bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cervical motion preservation using mesenchymal progenitor cells and pentosan polysulfate, a novel chondrogenic agent: preliminary study in an ovine model
Authors: Goldschlager Tony , Ghosh Peter , Zannettino Andrew , Gronthos Stan , Rosenfeld Jeffrey V. , Itescu Silviu , Jenkin Graham
Published: June 2010

Object

There is an unmet need for a procedure that could generate a biological disc substitute while at the same time preserving the normal surgical practice of achieving anterior cervical decompression. The objective of the present study was to test the hypothesis that adult allogeneic mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs) formulated with a chondrogenic agent could synthesize a cartilaginous matrix when implanted into a biodegradable carrier and cage, and over time, might serve as a dynamic interbody spacer following anterior cervical discectomy (ACD).

Methods

Eighteen ewes were divided randomly into 3 groups of 6 animals. Each animal was subjected to C3–4 and C4–5 ACD followed by implantation of bioresorbable interbody cages and graft containment plates. The cage was packed with 1 of 3 implants. In Group A, the implant was Gelfoam sponge only. In Group B, the implant consisted of Gelfoam sponge with 1 million MPCs only. In Group C, the implant was Gelfoam sponge with 1 million MPCs formulated with the chondrogenic agent pentosan polysulfate (PPS). In each animal the cartilaginous endplates were retained intact at 1 level, and perforated in a standardized manner at the other level. Allogeneic ovine MPCs were derived from a single batch of immunoselected and culture-expanded MPCs isolated from bone marrow of outbred sheep (mixed stock). Radiological and histological measures were used to assess cartilage formation and the presence or absence of new bone formation.

Results

The MPCs with or without PPS were safe and well-tolerated in the ovine cervical spine. There was no significant difference between groups in the radiographic or histological outcome measures, regardless of whether endplates were perforated or retained intact. According to CT scans obtained at 3 months after the operation, new bone formation within the interbody space was observed in the Gelfoam only group (Group A) in 9 (75%) of 12 interbody spaces, and 11 (92%) of 12 animals in the MPC cohort (Group B) had new bone formation within the interbody space. Significantly, in the MPC & PPS group (Group C), there were only 1 (8%) of 12 levels with new bone formation (p = 0.0009 vs Group A; p = 0.0001 vs Group B). According to histological results, there was significantly more cartilaginous tissue within the interbody cages of Group C (MPC & PPS) compared with both the control group (Group A; p = 0.003) and the MPC Group (p = 0.017).

Conclusions

This study demonstrated the feasibility of using MPCs in combination with PPS to produce cartilaginous tissue to replace the intervertebral disc following ACD. This biological approach may offer a means preserving spinal motion and offers an alternative to fusion to artificial prostheses.
‘Just Every-day Arabs Having Fun’: Representing Race inJammin' in the Middle E
Authors: Pearce Sharyn
Published: June 2010

This article looks at the Australian film, Jammin' in the Middle E, which was televised in Australia in 2006 on the multicultural channel SBS. It explores the ways in which rap music is appropriated in the film, and subsequently used as a collective form of expression at a time of increased public and media hostility towards Muslims. While it argues that rap helps to develop an alternative cultural space, developing a Lebanese-Australian subject position still quite rare in Australian cultural texts, it also contends that Jammin', like the rap music which frames it and occurs throughout the narrative, is not a clear-cut and emancipatory text, but is fraught with the particular tensions of its time and place.
The ‘Blind Space’ that Lies Beyond the Frame: and
Authors: Curry Alice
Published: June 2010

‘Blind space’ is a filmic term more widely referred to as ‘off-screen space’ in cinematography. It refers to the unseen area outside the frame of the screen and beyond the margins of the visible. The effects of blind space on the film viewer are similar to those of mise en abîme on the reader of narrative fiction. The term mise en abîme is here used in its most literal sense to refer to the determination of meaning outside of a normative frame of reference. This article explores the visual implications of the ‘out-of-frame’ in two young adult novels, Anne Provoost's Falling (1997) and John Boyne's The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2006). Blind space in these texts, in which the Holocaust is theme or sub-theme, is the space in which the cultural minorities reside. A foregrounding of the blind space thus calls for increased social awareness. In both novels a repeated motif of impenetrable walls, barriers and borders highlights the need for the apolitical protagonists to turn their gazes towards the blind spaces and to restore the marginalised occupants with visibility and voice. Blind space here becomes the interpretative key with which to unlock the texts' call for multiracial acceptance.
The Risk of Conformity: Representing Character in Mass Market Fiction and Narrative Media
Authors: Silva Roberta
Published: June 2010

In current literary production, teenagers are one of the most important target groups, and there are more and more correlations among books, films and serials dedicated to teenagers; in other words it is impossible to discuss children's literature without placing it into the complex context of the cultural industry. This situation may encourage a ‘mutual influence’ among these media languages, based on the use of the same stock characters and the same stereotypes. But, are teen novels really influenced by teen drama and teen films, absorbing their clichés and conventions? And, if this is the case, what is the dimension of this phenomenon?
Cloning and Expression of Aspergillus tamarii FS132 Lipase Gene in Pichia pastoris
Authors: Shi Bihong , Zeng Liqing , Song Haolei , Shi Qiaoqin , Wu Songgang
Published: June 2010

A lipase gene (atl) was cloned from Aspergillustamarii FS132 for the first time. The gene was found to have an open reading frame of 1024 base pairs (bp), and the coding region of the gene contained two introns (51 bp and 52 bp). Multi-alignment analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence indicated high homology between the enzyme and mono- and diacylglycerol lipases from fungi Aspergillus. The recombinant lipase was expressed in Pichia pastoris GS115 cells. The recombinant lipase was found to have a molecular mass of 36.7 kDa, and it exhibited lipase activity of 20 U/mL in culture supernatant when tributyrin was used as the substrate.
Methodology of Pulsed Photoacoustics and Its Application to Probe Photosystems and Receptors
Authors: Hou Harvey J.M. , Sakmar Thomas P.
Published: June 2010

We review recent advances in the methodology of pulsed time-resolved photoacoustics and its application to studies of photosynthetic reaction centers and membrane receptors such as the G protein-coupled receptor rhodopsin. The experimental parameters accessible to photoacoustics include molecular volume change and photoreaction enthalpy change. Light-driven volume change secondary to protein conformational changes or electrostriction is directly related to the photoreaction and thus can be a useful measurement of activity and function. The enthalpy changes of the photochemical reactions observed can be measured directly by photoacoustics. With the measurement of enthalpy change, the reaction entropy can also be calculated when free energy is known. Dissecting the free energy of a photoreaction into enthalpic and entropic components may provide critical information about photoactivation mechanisms of photosystems and photoreceptors. The potential limitations and future applications of time-resolved photoacoustics are also discussed.
Sustainable Energy Development: The Key to a Stable Nigeria
Authors: Uduma Kalu , Arciszewski Tomasz
Published: June 2010

This paper proposes the use of sustainable energy systems based on solar and biomass technologies to provide solutions to utility challenges in Nigeria and acute water shortage both in rural and urban areas of that country. The paper highlights the paradoxes of oil-rich Nigeria and the stark reality of social infrastructure deprivations in that country. Perennial power outages over many years have translated to the absence of or poorly-developed basic social infrastructures in Nigeria. The consequences of this lack have been an increase in abject poverty in rural and urban communities as well as the erosion of social order and threats to citizen and their property. This paper proposes the adaptation of two emerging technologies for building sustainable energy systems and the development of decentralized and sustainable energy sources as catalyst for much-needed social infrastructure development through the creation of Renewable Energy Business Incubators, creative lending strategies, NGO partnerships and shifting energy-distribution responsibilities. These changes will stimulate grassroots economies in the country, develop large quantities of much needed clean water, maintain acceptable standards of sanitation and improve the health and wellbeing of Nigerian communities. The proposed strategies are specific to the Nigerian context; however, the authors suggest that the same or similar strategies may provide energy and social infrastructure development solutions to other developing countries as well.
Transplantation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Exerts a Greater Long-Term Effect than Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cells in a Chronic Myocardial Infarction Model in Rat
Authors: Mazo Manuel , Gavira Juan José , Abizanda Gloria , Moreno Cristina , Ecay Margarita , Soriano Mario , Aranda Pablo , Collantes María , Alegría Eduardo , Merino Juana , Peñuelas Iván , Verdugo José Manuel García , Pelacho Beatriz , Prósper Felipe
Published: June 2010

The aim of this study is to assess the long-term effect of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) transplantation in a rat model of chronic myocardial infarction (MI) in comparison with the effect of bone marrow mononuclear cells (BM-MNC) transplant. Five weeks after induction of MI, rats were allocated to receive intramyocardial injection of 106GFP-expressing cells (BM-MNC or MSC) or medium as control. Heart function (echocardiography and18F-FDG-microPET) and histological studies were performed 3 months after transplantation and cell fate was analyzed along the experiment (1 and 2 weeks and 1 and 3 months). The main findings of this study were that both BM-derived populations, BM-MNC and MSC, induced a long-lasting (3 months) improvement in LVEF (BM-MNC: 26.61 ± 2.01% to 46.61 ± 3.7%, p < 0.05; MSC: 27.5 ± 1.28% to 38.8 ± 3.2%, p < 0.05) but remarkably, only MSC improved tissue metabolism quantified by18F-FDG uptake (71.15 ± 1.27 to 76.31 ± 1.11, p < 0.01), which was thereby associated with a smaller infarct size and scar collagen content and also with a higher revascularization degree. Altogether, results show that MSC provides a long-term superior benefit than whole BM-MNC transplantation in a rat model of chronic MI.
Isolation, Characterization, and Differentiation Potential of Canine Adipose-Derived Stem Cells
Authors: Vieira N. M. , Brandalise V. , Zucconi E. , Secco M. , Strauss B. E. , Zatz M.
Published: June 2010

Adipose tissue may represent a potential source of adult stem cells for tissue engineering applications in veterinary medicine. It can be obtained in large quantities, under local anesthesia, and with minimal discomfort. In this study, canine adipose tissue was obtained by biopsy from subcutaneous adipose tissue or by suction-assisted lipectomy (i.e., liposuction). Adipose tissue was processed to obtain a fibroblast-like population of cells similar to human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs). These canine adipose-derived stem cells (cASCs) can be maintained in vitro for extended periods with stable population doubling and low levels of senescence. Immunofluorescence and flow cytometry show that the majority of cASCs are of mesodermal or mesenchymal origin. cASCs are able to differentiate in vitro into adipogenic, chondrogenic, myogenic, and osteogenic cells in the presence of lineage-specific induction factors. In conclusion, like human lipoaspirate, canine adipose tissue may also contain multipotent cells and represent an important stem cell source both for veterinary cell therapy as well as preclinical studies.
Brandeis's Laboratories of Sentencing and Corrections: Making Better Use of Knowledge from the States
Authors: Reitz Kevin R.
Published: June 2010

State criminal justice systems have great opportunities to learn from the successes and failures of other states. Justice Brandeis famously called the states “laboratories” for innovation in law and policy. Yet researchers, policy makers, and law makers have done too little to exploit this unique American resource. This article highlights a number of issues in the field of sentencing and corrections that jump forward from a combined reading of all the articles published in this volume. The subjects are: (1) a suggestion for improvement on the current model for state-based research in criminal justice; (2) the pressing need to attend to policy issues at the “back end” of the sentencing chronology; (3) the growing use of risk assessment technology at various stages of the sentencing process; (4) the need to embrace less-than-perfect solutions; and (5) the need to develop new policy approaches to combat racial and ethnic disparities among those sentenced.
Right-Sizing Corrections in New York
Authors: Useem Bert
Published: June 2010

Over the last decade in New York State, the crime rate has declined, the rate of imprisonment has decreased, and violence behind bars has dropped. This essay examines the role played by the state's correctional agency in effecting these trends. The analysis focuses on the agency's efforts to right-size, to respond to circumstances with agility, to maintain professionalism, and to use success to build success. Recent sentencing reforms in New York are also considered.
Leptin Exacerbates Sepsis-Mediated Morbidity and Mortality
Authors: Shapiro Nathan I. , Khankin Eliyahu V. , Van Meurs Matijs , Shih Shou-Ching , Lu Shulin , Yano Midori , Castro Pedro R. , Maratos-Flier Eleftheria , Parikh Samir M. , Karumanchi S. Ananth , Yano Kiichiro
Published: June 2010

The adipose-derived hormone leptin is well known for its contribution to energy metabolism and satiety signaling in the hypothalamus. Previous studies suggested that obesity is an independent risk factor for sepsis morbidity and mortality, and it is associated with elevated baseline levels of circulating leptin in normal, nonseptic patients. In mouse endotoxemia and cecal ligation puncture models of sepsis, we observed elevated levels of leptin and soluble leptin receptor (sLR). Exogenously administered leptin increased mortality in endotoxemia and cecal ligation puncture models and was associated with increased expression of adhesion and coagulation molecules, macrophage infiltration into the liver and kidney, and endothelial barrier dysfunction. Conversely, longform leptin receptor-deficient mice were protected from sepsis morbidity and mortality and had less endothelial dysfunction. Furthermore, an in vitro study revealed that leptin-induced endothelial dysfunction is likely mediated, at least in part, by monocytes. Moreover, administration of an sLR conferred a survival benefit. Human septic patients have increased circulating sLR concentrations, which were correlated with disease severity indices. Together, these data support a pathogenic role for leptin signaling during sepsis.
In Vivo Regulation of Bcl6 and T Follicular Helper Cell Development
Authors: Poholek Amanda C. , Hansen Kyle , Hernandez Sairy G. , Eto Danelle , Chandele Anmol , Weinstein Jason S. , Dong Xuemei , Odegard Jared M. , Kaech Susan M. , Dent Alexander L. , Crotty Shane , Craft Joe
Published: June 2010

Follicular helper T (TFH) cells, defined by expression of the surface markers CXCR5 and programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) and synthesis of IL-21, require upregulation of the transcriptional repressor Bcl6 for their development and function in B cell maturation in germinal centers. We have explored the role of B cells and the cytokines IL-6 and IL-21 in the in vivo regulation of Bcl6 expression and TFH cell development. We found that TFH cells are characterized by a Bcl6-dependent downregulation of P-selectin glycoprotein ligand 1 (PSGL1, a CCL19- and CCL21-binding protein), indicating that, like CXCR5 and PD-1 upregulation, modulation of PSGL1 expression is part of the TFH cell program of differentiation. B cells were neither required for initial upregulation of Bcl6 nor PSGL1 downregulation, suggesting these events preceded T–B cell interactions, although they were required for full development of the TFH cell phenotype, including CXCR5 and PD-1 upregulation, and IL-21 synthesis. Bcl6 upregulation and TFH cell differentiation were independent of IL-6 and IL-21, revealing that either cytokine is not absolutely required for development of Bcl6+ TFH cells in vivo. These data increase our understanding of Bcl6 regulation in TFH cells and their differentiation in vivo and identifies a new surface marker that may be functionally relevant in this subset.
Crystal Structure of Bovine CD1b3 with Endogenously Bound Ligands
Authors: Girardi Enrico , Wang Jing , Mac Thien-Thi , Versluis Cees , Bhowruth Veemal , Besra Gurdyal , Heck Albert J.R. , Van Rhijn Ildiko , Zajonc Dirk M.
Published: June 2010

The CD1 family of Ag-presenting molecules is able to display lipids to T cells by binding them within a hydrophobic groove connected to the protein surface. In particular, the CD1b isotype is capable of binding ligands with greatly varying alkyl chain lengths through a complex network of interconnected hydrophobic pockets. Interestingly, mycobacterial lipids such as glucose monomycolate exclusively bind to CD1b. We determined the crystal structure of one of the three expressed bovine CD1b proteins, CD1b3, in complex with endogenous ligands, identified by mass spectrometry as a mixture of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine, and analyzed the ability of the protein to bind glycolipids in vitro. The structure reveals a complex binding groove architecture, similar to the human ortholog but with consequential differences. Intriguingly, in bovine CD1b3 only the A’, C’ and F’ pockets are present, whereas the T’ pocket previously described in human CD1b is closed. This different pocket conformation could affect the ability of boCD1b3 to recognize lipids with long acyl chains such as glucose monomycolate. However, even in the absence of a T’ tunnel, bovine CD1b3 is able to bind mycolates from Rhodococcus ruber in vitro.
Mast Cell Stabilization Improves Survival by Preventing Apoptosis in Sepsis
Authors: Ramos Laura , Peña Geber , Cai Bolin , Deitch E. A. , Ulloa Luis
Published: June 2010

Inhibiting single cytokines produced modest effects in clinical trials, in part because the cytokines were not specific for sepsis, and sepsis may require cellular strategies. Previous studies reported that mast cells (MCs) fight infections in early sepsis. In this study, we report that MC stabilizers restrain serum TNF levels and improve survival in wild-type but not in MC-deficient mice. Yet, MC depletion in knockout mice attenuates serum TNF but does not improve survival in sepsis. Serum HMGB1 was the only factor correlating with survival. MC stabilizers inhibit systemic HMGB1 levels and rescue mice from established peritonitis. MC stabilizers fail to inhibit HMGB1 secretion from macrophages, but they prevent apoptosis and caspase-3 activation in sepsis. These results suggest that MC stabilization provides therapeutic benefits in sepsis by inhibiting extracellular release of HMGB1 from apoptotic cells. Our study provides the first evidence that MCs have major immunological implications regulating cell death in sepsis and represent a pharmacological target for infectious disorders in a clinically realistic time frame.
A Role for Lysosomal-Associated Protein Transmembrane 5 in the Negative Regulation of Surface B Cell Receptor Levels and B Cell Activation
Authors: Ouchida Rika , Kurosaki Tomohiro , Wang Ji-Yang
Published: June 2010

Mechanisms by which cell surface levels of the BCR are regulated remain largely unknown. We found that B cells lacking the lysosomal-associated protein transmembrane 5 (LAPTM5) expressed higher levels of cell surface BCR than did wild-type (WT) B cells after Ag stimulation in vitro and in vivo. In addition, LAPTM5-deficient mice contained an increased frequency of Ag-specific B cells and produced greater amounts of Abs than did WT mice after immunization with a T-dependent Ag. Adoptive transfer of LAPTM5-deficient B cells with WT T cells into RAG1-deficient mice revealed that the increased surface BCR levels and the enhanced B cell activation and Ab production were due to a B cell intrinsic defect. As they aged, the LAPTM5-deficient mice had increased titers of serum IgM and autoantibodies and immune complex deposition in the kidney. Immunofluorescent and biochemical analysis revealed that LAPTM5 physically interacted with the BCR complex and promoted its degradation in the lysosomal compartment in mouse B cells. These results demonstrate a role for LAPTM5 in the negative regulation of cell surface BCR levels and B cell activation.
A Novel Strategy To Reduce the Immunogenicity of Biological Therapies
Authors: Somerfield Jennifer , Hill-Cawthorne Grant A. , Lin Andrew , Zandi Michael S. , McCarthy Claire , Jones Joanne L. , Willcox Michael , Shaw David , Thompson Sara A. J. , Compston Alastair S. , Hale Geoff , Waldmann Herman , Coles Alasdair J.
Published: June 2010

Biological therapies, even humanized mAbs, may induce antiglobulin responses that impair efficacy. We tested a novel strategy to induce tolerance to a therapeutic mAb. Twenty patients with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis received an initial cycle of alemtuzumab (Campath-1H), up to 120 mg over 5 d, preceded by 500 mg SM3. This Ab differs from alemtuzumab by a single point mutation and is designed not to bind to cells. Twelve months later, they received a second cycle of alemtuzumab, up to 72 mg over 3 d. One month after that, 4 of 19 (21%) patients had detectable serum anti-alemtuzumab Abs compared with 145 of 197 (74%) patients who received two cycles of alemtuzumab without SM3 in the phase 2 CAMMS223 trial (p < 0.001). The efficacy and safety profile of alemtuzumab was unaffected by SM3 pretreatment. Long-lasting “high-zone” tolerance to a biological therapy may be induced by pretreatment with a high i.v. dose of a drug variant, altered to reduce target-binding.
Cutting Edge: FcR-Like 6 Is an MHC Class II Receptor
Authors: Schreeder Daniel M. , Cannon John P. , Wu Jiongru , Li Ran , Shakhmatov Mikhail A. , Davis Randall S.
Published: June 2010

Receptors for the Fc portion of Ig have been extensively characterized and are known to regulate humoral responses, but members of the closely related FcR-like (FCRL) family have not been found to bind Ig, and to date, no ligand has been identified for any FCRL. Using a cell-based GFP reporter system and a recombinant Fc chimeric protein, we show that human FCRL6, a receptor selectively expressed by cytotoxic T and NK cells, directly binds HLA-DR, an MHC class II molecule. Given the similarity among constant regions of Ig and MHC molecules, these findings suggest that representatives of the FcR and FCRL multigene families may have independently evolved to engage two ancestral elements fundamental to adaptive immunity. This discovery may offer new insight into the interaction between cytotoxic lymphocytes and APCs and may have important implications for better understanding HLA disease susceptibility and pathogenesis.
 Evaluating the roles and competencies that are critical considerations for management development
Authors: Govender Patsy , Parumasur Sanjana B.
Published: June 2010

Orientation: If managerial roles/competencies are evaluated in an organisation, shortfalls in managerial functions can serve as areas for management development thereby enabling the potential to create master managers.Research purpose: This study assesses the extent to which the current management cadre in a public sector division possesses the eight managerial roles/competencies (mentor, facilitator, monitor, co-ordinator, director, producer, broker, innovator) needed for effective management with the aim of identifying areas for management development. It also aims to assess whether the managerial roles relate to each other.Motivation for the study: In order to avoid a ‘hit and miss’ approach to management development it is important to assess managerial roles/competencies to effectively identify areas for enhancement.Research design, approach and method: The empirical analysis entailed data collection through the use of questionnaires, administered to a sample of 202 from a population of 400 managers, drawn using the stratified random sampling technique, thereby generating a 51% response rate. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.Main findings: The results indicate that managers in this public sector division are fulfilling the managerial roles in varying degrees, though not optimally. They do not display optimal paradoxical capability and behaviour complexity. Furthermore, the eight roles/competencies are interconnected. Managerial level, age and race were found to influence the extent to which managers possess and display various competencies.Practical/managerial implications: The interconnectedness of the managerial roles/competencies implies that effective leaders should be ambidextrous in a figurative sense. Based on the results, a framework is generated that identifies areas for improvement in the managerial competencies required to ensure managerial effectiveness and hence presents skills to be developed or areas for management development in order to enhance each managerial role.Contribution/value-add: The need for managers to be able to display optimal paradoxical capabilities and behavioural complexities is becoming more and more pronounced. This study highlights potential areas for management development, thereby contributing to managerial effectiveness.
Ready, Willing, and Able: A Framework for Improving the Public Health Emergency Preparedness System
Authors: McCabe O. Lee , Barnett Daniel J. , Taylor Henry G. , Links Jonathan M.
Published: June 2010

Every society is exposed periodically to catastrophes and public health emergencies that are broad in scale. Too often, these experiences reveal major deficits in the quality of emergency response. A critical barrier to achieving preparedness for high-quality, system-based emergency response is the absence of a universal framework and common language to guide the pursuit of that goal. We describe a simple but comprehensive framework to encourage a focused conversation to improve preparedness for the benefit of individuals, families, organizations, communities, and society as a whole. We propose that constructs associated with the well-known expression “ready, willing, and able” represent necessary and sufficient elements for a standardized approach to ensure high-quality emergency response across the disparate entities that make up the public health emergency preparedness system. The “ready, willing, and able” constructs are described and specific applications are offered to illustrate the broad applicability and heuristic value of the model. Finally, prospective steps are outlined for initiating and advancing a dialogue that may directly lead to or inform already existing efforts to develop quality standards, measures, guidance, and (potentially) a national accreditation program.

(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2010;4:161-168)
Impact on Hospital Functions Following the 2010 Chilean Earthquake
Authors: Kirsch Thomas D. , Mitrani-Reiser Judith , Bissell Richard , Sauer Lauren M. , Mahoney Michael , Holmes William T. , Santa Cruz Nicolás , de la Maza Francisco
Published: June 2010

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the impact of the 2010 Chilean earthquake on hospital functions and services. Hospitals functioning in a post-disaster environment must provide emergency medical care related to the event, in addition to providing standard community health services. This study focused on damage to both structural and nonstructural components, as well as to utility services.

Methods: Site visits were made to every hospital in a single province (Bio-Bio). Engineers conducted damage assessments while interviews of hospital administrators were conducted. The survey was requested by the Chilean Ministry of Health (MOH) to assess the impact of the earthquake on hospital operations and facility responses to those effects. Other important regional and hospital data were gathered from hospital administrators and the MOH.

Results: Seven government hospitals were surveyed. All hospitals in the region lost communications, municipal electrical power and water for several days. All reported some physical damage although only one suffered significant structural damage. All lost some functional capacity as a result of the earthquake. The loss of telephones and cellular service was identified as the most difficult problem by administrators. An average of 3 physical areas per hospital lost some degree of functional capacity following the earthquake.

Conclusion: Even in an earthquake-prone and very well-prepared country such as Chile hospital functions were widely disrupted by the event. The loss of hospital functions can occur even with minimal damage to the physical structure. The loss of communications can impede or halt response efforts at all levels. Hospitals should be prepared to self-sustain following a disaster for 2-3 days regardless of the level of structural damage. Understanding the details of these impacts is essential to hospital preparedness and plans for continuing services after a disaster.

(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2010;4:122-128)
Institute of Medicine's Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Catastrophic Events: Current Initiatives
Authors: Stroud Clare , Altevogt Bruce M. , Goldfrank Lewis R.
Published: June 2010

It is only possible to achieve a resilient community and an integrated, comprehensive, and resilient health system that can respond effectively to a public health emergency through active collaboration, coordination, and shared responsibility among a broad group of public and private stakeholders and the community itself. The Institute of Medicine established the Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Catastrophic Events in 2007 to provide a neutral venue for dialogue and collaboration among stakeholders in the preparedness field. In the Forum's first year, the members began to address topics such as medical countermeasures dispensing, crisis standards of care, and medical surge capacity. In the past 9 months, the Forum members have expanded their areas of interest in response to current events and national areas of focus. Current topics include individual, family, and community preparedness and resiliency; medical countermeasures from development through dispensing; and the response to the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic. Across all of the initiatives undertaken by the Forum, the common element is that they tackle problems, gaps, and future opportunities that can only be successfully addressed if multiple stakeholders work together.

(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2010;4:174-177)
Do U.S. food processors respond to sweetener‐related health information?
Authors: Hailu Getu , Cranfield John , Thangaraj Rawlin
Published: June 2010

This study examines the differential effects of relative prices and sweetener‐related health information on the substitutability between sweeteners in the U.S. food processing sector. Results suggest that cane and corn sugar are gross complements, Allen complements, but Morishima substitutes. Furthermore, the Morishima elasticity of substitution (MES) is more responsive to changes in relative prices than to changes in health information. In addition, the MES for cane‐ and corn‐based sweeteners is more responsive to health information from popular media sources than scientific and medical publications. [EconLit citations: D240, I180, Q110]. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Familial X;Y translocation with distinct phenotypic consequences: Characterization using FISH and array CGH
Authors: Bukvic N. , Carri V. Delli , Di Cosola M. L. , Pustorino G. , Cesarano C. , Chetta M. , Santacroce R. , Sarno M. , Sessa F. , Longo V. , Novelli A. , Gentile M. , Margaglione M.
Published: June 2010

X;Y translocation is a relatively rare event in humans. Analyzed cytogenetically, the majority of these aberrations have breakpoints at Xp22 and Yq11. Females with t(X;Y)(p22;q11) are phenotypically normal except for short stature, while the males may have abnormalities. Aberrations that lead to nullisomy of the deleted region and complete loss of the respective genes have been recognized as a cause of variable contiguous gene syndromes in males. The phenotype depends on the extent and position of the deletion showing the variable association of apparently unrelated clinical manifestations such as ichthyosis, chondrodysplasia punctata, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism with anosmia, ocular albinism, short stature, and mental retardation. In addition, some patients have been reported with symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The extent of terminal Xp deletions is limited by the presence of male lethal genes in Xp22.2 at about 10–11 Mb from the telomere. The deletions in the majority of viable reported male patients extend to the STS (∼7.0 Mb) or to the KAL1 (∼8.5 Mb) loci. We present a clinical, cytogenetic, FISH, and array CGH study of a family with an Xp;Yq translocation. The chromosomal status is also discussed in the light of their phenotypic traits. The final karyotypes of the patients were designated as:

Patient 1: 46,Y,der(X),t(X;Y)(p22;q12).ish der(X)(Xpter−,DXZ1+,Xqter+)mat.arr cgh Xp22.31p22.33(RP11‐60P14 → RP13‐391G2)x0;arr cgh Yq11.221qter (RP11‐235I1 → RP11‐270H4)x2.

Patient 2: 46,X,der(X),t(X;Y)(p22;q12).ish der(X)(Xpter−,DXZ1+,Xqter+)mat.arr cgh Xp22.31p22.33(RP11‐60P14 → RP13‐391G2)x1;arr cgh Yq11.221qter (RP11‐235I1 → RP11‐270H4)x1.

© 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A de novo duplication of Xp11.22–p11.4 in a girl with intellectual disability, structural brain anomalies, and preferential inactivation of the normal X chromosome
Authors: Holden Simon T. , Clarkson Amanda , Thomas N. Simon , Abbott Kristin , James Matthew R. , Willatt Lionel
Published: June 2010

Only a small number of individuals with duplications within the proximal short arm of the X chromosome have been reported. The majority of patients have duplications encompassing Xp11–p21, or extend more distally into Xp22. We report on a female patient who presented within the first year of life with plagiocephaly, speech delay, and epilepsy. Brain MRI showed a relatively thin cerebral cortex, abnormal periventricular white matter, and abnormal vessels in the left inferior parietal region. Cytogenetic and microsatellite analysis of the patient and her parents showed that she has a de novo duplication of Xp11.22–Xp11.4 on her paternal X chromosome. FISH analysis using fluorescently labeled BACs followed by array analysis including an X tilepath BAC array showed that a 12.3 Mb interval between 40.4 Mb and 52.7 Mb from the Xp telomere (NCBI build 36) was duplicated and excluded the presence of additional rearrangements along the X chromosome. Interestingly, X‐inactivation studies in peripheral blood leukocytes showed that the duplicated (paternal) X chromosome was active in the majority of cells, in contrast to other patients with Xp duplications in whom X inactivation is random or skewed toward the normal X. These findings suggest that overexpression of genes from proximal Xp is likely to have contributed to her clinical phenotype. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Oxygen plasma treatment to reduce the dyeing temperature of wool fabrics
Authors: Rombaldoni Fabio , Montarsolo Alessio , Mossotti Raffaella , Innocenti Riccardo , Mazzuchetti Giorgio
Published: June 2010

The possibility of reducing the dyeing temperature of wool fabrics by means of an oxygen low‐temperature plasma etching pretreatment at different discharge powers was investigated. We dyed fabrics at 98, 85, and 80°C, replicating the dyeing recipe and process of a dyeing mill on a laboratory‐scale machine. The plasma treatment modified the surface morphology and greatly increased the wettability and initial dyeing rate and shortened the half‐dyeing time, improving the diffusion of the dyes into the fibers at lower dyeing temperatures. In particular, the pretreatment allowed us to dye the wool fabrics at 85°C without affecting their dyeing performances in terms of final bath exhaustion and colorfastnesses. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010
Role of a compatibilizer in the structure and micromechanical properties of recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate)/polyolefin blends with clay
Authors: Hellati A. , Benachour D. , Cagiao M. E. , Boufassa S. , Baltá Calleja F. J.
Published: June 2010

The comparison of the degree of crystallinity and the micromechanical properties in the blends of recycled amorphous poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) with isotactic polypropylene (iPP) and high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) with a compatibilizer in different proportions is reported. The physical study of the composites of the compatibilized blends and clay is also discussed. The analysis, performed by means of wide‐angle X‐ray scattering and differential scanning calorimetry techniques, permits us to describe, at microscale level, the role of the compatibilizer on the structure and microhardness of the polymer blends that we studied. The results reveal that PET was incompatible with both iPP and HDPE. However, the presence of the compatibilizer, a styrene–ethylene/butylene–styrene block copolymer grafted with maleic anhydride, allowed the compatibilization of these polymers. In the PET/iPP blends, the clay seemed to have a nucleating effect on the iPP and also induced a hardness increase in the compatibilized blends. On the other hand, in case of PET/HDPE, the crystallinity of these samples (pure blends, blends with compatibilizer, and blends with compatibilizer plus clay) only depended on their composition. Similarly to the PET/iPP blends, the addition of clay induced an increase in the hardness of the compatibilized blends. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010
Resins IV: Preparation and characterization of terpolymer resins prepared from biphenol, thiourea and formaldehyde
Authors: Jadhao Manjusha M. , Paliwal L. J. , Bhave N. S.
Published: June 2010

Terpolymer resins (BPhThF) were synthesized by the condensation of 2,2′‐dihydroxybiphenyl [BPh] and thiourea [Th] with formaldehyde [F] in the presence of acid catalyst and using varied molar ratios of reacting monomers. Terpolymer resin compositions have been determined on the basis of their elemental analysis, and the number average molecular weights of these resins were determined by conductometric titration in nonaqueous medium. Viscometric measurements in dimethyl formamide (DMF) have been carried out with a view to ascertain the characteristic functions and constants. UV–vis, FTIR, and NMR spectra were studied to elucidate the structure. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010
Synthesis of novolac‐type phenolic resins using glucose as the substitute for formaldehyde
Authors: Wang Mingcun , Yuan Zhongshun , Cheng Shuna , Leitch Mathew , Xu Chunbao Charles
Published: June 2010

Novel Novolac type phenolic resins were prepared using glucose as the substitute for toxic formaldehyde (a carcinogenic chemical). The resins were synthesized with varying molar ratios of phenol to glucose, catalyzed by strong acid (such as sulfuric acid) at 120–150°C. Analysis of the resins using gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H‐NMR) showed that they were broadly distributed oligomers derived from the Fridel‐Crafts condensation of phenol and glucose. Using hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) as the curing agent, the phenol‐glucose resins could be thermally cured and exhibited exothermic peaks at 130–180°C, typical of thermosetting phenolic resins. The cured resins showed satisfactory thermal stability, e.g., they started to decompose at >280°C with residual carbon yields of above 58% at 600°C. Based on the thermal properties, phenol‐glucose resin with a molar ratio of 1 : 0.5 is promising as it could be cured at a lower temperature (147°C) and exhibited a satisfactorily good thermal stability: it started to decompose at >300°C with a residual carbon yield of >64% at 600°C. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010
Electrospray modeling of highly viscous and non‐Newtonian liquids
Authors: Moghadam H. , Samimi M. , Samimi A. , Khorram M.
Published: June 2010

The electrohydrodynamic spraying of highly viscous and non‐Newtonian aqueous solutions of sodium alginate were experimentally modeled with high direct‐current electric fields. A prototype electrospray setup comprising a nozzle connected to a high‐voltage counter electrode connected to earth and a curing facility to solidify the droplets was used. The main aim was initially set to extend the knowledge of the electrospray to highly viscous liquids, where shear thinning was the main rheological feature of fluid flow through the nozzle of the spray system. To model the process, the effects on the size of beads of the electric field strength, nozzle diameter, flow rate, and the material properties of density, viscosity, surface tension, and electrical conductivity were characterized. The size distribution of the beads was obtained after the droplets were cured in a calcium chloride solution with an image analyzer system. The rheological study, carried out on different concentrations of alginate solution (i.e., 1–3 w/v %), showed a significant reduction in the viscosity as a function of the shear rate. Considering the shear‐thinning behavior of the solutions, in the modeling we applied the viscosity at the operational shear rate in the nozzle. Four dimensionless groups were introduced to obtain the relationship between the dimensionless group representing diameter and the other groups in the dripping and jet modes with statistical analysis of the experimental data. The proposed equations correlated the size of beads within ±10% deviations as compared to the experimental results. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010
Polypropylene/carbon nanotube composites prepared with a environmentally benign processes
Authors: Kim Junsuk , Jung Yeonsu , Kwark Young‐Je , Jeong Youngjin
Published: June 2010

Polypropylene (PP)/multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT) composites were prepared with an environmentally benign processes. The surface functionalization of the MWNTs was performed with water as a solvent, and the functionalized MWNTs were mixed with PP to form composites with a melt process. The effects of the MWNTs on the mechanical and thermal properties of the composites were studied. The tensile strength and modulus of the composites increased with the amount of MWNTs. The thermal stability was also improved by the reinforced MWNTs. The MWNTs also improved the oxidative stability of the composite on UV irradiation. Although pure PP degraded almost completely after 12 h of irradiation, the composite reinforced with MWNTs retained some level of mechanical strength after UV irradiation. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010
Rheological behavior and mechanical properties of high‐density polyethylene blends with different molecular weights
Authors: Bai Lu , Li Yan‐Mei , Yang Wei , Yang Ming‐Bo
Published: June 2010

The dynamic rheological and mechanical properties of the binary blends of two conventional high‐density polyethylenes [HDPEs; low molecular weight (LMW) and high molecular weight (HMW)] with distinct different weight‐average molecular weights were studied. The rheological results show that the rheological behavior of the blends departed from classical linear viscoelastic theory because of the polydispersity of the HDPEs that we used. Plots of the logarithm of the zero shear viscosity fitted by the Cross model versus the blend composition, Cole–Cole plots, Han curves, and master curves of the storage and loss moduli indicated the LMW/HMW blends of different compositions were miscible in the melt state. The tensile yield strength of the blends generally followed the linear additivity rule, whereas the elongation at break and impact strength were lower than those predicted by linear additivity; this suggested the incompatibility of the blends in solid state. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010
Effect of microorganisms during the initial coagulum maturation of Hevea natural rubber
Authors: Intapun J. , Sainte‐Beuve J. , Bonfils F. , Tanrattanakul V. , Dubreucq E. , Vaysse L.
Published: June 2010

The involvement of microorganisms in the initial stage of maturation of natural rubber coagula was assessed with five latex treatments that varied in the initial quantity of microorganisms; the treatments ranged from latex added with an antimicrobial agent (3.4 × 104 CFU/mL) to strongly inoculated latex (2.4 × 107 CFU/mL). After 0–6 days of maturation, the obtained rubber was characterized with respect to its physical and structural properties. The Wallace plasticity (P0) and plasticity retention index (PRI) remained constant during maturation with the antibiotic‐added treatment. PRI decreased with the maturation time, and the rate was proportional to the initial microorganism concentration. P0 of all inoculated rubber increased for the first 2 days of maturation and decreased after 6 days of maturation. With respect to structural parameters, a higher initial microorganism content corresponded to a higher gel content and a lower weight‐average molar mass after maturation, drying, and storage. The inoculated rubber showed a stable value for the number‐average molar mass (Mn), in contrast to the noninoculated samples, for which an increase in Mn during maturation was observed. The quantity of microorganisms significantly affected the physical properties and structure of the processed dry rubber. The mechanisms occurring during the initial stage of maturation are complex, and microorganisms are involved not only in the increase in sensitivity to thermooxidation but also in the crosslinking phenomenon between isoprene chains. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010
Elastic properties of adhesive polymers. III. Adhesive polymer films under dry and wet conditions characterized by means of nanoindentation
Authors: Konnerth Johannes , Stöckel Frank , Müller Ulrich , Gindl Wolfgang
Published: June 2010

The mechanical properties of cured wood‐adhesive films were tested in dry and wet states by means of nanoindentation. A fluid cell was used to monitor possible property changes as a function of changing moisture content. Under wet conditions, the elastic modulus and hardness of all tested adhesives (i.e., urea formaldehyde, melamine urea formaldehyde, phenol resorcinol formaldehyde, and one‐component polyurethane) were reduced to about half of their values in the dry state. After renewed drying, all adhesives largely recovered their initial mechanical properties. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010