results showed that cloned DNA fragments of AK from the mud crab had open reading frames of 1021 bp, predicted to encode proteins with 356 amino acid residues. Sequence alignment revealed that mud crab AK shares high homology with other crustacean species. Mud crab AK gene was further recombined with the vector of pGEX‐4T‐3 and expressed in Escherichia coli BL 21. 2‐D electrophoresis suggested that native AK (nAK) and recombinant AK (rAK) shared the same molecular weight of 40 kDa, and the pI is 6.5 and 6.3, respectively. The nAK and rAK were further confirmed by matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry. Immunoblotting analysis and colloidal gold immunochromatographic assay (GICA) using sera from subjects with crustacean allergy confirmed that the nAK and rAK reacted positively with these sera, indicating AK is a specific allergen of mud crab.

CONCLUSION: Both of purified nAK and rAK reacted positively with sera from subjects with crustacean allergy in immunoblotting and GICA analysis, indicating AK is a common allergen of mud crab. In vitro expressed AK is proposed as a source of the protein for immunological or clinical studies. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
Applying a New Model of Customer Value on International Air Passengers' Market in Taiwan
Authors: Chiang Wen‐Yu
Published: March 2011

This paper proposes a new model to discover customer value of air passengers by using data mining technologies. The results of this research can be applied in database marketing systems. The procedure applies See5/C5.0 (RuleQuest Research Pty Ltd, St Ives, New South Wales, Australia) decision tree; transaction records; Frequency, Price Discount, Destination and No‐Show (FPDN model; Recency, Frequency and Monetary model based) model variables; and socio‐economic variables to create decision rules for airline business. An empirical case of air passengers' market in Taiwan is implemented for the identification of this procedure and the Frequency, Price Discount, Destination and No‐Show model. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Kinetic studies of the interaction between organotin(IV)chlorides and tetraaza Schiff bases: Synthesis and characterization of some novel tin(IV) Schiff base complexes
Authors: Asadi Zahra
Published: March 2011

In this article the kinetics of the interaction between the teteraaza Schiff bases as donor with organotin(IV)chlorides as acceptor was studied in acetonitrile. Teteraaza Schiff bases are (Me4‐Bzo2[14]tetraeneN4) (tmtaa), (Me4‐4‐CH3Bzo2[14]tetraeneN4) (Metmtaa), (Me4‐4‐ClBzo2[14]tetraeneN4) (Cltmtaa), i.e., [(Me4‐Bzo2[14]tetraeneN4)] means that (5,7,12,14‐tetramethyldibenzo[b,i][1,4,8,11] tetraazacyclotetradecine) (tmtaa) and organotin(IV)chlorides are methyltin(IV) trichloride, phenyltin(IV)trichloride, dimethyltin (IV)dichloride, diphenyltin(IV) dichloride, and dibutyltin(IV)dichloride. The kinetic parameters and the second‐order k2 rate constants show the donor properties of tetraaza Schiff bases as Me4‐4‐CH3Bzo2[14]tetraeneN4 > Me4‐Bzo2[14]tetraeneN4 >  Me4‐4‐ClBzo2[14]tetraeneN4 and also the acceptor properties of organotin(IV)chlorides as PhSnCl3 > MeSnCl3 > Ph2SnCl2 > Me2SnCl2 > Bu2SnCl2. An excellent linearity of kobs vs. the molar concentration of the acceptor, the high span of k2 values, the large negative values of ΔS≠, and the low ΔH≠ values suggest an associative (A) mechanism for the acceptor–donor interaction. © 2011 Wiley Peiodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 43: 247–254, 2011
Socioeconomic disparities for hearing‐impaired children in the united states
Authors: Boss Emily F. , Niparko John K. , Gaskin Darrell J. , Levinson Kimberly L.
Published: March 2011

Objectives:

This study aims to evaluate disparities in socioeconomic status and healthcare utilization in hearing‐impaired children using a nationally representative sample.

Study Design:

Cross‐sectional analysis of stacked data from the 1997 to 2003 National Health Interview Survey, a voluntary U.S. household survey of the National Center for Health Statistics.

Methods:

Children were grouped according to three levels of hearing ability based on parental response to perceived hearing status. χ2 and analysis of variance (ANOVA) models tested the association of individual sociodemographic variables with hearing status. Multivariate regression analyses examined the association of hearing impairment with family income, poverty status, and utilization of routine and specialty health services.

Results:

The total sample consisted of 76,012 children, of whom 2.6% had some hearing loss and 0.43% had marked hearing loss. Families of hearing‐impaired children were more likely to report poorer health status, have Medicaid, live in single‐mother households, and live below the poverty level (P < .01). After adjusting for confounders, children with mild and marked hearing impairment were less likely to afford prescription medications (odds ratio [OR] = 1.89, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.44–2.48 [mild]; OR = 2.72, 95% CI, 1.73–4.29 [marked]) and less likely to have access to mental health services (OR = 3.26, 95% CI, 2.41–4.69 [mild]; OR = 2.62, 95% CI, 1.34–5.12 [marked]) or dental services (OR = 1.65, 95% CI, 1.36–2.02 [mild]; OR = 1.62, 95% CI, 1.09–2.41 [marked]). No difference was identified for access to routine/sick health services.

Conclusions:

Compared with families of children without hearing loss, families of hearing‐impaired children live closer to the poverty level and utilize some medical services with less frequency. Further identification of causal relationships between familial socioeconomic status and childhood hearing loss may help direct policy initiatives designed to mitigate healthcare disparities and improve access to services for hearing‐impaired children. Laryngoscope, 121:860–866, 2011
Computational Approaches for Studying the Granular Dynamics of Continuous Blending Processes, 1 – DEM Based Methods
Authors: Dubey Atul , Sarkar Avik , Ierapetritou Marianthi , Wassgren Carl R. , Muzzio Fernando J.
Published: March 2011

Computational methods using mechanistic modeling with a specific application in the area of continuous blending are presented. These methods complement experimental designs and aim to reduce the amount of time, effort, and material required to characterize a device or a process. The discrete element method is applied to the specific case of continuous mixing using two approaches. The first approach models an entire blender and studies the impact of changing impeller speed on residence time distribution (RTD), number of blade passes experienced by the powder, and mean centered variance of the particle residence time. The mean centered variance and the number of blade passes exhibit a maximum with increasing impeller speed, indicating optimal mixing behavior at an intermediate speed range. The second DEM approach utilizes a periodic slice of the full blender in order to explore in detail the effect of speed, fill level, and cohesion on mixing performance. The results show that the transverse mixing rates were generally higher than the corresponding axial mixing rates. Transverse diffusion was highest for large impeller speeds at larger fills, and axial diffusion was highest for large impeller speeds at smaller fills. Variations in particle–particle cohesion within the investigated range do not affect diffusion values significantly. The axial diffusion coefficient can be reasonably predicted from the residence time distribution using the 1D advection‐diffusion model.

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Logical Analysis of Data in Structure‐Activity Investigation of Polymeric Gene Delivery
Authors: Gubskaya Anna V. , Bonates Tiberius O. , Kholodovych Vladyslav , Hammer Peter , Welsh William J. , Langer Robert , Kohn Joachim
Published: March 2011

To date semi‐empirical or surrogate modeling has demonstrated great success in the prediction of the biologically relevant properties of polymeric materials. For the first time, a correlation between the chemical structures of poly(β‐amino esters) and their efficiency in transfecting DNA was established using the novel technique of logical analysis of data (LAD). Linear combination and explicit representation models were introduced and compared in the framework of the present study. The most successful regression model yielded satisfactory agreement between the predicted and experimentally measured values of transfection efficiency (Pearson correlation coefficient, 0.77; mean absolute error, 3.83). It was shown that detailed analysis of the rules provided by the LAD algorithm offered practical utility to a polymer chemist in the design of new biomaterials.

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Macropinocytosis inhibitors and Arf6 regulate ErbB3 nuclear localization in prostate cancer cells
Authors: Koumakpayi Ismaël Hervé , Le Page Cécile , Delvoye Nathalie , Saad Fred , Mes‐Masson Anne‐Marie
Published: March 2011

