bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preparation and characterization of aqueous dispersions of poly(3,4‐ethylenedithiathiophene‐co‐3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene)/ poly(styrene sulfonate) and their conducting films
Authors: Chen Shuai , Lu Baoyang , Xu Jingkun , Qin Leiqiang , Wang Zhipeng , Duan Xuemin
Published: December 2012

The chemical oxidative copolymerization of 3,4‐ethylenedithiathiophene (EDTT) with 3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) and 2′‐hydroxymethyl‐3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene in a poly(styrene sulfonic acid) aqueous solution was successfully carried out to form stable, dark blue colloidal dispersions in water. Coating these dispersions onto polypropylene substrates led to the formation of free‐standing copolymer films. The mechanical, electrical, and thermoelectrical properties of these films were investigated; the films showed superior properties in comparison with those of poly(3,4‐ethylenedithiathiophene) (PEDTT)/poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS). The copolymer film based on EDTT and EDOT achieved a high electrical conductivity (8.2 × 10−2 S cm−1) at 298 K; this could be improved about 10 times through the addition of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or DMSO/isopropyl alcohol into the polymer dispersion with almost constant Seebeck coefficients of about 9 μV K−1. On the contrary, these additives had almost no effect on the conductivity of PEDTT/PSS. The structure and morphology of the polymer films were studied by X‐ray diffraction and SEM analyses. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013
Synthesis of highly loaded and well‐controlled magnetic beads via emulsion polymerization
Authors: Kniajanski Sergei , Colborn Robert E. , Bales Brian C. , Riccobono Orrie , Dulgar‐Tulloch Aaron J. , Stein Judith , Kandapallil Binil I. I.
Published: December 2012

Superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) incorporated polystyrene beads of uniform size distribution (∼170 nm) and high magnetic content (∼40%) are synthesized by emulsion styrene polymerization in the presence of functionalized SPIO. The role of surface functionality on the polymerization process and SPIO incorporation is investigated by carrying out styrene emulsion polymerizations with different functionalities on SPIO. A unique combination of oleic acid and (2‐acetoacetoxy) ethyl methacrylate as surface ligands for SPIO is used to attain the best magnetic beads. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013
Nanoclay dispersion into a thermosetting binder using sonication and intensive mixing methods
Authors: Kahraman Havva Tutar , Gevgilili Halil , Kalyon Dilhan M. , Pehlivan Erol
Published: December 2012

Suspensions of epoxy with 10% by weight of organomodified montmorillonite clay [Cloisite 30B], prepared by two different methods, viz. intensive batch mixing and sonication, were investigated. The characterization of linear viscoelastic material functions of the suspension using small‐amplitude oscillatory shear during processing enabled the assessments of the dispersion capabilities of the two mixing methods. Thermal imaging was used to monitor the temperature distributions generated during mixing. Sonication was determined to be more effective in the dispersion of the clay into the epoxy resin than the intensive batch mixing process, as revealed by the significant increase of the dynamic properties upon sonication, which suggested that some degree of intercalation and exfoliation had taken place during sonication. The use of the linear viscoelastic material functions thus provided a relatively easy to implement method for the analysis of the dispersion effectiveness of the different processing methods and operating conditions. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013
Protein Kinase Cβ Is Required for Lupus Development in Sle Mice
Authors: Oleksyn David , Pulvino Mary , Zhao Jiyong , Misra Ravi , Vosoughi Aram , Jenks Scott , Tipton Christopher , Lund Frances , Schwartz George , Goldman Bruce , Mohan Chandra , Mehta Kamal , Mehta Madhu , Leitgets Michael , Sanz Ignacio , Chen Luojing
Published: December 2012

Objective

To evaluate the requirement for protein kinase Cβ (PKCβ) in the development of lupus in mice, and to explore the potential of targeting PKCβ as a therapeutic strategy in lupus.

Methods

Congenic mice bearing the disease loci Sle1 or Sle1 and Sle3, which represent different stages of severity in the development of lupus, were crossed with PKCβ‐deficient mice. The effect of PKCβ deficiency in lupus development was analyzed. In addition, the effects of the PKCβ‐specific inhibitor enzastaurin on the survival of B cells from mice with lupus and human 9G4‐positive B cells as well as the in vivo effect of enzastaurin treatment on the development of lupus in Sle mice were investigated.

Results

In Sle mice, PKCβ deficiency abrogated lupus‐associated phenotypes, including high autoantibody levels, proteinuria, and histologic features of lupus nephritis. Significant decreases in spleen size and in the peritoneal B‐1 cell population, reduced numbers of activated CD4 T cells, and normalized CD4:CD8 ratios were observed. PKCβ deficiency induced an anergic B cell phenotype and preferentially inhibited autoreactive plasma cells and autoantibodies in mice with lupus. Inhibition of PKCβ enhanced apoptosis of both B cells from Sle mice and human autoreactive B cells (9G4 positive). Treatment of Sle mice with the PKCβ‐specific inhibitor enzastaurin prevented the development of lupus.

Conclusion

This study identifies PKCβ as a central mediator of lupus pathogenesis, suggesting that PKCβ represents a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus. Moreover, the results indicate the feasibility of using a PKCβ inhibitor for the treatment of lupus.
Applying multiple kernel learning and support vector machine for solving the multicriteria and nonlinearity problems of traffic flow prediction
Authors: Yu Chenyun , Lam Ka Chi
Published: December 2012

This article proposes to develop a prediction model for traffic flow using kernel learning methods such as support vector machine (SVM) and multiple kernel learning (MKL). Traffic flow prediction is a dynamic problem owing to its complex nature of multicriteria and nonlinearity. Influential factors of traffic flow were firstly investigated; five‐point scale and entropy methods were employed to transfer the qualitative factors into quantitative ones and rank these factors, respectively. Then, SVM and MKL‐based prediction models were developed, with the influential factors and the traffic flow as the input and output variables. The prediction capability of MKL was compared with SVM through a case study. It is proved that both the SVM and MKL perform well in prediction with regard to the accuracy rate and efficiency, and MKL is more preferable with a higher accuracy rate when under proper parameters setting. Therefore, MKL can enhance the decision‐making of traffic flow prediction. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Enhanced chemiluminescence of cerium(IV)–Tween 85 system and the analytical application
Authors: Li Shifeng , Qian Li , Zhu Yan , Liu Manman , Gao Yinping , Ni Yonghong
Published: December 2012

The oxidation reaction between cerium(IV) and Tween 85 in sulfuric acid medium produced weak chemiluminescence (CL). In this paper, it was found that citrate could strongly enhance the CL of cerium(IV)–Tween 85–polyphenol system. Based on studies of ultraviolet–visible spectra and CL spectra, the CL enhancement mechanism had been proposed. It was surmised that the light emission was from an excited oxygen molecular pair O2(1Δg)O2(1∑g–). The maximum emission wavelength was about 478 nm. The effects of 17 amino acids and 29 organic compounds on cerium(IV)–Tween 85–citrate CL were investigated by a flow injection procedure. This study showed the present system had a wide application for the determination of these compounds. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ceria Nanocatalysts: Shape Dependent Reactivity and Formation of OH
Authors: Agarwal Shilpa , Lefferts Leon , Mojet Barbara L.
Published: December 2012

Ceria nanoshapes (octahedra, wires, and cubes) were investigated for CO adsorption and subsequent reaction with water. Surprisingly, the reactivity of specific OH groups was explicitly determined by the ceria nanoshape. The nanoshapes showed different levels of carbonates and formates after exposure to CO, the amount of carbonates increasing from octahedral≪wires<cubes. Subsequent reaction with water at 200 °C was also found to be shape dependent, resulting in different amounts of recovered OH groups and removed carbonates and formates on the different ceria nanoshapes.
Statistical Analysis of Contributors to Chemical Process Accidents
Authors: Kidam K. , Hurme M.
Published: December 2012

A database study of accident contributors in the chemical process industry (CPI) was carried out. All 364 CPI‐related accidents available in the Failure Knowledge Database were analyzed to identify the main and the subcontributors of the accidents. The accident contributors were ranked in accordance with their frequency and importance in accident prevention. The most common accident contributors were the human and organizational aspects in operation (19 % of contributors), contamination (11 %), flow‐related issues (11 %), and heat transfer (10 %). In the main contributor analysis, the same classes of contributors were also the most frequent causes of accidents. A four‐quadrant analysis identified the most important contributors to be focused on in accident prevention: contamination, flow‐related and heat transfer categories. The relationships between the contributors were also studied using an interconnection matrix, which revealed three functional groups of accident contributors. Their relationships were illustrated through an interconnection diagram.
Predictors of smoking relapse in patients with thoracic cancer or head and neck cancer
Authors: Simmons Vani Nath , Litvin Erika B. , Jacobsen Paul B. , Patel Riddhi D. , McCaffrey Judith C. , Oliver Jason A. , Sutton Steven K. , Brandon Thomas H.
Published: December 2012

BACKGROUND:

Cancer patients who continue smoking are at increased risk for adverse outcomes including reduced treatment efficacy and poorer survival rates. Many patients spontaneously quit smoking after diagnosis; however, relapse is understudied. The goal of this study was to evaluate smoking‐related, affective, cognitive, and physical variables as predictors of smoking after surgical treatment among patients with lung cancer and head and neck cancer.

METHODS:

A longitudinal study was conducted with 154 patients (57% male) who recently quit smoking. Predictor variables were measured at baseline (ie, time of surgery); smoking behavior was assessed at 2, 4, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Analyses of 7‐day point prevalence were performed using a Generalized Estimating Equations approach.

RESULTS:

Relapse rates varied significantly depending on presurgery smoking status. At 12 months after surgery, 60% of patients who smoked during the week prior to surgery had resumed smoking versus only 13% who were abstinent prior to surgery. Smoking rates among both groups were relatively stable across the 4 follow‐ups. For patients smoking before surgery (N = 101), predictors of smoking relapse included lower quitting self‐efficacy, higher depression proneness, and greater fears about cancer recurrence. For patients abstinent before surgery (N = 53), higher perceived difficulty quitting and lower cancer‐related risk perceptions predicted smoking relapse.

CONCLUSIONS:

Efforts to encourage early cessation at diagnosis, and increased smoking relapse‐prevention efforts in the acute period following surgery, may promote long‐term abstinence. Several modifiable variables are identified to target in future smoking relapse‐prevention interventions for cancer patients. Cancer 2013. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
Treatment of adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia: Do the specifics of the regimen matter?
Authors: Lamanna Nicole , Heffner Leonard T. , Kalaycio Matt , Schiller Gary , Coutre Steven , Moore Joseph , Seiter Karen , Maslak Peter , Panageas Katherine , Golde David , Weiss Mark A.
Published: December 2012

BACKGROUND:

Induction therapy for adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is similar across essentially all regimens, comprised of vincristine, corticosteroids, and anthracyclines intensified with cyclophosphamide, asparaginase, or both. Given the lack of randomized data, to date, no regimen has emerged as standard. The authors previously evaluated cytarabine 3 g/m2 daily for 5 days with mitoxantrone 80 mg/m2 (the ALL‐2 regimen) as a novel induction regimen. Compared with historic controls, the ALL‐2 regimen was superior in terms of incidence of complete remission, failure with resistant disease, and activity in patients with Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)‐positive ALL.

METHODS:

The authors conducted a multicenter, prospective, randomized trial of the ALL‐2 regimen compared with a standard 4‐drug induction (the L‐20 regimen). Patients also received consolidation, maintenance therapy, and central nervous system prophylaxis. The trial accrued patients from August 1996 to October 2004.

RESULTS:

The median follow‐up for survivors was 7 years, and the median patient age was 43 years. Responses were evaluated in 164 patients. The treatment arms were balanced in terms of pretreatment characteristics. The frequency of complete remission for the ALL‐2 regimen versus the L‐20 regimen was 83% versus 71% (P = .06). More patients on the L‐20 arm failed with resistant disease (21% vs 8%; P = .02). Induction deaths were comparable at 9% (ALL‐2) versus 7% (L‐20). The median survival was similar; and, at 5 years, the survival rate was 33% alive on the ALL‐2 arm versus 27% on the L‐20.

CONCLUSIONS:

Despite superior results of induction therapy with the ALL‐2 regimen, this treatment did not improve long‐term outcomes. When coupled to the reported experience of other studies in adults with ALL, the results of this randomized trial raise the possibility that ultimate outcomes in adult ALL may be independent of the specific regimen chosen. Cancer 2013. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
AOI‐cast in distributed virtual environments: an approach based on delay tolerant reverse compass routing
Authors: Ricci Laura , Genovali Luca , Carlini Emanuele , Coppola Massimo
Published: December 2012

This paper presents a novel Area Of Interest (AOI)‐cast algorithm for distributed virtual environments targeted to Delaunay‐based P2P overlays. The algorithm exploits the mathematical properties of Delaunay triangulations to build a spanning tree supporting the notification of the events generated by a peer to the other ones located in its AOI. The spanning tree is computed by the reversing compass routing, a routing algorithm proposed for geometric networks. Our approach presents a set of novel features. First, it requires only the knowledge of the peer's neighbors, so that the amount of traffic load on the P2P overlay is minimized. Second, we prove that, for circular shaped AOI, the algorithm builds a spanning tree covering all and only the peers of the AOI. Finally, our approach takes into account the possible inconsistencies among the local views of the peers, because the network latency, by introducing a tolerance threshold in the reverse compass routing. We present a set of simulations considering both synthetic data and real data traces taken from a real multiplayer game, which show the effectiveness of our proposal. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
SOF: a semi‐supervised ontology‐learning‐based focused crawler
Authors: Dong Hai , Hussain Farookh Khadeer
Published: December 2012

The rapid increase in the volume of data available on the Internet makes it increasingly impractical for a crawler to index the whole Web. Instead, many intelligent crawlers, known as ontology‐based semantic focused crawlers, have been designed by making use of Semantic Web technologies for topic‐centered Web information crawling. Ontologies, however, have constraints of validity and time, which may influence the performance of the crawlers. Ontology‐learning‐based focused crawlers are therefore designed to automatically evolve ontologies by integrating ontology learning technologies. Nevertheless, surveys indicate that the existing ontology‐learning‐based focused crawlers do not have the capability to automatically enrich the content of ontologies, which makes these crawlers unreliable in the open and heterogeneous Web environment. Hence, in this paper, we propose a framework for a novel semi‐supervised ontology‐learning‐based focused (SOF) crawler, the SOF crawler, which embodies a series of schemas for ontology generation and Web information formatting, a semi‐supervised ontology learning framework, and a hybrid Web page classification approach aggregated by a group of support vector machine models. A series of tests are implemented to evaluate the technical feasibility of this proposed framework. The conclusion and the future work are summarized in the final section. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Micro‐transactions for concurrent data structures
Authors: Meawad Fadi , Iyer Karthik , Schoeberl Martin , Vitek Jan
Published: December 2012

Transactional memory is a promising technique for enforcing disciplined access to shared data in a multiprocessor system. Transactional memory simplifies the implementation of a variety of concurrent data structures. In this paper, we study the benefits of a modest, real‐time aware, hardware implementation of transactional memory that we call micro‐transactions. In particular, we argue that hardware support for micro‐transactions allows us to efficiently implement certain data structures. Those data structures are difficult to realize with the atomic operations provided by stock hardware and provide real‐time guarantees for those operations. Our main implementation platform is the Java Optimized Processor system, a field‐programmable gate array (FPGA) implementation of the Java virtual machine, optimized for real‐time Java. We report on the performance of data structures implemented with locks, atomic instructions, and micro‐transactions. Our results suggest that transactional memory is an interesting alternative to traditional concurrency control mechanisms. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Observer‐rated Coping Associated with Borderline Personality Disorder: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Kramer Ueli
Published: December 2012

Background

Little is known about coping specificities, as operationalization of the concept of affect regulation, in borderline personality disorder (BPD). It is most important to take into account methodological criticisms addressed to the self‐report questionnaire approach and to compare BPD coping specificities to the ones of neighbouring diagnostic categories, such as bipolar disorder (BD).

Sampling and Methods

The present exploratory study compared the coping profiles of N = 25 patients presenting BPD to those of N = 25 patients presenting BD and to those of N = 25 healthy controls. All participants underwent a clinical interview that was transcribed and rated using the Coping Patterns observer‐rater system.

Results

Results partially confirmed study hypotheses and showed differences between BPD patients and healthy controls in all coping domains (competence, resources and autonomy), whereas the only coping domain presenting a BPD‐specific lack of skills, compared with the BD patients, was autonomy, a set of coping strategies facing stress appraised as challenge. These coping processes were linked to general and BPD symptomatology.

Conclusions

These results extend conclusions of earlier studies on affect regulation processes in BPD and bear important clinical implications, in the context of dialectical behavior therapy and other therapeutic approaches. Limitations of this exploratory study, such as the small sample size, are acknowledged. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Key Practitioner Message

Coping can be reliably assessed in the narrative process in an non-structured interview frame.

Patients with borderline personality disorder present with a specific lack of skills in affect regulation related to autonomy issues, compared to patients with bipolar disorder and healthy controls.

Lack of skills in accommodation to distressing emotions in borderline personality disorder is related to symptom gravity and may be treated using radical acceptance strategies.
Extinction hazards in experimental Daphnia magna populations: effects of genotype diversity and environmental variation
Authors: Robinson John D. , Wares John P. , Drake John M.
Published: December 2012

Extinction is ubiquitous in natural systems and the ultimate fate of all biological populations. However, the factors that contribute to population extinction are still poorly understood, particularly genetic diversity and composition. A laboratory experiment was conducted to examine the influences of environmental variation and genotype diversity on persistence in experimental Daphnia magna populations. Populations were initiated in two blocks with one, two, three, or six randomly selected and equally represented genotypes, fed and checked for extinction daily, and censused twice weekly over a period of 170 days. Our results show no evidence for an effect of the number of genotypes in a population on extinction hazard. Environmental variation had a strong effect on hazards in both experimental blocks, but the direction of the effect differed between blocks. In the first block, variable environments hastened extinction, while in the second block, hazards were reduced under variable food input. This occurred despite greater fluctuations in population size in variable environments in the second block of our experiment. Our results conflict with previous studies, where environmental variation consistently increased extinction risk. They are also at odds with previous studies in other systems that documented significant effects of genetic diversity on population persistence. We speculate that the lack of sexual reproduction, or the phenotypic similarity among our experimental lines, might underlie the lack of a significant effect of genotype diversity in our study.
Altered astrocytic response to activation in SOD1G93A mice and its implications on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis pathogenesis
Authors: Benkler Chen , Ben‐Zur Tali , Barhum Yael , Offen Daniel
Published: December 2012

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal, rapidly progressive, neurodegenerative disease caused by motor neuron degeneration. Despite extensive efforts, the underlying cause of ALS and the path of neurodegeneration remain elusive. Astrocyte activation occurs in response to central nervous system (CNS) insult and is considered a double edged sword in many pathological conditions. We propose that reduced glutamatergic and trophic response of astrocytes to activation may, over time, lead to accumulative CNS damage, thus facilitating neurodegeneration. We found that astrocytes derived from the SOD1G93A ALS mouse model exhibit a reduced glutamatergic and trophic response to specific activations compared to their wild‐type counterparts. Wild‐type astrocytes exhibited a robust response when activated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), G5 or treated with ceftriaxone in many parameters evaluated. These parameters include increased expression of GLT‐1 and GLAST the two major astrocytic glutamate transporters, accompanied by a marked increase in the astrocytic glutamate clearance and up‐regulation of neurtrophic factor expression. However, not only do un‐treated SOD1G93A astrocytes take up glutamate less efficiently, but in response to activation they show no further increase in any of the glutamatergic parameters evaluated. Furthermore, activation of wild‐type astrocytes, but not SOD1G93A astrocytes, improved their ability to protect the motor neuron cell line NSC‐34 from glutamate induced excitotoxicity. Our data indicates that altered astrocyte activation may well be pivotal to the pathogenesis of ALS. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Human mesenchymal stem cells isolated from olfactory biopsies but not bone enhance CNS myelination in vitro
Authors: Lindsay Susan L. , Johnstone Steven A. , Mountford Joanne C. , Sheikh Saghir , Allan David B. , Clark Louise , Barnett Susan C.
Published: December 2012

