bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Análisis de las complicaciones de la biopsia renal en el paciente trasplantado renal
Authors: Berlango Martín David , Navarro Cabello Dolores , Berlango Jiménez José , Aljama García Pedro
Published: December 2012

Antecedentes: La biopsia renal es una técnica fundamental en el estudio de la patología del injerto renal. Es fundamental conocer sus complicaciones ya que es el procedimiento más agresivo por su morbimortalidad.Objetivos: El objetivo principal de nuestro estudio fue analizar e identificar las complicaciones clínicas derivadas de la biopsia renal percutánea en pacientes trasplantados renales. Evaluamos si algún factor clínico de los pacientes influye en la aparición de dichas complicaciones.Pacientes y Métodos: Se realizó un estudio obser-vacional, retrospectivo de todos los pacientes a los que se les realizó una biopsia renal percutánea de injerto renal entre enero de 2009 y enero 2012. Se analizaron: edad, sexo, hipertensión arterial, creatinina sérica, proteinuria y hemoglobina previa y posterior a la biopsia. Definimos complicaciones menores (caída hemoglobina mayor 1 g/dl, hematuria macroscópica) y complicaciones mayores (necesidad de transfusión, cirugía, nefrectomía, arteriografía, embolización o muerte). Todas las biopsias se rea-lizaron con control ecográfico.Resultados: El número de biopsias realizadas fue de 92. La edad media de los pacientes fue de 47.9 ± 13.2 años y el 70.7% eran hombres. Se observaron 2 complicaciones mayores (2.2%) y en ambas los pacientes presentaron sangrado y sepsis urológica, pre-cisando uno de ellos de transfusión. Las complicaciones menores fueron del 14.1%. No se encontró ninguna pérdida del injerto ni muerte por biopsia renal.Conclusión: La biopsia percutánea en injerto renal realizada por médicos nefrólogos con experiencia y bajo control ecográfico en tiempo real, es un pro-cedimiento con bajo riesgo, semejante al observado en riñón nativo. La cumplimentación cuidadosa de nuestro protocolo de biopsia renal, optimiza la rela-ción riesgo beneficio de esta téc.
Multispacecraft observations of the terrestrial bow shock and magnetopause during extreme solar wind disturbances
Authors: Tátrallyay M. , Erdös G. , Németh Z. , Verigin M. I. , Vennerstrom S.
Published: December 2012

Abstract. Three events are discussed from the declining phase of the last solar cycle when the magnetopause and/or the bow shock were observed unusually close to the Earth due to major interplanetary disturbances. The observed extreme locations of the discontinuities are compared with the predictions of three magnetopause and four bow shock models which describe them in considerably different ways using statistical methods based on observations. A new 2-D magnetopause model is introduced (based on Verigin et al., 2009) which takes into account the pressure of the compressed magnetosheath field raised by the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) component transverse to the solar wind flow. The observed magnetopause crossings could be predicted with a reasonable accuracy (0.1–0.2 RE) by one of the presented models at least. For geosynchronous magnetopause crossings observed by the GOES satellites, (1) the new model provided the best predictions when the IMF was extremely large having a large negative Bz component, and (2) the predictions of the model of Shue et al. (1998) agreed best with the observations when the solar wind dynamic pressure was extremely large. The magnetopause crossings close to the cusp observed by the Cluster spacecraft were best predicted by the 3-D model of Lin et al. (2010). The applied empirical bow shock models and the 3-D semi-empiric bow shock model combined with magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) solution proved to be insufficient for predicting the observed unusual bow shock locations during large interplanetary disturbances. The results of a global 3-D MHD model were in good agreement with the Cluster observations on 17 January 2005, but they did not predict the bow shock crossings on 31 October 2003.
Brief communication "Stratospheric winds, transport barriers and the 2011 Arctic ozone hole"
Authors: Olascoaga M. J. , Brown M. G. , Beron-Vera F. J. , Koçak H.
Published: December 2012

Abstract. The Arctic stratosphere throughout the late winter and early spring of 2011 was characterized by an unusually severe ozone loss, resulting in what has been described as an ozone hole. The 2011 ozone loss was made possible by unusually cold temperatures throughout the Arctic stratosphere. Here we consider the issue of what constitutes suitable environmental conditions for the formation and maintenance of a polar ozone hole. Our discussion focuses on the importance of the stratospheric wind field and, in particular, the importance of a high latitude zonal jet, which serves as a meridional transport barrier both prior to ozone hole formation and during the ozone hole maintenance phase. It is argued that stratospheric conditions in the boreal winter/spring of 2011 were highly unusual inasmuch as in that year Antarctic-like Lagrangian dynamics led to the formation of a boreal ozone hole.
The Effect of Femoral Head Size on Functional Outcome in Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Single-Blinded Randomised Controlled Trial
Authors: Hanna Sammy A. , Sewell Mathew D. , Sri-Ram Kesavan , Miles Jonathan , Aston William J.S. , Pollock Robin C. , Carrington Richard W.J. , Briggs Timothy W.R.
Published: December 2012

We conducted a prospective single-blinded randomised controlled trial to compare the functional and quality of life outcomes in two groups of patients between 60 and 80 years of age undergoing THR; the first receiving a small head (28–32 mm) metal on polyethylene (MoP) articulation, and the second receiving a large head (44–54 mm) metal on metal (MoM) articulation. We recruited 49 patients and randomised them into one of the two groups (22 MoP and 27 MoM). The results demonstrated no statistical difference in any of the assessed functional outcomes at any follow-up point (p>0.05). There were no dislocations or revisions in either group. Although it has been suggested that large head MoM articulations in THA offer superior stability and function, our results suggest that small head MoP articulations can achieve comparable ROM, function and quality of life at short-term follow-up.
Why Do Parents Prefer to Know the Fetal Sex as Part of Invasive Prenatal Testing?
Authors: Kooper Angelique J. A. , Pieters Jacqueline J. P. M. , Eggink Alex J. , Feuth Ton B. , Feenstra Ilse , Wijnberger Lia D. E. , Rijnders Robbert J. P. , Quartero Rik W. P. , Boekkooi Peter F. , van Vugt John M. G. , Smits Arie P. T.
Published: December 2012

Objectives. The aim of this study was to determine whether prospective parents, primarily referred for prenatal diagnosis to exclude Down syndrome,
prefer to know the fetal sex as part of invasive testing. Methods. In this prospective study 400 pregnant women undergoing amniocentesis
were invited to answer a questionnaire, including information about demographic factors, current pregnancy, and previous children.
In two open-ended questions they were asked why they wanted to know the fetal sex after amniocentesis or ultrasound investigation.
Scores were given for reasons that could have played a role in the wish whether or not to know the sex of their unborn child. Results.
A total of 210 (52.5%) questionnaires were completed. Overall, 69.0% was interested to know the fetal sex as part of the diagnostic test result.
The most important reasons were curiosity (77.8%), “just want to know” (68.0%), and “because it is possible” (66.8%). The overall knowledge of sex chromosomal disorders appeared low and did not seem to affect the parent’s wish to know the fetal sex. Almost all women (96.6%) planned to have a 20-week ultrasound scan and 96.2% thought the scan to be reliable in detecting the fetal sex. A minority
(28%) was willing to learn the fetal sex by ultrasound examination, whereas 65% preferred to learn the fetal sex only after the amniocentesis.
Conclusion. Personal values affect the parental desire to know or not to know the fetal sex. This does not appear to be affected by invasive
prenatal testing and/or genetic knowledge of sex chromosomal disorders.
Rapid Determination of Free Fatty Acid Content in Waste Deodorizer Distillates Using Single Bounce-Attenuated Total Reflectance-FTIR Spectroscopy
Authors: Naz Saba , Sherazi Sayed Tufail Hussain , Talpur Farah N , Mahesar Sarfaraz A , Kara Huseyin
Published: December 2012

A simple, rapid, economical, and environmentally friendly analytical method was developed for the quantitative assessment of free fatty acids (FFAs) present in deodorizer distillates and crude oils by single bounce-attenuated total reflectance-FTIR spectroscopy. Partial least squares was applied for the calibration model based on the peak region of the carbonyl group (C=O) from 1726 to 1664 cm–1 associated with the FFAs. The proposed method totally avoided the use of organic solvents or costly standards and could be applied easily in the oil processing industry. The accuracy of the method was checked by comparison to a conventional standard American Oil Chemists' Society (AOCS) titrimetric procedure, which provided good correlation (R = 0.99980), with an SD of ±0.05%. Therefore, the proposed method could be used as an alternate to the AOCS titrimetric method for the quantitative determination of FFAs especially in deodorizer distillates.
Comparison of Activated Carbon and Oxidized Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Modified with Bis(3-Nitrobenzylidene)-1,2-Ethanediamine for Enrichment of Trace Amounts of Some Metal Ions
Authors: Ghaedi Mehrorang , Montazerozohori Mortaza , Tabatabie Maryann , Noormohamadi Hamid , Haghighi Alireza Borhan
Published: December 2012

The efficiency of modified activated carbon (AC) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) for the separation/preconcentration and determination of Co, Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cu following their complexation by bis(3-nitrobenzylidene)-1,2-ethanediamine has been described and compared. A one-at-a-time optimization method investigated the influence of various parameters that significantly influence the recoveries of the studied metal ions. At the optimum values of all variables, the response was linear over the range of 0.01–0.3 μg/mL, and detection limit (3 SDb/m, n = 10) was between 1.41–2.05 ng/mL for both sorbents while the preconcentration factor was 100 for AC and 500 for MWCNTs. The method was successfully applied for preconcentration and determination of trace amount of the aforementioned ions in various real samples such as orange, lettuce, bread, and pear.
Thin-Layer Chromatography-Densitometry Analysis of Dimethoxyphenylbutadiene Content in Zingiber cassumunar Rhizomes
Authors: Tangyuenyongwatana Prasan , Keeratinijakal Vichien , Gritsanapan Wandee
Published: December 2012

Zingiber cassumunar (Zingiberaceae) has been widely used as a traditional medicine in southeast Asia, especially Thailand, for treatment of asthma, inflammation, and joint pain. (E)-4-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)butadiene, or DMPBD, a major component in the rhizome, has been reported to be an active anti-inflammatory agent. This research developed a TLC-densitometry method for the simultaneous quantification of DMPBD in the rhizome extracts of four varieties of Z. cassumunar. DMPBD was found in the range of 1.80 ± 0.01 to 3.23 ± 0.10% (w/w). The method was validated for linearity, precision, accuracy, robustness, LOD, and LOQ. The linearity was indicated by a good regression coefficient 0.9940 and covered the range of 130 to 703 ng/band. Intraday and interday precision (RSD) were less than 2%. Accuracy of the method was evaluated by a recovery study conducted at three different levels; the average recovery was 103.1%. The LOD and LOQ were 10 and 40 ng, respectively. The proposed TLC-densitometry method was simple, precise, specific, sensitive, and inexpensive. This method can be used for routine QC of raw materials of Z. cassumunar rhizomes, extracts, and its products, especially Prasaplai, a Thai traditional medicine for relieving dysmenorrhea.
Evaluation of Cyanocobalamin in Multivitamin Tablets and Their Standard Reference Material 3280 by HPLC with Visible Detection
Authors: Matsumoto Teruki , Takebayashi J Un , Ishimi Yoshiko , Ozawa Chihiro , Sano Akira , Hirota T Akashi , Endoh Kaori
Published: December 2012

As a part of the development of an alternative to microbiological assay for vitamin B12, we performed a quantitative analysis of cyanocobalamin (CN-cbl) in a National Institute of Standards and Technology Standard Reference Material (SRM 3280) by HPLC. Using this method, the observed value (4.64 μg/g) of CN-cbl in SRM 3280 was found to be in good agreement with the certified value (4.80 μg/g). The accuracy was over 95%, with a corresponding measurement precision value of 5%. To evaluate the applicability of the method on commercial multivitamin tablets, the method was applied to a variety of these samples. The present method has a good accuracy and precision to evaluate CN-cbl with respect to all of the examined tablets.
Validation of HPTLC and HPLC Methods for the Quantitative Determination of Allyl Disulfide in Some Polyherbal Oils
Authors: Dubey Nitin , Dubey Nidhi , Mehta Rajendra
Published: December 2012

Allium sativum L (garlic) is an essential component of many polyherbal oils used in traditional systems of medicine. Allyl disulfide has been a major component found in vegetable oil macerate of garlic, and can be used as reliable marker for determination of garlic in oil macerates of garlic. The HPLC separation of allyl disulfide was achieved on a Phenomenex Luna C18 (25 cm × 4.6 mm id × 5 μm particle size) column using acetonitrile–water–tetrahydrofuran (70 + 27 + 3, v/v/v) mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. Quantitation was achieved with UV detection at 298 nm over the concentration range 8–48 μg/mL. HPTLC separation of allyl disulfide was achieved on an aluminum-backed layer of silica gel 60 F254 using n-hexane mobile phase. Quantitation was achieved by densitometric analysis at 298 nm over the 200–1200 ng/band concentration range. The methods were validated according to International Conference on Harmonization guidelines.
Quantitative Determination of Cucurbitane-Type Triterpenes and Triterpene Glycosides in Dietary Supplements Containing Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia) by HPLC-MS/MS
Authors: Ma Jun , Krynitsky Alexander J , Grundel Erich , Rader Jeanne I
Published: December 2012

Momordica charantia L. (Cucurbitaceae), commonly known as bitter melon, is widely cultivated in many tropical and subtropical areas of the world. It is a common food staple; its fruits, leaves, seeds, stems, and roots also have a long history of use in traditional medicine. In the United States, dietary supplements labeled as containing bitter melon can be purchased over-the-counter and from Internet suppliers. Currently, no quantitative analytical method is available for monitoring the content of cucurbitane-type triterpenes and triterpene glycosides, the major constituents of bitter melon, in such supplements. We investigated the use of HPLC-electrospray ionization (ESI)-MS/MS for the quantitative determination of such compounds in dietary supplements containing bitter melon. Values for each compound obtained from external calibration were compared with those obtained from the method of standard additions to address matrix effects associated with ESI. In addition, the cucurbitane-type triterpene and triterpene glycoside contents of two dietary supplements determined by the HPLC-ESI-MS/MS method with standard additions were compared with those measured by an HPLC method with evaporative light scattering detection, which was recently developed for quantification of such compounds in dried fruits of M. charantia. The contents of five cucurbitane-type triterpenes and triterpene glycosides in 10 dietary supplements were measured using the HPLC-ESI-MS/MS method with standard additions. The total contents of the five compounds ranged from 17 to 3464 μg/serving.
Method Development and Validation for Ultra-High-Pressure LC/MS/MS Determination of Hop Prenylflavonoids in Human Serum
Authors: Yuan Yang , Qiu Xi , Nikolic Dejan , Dahl Jeffrey H , van Breemen Richard B
Published: December 2012

Hops (Humulus lupulus L.) are used in the brewing of beer, and hop extracts containing prenylated compounds, such as xanthohumol (XN) and 8-prenylnaringenin (8-PN), are under investigation as dietary supplements for cancer chemoprevention and the management of hot flashes in menopausal women. To facilitate clinical studies of hop safety and efficacy, a selective, sensitive, and fast ultra-high-pressure LC (UHPLC) tandem MS method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of the hop prenylflavonoids XN, isoxanthohumol (IX), 6-prenylnaringenin (6-PN), and 8-PN in human serum. The analytical method requires 300 μL of human serum, which is processed using liquid–liquid extraction. UHPLC separation was carried out in 2.5 min with gradient elution using an RP C18 column containing 1.6 μm particle size packing material. Prenylflavonoids were measured using negative ion electrospray MS with collision-induced dissociation and selected reaction monitoring. The method was validated and showed good accuracy and precision with an LOQ of 0.50 ng/mL for XN (1.4 nM) and 1.0 ng/mL for 6-PN, 8-PN (2.94 nM), and IX (2.82 nM) in serum.
Changes of the Wax Contents in Mixtures of Olive Oils as Determined by Gas Chromatography with a Flame Ionization Detector
Authors: Hodaifa Gassan , Nieto Leopoldo Martínez , Lozano Juan L , Sánchez Sebastián
Published: December 2012

Mixing of refined olive-pomace oil with virgin olive oil is a fraud that has been tried often. Normally, the tests that detected the fraud were determinations of wax esters, erythrodiol+uvaol, and stigmastadienes contents. The most common is the determination of wax esters content (extra virgin olive oil is very poor in wax esters, usually less than 100 mg/kg). In this work, the variations of individual wax esters (C40, C42, C44, and C46), with different degrees of unsaturation content, and total wax esters were studied when extra virgin olive oil and refined pomace-olive oil were mixed. The following mixtures were prepared: extra virgin olive oil plus 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 18, 25, 35, 45, 50, and 80% of refined olive-pomace oil. In all cases, individual and total wax ester content variation was linear with increasing percentage of refined olive-pomace oil in the mixture. The variation of the total wax esters content can be adjusted according to the equation: Total wax esters, mg/kg = 14.3 × (% refined olive-pomace oil) + 83.9.
Determination of Total Folates in Infant Formula and Adult Nutritionals by Trienzyme Extraction and UPLC-MS/MS Quantitation: First Action 2011.06
Authors: Szpylka John , De Vries Jon , Cheney Andrea , House Steve
Published: December 2012

The method for “Determination of Total Folates in Infant Formula and Adult Nutritionals by Trienzyme Extraction and UPLC-MS/MS Quantitation” was submitted to the Folate Working Group for consideration for adoption as Official First Action by AOAC INTERNATIONAL. This method uses ultra performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) to determine the total folates in infant formulas and adult nutritionals after trienzyme digestion. Deconjugation of the various folate polyglutamates to folate monoglutamates is achieved by using rat plasma conjugase after the sample digestion with protease and α-amylase during the trienzyme digestion process. This method shows linearity of folate concentrations in the range of 10–19 100 μg/100 g. Extension of the range to cover folate concentrations of 5–2 000 000 μg/100 g can be achieved with appropriate adjustment of the sample weight and SPE cleanup loading volume. The recoveries ranged from 94.10 to 101.34%.
President's Message: Membership, Leadership, Emerging Leaders, and LITA
Authors: Starr Karen J.
Published: December 2012

President’s Message: Membership, Leadership, Emerging Leaders, and LITA
Editorial: "The Air is Full of People"
Authors: Truitt Marc
Published: December 2012

Editorial: "The Air is Full of People"
Management and Support of Shared Integrated Library Systems
Authors: Vaughan Jason , Costello Kristen
Published: December 2012

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) University Libraries has hosted and managed a shared integrated library system (ILS) since 1989. The system and the number of partner libraries sharing the system has grown significantly over the past two decades. Spurred by the level of involvement and support contributed by the host institution, the authors administered a comprehensive survey to current Innovative Interfaces libraries. Research findings are combined with a description of UNLV’s local practices to provide substantial insights into shared funding, support, and management activities associated with shared systems.
Building an Open Source Institutional Repository at a Small Law School Library: Is it Realistic or Unattainable?
Authors: Wang Fang
Published: December 2012

Digital preservation activities among law libraries have largely been limited by a lack of funding, staffing and expertise. Most law school libraries that have already implemented an Institutional Repository (IR) chose proprietary platforms because they are easy to set up, customize, and maintain with the technical and development support they provide. The Texas Tech University School of Law Digital Repository is one of the few law school repositories in the nation that is built on the DSpace open source platform.1 The repository is the law school’s first institutional repository in history. It was designed to collect, preserve, share and promote the law school’s digital materials, including research and scholarship of the law faculty and students, institutional history, and law-related resources. In addition, the repository also serves as a dark archive to house internal records.
Autocomplete as Research Tool: A Study on Providing Search Suggestions
Authors: Ward David , Hahn Jim , Feist Kirsten
Published: December 2012

As the library website and on its online searching tools become the primary “branch” many users visit for their research, methods for providing automated, context-sensitive research assistance need to be developed to guide unmediated searching towards the most relevant results.  This study examines one such method, the use of autocompletion in search interfaces, by conducting usability tests on its use in typical academic research scenarios.  The study reports notable findings on user preference for autocomplete features, and suggests best practices for their implementation.
Acacia atrox subsp. planiticola (Fabaceae: Mimosoideae), a new threatened subspecies from the North Western Plains of New South Wales, Australia
Authors: Copeland Lachlan M , Kodela Phillip G
Published: December 2012

Acacia atrox Kodela subsp. planiticola Kodela & L.M.Copel., a new, rare and threatened subspecies, is described and illustrated. Notes are also given on its distribution, habitat, etymology and conservation status. The subspecies is known only from a single population in Kirramingly Nature Reserve on the North Western Plains of New South Wales, Australia. With its unusual, sharply pungent-pointed, sessile, basally dilated phyllodes, subsp. planiticola appears to be closely related to typical Acacia atrox Kodela, and both taxa are thought to be clonal with plants spreading vegetatively beneath the ground via root suckers. Although all plants are in a conservation reserve, Acacia atrox subsp. planiticola is considered threatened due to its small population size and its vulnerability to stochastic events
The Photo‐Stability of Polymer Solar Cells: Contact Photo‐Degradation and the Benefits of Interfacial Layers
Authors: Williams Graeme , Wang Qi , Aziz Hany
Published: December 2012

The organic/electrode interfaces in organic solar cells are systematically studied for their light, heat, and electrical stability in an inert atmosphere. Various extraction layers are examined for their effect on device stability, including poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) and MoO3 for hole extraction layers, as well as LiF, Cs2CO3, and lithium acetylacetonate (Liacac) for electron extraction layers. The organic/metal interface is shown to be inherently photo‐unstable, resulting in significant losses in device efficiency with irradiation. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements of the organic/aluminum interface suggest that the photo‐induced changes are chemical in nature. In general, interfacial layers are shown to substantially reduce photo‐degradation of the active layer/electrode interface. In spite of their photo‐stability, several interfacial layers present at the active layer/cathode interface suffer from thermal degradation effects due to temperature increases under exposure to light. Electrical aging effects are proven to be negligible in comparison to other major modes of degradation.
SIE, SIES, GITMO revised guidelines for the management of follicular lymphoma
Authors: Zinzani Pier Luigi , Marchetti Monia , Billio Atto , Barosi Giovanni , Carella Angelo Michele , Lazzarino Mario , Martelli Maurizio , Rambaldi Alessandro , Rigacci Luigi , Tarella Corrado , Vitolo Umberto , Tura Sante
Published: December 2012

By using the GRADE system, we updated the guidelines for management of follicular cell lymphoma issued in 2006 from SIE, SIES, and GITMO group. We confirmed our recommendation to frontline chemoimmunotherapy in patients with Stage III–IV disease and/or high tumor burden. Maintenance rituximab was also recommended in responding patients. In patients relapsing after an interval longer than 12 months from frontline therapy, we recommended chemoimmunotherapy with non cross‐resistant regimens followed by rituximab maintenance. High dose chemotherapy followed by hematopoietic stem cell transplant was recommended for young fit patients who achieve a response after salvage chemoimmunotherapy. Am. J. Hematol. 88:185–192, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Mammal Hip Morphology and Function: Coxa Recta and Coxa Rotunda
Authors: Bouma Heinse W. , De Boer Stefan F. , De Vos John , Van Kampen Paulien M. , Hogervorst Tom
Published: December 2012

Using 15 parameters, we provide a systematic description of mammal proximal femoral morphology. We established two types of proximal femoral morphology, termed coxa recta and coxa rotunda, characterized by low versus high concavity of the head–neck junction. Concavity is a measure of the sphericity of the femoral head as it meets the femoral neck that can be quantified by angular measurements. We asked whether the parameter of concavity corresponds with the classification of mammal proximal femoral morphology based on coalesced versus separate ossification patterns and locomotor patterns. Statistical analysis demonstrated a distinction between coxa recta and coxa rotunda with significant differences between the two groups in all but 3 of the 15 parameters examined. We found the most discriminating measurement between mammal hips to be the concavity of the posterior head–neck junction (beta angle). Coxa recta (small concavity) and coxa rotunda (large concavity) relate to the ossification pattern seen in proximal femoral development, and species‐specific patterns of locomotion. We interpret the two hip types to reflect optimization for strength (recta) versus mobility (rotunda). Conceptually, both hip types can be recognized in humans, where coxa recta can be related to the development of osteoarthritis. Anat Rec, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Continuous purification of antibodies from cell culture supernatant with aqueous two‐phase systems: From concept to process
Authors: Rosa Paula A. J. , Azevedo Ana M. , Sommerfeld S. , Mutter Martina , Bäcker Werner , Aires‐Barros M. Raquel
Published: December 2012

An aqueous two‐phase extraction (ATPE) process based on a PEG/phosphate system was developed for the capture of human immunoglobulin G and successfully applied to a Chinese hamster ovary and a PER.C6® cell supernatant. A continuous ATPE process incorporating three different steps (extraction, back‐extraction, and washing) was set up and validated in a pump mixer‐settler battery. Most of the higher molecular weight cell supernatant impurities were removed during the extraction step, while most of the lower molecular weight impurities were removed during the subsequent steps. A global recovery yield of 80% and a final protein purity of more than 99% were obtained for the IgG purification from a CHO cell supernatant, representing a 155‐fold reduction in the protein/IgG ratio. For the purification of IgG from a PER.C6® cell supernatant, a global recovery yield of 100%, and a host cell protein purity were attained, representing a 22‐fold reduction in the host cell protein/IgG ratio. These results, thus, open promising perspectives for the application of the developed ATPE process as a platform for the capture of antibodies. In fact, this new process has shown the ability to successfully recover and purify different antibodies from distinct cell culture supernatants. This technology can also overcome some of the limitations encountered using the typical chromatographic processes, besides inherent advantages of scalability, process integration, capability of continuous operation, and economic feasibility.
PM10 Source Apportionment in Ahvaz, Iran, Using Positive Matrix Factorization
Authors: Sowlat Mohammad Hossein , Naddafi Kazem , Yunesian Masud , Jackson Peter L. , Lotfi Saeedeh , Shahsavani Abbas
Published: December 2012

