bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mitochondrial dysfunction in distal axons contributes to human immunodeficiency virus sensory neuropathy
Authors: Lehmann Helmar C. , Chen Weiran , Borzan Jasenka , Mankowski Joseph L. , Höke Ahmet
Published: November 2010

Objective

Accumulation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage has been associated with aging and abnormal oxidative metabolism. We hypothesized that in human immunodeficiency virus‐associated sensory neuropathy (HIV‐SN), damaged mtDNA accumulates in distal nerve segments, and that a spatial pattern of mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to the distal degeneration of sensory nerve fibers.

Methods

We measured levels of common deletion mutations in mtDNA and expression levels of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes of matched proximal and distal nerve specimens from patients with and without HIV‐SN. In mitochondria isolated from peripheral nerves of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)‐infected macaques, a model of HIV‐SN, we measured mitochondrial function and generation of reactive oxygen species.

Results

We identified increased levels of mtDNA common deletion mutation in postmortem sural nerves of patients with HIV‐SN as compared to uninfected patients or HIV patients without sensory neuropathy. Furthermore, we found that common deletion mutation in mtDNA was more prevalent in distal sural nerves compared to dorsal root ganglia. In a primate model of HIV‐SN, freshly isolated mitochondria from sural nerves of macaques infected with a neurovirulent strain of SIV showed impaired mitochondrial function compared to mitochondria from proximal nerve segments.

Interpretation

Our findings suggest that mtDNA damage accumulates in distal mitochondria of long axons, especially in patients with HIV‐SN, and that this may lead to reduced mitochondrial function in distal nerves relative to proximal segments. Although our findings are based on HIV‐SN, if confirmed in other neuropathies, these observations could explain the length‐dependent nature of most axonal peripheral neuropathies. ANN NEUROL 2010
Hypothalamic gray matter volume loss in hypnic headache
Authors: Holle Dagny , Naegel Steffen , Krebs Sarah , Gaul Charly , Gizewski Elke , Diener Hans‐Christoph , Katsarava Zaza , Obermann Mark
Published: November 2010

Objective

Hypnic headache (HH) is a rare primary headache disorder characterized by strictly nocturnal headache attacks that mostly occur at the same time at night. The pathophysiology of this disease is poorly understood, but hypothalamic involvement was suspected as the hypothalamus represents the cerebral management center of sleep regulation and pain control.

Methods

Fourteen patients with HH and 14 age‐matched and gender‐matched healthy controls were investigated using magnetic resonance imaging–based voxel‐based morphometry.

Results

We detected gray matter volume decrease in the posterior hypothalamus of HH patients. Additional gray matter decrease was observed in brain areas known to be associated with cerebral pain processing, including the cingulate cortex, operculum, and frontal lobe, as well as in the temporal lobe.

Interpretation

Our data confirm the hypothesized involvement of the posterior hypothalamus in the pathophysiology of HH and emphasize the importance of this structure for sleep regulation and pain control. ANN NEUROL 2010
Dynamically vulcanized polypropylene/styrene–butadiene rubber blends: The effect of a peroxide/bismaleimide curing system and composition
Authors: Leite Paulo R. S. , Soares Bluma G. , Sirqueira Alex S.
Published: November 2010

Polypropylene (PP)/styrene–butadiene rubber blends were studied with special attention given to the effects of the blend ratio and dynamic vulcanization. Dicumyl peroxide (DCP) was used as the curing agent in combination with N,N′‐m‐phenylene bismaleimide (BMI) as the coagent for the curing process. Outstanding mechanical performance, especially with regard to the elongation at break, and better resistance to compression set were achieved with the dynamic vulcanization; this indicated that the DCP/BMI system also acted as a compatibilizing agent. This phenomenon was also confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of the insoluble material, the crystallinity degree of the PP phase (as investigated by X‐ray diffractometry), and scanning electron microscopy. The dynamic mechanical properties of the nonvulcanized and vulcanized blends were also investigated. The aging resistance of the blends was also evaluated. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Development and evaluation of a novel pH indicator biodegradable film based on cassava starch
Authors: Veiga‐Santos P. , Ditchfield C. , Tadini C. C.
Published: November 2010

A pH indicator film based on cassava starch plasticized with sucrose and inverted sugar and incorporated with grape and spinach extracts as pH indicator sources (anthocyanin and chlorophyll) has been developed, and its packaging properties have been assessed. A second‐order central composite design (22) with three central points and four star points was used to evaluate the mechanical properties (tensile strength, tensile strength at break, and elongation at break percentage), moisture barrier, and microstructure of the films, and its potential as a pH indicator packaging. The films were prepared by the casting technique and conditioned under controlled conditions (75% relative humidity and 23°C), at least 4 days before the analyses. The materials were exposed to different pH solutions (0, 2, 7, 10, and 14) and their color parameters (L*, a*, b*, and haze) were measured by transmittance. Grape and spinach extracts have affected the material characterization. Film properties (mechanical properties and moisture barrier) were strongly influenced by extract concentration presenting lower results than for the control. Films containing a higher concentration of grape extract presented a greater color change at different pH's suggesting that anthocyanins are more effective as pH indicators than chlorophyll or the mixture of both extracts. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Lipase‐catalyzed synthesis and characterization of biodegradable polyester containing l‐malic acid unit in solvent system
Authors: Yao Dahu , Li Guangji , Kuila Tapas , Li Peng , Kim Nam Hoon , Kim Seong‐Il , Lee Joong Hee
Published: November 2010

Lipase‐catalyzed direct polycondensation of L‐malic acid (L‐MA), adipic acid, and 1,8‐octanediol in organic media was achieved using Novozym 435 as the biocatalyst. 1H‐nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy indicated that the selectivity of Novozym 435 was unaffected by changes in the organic media. The molecular weight (Mw) of the copolymers was affected by the L‐MA feed ratio in the diacids, hydrophobicity of the solvent, and solubility of the substrates in the solvents. The Mw reached a maximum of 17.4 kDa at 80°C in isooctane at a L‐MA feed ratio in the diacids of 40 mol %. The Mw increased from 3.2 to 16.6 kDa when the reaction time was extended from 6 to 48 hr at 70°C, and remained relatively constant with further increases in reaction time from 48 to 72 hr. The hydrophilicity, thermal stability, and crystallizability of the copolymer were also investigated. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Cell‐free synthesis and multifold screening of Candida antarctica lipase B (CalB) variants after combinatorial mutagenesis of hot spots
Authors: Park Chang‐Gil , Kwon Min‐A. , Song Jae‐Kwang , Kim Dong‐Myung
Published: November 2010

We have developed a strategy for rapid and combinatorial optimization of the hot spot residues of enzymes. After combinatorial randomization of target locations in the Candida antarctica lipase B (CalB) gene, the individual variant genes isolated in the E.coli cells were expressed in the cell‐free protein synthesis system to analyze different parameters of the resulting CalB variants. The enzymatic assays for the hydrolysis of para‐nitrophenyl‐ester (pNP‐ester) and triglyceride, synthesis of wax ester, and thermal stability of the variant enzymes were carried out simultaneously in 96‐well microtiter plates. From the 1,000 variant genes tested in each assay, we were able to identify a series of the variant enzymes having markedly improved hydrolytic, synthetic activity, or thermal stability. The improved traits of the cell‐free selected CalB variants were well reproduced when the corresponding genes were expressed in Pichia pastoris. Therefore, we expect that the proposed strategy of cell‐free expression screening can serve as a viable option for rapid and precise tuning of enzyme molecules, not only for analytical purposes but also for industrial applications through large scale production using microbial cells transformed with variant genes selected from the cell‐free expression screening. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2011
GPU rigid skinning based on a refined skeletonization method
Authors: Vasilakis Andreas A. , Fudos Ioannis
Published: November 2010

In this paper, we present a skeletal rigid skinning approach. First, we describe a skeleton extraction technique that produces refined skeletons appropriate for animation from decomposed character models. Then, to avoid the artifacts generated in previous skinning approaches and the associated high training costs, we develop an efficient and robust rigid skinning technique that applies blending patches around joints. To achieve real time animation, we have adapted all steps of our rigid skinning algorithm so that they are performed efficiently on the GPU. Finally, we present an evaluation of our methods against four criteria: efficiency, quality, scope, and robustness. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ten‐year outcomes of high‐dose, intensity‐modulated radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer
Authors: Alicikus Zumre A. , Yamada Yoshiya , Zhang Zhigang , Pei Xin , Hunt Margie , Kollmeier Marisa , Cox Brett , Zelefsky Michael J.
Published: November 2010

BACKGROUND.

The authors investigated long‐term tumor control and toxicity outcomes after high‐dose, intensity‐modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in patients who had clinically localized prostate cancer.

METHODS.

Between April 1996 and January 1998, 170 patients received 81 gray (Gy) using a 5‐field IMRT technique. Patients were classified according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network‐defined risk groups. Toxicity data were scored according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events Version 3.0. Freedom from biochemical relapse, distant metastases, and cause‐specific survival outcomes were calculated. The median follow‐up was 99 months.

RESULTS.

The 10‐year actuarial prostate‐specific antigen relapse‐free survival rates were 81% for the low‐risk group, 78% for the intermediate‐risk group, and 62% for the high‐risk group; the 10‐year distant metastases–free rates were 100%, 94%, and 90%, respectively; and the 10‐year cause‐specific mortality rates were 0%, 3%, and 14%, respectively. The 10‐year likelihood of developing grade 2 and 3 late genitourinary toxicity was 11% and 5%, respectively; and the 10‐year likelihood of developing grade 2 and 3 late gastrointestinal toxicity was 2% and 1%, respectively. No grade 4 toxicities were observed.

CONCLUSIONS.

To the authors' knowledge, this report represents the longest followed cohort of patients who received high‐dose radiation levels of 81 Gy using IMRT for localized prostate cancer. The findings indicated that high‐dose IMRT is well tolerated and is associated with excellent long‐term tumor‐control outcomes in patients with localized prostate cancer Cancer 2011. © 2010 American Cancer Society.
UHRF1‐mediated tumor suppressor gene inactivation in nonsmall cell lung cancer
Authors: Daskalos Alexandros , Oleksiewicz Urszula , Filia Anastasia , Nikolaidis George , Xinarianos George , Gosney John R. , Malliri Angeliki , Field John K. , Liloglou Triantafillos
Published: November 2010

BACKGROUND:

The UHRF1 gene possesses an essential role in DNA methylation maintenance, but its contribution to tumor suppressor gene hypermethylation in primary human cancers currently remains unclear.

METHODS:

mRNA expression levels of UHRF1, DNMT1, DNMT3A, DNMT3B, and E2F1 were evaluated in 105 primary nonsmall cell lung carcinomas by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The methylation status of CDKN2A and RASSF1 promoters was examined by pyrosequencing. UHRF1 was knocked down by short hairpin RNA in A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells.

RESULTS:

All 4 genes were overexpressed in a coordinated manner in the lung tumor tissues, and their expression correlated with that of E2F1. Higher UHRF1 expression in tumor tissues correlated with the hypermethylation of CDKN2A (P = .005) and RASSF1 promoters (P = .034), and the relationship with a combined epigenotype was even stronger (P = 2.3 × 10−4). When UHRF1 was knocked down in A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells, lower methylation levels of RASSF1, CYGB, and CDH13 promoters were observed. Also, UHRF1 knockdown clones demonstrated reduced proliferation and decreased cell migration properties.

CONCLUSIONS:

Our data demonstrate that UHRF1 is a key epigenetic switch, which controls cell cycle in nonsmall cell lung carcinoma through its ability to sustain the transcriptional silencing of tumor suppressor genes by maintaining their promoters in a hypermethylated status. Thus, UHRF1 should be considered, along with DNMTs, among the potential targets for cancer treatment and/or therapeutic stratification. Cancer 2011. © 2010 American Cancer Society.
Breast implant‐associated, ALK‐negative, T‐cell, anaplastic, large‐cell lymphoma: Establishment and characterization of a model cell line (TLBR‐1) for this newly emerging clinical entity
Authors: Lechner Melissa G. , Lade Stephen , Liebertz Daniel J. , Prince H. Miles , Brody Garry S. , Webster Howard R. , Epstein Alan L.
Published: November 2010

BACKGROUND:

Primary lymphomas of the breast are very rare (0.2‐1.5% of breast malignancies) and the vast majority (95%) are of B‐cell origin. Recently, 40 cases of clinically indolent anaplastic large‐cell kinase (ALK)‐negative, T‐cell, anaplastic, non‐Hodgkin lymphomas (T‐ALCL) have been reported worldwide.

METHODS:

A tumor biopsy specimen from a patient in this series was obtained for characterization. By using a human stromal feeder layer and IL‐2, a novel cell line, TLBR‐1, was established from this biopsy and investigated by using cytogenetics and various biomolecular methods.

RESULTS:

Immunoperoxidase staining of the tumor biopsy showed a CD30/CD8/CD4 coexpressing T‐cell population that was epithelial membrane antigen (EMA)+ and perforin+. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of TCRγ genes showed monoclonality that suggested a T‐cell origin, yet pan‐T markers CD2/5/7, anaplastic large‐cell kinase (ALK)‐1, pancytokeratins, CD20, CD56, and Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) by in situ hybridization (ISH) were negative. TLBR‐1 is IL‐2 dependent, has a relatively long doubling time (55 hours), and displays different cellular shapes in culture. Cytogenetic analysis of tumor and TLBR‐1 cells confirmed a highly anaplastic cell population with a modal number of 47 chromosomes lacking t(2;5). PCR screens for EBV and human T‐lymphotropic virus types 1 and 2 (HTLV‐1/2) were negative. Fluorescence‐activated cell‐sorting (FACS) analysis showed strong positivity for CD4/8, CD30, CD71, and CD26 expression, and antigen presentation (HLA‐DR+CD80+CD86+), IL‐2 signaling (CD25+CD122+), and NK (CD56+) markers, and Western blots demonstrated strong Notch1 expression. Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mouse TLBR‐1 heterotransplants recapitulated the histology and marker characteristics of the original tumor.

CONCLUSIONS:

TLBR‐1, a novel ALK‐negative, T‐cell, anaplastic, large‐cell lymphoma, closely resembles the original biopsy and represents an important tool for studying this newly recognized disease entity. Cancer 2011. © 2010 American Cancer Society.
DICER1 expression and outcomes in endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma
Authors: Zighelboim Israel , Reinhart Andrew J. , Gao Feng , Schmidt Amy P. , Mutch David G. , Thaker Premal H. , Goodfellow Paul J.
Published: November 2010

BACKGROUND:

The objective of this study was to determine whether lower expression levels of DICER1 are associated with disease recurrence in patients with endometrioid endometrial cancer. The authors also explored DNA methylation and haploinsufficiency as potential mechanisms related to altered DICER1 expression in these tumors.

METHODS:

DICER1 expression was assessed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction in a selected cohort of endometrioid endometrial tumors (N = 169). Loss of heterozygosity analyses were conducted using 2 single nucleotide polymorphisms, and combined bisulfate restriction analysis was used to assess methylation in the 5′‐untranslated region of DICER1 in representative tumors. The correlations between DICER1 expression and clinicopathologic variables, including overall survival (OS) and disease‐free survival (DFS), were assessed using nonparametric rank‐sum tests and Cox proportional hazard models as appropriate. Survival distributions were described using the Kaplan‐Meier method. A nested case‐control analysis was conducted to confirm the association between transcript levels and disease recurrence.

RESULTS:

Lower DICER1 expression (hazard ratio [HR], 1.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05‐1.75; P = .02) and advanced disease stage (HR, 2.79; 95%CI, 1.59‐4.90; P < .001) were associated with worse DFS. Three variables were associated significantly with reduced OS: age (HR, 1.04; 95%CI, 1.02‐1.06; P < .0001), advanced disease stage (HR, 6.41; 95%CI, 3.57‐11.52; P < .0001), and high tumor grade (HR, 2.96; 95%CI, 1.46‐5.99; P = .003). Nested case‐control analyses confirmed that there were lower DICER1 transcript levels in patients who had recurrent disease (P = .01). Deletion of DICER1 sequences was an infrequent event (5% of analyzed patients), and no methylation was observed in the 5′ DICER1 regulatory region.

CONCLUSIONS:

Lower DICER1 transcript levels were correlated with disease recurrence and worse DFS survival in patients with endometrioid endometrial cancer. The factors that influence DICER1 transcript levels in primary endometrial cancers remain unknown. Cancer 2011. © 2010 American Cancer Society.
Symptom burden and performance status in a population‐based cohort of ambulatory cancer patients
Authors: Barbera Lisa , Seow Hsien , Howell Doris , Sutradhar Rinku , Earle Craig , Liu Ying , Stitt Audra , Husain Amna , Sussman Jonathan , Dudgeon Deborah
Published: November 2010

BACKGROUND.

For ambulatory cancer patients, Ontario has standardized symptom and performance status assessment population‐wide, using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) and Palliative Performance Scale (PPS). In a broad cross‐section of cancer outpatients, the authors describe the ESAS and PPS scores and their relation to patient characteristics.

METHODS.

This is a descriptive study using administrative healthcare data.

RESULTS.

The cohort included 45,118 and 23,802 patients' first ESAS and PPS, respectively. Fatigue was most prevalent (75%), and nausea least prevalent (25%) in the cohort. More than half of patients reported pain or shortness of breath; about half of those reported moderate to severe scores. Seventy‐eight percent had stable performance status scores. On multivariate analysis, worse ESAS outcomes were consistently seen for women, those with comorbidity, and those with shorter survivals from assessment. Lung cancer patients had the worst burden of symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS.

This is the first study to report ESAS and PPS scores in a large, geographically based cohort with a full scope of cancer diagnoses, including patients seen earlier in the cancer trajectory (ie, treated for cure). In this ambulatory cancer population, the high prevalence of numerous symptoms parallels those reported in palliative populations and represents a target for improved clinical care. Differences in outcomes for subgroups require further investigation. This research sets the groundwork for future research on patient and provider outcomes using linked administrative healthcare data. Cancer 2010. © 2010 American Cancer Society.
Patients with only 1 positive hormone receptor have increased locoregional recurrence compared with patients with estrogen receptor‐positive progesterone receptor‐positive disease in very early stage breast cancer
Authors: Albert Jeffrey M. , Gonzalez‐Angulo Ana M. , Guray Merih , Sahin Aysegul , Tereffe Welela , Woodward Wendy A. , Strom Eric A. , Hunt Kelly K. , Tucker Susan L. , Buchholz Thomas A.
Published: November 2010

BACKGROUND:

Estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) are important prognostic and predictive biomarkers in breast cancer. Patients with tumors positive for either receptor are generally considered hormone receptor‐positive for treatment decisions. However, some data suggest that patients with ER+/PR− or ER−/PR+ tumors may have worse outcomes than those with ER+/PR+ tumors. Few data correlate these biomarkers with locoregional (LR) recurrence.

METHODS:

The authors retrospectively reviewed records of 635 patients with T1a,bN0 disease who received definitive treatment at their institution between 1997 and 2002 and had archival tissue blocks for prospective assessment of ER/PR expression. They compared clinical outcomes of the 479 patients with ER+/PR+ disease to the 156 patients with ER+/PR− or ER−/PR+disease.

RESULTS:

LR recurrence rates were higher in patients with 1 receptor positive compared with ER+/PR+ (7‐year rate: 8.8% vs 2.5%, P = .024). There was no difference between the 2 groups in the rates of distant metastasis (DM) (P = .531) or overall survival (P = .491). One positive receptor predicted for LR recurrence in patients who did not receive hormonal therapy (P = .046), but not in patients who received hormonal therapy (P = .296). On multivariate analysis, 1 positive receptor predicted for LR recurrence in the overall group (hazard ratio, 2.81; 95% confidence interval, 1.06‐7.48; P = .038).

CONCLUSIONS:

Patients with T1a,bN0 breast cancer with only 1 positive hormone receptor have increased rates of LR recurrence compared with patients with ER+/PR+ disease, although this difference may be reduced or eliminated with systemic treatment. In contrast, the authors found no evidence of an increased rate of DM in these patients with favorable disease stage. Cancer 2011. © 2010 American Cancer Society.
From motor cortex to visual cortex: The application of noninvasive brain stimulation to amblyopia
Authors: Thompson Benjamin , Mansouri Behzad , Koski Lisa , Hess Robert F.
Published: November 2010

Noninvasive brain stimulation is a technique for inducing changes in the excitability of discrete neural populations in the human brain. A current model of the underlying pathological processes contributing to the loss of motor function after stroke has motivated a number of research groups to investigate the potential therapeutic application of brain stimulation to stroke rehabilitation. The loss of motor function is modeled as resulting from a combination of reduced excitability in the lesioned motor cortex and an increased inhibitory drive from the nonlesioned hemisphere over the lesioned hemisphere. This combination of impaired neural function and pathological suppression resonates with current views on the cause of the visual impairment in amblyopia. Here, we discuss how the rationale for using noninvasive brain stimulation in stroke rehabilitation can be applied to amblyopia, review a proof‐of‐principle study demonstrating that brain stimulation can temporarily improve amblyopic eye function, and propose future research avenues. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 54:263‐273, 2012.
Expression of ventral diencephalon‐enriched genes in zebrafish
Authors: Li Sen , Yin Min , Liu Shuxi , Chen Yi , Yin Yanqing , Liu Tingxi , Zhou Jiawei
Published: November 2010

Dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the vertebrate di‐ and mesencephalon play essential roles in movement control, endocrine modulation and many other important physiological activities. To identify genes that may regulate the specification and differentiation of diencephalic DA neurons in zebrafish, the spatial and temporal expression pattern of a set of genes was investigated. In situ hybridization analysis revealed that expression of DNA binding inhibitor 3 (Id3), early B cell factor 2 (Ebf2), Ebf3, Iroquois related homeobox 1 (Irx1), Kruppel‐like factor 7 (Klf7), mab‐21‐like 1 (Mab21l1), fatty acid binding protein 7 (Fabp7) and stathmin‐like 4 (Stmn4), were enriched in the diencephalon of zebrafish. Among these genes, Id3 was expressed specifically in a subset of DA neurons in the ventral diencephalon, with co‐expression of neurogenin1 (Ngn1). Alteration of expression levels of Id3 inhibited maturation of developing DA neurons. Taken together, our study provides genetic characteristics of DA neurons in the diencephalon of zebrafish. Developmental Dynamics 239:3368–3379, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Antibacterial and swelling properties of N‐isopropyl acrylamide grafted and collagen/chitosan‐immobilized polypropylene nonwoven fabrics
Authors: Wang Chyung‐Chyung , Wu Wen‐Yean , Chen Cheng‐Chi
Published: November 2010

The different molar ratios of collagen/chitosan were used to be immobilized on polypropylene nonwoven fabrics grafted with N‐isopropyl acrylamide (abbr. PP‐g‐NIPAAm‐i‐Col/Chi). For a controlled immobilizing time and NIPAAm concentration, the collagen/chitosan immobilized values and the antibacterial properties of PP‐g‐NIPAAm‐i‐Col/Chi increased with increasing amount of chitosan in the mixture of collagen/chitosan. The crosslinking reaction between the grafted polyNIPAAm and collagen/chitosan molecules was clearly confirmed by the examination of the spectra of the surface reflection infrared spectroscopy (IR). The values of water absorption and water diffusion coefficient of PP‐g‐NIPAAm‐i‐Col/Chi decreased with increase of the chitosan in the mixture of collagen/chitosan and the value of immobilized collagen/chitosan at the same pH value of buffering water. The PP‐g‐NIPAAm‐i‐Col/Chi have excellent water absorption, water permeability, and antibacterial properties and would be suitable for the healing of wounded skin area. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2011.
Nanosized hydroxyapatite and other calcium phosphates: Chemistry of formation and application as drug and gene delivery agents
Authors: Uskoković Vuk , Uskoković Dragan P.
Published: November 2010

The first part of this review looks at the fundamental properties of hydroxyapatite (HAP), the basic mineral constituent of mammalian hard tissues, including the physicochemical features that govern its formation by precipitation. A special emphasis is placed on the analysis of qualities of different methods of synthesis and of the phase transformations intrinsic to the formation of HAP following precipitation from aqueous solutions. This serves as an introduction to the second part and the main subject of this review, which relates to the discourse regarding the prospects of fabrication of ultrafine, nanosized particles based on calcium phosphate carriers with various therapeutic and/or diagnostic agents coated on and/or encapsulated within the particles. It is said that the particles could be either surface‐functionalized with amphiphiles, peptides, proteins, or nucleic acids or injected with therapeutic agents, magnetic ions, or fluorescent molecules. Depending on the additive, they could be subsequently used for a variety of applications, including the controlled delivery and release of therapeutic agents (extracellularly or intracellularly), magnetic resonance imaging and hyperthermia therapy, cell separation, blood detoxification, peptide or oligonucleotide chromatography and ultrasensitive detection of biomolecules, andin vivoandin vitrogene transfection. Calcium phosphate nanoparticles as carriers of therapeutic agents that would enable a controlled drug release to treat a given bone infection and at the same be resorbed in the body so as to regenerate hard tissue lost to disease are emphasized hereby as one of the potentially attractive smart materials for the modern medicine. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2011.
Highly stable Fe/γ‐Al2O3 catalyst for catalytic wet peroxide oxidation
Authors: Bautista Patricia , Mohedano Angel F. , Casas Jose A. , Zazo Juan A. , Rodriguez Juan J.
Published: November 2010

BACKGROUND: A highly stable Fe/γ‐Al2O3 catalyst for catalytic wet peroxide oxidation has been studied using phenol as target pollutant. The catalyst was prepared by incipient wetness impregnation of γ‐Al2O3 with an aqueous solution of Fe(NO3)3· 9H2O. The influence of pH, temperature, catalyst and H2O2 doses, as well as the initial phenol concentration has been analyzed.

RESULTS: The reaction temperature and initial pH significantly affect both phenol conversion and total organic carbon removal. Working at 50 °C, an initial pH of 3, 100 mg L−1 of phenol, a dose of H2O2 corresponding to the stoichiometric amount and 1250 mg L−1 of catalyst, complete phenol conversion and a total organic carbon removal efficiency close to 80% were achieved. When the initial phenol concentration was increased to 1500 mg L−1, a decreased efficiency in total organic carbon removal was observed with increased leaching of iron that can be related to a higher concentration of oxalic acid, as by‐product from catalytic wet peroxide oxidation of phenol.

CONCLUSION: A laboratory synthesized γ‐Al2O3 supported Fe has shown potential application in catalytic wet peroxide oxidation of phenolic wastewaters. The catalyst showed remarkable stability in long‐term continuous experiments with limited Fe leaching, < 3% of the initial loading. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry
Calls of the black drum (Pogonias cromis: Sciaenidae): geographical differences in sound production between northern and southern hemisphere populations
Authors: Tellechea Javier S. , Norbis Walter , Olsson Daniela , Fine Michael L.
Published: November 2010

Because of apparent reproductive isolation between Northern and Southern hemisphere populations of the black drum Pogonius cromis, we tested the hypothesis that advertisement calls from a southern population would differ from known calls of North American populations. Additionally, we quantified disturbance and advertisement calls, their changes with fish size and sex, not previously examined in this species. Unlike most sciaenids, both sexes of P. cromis possess robust sonic muscles, and both produce disturbance calls when handled. However, only males produce an advertisement call used in courtship. The disturbance call consists of a variable train of short‐duration pulses (average 23 ms). The duration, interpulse interval, and dominant frequency of pulses are similar in males and females and change developmentally: pulse duration and interpulse interval increase and dominant frequency decreases with fish size. Advertisement calls, recorded in the field and in captivity, are long‐duration (average 184 ms) and tonal. Based on variation in fundamental frequency, which decreases with fish size, field choruses are composed of different‐sized individuals. The duration of advertisement calls, about a third of those from Florida populations, suggests genetic differentiation between northern and southern populations. J. Exp. Zool. 315:48–55, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Solution properties of hydrophobically modified polyelectrolytes synthesized via solution and micellar copolymerization
Authors: Zhou Jianping , Shangguan Yonggang , Wu Qiang , Zheng Qiang
Published: November 2010

Hydrophobically modified polyelectrolytes (HMPEs) were synthesized using sodium 2‐acrylamido‐2‐methyl‐propanesulfonate and N‐n‐dodecylacrylamide as monomers with the same feeding ratio via micellar and solution copolymerization. The effects of hydrophobic association and electrostatic interaction on the solution properties of the HMPEs were studied. Compared with HMPE obtained via solution copolymerization (s‐PAD), the hydrophobic interaction of HMPE obtained via micellar copolymerization (m‐PAD) is more obvious due to the micro‐blocky distribution of hydrophobic groups. The viscosity properties of m‐PAD in deionized water or brine follow well the scaling theory of polyelectrolytes. However, for s‐PAD, the concentration where zero‐shear viscosity (η0) and solvent viscosity (ηs) follow η0 ≈ 2ηs is more likely to be critical entanglement concentration (ce) rather than critical overlap concentration (c*). It is suggested that modifying of the transition region from c* to ce is valid and reasonable for s‐PAD. It is believed that the different solution properties of s‐PAD and m‐PAD should be attributed to the distributions of hydrophobic groups in the chains. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry
A new strategy for synthesis of “umbrella‐like” poly(ethylene glycol) with monofunctional end group for bioconjugation
Authors: Zhang Yannan , Wang Guowei , Huang Junlian
Published: November 2010

A novel strategy was used to synthesize poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) with “umbrella‐like” structure containing a single reactive group at the “handle” of the “umbrella”. 1‐(Bis(2‐hydroxyethyl)amino)‐3‐(1‐ethoxyethoxy)propan‐2‐ol was used to initiate the ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of ethylene oxide (EO) in the presence of diphenylmethylpotassium (DPMK) to obtain three‐arm PEG (PEG3), then terminated by benzyl bromide or ethyl bromide. The resultant PEG3 was hydrolyzed to generate hydroxyl group at the conjunction point, and the second step ROP of EO was carried out using PEG3‐OH as macroinitiator in the presence of DPMK. The obtained four‐arm PEG (PEG4) contained a functional hydroxyl group at the end of the fourth arm, which could be easily modified to bioactive groups such as carboxyl, active ester, amino, etc. The well‐defined structure of “umbrella‐like” PEG was characterized by GPC, 1H NMR, and MALDI‐TOF MS in detail. Propionic acid succinimidyl ester of PEG4 (10 kDa) was utilized for protein conjugation with interferon α‐2b. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010
Elementary children's judgments of the epistemic status of sources of justification
Authors: Sandoval William A. , Çam Aylin
Published: November 2010

This study investigated children's judgments of the epistemic status of justifications for causal claims. Twenty‐six children (14 boys, 12 girls) between the ages of 8 and 10 were asked to help two story characters choose the “best reason” for believing a claim. The reasons included appeals to an authority, to a plausible causal mechanism, or to data. Authority and plausible mechanism justifications always supported the claim and were paired with data that either covaried in support of the claim or did not covary and so were ambiguous with respect to the claim. Most children appeared to have a loose ordering of the epistemic status of justifications with data being preferred, plausible mechanisms appealing and preferred to ambiguous data, and appeals to authority least preferable. The children's primary reason for preferring any justification was its credibility. The credibility of data, to these children, seemed to rest on its firsthand nature. We suggest that this preference for data is productive and that instructional attention can usefully be focused on the attributes of measurement and experimentation that make data credible. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.Sci Ed95:383–408, 2011
Youth Empowerment in Context: Exploring Tensions in School‐Based yPAR
Authors: Kohfeldt Danielle , Chhun Lina , Grace Sarah , Langhout Regina Day
Published: November 2010

In much of the youth empowerment literature, researchers focus on the relationship between youth and adults involved in empowerment programs while neglecting the broader social framework in which these relationships and the program itself functions. Utilizing an ecological model, the current research examines the tensions that surfaced in attempts to create an empowering setting in an after‐school PAR program with fifth‐graders. Challenging assumptions about youth, structural challenges, and conflicting theories of change are highlighted. Results examine the role of sociocultural context as PAR researchers attempt to create a setting in which students gain skills to become change agents within their school. The study suggests that youth empowerment is a context dependent process that requires attention to a multiplicity of factors that influence possibilities for empowerment via second order change.
Endoscopic diagnosis of laryngeal cancer and precancerous lesions by narrow band imaging
Authors: Ni X-G , He S , Xu Z-G , Gao L , Lu N , Yuan Z , Lai S-Q , Zhang Y-M , Yi J-L , Wang X-L , Zhang L , Li X-Y , Wang G-Q
Published: November 2010

Objective:

To investigate the characteristics of the laryngeal mucosal microvascular network in suspected laryngeal cancer patients, using narrow band imaging, and to evaluate the value of narrow band imaging endoscopy in the early diagnosis of laryngeal precancerous and cancerous lesions.

Patients and methods:

Eighty-five consecutive patients with suspected precancerous or cancerous laryngeal lesions were enrolled in the study. Endoscopic narrow band imaging findings were classified into five types (I to V) according to the features of the mucosal intraepithelial papillary capillary loops assessed.

Results:

A total of 104 lesions (45 malignancies and 59 nonmalignancies) was detected under white light and narrow band imaging modes. The sensitivity and specificity of narrow band imaging in detecting malignant lesions were 88.9 and 93.2 per cent, respectively. The intraepithelial papillary capillary loop classification, as determined by narrow band imaging, was closely associated with the laryngeal lesions' histological findings. Type I to IV lesions were considered nonmalignant and type V lesions malignant. For type Va lesions, the sensitivity and specificity of narrow band imaging in detecting severe dysplasia or carcinoma in situ were 100 and 79.5 per cent, respectively. In patients with type Vb and Vc lesions, the sensitivity and specificity of narrow band imaging in detecting invasive carcinoma were 83.8 and 100 per cent, respectively.

Conclusion:

Narrow band imaging is a promising approach enabling in vivo differentiation of nonmalignant from malignant laryngeal lesions by evaluating the morphology of mucosal capillaries. These results suggest endoscopic narrow band imaging may be useful in the early detection of laryngeal cancer and precancerous lesions.
Neural basis of emotion recognition deficits in first-episode major depression
Authors: van Wingen G. A. , van Eijndhoven P. , Tendolkar I. , Buitelaar J. , Verkes R. J. , Fernández G.
Published: November 2010

Background

Depressed individuals demonstrate a poorer ability to recognize the emotions of others, which could contribute to difficulties in interpersonal behaviour. This emotion recognition deficit appears related to the depressive state and is particularly pronounced when emotions are labelled semantically. Here, we investigated its neural basis by comparing emotion recognition processing between depressed, recovered and healthy individuals.

Method

Medication-naive patients with a first major depressive episode, medication-free patients who had recovered from a first episode, and a group of matched healthy individuals participated. They were requested to identify the emotion of angry and fearful face stimuli, either by matching them to other emotional faces on a perceptual basis or by matching them to a semantic label, while their brain activity was measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Results

The depressed individuals performed worse than recovered and healthy individuals on the emotion-labelling but not the emotion-matching task. The labelling deficit was related to increased recruitment of the right amygdala, left inferior frontal gyrus and anterior cingulate cortex.

Conclusions

Deficits in semantic labelling of negative emotions are related to increased activation in specific brain regions and these abnormalities are mood state-dependent. These results indicate that accessing semantic knowledge about negative information triggers increased amygdala and left inferior frontal gyrus processing, which subsequently impairs task-relevant behaviour. We propose that this may reflect the activation of negative schemas.
Limits to measurement in experiments governed by algorithms
Authors: BEGGS EDWIN J. , COSTA JOSÉ FÉLIX , TUCKER JOHN V.
Published: November 2010

We pose the following question: If a physical experiment were to be completely controlled by an algorithm, what effect would the algorithm have on the physical measurements made possible by the experiment?

In a programme to study the nature of computation possible by physical systems, and by algorithms coupled with physical systems, we have begun to analyse:

(i)

the algorithmic nature of experimental procedures; and

(ii)

the idea of using a physical experiment as an oracle to Turing Machines.

To answer the question, we will extend our theory of experimental oracles so that we can use Turing machines to model the experimental procedures that govern the conduct of physical experiments. First, we specify an experiment that measures mass via collisions in Newtonian dynamics and examine its properties in preparation for its use as an oracle. We begin the classification of the computational power of polynomial time Turing machines with this experimental oracle using non-uniform complexity classes. Second, we show that modelling an experimenter and experimental procedure algorithmically imposes a limit on what can be measured using equipment. Indeed, the theorems suggest a new form of uncertainty principle for our knowledge of physical quantities measured in simple physical experiments. We argue that the results established here are representative of a huge class of experiments.
The Odyssey of William English Walling: Revisionism, Social Democracy, and Evolutionary Pragmatism
Authors: Schneirov Richard
Published: November 2010

In the history of American socialism William English Walling occupies a special place. Born into a wealthy Midwestern family, Walling was educated at the University of Chicago and Harvard, but soon found a calling as a social reform activist when he learned first hand about the conditions of working people as an Illinois factory inspector and a habitué of turn-of-the-century social settlement houses and the Jewish ghetto scene. From that point forward Walling was a major influence wherever he directed his fertile mind and instinct for provoking controversy and precipitating new movements. In 1903, Walling helped found the National Women's Trade Union League and became president of its New York chapter. Six years later he cobbled together a group of anti-racist socialists to found the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People – then invited W.E.B. DuBois to become editor of its journal,The Crisis.
“All Americans are hero-worshippers”: American Observations on the First U.S. Visit by a Reigning Monarch, 1876
Authors: Roberts Phil
Published: November 2010

When Dom Pedro II, emperor of Brazil, visited America in 1876, he planned to assess industrial and technological innovation on display at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia and to pay visits to men whom he admired. Most Americans were fascinated by the emperor, even though his visit came at an awkward time. During the centennial of the Declaration of Independence, America was hosting an emperor—and from the last major slaveholding country. This article reviews newspaper accounts of the visit and analyzes the ambivalence displayed toward his visit. Americans were supposedly devoted to equality. Nonetheless, wherever he went during his three-month sojourn, the emperor was met by admiring crowds. One newspaper explained: “It is not the monarch so much as the novelty that attracts in this country.” This article views the visit not from Dom Pedro's impressions of America, but from American responses to the visit of a hereditary monarch—the first to travel around America during his reign. The paper concludes that centennial-year fascination with royalty generally overcame historic contempt for hereditary privilege and lack of interest in royal visitors. Such ambivalent attitudes toward visiting royalty continue into the present day.
The Enigma of Meyer Lissner: Los Angeles's Progressive Boss
Authors: Stevens Mark H.
Published: November 2010

Meyer Lissner was Los Angeles's preeminent municipal political reformer between 1906 and 1913. Yet he was perhaps an enigmatic progressive. His life defied conformity and categorization to specific progressive norms regarding ethnicity, religion, upbringing, and social position. His gift for organization, combined with a keen political intelligence, enabled him to organize a formidable opposition to the Southern Pacific—dominated local political environment. Los Angeles's municipal politics thereafter remained nonpartisan. His political skill won him the praise of his progressive supporters and the scorn of his critics as a “reform boss,” a charge with which they mercilessly pursued him throughout the remainder of his municipal career. Was Lissner a “reformer,” a “boss,” a combination of both, or neither? Do such categories matter, given the reality of Progressive Era urban politics and current trends in writing on the stereotyped struggle between the boss and the reformer?
Rethinking Randolph Bourne's Trans-National America: How World War I Created an Isolationist Antiwar Pluralism
Authors: Nichols Christopher McKnight
Published: November 2010

The intellectual and cultural critic Randolph Bourne originated the concept of a “transnational America” in 1916. More than a mere label, “trans-national America” was the articulation of Bourne's visionary new form of pluralism. This article aims to rethink Bourne's transnationalism as a form of isolationist antiwar idealism, thus helping to bridge his writings on domestic reform and foreign policy. Further, it illuminates an important moment in the intellectual history of isolationism as it assumed a positive, pluralist cast. This analysis also opens new vistas onto the development of a wide-ranging liberal opposition to American entry into World War I. Bourne's potent pluralistic, cosmopolitan ideas and the actions he took—along with those of other antiwar activists, politicians, and thinkers—helped to set the ideological parameters for antiwar thought in the period from 1916 to 1918 as well as for later American dissent, particularly in wartime.
Toward a Middle-Class Cinema: Thomas Ince and the Social Problem Film, 1914–1920
Authors: Rosenbloom Nancy J.
Published: November 2010

Thomas H. Ince (1882–1924) was a popular motion-picture producer and director in the 1910s. He built his reputation and fortune by making feature films that appealed to middle-class tastes. In addition to his westerns and the epics for which he is best known, Ince made a number of social-problem films. Three of his films—The Italian(1914),Dangerous Hours(1920), andThe Dark Mirror(1920)—are particularly interesting for how they illuminate the relationship between the American cinema and Progressive Era reform. A close analysis of these three films suggests ways that popular culture reflected the concerns of mainstream progressives and how these concerns shifted during the course of the decade.