bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cellular mesoblastic nephroma in an infant: Report of the cytologic diagnosis of a rare paediatric renal tumor
Authors: Gupta Ruchika , Mathur Sandeep R. , Priti Singh  , Agarwala Sandeep , Gupta S. Datta
Published: February 2009

Congenital mesoblastic nephroma is a rare pediatric tumor with a favorable clinical outcome. Cytological features of this uncommon tumor and diagnostic difficulties with other commoner pediatric renal neoplasms have been inadequately discussed in the available literature. We describe the case of a 1‐year‐old girl who presented with a right renal mass. Fine‐needle aspiration smears consisted of a few cellular clusters of spindle cells with mitotic activity and mild nuclear pleomorphism. No blastema was identified. A cytologic impression of mesoblastic nephroma was rendered, which was confirmed on histopathological examination of the right nephrectomy specimen as a cellular mesoblastic nephroma.

Cytologic diagnosis of mesoblastic nephroma has important prognostic and therapeutic implications. The cytopathologist should carefully evaluate smears from such patients and attempt to differentiate mesoblastic nephroma from Wilms' tumor and clear cell sarcoma. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Thiazolidinediones: effects on the development and progression of type 2 diabetes and associated vascular complications
Authors: Krentz Andrew
Published: February 2009

In addition to reducing hyperglycaemia, the metabolic actions of TZDs (pioglitazone and rosiglitazone) in theory might improve the prognosis of patients with type 2 diabetes. However, it appears from recent data that pioglitazone and rosiglitazone have different cardiovascular risk profiles. The scope of this paper is to examine the benefits and risks of pioglitazone and rosiglitazone. Three large clinical studies (DREAM, and ADOPT with rosiglitazone; PROactive with pioglitazone) have recently been reported. A lower annual rate of decline of ß‐cell function observed with rosiglitazone in the ADOPT study, compared with metformin and glyburide (glibenclamide), along with a reduced progression to insulin use seen with pioglitazone in the PROactive study, provides evidence that TZDs are effective in treating progressive hyperglycaemia. In PROactive, although the primary endpoint was not met, pioglitazone was associated with a reduction in a secondary composite endpoint of clinical cardiovascular events in high‐risk patients with existing macrovascular disease who were already receiving other glycaemic and cardiovascular medications. Further evidence supporting an anti‐atherogenic effect of pioglitazone was gained from the PERISCOPE study of carotid intima‐media thickness. Recent controversy concerning a possible increased risk of myocardial infarction associated with rosiglitazone has fuelled uncertainty about the risk–benefit profile of this agent. In 2008, an update of an American Diabetes Association–European Association for the Study of Diabetes consensus statement on initiation and adjustment of therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes advised clinicians against using rosiglitazone. Skeletal fractures have recently emerged as a side effect of both TZDs. Available data suggest that cardiovascular benefits observed with pioglitazone might not be a class effect of TZDs. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesis and Characterization of Hypervalent Organoantimony(III) Compounds Containing the [2‐(Me2NCH2)C6H4]2Sb Fragment
Authors: Opris Laura M. , Preda Ana Maria , Varga Richard A. , Breunig Hans J. , Silvestru Cristian
Published: February 2009

Compounds containing the [2‐(Me2NCH2)C6H4]2Sb moiety were prepared by using R2SbX [X = Cl (1), Br (2)] as starting materials. The reaction of 1 with Me3SiCH2MgCl gave the mixed alkyl–aryl stibine R2SbCH2SiMe3 (3). Reduction of 2 with Mg in thf followed by in situ air oxidation or treatment with S8 resulted in the isolation of (R2Sb)2E [E = O (4), S (5)]. Compound 5 is also formed from R2SbCl and Na2S. The reaction of 4 with [W(CO)5(thf)] gives the unexpected complex [(R2SbOH)W(CO)5] (6). The new compounds were investigated by IR, 1H, and 13C NMR spectroscopy, as well as by mass spectrometry. The structures of 3–6 were determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. For compounds 3–5, both nitrogen atoms from the pendant arms are involved in intramolecular N→Sb coordination, which results in distorted square‐pyramidal (C,N)2SbC or (C,N)2SbE (E = O, S) cores. By contrast, in 6 only one nitrogen atom is strongly coordinated to the antimony center, whereas the second nitrogen atom is involved in N···H–O bonding. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009)
Novel Alkaloids from Myrioneuron nutans
Authors: Pham Van Cuong , Jossang Akino , Sévenet Thierry , Nguyen Van Hung , Bodo Bernard
Published: February 2009

Two new alkaloids, dehydronitraramine (1) and N‐formylmyrionine (2) were isolated from the leaves of Myrioneuron nutans, and their structures were determined from spectroscopic analysis, including mass spectrometry and 2D‐NMR spectroscopy. The absolute configuration 8S, 9R, 10S of N‐formylmyrionine (2) was established by N‐formylation of the known (8S,9R,10S)‐myrionine and then comparison of the optical rotation of the natural N‐formylmyrionine (2) with that of the semi‐synthetic (8S,9R,10S)‐N‐formylmyrionine. Dehydronitraramine (1) displayed a moderate antiplasmodial activity against Plasmodium falciparum with an IC50 value of 16 μM, whereas both 1 and 2 showed a weak cytotoxicity against KB cells.(© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009)
Application of 7‐endo‐trigPictet–Spengler Cyclization to the Formation of the Benzazepine Ring: Synthesis of Benzazepinoindoles
Authors: Sharma Sudhir K. , Sharma Sunil , Agarwal Piyush K. , Kundu Bijoy
Published: February 2009

The preparation of benzazepinoindoles, fused heterocycles with a benzazepine moiety, was accomplished through an intramolecular 7‐endo‐trigPictet–Spengler cyclization. The precursors comprising C‐3‐ or C‐2‐linkedo‐aminobenzylindoles required for the cyclization were obtained either by treating indoles witho‐nitrobenzyl bromide followed by reduction of the nitro group or by treating 2‐nitrophenylacetic acid with DCC/DMAP followed by reduction of the aryl nitro functionality. Resulting substrates5and6were then subjected to the 7‐endo‐trigPictet–Spengler reaction with a variety of aldehydes and ketones to furnish new polycyclic structures benzazepinoindoles. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009)
Direct Electron Transfer and Electrocatalysis of Myoglobin Based on its Direct Immobilization on Carbon Ionic Liquid Electrode
Authors: Shangguan Xiaodong , Zheng Jianbin
Published: February 2009

Direct electron transfer of myoglobin (Mb) was achieved by its direct immobilization on carbon ionic liquid electrode (CILE) with a conductive hydrophobic ionic liquid, 1‐butyl pyridinium hexaflourophosphate ([BuPy][PF6]) as binder for the first time. A pair of well‐defined, quasi‐reversible redox peaks was observed for Mb/CILE resulting from Mb redox of heme Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couple in 0.1 M phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.0) with oxidation potential of −0.277 V, reduction potential of −0.388 V, the formal potential E°′ (E°′=(Epa+Epc)/2) at −0.332 V and the peak‐to‐peak potential separation of 0.111 V at 0.5 V/s. The average surface coverage of the electroactive Mb immobilized on the electrode surface was calculated as 1.06±0.03×10−9 mol cm−2. Mb retained its bioactivity on modified electrode and showed excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the reduction of H2O2. The cathodic peak current of Mb was linear to H2O2 concentration in the range from 6.0 μM to 160 μM with a detection limit of 2.0 μM (S/N=3). The apparent Michaelis–Menten constant (K$\rm{ {_{m}^{app}})}$ and the electron transfer rate constant (ks) were estimated to be 140±1 μM and 2.8±0.1 s−1, respectively. The biosensor achieved the direct electrochemistry of Mb on CILE without the help of any supporting film or any electron mediator.
A fibre flexure–shear model for seismic analysis of RC‐framed structures
Authors: Ceresa P. , Petrini L. , Pinho R. , Sousa R.
Published: February 2009

While currently existing modelling approaches of reinforced concrete (RC) behaviour allow a reasonably accurate prediction of flexural response, the determination of its shear counterpart needs further developments. There are various modelling strategies in the literature able to predict the shear response and the shear–flexure coupling under monotonic loading conditions. However, very few are the reported models that have demonstrated successful results under cyclic loading, as in the seismic load case. These considerations lead to this research work focused on the development of a flexure–shear model for RC beam–column elements. A reliable constitutive model for cracked RC subjected to cyclic loading was implemented as bi‐axial fibre constitutive model into a two‐dimensional Timoshenko beam–column element. Aim of this research work is to arrive at the definition of a numerical model sufficiently accurate and, at the same time, computationally efficient, which will enable implementation within a finite element package for nonlinear dynamic analysis of existing non‐seismically designed RC structures that are prone to shear‐induced damage and collapse. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Simulation of the shaking table test of a seven‐story shear wall building
Authors: Martinelli Paolo , Filippou Filip C.
Published: February 2009

This paper presents the simulation of the nonlinear dynamic response of a full‐scale seven‐story reinforced concrete shear wall shaking table specimen under base excitations representing four earthquake records of increasing intensity. The study was motivated by the participation in the blind prediction contest of the shaking table specimen organized by University of California at San Diego (UCSD), NEES, and Portland Cement Association (PCA). Owing to the time constraints of the contest a relatively simple two‐dimensional (2d) model was used for the shear wall specimen. In this model, the shear wall was represented by 2d beam–column elements with fiber discretization of the cross‐section that account for the interaction of the axial force with the bending moment. Upon conclusion of the contest, the available experimental measurements permitted a thorough examination of the analytical results. While the measured data confirmed the excellent accuracy of the model predictions, some limitations also became apparent. The paper addresses the benefits and limitations of the selected modeling strategy and investigates the sensitivity of this type of model to parameter selection. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Post‐Younger Dryas deglaciation of the Greenland western margin as revealed by spatial analysis of lakes
Authors: Gorokhovich Yuri , Rinterknecht Vincent , Rogers Jessica
Published: February 2009

Lake shapes and their spatial distribution are important geomorphological indicators in previously glaciated areas. Their shapes are influenced by the underlying geological structure and processes of glacial sediment deposition or erosion. Since these processes act on large areas, distribution of lakes can reflect the intensity of glacial erosional/depositional processes and their spatial extent. Landsat imagery was used to extract lake outlines from a selected pilot‐study area on the widest ice‐free coastal margin of the south‐western Greenland north of Kangerlussuaq. Analysis included image classification and spatial analysis of lakes with elevation data using geographic information system (GIS) tools. A morphometric index was applied to extract kettle lakes as indicators of a specific glacial process – ice stagnation. Analysis of their spatial distribution helped in the reconstruction of glacial dynamics in formerly glaciated terrain. Our results show that spatial lake distribution combined with elevation analysis can be used to identify zones of glacial erosion and deposition. The highest concentrations of lakes within the study area occupy the elevation range between 164 and 361 m above sea level (a.s.l.). This zone can be identified as an area where intensive glacial erosion took place in the past. The widespread distribution of modeled kettle lake features within the same elevation range and across the study area suggests that the last deglaciation process was accompanied by abandonment of blocks of stagnant ice. This conclusion is supported by surface exposure ages obtained in the same study area and published elsewhere. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Measurement of solifluction rates using multi‐temporal aerial photography
Authors: Ridefelt Hanna , Boelhouwers Jan , Eiken Trond
Published: February 2009

A new method is presented to assess decadal solifluction lobe movement and volumetric changes at the catchment scale. The method is based on photogrammetrical analysis of orthorectified repeat aerial photography in a geographic information system (GIS). High resolution aerial photographs from two valleys in northern Sweden, Kärkevagge and Låktatjåkka valleys, are used to quantify changes of the lobe fronts, as an indication of solifluction rates over a period of 41 years. Two methods are explored, the flow direction method and the front line method, in order to quantify the movement rates. Results show that the maximum combined root mean square error (RMSE) and resolution error amount to c. 1·7 m; no clear preference of one measurement method over the other was found. Application potential of the method is promising but reliability depends on the movement rates of the landforms and sufficient time span between the images. In the pilot study the measured yearly movement over the period 1959–2000 ranges from not‐detectable to 63 mm/yr. Not‐detectable means that movement cannot be detected within the resolution used in the study. Lobe advance rates are similar to measured surface movement rates and volumetric sediment flux by solifluction is found to be considerably lower than a previous estimate by Rapp (1960). Implications for lobe advance models are discussed. Photogrammetrical analysis is recommended as an important tool for detecting decadal solifluction movement at the catchment scale. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Transient three‐dimensional‐patterned ripples appear during deformation of a two‐dimensional ripple field under wave‐induced oscillatory flow
Authors: Sekiguchi T.
Published: February 2009

Wave‐flume experiments on the process of deformation of pre‐existing two‐dimensional ripples revealed that one of two distinct types of three‐dimensional patterned ripple, the rhombic or the barrel type, emerged in the early stages of the experimental runs. Rhombic‐type ripples were characterized by a staggered pattern of similar‐sized mounds, whereas the barrel‐type ripples had a barrel‐like plan shape arranged in echelons. The former ripples were formed under strongly asymmetrical flow conditions with large excursion distances of water particle motion near the pre‐existing rippled bed, whereas the latter were formed under relatively symmetrical flow conditions with small excursion distances. The emergence of both types of ripples was also highly dependent on sediment grain size. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A new measure of the effective number of tests, a practical tool for comparing families of non‐independent significance tests
Authors: Galwey Nicholas W.
Published: February 2009

p‐Values from tests of significance can be combined using the Šidák correction (or the closely related Bonferroni correction) or Fisher's method, but both these methods require that the p‐values combined be independent when all null hypotheses tested are true. In this paper adjustments to these methods are proposed, using a new eigenvalue‐based measure of the effective number of independent tests to which the actual tests performed are equivalent, and are compared with adjustments proposed by previous authors. The adjusted methods are evaluated using a sample of 726 Alzheimer's disease (AD) cases and 707 group‐matched controls, genotyped at 84,975 single‐nucleotide polymorphism loci in 2,000 randomly chosen genes. The tests for genetic association with AD at loci within each gene are combined. The number of loci tested per gene varies from 2 to 994. The adjusted combined p‐values agree well with the significance of the combined p‐values determined empirically by random permutation of the data (Šidák correction: r=0.990; Fisher's method: r=0.994). This indicates that the combined p‐values can be used to assess the relative strength of evidence for association of these genes with AD. The adjustment proposed here is a refinement of that of Nyholt ([2004] Am. J. Hum. Genet. 74:765–769), giving improved agreement with the results of random permutation. The improvement obtained is similar to that given by the refinement proposed by Li and Ji ([2005] Heredity 95:221–227). It is concluded that the concept of an effective number of tests is a valid approximation that allows p‐values to be combined in a highly informative way. Genet. Epidemiol. 33:559–568, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The sumLINK statistic for genetic linkage analysis in the presence of heterogeneity
Authors: Christensen G. B. , Knight S. , Camp N. J.
Published: February 2009

We present the “sumLINK” statistic—the sum of multipoint LOD scores for the subset of pedigrees with nominally significant linkage evidence at a given locus—as an alternative to common methods to identify susceptibility loci in the presence of heterogeneity. We also suggest the “sumLOD” statistic (the sum of positive multipoint LOD scores) as a companion to the sumLINK. sumLINK analysis identifies genetic regions of extreme consistency across pedigrees without regard to negative evidence from unlinked or uninformative pedigrees. Significance is determined by an innovative permutation procedure based on genome shuffling that randomizes linkage information across pedigrees. This procedure for generating the empirical null distribution may be useful for other linkage‐based statistics as well. Using 500 genome‐wide analyses of simulated null data, we show that the genome shuffling procedure results in the correct type 1 error rates for both the sumLINK and sumLOD. The power of the statistics was tested using 100 sets of simulated genome‐wide data from the alternative hypothesis from GAW13. Finally, we illustrate the statistics in an analysis of 190 aggressive prostate cancer pedigrees from the International Consortium for Prostate Cancer Genetics, where we identified a new susceptibility locus. We propose that the sumLINK and sumLOD are ideal for collaborative projects and meta‐analyses, as they do not require any sharing of identifiable data between contributing institutions. Further, loci identified with the sumLINK have good potential for gene localization via statistical recombinant mapping, as, by definition, several linked pedigrees contribute to each peak. Genet. Epidemiol. 33:628–636, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The anthropology of dementia: a narrative perspective
Authors: Randall William L.
Published: February 2009

This article draws on recent thinking in the field of narrative gerontology to lend support to Mahnaz Hashmi's “anthropological perspective” on dementia. From a narrative perspective, the relational component of human life ‐ and thus of dementia ‐ is underscored. Moreover, when the narrative dimensions of memory are considered, the line between “normal” and “pathological” is revealed as finer than commonly assumed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Age‐related microstructural changes in subcortical white matter during postadolescent periods in men revealed by diffusion‐weighted MR imaging
Authors: Yoshiura Takashi , Noguchi Tomoyuki , Hiwatashi Akio , Togao Osamu , Yamashita Koji , Nakao Tomohiro , Nagao Eiki , Kumazawa Seiji , Arimura Hidetaka , Honda Hiroshi
Published: February 2009

Continuous maturation of cerebral white matter (WM) in the postadolescent period is not fully understood. To elucidate the time course and location of possible postadolescent maturational changes in cerebral WM, we studied 60 healthy male subjects who were in their second to seventh decade using diffusion‐weighted imaging. Mean diffusivity (MD) in subcortical WM was measured in 78 cortical regions in each subject's brain using an automated method. Regression analysis was used to model the age‐related change in MD by either a linear or a quadratic function in each region. Age‐related changes in subcortical MD were best modeled by either a linear function or a quadratic function in 27 regions including language‐related regions, visual or multimodal areas in the bilateral occipital and temporal lobes, limbic areas including the bilateral parahippocampal gyri, and the bilateral postcentral and left precentral gyri. In these regions, the MD rapidly decreased until middle age and thereafter reached a plateau. Our results revealed microstructural changes in local subcortical WM and suggests a continuing maturational process in postoadolescent periods. Hum Brain Mapp 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The retrieval of learned sequences engages the hippocampus: Evidence from fMRI
Authors: Ross Robert S. , Brown Thackery I. , Stern Chantal E.
Published: February 2009

Computational models suggest that the hippocampus plays an important role in the retrieval of sequences. However, empirical evidence supporting hippocampal involvement during sequence retrieval is lacking. The current study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine the role of the human hippocampus during the learning and retrieval of sequences. Participants were asked to learn four sequences comprised of six faces each. An overlapping condition, where sequences shared common elements, was comprised of two sequences in which two identical faces were shown as the middle images of both sequences. A nonoverlapping condition contained two sequences that did not share any faces between them. A third random condition contained two sets of six faces that were always presented in a random order. The fMRI data were split into a learning phase and an experienced phase based upon each individual's behavioral performance. Patterns of hippocampal activity during presentation, delay, and choice periods were assessed both during learning (learning phase) and after subjects learned the sequences to criteria (experienced phase). The results revealed hippocampal activation during sequence learning, consistent with previous findings in rats and humans. Critically, the current results revealed hippocampal activation during the retrieval of learned sequences. No difference in hippocampal activation was seen between the overlapping and nonoverlapping sequences during either sequence learning or retrieval of sequences. The results extend our current knowledge by providing evidence that the hippocampus is active during the retrieval of learned sequences, consistent with current computational models of sequence learning and retrieval. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Chronic diarrhea and abdominal pain: Pin the pinworm
Authors: Rajamanickam Anitha , Usmani Ali , Suri Sanjeev , Dimov Vesselin
Published: February 2009

Enterobius vermicularis is the most common helminthic infection in the US. It is usually considered an innocuous parasite that at the most causes perianal itching. We report a case of an 84‐year‐old female patient from an assisted living facility who presented with symptoms of colitis for 2 months. On detailed history and exam, she was found to have E. vermicularis infection. All her symptoms resolved dramatically within 2 days after a single dose of albendazole. We want to emphasize the importance of including parasitic infections such as E. vermicularis in the differential diagnoses of patients presenting with symptoms of colitis. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2009;4:137–139. © 2009 Society of Hospital Medicine.
Standardized admission order set improves perceived quality of pediatric inpatient care
Authors: Bekmezian Arpi , Chung Paul J. , Yazdani Shahram
Published: February 2009

BACKGROUND:

Few studies exist on the ability of standardized preprinted order forms to improve patient care.

OBJECTIVE:

To examine resident‐perceived effects of introducing a pediatric admission order set (PAOS) on the quality of inpatient care.

DESIGN:

Cross‐sectional study.

SETTING:

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Children's Hospital, a nonprofit, tertiary‐care teaching hospital and major referral center with approximately 3,000 admissions per year.

PARTICIPANTS:

A total of 97 pediatric residents (PL‐1, n = 34; PL‐2, n = 33; and PL‐3, n = 30) who did the vast majority of the inpatient admissions.

MEASUREMENTS:

Residents were asked to rate the PAOS overall and with respect to 9 specific dimensions using a 5‐point Likert scale.

RESULTS:

Overall, 89% of respondents approved of the PAOS, 58% reported using it ≥90% of the time, and all said that they would recommend it to their colleagues. Eighty‐four percent thought that it improved inpatient care, and 75% thought that medical errors were reduced. Eighty‐eight percent reported that the PAOS saved time; 93% said it was convenient; and most reported less need for clarification with secretaries (81%) and nurses (82%). In multivariate regression analyses, the only predictor of overall rating was whether the PAOS improved inpatient care (P = 0.04). Improved patient care, meanwhile, was predicted by whether the PAOS was comprehensive (P = 0.01), reduced medical errors (P = 0.01), and required less clarification with nurses (P = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS:

A standardized admission order set is a simple, low‐cost intervention that residents believe may benefit patients by reducing medical errors and expediting high‐quality care. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2009;4:90–96. © 2009 Society of Hospital Medicine.
Clinical indications for newer antifungal agents
Authors: Naeger‐Murphy Nina , Pile James C.
Published: February 2009

Recent years have seen the release of multiple new systemic antifungal agents, significantly increasing options for the treatment of most serious fungal infections. Newly available drugs include those in the echinocandin class, including caspofungin, micafungin, and anidulafungin, as well as the newer generation triazoles, voriconazole and posaconazole. Ordering of these agents is variably restricted, depending on a given institution's policies, and all are costly. In this review we examine the available evidence and outline the role of newer antifungal medications in several common and/or important situations, including invasive and mucocutaneous Candida infection, febrile neutropenia, invasive aspergillosis, zygomycosis, and endemic mycoses. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2008;4:102–111. © 2009 Society of Hospital Medicine.
Incidence and impact of adverse effects to antibiotics in hospitalized adults with pneumonia
Authors: Lin Robert Y. , Nuruzzaman Farzana , Shah Shaili N.
Published: February 2009

BACKGROUND:

This study sought to define the incidence, economic impact, and nature of adverse drug effects (ADEs) related to antibiotics in pneumonia hospitalizations in the US.

METHODS:

Adult pneumonia hospitalizations were tabulated in statewide (New York) and national databases, respectively, from 2000 through 2005. The incidences of antibiotic related ADEs were determined by identifying antibiotic specific e‐codes (external cause of injury codes). The modeled effect of the presence of antibiotic ADEs on length of stay (LOS) and total charges were also calculated. ADEs due to specific antibiotic classes, and the presence of certain cutaneous allergic and gastro‐intestinal manifestations commonly attributable to ADEs, were tabulated.

RESULTS:

ADEs related to antibiotics were reported in a small but consistent proportion (0.45–0.6%) of pneumonia hospitalizations in both cohorts. The most common identifiable antibiotics class associated with ADEs was the cephalosporins followed by penicillins and quinolones. Over 60% of the ADEs were associated with reported dermal/allergic and gastro‐intestinal manifestations. Multivariate analysis adjusting for co‐morbid conditions and demographic factors showed that the presence of an antibiotic adverse drug effect was a significant independent predictor of greater LOS and higher total hospital charges.

CONCLUSIONS:

ADEs related to antibiotics can be identified by analyzing administrative hospitalization databases. For pneumonia, a common hospitalization diagnosis, there is a defined calculable impact and incidence of antibiotic associated adverse effects. This should be considered in planning hospitalization resource allocation and in developing equitable hospitalization reimbursements. Identifying the nature of antibiotic associated adverse effects may facilitate the development of stratagies for reducing these adverse effects. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2009;4:E7–E15. © 2009 Society of Hospital Medicine.
Mitotic catastrophe as a prestage to necrosis in mouse liver cells treated with Helicobacter pullorum sonicates
Authors: Ceelen Liesbeth M. , Haesebrouck Freddy , D'Herde Katharina , Krysko Dmitri V. , Favoreel Herman , Vandenabeele Peter , Ducatelle Richard , Decostere Annemie
Published: February 2009

Helicobacter pullorum infections have been associated with several enterohepatic diseases, but the mechanism of action is currently undefined. The present study was therefore set up to investigate possible cytotoxic effects of this pathogen on liver cells. A mouse hepatic cell line was exposed to H. pullorum sonicate and cytotoxicity was observed for all isolates after incubation for 72 h. Features characteristic for mitotic catastrophe characterized by chromatin condensation, formation of multinuclear distended cells and micronucleation, were recorded. In addition, intranuclear pseudoinclusions were seen in sonicate‐treated cells. Finally, cells exposed to sonicate eventually underwent cell death with the morphological features of necrosis, which occurred without activation of caspase‐3. The toxic factor involved in the cytotoxic activity proved to be soluble, trypsin–sensitive and stable at 56°C and at −70°C with a molecular weight to be over 50 kDa. The current study shows for the first time that H. pullorum causes mitotic catastrophe resulting in primary necrosis in mouse hepatocytes. J. Morphol., 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effect of nickel on the mineralization of hydrocarbons by indigenous microbiota in Kuwait soils
Authors: AL‐Saleh Esmaeil S. , Obuekwe Christian
Published: February 2009

Assessment of nickel contents in soil samples in Kuwait indicated only a minor difference in concentration in hydrocarbon‐contaminated (86 mg kg–1 soil) and non‐contaminated soils (84 mg kg–1 soil). The potential inhibitory effects of nickel on the number of hydrocarbon degraders, and hydrocarbon utilization were investigated over a wide range of nickel concentrations to span concentrations observed in the soil. Nickel addition, as nickel sulphate, to soil samples reduced the number of hydrocarbon degraders in all samples by a wide range (15–96%) depending on concentration and the hydrocarbon substrate utilized. Similarly, the metabolic activities were affected as observed in mineralization (3–60%) of soils amended with various concentrations of nickel. The inhibitive effects of nickel on hexadecane and crude oil utilization were minimal but were significantly higher with naphthalene (P < 0.05) in both hydrocarbon‐contaminated and non‐contaminated soils. Polarographic determination of hydrocarbons induced oxygen uptake rate demonstrated the tendency of nickel to significantly inhibit (P < 0.05) the oxidation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons compared to aliphatic hydrocarbons. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The role of extracellular polymers on Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm biomass and metabolic activity
Authors: Sousa Cláudia , Teixeira Pilar , Oliveira Rosário
Published: February 2009

Staphylococcus epidermidis is now well established as a major nosocomial pathogen, associated with indwelling medical devices. Its major virulence factor is related with the ability to adhere to indwelling medical devices and form biofilms. In this study, the biofilm matrix of four S. epidermidis clinical isolates was extracted and the polysaccharides and proteins content was quantified. The results were correlated with the total biofilm biomass (determined by crystal violet assay) and cellular metabolic activity (evaluated with XTT reduction assay). According to the results, the exopolymers studied play an important role not only on structure and biofilm biomass but also on cellular activity. Thus, the strain forming biofilms with the highest level of polysaccharides (S. epidermidis 1457) also formed thicker biofilms but with the lowest metabolic activity. The protein concentration also varied among strains, with the biofilm matrix of S. epidermidis 9142 presenting a higher concentration of proteins comparing to the remaining strains. This fact indicates the different levels of importance that matrix proteins can hold on biofilm composition among strains albeit overall, it is suggested that extracellular protein production it is not a determinative factor for biofilm total biomass. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Vibrational spectroscopy and DFT calculations of amino acid derivatives: N‐acetyl‐L‐Asp and N‐acetyl‐L‐Glu in the solid state
Authors: Kausar Nighat , Alexander Bruce D. , Dines Trevor J. , Withnall Robert , Chowdhry Babur Z.
Published: February 2009

Experimental vibrational spectroscopic studies and density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the amino acid derivatives N‐acetyl‐L‐Asp and N‐acetyl‐L‐Glu have been undertaken. Raman and IR spectra have been measured in the solid state for both molecules. DFT simulations were conducted using the B3‐LYP correlation functional and the cc‐pVDZ basis set in order to determine their energy minimized/geometry optimized structures (based on a single isolated molecule in the gaseous state), and vibrational spectra were computed at the optimized geometry in each case. Normal coordinate calculations have provided vibrational assignments for fundamental modes, including their potential energy distributions. Significant differences are observed in the computed structures and in the vibrational spectra of N‐acetyl‐L‐Asp and N‐acetyl‐L‐Glu. The combination of experimental and calculated results provides an insight into the structural and vibrational spectroscopic properties of N‐acetylated amino acid derivatives. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Enhancing disease resistance in peach fruit with methyl jasmonate
Authors: Jin Peng , Zheng Yonghua , Tang Shuangshuang , Rui Huaijin , Wang Chien Y
Published: February 2009

BACKGROUND: Peaches are susceptible to microbial decay during postharvest distribution at ambient temperature. To search for effective alternatives to currently used fungicides for disease control, in this study the effect of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) on disease resistance and fruit decay of peaches after harvest in response to pathogen attack was investigated.

RESULTS: Freshly harvested peaches were treated with 1 µmol L−1 MeJA vapour at 20 °C for 24 h. At 0, 12, 24 and 36 h after this treatment, both treated and untreated fruits were artificially wounded and inoculated with Penicillium expansum, Botrytis cinerea or Rhizopus stolonifer spore suspension (1 × 105 spores mL−1) and then incubated at 20 °C for 6 days. MeJA treatment significantly reduced the postharvest diseases. Incubation for 12 h was the optimal length of time after MeJA treatment, resulting in the lowest disease incidence and lesion diameter for all pathogens. The activities of defence enzymes including chitinase, β‐1,3‐glucanase, phenylalanine ammonia‐lyase, polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase were enhanced by MeJA treatment, and the level of total phenolics in MeJA‐treated fruit was also higher than that in control fruit. In addition, MeJA affected hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)‐metabolising enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase and ascorbate peroxidase and induced a higher level of H2O2 during incubation, which might serve as a signal to induce resistance against P. expansum.

CONCLUSION: MeJA was effective in reducing decay and might enhance disease resistance in peach fruit by increasing levels of antipathogenic proteins and antimicrobial phenolic compounds. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry
Increased effectiveness of theTrichoderma harzianumisolate T‐78 againstFusariumwilt on melon plants under nursery conditions
Authors: Bernal‐Vicente Agustina , Ros Margarita , Pascual Jose Antonio
Published: February 2009

BACKGROUND:The use of isolates of the genusTrichodermato controlFusariumwilt in melon plants is one of the most recent and effective alternatives to chemical treatments. In this work we have studied the immobilization of the isolateTrichoderma harzianumT‐78 on different carriers as an efficient method to control vascularFusariumwilt of melon in nurseries. Different formulations were developed: liquids (spore suspension, guar gum and carboxymethylcellulose) and solids (bentonite, vermiculite and wheat bran).

RESULTS:The introduction ofF. oxysporumresulted in a significant decrease in seedling fresh weight. The treatments which gave a lesser reduction in weight and showing a greater biocontrol effect were the liquid conidial suspension and the solid treatments with bentonite and superficial vermiculite. Microbiological analyses revealed that the conidial suspension and all the solid treatments, except wheat bran, significantly decreasedF. oxysporumpopulations. Of all the treatments assayed, bentonite produced the greatest decline in theF. oxysporumpopulation.

CONCLUSIONS:The most effective treatments againstFusariumwilt on melon plants were the solid treatments bentonite and superficial vermiculite. These two treatments gave the greatest plant weight, the lowest percentage of infected plants and the greatestT. harzianumpopulation throughout the assay. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry
Molecularly imprinted polymers and their application in solid phase extraction
Authors: Lasáková Martina , Jandera Pavel
Published: February 2009

Solid phase extraction is routinely used in many different areas of analytical chemistry. Some of the main fields are environmental, biological, and food chemistry, where cleaning and pre‐concentration of the sample are important steps in the analytical protocol. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have attracted attention because they show promise as compound‐selective or group‐selective media. The application of these synthetic polymers as sorbents allows not only pre‐concentration and cleaning of the sample but also selective extraction of the target analyte, which is important, particularly when the sample is complex and impurities can interfere with quantification. This review surveys the selectivity of MIPs in solid phase extraction of various kinds of analytes.
Antiviral drug discovery: Ten more compounds, and ten more stories (part B)
Authors: De Clercq Erik
Published: February 2009

This review article that complements the previous review article on “The discovery of antiviral agents: ten different compounds, ten different stories” presents ten more compounds and ten more stories in which I have been closely involved at one or another point of my scientific career: (i) interferon (IFN) (in particular, IFN‐β); (ii) poly(I).poly(C); (iii) suramin; (iv) novel acyclic nucleoside phosphonates; (v) the double prodrug of [9‐(2‐phosphonomethoxyethyl)guanine]; (vi) cyclic nucleoside phosphonates; (vii) picornavirus inhibitors; (viii) human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co‐receptor inhibitors; (ix) nonimmunosuppressive cyclosporin A analogues; and (x) bicyclic (furanopyrimidine) nucleoside analogues. With the exception of the HIV co‐receptor CCR5 inhibitor none of the compounds described here have already been marketed (for the indication they were initially developed). Successful antiviral drug development depends on the interplay of three disciplines, chemistry, biology/medicine, and industry, crucial factors being open mindedness for the unexpected, preparedness to explore serendipitous observations, and perseverance (in trying) to overcome the hurdles or setbacks inevitably compounding any drug development. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Med Res Rev
The rainbow connectivity of a graph
Authors: Chartrand Gary , Johns Garry L. , McKeon Kathleen A. , Zhang Ping
Published: February 2009

A path P in an edge‐colored graph (not necessarily a proper edge‐coloring) is a rainbow path if no two edges of P are colored the same. For an ℓ‐connected graph G and an integer k with 1 ≤ k ≤ ℓ, the rainbow k‐connectivity rck(G) of G is the minimum integer j for which there exists a j‐edge‐coloring of G such that every two distinct vertices of G are connected by k internally disjoint rainbow paths. The rainbow k‐connectivity of the complete graph Kn is studied for various pairs k, n of integers. It is shown that for every integer k ≥ 2, there exists an integer f(k) such that rck(Kn) = 2 for every integer n ≥ f(k). We also investigate the rainbow k‐connectivity of r‐regular complete bipartite graphs for some pairs k,r of integers with 2 ≤ k ≤ r. It is shown that for each integer k ≥ 2, there exists an integer r such that rck(Kr,r) = 3. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, 2009
A survey of some network reliability analysis and synthesis results
Authors: Boesch F.T. , Satyanarayana A. , Suffel C.L.
Published: February 2009

The purpose of this article is to introduce several results concerning the analysis and synthesis of reliable or invulnerable networks. First, the notion of signed reliability domination of systems is described and some applications to reliability analysis are reviewed. Then the analysis problem is considered and a brief summary of the difficulty of calculating various reliability measures is presented. Some relevant concepts in the synthesis of a most reliable network are studied. The article concludes with an introduction to a non‐probabilistic approach to evaluate the vulnerability of a network. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, 2009
A time‐staggered partitioned coupling algorithm for transient heat conduction
Authors: Nakshatrala P. B. , Nakshatrala K. B. , Tortorelli D. A.
Published: February 2009

We present a time‐staggered partitioned coupling algorithm for transient heat conduction finite element simulations. This algorithm divides a large structural mesh into a number of smaller subdomains, solves the individual subdomains separately and couples the solutions to obtain the response to the original problem. The proposed algorithm is a mixed multi‐timestep algorithm and enables arbitrary time integration schemes and meshes to be coupled with different timesteps in the various subdomains. In this procedure, the solution of each partition is separately evaluated over a system timestep after which the interfacial conditions are enforced making this a staggered algorithm that facilitates parallel computation. We present examples showing the feasibility of the coupling algorithm and discuss the merits in terms of convergence and stability. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Transcriptional activation of the β‐catenin gene at the invasion front of colorectal liver metastases
Authors: Bandapalli Obul R , Dihlmann Susanne , Helwa Reham , Macher‐Goeppinger Stephan , Weitz Jurgen , Schirmacher Peter , Brand Karsten
Published: February 2009

β‐Catenin is a pivotal molecule of the Wnt‐signalling pathway, involved in regulation of developmental and oncogenic processes as well as in intercellular adhesion. So far, β‐catenin has been thought to be regulated mainly at the protein level. Here, we provide evidence for a transcriptional mechanism of β‐catenin regulation at the invasion front of colorectal liver metastases. In a nude mouse/LS174T cell xenograft model of colorectal liver metastases, we observed β‐catenin up‐regulation at the mRNA and protein levels and a 13.7‐fold increase of β‐catenin promoter activity in the cancer cells of the invasion front. In addition, the promoter activity was five‐fold higher in the interior of the tumour than in cells growing in cell culture. In vitro studies revealed binding of TCF‐4 to the β‐catenin promoter and reduced promoter activity by over‐expression of dominant negative TCF‐4, or β‐catenin knock‐down and increased activity by β‐catenin over‐expression, indicating that β‐catenin acts as co‐transcription factor of its own promoter. In 55% (7/13) of clinical specimens, β‐catenin mRNA was markedly elevated in the cancer cells of the invasion front. Elevation of mRNA was paralleled by increased nuclear and cytoplasmic β‐catenin protein concentrations. These data indicate that transcriptional regulation contributes to the dynamic changes of β‐catenin levels upon the confrontation of tumour cells with the host microenvironment. Copyright © 2008 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Thermoplastic toughened layered silicate epoxy ternary nanocomposites—Preparation, morphology, and thermomechanical properties
Authors: Asif A. , Rao V. Lakshmana , Saseendran V. , Ninan K.N.
Published: February 2009

Epoxy–clay ternary nanocomposites were processed by melt blending of hydroxyl terminated poly (ether ether ketone) oligomer with pendant methyl groups (PEEKMOH) with diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) epoxy resin along with organically modified montmorillonite (OMC‐OH) followed by curing with 4,4′‐diamino diphenyl sulfone. Small angle X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy revealed an intercalated morphology. Tensile, flexural, storage, and loss moduli were increased whereas the tensile, flexural, and impact strength and glass transition temperature were decreased with increase in clay content for the PEEKMOH toughened epoxy system. Fracture toughness and percentage strain were increased by 66% and 45% respectively whereas the coefficient of the thermal expansion was decreased by 27% with the incorporation of 1 phr OMC‐OH to the PEEKMOH toughened epoxy system compared with neat epoxy. The scanning electron microscope pictures of fracture and tensile failed surfaces revealed crack path deflection and ductile fracture with the incorporation of OMC‐OH confirming the improvement in toughness. The domain size and the distance between the domains of thermoplastic phase were decreased with the addition of nanoclay into the epoxy matrix indicating the restriction of the growth mechanism by nucleation during phase separation. A marginal increase in thermal stability was observed with increase in clay content. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2009. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers
Study of application of ultrasonic wave to injection molding
Authors: Sato Atsushi , Ito Hiroshi , Koyama Kiyohito
Published: February 2009

We have developed an ultrasonic injection molding (UIM) system, which applies ultrasonic waves to injection molding, as a precision injection molding technology. Molding of optical lenses showed that the lens weight increased when the ultrasonic wave was applied immediately after the resin was filled into a cavity. Results showed that, by applying ultrasonic waves, oscillatory flow was generated inside the cavity and consequently the weight of the lens was increased. The surface finish of the molded lens was also significantly improved in UIM when compared with that in conventional molding. The part of shrinkage during the packing and holding stages was suppressed by the oscillatory flow provided by the ultrasonic vibration. Because of ultrasonic energy absorption, local heating was generated inside the resin, resulting in the formation of oscillatory flow during packing and holdingstages. Local heating, occurring especially between molten and skin layers, reduces the skin layer's deformation resistance. Consequently, replication during the packing and holding stages is facilitated by the UIM. Moreover, evaluation of the residual optical strain of concave lens revealed that the strain was much lower in UIM than in conventional molding. The decreased strain was attributed to the local heat generation by the ultrasonic waves. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2009. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers