bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Christian Menns Brückenentwürfe in den USA
Authors: Brühwiler Eugen
Published: June 2007

Christian Menn hat in den letzten 15 Jahren in den Vereinigten Staaten eine eindrückliche Serie von Brücken an exponierten Lagen entworfen. Es sind Brücken, die allein durch ihr Tragwerk faszinieren. Durch stetiges Optimieren sind neuartige Tragwerksformen entstanden, welche zu technischer Effizienz und faszinierender Schlankheit führen. Die unverzierte Konstruktion allein visualisiert moderne Technologie und begründet so eine technische Ästhetik.
Lagertausch unter beengten Platzverhältnissen
Authors: Geier Roman , Grbic Slobodan , Vcelar Heinz
Published: June 2007

Im Zuge der regelmäßig durchgeführten Brückenprüfungen an den Tragwerken der U‐Bahnlinie U1 in Wien wurden für einzelne Lagerachsen mehrere Mängel festgestellt, wodurch ein Instandsetzungskonzept zu erarbeiten und umzusetzen war. Wesentliche Aufgabe dabei war es, ein Lagertauschkonzept zu entwickeln, um beschädigte Lager inklusive Vergussfugen auszuwechseln. Dabei musste auf die hohen Sicherheitsanforderungen sowie Betriebsbedingungen der Wiener Linien bedacht genommen werden. Für die Umsetzung des Lagertausches wurden besonders flache Stellringzylinderpressen vorgeschlagen, die auch unter den beengten Platzverhältnissen am Stützenkopf ein Anheben des Tragwerks ermöglichen. Durch die hohen Lagerkräfte waren für einige Stützen Verstärkungsmaßnahmen erforderlich. Diese wurden mit CFK‐Umschnürungen im Bereich des Stützenkopfes umgesetzt.

Die vorliegende Veröffentlichung geht auf die gegebenen Randbedingungen, die verschiedenen Möglichkeiten für den Anhub der Tragwerke sowie auf das realisierte Konzept ein. Die bisherigen praktischen Erfahrungen aus der Umsetzung bilden den Abschluss dieses Beitrages.
Parametric study of a 6‐column countercurrent solvent gradient purification (MCSGP) unit
Authors: Aumann Lars , Stroehlein Guido , Morbidelli Massimo
Published: June 2007

The novel “multicolumn countercurrent solvent gradient purification” (MCSGP) process has been modeled for the purification of a polypeptide mixture characterized by a strong non‐linear competitive adsorption isotherm. As a model system, the purification of an industrial polypeptide mixture containing 46% of the hormone calcitonin has been selected. The many impurities contained in the mixture have been lumped into three key impurities, which are selected as the ones eluting closer to the main component. The simulation model allows for a better understanding of the complex operating behavior of the multicolumn system, which has been experimentally investigated in a previous work. Through a systematic parametric analyses of the model behavior, the main operating parameters controlling the process performance in terms of purity and yield are investigated. The study of internal liquid and adsorbed phase concentration profiles along the unit for the different operating conditions allow elucidating the working principle of the new separation process. It is found that the MCSGP unit achieves much higher yields for a given product purity than the corresponding single‐column batch units. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2007;98: 1029–1042. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
An environmental marketing system – a proposed model based on Indian experience
Authors: Nair Sumesh Ramachandran , Menon C. Ganesh
Published: June 2007

This paper is based on a study conducted in India on venvironmental marketing practices of Indian companies. The study was set in the backdrop of a new environmental‐friendly culture in India in the early 1990s, primarily due to the complex environmental problems encountered in different parts of the country. The increased awareness and interest shown by Indian companies in respect of environmental management and marketing was evident in the sharp increase of ISO14001 certified companies in the country. However, an important question at this context was how effectively Indian companies were practicing environmental marketing for the benefit of their customers and other stakeholders. The present paper is an attempt to trace the extent and nature of environmental marketing practice in india and to propose a model for guiding the practice. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
Progressive skinning for character animation
Authors: Pilgrim Simon , Steed Anthony , Aguado Alberto
Published: June 2007

Previous works have shown that for characters with obvious articulation, animations comprising the blending of skeletal bone transformations, significantly reduce the computation and data requirements, permitting much greater visual detail. However increasingly, animators and engine designers must produce animations that can run on platforms with quite different runtime capabilities. They may simply author multiple skeletons and sets of animations, or reduce the temporal or spatial detail to achieve acceptable frame rates. In this paper we show how these skeletal skinning methods can be extended to support a continuous level of animation detail. We show that by manipulating the skeletal hierarchy and skinning parameters we can throttle the computational load of a character model in real‐time according to its position in a scene and any hardware constraints. Our method is compatible with additional geometric level of detail (LoD) methods. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dual Laplacian morphing for triangular meshes
Authors: Hu Jianwei , Liu Ligang , Wang Guozhao
Published: June 2007

Recently, animations with deforming objects have been frequently used in various computer graphics applications. Morphing of objects is one of the techniques which realize shape transformation between two or more existing objects. In this paper, we present a novel morphing approach for 3D triangular meshes with the same topology. The basic idea of our method is to interpolate the mean curvature flow of the input meshes as the curvature flow Laplacian operator encodes the intrinsic local information of the mesh. The in‐between meshes are recovered from the interpolated mean curvature flow in the dual mesh domain due to the simplicity of the neighborhood structure of dual mesh vertices. Our approach can generate visual pleasing and physical plausible morphing sequences and avoid the shrinkage and kinks appeared in the linear interpolation method. Experimental results are presented to show the applicability and flexibility of our approach. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
SPEM: a new haptic rendering method based on time coherence
Authors: García M. , Espadero J. M. , Pastor L. , Rodríguez A.
Published: June 2007

Nowadays many interactive computer graphics applications use the haptic channel to achieve higher degrees of immersion. Most of these systems have to deal with soft bodies and they always demand higher and higher levels of realism, increasing the complexity of the animated scenarios. Therefore, the techniques used to animate the objects should be very efficient to grant interactivity. Furthermore, one of the most important issues in physically based simulations is to keep the model stable under all simulation conditions. This paper presents a technique called Separated Proxy—Effector Method (SPEM) to keep high levels of stability in the haptic response without degrading the performance of the simulation system. SPEM is fast, haptic plausible, robust, and it deals with soft bodies. Experimental results show the advantages of this new approach from the point of view of stability, in particular if it is compared with distance‐based minimization techniques. Its simplicity grants efficient implementations for a wide range of applications. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Real‐time cartoon water animation
Authors: Yu Jinhui , Jiang Xinan , Chen Haiying , Yao Cheng
Published: June 2007

Cartoon water effects have both stylized visual appearance and stylized behavior, they also vary in forms and structures in different environment. In this paper we present a template‐based approach for generating cartoon water effects including flowing water, water jet and ripples. First, we classify cartoon water into different types and design templates to define the underling structures for them, the low frequency information of cartoon water actions is encoded in those structures and frame‐to‐frame coherence is maintained during animation. Second, we design a set of cartoon water shapes that can be grouped according to some rules and placed onto corresponding templates. We also provide tools that allow the user to interactively specify the position or path of the cartoon water, and edit the size, speed as well as spacing of water shapes. Advantages of our approach are that stylized features of cartoon water can be well preserved both for forms and dynamics, furthermore, those stylized forms can be animated in real‐time both in 2D and 3D. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Brønsted Basicities of Diamines in the Gas Phase, Acetonitrile, and Tetrahydrofuran
Authors: Rõõm Eva‐Ingrid , Kütt Agnes , Kaljurand Ivari , Koppel Ivar , Leito Ivo , Koppel Ilmar A. , Mishima Masaaki , Goto Kenta , Miyahara Yuji
Published: June 2007

A comprehensive basicity study of α,ω‐alkanediamines and related bases has been carried out. Basicities in acetonitrile (AN, pKa values), tetrahydrofuran (THF, pKα values), and gas phase (GP, GB values), were measured for 16, 14, and 9 diamine bases and for several related monoamines. In addition the gas‐phase basicities and equilibrium geometries were computed for 19 diamino bases and several related monoamines at the DFT B3LYP 6‐311+G** level. The effects of the different factors (intrinsic basicity of the amino groups, formation of intramolecular hydrogen bonds, and molecular strain) determining the diamine basicities were estimated by using the method of isodesmic reactions. The results are discussed in terms of molecular structure and solvation effects. The GP basicity is determined by the molecular size and polarizability, the extent of alkylation, and the energy effect of intramolecular hydrogen bond formation in the protonated base. The basicity trends in the solvents differ very much from those in GP: 1) The solvents severely compress the basicity range of the bases studied (3.5 times for the 1,3‐propanediamine family in AN, and 7 times in THF), and 2) while stepwise alkylation of the basicity center leads to a steady basicity increase in the gas phase, the picture is complex in the solvents. Significant differences are also evident between THF and AN. The high hydrogen bond acceptor strength of THF leads to this solvent favoring the bases with “naked” protonation centers. In particular, the basicity order of N‐methylated 1,3‐propanediamines is practically inverse to that in the gas phase. The picture in AN is intermediate between that of GP and THF.
Supramolecular Self‐Assembly Initiated by Solid–Solid Wetting
Authors: Trixler Frank , Markert Thomas , Lackinger Markus , Jamitzky Ferdinand , Heckl Wolfgang M.
Published: June 2007

We present a preparation method for self‐assembled supra‐molecular monolayers of unsubstituted organic semiconductors and pigments on a solid substrate, applicable under ambient conditions. The deposition is based on a solid–solid wetting phenomenon, whereas the subsequent layer growth proceeds according to standard models. Molecular adsorption results from direct contact of the compound in a nanocrystalline state with the solid surface. Based on complementary force field calculations, we propose that molecules disintegrate from the crystalline state and adsorb on the surface because of a gain in binding energy. The preparation method is exemplified by means of a linear hydrogen‐bonded system, namely quinacridone (QAC) on graphite. In addition, the chosen system allows us to actively guide the self‐assembly after deliberate removal of molecules from a predefined area.
Differential expression of caveolin‐1 in renal neoplasms
Authors: Tamaskar Ila , Choueiri Toni K. , Sercia Linda , Rini Brian , Bukowski Ronald , Zhou Ming
Published: June 2007

BACKGROUND.

Caveolin‐1 is a major component of membrane caveolae, which are specialized lipid raft microdomains on cell membrane that are implicated in molecular transport, cell adhesion, and signal transduction. The overexpression of caveolin‐1 recently was associated with a poor outcome in patients with clear‐cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC) and was proposed as a useful diagnostic marker. In the current study, the authors used immunohistochemistry to investigate the membranous and cytoplasmic expression of caveolin‐1 and its correlation with other pathologic parameters in different subtypes of renal neoplasms.

METHODS.

A tissue microarray (TMA) was constructed from 60 normal kidneys, 22 CCRCCs, 20 papillary renal cell carcinomas (PRCCs), 16 chromophobe renal cell carcinomas (ChRCCs), and 19 oncocytomas (ONCs). The TMA was immunostained for caveolin‐1 protein. Both membranous and cytoplasmic caveolin‐1 expression levels were measured and were correlated with tumor size, Fuhrman nuclear grade, and pathologic stage.

RESULTS.

Caveolin‐1 was expressed normally in distal convoluted tubules, collecting ducts, parietal cells of Bowman capsule, smooth muscle, and vascular endothelial cells. Membranous caveolin‐1 expression was detected in 19 of 22 CCRCCs (86.4%), which was significantly higher than the membranous caveolin‐1 expression detected in PRCCs (1 of 20 tumors; 5%), ChRCCs (0 of 16 tumors; 0%), and ONCs (1 of 19 tumors; 5.3%). Cytoplasmic caveolin‐1 expression was detected in 16 of 22 CCRCCs (72.7%), in 13 of 20 PRCCs (65%), in 8 of 16 ChRCCs, (50%), and in 13 of 19 ONCs (68.4%). The percentage of tumors that expressed cytoplasmic caveolin‐1 did not differ significantly among the different types of renal tumors (P = .1). Only membranous caveolin‐1 expression was correlated with tumor size (Pearson correlation = 0.266; P = .043). There was no correlation between membranous or cytoplasmic caveolin‐1 expression and other pathologic parameters, including Fuhrman nuclear grade and staging according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer tumor, lymph node, metastasis classification system.

CONCLUSIONS.

Caveolin‐1 expression has 2 distinctive patterns in renal neoplasms: membranous and cytoplasmic. In the current study, membranous caveolin‐1 expression was detected predominantly in CCRCCs and only rarely in other subtypes of renal neoplasms. Thus, the current results indicated that caveolin‐1 expression may have potential both as a diagnostic marker in the differential diagnosis of renal tumors and as a therapeutic target, especially for CCRCC. Cancer 2007. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
Ki‐67 and coagulative tumor necrosis are independent predictors of poor outcome for patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma and not surrogates for each other
Authors: Tollefson Matthew K. , Thompson R. Houston , Sheinin Yuri , Lohse Christine M. , Cheville John C. , Leibovich Bradley C. , Kwon Eugene D.
Published: June 2007

BACKGROUND.

Ki‐67 is a cell proliferation protein associated with aggressive clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). A recent report suggests that Ki‐67 may represent a surrogate marker for coagulative tumor necrosis. Thus, the goal was to directly test whether Ki‐67 and necrosis convey similar or distinct information for the prognostic assessment of ccRCC.

METHODS.

Tumor specimens from 741 consecutively treated patients who underwent surgery for ccRCC between 1990 and 1999 were evaluated. Tumor specimens were assessed for various clinicopathologic features, including levels of tumor cell Ki‐67 expression. Associations of these features with death from RCC were evaluated using Cox proportional hazards regression models.

RESULTS.

At last follow‐up, 396 patients had died, including 238 who died from ccRCC at a median of 2.1 years after surgery. Although tumor cell Ki‐67 expression and coagulative tumor necrosis were highly correlated, the prognostic information conveyed by these 2 markers failed to overlap. For the subset of patients with necrotic tumors, high levels of Ki‐67 more than doubled the risk of death from RCC (risk ratio, 2.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.52–3.11; P < .001). For patients with tumors lacking necrosis, high levels of Ki‐67 expression were similarly correlated with an increased risk of death from RCC (risk ratio, 2.50; 95% CI, 1.66–3.77; P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS.

Prognostic information conveyed by Ki‐67 and coagulative tumor necrosis are not interchangeable. Thus, Ki‐67 and coagulative tumor necrosis should not be treated as surrogates for one another and both of these features should be evaluated when generating outcome predictions for patients with ccRCC. Cancer 2007. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
First clinical experience of orally active epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor combined with simplified FOLFOX6 as first‐line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer
Authors: Zampino Maria Giulia , Magni Elena , Massacesi Cristian , Zaniboni Alberto , Martignetti Angelo , Zorzino Laura , Lorizzo Katia , Santoro Luigi , Boselli Sabrina , de Braud Filippo
Published: June 2007

BACKGROUND.

Gefitinib, an orally active inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase, combined with chemotherapy, has shown efficacy as second‐line treatment for advanced colorectal cancer (CRC). Gefitinib combined with FOLFOX6 (oxaliplatin plus folinic acid and 5‐fluorouracil) was tested as a first‐line therapy.

METHODS.

Patients with metastatic EGFR‐positive CRC received gefitinib at a dose of 250 mg/day combined with simplified FOLFOX6. Gefitinib was continued as maintenance treatment in nonprogressing patients. Responses were assessed by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) criteria and adverse events were assessed with the National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria (NCI‐CTC) scale.

RESULTS.

A total of 56 patients were recruited. There were 26 men and 30 women, with a median age of 57.5 years. The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status was as follows: 0 in 39 patients, 1 in 12 patients, and 2 in 5 patients. Thirty‐nine patients (69.6%) had stage IV disease at diagnosis, 92.9% had liver involvement, and 46.4% had ≥2 metastatic sites. All patients were evaluated for safety, and 53 were evaluated for response: 40 patients (71.4%; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 57.8%–82.6%) had complete or partial responses, and 11 patients (19.6%) had stable disease. Median time to progression was 7 months (range, 2.1–33.0 months; 95% CI, 6.2–9.0 months). Radical surgery or thermoablation of metastatic sites was performed in 14 patients (25%). NCI‐CTC grade 3–4 events occurred in 36 patients (64.3%): diarrhea in 9 patients (16.1%), and hematologic toxicity in 13 patients (23.2%). Four patients (7.1%) were withdrawn for drug‐related adverse events.

CONCLUSIONS.

The regimen has shown promising efficacy with manageable toxicity as a first‐line treatment for patients with advanced CRC. Cancer 2007. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
Time to first disease progression, but not β2‐microglobulin, predicts outcome in myeloma patients who receive thalidomide as salvage therapy
Authors: Palumbo Antonio , Bringhen Sara , Falco Patrizia , Cavallo Federica , Ambrosini Maria Teresa , Avonto Ilaria , Gay Francesca , Caravita Tommaso , Bruno Benedetto , Boccadoro Mario
Published: June 2007

BACKGROUND.

Baseline parameters that may be predictive of outcome after thalidomide treatment have been investigated to identify which myeloma patient subgroups will most benefit from this drug.

METHODS.

Thalidomide has been used as a salvage regimen at the study institution since 1999. A total of 102 myeloma patients who were diagnosed between January 1999 and February 2005 were evaluable for intention‐to‐treat analysis; 78 patients received thalidomide (at a dose of 100 mg/day continuously) and dexamethasone (at a dose of 40 mg/day on Days 1–4 each month) (TD) as salvage treatment whereas 24 patients died or were lost to follow‐up before the initiation of TD. Several parameters such as serum β2‐microglobulin, serum C‐reactive protein, immunoglobulin A isotype, hemoglobin, stage of disease, bone marrow plasmacytosis, age, serum creatinine, gender, stem cell transplantation at the time of diagnosis, and time to first disease progression were analyzed in association with overall survival (OS).

RESULTS.

The OS from the time of diagnosis was 43.8 months. Using univariate analysis, factors found to be associated with a shorter OS were a creatinine level ≥2 mg/dL (P= .05), stage III (P= .04), and time to first disease progression ≤12 months (P< .0001). The only factor that remained significantly associated with a shorter OS in multivariate models was time to first disease progression ≤12 months (P= .0006). Elevated serum β2‐microglobulin was not found to be predictive of poor OS.

CONCLUSIONS.

Time to first disease progression >12 months was found to be the best indicator of OS. Elevated serum β2‐microglobulin, generally considered to be a poor prognostic factor, was not found to be predictive of outcome. Cancer 2007; 110:824–9. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
Phase II trial of carboplatin, gemcitabine, and capecitabine in patients with carcinoma of unknown primary site
Authors: Schneider Bryan J. , El‐Rayes Basil , Muler Jeffery H. , Philip Philip A. , Kalemkerian Gregory P. , Griffith Kent A. , Zalupski Mark M.
Published: June 2007

BACKGROUND.

The purposes of this study were to evaluate efficacy and toxicity of the combination of carboplatin, gemcitabine, and capecitabine in patients with carcinoma of unknown primary site (CUP).

METHODS.

Patients with CUP received carboplatin AUC 5 mg/mL a minute intravenously Day 1, gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 intravenously Days 1 and 8, and capecitabine 1600 mg/m2 orally in divided doses, Days 1–14 of a 21‐day cycle for up to 8 cycles. The primary endpoint of the study was objective response rate by intent‐to‐treat analysis.

RESULTS.

Thirty‐three patients were treated (median age, 58 years; men:women ratio, 19:14). Most patients had a baseline performance status of 1. The objective response rate was 39.4% (95% CI, 22.9%–57.9%) in all patients, 36.4% in 22 patients with well to moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma, and 40.0% in 20 patients with liver metastases. Median progression‐free survival time was 6.2 months (95% CI, 5.4%–8.0%), and median survival time was 7.6 months (95% CI, 6.3–14.1). One and 2‐year survival rates were 35.6% and 14.2%, respectively. The most frequent grade ≥3 adverse events were neutropenia (67%), thrombocytopenia (48%), and anemia (33%).

CONCLUSIONS.

The combination of carboplatin, gemcitabine, and capecitabine is active in CUP, especially in patients with liver metastases. This regimen may be a potential therapy for CUP patients with good performance status, particularly those with a suspected origin below the diaphragm. Cancer 2007; 110:770–5. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
Simultaneous Electrochemiluminescence Detection of Anisodamine, Atropine, and Scopolamine in Flos daturae by Capillary Electrophoresis Using β‐Cyclodextrin as Additive
Authors: Li Jianguo , Chun Yuan , Ju Huangxian
Published: June 2007

This work developed a simple and sensitive method for simultaneous determination of three effective ingredients, atropine, scopolamine and anisodamine, in Flos daturae based on capillary electrophoresis coupled with electrochemiluminescence detection. β‐Cyclodextrin was used as an additive to the running buffer for obtaining the absolute separation. The proposed method displayed the linear ranges from 0.2 to 100, 0.2 to 100 and 20 to 200 μM for anisodamine, atropine and scopolamine with correlation coefficients more than 0.99, respectively. This method showed the relative standard deviations less than 4% and 6% for detection of migration time and peak height, respectively, and was suitable for the determination of these tropane alkaloids in plants and valuable in clinical and biochemical laboratories for quality control.
Rainwater Dissolved Organic Carbon: Characterization of Surface Active Substances by Electrochemical Method
Authors: Ćosović Božena , Orlović Leko Palma , Kozarac Zlatica
Published: June 2007

Surface active substances as organic constituents of bulk precipitation were studied by AC voltammetric method. Adsorption characteristics at the mercury electrode of real rainwater samples are compared with aqueous solutions of a number model substances suggested to be representative of water soluble organic compounds (WSOC) in atmospheric aerosols and droplets: monocarboxylic, dicarboxylic, and polyacidic compounds, levoglucosan, polyaromatic hydrocarbon naphtalene and anionic surfactant sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate. On the basis of the capacitance vs. potential curves and the surfactant activity normalized to the organic carbon content it is concluded that humic like substances, monocarboxylic acids and polyaromatic hydrocarbons may play an important role in atmospheric aquatic system because of their surface active potential.
Hydrochemical behaviour of dissolved nitrogen and carbon in a headwater stream of the Canadian Shield: relevance of antecedent soil moisture conditions
Authors: Turgeon Julie M. L. , Courchesne François
Published: June 2007

This paper examines the impact of contrasting antecedent soil moisture conditions on the hydrochemical response, here the changes in dissolved nitrogen (NO3−, NH4+and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON)) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations, of a first‐order stream during hydrological events. The study was performed in the Hermine, a 5 ha forested watershed of the Canadian Shield. It focused on a series of eight precipitation events (spring, summer and fall) sampled every 2 or 3 h and showing contrasted antecedent moisture conditions. The partition of the eight events between two groups (dry or wet) of antecedent moisture conditions was conducted using a principal component analysis (PCA). The partition was controlled (first axis explained 86% of the variability) by the antecedent streamflow, the streamflow to precipitation ratioQ/Pand by the antecedent groundwater depth. The mean H+, NO3−, NH4+, total dissolved nitrogen and DOC concentrations and electrical conductivity values in the stream were significantly higher following dry antecedent conditions than after wetter conditions had prevailed in the Hermine, although the temporal variability was high (17 to 138%). At the event scale, a significantly higher proportion of the changes in DON, NO3−, and DOC concentrations in the stream was explained by temporal variations in discharge compared with the seasonal and annual scales. Two of the key hydrochemical features of the dry events were the synchronous changes in DOC and flow and the frequent negative relationships between discharge and NO3−. The DON concentrations were much less responsive than DOC to changes in discharge, whereas NH$_{4}^ +$was not in phase with streamflow. During wet events, the synchronicity between streamflow and DON or NO3−was higher than during dry events and discharge and NO3−were generally positively linked. Based on these observations, the hydrological behaviour of the Hermine is conceptually compatible with a two‐component model of shallow (DON and DOC rich; variable NO3−) and deep (DON and DOC poor; variable NO3−) subsurface flow. The high NO3−and DOC levels measured at the early stages of dry events reflected the contribution from NO3−‐rich groundwaters. The contribution of rapid surface flow on water‐repellent soil materials located close to the stream channel is hypothesized to explain the DOC levels. An understanding of the complex interactions between antecedent soil moisture conditions, the presence of soil nutrients available for leaching and the dynamics of soil water flow paths during storms is essential to explain the fluxes of dissolved nitrogen and carbon in streams of forested watersheds. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Claims against negligent or fraudulent directors: proposed amendments to South African legislation
Authors: Lombard Sulette
Published: June 2007

Numerous jurisdictions provide for statutory civil liability of directors should they make themselves guilty of managing the business of a company in a reckless, wrongful or fraudulent manner or engage in insolvent trading. Such provisions can play an important role in protecting the interests of corporate creditors, provided that they are properly formulated. This contribution attempts to determine whether the interests of corporate creditors are adequately protected in terms of such provisions. In South Africa, directors' civil and criminal liability for reckless or fraudulent trading is currently provided for in terms of section 424 of the South African Companies Act. Civil liability of those engaged in knowingly taking part in managing the business of the company fraudulently or recklessly is provided for in terms of subsection (1). However, an analysis of case law on the interpretation of section 424(1) reveals that there are numerous uncertainties regarding the application of this provision. Similar provisions in other jurisdictions also display a number of shortcomings. South African company law has just undergone an extensive review, however, and a Draft Companies Bill of 5 February 2007 was recently published for public comment. The liability of directors for reckless or fraudulent trading is provided for in terms of the proposed section 93(2)(b) of the Draft Companies Bill. A comparison between section 424(1) and section 93(2)(b) indicates that some of the uncertainties that exist in terms of section 424(1) may be resolved by the new provision. Unfortunately, the proposed section 93(2)(b) raises some of its own questions and would furthermore seem to offer more limited protection than section 424(1) in certain respects. This unfortunate occurrence will detract from the protection that provisions such as these could afford to the interests of corporate creditors and it is submitted that such provisions should be drafted with great care. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The 8.1 ancestral MHC haplotype is strongly associated with colorectal cancer risk
Authors: Tóth Éva Katalin , Kocsis Judit , Madaras Balázs , Bíró Adrienn , Pocsai Zsuzsa , Fust George , Blaskó Bernadett , Karádi István , Ádány Róza , Laki Judit
Published: June 2007

Many recent data indicate that some alleles encoded in the central major histocompatibility complex (MHC) region (Class III) of short arm of chromosome 6 may modify the risk of cancer development. Therefore we determined 4 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of this region (TNF‐α −308 G > A, RAGE −429 T > C, HSP70‐2 −1267 A > G, LTA 252 A > G) in genomic DNA samples from 183 Hungarian patients with colorectal cancer and 141 age matched control subjects representing the Hungarian population of the same age and gender. No significant differences were found in either SNP tested. When, however, three‐ or four‐locus haplotypes consisting of known constituents of the so‐called 8.1 ancestral haplotype (8.1AH) were considered, marked differences were observed. Frequency of TNF‐α −308A, RAGE −429C, HSP70‐2 −1267G, LTA 252G (8.1AH) haplotype was significantly (p = 0.006) more frequent (19.1%) among patients than in the controls (7.7%). Age‐ and gender‐adjusted ratio of the 8.1AH carriers vs. non‐carriers to have colorectal cancer was 2.514 (1.130–5.594). This risk was higher in ≤67 years old subjects (4.073 (1.317–12.596)) and in females (3.771 (1.302–10.927). These findings—consistent with similar recent results with ovarian cancer—indicate that carriers of the 8.1AH, encoding for an altered immune response and known to be associated with alterations of several immune functions and autoimmune diseases have an increased risk for some cancer types. These findings may contribute to better understanding how the defense mechanisms against tumors could be enhanced/strengthened. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Moesin expression is a marker of basal breast carcinomas
Authors: Charafe‐Jauffret Emmanuelle , Monville Florence , Bertucci François , Esterni Benjamin , Ginestier Christophe , Finetti Pascal , Cervera Nathalie , Geneix Jeannine , Hassanein Mohamed , Rabayrol Laetitia , Sobol Hagay , Taranger‐Charpin Colette , Xerri Luc , Viens Patrice , Birnbaum Daniel , Jacquemier Jocelyne
Published: June 2007

Basal breast cancers (BBCs) have a high risk of metastasis, recurrence and death. Formal subtype definition relies on gene expression but can be approximated by protein expression. New markers are needed to help in the management of the basal subtype of breast cancer. In a previous transcriptional analysis of breast cell lines we found that Moesin expression was a potential basal marker. We show here that Moesin protein expression is a basal marker in breast tumors. In a tissue microarray (TMA) containing 547 sporadic breast cancers, of which 108 were profiled for gene expression, Moesin was expressed in 31% of all tumors and in 82% of the basal tumors. To confirm that Moesin expression remained associated with the basal phenotype in specific types of BBCs, we analyzed Moesin expression in 2 other TMAs containing 40 medullary breast cancers (MBCs) and 27 BRCA1‐associated breast cancers (BRCA1‐BCs), respectively. Moesin was strongly expressed in MBCs (87%; p = 2.4 × 10−5) and in BRCA1‐BCs (58%; p = 1.3 × 10−5) as compared with non‐MBCs and sporadic cases. Moesin‐expressing tumors display features of BBCs, such as high proliferation rate, hormone receptors negativity, expression of putative basal/myoepithelial markers (CAV1, CD10, CK5/6, CK14, EGFR, P53, P‐cadherin and SMA). Survival analysis showed a reduced specific survival and metastasis‐free survival in Moesin‐expressing tumors by log‐rank test (pSS = 0.014 and pMFS = 0.014). In multivariate analysis, Moesin expression was nearly an independent prognostic marker of poor outcome as shown by Cox proportional hazard model in patients without lymph node metastasis (p = 0.052, HR = 2.38, CI 95[0.99–5.69]). © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
EGFR gene copy number alterations in primary cutaneous malignant melanomas are associated with poor prognosis
Authors: Rákosy Zsuzsa , Vízkeleti Laura , Ecsedi Szilvia , Vokó Zoltán , Bégány Ágnes , Barok Márk , Krekk Zsuzsa , Gallai Mónika , Szentirmay Zoltán , Ádány Róza , Balázs Margit
Published: June 2007

Copy number alterations of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene have been extensively analyzed in different cancers, but no data are available for primary malignant melanoma. The aim of the present study was to simultaneously investigate the EGFR gene and chromosome 7 copy number alterations in 81 cutaneous malignant melanomas by interphase FISH and correlate the data with clinicopathological parameters of patients. EGFR mRNA levels were detected by Affymetrix GeneChip Human Genome U133 Plus 2.0 expression arrays for 16 lesions. Both increased gene dosage and chromosome 7 alterations were found in 70% of tumors. Extra EGFR copies were detected in an additional 10% of samples. Polysomy 7 was associated with EGFR gene amplification. Significant correlation was found between EGFR alterations and histological subtypes, tumor thickness, ulceration and metastases formation. Amplification was significantly higher in lesions that developed metastases within 2 years after surgical excision of the primary tumor. Gene copy alterations were associated with elevated mRNA expression in 77% of lesions when compared to tumors with disomic EGFR status, the correlation was not directly proportional to gene copy number. Associations between protein expression and mRNA levels were even less prominent. In conclusion, our study indicates that amplification of the EGFR gene and polysomy 7 are frequent alterations in primary melanomas and are associated with bad prognosis. Further studies are required to clarify whether melanoma patients with EGFR alterations can benefit from anti‐EGFR therapy. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Quantification of carboxyl groups in carbodiimide cross‐linked collagen sponges
Authors: Everaerts Frank , Torrianni Mark , Hendriks Marc , Feijen Jan
Published: June 2007

Glutaraldehyde (GA) fixation of bioprosthetic tissue is a well adapted technique, with commercial products on the market for almost 40 years. Amine groups present in tissue react with GA to form different types of cross‐links. An estimation of the degree of cross‐linking of the tissue can be obtained by measuring the concentration of residual amine groups, which is frequently carried out with the 2,4,6 trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBS) assay. Cross‐linked tissue and collagen matrices are usually further characterized by determining their physical properties (such as the shrinkage temperature), biological properties (such as resistance to enzymatic degradation), and mechanical properties before in vivo evaluation takes place. In an effort to improve the properties of cross‐linked tissue and collagen, alternative cross‐linking methods have been developed. One of these methods is based on the use of water soluble carbodiimides (CDI). It is generally accepted that this cross‐linking method leads only to the formation of amide linkages between tissue carboxyl and amine groups. Therefore, until recently the TNBS assay was also used to determine the degree of cross‐linking of CDI cross‐linked tissue and collagen. However, it cannot be excluded that after activation of carboxyl groups of tissue and collagen by CDI, these groups can react with other nucleophiles (like hydroxyl groups) present in the matrix. To obtain a better insight in the degree of cross‐linking of CDI cross‐linked matrices a reliable assay for quantification of residual carboxyl groups is required. Up to now such an assay was not available. In this study a new assay to determine residual carboxyl groups in CDI cross‐linked collagen matrices is presented. Reconstituted dermal bovine collagen matrices (RDBC) were cross‐linked with a water soluble CDI and N‐hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) and residual carboxyl groups were labeled using 5‐bromomethyl fluorescein. Subsequently, the fluorescent label was released by mild hydrolysis and quantified with capillary zone electrophoresis. A calibration curve relating the concentration of carboxyl groups with peak intensities was obtained using Sephadex™ standards with known concentrations of carboxyl groups. The concentration of carboxyl groups in unprocessed RDBC as determined with this new technique was equal to the concentration of carboxyl groups measured by amino acid analysis. On the basis of the concentration of residual carboxyl groups determined for CDI/NHS cross‐linked RDBC and RDBC, in which the amine groups were blocked with propionaldehyde before CDI/NHS cross‐linking, it was concluded that activated carboxyl groups can also react with other groups (such as hydroxyl groups) present in the matrix. This implies that the crosslink density of RDBC matrices after treatment with CDI/NHS is higher than expected on the basis of amide bond formation only, as determined by the TNBS assay. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 2007
In vitro and in vivo evaluation of mucoadhensiveness of chitosan/cellulose acetate multimicrospheres
Authors: Zhou Hui Yun , Chen Xi Guang , Zhang Wei Fen
Published: June 2007

Chitosan/cellulose acetate multimicrospheres (CCAM) with or without ranitidine (RT) were prepared by the method of W/O/W emulsion with no toxic reagents and had the size interval of 200–280 μm. The angles of repose were only a little more than 30° and the maximum angles of one‐plane‐critical‐stability (OPCS φ) were about 20°. The CCAM had good suspension ability for the tapped density of CCAM was less than 0.127g/mL. The pH value affected the swelling ability of CCAM and the relative humidity had little effect on the characteristics of CCAM when it was not more than 75%. The CCAM system had good effect on the controlled release of RT in vitro and the release rate was almost 60% during 48 h. Furthermore the release of RT was not affected by pH value of release medium. The mucoadhesive tests showed that CCAM could retain in gastrointestinal tract for an extended period of time. There were 53.7% of CCAM remained in stomach after administered for 2½ h and 98.9% of CCAM remained in stomach and small intestine after administered for 3½ h. These results suggest that CCAM is a useful dosage form targeting the gastric mucosa or prolonging gastric residence time as a multiple‐unit mucoadhesive system. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 2007
Biomimetic coating of compound titania and hydroxyapatite on titanium
Authors: Zhu Lin , Ye Xun , Tang Guangxin , Zhao Nanming , Gong Yandao , Zhao Yuanli , Zhao Jizong , Zhang Xiufang
Published: June 2007

The modification on the titanium implant surface is an effective method to improve the biocompatibility of titanium. This article describes efforts to improve implant biocompatibility by applying titania and hydroxyapatite to form a three‐layer coating on the titanium surface. This three‐layer coating is made up of HA as the top layer (formed by hydrothermal treatment), porous TiO2 as the middle layer (formed by micro‐arc oxidation) and a dense TiO2 film as the inner layer (formed by preanodic oxidation). The physicochemical characteristics, cell behavior and in vivo studies were assessed. The physicochemical characteristics were investigated using scanning electron micoscopy observation, fibronectin and laminin adsorption, corrosion test and X‐ray diffraction analysis. Cell behavior included morphology observation with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), number count with methylthiazol tetrazolium (MTT) assay and Alkaline phosphatase (ALP, a representative enzyme of osteoblastic differentiation) activity of osteoblast‐like MC3T3‐E1 cells. In study in vivo the specimens were embedded in skull wound for repair. By the analysis of experiments, the titanium coated with this three‐layer coating has been proved to have excellent corrosion resistance and good biocompatibility, which can promote cell proliferation and bone formation. So this modified titanium is an improved alternative to untreated titanium for bone repair applications. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 2007
Effectiveness of autologous preparation rich in growth factors for the treatment of chronic cutaneous ulcers
Authors: Anitua Eduardo , Aguirre José J. , Algorta Jaime , Ayerdi Eduardo , Cabezas Ana I. , Orive Gorka , Andia Isabel
Published: June 2007

Autologous Preparation Rich in Growth Factors (PRGF), a small volume of plasma enriched in platelets, is a novel therapeutic strategy for the acceleration of the wound healing of a wide range of tissues because of the continuous release of multiple growth factors, including PDGF‐AB, TGF‐β1, IGF‐I, HGF, VEGF‐A, and EGF. In this article, we have characterized the PRGF preparation and designed a randomized open‐label controlled pilot trial to evaluate the effectiveness of PRGF in the treatment of chronic cutaneous ulcers. Results showed that at 8 weeks, the mean percentage of surface healed in the PRGF group was 72.94% ± 22.25% whereas it was 21.48% ± 33.56% in the control group (p < 0.05). These results, with the limitations of a pilot study, suggest that topical application of PRGF is more effective than standard therapy in helping a chronic ulcer to heal. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 2008
Green chemistry for the second generation biorefinery—sustainable chemical manufacturing based on biomass
Authors: Clark James H
Published: June 2007

The material needs of society are reaching a crisis point. The demands of a growing and developing world population will soon exceed the capacity of our present fossil resource based infrastructure. In particular, the chemical industry that underpins most industries needs to respond to these challenges. The chemical manufacturing and user industries face an unprecedented range and intensity of drivers for change, the greatest of which, REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals) has yet to bite. In order to address the key issues of switching to renewable resources, avoiding hazardous and polluting processes, and manufacturing and using safe and environmentally compatible products, we need to develop sustainable and green chemical product supply chains. For organic chemicals and materials these need to operate under agreed and strict criteria and need to start with widely available, totally renewable and low cost carbon—the only source is biomass and the conversion of biomass into useful products will be carried out in biorefineries. Where these operate at present, their product range is largely limited to simple materials (e.g. cellulose), chemicals (e.g. ethanol) and bioenergy/biofuels. Second generation biorefineries need to build on the need for sustainable chemical products through modern and proven green chemical technologies such as bioprocessing, controlled pyrolysis, catalysis in water and microwave activation, in order to make more complex molecules and materials on which a future sustainable society will be based. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry
Electricity generation with simultaneous wastewater treatment by a microbial fuel cell (MFC) with Cu and Cu–Au electrodes
Authors: Kargi Fikret , Eker Serkan
Published: June 2007

Background: A microbial fuel cell (MFC) consisting of anaerobic and aerobic chambers separated by a salt‐agar slab was used for electricity generation with simultaneous wastewater treatment where copper and gold covered copper wires were used as anode and cathode, respectively. The electrons produced from degradation of carbohydrates in anaerobic chamber traveled through the copper wire generating electricity and the protons were transferred from cathode to anode through the salt‐agar slab. Variation of the current intensity (mA) and the electrical power (mW) were investigated as function of the surface area of anode and also the chemical oxygen demand (COD) content of the synthetic wastewater.

Results: The generated power density (mW m−2) increased with increasing surface area of the electrodes and also with the COD content of the wastewater. Both the current intensity (mA) and the power generated (mW) increased with time and reached maximum levels at the end of batch operation. More than 80% COD removal was achieved in the aerobic chamber with an electricity generation of 2.9 mW m−2 when the initial COD content was 6000 mg l−1.

Conclusion: The MFC configuration and the use of Cu and Cu‐Au electrodes instead of graphite were proven to be effective for electricity generation with simultaneous wastewater treatment. The electrical current (0.24 mA) and power (2.9 mW m−2) obtained in our microbial fuel cell are comparable with the literature studies utilizing salt bridge. The microbial fuel cell developed in this study can be improved further to yield higher power generations by modifications. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry
Epoxidation of allyl alcohol with hydrogen peroxide over titanium silicalite TS‐2 catalyst
Authors: Wróblewska Agnieszka , Milchert Eugeniusz
Published: June 2007

The influence of the technological parameters on the course of the epoxidation of allyl alcohol with 30% H2O2 in the presence of titanium silicalite TS‐2 catalyst and methanol as a solvent was studied. The process was performed in an autoclave at the autogenic pressure. The influence of temperature in the range 20–120 °C, molar ratio of allyl alcohol/H2O2 (1:1–10:1), methanol concentration in the reaction mixture (10–80% w/w), catalyst TS‐2 concentration (0.1–2.0% w/w) and reaction time (1–8 h) were investigated. The functions describing the process were: selectivity of transformation to glycidocidol in relation to allyl alcohol consumed, selectivity of transformation to organic compounds in relation to hydrogen peroxide consumed, conversions of allyl alcohol and hydrogen peroxide. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry