bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Faculty Development in Instructional Technology in the Context of Learning Styles and Institutional Barriers
Authors: Marinho Robson
Published: April 2012

This chapter describes the within-case analysis of ten faculty members who agreed to share their learning experience and struggles in learning instructional technology. The case focuses on the in-depth description of each participant stressing their unique personal approach and learning styles, describing the main steps experienced and resources utilized by the participants during the learning process. It also highlights one dominant learning characteristic of each participant, which is compared with the participant’s result in the Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire of North Carolina State University, with potential implications for academic administrators in promoting the use of instructional technology by faculty members of diverse profiles. The case also discusses the institutional barriers faced by faculty members while learning how to use instructional technology at a public university in the United States. Three institutional barriers were a major concern for the participants: time, rewards, and cost. One hundred percent of the participants agreed that providing more time—along with financial and academic rewards—is critical to supporting the learning and implementation of instructional technology.
The Adjunct’s Role in Delivering Quality Online Instruction
Authors: Bedford Laurie
Published: April 2012

Efforts to promote the distinctiveness of online programs in an increasingly competitive market have led to a focus on instructor expertise and instructional quality. The part-time instructor, who is most often charged with facilitating online courses, is commonly viewed as a liability to the integrity of the instructional process. However, little is known about the true nature of the motivations or competencies of this group of instructors. Most often, they are perceived as a homogeneous group with similar motivations and levels of expertise. This case challenges this notion by focusing on a single instructor categorized as a full-time, professional adjunct and is characterized by her colleagues as highly skilled. The case participant describes challenges and best practices that support her in providing quality instruction. These best practices subsequently are discussed as strategies to inform decisions upon which marketing efforts are dependent.
Education Balanced Scorecard for Online Courses
Authors: Strang Kenneth David
Published: April 2012

This case presents a best-practice in higher education, whereby a balanced scorecard approach was used to assess the effectiveness of a distance education (online) course in an accredited business degree program at an Australian public university. The assessment rubric was created by applying the concept of the balanced scorecard (from management science) to measure student performance, satisfaction, as well as content and delivery effectiveness. Performance was derived from the course grades while a validated survey instrument was utilized to gather estimates of all other factors from the students. One of the key lessons-learned in the case was that rather than reinvent the wheel, it was better to reuse accreditation surveys designed for the classroom to assess online courses and leverage the management science philosophy of measuring more than just performance to evaluate program success. Similar scorecard concepts have already been applied in U.S. universities, thus their differences with this case are also discussed.
Excellence in Virtual Education
Authors: Bosom Ángeles , Fernández Elisa , Hernández María José , García Francisco José , Seoane Antonio
Published: April 2012

It is a fact that the notion of education has been changing over the last years, mainly because of information and communication technologies (ICTs). In this globalized world, people are swamped by information, and the key issue is to surf it and choose the appropriate bit. This wealth of information and the need of constantly updating knowledge in order to carry out work society demands: turn learning into lifelong self-training. This chapter aims to present the experience of collaborative work in a virtual learning scenario held by the University of Salamanca, Clay Formación Internacional, and Asociación Logo in the continuing education and specialist course Technologies and networked training methodologies: Tutor online. As former students, now the authors belong to the tutor and scientific team. The Tutor online project (TOL) is an instance of how to make quality continuing education more common and give freer access to it. Its asynchronous nature allows each individual to adapt it to their own particular time and space needs.
Design and Implementation of Bipolar Digital Signal Acquisition and Processing System Based on FPGA and ACPL-224
Authors: Lin Guangfu , Yin Zhenxing , Feng Guo
Published: April 2012

This paper proposes new approaches for designing a bipolar DS acquisition system to reduce the harm of external factors on equipment, as well as fulfill system requirements at the veracity and reliability of the equipment to quickly connect. The design method chosen is ACPL-224 for chip of the interface about data acquisition on the FPGA device, including system principle, interface circuit logic, the method of data processing, and so forth. Now that this method has been applied, it has achieved good results, including extending the system’s adaptive range of external signal and enhancing the efficiency of the interface to quickly connect.
Highway Background Identification and Background Modeling Based on Projection Statistics
Authors: Zhang Jun
Published: April 2012

Background images are identified by analyzing the changes in texture of the image sequences. According to the characteristics of highway traffic scenes, in this paper, the author presents a new algorithm for identifying background image based on the gradient projection statistics of the binary image. First, the images are blocked by road lane, and the background is identified by projection statistics and projection gradient statistics of the sub-images. Second, the background is reconstructed according to the results of each sub-image. Experimental results show that the proposed method exhibits high accuracy for background identification and modeling. In addition, the proposed method has a good anti-interference to the low intensity vehicles, and the processing time is less as well. The speed ??and accuracy of the proposed algorithm meets the needs of video surveillance system requirements for highway traffic scenes.
Method of Measuring the Switching Time of Dual Redundant NIC
Authors: Tao Zhengrong , Yin Zhenxing
Published: April 2012

In this paper, the authors present a method of measuring the switching time of a dual redundant NIC. The accuracy of the authors’ method of measuring switching time can reach milliseconds. The authors’ method uses Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) packets to test, is easy to operate, has high precision, and can be applied to all types of dual redundant device switching time measurement.
The Role of Naive T Cell Precursor Frequency and Recruitment in Dictating Immune Response Magnitude
Authors: Jenkins Marc K. , Moon James J.
Published: April 2012

Recent advances in technology have led to the realization that the populations of naive T cells specific for different foreign peptide:MHC (p:MHC) ligands vary in size. This variability is due, in part, to the fact that certain peptides contain amino acids that engage in particularly favorable interactions with TCRs. In addition, deletion of clones with cross-reactivity for self-p:MHC ligands may reduce the size of some naive populations. In many cases, the magnitude of the immune response to individual p:MHC epitopes correlates with the size of the corresponding naive populations. However, this simple relationship may be complicated by variability in the efficiency of T cell recruitment into the immune response. The knowledge that naive population size can predict immune response magnitude may create opportunities for production of more effective subunit vaccines.
On Mertens' Theorem for Beurling Primes
Authors: Pollack Paul
Published: April 2012

Let 1 < p1 ≤ p2 ≤ p3 ≤ … be an infinite sequence ℘ of real numbers for which pi → 1, and associate with this sequence the Beurling zeta function . Suppose that for some constant A > 0, we have . We prove that ℘ satisfies an analogue of a classical theorem of Mertens: . Here e = 2.71828 … is the base of the natural logarithm and γ= 0.57721 … is the usual Euler–Mascheroni constant. This strengthens a recent theorem of Olofsson.
Inclusion Relations for New Function Spaces on Riemann Surfaces
Authors: Aulaskari Rauno , Jouni Rättyä
Published: April 2012

We introduce and study some new function spaces on Riemann surfaces. For certain parameter values these spaces coincide with the classical Dirichlet space, BMOA, or the recently defined Qp space. We establish inclusion relations that generalize earlier known inclusions between the above-mentioned spaces.
On Induced Representations Distinguished by Orthogonal Groups
Authors: Valverde Cesar
Published: April 2012

LetFbe a local non-archimedean field of characteristic zero. We prove that a representation ofGL(n,F) obtained from irreducible parabolic induction of supercuspidal representations is distinguished by an orthogonal group only if the inducing data is distinguished by appropriate orthogonal groups. As a corollary, we get that an irreducible representation induced from supercuspidals that is distinguished by an orthogonal group is metic.
Subadditivity Inequalities for Compact Operators
Authors: Bourin Jean-Christophe , Harada Tetsuo , Lee Eun-Young
Published: April 2012

Some subadditivity inequalities for matrices and concave functions also hold for Hilbert space operators, but (unfortunately!) with an additional ε term. It does not seem possible to erase this residual term. However, in case of compact operators we show that the ε term is unnecessary. Further, these inequalities are strict in a certain sense when some natural assumptions are satisfied. The discussion also emphasizes matrices and their compressions and several open questions or conjectures are considered, both in the matrix and operator settings.
A Short Proof of Paouris' Inequality
Authors: Adamczak Radosław , Latała Rafał , Litvak Alexander E. , Oleszkiewicz Krzysztof , Pajor Alain , Tomczak-Jaegermann Nicole
Published: April 2012

We give a short proof of a result of G. Paouris on the tail behaviour of the Euclidean norm |X| of an isotropic log-concave random vector X ∈ ℝn; stating that for every t ≥ 1,

More precisely we show that for any log-concave random vector X and any p ≥ 1,
Concise Catalytic Asymmetric Total Synthesis of Biologically Active Tropane Alkaloids
Authors: Córdova Armando , Lin Shuangzheng , Tseggai Abrehet
Published: April 2012

A general strategy for the total asymmetric synthesis of valuable tropane alkaloids by catalytic stereoselective transformations is disclosed. The power of this approach is exemplified by the concise catalytic enantioselective total syntheses of (+)‐methylecgonine, (−)‐cocaine and (+)‐cocaine as well as the first catalytic asymmetric total syntheses of a cocaine C‐1 derivative and (+)‐ferruginine starting from 5‐oxo‐protected‐α,β‐unsaturated enals using only two and three column chromatographic purification steps, respectively.
A randomized trial of mesenchymal stem cells in multiple system atrophy
Authors: Lee Phil Hyu , Lee Ji E. , Kim Han‐Soo , Song Sook K. , Lee Hye Sun , Nam Hyo Suk , Cheong June‐Won , Jeong Yong , Park Hae‐Jeong , Kim Dong Joon , Nam Chung Mo , Lee Jong Doo , Kim Hyun Ok , Sohn Young H.
Published: April 2012

Objective:

Neuroprotective or regenerative strategies are invaluable in multiple system atrophy (MSA) due to its rapid progression with fatal prognosis. We evaluated the efficacy of autologous mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in patients with MSA‐cerebellar type (MSA‐C).

Methods:

Thirty‐three patients with probable MSA‐C and baseline unified MSA rating scale (UMSARS) scores ranging from 30 to 50 were randomly assigned to receive MSC (4 × 107/injection) via intra‐arterial and intravenous routes or placebo. The primary outcome was change in the total UMSARS scores from baseline throughout a 360‐day follow‐up period between groups. Secondary outcomes were changes in the UMSARS part II scores, cerebral glucose metabolism, gray matter density, and cognitive performance over a 360‐day period.

Results:

The mixed model analysis of neurological deficits revealed a significant interaction effect between treatment group and time, suggesting that the MSC group had a smaller increase in total and part II UMSARS scores compared with the placebo group (p = 0.047 and p = 0.008, respectively). Cerebral glucose metabolism and gray matter density at 360 days relative to the baseline were more extensively decreased in the cerebellum and the cerebral cortical areas, along with greater deterioration of frontal cognition in the placebo group compared with the MSC group. We found no serious adverse effects that were directly related to MSC treatment. However, intra‐arterial infusion resulted in small ischemic lesions on magnetic resonance imaging.

Interpretation:

MSC therapy could delay the progression of neurological deficits in patients with MSA‐C, suggesting the potential of MSC therapy as a treatment candidate of MSA. ANN NEUROL 2012;72:32–40
Risk in complex genetics: “All models are wrong but some are useful”
Authors: Sawcer Stephen , Wason James
Published: April 2012

Although genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) have proven remarkably effective at identifying reliably associated genetic variants, the biology underlying these discoveries is rarely immediately apparent and in most cases seems bound to require extensive fine mapping and functional analysis before it is revealed. In this context, it is logical and appropriate to try to interrogate available genetic data for biological insights. However, because such efforts invariably depend upon mathematical modeling, misperceptions can easily arise if the relevant mathematical properties are overlooked or forgotten. In this report, we will examine these mathematical issues, highlight some of the more common misconceptions, and hopefully help to clarify the somewhat blurry distinction between biology and mathematics that can so easily undermine and obscure the value of GWAS discoveries. ANN NEUROL 2012;72:502–509
Subthalamic discharges as a causal determinant of parkinsonian motor deficits
Authors: Tai Chun‐Hwei , Pan Ming‐Kai , Lin Janice Janing , Huang Chen‐Syuan , Yang Ya‐Chin , Kuo Chung‐Chin
Published: April 2012

Objective:

We have reported that intrinsic membrane properties, especially T‐type Ca2+ channels, play a key role in the genesis of burst discharges in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and parkinsonian locomotor symptoms. Whether deep brain stimulation (DBS) exerts its clinical benefits on Parkinson disease (PD) with changes in T currents or other conductances, however, remains elusive.

Methods:

Different stimulation protocols, including constant currents of opposite polarity, were applied to STN in vivo or in vitro, and the electrophysiological and behavioral effects were documented in normal and parkinsonian rodents. The effect of correlatively adjusted DBS protocols was also explored in 3 PD patients.

Results:

Delivery of negative constant current into STN dramatically ameliorated locomotor deficits in parkinsonian rats. It also depolarized STN neurons and decreased T‐channel availability as well as burst discharges. In contrast, delivery of positive constant currents to STN induced PD‐like locomotor deficits and increased STN burst discharges in normal rats. In addition, the therapeutic effect of DBS was greatly improved in 3 PD patients simply by increasing the pulse width from 60 to 240 microseconds, even at a lower stimulation frequency of 60Hz.

Interpretation:

The increased tendency of STN burst discharges may by itself serve as a direct cause of parkinsonian locomotor deficits, even in the absence of deranged dopaminergic innervation. Effective DBS therapy in PD very likely relies on adequate depolarization, and consequent modification of the relevant ionic currents and discharge patterns, of STN neurons. ANN NEUROL 2012;72:464–476.
Biomedical applications of dipeptides and tripeptides
Authors: Santos Sara , Torcato Inês , Castanho Miguel A. R. B.
Published: April 2012

Peptides regulate many physiological processes, acting at some sites as endocrine or paracrine signals and at others as neurotransmitters or growth factors, for instance. These molecules represent a major evolution in medical and industrial fields, as it is becoming mandatory to design and exploit molecules that do not necessarily fit the description of classical drug classes. The list of peptides with potential biomedical applications is huge and is growing each year. These biomedical applications range from uses as drugs to flavor‐active peptides as ingredients in natural health products, nutraceuticals and functional foods. Among the peptide family, dipeptides and tripeptides are very appealing for drug discovery and development because of their cost‐effectiveness, possibility of oral administration, and simplicity to perform molecular structural and quantitative structure‐activity studies. Our objective is to review different actual and future uses of dipeptides and tripeptides as well as the major advances and obstacles in this growing area. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 98: 288–293, 2012.
A novel chitin‐binding protein fromMoringa oleiferaseed with potential for plant disease control
Authors: Gifoni Juliana M. , Oliveira José T. A. , Oliveira Hermogenes D. , Batista Adelina B. , Pereira Mirella L. , Gomes Antoniella S. , Oliveira Henrique P. , Grangeiro Thalles B. , Vasconcelos Ilka M.
Published: April 2012

A thermostable chitin‐binding protein (14.3 kDa) with antifungal activity was isolated fromMoringa oleiferaseeds by affinity chromatography on chitin followed by ion exchange chromatography. NH2‐CPAIQRCCQQLRNIQPPCRCCQ (Mo‐CBP3) is a glycoprotein with 2.5% sugar, pI 10.8, without hemagglutination, chitinase or β‐glucanase activities.Mo‐CBP3possesses in vitro antifungal activity against the phytopathogenic fungiFusarium solani, F. oxysporum, Colletotrichum musaeandC. gloesporioides. Contrarily,Mo‐CBP3did not affectPythium oligandrum, an oomycete. At 0.05 mg/ml,Mo‐CBP3showed to be fungistatic againstF. solani, but at 0.1 mg/mlMo‐CBP3behaved as a potent fungicidal agent as it inhibited both the spore germination and mycelial growth ofF. solani. Surprisingly, the effect ofMo‐CBP3against spore germination was observed even when the protein was heated at 100°C for 1 h or pretreated with 0.15MN‐acetyl‐D‐glucosamine.Mo‐CBP3inhibited the glucose‐stimulated acidification of the incubation medium byF. solani. This is apparently caused by structural plasma membrane disarrangement induced byMo‐CBP3. Altogether, these results suggest thatMo‐CBP3might be involved in plant defense mechanisms and could be used as potential antifungal agent for controlling fungal pathogens in plants. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 98: 406–415, 2012.
Cn‐AMP1: A new promiscuous peptide with potential for microbial infections treatment
Authors: Silva Osmar N. , Porto William F. , Migliolo Ludovico , Mandal Santi M. , Gomes Diego G. , Holanda Hortência H. S. , Silva Rosa S. P. , Dias Simoni C. , Costa Maysa P. , Costa Carolina R. , Silva Maria R. , Rezende Taia M. B. , Franco Octavio L.
Published: April 2012

The antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are evolutionarily ancient molecules that act as components of the innate immune system. Recently, it was demonstrated that a single AMP can perform various functions; this ability is known as “peptide promiscuity.” However, little is known about promiscuity in plant AMPs without disulfide bonds. This study was carried out to evaluate the promiscuity of Cn‐AMP1: a promising disulfide‐free plant peptide with reduced size and cationic and hydrophobic properties. Its activity against human pathogenic bacteria and fungal pathogens, as well as its in vitro immunostimulatory activity and effects on cancerous and healthy mammalian cell proliferation were studied here. Cn‐AMP1 exerts antimicrobial effects against Gram‐positive bacteria, Gram‐negative bacteria, and fungi. Moreover, tumor cell viability activity in Caco‐2 cells, as well as immunostimulatory activity by evaluating upregulated inflammatory‐cytokine secretion by monocytes was also positively observed. Cn‐AMP1 does not exhibit a well‐defined conformation in aqueous solution and probably undergoes a 310‐helix transition in hydrophobic environments. The experimental results support the promiscuous activity of Cn‐AMP1, presenting a wide range of activities, including antibacterial, antifungal, and immunostimulatory activity. In the future, Cn‐AMP1 should be used in the development of novel biopharmaceuticals, mainly due to its reduced size and broad spectrum of activity. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 98: 322–331, 2012.
Optimization of co‐agonism at GLP‐1 and glucagon receptors to safely maximize weight reduction in DIO‐rodents
Authors: Day Jonathan W. , Gelfanov Vasily , Smiley David , Carrington Paul E. , Eiermann George , Chicchi Gary , Erion Mark D. , Gidda Jas , Thornberry Nancy A. , Tschöp Matthias H. , Marsh Donald J. , SinhaRoy Ranabir , DiMarchi Richard , Pocai Alessandro
Published: April 2012

The ratio of GLP‐1/glucagon receptor (GLP1R/GCGR) co‐agonism that achieves maximal weight loss without evidence of hyperglycemia was determined in diet‐induced obese (DIO) mice chronically treated with GLP1R/GCGR co‐agonist peptides differing in their relative receptor agonism. Using glucagon‐based peptides, a spectrum of receptor selectivity was achieved by a combination of selective incorporation of GLP‐1 sequences, C‐terminal modification, backbone lactam stapling to stabilize helical structure, and unnatural amino acid substitutions at the N‐terminal dipeptide. In addition to α‐amino‐isobutyric acid (Aib) substitution at position two, we show that α,α′‐dimethyl imidazole acetic acid (Dmia) can serve as a potent replacement for the highly conserved histidine at position one. Selective site‐specific pegylation was used to further minimize enzymatic degradation and provide uniform, extended in vivo duration of action. Maximal weight loss devoid of any sign of hyperglycemia was achieved with a co‐agonist comparably balanced for in vitro potency at murine GLP1R and GCGR. This peptide exhibited superior weight loss and glucose lowering compared to a structurally matched pure GLP1R agonist, and to co‐agonists of relatively reduced GCGR tone. Any further enhancement of the relative GCGR agonist potency yielded increased weight loss but at the expense of elevated blood glucose. We conclude that GCGR agonism concomitant with GLP1R agonism constitutes a promising approach to treatment of the metabolic syndrome. However, the relative ratio of GLP1R/GCGR co‐agonism needs to be carefully chosen for each species to maximize weight loss efficacy and minimize hyperglycemia. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 98: 443–450, 2012.
A single nucleotide polymorphism in ycdC alters tRNA synthetase expression and results in hypersecretion in Escherichia coli
Authors: Gupta Prateek , Swanberg Jeffrey C. , Lee Kelvin H.
Published: April 2012

The most important approach to the development of platform organisms for recombinant protein production relies on random mutagenesis and phenotypic selection. Complex phenotypes, including those associated with significantly elevated expression and secretion of heterologous proteins, are the result of multiple genomic mutations. Using next generation sequencing, a parent and derivative hypersecreter strain (B41) of Escherichia coli were sequenced with an average coverage of 52.8X and 55X, respectively. A new base‐pair calling program, revealed a single nucleotide polymorphism in the B41 genome at position 1,074,787, resulting in translation termination near the N‐terminus of a transcriptional regulator protein, RutR, coded by the ycdC gene. We verified the hypersecretion phenotype in a ycdC::Tn5 mutant and observed a 3.4‐fold increase in active hemolysin secretion, consistent with the increase observed in B41 strain. mRNA expression profiling showed decreased expression of tRNA‐synthetases and some amino acid transporters in the ycdC::Tn5 mutant. This study demonstrates the power of next generation sequencing to characterize mutants leading to successful metabolic engineering strategies for strain improvement. © 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2012
Jetstream® atherectomy for subacutely or chronically occluded femoro‐popliteal prosthetic bypass grafts
Authors: Obon‐Dent Mauricio , Hernandez‐Vila Eduardo
Published: April 2012

A failed infrainguinal bypass is associated with poor prognosis for the limb in question, particularly if the graft was initially placed for limb salvage. Revascularization of occluded grafts is an important but challenging issue. We present three patients with occluded femoro‐popliteal graft in whom the Jetstream® system was used successfully to perform thromboatherectomy. The Jetstream® system is minimally invasive and avoids use of thrombolytic therapy and its associated costs and complications. The device seems to be highly effective in removing thrombus beyond the acute setting. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals Inc.
Patient preferences for coronary artery bypass graft surgery or percutaneous intervention in multivessel coronary artery disease
Authors: Kipp Ryan , Lehman James , Israel Jacqueline , Edwards Niloo , Becker Tara , Raval Amish N.
Published: April 2012

Objectives: Determine if patients prefer multivessel percutaneous coronary intervention (mv‐PCI) over coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) for treatment of symptomatic multivessel coronary artery disease (mv‐CAD) despite high 1‐year risk. Background: Patient risk perception and preference for CABG or mv‐PCI to treat medically refractory mv‐CAD are poorly understood. We hypothesize that patients prefer mv‐PCI instead of CABG even when quoted high mv‐PCI risk. Methods: 585 patients and 31 physicians were presented standardized questionnaires with a hypothetical scenario describing chest pain and medically refractory mv‐CAD. CABG or mv‐PCI was presented as treatment options. Risk scenarios included variable 1‐year risks of death, stroke, and repeat procedures for mv‐PCI and fixed risks for CABG. Participants indicated their preference of revascularization method based on the presented risks. We calculated the odds that patients or physicians would favor mv‐PCI over CABG across a range of quoted risks of death, stroke, and repeat procedures. Results: For nearly all quoted risks, patients preferred mv‐PCI over CABG, even when the risk of death was double the risk with CABG or the risk of repeat procedures was more than three times that for CABG (P < 0.0001). Compared to patients, physicians chose mv‐PCI less often than CABG as the risk of death and repeat procedures increased (P < 0.001 and P = 0.004, respectively). Conclusion: Patients favor mv‐PCI over CABG to treat mv‐CAD, even if 1‐year risks of death and repeat procedures far exceed risk with CABG. Physicians are more influenced by actual risk and prefer mv‐PCI less than patients despite similarly quoted 1‐year risks. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Rosuvastatin pretreatment in patients undergoing elective PCI to reduce the incidence of myocardial periprocedural necrosis: The ROMA trial
Authors: Sardella Gennaro , Conti Giulia , Donahue Michael , Mancone Massimo , Canali Emanuele , De Carlo Carlotta , Di Roma Angelo , Calcagno Simone , Lucisano Luigi , Fedele Francesco
Published: April 2012

Objectives

The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of the high‐dose rosuvastatin preadministration in reducing periprocedural myocardial necrosis and major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) in patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Background

Elective PCI may be complicated with an elevation of cardiac biomarkers. Several studies suggested that pretreatment with statins may be associated with a reduction in periprocedural myocardial necrosis.

Methods

One hundred and sixty patients with stable angina who underwent elective PCI were randomly assigned to receive either a preprocedural loading dose (40 mg) of rosuvastatin group (RG, n = 80) or a standard treatment [control group (CG), n = 80].The primary endpoint was the incidence of periprocedural myocardial necrosis. The secondary endpoint was the assessment of MACCE [cardiac death, all‐myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and target vessel revascularization (TVR)] at a 30‐day and 12‐month follow‐up, as well as the rate of periprocedural rise of Troponin T‐serum levels >3× upper limit of normal.

Results

Twelve and 24‐hr post‐PCI creatinine kinase MB isoform elevation >3× occurred more frequently in the CG than in the RG (22.7 vs. 7.1; P = 0.034 and 26.4 vs. 8.7; P = 0.003). At the 30‐day and 12‐month follow‐up, the incidence of cumulative MACCE was higher in CG than in the RG (30.0% vs. 8.7%; P = 0.001 and 35.0% vs. 12.5%; P = 0.001).The difference between the groups was mainly due to the periprocedural MI incidence (26.4% vs. 8.7%; P = 0.003).The rate of cardiac death, spontaneous MI, TVR, and stroke were similar in the two groups.

Conclusions

High loading dose of rosuvastatin within 24 hr before elective PCI seems to decrease the incidence of periprocedural myocardial necrosis during a period of 12‐months compared to the standard treatment. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Operando Studies of Catalyst Surfaces during Catalysis and under Reaction Conditions: Ambient Pressure X‐Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy with a Flow‐Cell Reactor
Authors: Tao Franklin (Feng)
Published: April 2012

We present the development and performance of a new, reactor‐like, in‐house ambient pressure X‐ray photoelectron spectrometer (AP‐XPS) using Al Kα, which can study material surfaces, particularly surfaces of catalysts during catalysis and under reaction conditions. This ambient pressure X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy technique uses an affordable bench‐top X‐ray source, monochromated Al Kα, making it available for research groups on any campus. A unique feature of this in‐house AP‐XPS is the integration of a micro ambient pressure reaction cell working in either flowing or batch mode into a monochromatic Al Kα source and an ambient pressure energy analyzer. This integration allows XPS studying surfaces of materials while they functionalize in a flowing gaseous environment. Another feature is the integration of characterization of surfaces of catalysts into simultaneous measurements of catalytic performance by using on‐line, quadrupole mass spectrometry and gas chromatography. Performance tests of this in‐house AP‐XPS have demonstrated that it can study material surfaces at temperatures up to 500–550 °C in a gaseous environment with pressures up to 25–50 Torr. This design has successfully brought the synchrotron‐based AP‐XPS technique to research groups on campuses.
The Exohedral Diels–Alder Reactivity of the Titanium Carbide Endohedral Metallofullerene Ti2C2@D3h‐C78: Comparison with D3h‐C78 and M3N@D3h‐C78 (M=Sc and Y) Reactivity
Authors: Garcia‐Borràs Marc , Osuna Sílvia , Luis Josep M. , Swart Marcel , Solà Miquel
Published: April 2012

The chemical functionalization of endohedral (metallo)fullerenes has become a main focus of research in the last few years. It has been found that the reactivity of endohedral (metallo)fullerenes may be quite different from that of the empty fullerenes. Encapsulated species have an enormous influence on the thermodynamics, kinetics, and regiochemistry of the exohedral addition reactions undergone by these species. A detailed understanding of the changes in chemical reactivity due to incarceration of atoms or clusters of atoms is essential to assist the synthesis of new functionalized endohedral fullerenes with specific properties. Herein, we report the study of the Diels–Alder cycloaddition between 1,3‐butadiene and all nonequivalent bonds of the Ti2C2@D3h‐C78 metallic carbide endohedral metallofullerene (EMF) at the BP86/TZP//BP86/DZP level of theory. The results obtained are compared with those found by some of us at the same level of theory for the D3h‐C78 free cage and the M3N@D3h‐C78 (M=Sc and Y) metallic nitride EMFs. It is found that the free cage is more reactive than the Ti2C2@D3h‐C78 EMF and this, in turn, has a higher reactivity than M3N@D3h‐C78. The results indicate that, for Ti2C2@D3h‐C78, the corannulene‐type [5, 6] bonds c and f, and the type B [6, 6] bond 3 are those thermodynamically and kinetically preferred. In contrast, the D3h‐C78 free cage has a preference for addition to the [6, 6] 1 and 6 bonds and the [5, 6] b bond, whereas M3N@D3h‐C78 favors additions to the [6, 6] 6 (M=Sc) and [5, 6] d (M=Y) bonds. The reasons for the regioselectivity found in Ti2C2@D3h‐C78 are discussed.
Ionic Liquids of Cationic Sandwich Complexes
Authors: Inagaki Takashi , Mochida Tomoyuki , Takahashi Masashi , Kanadani Chikahide , Saito Toshiaki , Kuwahara Daisuke
Published: April 2012

Simple cationic sandwich complexes that contained alkyl‐ or halogen substituents provided ionic liquids (ILs) with the bis(perfluoroalkanesulfonyl)imide anion. Ferrocenium‐ and cobaltocenium ILs [M(C5H4R1)(C5H4R2)][Tf2N] (M=Fe, Co) and arene–ferrocenium ILs [Fe(C5H4R1)(C6H5R2)][Tf2N] were prepared and their physical properties were investigated. A detailed comparison of their thermal properties revealed the effects of molecular symmetry and substituents on their melting points. Their viscosity increased on increasing the length of the substituent on the cation and the perfluoroalkyl chain length on the anion. Upon cooling, ILs with low viscosities exhibited crystallization, whereas those with higher viscosities tended to exhibit glass transitions. Most of these salts showed phase transitions in the solid state. A magnetic‐switching phenomenon was observed for the paramagnetic ferrocenium IL, which was associated with a liquid/solid transformation, based on the magnetic anisotropy of the ferrocenium cation. 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy was applied to [Fe(C5H4nBu)2][Tf2N] to investigate the vibrational behavior of the iron atom in the crystal and glassy states of the ferrocenium IL.
Microenvironmental control of enantiodifferentiating photocyclization of 5‐hydroxy‐1,1‐diphenylpentene through selective solvation
Authors: Nishiyama Yasuhiro , Wada Takehiko , Kakiuchi Kiyomi , Inoue Yoshihisa
Published: April 2012

For mechanistic elucidation of the photosensitized cyclization of 5‐hydroxy‐1,1‐diphenylpentene (1), its methyl ether (4) was synthesized as an unreactive “dummy” substrate and used as a quencher of the sensitizer fluorescence to reveal the intervention of an exciplex intermediate that was unable to detect when reactive substrate 1 was used as a quencher/reactant In the enantiodifferentiating photocyclization of 1 to 2‐(diphenylmethyl)tetrahydrofuran (2) sensitized by a chiral saccharide ester of 1,4‐naphthalenedicarboxylate (3), the enantiomeric excess (ee) of chiral product 2 obtained in methylcyclohexane (MCH) at 25 °C was significantly enhanced from 20% to 35% upon 10‐fold dilution of the sample solution by MCH, for which the reduced solvent polarity, discouraging dissociation of the intervening radical ionic exciplex, is likely to be responsible. Further attempts to microenvironmentally control the photochirogenic reaction and enhance the product's ee through selective solvation of polar cosolvent to the diastereomeric exciplex pair in nonpolar solvent were not successful probably due to the inherently high local polarity around the exciplex of saccharide‐appended 3 with alcoholic substrate 1. Chirality 24:400–405, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Supramolecular arrangement of guanosine/5′‐guanosine monophosphate binary mixtures studied by methods of circular dichroism
Authors: Novotná Jana , Goncharova Iryna , Urbanová Marie
Published: April 2012

Self‐assembly of molecules is one of the fundamental processes in biology and in supramolecular chemistry. Guanosine (Guo) and its derivatives are among the widely studied molecules because of self‐assembly abilities. Their tetrameric associates are the nature of telomeric DNA, and furthermore they are fundamental building blocks of supramolecular reversible gels, which may arise in certain physical and chemical conditions. Although poorly soluble in water, Guo forms interesting structures with guanosine 5′‐monophosphate salt (GMP) in the TRIS buffer. We used electronic circular dichroism and vibrational circular dichroism to describe the thermal response of gels formed by the Guo/GMP binary mixture. Using these complementary techniques suitable to study conformational changes of chiral compounds, we obtained information about the involvement of functional groups and weak interactions in the guanosine quartet (G4) and stacked G4 structures. Chirality 24:432–438, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Primary care providers' perspectives on discontinuing prostate cancer screening
Authors: Pollack Craig E. , Platz Elizabeth A. , Bhavsar Nrupen A. , Noronha Gary , Green Gene E. , Chen Sean , Carter H. Ballentine
Published: April 2012

BACKGROUND:

Clinical guidelines recommend against routine prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) screening for older men and for those with lower life expectancies. The authors of this report examined providers' decision‐making regarding discontinuing PSA screening.

METHODS:

A survey of primary providers from a large, university‐affiliated primary care practice was administered. Providers were asked about their current screening practices, factors that influenced their decision to discontinue screening, and barriers to discontinuing screening. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to examine whether taking age and/or life expectancy into account and barriers to discontinuing were associated with clinician characteristics and practice styles.

RESULTS:

One hundred twenty‐five of 141 providers (88.7%) participated in the survey. Over half (59.3%) took both age and life expectancy into account, whereas 12.2% did not consider either in their decisions to discontinue PSA screening. Providers varied in the age at which they typically stopped screening patients, and the majority (66.4%) reported difficulty in assessing life expectancy. Taking patient age and life expectancy into account was not associated with provider characteristics or practice styles. The most frequently cited barriers to discontinuing PSA screening were patient expectation (74.4%) and time constraints (66.4%). Black providers were significantly less likely than nonblack providers to endorse barriers related to time constraints and clinical uncertainty, although these results were limited by the small sample size of black providers.

CONCLUSIONS:

Although age and life expectancy often figured prominently in decisions to use screening, providers faced multiple barriers to discontinuing routine PSA screening. Cancer 2012. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
A digital imaging method for measuring banana ripeness
Authors: Ji Wei , Koutsidis Georgios , Luo Ronnier , Hutchings John , Akhtar Mahmood , Megias Francisco , Butterworth Mick
Published: April 2012

Visually assessed appearance is undoubtedly of great importance to the selection of fruit by the consumer at the point of sale while the food supply chain also heavily relies on colour assessment methodologies for the determination of product quality. The use of printed colour charts to assess the ripening stages of fruits (i.e., banana ripeness charts) and/or vegetables is common in the fresh produce supply chain, even though they have limitations. However, the development of a more reliable and an objective instrumental method is necessary to describe fruit ripeness using set colour appearance parameters rather than subjective evaluations based on colour charts. In this article, we report a novel digital imaging methodology that could be used by the fresh produce industry to estimate the ripening stages of bananas more accurately. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 38, 364–374, 2013
Surface Defects Activating New Reaction Paths: Formation of Formate during Methanol Oxidation on Ru(0001)
Authors: Palacio Irene , Rojo Juan M. , Rodríguez de la Fuente Oscar
Published: April 2012

Methanol was co‐adsorbed with oxygen on Ru(0001) under conditions approaching those of real catalysts: at room temperature and at relatively high pressures and exposures, together with a comparative analysis of flat and defective surfaces. To clarify reaction routes, parallel exposures to formaldehyde and oxygen have also been analyzed. It is found that for both mixtures of gases, a new reaction path is activated on defective surfaces, in which methanol is oxidized to formate. Furthermore, at variance with pure methanol adsorption, apart from CO, various intermediates are observed in both flat and defective surfaces. On flat surfaces, formaldehyde and formyl are recognized whereas on defective ones methoxy and formate are detected. A model involving steering effects is presented, which accounts for the activity of surface defects towards the synthesis of formate.
Activation of different neural precursor populations in the adult hippocampus: Does this lead to new neurons with discrete functions?
Authors: Jhaveri Dhanisha J. , Taylor Chanel J. , Bartlett Perry F.
Published: April 2012

Resident populations of stem and precursor cells drive the production of new neurons in the adult hippocampus. Recent discoveries have highlighted that a large proportion of these precursor cells are in fact quiescent and can be activated by distinct neuronal activity under both normal physiological and pathological conditions. As growing evidence indicates that newborn neurons play a critical role in cognitive functions such as learning and memory and in mood regulation, it is paramount that we obtain a better understanding of how the reservoirs of stem and precursor cells are maintained and activated. In this review, we critically examine the roles of key molecular mechanisms that have been shown to regulate hippocampal precursor cells, especially their activation. We believe that understanding the mechanistic details of the activity‐driven regulation of precursor cells will equip us with the ability to develop tailored strategies to trigger the generation of new neurons, thereby improving the functional outcomes in various neurological and psychiatric conditions. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 72: 1044–1058, 2012
Impact of Fuel Cell Power Plants on Multi‐objective Optimal Operation Management of Distribution Network
Authors: Niknam T. , Zeinoddini‐Meymand H.
Published: April 2012

This paper presents an interactive fuzzy satisfying method based on hybrid modified honey bee mating optimization and differential evolution (MHBMO‐DE) to solve the multi‐objective optimal operation management (MOOM) problem, which can be affected by fuel cell power plants (FCPPs). The objective functions are to minimize total electrical energy losses, total electrical energy cost, total pollutant emission produced by sources, and deviation of bus voltages. A new interactive fuzzy satisfying method is presented to solve the multi‐objective problem by assuming that the decision‐maker (DM) has fuzzy goals for each of the objective functions. Through the interaction with the DM, the fuzzy goals of the DM are quantified by eliciting the corresponding membership functions. Then, by considering the current solution, the DM acts on this solution by updating the reference membership values until the satisfying solution for the DM can be obtained. The MOOM problem is modeled as a mixed integer nonlinear programming problem. Evolutionary methods are used to solve this problem because of their independence from type of the objective function and constraints. Recently researchers have presented a new evolutionary method called honey bee mating optimization (HBMO) algorithm. Original HBMO often converges to local optima, in order to overcome this shortcoming, we propose a new method that improves the mating process and also, combines the modified HBMO with DE algorithm. Numerical results for a distribution test system have been presented to illustrate the performance and applicability of the proposed method.
Characterization of thyroid nodules using the proposed thyroid imaging reporting and data system (TI‐RADS)
Authors: Cheng Shih‐Ping , Lee Jie‐Jen , Lin Jiun‐Lu , Chuang Shih‐Ming , Chien Ming‐Nan , Liu Chien‐Liang
Published: April 2012

Background

The Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TI‐RADS) was proposed based on a scheme similar to Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI‐RADS) lexicon used in breast lesions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate its interobserver variability and accuracy.

Methods

We included 498 nodules in 437 patients undergoing thyroidectomy. Two endocrine surgeons and 2 endocrinologists independently reviewed sonographic images.

Results

There was moderate to substantial interobserver agreement for final assessment category (kappa = 0.61). The overall sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive value (NPV) were 94%, 43%, and 96%, respectively. Positive predictive values (PPVs) for categories 4 and 5 were 32% and 60%. The sensitivity was 92%, 99%, 96%, and 89%, whereas the specificity was 25%, 37%, 41%, and 62% for tumor sizes of <2, 2 to 3, 3 to 4, and >4 cm, respectively.

Conclusion

TI‐RADS is a helpful but not optimal reporting tool in characterizing thyroid lesions. Tumor size has a considerable impact on interobserver concordance and diagnostic performance. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2013
Semi‐automated primary tumor volume measurements by dynamic contrast‐enhanced MRI in patients with head and neck cancer
Authors: Lodder Wouter L. , Gilhuijs Kenneth G. A. , Lange Charlotte A. H. , Pameijer Frank A. , Balm Alfons J. M. , van den Brekel Michiel W. M.
Published: April 2012

Background

Tumor volume is a significant prognostic factor in the treatment of malignant head and neck tumors. Unfortunately, it is not routinely measured because of the workload involved.

Methods

Twenty‐one patients, between 2009 and 2010, were studied. Dynamic contrast‐enhanced MRI (DCE‐MRI) at 3.0T was performed. A workstation previously developed for semi‐automated segmentation of breast cancers on DCE‐MRI was used to segment the head and neck cancers. The Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the agreement between volumetric measurements and the manually derived gross tumor volume (GTV).

Results

In 90.5% of the patients (19 of 21) correlation could be made between DCE‐MRI and the manually derived GTV. The Pearson correlation coefficient between the automatically derived tumor volume at DCE‐MRI and the manually derived GTVs was R2 = 0.95 (p < .001).

Conclusion

Semi‐automated tumor volumes on DCE‐MRI were representative of those derived from the manually derived GTV (R2 = 0.95; p < .001). © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2013