bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A computational tool to investigate different drying methods for New Zealand indigenous red beech timber (Nothofagus fusca)
Authors: Herritsch Alfred , Nijdam Justin James
Published: July 2011

New Zealand's indigenous red beech timber is commonly air dried to remove much of the moisture before it is dried in a dehumidifier to the desired final moisture content. Air drying times are affected significantly by both the season the timber is stacked and year‐to‐year climate variations. This paper investigates drying‐time variations at different locations in New Zealand to represent the variety of climatic conditions possible (from dry to wet), using a validated drying model and published climate data spanning a decade. In addition, an alternative method of drying red beech timber known as warehouse pre‐drying is investigated. This method employs a relatively inexpensive drying chamber operated at low temperatures and humidities to dry red beech in a controlled fashion. The simulations show that 27 mm red beech timber stacked in spring can air dry nearly twice as quickly as the same timber stacked in autumn. Year‐to‐year climate variations can change the air drying time by over 2 months, which demonstrates the importance of tracking moisture content to ensure the timber is dried to the desired level. Warehouse pre‐drying can be used to dry red beech from the green condition more quickly than can be achieved by air drying and with relatively low energy requirements compared with more the traditional methods of drying such as dehumidifier or conventional‐kiln drying. The problem of significant green moisture‐content variations in red beech timber can be addressed by pre‐sorting the green timber or kiln equalising the air‐dried or warehouse pre‐dried timber. Copyright © 2011 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nonlinear control strategy for thermal budget in spike rapid thermal processing systems based on Wiener model
Authors: Jeng Jyh‐Cheng , Chen Wen‐Chung
Published: July 2011

The spike‐shaped temperature profile in thermal treatments is widely used in semiconductor manufacturing for providing precise thermal budget. This thermal budget control issue gets more crucial as the technology node progressively shrinks. Therefore, rapid thermal processing (RTP) with spike‐shaped temperature profile, such as spike annealing, has the ability to meet this requirement. With its exceptionally stringent performance requirements (e.g. high temperature ramp‐up/down rate and high temperature uniformity), temperature control in RTP systems is a challenging task. Our previous work proposed a methodology of control system design which can precisely target the thermal budget indices. The major problem in that work is that a linear model of the RTP system is assumed, but the dynamics of RTP system is, in fact, nonlinear in nature. In this study, we extend the previous work by considering the nonlinearity of the RTP system. First, a nonlinear Wiener model, instead of linear model, is used to represent the RTP system. For this purpose, a simple noniterative algorithm for the identification of Wiener model is proposed. Then, a simple nonlinear control strategy based on the Wiener model is developed for providing precise thermal budget. Simulation results have shown that the proposed method performs well in spike RTP systems. © 2011 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sensitivity analysis for causal inference using inverse probability weighting
Authors: Shen Changyu , Li Xiaochun , Li Lingling , Were Martin C.
Published: July 2011

Evaluation of impact of potential uncontrolled confounding is an important component for causal inference based on observational studies. In this article, we introduce a general framework of sensitivity analysis that is based on inverse probability weighting. We propose a general methodology that allows both non‐parametric and parametric analyses, which are driven by two parameters that govern the magnitude of the variation of the multiplicative errors of the propensity score and their correlations with the potential outcomes. We also introduce a specific parametric model that offers a mechanistic view on how the uncontrolled confounding may bias the inference through these parameters. Our method can be readily applied to both binary and continuous outcomes and depends on the covariates only through the propensity score that can be estimated by any parametric or non‐parametric method. We illustrate our method with two medical data sets.
From green to blue: Site‐directed mutagenesis of the green fluorescent protein to teach protein structure–function relationships
Authors: Girón María D. , Salto Rafael
Published: July 2011

Structure–function relationship studies in proteins are essential in modern Cell Biology. Laboratory exercises that allow students to familiarize themselves with basic mutagenesis techniques are essential in all Genetic Engineering courses to teach the relevance of protein structure. We have implemented a laboratory course based on the site‐directed mutagenesis of the green fluorescent protein (GFP) from the jellyfish Aequorea victoria. The GFP is ideal because the students are able to correlate the changes introduced into the structure of the protein with the observable modification of its fluorescence properties. By using noncommercial kits, we set up a non PCR‐thermocycling reaction using mutagenic primers, followed by removal of the original plasmid template by DpnI digestion. By introducing only one (Y66H) or two mutations (Y66H/Y145F) in the “cycle 3” variant of GFP (F99S, M153T, and V163A) or GFPuv, students are able to analyze the changes from green to blue in the fluorescence emission of the mutated proteins and to correlate these differences in fluorescence with the structural changes using three‐dimensional structure visualization software. This inexpensive laboratory course familiarizes the students with the design of mutagenic oligonucleotides, site‐directed mutagenesis, bacterial transformation, restriction analysis of the mutated plasmids, and protein characterization by SDS‐PAGE and fluorescence spectroscopy. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education Vol. 39, No. 4, pp. 309‐315, 2011
Characterization of the protease activity of detergents laboratory practicals for studying the protease profile and activity of various commercial detergents
Authors: Valls Cristina , Pujadas Gerard , Garcia‐Vallve Santi , Mulero Miquel
Published: July 2011

Detergent enzymes account for about 30% of the total worldwide production of enzymes and are one of the largest and most successful applications of modern industrial biotechnology. Proteases can improve the wash performance of household, industrial, and institutional laundry detergents used to remove protein‐based stains such as blood, grass, body fluids, and food soils. This article describes two easy and cheap laboratory exercises to study the presence, profile, and basic enzymology of detergent proteases. These laboratory practicals are based on the determination of the detergent protease activity of various commercial detergents using the N‐succinyl‐L‐alanyl‐L‐alanyl‐L‐prolyl‐L‐phenylalanine p‐nitroanilide method and the bovine serum albumin degradation capacity. Students are also required to elucidate the enzymatic subtype of detergent proteases by studying the inhibitory potential of several types of protease inhibitors revealed by the same experimental methodology. Additionally, the results of the exercises can be used to provide additional insights on elementary enzymology by studying the influence of several important parameters on protease activity such as temperature (in this article) and the influence of pH and effects of surfactants and oxidizers (proposed). Students also develop laboratory skills, problem‐solving capacities, and the ability to write a laboratory report. The exercises are mainly designed for an advanced undergraduate project in the biochemistry and biotechnology sciences. Globally, these laboratory practicals show students the biotechnological applications of proteases in the detergent industry and also reinforce important enzymology concepts. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education Vol. 39, No. 4, pp. 280‐290, 2011
A laboratory exercise illustrating the sensitivity and specificity of Western blot analysis
Authors: Chang Ming‐Mei , Lovett Janice
Published: July 2011

Western blot analysis, commonly known as “Western blotting,” is a standard tool in every laboratory where proteins are analyzed. It involves the separation of polypeptides in polyacrylamide gels followed by the electrophoretic transfer of the separated polypeptides onto a nitrocellulose or polyvinylidene fluoride membrane. A replica of the separated polypeptides from the gel is created on the membrane, which is then probed with antibodies or other ligands to identify specific polypeptide(s). Here, we report an undergraduate laboratory exercise involving Western blotting. During the 3‐week laboratory exercise, students investigated the likelihood of the presence of a serum albumin in fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) homogenate, bovine calf serum (BCS), and fetal bovine serum (FBS). Students isolate proteins from fruit fly larvae and perform sodium dodecylsulfate‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS‐PAGE), electrophoretic blotting, and immunoassay comparing those proteins with BCS and FBS proteins. Their results indicate that serum albumin is present in BCS and FBS but is absent in fruit flies. In the process, the specificity and sensitivity of Western blot analysis is demonstrated. The laboratory exercise can be easily incorporated into any college‐level biochemistry or molecular techniques laboratory. The procedure used can be easily adapted to study other proteins. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education Vol. 39, No. 4, pp. 291‐297, 2011
The treasure of the humble: Lessons from Baker's yeast
Authors: Sitaraman Ramakrishnan
Published: July 2011

The study of model organisms is a powerful and proven experimental strategy for understanding biological processes. This paper describes an attempt to utilize advances in yeast molecular biology to enhance student understanding by presenting a more comprehensive view of several interconnected molecular processes in the overall functioning of an organism, and introducing the concept of the inverse problem as it relates to biology. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education Vol. 39, No. 4, pp. 261‐266, 2011
The pH ruler: A Java applet for developing interactive exercises on acids and bases
Authors: Barrette‐Ng Isabelle H.
Published: July 2011

In introductory biochemistry courses, it is often a struggle to teach the basic concepts of acid‐base chemistry in a manner that is relevant to biological systems. To help students gain a more intuitive and visual understanding of abstract acid‐base concepts, a simple graphical construct called the pH ruler Java applet was developed. The applet allows students to visualize the abundance of different protonation states of diprotic and triprotic amino acids at different pH values. Using the applet, the student can drag a widget on a slider bar to change the pH and observe in real time changes in the abundance of different ionization states of this amino acid. This tool provides a means for developing more complex inquiry‐based, active‐learning exercises to teach more advanced topics of biochemistry, such as protein purification, protein structure and enzyme mechanism. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education Vol. 39, No. 4, pp. 332‐338, 2011
Just give it a try: Assessing interactive ad‐hoc software‐evaluation behaviour
Authors: Zimmermann Jörg , Nerdinger Friedemann W.
Published: July 2011

This study investigates actual consumer behaviour in end‐user software selection, a field that has been fairly neglected in extant research. The novel point we make is that the immaterial character of software—leading to its indestructibility and virtually cost‐free distribution—makes it easy for software manufacturers to let consumers evaluate computer programs hands‐on by trying them out in realistic settings. Detached paper‐and‐pencil methods for assessing consumers' predecision behaviour seem to be inadequate for modelling this type of evaluation in which individuals do not need to care about returning the object(s) in the same state. In this article, we present a methodology for and the first results of assessing unguided end‐user software evaluation behaviour in its natural complexity. Our exploratory approach focused on identifying a behavioural typology, as well as its relation to the choice result, which would have major implications for the design and distribution of demo versions, shareware, etc. Twenty individuals were subjected to a realistic choice problem involving direct interaction with real software products. Their behaviour was analyzed using a novel abstraction methodology. Results suggest the existence of four different evaluation types and the moderating influence of evaluation behaviour on choice result, which can be integrated into and plausibly explained by prevalent theory. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Catalytic Applications of Terpyridines and their Transition Metal Complexes
Authors: Winter Andreas , Newkome George R. , Schubert Ulrich S.
Published: July 2011

The coordination compounds of the tridentate oligopyridine ligand 2,2′:6′,2′′‐terpyridine (tpy) are utilized in very different fields of research, such as materials science (e.g. photovoltaics), biomedicinal chemistry (e.g. DNA intercalation), and organometallic catalysis. Applications in the latter area have arisen from initial reports on electro‐ or photochemical processes and, today, a broad range of reactions—from artificial photosynthesis (water splitting) to biochemical and organic transformations as well as polymerization reactions—have been catalyzed by terpyridines and their transition metal complexes. In this review, the scope and the limitations of these applications, which emerged particularly in organic and macromolecular chemistry, will be evaluated.
Atom‐Economic and Stereoselective Syntheses of the Ring A and B Subunits of the Bryostatins
Authors: Trost Barry M. , Yang Hanbiao , Brindle Cheyenne S. , Dong Guangbin
Published: July 2011

This article describes chemoselective and atom‐economic methods for the stereoselective assembly of the ring A and B subunits of bryostatins. A Ru‐catalyzed tandem alkene–alkyne coupling/Michael addition reaction was developed and applied to the synthesis of bryostatin ring B. We explored an acetylide‐mediated epoxide‐opening/6‐exo‐dig cyclization route to access the bryostatin ring A, although ring A was eventually furnished through an acid‐catalyzed tandem transketalization/ketalization sequence. In addition, a dinuclear zinc‐catalyzed methyl vinyl ketone (MVK) aldol strategy was evaluated for the construction of the polyacetate moiety. Utilization of these methods ultimately led to the rapid assembly of the northern bryostatin fragment containing both the ring A and B subunits.
Probing Charge Transfer between Shells of Double‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes Sorted by Outer‐Wall Electronic Type
Authors: Kalbac Martin , Green Alexander A. , Hersam Mark C. , Kavan Ladislav
Published: July 2011

Double‐walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) with outer metallic (M) or semiconducting (S) shells were sorted by density‐gradient ultracentrifugation and examined by Raman spectroscopy and in situ Raman spectroelectrochemistry. The combination of sorting and the selection of appropriate laser excitation energies allowed the disentanglement of the effects of different variations of the electronic type (M or S) of the inner and outer tubes in DWCNTs on the doping behavior and charge transfer between the inner and outer walls. Charge transfer from the outer tube to the inner tube occurs only if the electronic states of the outer tube are filled with electrons or holes, and if these filled states are higher in energy than those of the inner tube. Therefore, each combination of inner and outer tube (i.e., inner@outer: M@M, M@S, S@M, and S@S) exhibits a distinct behavior. The potential needed to observe the effects of charge transfer between the inner and outer tubes is found to increase in the following order: M@M < S@M < M@S < S@S.
Cooperative and Reciprocal Chiral Structure Formation of an Alanine‐Based Peptide Confined at the Surface of Cationic Surfactant Membranes
Authors: Kiagus‐Armad Roni , Brizard Aurélie , Tang Claire , Blatchly Richard , Desbat Bernard , Oda Reiko
Published: July 2011

The confinement of anionic oligoalanine peptides at the surface of cationic membranes can cooperatively reinforce peptide/peptide interactions and induce secondary‐structure formation, and, reciprocally, induce chirality expression of the membrane at the mesoscopic level, thus leading to the formation of three‐dimensional chiral fibrillar networks. Such a strong binding effect of peptides with cationic membranes and the resulting cooperative assembly behaviors are observed with two different types of cationic surfactant, namely, two‐head two‐tail gemini and one‐head two‐tail surfactants. The ensemble of assembly properties, such as critical micellar concentration (cmc), Krafft temperature (Tk), molecular area at the air/water interface, molecular organization (as studied by FTIR attenuated total reflectance (ATR) measurements and small‐angle X‐ray scattering), and morphology of the aggregates (as observed by optical and electron microscopy studies), are reported. The results clearly demonstrate that the molecular organization and mesoscopic supramolecular structures are controlled by a subtle balance between the peptide/peptide interactions, ionic interactions between the membranes and peptides, and the interactions the between surfactant molecules, which are governed by hydrophobicity and steric interactions. Investigation into such cooperative organization can shed light on the mechanism of supramolecular chirality expression in membrane systems and allow understanding of the structure of peptides in interactions with lipid bilayers.
Theoretical Simulations Elucidate the Role of Naphthalenic Species during Methanol Conversion within H‐SAPO‐34
Authors: Hemelsoet Karen , Nollet Arno , Van Speybroeck Veronique , Waroquier Michel
Published: July 2011

The role of naphthalenic species during the methanol‐to‐olefins (MTO) process in a silicoaluminophosphate zeolitic material exhibiting the chabazite topology (H‐SAPO‐34) has been studied from first principles. These species could either act as active olefin‐eliminating compounds or as precursors for deactivating species. Results incorporating van der Waals contributions for finite large clusters point out that successive methylation steps of naphthalenic compounds are feasible. The calculated intrinsic activation barrier is relatively independent of the number of methyl groups already attached on the aromatic compound and is approximately 140 kJ mol−1. The influence of the composition of the catalyst and hence the acidic strength on the intrinsic chemical kinetics was investigated in detail through comparison with the isostructural high‐silicon material. Apparent chemical kinetics, starting from adsorbed methanol on the acid site, were also computed. The initiation steps of the side‐chain route starting from a trimethylated naphthalenium ion were also examined. The actual side‐chain methylation exhibits a high barrier and hence this mechanism involving methylated naphthalenes is not expected to be an active ethene‐eliminating route in H‐SAPO‐34.
A Computational Study on the Role of Chiral N‐Oxides in Enantioselective Pauson–Khand Reactions
Authors: Fjermestad Torstein , Pericàs Miquel A. , Maseras Feliu
Published: July 2011

Density functional calculations were carried out to ascertain the origin of enantioselectivity in the brucine N‐oxide (BNO)‐assisted enantioselective Pauson–Khand reaction (PKR) of norbornene with 2‐methyl‐3‐butyn‐2‐ol. The computed ee value in acetone is 68 % (R), which compares well to the previously reported experimental value of 58 % (R). In DME the computed ee value of 76 % (R) is in excellent agreement with the experimentally determined value of 78 % (R). The mechanism of enantioselectivity consists of several steps. First, the dicobalt complex is activated by BNO with chirality transfer from enantiopure BNO to the dicobalt complex. Second, competition occurs between a racemization process and complexation with the olefin reagent, which leads to the products. The lower ee value in acetone is due to the lower energy barrier of the racemization process. Calculations show that replacement of BNO by a hypothetical more enantioselective chiral N‐oxide will hardly increase the ee value beyond 90 %.
Functional polymorphisms of circadian positive feedback regulation genes and clinical outcome of Chinese patients with resected colorectal cancer
Authors: Zhou Feng , He Xianli , Liu Hanqiang , Zhu Yong , Jin Tianbo , Chen Chao , Qu Falin , Li Yunming , Bao Guoqiang , Chen Zhinan , Xing Jinliang
Published: July 2011

BACKGROUND:

Previous studies have demonstrated that circadian genes play a role in the development and progression of many cancers. This study aims to assess the effects of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in circadian genes on recurrence and survival of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients.

METHODS:

Nine functional SNPs in 3 genes (CLOCK, NPAS2, and BMAL1) on the circadian positive feedback loop were selected and genotyped using the Sequenom iPLEX genotyping system in a cohort of 411 resected Chinese CRC patients. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards model and Kaplan‐Meier curve were used for the prognosis analysis.

RESULTS:

The authors identified 2 SNPs in the CLOCK gene to be significantly associated with CRC overall survival. SNP rs3749474 exhibited a significant association with survival of CRC patients in the additive model (hazard ratio [HR], 0.55; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.37‐0.81; P = .003). In addition, patients carrying the heterozygous variant of rs1801260 had significantly increased overall survival compared with those carrying homozygous wild‐type genotype (HR, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.11‐0.88; P = .03). Findings from functional assay provided further biological support for these significant associations. Stratified analysis found no modifying effect of chemotherapy on the prognostic significance of both SNPs. Moreover, we observed cumulative effects of these 2 SNPs on CRC overall survival (P for trend = .01). Compared with patients carrying no unfavorable genotypes, those carrying 2 unfavorable genotypes had a 2.92‐fold increased risk of death (P = .03).

CONCLUSIONS:

The results suggest for the first time that CLOCK gene polymorphisms may serve as an independent prognostic marker for CRC patients. Cancer 2012;. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
Stereotactic radiosurgery of World Health Organization grade II and III intracranial meningiomas
Authors: Pollock Bruce E. , Stafford Scott L. , Link Michael J. , Garces Yolanda I. , Foote Robert L.
Published: July 2011

BACKGROUND:

A study was undertaken to define the variables associated with tumor control and survival after single‐session stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for patients with atypical and malignant intracranial meningiomas.

METHODS:

Fifty patients with World Health Organization (WHO) grade II (n = 37) or grade III (n = 13) meningiomas underwent SRS from 1990 to 2008. Most tumors were located in the falx/parasagittal region or cerebral convexities (n = 35, 70%). Twenty patients (40%) had progressing tumors despite prior external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) (median dose, 54.0 grays [Gy]). The median treatment volume was 14.6 cm3; the median tumor margin dose was 15.0 Gy. Seven patients (14%) received concurrent EBRT (median dose, 50.4 Gy). Follow‐up (median, 38 months) was censored at last evaluation (n = 28) or death (n = 22).

RESULTS:

Tumor grade correlated with disease‐specific survival (DSS) (hazard ratio [HR], 3.4; P = .008), local tumor control (HR, 2.4; P = .02), and progression‐free survival (PFS) (HR, 2.6; P = .02) on univariate analysis, but not on multivariate analysis. Multivariate analysis showed that having failed EBRT and tumor volume >14.6 cm3 were negative predictors of DSS and local control (HR, 3.0; P = .02 and HR, 4.4; P = .01; HR, 3.3; P = .001 and HR, 2.3; P = .02;, respectively). Having failed EBRT was a negative predictor of PFS (HR, 3.5; P = .002). Thirteen patients (26%) had radiation‐related complications at a median of 6 months after radiosurgery.

CONCLUSIONS:

Tumor progression despite prior EBRT and larger tumor volume are negative predictors of tumor control and survival for patients having SRS for WHO grade II and III intracranial meningiomas. Cancer 2012;. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
Cost‐effectiveness of modern radiotherapy techniques in locally advanced pancreatic cancer
Authors: Murphy James D. , Chang Daniel T. , Abelson Jon , Daly Megan E. , Yeung Heidi N. , Nelson Lorene M. , Koong Albert C.
Published: July 2011

BACKGROUND:

Radiotherapy may improve the outcome of patients with pancreatic cancer but at an increased cost. In this study, the authors evaluated the cost‐effectiveness of modern radiotherapy techniques in the treatment of locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

METHODS:

A Markov decision‐analytic model was constructed to compare the cost‐effectiveness of 4 treatment regimens: gemcitabine alone, gemcitabine plus conventional radiotherapy, gemcitabine plus intensity‐modulated radiotherapy (IMRT); and gemcitabine with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). Patients transitioned between the following 5 health states: stable disease, local progression, distant failure, local and distant failure, and death. Health utility tolls were assessed for radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatments and for radiation toxicity.

RESULTS:

SBRT increased life expectancy by 0.20 quality‐adjusted life years (QALY) at an increased cost of $13,700 compared with gemcitabine alone (incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio [ICER] = $69,500 per QALY). SBRT was more effective and less costly than conventional radiotherapy and IMRT. An analysis that excluded SBRT demonstrated that conventional radiotherapy had an ICER of $126,800 per QALY compared with gemcitabine alone, and IMRT had an ICER of $1,584,100 per QALY compared with conventional radiotherapy. A probabilistic sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the probability of cost‐effectiveness at a willingness to pay of $50,000 per QALY was 78% for gemcitabine alone, 21% for SBRT, 1.4% for conventional radiotherapy, and 0.01% for IMRT. At a willingness to pay of $200,000 per QALY, the probability of cost‐effectiveness was 73% for SBRT, 20% for conventional radiotherapy, 7% for gemcitabine alone, and 0.7% for IMRT.

CONCLUSIONS:

The current results indicated that IMRT in locally advanced pancreatic cancer exceeds what society considers cost‐effective. In contrast, combining gemcitabine with SBRT increased clinical effectiveness beyond that of gemcitabine alone at a cost potentially acceptable by today's standards. Cancer 2012;. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
Comparison of ThinPrep and SurePath liquid‐based cytology and subsequent human papillomavirus DNA testing in China
Authors: Zhao Fang‐Hui , Hu Shang‐Ying , Bian Jessica J. , Liu Bin , Peck Roger B. , Bao Yan‐Ping , Pan Qin‐Jing , Frappart Lucien , Sellors John , Qiao You‐Lin
Published: July 2011

BACKGROUND:

Liquid‐based cytology (LBC) has been compared with conventional cytology in numerous studies. In the current study of 2 LBC systems, the accuracy, rates of unsatisfactory cytology, and sufficiency of residual LBC specimens for Hybrid Capture 2 (HC2) HPV DNA testing were compared.

METHODS:

Eligible women ages 30 to 49 years were recruited for this cross‐sectional population‐based study in rural China. Women were assessed by visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA), LBC, and high‐risk HPV HC2 DNA assay. Cervical specimens were preserved according to SurePath or ThinPrep protocols. LBC results were manually read. HC2 testing was performed on specimens with sufficient residual volume. Colposcopies and biopsies were performed on women who were VIA positive at the time of initial screening. Women with abnormal LBC or HC2 test results were called back for colposcopies and 4‐quadrant cervical biopsies.

RESULTS:

Of 2005 eligible women, 972 were tested by SurePath and 1033 by ThinPrep. Compared with SurePath samples, ThinPrep samples had higher rates of unsatisfactory cytology (0.2% for SurePath and 1.5% for ThinPrep) and insufficient residual volume for HC2 (0.0% for SurePath and 18.2% for ThinPrep). SurePath samples yielded higher sensitivities and similar specificities for LBC and HC2 testing of residual specimens, but these differences were not determined to be significant by area‐under‐the‐curve analysis (LBC performance: 0.89 for SurePath and 0.85 for ThinPrep; HC2 performance: 0.91 for SurePath and 0.89 for ThinPrep).

CONCLUSIONS:

Both methods yielded similar validity in detecting significant cervical lesions. However, SurePath samples yielded higher rates of satisfactory LBC slides and sufficient residual volume for HC2. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2011;. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
Two distinct types of ON directionally selective ganglion cells in the rabbit retina
Authors: Hoshi Hideo , Tian Lian‐Ming , Massey Stephen C. , Mills Stephen L.
Published: July 2011

Four Neurobiotin‐injected coupled ON DS ganglion cells surrounding an ON‐OFF DS ganglion cell (white) show the relative size of these two cell types. The ganglion cells were colored in Adobe Photoshop for clarity. The Journal of Comparative Neurology, Volume 519, Number 13, pages 2509–2521.
A localized meshless approach for modeling spatial–temporal calcium dynamics in ventricular myocytes
Authors: Yao Guangming , Yu Zeyun
Published: July 2011

Spatial–temporal calcium dynamics due to calcium release, buffering and re‐uptaking plays a central role in studying excitation–contraction (E–C) coupling in both normal and diseased cardiac myocytes. In this paper, we employ a meshless method, namely, the local radial basis function collocation method (LRBFCM), to model such calcium behaviors by solving a nonlinear system of reaction–diffusion partial differential equations. In particular, a simplified structural unit containing a single transverse tubule (T‐tubule) and its surrounding half sarcomeres is investigated using the meshless method. Numerical results are compared with those generated by finite element methods, showing the capability and efficiency of the LRBFCM in modeling calcium dynamics in ventricular myocytes. The single T‐tubule model is also extended to the whole‐cell scale with T‐tubules excluded to demonstrate the scalability of the proposed meshless method in handling very large domains. The experiments have shown that the LRBFCM is suitable to multiscale modeling of calcium dynamics in ventricular myocytes with high accuracy and efficiency. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Harmonious color model with fragrances
Authors: Miura Kumiko , Saito Miho
Published: July 2011

The purpose of this study was to create a harmonious color model with fragrance, depending on the similarity of impressions from the color and the fragrance. This study consisted of two experiments. Experiment 1, our objective was to extract dimensions in fragrance impressions and consider harmonious/disharmonious colors with each fragrance. One hundred subjects were asked to evaluate their impression of eight fragrances (by the Semantic Differencial method) and to select harmonious colors and disharmonious colors with each fragrance from color chart consisted of 18 colors. By factor analysis, MILD factor and CLEAR factor were extracted for the dimensions of fragrance impressions. Also, by multiple regression analysis, we could construct predictive formulas of harmonious/disharmonious color for fragrance. Experiment 2, we confirmed the predictive formulas in Experiment 1 reversibly. We asked 80 subjects to evaluate their impressions, degree of MILD and CLEAR, of 15 fragrances by the Visual Analog Scale. Subjects were also asked to select harmonious colors and disharmonious colors with each fragrance from 18‐color chart. To calculate the predictive rates of selection of harmonious/disharmonious colors with each fragrance, we applied the MILD and CLEAR scores of 15 fragrances to the predictive formulas in Experiment 1. We also calculated the correlation coefficient between those predictive rates and the actual rates of selection of harmonious/disharmonious colors that we get in Experiment 2. As a result, we found that the predictive formulas were quite accurate in most cases, suggesting that it is possible to develop a harmonious color model for fragrance. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 2012
DENEB: a platform for the development and execution of interoperable dynamic Web processes
Authors: Fabra J. , Álvarez P. , Bañares J.A. , Ezpeleta J.
Published: July 2011

Service‐oriented computing provides a suitable technological foundation for developing and executing dynamic business processes. However, most current approaches for composition languages and architectures for dynamic process integration do not provide the flexibility and dynamism required by interorganisational evolving environments. In this work, the DENEB platform for the development and execution of Web processes is presented. DENEB is based on the conversational approach and the Nets‐within‐Nets paradigm, allowing Web processes to acquire and execute new interaction protocols at run‐time. This makes DENEB a well‐adapted and flexible platform for dynamic service composition, interaction and integration, suitable for this kind of scenario. The scalability of the proposed solution is evaluated by means of the development of a set of experiments. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluating frame structure design in WiMAX relay networks
Authors: Taha Abd‐Elhamid M. , Kolomitro Pandeli , Hassanein Hossam , Abu Ali Najah
Published: July 2011

This paper evaluates the effect of the choice of frame structure type in WiMAX networks employing non‐transparent relay stations (ntRS). The IEEE 802.16j‐2009 amendment allows two frame structure types, single frame and multiframe. Thus far, a comparison of the two choices, in terms of network performance, has not been made. To facilitate this evaluation, we expanded on light WiMAX ns2 add‐on to support ntRS, the two‐frame structure types, in addition to the relevant operational requirements (e.g. QoS support). We observed that whereas the multi‐frame structure allows for higher throughput and voice capacities, the single frame shows some general advantage in terms of delay. A serious need exists, however, for schedulers that exploit the advantages of a dynamic multi‐frame structure in order to realize its full potential. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Parallelization and performance comparison of the conjugate gradient equation solver on multicore Cell and Xeon computers
Authors: Sibai Fadi N. , Saad Mohammad , Kidwai Hashir K.
Published: July 2011

Multicore accelerators are used today to supplement traditional superscalar processors in massively parallel computer nodes with extra floating‐point computation power. This paper presents our parallelization and performance enhancement and evaluation of the conjugate gradient (CG) linear equation solver with enhanced matrix multiplication on the Cell Broadband Engine accelerator. The paper also compares the CG performance results on the Cell and two CG implementations on a computer with two quadcore Xeon processors, one with OpenMP and the other with OpenMPI. We also report the enhancements made on the CG code and performance analysis of CG on single and dual Cell Broadband Engine packages with 8 and 16 synergistic processing elements and on Xeon for heptadiagonal matrices, in particular to matrix multiplication and synchronization. We also report the communication and computation time breakdowns and the floating point operations per second ratio. Our parallel CG solver is shown to scale well with data size, grid dimensionality, and number of cores. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Detection of mutations by flow cytometric melting point analysis of PCR products
Authors: Imre László , Balogh István , Kappelmayer János , Szabó Miklós , Melegh Béla , Wanker Erich , Szabó Gábor
Published: July 2011

Exploring the possibilities offered by flow cytometric microbead analyses for the detection of genetic alterations, an assay based on the dependence of the melting point of double‐stranded DNA molecules on their length has been developed, making use of PCR products carrying biotin and fluorescent moiety on their two ends. The samples of different length PCR products immobilized on streptavidine coated microbeads are heat‐treated in the presence of formamide at temperatures between the melting point of the longer and that of the shorter PCR product, when the mean fluorescence intensity of the beads carrying the shorter molecules decreases as a result of denaturation, as opposed to the sample containing the longer product. The efficacy and sensitivity of the method is demonstrated in the case of the assessment of the degree of triplet expansion in Huntington's disease. Its utility for the detection of point mutations in heterozygous clinical samples is shown in the case of the BRCA1 gene. The assay is simple and may be offered for the purposes of clinical diagnostics of a number of genetic conditions. These include screening of samples for triplet expansions and SNPs predisposing for particular pathological or pharmacogenomic conditions. In general, the method described herein is offered for the diagnosis of any pathological condition where the length of a genomic or cDNA sequence is expected to be different from that of the normal allele. © 2011 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
A new security model to prevent denial‐of‐service attacks and violation of availability in wireless networks
Authors: Malekzadeh Mina , Ghani Abdul Azim Abdul , Subramaniam Shamala
Published: July 2011

Wireless networks are deployed in many critical areas, such as health care centers, hospitals, police departments, and airports. In these areas, communication through the networks plays a vital role, and real‐time connectivity along with constant availability of the networks is highly important. However, one of the most serious threats against the networks availability is the denial‐of‐service attacks. In wireless networks, clear text form of control frames is a security flaw that can be exploited by the attackers to bring the wireless networks to a complete halt. To prevent the denial‐of‐service attacks against the wireless networks, we propose two distinct security models. The models are capable of preventing the attacks by detecting and discarding the forgery control frames belonging to the attackers. The models are implemented and evaluated under various experiments and trials. The results have proved that the proposed models significantly improve the security performance of the wireless networks. This gives advantage of safe communication that can substantially enhance the network availability while maintaining the quality of the network performance. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ecohydrology in practice: strengths, conveniences, and opportunities
Authors: King Elizabeth G. , Caylor Kelly K.
Published: July 2011

Fifteen years after the term ‘ecohydrology’ came into use to describe integrative research spanning the two parent disciplines, we discuss methodological traditions of the parent disciplines and assess trends in the methodologies utilized in the young hybrid field of ecohydrology. In particular, we explore whether the marriage between the disciplines is built on a marriage of methodological strengths from the parent fields or a marriage of convenient arenas of methodological overlap. In surveying 267 research articles from January 1996 to June 2010, we found that very few studies integrated the strongest methodological approaches from both parent disciplines. Hydrological strengths in the form of modelling studies are much more prevalent than ecological strengths of manipulative experimentation and hypothesis testing, and the two approaches are almost entirely decoupled in ecohydrological studies. Thus, there remains great opportunity to leverage the strengths of ecological and hydrological traditions to more aggressively build our understanding of coupled ecological and hydrological system functions. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Neonatal lung immune responses show a shift of cytokines and transcription factors toward Th2 and a deficit in conventional and plasmacytoid dendritic cells
Authors: Roux Xavier , Remot Aude , Petit‐Camurdan Agnès , Nahori Marie‐Anne , Kiefer‐Biasizzo Hélène , Marchal Gilles , Lagranderie Micheline , Riffault Sabine
Published: July 2011

The high incidence of lung‐damaging life‐threatening respiratory infections in infants may be related to the immaturity of their immune systems. To determine whether lung immune features differ in early life compared with those in adulthood, whole lung as well as lung T lymphocyte and DC responses were investigated in BALB/c neonates versus adults. Higher expression of GATA‐3 and rapid and sustained production of type 2 cytokines by lung explants after in vitro exposure to anti‐CD3 was the hallmark of the neonatal period, suggestive of a Th2 bias. Neonatal lung GATA‐3‐producing cells were identified as CD3+, CD4 and CD8 double‐negative T lymphocytes, a subset found at a higher frequency in neonatal than adult lung. The neonatal lungs contained fewer conventional DCs, with a lower ratio of CD103+ to CD11b+ DCs, and a much lower number of plasmacytoid DCs in comparison with adult lungs. Yet, when stimulated in vivo by BCG, neonatal lung DCs matured and primed adult naïve CD4+ T cells toward Th1 as efficiently as adult BCG‐primed lung DCs. Conversely, both adult and neonatal BCG‐primed lung DCs induced a Th2 cytokine response from neonatal naïve lymph node T cells, suggestive of an intrinsic feature of neonatal T lymphocytes.
Generation of anti‐inflammatory adenosine byleukocytes is regulated by TGF‐β
Authors: Regateiro Frederico S. , Howie Duncan , Nolan Kathleen F. , Agorogiannis Eleftherios I. , Greaves David R. , Cobbold Stephen P. , Waldmann Herman
Published: July 2011

Levels of anti‐inflammatory extracellular adenosine are controlled by the sequential action of the ectonucleotidases CD39 and CD73, whose expression in CD4+ T cells has been associated with natural regulatory T cells (nTregs). We here show that CD73 expression on activated murine CD4+ T cells is induced by TGF‐β independently of Foxp3 expression, operates at the transcriptional level and translates into gain of functional capacity to generate adenosine. In the presence of AMP, CD73 induced by TGF‐β generates adenosine able to suppress proliferation of activated CD4+ T cells in vitro. These effects are contextual and opposed by proinflammatory cytokines. CD73 is also upregulated by TGF‐β in CD8+ T cells, DCs and macrophages, so providing an amplification mechanism for adenosine generation in tissue microenvironments. Together, these findings expose a novel anti‐inflammatory role for TGF‐β.
Solvothermal Treatment of Triangular Molybdenum(IV) Oxo Species – A New Approach for the Synthesis of New Molybdenum Oxo Clusters
Authors: Zhao Jun , Xu Li
Published: July 2011

An unprecedented solvothermal treatment of triangular molybdenum oxo clusters K2[Mo3O4(Hnta)3] (1, nta = nitrilotriacetate) and H2bipy[Mo3O4(C2O4)3(H2O)3] (2, bipy = 4,4′‐bipyridine) was successfully established to prepare a series of new oligonuclear Mo(IV–VI) oxo clusters 3–5. Hydrothermal treatment of 1 in aqueous solution produced the hexanuclear cluster [MoIV6O10(bpy)4(Hnta)2]·10H2O (3, bpy = 2,2′‐bipyridine). Solvothermal oxidation of 2 was performed in pyridine (py) to yield the unprecedented decanuclear mixed‐valent oxo cluster [MoIV6MoVI4O24py8]·py (4). The further oxidized product [MoV8MoVI2O26py8]·2py (5) was obtained from a reaction at a higher temperature and for a longer duration. Clusters 3–5 have been characterized by X‐ray crystallography, elemental analysis, and UV/VIS and IR spectroscopy.
Reactive and Organosoluble SnO2 Nanoparticles by a Surfactant‐Free Non‐Hydrolytic Sol–Gel Route
Authors: Aboulaich Abdelhay , Boury Bruno , Mutin P. Hubert
Published: July 2011

Reactive SnO2 nanoparticles have been successfully prepared by a simple non‐hydrolytic sol–gel synthesis in CH2Cl2 at 110 °C by using SnCl4 as a precursor and diisopropyl ether (iPr2O) as an oxygen donor. The SnO2 nanocrystals, with a diameter of about 4 nm, formed stable sols in organic aprotic solvents in the absence of any surfactant or coordinating agent. The lack of aggregation has been attributed to the presence of Cl and OiPr surface groups instead of OH groups. These surface groups render the nanoparticles reactive towards hydroxylated surfaces, as shown by their reaction with an oxidized silicon wafer; the nanoparticles bind uniformly across the wafer to form a monolayer.
Response surface methodology for the optimization of the electrochemical degradation of phenol on Pb/Pbo2 electrode
Authors: Yahiaoui I. , Aissani‐Benissad F. , Fourcade F. , Amrane A.
Published: July 2011

The electrochemical oxidation of phenol on Pb/PbO2 electrode was carried out in order to develop a predictive model. A central composite design (CCD) was employed for the screening of significant operating parameters and to identify their most relevant interactions. The model equation obtained led to a classification of these parameters based on their level of significance, namely the current density, the temperature, the initial phenol concentration, and the agitation speed. In addition, three relevant interactions were found, current density—temperature, initial phenol concentration—current density and initial phenol concentration—temperature. After performing a screening of the various factors, response surface analysis led to the following optimal conditions for the yield of phenol degradation: 189 ≤ [pOH]0 ≤ 200 mg L−1, 19.66 ≤ i ≤ 25 mA cm−2, 600 rpm, and 60°C for the initial phenol concentration, the current density, the agitation speed, and the temperature , respectively. Under these conditions, the obtained phenol degradation yield was 71% and the chemical oxygen demand (COD) was reduced more than 45%. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 2011
The Megadeltas of Asia: interlinkage of land and sea, and human development
Authors: Chen Zhongyuan , Saito Yoshiki
Published: July 2011

This special issue describes research arising from the megadelta project of the Asia‐Pacific‐Networks (APN), undertaken between 2004 and 2009 (www.megadelta.ecnu.edu.cn). Numerous delta‐coast scientists from more than 20 countries were involved in the project concerned with developing our knowledge of land–estuarine–coastal interactions in megadeltas, and with fusing this knowledge with societal development and management. Project workshops were held in Bangkok (2004), Ho Chi Minh City (2005), Dhaka (2007) and Shanghai (2008) with over 500 participants. The main objectives of the project were: (1) development of regional databases; (2) understanding of delta formation and associated fluxes between land and sea; (3) knowledge transfer and building research capacity; and (4) understanding how better social management might follow. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.