bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lipophilization of dihydrocaffeic acid affects its antioxidative properties in fish‐oil‐enriched emulsions
Authors: Sørensen Ann‐Dorit Moltke , Nielsen Nina Skall , Yang Zhiyong , Xu Xuebing , Jacobsen Charlotte
Published: November 2011

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antioxidative effect of lipophilized dihydrocaffeic acid, i.e., octyl dihydrocaffeate and oleyl dihydrocaffeate. Furthermore, the relationship between the measured efficacy of the antioxidants in emulsions, their partitioning into different phases of an emulsion system and their in vitro antioxidant properties was also evaluated. Lipid oxidation in the emulsions was affected by the antioxidants applied. Thus, despite a reduced antioxidant activity of lipophilized dihydrocaffeic acid in the antioxidant assays, lipophilized dihydrocaffeic acid was more efficient than caffeic and dihydrocaffeic acids. Octyl dihydrocaffeate had a significantly higher antioxidative effect than oleyl dihydrocaffeate in emulsions. The results partly supported the polar paradox hypothesis, since lipophilized compounds resulted in increased oxidative stability. However, the decreased antioxidative efficacy with increasing alkyl chain length esterified to dihydrocaffeic acid supported a newly suggested cut‐off effect hypothesis. This hypothesis suggests that when a certain level of hydrophobicity is obtained for lipophilized phenolic acids, the ester forms micelles in the aqueous phase rather than being located at the interface or oil phase. This phenomenon is suggested to explain the reduced antioxidant activity of oleyl dihydrocaffeate compared with octyl dihydrocaffeate.

Practical application: The finding that lipophilization of phenolic compounds increase their efficacy opens up new possibilities for producing new and more efficient antioxidants for food systems. However, the results also show that optimization of the chain length for each type of phenolic compound may be necessary. Since these compounds may have a much higher efficacy against lipid oxidation a lower amount of antioxidant will be necessary to obtain the same effect. This would decrease the costs. In addition, the use of synthetic antioxidants, that might have toxic effect in vivo, can be avoided. The raw materials used for the lipophilized compounds are natural compounds, however the fate of the lipophilized compounds in vivo should eventually be evaluated.
On the singularly perturbed character of the turbulent free jet and its robust numerical solution
Authors: Ansari Ali R. , Shishkin Grigori I.
Published: November 2011

We consider a numerical approximation of the classical problem of the turbulent free jet. The same boundary layer equation is used for the laminar jet, but with the introduction of the turbulent viscosity. This viscosity depends on the kinematic momentum and the slenderness parameter and varies in space. Here, the problem under consideration is taken to be singularly perturbed, with the slenderness parameter as the perturbation parameter taking arbitrary values from (0,1]. The effective width of the layer depends on the turbulent viscosity and becomes thinner as the slenderness parameter tends to zero. This singularly perturbed character of the turbulent free jet makes this investigation both unique and exploratory. The problem is solved numerically on a finite subdomain by using boundary conditions obtained from the similarity solution. We construct a robust numerical method on the basis of the piecewise‐uniform meshes condensing in the vicinity of the centre of the jet. By numerical experiments, we show that errors for the computed velocity components do not depend on the perturbation parameter. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Predicting Business Failure Using an RSF‐based Case‐Based Reasoning Ensemble Forecasting Method
Authors: Li Hui , Sun Jie
Published: November 2011

Case‐based reasoning (CBR) is considered a vital methodology in the current business forecasting area because of its simplicity, competitive performance with modern methods, and ease of pattern maintenance. Business failure prediction (BFP) is an effective tool that helps business people and entrepreneurs make more precise decisions in the current crisis. Using CBR as a basis for BFP can improve the tool's utility because CBR has the potential advantage in making predictions as well as suggestions compared with other methods. Recent studies indicate that an ensemble of various techniques has the possibility of improving the performance of predictive model. This research focuses on an early investigation on predicting business failure using a CBR ensemble (CBRE) forecasting method constructed from the use of random similarity functions (RSF), dubbed RSF‐based CBRE. Four issues are discussed: (i) the reasons for the use of RSF as the basis in the CBRE forecasting method for BFP; (ii) the means to construct the RSF‐based CBRE forecasting method for BFP; (iii) the empirical test on sensitivity of the RSF‐based CBRE to the number of member CBR predictors; and (iv) performance assessment of the ensemble forecasting method. Results of the RSF‐based CBRE forecasting method were statistically validated by comparing them with those of multivariate discriminant analysis, logistic regression, single CBR, and a linear support vector machine. The results from Chinese hotel BFP indicate that the RSF‐based CBRE forecasting method could significantly improve CBR's upper limit of predictive capability. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Increased p75 neurotrophin receptor expression in the canine distemper virus model of multiple sclerosis identifies aldynoglial schwann cells that emerge in response to axonal damage
Authors: Imbschweiler Ilka , Seehusen Frauke , Peck Claas‐Tido , Omar Mohamed , Baumgärtner Wolfgang , Wewetzer Konstantin
Published: November 2011

Gliogenesis under pathophysiological conditions is of particular clinical relevance since it may provide regeneration‐promoting cells recruitable for therapeutic purposes. There is accumulating evidence that aldynoglial cells with Schwann cell‐like growth‐promoting properties emerge in the lesioned CNS. However, the characterization of these cells and the signals triggering their in situ generation have remained enigmatic. In the present study, we used the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) as a marker for Schwann cells to study gliogenesis in the well‐defined canine distemper virus (CDV)‐induced demyelination model. White matter lesions of CDV‐infected dogs contained bi‐ to multipolar, p75NTR‐expressing cells that neither expressed MBP, GFAP, BS‐1, or P0 identifying oligodendroglia, astrocytes, microglia, and myelinating Schwann cells nor CDV antigen. Interestingly, p75NTR‐expression became apparent prior to the onset of demyelination in parallel to the expression of β‐amyloid precursor protein (β‐APP), nonphosphorylated neurofilament (n‐NF), BS‐1, and CD3, and peaked in subacute lesions with inflammation. To study the role of infiltrating immune cells during differentiation of Schwann cell‐like glia, organotypic slice cultures from the normal olfactory bulb were established. Despite the absence of infiltrating lymphocytes and macrophages, a massive appearance of p75NTR‐positive Schwann‐like cells and BS‐1‐positive microglia was noticed at 10 days in vitro. It is concluded that axonal damage as an early signal triggers the differentiation of tissue‐resident precursor cells into p75NTR‐expressing aldynoglial Schwann cells that retain an immature pre‐myelin state. Further studies have to address the role of microglia during this process and the regenerative potential of aldynoglial cells in CDV infection and other demyelinating diseases. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
In vitro and in vivo characterization of a novel hedgehog signaling antagonist in human glioblastoma cell lines
Authors: Ferruzzi Pietro , Mennillo Federica , De Rosa Antonella , Giordano Cinzia , Rossi Marco , Benedetti Giovanni , Magrini Roberta , Mohr Gal.la Pericot , Miragliotta Vincenzo , Magnoni Letizia , Mori Elisa , Thomas Russell , Tunici Patrizia , Bakker Annette
Published: November 2011

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is composed of heterogeneous and genetically different cells, which are highly invasive and motile. The standard chemotherapeutic agent, temozolomide, affects GBM cell proliferation but is generally unable to prevent tumor recurrence. Hedgehog pathway activation has been reported to be relevant in GBM and different pharmacological pathway modulators have been identified. We report that by growing a commercially available recurrent GBM cell line (DBTRG‐05MG) without serum and in the presence of defined growth factors; we obtained a less differentiated cell population, growing in suspension as neurospheres, in which the Hedgehog pathway is activated. Furthermore, the expression profile of Hedgehog pathway components found in DBTRG‐05MG neurospheres is similar to primary stem‐like cells derived from recurrent GBM patients. We report the effect of our novel specific Smoothened receptor antagonist (SEN450) on neurosphere growing cells and compared its effect to that of well known benchmark compounds. Finally, we showed that SEN450 is both antiproliferative on its own and further reduces tumor volume after temozolomide pretreatment in a mouse xenograft model using DBTRG‐05MG neurosphere cells. Altogether our data indicate that the Hedgehog pathway is not irreversibly switched off in adherent cells but can be reactivated when exposed to well‐defined culture conditions, thus restoring the condition observed in primary tumor‐derived material, and that pharmacological modulation of this pathway can have profound influences on tumor proliferation. Therefore, pharmacological inhibition of the Hedgehog pathway is a potentially useful therapeutic approach in GBM.
Surface chemical immobilization of parylene C with thermosensitive block copolymer brushes based onN‐isopropylacrylamide andN‐tert‐butylacrylamide: Synthesis, characterization, and cell adhesion/detachment
Authors: Zhang Changhong , Vernier P. Thomas , Wu Yu‐Hsuan , Yang Wangrong
Published: November 2011

Poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAM), poly(N‐tert‐butylacrylamide) (pNTBAM), and their copolymer brushes were covalently immobilized onto parylene C (PC) surfaces via surface initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Contact angle measurement between 13 and 40°C showed that the hydrophobicity of the modified PC surfaces was thermally sensitive. Among these samples, PC grafted with pNIPAM (PC‐NI), PC grafted with pNTBAM (PC‐NT) and PC grafted with copolymer brushes containing pNTBAM and pNIPAM (PC‐NT‐NI) exhibited the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) at 29, 22, and 24°C, respectively. Cytocompatibility study for the modified surfaces was performed by 5 days human skin fibroblast culture at 37°C. Data showed that only a very small amount of cells adhered on the PC and PC‐NI surfaces, while a significantly higher amount of cell adhesion and growth was observed on PC‐NT and PC‐NT‐NI surfaces. Furthermore, cell detachment at the temperatures of 24 and 6°C were studied after the substrates were cultured with cells at 37°C for 24 h. The results showed that the cells on PC‐NI formed the aggregations and loosely attached on the substrate after 30‐min culture at 24°C, while no significant cell detachment was observed for PC‐NT and PC‐NT‐NI samples at this temperature. By continuing the cell culture for additional 100 min at 6°C for PC‐NT and PC‐NT‐NI, about 10 and 35% of the cells were found detached respectively, and the unattached cells aggregated on the substrate. In comparison, cells cultured on the tissue culture petri dish (TCP) exhibited no quantity and morphology changes at the culture temperatures of 37, 24, and 6°C. This study showed that: (1) immobilization of PC with nonthermal sensitive pNTBAM could provide PC surface thermal sensitive hydrophilicity; (2) the chlorines on the polymer brushes of PC‐NT could be used to further initiate the ATRP pNIPAM and form block copolymer brushes; (3) the incorporation of pNTBAM into pNIPAM on PC‐NT‐NI could change the surface thermal hydrophilicity property, and be further applied to decrease the LCST of the modified PC surface; (4) grafted pNIPAM brushes on PC‐NI by ATRP showed very low cell adhesion and proliferation in 5 days fibroblast culture at 37°C, and cell detached at 24°C; (5) the incorporation of pNTBAM into pNIPAM on PC‐NT‐NI decreased the thermal sensitivity of cell adhesion/detachment, cell detached at 6°C, but the cell adhesion and proliferation were significantly improved at a wide temperature range. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2012.
Struggling and enduring with God, religious support, and recovery from severe mental illness
Authors: Webb Marcia , Charbonneau Anna M. , McCann Russell A. , Gayle Kristin R.
Published: November 2011

Objectives: People with severe mental illnesses may achieve varying degrees of recovery, including symptom reduction and community integration. Research also indicates that religiosity facilitates coping with psychological disorders. In this study, we assessed the relationship between religiosity and recovery from severe mental illnesses. Design: Self‐report data were collected from 81 participants with severe mental illnesses. We measured recovery, religious support, and participants' struggle or endurance with faith. Results: Religious support and enduring with faith were positively associated with recovery. Struggling was negatively associated with recovery, and that relationship was mediated by religious support. Conclusions: Religious variables, including religious support and spiritual struggle, might affect recovery from severe mental illnesses. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 67:1–16, 2011.
Structural and mechanical effects of in vivo fatigue damage induction on murine tendon
Authors: Sereysky Jedd B. , Andarawis‐Puri Nelly , Jepsen Karl J. , Flatow Evan L.
Published: November 2011

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate an in vivo mouse model of tendon fatigue and use this model to investigate and quantify the physical manifestations of fatigue damage in mouse tendon. Patellar tendons of C57BL/6J mice were fatigue loaded at 2 Hz to three endpoints (4 N peak force per cycle for 1 h, 6 N for 1 h, and 4 N for 2 h), during which hysteresis, tangent stiffness, and peak strain of each cycle were measured. Damage accumulation was then quantified using in situ histology, and each tendon was loaded monotonically to failure. Histological damage increased significantly in all three groups (≥2‐fold), and monotonic stiffness decreased significantly in the 6 N, 1 h and 4 N, 2‐h groups (∼25%), suggesting that damage initially manifests as changes to the collagen structure of the tendon and subsequently as changes to the function. For the fatigue loading protocols used in this study, none of the evaluated real‐time parameters from fatigue loading correlated with damage area fraction measured structural damage or monotonic stiffness, suggesting that they are not suited to serve as proxies for damage accumulation. In future studies, this model will be used to compare the biological response of mouse tendon to fatigue damage across genetic strains. © 2011 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 30:965–972, 2012
Effects of pH‐Sensitive Groups on Poly(ethylene oxide)‐block‐poly(ϵ‐caprolactone) Block Copolymer Micelles Used as Drug Carriers
Authors: Chen Dong , Liang Huimin , Yang Yuehui , Yuan Zhenting , Ding Pingtian , Deng Yihui
Published: November 2011

A new type of drug delivery system consisting of an amphiphilic polymer micelle with pH‐sensitive groups is reported. The polymer comprises mPEG [poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether], PCL [poly(ϵ‐caprolactone)], and either PAA [poly(acrylic acid)] or PMAA [poly(methacrylic acid)]. Both mPEG‐b‐PCL and mPEG‐b‐PCL‐b‐PAA/PMAA are characterized by 1H NMR, FTIR, and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The diameters of the mPEG‐b‐PCL‐b‐PAA/PMAA micelles are found to increase with increases in pH and studies show that in vitro release of nifedipine from mPEG‐b‐PCL‐b‐PAA/PMAA micelles becomes faster as the pH value of phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS) increases. This new type of pH‐sensitive polymeric micelle can potentially be used as a drug carrier for oral administration of water‐insoluble drugs.
Development of the heating and forming strategy in compound forging of hybrid steel‐aluminum parts
Authors: Behrens B.‐A. , Kosch K.‐G.
Published: November 2011

In times of increasing energy costs automotive light weight construction is gaining more importance. The production of hybrid compounds by forging is a promising method for manufacturing functional parts by applying resource‐saving process steps. The mechanical properties of these parts can be specifically adapted to the requirements. In compound forging of steel‐aluminum parts the two materials need to be heated to different forming temperatures. In this paper, the challenges and their methods for the development of a heating and forming strategy based on different material characteristics are presented.
Development of bridge tooling for fabricating mold inserts of aspheric optical lens
Authors: Kuo C.‐C. , Lin Z.‐Y.
Published: November 2011

