bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Acceleration of ALA‐induced PpIX fluorescence development in the oral mucosa
Authors: Charoenbanpachon Sirintra , Krasieva Tatiana , Ebihara Arata , Osann Kathryn , Wilder‐Smith Petra
Published: March 2003

Background and Objectives

The development of 5‐aminolevulinic acid (ALA)‐induced tissue fluorescence is optimal 2–4 hours after ALA application. Goal of this work was to develop a means of accelerating oral topical ALA‐induced tissue fluorescence.

Study Design/Materials and Methods

In 300 hamsters, DMBA (9,10 dimethyl‐1,2‐benzanthracene) cheek pouch carcinogenesis produced dysplasia in 3–5 weeks. Topical application of 20% ALA in Eucerin was followed by localized ultrasound treatment (1, 3.3 MHz) in 150 animals. In 75 animals, ALA was applied in an Oral Pluronic Lecithin Organogel (OPLO—an absorption enhancer) vehicle. Seventy‐five animals received only topical ALA in Eucerin. Hamsters were sacrificed and cryosections underwent fluorescence measurements, histological evaluation, 20–180 minutes after ALA application. One‐way ANOVA detected independent effects of pathology on laser‐induced fluorescence (LIF). Two‐way ANOVA tested for independent effect of pathology and of OPLO, ultrasound, and interaction effects.

Results

Ultrasound significantly (P < 0.05) accelerated tissue fluorescence development.

Conclusions

Low‐frequency ultrasound can accelerate ALA‐induced fluorescence development. Lasers Surg. Med. 32:185–188, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A theorem on ROD‐hypersmooth equivalence relations in the Solovay model
Authors: Kanovei Vladimir , Reeken Michael
Published: March 2003

It is known that every Borel hypersmooth but non‐smooth equivalence relation is Borel bi‐reducible to E1. We prove a ROD version of this result in the Solovay model.
Chemotherapy‐induced parkinsonism responsive to levodopa: An underrecognized entity
Authors: Chuang Cathy , Constantino Anne , Balmaceda Casilda , Eidelberg David , Frucht Steven J.
Published: March 2003

Parkinsonism is a rare neurological complication of cancer treatment. Although individual case reports of this syndrome have been reported, the clinical features and prevalence of this syndrome are unknown. We present 3 patients, encountered over 6 months at one institution, who developed parkinsonism after treatment with various chemotherapeutic agents. Parkinsonism was severe in 2 patients, affecting postural reflexes, speech, and swallowing. All 3 patients responded dramatically to treatment with levodopa, and parkinsonism spontaneously improved or remitted over months. This unusual complication of cancer therapy is treatable and may be underappreciated. © 2002 Movement Disorder Society
Randomized trial of modafinil for treating subjective daytime sleepiness in patients with Parkinson's disease
Authors: Adler Charles H. , Caviness John N. , Hentz Joseph G. , Lind Marlene , Tiede Judy
Published: March 2003

We assessed the safety and efficacy of modafinil for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). This was a single‐site, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled crossover study of 21 PD patients having an Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) score ≥10. They received either placebo or modafinil 200 mg/day for 3 weeks, followed by a washout week, then the alternate treatment for 3 weeks. The ESS data demonstrated a carryover effect, so the changes from baseline ESS scores were compared between the two treatments for period 1 only. The ESS scores for the placebo group went from 16.0 ± 4.2 (mean ± SD) to 17.0 ± 5.1 and for the modafinil group went from 17.8 ± 4.2 to 14.4 ± 5.7 (P = 0.039). There was no significant carryover effect for any other measure. The patient Clinical Global Impression of Change (+3 to −3) improved by 0.75 on modafinil compared with 0.15 for placebo (P = 0.07). A total of 7 of 20 (35%) of the patients reported some improvement on modafinil but not placebo. There was no significant improvement or worsening of the UPDRS subscores I–III, Timed Tap test, or time on. Vital signs, electrocardiograms, and lab tests were unchanged. Modafinil was very well tolerated. Our data demonstrate that, in a small sample size, administration of 200 mg/day of modafinil was associated with few side effects and was modestly effective for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness in patients with PD.
Dextrans in microsurgery: A review
Authors: Jallali N.
Published: March 2003

This articles reviews the use of dextrans in free tissue transfer. Current recommended regimes, indications, and complications are discussed. In conclusion, dextrans cannot be used as a substitute for good surgical technique, and should be utilized cautiously, especially in the elderly. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. MICROSURGERY 23:78–80 2003
Tissue engineering of peripheral nerves: Epineurial grafts with application of cultured Schwann cells
Authors: Fansa H. , Dodic T. , Wolf G. , Schneider W. , Keilhoff G.
Published: March 2003

After a simple nerve lesion, primary microsurgical suture is the treatment of choice. A nerve gap has to be bridged, with a nerve graft sacrificing a functioning nerve. Alternatively, tissue engineering of nerve grafts has become a subject of experimental research. It is evident that nerve regeneration requires not only an autologous, allogenous, or biodegradable scaffold, but additional interactions with regeneration‐promoting Schwann cells. In this study, we compared epineurial and acellularized epineurial tubes with and without application of cultured Schwann cells as alternative grafts in a rat sciatic nerve model. Autologous nerve grafts served as controls. Evaluation was performed after 6 weeks; afterwards, sections of the graft and distal nerve were harvested for histological and morphometrical analysis. Compared to controls, all groups showed a significantly lower number of axons, less well‐shaped remyelinizated axons, and a delay in clinical recovery (e.g., toe spread). The presented technique with application of Schwann cells into epineurial tubes did not offer any major advantages for nerve regeneration. Thus, in this applied model, neither the implantation of untreated nor the implantation of acellularized epineurial tubes with cultured Schwann cells to bridge nerve defects was capable of presenting a serious alternative to the present gold standard of conventional nerve grafts for bridging nerve defects in this model. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. MICROSURGERY 23:72–77 2003
Flap coverage of dorsum of hand associated with extensor tendons injuries: A completely vascularized single‐stage reconstruction
Authors: Adani Roberto , Marcoccio Ignazio , Tarallo Luigi
Published: March 2003

This study reports results in 12 patients treated with “completely vascularized single‐stage approaches,” so defined because skin, tendon, and nerve are transferred as a compound flap, and all are vascularized. A free dorsalis pedis cutaneotendinous flap was used in 7 patients, while a radial forearm cutaneotendinous island flap was transposed in 5 patients. A dorsalis pedis flap provides four vascularized extensor tendons (extensor digitorum comunis tendons), and the radial artery flap permits the inclusion of one completely vascularized tendon (palmaris longus) and two “strips” of vascularized tendons (flexor carpi radialis and brachioradialis). The flaps survived in all cases, and the transferred tendons were functioning well. The dorsalis pedis flap can be employed in the reconstruction of cutaneotendinous defects of the dorsum of the hand which require the use of three or four tendons grafts. We suggest the use of forearm cutaneotendinous flaps in cases of reconstruction of one or two extensor tendons. The “completely vascularized single‐stage reconstruction” avoids prolonged hospitalization and results in a rapid restoration of near‐normal function and appearance of the hand. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. MICROSURGERY 23:32–39 2003
Boundary observation and exact control of multilayered piezoelectric body
Authors: Kapitonov Boris V. , Raupp Marco Antonio
Published: March 2003

This paper considers the transmission problem for the system of piezoelectricity having piecewise constant coefficients. Under suitable geometric conditions imposed on the domain and the interfaces where the coefficients have a jump discontinuity, results on boundary observation and exact controllability are established. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Near‐field theoretical model of radiation from a uniform‐tilted fiber‐Bragg grating
Authors: Jáuregui C. , López‐Higuera J. M.
Published: March 2003

A theoretical model for studying the outgoing radiation from a uniform‐tilted fiber‐Bragg grating has been developed. This model allows for calculation of the radiated fields in the vicinity of the fiber. Good agreement was found between the simulation and experimental results, which validates the proposed model. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 37: 124–127, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.10843
NMR and structure review of some natural furoclerodanes
Authors: Maciel Maria A. M. , Pinto Angelo C. , Kaiser Carlos R.
Published: March 2003

The structures of some natural occurring furoclerodanes isolated from Croton cajucara were re‐examined using a more powerful NMR instrument (600 MHz for 1H), 2D NMR experiments, AM1 calculations and 1H spectrum simulations. This study led to new signal assignments and allowed us to establish the correct structure of the compound named sacacarin, which corresponding to its 20‐oxo‐isomer, is thus renamed iso‐sacacarin. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Proton high‐field NMR study of tomato juice
Authors: Sobolev Anatoli P. , Segre Annalaura , Lamanna Raffaele
Published: March 2003

A detailed analysis of the proton high‐field (600 MHz) NMR spectra of tomato juice and pulp is reported for the first time. A combination of J‐resolved, COSY, TOCSY, DOSY, 1H–13C HSQC and 1H–13C HMBC 2D sequences was used to assign each spin system and to separate the components of the complex patterns in the 1D overlapped proton spectra. To obtain resolved proton spectra of tomato pulps the high‐resolution magic angle spinning technique was used; a comparison with the liquid‐state NMR spectra of the corresponding juices was accomplished. On the basis of the assignments made, the chemical composition of tomato juices from two cultivars (Red Setter and Ciliegino) was determined. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of potentiation on the catchlike property of human skeletal muscles
Authors: Ding Jun , Storaska Jennifer A. , Binder‐Macleod Stuart A.
Published: March 2003

