bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metabolic syndrome and risk of development of chronic kidney disease: the Niigata preventive medicine study
Authors: Watanabe Hiroshi , Obata Hiroaki , Watanabe Toru , Sasaki Shigeru , Nagai Kojiro , Aizawa Yoshifusa
Published: December 2009

Background

The metabolic syndrome consists of a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors, many of which have also been implicated in the genesis of chronic kidney disease. We studied the impact of the metabolic syndrome on chronic kidney disease in general population.

Methods

The Niigata Preventive Medicine Study was community‐based prospective observational cohort study based upon the annual health examinations in Japan. We studied the association of the metabolic syndrome with a risk of development of kidney dysfunction and proteinuria in 34 986 participants without baseline kidney disease.

Results

The metabolic syndrome was present in 3679 subjects (11%). During a follow‐up of 5.8 years, kidney dysfunction developed in 184 subjects with metabolic syndrome (5.0%) and 746 subjects without metabolic syndrome (2.4%). The metabolic syndrome was associated with development of kidney dysfunction (hazard ratio [HR], 2.12). All of the metabolic syndrome components were associated with risk of kidney dysfunction. The risk of kidney dysfunction increased across a number of the fulfilled metabolic syndrome components. The association of metabolic syndrome with kidney dysfunction remained significant in subjects without hypertension, diabetes, or cardiovascular disease (HR, 1.99) and in those ≤60 years without hypertension, diabetes, or cardiovascular disease (HR, 2.11). The metabolic syndrome was similarly associated with the development of proteinuria in all subjects (HR, 1.67), in those without hypertension, diabetes, or cardiovascular disease (HR, 1.64) and in those ≤60 years without hypertension, diabetes, or cardiovascular disease (HR, 2.14).

Conclusions

The metabolic syndrome was associated with kidney disease even in subjects without major classical risk factors for chronic kidney disease. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
EphA4 is necessary for spatially selective peripheral somatosensory topography
Authors: North H. A. , Karim A. , Jacquin M. F. , Donoghue M. J.
Published: December 2009

Somatosensation is the primary sensory modality employed by rodents in navigating their environments, and mystacial vibrissae on the snout are the primary conveyors of this information to the murine brain. The layout of vibrissae is spatially stereotyped and topographic connections faithfully maintain this layout throughout the neuraxis. Several factors have been shown to influence general vibrissal innervation by trigeminal neurons. Here, the role of a cell surface receptor, EphA4, in directing position‐dependent vibrissal innervation is examined. EphA4 is expressed in the ventral region of the presumptive whisker pad and EphA4−/− mice lack the ventroposterior‐most vibrissae. Analyses reveal that ventral trigeminal axons are abnormal, failing to innervate emerging vibrissae, and resulting in the absence of a select group of vibrissae in EphA4−/− mice. EphA4's selective effect on a subset of whiskers implicates cell‐based signaling in the establishment of position‐dependent connectivity and topography in the peripheral somatosensory system. Developmental Dynamics 239:630–638, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
TDP‐43, a neuro‐pathosignature factor, is essential for early mouse embryogenesis
Authors: Wu Lien‐Szu , Cheng Wei‐Cheng , Hou Shin‐Chen , Yan Yu‐Ting , Jiang Si‐Tse , Shen C.‐K. James
Published: December 2009

TDP‐43 is a highly conserved and ubiquitously expressed nuclear protein. It has been implicated in the regulation of transcription, alternative splicing, translation, and neuronal plasticity. TDP‐43 has also been shown to be a disease signature protein associated with several neurodegenerative diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. However, the correlation of the physiological functions of TDP‐43 with these diseases remains unknown. We have used the gene targeting approach to disrupt the expression of TDP‐43 in mouse. Loss of the TDP‐43 expression results in peri‐implantation lethality of mice between embryonic days (E) 3.5 and 6.5. Blastocysts of the homozygous Tardbp null mutants are morphologically normal, but exhibit defective outgrowth of the inner cell mass in vitro. Our data demonstrate the essential function of TDP‐43 in peri‐implantation stage during the embryo development, likely because of its involvement in multiple biological processes in a variety of cell types. genesis 48:56–62, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Genomic localization of the Z/EG transgene in the mouse genome
Authors: Colombo Sophie , Kumasaka Mayuko , Lobe Corrinne , Larue Lionel
Published: December 2009

The Z/EG transgenic mouse line, produced by Novak et al., displays tissue‐specific EGFP expression after Cre‐mediated recombination. The autofluorescence of EGFP allows the visualization of cells of interest displaying Cre recombination. The initial construct was designed such that cells without Cre recombination express the β‐galactosidase marker, facilitating counterselection. We used inverse PCR to identify the site of integration of the Z/EG transgene, to improve the efficiency of homozygous Z/EG mouse production. Recombined cells produced large amounts of EGFP protein, resulting in higher levels of fluorescence and therefore greater contrast with nonrecombined cells. We mapped the transgene to the G1 region of chromosome 5. This random insertion was found to have occurred 230‐bp upstream from the start codon of the Rasa4 gene. The insertion of the Z/EG transgene in the C57BL/6 genetic background had no effect on Rasa4 expression. Homozygous Z/EG mice therefore had no obvious phenotype. genesis 48:96–100, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Nanoscale Hollow Spheres of an Amphiphilic Mixed (Phthalocyaninato)(porphyrinato)europium Double‐Decker Complex
Authors: Lu Guifen , Ou Zhongping , Jiang Jianzhuang , Bian Yongzhong
Published: December 2009

A novel amphiphilic sandwich‐type mixed (phthalocyaninato)(porphyrinato)europium double‐decker complex Eu(Pc)[T(OH)3PP] [Pc = phthalocyaninate, T(OH)3PP = 5,10,15‐tris(4‐hydroxyphenyl)‐20‐(4‐tert‐butylphenyl)porphyrinate](1) was designed, prepared, and characterized by a range of spectroscopic methods in addition to elemental analysis. By employing a solution injection method, this compound self‐assembles into nanoscale hollow spheres with an average diameter of ca. 70 nm. The hollow spherical structure was determined by transmission electronic microscopy and scanning electronic microscopy. Comparison in the electronic absorption spectrum between the aggregate and the compound itself in solution reveals the J‐aggregation packing mode of the amphiphilic double‐decker molecules in nanoscale hollow spheres. The present work represents the first example of nanoscale hollow sphere morphology self‐assembled from sandwich tetrapyrrole rare‐earth complexes.
Yttrium‐Amidopyridinate Complexes: Synthesis and Characterization of Yttrium‐Alkyl and Yttrium‐Hydrido Derivatives
Authors: Luconi Lapo , Lyubov Dmitrii M. , Bianchini Claudio , Rossin Andrea , Faggi Cristina , Fukin Georgii K. , Cherkasov Anton V. , Shavyrin Andrei S. , Trifonov Alexander A. , Giambastiani Giuliano
Published: December 2009

Aryl‐ or heteroaryl‐substituted aminopyridine ligands (N2HAr) react with an equimolar amount of [Y(CH2SiMe3)3(thf)2] to give yttrium(III)‐monoalkyl complexes. The process involves the deprotonation of N2HAr by a yttrium alkyl followed by a rapid and quantitative intramolecular sp2‐CH bond activation of the aryl or heteroaryl pyridine substituents. As a result, new Y complexes distinguished by rare examples of CH bond activations have been isolated and completely characterized. Selective σ‐bond metathesis reactions take place on the residual Y–alkyl bonds upon treatment with PhSiH3. Unusual binuclear metallacyclic yttrium(III)‐hydrido complexes have been obtained and characterized by NMR spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction analysis.
Developmental profiling of postnatal dentate gyrus progenitors provides evidence for dynamic cell‐autonomous regulation
Authors: Gilley Jennifer A. , Yang Cui‐Ping , Kernie Steven G.
Published: December 2009

The dentate gyrus of the hippocampus is one of the most prominent regions in the postnatal mammalian brain where neurogenesis continues throughout life. There is tremendous speculation regarding the potential implications of adult hippocampal neurogenesis, though it remains unclear to what extent this ability becomes attenuated during normal aging, and what genetic changes in the progenitor population ensue over time. Using defined elements of the nestin promoter, we developed a transgenic mouse that reliably labels neural stem and early progenitors with green fluorescent protein (GFP). Using a combination of immunohistochemical and flow cytometry techniques, we characterized the progenitor cells within the dentate gyrus and created a developmental profile from postnatal day 7 (P7) until 6 months of age. In addition, we demonstrate that the proliferative potential of these progenitors is controlled at least in part by cell‐autonomous cues. Finally, to identify what may underlie these differences, we performed stem cell‐specific microarrays on GFP‐expressing sorted cells from isolated P7 and postnatal day 28 (P28) dentate gyrus. We identified several differentially expressed genes that may underlie the functional differences that we observe in neurosphere assays from sorted cells and differentiation assays at these different ages. These data suggest that neural progenitors from the dentate gyrus are differentially regulated by cell‐autonomous factors that change over time. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Batch and continuous decolorisation of bleached kraft effluents by a white‐rot fungus
Authors: Royer Guy , Desrochers Michel , Jurasek Lubo , Rouleau Denis , Mayer Raymond C.
Published: December 2009

The white‐rot fungus Coriolus versicolor, used in the form of mycelial pellets, provided an effective means to decolorise lignin‐containing kraft E1‐stage effluent from wood treatment processes. The mycelial pellets adsorbed the chromophores of the liquor and oxidised them in the presence of glucose. For an original liquor containing 7000 colour units (CU), the mean colour removal in batch experiments was estimated to be 300 CU g−1 mycelium h−1. The adsorption process and the oxidation process (following glucose addition) generally operated best at between pH 4 and 5, and at temperatures of 25 to 30°C, with a ratio of glucose to mycelium of 0.36, for a 24 h experiment. Magnesium ions accelerated the oxidation process. Decolorisation was then tested in a continuous reactor. The rate of loss of activity of the pellets was 1% per day and no mechanical damage to the pellets was observed in the reactor. With a liquor of 5600 CU a 50% decolorisation was attained in 15 to 30 h using 4.64 g dm−3 mycelium. This represents a rate of chromophore consumption of 30 CU g−1 mycelium h−1.
Studies on colour removal from bleach plant effluent of a kraft pulp mill
Authors: Gupta Mahesh P. , Bhattacharya Prashant K.
Published: December 2009

A comparative study for colour removal of pulp bleach plant effluent with three different decolorising agents: fly ash, high molecular weight amine (Kemamine T 1902D) and lime, showed 90% or more colour removal. Fly ash treatment offered a promising way for colour removal (94%); amine treatment yielded better colour removal than fly ash but had comparatively high cost. The large amount of lime needed to remove the colour beyond 90% restricts its use, since large‐scale equipment would be costly.
Efficiency of repeated batch penicillin fermentation using two fermentors. Computer simulation and optimisation
Authors: Hasegawa Sachiyuki , Shimizu Kazuyuki , Kobayashi Takeshi , Matsubara Masakazu
Published: December 2009

Repeated batch operation using two fermentors (RBTF) to penicillin fermentation was demonstrated by computer simulation to improve productivity. Three operation modes were compared: chemostat, repeated batch operation using a single fermentor (RBSF) and RBTF; in each case account was made of the lag period before growth. The simulated fermentor performances were assessed on the basis of the penicillin productivity and concentration; the simulation was based on published batch fermentation data. It was shown that RBTF was superior to RBSF and chemostat. The advantage of RBTF increased as the lag period became greater.
Stable coexistence of syntrophic associations in continuous culture
Authors: Powell Godfrey E.
Published: December 2009

This paper describes mathematically the growth dynamics of a ‘tight’ syntrophic association of two species of organisms in continuous coculture. Species X utilises substrate S and forms a product P. The substance P both inhibits the growth of X and constitutes the growth limiting substrate of the species Y. It is shown that the resulting dynamical balance in the level of P leads to a stable coexistence of both species over the range of dilution rates consistent with equal values of specific growth rates, provided certain qualitative conditions, characteristic of syntrophic interactions in general, are satisfied.
Phase equilibration in agitated vessels during extractive enzyme recovery
Authors: Fauquex Pierre‐Francois , Hustedt Helmut , Kula Maria‐Regina
Published: December 2009

Equilibration of partition during stirred‐reactor protein extraction occurs within a few seconds using aqueous two‐phase polyethylene glycol/salt systems, both when extracting enzymes from cell homogenates of various microorganisms and when using cell free systems. The tested systems were representative of the current processes developed in this laboratory for the extractive purification of enzymes; can be differentiated by their physicochemical properties. The experiments were carried out in baffled vessels at volume scales of 2.8, 21 and 160 dm3. Low stirrer speeds were used, although sufficient to ensure homogeneous mixing. In all cases the short time required to reach equilibrium confirmed the suitability of enzyme extraction processes for large scale applications.
Effect of polymer matrix on thermal stability of immobilised trypsin
Authors: Kumakura Minoru , Kaetsu Isao
Published: December 2009

Trypsin was markedly stabilised through immobilisation by radiation polymerisation of various monomers at low temperatures. A porous polymer matrix having a defined structure and flexibility enhanced the thermal stability. In highly hydrophilic monomer systems the resulting polymer matrix had a porous internal structure in which enzyme molecules were trapped. Trypsin was then protected from thermal denaturation and self‐autolysis. In contrast, polymers formed from hydrophobic monomers were of particle form and enzyme molecules were only trapped on the surface. With high concentrations of up to 90% monomer, the resulting radiation‐polymerised enzyme composites experienced limitations of substrate diffusion. There was an optimum hydrophilicity for enhancement of thermal stability of trypsin and this was found when the measured degree of hydration of the system was at a ratio of 0.35.
Mould spoilage of crepe rubber: Humidity effects
Authors: Keerthi Tillekeratne Liyanaarachchige M. , Vimalasari Titus
Published: December 2009

Mould growth and discoloration of crepe rubber depended on the relative humidity; moisture uptake could be reduced by the removal of the so‐called ‘yellow fraction’ of field latex, although subsequent storage in dry conditions is essential for rubber preservation.
Optimal size, hydraulic retention time and volatile solids loading rate of biogas unit using water hyacinth
Authors: Vaidyanathan S. , Kavadia K. M. , Borkar L. P. , Mahajan S. P.
Published: December 2009

With a view to evaluate the effects of hydraulic retention time and volatile solids loading rate on methane production using water hyacinth, experiments were conducted in a 160 dm3 capacity, well‐mixed continuous digestion unit at ambient temperature. The optimal design of biogas plant using water hyacinth was elucidated, to provide a unit giving a maximum methane yield of 0.16 nm3 kg−1 volatile solids added, which was 60% greater than the conventional plant using cowdung. The calculations of optimal design factors were based on reactor size, hydraulic retention time and volatile solids loading rate; considerations were made of capital cost, running costs and operational revenue.
The influence of the ion content of whey on the pH‐activity profile of the β‐galactosidase from Aspergillus oryzae
Authors: Griethuysen Evin Van , Flaschel Erwin , Renken Albert
Published: December 2009

The pH‐dependence of the reaction kinetics of lactase (β‐galactosidase) from Aspergillus oryzae in different reaction media is presented in terms of a two‐parameter model. The lactase from A. oryzae seems to have replaced the A. niger lactase on the market owing to a better activity/price ratio and may be utilised for lactose hydrolysis in acid as well as in neutral milk products. Its pH optimum is around pH 4.5. However, in the neutral pH‐range its activity depended strongly on the salt content of the substrate solution. For example, its activity in whey (pH 6.5) fell to only 30% of its expected activity in a pure lactose solution at the same pH. The whey effect was the same for both soluble and immobilised lactase. The two parameter kinetic model, which included a term for competitive product inhibition gave excellent agreement with experimental data, and may thus be useful for the prediction of reactor performance with this enzyme.
Production of high purity fructose from barley syrups using semi‐continuous chromatography
Authors: Barker Philip E. , Ganetsos George
Published: December 2009

A semi‐continuous counter current chromatographic refiner, developed in this department, was used to produce high fructose syrup from an industrial barley syrup containing 42% fructose, 52% glucose and 6% maltose and oligosaccharides. The chromatographic refiner consisted of twelve 5.4 cm i.d. columns, each packed to a height of 65.5 cm with KORELA VO7C calcium charged resin, with a particle size range 150–300 μm. At a throughput of 32.1 kg sugar solids/m3 resin/h, the fructose rich product obtained was 95% pure and had a concentration of 11.3% w/v, while the glucose rich product contained only 4.5% fructose and had a concentration of 22.56% w/v.
A theoretical model for catalyst‐fluid flow reactors with immobilised cells
Authors: Gamarra J. A.
Published: December 2009

A theoretical model of the behaviour of immobilised cells in porous pellets is developed. Particular attention is given to ethanol production with immobilised yeast cells, the deactivating effect of the alcohol upon the cells and the performance of the reactor. It is demonstrated that by introducing an activity parameter, which is a measurable quantity, all of the effects of immobilisation, decreased activity, increased operational stability and increased thermal resistance, yield to a quantitative description. This description is given in terms of parameters that govern the diffusion and reaction phenomena in the pellet and the dynamics of the cell population in free form. The effects of ethanol are accounted for by treating it as a deactivator acting in series with the main reaction. In this way it can be shown that its action manifests itself by increasing a natural decay constant of the cell system. The growth of the cell population inside the pellet is taken into account. Immobilised enzyme reactors may be considered a special case of heterogeneous biocatalytic reactors in which no growth takes place. The model is able, therefore, to describe enzyme systems under analogous conditions of deactivation‐reaction or under natural irreversible decay.
Analysis of the growth of Trichosporon cutaneum on glucose: Yield and maintenance requirements
Authors: Solomon Bamidele O. , Layokun Steven K. , Fatile Israel A. , Agho Godfrey N.
Published: December 2009

Analysis of the growth of Trichosporon cutaneum on glucose was carried out using the concepts of material and energy regularities. Carbon and available electron balances were used to check the consistency of the measured data and to detect outlying data points. Combined point and interval estimates of the true biomass energetic yield and maintenance coefficient for T. cutaneum were obtained using a multivariate statistical procedure. The analysis shows that T. cutaneum has a higher true biomass energetic yield and a lower maintenance coefficient than Candida utilis, which has been found suitable for SCP production.
The adhesion of animal cells to surfaces: The measurement of critical surface shear stress permitting attachment or causing detachment
Authors: Crouch Colin F. , Fowler Harold W. , Spier Raymond E.
Published: December 2009

The ‘LH Fowler Cell Adhesion Measurement Module’ was successfully adapted to permit the determination of the critical shear forces involved in both the attachment to and the detachment from glass and plastic surfaces, by mammalian fibroblasts. Variations in the sensitivity of different cell types to critical shear forces were observed, although generally the critical shear forces permitting attachment were in the order of 1000‐times less than those causing detachment. Finally alterations to culture conditions indicated that the sensitivity of cell attachment to shear forces is strongly affected outside of optimal conditions.
Efficient computation of Maxwell eigenmodes in axisymmetric cavities using hierarchical vector finite elements
Authors: Venkatarayalu Neelakantam V.
Published: December 2009

Computation of Maxwell eigenmodes in an axisymmetric cavity using hierarchical vector finite elements is presented. The use of curl conforming vector basis functions, which span the null space of the curl operator, leads to the appearance of spurious modes with zero eigenvalues. Such spurious modes lead to electric flux solution with non‐zero divergence. Constraining the solution space in the variational statement for the eigenvalue problem by weakly enforcing the flux to be divergence‐free leads to the elimination of such modes. Discrete equivalent of such a constraint equation is developed for axisymmetric problems solved using hierarchical vector and scalar basis functions of orders complete to p=2. The discrete constraint equation, developed individually for Fourier modes m=0 and m≥1, is efficiently integrated with a subspace iteration‐based eigenvalue solution technique such as the Lanczos/Arnoldi method. The resulting solution technique is free of spurious modes added with an advantage of seeking a solution of a positive definite matrix during each iteration of the eigenvalue solver. Convergence in solution is demonstrated for orders up to p=2, while the proposed technique can be extended to basis functions of arbitrary order. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Raman spectroscopy of copper nanoparticle‐containing glass matrices: ancient red stained‐glass windows
Authors: Colomban Philippe , Tournié Aurélie , Ricciardi Paola
Published: December 2009

A selection of red‐flashed and red‐coated medieval potash lime and 19th century soda lime stained glass pieces were studied in the laboratory using different instruments and laser wavelengths, both at lower and higher than the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of copper. The Raman signatures of the transparent glass matrix and the red glass layers are discussed and compared with those recorded on model glasses containing a dispersion of Cu0 nanoparticles. Evidence is given that the conformation of the silica network in the vicinity of the metal nanoparticles differs from that of the glass matrix. Hematite and carbon traces are evidenced in the Cu0‐rich layers, which is consistent with the use of a combination of a reducing atmosphere and redox couples to control the growth of metallic copper particles. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hydrogen bonding in nitrofurantoin polymorphs: a computation‐assisted spectroscopic study
Authors: Sardo Mariana , Amado Ana M. , Ribeiro‐Claro Paulo J. A.
Published: December 2009

The importance of hydrogen‐bond formation in the molecular packing arrangements of two anhydrous forms of nitrofurantoin is investigated, combining computational methods and spectroscopic data. The overall results indicate, as expected, that the vibrational modes related to the CO, NH and CH groups are strongly affected by intermolecular hydrogen‐bond formation. Moreover, the importance of weak C‐H···O interactions in conferring additional stability to molecular associations in biological systems is evidenced in this study. The complete assignment of the Raman and infrared spectra of both polymorphs is accomplished by means of a computationally based methodology, which accounts for the effects of intermolecular interactions in the crystal. The vibrational shifts due to crystal packing interactions are evaluated from DFT calculations for a set of suitable molecular pairs, using the B3LYP/6‐31G* approach. This methodology provides an answer to the current demand for a reliable and complete assignment of the vibrational spectra of pharmaceutically active compounds such as nitrofurantoin. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Modified pediatric end-stage liver disease scoring system and pediatric liver transplantation in Brazil
Authors: Neto Joao Seda , Carone Eduardo , Pugliese Renata P. S. , Fonseca Eduardo A. , Porta Gilda , Miura Irene , Danesi Vera B. , Guimaraes Teresa C. , Godoy Andre L. , Porta Adriana , Vincenzi Rodrigo , Filho Francisco Carnevale , Kondo Mario , Chapchap Paulo
Published: December 2009

The Pediatric End-Stage Liver Disease (PELD) scoring system is a formula developed to provide a continuous numerical assessment of the risk of death in order to allocate livers to children in need of transplantation. The PELD scoring system was introduced in Brazil in July 2006. An important change was made in the system: the final number for listing patients less than 12 years old for transplantation was the calculated PELD score multiplied by 3. The consequences of this allocation policy were analyzed in 2 ways in this research: nationally and in the state of São Paulo (SP State). In the analysis of the national data, a comparison of the pre-PELD era (July 2003 to July 2006) and the post-PELD era (August 2006 to April 2009) showed that the total number of pediatric transplants for children under 12 years of age decreased 7%. Regionally, in SP State, there was a 62% increase in the number of deceased donor liver transplantation procedures for the pediatric population after the introduction of the modified PELD system. There was also a 6.1-fold increase in split liver transplantation as well as a statistically significant decrease in the time on the waiting list (P < 0.001). In conclusion, changing the allocation policy in Brazil in order to benefit pediatric patients on the waiting list had different results according to analyses of national and regional data. A significant increase in deceased donor liver transplantation/split liver transplantation and a shorter time on the waiting list were observed in SP State. The modified PELD scoring system is simple and optimizes the utilization of deceased donor liver grafts in centers performing pediatric transplants.
Advances and Controversies in Assisted Reproductive Technology
Authors: Vela Gerardo , Luna Martha , Sandler Benjamin , Copperman Alan B.
Published: December 2009

As the incidence and awareness of infertility have increased in the last decades, reproductive endocrinologists and scientists have striven to improve the therapeutic options being offered to patients. One of the most advanced and efficient technologies currently being offered is assisted reproductive technology. Among the various techniques that are comprised by assisted reproductive technology, in vitro fertilization is the most widely studied and used, being responsible for approximately 1% of all live births in the United States. As this technology has evolved, many controversies have arisen, and it is the purpose of this article to review what in the authors' opinion are the most current and controversial aspects of the whole process of in vitro fertilization and its related techniques. Mt Sinai J Med 76:506‐520, 2009. © 2009 Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Noninvasive Prenatal Diagnosis: Past, Present, and Future
Authors: Litton Christian , Stone Joanne , Eddleman Keith , Lee Men‐Jean
Published: December 2009

The presence of fetal cells in the maternal circulation was first noted by Georg Schmorl when he documented the presence of multinucleated syncytial giant cells of placental origin in the lung tissue of women who had died from complications of eclampsia. In the intervening century, advances in cellular and molecular biology further elucidated both the physiology and pathophysiology of communication within the fetomaternal unit. This concept is at the foundation of the rapidly expanding field of noninvasive prenatal diagnosis. However, the clinical utility of this phenomenon had been limited until the presence of cell‐free fetal DNA circulating in the maternal plasma was reported in 1997 and fetal messenger RNA was demonstrated to circulate in the maternal plasma in 2000. These circulating nucleic acids are found free‐floating in the maternal plasma, unencumbered by a surrounding fetal cell. The analysis of these 3 fetal markers (fetal cells, cell‐free fetal DNA, and fetal messenger RNA) for diagnostic and screening purposes is now being developed. The scope of noninvasive prenatal diagnosis is not limited to only the diagnosis of fetal genetic traits and aneuploidies. Recently, researchers have focused their investigations on the role of cell‐free fetal DNA and fetal messenger RNA in preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, and preterm labor. These biomarkers, the result of inherent placental dysfunction or the byproducts of placental trophoblastic apoptosis, may allow for improvements in the diagnosis and management of high‐risk pregnancies. Mt Sinai J Med 76:521‐528, 2009. © 2009 Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Extent of pharmacovigilance among resident doctors in Edo and Lagos states of Nigeria
Authors: Ohaju‐Obodo J. O. , Iribhogbe O. I.
Published: December 2009

Background

Systematic attention to adverse drug reactions (ADRs) started with the thalidomide disaster in the early 60s of the 20th century. In 1968 ten countries supported a spontaneous reporting system for ADR and collaborated with the WHO pilot research project for international drug monitoring. This survey was conducted to determine the level of awareness of resident doctors about ADRs reporting, the extent of their involvement in pharmacovigilance activities and to build a useful data base that will improve the quality of health care in Nigeria.

Setting

This cross‐sectional observational survey was conducted in University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) and Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) in Edo and Lagos states, Nigeria, respectively.

Study Design / Methods

A cross‐sectional observational survey was used in this study. Total population under survey being 971 residents with the sample size of 350 statistically determined.

Results

The survey conducted revealed that 78.1% (258) of the respondents had inadequate knowledge about pharmacovigilance with 71.2% (235) unaware of the yellow forms for ADR reporting distributed by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). The respondents (92.4%) have observed ADRs in the course of their training and practice, yet only 25.5% of cases were reported. The reported cases (7.3%) were to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control. The study showed a statistically significant difference between the institution of respondents, knowledge and experience about pharmacovigilance (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

There is marked under‐reporting of cases and a low level of awareness about pharmacovigilance among resident doctors in Edo and Lagos states. This may be what obtains in other states in Nigeria. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesis and antibiofouling properties of novel crosslinkable terpolymers containing semifluoroalkyl substituted aromatic side chains
Authors: Feng Shijun , Huang Yangen , Wang Qiang , Gao Yu , Qing Feng‐Ling
Published: December 2009

Synthesis, contact angle analysis, surface properties and biofouling characteristics of novel crosslinkable terpolymers with semifluoroalkyl substituted aromatic side chains have been described. These polymers are targeted for use as coatings to prevent marine biofouling. The marine antifouling properties of these materials were evaluated by laboratory assays employing the fouling diatom Nitzschia and ubiquitous Staphylococcus aureusi. Results indicated that the experimental coatings exhibited better antibiofouling performance than that of a standard Poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) coating. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2010. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers
Comparison of efficiency measures for academic interventions based on acquisition and maintenance
Authors: Burns Matthew K. , Sterling‐Turner Heather E.
Published: December 2009

Previous research has demonstrated the importance of examining the instructional efficiency of academic interventions and has defined efficiency as the number of items learned per instructional minute. Maintenance of the skill is also an important instructional goal, however. Therefore, the current study compared efficiency metrics using initial learning and maintenance with 25 fourth‐grade students. Each student was taught the pronunciation and English translation of 12 words from the Esperanto international language with two instructional conditions (six words for each condition). The first condition was traditional drill (TD) rehearsal with all unknown words, and the second was incremental rehearsal (IR) with one unknown and eight known words. Results indicated that, although the IR condition led to significantly more words being retained, TD was significantly more efficient using initial learning. The two conditions were equally efficient, however, when maintenance data were used. Therefore, evaluating the efficiency of instructional interventions should consider maintenance data as well. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Impact of the word “bully” on the reported rate of bullying behavior
Authors: Kert Allison S. , Codding Robin S. , Tryon Georgiana Shick , Shiyko Mariya
Published: December 2009

This study examined whether the definition and use of the word “bully” would result in lower self‐reports of bullying behavior by providing students with one of three versions of a self‐report measure with: (a) no reference to the word bully or its definition, (b) the definition of the word bully followed by use of the word in each item, or (c) the definition of the word bully and no further mention of the word bully in the item stems. Participants (N = 114) completed surveys, and statistical comparisons examined the impact of the word bully on reports of bullying behavior. Analyses indicated that respondents provided with a definition of and repeated exposure to the word bully reported significantly less bullying behavior than those who were not exposed to the word or its definition. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Pediatric respiratory medicine—an international perspective
Authors: Gappa Monika , Ferkol Thomas , Kovesi Tom , Landau Louis , McColley Susanna , Sanchez Ignacio , Tal Asher , Wong Gary W.K. , Zar Heather
Published: December 2009

Although Pediatric Respiratory Medicine as a subspecialty has a long tradition and is well established in some countries, there is a wide variation across different regions of the world with regard to e.g. recognition of the discipline, training requirements, training facilities and clinical needs. This review summarizes the situation in North America (US and Canada), South America, Asia, Australia, Israel and Europe with the aim to highlight commonalities and differences and, ultimately, to further support continuous development of paediatric Respiratory Medicine Worldwide. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2010; 45:14–24. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Design, synthesis and biological activity of cell‐penetrating peptide‐modified octreotide analogs
Authors: Xie Wenlin , Liu Jian , Qiu Minghua , Yuan Jiancheng , Xu Anlong
Published: December 2009

Four novel octreotide analogs with cell‐penetrating peptides (CPPs) at the N‐terminus or C‐terminus were synthesized by a stepwise Fmoc solid‐phase synthesis strategy. The synthesized peptides were analyzed and characterized using reverse phase HPLC and MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry. The antiproliferative activity of the analogs was tested in vitro on human gastric (SGC‐7901) and hepatocellular cancer (BEL7402) cell lines using the 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Interestingly, these analogs showed a higher anticancer activities than the parent octreotide except CMTPT03 analog. The results demonstrate that the designed octreotide analogs enhance their anticancer activity after linking together the CPPs to octreotide at the N‐terminus, and are potential molecules for future use in cancer therapy and drug targeting. Copyright © 2009 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Spectroscopic investigations on HBr+ (X2Π) ion using CCSD(T) theory in combination with cc‐pV5Z basis set
Authors: Shi De‐Heng , Liu Hui , Sun Jin‐Feng , Liu Yu‐Fang , Zhu Zun‐Lue
Published: December 2009

The equilibrium internuclear separations, harmonic frequencies, and potential energy curves (PECs) of the HBr+(X2Π) ion have been investigated using the coupled‐cluster singles‐doubles‐approximate‐triples [CCSD(T)] theory in combination with the series of correlation‐consistent basis sets in the valence range. The PECs are all fitted to the Murrell‐Sorbie function, which are used to reproduce the spectroscopic parameters such as De, ωeχe, αe, Be, and D0. The present D0, De, Re, ωe, ωeχe, αe, and Be obtained at the cc‐pV5Z basis set are of 3.9730 eV, 4.1243 eV, 0.14427 nm, 2462.970 cm−1, 47.6979 cm−1, 0.2361 cm−1, and 8.13591 cm−1, respectively, which almost perfectly conform to the measurements. With the potential obtained at the UCCSD(T)/cc‐pV5Z level of theory, a total of 22 vibrational states is predicted when the rotational quantum number J is set to equal zero (J = 0) by numerically solving the radial Schrödinger equation of nuclear motion. The complete vibrational levels and their corresponding classical turning points, inertial rotation, and centrifugal distortion constants are determined when J = 0 for the first time, which are in excellent agreement with the available experiments. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011
Optimization methodology applied to feed‐forward artificial neural network parameters
Authors: Furtuna Renata , Curteanu Silvia , Cazacu Maria
Published: December 2009

This article recommends a methodology for developing a neural network with great chances to be an optimal one. The method is based on trial and error in determining the internal parameters of the network considered as having a significant influence over its performance: the number of hidden layers, activation function, number of neurons in the hidden layers, training epochs, learning rate, and momentum term. This optimization methodology is presented in two separate sections: first of them contains a series of practical considerations recommended for neural network modeling, and the second is represented by the proposed optimization algorithm, formulated in six steps and based on the practical statements. Two case studies are chosen to exemplify the use of the algorithm for finding the near optimal neural network: the dependence of the reduced and intrinsic viscosities of the siloxane‐organic copolymers of the solution concentration, temperature, and copolymer type, differing by the siloxane sequence length. The two siloxane‐organic polyazomethines resulted by the reaction of a fully aromatic bisazomethine diol with α,ω‐bis(chloromethyl)oligodimethylsiloxanes. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011
Spectroscopic investigations on AlH(X1Σ+) radical using multireference configuration interaction theory in combination with correlation‐consistent quintuple basis set augmented with diffuse functions
Authors: Shi De‐Heng , Liu Hui , Zhang Xiao‐Niu , Sun Jin‐Feng , Liu Yu‐Fang , Zhu Zun‐Lue
Published: December 2009

The equilibrium internuclear separations, harmonic frequencies, and potential energy curves (PECs) of the AlH(X1Σ+) radical have been investigated using the highly accurate valence internally contracted multireference configuration interaction (MRCI) approach in combination with a series of correlation‐consistent basis sets in the valence range. The PECs are all fitted to the Murrell‐Sorbie function, which are used to reproduce the spectroscopic parameters (De, D0, ωeχe, αe, and Be). By comparison with the available experimental results, the PEC obtained at the basis set, aug‐cc‐pV5Z, is selected to investigate the vibrational manifolds. The present D0, De, Re, ωe, ωeχe, αe, and Be are of 3.0731 eV, 3.1775 eV, 0.16510 nm, 1683.37 cm−1, 29.3786 cm−1, 0.18876 cm−1, and 6.3663 cm−1, respectively, which almost perfectly conform to the available measurements. With the potential determined at the MRCI/aug‐cc‐pV5Z level of theory, the total of 26 vibrational states is predicted when the rotational quantum number J is set to equal zero (J = 0) by numerically solving the radial Schrödinger equation of nuclear motion with the Numerov method. The complete vibrational levels, classical turning points, inertial rotation, and centrifugal distortion constants are determined when J = 0 for the first time, which are in excellent agreement with the available experimental data. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011
Influence of grain orientation on zinc enrichment and surface morphology of an AlZn alloy
Authors: Gentile M. , Koroleva E. V. , Skeldon P. , Thompson G. E. , Bailey P. , Noakes T. C. Q.
Published: December 2009

Zinc is an important alloying element in the 7000 series aluminium alloys. It is also an element that may enrich near the alloy surface during treatments of aluminium alloys by processes such as electropolishing, alkaline anodic etching and alkaline etching. The enrichment may occur since the change in Gibbs free energy per equivalent for formation of ZnO is less negative than that for formation of Al2O3. The enriched alloying element is present in an alloy layer up to ∼5 nm thick located immediately beneath the alloy/film interface. In the present study, the dependence of the enrichment of zinc on the grain orientation of the alloy is investigated for a solid solution Al‐1.1at.%Zn alloy. The enrichment of the zinc is developed by alkaline etching of the alloy. The grain orientation is determined by electron backscattering diffraction, with enrichments quantified on selected grains by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy and medium energy ion scattering. The morphologies of the surfaces of the etched grains are characterised by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The findings reveal that the zinc enrichment ranges from 1.7 × 1015 atoms/cm2 to 3.9 × 1015 atoms/cm2, with the greatest enrichment occurring on a grain of (100) orientation, while differing surface topographical textures are developed on the various grains. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Patient death as a censoring event or competing risk event in models of nursing home placement
Authors: Szychowski Jeff M. , Roth David L. , Clay Olivio J. , Mittelman Mary S.
Published: December 2009

Participant death is often observed in studies that examine predictors of events, such as hospitalization or institutionalization, in older adult populations. The Cox proportional hazards modeling of the target event, whereby death is treated as a censoring event, is the standard analysis in this competing risks situation. However, the assumption of noninformative censoring applied to a frequently occurring competing event like death may be invalid and complicate interpretation in terms of the probability of the event. Multiple cause‐specific hazard (CSH) models can be estimated, but ambiguities may arise when interpreting covariate effects across multiple CSH models and in terms of the cumulative incidence function (CIF). Alternatively, one can model the proportional hazards of the subdistribution of the CIF and evaluate the covariate effects on the CIF directly. We examine and compare these two approaches with nursing home (NH) placement data from a randomized controlled trial of a counseling and support intervention for spouse‐caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease. CSHs for NH placement (where death is treated as a censoring event) and death (where NH placement is treated as a censoring event) and subdistribution hazards of the CIF for NH placement are modeled separately. In the presence of multiple covariates, the intervention effect is significant in both approaches, but the interpretation of the covariate effects requires joint evaluation of all estimated models. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sample size requirement to detect an intervention effect at the end of follow‐up in a longitudinal cluster randomized trial
Authors: Heo Moonseong , Kim Yongman , Xue Xiaonan , Kim Mimi Y.
Published: December 2009

It is often anticipated in a longitudinal cluster randomized clinical trial (cluster‐RCT) that the course of outcome over time will diverge between intervention arms. In these situations, testing the significance of a local intervention effect at the end of the trial may be more clinically relevant than evaluating overall mean differences between treatment groups. In this paper, we present a closed‐form power function for detecting this local intervention effect based on maximum likelihood estimates from a mixed‐effects linear regression model for three‐level continuous data. Sample size requirements for the number of units at each data level are derived from the power function. The power function and the corresponding sample size requirements are verified by a simulation study. Importantly, it is shown that sample size requirements computed with the proposed power function are smaller than that required when testing group mean difference using data only at the end of trial and ignoring the course of outcome over the entire study period. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.