A bridge tooling is developed for fabricating the temporary mold inserts of aspheric lens using silicone rubber materials. Prototype material of the aspheric lens is not recommended as quartz due to low successful rate in the fabrication process. This technology provides a fast, low cost, and high successful rate for fabricating the epoxy‐based composites mold inserts of plastic aspheric optical lens.
Role of Effective Teamwork and Communication in Delivering Safe, High‐Quality Care
Authors: Leonard Michael W. , Frankel Allan S.
Published: November 2011

Healthcare is delivered in an extraordinary complex environment. Despite highly skilled, dedicated clinicians, there are currently unacceptably high levels of communication failures and adverse events. Effective teamwork, in conjunction with reliable processes of care, is essential for the consistent delivery of high‐quality care. Practical concepts and tools are provided that address the team behaviors of structured communication, effective assertion/critical language, psychological safety, situational awareness, and effective leadership. Examples of the mounting clinical evidence of improved patient outcomes and reduced harm resulting from effective teamwork training are cited. Mt Sinai J Med 78:820–826, 2011. © 2011 Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Effect of E‐Prescribing Systems on Patient Safety
Authors: Kannry Joseph
Published: November 2011

E‐prescribing systems enable electronic transmissions of prescriptions to pharmacies from the provider's office. The promise of e‐prescribing in regard to patient safety is reduction in the time gap between point of care and point of service, reduction in medication errors, and improved quality of care. This article will give a brief overview of e‐prescribing systems, what is known about these systems and their impact on patient safety, and what challenges remain. For purposes of this article, the term “patient safety” will be used interchangeably with medication errors and adverse drug events. Although there is some evidence that e‐prescribing alone and e‐prescribing with medication decision support can reduce medication errors, there is also evidence that e‐prescribing can be a source of medication errors. The need for more study is particularly relevant and timely, as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is strongly incentivizing providers to use e‐prescribing with medication decision support. Despite concerns about efficiency and dissatisfaction, the majority of providers believe e‐prescribing provides for improved patient safety. Limited evidence suggests that e‐prescribing with medication decision support can improve patient safety. Mt Sinai J Med 78:827–833, 2011. © 2011 Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Use of In Vivo Real‐Time Optical Imaging for Esophageal Neoplasia
Authors: Vila Peter M. , Thekkek Nadhi , Richards‐Kortum Rebecca , Anandasabapathy Sharmila
Published: November 2011

Esophageal adenocarcinoma carries a poor prognosis, as it typically presents at a late stage. Thus, a major research priority is the development of novel diagnostic‐imaging strategies that can detect neoplastic lesions earlier and more accurately than current techniques. Advances in optical imaging allow clinicians to obtain real‐time histopathologic information with instant visualization of cellular architecture and the potential to identify neoplastic tissue. The various endoscopic imaging modalities for esophageal neoplasia can be grouped into 2 major categories: (1) wide‐field imaging, a comparatively lower‐resolution view for imaging larger surface areas, and (2) high‐resolution imaging, which allows individual cells to be visualized. This review will provide an overview of the various forms of real‐time optical imaging in the diagnosis and management of Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma. Mt Sinai J Med 78:894–904, 2011. © 2011 Mount Sinai School of Medicine
An Osteological Study of Trophy Heads: Unveiling the Headhunting Practice in Borneo
Authors: Okumura Mercedes , Siew Yun Ysi
Published: November 2011

Taking, modifying and displaying human body parts as trophies have been observed in several human groups since prehistoric times. Although there are many skeletal collections that present evidence for this practice, the existence of both skeletal material and written records referring to the same group is quite rare. Nevertheless, this is a case of 112 human skeletal remains collected by Charles Hose in Borneo in the late 19th century, which represents a unique opportunity to understand the vanished headhunting tradition and warfare practice in this area, as well as to compare the written records with the bioarchaeological evidence. Although Hose claims that all individuals collected by him were beheaded, our study shows that only 50.5% of the studied material show clear osteological signs of decapitation. Other practices which were part of the ritual of headhunting described by Hose could be observed, like widening of foramen magnum, burning of skulls, mandible tied to the cranium with a strip of rattan or cotton, as well as drilled perforations to suspend skulls in longhouses. Adult females and non‐adults comprised more than one third of the total number where sex and age could be determined, showing that males were not the sole targets for trophy heads. Overall, this study on the trophy skulls from Borneo is valuable as it combines and compares ethnographic accounts and osteological data to provide us with a broader scenario of a vanished practice. It draws attention to some aspects that should be taken into account when working exclusively with either written records or skeletal materials, as both present limitations. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Exploring Geographic Origins at Cahuachi using Stable Isotopic Analysis of Archaeological Human Tissues and Modern Environmental Waters
Authors: Webb Emily C. , White Christine D. , Longstaffe Fred J.
Published: November 2011