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating condition with limited capacity for repair. Cell transplantation is a potential strategy to promote SCI repair with cells from the olfactory system being promising candidates. Although transplants of human olfactory mucosa (OM) are already ongoing in clinical trials, the repair potential of this tissue remains unclear. Previously, we identified mesenchymal‐like stem cells that reside in the lamina propria (LP‐MSCs) of rat and human OM. Little is known about these cells or their interactions with glia such as olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs), which would be co‐transplanted with MSCs from the OM, or endogenous CNS glia such as oligodendrocytes. We have characterized, purified, and assessed the repair potential of human LP‐MSCs by investigating their effect on glial cell biology with specific emphasis on CNS myelination in vitro. Purified LP‐MSCs expressed typical bone marrow MSC (BM‐MSC) markers, formed spheres, were clonogenic and differentiated into bone and fat. LP‐MSC conditioned medium (CM) promoted oligodendrocyte precursor cell (OPC) and OEC proliferation and induced a highly branched morphology. LP‐MSC‐CM treatment caused OEC process extension. Both LP and BM‐MSCs promoted OPC proliferation and differentiation, but only myelinating cultures treated with CM from LP and not BM‐MSCs had a significant increase in myelination. Comparison with fibroblasts and contaminating OM fibroblast like‐cells showed the promyelination effect was LP‐MSC specific. Thus LP‐MSCs harvested from human OM biopsies may be an important candidate for cell transplantation by contributing to the repair of SCI. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Zn2+‐induced ERK activation mediates PARP‐1‐dependent ischemic‐reoxygenation damage to oligodendrocytes
Authors: Domercq Maria , Mato Susana , Soria Federico N. , Sánchez‐gómez M. Victoria , Alberdi Elena , Matute Carlos
Published: December 2012

Much of the cell death following episodes of anoxia and ischemia in the mammalian central nervous system has been attributed to extracellular accumulation of glutamate and ATP, which causes a rise in [Ca2+]i, loss of mitochondrial potential, and cell death. However, restoration of blood flow and reoxygenation are frequently associated with exacerbation of tissue injury (the oxygen paradox). Herein we describe a novel signaling pathway that is activated during ischemia‐like conditions (oxygen and glucose deprivation; OGD) and contributes to ischemia‐induced oligodendroglial cell death. OGD induced a retarded and sustained increase in extracellular signal‐regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation after restoring glucose and O2 (reperfusion‐like conditions). Blocking the ERK1/2 pathway with the MEK inhibitor UO126 largely protected oligodendrocytes against ischemic insults. ERK1/2 activation was blocked by the high‐affinity Zn2+ chelator TPEN, but not by antagonists of AMPA/kainate or P2X7 receptors that were previously shown to be involved in ischemic oligodendroglial cell death. Using a high‐affinity Zn2+ probe, we showed that ischemia induced an intracellular Zn2+ rise in oligodendrocytes, and that incubation with TPEN prevented mitochondrial depolarization and ROS generation after ischemia. Accordingly, exposure to TPEN and the antioxidant Trolox reduced ischemia‐induced oligodendrocyte death. Moreover, UO126 blocked the ischemia‐induced increase in poly‐[ADP]‐ribosylation of proteins, and the poly[ADP]‐ribose polymerase 1 (PARP‐1) inhibitor DPQ significantly inhibited ischemia‐induced oligodendroglial cell death—demonstrating that PARP‐1 was required downstream in the Zn2+‐ERK oligodendrocyte cell death pathway. Chelation of cytosolic Zn2+, blocking ERK signaling, and antioxidants may be beneficial for treating CNS white matter ischemia‐reperfusion injury. Importantly, all the inhibitors of this pathway protected oligodendrocytes when applied after the ischemic insult. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Synthesis of New Stable Phosphorus Ylides and 1,4‐Diionic Organophosphorus Compound from a Reaction between Hexamethyl Phosphorous Triamide and Dimethyl Acetylenedicarboxylate in the Presence of CH‐Acids
Authors: Ziyaadini Morteza , Maghsoodlou Malek Taher , Hazeri Nourollah , Habibi‐Khorassani Sayyed Mostafa
Published: December 2012

A simple and efficient one‐pot three‐component reaction between hexamethyl phosphorous triamide and dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (DMAD) in the presence of CH‐acids, such as acetylacetone, 1,3‐indandione, dibenzoylmethane, anthrone, andN,N‐dimethylbarbituric acid, has been studied. In all cases, new and stable phosphorus ylides are obtained in excellent yields. These stable ylides exist in solution as a mixture of two geometrical isomers as a result of restricted rotation around the carbon–carbon partial double bond, resulting from conjugation of the ylide moiety with the adjacent carbonyl group. From the reaction ofN,N‐dimethylbarbituric acid with DMAD in the presence of hexamethyl phosphorous triamide, a 1,4‐diionic organophosphorus compound is obtained. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 24:84–89, 2013; View this article online atwileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/hc.21067
Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) disease burden and cost in the United States
Authors: Razavi Homie , ElKhoury Antoine C. , Elbasha Elamin , Estes Chris , Pasini Ken , Poynard Thierry , Kumar Ritesh
Published: December 2012

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a leading cause of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and liver transplantation. A better understanding of HCV disease progression and the associated cost can help the medical community manage HCV and develop treatment strategies in light of the emergence of several potent anti-HCV therapies. A system dynamic model with 36 cohorts was used to provide maximum flexibility and improved forecasting. New infections incidence of 16,020 (95% confidence interval, 13,510-19,510) was estimated in 2010. HCV viremic prevalence peaked in 1994 at 3.3 (2.8-4.0) million, but it is expected to decline by two-thirds by 2030. The prevalence of more advanced liver disease, however, is expected to increase, as well as the total cost associated with chronic HCV infection. Today, the total cost is estimated at $6.5 ($4.3-$8.4) billion and it will peak in 2024 at $9.1 ($6.4-$13.3) billion. The lifetime cost of an individual infected with HCV in 2011 was estimated at $64,490. However, this cost is significantly higher among individuals with a longer life expectancy.

Conclusion:

This analysis demonstrates that US HCV prevalence is in decline due to a lower incidence of infections. However, the prevalence of advanced liver disease will continue to increase as well as the corresponding healthcare costs. Lifetime healthcare costs for an HCV-infected person are significantly higher than for noninfected persons. In addition, it is possible to substantially reduce HCV infection through active management.
Biological sex influences learning strategy preference and muscarinic receptor binding in specific brain regions of prepubertal rats
Authors: Grissom Elin M. , Hawley Wayne R. , Hodges Kelly S. , Fawcett‐Patel Jessica M. , Dohanich Gary P.
Published: December 2012

According to the theory of multiple memory systems, specific brain regions interact to determine how the locations of goals are learned when rodents navigate a spatial environment. A number of factors influence the type of strategy used by rodents to remember the location of a given goal in space, including the biological sex of the learner. We recently found that prior to puberty male rats preferred a striatum‐dependent stimulus‐response strategy over a hippocampus‐dependent place strategy when solving a dual‐solution task, while age‐matched females showed no strategy preference. Because the cholinergic system has been implicated in learning strategy and is known to be sexually dimorphic prior to puberty, we explored the relationship between learning strategy and muscarinic receptor binding in specific brain regions of prepubertal males and female rats. We confirmed our previous finding that at 28 days of age a significantly higher proportion of prepubertal males preferred a stimulus‐response learning strategy than a place strategy to solve a dual‐solution visible platform water maze task. Equal proportions of prepubertal females preferred stimulus‐response or place strategies. Profiles of muscarinic receptor binding as assessed by autoradiography varied according to strategy preference. Regardless of biological sex, prepubertal rats that preferred stimulus‐response strategy exhibited lower ratios of muscarinic receptor binding in the hippocampus relative to the dorsolateral striatum compared to rats that preferred place strategy. Importantly, much of the variance in this ratio was related to differences in the ventral hippocampus to a greater extent than the dorsal hippocampus. The ratios of muscarinic receptors in the hippocampus relative to the basolateral amygdala also were lower in rats that preferred stimulus‐response strategy over place strategy. Results confirm that learning strategy preference varies with biological sex in prepubertal rats with males biased toward a stimulus‐response strategy, and that stimulus‐response strategy is associated with lower ratios of muscarinic binding in the hippocampus relative to either the striatum or amygdala. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Strategic HRM as social design for environmental sustainability in organization
Authors: DuBois Cathy L. Z. , Dubois David A.
Published: December 2012

A strategic model of human resource management is proposed as a framework to support sustainable adaptation to the disruptive and dynamic challenges in the business context related to environmental sustainability. The implications of a whole‐systems ecological approach to the design and implementation of human resource systems are explored, and the literature on best HR practices to support environmental sustainability is summarized. Implications for practice and research are presented.
Ecosystem services and environmental decision making: Seeking order in complexity
Authors: Apitz Sabine E
Published: December 2012

The Ecosystem Service Paradigm (EsSP) is increasingly a component or even an underlying principle of environmental policy, legislation and management internationally. The EsSP can be used to define links between human activities and ecosystems, and ecosystems and the services that in turn support and sustain those and other activities; this information can then be used to evaluate, justify or optimize decisions. However, how EsS within various practical applications and frameworks are applied, defined, quantified, modelled, valued and communicated ranges widely, potentially hindering their roles as cross-sectoral tools. For this paradigm to be useful for cross-disciplinary integration, it is important that practitioners in different fields are clear about what is meant and assumed when terms are used, and within what context assessments are being carried out. The logic behind practical applications of the EsSP can be explained by the EsS Decision Cascade, a three-part, iterative conceptual framework. Within the decision cascade, Ecosystem Service Decision Analysis (EsSD) defines the proposed policies or actions (scenarios), and the changes/pressures under consideration in different scenarios. Within the context laid out by EsSD, Ecosystem Service Assessment (EsSA) will then evaluate how such changes affect biophysical structure, and thus ecosystem function and services; Ecosystem Service Valuation (EsSV) then takes the results from these analyses and generates valuations to inform decisions; linking back to EsSD. EsS-based evaluations can expand the current risk-focused thinking behind ecological risk assessment (ERA) to consider trade-offs between a range of desirable and undesirable responses of a variety of ecosystem endpoints; such an assessment can be termed an Ecosystem Response Assessment (EcoResA), or if applied in a spatially explicit manner, an Ecosystem Regional Assessment (EcoRegA); understanding of such trade-offs is essential to inform decisions about more sustainable remediation, regulation and management of landscapes and resources. This paper describes “taxonomies” of various aspects of EsSP applications, based upon their decision context, perspective and assessment approach. It then examines, with a focus on European issues, a range of current and emerging regulatory and management applications to which the EsSP can be applied in light of this taxonomy. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2013; 9: 214–230. © 2012 SETAC
Using the terrestrial residue exposure (T-REX) model to assess threatened and endangered bird exposure to and risk from pesticides
Authors: Sullivan Joseph P , Wisk Joseph D
Published: December 2012

The Terrestrial Residue Exposure (T-REX) model, a spreadsheet-based model developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), is used to estimate the concentrations of pesticides on some representative avian terrestrial food items after a foliar pesticide application. T-REX uses 6 categories of food items to assess exposure for birds. Different body size classes are used to estimate diet intake levels and to demonstrate different exposures for different size birds with various single component diets. The purpose of this analysis is to determine whether T-REX is a sufficient tool to assess exposure to the majority of threatened and endangered (T&E) bird species in the United States based on diets and body sizes of listed species. Our analysis combining diets and body weights of T&E species finds that no listed species weighing less than 50 g consumes primarily plant matter. Therefore, the hypothetical bird included in T-REX weighing 20 g and consuming only short grass that is predicted to have the highest exposure does not represent any T&E bird species. Many T&E species are represented when T-REX considers risk for insectivorous species in the 20-g size class. However, no T&E species that are predominantly insectivorous occur in the larger 100 and 1000-g size classes. Fruit and seed-eating T&E species occur in each of the size classes that T-REX considers, so fruit and seed-eating T&E birds are adequately represented in T-REX. T-REX does not include any estimated environmental concentrations (EECs) for aquatic dietary items or nectar, terrestrial vertebrates, soil-dwelling organisms, and noninsect invertebrates (e.g., snails). More than a third of T&E species have diets that are not represented in any of the dietary categories included in T-REX. Slightly more than half the species have diets that include large contributions by dietary items not included in T-REX. An analysis of risk using only T-REX based on simplistic diets is not adequate for a comprehensive assessment of risk from pesticides for all T&E bird species. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2013;9:480–495. © 2013 SETAC
Biomarkers for the clinical management of breast cancer: International perspective
Authors: Patani Neill , Martin Lesley‐Ann , Dowsett Mitch
Published: December 2012

The higher incidence of breast cancer in developed countries has been tempered by reductions in mortality, largely attributable to mammographic screening programmes and advances in adjuvant therapy. Optimal systemic management requires consideration of clinical, pathological and biological parameters. Oestrogen receptor alpha (ERα), progesterone receptor (PgR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) are established biomarkers evaluated at diagnosis, which identify cardinal subtypes of breast cancer. Their prognostic and predictive utility effectively guides systemic treatment with endocrine, anti‐HER2 and chemotherapy. Hence, accurate and reliable determination remains of paramount importance. However, the goals of personalized medicine and targeted therapies demand further information regarding residual risk and potential benefit of additional treatments in specific circumstances. The need for biomarkers which are fit for purpose, and the demands placed upon them, is therefore expected to increase. Technological advances, in particular high‐throughput global gene expression profiling, have generated multi‐gene signatures providing further prognostic and predictive information. The rational integration of routinely evaluated clinico‐pathological parameters with key indicators of biological activity, such as proliferation markers, also provides a ready opportunity to improve the information available to guide systemic therapy decisions. The additional value of such information and its proper place in patient management is currently under evaluation in prospective clinical trials. Expanding the utility of biomarkers to lower resource settings requires an emphasis on cost effectiveness, quality assurance and possible international variations in tumor biology; the potential for improved clinical outcomes should be justified against logistical and economic considerations.
Utility of subtyping intestinal metaplasia as marker of gastric cancer risk. A review of the evidence
Authors: González Carlos A. , Sanz‐Anquela José M. , Gisbert Javier P. , Correa Pelayo
Published: December 2012

The identification and surveillance of patients with preneoplastic lesions at high risk of progressing to gastric cancer (GC) represents the most effective way of reducing the burden of GC. The incomplete type of intestinal metaplasia (IM) could be considered as the best candidate for surveillance. However, the usefulness of subtyping of IM has been considered by some authors as limited and inconsistent. A search was carried out to identify all cross‐sectional (n=14) and follow‐up (n=10) studies that assessed the risk of GC among subjects with different types of IM. Out of the 14 cross‐sectional studies, 13 reported that the prevalence of incomplete IM was statistically significantly higher in GC than in other gastric lesions. Out of the ten follow‐up studies, six found a statistically significant association between incomplete IM and subsequent GC risk. The relative risks of GC were from 4‐ to 11‐fold higher for the presence of incomplete type in comparison to complete type or in comparison to the absence of incomplete type, among the studies that reported the magnitude of the risk. According to this comprehensive review, most of the scientific evidence supports the utility of subtyping IM as a predictor of GC risk. Recognizing its usefulness by gastroenterologists should encourage pathologists to subtype IM.
Parental smoking and risk of childhood brain tumors
Authors: Milne Elizabeth , Greenop Kathryn R. , Scott Rodney J. , Ashton Lesley J. , Cohn Richard J. , de Klerk Nicholas H. , Armstrong Bruce K.
Published: December 2012

Childhood brain tumors (CBT) are the leading cause of cancer death in children, yet their etiology remains largely unknown. Tobacco smoke contains 61 known carcinogens and increases the risk of several adult cancers. This study investigated associations between parental smoking and risk of CBT in a population‐based case–control study conducted between 2005 and 2010. Cases were identified through all ten Australian pediatric oncology centers, controls via nationwide random‐digit dialing, frequency matched to cases on age, sex and state of residence. Parental smoking information was obtained for 302 cases and 941 controls through mailed questionnaires that requested average daily cigarette use in each calendar year from age 15 to the child's birth, linked to residential and occupational histories. Data were analyzed using unconditional logistic regression, adjusting for frequency matching variables and potential confounders. Overall, parental smoking before or during pregnancy showed no association with CBT risk. The odds ratios for maternal smoking before and during pregnancy were 0.99 (95% CI: 0.70, 1.40) and 0.89 (95% CI: 0.61, 1.21), respectively, and those for paternal smoking before and during pregnancy were 0.99 (95% CI: 0.71, 1.38) and 1.04 (95% CI: 0.74, 1.46), respectively. In children under 24 months of age, the odds ratios for maternal smoking preconception and during pregnancy were 5.06 (95% CI 1.35–19.00) and 4.61 (95% CI: 1.08, 19.63), although these results were based on modest numbers. Future studies should investigate the associations between maternal smoking and risk of CBT by the child's age of diagnosis.
Stem cell attraction via SDF‐1α expressing fat tissue grafts
Authors: Zwingenberger Stefan , Yao Zhenyu , Jacobi Angela , Vater Corina , Valladares Roberto D. , Li Chenguang , Nich Christophe , Rao Allison J. , Christman Jane E. , Antonios Joseph K. , Gibon Emmanuel , Schambach Axel , Mätzig Tobias , Günther Klaus‐Peter , Goodman Stuart B. , Stiehler Maik
Published: December 2012

Mesenchymal stromal cell (MSCs) are key cellular components for site‐specific tissue regeneration. The chemokine stromal derived factor 1 alpha (SDF‐1α) is known to attract stem cells via the C‐X‐C chemokine receptor‐4 (CXCR4) receptor. The aim of the study was to develop a model for stem cell attraction using SDF‐1α overexpressing fat tissue grafts. Murine MSCs were lentiviral transduced to express the genes for enhanced green fluorescent protein, firefly luciferace, and human CXCR4 (hCXCR4). Murine fat tissue was adenoviral transduced to express SDF‐1α and red fluorescent protein transgenes. MSCs were cultured on transwells with SDF‐1α containing supernatants from transduced fat tissue. The numbers of migrated MSCs in four groups (with hCXCR4 positive (+) or hCXCR4 negative (−) MSCs with or without SDF‐1α containing supernatant) were investigated. After 36 h of culture, 9025 ± 925 cells migrated through the membrane of the transwells in group 1 (CXCR4+/SDF‐1α+), 4817 ± 940 cells in group 2 (CXCR4‐/SDF‐1α+), 2050 ± 766 cells in group 3 (CXCR4+/SDF‐1α−), and 2108 ± 426 cells in group 4 (CXCR4‐/SDF‐1α‐). Both, the presence of SDF‐1α and the expression of hCXCR4 significantly increased the migration rates (p < 0.0001). MSCs overexpressing the CXCR4 receptor by lentiviral transduction are highly attracted by medium from SDF‐1α expressing fat tissue in vitro. Thus, SDF‐1α activated tissue grafts may be a strategy to enhance site‐specific musculoskeletal tissue regeneration. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A, 2013.