bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modified ileocolic free flap: Viable choice for reconstruction of total laryngopharyngectomy with total glossectomy
Authors: Rossmiller Sarah R. , Ghanem Tamer A. , Gross Neil D. , Wax Mark K.
Published: April 2009

Background

Reconstruction following total laryngopharyngectomy and total glossectomy is quite challenging. Many free flaps are not options for reconstruction of this particular defect because of the large area that requires reconstruction and the size discrepancies of the oral and esophageal stomas. We propose a modified ileocolic free flap for reconstruction of these defects.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective chart review.

Results

Two patients underwent a modified ileocolic free flap following total laryngopharyngectomy and total glossectomy. One of these patients was able to tolerate thin liquids by mouth, and 1 patient developed severe trismus limiting oral intake. There were no significant flap‐related complications aside from fistula in 3 patients that healed with conservative management.

Conclusions

The modified ileocolic free flap is a viable option for reconstruction following total laryngopharyngectomy and total glossectomy. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2009
Factors associated with quality of life in outpatients with head and neck cancer 6 months after diagnosis
Authors: Rogers Laura Q. , Rao Krishna , Malone James , Kandula Praveen , Ronen Ohad , Markwell Stephen J. , Courneya Kerry S. , Robbins K. Thomas
Published: April 2009

Background

Identifying patients with head and neck cancer at greatest risk of poor health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) will facilitate screening for such patients and targeted interventions.

Methods

This was a cross‐sectional, self‐administered survey with medical record review among 65 out‐patients with head and neck cancer >6 months from diagnosis and off treatment.

Results

Most were men (80%) and white (95%), with a mean age of 60 ± 13 years. The most prevalent cancer type was squamous cell (88%), site was pharyngeal (40%), and stage was III or IV (80%). Lower total HRQOL was independently associated with gastrostomy (p < .001) and history of radiation therapy (p < .05)(R2 = 0.27). Certain HRQOL subscales were also independently associated with depression, body mass index, age, and education.

Conclusions

Several factors can be used to identify patients with head and neck cancer at risk for persistent reductions in HRQOL requiring intervention. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2009
Endoscopic horizontal partial laryngectomy by CO2 laser in the management of supraglottic squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Bussu Francesco , Almadori Giovanni , De Corso Eugenio , Rizzo Davide , Rigante Mario , Parrilla Claudio , Valentini Vincenzo , Paludetti Gaetano
Published: April 2009

Background.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the results of endoscopic horizontal supraglottic laryngectomy (EHSL) by CO2 laser.

Methods.

Between 1996 and 2005, 78 patients underwent a horizontal supraglottic laryngectomy operation (HSL) with an external approach and 70 underwent laser EHSL, as treatment for supraglottic laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). We evaluated oncological endpoints, comparing the external and the endoscopic approach.

Results.

Among patients primarily treated by EHSL, the 5‐year disease‐specific survival (DSS) was 89% (vs 80% in the external approach group). Statistical analysis did not reveal significant differences between the 2 groups as for survival nor for organ preservation. The most significant clinical predictor for DSS is neck relapse (p < .0001).

Conclusions.

This study confirms the effectiveness of laser EHSL in which oncological outcome is similar to the external approach and functional results are probably better. Neck management in this setting is fundamental to warrant the best survival. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2009
Cortical efferents of the perirhinal, postrhinal, and entorhinal cortices of the rat
Authors: Agster Kara L. , Burwell Rebecca D.
Published: April 2009

We investigated the cortical efferents of the parahippocampal region by placing injections of the anterograde tracers, Phaseolus vulgaris‐leuccoagglutinin, and biotinylated dextran amine, throughout the perirhinal (PER), postrhinal (POR), and entorhinal cortices of the rat brain. The resulting density of labeled fibers was evaluated in 25 subregions of the piriform, frontal, insular, temporal, cingulate, parietal, and occipital areas. The locations of labeled terminal fibers differed substantially depending on whether the location of the injection site was in PER area 35, PER area 36, POR, or the lateral or the medial entorhinal (LEA and MEA). The differences were greater for sensory regions. For example, the POR efferents preferentially target visual and spatial regions, whereas the PER efferents target all sensory modalities. The cortical efferents of each region largely reciprocate the cortical afferents, though the degree of reciprocity varied across originating and target regions. The laminar pattern of terminal fibers was consistent with the notion that the efferents are feedback projections. The density and amount of labeled fibers also differed substantially depending on the regional location of injection sites. PER area 36 and POR give rise to a greater number of heavy projections, followed by PER area 35. LEA also gives rise to widespread cortical efferents, arising mainly from a narrow band of cortex adjacent to the PER. In contrast, the remainder of the LEA and the MEA provides only weak efferents to cortical regions. Prior work has shown that nonspatial and spatial information is transmitted to the hippocampus via the PER‐LEA and POR‐MEA pathways, respectively. Our findings suggest that the return projections follow the same pathways, though perhaps with less segregration. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Rapid stress‐induced corticosterone rise in the hippocampus reverses serial memory retrieval pattern
Authors: Chauveau F. , Tronche C. , Piérard C. , Liscia P. , Drouet I. , Coutan M. , Béracochéa D.
Published: April 2009

We previously showed that an acute stress (electric footshocks) induced both a rapid plasma corticosterone rise and a reversal of serial memory retrieval pattern in a contextual serial discrimination (CSD) task. This study is aimed at determining (i) if the rapid stress effects on CSD performance are mediated by the hippocampus; (ii) if hippocampal corticosterone membrane receptor activation is involved in the rapid stress effects on CSD performance. In experiment 1, microdialysis in the dorsal hippocampus (dHPC) was used to measure the stress‐induced corticosterone rise; in parallel, the effect of acute stress on CSD performance was evaluated. In addition, the functional involvement of corticosterone in the behavioral effects of stress was assessed by administering metyrapone, a corticosterone synthesis inhibitor, before stress. In experiment 2, the involvement of hippocampal corticosterone membrane receptors in the stress‐induced reversal of CSD performance was studied by injecting corticosterone‐bovine serum albumin (BSA) (a membrane‐impermeable complex) in the dHPC in non stressed mice. Results showed that (i) the acute stress induced a rapid (15 min) and transitory (90 min) corticosterone rise into the hippocampus dHPC, and a reversal of serial memory retrieval pattern; (ii) both the endocrinal and memory stress‐induced effects were blocked by metyrapone; (iii) corticosterone‐BSA injection into the dHPC in non stressed mice mimicked the effects of stress on serial retrieval pattern. Overall, our study is first to show that (i) a rapid stress‐induced corticosterone rise into the dHPC transitorily reverses serial memory retrieval pattern and (ii) hippocampal corticosterone membrane receptors activation is involved in the rapid effects of acute stress on serial memory retrieval. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Compression properties of polyvinyl alcohol – bacterial cellulose nanocomposite
Authors: Millon Leonardo E. , Oates Christine J. , Wan Wankei
Published: April 2009

Despite the established use of total joint replacement for the treatment of advanced degeneration of articular cartilage, component loosening due to wear and osteolysis limits the lifespan of these joint prostheses. In the present study, nanocomposites consisting of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and bacterial cellulose (BC) nanofibers were investigated as possible improved cartilage replacement materials. Nanocomposites were synthesized by adding small amounts (<1%) of BC to PVA, and subjecting the mixture to thermal cycling. The mechanical properties of the resulting material were evaluated using unconfined compression testing. By the addition of BC nanofibers to the PVA matrix, a nanocomposite with a wide range of compressive mechanical properties control was obtained, with elastic modulus values similar to those reported for native articular cartilage. The nanocomposite also showed improved strain‐rate dependence and adequate viscoelastic properties. The PVA–BC nanocomposite is therefore a promising biomaterial to be considered as a possible replacement material for localized articular cartilage injuries and other orthopedic applications such as intervertebral discs. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 2009
Poly(para‐dioxanone)/inorganic particle composites as a novel biomaterial
Authors: Bai Wei , Chen Dongliang , Zhang Zhiping , Li Qing , Zhang Dujuan , Xiong Chengdong
Published: April 2009

In this work, poly(para‐dioxanone) (PPDO) was mixed with 1% (by weight) calcium carbonate (CaCO3), beta‐tricalcium phosphate (β‐TCP), or calcium sulphate dihydrate (CSD) by solution co‐precipitation. Samples were compression molded into bars using a platen‐vulcanizing press. The morphology, thermal and mechanical properties, and crystalline structure of the composites were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry, polarized optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X‐ray diffraction. All results suggest that three types of inorganic particle in this system promote the crystallinity of PPDO and act as an effective nucleating agent: the relative degree of crystallinity of PPDO increased from 30.74% to 100%, and the crystallization temperature of PPDO was increased by 18°C. On the other hand, the mechanical properties of PPDO were changed by the presence of inorganic particles: the tensile strength of PPDO/CSD increased by 11.46%. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 2009
Cyto‐ and hemocompatibility of a biodegradable 3D‐scaffold material designed for medical applications
Authors: Milleret Vincent , Simonet Marc , Bittermann Anne Greet , Neuenschwander Peter , Hall Heike
Published: April 2009

In this study, the polyester urethane Degrapol® (DP) was explored for medical applications. Electrospun DP‐fiber fleeces were characterized with regard to fiber morphology, swelling, and interconnectivity of interfiber spaces. Moreover, DP was assayed for cell proliferation and hemocompatibility being a prerequisite to any further in vivo application. It was shown that DP‐fiber fleeces produced at different humidity while spinning affects interconnectivity of interfiber spaces, such that the higher the humidity the looser the resulting fiber fleeces. When the spinning target was cooled with dry ice, the resulting DP‐fibers remained less fused to each other. However, permeability for fluorescent beads was not significantly increased. Fibroblast adhesion and proliferation occurred in a comparable manner on native as well as on fibronectin or collagen I adsorbed DP‐fiber fleeces. On DP‐surfaces fibroblasts proliferated equally well as compared with glass or PLGA surfaces or DP‐surfaces adsorbed with fibronectin or collagen I. In contrast, human umbilical vein endothelial cells proliferated only after adsorption of DP‐surfaces with fibronectin or collagen I, indicating that different cell types respond differently to DP‐surfaces. Furthermore, hemocompatibility of DP‐surfaces was found to be similar or better to PLGA or stainless steel, both medically used materials. These experiments indicate that DP‐fiber fleeces or surfaces might be useful for tissue engineering. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 2009
Data mining: How hackers steal sensitive electronic information
Authors: Smith Gordon
Published: April 2009

You may want to rethink your electronic auditing procedures—and others—after you read this article. Computer security expert Gordon Smith reveals how hackers can easily penetrate your safeguards. © 2008 Canaudit Inc.
Current SEC/PCAOB accounting and auditing issues
Authors: Ciesielski Jack T. , Weirich Thomas R.
Published: April 2009

In the midst of the recent financial turmoil, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants held its annual Securities and Exchange Commission/Public Company Accounting Oversight Board Developments Conference last December. Of special note were the many warnings and reminders to wake up auditors. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Phosphorylation regulates the ferritoid–ferritin interaction and nuclear transport
Authors: Beazley Kelly E. , Nurminskaya Maria , Linsenmayer Thomas F.
Published: April 2009

Ferritin is an iron‐sequestering protein that is generally cytoplasmic; however, our previous studies have shown that in avian corneal epithelial (CE) cells ferritin is nuclear. We have also observed that this nuclear localization involves a tissue‐specific nuclear transporter that we have termed ferritoid, and that nuclear ferritin protects DNA from oxidative damage. Recently we have determined that ferritoid functions not only as a nuclear transporter, but also, within the nucleus, it remains associated with ferritin as a heteropolymeric complex. This ferritoid–ferritin complex has unique properties such as being half the size of a typical ferritin molecule and showing preferential binding to DNA. It is likely that the association between ferritoid and ferritin is involved both in the nuclear transport of ferritin and in determining certain of the properties of the complex; therefore, we have been examining the mechanisms involved in regulating the association of these two components. As the ferritoid sequence contains six putative phosphorylation sites, we have examined here whether phosphorylation is one such mechanism. We have determined that ferritoid in the nuclear ferritoid–ferritin complexes is phosphorylated, and that inhibition of this phosphorylation, using inhibitors of PKC, prevents its interaction with ferritin. Furthermore, in an experimental model system in which the nuclear transport of ferritin normally occurs (i.e., the co‐transfection of COS‐1 cells with full length constructs for ferritin and ferritoid), when phosphorylation sites in ferritoid are mutated, the interaction between ferritoid and ferritin is inhibited, as is the nuclear transport of ferritin. J. Cell. Biochem. 107: 528–536, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Prediction of octanol–water partition coefficients of organic compounds by multiple linear regression, partial least squares, and artificial neural network
Authors: Golmohammadi Hassan
Published: April 2009

A quantitative structure–property relationship (QSPR) study was performed to develop models those relate the structure of 141 organic compounds to their octanol–water partition coefficients (logPo/w). A genetic algorithm was applied as a variable selection tool. Modeling of logPo/wof these compounds as a function of theoretically derived descriptors was established by multiple linear regression (MLR), partial least squares (PLS), and artificial neural network (ANN). The best selected descriptors that appear in the models are: atomic charge weighted partial positively charged surface area (PPSA‐3), fractional atomic charge weighted partial positive surface area (FPSA‐3), minimum atomic partial charge (Qmin), molecular volume (MV), total dipole moment of molecule (μ), maximum antibonding contribution of a molecule orbital in the molecule (MAC), and maximum free valency of a C atom in the molecule (MFV). The result obtained showed the ability of developed artificial neural network to prediction of partition coefficients of organic compounds. Also, the results revealed the superiority of ANN over the MLR and PLS models. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2009
Insights into docking and scoring neuronal α4β2 nicotinic receptor agonists using molecular dynamics simulations and QM/MM calculations
Authors: Sgrignani Jacopo , Bonaccini Claudia , Grazioso Giovanni , Chioccioli Matteo , Cavalli Andrea , Gratteri Paola
Published: April 2009

A combined quantum mechanical (QM)‐polarized docking and molecular dynamics approach to study the binding mode and to predict the binding affinity of ligands acting at the α4β2‐nAChR is presented. The results obtained in this study indicate that the quantum mechanical/molecular mechanics docking protocol well describes the charge‐driven interactions occurring in the binding of nicotinic agonists, and it is able to represent the polarization effects on the ligand exerted by the surrounding atoms of the receptor at the binding site. This makes it possible to properly score agonists of α4β2‐nAChR and to reproduce the experimental binding affinity data with good accuracy, within a mean error of 2.2 kcal/mol. Moreover, applying the QM‐polarized docking to an ensemble of nAChR conformations obtained from MD simulations enabled us to accurately capture nAChR‐ligand induced‐fit effects. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2009
Xylitol production by liquid emulsion membrane encapsulated yeast cells
Authors: Sirisansaneeyakul Sarote , Chainoy Rittikorn , Vanichsriratana Wirat , Srinophakun Thongchai , Chisti Yusuf
Published: April 2009

BACKGROUND: Liquid emulsion membrane (LEM)‐encapsulated live cells can be used to produce various products. This work reports on LEM‐encapsulated cells for producing xylitol and models the production process.

RESULTS: Encapsulated cells of Candida mogii ATCC 18364 were used to produce xylitol from xylose. Soybean oil LEM consisting of 5% (w/v) lanolin and microwaxes was found most suitable for this process. The LEM‐encapsulated cells were immobilized in a tubular biocatalytic loop. Xylitol was produced under oxygen‐limited and aerobic conditions. Xylitol productivity and yield were 0.005 g L−1 h−1 and 0.52 g g−1, respectively, for oxygen‐limited operation. Under aerobic conditions, xylitol productivity increased greatly to 0.022 g L−1 h−1, but yield on xylose declined to 0.49 g g−1. A mathematical model successfully described substrate consumption and product formation in the LEM‐immobilized cell system.

CONCLUSION: Potentially, immobilized cell LEM systems are useful for certain fermentations and they can be successfully modeled, as shown by the example of xylitol from xylose process. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry
Exploiting olive oil mill effluents as a renewable resource for production of biodegradable polymers through a combined anaerobic–aerobic process
Authors: Beccari M. , Bertin L. , Dionisi D. , Fava F. , Lampis S. , Majone M. , Valentino F. , Vallini G. , Villano M.
Published: April 2009

BACKGROUND: The performance of a three‐stage process for polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) bioproduction from olive oil mill effluents (OME) has been investigated. In the first anaerobic stage OME were fermented in a packed bed biofilm reactor into volatile fatty acids (VFAs). This VFA‐rich effluent was fed to the second stage, operated in an aerobic sequencing batch reactor (SBR), to enrich mixed cultures able to store PHAs. Finally, the storage response of the selected consortia was exploited in the third aerobic stage, operated in batch conditions.

RESULTS: The anaerobic stage increased the VFA percentage in the OME from 18% to ∼32% of the overall chemical oxygen demand (COD). A biomass with high storage response was successfully enriched in the SBR fed with the fermented OME at an organic load rate of 8.5 gCOD L−1 d−1, with maximum storage rate and yield (146 mgCOD gCOD−1 h−1 and 0.36 COD COD−1, respectively) very similar to those obtained with a synthetic VFA mixture. By means of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis, different bacterial strains were identified during the two SBR runs: Lampropedia hyalina and Candidatus Meganema perideroedes, with the synthetic feed or the fermented OMEs, respectively. In the third stage, operated at increasing loads, the maximum concentration of the PHA produced increased linearly with the substrate fed. Moreover, about half of the stored PHAs were produced from substrates other than VFAs, mostly alcohols.

CONCLUSION: The results obtained indicate that the process is effective for simultaneous treatment of OME and their valorization as a renewable resource for PHA production. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry
Influence and canonical supremacy: An analysis of how George Herbert Mead demoted Charles Horton Cooley in the sociological canon
Authors: Jacobs Glenn
Published: April 2009

This analysis assesses the factors underlying Charles Horton Cooley's place in the sociological canon as they relate to George Herbert Mead's puzzling diatribe—echoed in secondary accounts—against Cooley's social psychology and view of the self published scarcely a year after his death. The illocutionary act of publishing his critique stands as an effort to project the image of Mead's intellectual self and enhance his standing among sociologists within and outside the orbit of the University of Chicago. It expressed Mead's ambivalence toward his precursor Cooley, whose influence he never fully acknowledged. In addition, it typifies the contending fractal distinctions of the scientifically discursive versus literary styles of Mead and Cooley, who both founded the interpretive sociological tradition. The contrasting styles and attitudes toward writing of the two figures are discussed, and their implications for the problems of scale that have stymied the symbolic interactionist tradition are explored.
Repression of tau hyperphosphorylation by chronic endurance exercise in aged transgenic mouse model of tauopathies
Authors: Leem Yea‐Hyun , Lim Hwa‐Ja , Shim Sun‐Bo , Cho Joon‐Yong , Kim Bum‐Soo , Han Pyung‐Lim
Published: April 2009

The present study was undertaken to investigate whether chronic endurance exercise affects tau phosphorylation levels in the brain with Alzheimer's disease (AD)‐like pathology. To address this, the transgenic (Tg) mouse model of tauopathies, Tg‐NSE/htau23, which expresses human tau23 in the brain, was chosen. Animals were subjected to chronic exercise for 3 months from 16 months of age. The exercised Tg mouse groups were treadmill run at speeds of 12 m/min (intermediate exercise group) or 19 m/min (high exercise group) for 1 hr/day, 5 days/week, during the 3‐month period. Chronic endurance exercise in Tg mice increased the expression of Cu/Zn‐superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase, and also their enzymatic activities in the brain. In parallel, chronic exercise in Tg mice up‐regulated the expression of phospho‐PKCα, phospho‐AKT, and phospho‐PI3K, and down‐regulated the expressions of phospho‐PKA, phosphor‐p38, phospho‐JNK, and phospho‐ERK. Moreover, chronic exercise up‐regulated both cytosolic and nuclear levels of β‐catenin, and the expression of T‐cell factor‐4 (Tcf‐4) and cyclin D1 in the brain. As a consequence of such changes, the levels of phospho‐tau in the brain of Tg mice were markedly decreased after exercise. Immunohistochemical analysis showed an exercised‐induced decrease of the phospho‐tau levels in the CA3 subregion of the hippocampus. These results suggest that chronic endurance exercise may provide a therapeutic potential to alleviate the tau pathology. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Neurovascular effects of CD47 signaling: Promotion of cell death, inflammation, and suppression of angiogenesis in brain endothelial cells in vitro
Authors: Xing Changhong , Lee Sunryung , Kim Woo Jean , Wang Hui , Yang Yong‐Guang , Ning MingMing , Wang Xiaoying , Lo Eng H.
Published: April 2009

The concept of the neurovascular unit emphasizes that common signals and substrates underlie the physiology and pathophysiology of neuronal and endothelial compartments in brain. Recent data suggest that activation of the integrin‐associated protein CD47 promotes neuronal cell death. Is it possible that CD47 may also negatively affect cerebral endothelial cells? Exposure of wild‐type primary mouse cerebral endothelial cells to the CD47 ligand thrombospondin 1 (TSP‐1) induced an increasing amount of cell death, whereas cytotoxicity was significantly decreased in cerebral endothelial cells derived from CD47 knockout mice. The specific CD47‐activating peptide, 4N1K, similarly induced cell death in human brain microvascular endothelial cells. Promotion of inflammation was also involved because lower TSP‐1 was able to up‐regulate the adhesion molecules intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 and vascular cell adhesion molecule‐1. Finally, CD47 signaling may suppress angiogenesis because 4N1K significantly inhibited endothelial cell migration and tube formation in vitro. We conclude that CD47 signaling can negatively affect the viability and function of cerebral endothelial cells, further supporting the notion that CD47 may be a potential neurovascular target for stroke and brain injury. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Climate change and the precipitation variations in the northwestern Himalaya: 1866–2006
Authors: Bhutiyani M. R. , Kale V. S. , Pawar N. J.
Published: April 2009

Using available instrumental records, this paper examines the variation of precipitation from 1866 to 2006 in the northwestern Himalaya (NWH). The study indicates no trend in the winter precipitation but significant decreasing trend in the monsoon precipitation during the study period. Periodicities on a multi‐decadal scale (29–34 years and 58–64 years) obtained in power spectrum analyses point towards epochal behaviour in the precipitation series. Analyses of the temperature data show significant increasing trends in annual temperature in all three stations in the NWH during the data period. Warming effect is particularly noteworthy during the winter season. Negative relationships between mean winter air temperature and snowfall amounts recorded at different meteorological stations in this period reveal strong effect of rising temperatures on the decreasing snowfall component in total winter precipitation, reducing effective duration of winter on the windward side of the Pir Panjal Himalayan Range.

The study also shows influence of global teleconnections [North‐Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) during winter months and Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) during the monsoon months] on precipitation fluctuations in the NWH. The teleconnections that appear to exist between the precipitation and the temperature until the late 1960s seem to have weakened considerably in the last three decades. This may be ascribed to the diminishing effect of the natural factors such as quasi‐biennial oscillations (QBO), El Niño Southern Oscillations (ENSO), double sunspot cycles (Hale), etc., in this period. Role of increasing concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere cannot be ruled out. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society
Emulsifying properties of gum kondagogu (Cochlospermum gossypium), a natural biopolymer
Authors: Vegi Ganga Modi Naidu , Sistla Ramakrishna , Srinivasan Palaniappan , Beedu Sashidhar Rao , Khar Roop K , Diwan Prakash V
Published: April 2009

BACKGROUND: Natural polymers are widely used as emulsifying agents in the food and pharmaceutical industries because of their low cost, biocompatibility and non‐toxic nature. In the present study, emulsifying properties of the novel natural biopolymer gum kondagogu (GKG) were investigated. GKG solutions of different concentrations (0.1–0.6% w/v) were prepared in water and emulsified with liquid paraffin oil (40% v/v) in a high‐speed homogeniser. Flow properties of the emulsions were measured using a rheometer. Emulsion stability and droplet size distribution were determined by visual observation, photomicrography and laser‐scattering particle size distribution analysis.

RESULTS: The emulsions prepared with GKG showed pseudoplastic behaviour. The size of oil droplets and the viscosity of emulsions at concentrations of 0.4–0.6% w/v showed little change over time (up to 30 days), indicating that the emulsions were stable. Measurements of the zeta potential of emulsions adjusted to different pH, with and without added electrolyte, showed that the stabilisation of emulsions with GKG was due to mutual repulsion between electrical double layers of particles and adsorption of macromolecules on oil droplets.

CONCLUSION: The results of this experimental investigation show that GKG is a good emulsifying agent even at low concentrations, with many potential applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry
Capillary electrophoresis applied to proteomic analysis
Authors: Fonslow Bryan R. , Yates III John R.
Published: April 2009

In the postgenomic era, proteomics has become a dominant field for identifying and quantifying the complex protein machinery of the cell. The expression levels, posttranslational modifications, and specific interactions of proteins control the biology of such processes as development, differentiation, and signal transduction. Studies of the proteins involved in these processes often lead to a better understanding of biology and of human disease. Powerful separation techniques and sensitive detection methods enable researchers to untangle these complicated networks of processes. CE coupled with either MS or LIF are two of the techniques that make this possible. This review will cover proven CE‐based methods for proteomics on the cell and tissue level and their application in biological and clinical studies, relevant new developments in enabling technology such as microfluidic CE‐MS demonstrated on model systems, and comment on the future of CE in proteomics.
Quantitative relationship and application of 3‐benzylketoimine metal dichlorides in the analysis of volatile hydrocarbons
Authors: Wawrzyniak Rafal
Published: April 2009

The paper concerns the analysis of volatile hydrocarbons on newly designed and produced capillary columns. According to the type of coating used, the columns are of the PLOT type, and according to the adsorbate‐adsorbent type interactions they belong to the category of complexation GC. The adsorbent used was silica, whose surface was modified with bonded 2‐(3‐triethoxysilylpropylimino)‐3‐(benzyl)‐pentanone‐4 to change the adsorption characteristics. The presence of the ketoimine group of strongly electron‐accepting properties permitted the binding of transition metals. The metal ions are capable of interacting selectively with nucleophilic compounds including olefins. The transition metal ions used for sorbent modification were copper(II) chlorides and nickel(II) chlorides. The supported adsorbent was immobilised by bonding the modified silica to the column walls by a film of poly(dimethylsiloxane). Due to this strategy, the coating was very stable, no sorbent loss from the column was observed and the column could be washed with solvent. Besides exemplary separations, the paper quotes retention parameters of the group of compounds analysed and presents a discussion of the specific interactions between the adsorbate and adsorbent.
Barrier and self‐healing coating with fluoro‐organic compound for zinc
Authors: Yabuki A. , Kaneda R.
Published: April 2009

The barrier and self‐healing abilities of a corrosion‐protective coating with a fluoro‐organic compound for zinc was investigated. Several types of fluoro‐organic compounds, having different terminal groups and various numbers of carbon atoms, were coated on a pure zinc plate by dip coating. A fluoro‐organic compound having the terminal group of COF showed excellent barrier resistance, which increased as the number of carbon atoms in the compound increased. The optimal conditions — concentration of fluoro‐organic compound in the solution and the pH of the solution — were determined for coating, based on those that demonstrated more ability than chromate conversion coating. Monitoring the corrosion resistance of a scratched specimen in corrosive solution and observing the surface appearance of the specimen after the corrosion test confirmed the self‐healing ability of the coating with the fluoro‐organic compound. The fluoro‐organic coating had excellent self‐healing ability — equivalent to that of a chromate conversion coating. The self‐healing effect of the coating appeared to be due to the release of the fluoro‐organic compound as a result of the pH increase caused by cathodic reaction in the corrosion process, and the formation of a film on the defect.
Electrochemical corrosion behavior of Al–Si alloy composites reinforced with in situ TiB2 particulate
Authors: Sun H. H. , Chen D. , Li X. F. , Ma N. H. , Wang H. W.
Published: April 2009

Understanding the corrosion behavior of TiB2p‐reinforced aluminum matrix composites is crucial for their development as effective composites. In this work, corrosion characteristics of in situ TiB2 particulate reinforced Al–Si alloy (A356) composite after T6 treatment are investigated by electrochemical techniques. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) reveals that the protection of nature film for the composites is worse than that for A356 alloy. Polarization experiments testify that the composites are susceptible to corrosion compared with their matrix alloys. Moreover, the corrosion resistance of the composites markedly decreases with increase in the TiB2 content. The observations of the corrosion morphologies after polarization test show that the corrosion primarily occurs at the interdendritic sites with a large amount of TiB2 particulates. Corrosion progress continues into the composite inner along the regions of α‐Al dendrite. The poor corrosion resistant properties of the composites are considered primarily due to the galvanic corrosion between noble TiB2 reinforcements and more active aluminum matrix, as well as the weak protection of the defective nature film on the composite.
Effects of Hf content and immersion time on electrochemical behavior of biomedical Ti‐22Nb‐xHf alloys in 0.9% NaCl solution
Authors: Wang B. L. , Zheng Y. F. , Zhao L. C.
Published: April 2009

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Hf content and immersion time on the electrochemical corrosion behavior of the Ti‐22Nb‐xHf (x = 0, 2, 4, and 6 at%) alloy samples in 0.9% NaCl solution at 37 °C and neutral pH range, utilizing the potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques. From the polarization curves, all these alloys exhibited typical passive behavior, which was indicated by a wide passive region without the breakdown of the passive films and low corrosion current densities. In addition, the values of the corrosion current densities and passive current densities decreased with increase in the Hf content. The EIS results, fitted by RS(QPRP) model, exhibited capacitive behavior (high corrosion resistance) with phase angles closed to −80° and high impedance values at low and medium frequencies, indicating the formation of a highly stable film on these alloys in the test solution. The resistance of the passive films improved with increase in the Hf content and immersion time. All these observations suggested a more noble electrochemical behavior of the Ti‐22Nb‐xHf alloys compared to the Ti‐Nb binary alloy.
Chloride threshold for corrosion of galvanized reinforcement in concrete exposed in the mexican Caribbean
Authors: Maldonado L.
Published: April 2009

The time of incubation (TI) and chloride threshold (CT) necessary to initiate corrosion of reinforcement steel are crucial variables to predict the useful life of an infrastructure in any model. For black steel there is a great amount of data in the bibliography. However, for galvanized steel, is very scarce and in tropical climates no data exist. In this research, CT and TI were determined for galvanized steel embedded in concretes with water/cement (w/c) ratios of 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, and 0.7. The samples were corroded under natural conditions in the north coast of the Yucatan Peninsula for nine years. The results show that galvanized reinforcement can resist chloride levels 2.6–3 times higher than black steel, even in poor quality concretes. Likewise, it was possible to observe that TI for galvanized steel is twice that of black reinforcement, and so the former offers the possibility of extending the useful life of structures.
Current and future corrosion challenges for a reliable and sustainable development of the chemical, refinery, and petrochemical industries
Authors: Ropital F.
Published: April 2009

The chemical, refinery, and petrochemical industries are facing new challenges in order to develop more environment friendly processes and to manufacture “green” products. Corrosion management is an essential element for the development of a sustainable industrial society, including issues such as the selection and development of corrosion resistant materials, coatings, and environment friendly inhibitors. In this paper, some specific challenges will be discussed. In the chemical industry, the replacement of volatile and toxic solvents by green ones such as supercritical water processes, ionic liquid, or the use of carbon dioxide as an alternative solvent, requires specific corrosion management policies. Another issue for the refinery industry concerns new feedstocks such as opportunity crudes containing corrosive naphthenic acids or the transformation of biomass feed into bio‐oils and biomaterials. Synthetic gas is also becoming a crucial intermediate in natural gas, coal or biomass to hydrocarbon liquids (XTL) processes. Other environmental aspects are the limitation of green house gas (GHG) release from the plants by implementation of CO2 capture processes and the environment friendly management of water including more restrictive steps concerning its disposal. The implementation of advanced inspection and corrosion control management is also a major element of progress for a sustainable development of the chemical, refinery, and petrochemical industries.
Electrochemical corrosion behavior of biomedical Ti–22Nb and Ti–22Nb–6Zr alloys in saline medium
Authors: Wang B. L. , Zheng Y. F. , Zhao L. C.
Published: April 2009

The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of Zr addition and potentiodynamic polarization on the microstructure and corrosion resistance of Ti–22Nb and Ti–22Nb–6Zr alloy samples. The corrosion tests were carried out in 0.9% NaCl at 37 °C and neutral pH value, utilizing the OCP, potentiodynamic polarization, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques. The results of XRD and optical microscopy indicated that the addition of Zr stabilized the β phase, which plays a crucial role in the corrosion resistance improvement of the Ti–22Nb–6Zr alloy. From the polarization curves, it can be seen that the alloys exhibited a wide passive region without the breakdown of the passive films and also low corrosion current densities. In addition, the values of the corrosion current densities and passive current densities decreased with the addition of 6 at% Zr into the Ti–22Nb alloy. The EIS results of these two alloy samples after 1‐h immersion in 0.9% NaCl solution, and being fitted by RS(QPRP) model, suggested that the corrosion resistance of the passive films improved with the addition of Zr and only a single passive film formed on the surfaces. However, two time constants were observed for the Ti–22Nb and Ti–22Nb–6Zr alloy samples after potentiodynamic polarization, the spectra of which can be fitted using the Rs(Qo(Ro(QbRb))) model. In addition, the corrosion resistance of the two alloy samples was reinforced significantly because of polarization when compared to the immersed samples. All these observations suggested a nobler electrochemical behavior of the titanium alloys with the addition of Zr element and after polarization.
Fyn kinase activity is required for normal organization and functional polarity of the mouse oocyte cortex
Authors: Luo Jinping , McGinnis Lynda K. , Kinsey William H.
Published: April 2009

The objective of the present study was to determine whether Fyn kinase participated in signaling events during sperm–egg interactions, sperm incorporation, and meiosis II. The functional requirement of Fyn kinase activity in these events was tested through the use of the protein kinase inhibitor SKI‐606 (Bosutinib) and by analysis of Fyn‐null oocytes. Suppression of Fyn kinase signaling prior to fertilization caused disruption of the functional polarity of the oocyte with the result that sperm were able to fuse with the oocyte in the immediate vicinity of the meiotic spindle, a region that normally does not allow sperm fusion. The loss of functional polarity was accompanied by disruption of the microvilli and cortical granule‐free zone that normally overlie the meiotic spindle. Changes in the distribution of cortical granules and filamentous actin provided further evidence of disorganization of the oocyte cortex. Rho B, a molecular marker for oocyte polarity, was unaffected by suppression of Fyn activity; however, the polarized association of Par‐3 with the cortex overlying the meiotic spindle was completely disrupted. The defects in oocyte polarity in Fyn‐null oocytes correlated with a failure of the MII chromosomes to maintain a position close to the oocyte cortex which seemed to underlie the above defects in oocyte polarity. This was associated with a delay in completion of meiosis II. Pronuclei, however, eventually formed and subsequent mitotic cleavages and blastocyst formation occurred normally. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 76: 819–831, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Immunocontraceptive potential of the Ig‐like domain of Izumo
Authors: Wang Min , Lv Zhengmei , Shi Jianli , Hu Yanqin , Xu Chen
Published: April 2009

In the recently published article by Wang et al. [DOI: 10.1002/mrd.21027], Figure 6 was incorrect. The version printed in the original article, which is identical to Figure 3A, was submitted in error. The correct version of Figure 6 is herein reprinted.
Improved Bell's method for the stability analysis of slopes
Authors: Zheng Hong , Tham Leslie George
Published: April 2009

A new procedure based on the approximation to the total normal pressure along the slip surface is developed to compute the factor of safety of slopes for slip surfaces of all shapes. By taking the whole sliding body, instead of an individual slice, as the loaded object, all the equilibrium equations are formulated according to the three‐moment equilibrium conditions rather than the two force equilibrium conditions and one‐moment equilibrium condition. The system of nonlinear equations deduced in this way is well‐scaled and enjoys excellent numerical properties such as the existence of solution with a positive factor of safety, a nearly unlimited scope of convergence and a rapid convergence rate associated with the Newton method. In the case of ϕu =0—the situation where no drainage and no consolidation are involved, furthermore, the system has a unique solution and the factor of safety has an explicit expression. Some typical examples are analyzed to demonstrate the numerical properties of the proposed procedure. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The SPH equations for fluids
Authors: Vaughan G. L.
Published: April 2009

Existing smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) formulations for simulating continuous fluids have errors that may be divergent and it has been known for some time that the SPH equations do not satisfy low‐order polynomial completeness conditions. Here SPH equations are derived that have convergent error terms and a correction method is presented for enforcing low‐order polynomial completeness irrespective of how many completeness conditions are required. Discretization is achieved through division of the model domain, in its initial state, into sub‐domains that have Lagrangian boundaries. It is shown that boundary integrals appearing in one derivation of the SPH equations may be treated as a convergent error. In simulations of basic fluid flows convergence and zeroth‐order completeness are demonstrated, but significant instabilities and a failure to conserve energy are observed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A best approximation for the solution of one‐dimensional variable‐coefficient Burgers' equation
Authors: Li Fuxiang , Cui Minggen
Published: April 2009

In this article, an iterative method for the approximate solution to one‐dimensional variable‐coefficient Burgers' equation is proposed in the reproducing kernel space W(3,2). It is proved that the approximation wn(x,t) converges to the exact solution u(x,t) for any initial function w0(x,t) ε W(3,2), and the approximate solution is the best approximation under a complete normal orthogonal system $ \{\bar{\psi}_{i}\}^{\infty}_{i=1} $. Moreover the derivatives of wn(x,t) are also uniformly convergent to the derivatives of u(x,t).© 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq, 2009
Numerical simulations for two‐dimensional incompressible Navier‐Stokes equations with stochastic boundary conditions
Authors: Lu Junxiang , Ma Yichen , Kong Fande
Published: April 2009

The article mainly concerns modeling the stochastic input and its propagation in incompressible Navier‐Stokes(N‐S) flow simulations. The stochastic input is represented spectrally by employing orthogonal polynomial functionals from the Askey scheme as trial basis to represent the random space. A standard Galerkin projection is applied in the random dimension to derive the equations in the weak form. The resulting set of deterministic equations is then solved with standard methods to obtain the mean solution and variance of the stochastic velocity. In this article, the main method employs the Hermite polynomial as the basis in random space. Cavity problems are given to demonstrate the process of numerical simulation. Furthermore, Monte‐Carlo simulation method is applied to illustrate the accurate numerical results. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq, 2010
Algorithms for vector field generation in mass consistent models
Authors: Flores Ciro , Juárez Héctor , Núñez Marco A. , Sandoval María Luisa
Published: April 2009

Diagnostic models in meteorology are based on the fulfillment of some time independent physical constraints as, for instance, mass conservation. A successful method to generate an adjusted wind field, based on mass conservation equation, was proposed by Sasaki and leads to the solution of an elliptic problem for the multiplier. Here we study the problem of generating an adjusted wind field from given horizontal initial velocity data, by two ways. The first one is based on orthogonal projection in Hilbert spaces and leads to the same elliptic problem but with natural boundary conditions for the multiplier. We derive from this approach the so called E–algorithm. An innovative alternative proposal is obtained from a second approach where we consider the saddle–point formulation of the problem—avoiding boundary conditions for the multiplier— and solving this problem by iterative conjugate gradient methods. This leads to an algorithm that we call the CG–algorithm, which is inspired from Glowinsk's approach to solve Stokes–like problems in computational fluid dynamics. Finally, the introduction of new boundary conditions for the multiplier in the elliptic problem generates better adjusted fields than those obtained with the original boundary conditions. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 2010