bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The essential oil of the protected species: Thymus praecox ssp. penyalarensis
Authors: Blanco Salas José , Ruiz Téllez Trinidad , María Vázquez Pardo Francisco , José Pérez-Alonso María , Ángeles Cases Capdevila María
Published: March 2012

The essential oil of a protected Spanish species, Thymus praecox ssp. penyalarensis, was firstly analyzed [Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS)] from wild populations during the phenological stages of flowering and fruiting. In flowering, the yield was 1.2%, and the major components were identified as thymol (18.5%), p-cymene (14.6%), carvacrol (11.6%), and γ-terpinene (10.1%). In fruiting, the yield was 0.9% and the major components resulted to be p-cymene (19.0%), carvacrol (16.5%), and borneol (10.5%). An experimental cultivation of the taxa was made also in order to analyze its essential oil as well. The yield was 1.3%, and the main compounds were thymol (19.1%), p-cymene (17.0%), and γ-terpinene (12.3%). Finally, the composition of the essential oil of this plant is discussed in relation to chemotaxonomic and biogeographical aspects.
In vitro Comparison of Light-Emitting Diodes and Carnosic Acid Effects on Keratinocyte Proliferation and Wound Healing
Authors: Agha Rania , Beeson William , Beeson William H.
Published: February 2012

Introduction:

Light-emitting diode (LED) therapy uses different wavelengths of light and has been reported to accelerate cutaneous wound healing. Carnosic acid is an antioxidant that is also thought to be photoprotective. We designed an in vitro study to examine the effects of LED and carnosic acid on the proliferation and migration of human keratinocytes.

Materials and Methods:

Clinically normal human keratinocytes were cultured and exposed to two wavelengths: 620 nm and 660 nm LED at different fluences. In the second part of this study, a different batch of human keratinocytes was grown in culture, and different concentrations of carnosic acid were added.

Results:

At the two wavelengths that were used, LED did not appear to have any therapeutic effect and was not effective in stimulating keratinocyte proliferation. Exposure to greater energy levels (increased fluence) produced increased cell damage that was directly proportional to the increase in energy. On the other hand, treatment of the cell cultures with the antioxidant carnosic acid resulted in an increase of keratinocyte cell proliferation, and this increase was also proportional to the concentration of carnosic acid.

Conclusions:

This study did not support the hypothesis that LED treatment results in keratinocyte proliferation; however, carnosic acid, a potent antioxidant, stimulated keratinocyte production and could be implicated in wound healing and rejuvenation.
Long-Term Cosmetic Benefit of Wound Healing by Betuline
Authors: Metelmann Hans-Robert , Podmelle Fred , Waite Peter D.
Published: February 2012

Highly purified betuline as a triterpene dry extract from birch cork stimulates wound healing via induction of basal cell proliferation and promotion of keratinocyte differentiation. A multicenter, prospective, randomized, controlled, clinical trial compared, intra-individually, betuline to a state-of-the-art moist wound healing dressing. As a wound model, split thickness skin was grafted in 16 patients due to plastic surgery. The donor site area at the upper leg was divided into equal halves. By randomization one site was treated with betuline oleogel and the other with moist dressing alone. Treatment continued for 14 days after surgery. Photographs were taken 1 year after treatment and sent to distant experts in a blinded version. The main objective was to compare the 2 areas with different treatment in terms of superior normal skin appearance. After 1 year and with 14 patients in control, superior healing by betuline was evident in 12 of 14 cases, and 9 of 14 patients had obvious esthetic benefit due to betuline, whereas no one performed perfectly by moist dressing alone.
Stages of Life
Authors: Hansen Kathryn
Published: March 2012

Four autobiographies of early twentieth-century actors and playwrights are presented in English translation, with substantive chapters on the Parsi theatre and strategies for reading autobiography in the Indian context.
Integrating China
Authors: Nolan Peter
Published: March 2012

This timely collection of essays from Peter Nolan offers deep insight into the challenges faced in integrating China with the global political economy.
The Constitution of Shelley's Poetry
Authors: Duffy Edward
Published: March 2012

The Constitution of Shelleys Poetry is a close philosophical reading of Prometheus Unbound from the perspective of the argument or drama of language played out in its pages.
The Retreat of Democracy and Other Itinerant Essays on Globalization, Economics, and India
Authors: Basu Kaushik
Published: March 2012

The Retreat of Democracy presents an expanded and reworked selection of Basu's best journalistic writings on political and economic themes since the late 1990s.
Creating Irish Tourism
Authors: Williams William
Published: March 2012

Based on the accounts of British and Anglo-Irish travelers, 'Creating Irish Tourism' charts the development of tourism in Ireland from its origins in the mid-eighteenth century to the country's emergence as a major European tourist destination a century later.
A Latent Class Cluster Analysis of Farmers’ Attitudes Towards Contract Design in the Dairy Industry
Authors: Schlecht Stephanie , Spiller Achim
Published: March 2012