In this study, we used oxygen‐ and hydrogen‐isotope data from human bone (δ18O) and modern environmental water samples (δ18O and δD) to investigate geographic origins of individuals buried at Cahuachi, a ceremonial centre in the Nasca region of Peru (c.AD1‐1000). Our objective was to characterise the natural variation in water stable isotopic composition in the Rio Grande de Nasca drainage, and then to use these data to better infer place of origin for 30 adults interred at Cahuachi. Using the δ18O and δD values of 63 modern environmental water samples, it was possible to differentiate among the northern and southern river middle valleys, and to infer the isotopic composition of drinking water at higher elevations. Over half of the individuals included in this study had drinking water oxygen‐isotope compositions consistent with places of origin away from Cahuachi during the last 10 to 25 years of life, perhaps in the northern river middle valleys or in the upper valleys/sierra. The environmental water stable isotopic baseline developed in this study enabled a better understanding of the natural variation of waters in the Rio Grande de Nasca drainage. As a result, it was possible to assess the geographic range of place of origin for these individuals with greater certainty. Taken together, these data support the idea of Cahuachi as a place of both local and regional significance, with individuals from distant parts of the Rio Grande de Nasca drainage travelling to and/or transporting the dead to the site for death or burial. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Safety aspects of antiepileptic drugs—focus on pharmacovigilance
Authors: Landmark Cecilie Johannessen , Johannessen Svein I.
Published: November 2011

Purpose

Most patients with epilepsy are dependent on a life‐long pharmacological treatment with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). AEDs include a wide range of substances that possess large pharmacological variability and are often susceptible to drug interactions and adverse drug reactions (ADRs). AEDs are increasingly used in other neurological and psychiatric disorders, and new patient groups are exposed to these drugs. The aim of the present review is to focus upon how pharmacovigilance contributes to improved safety of AEDs.

Methods

The present article is a review based on searches in Pubmed on articles from the last 15 years. Strengths and challenges regarding these aspects will be highlighted and discussed.

Results

The concept of pharmacovigilance includes various methods of monitoring of large patient populations with registries and databases of surveillance of ADRs and risk of suicide and sudden unexpected death, drug utilization and prescription patterns, pregnancy and birth registries and therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) databases for studies on pharmacological variability of AEDs in large sample sizes. Challenges for existing reporting systems and databases include differences in outcome measures and thus international comparison.

Conclusion

Continuous focus on safety aspects of AEDs and the importance of the implementation of pharmacovigilance contribute to further optimized therapy on a large scale and for the individual patient. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Laser‐induced breakdown spectroscopy for photovoltaic silicon wafer analysis
Authors: Darwiche S. , Benmansour M. , Eliezer N. , Morvan D.
Published: November 2011

The principal subject matter of this work is the application of laser‐induced breakdown spectroscopy for the multi‐elemental analytical characterization of different qualities of solid silicon. The physical process upon which the technique is based is the temporally resolved observation of emission spectra emitted by a micro‐plasma generated by a laser focused on the surface of a given sample. The optimal environmental parameters such as the composition of the buffering gas for the identification and measurement of several metallic, non‐metallic, and dopant impurities were determined. Particular attention was given to boron. A detection limit of 2.10−4 mg/g of boron was found using a calibration curve, which was made in the range of 1 to 100 ppmw. Silicon samples from different production techniques (4C and directional solidification), which permit the segregation of different impurities along the length of the silicon ingot were analyzed using laser‐induced breakdown spectroscopy. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Solar spectral influence on the performance of photovoltaic (PV) modules under fine weather and cloudy weather conditions
Authors: Ishii Tetsuyuki , Otani Kenji , Takashima Takumi , Xue Yanqun
Published: November 2011

The performance of photovoltaic modules is influenced by solar spectrum even under the same solar irradiance conditions. Spectral factor (SF) is a useful index indicating the ratio of available solar irradiance between actual solar spectrums and the standard AM1·5‐G spectrum. In this study, the influence of solar spectrum on photovoltaic performance in cloudy weather as well as in fine weather is quantitatively evaluated as the reciprocal of SF (SF−1). In the cases of fine weather, the SF−1 suggests that solar spectrum has little influence (within a few %) on the performance of pc‐Si, a‐Si:H/sc‐Si, and copper indium gallium (di)selenide modules, because of the “offset effect”. The performance of a‐Si:H modules and the top layers of a‐Si:H/µc‐Si:H modules can vary by more than ± 10% under the extreme conditions in Japan. The seasonal and locational variations in the SF−1 of the bottom layers are about ± several %. A negative correlation is shown between the top and bottom layers, indicating that the performance of a‐Si:H/µc‐Si:H modules does not exceed the performance, at which the currents of the top and bottom layers are balanced, by the influence of solar spectrum. In the cases of cloudy weather, the SF−1 of the pc‐Si, a‐Si:H/sc‐Si, and copper indium gallium (di)selenide modules is generally higher, suggesting favorable for performance than that in fine weather. Much higher SF−1 than that in fine weather is shown by the a‐Si:H module and the top layer of the a‐Si:H/µc‐Si:H module. The SF−1 of the bottom layer neither simply depend on season nor on location. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesis and characterization of all‐conjugated copolymers of 3‐hexyl‐thiophene and EDOT by grignard metathesis polymerization
Authors: Miozzo Luciano , Battaglini Nicolas , Braga Daniele , Kergoat Loïg , Suspène Clément , Yassar Abderrahim
Published: November 2011

Random regioregular copolymers of 3‐hexylthiophene and 3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene were synthesized by grignard metathesis polymerization. Soluble copolymers were obtained with a high degree of regioregularity and with a monomer ratio close to the feed ratio. A comparison between the optical properties and the thin film morphologies of these copolymers and poly(3‐hexylthiophene) is also presented. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011
Polymeric hydrogels modified with ornithine and lysine: Sorption and release of metal cations and amino acids
Authors: Romanski Jan , Karbarz Marcin , Pyrzynska Krystyna , Jurczak Janusz , Stojek Zbigniew
Published: November 2011

A novel, convenient synthesis, using copper ions, is described for the multigram‐scale preparation of acryloyl and methacryloyl ornithine and lysine without the need to use protecting groups and chromatographic purifications. Three methods of removing the copper ions from the amino acid derivatives were examined. The obtained acryloyl and methacryloyl ornithine and lysine were copolymerized with N‐isopropylacrylamide and N,N′‐methylenebisacrylamide as crosslinking agents, resulting in a series of hydrogels with varying incorporated amino acid content. The relative content of a given amino acid was estimated from the 1H NMR data and compared with its molar fraction used in the polymerization process. We investigated the influence of the amount of amino acid groups incorporated into the polymer network on the swelling behavior of the gels in the presence of metal ions of different ability to form complexes (Cu2+, Co2+, and Ca2+) with α‐amino acid groups and the sorption of copper ions. Next, the presence of α‐amino acid groups attached to the polymer network was used to bond the compounds which can cocomplex metal ions. Phenylalanine was selected for examination of its cocomplexation of Cu2+ with the polymer‐network amino acids and its consecutive release from the gel after appropriate change of pH. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011
Functionalization of vinylic addition polynorbornenes via efficient copolymerization of norbornene using Ni(II)‐Me complexes
Authors: Song Dong‐Po , Mu Hong‐Liang , Shi Xin‐Cui , Li Yan‐Guo , Li Yue‐Sheng
Published: November 2011

The facile and efficient functionalization of polynorbornene has been achieved through direct copolymerization of norbornene (NB) with 5‐norbornene‐2‐yl acetate (NBA) or 5‐norbornene‐2‐methanol (NBM) using a series of β‐ketiminato Ni(II)‐Me pyridine complexes 1–4 (Scheme 2) in the presence of B(C6F5)3. Remarkably, the monomer conversion could reach up to about 96% in 10 min in the NB/NBA copolymerization. The copolymers with wide NBA contents (3.3–38.4 mol %) were obtained by variation of reaction conditions. These copolymers have high molecular weights (MWs) (Mn = 41.8–144 kg/mol) and narrow MW distributions (Mw/Mn = 1.80–2.27). In the absence of alkyl aluminum compounds, a monomer conversion of 81% was observed in the NB/NBM copolymerization, and copolymers with NBM content in the range of 11.2–21.8 mol % were obtained by variation of reaction conditions. In addition, Ni(II)‐Me pyridine complexes 2 was very active at a low B/Ni molar ratio of 6, while bis‐ligand complex 6 bearing the same ligand just showed moderate efficiency at a high B/Ni molar ratio of 20. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011
R‐RAFT approach for the polymerization of N‐isopropylacrylamide with a star poly(ε‐caprolactone) core
Authors: Bian Qingqing , Xiao Yan , Lang Meidong
Published: November 2011

Reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization is a more robust and versatile approach than other living free radical polymerization methods, providing a reactive thiocarbonylthio end group. A series of well‐defined star diblock [poly(ε‐caprolactone)‐b‐poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide)]4 (SPCLNIP) copolymers were synthesized by R‐RAFT polymerization of N‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) using [PCL‐DDAT]4 (SPCL‐DDAT) as a star macro‐RAFT agent (DDAT: S‐1‐dodecyl‐S′‐(α, α′‐dimethyl‐α″‐acetic acid) trithiocarbonate). The R‐RAFT polymerization showed a controlled/“living” character, proceeding with pseudo‐first‐order kinetics. All these star polymers with different molecular weights exhibited narrow molecular weight distributions of less than 1.2. The effect of polymerization temperature and molecular weight of the star macro‐RAFT agent on the polymerization kinetics of NIPAAm monomers was also addressed. Hardly any radical–radical coupling by‐products were detected, while linear side products were kept to a minimum by careful control over polymerization conditions. The trithiocarbonate groups were transferred to polymer chain ends by R‐RAFT polymerization, providing potential possibility of further modification by thiocarbonylthio chemistry. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011
Long‐term mental health of men who lose a wife to cancer—a population‐based follow‐up
Authors: Hauksdóttir Arna , Valdimarsdóttir Unnur , Fürst Carl Johan , Steineck Gunnar
Published: November 2011

Objective

This study investigated the long‐term risk of psychological morbidity for men after losing a wife to cancer. A further aim of the study was to investigate if being in a new relationship at the time of follow‐up affects the risk of psychological morbidity.

Method

In a population‐based cohort study, we collected data from 907 men in Sweden who lost a wife to cancer in the breast, ovary or colon 4–5 years earlier. A control group of 330 married men was also included.

Results

Six hundred ninety‐one of the widowers (76%) and 262 of the controls (79%) answered a questionnaire. Widowers in a new relationship had a similar risk of psychological morbidity compared with a control group of married men. However, compared with widowers in a new relationship, single widowers reported increased risks of (among other symptoms) the following: depression (RR 2.2, confidence interval [CI] 1.5–3.2), anxiety (RR 1.6, CI 1.1–2.5) emotional numbness (RR 2.2, CI 1.7–2.8), and waking up at night with anxiety (RR 2.2, CI 1.4–3.7).

Conclusions

Men who lost a wife to cancer in Sweden in 2000 or 2001 and are single 4–5 years later have increased risks of psychological morbidity, both compared with widowers who are in a new relationship at the time of follow‐up and with married men. Further scientific effort is needed for improved understanding of the most likely underlying mechanisms; that is, that enhanced emotional support of a new relationship after the loss of a wife protects against psychological morbidity, or alternatively, that the healthiest widowers enter a new relationship. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Camps 2.0: Exploring the sequence and structure space of prokaryotic, eukaryotic, and viral membrane proteins
Authors: Neumann Sindy , Hartmann Holger , Martin‐Galiano Antonio J. , Fuchs Angelika , Frishman Dmitrij
Published: November 2011

Structural bioinformatics of membrane proteins is still in its infancy, and the picture of their fold space is only beginning to emerge. Because only a handful of three‐dimensional structures are available, sequence comparison and structure prediction remain the main tools for investigating sequence–structure relationships in membrane protein families. Here we present a comprehensive analysis of the structural families corresponding to α‐helical membrane proteins with at least three transmembrane helices. The new version of our CAMPS database (CAMPS 2.0) covers nearly 1300 eukaryotic, prokaryotic, and viral genomes. Using an advanced classification procedure, which is based on high‐order hidden Markov models and considers both sequence similarity as well as the number of transmembrane helices and loop lengths, we identified 1353 structurally homogeneous clusters roughly corresponding to membrane protein folds. Only 53 clusters are associated with experimentally determined three‐dimensional structures, and for these clusters CAMPS is in reasonable agreement with structure‐based classification approaches such as SCOP and CATH. We therefore estimate that ∼1300 structures would need to be determined to provide a sufficient structural coverage of polytopic membrane proteins. CAMPS 2.0 is available at http://webclu.bio.wzw.tum.de/CAMPS2.0/. Proteins 2011. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Kinetic consequences of native state optimization of surface‐exposed electrostatic interactions in the Fyn SH3 domain
Authors: Zarrine‐Afsar Arash , Zhang Zhuqing , Schweiker Katrina L. , Makhatadze George I. , Davidson Alan R. , Chan Hue Sun
Published: November 2011

Optimization of surface exposed charge–charge interactions in the native state has emerged as an effective means to enhance protein stability; but the effect of electrostatic interactions on the kinetics of protein folding is not well understood. To investigate the kinetic consequences of surface charge optimization, we characterized the folding kinetics of a Fyn SH3 domain variant containing five amino acid substitutions that was computationally designed to optimize surface charge–charge interactions. Our results demonstrate that this optimized Fyn SH3 domain is stabilized primarily through an eight‐fold acceleration in the folding rate. Analyses of the constituent single amino acid substitutions indicate that the effects of optimization of charge–charge interactions on folding rate are additive. This is in contrast to the trend seen in folded state stability, and suggests that electrostatic interactions are less specific in the transition state compared to the folded state. Simulations of the transition state using a coarse‐grained chain model show that native electrostatic contacts are weakly formed, thereby making the transition state conducive to nonspecific, or even nonnative, electrostatic interactions. Because folding from the unfolded state to the folding transition state for small proteins is accompanied by an increase in charge density, nonspecific electrostatic interactions, that is, generic charge density effects can have a significant contribution to the kinetics of protein folding. Thus, the interpretation of the effects of amino acid substitutions at surface charged positions may be complicated and consideration of only native‐state interactions may fail to provide an adequate picture. Proteins 2011. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effective oxygen plasma treatment on indium tin oxide electrode to improve organic solar cell efficiency
Authors: Tang Fu‐Ching , Chang Jay , Chou Wei‐Yang , Cheng Horng‐Long , Hsu Steve Lien‐Chung , Chen Jen‐Sue , Sheu Hwo‐Shuenn
Published: November 2011

In the current study, the effects of oxygen (O2) plasma treatment on indium tin oxide (ITO) and its correlation to the efficiency of organic solar cells (OSCs) were investigated. The O2 plasma treatment is able to remove impurities of the ITO surface and increase its surface energy to match the water‐based poly (3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene): poly (styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) solution. The strong polar interaction from the O2 plasma‐treated ITO surface helps in the conformational change of the PEDOT chain from a benzoid to a quinoid structure, which improves film quality and the efficiency of organic solar cells.

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Gallium and indium co‐doped ZnO thin films for white light emitting diodes
Authors: Chirakkara Saraswathi , Krupanidhi S. B.
Published: November 2011

Ga and In co‐doped ZnO (GIZO) thin films together with ZnO, In‐doped ZnO (IZO), Ga‐doped ZnO (GZO), and IZO/GZO multilayer for comparison, were grown on corning glass and boron doped Si substrates by PLD. The photoluminescence spectra of GIZO showed a strong white light emission and the current–voltage characteristics showed relatively lower turn‐on voltage and larger forward current. The CIE coordinates for GIZO were observed to be (0.31, 0.33) with a correlated colour temperature of 6650 K, indicating a cool white light, and establishing a possibility of white light emitting diodes. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Direct antigen detection from immunoprecipitated beads using matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry; a new method for immunobeads‐mass spectrometry (iMS)
Authors: Shimada Takashi , Toyama Atsuhiko , Aoki Chikage , Aoki Yutaka , Tanaka Koichi , Sato Taka‐Aki
Published: November 2011

One‐step detection of biological molecules is one of the principal techniques for clinical diagnosis, and the potential of mass spectrometry for biomarker detection has been a promising new approach in the field of medical sciences. We demonstrate here a new and high‐sensitivity method that we termed immunobeads‐mass spectrometry (iMS), which combines conventional immunoprecipitation and matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF MS). The key feature of iMS is the MS‐compatible condition of immunoprecipitation using detergents with a monosaccaride‐C8 alkyl chain or a disaccharide‐C10 alkyl chain, and the minimized number of steps required for high‐sensitivity detection of target peptides in serum or biological fluid. This was achieved by optimizing the wash buffer and subjecting the immunobeads directly to MALDI‐TOF MS analysis. Using this method, we showed that 1 fmol of amyloid beta peptide spiked in serum was readily detectable, demonstrating the powerful tool of iMS as a biomarker detection method. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Formation of tungstate‐containing cluster ions by polyoxotungstate anions under matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization conditions in the gas phase
Authors: Bai Yun‐Peng , Liu Shu , Song Feng‐Rui , Liu Zhi‐Qiang , Liu Shu‐Ying
Published: November 2011

The gas‐phase studies of transition‐metal oxides continue to attract interest as such oxides are being used as catalysts in various oxidation processes. In this paper, singly negatively charged heteropolyoxotungstate and isopolyoxotungstate ion clusters were produced from Keggin‐type polyoxotungstates by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (MALDI‐FTICR MS). It was found that the ion series [(PO3)(WO3)n]–, [(WO3)n]– and [(OH)(WO3)n]– were the main fragment ions in the mass spectra and the matrix greatly influenced the resulting cluster ion abundances. [(PO3)(WO3)3]–, [(WO3)3]– and [(OH)(WO3)4]– were the most intense ions in each series when 2‐(4‐hydroxyphenylazo)benzoic acid was the matrix, whereas [(PO3)(WO3)4]–, [(WO3)6]– and [(OH)(WO3)4]– were the most intense when dithranol (DIT) was the matrix. In addition, a new kind of hybrid ion [W2C14H7O8]– was produced through the reaction of DIT and [(OH)(WO3)]– in the plume of the gas phase. These results highlight the utility of the MALDI‐FT method for obtaining novel ion clusters and also show the stability of these clusters. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Input‐to‐state stability for discrete‐time nonlinear impulsive systems with delays
Authors: Yang Shujie , Shi Bao , Hao Shuyan
Published: November 2011

This paper aims to study the problem of input‐to‐state stability (ISS) for nonlinear discrete impulsive systems with time delays. Razumikhin‐type theorems, which guarantee ISS – asymptotically ISS and exponentially ISS – for the discrete impulsive ones with external disturbance inputs, are established. As applications, numerical examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
SPATIAL PATTERNS OF BENTHIC INVERTEBRATES IN REGULATED AND NATURAL RIVERS
Authors: Jones N. E.
Published: November 2011

Daily fluctuating flows in regulated rivers can lead to extensive areas of substrate that experience drying and wetting. I investigated the longitudinal and lateral patterns of benthic invertebrates in the regulated peaking Magpie River and neighbouring natural rivers. Nearly half of all invertebrates collected in the Magpie River originated from the upstream reservoir. Both lentic and lotic invertebrates, however, decreased in abundance to natural levels 5–8 km downstream. Closest to the dam, lotic invertebrates were twice as abundant as those found in natural rivers. In natural rivers Diptera, Ephemeroptera, Coleoptera and Trichoptera were more common in the shallow and slower areas along transects. The opposite was true in the regulated Magpie where densities increased with water depth and velocity, particularly for the dominant groups Diptera and Trichoptera. The abundance of worm‐like organisms (e.g. Enchytraeidae, Lumbricidae, Naididae) and snails (Basommatophora) increased considerably in the varial zone. There were 10 times more Odonata and Plecoptera in the natural rivers, but lateral trends were not evident in either type of river. The influence of sampling location along transects on the interpretation of the community composition can be clearly seen in a resampling of the data. This study illustrates the presence of longitudinal and lateral gradients, and this knowledge needs to be incorporated into the design of research or monitoring programmes. Failing to do so could jeopardize decisions with the management of our flowing waters. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.