bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Early versus delayed percutaneous coronary intervention for patients with non‐ST segment elevation acute coronary syndrome: A meta‐analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials
Authors: Rajpurohit Naveen , Garg Nadish , Garg Rajeev , Choudhary Abhishek , Fresen John , Boren Sue , Dellsperger Kevin C. , Webel Richard , Aggarwal Kul , Alpert Martin A.
Published: April 2012

Background: Studies assessing the timing of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) in patients with Non‐ST segment elevation Acute Coronary Syndromes (NSTE‐ACS) have failed to generate a consensus on how early PCI should be performed in such patients. Purpose: This meta‐analysis compares clinical outcomes at 30 days in NSTE‐ACS patients undergoing PCI within 24 hours of presentation (early PCI) with those receiving PCI more than 24 hours after presentation (delayed PCI). Data Sources: Data were extracted from searches of MEDLINE (1990‐2010) and Google scholar and from scrutiny of abstract booklets from major cardiology meetings (1990‐2010). Study selection: Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that included the composite endpoint of death and non‐fatal myocardial infarction (MI) at 30 days after PCI were considered. Data Extraction: Two independent reviewers extracted data using standard forms. The effects of early and delayed PCI were analyzed by calculating pooled estimates for death, non‐fatal MI, bleeding, repeat revascularization and the composite endpoint of death or non‐fatal MI at 30 days. Univariate analysis of each of these variables was used to create odds ratios. Data Synthesis: Seven studies with a total of 13,762 patients met the inclusion criteria. There was no significant difference in the odds of the composite endpoint of death or non‐fatal MI at 30 days between patients undergoing early PCI and those receiving delayed PCI (OR‐0.83, 95%CI 0.62‐1.10). Patients receiving delayed PCI experienced a 33% reduction in the odds of repeat revascularization at 30 days compared to those undergoing early PCI (OR‐1.33, 95%CI 1.14‐1.56, P=0.0004).Conversely, patients undergoing early PCI experienced lower odds of bleeding than those receiving delayed PCI (OR‐0.76, 95%CI 0.63‐0.91, P = 0.0003). Conclusions: In NSTE‐ACS patients early PCI doesn't reduce the odds of the composite endpoint of death or non‐fatal MI at 30 day. This strategy is associated with lower odds of bleeding and higher odds of repeat revascularization at 30 days than a strategy of delayed PCI. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Accurate measurement of oxygen consumption in children undergoing cardiac catheterization
Authors: Li Jia
Published: April 2012

Oxygen consumption (VO2) is an important part of hemodynamics using the direct Fick principle in children undergoing cardiac catheterization. Accurate measurement of VO2 is vital. Obviously, any error in the measurement of VO2 will translate directly into an equivalent percentage under‐ or overestimation of blood flows and vascular resistances. It remains common practice to estimate VO2 values from published predictive equations. Among these, the LaFarge equation is the most commonly used equation and gives the closest estimation with the least bias and limits of agreement. However, considerable errors are introduced by the LaFarge equation, particularly in children younger than 3 years of age. Respiratory mass spectrometry remains the “state‐of‐the‐art” method, allowing highly sensitive, rapid and simultaneous measurement of multiple gas fractions. The AMIS 2000 quadrupole respiratory mass spectrometer system has been adapted to measure VO2 in children under mechanical ventilation with pediatric ventilators during cardiac catheterization. The small sampling rate, fast response time and long tubes make the equipment a unique and powerful tool for bedside continuous measurement of VO2 in cardiac catheterization for both clinical and research purposes. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Yield Optimization in a Cycled Trickle‐Bed Reactor: Ethanol Catalytic Oxidation as a Case Study
Authors: Ayude A. , Cassanello M. , Martínez O. , Haure P.
Published: April 2012

The effect of slow ON‐OFF liquid flow modulation on the yield of consecutive reactions is investigated for oxidation of aqueous ethanol solutions using a 0.5 % Pd/Al2O3 commercial catalyst in a laboratory trickle‐bed reactor. Experiments with modulated liquid flow rate (MLFR) were performed under the same hydrodynamic conditions (degree of wetting, liquid holdup) as experiments with constant liquid flow rate (CLFR). Thus, the impact of the duration of wet and dry cycles as well as the period can be independently investigated. Depending on cycling conditions, acetaldehyde or acetic acid production is favored with MLFR compared to CLFR. Results suggest both the opportunity and challenge of finding a way to tune the cycling parameters for producing the most appropriate product.
Testing for generalized linear mixed models with cluster correlated data under linear inequality constraints
Authors: Davis Karelyn A. , Park Chul G. , Sinha Sanjoy K.
Published: April 2012

Generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) are often used for analyzing cluster correlated data, including longitudinal data and repeated measurements. Full unrestricted maximum likelihood (ML) approaches for inference on both fixed‐and random‐effects parameters in GLMMs have been extensively studied in the literature. However, parameter orderings or constraints may occur naturally in practice, and in such cases, the efficiency of a statistical method is improved by incorporating the parameter constraints into the ML estimation and hypothesis testing. In this paper, inference for GLMMs under linear inequality constraints is considered. The asymptotic properties of the constrained ML estimators and constrained likelihood ratio tests for GLMMs have been studied. Simulations investigated the empirical properties of the constrained ML estimators, compared to their unrestricted counterparts. An application to a recent survey on Canadian youth smoking patterns is also presented. As these survey data exhibit natural parameter orderings, a constrained GLMM has been considered for data analysis.The Canadian Journal of Statistics40: 243–258; 2012 © 2012 Crown in the right of Canada
Evaluation of intra‐group optimistic data replication in P2P groupware systems
Authors: Xhafa Fatos , Potlog Alina‐Diana , Spaho Evjola , Pop Florin , Cristea Valentin , Barolli Leonard
Published: April 2012