ErbB3 is a transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor among the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family that plays an important role in prostate cancer (PCa) progression. We previously demonstrated that ErbB3 is located in the nucleus of PCa cell lines and PCa tissues. It also was observed that ErbB3 nuclear localization could discriminate between benign and malignant prostate tissues as well as between hormone sensitive and hormone‐refractory PCa. Several studies have suggested a role for clathrin‐mediated endosomal sorting in the nuclear localization of EGFR and ErbB2 but the mechanisms by which ErbB receptors escape recycling or degradation are not well known. Consequently to determine the role of endocytosis in the nuclear localization of ErbB3, different endocytotic inhibitors and specific si‐RNAs were used to discriminate between clathrin‐dependent and clathrin‐independent pathways. We found that clathrin, caveolin, and membrane domains are not required for endocytosis‐mediated nuclear localization of ErbB3 in PCa cells and we provide evidence that amiloride, a macropinocytosis inhibitor, and the ADP‐ribosylation factor 6 (Arf6) are implicated in the compartimentalization of ErbB3. In conclusion, evidence for an endocytosis‐based mechanism in the nuclear localization of ErbB3 in PCa cells is proposed. These results may help elucidate new therapeutic avenues in PCa that target nuclear ErbB3, which may participate in the progression and aggressivity of the disease. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Interaction of mutant hepatitis B X protein with p53 tumor suppressor protein affects both transcription and cell survival
Authors: Iyer Shoba , Groopman John D.
Published: March 2011

This study examines the differential activities between wild‐type Hepatitis B virus X protein (WtHBx) and a mutant HBx (MutHBx), which bears a hotspot mutation at nucleotides 1,762 and 1,764, resulting in a lysine to methionine change at codon 130 and a valine to isoleucine change at codon 131. This mutation leads to hepatocellular carcinoma, and we evaluated how WtHBx and MutHBx proteins differ in their interactions with the p53 tumor suppressor protein. This was experimentally addressed through co‐immunoprecipitation assays examining the interaction between WtHBx and MutHBx proteins with p53, reporter assays determining the impact of the HBx proteins on p53‐mediated gene transcription, and clonogenic survival assays evaluating the effect of HBx on cell growth in lines of varying p53‐expression status. Both WtHBx and MutHBx proteins physically interact with p53 protein, but have different impacts on p53‐mediated gene transcription. WtHBx did not effect p53‐mediated gene transcription, whereas MutHBx inhibited it (P < 0.01). MutHBx inhibited colony formation in p53‐proficient cells (P < 0.01), but not p53‐deficient lines. Although both HBx proteins interact with p53, they affect p53‐mediated gene transcription differently. WtHBx has no effect, whereas MutHBx inhibits it. In clonogenic survival assays, MutHBx inhibited cell growth in p53‐proficient cells rather than enhanced it. This suggests that for MutHBx to behave oncogenically, the p53 pathway must be crippled or absent. This study has identified some important novel ways in which WtHBx and MutHBx differentially interact with p53 and this could begin to form the cellular explanation for the association between this particular mutant and liver cancer. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A novel role for the T‐box transcription factor Tbx1 as a negative regulator of tumor cell growth in mice
Authors: Trempus Carol S. , Wei Sung‐Jen , Humble Margaret M. , Dang Hong , Bortner Carl D. , Sifre Maria I. , Kissling Grace E. , Sunman Jeffrey A. , Akiyama Steven K. , Roberts John D. , Tucker Charles J. , Chun Kyung‐Soo , Tennant Raymond W. , Langenbach Robert
Published: March 2011

The T‐box transcription factor, Tbx1, an important regulatory gene in development, is highly expressed in hair follicle (HF) stem cells in adult mice. Because mouse models of skin carcinogenesis have demonstrated that HF stem cells are a carcinogen target population and contribute significantly to tumor development, we investigated whether Tbx1 plays a role in skin carcinogenesis. We first assessed Tbx1 expression levels in mouse skin tumors, and found down‐regulation in all tumors examined. To study the effect of Tbx1 expression on growth and tumorigenic potential of carcinoma cells, we transfected mouse Tbx1 cDNA into a mouse spindle cell carcinoma cell line that did not express endogenous Tbx1. Following transfection, two cell lines expressing different levels of the Tbx1/V5 fusion protein were selected for further study. Intradermal injection of the cell lines into mice revealed that Tbx1 expression significantly suppressed tumor growth, albeit with no change in tumor morphology. In culture, ectopic Tbx1 expression resulted in decreased cell growth and reduced development into multilayered colonies, compared to control cells. Tbx1‐transfectants exhibited a reduced proliferative rate compared to control cells, with fewer cells in S and G2/M phases. The Tbx1 transfectants developed significantly fewer colonies in soft agar, demonstrating loss of anchorage‐independent growth. Taken together, our data show that ectopic expression of Tbx1 restored contact inhibition to the skin tumor cells, suggesting that this developmentally important transcription factor may have a novel dual role as a negative regulator of tumor growth. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Arachidonoyl ethanolamide (AEA)‐induced apoptosis is mediated by J‐series prostaglandins and is enhanced by fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) blockade
Authors: Kuc Christian , Jenkins Audrey , Van Dross Rukiyah T.
Published: March 2011

The endocannabinoid arachidonoyl ethanolamide (AEA) is a potent inducer of tumor cell apoptosis however its mechanism of cytotoxicity is unclear. A previous report from our laboratory showed that AEA induced cell death in a cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2)‐dependent manner and in this report our data indicate that AEA‐induced apoptosis is mediated by COX‐2 metabolic products of the J‐series. In experiments conducted with JWF2 keratinocytes which over‐express COX‐2, AEA caused a concentration‐regulated increase in J‐series prostaglandin production and apoptosis. Similarly, cell treatment with exogenously added J‐series prostaglandins (15‐deoxy, Δ12,14 PGJ2 and PGJ2) induced apoptosis. AEA‐induced apoptosis was inhibited by the antioxidant, N‐acetyl cysteine, indicating that reactive oxygen species generation was required for apoptosis. Using antagonists of cannabinoid receptor 1, cannabinoid receptor 2, or transient receptor potential cation channel, subfamily V, member 1, it was observed that cannabinoid receptor inhibition did not block AEA‐mediated cell death. In contrast, an inhibitor of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) potentiated AEA‐induced J‐series PG synthesis and apoptosis. These results suggest that the metabolism of AEA to J‐series PGs regulates the induction of apoptosis in cells with elevated COX‐2 levels. Our data further indicate that the proapoptotic activity of AEA can be enhanced by combining it with an inhibitor of FAAH. As such, AEA may be an effective agent to eliminate tumor cells that over‐express COX‐2. Mol. Carcinog. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Whole‐body diffusion‐weighted imaging with a continuously moving table acquisition method: Preliminary results
Authors: Han Yeji , Weigel Matthias , Huff Sandra , Ludwig Ute
Published: March 2011

In this study, a method for whole‐body diffusion‐weighted imaging (wbDWI) during continuous table motion has been developed and implemented on a clinical scanner based on a short‐Tau inversion recovery echo‐planar DWI sequence. Unlike currently available multistation wbDWI, which has disadvantages such as long scanning times, poor image quality, and troublesome data realignment, continuously moving table wbDWI can overcome these technical problems while extending the longitudinal field of view in MRI systems. In continuously moving table wbDWI, images are acquired consecutively at the isocenter of the magnet, having less geometric distortions and various possibilities of spatial and temporal coverage of an extended field of view. The acquired images, together with an apparent diffusion coefficient analysis, show that continuously moving table wbDWI can be used by appropriately adapting the table velocity, scan range, radiofrequency coils, slice resolutions, and spatio‐temporal acquisition schemes according to various clinical demands. Magn Reson Med, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Identification of signal bias in the variable flip angle method by linear display of the algebraic ernst equation
Authors: Helms Gunther , Dathe Henning , Weiskopf Nikolaus , Dechent Peter
Published: March 2011

A novel linear parameterization for the variable flip angle method for longitudinal relaxation time T1 quantification from spoiled steady state MRI is derived from the half angle tangent transform, τ, of the flip angle. Plotting the signal S at coordinates x = Sτ and y = S/τ, respectively, establishes a line that renders signal amplitude and relaxation term separately as y‐intercept and slope. This representation allows for estimation of the respective parameter from the experimental data. A comprehensive analysis of noise propagation is performed. Numerical results for efficient optimization of longitudinal relaxation time and proton density mapping experiments are derived. Appropriate scaling allows for a linear presentation of data that are acquired at different short pulse repetition times, TR << T1 thus increasing flexibility in the data acquisition by removing the limitation of a single pulse repetition time. Signal bias, like due to slice‐selective excitation or imperfect spoiling, can be readily identified by systematic deviations from the linear plot. The method is illustrated and validated by 3T experiments on phantoms and human brain. Magn Reson Med, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.