The catchlike property of skeletal muscle is the force enhancement produced when a brief, high‐frequency burst of pulses (two to four pulses) is added to a subtetanic train of pulses. Stimulation trains that take advantage of the catchlike property have been shown to produce greater forces than trains commonly used during clinical application of functional electrical stimulation (FES). We recently showed, however, that there was no force enhancement observed with the catchlike property when muscles were nonfatigued and highly potentiated. Thus, understanding the relationship between the force augmentations produced by the catchlike property and potentiation may provide insight into the physiological conditions that best take advantage of the catchlike property. The goal of this study was to explore quantitatively the effect of potentiation on the catchlike property of the muscle. Isometric data were collected from human quadriceps femoris muscles. A negative linear relationship between the force augmentation produced by the catchlike property and the amount of potentiation was observed. These data showed that for nonfatigued muscles, the catchlike property would be most beneficial at the onset of activation, when muscles are the least potentiated. These results should help to guide clinicians to design stimulation protocols that optimize performance during FES. Muscle Nerve 27: 312–319, 2003
Neuromuscular dysfunction elicited by cyclic lumbar flexion
Authors: Claude Lakiesha N. , Solomonow Moshe , Zhou Bing‐He , Baratta Richard V. , Zhu Meng Ping
Published: March 2003

An attempt was made to develop an in vivo model that could explain the neurophysiological and biomechanical processes active in the development of the idiopathic low back disorder common in workers who perform repetitive lifting tasks in industry. Passive cyclic flexion of the feline lumbar spine at 0.1 HZ for 20 min resulted in creep of the supraspinous ligament and other lumbar viscoelastic tissues as well as spasms superimposed on a decreasing electromyogram (EMG) elicited reflexly from the multifidus muscles. Rest for 7 h did not allow full recovery of the viscoelastic creep; the multifidus EMG gradually increased with initial and delayed hyperexcitability. Increasing the peak load of the cyclic flexion resulted in larger creep in the passive tissues and required a longer time for recovery of reflex EMG activity and longer delayed hyperexcitability, but development of spasms and hyperexcitability was unaffected. It is conceivable that damage to the viscoelastic tissues elicits an inflammatory process that in turn triggers a transient neuromuscular disorder. The present findings provide a biomechanical and neurophysiological explanation for a common idiopathic low back disorder as well as for the development of a cumulative trauma disorder often seen in workers engaged in repetitive lumbar flexion. Muscle Nerve 27:348–358, 2003
Extension of the Griffith's fracture criteria to saturated clays
Authors: Dégué K.M. , Soulié M. , Ladanyi B.
Published: March 2003

Inglis [1] has solved the problem of distribution of stress in an elastic plate around an elliptical hole. His works clarify the role of cracks in the failure of an elastic material. However, his solution cannot be applied to saturated clay because he considers only total stresses, while, in saturated clay, the criterion of rupture should be expressed in terms of effective and not total stresses. The solution of Atkinson and Craster [2] using Biot's poroelasticity theory, shows that there is no high pore pressure in the vicinity of the crack tips for saturated clay. The major difference between this approach and the Biot's theory of is that, in saturated clay, strain is a function of the variation of the effective stress [3], while, in poroelastic media, strain is only a function of the variation of the total stress [4, Equation 2.2]. Also in their solution there is continuity between the pore fluid and the inner fluid in the crack. Their solution is valid for poroelastic media involving a movement of the pore fluid. In our solution there is no movement of the pore fluid (Undrained condition). In this paper we have solved the same problem as Inglis [1], but for the particular case of saturated clay obeying elastic law. By solving this problem we obtained the expressions for pore pressure, effective stress, total stress and displacements. The results show that not only the total stress but also the pore pressure and the effective stress are also high in the vicinity of the crack tips. A new failure criterion, based on Griffith's strain energy principle [5] and maximum tensile stress [6], valid for saturated clay is developed in this paper. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Scheduling of depalletizing and truck loading operations in a food distribution system
Authors: Chen Zhi‐Long , Lee Chung‐Yee
Published: March 2003

This paper studies a scheduling problem arising in a beef distribution system where pallets of various types of beef products in the warehouse are first depalletized and then individual cases are loaded via conveyors to the trucks which deliver beef products to various customers. Given each customer's demand for each type of beef, the problem is to find a depalletizing and truck loading schedule that fills all the demands at a minimum total cost. We first show that the general problem where there are multiple trucks and each truck covers multiple customers is strongly NP‐hard. Then we propose polynomial‐time algorithms for the case where there are multiple trucks, each covering only one customer, and the case where there is only one truck covering multiple customers. We also develop an optimal dynamic programming algorithm and a heuristic for solving the general problem. By comparing to the optimal solutions generated by the dynamic programming algorithm, the heuristic is shown to be capable of generating near optimal solutions quickly. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2003
A general model of heterogeneous system lifetimes and conditions for system burn‐in
Authors: Kim Kyungmee O. , Kuo Way
Published: March 2003

Burn‐in is a technique to enhance reliability by eliminating weak items from a population of items having heterogeneous lifetimes. System burn‐in can improve system reliability, but the conditions for system burn‐in to be performed after component burn‐in remain a little understood mathematical challenge. To derive such conditions, we first introduce a general model of heterogeneous system lifetimes, in which the component burn‐in information and assembly problems are related to the prediction of system burn‐in. Many existing system burn‐in models become special cases and two important results are identified. First, heterogeneous system lifetimes can be understood naturally as a consequence of heterogeneous component lifetimes and heterogeneous assembly quality. Second, system burn‐in is effective if assembly quality variation in the components and connections which are arranged in series is greater than a threshold, where the threshold depends on the system structure and component failure rates. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 50: 364–380, 2003.
A gene necessary for normal male courtship, yellow, acts downstream of fruitless in the Drosophila melanogaster larval brain
Authors: Drapeau Mark David , Radovic Anna , Wittkopp Patricia J. , Long Anthony D.
Published: March 2003

The fruitless (fru) gene is a member of the Drosophila melanogaster somatic sex determination genetic pathway. Although it has been hypothesized that the primary function of fru is to regulate a genetic hierarchy specifying development of adult male courtship behavior, genes acting downstream of fru have not yet been identified. Here we demonstrate that the yellow (y) gene is genetically downstream of fru in the 3rd‐instar larval brain. Yellow protein is present at elevated levels in neuroblasts, which also show expression of male‐specific FRU proteins, compared to control neuroblasts without FRU. A location for y downstream of fru in a genetic pathway was experimentally demonstrated by analysis of fru mutants lacking transcription of zinc‐finger DNA binding domains, and of animals with temporal, spatial, or sexual mis‐expression of male‐specific FRU. A subset of fru and y mutants is known to reduce levels of a specific behavioral component of the male courtship ritual, wing extension, and FRU and Yellow were detected in the general region of the brain whose maleness is necessary for development of that behavior. We therefore hypothesized that ectopic expression of Yellow in the 3rd‐instar brain, in a y null background, would rescue low levels of wing extension and male competitive mating success, and this was found to be the case. Overall, these data suggest that y is a downstream member of the fru branch of the D. melanogaster sex determination hierarchy, where it plays a currently unknown role in the development of adult male wing extension during courtship. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 55: 53–72, 2003
The expression of methyl CpG binding factor MeCP2 correlates with cellular differentiation in the developing rat brain and in cultured cells
Authors: Jung Benjamin P. , Jugloff Denis G.M. , Zhang Guangming , Logan Richard , Brown Stephanie , Eubanks James H.
Published: March 2003

Mutations in the MeCP2 gene cause Rett syndrome, a neurologic condition affecting primarily young girls. To gain insight into the normal function of MeCP2, we examined its temporal and spatial expression patterns, and immunoreactive prevalence, during late embryonic and perinatal brain development. MeCP2 mRNA was detected in most regions of the developing rat brain by the late embryonic stage. Regions displaying the strongest mRNA expression include the hippocampus, cortex, and cerebellum, and moderate expression was observed in most other brain regions. At the protein level, MeCP2 was strongly expressed in adult forebrain neurons, but was not detected in astrocytes. The nonubiquitous expression of MeCP2 was also observed in the embryonic cortex, as about one‐third of acutely dissociated embryonic day 14 neuroepithelial cells failed to stain with MeCP2. To test whether MeCP2 expression correlates with neuronal differentiation, colocalization of MeCP2 expression with either the precursor cell marker nestin or the young neuronal marker β‐III tubulin was examined in the same acutely dissociated cortical cells. Although strong MeCP2 expression was detected in approximately 75% of β‐III tubulin‐positive cells, only about 25% of nestin‐positive precursor cells were MeCP2 positive. Further support for a correlation of MeCP2 expression with cell differentiation was observed in culture, where Western blot analysis during the in vitro differentiation of PC12, NG108‐15, and SH‐SY5Y cells revealed that MeCP2 levels increased as the cells acquired a more differentiated phenotype. This increase was associated with differentiation, as MeCP2 expression levels did not vary within different phases of the cell cycle. Taken together, these data support a role for MeCP2 in the establishment and/or maintenance of neuronal maturity. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 55: 86–96, 2003
The solvability conditions for inverse eigenproblem of symmetric and anti‐persymmetric matrices and its approximation
Authors: Xie Dongxiu , Hu Xiyan , Zhang Lei
Published: March 2003

The problem of generating a matrix A with specified eigen‐pair, where A is a symmetric and anti‐persymmetric matrix, is presented. An existence theorem is given and proved. A general expression of such a matrix is provided. We denote the set of such matrices by 𝒮𝒜𝒮En. The optimal approximation problem associated with 𝒮𝒜𝒮En is discussed, that is: to find the nearest matrix to a given matrix A* by A∈𝒮𝒜𝒮En. The existence and uniqueness of the optimal approximation problem is proved and the expression is provided for this nearest matrix. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Efficient approximation of the exponential operator for discrete 2D advection–diffusion problems
Authors: Bergamaschi Luca , Caliari Marco , Vianello Marco
Published: March 2003

In this paper we compare Krylov subspace methods with Faber series expansion for approximating the matrix exponential operator on large, sparse, non‐symmetric matrices. We consider in particular the case of Chebyshev series, corresponding to an initial estimate of the spectrum of the matrix by a suitable ellipse. Experimental results upon matrices with large size, arising from space discretization of 2D advection–diffusion problems, demonstrate that the Chebyshev method can be an effective alternative to Krylov techniques. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Moving least squares differential quadrature method and its application to the analysis of shear deformable plates
Authors: Liew K. M. , Huang Y. Q. , Reddy J. N.
Published: March 2003

A moving least squares differential quadrature (MLSDQ) method is developed and employed for the analysis of moderately thick plates based on the first‐order shear deformation theory (FSDT). To carry out the analysis, the governing equations in terms of the generalized displacements (transverse deflection and two rotations) of the plate are formulated by employing the moving least squares approximation. The weighting coefficients used in the MLSDQ approximation are computed through a fast computation of shape functions and their derivatives. Numerical examples illustrating the accuracy, stability and convergence of the MLSDQ method are presented. Effects of support size, order of completeness and node irregularity on the numerical accuracy are investigated. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An analysis of strain localization in a shear layer under thermally coupled dynamic conditions. Part 2: Localized thermoplastic models
Authors: Armero F. , Park J.
Published: March 2003

The analyses presented in Part 1 of this work have shown the ill‐posedness of the governing equations for a shear layer governed by a coupled thermomechanical continuum model with strain softening. Finite element solutions of the problem have been shown to exhibit a pathological mesh‐size dependence in this case, as a consequence of the aforementioned ill‐posedness. The lack of a localized dissipative mechanism has been traced back to the origin of these difficulties. We consider in this paper the incorporation of such localized dissipative mechanism in the form of a cohesive law along a discontinuity of the displacements, the so‐called strong discontinuity. A coupled thermomechanical model of these discontinuities is formulated involving a continuous temperature field. The discontinuity of the heat flow (i.e. the derivative of the temperature) accommodates the presence of the localized dissipation associated to the thermomechanical cohesive law. In this context, we obtain the exact solution of a problem of wave propagation in the shear layer when the response of the bulk of the layer is elastic. The physical nature of the solution, in contrast with the solutions obtained in Part 1 for continuum models, illustrates the regularizing effect of these localized models, showing in particular the continuous dependence of the solution on the material parameters. Furthermore, we obtain the exact solution of the problem involving a regularized discontinuity in a domain of finite length. This analysis allows to gain a full understanding of the properties of finite element approximations of the problem. Several numerical simulations are presented in this context corroborating the conclusions drawn from the analysis. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Rigid–plastic interface for an embedded crack
Authors: Spencer B. W. , Shing P. B.
Published: March 2003

Discrete cracks have traditionally been modelled by zero‐thickness interface elements. Such models usually assume that the relative displacements across the interface have both elastic and inelastic components. In such a case, the elastic stiffness assigned to the interface acts as a penalty parameter that must be high enough to ensure that the elastic deformations will be minimal. In recent years, solid finite‐elements with embedded displacement discontinuities have emerged as an alternative way to model discrete cracks. A method that allows for an embedded crack element to use any plasticity‐based constitutive model for the internal interface, but without penalty parameters, is presented in this paper. In this method, the elastic properties of the solid portion of the element are used to perform the function that the penalty parameters previously have been used to perform. The resulting interface model is perfectly rigid–plastic. Numerical comparisons show significant improvements in accuracy and efficiency over the penalty method. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Geometrically non‐linear anisotropic inelasticity based on fictitious configurations: Application to the coupling of continuum damage and multiplicative elasto‐plasticity
Authors: Menzel A. , Steinmann P.
Published: March 2003

The objective of this contribution is the formulation and algorithmic treatment of a phenomenological framework to capture anisotropic, geometrically non‐linear inelasticity.

In addition to the intermediate configuration of multiplicative elasto‐plasticity, we further introduce two microscopic configurations of Lagrangian and Eulerian type which characterize the so‐called fictitious undamaged material. This kinematical framework enables us to apply two well‐established postulates based on standard terminology in non‐linear continuum mechanics. Concerning the free energy function, the postulate of strain energy equivalence is adopted and in view of the plastic dissipation potential the concept of effective stress is a natural outcome of the underlying kinematical assumptions.

Finally, we focus on the integration technique for the class of obtained evolution equations and present numerical examples for a prototype model to underline the applicability of the proposed framework. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Scaling up CBOs for second‐order devolution in welfare reform
Authors: Poole Dennis L.
Published: March 2003

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 created a paradigm shift in the financing,
organization, and delivery of welfare programs in the United States. The act shifted revenue and authority to
states, giving them great discretion to determine the specifics of their programs. First‐order devolution,
combined with time limits and work requirements, set in motion a chain of events that moved Temporary Assistance
to Needy Families (TANF) recipients into the labor force and off state welfare rolls.
Second‐order devolution shifted revenue and authority to community‐based organizations
(CBOs) to help former recipients remain employed, advance to higher paying jobs, and move their families
toward economic self‐sufficiency. Early findings from project innovations in Texas and other states raise
doubts about the capacity of these organizations to achieve these goals. State funders will need to provide
ongoing technical assistance and support to “scale up” the capacity of CBOs to plan, implement, and
manage local innovations in welfare reform.
Nonstandard discretizations of the generalized Nagumo reaction‐diffusion equation
Authors: Chen Z. , Gumel A. B. , Mickens R. E.
Published: March 2003

A competitive nonstandard semi‐explicit finite‐difference method is constructed and used to obtain numerical solutions of the diffusion‐free generalized Nagumo equation. Qualitative stability analysis and numerical simulations show that this scheme is more robust in comparison to some standard explicit methods such as forward Euler and the fourth‐order Runge‐Kutta method (RK4). The nonstandard scheme is extended to construct a semi‐explicit and an implicit scheme to solve the full Nagumo reaction‐diffusion equation. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 19: 363–379, 2003.
Single‐cell discretization of O(kh2 + h4) for ∂u/∂n for three‐space dimensional mildly quasi‐linear parabolic equation
Authors: Mohanty R. K. , Kumar Dinesh , Jain M. K.
Published: March 2003

In this article, using a single computational cell, we report some stable two‐level explicit finite difference approximations of O(kh2 + h4) for ∂u/∂n for three‐space dimensional quasi‐linear parabolic equation, where h > 0 and k > 0 are mesh sizes in space and time directions, respectively. When grid lines are parallel to x‐, y‐, and z‐coordinate axes, then ∂u/∂n at an internal grid point becomes ∂u/∂x, ∂u/∂y, and ∂u/∂z, respectively. The proposed methods are also applicable to the polar coordinates problems. The proposed methods have the simplicity in nature and use the same marching type of technique of solution. Stability analysis of a linear difference equation and computational efficiency of the methods are discussed. The results of numerical experiments are compared with exact solutions. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 19: 327–342, 2003.
Obstacles to desegregating public housing: Lessons learned from implementing eight consent decrees
Authors: Popkin Susan J. , Galster George C. , Temkin Kenneth , Herbig Carla , Levy Diane K. , Richer Elise K.
Published: March 2003

Between 1992 and 1996 the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) settled a number of legal cases involving housing authorities and agreed to take remedial action as part of court‐enforced consent decrees entered into with plaintiffs. These housing authorities faced significant obstacles that impaired their ability to comply swiftly and fully with all of the elements in the desegregation consent decrees. The obstacles fell into two broad categories: contextual obstacles (racial composition of waiting lists and resident populations, lack of affordable rental housing, and inadequate public transportation), and capacity and coordination obstacles (conflict among implementing agencies and ineffective monitoring by HUD). Findings presented here highlight the sizable potential delay between the time a legal remedy is imposed and when plaintiffs in public housing segregation disputes realize any benefits. They also reinforce the argument that implementation problems will be legion when policies impose a significant scope of required changes on a large number of actors who must collaborate, yet are not uniformly capable or sympathetic to the goals being promoted. © 2003 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.
Progressive genomic alterations in intraductal papillary mucinous tumours of the pancreas and morphologically similar lesions of the pancreatic ducts
Authors: Soldini Davide , Gugger Matthias , Burckhardt Elisabeth , Kappeler Andreas , Laissue Jean A , Mazzucchelli Luca
Published: March 2003

Intraductal papillary mucinous tumours (IPMTs) of the pancreas are rare neoplasms characterized by a prominent intraductal component, and by malignant potential. Little data exists concerning numerical chromosome aberrations in IPMTs. The biological significance of mucinous epithelial changes (mucinous hyperplasia) in small branching ducts adjacent to IPMTs also remains unclear. From a series of 12 IPMTs, we investigated by interphase cytogenetics 22 foci with mucinous hyperplasia, 27 foci with borderline lesions, and 11 samples with either intraductal (CIS) or invasive carcinoma. Chromosome 6 loss was detected in areas with mucinous hyperplasia (36.3%), borderline lesions (96.3%), and CIS/invasive carcinoma (100%). Similar losses, indicating clonal progression, were found for chromosome 17 (18.2%, 81.5%, and 100%), and for chromosome 18 (0%, 18.5%, and 100%). Quantitative analysis showed a significant intraductal expansion of cell clones harbouring these numerical aberrations within the spectrum of IPMTs. Mucinous epithelial changes in 11 resection samples with chronic pancreatitis showed monosomy 6 (36%) and monosomy 17 (27%). Conversely, areas with low‐grade pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN‐1), obtained from eight surgical specimens with ductal adenocarcinoma, showed monosomies for chromosome 6, 17, and 18 (100%, 87%, and 50%, respectively). We conclude that monosomies, as defined by FISH analysis, are frequent in both IPMTs and mucinous hyperplasia of pancreatic ducts adjacent to IPMTs. Monosomy 6 may represent an early event in the stepwise accumulation of genomic mutations necessary for the neoplastic transformation of pancreatic duct epithelia, whereas loss of chromosome 18 may be implicated in the progression of borderline to malignant IPMT. The detection of complex chromosomal aberrations in mucinous epithelial changes, and the quantitative expansion of monosomic cell clones in pancreatic ducts, provide evidence for a continuum between hyperplastic and dysplastic epithelial changes. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Different expression patterns of calpain isozymes 1 and 2 (CAPN1 and 2) in squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) and basal cell carcinomas (BCC) of human skin
Authors: Reichrath Jörg , Welter Cornelius , Mitschele Tanja , Classen Ulf , Meineke Viktor , Tilgen Wolfgang , Seifert Markus
Published: March 2003

Calpain, also named CAPN (for calcium‐activated neutral protease), is a ubiquitous intracellular cytoplasmic non‐lysosomal cysteine endopeptidase that requires calcium ions to exert its activity. Two major isoenzymes are known—µ‐calpain (CAPN1) and m‐calpain (CAPN2)—requiring micromolar and millimolar calcium concentrations for activation, respectively. Many known substrates of the different calpain isoenzymes, such as the transcription factors c‐Fos and c‐Jun, the tumour suppressor protein p53, protein kinase C, pp60src, or the adhesion molecule integrin, have been implicated in the pathogenesis of various malignancies including squamous (SCC) and basal (BCC) cell carcinomas of human skin, suggesting an important role of the calpain isoenzymes in malignant diseases. We have analysed the expression of CAP1 and CAPN2 protein and mRNA expression in BCCs and SCCs of human skin. Interestingly, CAPN1 immunoreactivity (streptavidin–peroxidase technique) was markedly reduced in BCCs compared to normal human skin or SCCs, while in contrast CAPN1 mRNA levels (determined by real‐time PCR) were markedly elevated in BCCs and SCCs compared to normal human skin. No differences were found analysing CAPN2 protein and mRNA expression in normal human skin, BCCs and SCCs. In conclusion, we have demonstrated for the first time alterations in calpain mRNA expression and protein content in malignant skin tumours that may be of importance for the tumorigenesis and growth characteristics of BCCs and SCCs. However, our results do not allow conclusions on the function of CAPN1 and CAPN2 in BCCs and SCCs. It is not known if the CAPN genes in BCCs or SCCs exhibit functionally inactivating mutations or whether decreased CAPN1 protein expression in BCCs and elevated CAPN1 mRNA in BCCs and SCCs reflect a feedback loop coupled with increased degradation or proteolysis of CAPN1 protein. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Proteoglycans and WT1 as markers for distinguishing adenocarcinoma, epithelioid mesothelioma, and benign mesothelium
Authors: Gulyás Miklós , Hjerpe Anders
Published: March 2003

Malignant mesothelioma is a tumour frequently accompanied by an effusion with elevated hyaluronan levels. To distinguish malignant mesothelioma, adenocarcinoma, and reactive benign mesothelium with cytological and histological methods including immunocytochemistry is a major diagnostic challenge. The Wilms' tumour susceptibility gene 1 (WT1), expressed during transition of mesenchyme to epithelial tissues, is regarded as a marker for the mesothelial lineage. Its effect on the cell phenotype may be regulated via the syndecans, i.e. proteoglycans on the cell surface. To determine how WT1, proteoglycans, and hyaluronan synthase are expressed in mesothelioma, adenocarcinoma, and reactive benign mesothelium, we studied these molecules at the mRNA and protein levels, with the additional purpose of finding diagnostic parameters. Adenocarcinoma cells produced more mRNA for syndecan‐1, but cells derived from mesothelium expressed WT1, biglycan, and larger amounts of syndecan‐2. The difference in gene expression of these two syndecans was best monitored by the ratio between them. Syndecan‐4 was highly expressed in all malignant cell lines, this expression being 1.7–5 times greater than in benign mesothelial cells. Although hyaluronan synthase‐1 and versican could not distinguish between the three conditions, versican expression was associated with a high rate of proliferation. These findings suggest that syndecan‐1 and syndecan‐2 together may be useful diagnostic markers, with stronger staining for the latter epitope in mesothelial tissues. The alternating appearance of these two syndecans can be shown not only by RT‐PCR and FACS in vitro, but also by immunohistochemistry on clinical material. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Correlation between immunohistochemistry (HercepTest) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for HER‐2 in 426 breast carcinomas from 37 centres
Authors: Dowsett M , Bartlett J , Ellis IO , Salter J , Hills M , Mallon E , Watters AD , Cooke T , Paish C , Wencyk PM , Pinder SE
Published: March 2003

Accurate diagnostic assessment of HER‐2 is essential for the appropriate application of the humanized anti‐HER‐2 monoclonal antibody trastuzumab (Herceptin) to the treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer. The diagnostic test needs to be applicable to archival, fixed tissue removed at excision, in many cases several years earlier. We compared the assessment of HER‐2 by immunohistochemistry (IHC; HercepTest) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in 426 breast carcinomas from patients being considered for trastuzumab therapy. The tumours were tested in three reference centres having been sent in from 37 hospitals. Only 2/270 (0.7%) IHC 0/1+ tumours were FISH positive. Six of 102 (5.9%) IHC 3+ tumours were FISH negative. Five of the six had between 1.75 and 2.0 HER‐2 gene copies per chromosome 17 and the sixth had multiple copies of chromosome 17. Thirteen per cent of tumours were IHC 2+ and overall 48% of these were FISH positive but this proportion varied markedly between the centres. Sixty IHC‐stained slides selected to be enriched with 2+ cases were circulated between the three laboratories and scored. There were 20 cases in which there was some discordance in scoring. Consideration of the FISH score in these cases led to concordance in the designation of positivity/negativity in 19 of these 20 cases. These data support an algorithm in which FISH testing is restricted to IHC 2+ tumours in reference centres. The results may not extrapolate to laboratories with less experience or using different methodologies. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The clinical evaluation of HER‐2 status: which test to use?
Authors: Bartlett John , Mallon Elizabeth , Cooke Tim
Published: March 2003

Accurate determination of the status of the type I receptor tyrosine kinase HER‐2 in breast carcinomas provides significant insight into patient prognosis and may also inform selection of chemotherapeutic and hormonal treatments. At present, however, the single most important application of HER‐2 testing is in the selection of patients for treatment with targeted therapies such as Herceptin. Although, based on current literature, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) detection of HER‐2 gene amplification may provide more accurate information in this context, this method is not yet widely available. Therefore, screening by immunohistochemistry (IHC) for HER‐2 protein, backed by rigorous quality controls and FISH testing of equivocal cases with intermediate staining intensity, remains the current practice. In laboratories with highly standardized testing and quality assurance procedures, this protocol appears highly effective. Improvements in fixation procedures, standardization of antibodies, and use of automated image analysis may all increase the precision of IHC testing. However, on the basis of current data, there is a case to be made for the wider implementation of FISH testing to determine HER‐2 status in breast cancer. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Prenatal diagnosis of a karyotypically normal pregnancy in a mother with a supernumerary neocentric 13q21 → 13q22 chromosome and balancing reciprocal deletion
Authors: Knegt A. C. , Li S. , Engelen J. J. M. , Bijlsma E. K. , Warburton P. E.
Published: March 2003

An adult female patient with a history of miscarriages was found to be carrying a stable supernumerary chromosome. The patient also carried a reciprocal paracentric deletion in chromosome 13q21/22. Microdissection and reverse fluorescence in situ hybridization FISH revealed that this supernumerary chromosome was derived from region 13q21 → 13q22. The presence of a neocentromere on this supernumerary chromosome was confirmed by the absence of detectable alpha satellite DNA using FISH and the presence of centromere proteins CENP‐C and CENP‐A using immunofluorescence. The absence of telomere sequences suggests that the marker is a ring chromosome (r(13)). FISH using ordered BACs from the chromosome region 13q21 → 13q31 permitted the precise positioning of the r(13) chromosome and the corresponding deletion to chromosome bands 13q21.32 → 13q22.2. BAC 280J7 from within the r(13) was used as a FISH probe for the prenatal analysis of amniocytes at 16 weeks of gestation, which revealed a normal karyotype for the fetus. This r(13) chromosome represents the first description of chromosome 13 of the rarer class of neocentric chromosomes that are derived from interstitial deletions. It represents the first example of prenatal diagnosis in a phenotypically normal female that was ascertained to carry a neocentric marker. The presence of such a neocentric marker/deletion karyotype in a parent presents unique possible karyotypic outcomes for conceptions and unusual challenges for genetic counseling. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Reconstruction of the surface topography of randomly textured silicon
Authors: Kuchler Gregor , Brendel Rolf
Published: March 2003

We describe an algorithm that reconstructs a surface model from stereoscopic scanning electron micrographs of randomly textured silicon surfaces. From the reconstructed model we extract size distributions of the {111}‐faceted upright pyramids. The algorithm is thus a useful tool for statistical control of the texturing process. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Thin‐film (25.5 μm) solar cells from layer transfer using porous silicon with 32.7 mA/cm2 short‐circuit current density
Authors: Feldrapp Karlheinz , Horbelt Renate , Auer Richard , Brendel Rolf
Published: March 2003

We fabricate a 25.5‐μm‐thick monocrystalline Si solar cell with a confirmed power conversion efficiency of 15.4% and an area of 3.88 cm2 using a layer transfer process with porous Si. The process is free of photolithography and contains no high‐temperature oxidation steps. We investigate three design features that improve the short‐circuit current density to a value of 32.7 mA/cm2 under AM1.5 illumination. The detached back reflector contributes 2 mA/cm2, a reduced front‐surface reflectance accounts for an additional 2 mA/cm2 and a reduced base doping increases the current density by 1 mA/cm2. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cross deformation and stress relaxation of biaxially oriented polystyrene films
Authors: Chau C. C. , Li J. C. M.
Published: March 2003

When a biaxially oriented polystyrene film was stretched along one direction and subsequently stretched along the perpendicular direction, the film showed enhanced ductility with pronounced yield softening and extended strain hardening. In the forward deformation, at least two types of shear bands were observed. The bands at the early stages of yielding did not seem to contribute to the reduction of thickness. They were approximately 200 μm thick and had an intersection angle of approximately 120°. The bands developed in the later stages contributed to the thickness reduction. These bands were smaller and possessed an intersection of approximately 90°. In the cross deformation, new shear bands developed that were likely related to the reverse shearing of the existing bands. Stress relaxation showed a power‐law relationship between the stress rate and relaxation time. The internal stress of the cross deformation was significantly (ca. 3 times) lower than that of the forward deformation at the same strain. The enhancement in ductility may be attributed to the lowering of internal stress during the cross deformation. The internal stress increased with the applied stress and strain. Fracture occurred when the internal stress reached a certain level, about 57–68 MPa for deformation along both directions and approximately 44–47% of the final applied stress. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 687–700, 2003