Peer‐to‐peer (P2P) computing systems have become very popular during the last years because of their ability to scale to a large number of users and efficient communication among peers. They can support complex computational processes, beyond simple file sharing, while offering advantages of decentralized distributed systems. However, such systems may suffer from availability and reliability. To increase availability and reliability, and therefore, improve the perception of peers, yielding to fast response times and rich experience, data replication techniques are the foremost means in such systems. Indeed, in many P2P applications, for example, in a groupware, documents generated along application life cycle can change over time. The need is then to efficiently replicate dynamic documents and data to support group processes and collaboration. In this paper, we propose a replication system for documents structured as XML files and evaluate it under different scenarios. The proposed system has a super‐peer architecture that provides fast consistency for late joining peers. It uses optimistic replication techniques with propagating update operations from source to destination node in push mode. The system is suitable for asynchronous collaboration in online collaborative teams accomplishing a common project in a P2P environment. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Photoinduced Symmetry‐Breaking Charge Separation
Authors: Vauthey Eric
Published: April 2012

Molecular systems where several apparently equivalent charge separation pathways exist upon photoexcitation are presented. They encompass MQn (n≥2) architectures, where M is a chromophore and Q an electron transfer quencher (either donor or acceptor), and M–M systems where M acts as both electron donor and acceptor. In all cases, charge separation involves symmetry breaking. The conditions for such process to be operative as well as the origin of the symmetry breaking are discussed.
Facile Synthesis of Uniform CdS Hollow Spheres in an Ethanol System and Their Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity
Authors: Wang Xiufang , Yuan Shizhen , Chen Guangmei
Published: April 2012

The monodisperse, flowerlike CdS hollow spheres have been successfully synthesized by employing sulfur as the sulfate sources from a solution of H4SiW12O40 (SiW12) in ethanol through UV irradiation. The SiW12 that serves as photocatalyst plays a very important role on the synthesis of CdS crystals. The morphologies of the synthesized CdS crystals could be controlled by adjusting experimental parameters, such as initial precursor ratios, reaction time, and concentration of reagents. The possible mechanism of formation for the CdS nanostructures is proposed based on the experimental results. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area of the CdS hollow spheres calculated from the N2 adsorption isotherm is 175.8 m2 g−1, which is much larger than the value reported in previous reports. The optical properties of CdS hollow structures have also been studied. Importantly, the CdS hollow nanostructures have extraordinary photocatalytic activity for the photodegradation of rhodamine B (RhB) under irradiation with visible light.
On low‐complexity adaptive wireless push‐based data broadcasting
Authors: Polatoglou Marianna , Nicopolitidis Petros , Papadimitriou Georgios I.
Published: April 2012

This letter addresses a low‐complexity adaptive wireless data broadcasting system. Specifically, it proposes a way for reducing the computational complexity of the estimation process for the item demands, which in turn leads to a lower computational complexity to the broadcast server for selecting a data item to broadcast. We assume no a priori knowledge of the client demands for information items as happens in real environments. Simulation results reveal that the lowering of the computational complexity of the proposed system does not affect the performance offered to the system clients. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Adaptive anomaly control for alleviating the exclusive channel occupation in wireless networks
Authors: Park Hyunhee , Shon Taeshik , Park Seunghyun , Kim Eui‐Jik
Published: April 2012

In wireless local area networks, interframe space is determined according to the type of transmission frame in order to perform effective transmission and collision avoidance using carrier sense multiple access/collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) mechanism and to attempt transmission after backoff time. In carrier sense multiple access/collision avoidance mechanism, however, each node individually determines the interframe space according to the transmission frames and randomly selects the backoff time; thus, the nodes can be selfish, which reduces the interframe space or backoff time in order to increase the channel occupation rate. This increase leads to an increase in bandwidth in channels dominated by such selfish nodes and a decrease in bandwidth of other nodes. After all, to prevent exclusive channel occupation and to guarantee fair channel access, it is necessary to establish detection and control schemes for selfish nodes. We propose misbehavior detection and control scheme for use in media access control layers, which involves comparison of the channel occupation rates of all nodes and a selective control scheme using a network allocation vector clearing method. We also validate the misbehavior detection and control scheme through extensive simulation. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Induction of the chick columella and its integration with the inner ear
Authors: Zou Yihui , Mak Siu‐Shan , Liu Hui Zhan , Han Dong Yi , Zhuang Hong Xing , Yang Shi Ming , Ladher Raj K.
Published: April 2012

Background: The auditory complex of the chick, like that of humans, is made of intimate and highly ordered connections between the inner ear, the middle ear, and the outer ear. Unlike mammals, the middle ear of chick has only one ossicle, known as the columella. The independent lineages of the two suggest that some mechanism must exist that ensures the connectivity between the inner ear and the columella; however, the basis of integration is not known. Results: Using quail‐chick chimeras, we demonstrate that columella development depends on signaling interactions. Specifically, both pharyngeal endoderm and cranial paraxial mesoderm can alter the morphology of the columella. Only a discrete region of pharyngeal endoderm exerts this patterning activity, and this region is specified by the overlying paraxial mesoderm. Conclusions: Paraxial mesoderm is also used in the induction of the inner ear, thus we propose that this overlapping source of signalling cues in both middle and inner ear development may underlie the integration of these structures. Developmental Dynamics 241:1104–1110, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Conditional expression of Lodavin, an avidin‐tagged LDL receptor, for biotin‐mediated applications in vivo
Authors: Murugan Subramanian , Saarela Ulla , Airenne Kari , Shan Jingdong , Skovorodkin Ilya , Ylä‐Herttuala Seppo , Vainio Seppo J.
Published: April 2012

Lodavin represents an engineered fusion protein that consists of a cytoplasmic and a transmembrane domain of the human low‐density lipoprotein receptor coupled to an extracellular avidin monomer. Biotinylated compounds have been successfully targeted to Lodavin‐expressing cells that have been transduced by a Lodavin‐containing virus, and the targeting is based on the high affinity between biotin and avidin. We engineered a Rosa26 (R26R) knock‐in Lodavin mouse to develop biotin‐based applications such as targeted drug delivery, cell purification, and tissue imaging in vivo. A cDNA encoding Lodavin was inserted downstream of a floxed βgeo resistance gene in the R26R locus in embryonic stem cells, and a germ line‐derived R26RLodavin mouse line was generated. Efficient removal of the floxed βgeo cassette and conditional activation of Lodavin expression was achieved as a result of crossing the R26RLodavin mice with HoxB7‐Cre, Wnt4‐Cre, or Tie1‐Cre mice. In summary, the R26RLodavin mouse line may provide a useful tool for testing and developing applications with the aid of avidin and biotin interaction. genesis 50:693–699, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Emotion and eating disorder symptoms in patients with anorexia nervosa: An experimental study
Authors: Wildes Jennifer E. , Marcus Marsha D. , Bright Ashley C. , Dapelo Marcela Marin , Psychol Magister Clin
Published: April 2012

Objective:

To evaluate the effect of negative emotion on self‐reported eating disorder symptoms and objectively‐measured eating behavior in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN).

Method:

Twenty‐eight females with AN were randomized to a negative or neutral mood induction followed by a test meal. Participants completed assessments one week before the experimental session, before (pretest) and after (posttest) the mood induction, and after the test meal.

Results:

Participants in the negative emotion condition had an increase in negative affect from pretest to posttest that was accompanied by significantly greater increases in self‐reported eating disorder symptoms than were exhibited by participants in the neutral emotion condition, who had no increase in negative affect. There was no effect of emotion condition on eating behavior.

Discussion:

Results suggest that negative emotions influence the expression of cognitive eating disorder symptoms in individuals with AN, which may have implications for the identification of treatment targets. © 2012 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2012;45:876–882)
Defining spatial comparison metrics for evaluation of paleoclimatic field reconstructions of the Common Era
Authors: Li Bo , Smerdon Jason E.
Published: April 2012

Climate field reconstructions (CFR) of the Common Era (the last two millennia) provide important insights into the dynamics of past climate change that, in turn, have implications for the future. Multiple CFR methods have emerged in the literature, and comparisons between these methods using pseudoproxy experiments have been performed. These experiments, however, have not fully quantified the spatial skill of the CFRs, particularly with regard to the relative performance of each. Toward such ends, a formal statistical hypothesis test is proposed as a means of evaluating the differences between two random fields that integrate the differences in both the mean and the dependence structure. This involves a careful selection of the statistical model for the CFR residual process and systematic comparisons over different spatial scales. Application of this method yields a systematic assessment of the spatial character of five widely applied CFRs in a pseudoproxy experiment context. The analyses indicate that spatial differences among the five CFRs are not statistically significant. Further rigorous statistical assessments will help elucidate the strength and weakness of each CFR method, while quantifying the degree to which their spatial dissimilarities can be ascribed to methodological choices. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Rastlos in einer sesshaften Welt
Authors: Unterstell Rembert
Published: April 2012

Nomaden in Geschichte und Gegenwart: Die Ausstellung „Brisante Begegnungen”︁ im Hamburger Museum für Völkerkunde stößt Fenster zu einer Vielfalt von Lebenswelten auf. Besuch eines Denkortes, der Ergebnisse eines DFG‐Sonderforschungsbereichs präsentiert.
Schneller, präziser, sichtbarer
Authors: Greve Henry , Jahns Robert , Raethjen Jan
Published: April 2012

EKG und EEG stoßen immer wieder an ihre Grenzen. Für neuartige Magnetfeldsensoren suchen Physiker, Elektrotechniker und Mediziner nun nach optimalen Verbundwerkstoffen. Diagnose und Behandlung von Herz‐ und Hirnerkrankungen könnten davon profitieren.
Von der Idee zur Erkenntnis — sichtbar gemacht
Authors: Kleiner Matthias
Published: April 2012

Wenn von Wissenschaft die Rede ist, geht es oft um ihre Finanzierung und Organisation. Allzu leicht vergessen wird dabei aber das Wichtigste: Themen, Inhalte und Ergebnisse. Wissenschaftsförderung heißt daher auch, ihre Potenziale und Erfolge öffentlich darzustellen.
Interleukin-22 induces hepatic stellate cell senescence and restricts liver fibrosis in mice
Authors: Kong Xiaoni , Feng Dechun , Wang Hua , Hong Feng , Bertola Adeline , Wang Fu-Sheng , Gao Bin
Published: April 2012

Interleukin (IL)-22 is known to play a key role in promoting antimicrobial immunity, inflammation, and tissue repair at barrier surfaces by binding to the receptors, IL-10R2 and IL-22R1. IL-22R1 is generally thought to be expressed exclusively in epithelial cells. In this study, we identified high levels of IL-10R2 and IL-22R1 expression on hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), the predominant cell type involved in liver fibrogenesis in response to liver damage.

In vitro

treatment with IL-22 induced the activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3 in primary mouse and human HSCs. IL-22 administration prevented HSC apoptosis

in vitro

and

in vivo
, but surprisingly, the overexpression of IL-22 by either gene targeting (e.g., IL-22 transgenic mice) or exogenous administration of adenovirus expressing IL-22 reduced liver fibrosis and accelerated the resolution of liver fibrosis during recovery. Furthermore, IL-22 overexpression or treatment increased the number of senescence-associated beta-galactosidase-positive HSCs and decreased alpha-smooth muscle actin expression in fibrotic livers

in vivo

and cultured HSCs

in vitro
. Deletion of STAT3 prevented IL-22-induced HSC senescence

in vitro
, whereas the overexpression of a constitutively activated form of STAT3 promoted HSC senescence through p53- and p21-dependent pathways. Finally, IL-22 treatment up-regulated the suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) 3 expression in HSCs. Immunoprecipitation analyses revealed that SOCS3 bound p53 and subsequently increased the expression of p53 and its target genes, contributing to IL-22-mediated HSC senescence.

Conclusion
: IL-22 induces the senescence of HSCs, which express both IL-10R2 and IL-22R1, thereby ameliorating liver fibrogenesis. The antifibrotic effect of IL-22 is likely mediated by the induction of HSC senescence, in addition to the previously discovered hepatoprotective functions of IL-22.
IL28B polymorphisms predict interferon-related hepatitis B surface antigen seroclearance in genotype D hepatitis B e antigen–negative patients with chronic hepatitis B
Authors: Lampertico Pietro , Viganò Mauro , Cheroni Cristina , Facchetti Floriana , Invernizzi Federica , Valveri Vincenza , Soffredini Roberta , Abrignani Sergio , De Francesco Raffaele , Colombo Massimo
Published: April 2012

Interleukin (IL)28B polymorphisms have been associated with interferon (IFN)-induced viral clearance in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Whether this is also true for patients with the difficult-to-cure hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is unknown. One hundred and one HBeAg-negative patients (92% genotype D) with compensated CHB (84% males, 46 years; hepatitis B virus [HBV] DNA: 6.0 log cp/mL; alanine aminotransferase [ALT]: 136 IU/L; 42% with cirrhosis) were followed up for a median of 11 years (range, 1–17) after a median of 23 months (range, 10–48) of either standard or pegylated (Peg)-IFN-alpha therapy. A post-treatment response was defined as hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) clearance with or without antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) seroconversion. The rs12979860 (C>T) genotype in the IL28B locus was assessed in serum samples by using Custom TaqMan SNP Genotyping Assays (Applied Biosystems, Carlsbad, CA). During a median of 11 years of post-treatment follow-up, 21 patients (21%) cleared serum HBsAg, including 15 who developed >10 IU/mL of anti-HBs titers. Forty-eight patients (47%) had CC genotype, 42 (42%) had CT, and 11 (11%) had TT, with the allelic frequency being 68% for C allele and 32% for T allele. The rate of serum HBsAg clearance was 29% (n = 14) in CC compared to 13% (n = 7) in non-CC, genotype carriers (
P

= 0.039). Baseline HBV DNA levels <6 log cp/mL (odds ratio [OR], 11.9; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.8–50.6;

P

= 0.001), ALT levels >136 IU/L (OR, 6.5; 95% CI: 1.8–22.5;

P

= 0.003), duration of IFN (OR, 1.16; 95% CI: 1.02–1.31;

P

= 0.021), and genotype CC (OR, 3.9; 95% CI: 1.1–13.2;

P

= 0.025) independently predicted HBsAg clearance.

Conclusions
: IL28B polymorphism is an additional predictor of off-therapy IFN-related HBsAg seroclearance to be used in the pretreatment stratification of HBeAg-negative patients chronically infected by genotype D of HBV. (Hepatology 2013)
Retracted: Human factors of knowledge‐sharing intention among taiwanese enterprises: A model of hypotheses
Authors: Chen Cheng‐Wu , Chang Min‐Li , Tseng Chun‐Pin
Published: April 2012

Knowledge management (KM) is very important in the business world of today. The Taiwanese government has recognized the importance of KM in helping small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to innovate through both their internal core competencies and external resources. This study combines the concept of social capital and motivation–opportunity–ability models by both social and technological dimensions to investigate the human factors that characterize knowledge sharing and the motivational elements that can encourage investment in it. In addition, this study also proposes some possible perspective suggestions for implementing KM initiatives to reinvigorate Taiwanese SMEs. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Semiautomated Identification and Classification of Customer Complaints
Authors: Choe Pilsung , Lehto Mark R. , Shin Geon‐Cheol , Choi Kyu‐Yeong
Published: April 2012

This paper examines the feasibility of extracting useful information from customer comments using a Naïve Bayes classifier. This was done for a database, obtained from a large Korean mobile telephone service provider, of 533 customer calls to call centers in 2009. After eliminating calls not containing customer complaints or comments, the remaining 383 comments were classified by an expert panel into four domains and 27 complaint categories. The four domains were Transaction‐related (189 comments, 49%), Product‐related (120 comments, 31%), Customer Service or Support‐related (38 comments, 10%) and Customer Outreach and Marketing‐related (36 comments, 9%). The comments were then randomly assigned to either a training set (257 cases, 67%) or test set (126 cases, 33%). The training set was used to develop a Naïve Bayes classifier that correctly predicted the domain 75% of the time and the specific subcategory 51% of the time for the test set. Prediction accuracy was strongly related to prediction strength for both sets of predictions, suggesting that simple filtering strategies where difficult to understand comments are flagged for expert review and easy comments are automatically classified are both technically feasible and likely to be practically valuable. Several strong predictors were also identified that corresponded to categories more detailed than those originally assigned. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Distinct contributions of human hippocampal theta to spatial cognition and anxiety
Authors: Cornwell Brian R. , Arkin Nicole , Overstreet Cassie , Carver Frederick W. , Grillon Christian
Published: April 2012

Current views of the hippocampus assign this structure, and its prominent theta rhythms, a key role in both cognition and affect. We studied this duality of function in humans, where no direct evidence exists. Whole‐head magnetoencephalographic (MEG) data were recorded to measure theta activity while healthy participants (N = 25) navigated two virtual Morris water mazes, one in which they risked receiving aversive shocks without warning to induce anxiety and one in which they were safe from shocks. Results showed that threat of shock elevated anxiety level and enhanced navigation performance as compared to the safe condition. MEG source analyses revealed that improved navigation performance during threat was preferentially associated with increased left septal (posterior) hippocampal theta (specifically 4–8 Hz activity), replicating previous research that emphasizes a predominant role of the septal third of the hippocampus in spatial cognition. Moreover, increased self‐reported anxiety during threat was preferentially associated with increased left temporal (anterior) hippocampal theta (specifically 2–6 Hz activity), consistent with this region's involvement in mediating conditioned and innate fear. Supporting contemporary theory, these findings highlight simultaneous involvement of the human hippocampus in spatial cognition and anxiety, and clarify their distinct correlates. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effectiveness of two formulations of oral olanzapine in patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder in a natural setting: results from a 1‐year European observational study
Authors: Kraemer Susanne , Chartier Florence , Augendre‐Ferrante Béatrice , Psarra Vassiliki , D'yachkova Yulia , Beselin Anke , Rouillon Fréderic
Published: April 2012

Objective

This study aims to assess the proportion of patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder who discontinued treatment with one of two oral formulations of olanzapine within 12 months in outpatient settings in Germany, Greece, and France.

Methods

This 1‐year, prospective, observational study included patients who had recently initiated treatment with olanzapine‐coated tablets (OC) or the orodispersible (OD) formulation. Primary endpoint was olanzapine discontinuation for any reason. Clinical and functional status were also evaluated.

Results

Out of 927 enrolled patients, 903 were included in the analyses (612 patients with schizophrenia, 291 with bipolar disorder). Within 12 months, 46 of 903 patients discontinued olanzapine. Most (95%) patients remained on olanzapine for 12 months with similar rates for patients with either diagnosis (94.5% for schizophrenia, 94.9% for bipolar disorder) and for both formulations (93.7% with OC, 95.3% with OD). The only factor significantly associated with time to discontinuation was baseline disease severity. Patients with more severe disease at baseline had a lower discontinuation risk. There were significant improvements in functioning and well‐being and non‐significant improvements in therapeutic alliance and compliance.

Conclusions

No significant difference was seen between discontinuation rates of the two formulations. Higher baseline severity was associated with a lower discontinuation rate. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The influences of catchment geomorphology and scale on runoff generation in a northern peatland complex
Authors: Richardson Murray , Ketcheson Scott , Whittington Peter , Price Jonathan
Published: April 2012

We computed daily discharge (Q) versus gross drainage area (GDA) regression analyses for the 2009 and 2010 growing seasons for six small to medium headwater catchments at a northern peatland complex in the James/Hudson Bay lowlands. Temporal dynamics of the daily goodness of fits (R2) between Q and GDA were then examined to identify the most relevant conceptual model of runoff generation in this landscape. We observed high R2 values during low flow conditions (mean R2 = 0.93 for 2009 and 2010). During wetter periods and in particular during large runoff events, the relationship degraded rapidly and consistently, suggesting differences in quickflow response among the gauged catchments. At low flows, the six catchments generated equivalent amounts of runoff (mm), leading to a strong Q–GDA relationship. During high flows, total growing season runoff increased systematically with GDA between 8 and 50 km2 and then decreased with further increases in GDA. These differences were responsible for the observed breakdown in the daily Q–GDA relationships and also resulted in significant differences in total runoff among the six catchments during the wetter year. Quantitative landscape analysis using a 5‐m resolution Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) digital elevation model revealed that near‐stream zone characteristics vary systematically with scale in a manner that is consistent with the observed patterns of quickflow runoff response. In this northern peatland complex, fast‐responding flowpaths in the spatially discrete near‐stream zones may be the key determinant of catchment runoff efficiency at the small to medium (~10 to ~200 km2) headwater catchment scales analysed here. Moreover, the relatively organized drainage patterns observed in this study are consistent with our understanding of ecohydrological feedbacks driving geomorphic evolution of northern peatlands. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Circadian genes and breast cancer susceptibility in rotating shift workers
Authors: Monsees Genevieve M. , Kraft Peter , Hankinson Susan E. , Hunter David J. , Schernhammer Eva S.
Published: April 2012

Rotating night shift work is associated with increased risk of breast cancer, likely via circadian disruption. We hypothesized that circadian pathway genes influence breast cancer risk, particularly in rotating night shift workers. We selected 178 common variants across 15 genes pertinent to the circadian system. Using a mixed candidate‐ and tag‐single nucleotide polymorphism approach, we tested for associations between these variants and breast cancer risk in 1,825 women within the Nurses' Health Study II cohort and investigated potential interactions between genotype and rotating shift‐work in a subset of 1,318 women. Multiple‐testing‐adjusted p‐values were obtained by permutation (n = 10,000). None of the selected variants was significantly associated with breast cancer risk. However, when accounting for potential effect modification, rs23051560 (Ala394Thr) in the largest circadian gene, Neuronal PAS domain protein 2 (NPAS2) was most strongly associated with breast cancer risk (nominal test for interaction p‐value = 0.0005; 10,000‐permutation‐based main‐effects p‐value among women with < 24 months of shift‐work = 0.003). The observed multiplicative association with breast cancer risk per minor allele (A) was 0.65 (95% CI = 0.51–0.82) among women with < 24 months of shift‐work and 1.19 (95% CI = 0.93–1.54) with ≥24 months of shift‐work. Women homozygous for the minor allele (AA) with ≥24 months of shift‐work had a 2.83‐times higher breast cancer risk compared to homozygous AA women with <24 months of shift‐work (95% CI = 1.47–5.56). In summary, common variation in circadian genes plays at most a small role in breast cancer risk among women of European ancestry. The impact of NPAS2 Ala394Thr in the presence of rotating shift‐work requires further investigation.
THE PIVOTAL ROLE OF CANAL OPERATORS IN IRRIGATION SCHEMES: THE CASE OF THE CANALERO
Authors: Van der Zaag Pieter , Rap Edwin
Published: April 2012

This paper presents empirical material of the role of canal operators, canaleros, in one irrigation scheme in Mexico over a period of two decades. The open canal infrastructures are fitted with manually operated adjustable gates and intakes. During the period of observation, both management set‐up and the canal infrastructure changed. The case of the canalero shows how low‐ranked field personnel play an important role in scheduling and implementing water distribution. The canalero emerges as a key actor who makes the system work. Canaleros have created their own semi‐autonomous field of action; an area of competence from which they derive a certain degree of authority.

The case study findings are compared with relevant published sources complemented with electronic interviews with experts. In large‐ and medium‐scale open canal irrigation systems with flexible and manually operated irrigation devices, positions similar to those of the canalero exist. Canal operators seem to play similar key roles yet no systematic review or comparative analysis of their position exists. This paper makes a first contribution to explain why such field level staff can perform such significant roles and continue to do so. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Rho GTPase signaling in the development of colorectal cancer
Authors: Leve Fernanda , Morgado‐Díaz José A.
Published: April 2012

The involvement of Rho GTPases in major aspects of cancer development, such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell polarity, adhesion, migration, and invasion, have recently been attracting increasing attention. In this review, we have summarized the current findings in the literature, and we discuss the participation of the Rho GTPase members RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42 in the development of colorectal cancer, the second most lethal neoplasia worldwide. First, we present an overview of the mechanisms of Rho GTPase regulation and the impact that regulator proteins exert on GTPase signaling. Second, we focus on the participation of Rho GTPases as modulators of colorectal cancer development. Third, we emphasize the involvement of activation and expression alterations of Rho GTPases in events associated with cancer progression, such as loss of cell–cell adhesion, proliferation, migration, and invasion. Finally, we highlight the potential use of novel anticancer drugs targeting specific components of the Rho GTPase signaling pathway with antineoplastic activity in this cancer type. J. Cell. Biochem. 113: 2549–2559, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Density Functional Theory Studies on Intermolecular Interactions of 4‐Amino‐3,5‐dinitropyrazole with NH3 and H2O
Authors: Zhao Guo‐Zhen , Lu Ming
Published: April 2012

Density functional theory (DFT) method with 6‐311++G** basis set was applied to study intermolecular interactions of 4‐amino‐3,5‐dinitropyrazole (LLM‐116)/NH3 and LLM‐116/H2O supermolecules. Four optimized stable supermolecules were found on the potential energy surface. The intermolecular interaction energy was calculated with basis set superposition error (BSSE) correction and zero point energy (ZPE) correction. The greatest corrected intermolecular interaction energies of LLM‐116/NH3 and LLM‐116/H2O supermolecules are –42.75 and –19.09 kJ×mol‐1 respectively, indicating that the intensity of interaction between LLM‐116 and NH3 is stronger than that of LLM‐116/H2O. The intermolecular interaction is an exothermic process accompanied by a decrease in the probability of supermolecules formation, and the interactions become weak as temperature increase. Natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis was performed to reveal the origin of interaction. The IR spectra were obtained and assigned by vibrational analysis. Based on vibrational analysis, the changes of thermodynamic properties from LLM‐116 to supermolecules with temperature ranging from 200.0 to 400.0 K were obtained using statistical thermodynamic method.
Urchin‐like Ag Nanowires as Non‐enzymatic Hydrogen Peroxide Sensor
Authors: Hsiao Wei‐Han , Chen Hsin‐Yu , Cheng Ta‐Ming , Huang Ting‐Kai , Chen Yu‐Liang , Lee Chi‐Young , Chi Hsin‐Tien
Published: April 2012

Urchin‐like Ag nanowires were prepared by reacting AgNO3(aq) with Cu metal in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium chloride and HNO3(aq) on a screen printed carbon electrode at room temperature. The diameters of the nanowires were about 100 nm, while the lengths were up to 10 μm. Cyclic voltammetric experiments using the Ag nanowires as the working electrode showed electrocatalytic H2O2 reduction. The electrode exhibited a high sensitivity of 4705 μA mM‐1 mg‐1 cm‐2 from 50 μM to 10.35 mM and a measurable detection limit of 10 μM in amperometric detection. This is the first report on Ag NWs for non‐enzymatic H2O2 sensing.
Determination of Perfluorochemicals in Human Milk Using Isotope‐dilution Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Wang Yu‐Chen , Lin Angela Yu‐Chen , Wang Shu‐Li , Ding Wang‐Hsien
Published: April 2012

A highly precise and accurate analytical method utilizing an isotope‐dilution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was developed and validated to determine two perfluorochemicals (PFCs): perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) in human milk samples. Identification of the analytes was confirmed under negative electrospray with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode by the monitoring of one precursor ion and two product ions, and matching of relative ion intensities of the ions concerned in samples and calibration standards. Quantitation was based on the measurement of concentration ratios of the natural and labeled‐analogues in the samples and calibration mixtures. The isotope‐labeled internal standards were also used to correct the matrix effect and variations associated with the analysis. Intra‐ and inter‐day repeatabilities of replicate analyses of the PFOA and PFOS in milk samples were below 8%. The limit of quantitation was 2 pg/mL in a 5 mL milk sample. The PFOA and PFOS were detected in all 20 human milk samples at concentrations from 27.0 to 207 pg/mL. This is the first study to measure the occurrence of PFOA and PFOS in human milk from Taiwan.
Pressurized Liquid Extraction Combined with Dispersive Liquid‐liquid Micro‐extraction as an Efficient Sample Preparation Method for Determination of Volatile Components in Tobacco
Authors: Zhu Xiaolan , Xu Yingbo , Gao Yun , Huang Lan
Published: April 2012

The pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) followed by dispersive liquid–liquid micro‐extraction (DLLME) has been developed for extraction of volatile components in tobacco. 35 volatile components were detected by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC‐MS). Methanol–methyl tert‐butyl ether (MTBE) (8:2, v/v) was selected as PLE extraction solvent. The optimized DLLME procedure, 3 mL of pure water and 1.0 mL tobacco extract solution, 40 μL of chloroform as extraction solvent, 0.5 mL of acetonitrile as disperser solvent, was validated. Under the optimum conditions, the enrichment factors were in the range of 96‐159. The limits of detection were between 0.14 and 0.33 μg/kg. The repeatability of the proposed method, expressed as relative standard deviation, varied between 4.3 and 7.5% (n = 6). The recoveries of the analytes evaluated by fortification of tobacco samples were in the range of 84.7‐96.4%. Compared with the conventional sample preparation method for determination of volatile components in tobacco, the proposed method was quick and easy to operate, and had high‐enrichment factors and low consumption of organic solvent.
Nanoparticles induced by ultraviolet rays support electrons for enzymatic reaction
Authors: Roh Changhyun , Yun Jae Young , Kang Chankyu , Hong Jong Wook
Published: April 2012

BACKGROUND: The NAD(P)H cofactor, which is the reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, plays the important role of electron donor in enzymatic metabolism. The primary drawback of metabolism reactions involving enzymes is the dependence on this highly expensive cofactor.

RESULTS: Electron formation was effectively triggered by inducing Qdots with (UV) irradiation at 365 nm. The analytical potential of the Qdots‐based electron‐transfer system was demonstrated by examining two different types of cofactors, i.e. chemical (NADPH) and nanoparticle (Qdots). The Qdots‐based method gave promising results in comparison with the NADPH‐dependent system. A Qdots‐based electron supply to a CYP2B4 and 7‐pentoxyresorufin incubation mixture produced a resorufin metabolite. The kinetic rates of the cytochrome P450 reactions induced by photoactivated Qdots were determined

CONCLUSIONS: The influence of electron formation from ultraviolet (UV)‐induced quantum dots (Qdots) on the cytochrome P450 (CYP2B4) reaction was elucidated. The process comprised UV‐induced electron formation by photoactivated Qdots and subsequent enzyme reactions mediated by the resultant electron supply. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Electricity generation from Taihu Lake cyanobacteria by sediment microbial fuel cells
Authors: Zhao Juan , Li Xiu‐Fen , Ren Yue‐Ping , Wang Xin‐Hua , Jian Chen
Published: April 2012

BACKGROUND: Cyanobacteria are rich in carbohydrates and proteins as well as other nutrients. In recent years, its efficient treatment and utilization has become an important topic for debate. The feasibility of electricity generation from Taihu Lake cyanobacteria by sediment microbial fuel cell (SMFC) was investigated and its performance evaluated by comparing with glucose‐fed and acetate‐fed SMFCs.

RESULTS: A SMFC using acidic fermentation broth of Taihu Lake cyanobacteria generated a maximum power density of 72 mW m−2 with COD removal of 76.2% and substrate degradation rate (SDR) 0.607 kgCOD m−3 d−1. A power density of 51 mW m−2 with COD removal of 72.0% and SDR of 0.573 kgCOD m−3 d−1 were obtained with an acetate‐fed SMFC. The redox peaks in the voltammogram curves of the SMFC fed with acidic fermentation broth of Taihu Lake cyanobacteria suggested mediating compounds existed during its stable operation. The electron transfer was possibly carried out by cell‐bound redox components or biofilm formation with electroactive bacteria on the anode surface.

CONCLUSIONS: This paper describes a potential method to recover sustainable electricity from Taihu Lake cyanobacteria, and the acidic fermentation of pretreated cybanobacteria could significantly enhance the power output and COD removal. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Oxygen transport within the biofilm matrix of a membrane biofilm reactor treating gaseous toluene
Authors: Kumar Amit , Hille‐Reichel Andrea , Horn Harald , Dewulf Jo , Lens Piet , Van Langenhove Herman
Published: April 2012

BACKGROUND: In order to rationalize the optimization of biofilm reactor design and operation in waste gas treatment, it is essential to understand the mass transfer properties in biofilms. In this study, oxygen transport within the biofilms of a membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR) was characterized at different liquid flow velocities. Further, oxygen concentration distributions along the depth of the biofilms were investigated under different operating conditions (different oxygen supply modes, and various toluene loading rates) by using oxygen microelectrodes.

RESULTS: Oxygen fluxes into the biofilm ranged between 0.15 and 0.4 g m$_{\rm {b}}^{-2}$ h−1 at different liquid velocities of 0 to 0.06 m s−1 operated at a toluene loading rate of 0.08 g m$_{\rm {m}}^{-2}$ h−1 and a gas residence time of 24 s. In addition, toluene elimination capacities (ECs) obtained in this research ranged from 75 to 550 g m$_{\rm {gv}}^{-3}$ h−1 (0.15 to 1.1 g m$_{\rm {m}}^{-2}$ h−1) at loading rates (LRs) of 87.5 to 625 g m$_{\rm {gv}}^{-3}$ h−1 (0.17 to 1.25 g m$_{\rm {m}}^{-2}$ h−1).

CONCLUSIONS: Microelectrode measurements reveal that the liquid flow influences the oxygen transport (reduction of the concentration boundary layer thickness) into the biofilm and plays a major role in controlling the flux of oxygen across the biofilm‐water interface, thus increasing the potential for aerobic biodegradation. A maximum oxygen flux of 0.4 g m$_{\rm {b}}^{-2}$ h−1 was obtained at a linear liquid velocity of 0.06 m s−1. Results provide a possibility to enhance the toluene removal rate with the oxygen supply mode and may lead to rational strategies. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Mu, Delta, and Kappa opioid receptor agonists induce peripheral antinociception by activation of endogenous noradrenergic system
Authors: Romero Thiago R.L. , Guzzo Luciana S. , Duarte Igor D.G.
Published: April 2012

Opioid receptor agonists induce noradrenaline release in the supraspinal, spinal, and peripheral sites. Endogenous noradrenaline release can induce an antinociceptive effect by activation of the α2 adrenoceptor. This interaction between the opioid and the adrenergic systems could be the alternative mechanism by which opioid receptor agonists mediate peripheral antinociception. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to verify whether peripheral antinociception induced by the μ, δ, and κ opioid receptor agonists DAMGO, SNC80, and bremazocine, respectively, through the endogenous noradrenergic system. All drugs were administered locally into the right hind paw of male Wistar rats. The rat paw pressure test was used, with hyperalgesia induced by intraplantar injection of prostaglandin E2. DAMGO, SNC80, or bremazocine elicited local dose‐dependent peripheral antinociception. This peripheral effect was antagonized by the nonselective α2 adrenoceptor antagonist yohimbine and by the selective α2C adrenoceptor antagonist rauwolscine but not by the selective antagonists for α2A, α2B, and α2D adrenoceptor subtypes (BRL 44 480, imiloxan, and RX 821002, respectively). The opioid‐induced effect was antagonized by the nonselective α1 adrenoceptor antagonist prazosin and by the nonselective β adrenoceptor antagonist propranolol. Guanethidine, a depletor of peripheral sympathomimetic amines, restored approximately 50–60% of the opioid‐induced peripheral antinociception. Furthermore, acute injection of the noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor reboxetine intensified the antinociceptive effects of low‐dose DAMGO, SNC80, or bremazocine. This study provides evidence that DAMGO, SNC80, or bremazocine induces peripheral antinociception by noradrenaline release and interaction with adrenoceptors. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.