bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hillslopes, rivers, plows, and trucks: mass transport on Earth's surface by natural and technological processes
Authors: Haff P. K.
Published: April 2010

The surface of the earth is being transformed by a new force in the form of technological systems and processes that move significant quantities of mass large distances. Because movement of mass is perhaps the most basic geomorphic process, and because the continuing rise of technology appears to characterize a new epoch in earth evolution (the Anthropocene), it is of interest to compare technological and natural mass transport mechanisms. A purely dynamical ‘mass‐action’ metric, representing the product of mass displaced, distance moved, and mean speed of displacement, is used to compare the transport effectiveness of selected systems. Systems with large mass‐action tend to be advective, and systems with small mass‐action diffusive. Local environments are conditioned by mass‐action through the introduction of transport corridors, such as roads and rivers, which put constraints on mass transport by embedded diffusive systems. Advection also subjects local environments to externally determined time scales, such as the times for delivery of unit mass of water or sediment to a river mouth, and supports the emergence of associated dynamical processes there, for example those of human activity or delta construction, that are too rapid to be sustained by diffusion.

Most of the world's mass‐action is generated by the motion of fluids of global or continental extent, as in atmospheric circulation or river flow. Technological mass‐action exceeds that of all land‐based geomorphic systems except rivers. Technological systems with large mass‐action tend to be comprised of discrete, self‐powered units (e.g. trucks). Discretization of transported mass reflects the different locomotion strategy required for transport of solids on land, compared with the transport requirements of spatially extensive fluids in nature. The principle of maximum entropy production may provide a framework for understanding the emergence of advective, technological mass‐transport systems. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comparison of different mass transport calculation methods for wind erosion quantification purposes
Authors: Panebianco Juan E. , Buschiazzo Daniel E. , Zobeck Ted M.
Published: April 2010

Quantitative estimation of the material transported by the wind under field conditions is essential for the study and control of wind erosion. A critical step of this calculation is the integration of the curve that relates the variation of the amount of the material carried by the wind with height. Several mathematical procedures have been proposed for this calculation, but results are scarce and controversial. One objective of this study was to assess the efficiency of three mathematical models (a rational, an exponential, and a simplified Gaussian function) for the calculation of the mass transport, as compared to the linear spline interpolation. Another objective of this study was to compare the mass transport calculated from field measurements obtained from a minimum of three discrete sampling heights with measurements of nine sampling heights. With this purpose, wind erosion was measured under low surface roughness conditions on an Entic Haplustoll during 25 events. The rational function was found to be mathematically limited for the estimation of wind eroded sediment mass flux. The simplified Gaussian model did not fit to the vertical mass flux profile data. Linear spline interpolation generally produced higher mass transport estimates than the exponential equation, and it proved to be a very flexible and robust method. Using different sampling arrangements and different mass flux models can produce differences of more than 45% in mass transport estimates, even under similar field conditions. Under the conditions of this study, at least three points between the soil surface and 1·5 m high, including one point as closest as possible to the surface, should be sampled in order to obtain accurate mass transport estimates. Additionally, the linear spline interpolation and the non‐linear regression using an exponential model, proved to be mathematically reliable methods for calculating the mass transport. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hydrodynamic behaviour of coarse bioclastic sand from shelly cheniers
Authors: Weill Pierre , Mouazé Dominique , Tessier Bernadette , Brun‐Cottan Jean‐Claude
Published: April 2010

Cheniers from Mont‐Saint‐Michel bay (France) are coarse shelly sand ridges migrating on the mudflat up to the salt marshes where they accumulate and merge in a littoral barrier. In this macrotidal setting and low wave forcing, the cheniers are rarely submerged. However, they are found to move up to several metres during coincidence of spring tide and wave activity. Their processes of migration, morphology and internal structure (composition of the beddings, grain size, sorting and grain arrangement) are thought to be closely related to the hydrodynamic behaviour of the coarse and shelly sediment.

This paper focuses on the hydrodynamic behaviour of bioclastic sand sampled from the cheniers: settling velocities of the shell fragments were measured using a 2 m long sedimentation tube. Thresholds of motion under unidirectional current, velocity and turbulence vertical profiles were characterized in a small recirculating flume using Laser Doppler Anemometry (LDA).

The flat‐shaped bioclastic particles feature low settling velocities and reveal a good resistance to the re‐suspension effect of the flow when imbricated in a sediment bed. The shear stress in the bottom boundary layer has been measured in the viscous and log sub‐layers. Nikuradse roughness heights (ks) for shell debris beds of different sizes have been quantified. It is found that ks ≈ 2·56d50. This value is close to the ones used for classic rounded sand grains despite their major differences of shape.

The dual behaviour of the shell fragments (low settling velocity, good resistance to unidirectional flow) should be considered as a key to understanding how this coarse material is transported across the tidal flat, and finally accumulated as cheniers. Further flume experiments including wave activity and tidal fluctuations are necessary to better quantify these complex processes. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Erosion and accretion processes in a muddy dissipative coast, the Chao Phraya River delta, Thailand
Authors: Uehara Katsuto , Sojisuporn Pramot , Saito Yoshiki , Jarupongsakul Thanawat
Published: April 2010

Seasonal variation in seabed elevation in the muddy intertidal zone of the Chao Phraya River delta, an area of serious coastal erosion for 40 years, was assessed using information on waves and tides predicted by numerical simulations. The study area is under the influence of the Southeast Asian monsoon climate and lies in the innermost part of a sheltered gulf, across which a low‐gradient slope has developed. Observations, aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of a prototype breakwater on mitigating coastal erosion, indicated that the seasonal variation in the seabed elevation, typically about 30 cm, was caused primarily by seasonal changes in wave direction and height. The breakwater seems to have contributed to a net rise in the seabed level at sites behind the structure. Seabed erosion was most apparent during the northeast monsoon, when waves are weak. Erosion under this low wave energy state was attributed to the combined effect of wave breaking and the low tidal level. A difference in the observed seabed accretion rate between the transitional intermonsoon period and the succeeding southwest monsoon period was attributed to the direction of the wave energy flux; offshore sediments seem to have been supplied efficiently to the study area by waves during the transitional period. Another potential cause of seabed erosion and accretion during the wet southwest monsoon season was the discharge of water and sediments from local canals associated with intense tropical rainfall; this discharge seems to be linked to land use in the coastal area. The results of this study show the importance of monitoring across‐shore sediment transport for better understanding of coastal erosion processes. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Quantification of braided river channel change using archival digital image analysis
Authors: Lane S. N. , Widdison P. E. , Thomas R. E. , Ashworth P. J. , Best J. L. , Lunt I. A. , Sambrook Smith G. H. , Simpson C. J.
Published: April 2010

Historical archives of grey‐scale river channel imagery are extensive. Here, we present and test a methodology to extract detailed quantitative topographic data from such imagery of sand‐bed rivers. Extracting elevation information from rivers is difficult as they are characterized by a low relative relief (<4 m); the area of interest may be spatially extensive (e.g. active channel widths >500 m in large braided rivers); the rate of change of surface elevation is generally low except in the vicinity of individual channel banks where the rate of change is very high; there is the complication that comes from inundation; and there may be an added complication caused by blockage of the field of view by vegetation. Here, we couple archival photogrammetric techniques with image processing methods and test these for quantification of sand‐bed braided river dynamics, illustrated for a 500 m wide, 3 km long reach of the South Saskatchewan River, Canada. Digital photogrammetry was used to quantify dry areas and water edge elevations. A methodology was then used to calibrate the spectral signature of inundated areas by combining established two media digital photogrammetric methods and image matching. This allowed determination of detailed depth maps for inundated areas and, when combined with dry area data, creation of complete digital elevation models. Error propagation methods were used to determine the erosion and deposition depths detectable from sequential digital elevation models. The result was a series of elevation models that demonstrate the potential for acquiring detailed and precise elevation data from any historical aerial imagery of rivers without needing associated calibration data, provided that imagery is of the necessary scale to capture the features of interest. We use these data to highlight several aspects of channel change on the South Saskatchewan River, including bar movement, bank erosion and channel infilling. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Earings prediction by a finite strain multiplicative formulation for anisotropic elastoplastic materials
Authors: Vladimirov Ivaylo N. , Schwarze Marco , Reese Stefanie
Published: April 2010

This paper focuses on the simulation of earings in deep drawing of cups by means of a recently developed anisotropic constitutive model. The model is derived in a thermodynamicallyconsistent framework and includes nonlinear kinematic and isotropic hardening. It represents a multiplicative formulation of anisotropic finite elastoplasticity in the finite strain regime. The description of anisotropy is characterized by the use of the so‐called structure tensors as additional tensor‐valued arguments in the representation of the yield function and the plastic flow rule. The evolution equations are integrated by a form of the exponential map that retains the plastic volume and uses the spectral decomposition to evaluate the exponential tensor functions in closed form. Finally, finite element simulations of cylindrical cup drawing processes are performed and the predicted earings are compared to results from experiments (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Guidance of neurite outgrowth on aligned electrospun polypyrrole/poly(styrene‐β‐isobutylene‐β‐styrene) fiber platforms
Authors: Liu Xiao , Chen Jun , Gilmore Kerry J. , Higgins Michael J. , Liu Yong , Wallace Gordon G.
Published: April 2010

The purpose of this work was to investigate the potential biomedical application of novel aligned electrospun polypyrrole (PPy)/poly(styrene‐β‐isobutylene‐β‐styrene) (SIBS) fibers. After successfully aligning the electroactive PPy/SIBS fibers based on our modified electrospinning method, we demonstrated that neurite outgrowth from PC12 cells could be highly orientated parallel to the aligned PPy/SIBS fibers. Physical interactions between the nerve cells and PPy/SIBS fibers through filopodia “sensing” were observed using atomic force microscopy. These observations indicate a role of contact guidance as a mechanism for the observed alignment. This work highlights the capacity for electroactive PPy/SIBS fibers to support and guide nerve cell differentiation through topographic cues, which is a highly desirable characteristic in medical implants for neurological applications. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2010.
Castration induces changes in the cation‐dependent mannose‐6‐phosphate receptor in rat epididymis: Possible implications in secretion of lysosomal enzymes
Authors: Carvelli Lorena F. , Bannoud Nadia , Aguilera Carolina A. , Morales Carlos R. , Sosa Miguel A.
Published: April 2010

It is believed that the mammalian epididymis participates in the maturation of the sperm due to its secretory activity. High concentrations of several secreted acid hydrolases are found in the epididymal lumen. Moreover, some of these enzymes are secreted by the epididymal epithelium in an androgen‐dependent fashion. In this study, we attempted to discern whether mannose‐6‐phosphate receptors (MPRs) regulate transport and secretion of lysosomal enzymes in the rat epididymis, and if these events are altered when the animals are subjected to hormonal manipulation. We observed that expression of cation‐dependent MPR (CD‐MPR) and cation‐independent MPR (CI‐MPR) increased significantly in caudal epididymis of castrated rats by immunoblot. This increase was corroborated by quantitation of MPRs, by binding assays. This change could be due to androgen deprivation, as a similar effect was observed after treatment with the anti‐androgenic drug flutamide. Furthermore, we observed that the CD‐MPR was redistributed to the apical area of the epithelium on castrated rats by immunohistochemistry, which is compatible with the redistribution of the receptors toward lighter fractions in a Percoll gradient. Consistent with a possible involvement of the CD‐MPR in the secretion, we observed an increase in pro‐cathepsin D levels in epididymal fluid after castration. We conclude that the CD‐MPR might be regulated by hormones and that this receptor might be involved in the secretion of specific enzymes into the rat epididymis. J. Cell. Biochem. 110: 1101–1110, 2010. Published 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cross‐talk between MAP kinase pathways is involved in IGF‐independent, IGFBP‐6‐induced Rh30 rhabdomyosarcoma cell migration
Authors: Fu Ping , Liang Guang Jun , Khot Sahil S. , Phan Robert , Bach Leon A.
Published: April 2010

Insulin‐like growth factor binding protein‐6 (IGFBP‐6) inhibits the tumorigenic properties of IGF‐II‐dependent cancer cells by directly inhibiting IGF‐II actions. However, in some cases, IGFBP‐6 is associated with increased cancer cell tumorigenicity, which is unlikely to be due to IGF‐II inhibition. The mechanisms underlying the contradictory actions of IGFBP‐6 remain unclear. We recently generated an IGFBP‐6 mutant that does not bind IGFs (mIGFBP‐6) to address this issue. Although RD rhabdomyosarcoma cells express IGF‐II, we previously showed that mIGFBP‐6 promoted migration through an IGF‐independent, p38‐dependent pathway. We further studied the role of MAP kinases in IGFBP‐6‐induced migration of Rh30 rhabdomyosarcoma cells, which also express IGF‐II. In these cells, mIGFBP‐6 induced chemotaxis rather than chemokinesis. Both wild‐type (wt) and mIGFBP‐6 transiently induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and JNK1, but not p38. Inhibition of ERK1/2 phosphorylation completely prevented mIGFBP‐6‐induced ERK1/2 activation and cell migration, whereas a JNK inhibitor partially prevented migration. Interestingly, p38 pathway inhibition completely prevented mIGFBP‐6‐induced ERK1/2 and JNK1 activation and migration despite mIGFBP‐6 not activating p38. Furthermore, blocking the ERK1/2 pathway also inhibited mIGFBP‐6‐induced JNK1 activation. In contrast, IGFBP‐6 had no effect on Akt phosphorylation and an Akt inhibitor had no effect on migration. These results indicate that IGFBP‐6 promotes Rh30 rhabdomyosarcoma chemotaxis in an IGF‐independent manner, and that MAPK signaling pathways and their cross‐talk play an important role in this process. Therefore, besides decreasing Rh30 cell proliferation by inhibiting IGF‐II, IGFBP‐6 promotes their migration via a distinct pathway. Understanding these disparate actions of IGFBP‐6 may lead to the development of novel cancer therapeutics. J. Cell. Physiol. 224: 636–643, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Zinc homeostatic proteins in the CNS are regulated by crosstalk between extracellular and intracellular zinc
Authors: Karol Natalya , Brodski Claude , Bibi Yuval , Kaisman Tehila , Forberg Michal , Hershfinkel Michal , Sekler Israel , Silverman William F.
Published: April 2010

Release of Zn2+ from presynaptic glutamatergic terminals has long been considered the principle challenge necessitating the existence of zinc homeostatic proteins (ZHP) in the mammalian nervous system. It is now known that neural cells also possess an intracellular zinc pool, termed here [Zn2+]i, which functions in a cell signaling context. A major challenge is characterizing the interaction of these two populations of zinc ions. To assess the relationship of this Zn2+ pool to cellular ZHP production, we employed immunofluorescence and immunoblot analysis to compare the expression of ZHP's ZnT‐1 and MT‐I/II in olfactory bulb and hippocampus of wild‐type and ZnT‐3 KO mice, which lack synaptic Zn2+. In both areas, the respective distribution and concentration of ZnT‐1 and MT‐I/II were identical in ZnT‐3 KO and control animals. We subsequently examined ZHP content in ZnT‐3 KO and WT mice treated with a membrane‐permeable Zn2+ chelator. In both olfactory bulb and hippocampus of the KO mice, the ZHP content was significantly reduced 15 h after chelation of [Zn2+]i compared to WT controls. Our findings support the conclusion that ZHP expression is regulated by crosstalk between synaptic and intracellular pools of Zn2+. J. Cell. Physiol. 224: 567–574, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Caffeine induces matrix metalloproteinase‐2 (MMP‐2) and MMP‐9 down‐regulation in human leukemia U937 cells via Ca2+/ROS‐mediated suppression of ERK/c‐fos pathway and activation of p38 MAPK/c‐jun pathway
Authors: Liu Wen‐Hsin , Chang Long‐Sen
Published: April 2010

Caffeine attenuated invasion of human leukemia U937 cells with characteristic of decreased protein expression and mRNA levels of matrix metalloproteinase‐2 (MMP‐2) and MMP‐9. Down‐regulation of MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 in U937 cells was abrogated by abolishment of caffeine‐elicited increase in intracellular Ca2+concentration and ROS generation. Pretreatment with BAPTA‐AM (Ca2+chelator) andN‐acetylcysteine (ROS scavenger) abolished caffeine‐induced ERK inactivation and p38 MPAK activation. Moreover, caffeine treatment led to MAPK phosphatase‐1 (MKP‐1) down‐regulation and protein phosphatase 2A catalytic subunit (PP2Ac) up‐regulation, which were involved in cross‐talk between p38 MAPK and ERK. Transfection of constitutively active MEK1 or pretreatment with SB202190 (p38 MAPK inhibitor) restored MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 protein expression in caffeine‐treated cells. Caffeine treatment repressed ERK‐mediated c‐Fos phosphorylation but evoked p38 MAPK‐mediated c‐Jun phosphorylation. Knock‐down of c‐Fos and c‐Jun by siRNA reflected that c‐Fos counteracted the effect of c‐Jun on MMP‐2/MMP‐9 down‐regulation. Taken together, our data indicate that MMP‐2/MMP‐9 down‐regulation in caffeine‐treated U937 cells is elicited by Ca2+/ROS‐mediated suppression of ERK/c‐Fos pathway and activation of p38 MAPK/c‐Jun pathway. J. Cell. Physiol. 224: 775–785, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Spatiotemporal distribution and function of N‐cadherin in postnatal Schwann cells: A matter of adhesion?
Authors: Corell Mikael , Wicher Grzegorz , Limbach Christoph , Kilimann Manfred W. , Colman David R. , Svenningsen Åsa Fex
Published: April 2010

During embryonic development of the peripheral nervous system (PNS), the adhesion molecule neuronal cadherin (N‐cadherin) is expressed by Schwann cell precursors and associated with axonal growth cones. N‐cadherin expression levels decrease as precursors differentiate into Schwann cells. In this study, we investigated the distribution of N‐cadherin in the developing postnatal and adult rat peripheral nervous system. N‐cadherin was found primarily in ensheathing glia throughout development, concentrated at neuron–glial or glial–glial contacts of the sciatic nerve, dorsal root ganglia (DRG), and myenteric plexi. In the sciatic nerve, N‐cadherin decreases with age and progress of myelination. In adult animals, N‐cadherin was found exclusively in nonmyelinating Schwann cells. The distribution of N‐cadherin in developing E17 DRG primary cultures is similar to what was observed in vivo. Functional studies of N‐cadherin in these cultures, using the antagonist peptide INPISGQ, show a disruption of the attachment between Schwann cells, but no interference in the initial or long‐term contact between Schwann cells and axons. We suggest that N‐cadherin acts primarily in the adhesion between glial cells during postnatal development. It may form adherents/junctions between nonmyelinating glia, which contribute to the stable tubular structure encapsulating thin caliber axons and thus stabilize the nerve structure as a whole. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1 and protease nexin‐1 in human astrocytes: Response to injury‐related factors
Authors: Hultman Karin , Blomstrand Fredrik , Nilsson Michael , Wilhelmsson Ulrika , Malmgren Kristina , Pekny Milos , Kousted Tina , Jern Christina , Tjärnlund‐Wolf Anna
Published: April 2010

Astrocytes play a diverse role in central nervous system (CNS) injury. Production of the serine protease inhibitors (serpins) plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1 (PAI‐1) and protease nexin‐1 (PN‐1) by astrocytes may counterbalance excessive serine protease activity associated with CNS pathologies such as ischemic stroke. Knowledge regarding the regulation of these genes in the brain is limited, so the objective of the present study was to characterize the effects of injury‐related factors on serpin expression in human astrocytes. Native human astrocytes were exposed to hypoxia or cytokines, including interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), IL‐1β, tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), IL‐10, transforming growth factor‐α (TGF‐α), and TGF‐β for 0–20 hr. Serpin mRNA expression and protein secretion were determined by real‐time RT‐PCR and ELISA, respectively. Localization of PAI‐1 and PN‐1 in human brain tissue was examined by immunohistochemistry. Hypoxia and all assayed cytokines induced a significant increase in PAI‐1 expression, whereas prolonged treatment with IL‐1β or TNF‐α resulted in a significant down‐regulation. The most pronounced induction of both PAI‐1 and PN‐1 was observed following early treatment with TGF‐α. In contrast to PAI‐1, the PN‐1 gene did not respond to hypoxia. Positive immunoreactivity for PAI‐1 in human brain tissue was demonstrated in reactive astrocytes within gliotic areas of temporal cortex. We show here that human astrocytes express PAI‐1 and PN‐1 and demonstrate that this astrocytic expression is regulated in a dynamic manner by injury‐related factors. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Enhancement of Raman scattering by individual dielectric microspheres
Authors: Du C. L. , Kasim J. , You Y. M. , Shi D. N. , Shen Z. X.
Published: April 2010

Enhanced Raman scattering (ERS) from bulk Si and surface brilliant cresyl blue (Bcb) molecules was investigated by individual polystyrene (PS) microspheres placed on top of the samples. It is revealed that the Raman signal depends both on the microsphere size and the numerical aperture (NA) of the collection lens, and a maximum signal enhancement of ∼11‐ and 40‐fold for Si and Bcb is observed, respectively, showing strong ERS effect. The different ERS behavior was elucidated by electromagnetic simulations using the finite element method. The present work also provides information on individual dielectric sphere for applications in microscopy, spectroscopic imaging and improvement, etc. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Low Ki‐67 proliferation index is an indicator of poor prognosis in gastric cancer
Authors: Lee Hee Eun , Kim Min A , Lee Byung Lan , Kim Woo Ho
Published: April 2010

Background and Objectives

We designed this study to assess the biologic significance of Ki‐67 proliferation index (PI) in gastric cancer.

Methods

Gastric cancer tissue from 245 patients were immunostained for Ki‐67. Ki‐67 PI was defined as the percentage of tumor cells positive for Ki‐67. In addition, we have previously evaluated the expressions of nine epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT)‐related proteins. The relationship between Ki‐67 PI and clinicopathologic parameters, patient survival, and EMT data were sought.

Results

Low Ki‐67 PI was correlated with poorly differentiated histology (P = 0.034), an advanced T stage (P < 0.001), and lymph node metastasis (P = 0.011). Also, the low PI group was found to have a significantly worse prognosis than the high PI group (P = 0.003, log‐rank test). Multivariate analysis revealed that Ki‐67 PI remained as an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio (95% CI) = 0.670 (0.450–0.999)). Furthermore, greater expressional changes of EMT‐related proteins were found to be significantly associated with low Ki‐67 PI (P = 0.025).

Conclusions

These findings suggest that Ki‐67 PI is an effective tool for predicting survival in gastric cancer. In addition, we found that an invasive property presented as EMT‐related protein expressional changes was inversely correlated with a proliferative activity in gastric cancer. J. Surg. Oncol. 2010;102:201–206. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Identification of novel gastric cancer‐associated CNVs by integrated analysis of microarray
Authors: Park Chan‐Hee , Rha Sun‐Young , Jeung Hei‐Cheul , Kang Seung‐Hui , Ki Dong‐Hyuk , Lee Won‐Suk , Noh Sung‐Hoon , Chung Hyun‐Cheol
Published: April 2010

Background

Microarray‐CGH facilitates analysis of cancer‐associated genomic differences between normal and tumor tissues and provides a genome‐wide assessment of copy number variations (CNVs).

Methods

To identify CNVs and their clinical significance in gastric cancer, Microarray‐CGH was performed to identify CNVs with genomic DNA (gDNA) from normal placenta tissue, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), and normal gastric tissue.

Results

A total of 20 CNVs, including 8 novel CNVs, were identified by Microarray‐CGH. Among the 20 CNVs, 5 showed an aberration frequency of over 50%. In addition, mRNA expression of W72437 (TFIIH), AI968311 (GAGE10), AI352361, and AA169807 (PTCH1) in normal tissues and AA485362 (GPX1), AI201652, and AI968311 (GAGE10) in cancer tissues was associated with DNA change. As a whole, incidences of oncogene‐like, suppressor‐like, and innocent CNVs were 13.8%, 13.2%, and 73.0%, respectively (gain 11.4%, loss 11.8%). AA936795 (C19orf61) appeared as an oncogene‐like CNV (9/30, 30%), A1352361 (13/30, 43%), and AA281797 (LOC728340, 10/30, 33%) appeared as tumor suppressor‐related CNVs.

Conclusions

This study identified gastric cancer‐associated and innocent CNVs in gDNA isolated from placenta tissue and PBMC, which are generally used as reference samples in Microarray‐CGH. These novel CNVs may be used for gastric cancer‐specific gene selection in comparative analysis of genomics. J. Surg. Oncol. 2010;102:454–461. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Purification of active bufadienolides from toad skin by preparative reversed‐phase liquid chromatography coupled with hydrophilic interaction chromatography
Authors: Liu Yanfang , Feng Jiatao , Xiao Yuansheng , Guo Zhimou , Zhang Jing , Xue Xingya , Ding Jin , Zhang Xiuli , Liang Xinmiao
Published: April 2010

An isolation method by reversed‐phase liquid chromatography coupled with hydrophilic interaction chromatography was successfully used to isolate and purify active bufadienolides from Bufo bufo gargarizans Cantor toad skin. In the first step, crude samples were run on an XTerra Prep C18 column. After screening for activity, two fractions were chosen for further purification. A Click β‐Cyclodextrin (Click‐CD) column made in our laboratory was used for the second step. Seven compounds, including four stereoisomers, were obtained at high purity. The orthogonal isolation method described here was a powerful tool for isolating bufadienolides, including stereoisomers, from a natural product. This integrated method may be useful for the discovery of novel active compounds from natural products.
Optimization of the LC enantioseparation of chiral pharmaceuticals using cellulose tris(4‐chloro‐3‐methylphenylcarbamate) as chiral selector and polar non‐aqueous mobile phases
Authors: Dossou Katina S. S. , Chiap Patrice , Chankvetadze Bezhan , Servais Anne‐Catherine , Fillet Marianne , Crommen Jacques
Published: April 2010

The resolving power of a new commercial polysaccharide‐based chiral stationary phase, Sepapak‐4, with cellulose tris(4‐chloro‐3‐methylphenylcarbamate) coated on silica microparticles as chiral selector, was evaluated toward the enantioseparation of ten basic drugs with widely different structures and hydrophobic properties, using ACN as the main component of the mobile phase. A multivariate approach (experimental design) was used to screen the factors (temperature, n‐hexane content, acidic and basic additives) likely to influence enantioresolution. Then, the optimization was performed using a face‐centered central composite design. Complete enantioseparation could be obtained for almost all tested chiral compounds, demonstrating the high chiral discrimination ability of this chiral stationary phase using polar organic mobile phases made up of ACN and containing an acidic additive (TFA or formic acid), 0.1% diethylamine and n‐hexane. These results clearly illustrate the key role of the nature of the acidic additive in the mobile phase.
Powerscaling of Ultrafast Lasers
Authors: Rußbüldt Peter , Mans Torsten , Hermans Martin , Hoffmann Dieter , Wortmann Dirk
Published: April 2010

Today, ultra‐short laser pulses have found widespread applications in metrology, atomic, molecular, solid‐state, plasma and nuclear physics. Ultra‐precise machining of nearly every material is possible based on an almost non‐thermal processing. Pumping of optical parametric oscillators and amplifiers permit almost any wavelength and pulse duration. High order harmonic generation in gases provides laser like brilliance and coherence in the XUV wavelength range. This article compares fiber, thin‐disk and Innoslab ultrafast amplifiers in terms of power scalability, beam quality and efficiency.
Understanding the Laser Process
Authors: Kaierle Stefan , Ungers Michael , Franz Christoph , Mann Stefan , Abels Peter
Published: April 2010

The Laser as a production tool has gained significant shares in industrial applications today. Laser materials processing is therefore a well established technique, especially in applications like welding, cutting, or surface treatment – benefitting from laser typical features like high processing speed, low heat input into the material, and precise manufacturing technique of high quality. Hence, it is essential to know the quality state of manufactured products. For many application areas this is also formalized through ISO 9000 and other by law enforced regulations. Thus applied quality control is an essential tool in modern manufacturing and necessary in order to keep production results in deterministic boundaries.
Laser Polishing in Medical Engineering
Authors: Temmler André , Graichen Kurt , Donath Johannes
Published: April 2010

Cardiac surgery has made significant progress during the last 50 years. nowadays, almost every congenital or contracted dysfunction of the heart can be treated clinically or at least the etiopathology can be alleviated. During these years, implantable Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs) have proven to be an effective and reliable medical product. In particular, the survival rate of patients with cardiac insufficiency has risen due to these devices. This type of heart‐assist device is implanted either to bridge the time until cardiac transplantation or recovery has occurred, or for permanent implantation in the patient's body.

Berlin Heart GmbH produces the clinically tested axial pump system INCOR® (Figure 1, above). The INCOR heart‐as‐sisting pump is a powerful implantable LVAD which has been used in more than 500 clinical applications. The main function of the axial pump is to unload the patient's heart by transporting blood from the left ventricle to the aorta. In order to assure high reliability of the pump's operation, the components used for blood transport have to be highly bio‐ and hemocompatible.
Asymptotic behaviour of a two‐dimensional differential system with non‐constant delay
Authors: Kalas Josef
Published: April 2010

The asymptotic behaviour and stability properties are studied for a real two‐dimensional system x′(t) = A(t)x (t) + B(t)x (θ (t)) + h (t, x (t), x (θ (t))), with a nonconstant delay t ‐ θ (t) ≥ 0. It is supposed that A,B and h are matrix functions and a vector function, respectively. The method of investigation is based on the transformation of the considered real system to one equation with complex‐valued coefficients. Stability and asymptotic properties of this equation are studied by means of a suitable Lyapunov‐Krasovskii functional. The results generalize the great part of the results of J. Kalas and L. Baráková [J. Math. Anal. Appl. 269, No. 1, 278–300 (2002)] for two‐dimensional systems with a constant delay (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Clinical evaluation of the short‐form pediatric enuresis module to assess quality of life
Authors: Bachmann Christian , Ackmann Conny , Janhsen Ellen , Steuber Christian , Bachmann Hannsjörg , Lehr Dirk
Published: April 2010

Aims

The aim of this study was to determine the psychometric properties of the German version of the Pediatric Enuresis Module to assess Quality of Life, Short Form (PEMQOL‐SF) in a sample of parents of children with urinary incontinence.

Methods

The parents of 88 children (63 male, 25 female, mean age: 9.3 [SD ± 2.5, range 6–18] years) with urinary incontinence were asked to complete the PEMQOL‐SF. For evaluation of convergence validity, parents and children completed the respective versions of the DCGM‐10 and the PinQ questionnaire.

Results

Mean PEMQOL‐SF scores were 72.2 [SD ± 14.1] (child impact scale) and 73.7 [SD ± 16.5] (family impact scale). The PEMQOL‐SF had a Cronbach's alpha of 0.68 (child impact scale) and 0.80 (family impact scale), respectively. PEMQOL‐SF child [family] impact scale scores correlated with the DCGM‐10 with scores of r = 0.34 (r = 0.13; self‐report version) and r = 0.63 (r = 0.48; proxy version) and with the PinQ with scores of r = −0.31 (r = −0.16; self‐report version) and r = −0.63 (r = −0.54; proxy version), respectively.

Conclusions

The psychometric properties of the PEMQOL‐SF were good for the family impact scale, but poor for the child impact scale. In its present form, the PEMQOL‐SF cannot be recommended for routine clinical use. Nevertheless, a reduction of questionnaire items could lead to better psychometric properties. Neurourol. Urodynam. 29:1397–1402, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Quantification of tumor cell burden by analysis of single cell lymph node disaggregates in metastatic prostate cancer
Authors: Schilling David , Hennenlotter Joerg , Sotlar Karl , Kuehs Ursula , Senger Erika , Nagele Udo , Boekeler Ulf , Ulmer Anja , Stenzl Arnulf
Published: April 2010

BACKGROUND

The size of lymph node (LN) metastases in prostate cancer patients represents an important prognosticator, but histological work‐up may not reflect the true extent of tumor invasion. We present a novel technique (1) to detect early tumor cell dissemination and (2) to quantify the true tumor burden.

METHODS

Prospectively 232 LN of 20 consecutive patients with prostate cancer after lymph node dissection were longitudinally bisected, one half was subjected to single cell immunocytochemistry for pancytokeratine (CK), the other half underwent routine histopathological work‐up and step section analysis. In immunocytochemistry, tumor cell density (TCD) was quantified by calculating the number of CK‐positive cells/million leucocytes and compared to routine histopathology and step section analysis.

RESULTS

Eight of 20 patients were positive in histopathology and step sectioning, but 14 of 20 patients were positive in single cell analysis. Twenty‐five of 232 LN were positive in routine histopathology, whereas 52 of 232 LN were positive in single cell analysis. Median TCD in histopathologically positive LN was 3060.0 × 10−6 and 9.9 × 10−6 in histopathologically negative LN (P < 0.0001). Mean TCD of histopathologically negative LN of pN1 patients was significantly higher than the mean TCD of pN0 patients (P < 0.003). Mean TCD per patient correlated with serum‐PSA (r2 = 0.48, P < 0.006).

CONCLUSIONS

Single cell analysis has an increased detection rate compared to routine histopathology and even to serial step section analysis. The method can detect early tumor dissemination and enables quantification of the tumor burden. The subgroup of histopathologically negative LN with CK‐positive cells represents tumor cell dissemination not depicted histologically. Prostate 70: 1110–1118, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Targeting tumor metabolism with 2‐deoxyglucose in patients with castrate‐resistant prostate cancer and advanced malignancies
Authors: Stein Mark , Lin Hongxia , Jeyamohan Chandrika , Dvorzhinski Dmitri , Gounder Murugesan , Bray Kevin , Eddy Simantini , Goodin Susan , White Eileen , DiPaola Robert S.
Published: April 2010

BACKGROUND

A profound difference between cancer and normal tissues is the preferential utilization of glycolysis by cancer cells. To translate this paradigm in the clinic, we completed a phase I study of 2‐deoxyglucose (2DG), and assessed 2DG uptake with fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) and the autophagy substrate p62 as a marker of 2DG resistance.

METHODS

Patients received 2DG orally on days 1–14 of a 21‐day cycle in cohorts of three in a dose‐escalating manner. Correlative assessments included PET scans at baseline and day 2 and p62 protein in peripheral blood mononuclear cells as a potential marker of 2DG resistance.

RESULTS

The dose of 45 mg/kg was defined as the recommended phase II dose, secondary to dose‐limiting toxicity of grade 3 asymptomatic QTc prolongation at a dose of 60 mg/kg. PK evaluation of 2DG revealed linear pharmacokinetics with Cmax 45 µg/ml (277 µM), 73.7 µg/ml (449 µM), and 122 µg/ml (744 µM) in dose levels 30, 45, and 60 mg/kg, respectively. Five of eight patients assessed with FDG‐PET scanning demonstrated decreased FDG uptake by day 2 of therapy, suggesting competition of 2DG with FDG. Five of six patients assessed for p62 had a decrease in p62 at 24 hr.

CONCLUSIONS

These data support the safety of 2DG, defined 2DG PK, demonstrated the effect of 2DG on FDG‐PET imaging, and demonstrated the feasibility of assessment of p62 as an autophagic resistance marker. These data support future studies of 2DG alone or in combination with approaches to abrogate autophagy. Prostate 70: 1388–1394, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Validation of archived chemical shifts through atomic coordinates
Authors: Rieping Wolfgang , Vranken Wim F.
Published: April 2010

The public archives containing protein information in the form of NMR chemical shift data at the BioMagResBank (BMRB) and of 3D structure coordinates at the Protein Data Bank are continuously expanding. The quality of the data contained in these archives, however, varies. The main issue for chemical shift values is that they are determined relative to a reference frequency. When this reference frequency is set incorrectly, all related chemical shift values are systematically offset. Such wrongly referenced chemical shift values, as well as other problems such as chemical shift values that are assigned to the wrong atom, are not easily distinguished from correct values and effectively reduce the usefulness of the archive. We describe a new method to correct and validate protein chemical shift values in relation to their 3D structure coordinates. This method classifies atoms using two parameters: the per‐atom solvent accessible surface area (as calculated from the coordinates) and the secondary structure of the parent amino acid. Through the use of Gaussian statistics based on a large database of 3220 BMRB entries, we obtain per‐entry chemical shift corrections as well as Z scores for the individual chemical shift values. In addition, information on the error of the correction value itself is available, and the method can retain only dependable correction values. We provide an online resource with chemical shift, atom exposure, and secondary structure information for all relevant BMRB entries (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/pdbe/nmr/vasco) and hope this data will aid the development of new chemical shift‐based methods in NMR. Proteins 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Key issues with implementing LOPA
Authors: Bridges William Bill , Clark Tony
Published: April 2010

This article writen by one of the originators of LOPA, focuses on problems observed with LOPA.

One the biggest issues is that organizations use LOPA without following the rules for LOPA, especially the rules related to maintaining, testing, and record‐keeping for each independent protection layer (IPL) and for each “optimized” initiating event (IE).

Another issue is that many companies and analysts overuse LOPA. The LOPA book authors expected the number of scenarios going to LOPA (after a HAZOP/PHA) would be 1 to 10% (max) of those uncovered in a qualitative analysis (maybe after 100 HAZOP nodes, you would do 1–10 LOPA). A PHA team would recommend (or use) LOPA only if the scenario was too complex for the PHA/HAZOP team. It appears that most companies are using LOPA for every scenario that has a severe consequence; this result in doing LOPA on much more than 10% of the scenarios.

Many times, there is weak definition of the consequence that is being avoided, so an independent layer of protection does not always match up well with the consequence.

LOPA is also overworked when it is used. Many of us on the original LOPA book authorship considered LOPA a single analyst job, after a PHA/HAZOP. Instead, the trend appears to be that companies (or perhaps their consultants) make LOPA part of the PHA (in situ), therefore involving the whole PHA team.

LOPA is used in PHA team settings, which distracts PHA teams from their primary task of brainstorming to identify the accident scenarios that can occur.

This article focuses on preventing these problems and also summarizes the many benefits LOPA has produced for the industry. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2010
Bayesian data analysis
Authors: Kruschke John K.
Published: April 2010

Bayesian methods have garnered huge interest in cognitive science as an approach to models of cognition and perception. On the other hand, Bayesian methods for data analysis have not yet made much headway in cognitive science against the institutionalized inertia of 20th century null hypothesis significance testing (NHST). Ironically, specific Bayesian models of cognition and perception may not long endure the ravages of empirical verification, but generic Bayesian methods for data analysis will eventually dominate. It is time that Bayesian data analysis became the norm for empirical methods in cognitive science. This article reviews a fatal flaw of NHST and introduces the reader to some benefits of Bayesian data analysis. The article presents illustrative examples of multiple comparisons in Bayesian analysis of variance and Bayesian approaches to statistical power. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

This article is categorized under:

Psychology > Theory and Methods
Imitation: what animal imitation tells us about animal cognition
Authors: Bates Lucy A. , Byrne Richard W.
Published: April 2010

Imitation of actions is widespread in the animal kingdom, but the mental capacities thereby implied vary greatly according to the adaptive function of copying. Behavioral synchrony in social species has many possible benefits, including minimizing predation risk and using food resources optimally, but can be understood by the simple cognitive mechanism of response facilitation by priming. Imitation can send a social message, either one of short‐term meshing or group identity. Where the imitative match is opaque, as in neonatal imitation, the correspondence problem may imply an innate system of behavior matching; but in other cases, no more than priming may be involved, although there are persistent suggestions that great ape imitation implies empathic abilities. Imitation in the service of learning new skills by following another's example can be divided into contextual imitation (when to employ a familiar action, and to what problem) and production imitation (learning of new skills by imitation). Cognitively, the former requires little more than response facilitation, whereas production imitation needs at least the ability to extract the statistical regularities of repeated action and to incorporate the result into hierarchical program construction. Among our close relatives, only the great apes show much evidence of production imitation of actions, along with the ability to selectively imitate the most rational components of what they observe. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

This article is categorized under:

Psychology > Comparative Psychology
Phenomenological elastoplasticity view on strain recovery loops characterizing shape memory material
Authors: Xiao H. , Bruhns O.T. , Meyers A.
Published: April 2010

Finite elastoplastic J2‐flow models with combined hardening are found to exhibit strain recovery effects. For uniaxial deformation of bars, these models produce plastic flow with the axial stress growing beyond the initial yield stress and then generate reverse plastic flow with the axial stress reducing to zero. A novel method in terms of parametric variable representations via the plastic work is proposed to study such two‐way plastic flow. By means of this new method, it is shown that the foregoing two‐way plastic flow may give rise to any given shape of strain recovery loops, and, furthermore, explicit models are constructed with strain recovery loops formed by two‐way plastic flow. In conjunction with the parametric variable representation method proposed, these findings suggest the possibility of applying straightforward, classical elastoplasticity models to characterizing pseudoelastic behaviour of shape memory materials.
IbpA the small heat shock protein from Escherichia coli forms fibrils in the absence of its cochaperone IbpB
Authors: Ratajczak Elżbieta , Stróżecka Joanna , Matuszewska Marlena , Ziętkiewicz Szymon , Kuczyńska-Wiśnik Dorota , Laskowska Ewa , Liberek Krzysztof
Published: April 2010

MINT‐7888459: ibpA (uniprotkb:P0C054) and ibpA (uniprotkb:P0C054) bind (MI:0407) by fluorescence microscopy (MI:0416)