Source apportionment of particulate matter <10 µm in diameter (PM10), having considerable impacts on human health and the environment, is of high priority in air quality management. The present study, therefore, aimed at identifying the potential sources of PM10 in an arid area of Ahvaz located in southwest of Iran. For this purpose, we collected 24‐h PM10 samples by a high volume air sampler. The samples were then analyzed for their elemental (Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Se, Si, Sn, Sr, Li, Ti, V, Zn, Mo, and Sb) and ionic (NH, Cl−, NO, and SO) components using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry and ion chromatography instruments, respectively. Eight factors were identified by positive matrix factorization: crustal dust (41.5%), road dust (5.5%), motor vehicles (11.5%), marine aerosol (8.0%), secondary aerosol (9.5%), metallurgical plants (6.0%), petrochemical industries and fossil fuel combustion (13.0%), and vegetative burning (5.0%). Result of this study suggested that the natural sources contribute most to PM10 particles in the area, followed closely by the anthropogenic sources.
High‐performance execution of service compositions: a multicore‐aware engine design
Authors: Peternier Achille , Pautasso Cesare , Binder Walter , Bonetta Daniele
Published: December 2012

Although modern computer hardware offers an increasing number of processing elements organized in nonuniform memory access (NUMA) architectures, prevailing middleware engines for executing business processes, workflows, and Web service compositions have not been optimized for properly exploiting the abundant processing resources of such machines. Amongst others, factors limiting performance are inefficient thread scheduling by the operating system, which can result in suboptimal use of system memory and CPU caches, and sequential code sections that cannot take advantage of multiple available cores.

In this article, we study the performance of the JOpera process execution engine on recent multicore machines. We first evaluate its performance without any dedicated optimization for multicore hardware, showing that additional cores do not significantly improve performance, although the engine has a multithreaded design. Therefore, we apply optimizations on the basis of replication together with an improved, hardware‐aware usage of the underlying resources such as NUMA nodes and CPU caches. Thanks to our optimizations, we achieve speedups from a factor of 2 up to a factor of 20 (depending on the target machine) when compared with a baseline execution ‘as is’. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Finding exemplars in dense data with affinity propagation on clusters of GPUs
Authors: Kurdziel Marcin , Boryczko Krzysztof
Published: December 2012

This work presents an efficient implementation of affinity propagation (AP) on clusters of graphical processing units (GPUs). AP is a state‐of‐the‐art method for finding exemplars in data sets described by similarity matrices. It is typically employed in crisp clustering applications. However, when finding exemplars in an n‐pattern data set with dense, non‐metric similarities, AP performs iterative processing of three n × n floating point matrices. One of them stores the similarities, and the other two store the values that will ultimately pinpoint the exemplars. For large similarity matrices, AP is therefore computationally expensive. Although matrix operations of AP are well suited for GPUs, its memory footprint limits the size of tasks that can be solved on one unit. We present, however, a decomposition scheme for AP that distributes the calculations over multiple GPUs, with low communication‐to‐computation ratio. Because of this favorable communication pattern, our implementation finds exemplars in large, dense similarity data efficiently, even when GPUs are connected by a slow network. Furthermore, by combining global device memory of multiple GPUs, it can solve problems that would not fit in a single unit. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dendritic Polyoxometalate Hybrids: Efficient and Recoverable Catalysts for Oxidation Reactions
Authors: Nlate Sylvain , Jahier Claire
Published: December 2012

The purpose of this microreview is to highlight developments in dendritic polyoxometalate (DENDRI‐POM) hybrid materials and their catalytic application in oxidation reactions. To the best of our knowledge, there are no reviews dealing with the design and synthesis of DENDRI‐POM hybrids and their use as catalysts. Thus, this article will mainly focus on research carried out in our group, including a brief summary of the work done by others in the field. The context includes the design and synthetic strategies for DENDRI‐POM materials, including chiral counterparts, and the use of DENDRI‐POM materials as recoverable catalysts. We show that the properties of POMs, such as, their solubility, stability, and catalytic efficiency and selectivity, including enantioselectivity, can be tuned by varying the structure of the dendritic part in the DENDRI‐POM framework.
Electrophoresis of particles with Navier velocity slip
Authors: Park Hung Mok
Published: December 2012

In the present investigation, it is found that the electrophoretic mobility of hydrophobic particles is affected not only by the zeta potential but also by the velocity slip at the particle surface. From a physicochemical viewpoint, zeta potential represents the surface charge properties and the slip coefficient indicates the hydrophobicity of the particle surface. Thus, it is necessary to separate the contribution of zeta potential from that of slip coefficient to the particle mobility, since zeta potential can be changed by varying the bulk ionic concentration while the slip coefficient can be modified by adjusting surfactant concentration. In the present investigation, a method is devised that allows a simultaneous estimation of zeta potential and slip coefficient of micro and nanoparticles using measurements of electrophoretic mobility at various bulk ionic concentrations. Employing a nonlinear curve‐fitting technique and an analytic solution of electrophoresis for a particle with velocity slip, the present technique predicts both zeta potential and slip coefficient simultaneously with reasonable accuracy using the measured values of electrophoretic mobility at various bulk ionic concentrations.
Electroosmotic flows of non‐Newtonian power‐law fluids in a cylindrical microchannel
Authors: Zhao Cunlu , Yang Chun
Published: December 2012

EOF of non‐Newtonian power‐law fluids in a cylindrical microchannel is analyzed theoretically. Specially, exact solutions of electroosmotic velocity corresponding to two special fluid behavior indices (n = 0.5 and 1.0) are found, while approximate solutions are derived for arbitrary values of fluid behavior index. It is found that because of the approximation for the first‐order modified Bessel function of the first kind, the approximate solutions introduce largest errors for predicting electroosmotic velocity when the thickness of electric double layer is comparable to channel radius, but can accurately predict the electroosmotic velocity when the thickness of electric double layer is much smaller or larger than the channel radius. Importantly, the analysis reveals that the Helmholtz‐Smoluchowski velocity of power‐law fluids in cylindrical microchannels becomes dependent on geometric dimensions (radius of channel), standing in stark contrast to the Helmholtz‐Smoluchowski velocity over planar surfaces or in parallel‐plate microchannels. Such interesting and counterintuitive effects can be attributed to the nonlinear coupling among the electrostatics, channel geometry, and non‐Newtonian hydrodynamics. Furthermore, a method for enhancement of EOFs of power‐law fluids is proposed under a combined DC and AC electric field.
Poly(trimethylene terephthalate)/magnesium hydroxide composites with on‐demand thickening at high temperatures
Authors: Messmore Benjamin W. , Zudans Andrew W. , Pottiger Michael T. , Berl Anna G.
Published: December 2012

Magnesium hydroxide, when melt extruded with poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) at low concentrations (1–3 wt.%), can be melt processed during extrusion and injection molding. When the polymer is heated in the melt to 295°C, the viscosity of the composite behaves similarly to control samples and the viscosity decreases as a function of temperature. When the temperature of the composite is raised above 295°C (above the normal processing conditions for PTT), a significant change in the melt rheology of the composite is observed relative to unfilled compositions. This change in melt rheology coincides with the decomposition temperature of magnesium hydroxide and formation of magnesium oxide, a common thickening agent employed in unsaturated polyester resins. Lower processing temperature polyesters, including PTT, enable processing of the polymer in the presence of magnesium hydroxide under normal conditions. The viscosity modifier ‘turns on’ when the composite sees elevated temperature where magnesium oxide is known to form. The magnesium oxide is hypothesized to interact with PTT carboxyl end groups, providing the observed increase in viscosity. The rheological response observed in the composites is dependent on the concentration of magnesium hydroxide. During burning, the viscosity modifier results in a non‐dripping formulation of PTT. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Molecular mechanism of WW‐domain binding protein‐2 coactivation function in estrogen receptor signaling
Authors: Buffa Laura , Saeed Ali M. , Nawaz Zafar
Published: December 2012

The link between breast cancer and estrogen receptor (ER) is well established. The ER is a hormone‐inducible transcription factor that, upon binding to its ligand, regulates the expression of a variety of genes mainly involved in cell proliferation and differentiation. Coactivators are proteins recruited by the hormone‐activated receptor, which allow or enhance the ER transactivation functions by acting as chromatin remodeling enzymes or adaptors between ER and the transcriptional machinery. Our laboratory has previously identified the WW‐domain binding protein‐2 (WBP‐2) as a bona fide coactivator of ER. However, the molecular mechanism underlying WBP‐2 coactivation function was not clear yet. In this study, we explore and identify the mechanism by which WBP‐2 acts as coactivator of ER. Our data show that WBP‐2 is involved in the regulation of ER target genes, and its expression is required for the proper expression of some ER target genes. To clarify the molecular mechanism by which WBP‐2 regulates ER function, we performed chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. We demonstrate here that WBP‐2 binds to the ER target gene promoter pS2 promoter and is required for the binding of the phosphorylated form of RNA polymerase II (associated with active transcription/elongation) to the same promoter. Furthermore, we also show that WBP‐2 is essential for the recruitment of the histone acetyl transferase p300, an important chromatin modifier enzyme and for histone acetylation at the same target region. Collectively, our data indicate that WBP‐2 enhances ER transactivation function at certain genes by facilitating the recruitment and/or the stabilization of a histone modifier enzyme that favors a relaxed chromatin structure, permissive of transcription. © 2012 IUBMB Life,
65(1):76–84, 2013
Synthesis and Characterization of pH‐Sensitive Positive‐charge Silica Nanoparticles for Oral Anionic Drug Delivery
Authors: Mahkam Mehrdad , Pakravan Asrin
Published: December 2012

The objective of this study is to utilize the pH sensitivity of modified mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) for oral drug delivery. In the first time, a pH‐sensitive ionic liquid was synthesized through the quaternization of 3‐aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (3‐ATMS) with sodium monochloroacetate (SMCA). Then, silica nanoparticle was modified by this pH‐sensitive ionic liquid and converted to a pH‐sensitive positive‐charge silica nanoparticle (PCSN). The nanoparticle was characterized by FTIR and SEM. Naproxen as anionic drug molecules was entrapped in this pH‐sensitive positive‐charge silica nanoparticles (PCSN) and the in vitro release profiles were established separately in both (SGF, pH 1) and (SIF, pH 7.4).
An efficient pseudo‐spectral Legendre–Galerkin method for solving a nonlinear partial integro‐differential equation arising in population dynamics
Authors: Fakhar‐Izadi Farhad , Dehghan Mehdi
Published: December 2012

The pseudo‐spectral Legendre–Galerkin method (PS‐LGM) is applied to solve a nonlinear partial integro‐differential equation arising in population dynamics. This equation is a competition model in which similar individuals are competing for the same resources. It is a kind of reaction–diffusion equation with integral term corresponding to nonlocal consumption of resources. The proposed method is based on the Legendre–Galerkin formulation for the linear terms and interpolation operator at the Chebyshev–Gauss–Lobatto (CGL) points for the nonlinear terms. Also, the integral term, which is a kind of convolution, is directly computed by a fast and accurate method based on CGL interpolation operator, and thus, the use of any quadrature formula in its computation is avoided. The main difference of the PS‐LGM presented in the current paper with the classic LGM is in treating the nonlinear terms and imposing boundary conditions. Indeed, in the PS‐LGM, the nonlinear terms are efficiently handled using the CGL points, and also the boundary conditions are imposed strongly as collocation methods. Combination of the PS‐LGM with a semi‐implicit time integration method such as second‐order backward differentiation formula and Adams‐Bashforth method leads to reducing the complexity of computations and obtaining a linear algebraic system of equations with banded coefficient matrix. The desired equation is considered on one and two‐dimensional spatial domains. Efficiency, accuracy, and convergence of the proposed method are demonstrated numerically in both cases. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of paternal folate deficiency on the expression of insulin‐like growth factor‐2 and global DNA methylation in the fetal brain
Authors: Kim Hye Won , Kim Ki Nam , Choi Yun Jung , Chang Namsoo
Published: December 2012

Scope

We examined the effect of paternal folate deficiency on the folate content, the percentage of 5‐methycytosine (percentage of 5‐mC) in the total DNA, and the protein expression of insulin‐like growth factor‐2 (IGF‐2) in the fetal whole brain.

Methods and results

Rats were mated after males were fed a folic acid deficient (PD) or folic acid supplemented (PS) diet for 4 weeks, and fetuses were killed on day 20 of gestation. The folate content in the fetal liver was significantly lower in the PD group than in the PS group, whereas it did not differ in the fetal whole brain. The percentage of 5‐mC and the protein expression of IGF‐2 in the fetal whole brain were both lower in the PD group than in the PS group. There were positive correlations between paternal liver and testis folate content and the percentage of 5‐mC and IGF‐2 expression in the fetal whole brain.

Conclusion

Our results on the folate content, the percentage of 5‐mC, and IGF‐2 expression in the fetal whole brain show that paternal folate deficiency at mating can influence fetal brain DNA methylation and IGF‐2 expression despite an adequate maternal folate status during the gestational period.
Crystallization and morphology studies of biodegradable poly(ε‐caprolactone)/silica nanocomposites
Authors: Li Yi , Han Changyu , Bian Junjia , Zhang Xin , Han Lijing , Dong Lisong
Published: December 2012

Biodegradable poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL)/silica nanocomposites at various silica loadings were prepared via direct melt compounding method in this work. Scanning electron microscopy observation indicated that when the silica content was < 3 wt%, the nanoparticles dispersed evenly in the PCL matrix and exhibited only aggregates with particle size of less than 100 nm. The results of nonisothermal melt crystallization showed that the crystallization peak temperature was higher in the nanocomposites than in neat PCL; moreover, the overall crystallization rate was faster in the nanocomposites than in neat PCL during isothermal melt crystallization. Both nonisothermal and isothermal melt crystallization studies suggested that the crystallization of PCL was enhanced by the presence of silica and influenced by the silica loading. The effect of silica on the crystallization behavior was twofold: the presence of silica may provide heterogeneous nucleation sites for the PCL crystallization while the aggregates of silica may restrict crystal growth of PCL. However, the crystal structure of PCL remained almost unchanged despite the presence of silica in the nanocomposites. POLYM. COMPOS., 2013. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers
Double‐hydrophobic siloxane diblock copolymers: Synthesis, micellization behavior, and application as a stabilizer for silver nanoparticles
Authors: Zhou Hong‐Ming , Cheng Hua , Luo Zheng‐Hong
Published: December 2012

The double‐hydrophobic well‐defined polydimethylsiloxane‐block‐poly(methyl methacrylate) (PDMS‐b‐PMMA) diblock copolymers were synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Their chemical compositions and the structure were investigated. The micellization behavior of the double‐hydrophobic diblock copolymers with equal block length was thoroughly studied. The results showed that their self‐assembly behavior was analogous to the star‐like micelles. Furthermore, the effect of temperature on the aggregates was investigated to verify that the resulting copolymer (PDMS‐b‐PMMA) was to some extent temperature sensitive. Till date, there have been few reports on the utilization of nonamphiphilic block copolymers to synthesize and confine metal nanoparticles in aggregates. In this study, we explored the role of double‐hydrophobic block copolymers as a mediator for organically dispersible silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and it offered to be an effective stabilizer for preparing AgNPs. Besides, AgNPs generated in organic solvent is an important addition to the hitherto predominantly water‐based processes for producing nanoparticles inside the polymer surfactant. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2013. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers