bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of jet grouting on the various contracts in the Lower Inn Valley
Authors: Palla Reinhold , Leitner Stefan
Published: November 2009

The jet grouting process is being applied in a number of ways never attempted before as part of the four‐track improvement of the Lower Inn Valley line. In addition to the production of waterproof invert, ground improvement to reduce settlement and for the homogenisation of the excavation cross‐section in mixed face sections, special mined solutions in particular have been made possible by jet grouting. A horizontal jet grout screen for advance tunnel support was produced for the first time under compressed air conditions; the protection of a complete ringshaped jet‐grouted surround also made a mined compressed air drive possible. The jet grouting process was also used to carry out sealing blocks to enable the mined connection of various mechanically tunnelled rescue tunnels to the main tunnel driven by a TBM.

The specific conditions on the project combined with the difficult ground conditions typified by Inn gravel sediments, dejection fan deposits and man‐made fill demand all the knowledge and ability of the parties involved. The successful application of the jet grouting technique under these conditions assumes a very high quality of construction and a specifically adapted quality assurance system. Using the example of the contracts H7‐1 Fritzens Tunnel, H4‐3 Stans Tunnel and H8 Jenbach Tunnel, the various applications of the jet grouting technique are described, and also the difficulties that arose during construction.

Im Zuge des viergleisigen Ausbaus der Unterinntaltrasse wird das Düsenstrahlverfahren in einer noch nie dagewesenen Vielfalt angewandt. Neben der Herstellung von Dichtsohlen, Bodenverbesserungen zur Setzungsminimierung und zur Homogenisierung der Ausbruchquerschnitte in so genannten Mixed Face Bereichen wurden vor allem bergmännische Sonderbauweisen durch die Anwendung des Düsenstrahlverfahrens erst ermöglicht. Erstmalig wurde ein horizontaler DSV‐Schirm als Tunnelvoraussicherung unter Druckluftbedingungen hergestellt; im Schutz einer ringförmigen vollständigen DSV‐Umschließung konnte ebenso ein bergmännischer Druckluftvortrieb bewerkstelligt werden. Weiter wurden mit dem Düsenstrahlverfahren Dichtkörper ausgeführt, um den bergmännischen Anschluss verschiedener maschinell vorgetriebener Rettungsstollen an die mittels TBM aufgefahrenen Hauptröhren zu ermöglichen.

Die projektspezifischen Randbedingungen, verbunden mit den schwierigen Baugrundverhältnissen geprägt von Innschottersedimenten, Schwemmfächerablagerungen und anthropogenen Auffüllungen, verlangen sämtlichen Projektbeteiligten alles an Wissen und Können ab. Die erfolgreiche Anwendung des Düsenstrahlverfahrens unter diesen Umständen setzt eine sehr hohe Ausführungsqualität und ein spezifisch abgestimmtes Qualitätssicherungssystem voraus. Anhand der Fallbeispiele Los H7‐1 Tunnel Fritzens, Los H4‐3 Tunnel Stans und Los H8 Tunnel Jenbach werden die unterschiedlichen Anwendungen des Düsenstrahlverfahrens und auch die im Zuge der Bauausführung aufgetretenen Schwierigkeiten dargestellt.
Process controlling for the hydroshield drives in the Lower Inn Valley (H3‐4 and H8)
Authors: Schretter Klaus , Maidl Ulrich , Wingmann Jörg , Labda Thomas
Published: November 2009

The success factors cost, time, quality and safety can be considerably optimised on future tunnel projects through the analysis of the process data. A real‐time data analysis system to monitor the mechanical tunnelling works was installed on contracts H3‐4 and H8, part of the improvement of the Brenner rail corridor for the Brenner Eisenbahn GmbH (BEG). The intention was to exclude various technical, but also contractual interpretations from the client and the contractor, particularly regarding construction progress, which could have led to deadline and cost overruns, right from the start.

In order to clarify the sphere of risk during tunnelling work, BEG decided on the implementation of a process controlling system for the sections Münster‐Wiesing (H3‐4) and Jenbach (H8). The purpose is to promptly record the complex interactions between ground, structure and construction process, or ideally in real time. This should enable critical situations to be recognised early and the implementation of preventative measures in good time.

Die Erfolgsfaktoren Kosten, Zeit, Qualität und Sicherheit können bei künftigen Tunnelbauprojekten maßgeblich durch die Analyse der Prozessdaten optimiert werden. Im Rahmen des Ausbaus der Eisenbahnachse Brenner, Abschnitt Zulaufstrecke Nord, wurde für die Baulose H3‐4 und H8 von der Brenner Eisenbahn GmbH (BEG) ein Echtzeit‐Datenanalysesystem zur Überwachung der maschinellen Tunnelvortriebsarbeiten eingesetzt. Unterschiedliche technische, aber auch vertragliche Auslegungen von Auftraggeber und Aufragnehmer insbesondere zum Bau‐Soll, die zu Termin‐ und Kostenüberschreitungen führen können, sollten somit von Beginn an abgegrenzt werden.

Zur Klärung der Risikosphäre während der Vortriebsarbeiten wurde bei den Teilabschnitten Münster‐Wiesing (H3‐4) und Jenbach (H8) seitens der BEG die Implementierung eines Prozesscontrollingsystems beschlossen. Ziel ist es, die komplexen Wechselwirkungen zwischen Baugrund, Bauwerk und Bauverfahren zeitnah – nach Möglichkeit in Echtzeit – zu erfassen. Kritische Situationen sollten somit frühzeitig erkannt und präventive Maßnahmen rechtzeitig eingeleitet werden.
Temporary works for the project “Brenner rail axis, northern approach”
Authors: Saischek Michael , Diederich Dirk
Published: November 2009

The term temporary works includes a very wide range of plant and equipment. This article looks into construction electricity supply, lighting and communications as well as access control and location systems as implemented for the project “Brenner rail axis, northern approach, Kundl/Radfeld‐Baumkirchen”.

Unter dem Begriff Bauprovisorien werden verschiedenste Ausrüstungsanlagen geführt. In diesem Beitrag wird auf die Baustromversorgung, die Baubeleuchtung und die Baukommunikation sowie auf die Zutrittskontroll‐ und Ortungssysteme eingegangen, wie sie bei dem Projekt “Eisenbahnachse Brenner, Zulaufstrecke Nord, Kundl/Radfeld‐Baumkirchen” zum Einsatz kommen.
Variance‐components methods for linkage and association analysis of ordinal traits in general pedigrees
Authors: Diao G. , Lin D. Y.
Published: November 2009

Many complex human diseases such as alcoholism and cancer are rated on ordinal scales. Well‐developed statistical methods for the genetic mapping of quantitative traits may not be appropriate for ordinal traits. We propose a class of variance‐component models for the joint linkage and association analysis of ordinal traits. The proposed models accommodate arbitrary pedigrees and allow covariates and gene‐environment interactions. We develop efficient likelihood‐based inference procedures under the proposed models. The maximum likelihood estimators are approximately unbiased, normally distributed, and statistically efficient. Extensive simulation studies demonstrate that the proposed methods perform well in practical situations. An application to data from the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism is provided. Genet. Epidemiol. 34: 232–237, 2010.  © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Practical considerations for imputation of untyped markers in admixed populations
Authors: Shriner Daniel , Adeyemo Adebowale , Chen Guanjie , Rotimi Charles N.
Published: November 2009

Imputation of genotypes for markers untyped in a study sample has become a standard approach to increase genome coverage in genome‐wide association studies at practically zero cost. Most methods for imputing missing genotypes extend previously described algorithms for inferring haplotype phase. These algorithms generally fall into three classes based on the underlying model for estimating the conditional distribution of haplotype frequencies: a cluster‐based model, a multinomial model, or a population genetics‐based model. We compared BEAGLE, PLINK, and MACH, representing the three classes of models, respectively, with specific attention to measures of imputation success and selection of the reference panel for an admixed study sample of African Americans. Based on analysis of chromosome 22 and after calibration to a fixed level of 90% concordance between experimentally determined and imputed genotypes, MACH yielded the largest absolute number of successfully imputed markers and the largest gain in coverage of the variation captured by HapMap reference panels. Following the common practice of performing imputation once, the Yoruba in Ibadan, Nigeria (YRI) reference panel outperformed other HapMap reference panels, including (1) African ancestry from Southwest USA (ASW) data, (2) an unweighted combination of the Northern and Western Europe (CEU) and YRI data into a single reference panel, and (3) a combination of the CEU and YRI data into a single reference panel with weights matching estimates of admixture proportions. For our admixed study sample, the optimal strategy involved imputing twice with the HapMap CEU and YRI reference panels separately and then merging the data sets. Genet. Epidemiol. 34: 258–265, 2010.   © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Applications of digital outcrop models: two fluvial case studies from the Triassic Wolfville Fm., Canada and Oukaimeden Sandstone Fm., Morocco
Authors: van Lanen Xavier M. T. , Hodgetts David , Redfern Jonathan , Fabuel‐Perez Ivan
Published: November 2009

The application and benefits of employing digital outcrop models (DOMs) are discussed using two Triassic fluvial case studies to demonstrate data collection and integration methods. Developments in data analysis techniques are examined to demonstrate their utility for collecting meaningful and reliable statistical information needed to build realistic stochastic reservoir models. To establish a significant geostatistical dataset a large number of accurate observations are required. It is difficult to get the necessary statistics using subsurface data alone, due to the limited resolution and/or areal coverage of respectively seismic and well data. Outcrop studies are, therefore, commonly utilized to provide analogue statistical information (e.g. channel width, length, thickness and thickness vs. width ratio). Traditional data collection methods used in the field are however largely restricted to areas with (easy) physical access, or using remote observations with limited accuracy, such as photographic methods.

Digital data collection techniques such as LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and differential GPS allow more accurate measurements, as well as from previously inaccessible locations, to be taken of sedimentary architecture. The technique generates much larger volumes of measurements, as the area from which accurate data can be extracted is increased. This offers a more meaningful statistical dataset, hence reducing uncertainty in the final reservoir model.

Both case studies, the Oukaimeden Sandstone Formation (OSF), Morocco and Wolfville Formation, Canada, are from Late Triassic braided fluvial systems. The OSF dataset has been used to illustrate how geometric information of channel width versus thickness relationships (W:T) are collected using a projection plane technique. The results show W:T variations between 3.49:1 in the Lower Oukaimeden member, 1.54:1 in the Middle Oukaimeden member and 3.75:1 in the Upper Oukaimeden member, demonstrating the observed architectural evolution of the fluvial system. The Wolfville Formation case study shows how DGPS in combination with LiDAR data has been used to more accurately map faults to obtain statistical information on fault orientation (NE–SW) and length (mean = 38.3 m and median = 18.2 m). Another applied analysis technique utilizes a facies classified point‐cloud to aid surface correlations between sedimentary logs and construct a log based correlation panel from which estimates of facies frequencies are derived. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Incentives to reduce groundwater consumption in Yemen
Authors: Hellegers P.J.G.J. , Perry C.J. , Al‐Aulaqi Nasser
Published: November 2009

In this paper options for changing the incentive structure to reduce unsustainable groundwater consumption in Yemen are evaluated. Special attention is paid to incentives that decrease the profitability of irrigation water use and subsidies on improved irrigation technology. Although the literature and economic theory suggest that the range of possible incentives is wide (water pricing, metering, water rights, water markets, taxes, subsidies, information, participatory management, etc.), the results of this study show that the range of potentially effective incentives in the Yemeni political context is more limited due to difficulties of implementing and enforcing change. The Yemeni case is unique, as there is a close linkage between water and qat production. Reducing water consumption will substantially reduce the benefits from qat production and consequently farm income, which is a politically sensitive way of bringing about a balance between supply and demand of water. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Titanium surfaces with adherent selenium nanoclusters as a novel anticancer orthopedic material
Authors: Tran Phong A. , Sarin Love , Hurt Robert H. , Webster Thomas J.
Published: November 2009

Current orthopedic implants have several problems that include poor osseointegration for extended periods of time, stress shielding and wear debris‐associated bone cell death. In addition, numerous patients receive orthopedic implants as a result of bone cancer resection, yet current orthopedic materials were not designed to prevent either the occurrence or reoccurrence of cancer. The objective of this in vitro study was to create a new biomaterial which can both restore bone and prevent cancer growth at the implant‐tissue interface. Elemental selenium was chosen as the biologically active agent in this study because of its known chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic properties. It was found that when selenite salts were reduced by glutathione in the presence of an immersed titanium substrate, elemental selenium nucleated and grew into adherent, hemispherical nanoclusters that formed a nanostructured composite surface. Three types of surfaces with different selenium surface densities on titanium were fabricated and confirmed by SEM images, AFM, and XPS profiles. Compared to conventional untreated titanium, a high‐density selenium‐doped surface inhibited cancerous bone cell proliferation while promoting healthy bone cell functions (including adhesion, proliferation, alkaline phosphatase activity and calcium deposition). These findings showed for the first time the potential of selenium nanoclusters as a chemopreventive titanium orthopedic material coating that can also promote healthy bone cell functions. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2010
Intracellular redox imbalance and extracellular amino acid metabolic abnormality contribute to arsenic‐induced developmental retardation in mouse preimplantation embryos
Authors: Zhang Chuanling , Liu Chunmei , Li Dan , Yao Nan , Yuan Xiaohua , Yu Aiping , Lu Cailing , Ma Xu
Published: November 2009

Inorganic arsenic, an environmental contaminant, is known to cause cancer, developmental retardation, and many other serious diseases. Previous researches have shown that arsenic exerts its toxicity partially through generating reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, it is still not well understood how ROS links arsenic exposure to developmental retardation of preimplantation embryo. Here we demonstrate that high‐level arsenite induces severe redox imbalance by decreasing the levels of glutathione and increasing the levels of ROS through the oxidative stress adaptor p66Shc, which induces apoptosis by activating the cytochrome c‐caspase. In addition, low‐level arsenite seriously perturbs the metabolism of extracellular amino acid, especially that of the cytotoxic and antioxidative amino acids in preimplantation embryos, may also be the reason for developmental delay. Furthermore, An antioxidant, N‐acetyl‐L‐cysteine, improves the development of arsenite‐exposed embryos by reducing intracellular ROS and adjusting amino acid metabolism, suggesting that increasing the intracellular antioxidant level may have preventive or therapeutic effects on arsenic‐induced embryonic toxicity. In conclusion, we suggest that p66Shc‐linked redox imbalance and abnormal extracellular amino acid metabolism mediate arsenite‐induced embryonic retardation. J. Cell. Physiol. 222: 444–455, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Endoglin is involved in BMP‐2‐induced osteogenic differentiation of periodontal ligament cells through a pathway independent of Smad‐1/5/8 phosphorylation
Authors: Ishibashi Osamu , Ikegame Mika , Takizawa Fumio , Yoshizawa Tatsuya , Moksed Md. Ali , Iizawa Futabako , Mera Hisashi , Matsuda Akio , Kawashima Hiroyuki
Published: November 2009

The periodontal ligament (PDL), a connective tissue located between the cementum of teeth and the alveolar bone of mandibula, plays a crucial role in the maintenance and regeneration of periodontal tissues. The PDL contains fibroblastic cells of a heterogeneous cell population, from which we have established several cell lines previously. To analyze characteristics unique for PDL at a molecular level, we performed cDNA microarray analysis of the PDL cells versus MC3T3‐E1 osteoblastic cells. The analysis followed by validation by reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction and immunochemical staining revealed that endoglin, which had been shown to associate with transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β and bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) as signaling modulators, was abundantly expressed in PDL cells but absent in osteoblastic cells. The knockdown of endoglin greatly suppressed the BMP‐2‐induced osteoblastic differentiation of PDL cells and subsequent mineralization. Interestingly, the endoglin knockdown did not alter the level of Smad‐1/5/8 phosphorylation induced by BMP‐2, while it suppressed the BMP‐2‐induced expression of Id1, a representative BMP‐responsive gene. Therefore, it is conceivable that endoglin regulates the expression of BMP‐2‐responsive genes in PDL cells at some site downstream of Smad‐1/5/8 phosphorylation. Alternatively, we found that Smad‐2 as well as Smad‐1/5/8 was phosphorylated by BMP‐2 in the PDL cells, and that the BMP‐2‐induced Smad‐2 phosphorylation was suppressed by the endoglin knockdown. These results, taken together, raise a possibility that PDL cells respond to BMP‐2 via a unique signaling pathway dependent on endoglin, which is involved in the osteoblastic differentiation and mineralization of the cells. J. Cell. Physiol. 222: 465–473, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Taxol induces paraptosis independent of both protein synthesis and MAPK pathway
Authors: Sun Qingrui , Chen Tongsheng , Wang Xiaoping , Wei Xunbin
Published: November 2009

Our recent studies have shown that high concentration of taxol induced a caspase‐independent paraptosis‐like cell death and cytoplasmic vacuolization derived predominantly from endoplasmic reticulum (ER) swelling in human lung carcinoma cell lines (ASTC‐a‐1). In this report, we further explored the relationship between taxol‐induced cell death and vacuolization, and the roles of protein synthesis, mitogen‐activated protein kinase kinases (MEK), c‐jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK) and P38 in taxol‐induced paraptosis. Enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) was used to probe the cell morphological change, while ER‐targeted red fluorescent protein (er‐RFP) was used to probe ER spatial distribution. Real‐time monitoring of the ER swelling dynamics during the formation of vacuolization inside single living cells co‐expressing EGFP and er‐RFP further demonstrated that taxol‐induced cytoplasmic vacuolization was from the ER restructuring due to fusion and swelling. PI staining showed that taxol‐induced vacuolization was not necrosis. These results further demonstrated that the taxol‐induced cell death was neither apoptosis nor necrosis, and fitted the criteria of paraptosis characterized by cytoplasmic vacuolization, caspase‐independence, lack of apoptotic morphology and insensitivity to broad caspase inhibitor. Our data further indicated that taxol‐induced paraptosis required neither protein synthesis nor the participation of MEK, JNK, and P38, which was different from the insulin‐like growth factor I receptor (IGFIR)‐induced paraptosis. These results suggest that high concentration of taxol activates an alternative paraptotic cell death pathway. J. Cell. Physiol. 222: 421–432, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Influence of bone‐derived matrices on generation of bone in an ectopic rat model
Authors: Bahar H. , Yaffe A. , Boskey A. , Binderman I.
Published: November 2009

Most bone regeneration experimental models that test bone‐derived matrices take place in conjunction with the native bone. Here, we compared the relative effectiveness of bone matrix components on bone‐marrow‐directed osteogenesis in an ectopic model. Cortical bone cylinders consisted of diaphysis of DA rat femurs. They were either demineralized (DBM), deproteinized (HABM), or nontreated (MBM). Fresh bone marrow was placed into cylinders and implanted at subcutaneous thoracic sites of 2‐month‐old DA rats. At designated times the cylinders were surgically removed from the animals. Microradiographs of DBM and histology of DBM and MBM cylinders demonstrated progressive increase in mineralized bone volume and its trabecular configuration. Bone filled the inner volume of DBM and MBM cylinders within 4 weeks, while in HABM cylinders mostly granulation tissue developed. In the DBM cylinders cartilage deposited within 10 days, while in the MBM cylinders bone was directly deposited. As early as day 3 after marrow transplantation, marrow cells interacting with DBM increased significantly the genes that express the cartilage and the bone phenotype. In conclusion, organic components of bone are needed for marrow‐directed osteogenesis. © 2009 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 28:664–670, 2010
Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein‐7 enhances fracture healing in an ischemic environment
Authors: Lu Chuanyong , Xing Zhiqing , Yu Yan‐yiu , Colnot Celine , Miclau Theodore , Marcucio Ralph S.
Published: November 2009

Ischemia predisposes orthopedic trauma patients to delayed fracture healing or nonunion. The goal of this study was to test the ability of bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7) to stimulate fracture repair in an ischemic environment. Ischemic fractures were generated in male adult mice by resecting the femoral artery prior to the creation of a nonstabilized tibia fracture. Recombinant human BMP7 (rhBMP7, 50 µg) was injected into the fracture site immediately after surgery. At 7 days after injury, more tissue vascularization was observed in rhBMP7 treated fractures. Histomorphometric analyses revealed that rhBMP7 induced more cartilage at day 7, more callus and bone at days 14 and 28, and more adipose tissue and fibrous tissue at days 7, 14, and 28 compared to controls (n = 5/group/time). At day 28, all fractures treated with rhBMP7 (50 µg, n = 5) healed, whereas only three of five control fractures exhibited slight bony bridging. In addition, we found that rhBMP7 (both 10 and 50 µg) significantly increased the amount of cartilage compared to controls in stabilized fractures, confirming its chondrogenic effect. Lastly, using bone marrow transplantation, we determined that no donor‐derived osteocytes or chondrocytes were present in rhBMP7‐treated fractures, suggesting rhBMP7 did not recruit mesenchymal stem cells from the bone marrow to the fracture site. In conclusion, our results indicate that rhBMP7 is a promising treatment for fractures with severely disrupted blood supply. © 2009 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 28:687–696, 2010
Lack of quadriceps dysfunction in women with early knee osteoarthritis
Authors: Thomas Abbey C. , Sowers MaryFran , Karvonen‐Gutierrez Carrie , Palmieri‐Smith Riann M.
Published: November 2009

Quadriceps dysfunction, specifically weakness and central activation failure (CAF), has been implicated in the development and progression of knee osteoarthritis (OA), though few data are available to confirm its presence in early OA. The purpose of this study was to determine the presence and magnitude of quadriceps dysfunction in those with and without early knee OA. Thirty‐five female volunteers were classified into two groups, OA (n = 22) and control (n = 13), based on the presence [Kellgren‐Lawrence (K‐L) grade 2] or absence (K‐L grade 0–1) of mild OA, respectively. Isometric quadriceps strength and central activation ratio (CAR) were assessed and compared between groups utilizing a one‐way ANOVA. Frequency statistics and Fisher's exact test were used to compare the percentage of women with and without CAF between groups. Quadriceps strength (control: 1.47 ± 0.62 Nm/kg; OA: 1.30 ± 0.62 Nm/kg; p = 0.45) was not significantly different for women with and without mild OA. Further, the CAR (control: 0.91 ± 0.07; OA: 0.87 ± 0.12; p = 0.19) did not differ between groups; however, women in both groups presented with CAF (control: 54%; OA: 73%; p = 0.29). Our results suggest that the women with mild osteoarthritis do not present with quadriceps dysfunction. © 2009 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 28:595–599, 2010
Mechanobiological response of tendon stem cells: Implications of tendon homeostasis and pathogenesis of tendinopathy
Authors: Zhang Jianying , Wang James H‐C.
Published: November 2009

Tendons are constantly subjected to mechanical loading in vivo. Recently, stem cells were identified in human, mouse, and rabbit tendons, but the mechanobiological responses of tendon stem cells (TSCs) are still undefined. Using an in vitro system capable of mimicking in vivo loading conditions, it was determined that mechanical stretching increased TSC proliferation in a stretching magnitude‐dependent manner. Moreover, low mechanical stretching at 4% (“clamp‐to‐clamp” engineering strain) promoted differentiation of TSCs into tenocytes, whereas large stretching at 8% induced differentiation of some TSCs into adipogenic, chondrogenic, and osteogenic lineages, as indicated by upregulated expression of marker genes for adipocytes, chondrocytes, and osteocytes. Thus, low mechanical stretching may be beneficial to tendons by enabling differentiation of TSCs into tenocytes to maintain tendon homeostasis. However, large mechanical loading may be detrimental, as it directs differentiation of TSCs into non‐tenocytes in tendons, thus resulting in lipid accumulation, mucoid formation, and tissue calcification, which are typical features of tendinopathy at later stages. © 2009 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 28:639–643, 2010
FT‐Raman, FT‐IR spectral and DFT studies on 6, 8‐dichloroflavone and 6, 8‐dibromoflavone
Authors: Erdogdu Yusuf , Unsalan Ozan , Gulluoglu M. Tahir
Published: November 2009

In this study, experimental and theoretical vibrational spectral results of the molecular structures of 6,8‐dichloroflavone (6,8‐dcf) and 6,8‐dibromoflavone (6,8‐dbf) are presented. The FT‐IR and FT‐Raman spectra of the compounds have been recorded together between 4000 and 400 cm−1and 3500–5 cm−1regions, respectively. The molecular geometry and vibrational wavenumbers of 6,8‐dcf and 6,8‐dbf in their ground state have been calculated by using DFT/B3LYP functional, with 6‐31 + + G(d,p) basis set used in calculations. All calculations were performed with Gaussian03 software. The obtained vibrational wavenumbers and optimized geometric parameters were seen to be in good agreement with the experimental data. Scale factors have been used in order to compare how the calculated and experimental data are in agreement. Theoretical infrared intensities are also reported. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Density functional theory calculation and vibrational spectral analysis of 4‐hydroxy‐3‐(3‐oxo‐1‐phenylbutyl)‐2H‐1‐benzopyran‐2‐one
Authors: Amalanathan M. , Hubert Joe I. , Kostova Irena
Published: November 2009

The Fourier transform infrared (4000–400 cm−1) and Fourier transform Raman (3500–500 cm−1) spectra of 4‐hydroxy‐3‐(3‐oxo‐1‐phenylbutyl)‐2H‐1‐benzopyran‐2‐one (Warfarin) have been measured and calculated. The structure optimization has been made using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Complete vibrational assignments of the observed spectra have been compared with theoretical wavenumbers. The wavenumber increasing in the methyl group shows the electronic hyperconjugation effect. The natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis reveals the hyperconjugation interaction and the intramolecular hydrogen bonding. The first‐order hyperpolarizability has been calculated. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Magnetic field homogenization of the human prefrontal cortex with a set of localized electrical coils
Authors: Juchem Christoph , Nixon Terence W. , McIntyre Scott , Rothman Douglas L. , de Graaf Robin A.
Published: November 2009

The prefrontal cortex is a common target brain structure in psychiatry and neuroscience due to its role in working memory and cognitive control. Large differences in magnetic susceptibility between the air‐filled sinuses and the tissue/bone in the frontal part of the human head cause a strong and highly localized magnetic field focus in the prefrontal cortex. As a result, image distortion and signal dropout are observed in MR imaging. A set of external electrical coils is presented that provides localized and high‐amplitude shim fields in the prefrontal cortex, with minimum impact on the rest of the brain when combined with regular zero‐ to second‐order spherical harmonics shimming. The experimental realization of the new shim method strongly minimized or even eliminated signal dropout in gradient‐echo images acquired at settings typically used in functional magnetic resonance at 4 T. Magn Reson Med, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The impact of the relaxivity definition on the quantitative measurement of glycosaminoglycans in cartilage by the MRI dGEMRIC method
Authors: Zheng ShaoKuan , Xia Yang
Published: November 2009

The relaxivities (R‐values) of the gadolinium diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (Gd(DTPA)2−) ions in a series of skim‐milk solutions at 0–40% milk concentrations were measured using NMR spectroscopy. The R‐value was found to be approximately linearly proportional to the concentration of the solid component in the milk solution. Using the R‐value at 20% solid component (approximately the solid concentration in bovine nasal cartilage), the glycosaminoglycan concentration in bovine nasal cartilage can be quantified using the MRI delayed gadolinium‐enhanced MRI of cartilage method without the customary scaling factor of 2. This finding is also supported by the measurements using 23Na NMR spectroscopy, 23Na inductively coupled plasma analysis, and biochemical assay. The choice of the R‐value definition in the MRI delayed gadolinium‐enhanced MRI of cartilage method is discussed, and the definition of Gd(DTPA)2− ions as “millimole per volume of tissue (or milk solution for substitution)” should be used. Magn Reson Med, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
An MR‐compatible bicycle ergometer for in‐magnet whole‐body human exercise testing
Authors: Jeneson Jeroen A. L. , Schmitz Joep P. J. , Hilbers Peter A. J. , Nicolay Klaas
Published: November 2009

An MR‐compatible ergometer was developed for in‐magnet whole‐body human exercise testing. Designed on the basis of conventional mechanically braked bicycle ergometers and constructed from nonferrous materials, the ergometer was implemented on a 1.5‐T whole‐body MR scanner. A spectrometer interface was constructed using standard scanner hardware, complemented with custom‐built parts and software to enable gated data acquisition during exercise. High‐quality 31P NMR spectra were reproducibly obtained from the medial head of the quadriceps muscle of the right leg of eight healthy subjects during two‐legged high‐frequency pedaling (80 revolutions per minute) at three incremental workloads, including maximal. Muscle phosphocreatine content dropped 82%, from 32.2 ± 1.0 mM at rest to 5.7 ± 1.1 mM at maximal workload (mean ± standard error; n = 8), indicating that the majority of quadriceps motor units were recruited. The cardiovascular load of the exercise was likewise significant, as evidenced by heart rates of 150 (±10%) beats per minute, measured immediately afterward. As such, the newly developed MR bicycling exercise equipment offers a powerful new tool for clinical musculoskeletal and cardiovascular MR investigation. The basic design of the ergometer is highly generic and adaptable for application on a wide selection of whole‐body MR scanners. Magn Reson Med, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Phase‐unwrapping algorithm for translation extraction from spherical navigator echoes
Authors: Liu Junmin , Drangova Maria
Published: November 2009

Spherical navigator echoes have been shown to determine rigid‐body rotation and translation simultaneously. Following the determination of rotation, translations are determined from the phase change between the baseline and transformed spherical navigator echoes. Because the measured phase change is limited in the interval (−π, π), a phase‐unwrapping algorithm is required to recover the true phase change in absolute values. The unwrapping algorithm presented in this article is based on a priori information about the true translation‐induced phase‐change function. The algorithm is verified using simulation and in vivo experiments, and the accuracy and precision of translation determination are evaluated. Specifically, the effects of background and off‐resonance‐induced phase noise are explored. When the proposed phase‐unwrapping algorithm was used, translations up to 15 mm were measured, with accuracy better than 5%; for translations up to 40 mm, an error of approximately 10% was observed. Magn Reson Med, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Longitudinal analysis of MRI T2 knee cartilage laminar organization in a subset of patients from the osteoarthritis initiative
Authors: Carballido‐Gamio Julio , Blumenkrantz Gabrielle , Lynch John A. , Link Thomas M. , Majumdar Sharmila
Published: November 2009

The purpose of this pilot study was to longitudinally quantify the T2 laminar integrity of knee cartilage in a subset of subjects with osteoarthritis from the Osteoarthritis Initiative at baseline, 1‐year follow‐up, and 2‐year follow‐up. Cartilage from 13 subjects was divided into six compartments and subdivided into deep and superficial layers. At each time point, mean T2 values in superficial and deep layers were compared. Longitudinal analysis included full‐thickness mean T2, mean deep T2, mean superficial T2, mean T2 laminar difference, mean percentage T2 laminar difference, and two‐dimensional measures of cartilage thickness. More compartments showed significantly higher superficial T2 than deep T2 values at baseline and 1‐year follow‐up compared to 2‐year follow‐up. No significant longitudinal changes of full‐thickness mean T2 and superficial T2 values were observed. Significant longitudinal changes were observed in the deep T2 values, T2 laminar difference, and percentage T2 laminar difference. Cartilage thickness had no influence on T2 analysis. Results of this study suggest that laminar analysis may improve the sensitivity to detect longitudinal T2 changes and that disruption of the T2 laminar organization of knee cartilage may be present in knee osteoarthritis progressors. Further investigation is warranted to evaluate the potential of the presented methodology to better characterize evolution and pathophysiology of osteoarthritis. Magn Reson Med, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
An expandable catheter loop coil for intravascular MRI in larger blood vessels
Authors: Homagk Ann‐Kathrin , Umathum Reiner , Korn Matthias , Weber Marc‐André , Hallscheidt Peter , Semmler Wolfhard , Bock Michael
Published: November 2009

The present study proposes a catheter system with an expandable coil etched on a polyimide foil. The catheter system combines the advantages of a small insertion diameter when the coil is rolled up in a protective carrier sheath with an increased signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) and penetration depth when the coil is pushed out. After imaging, the coil can be retracted into the sheath and folded back into the initial rolled‐up configuration due to the tapered geometry of the carrier foil. The catheter system was tested on two healthy anesthetized pigs, including tracking and high‐resolution intravascular imaging. To reduce artifacts in high‐resolution images induced by catheter motion in the pulsatile blood flow, a motion‐gating method was implemented that combines a flow‐compensated two‐dimensional fast low angle shot (FLASH) imaging sequence with the acquisition of projection data for retrospective gating. Using the projection data for motion detection, image SNR was increased by up to 500% over uncorrected images, and anatomic structures of 150 μm size could be differentiated in the aorta. Magn Reson Med, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The illusion of severe carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS)
Authors: Gutmann Ludwig , Nance Christopher
Published: November 2009

Thenar atrophy occurs in patients with severe carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) of long‐standing duration. In this report we present a young woman with mild bilateral CTS, based on electrophysiological studies, in whom marked thenar atrophy was on a congenital basis related to the VATER association (vertebral anomalies, anal atresia, tracheoesophageal fistula, and radial or renal abnormalities). Muscle Nerve, 2010
Diabetic neuropathy: Electrophysiological and morphological study of peripheral nerve degeneration and regeneration in transgenic mice that express IFNβ in β cells
Authors: Serafín Anna , Molín Jessica , Márquez Merce , Blasco Ester , Vidal Enric , Foradada Laia , Añor Sonia , Rabanal Rosa M. , Fondevila Dolors , Bosch Fàtima , Pumarola Martí
Published: November 2009

Diabetic neuropathy is one of the most frequent complications in diabetes but there are no treatments beyond glucose control, due in part to the lack of an appropriate animal model to assess an effective therapy. This study was undertaken to characterize the degenerative and regenerative responses of peripheral nerves after induced sciatic nerve damage in transgenic rat insulin I promoter / human interferon beta (RIP/IFNβ) mice made diabetic with a low dose of streptozotocin (STZ) as an animal model of diabetic complications. In vivo, histological and immunohistological studies of cutaneous and sciatic nerves were performed after left sciatic crush. Functional tests, cutaneous innervation, and sciatic nerve evaluation showed pronounced neurological reduction in all groups 2 weeks after crush. All animals showed a gradual recovery but this was markedly slower in diabetic animals in comparison with normoglycemic animals. The delay in regeneration in diabetic RIP/IFNβ mice resulted in an increase in active Schwann cells and regenerating neurites 8 weeks after surgery. These findings indicate that diabetic‐RIP/IFNβ animals mimic human diabetic neuropathy. Moreover, when these animals are submitted to nerve crush they have substantial deficits in nerve regrowth, similar to that observed in diabetic patients. When wildtype animals were treated with the same dose of STZ, no differences were observed with respect to nontreated animals, indicating that low doses of STZ and the transgene are not implicated in development of the degenerative and regenerative events observed in our study. All these findings indicate that RIP/IFNβ transgenic mice are a good model for diabetic neuropathy. Muscle Nerve, 2010
Generalized finite element enrichment functions for discontinuous gradient fields
Authors: Aragón Alejandro M. , Duarte C. Armando , Geubelle Philippe H.
Published: November 2009

A general GFEM/XFEM formulation is presented to solve two‐dimensional problems characterized by C0 continuity with gradient jumps along discrete lines, such as those found in the thermal and structural analysis of heterogeneous materials or in line load problems in homogeneous media. The new enrichment functions presented in this paper allow solving problems with multiple intersecting discontinuity lines, such as those found at triple junctions in polycrystalline materials and in actively cooled microvascular materials with complex embedded networks. We show how the introduction of enrichment functions yields accurate finite element solutions with meshes that do not conform to the geometry of the discontinuity lines. The use of the proposed enrichments in both linear and quadratic approximations is investigated, as well as their combination with interface enrichment functions available in the literature. Through a detailed convergence study, we demonstrate that quadratic approximations do not require any correction to the method to recover optimal convergence rates and that they perform better than linear approximations for the same number of degrees of freedom in the solution of these types of problems. In the linear case, the effectiveness of correction functions proposed in the literature is also investigated. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Applying magnetic soft mold imprint technology with ultraviolet light‐emitting‐diode array on the fabrication of microlens arrays
Authors: Weng Y.‐J. , Yang S.‐Y.
Published: November 2009

This study proposed a novel technology, which uses exposed technology with ultraviolet light‐emitting‐diode (UV‐LED) arrays and the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) magnetic flexible soft mold imprint technology, to develop exposed equipments with UV‐LED arrays. This study used magnetic soft mold imprint technology to replicate the structure of microlens, providing a more effective alternative for imprint technology and application. The measurement results showed that PDMS with magnetic iron powder can precisely cast mold to replicate the structures of microlens. Electromagnetic plates were used to control even imprinting with magnetic force, in order to fill the mold of micro‐structure of the photo‐resist. Magnetic iron powder was added to PDMS to produce composite material, which can effectively avoid the transformation of pure PDMS during soft mold imprinting, and increase mechanical strength. Magnetic PDMS soft mold is easy to make, and the casting time is short, so that costs can be effectively reduced. Also with advantages of less free energy on its surface, and unlikely to adhere to the photo‐resist during imprinting, it can be combined with electromagnetic plates evenly to control the magnetic soft mold. This imprinting technology is a big advantage to the production process of micro‐structures during imprinting. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Conducting films of poly(aniline‐co‐1‐amino‐ 2‐naphthol‐4‐sulfonic acid) blended with LDPE for its application as antistatic encapsulation material
Authors: Bhandari Hema , Singh Satpal , Choudhary Veena , Dhawan S. K.
Published: November 2009

The paper presents the electrostatic charge dissipative (ESD) properties of the conducting copolymers of aniline (AN) and 1‐amino‐2‐naphthol‐4‐sulfonic acid (ANSA) blended with low‐density polyethylene (LDPE). The copolymers of aniline and ANSA were synthesized under different reaction conditions. Blending of copolymers with LDPE was carried out in twin screw extruder by melt blending method by loading 0.5 and 1.0 wt% of the conducting copolymer in LDPE matrix. The mechanical properties of the blended films depend on the incorporation of copolymer in the LDPE matrix. The morphology of copolymer–LDPE blend was studied by scanning electron microscopy. The conductivity of the blown film of poly(AN‐co‐ANSA)/LDPE blend was found to be in the range of 10−6–10−11 S/cm, showing its potential use as antistatic bag for the encapsulation of electronic equipments. The static decay time of the film was found to be of the order of 0.1–1.9 sec on recording the decay time from 5000 to 500 V. Static charge measurements carried out on the films show that no charge is present on the surface. The level of interaction between the copolymers and the matrix polymer was determined by the FTIR spectra, blend morphology, electrical conductivity, and thermal analysis. The effect of the morphology on electrical and antistatic behavior of copolymers has also been investigated. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Our changing view of the genomic landscape of cancer
Authors: Bell Daphne W
Published: November 2009

Sporadic tumours, which account for the majority of all human cancers, arise from the acquisition of somatic, genetic and epigenetic alterations leading to changes in gene sequence, structure, copy number and expression. Within the last decade, the availability of a complete sequence‐based map of the human genome, coupled with significant technological advances, has revolutionized the search for somatic alterations in tumour genomes. Recent landmark studies, which resequenced all coding exons within breast, colorectal, brain and pancreatic cancers, have shed new light on the genomic landscape of cancer. Within a given tumour type there are many infrequently mutated genes and a few frequently mutated genes, resulting in incredible genetic heterogeneity. However, when the altered genes are placed into biological processes and biochemical pathways, this complexity is significantly reduced and shared pathways that are affected in significant numbers of tumours can be discerned. The advent of next‐generation sequencing technologies has opened up the potential to resequence entire tumour genomes to interrogate protein‐encoding genes, non‐coding RNA genes, non‐genic regions and the mitochondrial genome. During the next decade it is anticipated that the most common forms of human cancer will be systematically surveyed to identify the underlying somatic changes in gene copy number, sequence and expression. The resulting catalogues of somatic alterations will point to candidate cancer genes requiring further validation to determine whether they have a causal role in tumourigenesis. The hope is that this knowledge will fuel improvements in cancer diagnosis, prognosis and therapy, based on the specific molecular alterations that drive individual tumours. In this review, I will provide a historical perspective on the identification of somatic alterations in the pre‐ and post‐genomic eras, with a particular emphasis on recent pioneering studies that have provided unprecedented insights into the genomic landscape of human cancer. Published in 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Oncogenic function of microtubule end‐binding protein 1 in breast cancer
Authors: Dong Xin , Liu Fangfang , Sun Lei , Liu Min , Li Dengwen , Su Dan , Zhu Zhengmao , Dong Jin‐Tang , Fu Li , Zhou Jun
Published: November 2009

Microtubule end‐binding protein 1 (EB1) is an evolutionarily conserved protein that regulates microtubule dynamics and participates in diverse cell activities. Here, we demonstrate that EB1 expression is up‐regulated in human breast cancer specimens and cell lines. The level of EB1 correlates with clinicopathological parameters indicating the malignancy of breast cancer, including higher histological grade, higher pathological tumour node metastasis (pTNM) stage, and higher incidence of lymph node metastasis. Knockdown of EB1 expression remarkably inhibits cancer cell proliferation, and conversely, elevation of its expression promotes cell proliferation. Our data further show that EB1 promotes colony formation and enhances tumour growth in nude mice. In addition, EB1 stimulates Aurora‐B activity in breast cancer cells, and EB1 expression correlates with increased Aurora‐B activity in clinical samples of breast cancer. These findings thus suggest an oncogenic role for EB1 in breast cancer. Copyright © 2009 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.