As a result of a number of recent developments, such as the milk strike in several European countries in 2008 and the planned expiration of the European milk quota scheme in 2015, it is necessary to redesign contractual relationships in the dairy industry. However, fostering acceptance of new stipulations (e.g., volume control, pricing systems) requires that the attitudes of farmers be taken into consideration. Thus, in this article, the authors analyze how dairy farmers’ attitudes vary towards both contracting in general and specific contract attributes. Using a survey of 161 dairy farm managers, the research question is addressed by means of a latent class cluster analysis. Three clusters are identified. Their attitudes are heterogeneous, ranging from suppliers who are clearly convinced of the value of contractual relationships to farmers who reject contracts explicitly. Results may be utilized to match the preferences of farmers regarding contracts with modified dairy marketing contracts. [EconLit Classification: Q130].
A new control chart in contaminated data oft‐Student distribution for individual observations
Authors: Alfaro José Luis , Ortega Juan Fco.
Published: March 2012

Control charts are the most popular tool for monitoring production quality. In traditional control charts, it is usually supposed that the observations follow a multivariate normal distribution. Nevertheless, there are many practical applications where the normality assumption is not fulfilled. Furthermore, the performance of these charts in the presence of measurement errors (outliers) in the historical data has been improved using robust control charts when the observations follow a normal distribution. In this paper, we develop a new control chart fort‐Student data based on the trimmedT2control chart () through the adaptation of the elements of this chart to the case of this distribution. Simulation studies show that acontrol chart performs better thanT2int‐Student samples for individual observations. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Railway passenger train delay prediction via neural network model
Authors: Yaghini Masoud , Khoshraftar Mohammad M. , Seyedabadi Masoud
Published: March 2012

The aim of this paper is to present an artificial neural network model with high accuracy to predict the delay of passenger trains in Iranian Railways. In the proposed model, we use three different methods to define inputs including normalized real number, binary coding, and binary set encoding inputs. One of the great challenges of using neural network is how to design a superior network for a specific task. To find an appropriate architecture, three different strategies called quick method, dynamic method, and multiple method are investigated. To prevent the proposed model from overfitting in modeling, according to cross validation, we divide existing passenger train delays data set into three subsets called training set, validation set, and testing set. To evaluate the proposed model, we compare the results of three different data input methods and three different architectures with each other and with some common prediction methods such as decision tree and multinomial logistic regression. For comparing different neural networks, we consider training time and accuracy of neural networks on test data set and network size. In addition, for comparing neural networks with other well‐known prediction methods, we consider training time and the accuracy of neural network on test data sets. To make a fair comparison among all models, we sketch a time‐accuracy graph. The results revealed that the proposed model has higher accuracy. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Influence of dentures on SAR in the visible Chinese human head voxel phantom exposed to a mobile phone at 900 and 1800 MHz
Authors: Yu Dong , Zhang Ruoyu , Liu Qian
Published: March 2012

To investigate the influence of dentures on electromagnetic energy absorption during the daily use of a mobile phone, a high‐resolution head phantom based on the Visible Chinese Human dataset was reconstructed. Simulations on phantoms with various dentures were performed by using the finite‐difference time‐domain method with a 0.47 wavelength dipole antenna and a mobile phone model as radiation sources at 900 and 1800 MHz. The Specific energy Absorption Rate (SAR) values including 1 and 10 g average SAR values were assessed. When the metallic dental crowns with resonance lengths of approximately one‐third to one‐half wavelength in the tissue nearby are parallel to the radiation source, up to 121.6% relative enhancement for 1 g average SAR and 17.1% relative enhancement for 10 g average SAR are observed due to the resonance effect in energy absorption. When the radiation sources operate in the normal configuration, the 10 g average SAR values are still in compliance with the basic restrictions established by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and the International Commission on Non‐Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), indicating that the safety limits will not be challenged by the usage of dentures. Bioelectromagnetics 33:508–517, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
L2‐signatures, homology localization, and amenable groups
Authors: Cha Jae Choon , Orr Kent E.
Published: March 2012

Aimed at geometric applications, we prove the homology cobordism invariance of the L2‐Betti numbers and L2‐signature defects associated to the class of amenable groups lying in Strebel's class D(R), which includes some interesting infinite/finite non‐torsion‐free groups. This result includes the only prior known condition, that Γ is a poly‐torsion‐free abelian group (or a finite p‐group). We define a new commutator series that refines Harvey's torsion‐free derived series of groups, using the localizations of groups and rings of Bousfield, Vogel, and Cohn. The series, called the local derived series, has versions for homology with arbitrary coefficients and satisfies functoriality and an injectivity theorem. We combine these two new tools to give some applications to distinct homology cobordism types within the same simple homotopy type in higher dimensions, to concordance of knots in three manifolds, and to spherical space forms in dimension 3. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Intracrystalline Diffusion in Mesoporous Zeolites
Authors: Mehlhorn Dirk , Valiullin Rustem , Kärger Jörg , Cho Kanghee , Ryoo Ryong
Published: March 2012

Specially synthesized extra‐large crystallites of zeolite LTA with intentionally added mesoporosity are used for an in‐depth study of guest diffusion in hierarchical nanoporous materials by the pulsed field gradient NMR technique. Using propane as a guest molecule, intracrystalline mass transfer is demonstrated to be adequately described by a single effective diffusivity resulting from the weighted average of the diffusivities in the two (micro‐ and meso‐) pore spaces. Gas‐kinetic order‐of‐magnitude estimates of the diffusivities are in satisfactory agreement with the experimental data and are thus shown to provide a straightforward means for predicting and quantifying the benefit of hierarchically structured nanoporous materials in comparison with their purely microporous equivalent.
XRD, IR, and Raman investigations of structural properties of Dy2‐xHox O3 prepared by sol gel procedure
Authors: Heiba Z. K. , Bakr Mohamed M. , Fuess H.
Published: March 2012

The Rare earth mixed oxides Dy2‐xHox O3 (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 2.0) solid solution was synthesized by a sol–gel process. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) data were collected and crystal structure and microstructure analyses were performed applying Rietveld refinement method. Infrared and Raman spectroscopy were used to define the microstructure and to locally probe the structure of the samples. The cationic distribution over the two non‐equivalent sites 8b and 24d of the space group Ia3 is found to be randomly. The crystallite size and microstrain as well as Raman modes positions are influenced by Ho3+ concentration. The apparent size is isotropic but significant anisotropy is found for the microstrain with its largest value along the crystallographic direction [h00]. Inspite the single phase solid solution confirmed by Rietveld analysis for all samples, Raman spectra detected the coexistence of two phases; cubic and distorted monoclinic of too small amount or highly disordered, i.e. amorphous like, to be detected by XRD. The result indicates the ability of Raman spectroscopy to detect minor phases in solid solutions. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Metallic Tungsten Nanostructures and Highly Nanostructured Thin Films by Deposition of Tungsten Oxide and Subsequent Reduction in a Single Hot‐Wire CVD Process
Authors: Harks Peter‐Paul R. M. L. , Houweling Z. Silvester , de Jong Michiel , Kuang Yinghuan , Geus John W. , Schropp Ruud E. I.
Published: March 2012

The synthesis of metallic tungsten nanostructures and highly nanostructured thin films is presented. Crystalline tungsten oxide nanostructures are deposited on glassy carbon substrates kept at 700 ± 100 °C by oxidizing resistively heated tungsten filaments in an air flow under subatmospheric pressures. The internal morphology of the deposited tungsten oxide can be reproducibly controlled by the air pressure. After deposition, the tungsten oxides have been fully reduced to metallic tungsten by atomic hydrogen at a temperature of about 730 °C. Polycrystalline metallic tungsten nanofibers, nanocrystallites, closed crystallite films, and nanogranular films are thus obtained in a single procedure involving deposition and subsequent reduction, at relatively low temperatures.
Inflammatory mediators involved in the progression of the metabolic syndrome
Authors: Ma Kuifen , Jin Xi , Liang Xingguang , Zhao Qingwei , Zhang Xingguo
Published: March 2012

The metabolic syndrome is often associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, hypertension, steatosis of the liver and other organs, as well as hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and atherosclerosis. Recent studies have implicated a number of inflammatory mediators including cytokines, adipokines and eicosanoids in the inflammatory responses that accompany the metabolic syndrome. Measurements of the circulating levels of the inflammatory molecules that accompany this syndrome might provide leads to therapeutic approaches to modulate the inflammatory responses and thereby alter disease progression. In this review, we summarize recent studies on classical and newer inflammatory mediators in the pathogenesis of the metabolic syndrome in humans and experimental models. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Induction of beta‐cell resistance to hypoxia and technologies for oxygen delivery to transplanted pancreatic islets
Authors: Lazard Daniel , Vardi Pnina , Bloch Konstantin
Published: March 2012

Hypoxia is believed to be a crucial factor involved in cell adaptation to environmental stress. Islet transplantation, especially with immunoisolated islets, interrupts vascular connections, resulting in the substantially decreased delivery of oxygen and nutrients to islet cells. Insulin‐producing pancreatic beta cells are known to be highly susceptible to oxygen deficiency. Such susceptibility to hypoxia is believed to be one of the main causes of beta‐cell death in the post‐transplantation period. Different strategies have been developed for the protection of beta cells against hypoxic injury and for oxygen delivery to transplanted islets. The enhancement of beta‐cell defense properties against hypoxia has been achieved using various techniques such as gene transfection, drug supplementation, co‐culturing with stem cells and cell selection. Technologies for oxygen delivery to transplanted islets include local neovascularization of subcutaneous sites, electrochemical and photosynthetic oxygen generation, oxygen refuelling of bio‐artificial pancreas and whole body oxygenation by using hyperbaric therapy. Progress in the field of oxygen technologies for islet transplantation requires a multidisciplinary approach to explore and optimize the interaction between components of the biological system and different technological processes. This review article focuses mainly on the recently developed strategies for oxygenation and protection from hypoxic injury – to achieve stable and long‐term normoglycaemia in diabetic patients with transplanted pancreatic islets. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
5,6‐Methylenedioxy‐2‐aminoindane: from laboratory curiosity to ‘legal high’
Authors: Gallagher Cathal T. , Assi Sulaf , Stair Jacqueline L. , Fergus Suzanne , Corazza Ornella , Corkery John M. , Schifano Fabrizio
Published: March 2012

Objectives

The fully synthetic ‘legal high’ 5,6‐methylenedioxy‐2‐aminoindane (MDAI) is an analogue of 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine. Although developed in the 1990s, it was not widely abused until 2010. However, mephedrone was banned in the UK in April 2010, and almost immediately, MDAI was widely advertised as a legal alternative. This paper provides both an overview of the current state of knowledge of MDAI and a critical analysis of online available information relating to its psychoactive effects, adverse reactions and use in combination with other drugs.

Methods

The literature on MDAI was searched in three databases: PsycInfo, PubMed and MedScape. Once the availability of information on MDAI was identified within these websites, further specific searches were carried out for narratives focusing on the nature of its effects on users, motivations behind its recreational use and possible trends of misuse, and any other relevant information.

Results

Internet‐sourced products have been shown variously to contain mephedrone, and mixed compositions of inorganic substances, while containing no MDAI. Numbers of Internet searches have been considerably higher in the UK compared with Germany and the US.

Conclusions

Better international collaboration levels may be needed to tackle the novel and fast growing phenomenon of novel psychoactive drug availability from the web. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Using large‐scale climatic patterns for improving long lead time streamflow forecasts for Gunnison and San Juan River Basins
Authors: Kalra Ajay , Miller William P. , Lamb Kenneth W. , Ahmad Sajjad , Piechota Thomas
Published: March 2012

In a water‐stressed region, such as the western United States, it is essential to have long lead times for streamflow forecasts used in reservoir operations and water resources management. Current water supply forecasts provide a 3‐month to 6‐month lead time, depending on the time of year. However, there is a growing demand from stakeholders to have forecasts that run lead times of 1 year or more. In this study, a data‐driven model, the support vector machine (SVM) based on the statistical learning theory, was used to predict annual streamflow volume with a 1‐year lead time. Annual average oceanic–atmospheric indices consisting of the Pacific decadal oscillation, North Atlantic oscillation (NAO), Atlantic multidecadal oscillation, El Niño southern oscillation (ENSO), and a new sea surface temperature (SST) data set for the ‘Hondo’ region for the period of 1906–2006 were used to generate annual streamflow volumes for multiple sites in the Gunnison River Basin and San Juan River Basin, both located in the Upper Colorado River Basin. Based on the performance measures, the model showed very good forecasts, and the forecasts were in good agreement with measured streamflow volumes. Inclusion of SST information from the Hondo region improved the model's forecasting ability; in addition, the combination of NAO and Hondo region SST data resulted in the best streamflow forecasts for a 1‐year lead time. The results of the SVM model were found to be better than the feed‐forward, back propagation artificial neural network and multiple linear regression. The results from this study have the potential of providing useful information for the planning and management of water resources within these basins. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Developing an empirical model of canopy water flux describing the common response of transpiration to solar radiation and VPD across five contrasting woodlands and forests
Authors: Whitley Rhys , Taylor Daniel , Macinnis‐Ng Catriona , Zeppel Melanie , Yunusa Isa , O'Grady Anthony , Froend Ray , Medlyn Belinda , Eamus Derek
Published: March 2012

A modified Jarvis–Stewart model of canopy transpiration (Ec) was tested over five ecosystems differing in climate, soil type and species composition. The aims of this study were to investigate the model's applicability over multiple ecosystems; to determine whether the number of model parameters could be reduced by assuming that site‐specific responses of Ec to solar radiation, vapour pressure deficit and soil moisture content vary little between sites; and to examine convergence of behaviour of canopy water‐use across multiple sites. This was accomplished by the following: (i) calibrating the model for each site to determine a set of site‐specific (SS) parameters, and (ii) calibrating the model for all sites simultaneously to determine a set of combined sites (CS) parameters. The performance of both models was compared with measured Ec data and a statistical benchmark using an artificial neural network (ANN). Both the CS and SS models performed well, explaining hourly and daily variation in Ec. The SS model produced slightly better model statistics [R2 = 0.75–0.91; model efficiency (ME) = 0.53–0.81; root mean square error (RMSE) = 0.0015–0.0280 mm h‐1] than the CS model (R2 = 0.68–0.87; ME = 0.45–0.72; RMSE = 0.0023–0.0164 mm h‐1). Both were highly comparable with the ANN (R2 = 0.77–0.90; ME = 0.58–0.80; RMSE = 0.0007–0.0122 mm h‐1). These results indicate that the response of canopy water‐use to abiotic drivers displayed significant convergence across sites, but the absolute magnitude of Ec was site specific. Period totals estimated with the modified Jarvis–Stewart model provided close approximations of observed totals, demonstrating the effectiveness of this model as a tool aiding water resource management. Analysis of the measured diel patterns of water use revealed significant nocturnal transpiration (9–18% of total water use by the canopy), but no Jarvis–Stewart formulations are able to capture this because of the dependence of water‐use on solar radiation, which is zero at night. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Heterodyne detected nonlinear optical imaging in a lock‐in free manner
Authors: Slipchenko Mikhail N. , Oglesbee Robert A. , Zhang Delong , Wu Wei , Cheng Ji‐Xin
Published: March 2012

We report a compact, cost‐effective tuned amplifier for frequency‐selective amplification of the modulated signal in heterodyne detected nonlinear optical microscopy. Our method improved the signal to noise ratio by an order of magnitude compared to conventional lock‐in detection, as demonstrated through stimulated Raman scattering imaging of live cells and tissues at the speed of 2 μsec/pixel. Application of the tuned amplifier to transient absorption microscopy is also demonstrated. The increased signal to noise ratio allowed epi‐detected in vivo imaging of myelin and blood in rat spinal cord with high spatial resolution. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Subcellular dynamics of multifunctional protein regulation: Mechanisms of GAPDH intracellular translocation
Authors: Sirover Michael A.
Published: March 2012

Multidimensional proteins such as glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) exhibit distinct activities unrelated to their originally identified functions. Apart from glycolysis, GAPDH participates in iron metabolism, membrane trafficking, histone biosynthesis, the maintenance of DNA integrity and receptor mediated cell signaling. Further, multifunctional proteins exhibit distinct changes in their subcellular localization reflecting their new activities. As such, GAPDH is not only a cytosolic protein but is localized in the membrane, the nucleus, polysomes, the ER and the Golgi. In addition, although the initial subcellular localizations of multifunctional proteins may be of significance, dynamic changes in intracellular distribution may occur as a consequence of those new activities. As such, regulatory mechanisms may exist through which cells control multifunctional protein expression as a function of their subcellular localization. The temporal sequence through which subcellular translocation and the acquisition of new GAPDH functions is considered as well as post‐translational modification as a basis for its intracellular transport. J. Cell. Biochem. 113: 2193–2200, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Recruitment of coregulator G9a by Runx2 for selective enhancement or suppression of transcription
Authors: Purcell Daniel J. , Khalid Omar , Ou Chen‐Yin , Little Gillian H. , Frenkel Baruch , Baniwal Sanjeev K. , Stallcup Michael R.
Published: March 2012

Runx2, best known for its role in regulating osteoblast‐specific gene expression, also plays an increasingly recognized role in prostate and breast cancer metastasis. Using the C4‐2B/Rx2dox prostate cancer cell line that conditionally expressed Runx2 in response to doxycycline treatment, we identified and characterized G9a, a histone methyltransferase, as a novel regulator for Runx2 activity. G9a function was locus‐dependent. Whereas depletion of G9a reduced expression of many Runx2 target genes, including MMP9, CSF2, SDF1, and CST7, expression of others, such as MMP13 and PIP, was enhanced. Physical association between G9a and Runx2 was indicated by co‐immunoprecipitation, GST‐pulldown, immunofluorescence, and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) assays. Since G9a makes repressive histone methylation marks and is primarily known as a corepressor, we further investigated the mechanism by which G9a functioned as a positive regulator for Runx2 target genes. Transient reporter assays indicated that the histone methyltransferase activity of G9a was not required for transcriptional activation by Runx2. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays for Runx2 and G9a showed that G9a was recruited to endogenous Runx2 binding sites. We conclude that a subset of cancer‐related Runx2 target genes require recruitment of G9a for their expression, but do not depend on its histone methyltransferase activity. J. Cell. Biochem. 113: 2406–2414, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Bone cells from patients with quiescent Crohn's disease show a reduced growth potential and an impeded maturation
Authors: Oostlander Angela E. , Bravenboer Nathalie , van Essen Huib W. , Klein‐Nulend Jenneke , Lems Willem F. , Schulten Bert A.J.M. , Dijkstra Gerard , van der Woude C. Janneke , van Bodegraven Ad A. , Lips Paul ,   on behalf of the Dutch Initiative on Crohn and Colitis (ICC)
Published: March 2012

Patients with Crohn's disease (CD) are at increased risk of developing osteoporosis. The mechanism underlying bone loss in CD patients is only partly understood. Inflammation is thought to contribute by causing a disturbed bone remodeling. In this study, we aimed to compare functional characteristics of osteoblasts from CD patients and controls, as osteoblasts are one of the effector cells in bone remodeling. The study included 18 patients with quiescent CD and 18 healthy controls. Bone cells obtained from iliac crest biopsies were cultured in the absence and presence of the inflammatory cytokines IL‐1α, IL‐1β, IL‐6, TNF‐α, IL‐10, and TGF‐β. At various time points, cell proliferation and differentiation were analyzed. Bone cells from CD patients showed a prolonged culture period to reach confluence and a decreased cell number at confluence. CD patient‐derived bone cell cultures produced higher alkaline phosphatase levels, whereas osteocalcin levels were considerably reduced compared to control cultures. At the proliferation level, the responsiveness to inflammatory cytokines was similar in bone cells from CD patients and controls. At the differentiation level, CD cultures showed an increased responsiveness to IL‐6 and a decreased responsiveness to TGF‐β. Responsiveness to the other cytokines tested was unaffected. In summary, we show a reduced growth potential and impeded maturation of bone cells from quiescent CD patients in vitro. These disease‐related alterations combined with an unchanged sensitivity of CD patient‐derived bone cells to inflammatory cytokines, provide a new insight in the understanding of CD‐associated bone loss. J. Cell. Biochem. 113: 2424–2431, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Origin of the variability of the mechanical properties of silk fibres: 3. Order and macromolecule orientation in Bombyx mori bave, hand‐stretched strings and Nephila madagascarensis spider fibres
Authors: Colomban Philippe , Dinh Hung Manh , Tournié Aurélie , Jauzein Vincent
Published: March 2012

The comparison of the low wavenumber of polarized Raman spectra (50–300 cm–1) from Bombyx mori (fresh cocoons fibres, hand‐stretched ‘Crins de Florence’ strings from the gland content, dried gland, regenerated silk films) and Nephila madagascarensis silks reveals the high polarisation of fibre modes and the absence of polarisation for dried gland and regenerated silk films. This is consistent with X‐ray diffraction measurements. The orientation of the fibroin/spidroin chains is due to the stretching during production, as for advanced synthetic fibres. The bandwidth of the ‘ordered chains’ signature is almost the same for the different fibres. However, the degree of polarisation seems to be higher in the case of spider fibre. The huge bandwidth of low wavenumber components of regenerated films indicates high disorder. Measurements along the fibre point out conformation changes with a periodicity (~20 mm) related to the silkworm head motion during the fabrication of the cocoon. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Electrospinning of Prolamin Proteins in Acetic Acid: The Effects of Protein Conformation and Aggregation in Solution
Authors: Wang Yixiang , Chen Lingyun
Published: March 2012

The electrospinnability of hordein and gliadin from acetic acid solutions is demonstrated and compared to that of zein. The relation between protein conformations in solution and the properties of post‐spun fibers are studied by means of CD, FTIR, TEM, DLS, viscosity measurements, SEM, and mechanical testing. The results show that both electrospinnability of the proteins and mechanical properties of post‐spun fibers are significantly influenced by solution protein conformations. Ultrafine fibers are fabricated at optimized concentrations, while large compact aggregates caused by hydrophobic interactions have a negative effect on the formation of continuous protein fibers. Moreover, hordein fibers show a lower cytotoxicity than gliadin and zein fibers.

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Lung ventilation‐ and perfusion‐weighted Fourier decomposition magnetic resonance imaging: In vivo validation with hyperpolarized 3He and dynamic contrast‐enhanced MRI
Authors: Bauman Grzegorz , Scholz Alexander , Rivoire Julien , Terekhov Maxim , Friedrich Janet , de Oliveira Andre , Semmler Wolfhard , Schreiber Laura Maria , Puderbach Michael
Published: March 2012

The purpose of this work was to validate ventilation‐weighted (VW) and perfusion‐weighted (QW) Fourier decomposition (FD) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with hyperpolarized 3He MRI and dynamic contrast‐enhanced perfusion (DCE) MRI in a controlled animal experiment. Three healthy pigs were studied on 1.5‐T MR scanner. For FD MRI, the VW and QW images were obtained by postprocessing of time‐resolved lung image sets. DCE acquisitions were performed immediately after contrast agent injection. 3He MRI data were acquired following the administration of hyperpolarized helium and nitrogen mixture. After baseline MR scans, pulmonary embolism was artificially produced. FD MRI and DCE MRI perfusion measurements were repeated. Subsequently, atelectasis and air trapping were induced, which followed with FD MRI and 3He MRI ventilation measurements. Distributions of signal intensities in healthy and pathologic lung tissue were compared by statistical analysis. Images acquired using FD, 3He, and DCE MRI in all animals before the interventional procedure showed homogeneous ventilation and perfusion. Functional defects were detected by all MRI techniques at identical anatomical locations. Signal intensity in VW and QW images was significantly lower in pathological than in healthy lung parenchyma. The study has shown usefulness of FD MRI as an alternative, noninvasive, and easily implementable technique for the assessment of acute changes in lung function. Magn Reson Med, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Longitudinal1H MRS assessment of the thalamus in a Coriaria lactone‐induced rhesus monkey status epilepticus model
Authors: Zhang Xiao‐Yun , Yang Zhi‐Yong , Li Jin‐Mei , Li Hong‐Xia , Wang Li , Gong Qi‐Yong , Zhou Dong
Published: March 2012

Neurophysiological, biochemical and anatomical evidence implicates the thalamus as playing a role in epileptic seizures. Until recently, however, longitudinal characterization ofin vivothalamus dynamics had not been reported. In this study, we investigated the metabolism in the thalamus to identify the changes that occur following Coriaria lactone (CL)‐induced status epilepticus (SE) and to observe whether the epileptiform discharges could present a difference between the left and right thalami. Five rhesus monkeys underwent whole‐brain MRI and single‐voxel MRS on a Siemens Trio Tim 3‐T MR scanner with a 12‐channel head coil. Spectra were processed using LCModel. Scans were performed in five animals before SE and at 1, 7, 21 and 42 days after the onset of SE. Statistical analysis of the data obtained demonstrated no significant difference in the bilateral thalamus of healthy macaques. Our MRS data showed symmetrical distributions ofN‐acetylaspartate in the right and left thalami after SE (p = 0.003). In addition, this longitudinal study demonstrated elevated glutamate/glutamine (p < 0.05) and reduced myo‐inositol (p < 0.05) in the bilateral thalamus 1 day after SE, and all metabolites approached their baseline levels by the fifth scan. Our results demonstrate that metabolic changes occur in the thalamus during CL‐induced SE in rhesus monkeys. The various metabolic changes may indicate that the left thalamus is more vulnerable to epileptic strike. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An exploratory case‐only analysis of gene‐hazardous air pollutant interactions and the risk of childhood medulloblastoma
Authors: Lupo Philip J. , Lee Laura J. , Okcu M. Fatih , Bondy Melissa L. , Scheurer Michael E.
Published: March 2012

Background

There is evidence that exposure to chlorinated solvents may be associated with childhood medulloblastoma and primitive neuroectodermal tumor (M/PNET) risk. Animal models suggest genes related to detoxification and DNA repair are important in the carcinogenicity of these pollutants; however, there have been no human studies assessing the modifying effects of these genotypes on the association between chlorinated solvents and childhood M/PNET risk.

Procedure

We conducted a case‐only study to evaluate census tract‐level exposure to chlorinated solvents and the risk of childhood M/PNET in the context of detoxification and DNA repair genotypes. Cases (n = 98) were obtained from Texas Children's Hospital and MD Anderson Cancer Center. Key genotypes (n = 22) were selected from the Illumina Human 1M Quad SNP Chip. Exposure to chlorinated solvents (methylene chloride, perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene, and vinyl chloride) was estimated from the US EPA's 1999 Assessment System for Population Exposure Nationwide (ASPEN). Logistic regression was used to estimate the case‐only odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

There were 11 significant gene–environment interactions associated with childhood M/PNET risk. However, after correcting for multiple comparisons, only the interaction between high trichloroethylene levels and OGG1 rs293795 significantly increased the risk of childhood M/PNET risk (OR = 9.24, 95% CI: 2.24, 38.24, Q = 0.04).

Conclusions

This study provides an initial assessment of the interaction between ambient levels of chlorinated solvents and potentially relevant genotypes on childhood M/PNET risk. Our results are exploratory and must be validated in animal models, as well as additional human studies. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2012;59:605–610. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Illness perception clusters at diagnosis predict psychological distress among women with breast cancer at 6 months post diagnosis
Authors: McCorry Noleen K. , Dempster Martin , Quinn Joanne , Hogg Alex , Newell Janet , Moore Margaret , Kelly Sheila , Kirk Stephen J.
Published: March 2012

Objective

This study aimed to examine the extent to which illness perceptions and coping strategies among women diagnosed with breast cancer explain psychological distress at diagnosis and at 6 months post diagnosis relative to demographic and illness‐related variables.

Methods

Women were recruited to the study shortly after diagnosis. A total of 90 women completed study materials (Illness Perception Questionnaire‐Revised, the Cancer Coping Questionnaire and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) at time 1. The same questionnaires were sent approximately 6 months later to those who had consented at time 1, and completed questionnaires were returned by 72 women.

Results

Cluster analysis was used to identify groups of respondents who reported a similar profile of illness perception scores. Regression analysis demonstrated that one of these clusters was more likely to experience psychological distress than the other both at diagnosis and at 6 months post diagnosis. Illness perception cluster membership and positive focus type coping were the most important and consistent predictors of lower psychological distress at diagnosis and at 6 months post diagnosis.

Conclusions

Illness perceptions remained relatively stable over the study period, and therefore we are unable to clarify whether changes in illness cognitions are associated with a corresponding change in psychological symptoms. Future research should evaluate the impact on psychological distress of interventions specifically designed to modify illness cognitions among women with breast cancer. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dust explosion incidents in China
Authors: Yan Xing‐Qing , Yu Jian‐Liang
Published: March 2012

Dust explosions occur frequently in process industries leading to serious financial losses and injuries to personnel. Case histories during the past 30 years in China are reviewed in this article. The results indicate that 39% of the accidents occurred in flour and feed industry followed by plastic industry (15%), chemical industry (14%), metal industry (10%), and other industries (22%). Static electricity, welding and cutting, friction spark, electrical spark, and high temperature are the common ignition sources. Poor operating procedures and safety management are the root cause of accidents in China. The approaches to prevent dust explosions are: (a) train workers concerning the hazards of handling dusts, (b) specify guidelines and standards for operations, and (c) improve safety management practices to verify the utilization of training, guidelines, and standards. © 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2012
Characteristics and simulation analysis of GaN‐based vertical light emitting diodes via wafer‐level additional surface roughening process
Authors: Bae Seong‐Ju , Choi JeHyuk , Kim Dong‐Hyun , Ju In‐Chan , Shin Chan‐Soo , Ko Chul‐Gi , Yu Jae Su
Published: March 2012

We report the device characteristics of InGaN/GaN blue vertical light emitting diodes (VLEDs) by additional KOH surface roughening process through the wafer‐level fabrication/test, and their simulation analysis in terms of electrical and optical properties. The influence of additional KOH etching time on the evolution of the rough surface and the device performance of VLEDs was investigated. With applying the additional surface roughening, the average operating voltage was gradually increased. In contrast, the average optical output power was increased upto a certain roughening time, but then it decreased again. As a whole, by applying an adequate additional roughening process, the optical power was improved without noticeable increase in the operation voltage. From the simulated current density and light extraction efficiency results, these device behaviours were well explained by the current crowding and bulk absorption effects.
Sharp contrast of the density and size of Ga metal droplets on photolithographically patterned GaAs (100) by droplet epitaxy under an identical growth environment
Authors: Li Ming‐Yu , Lee Jihoon , Wang Zhiming , Hirono Yusuke , Wu Jiang , Song Sangmin , Koo Sang‐Mo , Kim Eun‐Soo , Salamo Gregory J.
Published: March 2012

A sharp contrast of the density and size of Ga metal droplets (MDs) on strip patterned GaAs (100) is demonstrated through droplet epitaxy (DE) and photolithography technique. As clearly evidenced by scanning electronic microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM), MD density between etched (patterned) and un‐etched (un‐patterned) surfaces can be sharply different up to one order of magnitude under an identical growth condition. Etched surface exhibits much higher density and smaller diameter and height of MDs.
Antiinflammatory Properties of Extracts and Compounds Isolated from Verbascum xanthophoeniceum Griseb
Authors: Dimitrova Petya , Kostadinova Emanuela , Milanova Viktoriya , Alipieva Kalina , Georgiev Milen , Ivanovska Nina
Published: March 2012

Verbascum xanthophoeniceum Griseb. is an endemic plant of the Balkan region, a representative of the genus Verbascum used in traditional medicine for respiratory and inflammatory disorders. The objective of this study was to evaluate in vivo and in vitro the antiinflammatory action of crude extract, different fractions and pure compounds obtained from V. xanthophoeniceum Griseb. Bioactive metabolites were isolated by the use of low‐pressure chromatographic separation. Crude methanol extract (CME) was applied in a model of paw oedema and different fractions and substances were tested in vitro for their effect on NO and cytokine production by peritoneal macrophages, and on the COX‐1 and COX‐2 expression. The CME exerted inhibition on cobra venom factor (CVF)‐induced oedema in mice, in correlation with reduced alternative pathway (AP) complement activity. A highly suppressive effect was expressed by nigroside VI on IL‐6 and NO production and by forsythoside B on TNF‐α production. Leucosceptoside B lowered NO release and COX‐1 expression in macrophages. Verbascum xanthophoeniceum could serve as a promising source of active compounds with antiinflammatory action, particularly in complement‐mediated disorders. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Using Visual Representations as Boundary Objects to Resolve Conflict in Collaborative Model‐Building Approaches
Authors: Black Laura J. , Andersen David F.
Published: March 2012

In the context of facilitated, technology‐supported efforts to resolve complex problems, we recognize the critical role that visual representations can play in both the content and process of collaboration. How these representations are wielded by facilitators and interpreted by participants determines whether they help resolve conflicts or close down conversations. We identify three key attributes of scripted problem‐solving facilitation, as well as three key attributes of visual representations that function as boundary objects, to gain insights into pivotal experiences when group problem‐solving efforts turned from collaboration to conflict and vice versa. We draw on three vignettes from facilitated group problem solving to illustrate how these attributes can be deployed to move conflict‐mired conversations into collaborative discussions. This paper contributes to collaborative problem solving by using the formal sociological theory of boundary objects to offer a deeper, richer understanding of successes and shortcomings of visual representations as drivers of conflict resolution in model‐building approaches. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Teaching for Writing Expository Responses to Narrative Texts
Authors: Cummins Sunday , Quiroa Ruth E.
Published: March 2012

The purpose of this “teaching tips” article is to describe practical classroom instruction that helps elementary students write expository responses to narrative texts. It focuses on the importance of scaffolded, interactive discussions comprised of a combination of teacher think alouds and similar student responses before, during, and after writing. Embedded within such instruction is the use of inquiry listening as a form of formative assessment. The article opens by highlighting a problem posed by a local literacy assessment and standardized test preparation measure for the focal children, namely, inconsistencies between the text structure analyzed (narrative) and the required product (expository textual analysis). Next, it outlines specific instruction involving interactive discussions that lead to comprehension of text structure(s) and clear conceptualizations of expected formats for written products. These include a) frontloading with photographs, and b) thinking aloud about writing samples.